Page 77 of Shadow Man
But I’m already halfway out of the door. I take the stairs at a run, ignoring the blistering jolts in my shoulder. “Anna!” I shout as I reach the bedroom door. “Anna?”
No answer.
The room is empty. White curtains flutter at the open windows as all kinds of hell explode in the pit of my stomach. She’s gone.She’s fucking gone—
A gunshot rings out and I’m retracing my steps quicker than I made them. Gomez is sprawled out at the foot of the staircase with that prophesied hole in the back of his head.
“Caught him trying to sneak out while I was dealing with Gabriela,” says Dante, holstering his gun. “I think it’s safe to assume we found the leak. His petulance should have been the first clue.”
“Anna’s gone too,” I announce bleakly, watching his expression plunge even deeper into darkness. “I won't rest until I find her, even if I have to rip this whole fucking country apart.”
“Fuck!” he roars. “Fuck!” He stops pacing for a moment and runs his hand across his jaw. “Radio Reece outside. See if any of our men were harmed in this attack, and then get Gomez’s guys in here. Let’s see if he was working alone. Tell them the newly resurrected Santiago cartel just took control of their organization.” He takes a breath and catches my eyes again. He knows I don't give a shit about any of this. He knows my thoughts are fully focused on one thing, and one thing only. “We’ll get her back, Grayson.”
His cell beeps and he glances at the message.
Without a word, he chucks the cell to me. My world turns an even darker shade of black when I see the message. It’s Anna. Bound and gagged. Staring directly into the camera with the kind of fear I never wanted to see reflected in those river-deep eyes again.
My fingers clench around the device. Dante’s devil is raging through my veins just as much as his today. My resolve is cold steel and ice. It’s napalm and gasoline.
I was there to save her the first time.
I’ll be there to save her again.
The cell starts ringing, and I answer it right away.
“My terms are simple,” comes Fernandez’s harsh rasp. “I want Gomez’s entire operation and you out of the picture in exchange for one of the girls. I’ll let you decide which.”
Motherfucker.
“When?” I demand, switching the call to loudspeaker so Dante can hear.
“We keep the round table meeting tomorrow as planned, but there’ll be three seats instead of five. I’m sure you’re already aware of what’s happened to Perez and Hurtados. You can take the place of Gomez. Do what you like with him. He’s outlived his usefulness.” I glance at the dead body on the floor.We already got the memo.“My estate in Cartagena, tomorrow at sunset. No guns. No men. No nasty surprises. Once your assurances have been given, you can take the girl and go. I want you gone from Colombia, never to return.”
I catch Dante’s eye again. His terms are bullshit. We’re walking into a firing squad, and we both know it.
“You hurt them and the deal’s off,” I roar, losing my temper.
Fernandez laughs again. “Until I get my assurances tomorrow,El Asesino. I’ll do whatever the hell I like with them.”
31
Joseph
The same day my father blew a hole in my life, he cursed me and sent me straight to hell.
I say hell… It was more a purgatory; an icy plane trapped between two existences, neither of which made any sense to me. I was alive, but I couldn’t subscribe to that word, and normality played out like a fucking jazz song. The notes never stayed in one place long enough to feed a rhythm: not my brief marriage, or the precious time I spent with my son, or the six years in the US military that made me feel proud to fight for someone other than myself for a change.
That was the curse.
That was my hell.
So when the devil came around looking for a new lieutenant, I sat up and I paid attention. He offered me a way to escape my purgatory, and I negotiated for my soul over a bottle of bourbon in a bar in Texas.
My morals were shot down in flames soon after. I drenched my fists in blood. I was content with my choice until I saw a girl on a sidewalk. A girl whom I subsequently discovered smells of vanilla and orange blossom, and who rides my cock so hard I find myself daring to believe in more.
There’s no way I’m losing that girl today. I made her a promise, and it’s one that keeps on moving in a circular motion. If she breaks, I’ll fix her. If she’s lost, I’ll find her. If a cartel boss steals her, I’ll compromise everything to bring her home.If he hurts her…
We arrive at Fernandez’s estate on time, pulling up to the main house at six p.m. sharp. It’s just Dante and me in the car as stipulated, but with a couple of hidden knives and an army of vengeful demons to call upon when required.