Page 128 of All In

Laken weighs her options, and it filters through the bond. She finally nods. “I can live with that.”

We arrive late the same night. There are hotel rooms waiting for us, and it’s wild to see everyone carry in duffel bags full of weapons, like they’re not highly fucking illegal.

Karma stayed with Vale and her pack for the night because she’s nowhere close to being ready for this kind of operation.

I grab my bag of clothing and move around to the trunk of the SUV to collect some of the bags filled with the gear.

Ranger comes to a stop close to my side. “I know my sister recommended Tanner stay with Laken, but I’d prefer if it was you.”

“Why?”

“He’s capable,” he says, clearing his throat. “But he’s not as ruthless as you or me. Tanner would never be able to make the call to sacrifice someone else to save himself. It’s just not in his DNA. He could be the poster boy for we live or die as a team.”

I nod, fully understanding what he’s saying.

“I will keep Tanner alive. You do the same for our omega, and we can all make it back to the hotel tonight,” he says, keeping his voice low.

“Just to be clear, you want me to choose my life or Laken’s over anyone else we’re with…” I’m a little surprised because she and I will be with his sister and a couple of her guys. “You want me to choose saving myself over, say, your sister?”

Ranger’s jaw tenses. “I don’t think I should answer that, but you know the answer. Sparrow has her own alphas who will be completely focused on protecting her. I would, however, suggest you not allow it to come to that.”

“Got it,” I agree with a snort.

I’m of a similar mindset.

Laken and the baby come before anyone else, but I have no intention of letting it get to that point.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Tanner

I’m shocked when Ranger tells me I’m with him for the exchange, rather than staying with the womenfolk. That night, when I saved his ass at the Andretti compound, must have had more of a lasting impression than I thought.

We gear up at the hotel. Maybe it’s a motel? It has exterior entryways into each room, so whatever that falls under. I can never remember.

Laken tosses herself at me as soon as I’m in my tactical gear. She grabs the sides of my vest and legitimately climbs up my torso.

I chuckle, palming her ass over the leggings she’s wearing. “It’s sexy as fuck when you do that.”

“You make my insides all melty.” She slams her mouth to mine, wiggling against my chest. She pulls back slightly, and her lips brush my cheek. “Be safe, okay? I love you, and I need you to come back to me in one piece.”

I growl, spinning and slamming her back against the wall as I devour her mouth all over again. It’s hard to fight the fog enough to remember we don’t have time for a quickie.

I peck a final kiss on her lips. “I love you too, firecracker. And I’ll do my very best.”

If heading to the Andretti mansion was nerve-racking, the trip to the meet-up location is downright disturbing. We stop seeing streetlights five minutes before the paved road ends.

“It feels strangely like they’re leading us to slaughter.” Grady chuckles. “I fucking love it. There won’t be anyone around to hear them scream. We won’t even need to dispose of the bodies.”

Sometimes I wish I had the capacity to mentally compartmentalize the way Ranger and, apparently, Grady can.

“Pull the mask over his face and lock him up,” Ranger says as the SUV comes to a stop.

I yank the black mask down over Grady’s face, but he slaps my hand away when I try to click the cuffs closed. They’re in the weird clicking phase before being locked into place.

“No.”

“Got it,” I grunt, moving to check the assault rifle hanging around my neck. Both thighs have ready-to-go handguns. This should be relatively simple.

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