Protector of Novah (Valor Knights Book 1) Read online

  “An intruder? Two men from your team brought her here, after they drugged her,” she said with a tilted jaw.

  “Then speak to the team. They just want to ask you questions.” John remained calm although he was held at gunpoint.

  “Won’t happen. However, you’re going to follow my orders now. Get on the floor and lean against the footboard.”

  “Banks, make this easier on yourself—”

  Egan waved the gun. “Get on the floor!”

  Realizing he didn’t have a choice, John sat down on the floor. “You’ll never get out of here. It’s only a matter of time before they’ll be here.”

  “Yeah? Why aren’t they here yet? Is that because most of them are off the property? Very convenient when Langley planned to have a few men kidnap a woman and bring her here.” Egan didn’t know that for a fact, but it fit. Otherwise, there’d be a crew of men breaking the door down by now.

  John remained quiet.

  “Novah, bring me the lamp.” She quickly brought it to him and when he had it in his hand, he dropped it to the floor, smashing the ceramic to pieces. Twisting the cord around his knuckles, he pulled it free of the base. “Lay on your stomach,” he demanded.

  “Listen…”

  “No, you need to listen to me. Your boss is up to his eyeballs in shit. Count yourself lucky that I’m going to let you off easy. So you can get down on your stomach on your own or I’ll help you,” Egan ground out. His patience had thinned long ago.

  When John was on his stomach, Egan told him, “Put your arms behind your back then bring up your feet and grab your ankles.”

  Using the cord, Egan tied his wrists and ankles together. Without rope it wasn’t escape-proof, but it would buy them some time. He gave the cord one last tug. “Sorry. This might hurt a little.” He punched the man in the face, knocking him out.

  Novah screamed and covered her mouth. She dropped her hand to her side. “Egan? Why? He did what you wanted him to do.”

  “We need as much time as we can get. Let’s go!”

  “What about Lindsay? We can’t leave her.”

  “Fine.” He rubbed his tired eyes. “I have a plan.” He grabbed his radio “Pao, ship one needs water. Meet at the location.” He hung up and shoved his phone into his belt.

  “What’s happening?” Her concern showed in the creases around her eyes.

  “We’re getting out of this room then you’re going with Pao. You’ll be safe with him.” He didn’t like separating from her but what choice did they have? When the rest of the security got there, things would turn into a shitshow.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I’m going to get the woman out too. I’ll be right behind you.” He returned his Glock to his waistband.

  “I have to come with you. She won’t trust you.”

  “Not happening. Taking you with me is making us both a larger target. I can’t protect myself, this woman and you. Pao will protect you with his life.”

  “I don’t want to leave you.”

  “It’s safer for me to go alone.”

  Her bottom lip quivered. “Egan…”

  He placed his hands on her shoulders and caught her gaze. “Listen, trust me. I know you say you can’t, but I’ll get Lindsay to safety. This is the only way.”

  An understanding crawled across her expression and she nodded. “Please. Be careful.”

  With a wink, he took her hand. “Let’s go. Pao will be waiting.”

  She went to grab her suitcase and he stopped her. “Leave it. But I do need this.” He grabbed a paperweight shaped like a cat off the desk.

  Once they were in the hall, he threw the paperweight, destroying the camera. He turned to Novah. “Listen carefully. Go downstairs, through the staff door, and into the garden. Pao will be waiting there for you. Listen to everything he tells you to do. Okay?”

  “Okay.” Realizing that he was in danger because of her, she stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. “Please don’t get hurt.”

  “Remember, I’m a survivor and so are you.”

  He watched her until he could no longer see her on the stairs and turned the opposite direction.

  Some relief came to him knowing Pao would take care of her.

  He made his way down to the second floor and opened the gym door. He couldn’t see anything through the darkness. “Lindsay?” Just as he expected he received no answer. “Lindsay? Novah told me what happened. I’m Egan and I’m here to take you to safety.”

  “How can I trust you?” came a low voice.

  “You can’t, not really, not until we get the hell off this evil paradise island. If we don’t hurry this is going to get really messy and probably bloody.”

  She didn’t come out of hiding and he didn’t want to go on a hide and seek game.

  “I don’t believe you,” she whispered.

  “Listen, you have a choice. You can stay here and take your chances against Langley’s security team or you can come with me and get the hell away. Your choice.” Gritting his teeth, he counted in his head…One-one thousand. Two-one thousand. Three-one thousand. Four—

  He heard rustling and then she walked out of the dark. In the dim light from the hall he could see that her eyes were red and her skin pale.

  “You need to follow everything I tell you,” he firmly told her.

  She nodded.

  “Ready?”

  She nodded again.

  He took a step over the threshold and the punch to his chin came out of nowhere. He heard Lindsay scream as he steadied himself from the hit. He blinked as another fist came toward his face. Joe looked pissed off. Was this anger related to Egan spilling coffee on his crotch. The man probably had burnt balls. He could see where that might make a man cantankerous.

  Egan dodged several more attempts at Joe’s wayward punches then jabbed the man in his solid gut. He might not see worth a damn through those Coke-bottle glasses, but the man was built like a steam engine. The hit to his torso took him back a few steps, but he came again, angrier than ever. Egan realized this man was out for blood and if that’s what he wanted he’d get it.

  Joe clutched Egan’s shirt in a tight fist, dragging him across the threshold and flinging him against the wall across the hall. Recovering fast, Egan rammed the other man like a linebacker would to his opponent, slamming him against the wall. They grappled, fists flying. Clothes tore. Blood splattered.

  Egan had Joe down on the floor, pummeling him to a pulp until he was out like a light. He pushed himself up off the unconscious man only to hear from behind him, “Don’t move, Banks.”

  Lifting his hands, he slowly turned, meeting the harsh glare of Banner.

  “What the hell are you doing, buddy?” Banner looked like he could bite nails in half.

  “This isn’t what Langley wants you to think it is. You and I know each other, Banner. Follow your instincts. We’re friends.”

  He lowered his gun slightly as if he were absorbing Egan’s words, contemplating the history between them. “Our debt is paid in full. I’ll hold security off as long as I can but if they catch you there’ll be nothing I can do to help.”

  Understanding the magnitude of what Banner was saying, Egan gave his buddy a nod. “Lindsay, let’s go.”

  They pushed through the door and quietly made their way through the shadows. Then he heard Lindsay say,” I’m tired of these bastards.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  THE UNDERGROUND TUNNEL was cold, damp and creepy, and Novah couldn’t remember ever being so worried. Not just for her own safety, but for Egan and Lindsay too.

  Her thoughts went to Finley. She and Egan would have to come through this safe for their daughter.

  “We’re almost there,” Pao said as he shone the flashlight ahead of them.

  “What exactly is this place?” She couldn’t see anything but directly in front of her.

  “Years ago it was the bootlegger’s way to transport illegal booze and evade the law. These days it’s to transport peop
le to and from the resort.”

  “Is it safe if it’s that old? I thought most of the underground prohibition tunnels had collapsed.”

  “The tunnel has been reinforced. Langley spent a pretty penny on the project too.” Pao moved ahead as they smelled the crisp woodsy scent of the outdoors. “Stay here and let me look around first,” he told her.

  She wanted to argue, mostly because she didn’t want to be alone in the tunnel, but Egan had asked her to listen to Pao.

  It was eerily quiet in the cool space and dark surrounded her. She could hear the ominous sounds of dripping water and the squeaks of rats. Her spine tingled with fear. The pitter pattering of tiny rodent feet echoed off the cement walls. She took a step back as the scurrying grew louder. Swallowing against the cotton ball dryness in her throat, she turned and started for the outside and ran straight into a brawny chest. Screaming, a hand came over her mouth to cover the sound. She started to fight when a light shone on Pao’s face.

  “Shh!” he warned her. He dropped his hand from her mouth.

  She took several steps and felt a blast of cooler air, thankful that her lungs filled with oxygen. Following him up a grassy bank the moonlight offered a purple glow into the thicket of woods.

  Although she had no clue where they were, she sensed that they were still close enough to the resort that danger lurked. He bent down behind a copse of weeds and she followed, feeling a chill over her skin. Her breath created a fog around her head. He lifted his finger and held it against his mouth and she nodded. The crunching of tires sounded on the road and headlights feathered through the maze of trees. They both ducked down as they heard the squeaking of brakes then the popping of a door opening.

  Novah held her breath.

  Pao now had his gun in his hand, preparing himself.

  Brushwood crunched under heavy footsteps as the eerie sound grew closer. She and Pao were hidden but if the hunter got any closer, he’d see them and then what would happen? Would Pao shoot him?

  The light from a flashlight skimmed above them, only inches above their heads. Time seemed to stand still. Novah’s heartbeat so fast she feared the man could hear it.

  Then the footsteps passed as the man started for the tunnel. She could see his silhouette then. His gun was aimed at the sky as he took careful steps into the hole.

  Thank God they’d made it out just in time.

  “Stay low and quiet,” Pao whispered.

  They left their hiding spot and used the shadows of the tree to disappear from the area. Once they were at a safe distance, Pao stopped and shoved his gun into the holder at his side.

  “That was so close. What about Egan? What if he tries to come out through the tunnel?” Tears filled her eyes.

  Pao didn’t answer but waved for her to follow him. “Stay close. We’ll be walking for a few miles.”

  She carefully stepped over fallen trees, brush, foliage, keeping up with him. Her breaths came in pants and she was sweating, but Pao didn’t seem the least bit tired. They’d been walking a long time and she finally asked, “I don’t want to sound like a cliché but how much longer do we have?” She was exhausted and didn’t want to complain, but she wasn’t sure how much longer she could go and keep up with his pace.

  “Just a while longer.”

  Finally he stopped in front of a heap of foliage. She wasn’t sure what they were doing until he started pulling away the cover, exposing a black SUV that had been hidden. “I’m guessing we didn’t find this vehicle by luck.”

  “A person can never have too many bases covered.” Pao clicked a button on a key fob and opened the driver’s door. “Let’s get out of here.”

  “Aren’t we waiting on Egan?”

  “That’s not part of the plan,” Pao said gruffly.

  “But…we can’t leave him. What if he needs help?” She looked back toward the tunnel. She didn’t want to retrace her steps, but she would if necessary.

  With an agitated sigh, Pao rubbed his forehead. “Egan is experienced and skilled. If he couldn’t handle the situation, he would have let me know by now. He has his radio on him and can contact us. The best thing we can do is get you to safety. He’ll be close behind. In fact, he’s probably already out of the resort.”

  She couldn’t tell by looking at Pao if he was only saying that to appease her or he honestly believed his own words.

  Again, she reminded herself that she’d promised Egan she would do what Pao needed her to do. To some extent, she realized Egan was trained in missions, those that were far more dangerous she assumed.

  Reluctantly, she climbed into the passenger seat of the Tahoe and wrapped her arms over her stomach.

  Pao started the engine but he didn’t turn on the headlights. They pulled out of the brush and drove onto the quiet backroad. He must have sensed her worry and for the first time he showed a sliver of compassion. “He’ll make it out. Don’t worry.”

  She pulled her gaze from the mirror and onto Pao’s profile, seeing the grit in his jaw. “This is like a nightmare.”

  He flipped on the headlights and sped up. The engine roared alive. “You’re his ex-wife, right?”

  “You know about me? Us?”

  “Fighting across the pond can make any man vulnerable, fear what lurks around every corner and bend. Egan and I had been in a few messy situations, wondering if we’d make it out. In those moments we’d talk.” Pao had coal black hair with a few silver threads at his temples. His strong chiseled jaw and pensive eyes made him appear older—more distinguished. He was quite handsome if one could get beyond the scowl. Maybe it was situational. “He’s a good guy.”

  “Yes, he is.” She tried to focus on the clear night sky to gain control over her emotions. Her adrenaline had been spiked and as she calmed some, she felt the heaviness of what had just transpired. This felt like a scene from a movie, but this was real life.

  She took out her phone and wasn’t sure who she’d call, but Pao warned her, “Don’t make any calls. Not until we get clearance from Egan.”

  Her heart sunk, although it was probably best. She shouldn’t wake her Mom.

  “How will we know that he made it out?” she asked as she dropped her phone back into her shoulder purse.

  “We won’t, not until he makes contact.”

  “Okay.” She laid her head back on the headrest.

  Silence grew between them. Pao seemed like a man of a few words and she didn’t feel much up for socializing. She was happy to allow her thoughts to focus on what she and Egan had shared at the resort before all hell broke loose.

  How would she ever move on when her heart still belonged to him? She could try and lie to herself and say she no longer loved him, but eventually the emotions would all come back and she’d have to face them. She’d never stopped loving him—never stopped wanting him. So what could she do with that revelation?

  Could they have a future? Did he even still want a future with her?

  Whatever they decided they had to be careful, for Finley’s sake.

  Wrapped in her conflicted emotions, at some point she fell asleep and awoke to Pao shaking her shoulder. “Novah? Wake up. We’re here.”

  Fluttering her eyes open, the first thing she said was, “Have you heard from Egan?” She rubbed her tired eyes.

  “No. Not yet. Come out. I’m sure you need to stretch.” He closed the driver’s door.

  Climbing out of the passenger side, she shut the door and walked around to where Pao was stretching his arms above his head. “Where are we?” She surveyed the white two-story house with a wraparound porch lined with white rockers and planters full of colorful flowers. There was a light on in the window.

  “We’re about a hundred miles outside of Cheyenne.”

  Novah opened her mouth to ask more questions when the door came open and a beautiful woman swept out. “Welcome,” she said in a cheerful voice. She descended the steps and the skirt of her maxi dress whipped around her ankles. She made her way down the cobblestone walkway to Pao
and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “You have some explaining to do,” the lovely woman brought her attention to Novah. “Bringing home a woman in the middle of the night makes me very curious.”

  Novah took a step closer, suddenly worried what the woman was thinking. “Your husband helped me out of a sticky situation.”

  In the next instant the mysterious woman and Pao broke out into laughter. “My husband? No, he’s not my husband. I’m Hannah and this buffoon here is my big brother. What’s wrong with you, Pao? You didn’t tell her?” She playfully punched his arm. “Like I tell all women. He’s nice to look at but he has the communication skills of a ten-year-old.”

  “Thanks, sis. You make it sound like there’s been a lot of women traipsing around. I had a few other things on my mind,” Pao groaned, but the scowl was gone.

  “I caught onto that by the vague message you left me.” She lifted a thin brow. “You interrupted my beauty sleep.”

  Novah shifted. “I’m sorry it’s so late.”

  Hannah winked and offered a kind smile. “No worries. I only like to tease him. When he texted and said he would be coming home I knew something was wrong. How about we go inside and I make you two some tea. You can fill me in on why you’re here.” She motioned for them to follow her.

  The farmhouse was simply decorated and smelled of sugar cookies. The living room held a blue sofa adorned with an array of colorful throw pillows. A thick, rustic piece of wood was used as a coffee table, matching the wooden mantle above the stone fireplace. The remains of a fire banked low behind the screen. One of the two chairs that bracketed the cove was occupied by a black and white cat curled up and purring, oblivious to the fact that there was company. Laying on the rug was a large dog who cared enough to lift his head and quirk a floppy ear in attention, but nothing sparked his motivation enough to get him up from his perch.

  Hannah switched on the lamp and Novah noticed the glass gun cabinet in the corner was full.

  “Do you like cream and sweetener with your tea?” Hannah asked as she went into the adjoining kitchen that was quite modern with white cabinets, black granite countertops and a large island, compared to the rustic feel of the decorations in the living room.