Lang, Chloe - Captured by Cowboys [Doms of Destiny, Colorado 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Chloe Lang

  “I obeyed Mr. Mitrofanov, Ms. White. I took the bag to the address on the paper he gave me. Two men took it from me and gave me this money.” He reached into his backpack and pulled out two fat rolls of hundred-dollar bills.

  She wasn’t about to count it here, but knew the stash had to be several thousand dollars. Her blood boiled hot. Sergei was using Juan to transport drugs to dealers. His dealers? Which of the other boys was the asshole forcing to do the same? She wouldn’t be surprised if he was using all of them.

  Juan rubbed his eyes, swollen from crying. “I know I shouldn’t have done it, Ms. White, but Mr. Mitrofanov told me he would kick me out of Green Lakes if I didn’t do what he wanted me to do.”

  “This isn’t your fault, Juan.” Unsure what her next move should be, she took him to her sister’s place, which was in Katy, a full hour away from Sergei and the boys’ home.

  Belle gave Juan a glass of milk and a plate of cookies. Her nursing skills weren’t needed today, but her sister did know how to ease a troubled boy’s guilt.

  “Kathy, here’s Nate Wright’s number.” Belle pushed the paper across the table. “I don’t know him myself, but I know people who do. He’s the sheriff up in Bliss, Colorado, and I believe he can help bring your goddamn boss down for good. Nate knows more about drug dealers than either of us ever will.”

  She called Nate right then, hoping her sister was right about him. Their conversation was brief.

  Wright’s voice came through loud and clear. “Without evidence, it will be next to impossible to convict this guy.”

  “But I saw him give Juan the plastic bag.”

  “Darlin’, if I hauled in everyone who passed around a plastic bag, the jails would be full. You have no proof. Honestly, even if you had held the bag in your hand and inspected it, unless you managed to get a sample, we couldn’t be sure. You believe it was crystal meth, but you’re not a chemist and Juan’s twelve, so I’m sure he isn’t either. Though now that I think about it, we got a couple of teenaged evil geniuses here, so I shouldn’t judge. The Farley boys are going to run a crime syndicate one of these days. If they don’t blow up the town first.”

  Wright had a deep, laid-back Western accent and seemed to be willing to go off subject. She had to pull him back in. “So there’s no way to convict him?”

  He chuckled over the line, a deep, almost soothing sound. “Now there’s always a way to convict someone. I suggest you head to Bliss, Kathy. I’ll make a few calls and see what I can find out about Mr. Mitrofanov. I used to be in the DEA. I still have some contacts there. You’ll find out we never say ‘die’ here in Bliss. Well, not when it comes to solving a problem, that is. We’re actually the murder capital of the country, so we say ‘die’ a whole lot.”

  The lawman’s words weren’t convincing her that there was any chance Sergei would be convicted. “If I could bring you a couple bags of the dope to see for yourself, would that help our case against him?”

  “That’s not a good idea. Come to Bliss and let’s talk about this. You need to stay away from that boys’ home.”

  But she couldn’t do that. The other boys were still in jeopardy as long as Sergei remained free and able to run Green Lakes. If Nate needed evidence to build an open-and-shut case, she would find it.

  Later, after two in the morning, she parked her car in front of the boys’ home. The admin building was empty, unlike the home’s dormitory, which housed fifty-two orphaned youngsters, who were hopefully all asleep. She walked down the hallway to Sergei’s office in the dark. She wasn’t about to turn on a light and alert Marcus, the staffer who had worked nights here for more than ten years.

  Even though she knew Sergei’s office door must be locked, she still tried to turn its handle, but it didn’t budge. She opened her purse and peered at its contents—a little makeup, her wallet, the paper with Nate’s contact information, and her universal tool she never left home without. The admin building was the oldest on the property. Every door, including this one, had big gaps between the door and frame. She twisted the screwdriver into the gap where the bolt mechanism sat. It worked to release the lock. She swung the director’s door wide. The light from the streetlamp shining through the window was enough illumination. In less than five minutes, she found three plastic bags filled with more dope in an unlocked drawer of his filing cabinet. The arrogant fucker apparently wasn’t afraid of ever being caught. How long had he been using the boys to work his criminal activity? He’d been director here for quite some time, long before she’d been hired.

  She scooped the bags up in her arms. She would take these to Bliss and hand them over to Nate. Sergei would go down and the sweet, innocent boys here would be safe.

  Suddenly Sergei’s office brightened up from the headlights shining through his window. She peered out the blinds and saw the asshole getting of his car, which he’d parked next to hers. Terror made her mouth desert dry and her pulse lightning fast.

  Instead of going out the front to her car, she ran to the back of the building, pulling the keys to the home’s van from the hook by the back door. The tiny parking lot was much smaller than the one out front. Of the four parking spaces back here, only one had her last escape option—the Green Lake Boys’ Home’s white van.

  A little more than a week ago, Amber had left Chicago for Bliss, Colorado, not Destiny. But the confusing roads mixed with her overwrought state caused her to take at least one wrong turn, maybe two. When she was stopped by a flat tire on the van, she’d started out on foot in search of help. After walking for only God knew how long, the wind had started picking up. The storm was rolling in. She’d tripped and hit her head on a fallen log. The next thing she remembered was being in the cabin with her three amazing cowboys.

  As the memory faded away, Amber’s heart thumped hard and fast in her chest.

  She looked at the lying bastard still talking on his phone. Sergei’s back was to her, so she chanced a quick look out the window, but the two men she expected to wave inside Phong’s were no longer standing by the dragon statue. Her heart leapt into her throat. Where were they?

  With the cell still glued to his ear, Sergei glanced at her for a second, inducing a horrific cold shiver inside her.

  She forced her lips to reshape into a smile, realizing it would be in her best interest to continue to play dumb with her old boss if she had any chance of getting out of this mess.

  When Sergei turned back to face the wall and let her get a view of his back, Amber quickly typed a text to Emmett and prayed he would get it. She also sent a text message to Cody, even though she bet he was still on the mountain without cell service.

  Her eyes darted around the restaurant, which was strangely empty, save her and Sergei. Where were the waitresses? The other customers? What had her old boss done? Something to ensure he could be alone with her?

  Another hasty glance out the window pulverized her completely. With her memories back and no sign of her rescuers’ whereabouts, a bad omen took hold of her, dimming whatever light might’ve been at the end of this bloody tunnel. She still wasn’t going to give up without a fight, but she wanted to be smart.

  Before she could risk another text, Sergei walked back to the table.

  He laughed. “Got your memory back, Kathy?”

  “No, Mr. White. I don’t,” Amber lied, hating the shakiness she heard in her voice.

  “Time to end this charade, don’t you think?” His murderous stare was horrifying to see.

  “Maybe we should call it a day for now. We can pick this up in the morning.”

  “Don’t try to fuck me over again, Kathy. I saw the panic in your eyes when you looked around this dump. Don’t worry. I didn’t come to town alone. I brought some of my guys with me. A couple of them tied up the staff and put them in the freezer out back after we were served our food. Four more have been making sure no one, not even those two idiots across the street, comes in for moo goo gai pan.”

  The man was evil and completely nuts.

&n
bsp; “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mr. White.”

  “You know my name is Mitrofanov. Stop bullshitting me and maybe I will spare your little wetback.” The hollowness of her old boss terrified her.

  “While you were on the phone, I left a message for Emmett to come get me.”

  He pulled out a gun from inside his jacket. He pointed the barrel at her chest. “Do you take me for a fool, Kathy?” His tone burned her like acid.

  “I don’t know what to think about you anymore,” she confessed. “I thought I knew you, but I was wrong.”

  “Know this, Kathy, my men are making sure the sheriff and those two cowboys are out of commission. I didn’t come to this fucking town alone. I’m not an idiot.”

  “Why, Sergei? I can’t understand how you got caught up in the drug business and pulled the boys in with you.”

  “Money. Simple as that, babe. Where is Juan?”

  Clearly, Sergei hadn’t found the boy, thank God. “Safe.”

  He slapped her in the face hard. She brought her fingers up to her nose, which was bleeding.

  “You thought you would get enough shit on me to put me behind bars, right? That’s why you took my product from my office. My guys will do whatever it takes to get those bags back in my hands. A couple of them are on it right now.”

  “What do you want me to say, Sergei?” Had all she’d done been for nothing? At least Juan was safe, but for how long?

  “You and I will be leaving this hellhole in about ten minutes. Once I get you back to my place, I’ll figure out a way to get you to tell me where the boy is. I’ve got several ideas rolling through my head already about how to accomplish that.”

  “You don’t want to do that, Sergei. Those cowboys you met in the sheriff’s office won’t stop looking for me. Trust me.”

  She heard what sounded like either a car backfiring several times—or gunshots.

  “Your bumpkins are all dead by now.”

  Overwhelmed by dread, she wanted to scream, to claw Sergei’s eyes out, to crawl into a hole and sob until her own life expired. Had she unknowingly led this monster to Destiny, to her cowboys? This bastard didn’t know them the way she did. The Stone brothers were survivors. They couldn’t be dead. They just couldn’t.

  “Kathy, the mess you created wasn’t something I planned for, but I do know how to clean up such things. Without evidence and without witnesses, there is no case, babe. Last chance, Kathy, to make things easier for you.” He pushed the tip of his gun between her eyes. “Where is Juan?”

  Sergei’s cell buzzed. He stepped back, removing the steel off of her. “Fuck. Dimitri, too. Vzdohr.” His face darkened. “Gdye the sheriff? Da. How far is that? We’ll be long gone by the time he gets back after we take care of the rest of our business. Any word from the two we sent to get our product back?”

  The drugs. If Sergei ever looked away, she would run for the exit.

  “Niet. You sure those cowboys didn’t see the rest of you? Good. These cowboys want to play Wild West, let’s give them our kind of showdown. Six to two are odds I’m always ready to take them. Counting me, seven to two.” His frown returned. “There’s another cowboy who showed up?”

  Amber’s heart leapt up in her chest. Bryant and Emmett were okay. Cody likely was still up the road from Destiny. Her cowboys were safe.

  “Da. Seven to three. Still good odds. Position you and your men on the roofs around the park. Da. Hurry but don’t worry. You’ll have time enough. I have their kryptonite.” Sergei put his cell back in his inner pocket. His evil grin sent a horrible shiver down her spine, chilling her bones. “Get up, Kathy. We’re going to take a walk.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Bryant’s leg was bleeding and possibly fractured.

  The cause? The four bastards who’d jumped him and Emmett by the statue.

  Emmett had perceived the fuckers before he had, since the thugs had come up on their right, same side as his brother’s good ear. In a flash, Emmett had taken out one of the creeps straight away.

  That had left three.

  The goons had been armed, but so had he and his brother. Before any of their assailants could get off even a single shot, he and Emmett had shot several rounds into each of them.

  He and his brother pointed their thirty-eights at the only man still conscious of the group. The punk had lost his gun when Emmett, the best shot in the family by far, had nailed him in the shoulder.

  The asshole glared at them, keeping his hand on the wound his brother had given him. “Go fuck yourselves, faggots.”

  “Don’t be a dumb-ass, dude.” Emmett’s barrel was pointed right between the man’s eyes.

  “I’d listen to him if I were you,” he told the dick on the ground. “My brother holds the highest marksmanship badges in the Marine Corps for both rifle and pistol. The only reason you’re still alive is my brother wanted you to be.”

  “I’m not saying a fucking thing until I see my lawyer.”

  Eric Knight came up beside him, carrying his Glock. “Asshole, do they look like the law to you?”

  Eric and his brother Scott weren’t typical wealthy assholes—and boy, were they loaded. Billionaires, even. They had created and continued to run one of the most lucrative online gaming sites in the world, but they were still cowboys, just like their dads.

  Eric turned to them. “Heard all the gunfire. You guys have caused quite the disturbance.”

  As if on cue, more of Destiny’s citizens appeared around them, all packing.

  Eric turned back to the man on the ground. “Be smart, dude. Make it easy on yourself and answer my friend’s questions.”

  Bryant tried to keep his cool. “Tell us why you’re here and who you’re after.”

  “Not a chance,” the asshole snarled.

  “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Bryant asked Emmett.

  “If you’re thinking this motherfucker is too stupid to live, then, yes, I am.” With his free hand, Emmett punched the asshole in the face as hard as he could.

  The prick’s nose bled like a spigot. The hate in his eyes seemed to swap places with fear. Not as stupid as he looked. Now, they were getting somewhere.

  “You’ve really pissed off my brother, dude. Not good. I’ll ask you again, nicely. Why are you here?”

  “He’s here for Amber.” Cody came up beside him, limping.

  “What the fuck happened to your leg?” Emmett asked.

  “I could ask Bryant the same question, but I can see for myself you guys also had a run-in with your own set of assholes.”

  Glad to have his twin with him, Bryant said, “Lead pipe. My leg might be broken.”

  “I took out my pipe-carrying dick. The one with the gun got me. Flesh wound. Just a scratch. Gun-prick is dead, but pipe-guy is tied up next to the rockslide above the van. Amber’s in trouble, and I mean big trouble. Her real name is Kathy White. There’s more to tell, but…” Cody’s eyes narrowed. “Where is she?”

  “Phong’s,” he said.

  “Go,” Eric said. “The rest of us will take care of these assholes.”

  Bryant nodded, and bolted back to the woman of his dreams, ignoring the pain in his leg.

  He and Emmett had been distracted by the ambush from their most important assignment, keeping an eye on Amber, keeping her safe.

  Having two good, uninjured legs, Emmett ran a little ahead of him and Cody to where they all prayed she was still sitting, bright-eyed and beautiful as ever.

  * * * *

  Tearing down South Street faster than he’d ever run, even during his tour in Iraq, Emmett was swamped by guilt. His fuckup had put Amber in danger. The second he saw Sergei, the hairs on the back of his neck had stood up. He’d known better than to give in to Amber’s rebellion, insisting to go to dinner with the fucker. Now she was alone with the psychopath, all because he’d consented. Fuck. He silently cursed himself as his feet ate up more of the pavement.

  One block left.

  He and his brothers
were running, holding their loaded thirty-eights with their fingers on the triggers, which was a blatant disregard for normal safety guidelines. But this wasn’t normal or safe. None of them gave a fuck about anyone’s safety save one, Amber, their woman.

  Rounding the corner and less than twenty feet from Phong’s, he and his brothers hit the brakes when he saw his love held by Sergei, who also held a gun to her head.

  “Here is your troika, Kathy. Right on time, too.” The lunatic twisted his lips into a sneer.

  Amber’s nose was bleeding onto her upper lip, enraging him to the very edge of his control. “Guys, he’s—”

  Sergei slapped his hand over her mouth, silencing her, but kept her in front of him, crouching behind her like a coward. “Niet, my love. No talking.”

  His heart pounded against his ribs like a wrecking ball. “I got this,” he whispered to his brothers. “Distract him and I’ll get the shot.”

  “Deal,” Cody whispered back. “Take down the bastard.”

  His brothers knew his sharpshooting skills surpassed theirs by far. They wouldn’t risk a chance of missing the fucker and hitting Amber. They would trust him to slay Sergei and save Amber. His gut tightened, knowing that even with his expertise, there was still a risk. This whole fucking thing was wrought with risks as long as the motherfucker held a gun and their woman. As horrific as Iraq’s many war zones had been, he’d never felt a more agonizing burden than now. One shot and this nightmare could be over, or could go on and on for the rest of his life.

  Cody took a step left, away from him. Bryant did the same to the right.

  “Stop right there, cowpokes. I’m not stupid. You move another inch and I put a bullet in Kathy’s pretty head.”

  Come on, fucker. Show me your face.

  But he didn’t. The fucker was no better than the goddamn Taliban. More than once, he’d seen them use innocents—women and children—marching them in front of their worthless asses as cover.

  One little peek over her shoulder, Sergei. Just one.

  “You want your drugs, right?” Cody asked. “Let her go and I will take you to them.”