by Vance, Ally
“Yes?” I growl into the speaker.
Whoever is bothering me in the middle of the fucking night better have a damn good reason for it. A familiar female voice simpers down the line, and I pinch the bridge of my nose to keep from hanging up on her. Fucking Caryn.
A cacophony of noise in the background smothers Caryn’s voice. I pick out the sound of a woman screaming and threatening bodily harm in between pleading with whoever else is there to let her go.
“We have your payment. It’s a little different from what you were expecting, I’m sure. But your reputation precedes you…I think you’ll have fun extracting every ounce of pain and blood from her,” she says smugly, and her sheer audacity causes me to lose my fucking temper.
“Who the hell do you think you are, Caryn? You’re playing a dangerous fucking game. You seem to have forgotten that it’s not me you’re paying back, it’s Arthur. It’s also your debt; it doesn’t belong to the pathetic fools you choose to deal with, and it’s definitely not for you to decide what or who is of equal value to the amount you owe,” I bite out, each word carrying more anger than the last.
This woman’s assumptions about me as well as her stupidity in trying to avoid paying her debt to Arthur, has provoked the monster inside of me, and it’s baying for blood to be spilled.
However, I’m not about to unleash my anger on the distraught girl she’s taken captive who I’m guessing is some form of repayment from one of her clients. No…I make the fucking rules, and I’m the one who decides whether to uphold or break them.
Caryn Leslie is going to pay in person for her mistakes. I’m going to paint the fucking walls red with her blood, and make her an example to others. I’m going to show them all that to disrespect Arthur and the Cavalieri Della Morte will have serious and irreversible consequences.
After double checking to make sure I’ve got everything I need, I grab my car keys and head out to the garage. I slide into the driver’s seat of my sedan and pull the door closed with a click. It’s dark and quiet in the car, the tinted windows giving it an almost cave-like feel. This time of year, the nights are darker and the air colder; it’s perfect for moving around unseen. This car isn’t exactly conspicuous, but it’s not invisible either.
The roads are nearly deserted apart from the occasional truck driver, so I’m able to open up the throttle and speed down the highway, arriving at my destination in next to no time at all. After I pull into a vacant spot in the parking lot of the club, I kill the ignition and sit quietly while carefully planning my next move.
The streetlight shines on the sign for ‘Club Wicked’. I can see it through my windscreen, and the incessant flickering of a faulty bulb on the letter ‘W’, irritates me further. In fact, now I’m observing more closely, I notice the whole place looks rundown and is definitely not in the best of shape. Now I understand why the payments have stopped.
I’d rather be anywhere other than here at 4AM, but the stupid bitch woke me up with her shit, and now I’ve got to take care of it. Caryn’s played the wrong move in a dangerous game, and in this hand no one fucking wins but me. I’m here to collect the payment she’s arranged, but I already know it won’t be enough. Pay up, or pay the reaper...
I take a deep breath to help dull the anger I’m feeling and open the door. Walking to the rear of the car, I open the trunk and cast my eyes over the contents, looking for what I need. I unclasp the small case nearest to me, and withdrawing my favorite blade and gun, I strap them both onto my belt.
The gun is fully loaded with the suppressor already fitted, so I don’t need to fuck around in emergencies. I’d rather not use the gun; I prefer to get up close and personal with a blade. It’s more satisfying to watch the light leave a person’s eyes and know I’m the last thing they’ll see before their heart stops beating. Having armed myself, I shut the lid of the trunk. I press a button on the fob, and the locks engage with a quiet click.
Walking up to the service entrance door, I press the security buzzer to alert them to my presence. After a few moments, the door opens; one of Caryn’s security guards is standing on the other side. I barely spare him a glance as I walk through the door into the building. This isn’t the first time I’ve been here, but after tonight it will probably be the last.
Caryn Leslie won’t be leaving here, not in one piece at least. She’s about to learn that our organization isn’t to be underestimated or fucked with. This shit may catch up with me one day, but no one is going to be crying over that bitch in the morning.
The security guard is following me. “She’s downstairs. It’s the door on the left,” he mutters, and I can hear the nervous tremor in his voice.
I twist my head to look at him. “Interfere and it’ll be more than just her paying tonight.”
His breath hitches, and I turn away from him with a grin. I’m a hell of a lot younger than the muscle she pays to be her security, but it doesn’t mean this guard isn’t shitting himself. He knows that when I make a threat, I’ll see it through to the bitter, bloody end.
Pushing my way through the door he indicated, I start to descend the stairs. When I’m halfway down, I hear muffled shouting and masculine grunts mixed with feminine screams and the sound of slapping flesh. What the fuck are they doing down there?
Finding another door at the bottom of the stairs, I twist the handle and open it slowly. I want to know what I’m up against before I go charging in. The scene before me is the last thing I expected to see. Caryn is bent over a wooden table, and one of the men who usually accompanies her is thrusting into her without pause. I’d almost feel sorry for him, but with the position they’re in, at least he doesn’t have to look at her.
Faint whimpers draw my attention to the corner of the room where another of Caryn’s idiots is gripping a young woman. His free hand is wandering over her body, but his eyes are fixed on the two cunts fucking on the table. The gag in her mouth tells me this must be the vocal young woman I heard screaming when I was on the phone with Caryn earlier. Even in this faint light, I see the dried tear streaks on the girl’s face, and I can tell from her weak struggles his touch isn’t welcome. I’ve no doubt this is who they thought they could buy me off with…like fuck.
My lip curls in disgust, and I slink forward into the room. Keeping my footsteps light, I stay hidden within what little shadow there is. I don’t want them to know I’m already in the room. Caryn lets out a long moan, and the sounds of fucking increase in tempo until a low grunt fills the room and they fall silent. Thank fuck that’s over. I’ve seen and done some fucked up shit in the past but seeing that was definitely not on my bucket list.
Making my way farther into the room, I draw my knife slowly from its sheath. I wait until the man has straightened up and then pounce, sinking four inches of razor sharp metal between his shoulder blades. I yank the knife out in one swift motion and let him drop to the floor before pointing the dripping blade at Caryn who’s spun around to face me.
“I’m here to collect, Caryn,” I hiss, moving closer until the tip is pressed against her chest, directly above her sternum.
If I were to apply pressure, it would easily pierce through her trachea. I’m no expert at biology, but I know enough about how to kill a person to be effective at what I do. It doesn’t mean I’ll choose the easiest option. Sometimes I like to have a little fun first.
Confirming my initial suspicions, Caryn jerks her head toward the young woman and says, “She’s over in the corner.”
Caryn’s face is composed, and her voice is calm in spite of me having stabbed one of her men less than a meter away from her. The stupid cunt is underestimating me if she thinks I’ll take what she’s offering and call it square. I’m not willing to play by her rules; I’m in control of every aspect of this game, and she’s a fucking fool if she believes she has the upper hand.
Digging in the knife, I’m satisfied by the wince she unwittingly displays when the blade pierces her skin as well as the flash of fear I see in her dull eyes. I c
ast my gaze over to the corner where the young woman is still feebly struggling against the moron who was intimately touching her moments ago. Caryn believes this girl will serve as payment by satisfying my thirst for blood. I’m interested, but I’m not fucking stupid. Arthur wants what is owed to him, and I’ll get it from Caryn by any means necessary.
Anger burns through me at Caryn’s next words, “Like what you see, Galahad?”
My head snaps back around, and I glare at her, “What I do or don’t like is none of your fucking concern. You have a fucking debt which needs to be cleared.”
“As far as I’m concerned, you little delinquent, she is more than sufficient,” Caryn spits out, but she doesn’t succeed in hiding the quiver in her voice.
“Her brother, Arron, owes me a significant sum of money. The stupid fuck offered her up as his bet and he lost. He’s still got to pay off the rest of what he owes, but she’s a start. Take her, and I’ll get the rest of your money as soon as I can,” Caryn says.
I dig the knife in deeper and threaten, “It’s Arthur’s money, not mine. You have a fortnight to get the full amount owed, or I’ll come for you and her useless fuck of a brother, and neither of you will walk away from this alive.”
Seth
I head for the corner of the room where the woman is still being held by Caryn’s lackey and slam the butt of my knife into the fucker’s nose, relishing in the sound of crunching cartilage as his nose breaks. Yelping in pain, he releases the woman and immediately reaches up to clutch at his face.
I catch the woman before she hits the ground, and she starts thrashing against my hold.
“Stop it,” I growl, holding her more firmly.
Although I have a feeling I’m going to regret this, I’m always willing to change the rules to suit my needs. This whole situation is fucked. However, I have a feeling something else is going on here, and I don’t want to be blindsided. I don’t trust Caryn, but my gut is telling me to hold back from finishing her off, so I will...for now.
“You’re coming with me,” I say to the girl. “You better stop that shit. I won’t hesitate to make you bleed if you don’t.”
“That goes for you too, Caryn. You’ve got two weeks,” I remind her as I grab hold of the young woman in front of me. Leaving her wrists tied together, I cut through the restraints around her ankles and lead us both out of there.
I don’t know what they did to her, but she seems to be relatively unharmed...visibly at least. She continually shoots daggers at me with her eyes, which suggests it hasn’t doused her fire. I’m not going to risk removing the gag from her mouth until we’re alone, and she can’t attract unwanted attention by screaming. I yank on her arm when she stumbles, earning a glare from her.
We make our way through the club to the rear entrance where I came in. The security guy is nowhere to be seen, not that he could or would be able to stop us from leaving even if he were. It’s early still. The parking lot remains deserted and the surrounding area is quiet.
The woman inhales deeply through her nose once we are out of the building. I don’t give her any time to savor the fresh air before I start directing her toward my car. I’m glad I had the foresight to bring it; there’s no way I could have taken her on the back of my motorbike.
As we draw nearer to the car she starts to struggle, furiously shaking her head and attempting to scream beneath the gag. She kicks out, but her bare feet are incapable of causing any harm, and I don’t even flinch.
“Fucking stop. You’re coming with me and that’s final,” I hiss at her, dragging her along.
She wrenches her arms away, and before I can regain my grip, she’s loose. My breath escapes in a whoosh when her elbow jabs into my gut, winding me. Gasping, I launch myself across the parking lot after her. She’s fast, but I’m faster. I tackle her before she can get very far, taking us both to the ground.
“Fucking bitch, you’re going to learn that nobody escapes me. You may not be the payment I came to collect, but I’m taking you anyway. Don’t fucking run. If I have to chase you down again, I’ll make you fucking sorry,” I threaten, my voice barely above a whisper and my face close to hers.
Her frightened eyes widen and she whimpers. Moving off her, I get to my feet and shake my head when I see her grazed arms. I pull her upright and push her back toward the car with my hand wrapped tightly around her upper arm. She won’t be running away from me again. I’ll kill her before I let her get away.
Withdrawing the keys from my pocket, I press the button on the fob and the doors unlock with a low beep and a click. I shove her into the back of the car, engage the child-lock, and slam the door shut before getting in the front. After securing all the doors, I insert the key into the ignition and glance at the windows, glad for the heavy tinting. I twist in my seat to look at the young woman who is staring at me with fear written all over her pretty features. I’m not a scumbag like her brother and his ‘associates’, but I also can’t deny that I’m curious about her.
I reach across to her and pinch the corner of the gag that’s keeping her quiet, “You gonna be good when I take this off? If you can’t hold your tongue, I’ll cut it from your mouth,” I warn her.
She nods slowly, and I remove the gag, accidentally yanking on her blond hair which has become entangled in the knot.
“You bastard, that hurt!”
I silence her with a glare, and she inhales sharply before closing her mouth. Her lips are red and a little swollen, and I can’t help the flash of desire I feel at the sudden image of her on her knees in front of me with them wrapped around my cock. Mentally scoffing, I push the thought aside because it will never happen.
“What’s your name?” I ask since Caryn never gave it to me. She probably didn’t even know it although she seemed to be on a first name basis with the brother, Arron.
“Fuck you!” she snaps with defiance in her voice.
I lunge between the seats and grab her by the throat, squeezing a little in warning. I narrow my eyes, pinning her with my gaze.
“Don’t test me,” I grit out, and I feel her swallow beneath my hand.
“Leeann,” she says in a low voice. If I hadn’t been listening intently, I would have missed her answer.
“Much better,” I say with a grin, releasing her and dropping back into my seat.
She stays silent for a while, but I feel her eyes on me, and I find my own straying to her more than once in the rearview mirror.
Leeann
I don’t know who he is, but something tells me I’m not going to find safety with him. He doesn’t seem like any kind of hero, no matter how attractive he is with his spiky hair, mischievous grin and captivating eyes. Poisonous snakes are beautiful, but their bite can be deadly. All the people in that place were corrupt, and I’m sure he’s just as bad. He killed the other man without hesitation or warning, and I’m uncertain what it means for me.
I could kill Arron for making such a mess of things by being so damn stupid and selfish. If he hadn’t let his addiction get so far out of hand, I wouldn’t be here right now…wondering if I’ll survive. Although given the circumstances of this fucked up situation, it seems my brother and I will both be lucky to make it out alive. Arron is a fool; he’s blinded by greed and addiction, and I’m paying the ultimate price for loving him.
This guy is young. He looks to be about my age, but the way he carries himself makes him seem older and almost fearless. Even those people back at the club seemed to be wary of him. I’ve got to get away somehow, but I’ve no idea how to go about doing that. Every time I’ve fought back so far, I’ve been overpowered, but it hasn’t stopped me from trying, and it won’t.
The journey seems to go on forever, and I’m lulled into a reluctant state of calm by the steady rumble and vibration of the car. The man’s eyes repeatedly find their way to me, and occasionally our gazes meet in the mirror. I’m always the first to look away.
I stare out of the window as the highway blurs past us on the other side of
the black tinted glass.
Clearing my throat first, I break the silence. “What’s your name?”
His eyes narrow as they meet mine in the reflective glass, and he presses his lips together into a thin line. I wait with bated breath for him to answer, and when he does finally respond, I’m surprised because I never thought he would. I’m not sure why I asked; I just wanted to know something about him. He continues to regard me closely. Even in the dim light, I notice the color of his eyes is not swallowed up by the shadows. The way they pierce me is strangely hypnotic, making it hard to look away.
“Seth,” he answers shortly, and the heaviness rolling off him fills the car with tension thicker than smog.
“What are you going to do to me?” I ask, cringing inwardly at the tremble in my voice. I need to be stronger than this.
He huffs out a breath. “I think I preferred you gagged. Caryn has a fortnight to hand over all of of what she owes, and until then, you’re staying with me. Behave and I won’t do anything to you. Keep pissing me off, and I’ll fill you with holes until you bleed out.”
I inhale sharply at his words. A chill runs down my spine because I get the sense he’s dealt out a lot more death than I would wish to know about, and that he means what he says. He’s perfectly calm at the moment, but he seems more frightening now than when he was hurling threats at Caryn and the men back in the basement.
We’ve been in the car for what feels like hours, and my shoulders are aching from sitting with my arms pulled behind my back against the seat. I’m about to open my mouth to ask him how long I’ll be stuck like this in the car when I notice that the vehicle is starting to slow.
I peer through the gap in the seats and get a glimpse of the dashboard clock. It’s nearly 5AM, but the late winter mornings are still dark. Exhaustion leaves me feeling winded. The realization that my fate is now in the hands of a dangerous man, who may or may not kill me if I put a step wrong, fills me with the heavy weight of dread.