by Anna Blakely
“Sorry,” Olivia gave him an apologetic smile.
The minute his wife was finished with what felt like a battery of tests, Jake turned to Olivia and said, “I need the room.”
After giving her husband a nod, she squeezed Nate’s hand. “I’m sorry this happened to you and Gracie. Jake and the others have been doing everything they can.” She leaned in and gave him a careful hug, whispering softly, “You’ll find her, Nate. I know you will.”
Olivia walked to the foot of the bed and put a hand on Jake’s arm. With soft, loving eyes, she told him, “You know what he’s going through right now. Try to remember that, okay?” Then, leaning up onto her tip toes, she kissed him on the cheek, and left the room.
Gabe wasted no time laying in to him. “What the hell happened in that cabin, Carter?”
Feeling like he’d been sent to the principal’s office, Nate went through everything he could remember, not leaving any detail out.
Okay, so maybe he left out a few things, but nothing pertinent to what had happened.
When he was finished, he turned to Jake. “You gotta get me out of here, Boss. Please. I have to find her. I have to get to her before—”
Jake interrupted him by ordering Dawson to wait for him outside.
Gabe’s eyes slid to Nate’s then back to their boss’s. With a bob of his head, the big guy made his way to the door.
The space became incredibly uncomfortable during the long seconds it took for the other man to leave. It wasn’t until the door had completely shut that Jake finally spoke again.
“It’s just us, now, so no bullshit. How are you? Really?”
Surprised he didn’t fire him on the spot, Nate told his boss the truth. “Shoulder hurts and I’ve got the headache from hell.” He quickly added, “But, my vision’s clear and there’s nothing wrong with my shooting arm.”
Jake started to shake his head, but Nate refused to be shot down on this.
“Look, I know I fucked up, Jake. So, let me make this right. Let me work with the team until we take down Yavuz and his crew. I need to bring Gracie home. I’ll resign the second that happens, if that’s what you want, but please. Don’t cut me out. Not until I know she’s safe.”
“I’m not firing you, Carter.” One of the man’s dark brows rose. “Not yet, anyway.”
It wasn’t the response Nate expected, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to argue. “Thank you. You should know, even if you had, I’d still be going after her.”
“I know. It’s one of the reasons you still have a job.”
“Boss?”
“I’m not gonna have you running off half-cocked with no real plan or any backup.”
“How’d you know that’s what I’d do?”
Jake sighed and shoved his hands in his jeans pockets. “Because it’s exactly what I would do, if the situation was reversed. Hell, I almost did do that last year when Liv was taken. Thankfully, I have a kick-ass team on my side who offered their support. And so do you.”
Yeah, Nate thought. He did. He also had one hell of a boss.
Needing Jake to know, Nate said, “I didn’t lie to you.” When Jake’s brows turned inward, he explained. “Before, when I told you Gracie and I weren’t together. We weren’t, then.”
“But you are, now.” It was a statement, rather than a question.
“Yes,” Nate answered honestly. His heart ached. “I have to find her, Jake.”
The other man tilted his chin. “I’ll get you signed out of here, but before I do, we’re going to get a few things straight.”
Damn it, they were wasting so much time with this shit.
“Boss, I already told you I’m fine.”
Jake put his hand palm-up. As hard as it was, Nate understood he needed to shut his mouth and listen.
“First, as Bravo’s team leader, Gabe will decide how active a role you’ll play in this.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning, if he doesn’t feel you’re up to it or he believes you’re going to be a liability, either to yourself or your team, your ass sits on the sidelines while the others go in after her.”
Nate clenched his jaw. No way in hell he’d sit back while his team risked their lives for his woman. Unfortunately, he wasn’t really in the position to argue.
“Fine. What else?”
The other man’s tense expression softened with a painful understanding. “What you’re feeling? That fear and guilt swirling in your gut? The uncertainty of what’s happening to Gracie? I get it.”
Nate thought back to what Olivia said to Jake before leaving the room. As if reading his mind, Jake explained just how well he understood.
“You know about what happened to Liv last year, right?”
Nate’s chest tightened. The idea of anyone as sweet and caring as Olivia going through what she had cut him deep. “I know she was taken by a drug lord, but your team found and rescued her.”
Jake nodded. “That wasn’t the end of it. What we didn’t make public was what happened after we got her back home to the States.” A haunted look came over the man’s eyes. “Long story short, I fucked up and Olivia nearly died because of it.”
“Damn.”
Blinking away the terrible memories, his boss drew in a deep breath. “My point in telling you all this, Nate, is so you’ll believe me when I say I do understand how you feel right now. You want Gracie back and you want to end the fuckers responsible.”
Nate nodded. “Yes, sir. I do.”
“You’ll get that chance. I promise. We’ve been doing everything we can on our end, but, as you know, this sort of thing can take time.”
“Gracie doesn’t have time.”
“Agreed. But we have to be smart about it, or we could end up putting her at an even greater risk. You hear what I’m saying?”
“Yeah, Boss. I hear you.”
Looking pleased with that answer, Jake said, “Good. I’ll have Liv bring you some scrubs and get the doctor to sign your discharge papers.”
Because he was the kind of man who could get shit like that done.
“Thanks, Jake.”
The other man turned and crossed the room toward the door. He was about to reach for the knob when he faced Nate again.
“Oh, and Carter?”
“Yeah, Boss?”
“You ever yell at my wife that way again, and losing your job will be the least of your concerns.”
Fuck me. “Understood.”
With a final nod, Jake left him alone in his room.
Running his good hand over his face, Nate clutched the muscles at the back of his neck. He closed his eyes and thought the words he wished Gracie could hear.
I’ll find you, baby. I swear to God, I will.
Chapter 15
Gracelynn no longer felt any pain. Her raw, bloodied wrists no longer throbbed, and she barely noticed the many bruises Achim Akmar had left on her body that first day.
She couldn’t even bring herself to cry anymore. Of course, that may have something to due to her being dehydrated.
When smacking her around hadn’t gotten her to give up the file they thought she had, Yavuz had ordered her not to be fed again until she talked.
Not wanting her to die before that happened, he had allowed Akmar to bring her a glass of water each morning and night. That was all she’d consumed in the past three days.
At least, she thought that’s how long it had been.
Three agonizing, torturous days since Nate had been gunned down right in front of her—because of her—and she’d been drugged and brought here, to what she assumed was one of Edric Yavuz’ many homes.
As much as it broke her heart to admit it, Gracie had finally come to the conclusion that Nate had gotten off easy.
One bullet, then poof. Gone. Just like that.
Lying there, with her wrists chained to the room’s beautiful, ornate bed, Gracie tried to snap her fingers with the thought. She giggled, her mind muddled and her movements sluggish, thanks to whatev
er chemicals she still had running through her veins.
Beating and starving her hadn’t yielded the results Yavuz desired, so this morning he’d tried another method. A few hours ago, Achim had come back into her room. She’d tried to fight him off, but like all the other times, her efforts had been futile.
Gracie had been tossed into a chair in the middle of the room, her wrists and ankles tied. Then, the bastard had shoved a needle into a vein in her left arm. Some sort of truth serum, they’d told her.
Which, of course, hadn’t worked, either. You can’t divulge what you don’t know.
Yavuz, the idiot, thought she was holding out on him in hopes of being released. Gracie snorted to herself. She knew better than to think this would end with anything other than her death.
She knew her fate. Had even accepted it. She’d be murdered, just as Craig had been. And Nate.
God, Nate. I’m so sorry.
Her eyes caught a glimpse of the gold band still shining on her finger. A tear escaped the corner of her eye, trickling down her temple onto the pillow below her head.
Huh. Guess I do have a few more left in there, after all.
Blinking against them, Gracie shook her head and tried to clear her mind. The drugs were starting wear off, but she still felt a bit loopy.
Part of her wanted to just give up, but she couldn’t bring herself to. Nate wouldn’t want that. She could practically hear him yelling at her to snap out of it and keep fighting.
So, she would. For him.
The door to the room opened, but instead of Achim Akmar standing there, it was Yavuz. The bastard smiled.
“You are awake. Excellent.”
“No,” Gracie glared back at him. “Excellent would be watching your head explode right off your shoulders.”
She knew better than to provoke him, but those damn drugs made it even harder than normal for her to keep her big mouth shut.
Rather than yelling or striking out at her, as she’d thought he would, Yavuz threw his head back and laughed. The asshole laughed.
“The drugs are still working, I see. It is so refreshing to hear the truth fall from a woman’s mouth for a change.” He stepped farther inside the room. “It is not often I hear such honesty in my line of work.”
“And which work would that be?” Gracie asked the madman. “Crooked politician or cold-blooded murderer?”
Yavuz laughed again. “Both, I suppose.”
“Well, since you believe the drugs are working, that means you believe me when I say I don’t know what it is you want from me. If Craig sent me something, and I’m not so sure he actually did, I obviously have no idea what it was or where it could be.”
“You know, Miss McDaniels, I am starting to believe you. In fact, I think you’re just an innocent pawn in all this.”
Gracie laid her head back onto the pillow and muttered, “About fucking time.”
Making a clicking sound with his tongue, Yavuz shook his head and scowled. “Now, that’s no way for a lady to talk.”
Was this guy serious?
“Sorry, Edric. My manners left about the same time your buddy Akmar punched me in the face and then put a gun to my head.”
“Yes, well. He is very good at what he does. We all have certain things we have to do.”
“And what is it you think you have to do, Mr. President?” Gracie spit the title out like it had left a bad taste in her mouth. “Protect something you clearly have no real threat of losing? Craig’s secret died with him. You’re free and clear to do whatever the hell it was you’d planned to do. So, why don’t you just let me go?”
Faux sympathy crossed his face. “Oh, my dear Gracelynn. We both know it’s too late for that.”
Though, she’d known it was a ridiculous hope to carry, a tiny part of her had still held on to the idea he’d feel sorry for her and let her go back to her life. A life that no longer included Nathan Carter.
Another tear slipped from her eye. She hated the satisfaction it gave Yavuz when he saw it.
“Do not cry, Gracelynn. I have not come to kill you, yet.”
“Then, why are you here?”
He smiled that sick, evil smile again. “You may not know where the evidence against me is hidden, but having you in my possession keeps me protected. No one would dare come after me to rescue you. If they did, they’d only be ensuring their deaths, as well as yours.”
“So, what is your plan, then? To keep me here indefinitely?”
“Not indefinitely, no. Just for the next few weeks, until President Russell and I sign the treaty guaranteeing US protection for the people of my country.”
Gracie snorted. “You don’t give a shit about anyone but yourself. So, what’s this treaty really about?”
Seemingly impressed, Yavuz grinned. “You’re a very intelligent woman, Miss McDaniels.” Shrugging, he said, “I suppose it won’t hurt to tell you, since you’re death has already been ordered to be carried out the minute your president and I have signed our names on the dotted line.”
What an arrogant prick.
“That agreement puts me as an ally of your country. It will allow me to sit in on important meetings with your president. Meetings which will divulge high-level information. Information I can then bring back to my country to use against the United States. Eventually, I will gain enough trust within your government to infiltrate and destroy your precious country from the inside out.”
Jesus. This guy wasn’t just arrogant. He was insane.
Yavuz looked at his watch. “Oh, dear. I did not realize the time. I have a meeting I must attend. Actually, it is a conference call with President Russell, himself.”
Gracie didn’t bother to hide her sarcastic tone when she said, “Tell him I said hi.”
Chuckling, Yavuz turned toward the door. “I’ll do that,” he told her from over his shoulder, just before shutting and locking the door behind him.
So, this was how she’d be spending the rest of her days. Chained to a bed in what should have been a gorgeous room. Alone.
If only she’d listened to Nate and gone with him to get that damn firewood. He’d still be alive, and she’d be with him instead of lying here, waiting to die, too.
She’d never forget the look on Nate’s face when he realized Adrian Walker was about to shoot him. His eyes had grown so wide.
In that last second, he’d tried to move to the side, away from the bullet’s trajectory, but he was too late.
Gracie had screamed, then. Over and over, she’d screamed his name, but Nate remained on the floor where he’d fallen. His body still and bleeding.
She remembered thinking if she could just get to him and stop the bleeding, he’d be okay. Before she had the chance, Walker had stuck a needle in her neck, whatever chemicals the syringe had been filled with causing her to lose consciousness almost immediately.
She was taken and Nate was left in the cabin to die alone.
“I’m sorry, Nate,” she whispered to him. Eyes closed, more tears fell as she pictured his beautifully handsome face smiling back at her. “I’m so, so sorry.”
Unable to handle the grief festering up inside, Gracie gave into her worn down body’s need for rest and the remnants of the drugs she’d been given.
Within minutes, she was unconscious once again.
“Goddamnit!”
Nate slammed his laptop closed and stood from Jake’s couch. Ignoring the pain and pull in his shoulder, he linked his fingers on the top of his head and began to pace the room.
There had to be something they’d missed that would lead them to Gracie. For the life of him, he just didn’t know what.
That was the most frustrating part. He was supposed to be the brainiac of the team, yet every lead he thought they had was nothing more than a dead end. Every. Single. One.
Maybe I’m in the wrong profession.
“Fuck!” he shouted out at no one in particular.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Sarah jump a little. She’d been c
urled up in one of Jake’s recliners, her phone clutched tightly in her fist.
His heart broke at the site of her sitting like that, as if she expected Gracie to simply call her up and say hello.
“That really necessary?” Kole glared up at him from across the room.
He was sitting at Jake’s dining room table going through the files Ryker had given them. They contained copies of pretty much everything Homeland had on Edric Yavuz., Achim Akmar, and Adrian Walker.
Kole was his best friend, but right now, Nate was pretty sure the guy would give him a second bullet hole if he thought he’d get away with it.
Ignoring Kole’s death stare, Nate addressed the group. “We’re wasting our time with this shit. It’s been three fucking days and we’re no closer to finding Gracie now than when we started.”
“He’s right,” Jake and Gabe entered the room together. “Which is why Gabe and I decided to bring in some help. Another team.”
“Who?” Nate asked their boss, clearly not liking the idea.
“They’re good, Carter,” Gabe stated with confidence. “And, they’re already positioned near Turkey, which is where we believe Yavuz took Gracie.”
“You know where she is?” Nate took three long steps toward Gabe. “Then, why the hell are we still here?”
Jake raised his palm. “We don’t have an exact location, yet, but we hope to, soon. King,” he looked to Zade. “Why don’t you and Nate run into town and grab some pizzas? Put them on the company card. In the meantime, Gabe and I will be in the war room on a conference call with Ryker. He’s helping coordinate our meeting with the guys from the other team.”
Nate wanted to start yelling again. “All due respect, Jake, I don’t want to go to town for fucking pizza. I need to be here. Helping.”
“You need a break, Carter.” Nate opened his mouth to argue, but Jake stopped him cold. “That’s an order.”
Jake and Gabe disappeared down the hallway to the back of the house. Zade stood from his seat at the end of the couch and said, “Come on, Nate. Sooner we get the food, the sooner we can get back to work.”
