Page 73 of Unmasked Legacy

He’s wrong. Wolfe doesn’t love me.

My heart skips a beat as I glance back at Nia, praying the guard doesn’t pull that trigger.

Suddenly, a rustling sound comes from the bushes, and before anyone can react, Talon bursts out, moving with the speed and precision of a predator. His eyes are locked on the guard holding Nia, and in one swift motion, his body slams into his, sending them both to the ground.

The echoing sound of the gun going off has me gasping and rushing towards Nia, but I see that she isn’t hurt. The shot missed her. Talon fights the guard with a brutality that has my eyes widening. His fists are like weapons as he drives them into the guard's face, over and over, until he lays like a bloody pulp on the ground.

Nia stumbles back, her eyes wide with shock and relief. Talon kicks the guard once more before turning and staring at Nia. Something intense passes through them, and I know in that moment, she sees him as her savior. I don’t blame her. He just rolled in and rescued her, like some kind of hero in leather.

Caleb, realizing he's lost his leverage, roars in frustration before backing up slowly as Wolfe makes his way closer to us. "It's over, Caleb. This is finished.”

Caleb’s eyes dart between Wolfe and the trees, and I know he’s wondering if he can make an escape.

He can’t.

This is the end of the road for him.

Finally.

WITHIN A MATTER OFminutes, the entire club is surrounding the old house, and Wolfe has Caleb backed against the railing, a gun aimed in his direction. One guard is dead, the other is badly injured, but somehow, by some small miracle, Nia and I are both alive. I haven’t left her side, keeping my arms wrapped around her, so grateful she is here.

“You ladies good?” Kael asks, stopping in front of us.

“No thanks to the terminator over there,” I smile, nodding in Talon’s direction.

He’s still standing beside the guard, not willing to take a single step away in case he moves. I’ve never seen anybody take someone down like that before. He attacked him with such brutal force, it was almost as if he knew exactly what he was doing. Talon has a dangerous past, I’ve already guessed that much and watching him bring that guard down only solidified that.

“He’s scary when he’s fighting,” Kael nods, his eyes flashing.

“That’s one way of putting it,” Nia whispers, unable to take her eyes off Talon.

I can’t blame her. He’s gorgeous and rugged, not to mention terrifying.

“We’re goin’ to finish up this situation here,” Knox murmurs, walking up to us. “Take them back to the club. Get them sorted out.”

Kael nods. “You two ready to get out of here?”

I glance at Wolfe, and I so desperately want to go to him, but right now, I know I can’t. Nodding, we follow Kael to the truck the club has driven in. Once we’re inside, I stare out the window at the standoff between Caleb and Wolfe, and I can’t help but wonder how he’s going to deal with him. I can’t see Wolfehurting Caleb, but I also know he doesn’t want to leave him to cause even more chaos.

Their past is fractured and dark, but once...they were like brothers.

It’s sad it ended this way.

As the trees disappear, and we make it to the main road, I turn to Nia. She’s staring out the window too, her face blank, and I can’t help but wonder what she’s thinking. What she has just been through, it’s a lot, but the expression on her face now almost looks more terrified than the one she had when I first met her.

Nia doesn’t want to go home.

“You don’t look as relieved as I thought you would be,” I say to her.

She turns to face me, her eyes welling with tears. “Don’t get me wrong, I am so glad to be alive. The relief is incredible. I just...I don’t want to go home, Mera. My family, they’re... I don’t know... they’re not good people.”

I don’t know exactly what she means by that, but I’m curious to find out more.

“How so?”

She bites her lip, glancing at Kael in the rearview. He’s listening, and when he catches her eyes, he offers her a smile. “Don’t worry about me, darlin’. Nothin’ you can say would ever shock me, nor will it leave this truck.”

I trust him.

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