Page 104 of Bleed Me

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

After the Blood Wedding, there were so many bodies to dispose of. I was shocked at just how many the boys had slaughtered. I remember how haunting it was to witness. Each body was so… lifeless.

That was Sapphire’s.

Julie Anne Anderson.

Lynx had me remember that name for hospital reasons ever since she was pregnant with my first child. My Gracie. Now she was lying face down in the backyard of the home I had bought her. I wanted to drop to my knees. I wanted to reach into my chest and rip out my beating heart so that it would stop disrespecting the mother of my children by being alive. But there was no time. As soon as Justice rolled Saph over and saw the perfect hole in the middle of her forehead, it was as if the blood in her body drained away… just like Julie Anne Anderson’s had.

Then she screamed as if someone had just murdered her sister.

Because they had.

This deranged being just stole a soul-sister from my wife.

Suddenly feeling as if I had an angel at my back, giving me the strength to move forward—without the mother of my children—I snatched Justice up from the ground and pulled her to me, wrapping her so tight in my arms. My voice trembled. “Give it to me. Give me that memory, Justice. Give me what you just saw so you can breathe. I need you breathing right now. I need you to stand by my side, finding any sign you can so you can help lead me to our children.”

She shook, grasping my cut with such desperation. In my embrace, she fucking shook to her core. Even her voice shook, matching the terror thrumming through her body. “Dear God in Heaven above, I vow to thee… you give me back my children, unharmed, I will become your weapon of choice. I will do your bidding. I will destroy who you see fit. I will help anyone you feel is in need.”

Silence…

I could feel her words being carried through the air…

Then, I heard a distant—so very faint—cry.

We both stopped breathing.

We both held as still as possible, just in case we hadn’t imagined the sound.

We both gasped upon hearing it again.

In my arms, Justice peered over her shoulder and into the woods and whispered, “Ice.”

Running… Our boots pounded the dirt as we ran as fast as our terrified legs would move. Without slowing down and with guns drawn, we entered the woods, seeking out that wail. Prepared to send a spray of bullets into anyone or anything trying to prevent us from reaching Gracie or Ice, we charged with the insanity we needed to face the unknown. With a welcomed madness, I smiled. It was me who was facing the unthinkable. My children were so important to me, I refused to let an alter ego step in and take over.

As the cry bounced off trees and got distorted, our needed direction became elusive. Justice and I slowed, trying to determine where we needed to run next. I wanted to roar my children’s names but didn’t want the kidnappers to be alerted as to who exactly was coming for them. Vengeance would be ours.

Again, Justice put her back to mine. We moved in a circle, guns aimed to shoot anything that moved. I whispered, “I think they’re running with him.”

When she gasped, I practically flew, spinning in the air to face her threat head-on. Her back now to my chest, both my arms were over her shoulders, both hands now with guns, itchy fingers on triggers. Ever since this war began, we were all double and triple-packin’. I was going to shoot anyone who meant Justice harm, and I was sure to have enough weapons and ammo to get the job done right.

When I saw no attack, my eyes scanned until I found a blanket on the ground ten feet in front of us. In the center of the blue material was the Stallion emblem and the name Ice. The mother in her took over, rushing forward, dropping to her knees. Convinced it could possibly be a trap, I pointed my guns wildly, protecting her.

Tears breaching her grey eyes, she pulled the blanket to her face and smelled it, like a lioness scenting her cub. “Giver—”

“We will get them back. I swear it. Now, I need my Captain front and center.”

She threw the blanket over her shoulder, then doubled-up with guns. Anger laced that beautiful face as she growled, “Let’s go.”

As we went deeper into the woods, I smirked. “That’s my girl.”

“Better. Fucking. Know. It.”

Leaves crunching under my boots, I promised, “Sometimes that is all I know, babe.”

“Justice and Giver.”

“Any storm.”