by Kenya Wright
“It wasn’t anything,” I whispered.
Louis cursed at my side.
For the first time in a long time, I held my stomach as my skin crawled. My legs went weak. I staggered forward. Never had I been this terrified in my life. I looked around, knowing that Rafael and Louis had figured it out.
Unloosing my tie, I yanked it off and let out a long breath. “Giorgio kept saying the Devil. I thought he was disoriented. I didn’t know he really meant the Devil.”
I could see the Devil’s face in my head. Mangled. Blistered. Rotted. Cut away.
Ju’s eyes were full of tears. He took a few gasping breaths. “I-I’m sorry…I was so scared.”
The last images of the Devil bombarded my brain.
Grigor—the Devil—had been my school friend. The first kid I’d met, when I moved to Paris. When I didn’t hang with Rafael, it was Grigor. Later, he worked with us. Ten years ago, I’d caught him with Louis’s little brother, Titi.
Titi had just been ten at the time. There, Titi sat in the room with our good friend Grigor. They were both naked. And the rest of the details had plagued me for years. Louis had taken his little brother away. And I’d taken care of Grigor’s face.
Everyone had wanted me to kill Grigor. But he’d been my best friend. For some reason, love thinned out my anger. I knew he was a sick bastard. I knew I would never forgive him. But still, I couldn’t kill him.
That was me ten years ago. That is not me now. I will kill you, Devil, and anyone you’ve learned to love.
I couldn’t even look at Louis now as I turned away. He’d been mad that I didn’t kill him. He’d told me that Grigor would be a problem later.
The things I’d done to Grigor’s face. It was the immature, stupid part of me, that thought I could do that to a human and then let them walk away.
Grigor had been a handsome man, able to smile around the mothers to get close to their sons. Never dated a woman without a boy. Never could he be found alone with a woman, if not for the son right there on his lap. I’d thought, if I took the face, it would stop him from being a monster.
I should’ve killed him.
Instead, I’d touched every cell on his face with my bow. I ripped flesh. I shredded muscles. I chose pliers for his nose. I’d yanked out tufts of hair. There’d been no detailed face, when I’d finished. Not a mouth or nose. No definition. Just a twisted, bloody, shattered mess.
I’d taken his dick too and considered myself a hero.
“Now women and kids will see you and know that you’re a monster.” I left him there, laying in his own blood.
He’d disappeared after that. I’d heard news that he’d joined with others and did side jobs for criminals that didn’t mind looking into that face.
I should’ve fucking killed him. Now. . .he’ll. . .hurt Eden. No. Don’t say that. I’ll find her in time.
Rafael went over to the bar and made us all a drank. At least, I hoped for a glass of something, before I considered placing a gun to my own head and pulling the trigger.
I should’ve killed him, when I had the chance. Rafael told me to kill him. Louis said do it. Even Giorgio thought he should’ve died. I let him live. I’ll never forgive myself, Eden. Never.
Louis walked up to Ju. “Why did he want Eden?”
Ju widened his eyes. “No. They didn’t… wait… they took Eden?”
Rafael growled from the bar, “Answer the fucking question.”
“They never talked about Eden. On the second day, I heard them talking from the kitchen—”
“They’d camped out in your apartment for those three days?” I asked.
“Half of them,” Ju said. “I don’t know where the other half went.”
“What did they say?” I asked.
“They talked about a tracker, and that it had moved from some city in America to Paris, and that it was in your penthouse. One of the guys didn’t want to do whatever they were doing. They talked about calling somebody to help.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know. It might not be right.”
“Who?”
“I think they said, Drayden.”
“Or Dragon?”
“It could be.”
Louis walked over to him. “Did you ever see your wife and kids after that first day?”
“No, but they were in the other room—”
“They’re dead.” Louis shook his head and kneeled down. “We’ll check and make sure they’re fine, but I’m sure they’re dead.”
Ju’s mouth hung open, and his eyes watered.
“But at least there’s a bright side to this. You’ll be reunited.” Louis took out his gun and shot Ju in the head.
“You shouldn’t have shot him.” Rafael brought me a drink. “Maybe, Jean-Pierre wanted to do it.”
I took the drink, going through all the new details in my mind. “A tracker from America to Paris that the Devil had been following.”
Louis put his gun up. “Celina is hiding from Misha.”
“Shalimar is hiding from someone too,” Rafael added,
“People were killed in Belladonna. Now Shalimar is in Paris, but for the purpose of giving Eden a necklace.” I took a gulp of whiskey. “Shalimar gives the necklace to us. Three days later, the Devil is lured our way and takes over our security guy’s family.”
How could I have been so fucking stupid.
I finished the drink, not even tasting the liquid, just needing the burn down my throat. “The necklace had the tracker, but why would Celina want that on Eden? Why would she put her niece in danger? Celina is a lot of things, but the main reason I didn’t kill her is because I always felt she had Eden’s best interests at heart.”
“I don’t believe this. Someone’s setting this up.” Rafael shook his head. “Shalimar wouldn’t give a tracker to Eden.”
“I don’t know,” Louis said. “If someone is chasing Shalimar, it would make sense to give whatever it was to Eden. Who could better protect it then Jean-Pierre?”
But I didn’t protect it. . .or Eden. . .Jesus Christ. She’s with the Devil!
Louis and Rafael spent time arguing about the tracker situation. I had no time for the back and forth. If no one had answers, then they should be looking for them.
“Rafael.” I pointed at him. “Talk to Shalimar. Find out everything. If you can’t get answers, then call me. I’ll come over.”
In other words, make her ass talk, before I come over with my bows. I had no idea, if Shalimar was friend or foe? If she knew that the necklace was being tracked by killers, and willingly gave it to Eden, then I would hurt Shalimar.
I will slice that pretty little face, until you tell me everything.
Rafael studied me. “Shalimar didn’t do it. This isn’t her fault.”
It better not be.
I tenderly tapped his shoulder. “Let’s see if she can help us with hard answers. Very, very hard answers.”
Rafael scowled. “I understand.”
Do you? If she has anything to do with this. . .
I would think of that later. I had to choose one nightmare at a time. Rafael wouldn’t want me to hurt Shalimar. And I would never want to hurt Rafael.
Decisions. Decisions.
I felt like I was dying. Heat and life slipping away from my body. Drained.
Louis’s phone rang. He answered, talked for a minute, and smiled, “No. Tell Giorgio that Rafael will not open the restaurant for him. We’re a little busy, but. . .tell him I’m glad he’s okay.”
Rafael’s face brightened. “Is that OCD bastard okay?”
I paused.
Louis nodded. “He’s out of surgery and requesting Gwen’s Steak-frites and a pale blue Brioni from the Fall season collection.”
I let out a long breath and poured another glass.
“Give him whatever he wants. I don’t give a damn.” Rafael took another drink. “I’ll wake up the chef myself. What else does he want?”
“Here.” Louis tossed the phone to
Rafael.
“Tell Giorgio, I love him. I’m going to clean up.” Taking the whiskey with me, I left them all in the office, ready to get out of the bloody clothes.
This can’t be happening. This can’t be real. There was no warning. No fucking warning.
I didn’t walk into my bedroom—the space that I’d shared with Eden for these past amazing weeks. I couldn’t step inside there now, not without her. Besides men crawled over every inch, grabbing fingerprints and checking to see whose drops of blood were on the carpet.
Eden, I’m so sorry. I told you I would protect you, and now. . .
I went to one of the many extra rooms instead.
No memories moved in these rooms.
None of the walls had been blessed with her presence.
That was where I shed my clothes. In an empty room. No furniture. No paint. White blank walls, and a gray concrete floor. There, I kneeled on the ground for the first time in my life. There, I prayed to God.
There, a cold silence pooled over and drowned my soul. Regret and guilt crawled inside of me, burrowing into my bones.
What I will do for you, Eden—the people I will kill—I’ll never be able to wash the death off my hands. I promise. You’ll be back to me.
Chapter 14
Hateful Lies
Rafael
The sun rose.
The Devil had kidnapped Eden. Someone had paid him. He had the backing to do someone’s bidding. That was the only way he would step in. On his own, we would’ve destroyed him. That was why he’d waited so long.
He probably didn’t even know Jean-Pierre was involved until later. Once he took out our security and realized that the tracker was on Jean-Pierre’s lover’s neck. . .he couldn’t resist taking her too.
I sped to Shalimar’s apartment.
What part did you play in this, Shalimar?
Police led the way. A few vans drove behind me, full of men. Jean-Pierre had taken a shower and come back out on high-alert.
Jean-Pierre had amped up security. By later this morning, everyone would have triple the men around them.
Shalimar, I won’t be able to save you now. If you’re involved, there’s not much I will do.
It broke my heart that I could easily think that way. This was her last chance. If she didn’t fess up to everything I would set Jean-Pierre on her.
The sad reality hit me. When it came to Shalimar and Jean-Pierre, it would always be my cousin.
Does that mean I love her less or not at all? Damn you, Shalimar! Why would you put me in this situation in the first place?
I shook my head.
No. Shalimar has nothing to do with Eden’s kidnapping. She can’t.
I had to believe that Shalimar didn’t know about the tracker in the necklace. She had to be innocent of this.
I thought back to when she’d given me the necklace.
“The meeting is off.” Shalimar had dug into her pocketbook and took out a box. “I was only supposed to give Eden this anyway. It’s from Celina.”
“What is it?” I grabbed the box and opened it.
A silver necklace lay inside. A violin dangled from the center, extending around three inches long. It was carved in silver, but the strings were gold, the pegs were diamonds.
I closed the box and put it in my pocket. “Why is Celina giving Eden this?”
“Because we assumed Jean-Pierre has told her everything.”
“He has.”
“Celina wants Eden to remember who she is, and where she came from.”
“And why is Celina hiding?”
“That’s her business. It has nothing to do with Eden, and she wants it to stay far away from her.”
But it all had to do with Eden in some way. It put her in direct danger.
You were okay with that, Shalimar? No. You didn’t know. I’m missing something.
My heart ached.
She was such a stubborn woman. If she thought she had it under control, she wouldn’t let go. And I was the last person she would give an inch too.
I’d drunk dialed her one night and whispered, “When I close my eyes, I dream of you, Shalimar.”
“We both have that problem.” She’d laughed.
I’d brightened. “You think of me too?”
“Yes. You’re always in my nightmares.” She’d hung up after that.
When I arrived at her place, I barely parked straight. The car sat sideways in the spot. The men that I’d already had on Shalimar, jumped up on high alert.
I stormed their way. “Is she in there?”
“Yeah.” One opened the door. “She wanted to leave and get something to eat, but I told her we were on lockdown.”
“Good.” I stepped inside.
The living room was dark and quiet.
The noise of a tv sounded from her bedroom.
Shalimar, please tell me you had nothing to do with this.
I stormed that way, made it to the door, and opened it.
She sat up in bed. Bright light bathed her almost naked body. She wore a sheer, all-white panty and bra set that stopped me right in my tracks.
You knew I was coming soon. That whoever was doing the tracking was coming, and soon I would want answers. And so today, I get. . . panties.
My gut said that to my head. My brain didn’t know what to do with the information. But my cock had a different angle about the situation. He believed she’d worn it simply for us. That Shalimar desired me like I dreamed. That all my gifts, attention, and obsession had not been for nothing these past years.
I cleared my throat.
It doesn’t matter why she wore that. I came here for answers.
And I was ready to ask, but the only words came out was. “You look beautiful this evening.”
She formed her mouth into a wicked smile. “Come on the bed and lay down with me.”
This was very different from the Shalimar of the past three years. In fact, this was the complete opposite of the Shalimar that had come to visit Paris.
She’d yelled at me, “Stay out of Celina’s and my way, and you won’t get hurt.”
I’d laughed. “You’re the one that’s going to get hurt if you think Celina has your back.”
Things had changed in those few days.
For survival reasons, Shalimar had shifted from hateful vixen to welcoming seductress. My heart still heated for her, but parts of it began to grow cold. These actions screamed guilty of something.
You knew. Didn’t you?
I hadn’t wanted to believe it. Even now, I still went back and forth in my head. I remained standing placing my face into the most neutral expression I could get it. I couldn’t let her see the emotions that was going on in my head.
“There’s a tracker on the necklace.” I kept my voice calm. “Why?”
Batting her lashes, she touched the center of her breasts in a dramatic way. Too dramatic.
“On what necklace?” she asked.
“The one you told me to give to Eden.”
“I wouldn’t do that.” Shalimar patted the space next to her. “Come here. I’ve been thinking about us.”
One thing I’d learned about Shalimar a long time ago—if I paid attention, I could tell when she was lying. It was in her body language. Her body always answered the question correctly, while her mouth told the lie.
“So, you know nothing about a tracker?” I asked.
She shook her head yes, even though she said, “No.”
I walked over and stood right in front of her. “You’re lying and you don’t have much time to lie. I wouldn’t waste it.”
“What do you mean, I don’t have time?”
“Whoever wanted that necklace took Eden.”
She froze in horror. The seductive mask she’d worn for me had cracked. “S-she’s—”
“Kidnapped and possibly dead. It’s been a few hours. Looking at what they’d done to Leo and the cat in Belladonna, I doubt she’s still alive.” My chest hurt at the thought. I hadn’t
wanted to say it out loud in front of Jean-Pierre. Even though Shalimar didn’t love me; even though this was damn near her fault… she was still the only person in the world I could share my sadness and fears with.
And it always felt good when I told her, whether she listened or not.
“I’m scared for Jean-Pierre.”
Shalimar’s fingers shook as she slowly rose from the bed. “I…I don’t know what to say.”
“The truth. All of it. That’s what you say.”
“I’m telling you the truth, Raffy.” She tried to hug me, raising her arms.
I moved her hands away. “Raffy now?”
She hadn’t called me that since the last time we’d made love. That had been three years ago, the night right before I messed up and fucked the twins.
You’re scared. You’re willing to do anything, even play with my emotions.
She blinked. “Why are you so mad?”
“Stop the bullshit!”
She inched back. “I swear, Raffy. I don’t know. Please don’t scream at me.”
Please don’t scream at me?
I’d never heard Shalimar say please to anything, but me fucking her deeper in that tight ass of hers. Now she was batting her lashes, cowering like an innocent victim, and pleading for me to lower my voice.
“Are you scared, Shalimar?”
“I’m nervous. You’re making me nervous.”
“I came as a favor to you. Jean-Pierre hasn’t come, and that is a favor to me. Because he really wants to come. His bow is itching to ask you questions.”
She nervously shook her head. “Raffy, what are you talking about? Just tell Jean-Pierre that I know nothing. I shouldn’t even have to talk to him. Can’t you protect me?”
“Enough!” I grabbed both of her arms and yanked her too me. Not too hard, but to show that I wouldn’t let go.
“Stop it.”
“Who put the tracker on the damn necklace?” I tightened my grip. “Why is it on there? Why is Misha looking for Celina? Why is she hiding?”
Her bottom lips shivered, but she refused to answer. Instead, she rubbed her body against me.
She doesn’t understand or doesn’t care.
Time was running out. Jean-Pierre was close to cracking. He would lose it soon. I could feel it in my bones. He would act in desperate ways. Go too far. Everyone would follow suit because we loved him so much.