Dark Sins, page 19
Oh, God, this isn’t good. Jax looks like he’s ready to murder someone and I can’t get my thundering heart to slow down.
“Where are you, Freya?” I ask.
“At Easton’s, of course,” she replies, completely nonchalant. I can almost hear the taunting smile in her voice. “We’re having a fabulous time. Aren’t we, ladies?”
In the background, I can hear feminine murmurs. It sounds like Avery and Easton are gagged and I feel my blood pressure skyrocket.
We have to get to them as soon as possible, I think. Freya Singer is a murderous bitch and every moment they are with her, they are in danger.
Terrible and extreme danger.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Avery
After the guys leave and Easton arms the security system, she pulls her favorite champagne out and pours us each a glass. The Taittinger’s Blanc de Blancs is an exclusive French champagne that’s absolutely delicious.
We head into the large, open back area of the house and sit down on the couch. “Are you ready for your wedding next week?” I ask her.
Her green eyes sparkle. “I’ve never been more nervous and excited for anything in my entire life,” she admits.
“When did you and Jax meet?” I ask.
“Back in July. It’s a crazy story. I hired him because I had a stalker,” she says and takes a sip of champagne. “Turns out it was some asshole I used to date. But, I’m grateful or else we never would've met. I was America’s Sweetheart, the actress who seemingly had it all together, and here he comes on his motorcycle with his sleeve of tattoos, scruffy face and leather jacket.” She gets this starry-eyed look on her face. “Until then, I always fell for the pretty boy types like Griff. But, there was something so mesmerizing about Jaxon Wilder. After our first meeting, I couldn’t stop thinking about him.”
“Sounds like love at first sight,” I say.
“Oh, definitely not,” she says with a laugh. “We got under each other’s skin quite a lot. He used to smoke like a chimney and swear like a sailor. I got him to quit smoking and he got me to start swearing.” She tosses me a playful wink.
I chuckle and sigh. I know what she means. As much as you adore someone, he can drive you bonkers.
“So, tell me about you and Ryker,” she says.
“Well, we met through my brother Luke. He and Ryker met during Navy SEALs training and became best friends. Over the years, he’d come visit with Luke. From the moment I met Ryker...” I swallow hard and hear the dreamy tone in my voice.
“You knew?”
“I knew no one else would ever measure up to him. Every guy I dated was nothing compared to Ryker. He literally ruined dating for me. But, he was worth the wait,” I add with a small smile.
“If he’s the one then it’s always worth the wait,” she says.
“Is it always just easy with you and Jax?” I ask.
“Absolutely not,” she says with a laugh. “But, you learn to compromise and choose your battles. The thing is, I can’t imagine my life without him. It’s like he gives me a reason to wake up each morning. A reason to breathe. Nothing else did that until him.”
I understand exactly what she means. “Our past is a little rocky,” I admit. “After his team died, he blamed me. I blamed myself, too. That’s why this is so important,” I say. “Proving Freya set the team up and clearing my name would be so healing for both of us.”
“Things seem to be going well, though.”
“They’ve never been better,” I say. “But, the last thing I want to do is scare him off.”
“You’ve said you love each other?” she asks.
I nod and feel a flush rise in my cheeks. “Last night.”
“Well, he didn’t bolt,” she says. “So, that’s a good sign.”
We both laugh.
“Trust me, Avery, when I say the man is smitten. He’s not going anywhere.”
“You think?”
“I know. Whenever he looks at you, you can practically see the cartoon hearts popping out of his eyes.”
I burst out laughing. It’s all I want. Just Ryker to love me as much as I love him.
“Seeing these macho Alpha men find love is such a treat,” she says. “It hits them upside the head and knocks them on their ass. They run from it and don’t think they’re worthy, but these three deserve it so much because they’ve all been to hell and back”
I don’t know Jax or Griff’s story and my ears perk up.
Easton’s voice lowers. “Jax’s sister was murdered and he blamed himself because he couldn’t save her. He had demons just like Griff and Ryker. He has a younger brother, too, but he never comes around. I’ve never met Sebastian, but I’m hoping that’ll change next week and he’ll come to the wedding.”
“I’m sorry to hear about Jax’s sister.”
She nods. “It really tore him up. He met Griff when he needed help tracking down the drug dealers who murdered her. They hit it off and when Jax opened Platinum Security he brought Griff on board. And, Griff introduced him to Ryker.”
“What’s Griff’s story?” I ask
“Former CIA operative. Things went bad on a mission and his partner died. That’s really all I know. These guys remain pretty quiet about their pasts. They suffer in silence with their demons. That’s why it’s up to us to help them forgive themselves. To bring some light and love back into their lives.”
“I haven’t met Lexi yet, but Harlow invited me to get drinks with them this weekend. You should come! Unless you’re going to be doing the wedding stuff.”
“I’d love to,” she gushes. “Lexi is so sweet and I’d love to get to know Harlow better. Oh, and I’m keeping the wedding super small so Jax doesn’t have a heart attack. So, it’s pretty much all set.” She jumps up. “Want to see my dress?”
“Yes!” I pop up and follow her down to the master bedroom. Even though she’s a celebrity, I love how easy it is to talk to Easton. Like me, I think she doesn’t have many close girlfriends so getting to spend time together is fun for both of us.
Easton steps into her huge walk-in closet and points to a covered dress hanging up. She unzips the protective cover and pulls out an ivory gown. “It’s a 1954 Chanel evening gown.”
“Oh, wow,” I say. The bodice is completely beaded with a scalloped neckline and short, off-the-shoulder sleeves. The tulle skirt, covered in more beaded patterns, flares out and hits the floor. “It’s absolutely gorgeous.”
“I figured if I’m going to marry the most perfect man in the world then I need to be wearing the most perfect dress. And, nothing compares to vintage Chanel.”
“You can say that again. You’re going to make a stunning bride, Easton.”
“Aw, thank you,” she says and gives me a quick hug. Then, as she hangs the dress back up and re-zips it, I hear a noise behind me and turn.
A woman all in black stands there, a gun in her hand.
When I gasp, Easton turns, green eyes widening.
“Congratulations to the bride-to-be,” the dark-haired woman says.
She looks to be about 30 and maybe an inch shorter than me. Her dark eyes flick over to me. “And, you must be Avery, my little scapegoat.”
I feel a chill move through my body. “You’re Valkyrie,” I say.
“Very good.”
“How did you get in here?” Easton demands, hands on her hips. “My security-”
“-was easy to circumvent. Next time, tell your boyfriend to do a better job.”
Easton’s green eyes narrow and I take a step forward. “What are you doing here?” I ask.
“Maybe the better question is why are you digging up the past?”
“Because you made me take the fall for something that wasn’t my fault. You fed me false information and protected a drug lord and arms dealer. And, that bad intel led my brother and his team into a slaughter. You’re the reason Luke is dead,” I say, clenching my hands into fists. I want to slug the bitch, take her down and beat the crap out of her.
“Down, Avery,” she says in a low voice. “Your brother and his team were collateral and they shouldn’t have tried to interfere. It was my job to protect Antonio from prying U.S. eyes and that’s exactly what I did.”
“They had orders. SEALs don’t refuse orders,” I snap.
Freya shrugs a slim shoulder. “Guess they can’t win ‘em all.”
I’ve had enough of this cow, I think, and take another step forward. If I can just catch her off-guard then maybe-
But, Freya lifts her gun. “Don’t move,” she orders. She studies me for a moment then smirks. “You’re feistier than I thought you’d be. Maybe you should’ve gone rogue. I didn’t think you had it in you, but maybe I was wrong.”
I glance over at Easton who wears a dress and heels. As much as I adore my new friend, I have a feeling she isn’t going to be very helpful in a fight. I decide to bide my time and wait for the right moment to strike.
Freya points her gun toward the door. “Let’s go to the kitchen and chat,” she says.
Easton and I walk out of the closet and into the master bedroom, Freya on our heels. A part of me is glad she’s here and not in Las Vegas. This means the guys are probably searching her empty house right now and not in any sort of danger.
When I slow down, she shoves me. “Move it, blondie.”
I glare at her over my shoulder. “Don’t touch me,” I hiss.
Her dark eyes flash. A moment later we reach the kitchen and she waves the gun, pointing to a couple of chairs. “Sit,” she says and pulls out a handful of zip ties.
Dammit. It’s now or never, I think. I move over to the chair and pretend to start to sit, but at the last moment, I spin and sweep her leg. Freya stumbles, off balance, and starts to fall backwards. I shove her arm up, trying to twist the gun out of her hand, and we drop down to the floor. I roll, ducking an elbow and manage to slam my palm up against her chin with a resounding whack.
She’s holding onto the damn gun like it’s glued to her hand. I see her swing a fist, too late, and she whomps me upside the head. Shit. I see stars, but instantly fire back with a punch of my own. My knuckles crack against her cheek and when I jerk my knee up to hit her in the stomach, she manages to kick me hard in the thigh.
Ugh. With a groan, I roll onto my side and see Easton standing there with a large kitchen knife clutched in her hands. I wish she had a gun, I think.
Freya scrambles up and orders Easton to drop the knife. Without much of an option, Easton lays the blade on the counter. “Sit,” Freya snaps and zip ties Easton’s hands.
I can see Freya’s really pissed now and she swipes blood off her face. I didn’t even realize I’d drawn blood.
Good, I think, and pull myself up into a sitting position.
“In the chair,” Freya snarls at me.
I get up and sit down, eyeing her bloody cheek. I must’ve got her with my nails, I realize happily. She wraps the tie around my wrists and pulls hard. I want to wince, but I don’t give her the satisfaction.
“Big plans, Freya?” I ask.
Her dark eyes narrow. “You’re a pain in the ass,” she says. “I’m glad you took the fall for your brother’s death. And, I’m glad Ryker hated you for it. Because he did, didn’t he? Hated and blamed you for years.”
I feel like she just dropped acid in my wounds. Bitch. “Ryker loves me,” I say through gritted teeth.
“Ryker loves me,” she mimics then laughs. “Sure he does. He may be fucking you, but he doesn’t love you. A man like that, a man who killed for a living, doesn’t know the meaning of the word love. He’s a mindless machine who only knows how to take orders and complete missions. Wake up, Avery. He’s a warrior built by the U.S. government.”
“Don’t listen to her, Avery,” Easton says.
“Oh, what the hell do you know, Miss I-live-in-a-Hollywood-fucking-bubble? You don’t know anything about the real world.”
“She knows more than you’ll ever know,” I say. “She knows how to be a friend and care for others.”
“Oh, Jesus Christ, enough of the theatrics.” Freya tucks her gun in its holster and pulls her phone out of a pocket. “What’s your boyfriend’s number?” she asks me.
I shake my head.
“Better give it to me, blondie, or I’ll put a bullet in your new bestie.”
Shit. I glance over at Easton and grit my teeth. Dammit. Ryker is going to be so worried. I let out a sigh and rattle off his phone number.
Then, Freya shoves a kitchen towel in each of our mouths. My nostrils flare and I’m so angry that she holds the advantage right now, I could spit.
Freya punches the number into her phone, hits the speaker and I hear it begin to ring.
Please, don’t answer, please don’t answer, please don’t-
“Ryker Flynn.”
His deep voice fills me with confidence. And, even though it’s only been a few hours, I realize how much I miss him.
“Well, hello, Ryker Flynn,” Freya says and smiles at me and Easton.
“Who is this?” he asks.
“Oh, come now. You can’t even take an educated guess?”
“I have no idea who this is,” he snaps.
“That’s disappointing,” Freya says. “I suppose I could put Avery on the line and she can tell you.” Stunned silence comes over the line. “Or, I can have Easton tell you.”
When there’s no response, Freya sighs. “Did you find what you were looking for at my house?”
“Where are you, Freya?” Ryker asks and the murderous tone in his voice gives me chills.
“At Easton’s, of course,” she replies, completely nonchalant. She smiles at us again. “We’re having a fabulous time. Aren’t we, ladies?”
When she kicks my shin, I give a small murmur.
“I have a few demands,” Freya announces. “And, if you and your friends aren’t willing to meet them then Easton and Avery will end up as collateral. Just like your SEAL team,” she adds in a nasty voice.
Chapter Thirty
Ryker
I exchange a look with Jax and Griff and realize my hand shakes. My grip tightens on the phone and I try to steady it.
“What do you want?” Jax growls.
“The better question is what do you want?”
To take you fucking down, I think. Make you pay for all the heartache and deceit that took innocent lives and destroyed people I loved.
And, now Freya has Avery and Easton hostage and I’m about to lose it. Fucking lose it.
I force myself to focus and take four deep breaths.
“We want you to let them go,” Jax says in as calm of a voice as he can muster.
Freya laughs. “Jaxon Wilder, I presume? The groom-to-be, if I’m not mistaken. You have a lovely fiancée, Jax. She’s not much of a fighter, though. Now, Avery, on the other hand. What a hellion.”
I struggle to keep my cool, but it’s getting harder and harder with each passing moment. “If you hurt either of them, I will hunt you down and slit your throat,” I growl. Griff lays a hand on my arm and slants me a warning look.
“Why am I not surprised?” she asks. “At ease, soldier. We only tussled for a minute and I’m the one who’s bleeding.”
Good, I think, and release a pent-up breath.
“You obviously want something, Freya,” Jax says. “So, why don’t you stop wasting our time and get to the point?”
“Very perceptive of you, Mr. Wilder. I’ll tell you exactly what I want and if you don’t deliver it then one of these two lovely ladies dies.”
A menacing silence radiates over the phone line.
“What?” I grit out.
“Two things. First, drop your investigation into Operation Armageddon. It’s over and let’s just let the blame lay with Avery like it has the past two years. Second, I was told by my friend Antonio Castillo that you visited his compound recently.”
“Yeah, so?” I say.
“So, he has something that I want. You may have seen it when you were in there sneaking around. A priceless Columbian emerald called La Rosa Verde. I want you to steal it for me.”
“You want me to steal from your friend?”
“Castillo owes me. I figure the emerald, the pride of his little stolen collection of artifacts, should cover it.”
“His compound is too heavily-guarded,” I say.
“You got in and out before, so you can do it again.”
“And, what if we can’t get it?”
“Either break into the compound and steal the emerald for me or your girlfriend dies. I think it’s pretty clear. I’ll be in touch.”
Click.
When Freya hangs up, my heart drops. I glance from Jax to Griff and haven’t felt this helpless since I laid wounded on the jungle floor two years earlier.
“C’mon,” Griff says, taking lead since Jax and I are consumed with worry and dread. “They’ll be okay. Freya won’t hurt them. Not when she still wants us to do something for her.”
I nod. “He’s right. As long as we get the emerald, she’s going to be willing to bargain.”
“Then, let’s go get that fucking emerald,” Jax hisses.
“First things first,” Griff says. “Back to the helicopter. Jax, are you okay to fly us back?”
He nods. “I’ll be fine.”
“Okay then. We need to get back and make sure your women are okay.”
“If she hurt them in any way...” Jax’s voice trails off and he’s dangerously pissed.
The flight back is tense and over two hours of not knowing what happened to Avery and Easton is gut-wrenching. We land at Burbank Airport and hightail it out of there. I drive like a bat out of hell and make it to the Hollywood Hills in record time.
The Expedition screeches to a halt and we jump out and run into Easton’s.
It’s dead quiet and I feel that prickle at the base of my neck. I draw my gun and we move forward, clearing each room fast. When we reach the kitchen, I freeze. Easton sits in a chair, zip tied to it and gagged.
Jax pushes past us, drops to his knees and pulls the gag out. “Are you okay, Princess?” he asks, running his hands all over her, making sure she isn’t hurt. He notices a cut on her arm and inhales sharply.
