spiked as soon as the ram hit the fence.
Ruiz guards burst out of the mansion and started firing at the SWAT team.
“Giddy-up.” Hunter grabbed his gun and headed into the fray.
I was right behind him with our task force covering our asses. Bullets shot off from all sides, but the ram smacked through the fence and brought down enough of a gap for us to peel through into the circular driveway of the grand mansion. Ruiz men were on three sides and even shooting from balconies, but there were a few places of cover in the landscaped garden—like the fountain in the middle of the driveway we crouched behind.
One of our men smacked to the ground and rolled over to us, wincing in pain for having been hit square in the chest of his bulletproof vest.
“Okay?” I asked, grabbed his hand. He was sweaty and heaving but he blinked through the pain to meet my eye and nodded.
“There!” Hunter shouted. He was gone before I even looked at where he was pointing.
“Hunter!” But he was already running across the yard, crouched low and weaving through our men toward the far wing of the house. I swore under my breath and dashed after him, saying a silent prayer I wouldn’t get hit. Not now. Not when I’d just met someone I wanted to get serious with—
Oh, fuck, I wanted to get serious with Brax? As a bullet whizzed past me, I smacked the thought down and focused on not getting killed. But it was clearer than ever. I was into him way beyond physical attraction, and I didn’t think I could wait much longer for us to deepen what we had.
But it’d only be possible if I didn’t die in the Ruiz driveway that night, so I sprinted as fast as I could to join Hunter who was pressed against a wall.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I hissed.
“He’s behind there,” he huffed, and motioned with his head toward a shiny red Porsche parked outside a garage. “Monet.”
I peered out for a second, then ducked back under cover. “I don’t see him.”
Hunter smirked, and craned his head toward the car. “Hey, dumbass! Your art fucking sucks. I’ve seen better scribbles done by five-year-olds!”
I rolled my eyes, but Monet immediately started firing in our direction, revealing his location.
“Works every time.” Hunter winked at me, then popped out and fired a round toward the Porsche.
I winced as bullets dinged against the body of the beautiful machine, then got my head in the game and joined Hunter too. Bullets whizzed by and ricocheted off the wall horrifyingly close to our heads. I realized with panic they were coming from two directions—the Porsche, and to our open side. But it was too late. A flash of a weapon appeared through a hedge, and I moved on protective instinct, launched myself at Hunter and smacked him to the ground as the shot went off. I landed with a thud and for a moment I thought I’d made it. Dodged it. Saved him.
And then the pain started.
“Ah, fuck!” I cried out as burning pain bolted through my right arm.
Hunter was up and firing at the hedge, then at Monet, while I scrambled back against the wall and clamped my hand on the bleeding wound.
“Okay, Ry? You’re okay?” There was panic in his voice.
“Hurts like hell but I’m okay.” Movement to my left made me jump, but it was backup. SWAT guys burst through, covered me, and took care of the shooter in the hedge while Hunter took off toward the Porsche. I craned forward to get a glimpse, worried he was being reckless. Monet burst up, the scar on his neck shining white in the moonlight and gunfire, and he wielded his gun toward Hunter. My breath caught as a shot flashed. Fuck. Not Hunter. No -
But it was Monet who reeled back from a hit in the shoulder. Hunter was on him in an instant, throwing him to the ground and cuffing him.
“Holy fuck.” I slumped back with my head resting against the cold stone wall while the team rounded up as many Ruiz members as they could find, and gunfire slowly faded around me.
“All right, let’s get you into the ambulance.” Hunter crouched in front of me and squeezed my upper arm. “Hospital time, my friend.”
I frowned when I saw blood dripping down his forehead. “You’re bleeding.”
“Yeah, someone tripped me up and I hit my head on a rock.” He gave me a very Brax-ish