Page 93 of Lord of Debauchery

I had my weapon in my hand in a split second, cringing not only from the sound of gunfire firing off like rockets in the background but also from the echoes of her scream.

Another muffled one helped draw me through the trees. I bounded over the various fallen limbs, catching the sound of what had to be my baby struggling.

Goddamn, the woman was a fighter, but she couldn’t do anything against an army. I should have known our plan was ridiculous, far too risky, but a ten-mile radius had seemed protected.

Including coming by ocean waters. How the fuck had they gotten to my soldiers?

I fought my way through the trees, bursting out onto the sand. My instinct told me to drop and roll, keeping my weapon out in front of me.

Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!

Two enemy soldiers went down but there were more, far too many of them. I had a split second to search the area, realizing the woman I’d fallen hard for was being dragged in the water toward an awaiting boat, the bastards who’d landed on the beach in amphibian gear. They’d also used submersibles.

Goddamn it. I powered off another couple of shots, hitting a third soldier.

Suddenly, the sounds of the melee were coming from everywhere, as if cannons were going off, bombing the entire compound.

I heard voices, mostly men yelling, bursting onto the scene with military precision.

But it wasn’t enough.

With my back covered, I did what I could to plow through the water.

“No. No!” Her screams continued and she punched a guy in the face, able to free herself but she was immediately dragged backward.

I was a powerful swimmer, spending my early days in a pool. But there was no fighting the close to riptide currents or the trajectory of the water. As soon as she was dragged onto the boat, the captain spun around, flooring the throttle.

Pop! Pop! Pop!

A single bullet fired hit the backside of the boat.

“Beckham. Beckham!”

Declan was suddenly behind me, trying to jerk me back to the shoreline.

“No. I need to go after her. Get the goddamn boat.”

“You aren’t going to be able to find her. It’s too late.”

Constantine, Gabriel, Phoenix, and Maxim were in the water, all headed in our direction.

“Come on. We have several of the bastards,” Declan pushed.

I barely made it to the shore before I collapsed on the sand. Echoes of her screams remained, the terror on her face as she was being dragged something that I would never, ever forget. This just couldn’t be happening. I couldn’t lose her. No. No. “Fuck! I will kill you!” I bellowed.

“Come on, son. That’s not going to help.”

My father’s voice was entirely different than I was used to hearing. I took gasping breaths, fighting sadness and rage, but I allowed the anger to sweep through me. I snapped my head in his direction, taking gasping breaths. He had his hand out, giving me the same fatherly look he had when I was that scared kid all those years ago.

“She’s gone. I did this.” My voice sounded hollow. “I fucking did this.”

“You didn’t do shit except try to get married to the woman you love. We will find her. Trust in all these men, for God’s sake.”

I surprised myself by taking his hand, trying to control the flood of emotions as I rose to my full height. Trust. Shit. I wasn’t certain I felt I could trust anyone. I knew it was just the horror of what I’d witnessed talking but I was furious with myself.

“How many did we lose?” I barked at Camden as he rushed forward, an assault rifle in his hand.

“Too many to count. It was a full-fledged attack,” he answered, even kicking one of the enemy soldiers I’d killed. As he peered down, he hissed. “Same fuckers.”

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