Page 34 of Stone Cold Bad (Stone Brothers #1)

TWENTY-NINE

COLT

I wiped most of the blood away from my face, but every time I talked or moved, it seemed to start flowing again.

With my state of mind and body, for that matter, I wasn’t thinking too straight.

None of us were, it seemed. We were moving purely on adrenaline and anger.

There had been no plan made, just a quick ambush.

We pulled up to the street. Ward’s massive house peered up over the tall trees.

Slade leaned down to get a view past a long, leafy branch. “I see some men standing out on the lawn. Looks like he’s got guys positioned all around the place.” He pushed his face farther forward. “Wait. What the fuck is he doing there?”

“You going to let us in on your solo conversation?” Hunter asked.

“It’s that asshole who’s been picking up our cargo.”

“Ace? Are you sure?” I asked.

Slade squinted to make sure. “Yep, that’s him.”

“That asshole. He was asking questions about Jade on our last drop.”

Hunter looked at me in the backseat. “You never said anything.”

“He had the flyer with her picture and the reward offer. He was asking me while he had his gun against my head. I told him I didn’t know her, but he’d already been asking around about her and people had mentioned my name. I guess we have him to blame for the whole thing going down like this.”

Hunter turned forward. “He must be at the house to collect his reward.” He pulled the guns out from the glove box. Unfortunately, mine was still at the cottage. But Slade and Hunter had theirs, and I was armed with enough rage and determination that I wasn’t going to need one.

Slade checked his bullets. “Been awhile since we needed to use these.” There was an edge of hesitation in his voice. We’d been in plenty of fights, but a brawl always took on a whole different layer when everyone was armed. And keeping the police out of it was going to be impossible.

I leaned forward. “You guys already saved my ass once today. I would have been shark bait by now. Why don’t I just go up alone? I’ll take a gun and see if I can negotiate my way inside.”

Slade looked back at me and laughed dryly. “Negotiate? Have you taken a look at yourself, dude? Trust me you aren’t that sparkly pretty Colt that the girls all yearn for. No one is going to let you inside.”

“You’re not going alone,” Hunter said in a tone that meant don’t bother to argue. We climbed out of Slade’s car and headed up the street to the house.

As we stepped into view, three of the men posted out front took off and climbed into a black Cadillac. They took off down the road and never looked back. Slade looked at Hunter. “Must have been that ugly mug of yours. They just ran off for their mommies like the boogie man was chasing them.”

We stepped onto the front lawn. Ace was on the front porch. He didn’t look shocked to see us. “Thought you boys might show up.”

We stopped midway. “You told Ward that I was with the girl?”

“Yeah. Sorry about that. It was ten grand, and I figured you were just having fun with his girl. Didn’t know there was actually something between you or that Ward was such an asshole. He stiffed me on the ten grand, so I’ve decided to help you out.”

“How’d you get those dimwits to leave?” Slade asked.

Ace shrugged and put his gun in his holster. “Let’s just say that I can drop some names that will make grown men like those douchebags shit their pants.” He looked at me. “You look a little raw, but are you going in to get the girl, or what?”

“Yep.” I slid past him. Hunter and Slade followed. I heard a muffled scream coming from behind a door. I kicked it and the door flew open. Ward had ripped Jade’s shirt open. Her mouth was swollen and red as she tried to fight him off.

She looked up. “Colt!” she cried.

Ward jumped up from the couch. Hunter grabbed him. I dropped to my knees in front of the couch and swept Jade into my arms.

“You’re alive,” she said between sobs.

“Seems that way.”

She tucked herself against me. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.”

“Funny, I was just about to say the same thing to you.” I lifted her into my arms.

Hunter had Ward in a chokehold. Ward’s eyes were bulging with rage and a lack of oxygen. “Just give me the word, Colt, and I’ll squeeze his neck flat,” Hunter said.

I shook my head. “Nope. He’s mine. Take Jade out of here.”

Hunter released Ward. He bent over coughing and gasping for air.

I put Jade in Hunter’s arms. He carried her out but Slade stuck around. I figured he would.

Ward ran to his desk where his gun sat. I was on him before he could reach it. I turned him to face me. His nervous gaze flicked to the door. “How did you get past my men?”

“Do you mean the guys who just scooted to their car with their tails between their legs?”

His eyes went wide.

“What’s the matter? You look worried.”

He backed up and his desk stopped his retreat. “Get out before I call the police.”

“Good idea. Then Jade can tell them what you’ve done to her, and I’ll probably mention being kidnapped and threatened with death.

” I took a step toward him. “You are officially done with Jade. When I leave here, you’re going to wish you’d never gone looking for her.

Who the fuck am I kidding? You’re going to wish you’d never met her.

” I grabbed hold of his shirt. “Hope you have a lot of fucking aspirin in this big ole house.”