“Oh, shit,” Caleb muttered, staring at my side.
But I didn’t stop to look, didn’t even swipe at the searing agony that spread outwards. I just lifted my gun, took aim, and fired, hitting him in the leg.
The asshole in black unleashed a cry and went down onto one knee. He lifted his head, and his eyes widened, knowing this was over as I centered my sight and squeezed the trigger. Boom! Adrenaline rushed before I was taking aim again.
BOOM!
Gunshots cracked in rapid succession, too loud and too damn close. I lunged for the building as Ben was slammed backwards.
“What the fuck!” Nick roared.
I didn’t have time to think—just to react.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
I swung my gun, but it was too late. One look at Ben and I knew he was in trouble. Blood spread out from his shoulder. Neon jerked beside him and went down. Jack stepped forward, protecting them as much as he could as he fired again and again and again. But it was no use. There were too many rushing at us from around the corner of the fence line.
“We need to run!” Nick roared, stepping forward, taking out as many as he could.
Crack!
Crack!
Ryth was right beside him. Her hands were shaking and her eyes were wide as she fired her gun again and again. Neon shoved upwards and grabbed Ben as he jerked his gaze my way. “We split up. It’s the only way we get out of this alive.”
“No,” Ben growled, shaking his head. But the man was pale, growing more ashen by the second.
“Lucky it’s not up to you.” Neon heaved his boss upwards, took one look around, and raced for the building across the alley, with Jack close behind.
“Wait!” Ben roared, jerking his gaze over his shoulder.
There was something panicked in his stare, like somehow he knew this was the end…for us. But I was already grabbing Ryth and dragging her backwards.
The man who was a father to me gave a slow nod and let his bodyguard drag him away. But he didn’t go quietly, unleashing one more savage roar and opened fire, downing as many of those fuckers as he could.
They scurried like cockroaches, splitting off to race across the alley. I scanned the buildings, lifting my gaze to the towering building in the distance that loomed over us behind the gunmen.
“Let’s go!” Nick grabbed Caleb by the shirt and dragged him.
Then we were moving, ducking and weaving as bullets hit the building beside us. I turned, firing over my shoulder, trying my best to cover my family as much as I could. But my gaze went to the empty building across the street where Ben Rossi had disappeared. A pang cut across my chest and this time it wasn’t a bullet wound.
Although it might well have been.
Movement came from the murky gloom beside that building. My heart lunged at the sight as a man stepped out. For a second, I thought it was Ben…for a second, I thought it was the father I’d always wanted, protecting me, caring for me, caring…for…me…
But it wasn’t.
“Dad?” Ryth jerked her gaze his way as we stumbled along. “What the fuck are you doing? You need to run!”
“Not without you, sweetheart,” he snarled as he lifted his gun and fired, taking out another one of The Order’s men.
“Fuck!” Nick jerked as a bullet narrowly missed his face. “We need to get out of here, T… now.”
We turned and ran, hauling ass toward the empty building in the distance until headlights cut through the night, blinding us.
“Jesus!” Nick snarled as a car skidded sideways and came to a stop.
And more of The Order spilled out.
“Oh, fuck,” I whispered. “Oh, fuck…”
