Page 57 of Easton’s Claim

Easton heaved out a sigh. Much as he hated the son of a bitch for what he’d done to Piper, he didn’t want her to see her ex die in front of her. She had to have been thoroughly traumatized by what she’d seen and gone through tonight. He knew she was strong enough to deal with it though. “Can you take Piper upstairs—”

“She won’t leave him.”

Hell. “All right. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He ended the call, shifted his grip on Gallant’s wrists.

“Fucking let go of my wrist,” he snarled, the sirens growing louder.

Easton reined himself in. “You’re lucky to still be breathing, asshole. Everyone else you brought here tonight is either dead or about to be.”

Blue and red strobe lights reflected off the side of the BMW as the cops turned the corner and raced toward them. Gallant shot Easton a look of pure hatred over his good shoulder. “You’re a dead man walking, Colebrook. The whole cartel knows about you. They know where you live. They know where your family and Piper are.”

“Shut him the hell up before I do,” Wyatt growled behind him.

With pleasure.“Yeah, and they won’t touch any of us now that you’ve fucked up. Know what else? You’ll be going back to jail for a damn long time, and the entire cartel will turn their backs on you. Even if you live long enough to get out, you’ll already be dead to them.”

He shoved upward and stood when the cop cars roared up and stopped yards away. Easton set his rifle on the ground and raised his hands to put the cops at ease.

The closest car’s doors popped open and the lead detective jumped out, along with the FBI agents Easton had met before. “You both okay?” the detective called out.

Easton nodded. “We’re good. One shooter’s down in the woods over there,” he said, nodding in the direction of the body. “Greg Rutland is in the house with the others, looks like he won’t make it. My teammate and sister are going after the last shooter.”

The man nodded and strode over to hunker down beside Gallant. “Brandon Gallant, you have the right to remain silent.”

“Fuck you, and save your breath. I know my goddamn rights.”

Easton tuned them out and went with the FBI agents to answer their questions. He glanced over as the detective hauled Gallant to his feet. Blood soaked his face and arm and his grimace of pain filled Easton with satisfaction.

He hoped the bastard was in serious pain for a long time, but more than anything, all Easton wanted was to get back to Piper.

After requesting and receiving permission to go see her, he and Wyatt both raced back to the house. Cops were already on site, searching around the house.

When he hit the backyard the back door opened and Piper flew out of it. Her lap and shirt were stained with Greg’s blood. She raced over the damp grass toward him, the mixture of grief and relief on her face shredding him. Easton caught her as she leapt at him and locked his arms around her, burying his face against her soft hair.

Her arms clung to his shoulders. “He’s dead,” she whispered in a ragged voice that broke his heart. “Was gone before the paramedics got here.”

“I’m so sorry, sweetness.” That had to have been so hard for her to witness.

She nodded and pressed harder to him, her arms holding on so tight her muscles shook. “I’m just so glad you’re okay.”

“Yeah, I’m okay.”

She shuddered, sucked in a shaky breath and held him tighter. “I love you. I love you so much.”

Easton squeezed his eyes shut as his heart turned over. He’d wanted to hear those words from her for so damn long. “Love you too.” She was his now, and he was never letting her go.

He bent and lifted her into his arms, intending to carry her into the house but Piper stopped him with a hand on his shoulder, her eyes full of worry. “Where are Charlie and Jamie?”

Chapter Nineteen

Jamie’s pulse pumped hard and fast as he ran through the tangle of trees ahead of him. The other shooter was somewhere out front, concealed by the thick forest and its underbrush.

“Psst, over here,” Charlie called out in a whisper that carried through the darkness.

He skidded to a stop, turned in time to see her veer off to the left and disappear from view behind a group of trees. Cursing under his breath, he changed direction and raced after her. What the hell was she doing?

It drove him nuts that she was even out here with him right now, placing herself in this kind of danger. She was a computer analyst, not a trained operative, and he’d never forgive himself if anything happened to her out here.

What the hell had her family been thinking, letting—no,encouragingher to partner with him for something like this? Once this was all over, he was going to rip into Easton for putting her in such danger.

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