by A. J. Summer
I wander over to a room that looks like it might be the kitchen, and inside I find a small Italian woman. It’s a relief to find another living being, and I try to make my smile look friendly, but it feels stiff and wrong. The old woman looks at me, and a tiny smile forms on her lips, but her eyes look guarded, and it makes me frown at her. What’s her problem? Before I can ask her where everyone is, I hear Ana, and it sounds like she’s arguing with Mike. Always arguing. I rush over to them, but whatever Mike was going to yell back at Ana dies on his lips when he sees me. He just stands there awkwardly with his lips still formed in whatever he was going to say. I can’t help it, my eyebrows raise in a silent dare for him to continue. It doesn’t work, and he just continues to stand there in his aggravated, frozen state.
Ana throws her arms around me and smothers me with her blonde locks while she wraps me in a tight hug. Behind her, Mike finally moves, only to glare daggers into her back. I suddenly feel very uncomfortable. I know I have to leave. My little freak out earlier proved that. I can’t stay here, but I also feel like I’m leaving my friend to deal with all of this on her own. Majority of it is her fault. It was her idea to go to the party. But I could have easily stayed at home. I guess we’re both to blame. And do I really want to leave Runner, now that I’ve seen this side of him? I don’t want to, but I know I have to. Maybe after all this is over I can come back. I clear my throat and step away from Ana. I stare at the floor, and I know I’m a coward for not being able to look at her when I say, “I’d like to go home now.” I make it sound like a request, just to appease the scowling man in the room.
“Not possible,” someone says from behind me, and I’m stunned to find Runner standing a few feet away from me. His voice is rough and his eyes are haunted. If I was as clever as I claimed to be, I would’ve realized that point in time marked the change in him. Runner looks tired and harassed, and I wonder if the blond guy standing next to him has anything to do with it. “What do you mean?” I ask. My voice sounds quiet and small, and I wonder if I’m making a conscious decision to treat him like a trapped animal. My eyes wander over to the blond guy again. He is like a damn magnet.
“You can’t go home. You’ll go with Ana, and you’ll stay at the Indigo. Mary is already there.” My eyes snap back to Runner. As if I give a rat’s ass about who will be there. I want to go home.
“Are you kidnapping me? Because I’ll let you know I won’t play a willing little victim,” I say while my temper flares. I should’ve known I wouldn’t be able to keep it down long.
Runner laughs and shakes his head. He walks up to me and grasps my jaw tightly. His sudden aggression makes my heart beat faster, and my breath comes in short shallow spurts. I squeeze my eyes shut. I can feel his breath on my neck when he whispers close to my ear. “I’m not those guys, Talon, but those guys, they will hurt you. I’m going to keep you safe, but I can only do that when I know where you are.” Runner doesn’t touch me, but his voice is a smooth and seductive whisper as each syllable wraps around my body and holds me hostage. I want to go wherever he sends me, but I’m not that naïve. I’m in just as much danger with them as I am on my own. I haven’t even thought about what those guys wanted to do with us. But I’m not hanging around for a second chance to find out.
“No, I’m going home.” I take a step back and move away from of the spell he unknowingly weaved around me. I look around to see if anyone thought to bring my handbag. All my stuff is in there. Phone, keys, lip ice…the codes. I need my lip ice and I need those codes. I don’t see my bag anywhere, and I think the reality of the situation finally hits me because my eyes start to water. I scrub the tears away angrily and walk toward the front door. Ana starts to call after me but stops when a big dark-haired guy opens the front door. I have to actually tip my head back just to look up into his face. He throws my purple sports bag onto the floor by the door along with my black satchel-styled handbag. I bought it from a street vendor back home before I ran away. I like the silver studs around the edges. It looks really bad ass, and I needed a little bad ass at the time.
“Is that my bag?” I ask loudly. I’m not even pissed, but I want to sound that way. I guess I knew they wouldn’t just let me leave like that. “Be ready to leave in twenty,” Runner says to Mike.
“What about Jonah?” Mike shouts back. “Jonah will stay with me,” Runner says as he leaves the room. The dark-haired bag carrier now gone, I risk a quick glance at the front door, but the blond guy who was watching Runner is now watching me. He has a curious expression on his face. The way he watches me makes me pull on my clothes, trying to cover up my skin. He smirks and angles his head just a little before trailing his eyes from my feet to my face. His eyes burn and his hands twitch by his side, and just like that, he turns around and disappears down the same passage as Runner. That was…freaky. I’ve seen that kind of look before. The way his eyes stripped me bare. There was a deeper power in his eyes. The kind that demands obedience. The kind that breaks. It’s the exact same look I’m running from. I’m definitely steering clear of that guy. I flop down on the couch, defeated for the moment. Maybe if it’s just Mike with us I can slip away when we get to the Indigo in Maria’s Square. I’ve run from worse. I’ve survived worse. I just need to be patient, my turn will come.
RUNNER
I’m sitting at Reno’s desk with my hands in my hair, rubbing at the racket starting an orchestra in my brain. I wish Talon didn’t look at me like I just saved and ruined her life in one night. I did, I know it. But, damn it, I’ve got enough shit to deal with without her crap on top of it. The deal is, I know Talon is the kind of girl that can make me want to care for her. Take care of her, protect her. Even if she thinks she can do it herself. I don’t think she understands how dangerous all of this is. The fact that she actually fought one of Daniel’s men is proof of that.
I need to take care of this shit so Talon can get out of my life. I don’t need more people to die for. I’ve already given my life once, and it all turned out for nothing. I’m right back where I started, and I doubt Daniel will be as accommodating as Reno. It’s just a matter of time before he finds out who I am. I just wish I knew what it is that he wants. Money, drugs, contacts? He has it all already. I’ve got nothing new to offer him, and that puts me in a very bad position. The only way I get out of this alive is to do exactly what I did six years ago. I cut myself off from everything. No one in this house means anything to me. I have no friends, I care for no one, because sooner or later everything I care about is in danger. It’s just me, and I’m unbreakable because I have nothing to break me.
The door to the office opens, and I already know it’s little Parker junior. I’m starting to hate this guy. Nagging bitch is what he is, and my patience is wearing thin even if I’m a guest in his house. I’m way past ready to beat his ass down. But I don’t lift my head when I hear him stepping closer. It’s weighed down and heavy, ready to explode and end my stupid life.
A hand appears on the desk and places two painkillers and half a glass of water in front of me. “Thank you,” I mumble while taking the pills and swallowing them. I drink some of the water and lower my head again. I should just go to bed. There’s nothing more I can do tonight. The girls should be okay with Mike for a while until I find out what Daniel wants with me.
“Your friend is awake and fighting Emily,” Parker says on his way to the door.
“Shit!” Jonah is a total different tune. Mary is at the Indigo, Jonah is here, cut up, stitched up, and worse for wear. But the stubborn ass doesn’t want to hear anything about staying. Right now he is a liability. A chance neither of us are willing to take.
They cut his leg up pretty bad in the wreck of the Chevy. I still don’t know how Daniel is going to manage to keep my guys out of the fallout from that crash, but so far nothing has happened. And I literally mean nothing, no news, no police, nothing. Not even a word on if Jase died or not. But it was definitely the boys of the garage involved. That much we know. Ray’s didn’t open t
heir doors yesterday or today. That’s bad news for us. And I feel like a shit for doing this to my sister; she should get justice for Jase, but I need the guys so we can at least stand a chance of surviving. It’s not just us in this mess anymore. Talon got dragged into it whether she admits it or not. I hear a crash from somewhere in the house and rise from my chair. Time to tame the beast, and damn if I’m not in the mood for it.
DAY FIVE
*
Two hours, the amount of sleep I got. When I couldn’t calm Jonah down, Doc had to come over and give him a sedative. Only then was I sure he wasn’t going to try and crawl to the Indigo. Two hours, not enough to ease my racing mind. As soon as I open my eyes, the wheels start turning again, bombarding me with what-ifs and how-comes.
By now I know I’m thinking myself into a permanent pain coma, but for the life of me, I don’t know what Daniel wants with me. Revenge? Maybe he does plan on killing me for being another bastard son. But I don’t carry the Migelli name and neither does Xavier, but Xavier is Daniel’s ex-wife’s son. I have no blood connection to Daniel that he knows of. My connection to him is blood related, but the spilt kind, not the family kind. And my ignorance of my situation might just cost me my life, again. This time if I’m lucky I’ll end up six feet under.
Sounds of arguing stop me outside of the kitchen. Parker is yelling at someone. I immediately wince and consider going back to my room. I’m not in the mood for his antics so early in the morning. I need at least another two hours sleep for that kind of verbal onslaught. Or at the very least, the strongest cup of coffee in this house.
“No one wants to tell me what’s going on here. I deserve to know. This is my house!” he shouts, followed by something that sounds like he just thumped his hand onto the kitchen island because a glass falls over and breaks. I take a step forward but immediately stop when Emily starts speaking. “This is your father’s house and these are his guests. You best treat them with respect. It was your choice to not be a part of his life.” And then she mumbles something in Italian.
I try to hide my smirk at the frail old woman scolding Parker junior like a disrespectful child, but I fail miserably when Parker rounds the corner looking furious. “Morning,” I greet him cheerily through my chuckle. He looks at me for a second. I know he wants to say something to me, but he decides against it and storms off in the direction of his room.
I’m way too smug about the way Parker got tapped on the hand for misbehaving, and for just a second, I feel like we are actually brothers, even if we really aren’t. I hope I’m not getting fond of the inquisitive little asshole. I’ve been living this lie for so long, I’m starting to believe it myself. Xavier is not my brother, not really anyway. Not by blood. The only person I share that bond with is my twin sister. And she thinks I’m dead. I step into the kitchen quickly, before my already overloaded brain takes me down memory lane. It’s a stroll left for much later in the day.
I’m a little shocked when I find Jonah sitting at the kitchen island with Emily pouring him some coffee. I thought it was only Parker and Emily in here. I’ve never heard Emily raise her voice, and it’s highly out of character for her to have done it in front of Jonah. And Jonah shouldn’t be out of bed. Jonah meets my eyes, and though his are still a bit bleary from the painkillers the doctor injected him with last night, he looks more aware of his surroundings. I rub my jaw absently, and Jonah smiles when he sees what I’m doing. “Sorry about that,” he says, smirking. I don’t think he is sorry at all. I bet he wanted to knock a tooth loose last night after I told him for the second time he couldn’t leave. I shrug and sit down in front of my coffee.
“I want to go to Mary, Runner. Today. I want to leave right now. Mike is there protecting three girls, he won’t even be able to look after himself with all that shit on his hands. Mary is my responsibility. She’s my girl. I protect her,” he says fiercely.
I look at my friend, and I don’t even bother explaining to him that Malachi is there. Yes, the big, bad bouncer that worked for Pete all those years ago actually worked for Reno. Turns out Pete and Danny were cutting in on Reno’s profits, and Malachi knew all about it.
I’m about to tell my friend that he can’t go when my phone rings. It’s Mike. “Runner,” I answer in my usual way. I think in the beginning I just did it so I’d remember I’m not Kyle anymore, and eventually it just stuck with me. I listen to something sounding like a cat fight for a while before Mike finally yells very loudly and very pissed off that he’s had enough. I hold the phone away from my ear to check that the phone didn’t disconnect because it’s extremely quiet on the line all of a sudden. But then Talon mutters something about bullshit and a door slams.
“Ah, god…” Mike mutters. I put my phone on loudspeaker and wink at a distressed-looking Jonah. I swear the guy is one beat away from a heart attack, he could use a laugh. I chuckle at Mike, who gives a loud sigh over the phone.
“These woman…” he starts but then stops. “I phoned, like you said I should,” Mike mutters finally.
“Yes, you did,” I say, still chuckling. “Everything good that side?” I ask him.
“Yes everything is fucking peachy. But I bet these women are all on their cycle or some shit.” I hear Ana screeching in the background. “I’ve got to go, and I’m glad you think this is funny,” Mike mumbles, and then the phone goes dead.
“I’m phoning Mary,” Jonah says as he limps from the kitchen. He won’t admit it, but that knee is killing him. So much for adding some entertainment to his morning. I think the call just upped his anxiety level to freak-the-fuck-out territory. I spin my cell on the countertop, and just because I’m feeling spiteful for not having anyone to call, I dial the number that phoned me yesterday morning. Daniel Migelli picks up after the second ring. I don’t give him a chance to say anything.
“I’m ready.” And with those two words, I sign my life away, again. I don’t know what he’ll ask of me, but this will be the last time anyone owns me. And I’ll do it my way. “Good, then you best be on your way home,” Daniel says calmly over the phone. “To the Square? Why?” I asked confused. I know that place like the back of my hand. It’s my job to know that town. “You’ll find out soon enough.” And then the rude bastard puts the phone down in my ear.
I drink the last of my coffee, which has long gone cold. I spin my phone around again and again. Home, why? The place is a ghost town and a gamblers paradise. Except for the odd tourist popping by looking for some random opportunity of spotting a floating orb, nothing goes on there except the lights at night, or at least most of the time any way. Sometimes even those fail to shine to the occasion. Emily puts another cup of coffee down in front of me, and I put my hand over the phone, stopping the constant spinning before I get a bad case of rollercoaster guts. “Thanks, Emily. We’ll be going home today, but I get the feeling we’ll be back,” I say, raising the mug in her direction. “You take care of yourself, Mr. Kyle,” she says, and I cringe when she uses my real name. A name that weighs a ton, a fake identity that carries a shit load of sins. I’m drowning in my new life, just like I drowned in my old one.
I get up from the table to go look for Jonah. I didn’t bring anything with me, so there’s nothing to pack. When I get to the beginning of the passage, Jonah is coming from the opposite direction. He looks like he just washed up, and his blond mohawk is plastered in place. He shoves his phone into his pocket and pinches his lips together like he just ate something nasty. Before he can reach me and punch my lights out, which he looks like he is prepared to do, I say: “You ready?” Jonah stops and looks at me confused. “We leaving?” he asks. “Yes, we’re going to the Indigo,” I say on a nod. “Good, because I was about to come beat your ass unconscious so I could leave,” he says on a smile. I’m not entirely sure he is joking, but I tease him anyway. “You’re welcome to try, bro,” I say on a smirk. “Pfft, I can take you with one hand tied behind my back,” he says, walking past me to the living room.
“How about with one leg t
ied behind your back? That leg isn’t going to help you. I’ll kick your ass in half a second,” I say on a chuckle and I point to his leg.
“Yeah, it’s pretty fucked up. I can’t believe that bastard did that. But I’ll get my turn, and then me and Betty are going to have some real fun,” he says seriously, and the time for playful banter passes. I have no doubt that Jonah will actually do what he says. And I almost feel sorry for Daniel Migelli’s man. Jonah and his knife, Betty, are a dangerous pair. Almost sorry, but not enough to help the poor bastard when Jonah finally gets his chance. They did drug Talon. Bastards.
After we say goodbye to Emily and Stephan, I shake Parker’s hand and thank him for his hospitality. I don’t tell him I’ll probably be by soon enough because I can always stay at a hotel, but after my little come-to-peace-moment with my demons in the old office where Ethan was shot, this feels more and more like home. Even if it means putting up with Parker’s questions. And he still has a bag full inside there; it’s written all over his pretty-boy face. In a way, I feel sorry for the guy, being thrown into this world, head over ass. It’s a lot to get use to. But you get there eventually or you get out. And Parker has the luxury of choosing his fate. I wonder which one he’ll choose.
* * *
Jonah is typing a text while we are driving down Route 28 toward the Indigo, and the silence is starting to get to me. I’ve been meaning to ask him about the car crash.
“So what happened?” I ask casually.
