Chapter 30
CHAPTER THIRTY
Griffin eyed Savanna as she stood at the bar, her back to him and her hair swept over one shoulder, offering a view of all that flawless olive skin exposed by her almost backless dress.
During their brief moment together back at the hotel, he’d contemplated handcuffing her to the bed, not just to keep her safe and away from the auction, but to cut that dress clean off her body and claim her as his.
He’d reined it in and controlled himself. Somehow.
But his restraint was slipping the longer he watched the asshole at the bar chat her up. The guy had no idea how close he was to losing the hand he was using to touch Savanna’s forearm.
Griffin pulled his focus away from the bar to get a grip, feigning interest in the band playing outside on a raised platform for the extravagant party at Stefanos’s estate.
It was cool outside, so heaters were set up around the open area where people wandered around viewing items in glass cases for the silent auction while a few masked couples danced here and there.
The sprawling estate was over two hundred years old, and although the team had accessed the floor plan, they assumed Stefanos had made updates when he acquired the property two years ago that probably hadn’t been carried out through the proper channels. Which meant they’d be in the dark tonight. Who knew how many secret tunnels or passageways there were? The damn gardens surrounding the party were a maze in themselves.
Italian Intelligence was on standby outside, but they didn’t have the legal authority to enter. They were still on “sit and wait” orders from their government until they had concrete proof Stefanos was more than an auctioneer.
Stefanos had yet to make an appearance, but they had to assume he was busy conducting his illegal affairs somewhere else on the property—and Nick somewhere there as well.
No sign of Joe and his team, which wasn’t surprising. If his boss was the insider, Joe was no longer needed now that Stefanos had Nick. Griffin still believed Joe was under the impression national security was really at stake, though.
As for MI6, they were similar to the CIA in that they didn’t always concern themselves with legalities. There were currently two operatives inside the party, ready for the go-ahead from Carter over comms to move in. Working with MI6 had been unexpected, but they’d take whatever help they could get since they had fewer men than ideal for such a massive property with an unknown number of tangos.
MI6 had only agreed to collaborate with Carter’s team if they promised to hand over Stefanos as well as let them speak with Nick.
Carter had met the two MI6 operatives there with them tonight on a previous occasion, and he said they were about as “James Bond” as they got in real life. So, the best of the best had been sent. Griffin wished that was more comforting, but bottom line, Savanna was at a criminal’s party, and it made his trigger finger itchy to draw down like he was in one of the old-fashioned Westerns his father loved.
Griffin worked his fist loose, doing his best to remain steady like a Unit operator.
The guy Savanna had been talking to offered her his hand and motioned with the other to the dance floor. She peeked toward Griffin as if seeking permission, and he clamped his teeth together, ready to shake his head in a resounding no when he witnessed her quickly seek Gray’s “okay” instead as if realizing asking Griffin was a mistake.
She must have gotten the go-ahead because she was now moving toward the dance area hand-in-fucking-hand with the stranger.
What really did Griffin in wasn’t the man’s hands on her hips. Nor was it her arms draped over the guy’s shoulders.
It was every turn they took that had Savanna’s attention pivoting straight to Griffin with a slightly frightened, nervous look in her eyes. A plea to be saved.
Maybe he was hallucinating. Maybe he just wanted a reason to go cut the guy’s dick off because his pelvis was dangerously close to brushing up against Savanna.
Griffin shifted uncomfortably, his jaw locking tight as he watched them. As he told himself not to draw the 9mm tucked beneath his tux jacket provided by Emilia’s plant on the catering staff and shoot the guy in the hand that was now brushing up along the smooth, bare skin of Savanna’s back.
But he couldn’t shoot a stranger for dancing with her when they had a mission to complete. A fireworks display was scheduled to begin at twenty-two hundred hours and would last for fifteen minutes. That was their window to handle everything without anyone outside knowing what was going down inside the mansion, which is where the team assumed Stefanos and Nick were.
And while he wouldn’t be able to kill every man who hit on her, not after he, himself, had given her up, that didn’t mean he had to let the dance continue.
Griffin took one step forward, surrendering to his impulses to separate the man from Savanna.
Gray was in his ear immediately, issuing the command to stand down, but Griffin mumbled, “I think the fuck not,” even though his comm was muted.
His quick, angry strides had him at her side in two seconds.
He fisted a hand by his thigh and placed the other on the man’s shoulder, almost hoping he’d ignore the order, “This dance is over.”
The coward backed off— smart man —then tipped his head goodbye to Savanna and retreated.
Didn’t I retreat just yesterday? But when he secured his hands on Savanna’s hips, and she draped her arms over his shoulders to dance, he pushed away all thoughts but that moment.
“I thought you were going to kill the guy,” she murmured.
“You weren’t comfortable,” he replied.
“No,” she returned softly. “But what makes you think I’m more comfortable now?” she rasped, her hazel eyes so big and bold with the silvery-gray mask framing them.
“Because you belong with me,” he answered without hesitation.
Her eyes narrowed in confusion. But she remained quietly moving from side to side, letting him take the lead, opting not to go for another round of arguing on the night of the operation. She had better control than him, so it would seem.
Her body felt perfect in his arms, and they moved together as if they’d been dance partners for years. At times, just being near her was a mind trip. Like they’d been brought together by an otherworldly force, and Savanna was his guardian angel sent from heaven to bring him back to life. So why did he continue fighting it?
Let. Her. Go. Griffin thought back to the voice he’d heard in his head at his father’s cabin. Could he have misinterpreted the meaning of those words? He had no doubt it was Marcus, but had Marcus been ordering himself, and not Griffin, to let go of Savanna?
“Savanna,” he whispered, with no clue what his next words might be, but Carter’s voice in his ear grabbed his attention.
“It’s time,” Carter announced.
When Griffin slowly released his hold of Savanna, she drew in a small, shaky breath that had him leaning in and saying, “It’s going to be okay.”
She nodded.
“Come on.” Griffin unmuted his comm, then reached for her hand. Her palm felt warm and delicate inside his rough one as they walked with fast steps toward the mansion, cutting through the partygoers. “Restrooms?” he asked one of the guards standing outside the entrance.
The man eyed Savanna up and down before answering, “First door on the right.” Griffin knew there were more guards inside the foyer area, given that the guests had access to the bathrooms inside. And he was counting on that.
“What are we doing?” Savanna whispered as he guided her around the corner, thankful they were alone by the bathroom door for the time being. “This isn’t the plan.”
In one quick movement, Griffin had her pinned to the gold-hued wall and his knee between her thighs. He was desperate to tear the fabric of her dress and slide his hand up between her thighs to find her pussy. Even now, at a time like this, he was out of his mind for her.
He cupped her chin and pulled her mouth to his. With the masks on, he had to slant his head to align their mouths, and when his lips touched hers, she stiffened in surprise. But as he deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue inside her mouth, she relaxed against him, clutching his biceps before grabbing at the lapels of his tux jacket, both of them lost in the moment.
This actually was part of the plan, she just hadn’t been made aware of it until now. But like hell was he going to allow anyone else on the team to make out with Savanna.
Moving his hands up the sides of her torso, he caressed her ribs over the silky fabric of her dress before slipping one hand into the V and cupping her breast. She moaned into his mouth, a feverish whimper he ate up with a kiss, devouring her to the point he nearly lost sight of why they were there. He wanted to take her against the wall. Make her his again. Show her just how much she belonged to him in every possible way.
Not here, though. He had to remind himself they were on an op, as well as in public, and he’d be damned if he let anyone see another inch of her skin or hear the way she screamed out his name.
“What are we doing?” she whispered frantically between kisses. Her chest heaved against his as thoughts of all the erotic things he wanted to do to her played out in his head, knowing full well it couldn’t happen there. But until Carter gave the signal, they had to stay put.
Kissing her again, tasting her sweet mouth, and touching her soft skin was the slap to the back of the head he needed to remind himself that he wasn’t a coward. He didn’t retreat. He would fight for her. How could he not?
“You’ve got company,” Carter abruptly announced in his ear.
Griffin slammed his palm against the wall over her head and removed his other hand from her breast to reach beneath his tux jacket in preparation for what was to come next.
The order from a guard, spoken in Italian, one he assumed meant move on , didn’t break their kiss. He needed to draw the guard as close as possible.
Savanna stiffened, which let him know the man was drawing closer. The guard continued speaking in Italian as he approached them, and the moment the man’s hand met Griffin’s shoulder, he quickly turned, grabbed him by the arm, and twisted it behind the man’s back while shoving the barrel of his gun there as well.
“You’re clear. We have the foyer covered,” Gray alerted over comms as Griffin looked left and right down the hall, confirming they were alone as the guard cursed when Griffin twisted his arm harder.
With a puzzled look on her face, Savanna stared at Griffin with wide eyes. Her instructions had been to reveal her identity to one of the guards when the fireworks started and switch on the camera hidden in her necklace. She wasn’t aware they’d changed the plans after talking with the MI6 operatives. He’d been worried she’d protest, so they’d left her in the dark. Another secret, but this one was meant to keep her safe.
“You speak English?” Griffin hissed. When the guard quickly nodded, Griffin continued, “I have what your boss wants. I will shoot you if you don’t take me to Stefanos.” Griffin met Savanna’s startled eyes before he added, “The guards in the foyer are occupied at the moment. They won’t be coming down the hall to help you.”
With the fireworks about to go off, the team hoped the guests would remain safely outside as well, though they had a backup plan if needed.
“Your boss has been searching for someone. A woman,” Griffin said, testing the waters to see how much the man knew. “Are you aware of this?” When the man didn’t respond, Griffin gave his arm another twist. “Yes or no?”
“Yes,” the man hissed through a bite of pain.
“Do you know what your boss is looking for? What he wants?” Another twist and the man nodded. “Good. Your boss has Nick Vasquez now, so he doesn’t need the woman anymore.”
The guard slowly pivoted his attention to Savanna as if making the connection.
“He still wants to talk to her. She may know something. Nick won’t talk,” the man spat out a moment later, then cursed in Italian.
“Yeah, that’s what I figured. Which is why I’m here with her. But she doesn’t have access to what your boss wants, I do.”
The motion of Savanna turning and peering down the hall had Griffin following her gaze to see the only man he was supposed to see approaching them.
“Get her the hell out of this place,” Griffin told Oliver on approach, which prompted Savanna to lift her hand as if she were about to argue. “I’ve got this,” he said to her, hoping she knew that also included doing his best to save Nick. And then she could decide after all of this if Nick was ever truly worth saving.
Savanna’s eyes remained locked on his as Oliver held on to her, pulling her away from the scene. The knot in his stomach eased up as he watched Oliver escort her to safety. And now, he could focus on the task ahead.
“No alerting anyone over your comm,” he told the guard, noticing the coiled wire that went to his ear, less sophisticated than the wireless ones Griffin and his team used. “Take me. Now.”
The guard slowly moved, taking a right down the hall, the opposite direction Savanna had disappeared with Oliver. There was no way in hell he’d be able to let Savanna get caught in the crossfire he knew would go down.
After walking down a few halls, they came across three guards, which Griffin had anticipated was bound to happen. Griffin released the guard and shoved him forward and over to the other three men in the hall.
“We’re out. She’s safe,” Oliver said in Griffin’s ear a moment later, and Griffin’s body relaxed at the news. He slowly knelt and set his weapon on the floor, assuming he’d be patted down and his weapon confiscated before being led to their boss.
“Who are you?” One man stepped forward, and the Italian guard Griffin had strong-armed spoke to the man in Italian, most likely explaining what Griffin had said.
“This is true?” the man asked, and Griffin assumed him to be in charge of the others.
When Griffin nodded, the guy directed two of his men to pat him down and check for additional weapons.
“Fine. I’ll take you to him. Take off your mask and come with us.”
Griffin tossed his mask, and the man motioned for Griffin to walk ahead of them.
The tracker he was wearing had already been activated, so between that and his comm, Gray and the others could keep tabs on him as well as have a heads-up as to how many tangos they might encounter to get to him.
They navigated down a series of passageways before going below level. Downstairs, the walls were made of stone and the air was damp and musty like that of a basement.
“In there,” the man said a few turns later, nudging Griffin into a room off to his left with the butt of his gun. “Wait here.”
Griffin looked around the space lined with wooden crates, probably filled with stolen goods. But there were no entry points aside from the one door, from what he could tell. Not ideal.
“I won’t talk unless Nick comes too,” Griffin spoke for the first time since he’d handed himself off to the guards. “I need to see he’s alive.”
The door pulled closed before they offered a response, though. Once alone, he checked his watch. It was one minute to twenty-two hundred hours. “I’m in a room below ground. Only one way in,” Griffin announced over his comm.
“Roger that. Waiting for the HVT to show himself with Nick before we advance,” Gray responded.
“We’ve counted over twenty guards on the property so far, aside from the ones you’ve come across,” Jack spoke up.
“If he doesn’t bring Nick, we switch plans,” Carter announced.
Contingencies for their contingencies.
But damn, did Griffin hate being unarmed.
“Roger that,” Griffin answered, then positioned his back on the far wall in the storage space, so he had eyes on the door.
He barely heard the fireworks outside, which was good news in case this dragged out longer than they hoped. No one at the party outside should hear the gunfire from their suppressed weapons.
Fortunately, Griffin didn’t have to wait long for Nick to show up. The door opened, and a guard brought him inside, then shoved him onto his hands and knees. Nick lifted his head to peer at Griffin, one eye swollen almost completely shut.
And for the first time, Griffin felt bad for the man. In addition to the swollen eye, blood originating from a wound at his scalp rolled down one side of his bruised face. “Who are you?” Nick croaked out to Griffin as Stefanos entered the room with six more guards.
Before Griffin could think of an answer, Stefanos motioned for his men to flank Griffin’s sides.
“How many more men are here? How’d you get a weapon onto the property?” Stefanos stroked his black beard. He looked younger than his age of fifty, and he appeared to be fit as well. “My men are checking everyone at the party now. You should tell me. Save me the trouble.”
“Just a couple eggs short of a dozen,” Griffin said, a seemingly random comment but intended to alert his guys as to the number of guards present. The plan was to buy himself time to get his men down there, and he’d do his best to throw off the assholes however he could. Humor often worked as a mind fuck. “I was the only one armed. Snuck it in with the biscotti. They were excellent, by the way.”
Nick attempted to stand, but one of the guards kicked him back down as Stefanos sidestepped him.
“Comedian,” Stefanos said. “I don’t have time for jokes. My man tells me you have what I want.” He drew a Glock from behind his tuxedo jacket and pointed it at Nick’s head. “So should I go ahead and kill him?”
Nick dragged his one semi-good eye up to peer at Griffin. The fact Nick had kept quiet without giving up either the safe-deposit box location or Savanna meant there was some decency in him, or he was trying to buy himself time before an imminent execution.
Jury was still out.
Griffin reset his focus on the boss and casually folded his arms over his chest. He wasn’t used to being so up close and personal with the enemy, nor the one to do the talking. For most ops, whether with Carter or the Army, he’d been behind the scope of his long gun and on the flat of his belly, taking down targets before they knew what hit them. This was new.
“You presold or promised the Elysium Project to someone who’s a hell of a lot more dangerous than you, am I right?” He noticed the beads of sweat on Stefanos’s brow. He really was terrified. And most likely off his game, which Griffin and his team would use to their advantage. “Then you didn’t deliver, so you’ve sent your men everywhere trying to hunt this man down.” He tipped his head in Nick’s direction. “Well, you need us both alive to save your own ass.”
Stefanos lifted his gun and aimed it at Griffin. “Really, you think so?” He arched a thick, black brow, but when he drew his free hand across his hairline, wiping at the sweat, he gave himself away. The fear was prominent. Even his hand was shaking. “How is it you know of the Elysium Project? Who told you?”
“En route,” Carter said into his ear. “Preparing to handle the threats. Give us sixty to ninety seconds.”
Griffin just needed to keep this prick talking for that long. “Savanna had no idea where Nick went, she hadn't seen him in years, but Nick did hide the key to a safe-deposit box at her house. Inside that box are the plans to the Elysium Project.” Well, he was assuming that was true. “And I have both the location of the safe and the key. But you need Nick’s retinal scan and passcode to access it as well.” Griffin let his arms relax at his sides as Nick started to sputter blood as if worried Griffin might sacrifice Savanna. Or try and make a shady deal.
Stefanos’s shoulders visibly collapsed. “Where?”
“A two-hour plane ride from here. Your home country.” Thirty to sixty more seconds.
“Boss.” The guards must have been alerted of Griffin’s team over their comms. “We have reports coming in. Shots fired inside the house. We should move you to a safe location.”
“The others upstairs will handle them. We need to get to the plane,” Stefanos said, already on the move for the door. “Call the pilot. We’ll take the chopper to my jet. They come with us. We’ll use the back tunnels.”
The farther away from civilians, the better. His men were tracking Griffin, and they’d collapse onto their position at the right moment.
“Copy,” Gray said into Griffin’s ear, letting him know he heard Stefanos.
One guard reached for Nick’s arm and lifted him off the ground, and two men held on to Griffin’s arms, and he didn’t put up a fight. No, he’d save that for the right moment.
The other three surrounded Stefanos in a circle with guns drawn as they left the room and slowly advanced down the hall toward an open archway leading to a tunnel.
A few more turns later, they moved up a set of stairs, which led to the main level.
Griffin barely heard the blades of the helo outside, hidden by the sound of fireworks popping into the air, but the helo had to be nearby.
“Moving to your position now. Handling the pilot out here,” Carter announced.
“Seven,” Griffin told Carter a moment later, letting him know the total number of tangoes accompanying him.
“Roger that,” Carter answered. “Prepare to take cover.”
“Seven what?” Stefanos turned to eye Griffin, then he cursed. “You didn’t check him for comms?” he hissed toward his guards at the realization Griffin had someone in his ear. “Fuck. We need to move.”
“Now,” Carter announced, and Griffin shifted his weight to the left in one fluid movement, then jerked his right arm free at the same time.
Griffin freed himself of both men before knocking the guard’s gun loose at his three o’clock. Stefanos and the others were distracted by the gunfire just outside.
Griffin shot the man he’d disarmed and quickly snapped out a shot to eliminate the threat on his right before he could unload on him.
And in one fast movement, he grabbed hold of Nick and blocked his body with his own to . . . heaven help him, protect him.
Griffin crouched in the hall, keeping Nick behind him, weapon aimed in case anyone came through the door that wasn’t on his team. He’d lost sight of Stefanos and the other men who’d been protecting their boss. But they’d gone straight into the belly of the beast—finding themselves facing his teammates.
“All clear. Let’s exfil,” Carter said. “We’ve secured the package,” he said, letting Griffin know he had Stefanos alive. “Do you have yours?”
Griffin looked back at Nick to see him on the ground. He offered Marcus’s brother a hand, wondering if Savanna’s instincts were right about him. “Yes, I have the package.”