Hostage

by Stone, Piper

  “Lucian.”

  I closed my eyes briefly, so tried from the lies. “Yes.”

  “They’d wanted you out of the way. Bastards. Where is the evidence now?”

  I couldn’t help but grin. “Let’s just say that the FBI will have their hands full with the help of Captain Sykes. He was the only one I felt I could trust. I anticipate dozens of additional arrests.”

  “My cunning man. Are you worried what the remaining members of the Trust might do?”

  I cupped her cheek, my cock swelling as she nuzzled into my hand. “Making certain the truth was placed into the right hands is the only thing that can stop the Trust. The good man buried inside of my father knew what had to be done. He was simply in too deep, but I think he knew he had a target on his back. As far as the Trust, they won’t try anything immediately. They wouldn’t be that stupid. Unfortunately, the identity of the Raven hadn’t been secured. I worry about you more than anything.”

  “Stop worrying about me. I can take care of myself.” Carina narrowed her eyes. “Santana. You went to visit him. Didn’t you?”

  “My beautiful and willful woman.” Leaning over, I placed my lips against hers, savoring the peaceful moment. As she clung to me, her fists wrapped around my shirt, I realized this was the only place I ever wanted to be—in her arms. I slipped my tongue inside, my heart racing from the taste of her alone. She had no idea the effect she had on me.

  Moaning into the kiss, she arched her back, grinding her hips back and forth.

  It was all I could do not to strip her bare, dragging her to the sand. When I finally pulled back, still keeping her close, I rubbed my fingers across her skin. “I love you, Carina. I don’t know what that means or if you could ever love a man like me after all the things I’ve done, but everything we’ve shared has been very special, even if it can’t last.” I knew there was such irony in my words.

  “I love you, Michael for the man you are and the man you long to become. Let’s just take this a day at a time. I want to get to know you, all of you.”

  “Agreed.” I shoved my hands into my pockets as we continued walking, enjoying the last rays of sun as they began to dip behind a bank of clouds. She was right about the storm, although a portion of what we were facing had nothing to do with weather conditions.

  “You said you found stocks? From criminal activity?”

  A slight growl slipped past my lips. “My father’s attorney assures me that all the money, the stocks, even a house in the Bahamas were all legally obtained, but I’ve never touched a dime.”

  “Lily. She deserves the money as well.”

  “Oh, my father made certain she was well provided for. There’s a trust fund that actually came from our mother created when Lily was born. My sister isn’t hurting for money. Besides, her husband is a surgeon.”

  “Did she know about how much Damien cared for her?” Carina seemed hesitant to ask.

  “She knew, but life moves on whether we want it to or not.”

  “A philosophical man. You have so many sides. I’m not certain which one I like best.” She laughed, the lovely sound filtering into the sky.

  And for some reason, I shivered.

  “Perhaps the dark and dangerous man whose taste for adventure often leads him blindly into a situation.” She made several hand gestures, motioning toward the sky.

  At that moment, I realized her love was stronger than I could ever have imagined. She was the reason for living. She was my heart and soul.

  We walked in silence for a few minutes as the water lapped at our feet. “We should head back.”

  “Just a few more minutes,” she whispered. “I love it here. The beach. The water. I feel more at peace than I have in a very long time.”

  “I’m glad.”

  “But I need to tell you something.”

  I moved in front of her, drinking in her lovely perfume as well as her increasing desire. She was still a woman of mystery but every day, she opened up more, a budding flower meant to be cherished. “I hope you feel like you can tell me anything.”

  “I do, Ruger. I just... It’s been difficult for me to accept my entire life. I tried for so long simply to push aside my past, just like you did. We both had our reasons. You see-”

  Pop! Pop!

  “What the hell was that?”

  My training kicking in immediately, I yanked her to the sand, swinging around at what I thought was the direction of the two shots. “I think we’ve been found.”

  “What?” she gasped.

  “Stay here.” I was unable to see the house from where we were positioned. I also couldn’t tell exactly where the shooter was hiding. There were two sand dunes and little else to keep then hidden or us for that matter. We were sitting ducks. I eased the gun from my waistband, continuing to shield her. I could only hope that either Damien or Aleks hear the noise. After scanning the area, I realized the only thing I could do was try and get her back to the house. We were both far too much in the open.

  “What are we going to do?”

  I swiveled to face her, locking eyes. “We have to get to shelter. There is no other way. I want you to stay right behind me. Do you understand?”

  Carina nodded several times.

  I kept low to the ground, moving swiftly as I retraced our steps.

  Pop!

  The shot was far too close. I had no doubt it was meant as a warning. Dropping back down, I calculated the distance to the house, thinking about the trajectory of the gunshot versus the wind in an effort to determine the shooter’s location. The second sand dune.

  “Slow and easy,” I whispered. We crept forward, making it another twenty five feet before another shot rang out.

  “What is the asshole doing?” she snapped.

  “Toying with us.” I took a deep breath, able to just see the house in the distance, but we’d have to cross paths before getting to safety. “Stay to my right and whatever happens, you do not look back. Keep running. Am I clear?”

  “You’re not doing this.”

  “You’re following my directions. Do. You. Understand?”

  She hissed, and I could see tears in her eyes. “Yes.”

  “On three. One. Two. Three.” We took off running. I had the Glock in both hands, pointed in the direction of the hunk of sand. The second I noticed a shadowy figure, I got off three rounds. My heart was pumping, the adrenaline flowing and as I tried to hone in my vision, I heard the sounds of Aleks and Damien, additional shots being fired. “Run. Run!”

  As she took off running toward the house, I fired a series of rounds, popping one off after another. Then I took off in the asshole’s direction.

  The second he stood, a grin on his face and the gun pointed in my direction, I was shocked to the core. He swaggered closer, gazing up and down. “My son. Look at the man you’ve turned out to be.”

  “I saw you dead, lying on a steel slab.” My entire body was shaking. Everything was starting to make sense. Lucian hadn’t murdered my father. He’d been the one to help my father fake his own death. A grand master plan.

  “Amazing what decent make up will do. Also owning almost everyone in town helps.” He darted a glance toward the house. “I should have known that you wouldn’t follow orders. I even gave you an out, to see if you could be a part of the Trust. You failed miserably.”

  Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I should have seen the signs. “Get her to safety!” Whether or not either Aleks or Damien heard me, I couldn’t tell, but at this point I couldn’t take my eyes off the asshole. “Why bother having Carina killed? She meant nothing to you.”

  “On the contrary. She was getting close to finding information about certain members of the Trust. Always asking annoying questions, believing in right versus wrong. Even Dan couldn’t keep her in line. However, I wasn’t going to kill her, son. You know the kind of money a woman like that brings on the open market. And as the Raven, I have very powerful friends.” He laughed, taking another step closer. “She was Santana’s pet project,
his desire for her making him dangerous to our Trust. Men do stupid things around the woman they desire. You should know that very well, Michael.”

  I couldn’t even recognize my father at this point. The Raven. Nothing could have prepared me for this. There were no red flags, no evidence that the man was still alive. Still, how stupid could I have been? “You’re a fucking bastard, you monster.”

  “You always were far too much like your mother, Michael. Soft. Unfortunately, I have to finish what I should have done years ago. I’m certain you’ll be given a heroes’ funeral.”

  “Ruger!” We both heard Carina’s cry, the shrill sound drawing his attention.

  Pop! Pop!

  Both shots were leveled at the same time. I felt the pain exploding in my shoulder, the blunt force causing me to drop to my knees, the gun knocked out of my hand. I scrambled, the anguish blinding, my hand wrapping around the gun the second my father shifted, the barrel of his weapon locked on Carina. “No!”

  Pop! Pop! Pop!

  * * *

  Carina

  “Ms. Crawford, do you attest that everything you’ve told us here today is the entire truth as you can recollect of the incidents occurring during the last week?”

  I stood straight, my back aching from the hours of sitting in the hard back chair. “I am.” I watched as the group of eight men, various FBI agents and attorneys, glared at me before the man in charge placed his hand over his microphone. They were discussing my fate.

  We’d left Hilton Head less than an hour after the attack, heading back to Baton Rouge. There was no recourse given our location had been breached. The Raven had been killed, his body remaining buried in the sand and the authorities called. We’d all been in shock, Ruger twisting from the information.

  And of course, the man had refused medical attention, preferring to brood instead. Fortunately, the bullet wound had gone clean through, but I’d insisted our first stop was a hospital the moment we crossed the city line. From there, I’d gone straight to the local FBI office. There were no criminal charges, the task force established by the President of the United States more than grateful for the discovery and the termination of the Raven.

  Although I certainly couldn’t take any credit for the man’s demise, the shot from Ruger’s gun killing him instantly.

  Dan Swift had also been arrested, although he continued to maintain his innocence. I had no problem testifying in court against him when that day arrived.

  Lucian Masters had indeed been set free on bail and within two hours, his body was found, the method of his death more painful that I wanted to think about. While no one had come forth accepting responsibility, the rumors were that Santana was cleaning house.

  I almost laughed at the thought. Maybe I was even cheering him on a little bit.

  I took a deep breath, trying to push aside all the ugliness.

  Every little girl hopes for a hero to come blazing in, saving her from the wrath of fire eating dragon. I was the lucky princess. I had three. Three sexy, brave and amazing men who’d awakened the woman inside.

  “Ms. Crawford. You’re free to go.”

  I stood slowly, giving each one of them a respectful nod. The deposition had been arduous, but it had allowed me to make certain decisions. The first? I’d turned in my resignation. As I walked out, holding my head high, I plastered on a million dollar smile. The moment I stormed outside, I slapped on my very dark sunglasses, prepared to face the worst. Several reporters rushed toward me, all wanting their fifteen minutes of fame because of the woman who’d been taken hostage, used as a pawn for the Trust.

  Fuck them. They could get the story another way.

  I pushed past them, only stating ‘no comment’ twice. They could try and chase me down, but I had nothing for them. When I was finally through the crowd, I broke into a smile, every inch of my body quivering in the most delicious anticipation.

  My three men were waiting. For me.

  For the mischievous little girl who would never quite learn to obey.

  For the woman who would love them unconditionally, no matter the circumstances.

  For the attorney who’d given up her profession in order to start a new life.

  With all three of them.

  “Hi ya,” I said casually as I walked toward the expansive vehicle, giving Ruger a look of disapproval as I lifted my sunglasses, glaring at his arm. “No sling? You heard what the doctor said.”

  “And you’re not in charge,” he said, grinning more like a carefree kid.

  “Come here, little girl. Time for some much needed discipline,” Aleks growled.

  “Yes, sir.” I was thrilled at the words.

  Damien opened the backseat of the SUV, smacking my bottom as I moved to climb inside.

  “By the way, where are we going?” I asked, giving each one of them a look, my heart skipping several beats. I was one lucky girl to surrender to three such incredible, carved and dominating men.

  “Does it really matter, little minx?” Aleksandr asked, his eyes twinkling.

  I thought about his question. “Not in the least.” The moment I climbed in, Damien piling in beside me, I realized something very important.

  Home was absolutely where the heart landed, and my heart had been snapped up, forever taken.

  I was one happy girl.

  The End

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