They needed to move their asses, but what he had to say was important. Looking at each man, including his own team, Nate made sure they knew who they were going after.
“Her name is Gracie. She’s smart and funny. The most beautiful, compassionate woman I’ve ever known. She’s not some nameless, faceless hostage. Gracie is someone’s sister. Someone’s daughter.” Then, because he had to, he added, “And she’s mine.”
The others remained silent for a moment before Ghost spoke again. “He’s right.” He looked at Nate. “I said before we’ve been where you are. In my case, I didn’t even realize my woman was a hostage until I walked into an op and found her chained to a bed about to be raped by a kid trying to become a man. Fletch’s woman was taken as a pawn in some sick fuck’s plan of revenge against our unit. And Coach, here…hell, his woman vanished without a trace for four days. To make matters worse, the police called him in ‘cause they thoughthe’ddone something to her.”
Jesus.Nate looked up at Coach. A pained expression flashed across the intimidating man’s face.
“Longest ninety-eight hours of my entire fucking life.”
“What happened?” Nate couldn’t help but ask.
“Her car. Harley had gone off the road and down into a ravine where no one could see her.”
“Shit, man,” Zade remarked. “It’s a miracle she survived.”
“It’s a miracle any of them survived,” Coach mused.
“Thankfully, we had God and our training on our side.” Ghost’s focus landed on Nate again. “Same as you. So, what do you say, Carter? Ready to go in there and get Gracie back where she belongs?”
He could feel his heart rate rising in anticipation. “Fuck, yeah, I am.”
“Whoa.” Rasat looked at them all cautiously.
“What?” Gabe asked.
“I think women should stay clear of you men. Much better for them and you.”
This made every man’s shoulders shake. Especially Matt’s. “Rasat, I believe that’s the smartest thing I’ve heard all day. I am one hundred percent with you on that.”
“Yeah,” Nate muttered to his friend as he got ready to head out. “Until about three weeks ago, I would’ve been, too.” His gaze slid to the house again. “Kole warned me, and I blew him off, just like you’re gonna blow off what I’m saying now. But mark my words, Turner. There will come a time when a woman slips past that wall of yours. One day, you’re gonna wake up and realize she’s become your entire world.”
A strange look flashed behind Matt’s dark eyes, but it was gone before Nate could decipher what it was.
It would have to wait. Right now, Nate’s world was somewhere in that house and he was more than ready to take back what was his.
“The woma…” Rasat’s nervous eyes flew up to Nate’s. “Your Gracie—” he corrected himself— “is being held in a room on the first floor. Far, northwest corner.”
Gabe gave Rasat a nod and his thanks before addressing the group. Per his and Ghost’s agreement, he would be in charge of the op from this point on.
“Alright, gentlemen. It’s go time. Rasat, you wait for us here. The rest of you, just like before. On three.”
Like a finely-choreographed dance, the two teams worked together as one. Fluid in their movements, they made their way into position around the outside of the house. The remaining guards were neutralized without incident.
Through the coms, Ghost relayed a quiet, “Perimeter is secure, boys. Hooah.”
One corner of Nate’s mouth turned up. Despite his earlier qualms, he was really starting to like that guy.
Repositioning, Nate and the others waited for the green light from Gabe. When it was given, the men breached the house simultaneously.
As planned, Nate moved into the hallway to his right with Matt on his six while the others spread throughout the house to check for any potential threat.
It was an older home, so the hallway was long and narrow. There were three doors to the right and two on the left.
One by one, Nate and Matt cleared each room with silence and efficiency. As expected, they were all empty.
The closer they got to the room at the end of the hall, the harder Nate’s heart began to pound inside his chest. His fingertips began to tingle, the level of adrenaline flowing through his veins at an all-time high.
He and Matt were only a few inches away from the final room’s door when a man’s angry words bellowed out from the other side, followed by a woman’s equally loud voice.
