Page 3 of Stand: Part One

When it was over, and Javier’s family was nothing but bludgeoned bloody pieces on the floor, I turned the camera back to my smiling blood-smattered face so he could remember it as vividly as possible. The rage on his face as his chest heaved up and down would be a favorite in my memory book. I ended the video chat without a needless word, my actions speaking plenty loud enough for me.

“He’s all yours, Dan,” I said into my headset before turning back to my men. “Raid the house, then burn it down.”

Turning away, I headed back out to our convoy, the day's success making each step lighter than the last. Of course, we weren’t quite out of the woods yet. There was still the matter of Javier’s brother who I would eventually have to deal with. Hopefully, Dan would be able to get his location out of Javier before he finished with him.

Taking out my phone, I dialed Clive for an update on my wife and the little training exercise I had planned for her today. Suspicion was immediate when he answered on the third ring.

“So?” I asked, my impatience evident. “How’d she do?”

I was met with a second of silence before Clive cleared his throat and exhaled. “Unfortunately, sir, we’ve encountered a slight problem.”

Rage punched straight through my chest as I wondered what the fuck kind of trouble Jaden had started now. She always loved to start shit when I wasn’t there to immediately tan her ass with my belt.

“What. Problem.”

More silence. “Someone…used live rounds.”

2

Amateur

Pain burned into my wrists, waking me with a groan. The weight of my own body dangled from the thick ropes that held my wrists above my head, making the pain so much worse.

Shaking myself from unconsciousness, I stretched my body out until my bare toes could touch the ground, albeit barely, and felt concrete.

God-fucking-dammit, not this shit again.

Looking down, I realized I was still in my damn pajamas. Fuckers couldn’t even let me wake up properly before putting me through this bullshit. You’d think taking down an entire storage facility with over a dozen armed men practically by myself would assure my overly controlling “husband” that I could handle shit on my own now just fine. But as usual, I was fucking wrong.

Finding some stability, I ignored the pain in my limbs and tried to assess my surroundings. The walls around me were wood paneling, with a few windows that revealed the lush forest outside. Judging by the workbenches and cabinets behind me, I had to guess I was in a workshop of some sorts. Alone, thankfully.

I glanced up at my binds and grimaced. My wrists were awkwardly wrapped with the rope I dangled from, held together by a single knot. Attempting to spin myself around, I tried to find my footing and gain some semblance of control. That was when I noticed the tools laid out on the workbenches.

Knowing my short ass would never be able to reach the tools, I’d have to turn the ropes into a swing. Pushing off from the floor, I began to sway myself back and forth until I found a good rhythm.

And then a familiar bark caught my ear from somewhere behind another door.

“Oh, thank God,” I whispered to myself.

Drawing a low whistle from my breath, Camaro recognized the sound and immediately quieted. While I was happy we’d get to work together again, I didn’t want her drawing any unnecessary attention just yet.

Lifting my knees, I swung myself closer and closer to the bench until my feet could finally reach it. Stretching my foot out, I gripped a lighter with my toes and quickly brought it up to my hands.

Grasping it tight, I fumbled with the lighter for what felt like way too long as I swung back and forth in the air like a damn pendulum. One frustrating minute later, the flame finally caught the spark and I was able to hold it against the rope. The heat of the flame burned against the sensitive skin of my wrists that had already been rubbed raw from the scratchy ropes. But I breathed through the pain until the rope finally weakened enough to snap, and my feet hit the floor. Rubbing my stinging wrists, I hunched down to the ground and out of sight.

Staying low, I made my way over to the wall near the single window to peer through. With nothing but trees to find and no guards in sight, I hoped I’d be able to make it out of here without causing a stir, which meant I’d need to do something about my bare feet.

Glancing from my perch, I scanned the area for anything I could use for some kind of foot protection. I doubted there’d be any kind of footwear in here that would fit my stupidly small-ass feet. But the sound of my dog’s impatient warning bark made the wheels in my brain get to work. Following the sound of her whines, I groaned when I found the door she was behind locked.

Because of course it was.

“Hold on, Camaro,” I called with a sigh.

Irritated that this was the start of my day, I hustled my ass to the workbench where a crowbar was hanging off a nail on the wall. I lined the crowbar up against the doorframe and pressed all my weight against it. After some massive cursing and several more heaves, the door finally gave way and cracked open.

Camaro’s cry was immediate as soon as I stepped inside to what looked like a small storage room. Her crate shook and rattled as she bucked and jumped around inside it, desperate to escape. I gave her another low whistle to calm her down while I searched for the key to her cage. She quieted down and sat still, her big eyes following me as I moved through the room.

As I searched for the key, my eyes caught the attention of a pair of fluffy white bunny slippers on the floor in what I was sure would be size Jaden. I shook my head and scoffed, walking over to the slippers and picking them up from the floor. They were just as ridiculous as they were obnoxious.