Justice for Violet

by Maia Dylan

  Josie nodded, her face filled with resignation. “I reckon I’ve been living on borrowed time for a while now, so all good.”

  Santiago nodded, his expression turning smug. “You’re right. No intention whatsoever to let the bitch walk out of here alive, but I do have to ask you, Isabella, knowing that by coming here you were simply rushing the inevitable and dying at my hand, why the hell did you come?”

  Violet grinned, reveling in Santiago’s expression morphing to one of confusion. “Because you stupid son of a bitch, you live in a fortified fortress, and on those rare occasions you left, you would travel with so many guards it’s impossible to get near you. This way, here you stand, with only three men standing between me and you, and because you are an arrogant prick who thinks he can counter anything, you believe yourself infallible. I came because I made a promise to myself twelve years ago that I would end you by any means and at any cost. Today I make good on that oath.” A wave of bloodlust and relief flooded the mating bond. Her mates were close

  Santiago’s face filled with thunder. “You think a pathetic little whore like you can stop me? I am Roberto Santiago!”

  “And you killed my Poppa. Prepare to die,” Violet paused for a moment. “What, no one gets that reference? Princess Bride, people! Jesus, Santiago, what kind of idiots have you hired?” The three guards in the room shuffled forward, no doubt taking offense at her calling them idiots, but hey, she called a spade a spade.

  “Maybe you are less like me than I thought,” Santiago snarled. “That incessant and irrelevant babbling is more like your fucking mother than me.”

  Violet grinned. “It’s not incessant babbling when I’m stalling for time, you douchebag.” Kieran’s loud and if she was not mistaken, extremely pissed off roar filled the air from just beyond the walls of the warehouse, followed by semi-automatic fire and the terrified screams of Santiago’s men. “It would appear that the Black Ridge pride has come out to play, Daddy dearest.” Violet let her contempt for the man resonate in her tone.

  Santiago made a hand signal, and the three men lifted their weapons and trained them on her. “That plays into my hand perfectly. Let them come and face my men. I look forward to watching them all bleed out.”

  “You are of course assuming that they are still susceptible to that chemical cocktail you had made. Time will tell I suppose.” Violet let her gaze drift to the three men. “But, more importantly, how to fill in the time before the inevitable showdown, hmm?” Violet dropped down into a fighting stance, both hands going to the hand grips of her fighting batons behind her. “How about we have a little three on one action? What do you say, Santiago? You want to see just how much I’ve learned in the past twelve years?”

  She watched as Santiago’s eyes narrowed, and she could almost taste his arrogance. He no doubt believed the pride was being slaughtered beyond these walls, and he would get to watch his daughter being beaten on. “Three hundred thousand to each man if the bitch is taken alive. I want the money she owes me. If you have to kill her, do so, but you won’t get a dime.” All three of the guards grinned.

  Santiago walked over to the entrance and spoke to the two guards standing there. “There’s the same for you if you can keep all of those abominations out of this room until this is done.”

  Both guards nodded and lifted their weapons, completely focused on the halls that led to the area.

  The three guards placed their weapons on the ground behind them, and moved forward, all three of them had smug looks on their faces, no doubt confident that three of them against one of her were even odds.

  Violet kept her expression blank as the three came closer, calculating her next moves. The one the left was the strong looking of the three, but the guard on the right had a collection of tattoos across his throat and over his hands that screamed street gang. That meant street smarts. This one would fight hard and dirty to win. He was the first one she had to incapacitate. She knew that they would want to flank her and gain a tactical advantage that she couldn’t allow them to gain.

  Stepping forward, she drew out her batons, faked moving left then spun right, coming hard at the tattooed guard. She struck with calculated moves, driving the baton in her left hand into his upper arm. Then when he reached out with his left hand to reach for her, she brought her other baton down hard on his wrist she heard a satisfying crunch when it hit. She then slammed the baton in her left hand as hard as she could into his groin. The guy hunched over and dropped to the ground.

  She groaned and leaned in against the body shot the large fucker landed on her right side. She jumped back when he went to follow up with a second one, and ignoring the fire that was spreading up her side, spun her hand back to strike him in the jaw. Wanting to share the pain, she slammed her other hand out to catch the one in the middle square in the nose. She let loose with a flurry of baton strikes to both men countering and striking anywhere she could land a hit.

  She had caught a couple of hard punches herself, and knew there was blood dripping down her chin from a lucky hit the guy in the middle managed to connect with during his random arm flailing, but nothing that was slowing her down too much. She landed a strike with the hilt of her baton to the temple of the largest bastard, and wanted to cheer when the guy dropped to the floor.

  “Timber!” she called out as she turned to her last opponent. “That was totally appropriate right?” she asked the last guard left. “I mean that fucker was big. I mean like tree big. I don’t know about you, but I felt the damn room shake when he hit the floor. Now, it’s just you and me. One on one. Mano a mano. Just as the good Lord planned it.” She spun her batons in her hands with the knowledge she was intimidating the hell out of the guy. “Let’s end this so I can get some quality time with my dad.”

  Violet turned her head to look over at Santiago, and the smile that she’d worn slipped as she looked right down the barrel of the gun he was pointing in her direction. Violet had read once that no one actually sees the bullet that hits them, and she could honestly say that was true. She saw the moment the weapon was fired, but missed the bullet itself, but she sure as fuck felt it when it struck her in the side. Whether by accident or intent, the bastard had managed to hit one of the few areas of the suit that had no Kevlar.

  As she spun with the momentum of the bullet and stumbled backward she kept her feet beneath her by sheer will alone. She refused to fall, knowing that if she did it would all be over. She felt the mating bond throb with equal parts concern for her, and rage at Santiago. She breathed deep as she fought the wave of nausea the came with the white-hot pain in her side, and from the wet feel of warmth sliding down over her hip and thigh, she knew she was bleeding heavily. That didn’t bode well, really.

  “Enough!” Santiago roared. “If you want something done right, then do it yourself.” He lifted the weapon again, just as a cacophony of noise broke out just beyond the entrance to the room.

  Amid the growls and roars of large cats, came the screams of men for a few brief moments, before they ended on strangled cries. A leopard walked into the room, and she knew from seeing him fight in that form that it was Jacob who stalked into the room in his leopard form, the spotted fur crimson around his jaw and front paws. Jacob had a bullet wound to his flank, but the bleeding had already stopped. She saw Santiago stare at the wound in confusion, then looked down at the gun he carried.

  There was a blur at the door, and then the third and final guard that had been staring at Jacob in horror screamed in pain and terror as Mason took him down. Her leopard dispatched the man quickly, and then his huge head spun in Santiago’s direction, hatred blazing in his eyes as the blood from his latest kill still dripped from his jaws.

  Violet huffed out a pained laugh. “Perhaps your earlier assumption regarding your impending victory was a little premature.” The growls rumbled continuously and filled the room as Jacob and Mason stalked towards her, their eyes never leaving Santiago.

  Violet looked over at the man and saw fear shining in
his eyes, the weapon now alternating between Jacob and Mason, but the hand that held it shook. “Santiago, I would like to introduce you to my mates.” Jacob and Mason moved to stand beside her. Perhaps they sensed her growing weakness or they simply needed to feel her close. Either way they pressed against her legs and she dropped her hands to their backs. They had to be at least a meter tall at their shoulders, and their presence lent her courage and strength.

  Santiago scowled. “What does that mean? You’ve given yourself to these abominations? Are you their bitch?”

  Violet smiled, knowing it would enrage him further. “Aww, now see I thought you were brighter than that. Bitches are more of a dog thing than a cat thing.”

  “Still means you’re sleeping with a fucking animal.”

  Violet nodded. “Not only that, I am fated to them both. They are both my mates, and I love them more than anything in the world.”

  “Love?” Santiago scoffed. “A frivolous emotion that means nothing! Power and money are the only currencies in this world that will get you anything or anywhere.”

  “That’s where you are wrong.” Violet turned as a shadow neared the door. “Dominance gets you pretty damn far in life, too. I have one more person to introduce you to. Santiago, this is Kieran.”

  A giant white lion stepped into the room. Like her mates, he sported blood around his jaw, his huge paws and there was more than one bullet wound on the animal. The lion was larger than any lion she had seen in the zoo or on the Discovery Channel. He epitomized strength and power, and his gaze was locked on Santiago.

  “Kieran Murphy, Alpha of the Black Ridge pride,” Violet continued, “this is Roberto Santiago.”

  Violet heard a whimper of sound from Santiago, and it held a thread of emotion she had never heard from her father. Fear. Kieran threw back his huge head and roared his challenge to the world. The sound was so loud, Violet lifted her hands to her ears. Then he leaped toward Santiago just as her father lifted his weapon, but Kieran was so fast, he was only able to get a single round off. What followed was as disturbing as it was justified, and Violet stood tall and watched as the Black Ridge Alpha took the man responsible for a lot of horror in her life, out of the world.

  When Santiago was dead, Kieran stood over him, blood dripping from his massive jaws and once again, threw his head back and roared. To Violet it was very clear that the emotion in this one was more triumphant and less challenging than the first. She wanted to point out to her mates that perhaps she was starting to learn to speak lion, but never got to tell them. The darkness that had been leeching into the sides of her vision suddenly closed in, and she was unconscious before she even knew she was going to pass out.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “So how are you really feeling, V?”

  Violet grinned at the concerned look on Dot’s face on the computer monitor. “Better than I ever have in some ways. Not having Santiago to piss off anymore is almost sad, but I am by no means saying I want the fucker back. I’m sure he’s roasting in hell, and that is exactly where he should be.”

  Dot nodded and leaned back in her chair. “Truer words have never been spoken, and I look forward to seeing what you can do with IEH now that you are no longer just playing with Santiago, but there is something else going on here. You and I have talked every day in the last three weeks since you were released from the hospital, and this is the first day you seem more like your old self. What’s happened?”

  Violet felt heat sweep into her face. She had the go-ahead from her doctor this morning to resume all physical activity, and that meant she no longer just had to sit and take what her mates gave her, and she was determined to give as good as she got tonight. She just wasn’t sure how to tell the woman she considered to be more her mother than the woman who had given birth to her, that she was happy and excited to be given the green light to take her mates the way she had been dreaming about.

  “Ooo, now that is an interesting shade of red there, V,” Dot teased, leaning closer to her monitor. “I am guessing from the heat in those cheeks, the doctor has given you some good news and you are about to jump Jacob and Mason’s bones but good!”

  Violet’s jaw dropped. “Dot! What in the hell? The eighties called and they want their expression back.”

  Dot winked. “The expression might be dated, but the meaning is still what it has always been. You’ve been given the go ahead to bump pelvises with those delicious mates of yours.”

  “Oh my God, woman, would you stop!”

  “What? Bump pelvises? You don’t like that one either? How about ‘play a round of hide the hooded salami’?” Dot was grinning like a mad woman now, obviously extremely pleased with herself.

  “Dot!” Violet warned, but she could hear the laughter in her voice.

  “Swap bodily fluids? Bone? That one’s still relevant right?”

  “I’m signing off now, crazy woman.”

  “Give each other a little pickle tickle? Slam a home run?”

  “Bye, Dot!” She reached for the key that would disconnect the call

  “Or just a good old fashioned hard f—”

  The screen went black, and Violet fell forward giggling. She was lucky to have such good friends, and Dot was definitely one of the best. She was also extremely fortunate to have the pride as family, and she had loved the conversations and verbal sparring she and Kieran had engaged in over the past weeks. Then there were Jacob and Mason, who were now living in her apartment with her, and she thanked God and every deity she knew for them every single day of her life.

  Josie had spent some time in the hospital at the beginning of her stay, and Kieran had somehow wrangled it so that she and Violet shared a hospital room. Violet had enjoyed getting to know Josie, and they spoke every day now. She’d never had a BFF before. She was also enjoying how tongue-tied Joise got around a certain white lion Alpha Kitty, and if Violet wasn’t wrong Kieran reacted just as much to Josie as she did him.

  Her mating bond flooded with love, and need pulling her from her musings. Violet sat up as heat pooled within her in reaction. She quickly scanned the alarms and sensors around the apartment to ensure everything was safe, a habit she wasn’t sure she would ever get over. They had removed the threat of Santiago, but Kieran was adamant there were others that would come to take his place.

  She stood up from the desk and practically skipped out of the office, heading out to find her mates. She glanced out the window and sighed at the lights of Chicago flickering against the night sky then turned to see that all the lights in the living area had been turned off. Apparently they were all heading to bed early, and she was totally on board with that plan. Turning toward the door that led to the master suite she saw a sliver of warm light where the door had been left ajar.

  Her heart rate increased as she walked quickly to the door. Inhaling, she caught the scent of lavender in the air, and knew her mates had lit the candles she had scattered around the room. Biting her lip as anticipation filled her she quietly opened the door and had to bite back a moan at the sight that greeted her.

  Jacob stood leaning against the back wall, and Mason sat on the bed, his elbows resting on his knees. They were both barefoot and wearing nothing but a pair of low hung jeans, and both had their gazes locked to her. Never before had she understood the saying like a deer caught in headlights, but the hunger she read in their eyes and the heat that poured down their mating bond had her understanding it completely.

  Her mouth dried up as she closed the door and leaned against it.

  “Come here, little one.” Holy hell, Mason’s voice was at least an octave lower and completely off the panty-melting scale.

  Attempting to channel one of those fluid dancers she’d seen on YouTube, she walked slowly in his direction, carefully placing one foot in front of the other and adding more than just a touch of hip to each step. When Mason’s grin turned appreciative and she heard a growl of appreciation from Jacob she knew she’d pulled it off. This was good because she feared she mi
ght look less like a fluid dancer and more like a baby giraffe just finding its feet. Jacob moved from the wall, to step up behind her as she stopped just in front of Mason.

  “I love these yoga pants and loose tops you wear,” Mason said quietly as he reached out to wrap a hand around each of her thighs and tugged her to stand between his legs. “I know they must be comfortable for you, but they hug every delicious curve in the most delightful way.”

  Violet trembled when she felt Jacob move closer, and press up against her. “But when you are wearing nothing at all?” He tugged her loose shirt over her head, and both men moaned at the sight of her bare breasts below the shirt. “You are fucking phenomenal.”

  Jacob wrapped both his arms around her waist under her arms and reached up to cup her breasts. She moaned when he used the thumbs and forefingers of both hands to roll both her nipples between them.

  She looked down when she noticed Mason had tensed, and saw his gaze locked to the sight of the bullet wound on her side. The bullet hadn’t struck her anywhere life threatening, but because Santiago had coated it with that damn anticoagulant, she had bled a lot more than she had anticipated. When she had passed out in that warehouse, Jacob and Mason had been distraught and according to Kieran, hadn’t calmed down until she’d opened her eyes again. And that wasn’t until after surgery to remove the bullet and quite a few pints of blood to replace what she had lost.

  “What’s up, pussy cat?” she whispered and grinned when Mason scowled at her. “Oh, come on, I’m too damn cute to scowl at.”

  “Be that as it may, little one,” Mason said as his gaze dropped to the wound and his hand reached out to touch it. “There is no laughing matter in this. You were shot. You bled in our arms, and that scar is an obscene reminder of that. It will take me a while to get used to seeing it marring your beautiful skin.”

  Violet rolled her eyes at him and put her hands on her hips. The move must have looked pretty funny because Jacob hadn’t let go of her breasts. “Look, we need to get the hell over that and move on. Santiago shot me, he shot Jacob, his men shot the shit out of all of the Black Ridge Pride, and especially poor old Alpha Kitty, but we all lived to love another day. This day in particular. Now, I got the go-head from the doctor, and I want to make love. Are you feeling up to it, Mason, or is this going to be a one on one deal? Because as much as I love my one on one time with you both, I was really hoping for some double loving tonight.”