Stowaways

by Lily Harlem

  Returning her gaze to the darkness and the faint glow of the city in the distance, she guessed her mind was playing tricks on her. She’d been thinking of Paul coming up behind her, and her imagination had almost conjured him.

  Crazy.

  She finished her water, but as she did so, spotted movement again.

  This time she knew she wasn’t imagining it. A figure was behind her. A tall, lean man with dark skin and white eyes.

  She spun around, terror gripping her.

  Standing just a few feet away was the creepy taxi driver from earlier. She was sure it was him. She’d recognize his unblinking stare anywhere, and that smell…not dinner at all…his body odor.

  Adrenaline spurted into her veins. She dropped the tumbler, and it crashed to the floor, sending glass skittering over her feet and the hard tiles.

  “What the hell,” she gasped, scooting to the right to get away from him.

  “Come here, lady!” He lunged for her.

  Luckily she evaded his grasp, but then to her horror saw another man, thicker set than the taxi driver, on the other side of the island.

  She let out a scream and hurled herself at the panic alarm next to the sink. She jabbed it with two fingers, the way she’d been told to.

  Damn it.

  Nothing happened.

  She’d expected flashing lights and a loud ear-piercing wail. She poked it harder. Was she doing it wrong? “Mason, Lucas, Harr—”

  “No you don’t.” She was grabbed from behind, and a hand slapped over her mouth.

  She writhed and jabbed her elbows into a solid torso. Where were her men? Surely they’d heard the glass smashing on the tiles.

  Fear knotted her stomach. Her heart was racing.

  Suddenly the floor was gone and she was hoisted into the air. Not two but three men now, all gripping her roughly.

  She bit the hand over her mouth. Getting a good nip of flesh between her teeth and crunching down.

  “Bitch!” But he didn’t release her and instead tightened his hold around her chest, pressing the air from her lungs.

  She kicked and squirmed, terror giving her extra strength. What did they want with her?

  Because it was clearly her they wanted, they weren’t robbing the villa.

  An image of her organs being ground up flashed through her mind.

  Panic swamped her. Again she kicked and thrashed but to no avail.

  They were taking her toward the doors that led to the garden.

  She screamed as best she could behind the hand. Surely someone had heard her drop the glass.

  The night air slid over her face and limbs, and she became even more aware of the hands on her bare arms and legs and around her waist.

  This can’t be happening.

  “Down there, to the right.”

  “No, it’s this way.”

  “The hole, in the fence, no, it is that way, idiot.”

  They were arguing, about where they were taking her. A hole in the fence. Once they got her through that she’d be lost to her men, to the police. Riley wouldn’t be able to fix this one.

  Maybe they want me for ransom.

  “Her blonde hair is worth a lot.”

  “Yes, and blue eyes.”

  Oh my God. Had they really said that? Or was it her imagination? She wasn’t sure what was real anymore. She had to get away. Was this another bad dream? If so, she wanted to wake up…now.

  Bang!

  The men holding her stopped.

  The sound of gunshot echoed around the grassy knoll they now stood on, holding her aloft.

  “Put her down.” Harry’s voice.

  She could have wept with relief but instead wriggled as her feet were set on the damp ground. Before her stood not just Harry, his gun directed her way, but also Evan, knife in hand, Raul, Mason, and Lucas. All wore nothing but boxer shorts, and they were standing in a semi-circle.

  “Stay away,” Taxi Man shouted, snapping her back against his chest. “Or I will kill her now.”

  Nausea swept through her as sharp, cold metal touched her neck, right over where she imagined her carotid artery to be.

  Harry’s eyes widened, and his lips pressed into a tight line. Mason and Lucas took a step closer to her.

  Taxi Man moved back, dragging her with him.

  “Fuck, I’m gone.” There was a rustle as the accomplices took off into the undergrowth.

  “No, get back here, idiots,” Taxi Man shouted.

  Mason and Lucas glanced at each other. Lucas shook his head. It seemed they’d decided not to give chase.

  I’ve got a knife at my neck.

  She hardly dared breath. Certainly couldn’t swallow. And the smell of body odor made her want to gag.

  He pulled her closer and stepped toward the tree line that held the fence.

  “Stop!” Evan said. “Now.”

  “You will let me leave, with the girl, or I kill her.”

  “You hurt her, even one hair, and we will kill you,” Raul said, flashing torchlight her way.

  “You have this villa, you have everything, you people. I want this girl, she will make me very rich, like you.” Again he stepped back. “Rich like you.”

  Olivia whimpered as the knife moved against her neck. But it didn’t cut. Instead, it shifted off her skin and over her leather collar.

  Her eyes widened, and she looked at Evan.

  He’d seen it, too, in the beam of light Raul had settled on her.

  He nodded, once, then shot a look at Mason who was closest to her.

  Mason was staring at her neck. His muscles were tense, as if about to strike.

  This was it. Her chance.

  She rammed her elbow into the belly behind her and lunged away from the knife. It caught her collar, she was aware of a slicing sensation, but it didn’t cut her skin, or at least she didn’t think it did.

  Mason was on Taxi Man, hurling an upper cut at his chin then taking out his legs. Her attacker smacked onto the ground face down, his knife several feet from him. Mason set his foot in the nape of his neck and appeared to put most of his body weight onto it.

  Bang. Bang.

  More shots.

  As Lucas grabbed her she turned to Harry, expecting to see him firing and terrified he might hit Mason.

  But he wasn’t firing. Instead he’d turned to the right and held his gun in the air, fingers splayed to show he wasn’t about to pull the trigger.

  “Get down on the floor. Armed response. Now!”

  Five men, all in black, were snaking their way over the lawn, weapons pointed forward and head torches flashing.

  “Everyone, down on the ground. You with the gun, hit the deck,” a deep South African voice boomed. “Or we’ll shoot.”

  Harry did as he’d been asked, his attention now on Olivia.

  “Are you hurt?” Lucas asked, stroking over her collar and peering at her throat.

  “I…I don’t think so.”

  “Then we should get down,” Lucas said. “These guys mean business.” He eased her to her knees, and she held up her hands.

  Evan tossed his knife to the lawn and got to his knees beside Raul who was suddenly looking uncharacteristically pale.

  Mason kept his foot on the back of Taxi Man’s neck. His expression was one of fury.

  “Step away. You…big guy with the tattoo, step away, now.”

  Mason hesitated then did as asked. His angry expression deepened.

  “Miss.” One of the men in black, reached for Olivia’s hand and pulled her standing. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes.” She swallowed and touched her neck. There didn’t appear to be any kind of abrasion or cut on her skin. “I think so.”

  “Was it you who pressed the panic button?”

  “Yes, it didn’t seem to work, but… you’ve made a mistake. It’s him, that man there who attacked me, not these other men.” She swung her gaze around her five husbands.

  “Just one?”

  “There were three of them, tw
o have escaped. A hole in the fence, I think, over there.” She pointed in the direction she guessed the others had gone.

  “Check it out,” he shouted across the lawn, indicating with two fingers for two of his men to go to the tree line.

  “But these other men, they’re with me. We’re staying here.” She held in a sob and pressed her fingers to her lips. “Please let them stand up.”

  He frowned at Harry, then Evan. “On your feet, but step away from those weapons.”

  Harry and Evan slowly stood, arms still up, palms facing forward.

  “And you.” The man at Olivia’s side gestured to Raul. “Up.”

  “Si, si, I am up.” Raul stood then took a step forward, toward Olivia.

  “No. Stay where you are.”

  “Si, okay. I am still.” Raul nodded and stared at the gun pointed at him. “I’m not moving.”

  Olivia ached to feel his arms around her. “Please, we have done nothing wrong.” She reached for Lucas. “Can we go into the villa? I’m cold.”

  He glanced at her, as if noticing for the first time she wore only underwear. “Yes. Two of my men will go with you, check the place out, make sure there are no more intruders.”

  “Thank you, and yes. Good idea.”

  As she’d spoken, Lucas had stood and wrapped his arms around her. Next thing she knew she was in the air and pressed up against his warm chest.

  She looped her arms around his shoulders and hid her face in his neck.

  Raul was by her side, too, his hand on her arm as Lucas walked. “How did this happen?”

  “They were there, in the kitchen, when I went for a drink of water.”

  “It is the man from the earlier, si?”

  “Yes.” She nodded and suppressed a shudder. “It’s him. I knew he was weird, the way he was looking at me.”

  “You know him?” Harry said.

  “Fucking hell.” Evan gritted his teeth. “Where from?”

  “He was our taxi driver, after we dropped the truck at the Waterfront.”

  Evan bashed his fist into his palm. “Damn shame Mason didn’t get a few more punches in.”

  “Is he coming? Mason?” Olivia raised her head and tried to look over Lucas’s shoulder.

  “Yeah, they’re letting him go now,” Harry said. “But let’s get you indoors, you must be freezing.”

  “And your foot is bleeding mi niña hermosa,” Raul said as they stepped into the villa.

  “Is it?” She glanced at her right foot and spotted a smear of blood. “Must have been from when I dropped the glass.” She paused, remembering the chilling sensation of the blade at her neck. “But rather my foot than my throat.”

  “Don’t.” Harry shuddered. “I can honestly say that was the worst moment of my life.”

  “Tell me about it,” Evan muttered.

  Chapter Thirteen

  As the armed response team scoured the villa, Olivia sat on Lucas’s lap, wrapped in a blanket and sipping a cup of tea. Small tremors kept attacking her belly and wending their way outward to her limbs.

  Raul fussed over her foot, cleaning it carefully then applying a small Band-Aid.

  “How the hell could this happen?” Mason said, pacing the length of the room and glaring out of the window. “This place is supposed to be secure, a goddamn fortress by all accounts.”

  “A pair of wire cutters and the fence is meaningless,” Evan said, folding his arms and rocking back on his heels. Like Mason, he seemed to have excess energy buzzing around his system, but he appeared to be holding it all in.

  “Wire cutters.” Harry tutted and shook his head. “Jeez, I need a drink.” He stomped to the drinks cabinet and tugged it open. After pulling off the lid of a crystal decanter, he sloshed amber liquid into a tumbler. “Anyone else?”

  “I’ll have a rum,” Raul said.

  Harry poured then handed it to Raul.

  “House is clear, guys.” The lead armed response officer, Jase, marched into the living area, his gun holstered but holding Harry’s and Evan’s weapons. “And I’m going to leave two men down by that hole in the fence, make sure no one tries to get the girl again.”

  Olivia shivered, and Lucas held her a little closer. “You’re safe,” he whispered. “I promise.”

  She nodded.

  “And if you can get maintenance in first thing to fix it, that would be good.” Jase frowned.

  “I’ll sort it,” Harry said, then finished his drink in one go. “And I’ll have my gun back now.”

  Jase hesitated. “You got a licence for this thing?”

  “Sure.” Harry set down his glass and held out his hand. “And we appreciate your help, thanks.”

  Jase frowned and handed over the gun. “It was a close call. That situation could have got nasty.”

  “Not for us,” Mason said, whacking his hands on his hips. “I was just about to take out that bastard.”

  “And then you’d have been looking at a court date, trial, you wouldn’t have wanted that on your holiday would you, sir.”

  “Quite honestly, someone thinks they can waltz in here, grab my woman, and steal her away, they’ll get what’s coming and I’ll face the consequences.”

  “Your woman?” Jase studied Olivia.

  She cuddled closer to Lucas. She wasn’t in the mood for scrutiny over her relationships.

  “Yes, my woman.” Mason tipped his chin. “None of us will stand for it. If you hadn’t turned up, those three intruders would be in the back of ambulances now, if they were lucky. Because quite honestly, I’d like to have sent them off in a hearse.”

  “Si, we will not have Olivia in danger.” Raul stood and walked to the drinks cabinet. “And it is clear South Africa is a dangerous place for her to be.”

  Evan walked up to Jase and nodded at his knife. “Which is why I’ll be needing that.”

  Jase handed it over. “You do know the law will take a very dim view of you carrying this out on the street.”

  “This isn’t the street,” Evan said, slipping the knife into its case, which sat on the belt of the jeans he was now wearing. “This is a private residence.”

  “Which is the only reason I’m giving it back.” Jase tutted.

  “Listen, mate, we appreciate your help tonight, but we’ve got it from here, okay?” Evan nodded at the window. “And you can take your men, we’ll watch the fence.”

  “No can do. Company policy is to maintain armed presence until the perimeter is secure.”

  Evan frowned. “Let me see you out, then.”

  “Yes, and you can make sure this place is locked up properly, it obviously wasn’t before.”

  A slight rise of color stained Evan’s cheeks. He glanced at Harry.

  Harry shook his head. “Leave it,” he mouthed.

  “I will show you out.” Raul hopped up from the chair he’d sat in with his drink. “It is this way, Officer.”

  When they’d left the room, Olivia sighed. “I’m so sorry, this is all my fault.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” Mason said, resuming his pacing.

  “I’m not being ridiculous. They wanted me, my hair, my eyes…my organs.”

  “Shh, don’t say it,” Lucas said against the shell of her ear. “And definitely don’t think it.”

  “But it’s true…and it’s icky.”

  “Icky, that’s one word for it, but I can think of plenty more. Sick bastards.” Mason spun to the darkness, his hands still on his hips. “We have to get out of here, soon.”

  “Yes.” Harry stepped up to Olivia and stroked her collar as if checking for damage. “We do. We’ll leave first thing tomorrow.”

  “We leave tomorrow, excellent plan.” Raul walked back into the room. “I agree with that, Olivia cannot be here another minute.”

  “I actually don’t want to be here another minute.” She looked around the lavish villa. Beautiful as it was, the memory of being snatched would always overshadow everything else.

  “I’m glad you agree.” Harry g
lanced at his watch. “I’ll call Riley, organize the plane. We’ll be in Barcelona by tomorrow evening.”

  “Plane.” Evan frowned.

  “Yeah, plane. This is no time for your phobias, Evan, we need to get out of Cape Town as soon as possible.”

  “We’ve had this conversation.” Evan held up his hands. “I am not flying, private fucking Lear or not.” He nodded at Olivia. “You fly, by all means, with these guys, and I’ll meet you there.”

  “No.” She shook her head. “If you’re not flying, neither am I.”

  “Olivia.” Harry cupped her cheeks and bent so he was face level with her. “This is serious, we have to get you out of Cape Town, and flying is the best and quickest way.”

  “We’d already agreed to get a boat, Harry,” she said. “That plan hasn’t changed.”

  He frowned. “Everything has changed, your life is in danger.”

  “My life has been in danger before, and if I’m with you, all of you, then it’s okay, I’m safe. If Evan isn’t flying, neither am I; the same goes for any of you, we have to stick together.”

  “Olivia, but don’t you see—”

  “I’m not shifting on this, Harry.”

  His eyes narrowed, and his frown deepened. “Okay.” He straightened. “We won’t fly, but at least let me buy us a boat to get us out of here.”

  “Stop throwing money at the problem, Vidal.” Evan paused; when he spoke again, his tone had softened. “Or at least until we know there isn’t another solution.”

  “There won’t be, no one is going to give us a lift to Spain for free.” Harry shook his head.

  “They might,” Raul said, fixing himself another drink. “If we offer to work.”

  “But there’s six of us, that’s a lot of help someone will need.” Mason finally stopped pacing and sat. “Could be tricky.”

  Evan held up his hands. “I agree, and if we can’t figure it out, Harry can chuck some of his billions at it, but I for one, would rather get to Barcelona under my own steam.”

  “Aye, suits me,” Lucas said. “And there’s hundreds of container ships here, the port is huge. We might get lucky.”

  “Si, we are skilled sailors, I am chef, too, we have lots to offer.”

  “So it’s agreed,” Olivia said. “We’ll head to the main port tomorrow morning and see if we can figure it out.”