Finders Keepers (Syndicate Book 1) Read online

  “Put your hands on the glass, sweetheart,” he commanded.

  I did as I was told while he hooked his fingers into the sides of my pants and tugged them down only far enough that my lady bits were exposed. Then he leaned in, ever so slowly, and flicked my clit with his tongue, making me gasp.

  “Don’t look at me, pixie. Watch them,” he said, indicating the couple on the other side of the glass with a flicker of his gaze.

  I directed my attention to the other couple, who were now on the bed, continuing their sensual display with more intimate touches than they were initially sharing. Once Jensen was satisfied that I was doing as I was told, he continued his ministrations. He spread my thighs as far as he could with my underwear still binding my legs, and licked me from the back to the front with slow, languid strokes. When he got to my clit he suckled slightly and then repeated the process. My hips began to rock back and forth, begging for that delicious pressure, at the same time the show Max and Carrie were putting on became more explicit.

  Max and Carrie sat on the edge of their bed, facing the two way mirror. Carrie was impaled on Max’s lap in reverse cowgirl position. As she leaned back against him, Max spread her legs as far apart I assumed they could possible reach. Carrie’s hands were on Max’s thighs, and Max was stroking Carrie’s clit with two fingers. It was obvious that these two seriously got off on putting on a show. It was also obvious that I was seriously getting off on watching it.

  “You are so fucking wet. Fucking soaked, pixie,” I heard Jensen growl approvingly.

  He continued to eat at me while I watched Max and Carrie, and when my orgasm hit me, it was blinding. I stood there, hanging my head while I tried to catch my breath. I opened my eyes to see Jensen’s face covered in my wetness, and the look in his eyes was feral. Before I knew what he was about, he tore my panties off the rest of the way and tossed me onto the bed. He didn’t even take the time to undress himself, he just unfastened his pants enough so that he could pull his erection out, and slammed into me without ceremony. I felt a second orgasm building in no time.

  Jensen was out of control. He fucked me without mercy, and I knew I was going to have the most delicious ache between my thighs come tomorrow. I grabbed his ass and dug my fingernails into his cheeks, urging him on. I came on a small scream, but Jensen came on an animalistic roar.

  We laid there, panting. Sex with Jensen was always amazing, always satisfying. But tonight was, hands down, the most erotic experience of my life. And now all I wanted was for Jensen to hold me. I snuggled into him as close as I could get, and we continued to lay there for several more minutes, before he pulled away. He got up and walked over to a small sink I hadn’t noticed before tucked into the far corner. He came back with a warm, wet washcloth and gently cleaned me up. As he tossed the washcloth into a hamper tucked under the sink, I got up and began collecting my clothes.

  Once we were both presentable, Jensen and I were escorted out the back entrance of the club, the same way we had come in, and into the car. The ride home was quiet, but not awkwardly so. I could tell Jensen had something on his mind. Just as we were pulling into the driveway, and I turned to ask him about it, he spoke.

  “I’m never letting you go, Charlotte. You have to realize that. Never,” he blurted. “I know you think I’ll grow tired of our agreement, which, let’s be honest, at this point is null and void since Chace is off doing his own thing, anyway,” he said, sounding exasperated. “But it isn’t going to happen. I fucking love you, pixie.”

  With wide eyes, I stared at him. “I…,” I faltered.

  “Tell me you won’t go,” he demanded as he turned in his seat to face me. “Look me in the eye and tell me you will never leave me,” he begged.

  I wasn’t used to seeing Jensen appear so vulnerable. He was always so confident. Arrogant, even. Always in control. I didn’t know how to deal with this Jensen, so in my panic, I agreed.

  “Okay,” I started.

  “Look me in the eye,” he repeated.

  I did. “I will never leave you,” I promised.

  If I only knew.

  Chapter 17

  Two weeks later

  Charlotte

  The sights and sounds of the casino in the Starlight resort continued to be overwhelming. Gazing down on the main floor from the upper level, I wondered how anyone could stand to be enveloped in the sea of bodies. The scent of stale smoke, alcohol, and sweat filled the air. The excited shouts of someone winning a big hand clashed with the voices of dealers calling out for bets. I stood there alone, except for the armed guard stationed several feet away. Jensen had gone to meet with one of the security officers for the casino, the same one I vaguely remembered him speaking with last time we were here.

  “Ah, Miss Benson, so good of you to join us this evening,” said the slightly whiny voice of Paul, the pit boss at Starlight.

  “Hello, Paul, how are you?” I struggled to remain polite, even though the weasely little man made me uncomfortable.

  “I’m very well, my dear, thank you.” He leaned in closer and lowered his voice. “I’m afraid I’ve heard some troubling gossip,” he baited me.

  “Oh?” I replied, though, frankly, I was pretty disinterested in anything he might have to say.

  “Yes, but, you see, if the gossip turns out to be true, then I’m afraid it could be quite dire. And I could just never forgive myself should something happen…,” he trailed off.

  I turned my body, so Paul had my full attention, and I noticed the sheen of sweat across his brow, and the way he tried to hide the fact that he was wringing his hands. He was nervous. Why?

  “Is this something that Jensen needs to be aware of?” I asked, also keeping my voice low so the guard couldn’t hear me.

  “No!” he said a little too loudly before lowering his voice again. “No, I’m afraid, the gossip I’ve heard pertains to you, my dear.”

  “Me?” My stomach started to turn. Had Paul heard about Sokolov? Was he looking for me? Shit, was Chace in danger?

  “Yes, or more specifically, your brother,” Paul whispered, and I realized my worst fear was about to manifest.

  “Chace? What have you heard about Chace?” I demanded to know.

  Paul shrugged his shoulders slightly. “Nothing concrete, just that there’s someone who’s looking for him. Knowing your connection to Mr. Holm, I thought maybe this was something I should mention to you. You know, just in case it turns out to be more than gossip.”

  I didn’t trust Paul for a second, but I couldn’t discount the fact that Chace was out there somewhere, unprotected, and there was a very real possibility that Sokolov could get to him. My first instinct was to go to Jensen for help, but knowing that he wouldn’t allow me to have any part in whatever Chace was doing, I made a decision.

  “Tell me everything you know,” I said to Paul.

  As it turned out, Paul didn’t know much. Just that someone had been around asking questions about Chace. I ditched my bodyguard by telling him that I had to use the ladies’ room, and slipped out when his back was turned. I cringed with guilt, remembering what had happened the last time a guard had allowed me to get by them. I didn’t have time to worry about that now. I had no money for a cab, so I dusted off my hotwiring skills and stole a ride. I couldn’t go back to the mansion, because that was the first place Jensen would look when he realized I was missing.

  I drove until I saw a nightclub that had a line of people out the door. Swinging the car around the back of the building, I slid into the line behind two particularly preppy-looking college-aged guys who likely had large trust funds and flirted with them just long enough to slip my hands in their pockets and relieve them of their wallets. Sorry, dudes. Truth be told, it was exhilarating to be back in the game. Thievery was like second nature to me. It was like getting some of the old Charlotte back, and I finally felt like I had some control again.

  I didn’t have any way of contacting Chace directly, and I had no idea where he was. But I did remember h
ow to get in touch with some of our contacts, so after lifting a cell phone, I initiated the protocol that would connect me with someone I was sure knew where Chace was. Twenty minutes later, the phone rang.

  “Olá,” I answered.

  “Olá, menina,” Adriano said in Portuguese.

  “I need to know if you’ve heard from Chace,” I got right to the point.

  “Last I heard, he was on a job. You know there’s strict radio silence until the job is complete,” came the gruff reply.

  I sighed. “I know, I just heard a rumor that maybe he was in trouble. I need to find him, Ad.”

  “If I hear from him, I’ll tell him to call you, sim?”

  The line went dead before I could answer. Yeah, Ad, you do that. I kicked the tire of my stolen car in frustration. I needed to figure out my next steps. First, I needed to wipe this car down and ditch it, ASAP. I opened the door to look for a cloth of some kind to get on that when I felt a prick at my neck.

  “Ow! What the..?” I started to spin around and caught sight of a face I hadn’t expected to see. And then the world went black.

  Jensen

  “What do you mean, she’s missing?!” I roared.

  “Sir…” started the guard who was tasked with keeping Charlotte safe while I was gone.

  “What? I was gone for what? Twenty minutes? You couldn’t keep her in your sights for TWENTY FUCKING MINUTES?!”

  “She was in the ladies…” he tried again.

  “I don’t give a fuck! No excuses!” I pulled out my phone and called Raoul.

  “Raoul. Leave two men to guard the property, and every other man you have is out looking for Charlotte. NOW.” I hung up, and I felt the panic set it. I couldn’t lose it now; wherever she was, she needed me. She promised me she wouldn’t leave me.

  I turned back to the guard who lost my woman. “Before she went to the restroom, where was she?”

  “On the balcony, sir. Overlooking the main level. She…” he trailed off.

  “She, what? Tell me,” I demanded.

  “She was talking to Paul, sir.”

  I turned to seek out Michael, the security officer in charge of reporting to me on Paul’s shady activities. Michael has had Paul under surveillance for a while now, but the little rodent was apparently smarter than he seemed, because no matter how closely we watched him, we couldn’t find any definitive proof.

  “Michael!” I shouted, just as he came running in my direction.

  “He’s gone, sir. We can’t find him anywhere,” he said, slightly out of breath.

  “Who’s gone?”

  “Paul, sir. He’s missing too.”

  Charlotte

  “Seriously?” I slurred as I woke up. I was already over my kidnapping quota for this lifetime.

  “You were out for longer than I anticipated. I was worried I might have give you too much. Wouldn’t want to kill you too soon,” said the cold, flat voice.

  My head swiveled in the direction of the sound, and my eyes blinked furiously as they tried to clear themselves. “Who’s there?” I rasped.

  A figure stepped closer, and as my vision began to clear, I gasped.

  “Rosario? What’s going on?” I asked, confused. Rosario worked for Jensen. Why would she do this?

  “Because Jensen killed my son,” she hissed.

  “What? What are you talking about?” The fog had started to lift, but not enough that I could make sense of what she was telling me.

  “Five years ago, Jensen Holm came to my village in Mexico. Told us how he could get us passage into the United States. Promised us better opportunities. For a fee,” she said. Her voice sounded distant and she gazed off into the distance when the memories took over.

  I knew Jensen was what they called a coyote, a human smuggler. And I knew that Sarah had gained entrance into the States that way, but I didn’t know Rosario had as well.

  “I had heard the stories. I figured he’d stuff all of us together in a shipping container or hidden in the cargo hold of some other vessel or vehicle. But no, Jensen had money and with money comes connections. He had documents made for Luis and me. They looked real, but they were not. We used them to get across the border. It was surprisingly easy. But it was expensive. Once we were here, and we were settling in, a man came to our apartment. He informed me that my debt was not yet paid. If I wanted Luis and myself to continue living here, then I had to pay Jensen a fee or he would turn us into the authorities, and we would be jailed or sent back. We couldn’t go back, and I couldn’t go to jail and leave my baby with someone who would never love him as much as I did.”

  My stomach started to turn, but I wasn’t sure if it was a side effect of whatever drug she injected me with or if it was the dread I was starting to feel at hearing this story. Rosario continued speaking, but not looking at me, almost as if she had forgotten I was even there.

  “So, I scraped together every penny I could. Got a second job. Even stole a little, though I’m ashamed to admit it, but I was desperate. Unfortunately, during that time Luis got sick. We did not have medical benefits. Between my two jobs, neither of my employers offered any health insurance, and the public assistance office claimed I made too much to qualify. I couldn’t pay for a doctor since every penny I had I owed to Jensen. I did what I could for him on my own. I even stole a bottle of medicine to help with his fever, but nothing I tried helped.”

  I gulped, already knowing the answer, but asking anyway, “What happened to Luis?”

  “He died. Because of Jensen Holm,” she sneered.

  “I’m so very sorry for your loss, Rosario. I’m sorry that you had to scrape and struggle to survive, and I’m sorry you lost your little boy, I truly am. But what do you think you’re going to accomplish by keeping me here?” I said softly and sincerely.

  “I’m going to take from Jensen what he took from me. The only person he loves.”

  Chapter 18

  Jensen

  “Tell me where she is,” I growled, tightening my hand around his throat.

  We found Paul, in the vault of Starlight, frantically stuffing a few duffle bags full of cash. After all the fruitless surveillance, the search for proof of his extracurricular activities, we literally catch the moron in the act of stealing from me. Now, I’m showing him exactly what that will get him in a secure location in the resort usually reserved for ‘conversations’ with people who owe me money.

  Paul, sputtered, gasping for air, so I loosened my grip a bit.

  “I… I don’t… know!”

  I tightened my grip again. “I don’t believe you. Where. Is. She?” My anger was going to get the better of me, and I was going to kill him before I had my answers if I didn’t play this just right. “Tell me, Paul. Why was today the day you tried to steal from me?”

  Paul’s eyes darted around the room, looking for answers or salvation, I wasn’t sure. Either way, he was only going to find death.

  “Uh, Mr. Holm,” he started, raising his hands in a placating manner.

  I socked him in the gut. “I’m going to ask you nicely, Paul. Where is Charlotte?”

  Paul groaned in pain, but didn’t speak. I motioned for one of my men to hand me their gun. I placed the muzzle directly between his eyes.

  “Okay, okay! I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you!” His screeching was accompanied by the faint scent of urine as he pissed himself. “You weren’t supposed to be here. You were supposed to be out looking for her. Distracted, ya know? That was the plan.”

  “But I’m not distracted, am I Paul? I’m very, very focused,” I whispered menacingly.

  “Y-yes, sir.”

  “So, tell me, Paul. And this is your last chance,” I cocked the gun, “to tell me where my woman is.”

  Charlotte

  I think I passed out again. I had no idea how long I’d been there, tied to a chair in a nondescript basement. Rosario had left the light on when she left the room earlier, so I looked around me for anything I could use. A weapon or a clue as to where I was
. The one smart thing Rosario had done was secure me with zip ties. Had it been rope, I would have gotten free by now. There wasn’t a knot I couldn’t work my way out of. Unfortunately, struggling against the zip ties only served to cause me pain.

  I strained, but couldn’t hear any sounds coming from outside. No people, no traffic. There was a small window, but from my position I couldn’t see out of it. The floor was tiled. That was interesting. Real tile, too, not linoleum. This wasn’t a dilapidated property or warehouse like where Keith had held me. The room was relatively small, too. I thought we were in a residence.