by J, Bella
“I don’t care who is waiting for us at the aquarium, but no one kills him until we’ve got Alyx.” I turned in my seat and shot Onyx a warning glare. “I mean it. And don’t fuck with me on this, Onyx. This time, you keep that trigger-happy finger of yours on a goddamn leash.”
Onyx didn’t say anything. Usually, he was full of sarcastic comebacks and arrogant remarks. But today, he knew I was fucking bleeding all sorts of serious.
The drive felt like it was taking hours. I texted Manic, telling him to meet us at the parking lot across from the aquarium. It was only when I saw Ink pacing next to his Harley that I realized things were about to get a whole lot more complicated.
“Ink, you need to calm down.” I got out of the SUV and approached him. “I don’t want trouble from you.”
Ink bit his lower lip, his eyes nothing but wild orbs of turbulent anger. “I’m going to kill him, Granite. I swear to God.”
“No, you won’t. Not until we have Alyx.” I forced myself right up to him, looking him square in the eye. “Do not make me send you away. If that’s Slither waiting for us, you will keep a handle on yourself until we find Alyx. Do you understand me?”
Ink placed both hands on his head, growling like a fucking animal. I could practically feel the rage radiating from him, his entire body shaking with adrenaline. “You know what he did to her, man.”
“Yeah, I do. And believe me, I want this fucker dead as much as you do. But right now, our first priority is getting Alyx back safe and alive. You got that?”
Ink kicked at the asphalt, arms still in the air as he clutched the sides of his head. His nostrils flared, his mouth pulled in a taut line, and the vein in his neck going apeshit.
He sucked his lips into his mouth, stepping right up to me, his face inches from mine. “Remember your promise, man.”
“I do.” I placed my hand on his shoulder. “You will get your revenge, Ink. But not today. Now, give me your gun.”
“What?” He stared at me, wild-eyed.
“Give me your gun.” I held out my palm. “Now.”
Ink snorted, his eyes wide and face red. “If not today, then when?”
“We don’t even know if it’s him, man. So calm the fuck down, and give me your gun.”
Manic and Onyx flanked me, and Ink looked from me to them before finally placing his gun in my hand. “Not today, then,” he sneered, but I knew not to make the mistake of trusting he’d be able to keep his cool. But I couldn’t chance it by going in another man short since we were already down by one with Dutch being injured.
I tucked Ink’s gun in the back of my jeans and pulled my cut over it. “No one does shit until we find out where Alyx is. Understood?” No one responded, so I glared over my shoulder. “Understood?”
Two ‘yups’ followed, but I didn’t press Ink to voice his understanding of my clear orders.
Harrison stepped in beside us, and I frowned while simply saying, “No.” There was no argument or debate. I didn’t care how long he’d been on our payroll, no cop would ever be allowed close to inside club business.
The streets were buzzing even when it was close to nightfall. Around here, most people only came out at night like fucking vampires. It was a smart move using a public place to meet. We might be savages, but killing innocent people wasn’t exactly our forte.
We stopped in front of the entrance, the place humming with people talking and children laughing. Talk about collateral damage if things got out of control.
“Eyes open,” I said to the guys standing around me.
I glanced at my wristwatch, and it was thirty minutes, exactly. “This better not be bullshit.” I turned in every direction, impatience getting the better of me as I pulled my hand through my hair.
“Well, well, well. I see you’re one short.”
My eyes closed when I heard his voice behind me. For some reason, a part of me really fucking hoped it wouldn’t be him, but it was stupid of me thinking the universe wouldn’t use this situation to throw yet another ‘fuck you’ at my face.
“Slither.” I turned to face him, purposely stepping in front of Ink. “Where is Alyx?”
He smirked like the filthy demon he was, holding up his hands. “What? No welcoming gestures?”
“Where is she?”
Dressed in a pair of jeans, gray shirt, and black baseball cap, it made him less conspicuous among the crowd. His crew who stood scattered behind him was also not so noticeable to anyone else, but I noticed them, just like he noticed the guys behind me.
He leaned his head to the side, placing his fist in the palm of his other hand. “I know where you girl is.”
“Good. Then you can tell me.”
He snickered. “You of all people know everything has a price tag.”
“Of course, I do.” I took a step closer. “I was just hoping this time around you wouldn’t be dumb enough to fuck with me.”
“Ah, man, I’m sorry.” His s’s lisped with his split tongue pressing against his teeth. “I don’t fuck men.” He glanced over my shoulder at Ink. “Pretty little blue-haired pixie girls are more my style.”
“You mother—” Ink tried to launch at Slither, but Manic and Onyx grabbed him, people suddenly jumping out of the way and staring at us with wide, fearful eyes.
I didn’t move. I kept my glare pinned on Slither, using the image of Alyx’s face as an anchor for my rage. If I didn’t, I’d shoot a bullet through his forehead within a goddamn heartbeat.
“What do you want?”
Amusement painted his face like it was the devil’s playground. “Let’s get straight to it, then. Stop killing my men.”
I shrugged. “What? Don’t like getting severed fingers in the mail?”
“Nah. As you pretty well know, I have no problem with fingers lying around. I just don’t like recruiting new prospects all the time.” He took a breath and faked a look of exhaustion. “It’s just so damn tiring to promise these troubled young people a sweet reprieve from this fucked up world while silently laughing at their naïve fucking faces.”
I shifted and placed my hands on my sides when his guys all stiffened behind him, reaching for their guns.
Onyx snorted next to me. “Tense much?”
“Tell me where Alyx is.” I didn’t have time for games. I didn’t have the fucking patience for idiotic banter while we stood there trying to prove who had the bigger goddamn balls.
Slither lifted his chin. “I want a ceasefire.”
I lifted a brow. “A what?”
“You heard me. I tell you where Alyx is in exchange for a truce.”
“Not a fucking chance,” Ink chimed in behind him, and I lifted my hand, silencing him.
“You want a truce?”
He licked his lips with his tentacled tongue. “Yeah. You get your girl back, and you stop challenging me on these fucking streets. We forget all about the past and let go of these violent vendettas we have for each other.” He held his arms out wide. “Think of it as your opportunity to help toward world peace.”
I crossed my arms and straightened my stance while keeping my eyes on him. “If I agree to a truce, you’ll tell me where Alyx is?”
“Even better,” he smirked, “I’ll take you to her, just to—you know, show you there’s no bullshit.”
“Granite,” Onyx stepped in next to me, “tell me you’re not actually considering this.”
I ignored him while contemplating Slither’s offer. Fucker was sly, I’d give him that. It was brilliant, actually. He knew the only way he’d get me to back down was by taking what was most important to me. A man’s heart was his weakness, and Slither used that to his advantage in a very creative fucking way.
Usually, this kind of decision needed to be discussed at church. Ending a war that had been raging for years was something everyone needed to agree on. But right now, I didn’t give a shit about getting a unanimous decision or adhering to club bylaws. All I cared about was Alyx.
“You’ll have your ceasefire
when I have Alyx—unharmed.”
“Granite, what the fuck, man?” Ink was on the edge, and I could practically feel his fury leaching onto me.
“It’s the only way, Ink,” I said without taking my eyes off Slither. “You’d do the same if it was Neon.”
Slither rubbed his palms together like a predator about to slice through raw skin for dinner. “Remember, Granite. A man’s word is his bond.”
“Don’t you fucking tell me about a man’s word. My word has more honor than you’ll ever have, you son of a bitch.” This time I stepped right up to him, not caring that his crew was ready to shoot my spine full of fucking holes. “You give me Alyx back, and I give you my word that for as long as I’m president, the Kings will no longer be a threat to you.”
Slither pinched his eyes closed, pulling his face like he was about to come in his fucking pants. “God, that’s like music to my fucking ears. Who knows, we might even become, I dunno, allies down the line.”
“Do not mistake my agreement for anything other than giving in to your fucking blackmail.”
“Nonetheless,” he shrugged, “I look forward to our new arrangement.”
“Take me to her before I change my mind,” I snarled, practically spitting in the asshole’s face.
“This can be an ambush, Granite,” Onyx chimed in from behind. “Don’t trust the fucker.”
I smiled wickedly while still standing up close and in Slither’s face. “Don’t worry, brother. I don’t. That’s why Slither here is going to tell me where Alyx is, and then stay behind with Ink and Manic,” I shrugged, “just in case it’s bullshit.”
Slither pulled his lips in a straight line. “Fine by me. However you wanna do this, man.”
I stepped back and lifted my cut up behind my back. “Ink, take your gun. You know, just in case.”
For a moment, Slither’s confident expression faltered as he watched Ink take the gun and place it behind his back. Ink might be a loose cannon right now, but if Slither was feeding me bullshit, there was no better man to execute the punishment.
“Now,” I crossed my arms, “where is Alyx?”
20
Alyx
“Jesus. How much longer?”
Tanit paced, heels clicking on the concrete. I watched her with weary eyes, observing how agitated and nervous she was getting with every second that passed.
Every thirty seconds, she would look at her phone, and I noticed the wet fabric of her white shirt along her armpits. She was sweating, worried, no longer as confident as she was before the snake came by.
“You don’t have to do this,” I said in a soft, calm voice. “There’s still time to stop this.”
“Shut up. God, it’s hot in here.” She glanced up at the ceiling. “Fucking old buildings with no air conditioning.”
I pressed my lips together, my palms sweaty and wrists burning, still trying to wriggle them free from the rope.
“I’ll go home, you know. If you free me, I’ll be able to go home. Then you can have Granite for yourself again.”
Her top lip pulled up, her eyes narrowing at me. “Let’s get this straight, okay? You never had Granite. He was never yours to begin with. You were nothing but a mere distraction, new pussy to fuck until he got bored with you. That’s what they do, you know,” she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, “fuck women until they grow tired of them, tossing them out like garbage when a new cunt walks in.” She snorted, steadying herself against the desk, looking down at her phone. “We’re nothing but tits and ass for them. All they care about are their stupid bikes, money, beer, and whores. Dirty fucks.”
“If they’re so bad, why are you doing this?”
She let out a laugh, throwing her hair back. “I already told you. A woman like me needs a man like Granite if she wants to live a decent life. I don’t have a rich daddy like you do, princess.”
“Oh, believe me. My life isn’t as perfect as it seems.” I rolled my eyes. Funny how people with no money always thought people with money were happier. It was automatically assumed that happiness came with all those big houses, fancy cars, and designer clothing—things only money could buy.
Tanit scowled at me, her dainty nose all scrunched up. “I suppose this is where you tell me money can’t buy happiness? Well, let me tell you, that saying was thought up by some poor douche who tried to convince himself he was happy with his miserable poverty-stricken existence.” She pushed herself off the desk. “For people like me, money sure as hell can buy a fuck-load of joy.”
If only she knew how wrong she was. I would have traded all the luxuries in my life for a single goddamn day where my mother would hug me, saying she was proud of me.
I smiled halfheartedly at the thought. “I suppose everyone’s burden is the heaviest.”
“Yeah, well. I look after me, and no one else. Unfortunately for you, you fucked with the wrong girl’s life.”
The skin around my wrists burned as the rope cut into it, my fingers aching as I tried to pull my hands free.
Tanit picked up the gun from the desk, holding it like she was inspecting it. “Ever wonder what it feels like to kill someone?”
My throat closed, and my heart stopped.
“I’ve seen people die before,” she continued, “and I’ve seen the faces of those who killed them. The adrenaline, exhilaration. Sheer fucking excitement of knowing you had the power to drain another human being of life. In that moment…you’re God.”
Fear knocked against my chest as she placed her finger on the trigger, turning it from side to side, scrutinizing it. The look on her face was unreadable, almost like she was trapped in her own mind and space in time. Like she lost her grip on reality momentarily. It was fucking terrifying.
“Tanit, listen to me. You are not a killer.” God, my voice was shaking. Truth was, I didn’t know her well enough to know whether she was a killer or not. But I knew she was desperate, and desperation made people do stupid, stupid things. “Like I said, there is still time to make this right.”
Tanit spun around and aimed the gun at me, letting out a shrill shriek of a maniacal laugh. “I could shoot you right now, you know.” She stalked toward me. “With one gentle squeeze from my finger, I could take your last breath.”
“Tanit, please stop this before—”
“It’s thrilling, don’t you think? To know you hold a person’s life right in the palm of your hand.” She grazed her teeth on her bottom lip, and when she placed the barrel of the gun against my temple. My entire body froze; even my hands no longer fought against the ropes.
My heart pounded against my ribs like it would break bone at any minute. Every limb was numb, my mind a frenzy of fear and panic. My lips trembled, and tears rushed down my face uncontrollably. “Tanit, stop.”
“Right now, I can experience firsthand what it feels like to be God. How does that saying go?” She feigned a look of thought. “He giveth, and he taketh away.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the blow. Waiting for the moment I would no longer be here. The moment I would take my last breath.
“Tanit!”
Granite’s voice echoed off the walls, and I jolted the same time Tanit jerked around.
“Granite? What are you—”
“What are you doing, Tanit?”
Granite cautiously stepped in, never taking his eyes off her. The relief that swept over me when I saw him was indescribable, yet my heart kept racing. Tanit was a loose cannon, and I knew she could explode at any time. All she needed was one tiny thing to light the fuse. And right now, she was facing Granite, still clutching the gun in her hand. Jesus. She wouldn’t hurt Granite…would she?
“Granite, t-this is…” she stuttered. “What…what are you doing here?”
Granite glanced in my direction, eyes wide and alert, then turned his focus back to Tanit. “Put the gun down, Tanit.” He lifted his hands and calmly moved closer, taking one slow, carefully placed step at a time. “What are you doing?”
She
brushed hair out of her face with the back of her hand still clutching the gun. A tear slipped down her face. “I’m sorry, Granite. But I couldn’t just sit on the side and watch her take you away from me.”
“So, you kidnapped her?”
I watched silently while desperately trying to stay calm. Granite’s face remained soft, gentle, his eyes not showing the tiniest bit of resentment.
Tanit wiped at her face. “I didn’t know what else to do, Granite. You rejected me…twice, because of her.” Tanit’s face snapped in my direction, her eyes dark, glowing orbs of hate.
Granite quickly moved forward. “Tanit, look at me. Look at me.” She turned his way, and he held out his hand. “Give me the gun.”
A sudden look of bewilderment clouded her face, and she took a step back, narrowing her eyes at him. “You won’t give her up, will you?”
“Give me the gun, and we can talk about it.”
Movement by the door caught my eye, and I saw Onyx standing to the side, gun in hand and out of Tanit’s view.
He noticed me looking at him and placed his finger in front of his lips, telling me to keep quiet. Suddenly, I was back there that night they took me, the night Onyx shot the man who had a gun to my head.
A shiver ran down my spine, and I was struggling to keep the bile down. The fear I experienced that night did not come close to the terror I was feeling now, knowing Granite was also in danger. That night, I didn’t know him. I didn’t care.
Today…I cared.
“Listen, Tanit,” Granite started, and he hunched his shoulders forward slightly in a bid to make himself seem smaller. Less intimidating. “Give me the gun, and I promise we can talk this through. No one needs to get hurt.”
“I got hurt.” She pressed the muzzle of the gun against her chest. “I got hurt when you brought this slut to your bed and tossed me out like I was nothing. Do you have any idea how that feels? For months, I was your secret midnight fuck.” Tears mixed with snot ran down her mouth and chin. “And then she came along, taking my place in your fucking bed.”
