Page 53 of Easton’s Claim

Easton came back with the kit and leaned over him, his voice as hard as his expression as he dug out some gauze pads and handed them to her. “How many are out there?”

“Th-three.” Greg gasped, shuddered. “Gonna…come for her. Leave me. Get her outta here.”

“Is Gallant one of them?” Easton demanded.

Greg managed a nod and Piper squeezed his hand tighter, willing him to hang on. God, there was so much blood. The smell of it turned her stomach.

“Was moving…east.”

Easton got on his phone and began giving rapid instructions to whoever he’d called.

Greg focused back on her face, and the sheen of tears that flooded his eyes nearly broke her. “S-sorry. Tried to stop this.” His lips pressed together, nostrils flaring, and turned his head to the side, a stream of blood trickling out of the corner. He spat it out and gasped, his icy grip clutching her hand. “Gallant’s goon saw you carrying something from the shed.” He paused, gasped again. “Then he ordered the attack.”

The tears she’d been fighting flooded her eyes. He’d known she was in danger, had pushed past the pain in his battered body and summoned the strength to somehow escape Gallant and his men, then take off through the woods in a last-ditch attempt to warn her before they shot him down. He’d let her down so many times in the past, but tonight he’d risked his life to protect her.

“Please go,” he rasped out, his strength already fading fast.

“Shhh,” she soothed. “Already told you, I’m not leaving. Just be still so I can slow the bleeding.” No amount of pressure she applied was going to help him now, he’d lost so much blood, but she hoped he didn’t realize it. The bullet had hit an artery. His belly and lap were already soaked in blood and he was deep in shock.

He gazed up at her, eyes filled with torment. “Still love you,” he slurred. “Always.”

“I know,” she murmured, and wiped away tears with her shoulder before focusing back on the blood-soaked gauze she pressed to his wound.

Greg focused on Easton, who had ended his phone call, his attention riveted beyond the barn doorway. “She deserves…better than what I gave her,” Greg gasped out. Easton’s gaze snapped to his, anger burning there. “Take…take care of her for me.”

Easton nodded once. “I will.”

The simple conviction in his voice had her biting back a sob. She loved Easton, and even though Greg’s past actions had hurt and humiliated her, she didn’t want him to die, least of all like this, afraid and in pain. But the blood continued to soak the gauze pads Easton had given her. It didn’t seem to matter how hard she pressed, she couldn’t slow the bleeding.Please don’t let him die.

People rushed into the opposite end of the barn. Wyatt, Jamie and Charlie. Then Mr. C’s gruff voice split the quiet.

“I’ll stay with them,” he said to Easton as he shuffled his way over, moving twice as fast as she’d seen him since the stroke. “You and the others go get those sons of bitches.”

Fear congealed in her stomach at the thought of Easton and the others trying to hunt down Gallant and his men. Piper opened her mouth to argue but Easton stopped her with a terse shake of his head.

“No,” he said tersely. “I have to go. You stay here with Greg and my dad, where you’ll be safe.”

A wave of dread crashed over her. She couldn’t take it if anything happened to him. “Please just wait, the police are on the way—”

It was a waste of breath. Easton was already pushing to his feet, and the hard mask on his face sent a shiver up her spine. She’d never seen this side of him before, the stone cold operator inside the devil-may-care man she’d known for so long. He was going out there no matter what, and nothing she said or did would change his mind.

Chapter Eighteen

Whoever had come onto his land to hunt his family tonight was going to die.

Rage and adrenaline blasted through Easton as he turned to face the others. “I’m going after Gallant.” His voice was a menacing growl. The cops might be on their way but Easton wasn’t waiting around for them, and he wasn’t allowing the attackers to target his family again.

“I’ll go with you,” Wyatt said.

Easton nodded. “Jamie—”

“I’ll check the western perimeter.”

“I’m coming with you,” Charlie said to him.

Jamie whirled to face her, expression like a thundercloud. “No way.”

“I’m going.” She barely acknowledged him, her voice pure steel. Easton didn’t argue, because Charlie was more than capable of taking care of herself out there, and trusted Jamie to have her back.

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