“Get in.” Bremmer shoved my shoulder down until my knees buckled.
“NO!” Helene roared and lunged forward as I hit the back seat. “NOO!”
Thud.
The car door closed beside me, leaving my mind to freeze. This was bad…this was bad.
Bang!
Helene slammed her hand against the window, making me flinch and jerk my stare to her. There was panic in her eyes, desperate, bared-teeth panic. It pulled me away from the disconnect my mind desperately wanted. Stay here…just stay here. We’re in trouble, don’t you get that? We’re in serious fucking trouble.
“Don’t say a word!” she yelled. “Do you hear me? Don’t say a word. We’ll get you out of this!”
The driver’s door closed as I gave a small nod. I tried to hold on to her, focusing on her wide eyes and her wind-scattered hair as the sedan pulled away.
I shifted, looking back through the rear window at my brothers. Riven yelled at someone on his cell, his fist clenched around it as he raged. Hunter stood beside his second, staring at me. But it was Helene who drew my focus back as she ran forward, chasing the car as we left.
The car bounced, jarring me. I tensed my thighs as we turned hard and I flew sideways, slamming my shoulder into the door. Agony followed, plunging all the way up into my neck. But I didn’t have time to cope before I was thrown backwards into the seat.
Bremmer said nothing as he drove. Just met my gaze in the rearview mirror. I pressed myself against the seat and glanced at the seatbelt hanging down beside me.
“I don’t have my seatbelt on.” I turned to the rear-view mirror as he looked away. “You didn’t put my seatbelt on.”
An icy sensation rippled deep in the pit of my stomach. There was something very wrong here and it was more than the steel wrapped around my wrists and the law. I shifted, glancing back at the dark blue fed sedan behind me, then the two in front as the faint tick, tick, tick of the turn signal filled the space.
We turned right, spearing off from the others. The car bounced hard against the rocks, kicking up dust as we headed down some road I’d never seen before, one that took me away from the city.
That sickening wave of nausea grew more intense as I stared at the long, empty stretch of road lined with towering pines.
“What are you doing? Where are you taking me?”
Bremmer met my stare in the rear-view mirror, but said nothing.
This was bad…this was really bad.
I glanced at the lock on the door, then the hatred in his gaze. The car slowed, braking before we skidded hard and swung around. I flew across the seat, cast one way then the other, as the car swung back to face the way we’d come and stopped.
The driver’s door was shoved open and dust billowed in, filling the car in an instant. My own door was flung open, then I was grabbed and hauled out, falling to the ground at his feet.
“Get up.”
My mind raced and filled with all the scenarios where you’d take someone handcuffed down an empty road.
“I said get up!”
He yanked the cuffs until the metal ground against the bones of my wrists. His other hand found my throat, clenching tight. I coughed and gasped, drawing in dust-choked air. Flashes of memories slammed into me, of London St. James towering above me as he kicked and punched, driving his brutal knuckles into my face over and over as he shouted. Where is he? WHERE IS MY SON?
“GET THE FUCK UP!” The FBI agent roared above me.
I shoved upwards, slamming back against the car.
Crack!
My head impacted with the car. White, hot stars detonated behind my eyes, blinding me.
“The guns aren’t mine.” I croaked as the steel cuffs screeched against the paintwork. “You have to believe me. They…aren’t…mine.”
I tried to lift my head, finding him shrouded in shadows. Bremmer sucked in hard breaths, straightened until he blocked out the sun, and reached for his gun.
No!
GOD, NO!
He dragged it out of his holster.
The gun was all I could see. It was London all over again.
I shook my head as terror punched through me. I jerked my hands, but they slammed against my back. With me unable to protect myself, he lifted the gun and swung.
Crack!
My head slammed backwards. My lips split against my teeth. Blood bloomed as I lay there against the car, dazed.
Bremmer’s harsh breaths wheezed as he towered over me. “I’m going to tell you once, do you understand? Because if you don’t do what I tell you to do, we’re going to have a problem. I’ll go after your family, starting with that brunette back there. I’ll arrest her, throw her in the males’ cells. How do you feel about that?”
I shook my head as tears threatened.
I didn’t understand. I didn’t under—
He lunged, then yanked my shirt until my gaze snapped to his. “Are you hearing me, Priest?”
I didn’t kill your brother…I didn’t—
“You’re to back off Hale. Do you hear me? Back the fuck off Haelstrom Hale.”
I froze, my mind unable to comprehend.
The shadows around his face brightened until I stared into those hateful eyes. “This is a warning and it’s the only one you’ll get.”
Wait…wasn’t this about his brother?
Bremmer’s cell chimed, drawing him away. He reached into his pocket and pulled it out, swiped, and lifted it to his ear. “Yeah,” he gasped. “Message given and received, loud and clear.”
He looked down at me and I saw the emptiness in his soul.
The utter gaping hole where his soul should be.
“I understand.” He said. “I’ll call you as soon as it’s done.”
As soon as it’s done?
As soon as what’s done?
I shook my head, staring as he lowered his cell and ended the call.
“Don’t do this.” I shook my head. “You don’t need to do this.”
He took a step forward. All I saw was the gun, and that panic came roaring back. Only now I didn’t have Riven to save me.
Bremmer leaned down with the gun in his hand. Even if I’d dared to try to fight back, I couldn’t. Not physically at least.
“Your brother is dead,” I started, trying to keep the shake from my voice. “And yet you’re doing Hale’s dirty work. Why? Money, power? Does he have something over you?”
“Shut up.”
“He’s using you.” I licked my lips and kept going. “Once he’s done, he’ll leave you behind. Even if you didn’t love your brother, you still have something you love.” I glanced at the badge on his pocket. “Your job, your career. Are you really willing to risk that for a man like Hale?”
He pushed the gun under my jaw, those empty eyes glinting with hunger. “Keep going. I’d love nothing more than to splatter your brains all over the side of my car.”
I froze as the muzzle pressed harder. The faint scent of gun oil filled my nostrils. It had been cleaned, and recently. He slowly pulled away and straightened until he slid it back into his holster. One glance down to my crotch and he gave a chuff. “Didn’t wet yourself. Usually men like you piss themselves.”
Men like me?
He was telling me something.
He was telling me he’d done this before…many times.
“Now get the fuck up.” He leaned over, grabbed my arm, and hauled me upwards.
My head throbbed and my mouth was swelling, causing me to swallow my blood. Still, I shoved upwards and leaned against the car until I caught my breath. He yanked open the back door and jerked his head.
I stumbled backwards, then dropped down, hitting the seat before I swiveled around and lifted my feet inside.
Thud.
The door closed behind me. He climbed back in, yanked his door closed, and started the engine. There was a chilling silence between us as he drove, one that only grew colder as we headed back along the isolated road to the mountain highway. I looked left, to the stretch of road as it rose steeply. My home was up there and my family. Yet I’d never felt so far away from them as in this moment.
Fear moved in, but instead of withdrawing into myself, I focused on the man in front of me. He wasn’t just a sinner, he was a pawn in the Devil’s work.
“You will die, you get that, right?” I winced as pain radiated through my jaw. “Men like you don’t make it out of this.”
He glanced into the rear-view mirror and pushed the car harder, picking up speed as we made for the city, not saying a word. But I knew he’d heard me, and that only strengthened my faith. I gently worked my jaw, focusing on him as I sat with my hands grinding against the seat back.
We left the mountain far behind and headed into the city, pulled into the driveway beside the FBI building, and stopped at the massive steel doors to the underground garage. Where they bring prisoners. Was that my fate now? To be imprisoned for a crime I didn’t commit?
But I had killed…hadn’t I?
The steel doors rose and we pulled inside, coming to a stop near a set of double doors. Two of the agents who were at the house were there, waiting. Bremmer switched off the car and climbed out before opening the back door.
“Get out,” He commanded.
I glanced at the agents and slowly turned, slid my feet out, and rose. My knees shook, but it was my face that was the worst. One eye was swollen nearly shut and I wasn’t sure my jaw wasn’t broken. I couldn’t tell from the punishing pain in my face.
“Move.” Bremmer pushed me toward the doors.
I stumbled and slowly headed for the agent who stepped to the side, pressed his badge to the scanner, and opened the locked door. The sound of steps echoed along the hallway. I was shoved forward until I stopped at a reception counter, eyeing a group of men dressed in expensive suits. Two turned, glanced my way, then scowled.
They stepped forward, heading for us.
“Agent,” one called. “Jameson Hutch, I’m representing Mr. Thomas Cruz. I’d like a moment with my client,” he muttered, scanning my face, then stepped forward, grasped my jaw gently, and winced. “I expect a full report of his injuries, as well.”
Bremmer stepped forward, his lips curling as he glared at the lawyer. But there wasn’t a thing he could say. The doors opened behind them and two men and a woman headed my way. But they weren’t the usual suited up lawyers, in fact, two didn’t even wear suits. The young, brooding male glanced at who had to be his lawyer and nodded, motioning him forward.
“Jameson,” the lawyer nodded to the man who’d announced himself as my lawyer, then turned his attention to the two agents beside me. He gave a smile as Bremmer’s cell rang. “I suggest you answer that, Special Agent.”
Bremmer scowled, glanced at the caller ID, and flinched, answering it instantly. “Sir?”
Whatever was said on the other end was short, sharp…and to the point.
“I understand, sir,” Bremmer responded. “No, sir. My investigation has led to—. Yes, sir. I understand, sir. I’ll have the paperwork taken care of. Yes, I can see you in your office this afternoon. Okay. I’ll see you then.”
He lowered his cell, his cheeks burning. Sparks of hostility exploded in his eyes as the two young people stepped forward.
“Thomas,” The guy called my name. “Finley Salvatore, and this is my wife, Anna. We’re friends of Lazarus and we’re going to escort you out of here.”
The woman gave a soft smile and stepped closer, then reached up to gently touch my cheek. “Let’s get you looked at, okay?”
I fought the panic inside, not even knowing these people.
“It’s okay,” Anna said softly. “We’re just here to get you out of here.”
I didn’t know these people, yet…they seemed to know me.
“Okay,” I answered.
“Let’s get out of here,” Finley murmured, glancing at his lawyer, who gave a nod.
Bremmer yanked my arms up hard as he unlocked the cuffs. My hands dropped hard, leaving my shoulders to howl with the strain. Still, I lifted my hands, rubbing the feeling back into them.
“I’ll be watching you,” Bremmer muttered. “Just remember what I said.”
“And what was that, Special Agent?” Finley’s lawyer snapped. “I’m sure the Director would be as interested as I am to hear about it.”
But Bremmer remained tight-lipped, glaring at me as I took a step and headed out of there with the Salvatores at my side.
“Thank you,” I murmured the moment we were out.
Anna gave me a smile. “You’re very welcome. I’m just sorry you had to experience all that.“
“My family?”
“Meeting us at our property. Our guard can have a look at your face there.”
I gave a nod as we stepped out of the double glass doors
“You’re the one Kat asked for, aren’t you?” I murmured, heading for the waiting Explorer against the curb. “The hacker they call the Ghost.”
That soft smile eased, leaving a formidable stare behind. “The Ghost?” she answered, giving me a wink. “Sorry, I don’t think I’ve ever heard the name.”
She was, I knew it in my gut. I climbed into the back seat and watched her round the rear of the car and climb in. Finley watched her like a hawk, only climbing into the passenger’s seat after she was inside.
I realized I’d just met a whole new level of Mafia.
One who not only had connections.
But the strength to make them kneel.
