Page 20 of Storm and Tempest

Tears gathered in his eyes as she cried in his arms. Jax dipped his head and rubbed her back, hearing Ramon and Bruce talking to the server. In a way, he’d been waiting for this to happen. He was a wreck, but focusing on work helped.

Now he had a few days to “get his head together”—whatever that meant. He wasn’t going to stop looking for his wife. More than likely, the ADIC was making a play to take over the office and get rid of Jax. Maybe he didn’t like his current role and wanted to go back to bossing around everyone that worked under him rather than being the middleman between Jax and the director of the FBI.

Part of him barely cared about his job, but he did need it. The Bureau had kept him in check for years, and if he was going to survive this, he needed to lean in on that. Procedure. Rules. No matter how long it took, he wasn’t going to give up the search.

“We have to,” she whispered. “Before it’s too late.”

He gave her a squeeze and stepped back.

Even Ramon looked like he had unshed tears in his eyes. Bruce cleared his throat, wiping his nose on a napkin he dumped on his empty plate.

“We all have work to do,” Jax said. “And we should get to it.”

Ramon eyed him but nodded and got up. He said something to Maizie in Spanish, and she nodded.

“Welp,” Bruce said, tucking his chair in. “Not the way I thought lunch would go, but I’ll take it.”

Jax found a smile, but it took effort.

He turned to follow Maizie and the two men out of the restaurant. Strategically ignoring the fact they’d drawn attention to themselves just now. He didn’t know what people thought of their group of four misfits, and he didn’t care. People could think what they wanted. He was going to find Kenna, and her friends would help.

Outside, car tires squealed. A second later, the glass all down one side shattered as automatic weapon fire from more than one source cracked across the open space.

A split second later, Maizie yelped.

Ramon hit Jax at a full tackle and slammed him against the floor. Bruce covered Maizie with his body, using himself as a human shield.

Jax looked over and saw Ramon hunkered down beside him on the tile.

Again and again, shots cracked off like fireworks, exploding across the room. Wood splintered into the air. Dust rained down on everything. Someone screamed. Car tires squealed again, and the automatic weapons fire continued.

Jax slid out his phone and dialed 911.

Ramon grabbed the phone and ended the call. “We need to run.”

“I need to call this in!”

People could be hurt. They needed police, FBI, and ambulances. Minimum. He prayed they wouldn’t need the coroner as well.

Ramon grabbed his shoulder. “No, we need to get out of here before we get someone killed.” He looked at Bruce. “Let’s go!”

Chapter Seven

“Ishouldn’t leave the scene of a crime,” Jax said. He’d checked that no one in the restaurant had been shot at least. One older man had bumped his head, diving for cover, but that was the extent of the injuries in the room.

Ramon shoved him toward the passenger side of his own car. He’d already swiped the keys as soon as Jax had pulled them from his pocket.

“Is this how you deal with Kenna?” Jax wasn’t sure he liked that.

“Goes both ways.” Ramon unlocked the door. “You aren’t thinking straight.”

“I’m not thinking like a mercenary, that’s all.”

“All of us need to think like a mercenary from time to time. And what’s that saying? ‘Rescuer safety first,’ isn’t it? You want Kenna back, get in the car.”

“I’m trusting you.” Jax slid in.

Ramon jogged around to the driver’s side. Jax thought about making a run for it, but what would that prove? He’d be without wheels and without backup if he left on his own.