Page 134 of Knot Made to Break: Part One

My phone rang, cutting her off. I glanced at the screen: Enzo. Shit.

“Sorry, Butterfly. I gotta take this.” I tried to keep my tone steady and calm, but she was snapping to attention, same as I was. Maneuvering out from behind her, I strode toward the kitchen, fearing the worst.

Beretta padded along at my side, ears pricked, highly alert, as if sensing the tension.

I swiped to answer. “Zo, what’s going on?”

Enzo’s voice sliced through the line urgently. “We’ve got movement on the south entrance. I’m sending Dean and his guys to back up Xavier, Sonny, and Orlando.”

That shift would leave a hole in our defense. “How many?”

“At least ten fuckers causin’ problems.”

My mind raced. “Any sign of Rocco or Vincent?”

Enzo hesitated, as if verifying the details with the team before relaying the info. “We’ve got someone out there who matches Vincent’s description, but Rocco is MIA.”

Shit.

“Lonnie and I are here as your first line of defense, but Tommy,” he warned, “be vigilant.”

“Keep me updated,” I demanded.

“Will do.”

I hung up.

Fuckin’ hell!

I was already moving, and Kit was already standing, her face ashen, her palms rubbing nervously up and down her outer thighs over her leggings.

“Tommy?” Her voice wavered, a fragile thing on the brink of breaking.

“It’s going to be okay, Butterfly. But right now, I need you to do me a favor.”

I hurried toward her, taking her hands in mine. They were colder than before, and I fucking hated how frightened she was.

“How bad is it?” she questioned, but I silenced her with a kiss to the backs of her knuckles.

“Go hide for me, okay? I’ll let you know when it’s safe.”

She hesitated, biting her lower lip, those ice-blue eyes pleading with me. “But—”

“No,” I cut her off, shaking my head. “This isn’t negotiable. Please, Butterfly. We don’t have time. Don’t make me bark it.”

She opened her mouth to protest, then stopped herself. She knew better than to argue when things were this dire. Slowly, she nodded, then threw herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck and hugging me as tightly as she could. “Be safe.”

“Always.”

I crashed my lips down on hers, kissing her with everything I had for too brief a moment before forcing myself away. Hands on her waist, I pushed her back.

“Go. Now. That’s an order.”

So damn reluctantly, I released her.

Turning swiftly, I headed for the nearest cache of weapons. We had stashes of guns all around the house, and I’d never been more thankful for the foresight than I was tonight. I moved withmethodical precision, checking and rechecking each weapon. All my instincts roared to the surface, ready to kill for my mate.

No hesitation, no second thoughts. I’d protect her with everything I had.

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