They rounded the corner, two of the four guards flying over the roof. As the crashed through the gate, the others jumped out of the way to avoid the mangled fence.
“You just hit those men!” Connor screamed at her.
Pan gripped the wheel tighter. She’s hit those men and would run over others if it meant she got there in to save Emilio and Nic. They were Max’s thugs anyway. Guys who had no problem kidnapping and beating a kid, maybe even killing a kid.
She could see his bike to her the right. No one else guarded the bike, so she could only assume they were inside. She debated what to do. Outside the car, they were helpless. To the left was the truck access door. The main door had been lifted, but a strong metal gate had been pulled across.
“Don’t even think about it,” Connor said. “This thing would never drive again.”
Pan slammed her foot the floor and raced up the ramp.
“It doesn’t need to drive if we can get to them.”
The battering ram on the front of the car did little to soften the impact of the gate. Unlike the chain, the gate strong had little room to bend. It was only with a little luck that the chain and lock wrapped around the fence broke.
Pan and Connor covered their faces as the windshield shattered in on them. The sides of the fence scraped along the car as they went past, the grinding metal a sure sign to those inside that something was going on.
Pan peeked her eyes open and nearly choked at the sight. She had expected that there might be a small bump at the end but not the six-foot plummet looming before her. She hesitated. Break or gas? She floored it and held tight to the wheel.
“Oh no.” Connor sounded like he might be sick.
They flew through the air, and for a second, it seemed entirely possible that things would work out well. Then the reality of the floor came crashing in on the. Literally.
The car crunched as it hit the floor and several loud pops could be heard. Amazingly, they were still able to move. Pan continued to floor it. Sparks flew in all directions from the car. The grinding sound that was coming out of the vehicle meant it wasn’t long for this world.
Pan dodged various machines and a conveyor belt as she wildly flew through the rows. When the back wall came into view, she spotted monster that had caused all of this. Max stood over Emilio. Blood raced down his arm. Nic sat off in the corner. She made a snap decision.
She pressed hard on the horn and hoped that he would hear. Surely, he would know it was her. Who else would pull this kind of stunt? Pan aimed the car and prayed.
“What the fuck is going on?” Max pulled back. His men were already running out the back door.
Emilio spit the blood out of his mouth and covered the graze on his arm.
“Sounds like my reinforcements are here.” Emilio turned and watched as the unmarked car wildly made its way toward him. “Un-fucking-believable.”
He launched himself at Nic, knocking them both behind the metal rail on the side. He turned to see the black car screech to its side and slide forward, blocking Max in.
Connor, pale and slightly shaken, crawled out the window facing Max, gun drawn and ready. The sound of sirens cried in the distance, getting closer by the second.
Pan leapt from the driver’s side and stormed out of the car. She was a sight to be seen, even in his sweats and little tank.
“You were supposed to stay at the hotel.” Emilio gave her a stern look.
“What, so you and Nic could get killed?” Pan continued to storm over to them. “Not on your life, buddy.”
Pan first examined Nic and then turned her attention to Emilio.
“No bullet holes?” She gently touched the large gash on his arm.
“Just grazed me.” He looked at his blood-soaked shirt. “I think he was just trying to scare me. It’s not like he can get money from a corpse.”
The relief flooded through her, then contorted to rage. Pan pulled back and socked him right in the gut. Emilio doubled over at the impact.
“Don’t you ever fucking tell a woman you love her and then leave to go get killed.”
Emilio straightened up to see the pain in her eyes. She threw herself in his arms and squeezed.
“I love you too, dumbass.”
Emilio shook to keep from laughing. Yes, that was just the confession he was looking for.
Epilogue
Pan and Emilio stood, arms linked, in his mother’s living room. It had been months since that night without so much as a peep.
“We still don’t know who was behind this mystery shipment and exactly what Max was buying into. He’s been very tight lipped since we took him in. Likely trying to save his own ass.” He looked around the room, his gaze lingered on Maria. “We got wind that your father might have played more of a role than we thought, but we’re still piecing things together.”
They all shared shocked looks except Mama Diaz.
Connor turned to her.
“This doesn’t seem like a surprise to you.”
She shook her head. A single tear rolled down.
“It doesn’t. I knew he was in something big. Kept telling me we’d be able to retire on some island.” She looked at Connor. “That kind of money doesn’t just come from nowhere.”
“Well,” he said. “You hear anything, anything at all, you call me.”
He stopped when he reached Maria. “Or if you just need to talk,” he said quietly and wrote down his cell. His fingers slipped along hers as he passed over his card.
Emilio clapped him on the back and shook him back to reality.
“Thanks again for everything. Not so sure I’d be here if it weren’t for you.”
“Thank your damn fiancée.” Connor shook his finger at her. “You’re never getting near my car again.”
He huffed out the door.
A chime broke the silence, and Pan looked at her phone.
“Oh my God. We have to go right now.” She yanked on Emilio.
“What the—” Emilio started as she pulled him hard behind her.
“That baby! She’s having the baby!” Excitement raced through her. She hopped up and down.
Emilio pulled her in and kissed her hard.
“Now let’s go see what we’ve got.”
***
They quickly made their way to the hospital and up to the maternity ward. Pan paced the halls waiting for any news. She stopped short when Luc burst into the hall beaming like a new father.
“It’s a girl!” he nearly shouted.
Pan weaved around him to make her way to her sister’s bed.
Ten little fingers, ten little toes and a head of dark brown hair. Her niece was the spitting image of her mother and aunt.
Pan smiled at a very tired Iris. The effects of motherhood radiated off her.
“Please tell me you didn’t name her Crocus.” She grinned.
“Lilly,” Iris said softly.
“Mama would have been so happy she had her name.” Pan cradled little Lilly’s sweet head.
She kissed her sister and Luc congratulations and let Emilio pull her from the room. In the hall she wrapped herself in his warm embrace.
“Soon,” he whispered in her ear.
“Soon?”
“Soon that will be us. Happy family. Ready to take on anything that comes our way.” Emilio smiled lovingly at her.
“Okay, but I’m buying her a leather jacket. In this family she’s going to have to learn to kick a little ass.”
Emilio chuckled at the thought of a little mini-Pan.
“She sure will.”
By day, Madison Stevens is a mom, wife, house cleaner, short-order cook and underpaid custodian. When night comes, she gets to hang up those jobs, enjoy the silence and become a sex goddess, or, when she has a headache, cook and read.
She can be contacted at [email protected].
Letting Go (Road House Series #1)
A nasty breakup isn’t going to stop Sarah from getting what she wants. And what she wan
ts is her too hot boss with his bad-boy image and aloof attitude.
The last thing Jake ever expected was that sweet little Sarah would make a play for him. For months, he’s kept to himself and bit his tongue about her less than stellar boyfriend. Now that she’s given the green light, he’s not stopping until he gets what he’s been imagining since she walked into his bar.
The fires of passion might just be what they need to soothe both their hungry bodies and souls.
Holding On (Road House Series #2)
Iris wants nothing more than a simple, quiet life until she meets ex-Navy SEAL Luc. The sexy motorcycle mechanic ignites a hidden passion in her, but his hot and cold attitude leaves her frustrated and confused. She needs a man who is willing to put it all out there.
Luc was burned in the past by his fiancée. Physically scarred and emotionally torn, Luc struggles to make his heart meet up with what is in his head. But Iris isn’t going to take no for an answer, even if that means she has to break out of her shell.
Both Iris and Luc can only begin to heal once they stop dwelling in the past and start holding on to each other.
Table of Contents
Copyright
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Epilogue
Author Bio
Also By
Standing By (Road House) Page 7
