Page 170 of Monster

“What the fuck?” I said out loud. The man was wearing a King’s Men cut. And now that I was looking around, I realized all the men here were.

Traitors of the club, I realized.

These men betrayed Dominic. And off to the side were two very, very familiar faces.

“Roman,” I said. “Those are the men who chased Braxton and me.”

The other man’s face darkened.

“Fucking rats,” he spat out. “Axel betrayed the club.”

Roman looked at Kai, whose eyes were red and wet now. “Remember what I said, kid. I’m counting on you to protect my world.”

Another shot came out at the truck. I flinched.

He leaned over and kissed Ryleigh quickly, and I looked away from them, blinking back tears.

The king is dead.

No.

It looked like Axel was sending someone over to pull us out of the truck, but Roman exited the car first, and Kai moved to the driver’s side.

The men around aimed their guns at our truck. Even if Roman was able to distract some of them, I didn’t know how we would outrun all the men.

“No!” Ryleigh screamed. “We’re not leaving him!”

“Emmy, hold Ryleigh!” Kai commanded.

I looked at him, then at the struggling girl beside me, unsure of what to do. We couldn’t just leave Roman. We couldn’t—

Engines growled from a distance.

I paused. More than a dozen bikes came into view.

Kai looked, too, and Ryleigh stopped fighting.

Tears continued to fall down my cheeks as I watched the scene unfold.

I gasped when the bikes got closer, though it was probably drowned out by all the noise.

Because the King’s Men had arrived. And in the middle, leading the charge, was Dominic.

My monster was alive.

26

DOMINIC

We surrounded the fucking traitors.

I took in the scene, from Roman standing in front of his truck protectively to Kai getting out from the driver’s side, his gun drawn. Fucking Axel’s surprised face.

Blade stood off to one side, defeat set in his dark eyes. Fucker knew it was over. Next to Axel was—surprise, surprise—fucking cunt-face Trent, all the blood draining from his face.

He had been the one selling out the club’s information. The one who told those bastards where to find my Braxton.

My eyes moved back to Axel, the fucking leader of this insurgent group.

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