4. Santa Barbara #2
You have until eleven PM. Or the web page will reopen for other candidates. The price you negotiated is still $2.2m firm. CASH.
ME
Send the address.
I knew the address unless Aleksandr had another location in California to commence business from other than his home.
The deal’s delicate nature made it unwise to conduct business openly.
That could work. It would indicate the Russian left a portion of his security detail at home.
Right ? I chuckled, a breathy sound. “The other person, Rocket, he-he pulled out. I guess.”
Leith smiled.
My brows furrowed. “What? ”
“Seems you need me after all.”
“No. Your look implied something more. What is it?” I ordered.
“Little Brody wanted to apologize for bringing up the meds— ahem .” Leith lifted his hands. “He knows to keep his distance but asked me to relay the apology. You should be happy.”
“So what? Your brother murdered Rocket or something?” Animosity swelled in me.
“Just be happy, Jamie.” Leith crumpled the paper towel from his sandwich. “Go put on a suit. I never was for the family business, either. Nevertheless, I presume if Brody made this deal for the girl and had $2 million, he’d do so in a suit. Do you have two mil?”
“2.2. Yes.” Now, I also had the additional $500,000 that I’d sent to the mercenaries. I wasn’t broke.
Leith arose from the stool on the opposite side of the island. “ Git , then! I’m wearing slacks and a button-down. I can’t look more professional than a millionaire, such as yourself.”
“Did Brody murder Rocket?” At my heated shout, Rebel trounced into the room, alert and ready for action. How did Brody know Rocket? I had so many questions.
“Didn’t you murder?—”
“Excuse me, Leith. I’ve never felt guilt or shame over my kill count.
” Except once. The man had been innocent, and I was a knuckleheaded sixteen-year-old.
No. Insane. “I suppose the same goes for you people. Still, I’ve never pulled the trigger—not without PID.
” Positive identification of a target confirmed if the person was a civilian or a legitimate target for action.
“In other cases, I eliminated all targets pinpointed by military intelligence. And I only paid for the team if I couldn’t stop the deal with Rocket.
” Super ironic. I’d almost emptied my bank account to pay the mercenaries—which left me unable to outbid Rocket’s final sum.
“I’d advised that stupid team not to strike unless I needed coverage.
They got a better offer.” I shook my head— shared too much.
“Even behind enemy lines, there are rules of engagement, Leith.”
“Okay, gentleman. I’ll help you stop assuming. Brody didn’t kill ‘em. Rocket is an, ahem , family friend.” Leith glanced away as if saying so added another check against the reasons I couldn’t stand Clan MacKenzie. “Brody distracted Rocket, sweetened a deal, which includes more access to?—”
“I don’t want to talk about guns or drugs!”
“Me neither. Still, you gotta take a good look at us.” Leith stood, a broad grin on his face.
“What?”
“Arguing like bràthairs .”
Ignoring the brother reference, I shot over my shoulder, “I’m gonna change into a suit.” My only suit.
Leith shouted, “We’re bràthairs , bràthairs , bràthairs! ” as I stormed up the stairs to the massive primary.
Although a contingency plan C should’ve been too good to be true, I was still irritated at Leith, who’d accompanied me.
The house mirrored the exact blueprints I had of Aleksandr’s Tarzana Hills home. The neighborhood kid’s drone footage also helped me estimate the number of tangos I’d need to cover.
But my only weapons were my clenched fists as I walked through walls lined with mahogany and lit dimly by antique sconces.
The plantation shutters were drawn shut.
Shoot, these specialized contacts aren’t helping me see any better.
But these fake brown eyes did more than help me look like the rich party boy—Jae Mack—from Malibu.
I took a deep, steadying breath. The whole place smelled of tobacco and imported leather.
I unclenched my hands. Leather Chelsea boots hardly made contact with the Turkish rugs.
A Russian who held his shoulders like the leader of Chelomey’s detail led me and Leith into a study.
The Russian—Denis, maybe?—had relieved Leith of the Glock I’d given him during the drive over.
As my bodyguard , it would’ve been awkward when Denis patted us down and didn’t even find a weapon on Leith.
We’d rehearsed this moment on the ride, but no amount of planning would stop the adrenaline that surged through my veins.
Anger. Happiness. Rage. Elation—Jordyn was here. Somewhere.
I shook the hand of the smug vulture, who sat as if the black leather chair was his throne.
In a suit, Aleksandr Chelomey appeared very muscular.
A bit watery. His muscles seemed chemically enhanced, unlike mine, which I’d developed through rigorous training.
As Chelomey set his eyes on the briefcase, his mouth lifted into a slash, and his eyes darkened like he’d seen too much. Too much of Jordyn’s body.
I focused on situational awareness in a room full of armed thugs. I placed the metal briefcase on the low marble table between us and sat. “2.2 mil. Untraceable.”
Chelomey smirked, lifting a crystal tumbler of vodka. “All is good. I pray this is the beginning of a new relationship, Mack.”
Pray ? This man prayed ?
Leith chuckled on the stiff antique couch at my side. Must’ve seen the look on my face. I called bull.
Two men—thick-necked and armed—stood on either side of the room behind the Bratva Tsar’s seat.
They eyed Leith while two more were near the door we’d entered.
While I hadn’t stared at them upon entering, I’d seen them, silent sentries with AK47s, in my peripheral.
Five soldiers in this room alone, which included the man who introduced himself as Denis and was now sliding over the metal briefcase.
Chelomey flipped a finger through one brick of cash, then another brick, delighted I hadn’t tricked him. He looked up from the money with a grin. I felt antsy. I disliked being in a position with my back against an exit, despite the presence of threats all around.
Chelomey gestured with a few wiggled fingers adorned with rings. “Ah, here she is now. Come. Come.”
I turned my head to set eyes on Jordyn. Instead, I saw a flash of gold silk skim the floor as if someone walked by quickly. Someone … in an ankle-length dress? Jor — “Where is she?” I stood up as Chelomey closed the briefcase.
Traps always came wrapped in false hospitality. I’d come through on my end, willing to become Jordyn’s last buyer so that she could reclaim her life. I’d pay the man and go.
Was this a game?
Leith rose.
“Denis, get?—”
In one blur, I snatched the metal briefcase from the older man, thwacking him over his face.
Blood, teeth, and Aleksandr Chelomey went flying.
Hot, sticky blood landed on my face as the trafficker fell sideways in an unconscious heap.
Leith grabbed the burner phone in his pocket, wired with a manual trigger.
A white light flashed like an ocean wave rising up to consume everything in its wake.
The disorienting light that stole a person’s equilibrium and everything with it was not nearly as effective with the additional eye protection Leith and I wore.
I drove my elbow into Denis’s rib. A crack broke off beneath my olecranon.
I brought the man down an instant before bullets sprayed wildly from the men whose fingers sat on the trigger.
With a groan, Leith dropped on my other side.
I barely deflected the fist that flew in my direction.
The scrappy Russian lifted another fist. I slammed the briefcase into his face.
The first hit collapsed Denis’s nasal bridge.
The second sound cracked his jaw. The following hits—mushed, mushed, mushed as more blood sprayed in my face.
I grabbed the gun from Denis’s lifeless body and handed it to Leith.
He shot at the other men, still disoriented and cowering from the light.
One Russian, still blind and nearest the door, made a run for it.
I hurled the steel briefcase at the back of his head.
It met my target. The man bumped into the doorframe but managed to escape.
Reminder to self: grab your money on the way out. I disarmed a revolver from Denis’s ankle holster. Fired on the third man just as Leith finished the second one.
Pop . Pop . Pop . The report of bullets split through the walls from outside of the office.
Was it one bodyguard trying to get the drop on me?
Or the six unfriendlies somewhere in close proximity, yet too afraid to breach the door.
Didn’t matter. My br— ahem —Leith and I weren’t out of the line of fire yet.
The enemy outside the room became more strategic.
Bullets pierced the drywall from somewhere else in the house and zigzagged up and down inside the room.
Drywall powder went flying. I dove for cover.
Leith slammed down beside me. Together, we tipped the heavy marble coffee table to use as a shield.
As Leith bit back an expletive, I fisted the gun in my hand.
I shouted, “I’ll not be dying today!” The Scottish accent I hated rode along with the vow. “And I’m not leaving without JORDYN!” Or anyone else who doesn’t want to be here.