Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Alex woke with a massive headache and the feeling that something was wrong, but at first, she didn’t understand why. It wasn’t until she opened her eyes and discovered she was sitting inside a plane that her most recent memories returned.
She’d been at the gallery. Alex remembered making coffee. She’d thrown away some bad food and then went out back to take out the trash.
A sound had caught her attention. She’d tried looking to see what it was, but then there’d been a sharp pain. After that—
Nothing.
Alex lifted a cautious hand to the back of her head, her fingertips immediately finding the source of her pain. She hissed in a breath with a grimace, the spot on her scalp tender and sore.
She’d been attacked in that alley. Someone had hit her over the head, and whoever was responsible had brought her here.
Glancing around, Alex realized this wasn’t a run-of-the-mill plane. It was a jet. A very fancy, very expensive jet that had to be privately owned.
“Ah, good. You’re finally awake.”
Gordan Crenshaw had just walked out of the cockpit, which was only a few feet away. And from the look on his face, the man appeared as though he’d just won a valuable prize.
“Gordan?” She frowned. “What are you . . .” Alex sat up a bit straighter. “Why did you bring me here?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” He came closer. “Alexandria, I’m taking you home.”
Home?
She slowly pushed herself to her feet. The jet’s cabin started to spin, but she put a hand on the back of the chair in front of her to keep herself steady.
“You need to let me go.”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible.”
“You can’t keep me against my will.”
Alex eyed the nearest exit. There was only one, and it was to her right. Unfortunately Gordan was blocking her way.
“Calm down, my dear.”
“I’m not your dear.”
I’m not your anything, you freak.
“Your confusion is understandable, but in time, you will learn to see this is what you need.”
“What I need is for you to let me off this damn plane.” Alex attempted to push her way past.
Moving lightning fast, Gordan’s hand shot out. He grabbed her arm with bruising strength. She sucked in a breath, unable to hold back her whimper.
“Let me go,” she growled. The pain in her arm worsened when she tried pulling herself free.
“You don’t want to fight me, Alexandria.”
With a glare, Alex looked the man square in the eyes. “Trust me, I want to do a hell of a lot more than that.”
His bark of laughter took her off-guard. The spine-chilling sound was deep and eerie. “You see? This is what I love about you, sweet Alexandria. You’re so genuine and unpredictable. Unlike any other woman I’ve ever known.”
Lucky me.
The door behind him opened and Cyrus Vas folded his massive form into the cabin’s interior. He stopped short, taking in the tense scene between her and his boss.
“You take care of the two men watching us?”
“Them and the two mechanics inside the hangar.” Cyrus nodded. “I also destroyed the building’s security cameras and deleted the footage. No one will ever know we were here.”
“That’s not true,” Alex shot back. “Co—” She cleared her throat, deciding it was best to keep Colt’s cover for as long as she could. “Cole knows you were here. He saw you both at my apartment, remember?”
“It won’t matter,” Gordan responded first. “The man’s a criminal, so I don’t suspect he’ll risk his own freedom for a woman he barely knows.”
Her lips parted with the intention to tell them both just how wrong they were. But she stopped herself when Colt’s sweet voice filled her frantic mind—
Never show the cards in your hand too soon.
She didn’t have to give these men details, but Alex could offer her own warning.
“If you know he’s a criminal, then you should also know he has connections. Ones that run far deeper than you could ever imagine.”
Gordan shot her an incredulous smirk. “You think I’m worried about some nobody like Cole Morris?”
“I think you should be worried. Actually you and your friend here should be very scared.”
“Scared.” Gordan snorted.
She spared a glance Cyrus’ way. He didn’t look scared, but he was paying close attention.
Putting herself farther into Gordan’s personal space, Alex continued with the threat.
“The friends Cole has? They’re government trained killers.
” When he blinked with surprise, she let a smile lift the corners of her lips.
“That’s right. I know who Cole really is.
And those friends? The killers I just mentioned?
They’re very good at what they do. Probably the best in the country, actually.
And they aren’t going to stop until you’re dead. ”
“You idiot!” Cyrus took a step forward, his harsh words and cold stare clearly meant for Gordan. “I told you this was a mistake.”
“Shut up,” Gordan ordered.
“No, you shut the hell up!” Moving the few feet between them, Cyrus put himself nearly nose-to-nose with his boss. “All you had to do was wait. A couple more days, and the auction would have been over. You’d have more millions to add to your billions, and I—”
“You what?” Gordan challenged.
The other man’s expression went flat as his gaze hardened like stone. Cyrus’ voice dropped to an all-time low.
“I would’ve had enough money to finally be free of you once and for all.”
Free of . . . he wants to quit working for Gordan?
Alex grimaced against the pain in her head as she worked to understand. Gordan and this big jerk had kidnapped her and put her on his jet, but all the while, Cyrus has wanted out?
“Free of me?” Gordan laughed, releasing Alex’s arm so he could face his bodyguard directly.
“Son, you won’t ever be free of me. Do you want to know why?
Because I made you. You would have nothing if it wasn’t for me.
You’d be nothing. Hell, I’m the only reason anyone in Los Angeles even knows your name.
So be a good boy and go tell the pilot we’re ready to take off.
Then I want you to sit your ass down and keep your mouth shut until I say otherwise. Are we clear?”
The intense standoff between Gordan and Cyrus felt like it lasted forever. As she stood there, watching the bizarre exchange, Alex scanned her immediate area for a way to escape.
Both men had become so distracted with each other, and their argument created the perfect chance. The only problem was, there was only one exit, and Gordan and Cyrus were blocking her way.
Looking as though he was chewing on nails, Cyrus drew a long breath in through his nose. Without a word, he spun around and disappeared into the cabin. As he did, Gordan’s attention returned to her.
“My apologies, Alexandria. It’s true what they say. Good help really is hard to find.”
“Gordan, please,” Alex started. “This is never going to work. I have a family. People who will miss me. My gallery—”
“Is small and the location is hardly desirable. But don’t worry.” He put his smarmy hands on her shoulders and grinned. “I’ll build you a new one. One that’s bigger and much more suited for someone of your admirable talent.”
Dear God, this man is seriously deranged.
Alex had missed it before, but now it was so clearly seen. She should have listened to Colt that night at Gordan’s gallery in L.A. He’d tried to warn her. Did his best to convince her to leave before Gordan could see her.
Colt was right about everything, and her heart shattered knowing she may never see him again.
Don’t go there, Al. Thinking about Colt will only cloud your senses, and you have to stay sharp.
“You need to let me off this plane,” she tried again. “Now, before something happens that you can’t take back.”
“It’s too late.” He smiled. “Cyrus is in there right now, telling the pilot it’s time to take off. And just like him, you’ll come to learn I always get my way.”
“No.”
They both turned as Cyrus came out of the cockpit. Alex’s lungs froze when she saw the gun in his hand.
“Cyrus, what are you—” she tried asking, but he swung the pistol her way.
“Sit down,” he growled. “And keep your mouth shut.”
Under the threat of death, she did exactly as she was told. With her eyes never leaving the weapon in the man’s beefy hand, Alex slid her body into the seat to her left. Her heart pounded harder than ever before, and the blood in her veins turned to ice.
“Put the gun down, Cyrus,” Gordan ordered his trusted sidekick.
Unlike last time, Cyrus refused to back down.
“No.” He shook his head “I’m done taking orders from you.”
“So you’re going to shoot me?” Gordan chuckled despite the weapon pointed at his head. “We both know that’s not going to happen. You shoot me, you’ll be left with nothing.”
“You’re wrong.” The other man turned his attention to Alex. With a sneer, he said, “I have her.”
Me?
Fear threatened to choke her. As twisted as it seemed, she somehow knew her chances of survival were much greater with Gordan in charge.
Gordan wanted her for himself. That much was clear. But Cyrus?
I don’t want to think about what he has planned for me.
“Alexandria’s mine,” Gordan challenged. “You want a woman, go find your own.”
The man in question looked back at Gordan. The weapon in his hand remained steady.
“Why would I do that when you’ve done the work for me?”
Cyrus pulled the trigger. Alex screamed as a deafening blast rang through the stale air. Blood and brain matter sprayed the white leather seats beside Gordan as the bullet struck.
His legs crumpled beneath him, his lifeless body landing in the middle of the aisle with a dull thud.
She stared in horror at the gruesome scene as crimson blood oozed into a puddle beneath Gordan’s head.
“W-why?” Tears she didn’t even notice fell from her eyes as she looked up at the man holding the gun. “Why did you k-kill him?”