Watching Ember

by J B Reding

  The smell of her blood still haunts me in my dreams.

  11. The Arrangement

  Walking back to the party, I hold on tight to Nixon’s arm. My knees feel like they're seconds from giving out. But on the outside, I'm poised and dignified.

  “Why can’t we just kill him?” I whisper to Nixon, my fear turning into anger over everything he has exacted upon me. Not to mention everyone else who has fallen victim to his vile ways. Like my mother, for instance.

  “Ember.” He scolds, but there’s no bite to it. I’m sure he’s wondering the same thing.

  “You’re the Boss now, you can put a hit out on him. Or better yet, you can do it yourself.” I’d like to watch that.

  “Shh. We’ll talk about it later.” He whispers as we come out of the hallway and turn left towards the great room where everyone is gathered. He places his hand over mine in the crook of his elbow and gives it a reassuring squeeze.

  I concede. “Fine, just don’t leave me again, okay?”

  He stops walking and faces me. “I’ll try not to, but you know how these things go.”

  “I know.” God, I fucking hate these parties.

  “Everything will be fine. Just stay near one of us and we’ll get through it.” He reassures, giving my hand another squeeze.

  “Sweetheart, I’ve been looking for you.” Dad says coming up beside us. “What are you doing all the way over here?”

  I step away from Nixon to give Dad a hug before standing back to look at them both.

  “Ember, here, is in a murderous mood.” Nixon says, saving me from having to explain my freak out to Dad.

  Dad smiles warmly. “My sweet Ember would never.”

  I laugh, trying hard to put on a happy face for him. “No, I would never.” I wrap my arm around Dad’s and force a smile. “Let's go mingle shall we?”

  Nixon shakes his head and comes up to my left side. As a solid front, we walk deeper into the room. I know with these two men at my side, I have nothing to fear.

  ~***~

  Said mingling goes on for what feels like forever but is only three hours. My feet hurt from the new heels, along with my cheeks from all the fake smiling I’ve been doing. I'm hoping everyone will leave soon and I can go soak in the tub. But that’s just wishful thinking. These things can go on into the early morning. You would think a bunch of stuffy suits wouldn’t stay out late but I find the stuffier they are the more they party. Not to mention at least half the suits here are criminals.

  I’m walking towards the kitchen that’s on the opposite side of the house for a quick break when it happens. I thought going alone would be fine because I would be in a restricted area. How stupid of me.

  Gunshots burst through the front windows, causing chaos to ensue. The women scream while the men grab for their weapons and start firing back.

  Before I can reach for mine, I’m snatched from behind and dragged down the hall.

  “Get the fuck off me!” I scream, digging my nails in a suit-clad arm and kicking my legs. My heels come off as I hear a familiar grunt. “Goddamn it, Maddox, you scared the shit out of me! Where’s Liz!?”

  “Anton.”

  Fucker can’t say more than one word, can he?

  Gunshots continue to ring out as Maddox drags me down the hall towards the study.

  I’m pissed that somebody thinks they can come onto my property and shoot at my people. I may not like half of them, but they're still my people.

  Someone will pay for this.

  As we travel farther down the hall, I see someone exit the bathroom we just passed.

  Its Samuel.

  He leans against the wall and watches as people scream and dodge bullets, not bothering to look behind him as if he knows he is safe from harm. If my arms weren’t currently trapped by Maddox, I’d shoot him on the spot and see how calm he’d be then. The usual terror I feel when in his presence has vanished and has been replaced by pure rage.

  “You see him?” I exclaim and point towards where we came from as Maddox lets me go to knock on the door. The door beeps, then opens and he quickly shoves me inside, following behind me. He secures the door and presses the button behind the painting next to it to reengage the security protocol, effectively cutting off the commotion outside due to the soundproof room.

  The study doubles as a safe room when panic mode is enabled by the button. Once engaged, the door can only be opened from the inside. There’s a screen, that’s normally just a picture, that’s split into four. One section shows the area directly in front of the door, while the other three cycles through the cameras around the house. Maddox is currently blocking the screen so I can’t see anything.

  I once asked why Dad didn’t just have a normal monitor that always showed the camera feed. He told me he had enough to worry about and left the monitoring to the guards, since that is what he was paying them to do. I think he just didn’t know how to work the systems. Which is a little contradictory since he owns a high-tech security firm. I’m sure it was something one of the guys convinced him to invest in. Which was smart considering its now Nixon’s. But I'm sure Maddox is in charge of that venture. I'm not quite sure what Anton does. Probably just parties.

  The door also has a vault-like lock which engages, as well as titanium slats that come down over it and the windows, cutting off the outside. The room itself is already equipped with bulletproof walls and windows, the slats are an extra precaution and for soundproofing.

  One would think being trapped in this room would send me into a panic, but I know this is different. It's done to protect me, not terrorize me. I know I'm safe here.

  Anton and Liz arrived here first and initiated the panic room protocol. Which apparently involves alcohol because they both have tumblers filled with amber liquid.

  Liz is to the right, perched on the edge of the couch, staring into her drink. She looks up when she notices me enter, then silently inspects me to make sure I’m unharmed while I do the same to her. When were both satisfied that the other is okay, we give each other a relieved smile. Liz’s outburst back home after the shooting at the party was uncharacteristic and mostly due to the alcohol coursing through her. However, Liz and I try not to get drunk at these parties for the very reason we’re currently in this room. Usually Liz is a very loud person, but when shit gets real, she reigns it in and takes it seriously. Which I lover her for. Dealing with someone who is flippant or blubbering makes it hard for everyone else when they need to focus on the problem at hand.

  Anton is another story. When things blow up, sometimes literally, it’s like he gets a high and just can’t contain himself. He gets giddy but in a way that makes him an asset. He’s not afraid to run into fire, shooting up a blaze on his way. But only when the circumstances call for it. Anton is good at dissecting the situation and fitting himself to be what the environment requires. Right now, he’s leaning against the front of the desk, his gun within reach and a smile on his face. I chuckle to myself. He really does live for this shit.

  “What were you pointing at?” Anton asks, probably having seen me on the camera. He straightens and heads over to the bar on the other side of the room to refill his whiskey, as if we weren’t currently under attack. It's honestly a wonder he's survived in our world this long.

  “Samuel came out of the bathroom like nothing was happening, acting all nonchalant. I swear if someone doesn’t kill him soon, I will.”

  Anton shares a look with Maddox, who’s now guarding the door. Neither of them say anything. Which just pisses me off further.

  I walk over to the couch and take a seat next to Liz, knowing I'm not going to get anything out of them until my dad and Nixon show up.

  I have a feeling to get what I want I'm going to have to tell them the truth. The whole truth.

  They don’t know the full extent of what I went through. I never told them. Not my dad and not Nixon. They think he was just cruel, and they had no reason to think otherwise. I told them he never hit me, which was technically true.
But I never told them what he did. I blamed my nightmares and my fear of being locked in somewhere on PTSD from the car accident. They never pushed me, and I never disclosed more. Maybe I should have but I never saw any reason to tell them. I didn’t want my dad to feel even more guilt then he already did.

  Then time passed and when I got to the point of wanting Samuel to pay, I could never get the guts to tell them. Maybe if I did, it would be enough to finally get them to take him down to the basement, the basement they don’t think I know about.

  Someone bangs on the door, prompting Liz and I to jump in our seats. Maddox checks the camera then unlocks the door, allowing Nixon and my dad to enter. The titanium slats recede and the bolts in the door retract as the panic mode is disengaged.

  “Is it over?” Liz asks, rising from the couch. I follow her lead then walk over to stand in front of Dad and Nixon.

  My dad nods while Nixon just stares at me.

  “All the guests are being escorted out at this time. Our men are sweeping the grounds and inside the house for any stragglers or more assailants. It was a quick attack that ended soon after you were secured in here.” Dad informs us as he drops a kiss to my forehead before going around me and taking a seat behind his desk.

  “Ember said she saw Samuel acting suspicious.” Anton says, perching his ass on the corner of the desk.

  “Wouldn’t surprise me.” Dad says, taking his seat. He shares a look with Nixon who's standing behind me.

  “As soon as you walked out of the room, the shooting started and when you were enclosed in here, it stopped.” Nixon says then strides over to the bar. He pours himself a whiskey and drinks it in one go before replacing the glass and turning to face us, placing his hands inside his pockets, allowing my father to take the lead. It’s quite interesting seeing their dynamic now that Nixon is Boss. He gives Dad the respect he deserves but somehow still manages to hold all the power.

  “So?” I shrug, not bothering to move from my spot in the middle of the room. “We already know it’s me they’re after.”

  “We think it was a message to try and show us they can still get to you.” Dad pauses, “Most of the incidents don’t seem to have the intent to harm you. It just confirms that they need you alive. We just need to figure out what exactly they’re looking for.”

  “Samuel’s a suspect, right?” There’s no way this isn’t him.

  “Yes.” Nixon answers. “Which is why we’re moving you tonight instead of in the morning.”

  “Okay, but why can’t we just kill him?” I ask. I feel like that’s the easiest solution.

  Dad answers this time. “Because we don’t know if he’s working alone. Better the devil you know. Also, we think what he wants is also what we want. We just don’t know it yet. Once we figure out what it is he thinks you know, or have, we can dispose of him.”

  I look around the room. Liz has retaken her seat, paying more attention to her nails than the conversation. If I’m being honest, I’m quite shocked that they’re being this transparent with me, let alone with Liz, present.

  “But y’all are working on it right?” I need to know that they’re not just standing around with their thumbs shoved up their asses. That they’re doing everything they can to find out more information.

  “Yes. Now, go upstairs and pack a bag. You leave in an hour. Liz will stay here as a decoy like we planned.” Dad informs me.

  Nixon steps over to me. “I’m heading to the penthouse now to make sure all the security measures are in place. Hopefully, their main focus is on you and your whereabouts and won’t worry about me if it’s obvious I’m alone. I’ll see you there.” He finishes, then exits the room.

  Anton stands up and walks towards me, Liz follows behind him giving me a questioning look.

  “I’ll see you upstairs. Just wanna talk to my dad real quick.” I say to her.

  She nods and walks out behind Anton, ignoring Maddox, who holds the door open for her. I look at him and ask, “Can you give us a minute?”

  He nods and shuts the door behind him, leaving us alone.

  “Whose plan was this?” I start finally taking a seat in front of him.

  “Nixon’s. I agreed to it as a backup plan if things went sideways. As soon as you landed, it seems everything went to shit. I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this, but we decided this is the best course of action to make sure you’re safe.” He sighs, leaning back in his chair. “I wish it didn’t have to be like this, but without knowing exactly what he wants and just how far he’s willing to go, we don’t want to take any chances. You know what they say about desperate men.”

  “Yes, and I know this particular one pretty well.” I hesitate. Should I tell him? No, they have enough to deal with, telling them will just cloud their thoughts and have them acting irrationally. Maybe when they finally get him, I’ll let the cat out of the bag. Plus, Dad is looking paler than normal. I didn’t notice it before, but now that I do, I start to notice other small things. Like the bags around his eyes and the baggier clothes. I hope he’s not sick. I wouldn’t put it past them to keep it from me. I’ll have to ask Nixon about it. No way will Dad tell me himself, he’s pigheaded when it comes to his wellbeing.

  “Nixon will never let anything happen to you. Your safety is his number one priority. That man will do anything for you.”

  “Including taking over as Boss?”

  He sighs. “So, you know…”

  “Yes. I’m not shocked either. Just a little surprised at the timing…” I silently implore him to tell me more about the sudden change. But Dad doesn’t tell me anything unless he thinks I need to know. Usually he thinks I should stay out of it. Which is why openly talking about business in front of me is so shocking. Not that I don’t find out other ways, but still.

  “Yes, well, like I said he’d do anything for you.” He sighs, rubbing his forehead as if he's getting a headache.

  “Are you saying he didn’t want to take over?” I question. That would be a shock. It’s all Nixon has ever wanted since I’ve known him.

  “No, he definitely did. But he wanted to do a few things first. Nevertheless, he can do those things while being Boss. It’ll just make things a little more…” he pauses, looking for the right word, “interesting. Yes, interesting. You’ll be fine. So, will Liz and everyone else here. Don’t worry about it. Go on upstairs and pack a bag, enough for a few weeks. Just in case.”

  I can’t help but feel like he’s hiding something. But there’s also a twinkle in his eye I haven’t seen in a while. Which makes me question if maybe I’m over thinking his current appearance. He’s probably just stressed. I shake my head and walk around his desk, leaning down to press a kiss to his cheek. “Love you, dad. Even when you're hiding things.”

  He laughs. “I love you, too, darling. Now go on, I have some work to do.” He shoos me away and acts like he’s working, when we both know he’s not doing anything but playing poker online.

  I find Maddox waiting in the hall and stop to tell him I’ll be ready soon. Then rush up the stairs to Liz’s room and drag her into mine.

  “Where’d Anton go to?” I ask as she settles on my bed. I quickly change into some yoga pants and a tank top before going about packing. I hadn’t quite finished unpacking yet so I grab a bag that’s only partially unpacked and determine what I want to bring and what can stay.

  “The club.” I can hear her eye-roll.

  “How are you doing after all that?” I ask, turning to face her.

  “Is it bad that I’m pretty much desensitize to all this? I mean, yes, I was terrified at first, but then I realized where I was and who I was with and, you know, that fear kind of just went away. I felt safe.” She sits up and runs a hand through her hair. “I felt safe with gunshots ringing out all around me. How crazy is that?”

  “I get it. I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’m not normal. I’m sorry to bring you into my shit.” I walk over and sit down next to her. Packing can wait a minute.

  “Hones
tly, I’m okay with it. I feel like my life wouldn’t be the same without your crazy family in it, causing drama and blowing shit up.” She laughs humorlessly.

  “We haven’t blown anything up.” Yet. “But anyway, you gonna be okay here without me?”

  “Psh,” she waves a hand at me. “It’s like my second home, dude.”

  “You know what I’m talking about.” I press.

  “I’ll be fine.” She says with conviction I actually believe. “I’m more worried about you being all alone in a penthouse with Nixon.” She bumps her shoulder into mine and wiggles her brows suggestively.

  “God, me too.” I grumble, standing up to finish packing.

  “Wanna make a bet?” She teases.

  “With you? No.” I look over my shoulder and give her a smirk.

  “Come on.” She says bouncing on my bed. “I bet you won’t last a week without fucking him.”

  I ball up a shirt and hurl it at her. “Fuck you! Nixon refuses to give in, so you’ll lose that bet.”

  “Ha. I bet he doesn’t last two nights with you walking around in those shorts you like to wear before he gives in.” She laughs.

  I toss my suitcase on the bed and enter the bathroom to grab my shit before coming back out.

  “I wish. I practically mauled him earlier and he didn’t try to take it further. It’s fine. I’ve dealt with it thus far. I’ll survive a few weeks alone with him.” I hope. “Now, stop distracting me. I have to pack. You know, so I can go hide in a penthouse while my worst nightmare tries to kill me.”

  “Thought they said he wasn’t trying to hurt you.” She grows serious, sitting up straight with a worried look.

  “He’s not, but I don’t trust him. He could be trying to lure us into a false sense of security.” I say, zipping up my suitcase then grabbing my bag with my mementos, and throwing it over my shoulder.

  “I didn’t think of that. Please be careful, Ember.” She stands and wraps her arms around me.