Page 78 of Caged

I might be able to love again someday, but no one else but me can save my brother. Nikolai has his daughter to protect, even if that is from me.

Tyler moves over Nikolai and aims his barrel toward him.

“No. Don’t hurt him.” I grab his arm, trying to lower it.

“He’s going to be an issue if I don’t.” Tyler’s eyes narrow through the slit in his helmet.

“Please?” My fingers dig into his elbow.

I know I’ve already ruined Nikolai. I can’t bear to see him hurt any more than I’ve already done. “He has a little girl,” I whisper.

Tyler’s shoulders drop. “Let’s get the fuck out of here. Our bikes are trashed, though.”

While he’s still holding his gun on Nikolai, I lean over and reach for the small bump in Nikolai’s pocket.

The keyless entry for his car.

“Okay, now we can go.”

Nikolai props himself on his elbows, his glare burns into me as he watches me back away.

“You’ll pay for this,” he growls before I dart around the van.

“Shoot the tire,” I tell Tyler as I run past.

The other men have moved ahead and are finishing off the Reapers that had fallen, so no one is standing in our path.

We slide into Nikolai’s Hellcat.

I’ve been wanting to drive this thing since I saw it.

I just hate that it’s under these circumstances.

THIRTY-TWO

NIKOLAI

What the hell just happened?

My throat is raw, but I’m not sure if it’s just because she punched me there, or from the knot of pain that’s lodged in it.

I can’t believe she played me so well.

The feelings she had seemed so real.

Mine are.

“Niki, they took our ride, man.” Alexei holsters his gun and extends his hand down to me.

“Yeah. And the fucking diamonds.” And my heart.

Jax lets out a low whistle. “Shit.”

“Wait, the real ones?” Alexei kicks at the flat tires of the van. “Mikhail’s gonna be pissed on.”

“Off.” Jax rolls his eyes.

“What?” Alexei crinkles his forehead.

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