by Elle James
They were several streets from their destination when a full-sized black SUV passed them on the narrow street and slammed into the side of the van.
Sam wrapped his arm around Kinsey to keep her from being flung against the windows.
“What the hell?” Mack swerved, ran up on a sidewalk and almost hit the side of a building.
The vehicle that side-swiped them slowed, backed up and raced toward them.
“Hold on!” Mack shouted, shifted into reverse and backed away as fast as he could, but the other vehicle was gaining on them.
Mack turned onto a side street.
Sam pivoted, looking behind them. “This is a dead end.”
“Damn.” Mack shifted into Drive and would have eased forward, but a bright red Mercedes convertible passed their side street and crashed into the vehicle that had initiated the attack.
The black SUV lurched forward, but its bumper had twisted into the bumper of the Mercedes. When the SUV drove away, it took the Mercedes with it, dragging it down the street and around the next corner.
“Follow them!” Sam shouted from the rear.
Mack raced after the wrecked vehicles. When the van rounded the blind corner, they almost rammed into the back of the red convertible stalled in the middle of the street.
The driver, an older man with a shock of white hair, leaned across the console, talking with a woman with equally white hair.
All eight of the passengers in the van climbed out.
The black SUV was nowhere in sight.
“Everyone okay?” Sam asked.
“I’m okay,” Kinsey said.
Deirdre rubbed her elbow. “Bruised, but alive.”
Wyatt touched Fiona’s temple. “We banged heads.” He stared into her eyes. “Are you all right?”
She pressed a hand to her head. “Yes.” Her gaze shifted to the convertible. “I’m more worried about them.”
Mack and Sam assisted the elderly couple out of the convertible and called for an ambulance and a wrecker. The police came, and Detective Demopolis arrived with them.
An hour later, they were finally able to continue their journey, more subdued than the evening started.
Mack parked on the street above the B&B, and all the passengers disembarked again.
“I can’t get over that driver. What possessed him to deliberately target our van?” Mack asked.
Sam glanced at Kinsey and then back toward his brothers. “I think I know why he did it.”
Wyatt’s lips thinned and his jaw hardened. “Explain.”
“I’d like to get Kinsey out of the street. If you want to come to the B&B where I’m staying I’ll tell you everything.”
Kinsey’s fists clenched. Once again, someone had come after her, impacting others.
Sam took her hand and led her down the steps to the B&B.
Mrs. D came out of her room as soon as she heard the crowd entering her home. “Let me get you all something to drink.” She hurried to the kitchen to fetch tea and biscuits and ouzo for those who wanted something a little stronger.
When all of Sam’s brothers and their ladies were seated at a table in the dining room, Kinsey excused herself, claiming she wanted to get out of the shoes that were killing her feet. She left the group, feeling like the black cloud had spread around Mack’s family and was increasing in size with each passing day.
Back in their room, she stripped out of the shoes and borrowed dress and pulled on a pair of jeans, sneakers and the Santorini T-shirt Sam purchased their first day together.
She stared at the suitcase she’d brought with her to Greece, containing everything she owned. If she were smart, she’d pack up and leave before anyone else got hurt.
As the idea took hold, she knew what she had to do. While Sam filled in his brothers on what had happened over the past few days, she could pack her things and sneak out the door. She wouldn’t have to walk past the dining room and they wouldn’t know she’d gone until she was too far away for them to catch up to her.
And then what? She didn’t have any money, and she hadn’t earned her flight back to the US.
What about the bad guys?
She’d have to be vigilant and careful not to give anyone an opportunity to nab her. She’d have to rely on her self-defense skills and avoid being drugged.
Her lips tightened. It didn’t really matter what happened to her, as long as Sam and his family remained safe. With her out of the picture, the people targeting her would have no reason to bother Sam.
She jerked her suitcase out of the closet, threw it onto the bed and jammed her clothing inside, leaving out the things Sam purchased. Other than the Santorini T-shirt, she wouldn’t take those items. She hadn’t earned them
Kinsey hung up the dress she’d borrowed from Mrs. D in the garment bag and sat at the little table to write two quick notes. One thanking Mrs. D for her hospitality and the loan of her beautiful dress. The other to Sam.
A tear slipped down her cheek onto the paper as she folded it. She placed it on his pillow, grabbed her suitcase and left the room she’d shared with Sam, her chest so tight she could barely breathe.
She was doing the right thing. Leaving was the only way to keep Mrs. D, Sam and his family safe. She should have done it much sooner. Sam wouldn’t have almost been run over by a car or bruised his ribs and knuckles fighting off the bad guys. Mrs. D’s home wouldn’t have been broken into, and Mack’s rental van wouldn’t have been side-swiped, almost killing everyone Sam loved so much.
Kinsey slipped into the hallway and paused, listening to Sam’s warm, rich tones as he shared the details of her disastrous hours in Greece. He owed it to his brothers to let them know why they’d been targeted. But Kinsey still hurt to know she was responsible for all their problems.
If she had been more aware of her surroundings in Athens and held onto her purse…If she hadn’t agreed to work for the Martins and allowed them to bring her to Santorini, none of this would have happened. And she wouldn’t have been kidnapped, nor would she have met Sam.
Even if she tried, she couldn’t begin to regret meeting Sam. He’d shown her that she wasn’t done living. That she still had a lot of love in her heart to give and that honorable men existed in the world. She just had to find one who believed in falling in love and living happily ever after.
But she’d never find another man just like Sam. When he’d loosened up, he’d demonstrated a happier, more adventurous man, and his smile had been well worth waiting for. She’d miss him.
A chair scraped across the tile floor, reminding Kinsey she had to leave before she was discovered. Sam would try to stop her, claiming she wasn’t the one at fault.
But by staying, she knew she brought bad luck and bad men to this wonderful family. As quietly as she could, she tiptoed down the hallway toward the back and exited the building, closing the door behind her.
With a plan in mind and the determination to see it through, she set off.
She just had to find a place to hide near the port until morning when she would search for someone who could take her back to the mainland. From there, she’d contact the U.S. Embassy and beg them to help her get home. If she had to take out a loan to purchase a ticket, she’d pay it all back as soon as she got a job.
Kinsey zigzagged through the narrow passages leading across the side of the hill to the road that would ultimately lead to the port. She had gone past several buildings, moving quickly when the hairs on the back of her neck prickled. A shadow shifted and moved before the shape of a person emerged.
No way. She wouldn’t be the victim again. Not when Sam had done so much to keep her safe. She turned to face her attacker, holding her suitcase in front of her like a shield.
“Kinsey?” a feminine voice said from the darkness. “Oh, thank God you’re okay.” Lois Martin stepped into the starlight, her hands pressed to her chest, her eyes red-rimmed from crying. “They took my children. Help me, please.”
13
Sam brought his b
rothers up-to-date on what had happened since he’d arrived on Santorini and how he’d met Kinsey. He didn’t tell them he’d hired her to be his companion or that she was earning her ticket back to Virginia. “I think the driver of the SUV might have been after the van because Kinsey was in it.”
“Damn,” Wyatt said. “Why didn’t you let us know sooner?”
Sam gave his brother a wry grin. “You were supposed to be on your honeymoon. Besides, we turned over the matter to the police. They know a human trafficking ring is based off this island. They just haven’t been able to capture those responsible.” He glanced around, searching for Kinsey, his pulse quickening. She should have been back from changing out of her dress by then. “I’ll be right back.”
Sam rose from his chair and strode toward the room he’d shared with Kinsey. The haven where he’d made love to her a few short hours ago. Had he embarrassed her by telling his brothers about her tangle with the kidnappers?
“Kinsey,” he called out as he pushed open the door and entered the room. The bed was neatly made, the dark garment bag hung on the closet door and everything was tidy. Too tidy, including the bed where they’d made love before they’d gone out for dinner.
Mrs. D made beds earlier in the day. Had she been in the room while they went out to eat?
That’s when he noticed her suitcase was missing from the closet and there was a folded paper propped on his pillow. A sense of dread washed over him as he crossed the room and lifted it in his hands. He unfolded the note, and his heart sank deeper with every word he read.
Dear Sam,
I’ve loved every minute of our time together. You are the kind of man every woman dreams of, and I was lucky enough to have you for a few short days. But I can’t complete my obligation if, by doing so, I put you and your beautiful family in danger. Don’t come after me. Doing so will only prolong the inevitable. I hope you find the peace you so deserve and someone who will love and appreciate what a wonderful, adventurous man you are. And don’t marry her unless she makes you smile.
Kinsey
“Mack! Wyatt! Ronin!” Sam grabbed his knife and ran out of the room.
All three of his brothers met him in the hallway.
“What’s wrong?” Mack asked.
Wyatt touched his brother’s arm. “Where’s Kinsey?”
“She’s gone.” He handed the note to Ronin, and shoved his Ka-Bar knife into the scabbard strapped to his calf. “We have to find her.”
“We’re with you,” Wyatt said.
Mack nodded. “Damn right. She’s one of us.”
“You really care for her, don’t you?” Ronin asked.
Sam’s heart swelled in his chest. He hadn’t realized until now, but yes, he did care for Kinsey. A great deal. “I know it’s crazy. I’ve only known her a short time, but she’s perfect.”
“And she makes you smile,” Wyatt said. “I didn’t think anyone could do that after Leigha died.”
“Me, either, but Kinsey can. She could make a statue smile just by standing beside it. The woman is amazing, and we have to find her.” He pushed past his brothers and ran out of the building.
He glanced left, then right. Where would she have gone at night? She didn’t have any money, nor did she have the ticket to fly home. She’d left the printed confirmation on the table in their room. Even if she wanted to, she couldn’t change the reservation without paying a fee. Without a credit card, she couldn’t do that, either. Her only option was to find someone to ferry her back to the mainland, which meant she’d head for the dock to see if she could catch a free ride with one of the boats going that way.
“Which way would she have gone?” Ronin asked.
“To the port. If she wants off the island, she’d have to go by water.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed the number the detective provided.
“Athan, I need your help. Kinsey is missing. She might be heading for the port. I’m afraid whoever is after her might find her before she gets there.”
“I’m on my way,” Athan said.
“I’ll meet you on the main road. We’re heading down now.”
He and his brothers split up and took different paths through the twisting corridors up to the main road running along the ridge of the island.
“See anything?” Sam asked as he stood on the side of the road, breathing hard, his heart heavy.
Mack, Ronin, Isabella and Wyatt all shook their heads.
“Nothing,” Mack confirmed.
The more time that passed, the more anxious Sam became. Kinsey could be anywhere. What if someone dragged her into one of the buildings he’d passed? He and his brothers couldn’t begin to search all of them.
If she made it to the main road, she could have been picked up by the men in the SUV who’d rammed the van earlier. In which case, she’d be a lot farther away.
A vehicle pulled up to where the four men stood on the side of the road, and Detective Athan Demopolis stepped out. “You didn’t find her?”
Sam shook his head.
“I got a lead over an hour ago. All my units were too busy handling other incidents to check it out. It might be nothing, but at this point…”
“Anything is better than nothing,” Sam finished.
“What do you have?” Wyatt asked.
“There is a small warehousing building near the Port of Athinios. Cargo is staged going in and out at that point. We received an anonymous call today reporting someone trespassing in that area. The yard has a fence around it, and the gate is usually locked, but the lock had been removed and the gate was unsecured. We sent a unit, but they were called away before they could complete a thorough investigation.”
“If they are trafficking people in and out of Santorini, it makes sense they would take them through the port where boats and ships can dock,” Wyatt said.
Sam clenched his fists. The clue was a long shot, but it was the only one they had. “Let’s check it out.”
Kinsey knew as soon as she agreed to follow Lois Martin that she was making a big mistake. But the look on the woman’s face and the tearstains on her cheeks found their way past Kinsey’s defenses. She didn’t care for the woman, but the kids couldn’t choose their parents. “What happened?” Kinsey asked as she followed Lois through the narrow alleys up to the main road.
“We were at the hotel a couple days ago and men took my children. They said if we wanted them back, we had to check out of the Porto Takisi and do everything they said.”
Kinsey’s heart hurt for the kids. They had to be terrified. “Where’s Mr. Martin?”
“They’re holding him, as well. They let me go to bring you back.”
Kinsey stopped in her tracks. “Are you telling me that I’m the trade? Me for your family?”
She nodded. “I couldn’t see any other way around it. They threatened to kill my husband and children if I went to the police.” Lois grabbed her arm. “Please, you have to come with me. Their lives depend on it.”
“What about my life?” Kinsey demanded.
Tears flowed from Lois’s eyes. “They’re children…”
Kinsey half-turned to walk back to the B&B where Sam and his brothers were. But she’d left to keep them safe. Going back would only embroil them further in her situation. How could she make everything right? She was only one person. A woman worth more to the captors than an entire family they were willing to destroy to get her.
If she lived through that evening and managed to escape, she planned to get fat and dye her hair mud brown. Being blond was not more fun when your life was being threatened by human traffickers.
“I’m going to the police,” Kinsey said.
Lois clutched her arm. “You can’t. They’ll kill my babies.”
“Even if you offer me in trade, we don’t know that they won’t renege and take me and the kids anyway.”
Lois’s fingers dug into her arm. “The kidnappers said that if we notified the police, they’d kill them. Please, they’re just children.”
Kinsey didn’t trust Lois, but the woman was very convincing. She’d find a way to help Lois, if not for the woman herself and her husband, then for the children. They hadn’t lived long enough to deserve to be exterminated by ruthless bastards. Or worse, sold into the sex slave trade.
Her heart squeezed hard in her chest at that thought. An image of Lilly and Dalton playing on the beach swam into Kinsey’s memory. They’d played in the surf and sand with joyous abandon.
Kinsey couldn’t turn her back on them. If it meant trading her life for theirs, so be it. But she’d do her damnedest to escape. She had no desire to be sold into the sex trade, either. And she wouldn’t walk blindly into a trap that would sacrifice her freedom and buy nothing for those poor kids.
Her heart heavy and her nerves stretched, Kinsey followed Lois to the main road where a black SUV with a crushed bumper pulled out of a side road and stopped beside them.
Two big men, probably the ones who’d originally kidnapped Kinsey, jumped out.
Kinsey backed up a few steps, ready to run. “What guarantee do I have that you’ll free the Martin family?”
“None.” Lois’s face hardened, and she jerked her head toward the SUV. “Get her.”
Kinsey’s pulse rocketed and adrenaline raced through her veins. She took off running, glad she’d changed into her sneakers. But she wasn’t fast enough. The men caught her all too soon, tackling her like football players.
She hit the ground so hard, the air was knocked from her lungs. As she skidded across the stone walkway, she skinned her knees through her jeans. Pain was the least of her worries. She had to get away from these people.
How could she be so stupid as to trust Lois Martin? The bitch’d been in on the whole heist from the beginning when she’d sat beside her on the bench in Athens.
As the men loaded her into the SUV, she could only be thankful for one thing—this time, Sam wouldn’t have to fight his way through these men. If he read her letter, he’d know she’d left of her own free will. Even so, would he come looking for her? In the back of her mind, Kinsey held out hope.