Tough Love (Hidden Secrets) (25 page)

Chapter Thirty-Three

Jackson

There
was more than a sense of urgency as I rushed through the streets to get to the restaurant that my Princess was last seen. It was more like a feeling of survival. I couldn’t survive without her, nor did I want to.  Praying that she was okay and that I made it to the restaurant without getting pulled over because at this moment, I’m not sure I’d stop if one pulled up behind me.

Finally,
we arrived at the restaurant and quickly hurried inside. There were three cops standing by the hostess podium. Jason clasped my shoulder then and went and greeted the men. After some short conversation Jason turns around.

“Okay
guys. These are good buddies of mine. They just transferred up here from Texas. If anyone can help us find Shannon, it will be these guys. Keith, Trenton, and Danger.”

“Before
y’all ask, Danger is my real name. No, I won’t explain,” Danger states cooly.

“I
don’t give a fuck what your names are. The minute you don’t help in finding Shannon will be the last you are needed here. Got it?” I hissed.

“Come
on Jackson. They’re here to help,” Jason tried to reason.

“Hey,
Jay, don’t stress it. I would be as equally eager if it were the roles reversed. Why don’t we get in and have a look at the surveillance videos,” Trenton says calmly, then starts walking in the direction we needed to go.

“Danger
and Jake, go look in the banquet room they were in,” Jason said, while the rest of us walked into the security room.

After
a little conversation the video during that time was brought up and I watched in horror as three guys walk into the room.

“Yes,
that’s my fucking wife!” Carson cheers.

“You’re
married to that?” Keith asks shocked.

“Will
be soon. We waited until after our daughter was born. Damn, she may be better than me,” he said proudly.

We
all watch as Mary grabs her stomach screaming while Shannon struggles in the big guys arms. Then I watch in horror as he hits her over the head and her body hangs limp in his arms as he carries her right out of the room. My heart was racing in my chest as I turn to the security guard with rage rolling through me.

“You
just let him walk out with her?” I hissed.

“He
said she had too much to drink and he was taking her home. I didn’t know,” he said wide eyed.

“Roll
back, let’s see if we can get a picture of their faces.” Trenton state sternly.

To
my horror, I sat here watching over and over again, my heart, my essence be pulled away from me. Suddenly Jason yells, “Stop there!” Jason points at the screen. “I know who they are!”

“How?”
Trenton asks, focused.

“Right
before I took the rape case, I was assigned to this undercover case trying to bring down crime boss, Hector Maloney. We had a guy on the inside. These guys are Hector’s three main men; Ceo Martin, Daryl and Cameron Hayes. We thought we had him many years ago, but he had a cover and the woman was solid. We couldn’t crack her or find one in her alibi. So the case hit a dead end and shortly after that I switched my case to the rape case.”

“Wait,
I remember that case,” Danger says from the doorway. “The girl said he was her uncle and he was celebrating with her. She had just got a job or something.”

I
watch as Jason pales and he stares at me. “What?” I ask on edge and standing quickly.

“Her
name was Rachael Clark.”

My
blood ran cold. My head began to spin and I dropped to my knees. Bracing myself on my hands as I fell forward, my head sagged between my arms as I tried to catch my breath.

“Fuck!”
I choked out.

Anger
built in me hard and fast. It took over me like a wave to the sand. A rock settled deep in the pit of my stomach. Shooting up to my feet, I roared  knocking things to the floor.

“Jackson!
You can’t lose it now!” Colt said with his hand to my chest.

“It’s
my fucking fault! I brought Rachael to her! I caused this!”

“You
didn’t do this!”

We
are all turned shocked to find a man that none of us knew. I’ve saw him before but never actually met him. The place I saw him were pictures on Shannon’s wall. Moving toward him quickly, I shoved him out into the hall and pinned him against the wall.

“I
know who you are. Shannon has told me about you. You’ve hurt her for too long. She blames herself for what happened to her parents and what you guys lost. Fuck! You lost a sister you asshole! She lost a mother, a father, and her whole fucking family,” I roared slamming him against the wall. “What the fuck are you doing here?” I hissed.

“I
know where she’s being held,” he forces out through my choke hold.

My
hands let him go of him so fast, like I had been shocked. He fell to the floor in a heap, gasping for air.

“Who
are you?” I say quietly. “I know you’re her Uncle, but what’s your name and how the hell do you know where she’s being held?”

“My
name is Rodney,” he starts to stand, but I stop him by holding my hand out.

“You
might want to stay down there. I have a feeling before you finish answering my questions you’re going to be down there again. Save me the hassle,” I sneered.

“Fair
enough. Like you said, I’m her uncle. I’ve had my problems over the years and my sister has helped me try and keep my life from falling apart. When she died, well, my life fell apart. I blamed her. I hated her. Then…long story none of it matters. Point is, I was called by a woman for my phone number-”

“You
were the one tormenting her from her mom’s number,” I punched him. “You’re a fucking prick!”

“I
was angry and felt abandoned. In the beginning I tried to have faith that she’d be like her mom, but she wasn’t. So when this woman called, I sold the number to her,” he shrugs, like this was no big fucking deal.

“You
better get to the point real fucking quick before I start beating the shit out of you to burn through this hatred I have building,” I growled.

“She
asked me if I wanted any payback. I told her damn straight I did! When she got her, Rachael called me, said that I was to meet her for my revenge. I didn’t realize what she had planned, but I couldn’t stop from doing it.”

Lifting
him by his throat, I held him to the wall. My face inches from his. “What did you do you little puke?” I shook him a bit when he didn’t answer. “Tell me or I’ll kill you right now!”

His
eyes moved in the direction of the detectives behind me. With my other hand, I yanked his hair to gain the attention of his eyes again. “Don’t look at them for help. Right now I don’t see anyone stopping me this far. Do you?”

“Far
as I can see, there’s no reason to stop you yet, but if you don’t start getting answers I may help you,” says Danger from behind me.

“I
had to whip her,” he choked out.

My
face contorted in confusion, “As in with a belt?”

“No,”
barked a man from end of the hall.

“You
need to leave this is a private matter,” Danger tried to usher him away.

“You’re
right it is. I want to find Rachael just as much as you fools do,” he glares at me. “You fucking her?”

My
eyes widen in shock, I let go of Rodney and walk toward the strange man. “I don’t know who the hell you are, but I wouldn’t touch that woman with someone else’s dick. The bitch has my fiancée!”

“Fuck,”
he breathed paling. “You’re Jackson.” He stated.

“Yeah,
why?” Suddenly I’m not feeling too steady.

“Let
me introduce myself. My name is Michael. Rachael is my wife. We met many years ago at this little bar and grill that a friend of hers ran. I thought she was in love with me the same as I was her. She said yes to marrying me, even married me. We’ve had two kids. I was happy…”

“I’m
sorry to interrupt you here, but my fiancée is in the hands of some very ugly men. I’ve wasted enough time. If you wish to tell me her story after, then whatever, but I need her safe before I listen to anyone else’s pity parties.” I growl.

Danger
turned to Rodney. “Where’s she being held?”

With
address in hand, we all bolt from the restaurant. Danger jumps in my car. Not bothering to question him, I take off. He’s on his radio with police for back-up. My mind was only focused on getting to Shannon before she was hurt. My heart was telling me that I was already too late for no harm to have been done to her, but I couldn’t quit from hoping anyway.

“You
need to prepare yourself…” Danger started.

“I
know. You don’t think I know,” I snapped.

He
sighs. “I know. Look, Jason is family to me. His family is my family. I’ll do whatever I can to help you.”

It
was my turn to sigh. “I know. Jason is a great man and perfect for my sister, but I wish he would have stayed with her. If anyone else gets hurt because of me…” I trailed off.

“This
isn’t your fault. The woman is obviously neurotic. She’s seriously unbalanced if she’s chasing after you like this when she’s married and has two kids of her own. Listen, I want you only focusing on getting to Shannon. Don’t look for Rachael. Don’t look for the men. Let us handle that. You focus on Shannon,” He said compassionately.

“You
don’t have to tell me twice, but I want a piece of anyone that put their hands on her,” I said darkly.

“I
promise. I’ll give it to you, one way or another. You’ll have your moment with them.”

Only
nodding my head, I whipped the streets of downtown. Ten minutes later, we pulled in front of the building and my heart starts hammering in my chest. We all gather just off to the side of the door we were told to use. Everyone was talking fast and no one could agree on what to do.

“Listen,”
I practically yelled. “I’m going to go in here. I’m going to try and reason with them to get her. Then you can all ambush when I have Shannon.”

There
was more talk about signals and where to stand, but I gave up listening. I started moving in the door. There was no way another minute was passing before I got my girl. Now I know what Carson was going through that day. When he wanted to go in guns blazing, we had to stop him. No one was stopping me. For the most part there was a plan intact. I had my role which really didn’t depend on them.

Just
as we reached the door that separated me from Shannon, the door opposite of it opened and two of the guys that took her came walking out. I started to lunge for them when Danger pushed me out of the way and told me to go get Shannon. Turning, I ran into the door. My heart dropped in my chest at the sight before me. There she was hanging like she was some kind of human letter. Blood covered her naked body, it was then I saw a man’s hands running over her body. Anger burned me from the inside out.

“Get
your fucking hands off her!” I growled, my voice echoing off the empty walls.

“What
the fuck!” The man peaks out from behind Shannon.

“Who
the fuck are you and how did you get here?”

Just
then a woman came out squealing flinging her arms around my neck. “My Jackson. You shouldn’t be here. I was-”

Shoving
her to the ground, I glared at her before turning my attention back to the man. My fists clench at my sides.

“I
said get the fuck away from my fiancée,” I hissed yet again.

“Your
fiancée, huh? She’s a fine piece of ass, but isn’t that your fiancée?” He points to Rachael.

“Hell
no!” I glare at her in disgust. “I wouldn’t touch her with your dick. Of course I’m sure her husband would love to hear what the mother of his children and love of his life has been up to lately. I know how you work Ceo,” I lied about the last part. “I swear if you’ve touched what’s mine…”

“Jackson,
how could you turn on me?” Rachael gasped.

Not
taking my eyes off Ceo, I bit out, “I was never with you to begin with. Stay the fuck away from me.”

Ceo
was now standing out from behind Shannon. My heart started hammering in my chest. He was shirtless and his pants were undone. My mind wanted to race off in all the things he could have done to her, but I gritted my teeth tighter to keep focus. He stepped closer a smirk forming on his face.