Page 28 of Sip
I fly to the chair and yank on my jeans. My first thought is normally revenge and annihilation. Now with her all I can think about is her safety.
My preference are my Glock and blade but since I don’t know what I’ll find out there, I have to prepare for anything and everything. I race to the dresser to find my supplies and get to work, following a systematic approach. Ear plugs on each side. Gun in back waistband and holstered to my side. Knives strapped to each calf. Mini grenades in my pocket. Smoke bombs taped to the insides of my forearms. AR in my free hand. I glance at my phone on top of the bureau.
Shane’s blown up the screen with messages I skim enough to get the gist. The Lithuanians have come for revenge after I ousted them from Dublin. Damn it.
“What’s going on?”
Terror pulses in her scream that will haunt me long after I’m dead. I jerk open another drawer and grab some clothes for her. “Put these on baby girl. We’ve got to get you out of here.”
As gentle as I can I grab her wrist and haul her to me. One side then the other, I push her hands out of the way and tuck ear plugs in each canal. Her little body softens slightly with relief, at least from the shriek of the sirens. The fear of what causes them remains.
I rip off the terrycloth wrapped tightly around her torso and slide the tee over her head and shove the joggers up her legs. The fabric pools at her feet despite me pulling the waist band above her tits. Swimming in the too big material, she stumbles as I tug her forward. Fuck. I need to keep her behind me, but she can’t fucking walk like this. “Piggyback.”
“What?”
I ignore her confusion and squat down, heaving her to me to practically lay on my back. She finally understands and coils around me so I can stand up. “Keep your head down. I’m going to get you out of here.”
I slowly ease open the door and point the tip of my gun to blow off the face of the man racing toward us. Before I can pull the trigger, he jerks and his hand flies to his lower back before he slams sideways into the wall. Golden rays stream through the windows and highlight his ashen face.
Ansel.
Shit.
Uncertain who shot him, I mow down the three guys behind him. Revenge for him, protection for my girl who clings to me without a word. Unfortunately, she knows the drill with the life we live.
“Motherfucking cock suckers.”
Ansel’s rant proves he’s more angry than hurt. Thank fuck. “You okay?”
He nods while probing the injury. “Yeah, it’s through.”
Without a bullet lodged in his side, he should be fine. Thank fuck. I toss my head toward the direction of the corpses. “How many are down there?”
“Looks like about thirty.” He glances at the blood ruining the carpet. “Minus a few.”
A manageable number but too much risk for my pixie. “Take her out through the library to the safe house.”
A flicker of doubt crosses his face. I’m not the boss, and she’s not my wife. Not yet anyway.
“No. I don’t want to leave you.”
Her pitiful voice wrecks me. I slide her body around with one arm and set her on her feet. “You’re going with Ansel. There’s no other option.”
Confirming I expect him to follow my orders, I nod to him. “Text me once you’re on the road.”
She remains mute and immobile. My sweet angel’s stubborn too. I bend down and press my lips to her ear. “I love you and I swear to god I’ll come for you. Now go.”
I soften my voice as much as I can toward her but still scare her with the harsh tone of my command when she flinches.
I turn her around and shove her toward Ansel who picks her up bridal style to carry her to the escape route through the faux vent system that leads to the garage. My fists ball from him touching her but I have no choice. I will wipe away every fingerprint from her pure skin once I get her back.
Covering their departure down the hall, I ensure they’re inside the library before I race the other direction. Two more men are on the stairs, and I eliminate them effortlessly. The situation on the landing isn’t as easy. Shane’s on his knees with three pistols aimed at his head. His right eye is already swelling and blood drips from his nose.
Our men flank the perimeter against Kipras’s guards but they’re tight on him protecting the vindictive bastard. No one speaks. No one moves. No one even blinks.
Gunfire cracks through the air outside the house like popcorn yet an impasse remains here. The outcome determined by how I handle the situation. Luckily, I’ve gone unnoticed for the last ten seconds, but my presence will soon be detected. With my attention fixed on the silent battle playing out below me, I bend to unsheathe my knives. Calm and focused, I work in nimble silence and aim for my target.
Kipras says something to my brother I can’t make out. Shane looks up at him and grins. The blood on his teeth gives him a monstrous glow. That and the evil smoldering in his eyes. He spits on the bastard’s shoe demonstrating his disgust for the man. Red slime shines on the slick black surface.
