Rescuing Ryder (Serenity Securities, Team Hawk #1)

Chapter 27

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

“I kept them on the mountain. You threatened me. I didn’t want to take any chances with them here at my house,” she explained fearfully.

“I don’t believe you.” He grabbed her arm roughly and shook her before shoving her into the chair. Swiping her newly placed books from the shelves, he searched every nook and cranny while he held the gun at her. “Where is it?”

“I already told you,” she stated firmly. “I didn’t want to leave them here for your viewing pleasure.”

The gun hit her cheek. Claire’s hand flew to her face as blood seeped onto her fingers from the throbbing cut. She stared at him angrily.

“Then I guess we’ll search this place from top to bottom and for every minute it takes me to find it, I’ll make your life hell, Claire. If you think the paltry slap to the face feels bad, let me assure you it’s only the beginning.”

Claire clenched her mouth shut as her body shook in terror. Wondering if the women he killed felt the impending doom as she did, she firmed her mouth in a straight line, refusing to give him any pleasure in hearing her beg for her life. Accepting her demise, she felt a strange calm start from the top of her head and flow down to her toes.

When he jerked her by the hair to move her into the living room, she refused to cry out.

Slamming her into the couch, he hit her with his fist under her jaw, making her mouth feel as if her teeth might shatter from the force. Her head swam as he hit her ear and blood pooled from her mouth.

“Tell me where you hid the file and save yourself some misery. You’ll suffer for making things more difficult for me, but I can make your death slow and painful like my mother-in-law’s or peaceful and swift like my wife’s. You like to give people choices, Claire. Which one will you pick?” he threatened.

Claire’s head swam and her cheek throbbed. Her ear felt as if he sliced it off. Blood dripped from her head to her shoulder. Yet, she didn’t feel pain, only the throbbing and her heartbeat in her chest. She turned her steel green eyes to meet his.

She smiled, thinking she probably resembled some poor creature from a horror movie, as she tasted the blood in her mouth and smelled the metallic scent. Claire leaned forward as if she planned to tell him where she hid the file.

“Screw you,” she slurred. “You can kill me now, because I won’t tell you anything.”

Kilner chuckled. “I knew you’d be a tough one to break. But you forget, I’ve watched you. Even after I kill you, I’ll make those people who live on the mountain suffer. I’ve never hurt a child. They’re full of innocence and goodness. I wonder if they’ll fight for their lives or accept it, because of blind trust? Maybe I’ll hold one in the stream and discover which one. Not all those kids live on the safety of the mountain. The baker has a lovely little girl. A tiny, defenseless little thing with the sweetest smile. When you die, I’ll wait until the big guy drops them off at the bakery for some mother and daughter time. I’ll tie the woman up and she can watch while I drown her daughter in the tub.”

Claire swallowed. It was one thing to kill her, but not Bryanna and little Nugget.

“Please,” she whimpered. “I left the file on the moun?—”

He struck her, knocking her off the couch. She lay on the floor, unmoving. Claire’s eye stung and blurred as she attempted to lift her head.

“We can’t leave until I have the file. It’s your last chance, Claire. If you don’t tell me the truth, I’ll grab the baker in the morning and you can watch as she dies. I’ll keep you alive long enough to watch her suffer. When those stupid women gather to cry over you, I’ll grab the other one with short black hair.”

Something inside of her stiffened. David Kilner may know about the women of Serenity, but did he know the overprotective men? Her murder guaranteed the mountain’s security to tighten and the group would swoop their loved ones together until the threat disappeared. Even the townspeople would find themselves under the protection of the team. Claire hoped David liked the feeling of getting hunted because Leo and his team wouldn’t hesitate to hunt him until they put him down like a rabid dog.

Claire winced as she slowly dragged herself to a sitting position. “If you harm any of those women, prepare for the wrath of hell to rain down on you. There’s nowhere on this earth you’ll feel safe. I’m not telling you anything. You can beat me, make me suffer, but those people are my family and won’t rest until they find you,” she choked.

Ryder pulled out his KA-BAR and easily unlocked the screen door of her porch in the back. It took him a couple of minutes to jimmy the French doors soundlessly as he heard a man’s voice threaten Claire. Leo came up beside him.

“What part of stand down till we arrive did you not hear?” Leo growled as he pushed him to the side and worked the lock. In less than thirty seconds, the door swung open. Whiskey silently handed him a gun before withdrawing from the door and into the yard. Saint tapped his shoulder, indicating for him to move as Leo slipped inside. He followed the leader who motioned for him to check the kitchen. Taco and Shadow slid against the wall and crept silently up the stairs to clear the rooms.

The sound of a woman grunting in pain halted the men, spurring them to proceed silently farther into the house.

Saint stayed by his side as they crossed into the kitchen. They listened as the attacker made a grave mistake. The attacker’s muffled voice drifted to them. “Oh, Claire…I’ll love watching you as I make you watch as I hurt your friends’ children. Then I’ll grab the pregnant lady. I’ll give her a chance to see her child while I cut it from her womb…” Before, Ryder assumed they planned to catch Claire’s attacker. Listening to the man threaten Serenity’s children and the wives of the team, Ryder knew the man ensured his own death. He searched the team member’s faces as the man described each one. When the sweet baker was mentioned, he felt Saint stiffen. He didn’t know the black-haired lady Kilner mentioned, but the team knew, by the expressions on their faces.

Leo took point in the hallway and ducked his head into the living room. He held up one finger before giving Saint the signal to clear the office. The men moved as one as they narrowed in on the target.

Ryder clenched the weapon in his hand as he surveyed the men. He listened as Claire cried out, “I’m not telling you anything. You can beat me, make me suffer, but those people are my family and they won’t rest until they find you,” her voice sounded weak. Ryder felt the deadly calm flow through him as he readied himself to remove the threat. This man never stood a chance of making it out alive. He threatened Claire. Leo motioned them into position.

In his rage, he grabbed the end of her glass coffee table and threw it to the side as he neared her. His gun pointed at her head as his foot struck her in the ribs. She curled into a ball and covered her head to avoid the blows.

He stopped and breathed heavily in his rage as he glared down at her.

“You’ve sealed your fate, Claire,” he yelled at her menacingly as he grabbed her top and pulled her to stand. He didn’t notice her hand slip into her pocket as she remained a limp noodle in his hand.

When he finally achieved putting her in a standing position, he stood nose to nose with her grinning.

“You hold in your screams beautifully. I wonder how your friends will do? The tall, black-haired lady has such a sweet melodic voice. I can’t wait to hear her cry out. It’ll be like music to my ears.”

Claire kept her head drooped to the side while he threatened Lizzy. He stepped back and grabbed the electric cord she ran from the living room to the hallway for her lamp. When he turned and walked toward her to tie her hands, she waited until he moved close enough, clenching her hand around the weight. As he approached, she swung with all her might. The gun rose and she closed her eyes as the weight connected with his evil head. The gun fired and she knew her life ended as he kept shooting. The smell of gunfire and feathers from her pillows filled the air. Yet she still stood. Her arm stung and she lowered it to drop the rock as she watched David Kilner jerk as bullets pelted him and he fell to the floor.

Ryder stepped into the living room doorway when the air started to clear. “Claire Bear,” he called to her gently.

Realizing she heard him and he wasn’t a figment of her imagination, she turned her gaze to the floor. David Kilner stared into nothingness as blood seeped out of his dead body.

Claire turned back as Ryder stepped toward her. She didn’t understand how she remained alive. She cried out and ran straight into his arms. She clung to his neck and sobbed as Ryder rubbed her back soothingly.

“I got you, Claire Bear. He won’t ever hurt you or threaten you again. You’re safe, sweetheart,” he murmured.

Claire let out big, wracking sobs as she buried her face into his neck and refused to let go. She squinched her eyes closed and babbled incoherently.

Ryder bent and picked her up, walking outside. Chase and Kassie rushed to his side with an ambulance and a stretcher. He attempted to set her down on it, but she gripped him tightly in terror, thinking he planned to leave. She didn’t want to let go of the feeling of safety in his arms.

He sighed before sitting on the bed and pulling at her arms.

His hand braced the back of her head and rocked her like a child. He turned his head slightly to whisper in her ear.

“Claire Bear, listen to me. I’m staying right here with you. You’re safe. Doc’s here with Kassie, and they want to check on your injuries. I’ll still hold you, baby. Let us see to your injuries,” he coaxed her gently.

She tried to breathe, but her ribs hurt and her head pounded. Wincing, Claire reluctantly let go of his neck. He ran his hand soothingly down her back as he peered angrily at her face.

She sobbed, thinking Ryder must be mad at her for what she said earlier.

“Shhh. Doc needs to check your eye,” he soothed her as he used his fingers to slightly turn her head.

Chase shined a light on her, making her wince and cry out. Ryder tightened his hold on her.

“Easy, Doc,” he growled at Chase.

“I’m doing my best, Ryder. The gash appears deep and she’ll require stitches. We need to take her up to the hospital. I need a CT scan of her head,” Chase explained gravely.

Claire’s arms circled his neck and she dug in, scared Ryder intended to let her go.

He swept her up in his arms and they put the stretcher back in the ambulance.

“Get in and I’ll hand her up to you,” Leo ordered as he stood by the door.

He attempted to transfer her into Leo’s arms, but she refused to budge. Ryder glanced helplessly at the men.

Kassie approached. Her hand rubbed Claire’s arm. “Claire. Breathe in and out, light breaths. I’m standing beside you. Ryder needs to step inside the ambulance. He can’t hold you and get everything he needs. I’ll hold your arm while Leo takes you. I won’t let go until Ryder has you back in his. Trust me, Claire, like I did you.”

A minute went by before Claire slowly removed her arms. She couldn’t see Kassie out of her eye but felt her friend’s touch. Leo held onto her gently while Ryder hopped into the back. When he sat on the stretcher, Leo passed her back to him. She snuggled into his neck, smelling his scent, knowing he’d keep her safe.

The ambulance drive felt short as Kassie again grasped Claire’s arm as Chase held her and waited for Ryder to jump down. He scooped her gently back into his arms, kissing her temple as they headed to the ER.

“We need scans and x-rays, Claire Bear. I’m laying you on the cot.” Claire struggled against him. From a professional point of view, she knew she experienced a shock. But from her personal one, her body refused to accept him leaving.

She heard Chase, Ryder and Kassie murmuring to one another before she felt the cold swab of an alcohol pad against her arm and a slight sting.

Realizing they gave her something, Claire raised her head to beg him not to leave her. Her mouth moved but nothing came out.

Ryder laid her down and swiped her hair gently away from her face. Her eyelids fluttered as she saw his concerned face leaning down to hers out of her one good eye.

“I’m not leaving, Claire Bear,” he whispered before the drugs pulled her under and he moved her arms to her sides.

She felt the wave of the drug take over. But her mind stayed stuck in panic mode and she struggled to distinguish if she was dying or going under the sedative. Either way, Ryder’s life was saved and he was what mattered.