She crossed her slender arms tightly over her black tank top, visibly shaken by the event. "What are you gonna do with him?"
"Same thing I'm gonna do with you—take him back to Sal."
She backed away. "No, you can't. He's gonna kill me."
"You should've thought about that before you killed Cane," I replied, picking up Chriss and flinging him over my shoulder.
His limp body easily doubled his weight, which wasn't slight to begin with.
"But I—"
"I don't wanna hear the shit. I don't care. I have a fucking job to do, and that's it." I went to the door. "Let's go."
"Fuck you. I came here for help. You must be crazy if you think I'm gonna go with you."
I whipped around, dropping Chriss's body on the floor. "Don't you ever talk to me like that again. You hear me, little girl?"
Her lip quivered as she shrunk away from me. "You just don't underst—" she whispered before I interjected.
"I don't want to understand." I bent down and wrapped my arms around her waist, lifting her off the ground and over my shoulder.
She banged her fists against my back, kicking her legs wildly in the air. "Let me go, asshole!"
"Asshole?" I echoed.
This girl had another thing coming. I was tempted to take her over my knee and show her an asshole, but it wasn't the time.
"Let me go, Isaiah!"
I stepped over Chriss's body and headed for my car, taking every punch and kick she doled out as her body struggled to get free. Pulling the keys out of my pocket with my free hand, I unlocked the trunk and threw her in.
"You wanna act like an animal, I'll treat you like one."
She tried to scramble out of the small prison, but I pulled my gun out from the waistband of my pants, cocking the hammer as I pointed the muzzle at her. "Stay the fuck where I put you."
"Help! Help!" she yelled out into the morning air.
A passerby stopped. "Hey, what's going on?"
I glanced up, giving him a warning stare as I rested my arm on the trunk door—gun still in hand. He took a few steps back then turned and went on his way without a second look.
Shifting my gaze back to Mellissa, I noted the fear in her eyes as the tears began to well in them. I had to admit, I felt sorry for her. I knew what was going to happen if I delivered her to Sal, but she couldn't be my concern. She wasn't my business, after all.
Without another word I shut the door on her and went back to the apartment to retrieve Chriss. As soon as I walked in, I realized he was no longer lying on the floor. Suddenly, a hard blow hit the side of my face, rocking me on my feet. I kicked the door, causing it to smack Chriss in the face. I took the opportunity to land a jab directly into his throat, paralyzing him where he stood. His eyes widened as I delivered a final punch to his right temple, rendering him unconscious before his body even touched the ground.
I wiped the blood streaming from the corner of my mouth with the back of my hand. "Motherfucker."
Grabbing his legs, I dragged him behind me through the door, heading for my trunk. This asshole wasn't gonna get the drop on me again. I could hear Mellissa squealing from the apartment, and I knew once I opened the door, she was going to scream bloody murder. Dragging Chriss over the concrete, he groaned and gurgled but never woke up from his stupor.
Finally, reaching the trunk, I knocked on the metal. "Are you gonna be quiet?"
Her muffled voice filtered through the insulation. "Fuck you, Isaiah!"
"Not today, sweetheart. Again, are you gonna be quiet? If not, I'll shoot you right now."
Instantly, she shut her mouth. I pulled the trunk open and lifted Chriss's scraped and bruised body, dropping him right next to her. She screamed in horror, staring him right in the face.
"He's not dead."
"Don't leave me in here, Isaiah. Please?" she begged.
"Listen here, woman! You're going back to pay for your sins. We all have to do it. Trust me, I know about paying."
I closed the trunk as she began to bang on the inside of the door. "Don't leave me in here with him. No! Isaiah, no!"
The door locked shut, muffling her pleas. I slid into the driver seat, slamming on the gas before the cops arrived. I was sure the passerby had already called the police, and I wasn't in the mood to explain two bodies in my trunk.
MELLISSA
Chriss's body rolled onto me as the car took off, smashing me between his muscles and the edge of the trunk. I tried my best to push him off, but I couldn't outmatch the weight of his body mixed with the inertia of the speeding car.
I was stuck—heading back to the hell I'd just escaped from. I couldn't believe the one man whom I thought I could trust—the one man whom I thought had an actual moral compass, was the man dragging me to my death.
A tear escaped the corner of my eye, then a second, until I could no longer hold back the dam of anxiety and fear ruminating in every cell of my body.
Quietly, I cried to myself, praying for a miracle that I knew wouldn't come. The life I'd lived was at the expense of others, and it was time I atoned for my complacency in my family's business.
Chriss's body twitched, then his lids fluttered open, revealing anger I'd only ever seen in Sal's eyes. Instantly, his fingers were wrapped around my neck, squeezing the ever-loving life from me.
I tried to scream, but only short gurgles found their way out from the slight separation of my lips.
"You fucking, bitch. Sal's gonna appreciate this," he threatened as he tightened his grip, and my world began to fade.
ISAIAH
The weather had changed, and the clouds had opened up, releasing a downpour of rain over the city—or maybe just over me. That was the funny thing about signs—they weren't very clear in their intent or warnings.
The trunk had been quiet for a few minutes—a few minutes longer than I was comfortable with so I pulled over into an alleyway to check on her.
I hopped out and immediately heard a loud thump against the trunk door.
"Fuck!"
Chriss must've woken up. I yanked open the trunk, just in time to see Mellissa's arm fall lifelessly to her side, while Chriss choked out the last few breaths left in her lungs. Instinctively, I grabbed the back of his collar and ripped him off of her, throwing him onto the pavement.
He fell face first into a small puddle of sludge which had seeped out from under the back door of the corner Chinese restaurant.
"What the fuck are you doing?" he asked, spitting a mixture of blood and saliva onto the concrete.
I shook her while keeping an eye firmly planted on him. "Mellissa, wake up."
He wiped the blood from his mouth. "It's too late, asshole."
I scanned her closed eyes, and still chest. "Shit."
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Chriss making a run at me. Quickly, I pulled out my gun and fired off one round into his neck. "How's that feel?"
He grabbed at his neck as he fell to his knees, staring straight into my eyes as the life extinguished from his. Quickly, I slid the gun back into my waistband before pulling Mellissa from the trunk—her body limp.
I lightly patted her face. "Wake up, wake up, wake up." She didn't move. Gently, I laid her on the dirty asphalt, brushing her hair from her mouth. "C'mon, Mellissa, wake up."
Fuck!
Kneeling down next to her, I pinched her nose shut as I smashed my lips against hers, forcing a deep breath into her lungs. She was soft and tasted like honey. I could've lost myself in her if I wasn't so busy trying to save her life. She didn't respond, so I clasped my fingers together, pressing both hands down hard on her chest, pressing then releasing, trying to jump-start her heart.
C'mon, woman. Wake up!
She wasn't responding. Again, I pinched her nose, taking a deep breath before leaning over to press my lips to hers. Her chest moved slightly which relieved me.
But why was I relieved? I knew what was going to happen the minute I turned her over to Sal. Letting her die now
would probably be more humane, but I couldn't. I blew one last breath into her mouth, filling her lungs with the life-giving oxygen she so desperately needed.
Breaking the bond between our lips, I gazed intently at her—waiting. Her lids slowly fluttered open, revealing her light brown eyes. The sun beaming between the buildings transformed them into a vibrant orange and set her smooth olive skin aglow.
Her tears began to well, and I knew she was terrified. I pressed my palm against her ear, caressing her cheek with my thumb, wiping away a drop which had escaped the corner of her eye. I didn't know what made me do it—a lapse in judgment—a weak moment? Did I really want to know? Probably not.
"It's gonna be okay," I whispered.
She shut her lids, forcing out a few more tears. "It's not going to be okay." She paused, her voice was rough, probably bruised from Chriss choking her. "No one will ever know the truth." Her words perplexed me, but before I could delve further into the conversation the sound of police sirens breezed by me.
Snaking my arms underneath her, I cradled her in my arms like a baby as I stood from the ground. "We have to go."
Her palm found its way to the side of my neck as she laid her head against my chest. "Where's Chriss?"
I shielded her from his corpse, which lay in a pool of blood still seeping from his neck. "You don't have to worry about him anymore."
Her grip on my neck tightened, sending chills through my body. What was it about her that made me want to abandon myself, and the promise I'd made to Sal to deliver her? I walked up to the trunk, realizing I was going to be putting her back in the same prison she'd almost died in. My eyes trailed back over to her face which was now buried in my chest.
Fuck!
I stepped to my right and made my way to the passenger side door. Grabbing for the handle, while still holding her, I pulled the door open and set her gently on the seat. As I moved away, her fingers tightened, keeping me from pulling away from her.
"We have to go," I said, not wanting to look into her eyes for fear it would change my mind.
"He's gonna kill me, you know."
I pulled away from her grip, closing the door slowly. The blare of the sirens grew as I made my way over to Chriss' body. I picked him up by the back of his shirt and pants, so I wouldn't get any blood on my clothes, and quickly threw him into the trunk, slamming the door shut. I hopped into the driver's seat and turned the key, slamming my foot on the gas.
The tires screeched until they caught traction with the pavement, thrusting the car forward. I sped down the alley and made a quick right onto the main street, then another immediate right, heading for Sal's house.
MELLISSA
I prayed we would get in a car accident and I'd be flung through the window. Surely, it would be a less painful death than anything Sal would offer. I'd imagine he'd use his usual torture tactics on me—not sparing even his own sister. He was insane and unrivaled in his pursuit of power and inducing fear in everyone around him.
I had to admit—I was scared as hell, but I sat quietly, waiting for Isaiah to drop me off. What would be the point of trying to escape a hardcore ex-SEAL? It'd just piss him off and maybe get him in trouble with Sal, too. That'd be the last thing I needed—someone else's death on my conscience.
In fact, I wasn't even going to kick and scream when we got there. My head was going to be held high—until I was dead, of course.
He rolled into a small alleyway and slowed the car, throwing it in park before turning off the ignition. I was too scared to turn and face him. What if he was just going to finish me off himself? A mercy killing—not that I'd be opposed.
"Look at me," he ordered sternly.
I didn't budge. My throat hurt and I didn't want to talk.
"I said look at me, woman."
His demand weakened my knees. I hadn't felt that way since I fell head over heels in love with Enzo, the boy who lived next door when I was seventeen years old. I couldn't deny what he was asking of me—I felt compelled to submit.
My fists clenched as I wrenched my neck, turning to him with closed eyes—waiting for the sound of gunfire, or the cold, hard steel of a muzzle pressed up against my forehead.
"Open your eyes."
I squeezed them tighter. A few seconds of silence passed, then suddenly I felt a gentle nudge under my chin. Slowly, my lids opened to him gazing softly into my eyes—his crooked, index finger holding up my chin.
"Tell me what happened," he said, pulling his hand away.
I shook my head.
"Give me a reason," he implored
My brow perked in a questioning manner. "A reason?"
He sat back. "Just one."
I cleared my throat. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Tell me why I shouldn't take you back?"
"Why does it matter to you? You're obviously intent on fulfilling your contract."
"Fuck my contract. Tell me why I shouldn't drag you back to a death sentence."
I looked through the windshield toward the sky. The graying clouds had begun to accumulate, blocking out the sun. "I guess I deserve it."
"Why'd you kill him?"
His questions were starting to annoy me. "Why do you need to know?"
"Does it matter? I'm trying to save you."
"Maybe I don't want saving."
"Then why were you at my apartment?"
"Fear, of course, but now I realize there's no running from him—nowhere to hide."
He rested his wrist on the top of the steering wheel, rubbing the scruff on his jaw.
"I can handle it. You're just putting yourself in danger by not taking me straight back."
He chuckled slightly. "You can handle torture?"
"Yes!"
"I don't think you've ever felt real torture."
"How do you know what I've felt?"
"I don't know. But I do know torture—I know what welcoming death with open arms feels like."
"How?"
"It's a story for another time—from another life."
I crossed my arms tightly. "I don't have any more time."
He turned to me—his eyes set on mine. "I was a prisoner of war. Beaten. Starved. I know torture. So give me a reason, 'cause you don't know what you're in for."
The sincerity in his voice stirred something in me. All my fear dissipated and it was just him and me in our own world—talking. How does someone facing certain death forget what's to come for a simple conversation?
"Just—"
Crash!
CHASE
ISAIAH
I was jolted from my seat. "What the fuck?" A car had crashed into the back of mine. "Who is that?" I asked, looking back at Mellissa, who had blood running down the side of her face from a gash on her forehead.
She seemed stunned as she lifted her fingers to the open wound. I snatched her hand away just in time. "You don't wanna do that." I shook my head.
Car doors opened and shut behind us, and out of my peripheral, I caught a glimpse of the other asshole who'd been standing next to Chriss in Sal's office, earlier.
"Fuck, it's Sal's guy. What the fuck is he doing?" I turned the key and slammed on the gas pedal, just as his hand smacked my driver side window.
Mellissa stayed quiet, still dazed from her head injury. I stretched out my arm across her chest and grabbed her seatbelt, pulling it across her body, doing my best to get it locked while still trying to speed away.
If we got in another accident, she'd surely fly through the window. "Are you with me, Mellissa?"
"I just—I just—my head hurts."
"Sit back. I'll take care of you."
I glanced up at the rearview mirror, searching for the asshole's car. I couldn't remember the last time I'd been on a high-speed chase where I wasn't the one chasing down a bail jumper, or some lowlife Sal wanted to have a word with.
The smashed bumper of the Chrysler 300 finally made its way into view as it sped up, trying to ram into me again.
"Why
is this son of a bitch trying to kill us? What the fuck is Sal doing?"
"He wants me."
"Then why wouldn't he just wait? He gave me fuckin' 48 hours to bring you in," I said, swerving in and out of traffic.
"Maybe he wants you dead, too…" her words trailed off.
Looking away from the road, I realized she'd passed out. Her head leaned against the window, then bobbed to the left when the car swerved.
"Shit! Wake up, Mellissa." I shook her arm as I contemplated whether or not I should take her to the hospital to check for a concussion. "Wake up, baby girl."
She groaned as she tried to lift her head, my focus divided between her and the cars zipping by me on every side. The car behind finally made its move, smashing dead center into my bumper—its velocity thrusting both of us forward in our seats.
"Fuck this." I pulled out my gun and aimed it at the driver through the back window. Pressing the trigger in short, quick pumps, I took out his shoulder before having to look back at the road.
His car swerved into oncoming traffic, smashing into a black minivan.
Damn, I hope there wasn't a family in there.
Traffic screeched to a halt behind us as car after car rammed into the one before it. I shook my head—pissed at Sal for sending his men behind me for a simple hunt. What the fuck was he thinking?
Mellissa was still out of it. There was no way she didn't have a concussion. She needed to see a doctor before she stroked out. I flew onto the freeway headed for the nearest hospital.
MELLISSA
Everything was quiet except for the faint beep of a heart monitor. My lids fluttered open to a hospital room, and a drab hospital gown draped across my body.
Isaiah leaned against the doorframe, holding a cup of coffee. "You hit your head pretty bad."
"How long have we been here?"
"A few hours."
"Sal?"
"I destroyed our phones. It has to be the way he tracked us."
I was confused—disoriented. "Tracked us?" I pressed my palm to my forehead.
"I can't figure out why, but I think he was tracking me, because if he were able to track you then he would have the minute you took off. They probably installed it when I left my phone on the table while I was meeting with Sal."
Misled: A Bad Boy Mafia Romantic Suspense Page 2
