“Jesus fucking Christ,” a disgusted voice said as she stopped heaving. “Someone clean that fucking mess up. Christ, it fucking stinks in here now. Stupid, crippled bitch.”
She winced at that word even though she’d called herself that plenty of times. Zeke would beat her ass if he heard her say it.
Zeke. Panic filled her. Where was Zeke? Wasn’t she meant to be with Zeke? The last thing she remembered was driving to Sanctuary and then a car was driving too close behind them. And then they turned a corner and. . .
Oh shit. They crashed.
“Zeke!”
She slowly raised her head so she could look around. Her vision was blurred. Fuck. That wasn’t a good sign. She closed her eyes and took a few calming breaths. When she opened them again, her vision was clearer. Two men stood across from her. One was a fat frog with thinning hair and a gross, hairy mole on his lip. She knew who he was. She’d seen a photo of him.
Fergus Bartolli.
A huge, muscular man stood behind and to the right of him. Muscle.
Another guy was cleaning up the mess she’d just made, gagging to himself.
“Shut the fuck up, Reynolds,” Bartolli said.
“What am I doing here? Where’s Zeke?” She pulled at her arms, wanting to wipe the sweat from her forehead, but suddenly realized that her arms were tied behind her to the rungs of the chair. Okay, so her brain was moving a little sluggishly. Fuck, that meant she couldn’t reach the alarm on her necklace either.
Bartolli shrugged. “The muscle you were with? I don’t know. If someone came across the crash he might live. Otherwise, he’s probably bleeding out.”
Her breath caught and a low groan of pain erupted from her. It was her worst nightmare. She’d finally let him in and he was leaving her.
He’d promised he’d never leave me.
He’d keep his promise. She just had to have faith. He wouldn’t leave her. He’d fight for her. He loved her.
“Oh look, Dirk. Seems like she feels something for the muscle. Well, give us what we want and we’ll let you get back to him. Who knows? You might even be in time to save him.”
“What do you want? Reyes has the envelope. Hasn’t he contacted you?”
“Oh, we’ve heard from Reyes. He’s bringing the envelope. But that’s not what I really want. Do you know what I really want, Miss Jensen?” Bartolli asked in a slimy voice.
It hit her then.
“Keira,” she whispered.
“Very good,” he told her as though she was the star pupil in his class. “I want that bitch who stole what was mine. And your brother is hiding her from me.”
“He won’t give her up for me.”
“Really? That’s a shame since that would be signing your death warrant.”
She took in a breath. Shit. Fuck. She moved her head carefully, looking around, trying to figure out where she was. But she was trapped in a windowless room, and it seemed that the door was the only way out.
“Tell me, Miss Jensen. Where does your brother’s loyalty lie? With his poor, crippled sister or with that thieving whore? Let’s find out, shall we?”
He brought out his cell phone and held it to his ear. “Hello, Kent Jensen. . .no, just listen to me, I’m afraid I don’t have time to chat. I just called to tell you that I have someone that belongs to you and you have someone I want. If you want to see your sister again. Alive. You will get what I want. I’ll call you back in half an hour with instructions for an exchange.”
He seemed to listen for a moment. “All right.” He walked to her. “Your brother wants proof of life, talk into the phone.”
He placed the phone close to her ear. “Eden? Eden, are you there?” Kent asked frantically.
Tears filled her eyes at his voice. If she made it out of here alive, she was going to hug everyone she loved so tight. She couldn’t believe she’d tried to keep herself at a distance from them all for all these years.
“Kent, you need to find Zeke. He’s hurt—”
Bartolli pulled the phone away, ending the call before she could say anything more and she groaned with frustration.
“Now, Miss Jensen, we just sit back and wait.”
Please let Kent find Zeke.
Please let him be all right.
She didn’t know how much time had passed when a phone rang. Bartolli, along with his muscle, were sitting across the room in comfortable arm chairs, leaving her tied to the hard, wooden chair. She was sweating, tremors rocked her body and she still felt ill. Her head thumped painfully and the world kept tilting on its side. She needed a doctor.
But mostly, she needed Zeke.
Dirk, the big muscular guy answered his phone. He looked to Bartolli. “Reyes is here.”
Bartolli stood. “About time.”
“What you want done about him?”
Bartolli smiled. It wasn’t a pleasant look. “As soon as he hands over the envelope and money, kill him.”
She bit back her gasp. They were going to kill Reyes? What the hell? She swallowed hastily, knowing she was going to vomit again.
“Oh, and gag her,” Bartolli said. “We don’t want her warning him.”
A dirty gag was shoved in her mouth by Reynolds. She had to suck air through her nose slowly in order to keep her stomach from revolting.
The door opened and in walked Reyes. An envelope held in his hands. “Bartolli,” he said calmly. Obviously, he had no idea that he was walking into his death.
She tried to warn him with her eyes, but he barely glanced at her. His gaze icy cold grazed over her as though he didn’t even recognize her.
“About time you got here,” Bartolli snapped. “I’m not fucking happy, Reyes.”
Reyes shrugged. Couldn’t he sense how dangerous these guys were?
“Give me the envelope.” Bartolli held out his hand.
But instead of handing it over, Reyes threw it. Bits of paper went everywhere as he pulled a gun from his back and fired. She gasped as she watched first Dirk topple and fall. Then Reynolds fell to the ground with a scream. Then Bartolli and Reyes faced one another. By now, Bartolli had pulled his own gun. They were in a standoff, neither backing down.
Holy fuck.
She glanced around frantically. What the hell could she do? She couldn’t even move. Reyes was going to die and then she would be next. Except Bartolli wasn’t that far from her. He had his back to her, not seeing her as a threat. She tensed, gathering her strength, knowing this was going to hurt like hell. Then she threw her weight forward. It was just enough to topple her into his back. Agony engulfed her head as she heard a gun fire. She thought she heard voices yelling, a deep scream filled with pain.
Then a hand on her back, a voice in her ear, someone begging her not to leave them. Someone telling her they loved her. Then she heard nothing at all.
19
Beep-beep-beep.
Shit. It seemed that noise was destined to haunt her.
A low whimper filled the room.
“Sh. You’re safe. You’re in the hospital but I’m right here with you.”
The hospital? She was in the hospital? Because of a crash. Then. . .then Bartolli. Reyes. The gun. She let out a low cry.
“Easy, princess. I’m here. You’re not alone. You’ll never be alone again.”
“You promised,” she rasped. She couldn’t seem to open her eyes just yet. As though she was worried he would be a dream.
“Open your eyes, baby girl. I’m not a dream. I promise.”
She squinted. The lights were so bright. Whiteness filled her vision. That antiseptic smell assaulted her.
Beep-beep-beep.
And then he was there, standing over her. There was a cut on his forehead. His clothes were rumpled and bloodstained. And he looked wild. His eyes darted over her. He held himself so tightly, as though he was on the verge of exploding.
“Zeke? Are you all right?”
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath. “I thought I would lose you. When I woke up an
d found you weren’t there. . .” His fists tightened then relaxed. Tightened again.
“Zeke. I’m okay,” she told him quietly.
“Okay? Okay?” His voice grew loud and she glanced worriedly over at the door, grateful that she was in a private room. She didn’t want someone coming in right now. Not when her man was riding the edge of his control. “You are not fucking okay. You were in a car crash. You have a concussion and bruised rib. You have bruises from the ropes those fucking bastards tied around your arms. You are now in hospital and I could have fucking lost you!”
There it was. His terror. His fear.
“I’m alive, Zeke.”
“No thanks to me! I was supposed to protect you.”
“You did protect me.”
He gave her an incredulous look. “They were going to kill you!”
“I know. But they didn’t. Reyes came. . .”
“Reyes, fucking Reyes. Do you know how it killed me to let him go in there to save you?” He paced back and forth across the hospital room.
Zeke had been there? She remembered someone calling to her as she’d lost consciousness at the end, begging her to stay with them. She blinked back tears as she realized how terrified he must have been.
She needed to help him. “Zeke, come here.”
He grumbled something under his breath.
“Daddy, please come here.”
He turned to her. There was pain in those eyes. Agony. Zeke had grown up learning to protect what was his or it would be taken away. He hadn’t protected Elise and, even though he’d been a kid and it hadn’t been his fault, she knew how much he blamed himself. She knew that from on that she’d have to be very careful not to put herself in danger. Not that he was going to allow that.
“Come here. I need you to hold me.”
He stepped closer, staring down at her. “I’m scared I’ll hurt you.”
“You’d never hurt me. All you ever do is love me.”
He leaned over and she settled his head on her chest. Comforting him, for once. She ran her hands through his hair.
“I nearly lost you.”
“I’m here.”
“I didn’t keep you safe,” he muttered.
“It was beyond your control.” Her poor baby.
“It can’t ever happen again, Eden. I can’t take it.”
“I know, honey. I know. It won’t. I promise.”
“No more fast driving. No more strange bars. No more putting yourself at risk.”
“No more,” she promised him. “No more.”
He lay against her for a long time.
When he moved away, she reached for him, groaning as pain flooded her head.
“Jesus, easy, baby.”
“No.” She continued to try to rise. He held her down with a hand on her chest.
“You have a bad concussion. You need to stay still.”
“No.”
He leaned in, his mouth by her ear. “Little girl, listen to Daddy and stay still or when you’re better I’m going to spank your naughty bottom every night for a week.”
She sniffled but lay still. “Promise?”
He pulled back and gently kissed her lips. “You had me so scared, princess.” He ran a finger over her face, tracing it under each eye then down her cheek and over her lips.
“I thought you were bleeding out somewhere. I didn’t think anyone was going to find you. Are you sure you’re all right?” She studied him. That storm of emotion was still there, but it under control now.
“I’m fine. Kent got your call and traced it. He found me not long after you were taken. I had already gained consciousness. Soon after, he got the call from Bartolli telling him that he wanted to exchange you for Keira. We knew they couldn’t be far away. We also knew that Reyes was meeting with Bartolli. We called him, told him what was going on and then we went with him to the meet-up point. While Reyes went in to take care of Bartolli, we took care of the outside guards.”
He stood, his hands curving into fists. “I wanted to go in with him. I was fucking pissed that he went in alone while fucking Jed and Dom practically sat on me to stop me from following.”
“Pissed would be an understatement,” Reyes said as he walked into the hospital room.
“Reyes,” she said. “You’re all right.” Relief filled her.
His eyes were now warm as he stared down at her with a smile. “Thanks to your help. I was planning on just buying time until Zeke could hurry his ass up and get there, but you sped things along. When you slammed into Bartolli, I was able to get off a shot.”
“He’s dead?” she asked.
“He’s dead, baby girl,” Zeke told her.
“Reyes? You’re not in trouble?”
“Nah, no one is going to be upset that Bartolli has been taken out. We’ve made it so it looks like he was taken out by a rival family. Nothing will come back on me or your man here.”
Thank God. Zeke took hold of her hand again, squeezing gently. “He can’t hurt you anymore.”
“Or Keira.”
Reyes and Zeke shared a look.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Seems your brother’s man, Zander has gone a little rogue,” Reyes drawled. “He’s hidden Keira away and refuses to give her back.”
“Zander lives by his own rules,” she told Reyes. Secretly, she was pleased Zander wasn’t handing Keira over to Reyes. Not that she thought he would hurt her. But she just felt like Keira had her reasons for doing this. Maybe she was wrong. It didn’t much matter anymore. Eden wasn’t harboring any anger towards the other woman. There was no point in looking back when she had so much to look forward to.
She looked up at Zeke, knowing her love was shining in her eyes.
Zeke turned to Reyes. “I’d like to know how Bartolli’s men knew what vehicle I was driving.”
Reyes scowled. “They could have gotten that information a number of ways.”
“Duke knew,” Zeke stated.
Reyes curled his hands into fists. “What the fuck are you saying?”
She looked between them both, her eyes widening at the rage coming off both of them.
“I’d trust Duke with my life,” Reyes snarled. “Could’ve been the mole I suspect I have. Don’t worry, I’ll find them.”
“See that you do,” Zeke drawled.
“I came in to tell you her brothers are about to storm in here,” Reyes warned Zeke. “And to say goodbye.”
“I’d say it was good to see you, but. . .” Zeke shrugged.
“Zeke!” Eden scolded. “Reyes saved me.”
“He’s pissed about that. He wanted to be your hero,” Reyes told her.
“He already is,” she replied, staring up at Zeke with a small smile.
Zeke ran his thumb over the back of her hand until Reyes cleared his throat. “Wondered if I could talk to you sometime?”
Zeke turned to look at him. “Yeah. I could do that.”
Reyes nodded. “I’ll be in touch.” He sent Eden a wink before walking out.
“Do you think he really will be in touch?” she asked.
Zeke shook his head. “I don’t know. And it might be for the best that we keep our distance considering what he’s been messed up in.”
“He’s a good man,” she argued. “Just maybe not a man who is always on the right side of the law.”
Zeke grunted. “Yeah. Maybe.” From outside the room, they could hear a booming voice.
“Clint is coming.” Eden stared up at him. “You ready for this?”
He snorted. “I’m not scared of Clint. The only thing that could ever scare me is losing you.”
“That will never happen. I’m yours.”
“And I’m yours too, baby girl. Forever.”
20
Zeke strode into the gloomy warehouse towards the figure wrapped in shadows. “Thought you would have grown out of this mysterious bullshit.”
The figure stepped forward into the moonlight shining through the high windows
, most of which were broken. Jacob Reyes shrugged. “You’d rather I just turned up at your precious Sanctuary?”
“I’d rather you didn’t send gifts to my woman, along with notes summoning me to a meeting. Do you know how difficult it was to get her to stay at home?”
Reyes eyed him. “If she was mine, I’d simply lay down the law and she’d do as she was told. Or suffer the consequences.”
“Could be a good indication of why you’re single.”
To his surprise, Reyes let out a bark of laughter. “You could be right. How is little Miss Eden? All right after her ordeal?”
“She’s stronger than she looks.” Nearly three weeks had passed since she’d been kidnapped by Bartolli. Sometimes he still woke with a nightmare, remembering that panic he’d felt when he’d realized that bastard had her. Both her handbag and phone had been left behind, meaning he’d had no way of tracking her. Without Reyes, things could have ended up a lot differently. Bartolli had been a fool to think Reyes wouldn’t cross him.
“I’d like to get back to her quickly, though.”
“Afraid she’d try to follow you?”
“I left her with her brother, he knows better than to take his gaze off her.”
Reyes grinned. Then the smile dropped from his face with a sigh. “I haven’t found who leaked the information about your vehicle to Bartolli and his men.”
Shit. He’d hoped for better news than that.
“Take it you’ve looked into your own people?”
Zeke narrowed his gaze. “We’ve done some investigating.” He trusted everyone he worked with at JSI.
“I shouldn’t have abandoned you like I did, after Elise died,” Reyes suddenly announced.
Zeke stiffened. He hadn’t quite expected that.
“I just. . .she tried to fucking tell me,” Reyes blurted out.
“What?” Zeke asked quietly.
Reyes wouldn’t look at him, instead he stared off to the right. “She tried to tell me something was wrong and I didn’t have time to listen. I never had time for her. If I’d just stopped and listened to her. . .”
The agony in his voice had Zeke stepping forward and laying his hand on the other man’s shoulder. “You weren’t to blame, man. I could have made an effort with her as well. But we were both selfish, stupid kids.”
Daring Daddy (Montana Daddies Book 5) Page 19