Page 84 of Rogue’s Reckoning

I shake my head. "I'm not leaving without you, Little Flower. Never again."

Lochlann's face twists with rage. "Enough of this sentimental bullshit," he snarls. "Time to end this once and for all."

He shoves Willow aside and raises his gun. I dive for cover as shots ring out, the bullets ricocheting off metal beams.

I return fire, my heart pounding. Where's Willow? Is she safe? I can't see her in the chaos.

Suddenly, a scream pierces the air. Willow's scream.

"No!" I roar, breaking cover to run toward the sound.

Pain explodes in my shoulder as a bullet finds its mark, but I barely notice. All I can think about is getting to Willow.

I round a stack of crates to see Lochlann dragging Willow toward a side exit. Without thinking, I launch myself at him, tackling him to the ground.

The fucker manages to twist mid-air, so that he’s on top, but with one swift kick, that changes. I unleash my anger on the bastard, but Lochlann fights dirty, gouging at my eyes and kicking at my wounded shoulder. But rage and desperation give me strength, and I don’t stop. I throw punch after punch. This time, he’s not getting away. No fucking way. "This is for Willow," I snarl between blows. "For everything you did to her."

Lochlann struggles beneath me. He’s trying to fight back, but my rage gives me the upper strength. I don’t stop. I can’t. I need this fucker to be done. Even as Lochlann's face becomes a bloody, unrecognizable mess, I don’t stop. I pound his face with my fists.

"Ezra, stop!" Willow's voice finally breaks through the red haze that has formed over me. "He's done. It's over."

I glance over and see Willow standing a few feet away, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and concern. Fuck, I neverwanted her to see me like this, but I needed to stop Lochlann. I glance down at the cunt beneath me. He’s gone still and lifeless.

With a shuddering breath, I push myself off Lochlann's motionless body. Stumbling to my feet, I’m suddenly aware of the pain radiating from my wounded shoulder. Crap, that fucker shot me again.

"Willow," I gasp, reaching for her. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

She shakes her head, tears streaming down her face as she collapses into my arms. "I'm okay," she sobs. "I thought... I thought I'd lost you."

I hold her tightly, burying my face in her hair. "Never," I murmur. "I'll always come for you, Little Flower. Always." I hold her close, needing to feel her safe in my arms. Christ, I could have lost her. The thought alone makes me want to break down. I can’t lose Willow, not again. I tighten my arms around her, reminding myself that she’s here, that she’s alive and safe.

The sound of approaching sirens breaks the moment. I look up to see my brothers entering the warehouse, weapons drawn. They took their sweet fucking time, but fuck, it’s done.

"It's over," I tell them, my voice rough with exhaustion. "Lochlann's dead."

Ghost nods grimly. "Good. Let's get you both out of here before the cops show up."

As we make our way out of the warehouse, I keep my arm firmly around Willow, unwilling to let her go for even a second. The nightmare is finally over. Lochlann can never hurt us again.

TWENTY-EIGHT

WILLOW

The ride back to the clubhouse is a blur. I cling tightly to Ezra, my face pressed against his back as we speed through the dark streets. The adrenaline is starting to wear off, leaving me shaky and exhausted.

As we pull into the lot, I see Natalia waiting anxiously by the clubhouse door, Wren in her arms. My heart clenches at the sight of our daughter.

"Mama!" Wren cries as soon as she spots us. She wriggles out of Natalia's grasp and runs toward us.

I slide off the bike on unsteady legs, dropping to my knees to gather Wren into my arms. "I'm here, baby," I murmur, holding her tight. "I'm okay. Everything's okay now."

Ezra kneels beside us, wrapping his arms around us both. For a moment, we just cling to each other, a family reunited.

"Are you hurt?" Natalia asks softly, approaching us with concern in her eyes.

I shake my head, but Ezra speaks up. "She needs to get checked out," he says firmly. "And I need to get this shoulder looked at."

It's only then that I notice the blood staining his cut. Fear grips me as I realize how close I came to losing him tonight.

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