Wicked Ties (Steele Security Series)

by Justice, A. D.

  Once the water turned cold, she wrapped herself in one of the thick robes, took her chilled bottle of wine to the terrace, and decided it was well past time to get plastered. All the problems of the day would still be there the next day and she would face them when the time came. For the time being, she thought she had earned some self-pity time.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Brad stayed in constant contact with Shadow as he tracked Chaise’s movements via her credit card transactions. He had mused to himself that people on the run would never learn that every time they used their card, the exact location was tracked, logged, and catalogued for future use.

  Bull’s thoughts never strayed far from what John had shared with him about the case while they drove to the airport. He wanted to kick his own ass for how he treated her. What was really killing him was that he allowed her to leave when he already knew that she was in danger. That was just downright cold and heartless and he knew, without a doubt, that she would’ve never done that to him.

  “Keep your mind on the case, son, not on your feelings. Your mind needs to be clear to be able to see the next move, to be the one calling the shots, and then you can get her back,” John attempted to comfort and impart his wisdom at the same time.

  Bull nodded, “I know. We wouldn’t even be in this predicament if it weren’t for me. I’ve royally fucked this up but I plan on making up for it. She has to be alright.”

  John’s recount of his case had Bull on edge. The Cordova family was worse than Noah knew. Their alliance with the Tres Sieses gang was a new development but a familiar modus operandi for that organization.

  The Cordova family had recently acquired Viboro Distributing and used it mainly as a front for their illegal activities. Chaise’s contract was negotiated and signed before the Cordovas bought the company. Since they didn’t want to draw attention to their acquisition, the Cordovas kept her contract in place as originally agreed. Once she started identifying the missing girls, and asking about them, she became a liability.

  Bull’s phone rang, pulling him from his thoughts and forcing him to focus again on their current status. “Yeah, Brad, what do you have for me?”

  “She was detained at the security checkpoint for a while and they ran an NCIC on her,” Brad chuckled.

  “They what? Why?” Bull didn’t understand how a casual traveler, who fit no dangerous profile, could suddenly warrant having a National Crime Information Center report run on her.

  “She had two .357 rounds in her purse and tried to go through security with them. They frown on live ammunition on the plane,” Brad was openly laughing now.

  “She didn’t even have a gun on her. What was she going to do? Throw the bullets at them as hard as she can?” Even Bull had to laugh at that visual.

  “Yeah, well, you know how tight security is now. But, they eventually let her go and she’s already en route to Miami. She had a connecting flight in Atlanta but that flight has already departed,” Brad advised.

  “Have them get the company jet ready, Brad. We’re almost to the private airstrip now,” Bull ordered.

  “Already called them. They’re fueling up and doing their pre-flight inspection. I’ll keep you updated on her whereabouts,” Brad promised.

  Bull hung up with Brad and called to inform Reaper, Shadow, and Rebel of the current plan. They had gone ahead to the airport to try to stop Chaise but they had just missed her fiasco at the security checkpoint.

  The group met Bull and John at the private airstrip. Reaper looked as bad as Bull knew he looked. They had both fucked up their relationship with Chaise and they both wished they could go back and do it all over again. Now, they had to confront the grim possibility that they wouldn’t get to her in time to prevent the Cordova family from getting to her.

  Reaper looked at Bull with haunted eyes and asked, “What did she mean that I left her when she needed me the most? What happened?”

  “I don’t know, Reap. She told me her father was more than over-bearing and she had to get away from him. That was the reason why she couldn’t go back home when all this started. She showed up at your wedding to ask you for help but we wouldn’t let her near you and Brianna,” Bull explained.

  Reaper drew his arms up and balled his hands into tight fists. “That man probably put her through hell when I left. We were close back then. I never thought he would take my leaving out on her but it sounds like he did. Motherfucker!”

  Reaper looked tortured at the thoughts of Chaise enduring the wrath intended for him. Brianna wrapped her arms around him and Bull watched him instantly relax from her touch.

  “Noah, she’s your little sister—give her some credit. She’s strong and she has obviously made a good life for herself away from your father. It took strength to walk away and live alone. She knows she’s in danger so she’ll take precautions. Let’s just get to her as soon as we can. Okay?”

  “Brianna, have I told you today how much I love you?” Noah wrapped his arms around her and his big hand rested protectively on her baby bump. “You always know how to make me feel better.”

  “She has anxiety attacks,” Bull interjected. “What if she gets in a situation she can’t handle and has an attack?”

  Brianna looked him dead in the eye and responded, “Bull, it’s not about how many times she gets knocked down. She shows how strong she is just by the mere fact that she gets back up every time.”

  “You’re a lucky man, Reaper,” Bull said while looking at Brianna with admiration in his eyes.

  “Damn straight, I am. Sounds like you are, too, Bull,” Noah’s tone of voice both stated and asked at the same time.

  “I was. Even if we beat the Cordovas to her, she has no reason to forgive me for how I treated her,” Bull replied somberly.

  “Love is reason enough to forgive, Bull,” Brianna answered. The answering look on Bull’s face made Brianna laugh out loud. “Oh yeah, big guy—you got it bad! May as well admit it to yourself now and accept it.”

  Rebel called out to them, “We’re boarding now. Let’s get a move on, people!”

  Bull made a beeline to the private jet and took his seat. The flight time for the private jet was barely over two hours but she had a big head start on them. He tried to relax and find a comfortable position in which to sit, but his thoughts kept straying to the last time he was on the plane. He was with Chaise in the plane’s bedroom and he would give anything to be there with her again.

  “Bull—relax, man. We haven’t even taken off yet,” Shadow joked. “White knuckle flyer.”

  “I’m not afraid of flying, Shadow. I’m just ready to go, dickhead,” Bull deadpanned. Shadow and Rebel both laughed heartily at their friend’s expense.

  Bull made it through the two-plus hour plane ride of ridicule from his friends. He knew them well enough to trust them with his life and not question it, so he knew it was all good-natured ribbing. He had fucked up and he knew it. He would take his lashes like a man. But, he would also wait for the day to repay the favor to both of the bastards he called brothers.

  Exiting the plane in Miami, Bull immediately called Brad for an update.

  “Hey, Bull, she showed up at your house, got her car and left. She stopped to buy two bottles of Moscato wine and I haven’t seen a swipe of her card since then. That was just over two hours ago,” Brad explained.

  “Text me the address where she got the wine. Check on any past purchases that shows a pattern, a place she goes to frequently, or anything like that. Let me know what you find ASAP,” Bull directed.

  “You got it. Call you back in a few,” Brad said before disconnecting.

  “Reaper, would she go back home to your dad?” Bull asked.

  “No way,” Reaper answered.

  Bull updated the team on what Brad had found from Chaise’s credit card usage. He knew she had to find somewhere to sleep that night—unless the Cordovas had found her. But he couldn’t allow himself to follow that line of thinking.

  Bull’s phone pinged
with the incoming text from Brad with the address of where she purchased the wine. “She bought wine in South Beach. Let’s check the hotels around the store and see if she’s checked in.”

  Bull called Brad and had him double check any charges from all the hotels around that location—just in case something showed up late. The team, minus a pregnant Brianna, canvassed the area hotels in South Beach looking for Chaise. Noah refused to let Brianna tag along in case they ran into trouble. Brianna informed him that if she wasn’t already so tired from all the traveling they’d done, he wouldn’t have won that argument. She reluctantly went home and let the men take the night shift.

  After checking several high-end hotels with no luck, Shadow approached the clerk at Loews Miami Beach Hotel with his dashing smile securely in place. The clerk batted her eyes and openly flirted with Shadow, who was using his good looks to his advantage.

  After a few minutes and few suggestive comments from the clerk, Shadow had the information he needed. He swaggered back to the waiting group with a smile that split his face in two.

  “Who’s the man?” he asked as he approached.

  “She’s here?” Bull asked excitedly.

  “She is here. She’s in a deluxe suite with an ocean view. She specifically told them she doesn’t want to be disturbed tonight,” Shadow explained, then gave Bull the suite number so he could go up and disturb her anyway.

  “Do you mind if I go with you?” Reaper asked. “I have some making up to do myself. Then I’ll leave you two alone.”

  “Not at all, man. I may need the backup,” Bull joked.

  Outside her suite door, Bull said a silent prayer and knocked on the door. When she didn’t answer a couple of minutes later, he knocked harder and called her name. Soon, Bull and Reaper were both beating on the door and yelling for her to open the door.

  “I’m not leaving until you let me in, so you may as well get it over with now,” Bull yelled through the door. “I have things I need to say to you and I’d rather not do it like this, Chaise. Please open the door.”

  “Sierra Chaise Steele—open this door right now!” Reaper yelled. Turning to Bull, he asked, “What if she’s not in there?”

  “Excuse me. Are you two gentlemen guests here?”

  Bull and Reaper turned to find an armed security guard eying them suspiciously. “We’ve had complaints from customers on this floor about the noise level. They said men are in the hall beating on doors and yelling at someone.”

  “My sister is in this suite and we’re concerned about her. We’re trying to get her to open the door so we can talk to her,” Reaper explained politely. “So far she’s not cooperating with us. We may have been a little loud. I apologize for that. I’m just really concerned for her.”

  “If you’re not guests here, I will have to ask you to leave the premises. She may not be in there and if she is, she obviously doesn’t want to talk to you. You’re disturbing the other guests,” the guard said as he extended his hand toward the elevators, indicating for Bull and Reaper to leave.

  Bull stood firm, “I’m not leaving without talking to her and making sure she’s alright. Can you at least go in the room and check on her?”

  “No, I can’t without just cause. You’ve given me no indication that she intends to harm herself. You can leave of your own volition or I can have you arrested for trespassing. Your choice,” the guard threatened.

  “Let’s go, Bull. We won’t be able to help her if we’re both in jail,” Reaper sighed and turned toward the elevators.

  Bull reluctantly left but felt something was very wrong. Chaise knew she was in danger and understood the severity of the situation. She wouldn’t put herself in more danger by being out where she could be recognized.

  “Know this,” Bull said to the guard, “If anything happens to her, I’ll be back to see you.”

  “Is that a threat?” the guard asked defensively.

  “That a fucking guarantee,” Bull answered before turning to follow Reaper out of the hotel.

  Once they reached the sidewalk, Bull pulled out his cell phone and called Chaise’s cell phone first. When it rolled to voicemail, he called her hotel room. He decided he would keep alternating between calling her cell and the hotel room until she answered.

  ***************

  Chaise sat in the warm Miami breeze, enjoying her terrace ocean view. She was still in the bathrobe, had her feet propped up, and was on her last glass of wine. Her second bottle was empty and her body had run out of tears to cry. She downed the contents of her wine glass, stumbled through the sliding glass door, and made her way back into her suite.

  She heard her cell phone ringing from the bedroom area but made no attempt to rush to find it. Within seconds, her hotel room phone started ringing. Thinking it was the front desk calling, she snatched the phone up.

  “Hello?” she answered with a slur.

  “Chaise! Are you alright?” Bull sounded frantic but he was just so glad to have finally reached her.

  “I’m fine,” she lied. “I’m just a little drunk,” she said, emphasizing little a tad too much. She apparently found it to be funny because she couldn’t contain her laughter.

  “Chaise, I really need to talk to you,” Bull said tenderly. “Can I come up?”

  “Oh, hang on, someone’s at the door,” Chaise said in a drunken, sing-song voice.

  “No! Don’t answer it, Chaise!” Bull yelled, but it was too late. She had already put the phone down and walked away.

  He could hear Chaise telling the person to wait. He heard her unlock the door and open it. He then heard her ask, “What do you want?” The fear in her voice was unmistakable and made his heart jump out of his chest.

  When he heard a scuffle, he thought he would go ballistic.

  “She’s in trouble!” he yelled to the other men as he ran back into the hotel.

  Bull, Reaper, John, Shadow, and Rebel were met in the lobby by the hotel security team. Despite the fact that Bull insisted she was in trouble, the security team wouldn’t let them pass. Splitting up, they watched the elevators and exits but Chaise was nowhere to be found.

  Reaper called the general manager, explained who he was, and finally convinced him to search her room. The manager came back down and said there was nothing out of order but Chaise was not in the room. After apologizing for the earlier troubles they encountered, the manager excused himself.

  Reaper and Bull joined the other three men outside and were met with downtrodden faces.

  “What? What is it?” Bull asked.

  John pointed at the blinking lights in the night sky, “They took her to the roof and put her in the helicopter. The Cordovas have her now.”

  Bull’s eyes followed the helicopter’s movement as it disappeared into the night sky, flying out across the ocean. “Where are they taking her?”

  “I don’t know, son,” John answered, knowing the question was directed at him. “I haven’t infiltrated their organization to that level yet.”

  Bull felt ice run in his veins, much like his time on clandestine operations as a Delta Force member. The old training never really leaves. It may lie dormant for a while, watching and waiting for the right time. But when those killer instincts are needed, there’s no doubt it reemerges with a vengeance.

  And vengeance would be his when Bull got those men in his sights.

  “I just talked to Brad. He tracked down the flight plan for that helicopter. It’s headed out to a tanker a few miles offshore. We need to get her before they either put her on another helicopter or that tanker takes off somewhere else with her,” Shadow informed them.

  Rebel said, “Let me make a call. Be right back.”

  Reaper’s eyes stayed glued to the black horizon as he imagined what would happen to his sister if they didn’t get to her in time. He looked at Bull and saw the worry in his eyes but he also saw the man he’d known while they served in the Army together. His razor-sharp edge made him lethal, his innate distrust of everyone made him n
aturally suspicious of anyone’s intentions, and his training made him a killing machine.

  It was during his assessment of Bull that Reaper had a revelation: Bull really was in love with Chaise. This was more than a job to Bull—the Cordovas had made things personal by taking Chaise. Reaper had known Bull for many years and knew him as well as any man could. He knew, without a doubt, if anything happened to Chaise, no man in the Cordova organization would be left standing.

  “Let’s go. I have a friend in the Coast Guard. We have enough probable cause for them to board the boat and search for her. He’s letting us ride along but we have to stay on the Coast Guard cutter while they search the tanker,” Rebel explained.

  “I can’t go, son. If they see me, my cover will be blown and they would definitely kill her then. I’ll see what I can dig up here—get the word from the lower level guys,” John explained.

  “I’m going—I have to be there when they find her,” Bull responded.

  John nodded his understanding. “Son, listen. These guys won’t hesitate to kill you and throw your body overboard. Watch your back out there.”

  “Always,” Bull answered.

  The men parted ways, with the guys from Steele Security rushing toward the docks and John strolling off to meet up with his local crew. John hoped some of the guys were loose-lipped and bragging so he could get more information about Chaise’s whereabouts.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  As far as prisons went, the ocean-front presidential suite was definitely the most luxurious. However, it was still Chaise’s prison. She decided the attractive man sitting in front of her couldn’t be the head of the Cordova organization.

  He looked entirely too young and refined to be part of any criminal activities. His smile was warm and inviting. His eyes were a rich, chocolate brown. His hair was slightly long, black, and was wavy on the ends. It was styled back off his face and gave him a polished but roguish look that was very appealing.