36. Nicholas

36

NICHOLAS

"IRIS, are you set?"

"Thirty seconds."

I scanned the docks for any sign of movement but saw none. When Rafe informed us there was another shipment coming in, he assured us this was the best way to gain leverage over Zavala and secure Raven's release. There was no way Zavala would give up all that money over a woman.

But if that were true, where was the other party?

With no sign of any movement on the docks, I ran forward, taking my position behind the gatehouse. It was quiet tonight, with only the sounds of the waves lapping against the docks and the distant sound of the bells ringing. It sent an ominous chill through my body as I waited to take back what was mine.

I felt Chase's hand on my shoulder, signaling everyone was in position. As one, we moved through the night, making our way onto the dock and closer to Zavala's yacht. It was all too easy. There was no way he'd leave himself unguarded when he was most vulnerable. I held up my fist, halting everyone as I squatted next to a post.

"Cash, what's your status?"

"All clear."

"Fox?"

"Not a soul in sight."

"This is wrong," I said into comms. "It's a trap."

"We move forward," Rafe insisted.

"There are no guards out here. Zavala wouldn't leave himself unprotected like this."

"So, you want to leave her behind?" Rafe hissed. "Just walk away?"

Cash had warned me that Rafe was up to something else. I knew he wasn't concerned about Raven's welfare. He wanted to confront Zavala, but why, I still didn't know. It might be as simple as we were so close to catching him and Rafe didn't want to let that opportunity slip away. Still…if anything happened to Raven because we rushed in, I would never forgive myself.

"Say the word and I'll fire," IRIS interrupted.

"Not yet," Rafe said. "Nobody fires on that yacht until we've secured the shipment."

"There's no movement on the yacht," Cash confirmed.

"He's probably below deck," Rafe urged. "We move now. Jack, your team is on me."

I saw him move through the darkness without waiting for the rest of us to comply. "Dammit, moving in!"

I motioned Chase and Patrick forward, rushing to the side of the yacht as Rafe boarded from the other side. There was no time to wait when Rafe was taking charge. The three of us hopped over the side silently and followed Rafe and Jack's team around the yacht, clearing every inch of it. When we cleared the upper portion of the yacht, Rafe motioned us downstairs.

Our footsteps were audible as we descended, but there wasn't much we could do about that. We didn't even get all the way to the back of the yacht when the lights flicked on and Zavala stood with a smile on his face. I wanted to charge him, to demand to know where Raven was, but despite how we outnumbered him, he held all the cards.

His eyes scanned all of us before settling on Rafe. "I thought I might find you here. I admit, I thought I killed you a year ago."

"I'm not that easy to kill," Rafe retorted.

"Is there something I can help you gentlemen with?"

"You can start by releasing Raven," I snapped.

"Ah, the thief. Yes, I thought someone might come for her. It's a shame, you arrived just a few hours too late."

Panic tore through me at his words, but I forced myself to remain calm. "Where is she?"

"A colleague of mine took a liking to her. He sailed not that long ago," Zavala smiled. "If you take a boat out, you might catch them before they reach my island. But once she's inside my borders…" His grin grew as he stared at us. From everything Rafe told us, it was impossible to get to the island. If I couldn't reach her soon, she would be out of my grasp.

"A trade then," Rafe spoke up.

"A trade for what?" Zavala asked curiously.

"Me for the girl."

I did a double take, surprised by his offer. Rafe wasn't the generous sort, so the fact that he even offered was shocking.

"And why would I want you?" Zavala asked. "I could shoot you where you stand and get rid of you once and for all."

"Because I know what's planned for you," Rafe continued. "You may think this ends with me, but it goes so much deeper."

Zavala seemed to consider this for a moment, but then shook his head. "I'm afraid a deal is a deal. I couldn't possibly go back on my word after I handed Raven over as payment."

"What did he do for you?" I asked.

Surprised, Zavala looked over at me. "He docked his yacht for me. To lure you here, of course. What does she mean to you?"

I kept my mouth shut, unwilling to give him any more information than necessary. If there was a chance of me getting Raven back, I couldn't give him any leverage against her.

Without warning, Rafe slammed the butt of his gun down on Zavala's face. He fell to his knees as his guards quickly stepped in to intervene. I didn't even think as I fired the first shot, taking out a man who was about to shoot Rafe. I felt the cool steel of one of Fox's knives glide past my face right before it lodged in the throat of one of Zavala's guards. Chaos erupted as everyone dove for cover, firing off rounds and tearing apart the yacht. I had started a war without intending to, and there was only one man I needed alive.

Grabbing Zavala, I dragged him across the floor, through the splintered wood and shrapnel flying around the space. His body thunked on the stairs as I dragged him up to the deck. Tossing him across the wood floor, I stood over him, ready to put a bullet in his head.

"Tell me where the yacht is."

He chuckled as he laid there, not caring at all that we had him surrounded. "You'll never get her back."

I bent over, pressing my gun against his head. "Who is he?"

The smile suddenly slipped from his face, then returned just as quickly. I spun, but was too late. A wire wrapped around my throat as one of his guards strangled me, tugging me back until I felt my eyes bulging from the pressure being forced into my head. My fingers scrambled for purchase as I tried to put some space between the wire and my neck, but it was too tight.

I choked and gasped for air. I slammed my elbow back into the man behind me, but all that accomplished was using precious oxygen that I couldn't afford to lose. My strength quickly dwindled as the seconds passed. Zavala stood, watching me intently as I suffocated before him. The curiosity in his eyes was not the last thing I wanted to see before I died.

I fumbled at my thigh, remembering the knife I had tucked in there earlier. My fingers scrambled for the grip, wrapping around it just as I yanked it free and thrust it back into the man strangling the life from me. In seconds, I was free, gasping for air as I tore the wire from around my neck. My knees collapsed from under me and I hit the deck hard. The dark sky swirled above me as black spots filled my vision.

I rolled to my side, refusing to black out. As I stumbled to my feet, Zavala ran to the man on the ground and yanked the knife from his body. Boots pounded on the stairs and I tried to call out, but my throat was useless. Zavala spun at the last second, thrusting the knife into the chest of whoever was behind him. The man fell to his knees, and as Zavala stepped aside, my eyes locked with Rafe's.

Zavala grabbed him from behind, thrusting the knife against Rafe's neck as he dragged him to his feet. I struggled to pull my own weapon, still struggling to breathe properly after my neck was nearly torn open.

"Za—" My throat dried up as I tried to speak. I held my weapon on him, focusing as best I could when all I saw was double.

Rafe's hand was pressed against his body. Blood oozed between his fingers as he struggled to stay upright and not let Zavala nick his neck with the blade.

"Let him go!" I shouted, though it came out hoarse and crackled.

"I walk off this yacht or he dies." He moved to the side of the yacht, stepping over the side as he dragged Rafe with him.

I didn't have a shot, and I wasn't sure I could take it even if I did. Everything was reeling around me, and I was more likely to shoot Rafe than anyone else.

"Zavala!"

Boots pounded up the stairs, but it was too late by the time everyone else arrived. Chance and Patrick rushed over to me as I slumped against the side of the yacht. FNG ran for the side, but it was too late. Zavala was gone.

"Cash, do you copy?" I said, holding down the comms button.

"Copy."

"Zavala has Rafe. I repeat, Zavala has Rafe."

"Copy that."

"What the fuck happened?" Chase asked.

It didn't take long for them to see the thin line cutting into my skin. My neck was slick with blood, but there were more important things to deal with right now.

"You have to find Rafe," I coughed out. "Zavala…stabbed him."

"I'm on it," Fox said, slipping out of the shadows.

The guys helped me to my feet, but I nearly collapsed. "We have to get Zavala," I croaked out.

"We have to get you to a hospital," Patrick retorted. "Unless you want to go out the hard way."

I gripped him by the shirt and dragged him to me. "Zavala knows where Raven is."

"We'll find her," Patrick said reassuringly. "But you can't go after her like this. We need intel. We need supplies. And most importantly, we need something to cover that hideous cut on your neck. Seriously, you're scaring everyone."

"Fuck off," I grumbled, pushing him away. "Where the fuck were you?"

"Me? I was digging through the liquor cabinet. That's how I got this nice slice on my face. Yeah, the bottle slipped as I was chugging the scotch."

Shoving him away, I stumbled over to the side of the yacht and climbed over as best I could. The dock swayed beneath my feet, but I somehow managed to find my way to the end of the pier. I had no idea where Raven was or how I would find her, but I would.

And when I did, the last thing that asshole would see was the barrel of my gun.