Page 102 of Ready or Not

I blink like a fool.

Ranger peeks around the hallway that leads to the laundry room and gym. It’s a small hallway that I’ve seen but never used, because I’ve never needed to use the front door or these bedrooms. He raises a finger to his lips as Andrew scans to the right, which is where the front door is.

“Be ready to move and stay low,” Andrew growls, yanking my wrist painfully. He steps out of the doorway.

My gaze darts back to where I saw Ranger, but he’s gone.

Maybe I hallucinated him?

“Come the fuck on,” Andrew growls, tugging painfully. Once he’s fully out of the tiny entryway, I reach back for the gun, but a dangerous snarl fills the air.

I fly into the wall, my cheek and shoulder making contact painfully. It sounds like a gun goes flying, but that’s based on the scratching sound of metal flying across the tile floor near the front door.

Bishop has Andrew on the ground, but I can’t see exactly what’s happening. Mostly because his massive frame blocks my view, and partially because my vision is still hazy.

Someone grabs my arm, and I scream, grabbing for the gun again. I get it out of my dress, but Ranger yanks it out of my grip.

“You’re okay,” he says soothingly. My eyes fly up, and he’s covered in blood. I jump at the sight, but he spins me around, guiding me back to the bathroom. “Let’s get you in here. You don’t need to see that.” The crunching sound of bones breaking stops me dead in my tracks.

I fight Ranger, spinning around. I’m sure he could hold me in place if he wanted to, but he sighs, releasing me.

Bishop pushes to his feet with his chest heaving and his hair falling around his face.

“She had a gun.” Ranger laughs. “It looked like she wasn’t going down without a fight.”

My impulses are torn.

I want to hold my baby, but she’s safe for the moment.

Bishop tilts his head, and I think he’s trying to figure out if I’m afraid of him now. I rush him, landing face-first against his chest. “I’ve got you, gorgeous,” he growls, running his hand down my back.

“Is he dead? Was that crunching a death sound?”

“Yeah,” Bishop says, still heaving in deep breaths as he guides us away from the body and toward the others.

“If he’s not dead, he’s paralyzed. Give it two or three minutes, and his organs will shut down from the lack of oxygen,” Ranger says, tossing the gun on the dresser. He strides toward the bathroom door. “Kate? You okay in there? If you have a gun, don’t use it. I will be significantly less pleasant than you currently find me if you shoot me.”

“Oh, of course he made it,” Kate huffs, just loud enough for me to hear.

“I would pick you up, but I don’t want to injure your stitches. Are you okay?” Bishop tilts my face up to his.

“I will be.” I nuzzle closer. “Is everyone okay? The bond seems to be intact.”

“They’re fine. Let’s get the ladybug. I need to see her with my own eyes,” Bishop says.

Ranger has a hand out, helping Marina climb out of the tub. “Are you okay, Mrs. Garza?”

“Quite rattled, but physically in one piece,” she says, sliding by Ranger to bring Aurora to me.

I hold out my arms, but my hands are shaking so badly, Bishop wraps his arm under mine for support.

“Vale?” Cooper’s panicked voice calls out. “Mom?”

Bishop turns us as I nuzzle my nose to Aurora’s. She’s still lightly fussing, but she’s physically in one piece, too, and that’s all any of us could have hoped for.

Cooper jogs over, dropping a giant assault rifle on the bed. He gives his mom a quick kiss and comes to my side.

Hargrove and Merryweather shove themselves inside shortly after, beelining for Kate.

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