Page 24 of Her Steadfast Hero

“Good plan. If at least two men show up at the front, that will force two men to go there, while some of us could go to the back and get the baby and the woman.” David nodded, he liked the idea. He turned to the older man with the rifle.

“You’ll stay up here. You take out anyone who moves wrong.” The man smiled, showing two missing teeth.

These men were impressive. Raul and another one walked up to the front, while David and Manuel crawled down the hill, taking cover in the long grass and shrubs. When they made it to the stable, they stayed still. The sharpshooter would be able to see everything, and he would tell them when to move across the backyard toward the kitchen door.

Yelling pierced the quiet. It was Raul and a man that David assumed was a convict. He could make out the words drugs and money. Then a shot rang out. He pushed Manuel out of the stable, and the two of them ran toward the kitchen door. Another shot rang out. A baby started to cry. David stumbled, and Manuel grabbed his arm, heaving him up.

Goddamn leg.

“Kitchen! Go! Now!” It was the sharpshooter. David plowed through the door of the kitchen. One of the men who had been sitting at the table had a knife in his hand and was reaching for the baby. As one entity, David and Manuel tackled the man.

Ice. Fire. Pain.

Why wouldn’t his arm move to hit the guy? Other hand. He pulled back and slammed his fist into the fucker’s mouth.

Crunch.

“You’re bleeding.”

“Baby. Get the baby,” David wheezed.

Another shot.

God, he hurt. He tried to roll over and groaned.