Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 91452 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91452 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
“Colonel,” he greeted me with a nod.
“Jared, this is Ceaton Mercer,” Dante explained. “Darius’s protector when he’s at home, but since Darius is not at home, Ceaton’s on loan.”
“Thank you,” I said to the man covered in weapons and ammunition. He was far better equipped than anyone else on my team.
“My pleasure, Colonel,” he assured me and then turned, before I even heard a noise, on a trio of armed men. Mercer cut down all three before they could level their rifles. Turning back to Dante, he shot my friend a look. “Sir, we need to go.”
“Yes,” Dante agreed, bending to ease my arm across his shoulder and then carefully lift me to my feet. My knees gave out on me, but he was strong, so my tug of weight did nothing to his balance. “You want me to carry you out?” he asked, and that made me get my legs under me as best I could.
“No, thank you,” I grumbled, clutching his shoulder. “I can walk.”
Jing was behind us, still hesitant to touch me. “You have blood seeping through your shirt.”
“Oh, I have no doubt.”
Mercer went out into the hall, and I heard him fire his weapon once, twice, but he wasn’t shooting like his life depended on it, more like cleanup.
“Is anything broken?” Dante asked.
“No, I—”
There was a scream behind us, and when Dante turned me, we saw Jing standing on top of the beam Suwan was under.
“He’s responsible,” Jing said flatly, no emotion in her voice. “I read his file. I know who he is.”
“Don’t—don’t do what you’re thinking,” I told her. “Come on. He can’t move that, and there’s no one here to help. He may linger, for days even, but he’s going to die.”
“You’re certain?” she asked, rocking on the beam.
Suwan’s scream was high-pitched, full of terror.
“I am,” I assured her, realizing that standing there was agony and walking would be even worse. It felt like knives were twisting in my gut, and I wanted to leave, but I wanted to give Jing peace as well.
Suwan was in bad shape, staring over at me, blood sliding past his lips, his eyes bloodshot and swollen, and although there was fear in his expression, there was still defiance as well. He understood his fate.
“She’ll get you,” he told me.
Jing stomped on the beam, and he shrieked like a wounded animal.
“She’ll try,” I agreed, and then lifted my right arm for Jing. “I need you.”
She moved fast, and even her slight weight leaving the beam had to be excruciating for Suwan. Clutching tighter at Dante’s shoulder, I gave Jing some of my weight, I had no choice, the scant strength in my body dissipating fast. I was finding it hard to breathe.
“You look terrible,” Dante commented, sounding a bit disappointed.
“I feel like hell, but you know what the hospitality can be like in these remote resorts,” I teased him, stumbling, giving him all my weight for a moment before I righted myself again.
“We should find the manager of this establishment and take it up with him formally.”
“We just did. But the bastard had a doorman. He’s likely lurking around. The man is quite skilled.”
“Haven’t come across him yet, but you let me know if you see him.”
“Oh, you won’t be able to miss him.”
I was tempted to try and find Fang. After what had been done to me and Owen, I didn’t want to leave the man alive. Whoever else got out, they were paid to be there. I understood that and could let them go. I would never hunt down henchmen; that was neither moral nor a good use of time. Fang was different.
“How about we focus on getting you out of here? This place was hard to find, and it took a damn Laplander to get up here, and you know I hate those.”
“It’s because they’re not stylish.”
“Absolutely right.”
We were quiet for several moments.
“Wait, where did you get a Laplander?”
“The ambassador made it happen.”
“The ambassador who didn’t want me setting back US and Thai relations into the last century loaned you a military vehicle because you asked?”
“I didn’t ask. Darius did the asking, and you know how he can be.”
I did. When Darius Hawthorne really wanted something, he was inexorable. The man could be like the ocean battering against the shore, and he never stopped and never gave up. Best to give him what he wanted so he’d leave you in peace.
We exited through the collapsed wall into the courtyard. Just as we emerged out into the open, Fang attacked. I didn’t see him coming, my peripheral vision was shot, but Dante yelled, shoving me at Jing, the two of us going down under my weight.
I watched in horror as Fang leaped into the air with a swift jump kick, both feet smashing heavily into Dante sideways with the entire weight of his body. Both men fell to the ground. I saw Dante roll and bounce to his feet. He positioned himself and delivered a staggering left hook into Fang’s jaw. The blow connected with such force that the enforcer went reeling backward. It was impressive, especially since Dante didn’t do hand-to-hand combat much anymore, but training was training and it never deserted you.