Chapter 27
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Cannon
“Stay in the car, angel,” I yell as I unbuckle my seatbelt and jump out, gun in hand. I’m running toward Larkin before he manages to get out of his car, but he’s surprisingly quick. He may have been stunned for a moment, but he used to be a cop. He’s had some training for situations like this.
He’s out of his car in seconds, gun lifted.
“Drop your weapon!” Ghost shouts from behind Larkin. He was out of his car just as fast.
Tank squeals to a stop alongside us.
Larkin ignores Ghost but ducks down so I’m the only one with a clear shot. We’re aiming at each other.
“Put the fucking gun down, asshole,” I growl. “It’s over.”
“Hand over the girl or you’re dead.” He nods toward the SUV. “I can see her.”
“Not gonna happen,” I inform him, coming to a stop a few yards away. “If you shoot me, you’ll have ten bullets in your head in two seconds. Your only chance of survival is to put that fucking gun down.” This asshole has no chance of living to see tomorrow, but he doesn’t know that.
He’s shaking. “Do you have any idea who the fuck you’re dealing with, asshole? I don’t see a badge. You’ll serve life in prison if you kill a cop.”
I chuckle. “A cop? You think I give a fuck if you are or ever were a cop? I’ve got four guys in your house right now making sure that when the cops raid your home later, all they see is what a piece of dog shit you were.
No one will care about anything but the human trafficking ring you’ve been running for years. ”
I’m getting to him, but he suddenly shoots. It’s not unexpected. I see it coming a second before he pulls the trigger. The worst part is that he’s trembling so badly that his shot is erratic.
I easily drop to the ground, realizing a moment later that he either aimed for the windshield of my SUV or hit it by accident. Either way, it’s bulletproof.
Unfortunately, I hear Eloise screaming. She’s out of the car. “Stop!” she yells. “I’ll go with you. Don’t shoot him!”
Fuck.
My girl runs past me, aiming for Larkin.
“Eloise, no,” I shout.
She ignores me as Larkin pops to his feet and grabs her. In less than a second, he’s holding her against his chest, gun pressed to her head. He smirks at me and looks around, turning so everyone is in his view. “You,” he says to Tank. “Leave your keys in the car and walk away.”
I’m on my feet, keeping one eye on Larkin and Eloise. Where is Rachell? Her absence is a good sign.
Suddenly, she speaks in everyone’s ear. “I’ve got him. Eloise, let him take you toward the car. He’s not going to get away with you. I promise.”
Tank holds both hands up. “Keys are in the ignition. Don’t hurt her.” He schools his voice to sound frightened. He’s even shaking.
“I’ll do whatever the fuck I want with this bitch.” Larkin swings his gun around, as if he can take all three of us out at once. He aims at my head. “Drop your gun, motherfucker.” He jerks his weapon back to her temple.
She’s holding on to his forearm that’s wrapped around her chest as he holds her facing out, nearly lifting her off the ground. Tears are running down her face, but she’s not panicking. Thank God Rachell is in her ear.
“Pick your moment, Rachell,” Blade tells her calmly. I’m sure he’s pacing at the office. He doesn’t like not being on the scene when something like this goes down.
My jaw is tight. I’m fucking panicking for both of us. Larkin is unpredictable. He might shoot Eloise out of spite. He will if he thinks he can’t take her away from here.
“Drop your fucking weapons,” he screams.
Ghost, Tank, and I lower our guns and let them fall to the concrete.
I wish I knew where Rachell was, but I do know she’s as competent as any of us. She’s got a plan.
Larkin keeps his gun pressed into Eloise’s temple as he rounds the crush of cars to get to Tank’s vehicle.
My heart is racing. If anything happens to Eloise…
I know Rachell is going to do something, but it can’t happen soon enough for my liking. Larkin looks around frantically, trying to take us all in with a sweep of his eyes. We’re all standing with our hands up even though every one of us has at least two more weapons on our bodies.
A noise behind Larkin makes him spin around so fast that his gun is no longer aimed at Eloise’s head. In that split second, Rachell must take her chance because suddenly Larkin drops to the ground.
Eloise screams.
I leap over the back end of Larkin’s car, and I’m in his face in seconds. He has let go of his gun. It’s lying on the ground next to him, and I kick it as far as I can while I hold my weapon to his head.
The pansy is clutching his knee and crying like a baby. I’m sure it fucking hurts. Rachell doesn’t fuck around. She went right for the kneecap.
“Get in the SUV, angel,” I say as calmly as possible, not taking my gaze off this asshole.
She sobs as she runs out of sight.
Good girl.
I know she acted on instinct when she jumped out of the car, thinking she could save me. Part of me is furious with her for disobeying my order to stay in the SUV, but another part of me recognizes how much I mean to her that she would trade her life for mine.
That doesn’t mean I won’t spank her ass hard at some point after this, but I was going to do that anyway because she will need the release after everything that’s happened today. And I’d made that decision before she was held at gunpoint.
Eloise has gone through enough abductions and hostage situations to last a lifetime. I vow to make sure she never endures anything like this again.
Ghost, Tank, and Rachell join me. Rachell smirks as she puts her foot on Larkin’s knee and presses down hard enough to make him squeal like a baby.
Ghost and Tank each grab an arm and yank Larkin to his feet. The man screams. Good. They drag him toward the warehouse.
I look toward the SUV. Eloise is sitting in the back seat with the door closed. She’s rocking back and forth. I hate that she’s so scared, but I need to take care of Larkin so we can move on with our lives.
Rachell touches my arm. “I’ll take Eloise back to your place and leave you three the SUV.”
Blade is in my ear. “I’m sending someone to clean up.” Meaning, make sure everything either disappears or stage it to look like we were never here.
“Thanks,” I mumble, my words meant for Blade. I turn toward Rachell. “And thank you, too.”
Rachell nods. “Eloise will be okay. She’s strong.”
I smile. “Yeah. I agree.” She’ll just need time and care.
I head for the SUV and open the back door.
Eloise isn’t looking, so she flinches and turns toward me. Tears are running down her cheeks. “I’m sorry, Daddy,” she murmurs.
I pull her into my arms and kiss her temple. “It’s okay, Little one.” I hold her back a few inches and take her earpiece off. She doesn’t need to hear anything else.
Cupping her face, I kiss her. “I need you to go with Rachell. She’ll make sure you get home safely.”
Eloise nods. “Yes, Sir.” My brave girl. “He’s not going to bother me again, is he?”
“No, angel. Never.”
“Good.” She throws her arms around me and hugs me tightly. “Promise me you’ll be home soon.”
“I promise, Little one.” I kiss her one more time and lift her out of the SUV.
The gun I’d given her is lying on the floorboard.
She could no more have held that at someone’s head than she could have hurt a puppy.
It’s not in her nature. No matter how many times she’s been wronged and how badly she wants me to rid the world of Larkin, she couldn’t have done it herself.
She hugs my side. “I love you, Daddy.”
“I love you, too, Eloise.”
I watch Rachell and Eloise get into the car and pull away before turning toward the warehouse.
One gunshot to the kneecap is far too kind for the likes of Larkin.
He needs to suffer a few more strategically placed shots before I allow him to leave this mortal plane.
After all, the man has another kneecap and two elbows.
I heard it’s pretty horrifying being shot in the elbow.
I bet it’s even worse if it’s done at point-blank range.