“I swear I will hit the button now,” Haaz swore softly in his ear. “Either way you die.”
Then I will take you with me, asshole.He could already see the sunlight shining through the door at the end of the corridor. As soon as they were out that door, he was going to scream ‘bomb’. Hopefully, the flight attendant would run. It was the best he could do, there were too many souls planning to be on that plane, not to mention the plan to crash it into Diego Garcia. Rio bunched his muscles, preparing himself for what was to come. Approaching the door, he took a split second to say a silent goodbye to the love of his life. How the hell had it come to this? Oh yeah, his family were a bunch of terrorist assholes. Well, two of them would die with him today. Rock, Grif, and the Ghost protectors would deal with the rest.
I am sorry, Cade, I hope you survived, wherever you are. If not, I will see you on the other side of the rainbow.“Bo—.”
* * *
Cade forced himself not to look around the door. He kept his back pressed against the wall, his weapon at ready position.Fuck me! It’s hot here.His thoughts were confirming what he already knew as he wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead and dust from his eyes for the umpteenth time. He should be used to this shit, waiting to execute. In his ear, he heard the constant updates Angelo gave through coms.
“Target is through Checkpoint Golf and approaching Hotel.”
“Copy.”
“They are past Hotel.”Angelo confirmed they were past the first exit door leading off that corridor. One down, five more to go.
On the opposite side of the door, Cade watched Rock raise his open hand.
“India.”
Rock dropped one finger.
“Juliet. Confirmed, our principle is on the right, civilian on the left.”
“Copy.” Thank fuck, Rio was his to rescue. Rock now had three upright fingers.
“Kilo. Both tangos to the rear.”
“Copy.” Cade didn’t give a shit, Rio’s brothers could go to the rear seats in hell, thank you very much. Two fingers from Rock.
“Lima.”
One finger. Ready or not, this was it. The next thirty seconds would tell him if he would get a happy ever after or not.
“Checkpoint Mike—Execute.”On Angelo’s order, Rock and Cade reached for the two people who walked through the door and pulled hard.
“Bo—.” Rio didn’t get time to finish the word. A rough grip on his arm yanked him to one side as gunfire exploded around them. By the time the first shot’s echo faded, he was slammed to the ground, and a hard body crashed down on top of him. “Ouch.”
“I’m sorry.” Cade felt the thud as Rio’s head hit the tarmac, he hadn’t been able to get his hand under it in time.
“Clear.” Grif’s voice confirmed that Creed and Danny had taken out both of Rio’s brothers from their position as snipers near the plane.
“Tangos?” No freaking way was Cade moving from where he protected Rio with his body until someone said it in plain English.
“KIA.” Rock confirmed. Okay, maybe not plain English… but it would do.
“Thank fuck.” Cade scrambled to his feet. “Rio?”
“Bomb.” Rio croaked. His hands tugging at his clothes, “Bomb, move back.” Rio managed to get his hands under him, and he scooted backward, putting space between them.
“Fuck.”
“Angelo,” Cade yelled into coms, “We need you, stat, and bring your tools.”
“Fanculo, on my way.”
“Move back.” Rock gave the order.
“No.” There was no fucking way Cade was moving, nope, not happening. Rock could issue orders until freaking Christmas. It was not happening.
