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Lying on the ground is another man, also with his throat slit, but in the dim light of the moon, I can see that one arm is at an odd angle and clearly broken.
These must be Collins’ men, which means Garcia is already here. And right on cue, a gunshot rings out from inside the house.
I move around the car and run for the front door. Shouting comes from inside, and I use it to cover the sound of me entering the house.
Once inside, I hear a yell, and I move closer to the closed door. I immediately want to bust the fucking door down fearing it’s Jess, but I centre myself, breathing deep and remaining calm and focused.
I’ve done this a hundred times. I know what I’m doing, but I need to keep my emotions and personal connection locked down or we’ll all be fucking dead.
I have no fucking clue of the layout of the house or who or how many people are in here. It’s safe to assume that Archie is here, Garcia, who won’t be alone, but otherwise, I’m going in completely blind.
I grip the door handle and lower it slowly. Opening it enough for me to slip inside, I keep my back to the wall as I take in the scene.
Shadowy figures grapple on the floor next to a prone body, and the room is filled with grunts and groans as they fight one another. Moving further into the room, a flash of movement off to the left catches my eye, and I see someone moving through the other end of the room before disappearing from sight.
Inching in on the fighting duo, I realise it’s Collins and another guy. One of Garcia’s, I’m guessing. A loud bang from the back of the house splinters through the room and glass shatters as I lean down to check the body on the floor but he’s dead.
A stray fist narrowly misses me as I rise, spinning to the right before bringing the butt of my gun down on the man’s head. A crack echoes around the room at the same time as the door to the room crashes open revealing Seb and Ryder.
I step passed Collins, not giving one fuck how badly injured the man is and move through to the kitchen.
I find Mrs Collins laying on her side on the floor, a knife protruding from the back of her neck. Crouching down, I quickly check for a pulse. It’s there but weak.
I hear a siren in the distance and car doors slamming outside just as Ryder steps up beside me.
“What are you waiting for? Go.” I look to the door, then back to Ryder. “We’ve got this. Fucking go get Max and your woman. I’ll be right behind you.”
He doesn’t need to tell me twice as I race out the door. The cool evening air smashes against my face as I sprint for the split in the tall grass.
I follow the thin trail of flattened grass, sure on my feet and keeping low. Reaching the middle of the field, the trail splits off to the left, and something pulls at me. I follow my instincts, turning that way.
Thunderclaps in the sky, and a scream is carried on the breeze to me. My feet pound the damp grass as my pace picks up.
As I near the edge of the field, I hear a man’s voice and just beneath that is the faint whispering of a female voice.Jess. Breaking through the grass, I see Garcia, feet either side of Jess’ limp body, and his hands wrapped around her throat, holding her half off the ground. My heart beats wildly inside my chest and each one is like a knife to it as the metallic scent of blood reaches my nostrils.
I raise my gun preparing to fire, blocking out all other sounds and focusing only on the man in front of me. A man that needs to fucking die for what he’s done.
I take a deep breath and breathe out slowly as my finger squeezes the trigger. Pop! I hit my mark, and he releases Jess before falling to the ground.
Lowering my weapon and putting the safety back on, I drop down next to Jess.
“JJ.” I reach out and touch a hand to her face.
“Christian,” she whispers, her breath rattling in her chest. The mention of her brother’s name and the fact that she’s fucking bleeding out has my heart racing and nausea sweeping through me.
“Jess, it’s me, Rick,” I say, my voice elevated and hands shaking as I check her body over. I find a deep stab wound to her right side, a smaller, shallower one below it and one to her shoulder. There’s also a slash across her left ribcage. Dread sits in the pit of my stomach as my mind goes back to the day I lost Kuffs.
“Ryder, Ryder! Help! Someone fucking help me!” I scream as panic grips me, and I close my eyes, trying to get my breathing under control. “It will be okay. It will be okay.” I repeat it over and over as I strip my jacket and the vest off and begin tearing at my t-shirt.
“R-Rick?”
“I’m here, Jess. I’m here. It will be okay. You’re okay.” I shove Jess’ top up and place my torn t-shirt against the deepest stab wound, pushing hard against her body to stem the bleeding.
“W-w-where’s Max? Is…he okay?”
“He’s okay, Jess.” I have no idea if that’s true or not, and I’m literally torn in two as I battle my need to save the woman I love or go and find Max.
“I’m sorry,” she rasps.
