When they entered, the bartender, a pretty blonde girl with an easy smile, greeted them. “Gentlemen, you’re here much too early. The fun doesn’t begin until tonight.”
“I need to see your manager,” Damon cut across.
Her eyes widened and her smile became more forced. “Just one moment.”
She returned from the back with a man in a suit, too much bling everywhere. Damon realized this was a guy he could make squeal if only given enough time.
Which he didn’t have. So, he did the next best thing and pulled out his gun.
“You’re not serious,” the man scoffed. “Robbing me in daylight?”
“This isn’t a robbery.” Damon walked closer until the gun was mere inches from the man’s face. He levelled his darkening gaze on him, scowling. “I want information on a man named Wraith. You may know him as Anton, or he also runs by the alias Alain Valois.”
“Never heard of him.”
Damon took off the safety of the gun. “How about Viktor Beauchamp?”
The boss scoffed. “Haven’t seen that guy in a while, but he owes me money. Be sure to tell him, would you?”
Renzo threw Damon an impatient look he could easily interpret. The entire affair wasn’t getting them anywhere, and time was ticking by.
Damon took a step closer to the owner. “You had a bouncer. Someone who left a while back. Glaucoma in both eyes.”
“Nicky, yeah. Boy left me high and dry. What of him?”
“Did he ever come in here with anyone?”
“No, but now you mention it, he hung out by a warehouse with a bunch of Albanians.”
Damon dropped his gun. “Give me the address, and we’ll be out of your hair.”
The man was only too happy to oblige.
♥∞♥
Cassandra stirred from the deep fog of sleep, her senses returning one by one. Smell was first. A damp, mouldy musk permeated the air. There was a slight chill, artificial enough in summer it implied an air conditioner. The sounds were next – scrapings, as though someone was dragging a chair on the floor.
She cringed at the noise, and a laugh echoed around her.
“Ah, you are awake. Perfect.”
It wasn’t until Alain ripped off her blindfold that Cassandra realized something was stopping her from seeing. She tried to swallow a few times, hating the pasty taste. Her senses felt foggy, and she had a feeling standing up would be impossible, even if she hadn’t been tied up.
There goes my plan of escape.
Panic was settling in, but if she showed it, it would make Alain that much happier. Speak of the devil…
He moved closer, facing her. “Now, Cassandra, how about you tell me how you know Mr. Voight, hmm?”
She yanked her chin out of his hand, turning her head to the side. He laughed, then gripped a handful of her hair and pulled on it – hard. Cassandra’s head was forced back and a cry escaped her lips. When she noticed his savage grin, she tempered it down.
“Don’t stop,” Alain hissed close to her ear. “I want to hear you scream.”
When Cassandra only bit her lip and glared at him, he let go and stepped back. She followed him with her eyes, determined to fight the drowsiness and watch his every movement.
Alain walked behind her, then reappeared to her right. It was then Cassandra noticed the side-table. To her horror, it was not the scrape of a chair she’d heard earlier. The monster had been sharpening a large hunting knife with a rugged blade.
Rather than reach for it, Alain passed by the table that held the knife. He walked a few more meters, then disappeared behind a plastic curtain and into the darkness beyond.
Cassandra took advantage of his inattention to inspect her surroundings, hoping to find an escape. The mix of adrenaline and fear for her life had been enough to force her senses into full-blown awareness.
Judging by the rectangular shape and large walls, she was in a warehouse. Paint peeled off them, and the only windows were tiny and place high off the ground, near the ceiling. The area itself seemed to be split into sections, with thick plastic curtains separating each side. Cassandra was in one corner of the building, and Alain had vanished towards the other side. There were no other voices, nor any landmarks outside.
She tried to wiggle her hands, but Alain had tied them with a zip tie. The more she tried to move, the more they dug into her wrists. Cassandra hissed at the sharp pain – she was trapped.
As though sensing her despair, Alain returned. “Now, you will talk,” he said, emphasizing each word as if savouring it. His walk was slow, purposeful, like a cat playing with its prey. On his way to Cassandra, he picked up the hunting knife, and knelt in front of her.
“You will tell me everything I wish to know, including where Viktor stashed the money he owes me. If you don’t cooperate, we may have to start our little party earlier than intended, chérie.”
Cassandra hated the way he used the endearment, sullying it with his bitterness. Yet her attention was otherwise drawn when the knife’s tip pressed against her knee cap. She gulped, but the lump in her throat was still choking her.
“Do you know how much pain you would be in, if I press just the right way, and cut the right strings?” Again, that savage grin. “Speak. Now.”
Cassandra didn’t intend to lose her leg, nor did she plan to give Alain more satisfaction than she already had. But first things first. “If I tell you, will you untie my hands?”
He laughed at that, and it echoed in the cavernous walls. “You think you can negotiate?”
Despite what she really wanted to do, Cassandra tried to keep calm. “What’s the matter, Alain? Or should I call you Wraith? Scared I’ll run away?” She paused, assessing the glint in his eyes. Testing him was fragile ground, but her instinct warned to push a little more. “I thought you liked the chase.”
Alain’s expression remained blank, and the tip of the knife dug further into her skin. A sharp pain erupted when the metal pierced her skin, but he stopped before it got too deep.
“You are correct,” he sneered. “I enjoy the chase very much. And with you, it will be all the better savoured.”
Alain stood and came behind her. Cassandra felt a tug on her wrists, then release as the restraints fell away. She pulled her hands forward, massaging the wrists.
The assassin then pulled another chair and sat facing her, twirling the knife in his fingers. “Now, speak.”
Damon, hurry…
“I met Damon when I was in my teens. He interned at my father’s firm….”
♥∞♥
They were still on their way to the warehouse when Damon’s cell rang again. “Talk to me.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Renzo fidget on his seat, one leg bouncing up and down. He knew the kid was as anxious as he was to get Cassandra back safe, yet they weren’t any closer to it.
They’d been driving around for hours checking potential areas. Paco had pulled up his map of Wraith’s footprints in the city, but all they’d seen so far were empty housings.
Damon hit the steering wheel in frustration, then threw the phone at Renzo. “Hit the speaker.”
Once he did, Zak came on the line. “I might have something,”
“Tell me.”
“This last warehouse you’re heading to, I pulled a satellite image. Paco combined it with our infrared something-or-other. It’s empty, except for two heat signatures in one corner.”
“Which?”
“South-west.”
Damon glanced at Renzo, nodding. “Thanks, Zak. I’ll take it from here.”
“Also, the tickets you wanted are ready. But, boss?”
“Yeah?”
“There’s been a recent shipment of C4 to that warehouse. More than enough to make it explode – and then some.”
Damon thanked him again and hung up. “Fuck me,” he bit out, and Renzo threw him a look.
“Explosives?”
Damon didn’t answer. Instead, he gunned the engine until the GPS
tracker showed they were a few minutes away. He slowed down and the only sound from the car was the softest of purrs. With a flick of a switch, he turned off the lights and they neared incognito towards the warehouse.
The building was located at the end of a cul-de-sac. It was surrounded by several industrial places, all as badly maintained as this one. They got out of the car, and he signalled Renzo to be quiet.
“Follow me, step only where I do, and be ready for anything.” Damon pulled a second gun out of the trunk before closing it. “In case you need it.” He then handed Renzo the car keys. “And this is for a quick getaway.”
Renzo met his gaze, understanding the unspoken agreement. He nodded, then tucked the gun in the back of his jeans like a pro.
He might be a kid, but he’s quick. I guess growing up with the Mob has a way of teaching you street smarts.
Damon turned away from him, forgetting everything except the mission. He had his gun out and ready, his body coiled with anticipation.
Wraith had given up his chance of a life spent in jail the minute he’d kidnapped Cassandra. Regardless of what Derek or any other agency in the world thought, Damon planned to make sure the assassin was taken care of – permanently.
Silent as ghosts, they moved through the shadows and slipped in through the back door.
♥∞♥
Alain was staring at Cassandra, and it was oddly disconcerting. She was not comfortable with his look, as it seemed he was ready to explode. Her knee was bloodier than before thanks to his constant picking at it, whenever she didn’t give him a satisfactory answer.
For the last few hours, Cassandra had told him her life story, but there was nothing she could say for Viktor’s money. Alain had gone suspiciously quiet when she’d admitted what Uncle Fabio had revealed – that Viktor had been completely broke.
Alain leaned forward, lifting the knife towards her chest. “This isn’t working, so evidently I shall have to get more creative.”
He grabbed the front of her t-shirt and yanked upwards, forcing Cassandra to her feet. Resistance would have been futile and only led to her being in a more vulnerable spot than she was already. And the last thing Cassandra wanted was Alain’s cold gaze on her naked body.
She was yanked out of her thoughts by his brutal shove, straight into the wall. Her back hit the cement with force, and Cassandra gasped at the pain. Then Alain was in front of her, hand on her throat.
“Now, let’s see if you can sing for me, pretty bird.”
The knife’s tip rested against her throat, and Cassandra tried to quiet her breathing for fear of stabbing herself by mistake. Alain only smirked, his eyes roaming over her face, taking in her terror and getting off on the control he exerted.
Once Cassandra clued in to his game, her laboured breathing returned to normal. Alain’s eyes glinted dangerously, but it didn’t stop her. “You’re going to have to do way worse if you want to break me.”
Silence extended around them, until the air was thick with his anger. Then he dropped the knife, and smiled. “I thought you’d never ask.”
She didn’t see his movement coming before he’d back-handed her so bad, she found herself on the floor. Cassandra tasted metal, and a check-up with the tip of her tongue confirmed her lip had split.
I’m not going to die here, at his hands.
She tossed her hair back and rose to her feet, staring down Alain. His jaw was clenched, and he was breathing heavily. A vein throbbed on his right temple, and Cassandra had the confirmation she needed – he was losing it.
Just one more push.
“Is that the best you got?”
Roaring with fury, Alain grabbed her by the shoulders and slammed her back against the wall. Her head throbbed from the impact, but Cassandra tried to focus and raise her knee to hit him. Before she could, Alain reached for her throat, gripping it and squeezing.
“You’ve outlived your usefulness to me, chérie.”
Cassandra tried to scratch at his arm, attempting to pull away. But Alain only hoisted her higher until her feet were dangling off the ground. “It’s about time you pay for daddy DiCavalier’s mistakes.”
The murdering intent in his eyes was clear, and tears of helplessness rolled down Cassandra’s cheeks. Damon…
Alain brought his other hand to her throat, ready to snuff out her life to good. But a shape burst out of the curtains behind and tackled him. Cassandra dropped to the ground, inhaling deep breaths of air into her deprived lungs.
She glanced at the two men rolling over, her vision blurry from the temporary lack of air. When the assailant threw a punch, she recognized Damon’s tattoo.
“Damon!”
He came for me.
Renzo was by her side next, pulling her up. When her weight fell on her injured leg, Cassandra started to fall. His arm around her waist anchored her, and he started dragging her away, back the same way they’d appeared.
Cassandra glanced behind, her eyes glued on Damon as he battled with Alain. The sight of the two of them fighting was enough to give her pause, and she slowed down.
Damon was quick, dropping punches and avoiding the knife that sliced through the air like a sword. But Alain was a panther on the prowl, ruthless and with nothing to lose. He clocked Damon under his jaw, sending him flying into the wall.
Damon shook his head and faced him, a bloody gash on his forehead. He no longer had a gun in his hand, and Cassandra saw it lying not far away.
“We have to help Damon!”
Renzo looked at her like she was crazy, then tried to drag her away. “He can handle himself.”
As they were stuck arguing, a loud bang resounded. Cassandra looked back again, in time to see Damon strike Alain, and the two tumbled into the plastic curtains. Next to where they’d disappeared, fire sparked, and quickly engulfed the area.
“Damon!”
Through the curtain, Cassandra saw a shape stand and look towards them. “Get her out of here!” Damon’s voice was hoarse with emotion – and smoke.
Cassandra reached out to him, but Renzo was relentless in dragging her away. His grip and her injury made it impossible to fight him. They got to the car and he pulled out a fob to unlock it, then dropped Cassandra on the backseat.
He slammed the door shut, then rushed to the driver’s side. When he started the engine, Cassandra punched the back of his seat.
“We can’t leave him there! Renzo!”
Renzo’s eyes met hers in the rear-view mirror, and she read hesitation in his expression. “Damon said to get you away, Cass.”
“And I’m telling you we can’t leave him!”
After another beat, Renzo nodded and reversed until the car was by the exit they’d come through. “If anyone but Damon comes out of there, I’m taking you far away,” he warned.
His gaze dropped to her injured knee. “We need to stop that bleeding.” Out of the corner of her eye, Cassandra saw him reach into the side door pocket and pull out a Swiss army knife, using it to cut a wide bandage from his shirt.
She didn’t speak when Renzo moved through the two front seats and managed to wrap it around her knee, effectively stopping the bleeding for the time being. Her eyes were glued to the exit door, praying against all hope, but only smoke escaped from within.
Cassandra wrung her hands, leaning her forehead on the window. Her breath fogged it within seconds, and the outside became blurry.
“Here.”
She glanced at Renzo and the box of tissues he was holding out for her. It was only then Cassandra realized her tears were part of the reason her vision was so blurry. She wiped her face, then blew her nose. Grabbing another handful of tissues, she wiped down some of the blood from her leg.
Renzo let out a breath. “We need to take you to a doctor.”
“Not yet, Renzo. Please, I –”
An explosion rocked the car, and Cassandra turned to the door. She reached for the door to storm out, but Renzo locked them inside before she had a chance to.
&n
bsp; Cassandra glared at her best friend, hating him in that moment. “Let me out!”
“No! You’re not thinking straight.”
Hot tears cascaded down her cheeks, and before long Cassandra curled onto herself and let the sobs out. “Damon…”
Another explosion sounded, and her sobs only grew louder. Then she felt a light touch on her shoulder, and looked up to see Renzo staring out the window.
“Cass…” He trailed off, but his hand moved to unlock the doors as if by reflex.
Cassandra straightened up then, wiping at her eyes and trying to figure out what had her friend’s attention. Smoke surrounded the entire area, and the warehouse she’d been held captive in was in flames. But through the thick grey condensation, a shape appeared.
The locks snapped open, and she knew it was Renzo’s doing. Hands trembling, Cassandra opened the car door and stumbled out. She barely dared to believe her eyes – yet the confident stride was unmistakable.
“Damon!”
Half-limping, half-dragging her leg, Cassandra moved towards him. At the sound of her voice, Damon picked up his pace and within seconds she was in his arms, surrounded by the scent of his skin and smoke.
Damon was holding her tightly enough to suffocate as he kissed her cheeks, her eyes, and everywhere he could reach. She held on to him, thanking the fates and the entire universe for allowing him to escape with his life.
When Damon finally pulled away, a grin lighted his face, dirty with blood and soot. “I reckon we’ll need a shower before hopping on that flight to Europe.”
♥ Chapter 21 ♥
A thumb was caressing her cheek, the touch as light as a butterfly. Cassandra’s eyes cracked open and met Damon’s gentle green gaze. He was watching her through half-lidded eyes, and it took her a moment to realize they were both lying in bed.
“Hey there, sleepy. How are you?” Damon’s question was whispered, as if not to scare her away.
“I…” Cassandra’s voice came out hoarse, so she stopped and cleared her throat, frowning.
The hand that was caressing her cheek moved away as Damon produced a bottle of water off the night stand. He opened it and handed it over, watching as she drank most of it.
Blood Ties, Love Binds Page 18
