“Digger, if you want me, come and get me. We both know you don’t plan on killing her.”
When a noise from the back sounded, Lily looked over at King; they only had minutes left. “Why didn’t you just take me and disappear, instead of driving and leaving me with my parents? Why didn’t you just keep me?” Lily asked with unshed tears in her eyes.
King turned from looking out the window to face her. This time he made no attempt to hide his tortured expression. “Don’t you remember what happened after we left the apartment?”
Lily shook her head.
“You were hysterical. You thought I was going to kill you, too. You didn’t stop screaming until we got to Saul’s house and you saw Beth. She rocked you until you fell asleep. I left while you were still sleeping. I didn’t want you to wake up and see me.”
Lily sat, staring at him, hearing the men coming from the back of the house. Knowing they only had seconds left, she said what she knew they both needed to hear the most before they died. “Daddy, I forgive you.”
“What in the hell have you gotten yourself into now, Lily?”
Lily turned to look at the three men running hell-bent across the room, taking positions around it.
“Dustin, Greer and Tate? What are you doing here?” Lily found herself laughing in stunned disbelief.
“You’ve got everyone in the fucking country searching for you. The FBI, the ATF, even the motherfucking CIA. What shit have you stirred up?” Dustin gave her his usual shit-eating grin.
A shot rang out from the back of the house. “Got one,” Lily heard Rachel’s yell.
“Is that Rachel?” Lily asked.
“Hell, yes, there’s nobody better with a twenty-two. If they try coming through that back door, they’ll be meeting the undertaker in town,” Tate said, taking a bead on someone outside and letting go with a shot. “Greer, you take the ones on the right. Dustin, the left.
“Which ones you going to take?” Greer asked, shooting again.
“I’m going to take the rest of the ones you two miss,” Tate answered, letting go with several shots, one after the other.
As Tate stopped for a second as if he was listening to something, Lily saw the black earpiece in his ear. He must have been listening to someone talking because moments later, she heard him tell them to send for an ambulance.
“They’ll be here in five. Brothers, if you got them, shoot them. I don’t want a motherfucker left standing. They’ll laugh us out of the county if they hear the police had to help us.”
At that, the men began shooting in earnest, and Lily had to put her hands over her ears.
Another round of gunfire sounded from the back.
“Got two more!” Rachel yelled.
Lily caught King’s astounded expression. “What were you saying about my town dealing with men like you?”
“Hold up. They want us to quit shooting. They’re afraid we’ll shoot them. Pussies are scared to come any closer,” Tate said, shooting once more before standing up. “Let’s go see if any of them are breathing. Dustin, you stay here with Rachel and Lily.”
Still more gunfire was coming from the back.
“Rachel, quit shooting. Get out here!” Tate yelled.
Rachel came running into the room, carrying a rifle in her hand. She was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, and Lily could tell she was having as much fun as her brothers.
She dropped down next to Lily on the floor. “I got a couple more. Did you keep count of how many you shot?” she asked her brothers.
Tate and Greer were opening the door. “More than you,” Greer bragged before they went out the door.
She turned to Lily. “Did he?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t keep count,” Lily replied, dumbfounded by her attitude.
Rachel flashed her a grin that was as full of it as her brother’s. “They like to throw it up to me that they’re better shots. I’ll get a copy of the police report from Knox and count them up.”
She turned and saw King. “You’re the guy who broke down in town.” She raised her gun to point it at him.
“He’s okay, Rachel. He’s my father.”
Rachel lowered her gun. “He’s the one who kidnapped you?” Rachel asked.
“Yes,” Lily answered her question. She would tell her the rest of it later.
“Dammit,” Rachel cursed.
“What?” Lily asked.
“That’s strike three.”
Lily heard several feet running from outside, and then the door pushed open for Shade, Viper and Razer to run in.
“Shade.” Lily couldn’t help her broken sob when she said his name. She’d been so scared she wasn’t going to see him again.
“Lily.”
If she’d ever doubted her husband’s love for her, all she would need to do is remember his face when he saw her. He ran, picking her up and holding her tightly in his arms. All the fear he had suffered and the relief at finding her safe showed his love more than a thousand words.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“I’m fine.” She hugged him back then stood still. “Are you crying?” she asked, astounded.
“No.”
Chapter 41