Pressing the blade against his throat, I said, “Fucker deserved to die.”

“He didn’t,” Travis hissed, going stock still.

“Thought you were so sly, didn’t you?” I asked quietly, the blade still stained in my own blood pressed to his throat. “You thought that you were going to come in here, pretend to be him, and scare us. Thought you would hurt her. Kill her for some supposed ‘slight’ to Amon? Well guess what, motherfucker? She’s alive. Our baby is alive. She’s going to live. She’s going to change the world. And you? Well, you are going to spend the rest of your life wondering where you went wrong.”

Then, with a quick slice, I slit his throat.

I watched his eyes widen and his face go white.

Wake, who was staring with curious eyes, smiled.

He liked that parting comment as much as I had.

“You need any help?” he asked at last.

My chest was throbbing like a bitch. But I knew that I had Travis contained. Well, as contained as a man could be that was dying.

“No.” I swallowed hard. “Get on out of here. We know how the sheriff likes you and all.”

Shine walked up then, his eyes going to the man at my feet, then to me.

“You have a hole that’s leaking blood.” He jerked his chin at me.

“Do you think I should put it back in?” I gestured, pointing the knife toward my chest where I’d ripped it out.

“No.” Shine shook his head. “Come on. Let’s get to the hospital.”

That was the last place that I wanted to be.

Too bad I didn’t have a choice, because I passed out from blood loss.

• • •

My brothers, who I hadn’t realized had arrived, stared on with amusement written all over their faces.

“Damn,” Shine said. “Didn’t think ol’ nice guy Bram had it in him.”

“He’s not a nice guy,” Price snorted. “You remember when he punched you a couple of weeks ago when you made that comment about his wife?”

“I remember that I deserved it.” Shine shrugged. “He was being nice by only punching me. He could’ve taken away my ability to have any more children. See? Very nice.”

I rolled my eyes, which fuckin’ hurt.

My chest pinched.

Pain swirled.

And I passed out again.

CHAPTER 28

My ‘I don’t fuck with you’ list is getting quite long.

-Shine to Bram

SHINE

“You need to push through,” I said to the unrecognizable woman lying, unmoving and yet breathing on her own, on the hospital bed. “Because he’s not going to make it if you don’t.”