Wreaking Havyk (The Hounds of Zeus MC Book 4)

by Faith Gibson

  “We’re going to do everything within our power to find Mateo and bring him home. In the meantime, you need to keep up your strength. Will you please try to eat something?” Hayden asked.

  “I doubt I can keep anything down.”

  Theo gripped her hand and squeezed before letting go. “Let’s try some soup. My sister-in-law has some broth warming on the stove. Also, I can either give you a shot for the pain, or if you think you can manage pills, I have those as well.”

  Sadie didn’t know these people. They seemed nice enough. If they were going to hurt her, they wouldn’t have stapled her head back together, nor would they be offering to feed her. “A shot will work quicker, right?” The doctor nodded, and she made her choice. “I’d prefer that then.”

  Theo produced a vial of medicine and a syringe out of the black bag. While he was doing that, a woman entered the room carrying some clothes.

  “I thought you might be more comfortable wearing something besides a swimsuit.” Her smile was genuine. “I’m Nora. I brought a variety of things so you can choose what suits you best.”

  Theo prepped Sadie’s arm with a cotton swab, then plunged the needle into her skin. She didn’t wince, because the little prick of pain was nothing compared to what was going on in her head.

  “There. That’ll take a few minutes to kick in, but once it does, you might get a little drowsy. Hayden and I are going to step out of the room so you can change clothes. Nora will help you if that’s okay.”

  Sadie didn’t want Hayden to leave. “I’ll just slip something on over my swimsuit for now, but thank you for the offer. I will take you up on the soup, though.” That would get Nora out of the room. Not that Sadie didn’t appreciate the woman’s kindness, but she didn’t want Hayden to go anywhere.

  Nora smiled again. “I’ll be right back.” She waited for Theo to stand, and together, they left the bedroom.

  Hayden moved closer to the bed and picked up the items the woman had brought. “Let’s see. We have sweats and shorts, a T-shirt, or a sundress. Which do you prefer?”

  Mercedes would have been expected to wear the dress had she been at home, but it had been so long since Sadie had even seen a pair of sweatpants, she chose those and the tee. Hayden helped slide the large shirt over her head, mindful of the staples. When she held out her hand for the pants, the man blushed before turning his back. Sadie thought it was adorable and further solidified her belief he was one of the good guys.

  Sadie pushed the blanket off her legs and eased them over the side of the bed. When she went to stand, she became dizzy. Sadie reached for the dresser to steady herself, but Hayden was there to help her.

  “Easy. Hold onto the dresser.” Hayden took the pants and knelt at her feet, sliding the sweats over her legs. As he pulled them up, he rose to his feet, his fingers skimming her skin as he did. Sadie lifted the T-shirt when Hayden reached her hips. He pulled the drawstring tighter and tied it off. His fingers lingered at her waist, then he jerked back as though he’d been burned.

  “Thank you.” Sadie avoided his gaze as she sat on the bed and scooted back against the headboard. The door opened, and Nora entered carrying a tray.

  “I need to make a phone call. I’ll be back in just a few minutes.” Hayden didn’t look at Sadie before exiting the room.

  Nora brought the tray over and placed it across Sadie’s lap. “It’s not too hot, so don’t worry about burning yourself. I brought crackers and some tea. If you’d rather have something else to drink, just let me know.”

  “This is perfect. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Mind if I sit with you? Just in case you get sick and need help?”

  “I don’t mind. Thank you for your kindness.” Sadie meant it. Other than Ana Marie, no one was nice to her. Nora looked to be in her late thirties, but her demeanor came across as older for some reason.

  “You’re welcome.” Nora opened her mouth, then closed it. Taking a seat on the side of the bed, careful not to disturb the tray, Nora turned toward Sadie. “I just want you to know you’re in good hands with Hayden. He’s going to do everything he can to find your son.”

  Sadie chewed, then swallowed the bite of cracker she’d nibbled. “I appreciate you saying that, but if he does find Mateo before Juan does, my husband won’t stop until he has Mateo back. I’m not sure Hayden’s aware of what he’s up against.”

  “He’s well aware.” Nora patted Sadie’s leg. “But Hayden’s family – our family – this is what they do. You don’t need to worry about him. Just concentrate on getting better.”

  “What exactly is it the family does?”

  “They take down the bad guys.”

  Hayden

  Hayden stepped out into the hall and leaned against the wall, closing his eyes. She’s innocent. But still married. Why did she have to be married?

  She won’t be once you take out the husband.

  You think she’ll want us when she knows we kill Alvarez?

  Yes. You heard her. He forced her into the marriage.

  His Gryphon had a point. But Hayden was getting ahead of himself. Just because he felt the connection didn’t mean Sadie did. If she did happen to feel something for him, that didn’t mean much considering her son was missing. She would eventually be reunited with her family, and they lived in south Texas. Hayden’s life was in New York. If Sadie felt something for Hayden, it was probably gratitude. Well, it would be when he found Mateo and brought him back to his mom. Hayden wanted a mate so badly he was probably latching onto her for the wrong reasons.

  None of that mattered. What did matter was finding Mateo, then taking out Alvarez. Hayden had a job to do. Pushing away from the wall, he strode into the living room where Spyder, Jericho, and Devon were watching something on a laptop. Samson and Storm were nowhere to be seen.

  “Well?” Spyder paused the video when he noticed Hayden.

  “She’s innocent. I voiced her, and she knows nothing about Alvarez’s business other than he sells drugs. He forced her into the marriage, saying if she didn’t, he’d kill her family.”

  “You need to watch this.” Jericho pointed at the computer. Hayden stepped up behind Spyder, and the male rewound the video.

  The scene was like something from a movie. Several masked gunmen opened fire on Alvarez’s guards. Guards who hadn’t known the intruders were in the house by the way they were ambushed. Antonia was the only one who got a shot off, so maybe that’s why she hadn’t been killed. The female fell to the floor, clutching the wound in her side. Spyder rewound the video again, clicking the screen to a different view. This one showed one of the guards – or gunmen, it was hard to tell which since they were all dressed the same – enter the kitchen before the chaos began. He opened a door and stepped in. When he reappeared, he was carrying a child who appeared to be sleeping. Then the male rushed out of the back door.

  “Do we have video from the outside?”

  “Samson’s working on that now. I’m going to rewind and play it slowly. Pay attention to this part.” Spyder slid the cursor backward and started the video at the point Antonia came onto the screen. Hayden leaned forward for a better look even though he didn’t need to with his Eagle eyes.

  “She has a clear shot, so why doesn’t she hit the guy? And why doesn’t the male kill her? He also had a clear shot. Are you thinking inside job?”

  Spyder paused the video. “Sure looks that way. It’s odd that neither Antonia nor Mercedes were killed.”

  Hayden put a couple steps between him and Spyder. “You can’t possibly think Sadie was in on it. No way would she put her son through being abducted for… No. She didn’t have any part in whatever that was.”

  Spyder stood and rounded on Hayden. “I’m looking at the clues on that video from every angle. It’s part of the job. A job you seem to have forgotten about.”

  The other males in the room took a step closer to them both, but Hayden held up his hands. He knew his family had his back, but he didn’t want them getting
in the middle of whatever this was between him and his fellow Hound. “I haven’t forgotten anything. Now that I know Sadie is innocent, the parameters of the job have changed.”

  “Is she innocent though? Yes, you voiced her, but did you ask all the right questions? Now that you’ve seen the video, you need to find out if she’s involved. Maybe she hired someone to knock her out and take the boy somewhere safe to get him away from his father.”

  “No. You weren’t in there when she asked about Mateo. You didn’t see how distraught she was.”

  “Maybe she’s a good actress. You don’t know this female, yet you’re thinking with your dick and not your brain.”

  Hayden lunged at Spyder, but Devon and Jericho stepped between them. “Stop, Uncle.” Devon placed his palm on Hayden’s chest. “And you,” Devon pointed at Spyder. “What is your problem with Sadie?”

  Spyder sneered. “Mercedes is a target as much as her husband. Someone wants them both taken out. Why? If she’s so innocent, why take out a contract on the female? I’m asking the hard questions here. The ones that have to be asked and answered. That video is proof that things aren’t what they seem. Maybe the two women are in on it together. Maybe Alvarez is a worse bastard than even we realize, and the two of them concocted a way to get the boy out of the house. The gunmen come in, shoot all the guards, leave the women alive, then they disappear to wherever the boy is being kept. It’s not a coincidence the hit happened a few hours after Alvarez got on a plane. Somebody knew he was going to be gone. Knew his schedule. We don’t have all the facts. Havyk, I know you think Mercedes is special because she’s Dominic’s sister, but you have to think logically.”

  “Wasn’t it you who said to trust my instincts? Or was your little story about the teacher all bullshit?” Hayden sliced his hand through the air. “I’ll go back in there and voice her again just to prove you’re wrong.”

  “I want to be there when you do.”

  Hayden glared at the Hound. “Fine. Let’s go.” Hayden stalked back down the hall to the bedroom. He paused at the door and regained his composure. When he entered the room, he stopped a few steps in. Sadie was in Nora’s arms, crying. “What happened?”

  Nora’s eyes were sad. “She’s worried about her son.”

  “Mercedes, we need to ask you about the attack on the house.” Spyder shouldered past Hayden and stopped at the foot of the bed. Hayden wanted to punch the male, but he also knew whatever Spyder asked, the answer would prove she had nothing to do with her son’s abduction.

  Sadie pulled away from Nora and wiped at her face. “What about it?”

  Hayden expected Spyder to puff out his chest and glare at the female. Instead, he softened his gaze and sat on the foot of the bed. “Tell me about your relationship with Antonia.” Spyder’s Gryphon voice was strong.

  “I don’t have a relationship with her. We just live in the same house. I avoid her if possible because the woman hates me for some reason. Me and Mateo.”

  “Why would she hate you?”

  “I-I think she’s jealous. From the first day Juan brought me to live with him, she let me know she didn’t want me there. It got worse when I had my son. She calls Mateo names. He’s scared of her.”

  “And you? Does she call you names too?”

  “Yes. Only she doesn’t do it where Juan can hear. At least she never did until…” Sadie looked across the room, her eyes unfocused.

  “Until?”

  “When we came home from the club, she and Juan got into an argument. He was mad at her for going off and dancing with you instead of staying where I was. She called me a bitch, and Juan slapped her.”

  “Do you think your husband loves you?”

  “He loves Mateo.”

  “But does he love you?” Spyder asked again.

  Sadie returned her focus to Spyder. “Maybe. Sometimes he acts like he does, but I honestly don’t know.”

  “Did you have anything to do with the attack on the house?”

  Nora gasped, and Hayden held his breath.

  Sadie fisted her hands, and her body shook. “No! My little boy is out there with killers. What kind of mother would I be if I arranged something like that? Not one who loves her son.”

  “Do you think Antonia is capable of having your son kidnapped?”

  Sadie tried to blink away the tears but failed. “Yes.”

  “Thank you, Sadie.” Spyder released his voice, and the pressure in the room eased.

  “Satisfied?” Hayden kept his voice low so only Spyder could hear him.

  “Yes.” Spyder didn’t apologize. Instead, he left the room without another word.

  Hayden turned to Sadie. “How are you feeling?”

  “Sad. Angry. Frustrated.”

  “I meant your head. Did the medicine help at all?”

  Sadie’s eyes were red and puffy, but she was still the most beautiful creature Hayden had ever seen.

  “I guess. What’s going to happen to me?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “By now, Juan knows that Mateo and I are missing. Once he returns, he’s going to tear this town apart until he at least gets Mateo back.”

  “Do you want to go back to your husband?”

  “No, but if he finds Mateo, then I don’t have a choice. I won’t let my son be raised by that monster alone.”

  “And if we find Mateo first? Do you want to take your son and return home?”

  Sadie shook her head. “No, but what choice do I have? He’s a powerful man, and I’m nothing. I have no education, no job, no money. I don’t have a driver’s license. I don’t even have my birth certificate. I…” Sadie closed her eyes, and more tears fell. “None of that matters without Mateo. He’s my world, and without him, it’s not worth living.”

  Chapter Ten

  Antonia

  Antonia had failed. “Please, I need to stay here until my brother gets home.” She didn’t want to go to the hospital. Not with the police in the house. She needed to call Juan and tell him what happened. Antonia didn’t want him coming home blindsided. None of the guards had lived through the attack on the estate. Mateo had been taken, and Mercedes… Antonia didn’t know where the girl was or if she was alive. She had mentioned her sister-in-law to the detective hoping to get some information. So far, nobody was mentioning the other woman.

  She had already given her statement while the EMTs were checking her over and the cops were questioning Ana Marie and Elena. Antonia couldn’t hear what the women were saying. Not that it mattered. The gunmen had worn masks, and she had no doubt the guns they used wouldn’t be registered. This was a professional hit. They wouldn’t be dumb enough to leave evidence behind.

  “Ma’am, this is a crime scene. Your brother won’t be allowed back in the house, at least not until it’s been processed. You already said he was out of town, so CSU should be finished by the time he returns.” Detective Adam Hague was a no-nonsense kind of man, and he wasn’t backing down. If the situation were different, Antonia would find the man attractive. As it were, she found him annoying. He motioned for the EMTs to continue pushing the gurney she was strapped to out the door and into the ambulance.

  He was going to kill her. Juan Carlos was going to finish the job the gunmen started.

  Hayden

  Hayden’s heart broke for Sadie. He couldn’t imagine what she was going through, not knowing where Mateo was. He wanted to stay with her and offer comfort, but he couldn’t do his job sitting there holding her hand. With Juan Carlos out of town, Hayden wasn’t worried about the hit. No, he wanted to focus on finding Mateo. And to do that, he needed outside help. Samson had hacked the security feed at the estate and provided the video. Hayden needed to find out if the Hound’s level of expertise went further. If not, he would call Lucy.

  “Sadie, do you have any idea who would have attacked your home and taken Mateo?”

  “Not really. I mean, you know who Juan is and what he does. I’m sure he’s made a lot of enemies. Maybe the family th
at used to live in the house Juan took over? I don’t know who the house belonged to or what Juan did to make that happen. If the former owner had a wife and kids, maybe they paid someone to get back at Juan for taking away their home.”

  “It belonged to Hector Ramirez. Is he the only one you know your husband has gone after lately?”

  “Juan doesn’t share anything with me. Maybe you could ask Antonia. She travels with Juan sometimes. Joins him for his meetings.”

  “And you don’t know who these meetings are with?”

  “No. Whenever someone comes to the house, Mateo and I aren’t allowed outside our suite.”

  “You mentioned that before. You don’t share a room with your husband?” Hayden had been curious as to why Sadie and the boy had their own rooms.

  “No. He calls for me whenever he wants…” Sadie looked away. She pulled her legs to her chest and clasped her hands around her shins. “Once he’s done with me, he sends me back to my room,” she whispered.

  What a motherfucker. Alvarez used his wife for sex. If Hayden was right, the drug lord married Sadie, had her produce an heir, and kept her secluded until he wanted to fuck her or take her out to a club and show her off. Hayden wasn’t knowledgeable about the laws in Mexico, but in the States, he was pretty sure wives were exempt from testifying against their husbands should they ever go to court. Hayden was going to make sure Alvarez never made it that far.

  “Knock, knock,” Theo announced before he entered the room. “Sadie, I’d like to take you to my clinic to run some tests. Do you feel up to a ride? Nora will come with us.”

  Sadie turned to Hayden. “Will you come with me?”

  “Wouldn’t you rather I focus on finding Mateo?” Hayden wanted nothing more than to go with her. To keep her within his sights, but he trusted his family.

  Sadie bit her bottom lip, staring at him. After a few seconds, she relented. “Yeah. Do you really think you can?”