by Stark, Cindy
“Asshole,” Gideon spat at Christian. “You always were the black sheep of the family.”
“Shut him up, Eliana, before I lose my patience. You wanted in this organization. This is your only way. Think of all the money you’ll make.”
“I can’t.” Her hand shook with the weight of the weapon.
“No?” Hardy nailed her with a disappointed look and aimed his revolver at Christian. “Perhaps this will help. I have no doubt out of the two brothers which you’d prefer to live.”
“Oh, God,” she cried. She couldn’t willingly take a life, but she couldn’t let Hardy kill Christian, either.
“Do it!” Hardy yelled.
Her breaths grew shallow as she released the safety.
“Fucking bitch,” Gideon shouted at her.
Christian shook his head. “Don’t, love. Not for me.”
“Shut up,” she cried as her lungs filled with iron. She couldn’t think let alone breathe.
“Five…four…three…” Hardy counted in a monotonous tone. “Two…one—a”
Eliana swiveled and fired, and the shot landed squarely in Hardy’s chest. He gaped at her in surprise and then dropped.
Everyone paused for a second, and then chaos ensued. Christian ran to her, gathering her in his arms as Gideon strode toward Hardy. Her brother was the only calm in the storm.
“Fucking bastard,” Gideon said as he reached for Hardy’s gun.
A second gunshot broke them apart, and Gideon toppled to the ground near Hardy. Christian shoved her behind him as Hardy’s hand fell back to the ground along with his gun.
“Fuck,” Christian hissed as he backed them both toward the main area of the bar. “You need to get out of here.”
She wanted to run like hell and never look back. “No…I can’t, Christian,” she said between ragged breaths and tears. “I can’t leave Eric.” Her brother had curled into himself, the tragedy in front of him somehow breaking Hardy’s spell over him.
Heavy emotions rattled the cages she’d trapped them in, but she couldn’t fall apart. Not yet. Something colder than she could ever recall feeling iced through her, shaking her to the core. She sniffed and tried to rein in her emotions. “This isn’t over.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” He seemed frustrated and as scared as she was.
“Hardy. He set me up with his boss for tomorrow night.” Adrenaline vibrated her voice and made her breathless as she moved forward and picked up the bloodstained paper and black velvet bag. She kept her gaze from landing on either of the dead men’s faces. “He was expecting me to kill Gideon to prove my loyalty, and then deliver this to his boss.” She pried open the bag and dumped the contents in her hand. Sparkling blue stones mocked her.
A dangerous, black look dropped over his features. “No. You’re finished here.”
“No!” she yelled back at him as she replaced the gems. “I’m going to see this through. This is the break we’ve been waiting for. I have an in with his boss. You wouldn’t walk away from this, and neither will I.” She hugged herself to try to control the shaking.
“Oh, Christ!” He rolled his head heavenward and jerked his cell from his pocket. “Fuck almighty, Sam. We have a hell of a problem. Gideon and Hardy are dead, and Eliana thinks she’s going after Donati. Get your ass to Gideon’s right now.”
* * *
Less than ten minutes later, Sam strode into the back area. Eric still lay curled into a ball, while Eliana met him and tried to still the violent shaking that had overtaken her.
“Motherfucker,” he said slowly as he looked over the deadly scene. “How the hell are we going to cover this up?”
“We have to,” Christian answered. “We need everyone to believe these two are alive for as long as possible. At least until tomorrow night.” Christian quickly described their dilemma and shoved the blood-spattered instructions at Sam.
Sam turned to Eliana and lifted his brows in an incredulous look. “How the hell are we going to do that?”
“I don’t know,” Christian answered. “Call the others. We need everyone on this. Eliana is expected to show up at Donati’s tomorrow night to drop off a delivery, so we need to figure this out right fucking now. We can’t lose this opportunity.”
Sam glanced at Eliana, and she gave him her bravest smile. “Are you okay?”
“No,” she whispered, sure she’d heave the contents of her stomach at any moment. “I killed him.”
“God.” Sam shoved his hands through his hair. “Get her the hell out of here, Christian. Take her back to the safe house. I’ll lock this place down so no one gets in, and I’ll do what I can to mess with any evidence that might implicate either of you.”
Christian nodded and took her hand. “I’ll take her there and come back.”
“No. You stay. I’ll summon everyone else. Neither of you should be here.”
“What about Eric?” Eliana asked. Her brother still hadn’t moved. If she didn’t know better, she might have thought he’d been shot, too.
“We’ll take care of him. We’ll get him the treatment he needs. Don’t worry.”
She didn’t want to go, but she couldn’t stay, and she knew Christian needed to be away from his dead brother.
God help them.
“Go home,” Sam said. “Get some rest while you can. We need to plan, and tomorrow will be a big day.”
* * *
Eliana took a quick shower and then crawled into bed beside Christian, her insides a tangled mass of so many bad things. “I’m not sure I can sleep. I can’t stop thinking about them.” Over and over, images of Hardy’s last moments replayed in her head.
Christian rubbed her bare arm, and she appreciated his efforts to comfort her. “I understand. It might take some time. Try to rest.”
“Gideon,” she said into the quiet room. “He’s gone.”
“I know.” Tension tightened his voice.
“Are you okay? I know you weren’t close, but…”
“What can I say? He needed to pay, but I didn’t want him dead.” A long silence fell over them. She hugged her to him and prayed for his pain to ease.
“I’m scared,” she finally admitted.
“Dammit, Eliana,” he hissed. “I’m beyond terrified. I think we should see if Sam can get an undercover female cop to go in your place.”
“What if she messes it up? What if she fails to get the information she needs? If we let the police in on this and it doesn’t work, then all of your hard work and plans would be for nothing. There would be no going back. No secret organization with a plot to stop Donati. He would go on and rebuild. Hardy is replaceable. Worse, Sam admitted there’d been a breach in the police department before. What if there are others?”
“I don’t care. The only thing that means anything right now is you.”
She reached up to touch his cheek. “Thank you for that. If I die tomorrow, know that you’ve made me happier than I could ever imagine.”
“Don’t fucking say that.” He rolled and pinned her beneath his hard body. “Don’t ever say that again.”
Tears puddled in her eyes. “I’m sorry. I just wanted you to know how much you mean to me.”
“And you mean everything to me. So, don’t ever say anything like that again.”
She slid her fingers into the hair at the back of his neck. “Kiss me, Christian. Love me until the others arrive and we have to stop. I don’t want to think about anything but you for hours.”
He claimed her lips with a passion so hot she sizzled from the inside out. “We’re going to make it through this, Eliana. I can promise you that.”
“Yes,” she said with a smile as a strange peace came over her. “We will. All of us. Vengeance is ours, and we will take it. She wrapped her legs around his and lost herself in the luxury of his touch. For now, she had tonight. Tomorrow could wait.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Eliana struggled to keep her Challenger within the speed limit as she rounded curves and he
aded higher into the hills above Portland. The low-cut, black dress she wore would surely give away her frantic pulse. One look, and anyone would be able to see her heart pounding against her chest.
Hunter had integrated a tiny camera and microphone into her earrings. A fortune in tanzanite snuggled against the lipstick in her purse, and she had to pretend the evening held no more significance than a friend’s dinner party.
Her job would be to deliver the goods, capture as many people as she could on camera, and then get the hell out. Nothing too serious.
She’d wanted a drink to calm her nerves, but Christian and the other men had refused her request. She’d also wanted to take the Duke with her, but they’d voted that out as well. They would be back there in the dark behind her somewhere. If things went south, they’d intervene. None of them wanted to put her at risk.
She’d argued a wire would also put her in danger if anyone discovered it. They’d also shot that down.
She slowed as the voice from her navigation app announced she’d reached her destination. “I’m here,” she said into the ether, knowing that someone on the other end listened.
A man in a tux waited at the gate, and she lowered her window to speak to him.
This would be the first of many hurdles. “Eliana Conway. I’m a friend of Angel Hardy. My name should be on the guest list.”
The man glanced at his clipboard and then gave her a curt nod. “Valets wait at the end of the long driveway.” He moved aside and allowed her to proceed forward.
A few moments later, she vacated her car and followed several other party-goers who approached elegant stairs crafted from rocks. Trickling waterfalls illuminated by carefully placed lights led the way to the top. The beautiful ambience of the evening belied what lay in store for her.
“Miss Conway?” A man of Indian decent greeted her at the door.
“Yes,” she said with a smile.
“We’ve been waiting for you. Right this way, please?”
She wasn’t ushered in with the rest of the guests, but led down a dimly-lit hall instead. The man left her in the library and closed the door behind her.
“Wow, look at all the books in this room,” she said quietly, trying to give her location to the men. “The east side of the house is the perfect place so a reader can benefit from the rising sun.”
She clenched and unclenched her fists a few times and then finally sat on the leather couch.
The moment the door opened, she was on her feet again.
The woman who entered was obviously not Mr. Donati. “Good evening,” she said. “My name is Dani.” Her blue evening gown complimented her long, dark hair that curled over one shoulder.
“Hello, Dani.” She worked to keep her voice even. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Eliana.”
“Eliana,” she said, her tongue dancing over the syllables. “What a beautiful name.”
“Thank you.” The whole exchange seemed so very odd, nothing like her earlier drug trafficking offense.
“We’ve been waiting for you. We wondered if you’d show since we were unable to get in contact with Mr. Hardy.”
She furrowed her brows as though confused as well. “I spoke to him earlier when I picked up the merchandise. Everything seemed fine then.” She lifted her purse as a way to redirect the conversation. “I brought Mr. Hardy’s…offering.”
Dani’s smile grew. “Georgio will be so happy.”
“Is he here tonight?” She wanted to catch a glimpse of him and maybe those closest to him.
She blinked several times as though assessing Eliana, and the air between them grew stiff. “Not right now. He’ll be with his guests later.”
“Oh.” She pretended to be disappointed. “Should I mingle until then?”
“No.” She stared for a moment and then smiled again. “You’re not really here to mingle, are you?”
Eliana forced a laugh. “No, not really.” Something was off. She wasn’t conducting herself properly, and Dani knew it. But she had no idea how to fix it.
Dani’s hips swayed as she walked to a section of books. With a touch, she slid them aside, revealing a small safe. “Will hundreds be okay? You’re not exactly equipped to carry stacks of money.”
“Of course.” She swallowed against a large lump that rested in her throat. Really, she needed to finish the transaction and get the hell out.
The woman took a few moments to gather what she needed and then headed toward the desk. She sat on one side, leaving Eliana to walk forward and claim the other. She glanced at Eliana expectantly and then nodded toward her purse.
Eliana slipped out the black velvet bag and opened it. Dani slid a small tray toward her, and Eliana emptied the bag, the stones tumbling out in flashes of blue and purple.
Dani inhaled sharply and a sly grin curved her lips. “They’re all so beautiful, aren’t they?”
Eliana nodded, afraid to say more.
“Georgio wasn’t sold on the idea, but I think they’re easier to transport than other merchandise, don’t you?”
“Yes, I would agree.”
Dani sent her a disappointed look. “Right…well, it appears everything is in order.” She handed over five stacks of hundred dollar bills.
Eliana blinked several times and then stuffed them into her purse. They barely fit. Not knowing what else to do, she thrust her hand forward, extending it for Dani to shake. “Thank you so much. It was a pleasure.”
“Of course,” she said as she took Eliana’s hand. “Your hands are so clammy, dear. Are you feeling all right?”
“I’m fine. Really.” Except for the fact that she was sweating buckets.
“Why don’t you wait here for a moment? I’ll bring you a glass of water.”
“Thank you. If it’s okay, I’d like to lie down for a few moments.” Anything to get the woman out of the room.
“Sure. I’ll be right back.”
Every possible internal alarm inside Eliana fired in that moment. She didn’t know if it spurred from paranoia or something in Dani’s expression that her subconscious picked up. Each cell in her body screamed for her to run.
Eliana waited a few seconds after Dani left the room, and then she did as well. Without rushing too fast, she made a beeline for the door.
She listened for footsteps coming up behind her or any other sound of someone raising an alarm as she hurried for her car.
Luckily, a valet was waiting and didn’t take long to bring around her car. She jumped inside and cringed when her tires squealed as she peeled away. She made it around the first bend in the long drive when a woman dressed in what looked to be a nightgown jumped into the road in front of her.
Eliana slammed on the brakes, nearly missing her. “Jesus!” she yelled and pounded her palms against the steering wheel.
The woman’s face was a mask of fear, and her blond hair was a mass of tangles about her head. She glanced over her shoulder as she rushed to the driver’s window. Eliana was afraid to lower it, but the woman was clearly in distress.
“Please, you’ve got to take me with you. I need help. They’ve kidnapped me.”
“What? Who has?”
“I don’t have time. Please, just let me in. I’ll explain as we drive.”
Eliana slipped her hand down the side of the seat, ensuring the Duke was there. “Okay, get in.” As it was, she didn’t have time to argue, either. She’d take her home and let the guys sort it out.”
The woman climbed in, her breath coming in pants. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. We still have to make it through the gate.”
If any alarms had been sounded, they hadn’t reached the man at the entrance, and Eliana was able to sail through.
The second her tires touched the main road, a classic black Mustang pulled out right behind her and her phone rang.
She answered, grateful to hear Christian’s voice.
“I’m fine,” she said. “I’m safe, and I have a friend.” She glanced over at the wo
man, knowing she would have a hell of a story to tell. “When we get back to the house, I’ll let her fill us in. In the meantime, I love you so very much.”
“I love you, too, Eliana, and I can’t wait to hold you.”
She smiled as she glanced in the rearview mirror knowing he’d be in her arms before long.
The End
The exciting conclusion to the Retribution Series is coming Summer 2016!
Excerpt from CRAZY ONE MORE TIME (Aspen Series)
Chapter One
A vivid blood-orange sun hovered close to the horizon as Corey Kendall approached the front door leading into Aspen’s Town Hall. Evening shadows played on the sidewalks while lavender lilacs near the front of the building emitted a sweet perfume.
He stopped and held open the door, waiting for his parents to catch up. Before tonight’s city council meeting, he’d take an oath and become the newest representative of his small town, taking his father’s spot on the council after health reasons had forced his dad to resign early. Corey had been thrilled when the town had chosen him as a replacement.
As he waited, the sight of a woman with silky blond hair and long legs peeking from beneath a fitted black skirt caught his attention as she exited from the passenger side of a rusted blue pickup. Classic beauty against a piece-of-shit truck. Not unheard of in their part of the country.
The woman turned and leaned back into her vehicle, giving Corey a nice view of her ass. As an upstanding member of the community, he knew he shouldn’t stare, but he did anyway. He was single. She appeared to be attractive. It made perfect sense in his world.
“Come on, son.” Corey’s dad took hold of the door, indicating he and Corey’s mother should step inside. “We need to get you sworn in before the meeting starts.”
Generations of Corey’s family had lived in Aspen, dating back to the late 1800s. Many had served their community in one capacity or another. Now it was his turn to leave a positive mark on the town as well. One that citizens could benefit from for generations.
A small group had gathered in the council’s wood-paneled antechamber, including town dignitaries and family members. Corey made his way to the front of the room amidst warm smiles and congratulations, stopping when he stood before the town clerk. Mallory O’Brien’s eyes lit with interest as she lifted a black, leather-bound bible and held it out in front of him.