Chapter 47
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
Gideon
I’d gathered my men, had three SUVs filled with them. I’d sent one of my guys ahead to scout, and he’d informed me from his location that Benito’s numbers were small. We’d outnumber him easily.
“Let’s go,” I said from my spot in the SUV. We’d just pulled onto the road, when my spotter, Tate, called me. “We’re on our way,” I answered.
“Boss, something’s happened.”
“What?”
“I was watching the property but I saw something. Jennifer Everton.”
That fucking bitch. “I want her too.”
“No, Boss, she was running away from the house…she had the twins.”
I swore my heart stopped. “What,” I gasped.
“I intercepted her. I have them.” There was a crackle and then, “Daddy!” Olivia and Owen’s voices were like music.
“Babies! Oh my God, are you okay?”
“Daddy! Penn, you have to save him…he’s hurt bad. He said not to watch but I saw, I can’t see his eyes anymore. They’re gonna kill him, Daddy.” Olivia was hysterical.
“I’m on my way, Livy. You and Owen stay with Tate.”
“Boss.”
“Is Jennifer with you?”
“You better fucking believe it.”
“Don’t let her out of your sight. Keep my kids safe; I’ll be there in five.”
“You got it.”
“What’s going on?” Ronnie asked from the front seat.
“Tate has the twins…Penn’s in serious trouble. Step on it.”
No one spoke as we whizzed through the streets, ignoring lights and pretty much any law that got in the way of me getting to my Penn.
I closed my eyes and pressed my forehead against the seat in front of me. “Don’t you die, on me, baby,” I whispered.
Our SUVs parked behind Tate’s and I got out. No sooner had the doors opened did I have arms full of Olivia and Owen. Their cries broke my heart. I was fucking up their lives. Would they ever forgive me?
“I got you.” I kissed their heads, breathed in their scent, and thanked whoever was listening. But I knew who’d made this happen. Once again, Penn had saved my children. Now I had to save him.
I turned to Jennifer, who was shaking from her seat in the SUV. “Where is he?”
“Basement,” she answered quickly.
“And how the hell do I get in there?”
“Side door is what I used.”
I reluctantly pushed the twins off me. “I’m going to go get Penn now, how’s that sound?” They nodded, too upset to speak. “You stay with Tate, okay? I will be right back.” I shot them a wink.
I glanced at Tate, who dipped his chin. “I got them.”
“If it gets dicey, drive away. That’s an order.”
“Yes, Boss.”
I turned and my guys were there, ready, like a small army. They’d seen carnage today, watched their friends die, and now Penn was in that house, and we’d all been pushed to our limit.
“Let’s move.”
Tate wasn’t kidding when he’d said Benito didn’t have a lot of men, which proved the Bratva were where the numbers were. The pakhan had given him a few of their men, but not enough to save him.
We had suppressors, and Ronnie took out two men on the side of the house. Once we got to the door, I waited for the count and the moment Carl held up the third finger, Ronnie swung the door open. The basement was dark and empty. Was Jennifer lying?
“Boss,” Carl whispered and motioned to an ajar metal door. There was a smaller room in the basement.
“I’m going to kill you,” I heard Benito’s voice roar.
I didn’t think; I charged toward the room. The second I opened the door, my blood ran cold. It was a scene I’d witnessed once before. Penn tied, bleeding…dying. This time he wasn’t alone. Benito had a gun pressed to his head.
I wanted him to suffer. Benito deserved Alex’s pain. Benito hadn’t heard us, but with his gun to Penn, I had to be careful. I gestured for Carl to go left and Ronnie right. I was going to come up behind him. I just needed them to get the gun off Penn.
I nodded and Ronnie kicked Benito’s knee out, and the gun jerked up and went off, but it hit the ceiling, not Penn.
Carl tackled Benito to the ground and I pulled the gun from his hand and pointed it at his face. His eyes widened when he realized who’d bested him.
“You lose, Benny.”
He sneered. “Go on then, do it, shoot me.”
I tucked his gun into my pants. “You don’t die easy. Get him the fuck out of here.”
“Key,” Penn mumbled.
I reached into Benito’s pockets, finding it, and then letting Carl take him out. As quickly as I could, I got him free. He fell into my arms, weak, likely from blood loss.
“We have to stop meeting like this,” he said as I held him in my arms.
“I agree, baby.”
My guys cleared out the house of anyone who was a threat, and I carried Penn to the SUV. The twins cried as soon as they saw him but were gentle. Jennifer stared down at his bloodied body, and I crooked my finger at her.
“Come with me.”
I could tell she definitely did not want to do that, but the click of Tate’s gun made her move her ass.
“Mr. Hendrix, I’m sorry, I didn’t really know what Benito was capable of, he said he loved me. Was trying to build a better place. I had no idea—”
“Shh.” I pressed my finger to her lips. “Walk with me.”
I had to get Penn to the hospital, but this wouldn’t take long.
“Okay.”
I led her toward a large tree and around the other side where my twins couldn’t see, in case they were watching. I spun on her, gripped her neck, and slammed her against the trunk.
“Nobody touches my children and lives to tell a soul about it. You played games, Jennifer. You came into my house to what, get information? You were an instrument in Benito’s orchestra and while you never personally killed anyone, every person’s blood who died today is on your hands.”
“Mr. Hendrix, please,” she choked.
“I have no room for your apologies, Ms. Everton. In case it wasn’t clear, you’re fired.” I gripped her head in my hands and snapped her neck. Her body crumpled to the ground.
Without a second glance, I stepped over her and to the SUV. When I got in, Ronnie looked at me.
“Let’s get to the hospital.”
Nobody asked where Jennifer was.