26. Reghan
26
REGHAN
Leaving Barrett this morning was awful. I wanted nothing more than to spend the day with him. Jordan called and put an end to that. I answered and had to move a warm and pliant Barrett from my lap.
We had to see one of Jordan’s buyers and remind him who he was fucking with. Jordan didn't bother bringing Sheldon along. He didn’t want to be calm for this meeting.
Blood was drawn, but no one was killed, so it was a win, for now at least. The guy had twenty-four hours to pay, or the next visit would result in his death. To be sure he wouldn't skip town, Jordan left one of his guards behind. It was someone new, who still had to prove himself.
We were on our way back to Jordan’s building when my phone started ringing in my pocket. There were only a handful of people who could get my phone to make a sound.
I didn't answer. Not when I was on Jordan’s detail.
I could hear him growl in the back seat.
“Now you've done it, Reghan,” Albert teased. “He’s growling again.”
I held my breath, hoping it wouldn't ring again. I didn’t know who was calling me since my phone barely rang.
But the universe wasn’t on my side because it started again.
“Jesus Christ, Reghan!” Jordan yelled. "Answer the fucking phone!”
If I could have sunk low in the seat, I would have.
Pulling the phone from my pocket I glanced at the screen and saw it was Barrett. My heart hammered in my chest. My mind started down the road of what could be wrong.
We’d exchanged numbers, our personal numbers, but we put aliases for the names. If his boss ever took his phone, my number was untraceable, thanks to Lawson.
“For fuck’s sake,” Jordan growled and leaned forward to take the phone from my hand before I could put it out of his reach. “This better be fucking good,” he seethed into the phone. I couldn’t hear what Barrett said, but anger built on Jordan’s face as we navigated the city streets. “We’re on our way.” He hung up before handing the phone back to me. “Get to Barrett’s. Now.”
“What happened?” I asked. I resisted the urge to yell at my boss.
“Marshall’s missing. He texted Barrett to say he was leaving the club he was at with some friends. He never came home.”
“He should have called the police!” I yelled that time as panic clawed at my throat.
Jordan smiled evilly. “I’m better than the fucking cops.”
Albert took a corner hard, causing me to look forward. Streetlights drifted by. They reminded me of shooting stars with how fast we traveled. One look at his face told me he was relaxed, yet there was tension where he held the steering wheel.
The Maserati ground to a halt in front of Barrett’s building. I jumped out but opened the door for Jordan, remembering when I was on his detail, he always came first.
Jordan knew what door was Barrett’s after we were buzzed in. The door swung open as we walked to it, and Barrett stood on the other side.
“You couldn’t have gotten here faster?” he yelled.
Jordan clenched his hand into a fist. “I’m letting that slide since you’re upset.”
He noted the gesture but said nothing.
“Bear,” I said, drawing his attention as we stepped inside, closing the door behind us. “What happened?”
“Mars was invited out by some people he knew from the art scene. They were going to a club. It’s not his thing, due to the lights and loud music. He wanted to go out though. I told him it was a bad idea, but he reminded me he could take care of himself.” He paused to scrub a hand over his face before continuing, “He texted me to say he was on his way home, but he never showed. I tried tracking him. The phone showed he was out front of our building. I found his phone on the sidewalk.” He held it between his fingers as a tear slid down his cheek. “That piece of shit took my brother.”
Barrett barely held himself together. Had it been me whose brother was gone, I would have torn through the city and made apologies later. As it was, I wanted to do that for Marshall. He’d never hurt anyone. He didn’t deserve this. None of the men who were taken did.
“Aren’t there cameras outside the building or on others nearby?” Jordan asked.
“I already hacked into them and didn't find anything.”
Jordan’s gaze snapped to Barrett.
“Don’t look at me like that. You know I don’t follow the law.”
“You're never going to live this down,” I told him, trying but failing to distract him.
His brother was gone and there was no way to know where he was without the one device that could track him. I could feel Barrett’s worry from where I stood. The way his face was crumpled and his eyes welled had me wanting to go to him. I didn’t because I had to keep my focus. I had to stay where I was and let the anger lick through me, let it feed the hatred I had for whoever was doing this.
Jordan put his phone to his ear and started barking orders. If I had to guess, he’d called Barry.
I couldn’t resist the pull any longer and went to Barrett, only putting my hand on his arm. “We’ll find him.” There wasn’t a lot I knew for certain, but we would locate Marshall and get him home alive.
Barrett’s phone rang. He rushed over to it and then scowled. “Everyone quiet.”
Jordan raised his eyebrow but said nothing, done with his call.
“North,” Barrett answered.
We only heard his side of the conversation.
“Uh huh.”
“No, I had no idea.”
“I’m home watching TV.”
“No, I didn’t hear anything.”
“Yes, sir, I’ll look.”
He hung up and slammed his phone onto the counter. “For fuck’s sake. The chief knows you’re here, Jordan. I don't know if someone in the building tipped him off, or if he has someone following me.”
Jordan watched Barrett for a few moments before he spoke. “Soon, I’m not sure when, you’re going to need to make a choice. Being with Reghan means you’ll be linked to me. You two will be found out. When that day comes, you’ll have to decide if you want to stay with him or keep your job, because the deeper you go, the more you lean my way in matters.” Barrett opened his mouth to reply, but Jordan held up his hand. “We have more pressing things to worry about. I have my men on the streets looking. You could have told that motherfucker you work for that your brother was missing, but you didn’t. We'll find him.”
The door to the apartmentslammed open. I immediately reached for my gun, as did Jordan. Barrett was too stunned to do more.
Marshall had barreled inside. His eyes were only on his brother as he ran into the room and threw himself at Barrett, wrapping his arms around him. Barrett hugged him back tightly, a couple of tears slipping down his cheeks.
Albert stepped inside. “There was no one with him. I saw him running down the street and caught him before he came inside. He said he broke free and ran.” Albert wasn't one to show a lot of emotion. He held a lot of tension in his shoulders. “I would have killed anyone chasing him.”
Marshall leaned back to brush the tears from his face, still not looking at the rest of us. “I did what you said, the moves you taught me. I kept swinging and kicking until he released me.”
“Where?” Jordan asked. His anger was barely in check.
Marshall turned, looking from me to Jordan to Albert, before focusing on Jordan again. “In the balls.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Jordan seethed. “Where did you escape from?"
“Oh, I can’t be sure. I was blindfolded in a truck. He... he kept reaching for me, to put his hand on me while he drove, but I pushed myself against the door. I…” He sucked in a ragged breath while Barrett stood at his back, growing angrier and angrier with each word.
“There were no buttons on my door,” Marshall continued. “I couldn’t unlock it or open it. There was nothing. I knew the only way out was over him. He stopped and I started kicking and hitting, trying to break free. I felt the truck pull to the side. Then... then he was on me. I fought until he was on the floor, and I could escape.”
“I’m going to kill him,” I bit out. I wanted this man’s blood on my hands. I wanted to watch as it ran like a river from him.
“Get in line,” Barrett said. “He dared to take my brother. I won’t be handing this one over. The death is mine.”
“Any details?” Jordan asked. “Old or new truck? Clothes you felt?”
“Older truck. There were tears in the seat and it smelled musty. I only knew it was a pickup because our uncle had one, and you can tell by the way it goes over the bumps and the sounds it makes.”
“How far did you run?"
“A few blocks, but I stopped to hide as well. I could hear the truck’s loud exhaust. I ducked into alleys and hid behind what I could.”
Jordan turned but Albert was already out the door.
Pulling my phone from my pocket, I called my brother. “Bring the Navigator to Barrett’s. We need a ride.”
“On it.” He hung up. He’d get the details from me later.
“That's it?” Barrett asked. “That’s all you're going to do?”
Jordan took two steps toward him but stopped when Marshall’s eyes went wide. “Don’t you ever speak to me like that again,” Jordan warned Barrett.
“I’m sorry. It’s... This is my brother who was grabbed, thrown in a truck, and could have been…” His words cut off as he choked out a small sob.
“Which is why he’s coming with us. Pack your things, Marshall. We can have anything else you need picked up.”
“What?” Barrett and I yelled at the same time.
Jordan must have had enough. “I will kill you both where you stand. Do you think he’s safer here, or in my building? Are you going to watch him all day, Barrett? My men can.”
“Who said I needed to be watched?” Marshall asked. His body still shook with fear.
“The person who took you will return. He grabbed you in front of your own building. It deviates from his usual choosing of men who live alone, which means he’s getting desperate. Do you still have your wallet on you?”
Marshall shook his head. “He took it after forcing me into the truck. I was too shocked at first to do anything.”
“You're brave,” I told him. “You knew to fight.”
“He’ll be back,” Jordan stated firmly. “You’re a loose end, and he won’t want you running around. Now that he knows your name...” He faced Barrett.
It was like I was underwater, and it rushed around my ears. “He’ll come for you, Bear.”
He scoffed. “I’m always armed.”
“I never heard him walking toward me,” Marshall whispered. “I didn’t see him coming. His hand covered my mouth and he lifted me from the ground.”