Black Escape

by C. J. Thomas

  “I have a new role for you—that is if you want it?”

  “I don’t,” I spat.

  Madam raised her pointy chin and angled her head to the side. “Your uncle thought you might.”

  Anger boiled my blood as my teeth grinded. “He doesn’t know his head from his ass.”

  “He’s already accepted a position in my organization and, together, we’ve come to an agreement to erase his debt.” Her tongue slid across her bottom lip. “He’s already making enough money to help pay your parents’ expensive medical bills.”

  I swallowed down the stone forming in my throat, choosing to ignore what she was saying.

  Over her shoulders, I kept glancing out the window and recognizing the area Lucky had taken me to not so long ago. I was more concerned with that and what was waiting for me there than I was in learning what Marvin was doing to make money with Madam.

  “Why won’t you take this disk?” I held my hand out once again. It was like Madam knew that once she did she was done for. I began doubting the plan, wondering if someone informed her that the FBI had gotten to me.

  Madam turned her head and glanced through the tinted glass. “Ah, yes. We have arrived.”

  The limo’s wheels slowed to a stop near the metal door in the back. Feeling my flesh prickle, a wave of anxiety rolled up my spine. Jerome opened the door and told me to get out first. Taking a deep breath, I stepped out beneath the cloud-covered sky and stood, staring at the warehouse building.

  “Of course she would take me here,” I muttered to myself.

  Where it had all started. With my head swiveling around on my shoulders, the place was desolate and quiet. We were completely alone; enough for me to feel terrified but not to be completely immobilized. Strangely, however, this time I knew what was coming for me.

  “Jerome, honey, go find Emmanuel.” Madam gripped her red clutch between both her hands. “Tell him we have arrived.”

  I barely flicked my gaze in her direction despite the wave of excitement rolling through me. Inside, a wide grin filled my head and my pulse raced fast with a sudden boost of adrenaline.

  They were here. If this was where Emmanuel was, the FBI was here.

  “If I’m not your whore, and I’m not any good at making deliveries, then what good am I to you?” I began playing the part Madam offered, feeling that no matter what happened, I would be protected by the same people who’d sent me to her in the first place.

  Madam smiled, reached for my wrist, and said, “Come inside. Let’s talk.”

  My gaze bounced between the roofs, looking to see if I was right in my assumption. I couldn’t see anyone, but when Jerome approached the moment we stepped inside the cool concrete air of the warehouse, I knew with 100% certainty that we were being watched.

  “Emmanuel’s gone,” Jerome said.

  “Well, did you try calling him?” Madam’s temper shortened.

  “He’s not picking up.”

  Madam swiped a finger over her brow as if suddenly thrown off course. Then she spun her head around and looked to me. “No problem. I’m sure it’s nothing. Until he gets back, let’s enjoy our time with Kendra.”

  A cool breeze swirled around my ankles. I didn’t like her tone, and certainly wasn’t interested in being the center of Madam’s attention. Soon, my thoughts took me back to Echo and I could still hear my screams being met with no response as they tortured me.

  “Come, sweetheart. Let’s talk in the back.”

  Madam began walking and I was expected to follow. Jerome gave me a nudge and, as I floated behind, I tried focusing on anything other than being alone with the two of them.

  Madam stopped in front of a closed door. She turned to look at Jerome. Jerome stepped forward, opening it like the butler he was. “Let’s talk in private here.” Madam smiled.

  Dragging my feet over the floor, I dug my nails into the palms of my hands, feeling my heart slow. The room was completely empty. Nothing but concrete walls. No window. Barely any light. Then my insides crumpled when I saw a chain with cuffs mounted to the dark wall on the far side of the room.

  “No.” I shook my head. “No. No. No.”

  “Get naked, Kendra,” Madam’s voice hardened.

  Feeling my confidence fade, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to fight or cry. “Just take the disk.”

  Jerome stepped closer. “You heard Madam. Get naked.”

  “I won’t do it.”

  “It’s the only way, darling.”

  “Only way for what?” I barked back.

  “The only way to believe you aren’t wearing a wire.”

  “A wire?” I cried, glancing to the chain slithering up the wall like a poisonous snake looking for its next meal.

  Madam arched a brow and gave a curt nod.

  Jerome ripped my purse out of my hands. Emptying the contents on the floor, he took the sharp corner of his heel and smashed my cell phone into a dozen pieces. Then he handed Madam the disk.

  “Strip, so we can talk.” Madam held up the flash-drive.

  Giving in to the pressure, I began shedding each item of clothing. My insides quivered and I couldn’t help but be afraid of what they might do to me. The marks still covering my body like blotched tattoos were from her—from him—but I kept going, trusting the plan would work. Once I was naked and vulnerable, I shivered while standing on the cool concrete floor.

  Jerome circled around me like a shark.

  Madam’s eyes raked me over before lifting my boobs up as if something was hiding beneath. “Bend over.”

  Dropping my head over my knees, I did as I was told.

  “Spread your cheeks.”

  Reaching behind, I pulled my ass apart.

  Jerome gave the nod that I was clean, and Madam started talking. “This wasn't how it was supposed to be with you, Kendra. You were supposed to submit, be a good girl I could count on to make the deliveries necessary to grow my business.”

  “I’m sure you’re doing just fine.” I tucked my hands into my pits.

  “It is not your turn to talk.” She threatened to slap my face with the back of her hand. “Risk is rewarded in this world. Praised. Money is valued above all else. You had a good thing and you went and ruined it.”

  I watched Jerome move to the wall. He leaned a shoulder into the concrete, folding his arms over his chest.

  “What did you think would happen if this got out?” She tapped the flash-drive against my head. “Huh? Do you think that I would have had a choice in whether you lived or died?”

  “Do you expect me to answer that?”

  She snickered and shook her head. “I’m the queen of this city and I make the rules.”

  “Do you even know what’s on those files?”

  Madam narrowed her gaze.

  “Sylvia knows what you and Oscar are doing. She’s probably made copies. And, if she didn’t, she can easily retrace her research and connect the dots once again.”

  Madam shook her head. “Sylvia can be controlled. I did it once and can do it again.”

  “But Kelly can’t. You killed his family.”

  Madam smiled and instructed Jerome to fetch a laptop from the warehouse office. “Such a shame, isn’t it? Patrick was such a lovely young boy. But I did pleasure myself by manipulating Nora into killing herself.” She chuckled. “Weak women are so easily controlled.”

  “You won’t get away with this, and neither will Oscar.”

  A minute later Jerome was back, taking the disk from Madam. He booted up the computer and began opening the files. “It’s all here,” he confirmed.

  “You did good, Kendra. I’m glad that the pressure I put on you didn’t come between you and Kelly. If I learned anything over this last month, it’s that people just aren’t as strong as I thought they were.”

  Bending over, I gathered my clothes. “Then we’re done here.”

  Madam stepped in front of me. “There is one more thing that needs to be done before you go.”

  I gave an arched
look.

  “There is someone you need to say goodbye to.” Madam took out her cell and put it to her ear. After I heard the faint sound of a ring tone click over to a male voice answering, she looked me in the eye and said into the phone, “She’s here. And she’s all yours.”

  53

  Kelly

  I knew that if I chased after Kendra, Fletcher would shoot me.

  But what would happen to her if I didn’t?

  Grinding my teeth, I couldn’t let her out of my sight. Not again. Not after what they did to her the first time she was taken away from me.

  This was so fucked up.

  Naturally, I reached for my gun that wasn’t there. As hard as it was to not curse Kendra for taking it, I wished more than ever that I had it with me now. If I did, this asshole would be dead.

  “She took it, didn’t she?” Fletcher laughed a condescending tune. “I should have thanked her for it.”

  My head whipped around as I heard Kendra’s cries for help come flooding from the back like the rush of a tsunami. Then, suddenly, her screams faded as they were muffled by the sound of a slamming door.

  I felt my posture stiffen as my feet shuffled back and forth over the floor.

  “Don’t worry, Black, they wouldn’t do anything you haven’t already done to her.”

  Fletcher laughed again and, this time, I raised my hand to strike. He deflected my arm with practiced speed, slamming the butt of his Glock against the side of my head.

  Stars flashed over my vision.

  My hearing muffled and my head pounded.

  Falling forward, Fletcher kicked me to the ground.

  I crawled on all fours, blinking away the dizziness. Attempting to stand, Fletcher wound his leg back and released his foot directly into my ribs. The air left my lungs as I coughed and gasped while rolling around on the floor, holding my aching ribs. The strike was brutally hard. Much harder than anything I’d had to endure before. Soon, I curled into the fetal position, wincing.

  Standing over me, Fletcher stared. “That was a bad move, Black.” He rolled me onto my stomach. I coughed and gagged as my arms were yanked behind my back. As I spit out blood, Fletcher tossed his cuffs on my wrists, reminding me he was an officer of the law. “Now you can expect assault charges to be added to your record as well,” he sneered.

  I flicked my gaze up from beneath my brow. “You don’t deserve the title.”

  He yanked on my arms, pulling me to my knees. “Stand up.”

  I stood and listened for Kendra. There was only silence. I knew she was gone.

  “It’s too bad, too. From what I heard about you, I would have liked you.” Fletcher shoved me toward the front door. I stumbled forward, quick to regain my balance. My head pounded and swelled when I heard him say, “Wait here.”

  Fletcher scanned the street before opening the door. When he was sure the coast was clear, he forced me down the front stairs and to his black sedan parked out front.

  I fell into the backseat, finding little comfort with my arms bound behind my back. He slammed the door in my face and got behind the wheel. Looking out the window, I searched for any sign of Kendra. Again, there was nothing.

  “You’re working for the wrong person,” I said.

  Fletcher looked over his shoulder and pulled away from the curb. Beginning to drive, he said, “The city doesn’t pay enough for me to not have a side hustle.”

  I kept thinking about Kendra, where Jerome was taking her, and if she was with Madam. It wasn’t coincidence to have Fletcher here to intervene. Madam knew we were coming. Knew I would be with Kendra. They were waiting to ambush us the moment we arrived, and Fletcher was Madam’s way to ensure that I was removed from the equation so she could have Kendra all to herself.

  Fighting with the cuffs, I said, “That may be, except O’Brien didn’t like you pretending to be him.”

  We passed a semi-truck just when Fletcher tipped his head back. “O’Brien is a yuppie who is in the wrong profession.”

  “And that’s why you have the side hustle?”

  He flicked his annoyed gaze to the rearview mirror. “You don’t get it, do you, Black? You and me, we’re no different. You think that we didn’t find things in your office that connected you to Madam? Your financial records are lined with payments made by her. The difference is, I get paid in cash.”

  “I’ve seen the film from my hotel’s surveillance.” My eyes flickered across the cityscape. “You were at my place when it was broken into.”

  He laughed, relaxing into the drive. “Answering a call for help.”

  “That angle may have worked if you didn’t piss off O’Brien.”

  “No one will ever believe what O’Brien has to say,” Fletcher said with conviction. “You know what’s a shame? You had a really nice place before I had to go and trash it. If you and your girl weren’t so damn stubborn, none of this would have happened.”

  “Even Mario?” I lifted my face closer to the caged partition. “Would you have kept him alive?”

  He snapped his jaw shut and shot me an angry glare. “That wasn’t me.”

  “Right. That’s entirely on Oscar Buchanan.” I nodded, keeping my tone conversational. “Except Internal Affairs has you pegged for misfiling paperwork on the perp you two contracted out to kill Mario.”

  Fletcher’s knuckles went white on the wheel. His cheeks bloomed like ripe apples.

  “What’s the matter, Matthew? Did I say something you didn’t like?”

  He slowed the car and pulled off onto a side street. “Kendra is one fine piece of ass. No doubt.” He flicked his eyes into the mirror, locking them on mine. “You know what’s happening to her now?”

  My jaw clenched as every fiber in my body twitched with helpless anger.

  “Let me tell you.” He dropped his eyes back to the road. “Jerome will have her stripping naked so that Madam can do what you couldn’t do.” His eyes were back on mine. “Show her what it means to submit and be controlled by a true Dom.”

  “You don’t know anything about me,” I lashed out to a deaf ear.

  He laughed. “Oh, you thought this was only about a disk?”

  My eyes sank further into my skull as the fire inside my belly grew hotter.

  “And then, after Madam is finished with her, Oscar will arrive and take what was initially his. It never did sit well with him the night you stole her away. That was his date. His girl, and you took something that wasn’t yours.”

  “Oscar couldn’t handle her.”

  His head bobbed on his shoulders as if maybe he agreed. “Not what I heard. Then again, everyone knows that if they need a late-night booty call, she’s the one girl to call. I’ve never given her a call myself but, after the rumors I’m hearing, maybe after you’re put away, I’ll be the first to console her. God knows she’s going to be heartbroken to lose you.”

  Turning sideways, I slammed my shoulder into the webbed caging. “If you lay a hand on her, I’ll kill you,” I spit into his ear. Suddenly, the sound sirens whooping behind us got me to stop thrashing my body into the unforgiving partition.

  Glancing over my shoulder, it was a white and black patrol car coming up behind us. Holding my breath, I willed myself to believe that they were here to save me.

  Fletcher’s foot hit the accelerator.

  I flew back into my seat. Popping my head back up, I kept one eye on the road ahead and the other on the cops behind. “You can’t outrun them.”

  Fletcher whipped around a sharp corner, leaning into the turn.

  My body flung into the door. “They know the truth about you.”

  The siren wailed. Fletcher sped, blowing through stop signs, racing through red lights. Another cop joined the chase, bringing two sets of sirens screaming for Fletcher to stop the car and pull over.

  “Give up, Fletcher. It’s over.” I prayed he wouldn’t do something stupid.

  “I’d rather die.”

  “Listen to yourself,” I pleaded, not wanting to die at the
hands of his decision. “You’d rather die than spill the beans on what you did for Madam. There’s another way. It doesn’t have to end like this.”

  The tires squealed around the next bend.

  My eyes widened as I read the one-way street sign. “Are you insane?”

  The engine purred loud under the hood as Fletcher sped toward oncoming traffic.

  “You’re going to get us killed!”

  Fletcher lowered his chin and sped even faster.

  My heart hammered.

  My palms sweated.

  Unable to buckle myself in, he was going to take me out with him. “Fucking pull over!” I cringed just as it looked like we were going to crash. Time ceased to exist and everything seemed to slow to a sudden crawl.

  At the last second, he yanked the wheel, barely missing the other car. I rocked between the doors like a pinball as our car smashed between two others before finally spinning around and slamming into a telephone pole.

  I squeezed my eyes shut as my head rang. Wishing I could grab it, my shoulders were sore and feeling like they had nearly been pulled from their sockets. The front of the car was quiet and I wondered Fletcher’s condition.

  Soon, I heard him groan.

  Then I did the same.

  Uniformed officers swarmed the vehicle with their guns drawn. I didn’t move, only closed my eyes with relief that I hadn’t died.

  The back door was opened and a vaguely familiar black FBI agent greeted me. “Glad to see you’re alive, Mr. Black.”

  “You can arrest me now.” I squinted up at the sky.

  He chuckled. “Let’s get you checked out first.”

  The agent assisted me up. I wobbled on my feet, wincing with each step. I watched Fletcher get handcuffed and loaded into the back of a police cruiser. Then the agent said, “Let’s get these off of you.”

  “They have my girl.” I rubbed my wrists as soon as they were free.

  “Don’t worry.” His deep dimpled grin reassured me. “We have eyes on her, too.”

  54

  Kendra

  There was only one man I wanted to speak with, and I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to him.