by Winters, KB
The room went silent as her screams reverberated in the room, then a sickly gurgle, and Fiona went quiet. Her head fell to the side, but all we could see of it was her mass of ginger curls falling to the floor. The monsters had her pinned to her couch.
“Get up, Fiona,” I cried. “Please get up.” It came out as a sob even though I knew that sledgehammer of a fist had put an end to Fiona’s life.
Sweet, funny, wisecracking Fiona, who made everybody’s day better when she shot us her toothy grin, who kept the customer’s happy with her saucy comebacks when they propositioned her in exchange for their drinks.
“Why?” Jasper said. “She wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
“Fuck, man. At least she’s out of her misery,” Mace said, his voice cracking as he turned away from the grisly scene. “That’s horrendous.”
Fiona had taken more of a beating in those few minutes than I’d endured in any of my professional fights. But what had she done to deserve it? In answer, Jasper spit out, “I’ll find those motherfuckers and cut them to ribbons.”
But just as he was about to shut down his phone, the ham-fisted butcher reached into his pocket and pulled out a switchblade and flicked it open. The steel blade glinted in the track light over Fiona’s body.
“What the fuck is that bastard going to do now?” Terry muttered, almost mesmerized now by the action on the phone.
“Holy shit, no,” we screamed as one as the crazy fucker reached into Fiona’s mouth. He grabbed her tongue with one hand and sliced it clear out of her head with the other.
But Jesus Fucking Christ, that wasn’t the worst of it. Fiona wasn’t dead. She came to life, letting out a horrible scream I will never forget, a sound more animal than human. Then she gagged on the blood filling her throat and lurched in her final death move and collapsed. Thank God, that horrible act finished her.
Jasper growled. “It’s a goddamn message. They cut her tongue out which means she knew something she shouldn’t, or someone thought she did. This is war.”
I still felt sick at the brutality of Fiona’s death. I didn’t know her well, but I’d been in the family long enough that I knew pretty much everybody at least a little bit. “You think this is related to the poker games?”
All three sets of eyes swung to me. I shrugged it off; my question was legit. “What?” I said. “If it’s game-related then the women are safe and if not…”
“Shit,” Virgil barked and snatched his keys off the table. “I’m headed to the casino to check on Maisie.”
Jasper nodded even though Virgil was already out the front door and turned to my brother. “I need to update Ma on what happened.”
Terry nodded. “Call me if you need anything, I’m going to check on Kat.”
“I’ll come with you,” I told him since I had no place to be and no one to check on. I tried not to think too hard about that fact as I followed Terry out of Jasper’s place. It was located at the far end of the Ashby compound, and we had to make our way over to Kat’s house. The drive was short and silent, Terry’s jaw clenched with worry for his woman.
“Kat will be fine,” I told him. “She’s safe on Ashby property.”
“I know goddammit, but until we find out who killed Fiona and why, she’s not safe. Period.”
Chapter Four
Vanessa
“Don’t break the door down, Terry, we’re in here.”
Kat shot me a worried look as Terry rushed into her living room, interrupting our girls’ night with wine, cheese and our feet up on her couch.
“What’s going on?” she asked, her blue gaze bouncing between me and Terry, her brows dipped low with worry.
“Well?” she said when he didn’t answer fast enough.
It took me a minute to recognize the person trailing after Terry.
“Emmett,” I said like a shy teenager. “It’s good to see you again.” I hadn’t seen him much in the week since Kat left the hospital. I’d been busy nursing her back to health and tonight was part of my TLC duty.
A slow smile spread across my face as he greeted me. I put my feet down to make room for him on the couch, but Terry growled at Kat.
“We need to talk.” His dark tone meant business. “Privately. Please,” he added.
“Yeah, okay. Be right back, Vanessa.” She gave me a shrug of her shoulders before she followed him.
“Oh. Sure. Take your time,” I said and turned to Emmett after they left the room.
“You’re staring,” I said. “Do I have wine stains on my teeth?”
He laughed and said, “Not a drop of wine in sight, I’m afraid.”
“Good,” I said in the awkward moment that followed. What were we supposed to do now?
Emmett broke the ice. “So, how are you?” he said, seeming a little nervous.
“I’m all right. Still trying to figure out what to do with my life, which takes up more time than you might think.”
I wasn’t sure what was going on but I’d always enjoyed Emmett and appreciated his concern after Lance died.
“The future is a long time,” he said, relaxing a bit. “It’s a big decision that should take up a lot of brain power.”
“You seem like the kind of guy who always knows what he wants,” I said and looked away, as if maybe I’d said too much.
He shook his head, taking a seat on the other side of Kat’s dainty ass coffee table. “Not at all. The decision to join the military was an easy one, but making the trip down to the recruitment office and actually doing it, was much harder.”
I laughed. “Really? Lance thought about it on Monday and on Tuesday he was at the office. By Friday he was enlisted. I thought it as one of those things where you just kinda know, you know?”
He shrugged. “For some guys it is that simple. I served with a lot of legacy guys who were third and fourth generation servicemembers. But for me, it was an escape and a way to have a better life.”
I stared at him. This conversation was taking a turn I wouldn’t have expected for two people just shooting the breeze waiting for Kat and Terry to have their private time.
“That’s a very logical approach,” I said. Suddenly, I knew more about Emmett in three minutes than in the few months we’d passed one another at the hospital after Lance died and Kat’s shooting.
“I suppose it is,” he said and raked a hand over his newly buzzed hair. “What have you ladies been up to today?”
He sounded a little awkward, like maybe he was tired of babysitting me and wanted to Terry to come back so they could get on their way.
“Not much. Helping Maisie out with wedding details. How was poker?”
He blinked in surprise. “How’d you know…”
I chuckled. “Kat told me.”
“Ah,” he said. “I won a big pot that pretty much ended the game, so it went well. For me.”
“Not so much for the other guys?”
He hesitated, a pause that made me wonder what had gone down at the game. “Not unless they get off on giving away all their money.”
Then I heard Kat’s voice echoing from her bedroom in the back of the guest house, putting a quick stop to our shared laughter. Suddenly Emmett said, “They might be a while,” I said. “How about I give you a ride home?”
I didn’t understand. Why was he ending the evening? What was going on? As if he read my mind, he said, “You’re safe with me, Vanessa. You said you’ve been drinking, and I just want to make sure you get home safe. Or, you can wait for those two to fight and then fuck, then fight some more before they realize you’re still here.”
I thought about it and realized he was right. When those two got started, they were lost to the rest of the world.
“I’d love a ride home, Emmett. Thank you.”
Somehow, the idea sent a thrill down my spine, surprising me. I barely knew him, but something about Emmett had always been comforting during the dark days at the hospital; now he seemed more like a friend.
I laughed when he shoved his hands in
to his pockets, as if trying to appear harmless. He pointed to my shoes.
“Can you walk in those things?” he said.
“Of course, I can. Why?” I stuck out one foot, twirling my ankle to show off my white shoes with red polka dots and high heels. They were a bit too fancy for my jeans and simple t-shirt, but for girl’s night, I didn’t care. I wanted to feel a little extra tonight, especially with my red toenails peeking out.
I grabbed my phone and purse and we left quietly, though I didn’t think Kat and Terry even remembered we were there.
Emmett said, “My car is over by Jasper’s wing,” which is why he worried about my shoes. “It’s a bit of a hike.”
I stuck up my chin defiantly and said, “These are as comfortable as your shoes and twice as pretty,” adding a playful grin.
“Definitely twice as pretty,” he said. “Maybe more.”
Once outside, we fell into a comfortable silence and the cool night air wrapped around us as we walked.
We were halfway to his car when I finally found the courage to speak again. “Can I ask you something without you taking it the wrong way?” I was a little hesitant because I didn’t know him that well.
“Do I seem like a guy who gets offended easily?”
“No, actually. But you never know, so it’s better to ask up front, don’t you think?”
He flashed a friendly smile. “So, what if I do get offended? Go ahead, and you ask your question. If I find it offensive, the worst thing that can happen is you’re stuck in a tense car ride home with an infant.”
I studied him for a few seconds before I burst into a loud laugh that echoed against every hard surface in sight.
“I see your point, but if you take it that badly, I’ll just call for an Uber.”
“Smart woman,” he said. “Go ahead and ask your question, Vanessa.”
“Okay.” I sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly as I fell in step beside him. Talking to Emmett was so easy and natural, and I wanted to know more about him.
“Why did you choose mixed martial arts?” I asked. “The match I saw with Kat was insane and intense, and really fun, but you seem like such a quiet, calm guy, so I’m curious.”
He didn’t hesitate with his answer. “I see you’ve been talking to local media,” he said and laughed. “It’s a question I get often. They call me the Soft Spoken Warrior like it’s a compliment.”
“It is. Isn’t it?”
“Ehh… I don’t know. I started karate when I was a kid, mostly because I grew up in a shithole neighborhood. I was a runt and needed to be able to defend myself. The more I learned, the more I wanted to learn. When my time in the military was up, I had more training than I knew what to do with, also an in with a local fight academy.”
“House of Ashby,” I said proudly.
“Exactly. I boxed for a year or two, won a few belts, but I realized my passion was in training other fighters, helping them improve their mental toughness for that competitive edge. Sadie gave me a shot, and here I am, playing chauffer for a pretty new friend.”
Well that made me blush, but he rushed in to apologize.
“I hope I didn’t overstep,” he said.
By then, we’d reached his car. The walk had sped by faster than I had expected and I was becoming drawn to Emmett, his humor and sensitivity.
“Oh, no,” I said, gathering my wits. “Thanks, actually. And I appreciate the ride, especially in this beauty.”
I gave his black Tesla a loving rub as I made my way to the passenger side. I could tell his ride was his pride and joy.
“Thank you,” he said. “Glad you like it. I’d been looking to get one of these since they came out.”
“Nice guy. Gentle giant. And a warrior for the environment? You trying to win a Nobel, Emmett?”
I was beginning to feel we were old friends.
“Nope,” he said, grinning. “But I do like this car and sentry mode means I’ll never be caught by surprise again.”
A reminder that he’d been attacked a few weeks earlier. Sounded like it had left a bitter taste in his mouth. “It wasn’t your fault, Emmett.”
“I know, but I still don’t like that it happened. I’m a fighter, Vanessa. In the ring and also for the goddamn U.S. of A. A soldier. It never should have happened. Period.”
“Ah, I see,” I said. “You’re not just a solider and a fighter, you’re also a superhero who should be able to see into the future and stop a deranged criminal? Got it.”
“Smart ass,” he said, and I liked the easy banter between us.
“Not normally, but I’m finding my inner smart ass,” I said, realizing I was becoming proud of this emerging part of myself.
“Good. Keep her, I kind of like her.”
“You know what, Emmett? Me too.”
He walked around the car and got in.
When he smiled at me like that, it was hard to remember we were friends.
Just friends.
* * *
I finished a hard workout and stood under the high pressure shower for a good ten minutes longer than usual, letting the hot steamy jets pound my tired muscles. I turned off the water, grabbed a towel to wrap around my hair and stepped out of the shower to the insistent ringing of my front doorbell.
“What the…” Can’t I have a few minutes peace of mind, I grumbled, making a sarong out of a bath towel as a ran to shut down that bell. Someone was going to get an earful I promised myself as I flung open the front door.
“Kat! What are you doing here?”
“I told you I’d be over as soon as I finished my workout.” I’d never seen Kat in anything less than a red carpet out and here I was half-naked and my face devoid of all makeup.
“You look like that and you still work out? If you weren’t so damn nice, I’d hate you. A lot.” Kat’s blunt words never failed to put a smile on my face, and I took a step back and waved her inside.
“It’s not like I have a lot else to do right now,” I answered, “other than take care of you, of course.” She rolled her eyes and followed me down the hall and into the living room. “If it makes you feel better, I spent half an hour debating on whether or not to use the weight room or go to an actual gym.”
Her blue eyes widened in surprise and then she let out a loud, boisterous laugh that showed signs she was finally returning to the bubbly, outspoken woman she’d been before she was shot. “Why?”
I shrugged, unsure how to explain it without seeming like a grieving weirdo, but I realized this was Kat. She’d been kind to me from the moment we met. If she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, I shouldn’t be either.
“This house is great. It’s my dream home, but some days it feels like a prison. I just want to get out and live some life outside the walls. But the cheap part of me says why should I pay for a gym membership when I have a perfectly good gym here at home. Does that make sense?”
Kat nodded. “Other than the whole working out part, it makes perfect sense.”
My shoulders relaxed at her words, and I said, “Coffee?”
“Nope,” Kat said. “We’re going out.”
“We are?” I looked down at the towel wrapped around my torso and remembered the yoga pants and oversized Navy t-shirt I had planned to wear for the rest of the day. “Like out out or running errands out?”
“Put on something dazzling but comfortable. I’m sick of being stuck at home or confined to my office for just a few hours a day. I want to get out, breathe in some fresh air.”
Twenty minutes later we stepped out of her car in front of The Siren Resort & Casino in Mayhem. “Is this the fresh air you were talking about?” I said as we walked into the private luxury mall.
Kat shrugged, looking totally unapologetic as her smile spread. “This place has pure oxygen constantly pumped into it. Can’t get fresher than that.”
“I mean technically you could get actual fresh air from outside, but this is all right too.”
Kat rolled her blue eyes. “Y
es, but outside doesn’t have shopping or a brand new seafood restaurant where we can eat before heading to Wicked Wedding to meet Maisie.”
What followed was an over the top shop fest that lasted until lunch. We juggled our shopping bags, and I put my arm in hers and said, “Let’s go stuff ourselves with seafood. Where is this place you told me about?”
The Ashby name was gold in Mayhem because we didn’t have to wait more than sixty seconds to get a seat at the packed new restaurant.
“This place is gorgeous,” she said when were seated. “You’d think the whole sea motif would be tacky or overdone, but it’s not. At all.”
It was the nicest restaurant I’d ever been in. The kind of place with tons of gold flatware, most of which I had no idea how to use. “It’s great, but isn’t this kind of fancy for a mid-week lunch?”
“Not at all, Vanessa. This place is perfect.”
She clapped her hands excitedly and when the model beautiful waitress came to our table, she ordered a tasting menu that would take nearly two hours to finish. After handing the menu back to the server, she explained, “This way we can both try everything and if it’s fabulous, you can help me convince Terry to give this place a try. He won’t eat seafood that isn’t poached or deep fried.”
Her pretty laugh sparkled like crystal, drawing a few glances from nearby diners.
I couldn’t help but join in because the look on her face, the pure joy when she spoke of him, the love that shone from her face was electrifying.
“So, things with you and Terry are going well?”
“Very well.” Then she added quickly, “So far. I mean, we survived my stupid brother, me getting shot, and plenty of danger and drama, so I have confidence we can weather just about anything. But I want to date for a long time just to make sure we don’t fuck this up.”
I toyed with a fork that I’d never seen before, with just three tiny tines that didn’t look like they’d pick up sweater fuzz.
“That’s a good idea,” I said. “Lance and I dated for about seven years before we actually got married. It gave us time to grow together and to learn about each other, the good and the bad. Even the ugly.”