Page 38 of SEAL's Fake Girlfriend

Under other circumstances, the sight might have been comical, the guy’s mouth dropping so far open in astonishment that his cigarette fell out. Eric concealed his own surprise better. He also made sure the man didn’t get the chance to call out, much less reach for any weapon, dispatching him with ease.

“That’s what smoking gets ya,” he muttered, dragging the unconscious, hogtied body to a small lean-to structure that housed a half-dozen trash cans. Eric straightened, checking all around him. Moving steadily, stealthily, he scaled the back of the building nearest to the one where Rhianne still waited outside. He lay flat, in position, and swung his rifle from his back to his hands, its feel and fit familiar. He had a perfect view of Rhianna’s face through the scope and saw determination and defiance written in every line of it. What were they waiting for?

Ah. Arturo’s big entrance, Eric guessed when the door to the bunkhouse opened. Big exit, rather—Arturo strolled out. He wasn’t alone. He held a young girl in front of him—blonde, blue-eyed, taller than average…it was Robyn Carlson.

Even if he hadn’t known the girl’s identity, Rhianne’s reaction to seeing her baby sister clutched tight to the front of Arturo’s body as a human shield would have made her identity clear.Jesus.The kid had to be petrified—Arturo had one arm clamped like an iron band around her waist and the other at her throat, his thumb and fingers spread, ready to squeeze and choke her at any second.

“Robyn!” Rhianne gasped. “Are you okay?”

Robyn didn’t get a chance to reply.

“Puta!” Arturo yelled at Rhianne, then spat, literally spat, at her, his spittle landing on her chest. That served as his warm-up—he shouted what seemed like every name under the sun in Spanish before switching to English. Eric didn’t follow all of the Spanish, but the tone made the meaning more than clear.

Rhianne didn’t flinch, not even to wipe his spit from her, just stood, implacable and impassive, which angered Arturo more.

“Think you’re so fucking clever, huh?” he snapped. “Think this is a game and you’re winning? I know your men are around somewhere, and it’s only a matter of time before they’re found and dealt with. And believe me when I tell you I will enjoy dealing with them…and making you watch, knowing I will kill you last.”

Robyn lurched in his arms at that, her distress clear. “No—” she managed to shout out before Arturo moved his hand from her throat to her mouth and nose, cupping them to prevent her speaking and blocking her breathing.

“Ah.” Arturo nodded in satisfaction when Rhianne took a half step forward at that, every muscle in her body tense. “Yes. I saw the resemblance between you last night, and I see it again now. Both beautiful women, and this one younger. Fresh… Untouched.” He brought his head low, his lips against Robyn’s ear. “Do you have any idea how much I’m going to enjoy breaking your baby sister in after you’re gone? Think about that, about me being her first…and the things I’m going to do to her.” The laugh he gave was malicious, and it grew crueler still as Robyn struggled in his hold.

Anger blazed through Eric, singeing every nerve in him, but Rhianne was speaking again.

“Know what I’m going to enjoy?” she replied, her Spanish clear and flawless. “Making sure you never touch a woman again.”

The expression on Arturo’s face when he realized the extent to which he’d underestimated Rhianne Carlson was almost hysterical. He wiped it off, narrowing his eyes and tipping his head back. Eric tensed. Something was going down. The whistle Arturo gave sounded mild, minor…but the answering red dot that appeared on Rhianne’s chest was deadly serious.

Eric saw the split-second when Rhianne noticed the dot and understood what it was—she looked up, her face frozen in horror.

“Oh yes.” Arturo chuckled. “I have a sniper, and you’re in his sights. You know the club where we met, Mint? It has a back room for roulette and poker. Blackjack too. I like to hang out there sometimes, when I’m in the mood to gamble.”

“And?” Rhianne sounded as cool as she could.

“And I like the odds I’m playing now!” Arturo cackled, the guards near to him sending sycophantic chuckles his way. “I have two bargaining chips to make your men show themselves.” He raised his voice to a loud shout on the last two words.

Silence greeted it. He shrugged. “My game, my rules…and I decide when to end it.”

Shit.Eric moved his head enough to scan to his left, where the marksman must be. He could turn and spray fire in that direction, hoping to take the man out, but that would give away his position and rob them of that advantage. And Rhianne would still be at the mercy of the guards on the ground…and Arturo. What the hell should Eric do?

A harsh shout, sounding choked off, had Arturo and his guards whipping around to peer where it had come from, just as a loud bang coming from the left a second later had everyone twisting in that direction next. And that was just the start.

Shouts, cries, bangs, thumps, the crack of gunfire—the noises were familiar to Eric and told him that Ian and Charlie were finding and taking out the threats around them.Thank God.He ached to join them, to be in the thick of it with them, but his place was here.

“Come in,” he said to the walkie-talkie on his shoulder, positioned so that he could operate without taking his hands from his rifle. “Report.Now, dammit.”

“Wait…” Charlie ordered, chilling the blood in Eric’s veins. “Clear,” he replied after a few heart-stopping seconds…and the red dot disappeared from Rhianne’s chest. It was the sweetest sight Eric had ever seen. That and the relief on Rhianne’s face when she realized. Realized that BSS was winning.

Arturo, that arrogant fuck, took a few seconds longer to process, and Rhianne smirked, along with Eric, as she watched him slowly come to understand, to read the reason for the chaos and confusion all around him. He moved, and for one second, Eric thought the slime was going to surrender.

No. Arturo had said he was a gambler, and now he had one trick left to play. He whipped out a gun from a shoulder holster and shoved its barrel into the underside of Robyn’s jaw. It forced her head back, and a glimpse of her eyes, wide with terror, seared Eric.

“No!” Rhianne cried, then clapped a hand over her own mouth, as if the noise would startle Arturo, would make him fire.

Hewouldfire, Eric surmised, any second now. Maybe because he was spooked by the situation, not seeing a way out. Or he’d do it just because he could, because he was a sadistic piece of shit. Eric had seen that for himself. But he wouldn’t give Arturo the chance. Not this time. Not with Rhianne’s sister.

Inhaling, steadying himself, Eric took aim and fired at Arturo. It was one of the most dangerous shots he’d ever taken, with how close the bastard gripped Robyn to him, but Eric’s aim was true. His bullet found its target in a clean, simplecrack, and Arturo fell, his gun dropping from his hand.

He was dead before he hit the ground.

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