33. Chapter 33
Harley
“Why are you doing this?” My voice shook with anger as I leveled a stare at Craig.
Each time Kingsley got whipped, I flinched.
His head was lowered, blood trickling down his forehead and temples where the crown of thorns had penetrated his skin.
He’d stopped moving a while ago. I hoped with all my heart that he was unconscious and didn’t have to feel the excruciating pain any longer.
My goodness, his back had looked like carnage.
Each whip ripped into his flesh, leaving deep gashes.
I’d had no idea that just one whip could do so much damage.
What state would his back be in once they were done?
I didn’t want to know.
Instead of continuing to beg Craig to stop, I’d started praying like a madwoman. And now I needed answers, because our time was coming to an end.
Craig sighed like my question was a nuisance. His eyes never left Kingsley. “I told you to keep your mouth shut, and you didn’t. Do I need to write it down for you?”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it. There is more behind this.” I once again tried to work my wrists free, but not only were they duct-taped to the chair, but my entire upper body was, too. I didn’t stand a chance to escape.
Even if, in which direction would I run?
I had no idea where we were. Towering trees and thick vines surrounded us.
Rain dripped from the dense foliage. My clothes were long soaked, the coldness seeping into my bones.
They’d yanked a hood over my head and stuffed me into a vehicle, then driven for about fifteen minutes and dragged me through the jungle for maybe five. Only then had they pulled off the hood.
Whip!
“You can at least give me answers before you kill us,” I snarled.
“Who says I’m going to kill you?”
“Oh, come on. We have way too much information about you. Just so you know, you’ll kill three lives, not just two.”
Craig’s head swiveled to me. A strange emotion flickered across his face. “You’re pregnant?”
“Yes.”
Kingsley’s torturer made for another whip, but Craig held up his hand. “Give him a break.” He turned back to me. “This was supposed to be us.”
“What?”
“The baby. You and me.”
Um, had he hit his head or something? “You’re the one who left me, Craig.”
“To protect you. I started dating you because of your connection to Romeo Marino. You were my ticket into the Mafia. While I didn’t end up making a deal with Marino himself, I did with other members.”
I gritted my teeth against the betrayal and anger churning in my stomach. “You used me?”
“At first. Then I fell in love with you.”
“Then why did you break up?”
“Told you, it got dangerous.” Craig ran a hand over his bald head. “I didn’t want you to get hurt because of me.”
I scoffed. “Then what exactly are we doing here?” My volume rose with every word. “Are you listening to yourself? You don’t make any sense!”
“You aren’t hurt, are you?”
“Yes! You’re torturing the man I love!”
A vein protruded on his forehead so prominently that I could see it in the gloomy beams of the flashlights they’d set up.
My mouth fell open. “You’re doing this because you’re jealous?”
“I’m doing this to keep the Mafia busy searching for you while I’m transporting the MANPADS to the abandoned airfield and getting them off this island.
They’re onto me, watching the airfield, just waiting for me to make my move.
Marino cares so much about you that he’ll have every mobster on the island looking for you up here.
Not to mention the DRPD. Means free rein for me and my men. ”
So he hadn’t been lying when he said he was going to let us live? “You don’t have to hurt Kingsley for that.”
“You’re right, I don’t. That’s just for the fun of it.”
The smile he gave me made me shudder. “Why are you dealing in arms in the first place?” The longer I kept him occupied, the higher the chance that Rome found us.
Hopefully.
Please, Jesus.
“That’s a story for another time.” Craig lifted his hand, and his accomplice went back to whipping Kingsley.
Number twenty-eight. I’d counted the entire time.
Craig’s radio squawked. I couldn’t understand anything, but his demeanor darkened. He keyed the mic. “Are you sure?” he asked as he grabbed his rifle leaning against a tree.
Again, I didn’t catch the answer.
Craig let out a sharp whistle. “We’ve got company!”
The guy who’d been whipping Kingsley stopped. His gaze darted around.
It was like a heavy weight lifted off my chest. This could only be God’s interference. I know it’s You, Jesus. I just know.
Crack, crack, crack, crack!
I craned my neck to see where the rifle shots had come from, but it was too dark to see anything. More gunfire echoed through the jungle. Kingsley’s torturer brought his rifle up. Fired into the dark.
My heart raced. What if they accidentally hit Kingsley? Our baby?
I wanted to cover my belly with my arms, but that stupid duct tape. Craig had disappeared into the darkness. Not towards where the firefight came from. He’d run in the other direction. The coward was bolting.
The other goon suddenly pointed his muzzle at me. “Sorry, but I have orders to kill you if things go south.”
I closed my eyes. If that’s Your will God, so be it.
Something warm and wet splattered my face, making me flinch. A thud followed almost simultaneously with a single shot ringing out from far away. My brain needed a moment to grasp that the confusing order had to do with the speed of sound.
I slowly opened my eyes—
A dark shadow stepped in front of me, sending my heart into my throat.
“It’s over, Harley. You’re safe now.”
My heartbeat slowed. “Rome?”
He squatted in front of me. “Yeah, honey. It’s me.” Muttering a curse in Italian, he wiped my face with a gloved hand. Voices and movement came from behind him.
“Please get Kingsley down. Please. He’s n-not moving.”
“I know. They’re on it. His brother Wentworth is here. He’s a combat medic.”
I strained to see something, but Rome blocked my view. “I want to go to him.”
“Not now.” He rose—making sure I couldn’t see past him—and turned my chair around like I weighed nothing. Then he pulled out a knife. “There’s a dude with half of his head gone, and I don’t want you to see that.”
Oh. This had to be the guy who’d whipped Kingsley. The same guy who’d been about to shoot me. Who’d taken him out?
I jolted upright, which was now possible because Rome had cut the duct tape around my chest. “Wait, Craig ran! You have to get him!”
“They’re tracking him down.”
“They?”
“Marino.” A hulk of a guy clad in woodland camouflage and matching face paint stalked up to us. He had a buzz cut and thick beard. “My team established a perimeter. Ten confirmed kills. Caught one squirter. Just got confirmation that it was our target.”
Rome lifted his head from where he’d been cutting my legs free and looked at the guy. “Must feel good to take down an HVT.” He squeezed my knee. “They got Fuller.”
The relief that flooded me made me dizzy. Thank You for ending this nightmare, Jesus. I couldn’t have slept in peace knowing he was still out there.
“What are you going to do with him?” I asked.
“The punk will rot in prison for a long time.” Hulk Guy cocked his head at me. “You need medical attention?”
I shook my head. “No. But I’d like to see Kingsley. Is he okay?”
Gripping the straps of his body armor, Hulk Guy looked in that direction, then back at me. “He’s been asking for you.”
My stomach fluttered. “Does this mean he’s okay?”
“He went into shock but is now conscious and stable. Needs a trip to the hospital though.” He glanced at Rome. “I’d get the heck out of Dodge if I were you. Authorities will show up any second.”
Rome sniffed. “What about you guys? They’ll hang you for operating on US soil.”
“Let that be my problem.”
“I owe you, Rhyner.” The two shook hands, slapping each other’s backs. Then Rome turned to me. “Don’t be late for work tomorrow.”
I cracked a smile. “Never. Thank you for coming for us.”
“Haven’t had this much fun in a long time.” He gave me a wry smile. “Stay out of trouble, Harry.”
With that, he disappeared into the darkness of the jungle. Great, now he was calling me Harry, too. How much time had he spent with Bella?
“All right, let’s go see your lover boy.” Rhyner—was he Layne’s brother?—jerked his head at Kingsley.
I didn’t need to be told twice and jumped to my feet. I followed Rhyner past a covered body to where Kingsley lay prone on a stretcher. An emergency blanket was spread over his back. Another camo-clad guy knelt next to him. This had to be Wentworth, his older brother.
“Kingsley?” I squatted next to him and grasped the hand that didn’t have an IV in it. It was ice-cold.
His fingers curled around mine. “Sweetheart.” He lifted his head ever so slightly, a weak smile adorning his handsome face. Blood caked his short-shorn hair and beard. His smile fell. “What happened? Are you okay?”
“Me?” I squeaked. “What about you?”
“There’s blood on your face and clothes.” He reached out, but dropped his arm with a groan.
“Blood?” I looked down at my T-shirt and jeans. Yes, blood. Was I bleeding?
“That’s not hers,” a guy who stood half turned away from us with a long rifle, said over his shoulder.
A sniper, was my guess. Had he shot the goon who’d been about to execute me?
“So you’re okay?” Kingsley asked, drawing my attention back to him.
I huffed a laugh. “Yes, I’m okay. What about you?”
“I’m fine.”
“Fine?” Rolling my eyes, I imitated his deep voice. “I almost died, but I’m fine.”
Kingsley chuckled, then groaned. “I’m fine because you are,” he gritted out.
Oh, how I loved this man. So much that I couldn’t voice my feelings for him. If only I could hug and kiss him right now.
“There’s so much I need to tell you.” His voice sounded drowsier with every word. They’d probably given him pain meds.
I ran my thumb over the back of his hand. “Get some rest. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
“Okay, buddy.” Wentworth clamped Kingsley’s other arm. “Time to get you into the hands of an actual doctor. That back needs to be fixed ASAP. You’re not out of the woods yet. Chances of an infection are dangerously high out here.”
I never let go of Kingsley’s hand when Wentworth and Rhyner lifted the stretcher and carried him through the jungle to a dirt road.
A Ford Raptor pulled up, and they loaded him into the bed.
Kingsley’s hand had gone limp a while ago, but I wasn’t willing to let him go.
So I settled in the truck bed next to him.
Several guys climbed into the cab, Wentworth staying in the back with us, and then we rolled down the bumpy road through the jungle.
I wrapped my free arm around my stomach. Hopefully the baby was okay.
But something told me Kingsley was worse off than the guys let on.