Candy Crush (32 page)

“She looks like she’s been hit in the face.”
It was Miguel’s scary voice, low, soft and deadly.

Gabriella thought,
run, Daniel,
run
.

Daniel shook his head. “No. No. It wasn’t
me. She – she was like that when I kidnapped her. Must have been
that boyfriend she’s been shacked up with.”

Miguel continued to study him. “You are
lying to me. Any man who claims to be her boyfriend would never
touch her like this.”

He’ll keep me prisoner for the rest of my
life, but at least he won’t hit me
. It was an irrational
thought, but Gabriella was beginning to think she had nothing else
to cling to anymore.

Daniel shook his head again. “It wasn’t
me.”

Miguel made a motion with his hand and one
of the other two men who walked in with him stepped forward.
Gabriella recognized him. His name was Alonzo and he was another
one of Miguel’s favorite right hand men. The other man was Miguel’s
brother, Hector.

“Alonzo, take Mr. Franks somewhere discreet
and show him how I feel about people who lie to me.”

Daniel looked wildly around the room and
tried to bolt out the kitchen door. Alonzo caught him at the door
and shoved his head into the wall. Daniel staggered and Gabriella
caught the sight of blood before he crumpled to the floor. The
wall, which was made of drywall, had a gaping hole where his head
hit. Hector stepped up and he and Alonzo each took an arm and
dragged Daniel out of the room and through the patio door. As soon
as the glass door slid closed behind them, Miguel dragged a chair
across the floor and sat down in front of Gabriella. He was so
close, he had to open his knees so that the chair Gabriella was
tied to could fit between them.

“I have missed you,
mi queirda
,” he
said very softly. He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand
and Gabriella struggled not to shudder at his touch. “You have no
idea the issues I’ve had trying to remain in this country since
you’ve been gone.”

“There are plenty of women in Dallas who
would be happy to marry you, Miguel. Why don’t you pick one of
them?”

Miguel shook his head and made a tsk, tsk
noise. “Because I want you, Gabriella. Only you. You know what they
say: you always want that which you cannot have. It has not escaped
my notice that you do not love me back. In two years, you’ve never
once told me you loved me. You are a challenge,
mi queirda
.
And I look forward to winning this challenge.” The threat in his
voice caused her to flinch again.

He grabbed her chin and leaned in. When she
realized he meant to kiss her, she began to struggle, trying to
move her face back and forth, but Miguel held firm and managed to
kiss her lips. “You shouldn’t struggle like that,
mi
queirda
. I admit it’s turning me on. I’ve missed you in my
bed.”

Gabriella opened her mouth on a strangled
cry and Miguel kissed her again, this time shoving his tongue into
her mouth. She reflexively bit down and he cried out in pain. He
pulled back and backhanded her, just as Daniel had, just as he said
he would not do. Blood flew out of her mouth as her head was flung
to the side, and she gagged again as the blood pooled in her
mouth.

“You are mine, Gabriella Hadley. I suggest,
in the future, you do not ever forget it.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Brandon pulled his truck into a parking
space in front of Daniel’s apartment building. He pointed at a
sidewalk that ran between that building and the one next to it.
“His unit is on the first floor, in the back.”

He and Emmett climbed out of the truck and
walked down the sidewalk to the last unit on the left. He knocked
on the door, waited, and then knocked again. When no one answered,
he said, “I’m going to walk around back, see if the curtains are
drawn over the windows. Maybe I can tell if he’s gone or not.”
Emmett followed him around the side of the building.

Each apartment had a tiny private patio,
which was surrounded by a six-foot tall wooden fence. Brandon
lifted the latch on the door leading onto Daniel’s patio. He pushed
the door open and then said, “Holy shit,” because Daniel was lying
on the ground, in a crumpled and bloody heap. Emmett glanced over
Brandon’s shoulder and swore as well.

“Is that Daniel Franks?” Emmett asked.
Brandon nodded grimly, crouched down and pressed two fingers to
Daniel’s throat.

“He’s still alive,” Brandon muttered.

Emmett already had his phone in his hand.
“I’m calling 9-1-1.”

They both jumped involuntarily when Daniel’s
head and one of his arms moved. He groaned and tried to open eyes
that were swollen shut.

“Brandon?” Daniel whispered.

“Daniel, where’s Gabriella?” Brandon asked
urgently.

“He has her. Her ex-fiancé. He’s taking her
to Dallas.”

Brandon and Emmett exchanged a look. Brandon
hadn’t seen Gabriella since eight o’clock this morning. Who knew
what sort of head start they had? Even if Emmett and Brandon raced
to Dallas, then what?

Emmett had filled Brandon in on what little
he knew about Miguel, and it didn’t exactly play in their favor.
The man was surrounded at all times by a veritable army of family
and associates. How in the world could Emmett and Brandon penetrate
that, and especially, how could they do it before Miguel forced
Gabriella to marry him?

Emmett slipped his phone into his pocket and
said, “The police and an ambulance are on their way.”

Brandon stood up and fought the hopeless
feeling that was pushing at him.

“Brandon.” Daniel whispered his name again,
so Brandon looked down.

Daniel lifted his left hand. He held
something and Brandon had the impression he wanted to give it to
him. Brandon reached down and pulled the item out of Daniel’s hand.
It was a book of matches. “One of them dropped this. It might be
where they’re staying.”

Brandon looked at the book of matches in his
hand. Under the blood and dirt, he could see the name of a hotel
that was located just off the nearest highway, about a ten-minute
drive out of town.

“Thanks, Daniel,” he croaked, even though it
went against every fiber of his being to thank the man.
Unfortunately, Brandon didn’t have it in him to kick a man while he
was down. And Daniel was definitely down. He turned to leave, but
when he heard his name again, he turned back towards Daniel.

“Brandon, I’m sorry. For all of it.
Especially for Laney.” His eyes fluttered closed.

Brandon wasn’t sure if Daniel passed out or
worse, but since he could hear sirens in the distance, he decided
finding Gabriella was more important than sticking around to find
out.

“What was that about?” Emmett demanded when
they were in the truck, racing towards the hotel where Brandon
desperately hoped Miguel was still holed up, with Gabriella
unharmed and unhitched.

“What?” Brandon asked, almost absently. He
was focused on figuring out the shortest route between where they
were and where they needed to be.

“That last comment. About Laney.”

Brandon glanced at Emmett, saw the steel in
his expression, and wondered how much he should tell him. “What has
Courtney told you about Laney’s father?” he finally asked. He could
see the gears working in Emmett’s head. Just like his sister,
Emmett was no dummy.

“That guy is Laney’s father?” Emmett asked
in disbelief.

Brandon nodded. “It’s a long story. Suffice
to say, Daniel has had nothing to do with her life. She doesn’t
know. He isn’t even listed on her birth certificate.”

Emmett’s hands formed into fists and he
squeezed until his knuckles turned white. “I’ll kill him,” he
growled.

“I’ve had that same exact reaction many
times over the last four years. I do find it interesting that you
react so strongly after knowing Courtney and Laney so briefly.”

Emmett looked at him, but did not rise to
the bait. Instead, he turned the tables. “Do you really? How come
you are driving like a bat out of hell to try to rescue a woman
you’ve only known for two weeks?”

“Maybe because her life could possibly be in
danger?” Brandon suggested.

“Highly unlikely. Miguel wants to marry her,
not kill her.”

Brandon’s knuckles turned white as he
tightened his grip on the steering wheel. He knew Emmett noticed
the reaction.

“Maybe you would prefer she marry someone
else?” Emmett suggested mildly.

“I would prefer she had a choice in the
matter,” Brandon ground out.
So long as it’s me
.

He shook his head, because he realized how
absolutely true that thought was. After thirty-two years of
avoiding any sort of commitment, he was ready to commit the rest of
his life to Gabriella, despite having only known her for two weeks.
It was crazy, but he supposed love was like that.

“What are you thinking?” Emmett asked.

“I’m thinking we’re almost there, and we
ought to have some sort of plan in place.”

So they set about discussing possible
strategies. In the end, with no better plan in place, they parked
under the portico at the main entrance of the hotel and walked into
the lobby.

Brandon knew the front desk associate. In
fact, she pointed out that he’d slept with her several years ago.
She was married and had a kid now, but she wasn’t above flirting
with him, and he returned to Emmett’s side, feeling a combination
of satisfaction, fear and frustration.

“Kara says she believes the men we’re
looking for are here. They’re checked in under different names, but
the description of Hector fits. Something about a sexy scar.
Anyway, they have two adjoining rooms on the first floor. Patio
rooms, she said, because they’re smokers. But my guess is it was
planned so they could bring Gabriella in that way, without anyone
seeing them. Kara said they’re scheduled to check out tomorrow, and
she knows they are currently here because they ordered room service
not ten minutes ago.”

He handed Emmett a map of the hotel layout.
There was an X drawn across two rooms. “These are the rooms. Come
on, let’s drive around back.” So they left the lobby, climbed into
the truck and drove around to the back of the hotel.

There were a total of twelve patio rooms,
six on either side of a small garden area. Each room had a door
wall that led out to a tiny square of concrete, and then out to the
garden beyond. Brandon parked the truck as close as he could and
cut the engine. He pointed directly in front of him, to two sets of
door walls, both with the curtains closed. “I think those are the
ones,” he said. Emmett nodded.

As if on cue, one of the door walls opened
and a man stepped outside. He took a moment to light a cigarette
and then began a leisurely stroll around the garden area. Brandon
and Emmett both shrank back into their seats.

“That’s Hector,” Emmett confirmed in a
whisper. He wore sunglasses, despite the fact that the sun was
nearly set, and he wore the same knit cap he’d been wearing when he
was checking out Gabriella’s car the night before.

Brandon picked up his phone and dialed
9-1-1. When the operator answered the phone, Brandon said, “I need
to report a kidnapping.”

“Brandon? Brandon Sarantos? Is that you? I’d
know that voice anywhere.”

“Yes,” Brandon said, fervently trying to
place the voice on the other line.

“It’s Jenny Rudder. Remember me? We hooked
up senior year.”

Brandon racked his brain and came up with
nothing. He used to have a mind like a steel trap. He never forgot
the women he slept with, even as the number crept into alarmingly
high numbers. Then, when he met Gabriella, it was like someone
found the trap door and let all of his memories out, and then
closed it securely again. Now, it seemed the only woman he could
recall with any intimate detail was Gabriella.

“Hey Jenny. How’s it going?” he asked,
hoping to bluff his way through this.

“Good, real good. Still single though.
Although I hear you aren’t anymore. Imagine, some woman finally
caught you,” her voice was full of awe, and maybe a little
jealousy.

And then Jenny’s voice dropped to a
conspiratory whisper. “Hey, the police found Daniel Franks on his
back patio, beaten up pretty badly. He said your name, Brandon, and
he’s been unconscious ever since. They want to bring you in for
questioning. Everyone knows how much you hate Daniel. I know you
would never do something like that, but those cops don’t know you
as intimately as I do.”

Brandon could hear the smile in her voice.
She obviously had no problem recalling one night of sex that
happened at least fourteen years ago.

Brandon grimaced. “I didn’t do it, Jenny. I
found him that way. It was Miguel Martinez. They need to focus
their search on Miguel Martinez.” He wondered if they would be able
to trace the call. “I gotta go, Jenny. Nice talking to you.” He
quickly disconnected.

He turned to look at Emmett. “Shit. I don’t
think the police are going to be much help in the immediate future.
They seem to think I’m the one who beat up Daniel. Since he’s one
of their own, something tells me they’ll haul me in first and ask
questions later.”

“What the hell are we supposed to do?”
Emmett asked, a trace of panic in his voice. They watched Hector
return to the patio, stub out his cigarette and slip back
inside.

Brandon picked up his phone again and began
scrolling through the address book.

“What are you doing?” Emmett asked.

“Calling my brother. I suddenly wish my
family was Italian instead of Greek.”

“Why?”

“Italian families always know what to do in
this type of situation, don’t they?”

***

Gabriella was no longer tied to a chair.
Only her arms were bound, but they were bound behind her back, and
she was currently lying on a bed in a hotel room, and couldn’t even
manage to pull herself into a seated position. This was mostly
because every time she tried, Miguel put a hand on her chest and
pushed her down onto her back again.