by Karen Kelley
He couldn't imagine what Savannah had gone through while she was forced to stay with this scumbag. He imagined Marco had told her quite often that she was his property. Breaker was surprised that Marco hadn't broken her spirit. She must've been strong-willed. He would make sure she found that strength again.
The men started walking toward one of the boats and then went aboard the mid-sized yacht moored in the marina. He glanced at the name. Crystal was printed in bold, black letters. This was probably the boat. It had seen better days but would get the job done. The way it usually worked, they would exchange boats, with Marco taking the one filled with drugs.
He moved the binoculars down the row of boats, stopping on one with a for sale sign on it. The perfect opportunity. Yeah, he was walking that tightrope Carter always talked about.
Breaker slipped the binoculars back inside the saddlebag, then threw his leg over the seat and walked toward the boats. He casually strolled past them, including the one Marco was on. As he passed by, Marco looked up, and their gazes met. Breaker nodded and smiled. Marco's eyes narrowed.
Bastard.
Breaker stepped onto the boat that was for sale just as a woman came out to the deck. She was probably twenty years older than him but hid her age well. She wore a floppy white hat, dark hair pulled back, and a one-piece with a flowery scarf tied at the hip. Right now, she looked surprised and a little nervous.
“I saw the for sale sign. Nice looking boat.” He let his gaze slowly slide down her body, then raised to meet her eyes again. One corner of his mouth lifted. “Just like the owner.”
One hand fluttered around her face. “Why, thank you. Would you like the grand tour? That is, if you’re seriously interested. My husband won’t return for a few hours. You would have to discuss the price with him.”
He glanced toward the yacht Marco had gotten on, but they’d disappeared into the hold. He turned back to the woman again. “I’ll let my wife know. She’d love to take a tour of the boat. She should be in tomorrow. Have a great day.”
He left the boat, leaving the woman wearing a confused expression. He’d seen everything he needed to see concerning Marco. He slipped on his sunglasses and smiled as he walked back down the dock.
Once he was at the bike again, he straddled the seat before starting the motorcycle. He wanted to know more about the man doing the delivery and where he was from. Leave nothing to chance.
Ethan had already found out when the shipment was arriving. The guy had moles everywhere. He didn't have one in Marco's circle, but he did have one with Marco's boss, Francesco.
Francesco ran all of Texas and the northern part of Mexico. His suppliers came from Columbia and the Caribbean. The man had never been caught, and there'd been a lot of men who tried just for the hefty bounty that was on his head. His men were loyal to him, and if they weren't, they didn't last long. He also didn't forgive easily, and that's what Breaker was counting on.
He drove back to the apartment complex, then took the elevator up to the suite where they were staying. Once inside, he went to the refrigerator and grabbed a beer, twisting the cap off and tossing it into the trash. He took a long swig of the ice-cold liquid. Marco had left a bad taste in his mouth.
Ethan came in from one of the bedrooms as Breaker joined the others in the living room. He was a technical wizard at finding out things. He took a seat, then told them what he’d found out about Marco.
"He's got three men with him that I know of, and they stay pretty close to him," Breaker began. "They're definitely on high alert. I'd bet my last dollar Marco came from money, too."
Carter nodded. "I've been doing more checking on Marco. You're right about him coming from money. The king of Spain sent his great grandfather and his boss' great grandfather to California. They ended up settling in Mexico. They were considered royalty.”
“I figured as much,” Breaker said.
“Then why go into the drug business?” Carter asked.
“Bad investments and a costly lifestyle. Who knows?” Ethan shrugged. “Before they went under financially, they discovered how much money could be made in the drug business. Francesco started it, then brought in Marco’s father. After Marco’s father died, Marco took over a portion of the business. He has strong ties in the cartel. He’ll be difficult to bring down.”
“That’s the beauty of our plan,” Breaker said. “We’ll let Francesco take him down. I want Marco to feel the pain of knowing he’s going to lose everything. It still won’t make up for what he put Savannah through.
"I'll talk to my guy on the inside about the boat, and the owner, then get back with you." Ethan started back to the bedroom and his laptop, but turned back around at the last minute. "I also located Marco's warehouse, where he stores a lot of his drugs. If you really want to hurt this guy, I'd hit them at the same time—a double whammy. Something to think about."
Ethan was considered the lady’s man out of the group with his charm and debonair finesse. The man had busted all records for getting a woman in bed. They were still trying to figure out how he did it. He couldn't be that great in bed.
"He's got a good point," Carter said, drawing Breaker's attention back to the present. "I could call a few of the other guys, and we could hit at the same time."
And that’s why Breaker liked these men. They were always up for taking the bad guy down. “Let’s set it up,” he told Carter.
“I’m on it.” He was already reaching for his phone as he came to his feet and walked into the other room.
"Are we sure this is going down on Friday night?" Samson asked.
He was just like his name implied: big, at least six feet, four inches of pure muscle. Breaker certainly wouldn't want to come upon him in a dark alley at night. He was built like a damned tank.
“Yeah, unless something changes,” Ty told him.
Ty was the youngest in the group at only twenty-six. People underestimated him because he looked a lot younger than twenty-six. They found out differently if he was pushed too far. He was a martial arts expert.
Dylan reminded him of a surfer: tanned, dark blond hair, muscled. He was the oldest in the group at thirty-four. He was their explosives expert.
And then, of course, there was Carter. He was the levelheaded one. Breaker had known him the longest.
He would trust any of these men with his life, and he had, just as they trusted him with theirs. Yeah, they were going to do this.
Chapter Nineteen
Savannah took a step back when she saw the big, hulking man. It took a moment for her brain to register that this wasn’t one of Marco’s men. He was at least six feet, two inches of ugly and wore a dirty T-shirt that might have been white at one time but was a spotty, dingy gray, with a hole in the front. He hitched up his jeans as he took a step toward her.
"We can party out here if you want, but my eighteen-wheeler is out front, and it's got a nice comfy bed in it." He rubbed his crotch. "I don't mind paying for it. I got a couple of dollars on me, but after you've had me, you won't want to get paid." He spat a stream of tobacco juice out the side of his mouth, then wiped a dirty hand across his face.
“No,” she said and started to turn away.
The man was faster than she thought. His beefy hand wrapped around her arm, pulling her against him. "No reason to be standoffish. Damn, you're a pretty little thing."
“Step away from her,” Shorty spoke behind them.
Savannah breathed a sigh of relief. The man released her, glaring at Shorty.
“We were just having a friendly talk. Maybe you better go back inside and mind your own business old man.”
Shorty raised the shotgun he held. "Maybe you better hit the road. I knew you were trouble the minute I saw you walk inside the bar. I wouldn't stop back anytime soon, either. You're lucky the boss wasn't here, or we'd be looking for a shovel right now."
“Damned right,” Rayan stepped outside holding a nine millimeter.
Angie was right behind her holding a cocked twen
ty-two pistol. “You better leave before we fill you with so many holes nothing will plug them up.”
The trucker lost quite a bit of color. He held up his hands in front of him. “I just thought I’d have a little company.” He looked at Savannah. “Sorry for the misunderstanding, ma’am.” He turned and ran back toward the parking lot, almost falling once when he stumbled.
Angie and Rayan grinned. "And that's the way you get rid of the trash in Louisiana,” Angie said.
“Thank you,” Savannah told them. "Thank you all." She rubbed her arm where the stranger had grabbed her. Now that it was over, reaction was starting to set in, and she began to tremble.
“We got your back,” Rayan grinned, then frowned. “And I was supposed to be taking Leo and his girlfriend a beer.”
After Angie and Rayan went back inside, Shorty looked at her. “You okay?”
She nodded. “I am now.”
“And what are you doing out here all by yourself?”
She nibbled her bottom lip. “I was lonely.” As soon as the words were out, Savannah quickly clarified. “I wanted to come see what everyone was doing. I swear my shoulder isn’t sore.”
Savannah moved her shoulder just a little. To be truthful, the tattoo hadn't hurt that much when she got it done, or afterward, although Chuck told her she might not want to sleep on her back for a few days.
Shorty grimaced, then turned and started back inside. “Well, come on then. I can always use some help. I hate washing dishes.”
She smiled, knowing he liked the company, too. The evening went by a lot faster. Then later, she enjoyed having a late dinner with them after the bar closed, talking and laughing, feeling like she had a family once again.
By the time she went up the stairs to her apartment, with the three of them watching her until she was safely inside, she was relaxed again. After a hot shower, she crawled beneath the covers and snuggled her pillow close. Her eyes soon grew heavy.
***
"Someday, I'm going to be a dancer," Savannah declared. “And you’ll be a writer, Jade, and Rena will be a famous singer.”
She began to twirl around in front of them. As soon as she finished her dance, they began to clap. She slowly came to her feet, a wide smile on her face.
She drew in a sharp breath, staring at Marco's evil grin, except his teeth were long and pointed. She looked around for her sisters but didn't see them anywhere.
“Where’s Jade and Rena,” she cried.
“I told you that if you ever ran from me that I would take revenge on those you loved the most. I warned you what would happen, Chica, but you did it anyway.”
She ran at him, pummeling him with her fists, but he only laughed.
“It’s your fault they’re dead. You did this to them.”
She dropped to her knees, crying hysterically.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to,” she cried.
***
Savannah woke the next morning, her pillow damp. Just a dream, she told herself. No, a nightmare.
“I’ll find you when it’s safe,” she whispered.
She tried to stay busy, but memories of her sisters continued to haunt her all day. Where did she even start to search for them? Maybe Breaker would know. She smiled. Soon, he would be home.
Breaker had contacted Angie to make sure everyone was okay. She said that he would probably be home Saturday. Not only did Savannah have butterflies on her shoulder, but she had them fluttering around in her stomach as well.
Every time she looked in the mirror, she smiled. The two butterflies and the rose entirely obliterated Marco's brand. She felt as if the last hold that he had on her was gone, and she was finally free.
But when there was a knock on the apartment door, she froze. Breaker wouldn’t knock, so who was it? Her insides began to shake as she went to the door. She peered through the peephole, then relaxed when she saw it was Angie.
But what if something had happened to Breaker? She quickly unlocked the door, then flung it open. “Is Breaker okay?”
Angie frowned. “As far as I know.” Then understanding shone in her eyes. “I just came to visit and see if you needed anything. I have to make a run to the grocery store.”
Savannah breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to jump all over you as soon as I opened the door."
Angie nodded knowingly. "Apartment fever. Grab your house keys, and we'll go to the grocery store together."
Her eyes widened. "And I have money now since Breaker paid me." Her first paycheck. Breaker had given her cash but told her they would set her up with a bank account as soon as it was safe. She didn't think he understood the tears in her eyes. She'd never had this much money. It was a small fortune to her. Another step toward freedom.
She grabbed her purse and keys, then locked the door.
“I’ve never seen someone so excited to go to the grocery store,” Angie said with a shake of her head, but she was smiling.
Savannah didn’t think she understood that now she could pay Breaker back by stocking up on food. She knew it wouldn’t cover all he’d done for her, but it would make her feel better.
The moment they entered the store, tantalizing aromas assaulted her senses: spices, fresh-baked doughnuts, and loaves of bread. It had been so long since she'd even been in a grocery store that she'd forgotten about all the delicious scents. She inhaled deeply.
“You okay,” Angie asked.
She smiled wide. “Better than okay.” She was free. She only needed to keep telling herself that.
She scanned the store, her gaze stopping on the rack of books. She went straight to them. Her fingers lightly ran over the glossy covers of the magazines. She used to love to read. Her eyes widened as she thought of something.
"Do they have a library?" she asked. They used to go to the library all the time. She, Rena, and Jade would go at least twice a week and come home with arms full of books. They would lose themselves in the stories and, for a little while, escape the horrors of the life they were living.
By the time Savannah returned to the apartment, she had four bags of groceries, which had seemed to cost a lot more than she’d anticipated, and arms full of books from the library. It seemed as if each time she did something new, another link of the chain Marco put on her would break away. It was a good feeling. The only thing missing from her life was Breaker and her sisters.
What were they doing? Where were they? Were her sisters’ okay?
Savannah hadn’t been. Not until she’d run away. Did they need help?
She knew searching on the internet would be her best bet, but she didn't have a computer or a phone. She asked about using one at the library and found out how to use their computers. But where did she start? She picked up one of the books that she'd borrowed. It was about locating people you'd lost touch with over the years. She supposed this was as good a place to start as any.
At least it kept her from constantly wondering what Breaker was doing.
By the time the bar opened that afternoon, it was all she could do to keep her mind on work. She had suddenly become a klutz. When she picked up a knife to slice an onion, Shorty quickly took it away from her.
"Maybe you should just concentrate on washing the dishes. Leave the cutting to me."
But she noticed the twinkle in his eyes. She knew what he was thinking. He'd be right.
"I'm glad he'll be home tomorrow. I've missed him," she admitted.
"We all have." He paused in the middle of flipping hamburger patties on the grill, as if gathering his thoughts. "You know, we all tease him about picking up strays, but he's just as much of a stray as the rest of us. He's just always been better at taking care of us than we ever could. I just hope whatever Breaker's doing, he's being careful." He slapped the hamburger patties on the toasted buns, then glanced at the order again before he finished putting on pickles, onions, and tomatoes. He put them in baskets and added french fries before he set them on the counter. "Order up!"
"Maybe
he’s just doing paperwork and sitting in a boring office." At least, she hoped that's all it was. She was sure it was important work. Like maybe listening in on covert intelligence conversations. She'd seen that in a movie yesterday.
A bug had been placed in a vase, and two guys involved with the Mafia were talking about killing someone, but they were caught before they could. Maybe that's all it was. He was just listening in on conversations.
"He's never really talked about it,” Shorty said. “We're just always guessing. I bet you're right. He could just be sitting in an office somewhere monitoring something."
Shorty didn't sound that positive. She wasn't so sure either. She wanted to believe there was nothing more to his job than that, but she had her doubts. She only prayed he wasn't in danger.
A crowd of oilfield workers came in, and for a little while, they started getting a little rowdy, but Rayan quickly let them know she would show them the door if they didn't settle down. Apparently, from the look in her eyes, they knew she meant business and miraculously calmed down.
When Savannah heard instruments, as if they were tuning them, she peeked through the opening and was surprised to see a band setting up in the corner. She turned back to Shorty. "We have a band tonight."
He glanced out the opening, then grinned. "You're in for a treat. That's the River Rats. They play a little country and a little Cajun. The customers like them, and it makes the night go by faster for us."
She went back to washing plates. "Does Breaker have a band very often?"
"About twice a month, on weekends. That's why Cindy is working tonight. She'll help Rayan bus tables and serve orders. She's a good waitress."
Savannah had met Cindy earlier before she went to the back to help Shorty. She liked the other woman. Cindy was in her early twenties and as outspoken as Rayan. She could definitely hold her own with this crowd tonight.
When the band started up, Savannah found herself tapping her foot more often than not. One of the band members began to play a washboard with a spoon. She looked out the opening again. The crowd seemed to like the band a lot. Some were even dancing. She wished Breaker was here to enjoy it.
