Girl Get Rid Of That Jerk by Melissa Johns

Chapter 319

Joshua's face was all business as he said, "I've brought in two teams of

mercenaries from overseas this time. Their training is tougher than those at Chris's military base. With them watching over you and your family, Chris won't be able to touch you again."

Allison blinked in surprise. "Mercenaries?"

"Yes." Joshua pressed his lips together, a hint of regret flickering in his eyes. "I slipped up before and didn't keep you and your family safe. Allie, I promise, nothing like that will ever happen again. I'll make sure you're safe."

Allison's eyes fell, her emotions a tangled mess. She wanted to throw out a biting comment, but the memory of Joshua risking his life to save her, confronting Chris alone, stopped her. The words caught in her throat, and she just couldn't say them.

Seeing Allison's silence, Joshua figured she didn't trust him. His throat tightened, and a bitter feeling spread through his chest.

...

Before long, they arrived at Joshua's base.

Lizzy had been brought back by Joshua's right-hand man, Daniel.

Daniel ran Joshua's North American operations. It was rare for someone of his rank to get involved in the nitty-gritty. He usually handed off tasks to his team unless it was a big deal or top secret.

Rescuing a little girl was not something Daniel had ever done in his ten-plus years working for Joshua.

When he first got the mission, he was taken aback.

He double-checked with Joshua and, even after getting the green light, still found it hard to wrap his head around.

Chris was a big player in America, but with the lax gun laws, Daniel's crew wouldn't be stuck in a bind. Snatching someone away shouldn't have been too tough.

easily sent a trusted lieutenant to lead the charge with some mercenaries, and it would've been a done deal. No need for him, the commander,

question. If

might not measure up to Daniel's guys in

some hits, with five guys injured, three pretty badly. But they had a top-notch medical crew on hand, so the injured got the care they needed in

chopper ride from Sunnyvale, California, to the Oak Lake base took

rescued Lizzy,

her a quick once-over and found she

a glucose shot, she came around not long into

arms wrapped around her knees. Her face was pale as a

from Daniel's team gave Lizzy a curious look and asked Daniel, "Boss, who's

shook his head. "No

lan, one of the mercenaries in

though he was just seventeen, lan had been in training for nine years. He'd never botched a mission, and his skills were better than most

had taken a bullet, the bandage

be really important to

smiled, his

peeked up at him, her

She knew this brother.

pulled her out of that dark dungeon, and

out to her. He remembered what she'd been through and dug a piece of candy out of his pocket, offering it to her. "Hey, little sis, want

he was nervous

and collected, a habit from his childhood that stuck

in the

candy in lan's dirty hand. After a beat, she shyl reached out and took

got manners," lan said with