Behind them, Colten’s truck rolls in. Romeo is in the passenger seat. And behind Colten, in a black Aston Martin that looks like it was built for exactly this kind of moment, Drago unfolds himself from the driver’s seat. He’s dressed in black and ready to burn down this whole house.
A whole army. Cowboys and a Russian mobster, parked outside a dead-end house in the middle of nowhere, because someone made the mistake of touching my family.
But that someone has the same blood running through their veins as me. And I’m going to drain him of every ounce that made him a Sterling.
I step out of the truck with Wyatt still clinging to me. Colten crosses the gravel in three strides. “Hunter.” His eyes drop to Wyatt. Something passes across his face that I’ve never seen on him before, this raw, undiluted fury tempered by the presence of a child.
“He’s okay,” I say. “Shaken up. But okay.”
I crouch down and ease Wyatt’s grip from my shirt. It takes everything I have. “Wyatt. Listen to me.”
He shakes his head. “No. I wanna stay with you.”
“I know, bud. But Daddy needs to go get Lola now. And I need you to be safe while I do that.”
Beau will know we’re here. He probably thinks he can talk his way out of this one.
He can’t.
“I want to come.”
“You can’t. Not this time.” I press my forehead against his. “Colten is going to take you somewhere safe. It’s like a secret hideout. You’re going to wait there, and I’m going to bring Lola home. Okay?”
His chin wobbles. But he nods. “Promise you’re coming back?”
“I promise.”
“With Mommy?”
My throat closes. “With Mommy.”
I hand him to Colten. Wyatt transfers his grip from my shirt to Colten’s neck. Colten holds him like he’s the most precious thing in the world.
He is, to us.
“Take him to safe house three,” I say. “Stay with him. Lock it down. Nobody in or out until I call.”
Colten nods and carries Wyatt to his truck.
At the door, Wyatt looks back at me over Colten’s shoulder. “Be brave, Daddy.”
My son’s words. Said to me the same way I’ve said them to him a hundred times.
I nod.
Colten’s truck disappears down the road, and I turn to face the house.
Jett drops from the hood. “We checked out the area. Two cars. Beau and Reese. I don’t think anyone else is in there. How do you wanna do this?”
Drago checks his weapon. Ace is already moving toward the fence line.
“You let me and Ace go in first. It’s our brother. I gotta get Lola out safely. If you hear a shot go off, you come in and help me.”
I clap his shoulder, and he nods. “You got it, boss.”
And I start walking.
CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE