Savage Prince by Alison Aimes

37

Rav barreled around the corner, weapon in hand. “Get away from her.”

“I knew you’d come.” Caden sounded smug. “You could never give her up. Even when it was in your best interest to do so.”

“Rav, get back.” Tess screamed the warning, but it was too late.

Weapons flashed, streaks of green light ricocheting everywhere. Shouts. Groans. A sting burned across her arm.

With nowhere to go, no weapon of her own, and no cover, she did her best to curl into a tight ball while searching frantically for Maxheim. He was a bigger target. If he was hit—

“Tess!” His familiar voice boomed, and then a heavy weight covered her.

Her body recognized him instantly.

She wrapped her arms around him, trying to shield him as well.

“Stay down!” He shoved her behind him, turning so he blocked her, his laser out and firing as well.

The battle seemed to last forever, and a mere heartbeat.

Then there was only silence, the bitter choking stench of burnt flesh, and the groans of the wounded.

Some distant part of her registered that the battle overhead had ended as well.

The question was, who had come out on top?

“Don’t move.” Maxheim’s command was absolute. His hand pressed firmly on the top of her head.

“Check it out,” he told his men.

He must have been satisfied with whatever they discovered, because he swiveled toward her, blinking them both into view. His gaze locked on her arm. “You’re hurt.” He slammed to his knees, ripping his shirt off and tying it around her upper arm like a tourniquet.

“I’m fine. It’s nothing.” Truth was, it stung like hells, but she wasn’t about to admit that to her Alpha.

“Nothing?” he roared. He looked as if it would have hurt him less if he’d been the one they’d hit.

“Maxheim, please.” She tried to peer around his wide chest. “What happened? Is Hawke still alive?”

His scowl deepened. “He got what he deserved.”

Her heart tripped over itself. “Our plans . . .”

“I’m getting used to those not going exactly as hoped.” He smiled, but it was forced. “Don’t give up yet.”

“Rav?”

“Shot. He must have used your tracker and followed you down here.” Maxheim looked over his shoulder, then back at her, seeming to war with himself. “I’ll take you to him if you like.”

“Yes.” She pushed to stand, her legs shakier than she’d realized.

“Lean on me.” As always, Maxheim was there for her. “The doctor will be here as soon as he can. Damien sent notice through his comms. His crew had a few injuries in the firefight exchange, but nothing fatal.”

The same could not be said of Hawke’s death squad. She tried not to look at the broken, twisted bodies as she passed, but their positioning told the tale of what had come to pass.

Hawke had shot Rav. Rav had fired back. Each had hit their target. Meanwhile, focused on Byrel and their leader, Hawke’s guards hadn’t been prepared for an attack from behind. Maxheim and his guards had mowed them down, suffering no fatalities in the process.

She reached Caden. Rav had hit him straight through the heart. His guileless blue eyes were still open, his blonde hair ringing his handsome face. A monster hiding behind the facade of an approachable, kind-looking male.

She couldn’t regret his death, even though it had come at a cost. Because without him as a bargaining chip, their plans had gone to ruin.

They reached Rav.

He’d been hit where she’d seen him last, his right side riddled with laser strikes. His own weapon lay only a few inches from his body.

Blood pooled beneath his back and head.

Her chest grew tight. The sight of his once shimmering silver skin, now a sallow gray, was hard to see.

He had lied to her, used her, betrayed her, but he had also protected her in his own way, and he had loved her as much as he was capable.

She’d learned from watching Maxheim and his siblings. Family was complicated, but it was a powerful force and, whatever was between her and Rav, their roots ran deep.

Maxheim kicked the laser away.

“Rav.” She sunk beside her childhood friend.

Maxheim stood at her back, his hand on her shoulder. No matter who hurt her, broke her, or tried to cut her down, he was always there to anchor her and build her back up.

Rav’s eyelids reopened. “I told you . . . I’d protect you. Always.”

“And this time, you did.”

“Tess . . . I’m sorry.” He reached out a trembling hand.

“Don’t.” She could never forgive what he’d done, but it didn’t matter now. She took his hand without hesitation, letting her gift flow from her to him.

She heard Maxheim’s low growl at her back, felt his fingers contract against her skin. He didn’t like her touching another male, especially this one, but he didn’t stop her. Instead, he blew out a breath and kept his hand just where it was, a show of trust and love.

The tight lines at the corners of Rav’s lips lessened. “That’s . . . so good.” His eyes fluttered shut. “Did Skolov teach you how to do that? I guess the bastard’s good for something.” He paused. “The others . . . are on my ship, parked nearby. Waiting for us . . . for you.”

Relief wound through her. Her friends were safe. “Thank you for telling me.”

He scowled, and then he appeared to come to some decision. He looked past her, his gaze lifting to where Maxheim loomed above. “Turn on your comms. Start recording.”

“What are you about?” Suspicion laced her Alpha’s voice.

“Do it. For Tessie.”

Tess swallowed. “Rav—”

Maxheim squeezed her shoulder. “Let him speak.”

“I want it known that I killed those Brotherhood members.” Rav’s voice was laced with pain, but firm.

She drew a sharp breath. Rav was confessing to her crimes. He was protecting her once again.

Her gaze flew to Maxheim, who looked less surprised but definitely conflicted.

She understood. A good deed from a male he hated was confusing.

“I can name the place and time of each auction death as well as each male I killed.” Rav continued his recorded confession. “A gray-skinned Prendel from the lower ranks. A Kuril pierced bastard with a stubby horn.” He listed several more details, revealing the kind of insider information that only someone who’d been at each kill site could have. “I know all this because while I made it look like self-inflicted wounds, it was not. I murdered them at the bequest of my employer, who wanted to strike at each Brotherhood family and sow dissension. I was able to get away with it for a while thanks to my employer’s resources.”

He coughed and then continued. “Though I don’t know the name of the male who hired me, I know the extent of his reach. It extends to places like the Federation, where he recruited males like Caden Hawke to serve as his sentry and keep my crimes under wraps. My employer is a dangerous enemy, and you will not defeat him if you fight one another.” Rav’s gaze locked with Tess’s. “I go to my grave having said my peace and in hopes,” he gripped her hand tighter, “that in some small way, through my confession, I might be forgiven for my crimes.”

Silence followed.

The vise around Tess’s chest tightened. Maxheim ended the recording.

Rav spoke to her Alpha once more. “Do you think it will be enough?”

“I’ve sent it to Nikolai to broadcast to the Council heads.” Maxheim sugarcoated nothing. “With the confession, your body and Hawke’s in Council possession, it should be enough to placate the Brotherhood and get them to stop coming after Tess for now.”

“Then my work is done.”

But the scales were far from balanced.

“No, Rav.” She drew his attention back to her. “You need to tell me about the twins.”

“The twins . . .” His lips pressed tight. “The beginning of it all. I told myself I was tying up loose ends, but even then, I could feel it all unraveling.”

His hand shook in hers.

“The moment that stupid bitch pulled the trigger fifteen years ago, killing the Skolov omega and her lover, and I took those two babies from the cradle some part of me knew I’d never get the life I wanted.”

Her tears came. “The twins . . .”

“I did what my employer told me to do. I dropped the boy off with an omega nursemaid and a single bodyguard. Both were hooded and cloaked, their faces hidden.” More blood seeped from beneath Rav’s back. “We met at a shitty, run-down bar on the third ring of Largus, the only one around. They gave me a bag with over a million universal credits inside. I used them to buy the tracker I put inside you. And food for us.”

How was it possible to feel such hate, grief, and gratitude at the same time? But that wasn’t what mattered now.

“The name of the omega nursemaid?”

“We didn’t exchange names.” Rav forced the words out. “Or any information.”

Panic set in. “You must have seen something.”

His breath rattled in his lungs. “There were clues. Their outside clothes were dusty and ragged as if they were trying to remain in disguise, but the omega’s shoes were nice. Expensive. Just like the bag with the money.” He laughed, a painful wheeze. “They were so used to money and riches, they didn’t even realize, but those of us without, we notice everything.”

She nodded. “Like what? You were always smart, Rav. I know you saw more.”

“Sartin.”

She rocked back on her heels. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. They were connected to the Sartin family.” He whispered the word—and then coughed. Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth. “The bag style was a popular one on the Sartin’s main planet and the third ring of Largus is one of their lesser-known territories. And the accents, those were Sartin sounding as well.”

“Anything more?” There was no time for shock. That would have to come later.

“No . . . but chances are good, someone in the Sartin family knows something.”

She squeezed his hand. “Thank you, Rav. What about their baby sister?”

He shook his head. “I gave her to my employer at the usual drop-off point and got a stack of money in return. I have no idea what he did with her. I don’t even know if anyone picked her up.”

Disgust mixed with despair. It was so little. “Where was the drop-off point?”

“N’daan, outside the old Federation city.” His breathing grew shallower. “I’m sorry, Tessie.” He rasped. “Didn’t want . . . to be alone.”

Her breathing hitched. She held his hand tighter. Sent more peace to him through her gift.

“Glad you . . . found a real family.” His eyes sank closed.

Then he was gone, and all the rest of his secrets with him.

A piece of her heart too.

Because no matter what he’d done and how much he’d hurt her, the struggle he’d put her through had changed her life for the better.

Without him, she would never have found Maxheim. Never found her home. Never known true love.

“It’s okay, baby.” Strong arms pulled her up.

She melted into Maxheim’s hold as he cradled her close. “Even the worse Alphaholes need someone to mourn them—and as much as I hate that male, I will always be grateful to him for leading me to you.”