Absolution (Honor Guard 1)

Something like Eva.

He slipped inside, motioning for his team to follow, creeping closer to the guard. He head-locked the unsuspecting man from behind, tightening his grip until the ass**le crumpled to the ground. He caught the man’s AR-15 before it could crash onto the floor and alert anyone to his presence. He holstered his own weapon, raised the AR-15 and pointed down at the guy on the floor to the closest team member. The teammate nodded and grabbed the guard’s arms, dragging him outside.

He moved to the door and, testing the knob, found it locked, of course. He pressed his ear to the cool metal and heard a scuffling sound on the other side, followed by the unmistakable echo of fist meeting bone. His hand tightened on the grip of his gun, and he took a deep breath. Time for some action.

He kicked the door open to find Antonio breathing harshly, and Eva dressed in nothing but her panties—covered in blood and unconscious. She clutched a strip of material in her left hand, and her face was swollen. Her br**sts had bruises forming on them, and she seemed far too pale to still be alive.

Joseph’s heart skipped a beat and a hollow whooshing sound reverberated inside his head. Roaring in anger, he rushed into the room. He pointed his gun at Antonio to shoot the bastard, but a movement behind him and to the left caused him to hesitate. At the doorway, his team’s feet pounded the ground as they crowded into the room, so he knew the other sound couldn’t be one of his men. He dropped to the ground, rolling and shooting in the same breath. His bullet hit the attacker right between the eyes, killing him instantly.

After all, a close-shot to the head with a .9mm didn’t often leave survivors.

He raised the business end of his weapon and pointed it at Antonio, stepping to the side of the door so that the only way out of the room was through him and his team.

The f**ker has nowhere to go but down.

Antonio’s hand inched toward his pocket, and Joseph growled, “Don’t do it. Hands up.”

Antonio laughed and raised his hands in a mocking surrender. “I only wish I’d killed the bitch before you got here.”

Joseph let out a breath at the man’s words. “If you had, you’d be in hell right now. Instead, you get to spend the rest of your life in jail. I heard the men in prison love ra**sts.”

He lowered his weapon, motioning his team forward as he stepped out of the way. If Joseph so much as laid a finger on the f**ker, he’d kill him, so it would be best to keep his distance. The team members rushed forward, but in the same moment, Antonio lifted the knife over Eva.

Joseph raised his weapon and fired three quick shots, each hitting Antonio in the back—right between his shoulder blades.

Antonio jerked where he stood and then dropped to the ground like the garbage he was. Joseph rushed to Eva, swallowing down bile at the sight of her naked and covered in this disgusting monster’s blood. He grabbed her ripped nightgown, wiping her off the best he could. Wrapping her in a dirty comforter, he cradled her in his arms and strode out of the room.

She moaned, and he cuddled her closer. She looked even worse up close than she had from across the room. Swallowing heavily, he searched her face, trying to decipher the extent of her injuries.

Her nose pointed to the right side, so swollen and abused she looked like a different person, with blood smeared all over her face. In addition to the discoloration on her br**sts, she had several bite marks on her neck.

“Fuck,” he snarled. He wished he could kill Antonio over and over again. Daily.

As Joseph exited the building, Hugo arrived and rushed toward them. He examined the naked bundle in Joseph’s arms, his expression pinched.

“Is she…?” He reached toward his daughter’s face. “Is she dead?”

“No, but she needs help right away.”

“Thank God. The ambulance is on its way.” Hugo stepped to his side while men rushed all around them. He held his arms out. “Give her to me.”

“No! I’ve got her. Just get the f**king ambulance here faster.” Joseph pulled her closer to his chest, eyes narrowed on Hugo’s face.

After a moment’s hesitation, Hugo nodded. “Okay. You can hold her, but I’m coming, too.”

“Fine.” Joseph turned his attention back to Eva, kissing the clean spot near her temple. The only clean spot, from the looks of it.

“She never stopped loving you,” Hugo mumbled.

Joseph scowled at Hugo. If only love were enough to make her want him back. “And I never stopped loving her, sir.”

Sirens sounded in the distance, and Joseph stalked toward the approaching vehicle. He’d failed to keep her safe from Antonio. Sure, he’d rescued her in time, but did that count?

His gut said no.

Chapter Seven

Four days later, Eva stumbled through her doorway and kicked off her flip-flops, assaulted by memories the moment she stepped foot onto the cool hardwood. Her nose still throbbed, complete with stents stuck up her nostrils and gauze taped over the bridge. Her father had managed to wrap up his assignment, but even so, they had been forced to move. If the Cartel decided to get revenge against him, she and her dad were now too easy to locate.

Eva studied the boxes stacked against the living room wall and sighed. She tried not to dwell on the fact she’d not seen Joseph since the day he’d saved her from Antonio. When she’d awoken in the ambulance, he’d been holding her hand with a haunted look in his eyes. He hadn’t been back since then, and it hurt more than she cared to admit.

She’d thought he would have come by to check on her or maybe a dutiful follow-up since she’d been his assignment. But no. Nothing. Not even a freaking phone call or e-mail. The nurses caring for her had said that he’d called the hospital each day to check on her. But he hadn’t bothered to show his face.

In the hotel, he’d told her he’d given up on their relationship, cursed her out, and left after swearing he’d moved on from her warped heart. But, she hadn’t allowed for the chance he’d meant his words. People often said things in anger or fear they didn’t mean.

She’d told him she didn’t want to be with him. That had been a lie spoken out of panic. She’d been caught off-guard by his confessions that he was innocent of being a cheater all along.

But she craved his touch. His love. She needed him. With her. And now, it was too late.

She and her father were relocating tomorrow, and she had no idea where Joseph even lived. Nor did she have his current phone number. She swallowed past the throbbing in her throat and shoved off the door to head into the bedroom. Had the movers packed up everything in her room, too?