I slowly made my way through the empty halls of the boat. I could hear the shouts of my brothers through the radio and I pressed down on the mic and finally spoke.

“Shut the hell up,” I whispered harshly. “Listen.”

They suddenly all went silent. “I’m inside. There’s voices but I can’t make them out. Just watch your backs if you get on.”

Grayson’s growl came through the radio. “You ignored orders!”

“You would have to!” I whispered loudly. “Don’t give me the sermon Grayson Carter. If it was Rahyne you wouldn’t have hesitated. If shit goes down. And I die. You better put a bullet through that motherfucker’s head and save my girl.”

Silence ensued as I made my way through the ship’s interior. I suddenly came across a set of stairs. I could hear the voices emanating from upstairs, but something in my gut pointed me downstairs. I leaped over the railing, making my way quickly down into darkness. I clicked on my keychain light, lining it up the barrel of my gun as it lighted my path through the empty hall.

In the heavy silence there was suddenly a chain rattling. A groan filled the air. A female groan. My body tensed as I recognized it. It was filled with pain instead of pleasure and it made my heart ache. Quickly I ran to the sound. I could hear shouting above me, gunshots, yet all I focused on was that damn groan.

I heard the chains rattling again and I busted through a door. There she was. Hanging nearly limp from the fucking ceiling. I quickly went up to her and her head swayed back to look at me.

I held my breath and my hands left the chains and cupped her beautiful face. Her lip was split apart and a black and blue bruise was closing her right eye shut. Her breaths came out in light wheezing sounds and she groaned again as I ran my fingertips across her jaw.

“Fuck!” I growled and she blinked lightly. A smile lifted the right side of her mouth.

“I knew you’d come back for me.”

Taking out a lock pick, I quickly picked at the lock on the chain. It budged within seconds and I grabbed her around the waist before she fell to the floor. She yelped out and coughed in my arms. I immediately loosened my hold and crumpled to the floor with her.

“What the fuck did they do to you, baby.” I cradled her head in my lap and she mewled. My fingertips grazed her bruised body and I cursed myself for not coming sooner.

She suddenly reached up to me and managed a smile. “Shhhh. It’s okay. I’m okay. Believe me. I’ve had worst.”

I frowned down at her and shook my head. “I shouldn’t have left you.”

“You did what you needed to do,” she groaned and shifted in my arms. “Now go and finish the job. Put a bullet in that fucker’s head and let him know, right before you pull that trigger, that it’s from me.”

I lifted her into my arms and quickly found a safe place for her in a closet down the hall. I wrapped her up in a blanket and hid her behind pallets of liquor. “I’ll be back for you baby.”

She nodded. “I know you will.”

I kissed her forehead and ran out towards the sound of gunfire. I could hear Wolf’s voice through the headset shouting for Grayson and Riggs to take cover. I ran up the steps to get to the highest point possible. That’s where Diesel would be. As I made my way up towards the Captain’s quarters, a man came out of nowhere. I took him by surprise as I pulled back my elbow and catching him right in the throat. I pulled him up and over my shoulder and grabbed his gun, ripping it out of his hands. He lay there groaning as I stepped over him, now armed. I quickly made my way up and came across none other than Rafael Espino and his two men. They were shooting across the way. Right at where I knew Diesel lay.

“Motherfuckers,” I breathed. Perching up the shotgun I took two shots. One at Brick and one at Flathead. They both crumbled to the floor as Espino turned around.

I watched as his gun slowly raised up at me. The barrel clearly coming up to my head. And then I went still. I could hear sirens in the distance and the revving of a boat engine, and then I heard Grayson’s shouts.

“Motherfucker! Move, boys! Move!” Shots continued to ring around me, but all I focused on was the piece of shit in front of me.

“Breathe,” I heard Diesel’s voice in my ear and I roared and aimed myself right at him, barreling into his chest. His gun toppled out of his hand at the impact of my body, and it flung down into the abyss of the ocean. I slammed him down on the gated floor and I slammed my fist into his face.

The fucker spat out blood and laughed, showing me his bloodied grin. “Came to take revenge for that slut!”

“You fucking piece of shit!” I slammed my fist down on his face, hearing the crunch of bone as his nose broke.

“Fuck!!!” He shifted and took me off guard, kicking at my chest and flinging me back. He was suddenly on me. He struggled to take a swing at me and I smirked and flung him away easily.

“You won’t get out of here alive, motherfucker!” I growled as I grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket and shoved him up against the wall. “You like breaking a woman’s body?”

He grinned again, lying half limp against the wall. “She enjoyed it, you know. My cock. She screamed as I fucked her. She begged me for more. As much as she squirmed beneath me, she fucking wanted me.”

I slammed my fist against his ribs, enjoying his wheeze. I propped him up again and he coughed as blood poured out of his mouth. “Fucking bitch! I’m gonna fucking kill her with my own hands. But right before. I’ll have her on my cock once again.”

He growled and barreled into me, ramming my back against the railing. I wrapped my hand along the banister and let myself fall back. As I leaned back I looked at Diesel. “This is for Chastity you fucking piece of shit. I let myself fall over and a shot rang out. I looked up just as a bullet crossed his temple. I gripped the railing tightly, and slowly dragged myself up.

I looked down at Espino, the bullet on his right temple gave me a clear sign that it wasn’t Diesel’s bullet. Slowly, I looked up and spotted Father King across the way.

He nodded at me and I nodded back. I looked behind me, “Beat you to it, huh?”

I heard Diesel’s smirk. “I let him get the shot in.”

I laughed. “I’m sure you did.”

Voices rang out on the decks as the FBI infiltrated the ship.

“Fuck!” Diesel voiced out as the shouts of a woman filled the air.

I smirked. “Careful D. Keep your focus. Women can definitely be a distraction you don’t need right now.”

“Shut the fuck up, Guns.”

I snarled at his nickname for me, but I quickly made my way down the stairs. Down to my angel. “Get an ambulance down here and stop fucking around.”

* * *

Gabriela Cristiano was staring me down as we sat in the hallway of the hospital. Chasitity had been brought in an hour ago and we were waiting for word from the doctors. Diesel sat to my right, his arms crossed over his chest and smirking as he looked from Gabriela to me.

“Are you gonna stare at me all night.”

“I just don’t get it.”

“Get what?”

“Why she loves you?”

I looked up at her and my heart hammered in my chest. “Did she say that?”

“She didn’t have to. I know her better than anyone.”

I snarled and looked away.

“I just have one thing to say to you…Guns.”

“Fuck!” I snarled and turned my head, narrowing my eyes at Diesel as he chuckled away.

Suddenly Gabriela’s pretty face was in front of mine and I swallowed, hesitantly. “You hurt her, and I’ll personally out a world of pain on your ass.”

Her eyes glared at me and I nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

Diesel doubled over in laughter and suddenly she turned to him. “I suggest you stay quiet if you don’t want me to start with you?”

“Oh baby. Please. Come at me. I beg you.”

She narrowed her eyes at him and I could see a glimmer of something in their stare. She slowly breathed and turned away.

“Fucking distractions,” she muttered under her breath.

Suddenly the Doctor who tended to us appeared and I immediately went up to him. “She’s fine, Gunner.”

“Thank God!”

“She’s a few broken ribs, and some lateral bruising, but she’s fine. She’ll be back on her feet in a few weeks.”

“Can I see her?”

The Doctor smirked. “Can I stop you?”

“Fuck, no.” I ran down the hall and quickly made my way into her private room. She lay there, staring out the window.

As soon as I walked in she looked over at me. She smiled slowly and reached her hand out to me.

“Oh baby!” I grabbed her hand and leaned down, pressing my forehead to hers.

“Thank you.”

“For what, Angel?”

“For saving me. For doing your job.”

I shook my head. “Baby, that ain’t my job. Protecting you is my fucking life’s mission.”

She giggled and groaned. “La Cruz escaped.”

“Yeah, we know.”

“But he doesn’t have much power anymore. Your people took over the ship and found his sailboat floating a few miles away. It had a shit ton of cocaine on it, but no La Cruz. They also closed down the bar. He’s got nowhere to run to.”

She stroked my cheek. “You know I can’t stop until I catch him, right.”

I frowned at her. “Baby…”

She pressed her fingertips to my lips. “He killed my Father, Jason.”

“Fuck,” I breathed and held her. “We’ll find that fucker. And I’ll make sure, the last face he sees, is yours.”