Page 31 of Daddy’s Oath (The Daddy Guard #2)

Chapter Thirty-One

“Heard you tell Lana this wasn’t dangerous,” Jack said once they were back in the van and heading toward their destination.

Ace shot him a wry grin. “It isn’t. For us. We can do this sort of thing in our sleep.”

He wasn’t projecting a false sense of bravado. Ace truly believed the Guard was capable of just about anything.

Apparently, Jack wasn’t as confident. “We can?”

“Remember when we saved Iris and took down Frank?”

“Oh yeah. We did that. But each case is different. I’ve been doing my research. This is a bad gang we’re up against. Not that there are any good ones.”

“I know,” Ace told his friend. “But when Frank had Iris, it made it personal. You’d do whatever you had to in order to rescue your babygirl.

Some say it’s dangerous when things get personal.

That you’re too close and it can get you killed.

” Ace shook his head. “We know the truth. It gives you the edge you need. Failure is not an option. You try your best for everyone. And you don’t want to lose a single soul.

But when it’s someone you love, well… Hell itself can’t stop you. ”

Jack and the rest of the others nodded.

Ace didn’t need to explain it beyond that.

The van continued to drive away from Hollywood and up to the hills.

Multi-million-dollar homes sat amongst the thick trees, perched on cliffs and standing prominently as they overlooked the city below.

The back of the van didn’t have any windows, but Ace didn’t need them to know exactly what the landscape looked like.

He’d driven this way—and flown this way—too many times not to.

From behind the steering wheel, Kendrick cast a quick glance over his shoulder. “We should be there in about five minutes. If traffic continues to cooperate.”

Next to him, in the front passenger seat, Matteo shifted so he could face the guys in the back. “Here’s what we’re dealing with: Stryker traced the signal to Mulholland Security.”

“Original name,” Ace said.

Everyone laughed.

“We know them,” Matteo continued. “Encountered those guys dozens of times back when we were on the Force.”

“Guys?” Ryan called out. “Isn’t that putting it nicely? Trash is more like it.”

“Pices of shit is what I call ‘em,” Jack chimed in. “Fuck, it feels good to curse! Been watching my language around my cutie. Good to cut loose. You know?”

The guys laughed again.

“You all are right,” Matteo went on. “I’m talking about the infamous Mulholland Security.

The assholes who will do anything—protect anyone —for a buck.

Made up of mostly former military guys. A few ex-cops.

They’re really just mercenaries. Or hired thugs.

They sure aren’t picky about who’s on their client list, either. ”

“Again, putting it nicely,” Ryan said. “They’ve done shit for the Russian mob and the cartels down south. Not to mention the time they ran interference for that hate group.” He shook his head. “Man, I hope I get to kick some ass tonight.”

“You may well have your chance,” Matteo said. “But remember, they’re only hired muscle. My guess is the gang after Lana hired them to do their dirty work here in LA. That’s how they were able to mobilize and get after her so quickly.”

Ace’s nostrils flared as he thought of anyone going after his cutie.

They’d pay. That was for damn sure.

“Look alive, boys,” Kendrick called loudly. “We’re here.”

The security firm’s headquarters were nice, sitting atop a mountain, part of the modern structure hanging over the cliff’s edge and overlooking the valley below.

Ace looked up at the sleek steel and glass and shook his head.

“The asshole business must be paying well.” His eyes fell to the row of brand-new black SUVs lined up in a paved area off to the side.

One had some white on it, with the company’s logo painted on the front door, clearly designed to mimic an LAPD cruiser.

The vehicles didn’t hold his attention long. Soon, he was gawking at the helicopter resting on a large pad beside the building.

Now that was more his style.

He let out a low whistle. “It’s paying really well. You think the Daddy Guard could ever afford one of those?”

Beside him, Jack laughed. “Ask Stryker or Harrison.”

“I can hear you,” Stryker’s voice said through their earpiece. “I’ll look into it.”

“Wow, thanks,” Ace said. “How are things going there?”

He heard the clacking of a keyboard and knew that back at the Guard’s mansion, Stryker was furiously working the computers, having hacked into Mulholland’s system earlier.

“Man, you’re really moving, it sounds like,” Ace said.

“Not me,” Stryker told him. “I brought in some help. All the way from Mountainville.”

“What?” Jack asked.

“Guys, meet Stella. She’s a hacker extraordinaire.”

A woman’s voice came over the com system. “I was. Back in my old life before I was a Little. But I still remember all those skills. I’m ready to put them to good use tonight.”

“Yep. Then she’ll have a nice Hollywood vacation, complete with playing at Auntie Athena’s tomorrow,” Stryker noted.

“Nice to meet you, Stella,” Jack said. “How’d you get here so quick?”

“Stryker had a studio jet pick me up and whisk me here.”

“I needed the help,” Stryker added. “This level of hacking is way too advanced for me. I just create gadgets. My computer skills are limited.”

They weren’t limited as far as Ace was concerned. But he didn’t really know anything about the machines, so it didn’t take much to impress him.

“We’re almost ready,” Stella said.

“Harrison has raided the bar, by the way,” Styker added.

In the background, Harrison’s voice called out, “I’ll save y’all some booze.”

Jack laughed, but Ace only heard half the comments. He was now focused on the way the evening sun glimmered off the polished helicopter.

What Stella said next, however, got his attention once again.

“All right. You’ll see their lights go out. Their generator will kick on, but it’ll take a few minutes for their computer systems to come back up. It doesn’t matter, though. I’m in there, blocking calls, jamming signals, and that sort of thing. Take your time.”

“Nice, Stella!” Ace cheered.

“Don’t mention it. To be honest, I’ve sort of missed hacking. Anyway, this is happening in… five, four, three, two… one.”

On cue, the property went dark.

It was still light enough outside that Ace had no problem seeing things, but the sudden disturbance drew the hired thugs out of their compound.

“What the hell?” one of them yelled.

Ace could see them on the balcony that rose above the cliff on large stilts.

“Let’s do this,” Jack said.

“Let’s,” Ace agreed.

The two men moved forward.

The whole thing went down quickly, with the employees of the security firm being completely overwhelmed as Ace’s fellow Daddy Guard members burst through doors from all directions.

Because it was now after five, many of the goons emplyed by the security firm had gone home. That, of course, made things easier for the Guard. The six men that remained on premises were too confused to mount much of a fight.

And the punches thrown—not to mention the shotguns some of the Daddy Guard held—were enough to scare the mercenaries into compliance.

Those guns only held non-lethal beanbag rounds, but the thugs didn’t know that.

Ace wasn’t about to tell them, either. He was all for whatever got this thing settled the quickest.

For his sweet girl’s sake.

Soon, Ace and the guys had the premises secure.

“You can’t just do this!” one of the hired thugs growled.

He, like his colleagues, had his hands secured behind his back by zip-ties. They were all in the large parlor that probably served as the planning room and lounge area when they were around, sort of like the den at the Guard’s mansion, Ace figured.

Only this place had a better view, he had to admit. The way it was perched on a cliff made for some spectacular scenery out the floor-to-ceiling glass that made up the west-facing wall.

“Looks like we did,” Ace said. “Now, we need some info and you’re going to give it.”

“What the fu?—”

“Watch your language,” Ace snapped. “A couple of nights ago someone in this firm broke into a young woman’s apartment up on Whitley in Hollywood. Why?”

Of course, Ace didn’t know it was someone from the firm who’d done it. It could have very well been someone from the gang’s LA branch. But he was taking a stab at this, going off a hunch.

The thug he’d directed his question to didn’t deny anything.

“We don’t divulge our client list.”

“So you admit it was you,” Ace said. He looked at Jack and then Kendric. “You two hear that? They did it.”

“I didn’t say that!” the man spat.

It was Ryan who spoke next. “You know, it’s illegal to break into someone’s apartment. Even if someone hires you to do it. So this protecting your client bullshit means nothing. Just means you’re willing to go down for them while they walk away free.”

One of the other thugs on the floor laughed. “It’s illegal to break into someone’s place? You don’t say. Huh.”

Ace actually laughed. “Oh, we see the irony in this. We just don’t care.” He reached for Ryan’s shotgun. Ryan handed it over. Ace worked the side, the chilling sound jarring in the heavy quietness of the tense room.

This seemed to get everyone’s attention.

“Look!” the first thug yelled. “It doesn’t matter. We had a client, but the contract ends at midnight tonight.”

“Why?”

“I can’t tell you that!”

Ace moved the tip of the gun’s barrel against the back of the man’s head.

He’d never shoot a man like that. Even if it was a beanbag round inside the long weapon.

At close range, it still might kill. Or seriously maim.

And torture was not Ace’s style. But these guys didn’t know a thing about him.

He’d pulled off the acting role just the other day, when he’d pretended to be the HVAC repair guy back at Lana’s apartment.

He could pull off this role, too.

Apparently, Jack knew what he was up to, because he played along.

“Man, don’t do this again. Remember how much we had to clean up last time?”

Ace fought back a laugh.

“He’s right,” Isaiah pleaded. “I’m not scraping brains off the carpet again.”

The guy on the ground cried out.

“We don’t have to,” Ace said. “Leave it for the CSIs to find. LAPD will get a cleanup crew in here after their done processing the scene, anyway. Whoever buys this place next won’t even know that someone’s head opened up like a damn melon on the floor.”

“Shit!” the guy yelled. “Look, Miguel Garza hired us! Okay! Move that gun away, dude!”

Miguel Garza. Lana’s stepfather.

Ace pressed the gun against him a bit further. “Why?”

“Are you wanting me to freaking tell you everything?”

Ace laughed. “That’s the idea. Yeah.”

The guy didn’t say anything. But the one next to him did.

“I’ll tell you. The client isn’t worth going down for. But you can’t talk to the cops.”

“How do you know we aren’t cops?” Ace asked.

The guy scoffed. “The LAPD can do some shady shit. But this is even crazier than anything they’ve done.”

Ace couldn’t argue that point. It was one of the reasons he’d given up the badge. Of course, he was now standing in a company headquarters that he’d broken into, hovering over the men he’d tied up and waving a shotgun around. But this was all for Lana.

He’d do anything for her.

“Talk.” He didn’t promise he wouldn’t tell the police. But whatever he passed along most likely wouldn’t stick, anyway. Not since this was all highly illegal.

He had bigger fish to fry, anyway.

Ace wanted Garza.

“Look, some people connected with our client saw this woman on some TV show. They reached out to us to track her down.”

Ace thought about it for a moment. That was all in line with what they’d suspected. “Miguel Garza?”

The guy just nodded, though it was hard to see the way he was lying face down on the floor.

“He wants revenge, huh?” Ace probed.

“I don’t know about that. Maybe,” the guy said. “But he has a new trial coming up. His attorneys found a way to throw out his old conviction. Look, that’s all I know.”

“Shit!” Ace said, looking at Jack. “They want to silence the star witness. Keep her from testifying again.”

Jack nodded. “And with luck they just happened to see her on that TV show. All bad timing.”

“What I want to know,” Matteo said, “is how they found her address.”

The man on the floor who’d spilled the info answered. “ They didn’t. We did. That TV show said she worked for the studio. Used our contacts, bribed some people we know. Easy info to come by.”

Ace figured he meant someone in the studio’s HR. He’d have to figure all that out later. Right now, though, he had another burning question.

“You said your contract ends tonight. Why?”

Dead silence followed.

“Remember this.” He tapped both of thugs he’d been talking about on the sides of their heads with the shotgun.

The first guy broke the silence. “Our work is done. We’re monitoring her place to make sure she doesn’t go back, but like we said, at midnight, she isn’t our problem anymore.”

The man next to him finished the story. “They’ve had time to mobilize their own crew now. They’re taking care of things. Snatching the girl.”

Ace’s heart raced and his mind spun. He knew losing his cool wouldn’t help Lana. So, he forced himself to calm down, drawing deep, soothing breaths.

“How would they know where she’s at?” he asked, more to himself as he tried to fit all the puzzle pieces together.

Isaiah answered. “She was by her place today. If they had people watching?—”

“They saw her.” Ace groaned.

“But we got her before they could,” Isaiah finished. “But they could’ve followed.”

“Shit! I need to get to—I need to get there fast.” He almost said to Auntie Athena’s but caught himself just in time. The less he divulged to these assholes, the better.

“I’m calling Trevon,” Ryan announced, his phone to his ear.

“Let’s roll,” Kendrick said.

“It’ll take too long by car,” Ace said. “I’ve got another idea.” He leaned low, put the shotgun once again to one of the thug’s head, and said, “I’m going to need the keys to that chopper.”