All Kinds of Tied Down (Marshals 1)

“Why don’t we hand Ford over?”

“Because at this point, Malloy’s not going to let anyone else live, even if we would ever consider that,” Ian said bluntly, taking hold of my shoulder. “I was thinking of taking the horses, trying for the road, but I think it’s too risky.”

“Agreed. The sniper, he’s good, right?”

“He’s hit everything he’s aimed at,” Ian said, meeting my gaze. “And he’s using a big-ass gun with API rounds. The hole it left in the car was an inch wide.”

“So you think we have military guys out there?”

“I dunno. So far there’s only one shooter, but either way, we’re pinned down.”

“Okay, so, out the back like you said.”

“Yeah. At least that way, the house will provide us some cover. The shooter’s out front—that’s what the trajectory tells me—and we’ve taken no fire from the woods. We have a small jump on them as far as timing, but that’s it. We need to move.”

I nodded.

He tugged me toward him. “We need to get our packs out of the chief’s car first, though. I have ammo in there.”

“We just got through talking about the deadly accuracy of the man—or woman—shooting at us,” I said flatly. “Neither one of us is going out there.”

“Miro,” he began softly. “We need the bullets.”

“We have Jenner’s rifles and our guns, but getting more ammunition for your Glock, which won’t do shit against the fuckin’ sniper, is stupid.”

“We need—”

“No,” I snarled, staring into his pale blue eyes. Funny that they had lightened during our trip, and even this, imminent death, was not darkening them. Sex had, but not this. “I will not allow you to go out there. Do you understand?”

He shrugged, giving up as the boys called from the kitchen.

“Marshal, we got most of the stuff.”

“We’re all out in five,” Ian directed.

I nodded before he scuttled away.

Lifting up on my elbows, I focused on the two men close to me. Outside, I could hear the men on the porch returning fire. “Chief? Mr. Jenner? Are you coming with us or staying here?”

“I’m with you,” Holley said, grabbing hold of my shoulder. “But are you certain this is the best course?”

“They have a grenade launcher. Maybe the rocket one is up next. They can torch the house and then we’ll fry. We need to move.”

I heard a yell from outside and then glass shattering, then watched Ian race across the room, lean out the front door for a second, and then charge back to where the boys huddled together.

“I don’t think you have any idea about the terrain you’re headed into,” Jenner said, his voice cracking. “It’s very dangerous.”

“We’ll be fine,” I placated him. “Are you coming or not?”

“Yes,” he snapped.

We all rushed across the room after Ian, and when we were in the hallway beside the kitchen, I noticed that I couldn’t hear anymore gunfire.

“Because everyone outside is dead, at least from what I could see.” Ian said frankly, shoving a heavy parka at me. “Put this on.”

It was too big—all Jenner’s coats were—but we all pulled one on, along with knit hats, scarves, and gloves. Ian kept his military boots, I kept my hiking boots, Holley was okay as well, but Jenner and Drake both changed. Cabot had on Ugg boots, but they were going to have to do. He had a heavy fur-lined parka as well.

I was a good shot with my Glock, but I was not as good a marksman with a rifle. Looking at the two hunting rifles on the table, I made a decision. “How you feel about carrying the second rifle, Chief?” I asked, glancing over at Holley.

He agreed, and I picked up the gun and passed it to him, as well as the two boxes of bullets. Ian had the other of the two Remingtons, both 700 models. Shouldering the backpack, Ian stuffed two boxes of shells in another bag before putting the rifle under his arm.

“Let’s go,” he ordered.

I put on my pack, and so did Drake. Jenner wrenched the one that Cabot was going to carry out of his son’s hands.

“It’s too heavy,” he barked, and I saw Cabot wince and cringe. Hard to miss that he’d been abused, probably for years. The shrinking recoil was a dead giveaway.

“Follow him,” I directed Cabot, gesturing to Ian, and when Jenner tried to go after his son, I grabbed his arm, holding tight, and directed Drake to watch over Cabot.

“I will,” Drake said, smiling at me and then trailing after Cabot.

Jenner wrenched his arm free but fell into line, with Holley next.

We moved silently though the house, Ian leading, me bringing up the rear, and once we were all outside, Ian ordered everyone to wait as he darted back to me.

“Yeah?”

“Don’t lose me,” he ordered. “Whatever you do.”

“I won’t.”

He grabbed the back of my neck and took a breath.