Tara inspected the guys to make sure they were out. We seized their weapons while binding their wrists in zip ties, as we’d done with the others.
“Clear,” she said, and Kyle rounded the corner, Junior over his shoulder, Ty at his side.
“Okay, those rounds that went off,” Mick said, “there’s chatter about them, and we got five guys coming around the back now. They’re speeding up, but I’d say you got about forty seconds before they make it to you.”
“Anyone else?”
“Not yet, but you can bet your ass there will be.”
“Let’s go,” I said, pushing the back door open.
We hurried down the steps outside, the screeching sound of tires filling the air as Mick brought the SUV to a halt in the alley beside the building.
Tara went first with Kyle, then Ty, and as I started out, I felt something under my legs and went tumbling forward, onto the top platform on the steps.
“Motherfucker!” I turned to see one of the guys we just left. He sat up quickly and kicked me in the face, the force of his blow knocking my head back against the iron rail behind me.
Tara headed back to me as Kyle shoved Junior in the back of our transport.
Just needed to take this motherfucker out.
As I turned back to him, he was on his knees and coming at me, when Ty charged him from the side, knocking him against the still open door.
Fucking hell?
Ty got in a good punch, but the guy, his wrists still bound by the zip ties, swung his arms like a baseball bat, ramming them into Ty’s head. Once one way before swinging the other and sending him flying down the steps to the pavement.
The fury the act had ignited within me sent me barreling at him, knocking the bastard’s head against the doorframe before slamming the door shut on his face.
That put him out good, and I hurried down the steps, where Tara was already tending to Ty, helping him to the car. I jumped the rail, and we all piled inside the car.
I saw the guards step around the building as Mick sped up. A few rounds of fire went off as we headed down the alley to the main road.
That was fucking close. Way too fucking close.
I’d slid in beside Ty, Kyle and Tara in the back seat with our target. I turned to see Ty’s face, the pink markings and cuts from the pavement visible beneath his makeup and prosthetics.
“You okay?” I asked him.
“Huh? Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” He sounded a little out of it, though.
Rage swelled within me as I battled between wanting to make sure he was okay and wanting to kick his ass for putting himself in harm’s way like that. But my concern for him won out, and I wrapped my arm around him, drawing him close to me. He tucked his face against my chest.
I ran my hand up his neck, through his hair, stroking gently, just wanting to soothe him. As much as I was annoyed with him for getting involved, I knew whose fault all this really was: mine.
