Page 75 of Rivals & Revenge

"I'd say it's time to pay a visit to Larissa's new beau. See what he knows." I shrugged.

He nodded, loosing a long breath through barely parted lips. "We need to take another look at the house where we found Larissa. Remember the last thing Jax said? The kidnapping bitch had to be close to the camera to broadcast."

My eyes flew wide, realization slamming into me.

"The bitch was in the house," he growled. "She was close enough for me to cut her heart out and I let her get away."

"This isn't on you. Larissa was our priority."

"Tell that to Jax. Or are you planning to comfort yourself with that information when the next bullet comes for you?"

"Not. Fucking. Needed." I growled back, folding my arms across my chest.

I stepped up to him, toe to toe. There was no way in hell I was backing down from this. He went from being cold and rational to emotional in the blink of an eye. Honestly, it gave me whiplash.

"Ahren," I said in the softest tone I could find given the moment. "You are not responsible—for any of this."

He turned away, but I cupped his face, bringing it back to mine. "Let's finish this—together."

His jaw tightened to the point I was afraid it might crack, but he nodded.

"I owe her pain." his eyes softened as my hand ghosted over my stomach where my wounds had been. "But I promise you first and last strike, if it will make it feel any better."

The corner of his lips curled up in that sexy half smile I'd come to love, and he nodded.

I bumped my shoulder against his arm. "Don't get used to it, though. It's not fair for you to have all the fun."

That finally earned me a genuine smile. While that sexy smirk gave me an obscene ache in the deepest parts of me, it was his smile that seemed to crack something open in my heart.

His arms dropped to his sides, his rigid posture relaxing.

"I promise to leave plenty of murder and mayhem for you, Kitten." His lips pressed against mine, catching me off guard.

I nearly spilled my tea as my lips eagerly responded, moving against his with more tenderness than I expected after such a tense moment.

"So, what's first?" I asked, my mind still flustered from his kiss.

"Mmmm." he groaned softly.

Pulling back quickly, he schooled his features. "I think we need to go to that house. I can put a bullet in the boyfriend any time."

Chapter 41

AHREN

The pistol shook in Connor's hand as she stepped through the doorway. The three of us agreed to stick together until this was over and while I had suggested she stay in the truck so she wouldn't have to face this house again—I understood her need to stay close.

Having worked out the plan at home, we moved through the house silently. The bitch was gone; none of us expected to stumble upon her, feet propped up, mimosa in hand, waiting for us.

Then again, absolutely none of this had gone the way any of us expected. Nothing was off the table.

One by one, we cleared the second-floor rooms. A thick layer of dust blanketed the interior. The recent footprints, both hers and ours, left a clear path through the house.

Entering the upstairs bedroom that overlooked the driveway, we could see a mess of overlapping footprints.

"Fucking hell." I growled. "I knew. I fucking knew."

"Knew what?" Tierney asked, stepping into the room.

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