Page 75 of Explosive Vengeance

They waited behind a stack of shipping containers on the dock as the crew deployed the gangway. Moments later, the first of the women appeared through a hatch on deck, blinking and shielding their eyes with their hands, armed guards overseeing the unloading.

Heath stole a glance at Chloe. Her jaw was set, her mouth a bloodless line as she stared at them with laser-like focus. A powder keg about to blow.

A sharp cry made him whip his head around. One of the guards had struck a woman. She was on her knees, holding the side of her face and cowering as he stood over her. He drew his weapon and pointed it at her head.

Shiiiiit.

“Motherfucker,” Chloe snarled, and burst to her feet, firing two shots before Heath could stop her. The guard dropped, a stunned look on his face as he clutched at his chest.

Goddammit. Heath pulled in a hard breath and surged to his feet to follow her.

Chaos erupted. Men shouted, swarming the women, who screamed and ran back toward the hatch they’d come out of. “Take out the guards,” Chloe said over the noise, and Heath had no choice but to cover her ass as she popped out from behind cover to fire at another one. “We have to get the women out before they start killing them.”

More shots came from the other direction, dropping two more guards. Ty and Megan, or maybe Jesse.

There were three more guards on deck, all armed with rifles, now returning fire. Heath fired his own weapon as they rushed for the end of the gangway, dropping a guy at the top of it. Chloe surged past him, racing up it toward the deck. Another guard appeared, the barrel of his rifle pointed right at Chloe.

Heath’s heart stopped. He aimed to fire but Chloe let loose with two shots, nailing the bastard in the chest.

Right behind her as they reached the deck, they swiveled around, searching for more shooters. “We clear, Jesse?” he asked, his heart rate elevated.

“For now, but I had eyes on three more before they disappeared through the hatch.”

Chloe stalked toward it, pistol up. “Going below to secure the women.”

She darted to the side, angled her body just as the hatch flew open. She hit the guard with a solid roundhouse to the diaphragm, doubling him over as he pulled the trigger. Shots ripped past Heath, making him dive to the deck. Another man burst through the opening. Heath raised his rifle and fired just as the first man sprayed another hail of bullets in a wide semi-circle.

Chloe jerked partway around, a grimace of pain flitting across her face as she grabbed her left hip and fell.

Chloe! Heath fired at a man who popped around the far corner, and raced for her.

PAIN SEARED THROUGH Chloe’s left hip and upper arm as she rolled, narrowly avoiding more bullets as they slammed into the deck where she’d just been.

Gritting her teeth, she jackknifed upright to fire. She hit the shooter in the chest with both shots. He went down even as she rolled onto her right side and got to her feet. Damage wasn’t too bad because she could still move her arm and leg.

Heath was racing toward her. Another guard darted out behind him. She wheeled to the side and fired past Heath, striking the man center mass.

“I’ve got you covered at the bow,” Jesse said in Chloe’s earpiece. “Get down the gangway.”

“Negative. I’m not leaving without the women,” Chloe responded. She waved Heath off but he kept coming. “I’m fine,” she insisted, keeping her weight off her left foot as she swiveled to scan for more threats. “Anybody got a view of the crew in the bridge?”

“Got all three in cuffs,” Megan replied. “They’re saying two more men are down in the hold.”

“Roger that. Heading there now.” Heath gave her an are-you-shitting-me look she completely ignored, and started for the door that would lead them below deck, confident that he’d follow.

“Chloe.”

“I’m fine. Let’s just do this,” she snapped, focused on the door, weapon in her right hand because she didn’t trust her left at the moment.

Heath blocked her, running a cursory gaze over her before sending her a hard look. “I’m taking point.”

His set expression warned her not to argue, and she wasn’t a hundred percent right now. The pain was getting worse, and an edge of shock had taken hold, her hands trembling slightly and her breathing uneven. She fought both, focusing on the mission: the women below. “Fine.”

She stayed on him like a shadow as he opened the door and swept the stairwell. “Clear,” he whispered, then started forward.

The crew had shut off the power, leaving the stairwell in darkness. She and Heath descended the stairs, the tac lights on their weapons lighting the way. Chloe clenched her jaw as she followed him, fire shooting through her hip with each step, her progress marked by a fine trail of blood spatters on the metal stairs. She slowed her breathing, forcing her body to counteract the lash of adrenaline flooding her system.

Heath paused at the bottom of the stairs near the closed hatch. She moved in to his left, keeping her weight on her right foot, grimaced as she raised her left hand to grip his shoulder.Go.

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