by J. M. Walker
How could someone do this? How could they even consider sending a dead animal to a person? Suddenly, my phone rang, making me jump. “H-Hello?”
“Hello, Genevieve.” A deep voice rumbled into my ear, vibrating down my spine.
“Who is this?” I asked, gripping the phone tight in my hand.
“Who the fuck do you think it is?”
My body wavered, spots dancing in my vision. “What do you want?”
“You, of course.”
I spun on my heel at the voice coming from behind me. Tripping over my feet, I landed hard on my ass.
A tall man loomed over me, his mouth twisting up into a snarl. “You are more beautiful than I imagined. I can’t wait to have both you and your sister at once.” The man straddled me, shoving my arms above my head. “You see, your sister wanted this, but you, you’re a fighter.” He brushed his nose up the side of my neck, inhaling deep. “And that turns me on.”
“You won’t get away with this.” I squirmed in his grip, attempting to push out of his hold.
“Oh, pet, I already have.” Holding my wrists with one hand, he pulled a syringe out of his jacket pocket with the other.
“Please, don’t!” I cried, my chest rising and falling. I whimpered when the prick of the needle poked me in the side of the neck. My vision faded in and out, whatever the drug was, hitting me fast.
“You’ll enjoy this. Just like your sister did.” His hand wrapped around my throat. “But unfortunately, she’s used up.” He kissed my cheek. “Now it’s your turn.”
MY FIST landed against my victim, knocking him onto the mat.
Dale groaned, glaring up at me. “What the hell was that for?”
“Just training, my man,” I told him, helping him to his feet.
He rubbed his jaw, moving it back and forth. “Fuck, that hurt.”
I laughed. “Yeah, well, you’re lucky I don’t hit you harder.”
“I’m guessing you know,” he said, walking to a bench on the other side of the gym.
“Yeah.” I followed him. “What the hell are you thinking?”
“I’m not ready to be a fucking father, Angel,” he snapped. “I can’t even take care of myself, let alone a baby.”
“Well, it’s a little late for that, isn’t it?” I smacked him across the shoulder when he didn’t answer. “Listen to me.” I cupped his nape, leaning my forehead against his. “I love you, you know that, right?” It had taken me a long time to figure that out.
“’Bout time you say it,” Dale muttered.
“Fuck off.” I chuckled. “Listen, you have a good woman there, Dale. She needs a man at her side. Not some kid who fucks around because he feels he’s too young to settle down. She needs you. And so does your baby.”
“I’m scared. What if I screw up?”
“Every parent screws up. How do you think I feel? It’s taken me a long time to say those words.”
Dale punched me in the shoulder. “Yeah, fucker. I’ve been telling you it for years but,” he sniffed, “you never said it back.”
“You’re a dick.”
“Yup, but you love me.”
I rolled my eyes. “You need to talk to Max before she shuts you out completely.”
“I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” Dale said, his voice final.
“I’m not kidding.” I crossed my arms under my chest, raising an eyebrow.
“Neither am I.” His threat went unspoken.
If I pressed, he would kick my ass. Or try to.
He huffed. “Listen, I have some shit to work out in my head but I will…I’ll try to talk to her.”
I nodded. It was all I could ask for.
Dale nodded toward the entrance to the gym. “Stone must be excited to work out.”
I followed his gaze, seeing Stone barreling full speed up the parking lot with a woman I didn’t recognize, running beside him. “What’s going on?” I asked, meeting him at the door.
“Shit!” he gasped, clutching his chest.
My heart thumped. The guy was in excellent shape so for him to be out of breath from running, depending on how long he actually ran for, was not the norm. “Where did you just come from?”
“Jay’s tattoo shop,” the woman answered. “I’m Creena. I work with her.”
“Right.” I had heard of her but never met her until now. “Angel.”
“Good.” Her brows furrowed. “We need to talk.”
***
(Jay)
Everything from my head to my toes ached. My muscles were tight from the uncomfortable cement I was laying on. I didn’t know where I was or even what day it was. The last thing I remembered was his disturbing words. A flutter of fear simmered in my soul, not for me but for Angel and my sisters. I knew what it was like to go day to day not knowing what happened to a person you loved. Where did they go? Did they run away? Did something happen? Were they mad at you? Did they hate you so much they couldn’t even fathom telling you they were leaving in the first place? All of these unanswered questions had gone through my head for years after Violet left. A part of me knew she didn’t leave because she wanted to and had no choice. But then another part, that dark part that nagged at me every damn day, tried convincing me she left because she wanted to. She didn’t care about anyone else’s feelings but her own. Or so I had been told. Whether it was true or not, I would never know.
I rolled onto my back, a clink sounding a few feet away. I moved my foot; the clinking sound happened again. A chain. Great. The darkness simmered some—my eyes getting used to the shadows surrounding me. Light streamed into the room through the small hole in the door. The musty scent of a dungeon surrounded me. If Violet volunteered for this, then there was more about my sister that I didn’t know than I cared to admit.
Either way, we had to get out of there. If she was being held in the same place as I was, I would force her to leave with me. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, this place was dangerous. This lifestyle toxic. I had heard about girls being taken from their homes, sold into sex slavery and falling victim to the wrath of the men who bought them. They would pull wool over their eyes. Act charming. The girls would fall for it eventually, not knowing any better. It was Stockholm syndrome at its finest. I had also researched that the girls would become drug addicts, some dying because they couldn’t get the sustenance to curb their addictions.
“Hello?” I called out, my throat parched, my lips dry and cracked. No answer. Of course there wouldn’t be an answer. Why would there be one? I rose to my feet on shaky legs, seeing how far I could make it to the door before the chain stopped me. But when I reached the door and the chain still had some give, I questioned what the point of the chain actually was. So I wouldn’t run? So I wouldn’t have anywhere to go? I brushed my hands over the solid door until I found the doorknob and twisted it, surprised when it turned all the way in my hand. What the hell kind of dungeon was this?
I pulled open the door, peaking my head out into a dark hallway. Red carpet lined the floor, a slight lavender scent filling my nose. None of this made sense. It was too easy.
“Ah, I see you’re awake.” A large man came out of the shadows, the same man who took me from my apartment.
My eyes widened, and I stepped back, fumbling over the chain cuffed around my ankle. A strong hand reached out, catching my wrist before I fell on my ass.
“Let me help you with this.” He leaned down, unlocking the cuff around my ankle. “There you go. Better?” He glanced up at me through dark eyelashes. Lashes that reminded me of Angel. My chest tightened.
“Where am I?” I whispered, not liking how weak my voice sounded.
“I know you’re confused,” the man rose to his feet. “Come with me and I’ll explain.”
“Why should I trust you when you took me from my home?”
“I did just unlock the cuff.” He waved a hand out in front of him. “Feel free to run. You can leave any time but you’ll leave here with more questions than answers.”
/>
“You would let me go?”
His dark gaze held no hint of emotion. “Yes but I should warn you, I do enjoy the chase. Playing with my meal has always been a hobby of mine.”
I swallowed hard. “I’ll walk with you but on one condition.” I nodded toward the gun at the small of his back. “You let me hold the gun.”
He smirked, reaching behind him and handed me the pistol.
I held it in my left hand, keeping my finger on the trigger. A girl needed to be protected at all times. Having the gun at my side made me feel less stupid for agreeing to go with the man. Wherever that would be.
“Feel better?” he asked, a teasing lilt to his voice.
“I’m still waiting on the answers to my questions you have yet to provide,” I rubbed my bare arm, my skin raising in goose bumps as a cold draft enveloped me.
“Here.” The man took off his jacket and placed it on my shoulders. “Follow me.” He started walking down the hall, not waiting for me. “I’m sorry for the room I put you in,” he added a moment later.
I ran to catch up to him.
“I had to make it look real.” He clasped his hands behind his back.
“Real?”
“People were watching. In my line of work, people are always watching.” He shrugged. “It sucks but it’s a living.”
“I think I’m even more confused,” I mumbled.
He laughed. “Your questions will be answered momentarily but I have to warn you, you won’t like what you have to hear.”
“Can’t be any worse than the last couple of weeks I’ve had.”
He nodded. “All right then.” He pushed open a double set of doors at the end of the hallway. “Let’s get those questions answered for you.”
***
(Angel)
“Where the hell are we? Where the fuck is my woman? I swear I will kill anyone who has laid a finger on her. I don’t care who they are.” My voice was not my own as it bounced from wall to wall. I was enraged, fury bubbling in me like a volcano. It burst forth when I was brought to this mother fucking mansion that still didn’t give me any damn answers. When Stone had told me that he couldn’t find Jay and she had disappeared from her apartment, the world was ripped out from under me. The hand of evil wrapped around my soul, yanking it free from its safety. He mentioned the cat he saw on the floor and how it came in a package and I lost it. I demanded to know why he let her open it. How he could do that after everything she had been through. How she already got a package that he was there for. My fist had ended up connecting with his face at some point but I couldn’t remember when that had happened. Coby had pulled me off of him but the guy just stood there, stock still, taking what I had to give him. I was impressed.
And now we waited at this mansion. King’s Harlots and Vice-One. All together in a room and if any of us knew what was going on, they weren’t talking.
“This is driving me insane,” Max said, breaking the silence. “Where are we?”
“I feel like we’re in one of those movies where people wake up and don’t remember anything or how they got there,” Brogan said, leaning her head back on the couch.
“Yeah, but we do remember how we got here.” It was in a van. Much to my dismay, Stone had brought us to this place but he wouldn’t give us any more information.
“Stone,” Max bit out. “I swear to God if someone has hurt her—”
“No one has hurt her,” Meeka said softly.
I learned that she was not one to talk, but hell if she didn’t listen. There was something off about her. She didn’t say much but she was always watching. When she looked at you, she saw into your soul, seeing your deepest secrets.
“How do you know that?” Max sat forward.
“Because,” Meeka hesitated, “I’m the reason we’re here.”
All heads turned toward her, question after question flew at her but she raised her hand.
“I know you have questions, and I’ll answer them when Jay arrives.” Meeka looked toward the door, then down at her phone, before back at the door.
My heart sped up each time she frowned. “What gives, Meeka?”
“Tell them,” Asher told her, moving to the spot beside her on the couch.
“Now? Shouldn’t we wait?” Meeka asked, looking at everyone but at me.
“Ash,” I bit out. “I order you to tell me what the hell is going on.”
“Meeka and I have been working together undercover,” Asher explained. “We’ve known each other since we were kids, went to school together all through our childhood, and again at the police academy. We’ve been best friends ever since. I joined the Navy and Meeka moved.”
“Police academy?” Max cried, her eyes widening. “Meeka, you’re a fucking cop?”
“No, I didn’t pass,” Meeka answered quickly. “I had to move, and when Ash said that he was moving here, I joined him.”
I shook my head. “This doesn’t make sense. I don’t care that you two know each other. I just want my girl back.”
“I care,” Max and Brogan mumbled at the same time.
“I want to know why we are here,” I repeated. “What is this place, and where is Jay?”
Asher brushed a hand over his buzzed head. “Jay was used as bait.”
“What the actual fuck?” I shouted, charging for him. “You used my girlfriend as fucking bait? How could you even consider doing that?” Coby and Dale both had to hold me back for fear I would rip Asher’s head off.
When Asher didn’t budge and crossed his arms under his chest, it pissed me off even more.
“We had no choice,” Meeka moved in front of him. “It would help us get her sister back. We couldn’t say anything because we didn’t want to break our cover.”
“Why now? Why are you telling us this now? And where the hell is Violet, then?” All of those questions bounced in my mind and I couldn’t control the urge to murder the man who had stood by my side for years. I realized then that I knew nothing about him. And that was why I didn’t allow myself to love. Family or not. SEAL or not. “If Jay doesn’t come out of this alive, you will be dead to me, and I will make it so you fear for your life every damn day for the rest of your time above ground.”
“HOW IS this answering my questions?” I asked, stepping into a large, empty room.
“I know there are more questions burning in that beautiful brain of yours than what you are saying.” The man flicked a switch on the wall, turning on light after light adorning a high ceiling.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I gasped when curtains lifted, revealing rooms lining the far wall. They were dark except for a small red light in the corner of each room. I didn’t know what they were for but something told me not to ask. “I want to know where my sister is and what you’ve done with her.”
“Oh, little girl. I haven’t done anything with her. Everything that’s happened, she’s agreed to.” He winked at me. “I’m sadistic, but I’m not a monster.”
“Are you sure, because I happen to remember you bringing me here against my will.”
“I had to keep you safe. They would have hurt you. They would have put lies in your head that would make you question everything you know.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked, confusion coursing through me.
“Vice-One. Those men are going to get you killed.” He shook his head, clapping his hands together. “And don’t even get me started on King’s Harlots. You really should learn to choose your friends better.”
“I…I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I watched him move around the room like a predator stalking its prey. “Please tell me where my sister is.”
“Your sister.” He laughed. “Your sister. Why, your sister isn’t here, sweet girl.”
“Excuse me? But you…I thought you had her.” What the hell was going on? None of this made sense.
“I did. For a while.” He feigned a yawn. “But I got bored so I got rid of her.” He snapped his fingers and
each of the rooms lit up, revealing makeshift bedrooms. “Wake up, wake up, my little pets.”
I watched as girls sat up in each of the beds. “Oh my…oh God,” bile rose to my throat. “What are you—? How could you?”
“These girls came of their own free will,” the man said, his voice hardening. “They had no one. I found them on the street, picking their food out of garbage cans. Doing anything for their next meal. These girls had no one until they met me. Don’t you understand that, Genevieve? I am their Master. Their father, of sorts.”
“But you’re holding them against their will,” I cried, thrusting my hands out in front of me. “Have you asked them if they want to be here?”
“Of course. Look at the first room.” The man slapped a hand against the wall, speaking into the intercom. “One, you want to be here, right?”
The girl in the room marked number one nodded quickly, her head bobbing up and down like a bobble head doll.
“These girls wouldn’t be here if they weren’t afraid.” I spun on him. “You probably scared her into agreeing.”
“I would never do such a thing,” he said, his voice calm and even. He didn’t show any emotion. He actually believed what he was saying.
“What do you do with these girls?” I didn’t want to know but I needed to know who I was dealing with. I needed to know so if I did get out of there safely, I could report it to the authorities or the people in my life who would actually do something about it.
“Why, Genevieve, they’re my pets, of course,” the man said nonchalantly. “And I want you to help me take care of them.”
