April swallowed hard. She felt terrible for Amelia, and it was obvious that she was only doing this because she was scared and she wanted to protect them.

  “What about the weekend? What about Fogerty nearly getting killed? You haven’t responded to any of our texts. We can protect you, Amelia,” Dell said to her.

  She shook her head. “Protect me? It’s obvious that you’re involved with something dangerous. I mean someone shot at you. I don’t need that kind of danger. I’m sorry, please leave me alone.”

  She turned around, and April saw her cringe. Watson went to touch her shoulder.

  “Watson, let her be. Give her space,” Chief Farmer said, and Watson exhaled, but Fogerty pressed against Amelia’s back and hugged her from behind. He whispered into her ear, but April was close enough to hear him.

  “If you let us help you, he won’t be able to hurt you or us. Let us in. We love you, Amelia. Let us the fuck in.”

  Amelia shook her head, and the chief got Fogerty to release her, and then he walked away, cursing.

  April’s eyes locked onto the two guys, but Amelia looked away and spoke to April.

  “I don’t know what’s going on, but maybe being here isn’t such a good idea.”

  Amelia had tears spilling from her eyes but wiped them away.

  “It’s done. I did what I came here to do,” she said, and April immediately knew that Cavanaugh had put Amelia up to this, more than likely to ensure that he wouldn’t kill Fogerty, Dell, and Watson.

  “I’ll walk you out,” April said, and she did as Casey and Melina started to ask questions, but she shook her head at them.

  April walked with Amelia. “Do you need anything? Will you be okay to drive?”

  Amelia nodded and then looked at April. “I’m sorry about that. You were probably embarrassed at that scene.”

  “No apologies, just know that I’m here if you need a friend to talk to.”

  Amelia stared at her. “You’re better off not knowing. Goodnight.” She got into her car. April stood there a minute and watched her go then felt the presence behind her. She turned to see the chief of police.

  He looked her over, and holy crap, her entire body went on alert.

  “You think she’ll be okay?” he asked her.

  “Not sure.” She went to walk away when the chief grabbed her arm gently. She felt the attraction to the man. It was instant, and it surprised her. Seemed to surprise him, too.

  “April Marris, right?” he asked.

  “Chief Farmer, correct?” she said after nodding.

  “Caden.” He looked at her lips and then down over her cleavage. She was well endowed, and very fit, as well, never mind capable of removing his hand and making him think twice about touching her, but truth was, she didn’t mind at all. He was very good looking.

  She glanced at where he held her arm. “Always introduce yourself to women like this, Caden?”

  He released her arm. “Just the ones that catch my interest.”

  She snorted. “That’s your big winning line to pick up the ladies?” she asked with an attitude.

  “Actually, I never used it before. Don’t hit on women much.”

  “Well, don’t start with me. I’m not interested.” She started to walk.

  “Hold up.” He looked her over. “How do you know Amelia?”

  “I’ve known her for about a year. Why do you ask?”

  “You close to her?” he asked, staring into her eyes. She knew that her eyes stood out, especially against her tan skin. They were as green as emeralds, and she’d used them a time or two to flirt.

  She blinked. “Not as close as Casey.”

  “You walked her out though, seemed in tune to her situation.”

  “What situation?”

  “You know what situation,” he pushed, and she thought he was being slick, but maybe she was overthinking. Why was she so off her game with this guy?

  “You mean not wanting to be involved with dangerous men like Fogerty, Dell, and Watson? Not much, but it must have scared her. Can’t blame her for that.”

  “She say anything more to you?”

  “What’s this about? Is she in trouble or something?” April asked.

  He shook his head. “I don’t see you much around here. Why is that?”

  “Well, aside from life’s responsibilities, Corporal’s has a reputation for being filled with cocky men who like to pick up women and impress them with their military backgrounds.”

  He smirked, and boy did it do something to her insides.

  “Well, if you’ll excuse me, my other friends are waiting on me.”

  “Maybe I can buy you a drink and we can talk more,” he suggested.

  “Like I said, not interested.”

  “You said in men trying to impress women with their military backgrounds. That isn’t me, Miss Marris.”

  She looked him over, and it nearly backfired on her, but then she saw Fogerty, Watson, and Dell heading out of the building.

  “I hope they aren’t planning on going to Amelia’s apartment. Seems overly aggressive to me. You may want to do your job and stop them,” she said to him and then walked away with him squinting at her, but then she heard him call to the guys. She glanced over her shoulder, and Caden looked back at her as he stopped the men. When she turned around, she bumped into a brick wall, and strong arms gripped her upper arm and her waist.

  “Oh God.” She gasped, placing her hands on a solid chest of steel. She tilted way back to look up into Caden’s brother’s eyes. They were deep blue, and he seemed fierce.

  She glanced to the left, and his other brother was there. She pushed from his arms, shocked at the feelings of attraction she felt for him, too. This wasn’t good at all.

  “Excuse me, I wasn’t paying attention.”

  “Caden has that effect on people,” the other one said, and the one who’d just released her smirked. He didn’t smile, definitely smirked, and her insides fluttered.

  She stepped aside. “I can see that. He’s cocky.”

  He licked his lips. “April, right?” She gave an expression of surprise.

  “I’m Simon, and this is Aqua.”

  The other guy, Aqua, was just as tall as Simon, and their eyes were a gorgeous blue color. They were extremely attractive men, and she knew they were Navy SEALs. Pierre had told her.

  “Nice to meet you.” She heard the yelling coming from the parking lot. She turned to look, and she felt Simon’s hand still on her hip. She went to move forward as she spoke. “I think your brother needs some help calming those men down.” She pushed his hand from her waist and headed back inside. She didn’t want to look back but couldn’t help herself. Those men were incredible, and boy did they have an effect on her. She quickly headed inside.

  * * * *

  “I don’t want to go. Why do I have to do this? Why?” Amelia asked as Cavanaugh shoved her to the couch.

  “You have to. It’s a done deal. You’ve done this before, Amelia.”

  “Delivered a package. Something small. What am I delivering and to who?”

  “You’ll see. Now put this on.” He pulled the garment bag from the couch next to her.

  “What?”

  He unzipped the bag, and she saw the dress. “Get it on. We have fifteen minutes before we get there.”

  She swallowed hard. She couldn’t believe that this was happening to her. She didn’t move fast enough, and he gripped her arm and tore her blouse from her chest.

  “No, Cavanaugh!” she screamed. He shoved her hard, and she fell to the floor. He went to kick her, but she screamed and covered her ribs.

  “Get undressed and get it on.”

  Tears flowed, and hatred boiled up inside of her. With shaking hands, she reached for the dress. She slowly stood up and was going to go to the other room to do it when he stopped her.

  “Right here. Change right here.”

  She felt trepidation fill her heart. Was he going to rape her? She didn’t know as she let the blouse fall and then unzipped her skirt.

  “Look at me when you do that.”

  She shook and was breathing heavily through her nostrils. She let the skirt fall, and he squinted and licked his lips. She grabbed the dress and went to put it on up over her had when he gripped her hips. He ran his fingers along the bruises on her ribs.

  “You always marked so well. I can see my fingerprints. Here…here.” He traced them on her ribs and then against her breasts. She shoved the dress down, and he licked his lips and cupped her breast.

  “Fix them so they look full and perfect. Bring that front down farther,” he whispered.

  She knew what he wanted. Had told her these things over and over again multiple times. She adjusted her breasts in the bra, and he aided, making sure that the material pulled, revealing a little bit of her black lace bra. He slid his hands under the lower part of her dress and let his finger slide along her thong panties, adjusting them. He leaned forward and licked her neck then whispered into her ear as he rocked his hips against her front.

  “I know you fucked that guy. You’ll pay for that. Shortly.”

  She shook so hard. She was so scared of him. Cavanaugh was a very big man. He was built like a football player, stood at six feet three, had a lot of muscles, and was insanely strong. She couldn’t fight him. Wouldn’t be able to fight him off. She knew that, and that was why she was helpless now.

  His finger began to move deeper, and she gasped just as his cell phone rang. He kissed her, nipped her lip, and she knew not to resist. It would mean more pain, further assault, and she didn’t think she could handle much more.

  He pulled his phone from his hip and answered. She tried taking a retreating step back, but he gripped her neck and hair.

  “Ouch,” she cried.

  “What? When? Are you serious? Then do what we discussed. I’ll have the delivery done in time. Right to the hotel? Are you sure? Okay. I’m leaving now.” He ended the call.

  “Fix yourself up. Do some more makeup, fix your eyes and your hair. You need to look fucking perfect.”

  He grabbed her arm and brought her to her bathroom. He waited while she fixed her makeup and her hair with shaking hands, her heart pounding. What was he up to? Why did she have to look so good? What was this all about?

  He stepped in behind her, slid his hand along the slit in her dress, and let his palm slide between her legs. “You’re going to meet someone. Spend time with him while we negotiate a deal. You let him touch you. Let him act possessive if he so pleases.” Her eyes widened, and tears filled them. “No, no, no. Don’t cry. Don’t ruin your makeup. A lot is riding on this, baby. A lot.” He kissed her bare shoulder as he stroked her pussy over her panties. “You be as good as I know you can be.” His hand moved from her legs, and she quickly fixed her dress. When she went to move, she nearly stumbled.

  He grabbed her face hard. “Don’t fuck this up.” She tightened up. Then he was dragging her out of the bathroom and out of her apartment.

  * * * *

  “Wegman Vice,” Aqua said, ending his phone call.

  “No fucking way,” Simon replied.

  “You know this guy?” Caden asked.

  “We sure the shit do. Several months back when we were doing a job, his name came up with some intelligence we received,” Aqua told them.

  “Wait, why would this guy somehow be connected to Cavanaugh? I thought you said that he was small time, and your sources indicated that he was involved with stolen paintings and jewels, maybe some drugs,” Watson said.

  Aqua looked at Dell and Fogerty and then back at his brothers.

  “What? Just fucking say it. What?” Dell said to him.

  Aqua took a breath and then licked his lower lip. “Okay, what we fucking talk about here stays right fucking here. You know how this works. We do similar shit as you guys.”

  “Fuck,” Fogerty whispered and rubbed his temples.

  “Wegman Vice has been on the federal government watch list for the last two years. In the middle of an investigation, a special military organization stopped them from making an arrest. It was based on information they received from an informant. However, that informant turned up dead a week later, and there was a trickle-down effect. We heard that two agents, who worked with a specialized investigative unit connecting military, state police, and FBI, got intercepted overseas while investigating. They were abducted, beaten, and taken across Cypress to be brought into Syria or Iraq. Didn’t find out any details about it, but one of the agents was able to get a weapon just as a group of Navy SEALs infiltrated and performed a rescue operation.”

  “These agents must have been important,” Caden said.

  “I would think so, but the information released was sketchy. Seemed to us that perhaps there were agents who double-crossed the government and were actually working for the bad guys. While this operation and rescue was in progress, a shipment of military supplies and money were brought not far from their location onto land and then disappeared. The government realized a short time later when inventory showed the loss. They backtracked and came up with nothing of course,” Aqua told them.

  “Maybe all the agents and investigators were on the take?” Watson suggested.

  “Couldn’t be sure of anything, but this brings us back to number one, Wegman Vice, and number two, that shipment of weapons mysteriously shipped and delivered right underneath the noses of the federal government and while a rescue operation was ongoing.”

  “Add in those two agents, one from the FBI, Harper, and the other agent, Case from the state police special unit, and maybe there’s a bigger mission here than we know of. It would explain that chatter earlier we got about Colonel Brothers’ unit,” Simon said to them.

  “Colonel Brothers? Shit, that is not good. Jesus, what the hell could Amelia be involved in? There’s nothing you can tell us about that?” Dell asked.

  “Mike and the guys were getting something together. We should hear from him shortly. They have some deep connections locally and some friends of theirs, guys that know Ice, can maybe shine some insight on,” Simon explained.

  “Ice, shit, why didn’t we think of him?” Fogerty asked.

  “Because you just got shot at, Harper and Case showed up and never did any of us think local. We went right to it being bigger and bypassed what we could get right here,” Watson said, and they agreed.

  Aqua’s cell phone rang, and he looked down. “Ice,” he said and answered. “Hey, Ice, I got everyone here, Dell and his brothers, so I’m going to put you on speaker.” He hit the button then held the phone.

  “Hey, guys, first of all, I’m trying to find out right now where Cavanaugh took Amelia.”

  “What do you mean took her? He has her somewhere?” Fogerty asked sitting forward in the seat. Dell ran his fingers through his hair as he paced by the others. Watson exhaled and stared with an angry expression on his face. They were all concerned.

  “Yes, while I was getting in touch with some people I know who could look into things discreetly, I got a lot of information from witnesses, men who know Cavanaugh and knew the relationship he had with Amelia. There isn’t any easy way to explain this. The relationship was very abusive. He has a hold on her, mentally, physically, and it would explain a lot about the last six months since she tried ending things with Cavanaugh,” Ice explained.

  Aqua watched Fogerty, Dell, and Watson as he explained about the abuse Amelia had sustained, the control Cavanaugh had over her, and how she was his show toy.

  “Some agents went into her apartment an hour ago, and there were hidden cameras throughout the apartment. Cavanaugh must have been watching her, and that’s how he knew about you, Fogerty.”

  “That sick bastard. Cameras? Like all over the place or just in the main area?” Fogerty asked.

  “All over. Let’s leave it at that.”

  Ice went on to explain about Cavanaugh. He had been dealing in stolen art, stolen electronics, and even jewels, but more recently had gotten into importing and exporting.

  “The most recent information from someone I know in the FBI is that Cavanaugh was working out a deal with Wegman Vice. Now I’m not sure if you guys ever heard of this guy, but he’s bad news, and his connections go into the Middle East, including Syria, Iraq, and Kuwait, and hell, even into Africa. Mostly dealing with weapons.”

  “Shit.” Dell exhaled.

  “We have heard of him and know what he’s involved in. What does this have to do with Amelia though?” Aqua asked.

  “Seems that while she was dating Cavanaugh he would have her deliver certain items, wrapped up like gifts, to various big-shot businessmen. The guy I know in the FBI said that she was forced to do the deliveries and wasn’t aware of what was even in the packages. They believe it was done on purpose so his hands didn’t touch the stuff, but also because of Amelia’s beauty and youth. Those she delivered to were impressed with her and also Cavanaugh wanted to show her off. From what I gathered, that poor young woman has been haunted by this man, his demands and control, for more than a year’s time.”

  “Ice, how can we find out where she is now? She needs help,” Watson said.

  “That’s the thing. Unless we find out exactly where she is, it might have to wait until this deal happens and the agents move in for the arrest.”

  “Anything can happen to her between now and then. Hell, she could already be hurt. We know she was injured from what Caden saw,” Dell said.

  “We’ll work on it. Maybe Mike will call soon,” Simon said.

  “My God, she was hiding all of this from her friends and living a life pretending everything was okay when she was going through hell. He was probably harassing her on a regular basis, holding shit over her head, never mind fucking cameras throughout her apartment. That’s sick,” Dell said.

  “Then we meet her, have the weekend together, and this dick finds out and he threatens to kill us, to kill me,” Fogerty added.

  “Well, it’s pretty damn obvious that she’s trying to protect the three of you. You can’t blame her, Fogerty. You were shot at and got hurt. This man has a control over her from beating her down physically and mentally. I’ve seen it many times before,” Ice told them.