Last Tailored Suit

by Pierce, Nicolette

  “I’m sure there is a trap somewhere, but you’ll be more useful on the outside. Alfonso is too greedy to let sixteen million slip by.”

  “And once he gets his sixteen million?”

  “Leave that to me.”

  Before David could argue, Alfonso turned to them. “We’ll have to wrap this up. I find I have a cousin I need to kill.”

  Greyson didn’t like the sound of that. Not only because he knew Alfonso was talking about Sergio, but because Sergio had Jenna.

  “We’ll get to her first,” David whispered. “Just keep your cool.”

  Greyson feared he was far from it, but it was the only way he’d get them all out alive.

  A young blonde woman with bloodshot eyes and a tear-streaked face was pushed into the room. She faltered before righting herself, her head held high. Bruises colored her arms and one cheek.

  She must be Tania.

  * * *

  Jenna looked up at the clock again. Sergio had left only ten minutes ago, and it felt like she’d been waiting months. There was no way she could continue to work. She’d been looking at the same list the whole time. It still only had three items, and none of them were work related.

  One: Say I’m sorry to Greyson.

  Two: Find Adam.

  Three: Kiss Greyson.

  She wasn’t sure how that last item got on there, but it must be important since she underlined it five times.

  Jenna shoved the paper aside and stood. She would go batty if she had to sit there much longer. She needed someone to tell her what was going on.

  “Hello?” A woman poked her head into the room.

  The two men who were hovering around Jenna for most of the day scooted to the door, shooing the woman away. She stood her ground with her hands on her hips and spoke to them in Spanish.

  They hesitantly backed away, allowing her to enter. “These boys are always such a bother with their ‘do this, don’t do that,’” she complained in a clunky accent as she neared Jenna.

  Jenna tentatively smiled at the woman, not knowing what to say. She was a pretty woman, maybe a year or two younger than her. Her dark satin hair draped down her back and her eyebrows tilted exotically, making Jenna think of orchids. Not that it made sense to associate exotic brows to orchids, but somehow she did.

  “You are Jenna, no? My brother-in-law mentioned you.”

  Jenna’s brows furrowed. “Do you mean Sergio?”

  She nodded. “I am Rosario, but you can call me Rosie.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Rosie,” Jenna said, feigning politeness. She didn’t know what this woman wanted. She looked innocent, but there was something in her eyes that Jenna couldn’t quite make sense of. This woman knew things.

  “Do you want to escape?” Rosie asked.

  Jenna blinked.

  Rosie laughed. “I am serious. I will help you.”

  Jenna’s eyes flickered over to the guards.

  Rosie waved her hand. “Do not worry about them. They do not speak English.”

  “Why would you help me escape?”

  “The same reason I warned Adam not to come here.”

  “You warned Adam not to come? He’s okay?”

  Rosie nodded. “I told him to stay away.”

  “Thank you,” Jenna said. “But how do you know him? Why would you help us?”

  “I only help Sergio.”

  “But Sergio wanted Adam to come here. I’m confused.”

  Rosie tsked. “Sergio is a man. Men do not know what they want. They just stomp around with their guns and shout like little boys. I turned Adam around and told the men that he was a lost delivery driver.”

  Jenna stared at Rosie dumbfounded.

  “It is how you Americans say . . . I’m saving his ass, no?”

  “No . . . I mean yes,” Jenna agreed, regaining her senses. “How do we escape?”

  She turned to the two men, linking her arm through Jenna’s. The men blocked the door until Rosie used a stern voice, shepherding them out of the way like disgruntled sheep. Rosie led Jenna out the door and up the stairs to a bedroom. The two men followed behind. She slammed the door before they could enter.

  “Won’t they come in?”

  “Into my bedroom?” Rosie asked. “No, not if they value their lives.”

  Rosie crossed the little bedroom with faded pink-flowered wallpaper. She looked out the window and nodded. “Perfect. I will need you to talk while I open the window.”

  “Why?”

  “It squeaks.”

  “I . . . um . . .” Jenna blanked.

  “Tell me about your gray man.”

  “Gray man?”

  “The man on your list,” Rosie prompted. “The one you want to kiss.”

  “You saw that?”

  “I see everything.”

  “His name is Greyson. He’s my boss, or was, or . . . I don’t know. I hated him, and then I liked him. He has an annoyingly scruffy beard that I want to shave off, but I kind of like it now. He looks good without a shirt. He pushes me until my breaking point and then smiles like that is supposed to put me in a good mood . . . sometimes it does.” Jenna huffed. “He’s bossy and teasing, but also thoughtful. He makes tea for his sister-in-law all the time since she gets morning sickness.”

  “I like this Greyson of yours,” Rosie said. “It is time to go.”

  Jenna walked to the open window and looked down. A rope tied to the bed snaked through the window and down to the ground.

  “Let’s go kick some ass,” Rosie said with a grin.

  * * *

  Greyson sat in front of the laptop, his fingers poised over the keyboard. Alfonso had let Remy, David, and Tania go without even a backwards glance. It put Greyson on alert. He knew Alfonso wasn’t done yet, but he did seem anxious to leave.

  A gun cocked behind him.

  “I’m waiting,” Alfonso snarled.

  Greyson glanced behind him. The gun wasn’t pointed at him, but it was ready to shoot.

  “I want your promise I will leave here alive,” Greyson said.

  Alfonso snorted. “My promise is worthless to you. As soon as I have the money I can kill you.”

  Greyson slammed the laptop closed. “Then kill me now.”

  Guns from every angle targeted him.

  Alfonso turned scarlet. “You dare to make demands? After I allowed your friends to leave?”

  “We made a deal,” Greyson said. “I only do business with men who know how to keep their word. You are no man.”

  Greyson knew he hit a soft spot when Alfonso’s twitching eyes darkened. He tapped on the laptop, drawing Alfonso’s focus back to the money.

  “I give you my word,” Alfonso snapped, waving for the guns to be lowered.

  Greyson slowly lifted the laptop screen and opened the browser. He typed in the web address. “I’ll need your information,” he said.

  Alfonso snapped his fingers. A small man with glasses arrived at his side. Greyson hadn’t seen him before. He took out a piece of paper from his suit coat and slid it over to Greyson. It had Alfonso’s bank routing information.

  Greyson accessed his offshore account and wired the money to Alfonso. “There, it’s done. Would you like to check?”

  Alfonso snapped again. The smaller man slid the laptop over. He typed for a few moments and then nodded.

  Greyson stood, pocketing Alfonso’s bank information. He’d make sure the information was put to good use.

  Before Greyson could take a single step, a bullet ripped through him, sending him to his knees once again.

  “A blood debt must always be repaid by blood,” Alfonso sneered.

  * * *

  Jenna’s foot pressed hard on the accelerator, sending the “borrowed” car flying. “Are you sure we’re going the right way?” Jenna had no idea where they were. She had never been on these desolate roads.

  “I think so. I memorized the directions. Is this as fast as you can go?” Rosie asked.

  Jenna’s sweating hands
strangled the steering wheel. “Yes.”

  Rosie shrugged and settled into her seat.

  “You can drive if you’d like,” Jenna said.

  “I never drove before. I think you will be faster.”

  “You don’t have a license?”

  “No. I was never allowed to go anywhere.”

  “I think you’re making up for it now,” Jenna said.

  Rosie smiled. “I have a lot of making up to do.”

  A dark car barreled down the road toward them. The car had to be going as fast as Jenna. She slowed down to find them doing the same.

  As they passed each other, both sets of occupants recognized the other.

  The dark car spun around and caught up to Jenna, bringing their cars level on a two-lane road. Jenna’s already-stressed hands began to ache as she concentrated on steadying the car.

  “Stop!” David leaned out the window, shouting at Jenna.

  Rosie reached her arm over and rolled Jenna’s window down, blasting her with air.

  “Pull over!” David yelled.

  “We are saving asses!” Rosie shouted and then rolled up the window. “Drive faster. We can’t stop now.”

  Jenna blinked over at David who was still yelling. She stomped on the accelerator and prayed Rosie knew what she was doing because Jenna certainly didn’t.

  Remy swerved his car to tail Jenna down the long, barren road. She didn’t want to ask Rosie again, but she had a moment of panic that they weren’t headed where they were supposed to, or worse, headed into a place they had no business being. Heaven help her if Greyson had to save her from a worse predicament.

  She’d never hear the end of it.

  “Turn left up ahead,” Rosie said, pointing at an unmarked dirt road.

  Jenna’s already sour stomach turned rancid, but she did as directed and charged down the rough path, kicking up a cloud of dust.

  A lone house sat at the end of the road, looking as if it had popped out of nowhere. There was certainly nothing around it. It looked rather like a brick bunker, squat with tiny windows.

  “That’s Sergio’s car,” Rosie said.

  It was the only car.

  Something didn’t feel right. Jenna had assumed they’d be crashing a family feud, not a single man’s pad in the middle of nowhere.

  Parking next to Sergio’s car, Jenna looked around, searching for something she could only feel.

  “Dammit!” David growled, slamming his car door and wrenching Jenna’s open. “Do you not know the meaning of the word ‘stop’?”

  “Something’s wrong,” Jenna said.

  “She’s right,” Remy said, scanning the building.

  “Stay here,” David ordered, sounding so much like Greyson that Jenna had to concentrate hard not to roll her eyes.

  Where was Greyson? Why wasn’t he with Remy and David?

  The sick feeling plowed over her again, stronger this time.

  As soon as David and Remy were out of sight, Jenna scooted out of the car. Rosie was right behind her.

  So was Tania.

  Where did Tania come from? She didn’t look good, bruises spotted her skin, but she nodded her head to continue.

  Jenna didn’t have time to ask questions; she had to find Greyson.

  They scurried alongside the building and up to the front door, which was cracked open. She could hear threads of voices coming from a room or two away. She pressed the door open farther and poked her head in.

  “Did someone say blood?” Rosie asked, her head wedged between the door and Jenna.

  “Oh, my God.” Dread filled Jenna as she raced through the house, searching for the voices. She stumbled into a large room with an oak table, splattered with blood.

  Chapter 24

  Jenna knelt beside Greyson, pressing her hand against his wound as hard as she could. She had to stop the blood. There was so much. She had to stop it.

  “Don’t you dare die! I will not be known as the crazy employee who finished you off!” Tears blurred her vision, but she held tight. She couldn’t remember who she knocked out of the way on her race to help Greyson, but she knew they were all behind her. Someone’s shirt was wrapped around Greyson’s shoulder, drenched in blood.

  He was unconscious, sprawled on his back with a crimson halo.

  Sirens screamed in the distance. It seemed as though it was only a blink of time before she was nudged out of the way by a swarm of blue. A blanket wrapped around her, and a bottle of water was pressed in her bloodstained hands. She clung to it.

  “Jenna,” Remy said, stooping so she could see his face. “We’re heading to the hospital. Do you want to come with us, or can I take you home?”

  “I’m coming,” Jenna said, gulping down her fear and shaking away the fog. “Who’s with Greyson?”

  “David is with him. You did good,” he said, clamping a hand on her shoulder.

  She didn’t feel like she ‘did good.’ Greyson was shot because of her. She was no better than the other employees who shot the poor man.

  “He needs to quit working,” Jenna said. “Employees are bad for his health.”

  Remy cracked a smile. “He might think differently. You can ask him later.” He hauled Jenna to her feet, bracing her as her knees wobbled. “Need a lift to the car?”

  “I’m fine. Just give me a moment.”

  Remy nodded and stood dutifully while she regained her senses that had been shattered by the sight of blood. So much blood.

  “Will he be okay?” Jenna asked.

  “There’s only one way to find out.”

  Jenna gave a curt nod. “Let’s go.”

  * * *

  Jenna sat numbly in a chair next to Greyson. He was alive and patched but was still in critical condition.

  She had watched as Remy and David paced like caged lions in the waiting room, watched as the doctor came out to give them the news, and watched as Greyson slept.

  “He looks uncomfortable with that scratchy beard. It must be tickling his neck,” Mya said thoughtfully, her hand tucked into Greyson’s on the opposite side of the bed.

  “He likes it,” Jenna said. “I think I like it too.”

  Mya smiled.

  “Do you think he’ll forgive me?” Jenna asked.

  “For what?” Mya asked, her eyes round.

  “For getting him shot. He told me about his past employees. He didn’t really want me around either, and for good reason. Look, he’s been shot. Again.”

  “Don’t be silly. You didn’t shoot him. And he’s fine. Just like always.”

  Jenna didn’t think Greyson looked fine. His skin was gray and dewy.

  “He’s fine,” Mya insisted, although her eyes were misty.

  David moved close to his wife and kissed her on the head. “Time to go home.”

  “But I just got here.”

  “You’ve been here for two hours.”

  “But —”

  “I’ll make sure the doctor calls with updates.”

  Mya pouted.

  “I’ll be here,” Jenna said. “I won’t leave until he’s awake.”

  “You don’t have to do that,” David said. “I can drive you home. You need sleep too. You’ve had a long day.”

  Jenna shook her head. “I’m staying.”

  “That’s right,” Mya agreed. She stood and took David’s arm, ushering him out the door. “They’ll be fine all by themselves.”

  “Not too subtle, is she?” David smiled, earning a tsk from Mya. “Call us though, okay?”

  “I promise.”

  David took one last look at Greyson before allowing Mya to whisk him away.

  Greyson still looked like wet ash. She slipped her hand into his and held tight, lowering her head to the bed to ease the pounding. She was so tired, but she knew sleep wouldn’t come until Greyson woke.

  She heard footsteps enter the room. She didn’t bother lifting her head. It was probably just the nurse doing her mandatory rounds.

  “Jenna?”


  She looked up to find a young man standing hesitantly in the doorway.

  “Adam!” Jenna stood, about to race over when Greyson’s hand gripped hers. She looked down to see if he had woken up, but his lids were still heavy over his eyes, yet his hand wouldn’t release hers.

  “Where have you been? Are you okay?” Jenna asked, rooted to her spot.

  Adam walked over and wrapped his arms around her. She hugged back with her one free arm.

  “I’m fine, now,” he said, releasing her. “I didn’t think I’d ever be. I’m so sorry you were dragged into this.”

  “It wasn’t your fault. You didn’t know you picked up the wrong guitar case.”

  “But when I found out, I got scared and threw it into the garbage. I should’ve known someone would come looking for it. I put everyone in danger.”

  “And now it’s over. Right?” New panic set in. Maybe it wasn’t over.

  “It’s over, but I don’t know how I’m going to repay your boss.”

  Jenna looked at Greyson. “I’ll find a way.”

  “You’ll round up sixteen million?” he scoffed.

  “Sixteen million,” Jenna sputtered.

  He nodded. “According to Sergio, that was what cleared the debt. That and the . . .” He gestured to Greyson’s bandage.

  “Dear Lord.” Jenna sank into the chair. “How are we going to repay him? I already owe money for clothes.”

  “Is that what he bought you?” Adam asked, brow raised at her tiny outfit.

  “His sister-in-law. Don’t bother asking. I’m too tired.”

  “I’ll let you get your rest then,” he said, stepping back.

  “Don’t you dare leave,” Jenna scolded. “You have a year to make up for, so start talking. Where have you been?”

  Adam’s smile was weary, but he pulled up a chair and talked for a good hour until Jenna’s eyelids hung so heavy, they were slits. He told her about the places he’d hidden in, always watching his back. He told her about Tania and how she saved him a few times. They were going to get married. He loved her.