Read Serving the Soldier - Part 5 (An Alpha Military Romance) for Free Online

couldn’t see a sign of him anywhere. It was obvious that Khalil, Ajmal, nor the others could see him either. They formed a slight circle around me, their backs now turned toward me as they tried to pinpoint Jax’s location.
    “Ah, Andrews, we meet again,” Khalil smiled. The smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Too bad not under better circumstances.”
    “Let her go, Khalil,” Jax’s voice floated over the clearing. “She has nothing to do with this.”
    I tried desperately, but couldn’t determine where Jax’s voice was coming from. The edge of the marsh like area was only fifteen feet behind me, but I didn’t get the sense that his voice came from back there. To the sides of the clearing stood stands of deciduous trees and shrubs. He could be anywhere in the shadows and nobody would be able to see him. As he intended.
    “Do you have what I want?” Khalil shouted, his gaze continually sweeping the area in front of them.
    I could tell he was nervous. His back was stiff and a slight tremor in his voice exposed his vulnerability. Despite being armed to the teeth, they stood out in the open with only the car offering shelter. On the other hand, they had no idea where Jax was hidden.
    “Sure I do.” Jax’s voice carried over the clearing. “And you have something I want back.”
    My heart pounded so hard my ears buzzed with each beat. I began to tremble, my knees shaking. I wanted nothing more than to collapse into a frightened heap, but I had to remain strong. The adrenaline was surging through me again.
    Fight, flight, or freeze.
    I wanted to fight, but couldn’t.
    I wanted to flee, but knew I would get cut down before I made it even ten feet.
    For now, I would have to settle with freezing in place, waiting for my chance, if and when it came.
    Suddenly, and without any warning whatsoever, Khalil leveled his automatic weapon and pressed the trigger. Branches, leaves and twigs exploded as he swept the weapon in an arc through the underbrush surrounding the left side of the clearing. The others did the same to the right. I screamed, although the gag in my mouth prevented hardly any sound from issuing out. Surely Jax would be cut down!
    I had just resolved to drop to the ground, but suddenly Ajmal’s arm was wrapped around my chest, just under my breasts. He pressed me close to his body. For now, I was a shield.
    Gunfire erupted from the trees, and from more than one gun. Had Jax brought his friends? I didn’t know what would happen, but chances were I was going to get hit by a bullet.
    I held my breath, then, in a panic, tried to escape Ajmal’s grasp. I stomped my right foot down on his, struggling mightily in his arms. I tried to maneuver my hand toward his groin. If I could, I would grab hold of his balls and squeeze; squeeze so hard that he’d be forced to let me go. Unfortunately, he seemed to sense what I was attempting and turned slightly, his left hip now shoved into my buttocks. His grasp around my body tightened. In the next instant, I felt the cold blade of a knife against my throat.
    Eyes wide with panic, I nevertheless tried to struggle, tried to get away. In front of me, the blond man took a bullet in the shoulder and spun around. He fell to the ground, bleeding profusely. I stared in shock as another bullet cut down Ajmal’s other partner. Khalil continued to stand, his legs spread, shouting unintelligible words while he sprayed the automatic gunfire through the trees in a continuous arc. Surely he would run out of bullets soon.
    I felt a trickle of warmth running down my neck before the pinch of pain kicked in. The blade of Ajmal’s knife cut sharply into my skin. I knew that it would only take one swift slice to cut through my jugular and carotid arteries. If Ajmal succeeded in doing that, I would be dead within seconds.
    I heard an awful cracking sound beside my head and screamed into the gag. The arm around my chest jerked, then loosened. I was about to surge forward, to twist out of