Ellen’s face softened and she reached across the table to cover Avery’s hand with her own. “No, dear. It wasn’t supposed to be you.” She patted her hand. “Now, drink your tea and get some sleep. I’ll show you how to make a pot roast tomorrow. It’s one of Quinn’s favorites.”
Ellen rose to her feet, put the teapot away, squeezed Avery’s shoulder and walked softly from the room. Too stunned to do anything but sit there, Avery stared at her cup.
Ellen didn’t blame her for Ryan’s death. She nurtured Avery when she was sick. She welcomed her into her home when danger knocked. As much as it should be wrong, she felt at home here. Cared for.
Unable to process, she spied Chris’s car keys sitting on the counter. Without a second thought she grabbed them, fetched the cell phone Quinn had loaned her, and snuck out of the house. Without a sound she climbed inside. The scent of leather and man surrounded her as she put the key in the ignition, then paused. She’d wake the entire household.
Instead, she dialed Quinn’s number. He answered on the first ring. “What’s wrong?”
“Were you even sleeping?”
“Avery.”
“I need to see you.”
Silence. Then, quietly. “What happened?”
She slid down in the seat, tears floating in her eyes. His voice calmed her nerves, wrapped around her like a warm blanket, made her feel less out of control.
“I told you this was a bad idea,” she said with a small laugh as she wiped a tear off her cheek.
“Tell me.”
So she did. She purged it all. Her parents’ passing, how scared she’d been when she moved in with her aunt, who made it very clear she couldn’t afford her. How alone. How the kids treated her in school, how she felt like she didn’t belong anywhere. Tim’s ultimatum and her broken engagement. Which led to telling him about Dembe and how she’d gone back to Uganda a year later, during summer break, with boxes of donated books only to find herself in the middle of a war that she had helped start. She’d escaped with her life, but Dembe hadn’t. Deep down, she knew the war started long before she went there, but that didn’t erase the fact she had let that little girl down.
She couldn’t stop the words from pouring out: her fears, her vulnerabilities, her secrets. And when she was finished she felt open and raw. Confused. Uncertain where to go next. Not even Macy knew her deepest, darkest secrets and now that they were out there she wanted to take them back.
This deep connection she felt with Quinn terrified her. Made her want to run.
“I’m sorry about your brother,” she said, knowing that would drive a wedge between them. That it would sabotage the intimate moment. But, wasn’t that what she always did?
“Nothing we can do to change it.”
She smiled sadly, feeling him slip away just as she knew he would. “I know. Goodnight, Quinn.”
With that she hung up and let the tears fall, because it was actually goodbye.
****
Quinn disconnected and held his cell in his hand for a moment before laying it on the coffee table. He hadn’t been sleeping when Avery called, but watching the late night news, unable to sleep. As much as he hated to admit it, he missed having Avery around.
She had purged the rest of her secrets about her childhood tonight. Admitting her fear and loneliness after her parents were killed. Not to mention an aunt who didn’t want her.
He couldn’t imagine what that felt like.
Then, to be given a choice between her job or the man she loved. Jealousy shot through his gut. If she’d truly loved the guy she would have chosen him. Then again, Avery had made a promise and nothing short of death would make her stray from that. Loyalty ran deep in her, despite being shunned by practically everyone in her life. Hell, she’d proven it time and time again with his family. The bastard didn’t deserve her.
Yet, despite all that, Avery had pulled herself out of the depths of despair and built an empire for a little girl who died in her arms. Giving herself to others, dedicating herself to her cause. She thought herself weak and vulnerable. He saw her as the strongest woman he’d ever known.
Guilt flooded him. He’d never really told Avery he didn’t blame her for Ryan. Despite knowing she carried that burden like a shield. Hell, she’d just used it to push him away. As she did whenever anyone got too close.
Maybe it was for the best. Distance would keep them alive.
Then why did he want to drive over there right now just to be with her?
God, he was in deep.
****
Avery opened her eyes to bright sunlight shining through the windows. With a groan she stretched and sat up. Rubbing the kinks out of her neck, she reached for the cell phone Quinn loaned her and checked to see if he’d called.
No messages.
Her spirits fell, which was ridiculous. What did she expect? She’d pushed him away.
An ache formed in her chest at the thought of Quinn’s brother. She and Quinn hadn’t really talked about the events of his death. Tiptoed around it, but never confronted his true feelings about it. About her.
Sex was sex. Didn’t have to involve feelings. She’d be a fool to believe Quinn could think of her as anything except a lover. He had let her go on the phone last night so the Wolff family could move on with their lives. Without her as a reminder of what they lost.
She pulled the key out of the ignition and slid them in her pocket along with the cell phone, climbed out, and headed inside. Instantly, she knew something was wrong. The house was unusually quiet. Normally, there were voices somewhere, people moving around. She thought for sure Ellen would be up making breakfast.
So where was everyone?
Uneasy, she walked toward the kitchen. Empty. No coffee made.
Voices drifted up the stairway leading to the basement.
Azebek accent.
Footsteps on the stairs.
Heart pounding, she tore out the front door, across the deck and ran for the woods. She’d never have time to start Chris’s car and drive away before they shot out the tires, so she opted for a hiding place before they discovered her presence. That way she could help save Quinn’s family. Not cause them more grief.
Voices on the porch had her ducking behind a large oak tree. Breath coming in short gasps, she reached in her pocket for the cell phone Quinn had given her. Only to find her pocket empty.
Panicked, she risked a peek around the tree and saw it lying in the grass next to the porch. Must have fallen out of her pocket when she jumped off.
Crap.
Now what?
They would find the phone for sure and know someone else was here. And now she couldn’t call Quinn for help. She could run to his house. But, risked getting lost in the woods. She didn’t know this area like the Wolff brothers did. Getting lost would help no one.
So, she couldn’t drive, walk or call for Quinn to help. And she couldn’t sneak up to the house for the phone with the two guards patrolling the deck. It was only a matter of time before they discovered the cell.
Bobbing back behind the tree, she forced calm. Think. Ramil wanted her, not Quinn’s family. She could trade herself for them. Walk right in there and demand a trade. Her for them.
What if he didn’t take it and hurt Quinn’s family anyway?
She refused to wear their blood on her hands too. One brother was bad enough. Protecting the remaining members of the family was all that mattered. Somehow, she had to make this right.
Now to figure out how to save the family and herself, because she sure as hell couldn’t go back into captivity.
A shudder worked its way through her. Maybe Chris had a weapon in his car. Wasting no time, she crouched low and darted through the bush until she reached the garage. With her back pressed against it, she followed it to the driveway.
At the edge she poked her head out. The two guards were talking on the corner of the deck, not really paying attention to the driveway. One smoked a cigarette.
Crouched low
, Avery hurried to Chris’s car and snicked open the driver’s side door. Without a sound she slipped inside and closed the door. Lying across the seat she opened the glove compartment and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw a gun on top of a folded road map.
God love the Wolff brothers for being prepared.
She took it out and checked the clip. Full. Scott had insisted she and Macy learn to shoot and take some self-defense classes before they began traveling abroad. Macy had jumped in with both feet, but Avery had been a bit less enthusiastic to learn to shoot a gun. Now, she was thankful she had learned.
Grief gripped her chest at the thought of her friends and she choked back a sob. Not the time to break down.
Lifting her head, she peered over the dashboard to see the men were patrolling the yard. Disheartened, she watched the one who had been smoking bend down and pick up her cell phone. He turned it over in his hand before calling out to the other guard.
Seconds later his gaze scanned the tree line, lips pressed together.
They knew someone else was there. And since they were here and not at Quinn’s there was a good chance they knew it was her.
What if they were torturing Quinn’s family for information? Hurting them to get to her?
Memories of what they had done to her assaulted her. It took every ounce of her control to remain seated until the guards moved around the opposite side of the house. The instant they disappeared from view, she snuck from the car and crossed the yard to the front door.
Carefully, she let herself in, leading with the gun.
The sound of a vehicle approaching made her freeze. Seconds later a car door closed. Voices came from the basement, followed by a muffled grunt.
She didn’t have time to go warn the newcomer before footsteps pounded on the basement steps. Finding the nearest door, she slipped through and found herself in the pantry.
A gunshot sounded from outside, making her jump. Her elbow bumped a can of green beans, rocking it. She blocked it with her body to keep it from falling off the shelf. What she didn’t stop was the box of pasta that tipped over when she bumped the shelf and toppled to the floor. It didn’t spill but it made enough noise to wake the dead.
The blood rushed past her ears as she reached for the door handle. The door jerked open and before she could get a shot off someone grabbed her by the throat and dragged her from the closet.
The gun was wrenched from her hand by one of the guards. The one with the scar.
“The boss will be happy to see you.”
“Then take me to him and leave the rest of my family alone.” The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them. As much as she wanted it to be true, the Wolffs would never be her family.
“I think it’s too late for them.”
Panic spiraled through her. She lashed out, kicking him in the shin and driving her fingers into his eyes. He howled and reared back, his grip loosening on her neck. Taking advantage, she threw an elbow into his gut and he let go long enough for her to duck under his arm and run.
The barrels of two assault rifles stopped her dead in her tracks.
“You are a resourceful one, aren’t you?”
Ramil Diakameli.
Everything inside her went cold as he stalked closer to her. The blow to her jaw caught her completely off guard and slammed her into the wall. Stunned, she cupped her cheek and stared at Ramil, fighting the dots dancing in front of her eyes.
“Take her downstairs.”
His clipped voice indicated he wasn’t happy with his actions either. One of the guards grabbed her roughly by the arms and forced her down the steps to the basement. When she saw Frank and Chris on their knees, trussed and gagged, her stomach plummeted. Then her gaze landed on Ellen, next to her husband, head held high though fear shown in her eyes. Bailey wasn’t there, but she had spent the night.
And, at the end of the row, bleeding from a wound in his shoulder sat Quinn. Everything she’d said last night reflected in his eyes along with a healthy dose of focused rage. Not at her, but Ramil Diakameli. The man who dared harm Quinn’s family.
The guard pushed her into the room and shoved her to the ground. Her knees scraped on the cement floor. She didn’t ask about Bailey in case she had managed to escape or hide somewhere in the house. With luck, Quinn’s sister was on her way to the sheriff’s department right now.
On her knees, she faced the family she’d grown to love. She looked at their faces, saw nothing but concern. For her. And knew at that moment what she had to do.
“Give me your word you’ll let them go,” she said directly to Ramil. “And I will go willingly.”
Angry, muffled shouts from Chris. Ramil nodded to one of the guards, who stepped forward and slammed the butt of his weapon into Chris’s temple. Avery flinched when Chris grunted and slumped to the floor. God help her, she couldn’t let this family be hurt anymore by this monster.
“Stop!” she cried. “Please. Give me your word and I’m yours to do with as you please.”
Ramil stepped in front of her. “They mean that much to you?”
“Yes.”
His eyes narrowed. “I did not expect this loyalty from an American. Particularly a woman. What do you owe them?”
Her gaze bounced to Quinn, strengthening her resolve, then back to Ramil. “My life.”
A sob came from Ellen and Frank shook his head, but she didn’t look at them and held strong. This was the only way to save them.
“You are no hero and you do not deserve an honorable death,” Ramil said with vehemence.
Avery’s stomach plummeted. No, he couldn’t deny her.
He nodded to one of the guards, who grabbed her by the throat and forced her to her feet. The scent of apricots drifted past her nose, churning her stomach. “I will, however, take from them what you owe.”
The guard dragged her up the steps. Behind her she heard Quinn’s family protesting. But she didn’t fight. She upheld her end of the bargain.
At least until they were far away from the Wolff family.
****
Quinn inched the knife out of Chris’s boot and used it to cut the ties off his wrists. Then his ankles. When he finished he moved to his dad and cut his ties. He faced his mom. Her eyes filled with tears as he removed her gag. Rage coursed through him when he saw the bruise coloring her temple.
“I’m sorry, Mom.” He touched the bruise.
She shook her head. “You did nothing wrong. You couldn’t have known what they would do. But Avery is in danger and so is your sister.”
His gaze sharpened. “What do you mean?”
His dad answered. “They took your sister too. Before they brought us down they had one of the guards take her.”
Déjà vu hit him like a wrecking ball. No, this was different. This time they knew who’d taken Bailey.
Chris groaned again and pushed to a sitting position. He looked at Quinn, then the two deceased guards. “Missed all the fun, huh?”
“Christopher Wolff, that’s not funny.” Ellen shot him a disapproving look.
“Sorry, Mom. Someone untie me, please.” Although he asked nice, his words were strained.
As his dad moved to untie Chris, Quinn finished with his mom’s bonds. It only enraged him more seeing the red marks around her wrists and ankles.
When she was freed she cupped his cheeks. “Go get my girls and bring them home.”
My girls. That was his mom. The most forgiving woman in the world. She had accepted Avery as one of her cubs. One of her kids, and the past had been laid to rest. Even if Avery couldn’t forgive herself.
He kissed her palm. “I will.”
“Bring them home, son,” his dad said.
Quinn met his dad’s eyes for a moment, knowing he would stand behind him no matter what Quinn had to do to get Avery and Bailey back. With a nod, he motioned for Chris to follow, left his mom to his dad’s ministrations and strode out to his truck. He called Evan for cleanup on the drive to his house. Kell
waited for them. One look at Chris and the expression on Quinn’s face and he didn’t have to ask what had happened. Although his gaze lingered on Quinn for a moment longer.
Quinn masked his expression from his brother’s searching gaze and strode to the war room. “Tell me that tracking device is still in Avery’s boot,” he said to Chris.
“I’ll let that one go.” Chris dropped into the chair next to him, nudged him aside and began typing. Maps flashed across the monitors.
When a red dot illuminated, Quinn expelled a breath. “Let’s go.”
It only took them minutes to gear up and pile into Quinn’s truck. They were three against a small army, but no one pointed that out as Quinn followed the tracker in Avery’s boot. He rescued her twice; he’d do it again.
Chapter Twenty
Avery groaned, forcing her eyes open. Her shoulders ached where they had tied her hands behind her back too tightly. She tried to move her feet. Secured also. They weren’t taking any chances this time.
Cases of bottled water were stacked next to her head and a locked black box at her feet. Glancing toward the front, she saw two men. One driving, one passenger. Neither of them were Ramil Diakameli.
He had left Quinn’s family alone, as promised, and taken her. Ellen had been shaking her head, fear and concern in her eyes, as they dragged Avery up the stairs. She hadn’t dared meet Quinn’s eyes.
Her agreement to go willingly didn’t seem to matter. They had knocked her out before she reached the front door.
They van turned sharply around a curve. Something bumped into her from behind. A moan.
Avery’s eyes widened. Someone was in here with her.
Carefully, she rolled over, wincing when pain shot through her shoulder, and came face to face with Bailey.
The bastard hadn’t kept his word after all.
Bailey’s gray-green gaze met hers. She, too, was bound, and gagged.
No, no, no. She couldn’t let the IPA sell Bailey into slavery. That was the only explanation for why Ramil would have taken her. He told her how much profit he made on American women. And Bailey was gorgeous. She’d bring in a high price for sure.
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