Mia’s eyes widen as Mom grabs her arm and leads her into the house. I can’t help but smile, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Mia as nervous as she is right now. She shouldn’t be worried, Dad loves her which surprised the crap out of me, and I didn’t think he was capable of loving anyone. Mom’s going to love her, because I do. It’s that simple.
My cell rings and I look down to see Jagger’s name flashing on the screen. What the hell is he calling me for? He’s meant to be spending time with Sarah and Allie. “I’ve got to take this,” I tell them and Mia immediately tenses as she does each time my phone rings.
“Go, Son, I’ve got our girl.” She assures me and I nod. She will, she’ll ensure she’s safe. Dad had Mom trained, he wanted to make sure that she knew how to protect me along with herself.
I walk back outside, knowing that Mia’s okay. “What’s up?”
“Boss, we’ve got a fucking problem,” he says through clenched teeth, a baby crying in the background
“Talk to me,” I demand. What the fuck has happened now?
He sighs, whatever is about to come out of his mouth isn’t good. Jagger always sighs when there’s bad news. It’s a tell he has, it also means I brace myself for what he’s about to say. “Aaron just called me. David's house has just been firebombed.”
“Shit. Anyone inside?” I ask, my mind immediately goes to Martin, would that fucker have done this? Of course he would have.
“His wife was inside. David is at hospital now with her. Boss, it's not looking good. Aaron said at least seventy percent of her body is burnt, she's barely breathing, and she's in a lot of pain. They don't reckon she's going to survive the night, and if she does it'll be touch and go whether her body can fight off an infection if she gets one, not to mention all the skin grafts she's going to have to have along with the surgeries. They're not optimistic at all.”
“Who?” I ask, even though I already know.
“Martin.” One word contains so much hate, and so much anger.
“How do you know it's him? Was it actually him, or is it someone else doing his dirty work?” I can’t believe this fucker is still one step ahead that he’s always still managing to screw with everyone around me.
“Yes it was him. One hundred percent. Seems as though he has no one left to do his dirty work. What the bastard didn’t know is that David had a new system put in. He wanted to ensure his family was safe. He caught that fucker on camera.”
Fuck! “Get every CCTV camera from around the area, I want to know what car he was driving and where the fuck he’s heading. This ends Jag, this ends real soon. I want that bastard six feet under.”
“We’re going to get him, Boss. He’s making mistakes now, too many.” The determination is clear to hear.
Yes he is, he got sloppy, he must have thought no one would talk. How wrong he was. Now he has no one to help him. The problem with being sloppy? You get reckless, and that means more deaths and more intensity. He’s not finished yet. I have no idea what his endgame is but I can hazard a guess… he wants me to die.
“He is and that means we have to be extra vigilant, we have to be alert. We have no idea what this fucker’s next play is. Spread the word, everyone is to be on alert. All family to be moved to a safe house. You know where.” We discussed this only yesterday, only me and Jagger know where to move the families. It’s the way it’s going to stay. Now my men have seen what Martin will do to their families, there’s no way they’d not send their families away to ensure their safety.
“The men have already been informed, all of them want Martin’s blood. He's lost the trust of all the men. There's no way they would believe that he is being set up, they've seen the evidence, all the men were at the hospital when David showed them the video…”
I cut him off. “Why wasn't I called beforehand?” I should have been informed as soon as it happened.
“Boss, that’s my fault. This is Mia’s chance at meeting your mom, you’re engaged now, Boss, I know this means a lot to Mia. The girl has been through enough, she just wants normality.”
What the hell? “Jesus fucking Christ, you've been listening to Sarah.” I laugh, someone’s taken his damn balls.
“Shut up!” he growls. “The men have seen the footage, they know he is responsible. There's no hiding from this. Before there was a slight doubt, that maybe he too was being set up like Barney had been. Now we all know that Martin set Barney up, and Barney paid the price. No one is setting Martin up, he's doing this on his own for his own benefit. He's well and truly fucked there's no coming back from this…”
“No, there was no coming back when he stole my woman, there was no coming back when he raped her. There is no coming back full stop,” I say through clenched teeth, pissed off at his choice of wording.
“Boss, I didn't mean it like that…”
“I don’t care how you meant it. I'm telling you now there was no way he was coming back at all. No matter who he’s killed. The acts he’s committed have proved that. The things he did to Mia, he took the lives of Lacey and Barney. That’s too much, I don't forgive and I certainly won't be forgiving him.” Jagger needs to shut the hell up, the man is making my anger rise.
“I'm going to be quiet now because I just keep putting my foot in my mouth. You know that I love Mia and I will do anything for her, I’d give my life to protect her. I would have done the same for Lacey. But she paid the ultimate price. I have so much guilt at not being able to get to her in time. So much guilt for not seeing what Martin was. That eats away at me every single day. I was one of the closest to him and I didn’t see the truth behind that facade. I’m grateful, it’s selfish but I am grateful that Sarah wasn't there, because no doubt if they had been in California, she would have been at that house with Lacey and Mia, then she too would have been taken.” His voice cracks at just the thought of it.
“It's not selfish. I still need to find out how he knew where Mia would be that day. The only thing I can think of is that he's had her phone tapped, traced, or some techy shit like that. He got lucky in the sense that Lacy was there too, and yes if Sarah had been there he probably would have taken her as well. You and I both know that our women mean everything, without them we are nothing, and with them we are stronger. If you take them away from us, you make an enemy for life, hurt them and you die. It's the way of life, it's the way things have to be and not only did Martin take her, he hurt her in ways that she will never be able to recover from. And for that he’ll pay the ultimate price.”
A jagged breath escapes him. “Boss, I know. But I also know that we have to be smart about this because as much as we like to think we know Martin and what he's going to do, we don't.”
It’s something I’ve known for a while, something I’ve been thinking about and I finally know how to do it. “I know Jag, I know. That’s why we are going to have to take a step back. We’re going to find out everything there is to know about Martin, search for every single detail of his life and find out what he could have planned next. Right now we are sitting ducks, waiting for him to take out one of us. We are in limbo and it’s got to stop.”
“We’ll call a meeting, have every man on it,” he tells me, but it won’t work.
“No, I have someone on it already.” My dad, I’ve told him to give me every detail of Martin’s life. As much as he’s an asshole, he actually gives a shit about Mia and I and that’s why he’ll always have our backs.
“Hudson…” he begins, and I know that he’s going to ask something, he always says my name if he wants to talk to me frankly. “Do you think you can trust him?”
“Do I trust that he’s turned his back on Martin?” I ask trying to clarify what he means.
“Yes, Martin is his son too,” he tells me something I already know.
“No, I don’t, but I do think he’ll do what’s right and as I'm the boss, his loyalty is with me.” That I can say with absolute faith.
“Good, we don’t need him having help from anyone else.”
“Hudson, are you certain?”
Fuck. “If he turns his back on me, then I won’t hesitate to put a bullet in his head.”
“Me either. You know what they say, keep your friends close…”
“Your enemies closer. Yeah I know and believe me Jag, I’ve got him closer than I’ve ever had him before.”
He makes a tutting noise. “Yeah, I know that, Boss, but he’s also got you closer than ever.”
I can’t believe this shit. This is my dad, the man’s meant to have loyalty to me. “I’m going to go, I’ll swing by the hospital once I have Mia home.”
“Okay, Boss, call me if you need me.”
“Will do, talk to you later, need to rescue my girl before mom frightens her off.”
He laughs. “No chance boss. Mia loves you.”
“She was made for me, Jag.” She really was, I never expected to find a woman who would be so fucking strong.
“Definitely was, just as Sarah was for me.”
“Okay, enough of this shit. I’ve gotta go.” I end the call and sigh, fucking Martin. He’s the bane of my existence.
I know that Mia still has trouble sleeping if I’m not in bed beside her. If I have to work late or even leave the house during the middle of the night, whenever I come back, she’ll be in the living room watching telly. Even if I am in bed with her, she still has to have the light on.
Walking back into the house, I hear laughter. I stand at the door and watch as the two women I care about most in this world, laugh as though they have no troubles.
“Has Hudson always been so…” Mia trails off as if she's trying to find the right word.
“So intense?” Mom laughs.
“Yes!” Mia cries. “Hudson’s been intense from the moment I met him. He just had this air of intensity and mystery about him. I’ve been drawn to him from the very beginning. He's so bossy and direct.” Mia bites her lip, it’s what she does if she’s worried.
“Hudson is direct, just as his father is, and no doubt just as I am. We get straight to the point, because there's no sense in beating around the bush with a hundred words, when you can say one. With Hudson, the intensity he has with you is different, his intense stems from his love. It’s obvious to see that he loves you, it's clear to see just by one look. I’ve never seen my son so… in love.” Mom smiles, she likes Mia and Mia’s comfortable around her.
“But the intensity he has with you, is his drive and his need to ensure your safety. Mia, when you were taken Hudson was a wreck, it was that moment that I know that Hudson had found the woman for him. My son doesn't become a wreck, he is the boss, and he needs to show his strength and his power. But when a man finds a woman they truly love, that woman becomes their greatest weakness,” Mom tells her and it’s not malicious, she’s informing Mia, from the wife of a boss to another. Or soon to be.
“Weakness?” Mia whispers sounding horrified.
Mom reaches over and grasps Mia’s hand. “Weakness. It's not a bad thing Mia, you’re his weakness - not in the sense that you are making him weak but in a way that if any of his enemies wanted to hurt him, the quickest way to do so is by hurting you. But while you are his weakness, you are his greatest strength, just as it should be, Mia. Do not over think it, it is what it is and there’s nothing you can do about it except be vigilant if you are out without a man on your back. Although, I doubt that will ever happen.”
I smile, she’s preparing her, informing her of everything I would never.
“This is how I knew that Harrison wasn't the man I had always believed he was. “I was the mother of his child, he would have done anything to protect me. I wasn't the woman he loved.” Mom tells her honestly, a hint of sadness in her tone, and Mia gasps, her eyes filling with tears.
Mom shakes her head. “Mia, it’s okay, it was hard but I’m okay about it now.”
“Did you know about his other son?” Mia asks softly and I tense, I haven't said anything to Mom about Martin.
“I did know. It also wasn't my place to say anything to Hudson. Harrison had a secret and it was his secret to tell. He promised me that Hudson nor I would ever have to deal with Martin or Martin’s family, that he had no intention of being a dad to him or inviting Martin into our family. I knew that Hudson's grandfather Henry wanted Martin close. Henry was all about family and he didn't agree with Harrison's decision not to have Martin part of his life.”
“Henry?” Mia laughs.
Mom rolls her eyes. “Yes, Henry, Harrison, and Hudson. If you ever have a son Mia, you’ll be expected to name him something beginning with an H.”
Something flashes through Mia’s eyes but I’m not sure what it is but as quick as it was there, it disappears.
“In the end it was Harrison's decision and it was a decision that I fully supported. By the time Harrison and I got married and we had Hudson, Martin was older and he was in with a bad crowd to be quite honest and it was something that I didn't want Hudson to be around it was also something that Harrison didn't tolerate, the family didn't tolerate it.” Mom explains and I understand why she wanted it to be a secret, but I still can’t believe that they managed to keep it quiet for over thirty years.
I step out of the shadows. “So how did he become part of the family?” I ask, knowing that I’m going to get an honest answer from mom.
“Jesus son, you scared the life out of me!” Mom cries placing a hand on her chest, her other hand still holding onto Mia’s. She takes one look at my face and realise I'm actually being serious and want answers. “Your grandfather found out about the trouble that Martin was in and decided to help him out.” She shakes her head. “Your grandfather went against your father's wishes and introduced him into family. There's only a handful of people who knew that Martin was your father's son, those people were sworn to secrecy. Your dad was livid but couldn’t do anything as your grandfather was the boss and he had to do as he said but god he hated it.”
“How did Martin find out about Dad being his dad?” I ask, and it’s something that I’ve yet to work out.
Mom shrugs. “I’m sorry son, that’s something that I don't know. You’re going to have to ask your father.”
I walk over and take a seat beside Mia. “Mom do you think dad can be trusted?” I'm asking her because after everything she's been through with him, with her being part of this life, his life, she will answer me truthfully.
“Trusted on what? That's a loaded question, Hudson.” She releases Mia’s hand, and sits back in her chair. “Can your dad be trusted in a relationship? God, no. Can he be trusted with a secret? Now, that's debatable…”
I decide to just ask her what I need to know. “Can he be trusted with my life? Will he betray me?”
She doesn’t even hesitate. “Never, he would never betray you. You are his pride and joy, whoever put that thought in your head is wrong. There is one thing in this life your dad loves and I'm looking at it right now,” she tells me honestly and I nod. “Hudson, your father is a lot of things but he would never betray you or the family.”
“So he wouldn’t help Martin?”
She frowns. “Over you? Never. He’d die first.”
That’s what I thought but so much has happened that I’m doubting everyone.
“Hudson, trust your gut,” Mom tells me. “It’s time to eat.” She rises from her chair and walks into the kitchen.
“You okay, Princess?”
She nods, a massive smile on her face, she looks breath taking. “I like your mom. She’s sweet.”
I laugh. “Mom and sweet don’t go together. Come on, let’s go and eat before it goes cold.” I get to my feet and pull Mia up, she crashes into my body and I take this opportunity to press my lips down against hers and kiss her.
Eighteen
Mia
I don't have long, I promised Jagger I would be quick. If Hudson knew that Jagger had left me alone he'd go crazy, but right now I cannot have Jagger in the stor
e with me. I told him I need to grab some sanitary towels; as soon as the words left my mouth, I knew he wouldn't be coming with me. The way his face blanched and his body cringed, a typical male way of dealing with what goes on in a woman's body.
Rushing down the aisles, trying to find what I came in for. Quickly picking up some sanitary towels and throwing them in the basket. While I'm here I grab some shampoo and conditioner, basic things that I don't have at Hudson’s. He bought me a different brand than I usually get and the soap he bought me has irritated my skin and I have a little rash. It’s sore and I’m hoping using my usual brand will ease it. Since today is the first day I've been set free, not having Hudson around me all the time. It’s what I said to Hudson this morning, he didn’t find it amusing. Finally I come down the aisle I’ve been searching for. I don't even look I just pick up a box and throw into my basket. I quickly rush to the counter, knowing that Jagger could be walking in any second.
The cashier starts ringing through the order when she comes to the box I picked up. She gives me a curious look, I close my eyes and ignore it, not wanting to talk about it and not wanting to think about it. Thankfully the cashier doesn't say anything and I pay and dash out of the store.
Sliding into the car I place the bags out my feet. “Did you get what you needed?” Jagger asks softly, he's so sweet. He’s got a glint in his eye now that Sarah's back, he's so happy.
“Thanks for bringing me, Jag.”
He shrugs as he puts the car into drive, there goes my freedom, it’s time to go home. “You're welcome, just don’t say anything to Hudson, if he knew that I let you out by yourself he’d blow a gasket.”
I laugh knowing damn well he would. “Cross my heart, your secret is safe with me. How are Allie and Sarah?” I always ask him this every time he comes to the house or when he's babysitting me. It’s the first thing out of my mouth. I always ask how my girls are, I'm sad because I haven't been able to see them since Lacey’s funeral, but I also understand why. Being around me could put them in danger and I would never want that so I agreed with the men, to keep them safe, we have to be apart.
Dangerous Secrets (The Kingpin Book 2) Page 15