SEAL Team Seven Tyler: Book 4

by Silver, Jordan

  I stopped that shit right there before it even had a chance. There was no if about it, the decision had been made; she’s mine. Every broken bruised piece of her was now my sole property.

  Chapter 8

  Tyler

  She winced when I tried cleaning the blood from her face. “I’m sorry baby I’m being as gentle as I can.” It hurt me to have to hurt her. The motherfucker had really done a number on her; it made me wonder how come no one came to her rescue.

  She had to have been screaming the place down. With this kind of damage there’s no way no one heard her. I’ll find a way to get the names of each and everyone who was on the premises today, anyone that was on that floor. If that shit didn’t work I’ll just burn the fuck down to the ground with every fuck in it.

  I know of the man’s reputation, had heard how everyone feared him. But anyone who could stand around and see this done to a woman without stepping in bore some of that guilt.

  My mind was no longer in the room with us. I might not be able to detach from her the way I usually could, but I had no problem plotting vengeance in my head. There was only one thing to do really, and that was end him.

  So far our enemies had been doing their shit from afar and rightly the shit they were into had nothing to do with us personally. Except for Dani’s ex using her family’s business to launder money, but not even that shit came close to this.

  I let my mind play back over every tidbit I’d ever heard about this asshole. I knew he never went anywhere alone he was always surrounded by his entourage.

  Which meant for sure he wasn’t in that room alone with her. Which meant I’m going to have to fuck up more than a few assholes in this town before the dust settles.

  I have no problem with that shit, and neither did I miss the little voice in my head that said ‘you first’. My conscience can be a rank bitch when it wants to be, but at least it was right. This was more my fault than anyone else’s.

  ***

  When her face was clean I started to remove her dress to see what else needed tending to but she tensed up on me and I backed off.

  “Shh, it’s okay I’m not going to look, but you have to let someone take a look at you. I don’t want to take you to the hospital, because I can’t protect you there as well as I can here, but I can’t leave you like this so we might have to go.” Why the fuck was I rambling?

  She shook her head furiously until I calmed her again before she hurt herself. “Okay, okay, we’ll stay here, but I’m going to go get some help. Stay calm until I get back I won’t be gone long.”

  I kissed her forehead, which was about the only place on her poor face that had been left untouched. It hurt like fuck seeing her like this, but that too I had to put aside for later. One misstep and that rein I barely had on my emotions would snap. That wouldn’t be good for anyone.

  I hated like fuck to leave her but I had no choice. I headed out of the house and went in search of my three sisters to come help me because I knew they wouldn’t ask any questions. I didn’t call because this shit needed to be done in person, I had to prepare them.

  I was more than a little grateful that they were all here when I needed them. How life could change in the twinkling of an eye. Just a few short months ago it was just my brothers and I here. Now we were surrounded and the way things were going, soon to be outnumbered.

  It was also providence that I’d been home when Candy came looking, that it was my day to ride herd on the girls. I wouldn’t have wanted my brothers to see her like this.

  Plus I didn’t want them here for what was going to come next, especially Con, he’s like the fucking Ty whisperer or some shit; the only motherfucker who’s ever been able to talk me down from going too far.

  “Dani I need you.” I picked her because she was my sister the longest, well technically that would be Nessa, but that’s another story, plus she needed to stay with my niece because I didn’t want her seeing this shit, no way no how.

  “You got her?” I just nodded yes as I waited. I guess Candy had called and told them after all.

  They were all in her and Connor’s living room, surrounded by magazines and fabric and who knows what, planning their weddings. She just left it and followed me out the door, with the others following behind.

  “Nessa the baby can’t see this.”

  “Is she that bad? Oh shit Ty I’m sorry, what did they do to her?”

  “I can’t really talk right now I have to get back, but she’s been hurt really bad sis.” Gaby and Dani rushed out the door after that and I kissed Nessa and the baby on the forehead and followed after them.

  I caught up to them just before they entered the door. “Okay listen to me, she’s in a really bad way, I need you to prepare yourselves, no don’t cry Dani if you cry I won’t let you in there and I need you in there.”

  I willed her with my eyes on hers to suck it up. I saw the struggle the two of them had as they fought back emotions. I’d forgotten how close they all were, that even though I’d been shutting her out, she was already a part of our family in her own small way because she knew the girls.

  That too had changed in the twinkling of an eye. Now she had an even greater claim to us, to our home, she was mine. No longer just a friend, an outsider, but one of the fold.

  “We straight?” they both nodded and I studied them to make sure they weren’t bullshitting me before opening the door and leading them inside. “Baby I’m back, I brought the girls to take care of you.”

  Just as I expected, they didn’t ask any questions when they saw the bruised and battered woman lying on my bed. Dani was the one to approach while Gaby made sounds of distress before she got control as she stood back.

  They both looked at me with knowing eyes. They knew what kind of men their fiancés and their brothers were, so they also knew what seeing a woman in that condition would do to me.

  I saw her battle back tears as she went right to it; saw the compassion and the tender way in which she touched the young traumatized girl.

  I felt helpless standing there, helpless and mad enough to kill. Neither of them should be seeing this shit, not only because it wasn’t right, but also because they were both with child. What if the strain was too much?

  “Shit, what was I thinking? You two shouldn’t be here either, you shouldn’t be dealing with this.” Con and Lo would kill me if something happened to their women. I grabbed my head thinking what the fuck will I get wrong next?

  They shushed me and Gaby came to stand on the other side of the bed as Dani did her thing. We both looked on as she tried first to calm Vicki’s fears. She seemed a bit jumpy still and who could blame her?

  She hissed and cried each time she was touched in a tender spot, and the sight of the silent tears coursing down her face enraged me as much as the bruises on her face did.

  I wanted to go hunt the one responsible, but I couldn’t leave her, it was like being torn in two. As if she sensed my inner turmoil, her eyes popped open and she stared right at me for the first time.

  Pretty soon it became obvious that she didn’t want me out of her sight when I tried to leave the room as Dani started undressing her.

  She started freaking the fuck out, reaching out to me; that shit broke my fucking heart. My girl is a fighter, she’s usually giving me shit, but here she was, scared, her arms reaching out for me in fear.

  I sat next to her on the bed and took one of her hands in mine. “Go ahead Dani.” I held her eyes with mine until I heard both Dani and Gaby’s exclamations.

  I bit back the roar of rage that started crawling its way up my chest when I got a good look at her body, at what had been hidden under the torn dress.

  I looked back at her eyes, willing my strength into her. Could she see it? I can feel it but can she see what’s in me for her? Does it matter; will she let it? I knew without a doubt that she was never leaving my home again, but will she stay willingly or will I now be the one having to fight her to stay?

  The sight of her bruis
ed and battered body amped up my aggression but I held it in check. Up until a few months ago I didn’t know this girl, not really, had no idea who she was except for the few times we’d been in the same place at the same time and she’d given me those looks that every man knows means she’s interested.

  I had avoided her at every turn, just wasn’t interested, until here lately she’d been wearing me down. I was still putting up a fight, even last night and this morning when I thought of her I had decided not to go there it was too risky.

  But it had only taken an hour. That quickly everything had changed, now she was mine. She’d been the one giving chase while I looked the other way. Who knows how long it would’ve taken me to slow down enough for her to catch me? Now the decision had been taken out of my hands, out of both our hands.

  Chapter 9

  Tyler

  Dani was real careful as she cleaned the cuts and applied ointment before checking for broken ribs. “Ouch.” Vicki’s soft cry when her arm was touched led me to believe it might be worse than I’d first thought.

  Maybe I was going to have to take her in after all, which was going to pose a problem. I didn’t want to leave her out in the open and exposed in a hospital. “What do you think Danielle, is it broken?” I tested the arm myself and found that it was just sore from being handled roughly, but there were no breaks or fractures that I could tell.

  “No I don’t think so Ty, but are you sure we shouldn’t take her to the hospital?”

  “No sis, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I didn’t need to say anymore for her to get the picture.

  These women had come a long way and fast since hooking up with my brothers. All except Nessa who was accustomed to the life; though Zak treated her no different than Con and Lo treated their civilian women.

  When she was finished patching her up I gave her something to help her sleep. It was a testament to how far Dani had come with us that she didn’t ask any questions, didn’t even bat a lash as she did her thing.

  Though I could tell from the set of her mouth that she was pissed she didn’t let on at all. I held Vicki until she went out and then eased my arm from out under her. “Watch her I’ll be right back.” Now that I was sure she was going to be okay I could turn my focus to other matters.

  “Where are you going?” Dani followed me out of the room wringing her hands with worry. I pulled her to me and kissed her forehead. “Nothing for you to worry about little sister, thanks for the help.”

  I left the house before she could ask me any more questions and went towards my bike. I’d taken the truck to get her but my chopper would get me back into town faster.

  I pulled my helmet on over my head and started up my ride before burning rubber out the gate. I let all the anger and rage I’d been holding in check for the past hour or so come to the forefront; I’m gonna need that shit to fuel my fists when I beat the shit outta whoever had a hand in fucking with mine.

  My mind was clear and already focused on one thing and one thing only. I started putting shit in perspective, looking at all the angles, searching for answers as I ate up the distance.

  We’d been doing our best to keep a low profile in our new home, not necessarily trying to fit in but not wanting to make waves either.

  There was enough speculation surrounding us as it was, but this shit was not going to go unanswered. If the town’s people chose to believe their assumptions as to what kind of men we were I give a fuck. Half of them believed we were a renegade biker gang anyway so what if what I was about to do convinced them of that?

  Meanwhile ever since we landed we’ve been knee deep in bullshit that had nothing to do with us. All we’d wanted was some peace and quiet. This seemed like the perfect place to do that, a fresh start.

  It had been the commander’s childhood home, a place he’d raved about to us more than once, so when he left it to my brothers and I we felt the love that the gruff old bastard had never quite put into words, but had been felt nonetheless over the years.

  But ever since we got settled it seemed like life was destined to keep us in the midst of bullshit. It might not be the fucking deserts of Afghanistan, but it was just was worrisome to us, and much closer to home.

  My brothers were finally starting to settle down with their women and life was looking up. I for one was at the end of my fucking rope with the bullshit, but this was the first time anyone had crossed the fucking line in such a monumental fucking way.

  I didn’t know for sure if this fat fuck had anything to do with that business, but it really didn’t matter. He’d signed his death warrant the second he set his sights on her. My mind tried to come up with any scenario that would instigate what had been done to her and it kept coming back to us.

  I couldn’t shake the thought that somehow this shit had happened to her because of her association with me. If he had hurt her because of me, his death was going to be ten times fucking worse than anything he could imagine.

  Like I said, I knew this guy by sight but had never had occasion to deal with him in the past. Because he had a reputation in these parts of a big shot with connections, that pretty much kept the locals in check.

  He was the proverbial small town big man. He’d come into our radar when we’d first started digging into the unsavory goings on down by the water, because the old men who’d sounded the alarm had thought because of his rep that he might be a good bet.

  Someone was using the place to run drugs or humans or some shit that we had yet to figure out. We’d already stirred up the hornet’s nest, first when we went after Danielle’s ex and the people he was dealing with, and then when we found the commander’s ledger with his notes.

  But there were still others as yet undiscovered. The family we’d turned up under the muck was no laughing matter and they had a very long reach. But I didn’t see them doing their own dirty work.

  The more I thought of it, the more I was beginning to think this fuck had a hand in it. His reputation alone put him there, but that was just an assumption at this point. All that shit aside, whether he was involved or not, his ass was done.

  ***

  I saw my brothers as soon as I pulled up to the much nicer hotel where I had discovered the asshole usually hung out this time of day. It was a far cry from the dump he’d left her in.

  I should’ve known the girls would sound the alarm, but I was not about to be stopped. I could do without this shit, but there was always a way around my brothers. Logan met me at the door as soon as I jumped down from my ride.

  “Where are you going brother?” He put his body between mine, and the door to the place.

  “Get out of my way Lo, I gotta do this shit.” I tried to mow him the fuck down the hardheaded fuck.

  “Not today brother and not like this.” He fucking pushed me back which was never a good thing when I was in this mood. The others were surrounding me by now, each of them at the ready.

  Whatever Dani had told them had lit a fire under them, because they weren’t about to budge and they came loaded for bear. “You didn’t see what the fuck he did to her, now get out of my way don’t make me have to go through you.”

  Even I knew that I was heading into dangerous territory. My voice had gone low and the blood in my veins was ice, but this shit needed to get done and today, so these motherfuckers know who the fuck they’re dealing with.

  Last night I’d told myself to pull back, this shit right here tipped me over the fucking edge. I felt the bitter taste of rage as I prepared to knock the fuck out of every last one of them to go after my prey.

  “Try it; now you just calm the fuck down and listen.” By now others were looking on, wondering what was going on in the center of their town in the middle of the afternoon.

  It was probably scaring the shit out of some of the old timers seeing all of us in fighting stance looking like we were ready to throw down. I wasn’t too torn up about that shit either.

  All that was on my mind was her, and what the fuck was done to her
on my watch. I looked at Logan and I knew he saw it in my eyes, but he wouldn’t back off. I knew that too.

  “We wait, Ty, if you go in now, all that’s gonna get you is arrested, then where will she be? Use your head bro, we know who did it, all we have to do is bide our time…”

  “You’re so full of shit, if someone did this shit to Gabriella you would be in their ass.” Fuck, did I just admit that I had feelings for Vicki? Looks like, but what the fuck ever.

  So what it took this shit to get my head out of my ass and take her up on what she’s been offering? It doesn’t matter, what matters is making that fucker pay for putting hands on what’s mine.

  “Tyler, you cannot go after this guy in the middle of the fucking day with a hundred witnesses.”

  “Fuck that, he’s not going to breathe a minute fucking longer after what the fuck he did to her, what the fuck do you take me for?”

  “Get him back in the truck, Connor you drive him back to the compound, the rest of us will follow.”

  “Don’t fucking do it.” I was ready to drop fucking Con if he got in my way.

  “Come on bro we’ll talk better at home.” Connor wrapped his hand around my neck loosely but I knew one wrong move and the fucker would have me on lock. I glared at Logan’s interfering ass.

  “You can’t go in there this hot brother, we’re civilians, this is not enemy territory it’s fucking Main Street US of fucking A.” Lo tried reasoning with me when he knew damn good and well I was past that point. The only thing that would suffice me now, is that fucker’s blood in my throat and his rotting carcass at my feet.

  “I give less than a fuck, he’s fucking dead.”

  “Why the fuck is it that in the midst of combat I can get you fucks to keep a straight head, but once you get state side or more to the point whenever it involves your women you lose your shit at the slightest provocation?”

  I’m not gonna call Lo on his shit again, he’s just reaching now. We all have the utmost respect for Lo’s leadership skills, but he knows this shit has nothing to do with combat and his command.