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Evander was going to annihilate every bastard in the club. The story of the massacre would be a warning for anyone planning to fuck with him, and more importantly, not to involve Callie. She was sweet innocence, and the anger for these men rivaled the anger he felt for himself allowing her to get caught up in the middle of this bullshit. She didn’t deserve this, didn’t sign up to have a target constantly on her head.
But he still wasn’t letting her walk away. He was obsessed to the point of insanity. No other man would have Callie but him.
He reached in his chest holster and grabbed a new clip, immediately dispatching a few more of them. The one he wanted most was Byron, the shit who’d led Callie here in order to get to him. He knew about the crime lord in his line of work. He was surprised he targeted him at all. They weren’t enemies.
Someone came up behind him, wrapping a thick arm around his neck, trying to overpower him. Evander didn’t know fear, never had until Callie, but still had none for his own well-being. He grabbed the blade in his belt and sliced the fucker’s arm, then turned and slashed his throat deep enough to scrape bone. He kicked him back and he collapsed.
Another was already charging forward. Evander used his 9mm to take him out. He always preferred head shots because going for the heart left room for mistakes, especially if they were vested.
“Byron! Stop hiding like a little cunt.”
As soon as the guns started firing, he went into hiding. Evander wouldn’t stop until his hands were covered in his blood. He’d whisper Callie’s name into his ear as life ebbed away, reminding him where he’d gone wrong. This was too easy.
Then he saw Callie being hoisted up to her feet by one of Byron’s men, using her as a shield as he backed away toward the rear room. The calm that had controlled his actions faded away, leaving a mix of fear and undiluted rage. No one touched his woman and lived.
“Evander!” she called out.
“I’m coming, baby.”
The remaining hitmen used his distraction to swarm him, attempting to take him down. It only empowered him. He grabbed a new blade from the sheath at his back and started slaughtering them, stabbing well beyond necessary. When hedropped the blade, he used his hands, breaking necks and punching so hard, they passed out from the impacts.
When they were all down, he stood up, blood soaking his sleeves and hands. He took a cleansing breath, grabbed his gun, and finished them all off, just in case. He never made mistakes when it came to killing. It’s what he was born to do.
Then his head whipped to the side to catch that shit entering a back room.Fuck.He didn’t like Callie being alone with anyone. She needed to be safe, not a pawn in a game she wasn’t supposed to be in.
“Callie!” he chanted as he walked to the door. “Callie!”
As he neared, a bullet came through the door, leaving a hole behind. He stood to the side, listening, waiting. Then he quickly turned, kicked the door with his booted foot, and charged in with disregard. Immediately, he aimed and shot the man holding Callie right between the eyes. It’s not a shot he would have trusted anyone to take but himself. The man started to go down, so Evander rushed forward to catch Callie.
She was screaming and probably had ringing ears because she was so close to the impact. He held her close, a profound sense of relief washing over him.
“I’ve got you, baby.” She felt so good in his arms. Safe.
Callie just kept crying, burying her face in his chest. It was completely normal for what she’d been through. He’d seen it a hundred times. The shock, the uncontrollable wave of emotion after witnessing such horrors. Horrors he was immune to.
Byron was still in the club. They weren’t safe until he was eliminated. Not just today but in the future. He didn’t want them living their lives with that threat hanging over them.
“I’ve got to get you out of here,” he whispered against her hair.
She shook her head. “Don’t leave me.”
“Never.”
“The others. Leah and Guy and the rest of the staff.”
“I’ll take care of everything. I promise. Right now, you have to trust me. You have to listen to what I tell you, okay?”
She nodded but he knew the last thing she wanted to do was be strong right now. And when this was over, he’d make sure he took care of her properly.
He led her to the metal emergency door at the back, pushing it open and scanning the back with his handgun. Fuck, it wasn’t even night. It was easy to forget being inside the windowless club. The blood covering him was brilliant in the sunlight. He usually killed in the shadows, the darkness, not like this.
“Look over there. You see those two cars? Go sit on the ground right between them. Don’t move. Just wait for me. Can you do that, baby? He wants me, not you. You’ll be okay.”
She nodded again, walking away shakily. He watched, scanning the entire area as she made her way to the other parking lot. Once she was out of sight, he returned to the club, letting the heavy door close behind him.
He smiled. With his woman out of danger now, these assholes were going to know pain. Byron and any of his men left breathing were about to beg for death. He knew hundreds of ways to kill a man, and every excruciating method of torture. It’s why they paid him top dollar when he took a contract.