Her Daring SEAL (Midnight Delta Book 5) (13 page)

He continued to replay everything Clint and Lydia had told him about Rylie at the farm.  It made his gut clench to think she had been in such danger. 

Where this afternoon it took him an hour to get to the little compound on the north end of the island, tonight it took him two.  The last thing he wanted was to take a misstep and end up injured.  When he got to the clearing, he took some time to ensure it was still as quiet as it had been that afternoon.  When he ascertained it was, he moved forward to the back of one of the cabins.  All he found were barred windows with curtains.  Why in the hell have curtains when they were at the ass end of nowhere? 

There had to be six bedrooms and a bathroom if he had to guess, all with the curtains closed.  He went to the second cabin and finally found a window the curtains slightly open.  When he peeked inside, he saw there were two empty twin beds. When he went around to the front of the cabin, he saw bars on the windows and a padlock on the front door.  There weren’t curtains on these windows, and he once again saw what he’d seen that afternoon, a stark living area, and dirty dishes in the sink, which was the only sign there were people living in the cabins.  They must all be sleeping in the bedrooms with the curtains closed. 

Darius crept over to the other building.  It was a large one story, more like an office or laboratory.  This one had a keypad entry in the front.  All of the windows were tinted the same way as Albert’s house, and he couldn’t see in. He did a perimeter check and found there was another entry in the back with the same keypad.  Most of these were coded with a default number that emergency workers could use to get in, he tried the number, and it worked.  He opened the door a slit and peered inside.  He didn’t see anyone.

Going quickly and quietly, Darius proceeded into the building. 

In a second, he realized he was in a medical facility.  It was the distinct hospital smell, the disinfectant they used.  Darius heard the faint sound of voices up ahead on the right.  He ducked into the door marked supplies. 

It was a man and a woman, and he caught a snippet of their conversation as they passed.

“Due to pop any day,” the woman said.

“Bullshit, she has two weeks.”

“It’s her first kid, they’re always early, care to make a wager, Darryl?”

“Nah, you always win.  Anyway, we have to induce, they have a buyer since she’s having a girl,” the man’s voice said before they walked out of earshot.

Darius examined the supply room. 

Dammit!  Definitely, medical supplies.  He didn’t like the picture this was painting at all.

He crept out of the supply room and heard the muffled voices.  They were in a room at the end of the hall.  When he went to investigate, the door was labeled ‘break room.’  He could also hear the sound of television.  Probably a pretty boring job waiting for the woman to ‘pop,’ he thought grimly.

He quickly went through the rest of the facility and saw exactly what he expected.  An operating room, an exam room with a gynecological chair, and a birthing room.  This whole place was set up around women having babies.  Now he knew who were in the cabins.  Behind the last door was a sophisticated lab.  Darius didn’t know what he was looking at when he looked in the cooler, but he had a bone deep suspicion.  He took pictures with his phone. 

He had to get back to Clint and Lydia, there was no way they could allow a sale of a baby to happen before they took down this operation.  Even if it meant blowing the whole thing.  Darius got out of the building. 

He took a look at his watch.  He still had a couple of hours before dawn.  He went back to the cabins, hoping to see something.  Anything.  He hunkered down in the rhododendron bush growing wild near the cabin and waited to see if anyone would come into the common area.  Finally, he saw the faint silhouette of a young woman as she opened the refrigerator.  She was wearing pajamas, and her tummy was swollen.  Darius guessed her to be about five months pregnant.  She looked so sad.  He wanted to say something, to tell her help was coming.  But knew it would just complicate matters. 

Fuck!

This shit had to stop like yesterday.

––––––––

R
ylie hadn’t been able to sleep at all.  Even though the girls had food, clothes, and mattresses to sleep on, she still heard them crying softly during the night, and she couldn’t blame them.  She got up at dawn and rummaged through the pantry to see what foodstuffs the men had brought.  She was impressed.  There was fresh fruit and the makings for pancakes, bacon, and eggs.  When she heard some of the girls moving about, she got to work making a big ole Oklahoma-style breakfast. 

She didn’t give a shit if it was a Sylvia thing to do.  The men were outside, and if she didn’t do this for herself, she’d shatter into a million pieces.  The hug Ophelia had given her made her want to cuddle all the girls like she cuddled Charlotte.  Since she couldn’t, she could cook an American breakfast for them instead.

Ophelia was the first to come into the kitchen.  The girl was smart, she poured herself some coffee and didn’t comment on seeing Rylie cooking.  Ekaterina didn’t handle it the same way as she came into the kitchen. 

“Mrs. Hess, you cook for us!  Thanks to you!” 

“You need your energy,” Rylie clipped out, as she gave the girl a plate of food.  “Sit down and eat.”

More women came into the kitchen, but they just quietly took their food.  Soon it reminded Rylie of mornings at home.  The girls were talking in their native languages smiling and laughing with one another.  She was amazed at how resilient they were.

Rylie picked up her purse and laptop bag and then went into the living room where she left her makeup bag by the couch.  She sat down and pulled out a clean pair of socks.  She put them on before her boots, her knife still in her right boot, and it would remain there until she was safely back in her room on the island.  The gun had been in her purse beside her all night.  She didn’t want to think about what either of those two things meant.  Hell, she didn’t even know Klein’s first name.

There was a knock on the door, and then Huan’s big frame filled the doorway. 

“Ms. Hessman, I wanted to let you know I was up.”

“Where did you sleep?”

“In the car,” Huan responded.

“And the others?”

“I talked to Howard.  He and I will stay in the house.  We’re safe with the girls.  Mike should be too, but there’s not enough room.  He, Tibbs and Rodney will bunk in the barn, we’ll all coordinate guard duty.”

“I need to talk to the girls, then gather the men, and I’ll talk to them,” Rylie said as she stood up from the couch.

“Got it.  Do you want to meet in the barn?”

Rylie shuddered, she never wanted to go into the barn again.  “No, have them meet on the porch.”  She headed towards the kitchen.

“Ladies, listen up.”  All heads turned to her.  The two translators translated her words.  “I have to leave.  Men will be guarding you to make sure you don’t try to escape.  I will be back in five days to get you ready for a party.” 

There was a lot of confusion at the term party, but it was obvious the translators were able to explain.

“There will be men at the party that you will have to be nice to, each one of you will end up going home with one of them.  You must behave.”

“You mean we will be sold,” the oldest woman said bitterly.

“Yes,” Rylie said coldly.  “You better do everything you can to cooperate in the meantime and not make trouble.  Am I making myself clear?”  Rylie stared at the woman, and she finally looked down at her hands.

“Yes,” she mumbled.

“Good.  Now I need to leave.  I will see you in five days.  If you have any problems, talk to Huan.”

Ophelia opened her mouth to say something and Rylie glared at her, then spun around and marched out the door.  She swooped by the couch and picked up her things then went out the front door where the men were all waiting for her.  Howard approached her first.

“Everything has been taken care of, Ms. Hessman.”

“That’s good, Howard,” she said briskly.  She scanned the men slowly, which allowed her to take in Finn Crandall.  Was every member of Midnight Delta good-looking?  Was it part of the job description?  Granted, right now with the scowl on his face, he looked about as appealing as a rock, but with his high cheekbones and blond hair he probably was a heartbreaker when he smiled. 

“I need you to understand that the wrath of God will seem like a picnic in the park if something happens any of these women.”  She watched as they fidgeted under Sylvia’s scathing tone.  “Every one of those women represents more money than you will make in a lifetime.  Guard them well and you will be very well compensated.  Fuck this up and I will come after you, and then I will go after your family.  Am I clear?”

“Wait–” Mike started to say something.

“Shut the fuck up, Mike,” Howard interrupted his cousin.  “I told you what this was like when you signed on.”  Howard turned to Rylie.  “Everybody understands.  We won’t let you down.”

“See that you don’t.”  She turned to Huan and handed him her bag.

***

D
arius heard the seaplane when he was at lunch with the boy genius.  Albert was in the library taking calls so he was stuck with Brandon, who was sober.  Darius couldn’t decide which was better, stoned or straight.  At least he wasn’t trying to serenade him.

“That must be Sylvia,” Brandon said as they saw the plane make its descent.

“I should hope so.  I’m still a little pissed she didn’t think to call,” Darius said. 

“The antiquities business can get really tricky,” Brandon said in a condescending tone of voice.

“I wouldn’t know what it’s like.  Running a multi-million-dollar company doesn’t get complicated at all,” Darius said sarcastically.  “Tell me, Brandon, besides the cover band, what else did you do before meeting Albert?”

Brandon flushed.  “Various jobs in sales and marketing.  That’s how I met my friend who does the marketing for IPOs.”  Darius sorely wanted to find out more about his sales and marketing jobs, sure he had worked as a telemarketer someplace and was trying to act more important than he was, but he didn’t have time.

“I hate to cut short such a fascinating conversation, but I want to greet Sylvia.”

“Oh, by all means.”  Brandon daintily wiped his mouth with his napkin and then set it on his plate.  “I think I’ll let you two lovebirds have a private reunion.  You know your way to the dock, don’t you?”

“I do.”  Darius threw down his napkin and left the table.  He made a beeline for the door.  Albert stopped him on the way out.

“Did I hear the plane?”

“Yes, you did.  Brandon and I saw it landing from the dining room window.  I’m going to take Sylvia to our room.”

“I want to talk to her first.”  Darius gritted his teeth.  He wanted her with him,
alone
, now.

“Brandon just got done telling me sometimes these little ventures can be trying and difficult, maybe she needs a little time to recuperate.”

“You’re probably right.  Tell her I want to talk to her in my library in two hours.”

“I will.”

Darius stepped out the door into the light rain.  He didn’t give a shit about a coat, he wanted to get to Rylie.  She was at the top of the stairs when he met her, and he couldn’t believe this was the same woman who had left just yesterday.  She looked so sad and defeated as she looked up at him. Then he took in the bruise on her face.

“What in the fuck happened?” he demanded.

“Not now.”

“Yes, now.”

“Please...”  Her lower lip trembled.  The vulnerability in her eyes shook him to the bone. He took the purse, laptop bag, and make-up bag off her shoulder and set them down, then wrapped her in a tight hug.  She clung to him, shuddering.

“Can you tell me anything, baby?”

“I have to talk to Albert.”

“You have two hours.  I told him you needed some time to rest before meeting with him.”  He didn’t think it was physically possible, but she managed to tighten her grip.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“It was bad, wasn’t it?” 

“The worst.”

“You’re shivering, let’s get you inside.”  He looked at her bundled up in her jacket, the collar pulled up to her chin, it didn’t seem to be helping.

“I guess I am cold,” Rylie said, her voice dazed.

He kept one arm tight around her as he picked up her luggage, even her laptop bag.  Something was really wrong.  He really wanted to pick her up and carry her into the house, but nobody would pick up Sylvia.  It was bad enough Sylvia was leaning on him, but they could just kiss his ass.
This was his Rylie!

They climbed the stairs to the house.  As they got to the porch, she shrugged him away and straightened her shoulders.  It was amazing to see the transformation.  Darius knocked on the door, and Carver answered.

“Ms. Hessman, Mr. Liu would like to see you straightaway.”

“Well, he can damn well wait,” Darius growled.

“Dare, I need to speak to Albert,” Rylie put her hand on his arm.  “Please put my luggage in our room.  I’ll be there as quickly as I can.”  She turned to Carver.  “Is he in the library?”

“Yes ma’am, I’ll show you the way.”

“I know my way,” she said dismissively and strode past the man.

Darius glared at the man and went the other way towards their room.  Maybe it was for the best, this way Rylie could relax for the rest of the night.  He would take care of her, no more playing Ms. Hessman for her!

***

“H
ello, Albert.  We need to talk.”

“Yes we do, I’ve spoken to Huan, and I’m not happy with you.”

“Well, it seems we’re at an impasse,” Rylie said as she made a beeline for the bar, and poured herself a shot of vodka.  She had no intention of drinking it, but she knew it was something Sylvia would do.

“You made too many decisions that were not yours to make.  And killing Klein was poor judgement on your part.”

“I’m sorry, was I supposed to let him kill me?  Look at my face, Albert.  Klein did this.”

“Still...”