Rectify (Return to Us Trilogy #2) (20 page)

Jacade

I wake up in a cell with my cheek on my balled-up jacket on a dirt floor. My ankle is shackled with a cuff and chain attached to the wall.

My whole body hurts. Trey did a decent job beating the crap out of me even with his bum foot. Although, if I hadn't been restrained, he would've been dead.

My arms shake as I push up my torso and maneuver into a sitting position against the wall. I put my jacket between my teeth and bite down. I extract the staples Trey put in my bicep when he stapled my shirt to my arm.

I trickle minimal amounts of water onto my arm and chest to cleanse the wounds. The taste of dirt and blood floods my mouth as I take a skimpy sip from my water bottle. I need to make the water last.

My left foot is riddled with staples and my shoes are gone. I bend my leg the best I can to inspect my foot, but the tendons scream. I growl through the pain as I pull each staple out of my foot.

I'm losing the light through the cutout in the door. The sun is setting on my first day in hell.

***

Ivy

The digital numbers on my laptop read 6:30 am. I made sure to get to the office and start working before him this dreary Friday morning. No accidental elevator encounters for me today.

Sleep evaded me last night. My brain couldn't reconcile the incongruent images of a blonde kiss on his cheek with his steadfast declaration of
the woman I love
growled in my ear. I kept looking out the window, expecting to see him in front of his Ferrari or Shane's Escalade parked outside, but the conspicuous absence of both men has me off-kilter.

At seven o'clock, Aunt Helen strolls into my office without knocking.

"Ah!" She fumbles with something in her hands. "You scared me to death. What are you doing here so early?" she asks me.

"Working. I figured I should make up for not being here yesterday." How does it feel to be lied to, Aunt Helen?

"You know it's fine. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. What are you doing?" I motion to the device in her hand.

"Doing what I do every morning." She wiggles it and walks over to my desk. She picks up a pen and writes the word
bugs
on a sticky note. She's checking for bugs. No wonder she's here before all of us in the morning.

"Do you mind?"

"No, feel free." I don't want people listening to me. She shuffles around the room staring down at the device. "What's the schedule like today?" I ask her.

"No appointments today."

"None?" How am I supposed to pay all these office bills? We have to start seeing more patients.

"Nope. Your uncle didn't have any scheduled for today, and he called me yesterday afternoon to cancel all Jacade's appointments for today."

Is he avoiding me?

"Do you know why?"

"I don't. Bern didn't come home last night." Her weary face glances up at me.

"Does that happen often?" He wouldn't cheat on her.

She shrugs. "He sleeps in the clubhouse at the racetrack occasionally so he doesn't wake me by coming in late." She returns to watching the device.

She doesn't think this is strange behavior for her husband? I think it's weird. Maybe she's used to it. I wouldn't be okay with it if I were married to him. He'd better be coming home to me every night whether he wakes me or not.

"All clear." She smiles and closes my door behind her.

***

Ivy

Apart from going to the bathroom, I've stayed in my office. I did leave for lunch, and the crippling pain gripped me as I passed his vacant office. Everything in this place is a memory of him. The elevator, the office, the hallway, the shower—every dang thing.

I want to text him but I can't. I want to know where he is, but I also don't want to care. The frustration lingers as I attempt to focus on my work and drudge through the day.

Uncle Bernie startles me when he pokes his head in my office door at three o'clock. The fluorescent light from the hallway creates an angular pattern on the wood floors. I miss having an office window.

"Got a second?" Uncle Bernie asks in an urgent tone.

"Sure." I close my laptop. "What's up?'

He strides in and closes the door. He's a mess. He must have been running his hands through his hair because clumps stick out in random directions. His loose red tie hangs at a crooked angle on his neck, and his wrinkled gray suit has creases in odd places.

He sits in the chair in front of my desk and crosses his legs. He rests one elbow on the arm of the chair and stares off into the corner over my left shoulder.

"Are you okay?" No answer. "Uncle Bernie?" He scowls.

"No, I'm not okay. I need your help."

"Anything." I owe it to him. Even after seeing him at his secret meeting and finding out about Aunt Helen, I owe both of them my loyalty.

He laces his fingers on his lap and concentrates on me. "You know I love you and would die to protect you."

"Yes." I interlock my fingers on my desk.

"I'm going to be honest with you." It's about time. "I haven't been able to contact Jacade since yesterday afternoon."

An evil ghost from the heating vent gobbles me up. As I slide down his throat, I dig my nails into his tissue but can't stop. I'm going to land in his soulless belly of flames.

I choke out my next words. "What do you mean you haven't been able to contact him?"

His head twitches as his gaze darts around the room. "Helen's been in here?"

"Yes."

"I wasn't thrilled when I found out Helen and Jacade conspired to sneak you to the council meeting."

What? Aunt Helen did it. Jacade wasn't involved. "But—"

"Helen told me Jacade propped the door open for you two." Oh my. Jacade was the one Aunt Helen called. He wanted me to know. He couldn't tell me, so he found another way.

Uncle Bernie chuckles. "Gotta give him credit for his clever idea to bring coffee and pastries so we wouldn't need to go into the kitchenette. I'm surprised you didn't get caught when Momen spilled his coffee. But again, Jacade stopped him. Pure genius." He shakes his head.

Jacade planned it all out. He is a genius. A cheating genius, but still a genius.

"Good thing you left when you did. The less you know the better."

"Why, Uncle Bernie? What's going on between you and Viktor?"

"I can't discuss that with you, Ivy."

"Of course not. Can you discuss why Viktor tried to kill me three years ago?"

He rests his elbows on his knees and looks at the ground. He slides his hands through his hair, raises his head, and says, "Jacade told you," in a resigned voice.

"Not entirely. He told me to speak to you. I know Viktor tried to kill me, and Jacade saved my life. Why did you keep this from me?"

"Listen, sweetheart, I had to make quick decisions based on the circumstances at the time. Looking back, I probably made some wrong choices, but my main concern has always been your safety. Try to focus on the fact that you and Jacade are together now."

"But we aren't together. The lies have torn us apart, and now you don't know where he is? Jacade and I are suffering because of your decisions."

"I'm sorry." He shakes his head and rubs his temples.

"I love you, Uncle Bernie, but you have to trust me. I'm stronger than you think I am."

"You're right, Ivy. I should have given you more credit. Let me lay it out for you. Brace yourself." I square my shoulders and take a deep breath. I nod at him to continue. "After you and Helen left the meeting, the council ordered Jacade to be seen in public with Viktor's sister, Kara, in order to coax him out of hiding. If it didn't work, he was supposed to… Well, let's say he was supposed to up the ante by harming her to provoke Viktor. From what I understand, he took her to dinner at La Mia Edera Wednesday night, but didn't get anywhere, so he agreed to have lunch with her Thursday afternoon at Carlos's."

My head's spinning. I raise my hand. "Wait, Viktor has a sister?" You mean I was engaged to this man and wasn't aware he had a sister?

"Yes. Twins separated at birth and lost in the system. He found her through adoption records three years ago." Okay, it makes more sense, but I'm surprised Viktor never mentioned her.

I don't have time to process this before Uncle Bernie continues, "The council forced Jacade to use Kara or you as bait or face some serious consequences. Of course he chose Kara."

Wow. He didn't cheat on me. He still lied to me about saving my life, but at least he's not a cheater.

Uncle Bernie rubs his face and his bloodshot eyes plead with me.

"Shane was found unconscious in the alley behind Carlos's yesterday afternoon. According to the owner, Jacade was taken at gunpoint from the restaurant. Knowing him, if there were customers there, he would've gone quietly to ensure no one got hurt."

At gunpoint? It would take a gun and an innocent crowd to remove Jacade silently.

"Oh my god. Where is Jacade? Is Shane going to be okay?"

"We figure Jacade was taken by men who work for Viktor. Shane's still unconscious, but should recover. Jacade's brother, Jude, has been leading a search effort. We didn't want to involve you, but the longer he's gone, the less the chance of getting him back alive."

Back alive
?

"Well, I'm involved now."

We fall silent, and Uncle Bernie gives me a moment to digest the situation. So, Kara was the woman at La Mia Edera. After our fight yesterday, Jacade met her at Carlos's, and Viktor got to him. Shit. He's been kidnapped. Apollo has been taken.

"What can I do?" I ask.

"Can you think of anywhere Viktor might be? Somewhere private he used to bring you?"

I can, but I'm not sure he still owns the old farmhouse. Viktor wouldn't take Jacade there. He knows I would tell Uncle Bernie about it, right?

That property is hidden deep in the woods. Viktor had security cameras everywhere. He would spot Uncle Bernie from the main road and kill him before he stepped onto the driveway. I'm not sending my uncle there. "No. I'm sorry." What an interesting turn of events; I'm lying to him for his safety now.

He sighs and stands up. "Okay, I figured it was worth a shot. Shane may have more information when he regains consciousness. I'm going to wait a day before I call a council meeting. Not sure how they'll handle this."

"Will they help us find him?" They have to. He's one of them.

"Most likely not. Viktor and Jacade have been rivals for years. Easier for the council if they kill each other. If they survive, a territorial war is inescapable."

He walks out like he didn't roll a lit Molotov cocktail under my desk.

***

Ivy

I'm not sure how I ended up at the Keller Building. After talking to Uncle Bernie, my feet moved of their own accord. The address came out of my mouth in the cab. Instinct drew me right to Jacade's penthouse.

I need to see for myself that he's gone. Joe opens the lobby door for me with a kind smile. "Good afternoon, Joe."

"Good afternoon, Ms. Summers." He waves to guide me to the elevator.

I stop and pivot to face him. "Hey, Joe, have you seen Dr. Jordan today?"

"No, ma'am, I haven't. Not for a couple of days now that I think of it." I do my best to conceal my worry as I enter the elevator.

I press
P
and freeze. Crap. What was the code Shane gave me last week? Think, Ivy, think. Let's try...

I enter my best guess at the code and hold my breath. With a ping, the elevator floats up. Got it! Thank god, he didn't change it.

With another ping, the doors glide open to a silent and unwelcoming foyer. The void of his place shoots a ghostly chill to my core.

Where do I start? His office.

My heels echo on the tile like the first time I was here. I move through the living room not even glancing at the glorious view of Lake Michigan. I pass the spot where I heard him running on the treadmill last Tuesday. His gym is bleak and vacant now. Was he ever here? Was it all a surreal dream? The thought of a life without him fills my body with dead weight.

I need to focus.

The setting sun shines on his sleek, glass desk. Leave it to Jacade to have a tidy desk with no drawers or file cabinets.

I plop in his cushioned, black leather desk chair. My brain conjures images of Jacade battered and beaten, his lifeless body weighted and dumped into the murky Chicago River.

No!

My heart and brain come to the same conclusion in a matter of milliseconds. I have to try to save him. I'm the only one who knows the details of Viktor's hideout and the only one he'll let in.

My spine turns to ice. The night I left Viktor bleeding on his doorstep, I vowed I'd never go back. But I'm not that terrified girl anymore. I'm tougher, older, and wiser. I need to do this. No choice.