Quinn took her over the edge with him, holding her gaze until she collapsed on top of him, limp.
As he waited for his breathing to return to normal, he wondered what hold Avery had on him. He sure as hell couldn’t shake it.
****
Dani’s knees gave out and she fell on top of Ryan’s grave. Pain so deep her chest heaved with the ache, she pressed her face to his gravestone. Warm soil heated her cheek, soaking up the tears that fell freely. In her hand she held his dogtags, wrapped around her palm so tight the beads cut into her skin.
Blinded by raw misery, she closed her eyes, wishing the earth would swallow her up and take her to the man she loved and missed so much it hurt. Her shoulders shook with her grief until she was empty. Then came the loneliness. When she felt lost. Like her insides had been hollowed out.
“I love you,” she whispered past the ringing in her ears.
Warmth spread over her face and she pressed closer to the gravestone. “I miss you so much.”
Her eyes drifted closed, exhaustion taking over. When was the last time she’d slept more than a couple hours without waking up in tears, reaching for Ryan? God, she wanted to hold him, smell him, hear his voice. What she wouldn’t give to feel his touch again. Everything reminded her of him. His brothers. His parents. The house. This town.
He was everywhere.
Maybe someday that would bring her comfort.
Right now all it did was make her hurt more.
She’d mourned the loss of her parents when she was twenty-one, but that pain didn’t compare to this. This felt like her heart had been ripped from her chest. A piece of her was missing and somehow she didn’t think she’d ever get it back.
****
“Quinn, go. I’ll be fine.”
Avery gave Quinn a nudge toward the door. He hesitated and pulled out his cell phone. “Speed dial any number and you’ll get one of my brothers.”
“You’re going to be right out back.” She took the phone. As much as she wanted to spend the rest of the evening in bed with him, some time alone to work would do her good. She’d barely had a minute alone since she’d been here and it was suffocating her. Her aunt needed her check and Avery wanted to work. She needed him to go to this meeting with his brothers.
She gave him a push but he didn’t budge. “Your brothers are waiting.”
“Call me. For anything.” He pressed a hard kiss to her lips, then strode out the door.
Once he was gone, Avery slipped into his office and sat at his computer. The tension slowly left her body as she began to work.
This is what she missed. Quinn was used to having his family around. He didn’t understand her desire to be alone with her work. It was all she had. All she’d ever known. Her aunt’s disability had pushed her into the workforce at a young age. Now, it grounded her. Besides, what else did she have to do?
A noise in the other room brought her out of her thoughts. Thinking it was Quinn ,she opened the door and slipped into the hallway. No sooner had she closed the door behind her than the sharp prick of a needle stung the side of her neck.
She lashed out at her attacker, but the drug had already entered her system and her efforts were wasted. With a heavy hand she reached for the cell phone in her pocket. Her fingers fumbled with the keys as her vision narrowed.
The phone fell from her hand as everything went black.
Chapter Eighteen
Quinn strode through the house in search of Avery. The meeting with his brothers had run longer than intended, but they had a plan of action. That was the good news. The bad news: when Evan untied their prisoner to change tactics, the bastard bit into a cyanide capsule implanted in the skin between his thumb and forefinger. He’d been gone before they could save him, which meant no intel.
When he didn’t find her in the kitchen or living room, he headed for his office. He’d seen how it centered her earlier. She’d practically pushed him out of the house. But he got it. Understood her need for normalcy.
He saw his cell phone lying on the floor outside the door and knelt down to pick it up. The hairs on the back of his neck bristled when he looked inside the empty room. Gripping the phone, he rose to his feet at the same time his phone rang.
“Avery’s gone,” he told Kell, a knot forming in his gut.
“You better get back here.”
Quinn ran out the back door and burst into the war room where Kell sat in front of the wall of computers. Chris and Evan were taking care of the body until the sheriff showed up.
“They got her,” Kell said in a low, strained voice. “Someone hacked our security system and disabled all the cameras for about fifteen minutes. Alarms too.”
The band around his chest tightened.
“I found this.” Kell tapped a couple computer keys and drew up an image on the middle screen. “Can’t see his face, but caught a glimpse of his earring.”
The monitor zoomed in on the man’s copper earring. On Quinn’s property. Right outside their doors.
“Whoever the hell hacked my system knew what they were doing,” Kell said, both angry and impressed. “They did their recon.”
“Diakameli wants Avery gone. Needs her gone,” Quinn said, staring at the screen. “He’ll stop at nothing.”
Fury ripped through him. Avery had tried to call for help, but the bastards got to her first. They were a resourceful group, he’d give them that. And he was going to take down every last one of them.
The door opened and Chris and Evan strode in, tension on their faces. Evan looked ready to spit nails.
“Dani is gone too.”
Quinn shot him a look.
“What?”
“She snuck out of the house while Savat was on the phone. Her car is gone.”
“Christ, this is a goatfuck.” Chris raked a hand through his hair.
“I already called Lang. He’s patrolling for Dani’s car.” Evan sent Chris a warning look. “He’ll call as soon as he finds her.”
“Let’s focus on Avery,” Kell interjected.
Chris nudged him aside and sat down at the computers. “I tagged her with a tracking device.”
Quinn sent him a hard look. “When did you do that?”
“The day Bailey sent over clothes for her.” He tapped on the keyboard and the screens covering the wall flickered to life.
“Where the hell is the device?”
“Left boot heel.”
He shook his head and stared at the monitors as maps and coordinates flashed.
“What’s the range?” Kell asked, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched the screens.
“Since this is one of mine, sixty miles, give or take.”
“Good, we won’t lose her.”
Gut clenched, Quinn waited for the signal to lock on Avery’s location. Seconds later a blinking red dot appeared on the screen.
“Got her,” Chris said.
He leaned in closer. “They’re not moving.”
“And they’re only a few miles out of town,” Kell added.
Chris enhanced the images, bringing a farmhouse into view.
“That’s Jim Sander’s place.” The tension in the room rose along with Quinn’s.
“Shit,” Chris muttered.
“Wasn’t he visiting his daughter this weekend?”
Quinn glanced at Evan. “I think so.”
Evan cursed and walked away.
“I’ll call Dad,” Kell said and pulled out his cell phone.
To Chris, Quinn said, “Thanks.”
Chris shrugged and rose from his chair. “Let’s roll.”
****
Avery opened her eyes to complete darkness. Panic skittered down her spine.
Déjà vu hit her like a ton of bricks and the breath trapped in her throat, cutting off her airway. She tugged at the plastic ties securing her wrists behind her back and her ankles to the chair, to no avail.
Oh, God.
Someone moved behind her and she went still. Heart pounding, she waited to be
hit.
Another set of footsteps circled her chair as another person moved behind her. The stench of body odor in a closed space nearly made her gag.
“She’s awake.”
Not a voice she recognized, but the language was all too familiar. Azebek. Proving history was repeating itself and she’d been kidnapped by the IPA a second time.
A sob rose in her throat. Why did she insist Quinn leave her alone? She was such a fool. Oh, God, she couldn’t do this again.
How would Quinn find her? She’d dropped the cell phone before she had a chance to call him. They wouldn’t be able to track the GPS to her location.
Dread clenched her chest like a vise.
Stop.
Quinn had found her once. She had to believe he’d find her again.
She had to hold on.
The sound of footsteps on stairs filled the room. Two people. That put the count to four. Not as many as in the room. Didn’t matter. It only took one person to issue punishment. The man who wanted her to suffer the rest of her days as a sex slave to some monster because he honored death and would not grant it to her.
Unwilling to go there, she focused on her breathing and staying calm. Panicking wouldn’t help her.
Someone came to stand in front of her and the scent of apricots drifted past her nose. All her efforts to remain calm flew out the window. She fought her bonds.
“Enough.”
The command bounced off the walls, cutting through her terror like a blade. A pair of hands clamped down on her shoulders and forced her to sit still. In effort to control her fear, she bit down on the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood.
“You won’t get away with this,” she said, her voice wavering.
“Of course I will.”
His voice was the same as she remembered. Pleasant, smooth. His tone didn’t change, even when he issued orders to have her tortured. Did he watch when they hurt her or did he turn away?
“If you let me go now I’ll disappear. I won’t tell anyone about what I saw.”
“You want me to trust the word of an American? A woman at that?”
“Yes. Please.” She pleaded with him, hating he reduced her to it, but her life depended on it.
“I’m sorry. I cannot do that.”
The softly spoken comment caused her heart rate to spike. Her chest heaved with each breath and no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t calm down.
A light turned on and she blinked, the face in front of her coming into focus. The man from the ledge. She’d been right all along.
“You know who I am?”
Ramil Diakameli. The fact he showed her his face meant she wasn’t leaving this basement.
His hand clamped down on her throat and she let out a startled cry. “Yes,” she cried. “I know who you are.”
The hand released from her neck and she sucked in deep breaths.
“And you know why I must kill you?”
Her heart plummeted to her feet. Please, Quinn, find me soon.
“Because I’ve seen your face? Because I’m American. A woman.”
He nodded. “And because you dared enter my country with your books and your filth trying to educate my women and children—my family—in your western ways. Tell me, on whose authority did you enter my village?”
Not trusting herself to speak, Avery remained silent.
“Now you are silent? You weren’t so silent in my country. Neither was your friend.”
Avery’s head snapped up. “What are you talking about?”
“You were not the only one I took that day. American women bring quite a large sum of money in my auctions.”
Macy. Oh, God.
She fought against her bonds. “Where is she?”
Ramil simply chuckled at her efforts. “Sold to a man who abhors Americans nearly as much as I do.”
No, no, no. She had to save her. It couldn’t be too late. No more blood on her hands.
Forcing the hatred out of her eyes, she lifted her gaze to meet his. “How much did you lose when I was rescued?”
His eyes turned feral. “More than any other woman.”
She tilted her chin. “What’s stopping you from selling me now?”
****
“Dani?”
At the sound of her name, Dani opened her eyes, heavy from exhaustion and grief. Footsteps approached and a shadow spread over her.
“I’m so glad I found you. Everyone is looking for you.”
The sheriff crouched down beside her. His baby blue eyes tender with concern. “Hey. You okay?”
She lifted her head. “I’m fine. I didn’t mean to worry everyone. I just needed some time alone.”
God, her head hurt.
“I get it.” He reached out and helped her to her feet.
The touch of his hand sent a warm shiver up her arm and she quickly pulled away. She was standing by Ryan’s grave. What on Earth was she doing letting another man touch her and responding to it?
Shame flooded her.
“I need to escort you home,” Trevor said. If he noticed her reaction, he didn’t let on. “There’s been a bit of trouble and Quinn wants to make sure you’re safe.”
Her head snapped up. “Trouble?”
“Nothing to worry about. He just wants you home where they can protect you.”
Dani gritted her teeth. She hated all the double talk. The Wolff brothers protected their family well; they just didn’t give them credit for being strong enough to handle the truth. There was no reason to leave her in the dark. Besides, she could put the pieces together. Avery’s bad guys were here and they were in danger. How hard was that to share?
“Protect me,” she scoffed. “From the woman who got my fiancé killed?”
“Dani—”
She raised a hand. “No. I’ve heard it before. I have my car. You don’t need to follow me.”
“It’s my duty.”
Save her from being someone’s duty. She swore, if she ever reached a place she could move on with her life, she would never get involved with anyone in the military, law enforcement or any kind of public service.
Never again.
****
Tension rode him as Quinn turned down the road leading to Sander’s farm. Instead of driving straight to the house, he turned down a narrow trail into one of the cornfields. He parked alongside a row of oak trees and turned off the engine.
He and his brothers climbed out.
“Any movement?” he asked Chris who was monitoring the tracking device on his phone.
“Not yet.”
“Good. Let’s move.”
They followed the dirt tracks toward the trees, using them for cover to approach the house. Two rental cars were parked in front of the farmhouse.
Fire burned through his gut, but Quinn pushed it down. Avery was inside having God knows what done to her.
“That tracker give us any idea where in the house she is?” he asked Chris.
Chris shook his head. “Sorry, bro. Still working on that feature.”
Quinn peered through his binoculars through the first and second floor windows. “No movement. Wish we could see the front of the house.”
“I can do some recon,” Kell offered.
“No time. I want Avery out. Let’s move.”
With Quinn in the lead, they moved toward the front door. When they were in position he turned the handle and eased the door open. He crouched, sweeping the room, while his brothers came in behind him clearing high.
Two militants patrolled the house. One strolled out of the kitchen and another swung around from his perch near the back of the room.
Quinn squeezed the trigger, taking out the one across the room. Blood bloomed across his chest as he slumped against the wall and slid to the floor. A staccato of shots rang out from an assault rifle, followed by the report of Kell’s M4.
They moved into the house as more tangos came through the doorway.
“Go find Avery,” Chris barked.
Quinn broke off, trusting his brothers to hold them off while he got Avery safely out of the house. Only two cars meant a handful of militants. Good odds.
He moved through the house in search of her, checking the rooms, finding them empty. His frustration built as he crept down the stairs down to the basement. Weapon first, he rounded the corner.
A man holding Avery ran with her out the basement door. Quinn squeezed off a round, splintering the cement near the bastard’s head. Avery gasped and ducked. The man grabbed her arm and pulled her out the door.
Quinn ran after them, dodging a bullet once he cleared the doorway. In pursuit, he popped off a warning shot. Realizing he stood little chance of getting away with Avery, the man shoved her aside and darted into the woods.
Cursing, Quinn dropped to her side. “Are you all right?”
She shoved him away. “I’m fine. Go after him!”
Right now his only concern was her. Her face was pale, drawn, her eyes panicked. They’d taken care of the majority of the tangos. One escaping didn’t concern him. Not as much as her safety did.
He pulled her against him. More because he needed to hold her. “Did they hurt you?”
She pushed at his chest. “Damn it, Quinn. You don’t understand. If you let him get away everything is ruined.”
“What are you talking about?”
“That’s Ramil Diakameli. Why didn’t you let him take me?”
Baffled, Quinn stared down at her. “You’re in shock. I’m taking you home.” He lifted her into his arms and rose to his feet just as his brothers came out of the house.
“All clear?” he asked.
“Roger that,” Chris answered. “Lang is on his way for cleanup.”
“He found Dani?”
Chris’s eyes went grim. “She was at the cemetery.”
Quinn’s gut clenched. “Let’s go.”
“Put me down. I can walk,” Avery demanded.
Confused by her tone, he set her on her feet. They hadn’t tortured her this time. In fact, she seemed angry at him, which made no sense.
She was silent all the way home, staring out the window. His concern notched up, making him wonder what the hell had happened in that basement.
When they reached his house she immediately went inside.
“What’s going on with Avery?” Kell asked once Chris and Evan disappeared into the woods on their way to HQ to strip their weapons.
Maximum Risk Page 20