This man is crazier than a shit house rat. His hand tightens around my throat painfully and the gun he’s been waving around angrily is now digging into my boob. Wonder if there is enough meat there to slow a bullet, like maybe I have a super boob? Oh shit, I totally need to design a bulletproof bra! Maybe with some lift, too.
“Shut the fuck up!” my enraged captor hollers at Nicole, who is crying and sniffling over Lawson’s unmoving form.
Okay, so maybe agreeing to help Lawson rescue Nicole was a bad idea. But after he begged me, telling me about how the FBI couldn’t find anything substantial to make an arrest and that Lou was planning to sell Nicole to a buyer located in Mexico, I couldn’t not help.
Lawson lays still in the dirt. He’s alive, I can just make out his chest rising and falling. His breathing is shallow but it’s there. The severe bruise forming on his head is what Nicole should be worried about. If we survive this, he is going to have one nasty headache.
Lou, my angry captor, continues his rant, jabbing the gun into my poor little boobie each time he thinks he’s made a point. “Is this what you wanted, Nicole? This piece of shit who can’t even fight for you?” Boob jab.
Hey now. Lawson is a damn good fighter, he’s just a little hard up for this girl. Love blinds even the champions.
And Lou here is a sneaky son of a bitch who doesn’t fight fair. Hiding and attacking Lawson from behind is not what I would call an even playing field to judge his skills. I mean, Lou’s the one who bought this girl on the black market and kept her locked up in some shed on his back acreage. What kind of person does that? A psycho, that’s who.
When Laws and I were cutting the ropes off Nicole’s wrists, Lou hit Lawson with a shovel. He went down hard. Nicole clung to me like a life raft. All I could think in that moment, staring at pervert Lou licking his lips like he just won a dollar scratch-off at the gas station, was that I was scared. All my “let’s be a hero” fled as soon as he snatched me, throwing me in the back of his trunk.
I remember hearing him scream at Nicole the whole way to the barn, declaring his wrath.
“Now, you’ve done it, bitch. You’re going to watch as I kill your precious savior. His death is on your hands. Do you hear me? You’re going to watch as I drain the life from his hopeful eyes.”
Nicole cried softly.
“I told you what would happen if you tried to escape. I told you! And you didn’t believe me.” Lou paused before chuckling. “At least you brought me another. Maybe I’ll sell you. Your pussy was getting rather boring. I’m going to enjoy breaking in that blonde firecracker.”
His evil laugh caused tears to roll down my face in uncontrollable waves. I wanted to tell Cade I was sorry. I wanted to love Theo one more time. I wanted to play football with the guys and dance with Vic. I wanted to tease Hayes about being such a slut and argue with Mason about Killer’s real name. I wanted to finish learning curse words in sign language to shock Tim into a smile. I wanted…
I want to live. For my boys.
I’m going to start listening to the guys more if I make it through this ordeal. I’m just kidding. I’ll agree to weigh their opinions more heavily but I’m still me, and Lou is not going to change that by scaring the shit out of me.
“Answer me, bitch!” Lou’s roar in the empty barn echoes against the stalls, bringing me back to the present.
Nicole doesn’t answer him. You go girl! Show this asshole you have some balls. Even though she holds firm in silence, she keeps rubbing Lawson’s head, trying to reign in her crying.
Ok, for fuck’s sake. This motherfucker needs to be put in his place.
“Can we hold off on the name calling?” I tease, trying to lighten up the room. No one ever said I was a competent negotiator.
“Shut up, bitch!” He squeezes my throat hard enough that I begin to panic. “This is all your fault! You think you can save everyone? Huh? You think your boy is better for her than me?” He jams the gun into my temple, making me wince.
Fuck! That did not feel good, Lou.
“Tell me!”
I cough when he eases up on my trachea. “Look, we don’t want any trouble. I just want to get my boy and make sure he is okay and then, you, me, and Nicole can work this out.” My voice croaks as I glance at Lawson. He should have woken up by now.
Lou laughs. He fucking laughs in my face. Stank breath and all. “You think I am going to let you go, sweetheart?”
Oh hell no. He did not just say sweetheart. What a prick. I open my mouth, ready to tell him where he can take his fucking sweetheart, when Lawson groans. Nicole starts crying again and grabs his face. He still hasn’t opened his eyes but at least he is moving.
“Get over here, Nicole!” Lou screams in unbridled rage.
Nicole starts to sob uncontrollably, not wanting to leave Lawson’s side. Lawson finally opens his eyes and looks confused as he grips her hand.
Lou, frustrated with Nicole’s lack of obedience, gives my tit another hard poke. Gah! Can she stop fucking crying already? This dick is going to permanently ruin my boobs if she keeps at it.
I reach my hand out to Nicole, hoping she has some sense of self-preservation and takes it. She looks at me and then back down to Lawson. His gaze bores into mine and it’s like he’s silently asking me if I’m sure. I give a quick nod to relay that she really needs to fucking get her ass up and over here pretty damn quickly. With resignation, he puts his faith in me and softly murmurs something to Nicole.
She scoots toward me and reaches out her hand, hesitantly placing it in mine.
Lou immediately rips her away, his hand going to her throat, releasing me in the chaos.
“You dare defy me! I own you, bitch!”
Lawson must have gotten to his feet because before I realize it, he’s pulling me to his side, securing me next to him almost in a hug. “We gotta get out of here,” he half murmurs.
No shit. My lips pinch together and I hope my sarcastic look relays my agreement.
Lou shoves Nicole against the wall, her tiny body crunching against the wood of the stall. She lays unmoving atop the wood chips, completely unconscious.
Lawson tries to push past me to get to her but I hold him tight. “No.”
His eyes bounce back and forth from my face to Nicole’s. He’s torn. He would like nothing more than charge Lou’s old ass and serve him up to Killer, but we have to be smart here.
“We won’t tell anyone what happened today,” I promise to Lou, distracting Lawson. Okay. That’s a lie of epic proportions. Of course I will tell the authorities, but Lou doesn’t have to know that. I will hunt this bastard down if I have to. Buying women…
What a fucking monster.
Lou sniffs the air, taking a step forward, pointing the gun directly at my chest. He gives me the glare of death and I try not to let him scare me. Try, being the operative word. I push at Lawson, moving him behind me. He stands solid at my side. No way is he taking the coward’s way out. I glance at him wide-eyed so he knows I have a plan. Maybe not a good plan, but a plan. He pauses, but inches behind me like I wanted. Now, my body is blocking most of his, just like I planned.
“Move, bitch!” Lou’s scream rakes on my nerves like nails to a chalkboard.
But unlike the annoying actions of a second grader, Lou inspires fear to settle deep within me. His crazy is starting to frighten me and the longer we continue this negotiation, the more I fear that one of us will not make it out alive. The thought of anyone dying makes the fear turn into panic.
I’m no soldier. The bile rising in my throat reminds me of such. I have never been this terrified. Lou having a knife to my throat was a close second but nothing like having a revolver (go me for actually paying attention to Cade’s gun conversations) pointed at my chest.
I do know this, though: Lou is not getting Lawson. He will not take one of my boys. That is for damn sure.
My decision solidified, I inhale a broken breath and meet Lou’s eyes with the cattiest smile I can muster. “Come on, Lou. I thought we were past all the name-calling.”
Lou swipes at the moisture slipping from his brow before giving me a sinister smile, and clicks the safety off the revolver.
Oh hell. Hold on to your balls, Ans.
“I have no problem killing a woman.”
Of course, he doesn’t. He’s a real class act.
“I get that, Lou.” I begin shuffling my feet, trying to create a distraction with my body. When nasty ole Lou looks down, I nudge Lawson with my hip, encouraging him to take a step back toward the open door of the tactical closet we use to house all the barn equipment. He grabs my hip, halting my movements. Damn it, Lawson. Do not be the fucking hero here. I swat his hand away and push again.
“Really, I get that,” I continue, animating with my hands. “You see, I, myself, don’t mind killing a man.”
I take another step back and push against Lawson hard. He complies and moves back into the closet.
“I mean, they pee on everything.” I sweep my hand out, creating dramatic flair for distraction. “They leave the toilet seat up, they jerk off in cars.” Another hand motion, and this time I grab Lou’s attention. Finally. I keep with the up and down motion, miming a hand job, knowing I have Lou’s rapt attention at this point.
Fucking guys, they are so easy. A girl doing a jerk-off motion…suddenly they are all ears. Lou, in this case, is no different.
“They forget occasions. And, they are just plain selfish motherfuckers.” I take a breath, halt my hand ministrations and give Lou a deep, southern smile. “Much like you, Lou.”
With that final dig, I shove hard into Lawson with my butt, making him fall through the doorway of the tactical closet. Quickly, I grab the handle and pull the wooden door closed, sealing Lawson inside. He starts to bang wildly, hurling curse words that won’t make me budge from my position. I hold on to the door handle tightly and pray my strength will outlast his.
My fate now sealed, I mock my captor with a smug smile.
“That was a very stupid move, girl.” Lou spits “girl” like the word is a disgusting roach that dared to scurry by him.
I focus my eyes on his, my smirk in place, and keep the mantra playing in my head that Cade taught me. In battle, you face your opponent clinically and without emotion. Okay, it’s harder than it sounds, but by God, I am going to go down trying.
I shrug nonchalantly. “What can I say, I like to live dangerously.”
Lou growls and steps forward. I keep my hand on the door as Lawson throws his body against it. Laws, seriously, it’s not going to open that way.
Lou takes another step, revulsion nestled deep in his eyes. “Move!” he roars. Spittle lands on my arm, making me cringe. Yuck. I don’t swipe it away though. No. Lou here is not getting past me.
“No,” I return firmly, like some kind of badass. If I am going to die, then I am going down with a fight. He will not take my family.
“Commander!” Lawson shouts against the door, his roar damn near vibrating my back. He pleads with me to let him out.
My grip only tightens in response.
“He’ll kill you,” I say sweetly to Lou. He knows I’m referring to Cade. “They all will.”
Lou throws his head back and laughs at the absurdity. “Sweetheart, I will be long gone before your precious five make it here.”
“All the same, good luck. They will not rest until they torture you for days, taking turns administering killing blows. Maybe if you’re lucky, they’ll take you out before they kill your entire family.”
Okay, so we aren’t the mafia. These guys are heroes, not assassins, but Lou doesn’t know that. Fear is healthy.
A flicker of movement catches my attention behind Lou, where Nicole is still out cold. Is that a mirror? What the fuck? And then I see him, Cade is perched behind a stall door, Hayes on the other side of him, his sniper rifle nestled between the wood slats.
Holy shit. Hayes has a gun. He did it! I want to rush him and hug the mess out him for overcoming such a fear but now’s not the time.
Cade puts his finger to his lips, urging me to stay cool and silent. I tear my eyes away so Lou doesn’t catch on.
“You, cunt!” he bellows, raising the gun, the barrel pointing at my forehead. “You stupid, bitch!”
Oh, come on. Bitch? Is that all he can say? That word is such a tired, derogatory slander for women. There are some pretty awesome ones out now, like… eh, now probably isn’t the time to list them.
“You think you can scare me?”
Lou’s fury radiates throughout his body, his arm shaking with nerves.
I look at Hayes, and with every ounce of love and confidence, I order, “Shoot.”
Hayes looks at Cade, who is shaking his head in a panic.
I say it again, this time to Lou. “I said, shoot.”
Lou looks confused for a moment. He lowers the gun and turns around, picking up that we have company.
“Come on, don’t be a pussy, Lou. Shoot me, because you are not getting through this door any other way.” My body is humming with adrenaline as I seal my fate in the barn I grew up in. Where Theo and I played hide-and-seek.
Cade moves out from the shadows, his hands raised in a peaceful gesture. “We can work this out, Lou. Man-to-man. Let’s leave the women out of it.”
Lou sneers and whips around, scanning the entire room until his gaze lands on Hayes, and then… Growls permeate the air, indicating Killer’s arrival. Oh no. This is not good.
Mason, with a tight grip on Killer, moves from his crouch in the dark back of the barn. Vic rises up behind him, gun pointed at Lou. Well, the gang’s all here.
“You think I’m stupid!” he screams at Cade, directing his gun back to me.
Cade’s face is an impassive mask. If I didn’t know that the redness at the base of his ear meant he was seconds away from losing his shit, I would think he didn’t give a fuck what Lou did with me.
Feeling the air crackle around us, I decide it’s now or never. The guys just strengthened my mission. These guys are my family and I will be damned if they die here after the hell they have been through to get this far.
“Take the shot, Hayes.” My order snaps Cade’s head around.
His eyes go wide with fear. “Do not fire, soldier!” he yells, he gruff voice warming my heart like it always does.
“No!” A voice I know all too well echoes throughout the barn. Panic laces his vocal chords, causing the harmonic sound to crack. “What will it take, Lou? How much for you to disappear?” Theo pleads with Lou as Tim comes flying in behind him, grabbing Theo by the arm. If I wasn’t so upset that he’s now in Lou’s shooting range, I would laugh. Theo’s a fast little shit when he wants to be. I bet no one had to offer him a blow job for that sprint.
“Get him out of here!” I yell, the desperation in my tone pleading anyone to follow this one order. If there is one thing I am going to do right it will be this. Von Bremen will not be haunted by seeing me die here on the dirty ground, in the barn full of happy memories.
Theo thrashes at my order and tries to charge from Tim’s grip. Tim reaches around and holds him around the waist, attempting to thwart any further escape attempts.
A broken plea escapes those beautiful lips. “Don’t do this, baby.” Tears are welling in those navy-stained eyes that I’ve spent countless hours gazing into.
It fucking guts me. So much that I can’t look at him any longer or I just might change my mind and let Lou take whomever he wants.
“Get him out of here,” I half cry to Tim.
Theo starts fighting against Tim’s iron grasp, screaming obscenities into the air. It takes both Tim and Vic to subdue him. Fear and adrenaline can be quite the power booster. As they drag him from the barn, still kicking and screaming, he yells angrily, “I’ll never forgive you, Ans!” And then like he thought better of it, he pleads one more time, “Please baby, don’t leave me.” The distance growing between us makes his words weaker like the fight is leaving him.
Tears blind me and I turn to Cade as I get myself under control. Strong. Be strong. Be brave, Anniston. I give Cade a small smile as Lou adjusts his aim to my chest. Cade’s eyes track the movement and when they meet mine I mouth, “I love you,” and then I force out the order no one would ever deny.
“I am your Commander. I am ordering you, soldier, take your shot!”
Hayes looks at me, panicked. He readjusts the grip on his rifle several times and presses it hard to his cheek.
I give him the same tired smile and say calmly, “I love you, I love you all, now fire, Handsome.”
A silent tear falls down his face as he moves his finger to the trigger. A click is the only sound in the barn, and it echoes like it’s in surround sound.
I close my eyes. A pained roar carries through the barn as a loud boom deafens me. A shot is fired, and then another, an impact knocking me to the ground. I think of the guys, hoping that they will survive the aftermath of this clusterfuck. I pray that I had enough time with them, that the wounds they have are healed. I pray for Theo. I pray that he finds love and happiness, even if it isn’t with me.
My heart aches as I lay in the dirt, pleading with God. Asking for forgiveness, begging for mercy for my boys.
Seconds tick by and I never lose consciousness. I’m still alive. Shit. Did he hit a nonfatal spot? My endorphins must be kicking some major ass. The pain isn’t bad. Not like I thought it would be to take a bullet. Maybe I will have a cool scar like the guys, or maybe I am about to bleed out and die.
Suddenly, a large form hits the ground next to me. Indigo eyes meet mine before they close.
Theo.