by J. M. Walker
My cell vibrated, indicating an incoming text. It was about damn time.
Angel: U there?
Me: Yup
I responded as soon as we pulled up to the big mansion that housed enough secrets to our operation that would no doubt end this organization.
Angel: Good. Get me everything u can.
Me: Like u expected any less from me.
I could almost hear his deep chuckle that would be followed by an “ass”. My heart panged. I missed my brothers. I missed shooting the shit, working out at the gym, and just doing nothing. They hadn’t left for the mission yet that I was no longer allowed to go on. If I had it my way, I would throw Charles in jail and do my job. That wasn’t what I got paid for. We did an old boss a favor before he blew his head off in front of Jay. Angel lost his shit that his girlfriend was taken in the first place. He almost went all Liam Neeson on the fucker.
I realized then that we never mourned. Not together. We got pissed off, a new boss, and went about our daily lives like nothing happened. We never talked about it.
“Looks like the boss is antsy,” the driver mumbled.
I followed his gaze.
Charles was on the phone, his eyes hard and cold.
Fucking great.
Opening the door, I stepped out of the vehicle.
Meeka followed suit, instantly grabbing hold of my hand when her feet touched the ground. With her eyes cast down, her fingers remained locked in mine. We had a quick training session before the car picked us up. Not like I had much time when all I could focus on was her heat wrapped around me.
“Why hello there,” Charles smiled down at us from the top step, putting his cell in the inside pocket of his jacket. “You must be wondering why I had you dropped off at the front of the house instead of the back as per usual.”
“It crossed my mind.” Cupping the back of Meeka’s neck, I guided her up the steps until we were standing face to face with Charles.
“I would usually have your toy in the holding room while you and I discussed business but—” he crossed his arms under his chest “—I have a feeling you would make that rather difficult.”
“You are correct.” I pulled Meeka closer to my side. “Where she goes, I go. Besides, when it comes to business, my toy, as you like to call her, needs to know where she stands.”
“And why is that?” Charles moved to the double set of doors, leading into the large mansion.
“Because it’s her life we’re talking about.” I shrugged, playing it cool like her life didn’t matter when really, it mattered more to me than my own.
“She’s a toy. Her life shouldn’t matter. Bruce!” Charles called out, not waiting for my response. The fucker was smart because if I had it my way, he would be long dead in the ground before he took his next breath. Meeka was not a toy. None of the girls were but I had to act. And fucking act I did. God, I needed a vacation.
A large man, who I could only guess was Bruce, appeared in the hallway. “Sir.”
“Bring me the papers. Our dear friend Ash here is a little impatient.” Charles winked at me. “And make sure to bring me the collar as well. I don’t want his toy getting out of hand.”
Meeka stiffened beside me.
Fucking fucker.
SEVENTEEN
Meeka
I WAS BRAVE. I was strong. I was a woman, and no one could mess with me. Standing beside Asher proved just how much of that was actually true. I bit back a scoff. I didn’t believe the words chanting in my head, but I sure as hell tried to.
While he and Charles discussed business, I used it as a distraction to scope out my surroundings. Much to my dismay, the collar Charles had placed around my neck, thankfully giving Asher the chain, held my head in place. The contraption was stiff. The metal around my throat was thick, making it almost impossible to look around me without moving my whole body. But I couldn’t do that for fear Charles would notice. I could only guess that Asher was checking out where we were. From what I saw, the mansion was old. The little research I had done was that the place had been in the family for centuries. Charles Brian was heir to a prestigious line of bastards, and if he didn’t meet the requirements that had been set out for him, he wouldn’t gain what he felt was rightfully his.
Charles may have not been the sole leader of the organized crime but he was as high up as we could get for the moment. Asher had been trying to get into the house for weeks. I wasn’t sure which house it was or who exactly we were dealing with. If the main person was as terrifying as Charles, we were officially screwed.
When we had walked into a sitting area, Asher indicated for me to kneel at his feet while he sat comfortably on a couch. As much as I didn’t want to submit when Charles was there, I knew I had to for Asher’s safety. The bite of the cool marble flooring sent a shiver over my heated skin. Much like the metal wrapped around my throat, all I could do was sit and hope for the best that the meeting would be over soon.
I tried paying attention to the words flowing between Charles and Asher but my mind kept drifting to my past. A past that had always involved Asher. A past where he had spent as much time with me as possible so he didn’t have to go home. I never knew what hid behind the walls of his house. I only knew that he came to me at night and slept on the floor of my bedroom and left before the sun rose in the morning. I never asked what his step-father did to him or made him do. But if the incident in the shower was any indication of the triggers his nightmares had conjured up, my best friend needed me in ways I never knew existed.
“Meeka,” Asher barked out my name, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Looks like she is ignoring you.” Charles laughed.
“Sorry.” My cheeks burned. “What was the question?”
Asher leaned down to my ear, his hot breath scorching the side of my face. “As much as this is an act, I will punish you if you embarrass me again.”
I swallowed hard, a flush of heat roaming over my skin. “I’m sorry.”
“Now answer the question,” he demanded, sitting back in the couch, and pet his hand over my head.
“How much do you think a life is worth?” Charles asked, finishing the sentence for him.
“It’s priceless,” I answered automatically, meeting Charles’ gaze.
“And why is that?”
“Because no one should have a price on their head. No matter what. These girls are worth more than the money you spend on them. Their training, the people who want to buy them, and so on.” I was rambling but I couldn’t help it. I needed to let Charles know that although I was absolutely terrified of him, I wouldn’t back down. For Jay, for her sister, for King’s Harlots. For every fucking female in the damn country. I would fight Charles until every last one of them were saved.
“You think so? Do you think their life is worth more than yours? How about Asher’s?” Charles raised an eyebrow, challenging me. “What if I said that these girls were thrown away like next week’s trash? Addicts, whores, the lowest of the low when it comes to the human life.”
“Clearly, they didn’t have anyone to help them,” I countered.
“And what would you do to help them, pet?” Charles asked, sitting back in the couch and crossed his ankle over the opposite knee.
“I would make sure they have a place to go.” I shrugged. “Maybe they have no one.”
“You, dear girl, are way too nice.” Charles nodded once. “What have you been teaching her? To love others as you love yourself?” he scoffed. “Fucking please.”
Asher shifted behind me, keeping his hand wrapped around my nape. “Unfortunately, she still has a mind of her own.”
They both laughed.
As much as I knew Asher wasn’t serious, the coldness in his chuckle sent a shiver racing down my spine. Never in my life had I heard such a dark evilness when it came to laughter. Between him and Charles, I wasn’t sure who was worse. Every now and again, I had to remind myself that this wasn’t Asher. This wasn’t the man I had feelings for. Yes,
I loved his Dominant side, but this took on a whole other level when it came to control.
“You need to get on that,” Charles reminded him. Snapping his fingers, he smirked. “How about I show you what happens when a girl is finally broken?”
My heart picked up speed when the sound of a door opening from the other side of the room jarred through my thoughts. Chains rattled. Feet shuffled.
“Ah, yes, here she is.” Charles rose to his full height, closing the distance between him and a frail girl. Her dark hair was pulled back into a messy bun, loose curls framing her pale face. Her bright-blue eyes twinkled. She swayed on her feet but she kept her gaze locked with Charles. A white, sheer night gown hugged her curves. A flutter of shock ran through me at how healthy she looked. Besides the drug-induced haze, she appeared normal.
“Our clients don’t want to receive a broken and damaged package. Not physically, at least.” Charles moved around the girl. “Eric Vega was a rookie.”
Asher shifted slightly at the mere mention of his old boss’s name.
“He didn’t follow the rules. He assumed that he could do whatever the hell he wanted just because of who he was. But he made the wrong choice when he took the twins.”
Jay and Violet. My throat went dry.
“You see, in this line of work, you can’t take someone who will be missed. It doesn’t work that way. Eric got a head of himself and wanted to showcase his power.” Charles laughed. “Which clearly, it didn’t work out for him.”
The girl wavered on her feet.
Charles pulled the chain, forcing her to knees with a thump.
The sound vibrated through me. Although landing on the hard floor probably hurt like hell, no emotion showed on her face.
Charles sat forward, holding the end of the chain tight in his hand. “I have a feeling that in a couple more weeks, you’ll be allowed into the main house.”
“A couple more weeks?” Asher snapped.
“Watch the tone. You may be huge, but I’ll still kill your ass if you continue to step out of line,” Charles sneered. “And you wouldn’t want that. Meeka would then be left in my possession. Oh, the things I could do to her.”
I shivered at the venom dripping from his voice.
“How much?”
Charles grinned. “It’s always money with you, isn’t it?”
“That’s because it’s the only thing that makes you see reason. How much?” Asher repeated.
“I don’t want any more money but my boss might.” Charles looked down at the girl kneeling at his feet. Something passed behind his dark gaze. Regret? Sorrow? Pain? I wished that was what I had seen, but it wasn’t. Whatever the emotion was, it sent bile burning up my throat.
“The mind is a fragile thing,” Charles stated. “It’s built up of tiny wires, and if one of them crosses, so much can happen. You can break it down, mold it, make the mind what you want it to be unless the victim is strong.” His gaze met mine. “You’re strong, aren’t you? That’s why Asher has a hard time training you, even though he won’t admit it.”
I shifted on my knees, not liking to talk about Asher when he was right behind me. He trained me like Charles had demanded, but there was only so much that can be done in a short amount of time. All of the other undercover operations I had been on required months of learning your role. It was next to impossible when I was thrown into the mix and demanded to submit to Asher because I was the only one he trusted.
“Tell me what I have to do to get into the house,” he said, not bothering to comment on Charles’ accusation.
“You’ll see.” Charles scratched his chin. “In time.”
Asher rose to his feet, pulling me along with him. “Fine. We’re done.”
“You think you are, but you aren’t.” Charles snapped his fingers.
Two, large, beefy-looking men appeared almost out of nowhere. They grabbed hold of Asher, pulling him from my grip.
“What the fuck?” he snapped out.
“You see.” Charles rose to his feet, petting his hand along the girl’s head which was probably the only nice thing she would get from him. “I have to make you understand that you do not call the shots. If I want you in the house, you will get in the house. I may have a boss but I’m trusted with making decisions. And you don’t scare me.”
Charles took a step toward me, his saunter demeaning and controlled. “Keep your eyes on me. If you so much as even glance his way, I will hurt him. And I know you don’t want that, now do you?”
“Please,” I whispered.
“I’m sorry.” He cupped his ear. “What was that?”
“Please don’t hurt him,” I said, louder.
“I won’t as long as you listen to me.” He wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me flush against him. “Let’s begin, shall we?”
EIGHTEEN
Asher
SEEING MY WOMAN in another man’s arms should have had me falling apart. It was what Charles wanted, but I refused to break. I wasn’t one of his victims. I was a fucking Navy SEAL. I didn’t crack under pressure. I was trained by the best.
Falling back into the training I had gone through years ago, I listened to the voices in my head and kept myself calm. Angel’s demands were engrained in my skull, much like the rest of my brothers. It was normal for us to use our training in daily activities but it didn’t happen often. Not until recently.
While the two fuckers held onto my arms, keeping me in place, I kept my gaze on Meeka. I willed her not to look my way. I could take a hit. But I didn’t want her to see it. She was strong but she was going through enough shit without me adding to it.
Charles kept his hold on her, his hand moving ever-so-slowly down the length of her back before it cupped her ass.
As much as I tried to hold it in, a growl escaped my lips.
Mine.
“Ah, yes.” Charles glanced my way. “There’s the possessive male attribute. A growl. The only time our true animalistic nature comes out. Or so we think. You see if you embraced that side of you, you could have so much more. You act like you want it, but I don’t see it in your eyes. Although—” Charles grinned, keeping his arm around Meeka “—I do see something there. Something darker that I might be able to use.” He pinched Meeka’s chin, forcing her to look up at him. “Do you see it? That darkness inside of him? I wonder what his story is. Do tell me. I sure love a good history. Was he abused? Did he get thrown into the system?” He glared my way. “Did your step-daddy give you a good beating? Were you not loved?” He paused. “Poor Asher was all alone until he met you. Isn’t that right, Meeka?”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said, her voice becoming firm.
“No? Tell me then,” he shoved her head forward, forcing her to look at me but much to his dismay, her eyes closed. “Smart girl.” Charles chuckled. “You felt sorry for him, didn’t you? That was the only reason you let him in.”
“No.” She shook her head. “That’s not true.”
Fuck this guy and all he was worth. “Let her go,” I demanded, struggling against the bastards who held me.
“Oh, I will,” Charles smirked. “But I want her to admit it.”
“I have nothing to admit.” Meeka pushed against him but his hold only tightened.
“Tell him.” He pinched her chin, forcing her to look at me, and that time, she did. “Tell him you felt sorry for him. Admit it.”
“Fine,” she cried. “Yes, I felt sorry for him, but that—”
“You see, Asher.” Charles grinned. “People only let you in because they feel sorry for you.”
“No!” She shoved out of his grip. “That’s not true.”
My skin vibrated, my heart beating hard against my ribs. She felt sorry for me. Back then and probably even now. I was broken, and she wanted to fix me. It was the only reason we had become friends.
“That’s not true,” she repeated, shaking her head.
A growl escaped me, not realizing I had spoken out loud.
>
Fuck everyone.
***
(Meeka)
Pain etched in Asher’s dark gaze. A shadow crossed over his face. His body was hard, ready to fight a battle. No, a war. He was bordering on the edge of sanity. I had seen that look in his eyes before. A time in school when the bullies were picking on me. Or when a guy wouldn’t leave me alone and I wasn’t strong enough to push him off. Asher had lost it then, and he was about to lose it now. Charles and his band of bastards didn’t know what they were getting with him when they pushed him too far. They thought he played it cool, didn’t care about anything or anyone but himself. I wasn’t even sure if Vice-One knew Asher had a darker edge to him. One he didn’t jump off often, but when he did, it was hard to bring him back and I had been the only one who could. I couldn’t understand why. But right then, Asher was pissed. At me. Probably at the whole world. Whatever it was, I needed to get us out of there.
“Hmm, looks like he wasn’t expecting that answer.” Charles chuckled. “Let him go.” He moved to the couch, pulling the girl into his lap, and snapped his fingers. “Leave. I’m bored.”
The men let go of Asher, and before I could process what was happening, he grabbed my hand and tugged me out of there.
I ran alongside him, not looking back, but with his long strides, I couldn’t keep up.
Asher noticed and scooped me into his arms, holding me against his chest.
The next thing I knew, we were in a cab. How we got there, I couldn’t be sure. I didn’t remember a single thing as he stared out the window and held my hand tight in his.
Everything was foggy. A haze had crushed me in a blinding hold. I wouldn’t lose it. I refused. He was pissed but he would get over it. We were safe. For now.
Asher’s mouth moved but he stared straight ahead. Was he talking to me? The driver? I couldn’t hear him. A loud buzzing settled in my brain, my hands became sweaty. My heart raced. Thump … thump … thump. It didn’t let up the further we got from Charles’ place.
