Page 2 of The Perfect Kiss
Once McCall stepped inside the building, he would see only Patton pretending to work on the bogus computer system we had set up three days ago. His only focus would be on the security cameras outside the old warehouse. We had to make sure nothing would alert McCall to anything out of the ordinary.
Everyone was in place, and all we needed to do was wait for McCall to appear. With the use of earpieces, we were able to communicate with each other. The minute McCall came into view, each of us would know.
“There is a black sedan heading toward the warehouse.” I heard Zach’s voice come over my earpiece, and already I could feel my adrenaline spike.
“Copy that,” Axe chimed in. “The sedan just stopped in front of the warehouse. Can’t get a visual on the driver.”
“I got your back, Axe,” Zach replied. “The subject is about six feet tall, medium build. I can’t see his face. He is wearing a fedora hat.”
I never knew McCall to wear a hat, but maybe he was taking the extra precaution not to be recognized.
“There’s another man in the sedan. He’s sitting in the back seat.” Mitch’s voice came over my earpiece, laced with concern. “I can’t tell who it is, but based on the broad shoulders, I can affirm that it is a man.”
There was only one reason a man would be sitting in the back seat. It was Salko. “We need to get a visual on the man in the back seat. I need to know if it is Salko.”
I waited for a response from one of the men, but time had run out. I heard the metal open. McCall entered the warehouse. Even though I didn’t have a good view of him, there was no other person it could be. Staying out of sight, I waited for McCall to greet Patton. When I didn’t hear a word from either of them, I began to worry. Leaving my position, I weaved my way between the barrels and workbenches toward the computer area where Patton was. Taking cover behind a six-foot tool cart, I peeked my head around the cart to get a quick look. My breath got caught in my throat as I saw Patton’s limp body resting on the chair.
With our plan compromised, somehow, I had to notify the men. As I started to move back to my original position, which was a safe distance away from McCall, I felt a gun barrel pressed between my shoulder blades. “I’ve got Cross. We are coming out.”
When I was forced out into the open, I came face to face with McCall. Or so I thought. Hidden beneath the fedora, Rui Salko lifted his hat from his head—an arrogant smile marked his face. “Well, well. It looks like I finally get to meet the infamous Davian Cross.”
“Where’s your brother, Salko?” I hissed; my eyes focused on the door.
“Where he should be. Do you honestly think that we are that stupid?” Salko’s cigar-stained teeth appeared as he let out a chuckle. “My brother can be a little… shall we say, ignorant at times. But when he told me where Reyna wanted to meet, I knew you had abandoned this warehouse some time ago. Up until a day ago, we had no idea where your new operation was. I guess I should thank you for leading one of my men right to it.”
All I saw was red. “If you do anything to her, I’ll kill you.” I reached out to grab him by the throat, but was immediately reminded of the man holding the gun against my back as he pressed it harder between my shoulder blades.
The smirk splashed across Salko’s face vanished when the sound of a gun firing came from behind me. The weight of a large body behind me fell against my back, and before I fell to the ground with it, I quickly moved out of the way. I watched Salko’s man fall to the floor, blood flowing from the back of his head onto the concrete.
I thanked God that my men could hear everything that was going on through my earpiece. I knew Salko wouldn’t come unarmed, but the minute he reached inside his suit jacket, he got a bullet to his head from one of my men taking cover behind me. When I turned around to see who it was, Marcus stood behind me holstering his gun with Stone beside him. I would have loved the satisfaction of killing him myself, but he was dead no matter who pulled the trigger.
My adrenaline was soaring, and the only thing I could think about was Reyna. “We need to get to the warehouse. Reyna and the other women are in danger.”
Axe walked through the metal door with one of Salko’s men in tow. “This man was sitting in the back seat of the sedan. I think with a little persuasion, I can get him to tell us where Crosby McCall is.”
“Don’t waste your time. He is headed to the warehouse if he isn’t there already. We’ve already wasted enough fucking time.” I felt sick knowing that I lead Salko’s men to the warehouse. Reyna was my everything. I’d die if I lost her again.
I reached for the door when I heard Patton’s voice behind me. “Hold up, Davian. At least take some of the guys with you.”
I was so focused on Reyna that I forgot that Patton was lifeless in the chair and possibly dead. Turning away from the door, I placed my hand on his shoulder. “God, it’s good to see your face. Are you good to come with me?”
“Absolutely.” Patton rubbed the back of his head while he looked over to the men lying on the floor that somehow got inside the warehouse without using the garage door or the metal door. “Axe and Stone, you two ride with us. The rest of you know what to do and where to take Salko’s men for questioning.”
Within twenty minutes, Axe parked the SUV across the street from the warehouse, where we left Calvin behind to watch Reyna and the rest of the girls. I should have requested another man to assist him if there was any trouble, but all the action was taking place at the old warehouse and not here. I was sick, knowing I had made such a mistake. As we walked across the street, I had a bad feeling about what we would find inside. I prayed that I was wrong.
Before exiting the SUV, Axe grabbed my arm. “Davian, let Patton, me, and Stone go first. We don’t know if McCall is inside or if he has reinforcements with him.”
Nodding my head, I held back and let Axe take the lead, with Patton and Stone behind him and me at the rear. Our guns were held high, ready for any threat.
As Axe pulled open the door, you could have heard a pin drop; it was that quiet. Something was wrong. Nothing inside indicated there was a fight, but still, something didn’t feel right. We made our way to the computer room first. I half expected Calvin to be there, but he wasn’t. Searching the rest of the first floor with no sign of Calvin, we headed up the stairs, taking cautious steps.
My heart tightened as I looked past Axe to find Kenzi, Mika, and Helga bound and gagged, sitting on the floor against the back of the sectional couch. Life as I knew it flashed before me when I didn’t see Reyna with them. If it hadn’t been for Patton holding me up, I would have fallen to the floor. “Davian,” he began with a soft tone. “It doesn’t mean anything.”
Finding my ground, I followed Axe as he checked the bedrooms one by one. When he got to the room that Reyna and I shared, I stepped past him, needing to see for myself if she was lying on the floor inside.
Moments later, Patton stepped inside the room. “Calvin’s okay. He was tied up in the storage room with the safe. He was beaten up pretty badly. He said McCall showed up wanting his diamonds. When he couldn’t find them, two of the men with McCall started in on him.”
I only heard about half of what Patton said. My focus was on the nightstand where Reyna’s engagement ring sat. I walked over to the nightstand, and my body tensed with anger. Beneath her ring was a warning from McCall.You can kiss your princess goodbye unless I get my diamonds back.
