Page 114 of Say You're Mine

"Fuck," Sarah curses, pulling a gun from her scrubs. "So much for stealth."

I eye the weapon hungrily. "Got a spare?"

She hesitates, then hands it over. "Try not to shoot me, yeah?"

A grim smile tugs at my lips. "No promises."

We move faster now. I gun down two guards before they even realize we're there. The familiar weight of the gun, the acrid smell of cordite - it's like slipping into an old, comfortable skin.

This is what I was made for. A killer. A monster. The man Elaine always wanted me to be.

But as we fight through the compound, as the body count rises, I realize something. I'm not doing this for her. I'm not doing it for the family name or some bullshit legacy.

I'm doing it for Cara. For our baby. For the future we deserve.

We burst out into the cool night air. The manicured lawns are dotted with pockets of fighting. Dante's men against Elaine's security, locked in a deadly dance.

"This way," Sarah urges, tugging me towards some trees. "There's a secret entrance to the main house."

Luck isn't on our side. We're halfway across when a bullet whizzes past my ear. I dive for cover, pulling Sarah down with me.

"Well, well," a silky voice purrs. "Look who decided to join the party."

Elaine steps into view, backlit by flames consuming the east wing. She looks like an avenging angel, all sharp edges and cruel beauty. The gun in her hand is trained on my chest.

"Hello, Mother," I spit, rising slowly. "Fancy meeting you here."

Her lips curl into a sneer. "Oh, Juniper. Always so dramatic. Did you really think you could just waltz in here and take what's mine?"

Rage boils in my veins. "Cara isn't yours," I snarl. "The baby isn't yours. They're mine. And I'm taking them home."

Elaine's laugh is like broken glass. "Home? You don't have a home, darling. You never did. But don't worry, I'll make sure your child knows all about their brave, foolish father. How he died trying to save them from a fate far greater than he could ever imagine."

She raises the gun, finger tightening on the trigger. I tense, ready to dive. But before she can fire, a scream rips through the air.

"June!"

Cara's voice, high and terrified. My head whips around, and there she is, stumbling across the lawn. Her face is pale, eyes wide with fear, but God, she's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

"Cara," I breathe, heart threatening to burst. "Baby, stay back. It's not safe."

But she doesn't listen. Of course she doesn't. My stubborn, beautiful girl keeps coming, one hand cradling her swollen belly protectively.

"How sweet," Elaine coos, gun swinging to aim at Cara. "The whole family, together at last. It's almost a shame to end it like this. Almost."

Time slows. I see Elaine's finger tighten. The flash of the muzzle. The deafening roar. And I'm moving before I can think, throwing myself in front of Cara.

Pain explodes in my shoulder as the bullet tears through. I stumble, nearly falling, but Cara's there, holding me up with strength I didn't know she possessed.

"June," she sobs, hands fluttering over me. "Oh God, June."

I grip her arms, forcing her to meet my gaze. "Run," I rasp, feeling warm blood trickle down my chest. "Get out of here. Now."

But it's too late. Elaine's men are closing in, forming a tight circle. We're trapped, with nowhere left to go.

Elaine steps forward, triumph gleaming in her eyes. "Oh, my dears. Did you really think it would be that easy?"

I pull Cara closer, shielding her with my body. She trembles against me, but I can feel the steel in her spine. My brave, fierce girl.

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