Into the Fury (BOSS, Inc. #1)(75)

“Look, Lieutenant, Valentine Hart is my assignment. I need to get in there.” Ethan tried not to let his desperation show, drew on everything he had ever learned to stay in control. “I’m an ex-cop, all right? I know the drill. Let me go in with you.” Val was way more than a job, but if the cops knew that, he didn’t have a prayer of going in.

“Sorry, you’re a civilian. I can’t allow you to get involved.”

A big black plainclothes detective stepped up beside him. “This is Ethan Brodie, Lieutenant. He’s the guy who fingered Mahler. He’s ex-Dallas homicide. How about letting him go in as backup?”

The black cop turned to Ethan, stuck out a meaty hand. “Detective Ricky Melon. Heath Ford says he owes you, asked me to look out for you.”

He gripped Melon’s hand, nodded a quick thanks. “Appreciate the help.” Time was of the essence. He turned back to the man in charge. “I’m armed. I just need a vest, Lieutenant.”

Five ten and completely bald, Alvarez released a slow breath. “Damn, I know better than to do this.” He tipped his head toward one of his men. “Get Brodie a vest and let’s get this show on the road.”

Relief and resolve filtered through him. Ethan shrugged into the black body armor the cop handed him, settled it in place over his tux, then pulled out his Glock and checked the load.

“Call him,” the lieutenant ordered the officer working the portable phone. “After what this guy did to the stripper, we don’t have time to get eyes and ears in there. See if we can get him back on an open line.”

“You got it.”

Moments later, Byron Mahler was talking again, making more threats that Ethan believed he absolutely meant to carry out. He moved in behind SWAT as they headed for the rear entrance to the spa, silently praying they would get to Val and the others before it was too late.





The lieutenant’s voice sounded scratchy as it came over the speakerphone line. “I need you to listen to me, Byron. You don’t want to hurt those women. They haven’t done anything to you. You need to let them go.”

“Time’s running out, Lieutenant. What’s your answer? We got a deal? One for three?”

There was only a moment’s hesitation in the police officer’s voice. “All right, we’ve got a deal.” There was really no choice. Three women would be safe. Only one left to save, only one life at risk instead of all four of them. Val shivered.

“Send three out,” the lieutenant agreed. “Then we wait, give you time with the other one. Soon as you’re finished, you give yourself up. Okay?”

Mahler’s satisfied smile made the bile rise at the back of Val’s throat.

“Three for one. Here they come.”

Striding to the door, he dragged Carmen and Ursula to their feet. “You on the phone,” he said to Amarika. “Get over here.”

With a terrified glance at Val, Amarika raced across the room to join the other two women.

Val stood frozen. She shouldn’t have said anything to Mahler. She shouldn’t have done anything to get herself singled out.

Mahler shot her a malevolent glare. “You stay where you are, you hear me?”

Val nodded, but she was ready to bolt the minute Mahler opened the door.

“You still there, Lieutenant?” Mahler asked through the open phone line.

“I’m right here. Don’t do anything you’ll regret, Byron.”

“I’m sending three of them out to you. You better not shoot or you’ll kill them.” Mahler jerked open the door and shoved all three women out into the corridor. At the same time, an explosion rocked the room, blowing the back door off its hinges, and the vent in the ceiling crashed open.

Val screamed as six men in full body armor carrying assault rifles stormed the gigantic bathroom. Another SWAT officer dropped down through the opening in the ceiling. The last man to enter, a pistol gripped in both hands, wore a tactical vest over a black tuxedo.

Val saw Mahler’s hand come up, then she was jerked out of the way as Ethan stepped in front of her, shielding her with his big, hard body. Shots rang out. She couldn’t count how many, but they didn’t come from Mahler’s weapon. She didn’t see him die, but she heard his body hit the floor.

She grabbed hold of Ethan and buried her face in his chest.

“I’ve got you,” he said, holding her so tight she couldn’t have moved if she’d wanted to, which she didn’t.

Ethan smoothed back her hair. “You women and your goddamn bathroom breaks. Sweet Jesus, lady, you scared the piss out of me.” He took a deep, steadying breath and kissed the top of her head. “What am I going to do with you, Valentine?”

Val stared up at him, her ears still ringing with the echo of gunshots and the chaos around her. A single sob escaped. It turned into a moan that seemed to tear loose inside her. The moan dragged on, then turned into a giggle. She started laughing, laughed harder, laughed so hard she was shaking all over.

Ethan’s arms tightened around her. “It’s okay,” he said gently, moving her toward the door. “It’s just the adrenaline. It’ll pass in a minute.”

The laughter shifted, changed back into sobs that turned into uncontrollable weeping. Ethan lifted her into his arms and started striding past the SWAT guys, outside into the fresh night air. He didn’t stop until they were well away from the chaos overrunning the mansion.