Wild Crows - 2. Revelation : english version

by Blandine P. Martin

  WILD CROWS

  2. REVELATION

  Blandine P. Martin

  Copyright © Blandine P. Martin 2019

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.

  Ebook ISBN : 979-10-97266-8-721

  https://blandinepamrtin.com

  Content warning: Not suitable for all readers.

  This story contains graphic violence. The series is a romantic thriller, which does not include sex scenes. I describe the bikers’ lifestyle through the relationship between a father and his estranged daughter. Still, some scenes may offend you.

  "When everything’s fine, you can count on others, when everything goes wrong you can only rely on your family."

  Chinese proverb

  CHAPTER 1

  Joe

  My vision was blurred. I could only make out shapes which emerged between the light and the shadow. The dried tears on my cheeks had become salty traces, drying up my skin. The torture had lasted forever. I couldn't even feel the coldness of the metal under my chest anymore, and my conscience was half-gone. I could hear a few distant masculine voices. My mind was floating while my body was waiting for my agony to come to an end. I was desperately hanging on to the lovely smile of the woman who gave me life. She was only a dream. Deep inside of me, I knew it. She was a sweet and soft unreal figure, who was helping me to survive. It felt like I was sleeping, spending a few moments with her, in a place where the cruelty of men didn't affect me. Everything around me was bright, and a holy light emanated from her. I thought I could even hear birds singing, and a hot breeze blowing through branches was caressing my skin.

  Then, it all vanished abruptly. My dream had disappeared with my mother's face in cold and black waters. Words spoken with a sharp eastern accent had destroyed the fantasy world in which I had found refuge. I was back to reality. I felt the rough contact of my jeans being pulled down my legs. A painful burning sensation rose through my aching body. I heard a few words in Russian. It was probably an order being given to someone. Then a hand brutally grabbed my hair to pull me back on my feet. Deeply humiliated, I clenched my jaw. I couldn't see Mack's face anymore.

  The man who had sold his soul to the devil for unknown reasons had become a shadow, a sobbing ghost, crouching down in front of me. He was whining like a kid who had been caught stealing. While he was still sobbing, I heard some vague excuses. Worse, he was begging for my forgiveness. I had no strength left to curse him. I didn't dare to fight. A firm grip held my hands tied in my back, and a voice ordered me to walk. I remained silent. As I looked around, I was stunned to see where I was. I couldn’t feel anything inside of me, as if I had been buried alive. I put one foot forward, feeling like a puppet between the hands of my torturer. I managed to avoid touching the imploring hands of Mack, who was lying on the tiled floor and I walked towards my destiny. I finally arrived in front of a steel door. The guard opened it and pushed me inside. My eyes half-closed, I almost fell. My legs couldn’t carry the weight of my half-dead soul. I heard someone yelling my name. I tried to turn my heard towards this familiar voice.

  — "Don't move! " Grumbled the man standing behind me.

  He pointed a gun in the direction of the man who had jumped towards me. It was Ash. Even though his face was badly hurt and smeared with dried blood, he was there in his cell, and alive. He raised his hands in front of the barrel pointed in his direction, and froze. With his free hand, my torturer untied the rope that was holding my hands together, but I only realized I was free when he violently pushed me towards Ash. I fell on the rough concrete floor. Before I could turn to face my captor, he had slammed the door. Two strong arms lifted me, and I didn't resist. I was half-conscious and still floating between reality and my desire to remain in my fantasy, since taking my own life wasn't a possibility. Clumsily, I got back on my feet, and I had to face the quizzical look of my father's right-hand man. It was harder that I thought. Maybe I was about to face the worst. I had no clue what was coming our way, but I was sure it wouldn't be pleasant. Would they kill us? Maybe not, but I would have to live with it… this beast inside of me, the gloom that had infiltrated my body until my heart would die. With this feeling, I would have to face people who would always remind me I had been a victim of rape. I had no dignity left. Sick to my stomach, I swallowed hard. Two deep blue eyes were watching me. They were red and wet. I burst into tears, eaten up by the shame to be there in front of him. I felt naked, even though it was completely different this time. But what remained of my self-worth and modesty flew into pieces.

  I didn't try to resist when Ash pulled me in the far corner of the room. I leaned on him and didn't oppose resistance when he forced me to sit. Still, my body was hurting, and I gathered all my strength not to scream. I laid on my side, instinctively curling up in the foetal position, trying to protect myself. From whom or what? I had nothing left that could be taken away from me. Carefully, Ash lifted my head. I couldn't move, so I let him do whatever he wanted with me. Then, I felt a hand stroking my cheek. I closed my eyes as a frightened child would. My friend's rough and warm palm comforted me.

  —"Joe," he whispered painfully.

  Hot tears were running down my cheeks. My breathing was heavy. His lap touching my face and his arms around me were sheltering me, protecting from reality. For a moment, I believed it would save me, and it felt good. I was hiding from everything, even from my terrible fate. Helpless, I let myself go.

  My skin was dry, and a salty taste in my mouth reminded me where I was and the reason why my lower half was hurting so much. My mouth was dry, and my whole body felt dehydrated. When I finally opened my eyes, I looked at the black jeans touching my face. I remembered Ash was there. Instinctively, I tried to straighten up, but it was painful. I grumbled. I felt a hand under my armpit, and I looked at the big dark-haired man. He had received blows too. He had been badly beaten up, given the bleeding wounds on his face. I figured out it was only the tip of the iceberg. Surprisingly, I managed to hold his stare without crying. I didn't know how long I had slept. We observed each other, trying to imagine what the other had been put through. When I met his eyes, I saw a dark light in them. I could see his rage.

  —"You're going to be ok," I whispered to myself. "You have to…"

  Surprisingly, my fellow prisoner nodded.

  —"Your father is coming to help us."

  His words hit me hard.

  —"My… father?

  —"I know him well enough to know we can trust him. He'll come."

  Suddenly, all the memories came back to my brain. The Russian's words. And those of…

  I felt a knot in my throat, and I panicked. I had to tell him. Unfortunately, someone else would be dragged in this…

  —"They sent him a video, Ash."

  The face of the fifty years old man froze. I took a deep breath, trying to gather the strength to tell out loud the terrible events that would later unfold.

  —"A video… of me. Well… a video of what they did to me, " I managed to articulate.

  My heart dropped, and I looked down, unable to face him.

  —"They’ve set up a meeting."

  He remained silent. I didn't move, but
I couldn't take it anymore. I turned my eyes to Ash's bloody face. He looked away. I felt it was harder for him to cope than for me. He clenched his jaw while he was staring at the wall behind me. His face hardened, and he closed his eyes. When he opened them again, I could see how outraged he was. His emotions were transpiring through his body language.

  —"No doubt, he'll be there."

  I listened to him, pensively.

  — "For you, he would do anything, Joe. There's no doubt about it. "

  His words felt like a slap in the face. He was right, and I knew it. My father would be at the meeting point.

  — "And with this fucking video, he grumbled, he's gonna kill them all! "

  His face changed. He had a hard time controlling himself, and I could feel the muscles of his arm wrapped around me contract. Deep inside, I was afraid, but this time it was for someone else.

  — "I am the bait. They want Jerry. One of the guys said he wanted to avenge his brother."

  The dark-haired man seemed thoughtful. I looked at him quizzically, but he didn't say a word.

  —"Ash, did my father kill this man's brother? Is all this a way to get back at my father? "

  —"It's complicated," he just said. "It always is, Joe. "

  My ordeal wasn't complicated. I sighed. Bitterness filled my soul.

  —"I saw Mack," I whispered.

  My words caught his attention.

  — "They have him… and he's not… himself. "

  — "He's high, for sure, " Ash said pensively.

  —"So it seems. And… he was begging me to forgive him."

  We didn’t say a word. Then, Ash hit the concrete floor with his fist, so he could blow some steam off. I shivered.

  —"He sold us out for a dose! This jackass has betrayed the club… and you,” he added in a whisper.

  —"He was crying…" I said, remembering my ordeal. "They forced him to sit in front of me, so he could watch the show…"

  — "The show…", he said slowly.

  It took Ash a few seconds to understand what I was talking about. I briefly looked at my untied belt, and he probably did the same, as I heard him curse through his clenched teeth.

  —"Fuck!"

  Unexpectedly, he removed his arm, and he got to his feet. He walked to the door and started to scream like a mad man.

  —"Assholes! You are fucking assholes! I swear you're gonna pay for this!"

  His fist hit the lock violently, and he roared like a lion. Frightened, I jumped. Slowly, I stood up, trying to ignore the pain radiating through my body. I grabbed his shoulders and begged him to calm down.

  —"Ash!"

  My voice was only a whisper. Tears came to my eyes. His back was trembling. I moved closer. He had to control himself, or they would kill him. It wouldn't help us.

  —"Ash," I whispered to his ear. "Let's go."

  His head resting on his forearm, he breathed heavily. Then he rubbed his face on his T-shirt sleeve. I grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward the far corner of the room where I had felt safe a few minutes before. We sat next to each other, and I tried to find a position that would be somewhat comfortable. His eyes were fixed on that damned door. I lifted his arm and put my head against his shoulder. This man made me believed, for a few moments, that there was hope.

  CHAPTER 2

  Jerry

  My brain was about to explode. I couldn't take it anymore. It had been two hours since I had received this video, which contained the worst images a father could watch. The heels of my boots clicked across the floor, back and forth, in the Sherriff's office, leaving traces on the wooden surface. The clock was ticking. Kasabov was waiting for me, and I couldn't be late. Ash would pay the price of my carelessness.

  — "So we agree? " I said impatiently.

  I was facing Thompson's deputy, Evan Connor, who seemed doubtful.

  — "I think we do" He replied, seemingly destabilized by my angry tone.

  — "Let's go! " I said impatiently. "My daughter and I have no time to lose. "

  — "You're wrong, " intervened Sherriff Thompson. "She's the bait. He won't kill her. At least not until you get there, Jerry. "

  — "But he will sacrifice Ash. Maybe, it's already too late for him…"

  Her silence was eloquent.

  — "Ok, let's go! "

  I had no time to lose going over the plan one more time. I thought we were wasting precious minutes, talking about details or trying to figure out a plan B. Our strategy would have to work. The sheriff didn't take offense when I ordered her around. We had to move quickly. My daughter's life and the club were on the line, and I was responsible for it. She was paying the price of my lack of judgment. It made me feel sick to my stomach. Guilt was eating me up, and I needed action, so I could forget about what could happen to her. I couldn't accept it. It would be unbearable. I had to save them or I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.

  — "So, let's go over our plan again, said the sheriff in a quiet tone that made me uncomfortable. "

  I grumbled.

  — "Jerry, you go first. Connor and four officers will be right behind you. I'll follow all of you with four other men. "

  Someone knocked at the door. One of her men was bringing back my mobile phone. I grabbed it almost violently.

  — "We're good, he said to his boss. The guys are ready. "

  She thanked him. He left the room, closing the door behind him. I was getting impatient.

  — "We need to go. Every lost minute will make him doubt. We can't take the risk. "

  — "One moment, Jerry. You asked for my help. You need to follow my lead. Just saying… And don't fret for god's sake. The lives of your crew and my men are on the line too. "

  I sighed. I didn't want to argue for hours.

  — "You're in charge. I get it. And you can take all the credit. I don't care as long as my daughter and my friend are safe and sound! "

  — "When we arrest Dimitri Kasabov, and we will, you'll need to control yourself, Jerry. "

  — "I'll do my best. " I answered dryly. "But if I serve you the head of a Russian mobster on a silver plate, it's only fair I take care of the others. "

  The sheriff didn't seem pleased. She sprang from her chair and shot me a nasty glance, while her hands were still on her desk.

  — "What do you mean? "

  — "I mean it needs to be fair. You would never have found Kasabov without my help, and it would be suicidal to meet him without your back up. That’s what I call collaboration… let's say we give each other a hand. "

  She was about to say something, but she kept silent. Finally, she let out a grumble. Clenching her fists, she looked away.

  — "Now that we agree, I'm leaving. The clock is ticking. "

  She shot me another nasty glance. Then her shoulders relaxed.

  — "Don't play the hero, Jerry. It could be a costly mistake for both of us. "

  — "I don't intend to put my daughter in harm's way. Not when she's still held captive by this asshole."

  She sighed. Then, we heard someone knocking at the door. Her deputy entered the room. His face was tense, which struck me as unusual. The man, who had married Ash's sister never showed his emotions. The kidnapping of his brother-in-law, even if he didn't like him, was affecting him. He was probably concerned because of his wife, Lizbeth.

  — "Your crew is here, " he told me dryly.

  I looked at Miss Thompson, the woman wearing a golden star, who oversaw this operation. She didn't keep us much longer.

  — "Have you briefed everyone? " She asked Connor.

  — "We are waiting for your command."

  The sheriff looked at me.

  — "Let's go. " She said solemnly. "Jerry, go ahead. "

  I nodded. I was aware that my daughter's life was between my hands. I tried to block my emotions. I didn't want to feel anything. Self-control was my only chance. I breathed out, before glancing at my new ally. Then, I left to avenge my family.

  Billy was waiting f
or me in the hallway. I stood right before him, and no words were necessary between us. We looked at each other for a few seconds, and we embraced each other. It gave me strength. Then, I walked through the door without looking back. My only goal was to get onto my bike and ride it to the meeting point. I would rescue my daughter and Ash before beating up the asshole who thought he could harm the people I loved. The thoughts that were going through my mind would have frightened the devil himself. That bastard would pay for that, regardless of what the sheriff said to me. I would take care of it personally. Until that moment, I still had a lot to do, and I couldn't waste any minute. I got onto my old Harley, and spotted my men on the parking lot. With a clenched jaw, Hanger rose his fist in the air, and I watched them. They were my clan, my family. We were all united and ready to die to help Ash and Joe.