by Rebecca Deel
Matt’s family owned a lake house thirty minutes from Otter Creek. They had offered use of the place whenever he wanted. He’d broach the idea with Matt before he pitched it to the Rainers.
The lake house was the perfect place. A top-of-the-line security system and good lines of sight around the large cabin. He and Matt could stock the cabin kitchen with food. Cade made a mental note to purchase hot chocolate and packages of tea as well as coffee for her. Since he’d met Perk’s beautiful owner, he had paid attention to her drink preferences.
As he followed the asphalt ribbon, he planned surprises to make their honeymoon special. After Durango returned to mission rotation, Cade would take Sasha out of town. Maybe the beach for a week. His mouth curved at the prospect of spending hours on the beach, soaking up the sun and salt air with his wife.
After parking at the back of his house, Cade trailed his fingers down Sasha’s cheek. “Sasha, we’re home.”
In under a minute, they were inside the house. Matt turned from the counter where he was measuring coffee to make a fresh pot. “Welcome back. Did you find Gerard and Westlake?”
He held up his hand to stop his friend’s questions, and turned to Sasha. He wrapped his arms around her. “You need to sleep. I have the first watch. If you need something, come to me.” Mindful of their audience, he briefly kissed Sasha, then nudged her toward the hallway.
He waited until the door to Sasha’s room closed before he said to Matt, “Westlake is dead. Bullet to the head. Not my doing.”
“Gerard?”
“Alive when he left the hotel with his new wife.”
His friend’s eyebrows soared. “Shelly?”
“Yeah. They got married this afternoon in Gatlinburg after she resigned from Fortress.”
“Ah. Wondered if she might walk after Gerard was fired.”
“I told them to go off the grid. He’s to leave burner numbers with Zane. I’ll let them know when it’s safe to come out of hiding.” He hesitated a moment. “I think Gerard may petition to rejoin Fortress.”
“Don’t know if the boss will go for that since Gerard sold you out and intended to harm your woman. How is Sasha holding up?”
He glanced toward the hallway. “She’s beyond exhausted. We need to figure out who’s after us and why.”
When his cell phone signaled an incoming message, Cade checked the screen. His stomach knotted as he read the information from Zane. Not good. He’d found Gerard and his wife just in time.
He looked at Matt. “The two clowns in the truck at the mall are dead. Both of them shot in the head. Black Dog is cleaning house.” And the danger to Sasha had risen to another level.
The medic frowned. “Why would anyone work for that organization? Your life expectancy is pretty short if you sign on with them.”
“People think they’ll beat the odds.”
“The odds are stacked against gamblers.” He clapped Cade on the shoulder. “Wake me in two hours. I’ll sleep after you and Sasha leave.”
The next two hours passed without incident while Cade searched the Internet for references to Black Dog. Still nothing except rumors and innuendo about the mercenary group’s leader. Someone had to know this person’s identity.
Frustrated, he decided to follow one more thread before he woke Matt. Three clicks of the mouse later, Cade froze. Oh, man. Why?
As soon as the question formed in his mind, he knew the answer. Had known for a couple days but didn’t want to believe his own conclusion. Until now, he couldn’t find proof. This wasn’t much, a thin strand at best. Hardcore proof would have to come from Zane. Cade copied the link and sent it to the Fortress tech guru. If anyone could unearth the evidence they needed, it was Z.
Disgusted and heartsick, Cade shut down his laptop and went to wake Matt. He opened the door to the medic’s room and his friend’s eyes opened.
“Please tell me there’s fresh coffee waiting.”
“Full pot.”
“You’re a true friend, Cowboy.” When he didn’t respond to the teasing remark, Matt sat up. “What’s wrong?”
Cade stepped into the room and closed the door so Sasha wouldn’t overhear his next words. “Black Dog’s leader is Dean Ingram.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Matt blew out a breath. “You sure?”
Cade leaned against the bedroom door. “I sent what I found to Z. He’ll confirm the information. This will break Sasha’s heart.”
“Your woman is tough. She’ll handle it.” The medic swung his legs to the floor. “Give me a minute, then you can go to bed.”
By the time Matt walked into the kitchen, fully dressed and alert with his hair damp and the scent of soap emanating from him, Cade had a large mug of coffee ready along with a couple muffins.
“Thanks.” After taking several sips of the steaming liquid, Matt inclined his head toward the hallway. “Rest while you have the chance. I’ll watch over the house and your girl.”
“See you in two hours.” Before Cade walked into his bedroom, he listened at Sasha’s door. No sounds. Excellent. Maybe she would enjoy more than two hours of sleep tonight. He hated to see the shadows under her eyes.
He draped a quilt over his body and was asleep in less than a minute.
At the two-hour mark, Cade rolled out of bed and readied himself for the day. Before he left the room, Cade unlocked the gun safe and chose a backup piece. Since Gerard hadn’t called for help, he assumed the newlyweds were safe.
He walked into the kitchen in time to see Matt pouring coffee into a mug.
“No problems in the last two hours,” the medic reported.
“Anything from Fortress?” Cade accepted the mug and sipped the strong brew. Definitely not Sasha’s coffee, but it was hot and packed a punch.
A head shake. “You’ll be at PSI around noon?”
“That’s the plan. Sasha mentioned blueberry muffins and vanilla scones for today’s menu at Perk.”
“Sounds good. Tell her to hold back a couple of each for me. I’ll be at Perk at eight and stay until you’re ready to leave for PSI.”
Soft footsteps sounded from the hallway. Both men turned.
Just seeing Sasha made Cade’s heart turn over in his chest. Man, she lit up a room when she entered. He set his coffee aside and wrapped his arms around her. He could get used to this. Any day starting off with this woman in his arms was guaranteed to be a good one. “Good morning. Sleep well?”
She nodded. “Needed another few hours, but I’ll take what I can get. You?”
“I rested.”
Sasha gave a soft laugh. “We need a vacation when this is over.”
He couldn’t agree more. “Ready to go?”
“I need coffee first. My brain cells aren’t firing.”
“Got you covered.” Matt handed her a travel mug. “It’s black.”
“Thanks, Matt.”
“Always happy to indulge my favorite barista.” He turned to Cade. “I’ll check the SUV.”
“Matt wants you to set aside a couple muffins and scones for him.” Cade pressed a soft kiss to Sasha’s lips, easing away as Matt returned.
“It’s clean.”
“Thanks.” He capped his travel mug, shouldered his Go bag, and escorted Sasha to the SUV.
Cade considered what he’d learned about Dean. Should he tell Sasha? Dread filled his gut at the prospect of hurting the woman he loved. He didn’t want to tell her information unconfirmed by Zane in case Cade was wrong.
He’d wait until he had undeniable proof. Dean deserved that much consideration. Cade didn’t want to accuse Sasha’s brother unjustly.
On the drive to Perk, Cade watched for problems. His skin crawled, never a good sign. Although he scanned the area repeatedly, he didn’t see a vehicle following them.
He parked in the alley behind Perk. “Ready?”
“This day is starting whether I’m ready or not.”
He met her at the front of the SUV. “Have you thought about hiring a full-time
worker, maybe a manager? If you plan to open a restaurant, you need someone trustworthy at Perk while you’re busy with the other place.”
“Mornings like this, I’m tempted.”
Cade held out his hand for her shop keys. “Do you have someone in mind to run Perk when we’re on our honeymoon?”
Her head whipped his direction. “Do you know where we’re going?”
“I have details to work out before I tell you.”
“Surprise me. Just tell me the type of clothes I need to pack.”
“Durango will be on leave. We can’t go far until Durango is back on mission rotation.”
“I don’t care where we go, Cade. As long as I’m with you, I’ll be happy.”
“I’ll make it up to you, Sasha. Our real honeymoon will be worth the wait.” He unlocked the shop door and stepped inside.
Cade frowned. The alarm wasn’t beeping. Had Sasha’s workers forgotten to set the alarm? He caught Sasha’s hand as she reached to turn on the light. “Wait. Let me check the rest of the shop first. Wait here.”
When she nodded, Cade motioned for her to stay by the door. Eyes now adjusted to the darkness, he moved easily through the kitchen to the main room. Not many places to hide in the shop. He checked behind the counter, then scanned the large room. Clear.
He returned to the kitchen and skidded to a stop. The room was empty. “Sasha?” No response.
Alarm roaring through him, Cade went to the walk-in pantry and yanked open the door. Not there. His gaze locked on the closed door to the alley. Outside? Why? Did she forget something in the SUV?
He ran to the door and twisted the knob. A heavy weight shoved against the door and it flew open, slamming into Cade. He stumbled backward, tripped on the leg of the prep table and went down, hard.
Two men dressed in black rushed into the kitchen, weapons drawn and aimed at him.
Cade froze.
“If you want to see your girlfriend alive again, come with us,” the bigger of the two men said, his voice deep and raspy. He was so large, he reminded Cade of a mountain man.
“On your feet, nice and slow.” The skinny man motioned with the barrel of his Sig.
He could take them. After eyeing Mountain Man again, he amended that to he could probably take them. However, he didn’t know if these men had partners with Sasha.
“All right. Don’t hurt my girlfriend.”
“Hurry up,” Beanpole snapped. “We don’t got all day.”
Cade rolled to his side and twisted so his back and shoulders blocked the other men’s view of his hands. He grasped the side of his watch and pushed the first button, then got to his feet, hands out to his sides.
They shoved him through the doorway into the alley. Cade saw a van idling near his vehicle. The opened side door revealed Sasha on her side on the floor, unmoving.
His heart skipped a beat. No. Cade prayed she wasn’t seriously hurt. If he lost Sasha, he would never recover. He raced toward the van. “Sasha!” After climbing inside, he placed two fingers against the side of her neck and breathed a sigh of relief when he felt a strong pulse.
“On your stomach, Ramsey.” The driver turned toward him with a gun pointed at Cade. “Resist and your girlfriend dies.”
Without a word, he lay flat. Mountain Man yanked Cade’s arms behind his back and cinched his wrists together with zip ties, then backed away.
“Use this,” muttered Beanpole. “I don’t trust him.”
Cade heard the distinctive snap of a taser and knew what was coming. Seconds later, pain wracked his body as electricity arced through him, locking his muscles. Man, he hated tasers. Beat getting shot or stabbed, but he despised having zero control over his body.
“Hit him again,” the driver demanded.
Cade’s body jerked as electricity overloaded his system. Unable to move, all he could do when the flow of electricity stopped was breathe and pray his emergency signal would bring help in time to save him and Sasha.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Sasha woke to another miserable headache. In fact, her whole body hurt. She frowned. Why was her bed so hard and vibrating? Not a bed. A vehicle. Had she passed out? Was Cade taking her to the hospital?
Memory slowly returned. Cade had been checking the front room of Perk when someone grabbed her, hauled her outside, and threw her in a van. Sasha remembered horrible pain, and then nothing.
Sasha became aware of men’s voices in the vehicle, voices she didn’t recognize. Where was Cade?
She opened her mouth to call his name, then thought better of it. Better not call attention to herself. Sasha opened her eyes to slits. Cade lay in front of her. He was on his stomach, wrists cinched behind his back, his face toward her.
Was he still alive? Her stomach clenched. He couldn’t be dead. She needed to get a grip. Why immobilize Cade if he was dead?
Since the men who took them weren’t paying attention to her, Sasha tried to move toward Cade. No dice. Good grief. What had the creeps hit her with? Maybe they drugged her.
She gritted her teeth and made another attempt to move, and this time succeeded in shifting closer to the man she loved. “Cade,” she whispered. No response. Sasha wiggled closer. “Baby, wake up.” A nudge with her foot. Still nothing.
Not good. She shifted a few inches more until she could kiss him if she wanted. Would he be like Sleeping Beauty and wake if she kissed him? Sasha staunched the hysterical laughter threatening to escape. They were in trouble, and she couldn’t afford to lose it now. Cade’s life might depend on her holding herself together.
“Cade.” Tears stung her eyes when he didn’t respond. At least this close she felt his breath on her face.
What would happen to them now? She had her cell phone, couldn’t call for help without attracting attention.
At least she and Cade were together. If Sasha convinced the men she wasn’t a threat, maybe they’d free her hands. Where were they taking her and Cade? When she called Zane for help, he’d have to trace her cell signal.
Finally, the driver turned off the paved road and onto a rutted gravel track. Every bump and hole jolted her body. A few minutes or hours later, the driver slowed to a stop.
The other two men turned and saw she had moved to Cade.
The big one leered at her. “Well, look who’s awake. Wes will be pleased.”
Wes? Sasha’s breath caught. Their kidnapping was connected to the failed bank robbery? These men must be part of Black Dog.
The skinny one yanked open the van’s side door. “I’ll grab the girl. You handle Ramsey.” He grasped Sasha’s arm. “The boss is waiting for you.” He pulled her from the vehicle. When Sasha’s legs wouldn’t hold her weight, he tossed her over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry.
Sasha twisted until she could see the van. The big man and the driver dragged Cade from the vehicle and followed.
“Quit squirming,” her captor groused, and slammed a fist into her thigh.
Sasha yelped as pain radiated from her thigh down the rest of her leg. She’d worried about her ability to run when her legs gave out. With the punch to her thigh, that option was gone. Besides, she wouldn’t leave Cade. They’d have to come up with a different plan. If she could wake him.
She raised up to check on him. The two clowns still had his arms draped across their shoulders and were hauling him into the building in her wake. Why wasn’t he rousing?
A moment later, the skinny man carried Sasha into a large building. The interior walls were cinder block and painted an off white. Boring, utilitarian, and institutional were the words that came to mind.
After walking down a long hallway, her captor threw open a door and hauled Sasha off his shoulder with a grunt. He shoved her into one of the two chairs in the center of the room. “Stay or I’ll tie you to the chair.”
The two other clods dragged Cade inside and tossed him in the chair beside hers. The big one cut the binding around Cade’s wrists and secured him to the arms of the chair, then the men left the ro
om.
Sasha scanned the room. There was nothing to use as a weapon to defend herself and Cade. At least two of the men were outside the door. Sasha could hear them talking.
A camera was mounted on the ceiling in the corner. Couldn’t tell if it was on. “Cade. Please, wake up.” At the risk of sounding pathetic, she added softly, “I’m afraid. I need you here with me.”
He drew in a deep breath.
Her heart skipped a beat. “That’s it. Come back to me.”
His eyelids flickered. “Sasha,” he whispered.
“I’m here.”
“Hurt?”
How like him to be more concerned about her than himself. “I don’t think so. I think they drugged me. I can’t control my muscles. I was too weak to stand on my own a few minutes ago.”
“Taser.”
She blinked. Well, that explained the lack of communication between her brain and her body. “How long will it take for the effects to wear off?”
“Hour. Longer for me.”
“Why?”
“Stunned me twice.” He grimaced and managed to raise his head to look at her. “Screwed up.”
“There’s a camera in the right corner in the ceiling. Could they be recording everything we say?”
“Possibly.”
“How can I protect you?” she whispered. “Tell me what to do.”
He was silent a moment. “I’m the one they want. If you have the chance, run and don’t look back. I’ll try to cover you.”
Sasha scowled. “I’m not leaving you. We go or stay together.”
“You promised.”
“I know, but I can’t run.”
“Taser?”
“That, and one of the creeps punched me in the thigh. I don’t think my leg will hold up if I run. Think of something else.”
Before he answered, the door opened. Sasha’s eyes widened when she saw her brother. “Dean, help me.”
His lip curled. “I warned you, little sister.”
No. Dean was in this compound, walking freely without a guard. That could only mean one thing. “You did this? You sent these thugs after me? They hurt me and Cade. How could you do that?”
