The Corner Booth (23 page)

CHAPTER 45

Glancing at the monitor again, Derek was reassured that they were in the right area. The GPS on Cassie’s phone still registered and the technician nodded his head at the lieutenant. Now came the hard part.

“You are going to have to stay here, Stephan. Only authorized personnel will be able to enter the building.” Derek didn’t even flinch under the scathing stare.

“Then I suggest you inform your men that there is now one more authorized personnel attending the party,” Stephan responded.

“It’s on you then,” Derek snapped back.

“It always is.”

“Lieutenant, they are ready whenever you give the go-ahead.”

With another look towards Stephan, he nodded and the two men jumped out of the van. Running to the side of the building, they stood on either side of the door. The rest of the team had spread out around the building and would be entering from all sides. Checking their guns, Derek and Stephan both took the safety off. Nodding towards the door, Stephan opened it and allowed the officer to run in first. Sweat trickled down their necks as they made their way slowly through the building. Every man was on radio silence, not wanting to tip off the kidnappers. They reached the third floor easily and Derek wondered whether they had it all wrong. As he reached for the first door, he nodded again for Stephan to go down the hallway. Peering in, he saw a body lying motionless on the floor across the giant room. Scanning the area to ensure no one was in there, he quickly ran over, and turned the body. She was badly beaten. The moment his hands touched her, she came to and struggled to get free.

“Hey, Cassie! It’s Derek. I have you. Shhhh. I have you!”

“Derek? Is that really you?”

A clicking noise echoed in the room behind him, right next to his ear. He stilled, glad that Cassie still had the blindfold on.
At least she wouldn’t have to see his brains blown everywhere.

“Bad move, my friend. Toss your gun to the side.”

Cassie whimpered in fright. Holding one of his hands up, Derek placed the gun on the floor. From the corner of his eye, he caught a slight movement.

“You are surrounded. You’re not leaving here alive.”

Harsh laughter flew from the captor’s mouth. “Never thought I would, to be honest with you. But neither are you two, so we will be even.”

Stephan inched his way into the room as he listened to the conversation. Derek bowed his head and slightly nodded. It was such a tiny gesture that an untrained eye would never have caught it. Taking aim, Stephan didn’t hesitate; his clean shot entered the side of the head and knocked the kidnapper over. The man never even knew what hit him. Derek, knowing what was coming, threw his body over Cassie’s in the off chance Stephan missed.

From the second the body struck the floor, all hell seemed to break lose as the SWAT team entered the room and pointed their guns at the only person holding a gun: Stephan, who had immediately dropped to the ground with his hands behind his head. He knew that it would be sorted out quick enough.

It took a few moments for Derek to get them to stand down. Now, placing his attention to Cassie, he quickly cut the ties from her wrists before he slid the blindfold down and off her eyes. He cupped her face gently with his large hands. He wanted to shout for joy at seeing the icy blue color connect with his. For Cassie, having the visual confirmation of Derek, someone she knew, brought such a feeling of release. Her body quivered, finally allowing the adrenaline to kick in.

“Am I really okay?” she whispered.

He slid his arms under her knees and back, and scooped her up off the floor.

Instinctively, she wrapped her arm around his shoulder and laid her head on his chest. His arms felt powerful and she felt incredibly safe.

“You are now, sweetheart,” he whispered back as he carried her out of the building.

CHAPTER 46

The light in the room was dimmed to allow the patient to sleep but gave enough light that the nurses could quietly check the monitors and IVs. It was the monitors’ incessant beeping that woke her. Confused, it took her a second to understand that she was in a hospital room. As her eyes took in the furniture and wallpaper, Cassie had to admit to herself, it was the most attractive hospital room she had ever been in. Gingerly she turned her head, staring at the figure asleep in the chair. His arms were crossed, head dipped to the side, while jean-clad, long legs stretched out in front of him. His blonde hair, cut short, was combed neatly. Frowning, she wondered what he was doing here.

Derek slowly awoke, feeling as if he were watched. His eyes connected with Cassie’s as she stared at him and frowned. He jumped up and moved the chair closer to the bed. He held her hand in his, the gesture catching her by surprise.

“Hey, you!” he whispered.

“Hey, yourself.” Cassie could barely croak out the words, her throat was so dry. Removing her hand from his, she pointed to the water, hating to have to ask him to help her.

Quickly pouring her the much-needed water, he held the straw close to her lips. She drank the entire glass, but her eyes never left his face.

“You were the one who saved me.”

Shrugging, Derek looked uncomfortable. “Well, actually it was a group effort and quite frankly at the end, it was Stephan who ended up saving me. It was a close call.”

At the mention of Stephan’s name, Cassie for the first time looked away. Derek was shocked that she hadn’t mentioned either Sakis or Stephan.

“How are you feeling?”

Cassie winced as she tried to sit up. Again, Derek stood, grabbed the bed remote and raised it, before he eased her up to sit more comfortably.

“Like I have been sat on by an elephant. How many ribs are broken?”

At the surprised look on his face, she smiled. “I fell off a tractor trailer when I was in my teens. It was a hard fall. Breaking a rib is a feeling you never forget. Every breath feels like it is going to be your last if you inhale too deeply.”

“Only one fracture. The doctor says it is not too bad and that you are lucky.”

She stared at her wrists, which looked mutilated from her many attempts to free herself. “Lucky, huh?”

Reaching for her hand again, he squeezed lightly before he released her. “I am sorry, Cassie.”

“What are you doing here, Derek?”

He hesitated at the direct question before he opted for a half-truth. “I needed to make sure that you were okay and when you are ready, I need to take your statement.”

Nodding her head, she knew that made sense. She wanted to ask about Sakis and Stephan, fully expecting them to be the ones sitting in the chair, but her mind was so confused. She wished they had been upfront with her all along. This whole kidnapping was confirmation that Sakis’s business was a dangerous and obviously illegal one, and it almost got her and Emily killed.

“Where is Em?”

“She is safe, Cassie. Right now, she is in protective custody until we can determine if she is at risk.”

Her eyes closed; she felt tired again all of a sudden as the different emotions rushed through her.

Derek leaned in as he watched the tears slip from under her closed eyelids. Leaning over her, he brushed her hair with his hand and brought his face close to her. “God, don’t cry, Cass. Everyone is safe, including you.”

He had no idea the level of sadness she felt, her heart aching. She wanted Stephan or Sakis, but she couldn’t say it. “Can you stay with me a little while longer?”

“Of course.” His own eyes filled with tears, sensing the emotional state she was in, but unable to do anything about it. “Cassie, look at me!” Derek’s voice cracked.

It took several moments before she opened her eyes, still pooling in tears, but she stared deep into his own, surprised at seeing his tears mirroring her own.

“I promise, I will get you through this. Understand?”

Closing her eyes, Cassie did not respond. She had heard the words before.
Trust
, she thought.
Just a delicate flower that was so easily crushed.

CHAPTER 47

Derek stayed with Cassie until he knew she was asleep. He wanted to sit with her longer but a commotion outside the room drew him away.

“You have no right to keep us from her.” The guard put on duty to watch her room looked intimidated. As Derek eyed the tall, imposing Greek, he knew the officer had a reason to be afraid.

“Officer, it’s okay. I will take it from here. Why don’t you go downstairs and get a cup of coffee? You must be due for a break right now.”

The relief was palpable. “Thank you, Lieutenant.”

“Gentlemen, Miss Oliver is sleeping right now. This probably isn’t a good time.”

“Did she say that?” Sakis asked.

Derek eyed Sakis, wishing he could lie to the man in front of him. “Of course not. I believe that she was confused as to why neither one of you were not there when she woke.”

As Sakis lunged for Derek, Stephan grabbed him, preventing his employer from doing something he would regret. “You son of a bitch. Did you tell her that we were being kept from seeing her? We consider her family. Knowing she could have died is tearing us up. Can you live with that?”

This time it was Derek who looked angry. “No, I didn’t tell her.” He spat out the words. “I was too busy telling a frightened young woman that she was safe and that she was going to live from the beating she received by a group of people who were trying to send
you
a message.”

Derek was happy to see that both men at least had enough conscience to look deflated. “Normally, the nurses only allow one visitor at a time. You both are free to go see her, and I will let the desk know.” Pushing open the door, Derek called out to them before they walked in. “You know, gentlemen, it dawned on me, when I ran into her awhile back, that she had no clue who you are and what you do. Oh, I think she had her suspicions, but never any confirmation. Guess she has it now. Can you live with that?”

Sakis stared down at Cassie as she lay sleeping. Stephan pulled the chair next to the bed for him to sit, before he walked to the other side. Her face was badly bruised from the obvious beating she received at the hands of the kidnappers. Bile rose in his throat as he thought of the fear that she must have felt, wondering whether she was going to live or die at their hands. He thought of Tony’s words, which seemed a lifetime ago, as his friend begged him to walk away from her. Sliding his hand over hers, he touched her gently. He wished he heeded the advice he was given not only by Tony, but by Stephan also.

“You both look like you’re attending a funeral. I am sure I look bad, they won’t give me a mirror, but I am not dead. “

Smiling down at Cassie, Sakis squeezed her hand, careful not to get near her wrists, which looked raw and painful. “You look beautiful to me, Cassandra.”

Cassie’s heart did a somersault in her chest. “Always knowing the right thing to say, but this time you are a liar.” Slowly, she moved the bed into a sitting position before she turned her head to Stephan, who hadn’t spoken. “I hear that we are alive because of you.” She could feel her eyes fill with tears again, but this time, she fought hard to control them before they slid down her face. She refused to cry anymore.

Not waiting for him to answer, she took first Sakis’s hand and then Stephan’s in each one of hers. “You both need to know that I am beyond pissed right now with you both.”

“Cassandra—” Sakis tried to speak.

“No. No, Sakis, you have no right to speak right now and you both need to let me finish what I have to say. Through this whole relationship, I have asked you both many times for honesty and truth. Both of you have been holding back. I could have died today—for what?” Her voice cracked and she inhaled deeply to help her pull herself together.

“You should have called me, Cassie,” Stephan stated quietly.

Cassie turned angrily to Stephan. “Really? Andre was dead, Greg was dead, and now I learn that someone from my past is dead, and you have the balls to stand there and tell me I should have called you?”

Catching the look between the two men, she continued her rampage. “See. Neither of you look even remotely surprised.” Her head dropped back onto the pillow and she closed her eyes.

“I need some time.” She felt Sakis stiffen next to her, and she sought for the courage she needed. “I could have died,” she repeated softly, defeated.

“If either one of us could change what happened today, Cassandra, we would,” Sakis stated desperately.

“But you can’t, can you?” she replied.

Unsure of what to say, he looked down at her fingers. Of any time that he should break off their relationship, this was it. His mouth opened to say the words, but nothing came out.

She pulled her hand free of his; she reached up, gently slipping her fingers through his hair before she tugged gently. It reminded him of one of their fights: an argument about control, and she had asked him to stop. Accept her for who she was. Trust. How did that work out for her?

Smiling wistfully, she continued. “I am not leaving you. Yet, you both have a lot to figure out, because this can’t continue. I want to stay, but I know I am going to lose myself this way. I have been lost my whole life until I headed to Boston. I am not going backwards. Let me in and I mean really in. Then allow me to make my decision from there.”

Nodding, Sakis knew that what she was asking was fair. A nurse opened the door and frowned at the two men. “Time to leave, gentlemen.”

Rising to his feet, Sakis leaned down and kissed her on the forehead before he whispered in her ear. “We will talk more when you are out, but know that I heard you, Cassandra. I heard everything.”

This time it was Cassie who nodded as he left the room. Stephan reached for her hand and leaned in to kiss her gently on first one cheek, and then the other. “I am glad you are safe now, Cassie.”