Chapter 4

Lakeland

We've been in Calgary for over a week now and River has confined me to this shitty-ass motel room. There is only so much you can watch on TV without any cable. Colson handed me a phone but it's one that has no access to the internet and can only text or call. I snort out a laugh. It"s not like I have any friends to call or someone who will be worrying about me. I'm no one"s person and as hard as that hits me in my feels, I know I have to power through it. River and Colson have been going out every day since we got here, trying to find help as she called it. By help she means someone who can get us fake documents to cross the border into the US until we can get enough money together to hop our asses on a plane and get the fuck out of Dodge.

When I hear the room door unlock, I don't bother getting up from my position on the bed, choosing to remain sprawled out.

"Get up, we need to move now!" At the panicked shriek from my sister I leap to my feet. "Grab your shit, we need to leave now," she snaps again. I have nothing but the meager possessions we bought at Walmart, so it only takes me a few seconds to snatch the plastic bag off the floor before she is gripping my arm and pulling me out the door after her. It takes everything I have not to trip down the stairs after her.

"What's going on?" I ask once we hit the first floor and she begins to run, forcing me to follow her lead. I spot Colson in the car across the lot. As we near the car the sound of tires screeching draws my attention and I see a Cadillac Escalade drifting into the motel parking lot.

"Get the fuck in the car!" River screams, shaking me out of my stupor. I yank the door open and jump in the back seat and before I can even close the door, Colson is peeling out of the lot trying to escape the Cadillac that is gaining on us. He pulls onto the main road without even looking, drawing a scream from me when I see an eighteen-wheeler jamming its brakes on. Horns honk but it doesn't deter the wannabe Dominic Toretto, who weaves in and out of traffic at breakneck speed.

"Get the gun out of the glove compartment and shoot when they get close." Terror fills me when I watch my sister follow Colson's instructions.

"River—"

She cuts my protest off. "Shut up, Lakeland. We either take them the fuck out or we are as good as dead."

"You can't kill our father!" I snap before Colson takes a sharp turn and I'm thrown into the door with a grunt. I rush to secure my seatbelt and pray to God that we don't die in some high speed car chase.

"At this point I would rather it be our father chasing us than him." Before I can question her more, she rolls her window down and leans her upper body out with the gun raised and fires off two shots. I cover my ears and scream. "Get us the fuck out of here, Cole. There are too many people out to keep firing."

"You want to fucking drive?" he snaps back at my sister.

"If he catches us, he is going to kill her."

Me?Fear thrums inside me.

"He won't touch her," Cole grits out.

"I won't let him take her," River says with such conviction that it sends a shiver down my spine. Ignoring the remainder of their conversation, I peer out the back window at the white Escalade chasing us down. They are only a couple car spaces away when Colson takes another sharp turn. The seatbelt yanks me back against the seat with a grunt. "They're gaining on us, Cole." He curses and pushes the car to go faster. As we hit some back streets that have zero freaking traffic, I watch the car close in on us. Dread forms in the pit of my stomach as the white car comes up beside us. The windows are tinted so dark I can't see who is inside the car. I scream when the bastard rams us from the side. Colson curses loudly before returning the favor and slamming our car into theirs.

"Take a fucking shot, Riverland!" he roars as we continue smack into each other. River lifts the gun but in order for her to fire at them she would have to fire across Colson. She aims the gun but growls in frustration.

"I can't get a clean fucking shot and I'm not risking hitting you to get to those fuckers."

"Fuck!" Colson shouts before he slams on the brakes sending us all lurching forward. When the car finally stops skidding, I pop my head up to see a barricade of cars in front of us blocking the road. Men stand behind all the cars with guns trained on us. Colson slams the car into reverse but quickly slams on the brake again when the sounds of vehicles behind us skidding to a stop penetrates the air. "We're trapped," he grits out as I look out the windshield to see three guys standing in front of us with their arms crossed over their chests. They were the ones chasing us down.

"Get us the fuck out of here," River barks. I look around and see we have no way out, the road is blocked. Colson looks at my sister with a look of regret and she growls before turning to me. "You stay the fuck in the car, no matter what you see or hear you stay in the car!" Before I can protest she is getting out of the car with Cole hot on her heels. Fuck this! I follow after them. I am not a coward and will not let my big sister fight my battles. At the sound of my approach River spins around, her eyes wide with fear. "Get out of here now!" she screams before turning back to the three men with her gun raised. Colson has his aimed at them as well but my breath lodges in my throat at the sight of the three guys pointing guns at my sister and Cole. I rush to my sister"s side, but she pushes me behind her and shields me from the men"s view.

"Let her go and you can have us," Colson says.

"You mean nothing to me," the guy on the end says. I peer around my sister's shoulder to get a better look. The guy on the end looks like he should be off fighting the Hulk, his black hair is a mess atop his head. The five o'clock shadow that dusts his face adds to his edgy look, but his brown eyes hold no warmth in them.

"You're full of shit, Xander," River snaps back. I reel back in shock that she knows these guys.

"Your bark is bigger than your bite, Riv," the guy on the other end says. Unlike his buddy, he doesn't hold a dark edge. His blue eyes spark with mischief and the casual way in which he dresses makes him look like he has a boy next door type of vibe. He catches me staring and shoots me a wink before running a hand through his brown hair.

"She comes with us and you live." I stifle a gasp at the sound of the guy in the middle's voice—it sends a shiver down my spine. I've heard that voice in my dreams. I run my gaze over him. I can tell without anyone needing to alert me that he is the leader of this… gang. Power wafts off him in waves, the clothes he wears are nothing but a mask. The Converse, blue jeans and black shirt may make him seem approachable but the sneer on his full lips would have men running in the opposite direction. Unlike his friends, he has dusty blond hair that is just the right length to give you something to tug on. His green eyes draw you in but even from this distance I can see the haunted look inside them. There is no mercy in his gaze as he flicks it to me. I feel nothing but deep seated hatred. My lips part in a gasp as I get locked in his eyes and not knowing why he would look at me with utter disdain when he doesn't even know me!

But why does he seem so familiar?

"You are not taking my sister, Knox." A strangled sound escapes me at the mention of his name. I awoke in the hospital six years ago not knowing how I ended up there. My father had to tell me what happened. I was run off the road by a local thug by the name of Knox Bronson all because my father refused to help him with his company. Dad has told me for years that this man has been coming after him and trying to tarnish his reputation.

His gaze is still locked on mine when he answers River. "How many shots need to be fired before you give her up?" He doesn't give River a chance to answer before he fires a shot. Colson roars in pain as he drops to his knees clutching his thigh. I drop down beside him and apply pressure to his wound.

"You're gonna be okay, Cole," I say, pain is etched into his features.

"You son of a bitch!" my sister screams.

"I'm telling Mom you said that." The blue-eyed one says with a smile.

"Fuck off, Taylan," River grits out as another shot rings out. I scream when I feel the bullet whizz past me and lodge itself in Cole's shoulder, sending him sprawling backward. I don't think as I jump on top of him and press my hand against his shoulder. I ignore the sounds of footsteps closing in around us as I continue to use my thigh to press against his leg wound and then use my hands to keep pressure on his shoulder. Me straddling him like this puts me in a compromising position but I don't care. Colson will not die because of me!

"You're gonna be okay." He grunts but I can tell he doesn't believe a word coming out of my mouth.

"You need to run, Lake," he mutters. I shake my head, refusing to run and leave them behind. "He will kill you," he says low enough for only me to hear.

"Why?" I whisper.

He smiles sadly. "Because all great wars start over the love of a woman." Before I can figure out what the fuck that means, another shot rings out but this one comes from my sister.

"Try that shit again and the next shot goes straight through her fucking head." I peer over my shoulder to see Knox's gun trained on me while the other two have theirs on my sister. A grunt from the other side draws my attention. A man lays on the ground clutching his stomach.

River just fucking shot him!

"You have three seconds to step aside or I kill you and that fucker before I take her. Either way you look at this, Deveraux, I'm still walking out of here with that bitch. It's up to you whether or not you are breathing when I do." Knox's words wash over me, sending anger coursing through my body. My sister is stubborn and there is no doubt in my mind that she would choose death over allowing these low life thugs to get their grimy hands on me.

"Look after her," I whisper to Colson before I climb to my feet. He tries to grab for me but I step out of his reach. River keeps her gun trained on the thugs as she turns her head to me, her green eyes implore me to not do it but I won't allow her to be hurt because of me.

My gaze remains on my sister as I speak to them. "I'll go with you if you give your word that you will allow my sister and Colson to leave unharmed?"

"Lakeland, no?—"

"You don't make any fucking demands, bitch!" Knox roars. If he thinks his callous words hurt me, then he has another thing coming. My father calls me many different names and none of them are the one on my birth certificate.

"Put the gun down," I urge her. She shakes her head but the sight of unshed tears in her eyes is what prompts me into action. I reach out and grip the gun. She reluctantly lets it go. I hold it out to the thugs as my sister wraps me in a tight embrace.

"I'll never stop coming for you. I'll find you wherever they take you. Stay strong and never let him break you—" A scream tears out of me when I'm pulled back by my hair. River screams and tries to reach for me but Taylan and Xander are there holding her back. Knox uses his other hand to pry the gun from my hand, as he drags me through the barricade of cars to a black SUV at the back. "I'll fucking kill you, Bronson!" River screams as I'm shoved roughly into the back seat. I quickly scurry to the other side and turn to face the devil who stares at me with pure malice.

"Your sister already did that." His words confuse the fuck out of me. I press myself flush against the door when he climbs in next to me, the moment the door closes I feel claustrophobic. "Feel chosen yet, kitten?" I suck in a sharp intake of air as shock ripples through me, then blinding-hot pain erupts inside my head.