Secrets and Satin: A MacKenzie Novel (Romantic Suspense) (MacKenzie Family) Page 13

  She caught sight of Brant dressed in cargo shorts and a T-shirt sitting at one of the machines nearby, a bottle of beer at his side as he fed coins into the slot. Max led her over to one of the high stakes blackjack tables and put down enough cash to have paid all of her bills for an entire year. They were the only ones at the table besides the dealer, and she caught sight of Declan at one of the poker tables on the opposite side of the room with a big stack of chips in front of him. He was dressed in a tuxedo with the top button unbuttoned and his tie draped around the collar like he’d been on an all night bender.

  She didn’t see Cade but she knew he was around somewhere. He and Declan looked so much alike they couldn’t stand too close together without drawing attention to themselves. God hadn’t made men like that to go unnoticed.

  At one minute until the deadline, Max’s phone vibrated against the green felt of the table. He placed his bet and asked for a hit before he picked it up.

  “You’re late,” he said into the phone. “You’ve got one minute to find me in the casino. Otherwise I’m on the next plane out of here to go meet Jarron Sikes.”

  He hung up the phone without waiting for a reply and finished his hand of cards. Jade watched the second hand click on Max’s watch as the minute passed, and then another, and then twenty more. He handed her a stack of chips so she could play too, and he was relaxed beside her, making jokes as her pile grew smaller and his grew larger, but she could tell he was worried that Vassin hadn’t taken the bait.

  “I’m out of chips,” she said almost an hour after Vassin had called.

  “Don’t worry, you can have more of mine.” He gave her one of those slow, lazy smiles that made her heart flip in her chest, and he pushed his chips toward the dealer to cash in. “I guess we should go find something else to occupy our time.”

  She saw the smirk from the dealer out of the corner of her eye, and she took the hand Max offered her. Dec and Brant had moved around over the last hour, and she finally caught sight of Cade at the sports bar, watching a baseball game with seemingly rapt attention. She knew he was highly aware that they were leaving though, and she felt Dec start to circle in closer.

  “Stay close,” Max whispered in her ear. “Something isn’t right.”

  The problem was going to be when they reached the elevator. Because they were in the penthouse suite their entrance was restricted to regular guests, but Vassin and his men had access to the whole hotel. She caught Dec’s worried gaze and then took a step away and to the left of Max just in case he needed room to maneuver. She had her own instincts, and the only thing she knew was that she had to protect Max, no matter what the cost.

  ***

  Max opened the door that led to the private elevator and saw the long hallway was clear. There wasn’t any sound or any sign that someone waited for them, and he and Jade moved quickly to the elevator, their footsteps silenced by the plush carpet. He swiped the keycard and the elevator doors whooshed open immediately. He looked inside and saw it was empty before they stepped inside.

  Just before the doors closed a man slipped through and had a knife at Jade’s throat before Max could move to intercept. He must have been waiting, lurking behind one of the closed doors that lined the hallway. That quickly, things were out of control, and he had no way to get to the man without harming Jade too.

  Max’s blood turned to ice as he saw the man’s hands on her. Her pulse beat rapidly just above where the knife was held, but she was completely still, completely calm. The air felt as if it had been sucked out of the elevator, and Max and the man stared at each other, taking each other’s measure.

  “You’ve made a very dangerous enemy, Mr. Devlin,” the man said. He was the same height as Jade and he used her body effectively to protect his own. His dark hair was shaved close to the scalp and his beard was the same length. Brown, soulless eyes stared at him, and Max knew he’d slice Jade’s throat in a heartbeat and show no remorse if Max didn’t tread very carefully.

  “I can easily say it’s mutual, Mr.—?”

  “Smith.”

  “Yes, very clever. You can tell Mr. Vassin that if she dies then he won’t find a corner of the world far enough away to hide in.”

  The man’s eyes narrowed and he tightened his hold around her neck so the blade bit into the skin. A single drop of red welled and Max felt his whole body go still. This fucker was a dead man.

  “If he wanted to disappear, you would never find him, but that is not why I am here. We are all businessmen, and Mr. Vassin decided he didn’t like the terms you set forth earlier. He felt it was a little one sided. After all, if he gives you half the money, what’s to keep you from taking it and leaving him high and dry? Here you go, sweetheart.” The man kept his eyes on Max as he put a black briefcase in Jade’s hands. “Hand this over to your boyfriend very slowly. I wouldn’t want my hand to slip and slice that pretty neck.”

  Max reached out and took the briefcase from Jade, keeping his eyes on her attacker. He couldn’t look at her, afraid of what he’d see in her eyes. Or maybe more afraid of what she’d see in his.

  “Be careful, Mr. Smith.” He set the briefcase by his feet so his hands would be free. “Good bodyguards are hard to find.”

  “You seem to be rather careless when it comes to her wellbeing. Do you toss your lovers away so easily then?”

  “Well, lovers are easier to find than bodyguards.” His casual attitude flustered the man, and he hoped the lack of concentration would be enough for him to make a mistake so Max could strike out. But this man was a professional, and he knew exactly how to hold her, how to position the knife so she’d be dead before Max could ever make a move. “Why don’t you deliver your message so we can get things rolling? I’m a busy man. And I’ve got a plane to catch. I think I’ve decided I’d rather do business with Jarron Sikes after all.”

  “Unfortunately, that is no longer an option. Mr. Vassin doesn’t want you to think that he’s not an honorable businessman, so the first half of the payment you demanded is in that briefcase. But we’re going to take your lover as our own insurance. Once you’ve given Mr. Vassin the information he wants, you can have her back. An easy transaction.”

  “And how am I supposed to give Mr. Vassin this information, and where do I reclaim my property?”

  “He’s extending an invitation to his home here in the valley. Come alone and unarmed.

  Now hit the button to take you to your room.”

  Max stared at him out of glacial eyes, and the man must have seen the promise of his death there because he tightened his grip around Jade and took a step back. Max hit the elevator button for the penthouse level and stood impotent while Mr. Smith maintained control.

  The man pulled Jade out of the elevator and the doors started to close. “Tonight, Mr. Devlin.”

  The last thing he saw before the doors closed in his face was Jade staring back at him, the complete trust there in her eyes that he’d come for her. And by God, he wasn’t going to let her down.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  He had his phone in his hand dialing Dec’s number as soon as the doors closed.

  “What’s going on? The staff here watches that private door like hawks. I couldn’t get anywhere near it without drawing attention to myself.”

  “Vassin’s man took Jade as collateral and left the first half of the payment with me.” Max paused as Dec swore viciously. “I can meet with Vassin at his home tonight and give him the convoy locations, and then he says I can take Jade and leave.”

  “They’ll try to kill you.”

  “That’s what I’m planning on.”

  “Give Elena a few minutes to mess with the cameras and then head down to our suite. I’ve already got blueprints for Vassin’s home here. We’ll get her back.”

  “Damned right we will,” he said and hung up. His fist punched against the elevator wall and he shook out the sting as he rode to the top.

  Once the elevator doors opened on his floor he let himself into his ro
om, and waited for the signal that Elena had overtaken the cameras. He changed into sand colored cargos and a white shirt, and he laced up his combat boots, much preferring their familiar weight over the expensive loafers he’d been wearing.

  He didn’t have to wait long for Elena’s signal, and he took the stairs down to the floor below his. Declan was there waiting with the door cracked when he approached their room.

  “Vassin lives in northern Las Vegas,” Dec said, heading to the table where the maps were spread out. “His home is gated and sits on more than twelve acres of land. We’ve got an hour until sunset. The darkness will be in our favor. I’ve got some new toys I’ve been wanting to try out.”

  “If he hurts one hair on her head, he’s a dead man,” Max said, a vicious fury riding just beneath his skin. “I mean it, Dec. I don’t care what kind of red tape or government promises have been made to hand over Martin Vassin. He will die if she’s hurt.”

  “I’ll help you bury the body if it comes to that,” Dec said, nodding. “We’re in this together. And you know as well as I do that accidents can happen on a mission. We’ll worry about covering our asses when we need to. And if we can’t cover our asses then Gabe Brennan sure as hell can. He owes me a favor.”

  Max nodded in gratitude and then leaned over the table, staring at the blueprints of Vassin’s home. He was so caught up in his plans he didn’t realize the phone ringing was his until the sixth ring.

  “Devlin,” he said, answering the phone.

  “So now we are on an even playing field, my friend. This is much better.”

  Max signaled to Dec that it was Vassin on the phone, and he and Elena got to work trying to track his signal.

  “Put Jade on the phone,” he demanded.

  “She’s tied up at the moment and unable to talk. I’m sure you can speak to her once you arrive.”

  “How do I know she’s alive?”

  “I guess you’ll just have to take my word for it,” Vassin said, chuckling. “She is quite a handful. Such spirit she has. And her eyes are like green fire shooting sparks at me. It’s very—arousing.”

  Max’s hand gripped the phone tighter and he had to remind himself not to let anger take control. He needed to keep a clear head for Jade’s sake.

  “I’m assuming there was a point to this call,” Max said.

  “Ah, yes. Our business transaction. I’ve decided to play your little time game and see if you’re as good as playing by my rules as I was at playing by your rules.”

  “I hate to break it to you, Martin, but you were pretty shitty at following the rules.”

  He laughed again and Max caught Dec’s eye, telling him to keep him talking while Elena tracked his cell phone. Once she was locked onto it, it would be like a homing beacon once they started looking for him. And once they found Vassin, they’d more than likely find Jade with him.

  “Yes, I called your bluff quite handily. Let me tell you my rules. It is a two-hour drive from the hotel to my home if there’s no traffic. You have an hour and fifty-five minutes to get here.”

  Max paced the floor and kicked at the edge of the sofa. “Or what?” he asked.

  “You remember our mutual friend Mr. Smith?” Vassin asked. “He is very good with a knife. You could even say he loves his work. For every minute you’re late in getting here, Mr. Smith will start removing body parts. The timer starts now, Mr. Devlin.”

  The line went dead and he carefully put the phone in his pocket instead of throwing it across the room like he wanted.

  “We’ve got his phone,” Dec said. “He’s still en route himself.” Dec handed him an earpiece for communication, and he flicked the tiny sensor to turn it on and then slipped it into his ear. It fit neatly into the canal so it wasn’t visible.

  Max grabbed the keys to the Jeep and was already halfway out the door. He didn’t have even seconds to spare.

  “We’ll be right behind you,” Dec called out as the rest of the team started gathering their gear. “Try not to piss anyone off too bad before we get there.”

  Max let the door slam behind him and took the elevator all the way to the garage floor level where the Jeep was parked. Dusk had already started to fall, and it made the lights of The Strip seem sadder somehow, the people walking the streets with greed in their eyes more pathetic.

  He tried not to look at the clock as he sped through downtown and toward the long stretch of highway that would take him to Vassin’s home. Night closed in and his foot pressed farther to the floor, taking the Jeep as fast as it could go while he kept an eye out for cops. He heard the occasional conversation in his earpiece, but he blocked it out once he heard that the team was en route. Dec always had a little bit of magic up his sleeve. He was always prepared for every eventuality.

  He saw the barricade just after he took the last exit off the highway. A car blocked the driveway, and two men leaned against it, waiting for his arrival. He slammed on the brakes and got out of the Jeep almost before it had stopped rolling.

  “Not bad,” one of the men said, looking at his watch. “You might be able to keep her all in one piece after all. Put your hands on the car and spread your legs.”

  Max did as he was told, anxious to get a move on. The timer was still ticking. The men patted him down and took the Glock at the small of his back and the Ka-Bar that was in his boot. They cuffed his hands behind his back and then shoved him in the back seat of the black Lincoln they’d been driving, leaving Max’s Jeep in the middle of the road.

  He didn’t fidget in his seat or try to make his position more comfortable since his hands were behind his back. He just stared into the rearview mirror until the driver kept glancing back at him nervously, and then he finally flicked the mirror up so he couldn’t be seen. Max smiled and looked out the window. They had reason to be nervous.

  The car pulled to a stop in front of black iron gates, and they opened slowly, letting the car pass through. Max looked around the grounds for alternate escape routes and then looked at the mansion in front of him. It was three stuccoed stories with white balconies on the top two floors and an orange tile roof. Palm trees flanked the front walkway and the corners of the house, and a long rectangular pool complete with fountains was the centerpiece of the front yard.

  The men pulled him out of the backseat of the car and unlocked his cuffs, and Max flexed his wrists, trying to get the blood circulating again.

  “You’ve got three minutes until they start cutting,” the driver said. “But you’ve got to find them first. Better run.”

  Max took off through the front door and he heard Dec in his ear. “The phone signal is on the third floor. West corridor. Last room on the left.”

  He wasn’t expecting it to be easy, so when he took the stairs two at a time to the second floor and met with two of Vassin’s goons, he barely paused when they came at him. He was a machine, and his feet and fists were all the weapons he needed. He made short work of the men—a kick to the solar plexus for one and a punch to the jaw for the other—rendering them both unconscious.

  He continued up the third flight of stairs and followed Declan’s instructions to where the phone signal had been coming from. He heard footsteps from behind him from the guards who’d just stumbled over their friends, and he took out two more who tried to block his way to Vassin.

  When Max burst through the door and into the spacious office, his blood ran cold at the sight that greeted him. Jade was standing against one of the bookshelves, a gag tied around her mouth and her wrists tied in front of her. An apple was precariously balanced on top of her head.

  “Ahh, you’re just in time for the fun, Mr. Devlin,” Vassin said from his place behind his desk. He was leaned back in his chair, his eyes giddy with delight at the upcoming festivities. Mr. Smith stood at the opposite end of the room, tossing a knife in his hand.

  Max didn’t stop to think. He saw Smith toss the knife one last time and get into position to throw it, and he flung his body at him, taking him down just as the kni
fe left his hand. The rage building inside of him made him feel inhuman, more monster than man, but he didn’t hesitate to deliver a killing blow to the throat, crushing his trachea.

  He was up on his feet again in only seconds, but killing Mr. Smith had wasted precious time. He looked to where Jade had been standing, and his heart almost stopped at the sight of the knife buried in the bookshelf where she’d been standing. She’d dropped to the floor the second Max had moved to attack.

  “I’m a gun man myself,” Vassin said, pointing the weapon at Jade as she worked at the restraints around her wrists. She’d managed to spit out the gag, and she was working quickly and efficiently to get free.

  “You owe me a transaction, Mr. Devlin. I’ll take the convoy routes now if you please. And if you even think about lying to me I’ll put a bullet through her brain.”

  Max could hear the commands from Declan as the team stormed the house. He shouldn’t have been surprised that Dec had brought in extra agents for the job. By their code names he knew that it was Cal Colter and Duncan Stirling who had landed whatever aircraft Declan had managed to get a hold of. Whatever it was, it was stealth and something that had the agents sounding giddy with excitement.

  “You’re going to kill me anyway,” Max said. “Why should I give you that location?”

  Vassin smiled like he was dealing with a bright student. “You’re very astute. It only seems fitting that I kill you since you killed Mr. Smith. I believe you told him that good bodyguards are hard to find. Unfortunately, that’s true, and he was mine. Maybe I’ll take yours instead. I wouldn’t mind a bodyguard that gives bed service. It would certainly simplify things.”