Page 69 of When Kings Fall

“The risk is too high.”

“A dozen of his military trained guys are with him,” I pointed out.

“So we split up. Four-to-one can be handled. If Lev can get here in time, it’ll be even more possible.”

“That’s one of the most reckless things I’ve ever fucking heard. And coming from me, of all people, that’s really saying something, cupcake. And Brianna? This is not fucking happening. Do you hear me?”

“He murdered my mom right in front of me. He abused you. Taunted me. Egged Malcolm Lynch on when he was ripping me apart over and over. I can’t turn away when he’s gonna be here within my grasp! I won’t!”

Stunned silence filled the space and down the line from Lev.

“Wildflower, I love you. Please don’t do this to me. That many soldiers at his side, you won’t be able to come out on top. You very likely won’t even get within reach of him at all. But what will happen, is you’ll get hurt. For fucking nothing. This is not the time to take that motherfucker.”

“Levi—”

“I swear to you, there will be another.”

“We’ll fucking well create another time to put him down,” I told her.

She gritted her teeth, clenching her fists, trying to fight the urge.

Colt was there then, wrapping his arm around her. “Please, cutie. We need you safe, we need all of us safe and together.”

Slowly, she managed a nod. “Okay. Yeah, okay.”

“Fuck. Thank you.”

Relief rolled through me that it had been stopped at that.

I’d made a vow to her that I wouldn’t use extreme methods with her like I had in order to bring her up here.

So if she hadn’t listened, there would be no way for me to get her out of here against her will.

I wouldn’t risk what we’d built and what had flourished between all four of us since we’d been up here.

“All right, move now. He was tagged by my program via those security cameras at the truck stop two hours ago, but it took time to search through a whole load of them to pick him up, meaning he could be anywhere right now. There’s no businesses or homes past that point all the way up to Boreas, so we’re blind at the moment. He could be there at any time. Don’t risk it. Pack quick and go. I’m riding as fast as I can. Brianna, I’m gonna hack into the GPS on your phone so I can track you guys. Stay together, all right? And, are you okay with that, Wildflower?”

“Yeah. Go ahead.”

“Asking permission ? You’ve come a long way, brother,” Colt said. “Proud of you.”

“Well, I’m only asking from the three of you. Everyone else is fair game.”

I chuckled, thankfully his words adding some much-needed levity to the situation.

“We’re gonna move now, Lev. Keep in close contact.”

“Will do. Watch your six. All of you.”

“We will,” Bree confirmed.

I hung up, then turned to the two of them. “Time to move.”

“That’s everything,” Bree confirmed as I took the last reinforced steel case from her and packed it into her charcoal gray Charger.

It contained Levi’s computer—hacking—equipment. The fucking case could probably actually withstand a RPG strike, it was that hardcore, something he’d borrowed from Knightsridge Engineering. Lev loved discovering new prototypes there. Roman loved it less when he did, obviously.

The Charger had been the most non-descript, non-attention drawing vehicle we’d had immediate access to at the time of rushing up here.

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