Page 81 of Guarding Bristol

Chapter Thirty

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The shock of the coldwater made his lungs constrict.TJ surfaced, sucked in a breath an instant before a wave hit him right in the face.It took him under, pushing him down like a giant hand.

He kicked hard, his arms slicing through the water to get back to the surface.His head broke through.He turned his face just in time for the next wave to break over his shoulder instead.Somehow, he’d managed to keep hold of his weapon.

That motherfucker Jon had already turned the boat around and was making his escape, abandoning him and Bristol.TJ had no choice but to swim for theSea Siren.

Turning onto his belly, he swam flat out for it.Behind him he heard Jon throttle up the other boat and speed away.Raw anger boiled in his gut.If Bristol died because of him, TJ would hunt him down like an animal and kill him—if he didn’t die out here himself.

Fighting through the waves made the relatively short swim exhausting.His muscles were already tiring when he finally reached the other boat.He grabbed hold of the folded-up ladder at the stern and hauled himself out of the water.It sluiced off him in a wave, covering the rear deck as he stumbled forward while the boat rocked with the angry waves.

His numb fingers tightened around the grip of the pistol.Even after being submerged in saltwater, the Glock should still fire.

He hoped.

Jon was gone.Now it was going to come down to a fight to the death between him and the enforcer.With Bristol’s life hanging in the balance.

A figure appeared at the top of the forward hatch, still mostly hidden from view.TJ raised and aimed his weapon at him, shivering from head to toe, filled with steely resolve.

This asshole wanted to take him alive, or he would have shot him the instant he came out of the water.But TJ would save Bristol or die trying.“Where is she?”he demanded, feet spread apart to keep his balance on the rocking deck.

Angel stayed where he was.TJ had to assume a weapon was trained on him right now too.“Below.”

“She’s alive?”

“She’s fine.I wasn’t gonna hurt her.I presume that was Jon?”

The calm tone threw him.He opened his mouth to demand something else, but a sudden jolt of the boat sent him stumbling back.He caught himself just in time to keep from falling on his ass.“I need to see—” His words cut off when “Angel” stepped into full view.And froze just as TJ had.

Across the length of the boat they stared at each other, weapons aimed.

For a split-second TJ thought he must be hallucinating.Couldn’t believe what he was seeing.“Nico?”he finally blurted.Nico Angelopoulos.Angel.Jesus Christ.

Nico’s face was blank with shock.“Tomás.”He lowered his weapon slightly.“What thefuck?”

Yeah.

TJ couldn’t find the words to reply.They had met in BATP training at the DEA Academy in Quantico, the first phase to becoming an entry level special agent.Nico was a former Marine and had been one of the best in their class.They’d been roommates for several weeks.Then, one day a few months in, Nico was suddenly gone.

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