Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87067 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
But his mind was on the men. They kept coming one after another. He worked with Rowe and Owen, taking down a good dozen while shots rang out in the house. There was no word if any of his own people were hit with bullets, and he prayed they all remained safe.
Each step was smooth and measured. Each breath was slow and even. The muzzle of the rifle moved with his line of sight, and the trigger needed only the slightest flutter of his finger to shoot out a dart. He was vaguely aware that his heart was pounding and that sweat was slipping down the side of his face. He needed to find his sister. Dillinger had to know they were in the house by now. Would he shoot Katie before trying to make his escape?
No, he couldn’t think like that.
Dillinger wasn’t a complete moron. He would want Katie alive as a bargaining chip for his own life.
When the rooms on the first floor were finally swept, Noah led his team up the wide central staircase to the second floor, while JB took the lead down the stairs. Bullets slammed into the wooden stairs, embedding deep and kicking up splinters as they descended. JB didn’t hesitate as he moved down into that golden-lit hell. More white walls and honey-wood accents. Men shouted, cursed, and fell like wet sacks of noodles as the tranquilizers took effect.
“JB!” Katie’s voice cut above the noise and for a moment, JB’s heart stopped in his chest. She was here. His heart raced when he heard her scream—a mix of pain and anger. But it was also followed by a shout of pain.
“The office,” JB snarled.
“Go,” Rowe ordered. “We’ll clear down here so your back is covered.”
JB nodded, but he didn’t know if Rowe saw it. His entire attention was on the pair of double doors off to his left that were partially open.
“Be careful,” Cole whispered in his ear, reminding him that his personal guardian angel was still watching over him.
With his rifle still raised but finger on the trigger guard, JB edged into the office. His heart jumped to see Katie’s tear-streaked and flushed face as Dillinger held her in front of his body as a human shield. His sweet sister looked pissed enough to pull the man’s ears off with her bare hands. At least she would have if there wasn’t a gun pressed hard against her temple.
“JB,” she whispered in relief and he offered her a tight smile, but his eyes were locked on Dillinger. He peeked out from behind Katie’s head, his beady eyes dark while his flushed face was covered in sweat.
“This wasn’t our agreement!” Dillinger shouted.
“You kidnapped my sister!” JB bellowed right at him. “What the hell did you think was going to happen?”
“I told you my brother is a damn Army Ranger. You can’t force him to do anything,” Katie added smugly. “I warned you he was gonna call his Ranger friends and you were fucked. You should have released me when you had a chance of holding on to your balls.”
Someone laughed in JB’s ear and murmured about the awesomeness of his sister, but JB ignored it. His entire focus had to be on Dillinger. He trusted the rest of his team to watch his six.
“Doesn’t matter. I’ve called the cops. It’ll be interesting to see how you explain trespassing and attacking everyone here.”
“He’s lying. We’ve monitored all calls to 9-1-1. No one from that house has talked to the police,” Cole whispered confidently.
JB grinned at him and didn’t lower his gun. He still didn’t have a clear shot, not with the gun pressed to Katie’s head, but he was waiting for his moment. “Sure. Let’s wait. You can tell them about kidnapping Katie, shooting at me, threatening my father, and poisoning my cows. Shall I continue?” JB said it all in a calm, almost mocking tone as he watched Dillinger. His face lost some of its redness, and a bead of sweat ran across the corner of his eyes. He knew his bluff had been called.
“This is happening!” Dillinger asserted, pressing the gun against his sister’s head hard enough to squeeze a soft cry of pain from her. Dillinger’s other hand was tightly gripping her arm, digging into the soft flesh with enough force to bruise her. JB wanted his sister out of this monster’s hands now. “Call your father. Get him here now, or I’m blowing her fucking brains out!” Dillinger finished on a shout.
JB’s eyes dipped over to his sister’s and his heart stuttered to see the bravado she’d clung to fall away to show him a glimpse of her growing panic. She was scared, and she had every right to be. She had a family, children who needed her. There was no way in hell JB was going to let this fuck steal anything from her.