Page 56 of Guarding The Phoenix: Vol. 2

“We’re under attack. Santos is fucking here. He’s got Kylie. We need guns and ammo immediately.”

“Fuck! I’m on the way.” Gideon disconnected the call.

A bullet hit my phone, carrying it out of my hand and shattering it against the house. Then I had no time to worry about my phone. One of the mafia goons rushed toward me, his gun pointed at my head. Without a firearm, I used the only thing for defense that I could—my body.

Jumping to my feet, I rushed him like a defensive lineman about to sack the quarterback. A tactic the smaller man wasn’t counting on. His shot went wild.

I clocked his jaw with an upper cut. The jab snapped his head back, and he started to go down. But one of the men behind him aimed in my direction. I grabbed him before he went down and used him as a human shield. The bullet hit him. I shoved his body toward the guy. They tumbled to the ground.

Chase and the others joined me, engaging the enemy, picking them off one at a time. “Fucking finally! I need a gun!”

Gideon raced up behind me, firing and held out a gun for me. I grabbed it, chambered the round and then it was on. We fought off his goons. Gideon tossed me another clip when I ran out. We always ensured we had loaded back up clips for just this type of scenario. We were better shots than his hired goons thanks to the Marines. And we picked them off one by one, because one didn’t fuck around with goddamn Marines unless you were ready to meet your maker.

Like these assholes were about to discover.

We fought, even as Santos dragged Kylie down the dock toward his super yacht. Santos hit her and I roared. That motherfucker is dead. I will rip him apart limb by fucking limb.

We fought our way toward the dock.

I couldn’t see our girl anymore. Santos dragged her onto his ship, and it was leaving. He was leaving his men behind. Some of them were shocked, glancing at the ship sailing away without them.

We had to reach his yacht and rescue Kylie.

“Duck and cover,” Gideon shouted.

My trust in him was solid after more than ten years at his side. I hit the deck. And then I understood why he shouted a command.

Behind me the house exploded. Heat blasted my body in a thunderous roar. I covered my head to protect it from falling debris. Wood, plaster, glass, and brick rained down in fiery embers. A few items hit me. But I didn’t feel them much. I was too concerned about rescuing my Angel. The woman who had breathed life into this old Marine. The one I knew I could not live without.

I scrambled to my feet, checking for Santos’s ship. It was headed toward the ocean with increasing speed.

Gideon, Chase, and Mateo stood on the shore.

“We have to get to the boat and go after them. Come on.” I waved my arm and raced toward the dock. Taking aim at the few goons Santos left behind. Fucker didn’t even care about his hired help. They were all disposable in his eyes.

Fifteen feet from the dock, the boat blew sky heat. An enormous flash of heat blasted me, and I was airborne.

Chapter nineteen

Captive

Kylie

Tearssliddownmycheeks. I bit back choked sobs. Were they alive? Did it even matter? Deep down I knew I was as good as dead. The only thing I didn’t know was how painful an ending it would be.

I wanted to be happy that I had found heaven in their arms. But it was too short a time. I deserved longer with them. I deserved more happiness instead of just a small slice of time. I hated how we had left things. Why hadn’t I listened to them instead of rushing off like that? They thought I hated them when that wasn’t the case. I loved them. I had wanted forever with them.

A forever that would never happen. I wanted to rage at fate.

Luka’s fingers dug into my bicep. I gritted my teeth against the pain. I would be bruised come morning. If I lived to see tomorrow. As it was my odds of survival were slim at best.

Through my tears I attempted to remember the hallways he steered me down. We moved at a fast clip. I tripped over my own feet and had to right myself before face planting on the floor. I doubted he would stop. Bastard would likely drag my body the rest of the way. It went by in a blur.

Luka shoved a door open. Fear settled over me as he shoved me inside. It was a bedroom. A luxurious bedroom decorated with the best money could buy. There was a king bed with black satin covering it. On either side of the dark ebony headboard were twin nightstands with gold Tiffany lamps. There was a seating area with black leather chairs and a television mounted on the far wall. There were no windows, likely because he didn’t want to risk assassination. But there were two doors on the opposite side from the entrance. Most likely a bathroom and closet.

The room smelled like Luka. The scent of his cologne filled the space.

My heart dropped into my toes.

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