Wicked Prince Charmings: Blue Saffire & Co. Fairy Tales

by Blue Saffire

  Living there was a nightmare. I want him dead for all the families he destroyed, for the dreams of the many he cancelled, for the hurt he caused through selling cocaine and heroin.

  Aaron Jimbo Stone may have been a handsome man when he was younger. Now he looks like a pathetic pale dog. His greasy hair still stinks of the bees wax, which he’s used for years to keep it all back.

  His skin is covered in hair like a beast. As he hangs, the cheap cream shirt that he’s wearing rises up, showing his oversized hairy gut to everyone. He’s sweating so his skin shines with a pale slimy glow. He’s a filthy man who causes unnecessary problems.

  “Hey, you, sitting on the chair, get me out of here and I’ll make you a rich man.” He struggles once more, even with the blindfold removed he’s clueless as to who his captors are.

  Soren walks up to him with his mask still on. “How rich?”

  “I will get you anything you want,” he says.

  “Who’s your biggest supplier here in Penndel? Who backs you?” Soren asks. He pushes Jimbo, causing him to swing in a circle.

  “I can’t tell you that, man.” His voice trembles a bit.

  Jack hands Soren a steel black bat. “Do you know what they call this, Jimbo?” Soren swings the bat at the air.

  “N… no.”

  “It’s called the cold steel Brooklyn smasher. One hit and it will break your bones.” My brother nudges Jimbo in the ribs with end of the bat, causing him to swing some more. The shrill sound of the chain echoes through the drafty warehouse.

  “However, I was told not to break your bones… yet.” Soren smacks him on his ass.

  “What do you wanna know, huh?” He sounds like a bad version of Joe Pesci.

  “We want to know who your boss is.” Soren replies.

  “I told you I can’t tell you that.” He’s cut off as Soren smacks the bat into his belly, causing him to swing and cry out.

  Jack steadies him and lowers Jimbo from the hook. He and Soren carry him to our homemade Tiger bench. Jimbo struggles as Jack and Soren strap him to the contraption and slide his dirty sneakers and socks off his feet.

  “What is this thing?” Jimbo barks out, sweat runs down his face, his hair comes undone.

  He’s bound in an upright sitting position; his knees are strapped down to the bench. I get up and move my seat to sit before the bench, ready to get this started. He has no idea what I have in store for him.

  “We will be stacking bricks one by one under your ankles,” I say as I place the first red brick under him.

  His eyes enlarge as he comes to realize what’s about to happen.

  “Are you feeling the pull? With each brick I place right here, the straps will get tighter and the tension on the knees will slowly increase until it breaks backward.”

  Jimbo starts to scream for help. I place another brick under his ankles. His yells get louder.

  “Ready to talk? Two more bricks and the first crack will come.”

  “I… I have suppliers from all over, who are you looking for?” he asks staring at his feet as they turn red.

  I hold a brick in my hand. “Who’s your main supplier in Penndel?”

  “Come on, man, you’re trying to get me killed. Oh shit.”

  I place another brick under his ankles as he howls in pain. “Who is he?” I ask calmly. Another brick and that’s when we hear the first crack.

  “Oh shit, you motherfucker.” I stand and take out two more bricks. “No! No, okay! It’s Joel Huntsman. He uses Draco Steel to traffic shipments.”

  Everything in me falls silent. Jack steps forward. “Did he send you that lawyer?”

  “Yes, he did. Shit, please, move the fucking bricks.”

  “Was it him that put you up to leaking that story on Ethan to the press?” I ask.

  “Yes! He wants Wulf gone,” He whimpers as tears stream down his face into his oily beard.

  I already knew Huntsman was dirty. I also knew he was behind that shit with that reporter. However, Jimbo has just confessed it all in front of the town sheriff. Check fucking mate. It’s time for my next move.

  “What do we do with him now?” Soren asks.

  I look at Soren, knowing that like me he suffered under the wrath of this man. “I want to go back to the party. You can do whatever you like with him.”

  “That all right with you?” my brother asks Jack with narrowed eyes.

  Jack shrugs. “I’m not here.”

  We step outside. The shrill cry of Jimbo breaks through the night air. I guess Soren added more bricks.

  Chapter 13

  Burn it Down

  Amelia

  “Today was a lot,” Olivia says softly over the line. “He’s seriously pissed.”

  “Let him be.”

  The party is over, everyone has gone home. The cleaning crew came in and left an hour ago. I start to wonder where Ethan went the second time, but I know he will call me when he can.

  I sigh as my sister sits silently on the phone. She has a mouthful to say, I can feel it. I decide to wait her out.

  “Mayor?”

  My mind is still reeling from my actions earlier today. I’m running for mayor and people love the idea.

  “Yeah.” I blow out a breath and huff. “Never in a thousand years had I thought of this path. It sounds crazy. Mayor.”

  “What made you do it?”

  I scratch my head and frown as if she can see me. “I’m sick of daddy and I’m tired of him causing drama for Ethan. I stepped in because it felt like the right thing to do. You know?”

  “Absolutely. I’m not mad at you at all. It’s time. You’re the one to challenge him. It’s your right.”

  “Thanks, sis. I needed to hear that.”

  My stomach flutters at the thought. I wish my mom were around. I think she’d be proud of me.

  Olivia speaks to my thoughts as if we’re reading each other’s minds. “Amelia… have you ever believed him?”

  “No.”

  “Me either. I don’t remember her much, but I know she loved us. I mean, we were so little. Who would leave their nine and seven year-old with Joel Huntsman? The man’s heart is pure black.”

  “Yeah, I know and the car accident… the way she died. That has never felt right to me either. Gram always gets this look on her face when I ask about it.”

  “Right! I’ve seen that too. I think the whole going to her lover thing is bullshit. Daddy spits that out whenever he wants to talk down about Mommy, but I’m not buying it,” Olivia grumbles.

  I totally agree. As I begin to see my father for who he is as a man, I realize why my mother left. Part of me forgives her for leaving me behind.

  God my stomach feels lousy, and this conversation isn’t helping. I roll my eyes and groan, biting back a wave of nausea. Despite the cleaners being here everything seems to smell.

  A fire truck’s siren cries through the streets. I wonder where they’re going. Do they have the equipment they need? Now that I’m a candidate, there are some things that I want to discuss in our debate. I’m going to debate taxes and Penndel laws with my father.

  “Hey, I’m exhausted and hungry. Call you tomorrow?”

  “Sure, love you.”

  “Love you too.”

  I hang up. Opening the fridge, I take out a carrot and chop it into strips. Having no cream cheese, I take out what I think is the next best thing. Peanut butter!

  I know, it sounds weird to me at first. Then I dip my carrot stick into the peanut butter. It’s euphoric. One bag of carrots later, my phone rings.

  “Hey you.” I’m greeted by silence. “Eth, are you there?”

  “Yeah, I am. It’s been a long day.”

  It has been, which is why I force my tired body up to my bedroom. It’s takes all my strength to drag my feet up the stairs and talk to Ethan at the same time. I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be able to keep my eyes open.

  “I know, but it’s over now. Where are you?”

  “I just got out of
the shower. I’m at the suite.”

  Rustling comes through the line as he moves with his phone. I picture him moving around his hotel bedroom.

  “I’m sorry about today.”

  He chuckles. “It’s turning out better than I planned.”

  “How so?” I walk to my living room and sit down.

  “For one, you nominated yourself as a candidate. I didn’t see that coming.”

  I laugh. “Neither did I.”

  “It’s late so I’ll let you rest. Meet me tomorrow morning at Litchfield Manor at six. I have something to show you.”

  My heart stops when he says Litchfield. I never want to step back into that place again. I can’t even believe that he bought it.

  “Eth, I can’t.”

  “Don’t keep me waiting. Goodnight.” He hangs up.

  My emotions flood me, calling back all the bad memories of the last time I stepped into the manor. Although a part of me is dying to see the renovations… I pause.

  Don’t keep me waiting. Who the hell does he think he is?

  I wonder if he still has… You know what, I’m not going to think about it. I’m going to go to my bed and sleep. Today was full of excitement. I wonder what tomorrow holds.

  Ethan

  I lie in my bed trying to process everything. Joel Huntsman, mayor and drug lord extraordinaire. Who would have thought? The good old mayor is dirtier than I knew.

  My phone rings. In my exhaustion, I pick it up. “Hello.”

  “You did it, didn’t you?” Soren says with a mix of gratitude and hurt.

  “It had to be done. She won’t be going back there.”

  I went to Lower Penndel when I left the party for the second time. Something had just been eating me up. I entered my mother’s trailer and looked around at the sad place. I couldn’t stand to be there.

  I collected her important paperwork, a few of Keegan’s documents we didn’t already have, and some pictures of us as children and then I doused the place in gasoline. I always dreamed of burning that trailer down.

  I relished in the blazing reality after I lit a match and tossed it, then walked to my car. As I drove away, I watch it explode on its lonely lot. It was then that I realized it was always a sad isolate place. All the other trailers were too good to be close to it, even in their filthy deteriorating states.

  The great part is, it’s a poor part of town. Fire Services will take forever to get here. It will be good and burned by the time they arrive. Knowing this, a peaceful feeling of happiness and calm settled over me.

  “What now?” Soren mutters, pulling me from my memories.

  “We finish this.”

  There’s one thing left and that leads to the only question I have. How do I take down Joel Huntsman? He has to go.

  Chapter 14

  Litchfield Manor

  Amelia

  “PTV radio news, a trailer in Lower Penndel burnt down to the ground last night. The police and fire department are still investigating. The fire marshal said it could have been the faulty wires in the old trailer. PTV news will continue to cover the story.”

  I turn off the radio as I drive through the alley of trees. I remember times past. Days where my then boyfriend would lean me against a tree and kiss me. He made promises that I wished he could keep.

  I just knew that Eth was going be successful at anything he did. My chest tightens when I see the outer renovations of Litchfield Manor. I didn’t realize the construction was nearly complete. It’s everything I imagined and more.

  Ethan renovated the manor to its previous splendor; it’s breathtaking. Two tall majestic oak trees frame the structure. A curved concrete stairway leads to the first balcony with swirled wrought iron railings that wrap around the manor. Eight tall Roman pillars hold up the wide gable roof of the second floor, like the first, it too has a wide balcony. This house looks like the set of Gone With the Wind and I love it.

  I step out of the car and look around at the vast grounds. I inhale a sharp breath. This isn’t what I expected at all. A smile comes to my lips.

  “It sits on one hundred acres. Did you know that?” Ethan says. I turn to find him on the steps at the entrance. He starts to walk down toward me.

  “It’s absolute beautiful, Ethan,” I say, still admiring the tall well-spaced windows and the dark blue shutters on the sides.

  He takes my hand. “Come, let me take you inside.” As we walk up the stairs and step into the enormous foyer, a grand sweeping stairway opens to two sides of the house. “To the left is a grand dining room. On the right, the formal living room.”

  He guides me through the house still holding my hand. We step over large wood cutting machines, plugs, and lumber.

  “Where’s everyone today?” I ask.

  “Soren gave them all a day off. He needed the rest.” I understand why he needs rest. The house is near completion in such a short time.

  “It’s going to be beautiful when you’re finished.”

  He chuckles and tugs me up the stairs. “Let me show you my favorite room.”

  After passing two columns, we arrive at a double set of doors. He opens them and it’s grandiose. The morning light shines through the huge windows of the room. Unlike the other rooms, this room is finished.

  “You need to get furniture,” I state, passing my hand delicately over the frame of one of the his and hers closets.

  “Yes, I do. Let me show you the piece de resistance,” he says excitedly. Opening the doors, he ushers me into a white marble bathroom with his and hers sinks. There’s a glass, six head shower and a tall white towel rack.

  “Okay, this is nice, Ethan.”

  “No, it’s more than that.” Taking me by the shoulders, he turns me to the right and my heart stops.

  “Oh, Ethan, it’s gorgeous,” I exclaim as I walk to the copper claw foot tub which sits right in front of a wide plantation window. It’s just like I always wanted. “It’s perfect.”

  “Here,” he passes me an old crumpled piece of paper with a rough drawing of the inside of the house.

  “Have you always had this?” I ask as I smooth out the page.

  “Yes, I have.”

  Sitting on the edge of the tub, tears well. I can’t believe he has kept this all this time. I recall a time from long ago.

  Ethan’s mini radio played Jon. B “They don’t know.” It echoed through the manor.

  “Do you have any more Cheetos?” I asked as I finished helping Wulf with his homework.

  He passed me the bag. “You think I can pass this test, babe?”

  I looked at him and smiled. He was so smart. I had no doubt he could.

  “Yes, you can. Then you can go to college and get rich and buy us this house.”

  He laughed. “Why this house? It’s dingy and old.”

  “Yes, but it would’ve been glorious in its day,” I replied as I looked up at the dark roof.

  “You do know that there are slave barracks in the back, right?” he asked.

  I hated slavery. Oppressing a people is never a good thing. “Yes, but you will break them down and you can build me a garden.”

  “Is that all?”

  “I want a copper claw foot tub. I want it to be deep so I can sit and soak.”

  He tore a page from his binder and gave it to me with a pencil. “Draw it out so I can remember.”

  I took the pencil and I started to draw. “I want the kitchen here, the dining room here.”

  “Ever wonder about the history of this house?” he asked.

  I looked around at the damaged yet regal inside. A million different scenarios come to mind. Anything could have happened within these walls.

  “I hope the history is a good one.”

  Ethan sat silently as I finished my drawing. I could just see it in all its glory once it was done. The excitement continued to build with each room I noted.

  “Name the house.”

  “What?” I laughed.

  “Name the house.” He looked at
me while scratching his day-old beard.

  “Um, Casa Bianca.”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  “Nope,” I giggled at how silly the name was.

  “Casa Bianca, it is.”

  I touch the paper remembering the two kids with broken dreams.

  “I call the house Casa Bianca, by the way.”

  “Ethan…” I’m speechless.

  “The house was built in 1919 by Doctor Arnold Litchfield. Rumors say he never married because he was in love with one of his Black patients.”

  He hands me an old photo of the house. Standing on the porch are two people. One white, the other black.

  “Of course, they couldn’t marry, but she lived with him in the house helping him take care of the ill Black families in Penndel.” My heart breaks for the couple. I understand what it’s like to be prevented from loving someone. “Turns out, the manor was a place where interracial couples started to come for help to have their babies without persecution. They came here to find a haven. It was productive and good.

  “Litchfield never married. He died in the arms of his beloved, not a car accident. All of those rumors were just made up from what I found.”

  I look around the room silently wanting to ask Litchfield how their love faired? Was he frowned upon? How many families did he help? How many babies were born at his hand?

  “The house is beautiful. I can’t believe you kept this.” I hold the crumpled paper in my hand.

  “I promised a girl I once loved I would do this for her. Rebuild this house.” He reaches for me and pulls me to a standing position. His lips cover mine.

  My legs turn into jelly. I pull away and look into his eyes. “What about your revenge?”

  “I don’t think I ever wanted to get back at you. I still love you, Red. I think I came back for you more than anything.” He smooths my hair back and dips in for another kiss.

  Breaking the kiss, he gazes into my eyes and takes the paper from me and places it into his pocket. He tugs at my yoga pants. “Take them off.”