Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 49215 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 246(@200wpm)___ 197(@250wpm)___ 164(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49215 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 246(@200wpm)___ 197(@250wpm)___ 164(@300wpm)
I jumped up and slammed my foot down on his chest, and I felt it crack and cave in under my weight. Screams, raspy breaths, cries, and rapid Spanish sharpened the thick atmosphere—and something else. Holy fuck. I took a punch to the gut as an ear-shattering sound cracked through the air, and my eyes welled up automatically. I didn’t even register the pain, just that sound. Because gunfire meant something.
They were here.
Redoubling my efforts, I spun around and kicked one of the guys across the face, and he tumbled over. Now, everyone was running. Mothers and kids. More gunfire followed, an endless roar of it, and I had to get the fuck out of here before they decided to shoot me to be done with it.
Just as I was about to reach for the last guy, I heard a shot and saw his head snap sideways, blood gushing out of his temple. He fell to the floor, eyes open, and then I was pummeled over myself.
I shouted out in shock and—
“It’s me, kid,” someone growled breathlessly. I flinched and screwed my eyes shut, only to realize I knew the voice. Fucking Danny? “Let’s get you outta here.” He held me down on the ground and fired his gun in whatever direction; I couldn’t fucking focus. Too much commotion, too much shooting. “Where are we on the fucking blackout?” he demanded. “Who has eyes on Enzo and Luca?”
Who was he talking to—wait, he probably had one of those earpieces.
“Moving out!” Danny hooked an arm under me and hauled me up, and I scrambled to my feet, panting and struggling to gain my bearings. “You stay behind me. Go! To the tree line behind the cages.”
I nodded jerkily and took the lead, while he followed with his back to me.
We’d made it down the steps when the whole damn place was plunged into darkness, and then I was grabbed by—
I choked on a breath.
Reese!
“Sight for sore eyes, baby—stay with me.” He shoved me behind him and gripped my hand tightly, and it became my lifeline. His muddy, wet fingers squeezing the shit out of my own. “Cullen, Greer, move toward the villas! Mercier went after Luca, Crew’s grabbing the woman—goddammit! Joel, Elliott needs—got it. Jesus Christ.” He blew out a harsh breath, fired three more rounds, then shoved me into the jungle.
Once there, he grabbed my face and kissed me so hard it almost hurt, and I fucking shattered. He was here. So was River—he crashed into us, and I was trapped in a ridiculously perfect, painful bubble for a few seconds. Suffocated by rifles, combat vests, helmets, and two muddy twins. I laughed and sobbed at the same time, so overwhelmed by the explosion of emotions that I didn’t know what to do with myself.
“Get the vest—we’re gonna catch up soon, you hear? Emerson—Elliott and Joel, yeah, but—we have to deal with the fucking militia.” Reese spoke a mile a minute, and River evidently had a vest for me. I didn’t know which words were for me and which were for the others. “You stay here with River, Shay. Do you understand? I love you—fuck, it’s good to see your face. Stay here.”
“Yeah, love you—” I nodded quickly and…then Reese darted off with Danny.
I coughed, my mouth dry from panting, and River pushed me behind him, his rifle aimed toward the mayhem.
“Cover Reese and Danny,” he said to whoever. “They’re crossing the theater right now.”
River’s hand found mine, and I squeezed it hard.
“I love you,” I croaked. You’re here. I can’t believe you’re here.
He sniffled but didn’t turn around, and he couldn’t hold my hand any longer either. He had to focus. “More than life itself, pup. Fuck.” He cleared his throat. “Roger—Mathis moving in from the eastern flank behind the patios.”
I heaved a breath and looked around us, seeing nothing but jungle, until something exploded in the distance. Way over there, by the grand mansion.
“What the fuck was that?!” River growled. “Goddammit.” He fired at something, then once more, before two seconds of standing completely still. Then he turned around to face me, and he cupped my cheek. “You got some fight left in you? We can’t stay here. The hitmen are swarming in from the outside.”
Enemies coming in every fucking direction?
Yeah, I had fight left in me.
This was far from over.