Back at my apartment, I stripped and got beneath the hot stream of water of the shower. I set the nozzle to full-jet stream, enjoying every moment of the cleansing process—letting the tiny splatters of blood wash off my skin, and the weight of taking yet more human lives wash down the drain hole.
Finally, I was ready to call Ryder back. The phone only rang three times before he answered.
“Tell me you’re back and ready to help find Eva?” His voice was brusque and filled with worry. No greeting, no pleasantries.
Fuck. That could only mean he’d come up empty.
“Don’t tell me your club couldn’t come up with a single bit of information?”
Ryder sighed. “No. Nothing.”
I sucked in a breath. “And Bill? You’ve questioned him?”
“Yeah. He said he had no idea where Nolan took her. He hadn’t thought to ask at the time because he was just so relieved to get her away from you.”
I smirked. “That’s irresponsible and dumb.”
“Let’s leave the compliments for another time. The point here is getting to Eva. We’ve still heard nothing from her, and it’s worrying me.”
I ran a hand through my hair. “I’ll put out some feelers. I have a few informants who may be able to help.”
I didn’t tell Ryder that I had human sniff-dogs that could find a fucking needle in a haystack. He didn’t need the disappointment if my guys came up empty. For the first time since Jamie’s disappearance, Ryder and I were on the same page.
“Okay. I get what you’re saying. Let’s forget our differences and focus on Eva. For now.”
Ryder grunted, as if he was pained. “Yeah, I can work with that. For now,” he growled.
“I’ll let you know if I find anything. You do the same. That way we don’t waste time. Agreed?”
“Agreed.” Silence fell between us before Ryder spoke again. “Thank you. Eva means a lot to me. I don’t want her to be hurt.”
That made two of us.
“We’ll find her, okay?” I was consoling myself just as much as I was Ryder. If Eva had been taken against her will—and I was suspecting it more and more—Senator Parker was in for a shock. The biker and the cop uniting forces to unravel his game wasn’t going to be fun for him when we found him. But he was mine. I was the one who was bringing him to his knees. The fucker had toyed with my life, but even worse, if our suspicions were right, he was hurting the only woman on the planet who really meant something to me, outside of my family.
I hung up the call with Ryder and made a few calls. I’d never put this high a price on information, so I was sure I’d get something back within a couple of hours. The underground grapevine worked fast and effectively, and for the right price, somebody was always willing to talk.
Shocked when my phone rang twenty minutes later, the value of the mighty dollar hit me hard.
“Sonny, you got news for me?” Surely it couldn’t be this easy?
“Seems a few people don’t like the senator much. He’s not a nice man, from what I hear. But yeah, I got news for you.”
“Meet me at the usual place in thirty minutes.”
“I’ll be there. Bring the cash.”
It always came down to the money. Cold, hard cash trumped anything else.
I removed the duffle bag from under the floorboard and counted the money. I didn’t believe in putting my savings in the bank. Interest rates were so damn low that it wasn’t worth the effort. Besides, I felt more at ease knowing exactly where my money was. I didn’t want it invested in dodgy shares, or to watch its value tumble as I’d seen happen to so many of my father’s clients.
I’d been saving for a nice house closer to the ocean. This was my life savings, and I was just about to give almost half of it up for information. How fucking screwed up was that?
Thirty minutes later, I sat across from Sonny. I ordered a Coke and burger with everything, as well as fries on the side. Nothing like a greasy American meal to make me feel like I was back in my own country.
Sonny watched me with wide eyes as I devoured the entire meal in a few minutes.
“Man, you’re a crazy motherfucker,” he said, laughing.
I wiped the sauce from the corners of my mouth and grinned. “And don’t you ever forget that fact,” I warned.
I pushed the bag toward him. “Half now and half when I’m happy you delivered as requested.”
Sonny put his hand over his heart. “I’m hurt you don’t trust me, after all these years. When have I not delivered?”
I shrugged. “You know it’s nothing personal.” I picked at something stuck between my teeth. I hated when that happened. “It’s also the most money I’ve ever forked out, so you gotta understand I need assurance first.”
Sonny removed an envelope from his pocket. He held it against his chest and smirked. “These picture are worth a fuckload of cash on the black market. The senator probably has a few more enemies than he knows about who wouldn’t mind using them for extortion and blackmail.” He leaned forward as if he wanted to confide in me. “I’m giving them to you at a rock bottom price because I like you.”
I snorted. Yeah right.
I pushed the bag toward him and held out my hand. Sonny wouldn’t sell to me if I weren’t the highest bidder. But if I needed to, I’d give the fucker every cent I owned. Fuck I’d even borrow more if that wasn’t enough.
Sonny leaned forward and grabbed hold of the bag. He zipped it open and checked inside, then quickly closed it up again and placed it on his lap.
“Give me what I paid for,” I said, itching to get a look at the contents of the envelope.
He placed the envelope in my hand. With a slight tremble I ripped the envelope open and braced myself for the contents. Locking my jaw, I flicked through the pictures while keeping a poker face.
Pictures of Eva being carried into a place with whitewashed walls and tropical plants. Pictures of a huge motherfucker walking beside Parker with my girl in his burly arms, unconscious. Pictures of her wrapped in a sheet, her hair covering parts of her face.
What the fuck had they done to her?
Rage filled me, and I had a hard time controlling myself.
Ryder and Jade were right. No way in hell Eva was there out of her own choice. Fuck, why had it taken me so long to get that?
“You look shocked.” No shit. “What is this woman to you?”
I sucked in a breath.
This woman. She was everything to me. Everything.
I’d been a dumb-as-fuck asshole, too self-absorbed in my own fucking pain to see the truth stare me in the face. If something happened to Eva . . .
“She’s the sister of a friend.”
“Ah, that explains why you look so pale. It’s personal.”
“My friend won’t be happy when he sees these pictures.”
Ryder was going to go mental. And I wouldn’t blame him. As for Sonny, the less he knew about my personal involvement the better. If he had any idea how invested I was in the outcome, the price could easily double. The motherfucker would bleed me dry and not blink an eye.
Chapter 37 — Harrison
I sent a quick text to Ryder as I drove over to his and Jade’s house.
I’ve got information. On my way to your place. Talk soon.
Seconds later, the reply came through.
Hurry the fuck up.
Ryder would never change. I’d told Sonny he was my friend earlier. Ah well, both our sisters were probably in love with assholes. I couldn’t quite wrap my head around the idea that Jade could be right and that Eva cared more for me than I was capable of understanding, but I had no illusions about my own feelings any longer.
It had taken Savage’s reasoning for the truth to finally hit home and break through my thick, resistant skull, and now a question as simple as Sonny’s to make me realize that I was so in love with Eva I didn’t know what to do with myself. Fuck.