Page 44 of Heart of a Hero

As I sped through the empty streets, my mind raced with the possibilities of what I might find. Images of Nora, hurt and scared, flashed before my eyes, fueling the rage burning in my veins. Rex had no idea who he was messing with, the lengths I would go to protect the woman I loved.

I pulled up to the old apartment building, its dilapidated facade looming in the darkness. The rest of the Swift Angels were already there, or at least the ones who’d been able to get off work. I joined them, my heart pounding in my ears as we surveyed the building.

“You sure this is the place?” I asked, my voice low and tense.

Jaxon nodded, his eyes hard as steel. “Positive. My source saw Rex dragging a girl inside some time ago. It’s gotta be Nora.”

I clenched my fists, the fire in my veins burning hotter with every passing second. “Then let’s do this. For Nora.”

Jordan held up a hand, holding us back. “Um, should we tell your dad’s club? I mean, I know you introduced Nora to them. One of their daughters has been babysitting Taylor. Wouldn’t they want to know about this?”

Yeah, they would, but… “If my dad comes, or any other Reaper, we won’t be handling this the legal way. Not unless you plan on putting them behind bars. They won’t be able to hand Rex over to the authorities.”

“They’ll be out for blood,” Ben said. “Can’t say that I blame them. Right about now, if Rex were to have a tragic accident, I’d probably look the other way.”

“We can’t cross that line,” I said. “If we do it once, then…”

“It’s easier to do it over and over,” Jaxon finished.

The others nodded, their expressions grim and determined. We moved as one, silent and deadly, toward the building. I could feel the adrenaline pumping through my body, every sense heightened, every nerve on edge. Somewhere inside, Nora was waiting for me, and I would move heaven and earth to get to her.

Hold on, baby. I’m almost there. The thought pulsed through me like a heartbeat, a promise I wouldn’t break. As we approached the busted door, I took a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever lay ahead. Rex had picked the wrong man to mess with, and I was about to show him just how wrong he was.

The door creaked open, and we slipped inside. The building had torn carpets, ripped wallpaper, and most likely mold to go with the water stains. The air was ripe with the scent of decay. I scanned the darkness, my eyes straining for any sign of Nora or Rex.

Suddenly, a muffled cry pierced the silence, and my heart stopped. Nora. I motioned to the others, and we moved swiftly. As we neared the source of the sound, I caught a glimpse of movement, a figure huddled in the corner.

“Nora?” I called out, my voice hoarse with emotion.

“Dawson?” Her reply was weak, but it was all I needed. I rushed forward, my eyes locked on her trembling form. But before I could reach her, a shadow detached itself from the wall, and Rex stepped into view, a wicked grin on his face.

“Well, well, well. Look who decided to play hero,” he sneered.

I stepped forward, my fists clenched at my sides. “Let her go, Rex. This ends now.”

He laughed, a harsh, grating sound that set my teeth on edge. “You think you can take me, pretty boy? I’ll break you like a twig.”

I didn’t waste my breath on a reply. Instead, I lunged forward, my training with Tank, the ex-Sergeant-at-Arms for the Dixie Reapers, kicking in as I aimed a swift jab at his jaw. He stumbled back, surprised by the force of the blow, but quickly recovered, his own fists flying.

We traded blows, our bodies slamming into the walls and broken pieces of furniture, empty moving crates, and other trash as we fought. I could hear Nora’s sobs, hear the shouts of the Swift Angels as they watched, ready to intervene if needed. But this was my fight, my chance to prove to Nora I would always protect her.

I had no doubt Logan was already doing his best to assess her. If she needed immediate attention, he would have run to her, regardless of what else was happening. The fact they were all waiting meant not only was Nora not in imminent danger, but they’d determined Rex would remain a threat until I’d put him down or one of us put him in cuffs.

With a final, desperate surge of strength, I slammed Rex against the wall, my forearm pressed against his throat. “It’s over,” I growled, my face inches from his. “You’ll never hurt Nora again.”

His eyes widened, the fight draining out of him as he realized he was beaten. I stepped back, watching as he slumped to the floor, his head hanging in defeat. It seemed a little too easy. Warily, I eyed him, wondering if he was trying to trick me.

I turned to Nora, my heart swelling with relief as I gathered her into my arms. She clung to me, her tears soaking my shirt as I held her close. “You’re safe now, baby. I’ve got you.”

“Dawson,” she whispered, her voice trembling as she buried her face in my chest. “I was so scared. I thought… I thought he was going to…”

“Shh, it’s okay,” I murmured, stroking her hair as I held her tighter. “You’re safe now. I’m here, and I’m never letting you go.”

“I didn’t know what he wanted when he freed me. He’d had me tied to a chair and suddenly, he let me go. But the moment I left the room I’d been in, he started to chase me.” Her hands shook and I could tell it would take a while for her completely calm down. “It was like playing hide and seek, but every time he got close to me and I ran for a new hiding spot, he’d come after me. I thought I was going to die.”

I knew what the bastard had been thinking. It was a sick, twisted game he’d wanted to play. One where Nora most likely forfeited her life at the end. But until then, he’d wanted to terrify her, make her lose all hope, and possibly her sanity. Hell, the bastard may have even been hoping she’d beg him not to hurt her anymore.

Around us, the Swift Angels erupted into cheers and whoops as I heard Justin behind us reading Rex his rights, and the clink of cuffs. Even though he was most likely off duty, I knew he’d see that Rex went to jail tonight. With some luck, a judge would put him away for a long time.

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