SIENNA.

The IV machine's piercing beep cut through the room, snapping me out of the lasciviously satisfied dampness that had settled over me. One second, I was on the highest cloud of ecstasy that Zane had taken me to as he pleasured me without stopping, and the next second, I was back to the reality of things in the penthouse.

Belinda was awake.

I stumbled out of Zane's king-sized bed, my bare feet hitting the cold hardwood floor, as I grabbed my shirt from the edge of the bed. The room tilted for a second since my legs were still weak from holding Zane's masculine body as he plunged into me.

I wore the shirt as I bolted for the door with my pulse roaring in my ears. Zane's broad frame brushed past me, his feet thudding against the floor. We raced down the hallway to the guest room.

The door was slightly open, and I shoved it open immediately. When I saw Belinda, my breath caught. I had to hold the edge of the wall to steady my breath. Belinda lay on the huge bed, and an IV line ran from her arm to a bag hanging on the metal pole. Her hair fanned across the white pillow, and her chest rose and fell as she breathed. The doctor hovered over her, holding a clipboard and a stethoscope dangling from his neck. He adjusted the drip before he glanced up towards us.

"She's stable," he said, reading her chart. "The sedatives are wearing off. She's groggy, but she's coming around."

I barely heard him. My eyes were still locked on Belinda's pale face. Her eyelids fluttered as a soft moan escaped her throat. That was my cue. I crossed the room in two strides, dropping to my knees beside the bed. With trembling hands, I reached for hers, feeling her skin clammy under my fingers. "Bel," I whispered. "I'm here, baby girl. You're okay."

Her fingers twitched in mine, giving me a weak squeeze that sent a flood of warmth through my chest. Her eyes opened slowly and unfocused, searching the room until they found me. "SiSi?" Her voice was barely audible, but it was her. My Belinda, alive and there with me.

Hot tears stung my eyes, but I blinked them back. I wouldn't cry, not now when she needed me to be strong. "Yeah, it's me," I said, forcing a smile. "You scared the hell out of me, you know that?"

Her lips twitched into a grin, and my heart lifted. Even half-conscious, she was still my delightful Belinda. "Takes more than a few cartel goons to keep me down," she mumbled in slurred words.

I laughed with half relief. "You're impossible," I said, squeezing her hand tighter. My gaze flicked to the doctor who was scribbling something on his clipboard. "How long until she's fully awake?"

"An hour, maybe two," he said, not looking up. "She's dehydrated, and the sedatives were heavy. She needs to rest and drink plenty of fluids. No stress."

No stress? I almost laughed at that. Stress was our lifestyle. The cartel had made sure of that. My jaw tightened as I brushed a strand of hair from Belinda's forehead, noting how warm her skin felt under my touch.

I stood, curling my hands into fists at my sides as I turned to Zane, who was leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed; he had his gaze fixed on me. Those eyes seemed to see straight through to the storm raging inside me. He didn't say anything, but the way his fingers flexed against his biceps told me he knew what I was about to say.

"We need to put an end to this," I said. "The cartel. All of them. They don't get to come after us again."

Zane's brow lifted as a flicker of surprise crossed his face. "Sienna," he started, "You know what that means? It's not just going to be a diplomatic fight. It's a war."

"I know." I met his gaze with an unflinching glare. "And I'm not asking for your permission. I'm telling you I'm in. All the way."

Belinda's hand tightened around mine, pulling my attention back to her. Her eyes were clearer now, a spark of mischief in them. "Damn, SiSi," she said in a weak voice but laced with teasing. "You're out here sounding like a badass. What happened to my girl who used to jump in her own shadow?"

I snorted, shaking my head. "She's still here. Just pissed off." I leaned closer, "You're not going through this again, Bel. I'm not losing you."

Her grin widened, and she lifted a shaky hand to poke my arm. "You're stuck with me, babe. Cartel or no cartel." She glanced past me to Zane, her eyes narrowing playfully. "And you, Mr. Mafia Kingpin, better keep up. My girl's got a vendetta now."

Zane's lips twitched. "Noted," he said, stepping closer. "But Sienna, this isn't a game you just jump into. You go after him, you're painting a target on your back bigger than the one you've already got."

"I already have a target," I snapped. I gestured to Belinda, "They took her, Zane. They tied her to a chair, drugged her, and played their sick games. And for what? I'm done being their pawn."

He stepped close enough that I could feel the heat of his determination radiating off him, "You think I don't want them gone?" His voice was low, a growl that sent a shiver down my spine. "Every bastard in that cartel is on my list, Sienna. But rushing in only gets us dead." He nodded toward Belinda. "I'm not letting that happen."

I opened my mouth to argue, but Belinda's laugh cut me off. "Oh, you two are cute," she said, propping herself up on her elbows despite the doctor's disapproving grunt. "Fighting like an old married couple already. SiSi, he's got a point. You're fierce, but you're not bulletproof. And you..." She pointed a shaky finger at Zane. "Don't act like you're not impressed with her decision."

I shot her a look. "Bel, not now."

"What? I almost died. I get to say what I want." She grinned at us, "And what I want is for you to stop pretending you don't trust this guy. He hauled my ass out of that hellhole. Give him some credit."

Zane's gaze flicked to Belinda, a flicker of amusement softening his features. "You're welcome," he said,

I exhaled, my shoulders slumping as the fight drained out of me for a moment. Belinda was right...she always was, damn her. Zane had saved us both, risked his life and his brothers' to pull us off that rooftop.

"Bel," I said, sinking onto the edge of the bed, my hand still wrapped around hers. "What happened out there? What did you hear?" Her grin faded instantly, making me hate myself for dropping that random question prematurely. I gave Zane a glance, and he had the same startled expression as I.

"Bel?" I asked, watching her eyes cloud as she stared at the ceiling. Her fingers tightened around mine.

"They didn't think I was listening," she said. "They thought I was out. But I heard them, SiSi. That scarred bastard while he was on the phone, talking about hitting Zane where it hurts. His investments and his allies. They want to gut the Atlas Group by leaking everything to the feds and the press. Make it so he can't hide anymore."

I glanced at Zane, whose face had gone stone-hard as he processed her words. "They're going for the servers," he said, more to himself than to us. "The financials, the offshore accounts. Everything."

I nodded until I remembered I still had the flash. "We can use the flash," I said, "We can turn their plan against them. Draw them out, hit them first."

Zane's eyes snapped to mine, "You're talking about baiting them. Using yourself as the lure."

I lifted my chin, meeting his gaze head-on. "If that's what it takes, yes."

"No." He said, his hands flexing at his sides like he wanted to grab me and give me a shake. "You don't get it, Sienna. They don't just want you dead. They want you broken. I'm not letting you walk into their trap again."

I stood, my chest brushing against his, "It is my call to make, Zane."

Belinda let out a low whistle, "Told you she's a badass," she said, nudging the doctor, who looked like he wanted to be anywhere else. "You should've seen her, Zane. Took on a frat boy twice her size for stealing my phone. Knocked him flat."

I shot her a glare, "Not helping, Bel."

"Oh, I'm helping," she said. "You two need to stop circling each other like alley cats and work together. SiSi, he's got the muscle, the brains. And you..." She paused. "You've got that fire. Use it. But don't be stupid."

Zane's gaze softened as he looked at Belinda with a flicker of admiration in his eyes. "You're tougher than you look. Most people would be a mess after what you went through."

She shrugged, wincing as the movement tugged at her IV. "What can I say? I'm a survivor. Like my girl here." Her eyes locked on mine, and for a moment, it was just us.

"I trust you," I said to Zane, "But you have to trust me too."

For a moment, I thought he'd argue, but then he exhaled and nodded. "Alright," he said, "We do this together. But you follow my lead, Sienna. No heroics."

I smirked, echoing Belinda's defiance. "No promises."

Belinda laughed, an infectious sound that cut through the tension. "That's my girl," she said, "Now, can someone get me a burger? I'm starving."

The doctor sighed, shaking his head. "You need to stick to fluids for now."

"Fluids?" Belinda scoffed, propping herself higher on the pillow. "Unless it's a milkshake, I'm not interested."

Zane's lips curved into a real smile this time, and my heart stuttered at the sight. "I'll see what I can do," he said, his eyes flicking at me, holding my gaze for a beat too long. Heat crept up my neck, and I looked away, focusing on Belinda to hide the flush in my cheeks.

"You're ridiculous," I said to her. "I thought I lost you."

Her expression softened, her hand finding mine again. "Never," she said, "Like I said earlier, you're stuck with me, SiSi. Always."

I squeezed her hand, my throat tight. The weight of the past five years pressed against me, but it is different now. We were not alone anymore.

I glanced at Zane, catching him watching me. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes held an emotion I wasn't ready to name. "Come on, she needs to rest." his hand brushes my arm, which sends a jolt through me.

Belinda's voice broke the moment, "Okay, lovebirds, save the staring contest for later. Get me that burger, and then go kick some cartel ass. I want to be there when you burn those bastards down."

I laughed hard and, for the first time in years, I felt like I could breathe. The fight was coming, and it would be brutal. But with Belinda's fire and Zane's strength beside me, I was ready.

ZANE.

Los Angeles city sprawled below the glass walls as I stood by the bar, the whiskey in my tumbler sat untouched, while the ice melted into amber swirls. My phone buzzed on the glass counter. I snatched it up, my gut already tightening as Liam's name flashed across the screen.

"Zane," Liam's voice came through, sharp and urgent, no trace of his usual calm. "They are moving on Atlas Group's servers. Tonight. If they pull this off, we're done. Feds, press, the whole damn world will have us."

My fingers tightened around the phone. Atlas Group was the clean face of everything I had built, the shield that kept the feds off my back. If those servers went down, it would be open season on me, my brothers, everything we had fought for. "Go on" I said.

"Noah's been sniffing their comms since you hinted it," Liam said. "Intercepted a call."

I set the tumbler down, the clink loud in the quiet room. My eyes found Sienna across the living space, curled on the leather couch, her dark hair spilling over her shoulder like ink. She was hunched over her laptop, her brow furrowed, fingers tapping the keys with a focus that made my chest ache. Since Belinda woke up, she'd been relentless, digging into that flash drive like it held the key to our survival. Maybe it did.

"Get the team to the office," I told Liam. "Damian, Ethan, Noah. Now. We're not letting them take us down."

"Already moving," Liam said, and the line went dead.

I crossed the room walking silently on the plush rug, but Sienna sensed me coming. Her head snapped up, her eyes locking onto mine. "What's wrong?" she asked, closing the laptop with a soft click, she knew trouble when she saw it.

"They're targeting the servers," I said, "They want to gut Atlas Group. We're moving to stop him. Tonight."

Her face didn't flinch, instead, her jaw tightened. She stood, shrugging on one of my jackets that hung too big on her frame, the sleeves swallowing her hands. "I'm in," she said, not a request. A demand.

"You stay close," I said. "Remember no heroics."

Her lips curved, a grim, determined smile that sent a jolt through me. "I've got something better," she said, pulling the flash drive from her pocket, "This has their funds and other accounts. Everything. We can use it to lure scar-face in, set a trap."

"You're sure it's enough to draw him out?" I asked, my eyes searching hers for any hint of doubt.

"Dead sure," she said. "He'll come for it. I'll make him."

I nodded, the plan taking shape in my head. "We move now. Atlas Group headquarters. Let's go."

֍

Sienna and I walked into the elevator, riding to my wing in silence, the only sound around us were the hum of the engine working optimally. Sienna stood beside me, her shoulder brushing mine. Her soft vanilla scent cut through the sterile air. I didn't like her being in the line of fire with me, but she had made it clear she wasn't staying behind. Not this time anyway.

The door slides opened and we stepped inside my office, Liam sat at the head of the conference table eyes on his laptop and when we got closer, I saw maps and data streams flickering on the screen. Damian was leaning against the wall, flipping a ballpen between his fingers, a restless habit that matched the glint in his dark eyes. Ethan paced near the window, while Noah sat hunched over his own laptop, working.

Sienna stood at my side with confidence knowing she had earned her place here, and my brothers knew it too. I caught Damian's glance, a raised brow that said he was impressed, though he would never admit it out loud.

"Alright," Liam said, "We let them think they've breached the system, then we close the trap."

focusing on Liam I said, "We stage a breach. Make it look like the system's vulnerable. Let them walk right in."

Sienna stepped forward, her voice commanding the attention of everyone in the room. Holding up the flash, "For backups, I am to contact him and offer to trade it for a truce. He'll think I'm betraying you, that I'm desperate. He'll come himself to get it."

The room went still, every eye on her. Damian grinned approvingly. "Well, damn," he said, leaning forward. "You've got guts, princess. You sure you can play bait with a shark like him?"

Sienna's eyes flashed, meeting his challenge without blinking. "I've been dodging his kind for years," she said, "He's greedy, arrogant. He'll take the bait, and he'll regret it."

Noah looked up, his glasses reflecting the screen's light. "I can rig the servers to show a fake breach," he said. "Loop the security feeds, make it look like we're scrambling to fix it. They'll walk in blind."

"Into what?" Ethan asked, crossing his arms, "We can't just mow them down in the server room. It is too public."

"We don't," I said, "We lead them to the loading dock. That's empty and secure and has no cameras. Damian, you and Ethan take the ground floor, cut off their exit. Liam, you're with Noah on comms, have their signals jammed. I'll be with Sienna in the server room."

She nodded, tucking the flash drive into her pocket. "I'll need to move fast," she said. "Once he's in, he'll want to verify the data. I can stall him, but not for long."

"Stall him long enough for us to close the net," I said, "Damian, Ethan, you take the loading dock. Liam, Noah, you're our eyes and ears. We move as one."

Ethan nodded, "This is gonna be fun," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Been a while since we had a proper fight."

Sienna shot him a look, her lips twitching. "Try not to enjoy it too much," she said, "We're here to end this, not start a brawl."

Damian laughed, leaning back. "You're growing on me, princess. Keep that up, and I might let you borrow my knife."

"Enough," I said, cutting through their banter. "We move in one hour. Get your gear, check your comms. No mistakes."

Sienna's jaw tightened, but she nodded, her fingers curling around the flash drive. "I'll need a comms unit," she said. "And a gun."

Damian laughed, "You're full of surprises, princess," he said, tossing her a small earpiece from the table. "Gun's on you, though. Zane's call."

I hesitated, my instinct to protect her warring with the reality of what we faced. She had no doubt proven herself, but handing her a weapon meant she was in the fight, no turning back. "You know how to use it?" I asked.

Her gave me a smirk in her defiance. "Point and shoot, right? I've had practice. Rolled with bikers back in the day."

I didn't ask where or when. The confidence in her eyes told me enough. I pulled a Glock from the lockbox on the table, checked the clip, and handed it to her. Her fingers brushed mine as she took it. "Don't make me regret this," I said, holding her gaze.

"You won't," she said, tucking the gun into her waistband. "Let's burn them down."

֍

An hour later, the server room was empty since my brothers had gotten busy with their tasks, but Sienna stayed, standing next to me, her eyes on the map. She had her fingers tracing the server room's outline. I watched her, the way her brow furrowed, with her lips pressed together in thought. She was in deep, deeper than I would ever want her to be, and yet I couldn't imagine doing this without her. Not anymore.

"You don't have to do this you know," I said,

She turned to me. "I'm not asking, Zane," she said. "This is my fight too. They took everything from me. I'm not sitting this out. My father wouldn't approve."

I stepped closer enough to see the pulse beating in her throat. "I know," I said. "But if anything happens to you..."

"It won't," she cut in, her hand brushing my arm, a fleeting touch that burned through me. "We do this together. We end it."

I nodded even though I wanted to say more, but the words were stuck in my throat. There would be time for that later. There had to be.

"Ready?" I asked as I stood by the main console, my eyes on the security feed Noah had looped to show a flickering, vulnerable system. Sienna was standing a few feet away, the Glock was tucked into her waistband.

She nodded, "Let's do this."

I tapped my comms. "Liam, status."

"Feed's live," Liam's voice crackled through. "They're moving in. Five minutes out."

"Damian, Ethan?" I asked.

"First floor's locked down," Damian said. "No one's getting out."

"Noah?"

"Signals jammed," Noah said. "They're blind."

I glanced at Sienna, her fingers tightening around the flash drive. The plan was set, and the pieces were in place. "Zane," she said, her voice soft, pulling me back. "We've got this."

I nodded. "Together," I said, and the word felt like a vow.

"I'm going to use the restroom. This anxiety is getting my bladder overworking," Sienna said, smothering her shirt with a palm. As she got up, I nodded at her before turning my eyes back to the screen before me.

"Be quick," I said, as she walked out of the office. I heard the door open and click shut, but I was too engrossed in what I was doing to pay attention to Sienna. I couldn't wait for the final battle to be over, and she would once again become the prioritized subject of my undivided attention. For now, I was all in to making sure that the rival cartel was wiped off the earth.... And perhaps that was a huge miscalculation on my part.

ZANE.

My phone buzzed, and I ripped the device out of my pocket. Unlocking the screen, there were messages from a private number, skimming the content with impatient eyes, "watch this epic treatment of your girl."

I sucked in a deep breath before pressing play on the attached video. It shows Sienna hanging from the ceiling by a rope. "Let's get started," the scarred-faced man's voice came from the background. I watched with shock as they used a prod to electrocute her, while Sienna breathed heavily through the pain. Her eyes flicked to the camera, and I wanted so badly to reach through the phone, but instead I was forced to watch.

For a moment, she looked directly into the camera lens, and I knew she was speaking to me. The fucker behind her pressed the prod onto her back again and kept it there until she lost consciousness.

I sent the same video to my brothers, asking into the talkie "Noah, do you know where this is?"

"His phone signal is bouncing off three towers. I have the area but not a precise location." Noah responded.

"Where?" I barked, "We're heading out," I roared. "Right fucking now!"

My phone started to ring, and seeing it was a private number, I knew it was the same number as the one that sent the torturing video of Sienna. "Noah, track this call. I will engage him as much as possible."

"Got it," Noah said, just as I accepted the call and waited for him to speak first. "Calloway," he snarled, "do you have good news for me?"

"Just how fucking stupid are you?" I said, my tone quite deadly.

"Careful. I have the upper hand."

I almost fucking laugh. "You do? Let's say a miracle happens, and you get rid of me and my brothers. Do you really think others will call you their leader?"

"They will have no choice."

"This isn't the nineteen-eighties. You don't get to just kill and take over."

Noah gestured on the CCTV that he now had the caller's location. "Step down, or Sienna and the rest of you die," he hissed.

I just need enough time to get to her. Fuck.

I sucked in a harsh breath, and then I lied through my fucking teeth, "I'll step down."

The scarred-faced man lets out a burst of laughter. "You made the right choice."

"What now?" I ask.

"You have one hour to send me a video of you killing your brothers, and I'll let Sienna go."

I shook my head because it was fucking hard to believe that he was so stupid and arrogant to think his plan would work. "Let's see who dies first. You or her." The scared-faced man turns around to face the camera, "You're running out of time, Zane. The sooner you get here, the sooner this will end. Miss the hour mark."

He ended the call, and dropping the phone, I grabbed the nearest cabinet and ripped it from the wall. The glass shattered into a million pieces as it hit the floor, yet it did nothing to calm the violent storm in my soul. When I stopped to suck in a harsh breath, it was to find Liam, Ethan, Noah, and Damian all staring at me.

"How the fuck did they penetrate our system enough to get Sienna?" I roared at them, my entire body vibrating with rage, every muscle in my body tensed until it felt like I might snap.

"Calm down, Zane, I think we've been double-crossed," Liam's voice said, his tone the same as mine, shocked.

I ran out of the building with my brothers and the rest of my army, waiting for their orders. "Move out!"

They fall into step beside me as we walk to one of the SUVs at the front of the line, and I climb into the passenger seat. Liam shoved a bulletproof vest at us. "Put this on right now."

Letting out a frustrated growl because every second was precious, I got out of the SUV and put on the fucking vest before climbing back in and yanking the door shut. "Go!" I ordered.

Ethan slides into the back with Noah, who drops a heavy bag of weapons on the floor between the seats.

"I have sent the GPS coordinates to everyone on the team," Damian informed me.

I watched as Liam brought up the map on the GPS screen, and after starting the engine, he steered the SUV away from the mansion. "How do you want to handle this?" he asked.

"We attack and end this, leaving none of them alive."

"The warehouse is nestled between trees," Damian began to give us a rundown of what to expect. We will head up North Road until it becomes Mill. "There aren't many houses, and it's a fucking long stretch of road."

My eyes flicked to the map, and I hated that it would take another hour and five minutes to get there.

"Faster, Jason," I growled. "We need to make it to them in fifty minutes." Glancing over my shoulder, I looked at Noah and asked, "Can you get plans for the property?"

"I can try," he muttered before he got to work. My eyes flicked to the GPS, and I saw we were ten minutes out.

"What time did we leave?" I asked.

"We have nineteen minutes," Noah answers. "We'll make it in time."

"We have better," I growled. Glancing over my shoulder, I order, "Give me a submachine gun and knife."

Ethan opens the bag and begins to hand out weapons as our convoy races down a dirt road that looks like it's heading into the woods.

Please stay alive for me, Sienna

Silence fell between us, and when we were twenty minutes out, my phone buzzed. I unlocked the screen, and seeing another video from the private number, the blood chilled in my veins. My thumb hesitated over the video because I couldn't bring myself to watch Sienna die.

"Zane," Liam said to get my attention. My eyes flickered to his. "Let me watch the video."

I shook my head hard. "No." She's the love of my fucking life. I must only see these videos. I turned my gaze back to the screen and pressed the play button. I saw the scared face come into view as he moved closer to Sienna.

"Still calling my bluff, right?" he sneered.

Sienna starts to shake her head. "No! Zane." She clenched her jaw, her eyes burning with rage at the bastard.

He moved closer, and reaching out a hand, he trailed a finger from between her breasts to her navel.

His tone was low as he said to her, "You'll be a widow soon." Fucking bastard, get your hands off her! Sienna lifted her chin and stared ahead of her, wearing an expressionless mask. Don't show any emotion. Stay strong. I'm coming.

"Faster!" I roared, hoping to arrive just in time to change what was about to happen by getting there sooner.

Sacred-face walked out of sight, and when he came back into view, he was holding a knife. No. Don't do this to me. Don't make me watch her die.

"But I don't want your leftovers," he said as he dragged the blade over her stomach. My breathing speeds up as I stare at the screen.

Every muscle in my body tensed until it felt like I might snap. Slowly, he pushed the knife into her right side, and I saw every single excruciating inch of the blade sinking into her.

"Motherfucker!" I roared as I slammed my fist into the dashboard.

No. Fuck.

Sienna's body twitched, and for a moment, her eyebrows arched together as pain flashed over her face. But then she fucking schools her face into a neutral expression again as she let out a breath.

֍

Dirt shoots into the air as we come to a screeching stop in the lot at the front of the property. There were a dozen armed men scattered around the property, and they opened fire on the SUV while they tried to find cover against the sides of the house.

I shoved the door open and ordered, "Launch the fucking grenades!"

Damian sends a grenade flying into the side of the house where a group of men were taking cover, and bodies fly into the air. Using the door as a shield, I opened fire on the gang members who were shooting from inside the house, and I had to reload the magazine before I was able to move away from the SUV. With the submachine gun held in position, I ran toward the house while shooting every fucking man I laid eyes on.

My vision tunnels on the front door, and I riddled it with bullets before my body slammed into the wood. It gave way easily, and I kept going, taking out target after target until I was out of fucking bullets.

As I dropped the submachine gun so I could reach for my Glock, a body plowed into me. I grabbed the knife from my belt, and before my back even hit the floor, I plunged the knife repeatedly into the side of his neck.

Blood sputtered over me, and I slammed onto the floor with a grunt. Shoving the dead fucker off of me, I quickly darted back to my feet. I moved the knife to my left hand and ripped the Glock from behind my back.

Liam and Noah joined me, and while they took out the rest of the men, I heard Damian shout from behind, "I have got the east covered!"

"Good, rain it on them," I thundered through the house as I hurried from room to room, searching for the scared-faced man.

When I opened a door with stairs leading down to a basement, a bullet slammed into my bulletproof vest, forcing me a couple of steps backward.

My arm swung into the air, and I pulled the trigger as I moved forward.

Another bullet zipped past my head just as Damian grabbed hold of the back of my vest, yanking me to crouch on the stairs.

"Take a breather while I take care of the asshole," Damian mutters, breathless from all the action.

Reluctantly, I stayed crouched as Damian crept down the stairs, and when he reached the bottom, a short gunfight ensued before he took out whoever was down there.

"Clear," he shouted. "She's not here."

"Fuck!" I snarled, and turning around, I ran back into the hallway.

"Zane!" Carlo called, wanting me to wait for him, but I needed to find the scared-faced man. Entering a kitchen, I saw a back door and headed outside. With my gut telling me to head for the trees, I broke out into a run.

My breath exploded over my lips as I ran into the woods, and every few steps, I paused to listen for any movement or screams from Sienna, hoping for confirmation that she was out there.

Damian caught up to me as I ran in the direction I heard movement, and I finally caught sight of the scared face as he forced some of my men to run barefoot through the fucking woods.

Letting out a growl, I lifted my arms and trained my barrel on the fucker's shoulder. I pulled the trigger. The bullet hits, and he spins to the side, his hand coming up as he opened fire on me. Another shot echoed through the woods, and the blood in my veins chills with fear.

The scared-face threw one of my men off him and trained his gun on him. Damian and I opened fire as we rushed toward them, one bullet after the other slamming into the fucker. His body jerks with each shot before he falls backward, gasping through the shock and pain. Coming to a stop beside him, I trained my barrel on his head and locked eyes with him before I pulled the trigger again.

The amount of relief flooding through my soul paralyzed me for a few seconds, and I was only able to suck in desperate breaths of air. It was short-lived the moment Noah and Ethan joined us.

"We found Sienna. She's in a terrible state," Ethan said, his eyes darting towards a lone shed. Without a second glance, I ran over there, praying hard that she was still alive.

֍

I felt every shade of emotion as I ran into the room. Then my eyes drifted over her shivering body, and not seeing any gunshot wounds, I darted forward. My arms locked around her. A painful gasp from her had me instantly easing my grip, and I quickly crouched down so I could check the stab wound on her side. I have stabbed enough people in my time to know whether the wound was serious or not, and I let out a breath when I saw it was not life-threatening.

I straightened up again as I saw the breaths rushing through her lips when her eyes flickered open. The fight for life shining from her eyes eased the tension in my chest. The realization shuddered through me again, and I thank all that's holy that I got to her in time.

"You're bleeding," she said as she reached her bloody hand to my face.

"It's not mine," I muttered while I gripped her hand. Feeling how fucking cold she was, I was hit by another wave of anger.

"Zane!" I hear Damian shout.

Taking a step back from Sienna, my eyes flicked over the lace bra and panties, and I quickly took off the bulletproof vest so I could get the long-sleeved shirt off my body. Once I had the shirt covering her, Damian handed me his coat, and I quickly wrapped it around her.

I hated that Damian saw her half-naked, but I was too relieved to feel any anger. When I bent to pick her up, she shook her head. "No. I can walk."

"The fuck you can," I snarled.

"Zane," she snapped at me.

Our eyes lock, and she lifts her chin. "I will walk out of here. I need your men to see I haven't been broken."

As much as I hated the idea of her walking barefoot, I relented because that was important to her. She wanted to show them she was their queen, and that no matter what was thrown her way, she would survive. Nothing could break her.

Standing in the middle of the fucking woods on an icy winter's day with blood soaking into the ground, I fell in love with Sienna all over again. Needing to touch her, I wrapped my arm around her shoulders before we walked back through the trees.

When the rest of my men came into sight, I dropped my arm from around her and took hold of her left hand, where her blood was drying, and linked our fingers.

"Is everyone okay?" I asked as we reached them.

"Yes," Liam replied.

When we broke through the trees, all the men, one by one, looked in our direction. Sienna tightened her grip on my hand, and I heard her suck in a trembling breath before she pushed through her pain and walked toward the nearest SUV.

Once I had her safely inside the vehicle, I wrapped my fingers around the back of her neck and pressed my forehead to hers. "I'm so fucking proud of you."

She nodded, her skin way too fucking pale. Letting go of her, I turned to face my men. "Clean up the shit."

"Yes, boss,"

Glancing at my brothers, I nodded before locking eyes with Damian and Noah. I ordered, "Stick with the former plan, make the rest of the gang know we have taken down this fucker, and we will be coming for them too if they refuse to end this fight by surrendering."

"Got it, boss," Noah nodded. I climbed into the backseat and pulled Sienna into my arms. She was shaking badly, and I struggled not to hold her too tight.

Jason slid behind the steering wheel. "I've let the doctor know we're coming," he informed me while tossing a first-aid bag at me.

I quickly opened the bag, took out antiseptic wipes, and moved the clothes out of the way so I could get to the stab wound on Sienna's side.

Once it was clean, as it can be in the backseat of the SUV, I grabbed some gauze and pressed it firmly against the wound. I said, "Hold it in place."

She did as I instructed while I dug out an adhesive dressing, and when I had it stuck to her skin, I took a few seconds to clean the puncture marks from where they stapled the fucking paper to her stomach.

"I'm fine," she muttered. "I can hold out until we get to the house."

I only nod as I take hold of her chin, nudging her face up so she can look at me.

Our eyes locked, and I stared at my woman with so much fucking pride pouring into my chest.

"I am sorry they hurt you this badly. I am here now." I whispered, thankful I got to say the words to her again. "It's okay," I murmured, seeing how hard she was holding back the tears. She shook her head and shot a glance at Jason, and she somehow shoved all her pain away and held her head high, refusing to break down in front of them.