"Search the rooms anyway," I told Dario and Ross.
Ross walked past me but then hesitated whispering in disappointment. "He said that she asked him to bring us to her. I need to tell Juan... Before he gets his hopes up that she’s here."
I sighed. “Shit.” Because that little boy practically worshiped my girl. He would be just as distraught as I was, except he wouldn’t be able to understand it. “I’ll do it.”
“You sure?” She asked looking back at the SUV. I nodded before she put a hand on my shoulder. “We’ll find her, bro.”
I walked to the back door of the SUV and waved Juan forward. "Juan buddy, are you ready to go home?" I asked him, trying to put this shit offor cushion the blowI wasn't sure which.
"Not wifout Aunt Awyssa," he refused, looking at the motel rooms and back up to me. He sputtered slightly and I didn’t know if it was from fear, hurt, or cold "T-Tia s-said that I w-was suh-posed to help you c-come g-get her," he stated, but Juan wasn't stupid; he could read bullshit like a bookjust like his aunt.
"She's not here, kiddo," I told him, catching him before he could storm inside the room.
"No, Unca!" he cried, fighting me and reaching toward the motel. "She said to bring you back. She said, Unca Adwien... She told me to be brave and to go get you!"
"And you were brave, little buddy. You did just what she told you to," I told him, rubbing his head, because he just about to lose it. "We'll find Alyssa, I promise."
"But I want her now," he said, finally losing composure. "I want her!" he screamed through hiccupping sobs and heartbreaking tears.
Juan never really pitched tantrums, and this wasn't one of those anyway. This was pure heartbreak, and probably a touch of exhaustion thrown in on top of it all. This was huge tears, a trembling chin, and more sadness than anyone could help him with.
"I want her, too, little guy, but we have to find her first," I whispered to him, trying not to cry with him, because he was fucking killing me. In all fucking honesty, I wanted Alyssa back just as much as he did. I wished I could emotionally break down with him.
"Unca...no," he sobbed, wrapping his arms around my neck and burying his. "You hafta get her for me..."
I looked up when Ross and Dario emerged from their search, and both of them looked wrecked as they watch Juan completely shatter. It wasn't something that happened very often, because he was such a happy-go-lucky kid.
"I'm sorry, Baby," Ross whispered, kissing the top his head and rubbing his back as he cried. She could tell that I obviously needed help. "We promise to find her, baby. I promise," She vowed to him over and over.
I jerked my chin toward the SUV, it was time to go. Ross crawled into the very back seat, then I transferred a still crying Juan from my arms. I took the seat next to Cedrick and helped him strap in. Dario cranked the SUV and pulled back out on the highway, just as a large fireball loomed in the distance.
"Pick up Vic," Ross muttered wryly. "Guess that stick to the gas pedal worked, huh?"
"Yeah," I sighed, slouching down in the seat still down from the sounds of Juan crying himself to sleep. "Call my dad, Dario. Tell him we're heading home."
With one last glance at the motel, I sighed and shook my head. Once again, I had half of my objective, and despite how grateful I was, I wanted it whole. I closed my eyes, running my hands though my hair, sending a silent message to Alyssa.
“I love you and be safe.”
I don't think I'd ever been as grateful for Tawny as I was by the time I landed the chopper at home. Vic had opted to drive the SUV back, so he wouldn't arrive for several hours. However, Ross and Dario rode with me, taking care of the boys while I flew us home. It had been a quiet flight, because both boys pretty much slept the whole time, Dario and Ross didn't want to disturb them.
Cam immediately whisked Cedrick off to his mother, despite the early morning hour. I had no fucking clue what story they were going to give Mrs. Moretti but I was sure it pretty much didn't matter. The woman had her little boy back.
After Doc’s reunion with Juan, she took a quiet and wrung out son from Ross, saying a bath and some clean clothes would do him a world of good. "Maybe even some breakfast, huh?" she asked him as Juan laid his head on Doc’s shoulder. They were staying one more night at our place, too exhausted to go anywhere.
He picked up his head and looked at me. "Pancakes," he muttered.
"Yeah?" I chuckled, just happy to see he wasn't crying anymore. "I think we can do something about that, little guy," I told him, rubbing the top of his head. "Go get a bath and come see me about a stack of pancakes, man."
"Okay," he sighed, clinging to his mother as they walked down my hall.
By the time Tawny had him in a warm bath filled to the brim with toys and bubbles, Juan's spirits started to lift. He babbled about doughnuts and cartoons, but when he mentioned a guy named Kris, my dad and I froze with Ross in the living room.
"Kris was nice," he chirped, and I could hear splashing in the tub. The three of us listened carefully, unsure how much his little mind absorbed.
"How was that, sweet one?" Tawny urged softly, though at this point, I'd be willing to bet she was in full therapist mode.
"He wouldn't let the mean man yell at us or take our food," he stated. "He let us watch all the cartoons we wanted. When I couldn’t breath, he brought me medicine even though the mean man told him not to."
Ross’s fist clenched as she listened, her head practically trembling as she shook it. What kind of asshole would let a kid suffer that way?
"And who's the mean man, Juan?" Tawny continued, her voice taking a practiced impassiveness.
"Myles. I didn't like him. He made Cedrick cry and pointed a gun like Mommy's at us."
"I'm gonna kill a motherfucker," Ross swore, shaking her head.
My dad smirked, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Relax. In the morning, we'll talk about that mountain."
"What about the lady, and Terry?" Doc continued.
"They weren’t nice eaver, but they didn’t stay in the room wif us. I don't think they like kids," Juan whispered conspiratorially.
"And what happened when you saw Tia Alyssa?" She inquired, and I knew that though she was grateful that her actions got her son back, she was worried as shit.
"Tia woke me up," Juan said, and his demeanor changed to really excited. "I gave her kisses on her bruises."
"What bruises?" I breathed, the same time Doc asked him the same thing, and my pacing started from the living room to the end of the hallway.
"They were on her cheek," Juan answered. "Then she woke Cedrick. She put us in sweatshirts, and...Oh!" he gasped. "Tia gave Unca Adwien a love note! Unca Adwien!"
"Oh shit," I groaned, looking to my father before walking to the bathroom. "Where, little buddy?"
"My front pouch," he said, pointing to the pile of dirty clothes on the floor next to Doc. He was covered in suds, and so was she for the most part. "I forgot, sowwy."
I fumbled around with his clothes, finding the folded piece of paper all crinkled and nestled in the corner of his hoodie's pocket. I pulled it out, recognizing my lady's handwriting.
"It's okay, kiddo," I told him, bending down to rub his headthe only place that didn't have suds on it. "You missed a spot," I chuckled, scooping up a handful of bubbles and plopping them on his nose and the top of his head.
"Stop!" he squealed into a cute giggle. I was just barely able to avoid his splashes as I left the bathroom. I opened the note and began reading, as my dad followed along over my shoulder.
Adrian,
I'm sending the boys to you. I couldn't get them and myself out. I'm sorry...I didn't have a choice. They will most likely move me tomorrow, but they've taken my boots from me, so I can't set off the other chip yet.
Don’t be mad at Hunter and the girls, they only did what I asked of them. Though it isn’t going as planned, I don’t’ regret it. They will ask for a shit load more money and will call eithe
r you or Paul. Try not to give in. Try not to give them any indication how much info we have on them. We still need the ring leader to come out of hiding.
Baby, I don't know what that place will be like, but please know I can tough it out as long as it takes for you all to come get me. Everyone stay sharp and be safe.
Alyssa
"Damn," my father sighed, shaking his head and giving my shoulder a squeeze. "Don't worry about the money, son." he stated, making sure I was listening. "We'll get her back."
Money wasn’t the issue. I was sure that I had enough saved from when I was a Merc to cover it. "I know," I sighed with pure nerves and worry. I ran a hand through my hair, holding up the note. "She sounds...in control here," I told him. "Like she's okay. She's reassuring me."
"I'm sure she is," he agreed, "because she knows what your fears are when it comes to this. The fact that she doesn't have access to that chip worries me, but her statement about not giving away anything to Myles makes me think he has no clue as to what we know."
"They don't," Ross grunted, looking over at him. "That David guy was completely shocked that I knew who he was and where they were heading." She paused for a moment, skimming over Alyssa's herself again. "Maybe Cammy's right," She said with a shrug. "They have no idea what's coming their way, because our...identities aren't completely factual."
My father smiled, and it was evil, wry, and completely smug. I couldn't help but chuckle at him. Part of our deal with “helping” Kensington and Cam all these years was that all legal tracks were covered. "Oh, Roslyn, I'm betting on that," he snickered, looking over my shoulder as we read the letter one more time. "They'll never underestimate anyone again. Not that they'll live through this..."
As we finished, a squeaky clean Juan in bright blue pajamas came running into the living room. His hair was still damp, and his skin practically gleamed.
"Pancakes," he ordered, wrapping his arms around my leg.
"Yes, sir," I said, pocketing Alyssa's note. "Blueberry or chocolate chip?" I asked, walking with him still attached to my leg.
"Boo-berry!"
Chapter 14- Adirondacks
The drive was beyond boringeven for a person being held against their willbut just as we neared the top, things became interesting. The road was dirt and bumpy. It was crooked and winding, but it was also guarded at the very top. A heavy metal gate met at the center of the road, chained and secured with a padlock. Two men stood sentry on either side, automatic weapons slung over their shoulders.
What the hell? Who would fund this shit?I thought to myself because they definitely couldn’t afford the weapons on their own. They looked...like fucking amateurs. They looked like criminals and ruffiansdefinitely small time. Or maybe it was because I was used to rock solid, disciplined, no-nonsense, professional soldiers. I was used to perfect postures, steely glances, and faces that screamed ‘do not fuck with me’. I was used to real military garb, not plaid shirts, dirty tees, and old jeans. I smiled to myself, shaking my head, because I missed my friends, family, and crew; but I could almost see their faces at the sight of this place. It reminded me of a cleanup job I had in Singapore back when I was still in the service. Those guys weren’t soldiers either, just idiot thugs with access to automatic weapons. Sometimes it sickened me how easily any asshole could get their hands on high caliber weapons.
Despite the fact that I was held captive, I wasn't as nervous as I'd expected to be. Terry and the others weren’t worried about government secrets, nor did they have the need to torture me for information, Garcia had. These guys weren’t sadists, they were money hungry assholes. I could handle being locked up, and I took solace in the fact that these guys had shown no inclination to fucking touch me. I could survive anything but that, the numbers would prove problematic, not to mention the trip back down the mountain, but I would take it on if it got to that point.
The gates were unlocked, and we were waved through. The road wound around a clump of trees, and we came out onto a really large piece of property. Tink had brought up the images, but it didn't really show the sheer size of the place until I was actually on it. There was an extremely large three story home at the focal point of it all, but spreading over the entire piece of land were smaller buildings. Stables, barns, workers quarters and so on. From where I sat in the back of the van, there were about five smaller buildings spread out. At my far right was a building that looked like it had once been a horse paddock. It was red with white trim, and the main doors were propped open. I could see that this place was once a homeor at least a vacation homebut now it was put to other uses.
"Let's go!" Terry snapped, waving his gun at me as he stepped from the van. Not grabbing me, but still close.
I nodded and crawled my way out of the back, hissing when my socked feet hit cold rock. "It's fucking freezing up here. Can I at least have my shoes?" I asked him, unable to hide my disdain.
"We'll see," he answered with an irritating smirk that I'd have liked to smack off of his face.
"Fine, jackass. Wait, then. If I die of pneumonia you won’t get paid," I snipped.
"Yes, but maybe a little suffering will knock that spoiled rich girl out of your system," Zoe added with a laugh.
"Bitch, I can show you spoiled..." I hissed, taking a step toward her, but Myles and Terry stopped me. I jerked back from their contact and smirked. What was satisfying was her fearful step back from me. Handcuffed or not, I could add another bruise to her face. "I've never been spoiled," I snapped pointing at her. "Zoe, one day, you won't have these idiots to hide behind, and it’ll just be me and you..." I warned.
I heard Kris snicker quietly, but he said nothing. He couldn't really say anything, because he needed to act his part, if only to protect his sister and mother. I understood what he'd meant when he said he couldn't let me go. If they lived here too, Terry or Myles could fuck shit up for him, especially with as many men that he had under him. Sadly, there would be nothing Kris could do. There would be no way for him to protect his mother and sister well enough.
"Let's go!" Terry stated, losing his patience with the whole situation. He grabbed my arm roughly, shoving me so that I would start to walk. "Myles," he grunted, "show Alyssa where she'll be staying."
"Gladly," Myles chuckled, gripping my shoulder and marching me toward the side of the barn. "You'll love this," he snorted, and I could see where he was leading me.
It looked like a storm shelter, or a bomb shelter from the fifties. Steps led down to what was once a door and was now a steel barred gate. It was a fucking jail cell underground. I remembered a time when I couldn't even step near a basement or anything undergroundthanks to Garciabut I eventually lost that sick feeling that came with associating things like that with my time in Cuba.
Myles unlocked the gate and shoved me inside. Inside were three more cells, all wrapped in steel bars. They were just barely big enough for the cots, the toilets, and the sinks that filled them. In fact, it looked like the jail from an old western movie, where the town drunk went to sleep it off for the night.
I shook my head as Myles slammed and locked my cell. I looked back to Myles, who was staring me down. I could remember with complete clarity Juan’s words, and for a minute I could see why he called him the mean man: a lack of compassion, an evil smirk, and a love for watching others' fear.
"What?" I sneered.
"You have a pretty tight body to have had a kid." he stated, tilting his head at me. Then coasting up and down my body. “It make’s me wonder if…other things are just as tight.”
My stomach lurched as I tried to keep from vomiting, I narrowed my eyes at him. I gripped the bars on my cage door, locking on his eyes between them. “Look at me that way again, and I’ll peel the skin of your dick with a potato peeler, and tie it all in a nice little knot at the end to hold your piss.”
Myles winced for just a second at the visual, but then huffed a laugh. "That would be convenient."
"Go away, Myles," I cautioned sitting d
own on the cot. This asshole was making it harder to wait for my calvary.
Myles laughed, his head falling back as he left, locking the main gate on his way out. I heard his steps ascend up, only to fade away once he hit the grass. Thankfully, he left the light on.
Crickets chirped loudly through the main door at the top of the stairs. It had been a long few hours, and my short nap was filled with dreams that were both scary and erotic. I dreamed of dungeons, of sadistic people that couldn't keep their hands to themselves, and I dreamed of long, slow kisses and murmurs of naughty things coming from a velvet voice. Dreams of strong arms and groping, calloused hands had woken me up with a need for Adrian so large, it almost brought tears to my eyes. I wanted his warmth wrapped around me, and I wanted to breathe in that perfect smell of himfresh cut grass, clean soap, and that hint of gunpowder that kept him dangerous. I needed him to tell me that he was there, that he would never let anyone hurt me again.
Terry ran hurriedly down the stairs, a worried Kris following behind him. I didn't see Zoe, but I did see Myles walking in with paper lunch bags, tossing one on the table in front of the guard that slept outside of my cell, instantly waking him up, before he tossed a bag to me.
From the look on Terry’s face, I was pretty sure David wasn’t able to find the boys. I kept my face unreadable as I glanced up at him after shifting thorough the contents of the bag. A turkey sandwich, chips, an orange, and a can of soda.
"Something wrong?" I asked sitting the food on the bench bed behind me, and Kris smirked slightly, shaking his head at me.
“Eat.” He assured jerking his head to the bag, letting me know that the food was safe.
"How'd you do it?" Terry seethed, his temper barely under control. "How'd you get those boys away?"
"No idea what you're talking about," I muttered around a bite of sandwich. I shrugged and blinked innocently up at him.
The Law of Motion (Law Series) Page 21
