Total pages in book: 17
Estimated words: 15261 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 76(@200wpm)___ 61(@250wpm)___ 51(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 15261 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 76(@200wpm)___ 61(@250wpm)___ 51(@300wpm)
It takes us mere minutes to arrange a plan and head out. The seemingly abandoned cabin our mark was spotted at is dark and quiet, but I know better than to assume that means it’s empty.
I give the signal, and we swarm. The front door gets kicked in, and in seconds I’m leading my men inside, guns raised.
I expect to be greeted by a spray of bullets or at least some shouting, but … nothing happens.
“Search it,” I order, and two of my men peel off to obey. With all the exits covered, there’s nothing to do but wait until the two who were searching return, both shaking their heads.
“It’s empty,” one of them confirms.
The second rushes to add, “They were here earlier. I’m sure of it.”
I know they wouldn’t lie to me. My men are loyal to the death, which means that our mark was here. But he’s not now.
My blood turns to ice as realization washes over me.
Fuck!
“It’s a setup,” I say, loud enough that my team can hear me. I’m sure they ask questions, but I can’t focus on anything but the dread curdling my stomach. I yank my phone out of my pocket and call Nick. He picks up on the second ring.
“Nick—”
“GET HERE NOW!” Nick’s voice is so loud in my ear it makes me jolt, but it’s not his words that choke me with fear. It’s the unmistakable sound of gunshots in the background.
Before I can answer, he hangs up, and red clouds my vision. Utter rage fills me, melting the ice in my blood and lighting me on fire.
“Move out!” I shout, turning on my heel and sprinting back to my bike. The team follows me immediately, and I take the road back so fast my bike flies over any small bump.
I don’t wait for my men to catch up. No, the second my bike hits the driveway, I leap off, weapons drawn. The lights are on inside my home, and through the front window, I see a blur of movement. A bang vibrates the whole structure as I run inside, following the noise of the gunshot.
There’s only one thing on my mind as I race down the hallway. Ava. I need to find Ava.
I turn the corner to the living space, and a man dressed in all black, so similar to my own outfit, turns to look at me over his shoulder. He shoots, but I dart to the right, and the bullet grazes my arm. It burns, but I barely feel it. Before he can get off another shot, I slam into him, knocking him to the ground and sending his weapon skittering away from us. I smash the butt of my gun into his temple, rendering him unconscious, before abandoning him on the floor like the trash he is.
“Ava!” I bellow, uncaring about stealth. I’ll kill anyone who threatens her. Let them come to the sound of my voice. I’ll make them regret their choices.
A soft whimper cuts through the noise of fighting from upstairs, which I can only assume is Nick wrestling with the other intruders. Trusting him to hold his own, I rush towards the soft sound, my heart pounding so loud I can feel it slam against my ribs.
I find her in the kitchen. The scene before my eyes makes me fucking feral. Ava is backed into a corner by a large man in the same all-black outfit as the other, a knife in his hand and a gun strapped to his waistband. From here, I can’t see his face, but I can see the fear in Ava's.
“Your father owes us for what he’s done,” the man spits out, and Ava flinches, trying to put distance between them, but it’s impossible with her back to the cupboards. “You’ll be coming with us, girl. We’ll have some fun with you, at least. It’ll take the sting off your father’s betrayal.”
“You’ll never take me,” Ava cries, and pride fills me as she raises her hand and rakes her nails down the guy’s face. She catches his eye, and he curses, stumbling back and clutching his face.
I pounce, using the distraction to our advantage. I grab the back of his neck, spin him around, and knee him hard between the legs. He goes down, and I press my gun to his forehead just as he drops his hands from his face. He’s bleeding, his eye bloodshot and cheek marked from Ava’s nails.
I glance up at my girl.
“Good fucking girl, angel,” I praise, hoping she can tell just how proud of her I am. She offers me a shaky smile, relief making her shoulders slump. In the background, I can hear the rest of my men taking out the last of the intruders, and knowing they’re taken care of, I turn my attention back to the asshole in front of me who dared to lay a hand on what’s mine.