Page 117 of Knot Happening

“You had impressed me with your ability to get close to her while you moved in on the Hayes brothers,” Keslor interrupts as he stops his advance. “I expected another perfect kill and delivery. Tell me why my men reported back that not only had you disappeared from my playground with my newest toy, in a seemingly brilliant ploy to lure the bastards in, but that you also had vanished into the home of the very men you were meant to kill!” The burnt taste of his anger floods the space around us while he takes a step closer.

I feel the moment Easton makes the decision to run for me. With a breath, he stands taller as his hands fall back down by his sides.

“You underestimate me, as always.” He leans back into my space as he focuses on the movement the manic Alpha makes.

“See, that is where you're wrong, nephew. I waited and watched to see what masterpiece you would give me with the retribution you promised the Hayes brothers. How charming that, instead, I find you bonded to the very trash that stands in our way. What would your father think, hmm?”

The menace flooding into the bond at the mention of his dad has me reaching up to soothe a hand down his back. I can feel the rapid pace of his breath as he holds himself back.

“What will it be, Easton? Her life, or both of your lives? I’ll kill you and take her if I have to.” Keslor threatens again, and I glare at the fucking bastard. Where are the others? Where are their fucking guards. This building is long and wide. I can faintly hear some kind of commotion in the distance, but not well enough to guess what's happening.

The shitty old bastard is standing between us and an SUV, its doors wide open. That's where he wants to put me. I’m shaking violently from the thought, but… I can survive whatever he has planned for me, right? If I just…

“I’ll hand her over,” Easton says loudly, but I can feel his lie through the bond. “Run!”

But as Easton turns around, shoving me to run away, my feet get stuck… I can’t… I can’t leave him.

I leap at Easton, wrapping my arms around his neck, and shut my eyes. I’m not leaving my mate to die alone. My heart cracks, and I send every ounce of love in my soul into the bond. If I die, at least they’ll know I loved them with all I have.

Instead of bullets, the sound of screeching tires rings through the air, and I open my eyes in time to see a black sedan plowthrough Keslor, sending him flying over the top with a sickening crunch.

I gasp, “Oh, god!” I watch, relieved, but also extremely horrified, as the small car reverses and runs Keslor over again…more crunching… And what suspiciously sounded like a popped water balloon.

“Tatum! Easton!” Hayden and Kodiak are shouting our names as they rush out behind us, both men colliding with our bodies and caging us in as they take in the scene.

“Ghost!” Declan shouts as he joins us, and the older Alpha steps out of the car, panting, handgun raised. Shots ring out, and I flinch.

“That's not necessary, I don’t think. Maybe he didn’t hear the way Keslor’s body just…sounded.” Easton winces.

“Aren’t you a literal hitman?” I ask, eyes wide. “Why do you look so green?”

“I use a gun, Sparrow. Sometimes, I use my hands. Ferris for example. But that's going to be very messy to clean up…” East winces again, and I snort at the absurdity of this whole thing.

“It was a pretty gruesome sound,” I agree, but I’m also smiling. That bastard was going to shoot my mate. I wish I was the one that ran him over after everything he put Easton through. “He deserved it,” I growl.

“Yes, he fucking did, Starlight.” Hayden holds me tighter and doesn’t make a move to release us.

Ghost, who’s panting, walks over to our little group, his eyes still wild with adrenaline.

“Omar is going to be very upset with the blood on his car. And possibly the dent.” Ghost glances back at the murder scene, wincing as he looks between us. “Maybe we don’t tell him, hmm?”

I snort. “Will he be upset that you saved us?”

“Oh, no. He’ll be glad, of course.” Ghost shakes his head, stuffing his gun into his holster, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. “But he does like that car… I’ll just say I sent it to get serviced.” Ghost nods as he takes in the sight of the five of us. “Everyone okay?”

“Well, clearly not everyone,” Kodiak snorts, glancing toward the rapidly spreading blood stain. “There’s also a few out front. Our people are on that.” Now that the threat seems to be over, I tug Easton’s attention to me.

“Are you okay?” I ask him quietly, as our Alphas talk to Ghost, pretending they aren’t also listening for his answer.

“More than okay, Sparrow. Ding dong, the dick is dead.” His grin is infectious, and I smile right back as he pulls me in for a hug. “Guess I never saw this day coming,” he murmurs, and I nod, understanding what he means.

“We have to leave,” Declan announces. “I’m sorry, Tatum. You can’t be here when people show up, asking questions. Especially you,” he tells East. I deflate, but the guys promise to bring me in a few days to see her.

With Keslor dead and Jimmy on the run, Easton and the Alphas are able to take over control of what's left of the Merzotto organization. Ghost and Omar are integral to the plan and provide a lot of connections to contact middle men Easton was unaware of.

Easton is able to gain access to the inheritance his mother left for him, discovering he’s, in fact, filthy fucking rich. More so than the Alphas.

No wonder Keslor murdered his own brother and kept Easton under his control.

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