Stand Of Honor

by Williams, Cathryn

  “Zane, you dumbfuck. You thought we would just let you go? You knew what would happen if you ever tried to leave," Dragon taunted him. “I knew eventually I would find someone you cared for. You were smart, keeping to yourself all this time, knowing we had no one to hold over you. But that’s changed now, hasn't it? Now you’re both going to suffer the same pain I’ve endured all these years.” Dragon’s face was filled with hatred as he stared at Zane and Nick. “Although, it still doesn’t compare to the pain of me losing my brother. Consider yourself lucky,” Dragon continued as he stared at Nick, whose attention was focused on Zane.

  "Zane, what in the fuck is he talking about? Have you been working for him?" Zane could hear the shock of betrayal in Nick's voice.

  He ignored Nick and kept his attention on Dragon—now was not the time for his own explanations.

  “Dragon, you think you finally have us, don’t you?” Zane asked calmly.

  “I have your woman. Right now, she is blindfolded, tied to a wall, and a can of gasoline is close by. I look forward to watching her burn. I wonder whose name she will scream, yours or her brother’s?” Dragon said vindictively. “Don’t worry; I’ll let you know when I send you her ashes.”

  Zane saw the movement from Nick and knew he was about to break Dragon’s neck. Zane grabbed Nick’s arm and shoved him back.

  Zane nodded his head. “Think hard about what you plan to do to her because I will do the same with Ariel.”

  Dragon caught his breath for a slight moment and then laughed. “You expect me to believe you? No one can get to Ariel,” Dragon stated with confidence.

  “She’s already taken, Dragon.” Zane pushed Dragon back, letting him fall onto the couch as Nick and Zane looked down at him. Zane could feel the tension in Nick and hoped he kept his mouth shut. Nick didn’t know about this.

  “Impossible. I would know if she was gone.” Dragon leaned back on the couch and stated his assertion with confidence, however Zane could see the panic in his eyes.

  “Are you really so sure, Dragon?” Zane stepped closer, forcing Dragon to look up at his face.

  Dragon smirked again. “Yes, my men would not let Ariel out of their sight. She is safe at home.”

  Zane pulled his phone out and showed him an image, ready for Dragon’s reaction. Dragon lunged towards Zane as he reached toward his boot to pull his backup gun out that Zane already knew was there. Before Dragon could get his hand on the revolver, Zane had him face down on his stomach, grabbed the gun, and slid it towards Nick. Thankfully, Nick had enough sense to grab the gun and point it towards Dragon.

  “What’s it going to be? I’m not afraid to kill her, Dragon. She shouldn’t have to grow up in your world. You’ll just turn her into a monster like you and your brother. Killing her would be the best thing for her. She’ll know nothing but drugs and murder with you,” Zane spoke calmly, as if killing a young woman meant nothing to him.

  Dragon knew he was no match for Zane and Nick’s strength. He didn’t waste his energy struggling. Zane was aware that Dragon was shrewd and intelligent, which is why he had never been caught over the years.

  “I have been watching you for years, Zane. You will not kill her,” Dragon spoke quietly.

  Zane grabbed Dragon’s hair and jerked his head back so he could look into his eyes. “She's outside your protection now and you have so many enemies. Do you think I’m the only one that knows she is out there? You and I are both aware that others are looking for her now. She will remain hidden unless you hurt Melanie.” Zane took a deep breath. “Otherwise, I will either kill her myself, or let her be found so someone else can do as they wish with her. I still think killing her now is for her own good.”

  Zane could see Dragon weighing his options, and he was tired of living his life constantly looking over his shoulder and under Dragon's control. He wanted to kill Dragon now and get rid of this burden.

  “Nick doesn't know that you’ve been with me for all these years?" Dragon sneered, Nick saw which way Dragon’s mind was turning. He was making a last attempt at the revenge he had waited years for.

  "What the hell is he talking about, Zane?" Nick asked harshly.

  Dragon continued, his eyes on Zane, "Zane has been my collector. I send him after those that try to escape." He looked up at Zane and smiled, giving Nick the illusion that it was a mutual working relationship. "He has been compensated well."

  Zane didn't try to explain the truth. He would tell the whole story to Nick eventually. Right now, he had a job to do.

  "Enough." Zane kept his voice steady.

  He knew Dragon wouldn't let anything happen to Ariel. She was his and Matthew's half-sister—the only remaining member of their family and his only weakness. Dragon had kept his distance from his half-sister for her own safety, yet Zane had always known about her. If Dragon had ever come after him or someone he cared for, he had planned that his only way out would be to take Ariel.

  In order to keep tabs on Ariel, Zane had used Dragon's money to pay an insider with close access to her. He had to have someone that could give him access to Ariel at any moment.

  That was the first phone call he’d made after he had discovered Melanie had been taken. His contact had delivered Ariel. Ty and Lane were both watching her now. It was why he had given them both a place to live at the gym and trained them for free. To have two street smart thugs in his back pocket kept him in the know for the information he required as well as his own backup when he needed it.

  He had used the rest of the money to help the others pay back their debts to Dragon.

  This was the first time he had the upper hand on Dragon. Dragon was always careful and knew how to keep him in line. Zane had put up with it as long as he could, but it was time to end Dragon. He had hurt too many innocents. Melanie would be his last.

  Dragon relaxed his body. Zane had to give him credit, Dragon knew when he was beat.

  "Why did you come here, Zane? You already know where she is," Dragon said quietly, seeing the answer in his eyes.

  "You mother fucker, tell me where she is!" Nick leaned down and put the barrel of the gun to Dragon's forehead.

  Dragon didn't flinch; he kept his gaze on Zane. Nick couldn't get it through his thick skull that Dragon had never feared for his own life.

  "Because, I told you, I'm done," Zane spoke, ignoring Nick. "I tried to let you end this peacefully between us, Dragon. You should have just let me go. Let us all go.”

  "You are released," Dragon said the words that Zane was confident he had never said before. They were the words he had been waiting to hear for so many years, however Zane didn't believe him. Dragon couldn’t change the man he was any more than Zane could change himself.

  "How am I supposed to believe you?" Zane asked regretfully. They were both aware that there was only one true solution.

  "I know you came here to kill me, Zane. Set Ariel free. She will be safe once I'm dead." Dragon’s voice was resigned.

  Zane shoved Dragon over onto his back and then took the gun out of Nick's hand. He was resigned to the fact that he had to kill him. There was no choice.

  As he looked down at Dragon's stoic face, he felt no satisfaction at bringing an end to Dragon’s power over them. He was finally strong enough to bring Dragon to justice. He had tortured and murdered so many people that he deserved to die. Zane had hoped and prayed over the years that someone stronger, or even the police, would bring an end to his reign. No one had, so it was time someone took a stand and ended this man’s tyranny.

  Without another moment's hesitation, Zane pulled the trigger.

  Chapter 24

  Melanie jumped when she heard distant voices outside the door. She had been shackled to the wall and had finally dozed off due to pure exhaustion. She had tried so hard to pull her wrists free that she had left them scraped and bloody.

  She held herself still, waiting for the door to open. She had been alone all night with only a small pot to relieve herself when necessary. She didn't know who had
her, but by their Spanish accents and knowing the Mexican drug cartels were thriving, she assumed her kidnappers dealt in drugs.

  What she couldn't understand was what they wanted with her. She wasn't involved in any way, so it didn't make sense. As she heard the voices approach, she felt the fear rise inside of her.

  She waited for what seemed like forever, yet no one entered. It sounded like they changed directions. She leaned her head back against the brick wall, looking around at her surroundings again. She was in a basement. The windows were covered and there was just a sliver of moonlight coming through one of the covers.

  She thought back to how the night had gone. When she had pulled into her apartment complex, she had been so furious with Zane that she hadn’t thought to grab the taser or even look around like she usually did. It figured one of the few times she wasn't cautious, she got snatched.

  When she’d heard footsteps rushing from behind her, she only had two items in her hand to drop to help someone find her, her phone and keys. The keys would have been too obvious, so she quickly tossed her phone down as she was scooped up from behind.

  Melanie fought with everything she had. She had been able to get a kick into one of the men, but the one that grabbed her from behind had been too big and strong. He’d had her locked in his arms and she hadn’t been able to break free. Before she could scream, the other man had gagged her and then they’d thrown her into the back of a van. Just like in the fucking movies; girl alone in a parking lot then taken and thrown into the back of a vehicle, taken to an unknown location. She wondered how this movie was going to end.

  She wouldn't let herself cry. She was still alive, so they must be keeping her for a reason. Hopefully that reason would come to her rescue. She thought about Zane and Nick and wondered if this had anything to do with either of them. She had always wondered what Zane did on the nights they didn't spend together. Until tonight, she had never had any reason to doubt him, but after seeing him with that bitch, who knew what he was capable of.

  As for Nick, she’d noticed he had been keeping to himself more. He never would tell her when he was seeing someone, and he was out of town a lot. She wondered if he was really taking those trips for business or if he was into something else. He had always been there for her and had her back, however she had seen a perpetual darkness in the back of his eyes. Now she wished she had delved deeper to find out what was going on in his head.

  She started hearing shouts outside the door and waited to see if anyone would enter this time, then jumped when she heard a gunshot. She started pulling her wrists though the shackles again and whimpered when she rubbed her raw skin against the metal. They were too tight—she couldn't escape. She had to accept whatever was about to happen, but she would fight back until the end.

  As the door slammed open and the lights came on, she blinked her eyes, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness. Before she could focus, she heard Nick's voice.

  "She's in here!" She heard him yell back to someone.

  As she slowly adjusted to the light, she saw Nick rushing towards her.

  "Oh, my God, are you okay?" When he dropped to his knees in front of her, she could see the tears in his eyes. Seeing those tears brought the emotion out in her as well. She could only nod her head in response.

  "I'm so sorry, Melanie." Nick held her face between his hands as he glanced down at her restraints then looked around the room to see if there was anything he could use to free her.

  She heard a sound and looked up towards the door. It was Zane. Their eyes locked onto each other's and she could see the relief in his eyes. She wanted nothing more than for him to rush to her and hold her in his arms. Right now, she didn't care about what had happened earlier. Nevertheless, he stayed at the door. She kept her face blank so he couldn't see her despair.

  "I can't find anything to break her free," Nick said to him harshly. Melanie was shocked at Nick's tone. She had never heard him talk like that, especially to Zane.

  Zane nodded and looked down. Melanie followed his gaze, and saw the feet of a man lying on the ground. Zane bent down and checked his pockets, finding some keys. He picked them up and walked towards her, staring at her the entire time. As he approached, Nick grabbed the keys out of his hand and came back to Melanie to unlock her wrists.

  She looked back and forth between the two of them. What the hell was going on?

  Nick unlocked her wrists and saw the raw skin and squeezed her hands in sympathy.

  "That's my sister. Always the fighter," Nick said gruffly.

  "Let's go before anyone else shows up," Zane commanded.

  Nick helped Melanie to her feet. Her legs were sore and she was slow moving at first, however she sensed their urgency and picked up the pace quickly. As they rushed up the stairs, she saw the bodies of several men scattered throughout the house. She had to step over at least two men before they reached the front door. She heard them moaning, so at least they weren't dead.

  Zane opened the front door and looked around before motioning them to follow. They quickly exited the house and ran along a tree line to stay out of sight. Zane ran to a dark sedan and she and Nick quickly entered the car with him before Zane pulled out quickly and sped away from the house.

  She wanted to ask them what had happened, but something kept her silent. The tension between Zane and Nick was almost tangible—she would have to wait for answers.

  As Zane pulled up to Nick's house, he turned to him.

  "I'll make sure they don't come after either one of you again," Zane said quietly.

  "You do that," Nick growled, stepping out of the car. He opened the back door to help Melanie out. As he did so, she looked back at Zane, yet he kept his head forward. Before she could speak, Nick pulled her away from the car and shut the door. She then watched as Zane took off down the street.

  She looked up at Nick. "What the hell is going on?"

  "Let's get in the house and I'll explain," Nick replied.

  They walked into the house and he pulled her to the couch. He went into the bathroom and came back with some ointment and bandages for her wrists. As he sat down to administer the medication, he started to speak.

  "Melanie, do you remember much from the day Mom died?" Nick asked her.

  "Yes, I remember everything from that day," Melanie replied. There were always some memories you could never let go, no matter how many years passed.

  "What about the guy that stabbed her?" Nick continued.

  "Yeah, I remember you punching him after Mom… passed." Melanie felt herself shaking, seeing it happen again in her mind.

  "His name was Matthew. I was so angry… all I wanted to do was keep hitting him until he was dead, too. He had just taken our mother, and he just stood there like he didn't care."

  Melanie sat quietly as she watched her brother relive that day. She didn't know why he was bringing this up now and was curious to hear the rest of this story. He finished wrapping her wrists and leaned back on the couch.

  "They took him straight to the juvenile detention center after it happened. The next morning, I called the center to ask what his punishment was going to be." Nick was breathing heavily now. "They said that a family member had gotten him out and someone would be following up with official charges. I couldn't understand how they could let a murderer free just like that. I tried to ask more questions, but they wouldn't tell me anything.”

  "I never knew." Melanie was surprised that Nick had never shared this with her.

  "I know. You were so young. Dad and I thought it was best if you thought he was in jail."

  Nick took another deep breath. "When you went with Dad to make arrangements for Mom's funeral, I went to meet Zane. He promised he would help make him pay for killing Mom. We were both too fucked up with grief to think rationally as he went looking for him.”

  Melanie felt herself stiffening. She didn't like where this was going or the look on Nick’s face that he made no effort to hide.

  "We knew where he hung ou
t. He worked for his brother, selling drugs to middle schoolers. He was there that evening, selling drugs and joking with his friends the day after had Mom died, like it had never happened." Nick was becoming more heated as he spoke.

  "We waited until he was finally alone, then Zane kept a look out while I went to confront him. I came up behind him and he turned as he heard me approach. When he saw me, he pulled out a fucking knife and held it towards me." Nick's voice got even harder. "He said, I'll kill you like I killed your mother, and then he came after me. I realize now that he was high. Not that it would have made a difference. When he lunged at me, I grabbed his wrist and took the knife from him. I stabbed him in the chest, Melanie. I was so angry at him over Mom, then him trying to kill me, that I reacted without thinking.” He stood up, turning away from Melanie. “I wasn’t sorry. Not then and not now.”

  Melanie gasped. She had always thought the boy who had killed their mother had gotten murdered in jail. At least, that's what her dad and Nick had told her.

  "I stared down at him, blood pouring out of him, and I didn't care. It felt good knowing he was going to die. He had killed Mom. I had stood and watched him sell drugs to young kids all afternoon. Before I knew what was happening, Zane was there, wiping my fingerprints off the knife and pulling me away. We got away as fast as we could before anyone could see us."

  "Oh, my God, Nick. You killed him?" Melanie was stunned.

  "He deserved it, Melanie," Nick said forcefully. She heard no remorse in his voice.

  "And Zane was in on it?" This went beyond Melanie's wildest imagination as a feeling of deep sadness washed over her that Nick and Zane had carried this secret with them for years.

  "He saved me from getting caught." Nick said it coldly with no hint of gratitude.

  “Did Dad know?”

  “Yes. He told both of us to keep our mouths closed.”

  Melanie tried to process everything her brother was telling her. She was still in shock from learning her brother had killed someone, yet she couldn't understand the animosity between him and Zane.