Page 84 of Ruthless Reign

Hardin killed our father to protect the people he cared about from him.

If Aodhán cared about Becca as much as he claimed to, then who was to say he wouldn’t do the same for her?

If it became her or him?

“If he won’t cut the head off the snake, maybe he’ll at least be able to buy us time until Diesel can get here?”

“They’re coming?” Becca asked, panic and relief warring on her face.

“They’re mobilizing,” Hardin corrected her.

“It’ll take time. Diesel has his own shit that he needs to take care of in Thorn Valley. He’ll need to make sure things are properly looked after while he’s gone.”

“What about the Crows?” Becca pressed.

“They’re coming, too,” Hardin told her.

I reached for the sad hospital burger on my tray and took a bite, knowing I was going to need my strength back. “We have Zade to thank for that,” I said around a mouthful. “Dad’s pissed at him, but as soon as he told Diesel what happened at the meet his mind was made up. I think Dad’s only pissed at Zade because it should’ve been him who did the asking himself.”

“They’ll be here in a week,” Hardin continued. “But he can only spare half his force without leaving a backdoor open in Thorn Valley for trouble.”

“And we still don’t have any idea how many men Séamas has at his disposal. For all we knew it could be ten or two hundred.”

Becca licked her lips. “Maybe Aodhán will tell us.”

I forced my throat to swallow, feeling the food sink like a weight in my chest, aching as it traveled all the way down my esophagus.

“Maybe,” I agreed. “But I don’t want you or my cousins or anyone else in any more danger than they need to be, so I need to ask you again, Vixen, and I need you to answer me honestly this time…”

Her throat bobbed.

“Do you trust him?”

Hardin paced the backyard, wearing a strip of brown into the overgrown green and yellow grass while Kaleb and I sat on the top step of the stoop outside the back door.

“He isn’t going to show,” Hardin grumbled. “This is a fucking mistake. We?—”

“He’ll be here,” Kaleb piped up, cutting Hardin off. “He told Vixen he would come.”

Hardin muttered something to himself under his breath that I didn’t quite catch, but had Kaleb rolling his eyes.

I checked the messages between Aodhán and I again, sensing more than seeing Kaleb reading them over my shoulder. It wasn’t like I was hiding them. I wasn’t ever hiding them. There was nothing to hide. Not anymore.

Becca

I need to talk to you.

Aodhán

I heard Kaleb lives. You’re welcome.

Becca

Can you meet me?

Aodhán

Name the place.

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