Chapter 32 Rosco
ROSCO
We’ve continued to follow the sedan that is carrying my angel farther away.
We’re no closer to figuring out how to get to Rachel than we were when we climbed aboard this helicopter two hours ago.
D.C. is fast approaching, and I’m worried we won’t be allowed to continue to follow the sedan.
We’ll be entering protected air space soon.
A call comes in over the comms. Bo answers, knowing I’m not in any shape to be civil with whomever is calling.
“Yo, whatcha got?” Bo answers. Luke is undoubtably rolling his eyes at Bo’s greeting. He isn’t the most professional, especially if he knows it’s someone on our team calling.
“Vena isn’t who has Rachel,” Kelvin announces. I sit up a little straighter.
“Who has her?” Bo asks before I can.
“Nicolai Caprice.”
“Fuck!” Bo and I say at the same time.
“I’ve made contact with Caprice,” Kelvin continues, as if we hadn’t spoken. “He’s willing to talk but on his terms. I’m not sure we can trust him. He is head of the Russian mafia after all.”
“Why would he talk to us?” Bo questions. “He has what he wants, so why bother?” I’m glaring at my brother. He gives me an unapologetic shrug.
“What are his terms?” I ask, ignoring Bo’s questions.
“The reason he’s agreed to talk is I have gathered some very creditable and damning information on him,” Kelvin declares arrogantly.
“I merely mentioned that we have connections with several agencies that would be highly interested in getting their hands on that information.” Kelvin is cut throat, there’s no doubt about it. I’m glad he’s on our side.
“Do you really have something on him?” I can’t help asking. Kelvin is a badass with computers, even better than Luke, but he loves to bluff. I’m not willing to risk Rachel’s life on Kelvin’s confidence of being able to pull one over on the head of the fucking Russian mafia.
“Of course, I do,” Kelvin replies. “I even sent him a little preview of what I have, which is the reason he’s agreed to meet.”
“What about the twins?” Bo asks, “Can he negotiate their release, too?”
“Vena has the twins,” Kelvin answers, sounding less confident. “I’m working on getting enough evidence on him to make a similar trade, but Vena might not be so cooperative. Those boys are his sons, his blood. I say we focus on the meeting with Caprice for now.”
“When and where?” I bark. I want to get Rachel back now, not later. God only knows what may have already happened to her. At the same time, I can’t neglect the twins. They’re important, not only to her but to my family, too.
“Sending details now,” Kelvin says as mine and Bo’s phones ping at the same time.
“Rosco?” Luke joins the conversation, “Are you certain you can keep your cool? You can’t lose your shit on this guy, understand?”
“I’ll do my best,” I answer honestly. “But I’m not promising anything. If he’s hurt her, the feds won’t have to worry about taking him down. I’ll end him.”
“Well, I guess that’s the best I can hope for,” Luke says sounding exasperated. “Bo, bring him and Rachel home in one piece, please?”
“Don’t worry, bro.” Bo chuckles. “We got this, but just in case, keep some bail money handy.” I just shake my head.
Since Bo has been with Shelby, he’s been even more laid back about somethings than he’d been before, but he’s more protective and careful when out in the field.
I know he’ll have my back and keep me from going off half-cocked. Hang on, Angel, I’m coming for you!
Two hours later, after we’ve landed on a helipad on top of a high-rise building owned by Caprice, I’m pacing impatiently, while Bo is calmly watching me wear a hole in the expensive carpet of the room we’d been placed in upon our arrival.
“Bro, you need to calm down,” Bo counsels for the tenth time. It’s no more effective now than it was the last time he’d said it.
“How calm were you when Shelby was being held?” I should feel like shit for reminding him, but I’m past worrying about anyone except for Rachel.
“Point taken.” Bo sighs. “Still, getting agitated isn’t going to help Rachel.” My face is going to hurt for days with how hard I’ve been frowning since learning she wasn’t at Luke’s.
“What the hell’s taking so long?” I demand, spinning to face Bo. “We’ve been waiting for an hour and a half. The bastard knows we’re here. What’s he waiting for?”
The door to the room we’ve been waiting in opens, and an older woman enters carrying another tray of refreshments. I haven’t touched a thing on the first tray she’d brought when we first arrived. Bo, however, has eaten and drunk like he hasn’t eaten for days.
“My apologies, gentlemen,” a man I assume is Caprice says from the door. He follows the woman into the room. “For keeping you waiting. I’ve had some…issues to deal with. I’m Nicolai Caprice, and you are?” The man walks up to me holding out his hand.
“Rosco Robertson,” I answer through gritted teeth, gripping his hand in a firmer than necessary handshake. He returns the grip, our handshake turning into a near arm wrestling match.
“Bo Robertson.” My brother walks up, holding out his hand. Caprice glances at Bo, seeming as reluctant to end our pissing contest as I am, but he relents to shake Bo’s hand.
“What can I do for you, gentlemen?”
“You can tell me where Rachel is!” I insist. His brow crinkles for a moment.
“Are you asking after Amelia?” Now it’s my turn to frown, until I remember Rachel telling me her birth given name.
“Yes.”
“Amelia is safe,” he answers cagily. “What’s your interest in her?”
“What’s your interest in her?” I ask angrily. “Although I have a pretty good idea from what she’s told us about you.” Nicolai’s eyes narrow at me.
“Why would Amelia be talking to you about me?”
“She’s been hiding from you and Vena for years,” I growl. “Now bring her to me before I lose what little patience I have left.” Caprice’s jaw ticks as he scowls at me.
“Do you know who you’re talking to?” Caprice demands.
“Yes, I fucking know who you—"
“Rosco,” Bo says in a warning tone, before turning to Caprice. “We’d like to see Rachel to ensure she’s all right.” A knock on the door draws everyone’s attention.
“Enter!” Caprice commands. A graying man, about Caprice’s age enters the room. He has a stethoscope around his neck.
“Well?” Caprice demands. “What did you find?”
“I’ve placed her in a room with monitoring equipment,” the man says to Caprice, glancing at us. My entire body tenses as I realize they’re talking about Rachel. “She has a concussion and needs to rest, but she’s going to be fine.”
Caprice’s relief is as immediate and obvious as my own. I don’t want to admit it, but it’s clear he is concerned about Rachel’s wellbeing.
“Where is she?” I ask in a calmer tone than I thought I could manage. “Please, I need to see her to know she’s really okay.” Caprice seems to debate the pros and cons of granting my request.
“Give me a moment,” Caprice says before leaving the room. I resume my pacing. The woman and man share a look but don’t comment. After what seems like an eternity, Caprice returns.
“Follow me,” he grumbles and leads us down a short hallway and through the open foyer where we’d entered when we first arrived. We get on the elevator and drop one floor before being led down another hallway to a closed door at the end.
He pauses and knocks softly.
“Yes?” my angel’s voice calls out.
“It’s me,” Caprice says, “May I come in?” I’m shocked that he’s being so considerate of her.
“Yes.”
“Wait here,” he commands. Caprice opens the door and enters the room, leaving us to stand in the hall. He pushes the door to nearly closed, but doesn’t shut us out, which I find shocking.
I glance over my shoulder at Bo and notice the man, who appears to be a doctor and the woman are hovering nearby. I guess that’s why he’s fine with leaving us unguarded, because we aren’t.
“How are you feeling?” Nicolai asks, concern evident in his tone.
“A little better,” Rachel answers softly. “The nausea is mostly gone. Dr. Michael gave me some medication that’s helping with both the pain and nausea.”
“Very good,” Caprice murmurs. “I’m glad to hear it. You have some visitors who are very anxious to see you.”
“Visitors?” Rachel questions. “Who even knows I’m here?”
“They claim they know you,” Caprice answers. “They even say you fear me and have been hiding from me for years.” I can hear the accusation in his voice. Yet he chuckles, and it angers me enough that I push into the room, uncaring of the consequences with Bo hot on my heels.
“Rosco!” Rachel exclaims, confusion on her face briefly before relief. My eyes land on her the instant I’m in the room. I push past Caprice, hurrying to her side, uncaring about my own safety. Bo will have my back if Caprice decides to attack.
“Angel!” The word rips from me, sounding as tortured as I feel. She’s laying on a large bed surrounded by medical equipment that’s beeping softly in the background.
Her face is battered and bruised and the left side of her lower lip is split and swollen. I don’t see any fresh blood, but it’s clear she’s been through hell. Despite her battered appearance, she’s as beautiful to me as ever. Her brown hair is hanging soft and loose as if she’s freshly bathed.
“What happened to you?” I ask and glare over my shoulder at Caprice. I kneel down next to the bed, too afraid to touch her for fear of hurting her further. Rachel’s hand on my face draws my attention back to her.
“I’m okay,” she assures me. “Lawrence and Vinnie ran me off the road not far from Virginia Beach. I hit my head in the crash. The doctor says I have a concussion, but it’s not life threatening.
“Do you have the boys? Do you know where they are? Reginald had them the last time I saw them.” Rachel’s voice cracks when she mentions her brothers, and tears fill her eyes.
I wish I had some good news for her, but the last update Kelvin gave us was that he’d been unable to locate Vena or the twins.
“I’m sorry. I don’t have any information on the boys.” My throat contracts as I swallow around the hard lump that had formed the moment I laid eyes on her. Taking my time, I note every mark on her delicate skin.
“Forgive me, angel.” Our eyes meet. Tears are streaking down her face, and I can’t stand it another second. The need to hold and comfort her is stronger than my fear of her rejection.
I scoop her into my arms being careful of the wires and tubing connecting her to the equipment around the bed. Rachel wraps her arms around me and buries her face in the crook of my neck. Her body trembles as she cries.
Easing down onto the bed with her in my lap, I hold her close. It guts me that she’s crying and upset, but having her in my arms feels damn good.
“Shh, they will be all right, angel. I swear it,” I murmur in her ear, pressing a kiss to her forehead, not caring I have an audience. “I promise I’ll get them back.”
Holding her in my arms calms the storm that’s been raging inside me since finding out she was missing. It had only worsened when I’d seen some asshole hit her on that video which reminds me, I have some ass to kick starting with the man who is hovering nearby.
Caprice is scowling down at me. A look which I eagerly return.
Rachel’s story of how she came to be on the run from the mafia comes back to me.
Vena had planned to marry her off to this man who is more than old enough to be her father.
There’s no fucking way I’m letting him touch her.
It’s bad enough she’s been with him for hours.
“Give us some privacy,” I insist none too nicely. Rachel lifts her head to look back and forth between us. Caprice’s glare deepens.
“You’re in my home, might I remind you,” Caprice answers, “Amelia’s safety is my utmost concern. I don’t know you, nor do I trust you with her. I never should have allowed you to see her!”
He takes a step toward us. My body tenses in preparation to deposit Rachel back onto the bed so I can deal with Caprice. Rachel’s hands grip my shirt like she’s trying to hold me back. It distracts me briefly from my showdown with Caprice.
“Enough!” Rachel yells, then winces and grabs her head. Guilt hits me again for the thousandth time in the last two days. Wrapping my arms around her, I hold her to my chest while giving Caprice a death glare.