Page 58 of Her Ruthless Protector

“I’m making out some of it. Red pants wants to question Abia and find out what she found out from her husband. He’s pissed, Kane. He has to be working for her father-in-law.”

They all started to yell again, and now Abia got down on her knees, she was begging.

“What now, Zed? What are they saying? Leo and I both have clear shots. We can take him out in a heartbeat.”

“Hold up. He’s saying something interesting now. He’s trying to be persuasive and get these two guys to have a meet with al Fadi’s father-in-law. It seems like the mission has changed. Old guy now wants to take credit for the terrorist attack, he doesn’t want to make it look like Saudi Arabia did it. He needs these two guys’ help.”

Hoots of laughter went up in the courtyard. Hell, even two of the women surrounding Abia were laughing. Nobody was on-board with the new plan. Kane could see red pants really losing his shit.

Kane was busy calculating the odds. Four men against three SEALs? Piece of cake. Taking at least two of them alive and making sure the women and children stayed safe… a little tougher.

“Zed, what’s your position like?” Kane asked.

“I’m fortified. I can draw fire and be fine.”

“Take out the three o’clock bogey and turban. As you’re drawing fire, Leo and I will invade.”

“Affirmative.”

As soon as the word was out of his mouth, two shots rang out. Only one real scream—instead there was stunned silence at the sick horror of two head shots. The lieutenant who was still alive did a three-sixty around the courtyard looking for the shooter, not red pants. He zeroed in on Zed in a heartbeat and shot.

Leo and Kane waited for the Lieutenant to follow suit so that his attention would be drawn away from the gate before entering the courtyard. Finally, he saw red pants and started yelling curses in Arabic at the unknown assailant and let loose with a flurry of bullets.

With the sound of gunfire and the women now screaming—one who was sobbing over one of the two dead bodies—and two remaining chained-up dogs barking, Leo and Kane easily made their way into the tiny area unnoticed. Still, red pants must have sensed something because he started to turn. His gun was shot out of his hand. Score three for Zed Zaragoza.

Kane rushed the fourth man. The takedown was textbook. He had him disarmed and a knife to his neck before he knew what was happening. Red pants was writhing on the ground and Leo had his gun trained on the women.

“Zed, what’s your ETA?” Kane demanded. He didn’t immediately answer. “Zed?”

“Got a little problem,” Zed wheezed.

“Dammit, I thought you said the spot was fortified.”

“Ricochet,” Zed’s voice was low.

Kane’s blood turned to ice. “Leo, go get the truck and get Zed, I’ve got this under control.”

“I don’t need you to leave now. I’m fine.” Zed’s voice sounded hoarse through the receiver. “I can make it.”

“Leo, do what I say,” Kane said harshly. His prisoner was getting antsy and he wasn’t going to put up with it. He brought the butt of his gun down on his head, knocking him out. He watched dispassionately as he fell to the ground. He and red pants would now be easier to load into the truck so that they could deal with Zed and his little problem.

Leo had already bolted out of the courtyard.

Keeping his gun trained on the women, he went over to the man with the red pants and looked at his wound. Not good. He was definitely going to lose some fingers.

“Come here,” he spoke to Abia in Arabic. “I need you to help me bandage him.”

She was smart. She realized that Kane and his men had saved her life and the lives of her children. She came over and was immediately tearing at the bottom of her hijab. Kane noted that she was wearing tennis shoes underneath her robes. She handed him strips of cloth and he began bandaging his hand as red pants moaned.

“Zed? Check in, man.”

Still nothing. He hated this.

“Leo, where are you?”

“I’m in the truck. I found his motorcycle, now I’m trying to find him.”

The man on the ground rolled over fast.