I HAD TIME TO MENTALLY prepare myself this time as I waited to attack. I studied my weapon and thought out as many outcomes and ways to use my training as I could. Thanks to my dad, I was an Army brat and had used guns before. I hoped if Greg had one, I got it off him before he could use it on me. This time, I would be better at fighting than when I was taken, I told myself. This time I was fighting for my life. I knew the predicament I was in and was ready as I was ever going to be, so when I heard the door knob turn, I took a deep breath in a let it out in a whoosh as I let my training take over.
“Payback time bitch,” I heard snarled before I attacked. Using the sharpest and strongest part of the wood, I reached up and stabbed it into the back of his neck. I then kicked his legs out and watched as he fell to his knees. The gun he held dropped and I dove for it. His groan was loud as he fell on me and I kicked at him. He bashed his meaty fist on my back, and then he wrapped his hands around my throat and squeezed. Flinging the gun across the room, I grabbed at his hands clawing at him to let go as I bucked to get him off me. I could feel the hits getting weaker, either that or I was becoming numb to the pain. His hand left my neck and his fingers threaded through my hair. The change gave me enough movement to almost get out from under him. I battled his hold, but he wound my hair around his fist and then slammed my head once, twice and a third time on the floor. He tried again, but this time I barely hit the floorboards. His hand in my hair went lax and I took a moment as white dots clouded my vision, but, I knew I couldn’t give in to them. My eyes were losing focus and I blinked as blood tried to cover my eyes. I fought my way out from under him and crawled for the gun before I stood and swiped at my face to clear it so I could see. I checked the safety was off the gun and pointed it at the man bleeding out before me. The wooden plank that looked almost like a stake, stuck out of his neck. I must have hit an artery or something very vital because there was a lot of blood and Greg wasn’t moving.
Holy fucking shit, I’d killed a man. Oh, God, he may have been going to kill me, but I had killed him first. Holding the gun tight, I debated if I should leave through the window with the gun or go through the house and eliminate the other threats. The white dots kept coming and going in my eyes and I struggled to keep them at bay, knowing I needed to get out and to safety before I collapsed. As much as I wanted to take the window I knew how vulnerable it would make me and I couldn’t risk crashing and hitting my head again when I was barely staying awake as it was. I didn’t know if the other men had heard my fight with Greg, so I needed to make my move now. I slowly moved to the door wincing as every muscle and bone in my body seemed to protest at the movement. I was running on pure adrenaline as I kept the gun pointed in front in case any more threats barged in.
The sound of a helicopter had me pausing. Did X have enough money and power to have a helicopter? Was he leaving on that? I should wait until he was gone, so I had less peop— my thoughts cut off as soon as I heard gunfire.
Holy Shit! The loud bangs and the sound of things smashing, had me frozen at the door and wondering what to do? What did the gunfire mean? Was I being rescued? If so, did I wait where I was? I listened, unsure of what I should do. It sounded like a lot of firing. Did the others think that Greg was dealing with me and that’s why another bad guy hadn’t come in to get me yet? Was I safe where I was, at least until the gun fight stopped?
The gunshots sounded closer. I turned the door handle not wanting to stay with the dead body. I didn’t want to see what I’d done. I was strong, but right now as hope soared that I was being saved, I knew if I saw what I’d done I’d fall apart. I’d been so good keeping it together. My head throbbed and I didn’t think I would be able to stay upright let alone stop myself from passing out if I didn’t move.
The window shattered and I dropped to the floor and didn’t even bother to look where the bullet had gone. I was going to stay down here until either my rescue came, the gunfire stopped or I passed out.
It helped to have family in the Army. I couldn’t believe the power Divinity’s father had. He called in a bunch of his men and they took ‘emergency family leave’ and we ended up with some of the smartest and deadliest men I’d ever met. I’d always thought Zeck was a wiz with computers and could hack and get any information needed. The guy I met that was a part of Divinity’s father’s team was amazing and very, very scary at what he could do.
I wasn’t stupid. What they did to find Divinity was all kinds of illegal. They hacked satellites, and once we got a name from the DNA tests, they hacked into everything of the man, Roy Blin, and everyone associated with him in any way. Unable to do anything at the precinct, and unable to go to the base, my house became command central. Within minutes of telling them my money and resources were at their disposal too, I found out that a helicopter was en route to take us to the destination instead of driving.
Eric, Divinity’s father, wasn’t my biggest fan. I had to fight him tooth and nail to get on the helicopter. Before the chopper could even land, we were shot at. Two men of the seven jammed into the helicopter jumped out onto the ground and I watched as they barely landed before they were running to what looked like a barn, the only cover besides three large gumtrees scattered here and there.
“Will you land with the fire?”
Eric ignored me. It was his friend, Dylan that answered. “Yeah. There’s only seven of us. We don’t know how many they have and we need every man.” He eyed me up and down. “Even you.”
I tried not to growl at the blatant unapprovingly look. None of Eric’s friends liked me, and I was sure it had to do with them thinking I wasn’t good enough for Divinity. I may not be, but, I didn’t give a fuck what they thought as long as I got my woman back and tied her fine arse to me in any and every way.
“Fuck you. I can handle myself.”
“If you say so. Just follow us and don’t get in our way.” Dylan snickered before he climbed out. I turned just in time to see Eric nod to Rick, the pilot, before the both followed Dylan. I followed close behind them with one of the guns my security had given me. It wasn’t like my service weapon that I handed in after every shift. This was newer, lighter, and easier to handle.
The shots fired at us missed, and I was grateful for the bad guys being bad shots. I wondered why we weren’t firing back? When we reached the barn, I caught Dylan’s attention. “Why aren’t we firing back?”
Eric snapped, “We don’t know where my daughter is being held. We can’t see who’s shooting at us. If we fire back, we could hit her, idiot.” If I didn’t already know that Divinity’s father hated me, the look he gave me before signaling his men closer told me. I’d always thought I was a manly man, but damn, Eric made me feel like a giant pussy. “When we can see who our targets are, then we will fire back.”
I watched as two men from our team sprinted out in the open towards the veranda of the huge old Queenslander house. It was then four men came out, two from a column and the other from the front door and a window to shoot at the figures. Eric and two others of the team eased out and shot back at the now visible targets. When the four were taken out, Eric and the team all moved forward. I followed close behind, anxious to rush forward and get to Divinity, but I knew we still needed to stay cautious. The two men who’d been more target practice to draw out the bad guys were through the front door before us. I noticed that even though both had been wounded badly enough to leave a blood trail, they moved like cats, swiftly, easily and not showing they were hurt. My respect for these men skyrocketed. I knew the Army trained their men well, but what I was seeing was amazing. Two more men came out of nowhere and before they could fire at us, Eric and Dylan dispatched them without even firing their own weapons.
Entering the house, the smell that hit me had me reeling back. Chemicals. Holy shit! This house was a drug cooking house.
“Watch your fire. Smell the air,” I snarled at Eric. He caught my gaze and nodded. Then, as we entered the hall gave us the signal to spread out and search the rooms.
I don’t know what it was, but something drew me to the back of the house, and as I turned the corner I froze at the sight before me. Divinity was slowly making her way down a dark hallway. She held a gun pointed directly at a man who held one back at her. Divinity was in a bad way. Even in the dark lighting I could see she was covered in blood and it even dripped from her head. Her face was one big black bruise and she hunched over like she couldn’t stand straight. The man opposite her didn’t look in much better shape than her.
Not wanting to startle the man and have him shoot her, I didn’t even hesitate. I raised the gun, aimed for his head, and took my shot. I didn’t move as I watched his whole-body crumble to the ground. Divinity’s gaze shot to mine and the gun followed. When I got my first real look at her I cried out, ‘Oh Divinity. I’m so sorry.” Her face was worse than I first saw, and her neck had two hand prints on it. She shook and I could see she was barely holding on.
“Ryder,” she croaked out.
I ran to her and gathered her to me cupping her face and gently pressing soft kisses on her. “Divinity. I am so sorry. This is all my fault. Oh, my little vixen, what have they done to you? I’ll make sure every fucking one who was involved in this is dead.” I brushed carefully at her swelling face and the massive lump on her forehead that was still gushing blood. Tearing my shirt, I held it up to stop the bleeding.
She didn’t respond and I slowly moved her out of the hall and to all the men in a large lounge room filled with packages of drugs. Drugs from the case I’d been working on. I knew then she’d been taken because of me.
Even with her father and all the men around us Divinity hadn’t moved from my embrace. She remained still. Shock. I hoped that’s why she wasn’t touching me or moving. I worried that because she was taken, hurt, and I didn’t protect her that no matter what I did she wouldn’t have me, soulmate or not. Now knowing this was all my fault I doubted for the first time in my life if I deserved this perfect woman. I was going to have to suck it up and do something very un-alpha-like. Beg. “I’m sorry you were taken. Please forgive me. I can’t live without you. You’re my world. I will do anything for you to forgive me. I’ll make sure it never happens again. You were so brave though. I’m so damn proud of you. You’re amazing and I’ll forever tell you that if you forgive me. Please. Please, tell me you’re still mine.”
I was so wrapped up in my begging that when Divinity suddenly wrapped her arms around me and sank against me sobbing, I almost collapsed in relief. I was sure she would push me away and go to her father, or even one of the other men in the group, and keep ignoring me. “You were right. Being with you is dangerous. I should have called the bodyguards before I even left the base.” She babbled, her voice raspy and hoarse. “But, but, when I saw the cop car I thought, they were with you, but, it just, nothing was right. I found out they had me watched. I thought I had them convinced that we weren’t together, but X. He told the guy to kill me. I killed the guy. I had to. Oh, God, the bastards ruined my favorite Calvin Klein jeans and look!” She stepped back pointing to the holes in her jeans and at the blood that covered her shirt. “Gucci. It took me months to pay off my credit card after I bought this top. I didn’t hurt the dead guy or the one you killed enough.” She burst into tears again and her speech became unable to understand.
I watched in shock as one of Eric’s men dragged a man in, with the wood sticking out of his neck. He was covered in blood and as they turned him I saw he was covered his bruises and I tried not to shudder. My soulmate was lethal. I was bloody well happy she could defend herself, though. I gazed at the men around us and didn’t miss the look of pride on Eric’s face as he looked at the guy now on the floor. The more I thought, though, the more I was in awe of Divinity. She had been attacked and kidnapped and was going to be killed, and she killed the huge man before he could her. She was entitled right now to go on about her clothes.
Glancing at Eric though, and the smirk that covered his face as he looked around the room and then at his daughter in my embrace I had a moment of worry. Maybe the curse, er gift, the gypsies gave my family was going haywire. There was no way I could get a father-in-law like the one I was looking at now. He made the caveman alpha inside me look like an act and I worried for a second about my self-confidence and the hit my manliness was going to take. As Divinity sighed and snuggled against me, I held her closer. She looked up and captured my gaze, and I shook all that off. She was just what I needed. She was perfect for me. I wasn’t in a job like the others of my family, I was in danger a lot more being a detective. I needed a woman who could protect herself. Who had a backbone and didn’t cower from a fight? I needed a father-in-law who wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty, like now.
Divinity started shaking. She was in shock. She kept babbling and sulking about her clothes. I knew how much she loved her fashion and I was sure she was focusing on that than what she’d done and what had happened as a coping method.
Leaning down I cradled her in my arms, slowly stood, and walked towards the door, eager to get out of this house.
Once the fresh breeze hit me, I walked off the porch and to the driveway where there was no carnage. I squeezed her tighter to me and kissed her forehead. She burrowed into me and the guilt I felt at bringing this all doubled as she whispered, “I’m so close to loving you. This carrying and rescuing me has brought me a lot closer.” She sighed, which came out more like a gasp for air and closed her eyes.
In the distance, I could faintly hear the sirens. They’d been called well before we arrived. This area was an hour and a half from a town, and four, nearly five, from where we lived.
Divinity gasped again and her eyes snapped opened. “My adrenaline is gone now I think. I hurt.” She moaned for a moment before she stilled.
My heart stopped beating. I couldn’t move for a split second. My whole world focused on the being that was in my embrace. With shaking movements, I leaned down and listened for her breathing and almost collapsed in relief when I felt her warm, but labored breathing. She was fighting, I could hear it with each pull into her lungs, but she was alive. Not wanting to move even an inch in case it caused her further discomfort or affected her more, I darted my gaze up, searching for help, and was relieved when looked into Eric’s eyes. Eyes just like the ones I’d awoken to for the last few weeks. I cried, “Help. Please. She’s barely breathing.”