spot, hitting the floor with a resounding thud. Steele’s gaze immediately swept the area, taking in any potential threat. Another sound from inside the double glass doors caught his attention.
“Stupid bitch! Get out of my way!”
“You can’t leave me, Matteo!”
The shriek made Steele wince. Evidently Matteo wasn’t as attached to Christina as she was to him. He was bent on making his escape, but it wasn’t Matteo Steele wanted. Garza could make this as easy or as hard as he wanted. Steele would prefer as little bloodshed as possible, but he was prepared for anything.
Get the job done. Whatever it takes.
It was a creed that had damn near gotten his teammates hurt when P.J. had taken off and gone lone wolf, bent on vigilante justice.
That was done, thankfully, and now they could get back to doing what they did best. Working as a team. Kicking ass. Getting the job done.
Steele edged toward the door and then kicked it in with his boot. The door flew open and Steele grabbed his pistol with his left hand while holding his rifle with his right.
Matteo Garza whirled around, dropping the bag that he’d been stuffing full of things from the wall safe. His eyes were wild and crazed. Christina cowered, trying to insert herself between Matteo and the wall, but he was having none of that. He shoved the screaming girl in front of him and wrapped a beefy arm around her neck.
“What do you want?” he demanded hoarsely.
Steele viewed him in disgust. Using the girl as a shield. No man used a woman in such a manner.
“The girl,” Steele said calmly. “We aren’t here to harm you. Let her go and we’ll go in peace.”
Garza’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. Then he glanced at the girl in scorn.
“Did you do this?” he snarled in her ear.
“No!” she squeaked out. “Matteo, I have no idea who this man is. You have to believe me!”
“Her parents sent me,” Steele said. “Now let her go and I’ll be on my way. Or you can refuse to cooperate and I’ll take you apart. Your choice.”
Garza shoved Christina forward and she stumbled, tripping right in front of Steele. In a lightning move, he slung the shoulder harness over his arm so his rifle wouldn’t fall, and then he made a grab for her with his right hand, pain screaming up his arm as his muscles stretched the already torn flesh.
He was careful to keep his pistol trained on Garza as he collected the wriggling, protesting woman against him.
“Let me go!” she shrieked. “I don’t want to go. I’m happy here! Matteo, are you just going to let him take me?”
There was hurt and confusion in her voice. Garza was completely unaffected.
“Take the puta,” Garza bit out. “She’s nothing to me.”
“Liar!” Christina shrieked. “You said you loved me! You said you wanted to be with me forever!”
Steele tightened his hold as the woman went ballistic in his grasp. Damn it. His arm was hurting like a motherfucker and he had no idea of the extent of his injury.
“Dolphin, get your ass up here. Second level. Balcony entrance. Double time,” he barked into the mic.
“On my way,” Dolphin returned.
Steele backed toward the doors, turning so he could see clear to the entrance but also keep Garza in his periphery. When the man started to move, Steele halted and leveled his gun at Garza.
“Don’t do anything stupid,” Steele warned. “I’ve got what I came for. I have no interest in killing you. Don’t give me a reason to change my mind.”
“I care nothing for the puta,” Garza bit out. “But I won’t suffer the insult of you trespassing and killing my men.”
“Do yourself a favor and forget any insult you feel,” Steele clipped out. “Don’t fuck with me or I’ll make you very sorry.”
Garza’s nostrils flared and his eyes glittered with anger and damaged pride.
Dolphin bounded up the stairs and in that moment, Christina kicked back sharply with her spiked heel, catching Steele right in the knee. She turned like a damn wildcat and stabbed at his eyes with her daggerlike fingernails and pitched backward.
Steele was forced to let her go or risk hurting her. As she ran back toward Garza, the dumbass pulled a gun, aiming toward Steele. As Christina whirled around, she saw Dolphin raise his gun and in an even dumber move than Garza’s pulling the gun to begin with, she flung herself in front of Garza right as Dolphin took the shot.