Page 79 of Carver’s Crusade

I’m already off my bike.

CHAPTER 30: RAVEN

I pull up two houses down from Nancy Filby’s place and kill the engine. The instant silence inside the car feels wrong after the roar of nerves in my head the entire drive over. My fingers tighten around the steering wheel as I stare at the small single-story house with peeling white paint and dead grass.

Mia is in there.

“She’s home,” Caitlin says quietly from the back seat.

I nod once. My pulse pounds so hard it makes my ribs ache.

Behind me, Min opens her door first. Ashlyn follows her out without hesitation. Both women move with the kind of confidence that comes from knowing exactly how dangerous things can get. Tanya slides over, but stops and leans forward to study me.

“You good?” she asks.

No.

But I force myself to nod anyway.

Across the street and further down, Jackson’s truck sits tucked beneath a tree where it can’t easily be seen from the house. Marcus is beside him. Both of them are tense silhouettes watching the front door like they’re ready to explode out of the vehicle.

Min and Ashlyn walk up the cracked pathway toward the porch.

The rest of us stay back and watch.

My stomach twists tighter with every step they take.

Min knocks firmly.

Nothing happens for several seconds.

Then the door jerks open.

Nancy Filby stands there wearing leggings and an oversized shirt, irritation written all over her face.

“Well, it’s about damn ti—”

She never finishes the sentence.

Min moves so fast I barely process it.

One second Nancy is standing in the doorway. The next, Min has pushed her inside so the rest of us can follow. Nancy’s trying to scream, but Min has her face smashed into the worn carpet.

“I’ve got the bitch, find Mia!” Min barks.

“Mia!” Jackson bellows from behind us as he and Marcus storm through the front door.

As they search, Min keeps Nancy pressed to the ground even though the bitch isn’t going anywhere. We’ve surrounded her.

When Marcus calls out that they found her, my knees go weak. We reached her in time. Min lifts Nancy from the floor and drags her into the kitchen so she’s out of sight. We don’t want Mia to have to see her. All of us women stand guard as we watch Marcus emerge from one of the bedrooms carrying Mia against his chest. The little girl is crying hysterically, clutching his shirt.

Jackson follows with a grim expression. “She’s not hurt. She was just scared. We’ll take her home and spoil her. Are you guys going to be okay?”

“We’ll be fine,” Caitlin assures him. “We’ll take care of Nancy.”

Jackson looks torn, but he knows he needs to be with Mia. He jerks his head and leaves us to take care of the bitch.

Behind me, Nancy is screeching and threatening all of us with death. She suddenly bucks, catching Min off guard. Nancy grabs a knife from the counter.