Chapter 25
Allen
I looked around at all the cars in the driveway and felt the knot in my stomach increase in size. I needed to be calm through this and I grabbed the megaphone before opening my door.
“You good?” Brandon asked me as I gave him a long look.
“I’ve got this. We’ve all had the training, right?” I gave him a pained smile as I stood up and looked around at the officers poised for action. I knew Ricky would be angry that we were all here and I pushed away the fear for Nicole as I raised the device to my mouth. “We have some cash for you, Ricky. How about you give us Nicole and we’ll let you go on with your day?” My voice was casual but I was tense and ready to move inside.
“Why are they all here? You were supposed to come alone!” Someone screamed through the window as I narrowed my eyes. I heard my phone ring and grabbed it, knowing it was him.
“Hello?” I was still casual.
“You fucking lied to me. You were supposed to come alone,” he snarled as I took a slow breath.
“It’s kind of standard for the department, Ricky. It’s nothing personal and I have a boss to report to. Just give me Nicole and you’ll get your money. Nobody else will get involved if you don’t want them to. Work with me.” I hated him as I spoke and wanted to go put my gun to his head. I wanted him fucking dead as I searched the house for any sign of Nicole.
Nothing. Where the fuck was she?
“I want the fucking money first. We had a deal,” Ricky told me as I fought the urge to sigh.
“I have to see her first, Ricky. We have to work together here,” I told him in a calm voice, feeling every eye on me. Since we weren’t using the megaphone, this was a quiet conversation only the officers nearest to me could hear.
“Look at the fucking window,” he told me as I squinted. There was movement and I saw two men holding up a limp figure, leaning forward to see closer as I started to walk forward.
“Allen, stop. You need to be careful,” Brandon called as he got out of the car. I ignored him and kept walking until I saw her dark hair. She looked like she was unconscious and her face was bruised and bloody.
Mother fucker. I had to reign in my emotions as I took her in.
“Is she alive?” I asked as I stopped walking near the back of another car. I fought to keep my voice in control, waiting for his answer. At that moment, I knew I loved her. My heart was racing as I waited for his answer.
“She’s fine. Nicole was tired and needed a nap. How about you relax, lover boy?” I gripped the phone in my hand tightly, feeling rage surge through me. “Bring me the money now.”
I told him I was bringing the money as I walked over to my car and took the duffel bags of cash out slowly, knowing that I needed to calm down. I slipped my phone into my jacket pocket and ended our conversation This was a dangerous situation and I needed to focus on getting Nicole out of that house. I needed to get her to the hospital.
I looked around before I started walking slowly up to the house, signaling for them to watch his every movement. He could shoot me in this process but if he wanted his money as bad as he said he did, Ricky would let me finish the walk. He would let me drop the cash down and that was when I would dart away to safety and keep communicating with him. I had a plan here and I stared at the window as I walked. It was a small house and the window was close to the door which remained closed.
I reminded myself that there were guns pointed at them from every angle. My guys were highly trained and they’d do right by me. They would protect Nicole, the victim. We did stuff like this a lot, just never this personal for me before.
I hated this part of it as I kept walking in silence, watching the window. I could see the men holding her up and Ricky beside her with his eyes locked on my face. Was he fucking smirking at me?
I had a few feet left before I reached the porch and I stared back at him, willing Ricky not to hurt her any more. This was all on me and I couldn’t bear the guilt of her death. I couldn’t stand the idea of Nicole not being on this Earth for her sister. I wanted my phone to my ear so I could tell him to just leave her alone, but this was not a time to show weakness. I needed to bottle this shit up and do my job, even if my heart was racing and my hands were shaking.
Her kiss played through my mind for a moment before I focused on what was happening again. I couldn’t afford to be distracted and I assured myself this would be over soon. I’d have her in my arms and get her to a hospital with the helicopter that we had coming this way. I’d insisted on it.
I approached the small porch and leaned down to place the bags on it, still looking inside as best I could. Nicole looked like shit and I felt the pain of my guilt washing over me as I stood up slowly.
I was turning to walk to the left and out of danger when I heard someone tell me to take cover. I threw myself to the ground as a few shots rang out and forced myself to remain still. These were professionals.
The air stilled and then there were voices yelling as I rolled over to see what was happening. There was a haze around the house and I jumped up as Brandon hurried up to me. “Are you okay?” he asked as he looked me over closely.
“I’m fine. I never got shot. What the fuck happened?” I demanded as some of the police approached the house once the smoke cleared.
“Ricky was going to shoot Nicole just as you started to walk away. He had the gun pointed to her fucking head. They opened fire, Allen. The guys had a clear shot and took it.”
I felt my breathing shorten at his words and walked forward as a few of the other cops went to the door.
“They shot at her?” I asked in shock as he grabbed my arm.
“Take a breath. They protected the victim that was about to be shot. We’re talking the SWAT guys, Allen. When have they ever fucked up something like this?” we watched as some of the SWAT team peered into the house and then yelled that it was clear and I followed them right through the door.
The others hurried through the house to check the rooms while I dropped beside Nicole. The men who had been holding her were on the ground beside her, riddled with bullets. I reached out to press my fingers to her neck.
Let there be a pulse. Please let her have the chance to live.
There was a shout that the house was empty, and I sighed as I felt her heart beating. I closed my eyes and let everyone around me do their work while I focused on her weak heartbeat.
“The paramedics are here. Let them look at her, Allen.”
I looked up to see Brandon and he pulled me back as I watched the paramedics step forward.
Her face was bruised and blood was smeared over her dirty skin. I took her body in and realized with relief that she was fully dressed, hoping that meant she hadn’t been touched. I knew there were injuries but Nicole was alive.
I finally looked closely at the thugs beside her that were clearly dead. My eyes wandered to the right of her where Ricky lay, bleeding on the floor. His beady eyes held the blank stare of a dead man and I wished for him to go straight to hell. We had no case anymore but he couldn’t hurt anyone ever again. We just needed to work on finding the women that he had sold and make sure they were alive and safe. People had stepped forward to talk after he went to jail and we were building a case when Ricky escaped.
Now he was dead and I only wished I’d had a chance to get a bullet in him. I looked back at the paramedics as they slid a gurney beside her.
“How is she?” I asked gruffly.
“She’s banged up but she’s going to be fine. We’re going to get her to the hospital in the chopper now.” He glanced at Brandon and then back at me. “Want to come with us?”
“I’ll drive back into town. Don’t worry. Go with her,” Brandon urged me. “Go with her. Nicole needs you.”
I nodded and watched as they moved her carefully to the board and lifted it slowly. I was feeling protective and nearly bit one of the paramedic’s heads off when he almost tripped over one of the bodyguards.
“Chill,” Brandon said beside me as I shot him a worried gaze.
The paramedics led the way and I followed as the other officers looked from Nicole to my somber face. I knew there was talk about what she meant to me but I could give a fuck as we made our way through the crowd toward the helicopter parked at the end of the driveway. I didn’t even hear them arrive and I blinked as they loaded her inside and took their places.
I squeezed in beside her and took Nicole’s hand as I stared into her face. “Do you know the extent of the injuries?” I asked.
“I’m pretty sure she’s got a cracked rib or two. And a bruised or punctured lung. I think that’s the worst of it so far, though. She was beat up but I think she’ll bounce back. She’s young.” His voice was positive and I nodded as I looked her over. “They’ll run tests once we arrive but she’s stable for now.”
“Good,” I whispered as I pushed the heavy emotions away. I was going to let Nicole go, so this never happened to her again. I was going to let her live in a world without me and find a man that didn’t pose a threat to her well-being. I knew that Brandon would tell me I was being an asshole since Ricky was dead but this wasn’t about the future. This was about the fact that she was in this fucking helicopter right now.
Had I never been on this case, she wouldn’t have met me. It was absurd to think Nicole would have escaped unscathed by being auctioned off as planned, but I couldn’t think too logically right now.
We made the quick flight back to Vegas and landed at Kindred Hospital. She was rushed to the doctors and I followed slowly as I took this all in. I sent Brandon a text to let Noelle know that her sister was at Kindred. I knew she’d want to see her as soon as possible and I’d meet her in the waiting room to tell her what had happened.
I breathed in one last breath of fresh air before the doors closed behind me and we were rushing to the emergency room.