You Said Forever (Club Decadence)

by Maddie Taylor

  Justin was assigned to her when she went back to work on Monday. He had only been with the agency for a couple of months but he was a former Marine and came highly recommended by the General. Still, Regan was sorry her buddy Lil T was out in LA on business. She had gotten used to seeing his friendly face and felt comfortable with him. Justin obviously hadn’t heard about her troublemaking rep and she vowed to be good. After picking her up for work, she asked if they could swing by her apartment next door to pick up a few of her things before heading downstairs to the bakery.

  Justin led the way and had Regan wait in the entryway while he checked out the apartment. She waited for several minutes wondering what was taking so long. It was a small apartment with only two bedrooms.

  “Justin. Is it OK for me to come in?” No response. Something was wrong. Regan waved her hand at the camera she knew was monitoring the stairs and door. She flashed the numbers 9–1–1 with her fingers hoping they would understand and then pulled her phone out of her pocket. Before she could dial, a hand reached out and grabbing her wrist yanked her forcefully into the apartment. She fell forward onto her knees and her cheek hit and end table, hard. Before she could react, a hot, sweaty hand clamped over her mouth and a gravely voice spoke in lightly accented Spanish by her ear.

  “Don’t scream or I’ll kill you.” He pulled her through the apartment and into the spare room with a knife pressed against her throat. It was hard to breath with his other hand blocking her nose and mouth. When they entered her bedroom Regan saw Justin’s body lying on the floor with a widening pool of blood seeping into the carpet beneath him. God help him! She tried to calm down, the apartment was monitored and Rossi men were probably on their way. Please God, don’t let them be on break or something when she needed them.

  “Tell me what you did with it, bitch!”

  “Please, let me help him before he dies!” Justin hadn’t moved since they entered the bedroom.

  “I want the money.”

  “I’m sorry,” Regan replied, her voice shaking with fear. “They already found the money and the drugs and turned it all over to the police.”

  “There’s more and I want to know what you did with it. Tell me now.” He pressed the flat of the knife against her cheek. “I’d hate to have to carve up this pretty face to get you to talk.

  “I swear. That’s all they found.” He pushed her towards the closet where she was shocked to see a hidden door in the back wall. He forced her through and down a set of stairs that led to the teashop below. She heard the door close behind them and wondered how the police and Rick’s men would know where to find her when they arrived.

  “Please, he’s going to die if we don’t get him help.”

  He ignored her and once downstairs pushed her into a chair alongside Sunny, the teashop owner who was gagged and bound in a metal folding chair. She struggled and squealed behind the gag when she saw Regan and another man backhanded her across the face. “Quiet, mi amor.” He laughed snidely then ordered the man holding Regan to tie her to the other chair.

  “OK, Hermosa,” the man smiled unpleasantly as he caressed her face, the evil looking knife just inches away from her skin. Regan trembled and she struggled to stay still so he wouldn’t accidentally cut her. “Tell me where my money is or I carve my initials into your beautiful face.”

  “Please! All I know is they found $250,000 and some drugs under a cupboard in the kitchen. I don’t know about any other money. I swear.”

  Both men stood up suddenly looking toward the door leading to the front of the teashop. They spoke frantically in rapid Spanish which far outpaced Regan’s high school instruction, and left the room. Regan whispered to the other woman. “Sunny are you OK?”

  She nodded, but tears silently rolled down her face. Regan pulled against the ropes, they seemed loose. Thankfully, the first guy did a lousy job tying her and she was able to get a thumb loose and pull her hands free. She rushed to Sunny and removed her gag.

  “Don’t wait for me. Run,” Sunny whispered. “They are dangerous and desperate.”

  “I can’t leave you here.” Regan was amazingly calm and clear headed. She rushed to the only door in the room and locked it against their captors then found a wooden plank and wedged it against the door knob hoping it would slow down the two men for at least enough time to get back up to her apartment. As she stepped away she heard a smattering of Spanish and a thud against the door.

  “We gotta go.” She rushed back to Sunny and pulled her from the chair. Fortunately she wasn’t actually tied to the chair and Regan was able to guide her up the steps to the apartment. They hurried up the stairs, Regan letting Sunny go first since her hands were still tied behind her. She was afraid she would lose her balance and she wanted the stay behind her just in case.

  When they go to the top Regan tried to open the door, but she couldn’t find a latch in the dark stairway. She pressed her ear against the door and heard muffled voices. Was that English or Spanish? Was it the Rossi men or the two thugs from downstairs. “What do you think, Sunny? Do we risk it?”

  “Yes, there were only the two of them and I can still Diego cursing and trying to bust in the door downstairs.”

  Regan began pounding on the door. “Help! We’re behind the closet.”

  Silence was followed by muffled voices and some banging against the wall. She was relieved to hear someone call her name.

  “Regan, move away from the door. I’m going to break it down.”

  Regan helped Sunny down a few steps then hollered, “OK we’re clear.”

  Bang! Bang! Bang!

  A black boot broke through the drywall. Gloved hands reached in to pull away more of the crumbling sheet rock making the opening wider. Suddenly, a dark head poked in and turned toward them.

  “Thank God, Tony! There are two men down in the tea shop.”

  He reached for her hand, “I know. Let’s get you out of there.”

  “Sunny first. She’s still tied up.”

  Tony helped the bound woman through then reached back for Regan. Gunshots rung out from below and Regan grabbed his hand like a lifeline. He pulled her through in one hard tug. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her up and out of the way. Several men rushed past them and into the closet. Regan recognized Jonas and Jason. More shots and shouts came from downstairs. Then she heard a familiar voice call up “All clear. Do you have Regan?”

  “Rick?” The sound of his voice calmed her jagged nerves.

  Tony called out. “I’ve got her, bud.”

  “Stay with her Cap while I take care of this trash.”

  A few minutes later, a shaken Regan sat on her old couch with Tony and a trembling and sobbing Sunny. He rushed to the couch, pulled his wife out from under Tony’s arm and held her shaking body in a crushing embrace. Regan clung to him paying no attention to her lack of oxygen as he squeezed her tight

  “You better let her breathe, Chief.” Jonas clapped a hand on his shoulder and warned him, “Seriously man, she’s turning blue.”

  Rick eased his grip but didn’t release her. He pulled back just enough to look at her flushed face and brush the tears from her face. His thumb gently traced her bruised and rapidly swelling cheek. When he saw a smear of blood along her neck he frowned.

  “What happened here, baby?” He pulled his hand away from her face and she saw that it was covered in her blood.

  Surprised, her hand went to her neck and also came away bloody. “He must have cut me after all.”

  Rick growled just like the beast he was named after. “One of those bastards held a knife to your throat? What about your cheek, did he hit you? I’ll kill him. Which one was it?”

  “Calm down, Chief. Kurt and Jason have already turned them over to the cops. We need to get these two examined by the paramedics before go off and kick any asses. They just arrived downstairs.” Rick looked at Jonas who nodded toward the dark haired woman seated on the couch being assisted by Tony. Her face was badly swollen and her lip w
as cut and bleeding. She was also guarding her right side. The paramedics quickly entered the apartment and Regan redirected them to Sunny first.

  “I didn’t even feel him cut me, Bear.” She was pressing the towel that Jonas handed her against her neck. It was starting to burn a little but nothing major.

  “It’s the adrenaline, baby. You’re not feeling the shock and pain right now, but you will.” Rick held her close as an EMT approached to examine her.

  “Sorry, Miss. Looks like you’re going to need a stitch of two.”

  “I don’t want to go to the hospital.” Rick hushed her and moved her to a chair where he pulled her onto his lap. It was the only way he would let the man check her vitals and bandage her wound. He wasn’t letting her out of his sight. Not until he was sure she was all right. Maybe not even then.

  “Woman, you are the worst patient ever. If they say you need stitches, then you’re going to the hospital to get them.” His words belied the emotion in his voice. His heart he’d learned she’d been taken. He stroked her hair back, soothing her as much as himself. He had to touch her and hold her to convince himself she was all right. The medic finished cleaning and bandaging the wound then called for a gurney for transport.

  “No arguments, baby. I’ll be right here with you.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  It was standing room only that evening in the conference room at Rossi Security. Regan was ensconced in Rick’s lap. She hadn’t been a foot away from him since the incident. It turned out that Sunny’s boyfriend, Diego Torres and his cousin Joaquin Garze were responsible for the attacks on the two women. Torres, having been identified as one of the cartel’s Lieutenants and was a major distributor right there in San Antonio, was currently in federal custody

  Garza had been the one who cut Regan. Unfortunately, Garza wouldn’t be answering questions anytime soon, if at all. He was in critical condition at a local hospital having taken a bullet in the chest during the incident. Rick hoped he got better; after what he’d done to Regan he wanted a little retribution.

  Dex and Cap had gone straight to the police station from the scene and met up with the DEA investigators and agents from Homeland Security. Cap had called this meeting to discuss information obtained during the interrogation. Dex and Cap walked into the room with an exhausted Sunny in tow. Sunny’s face was drawn and haggard and her eyes were bloodshot from all the tears she had wept that day. She had been questioned extensively about her involvement and had adamantly proclaimed her innocence. She had been released because there was no evidence that she was involved in the drug deals and Torres had corroborated her story. He had been using her as a cover.

  Tony seated her next to Rick and Regan and she immediately hugged Regan closely around the neck.

  Rick barked suddenly, “Careful of her stitches!”

  Sunny pulled back immediately, “I’m sorry Regan, I didn’t mean to hurt you. It’s just… I’m so grateful. You saved my life. If you hadn’t shown up when you did, and locked those two brutes out of the room, I never would have escaped with my lift.” She sniffled and wiped at her tears. “That was one of the bravest things I have ever seen.”

  “I guess hanging around all these Green Berets and Marines is rubbing off on me.” Regan tried to joke and brush off the woman’s praise, she still couldn’t believe what she’d done herself.

  “She’s being modest, Sunny. We’re all very proud of Regan for her quick thinking and fearless actions.” Rick kissed his brave little hero’s temple and squeezed her hand. “We are very happy that both of you came out of this safely and relatively unharmed.”

  Tony called the meeting to order then and explained that the local police had been monitoring suspicious activity at the teashop for the past two months. Evidently, some area residents had reported unusual activity at night, which they thought, was odd for a teashop whose doors closed at 7 P.M. each night. There had been lights on and suspicious people coming and going at odd hours along with a couple complaints about loud voices and disturbing the peace.

  It turns out Torres had been using his girlfriends shop as a cover for his collections and the distribution of drugs to the area dealers. What Torres didn’t know is that Rossi Security had been monitoring the bakery next door including the rear parking lot. When he found out there was video evidence of his activity he decided it was in his best interest to cooperate and make a deal for protection. He was a high level operative in the cartel and was able to provide the names and locations of other lieutenants, dealers and contacts in the San Antonio area. He also provided some information about weapons stores and upcoming drug deliveries. Not surprisingly a few local officials were implicated including a local bank manager who was involved in the money laundering.

  Their case was coming together nicely. It appeared they had a lock on the activity in their hometown and were making strides in having it cleaned up and free from the cartel’s influence. But they weren’t ready to move on the cartel full speed yet. They needed more information and evidence on the upper hierarchy and the other leaders across the state in order to have enough ammunition to bring them down.

  Dex explained that this was a war not a battle. The leadership in the cartel was similar to the military, often members were recruited who were ex-military or former police. Once these lieutenants and even the kingpin were brought down, others were ready to step up and take their place. It was reminiscent of the organized crime families in the US over the years. Its power was growing and far reaching.

  Sunny exhaled, incredulous that she had been drawn into this mess. “What does this mean for me? Am I in danger?”

  Tony looked at her with a frown, “I’m afraid so, Miss Haynes. You are just an innocent pawn but they might think you know something due to your relationship with Torres, which makes you a risk to their operations. Violence has been on the rise and they don’t think twice about taking someone out that they feel is a threat.”

  Regan stiffened in Rick’s arms and he caught Cap’s attention. “Sorry, Rick but she needs to know what she’s up against. With Regan’s history of slipping security, I wanted to make sure she knew the seriousness of the situation.”

  Regan spoke up then. “Thanks Cap, but did you have to scare the crap out of me?”

  Six male voices answered in a resounding “Yes!” Regan flushed as she looked around at Cap, Jonas, Lil T, Sean, Jason and Kurt. All of these Rossi men had been witness to her antics or had the misfortune of being assigned to her security detail.

  “Am I really that bad?” Regan felt awful and although she tried to hide it was really scared. No wonder Rick and Tony had punished her and Meg so severely when they ditched their security detail last fall. Regan had done it several other times recently. She remembered how she had tricked Kurt to get to a clinic appointment and blushed fiercely. Luckily no one had found out about that little incident. She supposed, with their renewed pact of honesty and trust, she would have to come clean about it to Rick.

  “You’re not the easiest client, but now that you know the dangers, we expect a little more cooperation, yeah?” Tony frowned at her waiting for a response. She nodded and whispered “I promise to be good, Cap.” The room was filled with masculine grunts and snorts of disbelief. Well she’d just have to prove it to them.

  “What about Sunny?” Regan was worried about the woman she had planned to go into business with. She also didn’t mind that her question had successfully shifted some of the attention away from herself.

  “Do you have someplace else you can go, Sunny?” Rick asked the nervous blonde seated next to him. She looked like she was about to lose it. “Friends or family out of state maybe?”

  “My parents live about five hundred miles away in Amarillo, I could go stay with them. Things weren’t going so well for me here anyway.” Her voice shook revealing the level of her fear. Regan reached out to squeeze her hand in support. She was a shy, sweet girl. It was obvious that today’s events not to mention the room full of huge, authoritative
men frightened her, she was on the verge of tears again.

  “Just remember you’ll have to come back for any further questioning and to testify. We’ll set up some security for you there. Dex will help make the arrangements.” Cap waited until Dex escorted her from the room then proceeded to make other assignments. “Kurt and Jason, I want you on Meg and Regan. Lil T is still in LA so Jonas, I need you to work on adding surveillance in the teashop. We got six FNG’s expected next week, which will be a big relief. Rick, Dex and I will handle their orientation. Questions?”

  Tony wasn’t really expecting any so he was surprised when Regan raised her hand. Rick laughed and pulled it down, “it’s not school, honey. What do you want to know?”

  “What are FNGs?”

  The men grumbled in unison, “Fucking New Guys.” The room erupted into laughter as Tony dismissed them.

  Epilogue

  Regan was pleased that her reconciliation with Rick was going so well. She felt as though a smothering weight had been lifted from her chest and she could breathe again. If she’d have known the sense of relief she would feel, living free from lies and all the secrecy, she might have done it sooner. She was sleeping better, eating more and her moods had stabilized with the return to her husband’s loving care.

  Things were looking up for them, but she still had emotional fences to mend. Rick had told her that they would have to rebuild the trust in their marriage and that it would take time and through actions, not words. So she had spent the past few weeks trying to do just that. She had been on her best behavior even under the intense security. She would usually balk at the restriction, but her brush with the cartel was enough to scare her into compliance.

  She found trying to come up with ways to prove herself to Rick in there public life was difficult. So she turned to their D/s relationship that had thrived for years on trust. After her stitches were removed and Rick had declared she was healed up enough to wear her play collar, they returned to The Club and she started the rebuilding process. When they arrived in the lounge, their friends welcomed her warmly. Of course, she had to spend time filling them in on all the gory details of her attack. After all the questions had been answered and their concern expressed, she surprised them all with her next gesture. She rose and gracefully dropped to her knees before Rick, a leash outstretched in her hands as an offering to her Master. Head bowed submissively and her voice strained with tears, she had asked prettily to be leashed until he trusted her again.