Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Hawk shakes his head. “I still say Eagle has nothing to do with this. We’re close to the border here. Could be some mule found the spot and thought it would be a good place for a dead drop.”
“I suppose.”
“Which means… Someone will come back here looking for these damned drugs.”
“Shit.” I’m the oldest Bellamy kid. I’ve always taken care of my brothers and sisters. Always looked out for them, made sure no one gave them any shit. What do I do now?
“I say we get out of here. We’ll be in a lot more trouble if someone finds it on this property.”
I nod. “Yeah. We’ll get rid of it.”
I’m not sure it’s the right thing to do. I’m not sure of anything right now.
“You think we can take it all with us once we leave here?”
“I don’t know. Looks like there’s ten bags here at least. Each one weighs about…” I hold in my hands. “This has got to be three pounds.”
“We’ve got our packs. If we leave the targets out there, we can carry it all.”
I nod again.
I’m glad we found it, especially if our brother is involved.
But thirty pounds of coke on our property? This isn’t going to lead to anything good.
In slow motion, I see my future Navy career grinding to a halt.
1
FALCON
Savannah jerks against me in the hot tub, opening her eyes, the water swishing around us.
“You okay, Vannah?”
“Yeah. I’m fine. I thought I heard something.”
“Probably just the dogs playing.”
“Right. It’s not like I could hear anything over the whirring of the jets anyway.”
She snuggles back into my shoulder and I hold her against me, loving the touch of her flesh on mine, until—
She shoots her eyes open when Sydney barks.
“She’s barking, Falcon.”
“They’re just playing.”
“Right…”
But it’s not a playful bark. It’s—
I jerk away from her, standing.
You learn to sense things on the inside. You can be alone, your eyes closed, yet you know when someone is near. Someone who means you harm. It’s a sixth sense, and you can’t make it in prison without it.
And now? I feel it in my fucking bones—that ache in your marrow that helped our cavemen ancestors survive in the wilderness.
Someone’s here for me. My guns are inside the house in a safe. I’m not supposed to have firearms as a parolee, but that doesn’t matter in this moment. How the fuck do I get there, though?
How the fuck do I protect Savannah?
I glance to the only part of the pool house that has a lock—the changing room. She’ll be safe there, for now at least.
“Savannah,” I say as quietly as I can over the hot tub. “See that door by the bar? It goes to the changing room. You go over there, slowly, close the door, and lock it.”
“What?” she gasps.
“Do as I say.”
“Falcon!”
“Damn it, Savannah. Do it now.”
She trembles as she steps out of the hot tub, walks to the bar, looking only straight ahead. She opens the door and closes it behind her.
Please remember to lock the deadbolt. I’m too far away to hear it click over the noise.
I exit the tub quietly, grab my jeans and stumble into them, leaving the rest. I’ve got only my fists and my wits to protect Vannah, and I don’t need the hindrance of clothes.
My hair is dripping over my shoulders as I leave the pool area, walk into my backyard.
Sammy runs toward me, but I have no choice but to shoo him away. Sydney stands by the fence, barking like a menace. She’s a mother protecting her pup, and right now that’s working in my favor.
Then I see them. Two muscled men—one blond and one dark-haired, both dressed in black—enter the backyard, both armed with pistols.
I draw in a breath, will my beating heart to slow. I’ve faced armed men—though not with firearms—in the big house, and I managed to take them out. The trick is pull courage out of your gut and act more menacing than they are.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing here?” I snarl.
I’m composed, ready to strike at the two men. The dark-haired one points his gun at Sydney, who’s still barking.
“Don’t you fucking dare,” I say through clenched teeth, my hands balled into fists. “Who the fuck are you? Who sent you?”
“Nobody you know,” the blond says.
“Bullshit.” I walk closer, steeling myself. “Was it Bruno? Fletcher? It’s got to be somebody from the inside. Somebody I pissed off. Somebody I put in their place. Now you’ve come to take it out of me.”
“We’ve got no beef with you.” From the blond again. “Quit threatening the dog, Abel.”
“Fine.” Abel moves his gun from Sydney back to me. He gestures to the pool house and then spits. “We’re here for her.”
2
SAVANNAH
I turn the deadbolt and flip the light switch on.
It’s a large dressing area with shelves holding fluffy towels. There’s also a closet which I presume holds swimming garments and maybe robes. I don’t dare open the door to check. I’m too frightened.