by Blue Saffire
I compress my face until it dawns on me who he’s talking about. My stomach churns with grief. Vivian… Could he have been behind her disappearance?
Things never made sense with the way she vanished. We were all in shock when we were told there was no foul play. As if Viv would just up and leave.
I didn’t believe it until her diary appeared in my mailbox. It was her writing. We verified that. In her last entry, she said not to look for her. She wanted a new life. Her last message was to me.
Be strong, Dem. The world needs more agents like you. Some people are made for this life and you are one of them. Take them by storm.
I remember reading her words with tears in my eyes. The next morning, I was assigned to this case. I took it in honor of her. I wanted to make her proud.
“What did you do?”
“I did what was necessary for us to be together. You’re the one that ruined that,” he bellows. “I’ve been a part of the Knights for years. I was trusted, I had respect. I never should’ve risked that to chase after an ungrateful whore like you. I let you get too close. You were better than I thought. I never thought you’d start to figure things out as fast as you were,” he seethes.
“What?”
“You weren’t supposed to figure the ring out. Once I realized you were onto it, I tried to turn your attention to Harris. I knew in my soul he was a trader. I didn’t know he was the whistleblower then, but I knew I couldn’t trust him,” he replies. “I was going to let him take the fall back then.”
“Unbelievable.”
He frowns as if he’s perplexed. “You know, I still haven’t figured out who was on to us. I buried your case as soon as I got you onto the force. Killing us both was my plan B. It was the beginning of the end, you know. I never should have gone that route.”
He turns to me, and his face fills with hurt and rage. I don’t know how I missed this. I would never have pegged Eric for being this crazy.
“You let him touch you, baby. Why? Why would you do that to us? I was on my way back as soon as things calmed down. Viv meant nothing. I used her to—”
“Let me out.” I bang at the window. “Let me out of here.”
I’m going to kill him with my bare hands. I keep hitting the glass, ignoring the burn in my hands and arms. Vivian was my best friend growing up. We did everything together. She was like a big sister to me.
“I can’t do that. I have to erase you all. The Knights need to come first this time. I need to get their trust back. It’s bigger than us. You know too much. I have to fix this mess I allowed to happen.”
“When I get out of here, because I promise you I am, I’m going to rip you apart and I’ll do my time with a smile on my face. They can throw me under the jail as long as I make you pay,” I hiss.
He walks over to the wall and hits a button on the panel I can now see with the lights on. The water starts to rush into the tight space faster and the wires come back to life. In no time, the water is up to my chest.
“Big threats from a trapped slut. I told you, he would never be able to save you.”
“Don’t worry about who will save me, Eric. You worry about who will save your soul, you sick bastard.”
Chapter 40
Found Her
Kevin
“We’re all here,” Trent says as the last car arrives.
Shane located Dem’s phone pinging off a cellphone tower in Farmingdale, around the area of Republic Airport, a small private airport. It seems they dumped her bag and her phone, but weren’t smart enough to do it before getting near their final location. I’m thanking God for that one.
It was the start we needed, even though we were at a dead end. At least, we were until Reed offered up a lead. Stevens. He fucking hates the Knights of Justice.
They’ve been forcing him into their ranks all this time. A few calls, and Stevens was able to get us to a location. He has led us straight to this place. There are tons of these old lab/office buildings around here.
If not for Stevens and Reed, we never would have found Dem this fast. What’s disappointing is finding one of my old squad members banged up like he met with a Mack truck, standing watch outside this place. Jennings was one of the good guys before I left. I get the feeling that whatever happened to his face is going to piss me off—and not in his favor.
“It’s a small crew, but they’re armed,” Emil says.
“So are we,” I say tightly.
“Yeah, but we’re not all in our jurisdiction,” Jo-jo says.
“You leave the red tape to me,” Dugan replies. “Let’s get that girl out of there.”
The moment Quinn called Dugan for a few favors in case we have to get down and dirty, Dugan insisted he wanted to be here himself. I think he understood from Quinn’s voice how important Dem is to me. That, and he’s been waiting to find closure for his precinct, and this might just be it.
“Guys,” Shane calls from his perch in the back seat of the SUV with his laptop in his lap. “I think you’re going to want to see this.”
I walk over to Shane along with Dem’s brothers. I know something is wrong when I see the three stiffen as soon as they peer at the scene. When I get a glance, my brows shoot into my hairline.
A fragile figure comes up lying on a cot. She’s too thin to be Dem. This woman looks emaciated. Her clothing too big for her frame. She stares at the camera as if she knows she’s being watched.
“You guys know her?”
“That’s Viv,” Diego chokes out. “That’s fucking Vivian. I’m going to kill those sons of bitches.”
“Calm down, Dee. We need to get her and Dem out of there,” Emilio says with a more level voice than his expression belies.
Shane turns the laptop back to himself and hits a few keys. “Fuck. Let’s go. We need to move in now,” he exclaims, then turns the screen toward us again.
Rage moves through me as Dem comes onto the screen in a room rapidly filling with water. Some type of sparks are going off around her. She’s moving closer to the sparks as the water rises.
“Let’s move,” I bark.
* * *
Danita
I’m running out of give on the chains around my ankles, and I’m getting too close to the wires to keep my head above water. I try not to panic. I don’t feel like dying today, so I’m going to figure a way out.
“God help me,” I say before I draw in a deep breath and dive under water.
I swim toward the glass and bang at it. Eric stands there with his arms folded over his chest as he watches me. Something over his shoulder catches his attention, and he leaves the viewing room.
This is a waste of time. I push up and cautiously break through the surface to take a gulp of air. It looks like this will be the last one I’ll be able to take. The wires are now too close.
Diving down once again, I look for a way out. I feel at the walls, hoping to find some latch or something. I refuse to lose hope. This is not how I die.
* * *
Kevin
Diego and I find the hallway Shane directs us to. Both Demaris and Vivian are in the same corridor. I nod Diego right and take the left. Gunfire can be heard in the distance behind us.
“Third door down on yer left, Kev,” Shane says in my ear.
I keep moving, needing to get to that room before she drowns. I’m a few steps away from the door when it opens and a guy steps out. He looks somewhat familiar.
I squint and it clicks. He was the new tenant that took over Dem’s apartment when I returned from my trip two years ago. His glasses are missing. I remember him being talkative. He had said he’d moved in a few days before after moving here from Boston.
“Good, I can kill two birds with one stone,” he says with a sinister smile on his lips.
“Move before I put a bullet between yer eyes.”
Before I have a chance to react, he charges me, knocks my gun from my hands. I don’t let it faze me. I want to beat the shit out of him as it is.
I throw a right hook at his face. His head snaps to the side, but he’s quick to recover. He returns the punch, but I block it. He’s fast to counter, catching me in the ribs.
I grind my teeth against the sharp pain, but throw a combination, hitting him in the jaw, his right side and then his temple. He stumbles back and shakes it off. I don’t give him time to recover. I plant my boot in the center of his chest.
He flies back and lands on the floor. I go to stomp him, but he rolls out of the way. Instead, I wrap my arms around his neck and put him in a choke hold. Flipping onto my back, I wrap my legs around him and initiate a sleeper hold.
He claws at my arms. “Let…me…go,” he gasps out.
“Fuck you,” I snarl.
“She’s…going to…die.” I turn my head and I have a full view of the room and the glass Dem is behind. We lock eyes as she bangs at the glass.
“Fuck,” I roar. My hold loosens slightly.
“You want to save her or waste time with me,” he taunts.
I bring an elbow down on his head, knocking him out. Tossing him out of my hold, I get to my feet and grab my gun. Rushing to the room, I look for a way to get her out.
Dem’s eyes widen as she points to the wall behind me. I turn to see the panel there. Not wasting another moment, I move to the panel and find the cutoff for the water. I shut it down and try to figure out how to get the water to rescind or a way to get into that room she’s locked in.
I start to press buttons, looking over my shoulder to see what they trigger. The first one releases the chains at her ankles, allowing her to kick more freely. I press the one next to that and her wrists are free. Next, I find the shut off for the wires above her, but that’s about it.
There are no other buttons on the panel that are useful. I growl in annoyance. Pulling my gun from its hustler, I turn back to the glass. I start to wave her from the barrier.
“Baby, move. Get back,” I yell.
Understanding what I intend to do, she nods and swims away from the glass and up toward the surface above her. I aim low and fire. I shoot two more rounds, making a triangle.
Water leaks forward in little streams. I holster my gun and grab the metal chair that’s sitting in the middle of the room. With all my might, I swing at the glass. The spiderweb cracks from my shots spread a bit, but not enough.
I swing again, and this time the entire glass panel shatters. Water rushes forward, knocking me on my ass. The feeling of pieces of glass cutting into my skin registers in the back of my mind, but my focus is the body that floats through the opening.
I get to my feet and run toward her as fast as I can, scooping her into my arms. Her body shivers as I hold her close. It’s never felt so good to have her in my embrace.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
“I’m okay. Where’s that bastard?”
“Outside. We’ll take care of him.” I stand back to look her over. “You’re cut.”
She looks down at her arm. “It’s a little gash. I’ll survive.”
I frown, but take her hand and lead her out of the room. I freeze when we step out, and he’s gone. Diego and Jo-jo are at the other end of the hall. Diego has the frail woman in his arms.
Dem gasps and covers her mouth with her hand. “Is that Viv?” she says with a sob in her throat.
“Come on,” I say tightly. “We need to get you both seen.”
“Where is he?” she hisses.
“I don’t know, baby. Hopefully, one of the others cut him off before he got away. I care more about getting you to a doctor for that cut.”
“Damn it!”
I turn and cup her face, placing a kiss to her lips. “We know who we’re looking for. We’ll find him if he got away. We know a hell of a lot more. Let’s get you patched up so we can set you free and start to plan our future.”
She melts into my arms, wrapping hers around my waist. I bury my face into her wet hair. Dem places her cheek against my soaked shirt and locks her fingers in the back.
“I’m sorry. For everything I said and for putting up a wall. I love you, Kevin. I’m committed. I want to do this with you. When I go to see my parents, I want you with me,” she says in a whisper.
“I’ll be wherever you need me, love. I’m so sorry for pressuring you. We can move on your time.”
She lifts her head and looks into my eyes. “No one knows me better than you. You know when to push, and you’re never wrong to. I’m with you, Kev. Never be afraid to give me a shove when I need it,” she says.
I lean in and kiss her soft lips. For today, I only want to hold her. Tomorrow, we can think about the rest.
“I love you,” I say against her mouth.
Chapter 41
Life’s Full of Surprises
Kevin
“Babe, you want a beer?” Dem calls from the kitchen.
“Aye. Thanks, love.”
I wipe my sweaty palms on my lap for the millionth time. I’ve never been this nervous in my life. Shane better have done this right. I sit on the couch waiting for Dem to join me with the popcorn.
We’re supposed to be binge-watching our shows, but I have a surprise for her. Things have settled as much as we could have expected in the last few weeks. Eric Myerson was able to get away, but we haven’t given up.
“Ugh, I’m coming. Mommy keeps texting me.” She laughs happily.
“Take your time.”
This has been the norm lately. It’s a long time coming. I don’t mind it at all.
Demaris was debriefed, her identity was reinstated, and she is still active as an agent. Quinn and Diego made sure of that after pulling some strings. Although the case she was supposed to be on was sealed and tucked away almost immediately.
As far as the FBI is concerned, Dem was on a case that didn’t exist, and Myerson misled her the entire time. We know it’s bullshit, but Dem hasn’t let on that she knows. My woman is smart; she never turned over that laptop or Cal’s files. They don’t know any of it exists. We plan to find the other three names that complete Cal’s bracket of filth, and we’ll shut down the Knights of Justice once and for all.
However, what has been the greatest outcome was watching Demaris reunite with her parents. It was emotional for everyone. I was there for her, and her family welcomed me with open arms.
Instead of going to Puerto Rico, her parents came to New York after learning that Vivian was found. Dem’s brothers held off telling them that Demaris was alive and well. I will remember that day for the rest of my life.
The relief on my woman’s face nearly brought me to my knees. She’s happy now. Does she struggle sometimes? Yes, but I’m always here to comfort her through it and remind her that she’s loved no matter who she is or what she does.
“What are we watching?” Dem asks as she comes over and places the beers on the coffee table and takes a seat beside me.
“It’s something new I want to start,” I reply.
“Cool. Hey, I meant to ask, did you hear any more from Reed? How’s Harris doing?”
I shrug. “He’s healing. It will take some time before he can walk on that leg, but he’ll be fine.”
She chuckles. “Are you ever going to tell me why you hate him so much? I mean, I had my reasons, but what are yours?”
“He’s an asshole.” I shrug. “Remember Evelyn?”
She pulls a sour face. “Yeah.”
“She and Orin almost had a thing behind my back when I was on the force. He claims he didn’t know, and I know that was her way to get attention from me, but I wasn’t having it either way.”
“Seriously?” she says with wide eyes.
“Harris is arrogant with an ego. Evelyn knows how to
stroke that type of thing to get what she wants. He may not have known she was with me in the beginning, but he knew at some point. That made it more exciting for him.”
“I can see that.” She laughs, placing the popcorn in my lap and snuggling into my side. “Okay, I’m ready. Let the watching begin,” she sings, digging into the bowl to pop some of the popcorn into her mouth.
I reach for her face and turn it up so I can kiss her lips. “I love you.”
“I love you too, but we’re watching this show. We can get naughty later.”
I laugh and rub my nose against hers. She has no idea. Nothing can keep me from watching this. Nothing.
* * *
Danita
Kevin has been acting a little weird all day. I look into his green eyes and search for what could be going on in his head. He schools his expression and reaches for the remote beside him to start our show.
“I hope this one is good. You picked duds the last couple of shows we watched,” I tease.
He tickles my side, causing me to squeal with laughter. I never knew I was so ticklish until we started dating. I kiss his cheek when he stops tickling me and snuggle back into his side.
“I like this,” I murmur and sigh.
“I’m hoping you do.”
I frown in confusion at his tone, but shrug it off and focus on the screen. The opening scene looks so familiar to me, and then the credits come up. I sit up.
The setting would look familiar. It’s the beach house his family owns. We spent almost a week there with my family. My father and brothers got to know Kev, while my mother spoiled me with her cooking and kisses.
I read the words on TV and tears come to my eyes. When a Man Loves a Woman is written across the screen.
“How…? I watched you start this from the Nexflix menu,” I choke out.
“Shane and Con,” he says simply.
My lips begin to tremble as my family and his come on the screen. Each one telling me how they figured out Kevin loves me. Kasey and Molly are adorable as they do their part, but it’s Con that takes the cake.
