He was pretty sure she hadn’t been easy on them. The smile died before it hit his lips when he saw the blood crusted in her hairline and the trickle that came from her bottom lip and ran down her chin. The rage he’d felt towards Jackson was intensified by a hundred thousand times. He was using all of the energy in his body to keep from killing someone with his bare hands and he wasn’t sure if it was going to be enough.
Paige had her pretty eyes trained on his face. He tried to draw strength from her. If he had one wish it would be that he could go back to this morning and have the guts to tell her that he loves her...and convince her to run away with him. But, he couldn’t go back so now he needed to man up and get her the hell out of here. Then, he would find a way to tell her...and to be with her. He was sick and tired of living his life according to someone else’s design. If he lived through this day, from this day forward, no one would keep him from her and no one would tell them how to live their lives.
“Welcome Damien, thank you for coming.” The sound of Lucas’s voice was like nails on a chalkboard to him. He shook that off too and turned to face him. Lucas was as well-dressed and confident looking as ever. He looked and sounded like Damien was just there for a social call. That was until he realized Damien wasn’t carrying anything. “Where is it?”
“Alex has it. He’s waiting to hear from me that Paige is out of here unharmed. Although I see that will be stretching the word.” He looked back over at her. His heart ached.
“That wasn’t the way this was supposed to go down.”
“Right, because I was supposed to trust you...not fucking going to happen.”
“Then maybe I should kill you both right now. Alex has as much to lose as I do if those files go public.”
“Nah...not as much. Alex’s name is not on any of them and he’s not the one heard in the video planning to cheat my father either. I think you’re pretty much screwed if any of that comes out. Alex is my father’s golden child. Either way, he’ll be okay.”
“I will kill you...if not today, someday, you can count on that.”
“Bring it. But as far as today goes if you want what I have, you have your goons untie Paige and she walks out of here first. Then you’ve got me...Alex will bring you what you want and if you choose to kill Jackson Paine’s sons...then God help you.”
Lucas looked like he was seriously considering shooting Damien in the face, probably just because it would make him feel so much better. What Damien said was sinking in however. Lucas had no idea that Jackson already knew about the audio file...It was likely that Lucas didn’t even know it existed. He also didn’t know about Damien and Kevin. He was willing to kill Kevin to get at Paige...but killing Jackson’s sons would be signing his own death warrant and he knew it.
“Call him.”
“Let Paige go.” Lucas jerked his head at the two goons standing on either side of her. They untied her, roughly. Once again Damien had to check his temper. They dragged her to her feet but she looked like she wasn’t going to be able to stand on her own. “Take her out front. Alex will be there with a car as soon as I call him. She goes in the car before he steps out. Once she drives away...you get what you want.” Paige was trying to shake her head at him, but Damien turned away. His heart was breaking. The goons looked to Lucas for confirmation.
He nodded. He was pissed. Paige’s eyes looked frantic. Damien was actually glad he couldn’t hear her voice because he wasn’t sure that he could take it. He swallowed the lump in his throat and turned back towards Lucas. He couldn’t watch her being taken away from him without being able to tell her that he loved her...and he would find her, someway, somehow.
Chapter 22
As soon as Paige was outside the door Damien text Alex. Then, they waited. Five guns were still trained on his head as Lucas continued to stare him down. Damien breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the sound of the car driving in out front. He heard a car door slam twice...and he thought he heard Paige’s voice...but he had to block that out. Seconds later he heard the car driving away and his brother was being brought into the warehouse with a package in his hands.
“Welcome Alex,” Lucas said. “I must say that I was surprised you were willing to help your brother. Since he’s fallen out of favor with your father, that can’t be good for your relationship with him, can it?”
“I’ll worry about my father,” Alex told Lucas as he tossed him the envelope. “After you see what’s in there, I suggest you do the same.”
Lucas pulled out what was inside the envelope. He held the USB’s in his hands and called for one of his men to bring him the laptop. The first one he stuck in was the audio of him and the Columbian arranging Jackson’s business demise. Damien watched his face for any signs that he knew his life was over...but he was as good as Jackson, it was blank. He did stop it before it was over and stick in the next one. This was the one that listed out deliveries and cargo. After he glanced at that one, he fanned through the papers in his hand and then looked back up at the brothers and said, “It looks as if I’m in deep shit with your father...I suppose that I can’t make it much worse.” He looked at the two men holding guns on them and said, “Kill them.”
He took a step back and before he could take another, the two men with the guns were thrown backwards as bullets ripped through the chest of each of them. Lucas’s brothers were looking up and a few shots were fired off before they were all dropped like flies in a matter of seconds. One of the men standing in the loft above them tossed Alex a gun which he trained on Lucas. All of that took place in a matter of seconds. When all of the men with Lucas were dead and the dust settled, Jackson stepped into the warehouse. Now Lucas’s face was no longer impassive he looked like he was about to shit his pants.
“Hello Lucas. I’m not sure I heard you correctly as I was coming in...what with all the gunfire. Did you just order your men to kill my boys?” Lucas was looking around the room at the bodies of his brothers. Damien couldn’t tell if what he saw in the older man’s eyes was grief over the loss of his family or the fear of losing his own life. Either way, it was clear that he knew he’d pushed his on again, off-again friendship with Jackson too far.
“I’m not myself Jackson...you know that. Your stepdaughter killed my boy. How am I supposed to think clearly?”
“You’re not. I’d feel the same way...the difference is I would have killed you first before I went after your kids. That was your mistake.”
“They’re all alive...I didn’t kill any of them...maybe we can back up and....” Jackson pulled the trigger and Lucas’s head exploded. That bile that Damien had been choking down all day rose back up to the back of his throat. It wasn’t even that Lucas’s death bothered him...it was that photo he’d seen of Kevin earlier. Jackson brushed off his jacket and put his gun away before looking at Damien and Alex and saying,
“Are you two ready to get out of here?”
Damien looked up; Jackson’s men had replaced the dead Kramer men in the loft. He didn’t have a choice...if he refused to go with Jackson now, he was dead. He glanced at his brother who still looked as calm as if he’d taken a valium right before this all started. They both followed Jackson to the door, stepping carefully around the bodies on the floor. Just as they were going out the door Damien saw Alex check the clip on the gun he was still holding. Jackson got into the car first and then Alex. Damien slid in next to his brother.
“Take us to the restaurant,” Jackson told the driver. In that brief second that he was distracted, Damien felt his brother nudge his hand with a piece of cold metal. He looked down and closed his hand over the Glock 9mm that Alex had laid inside of it. Damien looked at his brother...Alex had just given him permission to kill his father.
Damien wondered what kind of relationship two men who had killed each other’s fathers could possibly have. Unfortunately, he couldn’t worry about that right now. He let his finger hover over the trigger of the Glock. He used his thumb to slide off the safety. “Call Brad and tell him to get
over there,” Jackson said to Alex, “We need to have a family meeting.” Alex took out his phone and pressed in a number. In a few seconds he said,
“We’re headed to the restaurant now. Dad wants you there.” He ended the call and Jackson continued to look at him. At last he said,
“My disappointment in you runs deep. You were the one I was supposed to be able to count on...the only child I had left that I could trust.” He paused, but like Damien it was likely that Jackson knew Alex wasn’t going to apologize or beg for his life. His brother sat straight up and returned his father’s stare.
“It’s a sad day when the hired help can be trusted more than family. There was a time when I believed nothing more than that the two of you would lay down your lives for me if you had to...but not any longer. What am I supposed to do with that?” Neither of them said anything, still. He went on to say, “I felt physical pain when I was told that Kevin was still alive...and this,” he said, flapping the file and looking at Damien, “Is the ultimate betrayal. Your mistake was the same one your father made...caught up in the clutches of a beautiful woman. Unfortunately in this business, women who don’t know their place get men killed. I’d like to give you both another chance...I still care very deeply about you both...but Damien, I can see the hate in your eyes for me. You think you’re in love with that girl and the man you suddenly want to call Father is dead. I would have to spend so much of my time looking over my shoulder that I’d never get any business done. And Alex, you’ve proven where your loyalty lies.”
Jackson didn’t seem surprised as the car began to glide off the side of the road. The driver was pulling them into an alley behind the restaurant. Jackson began to slide his hand down inside of his jacket. He laughed when Damien pointed the gun in his hand at him.
“You’re going to kill me, right here?”
“Yes. I wish I would have done it years ago.”
Jackson looked at Alex and said, “And you? You think you’ve got it made if he kills me. You’ll move in and take over...be the big man? Brad won’t let that happen.”
Alex didn’t flinch as he said, “Brad’s dead.”
On that note, Damien pulled the trigger. As soon as Jackson’s chest exploded the driver’s door opened. Alex took the gun out of his brother’s hand and opened the back door. He shot the driver before he'd gotten six feet away. Then he turned to his brother and said,
“Jesus, fuck! I thought you were going to wait until he killed me to use that fucking gun.”
“I wasn’t going to let him shoot you, obviously.”
“Could have fooled me.”
“You’re still alive, aren’t you? What the fuck are you complaining about?”
“Come on, we can’t leave him there.” The driver was sprawled out in the middle of the alley only steps away from being able to turn the corner and make it to safety. Damien helped Alex pick him up and carry him to the limo. They dumped his body into the trunk and Alex slammed it down, then they both got into the front seat and Alex started up the car. He sat there for a long time before finally saying, “I can’t believe that he’s really dead.”
“I’m sorry man. I didn’t have a choice...
“What the fuck are you sorry for? He was going to kill both of us.”
“I know...but he’s your father...”
“You’re still speaking to me and you think I killed your father.”
“You did it to save Paige...Wait, what do you mean, I think?”
“Kevin’s fine. He’s in Rhode Island.”
Damien’s emotions were going crazy. He didn’t know what to feel first. “I saw pictures....Who?”
“Brad,” Alex said.
“Fuck!” Damien grabbed his brother and hugged him again. Alex pat his back and then pushed him away.
“I didn’t do it for you. I did it for me. I was going to have to fight that dumb son of a bitch when we all know I’m a hell of a lot smarter and I’ll make a damned good leader.” Damien laughed. He knew that it was an inappropriate time...but it was either that or cry and he hadn’t cried since his mother died. Alex glanced into the backseat. “Paige is on her way to Rhode Island too.”
“How did you do that?”
“Money and a promise to move the guy up in the organization works wonders,” he said. “Now let’s get out of here. We have a big, fucking mess to clean up. Oh and by the way, I know what fucking day today is.” Damien had almost forgotten about his text. He smiled. Today was the anniversary of their mother’s death...the day they both promised her two things: One that they wouldn’t turn out like Jackson...and two, that they would always have each other’s backs no matter what. Damien wanted to hug him again, but it was likely Alex would kill him if he did.
Chapter 23
Two days later Alex, Damien, Paige and Kevin accompanied Jake to the Federal Plaza in New York City. Alex gathered everything he could find that would bring what was left of the Paine and Kramer organizations to their knees. Damien was armed with the evidence he already had and everything else he’d learned over the past ten years. Kevin’s knowledge went back almost fifty years.
He told Damien he was tired and he wanted it to be over. The only thing he asked was that his sister be left out of it. She could continue to manage the restaurant...her crimes were small compared to the rest of them anyways. None of them had any objections to that. Paige of course had the evidence Greg left for her as well as what Tommy had told her. They were all quietly contemplating their fate as they walked into the office of Special Agent Lee Barber. Jake had briefed them on what would happen and asked them all to let him do all of the talking until they agreed to an interview, and then he’d be there too.
“Jake! Good to see you!” Agent Barber stood up and shook Jake’s hand. He was a huge man, towering over all three of the other men.
“You too Lee, thanks,” Jake told him. “This is Alex and Damien Paine, Kevin Paine and Paige Acosta. Thanks for letting us do it this way.” They all shook hands with the agent as well.
“Have a seat,” the agent told them all. As they sat down, Damien reached for Paige’s hand. She gave it to him and squeezed his. She was trying not to be nervous. Although he was confident, Jake had told them all there were no guarantees that charges wouldn’t be brought against any of them for their past crimes. There was no guarantee that they would be granted any kind of immunity...Paige was afraid Damien would have to go to jail. “To be honest Jake, I’m not sure what it is that we’re doing. I gathered from our conversation that these people have some information they want to share with our Organized Crime Department.”
“Yes, but first we need to know that they’ll be safe from prosecution.”
Lee looked around the room and said, “I’ll need to bring my Special Agent in Charge in on this.”
“Okay, but like I said, before they say anything at all I need to hear the word “Immunity.”
Lee laughed. “You haven’t changed a bit.”
Jake smiled. “You know two things about me Lee, I’m not going to give any less than 100% of myself to my clients and I’m not going to take a client unless I’m absolutely certain they have the potential to rise above whatever situation they’re in. These people have all actually become friends of mine...” he looked at Alex and Alex’s lips quirked. He was the only one that Jake still didn’t trust, but true to his word as always, Jake was going to represent him with the same vengeance he would the others.
“Jackson Paine is missing,” the agent said, “And so is Lucas Kramer. Might they know something about that?”
“They might,” Jake said. “Might your Special agent in charge like to be here so you don’t have to run back and forth like a cheap car salesman?”
Lee laughed again.
*****
Half an hour later they had all been moved down to the hall to a conference room where the conversation could be taped and everyone involved could sit around a table comfortably. Lee Barber had brought in his partner, a man named Agent Sterlin
g and his boss, or Special Agent in Charge, a man named Agent Gold. There was also an administrative assistant in the room to record notes. Agent Gold began by saying,
“I’m authorized to grant temporary immunity to the four of you until we’ve heard what you have to say...” Jake stood up and so did Alex. Kevin was next and Damien pulled Paige up to her feet next to him. “Come on...you don’t expect me to grant four people full immunity before I’ve even heard what they have to say...”
“Apparently you don’t understand what you have here in this room. You have the brother of the head of the biggest drug syndicate in New York State. You have both of his sons. You have his step-daughter who is also the sister of an N.Y.P.D. officer who was murdered by the rival family...the Kramer’s, not to mention her brother’s partner who was also murdered as well. If you’re half as smart as your title implies that you are you’ll be able to get just how important what they have to say will be to you. You can clean up half the crime in this city as well as stop a huge influx of drugs and guns from coming in...or, you can offer them temporary immunity and they can walk out.”
Special Agent Gold looked at his two subordinate agents. It was obvious they wanted him to give them the immunity. They seemed to be dying to hear what they have to say. He looked back at Jake and the others and said, “Have a seat. I’ll be right back.” He stood and left the room. Paige couldn’t help but be impressed with Jake and appreciative that they’d gotten lucky enough to know him. Another attorney might not be as determined to help them.
It was almost an excruciating hour later when he came back. He had another young agent with him who was balancing a stack of paperwork in his arms. He sat back down and motioned at the other agent to do the same. He took the first paper off the stack and handed it to Jake. Whatever it said, Jake wasn’t pleased...he handed it right back.
House of Paine - (A Romantic Suspense - Book 2) Page 12
