The Salvation of Daniel (The Blue Butterfly Book 2)

by Sidebottom, D H

  “Don’t patronise me. You have no idea about my life.” I wanted to take her throat beneath my palm and squeeze the fucking life out of her. “You storm in and blow things all over, yet you still expect me to follow your every word. I’m afraid you don’t know me, Connie. You have no idea what I am capable of.” I kept my voice quiet, hiding my ire from Annie.

  Connie reached into a bag of nuts between her thighs, shifting gears with her other hand as she popped them lazily into her mouth. My patience was running thin. I couldn’t wait to drop Annie off and finally show this bitch who was the one in charge here.

  She finally nodded but turned her head to the side to watch a man standing on the edge of the road, his eyes watching us pass as his girlfriend bent over the grass, vomiting furiously. “We’ll discuss this later.” There was no tone that gave me a reading of her mood, but I noticed her finger tap the steering wheel rapidly, the tap, tap, tap annoying.

  Silence descended for a while, Annie asleep in the back as Connie and I tried to deal with the close proximity of one another.

  “So.” I sighed, needing information and hating the quiet. “How long have you been a Phantom?” I didn’t expect her to reply so when she did my eyes widened in shock at her answer.

  “Ten years.” It was said bluntly. I wondered if she had any emotions, any feelings inside that cold, frigid body of hers.

  “But that…” I quickly did the math in my head and stared at her. “That would mean you became a Phantom at thirteen.”

  “Uh-huh,” she confirmed without looking at me.

  Jesus Christ. My heart squeezed at the thought of a child training to become an assassin at thirteen. “Why?”

  She clicked her tongue and shifted slightly in her seat, flicking a glance at Annie through the mirror. “The why doesn’t concern you, nor does my past, only the now.”

  We remained quiet for the rest of the journey until we pulled up outside a two-storey house. It was modern and large, surprising me.

  “You’d better stay here. How do I put this?” Connie said as she smirked at me and lifted an eyebrow. “Your sister doesn’t like you very much.”

  “Yes, I’m well aware of that.”

  “Might be something to do with you killing your mother, eh?”

  I snatched out, seizing her neck in my hold. She continued to smirk at me, regarding me with boredom as I pulled her towards me. The bitch showed no fear whatsoever, and that made her dangerous, but I pushed that thought aside, concentrating on the now like she had told me. “You know nothing about me, so keep your judgements to yourself.”

  She chuckled, causing me to tighten my grip. She lifted her hand, curling her fingers around my wrist. A pain so potent fired up my arm, stabbing my chest when she pushed against a certain point on the inside of my wrist. My grip loosened instantly, shocking me when she winked and moved out of my hold.

  “You never learn, do you?” She tutted and shook her head in disappointment.

  She said nothing more, ignoring me and heightening my anger further. Opening the rear door she took Annie in her arms and lifted her from the car.

  I climbed out, needing to kiss my angel and inhale her sweet scent once more before… before whatever came to be.

  Her eyes flickered open when I ran the tip of my nose down hers. “Sleep, baby. I love you to the moon.”

  She snuggled into Connie and gave me a faint tired smile. “Love you to the sun, Daddy.”

  Connie caught my eyes, anguish held in them for the first time. I swallowed back the pain threatening to tear me in two then gave her a small nod. She smiled at me, she actually smiled, causing me to stare at her. Although Mae and Connie were twins, for the first time there was something unique in Connie. She had her own soft smile, one that lifted the whole of her face, lit her eyes and took away the sadness that was forever hostage in them. I blinked, refusing the feeling that came over me, and turned, sliding back into the passenger seat of the car.

  I watched them walk up the path to the house, Connie holding my daughter and pulling her little case behind her. Connie had insisted that she entered my house alone to fetch Annie’s things. It had been the perfect opportunity for me to take Annie and disappear but I knew deep down that I needed Connie to end this. I couldn’t put Annie in danger for the rest of our lives, forever looking over my shoulder was something I refused to do and I wouldn’t do that to Annie. She deserved to witness the sun every morning with no fears, only happiness and comfort.

  The door slid open and I leaned to the side to catch a glimpse of Helen, but from the angle we had parked and the bushes edging the front path, I couldn’t see her. It opened wider, allowing Connie to step inside, and removing my daughter from my care.

  Pain overtook every part of me with our separation. Apart from school and the times she was with Frank, I was never away from her. Anguish curled deep inside me, my throat closing in with fear. What if they found her? What if they had followed us?

  I turned in my seat, scanning the road wildly. I couldn’t do this, couldn’t let her go.

  I scrambled from the car, racing up the path. I didn’t even knock, I just flung open the door and stormed through the house, hunting for the angel who kept my inner devil at bay.

  Before I reached the end of the hallway, my body was tackled from behind, my front hitting the floor with so much force the air gushed from my lungs and left me winded. The muzzle of a gun was thrust into my temple, making me wince and still.

  “What the fuck, Daniel?” Connie seethed but moved off me immediately. “You stupid fool. I could have killed you!”

  I clambered upright, fury ghosting me. Grabbing her arms in my hands I pushed her hard until her back met the wall with a thud. “Where is she?”

  “What?”

  “Annie! Where is she?” My blood bubbled with rage, my brain was starting to vibrate and my gut fuelled the hatred inside me, clenching my stomach with the need to inflict pain and suffering.

  Connie stared up at me but everything about her was composed. “Daniel, calm down.”

  “Where – is – she?”

  “She’s here!” a female voice came from behind me. My past rushed at me as my mind remembered the sweet softness to her tone. My eyes closed as I savoured the sound once again.

  “Daddy?”

  Releasing Connie at the sound of Annie’s voice, I fought to control myself. Turning, I smiled at Annie as she stood in the doorframe, Helen’s arm around her shoulder, holding her close. My eyes scanned Annie, checking she was okay before they lifted to the woman beside her.

  She hadn’t changed a bit, even in fifteen years. Her hair was greying, laughter lines decorating her pretty face but she was still the same; still Helen, still the sister who had protected me as much as she could from a father who had bestowed destruction and hatred upon us both.

  “Helen.” My voice didn’t seem to belong to me. My heart pounded in my chest, reminding me of the pain I had caused to both of us, the pain that had torn our connection and forever widened the chasm that separated us.

  “What do you want, Daniel?” She was full of bitterness and loathing but I didn’t blame her for that.

  “I…” I couldn’t seem to speak, the sight of her after so long triggered horrible images in my head. My mother’s dead eyes staring up at me, blood pooling around her, her final gasps of life on my face. I shivered, dropping my eyes to the floor as the guilt ate me up.

  “Annie will be fine with me. I will promise you that one last thing.”

  I lifted my gaze to hers, seeing the truth of her declaration in her eyes. I nodded. “Thank you. I know… I know I don’t deserve that…”

  “No you don’t. But that doesn’t mean Annie doesn’t deserve my love and protection.”

  Connie stepped forward and crouched before Annie. “I promise you will love spending time with Auntie Helen. Be a good girl and I promise I’ll bring daddy back to you soon.” She knotted a lock of Annie’s hair in her finger and nodded to confirm her oat
h.

  Annie smiled and nodded then looked up at me. “Please be good, Daddy. Connie loves me like you do. She needs to bring you back.”

  My heart exploded in my chest and I choked back the sob of anguish. “I promise, baby.”

  She smiled wider, then kissed her palm and screwed up her fist, throwing it at me. I caught it and blew one back, casting my heart and soul with it. “I love you.”

  “I love you more,” she whispered. Helen gave me a nod then turned Annie and led her into the house.

  “She’ll be fine,” Connie said, making me jolt in surprise. I hadn’t realised she was beside me. I turned to her, not acknowledging her words. “Okay,” she continued, “let’s do this shit.”

  What we were actually doing hadn’t been divulged to me yet but I had a feeling whatever it was, I wasn’t going to like it.

  I CLOSED THE door behind me and sighed, welcomed into yet another hotel room. Daniel stalked across the room, tossing his bag onto one of the beds. “Well, here we are again.” He turned slowly, his eyes finding mine as a small devious grin curled his lips. “Yet this time we’re alone.”

  I ran my tongue around my cheek as I tried to hold back the laughter that wanted to free itself. “Why, Master, anyone would think you had plans for us.”

  His brow furrowed before his eyes widened when he caught the joke. “You want to fuck, Connie?” He took a step closer, his eyes narrow, dark and heated, causing me to gawp at him with his blunt comment.

  I looked around the room dramatically then sighed. “Oh, but you don’t have your equipment here. I’m sure you don’t know how to fuck without the tools you like to degrade women with.”

  He snorted and shook his head. “There you go again, presuming.”

  “Presuming?” I scoffed as I walked across the room and studied the contents of the mini-bar, pulling out a miniature bottle of vodka. “Tell me, Daniel. Which sick fucking torture device did you use on my sister?”

  His face angered before his fists curled and his chest heaved. I relished the pain that fired through my cheekbone when his fist connected with it. A shiver racked my body, forcing the inner calm to ride over me, bating the fury and bringing with it a controlled vehemence.

  Tilting my neck I smiled at him, bringing a small confused glint in his eye. “Finally.” He frowned deeper, puzzlement stuttering his chest. “I wondered how long it would take you to show me the pain you put on Mae, how much you hurt her. And I must say…” I laughed and smirked. “I’m sure she’s dealt with much worse.”

  My mockery of his strength ate at his fury leaving him stumped as I walked away. “What?”

  I downed the vodka, then rinsed the bottle in the bathroom sink and refilled it with water. “I thought you’d be stronger than that.”

  He appeared in the door, his body filling the space. “You think I’m proud of how… how I hurt Mae?”

  Here it came, the truth with the confusion I granted him. Worked every time.

  “You tell me, Daniel.” He watched as I took both of the bottles of water and dropped a microscopic tracker inside each. “What number was Mae to you?”

  “What?” he barked out again, his eyes observing everything I was doing.

  “Give me your phone.”

  He stared at me, making me repeat my request. Finally, he pulled his phone from his pocket and handed it to me. Setting the laptop on the desk, I fired it up and logged into the programme I needed, connecting a lead from it to Daniel’s phone.

  “Drink this.” I handed him one of the bottles. His eyes widened as he laughed at me.

  “Yeah okay, darling.”

  I rolled my eyes then downed my own water, staring at him, daring him. I then input the unique reference into the programme and started the application on his phone. A map blinked on the screen. I turned it to face him. “See the red dot… there….” I pointed my finger to the flashing red symbol that was blinking over the icon for The Galileo Hotel we were currently staying in. “That’s me. Anything happens, you can find me.”

  “Oh.” Shrugging, he drank his own cocktail as I programmed my own phone. “Forgive me, but won’t it be discarded by bodily functions? And why the vodka bottle?”

  I nodded, as I hacked into the hotel surveillance, checking each view the cameras gave me. “The small amount of alcohol left in the bottle triggers it into life. This will all be over before digestion takes place. And let’s face it, I don’t want to know where you are after all this. Or rather, I won’t need to.”

  He narrowed his eyes and tipped his head. “And pray tell, what are your plans for all this?”

  I laughed but ignored him. Walking over to the bed, I sat down and pulled off my boots before looking up at him. I bit back the hatred residing in me and gritted my teeth. “I need your help.”

  He stared at me then smirked with an arrogance I was now accustomed to. Anger fuelled my hatred but I pulled it back. I needed him, it was that simple. He strolled slowly over to the chair in the corner and sat down, crossing his legs and clasping his hands in his lap. “Go on.”

  “I’m going to kill every single one of your father’s minions, then I’m going to kill him. And then… then I am going to relish in the torture of Franco Genole.”

  He blinked at me. I couldn’t read the emotion on his face but I noticed the movement of his throat with his hard swallow. “Oh really. And how are you going to accomplish that?”

  I chuckled and lowered myself onto the bed, my back sighing at the comfort beneath it. I supported my head, my hands clasped behind it. “You’re going to get me in.”

  He was silent for a moment but I felt his eyes on me. “Even if I were to do that, you do realise your weapons will never pass their security?”

  I turned my head to look at him. His gaze was hard on mine but his brow was wrinkled. “I understand. But trust me, I don’t need weapons. I have hands, Daniel. I’m quite capable of using them.”

  He nodded. “And there’s the problem that my father is in prison.”

  I sat upright, fixing him with a questioning expression. “What?”

  “My father,” he repeated. “He’s in prison. He has been for the last two years.”

  I shook my head. “No he isn’t. Your father was released two months ago.”

  Shock covered his face. He shot upright, his eyes wide and his lips parted. “What? No! Tony would have informed me.”

  Oh shit!

  I closed my eyes and sighed. “Daniel. Tony is dead.”

  He stumbled backwards, his calves hitting the chair, causing him to fall back into it. “What?”

  “He was found… how do I put this… in pieces on the rug in front of his fire.” I shivered, the knowledge of how sick and twisted Robert Shepherd was elevating my need to end him.

  “But…” He ran his fingers through his hair and bit his bottom lip. “But then he will know it was me who went against him.”

  I shook my head. “No. He thinks it was Tony all along, hence why he made it his mission to kill him so violently. As far as I’m aware, your father thinks you just disappeared with Mae to escape the bust Tony and his team did. He doesn’t have a clue where you are, but he thinks you managed to get free.”

  “But how has he been released?”

  I shrugged. “Your father knows many people, Daniel. That and the fact that the main evidence disappeared along with the undercover officer who held all that evidence. His solicitor got him out.”

  “How do you know all this?”

  I shook my head and flicked on the kettle, hunting through the various sachets of coffee, binning the decaf shit until I found a regular brand. “It doesn’t matter. I just need you to get me in.”

  “So…” He shook his head in bewilderment. “So I just walk back in and introduce the two of you?” His tone was full of disbelief. I chuckled as I poured hot water into both cups, then handed Daniel his.

  “Nope. You offer me up as a gift. I’m the other half of Mae. The half of his determination to pour reve
nge on my father. He used Mae for his stupid vengeance, yet he never got it. Imagine his pleasure when his son returns, with the only chance he has to end the rage he has held for nine years.”

  “Do you even realise what you’re asking?”

  I nodded, sipping my coffee and watching him over the rim. “Yes.”

  “But Franco comes and goes. You could be in there for months before he even shows his face.”

  I shrugged. “I’m prepared to do what is needed.”

  “And the Phantoms?”

  I smiled at him. He really was intelligent. “Don’t worry about that.”

  “How can I not? What if they find Annie before all this is done?”

  “They won’t, Daniel. Don’t worry about Annie,” I replied, trying to appease his worry.

  He sighed and stared at me. “Do you realise what goes off in there? What they will do to you? And what if my father just wants vengeance and kills you straight out?”

  “He won’t, he cares too much about revenge and money. He will relish in my torture, dragging out my death as long as possible.”

  He shook his head with incredulity. “Why is this so important to you?”

  I held his gaze. “You know why.”

  “Mae? You are putting your own life in danger to get revenge on the people who hurt Mae. And that also includes me.”

  I smiled coldly at him. “It does.”

  He froze, reading the hidden promise in my answer. “Am I first or last on your list?” I was surprised by his brave question. He had nerve, I gave him that.

  “You, Master. Are the very final prize.”

  I STARED AT her. “You want me to hit you?”

  She rolled her eyes and tutted. “I’m finding it surprising that you’re struggling with that request, Daniel. After all, isn’t that your forte, to inflict as much pain upon a woman as possible?”

  She was unreal. My mind was battling with her, with the memory of Mae. Okay, there, I’d said it, the thought that was causing so much conflict. “I can’t.”

  “What?” she asked when I turned around and walked away. Fury was striking my soul, squeezing at me until it was difficult to breathe. “Why? Daniel?”