Rectify

by Laylah Roberts

  “Can I put you on speaker?” she asked Diego.

  “Who’s there?” he asked suspiciously.

  “Umm, Aedan, Rogan, and three members of the investigation team.”

  There was a moment of silence.

  Mierda! Come on, Diego, time’s ticking by.

  Just as she was about to snap, he spoke. “Fine. Put me on speakerphone.”

  She shakily turned on the speaker, then placed it on the coffee table. “How much is the ransom?”

  “Someone sent a letter to my home address, along with a burner phone. Idiotas de mierda! Who sends shit in the post?”

  “Someone who doesn’t want to be traced,” Samantha suggested.

  “Who is that?” Diego asked sharply.

  Natalya shot Samantha a warning look, and Tanner waved at her to be quiet.

  “One of the investigative team,” Natalya told him.

  “I’m trusting you, Natalya,” he said, his voice harsh. “Don’t betray me.” She’d always been a bit afraid of Diego. Anyone with half a brain would be. But that fear had faded over the past year. She’d do well to remember just how dangerous he could be. Crossing him could be fatal.

  “Diego,” Rogan spoke up. “This is Rogan MacGuire. I can vouch for everyone in the room.”

  Diego was silent for a long moment. Natalya turned to give Rogan a grateful look.

  “They want ten million in exchange for Mateo,” Diego finally said. “Like I’m going to just hand that over to them. We ousted them because they betrayed us. Now they think we’re just going to roll over for them?”

  Ten million? Any amount would be difficult for her to raise, but ten million?

  “What are we going to do?” Her pulse thundered in her ears as it became harder to breathe.

  Stop. You can’t panic. You have to think.

  “They’ve fucked me off now.”

  Frost coated her spine at the deadly fury in his voice.

  Tanner handed her something written on a notepad.

  Ask him for a photo of the note.

  Natalya took in a steadying breath as she tried to still her shaking hands. “Diego? Can you take a photo of the note and text it to me?”

  “Si, I’ll do that.”

  “Where do they want the exchange to happen?” Rogan asked.

  “The note instructed me to get the money together and then call them at this number at eight tonight.” He rattled off the number, and Natalya watched as Samantha wrote it down before turning back to her computer.

  “So will you help us?” she asked. There was no way she could raise that sort of cash. Diego could. But would he help?

  There was a long pause.

  “They’ll expect to deal with you.” Rogan kept his voice neutral.

  “I can’t give you the cash,” Diego said firmly. “If I start negotiating with them, it sets a dangerous precedent. We don’t pay ransoms.”

  She bit her lip to stop from snapping at him. He wasn’t the President of the US. Why couldn’t he just pay the ransom? This was his fault. They would never have taken Mateo if it wasn’t for him.

  “On the other hand, I can’t let them get away with this either. I want to know who is involved. I’ll call them. Then I’ll report back to you. It’s the best I can do.”

  No, it wasn’t. It wasn’t the best he could do by a long shot, but she couldn’t force him to help. She couldn’t force him to care about Mateo. But damn, she wished she could reach through the phone and throttle him.

  She opened her clenched fists. There were angry red crescents on her palms from her nails digging into her skin.

  Aedan grabbed her hand, squeezing it lightly.

  “Fine, you call them,” Rogan said brusquely. “Tell them you have the cash. Can we contact you on this number?”

  “Si.”

  The dial tone felt like a nail in her coffin.

  What was she going to do?

  “The number is a dead end,” Samantha said. “Untraceable.”

  The blows just kept coming at her.

  “I’ll get the funds released.” Aedan pulled out his phone. “It’ll take a few hours, but I’ll get it.”

  “Wait, what?” she stared at him. “You’d do that?”

  “It’s just money. We’re talking about your son.”

  She’d owe him forever after, but no way was she turning him down. Mateo was priceless to her. She’d pay whatever they needed.

  “Dios mío. Thank-you.”

  He walked away, talking quietly into his phone. Would this work? Could they actually do this?

  Tanner grabbed his own phone. “Once we hear their instructions, we’ll need to move quickly.” Tanner turned to her. “Get together whatever you might need.”

  Natalya just nodded. She was ready.

  ***

  “How is this going to work without Diego?” Natalya paced across the tiny motel room. It was a scummy room in an awful part of town, but for a small bribe the person at reception would forget you’d ever been there, and Stanton wanted them to be circumspect.

  It was twenty-four hours after Diego had contacted the kidnappers. They’d told him to make his way to Nuevo Laredo with the ten million, and wait there for more instructions. They were going to call him on the burner phone they’d included with the ransom note. Diego would then call them to relay the instructions.

  She wished to hell that Diego was here. If the kidnappers got any hint that they weren’t dealing with him, they might take Mateo and leave.

  Or worse.

  But apparently, this was as much as he could do. Hijo de puta. Son of a bitch. If they didn’t need his help, she could happily murder the bastard.

  Someone knocked on the door and she jolted. Tanner stood and waved his hand at Aedan who grabbed her, pulling her into the bathroom. He’d gone into protective mode since they’d left San Antonio. Rogan and his men were also in the city, but as an added caution they were situated across town. She relaxed as she heard Stanton’s gruff voice.

  “You can come out,” Tanner called out.

  Aedan pushed open the bathroom door, keeping her behind him as he first checked the room. A rush of happiness swamped her. Aedan didn’t run when the going got tough. He would never leave others to rescue his son, or put his own interests before his child’s.

  Reaching back, Aedan took hold of her hand, sending her a reassuring smile. Natalya walked into the main room which had two double beds, a small table, and two chairs, as well as an ancient-looking television with a wide back that looked like it weighed more than she did.

  Stanton nodded when he saw them, then he gestured to the men standing next to him. “Meet Crowe, Eion and Miguel. You know Levi, of course. I’ve set Samantha up in another room. She’ll stay there and keep in contact with everyone. I think we’re prepared as well as can be. At least we know the kid’s alive.”

  Diego had insisted on proof of life and he’d talked to Mateo on the phone. She’d have given anything to have talked to her baby. Even if just for a minute. Just to make sure he was okay.

  She took a seat on one of the beds. Four large duffel bags sat on the other bed. Inside each bag was two and a half million dollars. It was difficult for her to even fathom. She had no idea how Aedan had managed to get his hands on that much cash so quickly.

  “MacGuire’s here?” Stanton asked.

  “He arrived a few hours ago,” Aedan replied. “He’s just waiting for Diego to contact him.”

  Diego had contacted Rogan before they’d left for Nuevo Laredo. Using some of his contacts, he was trying to locate these bastards. He wanted Rogan and his men to go in and get Mateo while the drop was happening, when the ELO were likely to be distracted. Rogan had agreed.

  Stanton nodded. “So now we wait for Mota to call us with their instructions.”

  Natalya licked her lips. “What if they want to meet face to face with Diego?”

  Without Diego there to make the drop, things could totally unravel.

  Stanton shook
his head. “It’s going to be dark. Miguel is the same build and he’ll wear a cap. I’ll be with Miguel. Eion, Crowe and Levi will be close by, keeping watch. There is a tracker in each of the bags. Samantha will track the bags remotely.”

  Aedan sat beside her, squeezing her tightly. “We just have to have faith this will work.”

  She nodded. Please let this work.

  Her phone rang, and she picked it up. After checking the caller ID, she said, “It’s Diego.”

  “Put him on speaker,” Tanner instructed, as Stanton unhurriedly put his shoes back on.

  Feeling like she was being torn apart by the tremors racing through her body, Natalya turned her phone on speaker.

  “Diego?” she asked.

  “Just got the call. Write this address down.” He quickly rattled off an address. “They want the money dropped there. As soon as they’ve picked up the money and gotten away safely, they’ll call me with an address to collect Mateo from. Although I’d be willing to bet that I never get that call.”

  Natalya barely managed to hold back her cry of denial.

  Aedan squeezed her hand hard. “Rogan will find him.”

  He had to.

  ***

  “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!” Stanton swore. “Are you all right?”

  “I’ll live,” Miguel replied, his voice tight with pain.

  “Boss?” Samantha spoke through the mic in his ear. “Got some bad news.”

  “Christ. More? I’m taking Miguel to the hospital. This is more than a flesh wound.” It had been an ambush. As soon as they’d dropped the bags, bullets had started flying. Thank God the rest of his men were there as back-up or they’d both be dead.

  Miguel had been hit in the arm. He claimed it was a flesh wound, but Stanton could tell it was worse that than that.

  “They must have ditched our bags,” she said.

  “So we’ve lost them and the money. Fuck!” Stanton hit his fist against the steering wheel. “What about the boy? Did Diego get a call from them?”

  “Nope. Wait. Thank God!”

  “What is it?” he asked her as he took a corner too quickly. Miguel moaned quietly.

  “MacGuire found the boy. He’s safe.”

  Thank fuck.

  “Get out of here. All of you. We’ll follow as soon as we can.”

  “Roger that.”

  ***

  Natalya gazed down at her sleeping son, feeling like she could breathe properly for the first time since he was taken.

  Someone stepped into the room and she glanced back to find Aedan standing behind her.

  “How is he?” Concern showed on his tired face.

  She stood. “Scared. Exhausted. He wouldn’t let me turn any of the lights off. I had to swear that I wouldn’t leave him. God knows what he’s been through.”

  He didn’t have any bruises. She’d checked him over thoroughly. He was hungry, scared, and tired, but he didn’t appear to be hurt. Physically, anyway.

  “Poor little guy.” Aedan walked over and placed his arm around her. He kissed the top of her head.

  “I’m so glad to have him back. I can’t even describe how relieved I am.” She terrified this was just a dream she’d suddenly wake up from.

  “I understand.”

  She leaned over and kissed Mateo’s forehead. She stretched, barely holding in her groan. Now that the adrenaline had stopped pumping through her, she felt as though she’d aged twenty years.

  Once they got Mateo back safely, they’d quickly made their way over the border and back to San Antonio, not wanting to stick around in Mexico any longer than they had to.

  “Thank God Rogan found him. I wasn’t sure that Diego would come through for us. Especially after he said he wouldn’t help.”

  “He came through in the end, that’s what counts.”

  “What about Rogan? Has he come home yet?”

  “No, he’ll stay back in Nuevo Laredo to make sure all the loose ends are tied up.”

  Cillian had brought Mateo to them, while Rogan and the rest of his men took care of his kidnappers. Truthfully, she didn’t care what they did to them as long as they were no longer a threat to Mateo’s safety.

  “And the money?” she asked.

  “He’s recovered it all.”

  “Thank God.”

  “I don’t care about the money. Mateo is safe, that’s all that matters.”

  Tears filled her eyes. “Thank you. I can never repay you.”

  Placing his fingers under her chin, he tipped her face up and kissed her.

  She pulled back reluctantly. “I can’t. If Mateo wakes up, if he needs me...”

  “Of course,” Aedan said immediately. “I understand.”

  She wondered if he truly did. Mateo wasn’t his son. Suddenly, she felt unsure of everything. What did they actually have between them? Whatever they had built, it had a shaky foundation. Would Aedan still want to be with her now that Mateo was a reality in her life? Not everyone would want to take on another man’s child. And these certainly weren’t the best circumstances in which to start a relationship.

  He’d told her to wait, to think about all of this once they’d found Mateo. Natalya now wondered if he’d said that because he was unsure about how far he wanted to take things between them.

  She shook off that thought. No, Aedan wanted her. This was more than sex. It wasn’t just a leftover from their past. Aedan had been there for her throughout all of this; he wouldn’t have done that if he didn’t truly care about her.

  “Mama!” The scream shook her out of her musings, and she jumped off Aedan’s lap with a gasp.

  Heart pounding, she raced over to the bed where Mateo was sitting up, tears streaming down his face.

  “Mateo! Oh, Mateo, I’m here.” She gathered him close against her, holding his shaking body.

  “Woke up! You gone! Mama!”

  “Sorry, baby. I’m so sorry.” Guilt raced through her.

  “Is he okay? What’s wrong?” Aedan asked. He reached down to touch her and Mateo screeched, hitting out at his hand.

  “Bad man! No touch! Bad man!”

  “Shh, baby, that’s Aedan. He’s not a bad man.”

  “My mama! Mine!”

  Feeling helpless, she looked up at Aedan. “I’m sorry, he doesn’t know you.”

  Aedan’s face tightened. “Don’t be sorry. Poor kid has been through hell. Of course, I scare him. Is there anything I can do?”

  “Wet bed, Mama,” Mateo said, his lower lip trembling. He hadn’t been toilet trained long; it was understandable that he’d wet the bed under the circumstances.

  “Oh baby, that’s okay,” she told him, running her hand through his hair. She grimaced at Aedan apologetically. “Would you mind changing the sheets on the bed while I clean him up in the bathroom?”

  “Of course not,” he told her.

  She picked Mateo up, but before she reached the door, she turned back. “I’m going to stay the night with him.”

  “I totally understand.”

  Natalya sighed in relief. Things were going to be fine.

  Aedan stripped the bed, throwing the wet sheets out in the passage. He gazed around, feeling helpless. Should he knock on the bathroom door and check up on them? No, that might frighten Mateo.

  Natalya needed to focus on Mateo right now. He knew that. But he also found himself wondering what all of this meant for the two of them. Was there room for him in her life now?

  There was no point in thinking about that now. They’d only just gotten Mateo back, and it wasn’t the right time for him to think about their relationship.

  Natalya emerged from the bathroom ten minutes later, Mateo in her arms. The little boy stared at him with mistrust and who could blame him? He didn’t know Aedan from a bar of soap. How the hell did a person win over a frightened, traumatized two-year-old?

  “Why don’t the two of you take my bed? I’ll sleep here.”

  “Thank-you.” Her relief was clear.

  Aedan
smiled at Mateo. The little boy glared at him.

  Crap.

  “Hey, buddy, hope you sleep well.” The boy turned his head.

  A bad feeling formed in his gut, but Aedan kept smiling until they’d left the room. A headache pounded at his temples. It was going to be a long night.

  Chapter Nine

  Natalya studied the small apartment. It was clean and bright. Far better than her last apartment in Hondo.

  “Are you sure you want to move in here?” Rogan asked as he placed a bag of groceries on the kitchen counter. “You’re welcome to stay with me as long as you like.”

  Part of her longed to take him up on his offer. She felt somewhat safe in his house. But she couldn’t stay there forever. At some stage, she had to stand on her own two feet.

  She shook her head. “You’ve already done so much for us. It’s time we got out from under your feet. We don’t want to cramp your style.”

  Not that Rogan seemed to have much of a social life. It had been three weeks since Mateo was rescued, and although she was grateful to Rogan for opening up his house to them, she felt like it was time they moved on, much as the thought terrified her. Most days she barely felt like she was holding herself together.

  Rogan had assured her that the men who had taken Mateo were no longer a threat to Mateo or her. She guessed that meant they were dead. She couldn’t really work up any regret about that.

  They hadn’t found her cousin. Or the woman who’d called in the false report about seeing a little boy by the lake.

  Even though her cousin had betrayed her, Natalya didn’t want to see her harmed. She just wanted to put this whole nightmare behind her.

  “I need to pay you some rent.”

  Rogan owned this apartment building. He’d insisted that if she wanted leave then she had to move into one of his apartments. And that she wouldn’t be paying rent.

  “No, you don’t,” he said firmly. “You need to focus on looking after yourself and Mateo. Don’t worry about rent or utilities; I’ll take care of that. I’ll bring up the rest of the groceries.”

  She should protest, but the truth was, she didn’t have the money to pay her way. It was humiliating to rely on others for everything. But there was no way she could work at the moment. She told herself that Mateo couldn’t handle the separation, but in truth, she was the one who was struggling. She was the one who sat up night after night just watching him sleep.