The bombs were a fucking distraction. I should have seen through it. There’s no way I could have been completely prepared. Alvaro’s purse is to damn deep. Who uses fucking drones for bombs? Shit, I admit it, it takes balls of steel to even try that. What happens if a drone fails and you blow yourself sky-high? I miss the old days when a gun was the biggest firepower you had at your disposal. If I survive this shit, I’m going to have to find a man I trust to figure all this shit out. I won’t be caught with my pants down again.

If I get the chance.

I know where Alvaro is. I radioed in my men. The problem is we’re without our rides, We’re basically all walking except for the two SUV’s. The Alvaro’s will have the majority of their men in the clearing and since the mess with Toi and her father last time, I will try to have some surprises there. It might be enough, but I doubt it. We’re too scattered and licking our wounds from the blasts, and it doesn’t help that Alvaro has been set up for a while. Toi left the door to the tunnels open and I found the clip she always wears in her hair at the entrance. I know she left it on purpose. It’s burning a hole in my pocket now. I hope I get the chance to give it back to her.

There’s so much I haven’t done; things I want to do—if given the chance. I never spoiled Toi. I was planning on it, but I haven’t gotten the chance. Now I might never get to.

“Wait up old man,” Max growls from behind me.

“You need to go be with Tess, Maddie and…”

“They’re safe. Somebody has to have your back.”

“I got men. I don’t want you hurt because of me.”

“You were there for me when I was losing everything. You held it together for me, Marcum. It’s my turn to help you.”

“I’ve been a shit father and you know it. Because of me your life was hell and when I finally found you, it was too late. You hated me.”

“I hated the world. Not really you. No one twisted my arm to stay here you know.”

“I thought you did it just so you could tell me to fuck off daily,” I joke.

“You always were smart for an old fuck,” Max laughs.

“There’s every chance I’m not going to survive this, boy.”

“Bullshit. You’re invincible.”

“I’m being serious. I need you to listen to me. We’re just a few minutes away from the clearing. When we get there, you hang back and hide with the gun. Maybe you can get some shots off—”

“You’re speaking out of your ass and you know me better than that shit.”

“Fuck, you’re stubborn.”

“Just like my old man,” he agrees. “So, what’s your real plan?”

“To save Toi and Harley.”

“That seems simple,” he says sarcastically.

“If I manage it, you have to promise me you’ll take care of them and Desi. The other kids are older; they’ll have the club, but Desi and Harley are young. They need protection and… Toi…”

“Old man, we’re going to see the other side of this.”

“Maybe, but probably not. I’m a realist,” I tell him, stopping at the mouth of the tunnel and turning to look at him. The flashlight he’s holding casts us in a dim light, but I see the worry on his face clearly. “Promise me you’ll take care of them. I know I don’t have the right to ask anything from you, but I need to know they’ll be okay without me,” I practically beg him, putting my hand on Max’s shoulder.

“I’ll take care of them,” he reassures me. “You never have to worry about that.”

“I’ve been a shit dad,” I say again.

“You were there when it counted the most and I was an ungrateful punk-ass kid that didn’t see you were always trying to be there,” Max interrupts. He slaps his hand down on my shoulder and looks at me. His face is so much like mine. I doubt he’d appreciate me bringing that up—I’m not the best looking fucker.

“I suck at this emotional shit,” I growl.

“Then save it and give it to me later.”

We both know there probably won’t be a later, but I let it slide.

It’s go time. We turn the corner and the door’s open. I hear gunshots and take off running. I break free outside to see Alvaro emptying his gun in Cherry’s head. My eyes lock onto Toi and Harley and I make the one rookie mistake I’d kill one of my men for. I run headlong toward them.