“And we will live to tell about it,” he asserted, throwing a cautious glance towards the beaten trail again. They definitely weren’t out of danger yet. Once he was totally freed, he came to his feet. “I’m guessing that we’re about a mile or so away from the shack. If we head south---”
A shot rang out.
The flying bullet chipped the bark from the tree, narrowly missing them. With a hard thud, they both dropped to the ground and scurried across it. When they reached, the low hanging bush, one that concealed them well, they huddled behind it.
A few hundred feet away, Clint yelled out, “Damn you! You’re not getting away from me that easily!”
After a string of violent curses, the assassin fired another shot, and his movements could be heard as he charged through the jungle.
“We need to split up,” Javier suggested fast, shooting him a side look. “If you watch him from this point, I’ll try to get a defensive stance from the south angle.”
He nodded. “Good idea. That way, we’ll have a better chance at overtaking him. It’s anyone’s guess how many rounds of ammo he has. Let’s stall him and make him fire.”
“Great minds think alike,” Javier chimed in. “Then, we’ll have no choice but to move in on him.”
“Whichever one of us has the better shot---we have to take it. There’s too much at stake for the both of us. And there’s no way in hell that I’m going to lose against Addison---not now,” he vowed. “Good luck.”
After a firm nod, Javier scurried away.
Crouching low, Jarrod stayed hidden, watching as the assassin met the clearing.
Out of breath, eyes wild, the captor skidded to a halt, all the while holding the gun steady. “Fuck!” Clint shouted, kicking the ground hard, sending a flurry of dust upward in the process. “I’ll be damned if you’re going to cost me 500 grand!” With a careful eye, he glanced around. “Let’s not do this the hard way, Sabatino. The kill will be even more gruesome now. If you want me to have the least amount of mercy, I suggest that you show yourself.”
He felt along the moist ground.
A jagged log, just small enough for him to hurl across the space---
Keeping a close eye on the criminal, he closed a hand around it, being extremely cautious with his movements.
“You know what, Sabatino? Maybe we can strike a deal,” Clint went on, looking around carefully. “A cool $2 million will ensure that you live, and hell, I’ll even give your homeboy a passage to life. So, what do you say?”
From the shadows, he watched the assassin.
“Oh, not a tantalizing enough offer, huh?” Clint said, arching a brow. “Ok, then. How about this? I’ve learned your secret, one that I haven’t even revealed to Addison, and if he knew it, only heaven knows what he’d do to you then.”
He froze.
“You know what? If I wanted to kill you, you’d be dead right now. Do you actually think that I’d drag you all the way out here for nothing?” The criminal’s cold smile lingered. “No. There’s something in it for me, and it depends on your answer. So, listen close, real close.” His words were purposefully slow. “I know your secret.”
No, Jarrod raged inwardly, gripping the log with a bone-crushing hold. There’s no way that the captor could possibly know about Olivia.
But, not even the dark shadows could mask the darkness of his heart.
The feeling of dread---
Self-loathing and disgust at his own actions---
The emotions converged into one entity, flowing through him like a rising tidal wave. With unrelenting force, it drowned the remnants of flowing life from his soul.
In his conscience, like a holographic visual, her sweet image played before him, and he was faced with the truths of his deception.
How could he deceive her?
Or lie to her the way he’d been doing for the past year or more?
And wasn’t it, he mulled, feeling the pressure tighten in his chest, all due to one fact?
A desperate truth that he’d been running from for months on end, one that he was violently afraid of---
I love her, he whispered inwardly, anguished, and the hot tears burned his eyes. I love her.
When the criminal spoke again, he snapped back to the present.
“I know your secret. I know your secret,” Clint taunted in a singsong voice. “Don’t they have a funny way of coming out? A place like this, it’s hard to keep them.” He shrugged. “It seems that you have a female traveling companion.”
Although he kept his expression blank, the criminal’s words hit home.
“One that bears a striking resembling to Matt Addison’s dead fiancé, Olivia Lange,” Clint chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. “You poor bastard---you’ve written your own death sentence. If Duke Addison’s loser son knew that she was alive and that you were over here getting the nookie from her, he’d kill you dead himself. Now, aren’t you glad that I’m here? How much is the bitch worth to you? Again, pay me $2 million and your secret’s safe with me. We all benefit. Or,” he said, stressing the single word. “We can handle this the hard way. I kill you and your friend. Then, I’ll kidnap Ms. Lange,” he smiled nastily. “And I’ll have my way with her first in anyway that I want before handing her over to Addison.”
The words were like fire to gasoline.
With an angry thrust, he hurled the log across the space, eyeing the assassin with a vicious look all the while, and fought to contain his rage.
“What the fuck!” Clint yelled in surprise, firing two shots in the direction of the flying log, and then, released a string of violent curses. The assassin’s eyes were strange and wild. “So you want to play it like that, huh, bitch!”
At that point, Javier chose a distraction.
To the assassin’s left, another noise sounded.
Wild and out of control, the assassin fired three more rounds of ammo and ventured in that direction.
Not waiting a second longer, Jarrod charged from the shadows. The tension in the air arched like a well-taut bow, stretching to its very limit. With blinding speed and agility, he rushed at him before taking a daring leap. He grunted hard as they hit the ground, and he heard the criminal’s wild curse as the gun flew from his hand. Reacting on pure instinct, he aimed for the ribs and connected. The adrenaline rushed through him, but still his movements were well-controlled. At some point and time, they’d staggered up from the ground and were now embroiled in a full-on wrestling match.
They stumbled towards the tree alongside the trail. He winced from the force as he slammed into it, all the while straining against the assassin’s hold. Releasing a violent curse, he head-butted him, and ignoring the pain splitting through his own skull, charged after the staggering criminal. As he plowed into him from behind, they hit the ground again.
But, having gained a second breath, Clint turned fast, sending a crushing blow into his abdomen.
With a dull thud, he met the ground and tasted his own tangy blood. Though darkness masked the jungle, he could still make out a bevy of creeping crawlers on the mossy surface. Breathing fast, embracing the dull pain thudding at his right temple, he struggled to make sense of his bearings. A quick minute later, he was eye level with the criminal’s leather patented boots.
“Get up!” Clint raged, staring down at him. “You want to fight me? Fight me like a man! Or maybe that useless slut, Olivia Lange, already knows that you’ll never be one---”
Giving an enraged cry, Jarrod sprang up, careening into the criminal again, and clenched him in a strong hold. With one fast maneuver, he kneed him in the groin.
“Fuck!” Clint yelled, stunned by the blow, doubling over. Sneering, lips curling back, he passed him an upward glare. “Hitting below the belt? That’s low, don’t you think, pretty boy!”
“Don’t you even dare say her name,” he threatened, grasping the man’s face with a crushing grip, and dug his fingers hard into his flesh. As the man grimaced in pain, the satisfaction seared him. “And
for every woman that you’ve ever assaulted or hurt---this is payback for your nefarious acts against them.” He pulled the man’s face close to his, and his breath fanned him. “There are only two things that I want you to do---hurt and bleed. You will regret the day that you hurt anyone. Pain---that’s the only thing that you deserve. I am its deliverer.”
Giving a hard push, he sent the criminal flying across the dark space. Within seconds, he was upon him, landing a series of blows against the man’s face.
Through guttural gasps and bloody spittle, Clint laughed maniacally. “Go to hell!”
“I’m going to see you there first,” he vowed coldly, embracing the naked fury, closing a firm grip around the man’s neck. “Enjoy the trip.”
In the background, he heard scattered noises, and finally, Javier’s shadow fell over him.
“Trust me. You’d be doing the world a huge favor if you killed the son-of-a-bitch,” Javier muttered, hauling him off the criminal, and as he stood upright, patted his face. “But, we’re not able to take a walk on the wild side of inhumanity.” He aimed the pistol low at Clint. “Get up, you miserable piece of filth. One false move and I’ll send you to your maker in the undergrounds.”
Weak, exhausted, Clint struggled to stand. “I can’t,” the criminal said, breathing hard. “Can’t you see that he’s crazy! He tried to kill me.”
Javier shrugged nonchalantly. “I still haven’t received one note of apology for saving your ass either. Since you’re so ungrateful, maybe I should reconsider and let him finish the job.”
“No!” Clint said fast, wild-eyed, staring at them from the ground. “The both of you seem like reasonable men. Surely, we can come to some type of agreement.” The man’s body shook with fear. “If Duke Addison learns that I botched this hit, I’m going to wish that I were dead.”
“Do you think that I actually care? Now, get up,” Jarrod snapped, having retrieved pieces of rope that been used to bound them earlier. “Better yet, let me help you.”
“Yeah, looks like our little assassin friend needs assistance,” Javier cracked, holding the gun steady. “I know that you’re only happy to oblige.”
Uncaring of the man’s grunts of pain and discomfort, Jarrod hauled him to his feet and then lassoed the binds around his wrist. “Any sign of Tomas?” he probed, passing Javier a fast look.
“Dead,” Javier replied, shaking his head. “Found his body about 10 minutes up the trail with a bullet hole centered straight between the eyes.”
“Well, well, it seems like your days as a free man are soon to be over,” he said, gripping the man’s shackled wrist before pushing him forward. “The feds will be interested in knowing about your murderous misdeeds, here and abroad. Hell, I doubt you’ll even make bail.”
The man’s words were frantic. “If I go back to the States, I’m as good as any dead man,” Clint muttered uneasily, peering at him over his shoulder. “Duke Addison leaves no room for mistakes.”
“Well, you’ve made plenty of them tonight. And your biggest one yet will be mentioning anything about Olivia,” he warned coldly. “If there’s anything that’ll become an automatic death sentence, it’s that, and it’ll be at my hands. Make no mistake about that.” He forced himself to calm. “Since you’re all about making deals, it might be in your interest to cut one with the feds. Tell everything that you know about Duke Addison and his organization, and it might change your sentence from a lethal injection to life without parole. It’s your call.”
A desperate Clint nodded. “If I’m going to rat on Duke Addison, I’m going to need round the clock protection.
“Save your demands for the feds,” he warned again, pushing the criminal forward as he led the way along and path, and Javier followed behind them. “If you want live long enough to see them, I suggest that you keep your mouth shut from this point on.”
To no surprise, the assassin fell silent.
But, the war raging within him, Jarrod thought, staring straight ahead.
There’d never be any peace offering.
Chapter 17
At approximately 12:47 am, she was awakened by Luna’s heartbroken sobs and accusations. “What were you thinking? How could you even put all that we have a risk? Not only were your actions crazy, but they were stupid as well! You never think first---you just do!”
Wide-eyed and alert at once, Olivia shoved the feather blanket off, only to find a battered and bruised Javier trying to console a weeping Luna who resisted his efforts. So embroiled they were in the argument, they didn’t even realize that they held a quiet, captive audience.
Standing up, she took a wild glance around.
Only the three of them occupied the living area.
The fear leapt in her chest.
“Where’s Jarrod?” she asked abruptly, unable to hide the frantic note in her voice. “Why isn’t he here?”
Startled, they both jumped around to face her.
“Something’s happened, hasn’t it?” she asked in a shaky voice. “Please tell me that he’s okay.”
In the semi-darkness, Javier flushed with guilt before clearing his throat uncomfortably. Even the dark shadows couldn’t mask the cuts and tears on his face. “Jarrod’s not here, right now. He said that he didn’t want you to worry and that he’s fine---”
“Please,” she whispered, biting her trembling lips. “I can’t take it with anyone else lying to me.”
“No, I want to talk to Olivia alone,” Luna said firmly, staying him with her hand, and passed her husband an angry stare. “Go lie down and get some rest. We’ll talk later.”
The quietness in the room was unnerving as Javier made his departure, and finally, she and Luna were left alone.
“Olivia,” Luna sighed, grasping her hands as she stopped before her. “There’s something that I have to tell you---”
The long hours of worrying of his whereabouts finally won out. “I-is Jarrod okay?” she asked, and her naked sob broke free. “Has he been hurt? Please---Luna tell me.”
Luna led her to the sofa, and they both sank down together.
“Please tell me that he’s okay,” she pleaded, turning towards her on the sofa. She clasped her shaky hands together in an effort to control their trembling. “I knew that something was wrong. I could feel it.”
“Olivia, listen. Calm down. While he’s not at his best, from my understanding, Jarrod is okay,” Luna hedged, choosing her words carefully. “He’s not here now because he didn’t want to upset you---”
“He didn’t want to upset me!” she exclaimed incredulously, unable to control the anger flowing through her now. “He disappears for an entire day with hardly a word, and he doesn’t want to upset me! Well, it’s a little late for that.”
“Olivia, they were taken by two men, beaten, and tied. They had to fight for their very lives.” Luna dissolved into tears. “They’re both lucky to be alive.”
“No,” she sobbed openly, holding her clasped hands against her mouth. “How could this have happened?”
This time, Luna’s look was evasive. “I-I don’t have all the details, and I think that you should talk to Jarrod when you see him.”
She stood up fast. “I want to see him now. Where is he?”
“Olivia, listen,” Luna soothed. “Jarrod wants to be alone. He thought that it’d be best that you and Meghan stay here for the week, at least until he recuperates somewhat. He doesn’t want Meghan to see him like this.”
She firmed her lips. “I can understand him not wanting Meghan to see him all hurt and banged up. But, that doesn’t give him the right to shut me out,” she said, looking her straight in the eyes, and blinked at the tears. “Luna, please. I need to be with him, and I know that Javier told you of his whereabouts.”
“Olivia,” Luna sighed, looking to the ceiling. “I want to do right by the both of you. I don’t want to see either one of you get hurt.”
“The only thing that’s hurting me is not being able to be a part of his life,” she asserted,
grabbing Luna’s hand. “If you were in my position, wouldn’t you do everything in your power to be with the man that you loved?”
As Luna looked at her, she knew that she’d driven her point home. “Jarrod went to retrieve things from the cabin where you all were staying and he plans to see Father Santos before he leaves the island. After that, he’s returning to Laramie Rock.”
She gave the woman’s hand a squeeze. “Thank you. Believe me. I don’t want to put you in a bad position, but I need to get to the boat before he leaves.” Grabbing Luna’s hand, she looked at her with tear-filled eyes. “Earlier, you asked me not to give up on Jarrod. Well, I’m not, and I’m fighting with everything to love him.”
Luna hesitated, but then acquiesced with a fast nod. “I’ll take you to the port. But, let me talk to Javier first. He won’t agree with my actions, but he’s already in enough hot water with me already. After that, I’ll bring the car around,” she said. “Give me five minutes.”
She stood in silence as Luna disappeared.
With all hope, time would be on her side.
***
Relentlessly and recklessly, the storm raged, and it’d grown more turbulent since he’d departed from the mainland. Along with the high winds, a streak of lightning lit up the heavens, and deep thunder followed as the storm clouds raced along the firmament.
Sending an anxious glance to the monitors for the umpteenth time, Jarrod struggled to see past the drenching sheets of heavy rain and ignored the wetness as it beat against his face and yellow slicker that he wore.
A gale of high wind rushed through and pushed against the yacht. As the motor yacht bore the strong current, he gunned the engine down. “Damn it, come on!” he cursed, throttling the thrust. In these last minutes, locating an exact point was proving to be difficult. As the motor yacht tilted and rocked against the crashing waves, he gunned the engine down further, struggling to stay on course.
Though dawn had yet to break, the dark clouds made the firmament resemble night.
Once again, he struggled to see through the driving rain, and as he did, dread filled him. Just ahead, several kilometers away, the bevy of heavy storm clouds tumbled over before meshing into a single streamlined unit and the drenching rain revealed itself as a thick gray sheen. Without a doubt, he was heading directly into the eye of the storm.
The Pawn (Shattered Series Book 1) Page 28