Page 90 of All In

At the same time, Locke tosses Tanner aside and strides forward, aiming at Ranger’s head.

The woman—Bless—simply chuckles, shaking my hand like she’s unconcerned with the chaos. “I’ll repeat my question a second time. Were you coerced into bonding?”

“N-No,” I choke out, shaking my head.

“Good.” Her dark eyes sparkle as she nods at Locke. “Serves you right for waiting so long.” She whistles, and the women closer to the trees release Maverick and Gunner.

“I generally don’t enjoy killing women,” Ranger growls, tilting Bless’s face up, using the barrel of his gun. “But let me make myself extremely clear. If you put my wife in the middle of our war, I will skin you alive—piece by piece, with only enough medical care to ensure you survive for the next session of torture. You will beg for death.”

“Morbid.” The woman chuckles, like she’s not concerned in the least.

“You’re speaking to the family outcasts,” Locke says, holding out his arm for me. “And if you’d simply look in the fucking trunk, you’d know my words are true.”

I inch closer to Locke, and when I’m close enough, he pulls me into his side.

“We’re going to talk about that bruise on your jaw and scratch on your cheek,” he growls, clutching me tight. “I’m going to need names.”

“I’ve already handled it,” Ranger says, sounding smug.

“It was a team effort,” Tanner growls back.

Locke studies my face, still aiming his gun at Ranger. “I missed you so fucking much.”

My heart races. He’s the one person I trusted in Chicago, but I’m honestly surprised to hear him sound so sincere. When I had the chance to either call my dads or Locke, I chose him. I just needed him to know that I was alive and that I didn’t stand him up by choice.

“Me too,” I say around the lump in my throat. “I’m so sorry I got you involved in this.”

“Enough of that.” Locke bends, brushing his lips over my forehead, and Tanner growls.

“Please put the gun down,” I tell Ranger. “There are like thirty heavily armed women looking like they want to slaughter you at this very moment. Also, I called Locke. I told him where I was and what happened. I asked for his help. This is my fault.”

“She didn’t ask to be rescued. She simply informed me she’d been kidnapped and wouldn’t be able to make our date.” Locke pushes me under his arm and toward Tanner. “Comfort your newly bonded alpha before he pops a blood vessel.”

I look back at Ranger and Locke, who are still posturing, but my whole body yearns to check on Tanner. My feet propel me toward him, and when he’s within reach, I jump.

He catches me easily, and I whimper as I climb up his torso and bury my nose in his throat.

“Are you okay? I’m so sorry,” I whisper as my fingers run through his beard on the opposite side of his jaw from where my face is buried.

“I’m good. How about you?” he asks, palming my head.

“I’m so sorry.” For more than just bringing Locke here and causing this huge disaster…

“No more apologizing,” Tanner says as the dogs whine and howl. He walks us closer to the others. “Neither side has taken a shot. That means no one wants to. Check the fucking trunk. Laken needs her nest. She smells stressed to the max.”

“She certainly doesn’t seem to be under duress,” Bless says from behind me.

I twist in Tanner’s hold to see what’s happening. Ranger and Locke glare at one another as they lower their guns.

“Thanks for that astute observation, Bless,” Locke mutters. “And you, who the hell is your wife?”

Ranger chuckles darkly. “I’ll give you three guesses.”

My skin prickles with discomfort.

I made a huge mess of things, and they don’t even know the half of it.

Chapter Twenty-Six

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