Page 31 of Tempest

“Bad enough that even the Twisted Tides are nervous. We’re talking cartel-level shit.”

I closed my eyes, picturing Kasen’s terrified face. “Doesn’t matter. We’re getting her back.”

“I know. Just… be careful, brother.”

The plane touched down in Miami, and I hit the ground running. A sleek black motorcycle was waiting, courtesy of the Twisted Tides. I gunned the engine, weaving through traffic like a man possessed.

The clubhouse loomed ahead, a fortress of brick and steel. As I skidded to a stop, the massive gate swung open. A group of hard-faced men stood waiting, their cuts adorned with the Twisted Tides’ emblem -- a kraken wrapped around a skull.

Their President, Tiger, stepped forward. His scarred face was grim. “Wire filled us in. We’ve got boats fueled and ready.”

I nodded, my throat tight. “Thank you.”

Tiger’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t thank us yet. This is going to get ugly.”

“I’m counting on it,” I growled.

Chapter Ten

Tempest

The phone felt like it was going to crack under my grip, Wire’s voice a staticky storm in my ear. “39.2576° N, 74.5746° W. That’s where they’re holding her.”

My heart felt like it would pound through my ribs as I barked the coordinates to Tiger. His grim nod was the only answer I needed. The engine roared to life, the speedboat a hungry beast slicing through the inky water.

Shoving the phone into my pocket, I was caught in a maelstrom of thoughts.Kasen. Her name was a mantra in my head, a prayer on my lips. I had to get to her. Make this right.

“How long?” I snapped at Tiger.

“Twenty minutes, pushing it,” he replied, eyes fixed on the horizon, a mirror of my own relentless stare.

I checked my Glock once more, the familiar weight a comfort in the chaos. Full magazine. Good. My fingers danced over my cut, an inventory of weapons. Knife at my ankle. Backup at my lower back.

I would have liked more men with us, but the Devil’s Boneyard couldn’t get here fast enough. Hopefully, the few men Tiger had brought with him would be adequate. More remained at the docks waiting for us to return, or to send in reinforcements if we didn’t come back.

The wind whipped my face, salt spray stinging my eyes. I didn’t blink. Didn’t flinch. My gaze remained locked on the horizon, searching for any sign of the traffickers’ boat. I felt the ache of her absence like a phantom limb.

“We’ll get her back.” Tiger’s voice cut through the engine’s roar.

“Damn straight we will.”

Her face flashed in my mind. Her smile. The way she’d look at me, thinking I wasn’t watching. I always was. Always cared. And now, because of my carelessness, she was in danger.

The boat slammed into a wave, jolting me back to the present.Focus. I had a job to do. People to hurt.

“Wire say anything about their firepower?” I asked, my voice tight. I wasn’t sure what he’d told the Twisted Tides President when he’d enlisted their help.

Tiger shook his head. “Nothing solid. We assume the worst. This crew has been causing trouble up and down the Florida coast for years. A lot of tourists tend to go missing. Always young women and teens.”

“I’m in the mood for a fight. I don’t give a shit how rotten they are, or how tough. I’m going to take the fuckers down.” The words tasted like steel on my tongue, a promise and a threat. For Kasen, I would become the storm.

The traffickers’ boat materialized on the horizon, a hulking shadow against the star-dusted expanse of the night sky. At some point, they’d switched to a much larger vessel. Which meant they’d likely had it docked out in the water out of sight from where they snatched Kasen. My muscles coiled beneath my skin, ready to spring into action.

“Cut the engine,” I hissed, my voice barely audible over the gentle lapping of the waves against our own hull.

Tiger complied, the sudden silence pressing in around us like a tangible entity. We glided closer, the enormous vessel looming larger with each passing moment. My eyes raked the deck, searching for movement, for any hint of a threat.

Nothing.

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