Page 34 of Loving the Enemy
“So I’m thinking maybe two or three guys in the house?” I suggest.
“I would think so. If there were more, there would be more movement, and it wouldn’t be centered in just two rooms,” Ricco replies.
“Ice, text them back and tell them we’re moving in.”
“Done,” he replies.
I look at Ricco and then back at Ice. “Let’s do this.”
We get out of the vehicle, grab the remaining guns, and make our way toward the house, ensuring we stay hidden in case there’s anyone we didn’t see posted outside.
I whisper, “Ice, you take the front with Hawk and get anyone who may run out. Ricco, you and I are bursting in the back. Assuming nobody is gonna get in our way, we head straight upstairs.”
“Got it,” they both reply. Ice goes off to find Hawk, and Ricco and I head toward the back.
When we get to the backyard, Rebel greets us. “What’s the plan?”
“We’re going in. You stay here and guard that door. Nobody comes out alive, except us.”
He nods.
“Ice and Hawk are in the front.”
We double-check the windows, ensuring Rebel’s report was correct, and Ricco and I approach the door. Guns ready, I look at him. He nods and opens the screen. In one kick, he knocks the lock out of the entry door with a loud bang. Well, they know we’re here. Ricco goes in first and scans the kitchen, then motions for me to follow.
We turn the corner from the kitchen, and we are now in a living room. The stairway leading upstairs is across the room. Ricco goes first, and I follow behind. As we approach the stairs, a figure comes downward. Ricco fires two shots, and he’s down. Immediately after the gunfire, another figure comes down, gun blazing. We take cover behind the couch. As the other man approaches the couch, I aim and fire, placing a bullet right between his eyes. Two men down.
We wait in case any more come down. A few minutes go by, and we proceed up the stairs. When we reach the top, we are now standing in a hallway. There are four rooms that come off the hallway, and only two of them have lights on. My guess is Zaira is in one of these rooms.
Ricco leans toward me and whispers, “Don’t you dare go off on your own. We do this together, Mikey.”
I nod.
We approach the room farthest away first, which would be in the front of the house. It’s not ideal because we don’t want anyone sneaking up behind us, but there’s gunfire coming from that room, and it’s where Hawk saw the light. Stealthily, Ricco steps in, his gun ready. Another Gallardi man is standing at the window with his gun pointed outside. He’s firing. I’m assuming he’s firing at Hawk and Ice. Ricco immediately fires, and the man goes down. Fuck! I pray neither of them have been hit. We search the room, nothing. I look out the window and can’t see Ice or Hawk. I can’t worry about them right now. I have to find Zaira.
“She’s got to be in the other room,” Ricco says.
We go back into the hallway and approach the room with the closed door and the light shining through the crack underneath. Slowly, Ricco opens the door, looks around, and motions for me to come in. He immediately walks into the bathroom to ensure nobody is in there. The room is empty.What the fuck?
“Where the fuck is she?” I yell. I don’t give a rat’s ass if anyone else is in the house. I fucking want my girl.
Ricco shrugs. “Must have been a false lead Darius gave us,” he says.
“Fuck!” I yell.
Just as we’re about the leave the room, I hear a faint whisper in an all-too-familiar voice. “Michael?”
I stop Ricco in the doorway. “Wait!” I lean into the room and ask, “Zaira?”
“Michael? You came for me.” She cries, her voice getting a little louder.
“Where are you, sweetheart?”
I hear rustling from under the bed and then I see her as she drags herself out and tries to stand. I pull her into my arms. “Thank fuck you are okay.”
“Oh, Michael.” She cries into my shoulder as she clings to me for dear life. “When I heard the gunfire, I thought they were coming for me. The two who were guarding me left, and I immediately hid under the bed. Thank God it was you.”
I turn toward Ricco. “Let’s get her outta here.”
