Page 70 of Red Queen (Red Thorns Crew 3)

“Yeah?”

“You gonna be able to do this?”

He paused for longer than I liked. “Yeah. I’m going to be able to do this.”

Dani giggled. “Great. Fantastic. Max? I’m going to go get cleaned up a bit more, then I’ll be ready. You need anything while I’m inside?”

I shook my head. “Just need to talk with my brother while you’re gone. Then I’ll be ready.”

I watched Dani disappear back into the house before I walked over to my brother. I slung an arm around his neck, pulling him in for a brotherly hug. I closed my eyes and cherished the moment, because I knew it might be the last time we ever saw one another. If shit went south with this little operation of ours, I didn’t know who the hell was getting out alive. It’d be every man for himself at that point, and we’d actually be forced out of town.

I wanted to make sure I left no stone unturned.

“I love you. I hope you know that,” John said.

I patted his chest. “Yeah, I know. And I hope you know I do, too.”

He nodded. “Yeah, I know.”

I sighed. “Don’t you dare do anything stupid. You got it? I’ll do my part. You do yours. And I’ll see you on the other side.”

“So long as you keep up your end of the bargain. If we’re not doing stupid shit, neither are you two. Got it?”

“Trust me, I more than got it.”

“Good.”

He wrapped his arms around me in a massive hug and I had to close my eyes. I swallowed back the knot forming in my throat as John clapped my back. I hugged him tightly, holding on to him a few seconds longer than I normally would have. And after I heard the front door of the house open again, I released him.

Before Dani came to stand at my side.

“Ready?” she asked.

I looked into John’s eyes. “You ready?”

My brother nodded. “Ready when you guys are.”

I clapped his cheek. “Good. Because I’m ready to end this.”

I hugged my brother one last time before I wrapped around the back end of the truck. While John opened the passenger door for Dani, I hopped behind the wheel of the massive vehicle. I let Dani and John say their goodbyes before she climbed into the seat. And as she buckled her seatbelt, John’s words made me chuckle.

“You take care of my little brother now, Bambi. He’s fragile, though he doesn’t like to speak of such things.”

I chuckled. “Fragile. You wish.”

Dani giggled. “I promise I’ll take good care of him. You just take care of yourself. Okay?”

John’s eyes found mine. “She’s one of us, through and through.”

I grinned. “I know.”

I cranked up the massive diesel engine and heard it roar to life. John closed Dani’s car door and I watched him in the mirrors as he retreated to the guys lining the curb with their bikes. I backed out of the driveway and straightened the truck out in the middle of the road, keeping my eyes on the guys.

I felt something warm and comforting squeeze my knees.

“This will work, Max. I promise.”

Dani’s voice sounded so soft, yet so reassuring. And it brought me a great deal of hope.

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