Recaptured Within, Mendocino Series: Book Five

By Donetta Marie

Nothing is as it seems. So many chest pieces—even unexpected ones—play an important part in keeping them all alive.

Is it possible that Alex Larsen hadn’t drugged her? Instead, could it be his comrade in arms and friend, Jon, who had? It is difficult for Elsie to tell in her moment of panic when she thought Scorzi found her. And a ghost from her past, who had put her on the path of a sick, evil man, is alive?

Elsie Strand struggles to trust Alex, a retired Navy SEAL, with her heart—a man capable of keeping her daughter, Keira, and herself alive. Facing the reality of her dire circumstances, which she has no control over, Elsie makes her demands to Alex clear—she wants more from him. Elsie wants Alex to trust her with his heart ... his past, present, and future. Is that something Alex can give her?

Two calculating, dangerous men have set their sights on them—one, a mole in the naval department who wants Alex dead, and the other, a man biding his time to strike at Elsie to retrieve copied accounts of his illegal businesses given to her for safekeeping by her ex-fiancé, Lucas, before being gunned down.

But there are two things Elsie is certain of. First, she loves Alex and would do almost anything to keep him alive and in her life, and second, she’s ready to face the devil and kill him, too ... or die trying ... in order to protect her daughter from being sold into the underbelly of the sex trafficking world.

For Elsie, it’s do or die!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Donetta Marie
• Release date: Feb 12, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005499525

Donetta Marie

Donetta Marie grew up in Paradise, a small town in Northern California, in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains. You may know it as the Campfire that destroyed 90% of the town from a wildfire caused by PG&Es faulty powerlines. She currently reside in Washington, DC. She graduated with Honors from Grand Canyon University with a Bachelors degree in Secondary Education in Social Studies. Her main passion of studies is anything related to Geography.When Donetta is not writing, she loves to read, watch movies, swim, shop at framers markets, and travel (including a book in one hand and rum drink in the other). And she enjoys good food, coffee, wine, conversation with close friends, and snuggling next to someone special by a warm fire.

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Recaptured within

By: Donetta Marie

Recaptured Within: Mendocino Series, Book 5

Written by: Donetta Marie

Copyright 2021 © Donetta Marie

This book is a work of fiction. All characters, places, names, and events are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any likeness to any events, locations, or persons, alive or otherwise, is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form.

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only and remains the copyrighted property of the author. Please do not redistribute this book for either commercial or non-commercial use. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Trigger Warning: This book contains adult themes and situations that are intended for readers 18 and older. These themes and situations could include, but are not limited to, extreme violence, assault, vulgar language, and explicit sexual encounters.

Table of Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

About the Author

Dedication

This book is a special dedication to all my childhood school friends in Paradise, California who lost their homes and businesses in the horrific Camp Fire on November 8, 2018. My thoughts and prayers are with you as you brush the ash off and rebuild your lives. My heart goes out to all of you. Hugs.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank my awesome critique partner, Anne. Your insightful thoughts on the love story of Alex and Elsie were invaluable to me. Without you, I wouldn’t have finished their story. Thank you so much!

To my beta readers, Rebecca, Kristen, and Sharron. Thank you for taking the time from your busy schedules to read through Recaptured Within and offer your positive feedback. It means the world to me. Thank you!

My friend, my incredible copy editor and proofreader, Joyce Mochrie, owner of One Last Look. Thank you doesn’t begin to describe how much you mean to me and the work you do to help my stories shine. I so look forward to our lunches when I’m in Las Vegas visiting. Until our next luncheon and book editing . . . a big hug to you.

Chapter 1

Alex walked down Main Street with a single-minded purpose—he was going to kill Jon, friend or not. His steps pounded against the pavement faster with each step. The people of Mendocino Village gave him a wide berth as he passed by along the concrete sidewalk, shoulders tense, fury rolling off him in waves, volatile like a violent, coastal storm brewing inside his gut. It was no surprise the villagers kept their distance.

Jon had crossed the line by drugging Elsie, his woman!

Late in the afternoon, there wasn’t a single cloud in the blue sky with the sun’s rays beating down on him. He was about to blow like a volcano, and he hadn’t even set his sight on his target yet.

At the end of his tunnel vision, all he saw was Elsie’s angry face, hurt shimmering in her golden-flecked eyes. And she had every right to be livid. He understood why.

Moments ago, he’d left Elsie at her flower shop at her request, heartbroken over the mistrust between them. Elsie no longer had faith in him. In her own words, she was done with their relationship. His heart squeezed, making it difficult to breathe. He wasn’t giving up on them, not by a long shot.

Elsie’s words kept whispering, echoing through his mind. What if I’m pregnant, Alex?

He tried to swallow past the sandpaper in the back of his throat. If Elsie was pregnant, and the drug Jon gave her hurt the baby, he’d kill Jon all over again.

Fuck. How could Elsie think he had a hand in drugging her? She so easily accused him and quickly judged him for a crime he’d not committed. Shit. He tried to explain to her that Jon acted alone without his knowledge, but Elsie hadn’t given him the chance. It was too little, too late. The deed was already done.

Elsie asked him to leave, so he did, respecting her wishes. Maybe it was better to let everyone’s emotions cool off first, even though it went against every grain in his body.

It could very well be that he’d lost her because of Jon’s drug stunt. But then, he was guilty of copying sensitive account documents behind her back, documents that were entrusted to Elsie that could help him end the navy mole investigation he started years ago. Could all of this contribute to the final death toll on their relationship? God, he hoped not. There had to be a way to fix all this.

He’d give Elsie some time to calm down. Hopefully, she’d realize he had no hand in what Jon had done and come to understand why he copied the documents—to put some dangerous men behind bars intent on harming her, his family, and many other innocent lives. He was trying to protect them all.

His pub in sight, with his target waiting inside, his brothers Ryan and Shane stood outside, waiting for him. They didn’t say anything to him. There was no need to. They knew him well enough to know that a reckoning was coming. Alex bit hard on the tissue inside his cheek in an attempt to stop the muscle from ticking. Where is he?

Ryan held his gaze. Sitting at the bar, having a drink.

No one comes in until I’m through with him.

You got it.

Alex asked, Are Ben and Rick still here?

Yes. They’re keeping their distance from Jon. Ben is pissed over what Jon did to Elsie. He’s waiting for you to get back here and deal with Jon. Ben would be pissed. His friend didn’t like it when women had been harmed in any way, and neither did he.

Alex nodded in acknowledgement. He couldn’t say anything else without roaring his frustration and hurt over what had happened between him and Elsie. And some of it was his fault. His brothers didn’t deserve the venting of his spleen onto them. They knew he was going to beat the shit out of Jon for drugging Elsie.

Jon had crossed a line that should’ve never been crossed.

Alex stepped into the pub, his brothers at his back. The front door shut, and then the snick of the lock resonated around the large room. Ben and Rick sat at the opposite side of the bar from Jon, keeping a watchful eye. He nodded at them, and in return, they tipped their heads toward him. An understanding passed between them that this issue with Jon was his to deal with.

Not wanting to attract a town audience like the last time he had a brawl here with his brothers, Alex turned to Ryan and Shane and said, Close the shades.

Alex joined Jon at the bar. He reached over and grabbed a whiskey glass, specially handblown to fit his large hand with the Larsen Pub logo etched into it. It had been an expenditure that was well worth the money, and it would be worth it to pay his friend in town to make another because what he held in his hand wouldn’t last much longer.

Without saying a word, he snatched the whiskey bottle from Jon’s hand, poured himself a liberal amount of amber liquid into his snifter glass, and took a moment to inhale the expensive, woodsy, oak scent before taking a sip. Then he slammed the rest of it down his throat. He breathed through the slow burn all the way to his rioting gut.

The tension in the bar was palpable. He could almost cut it with a knife. Jon was oblivious to it. Alex stared hard at Jon through the reflection of the mirror behind the bar where the vast array of liquors and wines lined up against the wall. He poured himself another two fingers of whiskey, flicked his gaze at Jon again, and emptied his drink in one long gulp.

Alex’s lips pulled back in a vicious grin as he looked at Jon’s reflection. You happy now?

Yeah. We finally made some progress today moving forward in our investigation.

Has it occurred to you that you’re fucking with my personal life, Jon?

Your personal life was fucked over years ago because of the investigation. They are both one and the same now. And you made it more personal by getting involved with Elsie . . . a big mistake on your part.

Alex growled low from his chest. Do you have any idea what you’ve done? Do you have any empathy at all, a fucking conscience?

I don’t let emotions dictate my actions when lives are at stake.

I thought I would never say this, but you are one cold, fucking bastard.

Jon smiled with an arrogant flare. With a ‘fuck you’ inflection in his voice, he said, I have to be to get the job done, no matter how ugly it gets. You may not like my methods. . . .

Elsie could be pregnant.

Utter silence greeted his statement. Everyone in the room froze, holding their breaths. Jon’s hard gaze wavered. If he hadn’t been watching Jon so closely, he would have missed it. For a split second, there was a flicker of worry that passed over Jon’s eyes, and then it was gone in the blink of an eye.

There would be no question of whether Elsie might be pregnant if you had kept your cock in your pants.

Alex roared, throwing the whiskey bottle at the mirror, smashing it to smithereens, amber liquid splattering onto the slate floor. The crackle of the mirror shattering was almost deafening. Shards of glass flew everywhere. He didn’t give a goddamn if one stabbed him in the heart. Maybe then it would rip out the pain drumming in his chest.

His brothers advanced, but then stopped. Ben stood, ready to rumble, but Rick held him back. Alex shouted, Stay the fuck back. He’s mine.

Jon shook his head as if he was disappointed in him.

Jon, how I choose to live my private life is none of your goddamn business.

Jon laughed. In this instance, with Elsie somehow connected to our investigation, I beg to differ.

That did it! All he saw was a red haze. Alex threw his snifter glass at Jon, nailing him hard on his forehead, stunning him. The glass fell to the floor, instantly shattering with a crackle. He took advantage of Jon’s disbelief of hitting him and pounced. Fist pulled back, he knocked Jon backward off the barstool. Jon fell with a hard thud and grumbled, Fuck.

Before Jon could stand, Alex kicked him in the gut. The air whooshed out of his longtime friend and comrade with a loud gust. He bent down, grabbed Jon’s T-shirt, and rammed his fist into his jaw with a loud smack. He got another jab in at Jon before his friend scissor-kicked his legs, knocking him over onto the floor.

They grappled along the stone floor, scraping their knuckles, causing blood to smear onto their shirts and jaws where they landed a punch. Each fought for superiority. Then they both jumped back onto the balls of their feet, breathing heavily, circling each other, waiting for an open weakness. Jon made a move toward him, but Alex sidestepped and jabbed Jon at the side of his throat as he twisted away.

Jon grunted as his eyes flashed with respect and a trace of mischief. With a bit of a rasp in his voice, he said, I have to say, Alex, you haven’t lost your touch, sitting in a locked room for years, having your dick serviced.

His brothers gasped. Alex had to hand it to Jon making a verbal jab at him on the condition he was found in captivity, all in an attempt to distract him and try to cause a problem within his family. But he wasn’t going to let it deter him from his target—knocking Jon out cold. Your arrogance has no bounds. I had nothing but time on my hands to stay in shape, asshole.

Asshole, huh? How quickly you forget that I saved your ass from that island in Colombia.

So, you going to hold that over my head for a lifetime?

Jon smiled with a tad too much glee in his eyes. I don’t know. I was thinking about it, but now I see your head is still in the game as it should have been since your return home. I was starting to have my doubts whether you’d be any good to me to finish this investigation. Ever since you laid eyes on Elsie, you’ve been pussy-whipped with your tongue hanging down to your ankles, like a pathetic dog sniffing after his bitch.

Ben leaped forward, fist pulled back, ready to throw a punch at Jon. Ben shouted, What the fuck is wrong with you, Jon? Why are you antagonizing Alex?

I’m calling it like it is, Ben.

Alex stood, frozen in place, his head angled to the side, taking in Jon’s measure. There! He saw it—a deep, profound pain, virtually hidden, but not quite, in the depths of Jon’s dark-blue eyes. Alex sucked in a shocked breath. What the hell happened to you to become such a fucking prick toward women?

Jon snorted. Wouldn’t you like to know.

Answer the goddamn question, Jon.

My personal shit has no relevance to what is going on with yours or the investigation, so butt the hell out!

Alex’s hands tightened at his sides, trying to keep his control intact. "Your personal issues with women are affecting mine, asshole!"

Jon flipped him the bird. Did Jon really think that would set him off again and attack? Alex saw it clearly now. Jon’s attitude toward women—his warnings against getting a woman pregnant—was all a front to hide just how fucked up and lonely he was. Who the hell hurt Jon so badly that it changed him into a fucking, heartless asshole?

Jon mockingly laughed at him. Hell would have to freeze over before I ever talked about it with you, dickhead.

Fine, but you stay the hell away from Elsie from here on out. You want to talk to her about the investigation or anything else, you have to go through me. Understand?

Fuck that! There’s nothing you can do to stop me from speaking with her pertaining to anything on the mole investigation.

Jon was asking for it, and Alex was all too happy to oblige him.

Alex lightly bounced on the balls of his feet. He flicked his gaze over at Ben, just enough to garner Jon’s attention, then waved at Jon to come closer and grinned. Ben, start a background check on Jon. Let’s find out what woman fucked him over good.

Ben jovially said, With great pleasure.

Jon growled, taking a few steps toward him, but stopped. Two can play at this game. So, to push Jon’s button further, Alex taunted, You want a piece of me, asshole? Come and get it.

Jon launched after him, but Alex was ready and sliced his hand hard across Jon’s gut and kicked his leg out. Jon fell back but rolled into it, lashing out with his arm across the back of his knees, almost making him fall forward. Jon was back on his feet and coming after him in a flash.

They went back and forth across the entire room, toppling over tables and chairs in a loud ruckus. They fought with a mix of combative moves between kung fu and karate, an array of martial arts at its finest display of one or the other in an effort to knock out their opponent. At times, his brothers or friends had to move out of the way.

They fell onto the floor, where Jon tried to get the upper hand, but Alex wasn’t having any of it. Elsie’s pain-filled eyes haunted his every move, pushing his adrenaline to the forefront to strangle Jon.

Alex rolled with Jon, keeping the momentum going, ending with him straddling Jon. He slammed his fist hard against Jon’s jaw, dazing him long enough to tighten his hold on his friend. Twisting his hand in Jon’s T-shirt again, he thumped his fist into Jon’s other cheek and proceeded to hit him several more times before the ominous sound of Jon’s nose crunching resonated around the room. A loud moan greeted his ears, blood spurting onto his hand and over Jon’s face.

Alex didn’t see anything beyond his blind fury and was about to hit Jon again when a large hand grasped his wrist, stopping him in midmotion. He swung his other fist around but barely stopped when he realized it was Ben. His entire being shuddered, heaving for air as the hateful haze slowly melted away from his eyes.

Jon groaned beneath him. Ben said, with a bit of a grimace, Jon has had enough. You’ve made your point very clear. He’s down, man, which Jon richly deserved.

Disgusted with the events of the day, Alex flipped back to his feet and turned his back on Jon. His heart beat frantically as a wash of emotions swirled through it. The walls crumbled around him, and he breathed out with a heavy heart. Get him out of my bar. I may just kill him.

Ben nodded and, with Rick’s help, pulled Jon off the floor.

The walls around him seemed to close in on him, to the point of almost suffocating him. Alex rapidly slipped off his boots and socks and dumped them onto the floor. Moisture gathered in the corners of his eyes, and his heart stuck in his throat. After a quick look at his brothers, Alex nearly choked on his next words. I’ve got to get out of here. I’ll be back later. Then he left, as if the fires of hell were licking at his feet.

Ben called out after him, worry laced within his friend’s voice. Alex didn’t look back. He couldn’t, shaking his head. As much as he tried, he couldn’t remove the turmoil rolling through him.

Alex headed toward the Headlands at a dead run. Elsie’s golden eyes haunted him with each pounding beat of his bare feet hitting the hot pavement. Within moments, he ran along the sandy embankment along the cliffs as Elsie’s words followed him, weighing heavily upon his shoulders, each word tearing his insides apart. I don’t trust you, Alex. Leave me alone.

Chapter 2

Three Weeks Later

Elsie stretched and rolled her neck around, trying to release the tension in her muscles. She sat in an Adirondack chair on her back patio and turned toward the sun’s rays that filtered through the green, leafy tree limbs. She wished for the warmth to melt away the coldness that had settled upon her heart and soul a few weeks ago. She shivered. No such luck. How was she supposed to shake the iciness in her veins if the sun couldn’t warm her?

She took a sip of her vanilla latte and attempted to eat some fruit and yogurt. Her appetite had disappeared ever since Alex betrayed her trust. She still couldn’t believe that Alex let his friend Jon drug her. At the time, she was in a state of panic, thinking Scorzi had found her. She’d only wanted to run to her daughter and skip town, but that didn’t warrant or excuse Alex’s or Jon’s actions of tricking her under the pretense of keeping her safe.

She found copies of account documents on Alex’s office desk of Scorzi’s criminal dealings she’d thought she kept well hidden. But no. Alex went behind her back, found those documents, and made copies without giving a damn that those papers were her only life insurance policy for her daughter, Keira’s, life.

Those account books were her one-way ticket to the FBI and the Witness Protection Program once her only friend, Steffy, had gathered more information on Scorzi and his criminal dealings. Her job was to keep everything hidden and safe until it was time to leave for Washington, DC. What would Steffy say when she found out Alex and Jon copied the account documents, let alone the increased danger it put both of them in?

Alex got what he wanted. He’d even taken her heart, unbeknownst to him, ripping it from her breast with no consideration of how it would devastate her.

A strong breeze from the Pacific Ocean brushed by, drying the wetness upon her cheeks as seagulls squawked in the distance. Sitting by her bistro table, an expensive, cream-colored paper flapped in the wind, catching her attention. She contemplated the wine tasting invitation, taunting her to attend. She heaved out a deep breath at her lack of enthusiasm. Rick and Amy Belmont were hosting their annual tasting for a small group of close friends and family before launching a new line of white wines.

A few weeks ago, she would have been thrilled to attend, but now, she wasn’t so sure she should go. But she had to go to save face with the Belmonts because she already promised Amy she would attend. Elsie grumbled to herself, I should have never made that promise.

There was a good possibility she’d bump into Alex at the event. She didn’t know if she was ready to face him—yet. After all, Alex was like family to the Belmonts.

Eyes closed tight, she mumbled, Shit. I can’t let Amy down.

A flash of turbulent, green eyes raced behind her eyelids, causing the air in her lungs to seize. It dredged up his haunting gaze of the last two times Alex tried to reach out to her to talk. She didn’t want to talk to him. Fists tightening in her lap, she’d shut him down and walked away. Elsie wished she could wipe away the image of Alex from her mind. He looked horrible and lost some weight. There was a bit of a haggard, edgy look about him, as if he was utterly lost.

To be honest, Alex was hurting, too. But they were in this miserable predicament of being broken apart from each other because he only thought about his investigation, took what was not his to take, and let his friend drug her.

Once her emotions had calmed and she thought through those last few weeks and what Alex had done, she’d come to terms of why he betrayed her. Time was of the essence and not on his side, or hers, for that matter. It seemed their fates were intertwined until Scorzi and Gundry were put behind bars.

Alex had been affected by events of said investigation long before they ever met, but how could she ever trust him again when he let Jon drug her? That was the main reason why she couldn’t be around him or speak with him. She had to keep her distance.

Her phone alarm beeped. It was time to open her flower shop. Elsie picked up her uneaten breakfast and went inside. She had a busy day ahead of her fulfilling bouquet orders. As she turned on the open sign, Gran knocked on the glass front door. Great. She wasn’t in the mood for Gran insisting on answers to what happened between her and Alex. Plastering on a fake smile, she unlocked the door and gestured for Gran to come in. Gran, how are you?

I’m fine, dear, but from all appearances, you don’t look well. You’re withering away, young lady. You need to take better care of yourself, so I brought you breakfast.

You didn’t have to do that.

I know, but I wanted to. Now, go sit down and eat the homemade blueberry muffins I made for you, and I will not take no for an answer.

Bossy.

Damn straight.

There was no point in arguing with Gran. Elsie ate, wanting Gran gone as soon as possible. It would be better if she was left alone until she figured out what she was going to do— stay in Mendocino or move to Copenhagen. Every bite she took of her muffin almost made her gag. It was like eating metal and sat heavy in her stomach.

Gran asked, Where is Keira?

At preschool.

Gran pointed at the brown bag. There’s fresh-squeezed orange juice in the bag as well.

Thanks, she mumbled. Elsie chugged the citrusy liquid and breathed in relief. It actually tasted good.

Gran nodded. Good, that put a bit of pink color back into your cheeks.

Why are you doing this? she asked.

Because I like you, Elsie, and someone needs to look after you since you won’t do it yourself.

I’m fine.

No, you’re not. Now, I think it’s high time you finally tell me what my idiot grandson did. The two of you have been miserable without each other for the past few weeks.

She bit the inside of her cheek and winced from the sharp pain. Gran, it’s in your best interest that I don’t tell you. It sheds a bad light on Alex, and I don’t want to be the cause of any rift between the two of you.

Gran crossed her arms, her wizened face set with a hard, stern focus as she tapped her foot, waiting.

Dammit anyway. Elsie asked, You’re not going to let this go, are you?

No, I’m not, so you might as well get it over with and tell me what happened.

Gran—

I’m not leaving until you spit it out, young lady.

Ah, hell. Fine. He took something that didn’t belong to him and made copies. Alex had a background check done on me without giving me the time to share myself with him. And on top of that, he let Jon drug me when I panicked, wanting to get to Keira and leave town. She looked away from Gran’s astonished face and slacked jaw. Elsie continued. For a moment, I thought Keira and I had been found, and it freaked me out. Alex let Jon serve me a glass of cognac with a heavy dose of valium. It knocked me out flat, and I was unaware of my surroundings.

Gran’s eyes broadened to the point she was worried they would pop out. Oh, my grandson is so going to get an ass whooping from Pops and a tongue-lashing from me.

Please don’t. I need to move on and not drag this out any further.

You gave Alex his walking papers?

Yes. She shrugged her shoulders. Elsie didn’t want to explain that she wouldn’t let Alex, or any other man, walk all over her again. She didn’t need to share other details of what was said between them with Gran. It was too hurtful and messy.

Gran’s head jerked in agreement