Page 66 of Ravaged Saints

Knox’s matching smirk makes my knees damn near buckle.

They stand side by side—two massive, powerful men, two fucking titans.

I shake my head as they close the door. My heart is pounding fast. I’ve never felt like this, after years of being alone, of avoiding men… Now I am eager to be with them, to have them touch me, kiss me.

Damn… I’m horny…

Ryker

It took us way too long to get to town. With Knox, we’re usually faster, but he didn’t want to leave Aspen so soon after they fucked, and I get that. What I don’t get is why Ethan offered to come again. Since the plague, I think he’s joined us maybe twice, but in the past two months? He has come every time, saying he’s bored, but with Bryn there at his disposal?

Fuck, if I were him, I’d never leave the base.

“Eyes open. Last time, we almost ran into some guys,” Max warns, his gun sweeping the area.

I nod silently, scanning the deserted street. Ethan walks to my left, his eyes locked on the row of old, crumbling shops. “Want me to search in there?” he asks, pointing to a run-down store with women’s clothing.

Max nods, waving him forward. “Don’t take too long.”

We used to have radios, but the batteries died. We were left with four that are chargeable but are saving them for emergencies, so we need to rely on our instincts and follow the rules. Ethan has a hard time with the latter.

We continue toward the mall, the structure looming ahead like a tombstone of the old world. Max found cables and some old lamps here before, so we head inside, clearing each aisle carefully.

I stand guard as Max digs through a shelf, pulling out the cables we need. The quiet stretches, heavy and suffocating.

“Can’t wait to get back,” Max mutters, his voice low. His eyes flick around the space, every shadow a threat. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this place today.”

I feel his unease, making the hair on my neck stand up, and I take a few steps away, eyes sweeping the second floor above us.

That’s when I hear it.

Footsteps echo from the far end of the mall, and my stomach drops; whistling, I signal to Max, and he ducks behind a shelf, clutching his gun.

Fuck.

I sprint up the stairs next to me to the second floor, dropping to the ground and peering over the railing. The rifle is already in my hand, aimed at the entrance where the noise came from.

Three men step inside; they’re wearing black jackets with skulls and crows scrawled across the backs in rough white paint. One has a gun slung across his chest, and the other two grip knives like they know exactly how to use them.

They move slowly, like they know someone is here, and my blood turns cold. Did they get to Ethan?Fucking hell!

My gun tracks their movements, and the silencer is already attached. From here, I can take out all three before they get to Max. My finger hovers over the trigger as I steady my breathing.

I look at Max, and he shakes his head. He doesn’t want me to shoot, but if they come too close to him, I’m bringing those motherfuckers down, but a shot rings out from the other side of the building, and the three men immediately turn and sprint south.

Was that Ethan? Fuck!

I’m on my feet before I think, running down the stairs with Max right in front of me. We hit the street and duck behind an old truck, scanning both sides. The air is still.

“We need to get to Ethan,” Max whispers steady. We are trained for this, but still my blood is rushing in my ears.

“Go to that window, and if you see anyone—shoot to kill,” Max orders firmly, his hand steady as he adjusts his grip on his gun. I nod and move.

I’ve always been the sniper, the one who takes long-range shots when the rest of the team can’t. It’s a rush, no denying that, but the rush fades fast when I don’t know where Ethan is—or if he’s still breathing.

I enter the old building, likely offices once, and climb three flights of stairs. Kicking the door open, I lean into the window and scan the area. Nothing. I whistle low, and Max starts moving toward the next building.

He looks around and shakes his head, my heart pounding faster. Max keeps moving, and that’s when a movement catches my eye. Ethan.

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