Page 7 of Furious Protector
The curtains hang long and dark over the windows.I pull one back a little to take a look outside.Mason and PJ jump out of their truck and walk up the sidewalk just as Garrett and Lacy pull up behind them and quickly catch up with the others.
They give a quick knock on the door.As soon as they enter, the guys and I exchange a glance.We don’t like having the women part of this, and there’s no way any of us are leaving Jules on her own after what we heard.At least this way, letting them come to the house, we have the advantage.
Garrett clears his throat.“We brought the girls up to speed on the way over.They know we may have visitors and that we’ll take care of them.”
“Good.”I glance around and not one of them seems nervous.These women are ready for whatever may come their way.Tired of the crap this crew has been giving them in their town.“Keep everything normal.Like you were continuing the party from the bar at home.Garrett, Mason, and I are going to leave.We’ll be around though.We just want them to think we dropped you ladies off.Keep the lights on, laugh, and maybe turn some music on.You ladies have Garrett and Mason’s numbers.”I write down my cell for Patti.“Keep this for yourself and Jules.Just in case you need to get ahold of me.”
Patti nods.She looks a little more nervous than the other two.“It’ll be fine.Check on Jules for me, please?And see if you can get her to drink a little water, eat some food, and take an ibuprofen.She’ll thank us in the morning after two rounds of tequilla on an empty stomach.”
Lacy and PJ try to hide the smiles on their faces.I set the record straight as Garrett and Mason head out the door.“I’m just being nice, ladies.Now, if you’ll excuse me, we have work to do.Try not to have too much fun.”
The ladies are giggling as the door clicks behind me, and I double check that it locked securely before making my way to the truck.A quick, nonchalant glance around as I settle into the seat and pull out of the driveway tells me that so far, we’re alone.But, if what the assholes back at the bar said is true, it won’t be long before they arrive and all hell breaks loose.
Even mentioning coming to Jules’ house has put the bastards on my kick their ass list.If they do anything more than show up, they’re going to learn a thing or two about the skills that were taught to me courtesy of the good old U.S.of A.
The guys are up a short distance and I catch up to them quickly, following them as they make their way toward the highway.They know this area far better than me and when they must think we’re far enough out, they slow, pulling off the road to park under some heavy branches that with a little finessing will provide the coverage we need to keep them hidden.
Garrett and Mason jump into the back seat of my truck, and give me directions around the roadways, navigating until we’ve parked ourselves around the block.Garrett points.“Right there, pull in.The Jones’ are out of town.Pull in backward and back right up to the garage.No one will ever be the wiser.We can walk right through their back yard and come out at Jules’ place.”
It takes very few minutes to make our way across the well-manicured lawn and get into position.And we’re just in time, as the fuckers from town roll down the street in a black, souped-up SUV and pull into Jules’ driveway as if they didn’t have a care in the world.
We wait, but my jaw is tight as we crouch in the brush, knowing we have to stay put until they actually engage that door, break a fucking law that will hold up in court.These guys are on a mission too.And it sure as hell doesn’t take the fuckers long to smash the glass of the front door.
Or for us to spring into action…
6
Jules
The smashing sound of glass pulls me from a groggy sleep and into an utter state of confusion.The last thing I remember was being in the truck with the handsome bodyguard, Mr.Green Eyes.Another crashing sound at the door spurs me into action.I grab my phone and call 911, whispering to the operator while she asks me a ton of questions I don’t yet have the answer for.“I don’t know what’s happening, but I think someone just crashed the glass at my front door and is breaking into my home.Get here fast, please?”
I hang up on the still talking operator, slipping the cell into the back pocket of my jeans, looking frantically around for anything that could be used for a weapon.I screw off the shade of an old-fashioned lamp to use the heavy steel column to crack a head or two if need be.I should be scared out of my mind but right now I’m just mad as hell.
The darkness makes it hard to see until my eyes begin to adjust, but even then, it’s difficult to see more than a few feet in front of me as I make my way from the bedroom, padding down the hall toward the living area and angry voices.
I’ll see what’s happening and then go back to the bedroom if there’s more than one of them.One of them, I can take.Two of them, I could try but would probably lose.With a plan, I step forward tentatively, peeking around the corner as pandemonium breaks the sound barrier of my usually quiet home.
More crashing glass and Lacy’s scream makes my blood curdle.I know who’s behind the door bursting of my home.Eldridge Jr.and his father’s goons will stop at nothing.They didn’t get what they wanted last year, so they’re going to try different tactics this year.Well, getting to me is not going to make Lacy do what they say, no matter what, and they are definitely not getting to her.
Maybe earlier in the night I was ready to give up without a fight, tired and scared, but that was before I realized that I’m made of tougher stuff than that.And I may not have a gun, but those are my friends out there and before they get to them, they’re going to have to go through me.
I step out just as three men from the bar stride toward Lacy and PJ.It’s dark, and they don’t have a clue what weapon I have or don’t have.“You take one more move toward my friends and I will blow your mother loving heads clean off.Get out of my house and don’t come back.”
The taller one turns his deadbeat stare at me.My heart races with angst, because he’s not buying my tough girl act.I don’t know how I know it, but I know it.Then he confirms it, sneering as he takes a step toward me, calling my bluff.“Now, I’m going to show you what happens when people stand in the way of progress.All of you are coming with us.We’ll see how fast Kenny sells then.That is, if he wants you back alive.”
Three shadows move quickly.Garrett, Mason and Beckett fly through the door, attacking the men head on with fists flying, quickly overpowering them before pushing them to the floor.Mason pulls swaths of rope from his belt loop and tosses one to Garrett who ropes his man’s hands behind him quicker than anything I’ve ever seen.
Beckett holds his guy tight, kneeling on his chest.He reaches for his piece of rope, wraps his hands and ties them into his belt loops so he can’t use them to take a swing.The guy should just keep his mouth shut, but he doesn’t have a self-preserving bone in his body.He glares up at Beckett.“You think you’ve won.They’ll just send more meaner than us and those women, they’re going to wish they had never stood in the way of progress.We’re going to get what we want, one way or another.”
Beckett grabs him by the jacket lapels.“Who sent you?”
The guy laughs and spits at Beckett.“That pretty blonde, when they come for them, she’s going to be mine.”
Beckett’s fist clenches and he looks like he wants to send it smashing into that guy’s face, but he keeps it under control.“You, my friend, will be in jail,” he growls, just as the sound of sirens in the near distance begin to wail, and lights begin to flash through the curtains.
Beckett looks down at his foe who didn’t anticipate them pulling in the law.“I’d suggest you make that one phone call count tonight.Tell them not to come, or they’re going to have a war they won’t soon forget.”
Sheriff Cates and his two deputies rush in with guns drawn and the guys haul their men to their feet.Sheriff Cates personally slaps the cuffs on the one Beckett subdued, while his deputies take care of the other two, and then hands his guy off to another deputy who walks in the door.“We got a 911 call.What happened?”
