by J. L. Drake
“Hey!” The American yells, bursting through the door. “What the fuck are you doing?”
“Just chatting,” Luka says calmly.
“I didn’t bring you here for a fucking meet and greet. Get out so I can get this done.” The American slips a pair of brass knuckles over his fingers and makes a fist.
“Is that really necessary?” Luka asks, making a disgusted face as he stands. “May I have a word with you outside?” He touches The American’s shoulder, but jumps back when the man turns on him, grabbing his arm and twisting it.
“Don’t fucking touch me, ever!” The American snarls. “Outside!”
Luka nods as he rubs his arm and follows The American out the door. It slams behind them, leaving one man with a machine gun alone with Cole.
Cole tilts his head and stares at the man. He’s so young, maybe early twenties. His face is sweaty and his body is shaking, making his fingers flex on the gun.
The kid tosses the strap over his head. “You move,” he says in a thick accent. “I blow your head off.”
Cole smiles at him and whispers something under his breath, waiting for him to come just a little closer. Sure enough, the kid takes two steps toward him. Cole suddenly grabs the side of the pipe as he kicks the barrel of the gun so it shoots up and slams the kid in the eye. He falls backward with a scream and scrambles to the other side of the wall away from Cole’s reach.
The door flies open, and The American sees the kid on the floor, holding his head and groaning in pain. He looks at Cole, walks up to him, and punches him in the side of the head once with the brass knuckles.
It’s dark again when Cole comes to, a tiny crack in the wall providing a cool breeze. His skull feels like he was hit by a Mack truck, probably fractured. It hurts like hell just to open his eyes, and he’s thankful the light is off. The door opens as another wave of nausea hits hard. He leans over and vomits. Fuck.
A water bottle is dropped at his feet. He looks up to find Luka standing above him. Oh, Christ, here comes good cop-bad cop again. He moves his hands down the pipe, using his foot to slide the water bottle toward him. He opens it awkwardly and takes a drink, the cool water like liquid gold. His stomach immediately feels better. If only he could get some painkillers. He chuckles a bit at the thought.
“Something funny?” Luka asks, sitting on the floor across from him.
“Not really,” Cole huffs as he drops the empty bottle on the floor.
“She hated the press, you know.” He starts his story like they were never interrupted. “Savannah hated her father for choosing his job over her, so she’d get drunk and parade around town, disgracing herself.”
Cole bends down and reaches for his throbbing head, feeling the blood trickle down his neck. Luka tosses his water bottle at him and hits his leg.
“You paying attention? ’Cause this is where it gets interesting.”
Cole glares over at him, dropping his hands and straightening up.
“One night, I found the Mayor drinking in his office. He confessed that someone contacted him with proof of life for Savannah, but since he didn’t pay right away, now they were blackmailing him, saying he’d set the whole thing up. I knew Los Sirvientes Del Diablos told him I was behind it all. I could tell by his look. I thought it was over, but instead, he asked for my help. I was shocked. After all, she is his daughter, but I dodged a major bullet. We both want to be at the top, and we’ll do whatever is needed to get there.”
He claps his hands, making Cole’s head pound. “So, a new plan is hatched! We start to use the media as much as possible. No one could accuse us of not caring about our missing Savannah. We ignore the ransom demands and hope they’ll dispose of her. Everything was running smoothly. There was no contact with them, everything was good. But then, a few months later, I’m at a bar, and boots, here,” referring to The American, “approaches me, saying we better pay up, or they’re going to release a recording they have with the mayor on the damn phone discussing the ransom deal. They were going to prove he did know his daughter was alive, and he didn’t give a shit. So, we started low balling. We started with fifty grand, just to buy us some time to think, but before we got the chance, she vanishes into thin air.”
Cole leans back, trying to get his aching head to absorb all the information Luka is throwing at him.
“Hang on.” Cole stops his babbling. “You thought ignoring a group with ties to the Cartels was going to make them go away? Had you even heard of the Cartels before you got involved with them?” This guy is seriously stupid.
“They got paid for taking the girl. As far as I was concerned, our deal was finished. They were the ones who didn’t fulfill their end of the bargain.”
“You’re playing stupid in the Devil’s back yard,” Cole says in disbelief, not caring if it pisses off Luka. “Hell, you made a deal with his God-damned self-proclaimed servants!”
Luka rubs the back of his neck. “Yes, I understand that now,” he agrees, nodding sadly. “They accused us of taking her and started sending reminders that we owe them two million or they’d release the tape.” He raises his voice. “They threatened my family, and Lynn, and they tried to set my car on fire. Boots, or ‘The American,’ as you call him, finally realized we had no idea where the hell she was or what was going on. After a lot of money and time, we found out the fucking U.S. Army has her hidden away.” He leans forward again, staring right into Cole’s eyes. “You see, Colonel, I did make a deal with the Devil, and I have to see it through. So, this brings us to you. I need you to give the girl to The American, I need to pay the two million, and the mayor needs to win this election so we can all go and live our lives the way things were meant to be. It is a very easy fix.”
Cole’s mind is blown. So many lies, so many deceitful people. He can’t believe her own father could give her up so easily. God, this will kill her, if nothing else does.
“How stupid do you think I am?” Cole asks. “You think with all you told me that you’re going to let me go? Luka, I didn’t become a colonel at thirty because of my fighting skills.”
“I really don’t like repeating myself, but considering all I told you, I’m sure your mind is spinning. So, where is she?” Luka sighs, ignoring Cole’s comment.
Cole decides he needs some more information before he makes his move.
“Why would Lynn betray her?”
Luka seems to consider. “I’ll answer you, and in return, you answer me.” He straightens his tie. “Lynn and I became involved a few years back. She didn’t seem to mind that I was eleven years older. We kept it quiet, and no one knew, especially Savannah. Lynn despised her. She was jealous, and she couldn’t understand why Savannah didn’t want to be a part of the campaign and involve herself in her father’s life. Why couldn’t she see that we would all benefit? We would be taken to the top with him.” He shakes his head. “Lynn had a bad childhood. She resented Savannah for having had a good one, and now she was throwing away Lynn’s chance at finally getting what she deserved.”
“Watching your mother deteriorate over four months hardly makes for a happy childhood,” Cole shoots back, feeling his anger bore through his veins.
“It really was for the best, although her mother was not a supporter of Doug going into politics.” Luka shrugs and rolls his eyes. “Apparently, Savannah takes after her.”
Cole starts to laugh. His patience with the man has run out, and his vision is clouding. “You’re so fucked.”
“That may be so,” Luka says, getting to his feet, “but I’m not the one handcuffed to a water pipe in a house full of men who want me dead.” He opens the door and signals for someone to come in. He turns to Cole. “Last chance.”
The American walks in, looking pissed off and stressed. “Well?” he asks Luka.
“Fuck you,” Cole says, making the two of them look at him.
“What?” The American scowls.
“I said…fuck you.”
The American studies him for a moment then tak
es out a handkerchief, dabbing his brow as he considers. “Okay, Colonel, we’re done here.” He nods at two men to come in while he points his gun at Cole’s head.
One of the guys is the kid from earlier, his eye swollen shut. The kid removes one of the handcuffs, freeing him from the pipe. He slaps it back on Cole’s wrist and jerks him to his feet. Normally, he would make a move, but he is outnumbered and can hear more men in the other room. No, for now, he’ll wait for the perfect moment before he strikes.
“We could still get it out of him,” Luka protests, but The American shakes his head.
“He won’t talk. He has too much pride. Don’t you, Captain America?” He laughs. “I know you care for the girl in the same way I do. We both love her. I can see it in your face when I mention her name.”
Cole’s face hardens.
“I can’t wait to feel her under me, Colonel. I can’t wait to hear her whimper and beg when I—”
Cole shoots forward, head-butting The American and sending him backward. The guard with two working eyes knocks Cole in the head with the stock of his rifle, bringing him to his knees.
He cries out as his ears ring, pain exploding in every direction throughout his head.
The American’s boots clink on the floor as he comes closer. “Take him to the tub. I think the colonel needs a little reminder who’s in charge here.” He looks at Longhorn. “I need to make a trip into town. Give him ten, then cuff him back to the pipe.”
“Si, señor.”
Cole hears the American leave the room, the door shut behind him, and the roar of an engine.
“Change of plans,” Longhorn says to One Eye. “Get the back room ready, esé.” He smirks down at Cole. “Time for some fun, Colonel.”
Savannah
I’ve been a mess for the past three days. I just lie in bed and watch the time tick by, wondering where Cole is. I catch myself slipping, thinking the worst, but then I feel guilty for giving up hope. I cry a lot and barely eat. June and Abigail take shifts watching me. Sue has been curled up on my bed most of the time. She needs comforting as much as I do. We take turns being strong for each other while Daniel and Keith work frantically with Frank, trying to use their contacts in Mexico to track down Cole. Mark, John, and Paul try to help, but they are all ordered to stand down. It’s now personal for them, and two of them are still recovering from their wounds.
Derek is in charge of the new men Daniel brought in. Everyone seems to be busy doing something but me. I feel stuck between moving forward and wanting to stay in the past, when Cole was with me. I hum quietly to my stomach. I find it soothes me, and I hope it soothes the little one too.
Needing a change of scenery, I head downstairs. When I hear shouting from the entertainment room, I head that way. I peek around the corner to see what is happening. Everyone in the room seems to be waiting for a video to start.
“All it says is that it’s a message for Team Blackstone,” Daniel says, looking pale.
The video comes into focus, and I reach for the wall for support. Cole is on his knees, beaten, shirtless, and sweaty, a nasty cut running along his torso. Blood drips in trails over his face from a gash on his head. His mouth is gagged, and his wrists are cuffed in front of him. He looks up into the camera, making my heart stand still. Everyone gasps and cries out. Mark stands and moves closer to the TV.
A man stands next to Cole; his hands are crossed in front. Then I see it. He’s holding a large machete. I freeze, unable to breathe. My brain begs me to look away, but I can’t.
“All you had to do was return her,” the man says as the camera moves up to his face. “Blackstone killed twenty-eight of our men. Now I will kill one of yours and will continue killing until you give us what we want.” The camera zooms in on his face then slowly moves down his body to the knife held over Cole’s neck.
Cole is breathing hard, beads of sweat obvious in the close-up zoom.
Suddenly, the machete flashes. The force of the cut sends Cole’s body in a twist, and he slumps to the ground. Blood sprays everywhere, including onto the camera lens.
Everything goes silent. People are moving in slow motion around me. I lock eyes with Mark, who has heard me gasp and discovers me watching them.
He is horrified and frozen, staring at me, until everyone turns to see me standing there.
Daniel cups his mouth in horror while Paul and John gasp, rising to their feet. A sharp cramp in my lower abdomen makes me cry out, and I fall forward as pain grips me in a vise.
Mike is standing nearest, and he leaps toward me, cradling my head before I hit the floor.
The physical pain is overwhelming. I gasp, trying to catch my breath. My fingers claw at my stomach. What the hell is happening?
“Call the doctor!” Keith shouts as he flies to my side.
I see the horror in his face when his eyes flicker to my stomach.
Daniel pushes Mike out of the way and bends down.
“Shh, sweetheart,” he whispers through a sob. “Just breathe.” He strokes my hair, murmuring something to Keith.
Everything goes black.
“Her HCG levels are low,” a nurse says as I stare at the wall, expressionless, everything numb. “Twenty-six forty. I’ll go check the results of her urine test.” She nods to the doctor as she leaves the room.
“Savannah, do you feel any discomfort?” I feel so much pain, the idea of pinpointing a single one seems impossible.
Daniel touches my hand, tears streaming down his face as he bends down to my eye level.
“Savannah?” he whispers.
I close my eyes and nod once.
I feel the unwanted pressure as the probe is inserted, and the odd noise like you’re standing too close to a speaker while holding a microphone fills the room. A tear rolls down my face as I see Cole standing in front of me. It’s only for a moment—then he’s gone. A sob hits me. I want to curl into a ball, but I can’t. I have to wait until they find out if the only tiny piece of Cole I have left is still alive inside me. I close my eyes. This is all too much.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The Next Night
Savannah
I feel Sue slip off the bed. Her steps are quiet as she shuts the door behind her. She only leaves when she thinks I’m asleep. I open my eyes and discover it’s still dark out. My head is pounding, but I don’t care. I don’t want to be alone, but I don’t want anyone with me except Cole. Keith has permanently taken up residence on the couch in Cole’s room, saying he won’t leave until I do.
I roll over, hugging Cole’s pillow and breathing in his scent. I sob, not just because I lost the one person I love more than anything, but because I will never hold our baby. My only comfort is that Cole will. I never believed in heaven or hell, but right now I just want to picture them together, happy, and waiting for me to join them. I imagine Cole holding our little one. Telling him how much I love him, kissing his soft, deep-brown hair, and looking into his sweet, dark eyes—so much like his father’s. I reach for the Army teddy bear and bring it to my chest. I feel so empty, so lost. I’ve felt pain before, but that was nothing compared to this. How am I supposed to move forward when everything in my body is telling me I can’t? I’m over this life; I want a redo.
I focus my eyes on something taped to the back of Cole’s nightstand. I shift, pretending to pull the cover over me. I see what it is and feel like fate is finally on my side. Taking a deep breath and closing my eyes, I make a silent promise to myself for the second time in my life that I will make it back to my family. There’s a difference between living and surviving, but this, right here, is neither. I lean up slowly to look at Keith; he’s fast asleep. I reach for the handle, slipping it out of the holster, my hand slick with tears. Still clutching the teddy bear in one hand, I raise the pistol to my temple with the other. For the first time in a long time, I finally feel like I’m at peace.
Major Mark Lopez – 01:52 A.M.
Mark sits at Cole’s desk, sipping his brother’s brandy. He’s
finally gotten his hands on the DVD the Cartels sent. He had to convince Frank to let him have it before he left in the morning. He feels strongly they are missing something—he just doesn’t know what.
He presses play and watches the tape again and again, until something finally catches his eye. He backs up the tape and watches frame by frame. “What?” Mark whispers in disbelief, setting his drink down so sharply it splashes over his hand. He shifts forward and watches the last scene before Cole slumps to the floor.
“Holy fucking shit!”
The End
Want to read the next installment of the
Broken Trilogy?
Shattered
J.L. Drake
Note to my readers:
Thank you for reading the first book in my Broken trilogy. This story came to me in a dream one night. When I woke the next morning, I started writing as fast as I could as the story flowed out of me. I completed the book in about two months. It was never meant to be a trilogy, but even after the second book, I realized I still needed more of Cole and Savannah. Their story just kept unfolding and growing. These two characters hold a very special place in my heart. As in my first novel, What Lurks in the Dark, there are some scenes that I have pulled from my own life. I truly hope you will fall in love with Cole and Savi as I have.
If I were able, I would release this book like a TV series—a week at a time just to make the story last longer and savor their journey together.
Please keep in mind that this is a fictional story, and that I do understand that in real life, unlike fiction, things happen much more slowly than they do in the book. The story moves along quickly and takes place in only a few months.
