by Mara McBain
“Where else could she have gone? Have you checked the pub or the clubhouse?” Mox asked, struggling to sit up.
“Yes, baby, and she wouldn’t have needed a vehicle to get to either one. They put an APB on your truck. We’ll find her.”
Mox swung his legs over the side of the bed, but Ginny was ready for that.
“Don’t even think about it, tough guy. Get back in bed.”
“I have to find Eva.”
“We’re looking for her. The local and state police are looking for her. Zeke and Murphy went into Cleveland. They weren’t giving your dad answers on the phone. There is a possibility that something is up with Soriano, something more than what went down here this morning.”
“Like what? What does that have to do with Eva?”
“He doesn’t know. The guy is supposedly into all kinds of shit, so it could be a Fed thing they don’t want blown, or it could just be the department covering their ass and distancing themselves from Zeke and Murphy until all the details from this morning clear up. Either way, he thought it best if they went in and looked for Eva from that end.”
“You think that she went back to him.”
Ginny bit her lip.
“She kept saying that her being here was putting us in danger.”
“You can’t argue with her logic,” she said softly.
“So you think she should’ve just gone back to the whack job that beats her and treats her like shit? She’s convinced he will kill her this time, and you think we should be worried about us?”
“I didn’t say that. What I’m saying is that I can understand if that is what she thought she needed to do. There isn’t anything that I wouldn’t do to protect you and your brothers. I’d walk into the fires of hell for you boys and not think twice.”
“And Zeke would tell you that it’s his job to protect the family and kick your ass. It’s not Eva’s job to protect me. Brawer men do not hide behind their women’s skirts,” he snapped, trying to stand up. “What the fuck is life without her?”
It was a testament to how unsteady he still was that Ginny was able to push him back down to the bed.
“Don’t make me get them to restrain you.”
“I need to find Eva.”
“We’re looking, and you aren’t going to do anyone any good endangering yourself. No matter what deal Eva thinks she’s made with the devil, his ego is going to demand retribution from you. We need to keep you safe.”
“It doesn’t mean anything without Eva. I love her.”
“I know you do, baby. We all love her, and we’re going to do everything we can to get her back to you. She deserves a man that cherishes her. You need to take care of yourself so she has a man to come back to.”
Mox slumped back on the bed, his lips pressing together in pain. He put a palm against his forehead, fighting the debilitating pounding in his skull.
“I promised to protect her,” he whispered in anguish.
“Unfortunately, baby, it’s almost impossible to protect someone from their self.”
Chapter ~ 37
It had been hours. Her throat was raw from thirst and grief. The video had played on an endless loop. Over and over she’d watched her grandparents die, the taunting time stamp reminding her that Rocco had lied. She had raged, screaming her fury to the heavens and promising vengeance. She’d been met with silence.
Her eyes were dry now; her tears spent. The hatred pressed heavy on her chest, and she had to concentrate on breathing. Her mind whirled. Where was he? Who was he hurting now? Her head fell forward, chin resting on her chest as she tried to figure a way out of this mess. This needed to end with her. He’d promised, and he’d lied.
It had all seemed so rational at the hospital, her life to spare everyone else. In hindsight, there were fatal flaws in her logic. Mox believed in honor, even if Rocco didn’t. He would come for her, and when he did, Rocco would kill him. Leaving had been a mistake. Her flight would draw Mox from the meager safety that Trinity Falls and the club provided. Her head throbbed. If Mox came, his club brothers, his family, would follow. She was the bait.
“Has the movie lost its appeal? You have to admit that the cast truly bled for their craft, such poignant performances.”
“Does it make you feel like a man to kill defenseless geriatrics?” Eva asked, whirling to face Rocco as he stepped from the shadows. “Your parents have to be spinning in their graves seeing what a pathetic little man you’ve turned out to be. Your fath—”
A brutal backhand cut off her words. Eva shook her head, tasting the coppery tang of blood flow over her taste buds. Probing the tender flesh of her cheek with the tip of her tongue, she spat a glob of blood and saliva into Rocco’s startled face.
Rage and humiliation transformed his handsome features into something unrecognizable. His fist connected with her jaw a second before her foot slammed into his groin with everything she had. He let out a strangled howl, hitting his knees. Still seeing stars, she lashed out again, kicking him in the side of the head.
Rocco rolled, desperately trying to escape the reach of her chain. Cupping his family jewels, he writhed on the boathouse floor, gasping curses painting the air blue. His eyes clenched shut as he tried to rock through the worst of the pain.
Chelios stepped out of the dark. His lips quirked in the barest hint of amusement as he stood over his boss. He stood for a moment, looking down, and Eva knew he was thinking about what she’d said. The Greek had told her himself that he had no respect for the younger Soriano. He knew Rocco’s father would’ve been disappointed in the way the worthless prick had turned out.
She held her breath as he looked down at Rocco. One bullet was all it would take to end this. The enforcer would be free of his vow and Mox would be safe. She prayed.
“Don’t just fucking stand there. Help me up,” Rocco snarled between gasps.
Pulling the boss to his feet, Chelios stepped back, keeping his features purposely bland.
“I’d already planned on killing you, but now…now I’m going to kill you slowly, you stupid bitch,” the livid Italian ground out between clenched teeth.
Eva’s gaze beseeched Chelios, still praying. He looked into her eyes. For the briefest moment she saw a spark of understanding, and then a blast made her ears ring, and blood splattered over her chest as Chelios’ head exploded.
She stared in horror as he crumbled to the floor, light fading from his dark eyes.
“I hated that fucking mug of his. You could never tell what the prick was thinking,” Rocco said, giving her a chilling little smile.
He stepped away for a moment, his step hesitant and a wince twisting his classic features. He rubbed at his crotch giving her a tiny measure of satisfaction. The ropes binding her hands suddenly tightened, and Eva was winched off her feet to dangle above the floor. She cried out as her shoulders protested the strain. Twisting helplessly, she tried to find him in the dark.
She screamed as a hand closed in her hair and wrenched her head back. He nuzzled her ear, his voice a sinister purr.
“Now it’s just you and me. It’s time to play.”
Chapter ~ 38
The office door bounced off the wall, shuddering on its hinges. Captain Donovan leaned back in his chair, his tired gaze sweeping over his detectives. Indicating the chairs in front of his desk with a tilt of his head, he waited.
“Are you going to fill us in on the dog and pony show going on out there?” Zeke asked bluntly.
Glancing at the swarm of suits with Federal badges crawling over their squad room like locusts, Donovan shook his head.
“All you need to know is that we’re assisting the Feds with a raid that you won’t be anywhere near.”
Zeke’s pale eyes narrowed to dangerous slits.
“Soriano?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Why else would we be froze out? We have more experience between the two of us than the rest of the department combined, so don’t blow smoke up our asses.”<
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“Why does everything have to be difficult with you, Brawer?” the captain asked in exasperation.
“Because if it is Soriano, the Feds need to be aware that the son-of-a-bitch is holding my daughter-in-law.”
“The girl from the shooting this morning?”
“She disappeared from the hospital in the confusion. We’re positive she contacted Rocco Soriano and made a deal to come back to him in exchange for Mox’s safety.”
“Do you have proof of this, or am I supposed to go out there and present this to the Feds based on the famous Brawer gut?”
“I might not have tangible proof, but they do,” Zeke answered, stabbing a finger toward the federal agents.
“What the hell do you mean by—” Donovan’s words fell off, and he looked out the window, comprehension dawning. “They would’ve had Soriano under surveillance for a while now if they were planning this raid. They likely have phone taps and assuredly know exactly where the bastard was this morning.”
Zeke nodded leaning back in his chair.
“That means the Feds saw that bastard gun down our brothers in the street,” Murphy said coldly.
Donovan pinched the bridge of his nose and stood.
“Stay here.”
Tension hung over the conference table like a malevolent cloud as the two sides sized each other up. Pissing matches between local law enforcement and the federal agencies were nothing new, but big brother didn’t like being questioned.
“I understand that Federal charges trump state and local, but what I don’t understand is how you can justify your people standing by with their thumbs up their asses while Rocco Soriano and his goons shot innocent people in the street,” Donovan said tersely.
“Allegedly shot—”
“There is no allegedly,” Donovan interrupted. ”Did you, or did you not have surveillance on Rocco Soriano when he was involved in a drive-by shooting that put two men, one of which is my detective’s son, in the hospital?”
The agent shot a guilty look at Zeke who was struggling to stay silent at his Captain’s orders.
“We didn’t know that it was a hit. We thought that a meeting was going down.”
“There you go, thinking. How long did you sit there watching Soriano’s vehicle?”
“We sat on the vehicle for three hours.”
“Three hours, and you still thought it was a meeting?”
“That’s enough,” another FBI suit said, leaning forward to cut Donovan off. His name tag designated him as Agent-in-Charge Kellen. “The incident that happened in Trinity Falls was unfortunate. Thankfully, from the reports that I’m getting, both men are in stable condition,” he paused, meeting Zeke’s eye until Zeke nodded, and then he continued. “We can’t change what happened. What we do need to address is your concerns that Eva Taylor is being held against her will.”
Zeke glanced at Donovan and got the nod.
“She had a visit from one of Soriano’s goons before Christmas, and he made it clear that she either came home or her new friends would suffer. My son loves her. We made it clear to her that she had a home with us. Rocco Soriano abused that girl. She didn’t go back to him because she loves him. She went because she is afraid. Sitting here saying this is not a concern because your men watched her walk into Soriano’s mansion with his enforcer under her own power is bullshit.”
“If we move on Soriano now, the shipment is rerouted and we lose out on eighteen months of work.”
“If we wait until after the raid, Eva could be dead,” Zeke argued.
“And our Intel says that there are two dozen girls coming through Cleveland tonight.”
“So you sacrifice one to save the life of the others.”
“Taylor could already be dead, or Soriano might have no intention of killing her at all. It seems he was very intent on getting her back,” Kellen countered. “We will hit his house and the meet location at the same time tonight, and if Eva Taylor is still alive, we will rescue her and twenty-four other girls and young women.”
“If she survives the next ten hours,” Zeke muttered, shoving his chair back as he stood and headed for the door.
Murphy followed on his heels and spun on Kellen when the Agent reached to put a hand on Zeke’s shoulder. Dropping his gaze to where Murphy’s hand rested on his Glock, Kellen dropped his hand, but looked at Zeke and said,
“You were a Marine.”
Though it wasn’t a question, Zeke nodded.
“As a Marine and a law enforcement officer, you understand that there are times the loss of one to save many is the right call,” Kellen said.
“I would make that sacrifice for my brothers in whatever uniform I wear because I chose to be what I am. Eva didn’t. I understand your decision. I don’t have to like it. Just make sure you have enough evidence to put that son-of-a-bitch away because as long as he’s out there, my family’s at risk.”
Chapter ~ 39
Tension hummed in the clubhouse. Ginny leaned on the kitchen pass-thru, chewing her bottom lip. Tables were laden with food; things were blowing up on the big screen, and the game tables were busy, but a pall hung heavy.
Her worried gaze landed on Kat and Crux. They were cuddled on the love seat again, her back to his chest, his chin hooked over her shoulder. Ginny smiled as he rubbed Kat’s rounded belly, and her best friend giggled at something he whispered. Those two had been through so much shit. They deserved a little happiness.
The door chime quieted the buzz of conversation. Even the littlest ones felt the strain. Kennedy scampered to Tamara who swept her up and hurried into the kitchen. Ginny tried to give her a reassuring smile, but her shoulders slumped a little in relief when it was Rhys and Tech that came through the door. The relief was short lived.
Rhys’ handsome features were tight with anger and worry.
“We found Mox’s truck. She left it out at the truck stop along with a note and this.”
Ginny’s stomach lurched as the diamond ring clattered on the counter between them. She stared at the symbol of love and faithfulness and prayed the young couple would have a chance to tell this story to her grandchildren.
“What does the note say?” Crux asked, the muscle along his jaw quivering at his displeasure.
“It just says she loves him, something about him being the one she doesn’t want to live without, but that if she doesn’t go back, the asshole will kill us all,” Rhys growled in disgust. “She called the prick and made a deal for our lives, and she thinks Reap is her fault and begs Lee’s forgiveness.”
“Jesus,” Ginny whispered.
“That’s ballsy,” Tamara murmured behind her, admiration thick in her voice.
Ginny had to nod in agreement.
“It takes a lot of heart and guts to go back to someone you know is going to kill you. The shit thing is, Zeke is probably right; the bastard’s ego isn’t going to allow him to keep that deal. He’ll kill Eva or get her back under his thumb, and then he’ll come after Mox.”
Bowie darted a glance at the others and nodded. The men stood silent, mulling over what they wanted to do. Ginny’s phone ringing made several of them jump.
“It’s Zeke,” she said, punching the button. “Hey, big man. Give me some good news.”
“The good news is that there’s going to be a raid on the asshole’s properties. The bad news is that it’s not going down as quickly as we would like it.”
“No word on Eva?”
“She was seen going into his house this morning. The party line opinion at this point is that she entered the property of her own free will. It’s their bullshit reasoning that allows them to put tonight’s raid above her welfare.”
“What in the hell is more important than a girl’s life?”
“More girls’ lives,” Zeke said bluntly. “I’m doing what I can here, baby. How’re things there?”
Ginny rubbed at her temple as she filled him in on finding Mox’s truck, and the updated reports on Reaper and Mox that she was getting e
very forty-five minutes to an hour from Ami. She reluctantly handed the phone over to Bowie when she was done.
“I have some kick-ass ibuprofen in my purse that the dentist gave me if you want one, or a couple, for your headache,” Tamara offered softly.
Ginny sighed and smiled. “That would be great, honey. If this bitch turns into a migraine, I’m going to be hurting.”
Wincing in sympathy, Tamara set her four-year-old on the island beside Ginny and went to get her purse. Kennedy’s voice startled Ginny from her thoughts.
“I know what will make you feel better.”
“What’s that, baby girl?”
“Butterfly kisses,” the toddler said seriously.
“Yeah?”
Kennedy nodded solemnly, and Ginny bent down to feel the little girl’s long lashes flutter against her cheek.
“I’ll give Eva some when she gets back, too,” she promised with a shy smile.
Ginny stroked her soft hair and smiled through tears, “Thank you, precious. I think Eva’s going to need some kisses.”
Her boot heels cracked against the smooth tiles like gunfire. Not spotting the head nurse at the desk, Ginny quickened her pace, breaking into a trot down the hallway. Bowie hadn’t liked it, but when Ami had called to let her know that Mox had fallen trying to leave the hospital, she’d been determined to get back to his side. Big Red had relented with the promise that she wouldn’t step a toe outside the hospital without notifying him and set Tech and Rhys to tail her. With Sambo and Eddie already here at the hospital, she was well protected.
Ginny’s heart lurched as she eased open the door and looked at Mox’s still form.
“We gave him a light sedative to help keep him down.”
Nodding at Ami, Ginny moved to the bedside and wrapped her fingers around his big hand. “Thank you.”
“He’s going to be okay.”
Accepting the comforting hug from her longtime neighbor, Ginny gave a shaky laugh. “He’s normally so much like his father, indestructible. Seeing him hurt scares me.”