by Sarah Bailey
THE DEVIL’S SYNDICATE
BOOK FIVE
SARAH BAILEY
Depraved Copyright © 2020 by Sarah Bailey
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Please note the spelling throughout is British English.
Cover Art by Sarah Bailey
Published by Twisted Tree Publications
www.twistedtreepublications.com
[email protected]
Contents
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
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Epilogue
Acknoweldgements
About The Author
To my dark and depraved Quintet
Your story has given me life, love and laughter
I’m so glad you’ve finally found your way
home to each other
Chapter 1
The video Geoff had sent me shook me to my core. Except I wasn’t the one who was the worst off here. That was Ash. She fumed in her seat and the declaration she would be the one who slit Russo’s throat was a little chilling, to say the least. But, honestly, I couldn’t blame her. Not after seeing that shit. Not after Russo had taken Isabella and slapped her around. And not after he’d said all those things about Ash. Calling her a whore and a slut. She was neither of those things.
Reaching out, I cupped her face and turned it to me. Her blue eyes were wild and the rage in them almost made me flinch.
“Little girl…”
“I hate him.”
“I know.”
“We need to get her away from him.”
I stroked her cheek. Whilst I wanted to get angry, she needed me to remain calm and we needed to get both her and Rory to Viktor. They were injured and as much as Ash might want to go rushing off after Isabella, she couldn’t.
“You’re going to let me, E and Xav handle this.”
“But Quinn—”
“No buts. You were just in a car accident and need to be looked over by a doctor, as does Rory. So you and he are sitting this out, do you understand?”
She looked mutinous. My girl might be strong, but if she thought for a second I’d allow her to further injure herself, she had another think coming. She needed rest and recuperation.
“Ash, do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“Good girl.”
Her eyes flashed momentarily with pleasure at my praise. Ash might not like it, but she had to deal with it.
“E, how much longer until we’re at Viktor’s?” I asked, turning to him and dropping my hand from Ash’s cheek.
“We’re just hitting the outskirts now, should be like maybe twenty minutes.”
“Okay, good.”
I had a few choice words for her father who was meant to be keeping Isabella safe for Ash. Fiddling with my phone, I forwarded him the video Geoff sent me along with a message.
QUINN: You were meant to keep her safe.
I didn’t care if it antagonised him. The responsibility lay with him. He assured Ash he’d make sure nothing happened to her mother. His personal feelings about Isabella and what she’d done didn’t matter. Only Ash’s happiness did, and that meant keeping the people she loved and cared for safe.
I felt like shit she even thought for one second we weren’t in this with her for good. That she wasn’t enough for me and the boys. Didn’t she realise she completed us? Didn’t she know we’d all fucking well die for her if it came to it? Fuck marriage and all the other bullshit. All we needed was her and that was fucking that.
I could see Xav and Rory looking at Ash with sympathy, as if they understood how much this pained her. As if our girl hadn’t suffered enough today. Now she had this bullshit on top of it. I didn’t care how but I would fix this for her. I’d make sure I got Isabella away from Frank. It might take some fucking time, but I’d do it. And then we’d destroy Frank for good. If she wanted to be the one who ended him then who was I to stop her doing it? Of course, I still worried since this was my girl and I didn’t want shit on her conscience she couldn’t handle. We’d have to see if Ash really wanted to go through with it when the time came.
“I don’t want her to die,” she whispered.
“She won’t. He’s not going to kill her.”
It’s what he’d said, but who knew when it came to Frank fucking Russo. The man was psychotic and a cold-blooded killer. Couldn’t trust him as far as I could throw him.
“I’m in so much pain. I didn’t want to say anything, but my chest is so sore.”
“Little girl…”
“I couldn’t think about me, not when Ror needed my help.”
I tugged her against me upon seeing the tears welling in her eyes. Rory met my eyes over her head. The abject misery in them made me aware he hated he’d had no other choice but to rely on her. I didn’t blame him for what happened. None of us could know her cousin would follow them. But it did go to show I was right about her not being safe in the outside world. It didn’t make me feel remotely vindicated knowing both Rory and Ash had got hurt though.
“It’s okay, sweetheart, when we get to Viktor’s the doctor will be there and I’m sure he’ll get you some painkillers.”
I stroked her hair, not wanting to aggravate her injuries any further.
“I love you, Quinn,” she sobbed, her tears soaking through my shirt.
I rested my cheek against her head.
“Shh, I know.”
Xav and Eric would have to help me sort out this mess once we got to Viktor’s, but I could afford to give Ash the comfort she needed right now. And there was no fucking way I would let her drown.
Eric and Xav spoke in low murmurs the rest of the journey, but the three of us in the back were quiet. Ash had stopped crying, but I kept holding her, reassuring her without words she had me to rely on. I’d never let her go.
Eric got out first and went up to knock on the front door whilst Xav helped Rory out of the car and I took care of Ash. She winced as we went up the steps, the movement aggravating her chest. I thought about carrying her, but Ash might not agree to me doing so. The door was already open and I led her right through into Viktor’s living room with Rory and Xav behind
me. Eric was there with grim-faced Viktor and Doctor Alekhin. He immediately came over to check on Ash but she waved him off, telling him Rory was more important.
“Your father wishes I examine you first,” he protested.
“Little girl, let him do his job,” I told her.
She scowled but allowed him to lead her over towards the sofa. Xav took Rory over with him. Viktor intercepted Ash and Alekhin, wrapping a hand around the back of her head and looking her over himself.
“Kotik,” he murmured.
“Rory should be checked first, Dad,” she whispered.
He shook his head and I think she got the message. Her health was paramount to him. I watched her let Alekhin examine her, insisting he needed her to remove her top to which had Ash scowling. Viktor turned away, giving them some privacy. Considering the rest of us were intimately involved with her, we didn’t matter so much.
I stepped up to where Eric was standing next to Viktor. His eyes fell on me and I could see the concern in his features.
“Before you ask, yes, I am aware of how Isabella was taken. My men were subdued and will be thoroughly reprimanded for losing her. I apologise for this. She was under my protection and I failed her and Ash.”
The fact I didn’t even have to say anything went to show what kind of man Viktor was. Willing to admit his mistakes without a second thought. Then again, we were his daughter’s partners and I think the apology was more for Ash’s sake than ours.
“That said, retrieving her from Frank will be… difficult.”
“We’re aware,” I replied. “We have to do it for Ash though.”
He gave me a sharp nod, then he glanced over at Xav and Rory.
“What happened?”
“She didn’t explain?”
“A little. Do not worry, my men are on their way to deal with the vehicle as we speak. It is the least I can do under the circumstances.”
I rubbed the back of my neck, glancing at Alekhin and Ash. He was busy looking her over to make sure she didn’t have any external injuries.
“Our plans are going to have to change in light of all of this.”
He nodded, his face growing solemn.
“My only concern right now is my daughter.”
To be honest, it was mine too. I had concerns about Rory too. He was looking paler by the moment and it worried me. Alekhin finished up with Ash, giving her some painkillers to take and helping her back into her t-shirt. Then he turned to where Xav sat with Rory.
“You’re going to have to be careful with him,” Xav said. “He doesn’t like being touched.”
“It’s okay,” Rory mumbled. “I’ll deal.”
“You sure, man?”
“If my fucking wrist is broken I’d rather know, okay?”
Alekhin approached him carefully and asked Xav to untie the makeshift sling Ash had created for him. Viktor went over to Ash and sat in the armchair next to her. They spoke in low tones, but right now I was more interested in making sure my best friend was okay.
“Ow, Jesus, fuck,” Rory growled as Alekhin looked his wrist over.
“I was going to ask if it hurt when I moved it like this, but I can see it is an issue. You need an x-ray.”
“You’re not taking him to a hospital,” I ground out. “We can’t explain his injuries.”
Alekhin looked up at me.
“If I take him to a private one, they will not ask questions.” He glanced at Viktor. “We have taken men here before.”
Viktor stared at Rory for a long moment as if contemplating whether or not to allow this before giving a nod and turning back to Ash. Alekhin proceeded to check Rory over for other injuries, including his head wound.
“Have you had any dizziness, headaches, blurred vision, vomiting?”
“Headache and a little dizziness. My vision was a little blurred right after the accident. Also having trouble staying awake. You’d have to ask Ash how long I was out for.”
Alekhin looked over at her.
“Um at least twenty minutes at a guess,” Ash said with trepidation.
“You may have a concussion,” he said, turning back to Rory. “We must get this x-rayed in the meantime.”
“He’s not going without me.”
We all looked at Ash, whose eyes were fixed on Rory. I knew that look. She wasn’t going to back down from this.
“They can’t go alone,” I said directly to Viktor.
“André will take them and bring them back once the x-ray is done. It is safer for them to remain here with me.”
“What? We’re not staying here,” Ash protested immediately. “Not without Xav, Eric and Quinn.”
Viktor raised his eyebrows and my chest filled with pride. Ash refused to be without us.
“You want me to put you all up?”
“No, I want to go home, but if you’re going to make me stay here, then I won’t do it without them. Regardless, I have to be where Ror is so I can take care of him.”
Alekhin stood up and put his hands in his pockets.
“You need to rest, Ash, so someone else will have to see to him, I’m afraid.”
“I’ll make sure Rory has what he needs, little girl.”
Ash’s eyes fell on me and the appreciation in them warmed my heart.
“Okay, fine, but we’re going home after we’ve been to the hospital.”
She looked at Viktor as if daring him to say otherwise, and he wisely kept his mouth shut.
“E and I can look after Ash then,” Xav said with a smirk.
“She doesn’t need two of you to do it,” Rory muttered.
“Whatever, she’s going to be treated like a queen whilst she recovers and you just have to suck it up.”
I swear Rory might have attacked Xav if he wasn’t in pain and injured judging by his scowl.
“Instead of bickering like children, we should get going,” I said, not wanting this to escalate when tensions were already high.
Viktor got up and went out into the hallway, presumably to speak to André. He was back shortly with the man himself and we all made a move. Viktor pulled me aside before I could get out of the door with Xav and Eric.
“We still need to discuss what will happen next.”
“I know. I’ll bring her over tomorrow if she’s feeling up to it or you could come to us.”
“She needs her rest.”
“Then come to dinner and we’ll talk then.”
Why I’d just invited Ash’s damn father to dinner again was a mystery to me, but at the end of the day, Viktor was in our lives.
“Yes, that would be best.”
I nodded and he let me go. Ash was standing outside a car when I made it out of the door. She looked up at me with sad eyes so I went to her, stroking her cheek.
“Take care of him for me, little girl.”
“Ror?”
I nodded.
“I will.”
I leant down and kissed her softly, which I think reassured her. Then I helped her into the car and watched it pull away before getting into the Range Rover with Eric and Xav.
“Do you think they’ll be okay?” Xav asked when we pulled away.
“They have to be.”
“Should one of us have gone with them?”
“No, I need you two so we can start making a fucking plan to get Isabella back.”
“Do we really have to?”
I looked back at Xav, who was scowling.
“Yes. Do you want to explain to our girlfriend why we allowed her mother to remain with Russo?”
He looked away and shook his head.
“I didn’t think so.” It was time we got home and sorted out this mess. “And don’t think I’ve forgotten about Julian. That’s a whole other fucked up mess we’re going to have to fix.”
“It’s not my fault he escaped.”
“I didn’t say that.”
Xav met my eyes again.
; “I’m going to put him back in prison where he belongs, Quinn. Mark my fucking words.”
And I believed him.
We had to get a handle on this shitshow and fast before everything fell apart around us. I wasn’t going to let Russo have the upper hand any longer. The man was going down and his whole family with him.
Chapter 2
I sat in the private room with André waiting for Rory to come back from getting an x-ray. Alekhin had spoken to the private hospital we were at on the way here, so we had no issues when we arrived. I was seriously worried about what would happen next when it came to Frank and my mother, but focusing on Rory helped keep me grounded. I didn’t care what the others and the doctor had said. Rory’s care would be my responsibility. My boyfriend needed me.
“Are you tired?” André asked me.
“A little.”
In all honesty, exhaustion plagued me. The painkillers Alekhin gave me were strong and the ordeal I’d gone through had drained me. Running on empty was never a good idea.
“Hungry?”
I nodded. Rory and I hadn’t eaten since breakfast. Who knew how long ago that was. André got up and went outside into the hallway. I rested my head back against the wall and closed my eyes. My chest still ached intolerably, but the drugs had helped some. Tomorrow I would feel it worse. Way worse. So even as I hated it, I couldn’t begrudge Quinn for insisting I sit out any attempts at rescuing my mother. My body was in no fit state to do a single thing, let alone go after Frank fucking Russo.
Voices made me open my eyes. Alekhin, Rory and André walked into the room. Rory was made to sit up in the bed whilst André brought me a pack of crisps, a Cadbury’s caramel bar and a cup of tea.
“Thank you.”
He nodded and sat back next to me.
“I’ve looked over the x-rays and you have a hairline fracture in your both your radius and ulna. You’re lucky the breaks are not more severe. You’ll have to wear a splint for at least four weeks whilst they heal. I do not think you’ll need a cast, but once the swelling goes down, we will reassess.”
Four weeks. It seemed like a lifetime, but at least Rory wasn’t worse off. What if he’d had a severe break and had to have surgery? I don’t think I could’ve handled it. Not after everything else. Having more shit news today would destroy me completely.
