Page 76 of Deadly Secrets

We waste no time making our way to the main house. Following the person in front of us, we only leave a few feet of distance between us to check for potential threats.

“On the roof,” Brass says from behind me and I look up.

A man drops down where a rifle is propped up on the ledge. I’m still moving as I take aim with my AR and squeeze the trigger. The jolt to my shoulder when the bullet releases is smooth and I hit my target, taking him down before he even has a chance to fire his weapon.

The sound of gunfire starts to ring out as our group fans out, getting closer to the main house. We stop at the back of the cabana and reload after putting down a few more men.

“Everyone okay?” Stone asks before tapping his earpiece. “The second is here and they are coming through the tunnels now,” he informs us just as a man comes running by.

He stops in his tracks a few yards away when he sees us. Moving his arm, he swings the gun in his hand in our direction but I’m faster. I get a headshot off before he has time to blink and his body folds to the ground.

I look around at the back part of the property and see our first group spread out.

“Let’s cut through the pool shrub and go through that window there,” Stone says, pointing in the direction he just described.

We nod and push off just as we see the group from the second plane coming out from the bunker to join the fight. It’s easy to tell us apart from the cartel with our club in all black and them in blue and gray camo.

The path we take has us taking on fire. More of the cartel show up on the roof to take aim and the sound of bullets whizzing by our heads drives home how real this all is. We finally make it to the back of the white house and I can feel the burn in my lungs from sprinting to take cover. Brass is breathing so heavy, I’m afraid he might pass out.

“Gonna have to slow down on smoking so much when we get back home,” he wheezes with a smirk, sweat dripping down his face.

“Which window do you want to enter, Prez?” I ask as we crouch down and check our surroundings.

The sounds of yelling and shouting from inside the house can be heard through the clear pane just above us. Just as Stone is about to pick one, a shattering sound next to us has our attention and guns trained on the small frame from the basement. A frantic female hand comes out sweeping the shards away. Right before I’m about to shove my gun in the open frame, a head full of light brown hair comes out and the woman tries to fit through the small box window.

“Damn it!” she says frustrated as she struggles to crawl out. That voice is one I thought I’d never hear again. A wave of relief shoots through me, followed immediately by my instinct to spank the shit out of her for pulling something like this. Doesn’t she know that bullets are flying and she could get caught in the crosshairs trying to go all cowboy without help?

Bending down, I push the AR strapped to me to the side and reach for her wrists. She starts to fight, not realizing who I am.

“It’s me, Remi. It’s me,” I tell her as she grips a piece of glass in her hand and tries to swipe it at me.

Her face looks up to mine as I help get the rest of her body clear of the tight fit. The look on her face melts and tears well up in her eyes.

“I knew you’d come,” she says, dropping the glass and launching herself at me. I’ve never felt relief like this before.

“I’ll always come for you, pretty girl,” I say as I bury my face in her neck. I only get a short few seconds before I’m pulling back. “We need to get you outta here,” I tell her and see that Stone, Havoc and Brass have made a human shield around us.

I go to move her away from the wall but she stops me.

“Wait, Ryder,” she halts and yanks me back to the window.

The crack in my chest widens as I remember watching the video.

“I saw the video,” I start. “That bastard is going to pay for what he did.”

“Okay, but we need to help get him out through there,” she says pointing at where she just came from.

“Ryder’s body is in there?” Brass asks.

“Body?” Remi looks at him confused.

“Mom!” we hear a yelling whisper and that has us all turning and seeing the top of my son’s head.

“What the fuck?” Havoc blurts out just as Brass points at something and shoots.

I drop down to my stomach and reach my arm into the window. My hand makes contact with Ryder and I gasp, feeling the warmth of his skin against mine.

“Son,” I breathe out.