Tormented

by Jani Kay

  Sofia soaped up a sponge and indicated for me to lift a leg. Besides my mother bathing me as a child, I’d never been washed by a woman, yet it didn’t feel awkward because of the way Sofia just went about it as if it were perfectly normal.

  “Oh, Sofia, you have no idea what kind of trouble I’m in, do you?” I said, more to myself than to her. She just smiled at me and kept scrubbing my skin.

  As I emerged from the bath, another curt knock on the door startled me. I didn’t want Jones to burst in and see me naked. I grabbed the towel from Sofia and held it in front of me. She swung around when she saw me peering over her shoulder and slammed the bathroom door shut.

  A small glimmer of hope that Sofia was on my side sparked inside me. But what good would that be? I couldn’t discuss an escape plan with a girl who couldn’t communicate.

  Damn Jones and Nolan. They were smarter than I gave them credit for.

  Chapter 36 — Harrison

  By some miracle, Savage and I had managed to worm our way onto the aircraft just minutes before departure. The flash of admiration I saw in the captain’s eyes when I told him we’d completed the mission and were ready to fly home, and the fact that they were basically ready for takeoff and didn’t have time to clear our return with head office, was what got us on board.

  I took a couple of deep breaths. The smell of hot spicy food made my mouth water, but there wasn’t any chance of getting my hands on it until we were up in the air because the plane was already taxiing down the runway.

  No doubt the captain would have some explaining to do when we got back, but I was grateful that he’d used his initiative instead of going strictly by the book. At least something was counting in my favor for once.

  We took our seats, and with a click both Savage and I buckled up and closed our eyes, giving our bodies over to sleep. I’d hit empty on all levels and was depleted and totally worn-out.

  When I finally woke, the vicious rumbling of my stomach reminded me that I hadn’t eaten in nearly two days.

  “Savage, why the fuck didn’t you wake me?”

  He sat beside me, digging into his plate of spicy food like a starved man. He grinned at me, his mouth full, as he indicated to a crew member to come over.

  “I tried . . . several times. Then I thought the smell may do the trick and wake you.” As soon as the guy reached us, Savage pointed to me. “Get the man some food.”

  The guy nodded, and a minute later he returned with a stacked plate of rice and chicken and potatoes. I inhaled the fragrant aroma of cumin and cinnamon and smacked my lips.

  “Thanks. I think my stomach is fucking gnawing itself. I could eat a horse.”

  I dug in, chomping away as I devoured everything on my plate, not bothering to make conversation and only taking a break from chewing to slurp down a drink. Although the food was basic, it tasted like the best gourmet meal I’d ever had.

  Savage belched. “Feeling human again?”

  I nodded, took another gulp of my drink, and matched his belch. It was tradition to see who could show his appreciation of the food we’d wolfed down the loudest. I won by a hair’s breadth margin.

  It was a small thing, yet it meant something to us. It meant we were alive. We’d survived to live through another day. When you constantly stared death in the face, traditions like ours bonded you in ways few people would understand.

  With my stomach full and my body rested, my mind went back to Eva.

  “How much longer before we land?”

  “Two hours. Just as well—you’re starting to smell bad.”

  I laughed. Yeah, a quick hot shower was the first thing I needed. And then I’d burn the fucking clothes I was wearing and start looking for Eva.

  *****

  I hadn’t spoken to my mom in a couple of weeks and guilt ate at me for not letting her know I was still kicking, but I didn’t have time to explain myself to her. I made a mental note to ask Jade to arrange a family dinner, but no sooner had the thought flashed through my mind when I got distracted by my partner and forgot all about it.

  Savage assured me that he could handle the fire coming our way from the powers above. We were in deep shit, but that was nothing new. Somehow we’d get out of it because the fuckers knew we were the best in the game and they needed us.

  For the first time since I’d signed up, I was putting myself—my needs and wants—above my job and everyone else. If Eva chose to be with the senator, I wanted to hear it from her own mouth.

  But what if Jade was right? What if Eva was in love with me? Could I handle that?

  Could she handle it?

  I wasn’t worthy of a woman like Eva. She deserved so much better. My darkness was more than most people could bear. Just look what it had done to Jade and her unborn child.

  Back at my apartment, I stripped and got beneath the hot stream of water of the shower. I set the nozzle to full-jet stream, enjoying every moment of the cleansing process—letting the tiny splatters of blood wash off my skin, and the weight of taking yet more human lives wash down the drain hole.

  Finally, I was ready to call Ryder back. The phone only rang three times before he answered.

  “Tell me you’re back and ready to help find Eva?” His voice was brusque and filled with worry. No greeting, no pleasantries.

  Fuck. That could only mean he’d come up empty.

  “Don’t tell me your club couldn’t come up with a single bit of information?”

  Ryder sighed. “No. Nothing.”

  I sucked in a breath. “And Bill? You’ve questioned him?”

  “Yeah. He said he had no idea where Nolan took her. He hadn’t thought to ask at the time because he was just so relieved to get her away from you.”

  I smirked. “That’s irresponsible and dumb.”

  “Let’s leave the compliments for another time. The point here is getting to Eva. We’ve still heard nothing from her, and it’s worrying me.”

  I ran a hand through my hair. “I’ll put out some feelers. I have a few informants who may be able to help.”

  I didn’t tell Ryder that I had human sniff-dogs that could find a fucking needle in a haystack. He didn’t need the disappointment if my guys came up empty. For the first time since Jamie’s disappearance, Ryder and I were on the same page.

  “Okay. I get what you’re saying. Let’s forget our differences and focus on Eva. For now.”

  Ryder grunted, as if he was pained. “Yeah, I can work with that. For now,” he growled.

  “I’ll let you know if I find anything. You do the same. That way we don’t waste time. Agreed?”

  “Agreed.” Silence fell between us before Ryder spoke again. “Thank you. Eva means a lot to me. I don’t want her to be hurt.”

  That made two of us.

  “We’ll find her, okay?” I was consoling myself just as much as I was Ryder. If Eva had been taken against her will—and I was suspecting it more and more—Senator Parker was in for a shock. The biker and the cop uniting forces to unravel his game wasn’t going to be fun for him when we found him. But he was mine. I was the one who was bringing him to his knees. The fucker had toyed with my life, but even worse, if our suspicions were right, he was hurting the only woman on the planet who really meant something to me, outside of my family.

  I hung up the call with Ryder and made a few calls. I’d never put this high a price on information, so I was sure I’d get something back within a couple of hours. The underground grapevine worked fast and effectively, and for the right price, somebody was always willing to talk.

  Shocked when my phone rang twenty minutes later, the value of the mighty dollar hit me hard.

  “Sonny, you got news for me?” Surely it couldn’t be this easy?

  “Seems a few people don’t like the senator much. He’s not a nice man, from what I hear. But yeah, I got news for you.”

  “Meet me at the usual place in thirty minutes.”

  “I’ll be there. Bring the cash.”

  It always came dow
n to the money. Cold, hard cash trumped anything else.

  I removed the duffle bag from under the floorboard and counted the money. I didn’t believe in putting my savings in the bank. Interest rates were so damn low that it wasn’t worth the effort. Besides, I felt more at ease knowing exactly where my money was. I didn’t want it invested in dodgy shares, or to watch its value tumble as I’d seen happen to so many of my father’s clients.

  I’d been saving for a nice house closer to the ocean. This was my life savings, and I was just about to give almost half of it up for information. How fucking screwed up was that?

  Thirty minutes later, I sat across from Sonny. I ordered a Coke and burger with everything, as well as fries on the side. Nothing like a greasy American meal to make me feel like I was back in my own country.

  Sonny watched me with wide eyes as I devoured the entire meal in a few minutes.

  “Man, you’re a crazy motherfucker,” he said, laughing.

  I wiped the sauce from the corners of my mouth and grinned. “And don’t you ever forget that fact,” I warned.

  I pushed the bag toward him. “Half now and half when I’m happy you delivered as requested.”

  Sonny put his hand over his heart. “I’m hurt you don’t trust me, after all these years. When have I not delivered?”

  I shrugged. “You know it’s nothing personal.” I picked at something stuck between my teeth. I hated when that happened. “It’s also the most money I’ve ever forked out, so you gotta understand I need assurance first.”

  Sonny removed an envelope from his pocket. He held it against his chest and smirked. “These picture are worth a fuckload of cash on the black market. The senator probably has a few more enemies than he knows about who wouldn’t mind using them for extortion and blackmail.” He leaned forward as if he wanted to confide in me. “I’m giving them to you at a rock bottom price because I like you.”

  I snorted. Yeah right.

  I pushed the bag toward him and held out my hand. Sonny wouldn’t sell to me if I weren’t the highest bidder. But if I needed to, I’d give the fucker every cent I owned. Fuck I’d even borrow more if that wasn’t enough.

  Sonny leaned forward and grabbed hold of the bag. He zipped it open and checked inside, then quickly closed it up again and placed it on his lap.

  “Give me what I paid for,” I said, itching to get a look at the contents of the envelope.

  He placed the envelope in my hand. With a slight tremble I ripped the envelope open and braced myself for the contents. Locking my jaw, I flicked through the pictures while keeping a poker face.

  Pictures of Eva being carried into a place with whitewashed walls and tropical plants. Pictures of a huge motherfucker walking beside Parker with my girl in his burly arms, unconscious. Pictures of her wrapped in a sheet, her hair covering parts of her face.

  What the fuck had they done to her?

  Rage filled me, and I had a hard time controlling myself.

  Ryder and Jade were right. No way in hell Eva was there out of her own choice. Fuck, why had it taken me so long to get that?

  “You look shocked.” No shit. “What is this woman to you?”

  I sucked in a breath.

  This woman. She was everything to me. Everything.

  I’d been a dumb-as-fuck asshole, too self-absorbed in my own fucking pain to see the truth stare me in the face. If something happened to Eva . . .

  “She’s the sister of a friend.”

  “Ah, that explains why you look so pale. It’s personal.”

  “My friend won’t be happy when he sees these pictures.”

  Ryder was going to go mental. And I wouldn’t blame him. As for Sonny, the less he knew about my personal involvement the better. If he had any idea how invested I was in the outcome, the price could easily double. The motherfucker would bleed me dry and not blink an eye.

  Chapter 37 — Harrison

  I sent a quick text to Ryder as I drove over to his and Jade’s house.

  I’ve got information. On my way to your place. Talk soon.

  Seconds later, the reply came through.

  Hurry the fuck up.

  Ryder would never change. I’d told Sonny he was my friend earlier. Ah well, both our sisters were probably in love with assholes. I couldn’t quite wrap my head around the idea that Jade could be right and that Eva cared more for me than I was capable of understanding, but I had no illusions about my own feelings any longer.

  It had taken Savage’s reasoning for the truth to finally hit home and break through my thick, resistant skull, and now a question as simple as Sonny’s to make me realize that I was so in love with Eva I didn’t know what to do with myself. Fuck.

  A lightness of being that I hadn’t felt in years filled me. Was this really what love felt like? I felt invincible, infallible, and completely out of my depth.

  Saving her was perhaps going to be the easy part. After all, it was what I did for a living, and I was the best at it. It was the part where I told her how I felt to her face, when I finally admitted what an asshole I’d been, that scared the living shit out of me.

  I was so deep in thought that before I knew it, I’d arrived at the house. Jade had come outside to meet me.

  “Harrison, I’m so happy to see that you’re back.” She threw her arms around my neck and kissed me, then settled in with her cheek against my chest for a hug.

  God, I’ve missed this. How long had it been since I’d given my baby sister a decent hug? Ashamed of admitting to myself that I couldn’t even remember when the last time was, I hugged her to my chest and planted a soft kiss in her hair.

  “I’m glad to be back.” I held her at arm’s length and met her gaze. “I’m sorry for being such an asshole. I’m sorry for everything that happened between us. I can never make it unhappen, but I promise to be the big brother you deserve from now on.”

  Jade’s mouth dropped open. Fuck.

  “I was that bad, huh?”

  She smiled and shook her head. Her eyes glistened, and she blinked fast. “No, you were just being protective. It’s what you do.”

  I took her hands in mine. “I’m really sorry. Can you forgive me?”

  Women were so strange. She nodded, smiling at the same time as tears trickled down her face. How was that possible?

  “I love you, Harrison. Nothing will ever change that.” Her voice hitched as she wiped the tears away with the back of her hand.

  “I’m a lucky man,” I said simply. There weren’t enough words to describe how damn much.

  Ryder had come outside too. He wrapped an arm around Jade and pulled her against his chest. “Jesus, why do you make Jade cry?” The annoyance was clear in his voice.

  She turned in his embrace, and placed a hand on his cheek and kissed him. “It’s okay. We were just making up. It’s all good.”

  “Oh,” Ryder said, but he still shot me a warning glance over her head.

  Finally, I got it. Sometimes we hurt the people we loved the most because we were too dumb to know any better. At least, that was too true in my case. It took a bigger person than me—my baby sister—to show me that. I could feel her unconditional love, even though I was responsible for one of the worst things that had ever happened to her.

  “Let’s go inside. Tell us what you found out about Eva.” Ryder sounded anxious, and deep worry lines marred his face. With his hand protectively on the small of Jade’s back, he steered her back indoors.

  The way Ryder treated Jade, as if she were the sun and moon and stars to him, made me swallow the thick lump in my throat. I wanted that, too. Only I’d been too busy wallowing in my own darkness to realize how much.

  It was strange how when we suddenly became aware of something new, we saw it everywhere around us. Love was strong in this home. Just the way the two of them were around one another answered all my questions about whether I was capable of having that in my life.

  I want it more than anything. With Eva.

  “Why are you smil
ing?” Jade was sharp, and her eyes missed nothing.

  I wiped the smile off my face. This wasn’t the time. Eva was still in danger, and Ryder was watching me like a hawk. “I’m not.”

  “Tell us what you found out.” Ryder was straight to the point. He didn’t mince words or fuck around.

  “Can we sit down? I have some photos to show you.”

  Ryder arched an eyebrow, the one with the odd slash through it. “Sure.”

  He pointed to a seat before he sat on the couch and pulled Jade into his lap. He stroked over her stomach, keeping his hand on her pregnant belly as if he were protecting his unborn child from me. I got the message loud and clear. Ryder didn’t trust me anywhere near my own sister.

  Clearing my throat, I produced the pictures. “Eva has been abducted. Nolan fucking Parker and his minions at work.”

  Ryder grabbed the pictures from my hand and studied them intently. His normally suntanned complexion turned pale. His jaw clamped tightly as he looked through the pictures one by one.

  “The motherfucking piece of shit!” The way his voice boomed made both Jade and I jump. Senator Parker had chosen the wrong two men to fuck with.

  Jade took the pictures from Ryder. With shaking hands, she studied them up close.

  “What did they do to her? She looks drunk or passed out. Oh my God.” My sister sounded as if she was on the brink of tears, and I wasn’t sure how good that was for the baby.

  I gently took the photos from her and slipped them into my pocket. “She’s probably drugged. For that alone, I’m going to cut Parker’s balls off and let him bleed to death.”

  Ryder held up a hand. Maybe I was being too graphic, so I toned it down a notch when I continued. “My guys have a pretty good idea of the location, too. Parker has his full detail of security with him. Tough motherfuckers who are all ex-military. We need to move fast, and we need numbers.”

  “I can arrange that. The boys are just waiting for my call.”

  “How many you got?”

  “Five. More if you need them.”

  “Add me, you and Savage, and that’s eight of us. That should be enough. We need to leave as soon as possible. It’s a two-hour flight to our destination.”