Page 60 of Viking

“Andrina, please?” I beg.

She breaks free of Attina’s hold and rushes toward me. I envelop her slight frame in my arms, practically take her entire weight as she sobs and sinks into the embrace. We both wind up on our knees, hugging and crying on the threshold of a cage I vowed never to return to. With the last vestige of strength I have left, I pull her out of the cage and we fall back on the grass the way we used to as children, before our father betrayed us, before the Brothers took us and used our bodies, before we found ourselves in a living hell.

“It’s okay, sister,” I whisper as I stroke her hair. “I’ve got you.”

Gunfire rings out from all over the island, and I glance up at Viking.

“We need to move,” he says. I nod and he turns to his brothers. “Blue, get all the women and children out.”

Blue smirks and points to Attina. “And that one?”

“Her too.”

“Shit, Prez. You trying to kill my fuckin’ vibe?”

A muscle pops in Viking’s jaw. “Take them and Arie to the vans.”

I shoot to my feet, pulling Andrina up with me. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Darlin’—”

“No. You cannot take this from me, Viking.”

“I can’t risk your life.”

“You make me go with them and I will never forgive you. I need to do it. I need to be the one. You promised you wouldn’t take this from me.”

“Sister? What are you saying?” Andrina cries. “Do not leave me, please, Ariella?”

“Go with Blue. You will be okay.”

She shakes her head, her eyes wide with panic. “I do not know these men.”

“They’re safe. They can be trusted.” I give Viking a pointed look. “I will personally cut off their balls if they touch a hair on your head.”

“I’ll take care of the bitch,” Blue says. “Go, do what you gotta do, little mermaid.”

I nod and glare at Viking. He inhales through his nose, but his features are resigned. I hand Andrina off to Gator and walk toward Viking, brushing his side with my shoulder as I pass.

His heavy footsteps follow in my wake, along the path to the temple. That’s where the brothers will be. That is their safe haven—warm and dry, with all their creature comforts. While the Sisters were left to the wolves, starved prey in dirty cages, easy pickings.

A guard witnesses our approach from the south end and raises his gun. Viking’s axe wizzes past my head, the blade cutting the air with a sharp sigh. It hits the guard right in the middle of the chest and he topples, his finger pulling the trigger on his semi-automatic rifle. Bullets spray all around us and Viking throws himself in front of me. I duck my head in against his back. After a gun fire has stopped, I raise my head. Viking turns and asses me from head to toe.

I do the same to him and sigh in relief. “I’m okay. You’re okay too, right?”

He nods. I glance at the guys at the same time that Lucky shouts, “Jesus, fuck!” His hand covers his left bicep, blood spilling out between his thick fingers.

“Motherfucker! Dad, are you alright?” Daydream says.

“Yeah. Thank fuck Vike already took care of him or he’d be in a whole lot of pain with my boot all the way up his ass.” Lucky grits his teeth.

I cover my mouth as I stare at the blood pouring over his hands.

Viking steps forward, pulling his bandana from his pocket. He wraps it around Lucky’s arm and ties it off tightly as the other man hisses. “Meatball, go with him back to the vans.”

Lucky shakes his head. “You gotta be fuckin’ kiddin’ if you think I’m missing out on busting some pedo heads.”

“Can’t fight with a bullet in your arm, brother.”

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