by Jan Graham
“I’m sure she’s with the others, I’ll confirm it with Nik, ASAP,” Marcus stated. “They brazenly took her from her place of work in the middle of a busy dinner service. No one could have anticipated that. At least there are witnesses to the kidnapping.”
Syn nodded his agreement. “There is another positive, the kitchen area has surveillance cameras which I believe are now in the hands of the state’s major crime squad. You can probably get a copy of that.”
“I’ll call Christian tomorrow,” Marcus stated.
Now that the police were involved, he’d need to alert them to the mission. Marcus was acquainted with Christian Shore, head of Sydney’s major crime unit, as was Bethany. He was a good man, and once he knew the deal, he would keep his team from treading on Marcus’ toes or doing anything that jeopardized the assignment. The last thing they needed were cops interfering in months of work, especially now they were in the end game.
“Red, you’re up next, but before you take the floor, I have something to say.” Marcus knew his announcement wouldn’t go down well. “Beth sustained injuries during her capture. Due to an unforeseen turn of events and the quick thinking of Nik, we were able to get Red inside the facility where she’s being held. He’ll brief us on her condition.”
His men sat in stunned silence, concern filling the expression of every one of their faces. His girls knew the deal, they’d been here for Ash’s call, seen the complete set of photos he’d sent through and heard his account of the situation which wasn’t much. Due to his distance from the incident and positioning of all involved, Ash could only confirm Beth was taken down with two separate blows to the head and was possibly unconscious when loaded into the SUV.
“Right, where do I start?” Red sat forward in his seat, all eyes fixed on him.
“It better be with Beth,” Hex snapped.
“Of course, he’ll start with Beth, you moron,” Syn countered at Hex before turning to Red, “How bad is it? Should we do an extraction now rather than let the job play out?”
Murmurs and grumblings filled the room, dissenting points of view about storming the place versus waiting filled the now chaotic space. Marcus knew Red had serious concerns. He’d seen the worry on Red’s face the moment the guy arrived back. What he didn’t know was why? Before he could make any judgment on what to do, whether to act early or how fast to raid the place, he needed facts.
“Enough!” Marcus’ voice boomed over the racket. “Let Red speak. Start with the injuries to Beth.”
That was Marcus’ main concern for two reasons. First, he needed to know how damaged his baby girl was for his own peace of mind, and secondly, Red’s reply would determine whether they weaponed up and walked out of here immediately to bring her home. They needed to know whether the other two girls were at the same location, and that information could only come from Ash, or Nik if he managed to get them a message.
“She’s unconscious with severe bruising and swelling to the eye and cheekbone. Nik was applying an icepack to the area when I arrived and guarding her like a man possessed the entire time I was there. She has minor bruising on her arms and wrists, nothing serious.” Red drew in a breath and exhaled slowly. “The main facial injury, her eye, was caused by a blow from the butt of a gun. The guy who inflicted the damage is in a body bag in our cool room.”
His men seemed pleased with the outcome as was he although it didn’t help him decide whether the risk to Beth and the other women was enough to blow the entire mission. His instinct said to move in now, but he couldn’t determine whose instinct that was, the man whose woman was in danger or the hardened mercenary who never made a mistake when it came to the job.
“What about Nik?” he asked.
“The guy's on edge, Boss. I’ve never seen him this tightly wound. Mind you, a gangland-style point-blank shooting in the same cell as Beth wouldn’t ease his concerns any.” Red shook his head, his expression indicating concern. “I didn’t get to spend much time with him out of earshot of Charlton. He seemed concerned Beth may have an underlying fracture to the skull. He told me they were taking the two other girls, and when I asked him how he was, he told me he’d like a holiday, preferably in the next couple of days. He needs out, Boss, but he definitely won’t leave while Beth or any other girls are there.”
Marcus heard his cell chime. He glanced at the screen. It was Ash. The two other women were on site and all was quiet. It didn’t give him much comfort. Normally, he’d be thankful things were going so well. If kidnapping women could be described that way. They’d be out soon though, very soon.
“All the girls are in the warehouse.” Marcus could have sworn he heard multiple sighs of relief from his crew. “What else have you got, Red?”
“I’ve got an inside back into the warehouse. I managed to convince Charlton he was a forensic team's wet dream waiting to happen, so he’s agreed I can come back and do a thorough scrub of the place. He gave me a tour. I’ll mark up the floor-plans once I have a chance, so everyone is aware of the layout where the cells are etcetera. But just because we have Nik on the inside and know exactly where the girls are, doesn’t mean this will be easy. Charlton is unpredictable, and I assume his men are the same. He shot one of his own point-blank, so he’s not going to hesitate to fire at us or the girls we’re trying to rescue. Remember, they’re witnesses to his crime, so, I assume, in Charlton’s mind, that would make them a danger to him.”
Red was right, he’d only spent a short amount of time with the man, but his opinion reflected what Nik had previously expressed.
“Red’s hit the nail on the head with that one. Once the sale is complete and I leave with Bethany the other two women are in imminent danger. Nik will do his best to protect them, but he can only do so much. Charlton’s men won’t hesitate to remove Nik from the equation once they realize he’s on the women’s side. We’ll need to get inside to Nik and those women ASAP.”
Marcus tried to detach himself from any personal feelings he had for Beth. His emotions screamed at him to go get her, take care of her, kill that fucker Charlton before his men could do any more damage. Breathing steadily, he allowed Marcus the mercenary to take charge, focusing on the job. Yes, he could be a real prick at times. All the women were together. For whatever reason, Nik gave him a timeframe, within the next two days. Maybe it wasn’t a cry to get him out of there, perhaps something would go down that Marcus wasn’t aware of. Maybe the men working for Charlton wouldn’t keep their hands off the girls longer than that. Providing there wasn’t serious damage, Beth would be awake and recovered enough to help by then.
“Did you manage to conceal the weapon I gave you on Beth?” Marcus asked Red who nodded in reply. That made Beth another asset on the inside, provided she was conscious.
They needed the sale to ensure Charlton’s conviction for human trafficking and to link him to the Oshimara organization. Two days was Nik’s timeframe. It would be tight, but Marcus was sure they could do it. Given the recent death, the damage to Beth, and the fact Nik would have informed Charlton by now that all avenues to reestablishing the Tokyo trafficking connection were closed, a wise man would want to finalize business and move on to different ventures quickly. Unfortunately, Marcus doubted the description of wise fitted Nigel Charlton.
“I’ll contact Charlton and push for a quick transaction. Now we know he has the women, there’s no reason for him to delay. He’ll want his money.” Marcus paused as his crew nodded their agreement. “If he refuses, we make our move within forty-eight hours. I don’t want to risk Beth, Nik, or the other two women any longer than that.”
He didn’t want to risk them now, but his mercenary side took hold, overriding his Dominant male heart which desperately wanted Beth back in his arms.
* * * *
Did this man never sleep? Nigel stared at the phone vibrating on the desk. He didn’t need a discussion with the man who asked for pristine goods, knowing that Cliff had damaged the woman supposed to net him a fortune.
“Mr. Belvoir, what can I do for you at this late hour?” He hoped he sounded friendly when, in reality, he would be a lot calmer with another cathartic killing under his belt. Remo could be next. The useless waste of space failed to prevent the fuckup he was about to discuss with this client. That alone made him guilty in Nigel’s eyes.
“I’m afraid I have another scheduling change. If you have the item I’m after in your possession, then I’d like to finalize the sale sooner rather than later. Tomorrow if possible.”
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Nigel promised the man delivery within the week, but after the events of tonight, he’d hoped to be able to delay the sale, at least until the woman could open her eye and see properly. Bruising was easily coverable with makeup but hiding that mess on her face—impossible.
“I’m afraid tomorrow is not good for me.” Nigel didn’t plan on offering an alternative, he’d wait and see what Belvoir came up with next.
“I only have tomorrow or the day after available to finalize the transaction. I’m leaving the country. If you can’t deliver on either of those days, then I’ll have to withdraw my offer to buy from you and seek alternatives elsewhere.” Belvoir sounded more arrogant than usual and more determined. Nigel could see no alternative but to come clean about choice number one.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
“Well, Mr. Belvoir, we do have the item you selected as your first choice, but there is a problem.” Nigel sucked in a deep breath waiting for an angry reaction to the statement. Nothing. “She has a bruise on her face and an injury to her eye. Not from anything my men did, of course, they found her that way. An abusive lover it appears. It’s nothing that won’t heal quickly. I know it’s terrible timing, but given the circumstances, I am willing to offer a ten percent reduction in the negotiated price or there are choices two or three if you would like to change your mind.”
Silence. Once again, no reply at all. Nigel checked the phone to ensure the call remained connected. He heard Mr. Belvoir clear his throat. He expected something, some tirade berating him for his incompetence, an insult, or snide remark. The man surprised him.
“She has no permanent damage, then?” he inquired, emphasis on the permanent.
Nigel didn’t have any idea if there would be scarring or nerve issues, he’d not taken much notice. All that concerned him was he had the little whore and wanted to be paid. Appeasing clients with friendly negotiation wasn’t his area of expertise. Lying through his teeth to get what he wanted was.
“I was concerned about that myself, but I wouldn’t offer her for sale were I not sure she’d be back to her perfect self very soon. When she arrived, I sought medical attention, immediately. A crooked quack I know who does anything for a hefty payment. He assured me it’s merely a surface injury. I only mentioned it because you’re after a quick turnaround, and the marks still visible.”
It wasn’t a complete lie. Nik displayed some medical knowledge as he applied an ice-pack to the slut’s face. It was more than Nigel would have known to do. More than she deserved, given the circumstances. She resisted his men, not a wise move. Women were born to be compliant and do what they were told. The bitch deserved everything she got. Maybe he shouldn’t have killed Cliff for beating her, but then, he needed to vent his anger somehow.
“I’d like to view her before I accept the goods. Are the other choices injured or marred in any way?” Belvoir inquired.
“No, perfect condition, I have all three available for viewing if required,” Nigel replied.
“I’d like to inspect all three before making my final choice.” Why did that not surprise him? A man like Belvoir wouldn’t take Nigel’s word for it that the woman he’d requested was fine. “I accept the ten percent reduction in price. If I go with my initial choice, I’m not willing to pay the full bonus, I’ll halve it. When can we do this?”
Fuck, Fuck, Fuck
Halving the bonus? What a prick, he’d already reduced the price. Still, beggars couldn’t be choosers or however the shit saying went. At least he’d still get a payday and with not having to pay Cliff, and maybe Remo if he decided to off him as well, the money may even out.
“If you’re happy with a late meeting, I can do tomorrow, eleven p.m. Does that suit?” Maybe it would be best to get it over and done with. The entire deal was becoming a bit of a nightmare, and if the Feds showed up to investigate anything the Japanese authorities handed over from the Oshimara investigation, having women in cells wouldn’t look at all innocent.
He’d make the deal, use the spare whores to celebrate, then get that cleaner back to take care of the bodies and any mess left behind.
“Fine. Payment in cash as previously discussed?” Nigel breathed a sigh of relief. The negotiation went better than expected, minus the dip in payment.
“Wonderful, I’ll text you the location and see you tomorrow at eleven.”
Nigel slouched in his chair. Common sense dictated the sale should go down at a nondescript location, which meant finding a place and transporting three women there, and that meant more manpower and greater risk. Conducting the sale here at his warehouse would be easier. After all, Belvoir stated he was leaving the country, so he’d not be making any surprise visits after tomorrow. The warehouse it was. Decision made. Nigel just hoped it was the right one.
After doing a quick calculation to determine what sort of profit he’d make, he headed to the cells. Belvoir needed to select the damaged bitch, Nigel wanted the bonus, no matter how small. He eyed the cells and scowled at Nik who sat like a doting fucking mother next to choice number one.
“Is she awake?” he snapped.
He needed her conscious. He’d told Belvoir it was a minor injury, already healing, no permanent damage. How hard did Cliff hit her? The way things were going, the whore could have a brain bleed and be dead by morning. He wanted to kill Cliff all over again.
“No,” monosyllabic Nik replied.
“Then wake her up,” Nigel instructed as he stared down at the cot. The other two women whimpered in the next cell, their eyes puffy as well but from crying rather than a beating. Nik glared at him. Intense, uncaring, deadly. The same look his father would get on his face before giving Nigel a beating as a kid.
“What would you like me to do, smack her about the face?” he growled. “Oh wait, that’s why she’s not awake.”
Nigel decided he preferred Nik’s one-word responses.
“The sale is set for tomorrow, here, eleven p.m. The buyer wants to look at all three, so have them ready.”
As Nigel walked back to the office, a strange realization hit him. When he’d walked out of the cells, Nik was smiling.
Chapter Thirteen
Beth raised a tentative hand and groaned as she opened her eyes. Well, one of them at least. Touching the side of her face, she wondered what on earth she looked like. Bad, she’d definitely look bad. The jackhammer inside her skull wouldn’t let up, the pain all-consuming.
“Don’t touch it,” Nik’s voice was unusually soft, his features blurry. At least she wasn’t seeing double. “There’s audio and visual in here.”
Beth got the picture. Don’t give any indication she knows him or that he’s being friendly and speak softly to avoid anyone hearing them. He grabbed the hand she’d raised to her eye and tugged it roughly up over her head toward the pillow. Beth felt cold steel inside the slip and nodded. She had a weapon if needed, whether she could see clearly to fire it, was another matter.
“Don’t touch me,” she yelled, yanking her hand away and moving onto the outer edge of the cot she found herself on. “Get away.”
Nik grinned. The wicked smile he always gave when he knew something you didn’t. It was his tell. The reason she always beat him at poker, not that they’d played recently with him being undercover.
“I have to check your face, so shut the fuck up and let me do my job.” He pointed to the edge of the cot.
Beth moved toward him, swung her legs over the side of the cot and sat on its edge.
She was in a fucking cell. But then again where did she expect them to keep her? At least she wasn’t tied up in the dark on a dirt floor somewhere. Nik moved in close. Gently touching her face. Even a gentle touch hurt.
“Tomorrow at eleven p.m.,” he whispered. Then in a louder voice, “Does this hurt?”
“Yeah, it fucking hurts, asshole.” She slapped his hand away. “Your guy hit me, then pounded my face with his gun.”
She heard Nik growl like a real animal-style growl. Perhaps she shouldn’t have been so descriptive. The male team members were protective of the women they worked with. She wondered if Marcus knew, and what he thought of her behavior during the capture. He’d told her not to do anything to make them retaliate and hurt her. Guess she’d fucked up that directive.
“Can you see properly? Are you dizzy?” Nik asked in his normal gruff tone. “Turn your head for me and tell me if your neck feels okay.”
Hell, nothing felt okay.
“I have a headache, my visions a bit blurry, but I think it’s clearer than when I first opened my eye.” She turned her head slowly from side to side, forward and back. No serious pain, thank goodness. “I think my neck's okay, and I’m not dizzy sitting down.”
Nik would somehow get a report back to Marcus. Marcus didn’t leave anything to chance. He’d need to know her capability in relation to participating in the raid, or whether she was one more damsel to be rescued from wherever the hell they were.
“Then stand up, walk around, and answer the question again.” Nik stood and moved back, allowing her to get up.
Beth toppled as she stood, and it had nothing to do with her balance. Her heel was loose. The bastards broke her boots. Flopping back down on the bed she unzipped the knee-hi leather platforms and threw the broken one at Nik.
“You owe me a new pair of boots, shithead.” Standing once more she strutted around the room. Balance, fine, but mood considerably depreciated at the loss of her favorite footwear.
