August advanced through the shadowed backyard, moving from tree to statue until he was close to the house. His gaze locked on an armed guard pacing back and forth near the back door.
It’d be a helluva lot easier to aim and shoot than move in and Tase the guy, but he’d made a deal. He’d fucking keep it.
With his back to a rock fountain, he waited until the guard turned on his heel and strode in the other direction. August moved swiftly. His booted feet brushed soundlessly over the grass. One hand held the Taser, the other a gun.
He wouldn’t be mad if he had no choice but to shoot.
His feet hit the polished concrete patio and the guard turned and started. The guy lifted his gun, but August was too fast. He jammed the device against the guard’s neck, and the guy’s body jolted as electricity coursed through his system. He made a gurgling sound as he went down hard against the cement. August pocketed the Taser quickly and secured the man’s hands behind his back with a zip tie.
“One down,” August said into his earpiece.
“Same here,” Toth echoed.
“I’ve got two. Way ahead of you losers.” Rami’s rough laugh made August roll his eyes. At least they weren’t wasting time.
“Coming around to your side,” Toth announced. Rami stated his intention to do the same, and less than a minute later the three of them stood on the back patio.
Blinds covered the large window next to the door leading inside the house. “There must be an alarm,” August said.
“Already disarmed it,” Toth said.
August brought his gun to the deadbolt. “All right. Let’s go in.” He fired at the lock. The sharp ting of metal blowing up metal rang out. August slammed his shoulder into the door and it bounced open.
Shouts erupted from the hallway. Toth raced upstairs to secure the floor while Rami and August ran through the main level. A guard charged into the living room, where the back door led out to the patio, and fired.
August cursed. Rami shot at one of the guard’s hands, sending the gun flying. A second guard raced into the room, but August tackled him into the kitchen. The man’s back slammed hard into the island, and he let out a deep grunt.
August delivered a near-deadly blow to the man’s jaw, and his eyes rolled back as his muscles turned to mush. In a few quick movements, he tied the guard’s wrists. August threw a glance at Rami, who was doing the same to the guard whose hand was bleeding. “Thought we weren’t shooting anyone?”
“I said don’t kill. Shooting’s different.”
August snorted and turned his attention to the man crying in pain at Rami’s feet. “Where’s the senator?”
“Fuck you!”
As if on cue, Toth’s heavy footsteps sounded on the stairs as he descended from the second level. “Keep moving and no one will get hurt.” His tone was calm, placating.
A feminine sniffle filled the room as Isabel Radcliffe rounded the bottom of the stairs in a long white silk robe. Her blond hair was pulled away from her face and her eyes were filled with tears. “I knew this would happen,” she sobbed. “He wouldn’t listen to me.”
“Have a seat, ma’am,” Toth instructed, pointing to the couch.
Isabel wrung her trembling hands and did as he’d said. Her gaze widened and became terrified as she stared at the incapacitated guards. “Oh my. Where’re the others?”
“They’re fine,” August assured her. “Just tied up. Where’s Roy?”
“In his office.” She pointed toward a long corridor. “It’s the first room on the right, near the front entrance.”
“I’ll wait here.” Toth stood with his back to the living room wall.
August strode in the direction of the office, aiming his gun at the floor. Rami fell into step behind him.
Why the hell hadn’t Roy come out? Was it possible he hadn’t heard the shouting and gunshots? August paused at the closed wooden door and listened.
Silence. Rami gave a nod, his gun aimed and ready. Toth closed his hand over the cool steel handle. Locked. Bastard was hiding.
August took a couple of steps back and threw his shoulder into the solid wood. The door shook and cracked. He retreated again and then drove into the door with more force. The wood splintered and the door banged open.
Roy cried out and leapt to his feet behind desk. “What the—” His gaze zeroed in on August and Rami and he paled. “What do you want?” His voice trembled.
August stalked into the room, closing the distance between the senator and him. Fury vibrated his muscles, but he restrained the urge to make the bruise on Roy’s face infinitely bigger. “We need to talk.”
Roy held out his hands. “I told you everything I know!”
“Well, you’re going to have to find out more. Alvarez was supposed to trade Todd for Gigi and instead, he killed Todd and never returned my girlfriend. So, as you can imagine, we’ve got a problem.”
“Whatever is going on between you and Alvarez is your business.” Spittle sprayed from Roy’s mouth and his jowls shook with agitation.
August planted his knuckles on Roy’s desk and leaned forward. The stench of Radcliffe’s body odor, tainted with fear, filled August’s nostrils. “My girlfriend is missing. Might even be dead. Unless you want me to carry out an eye for an eye, you’d better find out where Alvarez is keeping Gigi.”
Disgust bubbled inside August as he made the threat. He wouldn’t knowingly hurt an innocent person. But he was running out of time and options and Radcliffe had no reason to call August’s bluff.
“I can’t—Y-you don’t know who you’re dealing with, here.”
“No, Senator,” August said, his tone cool but not the least bit calm. “You don’t know who you’re dealing with.”
Radcliffe’s expression hardened.
“Bring in the senator’s wife,” August commanded Rami.
Before Rami could take a step toward the door, Radcliffe rounded the desk. “Okay! Okay, Jesus. You want to piss off Alvarez even more, be my guest. He has a house in town. I can’t be sure your girlfriend’s there, but I don’t know where else he’d hold her. I swear to god.” He lifted his palm as if his word actually fucking meant something.
“What’s the address?”
* * *
Gigi’s muscles were weakening as she kicked, trying to free herself. Her efforts were futile.
“You’re fucking mine,” Alec said with a sneer. His hands went to the snap on her jeans.
Gigi shrieked as she jammed her fingers into his throat. Alec choked, gripping his neck. When he looked at her again, murder was written in his beady eyes. He pulled back his fist and Gigi flinched, but a snarling growl split the air. Alec screamed.
Micha latched her teeth and yanked on Alec’s arm. Blood splattered. She kicked free as Micha shook and tore on Gigi’s attacker.
“Fuck!” Alec bellowed, hitting the dog in the face. Micha didn’t even flinch.
Gigi sprang from the mattress and bolted from the room. Grasping her ripped shirt, she reached the hall and slammed into Marko. He caught her shoulders, and his eyes locked on hers with suspicion. “What’d you do?” he hissed.
“He attacked me,” she blurted. “Micha bit him.” She was doing a lot more than biting him. Alec’s cries rang out from the room.
Marko made no move to stop the dog. But his facial expression revealed his internal war.
Gigi froze, her insides tumbling like a blanket in the dryer. She didn’t dare move. Any reaction could sway Marko’s decision.
A bloodcurdling scream erupted from the bedroom. Marko’s fingertips assaulted her shoulders and she winced.
He snapped his gaze toward the bedroom. “Micha, come!” he yelled. “Micha!” His face contorted with rage.
Alec’s scream stopped. Micha’s claws clicked on the floor. A shudder shook Gigi’s spine as the dog brushed against her leg.
“I’m gonna kill that mutt!” Alec shrieked.
Marko shoved Gigi backward, and she hit the wall as Alec stumbled into the hallway. Blood ran in thick rivulets down his arm and dripped onto the floor. Pain contorted his face, and he narrowed his eyes on Micha like a predator.
“Micha, out,” Marko ordered. The dog ran toward the kitchen.
Alec turned to glare daggers at Marko. Once again, Gigi held her breath. Apprehension buckled her knees, and she fought to stay upright. Drawing Alec’s attention her way—even though she was only inches from him—could mean meeting her maker.
“You sicced Micha on me,” Alec said accusingly, taking a step closer to Marko and putting a tiny bit more distance between Gigi and him.
“I didn’t.” Marko spoke slowly, carefully. His voice lacked defiance. “You need stitches.”
“You did this,” Alec spat. His skin was wan. Sweat poured off his face, and nicks and scratches tore up his cheeks. The bite wounds on his arm were deep.
“Micha doesn’t like you, man. You scared her.”
Alec whirled on Gigi, and she tensed. “Because of her.”
She balled her hands into fists, ready to strike this time. He wouldn’t catch her off guard again. She’d rip off his face if he touched her again.
Words swelled on her tongue but she kept her teeth together, not wanting her temper to send her into a fistfight with the monster.
His breath was ragged, and the violent streak that flashed in his eyes made her coil closer to the wall. But he didn’t strike. Instead, his hand shot out to brace himself on the wall.
“Lock her up, for fuck’s sake!” Alec turned and made his way to the bathroom. The door slammed.
Marko’s hand curled around her elbow, and he led her back to the room where Micha had attacked Alec. Blood stained the mattress and was splattered on the floor and walls. She swallowed at the sight. Micha had done a number on the guy, thankfully. Otherwise, he’d surely be beating Gigi to a pulp right now.
Marko flung her to the floor and pulled out the duct tape. Returning the cardboard to the window, he moved toward her. The air sizzled with unspoken words. Gigi’s senses prickled. He yanked off a long strip of tape and circled it tightly around her wrists.
Looking over her shoulder, she met his gaze. “You don’t have to do this.”
Marko’s face tightened. “You have no idea what I have to do.”
“You could let me go.”
He snorted. “If you get away on my watch again, Alec will blow my head off.”
She dragged her teeth over her bottom lip, her mind working at breakneck speed to think of something, anything while Alec was distracted. “I can get you money.”
His eyes narrowed. “I can get money, too.”
“What do you want then?” She didn’t hide the note of resignation in her voice.
“You can’t do what I need done.”
“Tell me.”
His bruised cheekbone twitched. “All right. I want Alvarez dead. He killed my mother and brother.”
Gigi’s eyes widened. “Why do you work for him?”
He turned the roll of tape in his palms. “Because the cartel is all I’ve ever known. My father was loyal to Alvarez until the day he died. My brother crossed Alvarez and—” He cleared his throat. “He killed my mother in front of both of us. Spared me to prove a point.”
A rush of sympathy filled her. She straightened her spine. “Let me help you.”
Marko’s loose laugh filled the room. “How? Alvarez already met your boyfriend and killed Todd. There’s nothing else Alvarez wants except you disposed of. Only reason why he’s waiting is to see if you’d be suited for trafficking over death.”
His words hammered against Gigi’s senses. August had met with Alvarez to hand over Todd. He knew she was missing—was searching for her. Hope fluttered in her chest and emotion washed over her like cool rain after a hot tropical day. But the rest of Marko’s statement clung to her shoulders.
If August didn’t get to her soon, he’d be too late. She’d rather die than spend one day in the sex trade. She had to speak now, to get through to Marko and get him to believe her. He was her only shot.
“I can promise you that if the men who are trying to rescue me find me, they’ll do what you want. They’ll take care of Alvarez. You’ll be free.”
Slowly, he shook his head. “I’ll never be free.” Pausing at the door, he met her gaze with a dark, hopeless stare. “Alvarez will be here soon. If you want to live, be quiet. Don’t challenge him.”
Marko turned and left the room, shutting and locking the door behind him.
* * *
August ran through the woods with Rami and Toth steps behind him. Every muscle in his body jumped with anxiety. They had an address and no way of knowing whether Gigi was actually there, but Christ, it was something.
He leapt over fallen logs and swatted branches from his face. In three minutes, they were at the Tahoe. Rami ran around to the driver’s side, August took shotgun, and Toth got in the back.
“Go, go, go,” August chanted, as Rami started the engine. Urgency rushed through him and threatened to singe his skin.
Rami gunned the vehicle onto the highway and headed toward the city. Toth spoke on the phone, but August couldn’t register what he was saying. As Rami sped down the road, August typed the address into Maps. The annoying voice came on, far too fucking chipper for the situation, and promised they’d reach their destination in eighteen minutes.
“We’ve got her,” Rami said reassuringly. “Just hang in there.”
He must have sensed that August’s sanity was on the brink of collapsing because Rami wasn’t typically the reassuring type. Then again, for Ivy’s sake, Rami would want Gigi back as much as anyone.
“That was Ghost,” Toth said. “He’s going to meet us at the address. I hope to hell someone’s there.”
August grunted. “Gigi better fucking be or Radcliffe’s a dead man.”
The temptation to put a bullet in Roy’s leg had almost won out. But if they didn’t find Gigi, they’d need Roy. And if August put him in the hospital, it’d only get the police involved. As of right now, they’d left the senator’s house with a stern warning not to involve the cops. Roy wasn’t stupid. He’d seen what August was capable of and wouldn’t take the risk.
“He’s already a dead man. I’m surprised Alvarez hasn’t killed him yet for hiding Todd. I’m sure Radcliffe’s obituary will be headline news any day now.”
“Wrong.” August shook his head, his voice sounding foreign to his own ears. “Alvarez’s death will be headline news tomorrow. Radcliffe might have just been kissed by an angel.”
But if Gigi wasn’t alive, Radcliffe would pay. He might not have directly harmed Gigi, but August would bet everything he owned that the senator knew more than he’d let on.
And August would get to the bottom of it if it was the last thing he did.