Page 86 of Dark Horse

“She’s inside. Angry but alive. Let’s go!” I call to Dakota, but she doesn’t answer. She’s slumped on the floor unconscious and even bloodier than she was when I left her. “Oh god, Hellfire. Fuck. I knew I should have made you go outside. Please. Please stick with me. You can’t leave me now. Not now, sweetheart.” I pick up her limp body in my arms, and I hurry for the door, a loud protest from Vendetta at the rough ride, and my heart cracking wide open when we reach the light of the morning sun. Her hair is soaked in blood, and the cut across her forehead is deep. I can’t tell how deep from all the mess, but I know it’s not good. Not paired with the way she can’t stay conscious. I should have taken her out when I had the chance.

I collapse to my knees as we hit the blacktop and lay her down gently. I check her mouth and chest again and see that her shallow breathing is still there. I take a deep breath of the fresh air myself as I reach into my pocket for my phone and pull it out, dialing Levi immediately. Too worried to call 911 with all the harassment she’s received. Another cough racks my chest as I wait, and I press my hand to hers, wanting to make sure I can still feel the rise and fall of it.

“Just hang on. Stay with me, sweetheart. I’ve got you.”

“Grant?” Levi’s confused voice comes through the line.

“Come to Seven Sins. It just exploded. Bring security.”

“Holy fuck…” His words fade with the shock. “Be right there.”

I want to get them both somewhere safe. Vendetta somewhere Dakota won’t worry about her, and Dakota to a hospital to be evaluated. Right now, I sure as fuck don’t trust calling 911, and I’m desperately wishing I’d driven myself.

Minutes pass, and it feels like hours as we wait for someone to come get us. I feel exposed and anxious as I wait. It’s the worst fucking feeling in the world just staring at her hopelessly. No amount of money or power or fear I’ve instilled in the people in this town can save her for me. Nothing I have, no skill, no chip to call in is going to keep her alive for me. It’s just up to fate now, and I feel so sick and helpless I can barely breathe.

I want to scream for someone to help, but the alley is dead at this hour of the morning, and at the back of the building, there’s no one to see or hear us. I can hear the wail of a siren in the distance though. Someone overheard the explosion and called 911. Fuck, the patrons at Hotcakes had a front row seat for the explosion. The last thing I want to do is deal with cops who are about to show up or have them try to convince me to let her go with the EMTs. I briefly consider breaking into one of the cars and taking off to the hospital that way.

“Grant!” I hear a familiar voice and look to see Levi there with the car.

“Thank fuck. We’ve got to get her to a hospital. She’s lost a lot of blood from her head. She can’t stay conscious,” I say as he jumps out to help me load her and Vendetta into the back seat. I slide in next to her, holding her up.

He speeds off, glancing up at me in the rearview. “You want to discuss it now or later?”

“Explosion. Came from the basement. Could only be a gas leak or a bomb. I lean toward bomb with the way it ripped theplace apart. Too many coincidences, considering they just cleared the place out tonight too.” I explain the thoughts that have already been running through my head.

“You think it’s the cops or them again?”

“No idea. Doesn’t feel like an accident though.”

“She get hit by something, or?”

“Blown off the stairs. I found her collapsed halfway down them. There’s too much blood, and it’s too dark for me to see. We just need an emergency room, fast.” I look down at her and press my fingers to her pulse point. She still has one, but she’s fading fast.

Levi runs three lights as he speeds his way onto the highway. The small hospital is two more exits from here, and I’m just hoping we get her there in time.

“We’re almost there, Dakota. Just hang on. Okay? Vendetta and I need you. So you gotta fight, sweetheart.” I squeeze her hand and kiss her temple. I hold my ear to her lips to listen to her breathing, and the whisper of breath in response threatens to take me under. The thought of her not making it has me ready to lose my goddamn mind. My first priority is finding a doctor who’s going to save her life whatever the cost, but then I’m going to take another when I find whoever did this.

THIRTY-SIX

GRANT

“Fuck me,”I curse as Levi shows me the bombs that were rigged to blow in the belly of the Avarice’s bar. All in the champagne cases we ordered for the wedding. “They planned to kill all of us.”

“The ones at Seven Sins went off early.” Levi surveys the evidence.

“Didn’t realize they were taking the ‘All Stocktons Must Die’ so fucking seriously.” I run a hand through my hair, and I can feel it sticking up in every direction under my fingers.

None of us have slept. I haven’t even showered. I’m still covered in blood and ash from the bar.

Once I knew Dakota was safe in the hospital, out of danger with her head wound, and with Hazel and Ramsey at her side,I came straight here to help Levi. When the fire department put out the fire, they told him they suspected it was an explosion somewhere in the liquor storage room that had blown the place apart. It set off alarm bells for Levi when I mentioned the champagne I’d given Dakota, and he found this when he investigated. Luckily, he knew a guy who was EOD out of Ft. Carson—who owed us a favor and his silence. But now I’m staring at a dozen diffused bombs and wondering who could hate us so much they’d want to kill our family. We had enemies, sure, but I’d never imagined it was enough to turn a whole wedding bloody.

“Have you told Hudson yet?”

“No. I only told him about Seven Sins. Let him know the wedding is off. Fuck. What about all the guests?” I suddenly think about all the things Dakota will ask about when she has a moment to breathe again. The guests, the food, the staff—all of it will cause her to panic if I don’t make sure we take care of it first.

“Aspen has it under control. She helped Bristol and Marlowe work with Hazel’s brothers to let the guest list know the wedding is postponed. Then she worked with the hotel staff to make sure everyone would still get some dinner and cake delivered to their rooms.”

“I’d forgotten how nice it is to have our sister around.”

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