Sinful Seduction (10 page)

The man still hadn’t answered Blue’s question so he kept his weapon pinned on him while Carter moved back to the bedrooms. A couple minutes later he returned. “All clear,” he murmured, taking up position behind the unknown man.

“If you’ve hurt her I’ll fucking gut you,” the man’s words were a guttural growl, the anger in his gaze clear.

Blue frowned, flicking a gaze to Carter before looking back at the other man. “Who are you? Why are you here?”

The man’s jaw tightened, as if he wasn’t going to respond, but then he said, “Ivan Mitchell. Head of her father’s security. Where the hell is she?”

Gun hand steady, Blue pulled out his cell with his other hand and brought up the picture Harrison had sent of Lewis Hudgins. It was a different man than the one in front of him now. “Mina?” he shouted without turning around.

He heard her shoes slapping loudly against the tile now as she hurried to her condo. “I’ve called the police. They’re on their way,” she said as she came up behind him. Out of the corner of his eye Blue saw her jerk abruptly to a halt. “Ivan? What are you doing here? I’ve been trying to call you!”

The man started to lower his arms but Blue shook his head. “Don’t fucking move.”

Thankfully Mina didn’t say anything, just stared at the man as she waited for answers.

Ivan nodded his head at Blue but didn’t take his eyes off her. “Who are these guys?”

“My security,” she said without pause.

He nodded again, seeming relieved by that. So maybe the guy wasn’t involved with her would-be kidnapping but Blue wasn’t letting his guard down until he had answers. “Start talking. We want to know why the hell you haven’t been returning her calls and why you’re in her condo uninvited. How did you know her security code?”

“I guessed your code, Mina,” he said, keeping his focus on her while ignoring Blue. His expression turned admonishing. “I didn’t realize you had a system, but I got it in two tries. Not smart.”

Mina let out a growl of frustration. “Really? A lecture now! Some assholes tried to kidnap me and thanks to the kindness of a stranger I’m okay. I’ve been trying to call you and my dad since last night. What the hell is going on?”

It was the first time Blue had seen Mina lose her temper, and the situation withstanding, he liked it.

“I didn’t get your messages until a couple hours ago and I’ve tried calling you back. Multiple times. It kept going to voicemail.”

“Bullshit,” Mina snapped. She looked at her phone, then frowned as she turned toward Blue, talking under her breath so only he could hear. “I actually didn’t have any bars on the water. It’s possible he tried then.”

Blue nodded, his focus laser sharp. “So why are you here? When did you arrive? And why hasn’t Mina’s father called her?”

Ivan looked at Blue, his gaze assessing. “I’m here because her father sent me and I arrived about ten minutes ago by helicopter. Came in straight from Miami where Warren is staying. He hasn’t called because…” His expression softened as he flicked a glance at Mina. “Shit, there’s no way to break this to you gently. It’s why I’m here in person. He’s dying, Mina.”

Next to him Mina gasped. “What?”

“Pancreatic cancer. By the time he was diagnosed it was already too advanced. If they’d caught it a year ago he might have had a chance, but…” Ivan looked down, the pain in his expression real enough that Blue believed he cared. “He’s got a few weeks left. It’s why he’s in Miami. He’d like to spend his time with you so he moved closer.”

Mina reached out and clutched onto Blue’s forearm for support. Blue didn’t miss the way Ivan zeroed in on that touch, but he didn’t care what the other man made of it. Keeping his weapon steady, he wrapped his free arm around Mina, who sagged into him. “Why didn’t he call me sooner? I would have just come home.”

“He was diagnosed less than a week ago and you know your dad. He does things his way, decided he wanted to see the east coast and more importantly, you, so we made it happen. He…it’s bad, Mina.” Ivan’s jaw tightened.

“You can put your guns down,” Mina said quietly, but neither Blue nor Carter moved.

“Not until you talk to your father. For all we know he’s involved in the kidnapping attempt.” Blue didn’t care if the guy seemed sincere. He wasn’t taking a risk with her safety.

“Are you fucking kidding me? What would I have to gain by kidnapping her?” Ivan’s voice was incredulous.

Carter snorted from behind Ivan. “A lot of fucking money.”

Mina shook her head and placed a firm hand on Blue’s chest as she burrowed tighter against him. From the look on Ivan’s face he didn’t like that at all. Interesting. “He’s paid very well, Alex. He wouldn’t be involved in this, trust me. Even if I didn’t know how much he makes, I know he wouldn’t do something like this to me. Please trust me.”

There was such a strong note of conviction in her voice that Blue was tempted to lower his weapon. But his judgment wasn’t clouded. Before he could respond, his phone buzzed in his hand. Since his arm was wrapped around Mina he held it palm up. He flicked a quick glance at it, not wanting to take his eyes off Ivan, but he knew Carter wouldn’t let the guy make a move anyway.

Swiping his thumb across the screen, he typed in his code and pulled up the text from Harrison.
Team twenty minutes out. New development. Ivan Mitchell linked to Lewis Hudgins. Don’t let Mina call him again or let her know.

Shit. Too late for that. Blue wouldn’t have opened the damn text in front of her if he’d suspected a message like that. Mina looked up at him, her green eyes wide and disbelieving. Blue shook his head, warning her not to say anything. Unwrapping his arm from around her, he slowly moved her behind him. “Carter, I need your keys.” True to form, Carter tossed them over without question. “Stay with him until the police arrive. I’ll put in a call and let them know you’re here keeping him detained.” Because he was getting Mina the hell out of there. If Ivan was involved with any of this, he didn’t want her anywhere near him. For all Blue knew, the bastard was lying about her dad to play on her sympathy.

Ivan cursed and started to move, but froze when Carter let out a vicious threat.

“I owe you, man.” Blue said, backing up to the door, but half-turning so he had a visual of the hallway as they exited.

“Just call me when you can,” Carter said. “Let me know you’re safe.”

“I will. I’m also going to need another transportation favor.” Blue didn’t voice the question but raised his eyebrows instead, knowing his friend would understand.

Carter nodded. “No problem. You better gas it up before you return it though.”

A smile tugged at his lips as he continued their exit. Blue planned to head right back to Carter’s place and use his boat as a means of escape from Key West. He wasn’t using the roads or trying the private airport because if Ivan was involved it stood to reason that maybe more of her father’s men were too. Maybe they were taking advantage of the man when he was sick. Or maybe he wasn’t sick at all but under duress somewhere. For all Blue knew they were staked out at the airport or had even staged that accident delaying the Red Stone team. The probability of that happening was exceedingly slim, but Blue didn’t give a shit.

He was getting Mina out of town as fast as possible.

Chapter 10

As soon as Blue hung up with Harrison, Mina said, “Ivan is
not
involved with this. I don’t care what proof your team has.”

Blue’s jaw tightened as he glanced in the rearview mirror. They’d left ten minutes ago and didn’t appear to have a tail, but he wasn’t taking that chance. He’d contacted the police—who’d been pissed they’d left Mina’s condo without staying to talk to them—and Harrison. His boss had filled him in on the phone records Lizzy had found connecting Ivan to Lewis Hudgins, including a call a couple hours ago. Probably right before Ivan had left for Key West from Miami. Maybe he had planned to lure Mina out but hadn’t counted on her having security of her own. While the evidence wouldn’t amount to much in a court, it was damning enough for Blue to take action.

“The evidence doesn’t lie, sweetheart.” The endearment just slipped out, but it felt natural. He kept his voice soft, knowing she was dealing with a lot considering the recent knowledge of her father’s condition.

Harrison had also confirmed that Warren Hollingsworth was in Miami and dying. It hadn’t hit the news yet, but Harrison’s father—who was former CIA and had more contacts than Blue could imagine—had reached out to some associates and discovered the news while Blue had been holding Ivan at gunpoint. Blue really wished it weren’t true. Even if Mina’s relationship with her father was strained, it was clear this was tearing her up.

“But I know him. He loves my father.” Mina’s voice cracked as she turned to look out the window.

Blue didn’t know what to say. Feeling out of his depth, he kept his gaze on the road and their surroundings. The silence between them stretched, growing almost painful. He wanted to reach out to her, to comfort her, but wasn’t sure how. When his phone buzzed again he answered it gratefully. “Yeah.”

“Hey, just got off the phone with Harrison. The team and I are on our way to that address you gave him. How do you want to play this?” It was Vincent, ex-SEAL, highly trained Red Stone security agent and one of Blue’s best friends.

He was grateful Harrison had assigned Vincent to this op. “We’ll take my friend’s boat straight to home base. Harrison’s making arrangements for us to dock somewhere private and close to the safe house.” Even though he doubted anyone could overhear their conversation he kept details to a minimum. It was second nature to him. “Harrison’s getting a team in place at her father’s house. Once he’s sure the place is secure we’ll move her from the safe house to his place.”

“Sounds good. See you in fifteen.”

The second he disconnected, Mina asked, “I’ll get to see my father tonight then?”

“Yes. We’re going to do everything to get you to him. We just need to check out his security team and the house first. And, our guys will be in place the entire time you’re there.” Because they weren’t depending on her father’s men. Not when it looked like Ivan Mitchell was involved with Mina’s attempted kidnapping.

Surprising him, she reached out and squeezed his arm. “Thank you for everything. I know you’re doing your job but…just, thank you.”

He stole a glance at her. “You don’t have to thank me. Ever. And you’re more than a job, Mina.” Admitting that took a hell of a lot. He’d never put himself out there for a woman. Had never wanted to. But Mina was different. Looking away, he focused on the road even though he wanted to pull over, find somewhere private and comfort her. Having lost his own brother, he knew how hard it was to lose a loved one.

Mina didn’t respond and for that he was grateful. He glanced in the rearview mirror again as he turned down the last street before they would reach Carter’s gated neighborhood. The street they were on now wasn’t gated, but the long row of similarly built two-story pastel homes was prime real estate. Considering how small Key West was, pretty much everything here was prime.

He frowned, his adrenaline increasing when a van without its lights on pulled out from a side street behind them. There weren’t any cars on the road and the sun had just set so it was possible the driver hadn’t turned on the lights yet. Still, he wasn’t taking any chances. Since he couldn’t turn around now without a risk of boxing them in, he sped up a fraction, keeping his attention divided between the road in front of him and the van behind them.

“Don’t turn around and don’t panic but we might have a tail. There’s nowhere else we can go but to Carter’s.” He handed her his cell phone. “Call the last number I received a call from. His name is Vincent and he’s part of your new team. Tell him we might have a tail and to keep the line open.” Because Blue couldn’t talk to him when he might have to do some quick maneuvering. And he didn’t have his earpiece with him to give him hands-free capability.

She sucked in a breath, her expression startled, but to Mina’s credit she didn’t question him, just took the phone and dialed. The van behind him hadn’t sped up any but Blue wasn’t taking a chance. He reached for the small keyfob attached to Carter’s keychain and pressed the button to open the gate. They were still about thirty yards out but he could see it starting to open. The gate was new too so as he reached the ten yard mark, it was fully open.

The van behind them jerked ahead, as if the driver realized what Blue was doing.

Gunning it, Blue took a sharp turn into the quiet neighborhood. Since he’d opened the gate himself and he was driving Carter’s SUV he doubted the guard in the small gatehouse would attempt to stop him. Not that he cared.

Short of the guard shooting his tires out, Blue wasn’t slowing down. Next to him Mina was relaying everything to Vincent with a shaky voice, but at least she was remaining calm.

As he shot through the gate, he pressed the button to close it. After a few seconds’ delay it started to close. For a brief moment Blue wondered if he’d overreacted but when the van came into view, racing straight for the gate, a jolt of pure adrenaline surged through him.

“We’re going to park and make a run for the boat. Get ready,” he told Mina. There was no other exit and since he didn’t want to get into a gun battle with their pursuers, escaping was the only choice.