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“I’m on my way.” I hit the ground running. I tightened the waist on my drawstring pajama bottoms, pulled the socks off my feet for better traction, and picked up my glock in one hand and my phone in the other.
I used the mechanism on my watch to open the gate as I ran flat out. I used my phone to call Lo, he’ll alert the others. But I was sure I’d be done by the time they got there. “Lo, someone’s after my girl, I’m almost there.”
“Fuck, I’ll get the others. Cord don’t…”
I hung up before he could try to talk me out of going in alone. I know my brothers very well and Lo’s first priority will always be one of us. He’d want me to wait, even though we’d just learned that they were the old man’s, he’d still put my life before hers.
I paced myself and controlled my breathing as I ran through the night to get to her. I didn’t let my mind go anywhere else. I didn’t give in to the anger that was gnawing at my gut, or the self-loathing for going against my mind and letting her leave. I just focused on getting to her, making her safe, and then killing the fuck that had broken into her house.
The night was still, as if waiting to be shattered. One of those nights where not even the trees moved in the breeze and the stars were hidden in the clouds. I took it all in as I made my way through the dead of night with my heart lodged somewhere in my gut and my mind on autopilot.
The little house came into view up ahead. It was in total darkness as I crept around the side. I knew which room was hers and which was her brother’s. I’d made it my business to know. I kept my eyes and ears pricked for any movement but all was still. The house next door was in total darkness, nothing moved over there.
There were no cars on the street, why would there be? In our little sleepy hollow everything shuts down by dusk and most law-abiding citizens are in bed by this hour. I checked the house for a way in without alerting whoever was inside. I didn’t know how much time I had. Either way, I wasn’t about to fuck around. I couldn’t let myself think about the terror she must be feeling, or whether or not she’d already been hurt. Did she cry out for me?
Davey, who has been hanging around us for the last little while, was starting to think like us. He’d opened his window for me to climb through. I knew the only reason he hadn’t tried to defend his sister himself was because we’d taken his piece that first night we met, which now seemed like so long ago.
If I’d been thinking, I would’ve armed him, but that was a mistake I wouldn’t be making again. Not that I was ever letting her out of my sight after this.
I climbed quietly through the window and found him by the door about to open it. I made the slightest of sounds behind him so he’d know I was there, and had my finger up to my lips as soon as he turned around. I hoped he could see me in the moonlight that streamed through the window.
The slump of his shoulders in relief told me all I needed to know as I made my way towards him. I could see the fear in his eyes, hear the shallowness of breath, but there was no time to reassure him. Now that I was here, the bitter taste of fear gave away to anger. Someone’s asshole son was gonna lose his life tonight.
I ushered him away from the door silently, and waited until he was out of the way before cracking it open the barest fraction, being sure not to let it squeak. I cautiously looked down the darkened hallway, nothing. Taking my time, I took another quick glance in the opposite direction, clear.
I turned back to him with a swift motion to stay put and away from the window before leaving the room. There was no sound coming from anywhere. Whoever was here was good, good enough that he knew how to control his breathing. I was trained to pick that shit up down to the lowest decibel.
Keeping close to the wall, I made my way down the hallway to her door, which had been left open. From my vantage point around the doorjamb I could see into the room and what I saw had me biting into my lip to hold back the scream of rage.
She was on the bed; someone was leaning over her with his hands around her neck as her feet struggled. She was putting up a fight, but she was no match for the hulking figure that had her in his grips. One sweep of the room confirmed that there was no one else there.
I kept the rage barely in check as I moved swiftly forward and grabbed him around the throat from behind, pulling him back and away from her. I didn’t stop until I slammed him into the wall. “Who sent you motherfucker?” I eased up on his windpipe enough to let him answer.
“Fuck you.”
“Wrong answer.” Without giving it a second thought, I twisted hard once, and heard the satisfying crunch of a neck breaking. He was done before he hit the floor where I dropped him.
I turned and grabbed her up from the bed before the scream could leave her lungs and pulled her head into my chest. She knew my scent and I felt her relax just a little at the knowledge that I was there. “You’re safe.” I kissed her hair before placing her behind me and slipped quietly from her room with her hand held firmly in mine.
I hadn’t had a chance to search the place, so I had no way of knowing if there was more than one asshole here. I was going to take her to her brother’s room and leave her there while I looked, but I saw movement coming towards us in the dark.
I knew it wasn’t one of my brothers because they had more sense than to be that fucking careless. I lifted my gun and fired off two shots to the head. I wasn’t worried about missing, and was sure of my aim when I saw and heard the body drop.
Her hand shook slightly in mine and she made the slightest of sounds in her throat, but those were the only indications that she was distressed in anyway. Good girl! I sometimes forget how tough my baby is. Later I’ll shower her with praise and tell her how proud I am of her bravery, but right now I needed to stay in kill mode.
I kept my ears pricked and my senses open to my surroundings as we crept down the hallway. I didn’t sense any more movement or feel the presence of anyone else in the house other than her little brother, but I wasn’t in the mood to take any chances, so I shielded her body with mine as we crept along the wall stealthily.
The whistle came not long after, announcing the arrival of my brothers and I answered before going to Davey’s room. Lo was the first one through the window, followed by the others. “Who’s home with the women?” As much as I appreciated them coming, I couldn’t forget we were on high fucking alert back at the compound.
“Ours are fine-we made sure of that. How’s yours doing?”
“She’ll be fine but she’s not staying here after tonight.” I kissed her forehead and put her away from me. “Go with my brothers baby, I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?” She clung to me, making my heart jump in my chest. I hated the fear in her eyes, hated that this shit had touched her. Too fucking close. “I have to make a run, you’re okay baby look at me.” I clasped her face between my hands and looked into her eyes, something else I was teaching her to do is read me. After her slight nod, I turned to my brother. “Ty I need a hand.”
“What do you need brother?” I motioned him towards the hallway, and the others followed after admonishing the kids to stay put. “There’s another one in her room.” I told them after they saw the body on the floor.
Both men had been dressed in all black with facemasks on. We could pretty much guess who was behind this shit and I for one was tired of the fuckery, no fucking more. My only concern now was, had they been sent to capture or kill to get back at me? “What are we doing bro?”
