Tied to the Stern Read online

  As I spoke, a loud, pounding knock came on the door. Before I could even move to open it, the damn thing flew right open.

  On the other side, Terry stood, draped in a completely different outfit than the dress she wore at Oceana and flanked by three large men, all holding guns.

  “You’ve been lying to me,” she said flatly, staring me dead in the face.

  “To answer your question,” Natasha muttered, near silently, as she stood beside me. “Never. We’ve never been lucky.”

  Chapter 25

  Terry stood in our doorway, staring at us like she could see right into our minds, like she could see through all of our lies. As my mind spun, Natasha jumped into action.

  “Terry,” she said, walking toward the red haired woman, completely ignoring the armed men surrounding her. “I’m been dying to meet you.”

  “Your pain will have to continue a little longer, my dear,” Terry answered, folding her arms over her chest. “I’m here to talk to your soon to be husband.”

  “How did you get in here? The door was locked,” I asked, marching toward and planting myself between Natasha and the danger. Though I had no doubt Natasha could handle herself if things went south, I didn’t want her to have to. I wasn’t the type of man who would allow a woman to come to harm if I could help it. More than that, I was still Al Davidson to Terry, and I had to believe that Al Davidson wouldn’t just stand back and let his fiance be threatened.

  “This room was given to you by the Archer. Do you really think he doesn’t have the ability to enter it at his will?” she said.

  “I don’t him anywhere,” I answered, walking toward the group and looking at the men flanking her. “Unless, of course, I have the pleasure of meeting the man right now.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” Terry said. “When you meet the Archer, you won’t have to question the occurrence.” She shook her head. “But that’s beside the point right now. I speak with the Archer’s voice, and right now, the Archer wants to know why you’ve been untruthful to him.”

  “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, feigning anger and frustration. “I’ve been called a liar more times today than in the rest of my life combined.” I threw my hands out into the air, my eyes wide. “If you don’t want me here, if you don’t think I can be trusted, then by all means, get rid of me. I’m not going to allow myself to be stepped on anymore, especially not in front of the woman I love.” Huffing loudly, I continued. “So, by all means, why don’t you and your thugs tell me what it is I’m lying about this time?”

  To my surprise, Terry started laughing loudly, much like Nate had done back in the service closet. A flash of genuine anger ran through me now.

  “What the hell is it with you people and the constant laughing?” I balked. “None of this is funny.”

  “I suppose that depends on your definition,” Terry said, wiping a gleeful tear from her eye as she turned to the men around her. “You were right. I owe you ten dollars.”

  “Ten dollars?” I asked, my jaw tightening. “What the hell is going on here?”

  Terry’s laugh got even louder. “You see, when that car slammed into the side of the restaurant earlier, I figured it would tell me what kind of man you were. I thought, if you were the brave sort, you’d come running out with wide eyes and telling me about everything that happened. If you were a coward, you’d rush out and tell me we needed to leave. Never did I imagine you were so sniveling that you’d rush out the door while I wasn’t looking, without even telling me you were gone.”

  “I-I-”

  “It’s alright,” Terry said, shaking her head. “Bravery is overrated, especially in our line of business. There’s definitely something to be said for ‘living to laugh another day’ and all that. I just figured that, given that much, you’d turn into a groveling mess when I came in here like this.” She bit her lower lip and looked me up and down. “I guess I was mistaken. You are something of an enigma, Mr. Davidson.”

  “Are you serious?” I asked, my eyes going wide. “All of this was a joke? You’re playing a stupid prank on me? You had me convinced the Archer thought I was lying to him about something.”

  “Oh, he does,” Terry said. “Moreover, the Archer knows you’re lying to him. The intensity of the delivery was all me though.”

  “I’m not lying about anything,”I answered furiously.

  “Oh, but you are,” Terry said. “And I’m about to prove it. Earlier tonight, you told me you weren’t much of dancer, but I’ve gone through the messages you sent before coming here. One of them spoke about dance lessons you were getting for your upcoming wedding. It said you were pretty good.” She looked over at Margo. “Oops. I hope that wasn’t supposed to be a surprise. In any event, it’s time to put on those dancing shoes, Mr. and Future Mrs. Davidson. The Archer is throwing an impromptu celebration for his most trusted and exemplary friends. And you too are invited.”

  I looked at Natasha with wide eyes. This would totally screw up our plan for the night. Of course, there was little we could do about that now.

  “You heard the lady, honey,” I said, making sure my voice sounded light and happy. “It’s party time.”

  A few minutes later, Natasha and I found ourselves in our best party outfits (a black suit with shiny blue tie for me and a matching blue dress for Natasha that hugged her in all the right places) and being led to a stretch limousine with Terry beside me and her henchman trailing just a little bit behind.

  The night air was crisp and cool off the ocean, and it served as a nice respite to the tropical heat that ruled the day. It was nearly enough to make me forget the pressure we were under and the time crunch that ticked away at us with each passing second. We needed to find Eve Jensen as quickly as possible. Nate gave us two days, and one of them had just flew by with the setting sun. During it, I had witnessed two deaths and learned more about the woman I was looking for than I expected. Of course, I also still had questions, chief among them what Nate Chambers desire for this woman was.

  Whatever the reason, one thing was clear. I did not have time for a party tonight. Not that it mattered. If the Archer called, then Al Davidson and his doting fiance would answer. That was just the way of it.

  “What? You’re not going to knock me out this time?” I asked, looking over to Terry as one of her henchmen crossed us and opened the door of the limo, beckoning for us to enter.

  “Not at the moment, Mr. Davidson, but the night is young still. There’s no need to lose hope.” She winked at me. “Though I wouldn’t want your fiance getting jealous.”

  I smiled. It was a cheap but necessary thing. Nearly everything about this woman turned my stomach. She was a wretch who worked for a horrible (and, as of yet, unseen) monster. I had no sympathy for her. What I did have was a need to keep her on my good side, and it that meant a little harmless flirting had to take place, then so be it.

  “My fiance knows how I feel about redheads, Terry,” I said, winking back myself. “Especially redheads who can handle themselves.”

  “This one is a handful,” Terry said, looking over at Natasha.

  With her hand in mine, my one time girlfriend and current fake fiance chuckled. “You get him worked up enough, and sometimes he’s two handfuls,” she said.

  “Oh, you’re both bad!” Terry said, and climbed into the limousine. As she did, I looked over at Natasha. We never said a word, but much transpired between us. With a glance, I knew Nat knew exactly what I was thinking. Terry was a flirt, and a pretty shameless one at that. What was more, she seemed to have a soft spot for me. If I could twist that the right way, and maybe ply her with a little bit of drink, I might get her to tell me things she wouldn’t otherwise mention...including the identity of the Archer.

  Sliding into the limo, I saw that wouldn’t be a problem. A bottle of champagne was already in Terry’s hands and she was busy popping the cork.

  “I don’t see any need in waiting until we get to the venue to start the part
y,” she said as the last of her henchmen got in and the door closed behind them.

  The champagne cork shot off, bouncing off the roof and sending subs everywhere. Terry shook her head, giggling nearly uncontrollably.

  “This is going to be a good night. I can already tell,” she mused.

  “I sure hope so,” I answered, matching her smile with one of my own.

  “Have faith, Mr. Davidson,” she answered. “The night is young, and my father always said that young nights were the best kind.” She shook her head. “Well, he actually said that young nights were the most dangerous, but I always assumed that meant fun.”

  “I guess that depends on who you’re talking to,” I said, reaching the woman a glass.

  “Are you trying to get me drunk, Mr. Davidson?” Terry asked, shooting a look at me, then looking at Nat, and then back again. “You should keep him on a tighter leash.”

  “I would,” Nat answered. “But I’m afraid he’d like it too much.”

  “Oh my!” Terry said, giggling even louder now. She took the cup and filled it up as her henchmen sat silent all around us. I wondered what they were up to, and where their loyalties really were. It was clear to me that I was in the middle of a secret turf war. So many of the Archer’s people were trying to break away, trying to make a different way for themselves without their boss. Were these men on the side of the Archer, or were they with Nate and whoever he was with? There was really no way to tell, and in truth, it didn’t matter. If the truth about who Nat and I were ever came out, these two factions would be joined in their want to see us dead.

  As it turned out, there wasn’t time to ply Terry with much liquor or even ask her many questions. Before she’d taken even a second sip of champagne, the car pulled to a stop.

  “Here we are,” she said, smiling and setting the glass, still mostly full, down on the makeshift counter. “Now, we can really start to have some fun.”

  “Let’s do it,” I said, expecting her to open the door.

  “We will, Mr. Davidson,” she said. ‘But first, there’s the matter of your payment.”

  “My payment?” I asked, confused.

  “Tickets to these parties aren’t cheap, sir,” she said. “And you have to pay for them.”

  “I don’t have much in the way of cash,” he said. “I suppose I can transfer you some cash when I-”

  “We don’t want your money,” Terry said. “After all, we’re the reason you have it. This party requires proof of loyalty, and this is how you give us that.” She pressed a button on the backseat. “Lower the window.”

  As the words left her mouth, the partition separating the part of the limo where we sat from the front came down.

  “This woman is a traitor to the Archer,” Terry said. “Two nights ago, she was caught stealing money.”

  As the partition lowered, I saw a woman tied and gagged in the front seat. Tears streamed from her eyes and she looked to be in a massive amount of pain.

  “As you can imagine, the Archer doesn’t take kindly to that. She has to be dealt with, and given that you’re the new blood here, it’s on you to do that.”

  “What?” I asked, my heart cracking in two at the sight of the woman.

  “You want a ticket to this party, the price is her blood,” Terry said. “If not, then we’ll know you’re not really loyal. What’ll it be?”

  Chapter 26

  My entire body tensed as I looked at the woman. She couldn’t have been more than twenty five years old. With wide, bloodshot eyes and a long gash along her forehead, I wondered just what sort of life she had lived that threw her down this path. I wondered what sort of mistakes she’d made that landed her here, in the front seat of a limo, beaten and bruised, afraid for her life.

  “Is there a problem?” Terry asked, glaring at me from across the backseat as I stared at the young woman. If all things were equal, I’d have jumped across that seat to save her. I’d have beaten the hell out of everyone in this limousine and ensured that this girl didn’t die. She might have made mistakes, and she may even be as morally corrupt as the rest of the people here, but I couldn’t allow her to die.

  Of course, all things weren’t equal tonight. I was pretending to be someone else, a man who more than likely wouldn’t have any qualms with putting a bullet in this woman’s head. I would never do that, obviously. If it took blowing my cover to keep this woman safe, then I would do it everyday and twice on Sunday. That didn’t mean I wanted to, though. I needed to find a way around all of this while keeping Natasha’s and my cover intact. Otherwise, we’d find ourselves fighting our way out of this limo, and then back from a party that was probably teaming with our enemies, without nearly enough weapons and no backup.

  “Of course not,” I answered, keeping my voice steady and my body tight. “This just seems a little unnecessary. That’s all.”

  “Unnecessary?” Terry scoffed. “This is our tradition, Mr. Davidson. How about you let us decide what is and what is not unnecessary.” She shook her head. “You should know that the Archer is watching you now. He might not actually be here, but his eyes are all around you. You can kill this woman, a woman who betrayed the Archer, and prove your loyalty to him. Or you can refuse and everyone will know exactly where you draw the line.”

  “Draw the line?” I asked. I was trying not to sound as disgusted as I was with the thought of a human life being nothing more than a line to draw. I wasn’t sure of how effective I was, but luckily, I could write it off to Al Davidson’s agitation. “I’ve proven myself on more than one occasion.”

  “Then tonight should be child’s play for you,” Terry said. Motioning to one of the men around us, she muttered, “Give him the weapon.”

  The burly man pulled a gun from his belt and handed it to me.

  “I’m not a dancing monkey,” I responded. “I have no interest in proving myself to you or the Archer, frankly. I’ve earned my way into that party, and if you don’t want me there-”

  “He doesn’t kill in front of me,” Natasha broke into the flow of my sentence. “I don’t like it, and he obliges me by not doing it. It’s a sweet gesture, I think.”

  “It is,” Terry said. “It’s a troublesome one too, though.” She motioned to the henchman who handed me the gun. “Take her out.”

  “Stop!” I said, placing my hand in front of Natasha. “You’re not putting your meaty hands on my fiance, and you’re sure as hell not taking her anywhere I can’t see her.”

  “Don’t make this harder than it has to be,” Terry said. “It’s simple. You kill the girl, then this can continue. If you don’t then it doesn’t and your road with us ends here. Simple as that.” She smiled at me. “Unfortunately, I don’t think you’ll like just how your road with us ends. I’ve seen it. It’s quite painful.”

  The breath caught in my throat. There was no way around this. None at all. I was going to have to make a choice, either kill this poor woman or blow our cover by not doing it. There was no choice in that, of course. I wouldn’t kill her. It didn’t matter what was at stake.

  “Terry,” I said, my voice gruff. “If you would just-”

  A knock came on the window , causing me not only to shut up but for my entire body to shake.

  Scoffing, Terry pressed the button and lowered it. To my surprise, Nate Chambers stood there, a smug smile on his face and his hands in his pockets.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said. “Why are you burning gas. The party’s inside.”

  Terry, with an obviously aggravated look on her face, sighed at Nate. “I’m taking care of business, Chambers. Not that you would know anything about that.” She looked back at me. “Mr. Davidson here has to prove his loyalty, and unfortunately he’s dragging his feet on it.”

  “Maybe that’s because he’s tired,” Nate answered.

  “Tired?” Terry mused.

  “Seeing as how he’s already proven himself to the Archer once already,” Nate said.

  “Excuse me?” Terry asked.
/>   “You’re not the only one who can order a hit, Terry,” Nate said. “I knew what was coming, and as such, I ordered Al to kill someone for me earlier.” Nate nodded at me. “And he came through with flying colors.”

  “Is that right?” Terry asked, looking over at me with widening eyes. “Am I just supposed to believe your word without even as much as a body to prove it?”

  “Believe whatever you’d like, Terry,” Nate said. “And the body your wanting is already in police custody. Of course, his face is all over the news. You have heard about the murder of Donald Rightman from earlier tonight, right?”

  Terry’s head snapped back over at me. “That’s the reason I didn’t see you leave,” she said. “It wasn’t because you were running away. It was because you were outside taking care of business.” She shook her head again. “Like I said, clever boy.”

  “A bullet to the head,” I said, swallowing hard. “That’s not on the news. The only I would know that is if I did it.” My eyes slid past Terry and landed on Nate. “And the other guy, the one who was with you when you came to me earlier, he tried to stop me. Apparently, he was in cahoots with Rightman. I hit him with two in the chest.”

  “So, there you have it,” Nate said. “You asked Al Davidson to kill a woman who has been skimming money off the top, and I had him kill not only the man she was skimming money for but also a trusted member of our own organization who was conning us.” Nate pulled the door open. “He’s done his part. He’s earned his ticket. Let them come in.”

  Terry stared at me for a long moment. “Very well,” she finally said. “Enjoy yourselves tonight, you two.” She grinned at Natasha and me, stepping out and letting us exit. “It’s going to be a hell of a party.”

  As I walked toward the building, a large white tent out on the sand, Nate fell into step with me.

  “The girl,” I said. “They’re going to kill her.”

  “She’ll be fine. I’ll make sure of it,” he said. “I do wished you’d have managed to keep Donald Rightman safe.”