Ignite

by Holly S. Roberts

  Fuck, it hurts.

  “You know, cabrón, I do not like guns,” he says mildly. If Moon is cold steel, Gomez is molten lava. Neither man makes excuses for what and who they are. Gomez waves the gun haphazardly at Cal and Marcus. “Do the two of you think you can secure him now or do I need to shoot his other leg?”

  They drag me to the chains attached to a wench at the ceiling. Within minutes I’m standing with one leg for support, bleeding profusely from the other with my arms secured over my head. Gomez strides to the shelves and sink, removes his shirt, and slips on black gloves with slow precision. What’s coming is my second-worst nightmare. Losing Beth and the baby comes in at number one.

  Gomez walks to me with a first aid kit. He slices my pant leg and wraps a bandage firmly around the bullet wound. How horrible it would be for me to bleed to death before the fun begins. Next he cuts off my shirt.

  When our eyes meet, I whisper, “They have your women, I understand.” His expression changes for a millisecond before returning to the sizzling eyes that relish death. I thought Celina changed him. I was wrong. His first punch hits me in the gut. All the air explodes from my lungs. I still can’t breathe when the next one lands.

  Gomez kills with his fists. I’m a gun man myself, though when it came to the men who killed my brother, the thought of torture never bothered me. I have no doubt I’m paying for that now. Gomez is methodical in what he does. The pain is just beginning.

  Fifteen minutes later, my torso is bloody from my bleeding nose and bruised from the steady pounding of Gomez’s fists. One of my ribs cracks and the difference in pain tells me my right lung is most likely punctured. I spit up blood and wheeze. It won’t matter, Gomez can easily keep me alive as long as he needs to. He eases up on the strikes to my chest and focuses on my face. Within minutes, my right eye is swollen shut and my nose broken. The pain has gone from a sharp reminder that I’m still alive to continuous agony with no highs or lows. The lights of the room fade in and out through my one good eye.

  “Enough,” Angelo shouts. “The deal is Beth watches him die. You bring her here so she knows what’s in store for anyone who helps her.”

  Garbled blood and spit spills through my swollen lips when I try to speak.

  Moon turns to Angelo. “You want the woman here, make the phone call and keep your end of our deal.”

  Angelo speaks into his phone. “They have him and he’s as good as dead. They’re delivering Beth and my son. Send the men and I will notify you when the child is here.” He puts the phone away. “It will take approximately fifteen minutes for them to arrive.”

  “I’ll have the woman delivered at the same time,” Moon responds. “Gomez will give Street a break so he isn’t dead before the woman arrives.”

  Moon hasn’t used my real name in years and his use now pisses me off, which helps clear the cobwebs from my brain. He’s bringing Beth here to watch me die and the rage I feel far overshadows the pain.

  My attention returns to the man beside me with blood-covered gloves. “You don’t really want to be awake for this, cabrón.” Gomez slams his fist into my jaw and the lights go out.

  ****

  Beth’s screams bring me out of the darkness. She’s holding Carson against her chest swaddled in a blanket. All I see is one small sock-encased foot. I’ve failed her and my son just as I did Nick. I should have sent her away weeks ago and discovered another way to obtain the papers she needs. She and Carson will pay the price for my selfishness. Her screams turn to a low keening when Moon wraps his hand around her upper arm and holds her back.

  Angelo storms across the room and tries to grab Carson. Moon releases Beth and places his hand out. “We’ve met your conditions. You owe us.” Cal reaches out, grabs Beth, and brings her to his side.

  “That’s my son.” Angelo moves closer to Moon. “You have no right to keep him from me.”

  “Get her out of here,” I gasp between painful breaths. I have no idea why Gomez knocked me out before inflating my lung with a tube. The pain of having Beth watch me die is far greater than anything Gomez could do. I spit blood from my throat so I can speak louder and direct my words at Angelo. “He’s my son, you piece of shit. My son!”

  Before Angelo answers, two men are shoved through the door from the outer room. Both have hoods over their faces and their hands bound.

  “Take the hoods off,” Angelo tells his men who follow close behind.

  Two Hispanic males with heavily tattooed faces are revealed. Angelo’s men push them to their knees. I know exactly who these men are and nothing makes sense. They beheaded Andrew. I blink blood from my one good eye and wonder if I’m hallucinating.

  Angelo steps closer to me. “Kill this piece of shit and the men are yours.” His gaze turns to Beth. “You steal my son and think you can hide. There is nowhere on this planet where you could ever be safe. The Gimonde family will always hunt you down and we’ll kill anyone who helps you. This is your final lesson. I will kill you myself if you ever run with my son again.” He turns to Gomez. “Finish this piece of shit off.”

  The ringing of Moon’s phone is all I hear besides Beth’s crying. Moon says something into his phone and I turn my gaze from Beth. Moon nods at Cal and Marcus and then the room explodes in gunfire.

  Angelo and his men crumble. At the same time, Gomez moves in front of me and Moon tackles Beth. Gun smoke fills the room and Gomez’s hand settles on my shoulder when the gunfire stops.

  “She’s okay, Rack. We’ve got it covered. I’ll have you down in a moment.”

  Before he removes the chains, Beth pushes him away and throws her arms around me. Everywhere she touches hurts and I never want her to let go. The baby is no longer in her arms; I see the bundled blanket on the floor. Nothing makes sense.

  “The baby?” I whisper into her hair.

  “Carson is fine. He’s with Sofia. It’s a doll, Rack.”

  The winch slowly lowers me. My legs won’t hold me up and Beth sinks to her knees, cradling my head. I have no idea who our enemy is. I want to fight but I have nothing left.

  Dr. Santos kneels beside us. I don’t know when he arrived. “Mio Dios. Señor Gomez had better stay away from me for the foreseeable future or he’ll find himself minus cajones.” He unlocks the chains from my wrists and checks my pulse. “IV line first and we’ll put pain meds in it.”

  “No,” I say emphatically. “What the hell is going on?” The world has gone crazy and I’m barely holding onto my sanity.

  Moon’s voice floats into my head. “It’s a long story, my friend. Right now you’ll do what Carlo says. Once you’re stable, I’ll explain everything.”

  I try to rise. Beth and Santos hold me down and I slump against the cold cement. “I’ll kill you,” I manage to spit at Moon.

  A slight chuckle leaves his throat. “I have no doubt.”

  A needle stabs into my arm and Santos hangs a bag of fluids from the chain above me. Beth’s fingers run through my hair. It’s the only place on me that doesn’t hurt. Moon hands her a wet cloth and she gently wipes my face.

  Through the fading light I hear her whisper, “I love you.”

  I’m too out of it to reply. The world goes dark.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Beth

  SHORTLY AFTER RACK LEFT, Dr. Santos came to the Crows’ clubhouse and explained that Moon’s organization, along with the Laterza crime family, were making a play against the Gimonde organization. If all went as planned, I would never need to worry about Angelo again.

  My wedding day.

  The doctor said Moon was holding Rack and trading the three of us—me, the baby, and Rack—for two people Moon wanted. The doctor assured me the trade would never go down and once Laterza took out Gimonde senior, Moon would do the same to Angelo and his men. The doctor was talking about killing. That stopped me for a minute. As long as Angelo and his father were alive, Carson and I would never be safe. That was the cold hard truth.

  I said nothing about the wedding to
Dr. Santos. He could make what he wanted out of the preparations. I left Carson with Sofia knowing she would protect him and never allow Angelo or his father to get their hands on him. Sofia wanted me to wait for Dax to return, but I refused. Rack trusts Moon and I would do the same. I also trusted the doctor. I dressed a lifelike doll of Masey’s in one of Carson’s outfits, added baby booties to the plastic feet, and wrapped the doll in a lightweight baby blanket. It wouldn’t work if Angelo got a good look but Doctor Santos assured me the disguise only had to hold briefly.

  It took an hour to get to the warehouse. When I entered the room and saw Rack’s condition, I thought Dr. Santos betrayed us. If I’d had a gun, I would have killed Moon, Gomez, and the doctor without thinking twice. I held on tightly to the baby doll and couldn’t help wondering if I would ever see Carson again. I refused to look at Angelo.

  Rack’s face was almost unrecognizable and the bloody hands of the man standing beside him told the story. At first, I thought Rack was dead. A man stopped me from running to him. Rack lifted his head and I realized he was alive. I was finally able to breathe again, though the world was now a narrow tunnel.

  The man next to me stopped Angelo from getting to me and the baby. My brain finally registered that the man was Moon. I was barely aware of what was happening as more men entered the warehouse. Two with hoods on their heads were forced to their knees.

  Angelo threatened me, Moon answered his phone, and all hell broke loose, which finally pulled me out of my zombie-like state. Moon pushed me down and I hit the ground hard. I couldn’t care less that bullets were flying; all I wanted was Rack. I pushed Moon’s hand aside when the gunshots stopped and he tried to help me rise. I was so damn angry. Ripping off his fingers with my teeth was a very real possibility.

  I ignored the bodies of Angelo and his men. Touching Rack and feeling him flinch only raised the level of my rage. I didn’t know how to help him, and I swore to myself if he died, I would kill the men responsible. Rack’s vengeance at the people who killed his brother made perfect sense for the first time.

  I rode in the back of Moon’s SUV with Rack’s head on my lap. Whatever the doctor gave him knocked him out. His steady breathing was all that proved he was alive. I barely remember the next few hours. I couldn’t tell you a single thing about our surroundings. Rack had all my attention.

  Dr. Santos worked on him for two hours. He had a chest tube, numerous stitches on his face, and bruises covering his chest and face. Dr. Santos removed the bullet from his leg and told me there would be no lasting damage if Rack followed doctor’s orders when he regained consciousness.

  I’m forgiving the doctor for taking me to the warehouse because he’s almost as angry as I am over Rack’s condition. He muttered profanities until Rack stabilized. Then, he looked at me with a sad expression, his eyes dark with concern. “They live violent lives and have chosen their paths. Don’t think too harshly on it. Sometimes men must do bad things to balance the evil in this world.”

  He may have been talking about Moon and Gomez but his words fit Rack perfectly. Now that I’ve seen Rack’s world firsthand the realization hits—there is no place for me and Carson in Rack’s life. I also understand the importance of avenging his brother’s death. It will eat him alive if he doesn’t. Carson and the life I want for him need to be my number one priority. Passion has clouded my brain. I love Rack, but long ago he made the decision to live a life of violence and death.

  A few minutes after the doctor leaves, one of the last people I want to see enters the room. Moon’s imposing figure only ignites my anger again. I won’t deny he’s gorgeous. The ruthlessness that lurks inside does nothing to detract from his charisma. He looks at me with such intensity that I’m surprised when he speaks gently. “Carlo said he’ll remove the chest tube in two days. Knowing Rack, he’ll be up and around the same day. My wife, Maddison, and I would like you and your son to be our guests until Rack is able to leave.”

  I bite my lip to keep the words I want to say inside and respond as pleasantly as possible. “Thank you, but no. If someone would give me a ride back to the clubhouse, I would appreciate it.”

  Moon sticks his hands in his pockets and looks at Rack. “He needs you to be part of his life.” His gaze once more captures mine. How he knows what I intend is beyond me, but somehow he’s figured out that I’m leaving Rack. “I know this is hard, but I’m asking you to give him forty-eight hours before you make a decision that will affect your life and that of your son. I think you owe him that much.”

  Guilt rolls over me as I’m sure Moon intended. I do owe Rack, but I don’t like this man reminding me. This was my wedding day and everything went to hell because of his power play. It would be nice to curl up in a ball and cry. But I’m no longer that woman. I have a son who depends on me. Forty-eight hours will make no difference and dammit, I owe Rack a goodbye.

  “Are we safe here?”

  I see the tiniest trace of relief in Moon’s gaze. “Yes, and when you leave, you will be safe to go where you please. The Gimonde family will never bother you again. You have my word.”

  He leaves after that and an hour later, I’m holding my son. I’ve been given the room beside Rack’s. Maddison, or Mak as she prefers to be called, and Celina made sure I felt welcome. The women’s concern for Rack was genuine. I don’t know if either is aware his condition is the fault of their men. I won’t be around long enough to be involved in that mess, so I keep my mouth shut on the issue. I have no idea why Moon and Gomez played this game to the extent they did. It makes no sense.

  The women leave me alone to nurse Carson. When he’s asleep, I place him in the center of the large bed and surround him with pillows so I can check on Rack.

  I enter the room and Gomez is speaking to Rack in a low voice. Rack’s one good eye follows me when I step closer to the bed, and Gomez stops talking. He turns and without thought, I punch him in the jaw. He takes the hit squarely and waits to see if I’ll do it again before raising his hand to his face. He rubs his fingers across the reddened area while appraising me. I refuse to show how much my damned hand hurts. His jaw is rock hard.

  Rack’s sudden chuckle turns into a cough. He sits up slightly and gasps for air. Pain lines his face as he tries to breathe.

  “I’ll leave the two of you alone,” Gomez says and exits the room.

  Rack settles back against the pillows and grins. “Not many people live to see another day after hitting that man.”

  I can’t believe he’s making jokes right now. “He deserved it. I hope Celina doesn’t mind. She seems like a nice person.”

  His grin widens and he pats the spot beside him. He looks horrible—eye swollen shut, nose swollen, and bruises everywhere. He notices my hesitation and his grin disappears. This isn’t the time to tell him my decision. Reluctantly, I sit down, lean in, and kiss his brow. It’s not that I don’t love him but I know that leaving him will be difficult and I’m trying to protect my heart as much as possible. Even with the damage to his face, my stomach clenches because he’s beautiful—bruising, swelling, cuts, and all. I take his hand and lift it to my lips.

  “I’m sorry,” he says. He looks at my fingers and I know the exact moment he realizes I’m not wearing the ring. I release his hand.

  “When Dr. Santos picked me up he said I would most likely be in the same room with Angelo. I didn’t want to make things worse than they already were so I left the ring back at the clubhouse.”

  He holds my gaze and his expression tightens with something besides pain. He’s searching my eyes and it’s difficult to hide how much I love him or that he won’t be part of my life. “Come here,” he whispers. I lean into him again. He slowly wraps his arm around me and holds me to his shoulder. “It’s okay, Beth.” His arm tightens a fraction. “Carson will always be my son. Tell him the good things about me. I’ll make sure the two of you are taken care of. The only thing I ask is that you allow me to say goodbye to him.”

  He’s breaking my heart. I should ha
ve known he wouldn’t fight what was best for me and Carson. The love I feel for this man overwhelms everything else and the thought of leaving him is nearly impossible. We stay like that for a long time. Eventually, I realize he’s fallen asleep, and I slip from the room to check on Carson.

  He’s still sleeping. I crawl on the bed beside him and allow my tears to flow.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Rack

  FOR TWO DAYS I’M as weak as a newborn. The first twenty-four hours are a fog. After that, the pain and my inability to do the most basic of tasks made me beyond grumpy. Beth brought Carson in to see me often. The ache in my heart is worse than the ache in my chest cavity where the doctor inserted the tube after removing the one that Gomez put in.

  I’m not sure how I feel about what Moon did. It ultimately makes little sense and I’ve lost my trust in him and his organization. I will never forgive Moon or Gomez for bringing Beth in to see what Gomez did to me. The fury running through my veins stays bottled inside.

  For now.

  I told Gomez to empty my offshore account and set the money up in Beth’s name. I want her and my son cared for. I don’t need the money even though I have no idea what I’m going to do with the rest of my life. I will no longer be part of Moon’s organization. I will return the money Gomez put in my bank account while Beth and I were on the run.

  “I can tell by the look on your face that I’m just in time,” Carlo says from the doorway. I can tell he has just come from his office because he’s wearing some kind of child friendly T-shirt with black slacks.

  “About fucking time,” I mutter.

  He walks in and places his medical bag beside my hip. “I’m removing the tube and you’ll be able to walk around more,” he says, ignoring my bad mood. “I know you won’t listen but you need to take it easy for the remainder of the week.”