Chapter 23
Brooks locked his jaw. He never should have let Leonetti tie him down, but cooperation was the only way to ensure Cam’s safety. Besides, when they injected him with Axalantheum, the zip-tie restraints on his wrists wouldn’t hold him in place—nothing would. He sat in a chair with his back facing the side of the tent, able to see the entire layout. One guard stood between the door and him, his gun trained on Brooks. With many guards now dead or incapacitated, he could escape once he broke the ties. But the hunt wouldn’t stop. Brooks would always need to look over his shoulder—if he made it out.
He burned with the need to see Cam. They’d said she’d been caught but hadn’t returned with her. Maybe it was a setup. Something to keep Brooks compliant. Leonetti couldn’t hold him by force, not with most of his guards down. So he’d use psychological warfare to make him obey.
He focused his attention on Leonetti, who was bustling around the medical table as if he had nothing to worry about. Stepping over the dead guard’s body, Leonetti didn’t even flinch. The guard Brooks had kicked sat on a chair in the corner, his feet up on a box, his breathing labored as he stared at Brooks. He likely had a few broken ribs—not a threat.
“Where’s Cam?”
Leonetti met his stare. “She’s on her way here. You heard them.”
“She should be back by now. There’s no way she made it that far.”
Leonetti shrugged. “Don’t believe me then. But I assure you I didn’t order for her to be killed. I wouldn’t do that to you,” Leonetti said placatingly.
“Bullshit.”
“You have the control here, Brooks. If you cooperate, she can leave.”
Brooks’s face flamed. “You told me that earlier and then admitted you’d test on her.”
“Yes, well. Then I saw your performance. She won’t survive the testing, and you and I both know that. I can’t waste the medication.” He held out his hand. “You do your part and accept the drug, and I’ll set Cam free. I’ll even give you a few minutes together.”
Brooks sucked in his breath through his nose. “I’d rather die than help you.”
Leonetti dropped his hand. “I knew you’d say that.” He leaned to the side to look at the guard between Brooks and the door. “Bring them in.”
“Let us go!” A woman’s sharp scream pierced the air. Two people were shoved inside the tent, thick burlap bags over their heads.
“Take them over there,” Leonetti instructed with a flick of his wrist.
One guard set out two chairs, back-to-back. They seated the prisoners and tied their hands.
“Please! What is this about?”
The helplessness of the plea pulled at Brooks’s heartstrings. He turned his attention to Leonetti, who nodded at guards with a self-satisfied smirk. “All right, where’s Camryn?”
The guards looked at each other. The one with dark hair swallowed. “The others should have her here by now.”
Brooks’s gut twisted violently. Nausea crawled up his esophagus. If Nash and Cam were dead, he’d go insane. He should have run with Cam, should have made sure she’d gotten to safety.
Leonetti marched over to the guards. He bent his head, and his arms moved in the air between them in frustration. Their hushed voices were barely audible.
“Find her,” Leonetti hissed loudly.
Brooks balled his hands into fists, stretching the plastic at his wrists. Cam was smart. She could be hiding—
His gaze went to the tent’s back door. The zipper crept open, inch by inch. His body turned to stone. Leonetti was too engaged in reprimanding his guards to notice.
Swinging his eyes to the wounded guard, Brooks held his breath while the man pulled out his cell phone and tapped the screen. The zipper moved farther. A hand eased inside and parted the material, revealing Nash’s face. Nash lifted a finger to his lips and then motioned with his hand, clarifying that they had the tent surrounded.
But where the fuck is Cam?
Brooks glanced to the side. Leonetti was still engrossed in his conversation with his guards. But the wounded guard would catch him. Bringing his attention back to Nash, Brooks widened his eyes in warning. Nash ignored his urgent stare and eased his way into the tent. As stealthy as a ninja, Nash bolted to the cover of the shelving unit at Brooks’s back.
Yes.
Nash’s firm grip caught his forearm, and cool steel brushed against his wrist. Snap. The zip ties fluttered to the floor. Brooks opened and closed his fists then rolled his shoulder.
“Thanks,” he breathed.
“Don’t mention it.”
“Freeze!”
Brooks stiffened. The injured guard in the chair lifted a shaking hand toward Nash. “Someone’s inside!”
Leonetti’s guards moved across the tent, guns trained on Nash.
“Drop your weapon!” one of the men bellowed.
Nash scrunched his face. He raised his hands, so his gun was in the air.
“On the ground!” They rushed him.
Brooks darted forward, catching one of the guards in a rear chokehold. Nash’s eyes widened, and eagerness flashed in them. He bolted from his surrendered position and tackled the second guard, taking him to the ground. Nash pounded one punch after another into the man’s face and gut.
“Enough!” Leonetti screamed. A vein bulged in the center of his forehead.
Brooks pulled back harder on the guard’s throat. The man kicked, and sharp breaths blew against Brooks’s forearm as he released the last bit of air in his lungs.
“Brooks,” Leonetti said, his voice full of warning. “Let them go before I shoot those two prisoners.”
Nash stopped. “Who’s that?” The guard in his hold scampered away.
“You don’t want them hurt, Brooks. Trust me.”
The second guard shoved Nash farther into the room and held a gun to his head. Nash’s face turned red with unspent rage.
Brooks fumed. He had to get Nash out of here before he got shot. Leonetti wouldn’t give a damn about collateral damage. Goddammit. They had them by the balls. He relinquished the guard, shoving him on the ground so he landed on his face.
Fuck.
***
Cam drummed herthumbs on the steering wheel. A war raged inside of her. Sitting on her ass helped her abused feet, but it did nothing for her heart. Cole, Dare, and Nash were more than capable of handling the situation. Surely with their expertise they’d get Brooks out alive. But what if they got shot? What if Leonetti called in more guards?
She shifted into drive, cut the headlights, and tapped the gas pedal. The truck rolled smoothly forward as she examined the darkness. The gravel road leading toward the tent came into view, and she turned toward it. A figure moved out of the shadows. Hope made her rise onto the edge of her tailbone.
Brooks.
She flicked on the headlights. A man in uniform glowered at her, gun trained on her head through the windshield. No, no, no! He blocked her path onto the gravel road.
“Get out with your hands up!”
If they seized her, Brooks would have risked his life for nothing. She couldn’t let them take her. Lifting her shaky hands, she nodded.
“Keep your hands where I can see them and open the door!”
She winced. The last thing she needed was for his announcement to draw out more of Leonetti’s men. She turned to the door, pretending to comply. Her heart hammered against her ribcage. If she didn’t move fast, she’d get a bullet through her head. Sliding her foot from the brake to the gas, she stomped on the pedal, grabbed the steering wheel, and ducked as the vehicle shot forward. Bullets rained down on the hood of the truck and windshield.
The guard screamed.
Smack!
The hail of bullets stopped as the vehicle bumped over the guard’s body. The truck rolled into the woods, and Cam stomped on the brake. Tree branches scraped against the window. She pulled the key from the ignition, shoved open the door, and toppled out of the truck. Her hands caught the dirt first, stopping her face from hitting the ground.
She’d killed someone. Run him over as if he were nothing more than a squirrel. She sat back on her haunches as wave after wave of nausea crashed in her stomach. Her abdomen tightened. She leaned over and retched into the bushes. Vomit burned the back of her throat, but the release did nothing to ease the weight of her conscience.
He would have killed her. Had she not ducked and hit him, one of the dozens of bullets he’d fired would have been her demise. Reaching up, she grabbed the truck’s open door and pulled herself to stand. Her knees wobbled and her feet throbbed as twigs pressed into her flesh, but she forced all pain from her mind. Stretching over her seat, she grabbed the gun from the console. Holding its reassuring weight in her palm, she crept through the woods.
“Dennis, you there? We heard gunfire. Over.”
Cam brought her gaze to the body on the gravel road. His legs lay twisted at an unnatural angle, and blood pooled on the ground in a thick crimson puddle. More vomit hit the back of her throat. She covered her mouth and sucked in a breath of air. She couldn’t get sick again. If she didn’t hold her shit together, she’d die tonight.
“I’m heading out to find you. Are you there? Over.”
She darted through the trees east of the tent and gingerly stepped over each log, branch, and tree root. She couldn’t avoid the small rocks, but she could avoid moving too quickly and cutting her soles open more—or worse, alerting someone to where she was. She just had to make it to the back of the tent. Voices reached her ears. One of the guards had left. If Cole’s calculations were right, that meant one other guard was inside.
She broke into a jog, ignoring the jabs of agony in her feet and the whip of branches against her face. Where were the guys?
She froze and blinked through the moonlight filtering in through the branches from overhead. She’d lost sight of the guard. Fear closed her throat. She stumbled to the side of the tent and followed the wall toward the entrance. Voices carried through the material.
“Who are they?” Nash’s bellow made her trip. She caught her balance before going down.
“Once Cam’s here I’ll show you.” Leonetti’s controlled tone spiked her blood pressure.
“Cam? Are you here?” The shrill question reverberated through the tent.
Oh god. It couldn’t be.
If Leonetti wanted her, she had to show herself. No one else could die because of her. She ran to the front of the tent and busted through the door, nearly colliding with one of the guards standing on the inside.
“Thank god.” Brooks raced forward, shoving the guard back with his hand and pulling Cam against his chest. “You were supposed to run.” His hoarse whisper made her close her eyes.
His heat engulfed her. The warmth of his embrace calmed some of her frazzled nerves.
“She fucking killed Dennis. Ran him over with a truck!” The guard’s chest heaved. “You should kill her now, boss.” He tangled a hand through his long, curly black hair, ravaging the strands.
Leonetti’s face was impassive. “I make the calls, Manny. Don’t worry, we’ll have our revenge.”
Brooks squeezed her harder. A silent promise that everything would be okay. She tipped up her chin to inspect his face. “What’s going on?” She jerked her gaze to two people tied up in chairs. Her stomach dropped. “Who’s that?” She didn’t need to ask, but good lord she hoped she was wrong.
“It’s so nice to have you back.” Dr. Leonetti stepped forward. Brooks’s arm tightened around her, molding her to his side. “Come in. We have someone for you to see.”
She gulped one deep breath after another. Warning rang in her ears as she watched Leonetti turn toward the people with burlap sacks over their heads. Nash stood with his hands raised. A guard held a gun to his head. Dammit! Her stomach pitched. Their odds were slipping.
Her feet dug into the plastic floor. She jerked her gaze to Brooks. “Who—”
He shook his head sharply. “I don’t know.”
Leonetti was using whoever was in the chairs to control Brooks. It was the only explanation for why Leonetti was still breathing. Brooks motioned her forward and stopped several feet away from the restrained individuals. Cam wet her lips as she took in their clothes—a man and a woman for sure.
“C-Cam? Are you here?” The small, frantic plea made Cam’s heart plummet.
“Mom?”
She raced forward, but one of the guards pulled her back.
Brooks caught her elbows and drew her in front of his chest. “Don’t fucking touch her.” His growl made the hair on her neck spike to attention.
Leonetti pulled the burlap bag off the woman’s head. Her mom’s cool blonde hair spilled out. Mascara tracks ran down her cheeks, and a gash tainted her temple.
The taste of copper filled her mouth.
“Oh, god, Mom.”
They were all going to die here.
Cam’s weight pulled her knees to the ground, but Brooks held her against his chest, preventing her from collapsing. His mouth came down to her ear. “It’s going to be okay. I promise. Please, just follow my lead.”
Tears leaked out of her eyes as she watched her mom’s face crumple. “Honey, what’s happening? Who are these people?”
A pang of guilt cut through Cam. Leonetti tossed the sack to the floor and reached his hand out to touch a strand of her mom’s hair. Linda jerked out of his hold.
“Let me out, dammit! All you fuckers are going to die.” The body behind her mom shifted, the burlap sack swiveling as the person beneath fought against his restraints.
Memories pulled at her brain. Her breath expanded in her chest as she locked eyes with her mom.
Leonetti yanked off the burlap sack, and Cam took in Isaac’s face. He’d changed since going to prison. His face had filled out, and a tattoo of a gang symbol decorated the corner of his eye. Isaac’s light-brown eyes bulged. “You,” he spat.
Terror consumed her. As much as she didn’t want to be anywhere near Isaac, she also didn’t want him dead. He needed professional help for his aggression and the pain of losing his mom, but not this.
Cam shifted her gaze to Nash. His grim expression made her nerves bubble under her skin. He stood almost at the back of the tent, too far away to help Brooks take on the men without getting shot. She turned to Leonetti. The shakiness that threatened to steal her resolve vanished. “Let them go.”
Leonetti paced between Cam and her family. “I’m in quite a predicament here. After you ran off with Brooks, I had one of my private investigators find out everything they could about you. That’s how I learned your real name, Camryn Bayfield.”
Her abdominal wall tightened. Flashes of seeing both her real name and her alias on the news struck her. She hadn’t given it much thought at the time, had assumed the police had dug up her background. Leonetti would have been able to find her mom in a heartbeat, once he knew her last name.
“Then I learned about your unfortunate nephew—”
“Fuck you!” Isaac called from the chair.
“And your mom, who you’d stashed away in Arizona. Didn’t take long to track these two down. Turns out I got there shortly after your nephew got out of prison. It was an unexpected convenience. And he knew exactly where to find you.”
“What do you want?” Cam rasped.
“That’s easy,” Leonetti said, clasping his hands behind his back. “Your compliance.” He nodded at one of the guards.
The guard stepped forward and extended a gun to Isaac’s head. He fired.
Crack!
Isaac’s head snapped to the side. Blood and brain matter spattered the tent’s walls. Cam screamed. Her body went weak as her legs buckled beneath her.
***
Brooks covered Cam’seyes with his hand and steered her away from her murdered nephew. Her sobs ate through his heart. Pulling her against his chest, he murmured meaningless words that did nothing to penetrate her hysteria.
“Oh god no. Isaac!” Cam’s mom sobbed, twisting in her seat. Her face turned to ash and her mouth twisted in horror.
Brooks moved Cam behind him. “You sonofabitch!” He closed the distance between Leonetti and him.
The twisted doctor held up a hand. “That was for Dennis. An eye for an eye.”
Brooks’s blood reached a dangerous temperature. The only thing that kept him in check was Cam’s body burrowed into his as if searching for shelter from her pain. His instinct told him to wait for Nash’s brothers, but he couldn’t. Not another second could be wasted when Cam’s mom was held hostage. Dare and Cole would show any minute. Unless one of the guards got to them first—but they hadn’t mentioned seeing anyone else.
This had to end. Now.
“Enough.” Brooks sliced his hand through the air, anger radiating off his body. He’d get his revenge if it killed him, but he couldn’t do it with Cam and her mom around. “Set them free now and you can administer the drug.”
Leonetti’s eyes sparked. “That didn’t take much convincing.”
“Do it now before I change my mind.”
“Brooks, no!” Cam wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging herself to his side.
His heart constricted. He might not survive Axalantheum this time. Hell, he might slay every person in this room, Cam included. His body was used to one dosage level. To have it upped after he’d been free of it for days... that was a recipe for disaster. Cam couldn’t be anywhere near him.
He caught her elbows in his palms and studied the delicate lines of her porcelain face. The tip of her nose was cherry red from crying. The hue matched the rings around her eyes. “I’m sorry I brought you into all this.” His voice grated out the words.
He’d come into her life like a fucking hurricane, destroying everything around her. He couldn’t put her in danger anymore. If he died right here and now, at least he’d done everything he could to keep her safe.
Fat tears rolled down her cheeks. “P-Please. I need you, Brooks.”
He pulled her head to his pec and pressed kisses to her hair, committing her floral scent to memory. The guard cut Cam’s mom free. The woman leaped to her feet. Her face was puffy as she ran for Cam.
“Go,” he said firmly, without missing a beat. With rough hands, he turned her toward her mom and shoved them both in the direction of the front of the tent. The heavyset guard with curly dark hair kept a gun trained on Nash. The other guard lowered his weapon away from Cam and her mom as they exited the tent.
Please, God, let them get away.
“Manny,” Leonetti said, to the guard watching Cam. “If he tries anything, kill them.” He turned to Brooks and raised his palms. “Let’s get started, shall we?”
“Bro, don’t do this.” Nash’s voice quivered, begging.
Brooks looked at his brother-in-law—or would-have-been brother-in-law, because as it stood, neither of them would get out of here alive. Lexi would hate him. Tonight, she’d lose the remaining people she cared about—unless he could overcome his body’s response to the drug and withstand the compliant behavior the drug induced.
“On the table, thirty-six,” Leonetti instructed. Using his number instead of his name was another method of mind control. Even the tone of Leonetti’s voice had become heavy, almost like a hypnotist’s monotone.
Brooks’s mouth twitched. He’d end this tonight. Leonetti wouldn’t live another day or get the opportunity to test his experimental concoctions on any other victims.
“Nah. I’m not getting restrained again.” He planted his feet on the tent floor. “Do it right here.”
Leonetti’s gaze sharpened with interest. “We’ve increased the dosage 30 percent.”
Brooks rolled up his sleeve and locked the sick doctor in a death stare.
Leonetti pulled a syringe from his lab coat. Popping the cap off, he shrugged. He approached, grabbed Brooks’s bicep, and brought the needle to his skin. “Any last words?”
Brooks twisted his mouth to the side. “Yeah.” He flexed his forearm, ready for the rush of adrenaline and pain that would make his flesh feel as if it were stripping off the bone. “Fuck you.”
Anger filled his every pore. He’d survive this. He had to.