Reeve approached the group from the opposite direction. “Have you seen Sofia?”
Niko and Reeve locked gazes. She must be in the basement still. Surely she was all right.
“She probably went to the bathroom,” said Abigail. “I’ll go and find her.”
Niko leaned close to Reeve. “I have a bad feeling. Let’s separate and look for her.”
Niko went straight up to Gregory and asked him in a low voice how to get in touch with Jordan. Gregory didn’t give the woman he was with a second glance. He sprinted for the stairs with Niko and went straight to an office behind the front desk, where he picked up a walkie-talkie and told Jordan that Sofia had disappeared.
“He’s here tonight,” explained Gregory, “along with ten other agents. Don’t worry. She couldn’t have gone far in five minutes.”
“Someone needs to search inside the resort. Everywhere. Just in case.” He turned with the intention of returning to the basement to find Reeve and nearly collided with him, Zach, Michael, and Vince as they came into the office.
“Abigail said Sofia’s not in the john,” said Michael. His eyes were wild and his face was filled with fear. “Where the fuck is she, Niko?”
“I don’t know.” Niko ran his hand through his hair. “Look, you two go with Zach and search inside, okay? We have FBI agents outside who are—”
“You have what?”
“Michael, I can’t explain right now. Please just trust us.”
Michael pushed him against the wall and grabbed his shirt collar. “I swear to Christ and all his angels and saints if you let anything happen to her I will fucking kill you.”
Niko didn’t react. This wasn’t the time. He merely waited until Michael let go of his shirt, then he addressed Zach. “Search inside. Gregory and I will go back downstairs and try to find out if anyone saw her leave.”
Zach nodded. As Niko left the office with Gregory and Reeve, he tried to fight his rising panic. If Rake did anything to harm her, he’d kill him. To hell with the FBI and the entire Chicago police force. He’d fucking kill the bastard and take him deep into the woods and bury him under thirty feet of earth. No one would ever find his body.
When they reached the basement, Emmett met them at the bottom of the stairs and led them into another room. “We found Jerry outside on the patio behind the stage. Someone knocked him out.” Jerry was sitting in a chair with an ice pack held to his head. Abigail stood next to him, wide eyed.
“Sofia was with him,” she said. “They went outside for air, and Jerry was knocked out.”
“Fuck.” Niko ran his hand through his hair. “Oh Jesus. What the hell are we gonna do?”
Gregory got on his walkie-talkie and informed Jordan where Sofia was last seen. “They’re combing the woods. They have dogs and shit like infrared. They’ll find her.”
“It’s too dark,” said Abigail.
“Well, Rake can’t see in the dark either. What can we do to help?” asked Niko. He couldn't just stand there and do nothing.
“Niko, let the FBI do their job,” said Abigail.
“FBI?” Jerry tried to stand but sank back down like he’d been shot.
“We need to get him to a hospital,” said Zach.
“I’ll do it,” said Gregory. “And I’ll ask Juan and Bill to fill in on bass and drums for the rest of the night. No sense in alarming our guests. Okay?”
Niko stared at Gregory. This was the first time he could remember the man stepping up to take charge of anything. Maybe there was hope for him after all?
After Gregory left with Jerry, Niko glanced at each of them in turn. “Reeve and I will go outside and help with the search. We can see in the dark, and we can hear things even their dogs can’t. Rake couldn’t have gone far with her, but there are a lot of woods to cover.”
“We’ll stay inside and keep everyone occupied,” said Emmett. “Keep your wits about you, Niko. You’ll find her.”
“Fuck. Why the hell didn’t we know Rake was outside tonight?”
“Because nothing has happened for weeks,” said Emmett. “This isn’t your fault. Don’t take this on your shoulders.”
He glanced at Reeve. “You okay with this plan?”
“Well, I’m sure not going back into the party. Let’s go.”
* * * *
Sofia came to and tried to touch the spot on her head that hurt like a motherfucker, but she couldn’t move either hand. She opened her eyes and blinked several times. A tiny flicker of light came from one corner. She heard dogs barking in the distance and the sound of insects, closer than she’d heard on the patio.
Where was she? Where was Jerry?
She tried again to move her hands but they were stuck to something. Glancing down, she moaned, fighting nausea. Her gloves were gone, and her wrists were bound with something dark and thick like duct tape to the seat of the chair on which she sat. Her gaze traveled down her gown to her ankles. They were bound, too.
Rake. It had to be. Who else would do this? But where was he? And what was this place? It smelled like she was still outside. She caught was the scent of water and pines. Dogs continued to bark in the distance. Were they looking for her? Hadn’t Reeve or Niko said something about FBI agents watching the resort? Surely they knew by now she was gone and they were searching for her.
She was about to scream when the figure of a tall man stepped in front of the light. She didn’t need to see his face to know it was Rake. Her heart hammered in her chest, and she swore she could hear the blood rushing through her veins.
“If you scream, I’ll stuff these gloves so far down your throat you’ll choke on them.” His voice was colder than she’d ever heard it.
“I hear dogs. They have the FBI searching for me, Rake. You won’t get away with this.” Sofia was shocked by the sound of her voice. There was no trace of fear. Would he believe it?
“Maybe so.” He took a few steps closer and then the fear finally set in. She was trapped. Tied to a chair. Who knew how long it would take them to find her and what he’d have time to do to her before they did.
“But we’ll have some fun first, eh? You and me, beautiful. Just like old times.”
Sofia didn’t say anything. She couldn’t. Terror spread through her limbs, making her muscles feel weak. She had to stay in control. It was the only way to survive whatever he had in store for her.
She swallowed against the sudden lump in her throat and blinked back tears. If he saw weakness, she was done. It had always been that way with them. Whenever she’d showed fear and weakness while he had her tied to their bed, that’s when he’d hurt her way beyond her pain limits. He got off on it.
Niko’s face rose up her in mind, along with Reeve’s. She concentrated on that—on the look in their eyes she’d seen tonight. They’d find her. She was sure of it.
Rake lit a cigarette. He’d rarely smoked inside the house, but the acrid smell reminded Sofia of how the scent would cling to him whenever they had sex. Breathing became difficult, and her heart was beating so fast she was afraid she’d pass out.
He took a few steps toward her then pulled over a wooden stool to sit close. “You’ve been hiding here for a long time. Are you banging one of the owners, or is it a pool boy that has you so captivated?”
She didn’t answer. She tried to avert her gaze because she didn't want him to see the emotion in her eyes. The dim light was behind him, but now he moved so that it shone directly on her face. He was watching her carefully. She knew that even though she couldn't see his eyes. When he took a drag on his cigarette, the light illuminated his face, and Sofia couldn't stop her limbs from trembling.
“You’re afraid of me. Good. You should be, you bitch.” He slapped her across the left cheek and she cried out as her head reeled back. Tears stung her eyes and her breath hitched in her throat. “Say something!”
“What do you want me to say?” she whispered.
“Tell me you’re banging someone at this resort. I want to hear you say it, you wh
ore.”
“Why are you doing this?”
He moved closer to her face. “I told you that I’d never let you go. No one else will ever have you. Do you remember when I said that? And what did you do? You came up here to hide. But I found you. And I know what you’ve been doing up here. I know what goes on here.”
He stood up. “I know all about this place. They tried to shut it down in the fifties. Did you know that? But some stupid alderman got caught in a sex scandal and that fucked up their investigation. Well, that won’t happen this time. Did you think I’d let you hide out here and fuck to your heart’s content? Did you?”
The barking was closer now. It drowned out Rake’s shouting. She heard someone’s voice call her name. When Rake turned around and crossed the room to stand in the doorway, Sofia screamed as loudly as she could. She screamed until her throat was raw. When Rake struck her again, she kept screaming through the tears and the raw pain of his hands hitting her face. The chair fell over, and she nearly passed out as her left hand slammed against the floor, but she kept screaming.
Rake was yelling at her to shut the fuck up when a sound like a loud firecracker rang out, followed by two shotgun blasts. Sofia smelled smoke. Someone lifted the chair then hands removed the duct tape. It ripped her skin as they pulled it off her wrists and ankles. Something warm trickled down her face and into her mouth. Blood. Her own? Had she been shot? Is that what she’d heard?
She retched, and then the world went dark again.
Chapter Nineteen
Sofia came to, moaning. She didn’t recognize the sound as her own voice at first. She thought Rake was still in the room and he’d been hurt, and that thought gave her strength. Maybe she’d be able to watch the bastard die.
Her face burned and her left hand was swollen and throbbing. She was lying on a hard surface and sirens wailed, close. Was it an ambulance? Were Reeve and Niko all right?
She tried to lift her head, but the dizziness kept her flat.
“She’s awake.” Whose voice was that?
A man in a uniform placed something cold and metallic against the skin above her left breast. She glanced at the tubing attached to it, and it took her a few seconds to realize it was a stethoscope.
“How do you feel?” he asked.
“Like shit.” She closed her eyes.
“I’ll bet you do. Those are some nasty bruises coming out on your face. There’s someone back here who’s been waiting to talk to you. Feel up to it?”
“Hey there. You’re going to be okay, Sofia. You’re on the way to the hospital.”
Niko’s sexy voice filled her head. Was she dreaming? Sofia opened her eyes, afraid to believe it was true, but there were his beautiful blue eyes, smiling down at her. He’d been crying. That realization made her heart skip at least one beat.
“Where am I?”
“In the back of an ambulance.” That explained the sirens.
“What happened? Was I shot?”
“No, Rake was. He’s dead, Sofia. The bastard is dead. He pulled a gun on one of the FBI agents, but the shot went into the wall. He’ll never hurt you again, love.”
Sofia exhaled, trying to take it all in. He’d had a gun. He would have used it on her. She started to tremble, and even telling herself it was over now didn’t stop her from shaking. He could never hurt her again. “Jerry. He was hit outside. Is he okay? What about Reeve?”
Niko gently stroked her arm. “Reeve is fine. Emmett is driving him to the hospital so he can be with you, too. Jerry is going to be okay. Rake hit him in the head with his gun. That’s what knocked him out. That’s what knocked you out, too, by the way. They’re going to keep him overnight, but he’ll be okay. Gregory took him to the ER as soon as we found him by the patio.”
“How did you find me? Where was I?”
“You were in the boathouse on the shore of Pine Lake. We use it mainly for storage. It looked like Rake had been living there. And we found you because you screamed. I’m so glad you did, Sofia.”
“I knew you’d come for me.”
She tried to lift her left hand to touch him, but the pain stopped her.
“It might be broken. That probably happened when your chair fell. The bastard had you duct taped to it.”
“I shouldn't have gone outside on the patio.”
“You couldn't have known he was out there. We should have been more diligent in watching the woods.”
“The party…”
“Don’t worry. The guests know nothing.”
“It’s really over? He’s really gone? What about the others? His friends?”
Niko smiled. “It’s really over, Sofia. Jordan told us the DA indicted all of Rake’s cop friends. No one will bother you again.”
“And the resort will be all right? They can’t do anything to it?”
“It’s over for all of us, love.
She sighed and closed her eyes.
* * * *
One week after the party, Sofia’s hand had finally stopped hurting every time she thought about it. She’d broken two bones in it, and had been assured they would heal in time. Niko and Reeve had insisted she move into an empty suite with both of them, and they’d waited on her hand and foot since she’d come home from the hospital the morning after the party.
She’d caught sight of her face once in the bathroom mirror and had begun to cry, so they had it removed and told her they’d have it put back up only after her bruises healed. She had a large lump on the back of her head where Rake had hit her with his gun, but that was healing as well.
“Your cousins finished bringing the last of your furniture here today,” said Reeve. “I think we might have to let them move in. They’re afraid to let you out of their sight.”
Niko laughed. “Her entire family has been up here nonstop. We might just have to let them all move in.”
“Hey, my Uncle Jack is a fabulous cook. He’d work for you in a heartbeat, but he’d be running your kitchens in a month. He likes things done a certain way, and he’s stubborn as hell.”
The two exchanged an amused glance. “Wouldn’t that be ironic?” asked Reeve. “Frankie Fillipone’s family living here and running the place.”
“Don’t laugh. It could happen,” said Niko. “Someone will have to take over the place one day.”
“Julie called again,” said Reeve. “We told her what happened, but she isn’t sure how much longer she can hold your job. They’re swamped.”
“Sounds like I have a decision to make.” She looked from one to the other then put her coffee cup down on the table next to the sofa. “I’ve actually already made it. I made it the night of the party, but I never had the chance to tell you.”
She looked into their eyes, so full of love. “I want to stay. Here, with both of you, if you’ll still have me. I love you both so much.”
Niko swept her up in a bear hug and twirled her around, laughing with her. Reeve pumped his fists in the air and yelled then pulled her into a crushing embrace as soon as Niko set her on her feet.
“If we’ll still have you,” he said. “Don’t be insane, Sofia. Of course we’ll still have you. We love you.” He pulled away and looked into her eyes. “When we realized you were gone…neither of us has ever been that scared, and we never want to be again.”
“Losing you would have ended us,” said Niko, softly stroking her face. His touch on her face no longer hurt. Her bruises must be nearly healed by now. “We love you. And we promise to spend the rest of our lives proving it.”
Sofia sighed as they wrapped their arms around her. Her two angels had rescued her in more ways than one, and she’d have the rest of her life to love and cherish them.
THE END
WWW.CAROLYNROSEWOOD.COM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Carolyn Rosewood loves to make up stories about badass alpha heroes and the women who love them and keep them guessing. She’s been reading romances for over thirty years and is never without a paperback or her Kindle.
She’s drawn to reading interesting plots and bad-boy sexy heroes, so you’ll find those in the stories she writes as well. Her other interests include playing the cello and collecting antique pottery.
In real life she works at a large US insurance company, but at home she’s either writing, reading, or spending time with her husband—her real life hero. They have a daughter in college and a cat who loves to watch Carolyn type.
For all titles by Carolyn Rosewood, please visit
www.bookstrand.com/carolyn-rosewood
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Cherished by Two Angels [Notorious Nephilim 5] Page 15