Page 79 of Finn's Future

The second we stepped inside, the suited man clocked us and handed Noah off to a man standing at his side. He hightailed it towards the back. Little did he know that Keno and Spider were around there, waiting on anyone who tried to escape.

“What are you doing here?” the woman demanded, her eyes flicking between us. “Where’s Ronan Kane?”

“Ronan sent us,” Reaper said with a grin. “He doesn’t like being blackmailed.”

Her face paled but she didn’t say anything else.

As soon as Kate saw Noah being passed into her stepfather’s arms, something in her snapped.

“Noah!” she screamed, running forward before anyone could stop her.

Her stepfather turned and swung. The crack of his fist hitting her echoed through the room.

Everything went red, and for a split second, I wasn’t there anymore—I was back in that house, smaller, weaker, him standing over me, fists coming down again and again while my mother watched like it was normal. Until one day, I got big enough, strong enough, and I didn’t stop until he hit the floor and didn’t get back up. That day, everything changed. I ended up in prison, where I met a Dead Knight who put me in touch with Reaper.

So, when I got out, I found a family, a real family, with the Dead Knights. Then Kate was my family, her son was one of ours, and I would burn the world to get him back.

I stepped forward slowly, my voice low and deadly. “You just made the biggest mistake of your life.”

I barely heard the roar that tore out of me.

One second, I was standing there, and the next, I had him by the throat, slamming him backward hard enough to crack the wall behind him.

Kate screamed Noah’s name somewhere behind me, but all I could see was him touching her.Hittingher.

Years of rage came loose all at once.

I hit him once and blood sprayed across the polished floor.

Twice and he stopped fighting back.

By the third punch, brothers were shouting and the whole room had exploded into chaos around us.

Chapter 36

Kate

The second his fist connected with my face, I snapped. Pain exploded across my cheek, my head whipping to the side, but I didn’t fall.

I couldn’t. I needed to get Noah.

All I could see was my baby in his arms, crying and scared, reaching out for me.

A sound tore from my throat, raw as I launched myself forward again. “You don’t get to touch him,” I screamed, my voice shaking with rage as much as fear.

My stepfather barely had time to react before I slammed into him, my hands grabbing, clawing, shoving.

Years of swallowed fear, of staying quiet, of taking it, all came out at once. My hand connected with his face, then again, and again.

“Give him to me,” I shrieked, my fingers digging into his arms, tearing at him until his grip faltered for just a second.

It was enough.

I ripped Noah out of his arms and clutched him to my chest, turning my body instinctively to shield him.

“I’ve got you,” I whispered desperately, even as my whole body shook. “Mama’s got you.”

“You stupid girl,” my stepfather said as he lunged for me.