Page 78 of Striker
Rogue approached Rex. He seized the man by his elbow and hauled him into a sitting position. “Got you. Fucking slimy prick.”
Rex wore a smug smile. “How’s the pretty girl? I heard she wasn’t a fan of swimming.”
In a rush of fury, Atlas booted Rex in the mouth.
Rex let out a pitiful scream, blood oozing from his lips. “You broke my fucking tooth!” he bellowed, spitting remnants to the ground.
“You’re lucky I don’t break your fucking neck.” He bunched his free hand into a fist. The other strangled the handle of his rifle.
Rogue stepped between them, laying a hand on Atlas’s shoulder. “Dude, he’s not worth it. You know we’ve gotta bring him in.”
He clenched his back teeth. “I know. What do we do with the woman?”
“That’s the thing. I need to talk to you.” He pulled Atlas aside, away from the perps. When they were out of earshot, he turned to face him.
“What’s going on?”
Rogue’s expression was grim. “I’m worried about Wraith. He’s lost a lot of blood, and I suspect his leg’s broken.”
“Fuck.”
“The drive will take too long. We need the chopper.”
Warning shot through Atlas. They’d left the bird in the city because they’d wanted to get in close without the noise of the heli.
“How are we going to get it?”
Rogue sighed. “We need Viper to bring it.”
“And what about Molly?” he snapped.
“Rex is caught. He can’t call anyone. Can’t arrange shit. I don’t think she’ll be in danger. It’ll be a couple of hours max. You take the chopper back with Wraith, Viper, and Reaper. I’ll drive with Havoc and our captives. If anything, you’ll get back to her sooner.”
Some of the heat left his face. He nodded slowly. He hated the idea, but Rogue was right. Even if Rex had more men he could send after Molly, he didn’t have use of a phone. And if Atlas could get back to her sooner, there was even less risk. “All right.”
Rogue nodded once. “Call her. Tell her the plan. I’ll have Viper roll out.”
Chapter
Nineteen
“Are you sure you’re okay with this? Because if you’re not, I’ll find another solution. I promise.”
Molly sat on the bed, her free hand tucked beneath her thigh. Atlas’s question was strained and concerned, and not just for her. By the sounds of it, Wraith was badly hurt, and she wouldn’t prevent someone from getting medical attention because of her own fears.
“I’ll be fine. I know you wouldn’t even suggest leaving me alone if it wasn’t safe.” Also the truth. From the get-go, Atlas had been a steadfast protector. Now that Rex was caught, the threat was gone. Rex couldn’t hurt her or send someone to kill her if he was restrained.
“I still don’t like it,” he said, his tone filled with dread.
She pulled her legs up onto the bed and folded them into a pretzel. “We’re both so used to having someone come after us—me—that safety feels impossible. Hell, if Rex were dead, we’d still feel uneasy returning to normal life.”
He grunted in agreement. “You’ll be alone for about ninety minutes. I’d be back even sooner if we didn’t have to take Wraith to the hospital. Are you sure you’ll be all right?” he asked again, his voice low with concern.
A tremor rolled down her spine. The last time she’d been alone, she’d been strangled in her bathtub. It’d be a long time before she was all right. But she couldn’t let a man die, either. “Maybe I’ll go for a drive. I could have Viper drop me off at my apartment. I have my car keys, so I wouldn’t have to go inside.”
“That would work.”
She’d certainly feel safer taking an evening walk on the beach or maybe stopping by a busy café than waiting in a hotel room by herself.
