Page 96 of Cold and Broken (The Titans of Founder's Ridge 1)

Connor: I’m coming straight 2 u after this gala is over and I’m going to feast on that pretty pussy tucked between ur legs

My cheeks heat reading his words.

Me: Maybe I’ll be in someone else’s bed

Connor: That would be unfortunate for them as they’d never wake 2 see another day

Me: U are no killer

Connor: There is nothing I would not do for you. Not a fucking thing. My obsession knows no bounds.

“He’s not lying,” Griff says over my shoulder. “He would kill for you. Just like he’d kill for me or Griff or Claire, probably even Ivy. His loyalty and protectiveness run deep.”

“You’d do the same.” I say decisively. I have seen these boys work together. They join together into an unstoppable beast. They might be from different families but they are brothers in every way that counts.

“We would.” He nods. “You would. You are one of us now. Irrevocably ours.”

* * *

The night has gone better than I anticipated. Levi has kept us laughing and in good spirits since dinner even though I miss Connor. I miss his hands on me. I miss the intensity of his eyes following my every move, the heat of his desire. I miss the chill of his glare for anyone who dares to look at me longer than a passing glance.

We’re sitting at table away from the dance floor when both Griff and Levi get a text message. I watch their brows pull together simultaneously and their shared look of concern. They both shoot to their feet and Griff starts barking orders into his phone for a helicopter to be ready at the Founder’s Ridge executive airport in twenty minutes.

Levi gently wraps his hand around my bicep. “There’s been an incident in the city. You need to get to the hospital.” His giant hands cup my face. “It’s your dad.”

“Wh-what?” I stutter as blood rushes to my head and dread pools in my stomach. “What do you mean?”

“He’s been shot.” Levi is more serious in this moment than any other. He wraps his arm around my waist to support me out to his car. “Connor said the ambulance just left. He and Victor are following right behind.”

“I have my family’s chopper being prepared for us. I’ll be right beside you,” Griff says as he links his fingers with mine.

“I’ll drive you two to the airport.” Levi says still gripping my waist tightly with Ivy falling in step beside him. When we get to his G wagon he lifts me inside and Griff slides in beside me, once again grabbing my hand. Ivy turns in the front seat and reaches back for my other hand.

“I bet he’ll be okay,” She comforts me. “Victor probably already has the best team of doctors working on him. Plus he’s tough as fuck. He survived a bunch of fucked up missions in the Marines, right?”

I nod my head in a fog. My dad has been shot. The only family I have.

“Do you know where he was shot?” I ask the guys. I don’t miss the look they give each other in the rearview mirror. They are not giving me all the information.

“Not exactly,” Levi hedges.

“Surely he was wearing a bullet proof vest.” Ivy says.

“That would only protect his chest,” I mumble. There are so many fatal places you can be shot that a vest doesn’t cover. The head and neck being the two most likely. A precision bullet to the brain would be instant death so I’m guessing maybe he was shot in the neck. I grab my phone to start googling statistics. Griff looks down and gently takes the phone from me.

“I’m going to hold on to this for now. I’m in contact with Connor and he knows we’re taking my helicopter to the city. He’ll keep us updated.” He presses a kiss to my temple and pulls me to his shoulder.

The drive to airport passes in a blur. Levi pulls onto the tarmac right beside the helicopter and jumps out of the car to pull me from Griff’s hold. I feel Levi’s arms band tightly around me. He rests his forehead against mine. “I will be right behind you. I’ll grab clothes for you and Con.” He kisses the top of my head after giving me another tight hug that I barely feel.

“I love you, girl. Levi will be down there shortly. Anything you need in particular?” Ivy pulls me from Levi.

I shake my head absentmindedly, the fog of denial and worry clouding my mind. Levi pulls Ivy away and gets her back into the car. A tear slips down her cheek as she listens to what Levi is saying in the car. She wipes it away quickly and tries to give me an encouraging smile.

Griff helps me into one of the seats in the helicopter. It’s much smaller than Connor’s I think to myself as Griff straps me in and adjusts the buckles accordingly. He sets a headset on my head and I shake it off. I don’t want to talk. I don’t want the quiet from the nose canceling headphones. I want the white noise to dull my dark thoughts.

Griff buckles himself in and presses his thigh against mine. I’m pretty sure at this moment if he could tuck me inside his body he would. The tension and worry he’s feeling line his eyes making him appear twenty years older than he is. As we lift off the ground I jolt and he grabs my hand, sandwiching it between both his smooth palms.

I spend the rest of the flight leaning against him, borrowing strength for what I already feel will be devastating news.

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