Inferno (A Hotter Than Hell Novel Book 7)

by Holly S. Roberts

  “Who delivered it?” Alex asks.

  “Courier. They had no information. Said a man walked up to him after he delivered a business package and paid him a hundred dollars to drop this here. He was on a bike.”

  That actually makes the guy a badass because there are two kinds of people you don’t mess with during the summer in Phoenix—anyone with car windows rolled down and anyone crazy enough to ride a bike for a living.

  I take the box and rest it on the table. Without waiting for Alex to open it, I peel off the tape and lift the lid. Another of Cori’s fingers is inside, but there’s more. A DVD rests sideways in the box. I stand, and Alex tries to follow me when I leave the room, but I stop him with a shake of my head. I take the disc into my office and pop it into my computer’s disc drive.

  The screen fills with a bed. Twenty seconds later, Madison is dragged into the room with a knife at her throat and tossed on that bed. There is no sound, but it isn’t needed. I watch as Fernandez rapes my wife. She fights him and he strikes her repeatedly. Finally, she lays still and I don’t know if she’s unconscious until her head turns and I can see the hopelessness in her expression. My hand goes through the monitor, hitting it repeatedly until it’s in pieces. When that isn’t enough, I push it to the floor and kick it across the room.

  “Fuck,” I say and drop my face into my hands. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

  I don’t realize Alex has come into the room until he crouches down beside me. I can’t get the words out to tell Alex what’s on the disc.

  “Is she alive?” he asks.

  “Yes.”

  He studies me and I look away not wanting him to read my thoughts. Guilt is eating me alive. Madison should never have worked at the service. She’d be safe if she were here at the house all day. Hell, she’d be safe if she weren’t part of my life.

  “He’s dead, Boss.”

  “Yes, he’s dead,” I say without conviction. I need him dead before he kills Madison.

  ∞∞∞

  The escort service Cartwright runs is in the older Encanto area of Phoenix known for its lower rent, shady dealings, and dead bodies. The location goes hand-in-hand with his workforce of women. They would probably do better standing on a street corner. He provides services for a less discerning clientele than what Elegant Escorts has. If you want to get laid cheaply by women with drug habits and missing teeth, Cartwright is your man.

  The office is in a strip plaza off the main road. The four of us enter with Alex in the lead, me next, then Dax with Duke last. I’ve figured out what was bugging me about Duke. His eyes and ears take in everything. He’s smart and alert, but his unusual quietness gives off a strange vibe. But with his size and dislike of men who hurt women, I’m glad he’s on our side.

  The older dark-haired woman at the front desk looks up and quickly hits a button on her desk phone. “Moon, Gomez, and friends are here to see you and I don’t think it’s a pleasure call,” she says in a bitchy tone.

  Cartwright coughs nervously over the speaker. “Send them back.”

  We don’t wait for the woman to escort us. Alex leads the way when we walk the long hallway to Cartwright’s office at the end of the hall. Alex gives me a signal to wait when he enters the office. Our dealings with Miles haven’t always been pleasant, especially when it comes to Alex. If Miles has a death wish, he’ll meet us with a gun in hand. So far we haven’t gotten that lucky, but there’s always a first time and it could be today. I only need him alive long enough to ask a few questions.

  Alex stops in front of a large wooden desk. From where I’m standing, I can’t see Cartwright until I enter. Dax and Duke follow close behind. When Miles sees me, he stands and walks around his desk ignoring Alex, which is his first mistake.

  I don’t put my hand out when Miles offers his. “We want to know about the two missing women who worked for you.”

  His sleazy expression twists and before he speaks I already know he’ll lie. “My girls are all accounted for. Sorry you’ve wasted your time.” He places his hands palms up and gives a nervous laugh.

  The punch Alex delivers to his kidneys turns the laugh to a moan and he drops to his knees. Alex leans over him. “Don’t fuck with me, Cartwright. You’ll find yourself six feet under and in a whole world of hurt before you get there.”

  Cartwright places one hand on the floor and tries to stand. Alex has other ideas and steps on his hand. “I… I… fuck,” Cartwright swears when Alex doesn’t remove the pressure.

  “The two women?” I prompt.

  He whimpers and his eyes plead for mercy. “Two of my bitches left their employment without notice,” he groans as Alex adds more pressure. “It’s… nothing to worry about.”

  Duke steps forward and Dax taps my shoulder. I glance at Dax and he nods me to the side so Duke can step in front of me. Alex raises his foot and watches Duke with a half-smile. The giant leans down, grabs Miles beneath the armpits and lifts him.

  Duke doesn’t stop lifting until he’s holding Miles completely off the ground with about a foot of air beneath him. The man has some wicked power in those arms.

  Dax gives Cartwright a pleasant smile. “Duke doesn’t like men who hurt women. You could say it’s a line that, when crossed, has him committing murder. He just got out of prison for the second time. He’ll have no problem pretending your head is a pumpkin and leaving it in pieces before we go.”

  Miles’s face turns the color of boiling lobster. “I can’t breathe,” he gasps in a strangled voice. You would think Duke had him by the throat.

  “Good,” Dax replies, his smile still in place. “Your smashed head won’t hurt so bad if you pass out first. Knowing Duke here, though, he’ll wake you up before he caves in your skull.”

  “Please.” His eyes scramble around the room looking for help that isn’t there. “They never came back. Went on a call and never returned.”

  “Was it the same client?” I ask.

  Now his face turns purple. “Yes, but he doesn’t know what happened to them either.”

  “Did you ask him?”

  His eyes jerk around again because he’s looking for a lie that will get him out of this. “I asked him after the first bitch disappeared. He said she was fine when she left. Said he tipped her good and she’s probably in a drug haze somewhere.” He coughs and sputters like an idiot while Duke’s powerful grip holds him in place.

  Even I’m impressed with Dax’s new bodyguard. “How much did this man pay you after that bit of news?” I nod at Duke. “Give him a breather,” I say because Cartwright’s eyes are rolling back in his head.

  Duke loosens his hold slightly without allowing Cartwright’s feet to touch the ground.

  “No money.”

  Duke tightens his fingers again and Cartwright squeals like a pig. “10K,” he wheezes when he’s able to speak.

  “He paid you ten grand after telling you he didn’t know what happened to the woman and then you sent another woman in her place?” I’m losing my cool, which is evident in my raised voice. I’m all about control, but with Madison in danger, that control is a very thin thread.

  Duke gives him a violent shake that rattles his teeth. “I’m not sending more women his way, and he hasn’t requested anyone this week.” Sweat drips down his face, rolls onto Duke’s hands, and drips to the floor.

  “Name and address.”

  “Mary has the address out front. Guy’s name is Diego.”

  That’s Fernandez’s first name. I nod at Duke. He tosses Miles a full two feet and he lands against the wall, where he hits his head on a picture frame. It crashes to the floor on top of him and Cartwright doesn’t move.

  Mary hands me a white slip of paper with an address on it after we walk to the front. “Your boss will need a little recuperation time,” Alex tells her.

  “Yes, sir,” Mary mumbles and casts furtive glances down the hallway.

  The four of us walk outside into the heat. The SUV is still running with the air on high, making the interior
comfortable. You learn to have two car keys in Phoenix just for this purpose; one to keep the car running and the other to lock it so it isn’t stolen. Duke holds Dax’s door for him and closes it before walking around to the other side. I glance at Dax and he shrugs. Duke is quite the bodyguard.

  I glance at the blue sky before sliding into my seat. I’m coming Madison, hang on.

  Chapter Ten

  Madison

  We received one meal yesterday, so I know I’ll only have one shot at this today. For the first time, I’m thankful it’s Cori’s fingers Fernandez cut off. I need all of mine for the coming fight. We’ll both need our feet and it will be hard enough without shoes. I have no idea where we are, which means there’s a chance we’ll be running for miles. I can do it if Cori can. Hell, I’ll pick her up and carry her if she can’t.

  I haven’t told her my plan yet because I want her to sleep as much as possible so she has enough strength for what I have planned. Right now, she’s sleeping like the dead. When I touch her flushed cheeks, she’s hot. Too hot. I wet a sheet strip and lay it on her forehead. She doesn’t stir and her breathing is ragged. She’ll die if I can’t get us out of here.

  The section of metal shelving I removed is bent into a point on the sides and it’s flat enough that I can sit on it, hopefully without notice.

  The waiting begins. It’s several hours before the driver, who Fernandez called Lucas, opens the door and enters alone. He’s carrying another tray. His eyes scan my body before meeting my gaze. He gives me a guilty look that’s bullshit more than anything. He raped Cori and didn’t seem to feel guilty then.

  He rests the tray beside me without closing the door. He looks away when I try to catch his eyes. “Can you help me with Cori? I don’t think she’s going to wake up.” I can only hope that’s a lie.

  The man glances at the door then at Cori. “Fernandez won’t like it, but what do you need me to do?”

  Before his eyes return to mine, the shelving is in my hands and I rise from the bed and swing it with a heavy grunt. The sharp end does its job and slices into his neck. Blood immediately streams and then bubbles from the deep cut.

  “You bitch,” he gurgles. He’s trying to stop the blood, but he’s already dead. I’d kill him again if I could. Then I decide I can. I swipe his legs from beneath him and he takes an earlier trip to the floor than he was going to. He lands with a garbled grunt. His eyes are wide open as he wheezes from his neck. I bring the metal straight down into his groin, burying it as far as it will go. He’s past screaming, but his eyes show pain and fear. Good. I lift the shelving again and drive it back down.

  My hands are covered in his blood when the red haze of revenge lifts. I turn to Cori. Her eyes are wide open staring at me.

  “We’re getting out of here,” I tell her. “I need you to keep up and stay behind me.” I lift my weapon, bend it back into the shape I need and then put my hand out for Cori and help her stand. “I need both my hands free when we walk out. Can you walk on your own?”

  “Yes,” she answers. “I’ll fucking do whatever it takes to get out of here.”

  “Let’s do it, then. If they stop us, I’ll attack and you run. Don’t stop running until you’re safe. One of us needs to get away and reach Moon.”

  “I’m behind you. Don’t worry about me,” she says in a shaky voice that shows she isn’t in good shape.

  I approach the door and peer into the hallway. I hold my breath for a moment and hear no sounds coming from the front of the house. I slowly walk down the hallway to a large front living room area. It’s a split floorplan, and the master bedroom where Fernandez took me to is past the kitchen and separate from this end of the house. The door to our freedom is on the other side of this room.

  “Go,” Cori says when I glance over my shoulder to check on her.

  I run and hear her breathing close behind me. The doorknob turns freely in my hand, but the door doesn’t open until I turn the deadbolt. No shouts come from behind us as we run outside.

  The sun blasts down on us and I estimate it’s around three in the afternoon. Desert landscaping with small, sharp rocks takes up the entire front yard, so I keep us to the cement. It’s hot, but I barely notice. We run down the long driveway and hit the black asphalt. There are no sidewalks and the heat under my bare feet is almost unbearable. I grab a sobbing Cori and place her good arm over my shoulder. We’re in a cul-de-sac with no other houses in sight. Naked, we run down the street and turn the corner, which leads to another cul-de-sac with a house at the end. It’s our only hope.

  The sound of a car coming toward us makes me look behind us. It’s dark and black and heading in our direction. My hand grips the metal shelf so tightly it cuts into my palm.

  I’m ready to fight or die. We’re not going back into that house. The car hasn’t stopped moving when the passenger door flies open and Moon jumps out. A man I don’t recognize jumps from the back seat. Moon has me cradled in his arms a second later and the other man takes Cori.

  “I don’t know where Fernandez is,” I whisper into my husband’s neck.

  “We need the women in the car,” Alex says.

  The solid warmth of Moon’s chest is more than my brain can handle and for a moment I wonder if I’m dreaming. My reserves are gone and exhaustion bites at my consciousness.

  Moon takes me into the passenger seat with him and Cori is handed to Dax.

  “Get us out of here,” Moon yells before he slams the car door behind us.

  Alex floors the gas and the tires squeal as he turns the wheel, practically doing a donut to get us facing the right direction. With another punch of gas, he leaves rubber and charges the car down the road toward escape. I turn my face into Moon’s jacket and hold on.

  Moon, my husband, my everything, holds me so tightly I can barely breathe. My burned feet and throbbing head are forgotten.

  Chapter Eleven

  Moon

  The drive across town from Cartwright’s place is intolerable. I pay no attention to Dax and Duke speaking softly in the backseat. I called for backup from my men as soon as we hit the highway. My team will arrive a few minutes behind us. We aren’t waiting. There’s a feeling deep in my gut that says I need to get to Madison quickly and that’s what we’re doing.

  The outskirts of Phoenix are filled with agriculture. Houses in this area aren’t the cookie cutter homes you see in the city, they’re sprawling homes surrounded by mile after mile of everything from corn to nut trees.

  “We’re a mile away,” Alex finally says when we take another corner practically on two wheels. I look at the navigator, which shows two more turns. My eyes are glued to what is in front of us as Alex takes the next right.

  “The women,” Alex yells before I catch sight of them.

  They’re running up the road away from where we were headed. I don’t wait for the SUV to stop when I jump out and grab Madison. I scoop her into my arms thankful that Duke grabs Cori because all I care about right now is my wife. She’s covered in blood and I have no idea if it’s hers or someone else’s.

  Alex pulls a pit maneuver turn and we practically fly from the area. A call comes in on the car’s speaker and Alex answers. It’s Cal, one of my highly trained security experts. “We’re a mile out,” he says into his phone.

  “We have the women but don’t know where Fernandez and his men are,” Alex tells him and then glances at me before turning his eyes back to the road.

  “Hit the house hard. I want Fernandez alive, though,” I order.

  Madison squeezes my shirt, digging her nails into my skin. “I killed one of them, but there’s another man named Goose with Fernandez.” Her words are spoken into my chest and her fingers keep a tight hold on my shirt.

  “Two inside the house,” Alex says next. “Fernandez and his man alive.”

  Alex ends the connection and drives.

  “Madison,” I whisper into her hair. She keeps her face buried. A shirt is passed forward and I wrap it around her. From the size
, I know it’s Duke’s. I glance into the back seat and Cori is resting in his arms again with his undershirt draped across her front.

  I turn back to my wife. “Madison, I need to know how badly you’re injured.”

  “Not my blood,” she breathes against my chest.

  “Get Carlo to the house,” I tell Alex. He makes the call. When Carlo starts to argue, he tells him that Madison and Cori need him.

  “I’ll be there in thirty,” he says and disconnects before Alex can.

  Carlo Santos is our doctor, a pediatrician actually. He was friends with my parents and we’ve remained close. He takes care of our emergency health needs when a hospital or doctor’s office is out of the question.

  If he says Madison or Cori needs a hospital, I’ll take them both. We’ll field the legal questions if needed.

  I hold Madison tight, my bereft arms now full. There are so many things I want to say, but they need to wait. She’s safe and that’s all that matters right now. We’ll work the rest out after Fernandez’s blood soaks my hands. Alex can have his goon, Goose or whatever the fuck his name is. Fernandez is mine.

  ∞∞∞

  Carlo is waiting for us when we pass through the security gate and pull into the circular driveway. I stand from the car without releasing Madison and carry her quickly inside the front door, which Carlo holds open. Duke carries Cori behind us.

  “Couches, triage,” Carlo says.

  I head to the couch, but Madison stops me. “No, I’m fine.” She lifts her head and speaks directly to Carlo. “The blood isn’t mine. Take care of Cori first.”

  He doesn’t argue and from the look of Cori’s lifeless body in Duke’s arms, she needs Carlo more. Even if I don’t like it. “We’ll be in our room,” I tell Carlo and take the stairs two at a time. “Alex, let me know what happens with Fernandez,” I call from the landing.

  “Boss?” I stop walking and look back down. “Fernandez is yours,” Alex grunts with a look that says how much he’s disturbed by what happened to the women.