Chapter 27
Not an ounce of peace settled over Dallas as they waited for Dare to trace the IP address from the location Silas had sent the wire. Luckily the bastard had answered the phone. Dallas was inches from losing his shit.
While pulled over at the side of the road, Dallas checked his account. The funds had been deposited. Dare had warned them it could take some time for him to trace the wire and find the IP then locate the device.
All in all, it could take minutes or hours.
Dallas dragged his hand through his hair. There had to be something he wasn’t thinking of. Some connection that would speed up the process to locate Gemma.
It couldn’t end this way.
“You know he’s working on it.” Cole’s voice was strong with reassurance, but that didn’t mean a fucking thing. Dare was thousands of miles from them, and technology was about as reliable as shit. A million things could get in Dare’s way before he had what he needed.
“You sure Silas didn’t mention where he was staying, or—”
“Not a thing.” Dallas pinched the bridge of his nose. “We need to return to the club. There could be something there. He has to get his mail forwarded or something. He doesn’t spend a lot of time in Ecuador, but there must be somewhere he stays when he comes to oversee on the club.”
Cole started the car. “All right. We’ll check it out. Maybe there’s someone at the club we can ask. One of the waitresses, or his men, if any are still there.”
Dallas sat forward as Cole made a U-turn. “Holy shit.” He lifted his hips and dug his phone from his pocket.
“What?”
“Lorenzo. He mentioned he met with Silas in Ecuador before. He might know something.”
Dallas called his friend. He bounced his knee as the phone rang. Cole barreled down the road. Just the fact that they were on the move and working this from multiple angles made some of the tension around his heart ease.
“Yeah?” Lorenzo answered, sounding groggy.
“Yo, it’s me. Wake up. I need to ask you something.”
Lorenzo yawned, and Dallas heard the rustling of covers followed by an annoyed female voice. His friend mumbled something and a minute later came back on the line. “Amigo. You can’t call at this hour. If you wake the baby my wife will cut me.”
Dallas bit the side of his tongue to stop himself from telling Lorenzo he didn’t give a fuck about waking his household. “Sorry,” he forced out instead. “This is important.”
“Go.”
“Does Silas own a property in Ecuador? Somewhere that he stays when he’s in town?”
A lighter flicked and paper crinkled on the other end of the line. “Ah, shit. I dunno, man. It’s been a while—actually, yeah. Yeah, he owns a place. A shitty house outside of town.” Another beat passed. “I remember thinking how strange it was. We drove by these nice properties, and I expected him to own one. But the place was run-down. Weird because he has money.”
Dallas slapped Cole’s forearm, urgency ripping through him. “Do you have an address?” He didn’t give a damn about Silas’s reasoning for having a low-profile house. All that mattered was they had a location. He pulled the phone away from his ear and put Lorenzo on speakerphone.
He snorted. “Hell no, dude. I went there once to drop a guy off. Didn’t even go inside.”
“What about directions?”
Lorenzo let out a long sigh and gave a jumbled description of the route he’d taken from the bar. “I mean, hell. All’s I know is it’s near the lake. Street name started with a V.”
Cole leaned forward and tapped the GPS screen on the dash. “Vía Evangeline?”
“Yeah, that’s it, I think. It was a dark-green house. There was a shitload of weeds and trees on the property. Single garage at the end of the driveway... that’s about all I remember.”
“That’s perfect, thanks.” Dallas hung up before Lorenzo could ask any questions.
Cole slowed the vehicle and turned to head back in the direction they’d been going before they lost the SUV. “This has to be where they are.” Cole nodded at the screen. “They were headed this way.” He clapped his hand on Dallas’s knee. “Good thinking.”
Dallas swallowed. “It’s only good thinking if we make it there in time.”
“We will.” His brother’s confidence gave him a sliver of hope.
But the truth of the matter was, Gemma had been alone with Silas far too long. And Silas wasn’t a man of patience.
***
Gemma’s eyes rolledback in her head, but she fought the forces that wanted to sweep her into oblivion. As much of a blessing as it would be to pass out, she couldn’t let herself do that.
Ash straightened, putting the flask away. “Suit yourself.”
The tape was put back on her mouth, but this time the adhesive was even looser.
Ring, ring, ring
The sharp call of a cell phone split the stuffy air in the garage. Ash took out his phone and looked up at her. “Don’t try anything. I’ll be right outside.” He pressed the device to his ear. “Yeah?” He stepped outside, closing the door behind him.
Angst pressed against her temples. Now was her chance. She peeled the tape from her lips. Her body wanted to get up and run, but there was only one way out—through the door Ash had exited.
She couldn’t attack with her hands bound. She could run, but if he caught her, she’d be defenseless. Bringing her front teeth down to the tape, she bit into the material. The sickly sweet taste of glue touched her tongue as she pulled on the edge.
C’mon, dammit.
She had a minute or two tops.
The tape split the tiniest amount. Yes! She grabbed one edge and pulled harder, separating her wrists at the same time. It tore more. Chomping into the tape again, she pulled her head back and pushed her hands downward. The last of the tape snapped.
Relief choked the back of her throat as she yanked off the tape and stood. She dove for her purse a few paces away on the workbench. Her hands shook violently as she opened the bag and grabbed the gun—to hell with being quiet this time.
She’d rather get shot than burn alive.
Her phone slipped out of the bag. She shoved it back in her purse and slung the bag over her shoulder. She also couldn’t leave without her phone. If she had to run, she needed to call Dallas.
“Yeah, just take the road out by the lake.” Ash’s voice grew louder. “House number1103.”
He was coming back. She forced down a dry swallow. She was still shaky, and her heels sure didn’t help. This time she’d ditch them. She needed all the speed she could get.
Kicking her feet out of her shoes, she stayed near the workbench. When Ash opened the door, he wouldn’t see her immediately.
Her finger twitched on the trigger. Ash didn’t seem as bad as the rest of them, but if she didn’t kill him, she risked a horrific death.
The door swung open. “All right, bye.” Ash stepped over the threshold and froze, facing the chair she’d escaped from. “What the—”
“Don’t move.” The words came out on a wave of uncertainty. Emotion drew the sides of her throat together.
Ash whirled toward her. He lifted his hands near his head. “Hey, I’ve got nothing to do with this.”
“You brought me here. You have everything to do with this.” The chill in her voice frosted her tongue.
Ash pressed his lips together. “If you’re going to run, you’d better hurry. I went to the house and they’re stitching up Silas’s bullet wound now. You don’t have long.”
Indecision warred inside her. She flicked the gun toward the chair. “Sit.”
He did as she instructed. She scanned the room. She wasn’t stupid enough to try tying him up. She’d have to get too close. She either had to make a run for it or shoot—
“Go.” His tone was firm. “I won’t be able to hold them back long. I’ll have to tell them you fled or they’ll kill me. But if you run now, I can give you a two-minute head start.” The earnest look in his brown eyes made her lower the weapon.
He could have tried to fight her or screamed for help, but he hadn’t. “Okay.” She backed up toward the door. “Thank you,” she said softly.
“Be fast.”
She turned away and dashed for the doorway. The warm outside air surrounded her and—
Smack
Her face connected with a thick chest. The scent of cigarettes and French fries engulfed her.
A hard set of arms enclosed her. She let out a scream as the gun and purse were wrestled from her fingers and shoulder. A laugh boomed out. “Looks like she was going to escape.”
Silas stepped out from behind his guard. He kept his hand on his waist, but a smirk danced on his lips. The light from the garage shined on his face. His normally tanned skin was a pasty white.
Then Silas’s smile fell. “Where the fuck is Ash? Take her inside.”
The man holding her loosened his arms and spun her in the opposite direction. “Walk.” His fingers pressed between her shoulder blades, shoving.
Her feet resisted.
Silas stormed into the garage a step ahead of her. Ash stood near the chair, hands raised. “She pulled a gun on me—”
Silas let out a guffaw of laughter. He seized Gemma’s hair and propelled her in front of him. Her scalp burned as the strands threatened to leave the follicles. “This bitch here? She pulled a gun on you and you fucking let her leave?”
Ash’s face turned crimson, but the stark fear in his eyes overpowered his shame. “Took me by surprise. That’s all.” He kept his eyes on Silas, not looking at her for a second.
Regret stirred in Gemma’s belly. Part of her wanted to speak up, to protect this stranger who’d tried to help her... but she couldn’t. If she defended Ash, Silas would surely assume they were in cahoots.
Silas loosened his grip and shoved her aside. She stumbled but righted herself before hitting the garage floor.
“Ah, I see.” Silas said, his anger replaced with a condescending air. “Well, we can’t have you getting surprised by women half your size.”
He pulled a gun from the waistband of his pants, aimed at Ash, and fired. The bullet entered Ash’s forehead, and a red circle smaller than a quarter appeared between his vacant eyes. His body snapped backward, and his eyes rolled up as he slumped to the floor.
Gemma screamed and covered her face, turning from the sight. The scent of gunpowder filled the room, tainting the putrid air even more. Gemma’s hands were ice cold on her cheeks. Her chest heaved.
She’d failed.
There was no chance she’d escape now. Rough fingers seized her arms from behind, making her drop her hands away. Ash’s lifeless eyes stared back at her.
“Get her tied up,” Silas commanded. “We’ll do this outside.”
“No.” She dug her bare feet into the cement as the man dragged her over the garage floor. “You’re making a mistake.”
Silas’s derisive laugh boomed through the room, echoing off the walls. “You made the mistake when you fucked with me. Get her moving, Adam.”
She planted her weight, crouching in Adam’s hold so it’d be harder for him to propel her. “Go ahead and kill me. But the CIA knows you have me. When they find you, they’ll prosecute you for my death.”
Silas went still. His expression bore an emotion she couldn’t put her finger on. Not concern... A mixture of doubt and something else. He tilted his head to the side. “Say what?”
Her heart beat at a frenzied pace. She forced her tongue to move from the dry roof of her mouth. “The CIA. I’m an informant. That’s all.”
He took two steps closer, moving into her personal space. She didn’t back away. She’d keep some shred of dignity if it was the last thing she did. But her shoulders hunched involuntarily.
“Ain’t that some shit.” He jerked his gaze to Adam. “Did you suspect this?”
“Hell no, sir.”
Silas gave one nod and tucked in the corner of his mouth. Indecision carved itself into his features, making him appear stressed out for the first time since he’d grabbed her. He brought his hand to his abdomen again and took a step back then turned away.
He was thinking about what to do with her. What would draw the least amount of attention and what would save his ass.
Maybe he didn’t care.
“Fuck it. The bitch is probably lying.” He flicked the gun in his hand carelessly toward the door. “Grab the chair and take her outside. Nothing’s worse than the scent of burning flesh.”
“No!” The wail ripped from her chest. Adam reached for her. She shoved him in the abdomen, and he tripped over her discarded shoes.
Silas moved forward, but he was too slow. She charged for the open garage door. “Help! Someone help!” Her bare feet slapped against the narrow walkway. She pumped her arms as she ran.
She heard Silas angrily ordering his guy to get her, and she cast a quick glance over her shoulder as she rounded the side of the garage. Her hair fanned in front of her eyes, and she smacked it away. Adam was in fast pursuit.
The sharp gravel cut into the soles of her feet. If she tried to run for the road, they’d catch her. The tall grass next to the garage was easily six feet long, and the vacant lot beside her was full of overgrown brush and weeds.
She leaped into the grass.
The dry foliage crinkled and snapped as she ran, parting the weeds. Bugs flew up from their slumber, their wings swatting her in the face and their bodies pelting her skin. The grass scratched her bare arms and legs, but she didn’t slow.
Her breath came out in ferocious pants. The earth was cool beneath her feet, like a balm on her broken skin.
The loud rustling of grass behind her—faster and more determined—told her he was close.
If she didn’t hide, he’d find her. The moving foliage was a dead giveaway. She made a sharp right. Lifting her gaze to the night sky, she moved toward the trees up ahead. Every cell in her body demanded she stop.
She sucked in a deep breath, and the scent of grass filled her nostrils. Then she stopped, squatted low, and turned to face the direction she’d come. She’d see the grass sway as he parted it. Laying her hand on her chest, she forced herself to take in air slowly and not in the greedy, open-mouthed way her body wanted her to.
She had no gun. No knife. No phone.
With the grass way over her head, it was impossible to tell how much land was around her. But given how dense the brush was, and there being no sign of it tapering off, there had to be at least an acre. Probably more.
If she stayed quiet long enough, she might be able to make her way to the road. She trained her ears, but no crunching reached her. The moon lit the hay-colored spikes, but none moved as far as she could see.
Had he given up?
The beam of a flashlight cut through the thicket and swept by her shoulder. A squeak caught in her throat as she dropped flat to the dirt. Anxiety fired through her brain.
She closed her eyes and stayed still, her face inches from the ground. The cool, wet smell of dirt kept her rooted in sanity. Where the hell was he? She slowly inched her face to look over her shoulder, but the light was gone.
The odds of him finding her weren’t in her favor. She had to find better shelter. Pushing herself onto all fours, she crawled, taking great care not to crackle the foliage. Cold sweat coated her skin, but a scorching sheen of fear clung to her bones.
She kept her lips sealed to prevent any gasps, breathing only shallow puffs through her nose. There’d been a tree up ahead. If she could get a little farther—
A hand clamped on her ankle.
Gemma let out a shrill scream. Birds cawed and fluttered from the trees. She dug her fingernails into the dirt, but the chilled ground gave way. The ferocious grip dragged her backward and then the guard snagged her arm, yanking her from her belly.
A hot beam of light hit her face, preventing her from seeing the monster behind it.
“Found her!” Adam’s call of triumph ripped over the land.
He scooped her up by the waist. She kicked and fought, punching everywhere she could reach, but he threw her over his shoulder, a laugh bursting from his lips.
Gemma pummeled his back as he carried her back through the grass.
All hope left her, and tears rushed to her eyes. She let out a bloodcurdling scream.
It’s over now.