Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 42863 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42863 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
I nodded once at River. “I’ll take it.”
2
Tank
Holden’s breathing was deep and steady as we waited for River to let us know it was safe to emerge from the woods and infiltrate the building in front of us. Sam was eerily calm on the other side of me. Joey was behind me, still as a statue, but I knew he was just as ready to get in there and get the fuck back out just like I was.
Gin and Link, one of the patched members of the Fathers of Mayhem, were leaning against a huge oak tree, seemingly relaxed, though I knew their muscles were coiled to spring. And Tyler, Joey’s road captain, was sitting on the ground, a vape between his lips as he waited. Had anyone else been sitting on the ground like him, I’d have snapped at them to get their asses up. But I’d seen Tyler in action, and I knew how fast he was.
Fucker was there one second and gone the next.
There were seven on my team—eight if I was included in the count. I’d chosen the best we had. Gin and Link had served together in the military. I was pretty sure there was more going on between them than just being battle buddies, but they were tight-lipped and secretive about it if there was. All I cared about was that they worked like a well-oiled machine.
Tyler had actually once been a member of Sons of Death until Joey snatched him out from under Tristan’s nose. It was just one of the many causes of contention between the two men when Tristan had been alive, though Adelaide had been their main reason for being enemies.
Tristan and Joey both had loved the same woman… and neither of them had actually gotten her in the end. River had, and honestly, neither of them had deserved Adelaide. They hadn’t known how to love her in the way she needed, but River had. And he did so on a daily basis.
Tyler was one of the best snipers I’d ever come across, and he was also an excellent shot in the middle of a battle. He never missed his mark. Ever. I was relying on that since we were going in blind. Alejandro had been able to get us a layout of the building, but we had no idea how many people were inside.
Joey was cold and calculated, and I knew if something happened to me, I could rely on him to make sure the mission was still carried out, my life be damned. And that was what I wanted. Joey was capable of shutting off all his emotions to carry out the mission.
Sam was… a bit unhinged. He liked blood and carnage. And he never grew tired when dropping bodies. It just made his adrenaline surge more and more with each life he stole. He’d have my back and the back of everyone else on this team without question… and he’d probably maniacally grin while he was at it.
Holden was a second-generation Fathers of Mayhem member. His father had been part of the original men who started the club. Holden hadn’t grown up around the club, but his mother hadn’t been a decent human being by any means. Holden had grown up on the streets and had seen what happened to victims like the ones we were going in to rescue. He treated his body like a weapon, but I also knew he would have the compassion needed when we started trying to get the victims out.
My earpiece crackled a little, and then River’s voice came through, saying a single word. “Go.”
We moved as one, quickly going through the door one of Alejandro’s men was holding open for us. It was dark and eerily silent. The building reminded me of a hospital—sterile and white with the scent of disinfectant hanging in the air.
We split up into four teams of two, and Joey flanked me to the hall to our left, watching my back. A guard looked up, and before he could utter a word, I put a bullet through his skull. He hit the ground, and the noise had doors opening in the hall. Joey cursed, and we both opened fire just as gunshots exploded from the other halls as well.
We ducked into the first room. I slid my rifle across my back, heading to the girl tied to the bed as Joey quickly reloaded his gun in record time and began firing back, dropping bodies. The girl couldn’t have been older than twelve or thirteen, and while her skin was clean—clinically so—she was covered in dark bruises, cuts littering her skin. She trembled as I neared her, silent tears running down her cheeks, but she didn’t utter a word.
“I’m here to get you home,” I said softly. “I promise.”