Chapter 39

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Cass’s neck ached and her head hurt, but she ignored the discomfort. All her focus was on finding Irish.

They’d lost them after they’d exited the highway. They’d gone into an area that wouldn’t have residential cameras.

Irish’s cellphone signal had disappeared not long after he’d been bundled into the van, suggesting they’d smashed it.

The men who’d taken him were smarter than they’d given them credit for.

Or had it been Isaac who’d told them to get rid of Irish’s phone? Not that it mattered. They didn’t have a location on her man, and so far, the DEA didn’t know anything either .

“You need to take a break, Cass.”

Fox was standing in the doorway, looking as wrecked as she felt.

“Like you do too?” she quipped.

The corner of his mouth lifted in half a smile. “Take a walk with me. Stretch your legs. You know the moment someone hears something they’ll contact you.”

The last thing she wanted to do was walk away from her monitors, but she did need a break. “Five-minute walk?”

“Sure.” Fox agreed and straightened. “Let’s go.”

The second Cass stood, her legs buckled beneath her, and she grabbed the edge of the desk to keep herself from falling to a heap.

Fox was beside her in a flash, an arm around her waist. “Shit, Cass. Come on, sit down again.”

“No. I’m fine. It’s only because I was sitting for so long. My legs had gone a little numb.” She grimaced at the pinpricks of sensation returning to her limbs.

“Are you sure?” He didn’t sound convinced and kept his arm around her waist.

“Yes.” Cass shook her legs and took a tentative step away from the new guy. When she didn’t collapse, she threw him a grin. “See? All good. Now let’s walk. The sooner we go, the sooner we get back. ”

Fox chuckled and headed for the door, waiting until she preceded him out.

No way would she admit that he was right, and she had needed to get away from her desk. If Irish had been there, he would’ve made sure she had some breaks.

Her heart clenched.

Was he okay? What were they doing to him? What had they given him in that injection?

Questions Cass hadn’t allowed herself to think tumbled over and over. If she thought about them too much, she wouldn’t be able to function. Wouldn’t be able to use her skills to find her love.

The man who owned her heart.

“We’re going to find him,” Fox said quietly as they stepped out into the still warm evening.

Jag and Hound were about two feet behind them. The extra protection hadn’t been a surprise, it was why she’d agreed to go on the walk with Fox. No doubt this had already been discussed amongst them all.

No one spoke as they walked, as if they knew Cass needed the quiet—not that walking the streets were quiet. Horns and sirens blared in the distance. The hum of traffic as everyone went about their business, a comforting sound.

“Why haven’t they contacted us?” she mused aloud as they turned to head back to the office.

“I don’t know. Ox has been in constant contact with Owens. He told Ox it wasn’t unusual for them not to have much contact from Isaac. When he’s in his Javier persona, he’s all in, and nothing else matters. When he can, he’ll make contact. Owens was sure of that.”

“Do you think Isaac will try and minimize whatever they’re doing to Irish?” Cass asked.

“As much as he can, but if he shows any chink in the Javier armor, Ramirez is going to be on to him.”

She sighed. “I know. I just…”

Fox grabbed her hand and gave it a quick squeeze. “I get it.”

They’d returned to the Alliez offices. The movement was exactly what she’d needed.

By the time they’d arrived back at her desk, she was ready to settle down and find her man.

There had to be something she’d missed. Some way that she’d be able to get eyes on the van and where its final destination was.

Cass pulled up the last vision they had of the van, enhancing it to try and see if she’d missed anything.

“Cass! Conference room now!” Ox’s voice bellowed through the office.

Her heart thumped against her ribs, her stomach dropping at the urgency of the summons. Yet, she couldn’t move. She was frozen to the spot. Her palms were sweaty, and her throat so dry she could drink a gallon of water and it wouldn’t make any difference.

What if it was bad news?

What if they’d found Irish…dead?

What if Isaac was dead?

What if.

What if.

What if.

God, she hated those two words, but they were all that were filling her head.

“You got this, Cass. Irish needs you.”

Fox’s soft words penetrated the panic strumming along her veins.

“Is he?” she whispered, unable to voice what she really wanted to.

The new guy pressed his lips together, and she bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from screaming.

“I’ve got her.” Ox’s voice sounded behind her, and Fox straightened from where he’d squatted in front of her.

“Kyle?” she asked.

“They’ve made contact, Cass. Video contact.”

What did that mean?

She’d seen plenty of video calls from terrorists in her time with the CIA, and none of them had been pleasant. Some had been so traumatic she hadn’t slept for days.

“Okay.” Cass nodded. No matter what happened, what she saw, she wasn’t seeing it alone. The people in the room would act completely differently from how the CIA had acted.

Ox kept his hand on her lower back, steadying her and giving her the support she needed as they made their way to the conference room.

Once there, Cass took her usual position and lifted her gaze to the screen. She couldn’t hold back her gasp.

Irish was bound to a chair, his face black and blue. Both eyes were swollen shut, but he sat straight, as if he was giving the middle finger to his captors. As if saying, “Do your best. You won’t break me.”

Isaac stood to the left, his face as impassive as it had been when he’d been in their office.

On the other side was a man she didn’t recognize.

Her uncle, Gomez Ramirez, stood behind the man she loved, looking smug, as if he’d won first prize at the county fair.

“Cassandra, my beautiful niece, it is so good to see you.” His voice and tone gave the impression they’d been apart for moments, instead of years. That they knew each other well.

She didn’t even remember the man .

Cass arched an eyebrow. “I can’t say the same. How about you let him go, and I can forget you even exist?” Probably not the wisest thing to say, but she’d had enough. Seeing what they’d done to Irish made her want to reach through the screen and kill her uncle herself.

“How dare you speak to me that way!” Gomez stepped toward the camera. “You are going to pay for that insolence!” He clapped his hands.

The man who’d been standing on the right side of Irish pulled out a syringe and held it against Irish’s neck.

“Do you want him dead? If so, all it will take is that needle to pierce his neck. He will die. I believe this man is your lover?” her uncle drawled.

Tears welled in Cass’s eyes, but she blinked rapidly so they didn’t fall. She couldn’t show any weakness. “What do you want?” she countered.

His smile was slow and lecherous. “You. I want you.”

“Okay, when and where?”

She ignored the people in the room growling their disapproval.

“Fuck! No! Cass!” Ignoring Irish’s plea was harder, but she held her head high and kept her gaze on Gomez .

Her uncle laughed. “So easy. I will be in touch.”

The screen went dead, and Cass collapsed in her chair.

“What the fuck are you doing, Cass?” Ox demanded. “I will not allow you to give yourself up for that fucker.”

“Are you saying Irish’s life isn’t worth anything?” she ground out, her own rage igniting.

Her boss scraped a hand down his face. “That’s not what I’m saying. I know Irish. He will sacrifice himself for you. For anyone of us before he thinks about himself.”

“I know he will. And I will do the same for him.”

Ox threw a frustrated glare before he started pacing. “You’re not going in alone. We’re going to do this as a team.”

“Of course, we are,” Cass said. “I’m not giving myself up. We’re getting Irish back, and we’re going to deal with my uncle, once and for all.”