by Lucian Bane
Her hands cradled his head and she shhhh’d him. “Sokay,” she whispered. “I’m sorry too. For lying. I told you the truth because…”
He raised his head when she didn’t go on and found her fighting back a sob.
“Because I was afraid you’d find out and not ever trust me,” she choked out. “And I wanted you to trust me, I wanted you to feel safe with me,” she wailed.
“I know I’m safe with you angel. I know that,” he whispered, kissing her forehead. He may have been pissed about the lie but he didn’t think she had a single bad bone in her body, that much he was sure of.
“It would kill me,” she wailed. “I can’t take you hating me, I can’t. I’d rather die, Sade.”
“I don’t hate you. I could never hate you.” he whispered, his chest unbearably tight as he pressed kisses to her face. “I don’t hate you.”
The phone rang. “Don’t move,” he said, “I’ll be right back.” He hoped it was Mordecai with answers.
Sade ran to the kitchen. “What you got for me?”
He opened up with a sigh. “Man. It’s not good.”
Sade’s heart hammered. “Just tell me.” He was ready to hit whatever it was head on.
“I’ve got a few more things to double check but I think you might be dating the daughter of Kane fucking Kross man.”
Terror slammed Sade. “What!? No, no, her father is dead, and, no, that’s not her fucking father anyway.” Sade’s head spun with gory KK images. “Fuck, since when does he have a daughter?”
“Since we found out. Recently,” he whispered like he worried they might be heard. “And he is not dead my friend. She no doubt believes he is, though.”
Sade leaned against the wall, closing his eyes. “Why would she? Why would she believe he’s dead?” Fear was stealing his ability to breathe, much less string thoughts together. KK. Anybody but that man.
“Because I think he needed to be dead and when you need to be dead, nobody knows.”
“Why would you think it’s him? No, that is not his daughter, sorry man but she doesn’t match.”
“She wouldn’t know, Sade,” he hissed incredulous. “You think he’d tell her? High-fucking-un-likely. Hey baby doll, daddy’s gotta run out and castrate a few bad guys, don’t wait up? And that was the other thing I wanted to tell you.”
“Oh fuck.” Mordecai’s tone said he wouldn’t like this.
“Your father has gotten wind of her snooping around. He had me check her out.”
“Oh God, fuck, you told him all this?”
“Do I work for him? I’m telling you as a heads up. If you’re still seeing her, I’d watch her back. And yours for stray bullets.”
Sade fought to piece everything together. “And why do you think her dad isn’t dead?”
“Because three people died just in the last week.”
“Our team?”
“Yep. All assigned to get an angle on your girl.”
Sade put his hand on his mouth. “Fffuuuuck, I can’t believe this. Who all knows?”
“Everybody but you.”
“And why the fuck?”
“You know why. The only reason I’m telling you now is because you just gave me what I’ve been wondering.”
“And what’s that?”
Sade waited in the sudden silence before he finally mumbled, “Where your head was with her.”
“Oh yeah? And where is it?”
“Nowhere I’m afraid. You’re all heart in this one dude. And I’ve got one bit of advice for you.”
“I’m listening.” Sade paced in the silence, waiting.
“Run. Run far and run fast.”
Sade didn’t say another word, he just hung up and looked around for glowing red crosshairs in the shape of a crucifix. Ffffuuuuck. Her father was fucking Kane Kross? As a boy, Sade had secretly idolized the communities arch enemy. Sade had gotten his own nickname early on as a challenge to the Vigilante who seemed to specialize in killing bad guys. Nobody knew that Sade had a secret death wish, and to be killed by the Vigilante would have been his dream come true, the final bucket list item. But when he grew up, Sade had changed his mind about how he would die. He taunted death a lot like it taunted him. And if he ever got considered by the elite assassin, he was ready. Except not like this. Especially with Mercy. Because he felt it in the blood rushing through his veins in that second. Mercy was his. And he needed to be fucking alive for that.
So who were they running from exactly? KK or his father? Any man would rather be hunted by his father than by KK. Sade would be running from both in this case.
He realized one thing and quickly dialed Mordecai back. “What if it’s not him, it could be anybody. Somebody her father left to look after her?”
“If it is, he left them with his signature.”
Sade closed his eyes and hung up the phone. Fuck. KK killed all his victims with bullets cast in a shell bearing a crucifix. And in case you didn’t get the message with that, he left it on the body, bullet holes along the abdomen in the same shape. But maybe the most fearsome thing he did was brand the balls of every man with that image. After he sawed off their dicks and shoved them in the asses or mouths of their owners.
Now God’s avenging angel would come. Ten years too fucking late, when he didn’t want shit to do with him.
Chapter Nineteen
Sade paced in the living room while Mercy rested. The doorbell rang and he ran to it with his gun and glanced into the peephole. Bo. He opened the door and yanked him in and put a finger to his lips.
“You need to leave now!” Bo mouthed.
“What?” Sade whispered. “Why didn’t you call!” Sade raced to his bedroom with Bo on his heels.
“They have my phone tapped man, couldn’t risk it!”
“Did you fucking hear?” Sade said quietly, yanking a black bag out of his closet. “About fucking KK?”
“Yes man, I did! I’m not supposed to tell you but I had to.” he whispered. “They’re going to hurt her man.”
Sade eyed him briefly, shaking his head. “I need to get her out of here before that happens.”
“They want to bring her in now that they know man, you need to hurry.”
“Fuck!” Sade gasped, pointing at him. “Not a word to her about this being her dad, do you hear me?” He nodded and Sade ran to the vault and got enough cash for a year and several fire-arms, then hurried to Mercy’s room.
He shook her and she bolted up in bed. “What!”
“Listen to me.” He pulled her up from the bed and caressed her face between his hands. “You’re in danger here.”
“What? Why?”
“I don’t have time to explain everything you’ll have to trust me, can you do that Mercy? Can you baby? Trust me?”
She nodded, her eyes darting to Bo then back to Sade.
“Now listen closely. You listening?” He made her look in his eyes. “I’m going to give you a key, an address, a bag of money and a few weapons. You’re going to zig zag your way to this address. It’s four hours north of here and nobody knows about this place but me. Are you listening Mercy,” he hissed, when she clenched her eyes shut.
“Yes, I’m listening,” she wiped tears away. “Tell me what to do, I’ll do it.”
He put a set of keys in her hand and closed it tight around them. “These are the keys to the place, and there’s an antique truck in the parking garage. It’s ready to move. Once you get in it, you do not stop, you do not make a phone call. In fact, leave your phone here. If you have an emergency of any kind, use a payphone and call the police. Not me.” He took her hand now and began tugging her to the door. “I have enough money in this bag and a couple of firearms and extra ammunition if you should need it for anything. When you get there, you don’t move. Don’t lift your head. Just hide. I’ll come as soon as the coast is clear.”
They all made a dash to the private parking garage and Sade led her to the truck. He looked around and unlocked the door then helped her in, maki
ng sure she knew how to drive a stick-shift. She wiped her tears and nodded, assuring him she understood.
Sade pulled her face to his and meshed their lips with a near panic. “There’s a map in the glove box. Do not stop,” he whispered. “Do you fucking understand me? I swear to God you better not stop, I mean it Mercy. Swear on your father you will not stop.”
She nodded. “I promise, I swear,” she gasped.
He kissed her once more in the same way and put his forehead to hers. “No matter what happens angel...” He looked into her eyes for several seconds, breathing hard around the emotions. “I…” he closed his eyes and cleared his throat. “You’re my Mercy. My fucking Mercy, there is no other woman in this world…” he whispered, “that I ever want to know. The way I know you.” He stroked her face between his hands and kissed her hard again.
“Sade!” she cried quietly, shaking her head. “Where are you going? Just come with me,” she gasped. “Please don’t stay, please come.”
“I’ve gotta make a deal with my father that he can’t refuse. But there are no guarantees in this fucking life. Look at me. Mercy. We’re survivors. No matter what happens, right?”
She choked out a sob and nodded. “Okay okay,” she whispered, stroking his face. “So I’ll see you tonight?”
“More like tomorrow night.” He turned to Bo and aimed a finger at him. “You want out of this, you leave now. Run. But if you stay, nobody fucking hurts Mercy, do you understand?” Sade gripped his shoulder and shook it. “Do you fucking understand me? If you want out brother, take it now! Haul ass to the end of the earth and don’t look back, I don’t care. But if you stay?” Sade pointed in his face and grit his teeth. “You better be ready to have your dick cut off and shoved in your ass, because if you’re with me, you’re a shield for her.”
Bo nodded. “Yeah man, I’m a shield. I’m staying with you man. I’m a shield.”
Sade turned to Mercy and pulled her face to his again for one last kiss before pressing his mouth to her ear and gave her the address then whispered, “big girl panties baby.”
He shut her door and ran to hide where he could watch the road after her. Nobody knew that vehicle was his. Nobody. He’d bought it years ago for when he would make his break next year. Everything he did for that event was under new identities. She’d be safe at least. While he went strike a deal with his fucking father, the devil.
****
“623 Fallen LN Prairie City, Oregon,” she wailed quietly, “623 Fallen LN, Prairie City, Oregon.” Mercy wiped her eyes again and drove slowly out of Las Angeles feeling like a neon sign in the robin egg blue truck. Keeping her eyes peeled for anybody following her, fear kept her stomach in tight knots for the entire hour it took to get far enough out of town to breathe. “Please God,” she gasped. “Please help us. Help Sade. Watch over him, I beg you.”
Mercy stopped a few times within the next two hours to read the map and make sure she wasn’t too far off track of her zigzagging. She was not far now. She’d passed the location up on purpose. Sade would be impressed with that when she told him.
She drove fifteen mph down the final road looking for the turn that should be there. Was it gravel? Dirt? She was in the middle of nowhere land. Good thing she had no issues with horror movie scenarios playing out in her head right at that moment.
“Big girl panties Mercy, big girl panties.” She hit the brake when she passed a narrow road. Putting the truck in reverse, she backed up and stared at it. “Geeze, that’s not the least bit scary.” But that had to be it. Even though there were no visible signs that anything would be at the end of the road but Big Foot or something worse. A psycho in the woods.
She turned onto the narrow lane, big enough for one vehicle and wound her way up a hill. Two miles later and she was looking for a spot to turn around. Nothing could be this far up. And if it was, she didn’t want to arrive alone. The place was fucking creepy. She loved nature and everything but this was way too horror movie for her.
“Oh my God!” she gasped at finally spotting white through the trees ahead. A few more seconds and she came to a stop before a white shingle cottage on the side of a mountain. “Wow,” she whispered. Gorgeous. She looked around and shivered at the ideas of what lived in these untouched woods. She wasn’t really wanting to use her Wing-Chun on a bear or a mountain lion.
Fifteen minutes later, she worked up the nerve to get out of the truck. We’re gonna run to the door and zip in. She gave another careful look into the darkness all around. Run in and lock, run in and lock. Shit, what about spiders along the way?
She searched the truck for a flashlight. Nothing. Damn. She could leave the headlights on. She’d have to. Find a flashlight inside and come back out. Or find exterior lights.
A howl nearby made her jump and she scanned the dark. Shit shit. Putting on any exterior lights might ward off animals. While telling the neighborhood psycho somebody was home.
Mercy took several breaths and grabbed the duffle bag and her purse and looped them across her body. Big girl panties. She opened the door, jumped out, and ran to the front of the house, slowing a bit at the steps to make sure she wasn’t running headlong into a huge spider web. Fuck she hated spiders bad.
She shuddered the rest of the way onto the porch, eyes taking in everything as she went. The outside furniture had sharp angles, maybe wood. She eyed the four body sized, break and enter windows along the front as she fought the key into the deadbolt. Panic hit her suddenly. What if this wasn’t the right house? What if there was an alarm when she tried to open the door? Shit. She looked around for an address on the place. Nothing of course. She didn’t recall even a damn mailbox anywhere along the way.
She held her breath and turned the key in the lock then jolted when the metal released with an ominous clonk. She darted a glance over her shoulder at feeling like something had crept up behind. She quickly opened the door and slipped inside, her hand trembling along the wood surface for the fucking lock. She finally located it and spun it quickly.
She turned her head now, feeling like she’d just graduated to Hell part two. But the key worked. This had to be the right place.
Hunched at the door, she looked around in the dark, allowing her eyes to adjust before she moved an inch. Her nose picked up cedar... pine… vanilla? Maybe cinnamon. Her ears picked up zero as the shadows slowly came into view. She soon made out the shape of furniture then suddenly froze. Somebody stood in the fucking corner. Oh God. She held her breath and waited, not moving.
Ah shit. She let out a breath. It was just a viney looking tree. Jesus what a stupid thing to have right there. Her breath trembled in and out as she gazed around. Living room, kitchen, dining. She made out stair rails along the far end of the wall. So that meant the dormer windows above weren’t just decoration. A story and a half home. Small but well laid out.
She spied two doors to the right of the living room. Probably a bathroom and laundry. Or a bedroom. She wanted to turn on lights but wasn’t ready to be seen. God, she still needed to go back out and lock the truck and turn the lights off before the battery ran down. Last thing she wanted was to be stranded out there.
Her night vision kicked in more and she looked around for a small lamp or something. Spying one on the table to her right, she made her way slowly to it, feeling along the base. The light flickered on by touch, startling her. Darting a quick look around, she tapped the base until it dimmed to lowest setting.
She glanced at the windows. Heavily draped and shut tight. Thank you God. She made her way to a fireplace between the doors on the right wall to see the pictures on the mantle. As she drew closer, she realized they weren’t just empty frames. She snatched the first one off and angled it toward the light, making out a woman and a young boy, smiling at the camera. Mercy’s heart jerked hard with a gasp at recognizing Sade’s features in the tiny adorable superman expression. Her vision blurred and she quickly wiped her eyes, looking at the woman. His mother? Oh God they looked…so happy together. Wh
at had happened to her?
Her heart constricted at how beautiful she was. Just how did she end up in that life? Was she forced like she’d been? Trapped into it? Mercy wished she’d dug more now to find out details about her death. She’d planned on it and got caught up in helping Sade.
She stroked the picture, realizing. Maybe this was the path she’d been seeking that led to the heart of his wounds. This right here.
Mercy set it back down carefully and looked at the other pictures. Who were these couples and families? She looked closer and realized they were the generic photos that came with frames. Pain hammered her heart at why they were still in them. Was that the only photo he had of his mother? Was this his attempt at a normal life? She looked all around then, finding a home that seemed well lived in. Was this a long lost family home? No, he said nobody knew about it.
He had one more year to work for his father, then he was free. She slid her hands over the books on a bookshelf. Was this his freedom? This place? This new life? A sob tore from her chest for him. He better fucking make it back here. He better! She covered her hand over her mouth, allowing herself to think of what he was doing at that moment. She closed her eyes tight and prayed for him again. God please, please, bring him back safe to me.
Mercy looked around and spied a clock. If it was right, it was four in the morning. She made her way around the home finding she was right about what was behind the doors next to the fireplace. She covered her mouth at entering the downstairs bedroom. A superhero themed décor sat perfectly in order. Had he lived here once maybe? She swallowed hard and checked every corner and closet, mostly to make sure they were empty, her mind processing everything it touched. Were these his toys? She glided her fingers over them, feeling so much love that it made her sob. She bet he was such a sweet baby at that age.