Page 231 of Moon's Promise

“Larissa!” Moon screamed at the top of his lungs, wanting her to know he was there. “Larissa!”

As he called out again, he jumped as a gunshot rang out, echoing around the mountain.

Moon looked at the car and saw Charles slumped forward against the tree, no longer moving. Then, raising his eyes back up the mountain, he found Shade standing at the top, lowering the rifle to his side.

Taking a deep breath, Moon navigated his way around the car enough to look inside the back window, seeing the top of Jace’s carrier.

“Reaper, you get Jace.” Moon delicately maneuvered himself around Reaper. “I’ll get Larissa.”

“I should get Larissa,” Reaper argued. “I can hold more weight.”

Reaper was right. They constantly worked out together; Reaper could bench press more weight than him. Still, he was going to be the one to get Larissa.

“Get Jace.” Moon met Reaper’s frowning gaze. “I’m trusting you with my son’s life. I can’t live without Larissa, and she doesn’t even know I love her.” His voice broke. “Would you trust me to save Ginny?”

“No, brother, I’d have to do it myself.” Reaper started working his way toward the other side of the car.

On the opposite side, Moon was finally able to get an unobstructed view inside.

Larissa wasn’t unconscious; she was holding on for dear life. The seat belt was holding her in place, and her legs were braced against the back of the seat in front of her, keeping her from flopping down into the seat below. One of her arms was outstretched, holding a red-faced Jace in his car seat.

Carefully pushing Charles’ body back inside, Moon poked his head in. “Why didn’t you fucking answer when I called out your name?”

Dazedly, she stared at him. “I was too afraid you’d start yelling at me for being in the car.”

He never wanted to jerk her out of the car and into his arms more … or spank her ass until she couldn’t sit down for being so silly. But, from the damage already done to her face, he didn’t think he’d ever be able to lift a hand against her, even when they were playing.

“Which of these motherfuckers did that to you?”

“Please stop yelling; it’s scaring Jace. It doesn’t matter which one hit me—they’re both dead.”

He couldn’t argue that point. Gundy had a tree limb protruding through his neck.

Giving a nod to Reaper, he talked to Larissa as gently as possible. “Larissa, unfasten Jace’s car seat. Reaper’s going to catch him.”

Larissa tore her gaze away from his to fumble with the car seat clip. Jace fell into Reaper’s waiting hands.

“I’ve got him.” Slowly, Reaper maneuvered his upper body out of the car.

“Reaper,” Moon caught his attention before he could disappear from sight, “I was going to ask you this the other night and got distracted, but”—he gave a self-depreciating smile—“I guess no better time than the present. If I do …”—he didn’t finish what he was going to say, not wanting to scare Larissa—“will you … raise my son as your own?”

“I’d be honored,” Reaper promised, then moved away with Jace in his arms.

Having Reaper confirmed as being his backup was a load off his back.

With Charles’ body practically blocking Larissa’s way out, he was going to have climb to the other side and slide him over then come back and help Larissa out. It was going to be tricky, and he was already surprised the tree had held for this long.

He was about to pull his head out of the window when Reaper reappeared on the other side.

“Where’s Jace?”

“Handed him over to Razer. Greer had a rope in his vehicle. Puck is coming down with a chain he’s going to attach to the car. It might give us a couple of minutes.”

“We could use them,” Moon muttered.

“Larissa, when Reaper has moved Charles, and when I say go, release your seat belt.”

“I’m going to fall.” Frightened, she clung to her seat belt.

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