Page 14 of Catch Me
“Do you have something you want to tell us?”
I whirled around to see both Rue and Michael standing behind me, arms crossed, eyes pinning me to the spot I was standing. I blinked and set my coffee down.
“Um… no?” Looking between the two of them, I tried to fight through the lack of caffeine fog and figure out what the hell they were talking about. “Is there any reason you two are standing there like a grand inquisition is about to happen before I’ve even had my coffee?”
Michael held up his phone. “I just got word from a cousin of mine about the Hildago syndicate you asked me to look into. Do you know what this is?”
I leaned in to see a picture of me outside the safe house Simon had taken me to when I’d first met his team.
“I mean, it’s a picture of me, obviously, but I don’t know what you’re trying to ask me, Michael.” The lack of coffee and the aggressive way he was questioning me had my annoyance levels rising. “Why don’t you cut with the bullshit and just come right out and say it? Or are we going to pull a Stockholm again?”
Rue rolled her eyes and smacked him on the arm. “Knock it off, you tyran géant. Hannah doesn’t need to explain anything to us. She is our friend.”
Michael had the decency to look apologetic. “I’m sorry Hannah, I didn’t mean to come across like that. I’m not accusing you of anything, but you have to tell us what went down between you and the Hildago syndicate, because word came down from some of the big bosses.” He paused, seeming to hesitate, as if he couldn’t understand it. “There’s been a hit put out on you. A massive one.”
“Oh great. Someone wants me dead. What’s new?” I sighed and took a sip of my coffee. This wasn’t the best news, but it wasn’t the worst either. It was just confirmation of what I already expected to hear.
Michael shook his head. “You don’t understand. They’ve sent out word to all their associates. Basically, anyone that they’ve done business with or who owes them a favor will be gunning for you. The bounty is massive. They’ve called in their favor from my familia. So, I need to know, what exactly did you do to get on their bad side? Because I don’t know if I can stop this.”
I swallowed, my stomach that had been rumbling just a minute ago now hollow for different reasons. Fuck, fuck, fuck. This was bad. This was really bad.
“I caught them red-handed in a human trafficking ring. We were getting ready to put away José Hildago for life.”
Michael swore and turned around. Rue just stared at me with eyes wide and filled with fear. “Oh, ma chérie. Why? Why would you ever try to go after José Hildago? Why did your superiors let you do this?”
I glared at them. “Because he’s a sick, abusive, murdering, psychopath! There were babies and pregnant women in those cargo containers! Babies! If I didn’t get justice for those innocent people, then who would? Huh? Do you think those families who are wondering what happened to their children, their mothers and their fathers, if they will ever get a chance to see them again, have the means or ability to pay for people like you to get justice for them?” Rue flinched and the muscles in Michael’s shoulders visibly tightened.
“No, mercenaries” I spat the word out. “Aren’t a luxury people like that can afford. All they have are people like me. People who just want to see some sort of justice served and wrongs righted. So yeah, I went after José Hildago and let me guess, little mister who can’t get it hard unless it’s with an underage girl, decided to take that personally and had his daddy sick his hounds on me.”
Michael stayed perfectly still for a moment and then he slammed his fist onto the top of the island so hard I thought he might have cracked it, before storming towards the entryway and slamming the door closed behind him.
I blinked in the direction of his retreating back before turning back to Rue who was staring at the view of the city from where we were standing in the kitchen, a worried expression on her face. “Was it something I said?” I blurted the words out in a belated attempt at humor and was rewarded with a slight quirk of her lips upward.
“Michael will get over it. He’s not upset with you, Hannah. He’s just upset that he’s out of control of the situation right now.”
I sighed, regretting that I’d lost my temper with the only two friends I had at the moment. “I’m sorry Rue. I know you guys have no control over the contracts you take. I shouldn’t have tried to make this about you guys. It was stupid to go after José without a better game plan.” The beginnings of a tension and caffeine headache started to dance around my temples. When would this all stop? When I was dead? Now I had nearly the entire criminal underground of the east coast gunning for me and God only knows who else. I was a sitting duck, and it was only a matter of time before someone took me out. Michael and Rue were great, but with Evan and Simon gone, the chances of me being protected at all times were slim. Not to mention, I’d brought this to their doorstep, and I didn’t want them getting hurt because of me. I closed my eyes, trying to block out the thoughts and scenarios that were racing across my brain.
Rue came to stand in front of me and I opened my eyes to see her holding out a fresh cup of coffee. “You’re our friend, Hannah. Whatever happens, we’re in this together. Michael left because he’s going to talk to his family to figure out what they can do on their end of the contract. If what you say is true, and you have evidence that could put José Hildago away for good, then that may work in your favor. Like you said, he’s a slimeball, and not respected in many of the underground circles. Not too many people would be upset if he was taken out.”
I snorted and accepted the coffee from her. “So you’re telling me that criminals have morals?”
She laughed and tossed me a wink as she walked back towards the table and her laptop. “Well, like the saying goes, there’s no honor among thieves. But even thieves have their limits on how low they will go. José Hildago, his honor is lower than most. Just be patient. Wait for Michael and for word from Simon. We’ll figure this out.”
I stared at my coffee and turned her words over in my head. Sybil. Abromov. And now the Hildago Syndicate plus all their friends. There might not be honor among thieves, but there was among friends. And right now, I was sitting in a safe place with a giant target on my back. A target that was going to draw attention to anyone that was associated with me.
The picture of me outside the safe house that had been sent to Michael’s phone flashed through my mind. No matter what I did or where I went, these people were capable of finding me. Just like Sybil had been able to text me and seemed to know what I was doing at all times.
My fingernails tapped on the rim of my coffee cup as a plan took shape. I looked over at Rue who was absorbed in whatever program she was working on, and set my mug down on the counter before making my way to the front door and private elevator. I didn’t have all the details of my plan fully fleshed out yet, but I knew two things for sure. I was going to need to leave the penthouse, and I was going to need a new ride.
Stepping into the elevator, I hit the button that would take me down to the garage level, and said a silent prayer of thanks that Evan had shown me where he kept the keys to his Audi. I might have only had two steps to my plan thought out, but that was ok. I was done running from the monsters that were after me and if I wasn’t able to hunt them anymore, then I would do the one thing they wouldn’t see coming. I was going to let them catch me.
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
Hannah
The scent of luxury leather in Evan’s Audi RS7 surrounded me as I wove in and out of the Atlanta rush hour traffic. The rumble of the powerful engine and the smooth way it responded to my slightest touch thrilled me on a whole different level. I’d always loved cars, luxury cars especially, but had never had the opportunity to really appreciate them first hand. The only vehicle even close to luxury where I’d grown up had been someone’s supercharged pickup truck. If it didn’t have mud on the tires or the ability to haul a two-ton trailer, it wasn’t considered valuable.
My fingers glided over the leather steering wheel and excitement shot through me as I saw a moment to break away from the traffic and hit the accelerator. The car leapt forward like a cheetah, the rumble of its engine vibrating through me, and I remembered Simon’s words about riding that edge of chaos while being in complete and total control. That’s what this was. Chaos and control. It was addictive. A girl could get used to this.
