BECKETT

I DID SOMETHING TERRIBLE, the worst. I can’t say it, can’t even think it. But it’s there in my soul and I’ll carry it with me forever.

I stare at the dot on my phone’s map as I contemplate my next move. I’ve been watching her location, thinking of all the twisted, fucked up things I want to do to her. I want to murder her, but I also want to fu—no, I won’t even think that.

The dot starts moving on my phone. At first, I think she’s just moving around at the cabin, but then it starts moving faster and quickly ventures beyond the property.

She’s running.

No, she wouldn’t run. She cares too much.

That only leaves one possibility—she’s been kidnapped.

I run to my car with my phone in hand as my anxiety racks through me. There’s more at stake than just her, but for a second, all I think of is her safety. My pulse flies thinking about her getting hurt.

I step on the gas as I chase her, but I’m a good hour behind. I call Caius. He answers on the second ring.

“Someone took Ri!” I yell into the phone.

“What? She’s—fuck! We’re on it.”

I hang up the phone, knowing they can track her as well. They are closer, but as I’m already in my car and Caius has to wake the rest of the guys, I’m not sure who will get to her first.

I watch the dot speed toward the city, and I follow, driving like a fucking maniac. I’m sweating, my hand trembling at the wheel. I can’t even play music I’m so focused on getting to her.

“I’m going to make it. I’m going to make it. I’m going to make it,” I repeat over and over.

When that doesn’t work, I repeat, “She’s strong. She’s strong. She’s strong.”

The dot suddenly stops.

I look up the address while I speed down the interstate. They took her to a club. And not just any club—the Phantom Brotherhood’s club.

They took her.

They rescinded our deal—those fuckers.

I step harder on the gas, going as fast as my car will take me. My mind is racing too, and I end up having to take large gulps of air every few seconds because I forget to breathe.

What seems like hours but is actually only a few minutes later, I make it to the club. I don’t know what I’m about to walk into, but I’ll do whatever it takes to get her back.

I walk through the club as stealthily as possible, so I can scope the place first before drawing attention.

2

Mistaken Hero

Although that isn’t easy to do when you only have one arm, people tend to stare.

I should call the crew and see if they’ve made it, but when I pull my phone out, I have no reception. I’m not going to waste time going outside to call them, and I’m riled up enough to take down anyone by myself.

I make my way through the main areas and don’t find her or any of the Phantom Brotherhood. They must be in a back room.

I head down the hallway when I hear a scream.

It’s her.

I can hear it over the booming music—her howl pierces my heart, deflating it like a balloon.

I’m too late. She’s been hurt.

I run toward her voice and am led to a locked door. I kick the door down, too impatient to pick the lock. Their security is shit.

The sight in front of me rips my heart from my chest.

She’s on a pool table naked with four men surrounding her. They are all shirtless, wearing horned masks that make them look like devils or monsters. Most have their dicks out; some have their dicks inside her. Inside what’s mine.

Except she’s not mine. She never will be.

But she’s mine to protect.

I see red.

A switch flicks in my brain. I don’t think; I just move automatically. The guy that’s between her legs—I throw him by the neck and punch him hard in the jaw repeatedly until he’s rolling on the floor.

I grab the next one and kick him in the balls. Then a swift kick to the head drops him to his knees.

The third puts up more of a fight, having seen what

ELLA MILES

I’ve done to his buddies. He gets a punch into my gut, but it barely slows me down before I knock him out.

And then there’s just one. He gets all my remaining rage in the form of punches and kicks. If my outrage was patient, I’d pull a gun out, but luckily for him, I’d rather murder him with my fists.

He doubles over, and her screams are the only thing that keeps me from actually killing him.

She’s scared to death, lying naked on the table with a blindfold over her eyes. I can’t imagine what is going through her head. The monsters didn’t even let her see. They took full advantage of her.

As much as I want to stay around and murder these fuckers, I need to get her out of here.

She removes the mask, and we come face to face. I’m still pissed at her. And it’s clear from the way her eyes dilate at my sight that she’s pissed at me. But we can be pissed later. I need to get her out of here.

I scoop her up in my arm—not an easy task, but I make it work. I’m not going to throw her over my shoulder when she’s in this state. I wish I could cover her better as I head out into the hall, but I’m more worried about those rapists waking up and trying to take her.

Unexpectedly she starts fighting me, beating against my chest and flailing around trying to get out of my arm. I don’t know if she thinks I was one of the guys hurting her or if she’s mentally still back in that room fighting them off.

I duck into the closest room that will provide some safety until she calms down. I run into a private bathroom, kick the door shut, and turn the lock—only then can I breathe a bit.

“It’s okay, Princess. You’re safe. I’ve got you. I won’t let

4

Mistaken Hero

them hurt you. You’re just in shock.” I grip her tighter, but she pushes free. “What are you doing?” “Saving you,” I say.

“Of course you are, Hero. Of course you are.” She runs her hands through her hair with a frustrated grin. “I don’t know why you decided to save me this time, but you got one little thing wrong.”

I frown, my brows pinching together. “What’s that?”

“For once, I didn’t need a hero.”

“What did you need?”

“I needed you to let me save my damn self.”

I cock my head in complete confusion. Somehow I fucked everything up again, but I don’t regret it. From where I was standing, she needed a damn hero. I may hate the nickname she gave me as much as she hates me calling her Princess, but I’m not about to stop saving her now, even if it is a mistake.