Poker Face (Masks #4)

by Melissa Pearl

  “We don’t have time to make a call, do we?”

  His fingers danced over the butt of his gun as he re-gripped the handle and shook his head.

  “So, do you think we can take them out on our own?”

  He closed one eye and lined up a shot. “Probably, but we’re going to have to—”

  Rapid gunfire stuttered through the air. I lurched on the scaffolding, my foot slipping off the plank. It wobbled beneath us and there was nothing I could do to stop myself from tumbling. The plank tipped, losing its precarious balance and flying past me as I snatched at the metal framework. It crashed to the floor, splintering loudly. But no one even noticed.

  Chaos had entered the warehouse in the form of Santiago and his posse of armed men.

  “Hold on!” Rhodes yelled, scrambling down the thick pipes to reach me.

  My fingers were losing their grip, my chicken arms protesting as I tried to hold my weight.

  Gunfire continued to puncture the air and bodies rapidly started falling. Santiago’s revenge would be supersonic and over before Marchant could even defend himself.

  The Frenchman got in a few shots before being thrown back by a bullet to the shoulder. Santiago’s smile was sickly sweet as he strode up to the man, grinding his foot into Marchant’s wound before firing a bullet straight between the eyes.

  Horror made me jolt and my fingers lost their battle.

  A scream shot from my mouth before I could stop it.

  “Caitlyn!” Rhodes shouted above me.

  I grappled for a new hold but my fingers scraped through air, barely skimming the next crossbeam.

  Shit, this was going to hurt.

  I squeezed my eyes shut, covering my head with my arms and wondering if I’d survive this.

  40

  Eric

  “Caitlyn!”

  Someone bellowed her name, injecting a surge of energy through my weakened muscles.

  As soon as the gunfire started, I hunched into a ball, making myself as small as possible and hoping like hell no bullets would find me. I had no idea what was going on and who was charging in, but with the bodies dropping around me, I knew it couldn’t be the police.

  But then I’d heard her name.

  Some guy was shouting it out with an urgency that scared me.

  My head popped off the floor, my eyes straining for a flash of golden hair.

  I spotted it.

  On the edge of the room, a tangle of curls dropping through the scaffolding.

  My heart reeled and jumped into my throat. Caity hit a plank of wood and I winced, feeling the crunch of bones as the wood split beneath her, slowing her fall but not capturing her.

  I lost sight of her then but spotted Rhodes scrambling down the framework and jumping into the debris. My chest heaved and convulsed. I tried to stand to my feet while spewing up another trickle of water. My head was weak and dizzy as I clambered to my knees.

  “Eric! Get down!” Dad hollered from the floor.

  I glanced at his sideways body, still tied to the chair. Santiago was just behind him, slowly turning away from Marchant’s corpse. He spotted my father wrestling to be free of his bonds and tipped his head, assessing the pitiful sight. Raising his gun next to his ear, I could see his mind ticking over, a flicker of glee pushing at his lips.

  Dad looked up from the floor and saw it, too. The look of resignation washing over his face about killed me.

  “NO!” I jumped to my feet with a feral roar and whatever adrenaline was fueling my body powered me into a speedy assault. Slamming my shoulder into Santiago’s chest, we barreled to the ground together. The air was knocked from his lungs while the gun skimmed across the floor.

  I smashed the side of his face with a head butt, just the way Gramps had taught me. Squinting against the rush of pain, I fell against Santiago’s body in time to see one of his men charging toward me. I kicked out my legs ready to defend myself, but he fell before I had to.

  The gun firing behind me belonged to one of Marchant’s men who was charging into the room with a fresh batch of ammo. The war raged over my head while I slithered across the floor toward Dad. My main goal was the scaffolding, but I couldn’t leave my father like a sitting duck. At least Caity was hidden from the warfare.

  I inched over to Dad who had managed to kick one of the wooden chair legs loose and was using it to snap his wrist ties. With a grunt, he finally won and pulled his hands free.

  “Turn around!”

  I spun and held my ground as he yanked at my bindings. They cut into my skin, but finally snapped. I flicked the thick plastic off my wrist and helped Dad free his other leg. Scrambling to my feet I made a run for the scaffolding, my weak body lacking. I tumbled twice on the way, tackled once by Dad who was trying to save me from a flying bullet.

  “Would you watch your ass!”

  “I thought that was your job!” I yelled back, covering my head when a loud explosion sounded from the side of the room.

  Dust bloomed from the entranceway and I took the sudden pause in attack to stumble my way to Caity. Rhodes was by her side, gently holding her under the arms.

  “Her foot’s caught!” He indicated with a flick of his chin. I ducked through the rickety framework and unjammed the board of wood. Rhodes tugged her free and lifted her into his arms.

  She groaned softly, nestling her head against his shoulder and mumbling something incoherent. There was a deep gash on her arm; blood spots trailed her as Rhodes walked her out of the debris. I scrambled over it, following the bright red spots until there was room to take her.

  I stretched out my arms.

  “You’re too weak.” Rhodes shook his head.

  I made a move to snatch her from him but Dad’s hand landed on my chest, pushing me back. “Just follow him!”

  Knowing he was right didn’t make it any easier to chase after Rhodes as he made for the only safe exit we could see. Dad urged me forward, taking up the rear and looking over his shoulder as we made for the outer wall.

  His step faltered just before a deep voice echoed across the open space.

  “She’s MINE!”

  It wasn’t until I heard him that I realized the gunfire had ceased. I whipped around, noting the carnage. Bodies scattered the floor, limbs at funny angles. The sharp tang of blood mingled with a deathly silence hung low and brooding, like dry ice misting through the air.

  Santiago was a gnarled tree in a ghostly forest, standing there, pointing a gun at us. He limped forward, his dark eyes bulging. “Give her to me.”

  Rhodes gripped her tight, holding her against his chest. “We’re taking her home.”

  “I paid good money for her!”

  “She wasn’t for sale!” I glared at him. “And you can’t have her,” I whispered the words, gazing back at my girlfriend.

  Her head lifted off Rhodes’s shoulder, her eyes squinting open. Her blue gaze found me, softening with a relieved smile before rounding when they landed on Santiago.

  He held out his spare hand. “Come with me, Carlotta, and no one will get hurt.”

  She looked at the gun, her eyes filling with tears as she swallowed.

  “I will let your boyfriend live this time, I swear to you.”

  “Hold her, Rhodes!” I made a move toward them.

  “Eric!” Dad shouted my name as the gun went off.

  I felt like it happened in slow motion—Dad shouting my name and launching toward me, the loud pop of a bullet firing from its chamber, Dad’s body lurching back and falling against mine. I caught him before he hit the floor, wrapping my arms around him. We teetered to the ground together. I landed on my butt, Dad’s body cradled against my torso. Blood bloomed on his side.

  My throat constricted, shock rendering me speechless.

  “No!” Caity cried out, struggling out of Rhodes’s arms. “I’ll go! I’ll go! Don’t kill anyone!”

  “Caitlyn, you can’t!” Rhodes tried to hold her steady, but she struggled out of his arms. She staggered on her
bad ankle and fell to the floor. Rhodes reached behind him, ready to pull out his gun, his eyes rounding wide when he realized he didn’t have it on him. His head whipped to the scaffolding then he winced with regret.

  Santiago chuckled, his laughter growing. He had all the power, and he was going to try and take my girl again.

  “Come, my dear. This man needs to get to a hospital.” He pointed to Dad and then pulled a large handkerchief from his pocket, throwing it at Caity. “We need to stitch up that arm, too. Wrap that around to slow the bleeding and let’s go.”

  She struggled to do it. Rhodes crouched down to help her, eyeing Santiago’s gun and itchy trigger finger. He took his time, making sure the wound was wrapped securely. Blood was already seeping into the fabric by the time he was done.

  “Okay!” Santiago shouted. “Now move away from her.”

  Rhodes hated the idea, but got to his feet and inched back.

  Santiago stretched out his hand, reaching for Caity. She eyed him carefully, her fingers quivering as she extended her hand.

  She paused, her fingers curling into a fist. “I can offer you something better.”

  My breath hitched. What was she going to offer him?

  His eyebrow arched.

  Slowly rising from the floor, Caity balanced herself on one foot and smoothed down her pants.

  “You can have it. If you let us walk free and get him to the hospital before he bleeds out.” She pointed at my dad. “Then I’ll give you my power right now.”

  She held out her hand, her whole arm trembling.

  Santiago smirked. “I thought you wouldn’t give it to a man like me.”

  “I don’t want to, but I’d do anything to save the people I love.” She swallowed, her face crumpling.

  I wanted to call out don’t. It felt wrong. She couldn’t give up her sight to that whack job, but...it could save her life, and Dad’s.

  Santiago snickered. Stepping toward her, his gun was trained on me as he placed his palm lightly on top of hers. Caity clenched her jaw and closed her eyes. I had no idea how she was supposed to transfer it. I was guessing she’d just wish it into him.

  But she never had the chance to find out.

  One final gunshot rang out, ending the nightmare.

  Santiago jolted sideways before flopping to the floor. Our heads all jerked in the direction of the bullet, hunting out the assassin.

  We found the last person we expected to see.

  “Please tell me you didn’t just give your powers to that asshole.” Kaplan, gun still in hand, flicked her arms in the air.

  Caity’s mouth dropped open as Kaplan’s heels clipped on the concrete.

  The hard-ass agent leaned over Santiago’s body. “Getting the likes of him to work for the FBI would be near impossible.”

  I scowled. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “Saving your life.” Kaplan’s sharp eyebrow arched. Whipping out her phone, she punched in a few numbers. “Yeah, I found them. We’re gonna need an ambulance at Club Impulse.” She rattled off the details and slid the phone back into her pocket.

  Caity and I were still staring at her. She let out a sigh and shrugged. “Rhodes called me last night after he lost track of you guys and updated me on the situation.”

  Folding her arms, Caity’s eyes flicked between the two agents. “No, he didn’t. You called him and made him ‘fess up.” She shook her head. “Your guilty conscience finally caught up with you, huh?”

  Rhodes chuckled. “Don’t worry, Kaplan; she’s still got it.”

  Kaplan stiffened, her eyes narrowing at Caity before flicking to Rhodes. “Get your butt upstairs and meet the EMTs. I’ll make a few calls and get a team down here.” Her eyes traveled over Caity while she pulled out her phone. “And sit your butt down before you fall over.”

  Caity did as she was told, moving to my side before dropping to the floor. I caught her, gently pulling her to my chest with my free arm. She rested her head against my shoulder, rubbing Dad’s arm and murmuring a few words of comfort. He smiled back, nodding at her before closing his eyes. I pressed my cheek against the top of her head and soaked in the moment. I focused solely on the feel of Caity’s body beside mine, of her soft breath tickling my collarbone as she pressed her forehead into my neck and murmured, “I love you.”

  41

  Caitlyn

  We spent the longest day in the world at the hospital. Rhodes insisted we all got checked out with full physical exams. I was spoken to and prodded at by no less than three doctors, four nurses and two x-ray technicians. I was ferried from one part of the hospital to the other.

  Turned out I had three fractured ribs, a badly bruised foot, and a mild concussion. The plank of wood I crashed through probably saved my life. The wound in my forearm was closed with around twenty stitches and I’d had enough creams and antiseptics dabbed over my scrapes and bruises that I felt like a walking medicine cabinet.

  Gingerly lowering myself into a waiting room chair, I tapped my fingers against the hard plastic frame and wondered where Eric was. He’d been waiting for news on his dad when I was taken away for another x-ray.

  My eyes skirted the area, landing on the tall, sharp woman who started this whole thing. Her back was to me, thankfully. I didn’t want her to know I’d returned. She may have saved our lives, but that still didn’t take away everything she’d done. I saw her face as she gazed down at Santiago. I heard her words.

  “Getting the likes of him to work for the FBI would be near impossible.”

  I didn’t trust her.

  She was going to use me again; I could feel it.

  “Psst, Caitlyn.”

  I whipped around to see who was calling me, wincing at the pain shooting through my side.

  Rhodes’s face crinkled with apology before he flicked his fingers at me. His eyes darted to Kaplan and I could see instantly this was a covert conversation. I eased out of my chair and limped over to him.

  “What is it?”

  He took my arm, guiding me down the corridor until we reached a private room at the end. I slipped in after him and saw Eric standing beside a hospital bed. Declan Shore was sitting on the edge, fully dressed, his feet dangling over the side. He looked pale and way too green to be up.

  “What’s going on? You shouldn’t be out of bed, should you?”

  “I’m well enough,” he croaked.

  He looked to Eric, who looked to Rhodes and then everyone’s eyes were on me.

  “So, um...” Rhodes licked his bottom lip. “I think it’s time we get you guys out of here.”

  “What are you talking about?” My gaze shot to Eric. He gave me a pained smile, but I knew instantly what he was thinking. “Just walk away, from everything?’

  “Marchant has family,” Declan said softly. “French mafia, and they’ll find out what went down. They’ll go after anyone who was involved.”

  “Plus, Miguel’s still out there.” Rhodes crossed his arms.

  “And Kaplan.” Eric fired a dark look at the FBI agent.

  Rhodes didn’t bother returning it. He just raised his eyebrows and nodded. I could see Eric’s rancor pissed him off, but beneath that, he knew my boyfriend was right.

  “What are we supposed to do?” I asked.

  “Disappear.” Rhodes gave me a sad smile, his eyes filling with that touch of affection I’d seen before. I could sense I was the only one to see the full beauty of it.

  I nibbled my bottom lip, looking down and gripping the edge of the bed.

  “There’s a car waiting for you in the back lot. You need to drive to the southern border. I’ve given Eric the details. Once you’ve crossed into Mexico, a contact will be waiting for you. He’ll be able to look after Declan and once you’re all healed, you guys need to keep moving.”

  It was hard to take it all in. We were running? Like fugitives? It felt bizarre.

  “What about my family?” I whispered.

  “They’ll be safer if we go,” Eric mumbled, givin
g me a pained smile. “We need to cut all ties, babe.”

  I blinked at my tears, thinking of Piper and Scott...their wedding that I would never get to attend...and Holly’s new baby that I’d never get to meet.

  “Think of it as Witness Protection. I already have a story fabricated, and a couple of death certificates are being drawn up as we speak.”

  I couldn’t hide my horror. “But they’ll be heartbroken.”

  Rhodes frowned, mussing his hair with a soft sigh. “Caitlyn...if any of these guys think you’re still alive… If they come looking...”

  “You’ll be saving their lives by disappearing,” Declan muttered.

  I glanced up, worry hitting me as I caught Rhodes’s anxious gaze. “What about you? Won’t you get in trouble? How are you going to get this past Kaplan?”

  “Don’t worry about me. I’ve put the right change in the right pockets. It’ll be okay.” He forced a smile and stepped toward me, holding my shoulders. “I owe you this much.”

  I could see he didn’t mean a word of it. He wasn’t helping us because he felt guilty. He wasn’t actually doing this for Eric or his dad, either.

  This was all for me.

  I wrapped my arms around his waist, squeezing tight. “Thank you, Rhodes.”

  He rubbed my back, lightly kissing my forehead before suddenly letting me go. He swallowed hard and stepped back. “Would you guys get the hell out of here? We’ve only got a small window.”

  Lifting his chin, he ignored my soft smile.

  “Take care of Monique for me.”

  His hard expression softened and he shook his head with a grin. “Always thinking about someone else, aren’t ya?”

  I shrugged. “Can’t help it.”

  “Go on, get out of here.” He gently nudged me toward Eric.

  Standing on the other side of Declan, I helped him up and we staggered to the exit.

  Rhodes led us out a side entrance, dodging human traffic as much as possible. Holding open the door for us, he nodded toward a dark green sedan in the back corner. Eric supported his father down the steps and I stopped to look back at Rhodes.