Page 112 of Ravaged Saints

“Look at the names.” A pause—papers rustle.

“Rooms. Cells. Women’s holdup. Prisoners’ hold. Tactical room.”

His tone sharpens, edged with disbelief.

“Is this what Ethan is planning?!” Max’s words echo through the space.

They found the papers.

“We need to tell Knox. I don’t care if Aspen asked you to wait, Ryk; this is dangerous!” Max snaps, firm and unyielding. Footsteps approach, each one heavier than the last.

I push to my feet.

Knox and Dante are near the front gate, so I can’t go that way. I look around; maybe the window— there’s only one that opens, and it leads to the backside of the base where we have the other gate, and Ethan gave me the codes weeks ago.

I hear Max and Ryker moving upstairs.

Move. Now.

I slide the window open just enough to squeeze through and drop down. My boots hit the ground, and I take off.

At the gate, my hands shake as I punch in the code. The gate unlocks, and I push slowly, not making a sound. I don’t have time to close it.

I know where the meet-up point usually is, so I push toward it, lungs burning, sweat dripping down my back.

Reading men is what I do, their wishes, their secrets, their lies, and I’ve built my life around knowing what they want before they say it, sensing deception before it reaches me. I do what I need to stay alive and to protect the ones I care for, and right now that’s just Aspen.

I push forward, my heart pounding as I reach the clearing. My breath is uneven, and my stomach twists in knots. I scan the trees, searching—

“Hello, beautiful.”

The deep rumble jolts me, sending a sharp spike of adrenaline through my veins. I spin around, pulse hammering. A man stands a few feet away, brown hair threaded with silver, eyes sharp—a predator sizing up his prey.

Before I can move, an arm snakes around my waist, a hand clamping over my mouth.

“It’s okay, babygirl.” Ethan’s breath brushes my ear, low and familiar.

For half a second, my body sags in recognition—then instinct kicks in. I shove him off, my heart thundering against my ribs. “You scared me.” My breath stutters as I press a hand to my chest, trying to steady it. My gaze flicks to the older man, unease curling in my stomach.

“This is a friend, Bryn,” Ethan says smoothly, exchanging a look with the man. “He’s going to help us.”

Something shifts in Ethan’s gaze as he looks at me. He looks like a hungry wolf, like the looks hunters wear when they already know how they have won the game.

A cold weight settles in my stomach, but I force a nod. “Good. We’ll need all the help we can get.”

Branches rustle, and more men step into the clearing. I count twelve, maybe more.

Some are unarmed, but the ones who are, I recognize their weapons. It's the guns the BloodHawks have. And the ammunition Ryker was talking about? I know it’s what these men have.

He told me he was keeping the ammo in a safe place so that when the time came to take Knox’s control away, they wouldn’t be able to fight back, but I already knew that was a lie.

Ethan never wanted to stop a fight. He wanted to make sure he won the one he was about to start, and what upsets me the most is the fact he lied to me, even after everything I did for him, to him!

The men start moving, splitting into small groups, and my heartbeat pounds against my ribs.

“Ethan,” I call for him, and he turns to face me again. “Remember what you promised, no one hurts Aspen.” I remind him of our deal. He nods, and I see the other man’s eyes on me.

She risked herself to save me. She could’ve lost it all, and I can’t let her lose it all now.

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