I was fucked.

There was no way I could get to Rae easily. Striker and Rafe had an agenda, and I was both pissed and freaking out at the thought my girl could be hurt. Agitated, my teeth ground together as my jaw clenched. I dared any motherfucker to attempt to harm Rae. I’d die to save her, but I wasn’t going down without a fight.

We pulled into Dick’s Scrapyard and headed toward the back of the large rundown lot to an old warehouse. Minutes later all of us were packed into the building where a few sporadic chairs and rope took center stage. I let out a breath and prepared to let loose on the first guy to try and hold me down. No way was I being tied up, Rae either. Mack? I couldn’t give a fuck.

Mack and Rae were shoved in two of the chairs, Bryce the third. He was clutching his side and appeared to be in more pain than before. He was pale, his face pinched with exertion and the effort to stay upright. I caught his gaze and he nodded, so slight I almost missed it. Damn, he was a tough fucker. Pride swelled in my chest. My brother could handle his shit like a pro.

Rae whispered my name. I dared to glance in her direction, “I’ve got this baby. Everything is going to be fine.”

Striker heard me and laughed, “Edge you always were amusing, even as a boy.”

I frowned, “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Recognize this place?” his arms spread wide as he turned in a circle.

Looked like a shitty old warehouse to me, nothing else, “No, should it?”

He laughed, “What about you Bryce?”

Bryce turned his head, his eyes filled with anguish as he glanced around the room, “Yeah.”

“Why don’t you let your brother in our little secret?”

I heard Rae gasp, “You’re brothers?”

“Just found out baby,” I inform her. “What’s going on Bryce?”

“Thirteen years ago our mother lost her life in this very room . . . and so did Ron Stenson.”

Rae’s hands went to her mouth in surprise as she tried to stand but was forced back down by one of Striker’s henchmen. Asshole.

“How?” I asked, my jaw locked in anger. One of the men in this room murdered not only my mother but Rae’s father.

“Your mother was a naïve fool,” Rafe spat, his gun drawn and focused on me.

I needed the truth more than I needed to punch his face for that remark or I would have rushed him, “That doesn’t tell me shit.”

Striker’s gun moved from me and Mack to level at Rae. She stiffened in her seat, fearful brown eyes darting in my direction.

“It’s all good Rae. I’ve got this.”

Mack snorted and shook his head.

Striker laughed without humor, ticking his head toward Bryce, “Your mother was a fool. She thought I would overlook her treachery. She actually believed I would forgive her infidelity that I loved her enough to let her go . . . to him.” Striker ticked his head toward Mack in disgust, “Ask Mack the Knife what he did.”

I turned to my father and took a step back when I saw the guilt on his face, “What did you do?”

Angrily he ran a hand through his short cropped silver hair, “I fell in love with Patty. It wasn’t on purpose. I never intended to betray your friendship Striker.”

Wow. My dad stole my mother from Striker? No wonder he hated Mack.

“She told me she had to leave me and tried to take my son,” Striker’s haunted eyes flicked to Bryce, filled with rage and hate. “If I’d known he would look and act so much like her I would have told her to leave with him and never return.”

Bryce was unfazed by his father’s callous comments. He met Striker’s gaze with a look of disgust and hate, “She was too good for you.”

Fuck, this was some serious shit.

Striker took a step forward and I thought he would hit his son again, but he stopped and laughed, shaking his head. “Always ready to start shit with your ole man? Not had enough yet Bryce?” he asked with a sneer.

My heart rate was escalating with the level of animosity in the room. The likelihood that any of us were leaving this warehouse alive grew slimmer with every minute that past. I squared my shoulders and brought the topic back on point.

“What does any of that have to do with this warehouse?”

“Striker kidnapped Bryce and drove here, threatening to kill him if Patty didn’t come. She begged me to act and help.” Mack’s voice sounded full of pain and anguish, “I asked Patty to stay behind while I went to rescue her son. Ron insisted on coming with me, knowing the confrontation with Striker would be dangerous.”

I held up my hand, confused, “Bryce and I are only a year apart. We weren’t babies then.”

“No, Edge you weren’t,” Striker agreed. “I let Patty have the boy after she promised to cut all ties with Mack and the RRMC. She didn’t listen.”

Rafe chose that moment to scoff, “Bitch was fucking Mack behind his back. When we found out we took Bryce and you Edge for leverage.”

I frowned, “I don’t have any memory of that.”

“It’s true Edge,” Bryce whispered as our eyes met. “Mom was freaking out. I remember her being anxious.”

I nearly missed the most important part of Rafe’s words. “We? How the fuck were you involved Rafe?”

“I think you should ask Mack.”

Fuck, didn’t anybody know how to answer a damn question?

My angry gaze rested on my father, “Don’t make me ask any more questions.”

Mack sighed, a look of frustration on his weathered face, “Ron and I brought backup including Rafe and a few other patches. When we arrived, I realized not only was Bryce here, but you were too.” Mack swallowed hard, “We came in guns blazing but it was too late, Patty had burst into the room ahead of us and was trying to reason with Striker for her sons’ lives.”

“And the bitch wouldn’t move away from them, no matter how much I warned her.”

My lip curled into a snarl. “Call my mother a bitch again and I’ll fucking gut you,” I threatened.

Striker tilted his head back and laughed, hard, “You never were a disappointment Edge. Your brother though . . .”

My heart ached for Bryce. His father truly hated him for Patty’s choices. She fell in love with another man. Her sin caused so many ripples to take place, such hate and vengeance, that no one in this room had ever recovered. My birth only increased the tension and animosity.

Mack cleared his throat, “I saw Patty and tried hard not to lose my shit. She knew and so did Striker that I truly loved her too. She tried to stay away from you Peter to keep you safe, but it killed her. Sometimes she crept up to the house just to watch you.” He paused and shook his head, “When she refused to leave her boys that day in the warehouse, Striker lost his temper and raised his gun. They were yelling, tensions running high.”

Rafe grunted, “Ron moved forward, his hands up in surrender, thinking he could talk them both down. He always was a peacemaker.”

Rae’s head lowered and I knew my baby was hurting but this story wasn’t over yet and I needed to hear who the murderer was before I could seek my revenge.

“With Striker distracted I took my chance and lunged for him, thinking I could knock him to the ground before anyone was hurt.” Mack’s voice was low, filled with guilt, “Striker wasn’t using the safety and the gun discharged, firing a shot.” Mack sank to his knees, lost in memories, “I managed to wrestle the gun from Striker but then Rafe tackled me and tried to rip it from my hand.”

Rafe’s voice was filled with disgust when he spoke, “The gun had hit Patty who was protecting her boys, the bullet piercing her right in the chest. She was bleeding out. I knew I had to do something. Ron yelled for Mack to notice but he was focused on Striker and not paying attention. Seeing that Mack and I were grappling over the gun he ran forward to keep anyone else from being injured.”

Mack hung his head, shoulders sagging forward, “I didn’t see Ron until it was too late.”

My head was pounding, the blood pumping through my veins so fast I was lightheaded.

“Tell me it isn’t true. Please,” I begged, my accusatory eyes landing on Mack.

“I shot Ron.”

A low inhuman moan of despair launched from Rae’s throat.

I was rushing toward my girl before I realized I had moved. Her tormented wail echoed in my head, breaking and shattering my heart as I watched her crumple to the ground. I pulled her into my arms, my desperate gaze landing first on Bryce and then Mack. “Fuck!” I yelled, completely shocked by the turn of events.

Rafe pointed his gun at Mack, his fierce expression sending an icy chill along my spine. “And now justice will be served.”

Striker laughed, “But not before his only son dies in front of him. Don’t think I’ve forgotten for one minute about Akando or the other warehouse.”

Like I gave a shit if he was pissed. Akando had it coming.

I was yanked from Rae as she screamed my name and I fought against Striker and two other Outlaw members. Devlin wasn’t here but I didn’t care. Three more held Mack as Striker’s gun pointed directly at my forehead. I closed my eyes for a moment and tried to ignore Rae’s screams in the background.

I always knew this life would kill me . . .

But I never thought my father’s sins would be what caused my death.

“Edge, brother!”

Rafe’s and Striker’s guns discharged at the same time, the loud ricochet of the bullets leaving the barrels echoing in the large skeletal room. Bryce’s fear flooded my body and I gasped when I realized at the exact same moment he did that I was going to die.

Faster than should have been possible Bryce and I ran for one another. In his eyes I saw determination and intense concentration, but no fear. He shouldn’t have been able to reach me as quickly as he did, stretching toward my arm the same moment I instinctively reached for his.

Time slowed.

My heart stuttered.

Bryce and I made contact.

The second our bodies touched a vast explosion shot through the room accompanied by a pulse that vibrated within the foundation’s walls, the very air paused a millisecond before it sent the wave surging outward. A greenish glow encompassed our joined frames and crackled like booming thunder, jumping from our skin and darting into the atmosphere.

Everything went black.

Inhale. Exhale.

I blinked, coming back to awareness.

Both Bryce and I were flat on our backs, lying prone next to each other.

Moaning was coming from both Rae and Mack. Unfazed I sat up and scurried toward Rae but froze as I reached her, knowing she was fine, as well as Mack. I could feel and sense their heartbeats, frantic but unharmed. My baby was alright.

The surge of power that reflected from Bryce and I had thrown the others remaining in the room hard, catapulting them into the solid concrete walls. Bodies were strewn across the barren floor. Metal fragments and the stench of gunpowder were the only indication guns had been discharged. Blood was spattered like some horror movie, limbs twisted and broken at odd angles. No other heartbeats.

Only four people were alive.

Everyone else perished.