Convicted (Entangled Ignite) Read Online Free PDF Page A

him with almost enough force to move him. Carter’s whole body bucked, his enraged yells almost deafening. Cade focused on getting the man’s hands under control so they could roll and cuff him. He had one, Rick struggled with the other. The whole time, Carter fought them like a fish trying to escape a line. Suddenly tired of it, Cade pulled back his fist and plowed it into the man’s face as hard as he could.
    Just that fast, the fight ended. Frank Carter, out cold.
    Breathing hard, hands shaking, he looked up, waiting for some kind of reprimand. That might be the way they handled things overseas, but it probably wasn’t the best choice for a new deputy.
    Rick stared down, dispassionate. “Roll ‘em. Let’s get him cuffed and in the cage before he comes to. Once he’s secure, we’ll call for the EMTs to make sure he’s not dead.”
    As good a plan as any. Especially since Rick sounded pretty damn disappointed Carter was going to pass that inspection.
    “Jimmy!”
    They both looked over at the woman, scrambling unsteadily to her feet and stumbling toward the kitchen.
    “Jimmy!”
    Rick was at her side in an instant, steadying her. “He’s fine, Shana. Cade got him out. Right? He’s out?”
    The woman leaning heavily on him turned toward Cade as well.
    What did it say about him, Cade wondered blandly, that he didn’t flinch upon seeing the mess of swollen flesh that had once been her face. That he didn’t feel compassion. Or rage that she had been so violated.
    That he didn’t want to feel anything else.
    Especially not his gorge rising at the blood smeared across her mouth, all around her nose and cheek. Slowly spilling from her nostrils…
    He looked down at the man he straddled instead, taking a deep breath until he could swallow again. Clinically, he wished he’d hit the bastard harder, just to make it fair. She was gonna bruise like a motherfucker.
    “Boy’s in the backyard.” Cade knew he sounded gruff as he pulled the flexible restraints from the pocket of his belt.
    “Steel cuffs,” Rick ordered. “Frank can get out of plastic faster than a snake slides through shit, so make sure they’re on tight.” Ugly words, but Rick was infinitely gentle as he helped Shana back to the couch.
    Cade concentrated on getting the incapacitated man locked down, ignoring the soft sobs of the woman and Rick’s murmured words to her. Especially ignoring the fact that the shaking in his hands was starting to work its way up his forearms. He leaned down and pulled Carter over his shoulder into a fireman’s carry. Small, maybe, but Carter was a heavy bastard. Shaking off the imbalance, Cade got up and strode out to the truck. Less than a minute later, he was done, having tossed Carter inside and slamming the door behind him.
    God, what he wouldn’t give for a cigarette.
    Of course, if he had one, it wouldn’t take long for someone to see the shaking in his hands. That thought alone was enough to make him push out a shuddering breath.
    Cade looked back to the house, taking in how it somehow looked sadder now that he’d been inside. Unfortunately, he couldn’t stay here and think about why. His work wasn’t done, no matter how he wished it might be. Likely they’d have to take a look at the woman, evaluate if she needed to be taken in. Fuck. He wasn’t sure he could handle that. Then there was the kid… He bit back a groan. Why the hell had he allowed himself into this situation?
    All the grumbling in the world didn’t change the answer and he knew it. Because this was Rick.
    He owed his life, such as it was, to his friend and even if he didn’t, Cade knew he’d have come. No matter how blurry the world had become or disconnected he felt from it, Cade held onto his principles with both hands. Every tenant he knew demanded his loyalty to the brother who had walked through death with him, over and over again. It didn’t matter that neither of them had come out the other side completely whole.
    Which was why