Angelina [Orchidea: Love on the Bayou 5] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) (19 page)

“Oh damn, Lucifer. You make me want more and more.”

* * * *

“So now what the fuck happens?” Terrance asked Jacque as they sat in the office. Lucifer and Angelina were in the bedroom still. Just then Michael and Tye joined them.

“Get in some good quality time with our little goddess?” Tye asked Terrance.

“Some well-needed time. Lucifer and I were going out of our minds. Then when we heard about what happened at the police station from Michael Fromm, we were freaking out. I just needed to hold her in my arms and know she was okay,” Terrance admitted as he sat in the cushioned designer chair.

“Tell us about it. We’ve been on edge all night. Things keep getting worse,” Tye said.

“Yeah, first that asshole being caught raping a woman and now this guy is nearly taken out while under police protection. I want to know who these guys are,” Michael said.

“It seems to me and of course through Lucifer’s connections that this goes beyond one guy here in the States. Lucifer’s buddies said something about Korea,” Terrance told them.

“Korea? What the fuck?” Tye said.

“It actually makes sense no matter what other country it is. It would be a lot harder to track these missing women down when they leave the States. They could be shipped anywhere,” Terrance said.

“Is that piece of shit going to live?” Terrance asked Tye and Mike.

“Jacque is on the phone with Michael Fromm now,” Mike said.

Just then Jacque hung up his phone and looked at his brothers.

“Turns out the detective working the case was on the take. Helped plan the attack at the police department,” Jacque informed them.

“Holy shit. That takes balls. These guys are heavy hitters, huh, Jacque?” Terrance asked.

“It seems so and apparently this Jordane guy has enough on them to make them go to such extreme measures to take him out. He’s the key to solving these crimes and saving those women,” Jacque said.

“What about the other guy, Charlie? Anything new on him now that he’s under arrest?” Terrance asked.

“What?”

They turned toward the door, and there was Angelina, wearing her dress, looking flushed and absolutely stunning. Terrance’s chest tightened at the sight of her. He was in love with her. There was no doubt in his mind.

Lucifer came up behind Angelina and wrapped an arm around her waist.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“That’s what I would like to know,” she whispered as she looked at Terrance.

Terrance stood up and placed his hands on his hips. “Nothing is up. Glad you could join us. We were thinking that you might like to go downstairs and have a few drinks, enjoy the music and people watching,” Terrance said, hoping to change the subject. He didn’t want to upset Angelina or make her relive the night of her attack or near abduction.

“You just said that Charlie was under arrest. The Charlie that drugged me? When did this happen?” She walked away from Lucifer and looked at all of them.

Mike tried to take her hand and bring her closer to him but she pulled it away.

“What is going on? And don’t give me anymore bullshit answers.”

“Watch it, sugar,” Terrance said as he held her gaze. She lowered her eyes and took a deep breath. When she locked gazes with him, she looked angry.

“Is there any particular reason why none of you trust me as I trust you?”

It was a shot to his gut. Was that really what she thought?

“Hey, that’s not what’s going on,” Tye said.

“We trust you, sugar. We’re just trying to protect you,” Mike said.

“It’s for your own good,” Jacque added.

“It’s not for you to worry about,” Lucifer said.

“We’re just trying to get you through this. You were nearly abducted twice. We worry about you and your fears.”

“What? None of you make any sense. Why wouldn’t knowing that Charlie was behind bars give me peace of mind and make me feel a little more at ease that he was caught? I mean that is ludicrous. Knowing that the other guy who tried to take me is behind bars is pretty much a relief. It means that the police or feds, whomever, are closer to catching the main runners of this operation. It means perhaps finding Vera.”

“It’s not safe. They’re not safe being under arrest,” Terrance told her.

“Terrance, we said we were going to wait,” Mike began to say.

“Wait on what? What is going on with all of you? What are you not telling me?” she asked.

“There was an incident at the police department tonight,” Terrance began to say.

“Someone tried to knock off Jordane, the guy that assaulted you,” Mike said.

“What? Who would?” she began to say then took a step back. Lucifer wrapped an arm around her waist and held her to him.

She stared at each of them.

“It was an inside job. The guys responsible for the cartel apparently want him dead,” Tye added.

“And Charles?” she asked.

“Not sure. The feds aren’t taking any chances, so he’s being brought under their protection, too,” Mike said.

“What exactly happened?” she asked and Jacque explained. “Other people were shot?”

“A few police officers but no one but two of the bad guys were killed,” Jacque told her then ran his fingers through his hair. She turned to look up at Lucifer as he held her tight.

“This isn’t over, is it?” she asked.

Lucifer looked at his brothers and then at Terrance. They lowered their eyes.

“No, sugar, it doesn’t seem to be even close to over.”

Tayo was walking down the corridor of the ship. He opened the metal door where a guard was standing by.

“They are all alive?” Tayo asked.

“Yes, sir. Just fed them. They are ready to go.”

“Any problems?”

“Just two, sir. We had to drug them again.”

“No problem. Figure we will ship off in twenty-four hours. They’ll all be drugged then moved below to the storage area, just in case we get stopped en route.”

“Yes, sir. The men are ready.”

Tayo nodded then entered the room. It was small, maybe thirty by thirty, and very hot. He used the flashlight to peek around the room. He counted each woman as Niko wrote on the list.

“Check them off as we go through them. Before we leave, we should have one more,” Tayo said.

“Do you really think the men will be able to grab her?” Niko asked. “She’s always with one of those men, and the hit on Jordane was a bust.”

“Lei Wong is out of here. She’s the last mission, the last job we’ll do for quite some time.”

“How much is Jiang Huan giving Lei Wong for the Aubert woman?”

“A million, plus a piece of the drug cartel in Korea and Hong Kong as discussed. This will ensure delivery of drugs to be sold on the streets of New Orleans.”

“Shit, I hope she’s worth it. He could have a dozen women with ebony hair and big tits like hers.”

“There is something about her that both men find appealing. Just do the job he sent us to do,” Tayo said as he continued to walk around checking the women.

He came to one who was beaten and sleeping on the metal floor.

“She’s the one I grabbed at the club. She was a friend of the Aubert woman.”

“She’s nothing but a whore. You said so yourself. We’d be lucky to sell her at all. But, a description, special order was on the list and she fits the bill.”

“She’s the one who’s been giving the guards a hard time.”

“Then tell them to keep her drugged. By the time she wakes up, she’ll be tied to a bed and someone else’s problem,” Tayo said. Niko chuckled before they moved on to the other women, checking them off on the list, ensuring that all orders were accounted for.

* * * *

Angelina and Elle sat together at the small vigil for Vera. Vera’s parents and extended family had organized the event to pray and hope for Vera’s return. By now news of the cartel had reached the newspapers, and the name of the organizer, Lei Wong, was posted everywhere. He was on the loose, believed to have fled the country.

She felt someone take the seat next to her, and when she turned to look, she saw Jerry. He gave her a hug hello and held her a moment longer than one did for a friendly hug. As he released her and took her hand, she smiled then looked to the right where Jacque stood. He was on guard even though the federal agents didn’t think she was in any danger. It seemed as though the man Jordane who ratted out the cartel and his boss, had caused all those involved to take off in hopes of never getting caught. Meanwhile, many other families still hoped and prayed that their daughters, sisters, nieces, or loved ones would be found alive.

Jacque gave her a look that warned her he did not like Jerry’s hug or the fact that he held her hand. The seats were close together and soon the music began to play and the conversations took over.

“I can’t believe that these men were taking women to sell them to be sex slaves or whatever,” Jerry said as he looked at Elle and then Angelina.

“I know. It’s so scary.”

He squeezed Angelina’s hand.

“That could have been you.”

“I know. But I’m here and I’m safe.”

“Angelina, Jacque looks pissed and now he’s on a phone call. Is there more going on?” Elle asked. Angelina and Jerry looked toward Jacque who definitely seemed concerned.

“I hope not. I just want this to be over. I hope the feds find Vera and the others.”

“Angelina, we need to go,” Jacque stated as Angelina looked around them and could see people staring.

“Now?”

He nodded his head and reached out his hand. He gave Jerry a mean look, and if Jerry were smart, he’d let go of her hand and realize that she was taken. Jerry did.

“I’ll talk to you two later,” she whispered then took Jacque’s hand. He immediately wrapped an arm around her waist and escorted her outside. It was beginning to rain. A kind of eerie setting to the vigil for the missing women. It was so sad, and Angelina felt helpless.

“What’s going on?” she asked Jacque as they stood under the awning outside of the town meeting center. It was so gray and ugly outside. She could feel the chill in the air and a feeling of weakness and helplessness. She just wanted Vera and the other women to be alive and found.

“Terrance called. Mike Fromm and the other agents got a lot of information from that guy Jordane. It seems that…” He appeared as if he were biting the inside of his cheek. “It seems that these men, his boss and another guy, were placing orders for specific women as we had discussed a few days ago. However, after seeing your picture, and after Charles failed, these men still wanted you. The two main men involved worked out some sort of deal.” As he said the words, his facial expression was like stone. He was furious. She swallowed hard, trying to interpret what he was telling her.

The thunder rumbled and she jumped not expecting it.

“I lost signal as he was explaining more. This storm is a bad one. I’m taking you to Dominate. Mike and Tye are already there with Terrance and Lucifer.”

Angelina grabbed his hand.

“I’m worried, Jacque.”

He looked at her then pulled her into a hug.

“We’ll protect you. Let’s go.”

The rain was coming down harder as they ran through the parking lot.

She heard the doors on the SUV unlock and then someone calling her name. She and Jacque looked back, and there were Elle and Jerry. He was holding her purse.

“Shit, I forgot my bag.”

Jacque turned to look at her.

“Get in the truck.” He headed back and she saw Jerry running it to Jacque. As she pulled the truck door open, she felt a hand cover her mouth and a strong arm wrap around her waist. The person was huge. She kicked and screamed as she was thrown into a van that skidded out of the parking lot. The man was on top of her, holding her down. She struggled to get free.

“Get the tape. Tayo said this is a tough one. She beat the heck out of Jordane.”

She stared, wide eyed, at the creepy-looking man with whiskers and muscles.

“She’s fucking hot though. The hottest so far.” Her eyes widened as she struggled to get free and saw the man dressed in black. He was Asian, and she couldn’t stop him as he covered her mouth with thick tape. The other one flipped her over onto her stomach.

She felt his hands on her ass.

“Nice fucking body, too.”

“Don’t touch this one. She’s for the boss,” someone said from the front.

Angelina screamed and cried as she struggled to get free. They overpowered her as they taped her wrists together and then her ankles. She felt her nose running and the feel of dirt and metal beneath her cheeks. The van moved fast and she couldn’t hear any sirens or indications that help was coming. Jacque’s last words about the phone call filled her mind.

They want me. The men who are in charge of this operation want me. I’m as good as dead.

* * * *