Page 58 of Boone

Kai gave a grin that had no humor. “You got it, Chief.”

Boone gave his attention back to his babygirl. “Ready to go home?”

He couldn’t hear her reply over the sound of helicopter rotors that suddenly filled the cabin. Nico Midnight had arrived.

The hardest thingBoone had ever done was turn his babygirl over to Grif while he finished dealing with Midnight. There was no way in hell she was going outside with him where he had no control over her safety.

He couldn’t believe he’d be struggling to hold back a smile right now, but he could hear her shouts and threats from insidethe cabin. If she could carry out half of them, they were all in trouble. He was going to owe Grif a bottle of Wyoming’s best whiskey when this was all done.

He stalked to Sev’s side. On his knee with his hands tied behind him, Vinnie glared at Boone. The man was supposed to be something to lure Nico off his chopper, but Boone might shoot him right through those hate-filled eyes if he didn’t point them somewhere else.

The helicopter blew snow everywhere, making it hard to see. He tried to keep his anger shut down, but his control was at its snapping point.

The door of the chopper slid open. Nico didn’t appear. Instead, Nico’s voice boomed out over the helicopter’s speaker.

“This isn’t quite the greeting I expected,” Nico said. “You didn’t have to come all this way to make an appearance, Sevin. I’ll be coming to visit you soon enough. I wouldn’t be so eager for that day if I were you.”

Sev ignored his father. He stared at the doorway to the helicopter, face blank and eyes cold.

Nico wasn’t done. “Vinnie, I thought I could count on you to carry out my plans. I’m disappointed, and I’m never one to handle disappointment well. You, of all people, should know that.”

Boone had had it with all Nico’s posturing and stalling. Enough was enough. He might not have a megaphone, but his rage would work just as well. “You wanna talk? It looks to me like you want to hide like a coward.”

Nico laughed. “Somehow, I don’t think talking is what you and my son have in mind. I’ll be going, but first, a warning. I’d like to say this final act of betrayal surprises me, Sevin. But as always, your plans show inadequate planning and poor execution. Know that you are now my top priority. Not to dealwith such blatant disrespect would invite trouble with the other families. Here’s a preview of what is in your near future.”

A shot rang out from inside the helicopter. Vinnie jerked and fell to his side. A bright red stain spread over his chest, spilling onto the snow.

The helicopter door closed, and the blades began to spin. Boone, Dutch, and Kai, along with all Sev’s men opened fire, but it bounced off the skin of the chopper.

Seven moved toward the chopper, firing as he went. But it was no use. The armor plating was too strong. Boone watched in helpless fury as, once again, Nico Midnight got away.

CHAPTER 22

Boone held Tildi in his lap, running his palm down the length of her hair. Life had a funny way of twisting and turning. Things that were once the most important in a person’s world could become worthless, and dreams you never dared to dream could come true.

He knew this for a fact because he didn’t give the first fuck about dealing with Nico Midnight. The Little girl in his arms—loving her, caring for her needs and wants, and keeping her safe—was the only thing that mattered.

She was his world, his everything.

“So, we’re agreed?” Sev kept his voice low.

“We are,” Boone answered without hesitation. “Wait. I have one condition.” Pulling his wallet from his pocket, he pulled out the picture he’d had for over three years. Unfolding it, he smoothed the creases and handed it to Sevin. “I promised my men she’d be the last face he saw before he died. If I’m going to turn over taking Nico out to you, you have to swear to me she’s the last person he sees.”

Sev took the photo from him and studied the only picture Boone had of Cara Bradshaw. Nodding, he refolded her pictureand put it in his wallet. “I swear, he’ll die with her face in his mind.”

That was that. The weight of retribution disappeared. No, not disappeared. Transferred to the man who could carry it out without endangering the people Boone loved.

Sev turned to Tino, his new second in command. “Get rid of Vinnie’s body and the rest of Nico’s men.”

At the end of it all, things weren’t going to work out well for Nico. But once Sev put an end to him, the Cosa Nostra would be run by someone who at least had a moral compass. It might be a bit off tilt, but the Midnight family would be out of the human trafficking business.

Tino nodded and signaled for the rest of Sev’s men to take the others away. After Tino cleared the room, Sev turned to Boone. “I’m going to have my hands full for a while, but once things settle down, I may come visit you again in the future. There are aspects of the ranch I’d love to explore.”

Boone stared his friend right in the eye. “Anytime,” he said.

Yeah, that wasn’t going to happen. Boone had a sneaking suspicion he knew exactly what aspects of the ranch Sev wanted to explore. And that would happen over his dead body.

It was time for them to leave. Sev could handle his family matters on his own. When he stood, he kept Tildi in his arms.

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