Chapter 36

Knox

Cohen tosses me a magazine and a gun. Stu appears out of thin fucking air strapping me with a vest. I look over to see Taylan strapping up and barking orders at our guys to spread out and form a perimeter to block these fuckers in. It's our best plan until Floyd and Mase get back with the rest of the men. These cunts have been watching us and waiting for the perfect time to strike.

"Lance, I want you, Jordan and Cash to get my mom the fuck out of here." They nod their heads and rush off to do as I ordered. Looking to Sel and Paul, next I order both of them to get Roberto out, if he is a part of my camp being attacked then his end won't be swift, it will be drawn out and painful. Once I'm strapped up, I nod to Cohen and Taylan to follow me as I instruct Stu to lead the rest of the guys out to close in on these cunts. "How far out are Mase and the others?" I ask Cohen.

"Soon as I heard the first shot I called him back, twenty minutes tops, boss." Grinding my teeth, I give him a curt nod. In twenty minutes we could all be dead, in a gunfight all it takes is a second for you to die so twenty minutes may as well be three hours.

"We move to the eastern side of the lake. Xander took Lakeland there to shield her from sight. Once we get her, you take her and get the fuck out of here, clear?" I can see Cohen wants to argue that he should be staying behind while Taylan and I run with her but not this time, this shit ends tonight.

"Yes, boss." I push in front of Taylan and crouch low to peer around the side of the cabin and immediately jerk back when a shot whizzes past my head. A whoosh of air escapes me as my adrenaline kicks in, I fucking live for this shit.

"Two on the corner, three on the right and one on the left. On my count we go." Taylan and Cohen grunt their agreement as I push to my feet. "Three… Two… One!" The three of us run out from around the side, Tay takes the three on the right, Co takes out the single fucker while I take down the duo on the corner. Both of them are hot on my heels as I rush to the next cabin plastering my back to it, we just need to get around this cabin to hit the woods and can use the cover of the trees to get to Lake without being seen.

"Knox!" Taylan hisses garnering my attention. I turn and follow to where he is pointing. My eyes widen at the sight of Xander stripping the guns off one of our fallen soldiers behind the cabin we have taken cover beside. I rush past them. At the sound of my approach, Xander lurches to his feet and points the gun at me. When he realizes it's me, he quickly drops it just in time for me to press up against him.

"Where the fuck is she?" I snarl.

"I left her in the lake. I wasn't armed and couldn't risk her getting taken?—"

"But you could run her fucking down with our car and kill my kid?" Xander stumbles back a step and shakes his head. He opens his mouth but I refuse to allow him to speak. "When this is finished, you're gone," I grit out, making sure he can hear every ounce of hatred I feel toward him for taking her from me and robbing me of the chance to watch a life we created together grow inside my girl. Xander snaps his mouth closed and nods, looking pained. He has no fucking right to look that way!

"Move!" Cohen shouts just as men round the corner and open fire. We're forced to sprint for the cover of the woods. This is the worst possible situation to be in, we're in the open with no cover. The four of us run in a zigzag pattern making it hard for anyone to get a shot. A couple of feet from the covers of the trees I dive forward and roll along the ground until I take cover behind a tree. I peer around it and open fire when I spot Gio's guys. Shouts ring out from either side of me and I loathe to fucking admit it but I'm relieved when I hear the sound of three other guns firing from my side.

The five guys drop to the ground but I hear more shouts from behind them. "I found the Don, this way!" the cunt calls out to the others.

"Fuck," I snarl. Now that they know where I am they are all going to be coming for me. I can't get to Lake with all of them on my ass.

"Go to her, I'll lead them away." I snap my head to the right and stare at Xander. He implores me with his eyes to trust him, years of brotherhood bonding has me wanting to accept his offer but after learning he betrayed me it gives me pause. "Go, Cohen and I will lead them away. Take Taylan and get her out of here."

"If you fucking?—"

He cuts me off before I can finish threatening him. "I swear, I won't fail you now, go!" Xander takes off with Cohen on his tail. "This way, Knox!" he calls out, creating a diversion so those pompous cunts think it's me with him. Taylan and I wait behind a tree until the sound of the guys chasing after them fades, I chance a glance around the tree and when I spot the coast is clear, I nod to him and we take off running, pausing every couple of seconds to take cover behind trees until we deem the coast is clear. We push closer to the edge of the tree line and hunker down behind a large oak tree on the eastern side. I slide down the tree and pop my mag out, two rounds left and I have three more clips strapped to my side. I shoot Tay a look and motion toward his gun, he holds up four fingers and then points then two. He's got four rounds in the clip and two spare mags.

Resting my head back against the tree, I take a couple deep breaths and block out the sounds of all the shouting, gunfire and cries of pain as I get in the zone. To get to Lakeland we have to cross through an open space of land with no cover, we'll be sitting ducks until we reach the edge of the bank. Tay shifts and peers around the tree as I scan the area around us, making sure we aren't about to be ambushed before looking back at him only to find his panic stricken gaze on me. I feel the color drain out of my face as I take a look and crippling fear like I have never felt before in my life threatens to hold me immobile.

"Mom," I mutter her name as if it's a prayer and that the sight in front of me is nothing but a bad dream. At least six guys that are heavily armed form a semi-circle around Percy and Gio, while four more stand by my mom who is on her knees with a gun pressed to the back of her head. I feel my heart pumping inside my chest but I'm struggling to pull in any air—I can't fucking lose her. I won't lose another person I fucking love. I turn to Taylan ready to tell him to head back to get the others but the words die in my throat at the sight of him standing. He tosses me his gun and the spare mags, I catch them on reflex.

"You fucking get us out of this, you are better than your father ever was. Save Lake and change the fucking game, I won't let our mom pay the price for our fuck up." Before I can climb to my feet or utter a fucking word, he darts out of the cover of the tree as I watch. The moment they spot him, all their guns except for the one on my mom turn to him. Taylan holds his head high and raises his hands spinning around in a circle to show them he isn't armed. My heart aches, this is the worst fucking situation of my life. Taylan and Xander aren't just friends, they aren't just some kids I grew up with, they are my fucking brothers and losing one of them would be like losing my sister all over again. "You want to fuck with Knox?" he shouts. "Come get me and make me an example. That woman means nothing to him, he left her unguarded. I'm the better bait."

"Motherfucker!" I snarl as I try to think of a plan, something that will get them both out of this alive. Goddammit, Lakeland is still in the water and I have no way to get to her either. I'm fucking powerless. I took this family from my father because I never wanted to feel powerless again, yet here I am, with more money than I can spend in three lifetimes, a bunch of loyal men ready to die for me but I still don't have enough power to save the ones I fucking love. A branch snaps and I draw my gun, aiming it and ready to fire, but hesitate at the sight of Roberto coming toward me with Jordan, Stu, Mika and a few others. He uses hand signals to direct my men to spread out along the tree line before coming to me. I don't lower my gun.

The fucker doesn't stop even when the barrel of my Glock is pressed against his chest, his brown eyes boring into mine. The stubborn set of his jaw does nothing to sway me from dropping my gun, I don't trust this cunt.

"Come on you motherfuckers!" I flinch at the sound of my best friend"s voice, followed by the sound of flesh hitting flesh. I slam my eyes closed, hating that he's out there getting his ass beat because of me.

"Look at me." Without consent my eyes snap open and meet my father's. "You're a fucking Don, you are the head of this family. You have the power and the control to turn this shit around. Your men that have returned, are laying waste to rest of theirs. Man the fuck up, Son, and do what needs to be done." I fucking hate that, hearing him call me son has that stupid little boy inside me that longed for their father when he was younger to rise up. "Save your family." His words fan the flame of determination inside me. I hold his gaze as I think for a second before nodding.

"Hands behind your back, you"re going to trade your life for my mom and Taylan's." His eyes shine with pride. He nods his head and turns around, placing his hands behind his back. Stu comes forward and offers me a cable tie. I look from it to Roberto's wrist and ponder it for a second before snatching the fucking thing and placing it around his wrists, but I don't tighten it. I shove Tay's gun into my waistband but keep my own in my hand. I grip Roberto's shirt in my other hand and heave him forward, Stu and Jordan following me out. "Hey!" I yell, drawing all their attention to me. Anger burns inside me at the sight of Taylan on the ground in a ball as five cunts stand over him. My boy lifts his head and the sight of his face bloody and bruised has me gritting my teeth. The fucker smiles but then flinches in pain. Tearing my gaze from him I look back to Percy and Gio, ignoring the cock suckers who turn their guns to me.

"Knox Bronson, come to surrender?" Gio says cockily. I look at my mom who is sobbing and covering her mouth with her hand as she stares at Taylan on the ground before darting her fearful gaze to me. "Ah, the scum brother who has been a thorn in my fucking side for years," Gio spits out. Roberto remains silent as I continue to force him forward only stopping ten feet away from the cunts. I may have men scattered around in the trees ready to strike at any moment but Gio and Percy know they both hold the power here with a gun trained on my best friend and my mom.

"Surrender?" I say menacingly. "Never," I snarl. Percy's face contorts in disgust at the sight of me so I decide to taunt the cunt, I just need one of them to snap and break formation so I can strike. "Percy, still a spineless cocksucker I see." The fucker's eyes widen in indignation.

"You filthy, fucking gutter rat!" he screams bringing a smile to my face.

"A gutter rat your daughter loves to fuck nightly." His face turns beat red. I hate using Lake to get at him but I don't have a choice. I just hope if she can hear me she knows I'm full of shit. "Fuck, even without her memories she still loves my cock inside her."

"You little bastard!" He tries to come to me but Gio holds him back as Stu and Jordan cock their guns, ready to fire. I shake my head, telling them to stop when the fucker holding the gun to my mom's head pushes the barrel against it harder. "Get on your knees and surrender or your mother dies." I keep my face blank not showing these fucks that Percy's threat has me on edge.

"I don't kneel," I say in a cold tone. "You want my surrender? That won't happen but I will trade you Roberto for Clara and Taylan." Percy laughs but my focus is on Gio and the way he is eyeing his brother, they may only be half-brothers but you wouldn't think it with how similar they look. I decide to take a huge fucking risk and use what Roberto told me. "I know this fucker has been causing problems for you, Uncle." Gio's mask falters for a second but it's long enough for me to see the look of bloodlust, he wants Roberto dead more than I do. As long as his older brother lives, his claim to being the head of the family will always be challenged.

"He means nothing to us, we have you by the fucking balls you?—"

Giovani cuts off Percy's pathetic threat. "You get your mother back but we're keeping your friend." My nostrils flare and I grind my teeth.

"No," I force out. "I told you my terms," I roar, spying out of the corner of my eye a dozen or so of Gio's men coming from the woodlands behind them. Fuck! I shift slightly behind Roberto and discreetly drop my hold on him and pull Taylan's gun from my waistband and place it in his hand. I look between the both of them and know they are never going to give up either of them, I see it in Gio's eyes.

"You have four seconds before I kill them both," Gio clips out. I look between Taylan and my mom and panic. Fuck it, I open my mouth to tell them to take me instead but terror renders me speechless as I watch Lakeland leap from the water. The guy holding a gun to my mom's head turns toward Lake, without hesitating I lift my gun and fire. The men behind them begin running forward as more shots ring out. Gio pulls his gun and aims it at me just as I turn and shoot the cunt who holds a gun on Taylan, while Stu and Jordan fire off rounds.

"Knox, no!" my mother screams. I turn toward her in time to see Lakeland charge her father just as Gio fires his shot at me. I stand here waiting for it all to end. They say you see your life flash before your eyes when you're about to die but I see nothing except for the heartbroken look in my mother's eyes and the gut curdling scream that comes from Lake. I hate that I will never get to hold them again, but at least I'll finally get to see my sister again, I think as I close my eyes and wait.