by Cat Miller
She watched in fascination as blood bloomed across her jersey to mix with the blood already coating the fabric. Evan shouted in anguish. He tossed down the gun and lunged for Jennifer, but never reached her. The world exploded. Gunfire rang out from the darkness of the desert taking down Evan’s men one by one.
ELEVEN
Rourke listened to the conversation the helicopter pilot was having with his superior officer over the headset and tried to get an idea of what the fuck was going on while he checked and rechecked his weapons. The police personnel in the chopper with him watched curiously as Rourke pulled out each of his guns for one more thorough once over before they touched down in the desert.
“Fuck, man, how much heat are you packin’?” a baby-faced cop asked Rourke.
“As much as it takes,” Rourke replied.
He was much calmer than he was just an hour before, a least outwardly. Rourke retrieved his beloved bike from a local garage that stored and maintained it for him while he was away. He was sitting on the Indian motorcycle, ready and waiting for Luc to call him with the possible location of where Evan’s cronies had taken Jennifer when they dragged her out of the church. He was getting back his woman, right after he laid waste to anyone who stood between himself and Jennifer. When the call finally came, Rourke roared with impotent rage. Luc’s source in the LVMPD was able to follow the progress of the car carrying Jennifer through traffic cameras until it reached the outskirts of town, where the traffic cameras stop. Then, he lost them.
Luc’s contact believed he knew where they might have been taking Jennifer, though. Luc had paid through the nose for the little information he was given, and for Rourke’s current ride-along in the police helicopter. The cops didn’t know who he was or why he was tagging along. The cops were under the impression Rourke was a fed who needed a last minute ride to the scene. The scene of what, Rourke had no idea. He couldn’t ask the officers around him either unless he wanted to answer about who was and why he didn’t already know where they were going. Rourke was going to owe Luc for the rest of his life. Luc had called in so many markers to get Rourke onboard. There was no way he’d be able to repay the favors.
The current situation was worse than Rourke had expected. Infiltrating the home of a crime boss to retrieve Jennifer could be done. There would be bloodshed, but Rourke would do whatever it took to have Jennifer safe in his arms again. Things became substantially more challenging when law enforcement got involved. Rourke would need to watch his every step if he didn’t want to end up in jail for attempted murder or worse.
Evan MacGraff fucked around and got himself tangled up with the feds. His operation had gone unnoticed for the most part. Evan could pay off the locals to keep things under wraps, but somewhere along the way, he’d become overly ambitious. Rourke’s guess was Evan had fucked over the wrong person one time too many on his way to the top and got fingered as a source of illegal substances.
Rourke didn’t have any reliable details, though. Luc could only get very vague information. What little Luc had learned scared the shit out of Rourke. He’d been afraid many times in his service to his country. Every time he went down range, Rourke knew it could be the last. It was a reality of life as a SEAL. It was a risk they all took willingly in defense of their homeland. What he couldn’t willingly do was accept the risk to Jennifer’s life under any circumstances. That scared him more than the prospect of capture, torture, or even death had ever frightened him.
From what Rourke could piece together from Luc’s scarce details and conversations he’d overheard since he boarded the chopper, there was a sting about to down out in the Mojave. The feds were running the show. The Vegas police were hanging back in case back-up were needed. Jennifer was going to be in the middle of a very dangerous situation between two crime families that would be further complicated by the arrival of Uncle Sam with guns blazing. Rourke needed to be there when it all blew over. He didn’t trust anyone to ensure Jennifer’s safety.
If the deal went bad, Rourke had to pray Evan’s obsession with Jennifer would keep her out of harm’s way. Why the fuck Evan would take someone he supposedly cared for into such a volatile meeting, Rourke couldn’t comprehend, but he didn’t possess the mind of a lunatic. Rourke could only hope Jennifer would be left out of sight and off the frontline.
The chopper’s thumping blades spun overhead as Rourke and the rest of the passengers disembarked into the desert night. Rourke crept around the rally point silently, trying not to be noticed by law enforcement. He was dressed in night gear and blended in with the small crowd for the most part. He reconnoitered just long enough to learn the expected position of the massive drug deal about to take place and when it was expected it to go down.
He learned the feds were stationed in several other spots in the area surrounding the planned drop point. The group Rourke flew in with was well in the rear and out of the way just waiting for the call. They all believed it would be a quiet night for them. The locals were at the ready, but it was rare for the feds to need their assistance. Rourke would need to be careful to avoid those forward positions. It wouldn’t be a problem. With all due respect, the federal officers were no real match for the Special Forces unless they had some veterans in their ranks. Rourke would just slip around them unnoticed to get in close to the scene. He wanted to locate Jennifer and be ready to swoop in and extract her as soon as the deal was done. One more agent escorting away a person of interest from the scene could be easily overlooked while feds got their men.
Rourke checked his watch. He had plenty of time. All were ready well ahead of the expected arrival of the criminals. He ghosted into the background, melting into the moonless desert night. He hiked for miles over the rugged terrain in this part of the Mojave. It was like an alien landscape at night with a variety of cacti, creosote shrubs, and rock formations dotting the land. Rourke kept a sharp eye out for snakes and other nocturnal creatures. A run-in with a coyote or a Mojave-Green would not be a good thing. The Mojave rattlesnakes were the most venomous in North America. So, yeah, he was watching his step. Rourke heard the denizens of the deserts rustling around in the brush and caught sight of a coyote in the distance, but he luckily didn’t make any new friends.
When Rourke came across the feds waiting silently undercover, he knew he was close to finding Jennifer. They were positioned at the top of a rise. The action had to be forward from that location. One of the feds spoke softly into his communications device.
“It’s done. No shots fired. We captured everything. Our boy inside was spot on with the local. Bogie one is moving out. Team one, prepare to intercept. Bogie two is packing up. The shipment looks like it will be exiting before the bogie. Team two, be advised, there is an unknown female with Bogie two. She looks to be injured. Somebody roughed her up good. I repeat. Keep your eyes peeled for an injured blond innocent. We are extracting to the rally point. Good lucky, guys. Over.”
Rourke’s heart stuttered. Jennifer was hurt. He had to get to her before Evan moved out. Judging by what he’d overheard, any moment, the feds would move into his location. His chance to reach Jennifer without involving both of them in this legal mess would be gone. Rourke moved stealthily past the retreating agents toward the valley below their observation point.
BANG. BANG.
Two gunshots rang out in the night. Rourke moved faster. The deal was over. Evan’s people were the only ones left. So who the fuck was shooting down there? He heard the agent’s voice again, louder than before.
“Shots fired! Shots fired! What the fuck? Be advised. Boogie two has unloaded. Two down. One of his and the female. I repeat. Two down. Proceed with caution.”
Rourke no longer cared if the agents saw him. He leaped up from his covered position and hauled ass toward the location of the shots. They said Jennifer was down. That fucker had shot his Jennifer. That didn’t mean she was dead, Rourke reminded himself. He’d been shot twice in the line of duty and had survived with only scars after the healing was done. Eit
her way, Rourke was going to jail for murder, because the feds would have Evan MacGraff’s execution on film. That was just fine with Rourke. Life without Jennifer would be useless. He loved her, dammit! This couldn’t happen! They’d just found each other!
He slowed his approach when the shape of two SUVs came into sight. With his heart pounding and shaking his entire body, Rourke forced himself to stop and take inventory of the situation with his own eyes. There were eight people in the clearing. One sprawled on the ground that wasn’t Jennifer, four armed men scattered around the outskirts, a couple standing close to each other, and one more armed man standing near the corpse.
Rourke hunkered down and moved in closer. His heart slowed just a bit when he saw Jennifer. She was standing. She was alive and standing. If she took a bullet, it wasn’t fatally. He just had to get to her without getting her killed. Rourke was trying to decide who to shoot first. He stared down his sights, uncertain if the man supporting Jennifer was Evan. It was too dark, and Rourke didn’t want to fire on that guy until Jennifer was clear.
While Rourke watched, the man released Jennifer, and she stood on her own. He breathed a sigh of relief. She would be okay. Then, everything went to shit. Jennifer jerked an unsecured weapon from the guy’s holster and spun around with the gun raised. She ran at the man who Rourke now assumed was Evan. Evan’s gun was still in his hand. Evan and Rourke both shouted, “No!”
Time froze. Rourke could do nothing to stop what happened next. Jennifer fired and missed. Evan’s gun discharged at the same time Jennifer shot once again. Both of her wild shots missed. Evan’s shot did not. The bullet hit Jennifer in the chest. The force of the hit stopped Jennifer’s forward motion. She staggered backward and crumpled to the ground.
Rourke’s world imploded. He fired round after round into the clearing, hitting several piece-of-shit criminals before the rest scattered and took cover. Rourke continued to fire to spit the return fire whizzing by him and thudding into the ground of the incline. It was too dark for Rourke to be seen but the muzzle flash from his gun gave away his position. Shots stopped coming Rourke’s way. The fuckers were either dead or taking cover. He had emptied two guns and pulled a third from his back holster as he descended the rest of the way down the slope and entered the clearing. The man nearest to Jennifer had leaped forward to cover her body when the bullets began to fly. The other four men were either dead or hiding. He’d hit Evan in the arm to prevent him from firing on Jennifer again. He’d leaped for cover before Rourke could hit something more vital.
With his gun at the ready, Rourke scanned the area for movement as he made a straight line for Jennifer. A fool thing to do when there was still the possibility of armed tangos, but he couldn’t make himself take caution after seeing Jennifer take a round to the chest. She could be alive, and she needed him. Chest heaving, mind spinning, and at a complete loss of every bit of training he’d ever received, Rourke dropped his weapon and knelt next to Jennifer. He rolled the man who’d thrown himself over Jennifer body away. The man was bloody and unconscious.
Jennifer’s eyes were open, staring up at the night sky, and for a split second, Rourke was sure she was gone. He’d been too late to save her. She would never know how much he loved and needed her. Then, Jennifer blinked and looked into Rourke’s grief stricken face.
“Rourke, baby.” She reached out a hand and touched his face.
“I’m here, Jennifer.” His heart started beating again. “I love you, baby.” Rourke kissed her quickly. He scanned the area for Evan before turning his attention to ascertaining the extent of Jennifer’s injuries. “I thought you were dead.” Rourke didn’t mean to snarl, but she’d scared years off his life.
“I thought I was dead. I won’t go with him. Not again.”
He began to return to himself as soon as he heard the sweet sound of Jennifer’s voice. He got his first good look at her and was horrified by the amount of blood. She was wearing the jersey he’d found her in earlier that night and the underwear he’d peeled off of her before they made love. Christ, had that only been hours ago? The long shirt was covered with blood and gore.
“I love you, too,” Jennifer told him with a weak smile. She was smiling, and Rourke looked like a man ready for Bedlam. Jennifer peeked down at her body. “It’s not all mine.”
Not hers? “Where are you hit?” Rourke had to remain composed to keep Jennifer calm, but it was a lot of fucking blood. Blood didn’t bother him at all. He just didn’t want to see this much of Jennifer’s blood.
“Shoulder. The rest of it is his.” She pointed in the general direction of the person who was missing a large portion of his head.
Rourke had seen shoulder wounds. Jennifer was still speaking, so it wasn’t likely the bullet struck an artery. He retrieved his weapon and scooped Jennifer into his arms. He bent low and carried her to the nearest SUV for cover. Nothing had moved. All was silent, and Rourke began to wonder at the lack of federal agents when he knew they were nearby.
After easing Jennifer to the ground and resting her back against the truck, Rourke pulled the knife from his boot and cut her shirt at the neck so he could get a look at her wound. There was a jagged hole in Jennifer’s shoulder. He probed the hole lightly. Jennifer hissed and flinched away from him. He could feel the bullet. It hadn’t gone too deep, but it might be lodged in the bone. It would hurt like hell, but she wasn’t gushing blood, rather it was slowly oozing. It was a good sign.
“I’m sorry, baby, I know that hurts. I needed to see how bad your injury was before I try to move you.” Rourke looked around again. It was far too quiet. “I desperately want to end that motherfucker for this and a hundred other crimes, but getting you to a hospital is more important." Rourke kissed Jennifer quickly. His life had changed in the short time it took him to reach Jennifer after watching her be gunned down. He thought she was dead. Nothing had ever hurt so deeply. He now knew what it would feel like to lose her, and he was going to do what he had to, to ensure that never happened. If she would have him, that is.
Rourke untucked his shirt and used his knife to cut most of his undershirt away to use as a bandage for Jennifer's shoulder. She was looking pale, and her eyes were drifting shut.
"Stay with me, baby." Rourke gave her a little shake. Jennifer's eyes popped open, and she nodded.
She was definitely awake when he wrapped the strip of fabric around her shoulder and under her arm. He tied it in the front so the knot would put pressure on the wound. Tears filled Jennifer’s eyes, but she didn’t complain.
"Can you stand?"
"Yeah. I'm good," Jennifer whispered.
She was looking around at the wounded or possibly dead men Rourke took down when he lost his shit and fired at everything that moved between him and her when she was shot. Rourke hopes the side of him that didn't mind spilling blood when it was warranted would scare his sweet debutant turned showgirl away.
“Did you get Evan?” she asked in a tiny voice. Rourke wished he had now. She was still terrified of the man.
“I hit him in his gun arm,” Rourke admitted. “He’s not dead.”
Rourke lifted Jennifer off the ground and held her until he was sure she could handle her own weight. "Let's get out of here, baby. It's a bit of a hike to reach help."
Rourke was frankly surprised the feds hadn't swarmed the area yet. Something fishy was going down. He would hike back to the local police command position with Jennifer on his back. The helicopter waiting there would be the fastest transport to a hospital. Rourke released Jennifer and reached for his gun.
"Touch that and you die," an angry voice crept out of the darkness.
Rourke froze. Jennifer gasped, and he knew by the frightened look on her face that Evan had returned. "Turn around slowly with your hands up."
Rourke obeyed, slowly turning around and at the same time putting himself between Evan and Jennifer. However, he did not put up his hands. Evan had his sidearm in his one good hand aimed directly at Rourke’s chest. His other arm
was tucked against his chest protectively. He’d pulled off his tie and wrapped it tight.
“You should have killed me. It's a shame Tommy took the hit. I really liked that kid. Sanchez should have given you better information. You knocked off my man instead of me.” Evan shook his head at Rourke as if he were an idiot. “Now, I’m going to let Sanchez deal with you. A quick death is too kind. I’ll send you back to him so he can make you pay for your failure.”
Jennifer stepped closer to Rourke and placed her free hand on his back. She was shaking.
“Jenny, come to me now,” Evan demanded. Jennifer didn’t move from her position behind Rourke, so Evan shouted, “Do you want to see this asshole die today, Jenny? I know you don’t like the sight of blood. Do you want another man’s brains splattered over you? I was going to let him live to send a message to Sanchez. He thinks he can double cross me. Well, I have a surprise for him.” Evan was frothing at the mouth. “I knew that fucker was looking at you for too long. He thought he would take back his product and steal my fucking woman. He’s going to pay for this dearly. Come to me now, or I’ll kill your new friend.”
Rourke assumed the man Evan had just done business with was Sanchez, aka Bogie one. Evan still hadn’t realized he was under surveillance by the feds. Why would he, when Rourke was the only party crasher? Rourke wore all black with nothing to identify him as law enforcement because he wasn’t. Rourke was just a man in love. But Evan assumed he was a hitman for Sanchez.
And Jenny? Rourke couldn’t imagine calling his graceful yet artsy Jennifer, Jenny. She would never be Jenny. Rourke would bet Jennifer hated the nickname, too.
Jennifer slowly began to edge around Rourke. He was going to spank her ass when they got out of this. Did she think Rourke would ever put his life before her safety? She was distracting Evan, though, so Rourke let her take a couple of slow steps.
