The Knight (Stolen Duet 2)

“Mr. Knight, this all could have gone very differently if you had kept your head.”

Aaron smirked and said to his father, “I told you he was in love with her.”

“Then dying together shouldn’t be a problem.”

The next moment happened in slow motion. I saw my death in the senator’s eyes as he squeezed the trigger. He wasn’t quick enough, however, because the bullet that penetrated his shoulder before he could fire caused him to drop the gun. Mian stirred, grumbling as she regained consciousness.

Aaron took off with Caylen, quickly disappearing into the forest. I was torn between pursuing Aaron and seeing to Mian when Augustine, Lucas, and Z appeared at my side. “Go,” Z urged. “We’ll take care of her.” His gaze hardened when he leered down at the senator clutching his shoulder. “And him.”

“Take him to the new warehouse.” Our gazes met—his pleading, mine promising. “I want to take my time with him.”

I didn’t wait around to listen as he begged for his life, but his pleas followed me into the forest as I chased after his son. I could hear Caylen crying and followed the sound until it suddenly stopped. The silence felt like death. With a curse, I pushed on not caring if Aaron could hear me coming or not.

I found them in a clearing. Aaron’s back was to me, but I could see he was still holding the baby. Raising my gun, I kept my footsteps silent so I wouldn’t alert him. I was only two steps away when he said, “I know you’re there.”

He turned then and rage boiled in my gut when I saw his hand covering Caylen’s nose and mouth. He was suffocating him. “Don’t take another step, Knight. This is none of your business. He’s my son.”

“No, motherfucker.” I needed to hit him hard. “He’s mine.” My declaration did what I intended. Shock and confusion caused him to drop his hand from Caylen’s face.

“That lying b—”

I didn’t hesitate.

I put a bullet in his head, cutting off his words, and dived to catch the baby before he could fall on top of him.

Caylen was limp when I took him in my arms. I never felt this kind of terror. Not even in the moments after Mian tried to kill me. Terror had me dropping to my knees and laying him on the forest bed. Terror had me once again praying to a god who had long ago forsaken me.

I did mouth to mouth, my control slipping with each breath I gave him.

“Come on, Caylen.” I didn’t recognize my own voice. It shook until it broke, but I never stopped. I’d give him my last breath if that’s what it took. “Please. Breathe. Please. Please.” I couldn’t stop my tears—tears I never shed for my father, my mother, or grandfather—from dropping onto his ashen cheeks.

I could hear the running footsteps of someone in the forest as I gave him mouth to mouth. It was only when they broke through the clearing that his chest finally began to rise and fall. My next breath shuddered out of me as I lifted him.

“Caylen?” Mian’s terrified gasp as I stood nearly sent me to my knees again. She collided into me and screamed his name again. “Is he okay?” The baby’s eyes were still closed as she took him from me. “Oh, God. What did he do to you? What did he do?” She cuddled him into her body and whispered apologies over and over.

There was a large bruise covering most of the right side of her face where they must have hit her. I was tempted to put another bullet in Aaron just because, but Mian and Caylen had been through enough trauma.

“Angel,” Lucas called. I forced my gaze away from Mian and the baby and faced my brother. “What happened?”

My gaze cut to Mian. She was now staring with hatred at Aaron’s dead body.

Shaking my head at Lucas, I replied, “Later.”* * *I was still pumped up on adrenaline and keeping my rage at bay as I forced myself to stand and watch while the doctor I kept in my pocket checked over Mian and Caylen. Augustine had hung back with the cleaners to clear the dead bodies from the cemetery while Lucas and Z took the senator somewhere no one would ever find him.

“Good news,” Doc announced. “Your wife and son will be just fine, Angel.”

I glared at Chapman for his assumption while he put away his stethoscope. When he cured Caylen in Chicago a couple of months ago, I never told him he was my son. In fact, I told him very little. I was wondering how he’d even known Mian and I were married until my gaze caught my ring on her finger. In the aftermath of all the drama, I’d forgotten that I made her wear it.