Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
As Matt and the drug thug tangled toward a corner, they kicked the light. Beams spun crazily on the sagging ceiling as Laila crept closer, now mere feet from the door.
Before she reached it, it wrenched open. Trees busted out. Scattered beams lit his face in stark relief. He breathed hard and growled, looking like a blunt-force instrument of vengeance.
Then he turned to Matt and Montilla’s goon. They were both armed. Trees wasn’t.
He needed her help.
Before she could give him her gun, Matt scuffled back into the circle of light and hit the criminal over the head with the butt of his gun. Montilla’s lackey wilted, seeming to melt toward the concrete floor.
They were safe—for the moment.
“Trees!” she called out.
His head snapped up. His stare fastened on her. “Laila, what are you—”
“No time. We must go.” She fumbled with the gun in her waistband, then handed it to him before bending to grab the firearm off the body near Matt’s feet. “There is a shoot-out upstairs. I sneaked my sister and my nephew outside, but everyone else—”
“Why didn’t I hear it?” Matt demanded, picking up the flashlight and shining it down the hall, almost in her face.
“Too far away. But I am worried. If they lose…”
“We’re all dead. Let’s go.” Trees took her hand, alert and battle ready as they charged toward the stairs. “You stayed behind to fight?”
At the chiding note in his voice, she shook her head. “I stayed behind to find you.”
“In the dark?” he asked softly as they reached the end of a long corridor, past what had once been an industrial elevator, and headed up. “You must have been terrified.”
“I was more afraid of not finding you.” She squeezed his hand, meeting his stare in shadow.
Trees squeezed her hand in return, then looked over her head to Matt. “You have to help me with this shoulder.”
“Your arm isn’t broken?”
“No.”
Matt still hesitated. “I shouldn’t do this, and putting it back in place is going to hurt like hell.”
“I’ll only be half as effective in getting us out alive if you don’t.”
“Roger that.” Matt nodded, then handed her the flashlight. “Get on the floor.”
Trees didn’t hesitate to get supine.
Matt took hold of Trees’s wrist and winced. “Laila, kiss him. Don’t let him pull away.”
“Now?”
“I’m going to scream, honey. He’s trying to muffle the sound. Come here.” Trees held his good arm open to her.
She fell to her knees, then fitted herself against him and looked down into his face. “I thought I had lost you.”
“Shh.” He kissed her forehead. “I’m here, but clearly this shit isn’t over.”
She might still lose him.
Laila surged forward, pressing her lips to his battered ones gently, aware of Matt raising Trees’s limp arm as he pumped it in small, sharp circles.
Trees stiffened and roared into their kiss, pressing against her lips so hard she swore hers would bruise, but she didn’t pull away until Matt stepped back.
Breathing hard, Trees groaned and got to his feet, rolling his shoulder experimentally. He gave Matt a thumbs-up. “Thanks.”
The cowboy nodded. “Let’s go.”
“As soon as I get Laila someplace safe.”
“By then, it will be too late,” she argued, ensuring the safety on the gun was off. “I can help.”
“The hell you will, woman.”
“She’s not a fragile doll, man. And we don’t have time to find the fucking way out of here or to argue.”
Trees swore heartily but grabbed her hand and climbed the stairs. “Stay behind me.”
“I will.” Unless he needed help. Until it no longer made sense.
Her heart pounded as they ascended and reached the main area at the front of the hospital. Everything and everyone had fallen quiet. Were they all dead?
Then Logan appeared, looking relieved as hell. He pressed a finger to his lips, then tipped his head toward the middle of the room.
“You want to negotiate or you want me to blow your brains out?” Hunter growled.
Federico’s face was twisted with anger and dark with defeat. “Tell me what you want.”
“All shooting stops. Now.”
“Fine—if you and your operatives get your business out of my cartel.” Montilla’s successor spit at Hunter’s feet. “And do not come back.”
“As long as you agree to leave Valeria, Laila, and Jorge alone for good. No coming after them, no stalking, no threatening, no—”
“They were Montilla’s concerns, and he is dead. That makes me boss now. Those women are not my whores, the kid is not my son, and I am not a foolish, sentimental old man. If they swear to stay far away from all things related to the business, I will not bother them.”
“We want money,” Laila called out. “For our years of suffering.”
Trees cursed under his breath. “You’re playing with fire…”
“I am making sure my sister is secure.” She tried to untangle her fingers from his and face down Federico.
Trees was having none of that, protecting her with his own body as he led her to the new drug lord.