Jake nodded. “That wasn’t the end of it. What we didn’t make public was what happened after we got her back home to the States.” A haunted look came over the man’s eyes. “Long story short, I fucked up and Olivia nearly died because of it.”
“Damn.”
Blinking away the terrible memories, his boss drew in a deep breath. “My point in telling you all this, Nate, is so you’ll believe me when I say I do understand how you feel right now. You want Gracie back and you want to end the fuckers responsible.”
Nate nodded. “Yes, sir. I do.”
“You’ll get that chance. I promise. We’ve been doing everything we can on our end, but, as you know, this sort of thing can take time.”
“Gracie doesn’t have time.”
“Agreed. But we have to be smart about it, or we could end up putting her at an even greater risk. You hear what I’m saying?”
“Yeah, Boss. I hear you.”
Looking pleased with that answer, Jake said, “Good. I’ll have Liv bring you some scrubs and get the doctor to sign your discharge papers.”
Because he was the kind of man who could get shit like that done.
“Thanks, Jake.”
The other man turned and crossed the room toward the door. He was about to reach for the knob when he faced Nate again.
“Oh, and Carter?”
“Yeah, Boss?”
“You ever yell at my wife that way again, and losing your job will be the least of your concerns.”
Fuck me.“Understood.”
With a final nod, Jake left him alone in his room.
Running his good hand over his face, Nate clutched the muscles at the back of his neck. He closed his eyes and thought the words he wished Gracie could hear.
I’ll find you, baby. I swear to God, I will.
Chapter 15
Gracelynn no longer felt any pain. Her raw, bloodied wrists no longer throbbed, and she barely noticed the many bruises Achim Akmar had left on her body that first day.
She couldn’t even bring herself to cry anymore. Of course, that may have something to due to her being dehydrated.
When smacking her around hadn’t gotten her to give up the file they thought she had, Yavuz had ordered her not to be fed again until she talked.
Not wanting her to die before that happened, he had allowed Akmar to bring her a glass of water each morning and night. That was all she’d consumed in the past three days.
At least, she thought that’s how long it had been.
Three agonizing, torturous days since Nate had been gunned down right in front of her—becauseof her—and she’d been drugged and brought here, to what she assumed was one of Edric Yavuz’ many homes.
As much as it broke her heart to admit it, Gracie had finally come to the conclusion that Nate had gotten off easy.
One bullet, then poof. Gone.Just like that.
Lying there, with her wrists chained to the room’s beautiful, ornate bed, Gracie tried to snap her fingers with the thought. She giggled, her mind muddled and her movements sluggish, thanks to whatever chemicals she still had running through her veins.
Beating and starving her hadn’t yielded the results Yavuz desired, so this morning he’d tried another method. A few hours ago, Achim had come back into her room. She’d tried to fight him off, but like all the other times, her efforts had been futile.
