by B. B. Reid
“What do you mean? What happened to his mother?”
“She’d dead,” he answered. His face and voice was void of any emotion.
“Did she overdose? Keiran said she was a prostitute and a drug addict.”
He regarded me with an impatient look and a twist of his lips. “No wonder my son has such an easy time manipulating you. Your propensity for being gullible is astounding or is it my son’s cock that makes you so trusting?”
“What happened to her?” I bit out. Mitch was treating this whole situation like a puzzle that he wanted me to piece together with half-truths.
“She was murdered.” All the moisture in my mouth disappeared instantly.
“Who murdered her?” I managed to ask around my nervousness.
He watched me with an amused look. “I can tell by the look in your eyes that you already know who.”
“You’re lying!” I cried. My emotions were spilling over and overwhelming me. I was unwilling to believe that Keiran would murder his own mother in cold blood.
“Yes, he most certainly did.” he said, answering my silent question.
“How do you know that?”
“Because I was there when he put the bullet in her head. My son is a cold piece of work. I see he worked you over pretty well. Got you to fall for him, did he?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Why would he kill his own mother?”
“Because he’s a cold-blooded killer. He was trained that way. While most kids were being tucked in at night and being read bed-time stories my son was out running with the most deadliest of criminals and committing unspeakable acts.”
“But why would she let him do that? She was supposed to protect him.”
“She hardly had a say in anything he did. I was responsible for that. His mother was weak. We had some…disagreements and so she left me just after he was born without a word or trace.” His voice lowered and his eyes darkened as he spoke. “Naturally, I searched for them but came up short for a while. Her father had been her only family and but died when she was six months pregnant so it was difficult to find her. I’d almost given up until a month before his first birthday. By then I was filled with nothing but contempt for the bitch and the need for revenge so I took my son.”
“Why wasn’t there any record of his birth or a custody suit?” He looked at me in surprise as a smile spread across his face.
“I see you’ve been doing some digging. She had a home birth and there wasn’t a custody case because I wasn’t going to let a judge decide if my son belonged to me or not.”
“Oh God…you kidnapped him.”
“Yes, I did.” He watched me closely for a reaction as he took a sip of his drink.
“So there would have been a missing person’s report…”
“Not if his mother didn’t file one.”
“Why wouldn’t she file a missing person’s report for her child?”
“Why indeed. I think it might have had something to do with the fact that she was running from me. She’d never even had him registered after she left me so there was no record that he was even born so who would believe her?”
“Why would she hide from you?”
“Because she’s a selfish bitch. I offered her the chance to have money and status but it wasn’t enough,” he bit out angrily.
“So what did you do with Keiran for seven years and how did you keep quiet for so long that you had a son?” I just had to keep him talking and then maybe I could figure my way out of this and get some answers.
“I was in debt to a man who ran a very lucrative crime organization that was slightly unorthodox.”
“In what way?”
“Let’s just say they put a new meaning to the term “child slavery” because these kids weren’t thrown in a sweat shop and working for less than minimum wage. These kids were working for their lives.”
“So you gave him to them?” My heart felt like it stopped as I pictured Keiran suffering along with God knows how many other faceless children.
“No, I sold him to them.” The gasp that left my chest was heavy and full of pain and sorrow. He used to be a partner with the people who owned me. I recalled Keiran’s words from earlier today. My heart broke for him all over again.
“You sold your own son?” I wanted to punch something—preferably Mitch fucking Masters.
“My son,” he sneered, “was created to make me money, nothing more. If he couldn’t get it for me the way I planned then I had to make adjustments.”
“He’s your son!”
“He was a means to an end!” Mitch roared. His face was now contorted with barely controlled rage. I fell silent as I pieced together what he was telling. A moment later he was the cool, unassuming man I was fooled to think he was. “I left him with a family who worked under their organization until he was old enough to work. I kept tabs on him because he was still valuable to me.”
“What is this organization called?”
“Come now,” he reproached. “You’re going to get me killed.” I wish. “Not even Keiran knows who they really are.” Could that be true? It was believable considering his age at the time.
“So how did he end up with his uncle? Did you suddenly grow a conscience?” I asked in disbelief.
“Just after he turned eight, my money ran dry again so I realized I needed to resume my old plan and marry. I coerced his bitch mother with a chance to save her son if she came away to marry me.”
“But how would you explain your eight year old son?”
“I would have explained to my family that she was a long lost love and had gotten pregnant before we lost touch. My family had never met her before, nor had any of my friends.”
“But Keiran ruined your plan when he killed her.”
“Not quite.” Just then his phone rang and he sent me an apologetic smile. “Excuse me. I really must take this call.” Once he stepped out of the room I rushed for the door but heard the sound of a key turning. I tried the doorknob anyway and found it locked. I banged furiously against the door but he never returned for some time.
I sat in that room running through everything he had revealed. It felt like hours later when I heard any semblance of sound outside the door. I could hear heavy thuds and grunts that sounded strangely as if someone was being beaten. I hoped by some miracle that Keiran or someone had found me and began screaming for help.
Not long after, Mitch reappeared in the bedroom I was being held in. The scrape of the key in the lock alerted me of his return. “I want you to behave now. We have company.”
“Who?”
“In due time. I’ve just learned that my son has left Six Forks unexpectedly. This will certainly put a delay in my plans that I cannot afford. I need a favor.”
“You’re joking right?”
“Afraid not.”
“Well that’s too bad because the only thing I’m willing to do for you is to show you where to fuck off.” The hard feeling of his palm on my face sent me flying to the floor and burning pain followed.
“Now that was your first and only warning.” He pulled out his cellphone and handed it to me. I cautiously looked up at him from the floor. “Call my son.”
Despite his warning I wasn’t willing to put Keiran in danger. Yeah, I don’t get that either. “No.”
“Excuse me?”
“I said no. You’re just going to have to kill me.”
The temperature in the room seemed to drop a few hundred degrees that could freeze over hell. He watched me for a moment with unmistakable rage simmering within his eyes before he swiftly turned and headed back out the door. He was back before I could make a dash for the door and freedom. It sounded like he was dragging something or rather someone as I soon found out. I first noticed a familiar head, full of dark spiked hair. “It may not be you that I start with…” he warned.
“Keenan!” I was horrified at this sight of his still body bleeding in various places. I immediately crawled over to him to see
if he was breathing. When I felt the shallow rise and fall of his breathing I sent a silent prayer. How did he get Keenan and why?
“What did you do to him?” I screamed.
“My nephew wasn’t exactly cooperative with the men I hired. Took three of them to bring him down. They roughed him up pretty good.” He shrugged as if it didn’t matter either way to him.
“Why Keenan?”
“I’ve decided to go after all of it. We are essentially the last of a dying breed and I could give two shits about continuing the line. If I kill them all then all the monies are mine.”
“No.” I shielded Keenan with my body. I had to do whatever it took to keep him safe.
“Oh don’t worry. I won’t kill him just yet. He is extra incentive to get Keiran here.”
“What about his father, your brother?”
“I’m saving him for last. I want his death to be slow and painful.” As he spoke about his brother I couldn’t miss the deep hatred lacing his tone.
“You would take your brother’s life too?”
“My brother has taken much more from me.” He looked in Keenan’s direction brief before shooting his eyes back to me. “Now make the call.” He dropped the phone in my lap but I let it lay there untouched until he suddenly pulled out a gun and aimed it at Keenan.
“Ok!” I held out my hands in surrender before picking up the phone.
“Good girl. Keiran trained you well.”
I dialed Keiran’s number and prayed he didn’t answer. But when he finally did I realized how much I loved and missed the sound of his voice even though now it sounded gruff and full of impatience.
“Who the fuck is this?” he barked.
“Keiran…”
“Lake? Where the fuck are you?” he asked. I could hear the rage but I could also hear the desperation in his voice.
“I don’t know.” I instantly broke down crying. Mitch snatched the phone out of my hands.
“Hello, son. You haven’t forgotten about your father all these years have you?” I didn’t hear the rest of the conversation. Mitch had walked out, locking me in the room with an unconscious Keenan.
I was afraid for him with not knowing the extent of his injuries. Not to mention being unable to form a clue as to how to get us out of all this safely. I wasn’t dumb enough to believe that Mitch would let me walk away from this. Not after everything he had revealed.
“Keenan,” I whispered. “If you can hear me, you need to wake up…please wake up.” I nudged him and amazingly he began to stir and groan in pain. When his eyes finally opened he instantly shut them squeezed them closed again.
“Shit,” he grumbled.
“It’s worse than shit,” I half joked.
“Lake?” he groaned out.
“Yes, it’s me. Can you sit up?” He exhaled and slowly moved until he was sitting on the floor next to me. “How bad did they hurt you?”
“They?” he asked with a confused look.
“You don’t remember?” He was quiet but the moment he remembered what happened his expression changed to anger.
“You mind telling me who the fuck that guy was?” he growled.
I blanched and stared at him. This time I was the one confused. “You mean you don’t know?” He shot me an impatient look and my frown deepened.
“No, I don’t.”
“He’s – he’s your uncle.” Silence stretched between us but a look of incredulity was plastered all over his face.
“My uncle? I don’t have an uncle. The only uncle I would have is Keiran’s father and he’s dead.”
“Well the dead have risen from the grave because that is him.”
Are you shitting me?”
“Fraid not.” He blew out a breath and shook his head. “Not to rock the boat or anything but the guy is whacked.”
“Yeah, thanks, I hadn’t noticed, “he said sarcastically.
“Did he say anything to you at all?”
He frowned. “Only that it was time that I paid what was owed to him. Who says shit like that?”
“How much do you know about your inheritance?”
“Inheritance? I have a college fund my dad said was set up for me but that’s about it.”
“Well apparently you’re worth millions and he wants it.”
“No way.”
“It’s true.”
“Son of a bitch,” he groaned. “We need to find a way to call Keiran.”
“Already did.”
“How?” he asked with his eyebrows raised.
“He made me. He wants to kill you both.”
“Well fuck…”
* * *
Keenan and I were thinking up an escape plan when Mitch burst into the room along with two other men. He looked between Keenan and me before motioning the men towards us. However, his little henchman both grabbed Keenan up. Keenan managed to elbow the bald one in the face and was knocked down with a hard kick to the back of his knee for his trouble.
Once they managed to wrestle him out of the room I was left with Mitch. He stared at me with a smug look. “Are you going to come more peacefully or do I need to arrange for you to be brought along?”
“I think I can manage.”
“Good to hear. That nephew of mine could be taught a few manners. It’s show time, my dear.”
“Do I get any last requests?”
“What makes you so sure that I will kill you?”
“You told me too much…and your eyes give away everything. You’re evil and empty. Incapable of goodwill or remorse.”
“You have a wonderful mind. It is such a shame that it must be eradicated. Shall we?”
He gestured for the door and I walked through it but stopped once I was in the hallway. The house from what I could see looked ordinary but large. He led us outside where two cars with heavily tinted windows were waiting. I slid into the car he directed me to and waited for him to finish talking with his men. Once he climbed inside the car, he pulled out a black scrap of material
“This is for your eyes. Can’t be too careful.” He wrapped and tied the blindfold around my face and once complete the car drove off.
“Where is Keenan?”
“Don’t worry about it. Your part is all that should matter to you. The pieces will fall where I tell them to.”
* * *
I knew the moment we were no longer on the main road. It must have been a dirt path or a gravel road we turned on when the ride turned bumpy. We finally stopped with a screech of tires as the driver slammed on the brakes and cursed.
“Leave it to my boy to take me by surprise.” I heard his amused chuckle come from my right.
“Boss, what do we do?”
“We get out.”
Mitch had tied my hands minutes ago so when I heard the sound of the car doors opening. I was then dragged out of the car and thrown to the ground. “Careful with her,” Mitch said, his voice sounding annoyed. “She’s precious cargo and by the look on my son’s face, he looks ready to kill us all right now.”
“It sounds as if you are afraid of your own son,” I mocked.
“Lake,” I heard the familiar call of my name from a short distance in front of me. Keiran. He must be closer than I thought. I unconsciously took a step toward the sound of his voice but was snatched back by a rough hand on my hair. My cry of pain pierced the cold night air and I was brought back against a man’s chest. “You’re going to lose that when I kill you,” I heard Keiran say. The stench of the man’s breath spread across my cheek when he laughed and pulled on my hair more.
“Son –” Mitch began.
“I’m not your son.” I could hear the anger in Keiran’s voice and wished I could see his face.
“Keiran, they have Keenan!”
“Ah, yes. Bring the bastard the out,” Mitch coldly stated. I heard footsteps and then the sound of doors opening and slamming. Keenan began yelling obscenities as soon as he was out of the car. My blindfold was suddenly ripped away and when my eyes adjuste
d to the darkness I could see Keiran standing about thirty feet away. He was dressed in all black with a duffel bag on the hood of his car.
“Why the fuck are you here?” Keiran asked. He didn’t at all seem surprised to find that his father was very much alive or else he hid it well.
“I would think you would be happy to see me since you have been looking for me.”
“I made no secret of it.”
“No…you didn’t, did you? Well, here I am.”
“And all this?”
“The only reason you didn’t kill me as soon as I arrived.” Keiran stared at him and then grabbed the duffle bag, tossing it to Mitch’s feet. Mitch’s gaze flicked to the black bag and then back to Keiran. “What’s this?”
“Twenty grand in cash. Leave.”
Mitch smiled at Keiran. “She must be a special girl,” he remarked. “That’s romantic of you son but I’m afraid that isn’t enough. You see…you and Keenan,” he sneered his name, “are worth so much more than that.”
“Take the money, bitch.” Keenan spit at the ground near Mitch.
His gaze was cold as he took in Keenan. “You are every bit of your father.”
“You mean your brother, pussy?”
“Keenan!” Keiran yelled, catching Keenan’s attention. The cousins appeared to be having a silent battle and then Keenan sucked his teeth and glared at Mitch.
“Why wait ten years?” When everyone’s heads shifted to me I realized I had spoken the question out loud.
“Believe it or not, Miss Monroe, I did not come to the decision to kill my only child so easily and there was still hope of marrying someone as naive as his mother had been. After all I was pretty young myself. And there was this other little hiccup that says I’m supposed to be dead.”
“So how do you plan to get away with this?”
“It isn’t a crime to return from the dead. A quick DNA test will prove that Keiran was indeed my son and I collect his inheritance. After I take care of my brother there will be no one left to refute any of it.”
“You won’t touch my father,” Keenan growled.
“Son, you won’t be around to stop me.”