Angelina [Orchidea: Love on the Bayou 5] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever)

by Dixie Lynn Dwyer

  “We’re on our way,” Terrance said then disconnected the call. He told his brothers what was going on and they immediately headed out.

  “It’s going to take some time to get there. The feds are on it. We’ll get to her, Lucifer. I trust Michael Fromm. If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t even think about trusting them and I’d get the chopper ready,” Terrance said.

  “She’s not on the boat,” Michael told them as they arrived at the docks. The agents were there and Michael was talking with them from a radio.

  “What the fuck do you mean she’s not on the boat?” Lucifer asked.

  “The other women are here and accounted for, including Vera, but there’s no sign of Angelina.”

  “How the hell can that be? You said that men saw her arrive on that boat.”

  “It’s dark out, Lucifer. I’ve got men on it as well as the coast guard. We’ll figure this out.”

  “Fuck!” Lucifer stated.

  “What the hell does he mean she’s not on there?” Terrance asked. His brothers were just as pissed off.

  “They must have taken her off without anyone seeing her. It’s dark out there now. He said he has the coast guard out looking.”

  “Terrance, the boat. Let’s take the fucking boat out and start looking, too,” Jacque said, and his brothers stared at him a moment.

  “You guys can’t go out there. They’ve got the coast guard and agents searching the surrounding water.

  “I can’t just sit here. It’s my fault that they got her,” Jacque stated aloud. Mike placed his hand on his brother’s shoulder.

  “It’s not your fault. They planned this. They’re professionals.”

  “So are we,” Lucifer said then turned toward the federal agents.

  “Is Michael coming back in this way?”

  “Shortly. He wants to head one of the search boats,” the agent replied.

  “Tell him we want to get on that boat.”

  The agent raised his eyebrows at him, and Lucifer looked down at the guy, using his size to intimidate the agent. His brothers hid their smirks.

  “I’ll call him and see.”

  “You do that.”

  “What’s the deal, Lucifer?” Mike asked.

  “We need to be out there. She has to be on the water on some kind of boat.”

  “Like what, a fucking inflatable raft?” Tye replied and they all looked at one another.

  “Shit, she’ll never make it out there. It’s been raining and the storm is coming from the Gulf,” Lucifer stated.

  “Agent Fromm said to meet him on the east end. The storm is threatening their search plans, but he’s refusing to back down.”

  “Good,” Lucifer said and they headed to meet Michael.

  * * * *

  “You stupid bitch. You’ve caused nothing but trouble!” Tayo yelled at Angelina as he maneuvered the small motorboat out into the darkness of the Gulf. She was so scared she could hardly breathe without shivering. The rain was pouring down, the wind becoming stronger and this asshole was taking them straight into the storm. Her wrists and ankles were tied still. If the little boat tipped, she would surely drown.

  “Can’t you untie my hands? If this thing tips, I’ll drown,” she said to the Asian man. He seemed to be the one in charge. When she saw the other women being held in the boat and then Vera, beaten and out cold on the floor, she was relieved that they were alive. Then her anger overtook her actions. She fought, best she could until they mentioned sticking her with a needle. She couldn’t fight if she were drugged up.

  “That wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen to you, bitch. You’ve been a thorn in my fucking side for weeks. Jiang Huan doesn’t know what trouble you’ll bring him.”

  She swallowed hard as the rain whipped against her cheeks. It was colder now with the storm and she was drenched. She thought for sure that the feds would find them and get to the women in time. But Tayo here was steps ahead of them as he took her from the three thugs that abducted her and threw her onto the boat. Their friends said the police were everywhere.

  “Fuck. Where the fuck is the boat?” he yelled as he nearly tipped the small boat as waves began to get larger. She closed her eyes and prayed that she wouldn’t die out here.

  “There. Yes, they’re right where they’re supposed to be,” he said, and she wondered what he saw until the small flashing light illuminated in the distance.

  “Okay, asshole, I see you,” Tayo said, as he pulled out a small flashlight and blinked it on and off three times. Then the light from the other boat disappeared. They were trying to use the darkness to hide their location. These guys were definitely professional.

  Her hope that they would be found began to diminish the closer they got to the boat. As they hit the side of a yacht, she saw the four men.

  “This is her?” one of them asked as Tayo yanked her up by her wet T-shirt, making it fall past her bra it was so wet. The men had a clear view of her cleavage and they looked as if they would touch her as well.

  Tayo passed her up to one of the men as if she weighed nothing at all.

  He grabbed her and held her against him.

  “Can we play with this one?” he asked then licked the water from her cheek. She cringed in disgust.

  “Not this one. As much as I would like to say yes. She’s off-limits. Let’s move. The coast guard has to be out there.”

  “They are. We only have a short window of opportunity to sneak between the boats. Are you ready?” the man asked.

  “Let’s move.”

  They pushed her forward and toward the front of the boat then started the engine. The wind and rain were relentless as they went deeper into the dark shadows of the Gulf and collided with stronger and larger waves. The lightning struck in the distance and she stared out, wondering if she should jump off the boat. She’d rather die than let some man rape her. She was losing hope as Tayo smiled and looked straight ahead.

  * * * *

  “We’ve got something on radar,” Michael Fromm told the men as they stood on the coast guard boat and traveled deeper into the Gulf.

  “What?” Terrance asked.

  “It’s a boat. The radar is showing a yacht, multiple men on board,” one of the coast guards, who ran the radar system inside, informed them.

  “Head that way, turn off all lights, get the others to do the same,” the captain stated. The lights went out and everyone was quiet.

  “Fuck. I don’t like this,” Lucifer whispered as he held on to the railing on the side of the boat.

  “They see us. They’re increasing speed. All lights on,” the captain indicated, and the water illuminated. They could see the boat in the distance and people on deck. Something was going on.

  “Oh God, she’s fighting them. She’s trying to get free,” Michael yelled.

  “Get free and fucking go where? She’ll drown in this water!” Lucifer yelled.

  “We have to do something,” Tye called out.

  “Hold on,” the captain ordered as they slammed into wave after wave. The men held on and with each wave that struck the boat they would get more drenched and nearly lost their grip on the handles.

  “Take out the driver,” Michael Fromm yelled up to one of his men on the top of the boat. He had a sniper rifle.

  “Wait, you might hit Angelina,” Jacque called out, but it was too late. The shot fired and the boat immediately turned directly into a wave. They were moving closer as they saw a man strike Angelina. She was on her butt, climbing backward as if she couldn’t use her arms or legs. Terrance knew she was in trouble.

  “No!” he yelled as the sniper guy took out two more men. The last guy standing hit Angelina in the head with something and she tumbled over the edge of the boat into darkness.

  “Get to her!” Lucifer yelled.

  * * * *

  Angelina felt the strike to her head from Tayo. The bastard wanted her dead. He knew they were caught. The feds were coming as well as the coast guard. As she tumbled ba
ckward into the cold water, she screamed. She was terrified and knew that she was going to die. The water raged and seemed to swallow her up. She couldn’t move her legs or her arms. They were tied tight. Her chest tightened. I’m never going to see them again. I love them.

  She couldn’t hold her breath any longer as she used all her strength to attempt to get above water. It was dark and the pain too much. It hurt so badly as the water filled her lungs. It is over.

  * * * *

  They stood in horror as the coast guard boat came upon the other boat. They illuminated the water. There was no sign of Angelina. Lucifer jumped into the water first as a wave hit the boats. Jacque jumped in next and Terrance leaped from the coast guard boat to the other boat and tackled the guy who hurt Angelina. It was total chaos.

  “We need more light down here!” Michael Fromm yelled as Mike and Tye held two other spotlights onto the water where Angelina went under.

  Lucifer and Jacque came up empty-handed, took another set of deep breaths then dove under as members of the coast guard joined the search.

  It seemed as if it took forever as Terrance looked over the side of the boat and saw Lucifer emerge with Angelina in his arms.

  “She’s not breathing.” He swam closer to the coast guard boat with Jacque behind him.

  They passed her up to Michael and Tye.

  They were all gathered around her and Terrance could see the blood oozing from her forehead. Michael tilted her head back and began to administer CPR. Terrance looked at his brothers. They were all staring, hoping that she would breathe when suddenly she choked up water and gasped as Michael turned her onto her side.

  “Blankets. We need to get her warm,” Michael called out.

  They covered her and Michael picked her up and passed her to Jacque.

  “Baby, wake up. Please open your eyes.” Her eyes fluttered opened and she moaned.

  “She’s alive. Jacque. Let’s get her to the hospital,” Michael Fromm said as they radioed in to have an ambulance on standby.

  The men that tried to take her from them were all dead now, including Tayo, Niko, and the other men hired by Lei Wong. She was safe now and so were the other women.

  * * * *

  They all gathered around the outside of Aubert’s restaurant on the patio. All the men and their Aubert women were standing together. Baby Jessie was in Eloi’s arms and baby Ashlin was in Marcel’s arms. Armand and Remy were on either side of Angelique. Next to them were Mikayla, Michael, Antoine, and Douglas. They were smiling and teasing Mikayla, and she was laughing.

  Illeanna was sitting on Johnny’s lap while Julian had his hands on her shoulders as he stood behind her and Franco. Louis and Gustave stood around them.

  Ellena had her hands on her hips watching this crazy operation take place as Leon shook his head and Mack, Troy, and Roy stood next to Ellena.

  Angelina was sitting on Lucifer’s lap with Terrance, Mike, Tye, and Jacque around her.

  “This is a mess. Whose idea was this?” Ellena asked, and everyone yelled out “Angelique!”

  They all laughed.

  “Okay. Now you settle down,” Cherise said. “I’ve got to do this right, so no more bad luck haunt the Aubert women. You all think the hard times and danger are in da past. Da past come back sum times and harbor revenge. Ya mark my words,” Cherise Laveau reprimanded them in an attempt to calm them down. They all moaned and groaned and made comments about the possibility of danger.

  “How could there possibly be more danger headed our way, Cherise? Haven’t the gods put us all through enough?” Ellena asked.

  Cherise pointed her finger at Ellena and waved it.

  “Please don’t anger her. We know she’s not crazy or we wouldn’t be here right now,” Johnny stated.

  “We begin now. All da men place a hand on your woman. Dis just as legal and binding as a marriage in the eyes of any God. You all been through a lot together. You survived by the power of love and the strength of togetherness and family. You are bound to one another for eternity as each of your families grow. Aubert sisters, you made your mamma and papa proud. You’ve succeeded in life and still have more joy to come. I’m proud of you, as I’ve thought of each of you as my own. May your marriages be blessed and your children be blessed.” Mother Cherise chanted something and threw tiny bunches of floral-scented powder over all of them.

  “Did she say children?” Ellena asked as she shook and so did everyone else.

  “I just got the chills,” Illeanna said.

  “Me, too,” Angelina replied.

  “I think we all did,” Mikayla added and Mamma Cherise smiled wide.

  “Da babies are coming. Now let’s celebrate. No moonshine for you four,” Cherise said and pointed to Angelina, Mikayla, Ellena, and Illeanna.

  The women looked at their men then covered their bellies with their hands.

  They all smiled and laughed, wondering if what Cherise indicated was true.

  Angelina looked up at Lucifer, Mike, Tye, Terrance, and Jacque.

  “She’s a crazy voodoo priestess right? She can’t tell this type of thing?” Terrance asked.

  Angelina smiled. “She’s never wrong. You’re going to be daddies.”

  They smiled wide then placed their hands on her belly.

  “So it’s official then, we’re married,” Mike stated to Angelina.

  “It’s official,” Angelina said as each of her men gave her a kiss. As the others moved around saying congratulations and celebrated their marriage day together, Angelina absorbed it all. She found love on the bayou just like her sisters, and now she would be raising her own family here as well. Life didn’t get any better than this. Orchidea would always be home to the Aubert sisters and their men.

  THE END

  WWW.DIXIELYNNDWYER.COM

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  People seem to be more interested in my name than where I get my ideas for my stories from. So I might as well share the story behind my name with all my readers.

  My momma was born and raised in New Orleans. At the age of twenty, she met and fell in love with an Irishman named Patrick Riley Dwyer. Needless to say, the family was a bit taken aback by this as they hoped she would marry a family friend. It was a modern-day arranged marriage kind of thing, and my momma downright refused.

  Being that my momma’s families were descendents of the original English-speaking Southerners, they wanted the family bloodline to stay pure. They were wealthy and my father’s family was poor.

  Despite attempts by my grandpapa to make Patrick leave and destroy the love between them, my parents married. They recently celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary.

  I am one of six children born to Patrick and Lynn Dwyer. I am a combination of both Irish and a true Southern belle. With a name like Dixie Lynn Dwyer it’s no wonder why people are curious about my name.

  Just as my parents had a love story of their own, I grew up intrigued by the lifestyles of others. My imagination as well as my need to stray from the straight and narrow made me into the woman I am today.

  For all titles by Dixie Lynn Dwyer, please visit

  www.bookstrand.com/dixie-lynn-dwyer

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com