Lie With Me (Decadence After Dark #4)

by M. Never

“Tara! Let me in!”

  “It’s Philly.” I go for the door, but Kayne yanks me back, opening it himself. He holds the gun right up to a startled Philly’s face.

  “Whoa!” He puts his hands up in surrender.

  “It’s fine.” I pull on Kayne’s arms. “It’s fine!”

  Kayne drops the gun with trepidation but lets Philly inside.

  “Go with him, Tara. You know where to find your free pussy,”

  Nino says lastly.

  Then, click.

  I nearly hyperventilate as the line goes dead.

  “What did he mean? Where’s CJ?” Jett asks forcefully.

  I look at Philly, and he nods.

  “At a club called Clip.”

  “Where is it?”

  “Hell’s Kitchen,” Philly answers. “There’s a room on the second floor. Behind his office. You’ll find him there.”

  Kayne slams Philly against the wall and raises the gun to his head. “If we go there and you’re lying, I have a bullet with your name on it.”

  “I’m not lying.” Philly squeezes his eyes shut. He’s so anti-violence it isn’t funny. I hate seeing him caught in the middle of all this.

  My heart is pounding so hard it feels like a swarm of bees is circling in my chest.

  Kayne drops the gun, and Philly nearly drops dead.

  “Let’s go, Tara,” he says, shaken up.

  “Go? You think we’re letting her go anywhere with you?” Kayne sneers. “We’ll go get Juice, and then we’ll handle the idiot on the phone.”

  “We have to go! If I don’t have Tara outside in five minutes, he’s going to burn my entire apartment building to the ground. Families live there!”

  “You actually believe he’d do that?” Jett asks calmly as if he’s talking to a suicidal mental patient.

  Philly turns his head and looks directly at Jett. “My brother has always been unstable, and he’s getting worse by the day. I wouldn’t put anything past him anymore.”

  Jett gazes at Kayne with stern aqua eyes. “Let her go.”

  “Are you fucking nuts!?!” Kayne takes a step toward Jett.

  “Where are you taking her?” Jett goes on, not fazed by Kayne at all.

  “I don’t know! We’re just supposed to be outside, now!”

  “Wonderful.” Kayne grabs a fistful of hair.

  All this fucking chitchat is making me nuts.

  “I’ll go! Please, let’s just stop talking! CJ is out there, and God knows what Nino has done to him!”

  Three pairs of eyes focus on me as if they’re just remembering I’m in the room. I slip on a pair of sneakers without socks and grab my coat.

  “Tara,” Kayne protests.

  “I’m with Philly. I’ll be fine,” I try to reassure him.

  I hope.

  Before we hurry out the door, Kayne catches Philly’s arm. “Forget the bullet.” He flat out threatens him once again. “If anything happens to her, I’ll filet you open right in front of your mother.”

  Both Philly’s and my eyes widen frightfully. I have no idea who my sister married, but he’s scary as shit.

  Outside, there’s a black Town Car waiting for us. Philly ushers me inside and then slams the door closed. I don’t recognize the man driving.

  “Cell phones.” He reaches his hand behind him. Both Philly and I reluctantly hand him our phones. He then opens the front window and tosses them out before he drives away.

  Shit.

  “I told you!” Philly hisses at me. “I told you not to get involved with him!” he seethes under his breath. “You never listen! Now look! Fuck, Tara, we are in shit up to our eyeballs!”

  I retreat into myself, wishing my ski jacket would swallow me whole.

  “I know, I’m sorry,” I whisper regretfully. But as scared as I am for Philly and myself, I’m more terrified for CJ. Philly is right. Nino is completely unstable, and there’s no telling what he’s capable of. I shove my hand into my pocket and rub CJ’s watch obsessively. I found it on the bed when I woke up this afternoon and swiped it before we left. I make a promise right here and now that I will give it back to him. It’s my oath to persevere, to survive whatever’s coming. I just pray to god he’s not a corpse when I do.

  I WALK INTO THE QUIET club. With the lights on, it looks like a shithole. Drab floors, dingy walls, and dusty bar tops. I swept the place with infrared before I entered, surprised to find only one person in the entire building. Going on instinct, I decided to enter. I’ve taken on more than one opponent before. I can do it again. Besides, I know guys like Nino—pride fuels them. He’s going to want to beat the shit out of me himself.

  I walk into the center of the dance floor. “I’m here cocksucker, with my balls,” I shout.

  “I see.” He materializes on the second-floor landing. The exact spot I positioned myself the last time I was here.

  “I feel a little like I’m in high school.” He descends the stairs, taking one slow, measured step at a time. “Fighting over a girl in the parking lot.”

  “This is way bigger than some adolescent pissing contest.”

  “If you say so.” He reaches the first floor, and I finally get a good look at him. Thick black hair with wicked eyes to match. Complete psychopath wrapped up in a pretty package. “But I will tell you this, parking lot, knife fight, or gun fight, I always win.”

  I grin almost insanely. “What about fist fight?”

  “That too.” He rolls up his sleeves as he walks toward me. I don’t move a muscle, inviting him closer.

  “This is your last chance to walk away.” I offer him an out before things turn violent.

  “I never walk away.”

  “Bit of an inflated ego, huh? Always win, never walks away.”

  “Mmm hmm.” He nods, his eyes as black as a shark’s, completely void of humanity.

  That’s when he strikes. Like I didn’t see it coming. Nino tries to coldcock me, but I dodge his fist and dance on my feet. He comes at me hard, swinging away, but I’m too fast for his juvenile street skills. I know his moves before he does. I guard my face looking for the perfect opportunity to jab, keeping my composure as he grows frustrated, missing the hit every single time.

  “Punk.” He drops his hands, clearly aggravated, giving me the opening I need. I sucker punch him right in the nose then hit him with a kidney shot. He slumps forward but keeps coming at me. Adrenaline spiked stupidity fueling his fire.

  “What’s the matter? I thought you never lose.” I punch him in the face again and then again. The whole left side of his cheek is swelling up.

  He drops to his knees, panting as I wail on him, blood from his mouth dripping onto the floor. My knuckles are torn up from the repeated blows, but I ignore the stinging cuts, determined to finish him. Still on his knees, swaying from probably multiple concussions, he actually has the audacity to smile at me. His teeth are stained red with blood and both eyes are turning black and blue.

  “I told you I always win.” His eyes dart over my shoulder and just as I turn my head, I see the blur of the baseball bat.

  Then there’s only black.

  CLOSE TO TWO HOURS LATER, we pull up to a dark house somewhere on Long Island. The doors have child proof locks, so we have to wait for the driver to get out and open one from the outside.

  “Let’s go.”

  Philly and I slide out one at a time at gunpoint.

  “Walk,” he directs, motioning the gun at the house. The three of us walk silently to the front door. Once we are under complete cover of darkness, the driver pulls out his phone and hits a button. “We’re here.”

  Moments later, the front door creaks open, and we’re forced inside. Nino’s minion pokes me in the back with the barrel as we walk through the dark shadows of the house. It isn’t until we make it all the way to the back that we begin to hear voices. I’m pushed into a large room that’s washed in harsh yellow light with the shades drawn. There are several men standing around, mingling. Nino grabs me just as I cross th
e threshold, his face badly beaten.

  “Your free pussy is tough, I’ll give him that,” he says with amusement.

  “Where is he?” I demand.

  “Exactly where I left him.”

  “Nino!”

  “Shut up!” He drags me into the center of the room.

  “Attention, gentlemen,” he announces. “As promised, we have one last lot for auction.” He strips off my coat and pushes me so hard I fall forward onto my hands and knees in the middle of the room. “She’s a little banged up, but still in perfect working condition.”

  “Nino!” Philly vocally attacks his brother. “Are you fucking crazy? That’s Tara!”

  “I know who the fuck it is.” Nino pulls a gun on Philly and my heart stops. “Now, shut the fuck up or you’re next. Don’t make me hurt family.”

  “You have lost your goddamn mind,” Philly condemns him.

  “I was born on a path paved to Hell,” Nino returns with no remorse.

  Philly glances at me on the floor. His daunting look tells me all I need to know. The only way out of this is death.

  Nino lowers his gun then turns his attention back to me. Surrounded by a half dozen seedy men, he grabs my hair and pulls my face up, as if showing off merchandise.

  “The bidding starts at fifteen thousand.”

  “Fifteen.” Someone shouts immediately.

  “Nino!” I struggle, but he yanks on my hair, causing me to cry out in pain.

  “That’s right, Tara, show them your fear. You’ll fetch a better price,” he hisses in my ear.

  “Asshole.” I shake scared out of my mind, my scalp on fire.

  “Do I hear twenty thousand? I can tell you from experience, she’s worth every penny.”

  My heart is ready to explode as a bidding war breaks out. Twenty, thirty, forty thousand dollars.

  This can’t be happening.

  “One hundred thousand dollars!” An anonymous voice bellows, silencing everyone. I nearly die on the spot.

  A man appears from an obscure corner of the room, the group parting as he walks up to Nino and me. He’s wearing all black—boots, pants, and shirt—but it’s the baseball cap that gives him away.

  “One hundred thousand dollars,” he publicizes with authority. With finality. “But I want to sample the merchandise first.” He glares down at me as I stare up. My stomach roils.

  “Be my guest.” Nino lets go of my hair and steps back. His tone way too favorable.

  I FEEL LIKE I’M FLOATING.

  My stomach is sour, but the pain has virtually disappeared.

  I found Nino and nearly finished him, but he got the upper hand. Actually, his sneaky scumbag friend did when he caught me behind the head with that fucking baseball bat. When I came to, I was tied to a table with my arms draped over the sides. I actually found satisfaction in his swollen bloody face before he slit both of my wrists.

  I don’t know how long I have been lying here, but I surmise a while. My vision is nearly gone, my mouth is bone dry, and my veins are brittle. The one silver lining as I drip slowly to my death are the hallucinations, the visions of Tara smiling and laughing, wearing a diamond choker, calling my name. Beckoning me into the light.

  A rush of regret suddenly washes over me. I failed her.

  I almost wish I didn’t stop Kayne from coming. I can almost hear his voice as if it’s right next to me.

  “Juice, you stupid fucking idiot!”

  My eyes roll into the back of my head, but I still hear him berating me. No one can rip you a new asshole like him. I laugh deranged.

  “Jesus Christ, what the fuck is he laughing at?”

  “He’s lost a shitload of blood. Might be hallucinating or in shock,” I hear Jett reply as I drift buoyantly in and out of consciousness.

  Then, suddenly, I’m moving.

  “Juice?” A feel a slap on my cheek. “Juice?”

  They sit me up, and just as my eyes come into focus, a wave of nausea hits me. I look between Kayne and Jett as if I’m drunk, and then puke all over the floor.

  “Jesus!”

  “Ohhh!” They both express their own disgust as they step back as far as they can without letting go of me.

  “Ugh.” I wipe my mouth, disgusted myself. I don’t think I’ve thrown up since my twenty-first birthday.

  “You okay, man?” Jett holds me steady.

  “I think so.” I survey the blood on the floor. It’s a lot.

  “We need to get you some medical attention. Kayne’s undershirt is only going to last so long.” They bandaged both of my wrists with a ripped up t-shirt.

  “No.” I grab Jett’s forearm.

  “Juice!” Kayne barks.

  “We have to get Tara.”

  “We know. It’s next on our ‘shit’s fucked up’ list.”

  “No, we have to go now. She’s in trouble.” My head swims. “Big trouble.”

  “What kind of big trouble?” The affliction is blatant in Kayne’s voice.

  “I’m not exactly sure. I just overheard Nino talking about a market on Long Island.”

  “Market? Like black market?”

  “I don’t know. But I heard him tell his buddy with the bat the address.” I try to stand up, and my legs give out.

  “Whoa.” Kayne and Jett both grab me. “Okay, the only place you’re going is the ER.”

  “Fuck that.” I nearly bite Kayne’s head off. “I’m going to get Tara.”

  “Juice!”

  “I’m going!” I fight to get on my feet, swaying as I do.

  “You’re pale as a ghost and can barely stand.” Kayne continues to argue with me.

  “Would that stop you from going after Ellie?” I shout.

  Kayne accosts me with what I think is the deadliest look on the planet and then grabs me by the shirt. “Let’s go.”

  SLADE CROUCHES DOWN IN FRONT of me. I have no words. He then leans in and whispers, “Do everything I say if you want to stay alive.”

  His statement should bring me some small bit of comfort, but it doesn’t as I kneel there like a statue.

  “You’re going to suck my cock like the good little whore you are,” he informs me.

  “In front of everyone?” I squeak.

  He nods, then smiles sadistically. “It shouldn’t be that difficult considering your background. Just think of it as another day at the office.” He stands up, and I want to shrivel away to nothing.

  “Let’s go, sunshine. We don’t have all night.”

  I glare up at him, the angry tears already clouding my vision.

  His gaze turns cold. “You don’t want to cost Nino any money, do you? That would be very bad for business.” He thrusts his pelvis in my face. “And what’s bad for business is bad for you. And your friend.” He glances at Philly and it makes me want to scream. “Take my cock out. Get me hard.”

  I scan the room repulsed by all the perverts nearly salivating as I unbuckle Slade’s belt with clumsy fingers. I don’t know how I’m going to do this.

  “Hurry up, sweetheart,” someone urges and all the men laugh.

  With a wave of shame, I begin to stroke Slade, it taking him all

  of three seconds to become erect.

  “Do it,” he orders me impatiently. Fisting my hair, I barely have time to open my mouth before he chokes me with his cock. I hear Philly’s string of sickened profanities as I go down on him in front of an entire room of strangers. My tears burning hotter as he fucks my face without a care in the world; no regard or concern.

  There’s no warning when he comes. Just a flood of semen drowning me when he explodes. I gag, barely keeping the contents in my stomach. He pushes me down once he’s done with me as if I’m dirt.

  “I’ll take her.” Slade zips his fly, thoroughly satisfied.

  “Sold to the scary man with the scar!” Nino announces just to humiliate me further. I don’t really need him for that, though. I’ve humiliated myself all on my own. I curl into a ball, wishing I could just disappear. Shrink
so small, the cracks in the floor would swallow me up.

  “C’mon, sunshine.” Slade bends over and grabs me by the arm.

  “Where are we going?” I demand in a whisper.

  “To play.” He drags me out of the room, away from a worried Philly and the rest of horny pervs.

  We walk back through the deceptively large dark house until we come to a bedroom. Slade tosses me inside, and before he even has the door locked, I attack him.

  “Why did you make me do that!” I bang on his chest as my resentful tears fall, the fury so blinding I end up slapping him right across the face.

  “Because I could!” He hits me back so hard I slam into the wall and am nearly knocked out.

  KAYNE IS DRIVING THE STREETS of Manhattan like a madman, while I fight all at once to stay conscious and not get sick on the fucking carnival ride.

  Jett is on the phone coordinating with Simon and Commander Adams. All I can remember Nino saying is market and money.

  Market and money. Market and money.

  It makes the ominous feeling in my gut grow every time I think about it. I look up at Kayne while he drives and get déjà vu. It wasn’t so long ago we were in a very similar position on a mission to get Ellie back. I understood the severity then but lacked the empathy. I didn’t truly understand how he felt until now. How helpless and scared and petrified he was at just the mere thought of losing her. I’m feeling all those things right now. Every single emotion. I keep playing out different scenarios in my head—if I find Tara hurt, or worse, dead. I can picture all the things my fury will unleash as I finish what I started.

  Finish Nino, so he can never take advantage or hurt another human being again. I stare down at my wrists. The makeshift bandage is working for now, but the white material is already soaked through with blood. I don’t care, though; I would drain every single vein in my body if it meant getting Tara back alive.

  “There’s a chopper waiting for us on the roof of the executive building.” Jett puts his phone down and updates us.

  “Perfect.” Kayne swerves, jumping several lanes, cutting off a cab, a delivery truck, and some chick in a sports car. Jesus. I grab the ‘oh shit’ handle of the sedan for dear life.

  “You don’t have to kill us on the way there,” I snap, irritated. “That would sort of defeat the purpose!”