Page 23 of All In

He quickly moves to the next, and then there are three dead bodies and so much blood that my knees wobble.

“That was unfortunate.” He frowns as his brow wrinkles. “I failed to account for them not being able to find you.”

The sound of stomping feet from behind me gets closer, and all my brain can focus on is that he said my name.

That means he knows I’m not Lyra, and he also just straight-up executed at least one of the guys responsible for my kidnapping.

That’s as close to a friend as I’m going to get at the moment.

“Uh, Ranger, you’ve got incoming—” one of the men holding an assault rifle says.

I run toward the man with shaggy hair, flinging myself at his chest and using his tactical vest to hold on to as I climb his torso. I guess his name might be Ranger, that or it’s his code name or call sign.

My sister might have gotten me into this mess, but she clearly made some powerful allies. I plan to latch on, refuse to let him shake me off, and convince him to get me out of here.

My system senses an apex alpha. That means he’s capable of keeping me safe.

I whimper, burying my nose in the man’s throat as his messy brown curls tickle my face.

“Please help me,” I whisper, not even a little embarrassed by how pathetic I sound.

“You’re all right.” He runs his hand down my spine, over the dirty dress I’ve been trapped in for days. My nose burrows deeper into his skin as I suck in hits of his sweaty, manly scent. He smells electric and, for whatever reason, it instantly settles my overstimulated system. “I’ve got you. I’m Ranger, and you are safe now. I give my word—no one will hurt you.”

“Well, that wasn’t on my bingo card for the year,” Maverick says from behind me. “Whatever. Seriously, Gun. Check my nose. She fucked me up good. It’s still bleeding.”

Gunner laughs. “Stop being a crybaby.”

“Yeah, I didn’t see that coming, either.” The guy with an assault rifle who spoke earlier drops it to hang around his neck and rips off his mask. He points at his chest as his hair bounces in the wind. “Tanner.” He gives an easy smile, but I’m still so overwhelmed…

“I want to go home,” I whisper as the dogs whine around Ranger’s feet.

“You need medical attention, but I’ll get you somewhere safe,” Ranger says. “Just give me a little trust.”

I nod, trying to convince my system that I’m safe now.

Chapter Six

Tanner

“I’m pretty sure her instincts are malfunctioning or something,” Annika says, watching her brother interact with the obviously terrified woman. “Am I intimidating, Tanner? Why doesn’t she like me?”

I bite my lip to keep from saying something that would get me punched by one of her alphas.

Shrugging, I chuckle. “You’re not intimidating to me.”

“We forgot to take off our masks,” Gunner says, scratching Haze’s ear. The massive mutt shoves his entire body against Gunner’s leg. “He’s the first person she saw without one.”

“If that’s what you want to go with, then sure.” Grady, one of Annika’s alphas, wraps his arm around her lower back. “You know, baby, you’re never sexier than when you have brain matter in your hair.”

“Oh. My. God.” She shivers. “Someone find me a water hose.”

I snort.

Been there, done that.

Ranger moves to stand but squats back down as the omega pouts, looking a little like she might burst into tears.

“She saw him straight-up execute three of Andretti’s men, and she’s scared of us?” Maverick mutters incredulously.

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