by Sam Crescent
“Protect yourself,” he said.
“Thank you,” she said.
“Go, I’ll distract the house,” Landon said.
“You’re not going to try and stop me?”
“This is going to be your only chance to escape. You want to stick around and see shit get messed up, be my guest.”
“You’re going to do something crazy?”
“Nah, I’m not, but this doesn’t have to hit you.” He pulled out a pen, grabbing her arm. “Go to this guy. Tell him Landon sent you. I’ll send him the money. Get a new ID. I don’t want to know what it is. Just … survive.”
Tears filled her eyes, and she hugged her brother against her. “I love you, Landon.”
“I know. Go.” He let her go, and she breathed out as she made her escape. After all these years, she knew the guards’ patrol route. She’d been practicing her getaway for weeks now.
Finally, she was able to make it. Opening the back gate that led out onto the main road, she kept to the tree line so no one would find her.
She was out and free.
Chapter Thirteen
The sound of gunfire woke Emma up. Gideon moved over her, and it took her a few seconds to realize they were not coming into their room.
“What’s going on?” she asked. Her heart raced.
“Stay here.”
Gideon left her alone, and she hated being alone.
Picking up one of his spare guns, she made her way out of the room, going toward the sound. Gideon had already advanced. The shooting stopped, and then she heard Landon.
“Oh, fuck off. You don’t like that wakeup call? Get a sense of humor.”
She entered the main corridor, and there Landon stood, a gun in his hand.
No one was dressed, only Landon. He smirked as he stared at the crowd.
“Wow, that didn’t take long. You were all waiting for the gunfire, huh? Is that what pervs wait for?”
“I do not have to listen to this disrespect,” Paul said.
“Oh, please, you want Denton pussy. You admitted it last night.” Landon lifted up his shirt jacket and laughed. “Looks like you’re out of time.” He pressed his fingers to his lips, lifting them up in the air. “Bye-bye, sis.” He looked to Maddox. “Kind of hard to negotiate your daughter when she’s gone poof. Vanished into thin air.”
“What the fuck have you done?” Maddox asked.
“Just a little brotherly love.” Landon winked. Gideon was already walking upstairs, and Emma followed him. The gun in her hand felt so strange, but she wasn’t giving it up.
One by one, the men and women went to Tamsin’s bedroom.
The door was open, and Charlotte held her blanket in her hand.
On the wall, Tamsin had written them all a message.
“Adios, fuckers. I’m no one’s pawn. I’m my own person, and I say fuck you.”
Emma couldn’t believe it.
“Get the guards. I want them searching the perimeter,” Maddox said.
Landon tutted. He’d followed them up. Even the Savona men were in the bedroom.
The room itself didn’t look like a girl’s. There were no personal touches.
“This is all your fault,” Charlotte said. She slapped Maddox around the face. “Always searching for something more. She’s our little girl, and you sent her away.”
Maddox caught Charlotte’s arms. “Don’t even think of blaming me.”
“Nope, you’re both in this together. Both wanted to sell your fifteen-year-old daughter. I hope you’re happy with yourself,” Landon said.
Emma let out a cry as Maddox wrapped his fingers around Landon’s neck, slamming him against the wall.
“You saw her! Why didn’t you stop her?”
Landon laughed. “Why would I help you? She’s running from you. There’s no way I’d help you. Not ever again. You lost me when you didn’t let me go to her.” Landon grabbed his father’s hands, and with a power that shocked her, removed them from around his neck, shoving Maddox away. “We’re not toys for you to play with.”
With that, Landon left. The tension in the room had shifted. It was no secret how strong Landon was.
Clearly, Maddox had forgotten.
“If you don’t have her back, the deal is off,” Paul Savona said.
“I’ll find her,” Mason said.
“You’ll stay the fuck away from my sister,” Jacob said.
“She’s mine, Jacob. The contract has been signed and sealed. I’ll bring her back, and then we’ll deal with everything else.”
Gideon watched as the Savona family left the room.
The rage Maddox felt was clear to see.
“You going to punish Landon now?” Gideon asked.
Emma stepped closer to her man as his thunderous rage directed at Gideon. She wouldn’t let anything happen to him.
“No!” Charlotte yelled the word. “What the hell is happening?”
Gideon spoke up. “You promised Tamsin she could have her own life. Find a man to fall in love with, and now you’re both selling her off as if she’s nothing. Why are you doing this?” He looked between his parents. “I don’t recognize you anymore What is going on?”
Emma noticed Charlotte and Maddox shared a look.
“Our last hit took more out of us that we’ve been able to recuperate. Our money is not speaking anymore. I’ve got to do what is necessary for this family, and that means making tough choices, regardless of if you like them.”
“Money is tight, but you’ve got a ten million reward for the man that kills you?” Jacob asked.
“You saw that, huh? I should have you to thank for that.” His gaze landed on Emma.
She wasn’t going to cower away.
“What do you mean money is tight?” Abel asked.
“Businesses closed,” Gideon said. “We lost revenue. The payment of cops to look the other way is pricey. You invested in the wrong people, and rather than come to us, you decided to do it all yourself.”
“I have to do what I need to lead this family. Savona is a good man.”
“He’s a piece of shit,” Gabriel said. “You know he fucks underage girls, right? He has a whole harem of them. He likes to pick them off of the women he brings in and sells. He gets the ones he loves. I saw the way he looked at Tamsin. Mason would be lucky to get a piece of his wife. I’m surprised he’s not negotiated for her to move in now. For her to get used to being Mason’s wife.”
Emma felt sick to her stomach.
Charlotte gasped. “Did you know this? Did he try to negotiate this?”
“Of course not.”
Emma watched as his jaw clenched. The man was desperate.
Charlotte attacked him, lashing out, screaming, and hitting. No one stopped her.
They stood back as she hit Maddox. “You said this would be good for her. That she needed this. You animal. I fucking hate you.”
Minutes passed as Charlotte stood and shook her head. “I don’t want to even look at you. Find my daughter before they do. This is over.” Charlotte rushed out of the room.
Maddox got to his feet, a bloody lip and black eye already forming.
Gideon held Emma’s hand. She was the only woman remaining in the room.
No one spoke. The pain and anger were clear to see.
“He won’t hurt her,” Maddox said.
“Mason, probably not, but his father, that’s another problem. There’s no way we’re letting Tamsin go to them,” Jacob said.
“You think you’ve got the power to overturn me. You know what is at stake, don’t you? Your very name. Your legacy. Tamsin will be going to the Savona name. I’ve already got a hundred men on their way. They’re going back to the brothels, the rings, and the casinos. We’re getting back on top.”
Jacob shook his head. “We’ve never been away from the top, Dad. Right now, you’re sinking us down to the bottom. We’re no better than the Coltons if you do this deal.”
One by one, they turned to leave. Gideon pulled her out of the room.<
br />
She saw the brothers as they all looked at each other. Clearly a message was being spoken among them, even as she didn’t have a clue what it was.
Gideon didn’t stop as he took her back to her room.
“Get dressed. Pack a bag.”
“Gideon, what’s going on?” she asked.
He stood in the center of the room. “You’re going to stay with Owen and Wyatt.”
“No, don’t do this to me.” She went to hold him, feeling pain strike her chest as he caught her arms, stopping her from getting any closer to him. “Gideon, please, don’t do this. Don’t push me away.”
“I’ve got to make this right.”
She had no idea how bad it was. He wouldn’t let her hold him.
“Don’t push me away. I can help you,” she said.
“You can help me. You can stay with your brothers so I know I don’t have to worry about you. Please, Emma, for me, just do this. I need to know you’re safe. Then I can do what needs to be done.”
She stared at him. “Don’t do this, Gideon. Please.”
“I know what I’m doing. You’re going to have a little faith.”
****
Tamsin breathed a sigh of relief as the bus came to a stop. She’d been traveling via bus for three days, and she stopped inside a small town. She hadn’t caught the name as she’d been too busy scrolling through her list of messages from her brothers. The only ones she read were Landon’s. Everyone else she deleted.
Her stomach rumbled, and she caught the diner across the street.
She was no longer Tamsin Denton anymore. Her name was Tanya Davis. A nice name. She’d have to get used to it, but she liked it. A nice name for an ordinary girl. The guy Landon had told her about already messaged her the necessary details. The moment she had an address, he’d mail her ID to her.
Everything was working smoothly.
Entering the diner, she felt that sense of freedom she’d been missing all of her life.
Between being a Denton, her father, and just life in general, she’d never felt her own person. She’d never been able to step outside and breathe in the fresh air without someone being there, constantly watching.
She took a seat in the back, picking up the menu to see what she could afford. The money she had would be limited, and she’d already planned out how long it would last, so long as she was careful.
“You look a little young to be here by yourself. Where’s your mom?”
Tamsin looked up at the much older woman. “I’m eighteen. Plenty old enough.”
“Yeah, and pigs fly.” The woman poured her some water. “I’m going to say fourteen, not much older than that. A runaway.”
She didn’t like how quickly this woman seemed to know what she was talking about. “Erm, could I just have the pancakes, to go?”
The woman sat down across from her, making no move to leave.
This was unexpected.
“I know life can be pretty hard at times. Running away doesn’t solve life’s problems, honey. It makes them.”
“With all due respect, I can’t go back there.”
“Why not?”
“Because I refuse to be forced into a marriage I don’t want.” She may as well go with some of the truth. Well, that was pretty close to the truth.
“You’re a baby.”
“Doesn’t stop arranged marriages, does it?” She forced a smile to her lips, even though she didn’t feel it.
“I’m Cathy Wingcroft.”
“Tanya Davis,” she said, hating the fact she lied to this woman.
“I own this diner, and seeing as you’re a runaway, I can offer you a room to stay for the night. We’ve got a lot of tourists, and the hotels are all filled up last I heard. I’ve got a room.”
“Do you need a worker?” she asked.
“Are you used to hard work, Tanya?”
“I can be a hard worker. Please. I want to repay you in some way.”
Cathy licked her lips and shook her head. “I’m a fucking sucker for this. Sure. We’ll deal with that tomorrow though. For now, I want you to just eat pancakes when I bring them out.”
“Please don’t call the cops.” It suddenly dawned on Tamsin that this woman could ruin her chance to get away.
Once the cops had her, she’d be back with her family.
Back with Mason Savona.
That wasn’t happening.
“I can see how terrified you are. I’m not a monster. You’re not the first stray I’ve taken in. Don’t worry, have a little faith.”
****
Gideon left strict instructions with Owen and Wyatt. They were to take care of Emma, and if they hadn’t heard from him by the end of the day, they were to run, no questions asked.
Parking up at the zoo parking, he bought a ticket and made his way inside.
“What the hell is this?” he asked, walking up to Gabriel.
“This is so we can talk.”
“What is there to talk about?”
“What happens after Maddox is gone.”
“You know, I’d love to know how you found out all of our shit.”
“It’s not hard to do. You guys don’t exactly whisper.”
“It’s none of your business. No matter what your DNA says, you’re not a Denton.”
“I don’t give a shit about my position here, Gideon. I can take care of myself. I want to know what happens to Emma. She is my only fucking concern right now. Owen and Wyatt can take care of themselves. Always have been able to. Emma’s my sister. No matter how much she hates me. She loves you, and I know she would pick a life with you over everything else.”
Gideon ran a hand down his face, trying to clear all the shit from his brain. He had to focus, but right now, everything was going to shit. “If Maddox is dead, then I can’t run. Whoever does the deed, they’ve got a bounty on their head. That’s no life for Emma.”
“Then you’re not doing it.” Gabriel made to leave, but Gideon caught his arm.
“What the fuck does that mean?”
“Exactly what I said. You’re not going to leave my sister. She’s never known much happiness in this life. When I look at the two of you together, I see how happy you make her. I don’t want to end that for her. I refuse to do that to her. You’re not killing Maddox Denton. I will.”
“No. This is not your fight,” Gideon said.
“It is my fight. We may not have been brothers for long, but I can do this. He means nothing to me, Gideon. Unlike you, Jacob, all of the others. I can do this.”
He saw the darkness within Gabriel.
The fucker finally let it shine free, and Gideon stopped him from moving. He gripped Gabriel’s arm, and he didn’t even know himself why he was fighting.
He was Emma’s brother, and slowly, he loosened his grip, allowing Gabriel to go. Within a matter of seconds, his back was lost in the crowd. He’d just let another man go to his doom.
Emma would never forgive him.
His cell phone buzzed inside his pocket, and he pulled it out, seeing a text from Jacob.
Jacob: It’s time. We’re ready. He’ll meet us at the warehouse. Be there.
Gabriel wouldn’t know where he was.
Pocketing his cell phone, he rushed back toward his car.
His hands trembled, and he stared down at them.
He wasn’t afraid.
He didn’t feel fear, and yet, staring at his hands, some would think he was lying. Throughout his life, he’d faced enemies. He’d gotten into fights just because it amused him. Not a day went by when he didn’t thirst for blood, for the anger, and rage to be unleashed. The only kind of calmness he’d ever found was in Emma’s arms.
Gripping the steering wheel, he pulled out of the zoo parking lot and headed toward the warehouse where they would all take a piece of their father. It had to be done.
He’d gone too far, and now it needed to be over.
They had men looking for Tamsin.
They also had men keeping
an eye on the Savona men. They were not so easily swayed. When Jacob took over the reins of this family, he was going to inherit a shitstorm.
Gripping the steering wheel tightly, he arrived at the warehouse just as he saw his brothers do so.
Their father’s car was already there, waiting.
“He’s inside waiting for us,” Jacob said.
They all looked ill.
“I can’t believe it has come to this,” Damian said.
“I called Rick and Stuart. They didn’t know about the bounty he’d placed on his killer’s head,” Jacob said.
“What are we going to do about them?” Abel asked. “They’re our uncles, but they won’t allow this kind of thing to just be pushed aside. There will be consequences.”
Gideon looked toward Jacob.
He knew deep down into his soul his brother was ready to take over. After Maddox had all but sold their sister to the highest bidder, it had to be done.
“Then let’s get this done with,” Jacob said. “I don’t care about the consequences. Our sister is out there somewhere. He’s making deals that could completely undermine the entire running of the Denton family. It’s now or never.”
Standing at Jacob’s back, he and his brothers followed behind him.
Entering the warehouse, they came to a stop when they saw Landon, a knife pressed against their father’s neck.
Maddox was tied to a chair, and he already had a bloody face.
Gideon had wondered what happened to Landon.
Staring at his youngest brother, he was shocked by the mad rage staring back at him.
“There are always consequences in this life,” Landon said.
“What are you doing?” Jacob asked.
“I’m taking care of business, isn’t that right, Daddy?” Landon gripped the back of his father’s head, pulling it back, exposing his neck. The blade was still pressed against it. One wrong move and that blade was going in.
“Fuck you,” Maddox said. “Kill him. He’s gone mad.”
None of them reached for their guns.
Landon threw his head back and laughed. “Oh, I’ve gone mad; good one, Dad. I like that one.” The laughter died, and he bent down, his lips against Maddox’s temple. “I’m exactly the kind of monster you bred, Dad. Damn, your neck looks all old and wrinkly. I wonder if I should use a dull knife. Make sure you feel everything as you bleed to death.”