Dangerous Secrets (The Kingpin Book 2)

by Brooke Summers

  I snap, I’m doing this for her safety. “Look Mia, whoever is after me isn’t going to care who gets caught in the crossfire. I need you to do as I ask and go with Jagger. If not, I’m going to be focused on you when I should be focused elsewhere.”

  Her eyes widen and I think I see a hint of guilt flash through them. “Of course, I’ll do as you say. I’m hoping that it’s just a roadblock and nothing else.”

  “We’re almost there so we’re about to find out.”

  “I love you, Hudson,” she whispers as she leans across the center console and places a soft kiss against the corner of my mouth.

  I turn my head and press a hard chaste kiss against her lips. “I love you too, Princess, nothing is going to harm you.”

  “I know.” She doesn’t sound as though she believes it. I guess after everything that fucker did to her tells her differently.

  Tires squeal and my focus turns to the road. Shit, it’s going down. Turning back to Mia, her eyes full of worry, she’s wringing her hands together, and it’s something I’ve noticed she does when she’s nervous. “It’s going to be okay, remember what I said?” I say to her, getting her attention. She nods. “Go to Jagger and do exactly as he says.” I remind her, I know she doesn’t want me to leave her, I can see she’s toying with arguing with me but she decides against.

  I watch as Healy’s men exit their cars, their guns drawn and ready to fight. This is it, I finally get to see the bastard who betrayed me, the fucker who hurt the woman I love. “See you soon, Princess.” I murmur as I exit the car and draw my gun.

  “Son, Jagger’s got Mia, they’ll be leaving soon. We’re good to go.” His tone has an edge of excitement to it. It's been a while since he's had any action

  Gun shots ring out from at least three different locations. “You’ve got some fucking balls to be taking us on here,” I shout, the Healy men smiling at my words.

  John Healey walks towards me a big smile on his face, he too has his gun drawn. “Fucking assholes must have balls. Now, it’s time to show them whose boss. You don't fucking mess with us, and you certainly don't take our women.”

  Shots ring out and once again, it’s more than one gunman, I crouch down behind the car just as the glint of the gun catches my eye. “On the rooftop.” I yell informing the Healy’s, and as one they all look up.

  “We’re surrounded,” John growls. “They must have known our route, how the fuck did they find out?” He glances around at his men, each one of them have their guns aimed for the rooftops.

  “Now isn’t the time,” Dad says quietly. “Once we get out of here, we’ll find out how he’s finding out this information.”

  “Fuck.” John shakes his head as he grabs his phone and calls someone. “We’re surrounded, get here and fucking take out every bastard on the rooftops.”

  I wonder who he’s talking to, I don’t have time to contemplate it as a bullet whizzes past my head and sinks into the side of the car. “We need to get to those fucking rooftops,” I tell them, there’s no way we can shoot them down. None of us have a rifle.

  John smiles “Listen boys.” I bite my tongue and do as he says, the whoomping of a helicopter sounds from above us and we all glance up and see the chopper circling above us. “Those assholes aren’t going to be up there any longer. I’ve got snipers on board.”

  I smirk, they’ll be scrambling to get off the rooftops, they’re sitting ducks up there. “Surround those buildings,” I yell as I get to my feet. “Those fuckers are going to come down, I don’t want any of them escaping.” All the men nod, taking a step closer toward the buildings.

  The helicopter gets louder as it draws nearer. The sound drowning out the gunshots. Glancing around, I see three men on the ground, dead and there’s a couple injured that are taking cover behind the escalade. It doesn’t take long before the helicopter hovers overhead, glancing up, I see that John was right, there’s two men standing on the bars of the chopper, rifles in hand as they aim for the rooftops. The shots have stopped, making me wary. What is their plan now?

  John’s cell rings, “Yeah?” he answers it immediately. A sinister smile forms on his lips as his eyes light up. “We’ve got it from here boys.” He hangs up, “They’re scurrying down the stairs. Three of them, coming from two buildings.”

  Just as I had suspected. “Let’s greet them then shall we?” This is what I love, the thrill I get from the action. We split up, John taking half his men and going to the next building as Dad and I with the rest of Healy’s men take the building in front of us. “I want them alive. I have a feeling that the rat isn’t here and he’s sent other’s to do his bidding. I need answers and that means having them tell me who hired them.” There’s a bite to my tone, I don’t give a shit if they want them dead. I’m in charge here and that means what I say goes.

  Opening the door to the building, we’re greeted by the sound of footsteps and panting. By the way the footsteps are pounding against the steps they’re running for their lives. It’s not long before they come into view, more than fifteen guns pointed at them. It doesn’t take them a second to drop their guns and hold up their hands in surrender.

  Too easy floats throw my mind.

  Glancing at dad needing to see if he too thinks this was way too easy. “It’s time for us to leave, we need to find Jagger and Mia.”

  Dad’s eyes widen as he too comes to the same conclusion as I have.

  Turning on my foot, I walk out of that damn building and onto the street. Chaos, that’s all I see. Abandoned cars everywhere, people fled when the shots were fired. Pulling out my cell from my pocket I dial Jagger’s phone. It rings out. Shit.

  “Dad,” I yell, he’s instructing the Healy’s where to bring the shooters so that we can deal with them later. “It’s time to go.” I jump into the car that I was in with Mia and see my dad sprinting across the street to catch up. Starting the engine, I hit re-dial, once again I’m left listening to the damn ringing.

  “Hudson, we need backup.” Jagger says finally answering, “We’ve got four cars on us.”

  Red hot rage blinds me. I was fucking stupid, I should have kept Mia here with me, she would have been safer. “Mia?” I breathe.

  “I’m okay,” she reassures me, sounding as though she’s in shock.

  “We’re on our way.” I end the call and press my foot down on the gas. They’re not taking her, not again.

  Twelve

  Mia

  Glancing in the side mirror I see the cars behind us. As soon as Jagger pulled me into his Escalade and raced out of there we had a convoy following us. They haven't even tried to hide the fact they're chasing us. Fear grips me as one of the cars behind moves up so we're side to side.

  "Mia it's going to be okay." His voice is tight but full of confidence.

  "I really wish everyone would stop saying that." I sigh, we have no idea who is behind this all. At the moment we're being chased by a ghost.

  Jagged glances at me before he returns his focus to the road. "Mia, I'll lay down my life for you. If they want you, they're going to have to go through me first."

  "You can't mean that!" I gasp horrified at the mere thought.

  His lips curl up at the corners. "I'd do the exact same for Hudson."

  I shake my head in disbelief. I understand him wanting to do it for Hudson but not why he'd risk his life for me? "Why? You barely know me."

  "Mia, you are Hudson's which means you are family. I protect my family at all costs.” He turns to look at me, but keeps glancing back to the road. “I know what you did for Sarah and Alllie, all the money you sent, and when you’d visit you’d stock up her pantry and cupboards with food that wasn’t perishable. Not only that, you’ve been her constant support throughout everything. What you’ve done for my daughter… for my woman.” He shakes his head, as he chokes up. “That means more than anything and for that I'd die for you."

  My eyes well with tears, he’s so sweet. I know that what happened between him and Sarah wasn’t enti
rely his fault. I mean the man was kissing someone hours after Sarah left his bed but the other stuff that was Carina’s fault. “Sarah’s one of my best friends.” My breath hitches at the words. God, Lacey. I still haven’t come to terms with her death, I do everything in my power to bury those memories deep down. It doesn’t work though. Every time I close my eyes, all I hear is those gunshots, the gurgling sound she made as she took her last breath. I honestly believe that her death is going to haunt me forever and I hope it does, it’ll be a reminder of how evil this life is, how one moment can change your life.

  “Mia…” he says softly, his southern drawl so thick.

  “I’m okay.” I lie, it’s better than the alternative, breaking down and crying. I’ve shed enough tears over a monster, he doesn’t deserve anymore.

  “You’re not, but you will be.” He winks at me, how is it that he’s so calm? We’re in the middle of a car chase and he’s acting as if we’re going on a leisurely road trip. “Do you blame Hudson for what happened to you and Lacey?”

  I gasp, the thought had never crossed my mind. I don’t blame him and I never would, he is not responsible for what happened. Just as I’m about to answer him, the car beside us tries to cut us off, thankfully Jagger is quick on the brake and maneuvers us into the next lane.

  “Hang tight, Mia, things are about to get fun.” The smile on his face can only be described as mischievous.

  My heart is in my throat right now as the car speeds up, “Jagger, what are you going to do?” My eyes are glued to the car on my right, what the hell is he planning to do?

  “Down, Mia.” Jagger yells, his hand going to the back of my head. He jars my head forward and I keep it there.

  Squeezing my eyes closed, I hug my legs, fear coursing through my veins. “Jagger?” My entire body shaking, I have no idea what’s going on.

  Glass smashes and I squeal as it rains down around me. “Mia, it’s okay,” he tells me, his voice tight and I’m seriously beginning to hate those two words. It’s all everyone ever says and yet, they’re not true. Nothing is okay, nothing about this situation is okay.

  “What the hell happened?” I ask, my voice calm while inside I’m screaming.

  “They shot the windows in, keep your head down. The cavalry is coming.”

  Hope blooms inside. “They’re here?”

  “Yes, they’re behind us, they’ve taken out two of the six cars and are working their way up to us. This will all be over soon.” He promises me and again, another lie.

  “We have no idea who’s doing this Jag, so no it won’t be over soon.” I can’t keep the anger and pain out of my voice. I’m not going to be safe, Hudson’s not going to be safe until we figure out who this monster is. Once we do, we can finally start trying to move on, if that’s even a possibility.

  “That’s not for you to worry about,” he says through clenched teeth and I bite back my response.

  He isn’t the person I should be having this conversation with, Hudson is and he’s in for a shock if he thinks I’ll be left out of knowing everything that’s going on. This isn’t just affecting him, this has affected me in ways that I may never recover from.

  My body jolts as the car swerves. Lifting my head, my mouth parts slightly as I get a look at the man in the car beside us. That birthmark on his neck, it’s so prominent, like its taunting me. “Jagger,” I whisper, as my fear creeps up through my throat. Tears well in my eyes as I stare at the man in the car. “He was the man that kept us in that basement. He works for the man that killed Lacey.” For the man that raped me. It’s what’s running through my mind, if he’s here that means so is the man that did those things.

  Jagger’s head turns to me, I watch as his eyes narrow as he takes me in before turning back to face the man that helped keep me a prisoner. “We’ll make sure that he doesn’t get away.” It’s a rumble, I’ve never heard him so angry before. “Do you have your seatbelt on?”

  That’s something he should have asked me earlier. I always have my seatbelt on. I glare at him, “Of course, what are you going to do?”

  He doesn’t answer me. His knuckles turn white as his grip on the steering wheel tightens, once again the car starts to speed up, glancing at the speedometer on the dash, I watch as the pointer rises, we’re almost at 120 and it’s rising still. Dread sets in the pit of my stomach as Jagger jaw clenches, his jawline become more pronounced as he does. His eyes narrowing as he focuses on the road, it’s a look of a man that’s got a plan, and I’m not sure I’m going to like it. The accomplice doesn’t take long to be side by side with us again, a sinister smile forms on Jagger’s face and that just makes me want to cry. I hate not knowing what’s going to happen.

  Jagger twists the steering wheel to the right, my body is thrown forward as we collide with the car beside us. My head connects with the dash in front of me and I cry out in pain. The car swerves once again, this time to right itself before Jagger slams on the brakes. The tires squeal under the pressure as the car careens forward before coming to a stop. Jag doesn’t hesitate, he’s out of the car, his gun in hand as he moves towards the other car. I’m sitting here, disconnected from everything around me, just watching Jagger. I don’t feel anything, the pain, the fear, the dread are all gone and I’m numb.

  The door opens, but I don’t turn to see who’s there, my gaze is still focused on Jagger as he drags the man out of the car.

  “Mia.” That deep gravelly voice penetrates through my haze, “Princess?”

  “It’s him.” I whisper as the man stands, the sun shining down on him, highlighting his every feature. Each feature that I memorized every day, every night as he bought us bread and water.

  “Who, Princess?”

  “He’s the man that would feed us while in the basement.” I’m fixated on him, relief washing through me as Jagger guides him away towards a waiting vehicle. They have him, which means that they’ll be able to find out who is behind all of this.

  Hudson’s breath is hot against my face as he reaches for my seatbelt. “Princess, we’re going home and we’re going to talk,” he tells me, his voice soft but there’s an edge of something to it, but I can’t figure out what it is.

  He lifts me out of the car and I put my hands around his neck, wanting to be as close to him as humanly possible. He doesn’t frighten me, it’s the exact opposite, touching him is like my safety blanket. “Did he hurt you?”

  I shake my head. “I don’t think so.” It sounds so stupid not knowing, but I don’t. He could have been the man that knocked me unconscious at my parents house.

  He pulls me closer to him, kissing the top of my head as he walks us to the car. Not once saying a word but yet his actions speak volumes. He’s once again showing me the love that he’s always shown me, I press a soft kiss against his neck.

  “Dad, let’s get the hell out of here before the cops show up,” Hudson tells Harrison as he places me on my feet and helps me into the car.

  “You okay, Mia?” Harrison asks as I settle into my seat. “You look a hell of a lot better than the last time I saw you.”

  Frowning as I glance at Hudson in confusion, when did he see me last?

  “Dad found us the doctor and the house so that you wouldn’t have to go to a hospital.” He explains as he reaches for me, lifting me once again out of my seat and onto his lap. “You look tired.” He comments as he places a kiss against my lips.

  “I am, I want to sleep.” But I’m too afraid of what nightmares may come.

  “Sleep princess, I’ll keep you safe.” He promises me, pulling me close to his body.

  Tucking my head into the crook of his neck, I close my eyes and pray that if I manage to sleep, that it’ll come peacefully.

  I come awake and confusion sets in. I’m shrouded in darkness, fear grips me with a choke hold. I’m back in that damn basement, a whimpering sound breaks through the silence. It sounds as though there’s a cat’s dying.

  “Princess.” A guttural sound. A voice that I know, a voic
e I trust. It’s then that I realize it’s me that was whimpering. “Princess, it’s okay.” There’s that word again.

  “Light. I need light.” I breathe, trying to fight back the anxiety and fear I have.

  The room instantly becomes illuminated. It takes me a while to gain my bearings. This room is familiar, it takes me a while before I realize why. I’m in Hudson’s bedroom, a room I haven’t been in since the night we met in Synergy. It hasn’t changed a bit. Arms tighten around me and I lean into them. Hudson’s holding me as we lay on the bed.

  “I’m sorry,” I whisper, I feel weak, useless, and pathetic. What twenty year old is afraid of the dark?

  His hands tighten on me, turning me around to look at him. “Don’t. Never apologize for anything. Not with me, not ever.”

  “I feel stupid, I’m afraid of waking up in a dark room.”

  He places a kiss against my lips, shivering at the coldness of his touch. “Talk to me, tell me what happened.” His fingers caress my arm, I let myself give into the hypnotic feeling. “Nothing is going to hurt you, Princess. I promise you, I’ll die before I let anything happen to you.”

  “You’re the second person to tell me that today.” I remark and watch as Hudson smirks. “You’ve spoken to Jagger?” I should have guessed, but when did they have time to talk?

  “I did, talk to me Mia. What happened to you?”

  I lie into his body, not wanting to see the pity in his eyes as I tell him everything. As soon as I get comfortable, his arm goes around my back and he holds onto my ass, his thumb rubbing circles as I begin to talk.

  “I got to my parents house, I remember finding it odd that there was another vehicle parked out front. I was so unaware of what was about to happen. I was hurt and betrayed, I wasn’t thinking straight. I remember walking up to the house and wondering why Lacey hadn’t come out to greet me, she always did, and we always did. It was our thing. I didn’t think much of it, when I pushed the door open, I was hit across the face and everything went blank.” I close my eyes, reliving the pain again. How it burst through my face and pulled me into a black abyss.