A Man to Trust (17 page)

“You have information we need,” Snake said in a low smooth tone. He spit his gum onto the floor.

“But, I don’t.” She licked her dry lips and met his hard stare. “I don’t know what you want.” If she did, she’d give it to him.

Snake took a threatening step toward her. “Tell me what you know about Scott’s business.”

“The-the vacuum business?”

“Don’t get cute, bitch.” His eyes narrowed.

The other guy, the one who’d kidnapped her, took a switchblade from his pocket and flipped it open. He didn’t say a word as his gaze moved to her breasts.

Angela inhaled sharply and returned her attention to Snake. She needed to stall him, until she could figure a way out, or until Jake could find her.

How’s he gonna do that?

They’d taken her to Chicago. Jake would never find her.

Her heart sank. She remembered the way he’d glared at her when J.D. told him about the account she’d supposedly opened. As far as Jake was concerned, she was guilty until proven innocent. He wouldn’t be looking for her. Probably thought she’d left of her own accord. She couldn’t count on him.

Angela bit the inside of her lip, the pain helping her fight against the terror that was immobilizing her. A sense of loss swept through her. It was up to her to keep her and Stacey alive.

“What is it you want from me? Tell me, and I’ll give it to you if I can. Please don’t hurt us.”

The familiar taste of bitterness filled her mouth and rage swept through her at being forced to beg. Something she swore she’d never do again. But it wasn’t just about her. They had Stacey. The thought of Stacey alone with the other gang member tore at her insides.

Her hands clenched at her sides and her gaze swept the room in search of something she could use as a weapon. She spotted a pipe lying against the wall to her left, next to the creep who couldn’t seem to take his eyes from her chest. Determination replaced the anger raging through her. She was done being a victim.

“We need access to Scott’s bank accounts.” Snake grasped her chin and forced her to look at him. “And you’ll get them for us, or your friend dies. But not before my boys have some fun with her first.”

“I already turned everything over to the police.” A tremor washed over her. She didn’t have what they wanted.

“Don’t lie to me, Angela. We know you had access to his offshore accounts,” Snake said in the same smooth tone.

She stiffened and met his gaze. “I’m not-”

Before Angela could finish the sentence, he backhanded her and her cheek exploded with pain, knocking her off her feet. The same cheek the other bastard had struck. She cried out when her head hit the wall. Fighting off the blackness that threatened, she slid to the floor.

She reached up and touched her face, but found no blood. At least he hadn’t broken the skin again. Never taking her eyes from Snake, her mind raced, searching for a means of escape.

Snake turned to the other guy and nodded toward the exit. “Contact Hirschman. Tell him I’ll have what he wants by morning.”

With his focus off her, Angela shifted slightly, until she touched the pipe lying against the wall. She curled her fingers around cool metal and shoved the makeshift weapon behind her as the other guy left.

She and Stacey had both seen their faces, and they didn’t seem too concerned about using names in front of them. After they got what they wanted from her, she and Stacey would both be killed. She had nothing to lose. And if she were going to die, she’d at least die fighting.

Snake returned and squatted in front of her. His hand shot out and fisted the back of her hair, tugging her head back. His cold eyes swept over her face, lingering on her mouth before moving back up to meet her gaze.

“Oh, I think you’ll tell me what I want, even if I have to fuck it out of you.”

Over my dead body.

There was no way she’d let this animal touch her. Her grip tightened on the pipe as he leaned down and licked her throat. Revulsion tore through her at the feel of his tongue sliding up to the side of her face.

“Don’t—” Angela swung the pipe with an unnatural strength born of rage and hit the side of his head.

He cursed and his grip loosened on her hair, but he didn’t let go. Panic spurted through her. In a final desperate act to escape, she drew her head back and head-butted him with all the force she could muster. Pain made her gasp as circles of light flashed across her vision. His hold on her fell away.

Angela stumbled to her feet and brushed away blood that dripped into her eyes. Snake lay stunned on the floor, his hand moved to his head.

“Fuckin’ bitch!” He struggled to rise.

She took one last, desperate swing with the pipe. He blocked the blow with his arm, but she managed to knock him back to the floor. Before he could get to his feet, she sprinted out the door.

Jake gripped his Glock firmly in his hand, easing open the door to the abandoned warehouse. He tensed when the squeak of the door echoed into the still of the night.

They all three froze.

“Shit,” J.D. said in a whisper.

After a long moment of silence, when there was no attack, they stepped into a large, dank room. It appeared deserted, except for a dim light they’d noticed burning on the second level when they’d arrived.

Jake’s eyes adjusted to the dark, and he spotted a pimped out rice burner parked near a crotch rocket. He snorted. This looked like the place.

“I’ll check the car,” Rick said in a hushed tone. He quickly made his way to the vehicle.

Jake and J.D. fanned out to search the room. Beer cans and liquor bottles cluttered the floor, and the foul stench of garbage and urine hung in the air.

“Jake,” Rick said. His voice remained low, but held a note of urgency.

Jake turned to find Rick holding a woman’s purse, a grim expression on his face.

“What?” He strode over and took the purse from Rick to look inside for ID. It was empty.

“It’s Stacey’s,” J.D. said, his voice hard.

“You recognize it?” Jake’s fingers tightened around the pocketbook when he noticed the blood smeared on one side. He glanced at J.D., who was staring at the blood with eyes filled with rage and edged with fear.

“There’s more blood in the car,” Rick said grimly.

J.D.’s hands closed into fists, then he strode to the vehicle to glance into the back seat. Jake followed, and peered inside to see a blood smear along the seat.

“Not too much blood. Probably a small wound,” Jake said in an attempt to comfort. Although the blood could just as easily be Angela’s. Anger tore through him at the thought of her being hurt.

Rick popped the trunk open and peered inside. “Nothing.”

No bodies
.

J.D.’s expression mirrored his relief.

Jake headed for the stairs. “Let’s go.” They had to be here, because if they weren’t, they were most likely dead already.

Images of the last time he’d seen Angela flashed across his mind. She’d been hurt by his actions. He’d seen it in her eyes . . . pain, followed by an intense wave of anger.

When he found her, he had a lot of groveling to do, because he’d made a huge mistake in not trusting her. He just hoped their relationship wasn’t irrevocably damaged.

Determined, Jake made his way up the dark stairwell. He’d find her, and he’d kill anyone that got in his way. She was his. Whether she realized it, or not.

When they reached the top, Jake raised his hand, indicating they should stop. He slowly pushed the door open to peer inside. A dim light shone onto the area from a cheap battery powered lamp that sat on a table against a dirty, gray wall.

Jake exited into a long, narrow hall. He spotted a door, just before the hallway curved to the right. With a quick nod toward the door, he continued down the hall.

When they neared the room, scuffling sounded from inside, then the soft cries of a woman in distress. Jake’s gut twisted in fury and he launched himself into the room, with J.D. and Rick right behind him.

That motherfucker is a dead man!

Filled with a killing rage,
J.D. charged the guy that manhandled Stacey. He ran past Jake, who struggled with a young gangbanger, his focus locked on Stacey.

J.D.’s lips pressed together into a tight, thin line. She was hurt. The prick holding her glanced up as he charged in his direction, wheeled around and held a switchblade against her throat.

J.D. came to a halt about five-feet in front of them. The SOB was an ugly bastard with long stringy hair and gang symbols covering his arms.

A gunshot sounded behind him. J.D. tensed, but never took his eyes off the man holding Stacey. Jake’s curse and Rick’s groan of pain was followed by a loud thud.

Shit!

He stared into Stacey’s panic filled eyes, damp with tears, and fought the need to comfort her. The cold knot of fury in his gut tightened at the sight of her sweet face bruised and bleeding, exploding into a dangerous beast when the sharp blade moved against her delicate neck.

His hand tightened around the gun he held. Could he make the shot without Stacey being harmed?

Yes.

He could shoot the
mother
between the eyes without a problem. But with the sharp blade at her throat, it was too risky.

Jake’s voice sounded from behind him. “Officer down.”

J.D. blocked out the rest. He couldn’t help Stacey if he listened to what was going on behind him. “Don’t do it,” J.D. said, glaring at the gangbanger. He kept his Glock aimed at the target with steady hands.

“Back off,” the punk ordered. He pressed the knife against Stacey’s neck again until a slight red line of blood appeared as he inched back toward the door.

J.D. narrowed his gaze and shifted his body to keep them in sight. Out of his peripheral vision, he spotted Jake holding a blood-soaked rag against Rick’s leg. The other gang member lay unconscious next to them. Rick appeared pale and pissed.

J.D. had to stop the prick before he made it out of the room with Stacey. He knew in his gut, the punk would slit her throat if he made it through the door, allowing him time to escape while J.D. tried to save her.

Dammit, I’m not going to lose her too.

He’d lost one woman he loved already. He couldn’t survive losing another.

Love?

As he stood there helplessly, Stacey’s life in danger, he acknowledged that he had feelings for her.

“If you hurt her,” J.D. said quietly. “I
will
kill you.”

He met Stacey’s gaze. She gave him a soft smile, her eyes filled with the same emotion he felt, along with a look of hopelessness.

She thinks she’s going to die
.

Not gonna happen! J.D. set his shoulders, determined to protect her. Keeping his aim steady, he shadowed their movement toward the door, just waiting for the right time to shoot.

“The police are on the way,” Jake snarled from across the room.

A flash of color behind the bastard caught J.D.’s attention. Angela stood in the doorway, a metal pipe gripped in her hand. He grimaced at the sight of her bruised face even as relief flooded him at seeing her alive.

He just hoped his brother would hold his temper for the next five minutes. They were playing a dangerous game, with Stacey’s life as the game chip.

Angela’s eyes held a look of grim determination as she moved slowly toward the gangbanger that held Stacey captive. J.D. needed to keep the punk’s attention until Angela could come up behind him.

“You’ll never make it out of here,” J.D. said, shifting slightly to the left, drawing the guy’s attention toward him. “Give it up now, and you might be able to cut a deal.”

“Fuck you.” The punk took another step toward the door.

Angela edged up behind the gangbanger, slowly lifted the pipe, then brought it down on his head. In the same instant, J.D. rushed forward and grabbed the arm holding the knife against Stacey’s throat.

Knocking Stacey out of the way, he brought his fist up and nailed the asshole in the nose. He went down like a ton of bricks, and didn’t move. Blood pooled on the floor from the head wound where Angela had nailed him, and his nose looked broken. Just to make certain he wasn’t a threat, J.D., flipped him to his stomach and secured his wrists behind him with wire ties.

“Are you two okay?” Jake strode toward the women, fury vibrating in his voice.

J.D. went to Stacey and gathered her in his arms. She collapsed against him and burst into tears. He glared at the punk on the floor, wanting to wake him up so he could break his nose again.

“Sshh. It’s okay, baby,” J.D. said gently, stroking her hair.

The need to know everything that happened to her since she’d been taken burned into his gut. But now was not the time. He glanced at Jake. “How’s Rick?”

Jake had his arms around Angela, her face buried against his chest. “He’s unconscious, and he’s lost a lot of blood, but I was able to stem the flow. He’s stable for now.”

The faint sound of sirens in the distance drew nearer.

Angela suddenly stiffened and stepped from Jake’s embrace, turning away from him. Jake’s face showed anguish before he managed to put on the mask again.

J.D. winced in sympathy for his brother.

Trouble in paradise.

Angela scolded herself for her moment of weakness. In a rush of relief that she and Stacey were still alive, she’d let Jake hold her. His strong arms offered comfort after the terror-filled night. The warmth of his body chased away the chill, his familiar, masculine scent a web of safety.

Then she reminded herself that after making love to her and treating her as though she was special to him, he’d abandoned her. Her heart ached at the loss of what could have been.

“Angela,” Jake said tightly. “Is there anyone else in the warehouse?”

Snake!

She spun toward Jake. How could she have forgotten? “Yes. Some guy called Snake,” she said, voice shaking. She rubbed her arms, suddenly feeling cold again. The temptation to move back into Jake’s embrace swept over her. She tensed and fought the self-destructive urge.

Jake’s eyes narrowed as he took off his jacket and placed it around her shoulders. “Where did you see him last?”

He tugged the jacket around her, his voice gentle.

“In a storage room down the hall.” She paused, swallowing the knot in her throat. “I hit him with the pipe and ran out.”

Jake placed a finger under her chin and tilted her head toward him. “Did he hurt you?” His mouth tightened as he studied her face.

Angela touched her sore cheek and winced. She shook her head. “No, not really. I’m okay. Can we please just go?” Her voice broke on the last words.

A muscle twitched at his jaw when he met her gaze. “J.D., stay with the women.” He brought his weapon up and headed for the door.

“Dammit. You need to wait for backup,” J.D. said sharply.

“Fuck that! I’m sick of seeing bruises on her face. I’m gonna get this bastard.”

“Shit.” J.D. raked his fingers through his hair.

“I—I’m okay, Jake. Don’t go.” Angela pleaded with him.

Fear twisted her heart as Jake ignored her plea and made his way to the door, cautiously stepping into the hall. The door shut soundlessly behind him.

Her heart raced. She still cared for him deeply, despite the way he’d hurt her. Even though they didn’t have a future together, she didn’t want him harmed.

She glanced at J.D., who still held Stacey in a protective embrace. “Shouldn’t you go with him?”

The lines around J.D.’s mouth deepened and he shook his head. “I’m not leaving you two here alone with these assholes.” He turned and nudged one of the unconscious men with his boot.

The wail of sirens surrounded the building. Flashing red and blue lights filtered inside from the windows high above them. The sound of shouting voices and footsteps followed.

It wasn’t long before Jake returned with a grim look on his face, along with a blond-haired police officer.

“No luck?” J.D. asked.

Jake shook his head, his eyes hard, filled with anger. “Looks like he took the bike and split.”

“We’ve got an APB out for him,” the blond police officer said.

“Hey, Dylan. Thanks for the backup.” J.D. clapped Dylan on the back.

“Anytime.” Dylan glanced toward her and Stacey. “You two should go to the hospital and have your injuries checked out.”

Paramedics rushed into the room and over to them.

Angela didn’t want to go to the hospital. She just wanted to go home. “I’m fine.”

“No, I’m okay. Just take me home, J.D.,” Stacey said.

Angela glanced at Stacey and frowned. Stacey did need to be checked out. “Maybe we should, Stacey.” By the frowns marring the faces of the men, she didn’t think they had any choice on the matter anyway.

Evidently, after taking in the men’s scowls, Stacey came to the same conclusion. She made a face and shrugged her shoulders. “Whatever.”

On the ride to the hospital, Stacey sat next to J.D. in the backseat. That left Angela no other option but to sit in the front with Jake. She peeked over her shoulder. J.D.’s head was lowered to Stacey’s as he whispered into her ear, all the while stroking her hair. Stacey’s head rested against his chest. They looked like lovers.

Angela smiled. Stacey had a lot of explaining to do. Then her thoughts drifted to Jake and her smile fell away. She shot him a dirty look.

“Angela,” Jake said. “We know it wasn’t you who opened the offshore account.” He reached over to touch the top of her hand.

She pulled away and put her hands into her lap. “Is that right?”

Her voice dripped with sarcasm and she blinked away tears. She turned away from him and stared unseeingly out the passenger window. She didn’t want him touching her. His betrayal cut deep, worse than any of Scott’s beatings.

Jake cursed softly. “I’m sorry.” His voice held a pleading tone.

“What’s going to happen now?” she asked, refusing to look at him . . . refusing to forgive him for his betrayal.

“After you two are checked over, we’ll take you back to the hotel in Delafield. Tomorrow we’ll move you to another safe house so you can stay together.”

She leaned her head against the headrest and closed her eyes. The long, terror-filled night finally caught up to her.

When will this nightmare end?

Drowsiness washed over her, luring her into sleep from the smooth motion of the ride.

Jake drove into the parking lot of the Delafield safe house and shut off the SUV, glancing back at his brother. He cradled a sleeping Stacey in the curve of his arm.

It had taken Angela less than two minutes to fall back to sleep after leaving the hospital in Chicago. It was now close to two a.m. and the girls were exhausted from their ordeal. They’d both been roughed up, but had no serious injuries.

Thank God.
His gaze slid back to Angela and he wanted to kick his own ass at the sight of the purple bruise on her cheek and cut above her eye that had required stitches. Guilt clawed at him, even as pride filled him for her brave actions. She’d actually head-butted the guy.

Unbelievable.

His lips twitched.

Because of his boneheaded suspicions, he’d not only damaged his fragile relationship with her, he’d also failed to protect her.

He cursed softly, wanting to get his hands on the bastard who’d hit her. See just how brave the sonofabitch was against someone his own size instead of a fragile woman. He gritted his teeth, as anger ate at him.

“You okay, bro?” J.D. asked quietly from the back.

Jake sighed, then glanced at his brother. “Yeah . . . no.” He shook his head. “Just thinking how badly I screwed up with her.”

“Yeah. You really made a mess of it.”

Jake quirked a brow. “What, no words of advice or encouragement, little brother?”

J.D. chuckled. “Beg for forgiveness, is all that comes to mind.”

Jake removed the keys from the ignition and unlocked the doors. “Gee, thanks, Einstein. I already figured that out on my own.”

J.D. exited the back with his arm wrapped around a sleepy Stacey. Jake walked around and opened Angela’s door. He squatted next to her and shook her gently to wake her. She gave a moan of protest, then her eyes fluttered open.

For a moment, he lost himself in her warm emerald gaze. She smiled at him. “Jake,” she murmured.

He returned her smile, unable to resist the need to cup her sweet face in his hand and brush his lips across hers. “We’re here, babe.”

He knew the moment she recalled the night’s events. The moment she remembered he was an ass. Her gaze turned icy.

Damn.

He had a lot of begging to do. But first, he needed to make sure she was safe, find out who the hell was after her, and put a stop to it.

Angela brushed his hand aside and exited the car without his assistance. He frowned when she glared at him and turned her back.

Jake met J.D.’s sympathetic gaze over her rigid shoulders. His brother made a clicking noise with his tongue and shrugged before heading inside.

J.D. had called ahead and booked a room for him and Stacey. Tomorrow, they’d move the girls into larger accommodations. It would also be easier to protect them if they stayed together.

All four of them stepped into the elevator and J.D. punched the number just below Angela’s floor. Stacey yawned.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Stacey,” Angela said.