Forsaken (The Found Book 2) (26 page)

When they got to the garage, Annie swore it was the same damn Escalade that had driven them from Labado’s house, and when the driver’s door opened she saw it was the same driver.

“I guess I can look and touch now,” he leered.

“Shut up and drive. We have a boat to catch.”
Boat?
She and Magda were shoved inside, and they were soon on the streets of Miami.

Annie watched the road carefully, so she could find her way back to the apartment, trying to tune out Magda’s moaning.

“Shut up bitch,” the little guy said.

Magda said something none of them understood. Annie was pretty sure, she was saying she was carsick. It would serve them right if she puked all over them, but she worried they would hurt her.

Finally they stopped at the marina.

“Out.”

She was shoved out of the SUV, and fell onto her hands and knees. Once again the smaller man threw Magda over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She looked really green now. They walked down towards a small boat, and were soon headed out into open water.

“Where are we going?”

“I told you, you’re late for a party. The boss sent me to get you. It was nice of everyone to make it so easy.” Sure it was easy to bypass security if you were willing to murder people.

After twenty minutes a yacht appeared in the distance. It was beautifully lit up, loud, and it scared the hell out of her. Magda was seriously moaning, her head over the side of the boat, but she still hadn’t thrown up.

All too soon they were prodded up a ladder and she saw the smiling face of Thiago Labado as he stood over her in a white evening jacket.

“It’s so nice you could join us. There’s many events going on inside and you’ve already missed some of them, more’s the pity.” Loud dance music pumped out from the interior, but Annie was still able to hear Labado’s words.

“Let me get them properly attired. We’re still waiting for Soto so we can start the main event.” Annie blanched at the sound of Leslie Gordon’s voice. Out of the two, Leslie was the one who colored her nightmares.

“We don’t have time. Leon told me his boat left the marina.” The woman walked over, in her white evening gown, and stroked her perfectly manicured fingers down the side of Annie’s face, digging them into her neck.

“Look at me, Anna.” Annie felt the skin break under the woman’s nails. “You’re going to be a good girl. Carson didn’t want you or this other one here tonight, that tells me something. I remember how you protected your little friend. Well I will have her hurt…badly…unless you keep her and yourself under control. Are we clear?”

Annie nodded. Leslie went over to Magda.

“I do love blondes,” she said as she yanked Magda’s hair and stared into her terrified eyes.

Magda opened her mouth to either cry out or beg but instead she threw up all over Leslie’s white dress. Annie watched as noxious bile covered the gown with chunks of olives and pink cherries and had to choke back a laugh.

Labado didn’t have the good sense to keep his laughter on the inside and Leslie whirled on him.

“You asshole, how dare you laugh. Look what she’s done,” Leslie screeched. If there were dogs onboard they would come running.

“Oh my God, it was hysterical. You should see yourself.” The woman’s eyes got even bigger and her arm arched back and she slapped Labado for all she was worth, his head snapping backwards.

“You bitch, how dare you.” Labado grabbed both of her hands in his and she struggled to get out of his grip, the mess soon covering both of them.

Another small boat pulled up to the side of the yacht as people started to pour out of the French doors, attracted by commotion.

“Dammit hold still, look at me, now I’m covered in this filth.” Annie heard some of the people laughing.

“Thiago, when you said there would be entertainment, this isn’t what I was expecting.” a dark haired man said as he came aboard the yacht. Annie looked around, even more people were now on the deck, and she spotted Seth at the exact second he saw her. He started to push forward, she shook her head, but he didn’t stop.

“Annie,” Seth called out, and heads turned in his direction.

“Step back Carson.” Labado shouted. “I told you how the festivities worked. We get to play with one another’s toys.”

“Yes, I brought my toy to share.” The new man Annie assumed was Soto turned and guided a woman in a cape over the side of the boat. When she got onboard, he unclasped the cape and let it drop to the deck. She was naked except for a collar. There was applause.

“See Carson, this is how the game is played,” Labado said as he let go of Leslie and flicked a cherry off his jacket.

“I didn’t agree to this game Thiago.”

“I noticed, that’s why I had to go and get your pieces. It’s funny how much this one means to you.” Labado walked over to Annie and grabbed her sweater from the back, so that her breasts were on prominent display. “However, she does have her charms.” He glanced at Magda who was lying on the deck.

“That one, however, does not really appeal to me at the moment.” Leslie went over to Magda and drew back her foot, but before she could connect with the girl, Max appeared.

“Excuse me, but this one does appeal to me.” The crowd moved much closer, and Max only took three steps to disrupt Leslie’s kick.

“Look at her, she’s a sick mess.”

“She has potential. Do you have a place where she can bathe?” Leslie opened her mouth to argue but then she softened.

“Who are you?”

“Ms. Gordon, we’ve met before at another one of your auctions.” Max gave her a warm smile.

“We have?”

“Yes, we have.” Max reached out and took her hand.

“Oh yes, we have,” she agreed.

“You will give this girl to me, yes?”

“Yes.” She turned to the small man who had been standing over Magda. “Take her downstairs. Have one of the maids give her a bath.”

“Thank you.” Leslie beamed under Max’s appreciation, it really creeped Annie out. She had been so fascinated by the byplay she didn’t realize how dire her own predicament was becoming, until Labado’s knife appeared in front of her face. Her sweater and bra were cut down the front, pulled backwards, and tied. The man had effectively tied her hands behind her back, forcing her breasts out.

“I definitely see why she appeals to you. As I said from the beginning, I was going to partake of whichever one you didn’t. And it seems the other one is occupied for the night.”

“She’s not available.” Seth’s tone was deadly.

“It’s either me, or I can arrange for a real party.” Labado turned his head and looked at the crowd. “How many here would like to have fun with this one tonight?” Annie watched in horror as five men stepped forward.

“Thiago, you have one more chance. Let her go, or I will kill you.”

“Carson.” A woman’s voice cried out. “Who is this woman?” People were shoved aside as Portia Benitez Runyon made her way forward and stood between Annie and Seth. The woman was barely upright on her spiked heels, but she managed to whirl between the two of them.

“Answer me. Is this the woman who is ripping apart our marriage?” Seth didn’t even spare Portia a glance, he kept his eye on Annie and the tight grip Labado had on her upper arm. Portia went over to him, her short, tight dress not allowing her to walk very fast.

“You answer me. Is she the other woman?”

“Not now, Portia,” he ground out.

Behind Seth, Annie noticed a man towering over the others, a second look told her it was Nate. Everybody was probably here, the DEA raid had to be happening soon.

“Answer me, is this the other woman?” Portia screeched. God, she was higher than a kite. She spun around again, and slapped Annie’s face, not even hitting her right.

“Stop it,” Seth said lunging forward.

“Grab him.”

“Girl fight,” some drunk asshole yelled from the back. Laughter broke out.

Portia grabbed hold of Annie’s hair and pulled hard, and then spit in her face.

“Really? If anyone gets to spit, it’s me.” Annie lowered her head and pushed into Portia, toppling her over.

“Annie,” Seth called.

“I’m fine.” Annie yelled back. She saw out of the corner of her eye as Seth made his way towards Labado.

“Max, Soto’s going your way,” she heard Nate yell.

A bright spotlight burst over the bow of the yacht. She saw it was the Coast Guard.

A loud voice came over a bullhorn announcing the ship was surrounded. She heard gunfire and yelling.

Portia kicked at Annie, knocking her backward. “You’re going down, you home wrecker.”

“You deceitful bitch, I’m going to take you down with
two
hands tied behind my back.” Annie hated this woman with every fiber of her being. She got up on her knees, and watched Portia start to kick again and stumble in those ridiculous heels.

“Carson belongs to me. He loves me. He wants me.”

“Honey, he’d masturbate with sandpaper before he’d fuck you.”

Portia came closer and took a swing, but Annie jerked back at the last minute watching as the bitch continued forward and flat on her face on the deck.

“I’m going to kill you.” She got up on her knees and finally had the good sense to kick off her heels. She picked one up and came at Annie, brandishing the stiletto like the deadly weapon it was. Annie was on her feet by this time, so when Portia hit her in the shoulder with her heel, it knocked her into the railing of the yacht.

The brass bars dug into her waist and she drove a knee into Portia’s stomach. The woman grabbed her hair, and lifted her other hand to stab her in the face with the heel. Annie acted on instinct, she twisted and then toppled over the side with Portia’s hand still tangled in her hair.

****

Seth looked when Portia yelled she was going to kill Annie. The women were at the spot where passengers boarded the yacht. The next thing he knew they were careening over the side into the dark waters.

Seth dropped Labado, uncaring if he got away or not, and ran to the railing. When he looked over the side, he thought he saw a flash of red, it could be either Annie’s sweater or Portia’s dress. He aimed for it as he dove. His fingers pushed backwards as he hit something hard. The pain was a relief. It was a skull. He grabbed on to the hair, his eyes open, but through the water he couldn’t tell if it was dark or blonde. Please God, let it be Annie.

He reached down further, but couldn’t find anyone else to grab hold of. He swam to the top, praying the entire time. As he made it to the surface he heard another body hit the water, but he didn’t care, he was blinking as fast as he could to clear his eyes, and then he heard her cough and he knew.

He started to cough too, as he kicked towards the boat. He kept them close to the water’s surface. Were they still fighting onboard? He didn’t want a bullet to hit her. He wrapped his arm around the ladder and worked to untie the sodden sweater and bra off her arms. She was still a coughing mess when she hugged him. She couldn’t say anything, she just coughed, but he understood her anyway.

“Seth, give her to me.”

He looked up and Max was three rungs above them on the ladder. “It’s safe to come back aboard.” Seth pushed Annie gently upwards into Max’s waiting arms. He looked over his shoulder and saw red again, but it was Brice’s hair as he came up for air. He gulped, and then went under again. Seth watched him repeat the process five more times before two life rings were thrown to them from above. He looked up. It was members of the coast guard.

Seth watched as a man in a wetsuit went into the murky ocean depths to look for Portia. He climbed up the ladder, Brice behind him.

****

“Where’s Portia? Where’s my baby?” Tomas sobbed uncontrollably. Two DEA agents were restraining him at the rail since he already attempted to jump.

Labado lay splayed on the deck, an ugly dark stain of life’s blood covered his groin. As Leslie Gordon tried to stem the flood, Nate couldn’t hide his pleasure. It happened so fast, Nate saw the opportunity and took it, with his one shot to the groin he ensured the motherfucker would never touch another woman. Watching as he stood over the duo like a sentinel, Seth picked up on Nate’s satisfaction as he watched Labado take his final breaths. He must have felt Seth’s eyes on him, because he looked up, and they nodded in perfect accord.

Sierra took Annie below deck for dry clothes. He’d wanted her to stay there, but instead she was in his arms. Who was he kidding, this is really where he wanted her.

A scream pierced the air, and Seth looked and saw Portia’s body as it was pulled over the side of the boat, Tomas’s screams rending the night air. As soon as she had tried to kill Annie, she signed her death warrant as far as Seth was concerned.

Vargas Jr., Vargas Sr., and Soto were sitting against the side of the boat, with their hands handcuffed behind them.

Labado must have died, because Leslie was attempting to stand.

“Stay there,” Nate said.

“You can’t leave me like this. I have to change, I can’t stand the stench.”

Nate nudged her with his oversized foot. “Lady, I couldn’t stand your stink before Magda spewed on you. I love the idea of you staying covered in puke for the next fifty years.”

Isaacson walked over to Seth. “We finally pinpointed the leaks in your office, and arrested them.”

He knew he should care, and maybe he would later. Right now he only cared about Annie. He was going to have flashbacks of her going over the side of the boat forever. She would be lucky to ever leave his side again.

“Seth, even getting rid of the leaks, you might want to think about laying low for the next year or so. Even from prison, Vargas and Soto have reach, leaving the country might not hurt.”

Annie gripped him even tighter.

“Lee, all I care about right now is getting off this boat and on a plane to LA.” As if by magic, Max was suddenly by his side.

“We need to get to the airport, Seth. The plane is ready.” Lee looked at Max in confusion.

“Who are you?”

“Nobody you need to know.” Behind Max were Brice and Sierra.