by Blue Saffire
I have to believe that this is not hurting him. He is just waiting for his opportunity to attack. My finger is itching to give him that opportunity, but I have to be patient. My phone buzzes in my pocket and I rush to pull it out thinking it may be Wyatt or one of the others.
I furrow my brows when I see it’s my dad. When I think about how weird he has been lately and how Noah has been vouching for him, I rush to pick up. Before I can say a word, my father starts to speak into the phone. “Baby, listen to me carefully.”
My breath hitches and I nod as if he can see me. He continues on as if he has seen me nod. “Look through your scope to your left. I’m at your nine o’clock,” he says swiftly.
I look through my scope quickly and locate his figure across from me on another roof. He’s on a rooftop that is slight lower than mine, but with just as good a view of Noah. Our vantage points give us the perfect angle into the lot. I sigh knowing there is hope. “Daddy, what’s going on,” I whisper.
“Noah has a two-way ear piece in. He can hear me, and I can hear him and the others around him. You and I need to work together to get him out of there and we need to do it now. I need you to remember everything we taught you, Bean. We’re going to get him out.”
“Okay, Daddy,” I whisper and nod.
“Good Baby, I promise, I’m walking you down the aisle to Noah Black next week. We’re going to get him out,” my dad says firmly. “Tuck the phone close to your ear and shoulder. We need to work together.”
I lick my dry lips. “Okay,” I aim my rifle and look through my scope. “I can do this.”
“Get low, Bean, just like I showed you. Let the rifle breathe through you. Let it become a part of you,” Dad instructs softly, but firmly.
~B~
Chase
I can hear how nervous my baby is, but I know Bean. Noah is in real danger and as soon as that fact settles in her brain, she is going to snap into action. I settle my rifle on one of the guards guarding the staircase exit.
Just as I do there is activity on the entrance ramp, one level below. A SUV is approaching the level Noah is being held on. It stops just before riding up to the next level and the doors open.
I narrow my eyes at the figures that step from the SUV. I pull a face when I recognize one of the figures. I’m stunned and confused at first, then it clicks into place.
“There is nothing like a woman scorned,” I mutter.
The young woman moves to the stairs, leading to the next level, with two guys in tow. As they ascend the stairs, I aim and wrap my finger around the trigger. It’s time to get Noah to safety. This could get ugly.
“Noah, you have company headed your way, I’ll shoot through the ties, be ready to move,” I say into the ear piece. To my daughter, I say. “Okay, baby, this is it. I’ll handle the guards at the stairs. You get the two right in front of Noah first. Then we cover him from there. You got that?”
“Got it,” she breathes back.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Click-Click
Bean
When we were younger, Noah never wanted to handicap me into relying on him. He always said there would be times he wouldn’t be there for me, times I would have to be there for myself. Over the years, his words have always played in my head on repeat.
I have to trust Noah’s words now, because they have never failed me. So, I pull myself together and aim my weapon at the garage with my finger on the trigger. I lock and load my rifle relishing that sweet sound as it clicks into place, click-click, becomes the instrumental to Noah’s words ringing loud and clear in my head. Never let anyone take what’s yours.
“You’re motherfucking right, I won’t,” I breathe into the cold night’s rain. Somebody is about to die. They picked the wrong woman’s man to fuck with.
I pull the trigger and start to light this motherfucker up, just like Wyatt said. My dad is a decorated sniper. I don’t have to worry about him. I know he will cover Noah, so my focus remains on doing the same.
I’m hyperaware of Noah’s every move, from the point that his restraints are released by my father’s precision. Dad shoots clean through the restraints. There are men with guns everywhere. As Noah weaves around parked cars, I aim for anyone that looks remotely close to trying to harm him, and anyone in between. With my dad and I working together, Noah has managed to not only get free, but to also pull a weapon off one of the men I took down.
I bite down on my lip as I concentrate and listen to Dad’s prompts. I’m so engaged in shooting; I don’t hear anyone sneak up behind me. That is, until I feel the barrel of a gun to the back of my head and hear the sound of it being cocked back.
“Just the bitch I’ve been looking for,” I hear snarled and my veins chill.
My shock causes the phone that is cradled between my ear and shoulder to slip to the ground. My stomach sinks. Dad would have been able to pick his ass off for me if I had time to say something into the phone.
“Joshua,” I say in confusion.
“Get your hands off the gun and stand up,” he bellows at me.
I manage to look through the scope one last time and see that without my help things are getting heavy for Noah inside the garage. I go to reach for the gun at my thigh, but Joshua beats me to it and pulls it from the holster.
I curse under my breath. He must have seen it from my position on my belly. I lift my hands in the air and stand to my feet when he nudges the gun into the back of my head. “Get up, bitch,” he snarls.
“Really Josh, are you sure you want to do this,” I huff.
“Shut the fuck up! He destroyed my life because of you. I haven’t had a real job in two and a half years. I can’t do shit without the cops fucking with me or my car. My car has been impounded five times in the last two years alone.
“I live in a filthy hell hole, my parents won’t even talk to me, because they think I’m a criminal now. All this shit because of you! All because of some pussy I never even got to touch. Well, we’re just going to have to do something about that. You think your boyfriend would mind watching?
“I bet you’ll scream for me like you never have for him before. I’ll show you and him what a real man is like. The money is going to be a bonus. My real reward is going to be the look on his face while he watches me fuck you,” Josh snarls like a maniac.
Oh, I’m going to kill him this time. I swear I am, but this time when I fuck him up, I’m going to enjoy doing it by myself. I promise.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
My Baby
Chase
Something is off. Bean isn’t shooting. I war with covering Noah and turning her way to see what the problem is. “Bean,” I call into the phone. I’ve got noise coming at me from all directions.
I have been talking into the phone, but I haven’t been listening to it very closely. That was my damn mistake. Bean’s replies to my words were actions. I didn’t need to listen to her as closely. Noah is the one I needed to keep my ears focused on most.
“Get low Noah, something is wrong with Bean. I need to get eyes on her,” I say into the two-way.
“I’m fine. Make sure she’s okay,” Noah’s gruff reply comes back.
Grateful the rain has slowed to a bare mist; I reach for my binoculars not wanting to lose position with my weapon. I turn away quickly to get eyes on my daughter. When Bean comes into view I growl. She is being backed off the roof. I drop the binoculars and aim my rifle at the other roof, but I can’t get a clean shot from my lower angle.
“Fuck,” I roar.
“What’s going on, Chase,” Noah snarls.
“They have her. I can’t get a clean shot. They’re using her as a shield,” I choke out.
I have never in my life felt more helpless. This is the one time I wish Bean wasn’t so tall. I won’t risk her life by taking any of the chance shots I have.
Noah voice comes through to my ear so darkly, I turn my scope back to lay eyes on him. I find him behind a parked truck, his expression is visible to me. It
matches his words dead on. “This ends now,” he hisses.
My jaw sets firmly, the look on Noah’s face epitomizes the way I feel. I’ve seen the look before. Noah has been Bean’s protector all her life. Whenever she is hurt or in danger, something changes in his eyes. Right now, it is almost as if his golden eyes are glowing. I can see the hard set of his jaw and the coldness in his expression. Noah Black is gone. Someone has threatened Bean, which means they have awakened, Noah the Beast.
I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t seen it multiple times with my own eyes. The kid blacks out and becomes someone else. He has beaten the shit out of kids for looking at Bean the wrong way. This is going to get bloody, but I have no qualms with that. This is my baby; someone will answer for touching my child.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Noah The Beast
Noah
I was already pissed off when I arrived here. That motherfucker Joshua was nowhere in sight, but these goons ambushed me as I entered the garage. I was prepared to wait Josh out. I even let them think they had the upper hand.
Then things took an interesting turn. This is not about Rebecca. At least, not for whoever is funding this operation. Josh is involved somehow, but one of my brothers is the bigger target here.
There has been mention of a she and a boss. I’m thinking she is one in the same, if not the face for the real muscle, or should I say bank roll. I was trying to hold out for more information, but Chase was right. Their numbers were continuing to grow and I could see in the one tough guy’s eyes, he had something nasty planned for me, not that I was going to allow that shit.
He was lucky all I did was head butt his ass. He thought he was going to use that blade on me. Not in this lifetime. Those weak punches to my face were food. Just knowing Bean is out there somewhere has my adrenaline pumping heavily through my veins.
I tried to tell myself that I need to stay calm long enough to find out who this woman is that has a problem with one of my brothers. What intrigued me most were the words spoken by the meathead holding the knife. ‘Some brother you’ve got, to get you in the middle of this. Maybe he will come soon and get you out.’ I can’t for the life of me think of which of my brothers this is about. I thought we had everyone’s shit under control.
None of that matters now though, someone has Bean. This shit is over. No one is leaving this parking garage without a body bag, unless they’re with me. Touch my family that’s a problem, touch my woman that’s your life.
I pull the blade once intended for me, across this prick in my grasps, throat. I then toss the knife into the chest of another bastard, that rounds the truck I’m taking cover behind. He falls backwards and I reach for his gun.
I stand to my full height from behind the Range Rover that’s been shielding me and I let off a round of shots into the targets before me. I see nothing but red. Bean was never supposed to be here and she was not supposed to be in danger.
“Alright, Noah, it looks like back up is here. Steve is entering from the north side of the structure, Rob is coming in from the south,” Chase says in my ear.
“And there is a shit load of Black less than a minute out from raining down on this bitch,” Brax’s voice breaks through.
“Noah, this is Felix,” my other brother’s voice comes in. “I’m patching us all in on the same frequency. I have eyes on Bean. That motherfucker Josh is bringing her into the west side.”
“Someone explain to me why Missy is here,” Wyatt’s voice rumbles in my ear.
“She arrived just before we started this show,” Chase responds. “Something tells me she’s the brains behind this.”
“Son of a bitch,” I hear growled. I know from the voice, it’s John. “Guys, keep an eye out for Roni. She was acting strange earlier and I haven’t talked to her in a few hours. She should have checked in by now.”
“I knew it,” Ryan hoots. “I knew you were smashing that.”
“Shut your mouth. I’m not smashing shit,” John growls. “Where did we get you from? We’re friends and I think that fucking nut Missy has been fucking with her.”
Ryan snorts. “Well, that’s stupid. Roni will snap her neck.”
“Didn’t I just say be on the lookout for her. If Missy has done this to get me here, I know Roni is around here somewhere,” John sighs.
In the mist of all of this, I can feel the presence of my family. Bullets are still flying, but thankfully less are flying at me. I empty out my last clip from the gun I had hidden in my boot, before tossing the gun. I run at full speed to grab the next guy I see aiming at me. I crash into his middle section, tackling him to the ground. I snap his neck, rolling onto my back just in time to lift his body as a shield as more bullets head my way. I grab the gun from my dead shield’s waist and return fire.
“The secrets in this family always come out so violently,” Ryan chuckles.
“Shut up, Ry,” John snarls.
I groan in frustration, and they wonder why I want to do shit myself. “Can you all shut the fuck up,” I grunt. “Do you still have eyes on Josh and Bean? Does anyone have a clean shot?”
“You’re not going to like this. I can’t get a clean shot,” Wyatt says in annoyance. “They’re headed your way from the right. Missy is with them.”
Just then, the shots slow to a stop and they come into my view and my blood boils. Josh has a gun to the back of Bean’s head and Missy is grinning as she walks beside Josh. As pissed as I am the first thing I notice is the calm on Bean’s face. You would think she was just taking a stroll through the parking lot.
Bean’s hair and clothes are soaked, but you wouldn’t know a thing was out of place. I smirk with the observation. I know that look. I taught it to her. It’s the look that my Bean gets when she has unlocked her own beast. She is allowing this…I guess I taught my girl well.
~B~
Bean
All I wanted was to get to Noah. I know Josh doesn’t have the balls to shoot me. He for damn sure isn’t going to get a chance to rape me. I just needed to get in here to Noah, that’s all. Well, until I saw Missy.
I wasn’t expecting to see her. I’ve never liked her and I’ve always felt like John loathed her. As far as I know, Missy and John broke up like two and a half years ago or something. Not long after Nellie and Wyatt got married, but before Nellie was kidnapped.
John wouldn’t talk about their break up and Roni has been in his life since. I don’t think they are dating, but they’re really close. Roni is the total opposite of John. Roni is all rough, where John is soft and smooth. I honestly would love to see them together.
I guess Missy thinks otherwise. I look at her through the corners of my eyes, before rolling them. She has this stupid grin on her face that I want to slap off.
Missy pulls out a cell phone and after a few seconds she speaks into it. We are just outside the reach of the gunfire. I glance to my right; I can see the split level below where the action is happening. I catch Braxton snapping some guys neck. I sigh in relief that back up is here.
“Cease fire,” Missy whines into the phone. Slowly the shots around us come to a stop. Missy looks at Josh and beams. “Let’s go. That other bitch never showed up, but we have a job to finish,” Missy says smugly. “You can do whatever you want once I’m done.”
“Well, what happened to the other girl. You said you would get her here. I handled my part,” Josh huffs.
Missy blinks at him like he is stupid. “You’ve been living like a bum. Your plan was to send pictures and empty threats. Please tell me why you are talking to me, instead of walking her ass out there,” Missy points. “I mean, she wasn’t even supposed to be here, you get a bonus.”
“Whatever,” Josh says dumbly.
I think he is afraid to face Noah, after all that talk on the roof he is scared. I can smell it on him. I almost laugh. These two are pathetic.
Josh must find his balls, because he nudges me forward and we all start from around the Escalade that has been shielding us. My heart lif
ts when I see a bloody, sweaty Noah, standing in the middle of the parking lot with his chest heaving as he locks eyes on me. That’s when I feel myself slipping into that dark place.
Noah is safe. Josh is as good as dead. I see when Noah reads it in my face. My expression says, ‘this one is mine.’ I watch Noah snort and shrug his shoulders. Good, I think, we have an understanding.
“Where is John,” Missy says, her voice sounding like nails on a chalkboard.
I watch as John saunters out dressed in all black. He looks pissed and John is much too pretty to be pissed. He walks over next to Noah and folds his arms over his chest.
John tilts his head to the side and looks at Missy like she has two heads. Several shots go off and I duck, looking around. Josh grabs my arm and pulls me back up to stand in front of him. I can feel him shaking as he grips my arm.
“No worries, Baby,” Noah says smugly. “That was just the rest of their guys going to sleep.”
I look over to Missy and she starts to look nervous. She shakes her head. “I still have her. You’ll do anything for her,” Missy says frantically and stomps her foot.
“Why are you doing this?” John says coolly.
“You know what I wanted, John. I wanted a family. I wanted your family, I wanted a baby and I wanted it with you,” Missy hisses. “We would have been the perfect family. I don’t understand why your mother never liked me, but I think I was winning her over,” Missy exclaims.
“Really,” Noah snorts and looks at Missy like she’s lost her mind. The amused grin on his face is priceless.
“Yes, really! You know that’s all I want, John. You know how much I wanted a family. You would have taken care of us. But no…you changed…you just started ignoring me. And that girl…that troll, she just came out of nowhere and we were over.”
Missy’s face has turned a bright red. I look between her and John and lift a brow. She bursts into tears. “I don’t have anyone. All I wanted was a family. I would have even put up with your mother not liking me. Why couldn’t you just do what I wanted? I know sometimes I was difficult and I had a hard time when your brothers started bringing other women around, but you all were mine. All you had to do was marry me.”