Saxon’s throat tightened. “Thanks, Vander.”
They drove south and soon reached Dogpatch, nestled close to the bay. Saxon scanned the warehouses ahead. Vander parked and they climbed out, rifles in hand.
Saxon had been in a similar situation so many times—on a mission, weapon in hand, Vander beside him.
“I’ll make her happy.” Saxon smiled briefly. “And angry, and excited, and mad, and elated.”
“I know, brother.” Vander gripped his shoulder. “Now, let’s go get her.”
They moved in on the warehouse. Vander murmured to the others, who were coming in on the other side.
“Two bogeys at the door,” Vander said quietly.
Saxon saw them. Two suited men; no obvious weapons, but clearly armed—he saw the bulging shape of the guns under their jackets.
“We have no idea how many are inside?” Vander scowled.
“Vander, I’ve got a drone in the air,” Ace said. “Give me a minute, and I’ll run a heat scan.”
“Acknowledged,” Vander replied.
Fuck, that meant they needed to wait for the drone. Saxon blew out a breath. Waiting was always the hardest part of any mission.
He hoped to hell that Sackler only had a few guards with him. And Saxon hoped Gia was keeping her sassy mouth quiet for now.
“Lex had the gems,” Vander said. “And Gia.”
“And now he’s dead, and Sackler has Gia.”
“So, he likely has the gems as well.”
Their gazes met.
“All I care about is Gia,” Saxon said. “We get her first. The gems are secondary.”
Vander lifted his chin. “Hell, yeah.”
There was a click on their earpieces. “Vander, we’re in position on the other side of the warehouse,” Rhys said.
“Any visuals on Gia or Sackler?” Vander asked.
“No. All we can see in the warehouse is shelving stacked with boxes and other shit.”
“Acknowledged.”
“Drone is three minutes out,” Ace murmured.
Saxon knew Vander had spent a fortune on small, high-tech, military-grade drones. Ace treated the damn things like babies. They had thermal imaging, high-res cameras, and some were even weapons-equipped.
Suddenly, gunfire broke out from inside the warehouse.
Saxon’s heart stopped. He whipped up his M4 rifle.
Then he started forward.
“Saxon,” Vander hissed.
“I’m not fucking waiting. Gia is in there and I’m going to get her.”
Vander cursed and followed.
* * *
Okay, this warehouse was creepy.
Gia sniffed. There were only a few lights on, and weak sunlight filtered in from high windows. The place was filled with shadows.
When you were terrified, you imagined all kinds of bad things in the darkness.
That said, Gia was well aware that the most dangerous thing in the place was Sackler, who was walking ahead of her.
How did someone get so twisted?
The guard behind her shoved her and she shot him a glare over her shoulder.
Asshole. She mouthed the word and watched him scowl. The prick had found her phone when he’d dragged her out of the Escalade. He’d left it crushed in pieces on the street.
They walked between two long rows of metal shelves that went almost to the ceiling. The entire place was filled with shelves loaded with boxes and crates.
They reached the end of the row, and a small table and chairs sat in an open space. There were more guards there as well.
Gia swallowed. Saxon and Vander would come. They could deal with these guys with their eyes closed.
Taking a breath, Gia followed Sackler.
Then, she spotted the cage.
She stumbled, and felt like her chest caved in. It wasn’t big—waist high, made of metal.
Two women sat inside of it. Gia sucked in a sharp breath. They were both terrified. Maybe a few years younger than Gia, and it was hard to guess their nationalities. One had pale skin and long, black hair, while the other had dark-brown skin and brown hair. Both were extraordinarily beautiful.
Burning-hot rage scalded Gia’s veins.
Sackler had stolen these women. Was keeping them in a cage like animals.
She pressed a hand to her thigh, her nails digging into her skin. He was going down. Whatever happened here today, Gia vowed to free these women and make sure Sackler was stopped.
He halted at the table, and eyed Gia. “I have a cage for you, too, lovely Gia.”
“Fuck you.”
His lips twitched. “Would you like to? I can make you enjoy it.”
Ugh. Gia’s stomach revolted. The bastard wasn’t laying one finger on her.
With a laugh, Sackler upended the velvet bag. Colored gems spilled all over the table.
Then he lifted the pale-pink diamond.
“Ahh.” He held it up.
It was beautiful. It looked wrong resting in the asshole’s ugly hand.
“Yes, everything’s worked out better than I’d hoped. That idiot Dennett learned a lesson, I got my diamond back, and, as an added bonus—” he stroked Gia’s hair “—I got you.”
She jerked her head away. “I think I’m going to vomit.”
His face hardened, and he turned to the guards. “Go and check the warehouse.”
With nods, his men disappeared into the shadows, and Gia’s pulse jumped like crazy.
Sackler yanked her close and tried to kiss her, but as soon as his lips touched hers, she bit him.
With a growl, he shook her.
“You won’t get away with this,” she cried. Ugh, that sounded like a bad line in a movie. “My brothers and my man will stop you. I’ll stop you. I’m freeing those women, I’m taking that diamond, and if I’m lucky, I’ll get an opportunity to shoot you.”
Sackler threw his head back and laughed. Taking her chance, Gia punched him in his soft belly.
The air rushed out of him, and he grunted in pain and surprise.
Using all her strength, she kneed him in the face, and snatched the diamond out of his hand.
With a strangled, agonized sound, Sackler fell to his knees, cradling his head.
Gia spun and looked at the women. “I’ll be back, I promise.” Then she sprinted down one of the rows of shelves.
She clutched the diamond, which was surprisingly warm to touch. Then she scanned the rows of shelves. Exit. She needed a way out.
Somewhere behind her, she heard a bellow. “Find her!”
Shit.
Then she heard guns firing, and almost tripped.
“Alive,” Sackler shouted. The gunfire immediately ceased.
At least her bare feet kept her footsteps quiet. She ran to a junction in the middle of the warehouse. Damn, the place was a maze. She needed a way out. Come on, come on.
She turned left, but a second later, heard someone coming down one of the rows.
She pulled back and ducked down.
A guard thundered past her. She heard the squawk of a radio.
“Anyone got a visual?”
“Haven’t seen her yet.”
Gia backed away, then turned and jogged in the opposite direction. Her fingers clenched on the diamond. She turned a corner.
And found herself face-to-face with a guard.
His brows drew together, and he reached for her.
Shit. Gia jumped on him.
She caught him by surprise and they fell. The guard hit the ground first, Gia’s weight on him, and she heard the air wheeze out of him. Good. He was winded.
She stuffed the diamond down the front of her shirt, then rolled to the side. She got her arms around his neck in a chokehold that Vander had drilled her in about four thousand times. She didn’t need brute strength to choke someone, she just had to hit the right spot before they pushed her off.
The guard stiffened, and Gia put all of her strength into the chokehold. It was the longest two seconds
of her life, but finally, the guy slumped against her.
Thank you, God.
She heard his radio squawk. “Sutton, you there?”
Gia leaped to her feet.
“Sutton, respond.”
Shit. She heard footsteps coming her way.
Turning, she ran and bolted down another aisle. Then she heard more voices ahead of her. Her chest locked. Crap. She was trapped.
She looked at one of the shelves and spotted a gap between two boxes. She squeezed into it, sliding past the two big boxes, and came out in the next row. But more footsteps were running toward her.
Shit, shit, shit.
“Sutton’s down,” someone yelled. “She’s close.”
“I want the woman and the diamond back now!” Sackler yelled.
Heart pounding, Gia ran, but at the far end of the row, a guard stepped into view. When he spotted her, he lifted his handgun and fired.
Gia ducked and squeezed through the next shelf. For a second, she got stuck, and she cursed her curvy hips, but then she was free.
Damn, they were converging on her. She looked up at the shelves. Could it work? She was out of other options.
She pressed her foot to the box on the lower shelf, and gripped the shelving above her head. Then she climbed. She made it up two shelves and squeezed into a space between a crate and a box.
Down below, two guards sprinted past.
Gia closed her eyes, and tried to quieten her breathing. She thought of Saxon.
Come on, Hot Stuff. Now would be an excellent time for a rescue.
Chapter Eighteen
Saxon and Vander circled the warehouse, coming up on the guards at the front door.
Saxon heard Vander murmur in his earpiece to the others, but Saxon stayed focused on getting inside.
He had to get to his Contessa. To Gia.
He jumped the first guard. With two vicious blows, Saxon brought the man down. He lowered the man’s unconscious body to the ground.
Vander scuffled with the other guard. Even though the guy clearly lived at the gym, since he had a bulky body and no neck, and was probably mid-twenties, Vander didn’t have to expend much effort.
With another elbow to the head, the guard slammed into the warehouse wall and slid to the ground.
Saxon and Vander stripped the men of their weapons, then Vander lifted his hand and used a hand signal. He pointed to the door.
Lifting his M4, Saxon nodded. Vander opened the door and they slid inside silently.
Scanning the interior, Saxon took in the shelves and shadows. He waited, then heard shouting toward the center of the space.
I’m coming, Gia. Be okay. She had to be okay.
He and Vander split up. Saxon had no idea how many guards were inside. In the distance, he heard Sackler barking orders.
Saxon paused, and pressed his back to the shelf.
“Anyone seen her?” a deep voice said.
“Just a glimpse. Shot at her, but she fucking disappeared.”
Saxon memorized that voice. That asshole was going down.
“Any blood?” another man asked.
Saxon tensed.
“Nothing.”
He relaxed a fraction.
“Can’t believe that bitch got the jump on Sutton.”
“One down.” Vander’s low murmur in the earpiece.
Vander would do what Vander did best—use the shadows, and pick off the guards swiftly and quietly.
That meant Saxon could find Gia.
He moved forward and darted across to another aisle. He jogged quietly, getting closer to where the guards were grouped together.
Suddenly, a man rounded the corner. His eyes widened. “Who the fuck are you?”
Saxon rammed into the man. The guard swung at him, but Saxon dodged, and punched the guy in the kidney.
The guard shouted, but Saxon kicked him into the shelves.
“Vander.” Ace’s voice. “You have five guards and Sackler inside. There are two heat signatures at the far end of the space in what looks like a cage. One smaller heat signature is up higher.”
That had to be Gia since they were searching for her. She was hiding. Saxon punched the guard again, and the guy flopped facedown on the floor. Clever girl.
“Fuck,” Ace said. “An Escalade with five more guards just pulled up.”
“Rhys, breach,” Vander ordered.
“Incoming,” Rhys replied.
Rhys, Easton, and Ben would come in from the loading bays.
“Where’s Gia?” Saxon murmured.
“Central row, close to the loading bay end,” Ace replied.
Saxon moved quickly, scanning the shelves. She must be here somewhere.
“Ah, Mr. Buchanan.”
Saxon spun. Sackler stood there with two guards. Both had their guns aimed at Saxon. One held a handgun, while the other one gripped a shotgun.
“Drop your weapon,” Sackler said.
Saxon tossed his rifle to the concrete.
“I want you to call out to Ms. Norcross, otherwise my men will shoot you.”
Saxon remained silent.
“She has my diamond,” Sackler said. “Call her!”
Saxon laughed. “She got the diamond, took down one of your guards, and you lost her?”
Sackler’s face twisted. “Enough. Call her.”
One of the guards fired his shotgun with a boom. The round hit some crates off to Saxon’s right.
“Fuck you, Sackler,” Saxon said.
The man snatched the shotgun off his guard and strode to Saxon. He jammed the barrel in Saxon’s gut.
“Don’t test me.”
“She’s a hundred times smarter than you,” Saxon said. “Your little empire, all the dirty things you do, that ends today.”
“No, Mr. Buchanan, you’ll end today, bleeding here on the concrete.”
“Have you ever used a shotgun?”
Sackler stiffened.
“I didn’t think so.” Saxon snatched the weapon out of the man’s hands and then punched Sackler in the face.
He cried out, blood spurting from his nose, and crashed to the floor. Saxon pumped the shotgun, spun, and fired toward the guards.
The men dove in different directions. The one with the handgun fired, bullets hitting a box above Saxon’s head.
The other guard rose and pulled a knife from his belt. Then he charged.
Saxon swung the shotgun like a bat. It slammed into the guard’s head with a crack and the man flew sideways, collapsing on top of a groaning Sackler.
“Don’t move,” a voice said.
Saxon looked up. The final guard held his Glock aimed at Saxon’s head. His eyes were steady, seasoned. He was no rent-a-cop.
All of a sudden, a shape leaped off the shelf above them and slammed into the man.
The pair crashed to the floor, and the man’s gun flew out of his hands.
Gia slapped at the man’s head. “No one aims a gun at my man!”
The guard tried to cover his head to protect himself but she kept slapping him.
“Okay, warrior princess.” Saxon tugged her up. “I think he learned his lesson.”
“He was going to shoot you.” She leaned down and got in one more smack.
God, he loved her. Saxon snatched up the guard’s gun. It was impossible to love her any more than he did because there was no room left inside of him. One punch knocked the guard out, and then Saxon dragged her into his arms and kissed her.
Damn, he felt weak from the rush of relief. She was okay. She was alive and in his arms. “I’m thinking I’ll lock you up.”
She smiled at him. “Only if you stay with me.”
“I want my diamond.”
They spun.
Sackler was on his feet, nose swollen, blood streaming down his face and soaking into his shirt. He aimed a gun at Gia.
Saxon stiffened. He was an idiot. He’d thought Sackler was down and had no more weapons. He’d been too distracted by his relief to double che
ck.
Rookie mistake.
“I do know how to use this one, Buchanan,” Sackler said.
Saxon stepped in front of Gia. She shoved forward to stand beside him.
He glared at her, but she just lifted her chin, her eyes defiant.
The sounds of fighting echoed from other parts the warehouse. Vander and the others were busy.
“Ms. Norcross, unless you want your brains splattered all over your boyfriend, I suggest you give me what I want.”
With a sigh, Gia reached into the neckline of her shirt and pulled out the diamond.
Hell, it was big. It was the palest pink, and there was something almost otherworldly about it.
Sackler stared at it, his lips curving. “Hand it over.”
“No,” Gia said.
The man stepped forward and shook the gun. “Now!”
Saxon tensed, ready for anything. “Gia.”
Her life was more important to him than any hunk of carbon.
She shook her head. “He can’t—”
“I love you,” Saxon said. “I don’t give a flying fuck about that diamond.”
“You love me?” she whispered.
“I think I always have. From the first time you told me I was an arrogant, know-it-all snob with my head up my ass. I think you were fourteen.”
She bit her lip. “I’m sure I didn’t say that.”
“I think you called me that last week as well.”
Her face went soft. “I love you too, Saxon. Completely.” Her brows drew together. “But I can’t believe you’re telling me this now. With a bad guy holding a gun on us. Of all the times.”
Saxon grinned. “Well, you won’t forget it.”
“Your romance needs work.”
“Oh, I’ll show you romance.”
“Enough!” Sackler roared.
* * *
Albert Sackler looked far less polished and smug than he had earlier.
Gia shot him a glare. “I warned you that Saxon and my brothers would make you regret your choices. You chose to be an asshole.”
Gunshots echoed at the back of the warehouse. Sackler glanced that way nervously.
“Now you have to deal with the consequences. You enslaved women, you bastard,” she spat. “You’ve killed, all for your own greed.”
The Troubleshooter: Norcross Series Page 18
