From: Nick.Hoffman@us.gov.orgTo: Beth.Hoffman@mymail.comDear Burpie,Yeah, you hate that name too. I remember holding you on my shoulder and you vomiting milk down my back and ruining my favorite chick magnet T-shirt. Doesn't matter that I was nine, the chicks loved that shirt. It's funny how those memories are so important here. War sucks and the only thing keeping my head on straight are thoughts of you and talking to Rack. You know, the guy I want you to marry? The only guy who can protect you from your crazy self and make you happy. I think he's half in love with you from the stories I tell him about your wild ways. He also loves talking about his family. He has four brothers and awesome parents. For such a badass, he's a family man. When we're out of this hellhole you'll meet him and understand.Your chick magnet brother,Nick***Angelo paces in front of me fisting his hands slowly, and a pulse ticks beside his eye. I never take my gaze off him. If he hits me, I want to see i
The firepower I have in the Jeep forces me to abide by speed laws. I push it when I can, long desolate roads where I can see car lights in the distance. I pull over twice and doze for thirty minutes having learned the art of catnapping in the military. It keeps me alert. About fifteen hours into the trip, the weather takes a drastic turn. I hate the fucking cold and my thin Arizona blood isn't happy. I'm in jeans and a light cotton T-shirt. My flak jacket is in the trunk. It has no sleeves but the Kevlar will help keep me warm when I put it on. For now, the Jeep's heater does the trick.I try to mentally block the pain from my wound. The stitches pull and even with the shitload of antibiotics shot into me, it feels like my side is on fire. I've survived worse injuries and continued fighting-this is no different. It's better to dwell on the chill in the air. I'm a complete pussy when it comes to the cold.Rain hits at the Montana state line. Camp Springs is two hours northeast of Billin
From: Nick.Hoffman@us.gov.orgTo: Beth.Hoffman@mymail.comDear Bethiboop,Rough times here and we had a close call yesterday. I worry about you if something happens to me. I know you're all grown up but it's important to me that you have someone great to spend your life with and care for you. Rack is that guy! He's made for you. If the unthinkable happens, you can rely on him. He will get you out of any scrapes you find yourself in. I promise. The man is a daredevil with the luck of a leprechaun. Your children will be the hellions you deserve.Your melancholy brother,Nick***No lady friends visited Angelo tonight, so he concentrates on me. With methodical precision, he cuts his meat and takes small bites while watching me. He finally wipes his mouth and places his fork on his plate. "You've gained weight. It's not healthy for my child."I'm pregnant for fuck's sake. It's not healthy to be a beanpole in your eighth month. I keep this to myself. "I think walking helped keep the water
The curtain of the master bedroom is partially open. I check inside the dark room and see no movement. I take out my phone and pull up the app to blow the barn. With the phone in one hand and my finger hoovering over the control, I lift the gun. My finger presses down and I swing the butt of the gun against the glass as the explosion rocks the balcony. I'm in the house before flying debris settles.I'm about to enter the hallway when a voice yells up the stairs and running feet move closer. "Lock her in the damn room and get your ass back here."I move behind the door and watch one of the guards run past. I don't move as he locks the door to the room where they're keeping Beth. I wait for him to charge back down the stairs before I run to the door he just secured. I remove a metal wedge from one of my vest pockets and put it against the door to pry it into the lock. The door snaps open without much force. The room's dark and I flash the tactical light on the Glock at the bed. Empty."B
From: Nick.Hoffman@us.gov.orgTo: Beth.Hoffman@mymail.comDear Delusional Beth,This Kevin guy is not for you. You need to trust your older, wiser brother on this. Kevin has no idea the spirit you carry inside you. He can't. I can tell by your emails that he's a stodgy prick. And yes you read that right. I don't need to meet him. You need to meet Rack. He'll blow all thoughts of this other man out of your head.Your wiser, older brother,Nick***Rack came for me. A man I've met one time. A man Nick said was the best person on the planet. I should have had more faith in my brother.My stomach cramps and I dig my fingers into my side. I know it's not the baby coming. I should have exercised more while I had the chance. Even with the pace Rack sets, I'm freezing and my teeth are chattering. I know he's moving much slower than he wants to. I put one foot in front of the other and refuse to stop. Ignoring my frozen toes, the ache in my side, and the terror living in the center of my ches
I lift her into the passenger seat of the Jeep. It's barely warmed but anything is better than outside. I have the Mylar blanket ready to go and tuck it in around her. I didn't want it shining through the trees while we headed to the Jeep in case Angelo circled back looking for the person who blew up the house.She's shivering. I shut the door as quickly as possible and move to the driver's side. I throw the Jeep in gear and pull onto the road. I chose this spot so I could move forward and hit the road in case we were in a hurry. With everything involved, the extraction went good. Maybe too good.Beth moves her hands to the vents to heat them. I'm as cold as fuck but hey, I'm tough. I refuse to act like a pussy in front of her. I head back to the long stretch of road I came in on and see no vehicle lights in front or behind us. I head east at the intersection. I don't have a plan that involves a pregnant woman. At least not yet. I'll check my phone when I'm sure we're out of danger and
From: Nick.Hoffman@us.gov.orgTo: Beth.Hoffman@mymail.comDear Stubborn Beth,You're not listening. This guy is bad for you. You'll be bored within a year if you marry him. I know he hasn't asked yet but I can read between the lines. You can't marry him without me there, so I may never come home. I know in your stubbornness you will react irrationally if I try to tell you what to do. You have always been the most obstinate baby/girl/woman I know. I'm asking you to take things slow and wait.Your equally stubborn brother,Nick***I wake up cramped and needing to pee again. The Jeep stops moving and I peer out the window. We're at a rest stop. Rack reaches into the back seat and hands me a small travel pouch."Make it quick. The toothbrush is mine, use it. I'll give you five minutes. Leave everything behind if I tell you to move. I don't expect trouble but we need to be prepared."I cover my mouth. "My breath is that bad?"He smiles and I think my heart stops. He has dimples. "No," he
The sound of her soft snore fills the car. I glance at Beth and she's fast asleep. I shake my head. She's held up better than I expected or at least what I expected after I saw she was pregnant.The son of a bitch controlled her food. My hands tighten on the steering wheel. I will kill the bastard. He's now first on my list and far in front of the last two men responsible for killing my brother. I haven't forgotten about the doctor who examined her either.I picture each death in my head because that's better than picturing Beth in my arms. I want her. It may even be in the sick way Angelo wanted her. Possession is a powerful word. Possessive and obsessive both work. It began long before I met her in person. Nick started it. He got it in his head that I would marry her. He actually teased me about it non-stop. I was a different man back then. My marriage to Beth was settled as far as Nick was concerned.It fit with the man I was before. I always wanted a large family and a house filled
I stayed with Mr. Loche for two hours. When I came back to the cabin, Father Andrews and Madison were cooking dinner together in the kitchen. She was laughing and he was telling her that anyone can learn to cook, it just takes practice. I don't add my two cents that the meal Mrs. Loche prepared would have been safer. I word it a little more carefully, "Please don't encourage her. Gabriella will throw a fit if Madison moves in on her territory." They stop what they're doing and I receive my first genuine smile from Madison that I've seen in weeks."It's a simple lasagna. Mak can make it when you're here at the cabin. Even I wouldn't do anything to piss off Gabriella." He cringes with great exaggeration and Madison laughs.She looks at him with a huge smile. "You didn't tell me you know Gabriella.""I know her daughter. I've heard all the stories from her and I'm terrified of her mother."I walk to my wife and wrap my arms around her from behind. She leans into me and places her hands on
It's three more days before our guest arrives. I'm actually tongue-tide when Moon introduces me to Father Andrews. He's American but lives in Mexico and drove all this way to return a favor he owed my husband. He's younger than a priest has a right to be and he's too damn good looking for his job. I place him in his early thirties. It's strange because he looks oddly familiar even though I'm sure I've never met him.The three of us walk into the living room where Mrs. Loche put out cucumber sandwiches and chocolate chip cookies. Father Andrews's eyes light up. "I haven't eaten since breakfast and these look delicious," he says while filling a plate.Moon doesn't sit with us. "Mr. Loche and I are working on a new garden and clearing some land. I'll be next door if you need me." He leans down and places his lips on mine for a short kiss. It actually embarrasses me because Father Andrews is watching. Moon taps me under the chin in understanding because of the heat traveling up my neck and
With revenge motivating me, dealing with what happened was easier. The need for blood became a driving force that allowed me to put my thoughts and feelings on hold. Now my feelings, doubt, and shame overshadow everything. My mind is a dark hole with a smoky mist that Moon stands in to beckon me out. His hand is there. I can almost touch it, but my fingers slide away, a millimeter short, and the darkness covers me once more.Sleep is the worst. Nightmares make me toss and turn throughout the night. Most center around blood on my hands. They drip the red, congealed mess onto everything I touch and when I open my eyes it's still there. Or so the dream goes.I find it strange that I don't dream about what Fernandez did to me. It's his laughter, though, that wakes me night after night. Moon is always there to comfort me during those horrible hours. He pulls me close to his body when I give the slightest gasp. I breathe in his scent and fill my lungs with his strength. Until I fall asleep a
Part of my heart-stopping fury recedes when I pull Madison back into my arms. Her entire body is shaking and she's still clutching the knife I handed her. Alex takes it from her hand after I scoop her into my arms and cradle her against my chest. I breathe in the scent of her hair and try to gain more control.This woman is everything. She's the reason I wake up in the morning. Everything I hold dear is wrapped up in her. Cori meets my eyes and she tips her head in acknowledgement. When she turns away, Duke is standing behind her. He pulls her into his arms and walks her toward the front room. He stops when Goose is dragged closer by one of Dax's men and places himself between Cori and Duke. Duke casually pulls his gun and fires, striking him between the eyes. Goose blankly stares at the ceiling by the time the sound of the gunshot fades from the room. Cori spits on Goose's body before Duke leads her forward. Alex gives orders to clean up the bloody mess."Please take me home," Madison
She steps forward and Fernandez spins and tries throwing a punch at my head but misses. He moves quickly even with a bullet through the foot and gets between Cori and Sofia's rifle. Melina takes the opportunity to bring her gun down on the back of his head. He stumbles and I kick the tibial pressure point in his good leg. He drops and I kick Celina's gun away from him. She grabs it and aims it at him as he wiggles around like a flopping fish. I hand Melina my gun and slam down into his back with my cuffs primed. I practically pull his arms from their sockets in order to secure his hands behind his back while he's stunned."Help me get him up on the kitchen island and I'll cut off his fucking clothes." We drag him back to the kitchen minus Celina who stays at her post, which is the front door. He struggles but it's not enough for four women on a mission.The sick feeling in my stomach stays and I turn slightly and rub tears from my eyes. Not a minute has gone by that I haven't thought a
We park a half mile from the home. Melina and I run up the street, carrying the post driver between us because it's so damn heavy, and check out the property. Like the house he kept me and Cori in, this one is away from other homes and on a nice sized piece of property. The desert foliage on the north side of the area gives us a good vantage point to see the back door. I call Celina."Send Cori north to our location. The front door is on the south side of the house and you'll have about twenty-five yards from the truck to the door. Sofia will be your driver and leave as soon as you're inside. She'll park and meet us. We'll come through the back five minutes after you enter." We covered all of this in the car, but it helps me to go over the plan out loud again. "Give Cori ten minutes to get in place before Sofia drops you off.""Cori just took off. We're set," Celina says before ending the call.After Cori meets us, we stay low and wait for Sofia to text me that Celina is in the house.
Alex brings the car to the front. Austin jumps into the back and I take the passenger seat. I told the men to put Gabriella in our safe room until everything settles. She can cuss them out in Spanish, I don't have time. Sirens can be heard in the distance and we need to be completely clear of the house before they hit the street that leads to my private road.I've also notified additional men to meet us at the warehouse. As soon as we have Fernandez's location, we'll be moving out quickly. It suddenly occurs to me that Dax is totally out of the loop, so I dial his cell."You're fucking kidding me," he practically yells when I tell him his wife ran over a man and picked up the women. "I'm on my way." Another call comes in and I look at the display. It's Caleb."Start heading here with reinforcements," I tell Dax quickly. "I'll call as soon as we have a location. It won't be long."The man in the trunk is moaning loudly. There are metal plates over the taillights and nothing he can do to
Madison is up to something. The strange feeling persisted while she dressed and then at breakfast. Sending her off to the service without me was nearly impossible. The fact is, I need to get my head out of my ass and take care of Fernandez once and for all. The thought of him taking Madison again is eating me alive.While she's at EE, I can focus on what it takes to keep everyone safe. The Frontera Cartel is out of the picture and now we can focus on one man. I have everyone but our outside security in the conference room. Austin joins us too."How do we bring him out in the open without risking one of our women as bait?" I ask the men. It didn't matter how much Madison complained, there was no way I would give into her plan.I've never reached my current level of frustration as we debate the best scenarios. Alex hasn't said a word since entering the meeting, which surprises me. When I look at him, his eyes are on the door leading to the hallway."What has you worried?" I ask him when
The women with Celina give whoops and atta-girl shouts. I can't help smiling. "We'll be another thirty minutes. There's a building supply store not far from you and I need you to pick up two metal fence post drivers." I never worked Cave Creek as a cop, but one of the officers lived there and loved having barbeques, so I'm familiar with the area."We're on it. Meet us in the parking lot."I disconnect the call and decide to join Cori in the front. I wiggle between the seats and then lean back and exhale after I attach my seatbelt. "I'm worried Moon could beat us there."Cori puts her foot on the gas and shoots forward on the freeway. The 51 is one of the lighter trafficked freeways if you're not driving it during rush hour and we're pushing the witching hour. It's the most direct route from central Phoenix to the north valley and we're in luck because it's wide open. If that luck continues, highway patrol won't have units in the vicinity.We make it to the building supply store in twen