The aquarium wall glowed turquoise behind them, accenting the stark contrast in their size alone.
Jace cursed under his breath. Nausea struck him like a gut punch. His palms broke out in sweat as he tightened his grip on the gun.
“Lower the weapon and let Mr. P walk this way. Do it or I’ll snap her neck!” the man boomed.
Mr. P was already slinking his way toward the aquarium. And as he stepped over one of the men lying unconscious on the ground, Jace noticed Creed was among them. A sure sign that Amy had, indeed, gone rogue; only a distraction like that would find one of their best in such a position.Please say he’s only unconscious too.
Jace looked at his former team members, desperate to get Amy out of the mammoth’s chokehold. Baron, Blaine, and Maddox were each frozen in place, along with the rest of the room, and wearing that same look of uncertainty. Mr. P had said his men were trained to use body over weapon. One wrong move and the colossal man might snap her neck right then and there.
Just as Mr. P neared the bright, turquoise wall, Creed shrugged onto his side. Blood dripped from a head wound down one side of his face as he sat up and surveyed the scene. The guy was made of steel. It took only a moment for Creed to locate Amy, and then Jace.
Just as their eyes met, an idea came to mind. Creed wasn’t too far from Amy’s reach. Maddox wasn’t far off either. If Jace could cause enough of a distraction, the two men could knock the mammoth off balance and free Amy from his grip. Baron and Blaine were closer to Mr. P. They could seize him and ensure he didn’t escape in the chaos.
Jace gave his fellow comrades a knowing look, satisfied when each returned it with the slightest nod. Amy caught his eye next. She surprised him by revealing an aerosol can and lifting it toward her captor’s face. Wanting to help out, even still.
Please, Lord, let this work.
Jace gave Amy a subtle nod.
At once she pressed the knob on top, releasing a thick spray of cleaning solution into the man’s eyes.
Jace aimed the gun at the glass wall and pulled back the trigger.
The endless stretch of glass exploded with a crash. Water rushed into the room in a massive whoosh, knocking the men off balance as Jace hoped. Creed lunged toward the giant, successfully forcing him off his feet. Maddox was at his side in a blink.
Jace was aware that Baron and Blaine were doing the same with Mr. P, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the sight of Amy as she tumbled to the ground as well. Her captor’s grip was undone as soon as his elbow crashed against the floor. Fish spun and squirmed as the water swished around fallen barstools and broken lamps.
It took both Maddox and Creed to tame the giant as Amy squirmed free and hurried to her feet on the wet floor. Mr. P’s men were scrambling like rats in a maze, and soon Jace realized why— the crew dressed in blue had arrived. They filed in, dispersed throughout the room with guns drawn.
“Everyone freeze and put your hands in the air,” one officer declared.
“Are you all right, Miss?” an older gentleman asked while flashing his badge.
Amy nodded as she replied, then pointed to Jace across the room. From the corner of his eye, Jace saw Logan storm in. Thank the Lord they were all okay.
The officer gave Amy a nod, and soon she was bolting toward Jace and breaking into tears. He met her part way, his shoes sloshing over the wet floor, and gathered her into his arms. He hoisted her small frame up, buried his face in her hair, and pulled in a sweet, warm breath of her. They’d done it.
As he set her back on her feet, Jace noticed Mr. P getting dragged off in cuffs, along with several of his men.
He sighed. It was over. Wow! They were really putting this guy away, and the rest of the ring too. It felt good. And now, Jace mused, he might actually get to enjoy the years to come with the woman he loved. But it didn’t take long for doubt to creep up. It came in the recollection of Mindy’s Dear John letter.
Amy had gotten a taste of Jace’s life today, seen for herself just how dangerous his job could be. It was very likely, after witnessing what she had and experiencing the horror of it herself, that Amy wouldn’t want to be part of his life after all.
