Ensnared (Brutes of Bristlebrook, #1)(122)

My heart lurches at the sight. Shifting, I see they’re not firing on the barn, but toward Jayk’s truck, which is parked beside it. In a frenzied, disorganized group, they’re slowly converging on the vehicle. Jasper and Lucky are pinned behind it, Dom said, and now I know what that looks like.

“Fuck. They’re too close.” Dom grunts, then looks down at me, clearly distracted. “I have to go. You can make it from here.”

I know I can. The cave is only fifteen yards away, and away from the action, but I hesitate, eyes dragging back to the awful scene.

Dom nudges me. “Go, Eden.”

I should. I’ll only be in the way, and this is far too much for me. This is far more than one man in a tree. I’m really, truly just about to leave when Jasper roars.

“Lucien, no!”

I spin back around to see a slender figure push from behind Jayk’s truck. The smoke clears enough for me to see his golden hair catch the light. He fires wide, running sideways into the open field, and throws something toward the cluster of men who are far too close. A few men drop under Lucky’s bullet spray, but he’s so exposed.

I lurch forward and hardly notice as an arm wraps around me and yanks me back. Clutching at my throat, I try to track the wild mix of bangs and shouts. My eyes dart everywhere, trying to work out what’s happening.

Then Lucky jerks once, twice. I can see the heavy impact on his body pushing him back.

My heart lurches. “No.”

Lucky drops, and the clearing lights up seconds before a huge, roaring explosion decimates the area where the group of men were standing. The arms around me tighten as Dom throws us behind a tree, and I squeal as shrapnel ricochets into the trees, peppering them with small, sharp thuds.

Grenade, I realize when my brain and heart restart. He threw a grenade. Lucky threw a grenade right before he— The images of his puppet-like jerks, his crash to the ground, play on repeat in my mind. Tears squeeze between my eyes as if trying to dislodge the horrendous reel.

“No. No, no, no, no.”

Something shakes me. “Stop, Eden.”

I recognize Dom’s growl, but there’s a rawness to it. I can hear the devastation in his voice. That does it. A sob escapes.

He shakes me again. “Stop. We don’t have time for this. I need to get to the house if I have any chance of keeping the others safe. You need to be safe. Tears later, you have to pull it together now.”

The others safe. Because Lucky . . .

I can’t help the low groan of pain, and I push my forehead into Dom’s chest. His stern orders ground me, a little, but this is too much.

His hand finds my chin, and he pulls my face up to his. “Enough. Go, little librarian. I can’t keep you all safe at once.”

The beautiful amber light in his eyes captures me. I can see the barely restrained urgency in him, but also the worry. He has to go. That starts to sink in. I draw in a steadying breath. He has to go, and I’m standing here panicking. I’m not a soldier. I can’t compartmentalize and keep my fears locked down so easily. I can’t just let him . . .

When he looks back toward the barn with barely concealed frustration, I can’t help it. I step into him and rise up on my tiptoes so I can press a light, nervous kiss to his mouth. Dom goes entirely still, and watches me as I drop back down on my heels. For the first time in hours, I have his complete attention.

“Be careful, please,” I choke out as red stains my cheeks. “And save them.”

Dom’s golden gaze rakes over my face, and he gives me one slow nod. Then he turns, jogging through the shadows like he was born to them, slipping into the house.

Sick, terrified, I turn toward the cave, knowing there’s nothing more I can do here. I can’t do anything for any of them. I don’t have training or even a weapon. I’m not like Lucky, keeping a convenient stash of— My breath rushes out of me.

Lucky’s hidey hole.

I stop, flooded with a focused sense of calm. No, I can’t go back to the farm and the safety of that hidden cave. Maybe I can help.

I’m truly shaking now, but I push off in the other direction, not looking at the carnage behind me, and run.





Chapter 34


Jaykob


SURVIVAL TIP #151

Don’t be a hero.

G od damn it, no!

My chest seizes as Lucky hits the ground, already limp. Idiot. Brave, stupid idiot.

Pressing around the corner of the shed, I wring out a few rounds toward the tree line where some fuckers have started getting bold. It won’t take long for them to work out that if we had more frags, we’d be using them. Lucky is sprawled a few feet from the truck where he and Jasper had been trapped, the burning barn illuminating his figure in shadows.

Not moving.

Fuck.

I grit down against the rush of sick, icy horror. Memories of Ryan, of getting the news, threaten to rise up, but there’s no way I have time for this shit. Pulling on the tricks the head-doctor taught me—because no way will I admit it, but they do work —I force myself to take in my surroundings, to catalog the shitty visuals of my present. At the same time, I press against the peeling, slick flesh of the burn wound running up my side, letting the pain anchor me. Okay, not exactly what the posh prince recommended, but it works.

This is bad. I just made it out of the barn before the exits became unusable, only to get trapped behind the drying shed.