by Faith Gibson
Juan Carlos, with the younger of the two women – and the prettier – waltzed down the steps. His wife’s hand was wrapped around his arm. Hayden studied her closely. Mercedes in her tall shoes was still shorter than her husband. She was thicker than Antonia, but Mercedes’s curves were not a detraction. If anything, they had Hayden’s dick chubbing behind his slacks. The crowd parted, allowing the couple to reach the middle of the floor, and when Mercedes glanced at Hayden, it was as though time stopped. Their eyes locked until she turned away to focus on her husband.
Did that just happen?
It sure did. You need to get her away from him.
Hayden’s Gryphon wasn’t usually the pushy sort, but it was vibrating beneath the surface. Hayden pushed back.
We’re here to observe, not cause a scene.
Speaking of causing a scene, the Alvarezes could have won a competition the way they moved together. It was apparent this wasn’t their first time wowing a crowd. The other dancers were satisfied watching. Everyone, that is, except Antonia. She pulled Spyder toward the other couple and proceeded to try and outshine them. Spyder kept up with her, and they were stunning together, but they couldn’t hold a candle to Juan Carlos and Mercedes. Hayden couldn’t take his eyes off Alvarez’s wife. How could someone so young marry a man twice her age unless it was for money? He knew there were plenty of gold diggers in the world, but this woman could have anyone she wanted, so why had she latched on to an older criminal?
Maybe she didn’t have a choice.
Hayden prayed his shifter was right, because if it wasn’t? That meant Mercedes wasn’t a good person. He studied her face as best he could with her twirling around quickly. More often than not, her back was to Hayden, allowing him a good look at the way her black dress hugged her body. Hayden reached for his beer to help cool himself only to find it empty. He needed another drink desperately, but he didn’t dare move from his spot at the table. Not while he had an unobstructed view.
Jericho nudged him, holding up his own empty bottle. Hayden nodded, and his nephew wound his way through the crowd to get to the closest bar. As the song came to a close, Juan Carlos dipped Mercedes, and the other dancers shouted and cheered before rejoining the floor. The couple remained where they were, but during the next song, they kept their movements to the small area around them instead of using the whole floor. Spyder and Antonia ended up next to the couple, and Hayden didn’t miss the way Antonia’s focus was on Juan Carlos and Mercedes. Spyder didn’t miss it either if his frown was any indication. Still, the male remained where he was with his hands on his partner’s hips.
When it was apparent she wasn’t going to catch the other couple’s attention, Antonia dragged Spyder off the floor toward the back of the club. Spyder glanced over at Hayden and winked. Hayden grinned, shaking his head. Maybe Antonia wanted a spanking. No. That woman would be the one doling out any kinky punishment to be had. Jericho returned a few minutes later with their drinks and sidled up next to Hayden.
“Where’s Spyder?”
“Antonia dragged him toward the bathrooms.” Hayden downed half his stout in one go, then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
“I guess we now know which one is the wife.”
“I guess so.”
A couple women approached Hayden and Jericho to dance. He knew it was the perfect opportunity to get closer to Mercedes. And Juan Carlos. He wasn’t there to stare at the woman wishing he were the one dancing with her, even though it was the truth. He didn’t understand his infatuation with a possible criminal, but something in his gut was telling him she was innocent. Knowing he wasn’t skilled didn’t stop him from following Jericho and the females. Right as they reached the dance floor, Alvarez grabbed his wife’s hand to lead her away from the crowd. Forgetting the female he’d been walking with, Hayden changed course to put himself closer to the couple. He kept his eyes averted as Juan passed, but Hayden looked directly at Mercedes. Two things happened in that moment. Her eyes met his, and Hayden could have sworn they were begging him to help her. He didn’t have time to think if he was seeing things that weren’t there because also in that moment, he noticed a mole above her lip. The same mole in the same spot he had painted on Dominic’s bike.
“Sadie?”
Mercedes either didn’t hear him, or she wasn’t the biker’s missing sister.
We have to help her.
I can’t just grab the woman and haul her out of the club.
Yes, you can.
Jericho approached with the two women in tow. “Hayden? What are you doing?”
Hayden grabbed Jericho’s arm. “We need to find Spyder.” Hayden left Jericho apologizing to the two confused females and took off toward the back of the club. Pushing his way through those coming from the restrooms, Hayden didn’t see Spyder, but he did see Antonia, who was having a heated discussion with one of Alvarez’s guards.
“You don’t talk to me that way. I’ll tell my brother and—”
“Mr. Alvarez is the one who sent me to retrieve you, so yes, I’ll talk to you any way I please. You have a job to do, and it doesn’t include swapping spit with some gringo.”
Antonia tried to slap the guard, but he caught her hand and twisted her arm behind her back. They had drawn a crowd, but nobody seemed ready to jump in and defend the female. If Hayden wasn’t after the man who employed these two, he might have been inclined. Since he didn’t want to draw any attention to himself, he turned and walked the other way. By the time he reached the table, Spyder was already there.
“We need to go. Now.” Hayden was thrumming with excitement. He chanced a look up into the VIP section, but Mercedes wasn’t standing by the rail. Neither was her husband. Had they left? It didn’t matter. What did matter was getting out of there and talking to Dominic.
Jericho tried to get Hayden’s attention while walking through the club, but he ignored him until they were outside, away from anyone who might work for Alvarez. He was silent until they reached the SUV. Once they were seated and closed in, he let out a deep breath. Hayden had jumped in the back seat, so he leaned forward. “You know the tribute bike I did?”
“Yeah, for the Norse Gods biker.” Hayden had shown Jericho photos of the finished job.
“Sadie, the girl in the photo? I’m pretty sure she’s Mercedes Alvarez.”
“What?” Spyder turned sideways in the passenger seat. “Havyk, how sure is pretty sure?”
“Ninety-five percent? I mean, she’s older, but she has the same golden eyes and the mole above her lip.”
“Do you know anything about the time she disappeared?” Jericho asked.
“Not really. Dominic didn’t elaborate other than to say one day his mother called crying because both Sadie and their father disappeared.”
“Wait. What’s the father’s name?” Jericho asked.
“I don’t know, but Dominic’s last name is Rodriguez.”
“Fuck me. I remember hearing about that on the news. The dad was found with a bullet to the forehead, and they put out an amber alert on the girl. Dollars to donuts the dad was involved in something he shouldn’t have been, and Sadie was collateral damage. If she ended up with Alvarez, I’d bet the dad was working for Alvarez or one of his enemies. Hay, if Mercedes is Sadie, I think your gut was right.”
“Playing devil’s advocate here.” Spyder looked at Hayden. “Don’t get pissed, but did the woman on the dance floor look traumatized to you? Did she look like someone who had been kidnapped after a drug deal gone bad? Or did she look like a happily married woman?”
“Appearances can be deceiving. I swear when the two of them passed by me, she was pleading with her eyes.”
“Or maybe she was warning you not to stare at the wife of Juan Carlos Alvarez.”
“Men were staring at her the whole time the two of them were dancing. If he didn’t want others looking at his wife, he wouldn’t parade her around the way he did.”
“I just said don’t get pissed.” Spyder pulled his lo
ng hair back and secured it with a tie he kept around his wrist. “I get what you’re saying. But eight years is a long time, and she has a child with the man. What if she has Stockholm Syndrome and genuinely cares for the bastard?”
“Or what if she doesn’t and has been stuck with the bastard all this time?” Hayden leaned back against the seat. “I need to call Ryot. This job just went sideways.”
Chapter Seven
Mercedes
Tension was high on the ride home. Juan’s mood changed the second they stepped back into the VIP area. At first, she thought he might have noticed the moment her eyes met the blond man’s, but Juan’s back had been to her when he was leading her off the dance floor. If one of the guards noticed, he could have said something, but her fear was assuaged when Juan shouted at the guards to find his sister. Well, not immediately. Mercedes was afraid her husband was waiting for a report. That Antonia had possibly been watching Mercedes and was going to tell Juan what she saw. As soon as Antonia reappeared, Juan said, “Let’s go.” He didn’t yell. Mercedes almost wished he would have. When her husband’s voice was low and cold, things were worse.
As soon as they were inside the front door, Juan gripped Mercedes’s chin. “Go to your room. I’ll see you in the morning.” He didn’t kiss her, which was odd. He never missed an opportunity to show the men who worked for him who Mercedes belonged to. His eyes were blazing with anger, and she prayed that anger wasn’t directed at her. She was almost to the doorway when Juan said, “Where the fuck were you?”
Mercedes didn’t have to turn around to see who he was pissed at. It was evident when Antonia responded in Spanish.
“I was dancing, same as you.”
“I don’t pay you to dance. I pay you to do as I say, and what were your orders?”
“To play shadow to the bitch.” A loud smack echoed, followed by Antonia cursing her brother.
Mercedes continued down the corridor that led to her suite. There was no way she would get caught listening in, but she did stop long enough to take off her heels. The way the house was designed with its high ceilings, voices carried as did the tapping of her shoes on the marble floor.
“You will watch your fucking mouth. Just because I took you in doesn’t mean I have to keep you around. Get out of my sight before I do something you’ll regret.”
Mercedes hurried off at that point since Antonia’s room was on the same wing as Mercedes’s suite. She had just closed the door when the sound of the other woman’s heels echoed loudly down the hallway. Mercedes leaned against the door and shut her eyes. When Antonia’s footsteps halted on the other side of the wall, Mercedes held her breath and waited. What seemed like an eternity later, the footsteps continued back the other way, and soon after, a door slammed.
“Mercedes?” Shit. She had completely forgotten about Ana Marie. “Estas bien?”
Was she okay? Mercedes pushed off the door and approached the woman. “Si. Como estuvo Mateo?”
It was a foolish question because rarely did her son wake after he was down for the night.
“Un perfecto Angelito. Vas a estar en la noche?” Of course she would ask if Mercedes were in for the night. Whenever Juan took Mercedes dancing, he normally required her to continue their evening in his suite.
“Si. Gracias.”
“Buenas noches.”
“Buenas noches, Ana.”
Mercedes waited half an hour before taking her dress off or washing her face. Juan could change his mind and demand she come to him. No matter the time of day or the amount of notice he gave, her husband expected her to look put together. When the thirty minutes passed, she went about her nightly routine. While she did so, Mercedes went back over the whole evening, starting with the blond. She had never been drawn to another man when she was out on the town. Had never allowed herself to look anyone’s way, but there was something about the man that called to her. Maybe it was her desperation to get away from Juan, but she could have sworn the man called her Sadie. That was a name she hadn’t heard in eight years. She chalked it up to hope, hearing her old nickname. She didn’t fail to notice he had approached the dance floor with a woman before switching directions. Mercedes’s direction. The moment their eyes met didn’t last long – just a couple seconds – but it was long enough to catch the deep shade of blue as well as the intensity with which he stared at her.
Mercedes sighed as she took stock of herself in the mirror. All makeup was gone, and she picked up the jar of cream that was both restorative and soothing. Not that she had any blemishes or lines which needed restoring. By using the cream, she hoped to keep her skin clear and wrinkle-free for as long as possible. When she was first abducted, she had pimples like most girls her age. Back then, she was merely a prisoner in Juan’s large home, not an object for him to play with. She hadn’t been free to roam the house without a guard at her side. She was still a prisoner, but at least now she and Mateo could walk about freely. There were guards stationed at every door, so there was no going outside without someone being aware.
Thinking back to the argument between Juan and Antonia, Mercedes cringed knowing she was a job to her sister-in-law. Mercedes always assumed Antonia followed Mercedes just because she wanted to piss her off. To let her know Antonia had the upper hand. But to find out Juan ordered his sister to watch over her? That pissed Mercedes off. Now she understood why the woman followed her every time she went to the restroom when they were at a club. Juan paid her to. It wasn’t like Mercedes could escape with Tomás parked outside the restroom door waiting on her. Thinking back, tonight had been the first time Antonia had left Mercedes’s side when they were out. It all made sense now. As much as anything in Mercedes’s life did.
All this thinking was giving Mercedes a headache, so she did her best to put it out of her mind. She popped a couple pain relievers, then padded into Mateo’s room. The sight of her son always put her in a better mood, but tonight, it made her feel worse. Her innocent little boy was being raised by a monster, and if she didn’t find a way to get him away from Juan, Mateo would more than likely follow in his father’s footsteps one day. Knowing she wasn’t going to be able to sleep well, Mercedes went to her own bed instead of lying down with her son.
Mercedes picked up one of the magazines she kept on her nightstand hoping the articles and photos would take her mind off everything. It didn’t. Her thoughts kept going back to the stranger and the way he stared at Mercedes. It wasn’t as though he was the only man to ever look her way, but he was the only one to see her. Something about his gaze had been different. Mercedes had long given up hope anyone would come save her, but as she put the magazine aside and slid down to rest her head on the pillow, she allowed herself to imagine the blond storming into the house and rescuing her and Mateo.
Hayden
While Hayden drew a picture of Mercedes Alvarez, Spyder scoured the web for a photo of the woman. There hadn’t been a picture included in the information Quinn sent with the job. It had been too late when they got back to Jericho’s to contact the handler, but it hadn’t been too late to contact Lucy. Hayden’s niece kept late hours. She also had access to computer equipment he didn’t, so he sent her a copy of the photo of teenaged Sadie and asked that Lucy produce a time-lapsed image, progressing the girl eight years. Since Spyder was striking out on finding any information on the woman, Hayden also asked Lucy to do some digging. His niece responded, reminding him she was in New Atlanta with Jonas Montague and not at the lab, but she would get on it, asking the Gargoyles’ computer expert for help. Hayden assumed Lucy was referring to Henry Palamo since Julian Stone’s mate had given birth to their first child and was taking some time away from his job. Hayden didn’t care who helped as long as someone did.
After his discussion with Lucy, Hayden did the one thing he was good at – he drew. He asked Jericho for some paper, and Hayden sat down with a regular lead pencil and began sketching the woman’s face from memory. Her image was imbedded in his brain. From the almond shape of her a
mber eyes, to her full lips, to the curve of her cheekbones, and that mole. He knew having a beauty mark wasn’t enough to prove Mercedes and Sadie were one and the same, but the placement was identical. As was the unique color of her eyes. When he finished, he scanned the picture to his phone, then printed out a copy.
“Holy shit, Uncle. I knew you were good, but that’s like looking at the woman.” Jericho handed the paper he had retrieved from the printer over to Hayden.
Spyder stood from the computer and looked over Hayden’s shoulder. “This is why he wins awards. Havyk could do anything he wanted in the art world and would be successful. We’re lucky he likes working with bikes. Why don’t you print off a copy of the photo of young Sadie so we can compare?”
Hayden pulled up the picture Dominic had given him to do the tribute and sent it to the printer. Jericho grabbed it when it was ready, then placed it beside the drawing of Mercedes. “I’m willing to bet my Harley this is the same person.”
Hayden wouldn’t take the bet because he already knew in his heart they were looking at Dominic’s sister all grown up. “Regardless of her identity, we have to first figure out if she’s innocent. If it turns out she isn’t and we take her out, that will only cause Dominic more heartache. Do we want to tell him we found Sadie only to have to kill her? I don’t want to start a war with his MC.”
“You think if he knew she was part of her husband’s criminal world he would care?” Jericho sat down across from Hayden. “If that was one of my sisters, I wouldn’t give a shit what she was caught up in. I’d want to know she was alive. I would also do anything in my power to get her away from her drug-lord husband. People can change, you know.”