After the Dust Settles (California Dreaming Book 3)

by Stacey Johnston

  Kneeling in front of my fratello, the track marks in the crease of his arm look fresh. Whatever they have given him was only recent, but it was enough to knock him out. Checking his pulse, I make sure he is still alive. I can’t promise that I won’t turn on all of them if I found him dead. Gerrick was all I had in this fucked up world until Sean, and I won’t lose him, especially not when we are this close to ridding the earth of our scum of a padre. Satisfied that he is okay, I rise back to my feet, turning to see how close my enemy is.

  “I have an offer for you, Hadley,” my padre’s voice echos, my head snapping back around. “Get rid of the agents, figlio, and come back to me, and you and your fratello can walk out of this room alive.”

  He’s fucking dreaming if he thinks I’m doing that. “If I refuse?” I reply.

  “Then I will succeed in killing you both. Your precious feds can’t help you this time,” he confidently declares.

  Seems as if he has found his balls after all.

  “I don’t answer to you anymore, you can’t intimidate me anymore. Regardless of my answer, you have no intention of letting us leave,” I declare in return.

  ‘Pleaseee Hadley, let me out,’ my evilness calls through the silence. I’m so tired of all the fighting, maybe I should just let her out, let her show them what she can do...

  “There’s no fooling you, girl, I should’ve known you wouldn’t fall for it.”

  An admission, finally!

  “I just needed to get you here and Gerrick was the perfect bait.”

  More truths...

  “I don’t trust either of you anymore, figlia. You and your fratello are liabilities now, ones that I am forced to deal with.”

  Moving back to us, he stops just short. There’s still a glimpse of fear reflecting in his eyes, but he’s trying to radiate confidence. He knows that if he gives me anything to work with, he will be dead. Regardless of what he thinks, I will kill him. I just need the right moment to strike. I also need to work out what I am going to do about the two thugs who have inched their way even closer to us. All three of them are attempting to crowd us to frighten me. I should be terrified but I’m not, I’m calm.

  ‘You know you want to Hadley, you know you want me to kill him,’ that annoying little bitch chants.

  “Slide your knife over hear child, you won’t be needing it,” my padre orders, his voice gaining in strength with each word that spews from his mouth.

  Doing as he asks, I slide the blade toward him, praying that he doesn’t notice that it’s not my favorite. I’m not stupid, I never go into a fight with just one weapon. Thankfully, padre doesn’t know that.

  “Good girl,” he praises.

  There’s a sickening grin now lining his mouth. He’s under the false impression that he’s safe, and in control. All because he thinks I’m weaponless. Little does he know, my favorite blade is resting against my leg, easily accessible. I shoved it into my boot when I was getting dressed. Still in a squatting position, I pretend to be looking at Gerrick, the handle of my blade sticking out over the top of my boot just waiting for me to grip it. The goons behind me keep edging closer and closer, but my focus stays on my padre who is also making his way back toward me.

  Bending, he picks up the knife, his eyes never leaving mine, giving me his unwavered attention. No matter how much he rambles, there is always going to be that element of fear everytime he approaches me. It’s there in his eyes, that flicker of doubt – my signal to strike. Just as I attempt to grab hold of the handle, there are hands grasping onto my shoulders, pulling me upright. Twiddle dumb and Twiddle dee grip my arms, holding me still. Patience is going to be the key to overpowering these three, so just for now, I will allow them to hold me still. Narrowing my eyes, I watch while my padre comes to a stop in front of me. Lifting the same blade I surrendered, he starts ranting about what a disappointment it has been for him to have not just one of his children but both turn against him. He rambles that he and I were more alike than he had ever imagined and it gave him hope that if anything happened to him, the family would have a strong, confident leader.

  “Pity it has to be this way, Hadley,” he tells me. “We’ve never profited as extravagantly as we did when you were with us. You have a head for business, my girl, and up until now, you’ve let me capitalize on it. When did I start losing you?”

  My mouth opens to reply, but he refuses me the opportunity. Turning his back on me, he continues to ramble about it being Sean’s fault, that if Vincent hadn’t chased after that girl, we would’ve never attracted the attention of the Valentines. Little does he know, we’ve been on their radar for as long as we have had the feds harrassing us. This all started with Silo, and as much as I loved that man like a padre, it is because of him that we find ourselves utimately in this position.

  When Gerrick twitches, I immediately glance his way, hoping that the goons securing me don’t notice. He is waking, maybe there is a chance we can do this after all.

  “I should have sent Luca to kill that brat that day,” I hear my padre say.

  I was so completely focused on my fratello that I had stopped listening to him.

  “But no, he believed you wouldn’t have any problem disposing of him. Against my better judgement, I allowed it, and look where it has gotten me.”

  ‘Hadley, it’s time you let me free. We can end this now.’ She’s not giving up, her voice echoes in my brain begging me to let her out. Maybe I should. If I have any hope of escaping, it’ll be with her egging me on.

  Interrupting my padre, I tell him, “You’re rambling, old man, and it’s boring me. There isn’t anything you can say that’s going to impact my decision to kill you.”

  His face pales, making me smile, “You’re only delaying the inevitable by having your goons restrain me. That monster you created,” I taunt. “she’s calling to me, begging me to set her free.”

  His gasp is unmistakable. “She has plans for you, padre, plans of showing you what she can do – what you have molded her into.”

  “Move her over toward the wall,” he yells.

  His screech startles both the idiots holding onto me, but they quickly shuffle me behind Gerrick toward the wall my padre was favoring earlier. The only good thing about the situation I find myself in is that if my fratello is waking, no one will notice. I’m going to need his help to take down our captors inside this room before we tackle the two upstairs.

  “You want to play games, is that it?” he queries.

  There’s still that element of fear in his voice. Does he not understand that I can hear it, that it’s fueling me. It doesn’t matter how tough he attempts to act in front of his men, he can’t hide that underlying fear that I cause. My smile only gets bigger at his words, I’m past being scared. I’m in survival mode now and it’s him that should be terrified.

  “You think this is funny, Hadley?” he continues to query.

  “More than you can imagine,” I finally reply. “You don’t scare me, padre dearest. The hold you had on me ended long ago. Everything I’ve done since that night I tortured and slayed Maitas has been of my own free will.”

  The laugh that escapes his mouth is a haunting one. For some reason, he still thinks he holds the upperhand. Time to test my theory. Before I left Gerricks side in the hospital, he told me that he had the backing of our padre’s soldiers. They had assured him that if he ever challenged for top spot they would support him. Now to determine who the two holding me down are really loyal to.

  “Tell me padre. Why is there only four men here with you today?”

  His heads snaps toward me instantly, an angry scrowl overtaking his face.

  “Because that’s all I needed to overpower the two of you,” he spits in return.

  Now for the fun to begin...

  ‘My turn...’ a sinister voice inside whispers.

  “Let’s challenge that theory,” my inner evil declares.

  The stunned look on my padre’s face gives away the fact that he’s realized s
omething is not quite right with me. He’s right in his observation and it’s about to get a whole lot worse for him.

  “You look like you’ve seen a ghost, Jason,” she taunts.

  The use of his name throws him off, especially since I’ve never called him that – ever. Taking a step back, he just stares at me. All I can do is watch from afar. It’s as though I’m here - but I’m not. My control over her gone for now.

  Regaining his composure, he steps forward once more. “Since when do you call me by my name, Hadley?”

  “I’m not Hadley, I’m Nereza,” she replies, her voice deeper and huskier than my own.

  From where I am hidden, I watch as his step falters. There’s a look of shock on his face, his features wincing in pain.

  What the fuck.

  “What the hell is going on here?” he asks, his voice shaky. “Where did you get that name from?”

  “What’s wrong, Jason? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” This Nereza continues to taunt. “Release me, and help Gerrick,” she demands of the two holding us still.

  Without hesitation, they let go and go to Gerrick’s side.

  “What the fuck are the two of you doing?” my padre bellows.

  “Whatever I tell them to do,” my fratellos voice echos through the darkness.

  *****

  Considering it’s mid morning, there’s only random streams of light filtering through the windows into the room. It gives the appearance that it’s night time, which under normal circumstances, makes these kinds of interrogations intimidating.

  “You see, padre, it’s you that has been set up,” Gerrick speaks once more. “The faith in your ability to lead our family has deminished and I’m challenging you. As soon as I set that in motion, your loyal soldiers deserted you, choosing to move forward with someone younger, and smarter.”

  I’ve got the best seat in the house, front row. I may not have complete control, but I’m still able to witness everything as it happens.

  “Restrain him,” Gerrick demands of Twiddle dum and Twiddle dee.

  Without hesitation, they move toward my padre, grabbing hold to pull him down onto the very chair my fratello had just occupied. I find it funny, because all of this was done with more resistance than I have ever seen my padre put up. He’s thrashing his body around, trying to break free of the two large men’s hold. All of his fighting for freedom is useless because quick work is made of tying him to the chair. Stepping back, Gerrick whispers something to them both and they disappear up the stairs.

  There is a lot of curse words spewing from my padre’s mouth, but at least he’s given up trying to get free. It’s hard to explain where I have gone, what my brain has created to allow that deep dark evil to escape. It’s as though I’ve stepped through a mirror and am watching from the other side. Hearing and seeing everything that is going on around me, without the ability to do anything. All I can do is watch as my padre continues to shout at us both, yelling obsenities which he thinks will help his cause.

  “No point in speaking, padre,” Gerrick tells him. “You’ve done the one thing I have been trying to avoid.”

  This grabs our padre’s attention. “The evilness you’ve released from inside your figlia has no concious. She’s as nonna would describe it – a soulless being who lacks the ability to feel.”

  A hideous laugh escapes my throat and all I can do is watch as Nereza uses my body to walk around my padre in circles. The blade I had secured is now twirling in my hand, as though she’s using it to threaten. As we continue our path around the chair, Gerrick continues talking from his place at the foot of the stairs.

  “You see, the girl circling you feels nothing, except the thirst for blood.”

  As my body comes full circle, through this mirror, I’m watching as padre’s eyes bulge. He is finally aware what is happening and how he no longer has any control at all.

  “Make no mistake,” my fratello explains. “The only way this is going to end, is when Nereza here satisfies her taste. Only then will my precious Hadley be allowed to return.”

  What does he mean, only then? Has he seen this happen to me before? Why don’t I remember?

  “Do what you will, I have made my peace,” an exasperated man sighs.

  The realization that he will not escape has finally set in, but the question burning my lips is how do I escape this room when Nereza has finished what she is here to do?

  ‘Relax Hadley, I’ve got you,’ her voice filters through my brain.

  What am I thinking, of course she knows my thoughts, we are one person – split by our demons.

  “Do you understand yet, padre?” Gerrick asks of him. “Do you finally see what you have created?”

  A resigned figure looks up at us both. Yes at both, as I now find myself right beside my fratello, looking down at a defeated man.

  “Your figlia has a split personality. You came here today to break Hadley, but she has been broken for years. She’s just good at hiding it - from you, from me, shit from everyone.”

  No, that can’t be true

  “I didn’t create this... this thing standing in front of me. She did that all by herself,” he spits out hoarsely.

  Sitting himself up straight, he prepares himself for the final confrontation. It won’t be much longer before my fratello walks away and leaves the other me to finish our padre off.

  “Regardless of the lies your madre told you, your births were no accident. I needed an heir, a figlio to take over my throne when I could no longer lead. When Hadley was born, I told your madre to give me one more child. If that child turned out to be another girl then I would find someone who could give me a boy.”

  His admission explains so much. If I had control of my body, I would have slumped down onto the bottom step in shock, because shocked is what I am.

  ‘Don’t falter now girl, he is trying to get to you. Ignore his words – Ignore him,’ my alter ego comforts. She is right, this is his last ditch attempt to hurt us.

  “I had no need for a girl,” padre admits. “Women are only useful for one thing – sex. They aren’t leaders and then your sorella here went out and proved that theory wrong. What she did to Maitas...”

  “You mean what I did to Maitas,” Nereza confides, cutting padre off. “You sent Hadley to die, she was never supposed to survive. But she did and that was the night I came into existence.”

  Circling once more, I can do no more than watch as the blade slices through padre’s skin with each step I take.

  “She was screaming in her head for help, for someone to save her from the agony Maitas was inflicting on her. So much pain... I could hear her and soothed her fears with reassuring words that I would help.”

  The fear on padre’s face has escalated, he is terrified and crying out in pain as the blade pierces his skin over and over again.

  “I waited until that fat bastard had finished and then whispered to our girl to let me take over. She was beyond exhausted and gladly handed over the reins. I won’t bore you with details, because you are well aware of what happened that night, and that he got what he deserved.”

  Glancing sideways, Gerrick has made himself at home on the bottom step, watching, observing only. He is letting Nereza run the show, gladly taking a backseat.

  “Do you know the only time when Hadley wouldn’t let me help her?” she asks padre, the blade now positioned under his chin pushing into his adam’s apple.

  “No,” his shaky voice replies.

  Gulping loudly, there are tears streaming down his cheeks that I never noticed before.

  ‘Don’t let them fool you,’ Nereza whispers.

  “When Luca attacked her. I tried to get free, but Hadley wouldn’t let me. It didn’t matter how hard I tried, she wouldn’t let me out to gut that asshole. Just like I did to Maitas.”

  Maybe I can control her...

  “I have business to attend to,” Gerricks voice bursts through the room. “I’ll leave the girls to take care of you, but Nereza,” he
directs at me. “When the job is done, I want my sorella back. Are we clear?” His forceful voice asks.

  “Yes,” Nereza replies, before turning back to padre.

  “Good,” he states before removing himself from the room.

  Sean

  My nerves are on high alert as I stand and wait at the top of these stairs. When Gerrick called earlier, he was just leaving his hospital room. He had organized for some of the men loyal to him to let slip that they knew where Gerrick may be hiding. He wanted his father to find him, he wanted to trap him. I was worried because his voice sounded panicked and his concern for his sister was obvious. More to the point, he was concerned about what she was going to do to their father.

  He made me promise that I wouldn’t let her play with him. I had no idea what the hell he meant by that, but promised just the same. When we arrived, it was too late, Hadley had her father tied up down in the basement. Gerrick was here waiting for us when we arrived and the solemn look on his face told me everything I needed to know. Whatever he was trying to protect her from had failed. He wouldn’t elaborate, only telling me that it was Hadley’s story to tell. How many times am I going to be told the same shit?

  It’s obviously bad, and I can only imagine their father is dying a slow painful death.

  A click echoes loudly in this otherwise silent building, bringing me out of my daydream. I look toward the noise and suddenly the door opens.

  All I see is red. Blood.

  Hadley slowly exits the room, her beautiful face void of emotion, and completely covered in blood. I can’t believe the sight before me. Her clothes are fucking soaked.

  What the hell did she do to him?

  The wild look in her eyes worries me, her pupils are dilated and wide like saucers, and I’m fixated on them. She reminds me of a wild animal, celebrating its kill. She’s so fucking far out of it right now you would swear she’s high. Not knowing whether it’s safe to approach her, I stand watching. Hadley’s chest heaves in and out with every deep breath she takes. Her hands are trembling by her side as the knife she’s holding in one hand, and the gun she has in her other, slips from her grip.