Page 58 of Damaged

“Let him do his thing. That way we won’t mess up any tracks,” he murmured, and Rebel agreed with a nod.

Rogue and Crow slipped through the shadows and entered the barn several minutes later.

There were enough shadows inside to stay hidden. Overhead lights swung down on heavy electrical cords, and their glow swung slowly.

“You killed my boss, you cunt,” Smalls snarled at Boston.

Boston glared at Smalls, his chin tipped. “He deserved to die!” the boy spat.

Rogue watched in horror when one of Smalls’ crew reared back and clocked Boston in the head with the helmet in his hand.

Shock swept over Boston’s beautiful face and then his eyes went blank. The boy’s body crumbled like a marionette doll.

A sound ripped from his throat that matched the one of rage coming from Crow.

Smalls cackled with glee. “Good one, Joe.”

Rogue launched across the distance a second before Crow, and all hell broke loose. Red covered his vision even in the darkness of the dirty barn.

Rogue was on Joe before the guy could even process what was happening.

Much like an animal, Rogue tore at the man’s throat with his bare hands and he didn’t stop until he found blood. The sticky wetness covered his hands and Rogue dug until he found sinew and the man’s windpipe.

He ripped it out.

The rest of Smalls’ gang scattered, tripping over themselves to get away.

Crow snatched up Boston.

The big man was still making those animal-like sounds, or was that him? Rogue didn’t know, all he knew was that the fucker beneath his hands had snuffed out one of their young assassins.

He had seen the light die in Boston’s eyes.

He knew what death looked like.

The bullet that pierced his back was more of an irritation than a pain and Rogue brushed it off, tearing at Joe’s throat until the man’s head lolled, barely attached.

Coming to his senses was something he’d been taught at a young age and he pulled his Sig Sauer and rolled at the same time into the shadows, covering Crow, who had lifted Boston’s dead body in his arms.

He caught the man’s eyes across the small distance.

“Go,” Rogue growled.

“We go together.” Crow’s voice was harsh.

Rogue shook his head and patted his coat for the extra clip he’d earlier slipped inside his coat.

“We’ll never make it. Take his body and go.” Rogue closed off his emotions and his breathing became even.

“Rogue.” Crow’s voice was hoarse as he cradled Boston to his chest.

“I know.”

He did know. Crow could be the last person he would ever see alive.

“I need you to call Wrath. Nobody else, just Wrath. Now get the fuck out of here.”

Rogue melted into the darkness and became what he had always been meant to be.

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