When the black escalade crossed the threshold of the entrance to the property, driving beneath the sign of The Black Stallion Ranch, Maddox turned away from the video monitor to face everyone standing behind him in the operations room and said, “The bastard is here.”

“It’s important that we all stick to the plan,” Drake instructed. “Are there any last minute questions?” He paused to look at Anson, Stryder, Jennie, and then at Maddox and Adira, none of the group speaking. “All right then, let’s go give our guests a proper Black Stallion welcome,” Drake said as he led the way out of the room.

Adira took a deep breath and tried her best to appear strong. Despite her insistence to her grandfather that she be allowed to participate in the plan, in all actuality, she was terrified. There was so much that could go wrong, and she had already lost more people than most do in a lifetime.

Feeling the gentle squeeze of her hand as they walked down the hallway, she glanced up to meet Maddox’s eyes. “It’s going to be okay,” he reassured. “You just stay right beside me. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

She nodded in response, not sure if she could even speak. Yes, she trusted Maddox, but it wasn’t the thought of something happening to her that had her speechless. She loved him with every cell of her being. It was the thought of losing him like she lost her father…

There was a knock on the front door just as they entered the foyer of the house. She and Maddox, Drake, and Jennie all took a moment to look at each other, silently making sure everyone was ready to begin. Drake nodded to Jennie to go ahead and open the door while the three of them stood ready for phase one of their masterfully crafted plan. As Jennie had done a million times, she answered the door and greeted Charles and his two gunmen with a welcoming smile.

“Well, hello there,” she said as she opened the door wide, stepping aside so Charles could see Maddox, with his hand still gripping Adira’s, and Drake standing protectively beside her.

Charles nodded at Maddox. “Maddox.” He then did the same with Drake. “Drake. Nice to see the both of you again.”

Both Drake and Maddox remained silent.

Charles then looked at Adira and plastered a fake smile on his face. “It’s nice to see you alive, Adira. The whole world thought you were dead.”

Adira remained silent, just as she was instructed to do as part of the plan.

“I’m here for Adira,” Charles announced, crossing the threshold of the doorway with his men following, standing on each side of him. From the way his eyes flicked from one to another of his hosts and his sigh, it was clear he was losing patience with everyone’s silence. “She’s coming with me.”

“She’s not going anywhere,” Maddox countered simply, not moving in the slightest.

Charles smirked. “I guess you misunderstood me. I wasn’t asking.”

“I heard you clearly,” Maddox said. “And I repeat, she isn’t going anywhere with you.”

Charles’s jaw tightened, and both men at his sides pulled back their jackets just enough to reveal that they were armed. “I was asked by Hadi to fetch his granddaughter and bring her to him.” He glanced at Drake, then Maddox. “I’m sure you are quite aware that Adira being alive may upset some people. The assassination did not go as planned.” He cleared his throat and clenched his jaw again. “Hadi has reason to believe she isn’t safe here.”

“Really?” Drake asked. “Not safe here?”

“Yes. That is what Hadi told me.”

Maddox looked at Drake and feigned shock. “I wonder why our dear friend Hadi would think such a thing?” He looked at Charles with venom painted on his face, casting from his darkened eyes. It was a look that Adira had never seen on him before, and it sent shivers down her spine. The rage was building in Maddox, and she wasn’t sure what would happen if it was unleashed. “Tell me, Charles, why do you think Hadi would feel that way?”

Charles shrugged nonchalantly. “You know how rumors are. Word on the street is that The Black Stallion Brothers, led by their father, may have had something to do with the bombing. You were in Dubai at the time.”

“Rumors?” Maddox looked at Drake and gave a wicked smile. “Look at that, Pops. The rumor is that we are ruthless killers, bombing innocent people.”

“I guess it helps our reputation,” Drake stared directly at Charles and deepened his voice for emphasis, “as being men you do not want to mess with.”

“Interesting, however, is why Charles wouldn’t want to claim the fact that he played a part in bringing down one of the world’s most powerful families?” Maddox said to his father, acting as if Charles was not standing a few feet away, listening in. “You would think that a man so power hungry as he is would want that reputation. Being feared usually has far more power than money. Surely he would know this.”

Charles laughed, the evil, high-pitched sound of it bouncing off the walls and ceiling of the foyer. “Ah, well maybe Charles doesn’t mind waiting in the shadows until just the right time to strike.”

“Or maybe Charles is just the errand boy for people far more powerful than he,” Maddox countered.

“Well, rumor has it as well that Charles Legeaux is nothing but Vasily Poplov’s bitch,” Drake said as he looked at his son and smiled. “I would much rather have the reputation that The Black Stallions are ruthless killers than someone’s little lapdog. Wouldn’t you, son?” he asked with a broad smile.

“For sure,” Maddox answered. “Sorry man,” he continued, looking at Charles, “it must suck to be you.”

“All right, I have had enough of these games,” Charles snapped as he took a step toward Adira, causing Maddox to step forward in retaliation. Charles was smart enough to stop. “I’m here for Adira, and she is coming with me.”

“Or what?” Maddox asked. “You’ll bomb our ranch like you bombed the Nazars’ yacht?”

Charles gave a wicked smile. “Oh trust me, the idea has been discussed.”

“Your idea or Vasily’s?” Maddox asked with a chuckle. “I just want to know if you are still acting as his bitch, or maybe trying to have a spine and be your own man.”

“Nah, I think he’s just Vasily’s bitch,” Drake added.

“I’m no one’s fucking bitch,” Charles shouted, his face turning a light shade of red and sweat beading on his forehead. “You have no fucking idea how powerful I am! Vasily Poplov and I are partners! I don’t answer to him.”

“But you will answer to me,” came a voice entering the room from the living area. Hadi strode into the foyer and stood next to Drake.

“What… what are you doing here? You’re supposed to be in Africa,” Charles said, his eyes sweeping the room’s occupants again. “Listen, you can’t believe—”

“I believed you had a part in the massacre of my family, and you’ve just admitted that I was correct,” Hadi said, his voice flat, the tone calm and yet causing gooseflesh to pebble on Adira’s skin.

Adira knew her grandfather and his men had been listening in the other room the entire time. He had just been waiting for the right time to announce his presence. He was a man who always exuded strength, wisdom and extreme power. But at this moment, surrounded by his team of security, fully armed and lethal, her grandfather was a man to be feared. One look into his dark and ominous eyes would have anyone running scared.

Charles’ men reached for their guns, only to have Stryder and Anson move in stealthily and quickly behind them with their own guns, placing the hard metal into the men’s spines in warning. Both of Charles’ men put up their arms, not wanting to die for a cause that wasn’t theirs. Adira’s guess was the men didn’t even like Charles Legeaux. Who could?

Charles looked at both men hired to protect him with irritation blanketed over every feature of his weasely face, clearly annoyed they had given up so easily and quickly. “Hadi,” Charles began. “You have it all wrong.”

“No. He doesn’t,” Maddox said. “We know Vasily was the ringleader in all this, but we also know that you helped kill all those people on the yacht.”

“And you couldn’t even get that right,” Hadi said. “It must kill you to see me and my granddaughter still alive, standing before you.”

Adira wanted to throw up. Seeing the man who killed her family mere feet in front of her made her sick, but she also had to fight back the urge not to lunge at him and rip out his eyeballs with her fingernails.

Charles put up his hands in defeat, taking a few steps away from his men so he was no longer standing in the center with both Stryder and Anson still pointing their guns in the backs of his goons. Maddox and Drake both positioned their bodies to block Adira even more. They had discussed how Charles may attempt to grab her out of desperation, trying to use her for safety. She stood ready if indeed he was foolish enough to do such a thing.

“Listen, I don’t know what you all have heard…” Instead of moving toward Adira as they expected, he shot to his right to where Jennie silently stood off to the side. As quick as lightening, he grabbed her from behind and put a pistol to her head, blocking his body with hers. Adira gasped and lunged forward with the overpowering need to protect the woman she had grown to love, but Maddox put his arm in front of her, preventing her from doing so. Adira watched as Jennie silently looked toward Drake for guidance, and whatever answer she got from his expression was enough for her to not resist or attempt to do anything heroic. The woman looked to Adira, giving her a soft, only slightly shaky smile.

Adira felt powerless. Yes, she was supposed to be the bait but she had never once considered that Jennie would be put into danger. They had all been so focused on Adira that they hadn’t even contemplated that Charles would go for a woman he didn’t know and had no idea the importance she had to the family. It was a risky move on his part, but one that was about to pay off. “Each of you stay back or she dies!” Charles demanded. Everyone in the crowded foyer stood ready to attack, but resisted in fear of Charles making good on his threat and pulling the trigger.

Charles began inching his way toward the front door, pulling Jennie with him. He pressed the barrel of the gun so firmly to her temple that Adira could see the flesh around it begin to redden. “Get the fuck out of my way,” he shouted at Stryder and Anson in the doorway. “Put your guns down, or I will blow her head off.”

Stryder and Anson both very slowly laid their guns on the ground, then stepped away from the door, careful not to make any sudden moves.

“Let her go,” Drake said calmly.

“Just as soon as I’m off this ranch and safely back in London,” Charles reassured, still inching his way toward the door, scanning everyone for the slightest movement. Step by step, he backed his way out of the house and toward the steps of the porch. “And just so you all know, this isn’t over. Vasily Poplov doesn’t like to leave loose ends. When he decides to kill someone, he makes a point to kill the entire family line. It prevents having some vengeful family member making it their mission to hunt him down for justice or revenge. That explosion was meant to kill all the Nazars in one big explosion. Vasily’s not happy, but he has big plans for you, Hadi, and for all of you Black Stallion fuckers. And I’m going to love every second of helping him destroy you all.”

Whether on purpose or not, Jennie lost her footing as they walked backwards down the steps of the porch. The action was enough for both Charles and Jennie to lose their balance and fall backwards, tumbling to the ground below. Everyone froze on the spot when the loud bang from the gun went off during their descent. When Charles regained his feet from the fall but a bloodied Jennie lay shot and bleeding on the dusty ground, it was clear to see who had been on the receiving end of the errant shot as the two tumbled off the porch.

“Jennie!” Adira’s scream and panic blended with everyone else’s tormented response. She bolted forward, running behind the brothers. It was the first time Maddox had released her hand as he crossed the threshold with his father and brothers running toward the woman who they loved. Anson and Stryder grabbed their weapons from the ground and trained them on Charles’ accomplices again.

With a ferocious growl, and taking advantage of the fact that Charles appeared stunned, Drake flew down the steps and tackled Charles to the ground. “You son of a bitch,” he boomed. As Charles lifted the gun again, with a viper-like motion, Drake pulled a knife hidden in his boot and stabbed it directly into Charles’s neck, blood spurting out and spraying Drake’s face. He then pulled it out and thrust it back into the man’s heart with all the force that resembled his fury. Shoving Legeaux aside, Drake pulled Jennie’s limp body into his arms and cradled her as everyone rushed down the steps of the porch.

“Come on, Jennie. You are going to be just fine,” Drake said as he rocked her body with his, stroking her hair and placing gentle kisses on her head.

Maddox knelt down beside his father and began to assess the damage the bullet had made. “She’s breathing.”

Those two simple words had Adira bursting into tears of gratitude. Jennie was alive… at least for now. Her grandfather walked up behind where she stood, helplessly watching the man she loved tend to a woman who had simply been caught in the crossfire of Adira’s ugly nightmare, and he wrapped an arm around her.

“I called for help,” Anson announced. “Care lift is on the way.” He looked at Charles’s bloody body with a knife sticking from the chest and added, “And the authorities.” He glared at the two hired gunmen who were now being detained by two of Hadi’s own men.

Maddox leaned back on his haunches a bit, allowing Adira to fully see poor Jennie wounded from the attack. She looked so frail.

“Thank God the bullet missed any vital organs. It entered her shoulder and exited the other side,” Maddox informed everyone who gathered around, witnessing as Jennie began to stir.

Opening her eyes, Jennie looked up at Maddox and then at Drake. “Where is that son of a bitch?”

“Dead,” Drake answered.

She looked down at her shoulder. “Shit. He shot me!”

“You’re going to be just fine, Jennie,” Maddox comforted.

It was clear from watching both Maddox and Drake that they knew what they were doing when it came to providing medical care. Maddox worked expertly at stopping the blood while Drake held Jennie still.

“Hell, I know that.” She looked up at all the worried faces staring down at her. “Why do you all look like I’m dead or something? Come on. Stop writing my eulogy in your head. It’s just a bullet wound.” She hissed when Maddox applied a little more pressure.

“Is there any other part of you hurt? Broken? That was quite the fall,” Drake said, still stroking her hair, worry washed all over his face.

She shook her head. “Just my shoulder.” She smiled. “Not every day that a woman gets to have a bullet wound.” She looked at Adira—who was still crying from an overload of emotion—and winked. “Now that is a life experience.”

Adira shook her head in disbelief and smiled, wiping away her tears. Leave it to Jennie to see the good in almost being killed. She looked at Maddox, who held a piece of Jennie’s flowing skirt firmly against her wound. The sound of a distant helicopter approaching announced that Jennie was definitely going to survive this awful ordeal. Glancing at Charles’s body and knowing that he would no longer pose a threat also made her feel as if she could at least see a light at the end of the tunnel.

“It’s going to be okay, Adira,” her grandfather whispered as he kissed the top of her head. “I promise you that Vasily Poplov will pay for what he did to our family.”

“I know everything will be all right.” Adira looked at Maddox and smiled, knowing more than ever that he would make sure of it. He had declared that she was his, using the most powerful word of mine. Maddox wouldn’t stop until he knew Adira was truly safe.

“Do you love him?” Hadi asked, obviously watching the way she looked at Maddox.

“Yes.” It wasn’t even a question, nor was it hard to admit.

“You have some decisions to make,” Hadi said. “I’ll return to Dubai tonight. I’ve made arrangements for increased security and changed our place of residence. I feel you will be safe returning with me… that is, if that is what you want to do.”

Adira’s heart skipped, and all the air left her body in a rush. She hadn’t even thought about what would happen the day she could return to Dubai, well, at least not since being intimate with Maddox. Staying at The Black Stallion Ranch was only temporary, a place to keep her safe while the world assumed she was dead. But now that the word had gotten out that she was indeed alive, there was no need for secrecy and being concealed. Her grandfather and his hired security could just as easily keep her safe as Maddox and his family could.

Her thoughts were interrupted when three medics came rushing to Jennie with a wooden transport board. She watched as Maddox and Drake assisted in getting Jennie strapped down so she could be flown to the nearest hospital.

“I’m going with her,” Drake declared rather than asked, as the rest of the men gave Jennie kisses and wished her well.

The sound of sirens, the helicopter noise, and all the voices of everyone talking all at once had Adira’s mind spinning. An hour later, the authorities had left. Anson had provided copies of the tapes that had recorded every moment. The sheriff stated he’d go to the hospital to speak with Drake and take his and Jennie’s statements the next day. As the last car disappeared down the drive, Maddox walked back to Adira with a weary smile.

“We can discuss the matter of returning to Dubai in a moment. Go to him,” Hadi said with a gentle push on her back.

Adira didn’t need to be told to do so. She met Maddox halfway and wrapped her arms around his neck, needing his security and love. It was all over… for now, but she needed so desperately for this man to tell her those words to really believe it. Fresh tears escaped her eyes, but they were tears of relief rather than sadness.

“Shh,” Maddox soothed as he rubbed his hand on the back of her hair. “We are all going to be just fine. Jennie is a tough cookie.” He looked at Hadi, who was watching their embrace a few feet away, and directed his next sentence to him. “I think when word gets out that we know who was behind the assassinations and Charles Legeaux is dead, a powerful message will be sent to Vasily Poplov.” His two brothers walked up to him, nodding in agreement, determination set in both of their faces.

“He will know that we are coming after him and his empire,” Hadi declared. “I need to get back to Dubai. I have my pilot waiting for us now.”

“You are welcome to stay here,” Maddox offered, releasing Adira from the embrace but still keeping one arm wrapped snugly around her body. “We can take him down together from our operations room.”

“That’s a generous offer, but my place is back home. I won’t let that bastard chase me away from my country. Plus, I have a lot of allies who will aid in this endeavor.”

Adira held her breath, waiting to hear Maddox offer for her to stay as well. Would she remain if he asked? Would he ask?

“Understood,” Maddox said with a nod.

He didn’t ask.

Adira’s heart began to shatter, one tiny piece at a time.

Her grandfather looked at her for an answer. “Adira?”

She swallowed hard, but refused to allow another tear to fall. She looked up into the eyes of the man she loved. “So, I guess this is goodbye.”

Maddox flinched as if he had just been punched in the stomach and his face contorted in confusion. “Goodbye?”

She nodded. “Grandfather is leaving tonight and said that it’s safe enough for me to return with him. So I won’t be in need of your services any longer. He has others hired to protect me.” The words stung as she said them, but she didn’t want to be a burden any longer.

“But it isn’t safe—”

“Just as safe as it is here,” she interrupted. “The only reason I was on this ranch was because people thought I was dead. It was temporary, so why would I stay?”

Please tell me to stay, she silently pleaded.

He remained silent, looking at his brothers who wordlessly watched for his response.

Maddox then looked back at Hadi. “I’m not convinced that Dubai is safe for her. She would be safer here on the ranch, still far from Vasily’s reach.”

“Adira will be just as safe in Dubai as she is here. But if you feel there is another reason…” Her grandfather had opened the door. All Maddox had to do was step in and say he wanted her to stay because of him. She needed to hear it. She needed to believe that this wasn’t all one sided. That Maddox did in fact love her as she did him.

“It’s just that when my family and I commit to a job, we don’t stop until we know for a fact that it’s over. This situation with Vasily Poplov is far from over.”

And there it was. Maddox only cared about protecting her. It was his duty. His responsibility. But when the time came that she did not necessarily need his protection… he had nothing more to offer. He had nothing more he wanted to offer.

She stared up into his dark eyes, waiting for him to say something. Waiting for him to declare his love. To admit that he wanted her to remain on the ranch to be with him, to truly be with him as more than just his save.

Tell me you love me, she wanted to scream.

Nothing.

Taking a deep breath, she broke away from his touch and moved toward her grandfather. “We will have around the clock security and only hire the best,” she responded, defeated. Standing before her grandfather, she asked, “Can we stop at the hospital before we leave so I can say goodbye to Jennie and Drake?”

Hadi glanced over her shoulder at a speechless Maddox and then back at Adira before agreeing. “Yes. We will go there on our way to the plane.”

“And my horse?” She looked back at Maddox, Anson, and Stryder. “Can I work with you all to have Zephyr shipped back to Dubai?”

Maddox didn’t say anything but Anson answered for all of them. “Whatever you want.”

“All right.” She turned to Hadi. “Well then, I guess there is no reason for us to stay any longer. Let’s go home.”