Page 75 of Dangerous Command
Maddie grabbed the keys and stumbled past the debris to the bunker, the only structure still left standing. After struggling with the keys, she finally unlocked it. Mack threw his arms around her and she nuzzled his head, gasping at the touch. The same type of bomb lingered on the floor. Maddie looked at me, her eyes wide. Pleading.Kill him,she begged.
But not yet. Not until they were safe.
Muro kept his gun pointed at the two of them.
“You don’t touch them,” I said. “Let them leave. And you will never hunt them again.”
“Yes,” Muro said, “That sounds fine and dandy. But tell me, what will you do to make sure I keep my promise? Decay on me?”
“Your word, Muro,” I growled.
“Fine. You have myword,” he said mockingly. That would give my brothers enough time to kill Muro, and for Mack and Maddie to run away. “In the meantime, if you want to keep the deal, drop your weapons,” he nodded at my guns. “And I won’t fight. Maybe I’ll even give them a hug.” He laughed. “After all, that’s what family is for.”
I put my guns on the ground, but I still had my knife hidden in my pockets. It was a comfort, but I couldn’t rely on it. There was a chance Muro would find it eventually. And I had to be ready.
“Before you go, Maddie,” Muro laughed. “There’s something you should tell Derek.”
“Stop it, Muro,” she hissed.
“When did you stop calling me ‘Daddy,’ again? Ah, yes. When you thought you were big enough to live on your own. That’s it, isn’t it?”
Muro smiled, pleased with himself.
“I know she’s your stepdaughter,” I said. Maddie turned quickly to me. “You sick bastard.”
“Oh, and it doesn’t stop there.” Muro smiled. “Tell him, Maddie. Tell him who the boy’s father is.”
“Mom?” Mack asked.
Muro aimed his gun at me. I had known Mack wasn’t born out of love, but out of cruelty. It killed me that Muro had told Mack. He didn’t deserve any of this, but I did. Desperate to be different, Maddie had tried to flee this life, but she had wound back inside of it, because of me.
I had ruined this for her.
Maddie tightened her grip on Mack.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“Tell me, Maddie,” I shouted, “Who are you?”
“My name,” she cried out, “is Madison Muro.”
Those words, the truth I had been desperate to hear, coursed through me. But I was numb. The truth meant nothing. It was too late. I had already fallen for the enemy. Just like my father. The mistake I had sworn I would never make. And now, I needed her to run, even if it meant my death.
“Leave,” I said. But Maddie didn’t move. She was frozen in place. “Go.” Still, she didn’t move. “Get the fuck out before I kill you myself!” I shouted, and Muro’s laughter drowned out my words. Maddie clutched Mack to her chest and she ran. With his head resting on her shoulder, Mack stared at me, his eyes vacant. The same dark eyes he had gotten from his father. An unknowing heir to a ruined empire.
Dark eyes so much like mine.
Maddie threw Mack in the car, not bothering with his seatbelt or booster, and as soon as she could, she drove fast and hard.
Finally, she was gone.
I bowed my head. Muro disarmed the bomb and set it on the ground. Then he came forward, motioning toward the cement. When I didn’t move, he kicked the backs of my legs until I was flat on my face.
“So honorable, and yet so much like your father,” he laughed. “I’m sure you make your family proud.”
CHAPTER 22
Maddie
