Page 102 of Storm and Tempest
“I thought it was ‘stay frosty.’” And all those other sentiments tough guys shared with each other. Did it actually help?
Ramon chuckled under his breath. “I thought you were a real stiff. Turns out you’re okay.”
“Thanks, I think.” Jax figured that was the ultimate sign of respect coming from this guy. He nearly rolled his eyes, but doing that was ridiculous and reminded him too much of his sister in high school.What-ever. Talk to the hand.As if his middle school years hadn’t been traumatizing enough.
Ramon stepped off the deck onto sandy grass, followed by Jax. Another boat pulled up to the dock behind them. Amara and Bruce.
The chilly night breeze—Jax wasn’t going to call after midnight “evening”—cut through his shirt and cooled the sea spray on his face. His whole body ached. The cut on his forearm stung, his shoulder throbbed, and the ibuprofen-acetaminophen mix he’d taken had worn off hours ago.
Ramon scanned the shore. “Something is up.”
Jax had the same vibe, a kind of hum in the air, making all his senses fire. “This is going to go south any second.”
Armed men stepped out of the trees, all of them dressed in black fatigues. Comms earbuds in, sunglasses up on the top of their heads. At least six of them. Hardened warriors who didn’t look like they were in a mood that was open to visitors they hadn’t been expecting.
“They didn’t bring me a drink to welcome me to the island?” Ramon huffed. “I’m hurt.”
“Weapons down!” the lead guy yelled.
They spread out, each of the armed men fanning to the sides so they could eventually circle around Ramon and Jax and cut off their retreat. Jax held one hand up.
He muttered, “I don’t like this,” under his breath. Even though it wasn’t exactly surprising, and they’d been expecting something to happen as soon as they showed up. Had planned for it, in fact. Because there was no way they’d have been able to sneak into aDominatusfacility.
Jax lowered to a crouch and set his shotgun on the dirt.
When he stood, one of the men closed in and slid the pistol from Jax’s holster. He clenched his stomach and kept from reacting to being disarmed that way. He whipped his head around to look at Ramon and said, “Don’t.”
The last thing he needed was for his friend to run his mouth or start a fight just to make the point that he could defend himself. The odds were stacked against them.
A tendon flexed in Ramon’s jaw, a fiery look of defiance in his eyes. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Right.” Jax looked at the leader. “You’re in charge? How about you take us to whoever givesyouorders.” The guy sent to scoop up trespassers wasn’t the boss.
The guy chuckled under his breath. “Don’t worry, you will be coming with us.”
He didn’t like the dark tone of voice this guy had. Or the dead look in his eyes. If he said they were all hired mercenaries, the kind of guys who would do anything for money, Jax would’ve believed it.
He spotted Amara emerging from the tree line, Bruce following her. The older man had his hands secured behind his back, and another armed man in black fatigues followed Bruce. Holding a gun on him, presumably to keep him from escaping. Amara didn’t have any fear that she would be shot in the back. In fact, she walked as if she had a position of power here.
There it is.
Ramon twisted around to Jax. “Take me to your leader? Really? We were supposed to sneak in here to steal all their secrets and that’s all you say?”
Jax shot him a look right back, just as planned. “You’re the one who said we steal a boat from those meatheads. Figuresyourplan is what gets us caught.”
“That’s enough.” The gunman closest to Jax dragged his shoulder, turning him around. “Hands behind your back.”
Both Jax and Ramon had their hands secured behind their backs. Jax’s shoulder burned with his arms pulled back like that. “I have a shoulder injury, if you don’t mind.” It was dangerous, but just in case the guy would ease up…
The gunman chuckled. “Guess it isn’t your lucky day, then.” He dragged Jax by the elbow.
His foot caught on a rock, but he caught himself and stumbled instead of falling to his knees in front of these guys. Tumbling on a rocky beach wasn’t going to feel good. He didn’t need a smashed knee on top of everything else.
Teeth gritted against the pain blossoming in his shoulder, the heat there growing into a furnace until he had to bite his lip, Jax forged ahead.
The trail stretched about a mile, winding between the trees. A deer trail, or some other wild animal, and these guys had tramped back and forth until it was worn into a full-fledged path. He ignored Amara and Bruce, tied up like they were, accompanying them. And the incessant comments from Ramon, directed at him.
All he could focus on was whether Kenna had been brought here.
