by Eva Ashwood
“Well, she’s a fucking handful, isn’t she?” the one holding me says, sounding cheerful about it for some reason.
I narrow my eyes and keep kicking, trying to aim my foot back and hit him in the balls with it to give him something to be fucking cheerful about.
“Let’s just get her out of here, Rory,” Levi mutters. He doesn’t look at me as he helps his buddy restrain me, and together they haul me out of the building.
I half expect them to let me go outside, or to knock me out or something so they can go back to beating the fuck out of Dad, but instead they bring me to a car. It’s all black with tinted windows, the kind of car people drive when they have too much money or something to hide. I think about trying to run away if they let me go, but Levi’s buddy, Rory, just drags me into the back seat with him, moving me around like I don’t weigh anything.
He’s the most muscular of the two Levi was with, taller than both of them and towering over me, even though at five-eight, I’m not short for a woman. The hands that grip my wrists together may as well be steel cuffs for all the leverage I can get, and I’m pulled unceremoniously into my captor’s lap and held there.
I throw my head back, trying to catch the bridge of his nose with the back of my skull, but he ducks his face out of the way at the last second. I manage to catch him with a hard elbow in the side, but even though he lets out a pained grunt, he doesn’t loosen his grip.
“You’re a feisty thing,” he mutters, and with how close he is, I can feel his breath huffing warm against my ear. “You know, in another circumstance I’d find that pretty hot.”
“Fuck you,” I spit, letting my fury bleed into my voice. “Let me go.”
“Mm, nah. I don’t think I will,” he teases, and I can feel my rage mounting.
Breathing hard, I finally stop struggling in his grip. My hair is sticking to my face with sweat from the exertion, and my heart races, but I’m no closer to breaking free. And even if I could, I’m in a car with these two goons, stuck in the back seat with one of them. There’s nowhere to fucking go.
As soon as I have the thought, the car’s engine revs and it starts moving. My heart crawls up my throat, and I strain in Rory’s grasp to peer out the window at the warehouse as we pull away.
“What’s going to happen?” I blurt, addressing anyone who will answer me. “What are you doing with my dad?”
There’s a moment of silence, and then Levi speaks up from the driver’s seat. “I wouldn’t worry about that.”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” I snap. “He’s my father.”
Levi sighs. “He shouldn’t have crossed us,” he replies. “It’s not going to end well for him.”
I don’t need him to elaborate on that. There aren’t many things his words could mean other than the obvious, and I feel my stomach drop out.
Fuck. Fuck. Fucking fuck.
They’re going to kill him. I have no idea what my dad has gotten himself involved in, but there’s no way it’s anything good. These are the kind of people who play for keeps, and he’s managed to get on their bad side.
From the front seat comes the trilling sound of a phone ringing, and Levi takes one hand off the wheel to dig into his pocket and pull it out.
“Yeah?” he answers, and I can just barely make out the sound of a deep male voice from the other end. Levi’s quiet for a second, listening, and then he nods. “Okay.”
Without another word, he hangs up and turns the car in a different direction at the next exit.
I don’t recognize the streets as we go down them, and we end up at a place that looks like it might have once been an old gas station or something. There are pumps outside and a little convenience store type place with boarded-up windows. There’s another car parked around the back, and before I can ask what’s going on, I’m being dragged out of the car like a sack of potatoes and pushed in front of Rory.
He keeps that same tight grip on me, his arms wrapped around me and his large body crowding mine, looming tall behind me. I huff, irritated. But I don’t fight back. I’m not stupid. Even if I could manage to break his grip, I’m in the middle of nowhere with no ride. If I try to run, he’ll probably just shoot me in the back.
Levi holds the door open, and Rory muscles me inside. The interior is dark and dusty, but obviously not abandoned the way it looks from the outside. The men usher me through the empty storefront and into a large room at the back. It probably used to be a storeroom or something, but it’s pretty much empty now too, except for the people in it.
I let out a sigh of relief when I catch sight of Dad, slumped in a chair and looking worse for wear, but alive.
“Dad!”
Instinct overrides everything else, and I try to jerk free of Rory’s grip to go to him, but he’s as unyielding as he was in the car, holding me back.
“Mercy.” Dad’s voice is raspy as he looks up at me.
The little crow’s feet at the edges of his eyes crinkle up as he grimaces, his lips pulling back in a pained expression. Blood trickles down one side of his face from a cut near his eye. He looks worn down and sad, but he doesn’t make a move to get up.
He’s not alone in this place. There are at least six other men in the room, most hanging back, watching with sharp eyes. Two men stand over Dad though, and I take a second to look them over.
They’re both definitely threats. The first is younger, a few years older than me, give or take, and a good bit taller. He’s closer to Rory’s height than Levi, and he’s one of the two who were there with Levi at the fight. He’s handsome, stupidly so, with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and the kind of facial definition I associate with male models, not gangsters.
The other man is older and a bit shorter than the first guy, but there’s something similar in the way they carry themselves. The hair and eye colors are different—this guy has brown hair and blue eyes, while the younger one is dark blond with eyes that gleam a sharp, steely gray—but it wouldn’t surprise me if they’re related. The Black Roses have spent years building up their power and control in Fairview Heights, so it makes sense that there’s an older generation and a younger generation of gang members. Guess these things run in the family.
It’s the older man who seems to be calling the shots here, his arms folded and eyes neutral as he looks down at Dad impassively.
“What the fuck was that, DeLeon? We had an agreement.” He shakes his head, his eyes narrowing just slightly. “You had one job tonight. You promised us that you would throw the fight, and you managed to fuck that up. You broke your word to us, and I’m sure you know how that usually goes.”
A couple of the men at the back finger their weapons threateningly, and I can barely hear the low words from the boss man over the frantic beat of my heart in my chest.
The man smiles, and it’s not a kind one. “I think I know why you did it, although that doesn’t make me any more inclined to forgive you. But in light of everything, we’ve decided to let you live if you do something for us.”
There’s a beat of silence, and my gaze darts around the room, trying to get a read on what’s going on here. Do something for them? What do they want him to do?
Dad stares up at the man for a long moment, and even though I can usually read my father like a book, I can’t guess what he’s thinking right now. I don’t understand any of this, but I can practically taste the danger in the air.
It’s a miracle the Black Roses haven’t killed him yet, but this could still easily turn on a dime. He could die. I could die.
As if my thoughts somehow draw his attention, my dad’s gaze shifts to me. The muscles in his cheeks ripple as he clenches his jaw, his lips pressing together. Then he sighs and turns back to the boss man, nodding his head. “Fine. Tell me what you want.”
“I will,” the man says. “And once you do what we ask, if you do what we ask, we’ll consider your debt cleared. But we’re keeping your daughter—Mercy, is it?—until you manage to fulfill your promise.”
“Save it, DeLeon,” he orders. “We know you’re untrustworthy now, so we need a guarantee that you’re not going to fuck things up the way you did tonight. Apparently, you need a little extra incentive not to double-cross us. So we’ll make that part easy for you.” His gaze flicks to me, his voice hard. “We’ll keep her as collateral.”
3
“No.” Dad’s voice is firm, his nostrils flaring. “No! She’s not—”
Before he can continue, I step forward as much as I can with Rory still holding me back, my jaw set. “Yes. Okay. I’ll do it. I’ll go with you.”
“Mercy, no!” Dad’s words are more urgent now, and he looks like he might try to get up and fight, no matter how stupid and reckless that would be. “This was my mistake. I fucked up. You shouldn’t have to—”
“Dad, it’s okay.” I cut him off again, desperate to get him to stop talking and calm down before he ends up with a bullet between his eyes. I don’t want to go with these men, but if it keeps my dad alive and gives him a chance to get out of this mess, I’ll gladly do it.
Besides, the guy said “collateral.” That makes it sound like they’re planning on keeping me alive, at least. I’m no good as a bargaining chip against my dad if I’m dead.
“I’d listen to your daughter, DeLeon. She sounds a lot smarter than you. She might just save your life.”
The older man smiles as he speaks, and Dad shoots me a look that just about breaks my fucking heart. Anger and regret churn in his green eyes, one of which is badly bloodshot, the skin around it swelling into a puffy mass. His head droops slightly, making me wonder again about his injuries. He had a tough fight and then got fucking jumped by almost a half-dozen guys, and I hope like hell that he’s okay.
He looks tired and defeated, like he knows there’s no way out of this for either of us. I want to ask him what this is all about, but I know there won’t be time.
“Fine,” he says again. “But let me have a minute with her. Please.”
I’m expecting them all to disagree, but instead, Rory lets me go at a nod from the one in charge, and they all draw away a bit, not letting us out of their sight but giving us some semblance of privacy. That’s more than I would have expected from assholes like this.
I can tell Dad’s hurt from the way he limps over, and the bruises on his face are probably only the tip of the fucking iceberg. But he puts his hands on my shoulders and looks into my eyes.
“Fuck, Mercy. I’m so sorry. I never meant for you to get dragged into this,” he murmurs. “Be careful. Please. I know you’re smart and quick, but—”
“It’s okay. I’ll be fine,” I promise him, leaning in to give him a hug that hopefully doesn’t hurt him too badly. “Just worry about you. Do whatever they want you to and get them off your back, okay?”
The Black Roses aren’t known for being lenient, and second chances are almost unheard of. It’s a miracle Dad got one, and there definitely won’t be a third.
“I love you.” His voice is strained as he hugs me tightly, and it feels so much like saying goodbye that my stomach twists.
“All right, let’s go. We need to move,” Levi says, coming back over and interrupting the moment. Once again, he’s flanked by his two buddies, and Rory winks at me when I glare at all of them. For someone so big and covered in tattoos, he acts like a giant puppy, and it’s fucking grating.
They don’t grab me, at least, I guess trusting that now that Dad is cooperating, I’ll have to do the same. And they’re right. If I run, there’s no guarantee they won’t just kill him anyway, so I let them lead me back outside to the car.
I keep my head up and my back straight, not letting any of it show on my face, but I’m fucking pissed and scared.
Fairview Heights is ruled by two gangs, the Black Roses and the Jackals, and they both have reputations for being brutal as hell. Probably well-earned. I know there’s a pretty damn good chance my dad won’t survive this, and thinking about that makes me want to punch out all three of these assholes, run back in there, and try to drag my dad to safety.
But we’d both end up getting shot if I did that. Bringing down the wrath of the rest of their gang would be a stupid idea, so I just clench my jaw and keep walking. What else can I do at this point? I agreed to go with these guys to keep my dad safe, and no matter how much I hate it—and I really fucking hate it—I have to go through with it.
“You know,” Rory drawls as we get to the car and he opens the door for me, this time letting me slide in on my own. “She’s pretty impressive. Not just anyone could dive into a fight like that and come out of it in one piece. She didn’t even hesitate. Pretty fucking badass, if you ask me.”
I glare at him harder, irrationally annoyed by the compliment and by the fact that he’s talking about me as if I can’t even hear him.
Levi snorts under his breath as he reads my expression. “Maybe you should be careful before she takes out all her badassness on you. You wanna drive, Sloan?”
The third one shrugs but goes around to the driver’s side, leaving Levi to take shotgun.
Sloan is quiet for the entire drive, fingers tight on the steering wheel, looking like he’s glaring out at the road and the other drivers. There’s a surly air about him, like one wrong move will have him lashing out, ready to bite like a rabid dog.
Levi is more easy going, but harder to get a read on. He’s still as gorgeous as he was the night we hooked up, still laid back, and other than responding to Rory or getting grunts from Sloan, he seems happy to fuck around on his phone and look out the window.
Rory, on the other hand, won’t shut up.
“So,” he asks, leaning into my personal space in the back seat. The gold highlights in his brown hair glint under the light of the passing streetlamps. “How’d you learn to fight like that?”
“None of your business,” I snap back, folding my arms and shoving myself as far into the corner as I can to stay away from him. They’re all acting so fucking casual, like they didn’t just basically abduct me and threaten to kill my fucking father.
Anger burns under my skin, and I want to scream at them, but I keep it inside.
None of that seems to phase Rory a bit, and he laughs, his moss-green eyes somehow bright even in the darkness of the car. “Prefer to stay mysterious, huh? That’s okay. I like a mystery, and I bet I can figure you out.” He slides his gaze over my body, not even trying to hide the fact that he’s checking me out.
Usually, some hot guy looking me over like he wants to eat me alive would get my blood rushing a bit, giving me a little thrill. I’ve been living with my dad while I go to school, but that doesn’t mean I’m some sheltered virgin or a saint.
I know I’m attractive, and I don’t exactly dress like someone who doesn’t want to stand out. My hair is thick and a little wavy, tumbling over my shoulders, and the rich dark chocolate color only makes my eyes stand out more, highlighting the deep shades of jade in them. I’m usually in jeans and a t-shirt for comfort, showing off part of the tattoo on my arm, and years of training and working out have added lean muscle to my soft curves.
I probably look like a bit of a mess from thrashing around and fighting, but Rory doesn’t seem to have any problems with that as he eyes me up.
I look out the window and ignore him until we get to where we’re going.
Somehow, I’m surprised when I recognize my neighborhood. We pull up in front of Dad’s house a few minutes later, and we all get out.
I don’t even bother to ask how these assholes know where I live. I also don’t spare a second to worry about what the neighbors might think if any of them happen to be up and looking out their windows at this time of night to see me being escorted into my house by three men. It’s none of their damn business anyway.
> My burly keepers stand by the door, waiting for me to let us all in, and then follow me to my room.
“Pack up,” Sloan says shortly. “Clothes, whatever else you need. You’re not coming back here until it’s all said and done.”
I grit my teeth, this close to telling him to go fuck himself, and then grab a ratty suitcase from the closet. It’s unnerving to have the three of them standing around while I go through my dresser and pick out shirts and shorts and leggings. Rory is definitely watching when I grab a handful of underwear from one drawer, and I shove it into the bag before he can make some flirtatious comment that will make me want to punch him in the face even more.
Levi stands against the wall, not paying much attention to either the room or me, but Sloan and Rory seem perfectly happy to make themselves at home, looking around, sitting on my bed, poking at the pile of textbooks on my nightstand.
“Do you mind?” I ask acidly, snatching the books up and shoving them into my backpack.
“Not at all,” Rory replies, grinning. Sloan just rolls his eyes, and I make myself pack faster. I don’t want them here, looking at my shit, poking at the life I’ve built for myself in this little house with my dad. It may not be much, but it’s mine, and I don’t want their damn fingers all over it.
Leaving them alone in my room for a second, I go to the bathroom to throw some things in my smaller bag. Shampoo, conditioner, face wash. Just the basics. Anything else, I can just buy if I need it, and I’m already more than ready to get out of here.
Or to get them out of here, really.
On the way out of the house and back to the car, I pause by the garage. Parked inside is the small motorcycle that I bought and fixed up a year ago. The idea of riding that to wherever we’re going is way more appealing than being shoved back into the car with Rory’s teasing and the silence of the other two.
“What’s the hold up?” Rory asks, peering past me at the closed garage door.
