Black Book: Black Star Security

by Cynthia Rayne

  He stood behind her, leaning down to rub her shoulders, smell her hair. Mackenzie shut her eyes and sucked in a deep breath, as though she were trying to calm herself down.

  “Enough!” Quinn struggled in his bonds. “So, help me, if you—”

  “Shut the fuck up. You aren’t going anywhere and we both know it.”

  He knelt in front of her, placing a hand on her thigh. “Tell me. How was he in the sack?”

  She grimaced. “Harold, don’t.”

  “Don’t what? Remind you of what we had?” His hand trailed up the inside of her leg. “Admit, you still think about me from time to time. Maybe when you’re alone, stroking that silky pussy of yours.”

  “Don’t touch her!” Quinn roared, rocking back and forth, trying to tip the rickety old chair over. It might break from the force of his body weight. “You can have my life for hers. It’s an even trade.”

  Harold chuckled. “And then what? Mack blabs to the papers and I end up in prison?”

  “Don’t do this, Quinn.” Mack shook her head. “Do you hear me?”

  “You can’t bargain your way out of this.” Harold sneered. “Neither one of you is walking out of here. I just have to decide which one of you goes first.” He tapped his chin, as though considering his options. “Quinn first, and then Mack, I think.” He leered at her. “And if you’re a good girl, I’ll give you something to remember me by, before I take you out.”

  Just then, Quinn tipped the chair over, and the legs smashed against the ground. He tried to break free of the duct tape, but it clung to his skin. Before he could unstick himself, Harold stood over him with the gun.

  “Let’s get this over with.” Harold pressed the barrel right between Quinn’s eyes.

  “No!” Mackenzie sobbed.

  “Before you pull the trigger,” Quinn gritted out. “You’re gonna answer my question.”

  “What do you want to know?” Harold asked, with a sneer.

  “Who did you order to kill Karen?”

  Harold shrugged. “I guess it doesn’t matter now. I might as well tell you. Mike Sloan. He was one of my brand-new border agents at the time.”

  Mike Sloan. Quinn knew the name. He glanced at Mackenzie and she nodded. It was the man Annie had shot in the car. He closed his eyes for a second. At least the bastard who’d pulled the trigger had been punished.

  “Harold, please don’t hurt him,” Mackenzie begged. Tears trickled down her cheeks. Her face was red, her eyes swollen. “I’ll do anything.”

  “No, don’t cry,” Quinn soothed. “It’s gonna be okay, Mackenzie.”

  “Trust me,” Harold said with a foul little chuckle. “You’re gonna do everything I ask, before we’re done here today, but I won’t spare your little boyfriend.”

  I can do this. Quinn sucked in a breath.

  At the very least, Quinn wouldn’t die in a cell.

  He’d much rather be dead than locked away forever. And he was going to a better place if God saw fit to let him in. Mack had told him so once.

  Quinn tuned out Harold and focused on Mackenzie. She was the only thing in the world he cared about her, and he wanted one last look at her. He wanted her to be the last person he saw.

  “Tell me about Heaven, Mackenzie. What’s paradise supposed to be like?”

  She shook her head. “Quinn, I can’t.”

  “Yes, you can. Tell me. Talk to me.” Quinn smiled at her. “Please?”

  She cleared her throat. “It’s beautiful. You’re surrounded by people you lost, the ones you loved.”

  “Karen?”

  “Yes. You’ll see her again.”

  “Think she’ll forgive me? Assumin’ they let me in.”

  “Of course, she will. And they’re gonna let you in.”

  “Even if you have to kick up a fuss, huh?”

  “Yeah.” She laughed through her tears. “We’ll be together soon. You and me. I’ll be right behind you.”

  Harold raised the gun.

  But there was a thwacking sound and Harold grunted in pain. He dropped the gun and fell to his knees, blood welled under his shirt, staining it.

  Someone had shot him.

  ***

  Mack was stunned.

  Harold stumbled to his feet, running for the door, but another shot nailed him in the leg. Crying out in agony, Harold clutched his injured thigh. Another shot hit the opposite leg and he fell to the floor.

  “What the fuck happened?” Quinn glanced at Mack.

  “Nox.” She started to laugh.

  “Then I’m gonna finish this, before he does.” Spurred by adrenaline, Quinn wrenched the tape off, grabbed the gun and got to his feet, standing over Harold. “Tell me you’re sorry.”

  “I am.” His eyes were wide, frightened.

  Quinn had a white-knuckled grip in the gun. “I don’t believe you. You lie like most people breathe and I think you’d tell me anything I wanna hear if it meant savin’ your own worthless hide.”

  “Quinn, wait, don’t do this,” Mack tugged at her bonds, but she couldn’t get free. “We need him alive.”

  “Why should this waste of space get to live?” His nostrils flared.

  “Because Harold’s going to use his position to get you a pardon and then drop any other charges, the feds can bring against you. And then he’s going to turn himself in. Isn’t that, right, Harold?”

  Mack would much rather see Harold get a lighter sentence, if it meant Quinn could go free. He’d suffered enough for his crimes.

  Wide-eyed, Harold nodded. “I can help you, if—”

  “Shut up. I don’t wanna hear any more of your bullshit. I don’t give a damn about me. The only thing I’ve ever wanted is for him to pay for what he did.”

  “Quinn, no. Look at me. Talk to me,” Mack said.

  But he wasn’t even looking at her.

  Mack tried to reason with Quinn again. “He’ll be arrested, and it will be in all the papers, all over the talk shows. Harold will be publicly humiliated, and his career will be over, and then he’ll face a jury of his peers. More than likely, he’ll be put away for the rest of his days.”

  Harold, the coward, was crouching on the floor, sniveling. Seeing him brought so low was therapeutic. Mack was looking forward to the trial. She hoped it was televised. Hell, she might even make some popcorn.

  “It isn’t enough. He’ll still be alive,” Quinn gestures with the gun and she feared it might go off. “Karen is dead! They tortured her for hours, maybe days, before they murdered her. Tell me, how is this fair?”

  “It isn’t, but it’s not supposed to be, Quinn. You’re getting justice, not vengeance. There’s a huge difference between the two. I know you’ve been living as an outlaw for several years, but there is still an FBI agent inside of you, buried deep inside. And he knows the difference between right and wrong. Killing Harold is wrong.”

  Quinn swallowed, and his Adam’s apple bobbed. He wasn’t hearing a word she said. He had Harold in his crosshairs, and he wasn’t about to back down.

  Maybe trying to save Quinn from himself, was impossible. He’d already made up his mind a long time ago.

  Sirens wailed in the distance.

  “Quinn? Do you hear that? The police are almost here. Just put the weapon down and we’ll figure this out. You won’t have to go back to jail.” And maybe we can be together?

  But Quinn pulled the trigger, nailing Harold right between the eyes. Blood spattered her skin. It was hot and sticky.

  “No!” Mack shouted. “What did you do?”

  “I’m sorry, Mackenzie, but he had to die.”

  The sirens got closer. It sounded like they were down the street.

  “Quinn, listen to me, you’ve gotta run. Now.”

  He wasn’t paying any attention to her. Quinn was staring at Harold, a feral expression on his face, with the gun clenched tight in his fist.

  “Please, Quinn!” she begged. “They’ll take you back into custody.”

  And then Quinn placed the b
arrel against his own temple.

  “Quinn! No! What are you doing?”

  He turned toward her, a faraway look in his eyes. Would he rather be dead than taken back to jail?

  “Mackenzie, I love you.”

  “Then don’t do this. Please!”

  “I can’t run anymore, Mackenzie.” His shoulders hunched. “I’m so tired.”

  The next few moments happened in slow motion.

  Huck’s voice echoed in the hallway, announcing his presence. There was a loud series of knocks on the door, and then the police busted into the place.

  Quinn stared at her for what felt like hours. He gripped the gun, his finger resting on the trigger.

  “Please don’t!” No, I can’t watch him die. Sobbing, she pulled at the tape, trying to get free. “I love you, Quinn.”

  Quinn froze.

  “There, I said it. Please don’t leave me.”

  With a muttered curse, Quinn tossed the weapon and got down on his knees.

  And the cops arrested him.

  Chapter 12

  Mack couldn’t stop shaking.

  She was covered in blood and brain matter, sitting on the back bumper of an ambulance. They’d checked her vitals and wrapped her in a blanket, but she couldn’t stop shivering.

  Mack couldn’t tell how much time had passed. It might’ve been minutes, maybe hours. Everything seemed surreal.

  Harold was dead, Lupita had been arrested, and Quinn was in custody, too.

  When West had cut her free, she’d tried to intervene, and set Quinn free. But West tossed her over his shoulder and carried Mack out of there over her protests.

  “Mack, are you okay?”

  She glanced up to see West standing there, staring at her. He had a Styrofoam cup in his grasp, which he handed to her.

  Numbly she took the cup of coffee. Mack didn’t feel like drinking it, but the warmth was welcome. She pressed her chilled fingertips against the sides.

  “Mack?”

  “Hmm?”

  “I asked you a question, but you didn’t answer me.”

  “No, I’m not okay.” Mack swallowed. “And I don’t wanna talk to you.” Not right now. Maybe never again.

  “I don’t give a flyin’ fuck.” West took a seat next to her. “We need to have a conversation.”

  “Fine,” she gritted out. “We’ll talk. How could you do this to me?”

  “How could I what? Turn a fugitive over to the cops? Easy, it’s our job.”

  “No, how could you betray me?” There was no other word for it. “We didn’t need the police to finish this job, and you didn’t even ask me what I thought.”

  “Let’s get the facts straight. I followed the law, it’s as simple as that.’

  “That’s a bunch of crap and you know it.” Mack was over his sanctimonious attitude.

  “I know, but you’ve been compromised by the situation. You think you have feelings for the man, but he was playin’ you, Mack.”

  “Correction. I don’t have feelings for Quinn.” The term didn’t even come close to describing how she felt about him. “I love him. I’m in love with him. And how the hell are you in any position to decide how two other people feel about each other?”

  “Mack, I’m not trying to insult you, but I don’t think you're being rational. He used you.”

  She tossed her hair back. “And how would you know? You don’t have a clue what happened between us.”

  West reached for her, and she slapped his hand away.

  “Mack,” he said gently. “I’m grateful for his help, but it doesn’t make up for the laws he broke.”

  “Doesn’t it? He’s just like you and me. Before Quinn was an FBI agent, he was a soldier. Quinn served his country and then he was betrayed by it. How about showing him a little compassion?”

  “He did the crime, so he—”

  Mackenzie balled up a fist. “I swear to God, if you say he has to do the time, I’m gonna punch you.”

  “Mack—”

  “Don’t try to reason with me, when you’re the one who’s being irrational.” Mack sucked in a breath. “And you know what? You’re a hypocrite.”

  “I’m gonna let that one go since you’re distraught.” A white line formed around his mouth, and she could tell she was getting on his last nerve.

  Mack was glad she’d provoked him. She was so mad right now, she wanted to hit somebody, hurt them, make them feel as bad as she did inside.

  “How about we don’t? What about King’s sister? Ellie was wanted by the FBI, but we protected her.”

  West gritted his teeth. “That’s different. She’s King’s sister. Besides, her boyfriend was a domestic terrorist. She was just—”

  “His accomplice? Granted, Ellie was an unwitting one, but she was guilty of a crime, but I didn’t say a word. I felt the law was wrong in her case.”

  “These situations aren’t the same.”

  “Aren’t they?” She hopped off the bumper. “Don’t forget, the FBI has a corruption problem right now. What if one of the dirty agents gets to him?”

  His jaw tightened. “I told the FBI what was going on.”

  “Fantastic. Did you tell one of the unethical ones?”

  West grimaced. “We did the best we could, under the circumstances.”

  Mack squeezed her hands into fists. “You know what? I’m sick of people who betray me.”

  “I didn’t—”

  “Yes, you did. West, you don’t trust me. You surveilled me, and basically told me I’m an idiot who doesn’t know she’s being used. You know what? I’ve had enough of this crap. I quit.”

  “Mack, wait!” West shouted. “Let’s talk this out.”

  But Mack kept right on going.

  ***

  “I need to see him.”

  “Mack, I can’t do that.”

  Sheriff Huck Wells was handsome, but Mack didn’t care. She only had eyes for one man. Huck was in his mid-thirties and wore a khaki uniform with a star pinned to his chest. He had blond hair, blue eyes, and a lot of country boy charm.

  Today, however, he was a big pain in her butt.

  “Yes, you can.” She pointed to a large pair of steel doors. “All you have to do, is unlock it and let me step in there, so I can speak with Quinn.”

  His brows shot up. “Do your friends know you’re here?”

  “What friends?” An hour ago, Mack quit working for Black Star. She’d gotten dozens of calls and text messages, but she’d shut her phone off. She wasn’t ready to deal with all of them yet.

  He pursed his lips and they had a silent stare off.

  Mack refused to back down.

  “You aren’t gonna try anything, are you?”

  “I know you guys think he’s Clyde, but I’m not Bonnie. All I wanna do is talk to him.”

  Huck grunted in response, as though he didn’t quite believe her, but he grabbed the keys from the peg on the wall and unlocked the door anyway.

  “You’ve got five minutes.”

  “Thank you, Huck.”

  “Don’t thank me, I’m really not doing you a favor.”

  The jail only had two cells, and there were no other prisoners in the room. Had Lupita been taken to a different place? Or maybe they were interrogating her. Regardless, Quinn was sitting on a stainless-steel bench, but he stood when he spotted her.

  Mack wrapped her fingers around the cold bars. “I’m getting you out of here.”

  Quinn shook his head. “Mackenzie, we both know I’m never gettin’ out of jail. I’m being transferred to the FBI tomorrow, and then I’ll be in federal custody.” His face was grim. “I doubt I’ll live long enough to see my trial.”

  He was probably right. Between the FBI and the cartel, he’d pissed off some very powerful people. More than likely, the cartel or a crooked FBI agent would take him out.

  “Quinn, I love you and I’m gonna save you. No matter what it takes.” She’d already come up with a plan, and it was a terrible one, but she didn’t have
any other options.

  He closed his eyes. “You deserve a man who’s a hell of a lot better than me.”

  “Quinn, I don’t give a damn what you’ve done. I want you.”

  “Mackenzie, you just watched me kill a man and he wasn’t the first.”

  “Harold was a monster.”

  “The point is, Harold has a family. He got what he deserved but they didn’t. And they have the right to punish me.”

  “And what about me?” Tears slipped down her cheeks. “What am I being punished for?”

  Quinn sighed. “Don’t cry over me. I’m not worth it.”

  “No.” She shook her head. “I don’t accept that.”

  “Mack…please.” Quinn wrapped his hands around hers.

  “What?”

  “Promise me something.”

  “Anything. Just ask.” There’s nothing she wouldn’t do for him.

  “I want you to forget about me.”

  Her lower lip trembled. “What? How can I?”

  “I mean it. I want you to be safe and happy, which means you’ve gotta stay far away from me and this mess.”

  No, I can’t.

  Mack’s throat ached. “But I lo—”

  “Mack, it’s time to go.” Huck stepped into the room.

  She didn’t give a damn about what was best for her. For once, Mack was going to fight for what she wanted.

  Mack only had one chance to save him.

  And she was going to take it, even if it meant committing a crime of her own.

  ***

  “I thought you’d never leave.”

  Mack sprang up from the back seat and shoved a gun into Alan’s side.

  It was nearly ten o’clock at night, and she was in the parking garage by FBI headquarters. The place was deserted. Thankfully, Alan had parked far away from the security cameras.

  No doubt, so he could meet up with cartel thugs in secret.

  Alan glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “Mack? What the fuck are you doing? Have you lost your goddamn mind? If you think—”

  “Shut up and listen.” Mack cocked the trigger. “I know you were in on it.”

  “In on what?”

  “In case you haven’t realized, Alan, I’m not in the mood.” She pushed the gun against his ribs. Hard. “I know you were part of Harold’s operation and you sent the homicidal agent after me.”