“Perhaps you can achieve that with Earl, child. Of course, you could have started off better if you hadn’t slept with that attorney like some cheap slut he picked up off the streets.” Elizabeth lifted her phone from inside her purse and began scrolling through the messages. “They have the yacht prepared for your arrival.”
“You don’t need me to make your life happy. Why are you doing this?”
“I need you to fix what you’ve done with that courtroom mess. I want you out of my life, once and for all. And Earl will take care of that for me in exchange for a little help with some of his cash issues.”
“Money laundering and hurting people only looking for a better life,” Angel stared through the darkened windows. They weren’t moving very quickly, but the locks had been set the instant they had been seated. “He uses people for his drug and smuggling business. And you…and father…preaching such lofty words that don’t actually mean a thing to either of you.”
“And within an hour, you will be on a yacht headed for Mexico. The ends justify the means,” Elizabeth told her, barely lifting her eyes from the screen of the phone in her hands. “I’ll have what I want. Earl will have what he wants and your father’s congregation will be settled and back to normal.”
“And I don’t matter.”
“You never did, Angelica. It’s taken you a very long time to realize that.” And with that, she tucked the phone away and smiled as the door at her side was pulled wide.
Angel only just realized the motion had stopped. Icy, fresh air blew in off the water. The rains had stopped for the moment and some of the clouds must have lightened and thinned, because a faint light from the moon was sending sparkling shimmers of a glow down over the water.
“I received your message,” a low voice said from the outside seconds before his face appeared in the open space. He extended his palm to her. “Angelica. How good of you to accept my offer.”
She ignored his hand and sat still. Then the door behind her clicked and she felt it open. She turned to the side and stepped out without looking at anyone around her. Eyes on the ground, she heard Colin tell her in his sexy drawl. Memories. She had them and she’d never let them go. They’d keep her sane. He’d find her. She had to keep repeating that, no matter what happened.
Angel stepped from the inside of the limo and looked toward the very large waiting yacht. People scurried around carrying large boxes from a big truck parked near the loading ramp in the above parking lot. A chill ran through her and it had nothing to do with the weather. She was breathing too fast as she looked around, seeking an escape.
She saw the water’s edge and wondered…just for a few seconds. She was a strong swimmer, but the cold water…or the man coming around the limo and quickly grabbing her arm. She should have taken the water. His hand tightened painfully, but she refused to show him he was hurting her. Eyes on the ground, she heard in her head, stepping inside and away from the night.
“Let me escort you to our suite, Angelica,” his voice was low, a snarl in his words that made her cringe. He was too much like her father and brothers. No, he was worse, she realized, stumbling along the wide plank leading to the main level of the large boat. “I strongly urge you to adjust to your situation. It will be much more pleasant for you.”
Nothing about you will be pleasant, she thought, keeping her opinions to herself. He’d strike her at the first reason she gave him. Part of her knew he’d strike her simply because he was of the mood to. But for now, she’d remain silent.
“There is food and clothing for you. Get out of those pants and select a dress. I’ll be back when we are safely underway,” he gave her a little shove into the large stateroom. “The heat is on and you should be most comfortable,” he tipped his head before pulling the door closed.
Angel heard the snap of a lock and sighed. Instinct had her wanting to kick at the door. A lot. But she turned and went to the large windows. She was reaching for one of the latches when a noise behind her made her spin. Grateful that her shoes gripped the floor beneath her, she stared at the woman stepping from inside the bathroom.
“Who…?” Angel stared at the woman. She had red hair, bound into a ponytail and bright blue eyes that smiled at her. She wasn’t very tall, probably five and a half feet tall but very slight looking.
“Shh…we have one guard outside,” she reached inside the jacket she wore, her hand coming out with a small gun that fit perfectly in her palm. She placed one finger against her lips and worked a small set of thin tools in the lock. “These things are so easy. I graduated from them when I was seven,” she confided with a little chuckle, sliding the slim pieces of metal into a small case Angel hadn’t seen until now. It disappeared into an inner pocket of her jacket.
The finger went back to her lips as she held the gun steady and eased the door inward.
“Over here, Angel. I want him to see you. Call out to him. Tell him you need to talk to him,” the redhead stepped to the left side and waited.
Angel gulped down her agreement and moved to the door, her hand on the knob. She turned it and cleared her throat, trying to make words come out. She was a baker. She wasn’t a person who hung out with guns and…and…
“What the fuck? That door was locked.”
Angel just stared. He couldn’t be more than twenty-five. If that.
Her mouth opened and she almost spoke something far from intelligent when the redhead stepped out and fired. Angel closed her eyes, but the thump of him hitting the floor couldn’t be blocked out that easily. She didn’t look when she spoke.
“Is he…?”
“It’s okay. Just a tranq dart,” the redhead chuckled. “Help me drag his heavy butt into the suite. Then, we’re outta here,” she promised, tucking the gun into the band of her jeans and bending over to take one of the guard’s arms. Between them, they managed to pull him inside and reclose the door.
“Who are you?”
“Oh. Crystal,” she answered with a smile before turning the inner lock. “That will hold them for a little bit. Provided we get away without anyone seeing us.”
“That’s the door.”
“Yes, but they have really nice, big windows and I already loosened one of them,” she said with a nod.
“Again. Who are you?” Angel followed, keeping her voice low as they climbed on the bed and stood before one of the large, thick panels of glass. It was designed to slide to the side and had a full sized screen on the other side. A screen that now had a very long knife sliced through it, carving a simple opening for them to squeeze through.
“I work for your boyfriend,” she looked at Angel and frowned. “Technically, I work for my dad who works for your boyfriend. Who is very worried about you. C’mon, let’s get out of here. I don’t like these guys and I have a little surprise set beneath the boat.” She tipped one wrist up. “In less than five minutes. We gotta move.”
Angel knew she shouldn’t ask as she climbed on the ledge behind the enormous bed and turned to squeeze sideways through the slit screen. Her feet gripped the highly polished fiberglass of the front of the large yacht. She took one last look at the bed and shivered, grateful for whoever sent the redhead to her.
“What’s going to happen?” She whispered, waiting on her heels like Crystal had ordered. She’d make a darn good dom.
“It’s going to take on a lot of water, really quickly,” Crystal whispered back. “Over this way and keep low. Let’s get out of here before things get sketchy.”
Angel wasn’t about to argue. However the woman and her father worked for Colin, she was grateful. She had to guess he’d hired someone to watch her. Again, grateful, she thought with a relieved sigh as she followed Crystal down a liguidy rope ladder over the side of the boat. And into a much smaller boat.
As soon as her feet hit the bottom, she was tossed to the side and onto a pile of cushions and coiled up ropes. Crystal stood at the center, one hand on a wheel while the other maneuvered some sort of control at the side. Whatever
it was, they were moving through the water, almost silently.
Until a loud yell went up from behind them.
“Crap,” Crystal scrambled for an inner pocket and came out with a small phone. She tossed it to Angel. “Press on and one – tell him your name and that you’re safe and we’re headed for shore just outside the bridge. And we’re being followed. We’ll be on the ground running and get his butt over here fast.”
Angel nodded and quickly followed orders, her body falling to her elbows on a stack of coiled ropes as the boat jerked to the side and picked up speed. A lot more speed than she would have through the little boat capable of.
“Hi, this is Angel Morehouse. I’m supposed to tell you we’re safe and being followed and are going to ground just outside the bridge. And you should get here fast.”
“On my way,” came the brusque, gruff response and the line went dead.
“He knows where to meet you?”
“Yep. Always have a backup plan for when the maybe good plan fails.” Crystal cast a quick glance over her shoulder. “He might already know since you’re wearing the earrings, but I needed to make certain. I don’t think these guys are going to be real forgiving if they catch up with us.”
“I…the earrings?” Angel reached up, swaying wildly when the boat made a jerky turn. “I’m bugged?” She didn’t know why, but that thought actually made her smile.
“It’s not your boyfriend’s fault. My dad doesn’t like taking chances with someone he’s hired to protect,” Crystal told her quickly, uncertainty in her voice.
“Oh, I’m not upset. Relieved, actually and I would have suggested it if I…I don’t know,” she spoke loudly above the roar of the boats. “I guess I wanted to believe they’d just leave me alone.”
“For what it’s worth…I think it was just the woman and Leonard. I don’t think your father knew how crazy she is,” Crystal throttled back. “Get ready to jump with me and run! I’ll lead! I know the way we need to go.”
“It’s so dark out there,” Angel climbed to her feet, tucking the phone into a pocket and moving shakily over the small space in the boat until she was next to Crystal. She glanced behind them. “They aren’t quitting.”
“I suspect they dislike losing,” Crystal said with a chuckle. “I doubt their boss is happy about you going missing when he thought he was so close to the prize. Oh, nothing personal.”
“None taken, I promise. He’s slimy and I’m just so grateful to you.” Angel held tightly to the side of the boat. Her eyes had adapted to the darkness and she could see the shoreline quickly coming up at their side.
“We’re coming in at an angle. I don’t want to hurt my boat too much,” Crystal explained, her hands quickly cutting the engine and holding tight. “Let’s go. Just jump the side and follow me!”
“It’s so dark.”
“It’ll work for us. Trust me.”
“People are always telling me that,” Angel said as she felt the lurch of the boat against solid ground. Her feet and legs reacted to the movements ahead of her, bolting up and over the low side and onto the packed sand and rock beach.
She followed behind the fast, small woman, mimicking her movements and keeping low. There was shouting behind her. But so far no one had begun shooting at them. Oh, god, where did that thought come from? Too much TV, she answered immediately. Her whole life the last few weeks had become something out of a canceled television show.
Colin had been pacing beside the large SUV, stopping only when he heard the female voice over the speaker. His hands clenched over the open edge of the window, Angel’s voice ripping away the foreboding that had swept through him at her text.
He stepped back, letting Abe start the SUV while he moved quickly to the passenger side. He hadn’t been able to think of not finding her; of not being able to get her away from Leonard.
“Lieutenant, Angel is clear of the ship,” he said crisply into his phone. “Thank you.”
“Leonard is still on the boat,” Abe said flatly. “He wouldn’t go after her himself.”
“The Lieutenant’s already picked up Elizabeth Morehouse. This time there won’t be bail with all the evidence you’ve collected and the video from Angel’s shop. This time, it will end.”
“There they are…” Abe jerked the wheel along one of the narrow roads leading through the large wooded area.
Colin was out of the SUV seconds before he watched both women racing along the dirt path above the beach. Both were breathing heavily when a man burst out of the tree cover and tackled them both to the ground.
Angel felt the hand too late, her body taking the brunt of the fall to the ground. The man was focused on her, and released Crystal. Both his arms circled her, pinning her arms to her sides as he scrambled to his feet, taking her with him. He backed up just enough to slide down the sandy slope to the more flat section of hard packed sand.
She kicked back, her feet lifted off the ground as he began moving toward the other men approaching from the water’s edge. A scream was ripped from deep inside her when his free hand came up and gripped her neck, tightening painfully.
“I’ll snap your neck.”
“He’ll kill you.”
“Leonard wants you alive. It’s the only reason you’re breathing,” growled the foul smelling man holding her.
“No!” Angel shouted loudly, pulling her head forward and throwing it back with as much strength and energy as she could find. If she wanted Colin, she had to start fighting to be with him. And it began now.
“You stupid bitch!”
But his hands had loosened enough from her attack that she could twist free and shove against him. She grabbed up the fallen gun and stuffed it into her pocket. Her shove sent him stumbling forward in the sand and she took off running. But by the time she realized she was going in the wrong direction, she was grabbed up again.
“You are causing me no end of a headache, Angelica.”
The voice was savagely familiar and the bite of his hand in her hair brought tears to her eyes as she was jerked to a halt. How had she missed seeing him? She wanted to smack herself but didn’t have the luxury. Not now. Later when she had time.
She couldn’t move, his fingers were so tight, her hair clenched in them when he twisted and pulled her to her toes.
“Enough of this. You will come back with me now and we’re leaving immediately,” Earl Leonard gave her head a sharp jerk. Loud, piercing shouts were echoing along the dark coastline from the place the boat was sitting. Only now it was at a very steep angle, the side closest to the dock now listing almost completely on its end. “What the fuck?”
“Let her go, Leonard!”
Angel tried twisting, tried turning to the voice. The good voice. The place she wanted to be more than anything ever in her life. But her attempts only made his hand tighten all the more. She bit her lip to keep from crying out.
“Keep back if you want her alive. She’ll stay that way until I’m clear.” Leonard pulled her close, releasing her hair just long enough to wrap his arm around her middle and hold her against him like a shield.
“You won’t get anywhere. The boat is going down and so are you.”
Angel cringed. Colin’s tone was the hardest she’d ever heard him before. Her hand closed around the gun in her pocket. She’d never given a thought to weapons like this before. Never given a thought to using one. Ever. Especially on a person. But when she saw him raise a gun and point it toward Colin, all those doubts vanished in a puff of smoke. She would not let him be hurt because of her.
Or any of her friends.
“I won’t let you hurt him.” The calm ease in her own voice surprised her. A lot. Because everything inside her was quaking like a nine on the earthquake scale. Chills ran through her when he laughed, his arm tightening and making her gasp for breath at the pain in her ribs. “I won’t let you hurt him,” she repeated through teeth tightly clenched. Damn if she’d let him know just how much she was hurting.
She’d
had just about all she was willing to put up with from all these people messing with her life. Her head straightened, her gaze locked on Colin. So far away and so shadowy in the darkness. But he was there and he was hers. It felt like an invisible link, a thread that wouldn’t release her no matter what happened. And she never realized just how important that feeling was until it was threatened.
Angel looked to where she knew Colin was and pulled strength from that knowledge. She squirmed and pushed until Leonard had her shifted to where they were now face to face. His breath smelled like beer and cigars and she jerked her head to the side to avoid it as much as possible.
“Let her go.”
Angel could count the breaths Colin took in between each word. Words almost as cold as the air blowing off the Sound.
“I need some entertainment. It’s a long trip to Mexico and she’s ruined a good plan and cost me a fucking lot of money.” He pushed his face against her throat and inhaled. “And she does smell sweet. I’ll send you pictures. Mark, get the limo. Have it brought in close.” He called the words over his shoulder after casting a quick look to see four of his men behind him. They were heading to the small boat that had been next to the yacht.
Never let them take you to a second location.
Why did that warning from an assault class come bouncing into her head now?
No matter. She wasn’t going. At least not willingly. She kicked out, both feet, tangling them with his until he lifted her physically from the ground. Since he was a good five inches taller and much bulkier than her, it was an easy task. But it was the cold, flat whisper that made her stop.
“I’ll kill him. Right here. Right in front of you.”
Angel tightened her grip on the gun in her pocket and thrust it forward, making certain the end poked into his ribs. She watched his eyes go round.
“Let me go. You can jump in the boat and just go. Out of my life.”
“I’m taking you with me. I need the insurance policy.”
Independence: #2 Angel Page 29
