Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

B raxton

Blood.

Brains.

Carnage.

The scene was reminiscent of a gruesome movie, including Jasmine’s shirt splattered in a dead man’s gore.

Hell, so was mine but I’d experienced it before. If she’d noticed, there was no sign but that had to be given the level of shock I sensed she’d fallen into.

It wasn’t every day, month, or year a violent attempt at abduction was made on someone. However, I’d give her some credit for being stronger than most. At least she wasn’t screaming or worse.

No one would ever confuse me for some hero. I didn’t have that makeup inside of me, but I’d been determined not to allow anything to stop me from reaching Jasmine.

Or saving her.

To that end, I’d caused a wreck, had almost smashed into a concrete barrier, and had run through two red lights. I’d allowed my instinct to come into play after jumping from my vehicle, racing toward the coffee shop.

But my gut had told me if I was right, she wouldn’t be taken from the front of the store. That would cause too much commotion if the girl screamed and whoever had set their sights on her couldn’t risk police involvement.

And law enforcement was usually patrolling the neighborhood. That much I’d learned from the times I’d visited before.

Sirens blasted in the air, the noise of a crowd gathering around me almost drowning them out. The moment I pulled Jasmine to safety, someone in the group started to clap, which prompted others to do the same. Now a few of the onlookers were cheering.

Christ. I didn’t need this.

I was no 007 but I’d been lucky enough her purse and smashed phone were easy to grab. They were both safely shoved into my pocket, which should help prevent anyone from identifying her too quickly.

Sure, the cops might run DNA, especially after identifying the two dead thugs inside. By then, we’d be hundreds of miles away.

The crash hadn’t been unexpected. But in blowing away the driver, I’d thought for certain his foot would be taken off the gas.

Wrong.

I hated being wrong and in doing so, I’d almost cost my little lamb her life. As well as other innocent bystanders.

Thankfully, The SUV had flown over the crowded street, hitting what appeared to be an abandoned building. They didn’t make them like they used to, the force from the wreck doing very little damage except for crumbling bricks and a shattered window.

The sturdy structure was another reason she was likely alive. After checking for broken bones, I gently dragged her away from the wreck, pressing my hand against her cheek. Dear God, her breathing was shallow, her skin pale. Her hair was also matted with blood, her whimpers strangled. I couldn’t tell if the blood was hers or either the driver or the backseat passenger. I would have her checked thoroughly.

“Are you okay?” I gently pulled her face away, hissing when I noticed the blood in her eyes. I yanked at my jacket, tenderly wiping as much away as possible.

Thankfully, she opened her eyes, even managing to cling to me. “You’re… here. I called…”

“Yeah, I know, baby.” The phone had rung just before I’d bolted from my vehicle, the muffled sounds unmistakable. She’d been under attack.

I’d gone into an entirely different realm when I’d heard her single yelp.

Now with her in my arms, I couldn’t risk the possibility there were others.

The stench of gasoline was ripe, smoke billowing everywhere. Most modern tanks wouldn’t blow until fuel leaked, and a spark was formed. I had a bad feeling this was the perfect storm.

“We need to get out of here. Can you walk?” I scanned the area, ensuring there weren’t any additional goons. Whoever was behind this likely thought two big guys could handle one little filly.

They’d had no idea what they were dealing with.

“I think so.” Her voice was tiny and holding her against me was a reminder for all her bravado, she was fragile. “What happened?” Her question meant she was still in slight shock, totally understandable.

“The bad men are back, more determined than ever,” I told her.

“Oh.” A sudden laugh popped from her throat, the sound giddy. She was shifting into panic mode. I had to get her the fuck out of here.

The crowd was still clapping, still cheering.

And it seemed no one either knew or cared how much danger they could be in. Hell, there were dozens of photographs being taken likely by tourists. I should rip their phones from their hands, smashing them to bits. I certainly didn’t need to be on public display. However, doing so would only cause a bigger mob scene, which I also didn’t need.

All I could do was try to hide her face as well as shadow mine.

At this point I doubted it mattered. The assholes responsible had tracked her, probably by her phone, which meant they’d known I was involved all along.

Or, as my thoughts had drifted to, the entire thing had been planned. The ugly question remained whether Jasmine had been hired to lure me into a dark web of deceit or whether she’d been used.

And right now, I couldn’t think along the lines that she was betraying me. I’d seen true adoration in her eyes, the kind that couldn’t be faked. When the crowd refused to disperse, I growled at them in a vicious way, startling most.

“Get back,” I yelled, hopeful the crowd dispersing would provide a cover until I could get us away. Explaining to the cops what was going on would be a tall order. There was no time to waste. I had to get her on the damn plane.

She giggled again, pressing her face against my neck. Blood had trickled down the side of her face, sticking to my skin. The damn stench of copper was enough to keep my rage and testosterone at their highest levels. Did anyone actually believe they could fuck with me and win?

My yell provided enough of a distraction that I was able to half carry her across the street, heading down another sidewalk. The sirens were closer, now screaming all around us.

She continued clinging to me, holding on for dear life, yet she continued shaking like a leaf. When I noticed a string of cop cars and at least one fire engine headed directly for us, I was forced to pin her against the exterior of one of the shops. Shit. If we were in California, I wouldn’t have needed the cloak and dagger shit.

I held her face in both hands, rubbing hair from her eyes. Her breathing was still labored but I could tell she wasn’t nearly as rattled.

“How… How did they find me?” Her question seemed so small, full of fear.

After yanking her phone from my jacket, I held it up in front of her face. “My guess is the person responsible has a sophisticated tracking system. We’re not risking that possibility.” As the emergency vehicles were rushing by us, I threw the phone onto the sidewalk, stomping down with my foot. I wanted to bend down and see if it had been bugged with a physical attachment but there was no time.

“Now, we’re getting out of here.”

“Where are we going?” she asked as I wrapped one arm around her waist. I could sense she was getting stronger, fighting to return to her normal self.

“Straight to paradise.”

I made it to my vehicle without further incident, gently easing her into the passenger seat. I took a few seconds scanning the street before climbing in. The traffic was snarled likely from the accident.

She was fidgeting, keeping her head down.

“Strap yourself in, little koala. We have a ride ahead of us.”

The way she turned her head, staring at me was unreadable but at least she did what I asked. Once secure, I drove more recklessly, determined to get us as far away from the area as possible quickly.

The tension was ridiculous, my anger off the charts.

“Why?” she asked the moment I finally managed to make it to the freeway.

“Why?” I repeated. “Why did I save you?”

“Yes.”

“I already told you. You’re not getting away from me that easily.”

She exhaled, the sound entirely different. “Ashton. Oh, God. They could hurt her. I have to get back. I need to call her.”

“Relax. How do you think I found you? She’s safe. Told not to come.” I could feel the heat of her intense gaze on me, likely shocked I’d gone to such great lengths. What she’d yet to accept was that I knew almost everything about her. At least as much as had been documented.

Her lovely eyes penetrated mine with questions, uncertain about trust and wondering whether she was living a nightmare. The beautiful woman was easy to read.

Or maybe I was just in tune with her.

The fact she remained quiet didn’t bother me in the least, other than if she was planning another escape. We’d already wasted valuable time. I darted glances in her direction as she touched her face, wincing as she did so. There was now a slight bump on her forehead. I’d need to worry about a concussion. Damn it.

We’d gone another ten miles when she managed to surprise me. “Thank you for saving me.”

“You’re worth saving.”

“Ashton has no clue all that’s happened,” she said far too quietly. “I was terrified to tell her. You’re right. I was lured to the island by someone I shouldn’t have trusted. I swear to God I wasn’t paid or instructed to seduce you. I had no clue who you were.”

Her tone held utter sincerity. Whoever had lured her had taken a huge risk that we’d meet, let alone hit it off. Unless the person knew both that she was going there to feed her gambling addiction and the kind of woman that could dare entice me out of hibernation. That took skill. And years of knowledge.

“Who was it?” I asked.

“A girl who used to work for my father. We weren’t close but we used to chat. We even had lunch a couple times so she could garner my support about my asshole dad and his strict regime. It was enough of a relationship I felt I could trust her.”

“Interesting. I’ll need details about her, including if you know where she lives and her full name, but you should rest. It’s a possibility you have a concussion. We have plenty of time for you to explain what you thought you were doing.” I’d done my best to keep the terseness out of my tone but Jesus Christ. The girl’s number of lives would eventually run out.

“Paradise,” she said only seconds later. “Is there such a thing?”

“Maybe not but we’ll find out.”

I was about ten miles out when my phone rang, Valerio on the other end. “What’s going on?”

“Another attack, the men once again professionals.”

“Jesus Christ. This is getting out of hand. Any idea who they were?”

“They weren’t carrying identification and I couldn’t stop long enough to check their dead bodies.”

He whistled through his teeth. “Wow. I noticed the Feds hanging around outside the corporate offices.”

“What?” I hissed, trying to keep my eyes on the road.

“Yeah. They didn’t come in and when one of our security men tried to approach, they left. I have a feeling they simply wanted their presence known.”

“Then the clock is ticking down.”

“That’s what I’m guessing,” he said. “I’ve asked Gage to be in charge of working with our computer experts and our accountants to ensure there isn’t some smoking gun we’re not aware of.”

“Good. Whoever this son of a bitch is, my gut tells me he has equipment capable of detecting people anywhere and crashing systems.” I continuously glanced into the rearview mirror, unable to get the feeling we were being watched out of my system.

Even Jasmine noticed what I was doing and looked over her shoulder, another look of terror on her face. No, I wouldn’t buy that she was responsible. She was a victim as well.

“If that’s the case, I’ll beef up security and have our folks check for bugs. You should do the same at the resort.”

I wanted to laugh. “A tall order given the size.”

“Yeah, but doing so might buy you advance notice. Where are you?”

“I’m enroute to the airport.”

“I hate to tell you this but you need to know photographs have surfaced.”

“What photographs?”

“Pictures of you with Jasmine. They’re all over the internet.”

I slammed my hand against the steering wheel, instantly regretting it given her slight moan. “Ah, fuck. That meant we were being watched at the hotel.”

“Likely,” he said. “You sure you want to go through with this?”

“I don’t have a choice. They almost killed her this time.”

He exhaled. “I don’t like this. Somone is playing a very dark game and you and I both know this is just the beginning.”

“You’re right. But I’m finished with playing the victim. Under any circumstances. Incidentally, I’ve hired some additional security to come to the island with us.”

“Your buddy, Jack?”

“Yeah. He and his men are at least trustworthy.”

“Just watch your back,” he said. “I have a bad feeling things are about to go from bad to worse. It’s clear the FBI is also sniffing around.”

“Don’t worry. I plan on it. You secure the company.” He didn’t need to tell me that. I felt the crush of danger as well as the rush of adrenaline. I had two things going for me. The island was highly secure, my brothers and I the only ones who could lock down or allow planes or boats to come in. I also had weapons located in strategic places, all three of us capable of shooting various weapons. It was just something else our father had insisted on and a task I was now grateful for.

I only wished I had one with me right now. Fortunately, the company jet was also stocked. That would provide some level of comfort. I felt her heated stare and smile. “Relax.”

“Relax? You are insane. Who are you?” she asked as I noticed the sign for the small airport.

I lifted my eyebrows as I tipped my head. “You know who I am.”

“I’m not so certain. The way you talk on the phone is as if you’re a hired assassin yourself. You know things about security systems, have a keen understanding of bad guys, and rushed into a highly dangerous situation without second guessing yourself. That makes me wonder who you are.”

Reaching over, I placed my hand on hers. At first, she was tense but within seconds I felt her relax. “Yes, my father taught me well about guns and security, highlighting how men and women could try and slither into my world. He forced my brothers and me to be militarily trained by a buddy of his, learning skills I had no clue we’d need.”

The answer was frank and honest and I sensed she was processing.

“I believe you. You aren’t trying to hurt me. But I feel like I don’t know who I am any longer.”

“Why do you say that?”

The way she took a little time to think about her answer meant she’d been contemplating her choices made. “I wanted to be just like my father. I was determined to follow in his footsteps about changing the world. At least when I was a kid, still in my worship phase. Then I realized somewhere along the way, he had become too mesmerized by his early wild success and sold his soul. To whom is the question. I’d always guessed the devil but right now, I’m not convinced.”

“What are you getting at?”

“That I think my father was groomed by an organization early in his career. I overheard too many odd conversations, read too many emails that he hadn’t wanted anyone to see. Maybe I should use the term puppet. You have to remember we were poor for a long time. Suddenly, money flowed into the house.”

“That is very interesting.” At least with Jack coming with us, I could have him run some background checks. The man had more connections than God on the internet and in security. Something caught my eyes again and I realized I was gripping the steering wheel with white knuckles.

From what I could tell, we hadn’t been followed but I still wasn’t interested in taking any chances. Jack and his crew were waiting outside the jet, their weapons visible.

Jasmine stiffened beside me before removing her seatbelt, staring from mirror to mirror with wide eyes. “Oh, God. It’s happening again.”

“No, it’s not. Relax. It’s all a precaution.”

“You mean a premonition,” she countered.

I had to laugh. “In this world, you can never be too cautious. When we’re in the air, no one will be able to track us.”

“Even I know you need a flight plan.”

She did make me smile more than anyone I knew. “Yes, but there are ways of acting as if the flight is being redirected.” Which was true, something else Jack had taught me over the years.

“Are you going to lock me inside a gilded cage?”

“Whoever is after you is determined to succeed. I’m not going to allow that to happen. However, that doesn’t mean we’re going to hole up in a prison, which I think you expect. We will be safe, somewhere I can control the small world.”

“The island.” At least as she made the comment while opening the door, a slight glimmer of happiness crossed her face.

“My family’s second island. Just as luxurious. Just as beautiful. But a distance away from where you were.” We both climbed out and I immediately headed to the trunk to retrieve her belongings. As soon as I did, she glared at me, taking in the reality of why I had her personal belongings in my possession.

“You went to see my father.”

“I did.”

“Why would you not tell me?”

I grabbed both bags, trying to guide her toward the plane. “In case you haven’t learned yet, I don’t like anyone pulling the wool over my eyes.”

“You think that’s what my father was doing?

“I think your father has no clue how deep into the quicksand he’s dropped or how detrimental selling his soul would be to his entire family. He’s in way over his head and has no clue how to get himself out. And I do think it started a long time ago as you suggested. But he’s not a stupid man.” As Jack approached, I allowed him to take the suitcases from me. In turn, I grabbed her arm, still concerned we’d been compromised. I trusted the pilot completely, but the man still needed to file a flight plan.

Yes, I could control who came and went on the island just as my two brothers could, but that didn’t mean a group of assailants wouldn’t charter a boat, disguising themselves as tourists, and land on the island on the remote side. Even though I had a sophisticated automatic identification system using VHF radio waves to track all incoming boats, there were people out there able to cloak their arrival.

It happened in the military all the time.

However, we were still most vulnerable right here. The longer we hung around, the more likely it was another attempt would be made. Getting to the island would buy time if nothing else. I had to wonder whether her most recent comments were truly the reason for the attacks. Was there a hell of a lot more about Justin underneath the posh fa?ade? I believed there was. Maybe he was even facing regrets, pulling back from the Honoured Society or some other organization, which would definitely place a target on his entire family.

The price people paid for obtaining power.

I’d learned early on it wasn’t just greed that controlled certain men and women. It was also nothing more than the promise of power. Who wasn’t hiding something, especially those who were extremely successful?

“My father is a player, Braxton. He no longer cares about anyone but himself. He’s made it clear time and time again. I already told you what I found over the years. I couldn’t make sense of it then but it’s easy to tell he was and still is willing to sacrifice his family for his cause. Or money.”

At some point, I’d tell her how her father had reacted to my impromptu visit, his emotions not easy for a man to fake. But at this point, there was little I could say she’d listen to. She was a woman of determination, with a lack of trust.

Now I better understood why.

“Don’t underestimate your father either. He is a very smart man, calculating how he’s going to win the election. Unfortunately, it would seem he’s lost sight of what’s important in life. Then again, I think I did as well.”

The epiphany wasn’t something I’d usually admit but with all the money coming into my account on silver platters, and the toys that only money could buy, I’d managed to lose sight of what I’d determined was important in life.

“There’s one major difference in the two of you, Braxton,” she said with such sadness.

“What’s that?”

“You’re a good man. My father isn’t.”

At some point, I’d disappoint her.