Fighting Back (Harrow #2)

by Scarlett Finn

  ‘Your mistress is hanging from the reinforced beam in the spare bedroom,’ she said, drumming her fingers on the kitchen hutch.

  His curious frown became amusement, and she rolled her eyes. ‘You just exterminate any woman who looks at your man, do you? ‘Cause I don’t remember fucking any other women,’ he said. ‘You sure meant it when you said no second chances, didn’t you?’

  ‘I meant your punching bag. Fighting is the only thing you love as much as you love me. Though I guess it would be bad if I did mean another woman.’

  ‘You’re all the woman I need, and now I’ve found out that there are two of you, I fear that the apocalypse is coming.’

  She didn’t laugh at his joke though he was pleased with himself. Dax left the room then came back a second later donning his leather jacket.

  ‘Will you be long?’ she asked.

  ‘Maybe,’ he said. ‘I’ll call the realtor while I’m out, you pack up whatever you want to keep or whatever you think we need from here.’

  ‘Ok,’ she said and went to him. Taking hold of the open edges of his jacket she pouted up at him. ‘Will you call Mauri about my things?’

  ‘Yes,’ he said, kissing her quickly. ‘I’ll take care of everything. You just stay here.’ She nodded, but he took hold of her chin. ‘I mean it, Minx. Don’t leave the state, don’t get on any planes or buses. Stay. Here.’

  ‘As long as you do what you’ve promised to then we have nothing to worry about.’

  ‘Good,’ he said and kissed her again, then he left the apartment.

  This wasn’t her home, and she’d never lived here, but getting the chance to root around in Dax’s possessions wasn’t an opportunity that Ivy would flout. She’d call and request that his gym equipment be shipped to the opposite coast, but that would mean finding a storage unit because it wouldn’t fit in their one-bedroom apartment back east.

  Heading for the phone, she sought out a pen and paper then sat down to make her calls before she started packing. Keeping busy was a good distraction for her, she still wanted to quiz her husband on what Trystan had said to her last night. Yet once again her questions were left unanswered while Dax took care of his mysterious business. He had left without much of an explanation and in her past experience that never spelled anything positive for her.

  Dax had taken a cab to the storage unit so that he could pull out his bike. It had been a delight to uncover his bike and stand astride her again. After a few basic checks and a trip to the gas station, he was on his way to the bar where Serg had asked to meet him. The two of them couldn’t be called close friends, but they had been through some trying times together. Serg had always been available when Dax needed him, and he didn’t ask questions, which was a major plus as far as Dax was concerned.

  Being that this might be the last time that he was in California, possibly for the rest of his life, Dax didn’t mind taking the time to talk to his old associate. He doubted that whatever Serg had to say would take long because the man was usually one of few words.

  Parking in the alley next to the bar, Dax went through the chain link fence past a bunch of the guys who were barbequing beside the picnic bench. With a nod of acknowledgement, he strode past them and into the rear entrance of the hang out he and his men used between jobs. Pushing aside the metal link curtain, he strode onto the red tile of the private back room that was usually full of people, today Serg was the only one here.

  ‘What’s up?’ Dax asked.

  Serg hadn’t even lifted his head from the books he was poring over when Dax came in, which was a stupid mistake. He should always be aware of his surroundings because in their line of work no one knew who was out looking for payback.

  When Serg did raise his attention it didn’t stop on Dax, he stood up to get a better look behind him, which made Dax glance over his shoulder, but there was no one there.

  ‘Where’s Ivy?’ Serg asked.

  ‘Why would I bring Ivy here?’

  ‘You brought her here before.’

  ‘Once and she’s not with me this time,’ Dax asked, Serg wasn’t making any sense to him. Serg seemed agitated, which wasn’t at all like him. ‘Why would you want to see Ivy?’

  ‘You haven’t heard?’

  ‘Heard what?’ The conversation made him sigh, but his colleague’s sudden interest in Ivy, coupled with his odd conduct, was disconcerting.

  ‘Shit,’ Serg said, falling back down into his seat. ‘Maybe it’s just bullshit.’

  ‘What’s just bullshit?’ Dax asked, coming deeper into the space.

  There were couches around the perimeter of the area, but it was the large metal table in the middle that dominated the room, and it was at the head of this table that Serg currently sat. The walls were a kind of yellowing brown that had probably once been white. The gradient of the grimy colour deepened the higher that it went, due to the slick layer of nicotine that had built up over the years.

  Serg nodded him over, and Dax went to the seat at Serg’s side. Serg put a forearm to the table and leaned in close to Dax, closer than the two men had ever been before. ‘I could get my ass handed to me for telling you this, maybe, I think… I don’t know.’

  ‘Tell me already, I’ve got shit to do—‘

  ‘There’s a bounty out.’

  ‘A bounty on what?’ Dax asked.

  They had never been the type to chase money, so he had no idea why this information was relevant. Serg was paid well for what he did and as far as Dax knew the guy had no vices that would eat up his income. So Dax already knew that he was going to refuse whatever offer Serg was about to make about hunting down this bounty.

  ‘Ivy.’

  Her name changed his whole thought process, his whole demeanour. Sitting back, away from Serg, Dax tried to consider who may wish his wife harm. But it was Serg’s question on Dax’s entry that spiked his fury.

  ‘Is that why you were fucking asking about her?’ Dax asked, standing up so abruptly that his chair clattered onto its back.

  ‘No!’ Serg said, leaping up ready to defend himself and trying to calm Dax at the same time. ‘I was worried if you left her somewhere that she could be spotted.’

  ‘What’s the bounty?’

  ‘Half a mill for her dead.’

  Dax could defend Ivy against anyone who came after her in person, but this was a different ballgame altogether. It might take a day or two for word to spread throughout the community, but when it did, Dax would have every lowlife scumbag from far and wide on their tail. That kind of money was appealing to even the most loyal or cowardly of men. It would make anyone believe that going after the bounty was a risk worth taking.

  ‘Who the fuck is on it?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Serg said. ‘I got word this morning. I heard it, and I sent you that message to meet me. I thought you would want to know.’

  ‘Yeah,’ Dax said. With eye contact and a nod, he gave his thanks.

  ‘Who would want this? Does she have enemies?’

  The only enemies he knew her to have were ones relating to him. His thoughts briefly went to their time in Vegas, Trudi was pissed at her and probably Carlos too if he’d heard that his name had come up in conversation. But they wouldn’t flout five hundred grand on something like this, they just wouldn’t have that kind of cash to burn.

  Saul could have savings, but he hadn’t struck Dax as the vengeful type. Though Saul did have friends in every walk of life from what Ivy had told him, so he would be able to set something like this up.

  But pinning this on someone from Ivy’s past was ignoring the obvious. Those angriest with her now were his adopted family. Mauri might blame her for Dax’s choices. Trystan was pissed that she had rejected him again. But it made no sense why they would come after Ivy and not after him directly.

  ‘Is this Mauri?’ Serg murmured. ‘Does he think you’ll come back to the family with Ivy out of the picture?’

  The man could be that deluded. Though it wasn’t much of a delusion, Dax had s
hown a precedent for believing what Mauri said. Mauri probably believed that he could talk Dax into just about anything and without Ivy there to keep him balanced, Dax might just be broken enough to let the old man win.

  ‘I’m gonna find out,’ Dax said.

  Spinning around, he set his destination as the Stark mansion where he was determined to get answers. If this was Mauri’s bidding then Dax would find a way to have him call it off. Except word was still spreading, and it would take twice as long to call off the minions who would chase Ivy down.

  Before getting on his bike, he took his phone from his pocket. He couldn’t tell Ivy what was going on, not over the phone, and not before he had all of the information. But she was in danger and liked to defy his authority, so she could be out on the streets now, a walking target.

  Dax called the apartment and was relieved to hear that the line was busy. If she was home then she wasn’t outside presenting an opportunity for every psycho with a gun. Opening his texts, he typed in his commands.

  Stay home. No messing, Minx. Danger outside. Stay in the apartment.

  He expected her to call as soon as she read the message and sure enough before he had started the engine of his bike his phone buzzed. For a few seconds, he debated with himself as to whether or not he should answer the phone because he wanted to get to Mauri and get some answers of his own. But if he ignored her she was likely to ignore his message, so he picked up.

  ‘What kind of message is that?’ she asked before he had a chance to speak. ‘Are you being a dick?’

  ‘I just got some information,’ Dax said. ‘There’s trouble.’

  ‘What kind of trouble?’

  ‘The kind that means you have to stay inside.’

  ‘Since you asked so nicely and all—‘

  ‘I mean it, Minx,’ he said, throwing a leg over his bike he kicked away the stand. ‘Just stay inside.’

  ‘Tell me what happened,’ she said.

  ‘I can’t. I don’t have all the facts yet. I’m going to find out what’s going on, and then I’m going to come home, hear me?’

  ‘Dax,’ she exhaled. In bed, she could say his name like she was worshiping an idol of pleasure. But that breathy whimper was absent now, this was a wife with a gripe she wanted to complain about.

  ‘Yeah, I know you’re pissed, babygirl. But I’m keeping you safe, I’ll explain everything when I get home and then you can bitch at me all you want.’

  ‘We didn’t talk about what happened last night, and now you’re giving me more questions without any answers. We can’t keep going like this, you have to trust me and hear me out. You can’t just issue orders and expect me to follow them without any kind of explanation.’

  ‘Yeah, I can,’ he said. ‘Because I’m not going to give you half of a story, which might scare you, while I’m not there to reassure you. I don’t care how pissed you are. I’m telling you to stay inside for your own good. I could’ve said nothing at all and just assumed that you’d stick to what you told me earlier, but I wanted to let you know that something serious was going down… I will explain, babygirl. Just trust me, stay in the apartment and don’t let anyone in.’ When she didn’t say anything, his concern burgeoned. ‘Ivy?’

  ‘Ok, I’ll stay inside, but when you get back here we are not doing anything else until you fill me in on everything, and I do mean everything, Dax Harrow.’

  ‘Ok. You got it.’

  She didn’t hide her anger, but that was one of the things that he loved about her. When Ivy was happy or aroused, she just glowed. But when she was pissed off, like she was now, she made no secret of it.

  She accepted who he was and had never tried to change him, although she had. The changes that he’d gone through had been those he chose for himself, and he preferred the man he was now to the one he’d been before. Except without Ivy, he wasn’t sure there would be anything left of himself worth saving.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Dax didn’t wait to be announced. He went into the mansion and up the stairs to head for Maurice’s private suite. The old man liked to be the man behind the curtain, so even if there was business to conduct he would leave Brad to deal with it. Mauri only came out for the important matters, and it had been that way for a few years now. That didn’t mean that his influence was any less, he still pulled all the strings. But he didn’t tire himself by dealing with those lower than him, which included pretty much everyone.

  Security was tailing after Dax through the house, they were paid to take down any threat to Mauri. But it had been so long since anyone had threatened this man in his own home that security had become complacent about their role. As a result, Dax was able to enter the outer room of Mauri’s suite, with its fireplace and red upholstered armchairs, while the two security men were still running toward him along the corridor he’d just traversed.

  ‘Mauri!’ Dax called out.

  If he had to go into the bedroom, then he would. But if he went in there he was likely to end up murdering the man, and he couldn’t do that, at least not until he’d called his dogs off Ivy. The security men burst in at his back, and Dax spun around to defend himself. Taking one out with a punch, the other lunged at him and he got hold of the guy’s arm, twisting it around and up his back, using it to toss him back out into the hall. The first security guard got up again, but Mauri’s voice stalled the action.

  ‘No more!’ Mauri declared and despite a few growling glares, the security men receded, closing the door to give Mauri and Dax their privacy.

  ‘You—‘

  ‘I heard,’ Mauri said. ‘We found out about the bounty an hour ago, and we’re doing our best to trace it.’

  Mauri was calm, but Dax couldn’t hear himself think beyond the blood gushing at high speed through his body. ‘You expect me to believe that you had nothing to do with this?’

  ‘What would we gain? You lose your wife and blame me for the rest of your life? I want you with us and that means working together.’

  ‘Convenient.’

  ‘If this was my order then I wouldn’t be making you the offer that I’m about to,’ Mauri said. He stayed where he was in front of the bedroom door and for now Dax was happy to keep his distance and maintain his position near the exit.

  ‘What offer?’

  ‘Take Ivy to the beach house, she will be safe there, no one will approach it without us knowing. I can post security outside, they will make sure that she is safe.’

  ‘And she’s supposed to live the rest of her life there?’

  ‘She can remain there until we uncover who is behind this. We neutralise the threat and then she can move freely again. You know yourself that it will take a day or two to trace this to the real source, chances are he’s using a middleman, we find that middleman and then we coax the information we want out of him.’ Dax would enjoy the coaxing part. ‘Once we know, we take him out.’

  ‘It will take time to spread the word that she’s not to be harmed,’ Dax said. Once the word of a bounty was out there, it spread, and putting the genie back in the bottle was no easy feat.

  ‘She can stay in the beach house for as long as she needs to. You know that we can easily stock the place, and she can hole up there for months if she has to.’

  Ivy would despise the idea of being back there and of hiding out, but Dax couldn’t come up with anything better. Moving her to Nevada or North Carolina wouldn’t necessarily mean her safety, it just meant that it would take longer for the crooks to find her. Until they could stop the threat at the source, it would remain. They didn’t know the threat’s motive for wanting Ivy dead or if he could be reasoned with. It was just as possible that whoever had started this would rather die than retract the bounty.

  ‘I can hide her,’ Dax said, trying to think of where he could take her and look after her alone while still trying to trace the threat.

  ‘You can’t do it alone,’ Mauri said. ‘You can’t hide the girl and ensure her supplies remain fresh, you will lead the hunters directly to
her. You’re not naïve. You will be the first person others try to get to in order to find her. If she’s at the beach house, then you can stay with her. It doesn’t matter how many people follow you there, my security will keep them out.’

  Mauri had resources and manpower, which were two things that Dax didn’t have. ‘I have to find out who is doing this.’

  ‘And you can do that while my security men keep her safe. If you stick her in a cabin in the woods, you can’t stand sentry twenty-four hours a day alone. You can’t keep her in your sight and find out who has put up the bounty at the same time.’

  ‘No, I can’t,’ Dax said, his rage was cooling. Every word that Mauri said was correct, these were thoughts he’d had himself.

  ‘You will have all the men that you need to look after her, and you can use my help in uncovering who this heathen is. You know that Starks stick together. We’ll find out who is doing this, and we will take them down, together.’

  ‘She won’t want to go,’ Dax muttered. Mauri was coming closer, but he posed no physical threat, so Dax remained loose while he considered his options.

  ‘I appreciate that the location may not hold happy memories for her. But you two found your love there, didn’t you? She may appreciate a chance of a break and some peace, it is certainly preferable over the alternative of being on the run or hidden somewhere alone. This is just like the vacation I suggested to you last night, you can sell it to her that way.’

  His head came up. ‘The others, her sister and…’

  ‘They are both there,’ Mauri said. ‘They travelled to the beach house this morning… Ivy would probably like to have some company while you are out hunting down the threat. She and her sister haven’t seen each other for a long time.’

  Ivy had worried about Rosie being close to Mauri and staying in his house. If Ivy had time with her sister, she might be able to explain her concerns. ‘Ok,’ Dax said. ‘We’ll leave tonight, that should give me time to talk her round.’

  ‘Good, I will prepare everything and send a car for you. It will be safer that way. I’ll make sure that there is a full security team out there. We will keep her safe.’