Page 62 of Redemption in the Dark (The Righteous 5)
She wrapped her arms around his neck and let the tears flow. She let out every last piece of the pain she’d held deep inside, and he took it all. He gave her a safe space to feel what she needed to feel.
“I killed him. I remember I killed him.”
“Who, who did you kill,” he asked softly as his hand rubbed her back.
“I killed Daddy.”
Maeve passed out in his arms. He looked down at the top of her head, her arms still clinging tightly around his neck. It was like she was afraid he might disappear. He kissed the top of her head and breathed in her scent. She always smelled like candy to him, sweet candy and wildflowers.
When he’d lost his sister, he thought he would never recover from the pain, but he’d been wrong. When he lost Jimmy and took the bullet, he thought nothing could hurt worse. Once more, he’d been wrong.
Maeve proved that to him tonight.
He’d told himself to keep his distance and not get anywhere near the line again, but he couldn’t stop himself. The feelings were there, and seeing her so broken hurt more than anything had in his life.
He’d wanted to ask who Daddy was, but she’d cried until her body wore out. Now, he wanted her to rest peacefully before they had to go.
He flicked off the single side table lamp in the living room and rocked Maeve softly. The clock on the wall slowly ticked passed two and then three. As it got close to four, he stood with her still in his arms and headed to the spare bedroom to pack.
When he passed the first window, a movement outside caught his eye.
It had been nothing more than a brief shadow, a darkness that interrupted the image of the cows bathed in moonlight, but it was enough. The hair on the nape of his neck stood. Duke confirmed his suspicions when he slid off the couch and growled.
He watched Duke closely as the dog tilted his head and looked from one wall to the next. They were surrounded. Duke’s hackles rose, and his lips were peeled back to show off his large canines. He was focused on the door.
“Duke, come.” He quickly made his way to the spare room. “Maeve, wake up.” He pulled on her arms around his neck. “Maeve, I need you to wake up.” She stirred and slowly lifted her head.
“What’s going on,” she asked and then yawned.
“We have company and not the good kind. I need you to stay in here with Duke.”
Her eyes immediately became alert. “I can help.”
“I know you can, but I know my house. If someone comes in this room, let Duke do his job and take this.” He pulled the knife from the sheath on his belt just as the front porch creaked. “Take it, and please stay in here. Remember what I said, let Duke do his job. He knows it well. Oh, and stay low to the ground.” She nodded.
Like a shadow, he slipped across the hallway to his bedroom. Opening the closet door, he hit the release on the secret compartment, and the weapons rack slid out from the wall. He grabbed his machete and the strap that held it along his back. Then he pulled out his gun and quickly loaded it.
Reaching inside the closet, his hand found the switch to the special lights, and then he waited. He didn’t have to wait long before the front door smashed open. He could picture them in his mind, how they would enter in formation, guns ready as they assessed their surroundings.
Wolf closed his eyes and focused on the sound of the boots.
Four.
There were four people in the house.
He pulled the switch, and the entire house lit up like it was a Friday night at a fun house. Strobe lights flashed brightly in every room, and loud rock music suddenly blared from the hidden speakers in the walls. He raced out of the room and watched as the disoriented guys bumped into one another.
Many hours of practice were required to learn to maneuver through what he had going on out there and not be affected by the crazy lights. The beams he had bouncing around affected a person’s depth perception.
He hoped these mercenaries hadn’t thought to train for anything like this.
He dashed to the side, and the guys saw him but couldn’t keep track of him as he veered toward the front door, kicking it back into place. With quick precision, he shot the guy closest to him in the leg. The guy yelled and fell onto his good knee, and Wolf quickly shot the man’s shooting arm, dropping him to the ground. He’d inflicted non-life-threatening shots if the guy was treated in the next few hours, but the wounds would be extremely painful.
The soft pop of bullets started to sound, and bits of table and wall sent wood splinters flying as the men shot at him but missed. He dodged between two of them, giving them cheap shots, stealing weapons, and tossing them aside as he went. One of the guys took friendly fire and fell with a scream onto the floor to join the man Wolf had already shot.
The third of the four men leaped over his companion’s downed body and knocked Wolf back with a boot to the chest. With a quick strike, the gun went flying out of his hand. The thing went off, shattering the window as it flew and landed harmlessly on the floor.
The fight was on as he hit the masked man across the face with a left hook and then dodged before getting the same treatment.
