by Sam Crescent
“Scarlett found out more details. The head of the Dead Angels MC you knocked off was the father of their current president. He found out you were back in town when you used your credit card at a motel.”
He walked out onto the balcony so June wouldn’t hear and get upset. When he went on hits, he always paid cash. But the whole trip back in time had been a personal visit, so he didn’t think twice about using his credit card in that little shithole of a motel. “Why the hit on June and Killian then? They’ve never left the town.”
“I guess their prez didn’t make the connection until they saw you together. Something go down?”
Killian ran a hand through his hair. “I might have killed a few of their men.”
“You better talk with Boss,” said Bain. “There’s more shit, but it’s not my place.”
June joined him on the balcony just as he hung up. “Everything okay?” She cupped her coffee in both hands. She looked carefree like he’d just felt, and he wished that never had to change.
“I have one more call to make. Why don’t you get dressed? Then we can talk.” He kissed her forehead, trying his best to hide his concern. Once she closed the glass door, he dialed Boss.
“I thought you were going to get back to me,” said Killian.
“I was trying to handle things without you. You said you needed a break.”
“You worried about me or you?”
Boss chuckled. “You know I want you back to work, but I was going to leave you alone for a while. The shit is just piling up too deep, and I need it dealt with.”
“What shit? Bain said it had something to do with the Dead Angels MC. So what, I just kill their fucking prez again? Not a problem.”
“I had Shadow do some recon. They have June’s parents, Killian, and they won’t give them up until you go in personally.”
Fuck. “The parents? Those assholes don’t even give a shit about June. They abandoned her when she was pregnant with my damn kid.”
“Good. Then fuck ‘em. But that contract on June and Killian won’t go away by itself.”
“Is Shadow still in the town?” asked Killian.
“Yeah. He’ll be around if you need back up,” said Boss. “There’s something I don’t understand though.”
“What’s that?”
“Why the fuck are they after you? Why so personal?”
He knew Boss was questioning his methods. Killer of Kings demanded clean hits, no witnesses, no loose ends. Killian had fucked up that day long ago, but wasn’t ready to admit it. As soon as Bain mentioned the Dead Angels president was the son of the man he’d killed ten years ago, he knew the past was coming back to bite him in the ass. His weakness could now cost him everything.
“Guess they’re just assholes,” said Killian.
There was silence on the line, and he knew Boss was smarter than that. “I want them gone. Every fucking one. No more mistakes.” Then the line went cold.
Killian vaguely remembered that hit from a decade ago. The Dead Angels MC had been dealing in a new kind of drug, allegedly more addictive than crack. It was worse than anything on the streets, and the side effects were extreme. The bodies were piling up, and Boss wanted to end everyone responsible for the designer drug. Boss could have involved himself, demanding a cut of what could have been a lucrative venture, but apparently the old bastard had a heart.
Killian’s job had been to get intel on the MC and then take them out so that addictive shit would die along with them. Only he hadn’t done his job. Not by Killer of Kings standards.
Now June’s family was involved. He shouldn’t care because he believed it was karma hard at work, but he knew it would still break June’s heart to know her parents were killed—because of him.
Why couldn’t he catch a fucking break in life?
He returned inside the condo. June was dressed back in her clothes from the night before, her hair brushed out smooth.
“You look worried. Is everything okay with Killian?” she asked.
He took both her hands. “Of course. Our son’s safe, I promised you that.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Then what is it?”
“Nothing. Everything’s fine, baby.”
She tugged her hands away. “You’re lying. Again!”
“What?”
“You can’t look me in the eyes when you lie. I don’t get you, Killian. I promised never to leave, and you still don’t trust me enough to be honest.”
“It’s complicated.”
“Do I look fragile? Because if you think I can’t handle ‘complicated’, you’ve got a lot to learn about me.”
He didn’t know how to tell her the truth without hurting her. Maybe a white lie would suffice. He’d get his ass back to the town, annihilate every member of the fucking Dead Angels MC, save her parents, and still be back for dinner. Only he couldn’t tell her more lies. Her parents would end up filling her in on their ordeal, and she’d hold it against him.
And he’d promised to change his ways.
“I have to go back to town to clean up a few things.”
“Why?” she asked, her voice higher.
“I created a problem years ago, and I have to deal with it. Make it go away,” he said.
She began to pace in front of him. “Who were you talking to exactly? Was it your boss again?”
He nodded.
“Did you forget all the men with guns, Killian? Did you forget I was shot? I’m not going to lose you! Just forget that town and everyone in it. We’ll start fresh, a different place, a new beginning.”
June was adorable. She had no idea who she was talking to. Killian was one of Boss’s go-to men. He killed without remorse, turning off his humanity to get shit done. And he did his job well. Now that he thought about it, he’d never gone on a hit worried that he might not come out alive. No one was immortal, but Killian trusted his own skill set, from guns and knives to hand-to-hand combat.
“If I don’t do this, things will get worse, June. Just let me handle it.”
“You said you wanted to talk about our future, right? Well, how can we have a future when there are so many secrets between us?”
He sat down on the sofa, pulling her onto his lap. “I love you, June. More than anything.” He held her tight, terrified to lose her. “In my line of work, the number one rule is never to fall in love. My boss always warns us about weaknesses. Love and family are the ultimate Achilles’ heel for a hitman.”
“What are you saying? You don’t want me and Killian? You need to leave us again?”
“Fuck no,” he snapped. “I’m saying my enemies look for weaknesses, and when I took you away they went after the next best thing.”
She stared at him, waiting for more.
He swallowed hard. “Your parents. They have your parents, but I swear I’ll get them back.”
“My parents? Why would someone kidnap my parents? I haven’t talked to them in years. What does that even mean?”
“It means you need to trust me and let me do my job,” he said.
Tears filled her eyes. “I won’t put them above you, Killian! Call the police. Tell them what happened.”
“This is beyond the police, babe.”
“Well, I need you. Killian needs you. There has to be a better way to end all this madness.”
He brushed back the hair falling in her face and then wiped her tears with the backs of his fingers. “I started this by shooting those men in the bar. They want payback, and they won’t go away until I finish the job.”
“You mean kill them?”
Killian stared at her, mesmerized by her natural beauty. Even without a stitch of make-up, she was the most breathtaking thing in the world to him. Her lips were swollen, her eyes glistening with tears. He wanted her happy. He wanted to dream about the future with her, but harsh reality had been thrown in his face.
“You said you accepted me, no matter what,” he reminded her.
“What if you get hurt … or killed?”
>
He smiled and tweaked her nose. “Promise I’ll come back.”
****
June couldn’t believe this was happening to her. She’d just gotten Killian back in her life, ready to plan a future for their little family, and now she could lose him forever.
He’d said to stay in his condo until he came back. She wasn’t even sure where his home was located because they’d come in the middle of the night. June did some exploring, trying to keep her mind off the impossibility of the situation. One day she was working nights, a single mom struggling to survive in her simple life. Now she was forced to believe there were hitmen out there living above the law. She’d seen Killian shoot those assholes in the bar without a second thought. He promised her everything she’d dreamed of, but she still couldn’t believe a happily ever after was possible for her.
She took a nice hot shower, enjoying the view from the balcony as she dried her hair. After the hours rolled on, she was losing her mind with worry. June stared at the cordless phone sitting on a base in the kitchen. She took a deep breath, then snatched it up and dialed her mother. It was weird calling the number now, after all these years. June almost expected her to answer, but she couldn’t. If anything happened to her parents, how would she feel? She’d cut them out of her life once they discarded her. It had been so hard getting started on her own, pregnant and alone in the world. It pissed her off even more that her son didn’t have loving grandparents that he deserved. The only good thing out of their cruelty was the fact it made her strong. June could survive, and didn’t need a man or a family to rely on.
If she had to choose, she knew she’d choose Killian, but he seemed convinced that he’d always come last in her books.
“Hello?”
June froze. She’d only called out of morbid curiosity, not expecting her mother’s voice.
“Mom?”
“June? Is that you?”
She envisioned her mother tied to a chair, a gun at her head. Was the conversation being recorded? Why was she allowed to answer the phone if she’d been kidnapped?
“Are you okay?”
Her mother chuckled. “I’m fine. You’d know that if you ever called.”
June’s nerves settled. Her mother sounded smug and accusatory, not a woman held against her will. She regretted calling her childhood home. “Where’s Dad?”
“He’s mowing the lawn. Why?”
“Nobody came to your house? Has anyone been bothering you?”
“June, what’s this all about? Are you in trouble again? Should I expect a visit from one of your boyfriends?”
She wanted to scream and smash Killian’s phone on the tiled floor. It was like the last ten years never happened, and her mother was still as unsupportive and high and mighty as the day she’d tossed June on the street for being unmarried and pregnant.
“Never mind. Calling was a mistake.” She hung up the phone, and leaned against the wall, slowly sinking to the floor. June sat there for the longest time, reflecting on every word her mother had said. She didn’t want to care, but it still hurt. The little girl in her longed for acceptance, love, praise. But she was a woman now, with a child of her own.
She took a cleansing breath and picked herself up. At least she wouldn’t have to worry about Killian getting hurt. Her parents were fine. He wouldn’t have to go in with guns blazing like back in the bar. They could put everything in the past and start over.
Then she thought better. If her parents were fine, then someone just wanted Killian back in town. It was all a set up.
June began to panic. There was no one for her to call because she didn’t have any numbers for Killian, his boss, or Bain. She needed someone from the police to make this right, to protect Killian from danger. As much as she hated the thought, she had to call Daniel. He was a cop in her hometown. The asshole had tried to get little Killian sent to juvenile detention so he could date her without the complication of a kid. But she had to put aside her personal feelings for the sake of the man she loved.
She called information and asked for the local police station in her home town. Then she asked for Daniel Fetcher. She gritted her teeth as she waited, hating that she had to sink to this level.
“Daniel, I need your help,” she said, not knowing where to start.
“June? Slow down. Tell me what’s wrong,” he said.
She didn’t want Killian to get in trouble. The last thing she needed was to be the one responsible for him getting locked up. How the hell would she explain that gem to her son? Daniel was a scumbag, but he’s all she had right now.
“I was shot—”
“What? Where are you?”
“I’m okay, but I’m scared the shooter is still in our town. I think he wants to kill Killian’s father.”
There was silence on the line.
“Where are you, June?”
She began to cry against her will. The stress along with her fears were overwhelming. “I don’t know!”
“Hold on, I’ll trace the call.” There was a long pause. “That’s weird. It’s untraceable. That can’t be right.”
“Please, just meet up with me. I don’t want anyone else to get hurt.”
“Look out the windows and let me know what you see. Find something with an address. Give me something I can use,” he said.
She didn’t trust him, and didn’t want to risk Killian getting hunted down by the police later. In a drawer under the bar she found a handgun and stacks of cash. She stifled a gasp, but instantly knew what she had to do.
“Meet me at the town hall. I’m calling an Uber.”
An hour later, she saw his patrol car pull up along the side of the road. “June, get in,” said Daniel, after rolling down the passenger window. “Where’s your kid?”
“With a friend,” she said as she sat down and pulled on her seat belt. “It’s Killian who’s in trouble.”
“Killian?”
“My son and his father have the same name.”
He frowned, looking ahead as he turned onto the main roadway. They sat in awkward silence for most of the drive. This was probably a huge mistake. She didn’t like the way he’d once tried to use her son to get a date out of her. There was something off about Daniel, but right now there was no one else to turn to.
As they neared the shoreline, she felt a sense of relief knowing she was closer to Killian. She hoped she wasn’t too late to set things straight.
“Where should we start?” she asked.
“‘We’ aren’t starting anywhere,” he said. “I’m dropping you off at your apartment and then I’ll get to the bottom of this mess.”
“Are you sure that’s a safe place for me?”
He ignored her question as he stopped in front of her building. “There was a shooting at a bar not far from here. Girls have gone missing. It might be related. Cutting all ties with your ex is probably a smart idea,” he said. “You made a good move calling me.”
“I thought you were going to help me,” she said, reluctantly stepping out. June didn’t feel right staying at her apartment. Daniel hadn’t asked about her injury, and didn’t seemed concerned with her or Killian, just winning her as a prize. She’d gotten to town, and hoped Daniel was actually going to help make sure Killian was safe.
What a mess. This guy was a nightmare, and no way was he interested in making the town safe. He was probably in cahoots with bad people, and now that she was thinking about it, she was only making things worse, but there was no turning back, not now.
She dug in her purse and pulled out her keys. As soon as she pushed open the door to her little apartment, she noticed a huge man sitting at her dinette table. He had a gun in his hand, but he hadn’t pointed it at her. Considering the number of tattoos he had, she wondered if he was one of the bikers from the bar coming for revenge. Or was this the same man that had tried to murder her?
“Close the door,” he said.
She held her breath, too nervous to talk or make any quick movements. June s
lowly complied, closing the door, but not taking her eyes off him.
“Who are you?” she whispered. So many thoughts filled her head. What would happen to her son if she were killed?
“You’re not supposed to be here.” He shifted to pull out his cell phone, resting his gun on the table beside him. “Problem,” he said into the phone.
Should she make a break for it? It would take him a minute to grab his gun. She could get out of the apartment and start running, screaming to attract attention. In the end, she chickened out, not ready to take such a risk. One gunshot wound was enough for her.
She hadn’t been paying attention to his conversation, too caught up in her own dire thoughts. “I have a son,” she said, hoping to appeal to any bit of humanity left in him.
“I know.”
At least Killian was in a safe place. It gave her a measure of comfort knowing he was untouchable. The longer she stood there, her legs growing tired, she began to lose hope. This guy probably planned on killing her, so what the hell was he waiting for? As the bleakness of her situation settled in, her bravado increased. What did she have to lose?
“If you hurt me, my boyfriend won’t stop hunting you until you’re dead,” she said. June should be one hundred percent against Killian’s lifestyle, but it felt empowering knowing how lethal her man could be. If only he was with her now, protecting her from this beast of a man.
He nodded. “I agree.”
She frowned. What was happening? How long was he going to drag this out? “Then it would be smart to let me walk away, right?”
“I’m supposed to keep you here, so no, you won’t be walking off.” He picked up his gun, released the magazine, and examined it before shoving it back in place.
“Who wants me here? I didn’t do anything wrong.”
When the door opened behind her, she was ready to collapse. Her nerves were frayed, her body and mind exhausted. She turned around, and found the bluest eyes she’d ever seen.
“Killian!” She threw herself into his arms, holding him close. “I was so scared.”
He held her shoulders, holding her back. “What are you doing here? I told you to wait for me.”
“My parents weren’t kidnapped. It’s a trap.”