Chapter 35
Jax was wishing he had his night-vision monocular as he made his way up the steps and out of the basement.
Hawk’s voice sounded in his ear. “One tango, thirty yards outside the front door and approaching fast. I'm a hundred yards behind him. He has a semiautomatic and plenty of ammo. I can reach him from here, but it won’t be a kill shot.”
"Negative," snapped Cowboy. "I have a good line of sight to the front door from inside the house. I'll take him out."
Whoever was after Jessa needed to be stopped once and for all, and Jax knew damn well there were probably more tangos out there just waiting to come in after this one.
He reached the top of the basement stairs and hunkered down, crawling on his hands and knees. If their attacker was coming in the front door, he'd have plenty of time to cover Cowboy’s six.
He felt light-headed and knew his injury was more severe than he first suspected. He was losing blood quickly, which meant it was just a matter of time before he lost consciousness.
Thank God Jessa was in the safe room. Jax’s vision went dim, then returned again. He put his finger on the trigger of his weapon, hoping he could stay conscious long enough to kill the bastard.
He had to kill him for Jessa.
His mind was full of her, their night together, and the baby. A flash of Jessa as a mother, nursing their infant at her breast. His eyes closed and his head dipped, then he snapped it back up and opened his eyes, forcing his arms to hold up his weapon.
It was heavier than he could fathom.
"Cancel that!" yelled Hawk in his ear. “Tango is headed for the bedroom window. Copy that? Not for the front door, the same bedroom window he shot out. And we have another tango thirty yards out.”
Jax’s brain struggled to make sense of the words.
His vision was now completely out of focus, and he couldn’t bring it back.
He looked up just in time to see a figure jump through the window over his head, but the swift movement made everything go black.
He heard the sound of the other man’s steps on the breaking glass and wondered how much time had passed.
He fought to open his eyes and failed. He had to stay awake, had to get Jessa out of danger once and for all.
This time his eyes opened, the shadow of a man standing over him.
Jax took the shot. A bright flash from the muzzle of the tango’s gun was the last thing Jax saw before losing consciousness.