by Shady Grace
On the ground in front of her kneeled Monty, with his hands tied in front of him.
“Monty!”
Jamie rushed toward him but halted when Monty lifted his bruised face and shook his head. He didn’t want her coming too close. Never before had she seen her friend act this quiet, as if he was afraid to speak, afraid to exist.
She stood frozen to the spot as the woman gave her a long, thorough perusal, before she smiled like a fox. For the first time in her life, Jamie wanted to kill somebody. She wanted to wring her neck for putting her and Monty through this hell. She portrayed pure evil from a single glance.
“I have your briefcase, now let Monty go.”
The woman lifted her hand and waggled perfectly manicured fingers for Jamie to bring her the case. “After you. Come on, I don’t have all day.”
Jamie’s steps faltered, but she pushed forward. The deed was almost done, and now she could get Monty safely away from here and go home. Back to regular life without all of this bullshit and danger. If she could take back this job, she would. Not only did this woman hurt her only friend, she put Jamie in serious danger. Those two thugs could’ve hurt or killed her. On top of that she fell in love with a man who probably wasn’t what she thought him to be. The hardest part to deal with was not knowing for sure. Even with all that she’d suffered as a child, nothing compared to the heartache of this trip to Cuba.
“Did anyone follow you?”
Jamie lifted her chin. She wasn’t going to back away in fear from this woman. “No. I don’t think so.”
The woman took the case from Jamie’s outstretched hand. Greed flashed in her eyes as she set the case down, punched in a code, and opened the lid.
Jamie’s eyes widened at the money piled right to the top of the briefcase. There must be a million bucks in that case. I had that with me for the past three hours? Holy shit.
The woman looked up with a smile. “Not bad, eh?”
Jamie blinked. “Not bad?” Dread filled her stomach as she glanced down at Monty. He hung his head, but not before she saw the defeat in his eyes. Jamie felt horrible for him. Her friend, who was the life of the party, and the funniest man she knew, had no light left in his eyes. Jamie knew then that Monty was telling the truth when he said he didn’t know what was in the briefcase. He, too, was a pawn to this woman, and he probably felt ashamed for getting Jamie caught up in this.
She couldn’t help a slight jab at this horrible woman. “You offered me a lousy fifty grand to go to all this trouble, when you probably have over a million in there? You must be pretty fucking cheap.”
The woman’s head snapped up, eyes wide with affronted shock, before she tilted her head back and cackled like a witch. “A million? Ha! Try ten million, honey.”
Ten million. Jamie wouldn’t even know what to do with that amount of money.
She must have traded something horrible in order for this woman to get that obscene amount of cash. But Jamie didn’t want to know the details. She wanted no part of it. Knowing too much got people killed—that was a fact of life. Knowing how much she suffered to get this woman all that dirty money, was a hard blow to take.
The woman reached into her suit jacket and withdrew an envelope, handing it to Jamie. “Here’s the rest of your money. You’ve earned it.”
Earned it. Jamie took a step back and shook her head. “I don’t want it. I don’t want any part of this shit. Just let us go.”
The woman tipped her head back and laughed again. Jamie hated her with all the passion a damaged woman could feel. Maybe she ruined someone’s life for all that money. People could’ve died. Maybe some did. It made her stomach turn thinking she could be to blame for someone’s death.
“Believe me, honey, you should take it. Do you want to know what you exchanged for this money?” She waved the envelope in the air.
Jamie shook her head. “No, I don’t. I just want to go home. I’m tired of this game. If I would’ve known what this was about, I wouldn’t have taken the job, for any amount of money.”
“Oh, really? Not even to pay off your pimp?”
Jamie glared at her. “What are you talking about? I’m not a hooker.” She glanced down at Monty, but his attention was still on the ground in front of him.
“It wasn’t from him,” the woman said in a haughty tone. “Once I knew your name, I found out everything I needed to know. Just like I know you were behind on rent. You had to take this job.”
Jamie blinked hard. “So you had this all set up no matter what I would’ve said? You made sure I had no choice.” She blew out a hard breath and stared out in the distance to nothing in particular. Being used was a hard pill to swallow.
The evil woman smiled. “Of course. I had to make sure.”
“You’re a fucking bitch.”
She grinned like a she-devil. “That briefcase you were carrying held all the secrets to a very dangerous organization, little girl. Secrets about men who would kill you and your family over a kilo of cocaine, or a briefcase with money. My husband and I used to work for them.” She closed the lid of the briefcase and stood, leaving Jamie’s envelope on the garden wall. Jamie had a hard time not staring at that envelope, knowing what that money could do for her, yet unsure if it was worth it. “Your little lover isn’t the man you think he is, nor is his family. This money is to keep my mouth shut about their business dealings. These are very dangerous men you’re fucking with.”
Jack? An immediate sob wrenched from her throat. No. Not him. It felt like she’d gripped Jamie’s heart and squeezed her life from it. “How do you know who I was with? Were you following me here, too?”
“I wasn’t, but my husband was. He’s quite memorable. Big. Bald. Scars on his face.”
The man from the hotel. Jamie shuddered, becoming painfully aware that all this time these dangerous people had her in their grip since day one. This woman’s husband was right there in the hallway as Jamie left Jack’s room the first time. As all of this information began to sink in, Jamie realized she was duped right from the beginning. It wouldn’t have mattered what choice she’d made, the path had already been set out for her.
“I had to make sure you got my money, and that you weren’t working for the other side.”
“Why didn’t you just do this on your own? Why involve me, or Monty?” Anger swelled to the surface. “I could’ve been killed over that stupid briefcase!” Jamie stepped forward and was about to pounce on her, but stopped short when the woman pulled a small handgun from the pocket of her jacket. The click of the hammer pulling back made her face pale. This woman could end her life with one squeeze of that trigger.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
“Don’t, Jamie. She’ll kill you,” Monty said, finally paying attention to the exchange.
Jamie stood there with her heart in her throat, and rage boiling in her veins. She was scared, but she was angrier. “Just let us go. Take your money and leave.”
The woman started backing away, her gun pointing right at Jamie’s chest.
But Jamie needed to know. She had to know the truth about the man she’d fallen in love with. Her voice sounded desperate and husky with emotion. “Tell me about Jack.”
“Who’s Jack?”
* * * *
Sam skidded to a stop in front of the abandoned hotel. He slammed the car in park and jumped out, running past two cars parked at the side of the building. He barreled around the corner, the prized gun from his mother in hand, and halted at the sight in front of him.
Jamie spun around with tears in her eyes. He knew in that split second that she had discovered the truth. His heart sunk to his stomach.
A man he recognized from the lodge was on his knees with his hands tied in front of him. It became obvious to Sam that the man was Jamie’s friend, and that was probably why Jamie ran off on him, because she probably didn’t have a choice.
And standing there holding the briefcase was Amanda Cain�
�Ben’s widow.
“Hello, Sammy. Did you miss me?”
Her voice made his insides turn to ice. Of all the people he and Gabe thought could be behind this, her name was never mentioned. When Terry took care of Ben after his betrayal, Amanda had disappeared. They all knew she never loved Ben—her heart had always been for Gabe—which was probably why they never suspected her. She was a tough cookie and never one to open her mouth about anything or anyone. Knowing now that she was behind this was a horrible betrayal to all of them.
“Who are you?” Jamie whispered fiercely at Sam. Her big green eyes glistened with tears, yet the anger he saw there nearly brought him to his knees. He never wanted to hurt or betray her, but in the end, as his job often did, people got hurt. He hated himself for that. He deserved to be raked over a chainsaw blade for putting her through this. Sam would take that gladly just to see her smile again.
“Miss Fields, meet Samuel Hayes, one of the deadliest shooters on the planet. Give him twenty grand and he’ll kill your father for you. He’d kill your best friend’s kid if you paid him enough.”
Sam grit his teeth as Amanda’s snarky voice raked his nerves. He’d never killed a kid and he never would—no matter the price. But he couldn’t take his eyes off of Jamie. The way she looked at him now, as if her whole world just fell apart, ripped his heart out. What could he possibly say to her to make things right? He’d rather be tortured than faced with the challenge of expressing his emotions. Anything was better than standing here without knowing what to do…or what to say in his defense.
“Cat got your tongue?” Amanda purred. “Why don’t you tell your little girlfriend why you’re here? Why not tell her everything?”
“Jamie, I—”
Her eyes widened. “Watch out!”
Something slammed into his side, taking him down hard. The gun flew out of Sam’s hand as he landed hard on the gravel. When he caught his breath, Sam rolled onto his back. His eyes bulged in total shock as a familiar face leaned over him, before a huge fist smashed into his jaw.
Ben.
Sam’s head rolled to the side as his mind fought to make sense of what happened. This didn’t seem real. How could Ben still be alive? All this time, as business went on and they believed him to be dead, Ben had just been biding his time. Waiting for the right moment to strike. Sam wasn’t here when the deed went down but he had heard what happened. When Gabe crashed his plane into the Canadian Rockies and Mima nursed him back to life, Ben had decided to make his move. With a multimillion-dollar stash of cocaine in the belly of that plane, Ben went after him with the intent to get rid of Gabe and cash in on the blow. But Ben didn’t expect Terry to be sent in the chopper with him, so Ben pointed his gun at Terry instead. Luckily, with Mima’s help, Gabe and Terry managed to stop him, but not before he tortured and nearly killed Mary. For that, Terry strung Ben up, slit his ankle, and lowered him down to the pigs.
Sam knew that Terry could never watch that—not when his mother died of a heart attack when Terry was a boy, because she saw what they did. Terry had lost his real mother because his father had trained those pigs to eat human flesh.
His old mentor reached down, grabbed a handful of Sam’s shirt, forcing him to his feet. “I was hoping Terry would’ve joined you. But I guess that little cunt has more important things to do than your dirty work, eh, Sammy?” Ben balled his fist and slugged him in the nose. “I hear sweet little Mary had a baby girl. I’ll have to pay them a visit and bring her some carnations.”
Sam stumbled back and groaned as blood gushed over his lips. Ben always did have a mean punch. “Not while I’m alive.” He spit out the blood from his mouth and shook away the dizzy heat threatening to take him down again. “I thought you were dead.”
Ben laughed loud and hard. “Terry should’ve waited by the pen to see it through. But we both know he never had the stomach for that. My wife pulled me out just in time.”
Sam lifted his fists and dodged to the side as Ben jabbed his knuckles at his face and missed. Sam circled around him, waiting for the right moment to make his attack. His heart pounded and his fists shook with his rage. Ben had been his mentor and his friend. Colton had trusted him. They all did, until Ben tried to kill Terry.
Now Benjamin Cain and his wife were nothing but a waste of breath to Sam. After everything the family had done for them, they were still greedy enough to blackmail them. To Sam, knowing they’d put Jamie at risk enraged him more than anything. His brothers knew how to defend themselves and their families, but Jamie didn’t have anybody. She was alone in this world, but if she’d ever forgive Sam, then she wouldn’t have to be alone any more.
“Why are you doing this, Ben? You were a part of the family.”
As much as Sam didn’t want to have to fight back, he knew he had no choice or Ben would kill him, and Jamie, too. He couldn’t risk her getting hurt.
“I was never part of your family,” he sneered. “I was just the muscle Colton needed. You boys were the family. You have no idea how much I hated and envied you.”
Jealousy could turn a good man into a crazy fool. As Sam stared into Ben’s eyes, he knew the old Ben was long gone. As Ben limped forward, Sam’s gaze halted on his gun five feet away. He needed to get his hands on it because he knew he was no match for his mentor. Even though those pigs had done a number on his legs, Ben was still a strong man full of rage, hatred, and jealousy.
Sam sidestepped as Ben rushed him and dove for his gun. The big guy was on him in a flash. They rolled in the dirt, fighting for the upper hand. The gun was only inches from his reach, but every time his fingers brushed the handle, Ben hit him again, and again. He could barely see through his right eye as blood trickled down from his eyebrow.
“Hurry up and kill him!”
Distracted by the shout, Ben jerked around and looked at his wife. Sam gave him a left hook which stunned the big man enough for Sam to shove him away. He flipped over and reached for the gun, but not quickly enough for Ben to be on him again. His big hands grabbed Sam’s neck from behind and squeezed.
Sam’s eyes bulged from the force of Ben’s grip. He fought to control his breathing, knowing he had a minute or less before he’d take his last breath and it would be over.
“Jack!” Jamie cried.
“Stay back,” Amanda warned.
Sam grit his teeth. He had to fight this. He couldn’t give up. Not now. Not when Jamie’s life was in his hands. With Ben’s three-hundred pounds of insanity on his back, choking the life from him, Sam gathered every ounce of strength he had and pushed up on his elbows and knees with Ben still on him. Every vein in his face threatened to burst as he pushed up from the ground, his legs shaking, his lungs almost finished. With a growl of pure rage and dwindled strength, Sam dug his fingers into Ben’s forearms, bent forward, and threw Ben off his back.
As Ben hit the dirt, Sam shouted, “Run!” at Jamie, before Ben jumped up and dove for his midsection.
Sam raised his knee and got Ben hard in the groin. As the big guy groaned and slunk to his knees, Sam reached for his gun.
A shot cracked the air. A woman screamed.
As Ben reached out to wrestle the gun away from him, Sam pulled the trigger. The loud bang echoed over the scene as the side of Ben’s head blew open. Blood and brains spattered the bushes beside them.
Sam exhaled and dropped down on the dirt beside Ben’s body. He cringed in pain as he wiped the blood from his swollen eye and his cut mouth. Exhaustion barely grazed the surface of how he felt. He sucked in a deep breath and exhaled. It felt as if his chest wanted to cave in from throwing Ben’s huge body off of him.
That’s when he heard her crying. He pushed up to his knees and looked toward the garden wall.
There, holding the other man’s limp body was Jamie.
A vehicle revved up and took off down the road.
Amanda was gone. But that wasn’t what had Sam’s full attention. It was how tightly Jamie had that man in h
er arms, and how she cried for him as if she loved him. Sam wanted her to love him like that. To be afraid for his life. To cry over him.
Jamie’s sobbing reached right into his chest and sliced his heart to pieces. She rocked back and forth holding her friend’s body as she rubbed his hair away from his ashen face. Her hand shook as she whispered to him, “I’m so sorry, Monty. I’m so sorry. I tried to do everything. I tried to save us.”
Monty’s eyes fluttered open and he said something to Jamie that Sam couldn’t hear. His eyes then closed again and his head rolled to the side.
Sam pushed up to his feet and went to her. All the pain in his body was nothing compared to the vision of her holding her friend’s body. When she glared up at Sam with tears rolling down her cheeks, he knew he’d lost her.
“He took a bullet for me,” she cried, having no idea that Sam would do the same. He’d do the same every goddamned day. “He was just trying to help me! Why? Who are these people?”
“I’m sorry.” Sam closed his eyes and hated himself for not knowing what else to say. He wanted to hold her and protect her and show her that he wasn’t the demon she thought him to be. If he could take everything back, he would. He’d go right back to the lodge, to that night on the dock, and he would’ve stayed there with her. He enjoyed being there for that short time. The peace he felt there could never be replaced anywhere else. But if he were to be honest with himself, he’d feel at peace where she was, wherever that would be. Home isn’t a place, it’s where the heart is.
He’d kill for her. That’s all he knew how to do.
Jamie gently laid Monty back down and stood. She stared down at him for a long while before she looked back at Sam. “I wanted to trust you. I was going to tell you everything when you came out of the shower this morning, and then that woman called.”