Thirst a dark stalker ro.., p.14
Thirst : A Dark Stalker Romance, page 14
“Missed you, suka,” he says, his voice caring with a hint of a Russian accent.
“Amore,” Sal calls. I head over, and the men look me up and down, no emotion in their eyes. The only one who smiles is the Russian, wearing a black Adidas tracksuit.
“These are my men,” Sal explains, and I nod. “They’re here to make sure Derick gets what he deserves.”
“She’s even more beautiful than in the pictures you took when she was sleeping,” the tracksuit guy says, winking at me.
Sal swears in Russian, and he laughs. “I’m Vasily by the way,” he tells me, shaking my hand. The other guys introduce themselves as Levi, ex-Mossad; Mick, ex-South African special forces; Alex, former SAS from Manchester; and Nathan from New Jersey, a retired Green Beret. These guys mean business, and I can understand now why Sal is the best at what he does having a team like this, with men who trust and look up to him.
“You know the plan?” Sal asks, checking his weapons.
The guys nod, and Vasily grins. “This is going to be awesome.”
Sal shakes his head and winks at me.
“Before we get into position, we’ll make sure each exit is covered, and the fucker doesn’t see us.” The English guy says before walking toward the field with the others right behind him, all four fanning out in a different direction.
“Busy game,” the Russian says, motioning to all the people walking around and sitting in the stands.
“It’s the last of the season,” I explain, wanting nothing more than to run to the field to make sure Iggy is okay, but we can’t draw any suspicion.
“I’ll stay in the truck. I’ve got eyes everywhere,” Vasily says, motioning to the black van obscured from view. Sal nods, putting in the earpiece Vasily hands him.
“Do I get one?” I ask, and Vasily looks at Salvatore for confirmation.
“Give me,” I warn, holding out my hand.
Vasily chuckles and walks to his ride, opening the door to get me another earbud. “Here you go.”
“Thank you,” I grit out, snatching it from his hand.
“She’s feisty, I get why you were so obsessed with her.”
Salvatore growls, “Not fucking helping, Lee.”
“Happy hunting, kids,” he says, saluting us and getting into the van before slamming the door shut behind him.
“Here, take your brother’s walkie,” Sal says, handing it to me.
“What are you going to do?” I ask, watching as he takes out a duffel bag from the back of the van.
“I’m going to make sure he can never hurt you again,” he says, kissing the top of my head. His lips linger on my skin. “Trust me.” He puts on a baseball cap, changes his shirt and jacket, and pushes aviators up his nose while I scan the parking lot. “I’ll fall back, you just make sure Iggy is with you.”
I nod, the pit in my stomach growing. He cups my face between his hands. “I will protect him, amore, and you,” he growls, his mouth claiming mine, locking us in a breathless kiss before he disappears between the crowds until I can’t see him anymore.
I make my way to the field, the stands are packed, and people are cheering when a kid hits a homerun. I scan the area for Iggy, but I don’t spot him, he must be in the dugout waiting his turn.
I walk up the stairs of the bleachers but stop in my tracks when I see my parents sitting there with two guys who look like government agents. My father has a murderous look on his face, and my mom and I lock eyes. She blinks a couple of times spelling danger in Morse code. Then Iggy. My gaze whips to the field. It’s his team’s turn, but he isn’t standing on the pitcher’s mound like he normally does. I fly down the steps toward the dugout and search for my son before a hand grabs my arm. The fucker is wearing a suit and looks the same as the other men sitting next to my parents. He hands me a phone and motions I need to answer it. I put the phone to my other ear, so Sal’s guys can listen in. “Where is my son?” I spit out, anger coursing through my veins.
I hear laughter on the other end. “He’s here with me having a nice little chat. Wait, he wants to say hi,” the bastard says.
“Mom,” I hear Iggy yell. “Don’t come, Mom, he’s going to kill you.” Tears spring to my eyes. “Baby, I’m coming.”
“I told you to bring his father to me. But you didn’t listen.” I walk toward the parked cars, not paying attention to where I’m going. The guy keeps his pace steady next to mine. I take another unsteady step when I spy Sal out of the corner of my eye. He is flanked by his men. I lead the asshole to the van Vasily is sitting in, and without making a sound Sal sneaks up on him and pushes a needle in his neck.
Mick catches the guy, and Alex opens the trunk of a nondescript car and puts the unconscious guy in the back. I lean against the side of the van trying not to hyperventilate, “Leave my boy alone, Derick. This is between you and me.” Sal motions to Vasily and he salutes. Keep him talking Sal mouths.
I nod, locking eyes with him, staring into the same blue depths as my son. “Where have you taken him?” I ask, biting back the bile I feel rising in my throat.
“To the place where it all began for you. Don’t worry, Paxxie, you are probably already running a trace. You’ll know where you need to go.”
Sal places his finger against his ear indicating he is hearing the conversation through his combs, probably because of Vasily’s hacker skills. “Take Jonathan with you but leave the cavalry behind.” Derick chuckles, the sound of his voice making me sick.
“Where you’re going, no one can escape,” he says, ending the call.
“Fuck!” I scream, collapsing, but Sal holds me up.
“It’s going to be okay, we’ll get him,” he says, his voice low and deadly, his hand travels into my hair while he kisses my forehead.
“He has our baby,” I cry, letting my tears run free. “If we don’t come, he’s going to hurt him. I know he doesn’t care about Iggy. He wants to kill you.”
Sal kisses my forehead, then my lips. “Amore, look at me.”
I close my eyes, grabbing onto his jacket for support. His lips linger on my forehead while he murmurs, “Trust me.”
Billy and Dalton run toward us and stop when they see my tear-streamed face. “Where is Iggy?” Billy asks. “We took out two guys who were threatening Mom and Pa. They’ve headed home to check if Iggy’s there.”
“He isn’t,” Sal answers, letting me go. “Derick has him.”
“Fuck,” Dalton swears, calling who I’m guessing is my father.
Vasily jumps out and hands Sal an iPad. “He’s at an abandoned part of the docks.”
Sal and I lock eyes. “He said he was taking him to the beginning.”
“I’m going to kill him,” Sal promises, his knuckles turning white while he stares at the dock plans, and Vasily relays the best positions to the other guys.
“I’ll head home to make sure he didn’t send any others to finish the job there, and hold them captive in our basement till you give me a heads up what to do with them,” Dalton says, giving me reassuring eyes.
“Thank you,” Sal says, shaking his hand.
Dalton nods, “I’ll make sure the parents are okay.”
Levi shares a look with Sal. “I’ll go too.”
“I’ll stay with you guys,” Billy says, his gaze scanning over the Russian’s face. Vasily runs his thumb over his bottom lip and smiles. It’s only a couple of seconds but Billy’s cheeks flame, nonetheless.
“Okay,” Sal says, “are we good on the plan? You catch up Billy?” he asks Vasily, who smiles at my brother.
“What plan?” Billy asks.
“Hop in and I’ll lay it out for you,” Vasily says, holding out his hand to help my brother into the back.
“Me and Paxton go in first. The fucker probably has every inch covered.”
“We’ll hang back, and terminate anyone standing in your way,” Mick says. Alex nods and gets in the other car while Nathan jumps behind the wheel.
“Come on, babe,” Sal says, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward his truck. It takes us an hour to get to the docks, all the while I’m trying to get my nerves under control. Sal insisted I wear a bulletproof vest under my jacket.
“I can’t believe he has Iggy, if something happens to h-h-im,” I stutter, fighting against my tears.
“I’m sorry, amore. I should have killed him a long time ago. I promise nothing is going to happen to our son.”
“Why didn’t you kill him?” I grit out, checking Sal’s Glock before placing it on my lap. The vest makes it harder and harder for me to breathe until we reach the docks.
“I took the operation from him, and the guys followed me but not before he vowed to come after everything I wanted,” he says, looking at me. “He was off limits because he’s Company, but now I’m going to end him. He’s been dirty, selling secrets to foreign entities. His time is up, and the bureau agrees with me.”
My phone buzzes the moment we drive through the gates to the abandoned shipyard. There is no one manning the entrance. I read the text Derick sent, “No guns, he says.”
Salvatore nods. “Are you in position?” he asks, and I spot the tiny earpiece. Immediately, my hands fly to my ear. I must have lost it when I almost collapsed before Sal held me up, or did he take it from me when his hand traveled in my hair?
“What are you doing? Stop the truck and let me out. He said no guns. If he sees your guys, Iggy might get hurt.”
“Trust me, amore,” he husks out, parking the car between the water and the rusting shipping containers. He grabs my hand when Derick walks out of a cargo container flanked by two armed guards.
“Sal,” I rasp, looking at him through my tears. He places his hand on my cheek and kisses me. “Please save our son,” I say raggedly, staring into his eyes.
He nods. “I will,” he whispers, his eyes run from my lips to the man who has our son. He opens the door but not before I see his eyes change, the empty cold psychotic stare taking over. His body turns rigid, and the way he walks tells me he isn’t afraid to die. But he can’t, he has found me again after all these years. I can’t lose him. I can’t lose Iggy. I exit the car on unsteady legs, scanning the area for any movement from my brother and his guys, but there is no one except Derick and his fucking minions.
“Took you long enough, Salvatore, to put two and two together.”
Sal gets a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket and lights one up. “Took you long enough to find what belongs to me,” he says, sounding bored, and raises one brow.
Derick flashes me a leering glare. “I gave you what you wanted, now I want my cut, and your resignation. But first, turn around and lift your shirt and show me you’re not carrying anything.”
Sal chuckles and raises his shirt, turning around to show the asshole he isn’t armed to the teeth. Our gazes clash and he narrows his eyes at me. What the fuck does that mean?
“What the hell is going on? Where is Iggy?” I yell, the gun stuck against the back of my pants feels cold against my skin. Derick doesn’t ask me to turn around and raise my shirt, and I thank God for that.
“He’s safe, isn’t he, Derick?” Sal says nonchalantly.
“What do you mean safe? Sal, what the fuck is going on?”
“You didn’t tell her?” Derick laughs, and the two armed guards he has with him retreat to the black car standing nearby. “He asked me to hand you the file,” he says.
“What the hell,” I screech. Salvatore doesn’t look at me, instead he keeps his gaze fixed on Derick, smoking his fucking cigarette. Out of the corner of my eyes I see Vasily, Mick, and Alex walk up to us, no guns in sight. “Where the fuck is my brother?”
Vasily smiles at me and runs his thumb over his bottom lip. What is happening?
“You fucking played me,” I spit out, turning to Sal, I raise my gun that feels light in my grip. Fuck, when did he empty the chamber? Salvatore takes one last drag and stares me down, that cold look back in his gaze.
“She has a gun, better run, Jonathan,” Derick taunts.
“Where is my son?” I scream, checking the gun, the fucker got me again—it’s empty. I push the Glock in the back of my jeans promising myself if I get out of this alive, I’m going to end the son of a bitch.
“Our son,” he returns. “And he’s safe; I made sure of it. I would never hurt him,” Sal grits through his teeth.
Derick laughs and looks at me, “Your son. The kid takes after his rapist of a father.” Sal balls his fists and shares a look with Vasily who nods.
“You’ve got what you wanted, Derick. Here is the key to the kingdom,” Sal says without any emotion in his deep voice. He takes an envelope from his jacket pocket and throws it at Derick who catches it midair. I watch Mick and Alex lean against the black jeep with their arms crossed. Vasily looks bored.
“Thank you, Jonathan, nice doing business with you,” he says, saluting Sal with the envelope.
“Don’t do anything stupid, amore,” Sal warns, lighting another cigarette behind his hand, so Derick doesn’t see or hear what he tells me.
“Vasily,” Derick says, motioning with his chin to a shipping container. I watch as the Russian walks into the container and marches out with Iggy.
“Mom,” he yells, looking between Sal and me.
“Baby,” I cry, taking a step but Sal grabs my arm.
“Stay the fuck back.” A muscle in his jaw ticks, the only tell he’s on edge.
“What the hell is happening?” I whisper, pleading with my eyes for him to give me my son. Vasily leads Iggy to the side. I want to run to him but something makes me stay put. Iggy’s eyes are wide, he’s still in his baseball outfit. He doesn’t look scared, more like angry and pissed off.
“It’s okay, baby,” I tell him, my voice cracks. He looks between me and the man who is still grasping my arm, the same murderous look on Sal’s face lines Iggy’s. The resemblance is uncanny, he’s his father’s son. The man who betrayed me.
Derick turns his back to Sal and me, reading the contents of the envelope.
“One thing you have to explain before you go,” Sal asks, letting go of my arm after a squeeze. The way he says go, sends chills down my spine.
“What?” Derick asks. Not sounding worried at all.
“You told me Paxton was gone, but then Vasily here tells me you provided them with passports?”
Derick’s cheeks flush and I see the panic in his eyes. “I was protecting the Company while you were obsessed with her. It would have ended our operations. You may have been King for a while, but back then it was my show. Matter of fact I’m still King.” He laughs, the sound shrill.
It all happens so quickly, Vasily lets go of Iggy who sprints to where I’m standing and hugs me tight. Then all the guys raise their guns to Sal. I crouch down with Iggy in my arms.
“Sal,” I breathe, and look between him and Derick while Sal raises his arms in surrender.
“Trust me, amore,” he whispers for only me to hear. Iggy turns his face and looks up at his father who says, “protect your mother,” in Italian. Iggy nods and hands me the magazine to my Glock. I frown and he blinks yes in Morse code. Billy taught us over Facetime when he left for the Army Rangers. I reach behind me and load the gun while I watch Derick walk up to Sal. No one is paying attention to us, and we slowly move back.
Why would his men betray him like this? It isn’t making any sense. “We need to get out of here,” I whisper in Iggy’s ear. He motions to a couple of barrels next to the truck. I nod slowly, retreating and pushing my son behind them.
“You thought you were pulling the strings, but your little obsession,” Derick says, “gave me enough ammo to get the others on my side. I’m planning to expand to the highest bidders, no more lost causes, no more Company. You didn’t keep your guys happy, Jonathan; no one wants to save the world one killing at a time. The only price being a star on a marble wall,” he says, motioning to the others.
Oh my God, Levi is with my parents and Dalton, will he kill them? Is Billy already dead? Bile rises in the back of my throat as I hug Iggy to my chest. I start to move, ready to kill the son of a bitch before Vasily stands next to me and shakes his head.
“Get behind the barrel,” he orders. A beat passes between us, and I nod hunkering down with Iggy in my arms.
“What is happening, mom?” he asks, his voice hollow.
“I don’t know, baby,” I murmur, kissing his forehead and rocking him from left to right. “Stay down.”
“Who are those people, and why did that man call you amore?”
“Shh,” I whisper, looking through the crack between the barrels to watch the scene unfold. Sal has his arms still raised to the sky while Derick whips him with a gun. Sal’s head shoots to the side, blood covering his face. He spits on the ground, turning red from his blood. We lock eyes and he winks.
“You had your little fun when you raped her thirteen years ago in the shipping container,” Derick laughs.
Iggy flinches and looks at me.
“And now you want to play house, and raise the son you thought you couldn’t have? You’re a killer, Jonathan, ditch the kid and the girl. Do what you were born to do and come work for me, no hard feelings right?”
“What?” Iggy husks out. “Mom he’s…” he trails off.
“Baby,” I plead, grabbing his hand I motion for him to stay quiet. I search my leather jacket for my phone but come up empty. I scan the area and squint when I see a reflection on the top of five containers a hundred yards from us. Is that the barrel of a sniper rifle? My brother was a sniper in Afghanistan. Fuck, Sal, what have you got planned?
“Yes, he is my son, and he’s going to inherit what we built one day.”
“You wish, Jonathan,” Derick replies. “It’s mine, like she is. Goodbye, Salvatore.” Then he aims and fires his gun.
I scream Sal’s name, and without thinking I run toward him, leaving Iggy behind the barrels. Sal’s on the ground, blood pooling his white shirt. “No,” I cry, holding him in my arms, kissing his forehead over and over. “Don’t leave me. I love you,” I sob, kissing his lips. “Don’t leave me again, amore, please. I love you,” I sob, rocking him against my chest.
