Page 98 of Alec’s Dream

“Fuck,” Nix mumbled. “I’m coming with you.”

“We’ll cover the front.” Holden looked around before he finished. “Can’t return fire, but we’ll come up with something to keep Malone occupied.”

This was one of those times Alec wished they had the authority to use deadly force. Any one of the four men could’ve easily placed a round into Malone’s forehead. The whole standoff would be finished and it would only take the time the bullet left the barrel to impact—two seconds at most and that included target acquisition and trigger pull. But they’d been ordered to keep their weapons holstered.

Never should’ve called it in.

Nixon and Alec slipped into the thickly wooded area unnoticed, silently made their way to the back of the house, then they stopped and waited.

“I don’t see movement,” Nixon whispered.

Alec scanned the windows one more time. He saw nothing but heard another shot from the front.

“Neither do I.”

“How lucky do you think we’ll get?” Nix gestured to the house.

“None of you fuckers that grew up here lock your doors. So I’d say luck’s on our side. Soon as we breach that door, I’m going in strong.”

“Brother, I think—”

“Just because we don’t see anyone else doesn’t mean they’re not in there. Need you to have my back.”

“That’s why I think we go in soft, poke around, then we can take him down.”

“Don’t know that house. A floorboard creaks, we’re fucked—element of surprise is gone, and he turns his weapon on us. This way, I get him from behind while he’s at the window.”

Nixon’s face went tight but he had no argument. Alec was right. They needed to rush Malone and be done.

“Let’s do it.”

The two men hit the back door. Nixon turned the knob and smirked.

Unlocked.

Malone was an idiot.

Good news for them.

Alec cleared his head and readied himself for battle. Same thing he did each time he breached a house. He pushed everything but the immediate from his mind and prepared his body to go into autopilot. He’d done this very thing hundreds of times, and each time it was no less dangerous. There was a man with a gun on the other side of the door and he wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger.

Alec jerked his chin up and Nixon slowly opened the door, giving them the quiet they needed for as long as he could. Both men glanced into the house, only having a second before Malone registered the cold outside air blowing into the house.

Perfect timing. Malone was dropping a magazine and preparing to reload.

Alec took off in a full sprint. Malone shifted, his eyes went wide, but it was too late. Alec collided with the man. The force of impact propelled them through the window, the glass gave way and shattered around them.

With a bone-jarring thud, Alec landed on top of Malone now on the front porch. And in one smooth, well-practiced move, Alec’s forearm went around Malone’s throat in a headlock.

Alec added pressure and listened to the sweet sound of Malone’s gurgled protests.

“You don’t wanna do that,” Weston said from his side.

“The fuck I don’t.”

“Right. But you’re not. Stand down.”

Rage and retribution warred inside him. Then Macy’s soft request came to him, make my family safe. He’d done that. Then he remembered the rest, come home.