Page 169 of Pretty Wicked Secrets

Austin McKenna gets out, a handful of his goons tumbling out after him and spreading out in a formation that allows them to spray the back of the alley with their firepower.

Austin stares at us from behind his row of goons, a smirk on his face that makes me want to see it smeared across the pavement.

“You’re not going anywhere, Maddoc,” he yells, a gun he’s not firing held loosely in his hands as he lets his men do all the work for him.

“Wrong,” Maddoc says, his jaw clenching so tight that the muscle starts to tick.

Austin laughs mockingly, but Maddoc ignores him, his eyes scanning the alley again as he assesses the situation. I hold in a sob. Even I can see that West Point has cut off any chance we might have had of making it up and over the fence behind us now, and there’s nowhere else for us to go.

The steel I see in Maddoc’s spine tells me he’s not conceding defeat, though. West Point has us outgunned and boxed in. I don’t know what he thinks he can do, but I understand. He’ll never surrender to Austin McKenna. It’s not in his nature.

Chloe clings to me, her head down and her body trembling. “Riley?”

“We’ll be okay,” I lie, my eyes darting toward the three Reapers as they talk in low tones that the gunfire almost masks completely, still trying to figure a way for us to get out as Austin yells at his men to get us out from behind the Escalade.

The West Point goons start to advance, and the Reapers go silent, their focus on returning fire.

“You don’t have to die here,” Austin yells. “Just give up the Sutherland girl.”

Chloe whimpers, her nails digging through my jeans where she clings to me, and I take aim and do my best to take Austin’s fucking head off.

My shot misses, and his eyes narrow as his gaze lands on me. “You’re the one the meeting was with, yeah?” He spits on the ground, his eyes flaring with a sadistic light. “Only Maddoc Gray could have had a gold mine like you right under his nose for so long and not even fucking known it.”

“We know what she’s worth,” Maddoc calls back grimly, a tone in his voice that makes my chest hurt.

Austin won’t understand, butIhear it, and Maddoc’s not talking about my inheritance. It makes me want to cry. These three men gave up so much to help me. Even now, a quick glance at their grim faces tells me the truth.

They’ll give upeverything… except me. But no matter how determined they are, they’ll die if they stand their ground right now.Chloemight die. Even if the other Reapers who were escorting us today somehow make it here, it will be too little, too late. Austin is all but toying with them now, taunting Maddoc for his own sadistic pleasure but making sure his goons keep us pinned down while we use up the last of our ammo.

And I can’t let that happen.

I can’t let my sister fall back into Austin McKenna’s hands.

I can’t let these three men lay down their lives for me.

Ican’t.

A shot from one of the West Point goons ricochets off the Escalade’s door, making Logan duck and curse. Dante’s gun jams, and Maddoc—who’s been shooting two-fisted ever since we all tumbled out of the Escalade—tosses his spare to his brother as Austin’s men open fire again.

“Don’t hit the girl,” he shouts, pistol whipping one of his own men when the new slew of gunfire makes me duck. “We need her alive to claim the cash.”

“That will never fucking happen,” Dante says, ejecting the clip he just used up and popping a new one—the last one, from what I can see—into the gun Maddoc gave him.

One of Austin’s men shoots it out of his hand, and something in me snaps. I rise to my feet, holding my weapon loosely above my head in a gesture of surrender.

“Stop!” I call out, my heart thundering as loudly as the gunfire that suddenly ceases all around me.

Austin grins with a manic light in his eyes. “You want something, baby?”

I want him to die… but I want the men I care for, the Reapers, and mysister,to live even more.

I lift my chin. “I’ll go with you if you let them go.” Logan rears back and Dante spins to face me, but I keep my eyes trained on Austin, hating myself a little when my voice cracks. “I’ll… I’ll marry you, if that’s what you want. So you can have access to the money.”

“The fuck you will,” Maddoc spits angrily, grabbing for me.

A shot rings out from one of Austin’s men, making him yank his hand back, and I hold Maddoc’s gaze.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper.

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