With that solved in my head, I only have one thought. I need to get to Melina.
Chapter Nineteen
Melina
I wake up with a steady throb pounding inside my head. With early childhood conditioning, I don’t open my eyes as I scramble to remember what happened. Austin put a drug in my wine and I’m back with my brother. The fact I’m not dead yet is not good. It takes a few minutes to gain the courage to open my eyes.
I squint into the brightly lit room and receive a sharp pain in my head. The four-poster bed is not my brother’s and I exhale the breath I was holding. Glancing nervously around the room, I try to figure out where I am. This could be a room I haven’t seen at Austin’s place, but it doesn’t feel right. I pull the cover back slightly and notice I’m naked. I jump when the door opens and I immediately regret not checking for a weapon.
A woman with dark shoulder-length hair enters. She’s carrying a tray and smiles in my direction when she sees I’m awake. “Welcome to my home,” she says. “You’re safe here. My husband brought you early this morning. It’s after noon now and I know you must be hungry.”
“Where is here?” I ask throatily.
She offers another smile. “Phoenix, Arizona. I’m Madison, though my friends call me Mak and I’d be happier if you did the same. My husband is Xavier Moon.”
I know the name. I’ve heard my brother curse it enough times. It doesn’t explain what I’m doing here.
“You took a hit to the head and have acute propofol intoxication, which can be deadly. Austin should have thought of that before he gave it to you.” The censure in her words makes me take a closer look at her. She’s beautiful and dressed in an elegant skirt and blouse. My head is clearing by the second and I have so many more questions.
“Eat,” she orders and rests the tray beside me on the bed. “I’ll fill you in on what’s happened while you put food in your belly.”
“I’m undressed,” I tell her because I don’t care who she is, I don’t know her, and I’ll be damned if I display myself while she watches.
She smiles. “Sorry about that. Let me grab you one of my nightshirts.” I want clothes, but she turns and leaves the room before I can get the words out of my foggy brain.
The room is nice, I think to myself as I look around. The artwork is incredible. Not garish like my brother’s collection but unique with a western, Hispanic flavor. I imagine this is a guest room even though there’s a bathroom about ten feet from the bed.
Mak walks back in carrying a nightshirt. I actually chuckle when she opens it and I see Minnie Mouse on the front. “It was a white elephant gift at the last work Christmas party. I’ve never worn it, so it’s yours. We’ll have clothes delivered today so you have something to wear besides a shirt.”
Sadly, I miss Austin’s shirt. Mak turns around and gives me privacy while I pull the soft cotton over my head. “I’m decent,” I tell her, and she turns back.
“I guess you are.” She looks and sounds a little disappointed. “Eat and I’ll fill you in.”
I don’t realize I’m hungry until I take the first bite of albondigas soup. It’s exceptional, and I moan aloud.
“I know the feeling. Gabriella will be in shortly to start fussing over you. Be sure to tell her it’s the best you’ve ever tasted. She can be finicky about guests, but if you love her cooking, you might get off on the right foot.”
She keeps talking and tells me what happened the previous evening. I owe Moon and his man Gomez my life. “I’ll be fine in about an hour and I’ll get out of your hair. I’ll also pay you back for any clothes you buy as soon as I have a job. Thank you for what you’ve done.”
Her expression changes and stern doesn’t quite cover it. “You’re free to leave of course, but where will you go? I’m sure your brother will be looking for you, so the only safe place you have is with us for now. Doctor Santos is my friend and the man who treated you. He would kill me if I allowed you to leave too soon. Please take a few days and recuperate before you make solid plans. I also have a job opening for someone to answer the phones at the service. Once you feel better, you could really help me out if you don’t mind the work.”
“Phones?” I ask because my brain remains a bit foggy and I’m having trouble keeping up.
“I run Moon’s escort agency. The women for the most part are great to work with, but it’s grown and I need another woman on phones.” Maybe my expression makes her add to the explanation. “Just phones. It’s harmless really. Most of our clients are pre-vetted and we have their information on file. If you can type a date and time in a calendar, you can handle the work. The men who call will love your sexy voice and will try to book you, but that doesn’t fly with us. As long as you want to answer phones, that’s all you do.”
This is too good to be true and maybe that’s why I’m apprehensive. I also can’t help but wonder what Austin’s doing right now. Does he even miss having me in his basement? If that thought isn’t sick, I don’t know what is. I need to forget him and go on with my life. Better yet, make a new life. I’ve grown up around crime and maybe being here smack in the middle of it is exactly what I need.
Mak takes the tray and when she turns away, an older woman walks in and immediately begins swearing in Spanish. Mak looks at me and winks. “Melina, meet Gabriella.”
I’m not stupid. The compliments about her cooking roll off my tongue in Spanish.
“Welcome, Melina,” she replies with a large smile.
Mak looks confused but shrugs before Gabriella grabs the tray out of her hands and leaves the room with another round of angry Spanish. Mak turns back to me and her smile grows even larger. “That woman hates everyone, but you won her over with only a few words of praise. Just so you know, I’m taking notes. Why don’t you take a nap and I’ll leave you alone for a couple of hours as Gabriella suggests.”
I’m tired when I shouldn’t be. Or maybe after the knocks to the head I took, this is normal. Or the drugs. Shit, it’s too much to think about and I need sleep. I’ll begin figuring out life after I wake up.
Chapter Twenty
Austin
Fernandez’s compound is quiet. We’ve been watching it for several days. We’re about half a mile away in a barn on some mostly abandoned property, biding our time, but I’m not happy about it. The cops stayed on my ass for a few days, so I couldn’t be here to scope out the situation and had to rely on Andreas. The men haven’t seen any sign of Melina or Fernandez. We took out eight of his men and by the looks of it, only a skeleton crew is here. It fucking pisses me off.
Melina is all I can think about. If he killed or even hurt her, I’ll skin him alive and slow roast him over a fire for days. I need to find Melina, but I need to find him first. Thoughts of her invade my dreams and every waking moment. I cared for Cindy and can admit that now. It’s no comparison to how I feel about Melina.
When the sun goes down, I give the order to approach the house. Two of my men cut separate holes in the fence so we have two escape routes in case this is a setup. I advance behind Andreas because he’s being an idiot and I don’t have time to put him in his place. It’s hard for me to take Victor’s role but I’m trying.
We’ve seen the same two men enter and exit but no one else. Shots ring out and Andreas shoves me to the ground. He’ll fucking pay for that. I roll behind a large bush, but it offers little cover. “They’re down,” comes over the radio and I’m up and running for the house before the static ends from the call. My men from the back of the house are inside and I pull my gun up. “Clear the entire house,” I order.
“I’m covering the boss,” Andreas tells the men and I give him a dirty look.
“We need to have a serious talk,” I snap.
He salutes me with a grin and I know our talk will accomplish nothing. I was the same way with Victor. We clear the downstairs as the other men head upstairs. The house is a disgusting tribute to dead animals. It sickens me that Melina lived here. I locate the carpet from Victor�
�s home in what might be a den. There’s blood on it and I silently rage while hating the fact there’s no one to kill. Fuck, I need to wrap my fingers around Fernandez’s throat.
After the house is cleared, I spend time looking through papers and then I go search for Melina’s bedroom. In her room, I find a picture of her as a young girl with a woman I’m guessing is her mother. Other than the one image, there’s nothing that makes the room feel like Melina. At least there are no dead animals. I tuck the small picture in my back pocket and move to the closet. Sparse clothing hangs inside. Nothing fancy and nothing of any value.
I walk from the room with a heavy heart and tell the men to torch the place. We need to leave and I need to find out where the fuck Fernandez took Melina.
∞∞∞
It’s another day before I’m home and have time to call Moon.
“Did Fernandez give any information on where he was taking Melina?” I ask abruptly when he answers.
“Hi, Austin, it took you long enough to call.”
I don’t want his pleasantries. I want fucking answers. “I asked a question.”
“I heard you, but I don’t know if I want to answer yet, so pull your head out of your ass and show a few social graces.”
I say fuck at least five times in my head. One of the reasons Victor and Moon got on so well is that they showed mutual respect for each other and played by the rules of criminal etiquette. I grit my teeth. “I’m trying here. His men attacked my home the night you picked up Fernandez’s sister. It’s taken me a few days to piece together who was involved.”
Moon laughs and it doesn’t reassure me. “He only had two men at his house when I delivered your package. That seemed odd, but now I know why. Sad that he has his men do his dirty work for him. If you took my sister, you would face me.” He pauses for a moment, but I know he isn’t finished. “I never told Fernandez who had his sister until I arrived. He knew it was you but had no proof. He planned the attack before I made the delivery.”
His use of the words “delivery” and “package” are pissing me off. She’s a fucking person. A person who I pissed on while unconscious. Fuck me. I grind my teeth again and hold back the tirade I want to unleash.
“I have her.”
It takes me a few seconds for the words to sink in. “Fernandez didn’t take her?”
“His plan was not to take but to kill. That doesn’t work for me. He kicked her in the head and ribs before I could stop him. She’s recovering and she’s now my problem not yours or Fernandez’s. Have I made myself clear?”
“Fuck no, Melina is mine,” I yell into the phone.
The line goes dead and I’m left with the phone in my hand and no Moon on the other end. Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Chapter Twenty-One
Melina
I rub my temple wearily. “I’m ready to work. I can’t stay here in your home without doing something. I’ll go look for a job if you’ve changed your mind about the escort service.”
Mak blows out a frustrated breath. We’ve been going back and forth since the first day I arrived. “I’ll take you in with me this morning. Xavier has increased my security and if you go work somewhere else, he’ll have separate men on you, which he won’t appreciate.” She adds a stern lift of her eyebrows to get her point across. Xavier is Moon. It’s cute the way he uses her given name and she uses his but no one else does.
My brother is extremely dangerous, and I don’t want Mak, Moon, or any of their people hurt. Their home is so different from where I grew up even if Mak calls it a mausoleum. There’s warmth here and love. I started working out with Gomez’s wife, Celina, yesterday and she kicked my ass. My muscles are sore but in a good way. I feel like I’m taking my power back even though Mak wants me in bed sleeping. Doctor Santos cleared me from the slight concussion I had and said the bruised ribs would take another week or two to completely heal. I’m ready to work.
The drive through Phoenix is much different than California. There’s a different tone somehow and the temperature is at least fifteen degrees hotter, which means hell has nothing on the desert. At least the inside of the SUV is cool.
Caleb, our driver and Mak’s personal bodyguard, is built like a steamroller. Mak calls him Tex and that reminds me of Austin. Everything reminds me of Austin. I have no idea why I bother thinking of him at all but I can’t stop myself. He’s marked my body with his ink and my soul with his memory. I’m sick and twisted for wanting him.
The service resides in a tall upscale building downtown. We walk from the elevator into a lavish front office that looks like a high-end medical reception area minus the magazines. The front desk is teakwood with gold script writing on the front that says, “Elegant Escorts.” The white walls throughout the large room are embellished with wainscot accents and more artistically displayed artwork. The place screams luxury. Mak has good taste, unlike my brother, who thinks art is the cold, dead body of animals or bloody hunting pictures. He also believes the gold he wears around his neck shows how wealthy he is.
The escort service is subtle wealth at its finest and now my new working home. It feels liberating to be here. My head turns at the sound of a door opening. A beautiful, tall black woman walks out and offers me and Mak a genuine smile. She’s dressed in workout clothes and by the sweat trailing down her chest, that’s what she’s been doing.
“You’re up and about early,” Mak says with a smile.
“Thought I’d get in a workout and I’m glad I did.” She turns to me. “You must be Melina, our new receptionist?” She holds out her hand and I take it. Her ebony skin is incredible, and even in workout clothes she’s a knockout.
I take her hand and smile in return. “If Mak will keep me on after the first day. Sorry but I have no experience whatsoever.”
“I’m Corinthia, but please call me Cori. There’s not much to the job and with your voice, you’ll rock it. Curiosity will have the other girls showing up today, which isn’t the usual on a non-pay day. We’re a nosy bunch but for the most part friendly.”
“Is Lina causing more trouble?” Mak asks her.
“Lina is Lina. She had a meltdown last night because one of her regular clients cancelled at the last minute due to his wife giving birth early. Lina had her star set on him and wasn’t happy she took second place to childbirth.” A large eye roll follows this statement.
“I’ll talk to her,” Mak says with a weary sigh. “Right now, I’ll show Melina the ropes. Has Justine called in sick yet?”
This gets another eye roll. “Not yet but she’s late as always. You need to fire her ass. She messes up the schedule constantly and the girls are frustrated.”
“I’ll have Melina up to speed in no time and cut back Justine’s hours so she isn’t so frazzled.”
“And pay her the same amount no doubt. You’re nothing but a charity when it comes to your girls.”
Mak’s eyes flare. “Justine has two small children and, as you know, shit happens. She’ll do better if she can spend more time with her kids. And don’t roll your eyes.”
Cori does exactly that and then laughs. “You are the best thing that ever happened to this place.” She turns to me and winks. “Don’t let her tough outer shell fool ya. Mak is a softy.”
“I’ve been with her for three days and I’m well aware of that or I wouldn’t be here. I don’t have children, so it won’t be a problem. I’ll work hard and do my best to keep the schedule straight.”
“You’ll do. Now I’m heading back inside to finish my workout.” She turns and walks through the door she just came out of.
“I’ll show you around first. We have a full gym for the women and you can use it too. It has the same equipment as the house gym.” The phone rings before she continues. Mak walks through a door that leads behind the reception desk and answers, “Elegant Escorts, how may I help you?” She listens for several minutes before replying. “Take the next few days off until your kids are well. Melina is starting today and she’ll take some of the pr
essure off of you. Kiss the babies for me.” After another minute with who I assume is Justine on the line, Mak ends the call and turns to me. “We really need you and I swear the calendar software is easy to learn. You’ll get the hang of things in no time.”
I give her a nervous smile and she begins the tour. “This is the medical office where a private doctor sees the women for their screenings. In this environment the women are more honest with the doctor because he knows what they do for a living and doesn’t judge. If you do the same and don’t judge them, you’ll get along. Well, all but Lina. She’s a bitch and it’s best to avoid her if possible. If she causes you too much trouble, let me know and I’ll handle it. If she pisses off a client, come to me immediately.” She opens the last door at the end of the hall and I follow her inside. “This is my office or home away from home as I call it.”
The room is as gorgeous as the rest of the place. The large skyline window draws my attention and I step closer. From down on the street, Phoenix didn’t seem as large as it does looking out this window. The heat reflects off the glass of other high rises in the area making rippled waves of sunshine appear like a mirage.
“What can I say…I’m spoiled at home and in my office.” She walks to a tall teak cabinet and opens the double doors. There’s a safe behind it. “Can you shoot?” she asks as she puts in the combination.
I abhor guns but I can shoot, so I nod. “This is a Glock 26 Gen4. It has 10 in the magazine and one in the chamber ready to fire. If you’ve used a Glock before, you know the safety is in the trigger pull, so it’s ready to go. Point and shoot.” She expertly removes the magazine and the bullet in the chamber before handing it to me with the slide back. I give her an inquisitive look. She shrugs. “I was a cop and gun safety is fully embedded in my soul.”
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