Ghost crouched first near the snowbank beneath a cluster of pines. “Found one of the guys.” Buck moved closer. One of the missing prospects lay unconscious in the snow, wrists zip-tied behind his back. Blood covered the side of his face, but his chest still rose shallowly. He was alive—for now.
Buck dropped to one knee immediately. “Tyler.” The younger biker groaned faintly.
Ghost scanned the trees while Buck cut the restraints loose. “Second one’s missing.” Buck nodded grimly.
Tyler’s eyes fluttered open weakly. Panic flashed across his battered face instantly. “VP?—”
“Easy,” Buck ordered. “What happened?”
The prospect coughed painfully. “They hit us fast. Four, maybe five men.” His breathing shook. “They knew the watch rotation.” Buck went still, and Ghost looked murderous beside him. That confirmed that they had inside information.
Tyler grabbed Buck’s arm suddenly. “They kept asking about the woman.”
Buck’s stomach twisted violently. “What exactly did they ask?”
Tyler swallowed hard. “Wanted to know if she was sleeping in your room.” Ghost cursed viciously under his breath, and Buck felt something ugly uncurl inside him, because this wasn’t intimidation anymore. It was an obsession.
“They said she belonged to them now,” Tyler whispered weakly.
Buck stood slowly, every muscle in his body locking tight. Ghost saw it happen immediately. “Easy.”
“No,” Buck said. His voice came out terrifyingly calm.
“They hurt my men,” he said quietly. “They threatened her.” His eyes shifted toward the dark forest. “And now they think they know me.”
Ghost stepped closer carefully. “Brother?—”
“I’m gonna kill every single one of them,” Buck growled. The raw promise in his voice hung in the frozen air. Mason looked half terrified just hearing it. Ghost didn’t disagree with him, though, and he didn’t try to talk him down because Ghost looked just as furious.
Buck ran a hand through his hair roughly and forced himself to think past the rage. “Get Tyler back to the compound,” he ordered Mason. “Nobody leaves the main building without armed backup.” Mason nodded quickly.
Ghost watched Buck carefully once the prospect started helping Tyler toward the SUV. “You thinking what I’m thinking?”
“Yeah,” Buck said. “This wasn’t random.”
Buck looked back toward the carved message on the ruined watch post. “No. This is personal.”
Ghost lit a cigarette against the brutal wind with steady hands. “Question is, how personal?” Buck didn’t answer immediately because deep down he already knew. The Vulturesweren’t just targeting routes anymore. They were targeting pressure points, and somehow, somewhere along the line, Wren had become his biggest one.
Ghost exhaled smoke slowly beside him. “You know what scares me?” Buck glanced over at him. Ghost’s pale eyes looked darker out here beneath the snow and moonlight. “You didn’t hesitate when you saw that message.”
Buck frowned. “Meaning?”
“You didn’t deny it.” Ghost flicked ash into the snow. “Not even to yourself.” Buck stared out into the frozen trees.
SHE CHOSE BOTH.
The words should’ve made him defensive. Instead, they’d sparked possessive satisfaction so deep it scared the hell out of him because she had. Maybe not fully yet. Maybe not consciously, but Wren had reached for both of them tonight. She had trusted both of them, and Buck already knew he’d tear this province apart before letting anyone take that away.
“She deserves better than this,” he muttered finally.
Ghost laughed softly without humor. “Probably.”
Buck looked down at the blood staining the snow. “I mean it.”
“So do I,” Ghost said. Silence settled between them again.
“For what it’s worth,” Ghost said quietly, “I never planned on falling for either of you.” Buck looked over at him, and Ghost shrugged one shoulder. “You were always mine in some way. Didn’t realize how much until tonight.” His mouth twisted faintly. “Then she walked in looking at both of us like we’re worth trusting.” Buck’s chest tightened painfully. Ghost kicked lightly at the snow. “Kind of ruined me, honestly.”
