This Cradle Won't Fall (The American Soldier Collection 18)

“That’s not how this works,” he said and pulled her close, inhaled against her neck, and ran his hand over her ass. “Fuck, baby, you look damn good. Super fucking sexy. I missed you,” he said to her and she pushed away, only for him to grab her arm hard, instantly causing bruises. She glanced over her shoulder. She didn’t want anyone getting hurt over her. These people in this town were good people.

“I can’t fucking wait,” he said and pulled her past the car and toward the side of the building. He shoved her ahead of him and she fell to her knees, crying out as her legs scraped against the ground.

He was licking his lips and then snorting like he’d just done coke or something. Anger pooled in her belly. That hatred so raw and intense, she hated like never before. Her happiness was at stake here. Her life with her men, with Benny, was all jeopardized by this man and what he thought he had a right to.

“Stay away from me, Murdock. I don’t belong to you anymore.”

“Oh, you think so. Do you?” he asked and grabbed her dress, ripping the material as he pulled her close. She struck him. Right in the throat, stunning him. As she ran past, Detrix was there, pointing a gun at her.

“I don’t think so, honey. We traveled far to get here to you. I was promised a nice, sweet piece of ass like you and I’m going to get it,” Detrix said as strong arms wrapped around her waist, and a hand cupped her breast hard.

“Ouch!” she cried out, struggling to get free.

“You bitch. You’ve forgotten where your place is,” Murdock said as he lifted her up and pulled her back between the buildings. She screamed and kicked at him and then remembered the training her men had given her. Where were the men? Hadn’t Kenny gotten to them by now?

She slammed her head up and back hard, hitting Murdock in the nose. He grunted and then yelled. He dropped her to the ground and kicked her. When he reached down to pull her up. He struck her in the face just as she saw the gun in his waistband and Detrix walking closer, gun still on her. She didn’t care. She wasn’t letting these men rape her or destroy what she had here in Salvation.

As he bent down again, she reached for the gun and then fell back to the ground, her face throbbing, her lip bleeding. She fired the weapon. Murdock raged as the bullet hit his shoulder and he attacked.

* * * *

Tex’s phone started ringing and, glancing down, he saw it was Bailey calling. As he answered, his eyes locked onto the sidewalk and Kenny running, pushing the stroller alone.

“What the hell?” Frankie said and took off with Ford and Ghost. Kenny was yelling.

“Bailey?”

“Get your woman and her baby. Her ex could be there. Him and his crew of shit beat up her aunt and left her for dead.”

“Fuck. He’s here. I have to go.” He ended the call and ran.

“It’s two men in a car. Vye told me to get Benny away from them as quickly as possible and get help. She’s in trouble, Daddy.”

“Where? Where is she?” Frankie asked.

“Down the block across from the post office,” he said and Ella came running over with Lois and the others.

“Hurry,” Ford said as Kendrick, Pierce, Frankie, Tex, Lou, and a bunch of other men started running down the street, guns drawn. When they heard the gunshot, Tex felt his heart drop to his stomach.

“Vye!” he yelled out as they got around the corner, saw the man with the gun, and more shots rang out.

* * * *

“You fucking bitch!” Murdock roared and jumped at her. Vye fired the gun again and again and rolled to her side. She’d gotten up when the next shot rang out, and something slammed into her shoulder and sent her forward to the ground. Two more shots went off. She realized as she lay face down on the ground and that she felt numb aside from the pain in her shoulder, which was excruciating.

“Vye. Oh fuck, he shot her. Call and ambulance!” Frankie yelled out and was down next to her.

“What a fucking mess. She killed him. I got the other one,” Ford said and she could hear the radios going off and sirens blaring.

Frankie and Tex were there.

“Benny?” she asked, voice cracking and tears rolling down her cheeks.

“He’s okay. Kenny did as you said and got him away from trouble. Oh, God, baby. We should have been protecting you,” Frankie said.

“It hurts,” she moaned and cried harder.

“Let me see. Carefully roll her over,” Lou said and she moaned and grunted.