“Glad to hear it,” I say, sliding back into my seat and pulling on my seat belt.
“I said we’d give her some space.” He turns the key in the engine. “Marco called.”
“Marco makes me nervous,” I admit.
Ryder laughs loudly. “He’s a good guy. He was how I was able to find you. I’ve known him since school. I owe him more than I can ever repay.”
I smile, accepting that Marco had a part to play in my freedom. “Looks like I owe him a thank you.”
Ryder
We arrive at Marco’s mansion. Seriously, it’s way over-the-top for just one guy and his paid for assistant.
We pull into the driveway, stopping at the electric gates. I lower my window, leaning out to press the buzzer for access. The whole damn thing is a fucking inconvenience, but since Marco confiscated our electric passes, I have no other fucking choice. I hear the sudden crackle of the intercom system before Marco’s voice booms out of the speaker.
“Ryder, man. Come on in.”
The automatic gates open slowly, so I drive through, parking right outside the main entrance.
“It will make a change from the back entrance,” I say, cocking a brow.
“At least, I won’t have to stitch you up this time,” she says with a coy smile, her finger resting against her lips.
“All wounds healing nicely.” I step from the car; Kailee follows me, and I lift my hand, ready to knock on the huge mahogany front door. But before I can, the door swings open, and Marco stands in front of me with his arms open wide. I laugh at the crazy motherfucker but walk into his embrace nonetheless.
“If it isn’t Romeo and fucking Juliet,” Marco bellows. I push him back, my hands gripping his shoulders.
“Man, you do know they both died, right?” I reply with a huff of laughter.
Kailee laughs loudly, her hand covering her mouth.
“I meant in love and shit, dick splash.”
“Sure, you did.” I slap him heavily on the back. “What’s that smell?” I ask, grabbing Kailee’s hand and pulling her down the huge entrance hall into the dining room.
“Nice to see you too,” Marco retorts from behind us.
I stop suddenly as we reach the huge dining room. Francis is laying food all out on the table.
“Oh, hey guys,” she says cheerfully. She smiles widely at us, giving Kailee a small wave.
“Hey,” Kailee replies, and I nod my head slightly. “Can I help you at all?” Kailee asks, making her way over to her.
“Sure. I have plenty more to serve if you want to give me a hand,” she says pointing over at the kitchen.
“Cigar, man?” Marco offers, walking over to the seating area in front of the fireplace. My eyes flit back and forth between the girls who walk out of the room and back over to Marco.
“Nah, I’m good,” I decline.
“Ryder, man,” he says dramatically. “We’re celebrating, aren’t we?”
“Fuck it,” I say, holding my hand out. He slaps the cigar into my opened hand, and I take it, lighting up. I take a drag, coughing like some fucking pussy.
“Fucking hell, man. These are strong.” I cough loudly, falling into one of the high-back chairs.
“Good shit these, Ryder. So tell me, what are you doing with the money you won.”
“Paying Mom’s medical bills. Those fuckers just keep coming.”
“You know she’s not your responsibility…”
“Don’t you fucking dare.” I glare at him in warning. “Mom deserves to be looked after. Actually,” I say, leaning forward and closing the space so I can lower my voice. “I was thinking of setting up another fight. Just one more. I have these ideas, man, and I finally feel like I can do something other than being a criminal. I owe it to Pip, and I owe it to us.”
“What idea?”
“My own gym, man. My own community program for the young’uns. I want to give them something I never had; I want to make a difference in their lives. Something I wish I’d had…” I trail off my words, inhaling another less brutal drag of the killer cigar.
I look over at the girls chatting and laughing, the sound and sight of her better than any hit on a fucking cigar. I stand, throwing the cigar into the open fire.
“The fuck,” Marco screeches at me. “Do you have any idea how much those cigars cost?”
“It’s only money, Marco, and you have plenty.”
He mumbles something, but I’m so fixed on her, I don’t care. I walk over to her, resting my hand on her waist.
“You smell funny,” she says screwing up her face.
“He forced me,” I say, holding up my hands. She shakes her head, pursing her lips. “I’m not sure I can kiss you when you smell that bad,” she teases, turning and walking out of the room, her hips shimmying as she does.
“She’s gonna be the fucking death of me,” I groan. Marco’s hand rests on my shoulder.
“I have to admit; I have a little crush on the redhead myself.” Heat rises within me as the words leave his mouth. “You two are like the ultimate bi guy’s dream.”
“Fuck off, man,” I say, pushing him lightly on the chest. I try to keep my tone light and joking, but the warning is serious. I’ve put up with his comments about me for years now but hearing him mention Kailee’s name is just a step too far.
“Keep Pip outta this.” I wrap my arm around his neck, pulling him in close as I tighten my hold. I rub my knuckles over his scalp, and he squeals like a fucking pig in pain.
“All right, Ryder,” he says breathlessly. “Just let me go…”
I release my hold, and Marco staggers back, standing upright and adjusting his bright blond hair. “My fucking hair, man. Do you have any idea how much I pay for it to look like this?” He points at it; his hip kicked out to the side.
“Did you hire a barber or a bank robber because you’ve been ripped off.” I laugh loudly, pulling out a chair and sitting at the table. It is covered in far too much food for just four. There’s everything from Mexican to Italian, and my stomach grumbles just looking at it.
The girls set out the rest of the food, and Kailee sits in the chair beside me.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much food,” Kailee whispers into my ear.
I wrap my arm around her, resting it on the back of the chair. “This is Marco all over,” I mumble into her ear; the hot rush of air causes her to shiver. I look at her bare arms and notice the goose bumps covering her skin. I can’t fight back the smile that spreads, knowing I have such an effect on her.
“Marco,” Kailee addresses him.
He looks over at us, his eyes wide and waiting.
“I just wanted to thank you for your part in helping Ryder find me.” She exhales a shaky breath, and I reach out, clutching her hand.
“You know, I’m glad you got out of there, Kailee,” Francis blurts out. “I was lucky.” She turns and smiles lovingly at Marco then back at Kailee.
“What do you mean?” Kailee asks, her face puzzled and eyes glaring at Francis.
“Franny, don’t,” Marco warns. She drops her head, her whole posture changing when she realizes what she’s said. Fuck. Her reply throws me, and I drop my knife and fork on the table as my eyes focus on Kailee’s paling face.
“No,” Kailee yells, standing up and backing away from the table. The chair scrapes against the hardwood floor. “Don’t tell her what to say. I need to hear this. Francis…” She stands back, crossing her arms over her chest.
“I’m sorry. I thought you knew.” I can see the fear on Fran’s face; she’s torn between telling the truth and getting shit from Marco. I have to do something. I have to step in.
“Pip,” I say, stepping up and reaching out for her arm, but she snaps it away.
“Tell me, Ryder; I need to know what’s going on here.”
“Marco knew all about the place where I found you. He’s been there himself.”
“What… No!” her voice shrieks.
“Yes, Fran was there.”
&nb
sp; “I can’t do this.” She turns, racing away from me.
“Let me talk to her,” Francis pleads. “Let me explain everything.”
“No,” I snap, harsher than intended. “I need to talk to her. Wait here.” Her hand lands heavily on my arm, stopping me. “I’m so sorry I spoke without thinking.”
“It’s not your fault, Fran.” I exhale loudly. “I should have told her. I just didn’t think.” I shake my head before racing out of the room. As I sprint through the hall, I see the huge front door open. I know she can’t get anywhere because the gates lock automatically, but I still can’t help feeling like my fucking heart is in my throat. I call out her name as I scan the courtyard for her. I see her shivering, rocking back and forth as she rests on a low wall.
I stride over to her, but she puts her hand out flat. “Don’t, Ryder.” But I ignore her instructions.
“You need to come in and hear Marco out. I know it won’t make you feel better about the whole fucking thing, but don’t condemn him until you’ve heard his explanation.”
“So what? You want me to listen to how he thinks it’s okay for girls to be stolen and sold on like slaves,” she yells, “because, Ryder, I’m not sure I have any reason to hear his pathetic excuses.”
“You have every right to be angry, Pip. Fuck, I was furious when he told me too. But Marco isn’t a bad person. Yes, he’s done bad things, but so have I.”
She wipes a tear away from her eye, and I crouch down in front of her, resting my hands on her knees. “Pip, do this for me.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? Explain everything before we got here.”
“Because of this. Because I knew how fucking upset you’d be.”
“So you kept it from me. You purposely tried to keep it a secret.”
“Don’t put fucking words in my mouth, Pip.” I glare at her. “I’m not that person.” She doesn’t say anything and gives no reply.
“Fuck this shit.” I sigh. Reaching forward and grabbing her waist, I lift, throwing her over my shoulder. She’s yelling and banging my back, but I’m fucking sick of standing out in the cold.
“Put me down,” she cries, but I continue inside, pulling the door closed behind me. Her clenched fist hits my back. “I just want to go.”
“And we will. Just fucking hear what he has to say, and we’ll leave if that’s what you want.”
Kailee
I’m shaking. Every part of me. And I can’t control it. How? How could he do this? Part of me knew there was always something I didn’t like about Marco, something that made me wary. And now this.
Ryder sets me down; my screams and punches made no difference.
“I need you to explain and fast,” Ryder mutters to Marco standing in the door. He rolls his eyes, which only fuels my annoyance.
“Yeah, let’s hear what you’ve got to say. How you can justify what I went through,” I cry out, tears stream down my face as the emotion wracks through me. “Do you have any idea what happened? How scared I was, how I thought I was going to be sold to some sicko who likes to torture girls for his own sick pleasure? Huh, do you…”
“Look,” Marco snaps, “I will explain this once. Take it, or fucking leave it. I’m sorry for what you went through; honestly, I am. And now that I’ve seen what it’s really all about, I won’t ever be a part of that again. But for me it was business. I needed someone I could trust, someone who would come in here and keep all my secrets. That’s when I got Francis, and she’s been a godsend.” He reaches out, taking her hand and pulling her to him.
“But she’s a slave. She’s not here because she wants to be; it’s because she has no choice, a choice that was taken from her.” I scream so loudly my throat hurts.
“I’ve told Francis she can leave anytime she wants,” he says calmly, his eyes narrowing on me. “Yes, at first, she had no option, but she was okay with that. She was homeless, no family, and had nothing going for her. I changed all that — ”
I cut him off. “Oh, so you’re her hero now, right? This is bullshit, and you know it.”
“Please don’t,” Francis interjects. “Marco finding me was the best thing that ever happened to me. It gave me a purpose, a reason to live. I would be nothing without him. I would be back on the streets fending for myself again.”
“But you would be free.” I sigh loudly. I turn to see Ryder leaning up against the wall, one foot resting on it and his arms crossed over his chest.
“I want to leave,” I choke out, the sick feeling hitting me hard in the stomach. “I can’t be here right now.” I step toward him, his arm encases me, and his head moves against me as he nods.
“We’re going to head back,” he tells them.
“Let me grab your things,” I hear Francis offer, and her footsteps against the wooden floor is all I can hear. I press myself so tightly against his chest, needing to feel the warm comfort of his embrace. Within seconds, my coat is wrapped around me, and we make our way out to the car. The boys talk, but I zone out completely, not wanting to hear anything Marco has to say. I step into the passenger seat, sliding in and pulling my feet up onto the chair. I rest my head on my knees, feeling a whole range of emotions from disappointment to anger. A sudden knock on the window causes me to jump, but I press the button and lower it. Marco leans in, his face sad and contorted.
“Listen, you mean the world to Ryder, that much is fucking obvious to anyone with a goddamn pulse. And honestly, I’m sorry if you finding out about Francis comes as a bit of a shock. But please don’t take it out on him. He was pissed when I told him, like ready to put a bullet in my head, and I’ve learned my lesson.” He shoots me a sad smile.
“Thanks,” I say simply, not knowing what else to say. He nods, stepping back from the window. “Take care.” He gives a light wave, and Ryder yanks open the door, dropping into the driver’s seat.
We drive in complete silence as we make our way home. No music is playing, no words exchanged, because right now, I’m stunned. We pull into the driveway, and Ryder cuts the engine.
“Pip, fucking talk to me, please. The fucking silence is killing me. I don’t know what to say to make this goddamn thing better.”
“You should have told me,” I whisper, lifting my head.
“I didn’t fucking think, Pip. So much has happened in such a short space of time. Jeez…” His voice breaks off as he exhales a breath. More tears bubble to the surface, but I fight them back, no longer wanting to feel like an emotional wreck.
“Come on.” He smiles before stepping out of the car, making his way around to me. “Let me take you inside and make it all fucking better.” He leans in, taking my hand. He tugs on it lightly, pulling me to my feet. I trip a little, falling against him. He lifts my head with his finger, bending and lightly pressing a kiss to my lips. I clench my eyes shut, the feeling of his lips against mine enough to make me tremble. Before I can deepen the kiss, a voice shouts Ryder’s name. He pulls back from me, my eyes scanning around us to determine the source of the noise.
“Hey, what are you doing here?” he asks the girl standing just a few feet away from us.
“Looking for you, silly. Come on; you do remember me, right?” I look back and forth between them, waiting for one of them to explain what the hell is going on.
“I remember your face but not your name, sweetheart. So do me a favor, don’t come here again, got it,” he hisses, glaring harshly at her.
Ryder pulls me up the path toward the house. “Ryder, who is that girl?” I whisper.
“She’s nobody, honestly,” he murmurs.
“Ryder,” she yells, “I’m pregnant.”
He stops dead in his tracks, his body spinning on the spot. “You know that’s not possible,” he roars, but all I can hear is the thudding of my own heart.
“W-w-what?” I say with a stutter.
“Get the fuck away from this house before someone gets seriously hurt,” he continues. I try to steady myself, shocked for the second time in a matter of hours and feeli
ng like more than ever I just need space. Without thinking, I yank my hand from Ryder’s, sprinting down the road as fast as I can. I feel like my lungs are going to give out at any moment, but I can’t stop. I keep going; my breathing becomes rapid, my chest heaving as I round the corner, making my way down Cady’s street. The pain of heartbreak and disappointment cuts deep within my gut.
As soon as I reach the door, I hammer my fist against it, bending over to ease the pain in my chest.
“Kailee, sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Cady’s mom asks, holding the door open, and hooking her arm through mine. “Come on in.” She pulls me inside, locking the door behind me.
“Is she here? Is Cady home?” I ask with bated breath.
“I’ll go get her. Take a seat.” She smiles sadly, leading me into the family room and gesturing for me to sit on the couch. Tears stream silently down my face. How is everything such a mess? How have I gone from feeling so deeply in love to feeling like I’m falling apart?
“Kay, what is it, honey?” Cady asks as she enters. She drops down beside me, wrapping her arm tightly around my slumped shoulders.
“I just needed some space. I just need a friend,” I snivel, trying to control my tears and pull myself together so I can actually speak. She wraps her arm around me, pulling me to her. I rest my head on her shoulder.
“It’s all too much,” I say honestly, “and everything is overwhelming me.”
“Ryder?” she asks, her face sympathetic.
“A girl just stopped us on the driveway. She’s saying she’s pregnant. I’m worried that I have no idea what I’ve got myself into.”
“Oh, Kay. I’m sorry.” She stares at me with in horror. “But, just playing devil’s advocate here, if it happened before you, there’s not much you can do about it, right?”
“It’s not just that.” I sigh. “His friend, the friend whose house we’ve just been to, well, he bought a girl from the whole slavery sale thing, and it’s got my head all messed up.”
“I don’t follow?” Her brows narrow as her face is dressed with confusion.
“He has a girl who he bought from one of those human trafficking auctions,” I whisper, looking over my shoulder, checking no one can hear me.
The edge of forever: A Blackhearts twins novel (Book two) Page 12
