King of Clubs (Aces & Eights Book 2)

by Sandra Owens

  It was impossible to explain to Madison how much she’d hurt him that first time, so he didn’t even try, but he meant it about no more second chances. If she did leave, she would devastate him all over again, but it would be for the last time.

  “Just give her some time, Court. Do something about Stephan so that’s off her mind, and then—”

  “And then what? She wants me to quit the FBI so she doesn’t have to worry about me.”

  “She said that?”

  “Not outright, but that’s what she wants.”

  Madison shook her head. “That’s not the answer. You’d end up resenting her for it.”

  “Probably.” He let out a weary sigh. It wasn’t fair to expect Madison to have a magic answer that would fix everything. “Did you ever consider that you’d be happier without Alex because of his job?”

  She smiled. “Never. Even if I knew I’d only have him for one day, I’d still want him, and I’d thank God for each minute we were blessed with.” She put her hand on his arm. “But Court, that doesn’t mean Lauren loves you any less. It’s because she loves you so much that she’s afraid. We just need to figure out how to get her past that.”

  And how to do that, he hadn’t a clue. “I’ve taken up enough of your time. I guess the only thing I can do is let it play out, see what happens.”

  “Why don’t you tell her you have to go to Aces and Eights for a few hours tonight. I’ll get her to come down. We’ll order pizza, open a bottle of wine, and have a long talk. Maybe I can help her see how miserable she’d be without you, and that the reward of being with you outweighs the risk.”

  “I’d appreciate that. I’ll get her to call you.”

  She hugged him. “I really do believe you two are meant for each other. Things will work out. You’ll see.”

  He wasn’t so sure about that. “I’m glad Alex was smart enough to marry you. It’s nice to have a sister to talk to.”

  As he walked to his car, his phone buzzed, Lauren’s name coming up on the screen. His heart skipped several beats. She only called when there was trouble.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Tired from being up half the night, Lauren decided to take a nap after Court left. It was either that or sit and worry. He hadn’t said where he was going, which left her imagination to run wild, wondering if he was out looking for Stephan.

  She put her phone on the nightstand, turned on the fan over her bed, crawled under the covers, and closed her eyes. How long was she going to be a prisoner, unable to walk down the street or go to work without worrying that Stephan would show up? She was going stir-crazy and missed being at the bookstore. Missed Hemingway. Was he lonely at night, all by himself in the store? She should talk to Madison about bringing him home in the evenings.

  With her mind spinning in a thousand different directions, she gave up on taking a nap. At home when she was worried or restless, she cleaned. No reason she couldn’t clean Court’s condo. He was a neat guy, didn’t leave shoes scattered around or clothes draped over chairs, but she’d noticed a thin layer of dust on the furniture. She found cleaning supplies under the kitchen sink, including furniture polish. Impressive a single guy living alone even had some, much less a bottle of the expensive brand.

  She’d finished dusting and polishing the furniture in the living room and was heading to the guest room when her phone rang. Pulling it out of her back pocket, she glanced at the screen to see Julie’s name. She smiled as she answered.

  “Hey, Jules, this is a nice surprise.”

  “It’s Daddy. Lauren, you have to come to the hospital.”

  Lauren dropped the furniture polish and cloth on the dresser. “What happened? Which hospital?”

  “I don’t know what happened. He was working in the yard. I heard yelling, so I went to see who he was talking to. I think he fell and hit his head on a rock. He wouldn’t wake up. The ambulance took him to Jackson Memorial. I’m in the emergency room. Th-they won’t tell me anything, Lauren.” She started to cry.

  “I’m on the way, baby. Just hang tight, okay? Call me back if they give you an update.” As soon as she disconnected, she grabbed her purse, then ran out the door. When she reached the lobby, she ran up to the doorman. What was his name? George?

  “George!” That wasn’t right. “Jorge,” she corrected. “I need a cab. I mean really fast. My father’s in the hospital.”

  Bless him. Without questioning her, he picked up the phone. After a brief conversation, he said, “There’s one two minutes away, Miss Lauren.”

  “Thank you.”

  “I will pray for your father.”

  She nodded her thanks, then ran out to meet the taxi, jumping in as soon as it pulled to a stop. “Jackson Memorial, the emergency entrance. Please hurry.” Her phone was still clutched in her hand, and she scrolled to Court’s name.

  “Something happened to my dad,” she said when he answered. “They took him to the emergency room.”

  “I’ll come get you. Be there in ten minutes.”

  “No, I got a cab. I’m already on the way.” At his hesitation, she knew he wasn’t happy she hadn’t waited for him, but this was her father.

  “Which hospital? I’ll meet you there.”

  “Jackson Memorial. You don’t have to come if you’re busy. I can call you when I know something.”

  “Dammit, Lauren, is that how little you think of me? I’ll see you soon.” He disconnected.

  Lauren dropped the phone onto her lap. She hadn’t meant to insult him, but she had. It was almost as if she were testing him, fully expecting him to get tired of her crap and decide she wasn’t worth the effort. Unconsciously, maybe she had been doing that. If he was the one to walk away this time, she wouldn’t have to feel guilty for ending the relationship. But if he did leave her, it would crush her.

  Everything was so confusing, but right now, her attention needed to be on her father. As the taxi approached the hospital, she frowned, recalling Julie’s comment that her father had been yelling at someone. Her dad never yelled. He was soft-spoken, slow to anger, and got along famously with his neighbors. She couldn’t think of a soul he would have been arguing with.

  She eyed the meter, then pulled out enough money to include a tip, handing it over when the driver came to a stop at the curb. “Thanks,” she said as she scooted out of the cab. As she ran for the emergency room entrance, a couple standing next to a car in the parking lot caught her attention.

  Her steps slowed, then came to an abrupt halt. “No,” she whispered. “Please, God, no.”

  Run, her brain screamed. Run, her heart begged. But she couldn’t. Not when Stephan had his hand wrapped around Julie’s wrist. With feet that seemed to be encased in concrete, Lauren forced herself to walk to them. When she reached them, she met her sister’s terrified eyes, then forced her gaze away, looking for anyone who could help.

  “If you call for help, I will hurt her.”

  She looked at the man she hated with every fiber of her being. “Let her go, Stephan.”

  He smirked. “I do not think so.”

  Her ex-husband was a handsome man with his blond hair, sculpted face, and vivid blue eyes. He was also big and strong and cruel. On the ice, he had delighted in giving an opposing player a bloody nose, a black eye, and more than once a broken bone. Unfortunately, he enjoyed hurting people off the ice just as much.

  As she studied him, a shudder snaked down her spine. His body had always been muscular, but now his arms and chest rippled with muscles like those of a weight lifter’s. He’d had six years with nothing better to do than bulk up, and he’d obviously taken full advantage of whatever equipment had been available to him. Her mouth dried as fear curled its tendrils around her, turning her into a statue and stealing her ability to think.

  “He came inside and told me you were in his car.” Julie’s lips trembled. “He said he would kill you if I didn’t come with him.”

  Lauren tore her gaze away from Stephan’s hold. Tears streamed down her s
ister’s cheeks, her eyes pleading with Lauren to do something. Realizing she’d been holding her breath, she sucked air back into her lungs. Only one thing mattered and that was getting Julie to safety. That meant putting herself back into Stephan’s punishing hands, and the mere thought of that made her feet want to run. She pushed her toes down, anchoring her shoes to the ground.

  Get yourself together, Lauren. She swallowed hard, suppressed another shudder, then forced herself to look straight at Stephan. “Julie said Dad was arguing with someone. It was you, wasn’t it?”

  “He refused to call you to come home.”

  “You bastard. What did you do to him?”

  He shrugged. “I might have pushed him. Was not my fault his head hit a rock. After the ambulance took him away, I realized Julie would call you and you would come here.” He grinned. “And so, here you are.”

  “What do you want?”

  “Finally, you ask the right question. I want what is mine. You, wife. You owe me, Lauren, and I intend to collect.”

  Julie whimpered, and Lauren had the urge to whimper right along with her. “Let her go.”

  He eyed Julie. “Maybe I will keep you both. She reminds me of you when I first met you, when you were still fresh and young.”

  “I’ll kill you before I’ll let you touch her.” His laugh grated across her skin, and she dug her nails into her palms, the pain welcome, reminding her that she had to be clever if she was to get Julie away from him.

  “You do not have the power here, .”

  Angel. An endearment she hadn’t heard in over six years, and one she’d once loved. Before he’d shown her his true self. He lifted the hand he’d been holding behind his leg. Lauren gasped at the gun he held.

  “Please, Stephan. I’ll do whatever you want, if you’ll let her go.”

  “She cries too much.” He put the gun to Julie’s head. “She gets on my nerves.”

  Julie’s eyes widened, and then she fell to her knees as her sobs filled the air. Stephan kept one hand wrapped around her wrist, forcing her arm to stay up behind her, while pressing the gun harder against the side of her head.

  Lauren bit her teeth down hard on her bottom lip. Why hadn’t she brought her own gun? Court had taught her how to kill a man, even if only on a paper target. If she had her gun now, she would shoot Stephan without a second thought. Without even a first thought.

  “I’m yours, Stephan.” She took a few steps toward him. “But only if you let her go.”

  “Come closer,” he said.

  “I will when you let her go.”

  He glanced from her to Julie, and then back to her. His smile was that of the spider inviting the fly into his web. She knew that smile and what it meant, oh, God, she did. She walked to him anyway. It was the only way he’d let go of Julie. She prayed that was true.

  As soon as she was within reach, he pushed Julie away. “Run, Julie,” Lauren yelled. Julie crawled across the pavement, still crying, and when she was out of reach of Stephan, Lauren turned to follow her. In her mind’s eye, she visualized grabbing Julie by the hand and pulling her to safety. She darted a glance around. Where was a cop when you needed one?

  She’d only taken a few steps when she was jerked back by the collar of her T-shirt. Julie struggled to her feet, then stopped. “Go, Julie,” Lauren cried as Stephan dragged her away. He tossed her into the backseat of a car, following her in. She scooted to the other side of the seat, reaching for the door handle.

  “Do not make me shoot you, Lauren. Do not doubt that I will.”

  At hearing a chuckle, she looked up to see Peter behind the wheel, peering back at her. “I vote that he shoots you. You are too much trouble.”

  Lauren dropped her hand from the handle, but stayed pressed against the door. “Why, Stephan? You had your pick of beautiful women. Why me?” That was something she’d always wondered. He’d dated models, an actress even, all gorgeous. Why her? She’d been a nobody, a simple girl living a simple life.

  “They were all whores. Wanting only my fame and money. You did not care about any of that. You were sweet and pure.” His face distorted. “You made me believe you were pure.”

  They’d already had the conversation as to her purity on their wedding night, and she had nothing more to say about that. “Where are we going?” she asked as Peter backed the car out of the space.

  “To the airport. We are going home.”

  Oh, God. He really did plan to take her to Russia. The minute they stopped at a light, she would jump out. She would rather risk getting shot than get on a plane with him.

  As they drove out of the hospital’s parking lot, she peered out the back window. Julie was on her knees, crying, watching them disappear out of sight.

  “I love you,” she mouthed even though she knew her sister couldn’t see her. “Take care of Daddy,” she whispered as tears filled her own eyes.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  Court estimated he was only minutes behind Lauren in getting to the hospital. On the drive over, he’d calmed down considerably since talking to her. She was understandably upset and concerned about her father. He shouldn’t have taken her suggestion that he not come to the hospital so personally. Part of it was because he couldn’t figure out where he stood with her, and it made him crazy.

  A few blocks from the hospital his phone buzzed, his Bluetooth announcing that it was Nate.

  “What’s up?” he said, answering.

  “We got lucky on the car the Kozlovs are driving. It’s a rental, a dark blue Buick Regal.”

  Nate gave him the license plate number, which Court repeated, memorizing it. As he pulled into the hospital’s parking lot, looking for a space, he noticed a girl kneeling on the grass, crying. There was something familiar about her, and he drove toward her. When she looked up at his approaching car, he recognized her. Why was Lauren’s sister out here alone, crying? Had her father taken a turn for the worse?

  Still on the phone with Nate, he quickly briefed him on where he was and why. “Something’s wrong. Lauren’s sister is kneeling on the grass, bawling her eyes out. Hold on a sec.” There weren’t any open spaces, so he pulled up behind another car, then got out.

  “Julie, remember me? I’m Lauren’s friend, Court.” Before he could ask what was wrong, she ran to him.

  “You have to go get her.”

  Alarms screamed warnings in his head. “Lauren? Where is she?”

  “He took her.”

  “Stephan? Tell me everything, Julie.” He put the phone to his ear. “You hearing this?”

  “Yeah,” Nate said. “I’m putting a BOLO out on the car right now. Keep the line open so I can hear what she says.”

  Court put his hand on Julie’s shoulder. “We’ll find her, okay? I need you to tell me everything that happened.”

  Between sobs and hiccups, she got the story out. “He had a gun,” she said. “Oh, and there was another man driving the car.”

  Peter. “So Lauren and Stephan are in the backseat?”

  She nodded. “Please, you have to find her.”

  “Listen to me, Julie. I want you to go inside the emergency room.” He put the phone to his ear. “Is Taylor available to come stay with her?”

  “I talked to her a few minutes ago,” Nate said. “She’s in the office, catching up on paperwork. I’ll send her over there.”

  “Julie, in about twenty minutes a woman named Taylor Collins is going to come stay with you. She has blonde hair and blue eyes and is very pretty. Until she gets here, don’t leave the waiting room, don’t talk to anyone but the doctors and nurses. I’ll bring Lauren to you. I promise.”

  Surprising him, she grabbed him, giving him a hug. “Thank you.”

  Anxious to go, he unwrapped her arms from around his neck. “Go inside.” He watched her until she disappeared inside the hospital, then jogged to his car. “Nate, get Rand to try to find the car on camera.”

  “He’s already on it.”

  “Good. Until he gets a track on
them and I hear different, I’m heading toward the airport. Based on the emails, Stephan’s plan was to return to Russia with Lauren. He won’t want to hang around now that he has her.”

  “If that’s what he’s doing, he’ll have a private jet lined up.”

  “Yeah. That’s the only way he could get her on a plane without any attention.” Court put the blue light on the dash, and then turned his headlights to flashing. “And when I find Stephan Kozlov, it’s not going to be pretty.”

  “I get it, bro. Just remember you’re a federal agent who took an oath to uphold the law. I’m in my car heading for the airport, and I’ve got a helo standing by, ready to take to the air as soon as we have a firm fix on the car. SWAT’s gearing up, ready to respond if there’s a standoff.”

  “I’m not sure that’s a good idea, overwhelming him like that. I’m guessing he’s already decided he won’t go back to prison. If he’s backed into a corner, he’ll take her with him.” And that turned his blood to ice. “Just find the damn car.”

  “I’ll go with your decision on this, Court, but they will be standing by should the situation go south. Hold on a sec. I’ve got another call coming in.”

  “Get out of the way,” Court yelled at the driver ahead of him. As if the man had heard him, the driver glanced in his rearview mirror. Seeing the flashing blue light on the dash, the driver swerved into the right lane. “Thank you.” He sped past.

  “Rand found them. They’re about four miles from the airport,” Nate said, coming back on the line.

  “I knew it. I’m maybe a mile or less behind them. Gotta go.”

  “Don’t get stupid, Court. I know you want to go in with guns blazing—”

  “Actually, no I don’t. I’m going in like a fucking cat that the mouse never saw until it was too late.” The lane ahead of him was clear, and he accelerated. “End call,” he told Bluetooth.

  As he sped toward Lauren, he formulated a plan. The trick would be figuring out which plane was waiting to take her to Russia. Minutes later, he spotted the Buick. He turned off his blue light. Still keeping his speed, he passed the car. For a few seconds, he considered ramming them, but Stephan had a gun and if he panicked . . . No, he couldn’t go there. Lauren would not feel the pain of a bullet. Court would make damn sure of that.