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The doors were locked, but one swift kick with his heel shattered the rotted wood and they caved in. Chandler rushed down the cement steps into the dank basement, taking a moment to let his eyes adjust before locating the stairs up to the first floor. Along the way, he picked up a section of metal pipe leaning against the wall. Not as good as his Glock for protection, but better than nothing, especially against an armed man. He crept up the creaking wooden stairs toward the door at the top, glad for the commotion of the cops outside as they called for Ross to come out with his hands up.
Chandler doubted Ross would do any such thing, but at least it allowed him to get out of the basement without being heard. He stood, pipe in hand and back pressed to the wall in the hallway, and listened. Pretty soon he heard scraping and sounds of struggling from overhead, followed by a scream.
Eden!
Pulse pounding and adrenaline surging, Chandler ran for the stairs and slipped up them as quietly as he could, calling on all his training, until he stood on the landing, in the corner in the shadows. The air smelled of mold and dust and dirt and there was more wallpaper on the floors than remained on the walls. Trash and dead mice scattered the floor. None of it mattered. All Chandler was focused on was figuring out which room Terry had Eden in and taking the guy out, one way or another, before Eden could be harmed.
“Come out now or this will only get worse for you,” a cop yelled from outside. “Don’t make this harder on yourself.”
Chandler scanned the second floor for any signs of movement.
Creak, creak.
There. The bedroom in the corner. Made sense. It would have full view of the front of the house on one side and the back on the other. Chandler inched that way, careful to stay as silent as possible.
Muffled sounds issued from the room ahead, and Chandler’s chest squeezed tight. Eden.
My Eden.
Please let her be okay.
He stood poised to the side of the doorframe, pipe raised and ready, breath held. The same electric charge that galvanized him before missions jolted through him now.
Get ready to rock, motherfucker.
Chandler charged into the room where Terry stood. A glance was enough to show that he was holding Eden with one arm around her neck and his hand over her mouth. His other hand held a gun. The only advantage Chandler had was that Terry was looking out the window, not at Chandler.
One second of surprise was all he had—but it was all he needed. Chandler charged the other man, startling him into letting Eden go. Then it was full on chaos. Terry fired, but his aim was way too wide, and the bullet landed in the opposite wall. Chandler swung the pipe, striking Ross in the arm with a satisfying crack and crunch of bone, and the man dropped to his knees, crying out in pain as his weapon went clattering across the floor. Chandler kicked it even further out of the way and raised the pipe again, heaving in a breath and ready to strike a death blow if the man proved to be an ongoing threat. One gun had been taken out of play, but for all he knew, the man had another one on him—or a knife, or some other weapon. Chandler wasn’t going to be taking any chances.
Luckily, he didn’t have to kill the guy because the cops ran in at that moment, guns raised. Chandler dropped the pipe and held his hands up as he identified himself. As soon as the officers closed in around Ross with handcuffs, Chandler was on his knees to, dropping down next to Eden and pulling her into his arms, never wanting to let her go again.
She was trembling and crying against him, and he tucked her head beneath his chin, rocking her gently while the cops dealt with Ross, reading him his rights, and handcuffing him despite his screams about his broken arm.
Finally, Chandler cupped Eden’s cheeks and pulled back slightly to look at her. Her clothes were rumpled and there was a red mark on her cheek that would probably bruise, but otherwise she seemed okay. “I was so worried about you, baby,” he said, stroking away her tears with his thumbs. “When I saw him drive away with you, all I could think was I’d never get to see you again and you’d never know how much I love you.”
Eden blinked at him, brows knit. “You love me?”
“More than anything in this world,” he whispered, bending to kiss her fast before they were swamped with officers, checking out Eden for injuries, then questioning them both. All Chandler wanted to do was finish their conversation, but it would have to wait until this last part was over.
