The Bailey Brothers Box Set- the Complete Trilogy

by Melissa Devenport

  Once more Rachel shook her head.

  Alyssa stood up and walked away. Rachel could hear her scrabbling in the debris before gasping and stepping into vision again.

  “Did someone do this to you?” she held a ripped stocking in one hand and a shred of blouse in the other.

  This time Rachel nodded.

  “Fucking cunt. Stay here. Let me find something for you,” now she could hear a sharp edge to her friend’s voice as she started to piece things together in her head.

  Rachel couldn’t keep her eyes open while she waited for her friend to return. When she regained consciousness, she had a coat wrapped around her and was propped up in an armchair in her uncle’s office. Pearl took center stage in her uncle’s chair while her uncle paced the room and Alyssa sat on the edge of Rachel’s armchair, slowly stroking her hair and staring at the other two.

  “What’s going on?” Rachel rubbed her eyes before a jolt of pain seared down her side and the memories came flooding back to her tired self, “Oh my god! The men!”

  Her uncle came rushing over and Pearl sat up straight in the chair, her ears perked up at the sound of the lawyer waking up. Rachel wanted to force herself back to sleep where she could forget everything, but she knew they were all gathered here to find out what had happened.

  “I told her we should take you home and get you cleaned up. But she insisted that you can’t leave until you tell her, what went down. Are you going to be okay, Rae-Rae?” Alyssa placed her hand on her shoulder while glaring across at Pearl.

  “It was the Martinez gang,” Rachel mumbled.

  “What?” Pearl stood up so quickly the chair rolled back and landed with a bang. Her uncle’s face went pale and Alyssa just looked angry.

  Pearl thundered across the room, “What did they do to you? Did you get any names? What did they say? Those fucking cunts coming in here and bashing up my people. I’m going to kill them!”

  “They… they did things. They weren’t happy I got Red released after their bar fight and they wanted to send a message that they would be taking over the city. The main one was a Martinez, I think his name was Valencia or Valentine?”

  “Valentino?” her uncle asked, gripping the side of the chair.

  “That’s the one,” Rachel’s tone dropped at the thought of him.

  “Valentino Martinez is the one fucking around? The bastard is taking over the gang now and thinks he can fuck with us?” Pearl was furious, “John, start calling everyone in. Now.”

  John ran over to his desk and opened a drawer. He pulled out a small black book, opened it and started dialing furiously. Pearl watched for a second before turning back to face them, her hair whipping around to her side.

  “You, girl,” she pointed at Alyssa, “get Rachel home and take good care of her. I’m sorry that you got thrown into this shithole, Rachel, but now the worst is over. I doubt you’ll ever see those fuckers again.”

  Alyssa started to help her up from the armchair when Rachel called to Pearl, “He said he’ll be back for me.”

  Pearl stopped in her tracks and looked back at the wounded woman clinging onto her friend’s shoulder.

  Was that fear in her eyes?

  “I know what that means. Right, you should be safe for tonight. I’ll put some men near the front of your apartment after you get home, but tomorrow you’re getting a bodyguard. I’m not letting him have you. Go home and get packed. I’ll have someone pick you up tomorrow morning.”

  Rachel nodded and she could see Alyssa wanted to speak up, but was keeping herself from speaking out of turn. They gripped tightly onto one another and Rachel limped barefoot from the office and out the back exit of the building. By chance, she looked down and saw a drop of blood on the floor.

  So this is the way those fuckers made their escape. I’m just glad Alyssa didn’t run into them on her way to find me. She might have ended up like me.

  The thought send shivers running down her spine as her friend helped her into the passenger seat of her car. Alyssa clambered into the other side, gave a sideways glance to the broken woman beside her and turned on the engine. Once again, Rachel found herself leaning against the cool glass of the window. This time not to sober up, but to relieve the pain searing down the side of her face from where she had been slapped and punched. The journey felt like eternity as she tried to push away the flashbacks of the events inside her office.

  The lights turning on and all of them standing there. My stocking being cut from my leg. Being held against the desk. His tongue running up my skin. His mouth kissing mine. His hand wandering up my thigh. His men pinning me down. My clothes being torn away. Their touches molesting my body. His threat as he left.

  By the time she realized what she was doing, Rachel had a clump of her hair in her hand and was sobbing wildly. Alyssa was staring over at her in horror as they pulled up next to the apartment. Helplessly, Rachel clawed at the door before her friend rushed around and helped her out. The stairs were a struggle and her legs were about to give way as Alyssa rushed her into her home and sat her down on the couch. She locked the door behind her, putting the lock on before going around and checking all the windows were firmly shut. Rachel listened as she went to the kitchen and took out two glasses. When she returned she was holding the bottle of rum in her hand. She placed everything down on the coffee table, poured them both a drink and offered it to Rachel. Gratefully, Rachel took the drink and sank the liquid down. It burned in her worn throat but she needed something to numb the pain. Both physically and mentally.

  “Are you ready to tell me what happened in there?” Alyssa’s voice was soft and comforting.

  “I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to talk about it, Lyss. They tried to… And when they couldn’t, they just started hitting me. And that bastard. That fucking Valentino, all he did was stare down at me and laugh. I can’t get his face out of my head.”

  “Oh my sweet girl,” Alyssa’s voice cracked as she reached across and wrapped herself around her friend.

  Rachel let the tears flow freely, her body too tired to burst into hysterics. They dampened the back of her friend’s top, but she knew neither of them cared in that moment. When she pulled back she could see that Alyssa had been crying too.

  I want to tell her it will be alright. I want to tell her that it was nothing. I want to tell her I’ll get over it. I want to. But I can’t. Because I don’t think anything will be alright again. I don’t want everything to be alright. I don’t want life to move on.

  “Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up and get you to bed.”

  Alyssa pried the glass away from Rachel’s hand and put both of them on the table. Next she helped to lift her from the couch and led her towards the bathroom. Inside, she propped her against a wall before turning on the shower and adjusting the temperature. When Alyssa removed the coat, she heard her gasp once more. Rachel didn’t even want to look down at the mess her body had to be in at that moment. She could feel the pain as it was. After the initial shock, Alyssa helped her shed the rest of her clothing and got her into the shower. Rachel felt pathetic and useless as her friend lathered her body with soap and washed her. She let her hair turn into a copper waterfall as she flopped her head forward and the curtain closed the world off around her. When Alyssa turned the shower off, she struggled to get out, almost slipping over when her knees started to buckle. Alyssa quickly wrapped a towel around her and helped her into the bedroom, where she sat her on the end of the bed and started drying her. Still in just a towel, Alyssa left the room and came back with the first aid kit. She put antiseptic on every wound and bandaged her up where needed.

  “I’m going to give you something to ease the pain and get you to sleep easily. First, let me put some clothes on you.”

  Alyssa helped Rachel get into PJs before tucking her into bed. She fetched a glass of water and two white pills. Still silent, Rachel took the offering from her friend, tilted her head back and gulped down the medicine. It slid down easily as she leaned back in
to the pillow. Alyssa disappeared once more and returned, dressed in her own PJs and closed the bedroom door behind her.

  “Do you want me to stay with you tonight?”

  “Please.”

  Alyssa headed around to the other side of the bed and got under the sheets, her arm reaching around the back of Rachel’s head. Rachel leaned in and rested on her friend’s shoulder. The warmth from her body soaking through and her presence comforting her ever so slightly.

  “You know you don’t have to get a bodyguard if you don’t want to? I can protect you. You can stay at mine for a while until this all blows over. Hell, come live with me! I can’t imagine what you’ve been through today, but I’ll do my best to never let it happen again.”

  Rachel wanted to smile at the fierceness in her best friend’s voice but was drained of emotions, “Thanks, Lyss, but I can’t let you do that. It will be too risky for you and I wouldn’t be able to live, knowing that it was my fault, if they did anything to you. I think Pearl might be right in this instance. I think a bodyguard might be good for me right now. I don’t even feel safe in my own skin, let alone where those bastards can track me. I know that man is coming to find me, one way or another. I would rather have some man I don’t know put himself in the way, than risk my best friend getting hurt.”

  “I understand. Do you at least want me to come see you?”

  “I don’t know just yet. I think for the time being it is best you stay away. If they’re serious about hunting me down then you’ll just be in danger by association. Lyss, did you see the fear in Pearl’s eyes when she heard he was coming back for me?”

  “I did.”

  “Pearl’s not scared of anything. She’s the head of the mafia along with her twin brother, Joe. Nothing should be able to scare her.”

  “I wouldn’t think too much into it, Rae-Rae.”

  “I wish I didn’t have to. Right, Lyss, I think I need some sleep. I just want this day to end.”

  “Of course. Goodnight.”

  Alyssa stroked Rachel’s hair as she drifted off, the pills coursing through her bloodstream. Images of the Martinez started to drift away, but just before she was pulled under the waves of slumber, a voice echoed through her mind…

  I’ll be back for you.

  Chapter 9

  RED

  The phone trilled through the morning silence, and Red mumbled as he reached across to his nightstand. He slapped the wood a couple of times, fumbling for his mobile without sight. Once reached he ripped it from its charging cord and hit the answer button, still blurry-eyed and unable to read the caller ID.

  “Are you alone?” the voice was instantly recognizable with its grating undertone.

  “Pearl, it’s too early for this. What do you want?” he mumbled.

  “Answer the question, Red.”

  Where’s the usual flirting? Fuck, something must be wrong.

  Red rubbed at his eyes as he sat up, propping himself against the pillow. He yawned once more before replying.

  “Yes, I’m by myself. Hard to believe, but sometimes I do actually sleep by myself.”

  “I haven’t got time for games today, Red. You have a job.”

  Red perked up at the thought of something to take his mind away from the woman, who had been racing through it lately. Why couldn’t he stop thinking about her?

  “What’s the job?”

  “Rachel Evans.”

  Fuck, fuck, fuck. Of all the people that could pop up in my life again, it had to be the one I was trying to avoid. What do I have to do with this woman now? Hopefully I won’t have to spend too much time with her.

  “What about her?”

  “She’s going to be moving in with you for a while.”

  This just gets better and better. Is life just toying around with me now? It’s almost ridiculous how this woman keeps bouncing in and out of my life. I’m getting too old for this shit.

  “Why? I’m not really in the mood for entertaining, Pearl.”

  Her voice was bitingly sharp as she responded, “I don’t give a fuck what mood you’re in. She’s in this mess because of you and the least you can do is protect her?”

  Red’s resistance came to a standstill.

  “Protect her from what? What’s happened Pearl? Has someone threatened her?”

  “None other than Valentino Martinez, himself. He paid a visit to your attorney last night and left her with a lot of bad memories. I’m not entirely sure what happened, but she was practically naked when her friend found her and she looks like she’s been through the wars. I let her stay at home with her friend last night, but she agreed to a bodyguard. I don’t think it’s wise to keep her where she is, so I’d like her to move in with you. Van is out on a mission for just over a week or so, but I know he comes to check in on you occasionally. That doubles the presence in the house. Plus I know you have a spare bedroom after Ace moved out. Can you pick her up?”

  Red tried to process the information.

  Something has happened to Rachel? The Martinez are behind all of it? Shit. It’s all my fault. If it wasn’t for that stupid bar fight. The woman must hate me. Pearl is right, the least I can do is protect her.

  “Sure. I’ll leave the house in five minutes.”

  “Don’t you need her address?”

  “…sure. Text it to me.”

  The phone line went dead and Red leaped from his bed. He rushed to the bathroom and brushed his teeth, gelled back his hair and changed. He skipped the showering, the need to see Rachel too powerful. Grabbing his keys from the side, he headed to the garage and jumped onto his bike. The engine stormed to life beneath him and he pulled out into the road. He didn’t bother with speed limits as he shot through the city to get to her apartment. His mind was blank, only one thing on replay.

  It’s all my fucking fault.

  Finally, he pulled up outside and climbed off. He noticed two Romano guys standing watch at the door. If you didn’t know who they were, they just looked like muscly men talking idly. Once they noticed Red they headed over to him.

  “She’s inside. Her friend is helping her pack. We noticed a couple of men lingering by the corner last night, but nothing unusual besides that. I’ll let you in.”

  Red nodded his way through the update before following the first man into the apartment. He led him up the stairs and opened the door with some keys he must have acquired from Rachel. Red thanked the man before slowly walking into the living area. He looked around the room, but Rachel was nowhere to be seen. He headed for the bedroom and opened the door.

  “I do not need a bikini!”

  Rachel was pulling a neon green top from the gym bag as Red walked in. He was about to smile when he noticed what she looked like. She had a large black eye surrounded by smaller bruises dotting her facial area. There were bite marks on her neck and she had a couple of small cuts in places. He couldn’t see her body under the long-sleeved jumper and pants she was wearing, but he could imagine that it didn’t look any better. She dropped the bikini top when he entered and stared up at him, her mouth wide open.

  “What happened to you?” he rushed to her side, gently cupping her face in his hands.

  Before she had a chance to reply, nails dug into his forearms and he was yanked backwards. He allowed the unidentified arm to pull him away, so he could get a look at the owner.

  “Get the fuck off her, you creep. Who the hell are you?”

  The owner turned out to be a pretty young woman with honeyed skin and bouncing black curls framing her face. Right now her elegant features were pointed and staring daggers directly at him.

  I guess this is the friend everyone is talking about.

  “My name is Red Bailey. I know Rachel from a previous case. And who are you?”

  Her face seemed to soften a little after hearing his name.

  “Red, huh?” she looked over at Rachel and smiled, “Now I understand. My name is Alyssa Kim. I’m Rachel’s best friend and currently her protector. Are you the reason
she got fucked up last night?”

  Red looked awkward for a moment before replying, “There’s a possibility that my actions may have rattled the Martinez’s cages a little. I didn’t know this would happen. I swear to you, Rachel. I don’t know how I’m ever going to make this up to you, but the very least I can do is protect you. Pearl has placed me as your bodyguard. You’re coming to stay with me for a bit.”

  “Stay with you?” Rachel finally managed to find her words, “I can’t stay with you!”

  “Why not?” Alyssa stared at her, “Did something happen? Did you hurt my girl?”

  Alyssa pushed into Red’s chest, anger starting to flare up in her eyes again. Red stood still, her strength barely registered in his system as he continued to look at Rachel.

  “I know that we didn’t exactly end on good terms last time we saw each other, but I think it’s best we put that behind us. The only thing I care about right now is your safety. I’m sure your friend here,” he grabbed Alyssa’s fists as she continued to pound on his chest, “is perfectly capable of looking after you, but I will defend you with my life. It is the least I can do after putting you in this position. I’ve got the bike waiting downstairs. Do you need any help packing?”

  Alyssa finally gave up her useless notion of attacking Red and huffed onto the bed, sitting next to Rachel. She leaned in and whispered something into her ear. Rachel’s reply was only just audible.

  “No, it’s fine. He’s right, I need to go with him.”

  Her friend whispered back into her ear.

  “I’ll tell you about it another time. Right now, I have to leave. It’s not safe for either of us to be in this building right now.”

  Alyssa stood from the bed, still staring at him suspiciously under her brow.

  “In reply to your question, no, we do not need your help packing. I’m not letting you go through her underwear, you dirty pervert. You can wait in the living room until we are done.”

  She went back to digging through the wardrobe while Rachel looked at him, “We will only be about five minutes. Help yourself to coffee.”