Page 21 of Unbound

Of course, I didn’t want to go into witness protection. But I wanted to carve out at least a few options so I could pick the best of them when this all shook out.

“I got a number, Dario,” Zack said. “You can speak to your sister. All right?”

That got my attention and settled me down for a minute because I’d lost a lot of fuckin’ sleep worrying about her in the past week.

He plucked a phone out of his jeans pocket and fiddled a minute and then put it on the table between us on hands-free.

“Hello,” a male voice greeted, finally, on the fourth ring.

“Lex? Jacobs here. I have Dario with me and you’re on speaker.”

Silence.

Zack gestured to me and looked at the phone.

“Where’s Tess?” I didn’t bother with useless greetings.

“She’s safe here,” the voice answered. “She has been safe since she came to me. She’s comfortable and physically, she’s mostly well. She’ll be sent home with our mutual acquaintance when he arrives tomorrow.”

The guy didn’t have a Mexican accent. If anything, he sounded like he could’ve been brought up here in our neighborhood.

“And you have my sister-in-law?” I ventured.

“I do.”

“I’d appreciate it if you would send her back with Tess. I will make it worth your while,” I tried.

“She’s not for sale.”

“Her sister–”

The guy cut me off. “I’m aware of the situation. I’m telling you, she is not negotiable. I said this to Zack Jacobs. I went to great expense to acquire your sister. She is the peace offering.”

“I’m aware and I’m appreciative. This is my wife’s sister we’re talking about right now. Do you know the backstory?”

“I do. Show your appreciation for my saving your sister from what we both know would have been a horrific end by dropping your hunt for your wife’s sister. You now know who has her and it’s me. She’s staying put.”

I looked to Zack. Zack gave me a pointed look.

“You know all of it?” I tried to confirm. “Know they’ve been apart for two years, not knowing where the other was?”

“I do know,” he replied. “I know more than you know. Take your sister and drop it.”

“What condition is Holly in?”

“She’s mine.”

I sucked on my teeth at that answer, which was delivered slowly and with a tone that couldn’t be mistaken. It meant ‘none of your fuckin’ business’.

“This about revenge against us? For what you may assume was our involvement in the deaths of two of your family members? Because–”

“No. If that were the case you wouldn’t be getting your sister back. You and your brother did me a favor. Between you and I. Do not repeat that; I will deny it and I’ll seek to ensure there are consequences if you do. This is about her being mine, which she’s been for a lot longer than the few months you’ve known her sister. I’m merely making this peace offering to show you there’s nothing unresolved between our families. I did you a favor by rescuing your sister. You return that favor by backing off where your sister-in-law is concerned.”

“I don’t think you understand my position. My wife spent two years enslaved and Holly is–”

“I warn you, you do not wanna attempt to take her from me. You do not.” I heard a noise with his ‘not’, as if he’d slammed his fist down with that word.

Zack put his hand on my shoulder. I shrugged him off and got to my feet out of frustration.

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