Page 106 of City of Salvation

We’d split off when we’d arrived, everyone taking up their posts. Gunner and I were up on the roof. “Like old times, brother. Sniper and spotter.”

“Yeah, don’t fuck it up,” Gunner teased, knowing I needed some levity. Because this wasn’t exactly like old times—I’d never had a woman I love mixed up in the middle. But Gunner had, so if anyone was going to be able to help see me through this, it was him.

In for four, out for four.

I relaxed my shoulders and unclenched my jaw, sinking lower into my position. The mantra had been running on a loop since I’d laid out on top of the roof with my barrel peeking through a ventilation window. I’d never been more thankful for my ability to shut out my emotions in times of stress, because I fucking needed it now.

“Alright, Dex. Keep your cool here.”

There was no need to ask what Gunner was referring to. Nikki was being carried between two men into the warehouse. Blood pounded in my ears when her head snapped to the side. The fucker had slapped her, hard.

“Breathe, brother. We can’t move too soon,” Gunner whispered, worry in his tone.

I was too engrossed in what was happening down on the warehouse floor to respond, but I kept my finger off the trigger. The two exchanged words, both of their faces growing angrier with each word. They were too far for me to hear what they were saying.

My heart ached when she seemed to look around, searching for a way out or someone to save her.

“Easy. You’ll be down there with her soon, Dex.”

Gunner seemed to have a mainline to my thoughts. Histiming with words of encouragement was perfect. And thank fuck he didn’t require a verbal response because I was vibrating with anger and hanging by a thread, relying on every calming technique I knew to stay in the pocket. At one point, Yuri ran a hand down Nikki’s face, pressing at the spot he’d hit her. Pride swelled in my chest when my spitfire spat blood in the asshole’s face.

“You fucking bitch,” Yuri yelled loud enough for me to hear.

My finger moved from where it rested above the trigger right as Scar’s voice sounded on the comms. “That’s our cue, boys.”

The warehouse exploded into chaos, glass shattering where our men broke through, bullets pinging off the corrugated metal. We were equipped with ballistic gear and mowed through Yuri’s men with ease.

“Come on, baby, get out of there,” I whispered, my eye pressed to the scope.

Relief flooded my veins when she ran, but everything came to a screeching halt the moment he wrapped his fingers in her hair, dragging her back—the barrel of a gun shoved to her temple.

“Set your fucking guns down,” he yelled.

Gunner shifted beside me. “We planned for this.”

“Yeah, but we didn’t plan on him being fucking short,” I growled. “Headshot’s fucking blocked.”

“Fuck.”

Fuck was right. Yuri held Nikki directly in front of him, but they were nearly the same height, making the headshot a no-go. Yuri and Ryan were exchanging words, none of which I could quite catch, but whatever it was, it had Nikki looking directly up at me.

A surge of emotions swept through me. She knew I washere, but the moment was cut short. Screeching tires echoed through the space, a blacked-out Range Rover pulling up behind them.

“Guys, that thing is fully armored. We can stop them if they leave in it, but…” Niko paused. “But it’s not going to be easy, and I can pretty much guarantee Nikki’s going to get hurt, and I don’t know how badly…”

Gunner answered for us. “Dammit. We may not have another option, the asshole is dragging her back to the car with her as a fucking shield. We’ll get down there ASAP. Get the fucking ride ready.”

Nikki’s voice boomed, yelling at the top of her lungs. “Pull the fucking trigger, Dex! ” Her voice was steady—sure. She was a fucking sight to be seen, like a damn golden goddess holding her chin high, determination in her face. Time seemed to slow, the rest of the chaos falling away, leaving nothing but her and I.

Those blue eyes taunted me, seeing if I had the balls to pull the trigger. To trust her.

To give her a choice.

“There’s no fucking way you’re going to sho?—”

I didn’t give Gunner a chance to finish his sentence before I sent a round through the top of Nikki’s shoulder, right into Yuri’s chest.

For the second time, chaos erupted in the warehouse, our men back on the offense, taking out Yuri’s guys as they attempted to make it to where both he and Nikki lay in a growing puddle of blood.

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