by Sam Crescent
“Please, if you let me go, he won’t come for you.”
“You think I’m afraid of your man, huh? Please, he’s nothing. He thinks because he can bury bodies that makes him a tough guy? He doesn’t even know what real darkness is.” He pulled her out of the trunk of the car. “Now, let’s go and have a little party.”
She cried out as he pulled her across the wood. From the last time she was here with Dwayne, she recognized where they were going, and no matter what she did, he kept a firm hold on her.
Deep down, she knew Dwayne would come.
She only hoped that he didn’t take too long.
If I die tonight I hope you know how much I love you.
I’d have done anything for you.
I love you, Dwayne Carson.
She released a whimper as he pulled her along the edge of the lake, water splashing at her feet, and he dragged her deeper through the woods. She recognized the spot where Dwayne had said he’d buried someone.
This man didn’t stop there. Instead, he kept pulling her along until they came to a spot where all the grass and brambles were pulled back. He shoved her to the ground next to a shovel.
“Start to dig, whore.”
Her hands were shaking. “What? Why?”
He landed a blow to her stomach, ceasing all fight from her. She grabbed her stomach as he pulled her head back. “I said fucking dig.” He shoved her face against the mud, and she reached out, grabbing the shovel.
Even though she wanted to fight him, to kick him in the balls, to hurt him, she started to dig, feeling sick. Pain flooded her entire body, and she dug. Even though she wanted to fight him, she knew she was no match for him. Then she saw the gun in his hand and knew there was no chance of her getting out of this alive unless Dwayne got to her.
“You know, I’ve heard of a lot of people who make their victims dig their own grave. Apparently, it makes them a little fucked up in the head, you know what I’m saying?”
She didn’t respond.
What the hell was she supposed to say?
Hell, yeah, I know.
She pushed the shovel into the dirt and started to move the soil. She felt sick to her stomach, but she kept on doing it, wanting nothing more than to spit in his face and tell him to go fuck himself.
The man, she didn’t know his name, kept on rambling about how he was going to kill her, or maybe he’d toy with her a little first. She hated every single second of it. Time passed. She didn’t know how long she was there, only that the patch of dirt was getting bigger and deeper.
Her body ached, and sweat covered her flesh.
“I wonder who will find you first. The wolves, the cops, or your man.”
“Well, I can answer that one right now,” Dwayne said, startling the two of them. She turned to see him coming in the opposite direction from the one he’d showed her. He had something in his hand, which he tossed over to the man who’d taken her. “Didn’t your mother ever tell you about taking things that don’t belong to you?”
Charity stared at the man who once again was here to save her.
“This wasn’t about him.”
She glanced back to see the man kick the severed head that Dwayne had thrown at him. She was so not getting involved in this right now.
“No, you’re right, it wasn’t, but seeing as they didn’t put you to ground, I considered that a personal slight. So now your little gang is no more. Your leader is right there. You’re the only one left. You know who I am. You know what I’m capable of, and still you came after my woman, you sick piece of shit.” Dwayne raised his gun, and she covered her ears as there was gunfire.
Dropping to her knees, she watched as Dwayne approached, and suddenly he was on the man who’d taken her. Dwayne had a blade in his hand, and she didn’t know how he had it. Only that it had to have been on him to kill the man, stabbing him in the throat, before plunging the blade into his eye.
She covered her mouth, and as Dwayne released the blade, the man dropped to the ground.
Beast and Caleb suddenly came out of the shadows and Dwayne was in front of her. She didn’t care what she’d just witnessed. As he touched her face, tilting her head back, she wrapped her arms around him, holding him as close as she could.
“You came. You came. You came.”
“Of course I did. I wouldn’t ever not come for you, Charity. You’re mine, and I love you more than anything. I will always come.”
“How did you know?”
“The guard I had on your ass. This fucker shot him in the stomach, but he was able to show me who it was.”
“Will he be all right?”
“Of course. He’s in the hospital now, but he won’t be guarding you again. Someone got the jump on him, and there’s no way I’m risking your safety.” He stroked her cheek, and tears filled her eyes.
“I knew you’d come. I was so afraid you’d be too late.”
“No, never.” He kissed her lips, and she held onto him, not wanting to let him go. “I’ll never leave you, and if I don’t ever make it, Charity, I won’t be far behind you. I’ll avenge your death, and then I’ll be coming to be with you. That’s how I love you, baby. Nothing else in this world is worth loving. You are. You always will be.” He stroked her hair back. “Fuck, I don’t even want to think about how I nearly lost you.”
“Do you know who he was?”
“He was part of some gang. He was paying cops to look the other way, even had a different informant who was dumping evidence, which is why it was so hard to find him. The truth is, he wasn’t anyone to us. Just in his little gang. They were supposed to deal with him, but they didn’t.”
“Why do you think he came for me?”
“He was pissed that I made his leader pick between his own head, his club, or the guy dumping bodies. He didn’t do as I asked, so he took you. Clearly trying to send me a message. Well, now I took the leader, the gang, and that sick fucker. We don’t have to worry about them anymore.”
“Yeah, when The Nightmare gets onto something, he doesn’t ever let it go,” Caleb said.
“I will understand if you want to … pull out of the wedding,” Dwayne said.
She caught him rolling his eyes at his uncle, and she frowned. “Huh? What?”
“After what you just saw. I know it’s—”
She pressed her lips against his, silencing him with a single kiss. Taking hold of his shirt, she held him in a death grip. “Nothing is ever going to change the way I feel about you, Dwayne. I know more than anything that you have to do what you do. I love you, no one else, you. I want to marry you.”
“Then, let’s get this show on the road. I want to get home tonight, and we still have a job to do, so can you two, I don’t know, move this along?” Beast said.
Before she could stop him, Dwayne picked her up and carried her out of the woods. She wrapped her arms around him, not wanting to let him go.
“I will understand if you don’t want to.”
“Will you shut up, silly? I don’t care. I was waiting for you, Dwayne. I don’t care what you had to do. I know deep down you’re a good person that has to do bad things. I love you. I want you, and there’s no way you’re going to get rid of me that easily.”
“I don’t want to get rid of you, not ever. I’m going to cherish you always.”
And as he carried her to the car, Charity felt his love, his protection, his warmth, and there was no way she was ever going to let him go. Dwayne belonged to her, just as she did to him.
Epilogue
Ten years later
“You know, at times I don’t know who is the bigger child, you or Ben,” Charity said.
Dwayne smiled as he sat down next to his glorious, sexy as fuck wife, who also happened to be heavily pregnant with their third child. He reached over, kissing her lips and running his hand across her swollen stomach. Damn, he didn’t know if he loved her more pregnant. She was always heavier, but he loved seeing their baby grow. Her stomach was swollen, her ti
ts heavy, and it was because he fucked her.
Yes, he felt so possessive of her.
They’d been happily married for ten years, and even though it took the birth of their first grandchild, Charity’s parents had finally come around and were happy for them. They always had their opinions, but he’d been told that they were allowed to have them, and he wasn’t to shoot them for it.
The moment they made Charity cry, he wasn’t going to make any promises.
“Dwayne, of course,” Beast said, sipping his water. They were all at Dwayne and Charity’s home. Caleb stood at the barbeque pit pretending he was king of the food, but every now and then Faith and Hope would stand with him, guiding him.
This was his home, his family, filled with his loved ones. Over the past few years, his reputation had remained, but of course, between Beast and Caleb, there was a new generation of Carson men who wanted to make a reputation for themselves. None of them would ever be able to rival him, but he didn’t mind.
Beast hadn’t trained his boys to be monsters, but thinkers. Men who knew when to strike at the right moment.
“You’re happy,” Charity said.
He smiled down at his adoring wife.
Her cheeks were nice and flushed, and he kissed her again, unable to resist. “You know I am.”
“Even though you wanted to cancel.”
He loved his family more than anything. His uncles were important to him, but he also found family events tiring, stressful, and he always wanted to cancel them, be it Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, or anniversaries. He always found an excuse, but Charity would always make him go.
“Yeah, I’m glad you sent me to the kitchen to cool the beers. You guys happy to watch the kids?” Dwayne asked.
“Yeah, go, go,” Beast said.
He helped Charity to her feet, and together they walked past the small garden, out toward the pond he’d had installed. He’d done this after Charity mentioned that she loved to watch the still water and if there were frogs, how they jumped, and fish.
Dwayne would do anything for his wife.
“What’s up, babe?” she said.
He stopped at the edge of the pond and cupped her face, tilting her head back. Even after ten years, she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Coming home, it made him excited to see her. His heart raced for her. He wanted her all the time. Not a single moment went by when he didn’t want her.
His love for her was the one thing that made him feel alive, as well as the love he had for their children. The night she gave birth to their son, he couldn’t recall ever being more afraid of anything in his life.
“I want to know if you’re happy,” he said.
“Of course I’m happy.” She covered his hands with hers. “How can you even for a moment doubt that?”
“I didn’t doubt it. I just needed to hear that you’re happy. I want you to be. I’ll give you the world if you asked for it.”
She chuckled. “Dwayne, there’s nothing else I want in this world. I love you more than anything. Our family, our life, to everyone else you’re their nightmare. That is not what you are to me, nor will you ever be. You were and are and will always be my knight.”
He kissed her lips, holding her close.
All those nights ago when he was a kid, he prayed all night long for someone to come, to love him, and to make him feel as if he was the only person alive that she could ever love. Charity was that woman. She was his soul mate, and as they walked hand in hand, they stood at the edge of the garden, watching his family.
The Carson men.
Beasts, Monsters, and Nightmares, but at the heart of it, they were still men. They still had a heart, and they had all found their women that would accept them for who they were.
The End
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Other Books by Sam Crescent:
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BONUS SAMPLE CHAPTER
CLAIMING HIS PRIZE
Killer of Kings, 5
Sam Crescent and Stacey Espino
Copyright © 2018
Chapter One
Chains was hungry.
No, starving.
He needed food.
After all the shit that went down with Shadow and Boss at Killer of Kings, he’d decided to take a vacation. He didn’t want, nor did he need, any shit in his life right now. At times, being a killer took a toll on a man, and he wasn’t a fool. His kill ratio rivaled many of the killers he associated with. Of course, Boss had overtaken all of them with the slaughter he’d just done based on a mafia mark.
Rubbing the back of his shaved head, Chains entered a shitty looking diner. He’d have preferred a restaurant, one that served Russian food, but right now he couldn’t be picky. Taking a seat in the back of the diner, he grabbed the well-worn menu and looked over the choices. Of course, it was all greasy burgers and stuff more suited to a fifties-style menu.
His cell phone buzzed, and he glanced down to see it was Boss.
The fucker was alive and well, not that he would ever doubt him. If anyone could get out of a hit, it would be Boss.
Turning off his cell phone, he placed it back in his pocket. He’d already left word for Boss to know he intended to have some time off. No killing.
To get this … burning under control.
The rage inside him had begun to simmer midway through this latest mission, watching Shadow with Riley. He didn’t know what it was all about, and he didn’t care either. All he knew was when he wanted to kill those he worked with, he had to leave.
So far, Viper, Bain, Killian, and now Shadow had each fallen for a woman. Hardened killers became weak when they chose to bring a woman into their lives. Killers shouldn’t have women. They always had a “use by” date, and if one of their enemies heard of a way to take them out, their women would be the first to go. It was why he never allowed himself to take any pleasure other than in the women he paid for. The whores on the streets wanted his money, and he only required a quick release.
If he didn’t feel like fucking one of the streetwalkers, he’d found plenty of escorts and agencies willing to give him what he wanted.
He didn’t want love.
Glancing around the diner, he saw several families eating. One of them had that very prim and proper American look with crisp white shirts, the kind they wore to church.
He stared at them, knowing how looks could be deceiving. In his line of work, he’d seen a lot of shit. He’d seen stuff that had sickened him to the core.
One of the worst things was the child trafficking rings. Boys and girls sold for a fortune to meet the demands of the depraved perverts that wanted them. After seeing some of the victims, he’d made a vow to always defend them. If he ever caught sight of anything going down, he checked it out, and was sure to make an example of the people who thought they could use vulnerable children.
After surviving one of the worst childhoods imaginable, Chains learned from a young age the horrors that awaited in the big wild world. He’d been an unlucky bastard, being thrust into one of the worst Russian orphanages.
Every one of them had to learn to survive, and that hadn’t been the worst of it. The people who claimed to protect them had enabled the abuse. He’d been in a mixed gender orphanage, and the girls that were there, they had it a lot worse than the boys. They were trained to shut up and take it.
As a child, seeing the damage those girls faced at the hands of men, he’d taken a personal dislike to anyone who harmed a child.
“Hey, sorry it took me so long. What can I get you?”
The feminine voice brought his attention around to the woman standing in front of him. He’d seen her enter five minutes ago. Her head was bent over her notepad, and she was on the chubby side. The uniform
she wore was too tight, some of the buttons gaping around her impressive cleavage.
Her long brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and she looked pale. He couldn’t get a good look at her, and Chains wanted to look at her.
“What’s good here?”
He’d long ago lost any of his Russian accent, and only when he was angry did it show. Right now, he looked and sounded like any American businessman. He always preferred suits. To him they’d symbolized the sign of power, where the real money was.
“The cheeseburger’s good. I, erm, I wouldn’t go for the chicken though.”
“Oh, why not?”
The girl, Lori, her badge said, looked behind her, and he saw her nerves show through. “He doesn’t always cook it all the way, and it can make you sick.”
She still hadn’t looked up, and he didn’t like that she was avoiding eye contact.
Putting his hand at his side where his gun rested, he wondered if any of his enemies had followed him. He could never be too cautious in his line of work.
Lori sniffled and leaned to the side, expelling a little cough. She sounded sick.
“I’m so sorry.” She cleared her throat, and she finally looked up at him.
The bruise covering her left eye twisted his gut.
His gaze unnerved her as she quickly arranged the hair covering her eye. “What can I get you?”
The bruise looked recent. “You know, boyfriends that do that don’t deserve you, right?”
“What?” she asked.
He pointed to his eye as he looked at her. “The eye. You really shouldn’t stick around with a guy like that.”
Her cheeks heated, and she shook her head. “Oh, this isn’t from a boyfriend.”
Okay, now he didn’t like where this was going.
