Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 47176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 236(@200wpm)___ 189(@250wpm)___ 157(@300wpm)
“We’re not here to kill her,” another man snaps. “Idiot. Junior wants her.”
“No shit,” the first man responds. “But I’m saying she shouldn’t make this difficult. If we’re forced to gas her, who’s to say the dogs will survive that?”
“That’ll be her choice, not ours.” This man has a higher pitched voice, sharp. “Jennifer, either tell us the code or get out here now. You’ve got thirty seconds. Or we gas you and knock you unconscious. This is strong stuff. Maybe those dogs will wake up. Maybe they won’t.”
I clutch Lucifer close to my chest, feeling how rattly his chest feels, how fragile. I can’t imagine it filling with gas, enough to knock out a human and not seriously hurt him.
Maybe Benny would be okay. I don’t know.
“Twenty seconds,” the man snaps.
“Wait,” I say. “Just wait a second.”
“We’re done waiting, girl,” the high-pitched man says. “We don’t want to hurt you. We’re taking you to your sister.”
“Why do any of you work for this psychopath?” I yell, squeezing my hand tightly around the gun. “He kidnapped my sister. He’s not a good person.”
“Jesus, what is this, philosophy class?” the man snaps. “Ten seconds. Get ready, boys.”
“I don’t feel good about the dog thing,” the first man says. “But it’s her fault.”
“You’re just as bad as him if you do this,” I shout.
“We’ve all got bills to pay, honey. Stop whining. Last chance.”
“You’re fucking dirt.”
I’m screaming at them, unable to stop myself, Lucifer going berserk in my arms. Benny springs up and starts barking madly, running over to the door and scratching it, thrown into a full rage.
“Fine,” the man says. “Have it your way.”
“Wait,” I yell, deflating. “Fine. I’ll give you the code.”
“That’s the best decision you made all….”
The man screams.
CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN
Jamie
Rage boils through me as I swing the bigger man around, sending him crashing head-on-head into one of his amateur friends.
All three are wearing leather jackets and jeans, and one of them has a chain. They look strung out. They’re weak fucking bullies for thinking they could touch my woman.
My. Fucking. Woman.
Matt, Peggy, the betrayal, Kelly, all of it.
It disappears as I focus on the next man, raising his gun.
He fires, and I grunt as the small caliber smashes into my Kevlar.
He gasps and tries to adjust his aim, but then I’m on him, combat knife in hand. I slice him through the forearm, making him cry out and drop the gun. Then I get him in a chokehold, spinning him around, so he’s facing his friends.
The taller man stands, his face a mess. The other one is brawnier, shorter, with a crooked nose and a tattoo across his cheek.
“You think we give a fuck about him?” the tattooed one sneers in a high-pitched voice.
I tighten my chokehold. The man gasps and claws at my arms, but I give him enough room to breathe.
Just.
“I think,” I say, trying to keep my voice calm even as hot fire boils through me. Hellfire.
Do not try to take the woman of a dangerous man.
Do not try to hurt his family.
Bad things happen, gentleman, and now I’m thinking about snapping their puny necks.
“If you don’t leave in ten seconds,” I go on with my voice tight.
Their eyes widen. They know who I am. They know I don’t make threats lightly.
“I am going to execute all three of you.”
I toss the man at them. He stumbles and falls flat.
Keeping my hand at my hip, near my gun, I stare at them one by one.
“I did you the courtesy of not taking your lives. Even if you deserve it, you rat fucks. You don’t get to threaten my woman like that. My. Woman.”
I’m raging. I can’t hold it back.
In the background, I think I hear Jennifer gasp, but it’s buried beneath Lucifer and Benny’s barking.
Matt flashes into my mind, my scrawny ex-SEAL brother, an effective operator, a damn fine shot and survivalist… but after years of torture?
I can’t think about that.
Just her, just this.
“Nobody gets to threaten my woman, ever,” I growl. “It’s been eight seconds. Time to go.”
The tattooed one sneers.
And he screams as the bullet tears through his jeans and knee, causing him to buckle.
By the time he falls, another bullet has taken out his other kneecap.
I’d feel bad for all the screaming and crying, but this is what men like this deserve – worse.
“No more words. Leave.”
My hand is steady on my gun as the two men drag their friend out the side gate from the garden. I keep visual on the exit point as I glance behind me, quickly typing in the code.
The heavy metal door opens with a thunk, and suddenly Benny barks as I’ve never heard him, ready to go to war.
“Benny,” I shout. “Here.”
He whips around, running at me, whining, and looking over his shoulder.
“Here, boy.”
He comes to me, walking in anxious circles as I backstep to the entrance, keeping my eyes on the yard at all times.