The sound of laughter outside the house had Jane peeking outside. A young man was playing with a toddler across the street. There were more people out than when they had arrived during the night.
“I’ll move your truck to the back of the house,” Felix offered, and Cade tossed him the keys.
“Why can’t we just drive to the airport and fly out?” Jane asked Cade the question that had been bothering her since they had arrived at the house.
“I wish I’d have thought of that. Maybe because Javier and Carlos would think of the same thing and post roadblocks,” Cade replied caustically.
“There’s no need to be rude. I was just wondering.” Jane scooted her empty bowl away.
Cade felt guilty, and he didn’t want to feel that way. He wanted to get rid of the women and get back to Martina. He promised himself a week in bed with her for the trouble this job had cost him. With the money he would make, he would be able to pay for it.
Jane went to stand at the window, watching the child who was now playing with his older brothers and sisters. The mother had come outside and was carefully watching over her children. Jane waved and began playing peek-a-boo with a child who was staring at her through the window, each of them laughing.
“You like children,” Cade observed.
“My friend Sex Piston has a child that age. I also babysat her stepdaughter Star when she was younger.”
Cade could tell from the affection in her voice that she missed her friends. He had heard her refer to them several times in the same tone; however, when she had talked about her parents, the affection was missing.
Cade and Jane were both still standing in the window when the dark cars pulled up. Cade pushed her back, moving the curtain back in place.
“Who is it?”
“Carlos. He already knows we’re here.” Felix hadn’t returned with Cade’s truck, making it obvious who had turned them in to Carlos.
“I’m sorry.”
Cade turned to her in surprise.
“That your friend turned you in.”
“Felix isn’t a friend. I don’t have friends. Felix just went for the bigger payday.” Cade picked up the rifle he had brought in from the truck.
“Both of you go to the back door. When I tell you to run, fucking run like your lives depend on it. You understand me?”
Jane and Bailey nodded their heads. Jane tugged on her backpack as she went to the back door. Bailey stood by her sister, looking terrified.
Two men got out of each car, and Cade’s nerves tautened when they told the parents and children to get inside. They were preparing for a battle.
Jane and Bailey waited for his signal. As soon as the door closed behind the small family, Cade placed the rifle in position before taking his shot. One of Carlos’s men fell to the ground. Then Cade was able to bring down another one as the two edged closer to the door. Cade caught sight of one he hadn’t seen try to go around back and cut off their escape.
“Run!” yelled Cade.
Both Jane and Bailey took off. When they did, the soldier moving toward the back took aim to fire at them, but Cade managed to shoot him.
The sound of more cars screeching to a stop clenched his balls. They weren’t going to be able to fight off this many.
While the soldiers began filing out of the Jeeps, Cade managed to fire off another shot, wounding the last of the first four; however, he was trapped inside the house as the other soldiers ran forward. He was about to kiss his ass goodbye when he saw a flash of movement and an explosion sent the men flying in different directions. Cade looked in shock at Jane who was standing out in the open. She had thrown another fucking grenade.
If he lived through this, he was going to fucking check her pockets.
When, instead of running, she reached into her pocket again, the men took off, running for their lives.
Cade also used the opportunity to run, taking down a few more men who had decided it was safer to face a bullet coming in the front door than being outside with Jane.
“Let’s go, Jane!” he yelled as he ran toward her, expecting to hear another explosion at any second.
He stopped when he saw Bailey struggling with one of Carlos’s men. Putting his sights on the man, a child’s cry had him turning. The parents had panicked and left their smallest child outside. Jane was running toward the child standing out in the open.
“Damn it to hell!”
A knife flashed as the soldier fighting Bailey decided he’d had enough of her struggles. Jane had a rifle pointed at her by another determined to bring her down. Cade only had a split second to make his decision on which one to save.