Page 90 of Tactical Lies

“Always and forever,” he echoed just like she’d done when they were out in the woods, and he was trying to calm her down so he could get her back on solid ground.

“So sweet,” the man who’d dislocated her shoulder snapped as he shoved her violently to the floor. Becca could tell they were getting annoyed because they weren't receiving the kind of reaction from her and Connor they wanted, that they’d expected.

“So stupid,” another sneered.

A foot connected with her hip, sending pain spiraling through her body as she went skidding across the floor.

Something, and she wasn't sure what, some previously buried survival instinct, some ingrained self-defense mechanism, some deeply rooted desire to survive, had her reaching out and grabbing onto the foot that had kicked her. As she went skidding sideways she took the man down with her.

Like that was the domino that sent all the others tumbling down along with it, the cabin exploded into a flurry of activity.

People shouted.

Guns fired.

The storm continued to rage outside.

And Becca prayed that by some miracle she and Connor would survive.

Chapter

Twenty-One

August 23rd

2:38 A.M.

Chaos.

Pure bedlam erupted in the cabin when Becca fell to the floor and somehow managed to take one of the men down with her.

It was the chance that Connor had been waiting for, and he didn't hesitate to grab hold and run with it.

While he absolutely hated how mouthy Becca had been with the men, at the same time he was incredibly proud of her for refusing to cower and showing everyone how powerful and strong she was, his heart just couldn’t handle the fear, she’d caused an unexpected consequence. The men had been so focused on her, so irritated that she wasn't cowering at their feet begging and pleading for her life that they hadn't been smart.

Not immediately restraining both him and Becca, but at the very least him if they wanted to taunt him with images of Becca being assaulted, was the biggest mistake they could have made.

Now they were paying for it.

Coming in low, using the fact that the cabin was still almost pitch black and the men didn't appear to be wearing any NVGs, to his advantage, Connor plowed his shoulder into the nearest man, taking them both down.

They tussled, but Connor had something the other man didn't.

Rage.

This was a job to these men. Nothing more, nothing less. They had likely been looking forward to it, enjoying the free rein to do whatever they wanted to a helpless woman, no rules, no holding back. It would feed their sick desires, but they weren't invested in this the way he was.

Connor wasn't just fighting for his life.

Wasn't even fighting just for Becca’s life.

He was fighting for his future.

For everything he’d always wanted, everything he’d always dreamed about, everything he’d had and ruined by one moment of letting his emotions and fears get the best of him.

There was no way he could lose.

So he threw punch after punch, aware of the sounds of people scrambling around him. He had no idea where Becca had gone, but he sincerely hoped she’d managed to tuck herself away someplace where no one would be able to find her.

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