Page 24 of K-9 Guardians

Julien reached forward, and King couldn’t help but memorize this moment. Where the three of them had somehow created a solid bubble between them and the evil that waited on the other side of these shelves. His son massaged behind Gruber’s ears, and the K9 flicked a long pink tongue against Julien’s wrist.

“Aren’t you lucky? That means he likes you.” Scarlett locked her gaze on King. Neither of them wanted to say it, but leaving the truth unsaid didn’t make it untrue. King wasn’t leaving this warehouse. Not as long as he couldn’t control this bleeding. Which meant he had to trust her to keep her word. She had to get Julien out alone. Scarlett turned her attention back to his son. “And because he likes you, he’s going to do whatever it takes to keep you safe. So am I. Okay? No matter what. I promise.” She extended her hand. Waiting.

And Julien took it. Which was a miracle in and of itself. King couldn’t remember a single time his son had reached out like that. Not since he’d come to live with King. It was just one more piece of evidence of Scarlett’s effect on people.

She brought the boy to his feet as she stood.

But Julien hung on to King’s other hand, unwilling to let go.

Tears burned in King’s eyes. This wasn’t like dropping Julien off at school every day, worried something would happen that King couldn’t fix. This was goodbye. And damn it, he wasn’t ready. “It’s all right, buddy. You’ve got your very own personal guard dog. Cool, huh? And Scarlett here is going to make sure no one can hurt you again. You go with them. I’ll be right behind you.”

He’d never lied to his son before, and it didn’t sit well now, but King couldn’t destroy this boy’s world all over again. King kissed Julien’s hand, giving it a small shake. “It’s going to be scary, but you’ve got this. You’re amazing and brave and as stubborn as they come.” King was losing it. Going right over the edge of being able to let go. “Go on now. Before you know it, we’ll be back at home in our own beds with a big bowl of popcorn and your favorite movie.”

Shouts grew louder. Closer.

They were out of time together.

Julien fell into King’s arms, squeezing harder than ever before, and King’s heart hitched in his chest. Just before his son pulled away. One hand on Gruber’s collar, the boy kept close to Scarlett as she backed herself toward the end of the aisle. That brilliant gaze cut through him.

“I’ll protect him. I promise,” she said.

“I know you will.” In the short time they’d partnered together, he’d learned that was the kind of woman she was. A woman of her word.

King watched as they got to the end of the aisle. Scarlett bent down, gathering Hans into her side, and whispered something to Julien, who nodded before taking her hand.

“I’ll hold them off as long as I can,” King said.

His son turned back to look at him one last time. Just as he’d imagined his mom had done when she’d slipped free of his bedroom all those years ago. Hell, King couldn’t help but see her in that boy’s face.

“I love you, Julien. Don’t ever forget that.” King didn’t care if the cartel heard him. All he had to do was give Scarlett and Julien and Gruber a chance to escape.

Julien didn’t answer. But King saw it there. The softening, the glisten of tears. His son loved him, too. In his own way and in his own time.

Two months wasn’t enough for King. Wouldn’t ever be enough, but he sure as hell appreciated the time they had together in the last few minutes of his life.

Scarlett led Julien out of sight, Gruber taking his job seriously at his son’s side. And they were gone. Leaving King to fight off Sangre por Sangre alone.

The door to the office swung open, one of Muñoz’s men dead center in the frame. Gun raised and aimed.

But King wasn’t going out on their terms. Just as he would bet Eva and Adam hadn’t. The last reserves of adrenaline dumped into his veins.

King was on his feet.

He lunged.

And tackled the cartel soldier a split second before the gun went off.

Chapter Nine

The shot punctured through the rhythmic pounding of her feet and Gruber’s nails against the asphalt. Every cell in Scarlett’s body knew the source, and instinctively she slowed their escape. Hans’s weight nearly pulled her to the ground.

A hundred feet. That was all that stood between them and the SUV, but the need to go back—to pull King out—gutted her. But she couldn’t turn back. She’d given him her word she would get Julien out, and there was no way she’d put his little life at risk. Not now. “Almost there.”

Midnight air sucked the sweat off her skin and from beneath her gear. She picked up the pace. Julien was breathing hard to keep up, but he was alive, and that was all that mattered. Scarlett remote-started the car. “Get in.”

No other gunshots came from inside the warehouse. Nothing to suggest the cartel was still fighting off the threat that had penetrated their walls. Which meant...

No. She didn’t want to think about that.

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