Playboy (The Trident Series II: BRAVO Team #4)

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Playboy had just finished his final lap in the pool and was pulling himself out of the water, when Bear walked in and called out to him.

“Hey, Derek wants to see us asap,”

Playboy nodded. “Alright, let me run into the locker room and throw on some dry clothes.”

About five minutes later, Playboy stood against the wall in Derek’s office as his brain absorbed the information that Derek was relaying to the team.

“So, you’re saying that Ramon Escalona was behind that drug shipment we worked? The one that almost killed Gabby?” Playboy asked.

Derek nodded.

Everyone knew who Ramon Escalona was. He was the head of the Escalona Cartel out of Venezuela. And he was known to be one mean son of a bitch.

“What I don’t understand is why have the FBI and DEA kept this information a secret? It’s like they didn’t want the information to get out there,” Duke stated.

“Your guess is as good as mine, Duke,” Derek replied. “However, I think that falls onto the DEA.”

Derek went back to the document he had in front of him. His eyes hardened as he flipped to the next page.

“According to the report, Ramon lost more than one hundred million dollars worth of drugs. He also lost one of his brothers.”

Playboy’s eyes snapped to Derek. “His brother? Was his brother one of the men on the boat that Gabby wrecked?”

Derek nodded. “Yep. Lorenzo Escalona. He was the middle brother.”

That bit of information hit Playboy like a punch. He straightened from the wall, his full attention now on Derek. If Ramon’s brother was killed, then there was no doubt that Ramon would want to avenge his brother’s death.

Playboy’s mind raced, piecing together what that meant. Ramon wouldn’t just let this slide. If he knows that it was Gabby who took out that boat then she could be in grave danger.

He suddenly realized something. What if those few instances where Gabby said she felt like she was being watch were true. That someone did have eyes on her.

Playboy looked at Bear. “Makes me wonder if that car sitting outside your house was indeed keeping an eye on Gabby.”

Bear nodded. “You could be right.”

“I hate to say this, but being that Ramon’s brother was killed, Ramon is going to treat this not just as a cartel thing. This is personal for him. His family’s blood was spilled. There’s no doubt in my mind that he’s going to want revenge,” Snow stated.

“Has there been any indication or proof by the Feds that this guy is actively targeting Gabby?”

“No. There is nothing to indicate that. However, we all know how these cartels work. If someone messes with them, they will react,” Derek said.

Playboy rubbed his hand along his unshaven jaw. It took a lot to frighten him. But he was scared out of his mind right now knowing that Gabby was in the crosshairs of an evil human being like Ramon.

“So, you’re saying that Ramon himself could be here right now?” Playboy asked.

“No. They do not believe that he would personally come here. It’s too risky. Ramon is not a stupid man and knows the moment he steps into this country the authorities will be on his ass.”

“Of course he won’t because he’s a fucking coward. Not man enough. He’ll hire some heavies to do his dirty work,” Jay Bird spat out.

Before Playboy could fully wrap his head around it, Derek’s phone rang. Derek answered, and after a brief exchange, he looked directly at Playboy, eyes locking onto him with an intensity that sent a chill down his spine. Whatever was being said on the other end of that call—it wasn’t good.

Derek’s expression darkened as he muttered into the phone. The room felt suddenly too small, the air thick with something ominous. Playboy’s stomach twisted as dread seeped in. What in the hell could be happening now?

When Derek hung up, he took a deep breath, his gaze still locked on Playboy. “Let’s go,” he said, his voice tight, as she stood up.

“What’s going on?” Joker asked.

“Gabby and her friend Selena were attacked in the parking garage near the hospital. Selena was rushed to the hospital with a head injury. But it appears that Gabby is missing.”

The words hit Playboy like a freight train, and for a moment, he couldn’t breathe. Missing? No, that couldn’t be right. His mind rebelled against the thought. Gabby couldn’t be missing. Not her.

A thousand scenarios flashed through his mind, none of them good. His heart raced, and panic started to claw at the edges of his resolve, but he forced it down.

Without a word, Playboy stormed out of the office, his blood boiling with a mix of fear and anger. Bear was already outside by his truck, his face grim but determined. Playboy jumped into the passenger seat, slamming the door shut, his hands trembling with a fury he could barely contain.

As they sped toward the parking garage, Playboy’s thoughts were a chaotic blur. If she was indeed taken against her will, he knew she wouldn’t go down without a fight.

The truck’s tires screeched as Bear took a sharp turn, the silence in the cab thick with unspoken worry. Playboy stared out the window, fists clenched. He wanted to scream, to punch something, but he kept it all bottled up. He needed to stay calm, to focus. But it was hard to. He couldn’t help but wonder if she had been hurt.

Bear shot him a look. “We’ll get her back, Playboy. We will.”

Playboy didn’t respond. He couldn’t. All he could do was stare ahead, his jaw clenched so tight it hurt. After just hearing what Derek had just told them, Playboy had no doubt that Ramon was behind this.

As they pulled up in front of the parking garage they found the area completely taped off and swarming with law enforcement.

Playboy had the door open and one foot out before Bear even came to a complete stop.

He recognized a few officers from the local police department. He went straight to them first, knowing they wouldn’t try to blow smoke up his ass or sugar coat the situation.

The one officer spotted him and looked confused as to why Playboy and his team would be there.

“What are you all doing here,” the officer asked.

“My girlfriend Gabby. We got a call that said she was involved and possibly taken against her will.”

“Are you talking about Gabriella Allen?”

Playboy nodded. “Yeah, that’s her.”

“Why don’t you guys come with us. The FBI had taken control of the scene. They may want to speak with you.”

Good, because he wanted to talk to them and find out what in the hell was exactly going on.

Thank God, Derek took the lead in dealing with the FBI agents who were at the scene. After talking with them and answering some questions, all they knew for sure, was that Selena, Gabby’s friend was in the hospital with a head injury, they had a dead DEA agent and Gabby was nowhere to be found. Although her purse was found near her vehicle, and nothing seemed to be missing, so the authorities were confident that it wasn’t a mugging that went wrong.

Whatever went down was planned. And people could argue all they wanted to, but Playboy knew deep down that this was all Ramon Escalona’s doing.

But questions that lingered, was who took her and where is she?

According to the Feds, they have their people pulling all surveillance videos in the area and scouring them for any clues.

Derek walked over. Playboy could see the disgust in his expression.

“I don’t think we’re going to get much out of these people here. I just spoke with Tink and updated him on the situation. He’s got his people looking into some stuff.”

Playboy just nodded. His gut was filled with worry.

As if knowing the turmoil he was feeling, Derek clapped his shoulder and looked him in the eye. “Hey, we’re going to get her back.”

All Playboy could hope was that Derek was right. But in order to get her back, they needed to know where she was—and listening to some of the Feds talking, they didn’t even know where to begin to look.

All Playboy could hope for was that Tink would come through with something from his contacts. Until then, all he could do was pray that Gabby was safe.