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Then a voice sounded, a voice I’d recognize anywhere, a voice I remembered in my greatest memories and some of my worst. “Let her go.”
I started to breathe hard again, imagining the scene outside. Fender must have entered the camp on his horse with his guards at that moment, witnessing whatever the fuck Alix was doing to her.
The guys stopped holding me down because they recognized his voice too.
I pushed to my feet then tumbled forward slightly, my legs carrying me quicker than my body could allow. Revenge wasn’t on my mind at the moment because all I cared about was the woman screaming my name. I pushed through the front door and took the stairs to the ground. It was nighttime, but the lights lit up the horrific scene in front of me.
Raven was on her knees on the ground, completely naked.
Alix was standing behind her with a knife in his grasp, like he’d held it to her throat just seconds ago.
Raven covered her chest with her folded arms and kept her gaze averted.
Fender stood there in black jeans, boots, and a black t-shirt. His guards were positioned behind him, holding the reins to his horse so she wouldn’t run off until she was put in the stables. Fender faced Alix directly, staring down at him with one of those stoic gazes that could mean anything.
Alix just stood there, breathing hard, still as a statue.
I strode across the ground and headed right for Raven, pulling off my shirt so I could cover her with it.
Fender didn’t look at me when I approached. His eyes were on Alix. “This woman doesn’t belong to you—and you know that.”
Alix was stupid enough to argue. “She’s a prisoner—”
“Don’t. Speak.”
Alix inhaled a deep breath, a little timid in Fender’s presence.
“She belongs to Magnus.” Fender pulled a blade from his pocket and placed the tip right against Alix’s heart, the point digging into the fabric of his shirt. “Touch her again, and I will not hesitate to slam this deep into your heart and make it stop.”
Alix didn’t even breathe.
I made it to Raven and pulled the shirt over her body.
The look she gave me…was indescribable. She looked at me like I was a hero, when I wasn’t the one who saved her. She pulled the shirt to her thighs and clutched the fabric like it was a bulletproof vest. Silent tears still dripped down her cheeks.
Unable to resist my natural instincts, I cupped her face and brushed her tears away with the pads of my thumbs. I wanted to do more, to kiss her, to hold her, but I couldn’t do that right now. I got to my feet then extended my hand to her.
She stared at it for a moment, her eyes watery but a slight smile coming through, and then she took it.
I pulled her to her feet.
Fender continued his showdown with Alix. “Magnus was punished for his crimes. He’s increased shipments to distributors, lost his own pay to make up for losses, rebuilt this camp, and has atoned for those sins. If you can’t let your need for revenge die, then perhaps you need to die.”
Alix kept a straight face, but it was obvious he was scared, judging by the way he didn’t have strength in his gaze anymore. There was no sinister smile, no confidence in his posture. His shoulders sagged, like he wanted to disappear.
Fender finally turned to look at me, to study my face. He must have seen the redness of my skin, the terror in my eyes, and deduced exactly what had happened. He turned back to Alix. “This has been going on a while, hasn’t it?”
I knew Fender was talking to me.
When I didn’t say anything, he turned to me again.
I kept my mouth shut.
Alix looked at me, like he knew I would throw him under the bus.
But I didn’t.
Fender turned back to Alix. “He’s not a snitch. Looks like it’s your lucky day, Alix.” He put his knife in his pocket. “I won’t pretend to understand my brother’s fascination with this unremarkable cunt, but as long as she is his, she’s off-limits. Do you understand?”
Alix nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“The only reason I won’t kill you is because Magnus stirred unrest in this camp. But you’re even now. Cross my brother again, and I won’t hesitate to kill you.” He turned behind him to see the guards on the porch of the cabin. “All of you.” He stepped away from Alix and looked at me. He pretended Raven didn’t exist, even though he’d just saved her from a kind of cruelty she would never recover from, and nodded in the direction of his cabin. Then he walked away.
Alix immediately walked off, likely afraid Fender would change his mind if he looked at him again. The guys went back into the cabin. I turned to Raven. “Go to the cabin. I’ll meet you there.”
