out in the open where I can’t protect her. Not the way I want to, at least. After a short while, I know I have to tell her it’s time.
“Dove, we need to go. It’s not safe to stay here.”
She pulls away from my chest and nods in understanding. With her head hung low, I watch her walk over to Donna’s side once more.
She says her tearful goodbyes before turning back to me. I hold my arms open, and she falls into them, letting me lead her outside the room. Donna will be given a proper funeral, it’s the least I can do, and I know it will set Dove at ease to have her funeral taken care of.
“Everything is going to be okay, Dove. I promise it won’t always hurt this bad.” I try to console her, but her sobbing only intensifies. I walk her past the nurses’ station and down the hall. I’m so focused on Dove that I don’t pay attention to our surroundings the way I should. All I can think about is getting us out of this hospital and back to the bunker.
We take the stairs down to the parking garage, and as soon as we step outside, something feels off. I pause, pulling Dove even closer.
“What’s wrong?” she asks, peeking up at me through thick lashes.
“I don’t know yet.” I scan the area and spot two blacked-out SUVs in the same aisle we are parked. I take a step back, shoving Dove behind me as two car doors pop open. Shit.
Turning around, I take Dove’s face into my hands and stare deeply into her eyes. “Listen to me. I need you to go back inside and find a place to hide. Hide until I come and find you, okay?” I try not to sound panicked, but this is my worst nightmare being brought to life.
“What’s wrong?” She repeats, sounding more frantic this time. Tugging from my grasp, she tries to look over my shoulder.
“I’ll explain everything to you later, please, just go and hide. Please, Dove,” I say, feeling more desperate than I ever have before. She nods, and I release her, watching her step away from me. It hurts me physically to let her go, but I know I can’t protect her if she’s standing there watching me. I’m outnumbered and outgunned. I can’t fight them and keep her safe at the same time. When she disappears through the door leading into the stairwell, I turn around to face whoever Christian has sent to get me.
Color me fucking shocked when I see the asshole himself walking toward me, a triumphant smile on his smug-ass weathered face. “Did you really think you could hide forever?”
I shrug. “I wasn’t hiding from you. I was just taking a much-needed vacation.” Maybe I can get him to talk a little bit, which will give Dove a little more time to hide.
“Do I look like a fucking idiot, Zane?” He cocks his head to the side. Each step he takes brings him closer and me closer to death.
Two men flank him, and I know he’s got more men here somewhere. Christian is not stupid; he knows I could take out two guys with ease. As if they could read my mind, more car doors open, and four more men start to approach.
“Brought a lot of people just to chat,” I say, forcing a grin on my lips.
“You know there is not going to be a whole lot of talking. Less talking, more killing.”
“You brought a lot of people for that too. Did you forget how to hold a gun yourself?” I know provoking him is probably not my best bet right now, but fuck, I’m mad. Mad at him, mad at myself, mad at the world.
“Why shoot the gun myself when I have people that can do it for me? People like you. It’s really a shame, you were one of my favorites. I guess it was my own fault for not finding the truth out sooner.” He shakes his head like he still can’t believe it.
“Find out what?”
“Find Dove… then find out who she is to you—”
I cut him off before he can finish. I don’t want to hear him talk about my relationship with her, but I do want to know why the hell he wants her. “Why have you been looking for her for the last ten years?”
He chuckles. “So it was you who killed Billy. I knew I shouldn’t have trusted that prick. Did