Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Savanna stared at the screens, her heart thrashing in her chest as she counted three heavily armed men inside the living room and two more on another screen collapsing toward the center of the cabin like well-trained operatives. Collapsing? Marcus, are you in my head? Because I kind of need you right now. She was certain he’d been watching over her the other night—otherwise, she’d have walked home alone like normal and . . . she didn’t want to even guess what those men would have done to her.
But unlike the men at her townhouse, or the guy Griffin had killed right before her eyes as they made their escape from Jesse’s last night, these guys were dressed in all-black combat gear. No night-vision goggles, but their faces were hidden by balaclavas. And that quick flicker of the lights just as they arrived probably meant they’d tried to kill the power, but Griffin’s father’s security system had overridden that attempt. The real problem was Griffin facing five armed men on his own. And what if there were more waiting outside?
Abuela, if you’re up there watching out for me, don’t let anything happen to him. Please. Savanna sent the silent prayer to her grandmother, who’d been the most spiritual of anyone in their family. “And, Marcus?” She spoke aloud this time, finding herself wondering if the bolt of lightning that tore her away from Griffin not too long ago had been sent by Mother Nature or her late husband. “We could use some help,” she whispered, her eyes shifting to the weapons on the wall, one of which she was particularly familiar with.
A look back to the four screens mounted on the opposite wall had her dragging in deep breaths to calm herself down. Where was the emergency button to summon the police? Once she spotted it, rather than immediately sending the SOS, her hand hovered over the button. Should she wait as he’d requested or go ahead and press it?
She opted to follow his request, then returned her attention to the security panel and discovered that the cameras were equipped with audio, but they were on mute. The moment she flipped on the sound, she spotted Griffin on the second level that overlooked the downstairs. He’d positioned himself flat on his belly, his rifle aimed down into the living room as he looked onto the group of men who’d now all converged there.
She had no clue how he’d managed to get upstairs since the staircase was off the living room, but he now had a strategic advantage, right? What had Marcus called that? Overwatch?
“Come out, Griff. I know you’re here. Watching us. I don’t want to shoot you, so please don’t make me.” A man broke away from the rest of the group and tilted his face up to view the second floor as if he knew Griffin was there. “We need the girl. Give her up, and we all walk away from this unscathed.”
Griff? How the hell did he know Griffin was there with her, even if the place did belong to his dad? Who were these men? Definitely not the Greeks. She didn’t think so, at least. These men had fast-roped onto the property like Marcus and A.J. would have done during one of their clandestine ops back in the day.
Griffin remained silent and steady despite the man having just called out his name, and Savanna waited for Griffin to make a move. He’d obviously been spotted, and he was clearly outnumbered. Even if he were to fire, he didn’t have enough cover to protect himself.
The man downstairs, most likely the leader, took another careful step and lifted his balaclava. “It’s me. You won’t shoot me. I know you.”
This time, Griffin reacted. She couldn’t see his face, but he slowly rose while maintaining hold of his rifle.
“Joe?” Griffin sounded surprised as well as confused. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Joe? Another J name. Freaking perfect. And wow, what is wrong with my brain to think about that right now?
Without waiting for this Joe guy to answer, Griffin approached the top of the stairs. He must have believed Joe wouldn’t shoot him. “Tell your men to drop their weapons,” Griffin ordered, all signs of confusion and surprise gone as he slowly descended the stairs. That gave her a little hope. “I will drop as many of your men as possible if they don’t put down their guns, and you know that.” His deep voice rang with clear intent. Back to the staircase and head on a swivel, he scanned the room, keeping track of all of his targets.
Joe allowed his sling to catch his own rifle, then signaled for his men to lower theirs. Savanna clutched her chest with relief, but it wasn’t over yet.
Despite the melee these men had caused, Griffin and Joe knew each other, so that was promising. It had to be a mistake, right? But the next words from Joe’s mouth sent chills down Savanna’s spine.
“I don’t know why you’re harboring an enemy, a threat to national security. But you need to give up the girl,” Joe demanded, ice in his tone.
Griffin positioned his attention directly on the man, and while Savanna only had a profile view, his body language couldn’t hide his shock and anger.
Criminal? National security threat? What the hell was he talking about?
“You saved my ass in Fallujah, so we’ll call this even when I let you live tonight.” Joe pulled his mask back in place.
Iraq? This man had been in Iraq with Griffin? Was he military? No, that didn’t make sense. Although the way he moved and talked was indicative of a serviceman, so maybe. But why would a team of special operators drop onto the property and storm the cabin? Why’d they think she was a criminal? What’d you get me involved in, Nick?
“Well, we’re not in Fallujah. You’re on private property, and she’s not going anywhere. You’ll have to go through me to get to her.” Griffin kept his rifle level, aimed at Joe’s chest.
“I’m not gonna shoot you, Griff. You know I can’t do that,” Joe said a few seconds later, seeming to be contemplating his options as he looked around at the other men hanging back as though waiting for orders.
“But we’ll fight you. And I know you well enough to believe you won’t bring a gun to a fistfight.” Joe swung his arm out and pointed randomly at his men. “Marines, Army Rangers, SEALs . . . All vets. Are you going to shoot a bunch of veterans?”
Griffin’s gaze never veered from Joe. “I won’t let you take her. No matter what.”
No, no, no. She couldn’t let Griffin do this for her. If he killed a fellow serviceman, he’d never be able to live with himself. She didn’t need to know him well to be certain that kind of kill would haunt him forever. He wouldn’t be able to dehumanize his enemy tonight the way he’d done at Jesse’s. “No,” she cried out, her hands trembling and her mind racing as she tried to figure out a plan.
“He won’t shoot.” Joe motioned for two of his men to approach Griffin.
Savanna sucked in a sharp breath when Griffin hesitated. Something he would never have done if they were civilians. Joe had guessed right. Griffin couldn’t shoot a brother-in-arms.
He lowered his rifle as the two men approached, fists raised, prepared to fight their way through him to get to her. Why am I so important?
“She doesn’t know where Nick is,” Griffin said while unstrapping the vest of ammo to reveal his bare chest. He wore jeans and nothing else, not even boots for added force when kicking. “If that’s why you’re here.”
Joe didn’t respond. He didn’t believe him?
“Whatever you think you know about her . . . you’re wrong. She’s not a criminal,” was all Griffin was able to say before the man off to his left came at him swinging.
Griffin struck him in the gut, causing the guy’s legs to buckle slightly, but he was still in the game.
As the second man came at Griffin from behind, Griffin pulled his first target into some type of clinch while kicking the guy currently attacking from behind.
Close-quarter grappling. That’s a Muay Thai clinch. Griffin’s got this . He’s in the dominant position. She swore Marcus was once again in her head. Chills coasted down her arms, and she crossed them over her chest.
And as Griffin maneuvered all three of them into what was basically a triangle formation, she knew he’d be able to handle both men. Maybe even a third as Jesse had done at her townhouse.
At that point, Joe ordered the other two men over. “Four to one?” She gasped when the two other guys grabbed hold of each of Griffin’s arms.
Griffin tried to resist, and although she didn’t exactly have an HD view of the scene, she was sure his veins were popping in his throat and arms as he tried to break free from their hold.
The man who’d attacked Griffin from behind jumped in and helped secure his arms. Three men now held him in place as one man delivered body shot after body shot to Griffin’s abdomen, then elbows to his jaw.
She turned her cheek at the sight of blood streaming from his mouth and nose, horrified at what these men were doing to someone who had served and sacrificed for their country just as they had. They should have been on the same side if they were military. She had to do something.
The emergency button. It lit up red when she pressed it, so she assumed it sent out the SOS, but how far away were the police? The cabin was out in the middle of nowhere. The closest town was fifteen miles away.
“When I heard you were the one with our target, I volunteered.” Joe’s voice had Savanna returning her focus to the screen. He motioned for the man who’d been punching Griffin to step aside. “If it’d been anyone else sent for her, you would have killed at least three before you were finally dropped. I know you, though. You wouldn’t pull the trigger on a brother. But hear me when I say this is a fight you can’t win.”
Griffin lifted his chin, breathing hard as he faced Joe. Blood rolled down his body like the rain had done earlier during the storm. She was sick to her stomach.
“You’re wondering how we found you?” Savanna heard the smug smile in Joe’s voice, even though she couldn’t see his face now that it was covered by the balaclava again. “Where is she?” he asked instead of answering the question he’d raised. “You, of all people . . . helping a criminal. How the mighty have fallen.”
“There’s been a misunderstanding,” Griffin rasped, his voice barely audible, before turning his head and spitting blood onto the floor. “She’s innocent.”
“She’s hot. I’ve seen her photo, so I’m guessing she manipulated you into believing she’s innocent. That’s what it is, right?”
Maybe Joe actually believed he was on Team Good Guy, but where the hell did he get his intelligence? Not from the U.S. government, that was for sure.
She had to do something until the police arrived. Her gaze snapped back to the shotgun. “Twenty gauge, right?” Her fingers skated over the boxes of ammo organized on a table before she hit the jackpot and spotted what she hoped were the right shells.
The men were still talking, but she focused on her memories for a moment, trying to recall how to load the weapon. There was no chair to sit in, which would have made things easier, so she secured the stock under her arm and turned the weapon sideways.
“Insert the shell, and when it clicks, you’ll know it passed the mag catch,” Marcus had explained. They’d been inside the range that day. “Load six. And, baby girl, maybe don’t aim the gun at me.” He’d smiled and used his finger to redirect the barrel away from himself.
She cursed the tear that fell down her cheek, swiped it away, and loaded the weapon. Then she unlocked the safe room door and used all of her effort to move the dresser. Gun back in hand, she moved with quick but nervous steps to the closed door of the master.
She tiptoed to the hall, and from the sounds of it, Griffin continued to refuse to give up her location. Joe must have assumed he’d hidden her somewhere other than just a bedroom, or they would have already started searching the place.
“Let him go,” she called out in her best “brave” voice as she entered the living room. “I’ll shoot.” Her bravery waned as she delivered her threat, and she was terrified they all heard it.
Griffin was on his knees, still being held by three men, but when he lifted his gaze and their eyes connected—his energy seemed to recharge, and his jaw tightened with anger at the sight of her, at the fact she was now in the line of fire.
“The police are on their way.” Savanna kept the shotgun aimed at her target, which was Joe, but her hands were shaking so damn bad. “If you don’t want to be here when they arrive, I suggest you get back on the chopper and exfil.”
“Exfil?” Joe peeled his mask up, and his lips twitched as if amused by her word choice. “Well, she’s hotter than her photo.” He started her way, and Griffin went into beast mode again, finding the fight to try and battle off the men holding him down. “Put that down before you hurt yourself,” Joe added in a calm tone, and as he approached, she found herself backing up against the wall by the hallway.
“I can’t do that. I don’t know what you want with me, but please, don’t hurt him anymore. I’m not a criminal.”
“Don’t you touch her,” Griffin yelled as he freed one arm and twisted to clock the guy off to his right, then sent a front kick to the man who’d been punching him. “Do you have any fucking clue who she is?” he rasped as two of the men positioned guns on Griffin as well as Savanna. “That’s Marcus Vasquez’s wife,” Griffin gritted out.
Joe stopped walking as if that news was somehow meaningful to him, then shook his head. “She’s Nick Vasquez’s sister-in-law. A criminal and?—”
“And Nick is Marcus Vasquez’s brother. Didn’t you do your homework?” Griffin responded, his voice stern with warning despite the battle he’d just waged against four men. “You’re really going to kidnap Marcus’s wife?”
Griffin’s words appeared to level Joe. He took two steps away from Savanna as if she were a flame, and he didn’t want to get burned. “I don’t understand.” He looked toward the windows his people had shattered when they’d entered the home.
“The police will be here soon,” Savanna reminded him when Joe focused back on her.
“Who do you work for?” Griffin asked. “Someone’s lying to you, Joe. I’m protecting her from criminals. She’s not one.” His tone was a bit calmer now that Joe was backing away from her. “And if you try to take her, you’ll become the hunted one. I will find you and kill every last one of you for so much as touching her,” he seethed, and that was a threat she believed. He wouldn’t shoot unarmed servicemen, but if they hurt her—game changer.
Joe surprised her by twirling a finger in the air, a signal she’d seen from Marcus. Get to the chopper. Wheels up. “Another team will be sent for her. They won’t stop coming.” Joe turned and started for the door, motioning for his men to follow, and Griffin moved straight toward Savanna.
She set the shotgun by her feet right before Griffin tucked her against his side, but he kept his eyes positioned on the men as they left the house.
Joe was the last one remaining, and he faced them again. “He won’t stop until he gets what he wants, and right now,” he said, eyes on Savanna, “that’s you.”
“Who wants her?” Griffin stumbled forward, nearly losing his balance, almost taking her down with him, but he caught himself before they both went to their knees.
“At this point . . . everyone,” Joe said under his breath.
“What?” Griffin went tense at her side. “If you’re really on the right side of the law, which is where we are, then give me something. Please.” It was the first time she heard his voice crack since the men had arrived.
Joe looked down at the floor for a second before carrying his attention back to them. “All I can give you is Elysium,” and then he added while pivoting his gaze to her, “I’m sorry for your loss. Marcus was the best of us.” And with that, he left.
Elysium? She turned toward Griffin, scared and confused, but now that they were alone, she hugged him. He held her tight to his chest, setting his chin on top of her head. He was bloody and his breathing shallow and ragged, but he didn’t let her go. He held her so tight, and she wanted to cry, but she tried to remain strong.
“The police will be here soon,” she said into his chest.
He slowly released her and stepped back. “I don’t want to be here when they arrive. We need to go.”
“Oh-okay,” she stammered.
“I should have shot them.” His voice was low and harsh, but his big palms were gentle when he reached up and cupped her face. “I’m sorry I put you in danger.”
“No, I understand. I’m glad you didn’t kill anyone.” And she was. Truly.
“Who was that guy?” she asked as he released her face and sought out her hand, urging her to move, even though he was struggling to do so.
“He was on Marcus’s team back in the Navy,” Griffin announced slowly as they started for the master bedroom. “We need to grab weapons before we go, just in case they change their minds and come back.”
“Wait, what? He worked with Marcus? Joe’s a Teamguy?”
“Yeah, and Joe was also a friend of mine. We worked a few ops together in Iraq.”
Friends didn’t beat the shit out of each other, though.
“I took a bullet for that man.” And in a chilling tone, he added, “But if he ever tries coming for you again, he’ll catch a bullet from me.”