“What?” Avery raised his voice, and then Murry’s cell phone rang and then Beck’s.

  “Gains abducted Afina. A cop was shot trying to help,” Beck said to the other men.

  “Where did this happen? Where is Afina now? Any signs of them?” Avery asked Michael over the phone. It was crazy and as the others watched the bar and club they realized that this deal wasn’t going down.

  “The feds raided the warehouse. They found guns, drugs, and a bunch of other shit. The crates match the ones that were found that night you and Coast moved in for the bust. It’s Vendis Murto’s. The warehouse is Modara’s and Max, Cortone’s guy, was picked up and gave a shit load of information. They’re going down,” Murry said.

  “Gains must be in a panic that he’s going to get caught,” Beck said, and then they tried to decide what to do next and how to find Afina when the call came in.

  “Shots fired. Multiple injuries. Several dead,” one of the other detectives informed them.

  “We have to go. We need to find Afina,” Avery said to them, and as they started to leave, Avery’s phone rang. He answered it.

  “It’s Agent Flemming. The money transfer was done at a different location. Looks like your guy Gains screwed over Murto, Cortone, and Gordon Ferris because he was just shot and killed during an exchange.”

  “What about the woman? Afina was with him. Gains abducted her almost an hour ago.”

  “Whoever took out Gains and the men there, gang members from what we’re being told, must have taken her. There’s blood on the passenger seat of Gains’s car, and they’re gone.”

  “Fuck. I need to find her. We have to do whatever we can to rescue her from these men.”

  “We’re working the scene and getting what we can. As soon as we have a make of the vehicle they escaped in, we’ll let you know,” Agent Flemming told him.

  * * * *

  Afina was watching this drug deal or money thing go down from the passenger seat of the car. Gains was meeting with several gang members, one guy who looked mean and nasty and handed over a duffle bag, as she tried pulling down hard on the handle to get herself free. As she heard gunshots, she was shocked to see the men go down and even Gains. Suddenly there were men there, and she didn’t recognize any of them as people screamed and ran. Her door opened. She screamed in shock, and there was Gordon. “Let’s move,” he demanded. But then he saw the handcuffs. He shook her wrists and the handle several times, hard, until finally it broke, and then he was pulling her from the car.

  “No, let me go, Gordon. I have nothing to do with any of this.”

  “You’ll suffer because of your boyfriend and because that dick Gains dragged you into this. He’s fucking dead now, and we’re going on a nice long vacation.”

  “No, let me go.” She tried to pull free, but he wouldn’t release her. He pulled her into the back seat of an SUV, and they sped off as another man drove and one was in the passenger seat.

  “Release me. Let me go.” He grabbed her and straddled her body. Her hands were down and still restrained by the handcuffs.

  “Gains is no longer a problem, but your cop boyfriend and his buddies are. They just cost us millions. A warehouse, one that not many knew of, was raided by the feds. Know anything about that?” he asked, and she worried her bottom lip.

  “You stupid bitch. You let them in on that place. Fuck. I was hoping that you weren’t a snitch. That you didn’t aid in this.”

  “I didn’t tell anyone anything. How would I know about a warehouse or anything?”

  “From that night when you were with Jake. You had your ears and eyes opened, and that was what pissed you off. You felt you didn’t belong there with those people.”

  “I didn’t. I’m not a criminal.”

  “No, you just fuck cops, even dirty ones.” He stroked her jaw. “Looks like Gains got a few in on you. Kind of like Jake that night.”

  She growled low. “Let me go. Why are you doing this to me?”

  “Because everything is all fucked up now because of Gains and because of that cop boyfriend of yours. The feds are digging deeper, and we need to head out of town and hide. Figured I would be lonely and you can keep me company. How sweet would that be? To have your cop boyfriend know that I possess you and will be fucking you whenever I want to.”

  He cupped her breast and eased between her legs. She lifted her thigh up and tried banging into him.

  “Oh yeah, you’re going to be fun to break. Just wished Gains could have watched me fuck you before I killed him.”

  “You’re sick. I’ll never let you have me. Never!”

  “You won’t have a choice in that. So get comfortable, the plane is waiting on the runway.”

  * * * *

  Beck’s adrenaline was pumping as he sped toward the airport, driving like a madman to try and get to Afina in time. His brothers were on their way, and Avery was in the passenger seat getting updates from the federal agents. They had the SUV in sight, and as they got through security and headed to the private jet on the airfield, the agents were waving them down. Beck got a bad feeling in his gut.

  “Oh fuck, something is wrong. Where the hell is Afina?” Beck said. He skidded and shoved the SUV in park and jumped out with his brother.

  “They’re not here. They must have changed their plans and ditched the vehicle,” Agent Flemming told them as more police cars arrived, and their brothers, Saber and Brick, along with Afina’s brother and her cousins, Thermos, Zayn, and Selasi. Another two vehicles came along. Beck saw Cavanaugh, Flynn, and Knight, all Seals that were friends with them and Afina’s cousins.

  “What the fuck do you mean they aren’t here? Where did they disappear to?” Avery asked.

  “We don’t know. They pulled a fast one, and they could be anywhere. This was the vehicle from the drug deal exchange. Somehow they switched vehicles,” Flemming said.

  “Surveillance cameras? Are there any around here? Where’s the main monitoring booth?” Knight asked.

  Beck had his fists by his side and growled low. “Motherfucker! They’re going to kill her. They figured out she was the one that told us about the warehouse. Fuck!”

  * * * *

  Afina was hysterically crying, screaming until Gordon covered her mouth, wrapped her up tight in his arms, and held her down in the back of the SUV. She could see all the police, the federal agents, and even her boyfriends. All of them right there by the private jet on the tarmac, and here she was within view and they didn’t even know. The SUV slowly began to exit the airfield. This was it. She would never see her men, her family, and her friends ever again.

  “Right under their noses. God, I love this,” Gordon said and cupped her breasts as he held her tight. She screamed and could feel her eyes blur, and her head was dizzy more than likely from banging it several times and of course his hard strikes as well as Gains’s earlier. She wasn’t giving up. She had to do more. She wasn’t going to get taken by these men and killed by them, hell, raped first. She knew it. She didn’t think things through completely as rage had her using her last bit of energy to fight.

  She bit his hand, hard.

  “Fuck!” Gordon roared and lifted up. She raised her arm and slammed her elbow down into his solar plexus. He grunted, and she lifted up and punched him in the balls hard. As he roared and reached for her, she jumped over the seats and into the front seat where the driver was. She bit his arm and turned the wheel as she slid onto his lap and pressed onto the gas pedal. She was half turned, thrusting her palm up into his throat, stopping him from fighting her. The SUV was turning around. It crashed through the gate, and she wouldn’t let off the gas pedal as the man gripped her and was yelling at her. She felt the hand grip her shoulder and pull back. Her clothing ripped, but she wouldn’t stop, couldn’t not give it her all to be noticed even if the SUV crashed. Help was in the distance.

  “Let the fuck go!” Something hard slammed against her head and cheek. Her foot slipped from the gas pedal just as the SUV bounced and bumped, crashed into several things, and as her vision blurred, she saw all the lights and heard the sirens. Relief hit her insides as she realized she would be saved, and then the SUV slammed into something. The vehicle lifted, and her body felt like it slammed up against the top part of the inside of the SUV and then slammed back down into the glass. It shattered. She felt her arm snap, could hear the man below her grunt as her body hit his. Gordon slammed against her and then away from her. She felt her ribs cave in, making her lose her breath, and Gordon actually screamed out. Dizziness filled her head. Her eyes saw flashes of the SUV tumbling, and then she was upside down. The smell of smoke, of gasoline, and the roar of the engine consumed her senses. Blood dripped all over. She couldn’t move, couldn’t take a deep breath. She could hear yelling. She thought she heard her name, but the dizziness was so bad, the pains so bad, she didn’t know what to do. Water sprayed through the broken glass. She just kept blinking, urging her body to move, for her eyes to focus. Were those men?

  * * * *

  “No! Oh God No!’ Saber yelled as they watched the SUV slam into the pile of gravel and then tumbled several times across the tarmac. The out-of-control vehicle had to have Afina in it.

  “Fire trucks, paramedics. I need everything you got,” Flemming yelled into the radio, but they all ran to their vehicles and sped to the crash site.

  “Please be alive. Oh God, there’s no way anyone is alive, Fuck no.” Beck carried on, and they screeched to a halt. The sirens blared. Fire engines from the airport were immediately on the scene as they all ran toward the wreck. They pulled out fire extinguishers to put out the fire before the SUV exploded.

  “I see her. Oh fuck, she’s covered in blood. Head injury, shit, her arm is mangled. It’s broken,” Avery said.

  “Hang in there, Afina. We’re getting you out.” Brick yelled to her, but she was unresponsive. Saber could see through the wreck, the broken glass, that her eyes were blinking, but she wasn’t moving. Paramedics and firefighters were there in a flash, evaluating the scene. They secured the SUV, making sure there was no chance of it igniting, as they sprayed it with a special foam and got the jaws of life. Saber stood by his brothers. There wasn’t anything they could do to help. This was the firefighters’ and EMS’s responsibility, and their training would hopefully save Afina’s life. They didn’t know how bad her injuries were, but as Saber and the others watched the SUV crash, then flip several times, he felt his heart drop, and it was like he lost years off his life.

  “Please be okay. Jesus, she isn’t moving,” Beck said.

  They heard the other paramedics and firefighters talking.

  “The two men are dead,” one said.

  “Come on, Afina,” Saber said aloud. He looked at Thermo, Selasi, Zayn, and Mike. They looked pissed off and scared. They more than likely blamed this situation on them. On Avery, Saber, Brick, and Beck for not protecting her.

  As the sound of the saw cutting through the metal echoed around them, sparks of light, smoke, and the smell of burnt metal added to the intensity of the situation, and Saber felt sick. He wanted to take her place. To be in that situation instead of her so she would never feel pain. When the crash of the metal door fell from the SUV, immediately EMS and two firefighters evaluated her injuries.

  “I got a weak pulse. She’s alive,” he said, and a bit of relief filled Saber’s heart. They watched as her injuries were evaluated. A neck brace was put on her, then a brace to her arm that was definitely broken. Her head was checked and bandaged, then the stretcher pulled closer.

  “What’s that?” he heard the paramedic say. His face was next to her face. “Okay, sweetie. You lay still and just relax. We’re going to get you to the hospital.” They began to shift her body to the flat board, and she cried out in pain. Saber rubbed his mouth. She looked all beaten up. Bruises and discoloration were coming out on her skin. Her top was ripped, and the top of her breast was exposed. Were those finger marks?

  “What did she say?” Mike asked. He and his cousins were getting closer to her before Avery and his brothers could. The paramedics were getting her onto the gurney. Avery was by her side. He touched her cheek.

  “You’ll be okay, baby. Keep fighting. We love you,” he said to her.

  They loaded her in, and they watched as the paramedic closed the door. Avery grabbed his arm.

  “What did she say?” he asked.

  “Something about if she dies let Avery and them know Gains killed Coast.” Avery’s eyes widened as the paramedic ran around the ambulance, and it took off, sirens blaring.

  “Holy shit, it was Gains who shot you and killed Coast,” Beck said.

  “She wanted you to know. She’s afraid she could die,” Saber said.

  “If she does, it’s on fucking you. All four of you!” Mike yelled and shoved his finger into Avery’s chest. Avery shoved him back.

  “We didn’t cause this. She isn’t going to die, Mike. We love her,” he said to Mike.

  “You hurt her. You did cause this and should have protected her from Gains, from even Gordon sniffing around. She isn’t some fucking piece of ass. A young babe you guys got to take to bed!” Mike yelled.

  “Mike, calm down,” Zayn said to him.

  “Let’s get to the hospital,” Saber told Avery, and they pulled him back and all headed to their vehicles. Saber glanced back at the mess. At the crumbled pieces of mental and what could have been Afina’s grave. He loved her so much, and didn’t even get to tell her that. He had to fix things, and make sure they provided for Afina and made it clear she was their world forever.

  Epilogue

  Days had passed, and Afina was in and out of consciousness because of her injuries. There was a fear she had some internal bleeding, and further tests were being done this morning. Beck looked at Cavanaugh, Flynn, and Knight who had been very supportive and even helped fill in Melina and Afina’s other friends as they arrived after the accident had taken place. They were currently talking to Mike, Zayne, Selasi, and Thermo along with Avery’s brothers, Beck, Saber, and Brick. Saber had taken the time to talk to Afina’s brothers and cousins and straighten out the misunderstanding from a year ago and their cousin Shay. Apparently Mike’s friend, Steve, had liked Shay, and Steve had made a comment that Avery had overheard and words were exchanged. Ultimately Mike’s need to be in charge bashed heads with Avery’s need to be in charge and not back down, and they fought for no reason at all. Saber also explained how much they loved Afina and planned on asking her to move in with them. So things were resolved there, but still Avery felt like he failed Afina. His brothers did, as well, as he and Beck were focused on the case and on finding Coast’s killer. It apparently became Afina’s focus as she engaged in conversation with Gains and Gordon, and confirmed it was Gains who killed Coast that night and shot Avery. She solved that case, and the FBI believed when she awoke and was able to answer their questions that she would have more information for them.

  It angered Avery, and he wanted nothing more than to hold her in his arms in bed and block out the rest of the world and just keep Afina in their arms under their protection forever.

  As the nurses wheeled the bed through the hallway, they all caught sight of Afina. She was awake, swollen, and bruised up so much, but conscious and looking at all of them. The nurse brought the bed into the room, hooked everything up as they all waited to go in.

  “Just a few at a time. She’s tough and pushing herself to remain conscious,” the nurse said.

  “What about the tests? Is she okay, or anymore bleeding?” Brick asked her.

  “The doctor will be in shortly.” The nurse gave a small smile.

  “Hey, beautiful. God, I missed these green eyes,” Saber said leaned down and kissing her lips. She blinked, unable to talk, but tears filled her eyes.

  “Hey, sis,” Mike said. He caressed her arm, and she blinked her eyes.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked, and they stepped aside for her cousins to greet Afina, and then her friends. Afina whispered but then cringed.

  “It’s just my head, my body, everything hurts,” she whispered.

  “Well, you rest up and take your time. We’re all here for you,” Mike told her.

  “Yes we are. The girls and I have been cooking up food and getting things ready for when you go home. Maybe in a few days,” Kai said to her.

  “What do the doctors say?” she asked and closed her eyes. Beck caressed her hair from her cheeks and stroked her forehead.

  “Don’t worry about it. We’ll take care of you. Whatever the doctor orders, you’ll do,” he said to her.

  When the doctor came in, he cleared out the room, but her cousins and Kai stayed along with them.

  “So, the good news is that the bleeding has subsided. I’ll run a few more tests in the next few days, and then do another brain scan just to ensure we’re good there, as well.”

  “Great news. You’ll be out of here in no time and recovering at home,” Selasi said to her and caressed her arm. She gave a nod.

  “How long before I can go home if the tests are all clear?” she asked.

  “Another week tops, maybe sooner, but I don’t want you pushing it. It’s amazing that you survived that car accident. You rest and recover here as much as you can. When you go home, things are different. You have to get around and fend for yourself, plus rest when you have any headaches or feel weakness. You seem…headstrong and like you may not listen to your body telling you to rest up,” the doctor said to her.

  Thermo nodded. “He figured you out pretty damn fast.” Everyone chuckled.

  “We’ll ensure she rests. Don’t you worry about that,” Brock said and gave her a stern expression. Avery swallowed hard. He took a few steps away as the doctor left the room, and her cousins and his brothers spoke to Afina.

  “Hey,” Mike said to him. Avery looked slightly down at him. Avery had about two inches on Mike in height.

  “She will be just fine. You and your brothers will make sure of that. Will ensure her full recovery.” Avery nodded.