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"Low blow, Campbell." Teagan uncrossed her arms. "But you made your point. We'll stay."
"Thank you." Relief swept over him and he squeezed Teagan's knee. "Keep trying her phone. She may have just fallen asleep when she got here or something."
"She didn't." Tears filled Ro's eyes. "Something isn't right, Jay. Please save her."
"I will. I promise to get her back to you, safe and sound."
He wished he could convince himself it would be that easy as he hopped out of the van and closed the doors behind him. Luca and O silenced their whispered conversation as soon as he dropped to the ground.
"They going to stay put?" O asked.
"Yeah. They'll stay. What's the play?"
"House is two blocks up, on the right." Luca spoke in quick, brisk tones. "Jay, you're with me to sweep the perimeter. O, get that front door unlocked, quick, fast, and in a hurry. We have surprise on our side, gentlemen. We take the bastard down, clean." Hard eyes met Jason's in the dark. "Clean. You hear me, nerd?"
Ignoring the rage and fear churning in his gut, Jason nodded. "I hear you."
"Good. Let's go."
They moved silently. Years of training had prepared them for moments exactly like this one, where absolute silence was crucial to the success of the mission. When they reached the house, Octavius broke off and headed for the front door while Jason and Luca split off for opposite sides of the house.
"The door's unlocked." Oct's voice came through the earpiece clear as day.
Jason froze. "Already?"
"It was unlocked when I got here. Something's wrong. I hear voices."
"We're on our way," Luca said.
Turning back, Jason headed for the front porch where Oct was crouched at the far end. He pointed to the window right above his head.
A light flicked on in the window, and Jason saw shadows moving. God, what he wouldn't give for eyes and ears inside that fucking house right now.
Joining Luca and Oct on the porch, he knelt and adjusted his holster. "They're in there. Couldn't get a read on exactly who or how many. We need to go, now."
"No." Luca held a hand up. "Not yet."
The fear and rage he'd been holding at bay finally bubbled over. "The fuck do you mean, not yet? That's my woman, DeLuca. I'm getting her out of there."
"You're going to calm the fuck down. Or so help me God, I'll knock your ass out. You're no good to me, or her, like this."
"Fuck you," Jason snarled.
"Lock it down, Campbell. Now."
As soon as the words left Luca's mouth, a loud crash sounded from inside the house, followed by a short, high scream.
"Evie!" Ignoring Luca's shouted orders to stand down, he took off for the front door. The scene that greeted him when he burst in nearly stopped his heart. Montgomery had an arm locked around Evie's throat and a knife in the other hand.
"Who the fuck are you?" Branson snarled, jerking the knife to point at Jason.
"Nobody! He's nobody!" Gasping for air, Evie clawed at the arm around her neck.
Icy terror trickled down his spine when he saw the understanding dawn on Montgomery's face. "I knew it. I figured it was the tall, dark one, but I knew this little slut was spreading her legs for someone else. Pretty, isn't she?" Eyes still locked on Jason, he lifted the knife to Evie's cheek. "Let's see if you still want her when I'm finished with her."
Jason's roar of rage mingled with Evie's scream of pain as Montgomery drew the tip of the knife down her cheek. Seeing nothing but the red running down his woman's skin, he rushed forward. Montgomery shoved Evie to the side, and Jason had a split second to realize he wasn't wearing his armor before Montgomery was on him.
Wrapping his fingers around Montgomery's wrist, he gave his arm a sharp twist, but Montgomery's grip on the knife didn't loosen. Training kept the panic at bay, and he called on that training to deliver a quick jab directly to Montgomery's nose.
