27. Motley
CHAPTER 27
MOTLEY
F uck me sideways, this woman is going to be the death of me. I can feel it in my bones, and I fucking welcome it. I'm a goddamn masochist for Charlotte Matthews, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Watching her gear up, seeing her transform from the elegant Omega in a gown to this warrior queen in tactical gear, it has my cock standing at attention, ready to salute. I'm a fucking goner.
I cross the room, the scent of whiskey and black pepper mingling with her honey and cinnamon, creating an intoxicating cocktail that has my head spinning. I pull her to me, my hands gripping her hips, and I claim her mouth like it's the last fucking kiss I'll ever have. She melts into me, her soft curves pressing against my hard edges, and I'm in fucking heaven. This kiss is a promise, a vow that I'll do everything in my power to keep her safe. I need this moment, this fucking anchor, because once we step out of this penthouse, it's game on.
When she pulls away, there's a dazed look in her eyes, and fuck if that doesn't make me want to pound my chest like a fucking caveman. But there's a question lurking in those depths, a question I'm not sure I want to answer.
"You stay close," I growl, my voice a rough rumble. I wink, trying to soften the command, but I mean every fucking word. "Follow orders and don't try to be a hero."
"I can't make that promise," she says it so matter-of-factly, like she's not tearing my fucking heart out with her words.
A chorus of growls fills the room, mine the loudest. "Charlotte, so help me God. You better, because we are not losing you tonight." I run a hand through my afro, tugging at the roots in frustration. "I know we've been training you, and fuck, you shoot better than Trigger."
Trigger groans, flipping me off. "Fuck you, Motley. "
I smirk, but my focus is back on Charlotte. "But we can't lose you."
Her gaze softens, her hand reaching up to cup my cheek. Her touch is electric, sending jolts straight to my heart. "Nothing is promised, Motley. Not one fucking thing." Her voice is tender, but there's a steel underlying it that tells me she won't back down. "All I, all we can do, is hope for the best and hope we all make it out. With Brookes in tow."
It's not good enough. Not by a fucking long shot. But it's something. I nod, pressing a quick, hard kiss to her forehead before stepping back.
Teagan, ever the strategist, steps forward, a map spread out on the table behind him. "Alright, listen up." His voice is all business, and the room falls silent. "We've got intel that Brookes is being held here." He points to a spot on the map, a warehouse district on the outskirts of the city. "It's heavily guarded, but we've got the element of surprise."
I lean in, studying the map. "Entry points?"
Teagan points out several spots. "We'll split up. Deacon, you take the east entrance. I will take the west. Charlotte—" He pauses to look up at her. "You're with Motley. Joker's our eyes in the sky."
Charlotte nods, her expression focused. She's in mission mode, and fuck if that isn't sexy as hell .
"What about the roof?" she asks, her eyes scanning the map.
Teagan nods approvingly. "Covered. We've got a sniper team on standby."
I clap my hands together, a grin spreading across my face. "Alright, let's fuck shit up."
We gear up, checking our weapons and comms. Charlotte double-checks her Glocks, her movements precise and confident. She's a fucking natural, and I can't help but feel a swell of pride. Our girl is a fucking badass.
As we load into the SUV, I can feel the adrenaline pumping through my veins. This is what I live for, the thrill of the mission, the rush of the fight. But this time, it's different. This time, it's personal. We're not just fighting for a cause or a paycheck. We're fighting for family. For Brookes. For Charlotte.
The drive is silent, the air thick with anticipation. I reach over, taking Charlotte's hand in mine. She looks at me, her eyes reflecting the city lights passing by. I squeeze her hand, a silent promise. We're in this together.
We park a few blocks away from the warehouse, slipping out of the SUV like shadows. Teagan takes the lead, his movements smooth and stealthy. Charlotte stays close, her eyes scanning our surroundings. I can see the determination in her eyes, the fierce protectiveness. I can only assume her thoughts are on Brookes and every Omega who's ever been taken, ever been hurt.
We reach the west entrance. Teagan and I take positions on either side of the door. Charlotte stands behind me, her back pressed against the cold brick wall. I can feel her heart racing, her breaths coming in quick, controlled bursts.
Teagan holds up three fingers, counting down. Three. Two. One.
We move in sync, breaching the door, weapons raised. The warehouse is dimly lit, filled with crates and shadows. We move silently, clearing each corner, each potential threat. Charlotte stays close, her Glocks raised, her eyes sharp.
Suddenly the silence is shattered by gunfire. It echoes through the warehouse, the sound deafening. I spin around, pulling Charlotte behind a crate, shielding her with my body. Teagan takes cover on the other side, his weapon raised.
"Joker, Deacon, report," Teagan growls into his comm.
"Snipers took out three hostiles outside making their way in," Joker's voice comes through, breathless but steady. "Deacon's covering the east exit. "
"Good. We're pinned down. Need a distraction."
"On it," Deacon replies.
I look down at Charlotte, her eyes wide but determined. "You good, Harlequin?"
She nods, a small smile playing on her lips. "Never better, Motley."
Fuck. This woman, she's fearless.
More gunfire erupts, this time from the other side of the warehouse. Deacon's distraction. Teagan nods at me, and we move, using the chaos to our advantage. We slip through the shadows, Charlotte staying close, her movements mirroring mine.
We round a corner and freeze. There, in the center of the warehouse, is Brookes. He's tied to a chair, his head slumped forward, his body bruised and beaten. Rage surges through me, hot and violent. I want to tear these fuckers apart, limb from limb. But first, we need to get Brookes out.
Teagan signals to me, and I nod, understanding his plan. We'll split up, take out the remaining hostiles, and secure Brookes.
I turn to Charlotte, my voice low. "Stay here. Cover us."
She nods, her eyes hard, never leaving Brookes position in the middle of the floor.
Teagan and I move out, our steps silent, our weapons raised. We take out the hostiles one by one, our movements synchronized, our aim precise. It's like a fucking dance, a deadly ballet.
When the last hostile falls, I rush to Brookes, cutting his bonds. He slumps forward, and I catch him, easing him to the ground. His eyes flutter open, pain and fear swirling in their depths.
"You're safe, Brookes," I murmur, brushing his hair back from his forehead. "We've got you."
Charlotte joins us, her eyes filled with concern. She kneels beside Brookes, taking his hand in hers. "We're here, Brookie. You're safe."
Brookes looks up at her, a small smile playing on his lips. "Knew you'd come, Char."
Charlotte smiles back, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Always, Brookie. Always."
Teagan joins us, his eyes scanning the warehouse. "We need to move. Now."
I nod, scooping Brookes up into my arms. He's a dead weight, but I barely feel it. Adrenaline is a hell of a drug.
We move out, our steps quick and silent. The warehouse is eerily quiet, the only sound the distant hum of the city. We slip out the way we came, melting into the shadows, leaving nothing but chaos and death in our wake .
As we reach the SUV, I can feel the adrenaline starting to fade, the pain and exhaustion sets in. But we did it. We fucking did it. We got Brookes back.
I slide into the back seat, cradling Brookes in my arms. Charlotte slides in beside me, her hand resting on Brookes' forehead. Teagan takes the driver's seat, Joker riding shotgun, the light of his laptop washing his face in blue light. Deacon jumps in the back, his eyes scanning our surroundings, ever the watchful guardian.
As we pull away from the warehouse, I can't help but feel a sense of satisfaction.
Okay, so we can't catch a break. One minute we're riding high on the rush of victory, the next we're smacked down into a shitstorm of bullets and chaos. The SUV rocks with the impact of another vehicle ramming into us, and my instincts kick in. I throw myself over Charlotte and Brookes, shielding them with my body as metal groans from the impact.
"Stay down," I growl, feeling Charlotte's heart pounding against my chest. Brookes is barely conscious, his breathing is shallow and he moans in pain. Fuck, he's in bad shape. We need to get out of here, and fast.
Joker's voice is frantic over the comm, coordinating with our sniper team, but one glance out the window tells me we're fucked. Surrounded, outnumbered, and running out of time.
"We're going to have to engage!" Moses shouts from the back, his voice steady despite the storm of shit we're in.
Charlotte's voice is muffled against my chest, but I can hear the determination underlying her fear. "You mean we have to get out of the car? Brookes can't move. We can't leave him."
Teagan's calm is almost unsettling, a stark contrast to the adrenaline pumping through my veins. "We're not leaving a man behind, Charlotte, but we need to clear a path to get out of here, or we're all dead."
Fuck it. If they want a fight, we'll give them a fucking fight. I look up, meeting Teagan's gaze in the rearview mirror. He nods, and I know what he's thinking. It's time to dance with the devil.
"Joker, you ready to show why you earned your call sign?" I ask, a smirk playing on my lips despite the situation.
Joker grins back, cocking his gun. "Always, Motley. Always."
Teagan starts the countdown, his voice steady and sure. "Three. Two. One."
I squeeze Charlotte's shoulder, urging her to stay low. "Stay behind me, Harlequin. We're getting out of this, all of us."
The doors of the SUV burst open, and we pour out like a fucking avalanche. Bullets whiz past my ear, but I barely register them. My focus is on the enemy, the fuckers who dared to trap us, to threaten what's mine.
I feel Charlotte behind me, her breaths coming in quick bursts, her Glocks raised and ready. She's scared, but she's fierce. She's my avenging angel, and I'll be damned if I let anything happen to her.
We move as a unit, Teagan and Moses laying down cover fire while Joker, Charlotte, and I advance. We're a well-oiled machine, our movements synchronized, our aim deadly. We're the fucking Hudson Pack, and we don't go down without a fight.
I take out two hostiles with quick headshots, their bodies crumpling to the ground. Charlotte takes out another, her aim true despite the chaos. Fuck, she's magnificent.
We push forward, our advance relentless. Teagan and Moses join us, and together, we cut a swath through the enemy, leaving nothing but bodies in our wake.
But they just keep coming. For every one we take down, two more seem to appear. Where the fuck are they coming from?
A bullet grazes my arm, a hot, searing pain that barely registers. I grit my teeth, pushing forward. We need to get to the other SUV, the one that rammed us. If we can take it out, we can clear a path and get the fuck out of here.
"Motley, left!" Charlotte shouts, and I spin around just in time to see a hostile charging at us. I take him down with a quick shot, his body falling at our feet.
"Thanks, baby," I say, flashing her a grin.
She smirks back, her eyes alight with adrenaline and determination. "Really, you're smiling and you've been shot. Geez, Motley."
We reach the SUV, and Joker tosses a grenade under it, cackling like a madman. We dive back, taking cover as the explosion rocks the ground, sending the SUV flying through the air. It lands with a deafening crash, blocking the path of the remaining hostiles.
"Now's our chance," Teagan shouts, his voice barely audible over the ringing in my ears. "Fall back!"
We retreat, our steps quick and sure. Charlotte and I reposition Brookes between us in the back of the SUV .
The enemy is regrouping, their numbers are dwindling but their determination is unwavering. We need to get out of here, now.
Teagan takes the wheel. He floors it, the engine roars to life as we peel out, leaving chaos behind.
I slump back in my seat, my breaths coming in ragged gasps. Charlotte is beside me, her hand pressed to Brookes' forehead, her eyes filled with concern.
"We did it," she whispers, her voice barely audible.
I nod, a small smile playing on my lips. "We did, Harlequin. We fucking did."
But the victory is bittersweet. We're battered, bruised, and barely hanging on. Brookes is in bad shape, and we're not out of the woods yet.
I look out the window, watching the city lights blur into a kaleidoscope of color. We're alive, but at what cost? Senator Blaine knew exactly what we'd do, and he tried to kill us all.
I shake my head, pushing the thought away. There will be time for questions later. Right now, we need to focus on getting back to the penthouse, on getting Brookes the help he needs.
I reach over, taking Charlotte's hand in mine. She looks up at me, her eyes filled with exhaustion and fear. But she's not giving up, not ever.
And neither am I. Not as long as she's by my side. Not as long as we're together.
We'll get through this, all of us. We'll heal, we'll regroup. They'll fucking pay.
Because no one fucks with the Hudson Pack. No one fucks with my family. And no one, absolutely no one, fucks with my Harlequin.
I squeeze Charlotte's hand, a silent promise. We're in this together. Always.
And together, we'll face whatever comes next.