Page 128 of Devour

He puts one knee on the mattress and leans over me. His hand reaches for my thigh. His eyes are on my tits covered by the gown. He’s not looking at my hands.

I think of Axl and what he taught me to do. Before he knows what’s happening, I drive the blade into the side of his neck, twist, and then pull down, severing his artery.

His eyes go wide. His mouth opens in a scream. His hand goes to his throat and blood gushes through his fingers, covering both of us. There’s so much fucking blood, just like Axl said there would be.

I pull the knife out and shove him to the side so he falls onto the bed. He’s trying to speak, but there’s nothing coming out except gurgles and air. He keeps pressing against the wound. The blood doesn’t stop.

I shift so I’m standing on the floor by the bed, watching him. My hands are covered in his blood, and the knife is dripping onto the floor.

Ryan rolls onto his back and stares at me. His eyes are wide, and his face is white. The blood is coming too fast. It’s soaking through the sheets and pooling under his shoulder.

He tries to say something. His lips move, and blood comes out instead of words. I watch his chest heave once. His hand slips from his neck and lands on the mattress.

He stops moving.

I stand braced and ready until I’m sure he’s gone—until his chest doesn’t rise again, his eyes go glassy, and he’s staring at nothing. Ryan is fucking dead.

My hands and legs shake. There’s blood on every part of me—my hands, my arms, the hospital gown, my face. I grip the knife tighter and step back from the bed until the chain pulls tight on my ankle.

It’s only a matter of time before someone comes in here. So I have to be ready, because I won’t have the same element of surprise once they see Ryan like this.

I focus on the door and wait.

CHAPTER 54

AXL

The building looks empty from the outside. There are three stories with blacked-out windows. We let this building stand after rescuing the women because Dane wanted to track who would try to come back.

And now here we are with my girl chained inside.

Kase kills the headlights a block out and pulls to the curb behind the Sinclairs. My door is open before we stop moving, and the sharp pain in my ribs hits me. I push through it. I don’t have time for pain.

Fox is already out, weapon drawn with his vest on. Tate is beside him with a deep scowl on his face, and Thorne checks his gun and moves to stand on the other side of Fox.

My father stands by the Sinclairs’ vehicle looking over at the building with his hands in his pockets.

“Adam is going in first,” Fox says. He turns to face us as we approach. “Travis is expecting him. The rest of us will be in position before he’s through the door. Tate, you and Thorne take the east entry. Priest, Kase—west. Axl and Crew are with me on the main.”

“And if it’s a trap?” Tate asks, looking at my father.

“Then we kill everyone in the building,” Fox says. “That’s the plan anyway. We’re just hoping for the element of surprise.”

My father nods and adjusts his jacket. I can make out the bulk of the bulletproof vest he wears beneath it. He’s calmer than I’d expected him to be. But he’s trained for this shit too.

“Crew, you still have the other cameras?” I ask.

“Everything except her room.” He doesn’t look up from his phone. “Justin is still on the main floor. The two Talons are at the east corridor door. I don’t see Travis, but I can’t see every room.”

“He’s there,” my father says. “He told me he’ll be in a back office on the first floor.”

“Axl,” Crew says, getting my attention. “I haven’t seen Ryan again. He’s probably still in there with her.”

I grind my teeth and fight the urge not to just run into the building right fucking now. But if I go in there without a plan, I could get us both killed.

Just hang on for me, little heathen.

Fox checks his weapon one more time. “Move to positions. Adam, give us two minutes and then walk in the front. When we hear you over the comms, we come in hot.”