Claimed (Blood Ties Book 6)

I tried not to look at the clock, but it was hard. Especially when the entire room went deathly quiet, then one by one turned their heads to the ticking time bomb in the room before glancing at the empty doorway. I grabbed the lightweight Kevlar vest Guild had found for me and pulled it on, securing it at my sides.

Carven walked over and checked the fit, his fingers grazing the side of my breast in the process. That ravenous stare found mine before he licked his lips. “You trust me, right?”

I flinched. “Of course.”

He gave a slow nod.

“Hey.”

He lifted his gaze.

“There is no one else I’d go in there with. I need you savage, Carven. I need you so fucking savage that there is no way we can’t come out of that hell without him.”

“And you…” he added.

And you…I swallowed and turned away. But I couldn’t escape. He stepped in my way, gripping my chin and forced my gaze to his. “And you,” he demanded.

“And me,” I whispered, knowing deep down that if it came to me escaping or Colt, that it’d always be him.

Strength filled me. No, not just filled me, it consumed me. I knew I’d survive. I’d done it once. I could do it again. Still, I couldn’t let Carven know that. I needed him to fight, because that was the only thing that’d save us.

“We go in quiet, find him, and bring him out, okay?”

I searched his eyes. “Okay.”

He nodded. “Okay.” Then he glanced at the clock on the wall, the one which said it was well after four in the afternoon. “We can’t wait around.” He stepped toward the heavy duffel bag filled with weapons. “We need to leave and get ready.”

“You heard what he said, Carven.” The unknown leader shook his head.

“Harper, if I waited around for London every time he asked me to, I’d constantly have my dick in my hand.”

“Is that so?” London muttered as he walked into the study, his arms full of large boxes. “Then I guess you won’t have room in your hands for these.”

Carven spun, eyeing what he was carrying. “Jesus. Is that?”

“Fuck me, London.” Harper moved forward, grabbing the boxes from his arms and turning them over. “These must’ve cost you a fortune.”

“One hundred thousand for all four actually,” he muttered, glancing my way.

A look crossed his face. One filled with desperation and disappointment. The others were oblivious, their focus on the night vision goggles he’d handed out like they were candy. But I saw him. I saw the man under the mask. The one he hid from everyone else. The real him.

“These are nice.” Carven yanked a set on and pressed a button.

Harper and Guild were both consumed by their brand new toys, so much they didn’t even see London as he turned and strode from the room. But I couldn’t look away. I followed him to the kitchen. But he wasn’t interested in anything to eat or drink.

No, he stood at the sink and stared out the window.

“I’d hoped to save you from this,” he said.

I moved behind him, sliding my hand down his powerful forearm as he gripped the edge of the sink. “You can’t,” I answered, and that knowing feeling unfurled inside me. “No one could. This was inevitable.”

He turned, looking down at me. “It didn’t have to be.”

I lifted my hand and caressed his cheek. “I think it did. I’m going to go in there with a Son by my side and we’re going to tear the place apart. That sounds like justice to me.”

He scowled, then gave a soft smile. One that didn’t last long before his brow suddenly creased as he reached up with both hands to cup my face. “Come back to me. Do you hear me? Come back or there’s no telling what I’ll do to get you back.”

He means death, right? His. Own. Death. Would the cold, detached, savage London St. James do the unthinkable to come for me? I searched his gaze as the answer rose. Unthinkable for me…but not for him. I was sure he’d thought about it more than once.

Agony ripped through my chest, tearing me open as that realization hit me. “I’ll come back,” I promised. “Whatever it takes, I’ll come back.”

“Good,” he murmured, lowering his hand as he pulled me close.

I closed my eyes as my arms slid around him and inhaled his seductive scent one last time. It was not anywhere near long enough when the heady thud of footsteps headed our way. Anger burned inside me as Guild cleared his throat, shattering the moment with two simple words. “It’s time.”

London released his hold, turning his attention to the intrusion. “Looks like it’s time to shine.”

“And be shot at,” I muttered.

“Not before you shoot at them,” London added. “Carven told me you held your own yesterday.”

“Held. My. Own.” I stepped away, shaking my head. “Only you would put it like that, London.”

I was pure rage. Brutal and deadly…and just like one of his sons.

London strode for the door, leaving Guild and me to follow.

I tried not to think about the haze of rage. But the moment I stepped out into the hallway and found the others waiting for me, that same bloodthirsty need lifted its ugly head and this time, the beast inside me smiled.

Without a word, I followed them out the rear of the house and climbed in to the mysterious black Hummer that took up most of the driveway. Doors closed with a series of thuds. Still, no one spoke as the deep snarl of the engine filled the space and we backed out of the driveway.

It wasn’t until minutes later when everything outside seemed to blur that Carven touched my hand and drew my focus.

“You okay?”

I met his stare. “Yeah.”

“We’re going in quiet, okay? I’m going to be right there with you. I won’t let them touch you.”

My breath caught as I envisioned the hell we were about to walk into. “I know.”

“Just stay with me, Wildcat. No running away this time. Promise me.”

There was a tremble in his voice. A kind I had not heard before. I met his stare before he flinched and looked away. A seed of fear sprouted deep inside me. Carven was worried. No, he was more than worried. His hand clenched around the gun. He was scared.

My pulse stuttered at the knowledge. If he was scared, then I should be terrified. “We’re going to survive this,” I whispered. “We’re going to find Colt and get him free.”

But Carven didn’t turn to me.

He just slowly nodded his head as he stared out the window.

I sat there and watched the streets pass as we slowly made our way out of the city and back to hell. I’d escaped this place once before. I’d escaped, and I’d survived. I shifted my gaze to the black Explorer London drove in front of us. London had been the one to risk it all and rescue me once before.

Now it was our turn to do the same…if Colt was still alive.