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The adrenaline and anxiety thrum through my veins, heating my blood to almost boiling, and I feel jacked. It’s the same feeling I used to get when we were out in the field on a mission. That quiet before the storm where anticipation builds to insane levels before finally flowing over as you enter the fray.
Jay turns the lights off as we approach the turn off for the small house set back from the road and standing alone in the middle of nothing but fields.
A buzz of electricity spikes up my body as I realise that this is the place. We picked the right address. I can feel it just like I can feel my undeniable love for Jess beneath my skin and in every beat of my heart.
“They’re here. I can feel it, Jay.”
Passing the turning, Jay pulls over behind a hedgerow surrounding the property so as not to be seen from anyone inside the house.
I go to open the door, but Jay’s hand on my bicep stops me.
“Rick, you need to wait.” I try to shake him off, but he tightens his grip. “Listen to me, man. I know this is your family, but you still need to be smart about this. You have no plan, no idea what you’re walking into, no weapons and it’s just the two of us. Put the call in to Ryder and Roxy too, then we’ll watch and wait. You need to think like a soldier Rick, like the leader you’ve always been.”
It takes a minute but finally his words penetrate my anxiety-ridden mind. I slowly ease back into my seat, throwing my head back against the head rest.
“Fuck, I’m sorry.” I run my hands over my face a couple of times, then hold them there for a minute or two while I try to get my brain to be logical and not impulsive.
Without Jay here to stop me, I would have burst into that house like a raging bull through the streets of Pamplona.
Jay sends a message to Ryder with our location, and I send one to Roxy. Ryder sends one back telling us he’s twenty minutes away and to wait till he gets here. The last part is in big, shouty caps, and I shake my head while Jay gives me an ‘I told you so’ look.
I don’t hear anything from Roxy, which is both a surprise and a worry.
I look towards the house but can’t see much through the hedge. Needing a closer look, and with a promise not to do anything stupid, Jay and I climb from the car.
“You were wrong earlier when you said I don’t have any weapons,” I whisper to Jay as he meets me at the back of the car.
He raises a brow at me as I quietly open the boot. In a compartment under the main floor of the boot, there are two bullet proof vests, some flash bang grenades, a Gerber Strongarm and a couple of small handguns.
“Where did you get this stuff.”
“Let’s just say that an old friend gave them to me.” It’s not much but better than nothing, and I’ve worked with less before. I shove a vest at Jay. “Put this on, but I want you to stay back,” I tell him as I take off my jacket, putting the vest on before pulling my jacket back on over the top.
I check the guns, giving one to Jay and place the Gerber in the top of my boot. When I’m ready, I turn to Jay and tell him to wait here for Ryder before ducking round the hedge into the driveway.
Keeping low, I stalk towards the front of property. It’s quiet. Too quiet and there are no men outside, which concerns me on a number of levels. Parked out front are several cars, one of which I know to be Collins’. There are lights on downstairs, but I can’t get a clear view from here.
There’s a shout from inside the house a second before it’s plunged into darkness.
Forty-Two
Jess
No, no, no, this is not how it was meant to go. Garcia releases my mother, and she falls forward, clutching the side of her neck as blood trickles between her fingers. Alesandro drops Max to his feet, keeping a tight grip on the back of his t-shirt. Tears streak his cheeks and fear has his eyes wide as he takes in the room.
I catch Max’s eye and mouth to him that it will be okay, but I’m not sure I believe it myself. Not for me at least.
I’m praying that the phone call I made earlier has kept Rick away and out of danger, so now it’s on me to make sure his son makes it out of here alive.
Garcia steps forward, crouching down to Max’s eye level and drawing his attention away from me.
“You must be Max. You must wonder what this is all about. Come sit, and I will tell you what type of man your father is, Max.” Garcia, steers Max to the other sofa and sits down, pulling Max to sit on his knee. I cringe as I see Garcia’s eyes light, and his hand moves to stroke Max’s back.
I swallow down what I really want to say and listen as Garcia starts telling Max the story of how his brother captured these bad men to protect his family like it’s some fucking fairy tale and his brother is the damn hero.
When he starts talking about how Rick slaughtered all the men, I lose my shit.
“That’s e-fucking-nough,” I shout, getting to my feet before the arsehole next to me can stop me. Garcia moves Max aside and rises from his seat slowly, but the hand that strikes my face is as quick as a whip. It’s so hard, I’m knocked to the floor and can taste the coppery tang of blood in my mouth.
