Branding & Saving Lily Box Set: Books 1 & 2 (Jacob and Lily's Duet)

by Gracin Sawyer

  The sway of the truck mixed with the lull of the tires on the road had my eyes closing. But I welcomed sleep. I could be with Jacob in my dreams.

  Chapter 26

  Jacob

  Watching Lily drive away with Garcia was like having a piece of my heart ripped out of my chest. There was no time to waste wallowing in my selfish desire to be with her. I hated that I had to go back on my word that she wouldn’t have to leave with him. It killed me to do it, but Knox would be coming after me to get to her, and so she had to leave. It was the only way I saw it until Knox was dead.

  Diesel waited for me on the porch, following me inside. “He was here, boss.”

  Stopping at the bottom of the stairs, I turned to face him. “What the hell do you mean?”

  Knowing Knox was here, close to my house, the place I needed to be safe for Lily, had my blood boiling.

  “His tracks led right to the house, but I haven’t seen him. I can’t find another trail either.”

  Damn it. “Keep looking.” Taking the steps two at a time, I rushed upstairs.

  Passing Lily’s room grew the emptiness in my heart. She was gone. But she was safe.

  I snatched my cell phone off the nightstand beside my bed, shoving it in my pocket. Pulling out a small bag from the closet, I grabbed a few essentials. My passport leered at me from the bottom drawer so I thrust it into the zippered lining of the bag just in case.

  I had no idea where this asshole was, but I was willing to scour the entire earth to find him.

  Now I just needed a lead to know where to start looking.

  “Boss! Get down here!” Diesel hollered.

  Flinging the bag over my shoulder, I made my way down the stairs to everyone running toward my office. “What the hell is going on?”

  Doc came out before I could enter, his face white and he looked right through me. I pushed past him and froze at the entrance.

  Lenny, one of Garcia’s right-hand men, was strapped to my chair. His face bloated and bloodied. It was obvious he died a slow death. But it was the note pinned to his chest that enraged me.

  You’re too late. Time is up.

  “Mother fucker!” I ripped the paper off him. Seeing red, I gripped it tight in my fist, rereading the words over and over.

  “Boss,” Diesel said, but he couldn’t be talking to me. I wasn’t there. I was in hell. “Jacob!”

  He took the paper from me and flung it to Jax. “Get everyone ready. No one stays home this time.”

  For the first time, I had no idea what I was going to do. I had saved hundreds of girls, but none of them were mine.

  “Boss,” Diesel tried again, snapping his fingers. This time, it worked.

  “He’s got her.” I clenched my jaw and my body tensed. The fucking bastard had Lily.

  I couldn’t wrap my brain around it. I had sent her off with Garcia. I was there. I put her in the car. How did this happen?

  “Jacob, you know how precious time is right now. We’ll find her, but you need to pull yourself together.”

  He was right. I wasn’t some pussy who clammed up at the first sign of danger. It was like a nerve snapped and every tentative thought disappeared. I wasn’t going to let that bastard have Lily. Screw him. “If he fucking touches her, my hands are going to kill him slowly.”

  Diesel had a wicked grin. “She must be something special.”

  I gave a terse nod. “She is.”

  We strode out to the waiting trucks and jumped in. Doc was in the back seat of my truck, Flapjack was driving. The other truck had Diesel, Jax, and Bear. The other men would follow us in the last truck.

  Flapjack flew down the dirt road, flinging rocks yards behind us. Dust billowed in a thick cloud as the tires sped over the long stretch leading away from the ranch.

  I shifted so I could pull out the cell phone and dialed Rodriguez. There weren’t enough bars to connect. Damn it. I tapped the phone on my knee.

  “She’s gonna be fine, Jacob. She has to be. I can’t do this again.” Doc’s face was still ashen, but an angry scowl replaced the far away disconnected look he had earlier.

  “She’ll be fine.” Even as I said the words, I didn’t know if I believed myself. But there was no way I could listen to that because I would go crazy if something happened to her. And I needed to remain level headed to protect her.

  “I should’ve gone with her.” Flapjack hit the steering wheel. “Damn it.”

  “You listened to an order. You are here because I told you to stay. Now you have a chance to help me save her.”

  “Yeah, but if I were there, maybe…” he trailed, not saying what we all were thinking.

  “Shut the fuck up. Don’t go there.” I was already kicking myself in the ass for putting her in that truck, I didn’t need Flapjack rubbing salt in my wound.

  I refreshed the phone screen again and again, waiting for the bars to return. Damn remote Nevada wilderness.

  Finally, three bars resurfaced. Enough for a call, I hoped. I dialed Rodriguez again, this time it connected.

  He picked up. “I’m in the middle of something, this better be a life or death call.”

  I clenched the phone tighter as each word spilled out of my mouth. “It is. That mother fucker Knox has Lily.”

  “Oh shit, Jacob, I’m sorry. What can I do?”

  Well, at least I finally had his attention. “You’re closer. I need some men to head up to Garcia’s, that’s where she was headed. I think he’s waiting for her there, if he doesn’t already have her. I’m on my way.”

  “I got a guy I can send, but he isn’t blue. What do you want?”

  “Fuck the blue right now. This bastard is gonna die. I don’t care who you send, just don’t send blue.” Sending a cop right now would make things harder on my end. I didn’t mind paying them off, but I didn’t want to deal with that shit right now.

  “I’ll call when he gets there.”

  I hung up. It would be two hours before we got to Garcia’s, even at this speed. What if the note was right and I was too late? I hit the dash. “We need to go faster.”

  “My foot can’t go any farther unless it goes through the floor, boss.”

  Damn it. Lily, I’m so sorry. I only wished she could hear me. But I’ll be there soon. Just hang on, honey. I’m coming.

  Chapter 27

  Lily

  My childhood home was a lot bigger than Jacob’s ranch house. It wasn’t hidden in the trees, but it had an amazing view of the rugged mountains overlooking the valley. Security gates armed the entrance like a fortress.

  The driver leaned forward and buzzed us through. “Where the hell is Hoover and Dean? They’re supposed to be out front.”

  “Is everything okay?” I asked, my always present anxiety leaking through.

  “Yes, we just have a couple of men who obviously need to be talked to.”

  I didn’t think he actually meant talk. I’m sure there was something worse than being yelled at for missing their guard duty, but I let it go. Even as a child, my father never divulged much when it came to his business.

  The two other trucks pulled around back while ours parked out front. Garcia got out and waited for me to join him. “Where the hell is Lenny? Tell him I need to speak with him.”

  Our driver nodded and took off to park the truck. Garcia gestured for me to go ahead of him up the stairs. The front door was actually two doors with frosted glass windows. The whitewashed brick home was massive and loomed over me like a castle. When I was little, I used to think I was a princess. Now I knew better.

  I pushed open the door and stepped inside. Cameras dotted the corners and little red lights blinked as they recorded our entrance. That was new. I didn’t remember those as a kid. It was a little creepy, but I supposed my father needed them. I still wasn’t sure what he did, but I had the feeling it was definitely illegal.

  Garcia closed the door. “I’ve waited a long time to bring you home.”

  I tried to smile, but it didn’t feel like home
anymore. Jacob’s house felt like home.

  “And I’ve waited a long time for you both to come home.”

  I froze. I knew that voice. Bile rose, burning my throat.

  Garcia drew his gun but Knox already squeezed the trigger on his pistol, his bullet hitting Garcia in the chest. “Dad!” I screamed, more out of gut reaction than fear.

  I turned to open the door and run, but Knox grabbed me around the waist and wrapped a hand over my mouth. “I don’t think so. You’re coming with me.” He yanked me away from the entrance just as two men rushed in, their guns drawn. They didn’t see me being pulled away, but they saw Garcia and started yelling for help.

  I screamed into Knox’s palm and then bit down, drawing blood. I used my feet to stomp on his and scratched at his face behind me, anything I could to get away.

  “You bitch!” He hit me over the back of the head with the butt of his gun.

  It’s funny. As the world went black, I smiled thinking of how Jacob would react if Knox kills me. The last thing I saw was Garcia shakily raise his gun and pull the trigger.

  SAVING Lily

  CONTENTS

  Jacob

  Lily

  Jacob

  Lily

  Jacob

  Lily

  Jacob

  Lily

  Jacob

  Lily

  Jacob

  Lily

  Jacob

  Lily

  Jacob

  Lily

  Jacob

  Lily

  Jacob

  Lily

  Jacob

  Lily

  Jacob

  Lily

  Jacob

  Lily

  Jacob

  Lily

  Jacob

  Jacob

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Copyright ©2020 Gracin Sawyer

  All rights reserved.

  Editing by C. Wilcox

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  ABOUT SAVING LILY

  I'd take her place in a heartbeat. As long as she is safe, my job is done.

  Lily ~ Jacob is the only man to ever touch me and I'd die trying to keep it that way. Deep in the heart of a foreign country, I'm being sold to the highest bidder, but the game has changed. In the end, I would sacrifice myself to save the man I love.

  Jacob ~ There isn't a corner of this world I wouldn't look to find Lily, and there isn't a man I wouldn't kill if they touched her. I'd never had to hunt my own woman, and the man who took her will burn in hell for his mistake.

  This book is for you.

  Every woman.

  Every man.

  Love as hard as you can and take nothing for granted.

  Chapter 1

  Jacob

  Flapjack drove the truck like a rally car, maneuvering around the dirt corners leading to Garcia Ramirez’s house without letting up on the accelerator. I hung on to the oh shit handle, letting him peel down the road without complaint.

  All I could do was hope Lily was okay. I wasn’t there to protect her and now I had no idea if she was even alive. The note we found on Lenny’s dead body was meant to rile me, but it did more than that. Lily was mine and Knox took her. He made a mistake and would pay gravely, and if she’s harmed in any way, I would take my time ending his life, quickly would be too easy for a bastard like that.

  The entrance to Garcia’s property was gated, but it was wide open, awaiting our arrival. Medical units and police cars, all with their lights blindingly revolving between blue and red, parked just outside the house.

  I didn’t wait for the truck to stop fully as Flapjack slammed on the brakes. “Lily!” I ran for the house, my heart slamming against my chest, preparing for the worst.

  “You can’t go in there.” An officer placed his arm out, trying to stop me from entering the house.

  “Like hell, I can’t.” I pushed past him, not waiting to explain to him why, or how I was above him. “Lily!”

  Just inside the entrance, paramedics were loading Garcia onto a gurney. His face was white, his body limp, but he was alive.

  “Cardosa,” he whispered gruffly. “Stop moving me, you damn heathens. Let me talk.” He barked at the EMTs.

  He was belted to the gurney and they lifted him up, ignoring his demands. I made my way to him, disregarding the medical crew’s complaints. They could go to hell. All I cared about was Lily. “Where’s Lily?”

  “The fucker shot me and took her. You go get my daughter, and kill him.” There was a mutual understanding between his intent stare and mine. It was confirmed. Knox had Lily.

  The paramedics pushed me out of the way and took Garcia out of the house. Rage I would use later on Knox, built like an inferno.

  Rodriguez stepped through the entrance. His slender frame didn’t do much to intimidate me, hell, I doubted he could intimidate a mouse, but his badge was all I needed. I owned that badge as far as I was concerned. “What the hell happened? I told you to send some men!”

  “I did,” he replied calmly. “One of them is following Knox right now.” He handed me a burner phone and walked away.

  Only two numbers were programmed into the cell. Rodriguez’s and another I didn’t know. I hit call next to the number and waited before the other end picked up.

  “Who the hell is this?” I demanded, walking around the foyer, looking for clues. The marble floor and vaulted ceilings was not out of the ordinary for men like Garcia. Even the cameras at every corner were expected.

  “The man you’re paying to keep tails on this woman of yours.” He was confident, yet he lacked a certain maturity that usually came with this job. I hoped Rodriguez knew what he was doing when he sent a fucking boy to do a man’s job.

  “If I’m paying you, then you answer to me. Who the hell are you?”

  Bear and Diesel found me by the stairs. Diesel crouched down and pointed at a few drops of blood. My stomach rolled. I had no way of knowing if that was Lily’s or not. My breath caught in my chest.

  “Fox.”

  “Fox? Your name is Fox?” Fuck. I didn’t have time for these games.

  “You asked, now you’re gonna get all effed up over my name?”

  “Effed up? For fuck’s sake kid, how old are you?” Damn it. I probably had some hormonal, barely old enough to drive boy running tail on the woman I loved.

  “I’m nineteen, not that it matters to you. You want me to continue to follow them or not?”

  “Yes!” I rubbed my face, trying to block out the entire situation with him being so young and focus on what mattered. “Where are you? Do you know where he’s taking her?”

  “We’re headed south. Looks like Vegas, my man.”

  Vegas. I could do Vegas. I had lots of friends there and all I had to do was get there before Knox to intercept. “Okay, you keep tailing them. I’m gonna fly down there. Keep me informed with every move. If he changes course, you let me know.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I got it. Chill, brah, I know how to tail someone.”

  “For your sake, I hope so.” I couldn’t deal with this right now. I hung up and slipped the burner into my back pocket.

  “Boss,” Bear started, crouching down next to Diesel, staring at the blood.

  “Yeah, I know.” I couldn’t pretend that the blood didn
’t bother me, because inside I was franticly wondering if Lily was okay. Was it hers? Was it somehow Knox’s? “I’ve got to call ahead and get the plane ready. It looks like he’s taking her to Vegas.”

  Diesel frowned. “Jacob, the ring is down there.”

  “I know. Damn it!” I hit the wall with my fist and then braced myself against it looking for support. “I know.” I said a hell of a lot quieter. The words were for me, not them. Because I did know. I knew more than them.

  The ring was notorious for having their meetings in Las Vegas. It was easy for them to get in and out without too many people noticing them, or giving a shit if they were there. Too many girls had been sold to a member of the ring and carried out of Vegas. The idea of Knox trying to sell Lily to anyone in the sex trafficking world had me boiling.

  Having the Cardosa name had its privileges, but having money attached to that name meant I had a lot more than just my name could give me. Owning a private jet on standby was a perk that I was extremely thankful for today.

  It didn’t take more than one phone call to have the entire crew prepare the plane for takeoff. Garcia lived about forty minutes away from the small airport where my plane was parked.

  Flapjack, Diesel, Bear, and Jax rode with me to the airport. I sent everyone back to the ranch, including Doc. I didn’t usually have Flapjack with me, but I had a feeling I would need his cunning abilities to sneak up on a man. He never hesitated when I told him he’d be going. His friendship with Lily had him brandishing his own sword of hate for Knox and willing to do whatever it took to get her back as well.

  Doc didn’t want to go home, but I told him it was best incase Lily found a way home for one of us to be there. Not that either of us believed Knox would let her out of his sights for her to escape a second time.