He stood and stalked out of the room as Eli rubbed a hand over his face. “Fuck, let’s get to work.”
We spent the next hour going over logistics while I impatiently waited to hear what Reed had to say.
“Okay, we’re going ahead with the mission as planned,” Cash said as he walked back into the room. “The plans have changed though. It seems Victor has a few enemies that want to use Vanessa as a bargaining chip. Vanessa in exchange for a business deal. We don’t have the specifics at this moment, so I don’t know how accurate this information is. We’re going to go ahead with locating Vanessa, but when we find her, Mark will deliver her back to Sebastian at Reed Security where he’ll take over protection services. In case we’re being watched, we’ll have to have a female agent on standby to fill in for Vanessa so we can get her out of here safely. Any questions?”
“Will I be taking her by myself?”
“At this time, we think that’s the best option. We need to keep it low key. We may add one member to the detail, but we need to see what we’re up against first. I’ll have a packet put together for you by midday. Why don’t you head home and pack a bag. If she is where we think, you won’t have time to pack. I’ll have an SUV loaded when you get back.”
“Sounds good.”
When I got home, I quickly packed a bag with enough clothes for a week, not knowing how long I would actually be gone. I was just leaving a note for Vira when a knock sounded at the door. Looking through the peephole, I almost fell on my ass.
Cara stood on the other side of the door looking nervous as hell. Sean stood beside her with a blank look on his face.
“Cara, what are you doing here?” I asked as I opened the door.
Sean snarled at me, obviously not liking my reaction.
“Can I come in? I have some things I need to say.”
I stepped aside and allowed them to enter the apartment. Cara looked around, obviously wondering about who lived here. The decor was feminine and not at all my style.
“I’m staying with a friend until my apartment is available.”
Sean walked over to a trinket and studied it for a minute. “You’re staying with Vira?” he growled at me.
“Yeah, I needed a place to stay for a few weeks. I was the one that brought her out here.”
“Oh my God.” Cara covered her mouth with her fingertips. “Did you sleep with her?”
The door swung open and Vira stepped in, looking down in her purse. “Mark, are you home?”
Sean cleared his throat and Vira’s head snapped up. “Sean, what are you doing here?”
Then she saw Cara and raised an eyebrow. “Are we having a reunion?”
Cara gripped her stomach. “Please, Mark. Tell me you didn’t sleep with her.”
I snapped. She had shoved me out the door and now she thought she could dictate who I slept with?
“What’s it matter to you? Apparently, that’s the only thing I’m good for.”
Cara blanched and Vira muttered under breath, “Not at the moment.”
“Shut the fuck up, Vira.”
“What?” she glanced at me in confusion. “Don’t you think it would do Cara some good to know that you’re not exactly at the top of your game right now?” She turned to Cara in a conspiratorial whisper. “Worst sex I’ve ever had. When he brought me out here over a year ago, we knocked boots and let me tell you, that was earth shattering sex.”
Sean clenched his teeth and shook his head.
“Vira, I think you’ve said enough-” I started, but Vira interrupted me.
“When he fucked me this time, couldn’t even get it up all the way.”
“Vira!”
Cara turned bright red and glanced quickly in my direction.
“You would think the man was a fifteen year old boy the way he was awkwardly grabbing my pussy and tits.”
“Christ, Vira. Would you shut the fuck up. I think you made your point.”
“It was over before it started, mostly because I just wanted it to end. I faked an orgasm and he never came. I doubt you could even classify it as sex.”
I grabbed her by the arm and dragged her to her room. “Just stay in there and don’t come out unless it’s quiet. I think you’ve said enough.”
“Baby, I just told her exactly what she needed to hear,” she whispered and shot me a wink.
I slammed the door shut and rested my head against the door frame.
“Seriously? Why Vira? Why does every man I know have to fall for her?” Cara asked. “Does she have a magic pussy or something?”
“Apparently not.” Sean chuckled, but Cara shot him a nasty look. “What? If it was magical, don’t you think Sinner would have gotten it up?”
Kill me now. “Can we stop talking about this? I have to get to work.”
“Wait. I need to say something first, although maybe I’m too late.” Cara chewed on her lip as she stared at the floor.
“Say what you need to say and go. I’m expected at work.”
“Mark, I just flew across the country with my anxiety ridden sister so she could talk to you. Give her a fucking break.”
I sat down at the kitchen table and waited for her. Sean went to sit in the living room and pretended to read a magazine.
“I came to say I’m sorry. I was wrong for putting everything on you when you were just trying to protect me.”
“And it took you over a fucking month to figure that out?”
“No, I went to the doctor and had her put me on anxiety medication. I knew that I needed more help and while you were helping me overcome my fears, it became obvious that I wouldn’t be able to work through all my issues on my own. I wanted to come talk to you sooner, but I had to give the medication time to work its way into my system.”
“So, now you’re all better.” I stated sarcastically.
“No, but I’m trying to be better because you deserve someone that wants your help, but is capable of doing it on her own.”
“I never asked you to do it on your own. I was perfectly happy with the way things were. I was happy with you the way you were.”
“I realize that, but I wasn’t. If I always had to rely on someone else to make me better, I didn’t stand a chance of ever actually being better. I needed to do this for me, to prove to myself that I could beat my demons, but I’ve also learned that it’s okay to let people in. After you left, I told Sean everything, and you were right, he’s been great. I wish that I had figured that out sooner, but it is what it is.”
I wasn’t sure what to say. I was proud of her and part of me wanted to pull her in and kiss her silly, but a large part of me felt completely rejected by her still. I had been so sure of her, but she hadn’t been sure of me. Did I want someone that had to think about whether or not I was good enough?
I stood and grabbed my bag. “I’m glad you’re better, Cara. I have to get back to work now.”
I didn’t dare tell her that I would be heading back her way. I didn’t want to give her hope.
“Oh.” She glanced at Sean and jerked her chin toward the door.
“That’s it? We flew all the way out here so you could give up after five minutes?” Sean asked Cara.
“Let’s just go.”
“No, Sinner you are one dumb mother fucker. Do you know how hard it was for her to get on a fucking plane even with her medications?”
“Sean, stop.” Cara was pulling on his sleeve, but he tore his arm away and stepped toward me and shoved me.
“There are extenuating circumstances here. It’s not like she just decided you weren’t good enough for her.” He shoved me again. “She needed to get her shit together and when she did, she came right to you.” Another shove. “Do you know that you’re the only one that has ever been able to see her for who she really is? Do you know how scary it’s been for her to live her life like that?” Another shove, but this time I grabbed him quickly and in two seconds had him on his belly on the ground as I wrenched his hand up behind his back.
I slung my bag over my shoulder and walked out the door. I waited in the hall until they both stepped out and followed me downstairs to my truck. We drove in silence toward the airport. It was uncomfortable as fuck, but I just kept telling myself that it wouldn’t be too much longer and they would be gone. My phone buzzed in my pocket and I quickly pulled it out, answering immediately when I saw it was Cash.
“Cash, I’m on my way back-”
“She just ran out of the friend’s house. Where are you?”
“About three minutes from that location.”
“Get over there and pick her up. She’s got company. Don’t come back here. Head for Reed Security and call when you’re clear. We’ll set up to switch vehicles.”
“On it.” I didn’t have time to tell Cash that I had two passengers with me. I took the next turn, barely keeping the truck on all four wheels as I took the corner. After taking another corner, I saw a woman running down the street up ahead. I knew immediately it was Vanessa. “Do you have a weapon on you, Sean?”
“No, what the fuck are you getting us into?”
“We’re going in hot. There are spare guns under the bench seat. Cara, get your ass down on the floor and don’t come up until I tell you to.”
Sean climbed into the backseat and I heard rustling as he got several weapons loaded. I sped up when I saw a car swerve around a corner and head right for her. I turned the wheel quickly, spinning the truck in front of her to block the other vehicle.
“Sean, get the door.” He quickly flung it open as Vanessa screeched to a halt. She looked panicked until she saw my face. “Get in the truck!”
She quickly obeyed my orders and slammed the door as I pushed her to the floorboards. I quickly threw the truck in reverse and then back in drive just as the other car opened fire on the truck. I hunched over as the driver side window shattered. Sean opened the rear window and fired at the other vehicle as I tore down the street. A pick up truck was not the best getaway vehicle, but I didn’t have a choice at the moment.
“Any idea who that is?”
Vanessa shook her head as she trembled on the floor. “He showed up at my friend’s apartment. I just barely made it out the window. Sinner, he was at the fundraiser.”
I clenched my jaw in irritation. What the hell was going on? I swerved in an out of traffic until I came across a parking garage. I turned suddenly inside and made my way across to the exit on the other side. When I quickly exited, I saw no sign of the other vehicle.
“Sean, you see that motel up ahead?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m going to drop you and the girls off there and ditch the truck.” I pulled out a wad of cash and shoved it at him. “If I’m not at the hotel in one hour, you call my boss, Cash, and tell him what happened. He’ll get you all back to Pennsylvania. Vanessa needs to get to Sebastian.”
Looking at Vanessa, I smiled and jerked my chin at Sean. “You can trust him. Just do what he says, okay?” She nodded and I quickly turned into an alley behind the motel. The three of them scrambled out of the truck and I quickly drove off. I didn’t want to leave my truck just anywhere, but it would be better if someone stole it.
I drove through the shadier part of the city when I spotted an old warehouse by the lake. Pulling out onto the road, I heard the roar of an engine and snapped my head to the side. An SUV was barreling down on me, so I stepped on the gas to get out of the way, but the SUV changed direction and slammed right into the side of the truck. The tires hit the curb and the truck immediately started rolling over the sidewalk and down the steep embankment. My body was jerked around until the truck finally stopped driver’s side down in the water.
My vision blurred a little, meaning I had most likely hit my head. As I blinked the spots from my eyes, I could see the truck rapidly filling with water.
Okay, deep breath. Unbuckle your seat belt, and get the fuck out of here.
I hit the release button but nothing happened. As I looked down, I couldn’t see what was jamming the belt. I tried to reach my ankle strap that I had attached earlier for my knife, but the belt was pulled tight against my chest.
“Fuck!” I slammed my hand against the steering wheel as the water was seconds from covering my head. Grasping, I felt something sharp on the side of my seat and realized it was the window punch that I kept under my seat. It must have come out when we rolled. Taking a deep breath, the water covered my head as I worked to cut through the strap of my seat belt. Spots started to appear in front of me as my oxygen started to dissipate. My lungs burned as I made the final cut through my strap and got to work on the passenger side window. My body started to suck in air in reaction to the lack of oxygen. The window broke and I pushed my way in one violent thrust toward the surface, but I never made it before I sucked in a lungful of water and everything went black.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Cara
I PACED THE motel room, biting my nails as we waited for Mark to return. It was two minutes away from an hour and every second felt like an eternity. I didn’t know what was delaying him, but I prayed that we didn’t leave without him. I didn’t want to imagine what that meant.
“We can’t wait anymore. I’m calling his boss.” Mark had shoved his phone at Sean as we exited the truck and made him promise to follow through. Sean had nodded and hustled us into the motel.
“No, don’t call yet. We need to give him another few minutes. Please, Sean.”
“Cara, I understand that you want to wait for him, but this isn’t about us. He was protecting Vanessa and that’s who I need to think about. If we wait any longer, we risk someone finding us.”
“I say we wait. Mark’s been good to me and I don’t want to leave him behind,” Vanessa chimed in. I sent her a grateful look, but Sean shook his head.
“I’m sorry, but we have to call it in. Besides, did you ever think that he might need help? His team can’t help him if they don’t know this is going on.”
It made sense, but I had a feeling Sean was placating us. He dialed the phone as we all waited for it to ring.
“Cash, my name is Sean Donnelly. I’m a friend of Mark Sinn. My sister and I were with him when he picked up Vanessa Adams, but he dropped us at a motel when we were followed. He was attempting to get rid of his truck and told me to call if he wasn’t back in an hour.”
He listened to the other end for a minute and I wished he would put it on speakerphone.
“We haven’t heard anything yet. He said I needed to get Vanessa back to Reed Security. I’m a detective with a police department back in Pennsylvania. I can escort her back there, but I need a vehicle.”
I shook my head. This was all so wrong.
“Of course. I understand that.”
His face fell and it brought tears to my eyes. They weren’t going to help us. The door swung open and Mark walked in looking like a wet corpse. Relief filled me as I ran to him and threw myself into his arms. He barely stayed on his feet and I could feel him struggling to keep his arms around me.
“Cash, he’s here. Hold on.”
Sean threw the phone to Mark, who caught it and brought it to his ear. “Yeah, Cash. Just barely made it out. Whoever it was thinks we’re at the bottom of the lake.” I gasped when I realized what he was saying. “I need an SUV dropped at the corner of twelfth and Broadway. There’s a parking lot that’ll be perfect for a drop off. No, I’ve got Sean with me. He’s all the backup I need. Yeah, I’ll be in touch.”
He hung up the phone and tapped my arm. I let go of my strangle hold on him and backed away. He flopped down in a chair and ran a hand over his face.
“Decided to go for a swim, huh?” Sean asked.
“Seemed like a good time of year for it. The weather’s perfect.”
“Have to say, I’m not really much of a swimmer. Glad I wasn’t there.”
“Yeah, I much prefer swimming pools to the lake, but a very nice older gentleman decided to take a swim with me, so it wasn’t so bad.”
“An older man, huh? Does that mean you’re switching teams?” Sean asked with a smirk.
Mark flipped him off and laid his head back against the chair.
“What the hell is going on? You’re talking all cryptic and you’re soaking wet. What happened?” I was on the verge of totally losing it if someone didn’t explain.
“Not much. We got what we wanted.”
“Which is?”
“Whoever’s after Vanessa thinks we’re dead, at least for the time being.” He wasn’t telling me everything, but he didn’t need to. He had almost been killed.
“What’s the plan?” Sean asked.
“We leave after dark. Cash is getting a vehicle for us, but I don’t want to leave until we have better cover.”
“What’s going to happen to me?” Vanessa asked.
“We’re taking you back to Reed Security. You’ll be staying there until we can figure out what your father has gotten you into.”
Vanessa nodded and sat down on the bed. She seemed to be exhausted and I realized for the first time that I felt the same way. I had taken anxiety meds on the plane and it was catching up with me now.
“I’ll take first watch. Sinner, why don’t you get cleaned up? Ladies, you get some sleep.”
Vanessa laid down instantly on one of the double beds and I laid down on the other. It was then I realized that I didn’t have my purse with me. I must have dropped it in the truck. I prayed that everything would go okay the rest of the trip or I could end up causing a lot of trouble for Mark.
✯✯✯✯✯
I was drifting in and out of sleep. The pills always made it a little difficult to wake up all the way, so I laid there in a warm cocoon until my body fully woke.
Sinner: A Reed Security Romance Page 17