Rack The knife wound runs down my side from under my arm to the top of my hip. It burns like a motherfucker, and the tequila does little to stop the pain as the needle sinks into my flesh. The stitches are far from professional, but they’ll do the job and close the skin, keeping muscle and tissue on the inside where they belong. Never strangle a man with a knife in his hand is my new motto. He sliced into my side before I could stop him. He’s dead now and I’m alive, so I’ll take it as a lesson learned. Putting up with Gomez’s shit for my stupidity isn’t helping me feel the love as he stitches me up. “Fuck,” he swears as he wipes his bloody hands on a blood-covered cloth. I look down at myself as he readjusts his grip on the large needle. “You can’t do things halfway, can you?” he taunts as the needle punctures my skin again. I take another pull from the bottle and suck in a breath as he works the needle through the skin on the other side and ties off another stitch. “The son of a b

RackAfter Dr. Santos examined me and shot me full of more antibiotics, he shook his head while rewrapping my chest and told me to rest for the next few days. He was well aware that would never happen. I slept around the clock. One day of sleep and I craved the gym, tender wound be damned.The stitches pull during my workout, so I take it easy—two miles on the treadmill, push-ups, chin-ups, sit-ups. Gomez attended a meeting with Moon this morning and I have the gym to myself. I’m finishing my workout and thinking about a hot shower when Celina walks in. I rise from the floor after my last ten push-ups and try to grab my shirt before she sees the blood seeping through the gauze.Her hands go to her small waist. “Don’t bother. Carlo told me what happened.”Carlo is Dr. Santos. “Whatever happened to doctor-patient confidentiality?” I grumble.She ignores my question. “He told me to keep an eye on you and make sure you take it easy. I’ve already failed and you should be ashamed.”I pull t

RackThe 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

RackThe 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. Emp

RackI 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 dang