by S. M. West
As we plan out the operation, the decision is unanimous—Max will meet with his mother. No one else. I hate it even if it makes the most sense. He could be hurt or killed.
Ash is out there, close by, I feel it in my bones, and if he even gets a whiff of this, or a chance to get Max, he won’t hesitate. And what if his mother is so angry with him that she kills him?
They both have their backs against the wall and like cornered animals, fear permeates and clouds their judgement. They are unpredictable. At any moment in time, the tables could turn, and we’d lose the upper hand.
Max
I meet with Taya outside Manhattan. Before my parents’ empire took off, we lived in New Jersey. At the time, Tate and I were too young to remember the place, but I have the address.
The message to my mother is cryptic enough to not give anything away should Ash intercept its delivery, but there’s enough detail so she’ll understand both the need to meet and where. Her response is quick, and the meet set up within a day.
I’m both relieved that I don’t have to work at getting her to meet with me, but also wary. What if it’s a set-up? What if Ash got to her first and told her we’d tell lies about him? Anything is possible but it’s our only move.
In preparation, I’m given a burner phone and all my clothes are triple-checked for any kind of bug or other device.
“I’m not sure what you guys are going to find?” I try to keep my tone neutral but feel like a fraud. It’s a flimsy cover for the anxiousness brewing in my belly.
Van finishes patting down my leg and stands. He’s the third one to do it today. Tripp tears his gaze from the street to glance at me. “What do you mean? We don’t want anyone tracking you. If someone’s onto you, you’re a dead man.”
“Tripp, not helping.” Tommie tenses at my side despite her light tone.
“Hey, relax, it’s going to be okay.” I massage her tense shoulders and she slides an arm around my middle. “These guys are just being careful. Like they think Taya had my dry cleaner or someone stitch tracking devices into my clothing?”
Dark, warm eyes stare up at me solemnly. “No, but Ash would.”
Head back, I glower at the ceiling and stifle a snarl. That man is a lunatic. Brilliant and lethal. Righting my head, one hand lets go of her to rub down my face. I’ve got to keep it together. Tommie doesn’t need to witness my mini internal freak-out at how unpredictable all of this is.
Everything is going to go as planned.
It’s my mantra for the day. It has to.
“Listen, it’s going to be okay.” I kiss her full lips, and she responds in kind.
“You two, focus. There’ll be time for that later.” Van wanders over to us with a black wire in one hand and tape in the other.
I know the drill by now. As he unwinds the long cord, she takes the surveillance equipment from him and sets about getting me ready. I love her hands on me, even if it’s for something as clinical as taping wires to my chest. Her touch settles my restlessness.
Once ready, we say goodbye. It’s deliberately brief. Neither of us will even consider any other outcome than success for today.
“Be careful. I love you and come back to me.” She presses a kiss to the underside of my jaw and there’s a stirring low in my belly.
This woman.
“Love you too.” I crush her to me.
My hands slide up her back to tangle my fingers in her silky hair and press her head to my chest. The feel of her is all I need to focus. To get my head on straight.
I drive myself and several of the HC crew follow from a distance to the house in Jersey. Most are watching for any tails or surveillance, and if they come across one, they’ll get rid of them.
I’m optimistic this will go well. I have to be. My mother is all about self-preservation and she’s in a certain headspace right now. The whole thing about a woman scorned… She likes Ash, a lot, and most probably envisioned a future with him. When she learns of his intentions, his planned betrayal, she will want revenge.
There is only one other car parked in the driveway, as it should be. Taya’s driver sits in the front seat and he doesn’t even glance my way as I walk by the car. Her driver was our only concession, but I was warned to anticipate she’d have more men.
I walk down the side of the house to the backyard, where we agreed to meet, and I find Taya standing by the back door.
“Max, I didn’t expect to hear from you.” She taps one of her peep-toe Stuart Weitzmans on the cracked concrete slab just outside the door into the house.
It’s an old tell of hers. She’s eager to get this over with, annoyed, maybe nervous, or both. Her goons are likely on the other side, ready to whisk her away should there be any indication of danger.
“Mother. This was purely out of necessity. If I never have to see you again, that would be fine by me.”
She chuckles, more a cackle than laugh, and sticks her nose in the air. “Before you get started, let me tell you, I’m only here out of curiosity, not because I care to hear your demands. We no longer have any business, son. I will exact my revenge for your betrayal.”
Her eyes echo her threat and her mouth is an angry slash like the blade of a knife. Surprisingly, I’m not chilled nor do the hairs on the back of my neck rise. Her threats no longer have any hold over me. I can almost taste my freedom, and with it comes an unexpected arrogance.
“My betrayal?” I arch an eyebrow.
She steps closer. “You double crossed me with the raid. You don’t think I know it was you? I watched you that night from behind the glass. You were nervous. Constantly scanning the room, looking for something or someone? Was it for me? Ash? Both of us?”
Ignoring her desire to rehash that night or my perceived betrayal, I push on. “I came here because of Ash. It isn’t clear what your intentions were where he was concerned, but I’ve got news and I’m here to make a deal.”
“A deal?” Her eyebrows rise as she scans the background, as if expecting people to just appear.
“Do you know where he is?”
She grins, folding her arms across her chest. “You expect me to tell you?”
“His plans never included you. I’m not sure what he promised you, or if you had illusions of a partnership or more, but I have it on good authority that he only used you for his own gain. He was going to take your contacts and leave you.”
“Leave me?” A sinister smile crosses her heavily made-up face. “That’s quite funny. I don’t need a man and if he left me, as you say, I wouldn’t be sad or destitute. Get to your point, Max. This is getting really tedious.”
I’m used to her arrogance but she’s bluffing. I saw how excited she was around him. The stars in her eyes and the blush on her cheeks whenever he was near. This news has got to hurt. We’re banking on it.
“Ah, I suppose I shouldn’t say he’d leave you. That’s misleading. How about kill you? Does that make this more interesting or more serious a conversation for you?” She straightens, now keenly interested in what I have to say, and I continue, “I’d have thought that Ash taking your contacts right from under you might piss you off. So leaving you alive wouldn’t be a smart move, and Ash is nothing if not smart. Mother dearest, you’d be a loose end.”
Something dark, maybe even surprising, flickers through her icy blue eyes. I’ve hit a nerve and maybe, just maybe, Ash stealing her network is against whatever arrangement they had. We knew this information was a gamble, not so much in news to her, but in how big of a betrayal she would think it was.
“Go on. What’s your deal?” Her posture softens a touch and I’ve got her.
“Work with us and we’ll leave you alone. The authorities won’t come after you for the raid.” She opens her mouth to respond but I barrel past her.
“But there’s a condition. We won’t turn over what we have on you to the cops or the Feds—and we have a lot they’d be interested in—and in exchange, you work with us to bring down Ash, and afterward, you leave both mys
elf and Tate alone. Forever.”
Her lips twist into a snarl and her hands ball into fists at her side. But she remains silent as her cold, calculating eyes take me in. Because I know her so well, we have her where we want her.
She doesn’t have to agree to our terms. We may have brought the FBI in on the auction, but HC didn’t share everything they have on her. We’re ready to turn all of it over to the FBI right now, if needed.
“I’m not a snitch. You of all people know, based on your time in this organization, that men have died for lesser crimes. I’m no rat.”
She may be calling my bluff or stalling right now, but she will close the deal. I’ve no doubt. Straightening to my full height, I saunter toward her.
“Don’t think of it as snitching. Think of it as survival. Isn’t there something in your world about survival of the fittest? Or retaliation? Revenge? Call it what you want.” I pause for effect.
“This isn’t you ratting on a business partner, because I promise you, Ash will come after you. And my guess is, he’s a patient man. You won’t see him coming. He may even wait until you’re so comfortable and so sure he’s no longer a threat and then strike.”
“And why would he come after me if I keep my mouth shut? I’m no threat to him.”
I smirk, admiring her bluff. “Don’t play games. I may have never wanted to be part of your world and hated every minute of it, but I learned a lot. He betrayed you and you know it. You won’t let that go, just as he wouldn’t. You’ll want to kill each other. And I guess it comes down to which one of you is smarter?”
She taps her toe, pressing a finger to her red lips, and I wait her out. Finally, she agrees without much fanfare. Of course, she wants a signed agreement before she’ll do anything, and luckily, we have the Feds nearby.
She gets her immunity for her crimes related to the auction, which burns when I think of all those women, but it’s the price we pay for snagging the bigger culprit. Ash.
And now, the plan is in motion. She reaches out to Ash and we find another go-between in the city, one of Tommie’s CIs. Taya will get word to us once a meeting is set up and the plan is for the authorities to make the arrest this time.
But even with NYPD, the FBI and Interpol backing this plan, catching Ash proves difficult. Nothing happens. Days pass, too many days to count, or at least that’s how it feels. We thought it would be quick even with Ash wary; we figured he’d want the opportunity to face Taya. We were wrong.
It’s almost as if he has either left New York City or he’s on to us. He must figure Taya’s attempts to contact him are a trap. Not once has he replied to her, and while it’s only been three tries, we’ve been instructed to stand down.
My mother isn’t to try again. If Ash isn’t already suspicious, any more attempts and he’ll smell our desperation.
Tommie
“There. It’s done.” I take one more look at my text to Zero.
“This is fucking crazy, I oughta have my head examined.” Van curses under his breath, pacing once more back and forth in front of me.
I sigh, not sure I can reassure him again but willing to try. “Listen, we’ve been over this, it’s the only way. Van, we’ve been at a standstill for weeks and no sign of Ash. This is the only way we bring him out of hiding.”
He stops to stare at me, or maybe it’s more a glare. He knows I’m right, but even still, I do feel a little guilty. I haven’t played fair.
Ash didn’t fall for Taya’s call and as the days slid into weeks, all our leads dried up. The waiting is agony and both Ry and Van are still without their families. It’s still too dangerous to bring them back to the city.
And Max and our life together is what propels me to face Ash head on. I can’t wait for him to come. I won’t let him destroy my life again. And this time, I’m not a helpless little girl. He doesn’t know who he’s dealing with, and most of all, that’s what I’m banking on. I hope he underestimates me.
I have to put an end to this endless waiting. While we’ve waited for Ash to surface, we’ve also been trying to rebuild what Ash destroyed. HC has relocated to an office building in Brooklyn and it looks like we are going to be there for a while. The damage to the building is extensive. But even with this momentum, we’re on tenterhooks.
So I start with Van. Max isn’t an option. There’s no way he’d even entertain the idea of me putting myself at risk.
Van, on the other hand, is a professional. This kind of thing is his job. So I raised the idea, again, and started chipping away at all of his excuses or rebuttals.
I was relentless.
“I fucking hate this. I’ll tell the guys and you’re talking to Max tonight, right?”
“Yes.” I stand with the apartment door open.
“And you remember our agreement. I call the shots.” He buttons up his jacket.
“Yes. I promise.”
“Be safe and I’ll talk to you tonight.” He kisses my forehead. “Let me know how Max takes it. The poor bastard isn’t going to like it.”
Shaking his head, he heads into the hallway as I say, “I will call you. Bye.”
Max is at the hospital tonight, and while I always look forward to his return home, this evening, I feel shitty. I’m going to tell him the plan and he’ll hate it. He’ll also be upset with me because I’ve already set the ball in motion by contacting Zero.
He’s the best one to get in touch with Ash. And I’m no fool. They’re going to be mistrustful of me, thinking it’s a set-up. They’d be crazy not to even consider it, but to lessen their suspicions, I’ll give them the control. They get to determine where and when we meet.
Max comes home after midnight and finds me in the living room, waiting up, with Gunnar beside me.
“Hey. How’d it go tonight?” I swing my legs onto the floor so I’m sitting upright on the sofa.
“Fine.” He leans down to kiss me.
I haven’t let go of my apartment yet, but for all intents and purposes, we are living together. And I like coming home to him or vice versa. I never imagined domesticity being this awesome and I’m afraid to admit I’m hooked. It’s all about Max, not the monotony of life that keeps me smiling and feeling as if I could conquer the world.
“Doesn’t sound like it was fine.” My fingers dance along his face and neck. “You look tired.”
“Long night. Things didn’t go so well with a surgery. It might be touch and go.” He exhales harshly, running one hand through his hair as he stands. “I might have to go back tonight.”
“I’m sorry.” I’m only going to add to his bad night.
Shit, no, I’m putting all we have on the line and he’s already dealing with life and death situations on a daily basis.
This is our only choice. I can only hope, with time, he sees it the way I do.
“Have you got a minute before you crash?”
“For you? Always.” His voice lowers as he pulls me to my feet and into his warm embrace.
He lightly kisses the top of my head, leading us to our room while Gunnar walks beside us. Once the place is dark and quiet, we sit side by side on the edge of our bed.
Taking his hands in mine, I force my voice to sound clear. No doubt. No hesitation. I wouldn’t do this if there was another way.
“You know how things have been tough with no word from Ash?”
He nods slowly as his eyes now narrow and he tilts his head to the side. Every part of his body has gone rigid. It’s almost as if he knows what’s coming.
“Van and I have been talking and we set plan B in motion.”
“Plan B?” His voice is barely a whisper but it carries such weight that it might as well be thunder for how I feel it in my chest.
Now it’s my turn to nod, swallowing with difficulty as the familiar feeling of dread and terror seeps into me. There’s so much on the line.
“There was never a plan B. We said we both had to agree to the idea for it to even be considered. Tommie, we never came to an understanding. I never a
greed. Tell me I’m jumping to the wrong conclusion.”
My brain searches for the right words. I thought I had this all figured out. What I’d say, what he would say, and even how I’d respond to some of the trickier things he might say. But real life never goes as planned. I hear my breath, shallow and shaky, and he curses at my reticence.
“Why are you doing this? I won’t let you do this.” Fury blazes in his eyes.
I brace, anger stirring inside me. “You won’t let me?”
“That’s not what I mean.” Now standing, he paces. “I’m not trying to control you. I’m worried. This is a stupid idea and if something goes wrong, what happens to you?”
My teeth tug at my bottom lip, needing the discomfort to somehow try and equal the pain and anguish I’m causing him. I feel my face fall and my eyes burn.
“It’s all we have. It’s our only play.”
His laugh is hard and brittle as his expression turns granite. “It isn’t a ‘play,’ it’s fucking suicide.”
“He’s going to come after me either way, Max.” I touch his hand and he pulls from my touch, skewering me with a hot disappointed glare. “I don’t want to sit around, fretting about when he’s going to show up. I’m not powerless. We can change the game and put us on the offense. Take our confrontation to him.”
He stares into the distance, and it feels like he can’t look at me; his jaw ticks, as does time as the silence swells between us.
“And this way we get him. We screwed up with Taya. We gave her a deal, and now we’re stuck honoring it even though our plan was worthless.”
All isn’t lost there. We’ve talked as a group about the other information we have on Taya. She’s a mob boss for fuck’s sake and we’ve got more on her. She isn’t completely out of our sights, but for now, she’s clear. Ash is our target.
“What if he’s left New York?” He’s grasping at straws, trying to deter me as he runs a hand through his hair.