The cane wasn’t a crutch.
It was a distraction.
He joined our group and stood directly in front of me. I seemed to be the only person he was interested in because his eyes were reserved for me.
I held his gaze without blinking.
My back was to the rear of the camp, the forest where Raven had escaped with the horse. Her face was a blurry vision in my mind, the woman I found too late in life.
Napoleon stared for a while until a grin slowly moved on to his lips. “Looks like you were right.”
“If you see Fender before I do, tell him I said I told you so.”
He gave a slight chuckle. “You’re brave. A lot braver than I would be if I were on my knees about to be executed.”
“You’ll find out when Fender gets to you.”
“I highly doubt that. I’ve killed all of his men, taken his drugs, taken his partnerships…what’s he going to do? His own brother warned him what I was, and he didn’t listen. He’s not a smart man.”
“But he’s a vengeful one.”
“Alright.” He lifted his cane and handed it to one of his men. “I’ll pass on your message.”
The guy took the cane and handed him a revolver.
“I’ll start on the outside and work my way in.” He pointed the gun at Alix’s head.
Alix panicked. “Wait, no—”
He pulled the trigger.
Alix jolted backward and fell, dead before he hit the ground. I could feel the blood spray on my arms. I didn’t hesitate at the sound, and I didn’t feel bad listening to the gunshot that took his life.
He got what he deserved.
And I’d get what I deserved.
Napoleon pointed the gun at Nathan next.
An audible dripping sound hit my ears, and I knew he’d pissed himself.
Napoleon laughed. “At least one always pisses their pants…” He pulled the trigger, and Nathan collapsed just the way Alix had, this time falling face first.
I didn’t look.
Eric shook violently, unable to keep himself upright.
Napoleon seemed particularly unimpressed with him because he shot him with no preamble.
Now I was the only one left.
Napoleon turned to me next. “I’ll cut you a deal. Work for me, and I’ll let you live.”
I lifted my gaze and looked at him.
“Fender’s mind is clouded by money and women. Yours isn’t. And I’m sure you want nothing to do with your brother now that he didn’t listen to you.”
It didn’t matter if I was right and he was wrong. He was my brother, and nothing would ever change my loyalty. “I’d rather die.”
Napoleon stared at me for a few seconds, like my response earned respect, but also earned his anger. He lifted the gun and pressed the barrel against my forehead.
I closed my eyes.
I knew she was there.
I knew she wouldn’t leave me.
I knew she was in the tree line and watching, her hand shaking as she held the gun I’d given her, hoping she would hit her target and save my life.
I had faith she was there, that she didn’t go to the chateau without me, that she would only go where I went.
“Ma petite amie…”
And then I heard a gunshot.
Napoleon jerked back when the bullet pierced his body.
I’d been expecting it, so I got to my feet and grabbed one of his guards, bashing his face in until he collapsed. I grabbed his gun and shot the other guard. All the men were on the ground.
The other guards across the camp started to shoot at me when they realized what had happened.
I sprinted for the tree line, knowing she was somewhere over there, somewhere past the fence. My body pushed me faster than I’d ever run, somehow escaping the hail of bullets that caused clouds to form from the ground all around me.
When I approached the fence, I saw the rope drop down.
“Here!” Her voice was loud from the other side.
I knew she was holding the rope tight on the other end, so I grabbed it and pulled myself over, scaling the eleven-foot wall in just seconds until I dropped on the other side.
The bullets were loud behind me. Breathing hard with a pounding heart, I grabbed her wrist and pulled her with me. “Come on!” I got to the horse and climbed on first so I could help her up and behind me.
Her arms locked around my waist, and her chin moved to my shoulder, her heartbeat frantic against my back.
I kicked the horse and took off at a sprint.
Yells and gunshots were still loud behind us, still audible over our hard breathing and galloping hooves.
Her arms squeezed me tight like she was terrified, still traumatized by everything that had just happened. Her fingers dug into my shirt, and her breathing was loud against my ear.
I was an expert horse rider, so I held the reins with one hand and placed my other on top of hers.