“You promise?” Natalie asked playfully.
“I promise,” Keith replied without missing a beat.
Chapter Thirty Three
Kristina
“My hands hurt,” Kristina, complained, unable to bare the sting that shot through her arms from the knot that Kovic had tied. The skin around her wrists had been rubbed away, and she had started to bleed. “I’m losing circulation.”
“Has it left a mark?”
“Of course it’s left a mark,” Kristina snapped. “I’m bleeding.”
“Good,” Kovic said with a smile. “I did promise Keith that I’d return you with some gifts. I’m just keeping to my word.”
“What the hell are we doing here?” Kristina demanded.
“We’re playing a little game, Krissie,” Kovic replied, flashing her an intimidating smile. “We’ve dangled the bait. Now we’re going to make Keith writhe and sweat.”
“You are a psychopath.”
“Again…thank you,” Kovic said flashing her another smile. “You know, I—”
His own phone interrupted him; he picked it up and answered it as though he were annoyed at being interrupted. “What?” he demanded. “I thought I gave you clear instructions about…. what?”
Kovic fell silent, and Kristina could hear the voice on other line go into a tangent that she couldn’t quite understand. She thought she heard her name mentioned in the slurring of words however, and she pricked up her ears, hoping to gain some information.
“Was it Keith?” Kovic asked. His tone was deadly serious now. “Fine… yes… this changes nothing.”
He hung up abruptly and looked at Kristina as though she had just insulted him. “It looks like the police are searching for you,” he said.
That surprised Kristina. She didn’t think Keith would have gone to the police; it was too risky for himself and the Iron Dragons. Plus, it was unlikely that the police would take him seriously, considering the shady reputation he had earned for himself.
“Keith wouldn’t have gone to the police,” Kristina said immediately.
“He didn’t,” Kovic said. “It was your roommate.”
“Marie,” Kristina whispered the name.
“Marie, is it?” Kovic sneered. “I’ll have to pay her a visit once this is all over.”
Kristina bit her lip and cursed herself for saying the name out loud.
“You haven’t even been missing twenty-four hours,” Kovic said as though he were talking to himself. “Why would they be searching for you already?”
“My roommate is not an idiot,” Kristina said. “She knew someone had been following me these past few days.”
Kovic looked unconcerned. “I guess it’s time to speed up this process. This would have been much easier without the police on my tail. As it happens, you’re the one who’s going to suffer for that.” He picked up his phone again and dialed a number. After a moment, he nodded. “Keith,” he said, and Kristina’s body went cold.
“I’m sure you’ve seen the news by now,” Kovic went on. “And because of it, unfortunately, I’m forced to change my plans just a bit. This battle has always been between you and me, and I think it’s time we sorted it out. Just remember one thing, I have your woman. If you show up with so much as a bug on your shoulder… she’s dead. I don’t make promises I can’t keep, motherfucker. You know that better than anyone. So when I say I’m going to hurt her, I will.”
With that, Kovic leaned in and grabbed Kristina’s hands. He got a hold of the bloody skin of her wounds and pressed his nail down into it. Kristina tried to fight the pain, but in the end, there was nothing she could do but scream.
Chapter Thirty Four
Keith
Two Years Ago
Keith always savored his rides home. It was the perfect blend of stillness and speed that allowed his mind to go in every direction it found. Usually, he started off thinking about Lee and Seton, Miles and the other boys, the business and every small victory they had won in favor of it, but eventually, inevitably, his thoughts would land back onto Natalie.
Within the space of a year, she had become the most important thing in his life. It amazed Keith only because he had never thought that kind of normalcy would be his. He never expected to come home to a loving partner, he never expected to sit down to meals together at the dinner table, he never expected to wake up to the same face every morning and find so much pleasure in it.
He was baffled by his own luck and shocked by his own good fortune, and that carried him through each day in a fog of happiness he had never thought he would feel. It helped that he could share that with Natalie. They were both broken animals that had been cast out early on, and both of them had believed they would never find peace or happiness in their lives. It seemed to be the kind of thing that was meant for different people.
Now that they had secured for themselves a little piece of normalcy, it was hard not to fall into rhythms that they had never considered otherwise. Keith actually enjoyed grocery shopping, whereas before he used to stop by seedy stores next to gas stations. Natalie had taken up cooking, which she had never attempted before, and found that she had quite the passion for it. They started doing things like going to museums and parks and movies, and Keith realized suddenly how interested he was in so many different things in life. He had just never had the opportunity to explore those interests.
It was suddenly easy to think that he might one day be back in school, learning about all those things he had sworn early on weren’t important. He could see Natalie becoming a talented and capable chef. He could see a picket fence in a nice neighborhood, with a sensible car in the driveway. He could even see himself with a child or two. It was the strangest feeling, and Keith had to admit it was the best high he had ever had.
He parked his bike and made his way into their dumpy little apartment that Natalie had managed to make livable. She had found cushion covers, frames, and furniture from different yard sales all across town, and she had rescued them all and transformed their lackluster living space into something remotely cheerful. She had a knack of making ugly things beautiful and a talent for transforming things. Keith knew he shouldn’t have been surprised. She had transformed him, and he knew it well.
Usually Natalie would have been home at that time, but the apartment was dark and there was no scent of her anywhere. Keith turned on the lights and looked around. Natalie usually called if she was doing a late shift. That way Keith could meet her at the restaurant and they could ride back home together. Taken back by the unusual silence that surrounded him, Keith looked around carefully, as his instincts kicked in and worry slipped back into his radar.
“Natalie,” he whispered her name, even though he knew she would not answer.
Panicking, he rushed back out of the house without bothering to lock the door. He got on his bike and drove to the restaurant where Natalie worked. He was there in fifteen minutes, but it seemed like an eternity to Keith. He jumped off his bike and headed into the diner. It was a seedy joint with a questionable menu. Perhaps that was why there were only a few customers every time Keith went in. He recognized the girl standing behind the counter and headed straight for her.
“Hi… Dina,” he said, reading her name off the nametag on her chest. “Is Natalie here?”
Instantly, her face changed. “I was told that if anyone came looking for Natalie that I should give you this,” she said, her big brown eyes were full of sympathy as she handed him a piece of paper. Keith opened it quickly and read the address that was written there.
“Who gave this to you?” he asked urgently.
“This big guy,” Dina replied. “With white blonde hair.”
“Did he mention his name?”
“No,” she shook her head. “But he left with Natalie. And he told me to tell you… to come alone.”
“Come alone?” Keith repeated.
“Yes,” Dina confirmed. She hesitated slightly before she continued. “Come alone or…”
/> “Or what?” Keith asked urgently.
“Natalie would be hurt,” Dina said quickly.
“Fuck,” Keith exclaimed, as he dashed out of the diner as though his life depended on it.
He jumped onto his motorcycle and revved the engine hard. It roared to life, and he tried to speed off, but the bike bucked as though it were against him.
“Fuck you!” Keith yelled. “Fuck you!”
When he finally managed to pick up speed, he disregarded every rule he had been taught when he had first learnt to ride. He zoomed through the streets, uncaring of his safety or anyone else’s. All he knew was that he needed to get to Natalie on time. He knew now that he had severely underestimated Kovic. He had taken him for a coward when he had met him the first time. He had not been wrong about that, Kovic was indeed a coward, but he was a coward who was moved to action when he was slighted.
Keith had assumed that Kovic had understood that the deal was off; he had also assumed that he would leave Natalie alone. Now he realized that the silence he had been met with had been strategic planning that was already underway. Keith was forced to admit how clever it was. He had given the two of them months free from him, which translated into months of being lulled into a false sense of security.
Once the initial fear and worry had dissipated, Natalie had actually believed that Kovic had forgotten about her. She stopped looking over her shoulder and jumping at the slightest sound. She became more prone to laugher. She was more optimistic than Keith had ever seen. She smiled easily and often, and she looked around her with curiosity as opposed to fear.
Keith knew that Kovic had made the decision to wait intentionally. He had allowed Natalie and himself to get comfortable, to feel safe, and then he had struck when they had least expected it. He had removed any hope that Natalie might have had and stolen the only happiness she had known. Even as Keith sped towards her, he felt guilt fall over his mind and body, tearing into him with harshness. He had believed that Kovic had been intimidated of him and he had assumed that that would keep him away.
He had never stopped to consider the chance that he was wrong, that the man he was dealing with was as dangerous as Natalie had always promised. He came to a screeching halt outside the abandoned building that the address had mentioned. He wondered if he had again made a mistake by following the instructions and coming alone, but he was not willing to risk Natalie’s life. Either he would get her out alone, or he would die trying.
Crumbling walls and an empty lot that held a few shady-looking vehicles encircled the building. Keith remembered suddenly reports of a new drug gang coming up in the area. The Rusted Chains. He wondered if Natalie had unknowingly promised herself to the leader of a drug gang. At first glance, the place was empty, but Keith could sense eyes on him.
“Stop where you are,” a deep voice called.
Keith stopped immediately. Off in the distance, a figure emerged. It was Kovic, and he clutched a gun in his left hand. He was looking at Keith with narrowed eyes and a smile. “Well, well,” he said in a tone that was meant to be challenging. “You finally made it.”
“Where is Natalie?”
“Natalie is fine,” Kovic said calmly. “But she won’t be for long… that depends on you.”
“What do you want?” Keith demanded.
“Natalie made me a promise…”
“I thought we discussed that?” Keith interrupted. “I thought you understood that the deal was off.”
“It wasn’t a deal, Keith,” Kovic said harshly. “Like I said… it was a promise. And I take my promises very, very seriously.”
“She didn’t realize what she was promising you,” Keith went on desperately, trying to catch a glimpse of where Natalie might be. “She didn’t know what she was getting into. You took advantage of a woman in a bad situation.”
“She knew what she was expected to do,” Kovic said with a shrug. “She knew she was expected to spread her legs and pretend like she enjoyed it.”
“But she didn’t know that she wasn’t allowed to change her mind.”
“That was her mistake,” Kovic said uncaringly. “Now let me tell you what yours was. Your mistake was in coming to me and assuming I would just let Natalie go… no compensation, no apologies, and no respect. Your mistake was speaking to me as though you thought I was inferior, as though you thought I was less than you were. Your mistake was believing I wasn’t a threat, that I wasn’t someone to be scared of.”
Slowly, from inside the building, a parade of men came sauntering out. Their eyes were fixed on Keith, and their bodies went rigid in the promise of impending violence. Keith knew he was out numbered, and yet, he would not allow his resolve to fade. Until Natalie was alive, he would never give up.
“I realize that was a mistake now,” Keith said quickly. “I was wrong to have underestimated you. If you need to be compensated… I will get you the money you need.”
“Money?” Kovic said with interest. “Money? I have no need of money… I have all the money I require.”
“Then what do you want?”
“What I always wanted,” Kovic replied. “I want what I invested in… and I invested in the girl.”
As soon as he finished speaking, another man came out of the building. He had a rope in his hands and the rope was tied around Natalie’s wrists. He pulled her forward as though she were a dog on a leash. She had been gagged, and even from his distance, Keith could see that she had been crying. Her clothes had been torn in many different places and Keith could see bruises down her legs and hands. She had a fresh black eye and a purple bruise down the side of her face.
“You motherFUCKER!” Keith screamed, unable to contain his rage.
Kovic laughed and nodded to the man who was pulling Natalie along. He led her to the center of the empty parking lot, until she was standing right between Kovic and Keith. He dropped the rope and turned her so that she was facing Keith. Natalie’s eyes were round with terror, and they looked at Keith with pleading.
“This is my new offer,” Kovic said pleasantly. “Give me the girl and walk away, and you will be allowed to live. What do you say?”
“Fuck you,” Keith hissed.
Kovic sighed. “I thought you might say that, so I had a backup deal in mind.”
He raised his gun ceremoniously and pointed it at Natalie’s back. Keith froze in place, and at the same time, he saw Natalie tense, as though she sensed that death was at her back.
“If you can reach Natalie before my bullet does… then… you win.”
“No,” Keith said as panic clutched his throat. “No…”
The blast of the gun was like a canon. There was a second between the sound and the clawing gasp that escaped Natalie as she went rigid suddenly. Keith stared at her mid run, willing her to stay upright despite knowing she was already falling, the bullet had made contact, and he was too late. He was too late.
She was on the dirt and dust of the hard ground before Keith reached her. He wasn’t aware of anything or anyone else except the dying woman in front of him. He grabbed Natalie the moment he reached her and cradled her head in his arms. It was like a run of the mill action movie, where the hero finds his love interest in the last scene, except that Keith knew this story would not have a happy ending. He was finding it hard to accept what had just happened. He kept thinking of the hero and heroine in the movie and wondering if this was some strange dream he was in and perhaps it was all an act.
Natalie turned her eyes on him. They looked like they were on fire, but he realized that her tears were playing tricks on his eyes. She was only crying in farewell. Keith shook his head to dislodge that thought. Perhaps if he believed strongly enough, she would live.
“Natalie,” he whispered, hoping that his voice would give her the strength she needed. “Natalie.”
“We should have left town,” she said and then coughed. When she spoke, blood gushed from her mouth, staining her lips, wetting her tongue and making her seem otherworldly somehow.
“I know,” Keith said, holding her tighter. “I know we should have; I’m so sorry, Natalie.”
She shook her head and tried to speak but more blood gushed out and she was silenced. Keith instinctively put his hand over the blood oozing from her chest, but he knew it would do nothing. The bullet had punctured straight through, and in a moment of delirious devastation, Keith wondered if his own gang had supplied the gun in Kovic’s hands.
She started shaking suddenly, her body convulsed in pain and Keith could see her eyes roll back in her head as she started to lose her grip on life.
“No,” was all Keith could say. He didn’t think about it; he was just saying the only thing that made sense in that moment. “Natalie… please… no.”
This Savage Love: A Bad Boy Romance Boxed Set Page 70
