Free Chantal Fernando by Last Ride

he wants, but he is. And he should be.
    Dex’s throat works as he swallows. I can see that he’s trying to process this betrayal, the fact that his own blood is the one with a gun to my head. Dex still has his gun in his hand, but he hasn’t even raised it. Over the years, Eric has popped in and out of our lives only a few times. We hardly see or hear from him, and I know the only reason Dex saw him was because their mom asked it of them. They don’t get along, but I didn’t see this coming from Eric. He must really hate Dex with everything he has.
    â€œYou only have a gun to Faye’s head because she’s allowing it, brother ,” Dex says, sneering the word.
    â€œReally?” Eric replies, scoffing. “I’m sure that’s why she’s been waiting here for you to come and save her ass.”
    Dex just shakes his head and says, “You have about fifteen men here, Eric. Even fuckin’ Xena warrior fuckin’ princess wouldn’t try and leave if she were smart. And none of these men have honor. You’ve surrounded yourself with scum. Do you know the things they could have done to Faye? Surely, somewhere in there, some part of you must care?”
    My lip twitches at the Xena reference.
    My man is funny—I think he’s been hanging around me for way too long now; he’s starting to make jokes at the most inopportune times. It’s great.
    The two men stare at each other from across the room, the air between them thick with hate, pain, and regret.
    I take my chance.
    I duck down to the floor before Eric can pull the trigger, my hair slipping through his loosened grasp, and bring my elbow up to his nuts as hard as I can. He drops. They always do. I grab the gun and leap to my feet before he even knows what’s happening. I’m across the room and by Dex’s side in a heartbeat, pointing the gun back at Eric.
    â€œLike I said,” Dex continues. “The only reason you were the one holding the gun is because she let you. So what was your plan? Get me here, then make me swap my life for hers? Kill me in front of her? Then kill her?”
    â€œYes,” Eric says simply. “Mom is dead. There’s nothing left tying us together. I hate you, Dex. You have everything so easy. You were a shit older brother. It was me who looked after Mom; you hardly saw her. Too busy fucking with my sloppy seconds. Just look what you’ve turned Faye into. She was meant to be so much more than she is. I fuckin’ hate you, and I always will. The Kings hate you. We’re going to destroy everything you’ve built.”
    I see it coming. I know Dex. I know the way he moves, his body language. I know his intentions before he even knows them himself.
    I see it in his expression.
    He lifts the gun and points it at his brother. He’s made his decision, and now it’s time to make mine.
    Who says it always has to be Dex saving me?
    I’m a hero in my own right.
    I pull the trigger.

TEN

    Faye
    D EX keeps staring at me out of the corner of his eye, like he’s waiting for me to have a breakdown. After I shot Eric, he picked me up, threw me over his shoulder, and carried me out of there. The rest of the Wind Dragons were waiting for me, all in a line, guns pointed at the Kings. It was like a scene from a movie.
    On my way to the car, I saw my captor lying on the ground, a bullet through his head. I still don’t know who he is.
    â€œWho killed him?” I ask, breaking the silence.
    â€œTalon,” Dex tells me, clearing his throat. “That was Slice.”
    My eyebrows rise at that.
    Slice?
    The same Slice that Tia and Bailey had drinks with one night?
    The man Talon considered a friend?
    I want to kick him, again.
    I sure as fuck won’t miss him. We let the rest of the Kings live. It’s early morning, and everything we do can be seen and heard.
    Slice is dead, and that’s the main thing. Talon and Ranger got their