Toward the rooms.
Toward—
Rage hits like a detonation.
I don’t hesitate.
Two shots.
Controlled.
Precise.
The man drops before he can pull the trigger.
The sound echoes through the Tavern—
Loud.
Too loud.
Damn it.
“Clear!” I bark immediately.
Doors slam open.
Boots hit the floor.
Voices rise.
“Contact down!” someone shouts.
“Perimeter breach!”
“Check exits!”
Chaos erupts—
But I’m already moving.
Already turning.
Already heading back to her.
I take the stairs two at a time, ribs screaming, ignoring it.
The door bursts open before I even register grabbing the handle.
Aspen is already up.
Wide-eyed.
Heart racing—I can see it in the way her chest rises and falls.
“Havoc—”
“I’ve got you,” I say immediately.