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I get to my feet, spinning to face him but one of the Irish guys already has him on the ground, running the edge of his blade across this guy’s throat. He looks me in the eye then tips his head toward the stairs letting me know to keep going. I see my gun on the floor, I grab for it and run up the stairs, one of Liam’s men appears at the very top. I brace for a battle, but I hear Bella cry out. I don’t have time to play with this guy, racing toward him I reach for his shirt and pull him toward me then throw him to the side and over the top of the railing, I hear a thud but don’t stop to check if he’s dead. Making it to the top of the stairs I turn left, and I see Bella fighting with two guys. They have her pinned to the floor while Liam’s father stands over her watching them beat her.
She doesn’t shy away from their fists though; she fights pulling her arms free and punching one in the side winding him while kicking out her leg and knocking the other guy’s legs out from under him. Fuck me, this woman is a fighter. I start to run toward her, but I’m grabbed from behind by two men and thrown back toward the stairs. I grab onto the rail, stopping myself from falling down them, then using it to push myself off and back toward the men who grabbed me. I raise my gun putting a bullet between the eyes of one of them. But just as I pull the trigger on the other one my gun jams. Quickly throwing it to the side and pulling out my knife I slide it into his neck killing him instantly.
I don’t have time to rest though I barely have time to get my bearings before a fist hits me in the side of my head. I stumble slightly but catch myself before I hit the floor. Kicking out my foot, I swipe at his leg knocking him to the floor. I turn to see that it’s Michael.
I climb on top of him laying into him a few times as he tries to dodge my fists while trying to get in a few hits of his own. Hearing Bella scream once again distracts me and I push off him making my way over to her just as she raises her hand to block the swipe of his knife, it slices through her palm, and she cries out.
I race over to her and pull him off, squeezing and twisting his neck, I manage to snap it despite his partner laying into me from behind. He hits me across the back of my head with the butt of his gun. It stuns me for a moment as he slams me into the wall but drops it in the process. I reach down grabbing it before he can, and I spin shooting him twice in the chest. It doesn’t kill him, and he keeps coming at me. I go to fire off another shot but the gun is empty. I spin it in my hand and bash him over the head several times until he hits the floor. I look back over at Bella and see Michael dragging her down the hall, she’s kicking and punching out trying to get him off her. He curses as she catches him in the kidneys. “Fucking bitch.” Then pushes her into the wall.
I run at them, but he pulls out a knife before I can get there. He swipes to plunge it into her, but she sees it and moves her body, the knife still connects but it doesn’t look like it went in too far. She cries out and brings her arm up and back bending it and slamming his nose with her elbow. He falls back as she slides down the wall.
I move, running at him I knock him onto his back on the floor. We’re a mass of arms and legs, rolling around, punching at one another. I push on his throat trying to push him off me. And I feel his knife connect with my side more than once, I reach for it but as I do, he wraps his hands around my neck and squeezes. I can feel my energy waning, but I can’t stop now. Not when she’s so close to being saved. I made a promise to Killian, I can’t fail now. I feel my eyes getting heavy. “Fuck.” I curse out I need to do something. I try hitting him, but my punch has no strength behind it. I see Michael laughing at me.
I hear a single shot ring out and his face changes from a smile to shock, he falls on top of me. His hands loosen their grip and I suck in some deep breaths before pushing him off me.
“Maxim.” I hear Bella cry out, then she’s leaning over me. Tears running down her face.
“It’s ok beautiful. You’re safe now, we’ve got you.”
She shakes her head at me, and I can feel her pushing on my stomach. “Maxim, we need to get you some help.”
I reach my hand up to her face, cupping her cheek. The fight is starting to quiet downstairs, I’m hoping that means we’ve got the upper hand. I look her in the eyes and smile. “No sweetheart. I need you to run. You have to leave me. My men are downstairs, they’ll get you to safety…”
“No. I’m not leaving you.”
“BELLA. I need you to hear me. I’m out, I won’t make it sweetheart. My stomach isn’t the only thing that took the blade.” She looks at me confused. “My leg, he severed the artery.”
“Maxim.” She sobs.
“I was never meant to make it out of here. But you sweetheart. You are. Your man is on his way. Go. Please.” I see her shake her head as my eyes flutter closed. I close my eyes knowing I did what I set out to do. Knowing that Bella is safe.
I see her face in my mind. That perfect smile she always gave. I know in this moment I was right to step aside, I’d wanted to fight when Ronan told me to stay away from her, but I had seen how he looked at her, how she looked at him. They’d had a connection even I couldn’t deny.
I take my last breath knowing that the woman I love, knowing that Liv and Maddie are safe, they are loved, and they are protected. I take my last breath knowing that amongst all the bad I’ve done in my life; I died doing something good for the people I care about the most.
Chapter 39
As we pull up to the house, we can hear the odd gunshot going off. It sounds like the fight is winding down.
My stomach is swirling, and my heart is racing. I have no idea what we’re walking into, I have no idea if my woman is ok or if she is even there. Other than the message Maxim sent Ronan we’ve had no contact since they turned their plane around.
“You ready?” Connor looks over at me as Finn rolls to a stop. I take a look around the grounds. Bodies strewn everywhere. I nod and push open the car door. I hear the others get out of the car and follow me. Removing my weapon from my waistband, I check it and remove the safety. I don’t check my brothers are behind me, I don’t need to. I know they are at my back; I know they’ll always be at my back.
I swallow and take a deep breath then step across the threshold; my eyes scan the chaos around us. Blood and bodies cover the downstairs floor. The bodies of Liam’s men lay scattered, but I see some of Maxim's men, and then my eyes fall on Shaun, his body twisted at an odd angle, his eyes open but vacant.
“Kill.” Ronan’s hand lands on my shoulder and I turn my head a little to see him, he jerks his chin out in front of us indicating for me to look to my right toward the room at the back. I turn back around, and my heart stops I see Yuri, Maxim’s right hand man standing over my woman. His hand is on her shoulder as one of the others looks at a cut on the palm.
Her beautiful face is a mess, bloody and bruised. Her clothes are a mess, covered in blood, but it doesn’t look like it’s all hers. I suck in a breath, and she turns to me as I drop to my knees and let out a sob. She runs over to me falling to her knees in front of me and I grab her pulling her into me, wrapping my arms around, squeezing her so tight I feel her shift with the pressure.
“Mo Chroí. You’re alive. I’m so sorry, I’m so fucking sorry it took me too long to get here.” I breathe out in sobs.
“Shhh. Baby it’s ok. I’m safe and you’re here now. That’s all that matters.” I sob into her as she continues to hold me. I can hear people moving about and talking around us. My brothers all acknowledge my woman and I think they kiss her on the head before they move away to get details from the others. I don’t know how long we stay like that for but when we pull apart, I feel like I can breathe again.
I stand pulling her up with me, keeping her tucked into my side. I need her to get checked out and I need to be looped in on what’s going on. We head into the kitchen where my brothers are with Yuri and the rest of Maxim’s men. The minute I walk through the door I know something is off, the mood is sombre.
“What?” I ask as Connor pulls Bella out of my arms wrapping her in his. She doesn’t hesitate to return the gesture.
“Maxim is dead.” Ronan deadpans
