by Ace Gray
“We have to tell Mickey,” Horse said as he slid into the front seat.
Shivers rolled up and down my spine. Mick was going to have my head for making waves and leaving bodies. I’d have to toughen up and quick to deal with that. It was his other reaction that had me worried. If Jimmy Ponies was the one giving info to the Italians, if he’d given them Mickey’s lost possession, he was as good as dead. And if he was dead, this mystery item unrecovered, Elle was fair game. To deal with that, I’d have to get smarter even faster. The roar of my protective fury had pulled the trigger but I was in desperate need of finding level footing. And staying there.
“Yeah,” I mumbled, pressed up against my window watching the slight fog from my breath disappear beneath the glow starting to come from streetlights.
“Are you ready for that?” Horse’s voice was tentative, something it only ever was when he worried about me. I guessed he’d come to the same conclusion about Mickey as I had—Elle and I were fucked.
“I have to be.”
Neither of us spoke again as we drove away from the bakery. Horse was lost in thought, staring out at the road barely blinking. My mind raced the car to Mickey’s place. I had to have my words straight before I walked in there. If Mick fueled my temper, something I’d regret was bound to happen. Our past two meetings were proof.
We pulled up to the house and I all but jumped out. I was ready for Mick, ready for anything he could throw at me. Pulling the trigger had rooted me back in this life I’d been trying to float above. It only took one bullet to remember the game and how to play it. And as long as it meant keeping Elle out, I was going to win.
I barged in, letting the door bang against the wall as I did. The same kid that had taunted me the first night I’d been back jumped up from his perch, sending the chair flying and a clatter echoing through the room. He was scrambling to draw his gun but I was faster. I had mine pointed at his head in a single breath.
“Don’t give me any fucking trouble. Where’s Mick?”
“He’s uhhh…” The kid’s eyes crossed at the barrel of my gun. He stammered a few more weird sounds.
“Jesus, kid.” I bent down and placed the gun on the coffee table. “How about now? Can you tell me if he’s upstairs now?”
Horse chuckled behind me a little bit and I knew he’d wanted to put this pup in his place ages ago.
“Yeah but…”
Oh God, I knew what that but meant. It meant he was in the middle of something, likely something I didn’t want to see. But want and need were two different things in my world now. I started up the stairs and felt Horse quick on my heels.
“Kill one guy and you’re back? Completely back?” he whispered in my ear.
“I kind of have to be now, don’t I?”
I clenched my fist by my side just before I shoved into the den, bracing myself for whatever was going to meet me. My stomach turned all the same when I took in Mick, balls deep in Siobhan and two barely legal girls sucking on her tits.
The spectacle was center stage in front of a whole group of thugs and underlings. All eyes were fixed on the sway of Siobhan’s body in time with Mick’s thrusts. The girls beneath her both sat on their hands, using their mouths to capture and suck on any inch of flesh they could find.
“Horse, Cole, so good of you to join us. Want in?”
Siobhan threw her head back, letting her flaming ginger locks cascade down around her face. She still wore the fading remnants of a bruise on her temple and a healing gash above her eyebrow, both of which I’d given her. They added a downright menacing shadow to her wicked features.
Her emerald eyes bore into mine as a downright evil smile spread across her face. Her talons sharpened into the girls’ shoulders beneath her. They both faltered underneath when she drew blood before she encouraged, “Lap my little kittens. Make him desperate to join us.”
“I’ll kill you before I fuck you again, Siobhan,” I spit the words out at her as she took the railing Mick was handing down.
“Awe, Cole I love it when you talk dirty to me.”
I walked right up to her and grabbed around her throat. I used my grip to pull her up to standing. Mick laughed when she was eye to eye with me and he thrust into her all the harder. I squeezed on the curve of her throat and glowered at her.
“You’re done here ladies.” I didn't even look down at them. “Go.”
They didn't hesitate, both scrambling on hands and knees out the door.
Mick laughed harder. “Choke her, Cole,” he managed between gasping thrusts and breathy laughs.
“Gladly.” I squeezed hard, as hard as when I’d thumped her head against the floorboards to leave her limp, forcing her onto tiptoe.
A downright sinister laugh came from Mick. Siobhan’s gargle mingled with it and her hands came to mine. She didn’t pull though, instead she ran her fingers across mine, caressing where they pressed against her skin. She mouthed I missed you at me and disgust welled inside me.
Without thinking, I used my grip to pull her the slightest bit higher. Her toes scrambled for the floor but Mick just adjusted his grip to allow me to pull on her. When she was completely at my mercy, I threw her.
Mick faltered the tiniest bit and snarled but it was nothing compared to the sound of her bones thumping into the floor. She screeched, which only brought back Mick’s diabolical laughter. He started jerking off on her piled flesh.
“I killed him, Mick. I killed that baker.” My shoulders heaved as I spoke.
“Oh yeah?” He continued stroking himself. “Tell me. Tell me how he begged. Tell me if you choked him. Tell me what his blood looked like on the floor.”
“He looked dead, Mick. Like a dead fucking Giancomo informant. He kind of looked like Siobhan down there.”
“MMMMmmm Laddy, did you stand over him and shoot him in cold blood like you would me if given the chance?” Siobhan purred from the floor, her hands finding her nipples and gently flicking at them.
I didn’t give either of them the satisfaction of an answer. Horse grabbed my shoulder and pulled me a little bit back from their filth as we waited for them to finish. Both had fingers flying against themselves, stroking however they saw fit while the rest of us simply watched. When Siobhan finally came, she was loud and her body shook against the hardwood. Mickey groaned, pained, and plead with me once more.
“Was there blood everywhere, Cole?” His voice was haggard and rough, his tugs and pulls on his dick getting more furious.
“It was more of a puddle, Mick,” I answered and Horse’s fingers curled into me.
He came with a groan and his spunk dribbled down onto Siobhan. She twisted to make sure it landed on her chest and I curled my lip up at the whole scene. The room was thick with heavy breathing but no one spoke as a purring Siobhan and a downwardly spiraling Mickey came to.
“Why’d you kill him?” Micky asked as he tucked himself away. “And get up, put some clothes on.” He nudged Siobhan with his toe.
“He deserved to die,” I answered simply while I watched Siobhan pick herself up and stomp over to a discarded scrap of fabric.
“I appreciate the attitude, it’s like I have my boy back, but let me rephrase. Why the fuck did you kill someone with motherfucking Italian ties?” Mick turned to snarl in my face.
“He spilled,” Horse spoke up behind me.
Mick jerked his head toward the throne he loved to sit on. I followed to stand in front of him as Horse settled into the familiar chair to his left. Siobhan checked my shoulder with hers as she sidled up to sit on Mick’s right hand side.
“Cole’s going to tell me a story, lass. You can sit elsewhere.” He brushed her off with the flick of his wrist, his gaze not wavering from me.
She stomped away and fire blazed in her eyes like the devil himself lit the inferno. Horse shot me a worried look, speaking volumes about the meaning and danger of me replacing Siobhan at his right hand.
“So?” Mick asked as he pulled a large knife from somewhere and star
ted to dig dirty, or maybe flesh, out from under his nails.
“He gave us a name,” I said as Horse’s worried face came back, he even chewed on his big ole bottom lip.
“And?”
Horse and I locked eyes for a moment and I took a breath. If things went sideways, a guy who gave me that look had my back. I swallowed the breath I wanted to blow out.
“I’m not sure if he’s just informing or actually working for them but…” I looked around the room, just now wondering if he’d die tonight on the floor in front of me. There was no trace of inky, greased back hair. “It’s Jimmy Ponies.”
Mick started laughing, wilder and more crazed than before. Siobhan joined in too. Horse just hung his head.
“What’s so fucking funny?”
After his devious laugh had run its course, Mick calmed and looked me dead in the eye. “Of course, it was Jimmy Ponies. The fucking rat has been giving them any kind of information he can to save his worthless hide.” His lips curled up in a wicked smile. “I needed to see where your loyalty really was. Whether it was with that little lassy or with me. I also needed to see if you’d gone soft.”
He clapped his arm around my shoulders, his knife tapping my shoulder, and my skin crawled. My temper bubbled up too. In a swift move, I got out from under his grip and shoved my forearm to his throat. I slammed him back against the wood of his throne. The blade clattered to the ground.
“Don’t you ever fuck with me again, Mick.”
His eyes flashed whether with hunger or pride I couldn’t tell. I dropped my arm a moment later and rolled back into my seat. The second I relaxed, he lunged at me. His hand came to my throat. I went to block him—I’d always been faster than Mick—but my hands fell away.
Mick’s fingertips were digging into my skin. He used his grip to bang my head twice as hard as I had his.
“I’ll fuck with you, hell, I’ll plain fuck you. You’re mine, Cole. And I do what I want with what’s mine.”
He leaned in and I had to fight the urge to fight back with every fiber of my being.
“Good boy,” Mick purred and the corner of his smile turned up.
But he didn’t let go.
“Siobhan, come here,” he commanded.
She appeared over the top of his shoulder and her eyes glinted with the same unholy gleam as Mick’s. Her fingers tentatively reached out toward my throat like she wanted to replace his hand. I couldn’t help but tense away from her.
“What can I do for you, Mickey?” She nuzzled down into his back like the twisted fucking cat she was.
“You’re going to Seattle,” Mick said, twisting the slightest back toward her.
“No,” I wheezed out from behind Mick’s hand.
“Yes, Cole.” He squeezed and thumped my head again.
This time I didn’t care if I was supposed to show my acceptance, or let Mick dominate me, I fought back. My hands came to his and pulled. When he only squeezed tighter, I made a fist and crushed it down on Mick’s arm. He automatically let go and I lunged for him. We toppled to the floor in a pile of bodies but I landed on top.
I cocked back to let my fist fly at his face when once again a crushing Hulk hand wrapped around it. Then around me.
“Let go of me, Horse,” I barked as I fought against his grip. As strong as I was, I couldn’t budge against the boulder that was my best friend.
“Calm the fuck down,” he whispered in my ear and accented his words with a squeeze where he bear hugged my body.
“You’re lucky Horse stopped you when he did.” Mick stood and swiftly let loose a punch to my gut. “You’re lucky that I’m impressed with you murdering that informant in cold-blood.” He punched the other side of my stomach. “You’re lucky I’m glad you’re back.”
This time his fist crunched into my jaw.
“Get your mind fucking right, Cole. That pretty little blonde is going to be mine. Just like you.” Mick eyed me without the slightest hint of humor in his eyes. “Siobhan, go get Elle Leroux and bring her here.”
Mick circled away from me and seated himself in his chair. He found his knife again and started picking at his fingernails. He dismissed Siobhan with a wave of his hand and she turned on her heel. At the last moment, he called after her, a chuckle thick in his voice.
“Lassy, do try and keep her in one piece.”
13.
Elle
I blew out a deep breath as I threw my backpack over my shoulder in the terminal. Now that I was thinking through my actions, this part presented some problems. I mean, I didn’t really know where Cole lived. Nor was he answering my calls. I hadn’t left a message saying I was in Chicago, I didn’t want to scare him, but now I needed an address. Or even a direction.
The drive to his place was a little vague considering the orgasms and whatnot. The giant buildings of downtown had come into view but little else was memorable. There was that bakery we’d stopped at but the name wasn’t coming to me. Likewise, the route from his place to the church had been a whirling blur of emotion.
I should have paid more attention.
Because now I was in O’Hare after dodging Conrad’s lectures and sneaking out of the apartment to catch a red-eye decidedly alone. The idea of Cole was enough to keep me going down to the train and venturing into the city.
We rattled into the Clark stop at the heart of downtown and I stepped off the train with no better idea of where to start. The station was the epitome of a big city. The noise of the trains blurred with the din of the crowd shuffling from train to train, complete with a violinist playing for tips between the dingy tiled pillars.
I rode the escalators up to the city street only to add blaring horns to the cacophony of noise and sensation. Equal parts trash and coffee drifted into my nose on the wind. Tall buildings enveloped me and another train line made a rough rooftop to my city cocoon. I filled my lungs with the city and smiled.
Cole was somewhere close and come hell or high water I was going to find him. Even if he told me to fuck off, or that he had been sent to find me, at least I would know. And there was a certain freedom in knowing.
I started to wander, finding dilapidated bookstores, a croissant to die for and a vintage store that I’d have to check out when it opened. It was still early but the city breathed a calm electricity that suited me. Adventure coursed through my veins.
Well, adventure and Cole.
Wind blew down the building corridors and made my hair dance around my face. My natural reaction was to turn around and walk with the wind at my back. It blew off the lake and carried me into a totally different neighborhood. This one had smaller buildings, all of which seemed converted warehouses and housed trendy restaurants and bars.
It all felt vaguely familiar.
Deliriously good smelling burgers grabbed me by the stomach and pulled. I followed my nose into a small diner that had been upgraded to look sleek but still featured a long-countered bar. They seated me right away and as I slid onto my stool, the two bartenders started talking about tattoos.
My eyes flicked up and I traced the ink they were discussing with my eyes the way they did with their hands. Something about the lines and detailing seemed familiar.
“Yeah, Cole down the street is the shit.”
The name was enough for me to drop the menu.
“Did you say Cole? Where are you guys talking about?”
One of the bartenders looked over and his eyes lit up.
“Well, hey there. How are you today?”
“Good. Great. Fine. What were you saying about tattoos?”
“There’s a shop here in the Fulton Market District that’s awesome. A guy named Cole owns it. Maybe four blocks down, three blocks up near The Aviary. Sick work.” His eyes hooded a little and his smile quirked up. “You got any tattoos you wanna show me?”
“Nope.” I popped my P and jumped off my stool.
I swiftly grabbed my bag and bolted out the door. As I ran the blocks, the streets seemed a bit more familiar.
When I rounded the corner, I noticed the familiar tattoo shop sign a split second before recognizing a far more welcoming sight. His stairwell.
I took the stairs two at a time, remembering the steel steps and the sound they sent echoing out into the corridor. His door was familiar too and my fingers itched to knock. But now that I was here, my insides churned.
What if he didn’t want to see me? What if it was all a trap?
What if he was my missing half?
The last thought had me pounding on the door before I thought twice. I banged harder than was necessary but God…the man on the other side was worth it.
After just a heartbeat the door swung open. Before I could even process that Cole stood before me, the barrel of a gun was pointed at my forehead. My breath caught but fear didn’t filter through my body. Mainly because I recognized the tattoo covered fingers wrapped around the trigger.
“Cole?” I leaned out from behind the barrel to meet his eyes.
The green burning intensity that met me sent butterflies ricocheting through my insides, despite the fading bruise that colored his left cheek and eye. Electricity threatened to short circuit my whole body until his face fell, crumbling piece by piece as he whispered a ghostly, “No.”
I inwardly disintegrated right along with him.
“Look I know this is weird but…”
He shoved the gun in the back of his pants and I almost drooled at the way it made his shirtless torso dance. The delight was short lived though because a single second later he snapped up keys from somewhere beside the door, snatched my arm and started yanking me down the steel stairs.
Cole hadn’t bothered with a shirt and when he swore and started hopping, I noticed he hadn’t grabbed shoes either.
“Cole. Hey!” I shouted, my voice adding to the sound reverberating through the hallway. “Talk to me.” When he just kept pulling me out onto the street and toward his Charger, panic set in. “I’m sorry. Cole, I’m so sorry. I just wanted to see you.”
“Gotta get you on a plane but not home. God, where do I send you…?” he muttered to himself as he rounded the hood of his car with me in tow.
