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“Just a flesh wound, champ,” Brass reassures, still looking him over. I can vaguely hear voices in the background. My focus is solely on Ryder and all I can think about is getting him out of here and to safety. Brass eyes me and smiles. “He’s gonna be just fine, Reap.”

I let go of a breath.

“You got hit too,” Ryder says, then points to my aching shoulder.

“I’m fine,” I tell him, not wanting to worry him. My shoulder hurts like a bitch and throbs with each pulse of my heart.

“We need to move,” Creed says from the door. “Eight minutes.”

I look over my shoulder and see Havoc has Juan José propped up against the bookshelf on the floor. He’s barely alive and I want my face to be the last thing he sees before the gates of Hell open for him.

“Need you to go with Brass,” I say to Ryder as I cup the side of his neck. “I’ll be right behind you.”

“No, don’t leave me. I want to stay with you, Dad.” Ryder clutches me in a tight hold.

Stone presses some gauze to the hole on my shoulder. “Looks through and through. Nothing major hit that I can see.”

“I’ll be right behind you, I promise,” I say to Ryder, then nod to Stone and Brass.

“Hurry the fuck up, Reaper,” Stone grits, then helps Brass get Ryder up.

They leave the room with several men following behind Creed heading back to the underground bunker. I push off the floor and turn around to face where Havoc is crouching down over our enemy.

“… not so brave without a hostage you sack of shit,” I hear Havoc saying as I approach them.

“I’ll give you all of it,” Juan José says as blood trickles out of the corner of his mouth. “Call a doctor and you can have everything.”

“I don’t want anything you have to offer, motherfucker. You tried to steal my wife and baby,” Havoc snarls.

I get eye-level and draw his attention.

“Please help.” Juan José looks over at me and pleads.

“Fat chance, asshole. You stole my wife and kid,” I say then look up at Havoc. “What part do you want?”

“Neck,” Havoc declares.

“I’ll take the heart then,” I say.

Reaching down I grab my blade, ignoring the shooting pain rippling through my body at the movement of my shoulder. A reflection catches out of the side of my eye and I can see Havoc pulling his knife out of the back of his waistband.

Grabbing his chin between my thumb and forefinger, I steady him to look right into my eyes.

“Say hello to your fucking grandson for me,” I taunt.

His eyes widen and he makes a weak attempt to move his face away from me but I hold firm. “Dead Road, No Exit,” I chant.

“Dead Road, No Exit,” Havoc repeats.

Slowly Havoc sinks his blade into the side of Juan José’s neck as I pierce his chest. He tries to use his hands to push me away and shift over but we’ve made sure he’s not going anywhere. After several moments the fight leaves him and so does his last breath. His eyes are open and stare lifelessly back at me. I wait a few beats before removing my favorite weapon of choice. Swiping the blood off against his white linen button-down shirt, I stand and place my blade back in my pocket. I stumble for a second but Havoc catches me.

“Let’s get the fuck outta here,” he says, taking most of my weight.

“We gotta move,” Riot yells from the doorway as he peeks into the office. Seeing me leaning on our VP he comes over and helps. “We’re cuttin’ it close.”

Five guys stayed back with us and lead the way down the hall as we retrace our steps from the main house and towards the bunker. Just as we make it to the pool cabana, an explosion on the far south end of the property ignites.

“Fuckin’ hell!” Riot exclaims. “Move, move!”