“You should let me bring him to the safe house,” Joel said for the fifth time from the passenger seat. I was behind the wheel of a dark SUV with blacked-out windows.
I shook my head without taking my gaze off the road. We were five minutes out from the hotel. One of Joel’s contacts found out Reyes’ room number and would wait for us outside the back of the hotel with a keycard.
The contact informed us that he arrived not long ago with a distraught-looking woman.
The description fit Savannah.
“I need to see her first.” I needed to lay eyes on my wife. I would get my alone time with Reyes, but first, I needed to make sure she was okay.
“Pull around back,” Joel instructed while I was already pulling to the back of the hotel.
I parked in a space and Joel hopped out. I followed and lifted the hood to my black hoodie overhead.
A hotel employee was already waiting for us. He passed Joel a keycard.
“Room one fifty-one,” the employee confirmed.
I followed my father. There were more guys from Joel’s connections with us, but they were scattered throughout the hotel and parking lot in case Reyes tried to make a run for it.
As far as we knew, he was alone, but that didn’t necessarily mean shit.
The closer we got to the room, the more anxious I grew to wrap my hands around this motherfucker’s throat.
Joel quickly slipped the keycard into the lock and pulled it out before bursting through the door. I was right behind him, pushing forward.
I zeroed in on Reyes standing in the corner. He stood over a low-sitting chair, where Savannah sat.
I took off running across the room.
“Shit,” Reyes yelled.
He darted from the corner, just out of Joel’s grasp.
“Get my wife,” I barked out to my father.
I went for Reyes, grabbing the back of his shoulders before he made it to the balcony door. With a yank around his arms, he stumbled backward and tripped. I landed on top of him, sending my fist to his jaw.
The instant cracking sound sent a rush of adrenaline and a need for more.
“Ace,” Savannah shrieked.
That stopped me from doling out the punishment I so badly desired to give this son of a bitch. I needed to tend to Savannah first. She was my priority.
“I got him,” Joel said, coming over to wrestle Reyes onto the floor.
I turned to Savannah and my stomach tightened at the sight of her swollen face.I’m going to rip him apart. That was all I could think, but I needed to make sure she was okay first.
“He-he…” Savannah panted. “Aiden.”
“Aiden’s safe with Micah.” I brought her wrists up for my inspection, and again boiled in my veins when I spotted rope burns there.
“Thank God,” she said and threw her arms around my neck. She quickly pulled back. “Are you sure Aiden’s okay? He…”
“Shh,” I shushed. “He’s fine. Micah has him. Let’s get you checked out.”
I peered over my shoulder at Joel. He gave me a nod and I led my wife out of the dingy hotel room. We took the back exit, knowing there weren’t any cameras in that location.
Savanna winced as I helped her into the back of the SUV. “You need a doctor,” I said.
