Chapter 35
They ran down the stairs. Tish was crazy fast, but even so, he wanted to leap over her and scream Go!
He barked directions. “The basement. There’s a door there. They’ll be watching, but it may be our best shot.”
She stopped, out of breath, chest heaving. “Eli. What is this all about?”
“I trusted someone I shouldn’t. But you’re getting away.”
“I’m not going without you.”
“I’m going with you. Now get.” He flicked a quick glance at the front vestibule. “I’ll check outside first.”
Tish stood mute as he looked out the window on the tiny landing. Nothing. “We’re good.”
Suddenly, a huge, dark shadow slammed into his field of view. He jolted back in surprise. “Tish, go!” He leapt from the landing just as the door flew open, caught him in the chest, and sent him hurtling against the banister.
Rearing up, he tossed a hard punch, caught the intruder in the jaw. But seconds later, the man rallied. Hard knuckles connected as Eli’s jaw rung. He fell backward and hit the wood of the handrail. And the man was on him again.
Heavy footsteps thudded as it sounded like an army ran into the hallway. Rough hands grasped Eli, yanked him away from the big man he’d been struggling with, then held him tight. Everything stopped.
“So. Austin.” The grizzled man rubbed his jaw. “I should kick your ass out of Jack’s Bay and back for that one. Jerk.”
“Masters,” he spat. “Disgusted to make your acquaintance.”
One of the men holding him shook him, hard, slammed him against the banister again for good measure. “Manners, jerk.”
But Masters spoke, and though the voice was low, it was surprising how it pervaded everything. The two goons immediately listened. He caught it in their bearing, though the reaction was physically a slight one, to the untrained eye. That voice controlled everything. “Let him go.”
Immediately the two men dropped their hands.
Interesting. No questions asked. No…rebuttal.
Just obedience. Immediate.
But first damn things first. He did a perimeter scan. His gut fell when he saw her, standing in the kitchen, frozen.
Shit. She hadn’t gotten away.
And suddenly, he and Masters were staring at each other.
The man wasn’t tall. Maybe five-ten, five-eleven. But there was something about him.
Solid. He gave off the vibe of a big rock. If that man didn’t want to be moved, wasn’t anyone moving him.
And those eyes. Cold, flat. And somehow…Eli shivered…they saw right through you.
Well, damned if he wasn’t going to save Tish. And himself if he could. And run after Ian too. Whatever he could do, he’d do. He just had to…
“We took care of the goons at Shriver’s Mine.”
The game had begun. “Yeah, I hear you’re taking my brother somewhere too. Undisclosed location.”
“The hell it’s undisclosed. He lost blood, we’re taking him to someone who owes us a favor. That’s what you wanted, wasn’t it? Or should I let him croak?”
“I don’t want him hurt.” He spat the words, repeated his terms. “I need a call from him telling me he’s good before you get information.”
Masters looked him up and down, a note of derision present. “You may have been a big man in Special Ops, but just at the moment? You don’t look like you’re in any position to be telling anyone what you want. You know?”
“I know that unless he’s safe, you can do whatever the hell you want to me, but you won’t be getting anything from me.”
Masters snorted. “Whatever.” He tipped his head toward the street. “We also dispatched the jerks that were outside.”
Oh dear god, thank you, rang in Eli’s mind. He jerked his head in the direction of the kitchen, didn’t turn to look at her. Couldn’t. But said what was foremost on his mind. “She can go then.” Watched the man’s eyes, yellow in the light of the streetlamp, shining in from the street.
But Masters didn’t answer that, acted as if he hadn’t spoken. “You know Jake Waters?”
“I said…”
“Do you know him?”
What the hell was he talking about? Yeah, he knew him. Lowlife. Decent enough, but Masters wouldn’t see it that way.
As if to underscore the fact, Masters continued. “I’m not playing games here, and you have no bargaining chips. I hold them all. Do you know Jake Waters?”
Fine. “Yeah.”
“Jerk. Off the grid. Thinks he can play Robin Hood. I heard from him today. Guess what I heard?”
“That you’re a jerk-off?”
A faint smile tinged Master’s voice, though his face didn’t move.
The strident beeps of a cellphone hit the air. Masters thumbed the on button, scrutinized the screen. “Here.” He passed it to Eli, another hard glare on his face. “Listen.”
Incoming call Ian Austin.
“Hey kid.”
“Babe’s patching me up.”
“Babe?” He couldn’t keep the surprise out of his voice.
“Yeah.” He caught the momentary grin in Ian’s voice. “Total babe. I trust her, Eli. It’s good.”
“It’s good?” Kid must be on drugs. “What the hell?”
“Well, it’s a decent place. You come in, it’s ordinary. A back room, but hell. There’s everything here. Even knitted crap.”
“Knitted crap?”
“Yeah. Like those things Aunt Delilah used to make. Throws. And she ordered the one dude out of here. For crap’s sake Eli, I’m drinking hot chocolate out of a Rudolph mug. Mint. She says I’ll be fine, and then they’re letting me go. Slipped me twenty for cab fare.” He paused. “Eli, it’s good.”
“That’s the best you can do, loser?”
Ian’s voice dipped low, serious. “I’ve never said that before, man. Not since…you know.”
And suddenly, something in him sparked, sprang free. Ian was fine. And free. His kid brother was out of danger.
Masters had done it. No matter how bad he was, he’d kept his word, in this instance. He’d taken care of the kid.
To the tune of a damn Rudolf mug with hot chocolate. The kid had had his Christmas Eve.
Relief washed through him. But the next phase was ready to start. One down, one to go.
He looked up at Masters, who was conferring with his stooges in the corner by the front door, in low tones. Not paying attention.
He moved a step closer to the kitchen, out of earshot. “There’s still the brotherhood to deal with.”
“I texted Jonas for orders. He said with what’s gone down, they can use you better from the outside. Hang tight, was what he said. Said it came from Arc himself. So…you gotta get a life, man.”
He was suddenly on the alert again. “New orders are…?”
“Get a life, man. Grab Tish, go for it.”
“Grab Tish? What are you talking about?” Kid must be on prime quality drugs. “So I don’t go anywhere, just wait?”
“Over and out, man. Don’t bug me anymore tonight. I’ll find a place to crash and be in touch. Take care of her.”
Click.
He was gone.
He handed the phone back wordlessly to Masters, who’d stopped his little powwow with his men. The man’s expression hadn’t changed but something was different.
Well. One of the persons he loved the most in the world—was safe. That was a Christmas bonus he’d never, ever get the like of again. It was too good. Too damn good.
Merry, freakin’ Christmas.
And now, no matter what Ian thought, he still had to get Tish gone, then pay the piper, and at the hands of a rogue cop.
Master’s voice intruded on his thoughts “So. Waters says you’re a loser.”
He shrugged. “News flash.”
Masters ignored that, rested his shoulder against the door frame. “Says you’re not worth the trouble. None of it.”
He winced. “So..?”
“You and the woman.” He jerked his head toward her. “Get out of here before I change my mind.”
He stared at Masters. “What?”
But Masters was no longer watching and was on his cell phone again. “Yeah. No one here, Ash.” He listened for a couple of seconds, spoke again. “I know! Jerk got away. Couldn’t be helped. Oh well, it’s a wonderful damn life, all over again. Only not for me. For the jerk. Yeah, thanks, Ashleigh. I know, sweetheart. Happy Damn Chris…oops, yeah. Sorry. I know I always get it wrong.”
He looked up at Eli, and miraculously, he grinned. For a second, he seemed like a different man. “Merry Damn Christmas, Doll.”
He gave Eli a withering look. “So? What the hell are you doing still here?” His cell beeped, and he checked the screen, then looked at his watch. “Aww, shit. Late again. Crap.”
He motioned to the goons, who still stood quietly. “Call just came in. The Connor case. We’re off.”
“Do we…um…”
Masters fixed him Eli with a hard glare. “Now what?”
Well, hell. He needed to know. “Do we need to leave?”
Masters shrugged. “It’s your damn Christmas party. Do what you want.” He turned and strode out the door, the two men following him. The last one reached back, pulled the door shut after him.