“I promise not to tell,” she assured Brooke—all the while thinking promises were for little girls and virgins. She was neither, thanks to Zak.
She was, however, very surprised that Ernesto had kept his pompous mouth shut for so long. Maybe being an arrogant prick was an act he put on when it suited him. She’d gotten the distinct impression at dinner the night before that he and Zak had never met.
Perhaps they were all putting on an act and she was too foolish to recognize any of it.
If Ernesto was surprised to see Zak here for this deal, he didn’t show that either. She should probably have naïve idiot tattooed on her forehead, unless it was already there in a special ink only visible to those who took advantage of innocents.
Zak’s arms had remained by his sides while he traded verbal jabs with Demarco, but all of a sudden he reached up and adjusted the saddlebag slung over his shoulder. He stared intensely into her eyes and tugged his ear. Twice. She squinted, wondering why he was looking at her so hard. Was he actually angry she was here? Did she have sway over him like Demarco intimated? More importantly, did he really want to marry her?
The faint sound of a vehicle arriving outside reached them. Everyone looked in the direction of tires crunching over gravel. Everyone except Zak. He intensified his stare, winked, and tugged his ear again.
Kaitlin abruptly remembered the signals they’d discussed in the limo on their way to the restaurant. He was telling her they needed to leave. She tried to keep her expression from giving away her excitement to the others and nodded slightly. He dropped his arm and seemed to relax. He winked once more and gave her a quick half-smile.
Kaitlin looked toward the sound of quiet footsteps approaching behind her. She saw a man she didn’t know, arm lifting slowly with each step he took.
She didn’t notice the gun until the barrel was level and pointed in her direction. Kaitlin screamed as he pulled the trigger.
Chapter Nineteen
Zak heard the gunshot and Kaitlin’s shriek so close together they could have been one sound. He dropped the saddlebags on the floor and launched himself in her direction, already knowing it was too late to push her out of the way if she was the target.
Two more gunshots echoed in the room and Demarco’s two men were suddenly sprawled on the ground, not moving.
He grabbed Kaitlin, wrapping her tight in his arms as he dragged her to the floor. He twisted to absorb the fall’s impact, feeling her soft, warm curves pressed to his front. Please, God, no. He rolled until she was beneath him, shielded by his bulk, and ran his hands over her looking for the wet stickiness of blood. They were mostly covered by a rickety stack of pallets, only their feet were exposed to the direction of the shooter.
“I’m not hit,” she said hoarsely, clutching his biceps. “He didn’t shoot me.”
The overwhelming relief almost made him limp. He looked hurriedly around. Demarco lay on the ground, eyes staring at nothing. Then the bastard blinked and groaned. He closed his eyes, but Zak could see him breathing.
Zak got a glimpse of blue jean-clad legs and work boots, but it wasn’t enough to reveal the identity of the shooter. Montego stood nearby, seemingly unperturbed and unafraid of the gunplay.
Kaitlin’s arms wrapped around Zak’s neck, pulling him close. Her lips brushed his throat with the barest of kisses. Her tone anguished, she said, “I need to tell you. I’m so sorry about this morning.”
Love for her filled him. “Don’t be. It’s all on me. I’m sorry they took you.”
Zak did a quick scan of their surroundings, trying to assess what the hell would happen next. “Listen to me. First chance you get, run. Get out of here. Don’t look back.”
“Only if you’re with me. I won’t leave you.” He stared at her, ready to argue, but couldn’t. They’d made up and he wanted to keep it that way. He’d just have to make sure she survived both their stubbornness.
Montego watched them with a smug smile.
“Let’s get up,” Zak said softly. He inhaled deeply, her unique fragrance settling in his lungs and once more imprinting on his soul as he stood and helped her to her feet.
What would he do to protect her from harm? Anything.
The moment he turned, putting her behind him, she whispered, “And if we escape with our lives tonight, I will marry you.”
Surprise didn’t describe how he felt. Taking a protective stance in front of Kaitlin, Zak gathered his wits and faced the shooter. It took every last shred of his control not to shout, What the fuck!
“Surprised to see me, Zak?”
Fuck, yeah, I’m surprised, dude! “Not really. Something was all wrong about the way you died.”
Julio took the baseball cap off his head. Zak had never seen him wear one. It looked as out of place as him being alive.
“It that so? I thought it was rather convincing.”
Zak looked down at Demarco and nodded once. His eyes were open again, but he didn’t look to be in very good shape. “I don’t know. I’d be willing to bet Diego was more surprised than me.” Fuck. What is going on here?
Julio spat and cursed in Spanish. The wet spittle landed on the center of Demarco’s expensive custom shirt near the bloody bullet hole that had brought him down. He needed medical attention, but Julio didn’t seem too worried about the man’s future. Julio slid a glance toward Kaitlin and smiled. Zak wanted to rip his lips from his face. He stood up straighter.
Julio laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
“Watching you valiantly try to save her life when that night in Diego’s bar, she saved your ass first.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
Montego, who’d been unexpectedly silent as a church mouse since Zak arrived, took a step closer into their circle and started talking in that arrogant, annoying tone he’d mastered. “Julio and I have had a long-standing relationship. His father was patron of the group Diego now operates…” He trailed off and stared down at Demarco. “I mean, the one he used to take care of.”
Demarco roused enough to give Montego an evil glare, but seemed to be struggling just to breathe. Montego promptly laughed too long at his own joke. Brooke joined in for a second as if by reflex, but soon quit. She watched Demarco carefully, like someone waiting for a snake to strike. Zak knew personally her proclivities as a flirt. Perhaps he could use that to his advantage.
Zak asked, “I don’t understand. What did he do that you needed to kill me for?”
That seemed to be all the opening Julio needed to start ranting. “Fucker ruined everything by going soft and letting his own fucked up interests cloud the way things should have been run.” Julio spit on Demarco again, this time hitting his cheek.
Demarco clumsily wiped the spittle off with his inner elbow sleeve. It looked like it cost him. Zak didn’t feel sorry for him, but bat-shit crazy Demarco was at least predictable in his own way. Julio was not. This Julio was an unknown entity. He seemed to have Montego’s respect as well as managing to mastermind this whole clusterfuck with The Organization none the wiser. And that made him very dangerous.
Crazy and not stupid equaled very dangerous.
Zak mentally scrambled for a way to get Kaitlin out of here. He might have to carry her out over one shoulder, tie her up and head back in, but so be it.
He couldn’t believe The Organization’s intel had been so wrong, from Julio’s role in Demarco’s group to the mistaken impression that Julio was well out of the criminal legacy his father had left him. He’d have to discover how their information had been so far off. If he got out of here.
Julio pointed toward Kaitlin. “The night your girlfriend came into the Devil’s Playground, I was about to take you out.”
“Oh?” Zak noticed that Demarco seemed just as surprised, but Montego nodded like he knew all about it.
“Yeah, man. I’d started moving in, ready to point my gun and blow your head off. I was going to kill first and explain later that I didn’t trust you.” He glanced
at Demarco. “Diego only would have screamed about blood on the fucking pool table, but what the fuck, you know? You were done. Nothing personal, you understand, just a lesson to Diego for not checking you out.”
“What?”
“He took my word for you, dude. He should have checked on his own whether you were golden or not. I was planning on taking out Diego when Ernesto showed up.” Julio’s gaze went to Kaitlin. “But then little Miss Prim and Proper stumbled into the bar like some starry-eyed, lovesick schoolgirl.
“Diego waved me off and I knew the deal wasn’t going to be discussed. I could see it in his eyes that he wanted to let things with your girl play out, because he got all fucking dewy over her in an instant.” Julio laughed.
“I knew he’d want a film of you fucking her. That’s why he sent you into the back office. There’s a camera in there. Did you know that? He’d planned to show it to her once he lured her in and fucked her himself. Is that some sick shit or what?”
Zak’s belly roiled. “Yep. That’s some sick shit, all right. I thought I got hustled out because Ernesto showed up.”
Julio shrugged. “Ernesto was there to see what Diego would do. He should have finished the job at hand and made the deal with you, but he didn’t. So predictable. No checking. No following protocol. Only worried about his porn and his own sick fantasies. Dickhead.”
Montego had apparently been quiet long enough. “I came to town early to take back Diego’s business interests. Once you were gone, we’d planned to tell Diego that you were some UC Fed—”
“I’m not an undercover Fed!” Zak wasn’t lying. The Organization was not directly linked to the Feds. They might do each other favors on occasion, but nothing was ever official or in writing. The Organization had its own interests and its own private payroll courtesy of a secret benefactor.
“We know.” Ernesto shrugged and cleared his throat. “Your part was to be a lesson to the others in the group. Once you hit the ground, Diego was going down next. The others still in the group needed immediate leadership, which I planned to provide.”
Zak nodded. “Why don’t you take over, Julio?”
Julio walked closer. “Because those Fed fuckers watch me. My father’s rep will always hang over my head. Had to be Ernesto. Teach the others about what carelessness will get you, and how we plan to run things from now on.”
“What makes Ernesto so trustworthy?” Zak asked.
“History. I was very good friends with Julio’s father back when things started. That relationship passed on to Diego when Julio’s father went to prison.”
“Yeah. But then he became a low-rent wheeler dealer, trading all sorts of shit this group never should have handled,” Julio said. “Traditions were let go or abandoned. Plus, he didn’t pay enough attention to who the fuck came into the fold. I mean, even though I was the one who stood up for you, he should have checked you out himself. But he didn’t. Slacker. He had to go.”
Ernesto spoke up again. “Then I did the same thing. I vouched for someone and Diego didn’t bother to check and see who he was, just took it on faith that the man I recommended was vetted.” He rendered what could only be the most sinister laugh Zak had ever heard. “In fact, I have no idea who he is. Maybe he’s on the up and up, maybe he isn’t. Diego didn’t check, so now he’s got to die, too.”
Fuck. Miles was officially late now. Where was he?
Zak moved a quarter of a step closer to one of Montego’s goons. The guy was totally wrapped up in the drama. If Zak could just get close enough, he could grab the guy’s gun, take out the other guard and grab hold of the situation.
“So the guy I’m supposed to be sharing this business deal with is out already?” Zak asked, mostly wanting to be certain Julio or Montego hadn’t already buried Miles out behind the warehouse somewhere.
“Technically there isn’t a deal at all.” Julio looked at his watch. “And he’s late anyway. What’s up with your boy, Ernesto?”
“He’ll be here.”
“Do you trust him?”
Both Montego and Julio said at the same time, “No.”
Zak asked, “Why are we waiting then?”
Julio grinned. “He’s bringing the other half of the money.”
Montego shrugged. “Once we have the cash, then you’re both dead, and we’re out of here.”
Demarco started to struggle up to a sitting position but couldn’t do it. “How dare you treat me this way? I made shit-tons more money than your father ever managed. Me! I did that.”
Julio whipped his gun up, but Brooke screamed. “No! Please don’t kill him.” She ran to Demarco, dropped to her knees and draped herself over his prone body. “I love you. I’m sorry. I can’t do this anymore.”
Montego snagged the gun from one of his men, leaving him unarmed. Zak side-stepped quickly to get closer to the other goon.
“Brooke. What are you doing?”
Her mascara streaked eyes met Montego’s cold stare. “I love him.”
“What about us?”
“I hate you. I’ve hated you forever. You are the worst, Ernesto! Diego promised me we’d be together once you finished this deal.”
The goon with the remaining weapon dipped his arm and Zak moved in. He shot an elbow into the guy’s throat and he folded like a lawn chair in a high wind. Zak grabbed his gun and leveled it at Julio as he kicked the gun easily out of Montego’s hand.
Julio tried to take aim at Zak. Zak fired.
“Fucker!” Julio dropped the gun. He’d only been shot in the bicep, but he fell to his knees like something vital had been hit.
Zak marched forward and put the barrel to Julio’s head. “Don’t move.” He noted that if Julio stretched, he could have grabbed a gun from one of Demarco’s fallen men, but he didn’t. Even so, he kicked the nearest gun well out of his reach. Julio frowned, still clutching his arm.
“Kaitlin,” Zak said. “Get out, right now.”
She didn’t move, looking at the entire scene a bit like a cute deer in the headlights.
They all listened to the sound of another vehicle crunching over the gravel lot beside the warehouse. Doors slammed and someone entered the building. Zak had never been so glad to see Miles, duffel bag in hand and a very surprised-looking guy in tow, presumably Nate the product testing guy.
“What in the world are you doing?” Miles asked, staring around at the tableau of dead goons, a pretty blonde draped over a bleeding Demarco, a bewildered Kaitlin and Zak holding the not-dead Julio, annoying Montego and more henchmen at bay with one gun.
Zak motioned at Miles and his companion. “Drop your bag. Guns on the floor.”
“Chill out, dude.”
“They were going to kill us and take our money, take the product and even kill Diego, too.”
“What the fuck?”
“Until you got here I was thinking about my next steps. You got any thoughts?”
“Where’s the product?”
Zak gestured to the table Montego had been leaning against. “Over there maybe, but I’m not certain they even brought anything. This was a bogus meeting meant to teach Diego a lesson. We were used.”
“The hell you say.” Miles sent Nate over to check out the briefcase on the table. He also pulled a weapon and pointed it in the general direction of Montego, Julio and Demarco, still cuddling with Brooke. All three men looked supremely unhappy.
Miles said, “Maybe we’ll just take the product and our money.”
“Fine by me,” Zak said.
Nate sounded excited when he said, “These are the real deal. The flash drives are legit.” Inside the briefcase was a tray filled with row after row of high-end flash drives. If the intel could be believed, which Zak had some doubts about, each offered access to various security systems across the nation.
Miles said, “Excellent. Let’s round them up and go.”
Before anyone could move, several approaching vehicles and sirens could be heard. Seconds later, the staccato sound of a platoon of
footsteps echoed through the rafters of the warehouse.
Then the shouting began. The police dashed forward, guns drawn and a party pack of assorted law enforcement guys at their heels. No one looked more surprised than Montego or Julio to see their meeting compromised.
Zak, Miles and Nate all went to their knees, surrendered their weapons and got arrested with the pack.
Brooke was physically lifted from Demarco when the ambulance arrived to take him. He was handcuffed to the gurney. Brooke screamed obscenities at the paramedics and really anyone within range of her loud voice, until she was also removed.
Kaitlin looked relieved when the police showed up, and immediately forlorn when Zak was disarmed and handcuffed like all the others. For some reason, the cops were treating her like a victim instead of a suspect, and hadn’t cuffed her. He saw her arguing with various officers and pointing at him, but they had their orders. Zak was a bad boy criminal and he was going to jail. She was led outside the warehouse. He lost track of her in the chaos of being shoved in the back of a police transport van. It was about to be a long night.
Zak took solace in the fact that at least they’d had a final moment to straighten out their disagreement from breakfast. Things had worked out, all things considered.
The arrest was all part of protecting the identities he and Miles had cultivated. Nothing helped with that better than being hauled off in the paddy wagon. They even had Kaitlin as an additional witness to Julio, Montego and Demarco’s dealings. He likely wouldn’t even be released from this fake detention until morning.
It wasn’t until later that Zak learned the saddlebags were wired. That was how Miles knew to come when he did, and how the cops had been forewarned to handle Kaitlin carefully. Everything they’d said in the warehouse was evidence and further charges were being collected to ensure that Demarco’s former group of criminals would be totally shut down in the area. Julio and Montego’s arrests were a welcome bonus, and the two were facing numerous charges of their own.
The morning after their faux arrests, Zak had been removed from his cell and put in a private conference room with Miles when a local law enforcement officer entered. “Langston, there’s someone here to bail you out. What would you like me to tell her?”
Biker (Bad Boys in Big Trouble Book 1) Page 17
