Masterpiece (Adrenaline Series Book 3)

by Xavier Neal

  I'm just fucking over relationships left and right.

  “He's not a thug,” she argues.

  “His last name is McCoy isn't it?”

  “That's not fair,” Nadie defends. “Your name doesn't define you! That's part of the reason Jovi has been struggling so much to find herself. Because she's attached to the name Carter. Because she's attached to Commissioner Carter. It's not your favorite thing to hear, but she's not a little girl any more, Nick. She's 21. She can make her own choices. She's an adult.”

  “She's not an adult.”

  “Just because you don't want her to be doesn't mean she's not.” He attempts to fight again when Nadie looks at me. “How long have you been engaged?”

  “Not long,” I quietly respond.

  “What's not long?” When I don't answer she asks a follow up question. “What about a ring? Where's her ring?”

  “It's the one she usually wears around her neck. The rose.”

  “Of course it is.” Nadie shakes her head. “How could I not get that?” She lets out a deep breath. “Why didn't she trust me enough to tell me?”

  I offer her comfort. “We um...we weren't telling anyone.”

  Although if we had to pick someone, I would've picked Nadie or Knox. They seem least likely to convince us otherwise.

  “McCoy,” the Commissioner invades the conversation. “You fucking McCoys haven't stayed off my desk for years. Like that Ben McCoy kid.” He turns to Nadie with a displeased expression. “You knew she was dating a McCoy?”

  “Not until the day Ben died,” she answers before shooting me an apologetic look. “I am so sorry for your loss.”

  I nod, which is when he bites, “Why? He was just another case file. Just another useless piece of garbage filling my streets. Costing hard earned tax paying citizens money.”

  Calmly, I state, “With all due respect sir, you may not have enjoyed the laws he broke, but he was not a terrible person. He may have been a fuck up. He may have been a little careless, but he was a damn good person.”

  “Good people don't sell drugs.”

  “Good people don't skew crime scenes.”

  He points a sharp finger at me. “Are you accusing me of something?”

  “No sir,” I softly back down. “I'm simply saying that just because a person makes a bad choice, or a few, doesn't make them a bad person and just because someone wears a badge doesn't make them a good one.”

  The commissioner wets his lips and shakes his head. “I read Ben's report.”

  “Which version?”

  He lifts his eyebrows. “Excuse me?”

  “This isn't what I came here for,” I mumble.

  “No. But you started it, so finish it. Are you implying the report on my desk is false?”

  “I am,” I firmly state. “Like many cases it was falsified. Someone in your precinct has an agenda and like everyone else they don't mind breaking a law to see it get accomplished. Your department is dirty on both sides of the law Commissioner.”

  “How dare you...” Riled up he takes a harsh step at me. “How fucking dare you come at me like that!”

  “You insisted sir.”

  Angered by my words he growls, “Get back to the point of this visit. My daughter. Explain.”

  This is about to get so much worse. Hope my vocal chords can take the next strangling.

  After a deep breath, I start, “You know the man you call Ghost?”

  He grits his teeth. “Point?”

  “It's me.”

  His hands flex like they're preparing to come after me. “What?”

  “It's me,” I repeat seeing Nadie bury her face in her hands on the other side of me. “I'm the one you've been chasing.”

  “This is not happening.” My lips remain closed. “You're seriously going to sit in my living room and tell me my daughter is willingly engaged to the biggest pain in my ass-”

  “She didn't know,” I rush out. “She didn't know until the night she got taken. When we met...I didn't want her to know. I wanted her to see the real me. The side that no one pays attention to.” For a moment I get lost in thought. “Jovi did. She loved that side of me. She loved the straight lace part. That was enough for her. Hell, that was enough for me.”

  Nadie gives me a sweet look, which makes The Commissioner growl under his breath.

  Not a romantic, is he?

  “Anyway, I knew I wanted out of this life. I wanted more. I wanted to be that man she deserved. A better man. So...I made a deal.”

  “A deal? What kind of a deal? A deal with who?”

  I sigh, “The man you call The Devil.”

  He shouts harshly taking a step towards me. “Are you fucking serious?”

  You know, I'm beginning to see a pattern in responses.

  “You put my daughter's life at risk with that...that heartless, conniving, sociopath?”

  “The deal was simple,” I continue on, folding my hands together. “I had to deliver a car to him. In exchange, I would be granted my freedom. No more jobs. No trail leading back to me. I could move on. Get a fresh start-”

  Nadie questions, “Why would you want a fresh start?”

  “Because I love Jovi,” the words slip out with enough emotion attached I'm not sure I can hold back crying again. “Because she deserves so much more than some kid who got lost trying to keep his head up in a world determined to drown him. There's something about her that makes me wanna be a better man. That makes me need to be. I can't explain it.”

  He runs his hand over his bald head. The bald and bearded look, combined with his suit and tie one, almost gives him a more intimidating one than if he were in his uniform. “So you're telling me The Devil has my daughter.”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Why?”

  “I fucked up,” I mutter. “I was on my way back and was spotted for driving a car with no tags. I managed to ditch the car, but-”

  “It's the one they brought in to the impound, isn't it? The exotic one.”

  Nodding slowly I answer, “Yes sir.”

  “He took her for leverage?”

  “Collateral damage. I was supposed to deliver that car and something inside of it, yet got it taken. I ignored his calls while trying to deal with my cousin's death and come up with a plan to get it back. He's not a patient person.”

  Coldly the Commissioner states, “He's not the only. If he kills her-”

  “He's not gonna kill her...” The reassurance looks like it eases some stress. “It's not his style. He only kills if he has to. And as long as he gets his car back by Sunday, there's no need for him to.”

  He furrows his eyebrows. “You want me to negotiate that car for my daughter?”

  “I-”

  “I could just call in a task force.”

  “That'd force his hand in a way that might lead him into harming her. Part of the deal was no cops.”

  As if he wasn't listening to me, he snaps, “I'm not negotiating my daughter for a car.”

  “You don't think Jovi's life is more important!” Nadie shouts.

  “It's more complicated than that.” The Commissioner raises his hand to hush her. “I can't just trade her life for it. I can't give him that power. I can't-”

  “Bend the law?” Nadie snaps. “Not even for your own daughter?”

  “Especially not for my own daughter,” he whispers out shutting his eyes.

  “You can't be serious Nick!”

  “Damn it Nadie!” He yells popping his eyes open. “Don't say it like I don't fucking care about her! Don't say it like she doesn't matter to me!”

  “Then act like it and do something!”

  “Excuse me,” I interrupt. Their bickering immediately ceases and they look at me. “I didn't come here to convince you to negotiate.”

  Sarcastically he says, “You just came by to drop off the world's worst fucking news?”

  “I came to tell you, I'm gonna get Jovi back and-”

  “How?” Nadie questions.


  “I have an idea-”

  “No,” her father denies me. “I don't want any help from you. You got her into this mess. It's your fault she's taken! It's your fault she's not here!”

  “I know that sir,” I reply. “And that's why I'm going to get her back.”

  “I'm not doing anything illegal-”

  Quickly I inform him, “I'm not going to ask you to.”

  He opens his mouth, but I cut him off.

  “I'm asking you to wait to arrest me until I've brought her home safe,” my pleading seems to take him off guard by the way he stumbles backwards. “Once she's back in your arms, fine. Take me to jail. Throw me in prison. I'm not gonna fight. I'm not gonna run. I'll tell you everything you need to know about me and what I've done. I'm willing to sell out The Devil and his law enforcement associates.”

  Nadie whispers, “How?” I glance her direction. “How are you gonna bring Jovi home?”

  I shrug. “I have an idea, but no one wants to hear me out.”

  “Talk.” The commissioner says surprising the shit out of me.

  Here's the shot I was hoping he would give me. Here's to hoping I don't fucking blow it.

  “Tell me what you plan to do.”

  “I plan to break into the impound and take the car.”

  I didn't say it was the best plan...

  “That's it?” He looks unimpressed. “That's all you got?”

  “Well-”

  “That's incredibly stupid. Do you have any idea how long it would take you to get caught?”

  In a low mumble I confess, “If I could use the cops on The Devil's payroll it would go a lot smoother...”

  “You've mentioned that more than once about his reach. I know he has it. I know not all of my men are clean, but how many?” The question lifts my fallen face. “How many cops are on his pay roll?”

  Unsure of how to answer without being completely honest I shrug. “A lot.”

  “Do you know them by name?”

  “Some. Most of the dirtier ones.”

  Madden associates with them. He thinks I don't hear, but I do. I've kept an ear to the ground. I've retained more information than I probably should've, but what's done is done. Maybe something good can come from it? Reduced sentence maybe? Don't laugh. I need the least amount of time away from Jovi possible.

  “I can't go to them for help on breaking in because The Devil specifically said no cops.”

  “Yet you're here,” he points out matter of factly. “Do you ever listen?”

  “When it matters,” I snap back.

  The attitude causes him to glare.

  Right. Future father in law and the man who can haul me away to prison. Mind my tongue. Yup...

  “You're the last person he would expect me to contact. Which to me makes you perfect. I didn't come here just looking for help, but won't leave without asking for it.”

  He wets his lips. “I'm listening.”

  “I wanna break into the precinct without breaking in.”

  “Like an undercover op?”

  “Right, except no back up from your end. At least where anyone can see. It all has to look real. If we raise any suspicions that this is phony, The Devil will hear about it and I can't promise Jovi home safely.”

  “And that's what we want,” Nadie pipes in. “Jo' home safely.”

  “I want the man who took her.” He adds coldly. “If I let the police handle this-”

  “You'll never find him.” Fiddling with my thumbs I continue. “You think it's a coincidence, they have nothing to report? You think it's chance that they aren't beating down your door with leads? That there's no trail or sign?” His body clenches again this time swallowing hard. “No. You know nothing because the men you trust are being paid to keep their mouths closed and look the wrong way.”

  In a whisper he says, “You're telling me I can't trust my own men, but have to trust you?”

  “If you wanna help me bring Jovi home, yes sir, that's exactly what I'm telling you.”

  The Commissioner unexpectedly sits down beside me.

  Don't worry I know how to bob and weave, though I don't know how well that's gonna work out for me. You saw how quick he was earlier.

  “Okay,” he sighs deeply. “What do you need from me?”

  “Whatever was taken from the vehicle, put back.”

  “We didn't remove anything,” he assures me. “It's being transported to be stripped and searched thoroughly. I didn't trust my men to do it for this very reason. Called in a favor. It's leaving Saturday.”

  “Perfect. I just need a few well-placed opportunities and your word that you won't arrest me until this whole thing is over.”

  Slowly he nods before he looks at Nadie who is on his other side. “Can you make us some coffee? I have a feeling the night is about to get a little longer.”

  “Sure,” she softly replies.

  Once it's just the two of us he scoots closer and lowers his voice to a threatening level, “You are going to do everything it takes to bring my daughter home or I will not hesitate to shoot you and then arrest myself for it. Are we clear?”

  “Crystal...”

  Terrifyingly, crystal clear.

  “Good,” he whispers again. “I don't like you McCoy. I don't like your family. I don't like what you represent. I don't like what the fuck you've done to my city, but most importantly I don't like what you've done to my daughter. So, I'm gonna give you one fucking shot to make this right. All of it. But that's all you get. Just one.”

  “One is all I need Commissioner.”

  Believe me. I promise to keep my fucking word on that. I'm bringing Jovi home or I'll die trying. Have some faith in me. It might help him have a little more.

  Merrick

  Strolling through the front door I'm immediately assaulted by Madden who wraps his hand tightly around my already bruised neck.

  Fuck. I was hoping for a gut punch. Hell, even one to the eye. At this rate I'll have suffered brain damage from lack of oxygen before this plan gets under way.

  The second my head hits the back of the door, he barks, “Are you fucking kidding me! I told you to stay home!”

  While I wish I could answer, I can't. His grip around my vocal chords isn't working in my favor.

  “Where the fuck have you been?! How the fuck could you leave your phone at home!” I watch as the emotions cycle through his eyes.

  I hate seeing him like this. I do. I really do, but you saw him. He wasn't trying to hear me out. None of them were.

  “Maybe if you let him breathe he can answer,” Daniel calls from somewhere in the background.

  “Shut the fuck up,” he bites over his shoulder. “You're in so much shit! You were supposed to watch him!”

  Daniel tries, “I-”

  “As far as I'm concerned everyone is responsible for him leaving!”

  Drew attempts to object, “But I-”

  “No!” He shouts and lets the grip on my neck go.

  After a short pause he pulls back his fist and punches the door with enough force to create a very distinct crater next to my face.

  Fuck that was close.

  “Feel better?” Knox mocks from the kitchen counter top where she's sitting. “Now we have a door to repair.”

  “Keep laughing,” he snaps at her. “It wouldn't be a joking matter if this was your family.”

  “This is my family!” Knox shouts. “How fucking dare you Madden! These are my brothers just as much as they're yours! I cook for them! I clean! I help make sure they've taken their shots! Go to the fucking dentist! I'm a part of this family just as much as you are, so the next time you fucking try to pull that card make sure to shove it back up your ass instead.”

  Whoa...

  Madden clenches his fist yet doesn't respond. Quickly he looks back at me, “Where the fuck have you been?”

  “I...I...” the words seem to stick in my throat.

  It's now or never. Remind me to duck.

  Bracing myself for
the next impact I confess, “I went to see The Commissioner.”

  “What?” My family croaks at me.