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Fuck. I don’t know what I’ll do if my little girl is worse off than when I found her. She can’t be dead. I won’t allow it. “She’ll be fine,” I reassure myself.
Checking my mag, I snap it back in place. Popping up over the hood, I fire off in the direction of where Tarallo’s voice came from. Three of his men fall. Shock sweeps across his face as blood splatters his shirt.
“Ready to give up yet?” I laugh. I notice three of my men down, but they went down fighting, and they damn well took as many out as they could.
“Hey, boss!” Wes hollers from beyond Tarallo. “He ain’t got much left!”
“Cut ‘em all down!” I shout back, and I can almost see the grin on his face. Wes and Marco will keep killing until I tell them to stop.
Standing to my full height, I step out from my cover, Minnie at my side, and face off against Tarallo for the first time. “You shouldn’t have come here.” His remaining men are now surrendering. Well, being forced to. “You shouldn’t have come for her.”
“I paid a good amount for that puta.” I fire a shot at his feet, and asphalt sprays up at him.
“Watch your tongue.” He shrugs. “Drop your weapons,” I warn as his hand twitches on the hold of his gun.
“Too much money,” he mutters, eyeing up Minnie as she prowls in front of me. “Where’d you get the jungle cats?”
“They’re my girl’s. She came with them.” Mickey approaches from behind him; Tarallo has no fucking clue.
“Did I hit her?” Blood is dripping from his fingers to the ground, and he sways on his feet. I nailed him somewhere.
“Nope. I protect what’s mine.” I always fucking will. He laughs manically before raising his gun. It doesn’t even reach his chest before the cats both attack, ripping his throat out before he can blink.
His body drops as gurgling bubbles up from his throat before the life drains from his eyes. Marco and Wes are panting heavily as they approach. “Do not let her see you like that,” I order them. They agree and take off for the back of the house.
Kane saunters over, a bullet in his leg as he limps. “Let the doc look at you.” Ty, Granger, and Marshall begin rounding up our injured soldiers and helping them inside while I survey the carnage. Pride swells through me as I take stock of how well my men protected my woman.
“Nick?” A shaky voice has me spinning around to see her legs all cut to shit and a huge fucking gash bandaged on her face.
“Little girl.” Rushing to her, I pick her up in my arms and kiss her to within an inch of her life. This should never have fucking happened, and after today, I’ll make sure it can never happen again.
Epilogue
RUE
One Month Later.
“Stop fussing.” Tabitha swats my hand away from my hair again.
“Seriously, your hair is the last thing he’s going to be focused on.” Marleigh giggles; she’s already two glasses in on the champagne.
“I just want to be perfect.”
They both share a look before hooking their arms through each of mine. “Sweetheart, don’t you know he already thinks you are?” Tabby smiles softly as her eyes meet mine in the mirror. “If I had a man who looked at me like Nick does you, I’d never let him leave the bedroom.” Wes pays attention to her like that, but I promised him I wouldn’t say anything.
“Marco watches me like he owns me. I want to kick him where it hurts,” Mar sneers, but I see the longing in her eyes.
All three of us turn at a knock on the door, and Kane and Sarge enter the room. They’re giving me away today. I’ve spent many hours in my guards’ company the past month as Nick and Marco cleaned up the mess the cartel made. They’d been shocked when I asked them. They’re like big brothers to me.
“Lookin’ good, sweetheart.” Kane winks at me. Sarge shuffles on his feet before giving me a nod of approval. He’s never been much for words, so I know it’s his way of paying me a compliment, too.
“Ready?” Sarge offers an arm.
“You got this.” Tabby kisses my cheek before her and Mar slip the veil over my face. My hair is curled down my back, my dress is a soft peach color with more lace garnish than fabric. It’s revealing in a way I normally wouldn’t dare, but when we were shopping, Mar and Tabby convinced me this would be perfect and have Nick gnawing on his tongue.
I don’t know why I’m so nervous. Winston hovered over me all morning, making sure I was eating enough, and poor George was barking orders at the hair and makeup ladies that would have made a grown man cry; they just rolled their eyes at him and snickered.
I’m loved here. Taken care of. I have thrived under Nick’s care and affection. I have a tutor now because I want to learn everything I was deprived of growing up.
