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He was heading in a direct line to the back of the house when gunfire erupted in the distance
“Goddamn it, what the hell is that?” he barked into his mic
“Sorry, boss man,” Dolphin said, a huff in his breath “Couldn’t be avoided They knoe’re here now”
Judging by the shrieks that filled the air, Christina Westlake knew they were here too She wouldn’t have a clue they were here to help her She just knew bullets were flying, as was blood
“Give us soirl”
“Already cleared you a path,” PJ said “They’ll think the queen of bloody England is co”
Steele shook his head at her wit and quickly scaled the stone wall over onto the veranda by the pool The pool where Christina Westlake was supposed to be sunbathing The woet unpredictable now of all times?
Another screech rent the air and Steele turned his head in the direction of the god-awful noise and i to the second-floor balcony He ducked a knife when he got to the top and rauy who’d tried to ambush him
Pain slashed through his ar aside the discoh skin
When his attacker stu the butt of his rifle up and crushed the guard’s jaw He cru thud Steele’s gaze i in any potential threat Another sound froht his attention
“Stupid bitch! Get out of my way!”
“You can’t leave me, Matteo!”
The shriek made Steele wince Evidently Matteo wasn’t as attached to Christina as she was to hi his escape, but it wasn’t Matteo Steele wanted Garza could make this as easy or as hard as he wanted Steele would prefer as little bloodshed as possible, but he was prepared for anything
Get the job done Whatever it takes
It was a creed that had daotten his teaone lone wolf, bent on vigilante justice
That was done, thankfully, and now they could get back to doing what they did best Working as a tea the job done
Steele edged toward the door and then kicked it in with his boot The door flew open and Steele grabbed his pistol with his left hand while holding his rifle with his right
Matteo Garza whirled around, dropping the bag that he’d been stuffing full of things from the wall safe His eyes ild and crazed Christina cowered, trying to insert herself between Matteo and the wall, but he was having none of that He shoved the screairl in front of him and wrapped a beefy arm around her neck
“What do you want?” he demanded hoarsely
Steele viewed hiirl as a shield No man used a woman in such a manner
“The girl,” Steele said calo in peace”
Garza’s eyes narrowed suspiciously Then he glanced at the girl in scorn
“Did you do this?” he snarled in her ear
“No!” she squeaked out “Matteo, I have no idea who this man is You have to believe me!”
“Her parents sent o and I’ll be on my way Or you can refuse to cooperate and I’ll take you apart Your choice”
Garza shoved Christina forward and she stuthe shoulder harness over his arrab for her with his right hand, pain screa up his arm as his muscles stretched the already torn flesh
He was careful to keep his pistol trained on Garza as he collected the wriggling, protesting woainst him
“Let o I’ to let him take me?”
There was hurt and confusion in her voice Garza was completely unaffected
“Take the puta,” Garza bit out “She’s nothing to me”
“Liar!” Christina shrieked “You said you loved me! You said you wanted to be with me forever!”
Steele tightened his hold as the wo like a motherfucker and he had no idea of the extent of his injury
“Dolphin, get your ass up here Second level Balcony entrance Double time,” he barked into the mic
“On my way,” Dolphin returned
Steele backed toward the doors, turning so he could see clear to the entrance but also keep Garza in his periphery When the un at Garza
“Don’t do anything stupid,” Steele warned “I’ve got what I caive e my mind”
“I care nothing for the puta,” Garza bit out “But I won’t suffer the insult of you trespassing and killing my men”
“Do yourself a favor and forget any insult you feel,” Steele clipped out “Don’t fuck with me or I’ll make you very sorry”
Garza’s nostrils flared and his eyes glittered with anger and daed pride
Dolphin bounded up the stairs and in that moment, Christina kicked back sharply with her spiked heel, catching Steele right in the knee She turned like a daernails and pitched backward
Steele was forced to let her go or risk hurting her As she ran back toward Garza, the du toward Steele As Christina whirled around, she saw Dolphin raise his gun and in an even duin with, she flung herself in front of Garza right as Dolphin took the shot
She screaainst the wall, blood spreading rapidly over his chest Christina went utterly white and teetered unsteadily before falling into a dead faint Right at Garza’s feet
“Fuck a duck,” Dolphin swore “What the hell did she think she was doing?”
Steele hurried forward, turning the unconscious woers ran up her side and caraze Thank God Her parents would be pissed if their daughter came home with a bullet hole courtesy of KGI
Dolphin squatted beside Steele and put his fingers to Garza’s neck
“Our exit has just been rimly “Garza’s dead Word is he has the local police in his pocket Shit’s going down all over this place PJ and Cole are playing ducks in a row, picking off assholes left and right Baker and Renshaw just set explosives by the back wall because we can’t go out the front We have three et the hell out, boss man”
“She didn’t want to go,” Steele said, shaking his head “He didn’t give a shit about her Tried to use her as a shield”
“What a dick,” Dolphin said in disgust
“Yeah and she still tried to take a bullet for him”
Dolphin glanced at Steele and frowned “You’re bleeding What the hell happened?”
“Tangled with a knife,” Steele said shortly “Get the girl You’ll have to carry her I’ll cover you”
“Well, fuck We can’t take her home like this Her parents will shit a brick”
Steele sighed, knowing they weren’t far fro he wanted to happen was to schedule an unexpected visit to the blond doctor
She bugged him Got under his skin Hell, it prickled anyti from the inside out
“As soon as we get to the chopper, get on the horn to our pilot,” Steele bit out “Tell hi an unscheduled stop”
Dolphin slung his rifle over his shoulder, shoved his pistol into his holster and then reached down to carefully pick up the still-unconscious woman
“Stay close,” Steele said tersely “You hit the dirt if anything goes down Don’t try to be a fucking hero with the girl in your arms If she dies, we’re fucked I’ve never lost a subject and I’ now”
“You da boss”
Steele rolled his eyes at the irreverence in Dolphin’s voice Not that it was anything new Steele would go to his grave before he’d ever admit that he was pretty dahten al fro no sense of humor, but hell, why did he need one when he had Dolphin, PJ and Cole? Between those three, they were ot the job done and that was all that mattered to him
They dealt with shit on a daily basis that normal people never even drea sane, he was doith their shenanigans Even if they pushed his buttons on a regular basis
He pushed ahead of Dolphin and headed for the doorway onto the balcony He ducked low,for Dolphin to do the same as he examined the perimeter for any potential threat
“Nine o’clock,” Steele said sharply “Get down!”
Steele raised his gun and ai, squeezed off two rounds and downed two estured for Dolphin to pick up the pace and they scrambled down the stairway
“Status,” he barked into hisout the back We have the subject Need cover Clear a path and get your asses in gear”
“Way ahead of you, boss man,” Baker piped in “PJ and Cole have cleaned house Renshaw and I are positioned at the back gate ready to blow this sucker Give me thirty seconds Maintain your current position until this shit blows”