“Who?” The word is out of my mouth before I can stop myself.
“Barney.” His answers sounds tortured and it hits me like a tonne of bricks. Barney? Why would he think it was Barney? I don’t dare say anything, I can tell he’s already regretting his decision in doing so.
“Oh, Hudson,” I whisper, lying my head against his chest. My heart aches for him, knowing that he killed a man he considered a friend.
“I fucked up with Barney but he kept things from me, things didn’t add up. He died because he lied when I needed absolute honesty. Martin however is going to die a slow and painful death. What he did to you is unforgivable.”
“I love you so much, I wouldn’t be this strong without you.” It’s true, he gives me a strength I didn’t know was possible.
“Bullshit.” He smirks, “Princess, I’m proud of you, you managed to get that shit out of Kevin. You did so by opening your wound and bleeding. I didn’t want that for you.”
I kiss him again. “I know you didn’t but I didn’t bleed, being able to say those words out loud. It healed my wound slightly. We needed to find out who was behind it all and Kevin was never going to tell you.”
“I know, if you hadn’t spoken he would have died keeping that secret. You’re fucking amazing. I’m proud of you, Baby.”
I smile, letting his praise soak in. “Thank you.”
“When the next man comes in, you don’t utter a word. He’s a professional and he’ll do whatever he can to rile us. That includes you too. So stay hidden and don’t say a word.”
“I’ll stay hidden.” I promise him, and step back against the wall.
“Enter,” Hudson yells and Harrison walks in and switches the lights off in the room. Once again I’m shrouded in darkness.
Fifteen
Hudson
The light flickers above this asshole’s head, the electricity flowing through his body. We’ve been at this for two hours and he’s still not said a word. Not once has he wavered. It’s not a smart move, especially as we already know who has set this up, all I want to know is where Martin is now and what his next move is. I’m sick of being one step behind this fucker, now he’s no longer anonymous I’m going to stop him in his tracks. He doesn’t know that I have uncovered the truth, there’s nowhere for him to hide, I’m coming for him and he’s in for a rude awakening once I find him.
Mia has done as I asked and has stayed hidden, this isn’t her fight, not now, not with this guy. He’d find her weakness and use it against her. He could break her with mere words, I don’t want him to die just yet and if he were to say anything to Mia, I’d lose my damn mind and snap his neck. I’m under no illusion, my weakness is Mia, but at the same time, she’s my greatest strength. John Healy walked in with some of his men, he was the person to let me know who Kevin was, it was his way to have a first row seat at what is about to happen. The man is blood thirsty. I was torn between kicking Mia out and fucking her there and then when she started talking, I knew as soon as he saw her that she would be the one to break him.
When she told Kevin that Martin had not only killed but also raped, he didn’t believe her. I wanted to put a bullet between his eyes instantly. Everyone present in this room respect rose for her at her announcement that she was the one that was assaulted. She was fucking brave though, she didn’t cave, instead she straightened her shoulders and came out fighting. She showed what a true badass she is, she’s fucking made for me. She’s proven that she’s okay with what I do, who I am. There’s absolutely no doubt that she’s the one for me. It’s why I’m no longer waiting around, she’s going to be my wife.
Once Jagger turns off the electricity, the man in front of me doesn’t seem affected by the hundred-and-twenty voltage that has gone through his body. I know that he’s a mercenary, he’s trained for this shit. “Are you Martin’s side piece?”
Both Jagger and I have known that Martin is bi-sexual, have since we first met him. We never judged him on who he was with. He’s a fucking traitor and I need to find out why.
“Go fuck yourself.” The fucker spits in Jagger’s face and he’s rewarded with a punch to his face, the bones crunching beneath Jagger’s knuckles.
The way he reacts to being asked if he was Martin’s side piece jars something in me, I remember something Martin said to me the day Mia came back into my life.
"I want to hire a few guys to come in and protect your family."
"Absolutely not." I reply harshly.
"Listen to me, Boss," he implores. "These guys, they're the best. They're not cops, they don't belong to the government."
"So who are they?"
"They're a group of elite men and women. They've been in the military but now are their own company or should I say task force. Look, I don't know much about them other than they're the best and they will make sure your family is safe."
"That's all you got?" I question.
He lets out a heavy sigh, "No, my brother, Macka, is part of the team. Boss, the only reason I even know about the team is because of Macka."
"I thought your brother died."
"Yeah boss, you're finally getting why they're the best."
"How long has this team being going? What do they specialize in?" I ask, wanting to find out as much as I can.
"Um..." He wavers, "That I’m not entirely sure of, I’ve not long found out he’s still alive.”
They’re mercenaries, that’s what they are. "I'll let you know, in the meantime talk to Barney and let him know what the situation is. Tell him to keep his ear close to the ground. I'll be arriving there tonight and I'll be bringing Jagger and you with me."
“Macka?” I question and his head pops up, his eyes wide as if he’s been caught out. Yes, that’s right fucker, I know who you are.
“Macka?” Jagger spits in disgust. He knows who Macka is. “It must be a fucking riot at family get togethers. What with you being a ghost and your brother a traitor.”
Macka pulls against his restraints. “He’s not a traitor,” he yells, his face red with anger.
Jagger pulls on Macka’s hair, his head flies backward. “That’s where you’re wrong. Your brother is a traitor. He has hurt innocent women, he killed a woman for no reason other than pleasure. He took Hudson’s woman. He’s a dead man walking. He’s betrayed our boss, the man that trusted him.”
“Why should he be the boss? Why should he have everything when Martin has nothing?” Macka yells, anger lacing his words.
“I’m the boss because it’s what I have been destined to be since birth. Just as my father was. I am the son of the boss, the grandson of the original Kingpin. There was no one else to be the boss.”
He smirks, as if he knows something I don’t. “That’s not entirely true. You want to know the truth, you should look a lot closer to home.”
I advance on him, this cloak and dagger bullshit doesn’t fly with me. If you have something to say, spit it the fuck out. “How about you just tell me?” I grind out.
The look in his eyes tell me he’s never going to answer me. He'd rather die than betray his brother. With Hulk like strength, he escapes his restraints and within the blink of an eye reaches for his ankle, my teeth clench when I see the glistening of the gun barrel. “Jagger.” I growl but it’s too late, he’s already got the gun in his mouth.
“No,” I hear the tiny whisper, but it’s too late.
Bang.
Blood splatters everywhere, as his body hits the floor. “Who the fuck let him in with a gun?” My anger palpable. “Check the fucking others.” My nostrils flare as I try and keep my composure, I’m close to ending everyone in this room for their incompetence. “Now!”
The men scramble out of the room, leaving Mia, Jagger, my dad and I alone. Dad switches on the light and Macka’s body comes into view.
“Hudson…” Dad begins but I hold my hand up stopping him. My eyes are focused on Mia, she can’t stop staring at Macka’s body. “Mia, are you okay?” he asks, realizing why I stopped him talk
ing.
She nods, unable to tear her gaze away, “Why did he do that? He could have done it at the very beginning, but why did he wait until then?” She sounds perplexed, is she staring at him as she’s curious of his motives or is she staring at him because he’s dead. Maybe it’s a mixture of the two?
“Mia, he was cornered, they always take the easiest way out,” Jagger tells her softly.
I stand in front of her and instantly her eyes lift to mine. “Princess?”
"He had the gun the entire time he was here Hudson, he was cornered. Why didn't he do it before?” She muses out loud, I let her be, let her get out whatever is playing on her mind. "Macka seemed to believe that you wouldn't find Martin, or why he's doing this. That was until he slipped up. He said something he shouldn't have and killed himself."
"Okay and how did he slip up?" I ask, I can see what she's saying, I'm just not entirely sure that she's right.
"I don't know, but I think it has to do with what he said. When Jagger called Martin a traitor, something in Macka seemed to switch. He said, ‘Why should Hudson be the boss? Why should Hudson have everything when Martin has nothing?’"
"Mia, I think you're stretching here," Jagger says softly and my eyes cut to his, warning him to tread carefully.
She shakes her head. "I don't think I am, see when Hudson explained that he is the only heir to the kingdom, there was no one else to be boss, Macka said it wasn't true, that Hudson needed to look a lot closer to home."
He fucking did say that. "Princess, what are you saying?"
She turns to face my father. "Harrison, you know what Macka was hinting at, don’t you." It's not a question but a statement.
"Dad?" I ask, wondering where the hell this is going. He glances to the floor and it pisses me off. "Dad, do you want to tell me what the fuck is going on?" I say through clenched teeth.
He sighs heavily. "Look son, I made a mistake, one that seems to be biting me in the ass now."
I raise my brow, what the fuck is that supposed to mean?
"I was fifteen and I thought with my dick as most boys do at that age. I got a married woman pregnant. I told the woman to go back to her husband, I wasn't going to marry her and if she told anyone about our affair, I'd have her killed," he says with no emotion at all and Mia gasps at his honesty.
He gives her a tight smile. "I wasn't joking, I had a lot of growing up to do but I was too young for a fucking kid. She went back to her husband, he never knew that his second child wasn't his. I had nothing to do with that child, no one besides my dad knew and he kept tabs on him. Making sure that he was brought up right."
"Martin is your son," I say with utter disgust.
He nods. "Yes, your grandfather wanted him to be a part of the family business when he was eighteen. I didn't agree, I didn't think he deserved to be part of this. I had you, you are my son. My only son," he spits, as if that makes everything okay.
"Dad, you're a fucking asshole. You don't think you should have told me this before? I mean you had the bastard being my chauffeur since I was fifteen. I let that fucker work his way to my second in command."
"Son, I know..."
"You know nothing!" I scream cutting him off, "You let me bring that bastard around Mia." My own fucking brother raped my woman. I'm going to rip his head off.
"Son..." he doesn't continue, he has no words. I don't want to hear any of them anyway.
"Where is he, Dad?" There's no more playing, now I know why he's doing this shit, it's time to fucking end it.
"I don't know. I haven't been able to locate him."
I lose it, a red haze darkens over me. Hands go around me and I beat them away, not even sure who it was but I'm advancing toward Dad. He knows what's about to happen and he doesn't move. He stands his ground, waiting for what's about to come. I pull my arm back, balling my hand into a fist and letting it fly. My knuckles connecting with his cheek, the sound of skin hitting skin satisfies my inner beast.
"Hudson, that's it man," Jagger says, his hands gripping my arms, pulling me back.
I shrug him off, that haze disappearing. I stand and stare at the man that has always managed to disappoint. He has no fucking morals whatsoever.
"You good now?" he asks with a smirk.
"Nowhere even close," I snap back and his eyes narrow. "You fucking knew it was him and you didn't do a thing. You never said." My anger is beginning to rise. He has fucked up more times than I can count, but this. God, knowing that Martin did this and not saying anything, especially after finding out what he did to Mia, pisses me off. I could kill him and I'd be happy with my decision. I'd walk away smiling.
He steps forward, Jagger tenses behind me. "Don't. I would never put you or Mia in danger. I didn't know, I had a suspicion and that's all it was." His voice vibrating with anger, "I may be an asshole, Hudson, but not to you, everyone else maybe. You are my son, I'd die for you."
"You're a..."
"Enough!" Mia shouts cutting me off which has me turning to look at her only to find her sitting on the floor. I take a step toward her, but she shakes her head. "Don't."
"Mia?" I question, what the hell?
"You're a jerk!" she shouts getting to her feet. "You pushed me over! Can we stop the arguments?"
Fuck, it was her that I pushed past. "Princess, I'm sorry."
She shakes her head. "Its fine, I know that you didn't mean it. Look, there's no point in arguing, we need to be a team right now. Being at each other's throats is only helping him."
I walk over to her, she's been through so much pain and violence that the last thing she needs is to be pushed over by me or to listen to me going in on my dad. Pulling her into my arms, she comes willingly. "How the hell are you always right?" I quip kissing her head.
"Get used to it," Dad laughs. "You've found yourself a good one son, don't let her go."
I give him a hard stare, he has no idea how to treat a woman. "I've no intention of letting her go."
"So, what's the plan now?" Mia questions, looking between us all. I take her in, her eyes are heavy and her arms are around her stomach almost as if she's protecting herself. She looks tired.
"They're not going to talk, they're trained for this shit," Dad says. "End them all and let's get out of here."
"Your dad's right, Hudson, end them and leave them on Martin's doorstep. Show him, that we know he's responsible and we're coming for him." Jagger's drawl is full of anger. I'm not the only one he's betrayed, he's done it to all my men, my family. He's played us all for a fucking long time. This wouldn't have happened if dad had been honest or kept that fucker away from us.
I nod, time to put this into action. "Jagger, sort it out. The Healy's are here to give you a hand if you need too. Dad, find out where that fucker is. I have to inform my men that there's a traitor among them. Take him out of here, those outside will be wondering what’s happened, they’ll realize they’ve fucked up when they see his body."
"What about me? What am I doing?" She sounds worried.
"You're going home to bed." I give her a look, telling her not to argue with me. "Princess, you look ready to drop."
She pouts but nods. "Fine. Although I don't know if I'll be able to. But may as well try." She walks toward the door, her head held high but I can tell by the way she's holding herself that it's not fine. She's scared.
"Princess?" I ask as I wrap my fingers around her wrist, stopping her from walking. I glance at Dad and Jagger and nod my head toward the door, telling them to leave. They don't hang around, both giving Mia an encouraging squeeze on her shoulder. Jagger lifts Macka’s body over his shoulder and they both leave Mia and I alone. "What's wrong?"
She shrugs. "What if he gets me again?" It's whisper, one that's laced with fear and pain.
"That's not going to happen. My house is locked up tighter than fort Knox. No one is getting in unless it's me. Even Jagger can't get in. When I realized that I had a traitor, I changed all codes, added better locks, and changed the camera positioning�
��s. If someone is within twenty-five meters of my house, an alarm will be sent to my phone and I'll be able to see who it is. You're safe there Mia."
Her hands go to my chest, as she stands on her tiptoes and presses a kiss against my lips. "I love you so much. Thank you," she whispers.
"Don't thank me, Princess, I'm doing what I have to so that you're safe. Without you I'm nothing." She smiles, there’s absolutely no fear in her eyes at all, she’s believes me. This is it. "You're gonna marry me," I tell her.
Her smile drops. "What?"
"You heard me, Mia. You're going to marry me."
She blinks… Once, twice, three times. "Is that your way of asking?"
"Mia, I love you and you love me. Do you see yourself with anyone else?" I give her a hard stare.
She frowns, taking a step away from me. "No."
"Then you're going to marry me."
Her lips twist into a smile. "Fine, yes, I'm going to marry you."
I smile, who knew getting engaged would make me feel relieved? "Good, I'll get it set up."
"I'm sorry?" She questions her teeth capturing her bottom lip.
"What?"
She places her hands on her hip, "Hudson Brady, did we just get engaged?"
I throw my arm around her waist and pull her toward me. "Yes."
"No ring, no getting down on bended knee? Just ‘you're going to marry me.’"
"Yeah baby. Don't worry, you'll have a ring." I kiss her lips, a calm feeling settling over me.
She huffs. "God, you're such a caveman."
"No, I just know what I want. And that's you."
A smile brightens up her face. "You have such a way with words."
"Love you, Princess." My hand tangles in her hair, my lips capture hers, my tongue invades her mouth, the kiss deepens and I direct her toward the wall. Her hands roaming my body. I need her, it's been too long since I've been inside of her. I tear my mouth away from her.
"Don't," she gasps, "I want this. I need this." She tells me as her hands go to my pants. "Hudson," she says, her chest rapidly rising and falling. "I love you, I need you like I need air. Don't treat me like I'm fragile."
Dangerous Secrets (The Kingpin Book 2) Page 13