Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 90315 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90315 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
My lower lip trembles, and Willow wraps me in a tight hug.
“Thank you so much,” I whisper. “I’ve always felt like such an outcast in my life. And you’ve made me feel so welcome. Like I belonged here the whole time.”
“Maybe you did,” she says. “I’m sorry I was such a bitch in the beginning. We lost so much time.”
“I understand,” I remind her. “And I appreciate that Gideon has people in his life who love him so much.”
“You both do,” she says with a wink. “Now, we’d better get back out there before they come looking for us. Gideon’s already on edge.”
“I feel bad that we talked him into it. I hate that he’s so uncomfortable on his birthday.”
“He’s fine,” she says, waving me off. “And we’ll be home soon enough.”
I open the door, and she walks out ahead of me. I step out behind her, and strong arms band around me, picking me up off my feet, and I start to flail as I’m being dragged backward.
“You’re coming with us, you little bitch.”
My heart is in my throat as I hear Willow’s scream, and I frantically look around to see if they’re taking her, too, but I don’t see her. Just three other big men as I’m pulled out the back door and behind the pub.
I can’t stomp on the asshole’s instep, but I can use my elbows, so I drive one into his side, making him lose his breath, and I slam my head back into his nose.
“Fuck!”
I’m dropped to my feet, and I spin and kick the asshole in the stomach, and he falls backward.
A different set of arms reaches for me, but I hurry out of the way. I can hear shouts now, and I know that Gideon is coming to help me. The last few seconds have felt like an eternity.
He’s right there. He’s armed. It’s okay.
I kick another guy in the knee, and he crumples to the ground, but then I’m pulled against someone else, and I feel metal press against my neck.
“Again?” I demand, more angry than scared right now because I know Gideon’s about to kill this fucker.
“Drop it,” this asshole screams in my ear as Gideon comes barreling out the door, his gun drawn, face set in rage-filled hard lines. His eyes hold mine for just a millisecond before they move to the man holding me, and the three others around us. Two of which are all kinds of fucked up, thanks to me.
“Training worked,” I say with a sassy grin, but Gideon doesn’t smile.
“You’re going to drop that gun, Lieutenant,” the asshole sneers, and I frown.
“You know him?”
“You and I both know that I’m not putting my weapon down, Rogers,” Gideon says, not acknowledging my question. “If you don’t want to die tonight, let her go.”
Rogers snorts. “Right. Not happening. I have orders to take her with me.”
“You won’t be doing that.”
“You’re good, James, but you’re not that good. There are four of us.”
“And two of you are on the ground,” I remind him, but no one acknowledges me.
I could get out of this guy’s hold, but he’s got a gun on me. I don’t know what to do.
But before I can even think about it, Gideon shifts his aim to the guy writhing on the ground with a broken nose and pulls the trigger, shooting him right between the eyes.
Holy fucking shit.
“Mistake” is all I hear before Rogers pulls the gun away from my head, but instead of hearing a shot, I feel something slam against my head, and everything goes black.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Gideon
That motherfucker pistol-whipped my girl.
As soon as she’s crumpled in his arms, I lift my weapon and shoot Rogers between the eyes and then kill the other two who were with them, and rush forward to grab Lena before she falls to the ground.
Sirens blare in the distance, and the next thing I know, Ryker and Willow are next to me.
“What the hell?” Ryker asks. “How?”
“I had a bad feeling.” Rage has a pulse as it flows through my body. “No one knew she was here.”
“But she made that call,” Willow says, her voice shaking like crazy, and Ryker pulls her into his arms to comfort her. “Gid, she called Chelsea.”
That little bitch was the mole.
“Chelsea had to be in on it,” I say grimly as I dial the number for Eagle and first responders pull in.
I don’t leave Lena’s side as I climb into the back of the ambulance, still on the phone with the president and Bishop, and also talking with the local police.
“Her pulse and blood pressure are fine,” the EMT says.
“We’ll be on the ground in four hours,” Bishop says in my ear. “You stay with Blackbird.”
“I want answers, Bishop. This came to my fucking doorstep.”
“Four hours,” he repeats and hangs up, and I turn to my girl, looking so pale on this goddamn gurney. The drive to the hospital takes minutes, and then we’re running through the ER to a room, and I’m pushed aside as Lena is surrounded by doctors and nurses.