A Dangerous Tryst (The Inheritance Book 3) Read online

  Then her gaze tipped up. To the rooftop.

  There, with a rifle drawn and aimed her way, a lookout prepared to fire again.

  Madalina continued to run, expecting to feel a bullet tear into her flesh any moment.

  Positioned in the foliage, ready to rush the side of the building the moment his team provided distraction, Cole gripped the line to the grappling hook and counted the seconds off in his head. He concentrated solely on tossing the hook high over the edge of the structure, high and hard enough that the device would catch and hold the first time around. He wouldn’t have a second chance. The lookout would be alerted to an attack and open fire, forcing one of his men to open fire first. At all costs, Cole wanted to avoid alerting the men inside the building as long as possible. The less danger he put Madalina and her parents in, the better.

  Before any of his team could make a move to distract the rooftop guard, a set of booms rocked the building. In the initial half second, Cole thought his men had begun their tactic early—then he realized that the sounds had come from inside. It was too loud to be gunfire. Had to be grenades.

  Cole’s blood ran cold, knowing Madalina was in there with the device. She was there, maybe in a vulnerable spot, open to all kinds of shrapnel and the concussive blast.

  Unexpectedly, the back door flew open, and three people staggered out. Cole was just at the right angle to see a man and two women run for the cover of the trees. It took him less than a second to recognize Madalina and her parents in the swirls of smoke that billowed from the door behind them. He knew better than to call out and draw the attention of the rooftop guard—oh hell, the rooftop guard. Cole dropped the grappling hook and grabbed for his gun even as the first gunshot rang through the day.

  Curses flew from his lips as a bullet kicked up dust less than three feet from Madalina. He broke cover at a run, stopping to aim when he had a clearer shot, and fired seconds after the guard pulled the trigger again. The silencer on the end of his weapon reduced the retort to a quiet thwip. Hit in the thigh, the guard howled and went down.

  Cole tore across the open clearing, knowing the men inside could come pouring out the doors any second. He saw that Madalina hadn’t been hit by the second bullet—thank God. She looked stricken, but she was on her feet and still moving forward.

  With Damon and Brandon at his back, Cole holstered his weapon and barreled toward Madalina. Fearing another shot from the men inside, he did the only thing he could do—he launched himself into the air, arms spread wide like a net, aiming to tackle the entire group to the ground.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  A freight train came out of nowhere and knocked her off her feet. Air whooshed from Madalina’s lungs at the impact, and she crashed into her father, then her mother, landing in a heap beneath the trees. In any other instance, the flailing arms and legs of four people might have seemed comical—all Madalina could think about was kicking the attacker in the face. She existed in a strange haze of half sounds and a world that didn’t quite look right, skewing her perception to the point that she had trouble flipping over and drawing a leg back to kick. It was almost like her body didn’t want to accept the commands that she gave it, or that everything moved in slow motion.

  How frustrating.

  The body atop her pressed down, pinning her uncomfortably against a root and her father’s shoe. Wesley struggled to free himself from Madalina, while Juniper flailed helplessly, trapped beneath his greater weight.

  “Get off me!” Madalina shouted. At least she thought she shouted. Her ears still weren’t working correctly.

  “Madalina! It’s me! Stop fighting,” Cole hissed.

  Going utterly still, Madalina glanced up into a face she did not expect to see. Not in that particular moment when a sniper was taking shots at them from the rooftop. Cole stared down at her intently, giving her the same sort of look she’d given her parents earlier. The one that informed her she needed to follow his lead and trust him. She had no time to tell him how glad she was to see him or that she’d known that he would eventually find them. For a precious few seconds, relief overshadowed her fear.

  Scrambling off the ground at Cole’s insistence, she helped her parents get to their feet, and they ran deeper into the forest. The sound of snapping twigs and the rustle of leaves reassured her that her hearing was beginning to stabilize. Glancing back, she caught sight of Damon and Brandon taking up defensive positions behind the trees, aiming their weapons back toward the building and the open door that would, eventually, begin to spew fighters looking for prey.

  She was intensely glad to know Cole’s brothers were on the scene.

  Forced to look forward or risk crashing into a tree trunk, she let Cole veer their course left through the foliage, angling toward the front of the stronghold yet far enough away to avoid being seen. Madalina knew there must be a reason Cole had taken this route and did not question his judgment. Gunfire popped in the distance, too far away to be the guards from the building.

  “This way, this way,” Cole whispered, guiding the group past several thick bushes. Suddenly he snagged Madalina by the shoulder and corralled her, along with Wesley and Juniper, against a double set of tree trunks. He put a finger to his lips and withdrew a gun from a holster. He did so with stealthy, quiet movements, eyes sharp and alert.

  Madalina pressed her spine against the rough trunk and pulled air into her oxygen-starved lungs. Her parents had gone still and silent at her side, reacting appropriately to Cole’s signals. Perhaps a minute and a half later, Madalina detected the faint sound of bodies moving through the trees. Brush rustled and a branch cracked.

  Cole tensed beside her.

  Briefly Madalina wondered if the threat was a part of the gunplay she’d heard somewhere beyond the compound. She didn’t understand the situation fully, although she recalled the information she’d gleaned just before the explosions. Something about enemy lines and attacks. Between that and the maps and the level of armament in the stronghold, Madalina could surmise only that there was a standoff occurring between two factions. Drug lords, cartels, political rivals—it could be anything.

  Not the best circumstances, certainly.

  The rustle drew closer. Madalina held her breath, heart in her throat.

  “Classic distraction technique. Worked pretty good,” Lance said, coming around the other side of the trees. He had his gun level and aimed directly at Cole.

  Madalina gasped in surprise and snapped a look to her left. She’d never heard Lance coming. His presence wasn’t a part of the quiet noises that continued to grow closer to their position. Beau stepped past the trees to the right, and Madalina knew he’d made the sounds on purpose to draw their attention. He, too, had his gun drawn and raised.

  Cole muttered a curse and lowered his own weapon to his side.

  “I don’t know or care how you got away from the men in the compound, but this is what’s going to happen now,” Lance said. “You, Cole, you’re going to lay down your weapon, take off that vest and the belt, and go with Beau. Madalina—”

  “Why are you sending Cole with Beau?” Madalina demanded. Fear that Lance meant to have Beau execute Cole in the forest forced her to step forward and confront Lance. She cared little in that moment for her own safety or angering Lance. He could go to hell, and she’d tell him so.

  Lance swung the muzzle toward Madalina. “Don’t. Just do what I tell you, and you and your family will be fine.” Lance glanced at her parents.

  Madalina read between the lines. If she backed down, nothing would happen to her mother or father—but if she pressed about Cole, if she raised a ruckus, then she might put her parents’ life in jeopardy. These men were adept at using fear as a weapon. Because it had worked on her before, in the plane, Lance didn’t hesitate to use the tactic again.

  The concern for Cole’s life lingered. She stood her ground until she felt Cole’s hand on her arm.

  “It’s okay. Do what he says,” Cole said.

  Madalina tilted
a look into his eyes. They were unreadable. She couldn’t tell if he had a plan or a way out. The thought of Beau killing him in the bush was inconceivable, and for long moments she teetered on the verge of doing something she shouldn’t.

  Cole held her eyes while he tossed his gun down and began undoing the buckles on the vest. His fingers worked the clasps free, one by one.

  Mesmerized, Madalina couldn’t look away from his face. The way he stared at her made her think he was silently telling her good-bye. A knot of denial lodged in her throat. Her stomach soured. This couldn’t be good-bye. The gravity in his gaze prompted her to shake her head, ever so faintly, rejecting the notion that she would never see him again.

  “I also need to know what the name of the street is. You know, in Nepal? Surely you’ve worked that out by now,” Lance said, drawing Madalina’s gaze back.

  “You’re crazy if you think I’m giving you that right now. Let Cole and my parents go, and I’ll tell you.” Madalina figured the knowledge had to be worth something. She also still feared that once Lance had the full address deciphered from Walcot’s letter, he would turn the gun on her next. Bartering for Cole’s and her parents’ lives in the moment seemed the right thing to do.

  “You don’t seem to understand how this works,” Lance said, an edge of impatience in his voice. “I’m the one holding the gun, which means you tell me or things get ugly.”

  “What’s he talking about, Madalina?” Cole asked.

  “There was a gift from Walcot for my birth—” Madalina’s reply fell short when Lance stepped closer and rudely interrupted.

  “Stop. Talking. Madalina, you’re really pushing me. What’s the address?” Lance demanded.

  Madalina licked her lips. Staring down the barrel of a gun unnerved her. Would he really shoot her and her parents once he had the address? In periphery, she saw Cole drop his vest to the ground, saw her mother slink closer to Wesley’s side. The tension was thick enough to cut. She said, “It’s Hillside. Eighteen, Hillside. Pokhara.”

  Lance’s eyes narrowed. His gaze turned colder, harder, just before he slanted the gun toward Wesley and pulled the trigger.

  Thanks to Thaddeus’s detective work, Cole recognized Lance and Beau immediately. He’d seen their photos, knew their background. He also knew what the men were capable of. It was why he moved slowly when he took off the vest, made sure his hands were in clear sight at all times.

  When Lance’s gun went off, providing an unexpected distraction, Cole didn’t waste a second. He elbowed Beau hard in the face and spun around to land a kick against Lance’s wrist. The gun bobbled and flew out of Lance’s hand.

  Madalina’s scream sent an icy chill down his spine as he lunged for the weapon at his feet. Picking up the handgun, Cole took control of the situation, forcing an unhappy-looking Lance and a stunned Beau to stand side by side.

  “One twitch and I’ll put an end to your trouble. Permanently.” Cole wouldn’t shoot to kill unless his or someone else’s life was in immediate danger—and Wesley’s might very well be—but he figured the threat would make the men think twice about striking back. “How is he, Madalina?” Cole didn’t want to glance over, didn’t want to see a hole in Wesley’s chest. He did not have the luxury of indulging in regret and sorrow. That Wesley should lose his life and Madalina have to witness it, on her birthday no less, was unthinkable. Cole stuffed the overwhelming emotions back and focused on Lance.

  “He’s okay, he’s okay, Cole. Lance shot the tree, not my dad,” Madalina said in a shaky, breathless voice.

  “That was the smartest move you’ve made today,” Cole said to Lance. “Do you have anyone else with you?”

  “He does. There are two more men, but they’re not here right now,” Madalina interjected. She held tight to her father, as if reassuring herself he was really okay.

  “Where are they?” Cole asked.

  “Don’t know,” Lance said.

  Cole aimed the muzzle of the gun at Lance’s thigh. “Sure you do. I’m not feeling particularly forgiving at the moment, so tell me or I’ll give you a little of what you gave Wesley. Except I won’t miss.”

  “They split off with the strategist we extricated from the enemy about a quarter mile back,” Lance said.

  “Speaking of the enemy—who exactly are you working for and why?” Cole asked. He heard the telltale sounds of people moving through the trees and was about to order Madalina to pick up the gun when a familiar whistle cut through the air. Relaxing when he recognized an old childhood call from Damon, Cole returned a similar whistle but kept the gun trained on Lance. Moments later, Damon and Brandon emerged from the forest, weapons drawn. They instinctively took up flanking positions after a quick glance his way.

  Lance inhaled and exhaled a sound of frustration.

  “Lance here was just about to tell us who hired him and why,” Cole said, filling his brothers in. He would find out what happened back at the compound in a minute.

  “A Vietnamese liaison hired us to find out as much information as we could about Madalina and her parents—and the dragons. As you’ve no doubt seen and heard, there’s a conflict going on. This island specifically has escalated into a full-blown battle. Certain strategists who work for the Vietnamese army believe that obtaining the dragons will give Vietnam leverage against China and force the Chinese to withdraw their troops. It’s not a secret to what lengths the Chinese will go to get their precious artifacts back,” Lance said.

  Hearing Lance confirm what he and his brothers had conjectured back in the States was good news. Their deductions had been right on, which had led to success in finding Madalina and her parents. Figuring out the enemy’s course of action was as important as being able to follow through with the physical aspect of the job.

  “And what were your instructions beyond obtaining the dragons?” Cole asked.

  “We had no further instructions after returning the items to our liaison,” Lance replied. He lifted his chin a fraction.

  “What were your plans, then? What did you intend to do with Madalina and her parents?” Cole pressed the issue. He wanted to know if Lance had planned to return them home or find a more expedient way to dispose of the captives.

  Lance said nothing.

  Cole thought the lack of reply spoke volumes. Lance wouldn’t waste the time, energy, or money to return Madalina and her folks to the States. He also didn’t think Lance would stand down, even if Damon and Brandon tied the men to a tree. Lance and his crew would get loose eventually and head straight for the dragons.

  If that’s what waited at the address Madalina had provided. That could turn out to be a headache later on—and dangerous. Lance seemed like the type of man who could hold a pretty good grudge. The man hadn’t shot Wesley, however, which meant a flicker of humanity still lurked beneath his bulldog tendencies. If pushed, would Lance toss the humanity aside in favor of triumph? Cole couldn’t be sure, and that’s what made the situation extra tricky. He wouldn’t—couldn’t—kill the men in cold blood. It wasn’t his nature. Which left him with one choice.

  “Damon, bind their hands and secure them to one of these trees. Put a gag in their mouths so they don’t alert someone too quickly.” Cole said. “What’s going on with the men in the stronghold?”

  “The rest of Talbot’s team has them under guard. No one was seriously hurt in the altercation, but the guys can’t stay there forever. They’re just buying us a little time,” Brandon replied while Damon holstered his gun and withdrew two zip ties from his vest. He bound Lance’s and Beau’s hands behind their backs.

  Cole bent to retrieve his vest and drag it on, then holstered his weapon. He caught Madalina’s gaze and tried to reassure her with nothing more than a look. It’ll be okay. I’ve got a plan. Despite the scare with her father, she seemed to be holding up well. Wesley and Juniper were paler than he’d ever seen them, and obviously shaken by the warning shot, but also standing strong.

  “Here’s what’s going to happen,” Cole said, st
epping forward to remove every weapon from Lance’s and Beau’s vests. He also took any money or identification to make it that much harder for the men to function. A folded piece of paper in a pocket on Lance’s vest proved to be a note from Walcot. Cole confiscated that as well. He stepped away, bringing Damon, Brandon, and Madalina closer with a glance. Lowering his voice, he said, “I want Wesley and Juniper to hole up with a few members of Talbot’s team. Tell them to find the safest place they can. Brandon, call Thaddeus and arrange a jet to take the Maitlands back to the States. Use the company’s plane, find one to rent, whatever you have to do.”

  “What about us?” Madalina asked.

  Cole shot her a glance that clearly said, We’ll discuss that in private. He was sure Lance knew what his plans were with Madalina—to leave here and head straight to the mysterious address in Nepal—but he wanted a more secure venue to discuss their agenda.

  Madalina nodded in understanding.

  Cole hoped slowing Lance down would give him and Madalina enough time to find that address in Nepal, retrieve whatever Walcot left, and get out before the men caught up again.

  His pursuit had just turned into a race against time.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Don’t worry, Mom, we’ll be fine.” Madalina rubbed her hands down her distraught mother’s arms. Cole, Damon, Brandon, and the rest of the team stood near the door to a metal bunker, with an underground room that would keep the Maitlands safe until the plane arrived. The team, led by Talbot, promised to protect the couple and send Cole a warning text when they discovered Lance had gotten free. In the meantime, Juniper had insisted on changing shoes with Madalina—they wore the same size—so that Madalina had tennis shoes instead of low heels to work in.

  “I can’t help but worry. Being in the action with you—it really brings all this into sharper perspective. I know Cole is capable, though, and that he’ll protect you with his life,” Juniper said. Her voice shook as much as her hands did.