Chapter One

Calista

Nothing in my life could have prepared me for the last three days. I needed to get scarce. Now. Which was hard to do when my stepdad's goons kept a close eye on me.

"Back in your room, Miss Calista."

"I need to go out."

"I'm sorry, Miss Calista. We have strict orders that you are not to leave the hotel room." My bodyguard, Sam, wasn't unkind or short with me, just matter of fact. I was a job to him. Nothing more. Nothing less.

"I know what he said, Sam, but I've got a… situation and I need to go out. Just across the street to the pharmacy. That's it. I promise I'll be right back."

He narrowed his gaze at me. "The pharmacy?"

"Um, yeah." I ducked my head, wringing my hands. I was trying to look nervous and embarrassed. I'm sure I pulled off the first. The second? Well, if terrified could pass for embarrassed, maybe. "You know. Feminine products."

Sam swore under his breath, giving me a furious look as he took out his phone. That was unexpected. He was always so remote and aloof. If this didn't work, I'd be dead. If Sam didn't let me leave, if he sent someone after my tampons, I'd have to show proof. Because, you know, my stepfather had promised to sell me to some guy for a night to do whatever he wanted to me.

It sounded like it was to pay off a loan. I kind of lost the thread of the conversation after that, but the bottom line was, if they had to reschedule this little "exchange," that guy was probably going to want to know why. Which meant he would likely want proof I was on my stupid period. Given the fact my stepdad didn't think I knew what was supposed to happen, he might not be suspicious enough to prevent me from leaving for a short time while he contacted the guy. That's what I was hoping for. If I couldn't make it away, though…

Sam spoke softly, telling whoever was on the other end the situation in as few words as humanly possible. His irritation was very clear. When he put his phone away, he jerked his head in the direction of the elevator. The hotel was posh, and I was certain he could get someone to bring me what I needed. I'd chosen my ailment carefully, knowing neither my guards nor my stepfather would want to explain to anyone what I needed. Since the first thing Sam had done when he'd put me in the car to come here was take my phone, I was sure neither of them would want me to call down for it myself.

"Thanks, Sam." I hurried out the door and down the hall before he changed his mind, or my stepfather did and called Sam back. "I'll only be a minute," I called over my shoulder as I stabbed the button for the elevator. Thankfully, it opened in only a few seconds.

My heart tripped, hammering in my chest. If this didn't work, I was so screwed it wasn't even funny. Probably was anyway. My plan went past risky to completely insane, but the last thing I was going to do was to willingly go to my doom. If I got caught, at least I tried.

When I exited the hotel, I paused at the crosswalk, trying to act normal and not look like I was in a hurry. I crossed the street with the flow of the few people around me, and into the pharmacy. Once inside, I hurried through the store to the back. As luck would have it, I managed to get to the back door without being spotted. I also snagged a flashlight I spotted hanging on the wall next to the fire extinguisher which I knew would prove invaluable later. I'd chosen this time of day because it was thirty minutes after shift change at this store and the likelihood of someone being in the staff area was slim. I'd been lucky we'd been next to this particular store since it was one I knew. I was taking a chance that I'd run into someone I knew, but I had no other options.

Once out the back, I hurriedly twisted my hair into a tight bun and secured it with a hair tie. Then I stripped off the light gray slacks and matching jacket, leaving myself in a black tank and black leggings. It took every ounce of willpower I had to not look over my shoulder as I moved out onto the sidewalk. If I had any hope at all of getting away unnoticed, I needed to go now while there were still people around and the lighting was dim. It was almost twilight in the city. The streetlights hadn't all come on yet and it was hard to see at a distance.

I walked at a brisk pace for several blocks, taking as many turns as I could and still moving steadily away from the hotel. No one called out to me or gave chase. As far as I could tell, no one knew I was missing. I was hoping that, given the nature of my errand, Sam would give me several additional minutes before he went looking for me.

When I finally approached the edge of the city, I gave up all pretense of trying to blend in. I took off at nearly a sprint. The longer I was out in the open, the greater the chances Sam or one of Borris's other men would spot me. I had to make it through a few more city blocks, then across the highway -- another risk since not many people crossed on foot -- and into the woods. Once I had the cover of the trees, I'd find a place to settle down for the night and hopefully make it to the compound tomorrow. I didn't want to get lost, so I had to take the chance they wouldn't come this way looking for me. Or, if they did, that they'd wait until daylight so they had a better chance of tracking me accurately.

All I had was an old compass my mother had given me with a tiny map folded inside tucked into my bra, and the flashlight I'd stolen. No food. No water. No protection from the elements. Just the compass and map, and a flashlight. And stories of a place my mother told me about, but I'd never seen. This was all kinds of crazy, but it was my choice. No one else's.

By the time I was deep in the woods and far enough away from the road as I could safely get, it was full dark. I didn't want to use the light yet as it was early enough Sam might still make a try on the chance I hadn't gone far, and Sam might still make a try if he could figure out where I'd gone into the woods. Plus, I had no idea how long the battery would last. Hopefully a while. Though I'd thought I was prepared mentally for a couple of days out in the wild on my own, I hadn't thought about how dark it would actually be. And I wasn't even thinking about the possibility of snakes.

Or alligators.

The air was thick with humidity, and every leaf seemed to whisper nefarious secrets as I pushed farther into the undergrowth. My limbs ached, my heart pounded in my ears, and fear clung to me like the dense fog that began to roll in from the nearby swamp. The noises of the night grew louder, a cacophony of insects and distant howls that did nothing to ease my nerves.

I tried to keep my breathing steady, reminding myself that panic would only make things worse. The darkness was absolute – even the faint glow of moonlight struggled to penetrate the thick canopy above. Every rustle in the bushes sent a spike of adrenaline through my system. Was the noise from a predator stalking me? Was it Sam? More of my stepfather's goons? I wasn't sure if I was more afraid of giant snakes or my stepfather. Borris Illivitch was a cold-hearted bastard. When he found out I'd blazed… If he caught me, I'd be in a world of pain. Death would be a release.

I pressed on, trying to use what little moonlight filtered through the tree canopy to guide my steps. Which… yeah. Occasionally, I'd see a sliver of moon, but that was it. The air grew cooler as the damp night deepened, and an occasional breeze should have felt good in the Florida humidity but only seemed to grate on my nerves instead of soothing me. Despite the risks, knowing it was a bad idea to stumble around in the dark, I felt this urgent need to press on. Keep moving. Stay ahead of the thugs I knew would be after me.

I continued on for as long as I could. When I finally reached the point where exhaustion overrode the adrenaline, I leaned against a tree. Not the smartest move, but I was beyond caring at this point. My lungs burned, as did my leg muscles. I was scraped all over, my clothes even ripped in a couple places. The only thing I'd risked in standing out with regard to my appearance was the combat boots I wore. Not uncommon, but also noticeable. Thankfully my suit pants had been flared at the bottom and had hidden them. The boots were the only things allowing me to travel as far as I had.

I knew the general direction I needed to go. My mom had also taught me landmarks in the area to look for by using a child's nursery rhyme. All of which she told me about just days before she died. I'd long ago used virtual maps to find the landmarks she taught me. I was as prepared as I could be.

I finally stopped and took stock of my body. I had some stinging scrapes and at some point I'd twisted my ankle, but it wasn't anything I couldn't power through. As the silvery moon moved across the sky, the light filtered through the trees lessened. I could barely see my hand in front of my face, let alone anything around me. Or my compass.

I was on solid ground but had no idea what was above or around me. With the adrenaline falling off, I was trembling. Which was creating more panic. I was basically defenseless in unfamiliar territory. Yeah. It was time where the benefits of using the flashlight outweighed the risks.

I switched on the light, shining it around the area. A pair of eyes glowed back at me and I jumped back, sucking in a breath, but the little varmint ran off. At least, I hoped it was little.

"OK. OK." I was talking out loud, but really, I had to do something other than freak myself out by listening to all the noises around me. Or look for glowing predator eyes. "I got this. Mom said this place was miles and miles of swamp, trees, and forest, but if I was careful, I could make my way through all that to the place my dad lived.

It took a couple of hours, but I finally found a small, rundown shack. Looked like, at one time, it might have been a hunting cabin, or some kind of game-watch post. It wasn't much bigger than a small storage building but wasn't completely enclosed. About halfway up the walls, all around, the enclosure was open, at one time covered with a screen. Kept out insects but allowed the occupant to see out in all directions. This was a landmark on my map, and I'd basically stumbled on it.

I went inside the little shack, noting there was nothing inside except a bench fashioned all around the inside perimeter and dirt and leaves. The screens had long ago been torn or had fallen apart, leaving only ragged remnants to sway in the slight breeze.

It was ridiculous, but with a roof over my head, even with little protection from anything, I felt a little safer. Not safe, by any means, but more… secure.

I set the light beside me when I sank down onto one of the benches. Carefully, I pulled out my compass and opened it, taking care with the delicate piece of paper folded inside it. Opening it up, I confirmed what I already knew. I needed to head straight northeast. Like, this place had been put in this exact position to use as a landmark. My mother had given me three at various points around the center structure I was trying to get to. Each landmark pointed in a precise direction, so I had no doubt these spots were carefully thought out and deliberately placed as guides. If you knew the coordinates. And had a map. Which I did. A treasure map, if you will.

From my current position, I estimated it would take me about six hours to walk. It wasn't that far, per se, but walking in the woods and swamp was tricky going. The accepted estimate was to allow thirty minutes for every mile walked. I guessed I'd find out how far off that estimate was when I found the place I was looking for.

And my dad. Unfortunately, I had no idea if he knew I existed. If he did, there was every possibility he wouldn't accept me or even want me in his life. Which was fine. I just needed his protection long enough to make sure Borris Illivitch gave up looking for me.

Turned out, I made better time than I thought I would. Even in the dark. I literally stumbled into a big guy with a full beard. He scowled down at me even as his hands went to my shoulders to steady me. I expected his fingers to bite into my flesh, but he was surprisingly gentle.

"Who the fuck goes there at four-thirty in the fuckin' mornin'?"

"I…" I jumped and nearly squealed. I hadn't even heard the guy approach! He loomed over me. I couldn't see him that well, but I knew he was much larger than me. Reflexively, I shone the light on him. Huge mistake. He reached out and batted the light away from his face before grabbing the thing from me in a swift jerk that took my breath. If he was anything like the way my mom described my dad, then I had no hope of fighting him off if he chose to attack. Not for the first time, I questioned my sanity. Was this really the only option I had? I mean, besides letting my stepfather sell me to his loan shark. Taking a deep breath, I straightened, squaring my shoulders as I found my backbone. "I'm here to see Dominic."

The man stared me down for several seconds, but I refused to look away. I met his gaze boldly, leaving no mistake I intended to get what I wanted. Some of the last words my mother spoke to me were to approach these men with confidence and strength. Any show of weakness on my part and they'd simply refuse me entrance.

Finally, he snorted a laugh. "I think you're in the wrong place, little girl. Best you be moving on."

"I'm here to see Dominic and I'm not leaving until I do. Tell him Tina sent me." I held up the compass. My mother said it might be the one thing that would get me in, though she confessed she didn't know how Dominic would take the token. "Tell him I have something for him." The guy reached for the compass, but I jerked it back. "I'll give it to him myself."

"Little spitfire, eh?" There was no denying the amusement in his voice. "All right then. Wait here." He turned and left me, disappearing back into the woods.

I was so fucking tired. If this guy was right and it was four-thirty in the morning, I'd been hiking through the woods and swamp for the better part of seven hours. Not only was I exhausted, my body had gone about as far as it could.

I think I dozed off where I was standing, because the next thing I knew the guy was back with a scowl on his face. "Ringo said Dom's busy. Said to give me whatever you had and he'd give it to Dom at a decent fuckin' hour."

I closed my eyes, inhaling for patience. "Look. I've literally been hiking in unfamiliar territory the entre fucking night. I'm tired. I'm hungry. I'm thirsty. And more than a little cranky. Either get Dominic for me or let me in and I'll find him myself."

I took a step forward, intending to march past the man. I had no idea where to go from there because I couldn't see any sign of structures or even other people. He snagged my arm in a punishing grip, halting my progress.

"Where the fuck you think you're goin', huh?"

"I told you, dumbass. I'm here to see Dom." Fatigue was making me grouchy as shit and I knew I needed to dial it down, but my mouth wasn't picking up what my brain was putting down. "Are you deaf or just fuckin' stupid?"

The seconds the words left my mouth, I knew I'd made a huge mistake. Anger flashed in the guy's eyes and his hand darted to my throat, squeezing my neck nearly as hard as he'd gripped my arm.

"You don't get to talk to me that way, bitch. You're in our territory and you'll do what the fuck I tell you. Now get your fuckin' ass outta here before I have to help you out."

This wasn't happening. I might not be able to take this guy in a fight, but I wasn't about to stand here and let him strangle me. I found his pinky finger with my hands. It took everything I had left to get leverage under the digit and pry it loose from my neck.

Once I managed to dig my way underneath, I pulled with all my might, bending his finger back. Just as I'd read it would, the move loosened his grip. I thought he might use his other hand to strangle me or even hit. Instead, he shoved me backward. Hard. I stumbled and fell on my ass as he pulled a gun and cocked it, aiming it at me.

"Redwood? What the fuck are you doin'?" Another man appeared from the trees and shadow. This guy was… waaaay the fuck bigger than Redwood. Both wider and taller. If he jumped in to help his buddy, I was royally screwed.

Redwood's attention wavered and I struck. I brought my foot up sharply, hoping to catch his balls and make them sing. Even in the dark, I could manage to get close. He grunted and immediately stepped back, going down to one knee. I scrambled backward until I was sure I had my balance.

"Stop!" The second guy kicked Redwood over so the other man groaned and lay in the fetal position, clutching his crotch. Was he talking to me? "Not one more step, girl." I guess he was talking to me.

"I'm not standing here and letting that bastard strangle me to death." I bared my teeth at the guy. "I came a long fucking way to see Dominic. Either take me to him or tell him why you turned his daughter away."

I was taking a huge gamble here. I had no idea if this guy would feel any obligation to help me or not. But my mother seemed to think he would. It was why I was told to give Dominic the compass. She said it was special to him.

The newcomer stood absolutely still for several seconds. If I'd overplayed my hand, if Dominic wanted nothing to do with me, I might wish I was back with my stepfather.

"Surely you don't believe the bitch, Ringo," Redwood wheezed out. "Dom woulda said something if he had a daughter. Especially after Lemon started making sure we all took care of our families."

Ringo didn't acknowledge Redwood, only stared at me. The moonlight filtering down wasn't nearly enough for me to get a good look at the guy. Well, other than his size. Then he switched on a red light he had looped around his forehead. It wasn't much and I didn't think he could see me too clearly, but I knew enough to know it was to save his night vision. With the total pitch black in these woods, he probably needed it.

He must have seen something because he jerked back, actually taking two full steps backward. "Well, I'll be Goddamned. Calista."