by K. J. Thomas
“I’ll never be able to get out of here, but since I can’t be with someone, he’s been using me ever since.” Mal looks over at Tate now. I’m staring right at him, and Tate brings up her puffy eyes to look at his. “I am so sorry you guys, you are the best friends that I could’ve ever hoped for. No matter what happens, please forgive me.”
I don’t like the situation, but I do want to forgive him, he looks so heartbroken. I just know for our own safety, we can’t. I will never be able to trust him again, and neither will Tate.
That was the abomination of our friendship, what he did. I know Tate feels the same way. Trust is extremely hard to earn and Mal had it right away, and he’ll never be able to get it back from us.
My grandfather and Mac talk off to the side for a few seconds and the whole rooms goes quiet. I look over to Arya and Garrett to make sure they’re still breathing. I haven’t heard a peep or felt movement from either one of them.
Mac walks over to Mal and hits him in the exact same way Luca did to me. Luckily for him he didn’t pass out, but I can see what they’re doing, he made me go through this, so it’s only fair that he goes through it.
Mac walks behind him and uncuffs one hand. The other hand he grabs and yanks, twisting causing Mal to scream out. As soon as the crack is heard, me, Tate, Arya, and Garrett are up and off the couch.
“Stop!” I yell as my grandfather snaps his attention to me. Mal needs to be thrown out, but he doesn’t deserve this, or maybe he does. My grandfather can’t let everything go because of what happened to me at a Romano property. Mal was being selfish, and his problems landed right on my face, literally.
“If you come near my granddaughter or her friend again, I will kill you. You’re lucky to be alive, now get the fuck out of my house.” Tate and I can’t look at him, but I love how Vito Romano protects my friend, too.
Mal tries to get us to look in his direction. Neither one of us want to, we can’t deal with him in pain or watching him go. We will never be able to forgive him.
Even though he fucked us over, I can feel deep down he was a good fit for us. Too bad it had to happen that way, we both lost a good friend today.
Ten
ASHER
I have a guy that I situated close to Avery in one of the house rentals, right on her damn street. The owners of the house are so desperate for money that they’d agreed on a month-to-month basis, it’s costing me five-thousand bucks a month and it’s totally worth it. The alarms actually woke my guy up down the street.
Who knows what was going on, but a lot of shit was going down. Apparently, guards were running everywhere, and people were frantic.
I got nervous, I got worried, especially since I don’t know everything there is to know about Avery and her situation. I don’t know who my girl pissed off, but I desperately want to find out.
I knew that if I were to try to go over there myself, I would be killed or quickly turned away. Most likely even hurt, so that wasn’t even a thought I had to contend with.
Luckily, Tate owed me more than anything. For what she did to me, I could’ve killed her on the spot and gotten away with it.
I know she knows what she did, but she was angry and protective of her friend, that’s the only reason she’s not getting killed or sent back. The second I look weak, everybody will pick up on it. Even if it’s with family, that shit doesn’t fly anywhere.
I did the only thing I could do and woke up Tate. It’s hard to find that little thing in this massive bed in the master bedroom. I know I should’ve taken that, too, but I honestly don’t know who owns the house. That could prove to be more problematic later.
“Get up,” I say as I kick the side of her bed. She’s awake enough now to hear. “Get over to Avery’s and leave your phone on the whole time, I wanna hear everything. Something’s going down, alarms are going off and people are running.”
Take snaps wide awake. “Oh my God!” She quickly gets dressed and finds her phone. She starts typing furiously on it, most likely connecting with Mal, who I still don’t trust. She might be trying to get a hold of Avery.
“You better call me,” I say as I bend down angling my face in hers. “If you don’t, instead of me coming for your ass, I’ll make sure it’s Armani.”
“Fuck you,” she snaps, running out of the room with the shoes in one hand and her purse in the other.
I thought for sure during the conversation Tate’s phone would’ve died, apparently she has an awesome fucking charger and battery.
After ten minutes of listening to the shit that Avery had to endure with that sick fuck, I grab my phone and head over to the makeshift bar they have here.
I don’t even want to listen anymore, I just wanna take a breather but I know if I do, I’ll miss something. I’m not recording this shit. I’m hearing it as it happens. I think for a second, maybe I should record it but then change my mind. It’s better and I’ll be more prepared if I need to do anything, to act immediately, not listen to a recording later.
I need to get a hold of Devon. He’s gonna start digging up everything again. I want him on it twenty-four seven. Not just busy work he’s been doing on the side when he has time, this is a priority. He started looking into Malcolm yesterday, but I want that done now. Devon can get everything, even what they spend their money on or what’s in their trash.
At different times during the explanation from Avery, both her and Tate start to cry. I can even hear Vito’s voice crack.
Her situation with Luca Delano is making more sense. I just can’t fathom what this guy’s doing to her. Someone as beautiful and pure as Avery.
I’m tense as I get up and start to pace. I need this shit to be over with. I need to be with Avery right now, she shouldn’t have to deal with this alone. Yeah, she’s got her family, but she needs somebody stronger, a hell of a lot stronger, that would’ve never let this happen in the first place.
My teeth clench as soon as I hear that Mal was the one betraying Avery the whole time. I could swear he was their third, those three were close. Once I found out that he’s gay, it didn’t bother me anymore. Less competition.
But this must be devastating, even for my niece. The times we did talk in the past couple days she would mention something about him. My heart breaks for them, yes, I do have a heart. Mostly black.
The glass in my hand as I throw it against the fucking wall, breaks for all of us.
I can’t tell right now if I’m more pissed by the fact that Luca planted somebody and got away with it, or by the fact that I didn’t know that he was playing a dangerous game and I couldn’t figure it out right away.
Even when someone’s on a job, there’s always a snippet of themselves, no matter how small, if you pay attention you can always tell. This didn’t happen with Mal whenever I watched. Even though it was mostly at the party and we were all kind of buzzed, but still, that’s enough.
I do feel bad for all of them, a sliver, as I realize those three really hit it off and they would’ve been great friends.
I start laughing as I grab another glass. I need to remember not to throw the next one, I don’t have very many left. Well, the house doesn’t have very many left.
I sound like a fucking woman whining about friendships and feelings. The only thing I fucking care about right now is that he got too close to what’s mine and touched her. I could tell Avery was omitting certain parts of the story. I know she’s not gonna tell that to her grandfather or her aunt and uncle.
“Shit!” I snap as I throw the glass across the room. All I have left now is the decanter. This is a nice one, probably worth thousands. I really need to try not to throw this. Even though I don’t know who owns the house, they’ve been very hospitable, well they had no choice.
“Asher, did you get all that?” Tate whispers into the phone.
“Yep, sure did. Stay with her tonight, she needs you.”
“I was planning on doing it anyway, dickhead. I’m telling her that you made me call you. She just went
through a traumatic event.”
If she only knew. I doubt that Avery has told her yet, but then again, my niece is also keeping a secret from everybody.
Looking at the situation now, I realize it’s not a good secret to have any more. Tate’s going to have to tell me tonight, I’m gonna have to fucking get it out of her any way I can.
Everything and everyone needs to be accounted for, we need to know what the fuck’s going on. It’s time that we have all of our cards on the table, so nobody can fuck us anymore.
Alcohol keeps slowly working its way through me. I’m not drinking that much, just sipping here and there. I’ve got at least a couple drinks in me.
I should be with Avery making sure she’s okay. I can protect her better than any one of these other guys, even her grandfather. I slam back another huge gulp as my phone rings. I don’t even check it. I just answer the damn thing.
“What?” I growl. I’m fairly certain that it’s Tate or Devon. I should’ve looked.
“You were supposed to call me back. Where the fuck is my sister?” Armani snaps out like it’s his place to do it.
“Watch your tone. Shit’s going down here that doesn’t concern you. Your sister for the time being is fine where she’s at.”
Armani sighs, “Asher, you know the rules and it’s been long enough. The families would be in total agreement with me, and you know that. I think there’s something else going on that you don’t wanna talk about. You’ve never given a shit about us, so I doubt if you care so fucking much about Tate right now, that bitch,” Armani snarls, yeah, he has some issues with his sister.
“When the time is right, I’ll let you know,” I try one more time, as nice as I can.
He is right, he can go to the families and they could overrule. If I act against him for doing what he rightfully has to do, a bounty will be put on my head and I know everybody would love that. I’m not a nice guy.
All the rules can suck my fat dick.
“Time’s up, we’re coming for Tate,” Armani says the last part and then hangs up. That’s the first time he’s ever hung up the phone. I have a huge issue with respect, and he knows he’s going to pay for that. The bastard’s just trying to make a point.
I take another pull from the decanter. This is some shit that we don’t need right now on top of everything else, but maybe it’s time. They’re not gonna kill her, they can’t, and eventually all the shit with him will go away. They can just go home, and I can take Avery wherever I decide to. It might be a war with Vito Romano. Looks like he’s going to have his hands busy with the Delano’s for a while, anyway.
That makes me feel a little better, but then I remember what that dickhead Luca did to her, and I know I need to be with her.
I look at my phone that’s still in my hand from talking to Armani and decide to text Tate.
Me: I’ll be there in fifteen minutes, let me in then you can leave.
Tate: What?
Me: Do it.
She knows I’m not gonna go back-and-forth with her on this, that’s the last time I’m going to respond. I’m still in the clothes from the party and I reek of alcohol, but thankfully Devon just showed up. I prefer him working here instead of at his house where he can fuck off. If he wasn’t the best damn computer guy I had, that I’ve ever seen, I would’ve gotten rid of him a long time ago and he knows this. He uses it to his advantage. Ass, he belongs here with us.
I walk out and shut the door behind me. “Take me to Avery’s.” I say as I jog to his car and get in the passenger seat.
He says nothing as we drive. When he drops me off, I know he’ll go right back to the house we’re staying at and work. One of the other guys will let him in.
Even though I’m very buzzed, I am still fucking stealthy. The house has crashed, and the sun is barely starting to peek, lighting my way enough to where I can see, but not being used as a spotlight so everybody can see me.
Tate cracks open the side door as I sneak in and she leaves. If she hurries, she can catch up with Devon, but I don’t bother telling her that, she’ll figure that shit out on her own. She probably has her car here anyway.
I sneak to Avery’s room. It takes less than two minutes by how slow I’m going. I’m being cautious, plus I’m not as sharp as normal. I know I’m gonna kick my ass tomorrow for doing this, especially in the enemy’s home, but I don’t care.
It feels like it takes hours, when I just want to run up there and jump in bed beside her.
She looks so small and so tiny laying on her side in the bed. She’s out cold, so I turn on the lamp. I want to see what that bastard did to her face.
I repeatedly swear under my breath. The damage is reprehensible for a woman that didn’t deserve it.
Avery starts to stir, and as quickly as I can I lock the door and shut off the light and make my way to the other side of the bed.
In this moment, at this time, more than anything in this world, I want to get undressed and lay down next to my girl, but I can’t. I can’t get undressed in case I need to run, but I’m definitely going to lay next to her.
As soon as I’m closer I wrap my arms around her and she stiffens.
“Relax. I’m not gonna cover your mouth or do anything to you. I just need to make sure you’re okay. Let me sleep with you, please.” I’m not above begging her.
Maybe because she lost the fight, or she just needs this as much as I do, she nods her head as I snuggle in being careful not to touch her bruised and bloody face.
Shit, I don’t know if he hit her anywhere else. She might be bruised all over her body. When I pressed against her though, she didn’t make a noise.
I can’t help it if my dick is happy right now, that’s nature’s way of saying it agrees with what we’re doing. I’m still a guy, if she wants to hop on my dick, I’ll be okay with that.
“I’m gonna kill him,” I whisper as Avery snuggles back into me. I didn’t mean for that to slip out. It sounds violent but at least it didn’t upset her. I am going to kill him, very painfully and slowly.
I just don’t give a shit anymore. Maybe the alcohol’s finally catching up to me. I feel comforted and at home with myself wrapped around Avery.
Within a minute her breath evens out and mine follows shortly after. I imagine she’s on some kind of pain medicine or something, that’s what is making her more pliable. I still let myself believe that she would be this way, anyway, with me.
Things are definitely going in a new direction for us. I’m going to fucking make sure of that.
Eleven
AVERY
Usually, my blaring alarm wakes me up every morning, dragging me out of my blissful sleepiness and making me face the real world again. This morning I wake from a feeling of cold, that shivering impenetrable feeling that goes through your body making you miserable and jolting you right up.
I know before I open my eyes that he’s gone, all that was left was a rumpled space where Asher held me last night.
When Asher first showed up, I wanted to scream. I couldn’t go through this again, not after Luca was just there raining terror down all around me and my family. I didn’t want anything else taken from me, I didn’t have anything else left to give.
When he told me to relax, I could hear the sincerity in his words, in his voice. He didn’t want me to be scared, he was there to comfort me. I didn’t even realize how much I needed it, but he must’ve. And I’m thankful that he did.
One thing I didn’t even think about happening when I woke up this morning, is Vito could’ve walked in at any time, shit, even Arya or Garrett. I’m not sure about Garrett, he never comes in, and Arya might be on my side, maybe.
He could’ve killed Asher on the spot if he wanted to, the way things went down last night, with his state of mind and his heir-protectiveness. Yeah, Asher could’ve died last night.
I sigh in relief; I am happy that no one came in. If they did, we would’ve noticed or heard screaming.
I grab my phone off my nightsta
nd and check it before I head downstairs. I have one missed message from Tate.
Tate: Asher made me leave my phone on last night, so he heard everything. I’m so sorry.
Me: Everything’s good.
That’s all I manage to text. I don’t want her to sit there and worry about it. But I don’t want to call her yet. I’m not awake and I’m hungry.
I can smell the breakfast food as I walk down the stairs. My stomach growls when I glance at my phone. It’s ten AM on Saturday. I love lazy days, and hopefully weekends. I don’t wanna do anything.
Everyone gives me bright smiles when I walk in that doesn’t reach their eyes. All three of them have very puffy eyes. They’re just so tired and worn down. Damn, we all need a vacation.
Arya passes me a plate with everything she can get on there and pushes it towards me. I take a seat next to my grandfather at the island.
As soon as I start to eat, Vito starts talking. “We were able to get fifteen of the Delano’s last night.” He shakes his head, “It took our cleaners longer than ever, they even had to get some extra help.”
I think he just says the last part for himself. I can only imagine how much this costs, besides getting rid of everything and the bodies. I’m sure someway or somehow, he’s gonna pay off the authorities.
I finish chewing the food in my mouth before asking. “Did you guys get Luca?”
I know in my heart the answer before anybody speaks. Everyone would be happier this morning and they wouldn’t have such sour faces if they got him.
My grandfather gives me a small smile and shakes his head. I nod back at him. I figured as much, there’s no reason to get really upset about it now, there’s nothing we can do.
When I walk out of the kitchen towards the stairs, Mac touches my shoulder causing me to slightly jump.
“This way,” he says as he leads me in to one of the bathrooms.
