23. Ford
23
FORD
“Everyone’s in place,” Grunt whispers next to me. We got here at the safe house about an hour ago. We waited until morning. I didn’t know what type of security the place had and didn’t want to risk tripping a wire and losing men. I wanted to be able to see everything around us and be as fully aware of our surroundings as we could be.
I probably waited too long, though, because my woman wasn’t here. For that matter, Benny and most of his henchmen were gone, too. There were only three men left guarding the place. We quietly took one and worked him over for information. He didn’t know much, but he let us know Martelli was coming back after he collected his son.
After talking with my men, we decided to keep the other two alive, but lined up through the scope of a rifle. They will be the first two we take out. We don’t want to alert Martelli until the last minute. I need to do this quietly so I can make sure Grace is as safe as possible.
Me and Grunt are inside the small house. I looked through it briefly. There are two bedrooms. It didn’t escape my attention that the smallest of the two bedrooms had ropes tied to the bed and blood on the sheets and the floor. Just seeing it made my blood run cold. I’m going to enjoy killing that motherfucker. We’re currently hiding in the bathroom. Grunt is against a wall that will hide him when the door opens. I’m behind a shower curtain, my gun pointed at the door, silencer in place. I have a com in my ear, and T’s voice comes through it, telling us that the limo is entering the graveled road that leads to the house. I take a deep breath, knowing that the action is about to start. I hope like hell I can protect Grace.
It's not long before we hear the door slam against the wall as someone thrusts it open. “Take the bitch and tie her back up on the bed. I’ll deal with her in a minute. Oro! I want you using that fucking computer you are always on and finding out every damn thing there is to find on this Ford asshole!”
“Boss, I have to have more info than just the name Ford. The only information the whore gave me was that he was living here and was a cop.”
“Didn’t you say she was fucking some detective? What is it with her and cops?”
“She wasn’t fucking him. Do you think I’d let the bitch cheat on me? I told you he kept sniffing after her so much that I was thinking of selling her to him.”
“I’m going to kill him,” I whisper and Grunt nods. I can see the anger on his face, too. Even if Grace wasn’t mine, I’d still kill Martelli. My club has one hard and fast rule. We don’t hurt innocent women, and we don’t stand around and let anyone else do it.
“Hurry up, bitch,” a man grunts, and I hear Grace cry out. My hand shakes with the need to get to her. I don’t because storming in could get her killed.
“I need to go to the bathroom,” she says, and her voice sounds so weak that it’s painful to listen to. Jesus, what have they done to her?
“Boss said to tie you to the bed, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do. You’ll just have to hold it.”
“I’m going to pee on myself. You haven’t let me use the bathroom in a day and a half.”
“So?”
“Maybe you don’t have a problem holding your pee because your dick is so small you never produce enough to worry about, but I need to go to the damn bathroom.”
“I said no!” the man yells.
“Fuck, Turner, take her to the damn bathroom. We’re going to play with her later,” Benny barks out.
“Fine,” he grumbles. The door opens, and he shoves Grace inside. “Hurry up, you stupid cunt,” he snarls. He grabs the handle and slams the door closed. “You have two minutes,” he yells through the door.
“Asshole,” Grace hisses under her breath. Then she goes completely still and moves her head to the side, frowning. I move quickly, thinking she might scream. She doesn’t though. “I know you,” she whispers. “You were with Ford.”
“Hey, honey,” I whisper close to her ear. She was so distracted by Grunt that she didn’t even notice me.
Her body instantly starts to tremble as she collapses against me. She starts to talk, but I put my fingers against her lips. I move my hand to my mouth and put my finger there. Before I can say anything else, the dead man walking pounds on the door with his fist. “You have one more minute!” he growls.
“How many men are there?” I ask in her ear. I also take a minute to just breathe her in and feel the relief that hits me.
“Six,” she mouths.
“That means five,” I answer, looking at Grunt. He nods. “Take her to T,” I tell Grunt. He nods. “We’ll let dipshit come in and take him out quietly, then you run out the back. King, Hangman, me, and Squirrely will take these assholes out and meet you back at the Saint’s.”
“Wait. I don’t want to leave you,” Grace hisses, making my heart warm. I put my hand against her neck, curling my fingers to the back of it, pulling her in. She’s half dead on her feet, been through hell, and she’s worrying about me. I have to take that as a positive.
“T will take you to Asher. I’ll be there when I’m done.” She pulls back to look at me, her eyes super bright, and I know she’s close to crying. “Pull it together, Gracie. I promised our boy that I was bringing his mom home. Help me do that. Go with Grunt.”
I see her lips part in surprise when I refer to her son as ours. She might as well know what I have in mind. She and Asher are mine now. I will die before I give them up. Before she can say anything, the asshole from earlier thrusts the door open.
“Stupid bitch, I—,” he growls, but stops talking when he sees us. Grunt already moved behind him the minute he stepped inside and before he has time to say anything else, Grunt takes the butt of his gun and slams it hard into the back of the man’s head. I step around him as he drops to the floor, closing the door while still holding Grace’s hand. The minute I’ve closed it, I claim her mouth, thrusting my tongue inside like a dying man searching for a miracle cure. Grace is stunned for a minute, but then gives in, returning the kiss. I deepen it, drowning in the taste of her. When she whimpers, the sound more of pain than pleasure, I move away, touching her cheek gently. “I’m going to enjoy killing that bastard,” I growl under my breath. I kiss her forehead and step back before I try to figure out how to kiss her without hurting her. “Go with Grunt, baby,” I order, nodding to Grunt. I take out my gun and open the door slowly, looking both ways. I’m relieved to find that Martelli is still in the front room talking to one of his men.
“Took out the two men outside, Ford,” Squirrely says, his voice coming over the earpiece.
I grin at Grunt as he gives me a salute and then ushers Grace gently toward the back room. I wait until I watch them step through the back door before I make my move. I step into the room where Martelli is sitting at a kitchen table, talking to his man. I don’t give them time to realize I’m there. Which, by the way, how in the fuck is he still alive? This idiot has zero survival skills. I fire off three rounds. I shoot the idiot he’s talking to in the head. The man instantly falls to the ground, but even before he hits, I’ve shot Martelli in the knee when he goes to stand. He cries out and I feel nothing but pleasure. He goes for his gun, so I shoot his hand.
“Fuck!” he screams, holding his bloody hand.
“Oops seems I might have destroyed one of your fingers, Martelli. Don’t worry, you aren’t going to get a chance to use it again anyway,” I tell him.
“Someone get in here and kill this bastard.”
I start laughing, shaking my head as I walk over to him. “I don’t think you got it yet, Benny Boy. All your men are dead.” I step on his hand, grinding it into the floor, making him cry like a little baby. I lean down and look for guns. I find one , which is sad. Any dumbass knows you need a backup. Once I’m satisfied that he doesn’t have a weapon, I go to the dead man and take his gun and toss it across the room. “Actually, the dumbass in the bathroom might still be breathing. I’ll be right back.”
I start to turn around, but then decide to make sure Benny doesn’t try to get away. I shoot him in the ankles. He starts crying. I ignore him and go to the bathroom and make sure the asshole won’t rise up and kill me when I’m not paying attention. Once I get this small thing done, then the real party can begin. I can’t wait.
Benny Martelli is going to pay for trying to take what belongs to me.