Page 21 of Relentless Surrender

“Make it five.”

* * *

“Let me get this straight. You were banging a senator’s daughter when you came up with the brilliant idea to film it and blackmail her. When you fucked that up you decided to kidnap her and her friend and bring them to my shop? And there might be some pissed off Marine on your tail? Am I getting all this right?”

Ricardo had the decency to look abashed.

Earlier he had forced both women into his car and driven straight to his cousin Lino’s auto body shop in Alexandria. He was the only family Ricardo had and it was the only place he could think of to go. He couldn’t take them back to his place, the Marine would find him there.

“It’s just for a few hours, Lino. Till I can figure out what to do,” pleaded Ricardo.

“I’ll tell you what you’re going to do! You’re going to get the fuck out of my place! That’s what you’re going to do! Are you crazy! Kidnapping a fucking senator’s kid! Do you have any idea what kind of heat that brings? Never mind this crazy fucking Marine on your ass,” yelled Lino.

Sage and Melissa were a few feet away listening to the cousins argue. Ricardo had tied their hands behind their backs and forced them to sit on the dirty, greasy floor. Staring in wide-eyed silence, both women knew their fate possibly rested in the outcome of this argument.

“You don’t understand! We could make a fortune! Her father will pay a big ransom!” complained Ricardo.

His cousin waved a dismissive hand. “Your drunk and you watch too many stupid movies. That is not how it works. Besides, kidnappings like that take months of planning. Not something half-assed like this. You’re fucked.”

Walking towards Sage and Melissa, the cousin addressed them, “I’m going to untie you. Then we’ll call the police. You need to tell them I had nothing to do with this. Okay?” he implored.

“Yes! Yes! Of course, thank you! Thank you!” breathed Sage.

As the cousin neared, his knees buckled. His face distorting into macabre mask of shock and disgust before he crumbled to the ground. Both women screamed.

“You killed him! Your own cousin!” accused Sage as she saw the knife protruding from the man’s back and Ricardo standing over him.

His eyes blank of emotion, Ricardo pulled the knife free and moved towards Sage.

“Ricardo, no!” begged Melissa. “Don’t do this!”

Sage fell back, grimacing from the pain as she leaned on her tied hands. Her only defense would be to kick him. It was paltry but maybe she could buy herself and Melissa some time till Conner arrived. There was no doubt in her mind, he would arrive. Her overbearing Marine would not let her down.

“No one will pay a ransom for you. You aren’t worth anything,” Ricardo said coldly as he took a menacing step towards her.

“She’s worth a great deal to me,” ground out Conner.

The breath Sage didn’t realize she was holding came out in a rush.

Conner was standing a few feet away. Arms crossed over his powerful chest looking every inch as pissed off as he sounded.

Conner assessed her and her friend for injuries. Besides a bit bruised and dirty, they looked generally unharmed. He was still going to beat the bastard bloody but at least now he wouldn’t have to kill him.

Conner threw her a reassuring smile, “I told you I was coming for you, baby.”

Sage let out a sigh of relief. “What took you so long?’

His little Spitfire. Kidnapped and held at knifepoint and she still had enough spirit to throw sass at him. Damn if he wasn’t already half in love with her already, thought Conner. Even with her silky, honey-brown hair tangled and knotted about her dirt-smudged face she looked beautiful. He would make it his mission to erase the look of fear and anxiety from those big, chocolate brown eyes of hers as soon as he got her to safety.

Ricardo made some sort of strangled animal sound that drew both of their attention back to him.

Kneeling down behind her, Conner untied her hands, while never taking his eyes off Ricardo. Whispering close to her ear, he instructed, “I want you to untie Melissa and run for it. Hippie is standing guard just outside the door.”

“I can’t leave you,” immediately objected Sage.

Conner gave her a quick kiss on the neck before straightening. Saying loudly for Ricardo’s benefit. “Go. I don’t want you to witness what is about to happen here.”

Sage shivered. Conner’s voice had taken on a dark edge. His wide stance, lowered brow and squared shoulders all radiating his barely leashed rage. This was not a man to cross. Crawling to Melissa, Sage scrambled to unknot the ties. Filthy, disheveled, they rose on shaky knees. Melissa threw a quick “bastard” over her shoulder before quickly following Sage out the back door of the auto body.

---