Chapter 7

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I snapped back to reality, eyes widening in shock.

I yanked the wheel hard, barely avoiding a crash by a hair. “What the fuck?!” I blurted out in shock.

I pulled over, my hands still gripping the wheel as I scanned the area, looking for any signs of danger. Something was off, the air was too damn still, too quiet. That creeping silence sent a chill down my spine.

Shit didn’t feel right.

I turned to Red, following her line of sight, and that’s when I saw it—a kid lying motionless in the alley. My senses went into overdrive, every muscle in my body tensed as I locked onto the motionless figure. The quiet was making the whole scene ten times more fucked up, every instinct in me screamed that something was seriously wrong.

“We need to help them,” she said, pointing at the kid lying on the pavement.

I shook my head, my expression growing dark. “We’re in a Taliban-controlled territory. Any one of those buildings could be filled with insurgents. It’s too dangerous.”

Red didn’t back down. “I took an oath,” she said with confidence, folding her arms.

I gave her a sharp look. “This is not a negotiation,” I retorted sharply, my warning filled with finality.

“I can’t leave them here like this,” she yelled back at me, daring me to argue with her.

“If we get caught, we won’t be able to help anyone,” I said, my words coming out harsh and biting as I gave her a cold stare. “We’ll become targets ourselves.”

But she just looked at me, not even fazed. And then, like she couldn’t give a shit about my warning, she shrugged.

“Then stay in the car,” she said, her sentence holding a hint of defiance.

I reached for her arm, trying to stop her from doing something completely reckless, but before I could get a grip, she yanked herself free and bolted out of the car.

“What part of ‘it’s too fucking dangerous’ do you not understand?!”

But she was already walking toward the kid, not even looking back. A part of me wanted to just let her go, let her deal with the chaos she was so hell-bent on getting herself into. God, the frustration was boiling over. Every problem she dragged with her was becoming a massive pain in my ass.

But underneath all that anger, something else stirred—something I didn’t want to fucking admit. It was like this instinct to protect her was buried deep, rising up and pissing me off because it didn’t make any sense.

I was conflicted.

No, fuck that, I was goddamn torn.

Leaving her would’ve been the easy way out. One less headache. But the thought of her getting hurt—or worse—sent a sharp, cold feeling through me.

Fuck it.

Every step she took toward that kid was fueling my anger. I threw open the door, stepping out of the car after her. The hot night air slapped me in the face, making everything feel ten times more irritating. My steps were quick, my frustration building with every second as I followed her. When she knelt down beside the kid, I moved in close, ready for whatever was about to go down.

“Hey, there,” she said softly, her voice gentle as she tried to talk to the boy.

My eyes were glued on the kid. He couldn’t have been more than ten, lying there with his pale face and eyes shut like he was already half gone.

In a sudden, alarming twist, the boy rose to his feet, a glint of steel clutched tightly in his small hand. My anger switched into pure adrenaline, my instincts firing on all cylinders.

“Red, watch out!”

In a heartbeat, I closed the distance between us, positioning myself protectively in front of her. With a prompt and fluid motion, I reached into my pocket, retrieving the penknife. Its cool metal pressed against my palm provided me a reassuring weight for my tensed muscles.

“Drop the knife, kid. It’s not worth it.”

My attention snapped from the kid to the shadows multiplying like horny rabbits. Four assholes crept out, surrounding me and Red like rabid wolves. Their movements were slow and calculated, like they were savoring the moment before the slaughter. I could feel their eyes crawling all over me, like I was some insect they were about to crush under their boots.

The kid scurried his sorry little ass behind them, like the coward he was, hiding behind the biggest motherfucker in the group. His face twisted into some sick little smirk, gripping that knife like it was the only thing keeping him from pissing himself.

We were boxed in, no way out.

I stood there like a statue, watching those four pricks closing in on us. They knew this land, moving like they’d been roaming these mountains and hills their entire lives.

I tightened my grip on my knife, assessing the fucked-up situation we were in.

Outnumbered and completely outmatched.

Not ideal.

Sweat dripped down my back as those four fuckers circled us, their dead eyes promising nothing good. They were draped in those worn Afghan robes and tribal wraps, looking rough as hell. Their hands were like sandpaper, worn down from God knows what, probably worse than what I’d seen. Each one held a long knife or a blade, and they looked ready to carve us up for fun.

“Stay close,” I murmured to Red.

I braced myself, adrenaline kicking in as I eyed them up. These weren’t just some amateurs—they were fucking killers, hardened by years of this life. And me? I was getting ready to meet them halfway.

The leader, or at least the ugliest bastard of the bunch, stepped forward with a sneer on his face. His teeth looked like he’d been chewing on rocks for breakfast.

“You think you can walk through our territory without paying?” His English was broken, but the threat was crystal clear. “You and the girl better hand over something valuable, or you’re not leaving alive.”

I locked eyes with him, my voice steady as hell. “Look, we don’t have anything to give you. We’re just passing through. Let us go, and you won’t have any trouble from us.”

A twisted smile spread across the motherfucker’s face, revealing a row of decaying teeth.

“You think we’re stupid? Your American army pays good money to ruin our country. You’ve got something.”

He waved his blade in my face, grinning like he already won. “Or maybe we’ll start with your pretty little friend here.”

That did it. The familiar burn of rage shot through me like a drug. The darkness I usually kept buried deep inside started clawing its way up, hungry for violence.

“You touch her, and you’ll beg for death,” I said slowly, my voice devoid of emotion.

I glanced at Red, feeling her grip tighten on me, her breath shaky. She was scared, and I didn’t blame her. I reached back, slipping the penknife into her hand, motioning to hide it in her clothes.

“You might need it,” I whispered. “In case anything happens.” Her hand clung to mine like I was the last lifeline she had. That bastard kept inching closer, his eyes zeroed in on her like a prize.

“You’re a pretty little thing, aren’t you? I think I’ll enjoy breaking you before I finish off your boyfriend here.”

That was it. Rage exploded inside me like a fucking volcano. The darkness took over, my mind locked in on one thing: tearing this piece of shit apart.

I wanted to kill, to maim, to destroy.

In a blink of an eye, I lunged at him, my movements fueled by a primal rage. Though my ribs screamed in protest, I pushed through the pain. The weight of my fist collided with his jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground.

His laughter transformed into a pained groan as blood spilled from his split lip. I ducked under a wild swing, delivering a punishing uppercut to one fucker’s jaw, sending him crashing to the ground.

Another one lunged at me with a knife, but I deflected his attack with a swift parry, countering with a devastating kick to his chest.

The third asshole charged at me with a knife, but I knocked his arm aside and planted a kick square in his chest. He staggered back, choking on the impact. Some other dipshit tried to grab me from behind, but I drove my elbow into his gut, then smashed his face into the pavement.

The first asshole got back up, sword in hand, eyes full of desperation. He swung at me like a man possessed, but he was too slow. I sidestepped his strike, grabbed his arm, and twisted it until he screamed. His own sword was in my hand now, and I didn’t hesitate—one sharp strike, and he hit the ground hard.

But as I caught my breath, I realized something: the fourth fucker was missing.

“Looking for someone?” I heard a chilling voice behind me.

I whipped around, heart pounding as I saw Red. That last bastard had her by the hair, yanking her head back, a knife gleaming at her throat.

Time slowed to a crawl, and all I could see was her face, twisted in fear. That primal, animalistic fury surged up again, burning hotter than before.

He was a dead man walking.

Red’s whimper hit my ears like a fucking dagger, cutting through me deep. My vision blurred in a red haze, and rage burned hotter than hellfire inside me. I didn’t even think. Just took a step forward.

“Let her go,” I growled with a deadly calm, but the fury blazing behind my eyes? That shit wasn’t hiding.

The asshole grinned, yanking Red’s hair harder. She winced, fear filling her eyes.

That was it.

I wasn’t the kind of guy who got sentimental, who let emotions crawl under his skin and fuck with his head. I’d built walls—thick, unbreakable ones—to keep shit like this out. But seeing her like that? Vulnerable, scared? It was like someone had taken a sledgehammer to those walls and cracked them wide open.

This wasn’t me. I didn’t give a shit about people. But here I was, my blood boiling, my muscles tensing like I was ready to rip this fucker apart with my bare hands. And for what? For her.

“Stay right where you are. Or she pays the price.”

“Release her, or I promise you, you won’t live to regret it.”

And I meant it. Every damn word.

He raised the knife to Red’s cheek, the tip brushing her skin. She flinched, another damn whimper slipping out. The sick bastard’s eyes lit up with twisted satisfaction as he dragged the blade down, cutting through the chain and into her flesh. Blood trickled, mixing with the glint of metal.

“I like this,” he sneered with a perverted satisfaction. “It’s a shame I’ll have to take it from you.”

The beast in me screamed for blood. Justice. I stepped forward, my body shaking with controlled rage. Before I could reach her, the fucker’s smirk grew, his eyes flashing with disgusting glee. In a single movement, he swung the knife down, slicing the air with a chilling, precise aim.

That fucking cunt.

Another gasp escaped Red’s lips as the sharp edge of the knife once again made contact with her skin. A fine scratch appeared under her eye, a crimson line staining her porcelain complexion.

“Perhaps I’ll take her eye next,” the cunt taunted.

Looking around me, I saw the other three fanatics still passed out on the ground. I locked eyes with Red, and with a subtle motion of my head, I directed her attention to the pocket where she held the penknife. She blinked in understanding, and slowly obeyed.

“I will tear you apart, piece by piece, until there’s fucking nothing left of you,” I threatened, keeping his focus off Red.

But the fucker only scoffed, lips twisting into that shitty grin again. Without warning, he lunged towards Red, his hand closing around the chain that hung from her neck. The metallic links strained against his grip before finally snapping. Red stumbled backward, trying to maintain her balance.

“Red, now!”

And holy shit—Red didn’t miss a beat. She whipped out the penknife, the blade flashing in the night. In one swift motion, she drove it deep into the fucker’s thigh. His laughter died in his throat, pain and shock warping his face as he looked down at the knife sticking out of his leg. A raw, guttural scream tore from him, his grip on Red’s neck loosening as he collapsed. Blood soaked his clothes, pooling in the shadows around him. His pathetic attempts to stop the bleeding only made it worse.

The sight of him suffering? Fucking glorious. Dark satisfaction washed over me as I watched those four pieces of shit writhing in pain. Part of me relished every second of it.

Behind me, I heard a small whimper. Turning slowly, I narrowed my eyes, full of murderous intent. The kid stood there, trembling, gripping a knife.

“Get out of here,” I growled, full of murderous intent. “Before I end up gutting you like a fish.”

He got the message. Dropped the knife, spun around, and ran like hell.

I sprinted to Red, my heartbeat thundering loudly as I moved with all the speed I could muster.

“Come on,” I breathed out, dashing over to her.

I yanked the knife out of the asshole’s leg, his scream of agony music to my ears. As the adrenaline wore off, my head cleared, but I still felt that rush.

I wiped the blade clean on my pants, slid it into my pocket, then grabbed Red’s hand. We bolted to the car, not stopping. She struggled to keep up, her breath coming out in gasps, but I wasn’t letting go. I felt the warmth of her hand in mine, and for a split second, I let myself feel the comfort that brought me.

I shoved the car door open, practically tossing her inside and slamming it shut hard enough to rattle the damn thing. With one last glance around, I slid into the driver’s seat and jammed the key into the ignition. Red stared at me, eyes wide with fear, as the engine roared to life.

“My necklace!” she cried, her hand going to her bare, cut-up neck.

Like that was my fucking problem.

I hit the gas, eager to get the hell out of that shithole.

“I will buy you another one,” I said dismissively, not giving two shits about whatever sentimental crap she was whining over.

“You don’t get it,” she said, voice all emotional, like that was supposed to make me care. “It meant something to me.”

I rolled my eyes in irritation. I couldn’t find it in me to give a flying fuck about some material possession when her reckless actions had put us both at risk.

“Well, maybe you should’ve thought about that before running out of the car like a lunatic,” I replied bitterly. “Your stupidity could have gotten us both killed.”

She fell silent, her gaze fixed on the passing scenery outside the car window. The seriousness of the situation loomed heavily in the air, and it seemed that words could do jackshit to ease the tension between us.

I sighed, refocusing my attention on the road ahead, realizing that there was nothing left to say.

But the red, reckless problem still persisted.

How the fuck was I going to explain this shit to my superior?