"Nothing wrong with being a little civilized, Breaker," Lex said, and images of those beaten girls in the file popped unbidden into my head. Yeah he was real fuckin' civilized.
"Slept on a cold concrete floor last night. Forgive me if I ain't in a small talk mood," I said coolly. If he knew anything of my reputation, he'd know I was never in a small talk mood. I got my orders, I followed through. Hell, if we didn't have to have any words whatsoever, all the better.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Alex move closer to Shooter. Not me. Shooter. If I wasn't trying to make it look like I couldn't care less about her, she'd be getting one hell of a look. Shooter didn't seem fazed by it. Women always seemed to flock to him. Apparently even in life or death situations.
The surge of jealousy I felt at that was sudden and unexpected. And completely fuckin' ridiculous. It made no sense. I wasn't that type of man. I didn't get jealous. But, fuck, I still had her taste in my mouth.
"Of course," Lex said, breaking into my thoughts. "Let's get down to business." He paused, looking at his men, something silent passing because they moved slightly. One going toward the door to block the exit and one moving behind Shoot and Alex. "Plans have changed."
"We had a deal, Lex," I said, letting my voice have an edge because it was expected when someone welshed.
"We did. But the deal has... evolved."
"Evolved," I repeated through clenched teeth.
He was giving me nothing. Aside from his men moving, there was nothing to go on. No inflection to read. No smile. Fucker had a great poker face.
"Yes. See... my need for Alex is not as pressing as I had originally thought."
His need for Alex? The fuck was that supposed to mean?
"Gonna need more details than that Lex. And I ain't got all day."
I got a brow raise for my rudeness, but it was expected of me, so he said nothing about it. "Yes. As it turns out, I won't need her for another few days. But, you can understand why I couldn't exactly let her go back to her life now that she knows about our little... arrangement."
A few days.
A few days to figure out another plan.
A few days to take the son of a bitch down for good.
Alex could get her closure.
She could move on with her life.
"So what you asking, Lex?" I asked, trying to keep my mind in the present.
"I am saying that I need you to hold onto her for me."
Thank God.
I could practically feel the sigh of relief from Alex. Shooter had moved his hand out and squeezed her pinkie with his before letting her go. A tiny gesture that was so much like Shooter. Always thinking of everyone else. Even though Lex hadn't said anything about letting him off the hook.
"You want me to keep the bitch for a couple more days?" I asked, knowing I was going to get an earful about calling her a bitch if we got out of this.
"You'll get the same rate. Consider it a paid vacation."
"A vacation where I have to cart some chick around with me everywhere?" I asked, shaking my head.
Lex waved a hand. "I need her. I don't need her in good spirits. Keep her chained in your basement for all I care. So long as she is alive and conscious at the end of the week, I will have no complaints. I do worry though," he said, looking between me and Alex in a way that had my teeth grinding together.
"Don't have time for games, Lex. Tell me what the problem is or let me get going."
His eyes narrowed the slightest bit and I knew I was pushing it. He was getting angry.
"That maybe you have formed an... attachment."
At this, I threw my head back and laughed. A full, throaty sound. To him, it sounded like what he was suggesting was absurd. To me, it was a good old fashioned laugh at his expense because I had my face buried in her pussy when he had Shoot call me earlier.
"She ain't exactly my type," I said, shaking my head, still smiling.
"I heard woman was your type."
That wasn't exactly untrue. I got around. I got around with a lot of different women. "I like a woman who looks like a woman, not a twelve year old boy," I went with. I saw Alex stiffen at my remark, but there was nothing I could do about it. I was trying to help her. If she had to be pissed at me for it, so be it.
"Twelve year old boy?" Lex mused, turning his attention back to Alex, his dark eyes raking over her in a way that made me feel filthy and he wasn't even looking at me. "I don't think that's fair, Bryan. I mean they may be small, but they're enough for a handful," he said, his body jerking like it was going to move in her direction. But then he sighed, shaking his head at something he must have been thinking, and turned to face me. "She's a woman. She's nearby. A man has his... needs."
"This is a job. I keep my dick in my pants," I drawled, letting there be a slight double meaning- I can, but you obviously can't.
Lex let out his breath, offering me a resigned look. "I need to be sure you follow instructions to the letter, Breaker. "
Oh fuck.
I knew where this was going.
From the look Shoot was giving me, so did he.
Alex was still just standing there with her dead eyes, shoulder almost touching Shooter.
"Oh yeah?" I said, raising a brow at Lex.
"I need to make sure your loyalty is where it should be."
"Meaning with you."
"Of course," he said, waving a hand.
"Break..." Shooter's voice held warning.
Lex raised a brow at him. "Hit her," he said abruptly.
Yeah.
Saw that coming.
Fuck.
Never once. Not in my life. Not in my career. Never once had I ever raised a hand to a woman. And, come whatever consequences, I wasn't planning on starting now.
"Look, you get your jollies off knocking around women, that's your business," I said, shaking my head. "I ain't doing that shit for your entertainment."
Lex's chin jerked and a gun cocked behind my neck.
It was the first time I had seen a genuine reaction out of Alex since I got the phone call. Her eyes snapped to mine, widening, knowing that sound before her gaze found the gun pressed against the back of my head. She looked like she was ready to bolt.
Attention off of them, Shoot's pinkie grabbed her's again, but held on, trying to anchor her in place. She looked over at him, dropping his grip, taking a step back, and making her eyes move away from me.
"Really Lex?" I asked, shaking my head, sounding almost bored. It wasn't the first time I had a gun pointed at me. It wouldn't be the last. All I could hope for was the shit holding it had a steady trigger finger.
Lex looked disappointed, then waved a hand at the other guy who immediately grabbed Alex's arm roughly enough for her to yelp, dragging her away from Shooter who looked ready to pounce until a gun pressed against the back of his head too. "Maybe that will help you make your decision," he shrugged. When I hesitated, the gun cocked. And I knew they weren't bluffing. Shoot was useless to them. They'd killed for less than his name calling earlier.
His eyes told me he was thinking the same thing. And I saw something there that I never had before. Not strong. Not prominent. But there.
Fear.
Shit.
Alex's head twitched, catching my attention. And the second my eyes landed on her's, her chin lifted, and her eyes opened wider- a look that seemed to scream- 'do it, you have no choice'.
And I really didn't.
But I couldn't.
"On your knees," Lex growled toward Shoot who took a breath and forced a smile.
"Don't know what way you swing, man, but my mouth is for pussy only," Shoot said, attempting levity even in his final moment.
Lead settled in my stomach, heavy, making me feel rooted in my spot, too terrified to move. To do anything. To say anything.
Shooter got to his knees, winking at me.
Goddamn it.
This couldn't fuckin' be happening.
"Have any final words for your bro
ther?" Lex asked, his voice emotionless. Like he did this every day. In a way, he did.
"Don't forget to send Pops the scotch," he said. And he meant that. That was what he wanted to leave me with.
The man behind him took a step back, aiming.
"Just hit me!" Alex shrieked, the sound bouncing off the walls and shooting through my system like knives.
It was the first time she had spoken since she greeted Lex and everyone's eyes fell on her. The air around her seemed to be charged, sparking off with her anger. Because that was what she was- she was pissed. Her cheeks were flushed with it. Her posture stiff with it.
"Miss. Miller..." Lex started.
"Shut your fucking mouth you slimebag," she snapped and I fought the urge to groan. That fuckin' mouth of her's. It was gonna get her in all kinds of trouble.
To Lex's credit, he didn't even flinch. I had expected blind rage. I had expected her brains all over the window behind her. Women did not, ever, speak to Lex Keith that way.
"This is my meet..."
"What part of shut your fucking mouth don't you understand?" she pretty much just... screamed, before turning her head in my direction. "Stop this. Stop all of this. Just... hit me."
"Alex..." I started, feeling my stomach start to roll, the bile start to work it's way up my throat as I looked at her face. Her skin like cream, her bones like a bird underneath it. I raised my hand to her... I could really cause damage.
And she would never forgive me.
Not really.
The memory would always be there under the surface.
She would always know I was capable of hitting her.
"It's okay, sweetheart," Shooter broke in, his tone soothing.
Her eyes rolled. "It's not o-fucking-kay," she said immediately. "No one is dying because I'm a girl and you're afraid to hit me. That's friggin ridiculous. Just hit me!"
Lex's brow raised and he nodded at the man behind Shooter who uncocked the gun and put it away. "You heard the woman," Lex said, looking very much like he was enjoying my discomfort. Though not as much as he would enjoy me putting my hands on Alex. He was probably hard just thinking about it.
"Breaker..." Alex said, her voice desperate. Desperate.
Maybe that was what did it.
Someone like her. Someone who stared at death and said 'eh whatever'. Someone as collected as that, desperate to save someone else.
And I knew.
Maybe she'd never fully trust me again after I hit her.
But she'd definitely not ever forgive me if I didn't.
I grit my teeth, steeling the contents of my stomach to stay down, and made my way to her, arm cocked back because I knew I had to hurt her or Lex would just make me do it again, but also holding back. Because my fist could just... break her.
I swallowed hard and so did she.
Then I swung.
My knuckles hitting her jaw was the single worst feeling the world had to offer. Worse than Shoot saying his final words to me. Worse than all the lives that had taken their last breaths at my hands. Worse than the beatings I took when I was too small to do anything but cry.
Nothing would ever come close to that feeling.
To seeing her head snap in the other direction as her body fell. To see her eyes shut hard in pain.
She went down hard on her side, one hand braced under her, the other going to her face.
"Bravo," Lex said, clapping slowly.
My head jerked to his, feeling something strange building up in my system. Something I had never known before. A hot kind of anger. Not my usual cold, calculating kind. This kind felt like it replaced my blood with gasoline and someone just lit a match.
There was shuffling on the ground and out of my peripheral I saw Shooter offer his hand to Alex. She reached underneath of her. For what, I had no idea, then took his hand, letting him help her up.
"Fuckin' satisfied, Lex?" I ground out, brow raising. My fist was still smarting from the punch and it was taking everything in my power to not lunge at him and bash his face in with it.
"For now," he said, looking down at Alex with a bright, awful glint in his eye.
I couldn't follow his line of vision. I just couldn't do it. I wasn't ready for the way she was going to look at me.
"Shooter," Lex said, nodding at him.
Shrugging, Shooter accepted his fate. He had to go back with them. He wasn't gonna bitch and moan about it. He turned to Alex, chucked her gently under the chin with his pointer finger, brushed past me, slammed his shoulder into my arm, then followed Lex's goons out of the car.
"I will be in contact," Lex said, looking over at Alex again. This time, the sick fuck licked his lips once before moving away.
I stood staring at them leaving. Listening for their boots on the steps. The door closing. The engines firing up on the street.
"Breaker..." Alex's voice called.
"No doll," I said, keeping my gaze pointedly away.
"Talk to me" she said.
My head hung, shaking slightly.
"Nothing will ever take this away," I told her, knowing deep down it was true.
Her hand reached out, touching my arm.
"It's nothing. I'll forget this in a week," she suggested.
"Alex, nothing will ever take away the memory of having a grown ass fuckin' man throwing a right hook to your jaw."
Her body shifted in front of mine, her hands going to my face, pulling until I had no choice but to lift it.
Her jaw was red where my fist had landed. It would bruise by the morning. A constant reminder of what I had done.
"I'm fine. Jazzed up, but fine."
"You can't be fuckin' serious right now."
"Oh come on. You feel it too," she said, lowering her eyes at me. "All that fear and adrenaline. It's like... napalm in the system. I can't even feel my face."
She meant that. But in an hour, when the adrenaline gave way to rational thought...
"Alex..."
"Come on. It was a stupid little nothing punch, Breaker."
"You ain't gonna think that was a stupid little nothing punch once you stop being all jazzed up."
"Whatever. It's over. I could hit you to make things even," she said, giving me a weird little smile. "But I'm pretty sure your jaw is made of granite. It would probably hurt me more than you."
She was trying to comfort me.
That was ridiculous.
I was the one who was supposed to be doing the comforting. I was the one who crossed a line. I needed to try to make things right.
"You can hit me any time you want. But until then, why don't we get the fuck out of here?" I said, holding an arm out toward the door.
And she didn't flinch when my arm raised.
I was taking that as a good sign.
She wasn't afraid of me.
That was somewhere to work off of.
"Only if you cook again. I'm starving," she said casually, as if we hadn't just gone through the weirdest experience of both of our lives. "Oh," she said, turning back at the bottom stair, looking at me. "Yeah. And I gave Shooter a knife."
TEN
Alex
I'm not exactly sure what I had been expecting from the meeting. But whatever I did have in mind, well, it was nowhere near as weird as what happened. With Lex acting all odd and formal. With Shoot seeming to care more about my life than his own even though he didn't know me at all.
I think a part of me had thought that Lex was going to pounce on me as soon as I walked in. I had expected anger. Hatred. Bitterness.
But there was none of that.
And that made no sense.
It didn't fit into his personality.
And, believe me, I knew all about his personality. I could do a psychological assessment I knew him so well. When he found out someone was working against him, well, let's just say he didn't ever take that news well.
I should have been beaten and dragged out of there. By the times guns were finally drawn, I had planned on alrea
dy being in the throes of whatever an overdose of heroin felt like.
Something wasn't right.
And then I couldn't worry about that anymore because Shooter was being forced onto his knees and giving his last words and I just... couldn't let that happen. I didn't know him from Adam, but he had shown me, a complete stranger, kindness.
I couldn't let Breaker lose his best friend.
Because of me.
No way.
So I did the stupidest thing a woman could do around a man like Lex Keith. I screamed at him. I belittled him. I emasculated him.
And he didn't even rise to the bait.
Yeah, something was seriously off.
Breaker turned to me. His arm raised. I braced for it. But, in the end, there was no preparing for something like that. I had never been punched in the face before. Slapped? Sure. But punched? By a huge, hulking man? No. So while I had imagined it was going to be unpleasant, the reality was something I couldn't have dreamed.
The second of contact sent off an explosion of pain that seemed to radiate out, making my whole face throb as I felt myself start to fall. I had presence of mind to brace my fall just in time, half slamming into Shooter as I did so. My hand went to my face as my mind struggled to think through the pain.
And then Shoot was offering me his hand. And I remembered the knife.
He took it with the barest of smiles at his lips. Just a ghost of a grin with a light in his eyes as he tucked it into his shoe much like I had done.
Then everyone was gone.
And, somehow, the train car was more full of tension than it had been with three bad guys in it.
Because Breaker looked like something had shattered inside him.
He wasn't that kind of man.
The kind who used his strength against women.
And he couldn't reconcile this reality with the idea he had of himself.
Well, he was just going to have to get over it.
It was over.
Hopefully it never had to happen again.
But even if it did, I could never blame him for it.
"What the fuck do you mean you gave Shoot a knife?"
Savages Series Boxed Set Page 9
