22. MASON

22

MASON

R age surged through me, and I slammed my fist into the wall of Tanner’s garage. I didn’t even feel the crack of my knuckles through the burning fury boiling in my gut. Cami was in danger, and it was my fault. I should’ve seen this coming. Viktor was a fucking snake, and now he was using the parade as cover to pull his shit.

Tanner stood nearby, arms crossed, watching me with his usual calm demeanor. “I scouted around town,” he said, his voice calm. He wasn’t as emotionally invested in this as I was. “They’re still here. Blending in with the parade. Viktor’s using the costumes to move his men into position.”

I clenched my fists tighter, my mind racing. This was exactly the kind of move Viktor would make. Hide in plain sight, mask his men as harmless participants, and then strike when no one expected it. Nothing changed, did it?

Fuck.

I’d dealt with his kind before. I knew his playbook, and I wasn’t going to let him get away with it. This time, he’d fucked with the wrong guy. There was a lot someone could do to a man and it wouldn’t break him, but get to his woman and it was war.

“Rae still wants you to be Santa?” Tanner asked, breaking the silence when I pulled on the red coat and tightened the stupid black belt around my waist. Tanner watched me with one eyebrow cocked.

I probably looked like a joke in this costume, but that was exactly what I needed right now.

I scoffed. “Can’t believe I’m actually grateful for that. Rae has pulled a lot of shit that pissed me off this Christmas, but this…” I grinned at Tanner when I put on the Santa hat. “It’s time to play dress-up.”

Tanner shook his head and chuckled. “Never thought I’d see you like this. There’s a first for everything, eh?”

I snorted. “You’re telling me.” With Cami, there had been a lot of firsts.

“At least you’ll blend in,” Tanner said. “And it’ll give us cover to move through the parade without drawing too much attention.”

I nodded. That was the plan. We needed to be careful, methodical. One wrong move and Viktor’s men could start a bloodbath in the middle of the town. I didn’t put that beneath them—they weren’t hiding in plain sight because they gave a shit about the collateral damage. They were just biding their time before they started hurting people. I wasn’t about to let that happen.

But infiltrating the town was an afterthought. Viktor’s biggest mistake had been taking Cami. He was using her to draw me out. Well, he was going to get a shit ton more than he bargained for.

“Let’s gear up,” I said, stalking toward the back of the garage where I’d added my stash to Tanner’s. He followed, staying quiet as I pulled out my weapons—a tactical knife, a suppressed pistol, and a few other essentials. I strapped the knife to my thigh and tucked the pistol into a hidden holster beneath the oversized red suit Rae had given me.

“What are we dealing with?” Tanner asked as he geared up beside me.

“Viktor’s got a handful of guys,” I said. “I doubt he’s got anyone who’s not hidden in the crowd. His mistake is usually playing his whole hand—everyone has a weakness.”

“It’s a bad thing when your enemies know your weak spots.”

“It counts in my favor,” I said. “But it’s not going to be a party, I’ll tell you that much. I’ve taken down worse. But this time…” I trailed off, the image of Cami’s terrified face flashing in my mind.

“We’ll get her out,” he said. “We’ll get her back.” Tanner understood. If anyone understood, it was him. He’d felt the same about Rae, and it was almost ironic how we were in the same situation, just a mirror image of what had happened before. But this time, it wasn’t in the woods, secluded and out of the way.

This time we had to make sure no innocents got hurt; it was a whole different ballgame.

I pulled the Santa coat tight, adjusting the bulk of it so it didn’t interfere with my movements. I’d laugh at the ridiculousness of it if the situation weren’t so fucking serious. Instead, I just took a deep breath, focusing on the task ahead.

“Let’s move,” I said, my voice hard as steel.

The parade was in full swing when we reached Main Street. The air was thick with the scent of roasted chestnuts and gingerbread, the festive sound of Christmas music filling the air. It was almost an onslaught to my senses.

Kids ran around laughing, chasing after candy tossed from floats, while families huddled together, enjoying the warmth of the holiday spirit despite the chill in the air along with the freshly fallen snow.

It was picture-perfect—except for the fact Viktor’s men were hiding among the crowd, waiting for the right moment to strike.

I scanned the area, my eyes sharp. I’d been trained to pick out the slightest hint of danger and after a decade in the forest, I was still sharp as a tack. I hadn’t let my senses go, and the military training never really went away.

Viktor wasn’t stupid.

He’d blend his men in perfectly, but there were tells—subtle movements, the way they held themselves. It didn’t take long before I spotted them. One by one. Standing near the edge of the crowd, just enough space between them that they looked like sentries. They were watching, waiting for Viktor’s word to unleash hell upon Silver Ridge.

And he was using that as a way to pressure Cami for something, no doubt. He was a piece of shit if I ever knew one. Wallace, too.

The pair of them were wastes of space, and it was time to end this once and for all.

I motioned to Tanner, nodding toward one of Viktor’s men who stood near the hot cocoa stand.

Tanner nodded back almost imperceptibly, slipping into the crowd with the ease of a predator stalking his prey. We moved in tandem, silent, methodical—just like the old days when we used to hunt together.

Back in the day when I’d been in the army, I would have loved to have Tanner on my team.

One by one, we took them out. It was almost too easy. The Christmas cheer drowned out the sounds of bodies hitting the ground, and the crowds made it easy to drag the bodies out of sight without someone noticing. Everyone had their eyes trained on the parade, the floats, and it was a piece of cake doing our thing behind their backs.

My knife slid through the air silently, striking precise and true. Tanner’s hits were just as clean. We moved like ghosts, taking out Viktor’s men.

To the rest of the town, we were just another pair of Santas enjoying the festivities.

On the inside, my blood was pumped with a different kind of energy. I kept my eyes open, but I couldn’t spot the one person I was looking for.

Cami was out there, somewhere in this crowd, with Viktor at her side. Every second she was with Viktor put her life at risk. He wouldn’t hesitate to hurt her—kill her, even—as soon as he got what he needed.

I hoped she knew that and that she would stall for time. But she wasn’t stupid. I was sure she wasn’t just going to roll over for someone like Viktor.

I hoped to God this would work out.

I clenched my jaw and focused on the moment, pushing forward, following the faint trail of Viktor’s men, picking them off one by one.

Then I saw her.

Cami stood near the large Christmas tree, her face pale, her eyes wide with fear. And beside her—looming over her like a shadow—was Viktor, dressed in a fucking Grinch mask, with Wallace at his side. They had her pinned in the middle of the crowd, acting like they were just a couple of guys enjoying the parade, but I could see the tension in Cami’s body.

She was terrified.

I moved in closer, my hand tightening around the grip of my knife. Tanner flanked me, his eyes locked on Wallace. He’d followed my eyes and spotted them, too, and without a word, we stalked our prey.

We crept closer, slipping through the crowd unnoticed, but Viktor spotted me before I could reach them. He pushed up his mask, finally showing his face.

A slow, twisted smile spread across his face as he pulled Cami closer, wrapping an arm around her neck. “Don’t even think about it,” he growled, his voice low enough that only I could hear. “I’ll snap her neck before you can even blink.”

My heart stopped.

The world around me blurred as I focused on Cami—her wide, terrified eyes, the way her body shook under Viktor’s hold. For a split second, I froze, every instinct screaming at me to protect her, to get her out of there. But one wrong move and Viktor would kill her. I couldn’t let that happen.

“Let her go,” I said, my voice dangerously calm as I inched closer. “This is between you and me, Viktor. She has nothing to do with it.”

Viktor chuckled, tightening his grip on Cami. “Oh, but she does,” he sneered. “She owes me a couple of answers. I’m not here for you, but two birds with one stone never hurt anyone. She brought you out of hiding, didn’t she? And now, here we are. All thanks to her.”

Cami whimpered, her eyes locking onto mine, pleading for me to do something to get her out of this.

I willed her to know I would do anything for her. I would risk my life for her. I hoped she could see it in my eyes.

But Viktor wasn’t making it easy. He was using her as a fucking shield, his body hidden behind hers, making it impossible for me to get a clear shot at him, even if I used my knife and not a gun.

My hands itched to grab the pistol hidden beneath my coat, but I couldn’t risk it. Not with Cami so close.

Tanner moved to my left, closing in on Wallace, who was eyeing the situation with that same cold, calculating look he always had. He hadn’t said anything, and until now, Tanner had hung back.

Tanner moved fast, grabbing Wallace by the collar and dragging him away from the crowd. I could hear the scuffle behind me—the grunts, the sound of fists hitting flesh—but my focus was on Viktor and Cami.

Tanner’s move on Wallace had created another distraction, and Viktor was a little shaken.

“Let her go,” I repeated, taking another step forward. My mind raced, calculating every angle. I had to get her out of this. But Viktor was too close—too damn close.

Then he did the one thing I hadn’t expected. He pulled out a gun and pressed it against Cami’s temple.

“Back off, Mason,” Viktor growled, his voice dripping with malice. “Or I swear to God, I’ll blow her brains out right here. I don’t even care if they see it.”

My heart stopped.

Every muscle in my body tensed, fear like I’d never felt before coursing through me. I couldn’t lose her. Not like this. One wrong step, and Viktor would pull the trigger.

I stared into Cami’s eyes, seeing the fear, the desperation. And then… something shifted. My training kicked in. This wasn’t the first time I’d been in a situation like this. I’d been trained for moments like this. I just had to switch off my mind—and my heart—and act.

Slowly, I raised my hands, stepping back just enough to make Viktor think I was retreating. His grip on Cami loosened ever so slightly, and that was all I needed.

I lunged forward, grabbing Viktor’s wrist and twisting it hard. The gun flew from his hand, clattering to the ground as he let out a roar of pain.

Cami stumbled back, free from his grasp, and I wasted no time. I grabbed Viktor and drove him around the corner, out of sight so I could do what I needed to do without ruining the parade. I didn’t need everyone to see what was about to happen.

It was going to be ugly.

I drove my fist into Viktor’s gut, knocking the wind out of him before slamming him to the ground.

“Stay the fuck away from her,” I growled, my voice low and lethal as I held him down. “You should never have touched her.”

Behind me, Tanner had Wallace in a corner but Wallace wasn’t going to go down with a fight. Still, I knew Tanner could take him and I kept my focus on Viktor. The sounds of the fight were muffled by the parade, the cheers and laughter of the crowd oblivious to the fighting just out of sight.

I pressed my knee into Viktor’s chest, staring down at him with a cold, hard glare. “You’re done,” I spat. “You’ll never touch her again.”

Viktor glared up at me, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. But he didn’t say a word.

He knew it was over.

I stood up, turning to find Cami standing a few feet away, her body trembling, tears streaming down her face.

I cracked my knuckles into Viktor’s face once, hard , and he was out like a light. I wanted to do a hell of a lot more to him—I wanted to skin him alive and string his body up for the world to see what would happen if someone touched my woman.

But this was enough. I wasn’t going to kill in front of Cami when it wasn’t necessary.

I rushed over to Cami and pulled her into my arms. She melted into me, shaking like a leaf as I held her close, my hands running down her back in a desperate attempt to comfort her. She sobbed against my chest and trembled with the fear that had consumed her.

“Hey,” I whispered, cupping the back of her head as I rested my chin on her hair. “It’s over. You’re safe. I’ve got you.”

She clung to me, her fingers gripping my coat so tightly her knuckles turned white.

I felt the same. I wasn’t letting her go either. Not after the fear of losing her had ripped through me like a fucking bullet to the chest.

I hadn’t allowed myself to believe she could be everything to me like this, but I was done trying to push it away. She was my everything, and I wasn’t going to let anything happen to her ever again.

“I’m sorry,” she choked out, her voice muffled against my chest. “Mason, I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.”

I pulled back just enough to look into her eyes, my hands on either side of her face. She looked up at me with so much pain in her eyes.

“No,” I said firmly, shaking my head. “None of this is your fault, Cami. You hear me? This is on Viktor, on Wallace… and whoever else is involved in this. Not you. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Her eyes filled with tears, her bottom lip trembling.

“Dylan, my ex… Viktor said he’d been involved. He wanted to know what I knew, but I swear I didn’t know anything. I didn’t know—”

“Hush,” I said gently. She was racked with guilt, but I wasn’t going to let her carry that burden.

It was all over. Not just for her but for the first time in a decade for me, too.

“They would have found a way to come after me and after you no matter what,” I said in a gentle voice. “You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. And if your ex was involved, it’s just a very long series of very unfortunate events. But it’s over now. You’re safe, and I’m not going to let anyone hurt you ever again.”

She nodded, still in shock after what had happened. I knew it would take a moment for the adrenaline to fade and for her to realize the danger was really over.

Behind us, Tanner had Wallace restrained, his hands tied behind his back with a piece of rope Tanner had stashed in his coat. Wallace looked like shit—bloodied and beaten, his face swollen from the hits Tanner had landed. Tanner looked a little worse for wear but not nearly as bad as Wallace did.

I didn’t feel an ounce of pity for the bastard.

“What now?” Tanner asked, his voice gruff as he dragged Wallace closer. “You want me to call the sheriff, or are we handling this ourselves?”

I glanced down at Viktor, who was still lying on the ground, groaning in pain. Every instinct in my body screamed at me to end him right here and now—to make sure he never came after us again.

But I wasn’t going to do it that way.

I’d stopped him, and his men were hurt and unconscious, but I wasn’t going to kill unless it was absolutely necessary. I wasn’t that man anymore.

“Call the sheriff,” I muttered, my voice low. “Let him handle the cleanup.”

Tanner nodded, pulling out his phone as he dragged Wallace off to the side, keeping him out of sight of the parade. I could hear the sounds of kids laughing nearby, oblivious to the chaos that had just unfolded only a few feet away.

I let out a long breath, glancing down at Viktor one last time before turning my attention back to Cami. She was still trembling, still gripping my coat like it was the only thing keeping her grounded.

“Let’s get you out of here,” I whispered, slipping my arm around her waist and leading her away from the crowd. “You’ve had enough excitement for one day.”

She nodded silently, leaning into me as we walked away from the parade, leaving the sounds of Christmas cheer behind us.

We made our way down a side street, far from the bustling crowd, the air growing quieter as we moved further from the celebration. The snow pressed under our feet, the cold driving into the shitty Santa suit I wore, but I barely felt it. All I could think about was her—keeping her safe and getting her home.

When we reached her cottage, I paused at the door, turning to look down at her. Her face was pale, her eyes still wide with lingering fear. She was so strong, but right now, she was fragile. I just wanted to hold her.

“You okay?” I asked softly, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

She nodded, though her voice was still shaky. “I will be,” she whispered, her eyes meeting mine. “As long as you’re here.”

I felt something inside me shift at her words, and I knew that whoever I’d been in the past, thanks to her, I was a changed man. I didn’t just feel the need to protect her—it was something much deeper, something I hadn’t allowed myself to even think about feeling for someone.

I wanted her in my life. I wanted to be there for her, to make sure she never had to go through anything like this again. I wanted to be the man she could rely on, no matter what.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I said, my voice gruff.

“Thank you,” she whispered, and the last of the tension bled out of her body when she let out a shuddering breath.

I leaned down, pressing my forehead against hers, closing my eyes for a moment. This woman was everything I didn’t know I needed. And I wasn’t going to let anything take her away from me again.

“I’ll always be here,” I murmured, brushing my lips against hers softly.

For the first time in what felt like forever, a sense of peace settled over me. It had been a decade of running, a decade of hiding, but all that was over now. I didn’t know what the future held, but for the first time in years, I wasn’t afraid of it.

Viktor and Wallace were taken care of, and I could close the door on that part of my life. And I had Cami by my side, a reason to look toward the future.

We stood there for a moment longer, wrapped in each other’s warmth, the snow falling softly around us like a blanket of peace.

The storm had finally passed, and I’d make damn sure it stayed that way.