“Okay, good to know,” I said as I got up and started pacing the plane. This seemed like the longest plane ride of my life. Not even the flight home from New York when I’d abandoned Leila was this torturous.
“Man, sit the hell down. You’re makin’ me nervous and she ain’t even my girl,” Ridge barked. Ridge didn’t know the meaning of nervous. Nothing stressed him out. Being a Marine in Special Forces made all this seem trivial. If there weren’t men shooting at him, he was unfazed.
She’s not really mine.
Did I like her? Sure.
Was she hotter than hell? Absolutely.
Did I want to see where things might lead? Hells yeah.
Did I want to tie myself down to her and only her? That, I wasn’t too sure of just yet.
Until I was sure, I needed to stop laying claim to someone I wasn’t sure I wanted to wake up next to indefinitely, but I’d be damned if anyone else was going to lay one finger on her. So, for the foreseeable future, she was mine. She just didn’t know it yet.
But she would.
While I was scrolling through contracts on my iPad, Damon sat down across from me. “Hey, man, you got a minute?”
“Of course. What’s up? You’ve been pretty quiet. You all right?” Aside from a few random outings, I hadn’t seen or heard much from him in the last couple of months. I had a feeling it might be due to a female. One he was awfully tight-lipped about.
“Yeah, I’m good, man. I just have a lot of shit on my mind.”
“Wouldn’t have to do with a particular woman, would it?” It would be good to see Damon happy with someone other than the revolving door of pussy he normally entertained.
“Maybe,” he said, not giving anything away. His face was stoic, almost sad.
“Then why do you look like someone kicked your puppy?” I pressed.
“I met someone a few months ago and she was going through a hard time. She lost somebody and took it harder than she let on. Anyway, it started off as just a friendly drink when we ran into each other at a bar one night. Fast forward to the next morning, I woke up in her bed. Alone. There was a note saying she had to go to work, to lock up when I left,” he sighed.
“Holy shit, man. She gave you the brush off.” Karma had reared her ugly head in his direction for a change.
“Asshole. Do you wanna hear the rest or are you just gonna bust my balls?”
“Yeah, man.” I stifled my smirk. “Keep going.”
“Anyway, I thought that was that. Not a big deal, it was just sex. Yeah, okay, the best mind-blowing sex I’ve had in years. Hell, maybe even ever. The things she could do, B.” He rolled his eyes and bit down on his knuckles dramatically. Shaking my head, he got back on track. “So about a week later, I was out at Proof meeting some of the guys from work for a drink when she walked in. She was supposed to be meeting a friend there too, but I convinced her to ditch her plans and head back to her place.”
“Wait,” I just had to interrupt, something wasn’t sitting right with me. Damon would be the first one to hit it then quit it, but the few times the roles were reversed, he freaked out wanting to know why. He may be a rich playboy, but he could be pretty insecure. “You went back for seconds and didn’t even bother to ask her about her bailing on you?”
“I’m getting to that.” He sat expressionless. “So, anyway, we got back to her place and I finally asked her what the deal was. She told me she wasn’t looking for anything serious, just a friend with”—he used ridiculous air quotes—“benefits. Which I was totally down with. I’m not looking to settle down or anything. So, fast forward a couple of weeks, and one night we’re goin’ at it and I’m just about to get off and she hollered some other dude’s name.”
“Fucking epic,” I cackled. “Sorry, man, but that’s the kind of shit you only ever hear about in movies. What did you say?”
“What the fuck do you think I said? I finished, pulled my dick out and rolled. She apologized and shit but I didn’t wanna hear that. I just split and told her that she needed to call him the next time she needed dick. Then that’s when she dropped the fuckin’ bomb. The dude’s name she called me was the ex-boyfriend who just died.” He hung his head and sighed. “I felt like a prick, man. There she was sitting on the bed, wrapped in a sheet, crying over her dead ex, and I’m over here thinkin’ she’s some kind of bitch who’s into mind fucks.”
“What did you do?”
“The only thing I could do. I left. What else could I have done? Sit and wipe her tears away while she cried over some dead dude’s dick? I mean, I felt bad, but still.” He shrugged.
“So that was the end of that and it’s haunting you?” I couldn’t figure out why a few fucks would have him so torn up.
“No. It would probably be easier if that was, but that was at the end of June. Fourth of July, I ran into her at a neighbor’s party when I was stayin’ at the beach house on Sullivan’s. She was drunk and I was half-lit myself, one thing led to another and that turned into a three-day fuckfest at my place. I think that’s when things really became friends with benefits. She talked to me about her ex and how he died and how she hasn’t been able to talk to anyone about it before me. We actually got to know each other; it was pretty cool. She’s pretty cool. She’s like one of the guys, but with a pussy and killer tits. And did I say she’s a freak between the sheets. That chick bends like a pretzel.” He looked up. “Thank you, Yoga Gods.”
“So what is the problem? Sounds to me like you got a good thing going. Why are you worried?” I asked.
“It’s been six months, man. I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop. ’Cause you know it’s gonna. Right now, she acts like my money don’t mean shit to her, but we both know that’s gonna change. Just like her sayin’ she doesn’t want anything more than a fuck-buddy. I’m just waiting for the we-need-to-talk speech, ya know?”
“If it’s bothering you that much, then ask her. What’s the big deal? Either she wants more or she doesn’t. The question is, do you?” I proposed.
“Nah, she’s cool and all, but I’m not ready to settle down. And her schedule sucks ass. One day she’s off then she works like three or four days straight, then she’s off for a week. I don’t know, it’s weird.” He stared out the window then focused back on me when I started to speak again.
“Yeah, I remember those days with Leila. She always had a crazy schedule like that.” As I finished my sentence, the elevator hit the top floor. The look in his eye when I said Lei’s name gave it all away. “Holy shit. What’s her name, D?”
Realizing he had divulged too much, he refused to look at me and went back to staring out the window into the abyss of blue skies and fluffy clouds. “Settle down, B. She’s no one you know.”
“So then tell me her name.” I knew damn right well who he was talking about.
“No.”
“Son of a bitch, you’re fucking Barb,” I half shouted.
“Shut up, would ya? I don’t want everyone knowing.” He kicked me under the wooden table.
Too late.
“What the fuck did you say?” Jax practically leapt from his chair and stalked our way. Drew was right behind him, tugging his arm the whole way. It was like holding back a snarling bear who had just woken up from hibernating and found all of his food gone. Jax was livid, but I couldn’t for the life of me imagine why.
“Whoa, big guy. Calm down,” Drew said, trying to reason with him.
“Fuck that. What did you say about Barb?” Jaxon asked me directly.
I gritted my jaw and looked to Damon. This was his story to tell. “I think you need to talk to Damon about this, Jax. I have nothing to do with it.”
“Thanks a lot, B,” Damon barked and kicked me in the shin under the table again.
“Fucker, stop kicking me or I will answer him,” I growled before standing up and moving away from the confrontation that was three words away from imploding.
“What’d you say, Damon? Why are you talkin’ about Barb with Brody?”
Jaxon continued to browbeat Damon.
“I didn’t say shit,” Damon denied.
“Bullshit,” Jaxon hollered, jerking his arm away from Drew. Sean quickly jumped between them. “Sean, I will snap you in half. Get the hell outta my face, bro,” Jaxon warned. “Start talkin’, D. What the fuck did you do to Barb?”
“Fuck you, Jax. I didn’t do anything she didn’t want.”
Well that did it. The third World War was about to commence on my plane over Lei’s crazy-ass best friend.
“I’ll fuckin’ rip your goddamned arms off and beat you to fuckin’ death with them. I swear to God.” Jaxon took a swing at Damon. Thankfully, D was a Golden Glove in college and ducked.
Time to intervene.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Boys, chill out. I think there’s been a little misunderstanding,” I said, trying to neutralize the situation.
Drew pushed Jaxon back a little. “Jax, chill the fuck out.”
“Jaxon, sit down and let him explain. D, explain with words that don’t make it sound so tawdry. Do you think y’all can do that?”
“Fine,” Jaxon grunted.
“All right,” Damon sighed and relaxed back in the chair.
“Damon, why don’t you explain what you told me? Jax, let him talk,” I laid down the ground rules.
“Barb and I started hanging out in June. It started out as a one-night thing and it just kinda sorta became…like, uhh, friends with benefits,” Damon nervously stuttered over his words. I was sure he thought Jax was ready to filet him like a fish. In D’s defense, Jaxon looked like was contemplating it.
“So, what you’re sayin’ is that you’re fuckin’ my best friend’s girl?” Jaxon said through a tightly clenched jaw, his lips barely moving.
“No, man. It’s not like that. I mean…it is, but—he’s gone, Jaxon. I know that fuckin’ sucks but she has a right to move on with her life and she’s torn the fuck up about it. She feels guilty like she’s betraying him or some shit. But the fact of the matter is he’s gone. She needed someone to talk to, to comfort her and that person is me.” Damon went for broke and laid it all out.
Jaxon was quiet, taking it all in and processing what Damon had just said. You could have heard a pin drop it was so quiet. All eyes were watching and waiting to see what Jaxon would do next.
I wasn’t sure if he would go all caveman on Damon or if he would he accept that Barb had a right to move on with her life.
Chapter Twenty
~Emmery~
The hum of the propeller was all I could hear when I woke up again. It felt like we were still in the air but with much less turbulence. My blindfold was still slightly askew, granting me a small view of my surroundings.
Still in the cargo hold of the smaller plane, I took inventory of my aches and pains. Ankle and leg, still broken. Ribs, pretty sure they were broken. Head, pounded like a jackhammer, which meant I probably had a concussion on top of the concussion from yesterday. Joy of all joys. I was wrapped in a blue and white scratchy blanket. It did little in the way of keeping me warm and surely did not pad the hard plastic floor I was laying on.
I thought about trying to talk to these guys and see if I could buy my freedom. I’m certain my father would have paid anything they wanted and then some. I doubt my mother would lift a finger to help me considering she was the one who had probably orchestrated the whole abduction.
Probably, Em? You’re tied up, on the floor of a plane on the way to God knows where. Face reality. Your mom is a traitorous bitch.
Looking to the front, I saw that both men facing me now appeared to be asleep. I really needed to use the bathroom and would die for a drink of anything. Water, soda, bourbon—really anything would do.
“Excuse me,” I tried to squeak out, but my throat was so dry and scratchy, no one heard me. I cleared my throat and tried again. “Excuse me. I need to use the bathroom and I’m really thirsty.”
The big guy’s eyes popped open like they were on springs. His dark brown eyes bored into mine and for a minute he didn’t move, speak or even so much as blink. It was intense and utterly terrifying. I was certain I was going to have to either hold it or relieve myself where I was currently lying.
Our eyes were still deadlocked so I opened my mouth to ask again but instantly froze. He brought one of his sausage-sized fingers to his lips and silently told me to be quiet. I was confused by the act and started to speak again. This time he shook his head violently, again stopping me dead in my tracks.
Gigantosaurus tipped his head to his partner, the smaller white man, then again shook his head negatively then held up one finger telling me to wait one minute. He elbowed the guy next to him who didn’t budge. Then he leaned forward and called his name once. “Yo, Freddy?”
Nothing. Freddy didn’t move. His head was tipped back, resting on the seat.
The big guy got up, removed his headset, dropped it into the seat and moved my way. I wasn’t sure if I should be thankful or frightened. The closer he got, the closer I got to peeing right there in my pants. Imagine a picnic table standing on its end, vertically—that would be this guy. I’m not sure how the plane didn’t shift in the sky from his movements alone.
Silently, I prayed he wouldn’t hurt me, but at this point, I had no defense. I was completely helpless.
“Sorry, chica, I had to wait for Freddy to pass out before I could let you get up. He’s a fuckin’ cabron, but boss put him in charge. Too bad that polla likes to give orders. Can you stand?” He spoke English incredibly well.
“No, but I need to pee and I’m thirsty. Could I please have a drink?” I practically begged, praying he’d have mercy on me. “My ankle and leg are broken, I can’t walk.”
“Here.” He moved closer into the confided space, untied the ropes, gripped me under my arms and effortless stood me up, which left my ribs screaming. I groaned in pain but tried to keep it under wraps as much as possible. “Lo siento, mamacita. The toilet is right here.” He helped me hop into the tiny bathroom. “Don’t get any ideas or try anything and we’ll get along just fine. Comprende?”
“Yes. Thank you for helping,” I said, trying to be gracious. If you need something from someone, kill them with kindness, my grandmother always told me. I used the bathroom and tried to wash my hands but there was no water, no soap and no paper towels. The lavatory was simply a small closet with a commode and non-operational sink. Not that I needed to or even could, but one couldn’t even turn around in here. I would bet money the big guy needed a shoehorn to get in here.
Opening the door, I was again standing before the mammoth man. For a week now, I have been terrified of him, based on what Rico Suave or whatever his name is, said about him. I leaned in and whispered, “Would you please allow me to have a drink? I don’t need much, just a few sips. Please.”
It killed me to play the victim, but I was one. I knew if I made him feel like he was the big, bad man in charge, he would be more willing to see me as a damsel in distress. Contrary to what most men say, they are a sucker for a woman who is in pain or is scared. They want to be the hero, the protector.
Well, most men.
“Si, but then you need to go lay back down. Freddy did not take that siesta willingly. When he wakes, he is going to be muy enfadado,” he told me as he reached into a small dorm-sized black refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water. As he opened it, I heard the seal crack, reassuring me I won’t end up passed out like old Freddy over there.
“Why did you drug him?” I asked without really considering what I was saying. Clearly the wreck and subsequent concussion had caused my brain-to-mouth filter to malfunction. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked. I’ll just go lie back down on the blanket. Thank you for the drink. Any chance you have some Tylenol or Advil?”
“No, but I have sleeping pills. It’ll knock you out so you do not feel the pain,” he offered.
“Uh, how do I know you won’t, you know, when you knock me out?”
“Mamita, you would have to say yes first
,” he scowled and looked offended. “That will not happen on my watch, comprende? No matter who you are.”
“Good to know.” Who knew kidnappers had morals? Go figure. My ankle throbbed as I stood there holding it up, looking like a stork standing on one foot. My ribs weren’t a picnic either. Maybe knocking myself out was the better option right now. “Okay, give me one.”
Digging into the black fatigue pants’ cargo pocket, he produced a small plastic amber medicine bottle with no label, popped the lid and tapped one into my hand. I took a sip of the water and swallowed the pill. Please God, let this guy be on the up and up.
“Stay away from him.” He lifted his chin toward Freddy. “He’s a bad man,” he told me. I looked at him as if he had any room to talk. “No, mamita. I follow orders. I do not always like the orders, but I follow them. Freddy over there, he is sadico. He likes to hurt people. I do not.”
“Ah. I assumed you two were of like minds. Any chance you could tell me who sent you after me?”
“Someone who does not like people asking questions about them,” he said, clamming up real fast. You could practically see his hackles go up. “Time to lie back down. Soon, we will land.” He nearly snatched the bottle of water out of my hand before tossing it into the blanket cocoon he had pulled me from. “Do not drink it all at once.”
I hopped the three steps back to the small chamber that was my current prison. I situated myself back into the blanket then shivered as I felt him coming closer. For a split second, I had hoped he wouldn’t tie be back up.
Sadly, I was wrong. He did.
As he started to secure the folded bandana back over my eyes, I stiffened.
“Do you really have to? It makes me nauseous not being able to see. Maybe you could just cover it a little so it looks like I can’t see?” I gave him the most pitiful look I could muster under the circumstances. “Please?”
He frowned then let out a short sigh, but did as I requested without acknowledging his acquiescence. He slid the blindfold down so the tightest point was over my eyebrows, hooding my eyes. “Go to sleep now. No more talking,” he ordered, and then tipped his head toward Freddy, who was still in a drugged stupor, silently warning me one more time.
His Redemption Page 18
