“Stop fighting. We don’t have time for this.”
“Why are you doing this to me? I’m Hannah Johnson. I work at Fired Up making pottery. I’m not this Aspen person. You have it all wrong. You have the wrong woman.”
He softened only slightly behind me. “How I wish I had it all wrong, but I don’t. Now, I need you to stop making my job harder and just listen so we can get out of here.” The blade was still in a place, a reminder of my dire situation. He was in control and I had no options.
“I’m not going with you!” I yelled. If I left here with him, I was as good as dead.
Every one of those criminal shows, snapped, and unsolved murders came crashing through my mind. Never leave with your abductor. Once they have you in their space, their control, they have the upper hand. The percentage of survival went down with every mile they put between you and the location of captivity.
I was in survival mode. Like a donkey, I was going to set my heels in and remain here.
The bite of the metal bit into my skin. I didn’t feel the blade pierce my skin, but he was close. He was in control.
“You have no choice if you want to live.”
Despair washed over me.
Defeated.
I was going to die.
“Then kill me now, Dane. If that’s even your real name. Pull the blade across my throat. Better yet, stab it in my heart because you have it all wrong.”
He turned me to face him and tossed the knife behind him clamoring to the floor. His lips crashed to mine. I didn’t kiss him back.
Instead, I lifted my knee and connected with his crotch. He groaned as the pain caused him to back away. I was going to fight. He couldn’t seduce me anymore.
Fool me once, shame on him.
Fool me twice, shame on me. I wouldn’t do this. No way. No how.
I turned to run again.
He grabbed me effortlessly.
“Aspen, I’m taking you out of here. You will go with me quietly. You will act like nothing is wrong. If your neighbors are outside, you’re gonna smile and be polite. You will not scream or tell anyone anything.”
“And what if I don’t cooperate? I’m gonna die anyway, so how about you just fuck off, Dane!”
His face stiffened. The air between us grew cold. “If you don’t cut the shit and do what I say then I promise to redden your ass later. Royal is okay and waiting to see you. Your gramma is being moved to a more secure facility where she’ll be monitored by my people. The only person I haven’t secured yet is you, and Jolin is on his way here with his Uncle Freeman.”
I gasped that he had my grandmother moved. How was I supposed to see her when I didn’t even know where she was? My heart sank.
I was losing the battle. He knew everything. He had all the cards in the deck, and I was left with the jokers.
“Royal is at my cabin waiting for you. It was the only way to keep her safe from Jolin. She told me what you saw. I know you were protecting her. But I know these men, and I know you’re good as dead along with everyone you care about if you don’t go with me and go right the fuck now. Aspen, are you gonna do this the easy way or the hard way? Because on my word, you’re leaving here with me right the fuck now.”
I didn’t think it was possible but I was truly bigger than screwed when it came to Dane whatever the fuck his last name was and my life. I wanted to smack myself in the head. I had been sleeping with this man, and I didn’t even bother to get his last name. I knew better than this. I allowed his tattoos, his persona, his charisma to distract me, and now look where it landed my ass… fucked.
“So what, you were sent here to save me? Since you know these men and you want to protect me, why not tell me from the beginning?” The questions ran crazy in my mind. Who was this man? Why did he really come into my life?
Was anything real?
“I was sent to kill you,” he said with his eyes locked to mine.
I gasped.
It was the truth. In front of me, the man stood owning exactly what he came to do.
Fear.
I had times in my life where I felt fear, but nothing was like this. Absolute undeniable, heart stopping, body freezing, fear gripped me.
So many emotions ran through me. My heart shattered into a million pieces. I could never have anything good in my life, even for short moments. Shit like this always seemed to happen cutting me to the quick.
Dane wasn’t here to show me a good life. He wasn’t here to save me. Just the opposite. He was going to kill me. Did he consider death better than the life I had? Because I didn’t. I rather liked breathing. I liked my life in Pennsylvania. I even had enjoyed my time here in Colorado. I didn’t want to die, but it didn’t seem like I had any way to save myself now.
I was out of options and out of time. Jolin Zook was going to kill me.
If I went with Dane, I could see Royal one more time. If what he said was true. I tried to weigh my options in my mind. Where could I go? What if he hurt Royal?
Swallowing, I faced my reality.
I was going to die.
Rolling my shoulders back, stilling my spine, I looked Dane in the eyes. My green ones locked onto his blue, and I let the colors of the ocean swirl as I accepted my fate.
“You came here to kill me”—
I kept my voice steady—“so do it.”
20
Dane
There wasn’t time.
Shifting, I dropped my shoulder into her abdomen and scooped her up. Carrying her out, she tried to kick but with her hands tied and the angle I had her at she only made me grunt from her shifting as we moved. I grabbed her duffle bags and headed to my car.
Tossing her in the passenger seat, I was thankful for the early morning quiet. No one was out and surprisingly enough, Aspen wasn’t yelling. She seemed to be absorbing her situation. I was sure the fear was gripping her insides, and I couldn’t do anything to soothe that. Whether she came out of this understanding me or hating me didn’t matter. I was going to keep her breathing.
At all costs.
“Please, wait.” Her words came out as a whisper as I buckled her in the seat. She shifted trying to find a way to get comfortable.
I had firsthand experience with having my hands tied behind my back. I knew there was no angle to make it comfortable. I wouldn’t bother telling her that; she was more than capable of figuring it out for herself. The less she moved the easier it would be.
“There isn’t time for the shit, Aspen. I’ll explain everything when I have you in a secure location. Until then, I need you to trust me.” I sounded pathetic, but this was the time I needed her blind faith even though I certainly hadn’t earned it.
“I can’t trust you.” Her tone was almost despondent. I hated bringing her to that point, but I didn’t see any other option. “But if you don’t plan on me returning, I need my grandmother’s things. There is a box on the top shelf of the closet. Please, I need that box.”
“No,” I replied, shutting the door and rounding the front of the Tahoe. She already hated me, and she could hate me some more. I didn’t have time to look for a box and risk her taking off. She didn’t know who she was up against, I did. The only way to keep her safe and alive was with me.
Climbing in, I could see her eyes holding in unshed tears. She was strong. She was fierce. Silently we made the drive.
While I wished I was further out from Clearview, this would have to make do. At least until I could secure another place for her. If it took every dime I had I would give her a life with a home where she was safe.
The entire drive, she said nothing. She made not one move. She had shut down and in turn shut me out.
I couldn’t blame her.
Pulling up, I took in the Range Rover in the driveway and knew it was Garrett’s rental. At least having him here would give me another set of eyes to watch her when the time came to face Freeman.
Getting out of the Tahoe, I rounded the front, unbuckled her, and let her slide out of the
car. She followed me after I grabbed the bags and headed into the house.
Inside, Royal rushed to Aspen and wrapped her arms tightly around her friend. Aspen let the first tear fall, and I felt it deep inside my chest.
Royal released her and looked at me.
“Why are her arms tied?” Royal asked. Instead of answering, I moved over and cut the rope from Aspen’s wrists. She turned around quickly and slapped me across the face.
“You’re a liar!” Aspen screamed in my face, fury like no other rolling off of her in waves. While I knew it was coming, it still sucked. She left me no choice in what I did to get her here.
“Aspen, calm down,” I said just as laughter could be heard across the room. Garrett decided to join the party and found his own amusement at my expense.
“Damn, brother, you sure do have a way with the ladies.” He chuckled.
Aspen’s eyes sliced over to Garrett. “Who are you?” she demanded.
I nodded once to my brother, who stepped forward. “I’m Garrett. Nice to meet ya.”
She growled, turning to me. Yes, growled. It was cute even though she was pissed. “So that wasn’t a lie?”
“Babe, I didn’t lie about anything.”
“You were sent to kill me!” She shrieked in a way I hadn’t seen from her. Was it bad my dick hardened?
“Right. I know this is a lot to process. We’ve got a lot of shit to iron out. First things first.” I looked to Garrett. “Getting her out went smooth?”
He held his arms out. “She’s here isn’t she?”
“Hello, I have a name,” Royal said like she suddenly found a set of balls. Knowing that Jolin beat the fuck out of her pretty regularly and raped her; well, I was surprised she was actually standing up to us.
Truthfully, I was proud of her. If nothing else came from this fucked up mess then I hoped at least Royal found her strength and confidence to leave Jolin behind for good.
Not that it mattered, I had a plan for a single bullet to his head anyway. But maybe in the future she would have better taste in partners.
Ignoring her, though, I kept my attention on Garrett.
The smartass fucker he was. “Any tails?”
“Seriously, Dane?” he asked, getting pissed off himself. “You think I’d lead anyone here? I get this is your thing, and you see me as the fucker in the suit. But I’m cunning and clever and sexy as fuck. So again, you really think I’d let anyone follow me?”
I wanted to punch him and thank him at the same time. “Know that, brother. Just trying to wrap my head around everything. Any news on Jolin and Freeman?” I trusted Garrett with everything. I just needed to hear the words. I couldn’t explain it. In any other situation I would have simply taken his word for it. With Aspen involved I had to hear it. Affirmation of sorts, I guessed.
Garrett looked to me without answering. Aspen was watching us with avid fascination, Royal at her side. I was done hiding things from Aspen. She wanted to hear, so be it. I gave him a nod so he could understand he was free to speak.
“You sure you want all this out there in front of them?” he asked anyway.
“Got nothing to hide.”
Aspen gave out a huff of frustration. I turned to face her. My eyes locked to hers where I could see the war waging inside her mind.
“I know you can’t trust me. I know you think all sorts of things. Most of them would be wrong. I didn’t lie to you, Aspen.”
“Yeah right,” she fired back. “You were sent to kill me, but you’re gonna give me your real name.” She smacked herself dramatically in the forehead. “Not that I actually know your last name, because I’m the dumbass who trusted the fucking butterflies in my belly.” Her last words were more to herself and muttered where I almost didn’t hear them.
“My last name is Anderson. This is Garrett Monroe, he’s my brother. I will answer any question you have when I know without a doubt you’re safe. I won’t hide what’s going on from you. So Garrett’s gonna update us. Now, stow the thoughts of killing me, beating me, and whatever else for a bit, Aspen.”
“Don’t forget cutting your dick off,” she replied, making my balls shrivel a bit in fear.
“Aspen, please,” I asked as nice as I could knowing time was of the utmost importance.
She didn’t reply, so I looked back to Garrett.
“Private jet. Due to touch down in about an hour thirty. As long as you didn’t bring any of his watchdogs our way, we’re safe from him here.”
Only then was I able to breathe. At least for a moment. I had a little time and knowledge that when I left her here she was safe.
I turned to Aspen. “Get settled in.”
“Fuck you!” she spat. Getting her over this would be a challenge, but I’d do it come hell or high water.
21
Aspen
Liar. That’s what Dane was. He didn’t want to start anything with me. All of it was an act to get me close to him.
So he could kill me. Yes, kill me.
The thought was daunting. He was so close. There were so many opportunities I freely gave him. I felt like the village idiot.
That was his intention the entire time we’d known each other. I had sex with a man who was going to take my life away from me. How stupid could I be?
When he asked me if I trusted him, that was a flat out no. If he would’ve asked me before, I may’ve said yes and that was stupid all the way around.
I just wanted to bang my head against a wall and say “stupid, stupid, stupid,” over and over again. Not that it would get me anywhere, but it was exactly how I felt… utterly, ridiculously stupid.
All those moments I was gathering with Dane so I could hold them near were fake. Phony. He didn’t feel anything for me except a fuck to help him pass the time.
What I didn’t get was we spent a lot of time alone; why hadn’t he taken me out then? He could’ve put a bullet in my head on numerous occasions, but never did. He had so many opportunities to finish his job, yet he never did.
Why? It just didn’t make sense.
He instead took me to dinner and had sex with me. Sex. It was all a lie. Every feeling I had was a lie.
That hurt because I really cared about him and thought he did me.
None of this sat well with me.
“What is going on?” Royal whisper yelled as we sat at the kitchen table. The cabin we were in was small and whatever I said, both Dane and Garrett would hear. That I had no doubt.
But fuck him. He obviously knew more about me than he ever let on.
“That dickhead over there”—I pointed to Dane—“found me hiding out in Clearview. I did everything you said, Royal. Started a new life, and no one knew who I was. I make pottery if you can believe it.”
“Really?” she asked, knowing I had no interest before.
“Yeah. Made good money at it. This asshole came in saying he’d pay me triple for a pot his mother ‘had to have.’ It was a bunch of shit.”
“You got Ellen Sue pottery? She’s gonna make you her favorite, you fucker,” Garrett joked, and Dane gave him a glare.
I ignored the comment and continued on to Royal. “He came by the next day and asked me out, and I was stupid enough to take him up on it. Then come to find out he was sent here by your dickhead boyfriend to kill me.” I leaned in closer to Royal. “Kill me.”
“Oh my!” Royal sat back in her chair, her eyes darting all over the room.
“Yeah, oh my isn’t even the start of it. When I told him he needed to leave this morning, he tied me up and brought me here.”
“Why did you come?”
I rolled my eyes to the ceiling and crossed my arms over my chest. “What else could I do? He said you were here and even what small hope you were, I had to take the chance. Even if it was going with someone who wants a bullet in my head.”
She reached over pulling my hand to her, holding it closely. “Don’t you think he would’ve done it by now if he wanted to?”
“Doesn’t matter.
The entire thing was a farce, and I fell for it. I was so damn careful and yet, bam. He got me hook, line, and sinker.”
“Maybe there’s more going on here. All of this doesn’t fit.”
I slammed my hand to the table causing a loud sound. “Doesn’t fit? First, you’re getting the shit beat out of you. I try to save you and you end up pushing me away instead of the asshole. Second, I get away only to find myself in bed with an assassin. What part of any of this shit fits?”
My temper rose to combustible levels and there was no way to contain it. I wanted to explode and take a bat to Dane’s head.
“Calm down. That’s not helping.” Royal stated making me want to give her a whack too. What was wrong with people? Was I the only sane one in this group?
“Whose side on your on, Royal? The man”—I made each word firmer than the last—“came here to kill me. There’s no coming back from death, Royal.” I wanted to shake her. Maybe even hit her upside the head with a bat.
“Yours, Aspen. But Garrett came to our house, he made arrangements for me to disappear after Jolin did a real number on me,” Royal explained, and her face grew somber. “Why would they keep us safe when they could’ve killed us both?”
Looking at her skin, I could see discoloration under her makeup. Jolin really did rough her up again.
Instead of answering her I looked over to Dane. “So you gonna hand me and Royal over to those two assholes? Get your money or whatever in the fuck you get when killing another human being.”
Bitch was my middle name at this point, but I had every right.
Dane came closer. “Stop the shit, Aspen. If I wanted you dead, you already would be.” That took some wind out of my sail, but I did everything I could to hide it.
“Just do it. Once Jolin gets ahold of me, he’s going to do worse. Just put it in my head and be done.”
Royal jumped to her feet getting in front of me. “That’s not happening.”
Peeking around Royal, Dane’s smirk, the one I fell for, was on full display. There was nothing funny here whatsoever.
PowerLess: Anti-Hero Game: Power Chain Book Three Page 13
