Cherise Sinclair - Edge of the Enforcer

“Jesus, she did a number on you, Morales.”

“Gonna break every bone, bust her up…”

The sound of Morales’s cursing, of what he would do to her, got her moving. She rolled over…and saw her knife lying within a few feet. C’mon. Sit up.

Parnell wiped his cheek and examined the blood. “You’re really going to regret that,” he whispered and kicked her again.

At the blast of pain, the world wavered out of sight.

Even as her vision refocused, she saw Parnell scoop up her knife from the snow. Despairing tears burned against her icy face when he hefted her to her feet and shoved her in front of him. “Move.”

***

DeVries heard erratic footsteps approaching and hissed to get Logan’s attention.

In the lead, Logan held up a hand to halt.

A dark shadow came through the forest from the side. Staggering. Rebecca . Her face was dead white. She had her arms in front—damn, she had the baby.

“Jesus.” Logan sprang forward.

Without speaking, deVries and Stanfeld spread apart to guard the perimeter in case she’d been followed.

Rebecca stared in disbelief. “Logan?” Her knees buckled.

He caught her awkwardly, handicapped by the baby between them.

Dixon dashed over. “Let me, Becca.” He carefully took Ansel. A high wail showed the baby was still alive and displeased at the jostling.

“Fuck, little rebel.” Wrapping his arms around her, Logan buried his face in her hair as she took a death grip on the back of his jacket.

Eyes burning, deVries turned away to watch the forest. The need for Lindsey was a hard ache in his guts.

Logan hadn’t forgotten. He lifted his head. “Where’s Lindsey, sugar?”

“I don’t know.” Tears filled Rebecca’s eyes. “She drew them away while I hid with the baby. I didn’t want to, but with Ansel, I couldn’t let them… All I could think of was to find help.”

“You did right,” Logan said, his cheek against hers.

“No. I should have—”

“Babies come first,” deVries said forcefully. He wanted to yell at her for leaving Lindsey; however, she’d made the right choice. Had to save the kid.

But Jesus, Tex. His woman had more guts than some mercs he’d known. Only, if… His jaw clenched. “Becca, you got any idea where the men are? Where she is?”

“I heard them yell. I think they caught her and took her back.” She seized Logan’s arms and shook him. “Please. Go save her.”

“Not you, Logan,” Dixon said in a quiet voice. “Ansel’s shivering. You need to get them both to warmth.”

Logan froze. “You can take—”

“I’m not used to driving in snow. You’re their best bet.”

Logan looked torn. After a second, he sighed and kissed the top of Becca’s head. “Hell, sugar, now I know how you felt leaving Lindsey.” He motioned for Dixon to give the baby to Becca. “I need to be able to move freely.”

Exhaustion plain in her features, she held Ansel against her chest, mouth determined.

Logan glanced at deVries. “I’ll be back once they’re safe.”

“Go.” DeVries handed Logan his car keys and waved the others toward him. He needed to move. Get to Lindsey. Adrenaline surging, he led the way forward down the drift-covered road.

Did the damn thing ever end?

A few minutes later, he heard someone running toward them from the main road where Logan and Becca had headed. What the hell?

Two bulky figures appeared—too big for Logan and Becca. Stanfeld mirroring his movements, deVries pulled his GLOCK and waited.

Through the white curtain of snow, Virgil Masterson emerged, followed by the Bear Flat detective, Ware. Masterson glanced at the two pistols pointed at him. “Mind finding someone else to target, boys?”

“Let’s go.” DeVries turned and jogged down the fucking road again.

Behind him, Stanfeld said to the others, “You got here fast.”

“Discovered this cabin had been rented yesterday,” Masterson said.

“We passed Logan and family,” Ware said quietly. “That’s a stand-up woman he’s got there.”

“Damn straight. Hey.” DeVries stopped and pointed. The snow was marred by fresh boot tracks.

Ware knelt. “Two men. Came this far and turned around. Becca thought they went after Lindsey?”

“Yeah. Maybe they didn’t find her?” Hope rose inside him.

“Maybe. Wide strides—running. I’d guess they were chasing blindly, not watching for her tracks.” Worry creased the cop’s forehead. “Bet they remedied that.”

“Becca thinks they caught her,” Dixon said quietly from the rear.

“I have more men coming,” Masterson said. “And two will remain on the road, in case they bypass us.”

“Good enough.” DeVries moved faster, his instincts clamoring at him to find Lindsey now. She’d escaped, made the bastards chase her. They’d want to make her pay. And then they’d kill her.

***

By the time the cabin appeared, Lindsey was shivering with cold and pain and fear. Her legs kept buckling.

“What the fuck has Ricks been doing?” Morales grumbled. “He let her get away and sits on his ass?”

“Probably fucking the other one.” Parnell made a disgusted sound. “Moron can’t see farther than the end of his dick.” He shoved Lindsey into the cabin.

Unable to catch herself, she landed on the floor, her cold knees screaming in pain.

Morales said sharply, “Where’s the other bitch?” He picked up the ropes Lindsey had cut off.

“Jesus, he’d better find her.” Parnell kicked the door shut. “Christ, how could he lose them both? I should never have let him come along.”

Watching silently, Lindsey didn’t move. No point in getting up. Her legs were so weak, she couldn’t run again.

“Why did you bring him?” Morales asked.

“He insisted. Doesn’t trust me to destroy everything.” Parnell smirked. “And I wouldn’t, if it was only his ass at risk.”

Even if Lindsey could have grabbed a knife, her fingers had gone so numb, she wouldn’t be able to hold it. Her hopes were disappearing into a black hole. No way out. But…if Becca got Ansel home safe, it was worth it.

It was. Only… Slow as molasses, grief trickled into her heart. For those few hours yesterday, she’d been…happy. Zander loved her—she’d never expected that gift. She’d never seen him so content, so open.

Now, now she was going to die; what would her murder do to him? A tear ran down her cheek. God, Zander, I’m sorry.

“Oh, look, the puta is crying.” Morales rolled her over, dragged her coat off her, and yanked her to her feet. “Puta. I’m gonna hear you beg before you die.”

As she sagged in his grip, he braced his legs apart to hold her up.

Without thinking, she jerked her knee up, right into his balls.

The sound he made as he dropped to his knees was incredibly satisfying. She staggered back, knowing she’d suffer, but—

Parnell’s fist caught her on the cheekbone and knocked her to the floor.

Again.

This hitting-the-ground-shit was getting old. And she hurt. Hurt, hurt, hurt. It would get worse.

She could feel her spirit retreating from the pain even as she sniffled and wept. Deep inside, she retreated into a tight core of separateness. I’m going to die now. She knew it. Accepted it. No matter what she said or did, they’d kill her as painfully as they could.

A thin voice inside her was wailing I want to live. But she clung to the calm, unbreachable center in her soul. Her daddy seemed to be telling her be a rock, Linnie. Be like granite.

Cruel hands ripped her flannel shirt off, leaving her in only her bra. “Time for our chat, bitch,” Parnell said. “Time to pay for what you did to my brother.” His knee pinned her left arm to the floor. As he looked down at her, his eyes held her death.