The Bailey Brothers Box Set- the Complete Trilogy

by Melissa Devenport

  Van was dead??

  Ace didn’t wait for another word to spew forth from the fucker’s mouth. He rolled to the side just before another loud bang echoed through the hall. The bullet seared through the flesh of his right arm but was just a flesh wound. Registering Seth’s shock, he took the opportunity to upright himself and smash a heavy fist into his face, crunching through his teeth. In reaction, Seth dropped the gun, sending it spinning into the rubble of the broken pew. Blood poured out of his mouth but Ace was far from done. He struck the back of his elbow against the top of his skull, the crack echoing in the church. While Seth was trying to protect himself with his arm, Ace latched on and yanked it backwards at an unnatural angle. The scriptwriter screamed out in agony and his bone splintered in multiple places. Seth fell down in a heap, writhing in pain. Ace took a seat on an unbroken pew, his body finally registering the blistering pain beyond his adrenaline.

  “That wasn’t my buddy you killed… that was my brother,” Ace mumbled trying to stem the blood with his hand.

  A cold laugh broke through the silence, sending chills to Ace’s core. He looked and saw the bloodied man kneeling, looking up at him.

  “Now you know what it’s like to have someone take away something you love. I won’t stop there. I’m going to get your other brother too. And if I can’t have Jenny, then no one can.”

  As pathetic as the man seemed, the words cut through Ace like daggers. This useless weasel of a man had taken away one his brothers and was now threatening to take away the two remaining people he cared about. Rage boiled up inside of Ace has he rose up.

  “You’re not going to lay a finger on either of them.”

  “And how are you planning to stop me? We both know you’re a spineless pile of shit. All bark and no bite. Yeah, you scuffed me up a little but I’ll just come back stronger. I’m going to kill everyone you love.”

  Ace’s mind raced back to the sight of his parents riddled with holes and he saw Alice broken and dying on the sidewalk. Then he looked over at his brother, laying on his back, his breathing slowing as blood leaked from the bullet wound. He looked down at Seth.

  All he saw was red.

  Chapter 16

  JENNIFER

  “Let go of me! I need to get back to Ace! Let me down, you fucker!” Jennifer pounded her fists against Red’s back in a futile attempt to escape his grasp.

  The brother was relentless, shifting her in his grip and he quickly sprinted out the church. There was no sound coming from the church as he carried her out the side door and into the chilly night air. Grass whispered as he ran towards his bike. Suddenly, a loud bang echoed through the field and Jennifer looked back at the church.

  “That was a gunshot! We have to go back! What if Ace has been shot? Let me down!”

  She tried using her nails to claw at his skin, anything that was in reach. She tore lines down the side of his arm, drawing blood, but Red didn’t even seem to register the pain as he got to the bike.

  “Get on,” gone was the usual warmth and humor from Red’s voice. Now he was ice cold.

  “But what about Ace and Van? We need to help them,” she pleaded.

  “I said get on. I promised Ace that I would take you to safety. We are following the plan. You promised Ace too, remember?”

  Jennifer hesitated, stuck between obeying Ace’s wishes and going back to assist him. What if he’s been shot and dying right now? Her mind raced through a thousand possibilities.

  Red straddled the bike and looked back at her, “Listen Jen, there’s nothing you can do to help them right now. They’ll both be fine, we’ve dealt with far worse people than that weak little shit in there. If you went back all you’d do is get in the way and distract them. Then someone really might get hurt. Just get on the bike. We have to go. Now.”

  She took one last look at the church, fighting with her urge to run back, then clambered onto the back of the bike. The engine purred to life and Red pushed back the kickstand and started riding off back into the forest. The sound of the engine drowned out all other noise around her as they headed back towards the city.

  The fields turned into trees and from there faded into suburbs. The sleeping houses swished past as they shot through the night, back to the safety of her house. Streetlights cut through the darkness at steady intervals, bouncing off the shiny exterior of the cruiser.

  The journey must have only been an hour or so, but it felt like years to Jennifer. Her mind was racing faster than the motorbike.

  I’ve left Ace with Seth. Okay, so maybe Seth is smaller than him in size but he had a gun. It must have pissed him off with me escaping so who knows what he’s done? They could still be fighting for all I know. Or maybe all of them are dead? How would I live with myself knowing that someone has died for me? I should never have got any of them involved in this. I should have just gone to the police, or my security company. Why do I have to be so stupid and selfish? This is all my fault. And Ace… what about Ace? Please Ace, wherever you are, please be safe.

  Eventually, they pulled up outside the house and Red killed the engine. They both unhooked themselves from the bike. Jennifer patted her pockets.

  “My car keys! I must have dropped them somewhere! I’ve left the car at the church, what if Seth uses it to get away? He might have taken my keys when he tied me up so I couldn’t escape.”

  “Ace found them in the grass. Don’t worry, that freak isn’t going anywhere. Now, are you going to let us in to the house or are we planning to camp out on the sidewalk?”

  “Oh shit, sorry,” she rummaged around in her pocket and found the keys for the house, “Well at least I didn’t drop these.”

  Her hands were still trembling as she opened the gate and led him up to the front of the house. After unlocking the front door, Red turned and latched it for additional security. So maybe he thinks Seth might escape after all and come after us!

  “Coffee?” Jennifer asked.

  “I think we both could do with something stronger. You got anything to drink around here?”

  Jennifer went over to the dining room cabinet and pulled out two glasses and a bottle of rum. She carried them over to the table and plonked them down.

  “Neat or mixed?” she looked up at him.

  “Neat.”

  “I think I’ll join you on that. Ice?”

  “Nah, I don’t want to water down the alcohol.”

  They both took seats around the table and Jennifer poured them large glasses. She slid one over to him and they both took gulps. She sloshed it around her mouth, clearly the coppery taste of blood from Seth’s punch before swallowing. The liquor burned her throat as she let it sink into her system. She stared across at Red, he was clearly deep in his own thoughts, a frown furrowed into his brow.

  Red reminded her of Ace with his hair jet black hair swept back with gel. A single strand had fallen loose and swung just touching the top of his eyebrow. He had a full beard and more lines buried in his forehead. Muscles rippled down his tattooed arms and chest hair was visible above the top of his V-neck t-shirt. His skin was lighter than his brothers, more of ivory rather than the warm beige they had from being constantly in the sun. From the stories, that’s most likely because he spends most his time hidden away underneath a woman. Noticing her examining him, Red looked up with sterling blue eyes.

  “You’re thinking about Ace, aren’t you?” his voice was gravelly.

  “I guess so. You look a lot like him but each of you Bailey boys have such differences at the same time. Not just physically but your personalities too. I’m worried about Ace. I know deep down he’s a whole lot more than just the tough guy he appears to be. I think I’ve managed to catch glimpses of the real him during the time I’ve spent with him. Can I be honest with you?”

  “Sure,” Red leaned forward on his elbows.

  “I don’t want him to leave after all of this is done. Do you think he’d stay with me?”

  “You want to be with him? Did that guy knock some screw
s loose in your head? Would you really want to go down that path?”

  “I think so…no, I know so. Even though we have been through some pretty rough times, I’ve also never laughed so hard or been so happy in such a long time. Who knew that the person who caused that would be a big tough biker contracted by the mafia?” Jennifer forced a tight laugh out.

  “I don’t know what my brother will say, but I think Van and I know how he feels. We haven’t seen him look at a woman the way he looks at you. Not ever. Not even at Alice. He’d be a fool to leave you behind without at least giving it a chance.”

  “We heard a gunshot back there. Do you think he’s alright?” she nibbled at her lip.

  Red took a large gulp of his drink, “I think he’ll be fine. If he’s taken down entire crews before, I’m sure this guy won’t be a match. So anyway, who is the little fucker?”

  Jennifer’s voice was shaky as she replied, “That was Seth Michael. He’s the scriptwriter for Demon Hunters. At least he was. He’ll definitely be kicked off the set as soon as David finds out. I can’t believe it was him all along. He’s been in my dressing room with me when I’ve been getting ready, the fucking pervert! He’d found out all the information about me through interviews and articles. He said he had examined everything I’d ever been in and then he trained himself so he could get put on a project with me. I can’t believe he based the main character off himself. He thinks he’s the archangel Michael but he’s more like Lucifer the devil. I honestly don’t know what his end-game was. Did he really think he could force me to be with him forever? Was he planning to hold a gun to my head as I walked up the aisle? And now Ace is stuck back there with him!”

  Jennifer started to cry, tears rolling down her cheeks and dripping from her chin onto the table. Red stood up and grabbed some tissues from the kitchen before handing them to her. She dabbed at her face and gave him a watery smile.

  “Let’s get you cleaned up, huh? That asshole managed to get a good hit on the side of your head. Where do you keep your first aid kit?” Red started searching.

  “Under the kitchen sink,” she called after him.

  He disappeared from the room and she could hear him rustling around in the cupboards. Finally he appeared clutching the small green box and strode over to her. He smacked the box onto the table and opened the lid. Taking out antiseptic and cotton balls, he started wiping at her face. She cried out as the liquid burned away the germs, but the pain at least gave her a slight distraction from the emotions bubbling away inside of her. Without talking, he finished cleaning her wound and cleared the items away, back into the kitchen.

  “Right, I think we should call it a night,” he downed the rest of his drink.

  “How can you sleep knowing your brothers are out there and in danger?”

  Red’s voice was cold in his reply, “Because they put themselves in danger every day. That’s the path we decided to walk. We all knew the risks when we became contractors for the mafia, but we figured the payouts were greater than the consequences. You think I’m not worried about my brothers? Hell, I fear for them every second but there’s nothing that I can do. All of us die eventually but I feel like today will not be their day. You need to sleep. There’s nothing else you can do tonight and I’m sure they’re tied up dealing with your scriptwriter. They’ll call us once everything is sorted.”

  Jennifer went to protest, but the chilling look on his face silenced her and she thought better than to argue. She finished her drink in one large gulp and then stood up from the table. Not bothering to clear away the glasses and the bottle, she motioned for him to follow her upstairs. He obliged, slowly drifting behind her.

  “Your brother was sleeping in here, I hope you don’t mind, but I haven’t had times to change the sheets. There are fresh ones in the cupboard if you’d like me to?” she led him into the guest bedroom.

  “Nah, I’m pretty sure my brother’s drool-stained pillow won’t bother me,” he tried to make a joke within the tense moment.

  “Goodnight, Red.”

  She left the room and scurried into her own, closing the door behind her. Going into her bathroom, she stared at herself in the mirror. A scab was already forming where Seth had hit her and her face was rife with grime and blood. She needed to wash away the horrors of the night as she clambered into her shower and scrubbed away the muck. The water was brown as she lathered herself with soap. Satisfied with her efforts, she got out and wrapped a towel around her. Steam billowed out the room as she walked back into her bedroom and over to her dressing table. Brushing out the tangles in her hair she decided to let it air-dry. She didn’t really care what she looked like, at the moment she was too concerned with Ace’s safety. After changing into loose pajama pants and a camisole she opened the doors and continued out onto the balcony. The moon was high in the night sky and stars glittered around it. I wonder if Ace is looking up at the same moon right now. I wonder if Ace is even still breathing.

  Sighing, she returned back inside and climbed into bed. Twisting the sheets around her restless legs. She forced herself to go to sleep, despite the thoughts stabbing into her mind. She had left the balcony doors wide open. After all, Ace promised that after tonight M would never bother me again. One way or another.

  Birdsong broke through Jennifer’s dreamless slumber as she slowly blinked away the sleep. Her head was throbbing and it took her a moment to register everything which had occurred last night. Carefully, she lifted herself from the bed and went over to the bathroom to get herself ready for the news.

  On return she checked her phone. Nothing.

  She dressed herself in loose joggers and a t-shirt. There was no point making an effort today, she felt like shit and anxiety was nibbling at her brain. Tossing her pajamas over the bed, she made her way downstairs. There was no sign of movement from the guest bedroom as she walked past.

  In the kitchen, she made herself a hot cup of coffee and drifted out to the pool. She sat down in one of the loungers facing towards the crystal blue water. A leaf floated down from an overhanging bush and landed in the pool, sending soft ripples echoing across the liquid.

  She checked her phone. Nothing.

  The morning sun had risen high in the sky and she was on her third cup of coffee before Red made his appearance. He had opted for a topless and scruffy bed-hair look and he meandered out to the poolside with his own cup. He definitely had the most muscles out of all the brothers. He was bordering on looking like a human cloud with the amount of swollen flesh he had sticking out of him. He gave her a lopsided smile as he plonked himself down in the lounger next to her.

  “Heard any news?” he raised his eyebrow.

  “Not yet, I was hoping you might have had something by now. I’m getting worried. Should we try call them?” Jennifer was nervous.

  “No, that would only annoy them. Tell you what, if they haven’t called by noon, then we can try give them a ring. They’re probably just sleeping off last night. Just sit back and relax for now. Don’t think too much into it. By any chance, do you have today’s newspaper lying around?”

  “What is it with you Bailey boys and constantly wanting to read the god damn newspaper?” she smiled and stood up, “I’ll go get it. It would have been delivered earlier this morning and is sitting out the front of the house.”

  The tile was cold beneath her feet as she walked through the house barefoot. Red seems pretty confident today there’s nothing to worry about. I’m just being silly. I’m sure everyone is fine and I am overreacting. As Red said, they’re probably just sleeping and had a late night dealing with the situation yesterday.

  Opening the front door, she deftly scooped up the awaiting newspaper and headed back towards Red. Unfolding it, she started to read, wanting to catch up on the major headlines. Then she froze mid-step, unwaveringly balanced on one leg. Holy shit, what the fuck is this?

  “Red!” she screamed as she leaned against the wall.

  Red came rushing through the house and over to her, his
feet thumping as he run. He was short of breath when he came into sight. Noticing there was no imminent danger around her, he slowed down and strolled over to her.

  “What? You need me to get rid of a spider or something?” he broke out into a silly smile.

  Jennifer didn’t say a word as she thrust the paper in his direction. He took the newspaper and unfolded it, his brow furrowed as he read. She gripped onto the side of the wall, shaking as she did so. She was waiting for him to see the photo and make the connection. When he looked up she could see that he had registered the severity of the situation.

  BREAKING NEWS: POLICE CALLED TO HEADLESS MAN IN CHURCH

  Earlier this morning, the police received an anonymous call. A dead body is found at an abandoned church, located in one of the historic parks. When the police arrived to the scene they were shocked to find out that the head of the body was missing and all fingerprints had been seared off. This John Doe has yet to be claimed and, as of yet, nobody has been reported missing matching the description.

  Also of interest to the police is a mass quantity of blood found in the church, which does not match that of the body’s. The police are concerned that another person may have been killed or wounded badly.

  The article went on to describe the local area and the police requesting assistance from anyone who might have information. Along with the article was a picture of the abandoned church they had found themselves in last night. There was no suggestion of who the body might be out of the three they had left in the building. But considering there’s another possible casualty then at least one of the brothers has been harmed. Ace, where are you?

  Red was shaking as he tossed the paper onto the side table and wandered aimlessly into the kitchen. She followed, watching his reaction to the news. At first he seemed emotionless but then she saw anger build up behind his eyes.