Mercury Striking (The Scorpius Syndrome #1)(110)

From his peripheral vision, Jax caught a soldier with a buzz cut hauling up a groaning Atherton. Lynne pivoted to shoot again, and the guy threw a knife. She cried out, clutching her shoulder, falling down.

“Lynne,” Jax bellowed.

Cruz grunted and grabbed the back of Jax’s head, pricking the knife into Jax’s throat. Jax grabbed the handle, his hand shaking.

Jax stilled. Eye to eye with Cruz Martinez. “We were never brothers,” he muttered, blood dripping from his face onto Cruz’s. Jax had been a lonely, scared kid, and he’d sought solace and protection where he could. “I was just protecting myself.”

Cruz spat out blood, his shoulders bunching as he tried to shove the knife home. “We weren’t brothers. But Marcus, Slam Mercury, is loyal to me, not to you,” Cruz gasped.

Jax’s palm was slippery with sweat, and his arm vibrated with the fight for the knife as he looked down at the fucker who’d killed Marcus. Blood flowed from his neck. From the corner of his eye, he could see Lynne shifting to the side, struggling to stand. Atherton and the other guy had disappeared into the tree line. “Lynne, hold still,” he barked.

She stopped.

Tightening his hold on Cruz’s hand over the knife handle, Jax let all pain flow away. People counted on him, and he had to live. Had to protect Lynne. Digging deep, filled with resolve, he reached into his boot with his free hand, struggling with the sharp blade at his throat. “Why did you kill my brother?”

Cruz smiled with bloody teeth. “He took to heart your bullshit letters about honor and doing something good and was actually convincing younger members there was a better way in life than running drugs. The kid needs to die.”

Pride and sorrow mingled with the pain inside Jax until the words sank in. “Needs to die?”

Cruz started laughing, blood bubbling up. “The world is a little fuzzy.”

Jax focused, digging as deep as he could. “You motherfucker. Marcus isn’t dead, is he?”

Cruz lowered his chin, hatred glowing in his eyes. “Oh, I shot the fucker, but we never found the body. Buried a bunch of rocks.”

God. Marcus had gotten away. Was he still alive? Had he beaten Scorpius, too? A new hope, one he tried to control, filled Jax. “Marcus beat you.”

“No, not possible. And I’ll keep looking till I find him.”

“No. You won’t,” Jax whispered, striking hard with his own knife. “For Slam and Wyatt.”

The blade pierced Cruz’s throat and kept going through his mouth. His eyes opened, and blood gurgled between his lips as he dropped his blade. Shock cascaded around him. “My brother,” he sighed.

“No. I have real brothers now.” Jax shoved harder until only the hilt remained visible. Cruz spasmed beneath him and then went still in death. Jax coughed, his shoulder on fire. With a grunt, he used his good arm to free the blade. As much as he’d love to leave his knife in Cruz’s throat, they needed all the weapons they could find.

Staggering, Jax eyed the silent tree line. The damn president had gotten away this time. “Fucker,” he muttered. “Always hated politicians.” He turned to look at Cruz Martinez one more time. Cruz’s eyes were open, dark with death. “Fuck you, too,” Jax said.

Lynne ran forward and slid a shoulder under his arm, her gaze on the dead man. “We killed one monster, and we’ll get the other one soon,” she murmured.

Jax placed a kiss on the top of her wet hair. “Your shoulder?”

She glanced down at her bleeding arm. “Just grazed me. Isn’t bad.”

Thank God. “Gotta move, Harmony.”

She helped him around the building to where Tace and Sami kept point outside the house.

“Status?” Jax barked.

Sami wiped blood away from her mouth. Bruises marred the side of her face, and she was leaning on one leg. “We lost six people, have seven injured, we have secured the area. There might still be Twenty members around, but they’re either hiding or waiting to strike.”

Tace rose to peer at Jax’s torso. “Where?”

“Shoulder,” Jax returned. Six dead? He’d lost six, and he felt each one in the center of his chest.

Tace grabbed him away from Lynne and turned him around, making his entire body ache. “Was a through and through. There are probably bandages here.”

Sami stretched her neck, still favoring her leg. “I’ve checked the downed soldiers and haven’t found Lake, per your description of him.”

Damn it. “Lake got Atherton to safety, but we’ll take them out when we regroup.” Jax glanced around. “Our mission parameters were to save Lynne, and we saved Lynne. Plus, we’re gonna raid this place. All weapons—everything we can find.” He grimaced as Tace poked his shoulder again. “Where’s Raze?”

“Went inside to fetch a woman.” Tace nudged Sami. “Let’s go find medical supplies.”

Sami followed him, stopping by the bushes. “Lynne? I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Me, too,” Lynne said, her voice scratchy. She turned to Jax. “Thank you for finding me.”

Jax tucked her close, his world centering. His brother might be alive, and the next day, he’d start looking. But now he needed to focus on Lynne. She was everything he didn’t deserve, everything good, and he’d make sure she stayed safe for the rest of her life, no matter what he had to do. “Are you sure you’re okay?”