Page 69 of Tick Tock, Boom!

“Kind of bleeding out here, Kitten. Your fault, not mine.”

She frowned, placing her hands on her hips before she began to pace.

“Who's the boy, Natalia?”

“None of your business.”

“Who's the boy?” She didn't respond, just continued to pace. A sign she was in distress.

“He's mine, isn't he?” I uttered, knowing full well he was mine. Realizing that was what Hoax and Knuckles were keeping from me. I'd have to deal with them later.

Suddenly she whirled toward me, grabbed the gun and pointed it at my forehead. I leaned my head back so I could get a good look at her.

“He's mine.” I confirmed.

“Even If he was you have no right over him. And if you dare to do anything to take him, I'll kill you, no questions asked.”

I gave out a sorrowful chuckle. “Of course you will, Kitten. Funny how life is, ain't it? I suppose this is how you get your payback. At least I saw you…one last time.”

“Jose.” I felt her nudge at my leg with her foot as I started to wane.

“Jose!” Her shout of concern sounded very far away as I let the darkness consume me.

The last thing I saw before I passed out was the outline of her legs and the glint of that damn gun still in her hand.

She was still fire.

Still mine.

And if I survived this, I was never letting her go again. Not her or my son.

NATALIA

Iheard the roar of the bikes’ engines first, then the slamming of a car door at the front of the house. The heavy footfalls followed, heading up my porch steps and I tore the door open, holding up the rifle and stopping them in their tracks.

“You.” I pointed at Knuckles. Onlyyoucan go through the back door, the rest stay here.”

He raised his hands and took the few steps down. “And if you or your men make one noise to disturb my son’s sleep, yourbrotherwon’t be the only one filled with bullets.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He turned towards another man and told him to follow him toward the back. I slowly backed away and slammed the door shut, heading back to the kitchen.

Knuckles found Tick Tock on the kitchen floor, crumpled and fainted. The towel I’d pressed to his chest was blood soaked. As Knuckles got down to examine the wound, I noticed the shot I’d fired had hit him just above the old injury he was recently healing from. An inch to the left and I would have gotten his heart.

"Goddammit, you couldn’t have shot him in the leg?" Knuckles snapped, falling to his knees beside him.

"Sorry," I deadpanned, keeping my rifle tight in hand. "Didn’t exactly stop to think about who I was shooting as they barged into my house uninvited."

Knuckles muttered a curse, glancing up at me. “I can’t lift him alone. I need Riddick.”

Sighing, I turned toward the man standing just outside the back door. He looked hesitant, but when I nodded once, he stepped inside. The man had long black curls tied loosely at his nape, just like José used to wear his hair, before the silver had started threading in.

“Damn,” Riddick muttered with a whistle. “Why the hell did you let him come by himself?”

Knuckles gave him a look. “You think I could stop him? Grab his legs.”

Between the two of them, they carefully lifted Tick Tock’s limp body, mindful of the blood soaking through his shirt, his breathing shallow but still there. My chest tightened as I watched them haul him toward the truck.

Knuckles paused at the door. “He’s gonna want to talk to you,” he said, glancing over his shoulder. “Don’t go far.”

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