Chapter 75
Chapter Seventy-Five
Zac
By the time I reach the truck, my lungs are burning, legs screaming, but I tear around the front anyway, skidding to a halt when I see them.
Dozens of navy armoured trucks are barreling fierce and fast down the road, coming straight for us—one of the Enforcers must have gotten a message to them.
All the air leaves my lungs, and my heart begins to race all over again.
Beside me, Riley swears, loud and vicious. “Fucking hell.”
“They’re Enforcers?” Anna asks, breathless beside me.
“Killmoor trucks,” I confirm, memories of the vehicles from the three times I was dragged through the prison courtyard clear in my mind.
A stunned silence hits the group.
“They’re almost on top of us,” Red says, voice wavering.
“We have to get out of here! Now! Back to the trucks. Move!” Riley snaps.
Everyone jolts into motion. Every inch of my body cries in agony as I sprint back towards Emilia, still weaker than I was before Killmoor got hold of me.
My body can hurt later.
Reaching out, I curl my hand around Emilia’s, yanking her along behind me.
Her eyes are wide. “What is it?”
“Enforcers. From Killmoor,” I grit out.
We surge towards the trucks, stumbling past bodies and shells that litter the ground. I glance over my shoulder, and my blood freezes.
Killmoor Enforcers spill around the edges of my truck. Their rifles lift as one, practiced and perfect. I shove Emilia in front of me, shielding her with my body as we sprint the last few feet.
We make it past the wreckage, within arm’s reach of our vehicles when gunfire erupts behind us.
I drop, and we hit the ground hard, Emilia beneath me.
Shots echo through the air, and I cage her in, bracing for an impact that never comes.
The sound drills through me, dragging me straight back to the war, where I woke up every day expecting it to be my last. And here I am again…
just waiting for the end. I swallow my fear, focusing on protecting the injured blonde in my arms instead.
That’s what matters right now.
Time stretches, but after what’s probably less than fifteen seconds, the gunfire stutters out, and the sudden silence has unease creeping up my spine.
I risk a glance back to see the Enforcers reloading, listening to one man who’s yelling orders and gesticulating every which way.
We need to move. Now.
Riley’s the one who shouts out. “Everyone okay?”
“Yeah.” Anna.
“Yes.” Red.
“We are,” I call back.
“Me too.” Rayden.
“Yes.” Sam.
“Yep.”
“Yeah.”
Two voices don’t answer, a groan slicing through the sickening silence instead. I shift onto my knees and peer over. Riley is shuffling towards his mates—the two who were holding Germain. One clutches a bleeding arm, the other gripping his thigh, blood pouring between his fingers.
And Germain…
Riley rolls her until she’s face up, splayed across the tarmac… unmoving. And decorating her frilly, ridiculous blouse are multiple bullet wounds. Chest, neck, stomach… head.
Her eyes stare at the cloudy sky, completely glassy. Unblinking. Empty.
Anna is the first to find her voice as Riley and Red keep low, flanking their friends. “Were they aiming for you?” Anna asks them.
The one clutching his arm shakes his head, groaning. “Why would they?”
“Because you’re the ones holding their fucking leader?” she snaps back.
“Look at her,” I snap. “They were aiming at her.”
Rayden’s eyes are horrified. “Why would they kill her? She’s their leader.”
I swallow hard, and Emilia’s fingers curl around my top.
“We need to leave. Now.” I snap, voice urgent.
With the help of Rayden and Sam, Red and Riley help their friends up, whilst I hold Emilia, quickly running for the truck closest. Gunfire erupts again, louder as the Enforcers close in, bullets slamming into the metal of the truck.
My heart pounds as I lift Emilia into the back and jump in beside her.
She cries out at the sight of Jordan—pale but conscious. Claudia sits beside him, Heidi on the other side.
“We all in?” Riley exclaims, panicked as he appears at the back of the truck.
“Sam?” Heidi asks, tone panicked.
“Other truck,” Riley says. “Rayden and Anna, too.”
“Let’s fucking go,” I snap.
He nods, slamming the doors closed. Milliseconds later, the driver’s one opens, and the engine roars to life as Riley plunges the truck into gear and tears away from the scene of the crime.