Van, Becca - The Love of Three [Elite Dragons 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (17 page)

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Alicia had never felt such fear in her life. Not even when her own life had been in danger. Seeing Bronsin lying on the floor, unconscious with blood soaking into his shirt, was a living nightmare. She sobbed as tears cascaded down her cheeks, but she crawled across the floor and didn’t stop until she was at his side.

“Alicia, what can I do?” Brooke called from the doorway to the dining room.

“Stay out of sight and protect your baby,” she replied.

Taking a deep breath, Alicia gathered her courage and pushed her fear aside. Bronsin needed her, and she couldn’t afford to fall apart now. Checking his pulse, she breathed a sigh of relief when she felt the strong, steady beat beneath the tips of her fingers. Looking around for something to use to stem the flow of Bronsin’s blood, the only thing she could see was a linen tablecloth hanging off the edge of the nearest table. Without a qualm, Alicia crawled to the table and pulled on the cloth. Food and dishes scattered everywhere, but she didn’t care. After folding the material, she lifted Bronsin’s shirt and whimpered when she saw the hole in his flesh and the blood welling out of it. She pressed the cloth to his injury and pushed down as hard as she could.

She was conscious that Bronsin’s shooter might even now be making his way into the house through the broken window, but she couldn’t leave Bronsin’s side. In the aftermath of the explosion, she heard gunfire from beyond the broken window. Her heart pounded with fear for Stedman and Ward.

She became aware of Janie crawling across the floor toward her. Another flash of movement from her periphery caught her eye, and she turned back as if in slow motion. Through the shattered window, Alicia saw a large, strange man moving stealthily toward the house.

Alicia pulled the nine-millimeter handgun from Bronsin’s holster and studied it. She’d never held a gun before, but she knew there was a safety button somewhere. On the left side of the gun was a small switch, and when she flicked it with her thumb, it turned with ease. The weight of the weapon in her hand was unexpected, but she didn’t feel afraid this time. Her man needed her. He had been here to protect her and the other women. Because of them, he had been hurt. There was only one way the asshole outside was getting to Bronsin again, and that was through her.

“Janie,” Alicia called in a soft voice. “Go back. Someone’s coming.”

“No,” Janie replied just as quietly. “You can’t tend to your man and protect him at the same time.”

“I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“What about you?” Janie asked. “Do you think I want to sit by and watch you get hurt, too? We’re in this together. So just shut up and let me help.”

“Where’s Brooke?”

“In the living room. She’s sitting on the floor behind the sofa. She wanted to come in here, but Martha and May wouldn’t let her.”

“Thank God. She wouldn’t even hesitate if this was just about her safety. I’m glad she’s thinking of the baby.”

“Me, too.”

“Please, just keep Bronsin safe for me,” Alicia whispered to Janie without looking at her. Tears were running down her cheeks, but she was barely aware of them.

“I will.”

“Janie, tip one of the tables over.” Alicia gave a nod of approval when Janie crawled over to the nearest table. She winced at the shattering and crashing of dishes hitting the floor. But perhaps the noise would draw attention away from the living room.

“I want you to stay there. I’m going to drag Bronsin over to you. Then he will be out of the direct line of fire.”

“Alicia, let me help you. You can’t move that mountain of a man by yourself.”

“Oh yes, I can,” she snapped. “If you move and put yourself in danger, I’ll shoot you myself.” Alicia turned to look at Janie with an apology on her lips. “Sorry, but he’s coming. Please, just stay where you are.”

Alicia moved quickly. Using every ounce of strength and adrenaline she had, she placed her hands beneath Bronsin’s arms and moved him. She had him behind that table moments later.

“Stay here,” Janie whispered and tugged on Alicia’s arm when she started to go back to the window and curtains.

“I can’t. I have to do this,” she replied.

“No, you don’t. All you have to do is stay out of sight.”

“They shot him, Janie.” Alicia heard the pain in her own voice. She took another deep breath and pushed her emotions aside. “The others are still out there. They could be hurt or even dead. I can’t just do nothing.”

“God, I wish I had a gun,” Janie sobbed.

“Would you be able to use it?”

“I don’t know.”

“Check Bronsin and see if you can find any more weapons. You know as well as I do that when on a mission they’re packed full.”

Alicia looked out the window. What she saw made her blood freeze. The large man who had been keeping to the shadows and scanning the house was running off to the east. He had managed to get close to the house without her seeing him and was now leaving, but why?

She had her answer moments later. Another loud explosion rent the air. This time the house was the target. Debris flew through the air, glass exploded, and women screamed. Alicia didn’t care about the flying objects. She was on her feet and running. Her hands shaking as she shielded her eyes, she searched anxiously until her gaze connected with Brooke’s. She was coughing and her face was dirty, but she was unharmed, as were Martha and May. The sofa had saved them.

Her knees nearly buckled with relief. She was just about to move across toward them when the man from the yard came through the big hole in what should have been the side of the house. The gun in his hand was aimed at her. She didn’t hesitate. Lifting her arm, she pointed and pulled the trigger.

Chapter Fourteen

The second explosion found Ward in the stables. The others were ahead of him, freeing the last of the horses. Before his next breath, he was out the door and scanning the area. When a bullet whizzed by and landed in the wood of the doorframe next to him he threw himself back inside.

Without making a sound, he crept to the door on his belly and peered out. He needed to know how many of the fuckers they were up against so they could take them out and get to the women.

Coulter caught his eye and pointed toward the back exit. Ward nodded that he understood. Then his team leaders disappeared out that rear door. Gunfire was all around them, and he couldn’t determine if any of it was close to the house. Taking a deep, calming breath, he signaled Stedman to cover him and then threw himself outside once more.

Ducking and rolling, he didn’t stop until he was behind the large metal barrels of molasses which had been left outside the day the stud farm had been locked down tight. Now he knew there were four men gunning for this side of the building where they were. He and Stedman could take them out one by one if his team leaders didn’t get to them first.

Using his heightened senses, he caught the faint sound of a boot scraping in the dirt. Another one of their attackers seemed to be breathing real heavy, and two more had just reloaded their weapons. Ward found their hiding places one by one and waited patiently. Stedman ducked his head out the door and with hand signals told him
I’ll take the two on the right
. He wanted Ward to concentrate on the ones to the left.

There was still sporadic gunfire coming from behind the stables, but he wasn’t unduly worried about it. He knew his leaders and friends would deal with them as quickly as possible. Gauging distance and wind speed, Ward stood up and, within a heartbeat, shot one of the bastards right between the eyes. After ducking back down behind the barrels, he waited once more.

Keeping his eyes on the spot where the other gunman was hiding, he found what he was looking for. Just off to the right of his hideout was a metal frame which was used to store the empty barrels ready to be picked up. Narrowing his eyes, he stared at that small piece of thick metal and planned his shot. He exhaled, held his breath, and slowly squeezed the trigger. The gunman fell to the side of his cover. His eyes were open, but he wasn’t seeing anything.

Ward took off toward the house with Stedman right behind him. As he got to the back steps, two gunshots sounded simultaneously from inside the house. Heedless of any danger to themselves, they crashed through the door and searched. There was a man dead on the floor, blood seeping out from his head onto the floor. He looked familiar, but at the moment he was too worried about Alicia to concentrate. Ward’s knees nearly buckled at the sight of Bronsin wounded and unconscious on the floor, Janie holding a blood-soaked cloth to his side, but he made himself continue on until he sighted Alicia.

She was on the floor with her eyes open. Though she looked stunned, she was still breathing.

“Alicia!” Ward went to his knees and gathered her into his arms. “Are you all right, honey?”

Alicia smiled up at him and then burst into tears. He carefully pulled her onto his lap and ran his hands all over her body. She flinched when he touched her right shoulder, and he turned her carefully to see. A dark spot was forming on the material of her shirt as it soaked up blood.

“Stedman, she’s been hit,” Ward yelled and ripped open her shirt at the seams with shaking hands. “It’s okay, honey. You’ll be fine. It’s just a graze. We’ll get you to a doctor and he’ll patch you up.”

“Bronsin,” Alicia sobbed. “He’s hurt. We have to get him to a hospital.”

Alicia pushed against Ward, trying to get away from him. He didn’t want her to hurt herself, so he let her go. She rose on wobbly legs and staggered, but when he reached out to help her, she pushed his hand away. She looked at the body on the floor and her face paled even more, but then she began to walk toward Bronsin.

“Alicia, a medevac chopper is on the way.” Ward spoke in a calm, steady voice, even though inside he was shaking. “Bronsin will be fine, honey. He’ll be home before you know it.”

“All clear.” Coulter entered the hole in the side of the house, followed by Trace and Corbin.

“Shit, he worked for us,” Corbin cussed, looking at the dead man on the floor. “He is the one we’ve been talking to on the phone from the head office who’s been stonewalling us. Johnson. Why the hell did he set us up?”

Ward wanted to know the answer to that question, too, but he was more concerned about Alicia at the moment.

“Oh, thank God,” Brooke gasped, rising from the floor and walking toward her men.

“Bronsin!” Alicia cried as she stumbled her way across the room.

Ward was scared for Alicia. She was in deep shock and didn’t even seem to realize she was injured. Even though her injury wasn’t life threatening and in fact was only a graze, she didn’t seem to be thinking logically. He followed her, his heart wrenching when she went to her knees beside his brother and sobbed against his chest.

“Alicia,” Bronsin whispered and stroked her hair. “Darlin’, don’t cry.”

“Bronsin?” Alicia questioned in a croaky voice.

“I’m right here, darlin’.”

“Oh GGod,” she sobbed. “II ththought you were ddead.”

“It’ll take a lot more than a bullet in the side to take me out.”

“YYou must bbe in so much ppain.”

“I’m fine, darlin’, but you’re not. You need to let Ward or Stedman look you over.”

“I’m ffine.”

“Alicia, please let them take care of you. I will feel a lot better if I know you’re okay.”

“I don’t want to leave yyou.”

“You don’t have to leave Bronsin, honey.” Ward squatted down next to her. “Just let me have a look at your shoulder and clean it up.”

“OOkay.”

Stedman walked over to Alicia and sat down on the floor next to her. He picked her up and pulled her into his lap but stayed at his brother’s side. Ward draped a blanket around her shoulders and over her body.