Rami

Chapter 18

Rami stood in the center of the parking lot amidst the destruction. His chest heaved on ragged, crazed breaths. The bullets burned hot against his Kevlar, but he didn’t have the capacity to check his injuries.

“What the fuck happened?” Taschen’s booming voice cracked through the air.

Rami quickly dug his keys from his pocket with shaking hands and motioned for Taschen to follow him. He’d already wasted precious seconds because of the collision.

Taschen took shotgun and Rami got in the driver’s seat then gunned out of the parking lot, heading east, the direction the van had gone.

Taschen’s voice droned on, finally puncturing Rami’s awareness. “Dude, I was five minutes behind. What the hell?”

She’s gone.

He wasn’t sure if he’d spoken the words or not.

Taschen gripped Rami’s shoulder, giving him a light shake. “Hey, we’ll find her. You need to pull yourself together.” His face turned hard. “We’ve got a problem.”

The pungent scent of gunpowder stung his nose with every inhale. There was no pulling himself together. He’d failed. They’d stolen Ivy right from his fucking hands. “No, shit,” he spat. He threw a glance at his friend then looked back at the road. “How’d they find her?” The words snapped from his lips as sharp as whip.

He couldn’t think about anything else. All that mattered was getting to Ivy before the cartel got too far.

It didn’t make sense. His team had spotted the cartel leaving the motel—why hadn’t there been word they were on their tail? Something didn’t add up.

Taschen’s gray eyes darkened. “That’s what I mean, man. We’ve got a problem. After I got off the phone with you, August called. The cartel guys didn’t go to Gigi’s house. They got on the highway, heading in this direction.”

“What?” Rami’s head spun. “When did I talk to you?”

“About thirty minutes ago.”

He shook his head, his brain buzzing with possibilities. “The guys from the motel, what kind of vehicle are they driving?”

“A gray truck.”

He blinked. The vehicle that had made off with Ivy was a van, and the one that had run him down was an SUV.

“Sonofabitch! How many of those fuckers are there?”

“They were smart. Broke their team into groups so we’d only know about one of them.”

They’d been fooled. Had Rami known there were so many of them, he’d have brought the whole team for cover.

For now, they had to focus on getting Ivy back.

Rami stomped on the gas pedal. They couldn’t have made it far. “Is that guy dead? The one who tried to run me down?”

“He was barely hanging on. I don’t think you would’ve gotten answers from him. He’s probably already passed.”

If he killed three more guys, their boss would be even more pissed. Adrenaline set fire to his veins.

He’d kill every last one of them for daring to touch Ivy.

“We’re gonna need backup. Have August and Toth head this way. And I want the boss of this operation,” Rami said, his voice flat and even. “Get Toth to find him.”

Toth’s brothers, Dare, Cole and Dallas, had an infinite number of resources for tracking people down. If anyone could direct him to the leader, it was them.

As he pulled onto the highway, his hands grew clammy. No van in sight. Several roads jutted out from the main highway, and goddammit they could’ve taken any one of them. It would be like trying to find them in a corn maze.

Taschen spoke on the phone beside him, his voice grave and urgent but holding none of the desperation electrifying Rami’s core. He couldn’t even process what Taschen was saying—his brain was hyperfocused on the dizzying trees and fields, searching for signs of the van.

Jesus, it couldn’t have vanished.

But it had.

***

Ivy sat withher back against the wall of the cube van fighting nausea. The heavy scents of coffee and cigarette smoke hung in the air. Bile touched the back of her throat, but she forced it down. Puking wouldn’t help the situation.

She focused on her breathing as she stared at the man who’d dragged her from the bathroom. He’d yanked his face mask off the minute they were in the van and his short, disheveled hair stuck up in various directions, damp from sweat.

He spoke in Spanish with the driver, only glancing her way to make sure she hadn’t budged. Not that she could go far. He was right between her and the side door.

The image of Rami chasing her in the parking lot, his face red with fury, filled her mind’s eye. Tears swelled the tissue around her eyes and made her utter a tiny sniffle. If she didn’t calm herself, she’d surely die in whatever heinous way these criminals had in mind.

Breathe in... breathe out...

Rami might not find her. A glance out the back window showed a stretch of narrow dirt road in their wake. The long, prickly arms of pine trees stretched overhead, closing her off from freedom.

The back door was another avenue of escape. They weren’t traveling very fast because of the uneven terrain, so if she could cause a diversion, she might be able to jump from the back and hide in the forest.

As far as plans went, it wasn’t solid. But if they wanted her dead immediately, they’d have killed her on the spot. She was only breathing because they wanted something from her. A shudder took hold of her shoulders.

The men continued to exchange words—a plan maybe? Damn her for not taking a second language in college like her parents had suggested. She noted that they said “Fernando” several times.

Tucking the name in her memory bank, she curled her knees in tight to her chest and scanned the dimly lit floor.

Cans of paint and what looked like a toolbox were pushed to the far side of the van—probably a stolen vehicle. A shovel, a roll of tape, and a robe lay near the back door.

Her mouth went stale as all the oxygen evacuated her lungs. Her chest spasmed with the need for air, but the dank walls closed in around her.

Oh, god. Oh, god.

The shovel’s for my body.

The driver’s voice took on a loud, irritated tone, and the man sitting a couple of feet from her started to yell in disagreement, again about Fernando.

She wet her lips. Think, goddammit.

Bringing her gaze back to the shovel, she swallowed. If she took out the guy who’d grabbed her, the driver would have to stop and she might be able to escape.

If she didn’t try something, she’d die.

Would rather go down fighting and all that.

The tremble in her shoulders traveled down her spine and spread to her fingers and toes. The man next to her leaned between the two seats up front, gesturing angrily at the driver. Summoning all her courage and strength, she snagged the handle of the shovel and swung the metal piece at the back of his head.

A sickening crunch filled the confined space. The man slumped forward, slipping further between the seats.

Ivy dropped the shovel and darted for the back. She shoved open the door.

“Hey!” the driver yelled. He stomped on the brake, and the action made her careen backward to land on her ass.

She struggled forward and leapt from the van. Her feet connected with the dirt road, and her equilibrium shook as she took flight, terror sinking its jaws into the back of her neck.

The slam of the van door reached her ears. Her sharp breaths blared like a siren inside her head. She dove into the shroud of branches. Their sharp fingers grabbed handfuls of her hair and clawed her cheeks. She didn’t slow. Her sharp breaths turned into gasps as she swatted away branches and leapt over the bumpy terrain.

“Get back here!” the driver yelled, murder dripping from his words.

Never.

She’d never surrender. She’d rather die in the wilderness than go back into their hands.

His deep, angry grunts grew closer. A little cry burned the back of her throat, but she didn’t give life to the scream. She couldn’t risk alerting him to her whereabouts.

“You can’t outrun me!” His laugh sent birds scattering from the trees.

Ivy jumped over a fallen tree and landed sharply. Her ankle gave out for a second, almost taking her down, but she surged forward, ignoring the sting of pain.

His huffs grew heavier. Closer.

Ivy weaved through the trees. Exhaustion started to outweigh adrenaline, and her muscles burned and begged for her to slow. Sweat dampened her brow, making strands of hair stick to her face and neck. A thick chunk of hair flew into her eyes and she swatted it away, but in the moment she was distracted, her toe caught a tree root. A shriek tore from her throat as she landed on the earth with a smack.

Fire shot through her hands and knees, and she struggled to get to her feet. The driver’s piercing laugh divided the air around her, shooting goosebumps over her flesh.

She heaved to stand but a weight slammed into her with the force of a truck. Her stomach hit the ground. Acid hit her tongue.

The man on top of her shifted, and pain lit her spine and ribs. He was sitting on the small of her back. Ivy’s hands dug into the cold, wet dirt as she attempted to throw the man off her.

“Told ya I’d catch you.” His meaty hands grabbed her shoulders. He forced her onto her back then sat back down on her hips.

“Get off me!” she shrieked. She kicked and flailed, but his laugh only intensified.

“You better hope you killed Gabriel or he’s going to enjoy slicing your pussy from the inside out,” he said, leering, his gaze trailing over her body.

At least the Kevlar and her heavy hoodie protected some of her parts from view. Nevertheless, her skin crawled as if a crate of tarantulas had been spilled on her naked body. She sucked all the moisture from her mouth and spat a wad at his face. Spit hit his cheek and strings of saliva dangled from his beard. His gaze turned menacing.

“Fuck you,” she growled.

He clamped his hand around her throat and brought his face to hers. “Fucking puta,” he snarled. He shoved his hand to the waistband of her pants.

Ivy went ballistic.

“No!” She raked her fingernails over his face, ripping at his eyes and lips—anywhere she could tear his flesh.

“Ahh!” He staggered back, but his weight still pinned her to the ground.

Rivulets of blood ran down his cheeks. The corner of his eye was torn and his nostrils were coated in sticky crimson. Before he could retaliate, she balled her fist and slammed her knuckles into his groin. He coughed and sputtered as he slunk to the ground next to her.

After kicking her legs free, Ivy delivered another blow to his manhood with her foot then sprang to her feet.

But before she could run, his arms circled her legs in a bear hug. She fell like a cut tree, toppling over and crashing into mulch. Her head bounced off a rock. There was a sharp crack. Pain shot through her skull. The forest twisted into a hurricane of leaves and branches. The beam of moonlight called her to its arms.

Her body became weightless as her mind grappled with consciousness. She tried to cling to her senses but, like sand through her fingers, it slipped away.

Solid arms hefted her up as her awareness flickered to black.

***

“You need topull over.” Taschen’s gravelly voice took Rami’s focus from the road. They’d driven for miles and still no van in sight.

Rami gulped down the frustration sprouting on his tongue. “What the fuck, man? Why?”

Taschen swiveled in his seat so he faced him. “Because you could be driving away from her for god’s sake. They could have pulled off anywhere—as a matter of fact, that’s what’s mostly likely happened, unless they ditched the van and got a new ride.”

Holy fuck.

That hadn’t even occurred to him. “Shit.” He slowed and pulled onto the shoulder of the road. Very few cars were on the highway this time of night. Finding them shouldn’t be so difficult.

“Get Toth on the phone.” Anticipation buzzed through Rami. He couldn’t just sit here. Not while the cartel had Ivy. He scrubbed his palms over his face until his skin burned.

“Toth’s working on it. He’s got some of the guys checking the camera footage from the gas station for clues, as well as any highway cams. It’ll take some time—”

“We don’t have time.”

“He’s got the whole team working, and his brothers as well. We’ve got the best people on this. Toth’s brothers have tracked and rescued many times before. We need a plan for when we get ahold of the leader.”

“Already got it.” He quickly told Taschen how he planned to offer the hundred grand Gigi had given them to find Ivy.

“Good. I think that’ll work. I’ll have Toth bring the money from the safe. Maybe we can make a quick trade once we talk to someone.”

Rami nodded. That’d be the best-case scenario. But another thought percolated in his mind: Gigi had no idea Ivy had been taken again.

He’d failed. They’d taken her right from under his nose, and he was a lesser man for it. But he couldn’t hide the news from Gigi. And he wanted her to know they were doing everything in their power to find Ivy.

“I’ve gotta make a call,” Rami said, as he slipped from the truck. Taschen nodded but already had his phone to his ear.

Dialing Gigi’s number, Rami stalked around his vehicle to stand at the edge of the ditch. The line rang in his ear as he stared out at the trees. It was long after midnight, and he had no clue what time it was in Colorado Springs. Nor did he give a fuck.

“Hello?” Gigi’s voice hitched with worry.

Ah, hell. “Gigi. It’s Rami. I’m so sorry—” His voice broke. “Ivy was taken. She—”

“What?” The shrill note in Gigi’s voice made him pull the phone away from his ear.

“Listen. Please,” he said slowly. But she was already sobbing. “We left town in a hurry when we learned the cartel was close, but they were one step ahead of us. I don’t know how they knew the direction we were heading in, but some of their men attacked us at a gas station outside of town. They shot up the place and I was on my own with her... and they grabbed her.”

“I don’t understand,” she wailed. “Why are they still after her? What do they want?”

“I’m going to find out. In the meantime, I need your permission to give them the hundred grand you gave us last week. I was planning on giving back what we didn’t use to pay the guys—”

“Yes! God. Don’t even ask. Just get her back.”

“I will. I promise.” He didn’t hide the wobble in his voice. He never made promises he didn’t keep, and he wasn’t about to start now.

“I’m coming home. Todd’s booking flights right now and—”

“It’s dangerous here. You’re better off staying there until we get this sorted out.”

“Not happening,” Gigi snapped. “I’ll be on the next plane to Seattle. Just, please, Rami. Do everything you can.”

He swallowed down the defeat threatening to bring him to his knees. Fresh anger surged inside him. When he got hold of the motherfuckers who’d taken her, he’d slaughter every one of ’em. “I am.”

“And Rami?” Gigi said, before he could hang up. “This isn’t your fault.”

Her words pierced his chest like a sword. “Yeah, it is. But that’s not the point right now. Have a safe flight.” He disconnected and walked to Taschen’s side of the vehicle to rap on the window.

His friend pushed open the door and pocketed his phone as he got out.

“Tell me you’ve got something from Toth.”

Taschen grimaced, the expression creasing the scar on his face. “Yeah, I do. But I don’t know if it’ll help.”

“Tell me.”

“So you know how we’ve been trying to figure out how they found her, how they were one step ahead.”

Rami nodded, anticipation nearly blinding him.

“They put a tracking device in her, man. They knew where she was the whole fucking time.”

Rami’s stomach lurched. “How do you know?”

“Because Juan Fernando, the leader of this operation, marks all his trafficking victims that way.”

Rami squeezed his temples together and paced. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

They’d known every step. Had sat and watched and waited for the moment to swoop in and take her—take back what they thought was their property. Their piece of merchandise they’d tagged like cattle.

A red cloud of rage blocked the edges of Rami’s vision. He’d kissed and touched almost every inch of her, had probably touched the skin right on top of the damn thing that’d led the cartel right to them.

And he hadn’t known. Hadn’t even fucking crossed his mind.

Taschen’s hard grip closed over Rami’s shoulder, forcing him to face his friend. “Easy, dude. It’s not like you could’ve known.”

Rami dragged his hand through his hair and moved out of Taschen’s reach. There was no point arguing. The fault lay solely with him, and he’d have to live with the fact that he hadn’t done his job. Hadn’t protected her.

He could do this. He could find her. After all, he’d found her in Mexico for god’s sake. He’d pull out all the stops, use all the equipment they had, if—

Holy shit.

He snapped his gaze to Taschen. “You got your drone?”

His friend’s eyes rounded. “Yeah, man. I’ve always got it in the car for fieldwork.” His mouth split into a grin. “There’s the Rami I know. Let’s bring your woman home.”

Rami grunted. The old him would have wiped the smirk off Taschen’s face and corrected his stupid ass because before, he didn’t have a woman.

But he sure as hell did now.