Chapter 20 Smiley held onto the oh-shit handle of Flash's SUV as he took a corner on two wheels. "Come on, come on," Flash muttered, as both men frantically searched for the piece-of-shit brown, four-door car that Williams had used to steal Kelli right out from under their noses. The memory of Kelli's shriek of pain when the asshole cut her leg wouldn't be something Smiley forgot anytime soon. Nor the anguished noise that flew from Flash's lips. Seeing the woman he loved-yes, Smiley was aware that his friend was well and truly hooked on Kelli-being hurt, but not being able to do a damn thing about it, was terrifically painful for his teammate. Seeing a car on the side of the road with its side all scraped to hell-and its front end bashed in from hitting a light pole-Smiley yelled, "Go right!" Flash took another corner way too fast as they did their best to track the path Williams had gone by the destruction left in his wake. Just when they thought they might've lost him, Smiley's phone vibrated in his pocket. Feeling like an idiot for not calling in backup immediately, he yanked it out and stared down at the text from an unknown number. Unknown: This is Bree i'm in car w Kelli & asshole just passed 37th st It took Smiley's brain a beat to understand what he was reading. He was confused as fuck. Bree? His Bree? How did she have his number? And how the fuck was she in the car with Williams and Kelli? Was she working with him? What the absolute fuck? Unknown: was visiting K when u guys came outside I saw what happened & got into car while he was distracted by u guys and hurting K we just turned on Aspen st "Keep straight here!" Smiley told Flash. "But I think he went west," he protested. "Straight!" Smiley barked. Thankfully, his friend listened and continued straight instead of turning. "Bree's texting me. She's in the car with them. She's telling me where they're going." "What the fuck?!" Flash asked. That's what Smiley wanted to know, but at the moment, he needed intel on Williams more. He had no idea what Bree's intentions were, but if she could lead them to Kelli, he wasn't going to question her...not yet. Later? Yes. She had a lot to answer for. But Kelli needed to be his focus right now. Smiley: Got it He couldn't resist one question. Smiley: r u ok? Unknown: for now. passing 40th Smiley continued to pass along the information Bree was giving him. A ball of panic sat in his throat, as there were now two women in danger instead of one. And because, for the second time, Bree was putting herself at risk in order to help one of his friends. When he got his hands on that woman, he'd make certain she understood that was unacceptable. That she needed to stop putting herself in danger. Unknown: slowing down. going down cedar. pulling into drive. Brown hse, one sty, 47. We r at 47 cedar st!!! Smiley: We're coming. Stay put. Do NOT leave. I mean it. Unknown: I wont. Tired. Need help. Smiley was almost as alarmed at the fact that Bree was admitting she needed help as he was that she'd stowed away in Williams' car in the first place. From everything he'd learned about this woman throughout his long and unsuccessful search for her, she was very stubborn and far too independent. Now, he didn't like how...defeated she sounded. Which was crazy, since it was just some words on a screen. But he couldn't shake the thought that she was definitely at the end of her rope. He and Flash would take care of the Williams situation, then he and Bree Haynes were going to have a very long talk. Kelli's eyes widened as they pulled into a driveway in front of a dilapidated house that looked like no one had lived there for a very long time. Brant didn't give her time to even try to open her door and run, not that she could've outrun him with her leg throbbing as badly as it was. He grabbed her by the arm and manhandled her across the front seat and pulled her out the driver's side door. Without a word, he half dragged her to the front door. He kicked it hard, and it flew open. Dust swam in the sunlight coming through the door as he pulled her inside then kicked the door shut behind them. "Brant, I⁠-" "Shut the fuck up," he growled menacingly. Deciding it was in her best interest, Kelli shut up. Her mind spun, attempting to figure out how the hell to get out of this situation. But she had no idea what to do. Brant slashing her leg made it impossible to walk very well, much less run. She could feel the blood oozing down her leg under her pants, making the material stick to her as she walked. Not to mention the wound in her chest. The knife hadn't gone in very deep, but it was still painful. Brant hauled her to a room in the back of the house that was littered with trash and decaying food. There was a moldy mattress in the corner, and Kelli could see several used needles in the filthy mess around her. Brant shoved her-thankfully not at the disgusting mattress-and she fell onto her hands and knees in the middle of the filth. She immediately turned on her butt to face Brant. If he was going to come at her with that knife, she'd fight him as best she could. But he seemed to forget she was there as soon as he let her go. He immediately began to pace, mumbling to himself as he walked. Kelli kept her gaze on the man who'd obviously gone a little crazy, inching backward until she was against one of the walls. The only window was on the back wall, and it had so much dirt and grime on it, she wasn't sure it would even open. If Brant left her in the room alone, she could break it out, but that would alert him in seconds that she was trying to escape. For now, she had to be content with the fact that Brant hadn't tied her up. He obviously thought, correctly, that she wouldn't be going anywhere, not with that wound on her leg. Kelli's thoughts turned to Bree. How had she gotten in the car? Had she managed to tell Smiley where they were? Was she going to do something stupid and get herself killed? That would suck, especially considering Kelli's plan to get her and Smiley to meet face-to-face had failed. She had no idea how long she'd sat against the wall, watching Brant pace and talk to himself. A matter of minutes. But when he finally stopped and faced her, Kelli tensed. This wasn't good. Not good at all. "It's time," Brant said, pulling the knife from a sheath along his hip. He ran his thumb over the tip and smirked. "I don't need you alive to get my ransom. I just need your boyfriend and his friends to think you're alive. Frankly, you've been a pain in my ass since Jamaica-and I'm done dealing with you." Kelli shrank away from him and mentally berated herself for not doing anything to even attempt escaping sooner. Fending off a man armed with a very sharp knife-and she should know, she'd felt it first-hand, slicing through her flesh-would be far less fun. But no matter what, she wasn't going down easy. She'd do what she could to get his DNA under her fingernails, to scratch him so it was obvious he'd been in a fight. Anything that would tell the police and forensic people that Brant was guilty as hell. She might not be there to see him put away, but she prayed with all her might that he'd pay for what he was about to do. Regret hit Kelli hard as Brant stepped toward her. She loved Flash, more than she'd ever loved anyone in her entire life. He gave her confidence, made her believe she could be anyone she wanted, do anything. He made her laugh, sigh in pleasure, and she simply enjoyed being around him. And she regretted that she hadn't had more time with him. That she'd never get a chance at the future for them that Flash envisioned. Taking a deep breath, Kelli focused on Brant's right hand. The one holding the knife. This was it. She'd either win or die trying. Attempting to channel Flash's badass SEAL vibe, she waited for Brant to get close enough to make a move. She'd try to kick the knife out of his hand, make the first strike. Then the fight would be on. Flash focused on not hitting any other cars as he sped through Riverton toward Cedar Street. He had no idea how the hell Bree Haynes was in Williams' car, but he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. All he could think about was getting to Kelli. Watching Williams cut her had felt like his own flesh was being sliced. The expression on Kelli's face would stick with him for the rest of his days. He'd been injured in missions, and had seen many others get hurt too. But nothing had affected him as deeply as seeing Kelli's pain. Fury churned under the surface. Williams was a dead man. Of that, he had no doubt. He'd dared put his hands on his woman. Had drawn blood. He'd answer for that. "There!" Smiley practically yelled. They were both amped up. Neither had called Kevlar or any of the other guys, and they'd probably all be pissed about that, but they'd understand...eventually. There hadn't been any time to stop and call them, or even text. Flash was concentrating on driving and Smiley was communicating with Bree, then looking up 47 Cedar Street on his map app. Taking a deep breath, attempting to slow the adrenaline coursing through his veins, Flash turned down Cedar. His gaze immediately locked onto the piece-of-shit car Williams had been driving. It was sitting in the driveway of a brown one-story house, just as Bree had described. It looked like a trap house, a place drug dealers used to sell their goods, or a place where junkies went to shoot up and party. The foundation was iffy and the roof literally had small holes here and there. Flash wouldn't be surprised if this was where Williams had been hiding out after his money disappeared. Stopping three houses down, Flash and Smiley jumped out of the SUV and quickly made their way toward number 47. Just as they were approaching the side of the house, a woman stepped out from around the back. Flash was startled for a moment, but Smiley didn't hesitate. He changed his trajectory and went straight toward her. It hit Flash that this had to be the elusive Bree. The woman Smiley had been obsessed with for so long. When his friend got close enough, he reached out and grabbed her upper arm-and looked like he never wanted to let go. "There's a window in the back that's broken. I think you can get in that way," Bree told them quietly. She looked disheveled but in control of her emotions. Which was surprising, considering what she'd just done. Her hair was greasy and her clothes wrinkled. But she held her head up, her shoulders back, as she gestured them toward the back of the house. Smiley still hadn't let go of her, but she didn't seem to mind or really even notice. The threesome crept around the house, and the back seemed to be in worse shape than the front. There used to be a fence but it had long since collapsed. The weeds were thigh-high, and the smell of rotting garbage was almost overwhelming. But Flash only had eyes for the window. Bree was right, it wasn't too high off the ground and the glass was completely broken out. He and Smiley would be able to get inside easily. Especially since they weren't hindered by the packs and gear they usually carried while on missions. Taking a few seconds to listen, Flash didn't hear anything from inside the house, which scared the shit out of him. Had Williams already hurt or killed Kelli? Was he even in there? There was only one way to find out. If Kelli was hurt, she'd need medical attention. Hell, she was already hurt; he needed to get in there now. Without waiting to consult Smiley, Flash grabbed the windowsill and pulled himself up. He was inside the house in seconds, crouched by the window, trying to work through what to do next. He had no weapons, nothing but his hands. Which were as deadly as a gun in other people's hands but he'd still need to get close, and if Williams panicked, he could hurt Kelli before Flash could get to him. The knife he'd held at her heart was enough to make Flash pause before. He couldn't afford for Williams to get away a second time. He had to take the man out once and for all. "Are you going to run again?" Flash heard Smiley ask Bree. "No." "I don't believe you." "I know you don't. But I'm not lying." A heartbeat later, Smiley was at Flash's side in the house. Gratitude toward-and sympathy for-his friend and teammate filled Flash. It couldn't have been easy to leave the woman he'd been searching for so hard. The chance to get answers was literally in his grasp, and they were both aware that leaving her on her own outside was an open invitation for her to bolt yet again. She'd done what she set out to do, led Flash and Smiley to where Kelli was being held. She had nothing holding her there. Nothing except the fact that she was still being hunted by a brutal sex trafficker. "I'll go right, you go left," Smiley said in a barely there whisper. Flash nodded-and just as they both moved, they heard a voice from a room to the right. The plan shifted in a heartbeat. Both men turned to the right. They paused outside the next door and Smiley held up a hand. He counted down on his fingers. Three... Two... Before he got to one, a terrified and desperate scream came from inside the room. Both Flash and Smiley moved at the same time. Flash took in the scene at a glance. Kelli was against a wall, kicking at Williams, who was doing his best to stab and slash at her with the knife. A red haze fell over Flash's vision. He lunged for Williams, who was so focused on killing Kelli that he hadn't even realized they were no longer alone. Flash hit him from the side and they both went down. Hard. Flash was immediately up and punching Williams over and over. He slammed his fists into his head, his throat, even his chest, hoping to hit hard enough to stop his heart. "Flash, get Kelli!" Smiley yelled. It took a minute for his words to penetrate, but as soon as they did, Flash turned. Kelli was lying on the floor, not moving. Scrambling on his hands and knees to get to her, Flash barely registered Smiley taking over where he'd left off on top of Williams. "Kelli?" he croaked, as he hovered over her. Nothing he'd ever experienced had ever brought him more relief than when her beautiful eyes opened, and she stared up at him. "Flash?" she whispered. "It's me! I'm here. You're safe. Where do you hurt?" "You're bleeding," she said. Flash blinked. He looked at his knuckles, which were indeed covered in blood. "I'm more worried about you. Talk to me, sweetheart. Shit, I need to call the police and an ambulance." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, the sound of sirens wailed in the distance. "It sounds like Bree already did," Kelli said with a little smile. This woman. She amazed him. Blew everything he knew about strength and what it took to be brave right out of the water. He'd always admired his friends' women for being so strong, but until this moment, it hadn't sunk in just how amazing every last one of those women were. Especially his own. "Seriously, talk to me, Kelli. Did he cut you again? When we came in, he was slashing at you." "I think I kicked his knife hand. Then you tackled him." Flash closed his eyes in relief. But only briefly. He had to get Kelli out of there. This was no place for her...this disgusting, filthy, probably disease-ridden room. "Your thigh?" he asked. "Hurts." "Right. Of course it does. I'm going to take you out of here. If anything hurts when I move you, let me know immediately. All right?" "Okay. Is he..." Her voice trailed off. Looking over his shoulder, Flash wasn't surprised to see Smiley standing next to a bleeding and unmoving Williams. The knife he'd had was lying a little ways away from the body and his neck was at a very unnatural angle. "Had to defend myself," Smiley said with a shrug. "He kind of broke his neck in our altercation. Oh, and I'm gonna need you to hit me, brother. Pronto. Before the cops arrive." Kind of broke his neck. Right. It took a lot of strength to break someone's neck, but Smiley had obviously no problem doing just that. And Flash understood why his friend and teammate was asking for him to hit him. There was no way Tex or any of their other friends would allow Smiley, or Flash himself, to spend even one minute behind bars for killing this piece of trash. But a self-defense claim would go down a lot smoother if Smiley at least looked like he'd been in a fight. At the moment, he didn't have a scratch on him. "What?" Kelli asked, as Flash stood. He didn't hesitate; he punched Smiley in the face. Once. Then twice. "One more," Smiley grunted. "Stop! Flash, what are you doing?" Flash hit his friend once more, and the men shared a small, satisfied smile as blood began to drip from Smiley's nose. "That'll do," Smiley said with a nod. Then he turned and headed for the door, obviously eager to see if Bree was still around or if she'd fled, like every other time Smiley had gotten close enough to talk to her. "What the hell?" Kelli asked, as Flash leaned over to pick her up. "Self-defense," he said softly. "We had to defend ourselves, and unfortunately ended up killing Williams." "Oh...Right," she said, as she wrapped her arms around his neck and he carried her through the filth toward the door. The second they exited the house into the late-afternoon sunlight, Flash felt as if he could breathe a little easier. Probably because he literally could. The fresh air, not clogged with the remnants of rotting food and dust, was like a balm to his soul. To his right, Flash saw Smiley standing next to Bree, his hand once more around her upper arm. He couldn't believe she hadn't fled, and he was thrilled for his teammate. Maybe now he could get to the bottom of what was still happening with the woman. His obsession and curiosity could finally be assuaged. He'd be interested in hearing her story, himself...after making sure Kelli was all right. Police cars were now swarming the run-down neighborhood, but Flash kept his eyes on the ambulance that was behind them, already moving toward the vehicle as the police screeched to a halt. When an officer jumped out of his car and tried to stop him, he barked, "Can't you see she's bleeding and needs medical attention?" To his relief, the officer let him continue toward the ambulance. But he was right on their heels, clearly not willing to let either of them out of his sight until he knew what the hell was going on. Flash gently lay Kelli down on the gurney in the back of the ambulance and forced himself to stand aside so the paramedics and EMTs could do their job. It was possibly one of the most difficult things he'd ever done, letting go of her, but Kelli holding his gaze and smiling helped him stay calm. That had been close. Too close. Flash never wanted to be in that situation ever again. He could deal with his own life being in danger. Could deal with being surrounded by terrorists and being fired upon. But knowing one wrong move could mean the death of the woman who'd become his everything literally made him weak in the knees. The only solace to this situation was that Williams was no longer a threat. No...not the only solace. They could go back to their lives. Kelli could take her classes to become an electrician, he could move back into his own apartment, hopefully along with Kelli. They could get married, start a family, and live happily ever after. And Flash couldn't wait. In a romance-themed observation show, several participants undergo a series of interactions and conflicts filled with love, misunderstandings, and power struggles. In the end, one couple rises to over...