by Nashoda Rose
“Jesus,” Deck muttered.
Some of the kids were terrified, thin as fuck, filthy, pale and I guessed from ten to fourteen years old. Other kids had no reaction to our appearance at all—numb. I knew the feeling. No longer caring. Time and fear no longer existent.
“Package located.” Deck glanced over his shoulder at Vic who jogged toward us.
“Target has landed,” Tyler’s voice said over the headset. “Repeat, target has landed. Shitload of firepower.”
I looked at the kids. “Move away from the door. Against the wall.” I gestured with my hands, uncertain if they all understood English. But the farm hadn’t been strictly about combat and pain and torture, we’d had intense schooling. We had to be able to communicate and intermingle with some of the most powerful men in the world, criminal or otherwise.
A couple of the older kids moved first then the others followed.
“Any more of you here?” Deck asked.
A young boy, probably the smallest, stepped forward. He didn’t look Colombian and had blond hair and bright blue eyes. He also looked unafraid of us. “In the pit. Trick.”
“Trick?”
The kid nodded and pointed to one of the pits on the left side of the yard. “Trick is bad all the time. He’s always in the pit.”
“Jesus,” I muttered. Because I knew what it was like and depending on what time of year, the pit was hot, cramped and suffocating. If you panicked, it only made it worse because you couldn’t breathe, and screaming got you more days in the pit.
Deck was already moving to the pit the kid indicated. My head snapped up. Footsteps. Lots of them and they were running. I pushed the kids back away from the door. “Get back and stay down.”
We planned on having time to get the kids out before Moreno showed, if he showed, but he was here within minutes. No way could he be here within minutes of us taking the place.
Someone told him we were coming.
“Tyler, target confirmed?” Deck asked.
There was radio silence.
“Fuck. Tyler.”
Nothing.
“Vic,” Deck said.
“On it.” Vic was out the door and gone.
“Deck. We do this. Now.” He looked at me, paused, and then nodded.
Moreno was the target and he’d come here with a shitload of firepower. Firepower that Deck and I couldn’t handle on our own and with kids potentially getting hurt in a shit storm of gunfire. We needed a controlled take down.
Deck ran to the wall, grabbed one of the ladders and lowered it into the pit closest to him. He gave me an abrupt nod and then disappeared inside.
I stood in the middle of the yard when Moreno’s men barged in. I’d never surrendered before, but as I stood in the yard where I’d spent two years of my life, I realized I had surrendered—to Vault.
I tossed my knife to the right of me then held up my hands. Two guys covered the door while five took the perimeter of the yard and three surrounded one man—Moreno.
They walked toward me then stopped five feet away, guns aimed at my chest.
Moreno was tall and probably why he didn’t look overweight, but he had a belly that hung over the belt on his pants. His hair was greased back and curled slightly at the curve of his neck. He also had a sharp, long nose with a notch in the center, and cruel, beady brown eyes.
His face was weathered from too much sun and made him appear older than his fifty-five years. He wore black pants and a white, cotton button-down that had the first three buttons undone and revealed his two gold necklaces, one with a cross and the other with an oversized emerald.
“Moreno.” I lowered my hands and one of the men gestured with his gun and I put them up again.
I’d recognized the necklaces from when I was a kid. This was the man who’d stared down at me in the pit. The man who had stood with the other Vault members and watched my father tortured then killed by my mother. Who’d watched my sister beaten.
I practiced for years and years to conceal my anger and numb myself, but fuck, I wanted to kill the bastard. I wanted him to die the way my father did. I wanted to cut that smirk off his face and have him beg me to let him live.
I clenched my jaw and forced a smile. “How have you been? Been a while, Moreno.”
“Yes. Since your sister’s little… mishap.” He clucked his tongue. “Such disloyalty you and your sister have shown to those who have raised you. Given you everything.”
I had so much to say to that, but words had no meaning to him and it only gave him power. Instead, I ignored the guard’s order to keep my hands up and lowered them to my side. They tensed and looked to Moreno who merely shrugged. Cocky bastard.
“You could’ve done better, Kai. I expected something a little more creative from you. Taking my wife and telling me to meet you here or you will kill her?” He laughed. “What…. Did you think I’d show up alone? That I’d let you live once you hand over my wife? What do you want? Money? Drugs? Power?”
I decided to play it off like I knew what he was talking about as it gave me an advantage. “Ah, the beautiful Catalina. A little young for you, isn’t she?”
That pissed him off as the fingers on his right hand twitched at his side. “You think you come into my country, into my house, kill twenty of my men and leave with my wife?” His house? Killed his men? Ernie and Tristan had eyes on him. They weren’t going in.
He laughed and the shrill sound echoed off the cold, sterile walls of the yard. “You dare to threaten me? My wife? You must not like your family very much.”
I chuckled. “I killed my own mother. And as you know my father is already dead.”
He took a step closer and so did the assholes with the assault rifles pointed at me. “And what about the girl… what’s her name? London. And your sister. Both would be nice additions to my bed.”
I glared, the twitch in my jaw and tension in my body sparking. I didn’t even want her name to pass his disgusting lips.
There was a slight movement above me to the left on the wall surrounding the yard. I didn’t look, to avoid drawing attention, but they were getting into position, Tristan and Ernie. I had no idea what happened to Vic and Tyler.
A man like Moreno didn’t let something go down like this and let anyone live, and he sure as hell wouldn’t give me money, power or drugs in exchange for the return of his wife. But what I couldn’t figure out was why he thought I had his wife. But I had an idea who did.
“My wife, Kai.”
I needed a few more minutes for Vic and Tyler, but I didn’t know if either was still alive. “I very much doubt your wife wants to go back to you.”
He smiled and it was a tight, cruel smile. “Grab one of the kids,” Moreno ordered to the man on his right.
Fuck. Within seconds, this was going to turn real ugly.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement in the pit or rather at the edge of the pit and it wasn’t in the one Deck was in. Trick? But how the hell would the kid get to the top of the pit without a ladder?
Then I saw the rifle.
What the fuck? I kept my expression steady, but as the familiar eyes appeared over the edge, I suddenly knew what the fuck was going on.
Connor.
Jesus. He was here. In one of the pits. Waiting.
Catalina. He was the one who had Moreno’s wife. He was the one who killed twenty of Moreno’s men then came here and waited for Moreno to show up. What he probably hadn’t expected was to see us.
Our eyes met for a split second. His were bloodshot, but the wild look had steadied.
I gave the signal knowing Deck, Ernie, Tristan, Vic and Tyler, if he was alive, could hear me in the headset. “It’s time.”
Then shit got real as I dove for Moreno, relying on Deck and the others to take out his men before I was hit. I felt the spray of dirt on my pants legs from the impact of bullets hitting the ground beside me.
It was chaos as Deck and Connor both shot up from the pits, and Ernie and Tristan came i
n from above.
Moreno made a dive for the door to where the kids were. I got to him first and slammed into him. We both hit the ground hard.
I grabbed him by the shirt, yanked him up, and spun him around before plowing my fist into his jaw. Then again. And again. Blood splattered my face and into my eyes, but it didn’t matter because all I saw was red.
Moreno’s fist crashed into my cheek and my head flung back. I reached for my knife in my boot. As my hand curled around the hilt, there was a stabbing pain in my side. I knew it was a knife wound, but nothing would deter me from ending this man’s life.
I yanked my knife free and had it to his throat before he took his next breath.
He stilled.
I was on top of him, something sticking in my side and the warmth of my blood soaking into my shirt. “Been wanting to do this a long time.”
He smirked. “You’re no better than me, Kai.”
It was my turn to smirk. “Actually, I am better. Because I’m the one with the knife to your throat. And I’m going to take great pleasure in killing you.”
His smile dropped and his eyes widened. “I’ll give you whatever you—”
I didn’t care to hear what he’d trade for his life because nothing would stop me from killing him. But it wasn’t the knife at his throat that killed him. It was the other one I’d grabbed in the dirt from where I’d tossed it earlier when I ‘surrendered.’
I lifted my body inches off him before stabbing the knife up between his ribs.
He grunted with surprise, face twisted with agony. My hand still on the hilt. I jerked up further. Blood spurted from his nose and mouth and a screeching sound escaped his throat.
I climbed off him, but straddled his body while I peered down at him.
His hands went to the knife still lodged in his chest as if to pull it out. Then he went limp and his arms fell to his sides, eyes staring and blank.
“You guys done yet?” It was Tyler over the headset. “The body is starting to stink up the place.”
Vic huffed then said, “Dragged his ass into a classroom.”
“You good, Tyler?” Deck asked.
“Good, boss. A few pints short on blood. Fading out, so you might want to hurry the fuck up.”
I stepped away from Moreno and noticed Connor beside me staring at Moreno, a murderous glare in his eyes. He walked over to the body, unsheathed his knife, bent and stabbed Moreno in the throat. Then he wiped off his knife on Moreno’s sleeve and placed it back in his leather sheath.
“You have his wife?” I asked.
He nodded, but his eyes were still on Moreno. Hatred burned pure and steady from him. I was uncertain how Moreno and his wife played into Connor’s life, but it wasn’t good, and Connor obviously had some of his memories back, although I was uncertain which parts.
Vic had taken off to get Tyler while Ernie checked the bodies, and Deck and Tristan filtered out the kids and talked to them. Well, Tristan spoke, but his soft reassuring tone was nothing like the cocky playboy Georgie had complained about coming into her coffee shop when she’d been assigned to make contact.
When the last of the kids came out of the room, Connor’s eyes deviated from Moreno to them. There was a flicker of softness before they hardened again. Tristan lowered a ladder into a pit on the north side of the yard and climbed down to get the kid, Trick.
Deck jogged up to Connor and me and said to him, “You remember?”
Connor’s expression was blank. “Don’t need to remember. Told you to leave me the fuck alone.”
Deck stiffened, brows lowering. “Connor, it’s over. You can come home. We’ll get you medical—”
Connor’s harsh, gravelly laugh had Deck stop short. “Too late for that.” He glanced over at the kids. Tristan was crouched down in front of them speaking, his hand on Trick’s shoulder. “She was good with kids.”
“Who?” Deck asked.
Connor began to back away, his eyes never leaving Deck as if he were waiting for Deck to kill him. “She’s in the sewer tunnels under his house. West wall. Get her the fuck out of Colombia.” He’d backed all the way to the door and then his eyes narrowed. “Tell my sister I’m dead.”
Then he was gone.
Six weeks later
THE BED SAGGED, and I instantly woke as Kai kissed the back of my neck and slid in behind me.
“Hey, baby,” he whispered next to my ear then kissed the side of my neck.
“Is it time to get ready?” I’d fallen asleep after Kai fed me then fucked me on the dining room table before carrying me to bed and showing me how much he loved me.
His hard cock pressed into my ass and I wiggled back into him.
“Not going to Deck’s engagement party. Told you that.” His arm curved around my waist then squeezed. “Fuck. Love you in my bed naked.”
“Kai, we have to go.” I tried to turn over to face him, but he held me tight against him. “Georgie and Deck will be disappointed.”
He snorted. “Do you think I give a shit if Deck is disappointed?”
“Okay, well, maybe not. But Georgie.”
Deck and Kai would never be friends and in the six weeks since we’d been back in Toronto, we’d only seen him once. Tristan and Chess invited us over to show us the house Mason Developments was building for the kids rescued from Colombia. Deck and Georgie were there, along with Ernie who was overseeing the project.
The house was on a hundred acres and to be completed in a couple months. It already had thirty rescued farm animals, including a pot-bellied pig the boy Trick had named Bacon, and a three-legged goat who was an escape artist and refused to stay in the field with the horses. He’d badly injured his leg, attempting to jump a barbed wire fence where the farmer kept him. He had snagged himself on the wire and was left hanging for hours.
The farmer sent him to slaughter. Emily, who rescued horses, and Chess, went to the auction and bought him along with the pig and five horses. “Georgie would be. It’s important, Kai”
“Don’t like that shit. I’d rather stay in bed with you.”
I moaned when his thumb brushed over my nipple. He was good at distraction. “Kai. We’re going.”
“Mmmm.” He kissed my neck again and his hand trailed a gentle path down between my legs. I sucked in air as he ran his finger through the wetness, and sweet tweaks erupted in my belly. “We show late and leave early,” he offered.
This was him, conceding. I smiled. “Okay.”
He moved in closer and, with his other hand, he guided his cock down my ass to between my legs. Then agonizingly slow, he pushed inside of me.
“Kai.” I arched back into him, eyes closed, breath stilled. When he filled me completely, I sighed. “This…”
He trickled lazy kisses along my neck. “Yeah, baby?” he murmured, settling inside me but not moving yet.
“Kai, this. You. You’re my everything. You’re my always.”
“Fuck, braveheart.” He abruptly pulled out and before I could contemplate why, he had me on my back and he was on top. He pushed my legs open none to gently with his knees, and then lowered his hips and thrust back inside me.
His fingers sifted through my hair then fisted a bunch of strands. “Mouth, baby. I need your mouth after you say sweet shit like that.”
I bit my lip smiling.
And then any control he had vanished as his mouth took mine. Tasting. Owning.
I moaned beneath his bruising mouth, my legs hooking his waist to bring him closer. I had to feel every inch of him. Our mouths became a wild frenzy of need for one another with teeth clashing and lips bruised. My stomach whirled. Between my legs throbbed and I melted into the man who was my always.
He groaned, pulled back, and slid his hands down my arms, to lock on my wrists and drag them above my head. “Want you too much right now. So, I’m going to fuck you. And it’s going to be hard. You good with that?”
“Yeah,” I whispered.
He stared at me, those piercing green eyes flar
ed with intense desire and need, his mouth inches from mine as he made me wait. His hands moved from my wrists to my hands where our fingers intertwined.
Eyes locked.
Bodies locked.
Our lives locked.
No key fit a perfectly ruined lock. Because that was what we were. Both ruined, but perfect together.
We were always and everything.
“Love you, Kai,” I said.
His eyes flashed and his body tensed. “Always, baby.”
His mouth crashed down on mine. At the same time he pulled out and thrust inside me hard. Then he thrust again and again, hard and without mercy. It was as if he were trying to convince himself I was there in his arms. That I wouldn’t break and disappear on him.
“I’m here,” I whispered. “I’m here and I’m never leaving you.” He’d denied himself love his entire life, but love did conquer. It did prevail.
And now, his life was a fairy tale. It was one fucked-up fairy tale, but still a fairy tale where the prince gets his princess.
And this prince was mine. Kai was mine just as much as I was his, and he was making certain that was imprinted as he took every part of me.
I moaned as his mouth trailed kisses down the curve of my neck. Then he took my nipple into his mouth and suckled as he continued to pump into me, but slower, softer.
“Fuck, baby. You’re so fuckin’ damn beautiful.” He flicked his tongue over my nipple then drew it back into his mouth, teasing.
“Kai.” I arched my back.
He ground his hips, rotating against my clit. I gasped, feeling my tightness building.
“London,” he groaned. “Damn it. I can’t… fuck, come for me baby.”
But he didn’t need to tell me because I was already there. “Oh, God. Oh, God,” I gasped. My body tensed. My insides clenched and waves of desire shot through my body over and over again.
Then he tilted his upper body up and thrust hard and fast several times. “Jesus,” he yelled. His body tensed and shuddered for several seconds before he stopped.
He dropped his head forward in to my neck as his chest heaved in and out. “Fuck,” he whispered.