Page 203 of Wanted By a King

His eyes slowly blink open again, just as Tex rejoins us. “Thirty seconds until the house blows. The guys are getting in position now.”

Nodding, I can’t take my eyes off my Prez. The closest thing I’ve ever had to a big brother.

The sound of the truck heading our way is a relief, and gunfire picks up the closer it gets. I have to hope our men have us covered, because if they don’t none of us will make it out alive.

“Five, four, three, two, one.” Tex counts down, and a second later there’s a huge explosion.

We are lucky the barn is far enough from the house that we only get a bit of debris, and for a moment all gunfire ceases.

“Did the e-earth just m-move?” Rocco whispers and I nod.

“Yeah, brother. The Kings made the earth move.”

I try to glance around at what’s happening, but I can’t move without releasing the pressure on the hole in Rocco’s pelvis.

“Where the fuck is the truck?!” I bellow, and Tex calls back from the corner of the barn.

“Coming now.”

“Gray.” Rocco whispers my name, and I look back to his near lifeless face. “I c-can’t feel my l-legs.” A sob escapes him on his last word, and I get choked up from his admission.

“That’s normal.” I lie. “That’s the shock. Just a way your body tries to protect itself.”

“I-I’m c-cold.” He says next, and fuck, I’m going to lose it any second. “Tell C-Cara I n-never s-stopped loving h-her.”

“You can tell her yourself.” I snap, but his lids are fluttering closed, and his chest isn’t rising and falling fast enough.

“No! Rocco! No!” I yell as they seal shut.

Booted feet are suddenly there, arms are lifting Rocco and me from the ground, someone shoving me toward the truck that is taking gunfire from a row of cars and vans at the back of the main yard.

I raise my gun, shooting in the direction that the rest of our men are shooting in before someone shoves me back out of the way.

“Get in the fucking truck!” Slasher roars, his face covered in blood, his eyes manic. When I don’t move, he all but lifts me and tosses me in with Tex and Rocco before charging back into the line of fire, looking like a man possessed.

“Gray! Help!” Tex calls frantically, and I shift to see his hands in the center of Rocco’s chest as he starts compressions, performing CPR.

I move to join him but have to duck when bullets start slashing through the side of the truck like it’s made of fucking paper.

Fucking hell. My aching shoulder really was a sign. A sign I should have taken notice of.

As I lie there, defenseless, and realizing we are sitting ducks, I stare at the lifeless face of my President and accept that this is it. We are all about to die, and I’ll never get to see my beautiful princess again.

Zoe

DirtyDiamondsseemseerilyquiet as the Kings take off, only leaving me, the Cruz Cunts, Cain, and his Diamonds. Even though there are still plenty of people around, Gray’s absence is deafening.

What the hell am I meant to do with myself? Sure, I could go talk to Alana, or any of the Cruz Cunts. But I don’t want to. That would inevitably lead to false platitudes and promises of the Kings returning unharmed. Which is something no one can guarantee.

I know that feeling sorry for myself won’t do any good, just as I know it’s beyond selfish. Yet I can’t shake the feeling that’s taking root, souring my mood to the point where it feels like a personal attack when one of the Diamonds laughs.

Without a destination in mind, I let my feet carry me until I’m back in the small room I’ve slept in with Gray. It’s not exactly comfortable, but it smells like him, which I need.

I grab one of his discarded shirts and curl up on the floor, hugging it to my chest. With my eyes closed, I can almost imagine that he’s here. The images in my head are all riddled in deception because Gray isn’t here. He isn’t smiling down at me, and he isn’t holding my throat in that way of his that lets me know I belong to him.

The minutes keep dragging in a miserable ticking of time, and I have no idea how long I’ve been in here. It feels like hours upon hours, but the reality is that it’s probably barely been one.

Sleep has almost claimed me when Rhiannon comes bursting into the small room. Startled, I sit up as the door bounces off the wall.

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