Page 94 of Steel Vengeance

“I saw you there,” Stitch hissed. “And now, you’re gonna pay.”

Omari smirked. “You forget—I’m the one holding the gun.”

Stitch shrugged. He could kill Omari with his bare hands if he had to. He just needed a distraction.

He stared over Omari’s shoulder. “Took you long enough,” he said, dropping his arms. As expected, Omari glanced back.

That was all Stitch needed. He surged forward, tackling the warlord to the ground. The rifle fired harmlessly into the air as they hit the tarmac hard.

Omari fought back. He was stronger than he looked, but Stitch was fueled by hatred and vengeance. The warlord was no match for his brute strength. Getting the upper hand, Stitch reached for the weapon.

Suddenly, a shout rang out, and a second figure appeared, gun drawn. The man Stitch had been following. He fired at Stitch, who rolled over, taking Omari with him, using him as a human shield. The bullets tore through the Afghan’s body as he screamed in pain.

Realizing his mistake, the guard froze, horrified. Before he could react, Stitch grabbed Omari’s rifle and fired back. It only took one shot, center mass, for him to go down.

With a growl, Stitch shoved Omari’s lifeless body off of him. The Afghan’s once sharp eyes were now glazed over, unseeing. Death had claimed him.

“Serves you right, you bastard,” Stitch muttered.

It wasn’t over yet.Sporadic gunfire resonated from between the containers. Picking up his weapons, along with Omari’s, Stitch headed in that direction. He rounded a corner only to find Blade standing over the dead body of one of the mercs.

“That was the last one,” he said, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand.

Stitch grinned. “Great work.”

Blade looked at him. “Omari?”

Stitch gave a quick nod. “He’s dead.”

Blade patted him on the back. “Job done, then. Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

Already sirens could be heard screaming up the road towards the dock.

Together, Stitch and Blade melted into the shadows.

CHAPTER 35

Sloane paced up and down the hotel room. Where the hell were they? They’d been gone for hours.

A short time ago she’d heard police sirens race past on their way to the harbor. Something had gone down, and she had a terrible feeling she knew just what it was.

Please let them be okay.

Nausea rose in her stomach.

What if Stitch was dead? What if he wasn’t coming back? Her heart twisted painfully in her chest.

She shook her head. No, she mustn’t think like that.

Of course, he was coming back. It would take more than a few armed mercenaries to put him down—and he had Blade for backup. She didn’t know the former SEAL team leader that well, but she could tell he was a force to be reckoned with. He wouldn’t go down without a fight. And he’d protect his friend until the end.

She just prayed this wasn’t the end.

Sloane was close to wearing a path in the carpet when she finally heard the keycard in the door and the two disheveled sailors walked in.

“Oh, thank God!” She flung herself at Stitch. “I was so worried. I heard the sirens and thought something terrible had happened.”

“Something terrible did.” Blake’s eyes twinkled. “But not to us.”