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I knew from experience that when Ian was calm it meant he had something else up his sleeve, but I was too focused on my daughter to pay attention to anything other than rescuing her. Behind Dante and his men, several shadows flickered by the headlights of the cars still shining brightly inside the warehouse.
He cleared his throat abruptly, causing his men to raise their guns and aim them directly at us. My blood fumed with anger as I realized that none of the guys were doing anything to stop them. They were just standing with me like immortal shields, waiting for orders.
But I wasn’t going to wait any longer. The anger inside me reached a boiling point and I couldn’t take it anymore.
Luke glanced at me, offering a single nod.
“Fuck this!” I shouted, shoving past Luke and Ian to stand face to face with my ex. “Dante! You want me! Come get me!” I threw my arms out to the side. “Leave Maddie alone! She’s a kid! Leave them all alone! You came for me, not any of them!”
“Jade, I have to give you props,” he bit his bottom lip for a moment, shaking his head, “you’re so brave. You really make me?—”
“I KILLED PARIS!” I screamed, hoping to take the focus off anyone else.
“Stand down!” Ian snapped.
“I don’t fucking care about her!” Dante snorted.
“Jade!” Luke grabbed my wrist, but I snatched my hand away just as shadows crossed the lights outside, growing closer.
“Mommy,” Maddie’s small voice whispered, trembling with fear.
“Maddie,” Luke muttered, causing her to look directly at him.
“Ankle!” he barked at her just as figures appeared in the doorway.
Dante whirled around toward the door, and Luke leaped forward just as Maddie bit into his arm. “Ow, little bitch!” Dante yelled but Luke grabbed her, yanking her close to him, shielding her in front of him. He snatched my wrist, pulling me with her behind a pile of debris in the corner near an archway. Ian and Ice Man were close by, weapons aimed at the men who were now with their backs to us, as the others in the doorway fired at Dante and his men.
“Oh my God,” I held Maddie tight, pressing kisses to the top of her head. “Are you okay?”
She nodded as Luke wrapped his arms around her. “Good job.” He winked.
“Get down,” Ian hissed while shots rang out.
I quickly positioned myself on top of Maddie, cupping her hands in mine and placing them over her ears before shielding her body with my own as gunfire echoed around us. In that moment, all I could do was pray that it’d end soon. I closed my eyes, tears seeping through my closed eyelids.
Ian and Ice Man fired round after round back at them. Luke laid on top of me, trying his best not to squish Maddie underneath me as he drew his gun, ready to shoot on command. As the last shots were fired, a heavy silence settled over the warehouse.
My heart pounded in my chest when I looked up at Luke. “Is it over?”
“Almost,” he muttered, standing then pulling both Maddie and me to our feet. We stepped out from behind the pallet, Ian and Ice Man flanking us protectively while Luke kept a cautious hand on my shoulder.
But then I saw them, the bodies of Dante’s men, riddled with bullets and lying still on the floor. My stomach churned, and I shielded Maddie’s eyes from the gruesome sight.
“Keep your eyes closed, sweetie.”
“What have you done?!” Dante turned a slow circle among the bodies of his friends.
Tyler, Chance, and Nico stood with Jacob, arms crossed and staring him down. Nearby, strange men I didn’t recognize were checking pulses while some of our saviors had unfortunately lost their lives in the crossfire.
Jacob marched forward toward Dante, followed closely by Chance, Tyler, and Nico. They came to a stop, forming a united front against him while we stopped behind him. I guided Maddie to Ian, her head buried in his body. His arms were wrapped tightly around her. I wanted to face Dante one final time and was thankful Ian understood my unspoken request.
Dante bobbed his head before turning to me. “You fucking slu?—”
My fist connected with his jaw with all the force I could muster.
His head snapped back from the impact, but he quickly regained his footing, grabbing his jaw in pain.
“Do NOT ever touch MY child!”
