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Despite my better judgment, I turn away and walk out of the stupid tunnel. The second I step out into the parking lot, I feel relief wash over me. It’s over. At least, for me it is.
I drop my ass down onto the cool ground, staring back through the tunnel just in case another guard makes it past my boys and I have another ass to kick.
The exhaustion is real, and while I was only inside that bunker for maybe fifteen minutes, I feel like I’ve been running a marathon. I lean back on my hands in the empty lot, feeling deflated. I knew there was a chance that Paris wasn’t going to be there, but I had hoped. I had hoped that I could put a perfectly round bullet through her head and that this was all going to be over, but as usual, she is three steps ahead of us.
This shit is never going to end.
The gunshots slow and as the minutes tick by, it eventually fizzles down to silence.
Bodies start making their way through the tunnel and I peer through, watching the boys make their way toward me. They’re still so far away and all I see are fuzzy silhouettes in the distance, but as they creep closer, it becomes clear that maybe the guys coming toward me aren’t my guys at all. What if these are Paris’ hired muscle making their way out of the tunnel? What if my boys didn’t make it?
My heart starts to race as every inch of me becomes alert and ready for an attack. I fly to my feet, my dagger in my hand while desperately wishing that I hadn’t lost my other gun.
The people in the tunnel get closer and with each passing second, I feel myself getting sweatier and sweatier.
I should take off while I still have a chance, but my heart is telling me that the boys would have made it. They have to. They’re too good to perish in a bullshit shootout like that. They’re gods, impossible to defeat.
My hands start to shake, but as the guys in the tunnel pass the guard that I’d knocked out, they pause, looking over him for a short second. The fear inside my chest increases, but when one last gunshot rings out and a bullet slams right through the back of the guard’s skull, everything eases within.
The guys make their way out of the tunnel, each of their confused gazes hitting me like a wrecking ball. “What the fuck are you doing here?” Grayson demands, glancing around the parking lot for the car and the kids. “What happened? You were supposed to leave with them.”
I point back in through the tunnel at the guy lying dead in a pool of his own blood. “He happened. He grabbed me while we were trying to get out and then your stupid brother tried to fight him off. I told them to just keep running, get in the car, and go. If the guard had killed me and they were waiting …”
Carver nods and lets out a breath, leaving the rest of my comment unspoken. After everything we just went through to save them, I don’t think any of us are willing to even entertain the idea of what could have happened had the guard gotten past me. “They got away? They’re safe?”
“Assuming Grayson has taught his brother how to drive, they should already be home in their mother’s arms.”
Soft sighs of relief sound through the empty parking lot, but they die down when King meets my stare. “I was wrong to give you such a hard time about coming. You handled yourself well.”
I stare back at him, my hurt shining so much brighter than anything else. It’s one thing for the guys to betray my trust, but to doubt that I’d make such a reckless decision to tag along to something like this if I didn’t think I would be able to handle it.
My gaze meets each of theirs as my chin raises. “You all want to make it up to me, then teach me how to fight.”
“Fight?” Carver questions. “You can fight. It’s scrappy, but effective.”
I shake my head. “I want to fight like you guys. I want to be a warrior. I’m sick of being weak. I’m sick of being the girl who needs her douchebag boyfriends to always protect her. I’m sick of being the poor orphaned girl who can’t take care of herself, who isn’t strong enough to lead a group like Dynasty, and who doesn’t have a damn person who thinks she’s worthy of ruling. So, you’re going to teach me how to fight. You’re going to make me stronger, and you’re going to turn me into someone whom the other fuckheads of Dynasty will respect without question.”
