Page 101 of My Darling Mayhem

The dogs were still running past the dead men into the trees where Saul had taken Kane.

Cruz was crying, holding his little arms over his chest while tears streamed down his face. My feet felt nearly frozen as I faltered, coming to a stop in front of my son, pulling him into my arms, against my pounding heart.

“Are you hurt?” I asked, breathlessly.

Cruz shoved his face into my shoulder. “No.”

My gaze searched the tree line frantically. Taylor, Scotty and the dogs were all gone, chasing Saul. Presley was running toward us, the gun strapped to her back. I opened my mouth to say something when all of a sudden a rugged off-roading vehicle came racing toward us. The tires were massive and slotted for terrain. Alex was in the passenger’s side, and the girl with reddish brown hair I’d seen in the photo was driving.

Within seconds the vehicle slid to a stop, kicking up grass as the girl with dark red hair from the photos jumped out.

“Pres!”

“Carter?” Presley asked, narrowing her focus as if she was confused.

Alex opened the passenger side door, exiting while sliding a large clip into what looked like an automatic machine gun.

“What are you doing here?” Presley asked, sounding shocked.

Alex glared over the top of the Jeep at Presley. “Don’t start, Pres.”

“Whatever, we need to drive along the edge and trail him. He has a kid.” Presley was about to get inside the Jeep but then she paused, glancing back at me. “He might have more men; I think Scotty would want us to hang back and protect Wren and the little guy.”

All three women glanced over at me. They were barely over eighteen, maybe early twenties. How on earth did I feel like the inexperienced one?

“She can come with us,” Carter suggested.

I liked that idea, but Cruz was still crying into my shoulder.

Alex’s lips twisted. “No, Pres is right. Scotty would never risk them if?—”

Presley’s head suddenly snapped back toward the house. “My dad needs to know that our perimeter was breached. My mom is in town; she’ll need to be warned too.”

My head was spinning as they spoke, all holding weapons like it was nothing. They’d all obviously been trained in some capacity to do this…like the twins.

They were all monsters.

Whatever happened twenty years ago with my brother and his friends, their legacy was this. Girls who looked like they should be out shopping with their girlfriends, holding sniper rifles and automatic weapons.

Presley gestured toward me while keeping her focus on the two girl’s. “I’ll stay with them, take them to a safe room. You two go out, back them up. Juan won’t be happy when he realizes Taylor went out without him.”

Alex’s face shuddered the smallest bit, her gaze moving to the trees. “Dad is going to lose his shit when he hears this.”

“Carter, you think you can remember how to hold a gun?” Presley asked, while securing her sniper rifle against her back once more.

Carter flipped Presley off and then crawled back into the driver’s side of the Jeep. Within seconds, they took off, shooting grass behind them as they headed toward the perimeter.

I picked up Cruz and moved toward Presley who waited for me while watching the perimeter. How did she just walk away from the fact that she shot so many people? Was this her first time, or had she done this before? She didn’t seem phased in the slightest by it.

We started back toward the house all the while my gut sank because I’d promised Archer that his brother would be safe with me. I failed him.

The only thing he’d tried to do since I met him was keep Kane safe, and one night with me, and all that was undone. Shame slipped in through the tiny cracks of my heart, along with fear over my recent choices. How could I do this to my son? How could I do this to Kane, placing another young person in danger?

I lived a safe life with Cruz when it was just the two of us. I had nearly gotten him kidnapped by dating Archer and stepping outside of the safety circle that I’d drawn around my life. The one where I had kicked everyone out and refused to ever it open it up…at the risk of being lonely, it would have been worth it if it meant everyone remained safe exactly where they were.

Archer’s easy smile flashed in my mind while I walked back inside, leaving his brother in the woods. I’d do whatever it took to undo this and get us back somewhere we’d be untouchable again.

TWENTY-FIVE

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