Deception, page 6
My mind warred with my emotions, and I struggled to get them back under control. Another panic attack was the last thing I needed right now. Taking a deep breath, I locked my hands together in front of my body, my nails biting into my palms, somewhat keeping me grounded. “Thanks for walking me back and for, you know, before. I’m sorry I lost it.”
He studied me, his face unreadable as usual. We were standing closer, and he reached out a hand, brushing a strand of my hair behind my ear, his fingers tracing the shell of my ear. “Eat and then get some rest.”
I nodded, but neither one of us stepped away. Instead, his hand wandered to the back of my head, his other winding around my waist.
He buried his face in my neck, his lips gently brushing my skin. “You’re safe. I’ll do everything I can to make sure nobody touches you again.”
Each word was spoken like a vow, the deep timber of his voice sinking into my skin. Each touch of his lips made me want to find out what it would be like to kiss him.
But before I made a mistake neither of us could come back from, he released me and left without a backward glance.
I sank into the closest chair as soon as the door closed. I had to find a way out. The longer I stayed here, the less I wanted to leave Lucius. And that was crazy talk.
Maybe my panic attacks were killing off my brain cells.
Chapter 10
Lucius
“Your informant confirmed the location?”
“He’s as sure as he’ll ever be. If you want to grab him, you have to do it now.”
I paced along the edge of the forest, not liking the intel I’d received. “You mean if you want me to grab him, I have to do it now.”
“We don’t owe you anything. You came to us. And this is part of the deal. We’ve been holding up our end.”
I wanted to scream and rage, but instead I stopped, taking a deep breath. This was part of what it took to make amends. And I’d do it. Didn‘t mean I had to like their methods or taking orders from a suit in Washington.
But they’d been after the Cartenas for a long time. I was their chance at finally making some headway. And it served their purposes as much as mine.
I was after a killer; they were trying to bring down the head of the family that hid the killer. With their help, I now had enough proof to know who it was. The only thing missing was a location.
And I’d just received another piece leading me to him.
“Our man on the inside is ready. You just have to give the signal. But if anything goes wrong, you’re on your own.”
They couldn’t send a team or risk a diplomatic nightmare. Which was where I came in.
“Tell your guy I’ll be there tomorrow night. Any news on the plane?”
As long as I could get Everleigh to the airstrip in Georgetown, I’d be able to get her out. With Maurizio having such tight control over the country, a commercial flight would be impossible as long as he was in charge. But a small private plane had a chance of getting past him undetected.
“I might be able to get one for next week,” he hedged.
“I’m running out of time.”
“I know. And I’m trying everything I can.”
We hung up, and I paced the edge of the cliff. I’d have to leave Everleigh alone for a night. The thought didn’t sit well with me, but I didn’t have a choice. I’d make sure Santino watched her. And my room was locked up tight. The door and windows were bulletproof, and it was nearly impossible to get in without breaking the steel door that opened only to my or Everleigh’s handprint.
I’d even revoked the cleaner’s access, only allowing her inside when I was there.
The night was pitch black, heavy rain clouds blocking out the stars. It was nearly midnight, but I couldn’t give in to the urge to go back to Everleigh. I had a lot of things to organize before I’d be ready to leave.
And unfortunately, Maurizio would be back by then. I’d have to find a good excuse for my absence.
I went to my office, nodding to the many guards on my way. It was overkill employing this many people, but Maurizio was paranoid. Ever since someone broke through and put a bullet in his leg, he surrounded himself with bodyguards.
They were quick to shoot anyone they perceived as a threat, and we’d lost our cook and two maids to their trigger-happy fingers. None of them died, but they also weren’t keen on coming back and risking more holes. Not even threats worked.
There were a few guys I’d been working on who I thought could be swayed to join me against Maurizio, should the time come. They weren’t happy with his increasingly heavy-handed methods. But until I was ready, I had to hide my little side project with the CIA and make sure I followed orders without raising suspicions.
My bag was ready and waiting in the hidden compartment under my desk. If someone was to take a closer look, they’d find it, but I was running out of hiding places. I added a fake passport from my safe and an extra gun to the pile I’d take with me tomorrow.
When I had everything as ready as I could get it, I sank into my chair, hoping this wouldn’t be the time it would all blow up in my face. My sole focus was to get Everleigh out of here.
My obsession with her seemed to grow with each passing day. I’d never been interested in spending time with a woman outside the bedroom. Sofie was the result of a one-night stand. And her mom was all too eager to sign over all parental rights to me for the right price.
I sometimes wished Sofie had a mom. I had no siblings, and my own mom died when I was young. I barely remembered her. The guys I used to work with in the States had become a second family to us. Until I screwed it all up.
The bedroom was quiet when I returned, the bed empty. I went straight to the closet, finding Everleigh curled up in a little ball, the blankets down to her waist. Her dark hair made her blend with the black sheets, her small hands tucked underneath her chin.
I needed to get her out of the compound. The men were getting restless, and if I wasn’t careful, she’d get hurt again.
And I knew she couldn’t take much more.
With a sigh, I dragged myself away from her and took a shower. The warm water flowed over my aching muscles, loosening them.
My time with Everleigh was finite. I had no right to ask anything of her while she was here, no matter how much I longed for her touch.
Everleigh mumbled in her sleep when I carried her to the bed and covered her with the blanket. I joined her on the other side, turning to face her. Her hand reached out, and I scooted closer. Our fingertips met, and I resisted the urge to pull her into my arms.
The overwhelming sense of rightness at being here with her hit me unexpectedly. I wondered what would have happened if we’d met before my life blew up. Would we have dated? Would I have introduced her to Sofie?
She stirred, and our eyes locked. She’d woken up.
She didn’t say a word, just studied me as I’d done to her earlier. Our fingertips were still touching, and I ached to put my hand around hers again.
We stayed suspended in time, and for once, I could simply exist. I wasn’t thinking about anything but being here with her. I drank in her features, committing them to memory. Her full lips that arched up into a Cupid’s bow. Her high cheekbones, her unique blue eyes that resembled a churning ocean in one moment, the sky in another. Her long thick hair that I ached to run my hands through.
She’d stumbled into my life at a time when everything was broken, when all my thoughts were consumed with rage and self-deprecation. Now all I thought about was her. Her addictive scent, her soft voice, her rare laugh. I’d only heard it twice, but I’d never forget the smooth tinkling sound.
Her small hand closed around mine, and the tension drained out of my body. I held on and felt my eyes close a few minutes later.
Chapter 11
Everleigh
The next morning, Maurizio was back. The house resembled a beehive, a mad scramble to polish the already gleaming silver and mop the spotless floors. Mariana was the only one who didn’t seem to be affected. She bustled around the huge kitchen, humming to herself when I entered.
My mind was on last night, taking away the anxiety of the return of the man who held my fate in his hands.
I should have been more concerned, but my thoughts were taken up by Lucius. Every night, I looked forward to our time together. The first time I woke up in bed with him, I’d been terrified. I had lain awake for hours, waiting for him to make a move.
But all he’d done was sleep. I didn’t understand him or his actions. But I also didn’t put a stop to them.
Because now I couldn’t wait for our stolen moments together. He made me feel safe and took away the terror being a captive evoked, if only for a short time.
“Cariña,” Mariana greeted me with a comforting hug. To my utter delight and Santino’s horror, she reached up and pinched his cheek when he walked past.
I stifled my laughter and took my seat at the bar. Every time I offered to get my own breakfast, Mariana would glare at me and yell something in Spanish that I had no hope of understanding. But hey, if she wanted to cook me the world’s best omelet, who was I to stop her?
One thing about her cooking: it managed to get some of my appetite back. My curves were almost gone, but at least I wasn’t losing more weight. And I secretly loved her taking care of me. She always made sure I had something to eat for lunch, and dinner was ready and waiting for me every night.
Santino and I had established somewhat of a truce, and I thought I might have judged him too harshly. He wasn’t a bad guy once you got to know him. Except for the whole working for the cartel and kidnapping people part, of course.
After breakfast, I sat at my desk and went over numbers that, for once, didn’t seem to make sense. I’d stumbled across a new account that didn’t have any apparent purpose. But Maurizio made a deposit of $20,000 into it every month. That amount was a drop in the ocean for him, but the account was in the States.
I’d noticed the discrepancy because all the other accounts were balanced, and I’d been double-checking that I didn’t miss anything. My Spanish accounting vocabulary was improving every day, and I was quite proud of not having to consult my scribbled notes much anymore.
But I absolutely could not make sense of this new account. I couldn’t decide if I should ignore it or probe further. I didn’t want to delve too deep, but at the same time, my curiosity was piqued.
My hesitation was my downfall when the door opened and Maurizio appeared. He strode in with the swagger of a man who knew he was the boss. His arrogant grin fell on me, and my body locked up tight under the scrutiny of his lifeless eyes.
“I hear you have good news for me.”
I nodded a bit too vigorously and earned myself a raised brow. “I recovered all your money and closed the accounts as requested.”
Always the good little worker, eager to please. That’s me.
“Good. Very good.” He looked around the small office, then leaned in until we were nose to nose. “Remember: you’re only here as long as you’re useful.”
My breath hitched at his declaration. Before coming here, I hadn’t had a panic attack since I was ten and our housekeeper accidentally locked me in a closet. My parents were out, the housekeeper went home, and I spent all night in the dark. But now they seemed my new normal.
But the last thing I wanted was to appear weak in front of Maurizio. I took deep rattling breaths in and out, watching him, trying to maintain control.
He pointed to the computer. “Show me the accounts.”
When he saw the one I’d been looking at, he grabbed a fistful of my hair, making me yelp in surprise. “That account is none of your business. Make sure the money goes in, but you don’t look at it otherwise, and you don’t tell anyone it’s there. You understand?”
He yanked my hair again, and I flinched. “I understand,” I squeaked.
He released me, and I scrambled to get the accounts up and explain what I’d done, all the while leaning away from him. My scalp stung, and I wanted to rub the sore spot but refrained, too scared of what might happen if I delayed. “All the money is now back in account 576 983 as requested. Account 823 978 has been made your transaction account. 143 625 holds the money you earn each month from your businesses.”
My eyes never wavered from his, too scared to take my attention off him. But since I’d memorized all the numbers, I didn’t need to look at my screen.
His lifeless eyes raked over my body once I was done talking him through everything. “You seem to be even more of an asset than originally thought. This pleases me.”
I held my breath, my body trembling under his unwelcome attention. Taking a strand of my hair, he lifted it up, smelling it. I swallowed, fighting down the urge to vomit all over his expensive shoes. After another few seconds that felt like hours he released my hair and left.
As soon as he was gone and the door clicked shut behind him, I put my head between my legs and my hands on my head. It was either that or pass out.
This was worse than hell. It was purgatory. If I didn’t do my job well, he’d get rid of me. If I did my job well, he’d keep me. Both shitty options. But the one where I was still breathing at least meant I could continue to try and get out of here.
Not that I’d made much headway. I still didn’t know how to get out of the heavily secured fortress or how to get a car. Because there was no way I could walk back to Georgetown.
Santino wasn’t due to arrive to accompany me to the kitchen for at least another hour, but a wave of fatigue hit me so hard, I swayed in my seat.
The office walls were closing in around me, and I heaved myself out of the chair. If I had put my brain to good use, I would have stopped myself from leaving the office alone. And I would have definitely stopped myself from going outside. But when I saw a door that was unguarded and unlocked, I took my chance. I was desperate. And desperate Everleigh did things without calculating all the risks as she usually did.
There was also still a chance my brother was here. I hadn’t seen any sign of someone else being held captive, but who knew if they had a secret dungeon somewhere.
After wandering around the grounds for a while, looking for any weak spots, I found a cluster of small bungalows. The guards had gotten used to my presence, and nobody stopped me from wandering. There was no rule that I wasn’t allowed to go outside.
The house sat atop a cliff, overlooking the ocean. It would have been breathtaking had it not held so much death and pain.
I passed another pool, this one with a waterfall, and a tennis court. A small cluster of bungalows sat behind the tennis court, and I figured they were as good as place as any to start my search.
I looked through one of the windows and saw beds, the sheets messily thrown on top, and a table surrounded by chairs. There was nobody inside, so I crept to the next one. I guessed this was where the guards stayed, and maybe the staff.
I stumbled over a chair left outside one of the houses, and it made a loud scraping sound. I clenched the back to stop it from toppling over and listened. The guards’ constant chatter was unchanged. No footsteps, no shouting. I relaxed my grip on the chair and took a deep breath.
After I’d checked all the bungalows, my body deflated. I’d discovered nothing. Nobody had left keys or any usable weapons out—at least nothing obvious that I could spot through a window. And I was too afraid to go inside.
When I turned to go back, my nose hit something solid, and the foul—and familiar—smell immediately made me recoil in fear. My luck was on the down and out, with no way up.
I took a careful step back, weighing my options. I could turn and run. I would probably make it as far as the pool. Or I could try to punch him, hope I hit him, and then scream.
The problem with both options: he was now holding my arm in a viselike grip that I didn’t see myself getting out of anytime soon. I also didn’t know how to hit anyone. I wished I’d taken that self-defense class Thea wanted me to go to with her.
“We meet again, cabrona,” he snarled at me.
I shivered, all my senses telling me to run. His free hand was pawing my face and hair roughly. I flinched and twisted in his grip, my scalp stinging from the continued rough treatment. “Santino is out here. You better let me go. He’ll be looking for me.”
There was a triumphant gleam on his face, and my stomach tied itself in knots. “Do you think I’m an idiot? He’s busy kissing the boss’s ass. It’s only you and me.”
He brought my body flush to his, his erection pressing against my belly. I fought the bile rising up my throat. He was already angry; no reason to make it worse.
He pulled on my hair, and I ground my teeth, my poor scalp protesting. “Come. I have plans for us.”
He dragged me along, his destination one of the bungalows. I knew that once I was inside, nobody would find me. The thought was terrifying.
My breaths sped up, and my head was getting fuzzy. Oh no. No no no. Another panic attack is the last thing I need. I had to keep a clear head, or I wouldn’t make it out of this in one piece.
“Please let me go. You don’t have to do this.”
He sneered at me, his grip tightening. “You think you’re better than us. But once you’re no longer useful, he’ll throw you out like last night’s dinner.”
I fought against the rising panic overtaking my body. Now was not the time. I was the only one able to get myself out of this. “They’ll be wondering where I went.”
He stopped and tugged my hair, then twisted my arm. I cried out in pain. My eyes stung from the unshed tears. I tried to slow my steps, but that earned me another sharp tug. “Because of you, we can’t go into the house anymore. We have a curfew. Have to report in every hour.”
I was trying to make sense of his words. How could he think that was my doing? I had no influence over anything, no voice.
His iron grip on my hair prevented me from responding, the pain rendering my mouth and body immobile. A tear escaped, slowly trickling down my face. We neared one of the houses, and I tried to plant my feet on the smooth tiles but earned myself a slap and a hissed threat instead.
