"So, you could ask for help?"
"Like I know where we are to even tell him," I retorted, motioning with my head at our surroundings. I didn't know if my plan was going to work, but I had to try. I wasn't going to go down without a fight. "All there is are fucking trees around. He knows I'm in Fiji."
"Okay. You have one minute." He handed me my phone before pulling out his gun. The two other guys pulled their weapons, one of them pointing his at Ashleigh and the other at me.
"Where do I have him send the money? It will need to be a wire transfer or something. He's back in the US."
The leader glared at me as though my question irritated him. He turned and went in the direction the other guy had run off to get my phone as he mumbled, "Fucking Filipe. Brings me the wrong fucking people, and now this? I'm going to kill him."
My gaze met Ashleigh's, and I tried to give her a reassuring smile. I also hoped she remembered my stories about Paul and who he was married to. Plus, what he currently did for work. He was the only one I knew to call who could even remotely come through and help us. If I was Gabe, Brad, or Paul, I would think I could fight my way out of this mess, but I wasn't.
I wasn't a trained killer like them.
The leader came back and handed me a small piece of paper with a number on it. "Have him transfer to that account."
"Okay." I took a deep breath, turned so the only visible landmark was behind me, and video-called Special Agent Paul Jackson.
The five-minute timer went off.
"Ready?" Joss asked.
I nodded. I'd been waiting years for this moment, especially with her. "Hell, yeah."
She lifted the pregnancy test from the counter, and immediately, her shoulders fell. "Not pregnant."
We hadn't been trying long, given I had been away at Quantico and was just starting out in the FBI, but now we were both ready, mainly since all of our friends either had kids or were about to—like her best friend, Cat, who was pregnant with her first child with Seth.
I pulled Joss into my arms. "It's okay. You know I like trying to knock you up."
"Oh, I know." She laughed, and it warmed my heart to know that she was laughing even though the test was negative. We would make it happen eventually. It just wasn't our time yet.
My phone started to ring in my pocket, and I pulled it out. "It's Nick," I stated.
"From Fiji?" Joss questioned.
I shrugged and swiped the button to answer the video call. "Nicholas!" I greeted him. "Calling to tell me I won the bet?"
"Ah, not exactly." Nick rubbed the back of his neck. He didn't look nice and relaxed, like I would have expected, given that he had been in paradise for several days. He looked stressed, with disheveled hair and not even a hint of a smile. I expected he would still be rubbing it in that he was in Fiji getting paid to fuck like he had before he left.
"Oh? So, are you still in Fiji?" I asked, looking at the palm trees and shit behind him.
"Yeah, so, about that…" He looked away from the screen, and I furrowed my brow. Something seemed off. "There was a tsunami—"
"No shit?" I hadn't been online or anything to get any news because Joss and I had gone out for dinner. "Are you guys okay?"
"Yeah, so…" He paused and looked away again, and my gaze caught on Joss's as she arched a brow. "I need for you to transfer a million dollars—"
I snorted. "A million dollars? What the fuck, dude?"
"A guy I met and his three friends need it. Told them I could come through."
In an instant, Joss was walking out of the bathroom. She had her cell phone to her ear and was likely already on the line with someone at headquarters. In this day and age, we were able to trace a call right away, but I tried to keep Nick on the line just in case. Something was off for sure. Nick would never need a million dollars for someone, and I knew that he was in Fiji for Saddles & Racks.
"Okay. Well, it's going to take me some time," I replied.
"How long?"
"It's not like I have it sitting around."
"I have half in a few of my accounts. You can find the info at my place. You can transfer it to yourself first."
I nodded. "Good, I'll go over there tomorrow. I think I can get the other half, but I'll need to transfer some things around."
His blue gaze moved to someone behind the phone, and then as he spoke, he moved the camera view to something behind him. I took a screenshot, not sure what it was but figuring he was trying to tell me something. "Yeah, so, how long will it take? I have an account number for you to transfer it into."
I didn't answer him. "Are you coming home after you give your friend the money?"
He tilted the screen back so I could see his face. "I'm not sure. Like I said, there was a tsunami. Things are crazy over here."
So, the tsunami was real? Was Nick's new friend a pirate or some shit? Did he get picked up before the tidal wave or because of it? And where was his date?
"How's your girl?"
His stare moved to the other side of where it had before, and he gave a sad but compassionate smile. "Doing the best she can."
Joss came back into the bathroom and nodded once as though she had what we needed.
"Good," I said to Nick. "Let me see what I can do about the money."
"You need to hurry."
"Seeing as I've never done this before, not sure how long it will take."
His gaze moved to the first person behind the phone. "I'm gonna need that in an hour."
"An hour?" I grunted. "Banks are closed at this hour."
"What time is it there?" he asked.
"Just after seven at night."
He paused and then said, "Make that twenty hours. That should be enough time for the banks to open and get the wire transfers going."
"Okay," I agreed. "Twenty-hours, but are you—"
The call disconnected.
"What do you have?" I asked my wife. We were both in agent mode, the thought of her not being pregnant forgotten for the moment.
"I have his location, but do you think he's being held for ransom?"
I blew out a long breath. "Honestly, yes. This isn't like Nick. He's in Fiji with a client."
"Right, but what if it has something to do with the client?"
"Either way, he needs saving. Something is off."
"What will happen after twenty hours?"
I shrugged. "I don't even want to think about that."
"Me either."
I opened up the internet on my phone. "Let me look into flights for Fiji."
"Hey"—she held her hand over the screen—"we can't just go to Fiji."
"We have his location. I'm going to save my friend."
"Think about this, PJ."
"I am."
She turned her phone so I could see what she had on it. "There was a tsunami, so there won't be any flights in or out."
"Then what do we do? You know just as well as I do, they won't let him go once the money is transferred."
"Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do."
"Bullshit. We're fucking FBI, gorgeous. We have resources."
"Resources we won't get authorization to use. Usually, during a hostage situation overseas, the family has to hire private security because our government doesn't want to deal with it."
"Then I'm putting my own team together, and we'll go to get my friend."
"Our friend," Joss stressed as she grabbed my arm, stopping me from leaving the bathroom. "Nick is our friend, but we have to do this smartly."
"So, you agree we need to go get him?"
She sighed and nodded. "Of course. After everything our group of friends has been through, I know you would beat yourself up if we let someone die when we could have saved him."
"Good. I'm going to call the guys and see if they'll help. Can you work on the transport?"
"Yeah. I know a few people with private security teams. Let me make some calls. Maybe they can come with us. I’m not sure our friends will want to go since they
have families."
That was true. Gabe was hesitant even to be a driver when we were working undercover. Seth had a baby on the way, and Brad had just gotten married.
But I was going.
I hated to think that this was the reason Joss wasn't pregnant yet, but I knew things happened for a reason.
Twenty hours was cutting it close.
That, of course, was if Paul understood what was going on.
I knew that as soon as the money was in this guy's account, Ashleigh and I were going to get bullets between our eyes. Thank God for the time difference between Vegas and Fiji. The banks were closed there when I called, which gave Paul more time to find us, but not much. Even if he and Joss—or whoever he could find on short notice to come rescue us—had twenty hours to find us, it wasn't a lot of time because of the fourteen plus flight time. I didn't know how the FBI worked, and if they would get their own plane, but I had to have faith that everything would work out. That my best friend would come through as he had in the past for our other friends.
The entire time Ashleigh and I sat in the cellar waiting, I kept hoping that Paul had picked up on the white building behind me. That he was able to triangulate where we were, and at any moment, I would hear a helicopter or gunfire or something to indicate that he was saving us. I also thought about Paul possibly not coming through.
"For what it's worth," I said, "I had a good time this week."
"Me too." Ashleigh put her head on my shoulder. "Not a bad way to spend our last week alive."
"Let's not do that."
"Do what?"
"Think it's the end."
She snorted. "Kinda hard not to."
"I know." I sighed. We hadn't talked about my phone call with Paul. When we were thrown back into the cellar, I had indicated that we shouldn't talk in case there was some sort of listening device in the room. I didn't want those guys to know anything except that Paul was trying to get the money together. After a few minutes, I suggested, "How about we play a game."
"A game?"
"Yeah. Let's pretend we're on the plane on the way home. What's the first thing you're going to do when we land?"
"Honestly, I'd love to take a shower."
"Oh, yeah. I would love that too."
"Is that the first thing you'd do?"
"No." I shook my head. "I'd down a few shots of vodka first and turn on whatever baseball game is on."
"I would love a drink right now … and food."
"Yes," I approved. "What would be your last—"
"Meal?"
"Yeah, but I didn't mean—"
"I know." She lifted her head. "It's just a game."
"Yeah," I agreed, but it wasn't just a game, and we both knew it. All of this was to keep our minds off of what was really happening, and I had brought up a final meal. A meal we might never have.
"I'd have a big juicy hamburger with bacon, blue cheese, and all the toppings, curly fries with ranch, and a strawberry milkshake."
My stomach growled at her words. It had been at least twenty-four hours since we last ate. "We're going to get that as soon as we touchdown."
"Yeah?"
"Fuck yeah. Then we'll get drunk off vodka and fuck all night." I grinned, trying to lighten the situation.
"But by then, your job will be complete."
"True, but I'm still a man, and I like to fuck."
"Yeah, you do." She laughed.
I ran my finger down the slope of her neck. "I'd do anything to be at home inside of you right now."
"I would too," Ashleigh whispered, looking into my eyes.
I leaned in and brushed my lips against hers. It wasn't the kind of kiss I wished we were having, one that would lead to our clothes off and both of us satisfied, but it was one that felt right. As though the admiration we felt for each other was pure, and we both knew that Ashleigh had become more than a job to me. I didn’t know when it had happened, but she had become more.
When we broke apart, she leaned her head on my shoulder again. "But for real, this has been the best week of my life. Thank you."
I wanted to reply, "You’re welcome," but those two words didn’t feel right. It had been one of the best weeks of my life too. Sure, it was a job, and I was getting paid, but I honestly had never felt so comfortable with a single person as I had with Ashleigh. I had never cared about a woman as much as I cared for her, either.
"You’ll meet a woman who you’ll start to care about, and then before you know it, you’ll never want to go a day without her."
Well, fuck.
I hadn’t realized that we’d fallen asleep, but at some point, we had. Leaning against the wall with Ashleigh by my side, I heard footsteps coming down the stairs outside the cellar door that woke me. I didn’t know how long it had been since the phone call with Paul, but the footsteps didn’t sound hurried.
A key slipped in the lock, and then the door opened. One of the goons set two bottles of water on the floor and left without a word, locking the door behind him.
Ashleigh stirred. "Who was that?"
"Just one of the guys bringing us water."
"Finally. I'm so thirsty."
I grabbed the bottles and handed her one. We each drank the entire bottle in one gulp.
"Now I'm going to have to pee." She chuckled.
I held up the empty bottle and winked. "I won't look."
"Oh, God," she groaned. "I hope I don't have to do that."
I started to pace, not having anything else to do and hoping that it was almost time for us to be set free. How criminals didn't lose their minds in their cells in jail and prison baffled me. I couldn't imagine spending years in a space so small. Though, they at least had a bed, a toilet, and possibly a fucking book to read. We had nothing but each other.
"How do you think they know about Everleigh and Douglas?" Ashleigh asked.
I shrugged. "Who the fuck knows. Dougie probably set all of this up."
Her brown eyes widened. "You think so?"
I thought for a moment. "I'm not sure."
"It can't be random, can it?"
"I doubt it. They probably do this all the time."
"Really?"
"I mean, it doesn't seem smooth sailing on their end, but I bet no one thought we were going to have a fucking tsunami happen."
"So, you think they really did plan to pick up Everleigh?"
I thought about her question before I answered, "I think so. I think both her and Dougie, and they were going to get money from his father."
"Do you think they're still in danger?"
"If they're still alive."
She gasped. "What if they aren't? What if my parents aren't, either?"
I walked over to her and wrapped her in my arms. "Let's not think about that until we're out of here."
"Yeah. Hopefully, that's soon."
I fucking hoped so.
* * *
We fell asleep again. This time, when I woke up it was because of gunfire. "Baby!" I shook Ashleigh as I stood. "He's here."
"Who?" She rose, looking around, still trying to wake up.
"Paul." I began pacing so I could be ready to get us out of here when the doors opened.
Pop.
Pop.
Pop.
"Is that …"
"Gunfire," I confirmed.
Pop.
Pop.
Pop. Pop.
"Oh my God!" Ashleigh stood. "We're saved!"
Pop.
Pop.
Pop. Pop. Pop.
Pop.
Pop!
I jumped when I heard what sounded like a bullet hit the metal door. It was kicked open in a flash, and I thought I would see Paul on the other side, but it wasn't Paul.
It was the leader.
Before I could even blink, he grabbed Ashleigh, spun her around, and held a handgun to her head. Her beautiful brown eyes widened, and she stared back at me with terror in those eyes. "You think you're smarter than me?" the guy asked.
/> "Whoa!" I held up my hands. "Let her go."
He laughed. "Fuck you! I knew something was off with you two."
Where the fuck was Paul?
I could still hear gunfire above us, and I knew I needed to stall, to bide our time for Paul and his team to come down the stairs and shoot this fucker. But I didn't have time to stall because the leader pulled the trigger.
Click!
I jumped, my eyes going as big as they could while I stared at the man I had fallen in love with in only a week.
The man I had hired to be my date.
The man who wasn't my boyfriend.
The man who made me feel as though he had fallen too.
I wanted to remember his face in the afterlife. Remember the time we shared in paradise and how everything was perfect.
Until it wasn't.
Until we had to run from a wave and ended up kidnapped.
Until I had a gun to my head, and the man pulled the trigger.
"No!" Nick shouted and rushed to us.
The guy holding me threw me to the ground, and I turned around on my knees to see Nick on top of him, punching the guy in the face over and over and over and over.
I didn't know what to do except stare.
I couldn't do anything except just watch as the sound of gunfire still popped above us. It sounded as if we were in a war zone or something, and I hoped that no more bad guys would come down the stairs because I wasn't sure what would happen.
Why wasn't I dead?
Why wasn't I bleeding out on the cement floor of the cellar?
Why wasn't I bleeding at all?
"I'm going to fucking kill you!" Nick hissed, still punching the guy repeatedly. "You fucking shot my girl!"
But he hadn't shot me. Or at least I didn't feel or see any blood when I reached up to double-check.
The guy didn't reply. Instead, he laid there, taking blow after blow after blow.
"Nick," I whispered, but he either didn't hear me or was ignoring me. "Nick!" I shouted. He turned his head, stopping his fist from flying. "I'm okay."
He blinked as though he wasn't sure what—or who—he was looking at. Then he got off of the guy and moved to me, grabbing my cheeks with his bloody hands. "You're alive!"
Paradise & Vodka (Saddles & Racks Book 6) Page 10