by Beck, J. L.
“It’s a shame. You could’ve ended up working with the rest of us had you just stuck around after high school. You could’ve had the money and the girl.” The man mocked me.
Hate was rolling off me in waves, and I gripped at the ropes that bound my hands behind my back.
“Didn’t really care much for joining the business, dude. Had better things to do with my life than get drunk and high. Oh, and gamble. I mean, you do know there are better things to do than illegal shit, right?” I shot back at him. A fist came out of nowhere, knocking me upside my head.
What a fucking prick.
“Don’t! Please stop!” Tegan cried out. I heard rustling followed by a pair of footsteps and what sounded like the ripping of a piece of duct tape.
“Put that over Princess’s lips. I don’t want to listen to her bellowing for the next thirty minutes,” the mystery man said gruffly.
I sat there, a warm trickle of blood sliding down the side of my face. My previous head wound was now broken open. What was it with these fuckers and headshots?
“Now back to you, Devon.” Asshole laughed.
“Stop beating around the bush. If you’re going to kill us, just fucking do it already.”
“Well, that wouldn’t be much fun, now would it?” Actually, it would be. I knew they weren’t going to just kill us outright. No, they were going to wait for whoever it was who wanted to see us. That’s how this worked, how these guys worked. Then they would separate me from Tegan, only to try to play us against each other before taking us both out or killing just me.
“You must’ve gotten some Intel somewhere about the shit we were doing down here. You even had some cops scoping out the diner. You think my boss is stupid or something, you thought he wouldn’t sniff you out? You’re a pig. We can smell your shit a mile away.” He didn’t ask. He stated… Then he did something that set fire to my veins. He oinked at me.
Taunting me.
He didn’t know shit. He was baiting me. He wanted to see if I would snitch on myself. That alone told me he knew nothing about who I really was because, if he did, he would know snitching wasn’t on my resume.
My head was spinning trying to figure out what the fuck he was talking about. I didn’t have anyone scoping out the diner… No one knew I was here.
“Answer me, fuckwad.” He shoved at my chest causing me to clench my jaw together so I wouldn’t say something that would get us killed. I felt trapped, like a bull in a china shop.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.
“Of course, you don’t. I mean, that explains why you’re bound and tied like the fucking pig you are. Right? Aye, boys, we should’ve hogtied his ass.” He faked a laugh before punching me in my stomach, which knocked the wind out of me, triggering me to collapse sideways onto the marble flooring. Muffled screams filled the air as Tegan tried to scream over the tape that was being used to keep her quiet.
“Shut. Her. Up. Or I’ll make the little bitch sorry she opened her pretty little mouth.” Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to keep my mouth shut. They could, would, and already were using her against me. Hurting me meant hurting her and if they had to, they would do so.
Get it together, Devon.
“You’re a liar, a fucking little miss piggy. A pathetic piece of shit FBI agent who can’t even get out of these restraints, who didn’t even get his ‘protection’ when he decided to go check things out. Like you didn’t expect us to discover your ‘hideout.’ What do you think we do all day? Sit with our thumbs up our asses?”
He didn’t want me to answer that. Hell, I didn’t want to answer that. My body couldn’t handle another blow.
I could feel him get into my personal space. My body vibrated with energy as he grew closer. “You’re distracted, fucked up, and it’s showing in your actions. You call yourself the good guy.” He laughed, and every time the noise hit my ears, I felt the need to rip his vocal cords right from his throat. I wanted this fucker to shut up, but more so, I wanted to be the one to shut him the fuck up.
“You want to take the big guys down a notch, huh? Why? All because you think you’re better than us while the scum who is your parents runs through your blood? You may have left this town, but it doesn’t change who you really are.”
“I don’t think I’m better than anyone…” I paused. “I just know I’m better.”
Silence filled the air, but I knew better than to assume he would let that statement fly. And I was right—not a moment later did his booted foot hit my stomach causing the air to leave my body. Once again, pain exploded through my abdomen causing me to grunt. I inhaled another breath just as another harsh kick landed in the same spot.
Breathe through it. Focus on Tegan. Focus on anything but the pain.
“You’re not better than us.” I could feel his breath hot against the fabric on my face. “You’re a weak piece of shit that should’ve been aborted at birth. You’re nothing to this town.” Hate was spat at me while his boot continued to assault me. I forced myself into the fetal position, trying to protect the most vital parts of my body. How long could I hold onto the light? How long?
Every blow caused a piece of me to break. My bones were strong, my body could handle the torment, but everything he was saying was hitting me right where it hurt the most. My heart.
I closed the door to my past a long fucking time ago. I knew coming back here would force me to face everything. Everything I ran.
I needed to block out the pain to block out Tegan’s hurtful screams. The fact that Tegan needed me, and I needed to do whatever I could to protect her hit me next. I needed to save her, that’s what all of this was for. If I pretended to be okay, then maybe she would calm down and they wouldn’t feel the need to harm her. Maybe, just maybe, if I played my cards right, I could get us both out of here alive.
“Pick this bitch up and carry him into the boss’s office. Bring that bitch, too,” he said out of breath from the kicks he had repeatedly delivered to me. I listened as his footfalls sounded off in the distance. He was walking away.
I winced in pain as I scooted across the smooth marble floor. I wouldn’t let the brokenness of my body stop me from getting to her. If I can just get near her, touch her warm flesh beneath my hands, I kept telling myself. That was the only proof I would ever need.
I needed to touch her. I needed to make sure she was okay.
“Oh, no, you don’t,” a new voice said. I turned my head in the direction of the voice, trying to see through the bag. Before I could make another move or even respond to him, an electrical shock shot through me.
Everything became one big mass of flashing lights as I fought to move, to do something. I could hear the thump of my heartbeat vibrating in my ears while fire exploded throughout my veins. Every nerve in my body resisted movement as I focused on that beat of my heart.
Thump, thump, thump. Blue eyes so deep, they could drown me…
Thump, thump. Hair so red, it could set my soul on fire…
Thump. A love so deep, I’d die for it.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Tegan
TEARS STAINED MY cheeks as they untied me and shoved me down the hallway. My feet were uncoordinated, so I stumbled for the first couple of steps. I thought about running, trying to escape, but how far would that attempt get me? The chances of finding Devon were already slim to none, and I knew I wouldn’t leave this place without him. I would rather there be a bullet put in my head before I walked out of here alone.
Turning briefly, I gazed at the men over my shoulder. They looked like simple people. Just like you and me except they were anything but a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I wondered how many people they thought they had fooled.
Tugging at the edge of Devon’s shirt, I watched their eyes fill with lust and linger over my body. Having only his shirt on with my legs exposed made me uncomfortable and self-conscious as fear coursed through me. I was afraid they would try something if given the chance. Afraid if I moved the wrong way they w
ould get a look at something they didn’t deserve.
Anxiety was a tumble weed in my belly as one of the men held me much too close to their body. I didn’t trust him. I didn’t trust any of them. The one person I did trust was God knows where.
I hoped—no, I prayed with every piece of faith in me that somehow he would find a way and he would save us. When they tased Devon, a part of me shattered. Even with the tape covering my mouth, the screeching from my screams surrounded us.
Watching as the man continuously kicked him as he laid there defenseless made me feel something I had never felt before. At that moment I knew, I fucking knew if given the chance to inflict the same type of pain on him as he had on Dev, I would take it. That’s all I thought about as I went from hysterical to downright livid.
Pay attention to your surroundings, Teg. Always listen but act like you aren’t. You’d be amazed at the shit people say when they think no one is listening. I could hear his voice in my head, the warmth of it encasing me in a comforting blanket as he guided me.
From the looks of things, we were back at the Diamond Royale, and I was on my way to see the man they kept referring to as the Boss. Psh, I wanted to laugh. What kind of boss was he if he had these men doing his dirty work? Was the big bad boss afraid to smudge his nail polish? He wasn’t a boss. He was a pussy if you asked me.
I didn’t want to meet him, and I definitely did not want to know who he was. I mean, didn’t people only see the person in charge right before they died? I wasn’t ready to die so as far as I was concerned, I had no reason for a meet and greet. All I needed was for them to honor the couple of months I had left to pay Jamie’s debt and let Dev and me go. I would do whatever I could for him, even if it meant begging, and I don’t get on my knees for just anyone.
With a steel grip on my arm, the fucking creep pushed me through two large Mahogany colored doors, my nervousness showing as I tripped over my own two feet.
“Clumsy bitch,” the one holding my arm mumbled under his breath. I ignored his comment and glanced around in search of anything that could clue me into who I was about to meet.
My eyes swept around the room, and I noticed it was simple, yet elegant. Like a ‘we don’t sit and eat in that room unless it’s a holiday’ elegant. Everything was completely bare, no names or pictures adorned the walls. This guy must be a stiff. Who doesn’t have a picture on the wall, not even one? Not even one fucking picture of an animal? He probably killed that too, or maybe it escaped like I wanted to do.
A desk sat in front of me, the coloring matching the doors we had just walked through. Where is Devon, what did they do with him if he isn’t in here? Panic seized me as I looked around the room praying it was all in my imagination.
A throat cleared dragging me from my thoughts. I turned around just as a well put together man grabbed onto my shoulders, forcing me into one of the chairs that were placed in front of the desk. Once I was seated, he came to stand in front of me, kneeling down until we were at eye level.
This man was a fucking Italian stallion with his dark, just-fucked hair, and his honey colored eyes. From his body, which looked as if it had been sculpted by the Gods themselves to his hands… my God, his hands were huge. At that thought, a little bell went off inside my head. Those hands were lethal, in more ways than one. Was I delusional? I had to be. There was no other option. I shook my head. Devon was missing and I could be killed at any point in time. How could I be thinking these things?
“I’ll remove this duct tape if you can keep quiet.” His voice was low and menacing. Yet looking into his eyes, I felt like I could trust him. Like he was telling me that everything would be okay. That I would be okay.
“Will you be quiet? I mean it. No screaming, no crying, nothing.” He looked at me in a caring manner as I nodded my head yes. I watched his hand reach out and then he was pulling on the edge of the tape, slowly ripping it from my mouth.
One minute turned into two and then two turned into five as I sat here quietly. I wondered what would happen next and when nothing did, my fear spiked. I didn’t know what to expect and that was beginning to fuck with me.
I wiggled in my chair uneasily as my eyes scanned the distance between the door and where I was sitting. I wanted out, to be free, but was that a risk worth taking?
“I wouldn’t even think about doing that. I will snap your neck in less than five seconds flat.” Gone was his nurturing nature and in its place was something far darker. My eyes grew wide as my pulse jumped.
I had to do something. The silence was killing me, and I couldn’t let them hurt Devon anymore because of me.
“Where is he? Please. Please, just tell me where he is,” I begged him. The look on his face told me he didn’t know. Nor did he care. I could sit here and wait for death to be served, or I could run. It was then I decided to take my chance because, at this rate, I was a dead woman walking. I took a deep breath and pushed from the chair heading straight for the doors.
I didn’t even make it two steps before I felt a hand yanking me by my hair. In three seconds flat, he had placed me back in my chair. His hand snaked down my neck, applying pressure as he pushed me forward and slammed me onto the desk. My chest felt the impact first as his fingers dug into the flesh of my neck. I found myself gripping the edge of Devon’s shirt like it was my last lifeline as I stretched the fabric to keep myself covered.
“Do not fuck with me.” He leaned over me, pressing his lips to my ear. “You know what happened the last time a bitch tried me? I doubt you want to know, but just in case you are thinking of doing something stupid again, let me make myself perfectly fucking clear.”
He pulled away suddenly as he reached for something. My mind was reeling, thinking about a million different things that he could possibly be reaching for. When he lingered back over me, I felt the coolness of his blade against my skin. I wanted to scream, to beg and plead, but my voice was stuck in my throat. He trailed the blade up my leg and over my hip bone, not stopping until the blade was in my line of sight.
“I will fucking gut you and word of advice—if you make it out of here alive, don’t ever take my kindness for fucking weakness.” He roughly squeezed my neck before removing his hand. “Get off my boss’s fucking desk and sit the fuck back down.” He spewed at me as he eyed me up and down.
I pushed myself from the smoothness of the wood pressing against my chest. On wobbly legs, I took a couple steps back until the backs of my legs landed against the chair. I kept my eyes on the floor unable to muster up enough courage to look up at him. Not only did he scare the ever loving shit out of me, but also he called my bluff. He knew I would disobey him. It’s like he expected me to because the second I did, his eyes lit up with a desire for blood. Like a predatory lion who had found his next prey.
I sat in the chair helplessly, my knees knocking together as I shook in fear. I gripped the side of the chair, my nails digging into the wood. I couldn’t take it anymore. I wanted to stay strong, but the agonizing feeling of shattering and ending this all took over.
Just when I was about to tell the man in front of me to kill me, I heard two men talking and then the door I had been brought in through reopened. My eyes landed on them briefly before transcending down to the body they were pulling into the room. In each hand was an arm that was connected to the man I loved.
“Devon,” I cried out before muffling my voice with my hand. I had never seen him just barely clinging to the light. His body wasn’t moving, and I wasn’t even sure he was still alive.
“He can’t hear you, Princess. I made sure of that,” the heavier, snaggle-toothed man said as they threw Devon’s body onto the floor. He was the same one who had repeatedly kicked Devon. Remembering the pain that jerked through his body with each impact had me speaking up.
“Leave him alone,” I growled, which was the wrong thing to say at that time. In a bat of an eyelash, he was in my face, gripping my chin so painfully, I could feel tears forming.
“I will do whatever t
he fuck I want to do.” He sneered in my face like a slithering snake. His breath was repulsive and it took every bit of my will not to puke in his face. His hand slid over my thigh, caressing my warm flesh as bile continued to rise. His hands on me pushed me past my comfort zone, and I quickly released my grip from the edge of the chair. Grabbing his hand as I purposefully dug my nails into his skin, I pushed his hand away, which only caused him to grip my chin harder.
“Let her go, Davis. Boss will fuck you up if you hurt her.” What a load of crock? He had just slammed me onto that desk and pulled a knife on me. He was one to talk. What this guy was doing was lollipops and rainbows compared to what he had just done.
Davis, the fucking creep, stared at me before releasing me with a shove. My chest heaved as anxiety filled my belly. What if we never got out of here? What if something was really wrong with Devon? What if he was really… I couldn’t even think it.
Silence filled the room allowing me to hear footsteps coming down the same hallway that I had been forced to take. With each step, the heaviness of this person’s shoes clicked louder and louder. I breathed deeply and readied myself for whoever was going to enter this room.
I watched as Davis walked to the door, opening it for the person on the other side. My jaw clenched and my eyes bulged out of my head when I caught a glimpse of who it was.
Dark hair, dark eyes. A three piece suit tailored just for him.
Tony?
I couldn’t even form a word. My throat was dry and rage consumed me as I got out of my chair and crossed the room. Raising my hand to him, I released a hard slap across his face without even thinking. All I saw was blind rage. I had trusted him. I had confided in him and here he was in the middle of it all.
The smack sounded through the room and time stood still. His eyes turned to steel before me as he gripped me by the throat. I could feel the oxygen being cut off, as his grip grew tighter and tighter.
“That is no way to greet the man who has loved you this whole time. The man who has protected you from the evilness of this town.” I could hardly hear his words because I was gasping for air. He must’ve seen the faraway look in my eyes because he released me shoving me back a couple steps.
