Two down. Six more to go.
“We move out, now,” the one with the radio responded.
“Copy that.”
Myles moved.
He took the man by surprise. Myles whipped him around and pulled back his arm. His fist slammed into the guy’s face, sending him to the ground. The gun in his hands went flying somewhere in the brush. Myles released a curse.
“Myles Burton,” the guy growled. He pushed off the ground. He reached up and wiped the blood from his face with the back of his hand. “We’ve been looking for you. Thanks for making our job easier.”
“Who the hell are you people?” Myles demanded. “What the hell do you want?”
“Not for you to know. They just paid me.”
He dove at Myles, who immediately blocked him. He swung a left uppercut that connected with the thug’s stomach. Myles swung his right elbow down, connecting it with the back of his neck, rendering him unconscious. He fell forward, landing on the ground at Myles’ feet.
Myles leaned down and searched him. He took the handheld radio and lowered the volume. He clipped it on to his belt buckle and bent down, running his hands over the man’s body. He felt a bulge in the back pocket and took out a wallet. He took the driver’s license out and put it back where he found it.
He secured this one like that last guy. He stood up straight, a stick breaking behind him. He whipped around, drawing the gun in his borrowed holster out.
“Jesus,” Roxxy muttered. She had her weapon aimed at him. “It’s me,” she whispered, lowering her gun. She stepped forward, her gaze dropping to the guy on the ground.
Myles replaced the gun and waved her over to him.
“You good?” he asked.
“Yeah.” She made her way to his side. “I found the other one you left back there. You’re leaving a trail of bad guys. I could follow you anywhere.”
“They’re heading toward the house. They think I’m in there,” he murmured.
She froze. “How do you know they are after you?”
“This one confirmed it before I knocked his ass out.” Myles turned back toward the house. “We need to move. Now.”
The sound of a distinct popping filled the air.
Gunfire.
“Momma,” Roxxy exclaimed.
If Shelby was shooting, that meant the men were on the move to the house.
Myles unsheathed his weapon and held it up. He aimed it true as he walked out the edge of the trees. Just when he stepped from the hedges, a bullet whizzed by him and slammed into the tree nearest him. He pushed Roxxy back into the woods.
“Son of a bitch,” Myles growled. “I want you in the house.”
“No way.” She shook her head. She raised her gun and rolled around the tree. She popped off a few shots and came back on the safe side. “Took two down.”
Myles just stared at her. He’d never seen anyone appear so sexy before with a gun in their hands. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her lips. Her body molded to his. She broke away from him and stared up into his eyes.
“I love you,” he blurted out.
He blinked.
Shit. Did he just say that in the middle of a shoot-out? What was wrong with him? He could have said it when they were alone, a romantic evening that included wine and—
“Oh, Myles.” She reached up and cupped his jaw. “I love you, too.”
A goofy smile spread across his face. Now that he’d said it, he didn’t know what came next. This was new territory for him. He’d never thought he’d fall in love with someone, but here he was, head over heels in love with Roxxy Lynn Sutton.
“But, baby, we are going to have to finish this after the bullets stop firing.” She patted him on his chest.
Where was his brain? Apparently on a vacation. Roxxy came around him, and he couldn’t concentrate.
“Of course.” The smile disappeared from his lips.
They had bad guys to stop.
He moved to the edge of the trees again and peeked out. The gunfire had quieted. He had one thing on his mind.
Protect Roxxy.
He’d be damned if she got hurt trying to protect him.
They needed to find out who these men were. Why would they target him? He’d made plenty of enemies over the years being a cop.
“We’re going to make a run for the side of the house. We’ll have a better position over there than we do here,” Myles said. “I saw your father on the opposite side of the trees. I haven’t seen him since.”
