Blood for Blood
Page 22
Anne was washing up in the kitchen when Travis got home. Hazel was still up, watching a movie, but it wouldn’t be long until she went to bed and the two of them had some privacy. Travis walked into the room, pulled up a chair at the kitchen table and sat down. He said no words. The lack of speech alerted Anne to something was wrong. She glanced back at him. Her smile fell from her face. Travis was covered in blood. Anne rushed to his side, pulling open his coat, lifting his shirt, searching for the wound she wouldn’t find.
‘It’s not mine,’ he said, staring off into the distance.
‘Whose is it?’
‘Samantha’s aunty.’
‘What happened?’
‘Someone tried to kill me.’ It was only now that he turned his eyes towards her. She could feel the fiery hate and the demon of death that lurked within his soul. ‘I will find that fucker and I am going to destroy him.’
***
Reality refused to sink it. This couldn’t be happening. Chelsea couldn’t be dead. Kerry sat in the front seat of her best friend’s car, holding Nicola in her arms. What had just happened? Who had shot Chelsea? Who would want to kill her? This can’t be real. It is a dream. It is a cruel dream. Chelsea can’t be dead. Chelsea was all she had. She was her only true friend. Teary eyes looked down at Nicola. The child had no more family. Chelsea had no siblings or parents. Riley was dead, too. Cassie was in hospital, but who would take care of them now.
‘It’s okay,’ she hushed the child. ‘You will live with me now. It will be okay.’
Kerry burst into tears again.
***
Darkness consumed the interior of the apartment. River held Alisha within his arms. She had scoffed down her dinner like a half-starved person. One quick bath later and she was out for the count. A kiss was planted on her head. There was no amount of words to explain how much River loved this child. She was his world. Alisha was everything to him. Ariel had treated her bad since the moment she was born. River couldn’t blame her for the post-natal depression. He had even forgiven Ariel for holding Alisha out of the apartment window, but now she had gone too far. Ariel clearly had no concern for her daughter’s safety. River might have been able to forgive her adulterous acts. He loved Ariel. A part of him will always love Ariel, but there was no way in hell she would ever get close to the two of them again. Ariel would never get to see Alisha again. It was time to get out of this building, away from that bastard landlord and allow Ariel to become nothing more than a distant memory.
***
The man had his back to Jasmine, as he looked out at the cityscape of North City. The gothic structure of the refinery could be seen spewing flames into the black clouds. The Riggs Hotel was one of the numerous structures that brought light to this once dark city. Construction crews were busy fortifying Jasmine’s palace, as the Queen of North City prepared herself for the hardships ahead.
‘Can you do it?’ asked Jasmine, tapping her nails on the arm of her throne.
‘Yes,’ replied the man, he had a thick Middle Eastern accent.
‘When can you get it?’
‘It will be here tomorrow.’
‘How much will it cost me?’
‘The price has not changed. Ten million pounds will suffice.’
Jasmine did the math. That was more money than she currently owned. Her combined properties, drugs operation and fully stock warehouses of sports cars came to a much greater total, but she did not have that cash on hand. She would need to take from the other families to finance this business arrangement. They would not give it freely. That was not an issue. Hired mercenaries would aid in her taken the money she needed to get her hands on the item. Jasmine knew that the tide was changing. Her forces were split. It was only a matter of time before someone made a move against her. She needed something that would discourage such an act from happening. This man was the key to that something.
‘I can get you the money in two weeks,’ replied Jasmine.
‘That is fine.’
‘Until then you can stay as my guest. You have the keys to North City; you will want for nothing.’
‘That is very kind of you,’ said the man, turning to face her. The gentleman was of Arabic decent and sported a long black beard. Unlike the Muslim extremists they showed in the media, this man wore a very expensive looking suit and had the shiniest shoes Jasmine had seen on a man. His smile was so wide that it was practically consuming his face. ‘And in return you will get the nuclear weapon you so desire.’
***
Melissa stood in front of his desk, listening, watching. Marcus paced slowly before the bulletproof windows that overlooked North City. His hands were clasped behind his back. Melissa couldn’t put her finger on it, but something was very different about Marcus. He appeared taller, and his frame looked bigger. Pride shone out of him. This had been all that he ever dreamed of. Marcus wanted to make the world a better place. He wanted to bring peace to the people and guide humanity into an era of prosperity. He devoured the stories their father fed them. This was his moment. President Marcus Riggs had the military power and the financial might to actually do something in this dark and decaying world.
‘A war is coming,’ announced Marcus.
Melissa said nothing.
Marcus wasn’t really talking to her. He was voicing his thoughts.
‘I can feel a shift. The winds of change are in motion. Our alliance with West Valley is just a start. South City will come for us. Our father has great influence in South City. He will not allow our coup to go without punishment. They will side with the Muslim people, pouring even greater fuel into the fire of religious hate. Jasmine Murdock is being quiet. She is up to something. That woman has her own plans for North City. I feel as if we have enemies all around us. If we are to survive this, then we have to prepare. I will restore North City to greatness. I will make it the most powerful city in the world. We will bring peace. We will bring security. We will stamp out all hatred. My reach will not stop at North City. I will rule the world!’
Melissa smiled a devious smile.
His words were doing things to her body, making her hot, making her wet.
This was why she loved him.
This was why she stood by him.
Marcus will conquer the world, and she will be stood right at his side.
***
The End
Books by Simon Smith-Wilson
***
Five Days Notice (City of Sin1)
Curse of Meredith Holmes
Hand of God (City of Sin 2)
Last Tomorrow (City of Sin 3)
Hand of God
***
A new power has appeared in the north. The wealthy southerners have plans to rejuvenate the decaying city with the promise of jobs and a better future. The Riggs Crew is on a mission to purge the city of its negative elements through an aggressive takeover strategy. The impact they make is sending positive shock waves to those poor souls that had abandoned all hope. The key to this new world is in the Hand of God. A hired assassin dedicated to fixing this broken world through a twisted sense of justice. His actions will drastically alter the destiny of the North City citizens. This new world of gangsters is full of manipulation, deception, lust, and passion. The ultimate power struggle is about to begin. The Hand of God is here.
Five Days Notice
***
The global economy has collapsed, and the third world war has left the planet a dark and deadly place. Having a job is like winning the lottery. It is a rare and cherished thing. Society is split into two classes, the poor and the damned. Only one superstore remains in the city. The seven staff members work long hours for hardly any pay, but they are considered the lucky ones.
River is in love. He is in love with the woman of his dreams. Only she doesn’t know it. Ariel lights up his dark and lonely world. She is the reason he wakes up every single morning. Her friendship and company give meaning to his existence, but when job cuts are announced his world is turned upside down. The s
taff is given five days notice. By the end of the week, three members of staff will be fired, but how far is River willing to go to ensure that the love of his life keeps her job?
With uncertainty and doubt fuelling the fires of fear each member of staff sets out on a dangerous path of deception. The flesh of the weak is the food for the strong. It is a dog eat dog world. Friends become enemies. Lovers become deceivers. You can trust no one. You can rely on no one. You must do what needs to be done to make sure you survive. You must steal, you must betray, and you must kill. Betrayal, deception, and corruption have never looked so sexy.