by Faith Gibson
“And where are we going to get said guns?” Hayden had already taken his turn in the shower and was dressed and ready to go.
“From Alvarez. That’s our in. We’ll ask some of the other Hounds to ride with us. We’ll roll up to the gate and tell the guards we want a meeting with the boss. While we’re doing that, you and Jericho can come in from the sky and shift close enough to get dressed behind the trees before hauling ass across the lawn.”
“What happens if we don’t get her and the boy out?” Hayden thought the plan had merit, but he liked to think things through completely before going in half-cocked.
“We go back later. I doubt they let us in the gate in the first place since Alvarez isn’t home. It’ll give you time to scope things out from the back of the house. I’ll use my Gryphon voice on them to buy you some time.”
“What if they recognize you from the club?” Jericho asked.
“I’ll tell them I was there to meet with their boss, but something came up before that happened. It’s logical.”
Hayden was cautiously optimistic. MCs were known to run guns as a way to make money. The only problem he had was wondering if he would be able to convince Sadie to come with them. They didn’t know if she wanted to get away from her husband. After Hayden went to bed the night before, he went back over the brief moment their eyes met and began doubting himself and what he’d seen. Yes, she had once been Sadie Rodriguez, but she had been Mercedes Alvarez for a lot of years. What if she had grown accustomed to the lifestyle her husband offered? What if she actually loved the man? The what ifs kept him awake a couple hours before his Gryphon groused at him to shut that shit down.
“Havyk? You with us?” Spyder sat down on the coffee table in front of him.
“Yes, just thinking.” Hayden twisted the thick, silver ring on his right hand.
“About?”
“Sadie. What if she’s happy?”
“Doesn’t matter if she’s happy or miserable. The job we accepted is to take them both out. If we get Mercedes away from the house and find out she isn’t innocent, we’ll decide what to do with her then. Having her and the kid away from the estate gives us leverage over Alvarez. You need to remember that first and foremost, this is not a rescue mission. This is us fulfilling the contract you took from Quinn. Getting the female means getting information that’ll help us take out a drug lord. That’s the mission.”
Fuck. “You’re right. Let’s do this.” Hayden stood and strode to the window, looking out at nothing. He waited for Jericho to call Devil, the Pres of the club, and for Spyder to put his boots on while getting his head in the game. Just because he wanted Mercedes to be the Sadie her brother remembered didn’t mean she would be. Hayden and Spyder climbed into the SUV and followed Jericho on his bike to the clubhouse. Devon “Devil” Ellis was one of Hayden’s nephews. He was also Jericho’s dad.
“Havyk, good to see you. You too, Spyder.”
“Looking good, Devil.” Havyk gave the older Hound a back-pounding hug. When they broke apart, Devon held out his fist, which Spyder bumped with his own.
“Joker told me about the contract. What can we do to help?”
Hayden gestured for Spyder to fill the male in since he’d come up with the plan.
“Sounds easy enough. I’d suggest not taking too many Hounds with you though. I’ve been around men like Alvarez a long time. You don’t want to appear too threatening.”
“Since he left town, we don’t expect to talk to him at all today. We merely want to cause a distraction long enough for Havyk to get the female and kid out of the house. I figure I’d use my Gryphon voice on the men and have them call for backup to get as many guards out of the house as possible. It’ll also give us a chance to ask about security in the house. If they have cameras, we need someone to hack in and disrupt the feed so Alvarez doesn’t see Havyk or Joker in or around the house.”
Devon scratched his beard. “I might know someone who’s willing to help. Samson owes me a favor.”
After Devon got hold of his friend, they moved out. Spyder, Devil, and two other Hounds – Samson, the hacker Devon had called, and Storm – waited until Hayden and Jericho were in place to approach the gate. Jericho parked in the same location as the night before, and now he and Hayden were ready to shift. Hayden texted Spyder with the go-ahead, then he and his nephew stripped, placed their clothes in their bags, then shifted into their Eagles. Gryphons had the ability to alter their size when in Eagle form. If they were merely scouting, they appeared no larger than a regular eagle so as not to draw attention, which was now the case.
Everything was quiet when they reached the trees lining the property. Too quiet. If Sadie and her son were in the pool, there would have been some noise. The sounds of splashing or talking or something. The boy was nowhere to be seen, and Sadie was lying on a chaise lounge. Except…
Hayden shifted and took off running, not bothering with clothes. Jericho was right behind him.
“Havyk, wait!”
Hayden didn’t care that he was naked. Or that he was risking his life being out in the open. Sadie was lying at an odd angle, and when he reached her, he saw why. The female was bleeding, and crimson was spreading beneath her head onto the beige cushion.
“Fuck!” Hayden had dropped his pouch when he shifted, and he didn’t have his phone.
“Hay, we need to get the fuck out of here.” Jericho was crouched beside him, alert to their surroundings. At least one of them was.
Hayden checked Sadie’s pulse. It was steady. Not taking time to think things through, he lifted her into his arms and took off running toward the edge of the property with Jericho on his heels. No one came after them. No shouts to stop or gunfire to slow them. Hayden had a bad feeling about the whole situation.
“What the fuck is going on?” Jericho handed Hayden a beach towel he’d grabbed before he opened his bag and began dressing.
Hayden was frozen with Sadie nestled against his chest.
She’s ours.
No, she’s not. She’s a married woman.
She’s fucking ours!
Hayden didn’t move until Jericho held out his arms. “Give her to me, and get dressed. We need to get out of here.”
Reluctantly, Hayden handed her over and pulled on his own clothes. As soon as he was dressed, he took the female from Jericho. “Let’s go.” His phone vibrated, but Hayden ignored it until they reached the SUV. Once he was seated in the back with Sadie across his lap and the towel beneath her head, he checked the message.
Spyder: Call me
Jericho hadn’t moved. “Drive, Joker. She needs the hospital. Drive!” Jericho turned over the ignition and eased out of their hiding spot. Only when he reached asphalt did he speed up, heading toward town. Hayden hit Spyder’s contact info and pressed send.
“We’ve got a shitshow out here, Havyk. You and Joker need to stand down until—”
“Sadie was hurt. We’re on our way to the hospital.”
“Fuck! It’s a fucking bloodbath here. All the guards are down, Antonia was hit, but it was just a crease, and the kid is gone. Antonia’s lost her fucking mind, yelling about someone taking the kid. Other than her, the only ones still standing are the nanny and the cook. Both females are shaken but otherwise okay.” Devil was talking in the background, and Spyder said, “Hang on.”
“Havyk?”
“Devil. I have Sadie. She’s losing blood from a head wound.”
“Take her to my house, and I’ll call Theo.”
“Devil, she needs—”
“Hayden, listen to me. If you take her to the hospital, they’re going to call Alvarez. Theo will take care of her.”
He knew his nephew was right, but Hayden wasn’t thinking clearly. “Joker, your dad said to take Sadie to his house so Theo can look at her.”
“Good. Yeah. Uncle Theo’s a damn good doctor.”
“Spyder and the rest of us are getting the hell out of here once Samson makes sure the security feed is wiped. The n
anny already called the cops.”
“Don’t you need to stick around? Fuck, Devil. Now you all can be identified.”
“No. We used our Gryphon voice on everyone left alive. We’ll meet you back at my place as soon as we can.”
Devil disconnected, and Hayden blew out a breath. “Hang on, Sadie.” He brushed the female’s hair off her pale face. Gone was the smoky makeup she’d worn at the club, but she was no less stunning. Without the heavy eyeshadow and mascara, Hayden could better see the resemblance to the photo of her fifteen-year-old self. More than once he had to push back against his Gryphon. It was demanding Sadie was theirs. It was also determined to shift and go back to the house for the boy.
The boy’s not there. You heard Spyder.
He could be hiding.
Antonia said someone took him. We need to focus on Sadie, then we’ll find her son.
If he hadn’t been studying her face, Hayden would have missed the fluttering of her lashes. For a few seconds, unfocused amber eyes gazed up at him before her lids closed once more.
When they arrived at Devon’s home, several of Hayden’s nephews were waiting. Theodore, another of Poppy’s sons, opened the back door as soon as Jericho had the vehicle in park. Theo helped Hayden with Sadie, but as soon as his feet were on the ground, Hayden cradled her to his chest once again. He didn’t understand why he felt so possessive of the female. Okay, he did. His shifter had claimed the woman, but she was married and possibly a criminal. The Gryphon growled in his head at that thought.
Once inside, Theo had Hayden take Sadie to a bedroom that had already been prepped. As gently as possible, he laid her on her stomach. The need to cover her bikini-clad body was strong. Jericho must have felt Hayden’s rising unease because he grabbed a blanket and put it over Sadie from the waist down before stepping back out of the way.
Theo was thorough in his inspection. “Looks like she was hit with a blunt object, possibly the butt of a pistol. The cut is pretty deep, and she’ll need staples. I’m sure she has a concussion, but I won’t know if there’s further damage until I get a scan. I’m going to clean the wound and dress it. After she wakes up and talks, we’ll get her to my clinic.”
“Thank you, Theo.” Hayden sat on the opposite side of the bed, holding Sadie’s hand. Please be innocent.
Chapter Nine
Sadie
SO, this was Hell. Mercedes always thought she’d end up in heaven when she died. At least a version of it. Maybe not the one with streets of gold and pearly gates she’d heard about when she was younger, but floating away on clouds or possibly dancing to her favorite Latin tune. Instead, her head felt like it had been split in two. The pain was excruciating. The torment part of Hell was right. But she didn’t feel any flames licking at her skin. Now that she was paying attention, whatever she was lying on felt more like that fluffy cloud she’d envisioned. Not a cloud. A bed. Mercedes wasn’t dead, so what the hell happened? Had she fallen at the pool and hit her head on the concrete? And where was Mateo? Oh god, her son. She’d left Mateo to fend for himself!
“Mateo?” she tried to call, but her voice came out sounding like a frog croaking.
“Shh. Try to relax.” Mercedes didn’t know the voice, but it was definitely masculine. She eased her eyes open and shut them quickly against the harsh light. “Hang on. Let me dim the lights.” The bed dipped and rose as whoever was there stood. The bed dipped again when the man sat. A callous hand gripped hers gently. “You’re safe, Sadie. I promise I won’t hurt you, but whenever you’re ready, I need you to open your eyes so we can talk.”
Sadie? How did this man know her old nickname? She squinted to test the lighting and found the room was no longer bright. What she did find was the blond from the club. Only he looked different. Gone was the man who had dressed to impress, and in his place was someone more rugged like her brother, the biker. The man sported a tight, black T-shirt that showed off a whole lot of tattoos. She had gotten a peek at them underneath his dress shirt at the club. When he didn’t move, she looked up at his face.
“Who…” Mercedes cleared her throat. “Who are you, and where am I? Where’s my son?” Oh, god. “Mateo? Mateo!” Mercedes tried to get out of the bed, but strong arms held her down. “Let me go! Mateo!”
The door flew open, and another man she’d seen at the club was standing there. This one was shorter, and his hair was longer, but he was no less threatening. “Do you want me to get Theo?”
“No. I’ve got her. She just woke up, so give us a few minutes before you send him in.”
The man narrowed his eyes at her before backing out of the room.
“Sadie, do you remember what happened?” the man asked as he rose and stood beside the bed.
“H-how do you know that name?”
The blond glanced away and took a deep breath. When he turned back, he told her, “I was sent to find you. You and your husband.” The man paused again. “Are you aware of your husband’s business dealings?”
Mercedes’s chest felt funny, and there was a buzzing in her already-throbbing head. She started to nod, then thought better of it. “A little.”
“Tell me what you know.” The man’s face was blank. There was no smile. No frown. Just cold indifference. She didn’t blame him. If he knew about Juan Carlos, he probably thought the worst of her too.
“He sells drugs.”
“What else?” He fisted his hands and released them before crossing his arms over his chest and taking a step back.
“That’s all I know for sure. I only know that much because I overheard the guards talking outside my suite one day.”
“Do you help him in any capacity?”
“No. God, no.” Her eyes burned, but she blinked to keep from crying. “He kidnapped me when I was fifteen. I’ve been a prisoner ever since.”
“But you’re married to the man.” The man’s face changed then to a scowl.
“I had no choice. He said if I didn’t marry him, he would kill my family.”
“Are you aware of the reason Juan Carlos moved from Mexico to the States?”
“He said he invested in a new business venture, but I figured he was talking about more drugs.”
“Do you take drugs? Does he?”
“I’ve never done drugs a day in my life. I have no idea if he does or not. I don’t see him that often.” Mercedes clenched the blanket covering her legs. “Where’s my son?” The buzzing stopped, but the pain didn’t subside. She couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down her face.
The man’s demeanor changed, and his eyes softened. “Do you remember anything about what happened? How you came to be harmed?”
Closing her eyes, Mercedes thought back. The last thing she remembered was Mateo going inside with Ana Marie. The woman had come to collect them both, saying it was time to eat lunch. Mercedes thought that was odd considering they usually ate by the pool, but she didn’t argue. Mercedes never argued. “I was outside when Ana Marie came for Mateo. Instead of eating outside, she was going to get him dried off to sit inside at the table. They went into the house, and I decided to stay outside for a few more minutes. I…” Footsteps. Mercedes opened her eyes when the shadow fell across her body, then pain. Blinding pain. “I was lying on my stomach. I heard footsteps, and someone was standing behind me. They hit me on the head. That’s all I remember. Please. Please tell me Mateo’s okay.”
Mercedes reached up and swiped at her cheeks. She leaned back, and the pain worsened. She automatically raised her hand, but before she could touch the back of her head, the man grabbed her wrist.
“You have five staples where you were attacked. The doctor says you have a concussion, but we won’t know if it’s worse than that until he can take you in for a scan. As for Mateo, he’s missing.” Mercedes gasped, and the man tightened his hold on her hand. “There was an attack on the house. All the guards are dead. The nanny and housekeeper weren’t harmed, and Antonia was shot but not fatally. She was yelling about Mateo being taken. That
’s all we know.”
“But how do you know all that? Why were you there?” Mercedes leaned back against the pillow, turning her head away from the worst of the pain.
“Like I said, I was sent to find you.”
“Who sent you? Who are you?”
The blond sat beside her hip, still grasping her hand. “My name is Hayden. You are at my… cousin’s home. Another one of my cousins is a doctor. He’s the one who tended your wound and will look after you until you’re better.”
A knock on the door sounded before it was opened, and a different man than the one before came in. This one was carrying a black satchel.
“Sadie, this is the doctor I was telling you about.” Hayden released her hand to stand, but before he could, she grabbed his arm.
Sadie. It had been so long since anyone called her that, and it felt good. She preferred it. Always had. It would take a while to get used to hearing it or thinking of herself as the person she had been back before she’d been given to Juan.
“Please don’t leave.” She had no idea who this man truly was besides the one she’d dreamed of being the knight who saved her. Maybe he was her savior. Or maybe he was someone who knew her husband and was just as bad as Juan. She didn’t get the same evil vibe from him though. Especially when he called her Sadie.
“I won’t. I’m going to step out of the way so he can talk to you.” Hayden looked at the other man and nodded.
The doctor sat beside her. With his dark hair and eyes, he looked nothing like Hayden. They didn’t have to have the same coloring to be related. She knew that, but Hayden had hesitated when he said they were cousins. The doctor – Theo – introduced himself before telling her what he was doing. He apologized before shining the bright light in her eyes. Sadie couldn’t help but squeeze them shut against the pain.
“Sorry about that. Are you hungry? Do you feel like eating?”
“No. I just want my son.” Sadie’s eyes welled up again. Her poor little boy. At least she’d been a teenager when she’d been taken away from everything she knew. Mateo was so young and helpless. Please, God. Please keep him safe. Please don’t let anyone hurt him. I’m begging.
