Page 34 of Tainted Beginnings (Dark Syndicate 7)

I don’t waste time thinking I could be anything other than careful. All I think of is that I have to get her out of this, even if it kills me.

I move on that thought and head up the stairs with my guns ready. I lock the door behind me, although it’s not secure. Just like the front door, it’s ready to fall off the hinges.

Shadows move around outside the windows while I creep toward the door.

“Go in and look,” says a voice I now recognize to be Federico’s.

He’s here. I should have known he would come and try to end me himself.

It wouldn’t be his style to send his people when my hands are still warm with his brother’s blood.

As the door opens, I shoot and aim for the heads of the men coming in. I get four of them before the element of surprise fades, and I have to take cover.

The goal is to lure them away from the house. Or rather, the basement.

If I can do that, she’ll be safe.

With that reasoning, I crash through the window and open fire at the remaining men. I count ten, but it’s dark and I can’t see everyone.

I hide behind a tree and shoot from there. They shoot back, and for the first time in my lengthy career as an enforcer, I’m not sure if I’m going to make it.

The men rush at me, luring me into combat, which makes me lose sight of the front door.

Suddenly, we become a clash of punches and kicks as I fight to stay alive to protect her—my girl.

It’s a nice thought that I entertain for a moment. It gives me strength. My mother used to tell me the stories about how she met my father. She said it was love at first sight. I never believed it. I still didn’t until three nights ago when I met Tennessee Patterson.

I believed it then because I experienced it.

Summoning everything inside me, I take out the first two guys. As they fall, I shoot another two and round back to shoot the first to ensure they never move again.

I retrieve my other gun and fire both.

Moments later, all that remains before me are dead men.

But where is Federico?

“Where the fuck are you, Federico!” I shout. “Come out and face me!”

“Right here. I’m right here,” he answers in a sing-song voice, and to my horror, he comes out of the cottage with Tennessee, his gun held to her head.

Tears stream down her cheeks, glistening on her pretty face in the moonlight.

Federico smiles when he sees me. I can’t hide the crestfallen look on my face any more than I can push aside the guilt crippling me.

He got her.

“This is nice. A sweet country girl,” Federico taunts.

“You fucking let her go.”

“Why would I, when this is about killing her?”

She starts crying harder.

He cocks the hammer, and I realize I have less than a second to do something.

Anything.

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