Salvage (Savages and Saints Book 3)

by C. M. Seabrook

  “I don’t understand...” Kade is frowning at me as I pace, opening up the tracking app on my phone, which I installed on both Lorelei’s and Nolan’s cells. “You think the two of them are together? Why–”

  “Because our little brother has been working with Farkas.”

  Kade’s brows shoot up. “What the fuck?”

  My fingers tighten around my phone as it searches for a location.

  “Abbott’s been into some bad shit,” Zee says. “But he hates the man almost as much as you do. He wouldn’t–”

  “Do any of us really know what he’s capable of? We’ve all been trying to protect him, but he continues to put himself and everyone else around him at risk.” The fucking app is taking its sweet time. “Goddamn it.”

  “Even if you’re right...” Kade rubs the back of his neck. “Why would Lorelei go with him?”

  Panic presses down on me. A crushing force against my heart that stampedes out of control.

  “She wouldn’t. Not if she had a choice.”

  Dread shivers through my senses, and I clutch my phone, desperate for it to find her. My sanity and control unravel with every second that passes.

  I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to rid my brain of the images my imagination conjures, the things Farkas will do to her if he gets to her.

  There were threats. Calls in the middle of the night. Notes left on my cruiser. I’d hid them from her, thinking I could keep her safe. Adding extra men to patrol the house. We weren’t any closer to finding the bastard, but I knew he’d fuck up at some point.

  A red bleep appears on the screen of my phone, moving northeast on the lake.

  “They’re still in the boat.” The words come out strained and filled with violence. I swallow past the lump lodged in the back of my throat, holding Kade’s gaze, his dark eyes mirroring my own dread and disbelief.

  Abbott is into some fucked-up shit, but I never would have believed he’d put Lorelei in danger. But the evidence is right there, in my hand.

  “If I had to guess, they’re headed towards Gull’s Island.” I glance at Zee. “I need your keys.”

  Zee pulls them out of his pocket, but he doesn’t give them to me. “I’m coming with you.”

  I don’t argue when he and Kade hop onto the Sea Ray with me.

  Don’t argue when Zee demands to drive.

  Don’t argue when Kade makes the call to both the Harristown and Port Clover Police Departments.

  And I don’t say another word as the boat speeds across the lake, following the path of the red bleeping dot.

  Because I don’t trust my voice or the violent thoughts that race through my head. If I’m right about Abbott’s motivation, and what he plans on doing, I don’t trust myself not to strangle the life out of him with my bare hands.

  Fury surges in me, and I know one thing for certain: Blood will spill today. I just fucking hope it’s not Lorelei’s.

  Chapter 24

  Lorelei

  The boat jumps over waves, knocking me sideways. With my hands tied behind my back, I can’t brace myself and my cheek smacks against the side of the boat.

  I suck in a sharp breath with the sting of it, trying to steady myself.

  Abbott looks over at me, his dark eyes mixed with guilt and determination, but then he gives a hard shake of his head and punches a number into his phone.

  He continues to drive the small boat straight into the waves, making me bounce around like a ragdoll.

  “I’ve got her.” He stares ahead as he talks to someone. “I’ll be at Gull’s Island in fifteen minutes–” His jaw ticks as he listens to whoever is on the end. “It’s not a fucking trap. We’re in the middle of a goddamn lake. You said–” He slams his hand down that’s holding the phone and screams. “Fuck.”

  “Whatever he’s offered you, it’s not worth it.”

  “You have no clue what he’s offered me.”

  I lean against the side of the boat. “Damon will never forgive you for this. You know that. Take me back now, and we’ll figure it out together. I won’t tell him you–”

  “Just shut up.” He digs a palm into his temple and lets out another scream, one that’s filled with so much anguish I almost feel sorry for him.

  I stay silent until Abbott slows the boat, and we glide towards Gull’s Island. He tosses an anchor over the side, then stands on the opposite side, his palms resting on the edge, his back hunched over.

  “Damon will be looking for me. How long do you think it’ll take him to figure out you’ve got me?”

  He turns, cutting through me with hard eyes. “I’m counting on it.”

  I frown up at him. “You want him to find us.”

  “I might be an asshole, but I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  “What do you think Farkas will do to me when he has me?”

  “You’re his daughter–”

  “Stepdaughter. And the man cares nothing about family. It’s not even about money. It’s about power. Watching people squirm as he holds their lives by a thread that he can cut at any time.”

  “Once I have London, I’ll call Damon.”

  Silence stretches between us, and I know there’s no way I’ll convince him to turn the boat around. Because under the desperation, I see something more.

  “Who is she? Your girlfriend? Is that who Farkas is using to get you to do this?”

  More pain. It stretches and pulls, distorting his already hard edges. “No. She’s not mine...she’s...”

  Everything.

  I can hear his unspoken answer. Whoever she is, his or not, he’s in love with her.

  “She’s pregnant,” he says, his shoulders sagging. “I already let Kyle down once. I won’t do it again.” His voice is acidic, biting, every ounce of disgust cast at himself.

  I don’t have all the pieces of the story, but I understand Abbott’s motivation, as fucked up as it is. He’s trying to save the woman he loves.

  Sorrow clings to him like an incurable disease, eating away at his soul.

  I try to steel my nerves and ask, “So, what’s your plan?”

  “Farkas will be here soon. It’ll be a quick trade. Her for you. I’ll make the call to Damon as soon as I have her somewhere safe. He’ll find you.”

  I can see he believes what he’s saying, or has at least convinced himself it’s the truth.

  Minutes pass. Long, agonizing moments. Abbott paces, tearing at his hair and cursing into the wind.

  “Does she know?” I ask. “This girl. Does she know you’re in love with her?”

  He pins me with a glare. “I...” His mouth snaps shut, his lips thinning, and he gives a harsh shake of his head. “I just need to keep her safe.”

  “I get that. I do. I just wish I wasn’t the bait.”

  He grunts. “Don’t act like you understand. I know you hate me. I know I’ll lose my brother, my family because of this...”

  “I don’t hate you, Abbott. If it were Damon or Nolan in trouble, there’s no limit to what I’d do to protect them.”

  He sits down across from me on the floor and buries his face in his hands. “I’m sorry about the shit I said to you the other night. About...this. I know I’m fucking things up, but I don’t know what else to do.”

  The sound of a motor has both of us jerking our heads up.

  I don’t recognize the sleek black Scarab that flies over the water towards us, but I do recognize one of the men standing in the cockpit. The boat hums to a stop and drifts towards us, guns visible.

  Farkas.

  It’s been eleven years since I’ve seen him, but I know it’s him. His long, dark hair, held back in a ponytail at the nape of his neck, is not as full as it once was and is threaded with silver, and his face is deeply etched with lines, but his eyes are the same. Cold, ice-blue, and focused straight on me.

  A sick, twisted smile plays on his lips as his men tie the boats together.

  “Where is she?” Abbott says.

  Farkas laughs. “You think I’d
bring my leverage with me?”

  “You promised she’d be safe.”

  “She is.” Farkas motions for his men to get me. “The girl has no idea how close her life almost ended today. You can call her. She’s at her apartment.”

  Abbott fumbles with his phone as two men hop onto our boat. One of them grabs me by the arm and yanks me up.

  I don’t hear all of Abbott’s conversation, but I know from the relief that fills his voice that London is okay.

  But right now, I’m not. I struggle against Farkas’ men, but their grips only tighten, and I’m being hoisted into the Scarab.

  “Get off of me.” They shove me to the ground. Unable to brace myself, hands still tied behind my back, I fall at Farkas’ feet, tasting blood when I bite my tongue.

  Farkas chuckles, crouching in front of me. “Oh, my sweet, feisty girl.” He grips my jaw and twists my face up to meet his. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.” He leans forward and inhales deeply.

  “What do you want?”

  “You.” He drags a rough thumb across my bottom lip, his grin salacious. “I’ve always wanted you. And now you’re mine.”

  Disgust curdles in my gut, rising up into my throat. I taste bile.

  I spit in his face. “I’ll never be yours.”

  His hand lifts, and I brace myself for the blow, but it doesn’t come. Instead, he jerks me up, twisting me around so my back is against him.

  “I don’t want to hurt that pretty face of yours.” A clammy palm rests on my cheek. “You will be mine, Lorelei,” he hisses against my ear, sending chills racing down my spine. “Or, one by one, I’ll hurt everyone you care about. Starting with him.” With bruising force, he grips my jaw and twists my face to look at Abbott, who is still on the other boat talking on the phone. “You’re going to watch him die, Lorelei. And as his blood drains from his body, you’re going to know it’s your fault.”

  “No,” I cry out, which makes Abbott jerk his gaze to me. “Abbott, go!”

  But even as I scream, I know there’s nowhere for him to run.

  “Kill him,” Farkas says.

  No. No. No.

  Abbott’s eyes widen as the man points his gun and fires. The impact of the shot sends him backwards, and I see the dark red stain of blood start to spread on his shirt before his body collapses on the ground.

  I cry out, horror filling me.

  He killed him.

  Even if the shot isn’t fatal, no one will find him out here, not in time.

  Tears burn my eyes, and the horror of what I’ve just witnessed sends adrenaline racing through my blood. I don’t think. Just fight. I slam my head back making contact with Farkas’ face, hearing the crunch of bone and cartilage as my skull hits his nose.

  “Fuck,” he screams.

  “Boss,” one of his men yells. “We’ve got company.”

  “Two boats,” the other one says. “One from the west, one south.”

  “Get us out of here,” Farkas orders.

  His men start to untie the boat. I see the two boats in the distance, still too far away. The Scarab is faster, and with the distance between us, I know they’ll never catch up.

  Not the police boat, or the familiar Sea Ray.

  Damon.

  I know it’s him.

  Farkas shoves me down into one of the seats, while one of his men fumbles with the rope and the other starts the engine.

  “Hurry the fuck up,” Farkas barks. “We need–”

  A gun fires, echoing across the water, and the man who was trying to untie the ropes jerks before dropping, a bullet hole in the center of his forehead.

  Abbott stands, one hand holding his bloody shoulder, the other pointing a gun at the second man. He doesn’t hesitate. He fires, putting two bullets in the man’s chest before he has a chance to fire back.

  Everything happens so fast.

  I feel Farkas reach for his weapon, hear the boats getting closer.

  “Get down,” Abbott yells, and I know the order is for me. I twist in Farkas’ arms, but he’s already pointing his gun at Abbott, who can’t take a clear shot because I’m in the way.

  I lunge at him, pushing his arm back with my body as the gun fires, the bullet shattering the front mirror of the Scarab. Farkas backhands me, and another shot rings out.

  Farkas sucks in a silent breath, his mouth making a perfect O, and I see his fear, the disbelief right before the life goes out of his eyes. He starts falling towards me.

  My arms are still tied behind my back and his heavy frame has me falling back. I let out a yelp as the backs of my legs hit the side of the boat and I feel myself tumbling.

  Falling.

  Over.

  It’s so quick that when I hit the cold water, I gasp, taking in a lungful of water.

  Farkas’ body is above me, pushing me under, deeper.

  I try to kick, to get to the surface, but the light above me grows dimmer. I struggle against my restraints, but I know it’s no use. The harder I struggle, the more my lungs burn.

  My vision fades as the lake consumes me.

  And I sink.

  Down.

  Down.

  Down.

  But unlike my dream, there’s no Damon to save me.

  Chapter 25

  Damon

  Everything happens so fucking fast.

  Bullets are flying before we’re even close enough for me to see who fired the gun.

  “Go faster,” I scream as another shot rings out.

  “I’m driving at max speed,” Zee says. “Do you even have a gun on you?”

  No. But I don’t care. I’ll jump in front of the bullets if that’s what it takes to save Lorelei.

  I see her, then. Farkas using her as a goddamn shield, Abbott pointing his gun directly at her. I see her struggle against him.

  Another shot, this one shattering glass. The next is from Abbott’s gun, piercing Farkas’ spine. And for one brief second, relief rushes through me.

  It’s over.

  The blow is fatal.

  But then the man starts to fall overboard, taking Lorelei with him. Arms tied behind her back, she’s helpless.

  And then she’s gone. I don’t see the impact, and by the time Zee gets close enough for me to dive into the lake, there’s no sign of her.

  This can’t be happening. My worst nightmare is playing out right in front of my eyes.

  Icy fingers wrap around my throat as I take in a lungful of air, searching for any sign of her. I find nothing, then dive again. My gut curls and clenches in the most intense type of pain.

  My insides are on fire with it.

  Grief that is all consuming.

  Fight.

  Swim.

  Don’t give up.

  I push my thoughts into the void around me, frantically searching the abyss.

  When my hands find flesh, hope flares, but the body is too heavy, and through the dark water I see lifeless blue eyes staring back at me. I have to rise to the surface, sucking in another lungful of air before diving again.

  Don’t do this, Lorelei, my heart screams. I can’t lose you again. Not like this.

  The water is too murky, and the further down I swim, the less I can see.

  My lungs burn. I have to get more air, but I ignore the pain, swimming deeper. My body is about to fail on me, when I feel something solid.

  Something lifeless.

  Lorelei.

  No.

  Her body is limp. I wrap an arm around her and swim upwards.

  I gasp in a lungful of air as I reach the surface.

  “Help me!” I scream.

  The police boat has arrived, and others are in the water with me. Someone is trying to take her from me, and for a brief second I fight them. Until I see her face.

  Pale.

  Lips blue.

  “She’s not breathing!” I scream.

  An emergency crew is lifting her out of the water. Someone gives me their hand to help me onto the boat.

&n
bsp; Zee. He holds me back when I try to go to Lorelei.

  “Let them help her.”

  “She’s not...” I can’t get the words out again.

  “I know.”

  From the corner of my eye, I get a glimpse of Abbott, as he’s being helped onto the boat. Blood is caked onto his shirt, and I know he’s been shot, but it doesn’t stop me from going at him.

  “What the fuck did you do?” I grip him by the shirt, and it takes Kade and Zee to pull me off him.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “You’re fucking sorry? You’re not my brother. I don’t know who the hell you are. But I swear to God, if she dies because of you, I’ll destroy–”

  Kade gets in my face, his voice low and full of warning. “You need to calm down. You’re no good to Lorelei like this.”

  Violence beats against my chest, wanting my younger brother to hurt the way I do. A bullet to the shoulder is nothing compared to the agony that rips through me.

  Abbott is ushered to another part of the boat, and Zee goes with him.

  “I can’t...can’t lose her.”

  “I know.” Kade rests a hand on my shoulder.

  “Sheriff Savage.” One of the younger men who work for the Harristown Police Department approaches. His expression is tight, and I can see his nerves straining his features.

  And I know...she’s gone.

  A buzzing starts in my ears. It drowns out everything else.

  What am I going to tell Nolan? How am I going to explain to my son that even though I swore to protect them, I’d failed?

  Hey.” Kade is in my face again, his voice snapping me back to the here and now. “Did you hear him?”

  “What?” I don’t want to hear the man’s words. Don’t need him to confirm what I already know.

  “She’s asking for you.” Kade holds my gaze and repeats, “Lorelei is asking for you.”

  The words take a second to kick in.

  She’s asking for me.

  She’s alive.

  I push past my brother and the officers until I see her.

  A blanket is wrapped around her shoulders, and she’s sitting up, an oxygen mask against her still blue lips. When her gaze finds mine, tears fill her eyes and she sobs.

  “I’m here.” I crouch beside her, pulling her into my arms, sucking in a staggering breath. “I’m here, sweetheart. You’re okay,” The words are for me, and I repeat them again, needing to remind myself. “You’re okay.”