Chapter 20
Chapter twenty
The guards led Xander down the hall, every step pulling him farther and farther from Essie. And he couldn’t let that happen. He refused to leave her at the mercy of the Cardenas brothers. They’d been salivating over her like a pack of feral dogs, and he had to get to her fast.
The moment they stepped into the room where they planned on locking Xander up, he whirled and attacked without warning.
Driving his fist into one guard’s face, he ripped his gun away.
A perfectly timed back kick connected with the other guard’s wrist, sending his weapon flying.
Xander fought like a demon trying to escape hell.
And maybe that’s exactly what he was doing.
Trying to free himself from a perdition of his own making.
The guards grunted and fought back, but they were no match for Xander’s skill.
The CIA had taught him well, and his opponents were too reliant on weapons, barely capable of basic hand-to-hand techniques.
He easily avoided their hits, ducking and punching with power and precision.
Hell, he was used to dealing with at least six guards at once. This should be cake.
On the plus side, he was glad he’d kept up with his joint supplements.
Being in his forties was no joke. When those first creaks and cracks had hit, he wasn’t too proud to admit it was time to load up on the glucosamine and chondroitin, fish oil and turmeric.
And as he landed another solid roundhouse kick, his hip reminded him it was worth all the ribbing in the world.
He also wasn’t too proud to fight dirty.
When one of the narcos ran at him, Xander let him get close enough to poke him in both eyes.
As the man doubled over, pawing at his face, Xander grabbed a heavy marble statue off a table and swung it against his head.
The thug dropped with a heavy thud, out cold. Probably dead.
Reaching into his boot, he slid his switchblade out and it opened with a snick. The other guard panicked, spinning around and searching for his gun, but Xander didn’t give him time to find it. With a quick slice, he slashed the man’s throat, and he fell to the floor in a heap.
Xander wiped the blood off the blade then shoved it back into his boot and scooped up the nearest gun. In two long strides, he returned to the door, closed it and hit his comms.
“Get to the mansion,” he hissed, stalking over to the nearest window and looking out. Darkness was already settling and he could feel time slipping away. “Tomás needs an extraction.”
“Where’s Essie?” Brand asked.
“With the Cardenas brothers. They’re taking her to their boat. I’m going after her.”
“Roger that,” Brand replied. “And José?”
Xander opened the window and threw his leg over the edge. “Here at the house, but I don’t have time for José fucking Barrera right now. Essie needs me.”
There was a brief pause over the comms. And Xander was quite aware his friends heard exactly what he was saying.
Essie trumped all. Even his desire for revenge.
“Go get her, Hawke.” Xander swore he heard a smile in Brand’s voice.
His boots hit the ground, and he took off toward the dock.
They’d all memorized the island’s layout, and he knew the dock wasn’t far away, just a quick jog down to the southern beach.
He had no idea what kind of boat they had, so his eyes widened when he saw the superyacht anchored out in the distance.
Fuck. It was a little more than a mere boat, and he had to get out there fast or risk losing them. Worst case scenario, he knew he could locate Essie using the GPS in her tracker. But he wanted her in his arms, safe and sound. Now.
Staying low and sprinting out of the jungle’s undergrowth, he raced across the moonlit sands, gun clenched in his hand. He was hoping no one would see him and he wouldn’t have to use it. The quieter he could do this, the better.
Luck must’ve been on his side because the dock was deserted. A few small motorboats were tied up, and he jumped into the closest one. Since this was a private island—and who in their right mind would steal from the biggest cartel kingpin in the country?—the key was in the ignition.
Xander quickly untied the ropes, powered up the engine and drove the boat forward at top speed.
Sea mist sprayed his face as he headed straight for the superyacht.
He didn’t have much of a plan other than jumping onto the low back deck and finding Essie before either of those fuckers could touch her.
Because if either of them laid a hand on her, he’d chop their bodies into chum and feed them to the sharks.
Locked up in a luxurious suite, Essie tried every door and window twice, but nothing would open. Looking around, seeing zero options to escape, it felt like she’d been sealed up in a tomb. Manuel and Joaquín had tossed her in the room and promised to return soon. She sincerely hoped not.
When the sound of the yacht’s motors turning on filled the air, she automatically reached for her necklace, belatedly remembering it was gone—taken by José, the man she would no longer call her brother. He’d become more than a stranger to her; he’d become her enemy.
Heaving out a breath, she knew she needed to escape. And fast. Xander wouldn’t be able to track her, and Manuel and Joaquín were vicious assholes who wanted to use her and break her. Just like José had done to Alyssa, she thought.
A wall of guilt hit her. Was this fate’s way of doling out its twisted payback? She hadn’t missed the name on the back of the boat—Kismet. What goes around, comes around, and she had the awful feeling cosmic justice was about to be delivered, making her pay for her brother’s sins.
Unless she could find a way off the huge boat. Jumping into the water and swimming back to shore might be her only option. She didn’t relish the idea, but she’d rather face deep, dark water and potential sharks than the Cardenas brothers.
As if her thoughts had conjured them, the door opened and the brothers walked inside.
Their big, menacing presence made her want to shrink away and cower, but she forced her shoulders back and met their lascivious looks head-on.
No matter what happened, she refused to back down or give up. She would fight to the bitter end.
“I have a feeling we’re in for quite a sweet treat,” Manuel murmured, making her skin crawl.
Joaquín smirked then walked over, eyeing her from head to toe like a tiger ready to devour its prey. “Since my brother is older, you will marry him. But you should know, Estrella, we share everything.”
“To a certain extent.” Manuel moved up on her other side and caressed her cheek. Essie lurched away. “But I’ll be the one to claim your virginity.”
Now it was Essie’s turn to smirk. “Oh, that’s long gone,” she revealed demurely, enjoying how his smugness faded fast.
For a stunned moment, Manuel looked confused.
“I told you I had a feeling she wasn’t innocent,” Joaquín said. “But I don’t care.” He traced a finger down her arm. “She’s still very fuckable.”
“José promised me you hadn’t been with another man.” Manuel’s dark eyes narrowed, anger radiating off him. He’d been duped and didn’t appreciate it. Too bad for him.
She fought to keep a wicked smile from her face and decided to poke the bear. Maybe not her wisest decision, but one she wouldn’t allow herself to regret.
“I gave myself to Xander. Again and again and again,” she emphasized, hammering out each word as though remembering how it had been when he’d railed into her over and over.
Dropping a hand, she covered her belly. “He fucked me so hard, so deep, so many times, I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m carrying his baby. ”
The look that crossed Manuel’s face? Utterly priceless.
Essie pressed her lips together to keep from deliriously laughing.
If they thought they could steal what she was unwilling to give them, they had another thing coming.
She’d made a promise to herself to decide her own fate and not leave it in the hands of others.
And by choosing to sleep with Xander, she’d done exactly that.
It was the biggest “fuck you” she could have given them.
With a roar, Manuel slapped her hard across the face. “Fucking whore!”
The force of the blow sent her careening sideways, and she cried out, cupping her cheek.
“She opened her legs for that stupid American instead of you,” Joaquín said, voice low, feeding into his brother’s anger. Encouraging and provoking it. “Let me punish her.”
Essie straightened up, turning to face them. She needed to find a weapon fast. Something to defend herself.
“You’re going to pay for what you did, puta,” Manuel promised darkly. “When we’re done with you, you won’t be able to walk for days.”
Essie took a step back. Okay, maybe she’d gone too far. What if she really was pregnant? It definitely was a possibility, and now she’d just put herself and the baby in jeopardy.
“And if you’re with child, you won’t be for much longer.
” Manuel grabbed her wrist, twisting it hard, dragging her against his taut body.
Ripples of barely-contained fury vibrated through him.
“If José thinks I’ll marry you now, he’s crazy.
But I will keep you locked up as a fuck toy for me and my brother for the rest of your pathetic life. ”
Joaquín produced a pair of red silk scarves from his pocket. “Let me tie her up for you, hermano. The bitch needs to learn who’s in charge.”
No! Absofuckinglutely not!
In a swift move, Essie slammed the edge of her palm upward and hit Manuel’s chin so hard his head snapped back.
Caught by surprise, he released her wrist and stumbled back a step.
Not wasting a single second, she took off, heading straight for a low black marble table where a heavy-looking sculpture sat.
Swiping it up with a grunt, she prepared to swing it like a baseball bat.
Both brothers faced her. While Joaquín’s lips twitched in amusement, Manuel’s hands fisted at his sides.
“She definitely has spirit.” Joaquín smirked, seemingly enjoying the situation.
“I’m going to crush it,” Manuel swore.
“Let’s fuck it right out her.” The scarves fluttered in his grip, and Essie tightened her hands around the statue when they charged.
Putting all her strength behind the swing, she whipped the heavy statue at them.
It careened through the air, and they dodged the blow far too easily and lunged for her.
Essie screamed and tried to run, but she was no match for them.
Joaquín grabbed her around the waist and hauled her back against his body.
She didn’t miss his excitement, the way his chest rose and fell hard against her, his hot breath rustling her hair, and disgust tore through her.
“Please,” she whispered.
Manuel moved right in front of her, and she struggled to breathe, caught directly between both men. Terror went off inside her like a string of firecrackers.
“Why don’t you take her from the front,” Joaquín suggested. “And I’ll take her from behind.”
“No… please…”
“Beg all you want,” Manuel taunted, lifting her chin.
He snapped it to the side and dragged his hand downward, sliding his fingers between her breasts and pausing on her stomach.
Her breath hitched when he yanked the button on her jeans open.
Joaquín’s hand covered her breast, squeezing hard and holding her in place while his brother sneered at her.
“It won’t change what’s about to happen. ”
Squeezing her eyes shut, Essie told herself not to cry. No matter what happened, she refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing her tears. But she would scream. She’d scream her bloody head off.
Opening her mouth, she let out an ear-piercing shriek and bucked hard.