“I know you’re frustrated, and she’s been gone a month, but we’re closer. We called some other friends. I called the Greek,” Ferrion said to them.
“Oh shit,” Cab whispered, knowing that the Greek was an inside intelligence guy that mercenaries and other US soldiers had as a resource for certain sticky situations.
“And?” Marco asked.
“And he used his resources, and we believe Vin has her somewhere within this fifty-mile radius off the coast of the Hawaiian Islands. All fingers are pointing to Niihau, the forbidden island. Not heavily populated, but he’s working on some leads to a private home. He’s working his angle with locals, but said we should head out as soon as possible. Montana’s brothers, Curren and Presley, have a private jet they’re fueling up right now as we speak. Since we’re doing this under the radar of the federal agents, we need to be quiet about our departure. The Greek said don’t worry about military supplies. He’ll have things ready for us.”
“God damn, he must have something good. Something more concrete and isn’t telling us yet. We’ll be ready,” Marco said to him.
“We’re going, too,” Ferrion told him, and then they prepared to leave.
Isla lay on the couch in her cottage and wished her pounding headache would go away. Tears fell from her eyes as she continued to think of York being held prisoner by the man who tried to rape her years ago. She shivered and then felt the blanket go over her body. She glanced up at Montana.
“Are you in pain?” he asked, and bent down next to her. He caressed the tears away.
“I know what it’s like to be a prisoner. To be held against your will, touched…” She cried and he lowered his face to her forehead and kissed her. He caressed her hip and she reached up and hugged him. He maneuvered her up and onto his lap as he sat on the couch and pulled the blanket around her. She cuddled up against him. Lost in his embrace, in the feel of his large body beneath her. He was so big, muscular and tall, it intimidated her and yet aroused her, too. Her mind was on York and the risks she took to save Isla. “She has to live, Montana. Her men have to find her.”
“They will. Everyone is working on this. My brothers, too,” he said to her.
She pulled back and stared into his green eyes. “Your brothers? How can they help?”
“You don’t know them, Isla, but they are good, kind men.” He caressed her hair and she felt that fearful sensation. Like she was letting down her guard too much, and wasn’t sure of the results, or the vulnerability it placed her in. Then Montana stroked her jaw. “Please don’t look at me like I scare you.” He used his other hand to hold her back and he leaned closer. “My brothers and I would never hurt you. Never.” He pressed his lips to hers, but as it grew deeper, she pulled back and looked down. He cupped her cheeks and made her look at him. “Nice and slow. I’m not going anywhere, Isla. Take your time.”
Vin hadn’t lied to her. There really wasn’t anyone around as far as she could tell. There were guards here and there, all decked out in military gear, lots of guns and ammunition, but when she was on the beach with Vin, they were nowhere to be seen. He didn’t drug her during the days, only at night. Perhaps he knew that if she wasn’t drugged, she would slit his throat, or try to kill him. He was right. She would. She thought about it a lot, especially as he touched her and talked about taking from her body soon. It was coming. He was beginning to let his guard down and feel comfortable, successful in his operation. She, however, was losing her patience, her acceptance to his touches, his actions violating her body with his fingers, his mouth, and his promises yet to come.
She closed her eyes and thought about her men. About Finn, Lotus, Marco, and Cab. It was like they were ghosts in her mind, memories of something that hadn’t really existed but was fantasy. It had to be from the drugs. There would be lasting effects, and if she ever got out of here, what reminders would she be left with from the forced addiction? In fact, she planned out in her head, that she would beg for the drugs if she was certain he was ready to rape her. She would rather be oblivious, then to feel that type of violation second by second.
Tears stung her eyes, but didn’t fall. She was lost in a shell she created around her heart, her body, a shield to try and not succumb to her fate. Yet deep, deep down low, somewhere she couldn’t identify, there was a fight, a defiance, and will to live a hope to survive, but then what was left? Vin would succeed. She would never get away from him, and if she killed him, then she would die by the hands of the soldiers guarding them, or worse, by the sharks. As she prepared her mind for the possibility to take action, she knew she didn’t want to die getting eaten alive by sharks, but instead by fighting to the very end. That would make her men proud. Not that they would ever know or find out.
Vin leaned over her, right there in the open, on the beach. He raised her arms up above her head and pressed between her thighs. He stared into her eyes and she didn’t look away. “You look incredible. I can feel your heart racing, your breathing hitch. You’re ready for me, tonight, York. Tonight is the night,” he said, and kissed her neck, then sucked against her skin, leaving a mark there. She didn’t resist and debated about begging for the drugs so she wouldn’t feel the pain of his actions.
He trailed his mouth lower, nipped her breast over the material of her bikini, and then lower. He did what he wanted, and she stared out at the ocean, tried to get lost in the shell around her heart and mind, someone called to him, interrupting. He growled against her mound but got up and released her arms and she lay there feeling stronger without the drugs in her constantly. But was she strong enough to escape getting raped? She would have to kill him.
“Seven men. All guarding this area right here,” Ferrion said, and pointed on the map.
“Satellite images show a house, set on its own, and the seven guards surrounding it. Locals delivered food and supplies to that part of the island two weeks ago,” Broaden told them.
“There are nine of us. We are going to have to hit them simultaneously. Seven on seven, two toward the house to take out Vin, and hopefully before he can hurt York first,” Snipe said to them.
“We can do this military style like we’re all experienced doing. Silently, no gunfire. The second one of these men fire their weapon, the surprise attack is no longer a surprise,” Snipe told them.
“Okay, let’s do this,” Marco said to them.
They went over the operation several times, and prepared their weapons as they waited for nightfall. They had assistance on the water. A chartered boat from Montana’s brothers, as well as additional men on standby sent by the Greek.
Lotus could feel his heart racing. It had been years since he was involved in a military operation, but everything came back to him quickly. Since Marco and Cab had the most recent experiences with military operations like this, they would take out the two men closest to the house, and Lotus would go in to eliminate Vin and save York if everything went as planned. Finn would get there as soon as he could as well as the others.
As they finally got the order to get into the small inflatable boats and make their way to the island, the adrenaline rush began to filter in. As they made land, the last thing they expected was to hear yelling and gunfire, and all seven of the men seemed to be running toward the house.
“Something is wrong. Move!” Ferrion ordered. They ran, hitting the water, not giving time to reach closer as they pushed through the waves and got to shore. They were wet, cold, guns drawn as they ran blindly toward the house. He didn’t even duck or respond to the bullets that whizzed by his head or the counter fire from his brother taking out a shooter. More bullets were exchanged, and another guard went down. Five more to go. The yard in front of the house was fully exposed as they got down low and waited for Ferrion’s command. Another few shots took out another guard Lotus didn’t even see coming from behind them. Three more to go. They heard yelling and screaming. “York,” he hissed.
“Hold up,” Marco said.
“She’s in trouble. Fuck this,�
� Cab yelled, and then went running toward the house. The gunfire that came at him revealed the location of the other two guards. All of them took aim and killed them.
“Let’s move. One more,” Snipe said, and they followed Cab into the house. There was screaming and then rapid gunfire.
“York!” Cab yelled, and they headed into the house, toward the sounds, hearts racing, fearful that she was just killed.
The strike to her cheek shocked her, but it shouldn’t have. She was denying his order to undress him and service him. “Go to hell,” she said, her body weak, but not drugged. No, she didn’t beg for the drugs, instead she planned her death. Her final stand against this monster. She only looked at the bedside table once. Knowing the knife was there. A switchblade, but it would do the job. If she didn’t stick it into him first, then she would stab herself.
He smacked her again, shoved down her skirt, then ripped her top. She screamed at him.
“I hate you. I will never be yours. You can force yourself on me, rape me, and I will never, never be yours.”
The backhand sent her to the right and against the side nightstand. He grabbed her hair from behind as she went to reach for the knife, but he struck her hard and she hit the wall. She screamed out and countered his move. Struck him in the face, scratched his eyes, and thrust her knee up into him. She felt the stinging pain from his strikes and his nails that tore her skin by her breasts and neck. It was do or die. As she turned, he slammed his arms down on her back, and it felt like her spine fractured. The pain paralyzed her movement, and she reached out to the blade. It fell to the floor. She grabbed it as he grabbed her by her hair, never seeing the knife fall as he was in a fit of rage and ready to rape her no matter what. She gripped it with her fist as he pulled her up by her hair, and she stabbed him in the shoulder. He roared in anger and gripped her neck. She gasped and slammed her palm into the blade, making it go deeper. He stumbled backward and she went to run, then heard the first shot and looked and saw the gun. She didn’t know where he had that, but as he pointed and shot, she screamed at the top of her lungs and charged at him. The bullet hit her chest and shoulder as she tackled him to the ground. The gun fell, and she scrambled over him. He grabbed at her legs, scratched them, pounded on them, and she took the gun, turned and fired, twice. He went down and then she heard yelling, saw by the open doorway a guard coming in and she shot him. Just kept shooting and somehow hit him in the face and chest. He went down and the gun clicked. It was empty of bullets. She knew the other soldiers were coming. Could hear gunfire, and she reacted, not knowing who they were shooting at, but remembering her plan of being in control of her death. She crawled toward the dead guard, grabbed the gun, looked at it, not knowing what the hell she was doing. She felt the gunshot to her shoulder and chest slowing her down. She shivered. Begged to not pass out or to go into shock and die now. No, she would take out more.
She tested the firing mechanism and pulled the trigger. Her body jerked back from the power of the automatic weapon. Her body throbbed, the bullet wound oozed blood, weakening her resolve to get free completely. As she saw a soldier coming toward the hallway, she started to fire the gun. She just kept firing. She stopped when he retreated and then she heard more gunfire outside. She thought she heard her name. Was she hallucinating? Losing her mind?
“York!” She heard her name again. Thought the voice sounded familiar. When she saw the figure, she lifted the gun. “No, York, it’s us. It’s Cab!” he yelled.
She shook her head, tears fell, and he was in there, on the floor, pulling the gun from her hands and yelling to others. She saw Lotus, then Marco, and Finn. Ferrion? “She’s been shot. Fuck, it’s bad,” Cab said.
“Vin is dead.”
“Sure the fuck is. God damn, you did that, York?” Snipe asked, and the others made comments.
“We need to move her. You guys get her to the boats and off the island. We’ll take care of the rest,” Broaden told them.
Marco pressed a cloth to her shoulder. As Cab lifted her, she moaned in pain.
“It went clear through. She needs a hospital right away,” Finn said and he reached out to touch her.
“Isla?” she asked, moaning.
“She is safe and sound. With my brother Montana,” Ortley told her.
“Hold on, baby. It’s going to be rough a little longer, but I know you can handle it. You’re so damn tough. You’re amazing, sweetie. We love you so much,” Cab said as he carried her out of the house.
The trek felt long, and soon they were on floating boats and heading out over the ocean. When they heard the explosion, and then saw fire encase the entire house, she knew they were getting rid of the evidence, of the operation they did to get her out of there, and any evidence of her killing those men. She saw the others, Ferrion, Broaden, Lextin, Snipe, and Ortley get into boats and head toward them. She didn’t know what was happening, and she began to feel like she might pass out.
“Drugs,” she said to them.
“Drugs? No, baby, we’re getting you to a boat and then to a hospital,” Marco said to her, and caressed her cheek. They had covered her with blankets to keep her warm.
“He drugged me. Tonight he planned on raping me.”
“Shhh, baby, it’s okay. He didn’t. You made sure of it.”
She felt the boat stop, heard other voices. Marco was giving orders and then an engine started. She was brought below deck, placed onto a bed, and there was someone there. A guy. He was looking her over, checking the wound. “She lost a lot of blood, but we should be able to get her help in time. I have something for the pain, to help her rest.” He went to give her something.
“Wait, no drugs. No more drugs,” she said, and swatted at his hand.
“Baby, you need them,” Finn said to her.
“Vin kept me drugged. I don’t know what he gave me, but I don’t want anything. Don’t give me a god damn thing,” she stated firmly, but then her vision blurred. She heard Cab curse, and then she passed out.
Epilogue
She felt the lips against her skin and tightened up a moment until the scent of cologne filtered through her nostrils. “Marco?” she whispered.
“All of us, baby. Right here with you like always,” he said, and she didn’t even open her eyes. She felt Cab slide up against her on the bed, and she leaned closer and snuggled against him.
“Sleep. More sleep,” she whispered, and he chuckled. She felt a palm run along her ass and the shorts she wore. Then Marco’s lips against her shoulder, the bandage still covering her stitches. Someone pressed her legs apart and began to kiss her inner calves and up her thighs.
“You told us to wake you so you can visit everyone at Harper’s today,” Lotus said to her.
She blinked her eyes open. Tears filled her eyes. “I don’t know if I can.” A tear fell.
“You don’t have to,” Finn said.
“No, Finn. She does have to. It’s been long enough. The best thing to do is to get out of the house. To get back to normal,” Marco said to her.
She looked at Cab. “I’m so scared. I know I have you all by me, but I’m just so scared to leave the house, this bed, you guys.”
“You aren’t leaving us, and we aren’t leaving you. We’ll be right by your side. You got this, baby. We know you do. Look at what you survived. How the fight in you, the will to not be a victim and die got you to live and to come back to us and to Cherry Hill. Now come on,” he said to her firmly.
She swallowed hard and they helped her from the bed. She got washed up, brushed her teeth, and got dressed, and the anxiety got greater and greater. By the time she got downstairs she was shaking, holding a sweater tight against her chest, but her men were right there with her. The ride almost caused an anxiety attack to come on, but her men talked her through it. When they got to Harper’s and walked inside, the place erupted in cheers. Everyone greeted her with hugs and kisses, and well wishes. They asked when she would be back working, and a hope that she would get over the post-tra
umatic stress quickly began to simmer in her core. With help from Charlie, she knew it would be possible. When Isla walked over to her, they embraced. Tears fell from both their eyes and they hugged one another, just as they had done the first time they saw one another weeks ago at the hospital.
Love Will Find You Page 14
