But still, kidnapping Sydney as revenge is not the answer.
“What the fuck were you thinking?” I roar at Sam and Clement. “You assfuckers! You’re going to be licking the floor after I’m done with you.”
With that, the real punishment begins as I throw punches left and right. One connects with Sam’s stomach and another hits Clement’s neck. I can tell by the way he chokes and gags that the breath has been knocked out of him, but I keep going with my barrage, my fists moving so fast that they’re a blur.
These men should have no trouble handling my assault because they’re air marshals who work out a lot. Hell, Clement’s muscles practically have muscles, but the problem is that they’re inebriated at the moment, and I’m surprised the van’s even in one piece outside. Clement sways a bit, clutching his neck while letting out a wet gurgling sound, as Sam tries to strike back. But his fist is so slow that it’s laughable.
“You don’t deserve–” Sam slurs, but I cut him off by punching him right in the mouth. There’s the nasty crack of teeth as blood begins pouring from between his lips. Sam stumbles back, both hands clutching his face.
“Mmmmph!” he screams through the bloody mess. “Woowwhw!”
Who the fuck cares what he’s feeling? If I had more time, I’d rip every one of his teeth straight out his gums, and then his tongue too. Meanwhile, Sam and Clement are quickly tiring. A lot of overly-muscular men are like that. Their physiques are for show, and there’s no real athleticism beneath the layers of heavy muscle. Finally, they back into a corner, panting and gasping, their forms bruised and bloody.
“Enough, enough!” Sam lisps, except it sounds more like, “Ephph, ephph!” given the fact that his teeth are lying in shards all over the ground. Clement is full-on crying, his face crumpled with agony as he sobs over his sorry plight. But I feel no pity for them. After all, they were abusing my sweet girl, and they get what they deserve.
“Shut the fuck up,” I snap in their direction before going to untie Sydney. “Just keep your traps closed.”
Meanwhile, my darling girl is sobbing quietly in a corner away from all the chaos, and my heart clenches upon seeing her huddled form. Quickly, the restraints are off and then she wraps her arms around my neck as I lift her into the air, murmuring words of comfort.
“Shh, sweetheart, you’re safe now,” I whisper. “I’m so sorry this happened, but it will never happen again,” I vow in a rasp. “You are under my protection.”
The beautiful brunette merely clings tighter to my neck, pressing her curvy form close as I stride from the safe house. Then, I load her into the Maserati before we take off into the night, leaving this shitshow behind. After all, Sydney didn’t deserve this. I’ve ruined the sweet girl’s life in more ways than one, turning it into a huge, non-stop clusterfuck, and I wouldn’t blame her if she wants nothing to do with me going forward.
11
SYDNEY
Even after a long, hot shower, I’m still shaking like a leaf. What the hell just happened? I was kidnapped and nearly assaulted by two men that I just met tonight. What if Ranger hadn’t shown up when he did? Well, Iknowwhat would have happened, but I refuse to let myself follow that train of thought because it would make me nauseous to my stomach.
Yet I don’t know what to think about Ranger either because yes, he was my knight in shining armor. But by no means is he faultless either. He staged a hijacking and then lied to me about it. He scared a plane full of passengers for no reason. What sane man does that?
But these issues must be addressed, and as a result, I sit on the white couch in his penthouse, my hair plastered in a wet mess to my back. I have no make-up on and I’m sure I look ghostly pale, but I don’t care. This conversation is too important and can’t be postponed anymore.
“Ranger,” I manage in a steady voice. “What’s going on?”
Then, to my horror, I begin to cry all over again. This is not what I wanted. I wanted to appear strong and confident after the abuse I’ve suffered, but now, here I am bawling like a baby.
The handsome man quickly shushes me and comes to sit at my side, his big form reassuring with its bulk and heft.
“It’s okay, Sydney, you’re safe now,” he says in a low voice.
“But what if they come back?” I sob. Ranger’s eyes deepen to a midnight shade as he growls.
“I’ll kill them, what else? But Sam and Clement aren’t going to come back because they’ll be rotting away in a prison cell for the foreseeable future. I guarantee it.”
“But–”
“No,” he says in a rough voice. “I’m a powerful man, Sydney. I haven’t always conducted myself well, but I promise you this -- you’re safe now, and there’s no need to worry anymore. Ever.”
I merely sniffle pathetically while wiping at my tears, and the gesture causes Ranger to sag. He lets out a sigh too, shaking his head.
“I’m so sorry this happened, sweetheart,” he says in a low tone. “You didn’t deserve any of that, and you wouldn’t have had to suffer if it wasn’t for me and my idiotic decision-making process.”
That only makes me cry harder as Ranger looks on with an agonized stare.
“It’s my fault,” he continues muttering. “I never should have taken the job as an air marshal because all it did was to create resentment. You know that most of the other trainees never even graduated college? Oh sure, a couple had a year or two of secondary education, but I was the only one with a bona fide degree.”
I sob a little. “Why does that matter? I don’t have a college degree either.”