Chapter 83
Ace
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I TOOK MAVERICK with me to the club and found Hawk had brought Lily, so I settled Maverick in the playroom with her and my President’s daughter, Ashley, who was on kid watch duty for the day.
Since I hadn’t talked to my brother in a while, I headed to the office Hawk used to run his bounty hunter business out of Booker and Mack had offices as well, which kept the club self–sufficient. I knocked.
“Come in,” Hawk called.
“Hey,” I said, and pushed the door open.
“Hey, man.” Hawk turned from his computer and set his feet up on the desk. “Heard someone’s fuckin‘ with Cassidy.”
“Yeah.” I sat in one of the seats facing the desk. “Booker’s dealin‘ with it right now. You workin‘ much this week?”
“Got a couple assholes who jumped bail and went to ground. Got a lead on one, the other’s a ghost.”
Hawk was really good at his job. So good, in fact, he was paid accordingly. Two jobs a year could bring in as much as the average person’s yearly salary, which afforded him the option of working when he wanted to, which was less now that he had Payton.
“What’d these guys do?”
Hawk slid the files toward me. “One’s a drug dealer, beat a murder rap, got brought up on another one, convicted then released on a technicality. Got another murder rap, this one stuck and he ran. He’s in Salem, so I’m headin‘ down there tonight.”
“Shit.”
“He’s a dumb fucker, but he’s a lucky dumb fucker.”
“Sounds like it,” I said.
“The other guy’s slippery. Comes from money. Asshole who enjoys stalking and raping women. Two possible murders, but can’t make them stick with no body.”
I opened the file and my blood ran cold. “Fuck!”
“Yeah, he’s a-”
“No, Hawk, this is the fucker who’s messin‘ with Cassidy.”
Hawk grabbed the file. “Seriously?”
“Yeah, seriously.” I skimmed the file. “He said he was going to London and Paris.”
“He’s on a no–fly list, Ace. Don’t know how he’d get out of the state, let alone the country.”
“Fuck!” I stood and pulled open the door. “Watch Mav, yeah? I’m gettin‘ Cassidy.”
“We got ‘im, brother. I’ll fill Booker in.”
I nodded and headed to my bike. It’d be faster than my truck and I needed faster today. 1/6
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Cassidy
I was leaving Lana’s office when I was bombarded by Janie who was flailing her arms around in frantic, chicken–like movements. “You okay?” I asked.
“No,” she squeaked. “Your boyfriend’s in reception and he’s freaking out. I think he has a gun, Cassidy.”
I frowned. “Okay, I’ll head there now.”
As we walked toward the elevator bay, I felt a chill go up my spine, but the look on Janie’s face made me sick to my stomach. I turned to see Tom with a crazed look on his face and a gun pointed at the two of us.
“Hello, Cassidy,” he said. “I think it’s time the two of us have a little talk.”
“I’m sorry, Tom, but I need to get downstairs.” Okay, probably not the right thing to say, but I’d never had a gun pointed at me before. I felt like talking him out of his plan might be a good option. I was wrong.
“You’re not going anywhere.” He turned the gun on Janie and shot.
She and I both screamed, and Janie fell to the ground. Before I could register the horror of watching someone get shot in front of me, I was yanked into a conference room and shoved against the table.
“Sit down, Cassidy,” Tom ordered, and aimed the gun at me.
“Is Janie okay?” I asked, sobbing as I lowered myself in the chair.
“I need to explain some things to you. You’re the one I want, Cassidy. You and I are going to get married and have children, and we’ll live together in London.” He waved his hands around as he spoke, and I was worried he’d shoot me. “You’ll love England, sweetheart.”
“Tom-”
“My name’s not Tom!” he bellowed.
“It’s not?”
“No! It’s Robert.”
I swallowed, nodding, trying to get my breathing under control. Who was this guy? As he stared at me with a hollow look on his face, all I could think about were Carter and Maverick. Why didn’t I listen to Carter? He was right. I should never have come back to work.
“Say my name, Cassidy,” he demanded.
“Robert,” I rasped.
“As soon as it’s clear-” Tom, or Robert, whoever he was, said “we are going to walk out of here together. I will take you home and we can start our life.”
“How–how will I get on a plane without a passport?” I asked.
“I have one for you.”
I hiccupped, sobbing as I rubbed my arms, the fear suddenly making me cold. I caught movement through the window of
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the conference room door and tried to look somewhat covertly. Robert was watching me, his back to the door. I bit the inside of cheek to keep from crying out. Carter was there, although, I couldn’t hear anything he was saying. I just had to trust that he had a plan and he’d protect me.
Ace
I had Lana, the HR director, pinned against the wall. “You fuckin‘ did this, lady, so you’re not leavin‘ until my woman’s out of that room and safe.”
Another woman was kneeling beside the one who got shot, keeping pressure on the wound in her shoulder. It didn’t look like it was life threatening, but I kind of wished it was. Fuckin‘ whore used Cassidy as a human shield. Bitch.
“I swear I knew nothing about him. It wasn’t even my call,” Lana cried.
“How the fuck did you people not know who he was? It’s called a background check!”
“I don’t know,” she whispered. “I’m sorry. I don’t know.”
“Ambulance is on its way.” I released her with a scowl. “You need to get these people out of the fucking building. Quietly. And when my people get here, you don’t give them shit. They go wherever the fuck they want to go.”
She nodded and rushed away from me, ushering people as quietly as she could to the stairs.
“Ace, what the fuck’s goin‘ on?” Hawk demanded as he, Booker, Aidan, and our prez, Crow, walked toward him.
“Bastard’s got Cassidy in that room,” I said, waving the men to the wall out of sight.
Hawk nodded and pulled out his cell phone.
“What the fuck are you doin‘?” I whispered.
“I’m callin‘ Brock,” he said.
“Not gettin‘ into bed with the feds,” Crow said.
“Trust me.”
“Tell him to get Jax,” I demanded, and Hawk nodded.
I honestly didn’t much care who Hawk called. I just needed a clear shot of this fucker’s head. So far, despite the glass, Robert never stayed within sight long enough for me to shoot.
***
Cassidy
“Tom–Robert, can we please talk about this,” I begged. “I have a son. I can’t just leave him and run away with you.”
“We’ll put him in boarding school and we’ll have our own family, Cassidy,” Robert said. He pulled a chair in front of me and smiled. “You’ll see, sweetheart. I’ll make you so happy.”
“I can’t live without my son, Robert.”
“You were so beautiful,” he continued, obviously not listening to me.
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“What?”
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“On the video call. I saw you sitting at the end of the conference table and I knew you were the one. I made them transfer me that day.”
“I don’t understand,” I whispered.
“From the New York office.” He frowned like I should know what he meant. “You remember the call, right?”
I nodded. “When you were being introduced?”
“Exactly. I saw you and knew you were the one for me.”
“But we don’t know each other, Robert. There must be someone else who knows you-”
“No! It’s you, Cassidy,” he screamed. “It’s always been you!”
He started waving the gun at me again and I raised my hand at some lame attempt to shield myself. “Okay, Robert. I’m sorry.”
***
Ace
Jaxon slid the tiny camera under the crack of the conference room door and studied the screen at the end of it.
“Is she okay,” I demanded.
“Yeah,” Jaxon said. “The guy’s sitting across from her, the gun’s on his lap.”
“Fuck!” I rasped. “It’s been two hours, we need to get her out of there.”
“Carter, I get it. But I need you to back up, so we can do our job.”
***
Cassidy
I don’t know how long I’d been in this room with Robert, but I was feeling stifled by the heat and the closeness of his body, and I really had to pee.
The FBI had called into the phone in the room and all it managed to do was to make Robert even more frantic. I think he realized he wasn’t walking out of here with me, and probably knew he’d be going away for a very long time.
‘Robert, please. I could really use some water, and I’d like to talk to my son. Could we please just call them back?”
‘Shut up!” He paced the room, his eyes and hands moving wildly.
‘Please,” I begged.
“You’re not leaving this room, Cassidy. Just shut up.”
“What do you mean?” I whispered.
“I’m not an idiot. I know there are agents outside waiting for us. I’m not leaving this room alive.” He silenced me with a stare. “And neither are you.”
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“On the video call. I saw you sitting at the end of the conference table and I knew you were the one. I made them transfer me that day.”
“I don’t understand.” I whispered.
“From the New York office.” He frowned like I should know what he meant. “You remember the call, right?”
I nodded. “When you were being introduced?”
“Exactly. I saw you and knew you were the one for me.”
“But we don’t know each other, Robert. There must be someone else who knows you-”
“No! It’s you, Cassidy,” he screamed. “It’s always been you!”
He started waving the gun at me again and I raised my hand at some lame attempt to shield myself. “Okay, Robert. I’m
sorry.
Ace
Jaxon slid the tiny camera under the crack of the conference room door and studied the screen at the end of it.
“Is she okay,” I demanded.
“Yeah,” Jaxon said. “The guy’s sitting across from her, the gun’s on his lap.”
“Fuck!” I rasped. “It’s been two hours, we need to get her out of there.”
“Carter, I get it. But I need you to back up, so we can do our job.”
***
Cassidy
I don’t know how long I’d been in this room with Robert, but I was feeling stifled by the heat and the closeness of his body, and I really had to pee.
The FBI had called into the phone in the room and all it managed to do was to make Robert even more frantic. I think he realized he wasn’t walking out of here with me, and probably knew he’d be going away for a very long time..
“Robert, please. I could really use some water, and I’d like to talk to my son. Could we please just call them back?”
“Shut up!” He paced the room, his eyes and hands moving wildly.
“Please,” I begged.
“You’re not leaving this room, Cassidy. Just shut up.”
“What do you mean?” I whispered.
“I’m not an idiot. I know there are agents outside waiting for us. I’m not leaving this room alive.” He silenced me with a stare. “And neither are you.”
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Ace
A shot rang out, then a scream and another shot, and I shoved past my brother and into the conference room. “Cassidy! Somebody get the fuckin‘ paramedics in here now!”
Cassidy was slumped in a chair, blood pouring from her stomach. She had her hands over the wound, trying to keep pressure on it.
“Baby,” I whispered, replacing her hands with mine. “I’m here, I’ve got you.”
“He… he shot himself. In the head,” she whispered, her eyes unable to focus on anything.
“I know, baby. Look at me. I’ve got you.”
“It hurts.”
“I know, honey. Help’s coming.” I turned and yelled, “Where the fuck are the paramedics?”
“Here,” a young woman said and wheeled in a gurney, a large man following. “Sir, give us some space, please.”
I found myself pulled away by Jaxon, and Cassidy was lifted onto the gurney. The paramedics did whatever the fuck they did and then she was wheeled into the elevator. I followed, keeping hold of her hand, even though she’d passed out.
The rest of the day moved within a fog. I was forced to leave Cassidy in the hallway of the hospital as they wheeled her into emergency surgery. Most of the club arrived shortly after the ambulance did, along with Jaxon. Brock and Dallas were cleaning up and processing the crime scene.
An hour later, no one had given me any information and I was going crazy.
“Let me see what I can do,” Macey offered. She had arrived with Payton and Dani, and happened to be an emergency room nurse in Portland. I highly doubted she’d have any access here, but I was desperate. I nodded and she left the group.
“Fuck,” I whispered, dropping my still bloody hands on my head. “I have to get Maverick.”
“He’s fine,” Payton said. “Ashley’s got him and Lily totally entertained. She’s ordering pizza and can stay with them all night if need be. We can also take him home later if you like.”
Tears slipped down my face. “What do I tell him if she dies?”
“She’s not going to die,” Payton promised, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.
Jaxon sat in the chair next to me. “I called Cassidy’s parents and Mia. Her mom will call Shannon and fill her in. They’re on their way.”
I nodded.
“I think you should get cleaned up,” Jaxon said. “Aidan’s grabbing you some clean clothes. I figured you wouldn’t want to leave.”
“Thanks.”
Macey returned twenty minutes later and sat where Payton had been. “Dallas’s brother called in privileges for me so I could stay updated, but I can’t give you any information without her next of kin’s permission.”
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Dallas Stone was one of Jaxon’s FBI partners, and Macey’s husband.
“What the fuck?” 1 bellowed.
“I just need verbal approval from her mom or dad, Ace. Okay? If we can call them, then I should be covered”
“I’m on it.” Jaxon pulled out his cell phone and dialed Cassidy’s mother.
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Once approval was given, Macey signed some forms, had me sign some forms, although I didn’t read them, and then she left me again.
Macey became my personal liaison and I honestly didn’t know how I would have managed without her. Aidan returned with clean clothes, and I took five minutes to go to the bathroom and wash up as best I could before shoving my dirty clothes, cut and all, in a plastic bag, and return to the waiting room.
Macey brought out a bag with Cassidy’s belongings in it, but personally handed me her engagement ring. “I figured you probably wouldn’t want this getting lost.”
I nodded and pulled off the chain around my neck, slipping the ring onto it and sliding it back around my neck. I found Cassidy’s matching chain and also slipped that around my neck.
“Surgery’s going really well,” Macey said. “They got the bleeding under control. She’s out of the woods. I think they’re just closing up really soon and then she’ll go into the ICU for observation.”
“But she’s okay?” I asked.
“She’s out of the woods.”
I faced her with a frown. “That’s not what I asked.”
“Carter,” Jaxon warned.
“Fuck off, Jax. I want her to tell me if Cassidy’s okay.”
“I really think you should wait for the doctor, so he can explain it.”
“What aren’t you telling me?” I demanded, shrugging off the hand that Jaxon placed on my shoulder.
Payton sat beside Macey and took her hand. “Just tell him, Mace.”
Macey grimaced. “There was some damage to her uterine wall and they’re concerned she may not be able to carry a baby.”
“What?”
Macey nodded, her eyes filling with tears. She wiped them away quickly. “I don’t know anything else. They called in OB/ GYN and the doctor’s on Innendib “rgeon, fo I didn’t want to
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