Page 121 of Ravaged Saints

I inhale, forcing down the grief clawing at my throat.

“We need to move, Aspen.”

“No!” She shoves at me, “We need to get her body back!”

“We’ll come back for her,” I murmur, my voice breaking. “We’ll find her and give her a proper burial. I promise.”

A single tear slips down Aspen’s pale cheek.

I glance up at Dante, and his face mirrors my own. The tears streak his skin, but he swallows them down, forcing control.

I push to my feet, grab the radio, and take a steadying breath.

“Recon.”

Seconds later, a response crackles through.“Reaper.”

“Casualty,”I say, the word tasting like fucking ash.

Silence.

“Bryn.”Her name burns out, a tear goes down my face, and I don’t even bother hiding it.

“Fuck.”Ryker punches through the line.“No, Knox, she can’t—”He’s tone is lower, but Max cuts in.

“What the fuck happened?”

“Ethan. He’s got at least ten men, some armed.” My jaw locks, my eyes shifting back to Aspen.

More silence.

“And—”Max’s voice shakes.

“Aspen is safe,”I say. My gaze finds hers. She’s staring at me, hollow, broken.

“Head back to base.”I order“Watch your back.”

“We will,”Max exhales, shaky.“Heading out. Over.”

The radio cuts to silence.

Now we get the fuck out of here.

Dante

Why the fuck did they kill her? It’s a woman, for fuck’s sake! I thought Ethan liked her!

When I get him, I won’t kill him. I will fucking torture the life out of him. Slowly. Painfully.

I fucking trusted him! I put my hands in the fire for him, Ryker warned us. Fuck! Fuck! This is on me! Her death is on me, the way I—

“Grit.” Knox’s voice brings me back, stopping me from spiraling even more.

He pulls Aspen up, and her jeans shift down slightly, the button undone, part of the zipper open. Rage boils through my veins even more. If he fucking touched her, I will cut every finger off his goddamn hand.

Aspen looks up at me, then back at the blood on her clothes, her eyes pleading, begging us to do something, and it feels like a fucking dagger was shoved into my chest.

Fuck, Bryn. We should’ve protected you better, and I should’ve been better.

---