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As we all tensed and readied ourselves, rushed footsteps sounded, followed by a vicious snarl, and then two robes were tumbling down toward us, their throats ripped out.
Two more broke through the trees right into our path.
But before any of us could react, a blur of movement flitted across our vision and then a figure came into view, shoving back one of them with a brutal push kick that had the attacker landing on his ass with a bone-rattling thud. The figure then spun toward the other guy and tossed a throwing knife in the next split-second, embedding it in the guy’s throat.
As he spluttered and sank to his knees, trying to stop the bleeding, the figure turned to face us head-on.
A tank of a man decked out in all black, his sweats somehow pulled taut across his mammoth frame. He ripped off his balaclava and dark-gray wiry shoulder-length hair came free as we took in the sight of none other than Reed Keller.
“Father, what the shit?” Jonah said, stepping forward, albeit cautiously, his fingers tightening around the knife in his hand.
Asher was beside him in the next second, black eyes burrowing into Reed’s.
Noting the reaction, Reed held up his hand. “I’m here for you.”
That had the tension ramping up all the more.
“No,” he said, realizing the way his words had been taken. “Not to bring you in, to help you stay the fuck out.”
“I thought you were long gone?”
“I was until word reached me of this attack. Those fuckers gave the kill order on my son, I don’t fucking think so.”
His eyes strayed to Aurora.
And, unlike mine and Ash’s father, he didn’t look at her in a sick and sexually degrading way. “Good, you look nothing like your cunt of a mother.”
“Cunt? Really?” Jonah groused.
“Believe me, that’s toning it down where she’s concerned.” He looked at her again. “Sorry, I was expecting a disturbing resemblance based off Carson’s obsession with you. Turns out it was more about him and Lan than Nyx.”
“She’s been their target for a while, how didn’t you know what she looked like?” I asked.
“Carson and Sam kept me away. They wanted this obsession all to themselves.” He told Aurora, “Don’t worry, they were being paranoid, I don’t go in for young things like they do, not my scene.”
“Enough,” Asher said, tucking Aurora into his side.
“I’m merely assuring you I come in peace. When you’re ready to take the Head Infidels, have Lan contact me. You don’t trust me, so have him look into my recent activities, so he can validate what I’m saying. Then let me know where and when you’re gonna strike, and I’ll be there.” He looked at his son. “After that, I’m gone. In the wind.” He gestured at Asher. “I know now that you’re not gonna leave him, or this brotherhood of yours, and I’ll accept that, but I’m gonna be gone, all right?” He smiled sadly. “Another life, different line of work, maybe you’d actually be able to care about that. As it is, I get that you can’t, things got way too twisted because of those motherfuckers. And I’m sorry, son. I’m fucking sorry for everything. So I’m gonna help you get out of this, give you your freedom you should’ve had from the get-go. And then I’ll disappear, you won’t have to worry about me again. Live your life. Just kick some ass while you’re at it, yeah?”
Jonah didn’t know what to say. He just stood there staring incredulously.
I was right there with him on that.
I couldn’t believe Reed was actually up for going against his long-time brothers. I mean, running was one thing, but actively fighting against them was a whole other thing.
Before he got the chance to say anything, rushed footsteps sounded, coming in hot.
Reed spun around and looked out to our right. “Go!” he told us. “I’ve got this.”
“Father—”
“Go, Jo!” he insisted. “This is why I came all the way down here. Besides, it’s been a long time since I’ve had myself a good bloodbath.”
We looked to Asher and he nodded.
As we took off, Jonah looking back at his father every now and then while he launched himself like the crazy animal he was, at more robes, I heard Aurora telling Asher, “I’m surprised you didn’t insist on staying, for the fight alone.”
“If we had, I would’ve crossed the line, torn the next set of enemy targets open and then fucked you in their blood, sweetheart.”
