Page 17 of Fatal Love
The man in his house was stealthy, his footsteps nearly silent as he rounded the corner and started down the hallway. Cal might not be a super soldier like Hunter, but he had the elevated awareness that SEAL training had beaten into him. He didn’t so much hear the man when he reached the door asfelthim.
He sensed the presence right on the other side of the door. With impossible slowness, he turned the knob.
The distinct sound of the man’s submachine gun sliding along the material of his jacket filtered through the door. Without hesitating, Cal attacked.
The door knocked the man backwards, his gun going off and peppering the wall and ceiling with bullets. In his ear, Cal heard Hunter yell something at him, but he was shooting now, too, the sound overriding whatever Hunter said.
A series of bullets hit the man, sending him to his knees, but none doing much damage due to his tact suit.
Cal aimed for his neck.
One bullet, then another made contact. The man didn’t get up.
Cal heard the report of a gun behind him, felt the sharp sting of a bullet in the back of his thigh.
His knee went out, pitching him sideways. Half keeling, he swung his weapon around to fire and felt the second punch of a bullet, this time in his upper arm.
His gun clattered to the floor next to the dead man. Cal found himself on one knee staring up into the black muzzle of a wicked handgun.
The weapon was pointed at his head, the glare of a tact light under the barrel partially blinding him. What he saw above the gun was a woman’s smiling face.
Her hair was long and platinum, her almond-shaped eyes heavily lined, matching the deep color of her lips. “Callan Reese, leader of the SEAL team that killed my father and brother. We finally meet.”
Two of her goons stood on either side of her, their weapons also pointed at him. His gun was within reach, so was the dead man’s H&K. Blood ran down his arm and two of his fingers were numb. He’d have to use his left hand.
“Who are you?” he ground out. His leg wound felt like a hot knife in his hamstring. “What do you want?”
She placed her free hand on her chest. “You don’t remember me? I’m hurt. But then, monsters like you never do remember the collateral damage you leave behind, do you?”
He could play innocent—because honestly he had no idea what she was talking about—but that just wasn’t his style. “How did you find out where I live?”
She clucked her tongue. “Foolish man. I saw your little display on television when you saved your sniveling president. With my resources, it took little time to connect the dots.”
Resources. An understatement if the weapons and gear her soldiers were sporting were any indication.
“What do you want?”
“Retribution, of course. For all the orphans you and your team created all over the world. For the death of my family and the near destruction of everything my father worked so hard for.”
Where was Hunter? At least Beatrice hadn’t wandered out. Hopefully, she’d listened to him and locked herself and Maria in the walk-in closet. Why hadn’t he built a panic room?
The persistent thoughts circled. None would help him now. “If your father was a terrorist, he got what he deserved.”
She took a step forward, glaring down at him. “My father dealt in antiquities, saving cultural icons and religious artifacts from the greedy Westerners you protect.”
Art dealer. Hmm. A memory teased at his brain.
She kept the muzzle of her gun pointed at his forehead. “Where’s your wife?”
Oh hell no. For half a heartbeat, he simply stared at her. She and her cohorts had obviously seen him and Hunter carry Beatrice inside. Denying B was in the house would do him no good. He raised his hands in a show of surrender. “You want me, not her.”
One corner of the woman’s mouth twitched. “My father and brother died at your hands. Now you will watch your wife and child die at mine.”
She bent down so she was eye to eye with him. Her goons kept their H&Ks trained on him. “Where is she? Where is your pregnant wife?”
Cal was about to dive for his gun when he heard the bedroom door crack open and Beatrice’s voice sounded behind him.
“Right here, bitch.”
And all hell broke loose.
