Page 66 of Glamour and Grit

“Yeah, that about sums it up. My sister is tracking the location of our victim and the kidnappers.”

“And you don’t want to get the police involved?”

“There’s a possibility that Selene, that is, my client’s brother might be injured or killed if we involve the authorities. Besides, what can they do that we can’t do better?”

He chuckles and juts his head toward the passenger seat. “Hop in and let’s go find your client and get her home in one piece.”

“All right. Just remember, this is my show and I’m in charge.”

He snaps off a sarcastic salute.

“Sir, yes, Sir. I’m banking on Jax agreeing to my generous recruitment package if I do him a solid. You, my friend, are the solid, so I’m going to do whatever you want me to do, whenever you want me to do it.”

“Does that involve shutting up on occasion?” I growl.

“Hmm. Nope, sorry.”

“Swell.”

I hop in the car and barely get situated before he takes off like a bolt of lighting.

Hang on, Selene. I’m coming.

21

SELENE

When the SUV rolled up on Moreno’s private marina, I was stunned. Living in LA, you get used to seeing vast displays of opulent wealth.

But this is on a whole different level. I expected the heavy security, but the stone walls and defensive embankments made the exterior look like a castle.

Inside, the marina proves no less impressive, but the gigantic yacht floating at the dock grabs all my attention. I almost don’t notice the three men standing guard with assault weapons brazenly held in the open.

“Pretty sweet, right?” Moreno slaps me on the shoulder like we’re old friends. “It belonged to a studio exec who…well, let’s just say he owed me a favor or two. Now it’s all mine. One of these days I’m going to sail it all the way to Italy, show it off to the motherland.”

“Make sure you go around South America. I hear it’s the best,” I grumble.

He scowls, and Petty laughs. Moreno turns his glare on Petty.

“She just burned you, boss. Cape Horn is full of bad storms and…”

Moreno continues to stare.

“I mean, there’s hundred-foot waves and you’d have to be a real lunatic or fucking stupid to…ah…it’s not important.”

He coughs and busies himself with getting out of the vehicle. The rest of us follow suit. Nobody bothers to bully me around or hold a gun on me. There’s no point. Even if I weren’t held hostage by Justin’s welfare, I couldn’t get past the guards at the gate, nor hope to climb the walls.

In fact, I’m worried that Dane won’t be able to reach me at all. If he even understands my message. I didn’t have any time to think it out, and I needed an excuse to write something kind of long. Let’s hope he remembers that conversation we had about acrostic messages.

When our party reaches the gangplank of the yacht, I balk.

“I want to see my brother. Now.”

“You’ll see him when I’m good and ready,” Moreno says.

“I’m not going to help you until I get to see him, so you might as well just get it over with.”

Moreno fixes me with his glare. I wilt on the inside, but I keep up a stubborn facade on the outside. Eventually he shrugs.

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