Page 69

Turning, Crow stood at the opposite end of the clearing. Using Tommy as cover, he had a gun pressed to the kid’s head.

“Hey, Dad. Fancy seeing you here.” Crow’s smile was warped, the scar that ran across his mouth and down his chin inhibiting natural movement. The tissue was tight and had no give, Crow’s mouth lifting only slightly on the good side. His eyes were clear and controlled as he eyed the bloodbath around us.

Two more guys came out of the clearing, dragging Atlas between them, his head lolling back and forth. They dropped him next to Crow, his body unmoving on the ground at his feet. One of the men stood over him, a gun pointed at his head.

From somewhere on the periphery, I heard twigs snap and the sounds of crunching leaves, but I didn’t dare to move my head. Right then, I was just close enough to Reaper that I could get to him—in front of him, if needed.

That was what Crow wanted more than anything. That was what I couldn’t let happen.

“Leave them out of this. It’s between you and me,” Reaper bellowed as he tried to remain standing.

“Always protecting everyone else. You had no problem playing surrogate daddy to a bunch of bastards, but what did you do for me? Fucking hypocrite,” Crow spit out.

“Enough complaining. You have an issue with me? Then let’s handle it. You’re just a little boy playing games, pretending he’s a real man.”

“Fuck off. I know exactly who I am and where I belong. It was never with you or that whore you call a wife.” Reaper’s face turned thunderous.

“Leave your mother out of this. Your fight is with me.”

“No. Now, as much fun as this little therapy session has been, it’s not why I brought you here.” The sound of an engine grew closer as Crow checked his watch. While he was distracted, a muffled gunshot echoed around the space. Relief hit me as I registered the blood blossoming on the chest of the man standing over Atlas.

Minutes later, Bull’s massive form came launching out of the woods, tackling the remaining guard to the ground. In a quick moment, the snap of the man’s neck echoed. Before Bull could get up, a shot rang out. It felt like slow motion, watching Bull collapse on his side, blood pouring down his side. My body lunged toward him, but the butt of a gun came crashing into my skull, forcing me to my knees.

“Devon. Take me. Stop this all. Just…take me.” Reaper stepped toward Crow, and I tried to move to him.

“No. Enough, Eliot,” Reaper said quietly.

“How touching. Too bad we don’t have the time. Or room for all of you. Since the big one’s out of commission, I guess we need the psycho instead. This one, though…useless.”

Before we could even register what was happening, Crow shot Tommy in the back of the head. He was just a kid, his body collapsing on the ground, half his brain splattered on the trunks surrounding us.

With a roar, I got to my feet and lunged toward Crow. Black filled my vision as Tommy’s lifeless eyes stared back at me. Before I could get any closer, something hit my back—or was it my shoulder? The pain spread quickly, shooting through my ribs and lungs. Black spots appeared as I collapsed to my knees.

My vision faded in and out, Bull’s large form visible across from me. He was unconscious on the ground, blood covering his hands and face. I fell to the dirt, desperately trying to hang on to the light. Thoughts of Lilah pulled at me, but they weren’t enough, and far too soon, I was slipping away.

Chapter 35

Scythe

Waking up, my limbs felt weak, and my eyes focused on the blood-soaked bandage sloppily wrapped around my shoulder. The rough metal of handcuffs rubbed at my wrists as my vision cleared.

How much time has passed?

Blinking my eyes open, my lashes stuck together with dried blood. My vision finally cleared as I tried to process where we were. Windowless and dark, the only light that penetrated were from small holes in the heavy doors at the other end of the space. Steel walls and floors stretched around me, offering no information regarding our whereabouts. I was slumped on the floor, my arms behind my back.

Pulling myself upright, I leaned against a wall eyeing the rest of the room. In the center, a body dangled from the ceiling. It was Reaper; his head was slumped over, his arms cuffed to a bar overhead, his toes dangling just above the ground. His head lolled from side to side, no sign of consciousness in his prone form.

Across from me, crouched in the corner with his hands cuffed in front of him, was someone I didn’t recognize. Thin and dirty, I couldn’t get a good view of him. He was banged up and cowering against the opposite wall. Long, unwashed hair covered his face, and any skin that was visible was stained with dirt and barely healed wounds. The side of his face peeked out when his hair hung forward, revealing a black eye and swollen cheek. He shot us a dirty look and froze when he saw I was awake.

“Lying bastards,” he said before spitting in my direction. His swollen face was a mask of rage and fear. The copper scent of blood lingered in the air, overpowered by the mix of body odor and piss that seemed to permeate the area.

“Reaper!” I called out, my voice sounding weak and foreign to my own ears.

“Prez. Wake up,” I ordered, twisting my hands as I mapped the cuffs locking me in place. I searched for any weakness—any bit of give I could exploit. My head swam, and I was winded from the effort of simply sitting upright. Still, I kept working my wrists. I didn’t stop when the metal bit into my skin, or when the sharp sting told me it had split open. I welcomed the warmth of blood coating my hands, letting it slick my skin as I forced the cuffs lower, praying the extra slip would be enough.

Voices seeped through the walls, the sounds of boots growing louder until the slap of metal on metal echoed throughout the space. One of the doors swung open, daylight blasting through like a gamma ray. That glimpse was enough, though, to highlight our situation. The door of the storage container slammed shut behind Crow and two of his men.

The guy across from me visibly flinched, trying to squeeze his body closer to the wall. Ducking his head, it was like he was trying to disappear into himself. His entire body trembled as the men invaded the space. Placing a flashlight down in a corner, the two men took up spots blocking the door while Crow approached Reaper.