by Cheri Marie
As far as how MacKenzie is involved in all of this, I still can’t connect the dots. I know there’s a link there somewhere, I just can’t put my finger on it. I’m getting in so deep trying to find her, that I can’t help the feeling in the pit of my stomach that reminds me at any moment my cover can be made, and I’ll immediately become the prime target.
As if he knew I was thinking about him, the burner phone I purchased before going undercover rings, startling me. Only one person has this number, so I’m surprised when I check the caller ID and it isn’t a number I know. I start to click decline but think twice about it and I answer it anyway.
“Hello?”
“Anya, It’s Murphy.”
“Murphy, hello. What do I owe the pleasure of this call?”
“There are some matters that need to be discussed. We’re having a meeting at the industrial building. I need you here, now.”
There’s something in his tone that sends my heart sputtering with anxiety. He’s pissed and I have no idea about what.
“Absolutely, I’ll be right there.”
Hanging up, I try to shake off the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach and replay our last few interactions in my head. Did I say something that could have blown my cover? Did someone see me leaving Owen’s place? Fuck, please don’t let me be made. I take a deep breath to pull myself together and quickly change into an outfit that makes me feel confident and powerful. Tight, black slacks and white button up with the top couple buttons undone, finishing off with a pair of red stilettos. I strap my personal gun into my ankle holster and grab my keys from the table. As I head for the door, I stop and pick up my personal cell to shoot off a text to Owen.
Me: Be on stand-by. My cover may have been blown. We’re meeting at the industrial building.
Owen: I’ve always got your six…But Cam, be careful.
I place my personal phone back on the table, not wanting it to be on me if I’m made, and I’m out the door to meet up with Murphy and everyone else.
Twenty minutes later I pull up outside of the building and make my way inside, prepared for whatever is about to go down. Richy’s gruff voice is the first thing I hear, followed by Murphy’s smooth, controlling one.
“What are we doing here, Murph? I was about to have my dick buried balls deep in some chick’s sweet-ass pussy,” Richy growls.
“Once everyone is here, I will discuss the matter at hand.” I can hear the disdain in Murphy’s tone. I wonder why he keeps Richy around. It’s clear that he only tolerates him.
“What are you talking about, Murph? We’re all here.” I can see Richy looking around to see who could be missing.
“No. We’re missing one.”
“And I wonder who the fuck that would be?” Richy asks, irritation obvious in his voice.
“Me,” I announce in a no-nonsense manner as I come around the corner, the clicking of my heels on the cement echoing between the five men standing before me.
“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,” Richy mumbles as I make my way over to stand next to Murphy.
“So, now that we’re all here. We seem to have a serious problem with information leaking to the wrong people.” He pauses, looking at everyone with seriousness. “It seems we have a low-life mole in our midst. Somehow, the El Diablos knew that we were getting a shipment of weapons last night and intercepted them before we got there. They ambushed us and we lost four good guys to those fuckers.” He pauses a long moment, looking at each man long and hard, letting the information sink in before continuing. “So, which of you want to fess up and come clean?”
“You think it was one of us?” Richy asks.
“Oh, I don’t think it was. I know. All of you were the only ones that knew about the shipment besides the four guys that were killed last night. And I don’t think it was one of them.”
I take a deep breath, knowing this isn’t on me, and my identity is still safe. Murphy again looks pointedly at each of them before his eyes land on me briefly. He gives me a slight smile; his gaze warms briefly before he turns his attention back to one of the guys that I don’t know. I’ve seen him in passing but I have never been introduced to him.
“Rocko, your girlfriend Esperanza, her brother is part of the Diablos, correct?”
The man named Rocko startles when Murphy addresses him, then he casts his eyes to the floor and stands there speechless.
“I asked you a fucking question!” Murphy’s voice booms loudly, echoing through the large industrial building.
Suddenly, Rocko turns to bolt, the fear evident in his eyes. With quick thinking and wanting to prove I can handle shit just fine, I sweep my leg under the man’s feet causing him to fall. Once he’s on his back on the hard concrete floor, I place my heel lightly on his throat, daring him to move.
“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” I growl at him.
Murphy claps his hands slowly and loudly. “Well done, Anya.”
“Please! I didn’t mean to say anything, it just kind of slipped out. I didn’t even know Jose was there until it was too late,” Rocko begs, the fear glistening in his eyes.
“Shut up!” I snarl, putting a little more pressure on his throat with my red stiletto heel.
“I think we should just fucking kill him and get it over with,” Richy says.
“I think we should cut out his tongue for running his fucking mouth.” One of the other guys suggests.
“I think we should dismember him and send him back to his family in pieces.” The other guy says. I try to hide my disgust and slight fear I feel from the seriousness in their voices, when Murphy turns his attention to me.
“What about you, Anya? What do you think his punishment should be?”
I don’t want this man dead, not that one less punk would make a difference, but I can’t be a part of killing him.
“Death is too easy. Also, as the kindhearted woman that I am, I would offer him a choice.”
“A choice?” Murphy asks. “Please, explain.”
“Well, since it was his girlfriend’s brother that squealed, I would have him either cut this Jose guy’s tongue out for talking, or maybe let the guys here have a night with his beautiful, innocent little doe eyed girlfriend.” I can hear the men making crude comments on the latter. “Or,” I continue, speaking louder to have my voice carry over their commenting. “He can choose to be beaten within inches of his life and banned from any interactions with the gang.” God! Did I just say all that? I’ve been undercover way too long. I’m starting to think like them.
Murphy taps his chin as he ponders all of our suggestions before he speaks.
“I agree, death is too easy of an option. So, I think we’ll go with Anya’s idea.”
A growl comes from Richy and he opens his mouth to speak but Murphy raises his hand to stop him.
“Do not question my decisions, Richy. Not unless you’d like to meet a similar fate as Rocko here.”
Richy quickly shuts his mouth as I move my heel from Rocko’s throat. Richy snatches him up so that he's on his knees and grabs a fist full of Rocko’s hair, ripping his head back so that he's forced to look up at Richy.
“So, Rocko, what’s it going to be? Are we going to pay your little girlfriend and her brother a visit, or are you prepared to take the ass kicking that you deserve?”
Rocko quietly sobs as his pleading eyes shift to me then back to Richy who tightens his grip on Rocko’s hair.
“Nothing? Shall I decide then? I think we should go visit the girlfriend. Maybe I’ll be the first to take her for a ride. I bet she has a tight little pussy that I could destroy.”
“Don’t you fucking touch her,” Rocko growls, trying to fight against Richy’s hold on him.
“Now, what do you think you’re going to do about it if I do?” Richy taunts him.
“Enough!” I say, taking a step forward. “You will not lay a hand on his girlfriend. This is up to Rocko. It’s his decision, Richy, not yours. Do you understand? It’s whatever he
decides. No one is to lay a hand on his girl unless he chooses.”
Richy lets go of Rocko’s hair and moves towards me like he’s about to do something, but Murphy steps forward and raises an eyebrow, daring him to take another step. Knowing better, Richy takes a step back, turning his attention back to Rocko and the abuse he’s doling out to him.
“I’m not letting you at my girlfriend, and the El Diablos would kill her, and me, if anything happens to her brother. So, you’re going to have to beat me.” He raises his chin in defiance as he says the last part.
“Very well then. Are you sure that’s how you want it?” Murphy addresses Rocko, waiting for him to confirm his decision. Rocko nods yes and Murphy continues his instructions to the other men, “So be it. Gentlemen, handle this. Send me pictures when you’re done. But remember, you are not to kill him.”
“What about Anya?” Richy asks.
“What about her?” He faces Richy squarely.
“It was her idea. Shouldn’t she stay to see it through?”
“She’s coming with me,” Murphy says, and with that, he wraps his arm around my waist and leads me out of the building. I’m relieved that my cover isn’t blown but now I’m apprehensive at what exactly Murphy is up to.
Chapter 14
Owen
The time slowly ticks by as I pace the living room of my apartment, while waiting to hear from Camryn. I had half a mind to force her to let me go with her, but I know it’ll probably just start another argument and raise more questions that I can’t answer. Not right now. At least she was smart enough to shoot me a text letting me know her identity may have been made.
Forty-five minutes goes by with no further messages from Camryn. My anxiety and frustration take over and I can’t take it anymore. Grabbing my keys and my phone, I decide not to wait on the elevator, so I take the stairs two at a time down to my car and take off towards the industrial building. I speed through town, running every light I can get away with running, without attracting attention to myself.
When I finally reach the building, I park out of sight and watch the doors, waiting for any sign of distress. It isn’t long before the door swings open and Camryn and Murphy walk out of the building arm in arm, looking as if they were a couple leaving a dinner rather than two gang members leaving a meeting. What the fuck? Jealousy boils within me as I watch them together. Well at least I know she’s safe.
I should pull away, get out of here before someone spots me, but I can’t. I can’t help but continue to watch them as he walks her to her car, his hand is at the small of her back as he leans in to kiss her cheek. She smiles up at him, saying something that makes him laugh. I watch them chatting it up like they’ve known each other intimately. She leans back against her car, her hand resting on his chest as he plays with a loose tendril of her hair.
She looks so at ease with him. I know he wants her, if he hasn’t already had her. I can feel my anger rise, or maybe it’s jealousy. What’s the fucking difference? I watch as Camryn stretches up to place a light kiss on O’Hare’s lips before sliding into the driver’s seat of her car and pulls away. I’m tempted to follow her, but I don’t move until Murphy opens the back door of a large black sedan and slides into the back seat, the car pulling off in the opposite direction that Camryn went.
A few moments later my phone pings, letting me know I’ve received a text message. I pull it from my pocket and unlock it to find a message from Camryn. I take a deep breath to calm myself before reading the text.
Camryn: Hey. I’m safe and my cover isn’t blown. It was one of Murphy’s guys. He told his girlfriend about some shipment of weapons and the El Diablos gang intercepted them. They took out four of Donnely’s guys.
Me: Glad you’re safe.
Camryn: That’s it? You don’t have anything else to say about any of the rest of what I said?
Me: That’s quite a bit of business that he freely shared with you.
Camryn: Excuse me? Are you insinuating something, Owen? I’ve worked hard to get that information!
Me: I’m sure you did. All I’m saying is Murphy isn’t the type to openly share information with just anyone. Not to mention you two looked awfully comfortable together.
Camryn: Wow. Really? Did you follow me? You know what? Fuck you, Owen.
Frustrated, I toss my phone on the seat next to me, put my car in drive, and push the gas pedal to the floor. Why do I let this woman get to me like she does? It’s been over eight years and she still knows what buttons to push. Or maybe it’s just me. Who the fuck knows? I do know that I need to get out of here for just a bit. I need to clear my head so I can focus on what I need to focus on. And her fucking Murphy O’Hare isn’t it.
I head out of town until I reach the highway. Once I’m out of the town limits of Sunnyville, I let the hum of my tires on the road take me away from my thoughts of Camryn. Reaching over to turn the radio on, I find a station playing some heavy metal, the bass and drums hitting hard, making my pulse race with the music. The faster the music, the faster my heart beats. I let the music take over, pushing all other thoughts away except for the feel of the road under my tires. An hour later, I’m sitting on the beach wall, breathing in the fresh, salty air of the ocean.
Sometimes I come out here just to think, to put my life in perspective; tonight is different. Tonight, I have to make a decision that I had hoped I wouldn’t have to make this soon. Camryn being mixed up with Murphy and the Donnely gang will only end in a bad way, but if I make a move too soon, I could lose my informant as well as the bust.
“Fuck!” I yell out to the empty night. I can hear the ocean waves beating up against the wall, and for a brief second, I think about jumping in. But it was only a brief second.
“Fuck!” I say again before turning myself around on the wall to jump down onto the pavement and walk back to my car.
My cell pings, and then pings again. I pick it up from the passenger seat where I had left it earlier. Clicking it on and unlocking it, I see that my informant has left me several messages.
Link: We need to talk!
Link: Owen!
Link: Where the fuck are you? I need to talk to you! NOW!
I hit the speed dial and it goes directly to her cell. After several rings she finally picks up.
“Owen?” She sounds out of breath.
“Link? What’s up? Why are you out of breath?”
“I’m packing. I need to get out of town and lay low for a week or so.”
“No, no, no… you can’t leave! I’ve got the contract being drawn up and we should have it any day now.”
“I can’t wait. The El Diablos moved in on Donnely’s gang last night and killed four of their men. If they find out that I was the one that let it slip, I’m dead. Do you understand the concept of being dead, Owen?”
“Hold up, Link. Cammie said that they thought it was one of their own that was the mole. Apparently, his girlfriend has connections with the El Diablos. You’re safe.”
“Cammie? Your girlfriend? She told you this?” She sounds suspicious.
“Yes, Camryn told me. She’s not my girlfriend…not anymore. She was there with Murphy.”
“What the fuck, Owen? Murphy? What the hell have you let her get into? Goddammit!”
“I can’t do anything about it, Link. I can’t blow her cover, she’s in deep. She’s a Federal agent.”
“A Fed?” she asks as if she can’t believe it.
“A Fed,” I say softly.
“Fuck me.”
“Yeah, I know.”
After a long few seconds of silence she finally speaks up, “We still need to talk. I’m coming over to your place.”
“Link, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Stop calling me Link. I’ve always hated that. And I don’t give a fuck if you think it’s a good idea or not. I’m on my way over.”
I don’t get a chance to say anything else before she clicks off and the cell is quiet. The only thing I can do is head back t
o my apartment. This is not going to go well; I can already feel the dread creeping in.
It takes me a good hour and a half to get back to my place. I put the key into my apartment door, but it is already unlocked. I pull my gun from my holster and slowly push the door open, being careful to stand to the side in case someone is waiting to take a shot at me.
“Put that toy away, dick. It’s just me.” Link’s voice carries from across the room where she’s sitting in the corner of the sofa in the dark.
“Holy shit! I could have shot you just now.”
“In your dreams. You looked like you were about to piss yourself when I spoke up.” She laughs. I’ve missed that laugh. Over the last couple of years, we only had rare moments where we really talked about anything other than our jobs.
“Why are you here, Link?” I shut the door and lock it behind me. She turns the lamp on that is on the side table next to her.
“Stop calling me that!”
“What else do you want me to call you, then? We agreed not to use your real name in case someone recognized you.”
“Fuck, Owen. If I didn’t like you so much, I’d shoot you, you know that?” She picks a pillow up from the couch and throws it across the room at me. I catch it and throw it back at her, both of us laughing.
“Want a beer?”
“Sure.”
I open the fridge and pull out two beers, twist off the tops and head over to the couch to sit next to the curly headed brunette, handing her one of the beers. We both take a long swig from our bottles before turning back to the conversation at hand.
“Listen, I really need you to get me something solid so that we can finally move in on Murphy and the gang. Cam is starting to ask way too many questions and I’m running out of excuses.”
“I know, Owen. I just need a little more time. I know something huge is about to happen. I just don’t know what it is yet, or when it’s going to be.”
“I have to tell her the truth. She deserves to know.”
