Chapter Twenty-Four
Eros
Only a few hours out of the slammer and Knox had been searching non-stop through every camera in the area of the park to pick up Janea’s trail.
While he searched, I paced his room, losing my mind.
I didn’t know if she was safe, but from the video of the park, she willingly left.
However, she told Lydia the two men were her father’s men.
That was enough to let me know she was in danger.
“Anything?”
Knox exhaled with a loud, frustrated sigh. “No, Prez. But if you’d stop asking me every five damn minutes, I can concentrate on what the fuck I’m doing.”
“Sorry, man.” I ran my fingers through my hair. “This just has me fucked up.”
“I know it does because you love her and she’s in danger. And I’m doing everything in my power to find her. But I’m tapping into systems I have to be careful with, especially since we’ve already been raided once today. We don’t need the cops or Feds busting in on us again because I was careless.”
I loved her. I didn’t know when it happened or if it would even last long between us, but Janea meant the world to me. I wanted her in my life. And not knowing where she was had me pushing my guys to act more reckless than they should.
“Fuck, I get it.”
“Trust me, I’ll find her. It’s just going to take some time. Go hang out with Ambrose. It’ll make the time go by faster. And as soon as I find something, I’ll let you know.”
“You kicking me out?” I asked, chuckling.
“Yep.” He continued to type on his computer. “I need silence to work, and your pacing and constant sighing is getting on my fucking nerves.”
I slapped him on the shoulder. “Alright, you know where to find me.”
With no more words, I stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind me. I didn’t want to be any kind of hindrance, I just didn’t know what to do. I’d never felt so helpless in my entire life. And I’d never felt so much rage at one person.
As soon as I decided to do as Knox suggested and find Ambrose, my cell rang. Without even looking at the caller ID, I answered.
“Janea? Fuck baby where are you?”
“Who the hell is Janea, and why the fuck didn’t you call me and let me know the Feds had raided you?”
I should have known he’d find out.
“What’s up, Pop?”
“Don’t fucking, what’s up Pop me, Niko. What the fuck is going on?”
“How did you find out so quickly?”
“You know the boys have contacts inside the Bureau. Your name came across the wire. Now enough of the small talk, tell me what happened.”
I closed the door to my office behind me, walked around my desk, and plopped down in my chair. “I met a girl.” I sighed because that was a lie. I kidnapped her, but it wasn’t like I could say that on an open line especially with the FBI breathing down our necks. “Well, I didn’t actually meet her.”
“What the hell are you talking about, Niko?” my father asked. I could hear the frustration and worry in his voice. “You’re not making any sense. Start at the beginning.”
Ozias Kostas, who was known in the one-percenter world as Axe was a merciless bastard and a member of Demons United’s Georgia chapter. Ruthlessness ran in his blood.
My roots run deep in Greece, and my family was deeply entrenched in the mafia world in the old country, as my father called it.
His mother, Sofia, was a Drakos, a mafia princess who chose to marry my grandfather Ambrose Kostas who was former military and who was a hard ass.
He was the kind of man who said fuck it, I’ll ask questions later.
Both my father and I had inherited his attitude.
“I’ve been protecting a girl, and she’s important to me. She has some very important information, and she’s from a powerful family.”
“And that powerful family is pulling some strings?” my father asked before I could complete my thought.
“Yep. And now she’s missing.”
“Her people have her?”
“That’s what I believe. Knox is looking for her right now.”
“You love this girl?” he asked. “Not care for her, Niko, I mean love her.”
“I do,” I said without hesitation. “We haven’t known each other long and how we met wasn’t under the best circumstances, but I do love her Pop, and I’m going out of my mind not knowing where she is.”
“How does Ambrose feel about her?”
I couldn’t help the smile that crossed my face. My son absolutely adored Janea. He asked about her when I came back from the police station today. I didn’t know what to tell him only that she would be back as soon as she could.
“He likes her a lot.”
My dad went silent for a moment, but I heard a muffled conversation filtering over the line. I didn’t know who he was talking to or what about.
“Dad, I got to go. It’s hectic here.”
“We’ll see you in about six hours. Meet us at the airport.”
“Dad, I can handle it.”
“I don’t doubt that you can. But you’re my kid, and I’m not going to let some rich prick fuck with you. Like I said, I’ll see you in six. There’ll be about eight of us. Make room.”
He ended the call before I could even say anything. I’d never asked my father or Demons United for help. But to say I wasn’t relieved to have it would be an understatement.
The door shook with each loud pound, and then it swung open with a bang, colliding with the wall behind it. “Prez. She’s back,” the prospect said.
I jumped up from behind my desk. “Janea?”
He nodded. “She just pulled up.”
I pushed past him and rushed out of my office. When I reached the main area of the clubhouse, Janea was stepping through the door, followed by two men.
The moment our eyes connected, her smile shifted into a grin. Within two strides, I was in front of her. I brushed my fingers against the bruise on her cheek. “I’m fine,” she said.
“I don’t believe you. Who did this?”
“We don’t have time for that, Niko. This is Caleb and Gerald.” She motioned to the two men behind her. “They need your help.”
I looked at the two men flanking her. Both looked like they were about to piss their pants as they looked around the room at all the brothers.
“Please, Niko. They helped me, and now they need my help. I can’t do it alone.”
After a few moments of silence, I nodded. “You know I can’t say no to you.” I looked at the two men. “This way, gentlemen.”
Now that she was back safe, I had time to come up with some sort of plan to take care of her father. She didn’t want him harmed, but that wouldn’t be possible. He can’t be trusted, and he won’t stop until she’s dead. And I’d make sure that would never happen.