Page 79 of Love in the Wild

A crash sounded from the garage, and Gage darted down the hallway. That better be Brett.

Brett charged toward the doorway as another man let his fist fly at Tommy’s face. Bones crunched as the older man fell like a tree.

“Where?” Brett asked.

“There.” He pointed toward the storage room. “Does your friend need a hand?”

Brett didn’t look up. “Nope. Got it covered.” He stalked over to the storage room door and tried the knob.

“You’re so wholesome. It’s locked, nitwit.”

Brett took a step back, lifted his leg, and slammed his foot into the door. It rattled but stayed. He kicked the door again, and the wood around the lock splintered and burst open. Thea screamed from inside the room as Brett barged in.

Within seconds, Brett’s fist met Bruce’s face, then Cain’s. They’d been too stunned to defend themselves and both landed on their backs.

Brett cut Thea free from the ties, and Gage kept an eagle eye on Bruce and Cain, watching Brett’s back while he freed Thea. Brett was still worrying over her when Cain pushed to his feet. Shaking his head, he wiped a drop of blood from his lip and reached for the waistband of his pants.

Gage chambered a round and raised his pistol, pointing the barrel steady and sure at Cain’s chest. “Drop it.”

Cain’s eyes widened and he cursed, raising his own weapon at Gage.

Steadily, Gage squeezed the trigger, and the shot rang out in the small room. Thea let out a shrill scream as Cain twisted and fell to the ground like dead weight.

So much for walking out of here without any bloodshed. As long as Thea wasn’t the one bleeding, Gage was counting it as a win.

Brett’s attention was locked on Thea who was gasping for air. She had a collapsed lung. How far had they set back her recovery today?

Cain screamed and writhed on the floor as Bruce made his way to his feet. Brett herded Thea behind him.

“Don’t worry. The police are on their way,” Brett said over his shoulder.

“Let them come!” Bruce spat as he glared at Brett and Thea. “You’re trespassing.”

“I gave you a chance,” Brett said. “I offered you a ceasefire. You were stupid not to take it. If you think we win by killing each other, you’re wrong.”

Bruce turned his fury toward Gage, pointing at him as if he were identifying a suspect. “I knew you were a traitor.”

The broken door moved behind Gage, and Brett’s friend stepped into the room. Emerson hid herself behind him, clearly taking a side of her own.

Bruce’s chest heaved in deep swells as he pointed at the guy and Emerson. “And you, too. You were a Patton from the start.”

Brett’s friend frowned. Confused by how he fit into this tangled web.

“What?” Emerson asked with narrowed eyes.

“You,” Bruce said, jabbing his finger at his daughter. “Your stupid mom couldn’t stay away from the Pattons. You’re just as much a Patton as he is.” Bruce’s finger swung to Brett.

Gage blinked between the two. Emerson was a Patton?

If she wasn’t in danger before, she was now.

“That’s not true!” she shouted.

“She couldn’t stay away from Oscar! You were a Patton from the start.”

Oscar. Brett’s dad. That would make Emerson Brett’s sister.

Oh, man. This was going from bad to worse. Bruce had probably been stewing on this for years, waiting for a chance to punish Emerson or her mom. Now, the cat was out of the bag, and all bets were off.

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