Page 9 of Jake

Logan’s voice filled the cabin as he informed us we would be on the ground within twenty minutes. Our men pulled on bullet-proof jackets, helmets and equipped themselves with machine guns. They looked more like a military invasion unit than a mafia group readying for a cartel war. I was also geared up ready, as were the two senior dons.

I gazed through the window, wondering where we’d find Jake, and if he’d be alive when we did. The odds weren’t good if he’d been taken by a mafia family with a grudge, and Father had crossed more than one in his time who may want revenge.

The jungle landscape rose up to greet us as the aircraft descended. Logan and Daly set the small plane down with a soft thud, the engines screamed as we slowed, and moments later, we reached a stop.

Sounds of men standing, readying themselves for battle, filled the aircraft. I stood, and Alex stepped into the aisle, allowing me to lead the way. I was approaching where the pilots sat when Logan screamed out my name. An icy chill slid down my spine at the sound of the utter horror in his voice.

I sprinted the last few steps to reach the pilot, who pointed at the tarmac beyond the nose of the plane.

“NO! NO! NO! Get the fucking steps down, Daly.”

Daly had already jumped from his seat and was moving towards the door while I stood frozen in place.

Father stepped up behind me and set a hand on my shoulder. “What’s… FUCK!”

I spun around to find the door open, and Daly was in the process of lowering the steps.

“QUINN, GET HERE! The rest of you stay where you are. BARRY, NOW!”

Mother rushed forward. “What’s happened to my baby?” It intrigued me that she seemed to instinctively know our concern was for Jake without even being able to see past Father and me. We could have been looking at any number of things that had us concerned, yet her son was the first to jump to her mind.

Father dragged her into his arms and turned her away. She fought him violently, knowing something was wrong, but Father held firm.

The other men in the cabin had returned to their seats, confused expressions on their faces, waiting for me to give them some details. I grabbed the intercom handset and spoke so all would hear. “We have a situation, men. Remain onboard until I give you further instructions. We’ll tell you what’s going on as soon as we take care of what’s happened.”

The men removed the bulky protective gear and resumed their seats. Books, magazines, and newspapers were removed from seat pockets as they settled in to wait. Others started up conversations.

“Connor.”

I turned to see Daly had the aircraft steps in place, and after returning the handset to the holder, I hurried through the door, rushed down the steps two at a time, and raced towards a body that I knew in my heart was Jake. He wasn’t moving, and even from a distance, I could see he had been brutally beaten.

I heard footsteps pounding behind me. When I reached my brother, I dropped to my knees; seconds later, Quinn joined me, and we rolled Jake onto his back. His skin resembled pulp, torn apart by fuck knows what, and he’d suffered numerous burns. Blood was everywhere. His face was barely recognisable, and the sight of his mangled dick made me want to puke. I was going to find the arseholes who’d done this and tear them limb from limb.

Barry pushed against me, peering over my shoulder. “Fucking hell. Boys, let me in, I need to check if he’s alive.”

We stepped back out of the way. Barry dropped to his knees, opened his doctor’s bag, and pulled out a stethoscope. Father stood nearby, tears in his eyes, shocked at the sight of his gentlest son. Jake had never had quite as volatile a temper as Quinn and I; he’d always been slow to anger, preferring to keep the peace.

“Mother?” Quinn questioned our father.

“With Mala.” He turned to Waigi, who stood beside where Quinn was kneeling and holding Jake’s hand. “Waigi, Jake’s mother will want to go to the hospital to be with him, so fetch her from the plane please, and bring two men to accompany them both. You can tell the other men we have Jake, but he’s badly injured, and to stay put until Don Masterton speaks with them.”

Waigi nodded and hurried back to the plane.

Tears filled my eyes and Quinn had his own running over both cheeks. The three of us were known to fight and argue over the most ridiculous of things, but we loved each other fiercely, and someone or many someones were going to pay dearly for what had been done to Jake.

“Jake’s breathing but barely. Barry gazed up at Father. “Your son’s in trouble, Andreas. He’s in a deep coma. We have to get him to the hospital because there’s not a hope in hell that I can give him the emergency care he needs here on the ground.”

I glanced around, frantically searching for Herias Nobilumo. He should have met us when we arrived and the fact he hadn’t made me nervous. We needed him to transport Jake into town. I squinted against the sun and breathed a sigh of relief when I sighted four vehicles headed our way in the distance.

“Here, Connor.” Logan tossed a blanket my way, and I draped it over Jake’s broken body while Barry inserted the drip into a vein at the top of one of his mangled arms.

When a shadow fell over me, I looked up into the face of a huge man with brown skin, hair as black as night, and almost black eyes.

I stood, and Quinn also rose. My father and Don Bonello—who had joined us, moved towards the man.

The man looked the two dons over, a flash of recognition and fear passed through his eyes at the sight of Bonello.

“Herias Nobilumo?” My father inquired.