The Taken Series #4-6

Chapter 1

Dean

I hate when I kill someone and they don’t stay dead. Bishop Blackstone was murdered at my hand. I put the bullet through him myself. Sure, I didn’t see the body. Maybe we couldn’t find him to make sure he was dead.

But it happened a while ago. My men and I were sure he was taken care of.

I slam a fist on my desk at hearing the news that Bishop Blackstone has resurfaced. To make matters worse he’s going after my clients.

“Mr. Maddox, he’s here,” my assistant, Marge, says.

I nod. “I’ll be right there.”

I’m not looking forward to this meeting. I’m not looking forward to any of this. I have to explain to the biggest and baddest mob boss in America why his daughter is in danger.

I’ve been in this game a while. Security to the most infamous crime outfit the world has ever seen.

It was five years ago the ‘Il Ordine Pubblico’ treaty was signed between the Four Families to conduct business together in peace. It’s been five years of harmony and for the most part, lack of work, because when there’s peace, there’s no war. And no one to keep safe. But now all that has changed. Now they have one of the most notorious bad guys after their power. And what Bishop wants, Bishop usually gets. So when the news comes down the pipeline about Bishop going after each daughter of the Four Families, I know I can’t sit idly by and watch.

Bishop will take the daughters and they’ll never be heard from again.

I know this.

I can’t let this happen.

He’s not planning on taking these girls to hold as ransom. No, he wants complete revenge. He wants complete anarchy. He wants to murder these women in cold blood, for all the fathers to watch. He wants to prove once and for all he’s the baddest motherfucker around.

Marge has already shown Georgio DeWinter into my conference room. I stand from my desk, adjusting my red power tie and cufflinks. I throw my suit jacket on, buttoning it before making my way out into the large meeting space.

I step inside and Marge has the room set up with Beluga caviar from the Caspian Sea and a catering tray of Tuscan white truffles from his favorite little Italian restaurant in the city. But he touches nothing.

His stare is menacing and downright terrifying. He's a complete badass to anyone who crosses his path, and many never do.

They know better.

“Georgio, thank you for coming in.” I cross to the head of the table, his eyes on me, and I unbutton my jacket as I take my seat. “The news I’ve received is critical, and the timing is everything.” I don’t beat around the bush. He doesn’t pay me for that.

“I thought Bishop was dead.”

Yeah, I thought so too. I even pulled the trigger myself. “So did we. But we’ve recently learned he’s resurfaced on the island of Zanzibar, off the coast of Western Africa. His primary home is there and we believe he’s coming back stateside soon.”

“How soon?” Georgio asks.

“That’s still to be determined.”

“To be determined? What’s he planning?” he snarls. His rough exterior hides an even rougher interior. “Why is my daughter the only one in trouble?” Georgio stands from his seat, moving around the table. “That’s why you called me here, right? About the safety of my daughter.”

I nod. “Yes.”

“What does he want with my Mia?”

“It’s not just Mia. Bishop’s targeting the Four Families. He’s after each man’s daughter.”

“All of us?”

“Yes.”

The four men work together, all having a daughter they dote heavily on. Pure Daddy’s girls. Bishop must feel this is his best bet to bring down the organization. Hit the men where it’ll hurt the most.

“And I’m pretty sure he’s planning on murdering them for revenge.”

Georgio burns his beady brown eyes into mine. “I’ll murder that asshole before he can ever touch my Mia.”

“It won’t come to that.” I raise a hand. I’d never let Bishop get to any of their daughters. The Four Families hire me for the highest level of skills I possess. I’m a master in my craft of security, and I run one of the largest operations in the world for handling things . I say things because it’s just that. I do whatever needs to be done. No questions asked.

“What do you suggest?”

“I’m thinking of hiding each daughter remotely and away from each other. As for Mia, I’ll take her personally. No one will know where I take her, not even you. I’ll keep her hidden until my men, plus all of your men you can spare, sniff Bishop out and kill him.” I lean forward.

Georgio runs a hand down his face. “I don’t know. I’m having my own issues with my business partner, I don’t need to throw this into the mix.”

“Look, Bishop’s coming. We can either prepare or just take our chances.”

Georgio straightens his tie. “I hate this man. I want him dead.”

You and me both. “There really is no other way,” I tell him. I stand from my chair, moving about the room. “We can all do nothing, wait for Bishop to find us, and then hopefully we can kill him.” I want to add ‘again’ to the end of the sentence. Because I’ve already killed Bishop once, and I can honestly say when I’m face to face with that motherfucker again, there won’t be any almost killing him. This time, I’ll get the job done.

“Why can’t we just go find this guy and kill him?” Georgio asks as he bangs a fist on the table.

“Sir, please. You pay me for security. I’d appreciate it if you’d let me do my job.”

“You’re suggesting I let you kidnap my daughter and take her to an undisclosed location for who knows how long.”

I smile. “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m suggesting. I’ll be taking Mia from New York tonight. So make sure everything is set, and don’t let your daughter know. We need to control the flow of information, and I don’t need her running off to tweet about it or do whatever it is young women do.”

“You take good care of my Mia or I’ll have your head.”

I don’t break eye contact. “If anything happens to Mia, then I’m dead already.”

Georgio pats me on the back before I go over the plan a few more times with him. There are so many details to handle, and we sit around the table for a while making sure every t is crossed and i dotted.

When I finally leave my office, I’m exhausted. And even though it’s late, I know I have shit to do.

I hop into the backseat of my black Range Rover and Leo, my driver, pulls away from the curb.

“Take me to Mia’s. Everything’s set.”

“Sure thing,” Leo says. “The plane’s ready to depart.”

Perfect.

Everyone knows about my—full of luxury and security—private island off the coast of Dubai, including Bishop, so I’m taking Mia somewhere else.

By this time tomorrow, I should have Mia and myself settled somewhere safe and hidden.

Everything’s already set up. Somewhere Bishop would never look for me.

And I own the perfect place. A complex hidden away in one of the Azores Islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Off the coast of Portugal, the Azores is a string of nine islands. Sure, three of the bigger islands are hot spots for tourists, but some smaller ones have little hidden alcoves where people don’t ask a lot of questions.

I plan on taking Mia right away to the small island of Pico to hide her away from the world.

I have a complex on the west side of the island. Away from prying eyes, with a wall taller and stronger than the Great Wall of China. A squad of my very best men are preparing the property for our arrival. I don’t think I’ll have any issues or unexpected visitors anytime soon.

I have calculated everything, so there are no loose ends.

When I get to Mia’s skyrise apartment building, the place looks quiet. The street’s calm and I sit in the car for a moment, watching.

I know you’re out there, motherfucker. And I’m not afraid of you.

Georgio’s worried, and I get it. Yet, I’m a master at breaking into places, even though the men who guard Mia are my men. I run her security detail, so it’ll be a cinch breaking into the place.

Yet, it doesn’t matter who is guarding Mia, I could get through anything. I can work my way around anyone. I had an excellent teacher. My friend, Xavier Stone, taught me every nuance about security systems… and how to bypass them.

Plus, I’ve got a ton of muscles and can kick the ass of anyone who crosses my path.

I glance over my shoulder, making sure I’m the only one out here this late at night. Usually, a loving couple or gang of kids pass by every once in a while, but not tonight. Tonight I’m utterly alone, and I like it that way.

I make my way up to Mia’s building, nodding to the doorman who’s also on my payroll, and dip into the lobby and into the elevator undetected.

On Mia’s floor, I approach my men, sitting at their stations.

“She asleep?” I ask Jude, the man in charge.

He nods. “I believe so. Been in there all afternoon.”

“Good.” Jude opens the front door with his key and I step into the foyer. The penthouse is silent and I’m happy I can do this when Mia’s asleep. It makes it easier and less messy.

Like a ghost, I drift across the apartment toward the kitchen, and up the back staircase which leads to the master bedroom. This will be a quick in-and-out job, as long as Mia comes quietly. I hate that I have to abduct her this way, but I can’t let Bishop know my plan. If he knows I’ve taken the girls, or am behind any of this, he’ll be one step closer to finding us.

To ensure that doesn’t happen, I must play my part so I can drop Mia off at the Azores and make my way back to New York to work his inner circles, his contacts, to find out where the fuck he is.

I open the bedroom door, letting my eyes adjust to the small amount of moon shining through the curtains. Mia’s on the bed. Her chest rises and falls with each breath she takes, and I grab the vial of chloroform from my pocket and dab a little into a white handkerchief.

I move closer, placing it over her mouth, and wait a few seconds until I know she’s passed out. The moment I’m sure she’s not going to wake up anytime soon, I call for my security detail, who’s been her security detail for the past five years.

“Did she suspect anything?” I ask Jude.

He runs a hand through his jet-black hair and checks his watch. “No, she didn’t. Everything’s all set and right on schedule.”

“Want me to get the light, sir?” Kellan, another security guard of mine, asks, going for the switch on the wall.

“No.” I scoop Mia into my arms, carrying her close. “We don’t want to alert any neighbors or risk someone seeing us.”

Plus, there is enough light coming through the tall windows. Trust me, I can see her just fine. The girl has on red silk pajamas with ‘Mia’ embroidered on the top of her shirt front pocket. A gold mask covers her face, and her pink pouty lips remain uncovered.

So much temptation. But I’m not here to surrender to my instinct, I’m here to get a job done.

I’m a professional.

“Yes, sir.” Kellan steps out of the room and Jude and I follow him.

“The car’s ready and you should be to the landing field within the hour.”

I nod. “Pack her things while I get her into the car. Hurry.”

Jude heads back into her room. I trust him to gather all the essentials, but anything he misses, I can get from my housekeeper, Ines, on the island.

I move through the house, and outside to the black Range Rover parked in the alley. Leo sits behind the wheel, ready to take me where I need to be—a small executive airstrip just outside the city in New Jersey.

Mia weighs practically nothing, and her long brown hair falls over me as I try to get her into the back seat. Jude rushes out the doors a few minutes later with a travel bag and suitcase for Mia. He tosses them in the trunk and then resumes his position at his post outside her front door. Jude and Kellan will stay with the condo, saying Mia’s sick and not able to go to work or have any visitors.

Within the hour, we’re flying to the small island of Pico in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

The entire flight I go over plans with Leo and my men, making sure that everything is all set to hide Mia on the island before returning to New York to take my place in the elite society to find Bishop.

Mia’s still asleep when we roll up to the large brick mansion on the side of the island.

She finally wakes inside her bedroom.

Dark brown eyes open, and my own eyes widen.

“Oh, fuck.”

“What is it, boss?” Leo asks.

The woman on the bed, with messy hair framing her angelic face, stares at me with fire in her eyes.

“Fuck, we’ve kidnapped the wrong woman.”