Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 128801 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 644(@200wpm)___ 515(@250wpm)___ 429(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128801 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 644(@200wpm)___ 515(@250wpm)___ 429(@300wpm)
“What the fuck is going on?” He frowned toward the commotion, like he was just catching on to the fact that things were about to go sideways for him.
That his reign was about to come to an end.
I took the chance, and I dove forward and grabbed him by the wrist of the hand that held the knife.
I bent it back hard.
Hard enough that he roared in pain, and the knife clattered to the ground.
“You piece of shit, you betrayed me,” he spat.
I kept his wrist bent back, making him twist to the side, while I delivered a punch so hard to his face that he flailed backward.
It tipped the chair over and sent him toppling with it.
Kayden wailed, and my soul shattered with it because I fucking hated putting him through this. I swooped him off the desk just as I heard a barrage of gunshots go off in the hall.
A frenzy lit.
Chaos.
And I knew I only had one minute.
One fucking minute to get them out of this.
Running around the desk, I dipped down to snag the knife from the floor.
Dakota’s eyes were wide, like she was trying to express a thousand things as I rushed for her, my heart battering at my ribs as I scrambled to get behind the chair so I could cut her free while still trying to hold onto Kayden. I sawed the blade over the thick rope.
Sweat beaded on my brow, a sticky heat rushing through my veins as I tried to hurry, desperate, needing to get them out of there and to safety.
Dakota kept whimpering, and I was mumbling, “I have you, I have you, I have you.”
Finally, I cut through her bindings and freed her arms. She reached up and yanked the gag from her mouth, heaving for oxygen as she jumped to her feet.
Only there was no relief.
Because she screamed, “Ryder!” just as the blow came from out of nowhere. The office chair cracked against the back of my head. It sent me to my knees, knocking the knife from my hand and sending the metal clattering against the floor. I fought to hold Kayden against me, fully wrapping myself around him, trying to protect him from the attack while Dare jumped onto me from behind.
Fists kept cracking against the back of my skull and my temples. Doing their best to black me out.
I managed to get Kayden to his feet, yelling, “Dakota! Get Kayden and get out of here!” at the same time as I threw an elbow into Dare’s gut.
It knocked him back enough that I was able to turn around, though he was on me again in a flash, pushing me to the ground as he threw a fist into my face.
It cracked into my jaw. Pain screamed, but I didn’t care. I rammed my forehead into his nose.
He howled as blood gushed, and he came back at me full strength. “You think you can play me? Have you forgotten who I am?” he wheezed. I think it was then he knew the depths that I had gone. That his building was now surrounded by a slew of agents.
That he had no way out.
I kicked and punched, but the fucker was huge, and he got his hands around my neck.
He squeezed, and I clawed at his hands while dragging up a knee, trying to hit in any spot that would make him lose hold.
Another round of gunshots rang out, this time so many, a blitz going down on the other side of the wall.
And I prayed that Ezra was holding his own. That he was safe. That he was razing the depraved assholes that roamed this city.
“You piece of shit. I will kill you,” Dare grumbled through the exertion, squeezing tighter. “You betrayed me, after everything I did for you.”
My consciousness ebbed, coherency fading as he cinched his hands tighter around my neck.
Suddenly, his eyes went wide, and he roared, releasing me as he whipped around and climbed to his feet.
I rolled over, choking and gasping for air, desperate to draw it into my lungs.
In my blurred sight, I registered that Dakota was backing away, pushing Kayden behind her, her hand trembling as she held up the knife. A knife that dripped with blood.
She’d stabbed him.
Saved me.
“Stay back. Stay away from us.” She could barely get the words out around the quivering of her mouth.
Dare lumbered that way, injured, though the aggression and adrenaline kept him standing. “You fucking bitch. I should have killed you years ago. Slit your fucking throat while you were riding my cock.”
She jabbed at him when he got close, missing, and his hand swung out, cracking her against the face. The momentum slammed her against the wall. She hit it hard and tumbled onto the ground.
Kayden wailed.
Fury pounded through me, and he went to go for her again, but I was already on my feet, jumping onto his back. My arm locked around his throat that time, and I pulled so hard that he dropped to his knees.