“I bet he’s on a beach somewhere,” Rami snorted.
August folded his arms across his chest and grunted. He hated that Rami was likely right, that the odds of finding Todd and getting him here fast enough were slim. Probably as slim as finding Rami’s brother, but he didn’t say that.
They’d gathered in the living room. Toth and Rami sat in a couple of chairs from the kitchen and Taschen took up the loveseat adjacent to the couch, where August sat next to Ghost.
August sized up the man he’d only heard about until now. The guy definitely had a weird vibe. Distant. His clear-gray eyes scrutinized the other men, his expression suggesting he disliked each one of them.
Rami swore by the guy. Said he was a killer marksman he’d met in the military. According to Rami, Ghost didn’t talk much about himself or the career he’d chosen after leaving the army. Apparently he was skilled and elusive as fuck.
“Do you have any ideas?” Taschen said with a smirk, looking at Ghost. “You should be able to relate to disappearing, since you’re a ghost ’n all.”
Ghost stared at Taschen unblinking. “If I was ghost you wouldn’t be talking to me, dipshit.”
“Hey, now.” Taschen held up a hand. “We’re cool. But really, Toth said you’re accustomed to flying under the radar.”
Ghost opened and closed his tatted hand. “I don’t think Todd is on the same playing field. My guess is he’s with friends or close by. I doubt he’d have the know-how to get a fake ID and passport to leave the country.”
“Then he must have a boatload of cash,” Rami mused. “He had money set aside that Gigi took months ago. If Todd had one stash, he probably had more.”
“Good point,” August said. “So where would he hide it?”
“That’s a question to ask Gigi,” Toth interjected.
August compressed his lips. He didn’t want to involve Gigi any more than he had to. She’d already gone through enough trauma. Last thing she needed to be thinking about was her ex and how they were going to find and use him. But if anyone knew about Todd’s resources, it was her.
After getting to his feet despite the pounds of reluctance trying to hold him to the couch, he made his way to Gigi’s bedroom door. A giggle sounded from the other side, and he let his hand rest on the metal handle for a fraction of a second, afraid to take away any joy she might have found in this fucked-up situation.
“Oh my god, sis, you have nooo idea.” Her suggestive laugh made him grin.
He rapped on the wood and a little gasp reached his ears.
“Call you back,” she said. Then, “One sec.”
Two beats later the door swung open. Gigi’s scent floated to him, and it took all his resolve not to storm into her room, scoop her up, and lay her on the bed.
“What’s up?”
He let his gaze roam over her pretty shirt. The purplish color made her skin look even more vibrant and her hazel eyes that much bolder. Gone was the cute, messy bun. Now her hair hung in loose curls around her shoulders. Her lipstick-free lips called to his mouth.
“Need to ask you something,” he managed to choke out.
One arched eyebrow rose. “You okay?”
“No.” He dropped his voice. “I want to fuck you right now but there’s a room full of guys behind me.”
Her bottom lip parted. “Um, okay.”
He caught her fingers. “Later. Right now, I need you to help us figure something out.”
He took her hand in his and led her to the living room. He quickly introduced her to Ghost. She’d probably seen Taschen around the office, and she most definitely knew Toth and Rami.
“Hi,” she said, with a hip-level wave, and the guys nodded in greeting.
Ghost leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he focused on her. August’s hackles rose, and part of him wanted to step in front of her, but that would be silly. No one in this room would hurt Gigi. And though August didn’t know the guy, Ghost exuded a calm, quiet intelligence that told him he wasn’t stupid enough to make that kind of move in a room full of alphas.
He was being paranoid. Overprotective. If Rami and Toth trusted him, August could, too.
“Gigi,” Rami said. “We’re trying to figure out where Todd would hide and what resources he has. Where would he keep cash or possibly friends who’d protect him?”
Gigi exhaled and tossed her weight to the side. “If I knew that I’d have given the information to the authorities.”
“Right,” Taschen said. “But there’s gotta be something that could be useful.”
Her eyebrows drew together. “Wait. Todd’s the bait?” She whipped her attention to August’s face. “Seriously? You’re going to try to find him and hand him over to the cartel?”
August tugged on his shirt collar. “Look.” He cleared his throat. “I’m not out to protect that scumbag. He needs to pay for what he did and he’s going to, one way or the other. He can’t outrun the cartel forever. And if handing over Todd keeps those cocksuckers away from you—and keeps other people safe—then I’m going to do it.”
Gigi wet her bottom lip, and emotion swirled inside August. Did she feel anything for Todd? Longing? Grief? Fuck. If she still had feelings for her ex, he was—
“Okay,” she said slowly. “I think that’s, unfortunately, reasonable. I mean, he caused this mess and a lot of innocent people have died because of him.” She raised her shoulders an inch. “I’ll try to think of something, but I’m going to need a strong cup of tea.”
The guys nodded and Gigi went to the kitchen. August was going to need whatever strength she got from tea tenfold.
* * *
Gigi’s hand shook as she ripped open a bag of chamomile. What she really needed to do was bury her face in the pantry and start cooking, but she was still full from brunch and it was too early for supper.
Tonight, though, she’d channel all her aggression into cooking their meal—and hell, a batch of brownies, too, because chocolate was good for the soul. And it’d pair nicely with the vanilla ice cream that had been in the grocery order.
The kettle whistled, drowning out the men’s conversation. She forced herself to think about Todd. Over the last few months, she’d managed to block out most thoughts about him. She’d been too blinded by rage to allow herself to think much about the man she’d thought she loved.
Ha, what a joke. Whatever she’d had with Todd hadn’t been love. It’d been companionship, nothing more. There hadn’t been a flame with Todd. There’d been respect, or so she’d thought, and comfortability. Not love. Not passion.
Not the soul-scorching fire that burned deep in her loins and deeper in her heart whenever she looked at August.
Was she in love with August? Well, she sure as hell wasn’t a good judge of that. But it wasn’t nothing. It wasn’t a fling. It was more than companionship. Deeper than comfortability. Stronger than friendship.
Exhaling, she poured the hot liquid into her mug and pulled down the jar of honey. Forcing her brain to relive the days with Todd, she searched each cubicle of her memory for something usable.
He hadn’t left the country too often. Only a couple of times in the two years they’d been together. He also didn’t own any vacation properties. His family had a farm in Nebraska that she’d been to once—could be something there. But no, that didn’t feel right. Todd had looked as out of place at the farm as an elephant at a tea party.
Rudy, Todd’s dad, was a calloused, weathered, and grumpy man in his late seventies who believed physical labor was more valuable than intellect. His mom, Adelle, was a soft and kind woman who thought her son was God incarnate. Perhaps Adelle was helping Todd lie low. That didn’t ring true either, though.
Next, Gigi went through his list of friends. There were a couple from back home who might’ve helped him. Maybe Benjamin—Benny—Reed. He was as slimy as Todd. An accountant, he’d run in the same business circles. She took a spoon from the drawer and scooped out a dollop of honey for her tea. She’d never liked Benny. The guy had made her skin crawl. His gaze had always raked over her as if he’d wanted to undress her.
If Todd had noticed, he hadn’t cared.
Carrying her tea back to the group, she accepted the chair Toth offered her then spilled what she’d been thinking, landing on Benny last.
Toth snapped his fingers at Taschen. “Get on that name, now.”
Taschen was already on his feet, pulling out his computer at the island. Gigi’s stomach lurched at the call to action. She blinked away the emotions battling inside her and took a sip of the sweet liquid. Oh, god. What if they found Todd? Part of her hoped it could be that easy to end this ordeal—just hand over the man they wanted and let the chips fall where they may.
And yet, the thought of sending a man to his death, likely a gruesome and painful one, made her throat constrict around the hot beverage.
As much as she despised Todd, she hated the idea of anyone being tortured. August’s hand smoothed her hair over her shoulder and then landed on her spine. His touch radiated comfort, and the tension in her muscles eased a fraction.
“Did Benny have any vacation properties?” Rami asked. “Somewhere he could’ve hidden Todd?”
Gigi screwed her lips to the side. “Not that I can think of.”
“He’s dead.” Taschen swiveled to face the group, his eyes hard as slate. The scar on the side of his face seemed to twitch with angst. “Benny’s body was found last month. Washed up on the beach.”
“Fuck,” Toth cursed.
The unease in Gigi’s belly curdled and she set down her drink on the counter, her hand trembling. “Maybe we should focus our efforts else—”
“What about clients?” Ghost asked. His voice low and commanding. He didn’t speak loudly. Instead, he exuded a stealthy control. He was clearly the type of man who didn’t need to raise his voice to get anyone’s attention. People stopped and listened when he spoke.
Gigi rubbed her hands on her jeans. “He had lots of clients,” she said crisply. “He didn’t disclose anything personal to me.” Certainly not any intimate details pertaining to cases or private matters. “Besides, why would his clients matter? I doubt anyone would take the risk of helping him.”
Ghost’s stubble and thick eyebrows were as black as his combed back hair. His fingers slid in and out of a tented position as he kept his gaze riveted on Gigi, making her unable to unglue her stare from his piercing, bottomless orbs.
“They would if they needed him.” Ghost inched forward, his head slightly tilted. “If Todd helped the cartel launder money, stole from them, I guarantee you this wasn’t his first rodeo. Someone doesn’t just take on a cartel client and start laundering without experience. He’s done this before.”
Ghost’s statement injected ice into her bloodstream. She stammered, her gaze swiveling to August for help. Then she looked back to the man who was still staring at her with intensity.
“Easy,” August said, his tone barely hiding a threat, his hand steady on Gigi’s back.
“I’m asking a fucking question,” Ghost said, cutting his gaze to August without moving another muscle in his body.
“And you’re freaking her out.”
“Do you want to find this bastard or not?” Ghost shot back.
Gigi reached for August’s free hand and squeezed his fingers. “It’s fine. I’m not freaked. It’s just—He’s right. I never thought about it before, but Todd had to have known what he was doing. The idea is shocking and . . . scary.”
Ghost blinked and his expression softened—maybe? At least it changed a bit. Wasn’t quite as ruthless or determined. “You need to think about names you heard repeatedly, dinner events, people you were introduced to. Something that felt off. Gifts Todd was given, trips, shit like that. It’s about pinpointing someone who wanted him to feel valued.”
She gasped and brought her fingers to the base of her neck. “Ohmigod, I think I know someone—” Doubt crept in. She gulped and shook her head. The happy, smiling older couple had seemed normal and genuine . . .
But, no. Warnings had sounded in her head at the time. Todd had shrugged off her comments, but of course he would’ve if he was doing something dirty.
“Who, babe?”
“The Radcliffes. Isabel and Roy Radcliffe.” She spoke their names on a whisper, partly wanting to deny the possibility, to refuse to believe that people of their stature would be involved in such crimes.
“The senator?” Taschen asked.
Gigi nodded. “I met them more than once at dinner parties. They’d always pull Todd aside, joke and . . . Well, it seemed like they were a little secretive.”
“That’s not really concrete,” Rami said.
“No.” She took a shuddering breath. “But they took Todd on their private jet often. I thought that was weird. They’d take him for a weekend here and there. I went once.”
“Where?” August’s hand moved to her shoulder, its weight as heavy as stone.
“San Juan Island.” The information sat like glue in her mouth. The memory of staying at the waterfront property off the coast washed over her.
It’d all seemed so innocent then.
“On it,” Taschen said, turning back to his computer before Toth could command him to do so.
“Tell me about their place there,” August said gently.
She picked up her tea and took a sip. “I dunno. Gorgeous. It was on a large property, several acres on the ocean. They had a boat, and, as I mentioned, a plane.” The possibilities lined up in her head like obedient little ducks.
Todd had worked for the senator, had maybe laundered money for him, but would Roy and his wife hide a fugitive? It was too absurd to comprehend.
But also, too absurd to make up.
“We’ve got our starting point,” Ghost said, standing. “Question is if he’s still with them or if they were able to get him out of the country.”
Gigi sucked in a breath of thick air as Toth and Rami started to chat and Ghost reached for a large black bag. “Where can I set up?”
“Dining table,” August instructed.
Within minutes their cozy little paradise had turned into a hub of computers, machines, and devices.
“Come check this out,” Taschen called to August.
Gone was the peaceful, romantic rendezvous. A little shiver of intimidation struck Gigi as she looked from one muscled man to the next.
Any more testosterone in the place and they’d have their own black-ops team.