The guy dug his fingernails into the grass. “Go to hell.”
Ben almost smiled at the reaction. “Then we’ll do it the hard way.”
He barely got the sentence out when he got nailed in the back. The hit knocked the gun out of his hand and stole the air out of his lungs.
The blow came from above. It was as if this one fell out of the tree. Might have been the case, since he’d made a soundless entry.
Something scraped against Ben’s arm, and a knee slammed into his back. He was on the ground and kicking with what felt like three hundred pounds of furious male dropped on top of him.
They were all shouting and moving. In a mad scramble, Davis reached for his gun, and the attacker on the ground crawled toward the one Ben had dropped. Clothing rustled and someone yelled.
Ben took a dive and landed next to his dropped weapon just as the guy with him on the ground knocked into him. It was like hitting a wall. Ben swore as his body bounced.
That meant plan B. Swiveling around to his back, Ben grabbed for the weapon at his waist and fired up and out. The attacker on his feet got off a shot as he dropped to his knees, then fell face-first into the grass. Ben felt a burn across his shoulder as the man next to him roared.
“One inch and you join your friend.” Davis’s voice shook with anger.
Ben whipped his head around and saw Davis on his side with his gun aimed at the attacker struggling to his knees. With an arm wrapped around his midsection, there was no question Davis was ready to forget the questioning and engage in some rapid-fire action. Probably had something to do with this guy’s mistake in coming onto Davis’s property and breaking through the first line of defense.
“I’d listen to him before he kills you.” Ben sat up, then winced when every part of him screamed in agony. No doubt he was going to hurt something fierce tomorrow.
When the intruder shifted, Ben smashed the butt of his gun into the guy’s temple. The attacker went down with both hands to his head and yelling as though he’d lost it.
Ben didn’t wait around to see what he’d do next. Pinning him to the ground with his knee, Ben wrenched the guy’s arms behind his back and tightened a zip tie.
“This one’s dead,” Davis said as he checked the pulse of the one who had done the face-plant.
Ben hadn’t even seen Davis move, but he was on his haunches over the body and staring at Ben.
Ben still didn’t understand how this guy had got the jump on Davis. He was not a small guy. “He get off a shot on you?”
“I thought he was watching you but he turned before I could adjust. Good thing you rode in when you did or my miscalculation could have cost us both.” Davis nodded at Ben’s shirt. “Speaking of which, you okay?”
Ben sat down hard on the soft grass. Looking down, he saw blood, which led to a shot of pain across his side and over his shoulder. Amazing how injuries didn’t blare to life until you got a good look at them. Then they burned like hell. “Not my best work.”
“You’re alive, aren’t you?”
Lights clicked on in neighbors’ yards. Ben could hear doors banging and voices over the side of the high fence. The siren in the distance was most likely headed their way. “I think we’re about to have company.”
“I’ll handle it. Better yet, I’ll make Connor do it.” Davis exhaled as he got to his feet. He looked down at the breathing attacker, the one muttering and swearing. “Can you drag this one to the garage?”
Ben nodded. “Yeah.”
Davis stopped and took a longer look at Ben. “You sure?”
“Do I look that bad?” He touched his shoulder and hissed out a painful breath. “Man, that hurts like a—”
“Think positively, Jocelyn might find this sort of beaten-up-and-bleeding thing sexy in a guy.”
Ben thought back to the look on her face at her apartment and knew she wouldn’t.
Chapter Four
Light flooded the backyard. Jocelyn heard the shots and bolted out of the safe room before Lara could close the door and lock them in. No way was she going to sit upstairs and wait to see if Ben got killed. Not if all of this was about someone being after her. Not at all, actually. Guns scared her and the idea of being grabbed made her knees buckle, but she could pick up her cell phone and call the police.
She flew down the stairs and was in the dining room about to make that call when she saw Ben stumble out of the garage at the back of the property by the alley. He headed for the house but his usual cocky walk seemed less steady than usual.
Through the crashing fear and panic, she saw something dark splotched all over his shirt. He got closer and... Blood. Lots of blood. It stained his T-shirt on his side and painted his shoulder.