Chapter 11
Chapter
Eleven
September 6 th
4:11 P.M.
“You know I find this whole thing quite distasteful.”
Cade fought the urge to roll his eyes at John’s ridiculous statement.
They’d been going back and forth with this charade for the last couple of hours. John would ask for answers, wanting to know what Cade and his family knew, then when Cade wouldn't provide any answers, he’d instruct one of his men to slash at him.
When that didn't work, John would throw a huff and storm out of the basement, only to return a while later to start the process all over again.
Rivulets of blood covered most of his body. They’d cut his clothes off him, leaving him in just his boxers, and trails of blood marred his chest, his arms, and his legs. None of the cuts were particularly deep, just enough to slice through skin. Although Cade had no doubt that given enough time, the wounds inflicted would become deeper and deeper until eventually, they cut through an artery, and he bled out.
That would take time, though, which gave him time to play a little.
One thing he found himself torn between hoping for and against was that Gabriella had seen John while she was being held captive. If she’d seen his face, she would have passed that along to his brothers, who would know for certain that the man was involved. That would give them time to dig deeper into who exactly this man was because Cade would bet anything that John Jones was not his real name.
But if Gabriella had seen John, he had no doubt the man would have done something to hurt her, and that alone filled him with enough rage to keep him well and truly fueled even though he hadn't been given anything to eat in hours.
“Shedding blood like this is so barbaric,” John continued, and this time Cade couldn’t hold back the eyeroll.
“Sure,” he scoffed. The man was very clearly enjoying every single second of this. While John might not enjoy getting his hands dirty and putting them directly on people, he absolutely did enjoy watching, knowing he was in control, that he got to play God and decide who lived and who died and what happened to them until he ordered their death.
Narrowing his eyes in irritation that Cade wasn't fawning all over him and giving him the adoration he was obviously used to receiving, John huffed. Whoever this man was he was definitely powerful enough to be the one who kept ordering teams to attack his family. But it was also clear to Cade that John didn't really know anything about how to formulate and follow through on a targeted attack. His attacks had been too random, attempting to discern and go after the weakest link. Despite his power, money, and being accustomed to being in charge, he was afraid of their family.
Finding out the names of the men who had raped their mother would bring John’s world tumbling down around him and Cade found great satisfaction in knowing that.
Because it was happening.
Nothing John Jones could do short of killing them all would stop them from getting answers. And killing them would draw far too much attention to him, and besides, Prey would continue their quest.
These men weren't getting away with what they did, and if John had gotten involved in this mess by trying to help cover it up, he was going down with them.
As far as Cade was concerned, it had always been a foregone conclusion.
Deciding it was time to push John a little, anger him enough that he gave away his true identity, Cade cocked his head to the side and studied the man until he began to squirm a little. Despite his big talk and air of superiority, this wasn't a world John was used to. He had rich, spoiled, entitled brat written all over him.
“You know, Becca would never have gone out with a man like you,” Cade told the other man, smirking when anger painted John’s cheeks red. Becca was like a little sister to him, and even if she and Connor hadn't been able to work through their issues, there was no way Becca would have been attracted to a man like John. He had no heart, no soul, and she was one of the most loving, giving, caring people Cade had ever met.
“If your brother hadn't come back, she would have,” John insisted in a huffy tone that only served to prove Cade’s point. Becca didn't go for men like this, who were arrogant and cocky and thought they were way better than they really were.
“Nah, man, she doesn’t go for rich guys who can’t even hack it in the jungle,” Cade taunted.
“I was hacking it,” John gritted out. If looks could kill, Cade would be dead already.
“Not what Becca said. When you called her the other day, she told us how you creeped her out, that she thought it was odd you didn't seem to care about the people or want to be there.”
“I never creeped her out,” John insisted.
“If you say so.” Cade shrugged as best as he could with his arms chained to the chair. It did the job though, because John was fuming.
“All women like me.”
“If you say so.”
“I do say so,” John snapped, sounding more like a petulant child than a fully grown man talking to his prisoner.
“Sure, bud.” Growing up with three younger brothers and a baby sister, he’d well and truly learned the art of provoking others. Just because he’d had to grow up quickly when he was fifteen and his dad had died, and then his mom had been arrested and “committed suicide” didn't mean that he hadn't been a regular kid before that. Given the fact that the boys were all fairly close in age, they’d driven one another crazy while at the same time being close friends, not just brothers.
Now he was using that finely honed childhood skill to his advantage.
“What's not to like?” John exploded. “I'm richer than you could ever hope to be, I'm well respected, I have a job where I can make connections with people who are going to be industry leaders in every field you could possibly imagine. I have everything any woman could ever want.”
“And yet Becca rejected you. I’m guessing she’s not the first woman to turn you down. With an ego like that, you're pushing away any woman who wants more than an accessory and a meal ticket,” he taunted.
“You have no idea who I am and what I can offer a woman,” John roared. “I'm the principal of the most exclusive school in the country. Politicians’ kids, ambassadors’ kids, celebrities’ kids. I have connections to almost every wealthy, powerful businessman in the country, as well as connections in the government and the military.”
As though realizing what he’d just blurted out in anger when he registered the smug smile on Cade’s face, all the air left his sails, and John Jones deflated right in front of him, regret marring his features.
With that information, it finally clicked, and Cade knew exactly who John Jones really was.
“John Gaccione,” he said slowly, looking the man up and down. No wonder he looked familiar. He was the principal of the most exclusive private school in the country, following in his father’s footsteps. His father, Richard, would have known Tarek Mahmoud, and could definitely be one of the rapists. Richard might even have had contacts who helped him take out a Delta Team and then set up someone to take the fall.
“I only found out what he did on his deathbed,” John said wearily. “He confessed, told me everything. Your family was asking questions, and I convinced Tarek to take the fall. Told him if he didn't, I’d make sure he suffered the consequences. I had to pull in every single favor I'd ever earned from a family by giving their kid a place at the school or writing them a reference that got them into an Ivy League college or a job. But I did it. I targeted Susanna thinking it would work. I went to Cambodia to be close to Becca when I learned who she was. But you just wouldn't back off.”
“Did your father really believe he was also Cassandra’s father?”
“He wasn't sure. It wasn't Tarek, which meant there were only three other possibilities. One of the other men involved was of Asian descent, so it wasn't him. Apparently, he had a heart attack not long after Cassandra was born. That only left two possible candidates, one of which was my father. It was too risky to go after her so they hoped that everything would die down, but you and your brothers are relentless,” John told him.
“But we are Cassandra’s brothers. How can you come after us knowing we might share a sister? Especially given you weren't even involved.”
“My father was a monster. The things he did to my mother … let’s just say your mother should have considered herself lucky he didn't kill her. But he left me a legacy, one that I didn't want to lose. If the truth about him came out, I would be ruined. He’s done enough to me, I'm not losing anything else. I deserve the money, the prestige, the power. It’s my payment for everything I endured at his hand. I won't lose it because of him. Which means I can't ever let you go. I was weak when it came to your daughter, I should have killed her and the nanny. If they tell about me then I might lose everything anyway.”
John looked right at him, and there was actually a small sliver of regret in his dark eyes.
But regret or not, they both knew how this ended.
“I can't let you live,” John said aloud.
Then, with a nod at one of his men, he turned and walked away, not watching as the man plunged a knife deep into Cade’s flesh.
September 7 th
7:57 A.M.
“What if I got it wrong?” Gabriella whispered her biggest fear into the quiet car.
Despite trying to call several times yesterday to set up a time to meet with the man who called himself John Jones and claimed to be Cassandra’s half-brother, all those calls had gone unanswered.
They were taking a big risk going there.
Last time someone had set up a meeting with John it had been Cade, and the meeting had merely been a ruse to keep all the brothers occupied and focused on the wrong thing so that someone could go after her and Essie.
That someone had to be John.
He had to be involved.
They were all in agreement on that, but they didn't know if he was the man in charge or if he was aware of what was happening and had tried to reach out to them to issue some kind of warning.
Most likely it was the former. It could not possibly be construed as a coincidence that one night Becca gets a call from a man who had worked with her in Cambodia claiming to be another brother to Cassandra when it wasn't common knowledge how Cassandra had been conceived, and then the very next morning she and Essie were abducted.
Prey was running the image she’d made with the sketch artist through facial recognition software, and she knew that it would eventually get a hit, and they’d learn his true identity, but it hadn't yet. Without that hit, she was worried that she’d messed up somehow with the drawing and was setting everybody up with false hope.
“You didn't get it wrong, Gabs,” Connor assured her, reaching over Becca, who was sitting in the backseat between them, to squeeze her knee.
No one had wanted her to come along this morning, but she couldn’t sit at home and do nothing any longer. If she tried, she was going to lose her mind. Despite none of Becca’s calls being answered, and none of the messages she’d left being returned, Becca had told John that she was going to be at the original meeting place this morning if he wanted to meet with her.
The original instructions had been that Becca would meet with him alone, but the guys had rejected that. Now they felt they had no choice but to make it look like they were complying.
Not that they were.
Well, not one hundred percent anyway.
Becca would go alone to the mall entrance, but Connor and Cooper would be with her, and Cole would stay in the car with her. Gabriella had convinced them to let her come by saying she could confirm that she’d been right if she saw his face in person. Although she was the only one who seemed to have doubts, even her doubts were more fear than actually doubting she’d gotten the face correct.
“All right, Becca, time to call one last time,” Connor said, and Becca gave a somewhat shaky nod.
Even though she hadn't known Becca for more than a couple of weeks, she’d known since she first started working for Cade that there was a woman from Connor’s past that he wasn't over. She was so glad they’d gotten this second chance and were back together again where they belonged, but she hated that this cloud was hanging over all of them.
This family was full of good, honorable men and women and none deserved this.
Praying this worked, Gabriella watched as Becca easily slid her hand into Connor’s, gaining support from him. She could imagine how Becca felt knowing she’d been watched and in danger, and hadn't even known about it. Talk about something that makes you feel completely vulnerable.
“Oh, John,” Becca said a moment after bringing the phone to her ear after calling back the number he’d used to contact her.
None of them had expected him to answer, and now that he had, Becca’s gaze darted to Connor’s, silently pleading for help with what to say.
Connor just gave her a confident nod and lifted the hand he was holding to his lips, touching a soft kiss to the inside of Becca’s wrist.
Since they could only hear Becca’s side of the conversation and didn't want to risk having her put it on speakerphone so they could listen in case they gave away the fact that she wasn't alone, there was nothing the guys could offer to coach her on.
“I didn't expect you to answer since you haven’t taken any of my other calls,” Becca said.
That she was nervous was portrayed in her tone, but there was no way for John to know exactly why she was nervous. For all he knew, it was just because of the bombshell he’d dropped on her the other day that he believed himself to be Cassandra’s brother.
“I'm sorry I couldn’t meet with you the other morning, I hope you weren't left waiting long,” Becca continued after a pause. “Something happened to Connor’s family. His little niece and her nanny were kidnapped.”
Since John hadn't outright said that he was involved in the plot to silence the Charleston Holloway family, it was smart of Becca not to let on that they knew who had taken her and Essie and why.
“Yes, they’re both okay. We were able to get them back, but only because Essie’s father, Cade, offered himself in their place.”
Her chest tightened at those words.
They sucked the breath right out of her.
If Gabriella hated one thing it was that Cade had traded himself for her.
For Essie that would have been okay, but the little girl needed her daddy now more than ever. Cade was the only parent Essie had left and there was no way that Gabriella could fill his shoes.
While she’d told Cade when she first interviewed for the job that she was looking to do something different with her life after her failed marriage, she’d never told him why her marriage had failed.
Never admitted to him that the universe didn't think she had what it took to be a mom. That was the only reason in her mind she kept having miscarriage after miscarriage.
Part of her was afraid that if he found out, Cade would fire her, and she’d lose him and Essie. They might not really be hers, but she couldn’t love them more if they were.
Which was why she wished Cade had just negotiated for his daughter’s release and left her behind. What if she failed Essie the same way she’d failed her own babies?
As though sensing her growing distress, Cole shifted in his seat and reached around it to hold up his hand, offering it to her. There was no hesitation as she reached out to grab it, allowing the feel of his firm grip to ground her. It wasn't the same as having Cade with her, but it was better than nothing. All of these men and their partners had gone out of their way to reassure her of her place in this family over the last couple of days, and it only made her love them even more.
“I'm here if you're able to meet with me. As you can imagine, Connor’s family is even more interested in finding out whatever you know about your dad and why you think he’s Cassandra’s father as well. If you can't meet now, just let me know a time that works for you and I’ll be there.”
A second later, Becca’s dark blue eyes lit up and she nodded, grinning at all of them to let them know that John must have agreed to the meeting.
“Yeah, I’ll wait for you. I’ll be by the door, the same place you wanted to meet last time,” Becca said, then after one more nod, ended the call and shot them all another grin. “He said he’ll be here in fifteen minutes. If he’s with Cade, then we know the search area has to be within that radius.”
“You did amazing, moonlight,” Connor said, leaning in to brush a quick kiss to Becca’s lips.
Before anyone else could say anything, Cooper suddenly looked up from his phone, his gray eyes wide with surprise.
“What?” Gabriella asked, fearing the worst. Had Cade’s body been found? If it had, how would she ever break the news to Essie that her daddy was never coming home?
“That was Prey, we got a hit on the facial recognition software,” Cooper informed them.
“And?” Cole prodded when Cooper didn't immediately spit out a name.
“And you're never going to believe who John Jones really is,” Cooper replied. “His real name is John Gaccione.”
Gabriella gasped, knowing exactly who that was. John Gaccione was the principal of the most exclusive private school in the country. When she’d found out she was pregnant the first time, they’d spoken on the phone with him even though she was only a couple of weeks along because that’s how early you had to get your kid’s name down if you wanted a chance at a placement at the school.
The list of powerful people who attended the school was endless, and she already knew that to get your kid in you had to agree to repay a favor of John’s choosing whenever he wanted to call in the maker.
There was no doubt a man with that many powerful people in his pocket could do whatever he pleased without consequence. And that was the man who had Cade.