Page 209 of Knight’s Retribution

That’s when she realized the alley was now cleared and engulfed in utter silence.

Kyler turned and looked around at all the eyes on her as the head in her hands disintegrated, nothing but ash falling through her fingers. The clang of the fire escape beside them the only sound as Mia, Meredith, Eve, and Luna rushed down as well.

Rocco strode to her and pulled her into his arms. “Holy shit.”

“Good work, my baby,” Roxy called and clapped her hands, hands that were seriously bloody.

“Yes, excellent decapitation technique,” Scarlet said, grinning.

Scarlet had barely got the words out when Lazarus turned to Tobias’s mate, strode to her, and swept her up in his arms, knocking the wind right out of her. They held each other, and the way they both shook it was obvious they were both crying.

Rocco had told her all about their connection, how Lazarus had been a father figure to Scarlet ever since he’d found her homeless and hungry as a child. And all this time he’d blamed himself for her death.

“I’m okay,” she said to him. “I’m okay, Dad.”

He lifted his head, face wet with tears, and cupped her cheek. “Fuck, I missed this face.”

“Missed yours more,” she whispered.

Laz finally lowered her and turned to Eve, holding out his hand. “Scar, I’d like you to meet my mate. This is my Eve.”

Eve moved in and Scarlet pulled her in for a hug as well. “I’m so glad he found you,” she said to Eve.

Tobias was with his brothers, Chaos pounding his back, after Zenon had pulled him in and Kryos before that, and it was easy to see they were all fighting their emotions. Then Tobias turned to Eve, who was still standing with Scarlet, a wary look on her face.

His entire body shook as he dipped his gaze.

“T,” Laz choked, moving behind his mate and pulling Eve close so her back was against his front, his arms wrapped around her tight.

Tobias moved toward them cautiously until he was in front of Eve, then he dropped to his knees, doubling over in the blood and ash covering the ground, and pressed his face to her feet. “I’m so sorry, Eve,” he said, a broken sob cracking from his chest. “God, I’m so, so fucking sorry.”

Eve looked down at him, and a tear streaked down her face, while Scarlet watched on, fighting her own tears.

“That wasn’t you, Tobias,” Eve said. “I know that now.”

Tobias tilted his head back. “What I did, what I tried to do…” He shook his head. “I don’t expect your forgiveness—”

“You have it all the same.” She held out her hand, and he took it, standing on shaky legs.

Then Eve hugged him.

Everyone crowded in. Meredith rushing to Scarlet and squeezing her tight, introducing her to the other females. There were happy faces everywhere.

Tonight was a good night.

And they were going to hang on to it with everything they had, for as long as they could.

Chapter 26

The thud of seven pairs of boots hit the roof of Vorena’s building.

Rocco let that sink in. It’d been so long, so fucking long since they’d all been together like this. He glanced around at the faces of his brothers, and he didn’t have to look at their expressions to know they were feeling it too.

Because it was pumping through his veins, giving him life, feeding his soul.

Fuck, he’d missed this.

Chaos looked around them, serious as ever, brows low, his gaze hitting each of theirs—then his lips peeled back in a wide grin, all white teeth. “Fuck knows what we’re about to walk in on, but I’m fucking glad I’m doing it with all of you at my side,” he said rough as hell. “This has been a long time coming, but for the first time in a long time, even with everything going to shit, I feel like we might have a chance, because we’re all here, because we’re finally all together again.”