Sealed with Valor, page 3
part #1 of Called to Protect Series
Pedro’s gaze narrowed as he glanced between Nico and Ava. “Fine.” He punched several keys on his computer, then gestured at it. “I went back to the last time I saw Callie.”
“Gracias, Pedro.” Ava stepped back to give the older man room to get out from behind the desk. The small office was crowded with three people, one pregnant, and the dog. Ava took a seat behind Pedro’s desk and began running the video. Nico stood beside her, watching the screen intently.
Fifteen minutes passed before a slender woman with short, dark hair wearing the restaurant uniform stepped outside. “That’s Callie,” Ava said.
He nodded and watched as the video continued to play. Callie walked toward one of the outdoor tables, then abruptly stopped when a man stepped forward. They appeared to talk for a minute, then they walked off, together, disappearing from view.
“That doesn’t make sense,” Ava said with a frown. “Callie wouldn’t go off in the middle of her shift.”
“Could she have a boyfriend she didn’t tell you about?”
“No, she’d have told me.” Ava glanced up at him. “There’s a server here she liked, his name is Ricardo, but that guy wasn’t him. Ricardo is young, late-twenties, the same age as Callie. That guy was at least thirty-five.”
“Play it again, slower,” Nico directed.
Ava went back to the beginning and played the video again at a much slower speed. The image quality wasn’t great, but when the stranger stepped forward, he thought he saw something in the man’s hand. “Stop.” Ava hit the pause key. He pointed to the screen. “It looks like he has a gun.”
She backed it up and played that section of the video again. This time, Nico could see the nose of the gun being pressed to Callie’s side. The guy had been skilled enough to make it look as if their meeting was a casual thing between friends.
“I knew it,” Ava whispered. “I knew Callie wouldn’t go with him willingly.”
He hated to admit she was right. The guy with the gun hadn’t looked directly at the cameras, but they did have a profile view. It might be enough to run through a facial recognition software program. He didn’t have that ability, but Bryce would.
With a sinking sensation in his gut, Nico realized he and Ava wouldn’t be leaving San Bernardino anytime soon.
Watching Callie being taken away at gunpoint had shaken her badly. Ava suddenly realized that if not for Nico showing up when he did, she would be with Callie too. There was no doubt in her mind the gunman had gone to the apartment to get her.
“Ask Pedro if he’ll give us a copy of this video,” Nico said, breaking in to her troubled thoughts. “But quickly. We need to get out of here.”
“Pedro?” Ava called. The owner of the restaurant hurried back. “We need a copy of this. It proves Callie was taken against her will.”
Pedro made the sign of the cross, then edged past Ava to make the copy.
“Thank you, Pedro.” She took the small CD and handed it to Nico.
The older man frowned and stared at Nico. “Keep Renee and her baby safe from harm, amigo.”
“I promise,” Nico agreed.
Ava felt bad leaving Pedro in the lurch, the poor guy had just lost two employees in a matter of hours. She gave him a brief hug, then quickly followed Nico outside.
Zulu was amazingly quiet as they made their way back to the Jeep. Ava didn’t notice her sore feet until she took her usual place in the passenger seat. She managed not to moan and schooled her features to hide her relief at being able to sit.
Nico was acting as if she needed to be bubble wrapped and set up on a shelf somewhere until her baby was born. And while she looked forward to getting some rest, she couldn’t ignore the fact that the woman who’d also escaped Simon’s goons was now back in danger.
The baby kicked and rolled, bringing a reluctant smile to her face. It was impossible to dwell on the negative while carrying the promise of a new life inside your womb. Ava did her best to draw in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. She’d read enough to know that stress wasn’t good for a baby.
Yet if that was true, this poor baby was doomed as she’d been under stress for most of her pregnancy.
“Is something wrong? Are you feeling ill?” Nico asked urgently. “Do you need to see a doctor?”
“I’m fine. Just trying to relax.” Truth be told, she was overdue for a doctor’s appointment. She’d found a free clinic here in San Bernardino, but she hadn’t been able to get in until next week.
Now that visit likely wouldn’t happen. She took another slow, deep breath. Women had been giving birth for years, seeing a doctor every month, then every few weeks wasn’t necessarily a requirement. She ate healthy food and took her prenatal vitamins. All a doctor would do is ask how she felt and check her vital signs.
At least, that’s all the previous doctors had done when she’d managed to get in to see someone. One very helpful doctor had counseled her that if she thought she was in labor, she should go to the nearest emergency room. There were laws that prevented hospitals from discharging a woman in labor just because she didn’t have insurance. She’d been grateful for the advice.
“I’ll find us a motel,” Nico said. “You need to lie down with your feet up.”
Stretching out with her feet up sounded like such a luxury and made her feel even more guilty about Callie. The baby kicked again, and she put her hand over the spot where the little foot had poked her. “Can we stay in the area?”
Nico hesitated, sighed, then nodded. “I’ll find something on the outskirts of town, okay?”
“Thanks.” She shifted in her seat. “I wish we had a computer so we could watch the video again. Maybe we can get a clue about where the gunman took Callie.”
“I have a computer,” Nico said. “But I’d prefer to give the video to a cop friend of mine. He’ll be able to use software to find an ID of the guy who took her.”
She immediately stiffened. “No cops, Nico. I told you that.”
“Listen, Ava, if we don’t call the cops, there’s zero chance that Callie will survive this. You’re in over your head here. I get you’re afraid, but you need to let the police handle Simon.”
“No cops,” she repeated. A wave of desperation hit hard. “Please, Nico. I’m begging you. No cops.”
He shot her an incredulous glance, then looked away. “Fine. I won’t do anything, yet.”
She didn’t find his comment at all reassuring. An uncomfortable silence fell between them as he used his smartphone to find a reasonably priced motel.
After pulling up to the main doors, he threw the gearshift into park and turned to face her. “Stay here with Zulu. I’ll get us a room.”
“One room?” She frowned. Did Nico think she was the type of woman to sleep around just because she was pregnant? Because she wasn’t. She’d gone with Simon willingly, sure. They’d hugged, kissed, and generally made out. But when it came time to go all the way, she’d tried to say no.
Simon hadn’t taken no for an answer.
Even worse, he’d tried to strangle her into submission. She’d had the bruises around her neck to prove it.
It was the impetus she’d needed to get away from him for good.
She slammed the door on those memories. She’d come to love her unborn child and knew the baby was an innocent blessing. Yet she also knew she couldn’t let Simon anywhere near the infant.
Hence her plan to flee the country as soon as the baby was born.
“Connecting rooms,” Nico swiftly clarified as if reading her mind. “But I need you to keep the connecting door unlocked, okay?”
“Okay.” She managed a smile. “Thanks.”
Nico hurried inside, returning amazingly quickly with two keycards. “We’re all set. Rooms fourteen and fifteen at the end of the row.”
She nodded, hoping the rooms weren’t roach-infested the way the apartment had been. Those creepy-crawlies had been the most difficult thing for her to deal with. Up until getting involved with Simon, she’d never had to worry about that.
A wave of self-reproach hit hard. Why had she gone out with him?
Why had she readily jumped on the back of his motorcycle without a second thought?
Why hadn’t she left him sooner?
“Ava?” Nico’s deep, husky voice drew her from her thoughts. “Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”
No, she wasn’t sure of anything. But falling apart wouldn’t help. She needed to be strong. For the baby’s sake. “Yes.” She realized he’d parked the car several spots away from their two rooms. Nico jumped out, reached for her backpack, then let Zulu out of the back hatch. Moving slowly, she pushed open the door and climbed out of the Jeep.
“Do you have a preference?” He held up the two key cards.
“The one without roaches,” she said wearily.
“The manager assured me they spray on a regular basis,” Nico said. He unlocked the first door and pushed it open. She peered inside, relieved to see it looked and smelled relatively clean.
Nico and Zulu followed her inside. Nico dropped her backpack onto the bed, then crossed over to unlock the connecting doors. “Give me a few minutes, okay? I need to let Zulu out to do her thing.”
“That’s fine.” She sat on the bed, swung her feet up, and leaned against the headboard. She breathed out a sigh, then gasped as Nico came over to pick up the second pillow. “Here, you need to be comfortable.”
“I am.” She was surprised by his sweet gesture. Yet she also knew Nico’s kindness was centered on the fact that she was Jaydon’s younger sister. Nothing more. Especially now that she was pregnant with another man’s baby. Not just any man’s.
The mastermind behind the Desert Death Rays biker gang.
“I’ll be back soon.” He left, taking Zulu with him. She’d begun to think of the sleek, black Doberman as a shadow. Her experience was with small dogs who never seemed to stop barking.
Her eyelids drifted closed as she gave up fighting against the overwhelming exhaustion. Before becoming pregnant, she’d always been full of energy, to the point she’d often had trouble falling asleep.
Not anymore. Aside from the nausea, she’d known by the sheer exhaustion that she was expecting. Never in her life had she felt as tired as she had over those past few months. Running and hiding from Simon certainly didn’t help.
Relaxing into the pillows, she sighed. All she needed was a brief reprieve.
A hand on her arm brought her wide awake in a heartbeat. The knife blade was in her hand before she could blink. But as she lashed out, Nico caught her wrist.
“Whoa, what’s wrong?”
She stared at him for a moment, realizing she’d betrayed her deepest fear of being attacked. “You startled me.”
“And that causes you to lash out with a knife?” He sounded incredulous, as if he didn’t carry both a knife and a gun. “Where did you hide it anyway?”
“The side pocket of my bag.” She stared at him intently, but he didn’t back down. “I’m sorry, but you shouldn’t sneak up on me. After all, Jaydon is the one who taught me how to use a knife.” And a gun, but she didn’t own one of those.
“I’m surprised you didn’t pull a knife when I caught up with you outside the apartment.” He let go of her wrist and took a step back. “We’re safe here, but I think it’s time for you to fill me in on exactly what’s been going on.”
She swallowed hard. “Tomorrow.”
“No, tonight.” He pulled the single chair in the room closer to the bed. “Start at the beginning.”
She shook her head helplessly. She didn’t want to do this. Didn’t want to tell the handsome guy she’d secretly crushed on just how foolish she’d been.
Once Nico knew the truth about her naïvete and how she’d killed a man, he’d never look at her the same way again.
The sweet compassion in his eyes would turn to hard contempt.
* * *
And honestly, she knew deep down she deserved it.
Chapter Three
Ava slept with a knife. Nico had known things must have been difficult for her, but narrowly missing being stabbed in the chest made him realize he’d underestimated what she’d endured.
No woman should be made to feel unsafe. Especially not at nearly eight months pregnant.
Granted, he was relieved Jaydon had taught her to protect herself. Although he couldn’t help but wonder if that was the case, then why was Simon still a threat. She should have just stabbed him in the chest and been done with it.
“Please, Ava.” He reached out to cradle her hand between his. “Whatever happened, you don’t have to worry. I promise it will be okay.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” The words were razor sharp. “There’s a reason I can’t go to the police.”
A warning chill snaked down his spine. “Please tell me.”
She closed her eyes and looked away. She seemed to gather herself before turning back to him. “You saw that guy outside the apartment building, right?”
“Yes.” He’d asked her to start at the beginning but decided against interrupting. It was her story to tell in any way she chose.
“Did you see any of his tattoos? I couldn’t see it, but I thought he had something on his bicep.”
“He did. The letters DDR above skull and crossbones.” He shrugged. “Not very original if you ask me.”
Her gaze darted to the Navy SEAL tattoo on his arm for a moment. “The DDR stands for Desert Death Rays. They’re a motorcycle gang.”
“Okay.” It made sense, remembering the motorcycle boots. “Are you saying Simon is involved with them?”
“He’s the leader. Oh, and while they might have started out small, his goal is for their gang to become as well known and as fearsome as the Hell’s Angels.”
Nico was getting a bad feeling about this. “You’re saying they’re dangerous.”
“Yes.” She pulled her hand from his and looked away. “It’s my fault, Nico. I was bored, cleaning teeth all day, every day as a dental hygienist wasn’t enough. I don’t know why I thought Simon was cool, his motorcycle romantic. But I went with him willingly. And it was only once I became exposed to the others and realized what they were doing that I knew I’d made a big mistake.”
“Ava, just because you dated the guy doesn’t make you a criminal too,” he protested.
She turned to glare at him. “Let me finish. It’s more than that.” She took a moment to smooth her hands over her belly as if trying to remain calm. He felt bad for making her relive all this, but he needed to know what they were up against. After a full minute, she said, “I should have left Simon sooner. The minute I resisted, he turned violent. You said you know about my being at the woman’s shelter run by Charlotte.” Her hands went up to her throat for a moment, then dropped back down to her belly again.
“Simon found you there?”
“Yes. I saw one of his motorcycle goons outside the shelter and knew that my staying there would put them all in danger.” She licked her lips. “Simon made it clear he wants me back.”
“Because of the baby?”
“Not at first. I only found out I was pregnant after I left the shelter.” She finally turned to look at him. “Simon was determined to make me pay because I killed one of his men. A man named Banjo.”
He squelched a flash of annoyance. Not because she had killed a guy but because it had been keeping her from going to the police. “Ava, killing a man in self-defense is nothing to be worried about. No judge or jury is going to come down on you for lashing out at some guy to escape being held against your will by a motorcycle gang.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” she scoffed. She rummaged in her bag and brought out a brown five-by-eight-inch envelope. She thrust it at him. “See for yourself. Oh, and let’s not forget that I went with Simon willingly. That our faces are on dozens of gas station cameras all over Los Angeles. Who on earth will believe he held me against my will, that he tried to strangle me, and forced me . . .” She trailed off, her hands returning to her abdomen.
Battling fury laced with dread, he slid the glossy photos from the envelope. There were only two, but they were very clear. In one photo, a biker had a hand on Ava’s arm, and the two seemed to be talking. The next photo, Ava was holding a knife that was embedded in the guy’s neck.
The images surely didn’t paint the true picture. He shoved them back into the envelope. “How do you know Banjo died?”
“The way the blood gushed out of the wound in an arch, I knew I’d hit his carotid artery.” Her voice was dull. “I only had seconds to escape, and the way Banjo was holding on to my arm, I knew he’d keep me there until Simon showed up. Or he’d drag me back to Simon. He easily outweighed me by a hundred pounds. I carried on a pleasant conversation long enough to get the knife in my hand, then stabbed him when he wasn’t expecting it. Once he slid to the ground, I took off running without looking back.”
“It’s still self-defense,” he said, although he could see how the photos could be misinterpreted. “I truly believe we need to take this all to the police. Explain what happened and go from there.”
“No. I’m not having my baby in jail.” Ava tipped her chin up defiantly. “If you want to help me find Callie, and to help me stay hidden until after I have the baby, fine. I’ll accept your help. But if you insist on getting the police involved, I’m out of here.”
He could tell she was dead serious, and while he still believed she’d be found innocent of wrongdoing, he knew the wheels of justice moved slowly. Depending on the situation, she may not be granted bail. And if that was the case, he knew having a baby in jail was a definite possibility. “Okay, we’ll stay off-grid for now. But, Ava, I need you to be honest with me from now on. Is there anything else I need to know?”
“Isn’t that enough?” she asked wearily. “Simon knows he can hold those photographs against me. And now that he has Callie?” She grimaced. “I’m afraid he’ll use her to get to me.”
