Undercover Hero (3B Hero Series) Book 4

Fifteen

**** Sadie smiled sickly at the blonde she now had chained to an over head pipe. "Are you ready to play, sister dear?"

Brittany smiled, "I would love too. However; I'm a little tied up at the moment. Sorry." She gave her captor the sweetest smile she could.

Valentin (who was keeping a close eye of both girl's faces) had to work hard not to laugh aloud at that remark. Like the Detective, he knew that Sadie wanted to taste her captive's fear. So the surprised look on her face was humorous.

Sadie used her riding crop to lift Brittany's chin. She looked into the Detective's silver eyes. "I used to be like you. Pretty, sweet, happy, funny... Then my brother abandoned me. He left me to die, just like he will you."

Brittany felt her words as if they were a physical blow to her heart. She knew that her husband would come for her, but to hear someone talk about him like that...

"Sadie, it was your choice to stay. He gave you a chance. You need to face the fac..."

Whack! Sadie glared at the blonde. "Shut your filthy mouth, bitch!"

Brittany ran her tongue along her freshly split lip. "Sadie, one day we must all be judged. Unfortunately for you, that day will come sooner than you think. I pray the Lord will save you before that happens."

Sadie was stunned, "Why would you even care?"

Brittany smiled warmly, "Because that is what family does, Sadie. You can hate me all you want, but I am still your sister-in-law. Like it or not... we are family."

Brittany saw tears in those large violet eyes before the malicious hatred returned. "Nice try. Don't think I'm that easily manipulated!"

Sadie slapped Brittany one last time for the heck of it, then left the cell.

The blonde licked her split lip and turned to meet the Strike Agent's eyes. "A little temperamental aren't we?"

The large man scoffed, "She can get a lot worse than that. Right now she seems to be fighting herself." He studied her now bruised face. "I wish I could do something for that lip."

Brittany shook her head, "This isn't your falt."

***

Beau stood on Apple Tree Hill waiting for his son-in-law to make an appearance. He wasn't disappointed.

"Beau?"

The former Ranger turned to give the younger man a nod. "Kyle called me. You sure you want to do this alone? Here we're a family, if you need backup..."

Gabriel shook his head, "Thank you, sir; but no. Tany may be your daughter, but she's my wife. She's no longer your responsibility. When we married, I swore to protect her with my life amd I'll do the same for our baby. I made a vow and I'm going to keep it."

The Rancher stood in silence for a long moment then nodded, "Alright, but I'll only give you six hours. If you're not back with her by then, I take over."

Gabriel nodded, "Fair enough. There is one thing you can do for me, sir."

"And, that is?"

"Keep us in your prayers."

Beau smiled, "Son, you're already there."

***

Gabriel and True Wolf were saddled up and ready to go when both men looked up the hill.

The Young Deputy smiled and indicated with his chin, "We're bein' sent off in style."

Gabriel followed the younger man's line of sight and felt a cold chill run down his spine. Standing side by side stood four men. Two cowboys, and two Rangers in battle garb. However, it was the face of one in particular that threw him for a loop.

'Eli!' The Agent closed his eye and shook his head from side to side. When he looked again... They were gone.

Brown eyes met his one violet orb, "Well, Brick. You can never say you never saw the spirits of the 3B Ranch. Brett Sr, Topper, Brody, and now... Eli."

The Russian couldn't believe what he had just seen. "Let's go. Sadie sent a time and place. Let's not disappoint her."

***

Sadie sat in her private rooms sipping tea. 'Why wasn't that blonde twit scared?' She shook her head. 'What is wrong with her, all the others had to be drugged to keep them quiet, even the men.' She threw her tea cup into the old brick wall and cursed aloud.

"Well, if she wants to play the 'I'm tougher than you are' game then it's time to pull out my favorite toy."

Back in the cell Brittany tried hard to think of anything except the pain in her raw wrists. She wasn't sure how long she'd been hanging there. Only that it had been long enough for the red marks to begin bleeding. She closed her eyes and let her body fall limp as the door swung open. The soft echo of the entruders foot falls told her all she needed to know. Sadie was back, and this time she was being sneaky about her entry.

Sadie snickered to herself as she watched her prisoners sleep. Valentin wouldn't know she had entered, but Brittany would hear her. So she tiptoed to the Detective and pulled out her shiny new dagger. She had, had it made just for this moment. Sadie thought that Brittany deserved a brand new untainted blade.

'After all, she is family.' She thought as the licked the edge of the dagger.

"Waky, waky." Sadie placed the tip of the razer sharp knife against her sister-in-law's skin. "Time to wake up sister dear."

Brittany felt the sting of pain, and the wet sticky feeling of blood as the blade was run along her smooth skin. Clamping her mouth shut, she looked into those violet eyes. The joy she saw there made her sick, and before she was able to stop herself...

Sadie jumped back with a scream. Valentin julted awake as Sadie slammed into his powerful chest. If she had not had both his arms and legs bound to the wall that would have been the perfect oppertunity to end her.

He was about to say just that when the sharp smell of blood hit him. When he looked around he saw Brittany's stomach drenched in red. Sadie had cut her along her torso, and the blood was now spreading out along her dirty white t-shirt. From what he could see the damage was only superficial, but she would be feeling that for some time. Then when he got a good look at Sadie herself, and burst out laughing.

Their captor was covered from head to waist in vomit.