“You’re making a mistake, buddy,” the ex, Todd, says.
“No,” my voice is chilly like the wind now whistling around us. “It’s you who has made a mistake.”
Even though they’re three against me, his face shutters with fear. What a wimp. He was never worthy of Maddie.
The first masked man comes for me. He’s the one I dragged off Maddie. He’s still strong and fast and I’m only able to evade two out of his three punches.
The one that gets me in my stomach makes me double over. Todd’s jeers pull me back up. I retaliate with a punch of my own.
The force of it vibrates in my arm as my fist collides with the man’s jaw. He staggers backward. I don’t let him recover as I kick his midsection. He sprawls on the ground and the next masked man takes his place. This one flashes a savage grin and moves in before I’m prepared. He clips me in the jaw and my head flips back.
Maddie’s cry fills the night. I glance up to see Todd looking her way. Wanting to go get her? Not when I’m here.
Though aches and pains are working through my system, I push them back. I catch a few hits but eventually immobilize the man. He’s flat on the ground. The other man stirs, but they are not my business. Not right now.
I race across the field and catch Todd just as he’s nearly on Maddie. I tighten my arm around his neck in a chokehold. He strains and scratches at my arm.
“Maddie…” he gasps.
“Don’t speak to her.” I tighten my hold. “You will never have her.”
He kicks back, but I evade his flimsy attempts.
Maddie watches us. Then her eyes widen as she looks behind me. “Chance, watch out!”
A force slams into me almost immediately. My hand loosens and I’m forced to let go. I turn around to see one of the masked men with a gun pointed at my head.
Behind him, Todd is bent over retching. “Kill him. Kill the bastard and get the girl.”
“We have our orders. No murders.” He looks behind me to Maddie. “Come with us and no one has to die.”
“She’s not coming with you,” I say.
The gun clicks ominously.
“Chance.” Maddie’s voice trembles behind me. “Maybe I can just—”
The sounds of cars tearing toward us end the conversation. We all turn as headlights spotlight us.
Help is here.
Before the men can make sense of what’s happening, I run for Maddie, carrying her out of the way. The cars don’t stop heading for the masked men.
The gun starts to go off at the car, but it’s useless. One man realizes this and starts to run, but the car slams into him and his buddy and they fall to the ground.
It’s satisfying, but there’s one left.
I turn just in time to see Todd heading for us, an ugly look on his face and a war cry spilling from his lips.
The fucking fool.
I push Maddie to the side and press my fingers to my palm. Just when Todd is close enough, I raise my hand and punch him in the nose. He tumbles to the grass unceremoniously.
I stare at him as the security team hops out of the car. Some rush to the men while the leader comes to me.
I raise a hand to halt his apologies. There’s no use now. What’s done is done. “Get all you need to know out of them and clean up this mess.”
Maddie comes to stand next to me. “Todd says my former company contracted him to bring me back.”
