Page 59 of Savage Hunter

“We need to get the women to safety. Fergie. Nova. You know what has to happen.”

Riot pops the lever that opens several secret compartments built into the underside of the stairwell. Doors swing open and the stairs rise to reveal a fully stocked armory. He pulls out guns, ammo, and bags full of things I probably don’t want to know about and others filled with cash. Those I know about because I helped count out the one hundred-dollar bills and package them in bundles of ten thousand dollars.

Nova rubs her belly, and for the first time looks scared. “New Orleans?”

Ares has the phone to his ear. “Da, malyshka. Just like we talked about.”

“I don’t want to be without you.”

Ares takes his woman’s hand and kisses the back of her knuckles. “I won’t leave you to raise our child alone. Trust me on that Nova Master.”

The way he says her full name has power. The person on the other end of the call picks up and he excuses himself for a moment. “Harlon, we’ve been compromised.”

My gaze searches for Wolfe’s only to find his eyes on me.

Kendra stands up, severing our connection to help Nova into a chair.

“What’s going on? Is this the Society or the Colombians? Ares, was it your brothers? Who is attacking us? Give me a gun and tell me where to point it.”

Ares walks back into the room in time to hear the tail end of her question.

“Try all three.”

That’s Riot. He pulls his long hair off his shoulder and ties it with a band at the base of his head. He takes a seat on the edge of the sofa’s arm and starts checking his rounds and pocketing more Ares hands him from the duffle bags.

“With Cortes dead there is no one to keep Silas from taking the strength of my step-father’s Colombian cartel. I’m so sorry I brought this trouble to your doorstep.”

Persephone sounds groggy and looks like a train hit her head on, but survived.

Ares slashes a hand in the air in front of him. “You didn’t do this. It was only a matter of time before my brothers had someone do their dirty work. Your step-father was only a tool for them to exploit. My brother has tripled his strength in an hour.”

“Fucking bastards. All of them. I’m sorry I only got to kill Cortes once.” Rage hasn’t let her hand go. He wraps his fingers through her and helps her sit up. She clutches her side but seems to be in incredible pain.

“My sister. Ghost’s daughter.”

Persephone looks to Rage who seems torn in two. “I know, baby. I didn’t forget. None of us have. Let’s get you and the other women to safety and then we’ll make a plan.”

My heart pounds so fast I have a hard time keeping my voice steady. But I manage, otherwise no one will take me seriously with what I am about to say.

I move to the center of the living room. “It’s really simple. Wolfe and I go after her.”

All eyes turn to me.

Riot leans his weight against a large pool table pushed up against the back wall. Kendra and Piper are on the couch with Nova and Fergie forming a small circle around Ares. The curtains block the outside world out and the lights glow dimly. It’s hard to make out everyone’s expressions but I see the surprise splashed across Wolfe’s face and the building refusal on Ares lips. I flick the ring in my lip. Thank God the rest of the men are outside standing sentry over the entrance or I’d be dealing with their judgmental stares, too.

I didn’t realize I had it in me to be some kind of heroine full of bravado until this very second, but seeing the pain in Persephone’s eyes at the fear of her sister getting swept into the Society does it. And Ghost’s daughter…I shudder to think they might already be lost to us.

I look at each of them and use all the might I can summon to push determination into voice. “It makes all the sense in the world. We are the only ones not compromised. Nova is pregnant. Asena you have Heaven to take care of.” I look at Kendra and Piper in their miniskirts and camisoles. They look good in camo and war paint but they rather seduce a man than kill him. Not judging, but the truth is what it is. Besides, I have another reason I have to help Wolfe.

“That leaves Lilith and me. Nova is going to need protection around her and we all know Lilith is the baddest of all us women.” I pause. “Where is Lilith by the way?”

“At the Asylum. She is taking care of the books for us.” Riot has his cellphone out no doubt making plans on picking her up.

“That leaves me. There’s nothing easy about what I’m saying but it makes sense. I know how the Society thinks and Wolfe knows how to eliminate threats. He can’t carry kids and a woman out on his own. I can help him get Persephone’s sister and baby out. I know where they keep the… younger kidnapped victims, too,” I settle on. Smoothing over the rougher details is easier than dealing with the mortified expressions of how the Society operates. I don’t want to scare people with the same horror-filled memories I will take to my grave.

“It should be me.”

“It can’t be,” I counter Persephone with the truth. “There’s no one else. This is my chance to give back to the family who has helped me so much.” But the true feelings are this is the one chance I have to prove to myself I am not helpless. I couldn’t fight for myself when I needed to the hardest. But I can fight for others. Wolfe might have been right. Maybe I am stronger now.

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