“It seems your friend has decided to leave you hanging in the wind. How do you like that, Fiona?”
Her eyes flashed emerald fire. “Don’t you say my name, you dirtbag.” She tugged on her restraints. “And Sara should leave me. She has a daughter to care for,” contempt dripped from every word.
He traced a finger down her jawline.
Fiona jerked her head away, “Don’t touch me, you asshole.”
“I’m well aware of who she has with her, she is also my daughter. Don’t you think I have the right to know she’s safe? Not running around the countryside with a mentally unstable parent.” He leaned closer, drawn to her inner strength of will.
“The only parent that Jessica has that’s unstable is you, you creep.” Muttering some unladylike curses she struggled against her bonds. “If I managed in some small way to help them to evade you and your cruelties, I’m happy.”
Tom laughed at her cheek. Even though she was obviously in a full-blown panic at the restriction of the ropes, she still had spunk. He became hard at the thought of taming that out of her with hours spent in his bedroom. Running his hand through the fiery tresses of her hair he grabbed a fistful, forcing her head back, before bringing his mouth down hard against her own. There was a clash of teeth and he tasted blood where he split her lip, exciting him more as he forced her mouth open with his tongue. Just as he entered her, the dark sultry taste causing his heart to leap in his chest, she bit him!
He pulled back, swearing at the pain. A triumphant smile formed on her bloody lips. Enraged, he lifted his hand and slapped her across the face.
Fiona cried out, her chair skidding up on to two legs before settling back down with a wobble, the imprint of his hand a deep red against her pale skin.
Tom wiped his hand across his mouth, coming away with a streak of blood, hers and his. As he pulled a pristine white cloth from his pants pocket and wiped it off, he contemplated the damage his temper had wrought. Her eye was already swelling shut, her full lips were swollen and red from his kisses. And still she stared right back at him, defiance gleaming from every pore. No wonder his vapid little wife found herself so easily persuaded to stray, thanks to this irritating creature.
His body urged him to show her who was superior, but he accepted that now was not the time. There were too many arrangements needing to be made for an anonymous trip across country. Last thing Tom needed was for the Syndicate to get wind that there was a problem amidst their ranks. He knew they would not tolerate even a hint of controversy. He’d been given a front row seat to how they handled opposition and had never forgotten it.
They’d arranged a car to chauffeur him across the city. A guard blindfolded him until they arrived at their destination. The screech of gulls and smell of brine permeating the air told him they were on the waterfront. They shepherded him inside a building before removing the blindfold, revealing a cavernous room filled with large wooden crates in various dimensions.
Tom followed the guard’s bald head to a side wall, two eyeballs tattooed on the back of his skull staring back at him. After pressing numbers into a small keypad, a hidden door opened into an opulent chamber filled with men, all in fine suits, wandering the perimeters chatting as they admired various pieces of fine art. A large steel barred enclosure took up space at one end of the room.
Two men, their heavily muscled torsos straining their designer cut suits, brought some poor bugger stark naked into the room and threw him inside the contraption, laughing as he fell to his knees sobbing for a pardon. The men outside the ring ignored him, talking and drinking expensive scotch while the robust scent of cedar and coffee from ‘Cuban Classic’ cigars hung in the air as bookies made their rounds.
Soon everyone took seats surrounding the penned enclosure. Tom followed suit wondering why he’d been brought there, and what they planned on doing to the man. A loud bell pealing startled him. The steel door on the opposite side of the enclosure slowly began to rise on chained pulleys. All noise, except for the victim’s frenzied pleading, seized as everyone’s eyes focused on the ring.
There was a feeling of expectancy as everyone leaned forward. A thunderous growl lifted the hairs as a humongous grizzly bear charged into the cage, his huge head swiveling from side to side as deep grunts erupted from his chest. Tom watched in horror as the poor idiot inside screamed and ran cowering to the cage door, trying to climb the thing, his skinny ass waving like a white flag to the beast that had caught his scent.
The men around him clapped in delight, shouting encouragement, knowing the sap didn’t stand a chance in hell. The bear, enraged at either the yelling or maybe having that ass waving at him, charged a few feet, bounced a couple of times, then rose on his hind legs, easily topping out at eight feet. He let out an ear-piercing roar before dropping hard to the ground, the vibration rattling Tom’s teeth, or maybe that was fright. With another deep chest grunt he charged the man, and lifting one massive clawed paw, swiped him off the gate and sent him flying across the pen. The man, screaming now in pain as his arm lay in bloody tatters, tried to get up and run, but the bear catching the scent of fresh blood pounced. And that was it; he ripped half the guys face off in another swipe before settling down to feast.
Nauseous, Tom searched desperately and settled on a nearby waste can.
Holy Fuck.
He kept his face turned away but could do little to stop the horrific sounds as the bear ripped and tore into its prey, meanwhile around him the others were laughing, slapping each other’s backs as if they had witnessed a great sport.
The silent guard appeared at his side and led him stumbling back through the warehouse, blindfolding him again before taking him to the waiting car. Before moving, a low rumble from the front warned him, “Fuck with the boss and that will be you, don’t ever forget that.” It was months before he could get half-a-nights rest after that. No, he had never forgotten.
Swallowing hard on the queasiness thoughts of that day always conjured, Tom turned away from the knowing eyes of his captive, taking in the plainness of the small room. He’d had this little cottage on the back of his estate built a few years earlier, as it became necessary to hold his meetings with Guerra in a more private location. It had a separate road winding through a couple miles of dense forest before veering onto his land through a well-monitored gate.
He’d purposely kept the interior unimposing. The people he dealt with had no need to know how wealthy his family ties had made him. There was a simply appointed kitchen with old-fashioned olive green appliances, and a solid pine table and chair set, currently used by his guest. Then through an arched doorway, there was a small bedroom outfitted with a single bed and a utilitarian washroom.
Striding the few feet to the bathroom sink, Tom wet a cloth with cool water before returning to Fiona and setting it against her swelling cheek, remorse hitting him as she flinched from the pain.
“Look, I’m sorry I hit you but you shouldn’t have bit me, you upset me, which obviously had bad consequences for you. I’m a reasonable man; I think we could be friends, we’re a lot alike. What do you say?”
The look she speared him with told him what her answer was going to be before a word ever left her mouth. “Are you freakin’ kidding me? There is nothing on God’s green earth that would ever persuade me to even give you the time of day, much less spend time with you of my own free will, that’s ridiculous.”
She wasn’t going to make it easy for him. That’s okay, he enjoyed a challenge. Lifting the cool cloth away, he trailed his finger down the fading red marks, smiling at the shiver of fear she couldn’t quite hide. Good, she should be worried.
“We’re going on a little trip, you and I. Your friend, Sara, has been busy. While you’ve been here worrying about her, she’s gone out and found herself a fuck-buddy. If I were you, I would be a trifle pissed off about that. She’s made a life somewhere else and forgotten all about you. Meanwhile here you are, the pawn who lost her money and her brothers vehicle, all for the s
ake of someone who doesn’t give a sweet shit.”
Fiona scowled up at him as she spit out the words, “Screw you. I know what you’re doing and it’s not going to work. Sara is my friend. It’s no wonder she left you. She never said exactly what happened, I guessed though, and obviously I was right. You’re every bit as big a prick as I thought.”
“Whatever my dear, sticks and stones. The facts speak for themselves, she’s living the high life, while you on the other hand...” Tom had found it paid to stick as close to the truth as possible when swaying a jury, it was the little manipulations of that truth that swung the vote. Leaving her to mull over what he’d told her, he stepped out onto the small front porch to make his call.
“I’ve found her. We leave in the morning. Get four of your best men together and meet me at the airport, and Sam…come prepared.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Frank pulled up in front of Nick’s and gazed across the road to Ms. Sheridan’s house. He hoped they’d managed to patch over their differences. He liked Sara, and had never seen Nick looking so happy or relaxed, even with all this crap hanging like a dark cloud over their heads.
They’d been blessed with silence from Jared for the last half hour, he was still slouched in the corner brooding. The two in the back were all chummy, leaning close, sharing notes on their mobile devices. He couldn’t wait to see the surprise on Nick’s face when he found out Adam was still in the land of the living, fully aware his reappearance was going to stir a hornet’s nest. There was bound to be some anger mixed in with the joy and relief, much as he himself had gone through. The two men had been the best of mates. He doubted Nick ever fully recovered from watching his friend get shot. It wasn’t something a man could forget.
“So this is it? Nick gave up the big city for small town U.S.A? That doesn’t seem like him.” Adam slid his cell into his suit pocket as his gaze searched the neighborhood.
“How would you know what he likes? None of us are the same as we were back then. Things change, people change,” Jared said, sliding out of the front seat.
Frank shook his head at Jared’s attitude and hoisted his own bulk out of the car, pausing to open the back door for Maggie. He appreciated the view of her long, suit clad legs stepping out followed by a quick tantalizing peek down the front of her loosely buttoned shirt when she twisted her frame out of the car to stand eye to chin with him. Gazing into her knowing brown eyes, he acknowledged with a quirk of his lips, that yes, he had been looking.
“You think I don’t know that?” Adam told Jared as he exited the car, jolting Frank and Maggie apart.
They circled the car, intent on keeping the combatants apart. “In case you were wondering, I’ve changed too. I even had a real, grown up relationship, which I screwed up, by the way.” The sidelong look he sent to Mags, wasn’t missed by any of them. “Look, let’s get this over with and then you don’t have to see my ugly face for another five years if you want, okay?”
Adam started across the street, grabbing onto Maggie’s hand. Jared’s voice stopped him. “Fuck, I’m sorry, man. I don’t know what the hell’s the matter with me. I’m no better, actually, I’m fucking worse. At least you had a solid reason for disappearing, I quit. I couldn’t deal, so I walked. If not for Frank dragging my sorry ass back from the edge, who knows, maybe we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
Adam turned and looked his old friend straight in the eye. “I’m really fucking glad that’s the case. Who else would I get to fix my satellite T.V.?” There was a hushed silence.
“Screw you, dude, get with the times. It’s all about Netflix these days.” Jared grinned, and then all four broke out in laughter, slapping each other on the back in companionship.
It was then that the door opened. Nick stepped out onto the porch closely followed by a curious Sara.
“Frank, is there a problem?” he asked, obviously not noticing who was standing beside Jared.
“Depends on how you want to look at, bro,” Adam answered as he stepped forward. “Do you believe in ghosts?”
***
It’s a damn good thing Sara’s palm supported the small of his back because otherwise Nick would have folded like a wet blanket. He rubbed hard at his eyes, sure they were misleading him. Slowly, almost like an old man, he worked his way down the stairs through the afternoon shadows caused by the stirred up clouds streaking across the sky, until he stood sneaker to Ferragamo loafer with his past.
It looked solid and real but…heart pounding, praying his hand didn’t slide right through, Nick stretched out to push the apparition, shocked to meet up with flesh and bone.
“Hey, man, don’t mess with the threads. You know how fussy I am about my clothes.” The spirit grinned. “It’s me, Nick. No one else could look this good, right?”
Holy shit. It’s him. Adam’s alive!
Foregoing explanations, he grabbed on and squeezed the living shit out of him, so fricken glad to see his friend alive unashamed tears rolled down his face.
“Nick, are you okay? What’s going on? Who is this?” Sara’s worried voice coming from right behind him finally allowed him to loosen his constrictor hold and take a step back. He swiped his cheeks with the palm of one hand while keeping a tight grip on his friend’s elbow, just in case.
Sending her a reassuring look, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders to draw her forward. “You’re not going to believe this, I hardly believe it myself, but this sorry looking son-of-a-bitch is someone I used to call my best friend. Mind you that was before he went and got himself shot, and supposedly killed, right, buddy?”
Now that he’d had a moment to digest the mind-boggling turn of events, Nick took note of some of the changes the years had wrought. Adam had always been the quieter, more reflective of the two of them, but now Nick could see a new maturity to his face. A hardness which had not been apparent in the young idealistic man who was sure they were going over there to make a difference. Yeah, right. Staring into his brown eyes, Nick could see whatever Adam had been through in the past years, had not been easy on his friend.
“You look great, Nick. I’ve missed you, pal. I can’t tell you how many times I started to call before realizing I couldn’t. And before you get all bent out of shape, how about introducing me to your friend?” Adam smiled, and it was the charismatic quirk of the lips Nick remembered so well. He really was alive.
How ironic that Sheridan, of all people, would bring first Sara, and then all of his team, together. Even though he’d been deployed with other units, including the one he’d lost, these guys were the ones he’d connected with. His brothers. A couple of months ago he’d been getting by, day by day. Now he knew exactly what he’d been missing and vowed never to go back to that empty existence again.
Sara stepped forward, holding out her hand in greeting. “I’m Sara Reed. Nick’s been a little remiss in telling me about his friends. I know Frank and Jared were his teammates. I assume from this reunion you were also?” He dipped his head in acknowledgement so she continued, “I’m guessing you would be the DEA we are expecting?”
Adam shook her hand. “That would be correct. I’m Adam O’Connor, and this is my partner, Magdalena Holt. We are very familiar with your husband, ma’am. Maggie and I have been actively involved in this case for close to six years now.”
“And why is that, Mr. O’Connor? Is my Ex-husband that smart, or are you just that inept?”
Jared let out a whoop of laughter. “You go, girl.”
“Sara…” Nick couldn’t believe that his guarded, inhibited, beautiful love had soundly criticized a Special Forces operative as if he were a naughty child.
“No, it’s okay,” This from the stunning Ms. Holt as she stepped forward. “We understand your frustration, and you’re absolutely right. This case should have been wrapped up long ago, and it would have been, except your ex has some high-powered friends. Every time we’d get anywhere close to an arrest, bad Intel would come through to block us. Believe me, we’re
every bit as frustrated as you.”
Nick noticed the neighbors eyeing their little entourage and decided to move things indoors. “The file Sara has can change all that, let’s go in and she can show you what she has.”
Nearing the front gate he saw Tess staring out her kitchen window, her brow pinched with worry. He lifted his hand in a reassuring wave and Sara, catching the motion, looked over. “I don’t want her upset, I’m just going to run over and let her know what’s happening. I’ll be right back.” She reached up and gave him a too swift peck on the lips before angling off toward Tess’s front door.
Nick caught up to Adam who’d stopped to watch her enter the neighbor’s home. “Never mind, get your own, she’s mine.”
Adam turned with a quick smile. “Where have I heard that before? You never could hold onto your women once I showed up.”
They both grinned at the blatant falsehood. Nick snapped his arm around Adam’s thickened shoulders and placed him in a headlock, before letting go with a light shove. “Whatever you need to think to help you sleep at night, buddy. As I remember it, you took the ones I left behind.”
Man, it was good to have him back. He’d talked to Adam after he died. Little day to day things, had he noticed the babe in the mess tent? Or why the hell couldn’t they have been deployed to Siberia instead of all this sand and heat? And after they’d told him what Adam had done to die—why did the asshole have to go and be a hero?
His chest tightened, “I can’t believe you’re here. That was the worst night of my life.”
Adam’s throat bobbed in response. “Yeah, it wasn’t a real highlight for me either, pal. If I’d known they were going to tell you guys I died, I sure as hell wouldn’t have let them. By the time I found out what they’d done it was too late, it was a done deal. My family had been informed already. Shit, I even had a funeral service, how weird is that? They already had new identification for me, a new life.”
Tidal Falls (Wounded Hearts Book 1) Page 19