Page 76 of The Commander

I rub the back of my head, flinching as the pain rachets up a notch. “Sure. Can I get some water and pain meds? Your boys left a lump.”

Without taking his eyes off me, the El Jefe says, “Get him some water.”

No pain meds.

Got it.

Not that I’d trust any white pill they handed me.

For now, I’ll give them the impression I’m going along with their plan and not causing any trouble. That I believe I’ll be traded and home tomorrow. I don’t believe that for a single second.

“Don’t do anything stupid.” El Jefe narrows his eyes and glances around the room.

I hold up my hands. “No worries. I’m just one of the boys. Eager to get home and watch the game this weekend.”

He doesn’t believe a word of what I’m saying in return.

I only have to stay alive for a few hours. Surely someone in law enforcement knows where these goons live. Or Travis can track the Hummer’s journey.

The Black Hawke team will be here in the next few hours and I’ll either be out the window by then or still trying to unscrew the damn thing.

Then, I go get my girl.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

QUINN

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I slip one leg over the back of the tailgate, letting my body move next, then lift the other one.

I drop to the ground and finally let out my breath.

Checking to make sure my phone is on silent, I crouch and take in my surroundings.

Yup, it’s a residential property. Middle class with houses set slightly off the road with a short driveway and a handful of vehicles parked on it and out front. Two SUVs, a sedan. All newer. The house is non-descript in a soft gray color—or so it appears in the dark—with a black front door. The windows are covered in drapes with very few lights on.

I lean further and spot a guy to the side of the doorstep, leaning against a post, smoking a cigarette. He blows out a plume of smoke as he hugs his weapon.

Christ.

I need to get somewhere safe because Josh and the team are going to arrive in the next few minutes, and while they’re experts at this stuff, me being in the way will be a problem.

But Noah.

What if they’re holding a gun to his head right now? I can’t jump the fence and wait, knowing he’s inside the house and his life is in danger. There’s no way I could curl up in a bush waiting for the sound of a gunshot as they take the life of the man I love.

I love Noah.

I would have to live without him for the rest of my life, knowing I was a coward. I didn’t come all this way to hide.

I calculate the time and wonder how hard it would be to find Noah. The house isn’t big...but I’m not armed.

Shit, shit, shit.

In this moment, nothing else matters but finding him and getting him out, but I’m not bulletproof and have nothing but my training.

Which tells me to wait for the SEAL.