Branded: Savannah: Sisters Bound By Blood

by Karen Kelley

  Not that she would go out there and dance. No, she only wanted to share the moment with him.

  When the female in the group stepped toward the microphone, the music changed to a slow country and western song. The girl began to sing, and Savannah closed her eyes. For just a moment, she could imagine Rena singing in her clear, beautiful voice. Savannah used to tell Rena that she had the voice of an angel.

  Sudden cold chills swept over her body, and she quickly stepped away from the opening. But it wasn't Rena. A stranger stood on the makeshift stage. The girl had dark hair. But for just a moment, she wished it was her little sister.

  "Are you okay?" Shorty asked.

  "Yes, I'm fine. The girl singing reminded me of someone else."

  "Someone you’re close to?"

  She immersed her hands in the warm, soapy water and began to wash a plate. "My little sister had the most beautiful voice.” She blinked back the sudden tears. “I don't know what happened to her. Or my older sister." She rinsed the dish, then put it in the drainer. "But I'm going to find them both. I checked out a book from the library that explains what I need to do to find both my sisters."

  She just didn't know how exactly she needed to proceed. It was so confusing. She hadn't used a computer in a long time. She had another problem, too. Marco was still out there somewhere, and she was pretty sure he hadn't given up on trying to find her yet. Had her dream been a warning for her not to look?

  Chapter Twenty

  They were surrounded by darkness except for a small, dim lantern as the four men sat in the gently rocking boat. Breaker picked up one of the waterproof packets that contained an explosive. Dylan had left them with four. He said it was more than enough to blow up the boat that the drugs were on.

  Dylan and Samson had left, going just outside of San Antonio. Ethan had located Marco’s warehouse with his stored drugs a day earlier. They would meet up with another team they’d worked with before on government jobs. That was one thing about the teams, they were always up for blowing something to smithereens.

  "Do you think these will be enough?" he asked, looking at Carter, who was zipping up his wet suit.

  Carter looked up. "He said it would be plenty."

  Ty tested his oxygen tank. "His exact words were, set the explosives, then get the hell out of there before you push the red button. As much as he likes to blow things up, I think I'll take him at his word."

  "Just come back in one piece. I don't want to be scooping body parts out of the ocean."

  Ethan looked put out. He might be a ladies man, but he lived for the adrenaline rush just like the rest of them, except right now, he would be handling the boat rather than explosives. The only adrenaline rush he would get was when the boat blew up. If all went well, that is.

  "How about we let you push the button," Breaker said.

  Ethan only looked a little mollified. "Just remember you said that. The last time you said I could blow something up, Carter beat me to the punch."

  Carter looked at Breaker, and they both grinned.

  "Just think of it this way," Carter said. "There's no chance you'll mess up that pretty face on this mission. It would be a damned shame if no woman ever wanted to go to bed with you again."

  Ethan's lips curved into a smile. "My face isn't why they go to bed with me. It's because I'm a great lover and have a big cock."

  Breaker couldn't argue with him there. When they were out in the middle of nowhere once, Ethan had to take a piss, so they pulled to the side of the road. He was pretty sure there wasn't a man amongst them that didn't have cock envy that day. When he got through taking a leak, he'd zipped up his pants and turned around, then asked them what the problem was. They hadn't said a word.

  Breaker went over the side first, ocean waves gently lapping against him, followed by Carter, then Ty. Ethan hefted three underwater air propellers over the side. They would take them to the boat with the drugs faster than swimming. Once they were ready, they gave him a thumbs up before disappearing beneath the water.

  They already knew all of the occupants on the boat. There were no innocents. No, all of these men were hardened criminals. They sold drugs and kids. Their backgrounds were littered with dead bodies of the innocent. Breaker only wished that Marco was on the boat as well. Just end it now. But then, he'd only suffer for a little while. After what he did to Savannah, Breaker wanted Marco to suffer longer than a second or two.

  They didn’t waste any time. They planted the devices, then headed back for the boat and Ethan.

  Ethan helped them get their equipment back on board.

  "It seems kind of anti-climatic," Breaker said. When his phone rang, he answered.

  “He just left the marina for the exchange,” his man watching the dock said.

  “He’s on his way,” Breaker told the others.

  Carter was looking toward the other boat. "You're right. It does seem like there should be more."

  "Maybe you should call Marco," Ty said.

  "No one pushes the red button but me," Ethan warned.

  "Why don't you call him and tell him what's happening," Carter suggested.

  Dylan had given Breaker the private number of Marco. How the hell he found out as much as he did always surprised him.

  "I have a burner phone," Ty offered. "You can use that, and he won't even be able to trace it back to you."

  And that's another thing he liked about this team. They always came prepared. Ty reached into a black bag, then handed Breaker the phone. He punched in the number, then put it up to his ear. Marco answered on the second ring. He hit the speaker button so they could all listen.

  "Who is this? How did you get this number?"

  "I don't like what you did to Savannah. Has anyone ever told you that you’re a son of a bitch? Yeah, I bet they have. More than once."

  A moment of silence passed before Marco began to speak again.

  "Hand her over and I promise nothing will happen to you. If it's money you want, I can pay you."

  He grit his teeth. "Yeah, you’re good at buying people, aren’t you? No, she’s not for sale. She enjoys her freedom. I think I'll destroy you instead."

  "You don't know who you're fucking with, amigo. I will find you both and kill you. She is nothing to me anymore. A whore who will deserve whatever I do to her. Your death will be slow and painful. Maybe I'll let you watch as I torture her first." His laugh was bitter. “What do you think about me torturing her, huh?”

  "How about if I torture you first. Let's see how you like it when I turn the tables."

  Breaker looked at Ethan and nodded. Ethan grinned at the same time he pushed the red button. They were far enough away from the boat not to get hit by the flying debris, but close enough so that they could hear and see the explosion.

  "Oh, wow, did you see that?” Breaker asked. “Was that yacht full of drugs supposed to be yours? That's going to piss off your boss."

  "I will send you to hell,” Marco screamed. “I'll…"

  Breaker ended the call, then looked at the others. "You're right. I did enjoy that." He tossed the burner phone over the side of the boat.

  They laughed as Ethan started the boat, then drove it toward Corpus, parking it at a friend of Ethan’s who owned a canal home. Once they were back at the apartment, they waited for Dylan to call in. Breaker was starting to get anxious when his phone rang.

  "That guy is going to be pissed," Dylan said, then laughed. "There were enough drugs in that warehouse to supply most of Texas. He only had a handful guarding the stuff. There's nothing left of it now."

  “Anyone hurt?”

  “Nah, I got nicked on the arm. No biggie. I’ve had mosquito bites that hurt worse.”

  “You’re sure,” he asked.

  “Positive. I’m talking to you, aren’t I?”

  “Good.”

  "But what I wouldn't give to see Marco's face when he discovers the damage that we did."

  "Yeah, he sounded pretty angry when I called him on the phone.
By the way, thanks for getting me the number. He did say something about sending me to hell."

  He chuckled. “Yeah, well, I’ll have my guy on the inside keep you updated on what he’s doing.”

  After he ended the call, Breaker looked at the others. “We’re done here. Thanks for the help.”

  “That’s what friends are for,” Ty said. “I’m off to bed. See you guys in the morning.”

  Ethan wasn’t far behind Ty, and then it was just him and Carter.

  "Marco isn't going to stop until he finds you," Carter said. "Watch your back."

  “I always do.”

  Breaker finished his beer and carried the empty bottle back into the kitchen, disposing of it. When he came back into the living room, he saw that Carter had gone out to the balcony. He was still too wired to sleep, so he joined him.

  Carter glanced toward him, then back out toward the ocean, even though they couldn't see it, only hear it. For a moment, they quietly listened to the waves rolling onto the beach.

  "Savannah must mean a lot to you," Carter said.

  "She's been through a lot and survived."

  "Then you two are a lot alike."

  "I guess we are. The only thing about us is that once I had run away, my life improved. After Savannah’s father sold her to Marco, hers only got worse."

  "I've been checking into her past as you asked. Her mother died when she was five. Her older sister took over, taking care of her two little sisters. Tough for a six-year-old to have to grow up that fast. The father was a real bastard. He died last year. Cirrhosis of the liver. The oldest girl disappeared when she was fourteen."

  “Savannah said her father sold her older sister.”

  “Sounds about right. The guy was scum. Faked an accident on the job and lived off the government after that.”

  “You haven’t located her sisters?”

  “No, but I’ll keep looking. I like looking for missing puzzle pieces.”

  “Thanks. Savannah has mentioned them a few times, and I know she worries about them."

  "You aren't bothered that what happened to her might have left a lasting mark?"

  Breaker knew Carter's history and knew that he was thinking about Leslie. He was pretty sure that's why Carter worried about Breaker’s relationship with Savannah.

  Carter had rescued Leslie from a human trafficking ring. He'd taken a liking to her and was helping her get her life back in order. Breaker thought that maybe Carter had been a little in love with her.

  One day Carter stopped by to check on her and found her lifeless body. There'd been an empty bottle of pills on the bedside table. She hadn't been able to adjust to a world she no longer knew and gave up trying.

  "She's not like Leslie," Breaker told him. "Leslie hadn't been able to adjust, but Savannah will find herself again. She's improving every day."

  Carter nodded. "Just be careful."

  "Always."

  "If I hear anything on Marco, I'll let you know. Make sure you have a plan B ready."

  He smiled. Sometimes Carter acted more like a father than his best friend. "I always have a Plan B. You know that."

  He gave him a crooked smile. "Yeah, I guess I do."

  "I'm going to get some shuteye. See you in the morning?"

  "Yeah, I thought I'd hang around for a little while. Catch some sun and surf, then head back tomorrow afternoon. You?"

  "I’m leaving in the morning."

  Carter nodded. "Good night."

  Breaker went into his bedroom and closed the door. His room was one of two that had a shower connected to the room, so he made use of it. He felt better after his shower, but even still, sleep didn't come easy after he crawled into bed. All he could think about was Savannah.

  Carter didn't have to worry about her, and neither did he. She was nothing like Leslie. Leslie couldn't get past the trauma that she'd suffered. But yeah, he could understand Carter's concern.

  Breaker flipped over to his side and pulled the extra pillow close to him. Savannah was getting stronger every day, and when he returned, he would help her continue to find the strength he knew was inside her.

  But it was still some time before he could relax enough to fall asleep. Yeah, he knew Marco would come after them. He was counting on it. He would be ready for him. He knew what he had to do, even if it meant facing his past.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Every time the door to the bar opened, Savannah jumped. It was still early, and there were only a few people inside. An older couple who'd come in for a quick bite and a couple of beers, and one younger man who was just passing through, so everything was slow, but it was still early. After washing the dirty dishes, she'd made an excuse to Shorty to come out and help wipe down tables, even though they didn't need it. Shorty had shooed her off, telling her that he had everything under control in the back.

  She was running out of things to do in the front and had given up that Breaker would be coming through the door anytime soon. She was just about to go in the back again when the door opened. She automatically looked up, not expecting much since the bar had begun to fill, but her heart started beating a little faster when she saw Breaker. She couldn't stop the smile from forming on her face.

  "It's about time you got home," Shorty called out through the opening, but his gaze quickly roamed over him. When he saw that Breaker was all in one piece, he returned to slicing vegetables.

  Savannah walked around the bar and met him. Her gaze also searched to make sure he was okay. "You finished your job?"

  He didn't say anything, only stared at her, then nodded. He closed the distance between them, then gathered her into his arms and lowered his lips to hers. Her arms automatically went around his neck, pulling him in even closer. His lips were hot against hers. It felt like he'd been gone a lifetime. When the kiss ended, she rested her head against his chest and heard the erratic beat of his heart. He’d missed her, too.

  When people began to clap, heat spread up her face. Breaker only smiled wider.

  He took a step back and looked into her face once the cheering subsided. "I missed you."

  "I missed you, too."

  He took a seat on one of the barstools, then pulled her closer until she was sitting on the one next to his. She couldn't stop looking at him. Had he always been this handsome? She drank in everything about him.

  "What did you do while I was gone?" he asked.

  She grinned.

  He cocked an eyebrow.

  She'd worn her pink shirt with spaghetti straps because she knew he was coming home today. "I got rid of Marco."

  His eyebrows rose. "How exactly did you do that?"

  "Well, I got rid of his stamp of ownership." She twirled around on her stool, then pulled her hair to the other side before pushing the strap of her shirt to the side so that he could see the tattoo better. "What do you think?"

  When he traced the tattoo with one finger, a tremble of desire rippled over her.

  "Do you like it?" She was starting to second guess herself now. Maybe she should've talked to Breaker first.

  "I love it."

  When she spun the seat of the stool back around to face him, she breathed a sigh of relief to see the smile on his face. "I like it, too. Chuck did an amazing job of covering up Marco’s brand."

  He frowned. "Chuck? Chuck, who?"

  She laughed. "One of Shorty's friends that he met at the VA hospital."

  He relaxed. "Oh, that Chuck. Yeah, he's a nice guy. Kind of scary looking when you first meet him, though."

  "I know what you mean. He made me a little nervous at first, but it didn’t take me long to figure out he’s just a big teddy bear."

  Rayan came from the back. "Hey boss, glad you made it back in one piece."

  "Me, too," he said. “Are you doing okay?”

  She shrugged. “Same old, same old.” She suddenly smiled. “How do you like the tattoo?”

  “It’s perfect.”

  “We all helped Savannah pick it out. Of course, she
made the final decision.”

  Breaker looked at Savannah with raised eyebrows. “Partners in crime?”

  She laughed. “Something like that.”

  “It’s good that you’re home again,” Angie said as she came from the other section of the bar. Her gaze swept over him. “And all in one piece.”

  "I'm not sure if I should be happy everyone worries about me when I'm gone or affronted that everyone thinks I can't take care of myself," Breaker grumbled.

  "We know you can. Maybe someday you'll tell us more about your job, so we don't worry so much."

  “I always stay out of trouble,” Breaker told her.

  Angie’s eyes narrowed. “I seriously doubt that.”

  Breaker said hello to Cindy as she came from the back. Savannah was pretty sure he was glad for the interruption. She didn’t think he wanted to talk too much about his other job.

  A young boy came in and went straight to Angie. He couldn’t have been more than seventeen, with curly red hair. He was at least six feet tall already, but with a baby face, and he was thin as a reed.

  "Where do you need me?" he asked.

  "You'll be helping Shorty tonight,” Angie told him. “He'll show you what he wants you to do."

  The young boy went through the swinging door to the back.

  Savannah and Breaker looked at each other, and then Breaker turned to Angie. "Mind telling me what's going on?"

  Angie looked up with a broad smile on her face. "I figured you two would want some alone time, so I took it upon myself to bring in some extra help for tonight. Now, both of you get out of here."

  "Yes, ma'am," Breaker said with a wide grin.

  Before Savannah could say anything, Breaker grabbed her hand and was pulling her toward the door. They ran up the stairs to his apartment. It took him a few tries before he could get the door open, and by then, Savannah was laughing.

  Once inside, he pulled her back into his arms again. There was no other place she would rather be right now. And when he reached for the hem of her shirt, she raised her arms. He pulled it over her head and tossed it to the side. One quick snap of his fingers and her bra came undone. He removed it, then stepped back to look at her.