“Fuck you,” she gritted.
I let her be. I knew she didn’t like my plan, especially since I was the one single-handedly going after the Russian Pakhan and the leader of the group rising up against Alejandro. But wealready didn’t have much man power on such short notice, and Ineededto know she was with a team. People who would have her back, protect her when I couldn’t, and would put their lives on the line to save hers.
I waited patiently in the truck I’d borrowed from Alejandro—or more like the fucker had forced me to take. Patiently was also a strong word to use. My fingers drummed on the steering wheel as I waited forsomeoneto make a move. But there was only silence in my earpiece. I couldn’t even hear anyone breathing.
“We’re in,” Halo finally whispered, his voicebarelyloud enough to come through the coms.
A gunshot popped in my ear a second later, and then, chaos ensued. I could hear shouting—both in Russian and Mexican. Noah barked at someone to move right before her shot came through clear as day. More orders were shouted between Noah, Halo, Gidget, and the men Alejandro had sent in with them. Geek began giving instructions as well, telling them who to look out for and where to duck to avoid being hit.
“Fuck!” Noah suddenly shouted, then began to cough.
I growled, the steering wheel creaking beneath my white-knuckled grip. “What?” I snarled. If someone harmed a hair on my woman’s head…
“Smoke grenades,” Gidget snapped. “Can’t see a fucking thing. We’re goddamn blind here, Blayke.”
Likefuckwas anyone getting one up on my woman. There was no me without her.No onewas getting the upper hand and evenattemptingto take her from me.
I shifted the truck into drive. “Get out of the way of the fucking doors,” I ordered.
“What—” Noah coughed. “What the hell are you doing, Blayke?” she snapped.
“Justmove,” I snarled.
“We’re out of the way,” Halo told me.
“Geek?” I asked, wanting to make sure I had the all-clear. Maybe he could see them—or at least be able to tell they were out of the way.
“They’re out of the way,” Geek informed me, confirming what Halo’d said. “And you’ve got a group gathered, guns aimed at the door. They clearly hear the truck, and they’re ready for you, brother. I suggest when you put your pedal to the metal, you keep your fucking head down.”
“Blayke, don’t youdare,” Noah hissed. “We can?—”
The roar of the borrowed truck cut her off as I floored the gas pedal. The truck smashed into the doors, sending the steel flying off its hinges. Gunshots rang through the air. Noah screamed my name, her voice full of terror. I kept my head down, grabbed my assault rifle, and kicked open the door. Leveling the rifle out between the door and the cab, I rested it…
Then opened fucking fire.
Men screamed in agony. Bodies dropped. Blood splatteredeverywhere. I grinned maniacally and stepped out from behind the door, still shooting round after round. When my clip emptied, Noah, Halo, and Gidget took back over, and I dropped the gun, then pulled out my pistol, heading for the military-grade bunker-style door off to the left.
“Geek?” I called, needing him to do his hacker bullshit from Alejandro’s house so I could get inside. These mother fuckers probably thought they were untouchable while inside, butno onewas untouchable byme.
“On it,” he told me. A moment later, he exclaimed, “Done!” and the door unlocked, lighting up green. I yanked on the handle and lifted my gun in front of me. Both men looked at me in surprise, and I grinned before shooting the Russian in the hand and the Hispanic man in his knee, leaving them both howling in pain.
“Surprise, mother fuckers,” I greeted warmly like it was a normal day and they weren’t the enemy. “Sorry you’re late to the party, but fret not. I’m here to welcome you.”
Gidget and Halo moved in, both of them working quickly to bind the two men so we could transport them back to Alejandro’s. Noah appeared beside me, and before I realized what she was doing, she’d punched me in the gut, then slapped me across the face. I grunted and frowned at her, my hand pressed to my throbbing abdomen. She packed a hell of a punch in that little ass body of hers.
“What was that for?” I wheezed. That was going to leave a fucking bruise for sure.
“For that fucking stunt,” she snapped at me. “You are so goddamn…urgh!”
I flashed her a grin through my discomfort. “I just like making a grand entrance, mama.”
She huffed, her fingers twitching at her sides. “I’m itching to hit you again, Gabel,” she warned me. “Tread carefully, you fucking dimwit.”
I cupped the side of her neck and pulled her body flush to mine, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. She sighed, some of her anger melting away. “You were blind, and so was Geek. I needed the attention off of you, alright?” I rested my forehead on hers. “I willalwaysdo what’s needed to protect you, Noah, even if it might cost me my own life. You’llneverchange that about me.”
She grunted, then pushed back from me. “I’m still going to be mad at you about it,” she grumbled as she turned and walked away.
I snickered. “Wouldn’t be you if you didn’t!” I called after her.
