CHAPTER THREE

THE SNEAK ATTACK

RITCHIE

R eclined in the plush black leather seat on my family’s jet, I peeked to my right. Ezra tugged at his dark hair. He was beside himself. He couldn’t believe Rosco had kidnapped Simone too.

“Tell me we aren’t shooting to kill that asshole. We have to torture him,” Ezra growled.

“You know how we work. That motherfucker will pay for fucking days. As long as he doesn’t try to blow himself up.”

Ezra shook his head. “We won’t let that happen.”

Nick sent twenty-five soldiers to assist. My family came through. I was appreciative. Their love warmed my stone-cold heart.

After we flew the drone to Catch’s coordinates, we hopped on the jet.Rémy or Romeo would fly the drone the rest of the way. Luckily, we were only a half hour away from his coordinates.

Once the jet touched down in a small town near the Utah border, there were six brand new black Tahoes waiting for us. Thanks to Catch.

Uncle Arlis called in two prescriptions at a local pharmacy for Ezra and me. We’d wait to take the next wave of meds right before we geared up for war. We wouldn’t let our injuries slow us down while we rescued our women.

I pulled into the gas station that doubled as a truck stop and rest area. Patrons strolled in and out of the rest stop, gripping bags of treats and other items. I tapped the earpiece as I came to a halt in a parking space closer to the end of the convenience store.

“Brock, come in?”

“Ritchie, go for Brock.”

“Don’t draw attention to yourselves. Park the SUV’s in the rear of the truck stop. Filtrate a few men throughout the grounds. Keep your eyes and ears open,” I ordered.

The men were dressed in t-shirts, jeans, and boots. The goal was for them to blend in.

“Got it, Ritchie,” Brock stated.

My eyes took in my surroundings. The dusty landscape with sparse greenery lacked the lush appearance I’d grown accustomed to on the East Coast. Even Chicago had more greenery.

Staring through a pair of binoculars, I noticed a string of vehicles moving into the rest stop.

They parked in a straight line along the front of the parking lot. None of them bothered getting out of their vehicles.

Catch was right. Rosco’s men were proof he had no plans of letting him and the others leave Utah alive.

My phone rang. I pressed the speaker button.

“Ritchie?”

“Yeah?” I responded.

“He’s getting off the interstate at the rest stop,” Catch cursed.

I understood his frustration. His girlfriend’s kid brother was in the truck. He shouldn’t have been involved.

“Catch, we’re ready,” I confirmed.

“Fuck,” he yelled.

I heard gunfire rang out.

Panic struck the faces of those pumping gas.

Anger coursed through my veins. I was ready to rip the bastards to shreds.

Glancing out the rear windshield, I noticed the men parked at the front stepped out of their vehicles clutching AK-forty-sevens. It didn’t appear they cared about innocent bystanders, either.

“Brock, time for action,” I stated in the earpiece, before pulling the soft breathable black face cover resting on my neck over my nose to disguise my appearance. Everyone on my team wore one. I couldn’t afford any of my actions on this excursion to get back to my boss.

Ezra and I hopped out of the truck, flanked by two soldiers.

A woman and a small child exited the store. “Get back inside,” I ordered.

Killing innocent people wasn’t part of the plan.

An oversized SUV barreled down the road toward the station.

My wide eyes moved over the people pumping gas. “Get in your cars,” I yelled.

“Drive to the back of the truck stop.” I pointed a thumb over my shoulder.

Moving to the rear of the rest stop was their only hope of survival.

The patrons wasted no time following my directions. The sound of burning rubber filled the air.

My heart slammed against my ribcage behind the bulletproof vest as one of Rosco’s scowling men turned toward us and opened fire. His bronze skin glowed under the blazing sun.

I didn’t hesitate to peer through the scope of the AR-fifteen, unleashing bullets. I’d been shot enough for one lifetime.

“Fucking die,” I roared.

More of Rosco’s men opened fire on us. Ezra’s dominant arm was weak, but that wouldn’t stop him from blowing a fucker’s head off.

“Cover me!” I shouted to Ezra and the two soldiers.

While they kept the assholes busy, I bent over, running past the pumps. The cars had already vacated the front of the station. An open gun fight at a gas station wasn’t dangerous at all. This careless move showed this guy didn’t give a fuck about anyone but himself.

As I came to a halt at the last gas pump, my gaze moved to the eighteen-wheeler parked along the side. Brock gripped his AR-fifteen, motioning me over. It was a good place to take cover. I could work my way to the front.

The blacked-out SUV was parked in the middle of the vacant street.

A tall man with chocolate colored skin, wearing long dreads pulled into a low ponytail, climbed out of the truck. A few of his men hopped out of the SUV parked behind him. They darted in front of Rosco, aiming their weapons at me and my men.

“You have two important women with you. They belong to me and my friend. Send Tori and Simone over and I’ll let you die with dignity,” I lied.

He placed a hand over his stomach, laughing. “No fucking way.”

The smile vanished and his eyes darkened. “They’re mine. I won’t give them up,” he roared.

“So I guess fighting like men is off the table.” I waved my hand around. “I’d like to avoid risking the lives of innocent people,” I shouted over the gunfire.

He leveled the rifle, pointing it at the gas pump beside me.

“Oh fuck.”I didn’t pause to breathe, but instead bolted toward Brock, my breaths coming in short, sharp bursts. The thunderous roar of the explosion was followed by a shockwave that sent me careening forward. My skin prickled with heat as searing flames engulfed the pump. I stretched my hands out as the force of the blast pushed against me, sending me crashing into the eighteen-wheeler.

I slammed my hand over my ears in an effort to stop the unbearable ringing. “I’ll take that as a definite no,” I grunted to myself.

Crouching near the rear of the truck, I glanced at Rosco. “Suit yourself. We’ll fight dirty. And your men will die. Because you better believe I won’t leave without my woman today,” I yelled, anger stirring in my chest. I was ready to tear him apart with my bare hands.

“She’s my woman now. She and her little friend,” he growled.

I ignored the delusional motherfucker’s words.

“Ritchie, more trucks are coming in from the main road,” Brock announced, his blue eyes darkened as they met mine. “I’m ready to kill and destroy. No one should kill innocent women and children.”

His words came out faint. My hearing hadn’t adjusted from the blast yet.

“Very true, Brock,” I muttered as I glanced under the truck. Men hung off the sides of the trucks, toting automatic weapons.

“Looks like there’s going to be a massacre today,” I yelled.

Standing to my feet, I glared at Rosco. “It doesn’t matter who I have to kill to keep what’s mine. You, Man-Man. The outcome is the same.” An evil chuckle rumbled in my chest.

“She’s coming home with me because she’s all fucking mine,” I roared as I stepped into his line of sight.

The sun beamed down, heating my skin as I peered through the scope of the AR-fifteen, ready to fire. My finger on the trigger, I watched in shock as a familiar figure across the street began unloading their weapon. A smirk settled on my lips as I took comfort in knowing he was here. He always had my back.

My soldiers emerged from various hidden spots, running toward Rosco’s men, bullets flying around us. It reminded me of a war scene on a battlefield. Only difference this war took place in the streets of a small Utah town.

Each group of soldiers was led by their leader. And prepared to die. His soldiers dropped like flies, screaming out in pain as they hit the pavement. Despite all this destruction, I didn’t hear one police siren. Why was that? Did Rosco have the police in his pocket?

Catch’s skilled finger on the trigger delivered fatal shots to their chests, eliminating our enemies.

I didn’t see Rémy or Romeo. But I knew they were here wreaking havoc.

Rosco moved to the rear passenger door with confidence behind his wall of soldiers. A devilish smirk hung on his lips.

He thought he’d bring my woman into this fight. Use her as his shield. “Not today, bitch,” I muttered.

Aiming low, I fired. His ankle gave out, causing him to drop his gun.

Rosco shouted in pain as he fell, scrambling for his weapon. But before he could point it at me, I fired again - this time at his arm - and sent him into shock.

“Ah,” he yelled, dropping his rifle like it was on fire. Catch and Ezra ambled toward the other side of the truck while me, Brock and the guys worked on killing Rosco’s front line of defense.

“Ritchie, the girls are secure,” Ezra stated.

“I repeat, they’re safe.” There was a sense of calm in his voice, yet a hint of terror. What happened to them?

Stepping backward, I let my rifle dangle from the strap crossing my body. I removed a gas mask from my oversized left cargo pants pocket.

“It’s over,” I shouted before lowering the mask.

“Die motherfucka,” Rosco shouted.

I shoved a hand in my right cargo pocket, retrieving two items. Pulling the pin, I threw the grenade at the SUV parked behind Rosco’s truck.

The ground moved under my feet as the truck exploded. A plume of smoke rose from the red and orange flames engulfing the truck. The truck doors flew from the flames. The driver’s side door slammed into one of Rosco’s men, who couldn’t escape the horror of the explosion. I wasted no time tossing the tear gas canister at Rosco. Not giving him time to recover.

“I’ll get the truck,” Brock said.

I nodded.

Stalking through the smoke, I kneeled, glaring at Rosco. “You really fucked up.”

I slammed the butt of my rifle into his chiseled face. The cracking of bones sounded right before he hollered. My fist curled around his collar. I tugged him through the street. Pain radiated every inch of my skin. The pain meds could only do so much. I was putting too much strain on my injured limbs.

Brock rolled to a stop in front of me. Two of our men gathered Rosco and tossed him into the trunk.

The gunfire ceased. Rosco’s men were done. We were bringing a few with us to torture. Patrons poked their heads out from their hiding spots around the rest stop.

Catch gripped Tori so tight at his side it seemed as if he was trying to protect her with a steel wall. She buried her face in his side, trembling. Ezra smirked behind the gas mask. I knew he was relieved to have her back. He held Simone close. She kept her eyes closed because of the tear gas. I could see the bruises on her face and my blood boiled. They hit her?

What had they done to Tori? My fist clenched as fury raced through my veins. I ran across the street where they stood.

I grabbed onto Tori’s elbow, “Tori, it’s me.”

Her body shook violently as she mumbled my name. “Yeah, baby, it’s me,” I repeated.

“We have to move now,” I uttered softly. She brought her hands up to cover her face, unwilling to let me see her battered skin.

“Let me see your face,” I pleaded gently.

“No, Ritchie,” she whispered brokenly.

“Tori, I can’t love you any less,” I declared firmly and watched as her legs gave out from under her.

Scooping her up into my arms,I winced at the pain.

“Ritchie, I can carry her,” Catch stated, adjusting the airtight goggles on his face.

“No, I got her.” My heart beat wildly in my chest. Having her back in my arms brought a sliver of peace.

“Thank you, cousin.”

His lower lip trembled as he placed a hand on my shoulder. “Anytime Ritchie.”

“We’re hopping on the jets. The airfield is about twenty minutes away,” I said.

“Sounds good,” Catch stated.

Tori shoved her face into my bulletproof vest, keeping her face shielded. It was obvious he hit her. That motherfucker would pay severely.

“I got you. You’re safe now,” I said, yanking off the gas mask before climbing into the backseat of the truck.

“Ritchie, please don’t let me go.” Her fingers caressed my neck.

“I wouldn’t dream of it, baby.”

The truck wobbled as Brock drove over the carnage.

“Daryl’s still out there,” she breathed.

“I know. We’ll get his ass next. In the meantime, I plan to torture Rosco until there’s nothing left.”