Bound and Saved (Miami Masters 1)

Ignoring the startled call from the concierge counter employee, she darted across the plush lobby, the wild drumbeat of her heart increasing with each step. Pushing through the glass doors, she squinted against the bright sunlight then spotted the same van Jacques’ goons had tried to wrestle her into last week. Before she could take another step, a hard body pressed against her back, an even harder poke of gun metal in her kidney accompanied Deveau’s voice snarling in her ear.

“One fucking word and I’ll plug you right here to bleed out in the street like the common trash you are. Get in the van.” He punctuated that order with a shove intended, she was sure, to make her stumble. Righting herself, Sandie glanced up and went into stiffened shock at the sight of Zachary barreling down the sidewalk toward them, his face a black thundercloud of fury.

“You lied,” she hissed, incensed beyond measure at her own, sheer stupidity.

Zach couldn’t believe it. Sprinting across the street, he was just steps away from entering the parking garage of his building when he spotted Sandie once again being manhandled toward what appeared to be the same van as the last time. He knew if the asshole got her inside, he’d have no chance of stopping the vehicle and didn’t hesitate to reach behind him as he sped down the sidewalk. He thanked God he’d taken to wearing his pistol tucked into his waistband, under his shirt, ever since he knew of the danger Sandie was in as he gripped the smooth handle and pulled it out.

Pedestrians scrambled with shrill cries as he yelled, “Let her go!” and took aim. Close enough now to see the stark terror reflected in her eyes and the visible shaking of her hands, he swore the bastard would pay for scaring her, and she wouldn’t sit for a week for taking ten years off his life by disobeying his orders.

She struggled, mouthing his name, then the fear on her face changed to outrage. His heart lodged in his throat when the man he assumed was Jacques Deveau brought around his own gun. Within the blink of an eye, Sandie jabbed her elbow back into her accoster’s stomach, then swung to the side as he brought his gun up even higher. Pulling the trigger twice in rapid succession, Zach sent both bullets into his shoulder, ensuring he could no longer hold his weapon.

“Move, Sandie!” He sped forward as the van took off, twisted the man’s wrist as he tried lifting his arm again and snatched the gun from his nerveless hand. As he collapsed on the sidewalk and sirens wailed their arrival, Zach stomped over to Sandie, pulled her into a tight embrace then pushed her back with a blistering glare. “What the hell were you thinking? Didn’t I tell you to stay put? You ever pull a stunt like this again… hmmmf!” Throwing herself against him, she knocked both his anger and the breath out of him. Wrapping his arms around her shaking body, he whispered, “You’re all right, baby, I’ve got you.”

“Don’t let go, Zachary, promise.”

“I promise. You’re a hell of a lot of trouble, woman, but someone’s got to watch out for you.”

Montgomery, Alabama

Two days later

“Ms. Bowlin, we can’t thank you enough. Once we add your testimony to the tape recording your brave mother managed, we have no doubt Deveau’s attorneys will talk him into a plea bargain. With any luck, neither you nor Victoria will need to testify in court.”

Sandie stood and clasped Agent Mitchell’s outstretched hand. She’d been introduced to the other four people in the room, but had kept her focus on Mitchell. Her legs wobbled as relief the interrogation was over left her weak kneed. She heard Zachary come up behind her, felt the comfort of his large frame offering support as he rested his hands on her shoulders. Knowing he sat behind her, those cobalt eyes zeroed in on her and her alone, had enabled her to get through the grueling questions as she relayed every detail of the scene she knew she’d never forget.

“When can I see my mother, Agent?” The feds had met them at the airport that morning and whisked them straight to ABI’s headquarters in downtown Montgomery. She’d refused to testify until she spoke to her mother on the phone, but hadn’t seen her or Billy yet.

“Agent Rossi collected her and your brother from the safe house. They’re waiting for you. Follow me.”

Turning from the table, she looked at Zachary and smiled for the first time that day. Between dealing with the police in Miami and then making arrangements to fly her here, he hadn’t left her side. “We caught the bad guy, you don’t have to keep hovering.”

“Yes, I do. Come on.”

All thoughts of arguing flew to the wayside when the door opened and Sandie saw her mother and Billy. Whipping around him, she flew into her mother’s arms, tears running unchecked down her face.

“My baby,” Victoria whispered in a watery, trembling voice as she stroked Sandie’s short hair. “I’m so, so sorry.”

Pulling back, Sandi gazed into eyes the same shade of green as her own and saw such profound remorse, it made her heart hurt. “Mom, you have nothing to be sorry for. You saved me and yourself. You were so brave and I’ve never been prouder of you.”

> “That’s what I keep telling her.” Marchand squeezed Victoria’s shoulder and the look of gratitude and fondness her mother gave him painted a new picture for Sandie.

“What about me, Sissy?”

Pulling out of her mother’s trembling arms, Sandie stooped and drew Billy into a tight bear hug, his little body and arms hugging her back feeling so good. “You too, Billy. I’m proud of you, too. I missed you, kiddo.”

“I’m hungry.”

Sandie and Victoria laughed. “Now why doesn’t that surprise me?”

“Marchand, do you know of a good place I can treat everyone to a reunion dinner? I hear Sandie and Victoria owe you a debt of gratitude,” Zachary said.

“Just doing my job.” His look at Victoria told Sandie she had become more than a job to the undercover agent, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Her mother had been through the wringer and didn’t need the complication of jumping into another relationship yet. “But, I wouldn’t mind taking you up on your offer. There’s a steak house a few blocks over,” Marchand suggested.

Zachary grabbed her hand and squeezed as he bent and whispered in her ear, “Leave it alone for now, baby.”

“Do they have hotdogs?” Billy wanted to know.

“If not, we’ll pick another place,” Zachary assured him, and if Sandie hadn’t already been in love with him, she would’ve tumbled over in that moment.

“Okay, then let’s eat.”

Five days later

Zach didn’t bother taking the yacht out of the marina, opting instead to lower the privacy blinds in the playroom for the evening. Dax, Sean and Jackson were the only other ones joining him tonight and Jackson already had Mandy draped across his lap when he entered with Sandie. There was nothing the veterinarian liked better than having a plump, bare ass to heap torment on. Eyeing the reddened cheeks his friend continued to belabor, he admired the enticing view of panties lowered just enough to expose her pretty ass as he led Sandie over to the curved sofa.