Page 12 of Ravaged Saints

Knox stops short; I slam into him, and because he’s built like a damn wall, I nearly fall over, but his hand shoots out, steadying me with ease.

“You called?” he says, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, his eyes glinting with amusement.

“No.” I step back, shrugging off his touch. His arms, tattooed and corded with muscle, make me shiver as his baby blue eyes lock on mine, sharp and unyielding. He’s taller than Max, broader too, with a commanding presence that sets my nerves on edge.

He could break me in half like a twig if he wanted.

The corner of his lip lifts slightly as he exchanges a brief, unreadable look with Max. “We’re almost there,” he says, his expression blank, his posture rigid and distant.

I let out a breath, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle in my bones. I’m so damn tired. I just need a few hours of rest, but I know it won’t be enough. There’s no way I’m staying with these two, though. Not a chance in hell.

I drag my feet, trying to focus, but the ache in my legs is starting to take over.

“She’s very resourceful,” I hear Bryn’s words from up ahead. It’s casual, but the way she says it pulls me back into the moment. Wait. Is she talking about me?

“I’m right here!” I snap, my tone sharper than I intended. They both turn to look at me, and I narrow my eyes at Bryn, a slow heat building in my chest.

She blinks, putting on her most innocent face. “What? I was just making conversation.”

I can feel it in my gut—Bryn isn’t as helpless as she likes to pretend. There’s something off about her, and I’m starting to think she’s playing a game of her own. She’s too comfortable with these two.

Knox and Max don’t speak. They just lock eyes for a long beat, like they're having a conversation without saying a word.

We push on, the forest growing denser as we move deeper. Knox leads the way with his easy, confident strides, and Max stays behind, keeping a steady pace. His presence looms over me, a constant reminder that I’m not free here.

It’s already dark, and I can barely see anything, but Knox seems to know where he is going, keeping his step steady until he stops, giving a loud whistle, and another one sounds up front, and I freeze. Wait, they aren’t alone?

“Let’s go, sweetheart.” Max touches the low of my back, and I glare at him, but I move, and as we follow after Knox, I see it.

“Oh my God!” Bryn screeches and picks up her steps.

I stay frozen in place. Is this a military base? In the middle of nowhere?

It’s not too big; not a normal base. There is barbed wire all around it, covered with plants and hidden under the trees; the building itself blends perfectly with the surrounding nature.

There is a gate, and Knox punches in a code, and I step back. How on earth am I going to escape once inside this place?

He watches me for a moment, his gaze sharp, then steps forward, his gun raised slightly, his eyes never leaving mine. “Come on, Aspen. Get in,” he growls, his jaw clenched, eyes dark with a quiet, menacing promise.

There is a wooden plaque at the gate with burned letters on it: BloodHawks.

Oh no, what have I done?

Bryn walks through the gates, not a care in the world. She is confident; she walks with a purpose, unbothered by her surroundings.

“What do we have here?” A deep voice echoes from the left side, near a heavy steel door.

I freeze, my pulse racing, eyes snapping toward the source of the sound.

I take another step back, my mind spinning. Who the hell is that?

“Tsk, tsk, get in there. Now!” Knox’s command cuts through my thoughts, low and dangerous, his growl vibrating through the air, making every hair on my body stand on end.

His grip on the gun tightens, knuckles going white as he steps forward, towering over me like a predator closing in on prey. I instinctively take a step back.

His chin jerks toward the entrance, his silent command unmistakable.

I don’t have a choice. If I try to run, I know he’ll shoot. I can feel it in the way he holds himself—his patience is thin.

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