Page 32 of Stone Cold Bad (Stone Brothers #1)
TWENTY-SEVEN
COLT
I leaned up against the side of the van and took several deep, steadying breaths. I’d figured all along that I was a dead man. I just didn’t want to let Jade know. Now he had her. My teeth gritted in anger causing my jaw to throb with pain.
Red sat at the front end of the cargo hold with the gun held loosely in his hand.
He’d apparently decided I was messed up enough to not put up a fight.
They had tossed me inside the van without bothering to tie up my hands again.
My head and body felt like shit, and I wasn’t sure if I could fight back.
I closed my eyes to try and calm the pain messing with my mind.
I needed to think clearly and get past all the bruises, cuts and broken bones.
I planned to go out with a big fucking fight.
Jade needed me more than ever now. I needed to get out of this for no other reason except to save her.
The van was moving along at a good pace.
From the drop in temperature inside the van, it seemed we were heading back toward the water.
I glanced over at Red. “We’re heading back to the boat, huh?
It’s really nice of you guys to give me a ride back to my hometown dock.
Don’t think I’d be able to make the swim with the way I’m feeling. ”
“Yeah, you’ll be taking a swim all right.”
That was the plan. I’d gotten the fool to tell me without even asking.
They were going to take me out on the water, shoot me and drop me into the ocean.
My only chance was to grab red’s gun, but with the way we sat at the moment, there was no chance.
He’d be able to shoot me in the face long before I made a grab for the gun.
I needed to wait for the right opportunity.
The van veered right and slowed. We were leaving the highway.
It was just a few miles to the private dock where they’d moored the boat.
My body felt as if it had been through the fucking wringer.
Working up any adrenaline to make my move was harder than I’d expected.
But something told me, when the chance presented itself, I’d move into action.
We made several right turns. The van was getting closer to the beach house.
A sharp turn and a bump told me we were traveling on the long path to the water.
Then the van came to a sudden violent stop as if it had hit something.
The voices were muffled by the dividing wall between the cargo hold and the cab of the van, but they grew louder. The driver and passenger doors opened.
Red got up and hunched over as he reached to slide open the door. I kicked his feet out from under him, and he hit the floor elbow first. The gun fell from his grip. I snatched it and held it against his forehead.
He scowled up at me.
I motioned with my head toward the door. “Slide it open.”
As he opened the door, skull went flying past the opening, landing hard on the driveway. I shoved red out with my foot and climbed out with my gun, ready to kill any fucker who came near me.
Slade’s grinning face greeted me. “Holy shit, you’re a mess.”
Loud grunts came from the other side of the van. Slade leaned his head that direction. “Hunter is taking care of the circus strongman back there.”
A low groan came from behind me. Skull was just coming to. Slade had already done a number on him. He pushed halfway to his feet. Slade stepped forward, but I put up a hand to stop him.
“My turn.” My leg flew out. I kicked the guy’s head so hard, blood flew from his ears. He flopped face down on the driveway. I looked around. “Where’s the fourth guy?”
“The small dude ran toward the beach. Hunter scared him.”
Hunter walked around to our side of the van. His knuckles were bright red, and there was some blood sprayed on his shirt. But it wasn’t his blood. “Who did I scare?” He looked at me. “Fuck. What the hell did they do, drag you behind a fucking horse?”
“Feels like it. We’ve got to get back—” A gunshot fired through the trees, and we all ducked. Slade reached for his gun.
“I’ve got this. I’m suddenly feeling much better, and I’m in the mood for a little payback.
” I headed to a small brick wall that lined the driveway and dropped down behind it.
I waited for a flicker of movement. There was more than a flicker.
Another shot was fired. He was just shooting blindly.
I, on the other hand, saw exactly where the shot had come from.
The second he dashed away from the tree he’d been hiding behind, I fired a round. He yelled out and grabbed his leg.
Hunter nodded. “Not bad for a guy who looks like he’s been run over by a tractor.”
“Let’s get out of here. We need to get to Ward’s place and find Jade. She’s in a lot of danger.”
“Yep, we’ve got the address,” Slade said. “That was where we were headed after this place if we couldn’t find you.”
Hunter walked over and patted me on the shoulder. “Glad we found you, little bro.”
“Yeah, me too.”