Page 54 of A Soldier's Destiny
“Fuck me running. I have to be the world’s shittiest bodyguard. But it was only five minutes and she was locked up tight, and she should have been safe inside. I promised her I wouldn’t let anyone hurt her again.”
“She couldn’t have gone far. Like you said, it’s only been about five minutes. She knew she was supposed to stay inside.”
“You said she didn’t call you? She was grabbing the phone as I left the apartment, so who did she call?
A terrified scream filled the air. Rori. “Do you see her? Where did that come from?”
“Over there, look.” Chase pointed toward the parking lot behind the adjacent building.
If it wasn’t for Rori’s white t-shirt they wouldn’t have seen them in the encroaching darkness. Two figures had her and were pulling her across the lot. There was a dark van and it had to be where they were dragging her toward.
Without a word, Jasper took off at a dead run even though his lungs felt like they were going to explode. After circling around the building, he approached the soon to be dead men from behind. The fucktards didn’t have a chance, they just didn’t know it yet. Delta always completed their missions or died trying.
“Let her go.”
“What?” The one guy holding Rori turned toward him, and Jasper saw the gun shoved into her side. “Fuck you, asshole. I’m the one with a gun.”
“You don’t want to mess with him, he’ll kill you even without a gun,” Rori said, her voice about ten octaves higher than usual.
“Bitch, don’t make me tell you again to shut the fuck up.”
Jasper was weighing his options. The fucker with the gun was closest to him, but the other one nearer the van was an unknown. If he had a gun he might shoot Rori before he could take them both out.
Falling back on years of training, the world seemed to slow down, and he looked from one man to the other. Rori was safe as long as he kept her from being pushed into the van. He needed a distraction, and he got his wish a few heartbeats later as the fire trucks roared into the lot.
It was all he had to hear. Jasper moved so quickly the guy never saw it coming. They were distracted by the sirens and flashing lights, and it gave him just enough time to take him out. Grabbing the hand with the gun, he spun him around, and disarmed him, before punching him in the side of the head. He went down, but not until Jasper had pushed Rori behind him.
“Jasper, watch out.”
He turned in time to see a lead pipe coming for his head. He reached for asshole number one’s gun and he shot dirtbag number two in the arm. The pipe hit the asphalt with a loud clang just as Chase caught up to them. He grabbed the guy and shoved him up against the side of the van.
“I hope you feel like talking because we have a lot of questions for you, asshole,” Chase growled.
Once they had the situation under control, Rori threw herself into Jasper’s arms.
“Are you okay, Angel? Did they hurt you? Later you and I are going to have a talk about what stay put means.”
“I’m fine. They didn’t hurt me, but I think I need to look into some martial arts training for next time.”
“There better not be a next time.”
Chase nodded and grabbed his asshole and dragged him over to Ethan and Steele who were headed their way.
“Thank you for saving me again. This is becoming a habit.”
“Angel, you’re my life. I love you. I think I have from the first night in Paris. But I failed you. I’m so sorry.” His breathing still hadn’t returned to normal. He was covered in smoke and his feet were bleeding, but he’d never been happier in his life. Holding Rori in his arms and knowing she was safe was all he needed.
“You’re not responsible for my actions. You have never failed me, not one time. I never want to hear you say those words again. I love you, Jasper.”
He held her as tightly as he dared with all of her injuries and took her lips in a demanding kiss. When they came up for air, he rested his forehead against hers and sighed. She’d said the words he’d longed to hear. He had a chance for a new beginning, they both did, and he would do his best to make sure she got the happily ever after she deserved. “Thank you for trusting me with your heart, your life, your future. I will cherish it for as long as I live.”
