by K. H. Kate
Get her by any means. The unsaid words hang like death over us.
She barely gives me a look as she stares at the alley with a blank look. "And what if she doesn't come to me? What if she's not after money-"
"She is." My voice is cold. "She has to. That's what I'm counting on."
And dammit if it doesn't work, then I don't know what will. I need the woman with me to scare Pedro. I know him, I know just what leverage I need for him to come running.
We wait for more than an hour until I'm ready to march down there when I see it. A shadow hovering over the alley. A short figure with dark hair and equally dark eyes to match with it. At first glance, shocked is what I feel. She’s Pedro’s daughter all right. I lunge for Raine to follow me when my phone beeps. I'm entertaining the idea to let it be but...something makes me pull out the phone to read what it is.
"Should I go now?" A voice beside me whispers but my knuckles twitch for some other reason. Perfect. Fucking perfect. Just when I didn't think it was possible...
"Um...she's not going to be there for longer-"
"You go." I cut her off. I want to look at her but I can't look away from the phone screen. "Looks like you have to do this alone now."
"Alone?" Finally, I glance sideways to decipher the look on her face. She's white as a ghost, a frown permanently attached to her face as if she can't believe what's happening. Me neither, Barbie, me neither. But we have to keep playing the game.
My gaze cuts through her as a warning. "I have to run an errand but if you can’t do what you’re told…. You didn't forget about your brother, did you? He's still going to be killed if you-"
"You'll kill my brother anyway." She states. Though there's no anger in them as if she has already made amends with the fact. Oh, Barbie, there's so much you don't know yet.
Before I can stop myself, my fingers grip her chin hard to make her look at me. Her shoulder tenses the moment I open my mouth. "I'm letting you go for now. But if you fail or even think about running away, I'll hunt you down and kill everyone you've ever known. Your drunk father, your bitch of a mother and that rat you call brother...everyone, Raine, everyone. Mark my words, mi Barbie."
She swallows hard as she keeps her eye on the other woman. I don't have to say another word as I start to walk the opposite way to the alley. A still hunched over Raine is my last sight as I flip open the message again.
"Looks like Pedro and a lanky kid went after you. I have sent you the address, tread carefully, hermano."
CHAPTER 27
RAINE
I'll hunt you down and kill everyone you've ever known."
For all I know, he was bluffing. Just trying to throw me off my guard like every time. He can't know everyone in my life. He can't know, can't get that close to my family but...
"Your drunk father..."
I don't care. Don't care if he's hurt or shot dead...
"Your bitch of a mother..."
My head swirls, the laugh barely getting out in the open. Unlike me, that woman can outrun him. She will run when she sees freedom, not run back to the devil without thinking twice.
"That rat you call brother..."
He already chose his side and there's nothing I can do to save him now.
"Mark my words, mi Barbie…”
I look up and she's still there. Waiting to be prayed on a fool. A heavy feeling of dread slams me down the more step I take toward her. I want to step away, run like hell as he suspected. But my feet keep taking me to the woman until she notices me almost stumbling over my expensive heel.
Looking at the ignorant grin on that girl's face makes me resemble my brother more than I'd like to admit. He betrays for money where I kidnap a woman for...funny I don't even know who I'm doing this for. I know she sees a pitiful imitation of a rich heiress but we are all bound to our survival instincts, aren't we?
"Miss, you alright?" She asks with concern but her gaze is still on my bag. My body stills, a sound similar to a squeak leaving from my lips.
"I-I am lost. Can you give me the direction to the nearest hotel?" Her brow furrows. She's considering her luck. Am I worth walking all the way to the hotel? Or should she just rob me here where no one can catch her? Her eyes flash with something and I think she's going to choose the latter when she stops.
Her voice is quieter than mine when she asks me the one question I'm not ready to think about. "Are you hurt?"
My hand immediately find my throbbing face. It's paler than normal. I'm thinner than last year but at least I'm breathing. That's supposed to mean something, isn't it?
"You can tell me if you are." She tells me, searching my eyes for something. "If you're being forcefully...um-"
"Forcefully what?" Oh, God...Does she know?
She's not quick to hide what she thought at first. And I don't know what makes my cheeks flame farther. "Uh...your dress might be meant for billionaires but I can see the look on your face. You look so damn tired to even walk. And just behind you, there's a hooker's club-"
"I'm not a hooker!" I grip the dress tight enough to rip. But the sting doesn't go away. Hooker. The entire time she was thinking I was a-
"I won't mind if you are. You gotta make money somehow." She sighs, rubbing a spot on her wrist. I can't see entirely but a tattoo of an S sticks out from where I can see. I should shrug her off, finish the job I came here to do. But I only end up repeating myself.
"I'm not a hooker. I'm not."
"Then who did this to you?" Before I can choke back a laugh, her fingers find the scars on my wrists. "Look, you think you are okay but you are not. If I wasn't so short of money myself then I'd do something. But there's a place where you can get help. Come with me! Instead of a shady hotel, I'll drop you there."
She's already on her feet before I can stop her. My hands shake, snatching the thing from my bag I don't know what I feel. Guilt? Remorse? I look down to see the object, the syringe looks deadly. But he promised it only contains something to knock her out for few hours. Then again, can I trust him?
I have to.
My life is in his hands.
I can't.
Can't be that selfish. Can't be...like him.
I don't understand what's happening. I don't want to. Adrenaline is a poison worse than desperation. And I'm high with it when suddenly I wrap my hands around her shoulder, only to hiss on her ears. "Don't make a sound."
Her back tenses but thankfully she doesn't move. I'm sweating, my vision is getting blurry but I've to do this quick. Before he comes back. "Someone from the La Eme sent me to take you to them. Some bad people are looking for you. I want you to run. Run far from here. And only stop when you're out of this country...Gwen." I don't even register what I've been mumbling in her ears when someone slams me into the wall.
Funny thing is I didn't even hear them coming. A lone man and an army of another. A hoodie man shoving another suited man in the pavement and then throwing his fists until blood spills near everywhere around me. The woman who I thought was like me, fighting the men like her life means something.
"I'll kill you! I'll fucking kill you!" A voice roars making me stumble back. The hoodie man is still angry, his bloody knuckles still taking down men when something stops him.
"Let's go!" The woman yells when she notices more people starting to surround us. In my haziness, maybe the lone man looks at me for a split-second, before they disappear from the warzone.
Blood.
Screams.
Surprise.
All mix together when another suited man marches toward the alley only to throw me over his shoulder before I can blurt out something. My eyes water from the heavy shove earlier, but even then I can recognize the man taking me away. He was one of the men working for Ace. And I've never been terrified when he drops me into the same hotel room before snarling the words of my doom.
"Did you know we had a bet about your job? We said, to save your life, you will get her to us but Boss-" He stops with a revolting smile on his face. "Boss
wanted us to see the whole ordeal. And do you know what he betted on?"
My pulse skyrockets as I shake my head. I don't know. I don't know his games. Not again. I won't be able to handle another so soon. But he's stubborn to keep going.
"He knew you'd fail. And look! Now he doesn't even need you."
"You're lying." The scoff sounds so bad even to my ears. "He needs me-"
"No, he doesn't. You know why? Because he knows where your brother is. He’s going to kill Nicki, and then he’s coming for you.”
He knows where your brother is.
Ace doesn't need me anymore.
The man is long gone but I can't stop pacing. I'm not needed. I can be disposable. Disposable. The word feels strange on my tongue. And the next thing I know, I'm calling a number I never thought of using before. It only takes a minute before there's a harsh laugh on the other line.
"I-I need that help right now. I'm ready."
CHAPTER 28
ACE
I take the gun out of my waistband, refraining myself from shaking in worry. I've always messed up where emotions were concerned. And I've so many damn things to vent for. This war for my family, trusting Raine to capture that woman, worrying about Pedro's sudden return...
It's fucking exhausting.
I ignore the telltale sign of people watching. Instead, I walk toward the hotel entrance I've walked through so many times in my life. But none of the time, I've been asked questions. Or forced to keep calm from shooting these men in right between their fear-filled eyes.
"Please, we can't allow you to enter now. It's sir's order."
Allow? I might have swiped the suit for a hoodie earlier but there's no way in hell that they didn't recognize me. Martinez blood runs through my vein, it's something you can't ignore with just cheap clothes. It can't hide the fact that you're a born killer. And, I refuse to give in to the idea of taking care of these fools the only way I know. But they are really asking for it.
"You think you can allow or disallow me to enter my own hotel?" I raise an eyebrow to their ridiculous statement. "You think you can stop me from going in and I'll let you live to say the next word? Do I need to remind you who I am? Who do you work for? Yo soy tu jefe."
"We thought-" One stops before sighing. The only smart one. "Ok, sir. You can go in."
Before the other can show his disagreement, I tuck the gun in my waistband. His eyes still on my weapon, I get closer to his face so he knows who he is messing with. "What you just did there, won't go unpunished. So, if I were you, I'd keep my mouth shut about me going in. ¿Entendido?"
"Si, jefe."
Apparently, nothing in the world can revoke those fears from returning. No amount of money is worth risking your life. Not when you're treading with the La Eme. So, I don't have to think twice before stepping in through the door with the other individuals. Cutting across the hotel lobby, I only have the mind to look for the room number Ares sent me.
I hold my anger all the way up in the elevator. The men beside me gets fewer at every stop making me more restless. I don't have a doubt that all these people work for us. And, when I finally find the half-opened room, I have to shove my fists over my mouth to not let out a word.
"Money isn't a problem, boy. We can lose it or gain it. It's all about the legacy and how to ruin them." Whoever this voice belongs to, his accent is all wrong. But, fuck, I know how Pedro sounds like and this isn’t it.
"If we do this, it’ll be too far. Even for her." Another voice argues. I don't even bother hiding. Aiming the gun ahead, I lunge for the fools inside the room. Just as I enter, two individual turns their head toward me.
No shock in their eyes.
No running to save their life.
As if they expected me to walk in all along.
"Put the gun down, Mr. Martinez." The older man insists with a sick grin on his face and it's not even rage that makes me raise it even higher. No, it's pure surprise. Mierda! They look the same. They all look the same.
Same amber eyes.
Same red hair.
Raine. Shit…
"I didn't think he would come willingly to us." My eyes immediately seek the younger one. There's no doubt that he's Nick Taylor. Going back to the older man, I can’t hide my irritation.
“You are not Pedro.”
He smiles, nodding. "He's not here. In fact, he was never going to be here. After all...dead people don't come back."
Dead. Pedro Knight is really dead. Then shit, who is this man? What the fuck my brother was playing at? My grip tightens at the gun. Gritting my teeth, I'm forced to humor his own identity. "If Pedro is indeed dead...then, who are you?"
"It was so easy to fool all of you. The moment the old Knight died, I had a chance to come back." The older man laughs as if he's remembering an old joke. "I was waiting, watching his fall until you became the next boss. Do you think you were the only one who was going to profit if that bastard died? нет. It was just fate that I found Nicholas right after his death."
Nicholas?
Nick…fuck.
"And you think to steal him from me?" I can't stop the scoff. "This kid has been working for the La Eme for more years than he has been working for you. If he can betray me...what to say he won't betray you knowing who I have in my possession?"
Both men give me an icy glare making me interested. Nick, I understand that she's his sister, but what about this man? Why is he suddenly angry?
"Yes, Nicki. Raine Taylor belongs to me. And she does your old job. Killing people, kidnapping-"
"Bastard!" A violent slam echoes through the room as the older man forces the rat from going after me. My smirk widen.
"Don't believe me? I can easily drag you two to her. In fact, I have been craving your blood for months. And you-" Stepping closer to the other man, I dig the gun on his forehead. "What business do you have with us? How dare you-"
"Bratva."
One word and he has me pull the trigger. Though he doesn't double over in pain. Shock has made me missed the shot after all.
You ripped the flower away from the Garden of sins, thinking it will be dead without its roots but beware, even flowers have deadly thorns...
Of course. Of fucking course. Now it's all coming back. The note. Why she craved the violence like it's in her nature. Why everyone wanted to use her as a pawn.
Cause she was theirs all along. Bratva. Our enemy.
"She's my little girl." The man says with a proud smile. "My world, my pawn, the mean to your end."
"Does she know?" My aim is unsteady. I couldn't have known. Mierda, I couldn't. But didn't I always known that there was something about her that didn’t made sense? I can't seem to stop gritting my teeth. If my Barbie knew then- Then I'll fucking kill her. I'll make her scream until she's choking on her last breath.
Before I can hear them answer though, there's already a scream leaving from Nick's lips. My eyes wander around only to find a pair of disappointing eyes gazing at me. Mierda! I was just about to find out.
"What the hell, Dante!?"
His only answer is another bullet grazing through the King of Bratva. The moment they both are on the floor, there are men filling the room. The only thing I can think about is Dante followed me here, fuck.
"You really become weak, amigo. The man I knew wouldn't have wasted time in stupid monologues, just kill them and be done with it. Task, task. You should be grateful that I was keeping an eye out."
Weak?
I'll show him weak. I think my plan is to show him the monster still hidden under this hoodie. But there's someone who needs to see it more than him. The way to the hotel room feels like a hazy nightmare as I seek her out. Dante claimed I was a weak man, didn't he? Well, jokes on him. Cause when I see her again?
There's nothing stopping me from ripping her apart...
CHAPTER 29
RAINE
"Three drop in the wine and it's done."
My fear grows the more he talks. In a sentence, it sounds so
easy...he makes it too easy to get rid of a devil. Just three drops of this special poison in the wine and he'll be gone forever. Like it's not taking everything in me to scream that Ace Martinez should be the last one I should worry about. There's someone worse than him that's waiting for me to come home.
Nick's back.
And I don't know how to still digest that fact.
"Are you listening to me?" Bosco scolds with a heavy sigh. Something has him on guard tonight but I'm too worried to ask. And I don't think I even have the right to ask after he's willing to betray his boss for me. Technically, it's Zena Martinez who I called for help but as Bosco once said, you don't ask what goes on in the family. You just follow the orders.
No question asked.
"Ms. Taylor, we're really on short notice and I don't particularly like the fact that you're wasting time on whatever you're thinking." He's fiddling with the wine bottle as his eyes cuts through me. "You have to be cautious to actually manage to poison him. Because of one wrong move-"
"And you were never here." I finish. I know the answer surprises him to the point that he takes a cautious step back.
"Pardon me?"
With a sigh, I look away from him. "You're helping me beyond expectation, Bosco. I know it's killing you to betray him. And, I've seen you two in that manor. If not for me...you'd never have to do what you're doing right now. So, if by any chance I get caught, you were never here. Everything that happens after, it would be on me. Promise me, you won't tell him?"
It's foolish for me to ask him that. Ace might belongs to a mafia, he might be the devil of my life but to his men? They are more than family. And I can't even say that much for my own brother.
There's a long silence, which prolongs probably not more than five minutes but it feels like a lifetime when he speaks up. "Did you know Mrs. Martinez once tried to do the same?”
Grasping the information, it doesn’t take me long to ask. “Why?”
“She left poisonous food for Mr. Martinez where Ace found himself with a gun on his head. She would have killed every one of them that day but she couldn’t go through it. Why? I will never know. But maybe deep inside, she never really stopped loving them.”
