Page 45 of Wilde In His Arms

Suddenly Mrs.Lopez shoved him from behind.“Get out of my house.All of you.I don’t want any of you here!”

Chaos ensued.

Julia slashed out with the knife again, getting him across his back and arm as he tried to avoid being stabbed again.Mrs.Lopez kicked him in the leg, making him off-balance as he fell to his knee, then hip.Julia swung the knife down at him again.He shot her right in the chest.

She hadn’t even dropped when a bullet hit him in the back.He spun and aimed at Javier just as he got off another shot, hitting Nick in the chest.He shoved himself backward and fired at Javier as Javier fired back at Nick again.

The bullet went through Nick’s thigh.Nick’s shot ripped across Javier’s shoulder, near his neck, but didn’t take him out of commission.Javier lunged for the kid.Mrs.Lopez was wailing about her dead daughter.

And Javier picked up the kid, using him as a shield, his face a mask of rage.“You killed my sister.I will fucking hunt you down and kill the one you love most, and then I’ll kill you.”He shoved the kid straight at Nick and ran out the back door.

The kid cried out in agony, then passed out in Nick’s arms.Nick’s blood soaked the floor beside him, but he managed to lay the kid down and turn to Mrs.Lopez.He barely made it to his feet without passing out himself, but he grabbed her around the waist, hauled her up to standing as she dropped her daughter’s body to the floor.He cuffed her as she cussed him out and wailed, “You killed my daughter.You killed my daughter.”She spit in his face.

He wiped it away with his shirt sleeve, noting the amount of blood still flowing out of the stab wound on his shoulder.Maybe it was from the cut on the back of his arm.

The Charger came to life outside with a growl of the engine, then tires squealing as Javier made a run for it.Nick hoped Agent Hayward or their backup got him before he escaped again.

Nick was in no condition to give chase.He was barely standing.And he had to keep the boy safe.No telling what Mrs.Lopez might do if she was willing to attack an FBI agent.

Fuck.Everything hurt.

Every breath made him remember the two bullets he took in the vest.And his leg was going numb and felt like it was on fire all at the same time.His vision went in and out as he fought passing out.He needed to stay alert and help the boy.

He pulled out his phone and texted his brother, Mason.

NICK: FUBAR

He didn’t have much time before blood loss put him on his ass and he passed out.So he needed to act fast.

He bent over the kid and gently touched his cheek, hoping the kid would wake up.

“You can’t lock me up,” Mrs.Lopez ranted.

He shoved her into a chair at the table and ignored her, while he called Agent Hayward.

The agent got right to the point when he answered.“I got the guy in the van and one girl, age twelve, Emma Peters.She’s from Maine.Taken from her brother’s baseball game when she went to the bathroom.”

Nick sighed with relief, sucked in a ragged breath, and gave his report, running on adrenaline.“I’ve been shot.One dead.One in custody.Javier got away in a black Charger.I’ve got one boy, possibly more children in the cellar.I think he’s Toby Simmons.The one we got the DNA match for.He’s got a broken arm.I need help ASAP.”

Hayward spoke fast.“I’m almost there.Ambulance is coming.Can you hang in there until help arrives?”

“Yes.”Probably.Maybe.The blood loss was a serious issue.He grabbed the dish towel from the counter and wrapped it around his thigh, but it was too small for him to tie off and use to keep pressure on the wounds.He needed something else, but couldn’t identify anything in the kitchen to use.“Just hurry the hell up.”Nick hung up.

The boy started to come to and needed his attention.

Nick bent over the kid.“Hey, I’m with the FBI.Are you Toby?”

He nodded.

“Great.I’ve been looking for you.Are you okay?”

The boy held his injured arm to his chest and shook his head.

“Help is coming.”Nick looked toward the back door, then back at the kid.“Are there any other kids here?”

It took Toby a second to work up the nerve to nod, then point to the open back door where Javier had escaped.

“I’m going to go get them.Stay here.I’ll be right back.Don’t move.”

---