by Linzi Baxter
I ran a frustrated hand through my hair and looked in Zane’s direction.
Zane held both hands up in surrender. “Don’t look at me. You’re the boss. That’s your call, not mine.”
I glanced around the room then looked down at the pictures scattered on the table. All the men had rap sheets longer than most gangbangers. Director Westblack wanted to find the weapons that went missing, and I had no doubt in my mind that the men on the table had what he was looking for. Juan needed to be eliminated. Once that task was done, I would turn the men over to Westblack.
“No. Do any of you have an issue with that?” This mission was personal to Zane and me. If any of the men in the room didn’t feel comfortable with this mission, I wouldn’t hold it against them. But they had to make their decision soon. I glanced up at the clock and noticed we were a go in two hours. I knew the men around the table would have my back. But it was their choice.
Asher was the first to speak out. “Brother, you know I have your back. I understand this mission is personal for you and Zane. But family sticks together through thick and thin, and we are family.” He followed his speech with an “Oohra.” The rest of the team followed.
I sat down at the head of the table, feeling thankful for the men who worked for me. Zane looked exhausted. He needed more than just to protect his wife. He needed Juan caught to help his brother’s agenda. Zack had put a huge task on Zane. He had to clean up the CIA and find Juan, who we’d learned had more ties than we expected. “Zane, maybe you should sit this one out and stay with Sophie.”
He shook his head. “Sophie is being transported to your house as we speak.” My muscles tensed under his declaration. I hadn’t agreed to that.
Before he could tell me why he’d made such a huge decision, Brock spoke up. “I have two of my men picking up Sophie and taking her to your house. They are going to stand guard while we are on the mission. It will be easier to guard one house. Bridget, Sophie, Jessica, and Daisy are going to your house as well. This way if this”—he waved his hand at the table—“is a setup, we have the women under surveillance.”
The idea was good, but I didn’t like that they had kept me out of this decision. “Fine. I think we need more than two guards.”
Neal clicked a few buttons on his computer, and my house and all of its rooms appeared on the screen. Kat was in the bedroom, dancing in her underwear.
“Turn that off now.” I didn’t want the men around the table to see my wife half naked.
Neal’s smile stretched across his face. “I didn’t expect to see your wife half naked,” Neal replied. “However, I’m going to stay back and man the surveillance. I will watch your house, and if anything looks out of the ordinary, I will radio the FBI or the Fort Lauderdale police department. I will also have eyes on you. Thanks to Uncle Sam, I have a satellite that can see pennies on the ground. If you guys get in trouble, I will also call for backup.”
My anger evaporated the more Neal spoke. “Fine. But let me tell Kat to put some clothes on before you pull my house up again.”
Asher huffed out a breath. “Now that my brother has had his hissy fit for the day, let’s talk about the operation. The men Juan is using are highly trained. We need to be on our A game.”
I glanced over the military record of Ragnor Lynx, one of Juan’s men. Two Purple Hearts and one Distinguished Service Medal. How could someone so good turn evil? Greed. That was the only thing that would turn good soldiers to the dark side.
The clock’s loud tick was a constant reminder that time was not on our side. I texted Kat and told her to put clothes on. When I said we had pulled up the cameras in the house, she sent a bunch of angry emojis my way. A few minutes later, I got a text stating she was dressed.
When I had the okay from Kat, Neal pulled the cameras up in the house. Kat stood by the kitchen counter with her face to the camera. She had her middle finger raised and a smile on her face. She took my breath away every time I looked at her. Whether she was angry or happy, she was pretty.
Last night, I had bent her over the island and fucked her from behind. By the end, we both collapsed to the floor and shared a pint of ice cream.
When she leaned across the counter to grab the paper, she looked up at the camera and winked. Her thoughts were running down the same paths as mine. It was almost like we could read each other’s minds.
Asher cleared his throat to get my attention. “If you’re done ogling your wife, we have shit to do.” I could hear a hint of laughter in his voice.
I peeled my eyes away from the screen and gave Asher my attention. “What did I miss?” I wasn’t going to apologize for my actions.
Asher rolled his eyes. “I think we should have Jacob set up here with his sniper rifle.” He pointed to a high-rise building a half mile away from the bar. The shot from there would be difficult for some, but Jacob was one of the best snipers, almost as good as my wife. “I think we should use Eric on the back of the building.” Eric worked for Brock and Blackwood Security. He was another renowned sniper.
The plan made sense. Zane, Brock, Asher, and I would go to the meeting. “Is CJ heading over to my house?” I would feel better if he were with them. He worked behind a computer and had no military field training.
When CJ opened his mouth, Asher raised his eyebrows. “I would watch what you say next very carefully.” CJ crossed his arms over his chest and sank back into the chair. He was not pleased with his Dom.
“Yes, CJ will be at your house. If the mission goes bad, I don’t want him to watch.”
I could tell from the look in CJ’s eyes that he was going to watch anyway. Hell, I knew my wife would talk Sophie into hacking a computer so she could watch us take down Juan. “Thank you.”
“Do you think Sophie and Kat will stay at the house?” Asher asked. “You know they both want to kill him for what he did to their family.”
“Kat promised she wouldn’t do anything stupid.” The words didn’t sound very convincing. “The only way we could guarantee they wouldn’t come is if we locked them in a safe room. And that would be pointless because we know Sophie could break out of it. We have to have faith in them.”
“Sophie thinks we are going in around ten. We should be done by the time they could sneak past the guards,” Zane muttered.
I gave CJ a pointed look. “If we are going to keep our wives out of this. You can’t tell them what time.”
CJ nodded. His lips were pressed tightly together. He agreed with me but didn’t look as if he liked it.
The time had ticked by quickly. It was time to gear up and head out. I had received a text from Kat that said Sophie had arrived. It was followed by more emojis I didn’t understand. What the hell did an eggplant mean?
“It's go time,” I informed the room. Everyone started to file out and head to the armory next to the conference room.
We would be going on the mission in full tactical gear. I wouldn’t lose any of my men to these terrorists.
I grabbed CJ by the arm before he walked out. “CJ, take vests for you and the girls.” CJ understood how dangerous the mission was. He didn’t protest and headed toward the armory with the rest of the men.
In my office, I pulled a bulletproof vest over my head. After everything was in place, I put on a second black T-shirt to cover up the vest. I grabbed my Glock off the desk and put it in my side holster and pulled out another Glock from my desk drawer and attached it to my ankle. To make sure I was fully loaded, I grabbed my MK3 military knife and attached it to my other ankle. The knock on the door had me look up.
“You ready, brother?”
“Yes.” I gazed past Asher into the reception area, where the team had gathered.
The drive from AA Security to South Miami would take an hour. I headed out the door toward the SUVs. They had been packed with extra ammo and guns. The footsteps behind me let me know the men were following.
Brock and his team got into one SUV, and our team occupied the other. The SUV hummed with energy.
The adrenaline before a fight was high.
Asher was the first to break the silence. “Are we bringing Juan in, or are we going to take him out?”
I caught Zane’s eyes in the mirror and saw a mix of emotions pass through them.
“If we can bring him in alive, we do. Under no circumstances do we kill on first sight.” If we took Juan out when he was unarmed, we’d be no better than he was.
“I agree. Don’t get me wrong—I want him dead, and I worry he still has friends in places we haven’t found, and they might help him escape,” Zane gritted through his teeth.
An hour later, we made it to our stop. We parked three buildings down from the bar and hoofed it until we had a plain-sight view of the front of the bar. I reached up and pressed the com in my ear. “Eric, are you in place?”
“Yes, sir. I have a clear view of the back entrance. No movement at the moment.”
“Jacob?”
“You’re in my sights, boss. I see a black town car three blocks away, approaching from the east.”
This was it, the day we would put Juan behind us, and I could spend the rest of my life spoiling my wife and keeping her out of trouble.
Before the town car appeared, three men stepped out of the bar. They looked around at their surroundings. I pulled out a pair of binoculars to get a better look. When their faces came into focus, I recognized them from the photo. They were Juan’s team.
The black town car pulled into the parking lot, and the back door swung open. Two men stepped out of the car. I thought our mission was blown until Juan finally stepped out last.
15
Kat
As I took a sip of the crisp white wine in my hand, I couldn’t help but think it wasn’t strong enough to deal with the situation at hand. I wanted to be out in the field and take the shot that ended Juan’s life. But Antonio’s lecture about why I needed to stay back played through my head.
The little boy on the floor playing with his baby cousin was the reason I was here. I would do anything to protect my son. No one could do that better than me.
Rain started to patter on the outside of the house. In Florida, it could rain on one side of the street and not the other. I hoped it was clear where Antonio and his team had headed to take down Juan. Rain would add an extra layer of difficulty to the operation.
“Can you pull up the radar?” I asked CJ, who was glued to his laptop. “Find out if it’s raining in South Miami.”
CJ didn’t look up from his laptop. “It’s not raining there at the moment, but the clouds are rolling in.” His body was tense as he spoke.
I wouldn’t ask to see his screen, period. I had faith in Antonio. He would call the second the operation was over.
Bridget picked up her wine glass filled with grape juice and heaved a sigh of frustration at the nonalcoholic drink. She proceeded to plop down on the brown recliner so she could elevate her feet. When the footstool popped out, she groaned in relief. Bridget was in her eighth month, and she told us every day how her feet and back hurt. A memory from my pregnancy floated through my mind. When I was eight months pregnant and Ant continued to kick my ribs at night, I would get up, rub my stomach, and talk about his father. He would settle at the sound of my voice or the stories I told.
Cross-legged on the couch, Sophie leaned over the side to peek at CJ’s screen. “Watching that will make you go crazy. Why don’t you put it down?” When CJ gave her a strange look Sophie continued, “Don’t act like the raid isn’t going on. Kat has Antonio’s office bugged. Also, the quick change of the screens every time I lean over is a further giveaway.”
For the first time, CJ’s eyes left the computer screen and narrowed in Sophie’s direction. “I don’t understand how both of you are not worried and wanting to see what’s going on. Last time, you took things into your own hands.”
I reached for the remote to start some music. My nineties playlist played in the background, drowning out the sound of rain hitting the house.
It took a minute for me to gather my thoughts enough to answer CJ’s question. It was hard for me to sit back and wait.
“You’re right. God, I want to be there and take the kill shot. For what Juan did to our family, I want to watch the life drain from him. But last time, I froze and let him get away. I don’t think I would freeze again, but what if I did, and someone didn’t arrive in time to save me?”
Sophie played with the glass in her hands for a second. “Why did you freeze?”
Fuck. I never talked to her about this after it happened. Antonio and I had talked about it a few times, and he understood. Would Sophie understand, or would she be hurt? I let out the breath I held.
“He raised me.” I held up my hand to stop her before she spoke. “I know he was a horrible guardian, but he was all I knew for most of my life, and I paused.”
Sophie frowned. “I can see that. He was an ass to me for years, but no matter how many times I say I could kill him, I’m not sure I could pull the trigger.”
Bridget worked to change the subject, and I appreciated her for doing so. “Are you guys going to Neal’s house for Christmas this year?”
Patty and Sam were coming home for Christmas. I was excited to meet Jessica’s sister.
“I can’t wait to see my nephew,” Jessica said. She had told us she hadn’t been back since Patty delivered but was planning on going to the wedding next March. Jessica had been captured and tortured twice in her home country. The men who almost killed her were all dead, but she still had anxiety about her home country.
Daisy spoke up for the first time. She had been sitting on the floor with the kids, listening to the conversation. “Daisy and Neal invited too many people, so we’re moving it to Club Sanctorum.”
“Did you invite Aaron?” Aaron was Antonio and Asher’s younger brother. He looked like he had a thing for Daisy at the Ross family get together. Daisy was currently Neal’s sub, and Neal hadn’t looked happy when Aaron had given her a hug. I couldn’t wait to see what happened.
A light blush came over Daisy’s face. “Daisy invited Aaron.” She picked up Alex Jr. before continuing. “Aaron used to be one of Daisy’s Doms, and he treated Daisy well. Neal is okay with Aaron coming but he told Aaron Daisy was his.”
CJ barked out a laugh. “Neal threatened to cut Aaron’s dick off if he ever touched you again.”
“Daisy didn’t know Neal said that. Aaron has a nice dick. It would be a waste if Neal cut it off.”
Everyone in the room burst out laughing. The wine in my mouth flew everywhere. Daisy tried to keep a straight face, as though she didn’t understand what she’d said, but she lost it like everyone else in the room.
This was what I had missed by going years with no friends. But no matter how much I laughed with the people around me, I was still worried about Antonio. My head and heart were focused on Antonio and his mission. A wave of unease rushed through my body.
“I can’t wait to see what happens next time you and Neal are at Club Sanctorum and Aaron shows up,” CJ said.
A smile lit Daisy face. “Hopefully a three—”
Glass shattered in the kitchen, and everyone’s eyes turned toward the noise. Muffled voices drowned out the sound of rain. I jumped up and grabbed Ant and Alex Jr. in my hands and ran down the hall to the panic room. Getting the boys to a safe place was my number-one concern.
I could hear shouts from the kitchen. The lock mechanism opened when I pressed my thumb to the pad, and the steel-reinforced door opened. Tears ran down Ant’s chubby cheeks. I set him and his cousin in the room and put a finger to my lips for them to be quiet. “Take care of your cousin. I will be back soon.”
The door closed with a thud. I could hear faint cries from the other side. My heart broke when I stepped away from the door. I wanted to turn back and cradle my baby in my arms. Instead, I had to deal with someone who thought they could break into my house.
I reached for my phone to dial 9-1-1, but cell service had been disrupted. I couldn’t send
a text out or let anyone know we needed help. The room next to the panic room was Antonio’s office. In the safe, he kept a large supply of weapons. After I input the date of our wedding, the safe popped open, and I grabbed two Glocks and shut the safe door.
I could hear Bridget’s cries in the hall. “Who—” Bridget asked before a loud sound of skin hitting skin echoed through the house and cut off her words.
“Where is the redhead?” The men wanted me. When I peeked around the corner, three men’s faces came into view—Juan’s men. Had Antonio been sent into a trap?
All three men were heavily armed.
Adrenaline coursed through my veins.
Sophie growled when one of the men pointed his guns at Bridget’s belly.
I raised the gun in my hand and walked around the corner. My heart was kicking against my ribs. I wasn’t going to let anybody come into my house and harm my family.
“What do you want?” I spotted a fourth man in the kitchen. Damn. When my gaze went past him, I saw Brock’s two men lying on the ground outside the door. My gut twisted, thinking they might be dead.
The gunman’s eyes focused on me. In my peripheral vision, I saw Sophie reach under the table. Antonio was like Zane in that he had guns under the coffee tables. Ours also had to have a thumbprint for release. Antonio had uploaded all our friends’ prints in case this very situation occurred.
I saw Bridget reach for her phone and swipe her finger across it. She was trying to dial 9-1-1. She didn’t know they had jammed the cell frequency. Her call wouldn’t go out.
To keep the men’s attention from my friends in the room, I walked to the right and headed for the kitchen. “What do you guys want? Did Juan send you?” I asked a second time. I tried to keep my voice calm.
The only hope we had was that Neal’s cameras were on and he would send help. Four gunmen would be a hard fight.
Fear fought to take over. My friends and family were in danger.
The thug who seemed to be the leader stepped forward. He was the biggest of the men. His bulky body was three times my size. “Where is the ledger, you cunt?” he snarled at me.