Broken Mercy

by Stacy McWilliams

  “Fuck,” I yelled in frustration.

  I punched my pillow, before falling sideways and landing flat on my face on the floor. I scrambled to get back onto the bed and ended up, wrapped up in my comforter, on the floor. My legs were all tangled up and when I tried to get free, I ended up tangled, worse than before.

  My cell began to ring again, and I struggled towards the bed. I managed to grab it, before collapsing back onto the floor in a heap. My heart was racing, and I was breathless, as I answered.

  “Hello,” I muttered in a low voice.

  “Mason?” I heard her ask in an uncertain voice and my heart soared in my chest.

  “Hey, Ambs.” I breathed and dropped my head onto the floor, smiling.

  “You okay?” she asked, and in that moment, I was because I was on a call with the girl I loved, and wanted more than anything.

  “Yeah, I’m okay baby. Are you okay?” I asked her in a hoarse voice.

  “Yeah, I’m sore, but I miss you.”

  God, I missed her too.

  My eyes closed, as I pictured her in my bed, where she was supposed to be, but I couldn’t get her bruised face, and how I treated her out of my head.

  “Mason,” she muttered, and I started.

  “I’m here,” I whispered, feeling guilty again that she was in the hospital, because she was connected to me.

  Why did people always think that it was okay to hurt someone I loved, to get what they wanted?

  “I heard about Helena.”

  Her simple words caused grief to overwhelm me and made me feel like the walls were closing in on me.

  “Yeah, I gotta go.” I spat out at her and clicked end before, she, could say anything else.

  I lay back on the floor and thumped my head on the solid wood.

  Fuck. I shouldn’t have done that.

  I should have been able to speak to her, but my conflicting emotions, made it so difficult to work out what to say, and I didn’t want to hurt her anymore.

  She should just stay away from me.

  The thought of pushing her away though, caused anxiety to claw at my throat and made my head spin. I wanted her with me, but I knew I was bad for her, that she wouldn’t have been in hospital, if it wasn’t for me.

  My cell rang again, and I ended the call without taking it. I didn’t want to speak to anyone, least of all her.

  What could I possibly say to her?

  What could she possibly say, that would take away the guilt, pain, and anguish, I was feeling?

  There was nothing.

  Nothing at all, that could make this better.

  My cell rang again, and I smirked at myself, because she was tenacious and it was one of the things, I loved about her.

  “Yes,” I answered and I heard her breathing down the line, only it wasn’t Amber.

  “Saw about your sis. Can’t say, I’m sorry.”

  “Ollie?” I asked incredulously and her mirthless laugh sounded down the line.

  “Yep. She shouldn’t have fucked us over, and she’d still be here…” She began in low threatening voice.

  I wanted to scream and yell at her to fuck off, but I knew she’d just laugh. I just stayed quiet and listened to what she had to say, with my fist clenched at my side.

  “Oh, and how is Amber? Did her surgery go okay?” she asked, and I could hear the threat in her tone.

  “Leave Amber out of this,” I hissed at her and she barked out a laugh.

  “Nope. You refused to pay up, but what room is she in again, three? No, it’s four, zero seven, right Mason?” she asked.

  My blood pounded in my ears because that was her number.

  How did Ollie know it?

  She was behind bars.

  Did someone tell her?

  Was someone there, watching Amber?

  Fuck. I didn’t know what to do.

  “Oh, cat got your tongue?” she asked viciously, and I wanted to punch her for threatening Amber again.

  “What do you want Olivia?” I probed and I heard her intake of breath.

  “I want the ten million. I want out of here, and if you don’t pay, then I’m afraid your precious Amber, won’t be coming home from the hospital after all.”

  “Why are you doing this?” I muttered, and she paused for a beat, before she answered me.

  “Because, Mason, I can do whatever the fuck I want and there is nothing you can do to stop me. You have four hours to drop the money off at the studio, where you recorded your first album. Or I’m telling you, you’ll lose Amber too. I’ll make damn sure of it. She won’t be bringing up my daughter, in fact, she won’t be bringing up anyone.”

  My palms were sweaty, and my fingers shook, as I took in her words. I couldn’t believe I’d ever loved her.

  “What happened to you?” I asked her.

  She laughed and ended the call, leaving me sitting staring at my cell for a beat, before my adrenaline kicked in.

  What could I do?

  How could I protect Amber?

  I had to stop her from being hurt.

  I had to save her, but I needed help. I couldn’t do it on my own.

  My fingers trembled as I dialed Joe, then Norry, making a group call and when they both answered I began to relax.

  “I need help guys. Ollie has just called and threatened Amber. She knows her room number and I don’t know how to protect her. Can someone go to the hospital and guard her without her knowing it?”

  I asked them without preamble and Joe muttered.

  “We’ll be right over. Open the door and put the coffee on.”

  I scrambled out of my comforter and managed to crawl along the floor. My adrenaline made my drunk ass sober and helped me to stay upright, when I stood, even though I did sway a little. I staggered downstairs and was standing in the kitchen, holding two Advil, and waiting for the coffee to brew. When my back door opened and Norry walked inside with a girl I didn’t know and Joe.

  “Hey, Mase,” he muttered and stepped around me.

  He strolled over to the fridge and opened the door, taking out a bottle of water for himself, as Joe arrived.

  “This here is Danni. She’s one of our best security guards, and she’s currently between jobs. She’s also a registered nurse, so she’s going to be going into the ward in the morning to care for Amber.”

  My eyes darted between them and I didn’t understand how she could be a nurse and a security guard, at the same time. Danni stepped forwards and I saw her eyes appraise me, as I stood topless, with loose fitting sweats on and bare feet. Her pupils expanded, and she licked her lips, but I didn’t care how she looked. With her long, brown hair tied up in a messy bun, or her bright, blue eyes that roamed over me unashamedly.

  “Hi,” she muttered, when she met my stern look. Her cheeks heated and I glanced between Joe and Norry.

  “Is this the solution?” I asked them all and Danni smirked at, me.

  “Yep. I’m the solution and I’m perfect. I’ve years of intensive care experience and I already know exactly what Amber is in for. I’ll be able to monitor her condition and keep watch over her, to make sure she doesn’t come to any harm.”

  Joe glanced at me and I knew he could see that I was about to lose my temper, because he held his hands up and muttered in a low voice.

  “How else can we weed out the person who abducted Amber and who’s working with Ollie, without someone on the inside? We need her Mason, and she’s worked with us before. She’s been on the Broken Strings tour, as a medic and now is on our staff as a security guard. Trust me.”

  Joe pleaded with me, I glanced over at Danni and gave her a sharp nod.

  “Fine. Fine.” I muttered and then I glared at her. “I’m going to give you an incentive though. You keep Amber safe and help me find out who is behind all this, and I’ll give you a ten-grand reward.”

  She nodded firmly and reached out to grip my hand, shaking it firmly and smiling at me.r />
  “You got a deal, Mr. Michaels. Glad to be helping you.”

  Norry left with Danni, I turned to Joe and saw he was watching me.

  “Joe, what is it?” I asked, because I could tell something was bothering him, but he gave me a brief smile and shook his head.

  “It’s nothing. I just want to know how Olivia could be making phone calls to you at three am, while she’s inside. I don’t understand it.”

  I glowered at my coffee cup as his words sunk in and I wondered if she’d been let go.

  Would she go after Amber?

  Yes.

  Was she dangerous?

  Absolutely.

  Was I scared?

  Yes, I was.

  I was scared. I was frightened I’d lose Amber, but more than that, I was petrified she’d come after Sophia, or Lucca and hurt them to get back at me.

  “Joe,” I muttered after a few minutes of silence.

  “I need someone on my parents’ house too. My dad is there alone, and I need my mom and my kids protected. Is there anyone who can come and stay here with us? I need to protect my kids. I need to make sure they are safe too.”

  He nodded at me and picked up his cell. I leaned back on my chair and heard him make a call.

  “Fran, listen, it’s Joe.”

  He paused and I could hear the person on the other end of the line saying something, but I couldn’t make out the words.

  “Yeah, I know it’s four am, man, but I need you. I have a job for you.”

  He went silent again and Fran, whoever he was, said something else and Joe sat up a little straighter.

  “Yeah. I know, but this job is for Mason Michaels of Black Mercy. He needs someone to care for his two babies because someone is after him, and they are using his ex-wife to get to him.”

  Joe closed his eyes and then glanced at me.

  “How much?” He mouthed and I shrugged.

  “Two thousand per week, but you’ll be living in, until whoever is doing this is caught.”

  He glanced at me again and then leaned forwards to speak to Fran without meeting my eyes.

  “Usual stuff, NDA needs signed and starting tomorrow.”

  Another beat and then he spoke again.

  “Yeah, he’s worried. I need someone I can trust, and you and I, go so far back, I know I can trust you to keep these kids safe.”

  “Okay, see you in the morning. Be here for ten sharp and I’ll have all the paperwork for you.”

  He ended the call and turned to face me, taking a long pull on his coffee. I met his eyes and waited for him to tell me who he’d just hired to come to my house.

  “Fran and I go way back. He was in the Marines with me, when I was younger, and he’s a good guy. Doesn’t do much like this anymore, but he’s strong, tough and will protect you guys with his life.”

  “Okay, and you trust him?” I asked quietly and Joe gave me a sharp nod.

  “I’d trust Fran with my life. I’ll be staying here with you too, if that’s okay? Means I can keep an eye out too and make sure whoever is after you, doesn’t get near you.”

  I gave him a weak smile and closed my eyes, grateful to have him and Norry on my staff. They were the best and I knew I could trust them with my life, and more importantly than that with my kids’ lives. I stood and walked to the sink, pouring out my coffee and rinsing my mug. Before leaving Joe in the kitchen and going back to bed. I went into my room, and cracked open the nursery door and checked on the kids. Sophia was asleep in her cot and Lucca was asleep in his. My mom was fast asleep on the nursery chair, I walked over and pulled the cover up to her chin. She didn’t stir and I left, closing the door and went into my room. I climbed into bed and fell asleep straight away. I didn’t wake up until half nine, the next morning and it was my cell buzzing on the hardwood floor, that woke me up.

  Chapter Eight

  Madness Or Maniac

  Mason

  My brain was a little fuzzy, as I scrambled to get to my cell, as it vibrated on the floor. I tried to answer it, dropped, and swore, as it bounced off the edge of my bed and landed with a thud on the floor.

  “Mason are you awake?” my mom called from the hallway and I groaned in response.

  “Mason?” She asked again.

  I pushed myself up, as my cell started to ring again. I crawled out of bed and grabbed it, flopping back down onto the bed, and answering.

  “Hello,” I muttered in a ruff whisper and I closed my eyes waiting to hear who was calling me.

  “You think you’re clever, Michaels?” A male voice muttered down the line and I pushed myself upright.

  “I’m sorry, who’s this?” I asked in a low voice.

  “This is the person you are trying to screw over. I know where Amber is. I know who’s looking after her and I will finish her, off, like I did to Helena. Unless you pay up.”

  “Fuck you.” I hissed and ended the call.

  My whole body shook as I stood up from the bed and began pacing around the room.

  Fucking asshole. I couldn’t believe he’d called me.

  What a fucking nerve?

  I wanted to meet him, so I could lay him out on his ass. My cell began to ring again, and I grabbed it, pushing the answer button furiously.

  “What?” I hissed down the line.

  I heard a mirthless laugh, followed by a plea, then a scream in a voice that sounded suspiciously like Amber’s voice.

  “You really want to test me, fuckface?” The voice asked as he played another sound, that sounded like someone begging, and pleading for their life.

  My stomach dropped out, as I realized it was Helena.

  “I wouldn’t push me, Mason. Otherwise, I might just come for those two babies of yours next.”

  “Come on then. I’ll kill you. You’re fucking with the wrong man.”

  “Maybe so, but we’ll see later today. Either you pay up in the next twenty minutes, or you find out how far my reach goes. You’ve been warned.”

  With that he hung up and my heart hammered in my chest because what if he was serious?

  Could he get to my babies?

  Could he hurt Amber?

  I flew downstairs and tossed my cell to Joe, when I saw him standing with Norry in the kitchen and a new guy, I didn’t know.

  “Mason, this is Fran.” Joe told me as I tossed my cell to him.

  “That fucker, who killed my sister called me, demanding payment and threatened Amber and my kids. Trace the fucking call.” I hissed, as I blew around the kitchen like a maniac.

  My adrenaline was racing, and Joe called up his cop friend and explained what happened. Within twenty minutes, there were cops all over my house. Two plain clothed officers were assigned to the hospital, outside the ward Amber was in and two were positioned in the next room. My cell rang at ten minutes after ten and the cops had put a trace on the line, to try and catch whoever it was.

  “Poor play, Mason,” he hissed as I answered. “Involving the cops was not part of our deal. Now your bandmates are on the line too. Which one should I go after first? Quinn and Lexa? Harris? Or Lewis, it’s up to you, but you have to choose who to sacrifice now, or they could all die.”

  I didn’t say a word, and he gave a gruff laugh and then muttered in a deadly voice, “You have ten seconds to choose. If you don’t choose one, then I’ll choose for you.”

  “Ten, nine, eight, seven, six…” he counted, and I still didn’t speak.

  “What happens if I don’t choose?” I asked him again, trying to buy time, as the cops tried to trace the call.

  “You lose, but you lose anyway fuckface, because I promise you’ll be sorry for not paying.”

  “Three bandmates. Three choices.”

  I glanced around the room seeing Harris and Quinn both looking at me in shock. I hadn’t even known they’d arrived. They had just got here, but where was Lewis?

  “Where’s Lewis?” I mouthed at them, covering the
line. Quinn shrugged and Harris gave me a quizzical look.

  “Too late. Say goodbye to Lewis,” he told me, and I heard the sound of a shot.

  The cops raced from the room and Norry went with them. Joe came over to stand beside me and put his hand on my shoulder, as I stood still holding my cell. I didn’t want to look at my bandmates, because what if I’d just lost Lewis? He wasn’t just my bandmate, he was one of my best friends and if he was dead, it was all my fault.

  Nobody spoke as we all waited for news. Joe’s cell began to ring, and he quickly answered it with all our eyes on him. He nodded, but I could see the pain in his face as he listened to the news and I knew that he’d gotten to Lewis.

  “Boy’s, I’m so sorry …” Joe began and my knees gave out.

  This was all my fault, because I goaded the psychopath.

  “He’s dead?” I heard Quinn ask and Joe nodded slowly.

  “Yes. It looks like it was a long-distance shot.”

  My cell chimed in my hands and I saw a message flashing up on the screen. I opened it and saw there was a video attachment, which started playing as soon as I clicked on the message. Lewis, I could see, had his earbuds in and was running in the park near his apartment. The shot rang out and I saw him drop. The camera zoomed in to show the blood pooling around him. I dropped my cell onto the floor and Joe scooped it up, giving me a wide-eyed stare as he saw the video.

  Everyone looked to me as I pushed up from the floor. My stomach was rolling, as I rushed from the room and out into the cloakroom. I emptied my stomach contents and was still retching a few moments later, when Quinn knocked on the door.

  “Mase, you okay?” he asked in a hollow voice.

  “No,” I managed to mutter, as I quickly washed my hands and dried them.

  My eyes were red rimmed and the tears that I was holding in, began to spill over.

  Why was this happening to me?

  What had I done, to deserve all this shit?

  I stuffed my fist in my mouth, as a sob crawled up my throat and my tears rolled down my cheeks. I couldn’t cope with the pain, that was like ants crawling all over me. I let myself cry for a few minutes at the sight of my friend dead, on the ground, because of me. He’d never have let me choose, but he wanted to drive a wedge between me and the boys. If I’d chosen, then he would have, but fuck I needed to find this cocksucker. I had to get him and stop him before he hurt someone else, I loved.