Black and Blue (Chubby Chasers, Inc. Series Book 3)

by Angie M. Brashears

  Her shoulders sag. “I was eighteen. I did what I was told. That was ten years ago. And somehow, this became my life, Blue.”

  She coughs in her hand to clear her throat and looks toward the sliding door. I whip my head around. Please don’t let this be an episode of This is Your Life. If my mother, or Javi, or the preacher! walk out that door to the sound of canned laughter, I won’t be able to stop screaming. It will really be time to call the men in white coats.

  She strokes my hand, rubbing her thumb across the top, calling me back to her.

  I dig my nails into the chewed side of her hand, feeling the bandage give under my hostility. She snatches her hand away. “Ow! Jesus, Blue.”

  “Just checking.” I suppress a grin.

  “In ten years, you couldn’t find a way to escape?” I shrug. It’s not that difficult.

  She looks out my wall of trees. “It was a kind of a Favor exchange. A you-scratch-my-back-I’ll-do-yours-next type of arrangement. Senior had a houseful of crazy, with vacant rooms. I needed a safe place to hide after… I was raped.”

  I whip my head up. “By Javi?”

  She shakes her head. I hear the screen sliding on its track. I bit my tongue savagely to keep the scream in.

  Gretchen looks to see who’s coming, but I don’t. There’s no one I want to see.

  Under her breath, she mutters. “It wasn’t Javi. It was my husband’s twin brother.”

  “Husband?” I ask. I can’t believe my ears.

  She nods. “I know. Sasha had the same reaction.”

  A man stands on the periphery, and stares at her. Tall and distinguished, with wavy dark hair. His eyes are hidden behind sunglasses. I can’t take my eyes off of him. Gretchen won’t acknowledge him, just keeps her eyes on me.

  I raise my voice. “Are you real?”

  His smile makes him beautiful. “You’re an angel. I knew it. Too good to be true.”

  “I’m as real as you.” He leans down and offers a hand. He smells expensive.

  “That’s not saying much.” I mutter.

  Which he ignores. “I’m Tony Cedrone, Gretchen’s husband. I’m sorry for the circumstances we’re meeting under, but it is good to meet you.”

  I stare at Gretchen. “Cedrone?” I ask.

  She spits out, “Manson’s a stage name. I can’t use Cedrone. It will scare away all the customers if they know I’m the wife of a mob boss.”

  I nod. I got it. Thanks for the warning.

  Tony sits across from me, deliberately facing away from Gretchen. Although I can tell it pains him, he doesn’t look in her direction, not even once.

  He’s blunt. Right to the point. No saccharine pity in his eyes, good for him. “Blue, now we need a favor. You’ll be heavily compensated, because you’re one of a kind. A rare bird indeed. Javi’s wife.”

  I look at Gretchen, ready to go inside at the use of that filthy word. Wife. Cardboard cutout. Insert tab A into slot B. I try to stand, but the IV pole’s in the way.

  He sees it. “Wait, please. Hear me out.” There’s desperation in his voice. I settle back in my chair. I’ve gotta hear this.

  “It was the biggest mistake of my life sending Gretchen in there. I sent a broken girl in to deal with madness. Thought I was killing two birds with one stone. Now she’s got a chance, a real chance to get rid of the baggage she’s carted on her back for the last ten years. All of it.”

  Her eyes flash, but she won’t look at him. It’s weird, like she’s talking to a ghost. Not sure where on the deck he hovers. “You have no right to talk about this with her, Tony. Chubby Chasers is mine. I built it. I am Chubby Chasers, and I won’t give it up. But I want Javi out. Period. No more doll fantasies. No more. I can’t be a part of it any longer.”

  She turns to me and squeezes my hand. “I need you to sign these papers, Blue. He’ll be committed for what he’s done to you. No legal rights. The money, the house, will all be in your name. If you really want to pay me back-for rescuing you- sign the Chubby House over to me.”

  I shake my head. “I wish I could. But it’s not legal. The marriage, I mean. We never consummated the relationship.”

  She’s surprised. “But the blood? I’ve got pictures.”

  “What? What kind of pictures?”

  “Evidence to put him away for good,” she assures me.

  I look at Tony, who’s watching Gretchen. I think about it. Would it be so hard to tell a little lie? If it meant Javi wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone else? “What about the police?”

  Tony looks at me over his glasses, like I’m still in a fever dream or something.

  Gretchen leans in. “Blue, no police.” She glances near Tony as he studies me. Looking for something. Is there stool pigeon written on my head?

  She squeezes my hand, hard. “Say it, Blue. No police.”

  Now I’m furious. “No police. Who says? This guy I’ve never met? Gretchen, this happened to me. Maybe I want to get my justice, too. Did you ever think of that?”

  She nods. “That’s all I’ve thought about. Justice…for you. Remember what we talked about last night? I can make that happen. There’s a mutual friend, just waiting to hear from me Javi and Maria will always be taken care of. Ted and Tony see to that. I just want to make sure I’m taken care of, too.”

  Gretchen

  And this is a little white lie, but whatever works, right? “Besides, once Javi finds out I’m helping you, he’ll throw me out. Or even worse…” I trail off and wipe a tear. But it doesn’t affect her.

  “I need to talk to Sasha first.” Her tone is controlled, gives nothing away.

  My stomach flips, but I hand her my phone.

  She looks down at the phone like she’s never seen one before. Man, Javi fucked her right over. Without looking up from the screen, she asks. “How did you find me again, Gretchen?”

  I fight not to roll my eyes. It’s another test. To make sure I’m real and not another hallucination. Javi does the same damn thing. I go slow, making sure all my details match the previous five times I’ve explained it.

  “Blue, you’re real. I’m real, I promise. Right, Tony?” I risk a look at his Italian leather shoes and when I’m sure I won’t run, at his face.

  That smile. Those dimples. My hands start to tremble. But he doesn’t answer, just leans back in his chair, interested to hear the lie for himself.

  “It was your phone, Blue. I tracked it via GPS. We were frantic, out of our minds trying to find you, the signal up here is so spotty. That’s why it took so long.”

  Her hair hangs in her face as she grips my phone. Her voice is blank and she asks. “Frantic, huh?”

  Did I not use ‘frantic’ the other times? What’s that sneer about?

  She faces Tony, apparently done with me, she speaks only to him. “Senior sounds awesome, maybe you’ll tell me about him someday. I’ll sign the papers. But first, I’d like a moment alone, with my boss.” She reminds me so much of myself.

  Tony’s practically jovial as he says. “Sure, I’ll just give you ladies some privacy,” he walks out with a little more pep in his step. Like I needed the big ole man to come in and get ’er done for me.

  Once the door snaps shut, I lean in, and gently ask. “What is it, Bluebelle?” She pulls away, still so wary. I push her hair out of her eyes—it makes her look like a psych patient—and give her an indulgent smile.

  Blue

  I return her sweet smile. “I just wanted a moment to thank you again, for rescuing me. Under such arduous conditions.”

  Her brow wrinkles.

  So I break it down for her. But gently. I haven’t left the hill yet. “Must have been awful. With me being trapped up here, out of reach. That must have been some GPS locator, Gretchen.”

  I take a long drink from my water bottle, eyeing her puzzled expression. “Especially since my phone was all the way down there…” I wave my IV arm like I’m presenting her a new car, instead of the truth. “My phone’s in a drawer in your home. All I’ve had for t
he longest time is the burner phone Sasha gave me. Now take this fucking IV out. I’ve got a phone call to make.”

  Sasha

  I grab my phone on the first ring. It’s been days since I’ve heard from Gretchen. I’m not even mad anymore. I just feel, well, relieved. I’d called the Chubby house, spoke with Esmie, who said Javi was there, had been painting, of all things, but now is sequestered in his pool house. But no Gretchen.

  She never leaves the property.

  If I’m gone, and Javi’s catatonic or whatever the fuck he is—Esmie says he keeps mumbling something about Gretchen not being real after all, or some crazy shit like that— “Who’s running the asylum?”

  “Me,” she says, proud of herself.

  She won’t stop chattering about a new chef, who looks like he was shipped in from New York, big and beefy. “My type,” she purred. But I don’t think he’s been sent there to be anyone’s type. He’s there to make sure Javi doesn’t fuck up again. I’m sure of it.

  Riley says he’ll ride over there and beat the shit out of him. But, no, I’m not letting Riley get mixed up in all this. I don’t want him on Gretchen’s radar. She might add his name to the ‘hit list.’

  So when the phone rings, yeah, I pick it the fuck up. “Speak,” I say. Guess my feelings are still a little hurt, after all.

  “Sasha.” When I hear her voice, I fall to my knees in relief.

  “Blue!” I’m so happy, I yell too loud and am so relieved to hear her giggle.

  Blue

  “Sasha, how are you?” Fresh tears well in my eyes as I hear her yelling to Riley, letting him know I’m okay. “So you were thinking about me. I was so scared I’d never be found.”

  I move the receiver away as she yells. “Of course I was thinking about you, silly goose!”

  The laugh that comes out of me sounds crippled.

  Apprehensively, she asks, “Did Gretchen find you?”

  I don’t even hesitate. Some sins can be forgiven. “Yeah, it was the GPS on my phone.”

  “Lucky duck.”

  “I know, right?”

  “Yes. She wants me to sign some papers.”

  She sucks in a breath. “So you married the bastard. Good for you.”

  “But Sasha, I’m looking at the papers and it says she’ll get everything. One hundred per cent ownership of the Chubby House. What about you?”

  “Oh, Blue. I never wanted it in the first place. And I had so much confidence in you, that you’d be the one, I sold her all of my shares the day you moved in. Made a pretty penny, too. My days were numbered before I even met you. I just didn’t know it yet.

  She lowers her voice. “Is Frankie there with you? Riley said some crazy thing about Frankie being with Gretchen.”

  “No.” A memory of a gray seal swims through my mind. I get a warm feeling just hearing his name.

  “Yeah, I didn’t think so. Probably meant that Gretchen talked to Frankie. He’s probably out on his boat. Listen, she did all the legwork to find you. It was all her, Blue.”

  I owe Gretchen but the debts currently being settled. I will never mention my missing phone.

  “Do you think I should sign?” I ask. Then I wonder aloud, “What do I get out of this deal?”

  “What do you want out of the deal? Listen, I don’t even know what you’ve been through this past week, but I will tell you this. You need to be compensated. Don’t walk away from this with a thank you. I mean, we are talking millions of dollars in revenue. Do you want me to negotiate the terms for you?”

  I give her the go ahead and ask, “Why’s is this so important to Gretchen?”

  Sasha’s voice softens. “This is all she’s ever wanted. She didn’t want to go along with any of Javi’s schemes, but she had to. He thought she was a gift from his father. So he never let her go. Thought she was a hooker but treated her like an accomplice.

  “She’s not all bad, Blue. She’s just like us. The only one in her corner, looking out for her, is her. She does what she needs to do.”

  Sasha wants to know, what happened. “I can’t Sasha, not now. There will be plenty of time for all that later.” I bow my head against the receiver and breathe in deep before whispering, “I’m alive. That’s more than I even dared to hope for yesterday.”

  There’s a hitch in her voice as she tells me she loves me and is going to put a tracker on my ass, before asking for Gretchen.

  The weight of being alive is too heavy. I’m tired. I call out weakly, and she’s there, taking the phone. She covers the receiver. There’s a new sliver of fear in her eyes as she asks, “She wants to talk to me?”

  I mime zipping my lips and hand her the phone.

  Sasha

  I hear her breathless “hello” and the closing of a door. Finally, I’ve got her attention. It took a phone call from our missing friend, but I’ve finally got her attention.

  “Gretchen, I’m proud of you. You did it,” I say and really mean it.

  She’s taken aback. “Th-thank you, Sash.”

  “When I left, it was for good. So don’t take this the wrong way. After having some time to think, I know you only did what you thought was necessary. And it all came out okay in the end. He’ll be out of her life. For good. No more fucking paper doll fetishes. Did he hurt her? I mean, really bad?” I have to know.

  My phone beeps as she whispers, “I sent you a picture.”

  “Hold on,” I say, and it takes my breath away. Like literally, I forget how to breathe when I see her. Tied, raving mad, it doesn’t even look like my Blue.

  “She’ll need therapy,” I say, already starting the negotiations, but she stops me.

  “Don’t worry. She’ll be well compensated. Ted drew up the papers. She gets to keep the four million. The condo will be liquidated, and she’ll get all the proceeds. She’ll have a 10% stake in the Chubby Chasers, Inc. house and any others that may open in the future. Believe me, Sash, I know she’s earned it.”

  I hear the door open and shut gently. “I need to go, Sash. Will we talk soon?”

  I laugh. “Will we talk soon? Just try to shut me up, boss lady. I’m thinking I might want to talk to you about some freelance work.”

  “I love you, Sash,” she says and I want to believe it. So I do.

  “Right back at you, boss lady.”

  Gretchen

  When I hang up with Sasha, Blue calls through the door.

  “Gretchen, I thought of what I want.”

  I wipe the tears from my eyes and go to her bedside. The look in her eyes, I don’t like it. It reminds me of…someone else. Did he break her?

  “What is it?” I whisper, knowing this is going to be more than a check and a condo.

  “I want a night alone with my husband,” she requests, and a chill goes down my back.

  I’m so proud of her. No, that tough candy shell’s just cracked, not broken. “We’ve just been waiting for you to ask. I’ve got muscle on standby. Give me a minute,” I beam in her direction.

  “Gretch, can you leave the light on?”

  “Gus. Stay here. Outside the door.” There are cases of bottled water by the front door. “And bring these inside where she can see them, reach them.”

  He looks at me funny, but does as I ask. When I open the screen door, he holds up a hand. “The boss is out there,” he says, warning me. He knows I detest looking Tony in the face.

  I nod. “It’s for Blue.”

  The back window of the black Cadillac rolls down, and I see his outline. My stomach clenches, saliva floods my mouth, and I can’t help it, I gag.

  I don’t stop at the open window. I walk around the trunk and get into the front seat.

  Without ever looking back at my husband, who I love and hate, fear and loathe, I ask his driver to give us a minute. He steps out.

  I hear Tony’s seat move, as his weight shifts and I stop him. “Don’t! No closer. Stay back.”

  My breathing rate increases just being this near to him.

  When I feel like I
can speak, I do. “Frankie’s down the hill at the 76 Motel. I’m sending Gus to get him. I can’t leave her, Tony. I can’t do it. You have to make sure he gets here.

  “And…” he says, his voice filled with need. I feel his eyes all over me. I wish for both of us that I could find a way to look past the face of my attacker and see him.

  “And she has a chance for love. We—me with my aspirations for the Chubby House and you, wanting to keep control of his family business—we have fucked up a perfectly good life in there. You saw her in there, Tony. She needs this.”

  “And…” he says, wanting me to say it. He knows everything anyway; I don’t know why I try to hide anything.

  “And she kept her mouth shut about the GPS nonsense. Didn’t say a word.”

  “Good.” No more ands. “She wants payback, and maybe Frankie’s the one to cash that check for her. That’s all you can do, Gretch. It’s up to them to find out what comes after.”

  I turn my head slightly, “After what?” I ask, hating the shake in my voice with even the slightest view of his profile.

  He says, “Revenge.”

  I give him my phone. I hit the password and show him the picture. He gets pale and looks out the window.

  “We’ll meet him at the guesthouse. Prepare him, then bring him up to the house.”

  He nods. “Then it’s time to go. Your tail’s drying out, beautiful.”

  ……

  The cabin is stocked with supplies. Blue’s tucked in the bed. Even washed and in comfy PJs—blue of course. They were in her suitcase in this spare room. She looks like hell. I come in and see that she’s sleeping. The tablet’s gone from the bedside table.

  She sleeps on her back, arms and legs splayed open. Nightmare restraints hold them in place.

  When he sees her, he’s going to want to kill Javi. Hell, I do.