Breaking Away (Delta Force Strong #3) - Elle James Page 0,27

and fought to get his feet beneath him.

Someone kicked him in his side. Pain shot through him, making him even angrier at himself and the men targeting them. If his hands were free, he’d take the bastard down and choke the life out of him.

A hand slammed down on his head, and the hood flew off.

Mac blinked and looked up at four men holding AK-47s pointed at him, Josh and Blade. The other two men looked to him. He gave a slight nod, indicating he was okay. Blade and Josh returned the nod. A single lantern provided the only light.

He could have kicked himself for letting the Taliban get the better of him and compromising Kylie’s safety. But he didn’t have time to berate himself, he had to come up with a way out of this mess and to get to Kylie before Ahktar claimed his revenge on her.

The four men with the AK-47s moved aside to allow a man to walk between them. He wore black robes and a black turban. His thick brows and the scar near his left eye gave his identity away. This man was Ahktar, a Taliban leader Special Operations Forces had been after for months and the brother of the man Kylie had killed.

Mac twisted his hands, fighting the plastic zip-tie binding his wrists. This bastard would kill Kylie for having killed his brother. But killing her wouldn’t be the worst he could do to her. He’d make her suffer before she died. He couldn’t let any of that happen. He couldn’t fail Kylie so completely. And when they got out of this alive, he’d tell her exactly how he felt about her and that he wouldn’t let her out of his life ever again.

Kylie was his one and only love. He didn’t want to live without her. If it meant they only saw each other two weeks out of the year, he’d be happy he was with her for every second of those two weeks. If crumbs of their lives was all he got, he’d be grateful.

Ahktar crossed his arms over his chest and looked down his hawk-like nose at Mac. “Infidels You will tell me who you are and why you plague my country.”

Mac spit on the man’s feet.

The guard beside him kicked him in the side.

Mac bit down hard on his tongue to keep from emitting a sound. He’d be damned if he showed an ounce of weakness to these animals.

Ahktar was known for torturing his victims before he beheaded them and displayed their heads as trophies of his reign of terror. Mac wouldn’t go down without a huge fight. Hell, he wouldn’t go down.

He narrowed his eyes and focused on his enemy.

He’d get through this, free Kylie and destroy Ahktar, if it was the last thing he did in his life.

First, he had to get his hands free. The better to strangle the bastard with…

Ahktar jerked his head toward two of his men and spoke in Pashto.

The men slipped their weapon straps over their shoulders, freeing their hands.

They advanced on Mac, grabbed him beneath his arms and hauled him to his feet.

Another man grounded his weapon and strode toward Mac. When he reached him, he punched him hard in the gut.

Mac would have doubled over, if he could have. The men on either side of him kept him from doing that. His attacker stood back, looking to Ahktar for further guidance.

Ahktar gave him a sneering nod and a short order in Pashto.

The attacker swung his fist at Mac’s face.

Mac moved his head to the side at the last second.

The blow caught him on the side of his left cheek. Pain shot through him. He gritted his teeth and held steady, even when a gray haze threatened to envelop him.

The man swung again, aiming at his nose. Mac turned his head the other way.

Again, the blow missed his nose, but hit his right cheek. More pain shot through his face and head, making his head spin and his vision blur.

He couldn’t lose consciousness. Kylie needed him. His teammate and Josh needed him.

Warm, wet liquid oozed down his face.

His tormentor continued to punch him until Mac hung limp between the men holding him up.

Finally, Ahktar spoke.

The hands on his arms released, and Mac stumbled then fell between Josh and Blade.

Blade let loose a string of curses.

The men who’d held up Mac jerked Blade to his feet and proceeded to pound him in the face and belly.

With his hands tied behind his back,