Page 57 of Guarding The Phoenix: Vol. 1

My heart dropped and then kicked into overdrive. Kylie. She was in danger. There was a man choking her. Already in motion toward the door, I ordered, “Radio Chase and Axel, have them meet me at Kylie’s room. And figure out if the rest of our security systems have been hacked.”

I didn’t wait for confirmation. My feet pounded against the floor. I raced toward her room at the other end of the hall. If she died, it was on me. I’d grown complacent in this posh home with three square meals a day and a woman who looked at me with lust in her eyes.

I reached her bedroom door at a run. But didn’t stop my forward momentum, using it instead I kicked the wooden door. Allowing my fury to surface and mingle with my fear, I stomped at the door again and again.

The door vibrated on its hinges. Wood splintered under my assault.

Footsteps sounded on the floor behind me. With a glance over my shoulder to confirm it was Axel and Chase, I gave the door another hard kick. And finally, thank fuck, it shattered, providing a hole large enough for me to step through.

I turned the door into fucking kindling. I entered through the opening, knowing Chase and Axel would be there in seconds to back me up. Moving through the darkness, in a race against time, I gripped the assailant around the neck and yanked him back. I’d rip the fucker limb from limb for harming her.

He struggled against my hold, smelling like pickles and sweat. Rearing back, I clobbered his jaw with a right hook. It rattled him long enough I could get him away from Kylie.

Then Chase was at my side, helping me restrain him.

“Don’t you fucking die on me, Angel,” Axel roared. He began performing CPR on Kylie’s prone form.

Unholy fury descended upon me. Santos sent this fucker to kill her. Because she’d been out with Chase today.

Enraged, I tossed in a few extra blows. Uncaring when I heard the fucker’s bone in his arm snap. The assailant’s blood curdling yelp of agony filled me with sublime satisfaction before he passed out. Served him right for harming my woman.

And make no mistake, she was mine—ours—and I would end anyone who came near her.

If there was anything I couldn’t stand, it was men who harmed women and children. Men who did that should be fucking castrated.

With the assailant out cold, I glanced at Axel and Kylie. Axel sat, cradling Kylie as she gasped air into her lungs.

“Take care of her. We need to get her throat looked at. Call the doctor, explain what happened, and that she needs to be examined and might need some pain medicine. We need him here within the hour. Chase and I will deal with this asshole.”

Axel nodded. “On it.”

With a last look to ensure she was breathing, Chase and I hauled the unconscious assailant to the basement. I wasn’t above torture. Especially not one of Santos’s men, not after what they did to my brother and his unit. And now Kylie. In this, I would be this asshole’s judge, jury, and executioner. He would not leave this house alive.

“I need you to go patrol the house.” I told Chase after we had the man strapped to a chair.

“But—”

“Did I stutter? I gave you a direct command. I expect you to follow it.”

Chase’s nostrils flared and defiance entered his gaze. But he finally nodded and agreed. “Fine. But leave a piece of him for me.”

“I won’t make any promises.”

Chase muttered, “Fuck.”

“We need to be ready. Something tells me Santos isn’t done yet. When his assassin doesn’t check in, I don’t know what’s coming next, but it won’t be good.”

“Should we pack the gear?”

“Most of it is already packed. But yes, pass the word along to Axel and Mateo quietly. I don’t want to spook Kylie any more than we must. She’s been through enough tonight.”

“Agreed.”

The moment Chase left the room, I made preparations. My six-inch bowie knife gleamed in the overhead light.

Filling a pitcher with ice cold water, I strode over to the assailant and tossed the water over his head. He gasped and sputtered as he came to. His eyes opened and darted around the room. Understanding settled over his features.

His black gaze dropped to the knife in my hand as I approached, and he blanched. Satisfaction blared through me at his unease. “Here’s how this is going to go. You’re going to tell me everything you know about Santos’s organization and plans, or I remove body parts.”

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