Worth The Fight (Worth It Series Book 1)

by Breanna Mansfield

  “Hi. I guess you’re the new girl?” the girl asks.

  “Yeah, that’s me. How long have you been here?” I ask her.

  “For a couple of weeks. You better get undressed. He will be back soon,” she nods to the bathroom.

  “Thank you,” I whisper.

  I go into the bathroom and shut the door. I take off my gun holster and open the cabinet door under the sink, and I wrap the buckle strap around the water pipe that’s coming out of the wall, out of sight. I snap the button and close the door. I stand up and the bathroom door swings open. My heart is beating so fast, and my eyes open wide.

  “Why the fuck are you still dressed?” Leroy roars.

  I stutter, trying to respond, but words evade me. He raises his hand to hit me, but I throw my hands up and yell, “Sorry! I’m nervous!”

  He lowers his hand and takes a deep breath.

  “I do not give a shit. You need to get a move on. Now. Take your clothes off,” he says not moving. He wants me to undress with him standing right there. Well fine. I pull my pants off along with my underwear and kick them off my feet. I rip my sweater off my head and shimmy out of my bra. I stand there defiantly waiting for him to dictate me on what to do.

  “Still sweet as ever I’d say, maybe even a little better,” he nods his head at the door and walks to it. He motions with his hand for me to follow. I walk with him to the stairs and he halts my forward movement.

  “I’ll go down and announce your arrival. From here on out, Bridget is dead. You are now to be called Blue. Wait until I call your name. Then come on down. And don’t fuck this up, or they will call my partner. And he’s on vacation right now scouting. He will be really pissed off if he is interrupted,” he says before he starts down the stairs.

  I just nod my understanding. As he walks down the stairs to greet everyone, I rub my arms up and down with my hands, trying to ward off the chill. I close my eyes and pretend I’m getting my military physical. Deep breaths. In and out.

  “Please, everyone give a warm welcome to Miss Blue!” I hear Leroy shout out. I hear a classical music begin to play as I place my hand on the railing and start my decent.

  I walk down the flight of stairs and everyone sees my feet first. And as I go farther down, they see my legs, then my thighs, and so on. I hear wolf whistles and shouts. This is practically a fucking meat market. I make it all the way downstairs and finally get a glimpse of the Showroom as they call it. It’s a huge living area, with a built-up cat walk in the shape of a square, and men in chairs around the square, and what I assume are bouncers or body guards in the middle of it. I keep my chin up and make eye contact with as many of them as I can, to let them know I’m not weak. I hear whispers as I slowly make my way around the square.

  “She’s too strong willed for me.”

  “She would be fun to break.”

  “I bet she could take a good pounding.”

  I’d like to see these fuckers try.

  As I round the end, and start to make my way back upstairs, I hear murmurs and Leroy calls out my new name, “Wait, Blue.”

  My heart pounds as I stop and wait. Please no, don’t let anyone buy me yet. I need to think of an escape plan still. For me and the girl upstairs. I don’t even know her name.

  “Blue, we have a high demand for you to take the walk a second time,” he says in a strong voice. I dip my head to let him know I understand. “But at each corner stop for a full five seconds. I want you to count the seconds out loud so they know their time,” he demands.

  I begin my walk a second time and stop at the first corner. Again, I make eye contact with the men looking at me like I’m livestock. I guess in a way I am. I pray that Hudson made it through, so that this will be worth it. I finish counting and walk to the next corner. I make brief eye contact with a man in the far back with long hair and before I can look again, the five seconds are up and I’m on to the next. Something about that man’s eyes was familiar. Gooseflesh rises against my skin and my body shivers. I will say that I’m grateful that my hair is long enough that it covers most of my boobs from their view. I’m surprised they didn’t make me move it out of the way.

  When I’m finally at the last corner counting out I hear some shouting behind me. As I turn around I’m met by eyes with death warrants in them. Brown eyes that always welcomed me home clash with my blues and a sob breaks free.

  Before I know what is happening, there are fights breaking out everywhere. I take off running to the stairs, but before I make it to the third step I’m yanked back by my hair.

  “Where the fuck are you going?” I hear Leroy sneer in my ear. “Don’t think that because your man showed up and fucked up my club, means you’re getting outta here.”

  It’s pure chaos around us. People who showed up with Aaron are fighting the guys who were in the middle of the square, and no one is notices Leroy ripping my hair out.

  “I’m not going without you, dearest. I didn’t get to have a piece of this sweet ass yet,” he says while grabbing my ass cheek in a painful grip.

  “And you fucking won’t either,” I hear Aaron say before he blasts Leroy in the side of the head with his fists.

  I take off running up the stairs and run to the bedroom. I shut the door behind me as my eyes search for the girl.

  I run into the bathroom to see her sitting down, going pee.

  “When you get done, get in the bathtub, and shut the curtain. If anyone comes in the room, and it’s not me, don’t answer them. Stay quiet. Okay?”

  I bark out the instructions as I grab my pants and throw them on with my sweater. I rip open the cabinet door and unhook my holster from the pipe. I get my gun out and pull the slide back, checking that there is a round in the chamber.

  “Oh-ohh ok-ayy,” she stutters out.

  I turn to run out of the door, but stop and turn back. “What’s your name, sweet girl?” I ask her.

  “Tiffany,” she replies.

  “Hi Tiffany. I’m Bridget. We are gonna get out of here today.” And with that I fly out of the room, headed back for the downstairs.

  Chapter Twenty One

  I throw a punch at Leroy; no one touches Bridget like that. I’m so pissed off that I can’t even see right. I hope everyone is handling their own right now. Because my focus is on this shitbag.

  “Fuck you, Aaron. You are the reason for this whole place. It’s only fair that Bridget gets to be a part of it,” Leroy laughs through a split lip.

  I swing out and my fist connects with his jaw. “Fuck you, Leroy.”

  “Oh how I forgot how fucking sweet she feels,” he continues to laugh.

  Part of me knows he’s baiting me, but part of me is unsure because I don’t know what she’s been through since she was taken. Just as I get ready to swing at him again, I feel arms come around me; someone is holding me back. Leroy stands up straighter, and laughs again while shaking his head at me.

  “See Aaron, this is the thing, you think you’re so fucking invincible. You come in here trying to save your woman,” he swings out, connecting a punch to my face. “But what is really gonna happen is we are going to fucking kill you all, then carry on the show with Miss Blue,” he finishes.

  I spit out blood from my split lip, and laugh while shaking my head.

  “You are fucked in the head. I almost didn’t believe Bridget when she told me,” I laugh, lying.

  “Well, you should have,” he says as he pulls out a gun and points it at me.

  “Enough,” he screams and the warehouse goes a little silent. “I’m going to start shooting fucking idiots. You come in my house and try and best us? You try and shut me down?” he roars.

  All I can do is look down the barrel of his gun and pray that Bridget knows that I love her. I can’t fucking do shit while I now have a man holding me back and another pointing a gun at me.

  “Brandon’s house,” I remind him.

  “You fucked with the wrong place today, fellas,” he continues to roar, his face a bright red.


  “I don’t think they did at all,” I hear the sweetest fucking voice say. We all look over and see Bridget standing at the end of the stairs leaning up against the railing, picking her nails. She looks up and her eyes briefly lock with mine. I see warmth for a fleeting second before hardness falls over them. She makes eye contact with Leroy and her eyes die.

  “What the fuck do you think you’re doing outside of your room?” he roars. “Get her the fuck back upstairs!” he commands one of the guards.

  “Ooo, I probably wouldn’t if I were you,” she teases the guard. He stops in his tracks and has a confused look on his face.

  Leroy looks at his guard and rolls his eyes. “I’ll wave the test drive fee for anyone wanting to test drive Blue if you take her back upstairs. Since my guard has lost his fucking mind.”

  Most of the customers have either been beaten or they managed to escape, but a handful of them remained here. One with long blonde hair stands up, his hands on his hips and his chin to his chest, he shakes his head.

  He is a rather large build and before he can say anything I hear a small gasp I don’t think anyone else would have heard. I shift my eyes over to Bridget and see her eyes soak in the guy. But before anyone notices it, she sighs even louder.

  “Look, no one is going to take me back upstairs. Because I’m going to tell you one time and one time only. You’re going to put your gun down, and you’re going to leave and go far away, and leave me alone,” she says to Leroy with a touch of sass in her voice. She lifts her eyebrows and waits for him to respond.

  He laughs and then abruptly stops. His eyes never leave hers as he lifts his gun back up and points it in my direction. I hear the hammer getting pulled back and I shift my eyes over to Bridget and try to tell her I’m sorry and I love her with my eyes. But she’s not looking at me. She shakes her head subtly at the long hair guy and then exhales dramatically out loud.

  “I knew it wouldn’t be that easy. Oh well,” she reaches under her sweater and pulls out a black and pink Glock so fast that I’m stunned. Before anyone can react to it, I swing my head back and connect my skull with the asshole’s face who is holding me down. His right hand instantly goes up for his nose, and I spin out of his arms and pull a reversal. Now I’m holding him around his neck in a vice-like grip with his arm locked with mine.

  “See you thought I just sat at home all day waiting for you to get done with your meetings? You thought I didn’t have an idea that you were fucked in the head?” Bridget asks while she straightens her stance. “My brother always told me to trust my gut and my gut told me to learn how to protect myself.”

  Leroy laughs and he shakes his head. “Where is your brother now, Bridget? He isn’t gonna save you. My guys have him and he’s about to die, too. He’s been tortured all week. The asshole not telling me where you were at really pissed me off. Good thing Brandon came back and clued me in before he left.”

  Now it was Bridget’s turn to smile. She rolled her eyes, “Sure you have been Leroy.”

  “Fuck this talking. I’m so fucking tired of it,” Leroy says when she doesn’t take his bait.

  He lifts his gun and I throw the guard I have a hold of on the ground, but before I can reach Leroy, two gunshots ring out. The room goes still as Leroy falls to the ground with a bullet hole in his back, and in his front. I look around and try to find who the second shooter was. But no one is around. The only two guards left conscious look unsure on what’s supposed to happen.

  I walk over to my woman as she leaves the gun aimed on the guards and tells Troy to call the cops.

  I stand behind her and wrap my arm around her chest and shove my nose in her hair. Her body relaxes against mine instantly. I kiss the side of her head as I reach my arm out and take her weapon from her. Her arm drops to her side and she exhales a breath of relief. Her body starts to shake, and I nod for Troy to come here.

  “Here, take this, and make sure no one tries anything stupid. I’m going to get her out of here.”

  Troy takes the gun, but before I can get Bridget out she shakes her head and looks up the stairs.

  “There is another girl up there. Her name is Tiffany, and I told her I would come get her.”

  “Okay, baby. Let’s go up there,” I tell her.

  We walk up the stairs and when we get to the room, she puts her hand on my chest and tells me to wait there.

  “Can I have your shirt?” she asks as she prepares to head into the room.

  “Sure, baby girl,” I tell her as I take it off and hand it over to her.

  “Thank you,” she whispers before she leans up and kisses me quickly on the cheek.

  She walks in and I hear some talking, but can’t make out any words.

  When she walks back out she is not in her sweater anymore, but in my shirt and I arch my eyebrow at her.

  “She wanted to wear some girl clothes, so I left mine with her. She says she will come out once the cops arrive. I just want out of here though,” she whispers.

  “Okay, baby. Let’s go,” I say as I lead her out of the house.

  When we get outside she stops and takes a deep breath.

  “Finally,” she says as tears stream down her face.

  I scoop down and pick her up, thankful she’s wearing my shirt, and that it covers her, because I don’t know what I would do if someone saw her ass again right now.

  “Shhh, baby girl. I got you now.” She buries her face in my neck and silently sobs as her adrenaline wears off and she faces her fears.

  “Can we go?” she asks.

  “Yeah, baby girl. We can,” I tell her. Fuck it, the cops can come to the ranch when they want to question her.

  Epilogue

  Nine weeks later

  I twirl the ring around my finger as the nerves wrack my body. I have not seen my brother since that day, and I’m so excited to see him. However, I am also nervous because I still don’t know what he was doing there when he is supposed to be in the military in some disclosed location overseas. So here I am, waiting for him in the coffee shop down the street from my brand-new home that was built, that I hardly ever stay in. And now, I won’t be staying in. A smile stretches across my face as I think back to the day Aaron took me inside of the house. Hudson’s Blueprints had it finished for me in a little over four weeks, and when Aaron took me inside I was overcome with excitement and grief. Excited to see it finished, with the fancy cutting board around the stove and the bathroom that matched Aaron’s home. Grief because it meant I’d have to go back to my house, and my life, without waking up next to Aaron every morning to start my day.

  When he took me out to the back deck I was stunned speechless. A beautiful wrap around deck, and candles everywhere. There was a dinner for two prepared, and when I got done looking at everything and turned back to the love of my life, he was down on one knee asking to spend the rest of our lives together.

  Bridget Jane Franklin, you have become the air I need to continue to breathe. I never thought that I would meet someone who would complete me in such a way as you do. I was never hungry, until I met you. I’m hungry for your body, I’m hungry for your smiles, and I’m hungry for your laughs, your touches, your kisses. I’m starving for your love. Please make me the happiest man alive and marry me?’

  I look down at my coffee in my hands and bite my lip as I think back on that night as well. The way he made love to me, right there on the deck makes me smile.

  “Well, I don’t know a lot of things, but I do know that whatever has you smiling like that, I don’t want to know about it.”

  I look up and gasp. I jump out of my seat and throw my arms around my brother. I can’t believe he is here again safe in my arms.

  “I’m so happy to see you!” I cry out.

  “I know, sis. It’s been a long time. But I think I’m finally done. I was just released from my last assignment, and I think I’m just gonna chill for a while. See where life takes me, ya know?”

  “I can’t believe how long your hair is,�
�� I say as we sit back down. He takes his hand and runs it through his hair at the mention of it.

  “I know. I grew it and the beard for that last mission, but the beard is gone now; however, I think I’m going to keep the hair. It has grown on me,” he chuckles in that deep voice of his.

  “About that last job?” I say casually.

  “I know you have many questions. But I won’t tell you many answers, sis. Some things are better left unanswered,” he tells me while looking away.

  “Can you at least tell me how long you’ve been so close to home? Or what you were doing there? Or why you were there? Something? I was there, too. Maybe only for a short period of time, but I still felt I didn’t have any hope. As soon as I saw you there, I knew you were undercover of some sort, but why? That’s not a military job.”

  He sighs as he puts his hand through his hair again. “I know. One of my buddies over there caught wind that his sister had been kidnapped and after someone gave us some intel, we found out where she was. So once I got the go ahead from my supervisor, we went undercover. We found her, and got her out, but we stayed in trying to find out who the big guy was, so we could shut him down.

  “However, you kind of ruined that plan. When I saw Leroy was partners with the leader of that house, I had to keep my undercover status. I had a gut feeling from the way he talked he was going to bring you in. And if I can’t protect you on the outside, I had to trust my gut instinct and do it from the inside. But then you shook your head at me, telling me no. Why did you do that?” he asks.

  “I knew you were undercover somehow. I didn’t even recognize you at first. I thought your eyes were familiar but with the hair and beard, I couldn’t tell. Until you put your hands on your hips and shook your head, that’s when I knew. You used to do that all the time when you had to do something you didn’t like,” I say with a shrug of my shoulders.

  “Well, we didn’t get the guy. So now it’s in someone else’s hands. But I’m not sorry that Leroy is gone,” he says with a darkness to his voice.