Rico’s eyes met his in the rear view but he stayed silent.
Brock turned to the men lining the seats. “We’re on our way back, Dutch. Ending communication.”
They each pressed the disconnect buttons on their earpieces, cutting off the line to Dutch and the women who ambushed his office.
“There was a black sedan cruising the street in front of the house.” Reed shifted in his seat, pulling out his cell, thumbs tapping out a message. “It looked similar to the others.” He slid his phone back in place. “I sent the photos to Dutch.”
Brock bent over Howard. “Who’s keeping an eye on you, Richards?”
CHAPTER 22
“THAT WAS FASTER than I expected it to be.” Eva sat on the couch in the suite she shared with Brock. “And sort of anticlimactic.”
“Right?” Harlow took a drink of her cocktail. “I was really hoping for more from that.” She heaved out a loud sigh. “Maybe just a little excitement.”
“You work for a team of mercenaries. How much more excitement do you need?” Eva scooted down into the plush upholstery of the cushions.
If there was one thing she could say about Pierce, it was that the man had good taste and didn’t mind spending money. Everything in the tiny suite was high-end. From the stove to the mattress, nothing was base grade.
It was a little nicer than her apartment.
“What the heck are we gonna do?” Eva nudged Mona with her knee.
Mona held up a finger. “I’m still stuck back where you said mercenaries. That’s twice now you’ve mentioned Brock killing people and I’m starting to think you’re not kidding.”
“Not technically mercenaries.” Harlow was kicked back in the large armchair sitting to one side of the sofa, her socked feet up on the coffee table. “They just kill people when they have to.” She straightened when Mona’s eyes widened. “And only bad people. Like, they don’t kill people who are nice and law-abiding.”
“I don’t know that it makes it any better.” Mona was obviously struggling. “Killing is killing.”
Harlow shrugged. “Everyone is capable of murder.”
“I’m not sure I agree with that.” Mona turned to Eva. “Right?”
“Well.” She fished around her brain for a good answer to give Mona. One that wouldn’t give her nightmares.
Or reduce her interest in possibly moving here.
Because the more time Eva spent in Alaska, the less awful it seemed.
And the less appealing Ohio sounded.
“I think there are times where you just don’t have any other option.”
Mona’s lips flattened and her nostrils flared.
“Say, for instance, someone was trying to hurt a baby and the only way to stop them was to kill them. You would do it to keep the defenseless baby safe.” Eva held her breath, waiting for Mona to process.
Finally she lifted one shoulder. “I guess if it was to save a baby.” She lifted the other shoulder. “Maybe a dog.” Her lips rolled together as she thought a little more.
“My mom.”
“And my brother.”
“Definitely my dad.”
Eva nodded along with each addition Mona made. “Don’t forget your Oma.”
“For sure my Oma.”
“Damn, Mona. You’ve got a kill list a mile long already.” Harlow downed the last of her drink. “Remind me not to fuck with your Oma.”
“I’ve met her Oma.” Eva grinned. “That woman could probably handle the killing herself.”
“I want to be a badass old woman.” Harlow stood up and went into the small kitchen, pulling the orange juice from the fridge. “Anyone want another?”
“I can’t imagine you not being a badass old woman.” Eva stood up, setting her own empty glass in line for a refill.
“Shit.” Mona jumped up from her spot on the couch, staring down at the screen of her phone.
“What’s wrong?” Eva scooted her glass closer to where Harlow was pouring.
“Chandler went out to smoke and got locked out.”
“Probably because the whole place is non-smoking and Pierce doesn’t fuck around.” Harlow unscrewed the lid from the coconut rum and tipped it up. Nothing came out. “Shit.” She plunked it down on the counter. “Let’s go let dumb ass in and then we can get the other bottle from my office.”
“How long do you think it will be before the boys get back?” Eva grabbed Brock’s coat off the hook by the door and shoved her arms inside.
“They will be back soon, but I bet they’ll want to have a little chitty chat with what’s-his-nuts.” Harlow’s brows came together. “I can never remember which one is his real name.”
“Howard.” Eva snagged her own coat and held it out to Mona. “You want a coat?”
Mona took it. “Thanks.”
“Wimps.” Harlow opened the door and went into the hall ahead of them. “We aren’t even going outside.”
“The tunnel isn’t heated, jerk.” Eva followed Mona out, pulling the door closed behind them. “Us Ohio girls aren’t used to the bullshit they call weather yet.”
Harlow turned to face her, walking backwards in her socks. “Does this mean you might be deciding to get used to it?”
“You know?” Mona’s eyes were wide.
“Pshh. Of course I know. Pierce would be stupid not to try to seduce you into coming.” She turned to walk forward alongside them. “And he is definitely not stupid.”
“What was inside that envelope he gave you?” Mona pulled out her phone, frowning at the screen as it buzzed in her hand.
“I forgot to look.” Eva worked her way under the heavy fabric of Brock’s coat and started patting the pockets of her jeans, sliding it free of the back left where it was stashed. She tore open the flap and pulled out a single slip of paper. A name was written across it in the neatest handwriting she’d ever seen.
Anthony Sanders
“It’s just a name.” Eva slid the paper back into the envelope and tucked it back into her pocket. “Maybe we can see what we can find tomorrow.”
“Which door is he at?” Harlow squinted down the first floor hall. “I don’t see anyone outside that door.”
Mona typed a message. A second later her alert dinged. “He says the one at the back of the main building.”
“That’s why you shouldn’t sneak around. You get locked out in the cold.” Harlow led them down the connecting tube to the main offices. “Pierce will lose his shit if he finds out Chandler was smoking on the property.”
“It’s really that big of a deal?” Who cared if someone else smoked? Especially if they did it outside.
“He’s weird.” Harlow pushed through the door and into the warmth of the big building. “Hot, but weird.”
They finally made it to the door where Chandler thought he could sneak out to smoke unseen. Eva pushed it open and peeked out.
No freaking Chandler.
She tucked her head back into the heat. “Are you sure this is the ri—”
A hard grip grabbed the front of Brock’s coat and hauled her out the door and into the freezing cold night. She tried to fling the door shut as her body was dragged into the darkness. A shadowy form stepped in before the locks could keep Mona and Harlow safe, grabbing both women and pulling them out.
“What in the hell?” Harlow’s voice cut through the night, reminding Eva she was making this way too easy.
“Get off me, dick.” She swung an elbow right into the gut of the man holding her.
He grunted but his hold on her didn’t budge.
So she fought harder. “You are the dumbest mother fuckers in the world if you think this is a good idea.” Eva raked the sole of her snow boot down the man’s shin, shoving as much of her weight into it as she could.
“Stupid bitch.” The voice was a low growl in her ear. It was menacing and dark and deadly.
And obviously didn’t know she had fully embraced the bitch life long ago.
“You’re going to have to get way
more creative if you want to insult me you piece of shit.” She swung her arm, trying to work free of the hand clamped so tight it was cutting off her circulation.
“Gag this one. I’m tired of her fucking mouth.”
A second later one of the men shoved a wad of something so far into her mouth it made her choke.
“That’s much better.” The man grabbed her by her hair, pulling her head back so she was forced to look at his masked face. “You must be Eva.” His grip tightened, moving her head from side to side. “You’re just as pretty as he said you were.”
Harlow’s yelling had stopped too and the night was eerily quiet.
Her mind was not.
Eva counted the men around them. There were five. All dressed head to toe in black, faces covered with masks as they quickly and efficiently zip tied each of their hands and feet.
What the fuck was going on?
A sound she recognized was barely audible in the distance.
“Time to go.” The man holding her stepped forward to look around the bend in the building, nodded to the rest of the group. Then he bent, shoving his shoulder hard into her stomach before lifting her up and taking off at a full run.
These were not normal men.
Her head bounced as snow kicked up into her eyes, making them burn from the cold.
The open space around them shifted to trees.
They were taking them to the woods.
She didn’t want to die in the woods. She didn’t want to die at all.
This was exactly what Brock was terrified would happen. He didn’t love her, but he definitely liked her.
And now she was going to die.
Eva fought to lift her head, looking for her friends. Harlow and Mona were both in the same situation she was, their bodies blurred by the snow clouding her vision.
Suddenly the world shifted and her body hit the ground, the impact knocking what little air she had left in her lungs free. Eva rolled to her side, trying to knock the gag choking her loose enough she could at least breathe.
Another body hit the ground beside hers. Mona’s eyes stared into hers for a second before rolling to peer up at the men standing around them.
“Hold still.” Mona was the only one who had been quiet during their abduction and had also been the only one to come out gag free.
She shifted closer, watching the men as she barely moved.
Her mouth pressed to Eva’s, biting down on the bit of fabric peeking out. Slowly she pulled back, taking the gag with her.
Eva sucked in a full breath and swallowed down the saliva collected under her tongue.
Thank you.
She mouthed the words at Mona as the final man came up and dropped Harlow between them. “I think your friend is cold.”
Harlow’s lips were pale around the gag they’d shoved between them. Eva scooted closer, trying to block as much of the wind and cold as she could. Harlow was the only one of them not wearing a coat and it wouldn’t be long before she would be in a very, very bad situation.
“They’re almost here.” One of the men stepped through a gap in the metal fence surrounding the property.
No. Not a gap.
There were parts of the fence missing. They’d cut their way in.
These men came here specifically to take them.
Eva leaned in, resting her head on Harlow’s. The sound of snowmobile engines muffled the sound of her whisper. “Where’s Chandler?”
Mona shook her head. “I don’t know.”
They were being kidnapped and Chandler might be freaking dead at this point.
All because fucking Howard Richards had to have her panties ten years ago.
Eva went still.
Something moved in the trees.
Something big.
Something fast.
And it was moving like it was ready to kill.
“Shut your eyes, Mona.”
Mona stared at her a second longer.
“Everything is going to be okay, but you’re gonna want to close your eyes.” She caught a second movement. “Now.”
Mona held out a heartbeat longer. Her eyes squeezed shut just as the first silenced shot came.
Four more followed it, each one deadly accurate.
Bodies fell around them heavy and fast.
They never knew what hit them.
She did.
Boots crunched through the snow as another group of men dressed head to toe in black moved in around them.
“Harlow’s not wearing a coat.” Dutch yanked the gag from Harlow’s mouth then pulled up the mask covering his face. “What the fuck were you thinking, Mowry?” He shucked his coat and carefully wrapped it around her, scooping her up right after and tucking her close to his chest. “I swear to God you’re going to make me lose my fucking mind.”
“Stop b-b-b-being mean t-t-t-to m-me.” Harlow’s voice was broken by the shivers wracking her body.
“Someone has to.” He tipped his head back to yell toward where Shawn was pulling up his own mask. “I’m taking her in.”
Shawn dropped down to kneel beside Eva, pulling out a knife to cut the ties binding her wrists.
Eva rubbed the irritated skin. “Where’s Brock?”
Shawn’s eyes rested on hers just a second before dropping to where he was cutting her ankles free. “There were sleds en route.”
Eva nodded.
“Someone tried to take you, Eva. Brock’s going to do whatever he can to make them pay.” Shawn stood, offering her his hand. “He knows you’re safe and he knows you are strong enough to be able to handle this.” His lips barely lifted in a smile. “It’s probably why he likes you in the first place.”
Mona sat silently as one of the other men cut her free. Even once she was on her feet, Mona still didn’t say a word.
Eva moved in to wrap one arm around her. “You okay?”
“No. Definitely not.”
Eva nodded.
“Yeah. That’s what I thought.”
CHAPTER 23
“WHERE IS SHE?” Brock rushed down the hall, adrenaline and frustration pushing him faster.
Shawn stepped right in his way, blocking the path to where he knew Eva would be. “Calm down.”
Brock didn’t think, just acted, shoving both hands into Shawn’s chest and knocking him back. “You calm the fuck down.”
Shawn regained his footing almost immediately and lunged at him, one shoulder hitting Brock square in the sternum. The impact took them both to the ground.
Hard.
Anger still crept along his skin, frustration riding right behind it, and the combination had him lashing out. “See how calm you would fucking be if someone took your woman.” He rolled, trying to gain the upper hand with Shawn. The team’s coordinator was at least five inches shorter than Brock’s six-six frame, but right now you wouldn’t know it.
Shawn was coming dangerously close to getting him pinned.
“You think those girls only matter to you?” Shawn grunted as Brock caught him in the gut with a knee, a move that only made the smaller man more aggressive.
A second later Shawn rolled, legs locked at Brock’s waist as he worked both his arms around one of Brock’s in a perfectly executed Kimura. “Don’t fuck with me Brock. I’ve had a bad day.”
“You’ve had a bad day?”
Brock rolled his head back to stare up into the face peering down at him. “Hey, Sunshine.”
Eva’s brows came together. “Why is Shawn kicking your ass?”
“He’s not kicking my ass.” Brock tried to work his arm free of Shawn’s hold, but the other man only tightened his grip. “Ow. Fuck, Shawn.”
Shawn leaned into his ear. “I will pull it out, Brock. I swear to God I will.” He twisted a little more, straining Brock’s shoulder joint as far as it would go without dislocating. “Tap out, Cassidy.”
“Jesus Christ.” Eva reached down and dug her thumb right into Shawn’s eyeball. “Let him go. We appreciate and admire your manli
ness.”
“Goddammit, Tatum.” Shawn’s head jerked as he tried to get away from her assault, but Eva moved with him, pressing harder.
“Let him go, Shawn.”
Brock let out a groan of relief as Shawn’s arms dropped his, allowing him to roll away from the team lead. “You’re an ass.”
“You’re both asses.” Eva glared at Brock as he pushed up into a sitting position. “What in the hell were you two fighting about?”
“Nothing.” Shawn pressed the heel of one hand into the eye Eva gouged.
“That makes it even worse.” She toed Shawn’s butt with her boot. “Get up. Mona needs a suite.”
Shawn squinted up at the two women. “Yeah. Okay.” He pushed up from the floor. “You want her in the room next to yours?”
Eva scowled at him. “Of course I want her in the room next to mine. Why would you not put her in the room next to mine?”
“I was just asking, Tatum.” Shawn’s single eye moved from Eva to Mona. “You’re staying?”
“She has to.” Eva’s gaze fell on Brock. “They can’t find Chandler.”
Mona’s lips flattened into a thin line. “I think I should stay at least a few days. Hopefully he’s just—”
Eva wrapped one arm around Mona’s shoulders. “I’m sure he’s fine.”
Chandler was most likely not fine.
“He’s probably been left somewhere.” Brock stood up. The faster he could get Mona calm, the sooner he would have Eva to himself.
And he fucking needed her to himself.
“I’m sure we’ll find him before morning.”
Mona’s head bobbed in a slow nod. “That would be good.”
Eva smoothed down the white-blond strands of Mona’s hair. Both women looked worse for the wear after their close call, but Mona was definitely not taking it nearly as well as Eva was.
Shawn tipped his head toward the tunnel leading to the bunk house. “Come on. I’ll get you moved to a suite.”
Eva started to walk with them but Mona stopped her before Brock could. “I’m okay.”
“You’re sure?” Eva didn’t look convinced. “I can come with you.”
Mona glanced at Brock. “I’m fine.” She gave him a small smile. “I’m sure Shawn can help me with whatever I need.”
Counterfeit Relations (Alaskan Security: Team Rogue Book 2) Page 21