Chapter 26
Corvus king
Sweat trickled down my temple, but I remained focused on the scene before me. My hands gripped the guns tightly, one in each hand, both trained on Greg.
”Let her go now,” I demanded through gritted teeth, my voice low and steady.
Tempest”s back was pressed against Greg”s front, her eyes wide with terror. The cold steel of his gun was pressed firmly against her temple, and he wore an unnerving grin on his face.
”Look at you,” he taunted, enjoying the power he held over me and the woman I loved. ”You think you can just swoop in and save her like some fucking hero?”
I could see the panic growing in Tempest”s eyes, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she struggled to breathe. I needed to do something, anything, to get her out of this situation. But with Greg”s gun pressed against her head, one wrong move could be fatal.
”Tempest isn’t yours, Greg,” I spat, my voice steady but dripping with contempt. The veins in his neck throbbed as he clenched his jaw, the gun still aimed at her temple.
”Fuck you, she”s been mine since the beginning,” Greg snarled, a twisted grin spreading across his face.
I fought to keep my expression calm, even though every fibre of my being wanted to pounce on him and tear him apart. I had to stall for time. With each passing second, I could see a flicker of clothing behind Greg – Hammer was coming, and I needed to give him enough time to get into position.
”Is that right?” I asked, feigning curiosity. ”And what makes you think that?”
”Because I know her better than anyone,” he replied, his voice dripping with arrogance. ”I”ve always known what she needs – even when she didn”t.”
”Greg,” I said, my voice low and steady despite the storm brewing inside me, ”how does raping a 14-year-old girl make her your property?”
He laughed, a disgusting, guttural sound that made my skin crawl. ”She was gagging for it,” he spat, his eyes gleaming with perverse pride. ”Walking around in those tiny pyjamas, I knew she was begging for my cock.”
My stomach churned, but I forced myself to stay focused, keeping Greg”s attention on me as Hammer edged closer behind him, unseen.
”Every time I crept in at night, she”d moan my name, choking on my dick like the slut I always knew she was,” Greg continued his vile words.
I fought back the urge to vomit, to let my fury take control as I pulled the triggers and put an end to this monster once and for all. But Hammer was close now; I could practically see the leather of his cut with each stealthy movement.
”You”re just a seedy pedophile,” I spat, my voice low and venomous. ”And you”re not making it out of here alive.”
Greg laughed, a cruel, sickening sound. He cocked the barrel of his gun, pressing it harder against Tempest”s temple, a twisted smile spreading across his face. ”If you shoot me, I”ll kill her,” he taunted, his gaze locked with mine. ”Then none of us are making it out. It”s your choice.”
My eyes flicked to Tempest”s pale face, her terrified expression fuelling my rage.
Come on, Hammer, I thought, swallowing my fear and maintaining eye contact with Greg.
And then I saw him. A flicker of movement, a flash of clothing. Hammer was there, creeping up silently behind Greg, gun raised to the back of his head slightly to the side angled away from Tempest. Relief surged through me, but I knew I had to keep Greg talking, keep his focus on me and away from Hammer.
”Greg, let me ask you one thing,” I said, trying to sound calm despite the adrenaline pumping through my veins. ”Was it worth it?”
”Of course,” he sneered, his grip on Tempest tightening. ”She”s mine. Always has been, always will be.”
I let my eyes flick down to Tempests and gave her a small wink. And like a well-oiled machine, Hammer pulled the trigger.
The sound was deafening; a sharp crack that echoed through the overgrown yard. Blood and brain matter sprayed across Tempest”s face as Greg”s body crumpled to the ground, a gaping hole where his temple once was.
Tempest screamed, her hands flying to her face as she tried to wipe away the gore that coated her skin.
The world slowed, blood-soaked and surreal. My heart pounded in my ears as I raced toward Tempest.
”Hey, hey,” I murmured, catching her just as she swayed on her feet. ”I got you.”
Her eyes locked onto mine, the light draining from them as she went as pale as a ghost. She was having a panic attack.
”It’s ok Princess,” I urged. But it was too late – her body went limp, crumpling into my arms.
”Fuck,” I breathed, my chest tightening. I scooped her up completely and held her close to my chest, where I could feel the steady thump of her heart against me.
”Corvus, is she...?” Hammer”s voice trailed off, concern lacing his words.
“Alive, she just fainted.” My voice was firm. Carefully, I carried Tempest back toward the house, manoeuvring through the overgrown plants and uneven terrain. Her breathing was shallow but steady.
The sound of Hammer”s voice filtered through the chaos in my mind as I stepped into the house, Tempest still unconscious in my arms. He was on the phone with our police contact, trying to explain the situation without revealing too much. The flashing lights of an approaching ambulance were visible through the front windows as I walked into the lounge.
”Corvus,” Nate called out, desperation clear in his voice. He sat on the floor, clutching Killer”s gut to stop the flow of blood. His eyes met mine, and I could see the fear in them – for Killer, for himself, for all of us.
”Stay with me, man,” Nate whispered to Killer. My heart clenched at the thought of losing a member of our family.
”Jesus Wept,” I whimpered, laying Tempest gently on the couch. Her face was pale, but her chest rose and fell with shallow breaths.
”Shit,” I said, kneeling beside them and examining the gunshot wounds. Blood seeped between Nate”s fingers, and I knew we didn”t have much time.
”Corvus, I don”t know if he”s gonna make it,” Nate choked out, his voice shaking. ”I”ve never seen so much blood.”
”Listen to me, you stubborn motherfucker,” I growled at Killer, who was barely conscious. ”You”re not going anywhere. You hear me? We need you here.”
”Trying, VP,” Killer managed to gasp, his eyes fluttering weakly.
”Keep talkin”, Killer. Stay awake,” I ordered, my hands pressing down on the wound with Nate”s, trying to stem the blood flow.
The EMTs rushed in through the front door like a hurricane. My chest tightened, but I had to keep it together – this was on me now.
”What happened?” One of them asked.
”Gunshot wound,” I answered back, looking down at my blood-soaked hands, still resting on Killer’s abdomen.
Their eyes darted to Killer”s blood-soaked form, and they sprang into action. I reluctantly let go of my grip on the wound, letting them take over. The EMT knelt beside him, pulling gauze from their bag and applying pressure to the bullet hole.
”Getting the stretcher!” the other one yelled, sprinting outside.
”Stay with us, motherfucker,” I whispered to Killer, watching his eyes struggle to stay open. He didn”t respond, but I saw the fight in him, doing everything he could to cling to life.
”Shit.” The EMT with the gauze called out to his partner returning with the stretcher. ”We”re losing too much blood. Let”s move!”
”VP...” Killer”s voice was barely audible, pain twisting his face.
”Save your strength,” I ordered, gripping his hand tightly. ”You ain”t dying today, ya hear me?”
”Roger that, VP,” he whispered before slipping into unconsciousness.
The blood covering my hands was now staining my soul as I stepped back from Killer. The EMTs took charge, their movements were quick and efficient.
”Fuck, this is bad,” I muttered, my voice strangled with emotion.
Hammer strode in from the kitchen, his face grim. ”Police are on their way,” he announced, tension tightening every muscle in his body.