“Never thought I’d see you againTristan,” Karson growls Andy’s first name, then shoves him back down on the ground. Andy’s skull makes a sickening cracking sound, and he pulls him up again. “You should have stayed off my fucking radar and away from what’smine.”
Parker and I reach her Jeep. Maverick rushes over to us and opens the back door, but I can’t tear my eyes away from Karson.
Karson continues to bounce Andy’s head off the ground, then starts punching him in the face. Eventually, he starts kicking Andy in the ribs. Andy, who is surprisingly still conscious, sluggishly attempts to turn on his side to protect himself.
“I don’t think so,” Karson laughs, and punches Andy so hard his head snaps to the side, and he stops moving.
A black Bronco tears into the parking lot. It screeches to a stop just behind Andy’s Bentley. Elias exits the driver’s seat, followed by Cole, and they stop at Andy’s head.
“That’s good for now, Karson,” Elias says calmly. “We’ll get him to the warehouse. You worry about her.” His forest green eyes find mine, softening when they see me. The two men grab Andy by the arms and ankles, then unceremoniously throw him in the back of the Bronco.
Karson whirls around. A lump forms in my throat as he hurries over to me. Carefully, he wraps his strong arms around my shoulders. Pressing my nose into his chest, I breathe in his scent. My body begins to tremble.
“I’m here, doll.”
I finally break. The sob tears out of me before I can stop it, my fingers clutching the front of his shirt as he holds me steady. My head throbs, my ribs burn with every breath, but none of that matters right now.
He’s here.
Karson’s hand slides up the back of my neck, cradling my head carefully to avoid the staples.
“You’re safe,” he murmurs, his voice rough and low. “I’ve got you.”
Behind him, car doors shut and the Bronco rumbles back to life, then exits the parking lot. Maverick opens the passenger door for Parker, and she climbs in before he rounds the hood.
Karson leans back just enough to look down at me, hurricane eyes scanning my face, as if he’s making sure every piece of me is intact.
Letting go of me with one hand, the other still wrapped around my shoulders, he holds the back door open for me.
“Let’s go home.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Perdition looksa lot different when you bring someone back broken. The lights are the same. The music still bleeds faintly through the walls from the casino floor. Dealers shuffle cards. People laugh like the world hasn't tried to rip everything away from me twice in the last twenty-four hours. But none of it registers to me. My only focus is getting her back upstairs. We move slowly to the elevators, everything around us is just noise.
Ashlynn leans into my side as we step off the elevator on the penthouse floor. Her weight is light against me, and every few seconds her breath hitches when her ribs remind her they’re fragile. I tighten my arm around her shoulders.
“Easy,” I whisper and steady her as she sways.
“I’m fine,” she whispers.
Lie.
Her voice is hoarse, her movements careful. The bruising along her cheekbone has darkened since this morning, and the staples at the back of her head poke through tangled strands of hair.
She’s trying to be strong. I hate that she feels like she has to.
My key card buzzes us into the penthouse, and Parker moves ahead of us, already clearing space on the couch.
“Sit,” she tells Ashlynn gently.
For once, Ashlynn doesn’t argue. She lowers herself carefully, wincing at the movement.
My jaw tightens.
Parker covers her with a blanket, and places throw pillows on either side of her. Ashlynn thanks her with a smile that doesn’t touch her eyes and exhales slowly as she sinks into the cushions. Parker moves into the kitchen and starts rifling through cabinets.
Across the room Maverick watches quietly, arms crossed, as Cole, Elias and Nick walk into the apartment.
