Page 117 of Ruthless Reign

My attention snapped back to the Bronco, finding Hardin and Kaleb crouched near its grill, trading bullets with the Sons in the alley.

The Sons that were slowly making their way toward the Bronco, their gazes violently intent on the silhouette of mo mhuirnín in the back seat.

“Aodhán!”

I spun in time to dodge the shot from the other fallen Son and end him with a bullet of my own.

I tipped my head to the blood-splattered Saint in the driver’s seat of the minivan. He might’ve just saved my life. He nodded back in acknowledgement.

Behind him, the other Saints were trying to climb over the half-collapsed seats to get out the back hatch. It looked like only the poor sod in the passenger seat bit it and everyone else was only a little battered up.

I whistled to them. “When you’re out, circle to the Bronco to help Hardin and Kaleb. Don’t let Da’s men take any of them alive.”

“Where are you going?” the driver asked, fighting with his seatbelt.

“To stop any more from getting through.”

If they did, we’d be too outnumbered to do anything. I needed to trust that Hardin and Kaleb could protect Becca. If the Sons were coming in from that narrow alley like ants through a crack in the wall—we needed someone there to exterminate them.

I checked the mag of Becca’s gun. I only had a few shots left. I’d have to make them count.

The rear windshield of the van smashed as the Saints worked to get free and I moved, racing toward the alley, using another parked car for cover. They were all so focused on the Saints climbing from the van and Hardin and Kaleb holding the Bronco that no one even saw me coming.

I almost felt bad. Almost.

Until I remembered why I’d chosen this. Chosen her. Them.

Because there was Billy, who once killed three women in a single night to get a message across to our rivals in Ireland. And David, who joined my da only because he was promised he’d be able to test new methods of inflicting pain on my da’s enemies unrestricted.

Billy and David fell dead just six feet shy of reaching the Bronco, leaving Hardin, Kaleb and the others with just six or seven more to handle.

And then I was in the alley, careful not to kick empty cans or step on the trash littering the edges where the red brick walls connected with broken pavement.

I squinted to see further into the dim corridor, around fire escapes and trash collection bins. I couldn’t see anyone else coming, but we could bet all our asses they were on their way.

I hoped someone was wise enough to alert Damien to the attack before bullets started to fly. With any luck, he’d be on his way as well. And if we were, we could end this right here. Right now. While my da was still low on ammunition and I had a gun in my hand with only his own accuracy to rival mine.

Behind me, the shots slowed, until they stopped entirely, and instead I heard the unmistakable sounds of fists hitting bone through flesh. The bang of bodies smashing into metal.

They’d run out of ammo. I knew we had more in the trunk of the Bronco, but good luck getting to it.

We needed to finish them off and move.

With one last careful scan of the alley, straining my ears to hear the sounds of approach, I backed toward its mouth, intending to help the others.

A yelp of surprise cut through every other sound, and I ran the last few steps to find the rear door of the Bronco ajar and one of my da’s men pulling Becca from the seat.

Hardin and Kaleb were beating the absolute fuck out of two blokes ten years away, both of them aware and pushing to get through the wall of Sons holding them back.

Of course.

Of course, my da would want her.

To control me.

But I’d rather bite a bullet than have him lay another finger on her. I couldn’t stomach the guilt. Was hardly living with it now.

I took aim, but their bodies were all but completely blocked by the open door of the Bronco as they fought to get her outside. With only a few bullets left, I needed to make sure any shots I took were kill shots. Injuring them wouldn’t be enough to stop them.

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