Page 202 of Blood and Ruin: The Complete Series

“No. I’ll do it.”

Kai stares at me for a bit longer before telling Rion to get in touch with Luka and Jax and to put some of the stronger leaders under us in charge while we’re gone.

Hopefully, they can hold down the fort until we’re back.

Making our way through the halls, I see Kai and Rion watch me from the corner of my eye, probably thinking I’m going to lose it, but there’s no way I’d jeopardize something this important, especially not when it comes to Kiarra.

I’d go to the ends of the earth for that girl. She’s my whole fucking heart.

Once they go off to get things ready, I pull out my phone and dial the prick’s number.

“Who the fuck—” The grainy voice on the other end doesn’t get a chance to finish as I cut him off.

“Listen asshole, I’ll be opening a portal to you very soon. Fucking accept it, and I won’t add arson to your list of problems.”

“Hello, Axel. How’s life been treating you? Not too good, it seems, if you have to call us.”

“Fuck you. Accept the portal or I’ll—”

“Yes, yes, you’ll huff and puff and blow my house down. Wait until Father hears this. See you in a few… brother.” The dick hangs up, and I hurl my phone toward the wall. It shatters on impact, leaving a dent behind.

That bastard wasn’t my family. My real family were the guys and Kiarra. The one I chose, not the people who didn’t give a crap about me. Not the bastard who brought me into his world only to make me pay for it.

My biological father was demented and probably took a page out of King’s book. I never met my mum because his fucking wife, Amaris, killed her. There’s no evidence, but everyone knows it was her. Too jealous that one of her husband’s mistresses got pregnant by him.

When I ended up with my aunt—who wasn’t really an aunt—it fucking saved me. Even though she was a piece of shit, I met the guys and then Kiarra. Without them, I would have been on a path that led nowhere but down.

I focus on that and push the rest of the shitstorm twirling around in my head away. Kiarra needs this. My shitty past doesn’t matter.

After having a quick shower and rearranging the entire room—and by rearranging, I mean completely fucking upending and destroying it—I’m calm enough to meet the guys.

Or at least, now more in control.

Kai and Rion frown at me but say nothing. They know better than to try to baby me. They give me space, talking to one another about the upcoming plans.

They know me better than anyone. That’s what true family is. They know your ins and outs. Your little tics and buttons and help you manage or fight them.

Focusing on them and Kiarra pushes the boiling rage down to a simmer. When they know when I’m calm enough to talk to, Kai grabs my shoulder just as a portal opens.

“Let’s go get our girl back,” Kai says.

And destroy anyone who gets in the fucking way.

CHAPTER 15

KIARRA

Igasp awake, my body trembling. Whether it was from the aftermath of the machine or finding out the guys were alive, I can’t tell. But they are alive, and that’s all that matters.

Closing my eyes, I focus on the bond, and a burst of energy spreads through me, making me smile.

I was too lost in my grief and let it eat me alive instead of reaching inside and feeling the bond that was always there.

I hold on to it, gripping it tightly in my mind and heart. I release a harsh breath, letting everything that happened sink in.

The guys are coming for me, but I can’t just rely on them. We don’t know where I am or how long it might take them to find me. No matter how much trust I had in them, I’m not built to lie back and let someone save me. I need to fight for myself too.

It’s time I took my life back from King.

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