by Peyton Banks
Aspen’s body trembled with fear. She’d be damned if she acted like a scared female. She put her complete faith in Declan and his men. There was no other way she’d survive if she didn’t. They entered the building silently. Declan placed a finger to his lips to signify for her to remain quiet.
You don’t have to tell me twice.
Even if she wanted to say something, she was gripped by fear that her throat wouldn’t allow any sound to pass.
How does he do this every day?
She certainly had a better perspective of the men of SWAT. They bravely put their lives on the line so people like her could remain safe.
The men moved quietly. She strained to hear anything, trying to use her senses in the low light. She placed her hand out and rested it on Declan’s ballistics vest. The feel of it comforted her. Hers was tightly encasing her body.
At the time Declan had placed it on her, she’d thought it had been overkill.
Now look at her.
Being hunted down.
Her breaths were coming fast as they crept through the building. Her eyes adjusted, and she could see the open plan. There were no walls. Only open space and large support pillars lining each side of the warehouse. It was stripped down to nothing but stone and rubble.
“Straight ahead,” Declan whispered.
She snapped her eyes back forward and focused on the SWAT stamp on his back.
Tension filled the air while they pressed on.
Halfway there.
She almost forgot to breathe. Mac and Brodie kept their rifles raised, sweeping the area. The other two, Myles and Iker, silently trailed behind them. They had fanned out around Aspen while Declan led the group.
A sound of metal rattling echoed. Aspen jumped. A squeal escaped her lips before she could clamp her hand across her mouth. The men focused their attention over to a dark corner. Brodie clicked on a flashlight, and Aspen blew out a deep sigh of relief.
The debris on the floor in the corner rolled away, revealing a fat rat scurrying along the wall.
“Keep moving,” Mac’s low voice jerked them all back into motion.
Aspen kept her gaze ahead. The SWAT team was more protection that she’d ever thought she’d need, and right now she was grateful to them all.
They neared the doors. Aspen let out an unsteady breath. She watched in amazement as the men communicated with hand signals. Mac directed Brodie and Iker to the door.
Declan reached behind and drew her closer to his back. She molded to him, comforted by his strong presence. She gripped his arm tight, feeling the tension rolling off him in waves.
“I see the trucks,” Iker whispered.
His words were music to Aspen’s ears. Declan kept his hand on her and lowered his gun. He stepped forward, aligning them behind Brodie.
Mac moved to Iker’s side, and she watched, amazed how Declan and Mac communicated without saying a word.
One look and a nod.
They truly worked together as a team.
“Keep your head down. I’ll guide you to the first truck,” Declan instructed her.
Her heart slammed with the thought of stepping back out there. The sounds of the bullets hitting their truck reverberated in her mind. Fear gripped her, but she was able to nod.
“You can do this. We won’t let anything happen to you.”
“Got it,” she managed to choke out. Heart pounding, she took a deep breath.
Declan turned away from her and motioned with his hand.
Brodie stood and stepped back from the door. “I’m going to have to shoot the lock,” he announced in a low voice.
Declan turned and put his body in front of her, pushing them away from the door. He wrapped her in his strong embrace. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply again. Her body jerked from the sounds of the two soft pops.
“Clear,” someone said.
Declan pulled back, and his fierce gaze comforted her. He turned and gripped her arm. Myles disappeared through the open door first with Iker and Brodie in tow.
“You two first, then I’ll follow,” Mac instructed.
Declan nodded and led her toward the door. The streetlights allowed her to see the two identical trucks idling in the middle of the street.
Her heart seemed to lodge itself in her throat as they stepped outside. She took in the sight of Declan’s men posted in the street with their guns raised. An eerie feeling passed through her, chilling her to the bone.
She locked her gaze on her target.
The trucks.
“Let’s go. Don’t let go of my hand, and keep your head down,” Declan growled.
Declan tightened his grip on Aspen and tugged her away from the building. He cursed, wishing the trucks could have gotten closer. The area behind the dilapidated building gave off the look of a post-apocalyptic area. Trash and debris lined the road with abandoned cars and dumpsters. The buildings across the street were in the same horrible condition, practically crumbling before his eyes.
This would be the longest dash ever. He wouldn’t have worried if it was just him.
His gut was screaming for them to run to the car, but his training kicked in, and he assessed the area they were about to walk into.
Bad guys could be posted anywhere.
His team was spread out, covering them. His Glock in his hand brought him some comfort, but he’d have to admit he wouldn’t be settled until he could get Aspen to safety.
The events in the truck with the federal agent turning on them had him in a rage. Had he not pushed to accompany Aspen, there would be no telling what would have happened to her.
Something whipped through the air and slammed into the building behind them, grabbing Declan’s attention.
“Shooter!” Iker’s voice sliced through the tense air.
Another bullet slammed into the hood of Ash’s truck.
“Get her in the truck now!” Mac hollered, firing his gun in the direction the shot had come from.
Aspen’s scream pierced his ears as they backed up against the building again.
Then came the sounds of motorcycles flying down the street toward them.
What the fuck?
“Let’s go!” Declan grabbed her hand, practically dragging her behind him toward the second truck.
Zain’s fierce gaze met his as they grew closer.
Bullets began raining down on them.
The motherfuckers were on the rooftop across the street.
His team returned fire, providing cover.
Three men on the bikes wore dark clothing, helmets, and drove their dirt bikes closer.
Brodie turned, firing at the bikes. His bullet tunneled into the first rider, throwing him off his machine.
Declan gripped Aspen’s hand in his while raising his gun. He fired, hitting the second rider whose bike flipped over.
Aspen screamed, and her hand slipped from his. As if in a nightmare, Declan watched her body jerk before she fell to the ground.
“Aspen!” he hollered, not recognizing the sound of his yell. He glanced up.
A shooter hung out of a window from the building they’d just got out of.
“Myles!” He aimed his weapon and pulled the trigger once. He released a curse, watching his bullet slam into the brick building, missing the intended target.
Myles ran to his side and aimed his weapon at the building.
He knelt by Aspen’s side. Her wide eyes were full of pain. Seeing the pool of blood underneath her, he released a curse. Her body writhed on the ground in agony as she gripped her leg.
“Come on, baby,” he murmured and scooped her up in his arms.
She cried out and wrapped her arms around his neck. He took off in a dead sprint toward the truck where Zain had been waiting. The back door flew open, allowing him to crawl inside with her.
The sound of her cry broke his heart as he shut the door behind him. The passenger door flew open with Brodie jumping inside.
“Let’s move!” Zain yelled out of h
is window.
The sound of wheels screeching filled the air above Aspen’s pained cries. The truck jerked as Zain made a hard turn and flew away from the trap. Declan’s eyes were fixed on Aspen, trying to find where she’d been shot.
“Declan,” she gasped.
“Where are you hit?” He roamed his hands over her legs and came away drenched in her blood.
Their bodies tilted as Zain took a hard turn.
He’d watched a bullet slam into her vest and had felt his heart leap into his throat. If he could find the fucker who’d dared to shoot her, he’d kill the man with his bare hands.
“My leg,” she moaned when he grazed his hand along it again, trying to find the wound.
His hand met the soaked area of her jeans. A curse slipped from his lips.
Her front thigh.
“I’ve got to put pressure on it,” he murmured, pressing down on it. She screamed and writhed on the back seat. “We need a hospital!”
“We’ve got company,” Zain growled.
Declan glanced up and met Zain’s eyes in the rearview mirror. Declan was confident in Zain’s ability to handle the road. It was engrained in all of them.
The back window shattered, spraying glass everywhere. Declan ducked, leaning over Aspen.
“Stay with me, baby,” he pleaded.
Her pain-filled eyes met his, and she jerked her head in a nod.
“Hold us steady!” Brodie shouted, rolling his window down as another truck sped up beside them.
Declan sat up. Brodie expertly shot out the tire of the truck which sent it careening off the side of the road. It slammed into a pole.
Zain controlled their truck and drove off, flying like bats out of Hell.
Declan glanced down and found Aspen’s eyes closed.
“Aspen!” he shouted over the roar of the engine.
She didn’t respond. His heart pounded as he shook her. He tightened his hold on her leg. Her head rolled to the side, and a fear like he’d never known gripped him. He released her leg and reached for her neck, trying to find a pulse. “No, no, no, no.”
“Call ahead to the hospital and let them know we’re coming with a gunshot,” Zain snapped to Brodie.
He navigated the truck through the streets.
Brodie’s voice faded to the background.
“Aspen, stay with me. Don’t leave me,” his voice cracked.
His whole world was crashing down around him. He was supposed to protect the one person who gave him a hope for a future, and he’d failed.
Chapter 20
Declan closed his eyes and leaned forward, resting his head in his hands. He blew out a deep breath, unable to get the image of an unresponsive Aspen out of his head. He sat in the empty waiting room, replaying the sight of her being shot in his head. He released a growl, blaming himself for not taking better care of her.
He would gladly have taken a bullet for her.
In the truck, he’d practically wept with joy when his fingers finally found her thready pulse. They arrived at the Emergency Room with a team of medical professionals meeting them at the door with a stretcher. They’d swept her away from him, leaving him to stand in the doorway of the hospital with an empty feeling in his chest.
“Are you holding up?” Mac appeared near him.
Declan opened his eyes. Black boots stood in front of him. Glancing up, he found his team standing before him.
He’d lost track of time and didn’t know how long he’d been sitting in the waiting area. They hadn’t allowed him to find out any information on Aspen. The only things he’d been told was that she was alive and was in surgery.
So he’d flopped down in the chair, refusing to leave.
“They won’t tell me anything,” he growled, standing.
Zain, Brodie, Ashton, and Iker stood silently behind Mac.
“Don’t worry. Sarena is working on that.” Mac reached out and gripped his shoulder.
Mac’s fiancée was an assistant nurse manager of the Emergency Room. He felt somewhat relieved by the fact Sarena was going to help him.
He rested his hands on his hips, and his team settled into chairs around him.
“You guys don’t have to stay. You’ve done enough—”
“We’re not leaving,” Ashton announced. He settled back in his chair with a defiant look on his face.
“I don’t have any place to be at for the moment,” Zain said, folding his muscular arms in front of his chest.
Declan ran a weary hand through his hair and looked around at his men. They each dared him to try to send them away.
“Look, I really—”
“Stop,” Mac snapped, cutting him off. He ran a hand along his face and waved to their team. “You know we protect our own. The minute she’s out of surgery, there will be someone on her around the clock. I know your stubborn ass won’t let her out of your sight, so we’re going to be here to help.”
Declan jerked his head in a nod, his throat constricting.
“She’s one of us,” Iker said. He leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. It had been Iker keeping him from tearing the head off of one of the doctors when they’d barred him from Aspen’s room.
The doors of the waiting room burst open with Myles striding through them. The look on his face was grim, and the men to stood from their chairs.
“Declan.” Myles nodded to him. “Mac. I just got off the phone with the captain. The feds and local boys in blue are all over that fucking alley.”
“Do we know who any of those fuckers are?” Brodie asked.
“Not yet. I’m sure we’ll know soon,” Myles replied.
“That was a lot of man power. Someone with deep pockets definitely wants your girl dead,” Ashton said.
The room grew silent, and Declan agreed.
“My federal contact had notified me that Ray Acosta had escaped from jail. There is a nationwide manhunt for him. I had just texted Dec when all hell broke loose,” Iker announced.
Curses filled the room with the news.
Ray Acosta may have just escaped from prison, and still somehow he was able to send a small militia after Aspen. It was even more imperative that Declan be able to protect her. A man like Ray was going to be desperate and wouldn’t quit until he got what he wanted.
Aspen dead.
“Federal agents are on their way here now and will be assuming protective detail,” Myles said.
“How the hell did they know where we are?” Mac scowled.
The tension in the air grew tense as they all waited for a reply.
“Someone called it in to the feds. They are on their way to the hospital now.” Myles shrugged before shoving his phone in his cargo pant pockets.
Declan bit back a curse. With all that’d been happening with Aspen, he’d been distracted from his attempt to find out the leak in the department. Whoever notified the feds had to be the same person.
“The leak,” Brodie snapped, running his hand through his hair. “We’ve got to find the leak.”
“The feds would have found out eventually when they didn’t show up at the airport,” Iker cut in.
Everyone paused, knowing what he said was the truth.
“How do we even know it was from our department? It could have been any of the men who were working with that fucker, Williams,” Zain spoke up. “There’s no telling how many crooked feds are involved.”
“Right now, it doesn’t even matter. We know what’s going to happen when the feds show up,” Mac’s voice slashed out.
“They aren’t keeping me from her,” Declan stated. He narrowed his eyes on his friend. Even being deputized for this assignment wouldn’t keep them from taking her.
“Mac,” a soft voice called out.
Declan swiveled his gaze to the door and found Sarena standing there. Dressed in her scrubs, she stepped into the room. Mac stalked across and took his fiancée in his arms for a hug.
“Sarena.” Declan made his way over with the rest of the guys in to
w. Nerves filled his gut as he waited for news of Aspen.
She pulled back away from Mac, and Declan approached.
“Dec.” She brushed her hair behind her ear and stared up at him. “She pulled through surgery. They’re moving her to a private room in the Intensive Care Unit. I’ve spoken with the manager of that unit, and they will allow you to see her, but only during visitation hours. So you’ll be able to see her in a few hours.”
Relief flooded him at the news. He nodded, taking the small victory.
“The only thing is…” She paused, glancing around at the lot of them.
“What is it, babe?” Mac asked gently.
It always amazed Declan at the difference in Mac when he was around Sarena. It was as if she truly was his other half. He was calmer and less of an ass when with her.
“The hospital has already been notified that she is to be guarded. They are putting her in the isolation room to keep traffic away from the main part of the unit. They don’t want other patients’ care to be compromised by having guards around. There’s federal agents everywhere down there.”
Declan’s stomach gave way at the news. He turned and brushed past Zain to take in a few breaths, ignoring his name being called.
His mind raced at the thought that the feds would keep him from her. Rage festered and built in his chest. A red haze clouded his eyes. He braced his hands against the nearest wall, trying to breathe. He felt the walls closing around him.
He was suffocating.
Aspen was his.
He needed her, like he needed that next breath.
Ray Acosta would not get his hands on her. If he’d escaped from jail, there was only one thing that would be on his mind.
Finding Aspen.
Declan knew how they worked. The feds would swoop in and take her, uncaring if she were injured or not. They just wanted her for their case. They didn’t really care about her. If they did, they would have known their man had gone rogue.
His breaths were coming faster, and the anger built up in him and exploded.
Letting loose a yell, he slammed his fist into the wall. Shouts filled the air.
She belonged to him.
He slammed his fist into the wall again, ignoring the pain.