Forever Hidden (Forever Bluegrass #2) (24 page)

“Bunch them together and stab the neck or face,” Sydney told him.

Teddy and Patrick turned white. “Who are you?”

Sydney smiled. “I’m my father’s daughter. Now let’s kick some ass.”

Sydney and her group started chatting about who was wearing what as they slowly moved closer to the group of guards. She was worried they wouldn’t make it. Teddy and Patrick were so stiff. Their voices trembled, and they laughed nervously. She needed to do something to distract the guards. She saw one move to stand up from his chair by the door at the same time both of Zain’s guards pulled out their cell phones. They looked down and immediately looked up at her. Sydney sent them a wink before turning on her full smile for the guard.

“Ugh, do you have a bandage?” Sydney asked as she lifted her foot onto the seat the guard had just vacated when he stood up. “Some bimbo dropped her glass of champagne and the darn thing nicked me.” The guard stood staring as Sydney’s skirt slid so far up her leg that she nearly exposed herself. But it worked. The guard didn’t pay attention to her unzipping the top of her boot. She pulled out the tube of lipstick and pretended to put it on as she got ready to use it.

“Can you take a look at it? Do you think it needs stitches?” Sydney asked worriedly.

“Sure thing.” The guard hastened to his knees so he could examine it. Sydney waited for him to bend forward and casually brought the lipstick to his neck and pressed the button.

Zzzzt
. The guard fell forward as Sydney swung her leg from the chair. At the same time, Zain’s two guards sprang into action. Patrick spilled everything from his camera bag as he pulled out a tripod. He extended it and swung with as much force as he could at the guard approaching a frozen Teddy. “Who else can I hit?” Patrick yelled frantically as he stared at the ensuing melee.

“Anyone but the two guys I pointed out a second ago,” Sydney yelled as she ducked a punch and zapped a guard in the crotch.

She went to stand back up but was too slow. A guard rammed her to the ground. He was huge, and she felt her ribs crack under his weight. He had to be close to seven feet tall and as heavy as a massive boulder. Even if her stun gun hadn’t gone skittering off when she hit the cement floor, it wouldn’t have impacted this man. The breath was pushed from her lungs as his weight pressed down on her. She gasped for air, but her lungs didn’t have room to expand. Sydney tried to push past the panic and keep calm as she struggled against the weight squeezing the life from her.

Light danced in front of her eyes, and the sounds of Teddy and Patrick screaming her name became muffled. Her arms fell to her side as her heart slowed. Through the fog came a war cry. Sydney forced herself to be present—forced herself to fight. And into her narrow field of vision came a ghost of designer vengeance. Teddy, screaming madly as fear drove him, jammed a handful of razor-sharp needles into the giant’s cheek. The man pushing the life from her reared up with a shout at the same time Patrick swung his tripod into his face.

Sydney gasped, dragging in breath after breath of air as the world came back into focus. With needles sticking out of his cheek and a busted nose pouring blood down his face, the massive man staggered to his feet. Sydney scooted away from him and jumped to her feet just as the door to the suite was flung open.

The man turned, and Sydney pulled her skirt up over her hips and ran straight at his back. She took a deep breath and jumped.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Deacon and Zain stopped by the door leading to the hallway. The girls were standing behind them, armed with everything from stools to liquor bottles. He stopped with his hand to the door when he heard a strange cry.

“What is that?” Deacon whispered.

Zain shook his head and leaned forward to press his ear to the door. “There’s a lot of movement out there.”

An angry roar penetrated the door, and the girls started to look nervous. “Don’t worry, ladies, reinforcements are here. Shall we help them?” Deacon asked with a smile. Thank goodness, the FBI must have found them.

Bailey tightened her grip on the gin bottle and nodded her head. “We got this. Girls, it’s payback time.”

Suddenly emboldened, the girls let out a war cry. Deacon threw open the door and rushed into the fight. He expected to see guns drawn, maybe a few punches, and some fighting as the guards tried avoid arrest. What he didn’t think he would see was Sydney in a thong hurtling through the air and landing on the back of the behemoth guard who had a batch of needles sticking out of his cheek and not a single FBI agent in sight.

Deacon didn’t have time to take it in before a man landed a punch to his face. His head snapped to the side as he saw Zain’s guards move to surround the prince. The three fought as one against Barrett’s guards and the other guards. Deacon shook off the punch and was about to throw his own when the ladies swooped in, clubbing the man with their bottles and crashing a chair over the guard’s head, leaving him unconscious.

Deacon hurried to help Sydney but couldn’t get to her before another guard engaged him. He caught a glimpse of the giant who was spinning round and round trying to shake Sydney off of his back.

“Sydney!” Deacon yelled. He watched helplessly as the guard slammed her into the cement wall.

Sydney made an
oomph
sound but held on. Her arm was wrapped around the man’s throat. Her elbow was under his chin as her hand held tightly to her opposite bicep. Her other arm was locked onto the back of his neck, pressing forward as the arm under the guy’s chin pressed back. If done right, a chokehold could take someone out in under ten seconds, but that seemed a lifetime as the man spun and slammed Sydney again.

The entire scene was now utter chaos. The ladies beat guards into submission as a group. Zain and his guards systematically took other men down. And Deacon fought with the guard who had demanded the money when they first arrived. They traded punches as Deacon tried to keep an eye on Sydney. He saw the colossal man suddenly drop to his knees. Sydney held on for dear life as Deacon saw the guard’s eyes roll back.

He wouldn’t be out long; he’d wake up as soon as blood flow was restored. The sound of the fight had brought stadium security, which had finally amassed and were running down the hall toward them. “Hey! We need to detain him!” Deacon yelled as the stadium guard, now backed up by other stadium guards from the floor, stopped to stare at the scene.

“Hands up!” he ordered Deacon who was busy pinning the moneyman to the floor.

Deacon stared at him. There were no guns, tasers, or weapons for stadium guards. “Come on, I’m the good guy. He’s the dick.”

The man shook his head. “I don’t care. We’re detaining everyone.”

Sydney let out a frustrated sigh. “Do you remember me?” she called out from where she lay on the goliath’s back, ready to choke him out the second he came back around. “Keep the good people safe and the bad out. Well, we’re the good people, and they’re the bad people. Call the FBI agents already in the building. Please. In the meantime, do you have any restraints for this guy?”

The guard looked conflicted, but then the gargantuan man started to groan. The security guard reached into his utility belt and pulled out a zip tie. He struggled to pull the man’s arms together. Deacon went to help slide the ties on as another stadium guard held on to Moneybags.

“Freeze!” A group of FBI agents rushed forward with Zain’s other two guards. “Prince Ali Rahman, explain,” the lead agent called as the group kept their guns trained on everyone.

“Agent Helms. Sorry for the delay in contacting you. Our cell phones were confiscated, and we had a little distraction once we got out of the suite,” Zain said from between his two guards with a pile of unconscious and injured bad guys on the ground in front of them.

Deacon let Zain take the lead as he turned to wrap Sydney up in his arms. “Are you okay?” Deacon asked. He pulled away to look at her when she gasped in pain. He saw the blood trickling down her leg and the bruises forming all over her body.

“I think I have a broken rib or two. Maybe three.” She smiled as she leaned against him.

Deacon wrapped his arm gently around her and casually pulled her skirt down. Sydney chuckled and then groaned. “It took ten years off my life when I saw you leap onto that man’s back. What were you thinking?” Deacon asked in disbelief.

“I had to stop him. He was big and strong enough to take everyone down. Once he was distracted, I saw my chance. My dad taught me that move when I was eight years old. I just remember him telling me size didn’t matter; it was about the technique. All I had to do was get the chokehold right, and I could take the big guy down,” Sydney told him as she slumped against him.

The FBI moved in and secured the beast of a man with cuffs. They also called for leg shackles and more assistance when he started to wake up. Zain continued to tell Agent Helms the events that had transpired on their end, and Deacon took the opportunity to check on the girls who were huddled together, looking petrified.

“Ladies, you were fantastic. This is Sydney Davies. She’s part of the group responsible for finding you. Sydney, this is Bailey Vander and her friends.” Deacon smiled at the group of young women who rushed to hug them.

Sydney laughed through the pain of her injuries when Bailey squeezed her and cried. Deacon had never been around so many sobbing women. He hugged them all as, one by one, they introduced themselves with their real names.

“Agent Helms,” Deacon called out. The girls stepped closer to him and Sydney as the agent made his way over to them.

“Deacon McKnight. It’s nice to finally meet you. Detective Gentry had a lot of nice things to say about you when we checked you out.” The agent turned to Bailey who stood trembling with Syd’s arm around her. “And you must be Bailey. It’s good to see you. I’m Agent Daniel Helms. I’m going to be talking to you about what happened and making sure you get home as soon as possible.” The girls gave him a quivering smile but visibly relaxed once they realized he wasn’t going to arrest them. “May we take these ladies back to our hotel and let them shower and get some food while you wrap up here? Then you can talk to them there. There’s no need to traumatize them further.”

“Of course. I’ll have one of my guys escort you in one of our vans. That way you can all go together,” Agent Helms said gently. The girls clung to each other, and Deacon appreciated the agent’s handling of the situation.

“But what about the woman?” Bailey asked. “She’s still out there. She can find us.”

Sydney tightened her grip on the scared child at her side who didn't look old enough to drive. On her other side, Bailey stood rigid as fear overtook her. “Woman?” Sydney asked.

Bailey nodded. “The head of the organization is a woman. I don’t know her name. She spoke with Vic in a language I didn’t understand. But Vic and Barrett did what she said. She is in charge, and she can still find us.”

Sydney felt the girl start to shake. “Vic? Vic was here?” Sydney asked Deacon who nodded.

“He’s locked in the bathroom suite with Barrett and the other guys who paid for the girls,” Deacon said. His arms were still stretched out with girls huddled under each one.

“What about Mr. Tamboli? He was on his way up here right before us.”

“Mr. Tamboli is Vic. Victor Tamboli,” Deacon explained. “He’s from Hungary and has a link to Tristan Models in Europe. He runs their European department that goes by the name Becker.”

Sydney had always heard the expression of a light bulb going off. But it was more accurate to say an image slammed into her head as she gasped and then laughed with relief. “You don’t have to worry about that woman ever again,” Syd told the girls. “After I knocked her out, I left her with Zain’s guards, and she was put into FBI custody. Agent Helms, I believe you will find that the model who goes by Emily Tamlin is the mastermind behind this ring.”

Teddy and Patrick gasped, and the girls cheered with relief. Teddy stepped forward with a hand still shaking from adrenaline. He took Syd’s hand in his. “Let me help. I have hordes of clothes downstairs I can give to these girls.”

Sydney smiled her thanks and squeezed his hand. She gave him the hotel name and room number. Agent Helms got Teddy’s information and arranged to interview him at the hotel.

Patrick gave a startled gasp, and Sydney looked over at him as he picked up the GoPro he’d been using to shoot behind-the-scenes images. “What?”

Patrick smiled and shook his head. “Nothing. Just glad my camera isn’t broken. My tripod, however . . .” He shrugged as an FBI agent wearing gloves took it from him.

“Why don’t you get the girls out of here before we arrest the men inside,” Helms suggested as Zain, his guards, and an agent formed a protective circle around them.

“See you in a little bit. Come on, girls. Hot showers, new designer clothes, and lots and lots of room service await.” Sydney took Bailey’s hand and led the way toward the elevator. She turned around and saw the girls, especially the younger one, glued to Deacon’s side with hero worship clearly on their faces. Sydney was pretty sure she had the same look on her face when she looked at him. What made her heart beat even faster was he had that same look when he looked at her.

“Don’t think for one second I haven’t noticed your leg,” Deacon chided as they all got into the elevator.

“I’ve already texted for a doctor,” Zain grinned from the back of the elevator. “And if you ladies give me the information on your parents and loved ones, I can make arrangements to get them here immediately.”

The young girl who looked like a lost child looked up at Zain. “I’m so lucky I was assigned to entertain you. But, who are you? I was only told you were extremely important.”

“Zain Ali Rahman, at your service.” Zain smiled as he held out his hand.

“Well, thank you, Mr. Ali Rahman, and you too, Mr. McKnight, for saving our lives.”

“Your Highness, the doctor will meet you in your suite. Miss Davies, food has been ordered as well,” one of the guards whispered.

It wasn’t soft enough though. The young girl’s eyes grew even rounder. “Highness?”

“He’s the Prince of Rahmi—a prince who looks after those in need.” Sydney smiled as suddenly the entire group of women turned to stare at Zain with their mouths wide open.

The doors opened, and the agent led the now tittering group to an FBI van. Everyone piled in, and Sydney was finally able to relax. She slid into the seat next to Deacon and laid her head on his shoulder. The voices of the girls giving Zain's men their real names and the names of their parents filled the van.

“Should I call my mom?” Bailey asked hesitantly. “I don’t know what to say. Maybe you could talk to her and see if she wants to talk to me.”

The other girls similarly nodded. “I’m too afraid to call my parents,” the wide-eyed teenager said with embarrassment. “I ran away from home. I left a note blaming them for smothering me. Vic had, well, he had . . . and I thought he loved me.”

“Me too. I was on spring break in Panama when I met Vic. He has videos of me,” another girl said before tears broke free.

“My mom will never forgive me,” another girl said sadly.

Sydney could see the abuse Vic and Barrett subjected them to coming out. The girls literally wilted into their seats. “That is not true,” Sydney said forcefully. “You are survivors, and the FBI will find those tapes. You will find power in them and in yourselves. You have the power to stand up and tell the truth. Tell the world that Vic, Emily, and Barrett no longer have any power over you. You no longer need to be afraid of them. And you will do that in a courtroom where Deacon, Zain, all of your parents, and I will be holding your hands as a show of support. Each time you tell your story, you take back your own power and your own destiny. Those things no longer belong to the people who hurt you. With your testimony and the testimony from the survivors the Atlanta police found, your tormentors will never see the light of day again.”

“Do you still want me to call your mom?” Deacon asked as they pulled into the hotel.

Bailey nodded. “When we get upstairs, will you please call her for me and see if she wants to talk to me?”

“I will,” Deacon promised as he helped Sydney and girls out of the van.

Sydney bit back curse words as she climbed painfully out of the van. Every inch of her body hurt, but she had to make sure the girls were safe before she could give in to the pain. They rode in silence up to the rooms. Zain entered his and opened the connecting door. Between the two suites, there were four showers for the ten girls. But no one moved. Instead they all stood quietly, watching as Deacon pulled out his cell phone and called Eloise Vander.