The Rainmaker: Jake: A Von Larsen Crime Family Novel

by Piper Page

  Without another word, I spun the seat around, giving him my back.

  Chapter 8

  Santiago

  * * *

  My heart raced as I watched the monitor in my armored Hummer. The audio came from the wires underneath her dress, and the video from the earrings she wore.

  I picked up the energy drink and took a hearty sip as I watched closely. My nerves fired and I tried to calm my thoughts. This was seriously nerve wracking, having to sit in this car while Allie did the dirty work.

  I kept checking on the rifle in my back seat like it would get up and walk away, leaving me with nothing. I had a bad feeling that I might need to use it.

  Arnaldo, in his tailored baby blue suit, guided her into his lounge. It had plenty of sleek wooden furniture and a great stone fireplace in the middle. The only color that stood out was the crimson couch that he offered her to sit on.

  “Thank you,” Allie said as she sat down. The camera rocked and then settled on Arnaldo standing in front of the fireplace.

  As Allie’s gaze wandered about the walls, I could see now that there were paintings hidden in the shadows. Glass encasements sparkled even in the dim light. They must’ve been black market jewels.

  My heart felt like it would jump out of my throat. I clawed at my neck, rubbing it. Usually, it would be me on the mission. Having to watch someone else killed me. This should be an easy job, however. All she had to do was gauge his interest. The transaction wouldn’t happen tonight.

  “It’s a bit cold tonight, isn’t it?” he asked, as he turned to the fireplace.

  Arnaldo even looked the part of an eccentric with his pompadour and handlebar moustache. He twirled the end of it as he thought.

  “I’m fine, thank you.”

  A thin smile returned her way. Arnaldo flicked the fireplace on. Fire roared to life, and he picked up the poker, placing it across his chest.

  “Let’s leave this on. I like to make use of it whenever I can. I think tonight is as good a night as any. And it’ll help me see you better.”

  What about…lights? We had electricity for a reason, dumbass. I crushed the can in my hand and refocused on the screen.

  I feared that Allie might be too nervous for the job, but when she spoke, her voice was clear and loud. “Should we talk business right away? I hope that you won’t consider that rude, but it is a pressing issue considering what we have to trade.”

  Arnaldo threw the poker at a log. It stuck like a thrown dagger at the ground. “Sure, let’s talk business. I’m eager to talk. If everything is true?”

  “Everything is true. We’re hoping everything is true on your end.”

  “I want to hear everything,” he said, fire flashing in his eyes for a second. His voice sounded intense, full of passion over the recorder.

  It made me tap the steering wheel nervously as I hunched over the screen.

  “We have the Angeline Blue Diamond,” she said.

  He looked at her brighter than the fire roaring behind him. “Yes!” he hollered, and he did a bit of a jog around the couch.

  The camera shook for a moment. She refocused on Arnaldo.

  “I hope you understand that if you are lying to me, I’ll be seriously disappointed. The Angeline if added to my collection will make me immensely happy. If it ends up you don’t have the diamond, I will be severely unhappy.”

  I made the jerk off motion in the car. “And what are you going to do about it? Jerk yourself off?”

  The threat didn’t faze her. “We need confirmation that you’re interested in buying. And we need to know how much you’re willing to pay for it.”

  I listened eagerly as they haggled. Allie, like I knew she would, worked through it masterfully. She stood her ground and Arnaldo was willing to pay a little less than market price for it—28 million.

  Fuck yes.

  She held out a piece of paper. Arnaldo crossed over and took it. “The details on where the transaction will take place.”

  After a moment, she asked, “Does that work?”

  “Yes, this works brilliantly.”

  Allie stood up. The camera wobbled as she took a few steps, then it swung wildly.

  “Sit down,” roared over the speaker.

  “What the—” I gritted my teeth and grabbed the screen.

  Arnaldo, holding the hot poker, aimed it at Allie. She didn’t move from the couch, but I knew from the slight shaking onscreen that she trembled.

  “The deal is done…”

  “No,” he snapped. “It’s not done. There’s one more thing I want on top of it. As a bonus.”

  She shook her head. He wagged the poker back and forth like saying yes.

  “On top of it, I want you,” he declared with a sick smile.

  Allie stuttered. Inside of the Hummer, I reached back for the rifle but had second thoughts. I wanted to use my hands on this creep instead. There were no guards; I’d checked the place. I knew I could get inside and break him before they arrived.

  She withdrew. “You can’t.”

  “They wouldn’t have sent you unless you were up for grabs.”

  “That’s not true. I’m not part of the deal.”

  He strolled with the poker again, this time like a rifle slung over his shoulder. “The Estradas won’t reject the deal because of you.”

  “Yes, they will. I’m not part of the deal. I’m here to broker it. That’s final.”

  Arnaldo’s smile twisted into a violent sneer. “I have powerful allies. I’m not afraid of them. They won’t ruin this deal because there’s no one else to sell it to that they know. And they won’t cut it off because of one dead prostitute.”

  He snatched her hair. I looked up into Arnaldo’s gleaming teeth, his skin pulled back tightly. “Are you a prostitute?”

  “No.”

  “Then what are you, an American?” He breathed heavily after he said American.

  “Yes, I’m an American. I’m Allie Summers, the New Hampshire state senator’s daughter.”

  Arnaldo backed off. The mood in the room grew much calmer after that revelation. He even brought out his cell phone and did a search. I had one foot out of the door, ready to go. If she pressed on her earring twice, it would be an alarm that would send me to come, just in case the video or audio failed.

  If this ramped up in any way, I would be there in an instant. Even if she never sounded the alarm. Allie couldn’t get hurt.

  “It does say that you’re a senator’s daughter. An American senator’s daughter. Isn’t that something? And you’re sitting right here on my couch,” he mused.

  “Yes.”

  Allie started to look around. I kicked my boot even more out of the door. I was halfway out now.

  “The Americans, they came here and they raped and they pillaged and they took all of our culture. I owned some of the biggest and most sought after beaches. My family owned them for centuries. That was how I started my fortune. Then the Americans, they came here and they privatized it all and sold it all to who? Only the Americans.

  “They took something from me, and now I’m going to take something from them. A Senator’s daughter on my couch is like a gift from God.”

  I couldn’t stand back. I might have been sacrificing millions, but Allie wouldn’t be harmed, not under my watch.

  Throwing the rifle over my back, I hopped out. I took off through the light jungle that led to the stone wall. I climbed it easily, but my landing was less than spectacular. I sprung from the ground toward the backyard

  From the video feed, I had a good view of where they’d gone. I charged there, knowing I might only have seconds to save Allie. The job didn’t matter to me.

  I kicked in the backdoor to his lounge and glass shattered as I leapt inside. Arnaldo swung away from the couch. His fingers had been all over Allie’s hair, trying to pull her up from the couch, and I saw that he held a strand of red between the notches of his fingers.

  My fist rocketed at his nose. It connected, the strand of hair
flying out of his hands as he fell back, but before he could hit the ground, I snatched him by his neck.

  Roaring, I slammed his head against the edge of the fireplace. The first slam Allie might’ve been watching. On the second, I realized that I should shield her from this brutality, but when I went to lift him up again, Arnaldo was already dead.

  Blood pooled around my feet. I backed off. Fingers over her mouth, Allie crawled up the side of the couch.

  “Allie…”

  She clasped her mouth tighter. I reached out for her. “Take my hand.”

  Allie peered down at it like she would be shaking hands with the devil. I took it instead. I gave her a tough squeeze.

  “Come on, stay with me. We’re getting you out of here. You’re okay now.”

  She smiled weakly, but it gave me an extra boost of assurance. Taking her hand, I led her out of the busted door.

  “Keep low, crouch like I am,” I said and I showed her. We crouch-walked over to the wall where I’d climbed earlier.

  “You’re going to have to get up the wall,” I said.

  I held my hands out to give her a boost. With my help, I was able to get her to the top. Then like freaking Spiderman, I crawled my way up and dropped down, much more gracefully this time.

  We walked through the brush down to where I parked. Allie clung onto my shoulder the entire way. She rested back in the passenger seat. I got in and we sped off.

  Once we were on a main road, I turned to her. “Are you okay? Not in any physical pain?”

  “I’m okay,” she said, but she looked confused. “Why did you do that?”

  “Because he was going to kill you, and I couldn’t sit here and watch.”

  “You could’ve turned the camera and your speakers off,” she stated.

  I turned back to the road. “Yeah, I could’ve done that. That wouldn’t sit well with me, though. I wasn’t going to let some lunatic hurt you, Allie.”

  “But I messed this up for you. If you let him kill me, he would’ve gone along with the deal. He would’ve been happy, and you would’ve been happy, with millions.”

  What was she trying to get at?

  “Like I said, I don’t like people who hurt women and children. I have a code. My brothers have a code.”

  Allie smacked her forehead. She groaned and shook her head. “I really messed this up for you.”

  She couldn’t beat herself up over this. When I saw a parking lot to a local restaurant, one with few cars in it, I cut into it and parked.

  “You can’t blame yourself for this.” I smiled at her. “Trust me, you did a great job. You had the deal. You did better than any captive had a right to do. Like where did that enthusiasm come from? Maybe you were made for this job.”

  “It ended up with a guy having his brains splattered over a fireplace!”

  “Well, overlooking that part,” I said. “It was just not a good fit. We should’ve done more research. We didn’t know the guy had such a rage boner for Americans. If we knew that, we wouldn’t have sent you.”

  “All right,” she said. Her thumbs wrestled with each other on her lap. “But what now? Your brothers aren’t going to be happy. Are they going to want to kill me? Or send me to someone else, for revenge?”

  “No.” I laughed and took her by the back of her neck. It felt cool, and I was glad to warm her back up. I brought her closer and kissed her softly on her forehead. “I’m not going to let anyone harm you, and you’re going to stay with me where I can make sure that you’ll be safe.”

  “Thanks,” she breathed softly as she pulled away.

  I kind of got that feeling that she wanted me to admit that I had a thing for her. Otherwise why would I have jumped in and saved her?

  Instead of answering her, I put the Hummer in drive and we headed back to the hideout. She was right about something—my brothers wouldn’t be happy, neither would the rest of the gang.

  But they would get over it, and even without the multi-million-dollar payout, I found myself relieved.

  Chapter 9

  Allie

  * * *

  He paid for a week for me at the Allure. My strength had started to come back to me as we reached the hotel lobby.

  The violence I saw, I never wanted to see it again. I never wanted to see Santiago that way. Seeing it up close and personal, for the second time, it rattled me. I was visibly shaken in the car, trembling with my teeth chattering.

  I wanted to remember Santiago like this, the man who stood in the hotel lobby line. Like we were a normal couple who could go on weeklong retreats, where we’d simply enjoy each other without any drama—or the threat of violence in any way.

  He gave me a nod as he walked up to me, and took my hand. Santiago led me to the elevator. I noticed a small amount of stress on his face.

  I’d seen other guys blow up at their girlfriends for far less. Like how they were stressed after traveling to their hotel because of traffic. Santiago didn’t blame me. He didn’t even get weird at all. He brought me into the elevator and kept my hand clasped in his.

  This was after I’d ruined his chances at a stolen, black-market diamond. He chose me over the diamond. That fact hadn’t been lost on me. It’d been at the front of my mind.

  I wanted him. For comfort, at first. I wanted to press myself against him where it was safe. Then, I wanted more, a whole lot more. I peered up at him as we waited for the elevator to chime. Those lips, when they kissed me last time, had done something magical to me.

  He’d opened up something locked and powerful. And I wasn’t sure if I could ever close that box again.

  The elevator dinged, and we were let off at the top floor. Of course, he’d gotten me a penthouse suite.

  It was wide open, loft style, with glass walls that separated the kitchen and the bedroom. I stood in the doorway with my mouth agape at the sight. He flicked his finger at me for me to follow.

  “Allie, you all right?”

  “Uh huh.” I held my chest as I walked closer. On the other end of the bed, near the windows stretching the whole wall was a walk-in Jacuzzi, lined with marble.

  Stunned, I sat down at the edge of the bed. Meanwhile, he checked the place out. I watched as he pulled out some water and grabbed some snacks. Whatever, he was paying for it. I’d never touch anything that they left there because of the price.

  He stood in the center of the room. “Allie,” he said. “I’ll go now. If you need anything, you have my number. I’ll check on you tomorrow.”

  No, he couldn’t. He couldn’t leave me. Not after this day we had. I hurried toward him.

  He gazed down at me. A mixture of emotions struck him as I grabbed him by the waist and then buried my face against his chest.

  “Don’t go. I want you to stay.” I squeezed him.

  My need for him came to a head. It wasn’t just pure lust that tried to force him to stay. I wanted to closer. Deeper.

  I let my feelings spill from me. I curled my fingers around his shirt, so he wouldn’t let go, as I peered up at him.

  “I know you’re a good man. I had a hint that you were ever since you saved me back in that shack. You could’ve killed me and gone along on your way. And that was the first inkling. The more I get to know you, the more I learn how good you are.”

  “I’m not that good, Allie.”

  “No,” I said. I put a single finger to his chest and ran it up to his neck. “I’m not that good, either. I’m broken. You’re broken. Case in point, I’m hitting on a man like you right now. If I wasn’t a little broken, would I be doing that?”

  He fought a smile. “You have a point.”

  “Santiago, you put your life on the line for me multiple times, but that’s not why I want you. You and I, there’s a connection here. I know you feel it. You get it.”

  He licked his lips. “All right, I’m beginning to think you’re not as wholesome as you let me believe.”

  Santiago looked away. I felt like I was losing him.

  He took m
y hand, he kissed the back of it, and he backed off. “It’s been a long day. Are you sure you want this? You did your end of the bargain, so you’re free now.”

  There wasn’t a moment’s hesitation from me. Every cell in my body wanted this.

  “If I’m free, then you’re not forcing me to do this. I’m doing this because I want to do this,” I said, and then I reached for his lips.

  He claimed me with a kiss, sparks shooting inside of me. My body was on fire as he stoked the flames with his tongue, touching me in just the right way. I tried to keep up with him, but I needed to slip away, to get a break for air.

  Santiago lifted me off my feet. I slid down onto his lap with my legs curling around him. He kissed me again, taking my lips harshly as we walked toward the bed. He tasted cool like mint, and I inhaled, sucking his masculine, woodsy scent deep into my lungs.

  I dropped, and I instantly shot my hands out for him to join.

  He whipped off his belt instead. His eyes pooled with desire. Those eyes savored me as I spread out on the huge bed.

  I watched him closely. He stripped down and threw his shirt and jeans to the side. Standing there only in his black boxers, they fit him snugly, revealing to me that thick, hard cock that I’d pervved on in his room.

  It hadn’t been hard before, after all. That bulge kind of scared me, but it also got me very excited.

  My arousal soared, and I reached for him again. He dropped down and kissed the back of my ear, drawing a shiver from me that had my toes curling.

  The trail of fire from his tongue ran down to my collar bone. He slipped back up to my neck and sucked underneath there, a sensitive spot that had me kicking.

  “You have no idea how badly I’ve wanted to do this,” he said.

  I moaned and lifted my arms over my head, allowing him to pull my dress off. It came off right away, and he groaned once he saw my breasts.

  “You are all mine,” he said. He squeezed my breasts, and I let out a cry. “These are all mine.”

  “Easy,” I said.

  Santiago pulled back. He gave me a reassuring kiss.