Dirty Bird (Caged #2)

by M Dauphin

"Now, Bronson," I sternly say, feeling my pulse racing.

  He pouts and says his goodbye to Megan, then storms up the steps. I walk over to Megan the minute he's out of range to hear me and take her face in my hands softly.

  "You're really playing this little fantasy with this fiancé of yours up, aren't you?" I whisper, caressing her lip with my thumb.

  She narrows her eyes at me, probably waiting for the perfect moment to strike. "Unlike you, I don't have issues with reality and fantasy." She shoves my hand away from her face.

  "So then I guess you won't have a problem with me letting Ben know you fucked me last week then? I mean, he loves you. He'll keep you anyway, right? That perfect little reality of yours work that way?" I cross my arms and watch her slow as she crosses the room.

  "Shut up, Lucas," she hisses. "Tell him, let him know what you've been doing. I'd love to see how long you'll remain standing." She takes the bird out of the cage and begins to stroke her finger down its back. Something that always calms her.

  "I mean, I'd imagine I'd still be fine. After all, he's not going to leave Bronson an orphan. Someone has to be here to take care of the kid when you leave." I shrug and walk toward the door.

  "What?" she snaps and opens her palm, giving it a little shake so the bird flies away. "When I leave, my son's coming with me." She storms me and is so close her tits are pressed against my chest as she pants heavily in anger and glowers up at me. "He's my son, Lucas. You never wanted him around in the first place." She's so angry spit mists from her lips.

  I let out genuine laugh at her and smile. "See, there's your confusion, Megan. Reality versus fantasy." I grasp her head in my hands, pushing my fingers into her hair and tightening my grasp. "You see," I growl, leaning down to her ear. "You have no fucking say over that child. You stay with me, you stay with him. The kid wasn't involved in the deal with the Vigs and I'm not about to let him leave this house." I back away from her and go for the stairs. "This is your last chance, Megan. Tell me you want your child more than you want this fantasy you've built in your head about Vig." With one foot on the stairs, I'm ready for her to call me back to her.

  To tell me she was wrong and she doesn't love him.

  But it doesn't happen.

  When I look back at her, her hands are on her stomach.

  "He'll be replaced soon anyway," she says rubbing her stomach before she walks away.

  "Fuck!" I storm up the stairs and slam the door behind me, giving more force than needed to the locks.

  "Hey, Bronson, grab your things," I mutter, picking up my phone. "You're staying the night at Alice's house."

  He looks up at me from across the room and his face brightens as he hops up and runs to his room.

  Let's hope Alice is ready for a visitor. I need to clear my head and I can't do that with him here.

  ***

  By the time I make it home, the house is silent. I have no clue where Jasper is and I really don't care. Each time I see him I can't help but think that this is all my fault. All of it. I mean, it can't be all Megan's, right? We were playing a fine game before her. And it's not Jasper's, though part of me wants to believe it is, the other half of me knows he's my brother.

  Brothers are unbreakable, right?

  Ben. It's mother-fucking Ben. We were fine…I think… before Ben came.

  Maybe Ben has to die.

  Oh, Ben for sure has to die. Just how? Skin slicing? Finger cutting? Slow bleed…

  I grab the whiskey and drink straight from the carafe, not worrying about a cup.

  I can't see her marrying Ben. She's not the type to marry because of a business transaction! She's fucking Megan Porter. I have to think this is only because she wants to be the queen.

  If that's what she fucking wants…

  Maybe that's the only way to make her not marry him.

  I hear the telltale sign of Jasper's return, but he doesn't come looking for me, he heads right upstairs to his room.

  "Shit," I hiss, slamming down the whiskey bottle to the table.

  That's what I have to do.

  Everything I've worked for, and I'm about to give it all away for a fucking woman. Not any woman, either. A goddamned vixen that, even through her evil crazy ways, has made me into a fucking puddle of crazy.

  I open the door, not bothering to lock it behind me, and slowly trudge down the stairs. She's sitting on the bed with the bird in her hands when I make it to face her. I stand there silently, taking her beauty in for one last fucking time, then sigh and step aside.

  "It's all yours," I whisper, shoving my hands in my pockets. "Everything."

  Ignoring what I just said she glares at me and asks, "Why didn't Ben come today?"

  "Did you not hear what I just fucking told you?" I growl, fisting my hands in my pockets. "Yours, Megan. You wanted it so bad? Fine. Fucking take it." I turn and start to storm up the stairs, but her voice stops me.

  "Lucas. I'm free?" she asks walking toward the steps. "Is Ben here for me?"

  "Jesus fucking Christ," I manage, letting out a manic chuckle. "No, Megs! No fucking Ben up there to save you from me! No guards, no guns. Nothing. There's nothing. But all that nothing up there? It's all fucking yours." I sigh. "Oh. Just so you know, Jasper's sleeping in his room. There's a gun in the drawer of the table just outside his door. Do what you need to with him. I'm fucking done."

  "Lucas." She laughs and opens her palm as the bird flies toward her. The yellow thing lands but her attention is on me. "What are you talking about? You don't actually think I believe you're setting me free, plain and simple, do you?" She kisses the bird's head and her infatuation with the animal is unnerving.

  "It's your fucking life, Megan. I'm not in charge of it anymore. You don't want me and anything I do, I can't fucking make you. So go...or stay. Don't know why anyone would want to stay down here willingly though," I mutter, then turn and start to move up the stairs when suddenly a yellow flash flies by my head.

  "La Petite!" she yells out as if the thing just dropped dead.

  I lock eyes with her and there's so much desperation in her eyes, it hurts to see she loves a fucking bird over me as well. She's not making a run for the thing, showing exactly how much she doesn't trust me and that hurts, but this is what I've done. I’ve broke her, and that breaks me.

  I sigh and step aside, holding out my arm, motioning her to go ahead. Who am I to stop her anymore?

  "I won't run from the house," she says with promise as she bolts up the stairs. "I just want to get my bird, Lucas. Please don't shoot me!" She's already in the foyer of the basement as she begs for her life but doesn't stop chasing after La Petite.

  I'm not going to stop her. This is what she wants. I can finally give her what she wants.

  I sigh and climb the steps one at a time. With the car keys in hand, I walk straight to the garage, start up the Jag, and take one final look at my palace.

  The house may still be mine-at least until the bank can switch it over to her-but everything else is gone.

  And now I start from scratch.

  Yellow feathers darting around these massive rooms is all I can see. This isn't a trained bird, but she's never done this without coming back to me or her cage soon after. Now that she's upstairs in the enormous house though, she's lost, squawking as she flies circles until she finds a doorway to the next room. I chase her around an office until she finally lands and I grab her with both hands, a little too tight and she squawks. She's going to get us both killed! As I exit this room, I move slowly, my hands in front of me holding the bird because I don't want to give Lucas any reason to shoot me.

  "I'm going back to the basement now," I call out, glancing around for someone, but the quiet house is unnervingly still. "Lucas?" I continue to look around while I head to the double doors of the basement foyer. "Luke?" I yell as I head down the steps, my heart hammering in my chest because this has to be a trap.

  He looked exhausted, like he hasn't slept in some time, while he rambled about it all being min
e. I know better though. This is Lucas Acey. He's not going to fool me again.

  "Lucas!" I snap as I reach the empty basement.

  Locking La Petite away, I stare toward the steps. I wait at least thirty minutes, not making a move before I head back up stairs. Being cautious as I wander, I head for Luke's office and sit at his desk and fix my eyes on the monitors that show what's going on around the house. Absolutely nothing. There's no movement and the only two rooms that don't have cameras in them are Luke's and, I'm assuming, Jasper's, but there are cameras aimed at the closed doors.

  What Luke said plays through my head. 'Oh. Just so you know, Jasper's sleeping in his room. There's a gun in the drawer of the table just outside his door. Do what you need to with him. I'm fucking done.' My eyes find the table outside the doors I've never see.

  Was he really done? Did I break him? Deciding to go for the supposed gun, I move slowly, trying to remain a ghost in this house. I'm prepared for the worst so I take precautions with each step I ascend. I reach the table outside Jasper's closed door, slowly pull the drawer open and am faced with a gun. He didn't lie, and I'm not dead yet. Glancing around, I grab it and expect an ambush that’s got me on edge, but it never comes.

  Did I really break Lucas Acey finally? A grin cracks my lips and I reach for the door handle to Jasper's room.

  A loud, old fashioned doorbell ring echoes through the quiet house and I bolt down the steps, afraid Jasper will be woken up. I wait at a landing with only about twelve steps to go with my gun aimed at the door but it doesn't open and the bell rings again so I rush down the rest of the steps and pull open the front door to Ben.

  "Megan!" He steps inside grabbing me.

  With the gun already tucked away, I hug him.

  "You're out of the basement." He looks around.

  "I'm free," I quietly say, unsure of the reality of those words.

  "Free? You've paid your debt? Jasper let you go?"

  I pull away from him and glance toward the steps, but Jasper's not there.

  "They let me go," I mumble.

  The feeling inside right now is almost as bad as when I found out the truth about Lucas. I want to be happy I'm free, but I'm worried it'll all be taken away in a second, and what if Jasper comes down here? Where's Lucas? Where's Bronson?"

  "Megan," Ben says pulling me away from my thoughts. "Let's gather your things." The happiness in his face makes me smile.

  "My son." My smile's gone and I look around as if Bronson will just appear.

  "Is he here? Where's Ace? He's usually with Ace isn't he?"

  "I don't think he's here. I can't leave without my son, Ben."

  "We'll obtain your son later. I want to get you out of this house before that loose cannon Jasper changes his mind," he insists, trying to push me toward the basement doors.

  "If I don't get Bronson today, I don't think I ever will."

  "Where is he, love? Is he in the house?"

  "I…I don't know." I'm free and I can't enjoy it because I've lost Bronson.

  "Megan." He turns me to face him. "I can provide you with more children. As many children as your heart desires. Let's get out of here."

  I glare into his face, trying my hardest not to slap him for the comment.

  "I love you and only want what's best for you, leaving this house immediately is what's best. You must come with me now. Let's gather your things."

  I'm on autopilot as he guides me down the steps. As I'm staring at the clothes I've acquired since being here, I wonder what the hell I'm doing.

  "Just clothes?" Ben asks. "I’ll buy you new clothes."

  I nod, wondering unable to stop thinking about Bronson.

  He takes my hand and we head back up the stairs but freeze when Lucas walks through the front door. Everyone is still, the two men are staring at each other, and I'm looking back and forth between them. This was the trap and now Ben is going to die because of me.

  "I thought you'd be gone by now," Lucas's eyes flick to me then back to Ben. He sighs and shakes his head before starting to walk past us. "You're free, Megs. Time to go."

  I stare out the open door, prepared to see men with guns waiting to execute us but there's no one.

  I stare at Lucas, looking worn down and ask, "Where's Bronson, Luke?" and my voice trembles, which is not like me at all.

  "He's fine, Megan. He's with a friend tonight. I didn't want him to see me like this. I'll get him in the morning." He moves past Ben.

  Ben grabs his arm and pulls a gun, pushing it to Lucas's temple. "Give her the kid, Ace."

  "Ben!" I blurt and yank him back but he doesn't lower the gun.

  Never in my life would I have ever expected to see this come from Ben.

  A chuckle comes from Lucas who up until now has stood stunned. He shakes his head and the laugh continues.

  "You're going to pull a fucking gun on me in my house?!" his voice carries and he reaches behind to his back, grabbing his gun then aiming it right back at Ben. "No one plays games like that and walks away alive, Benjamin."

  "Lucas, please!" I blurt and when I try to walk over to him, Ben grabs my arm.

  "I don't think so, Megan," he growls, his hand tight on my arm with the gun still aimed at Luke's forehead. "Stay away from him. You belong to me now. My fucking property."

  What?

  Yanking my arm away, my eyes dart to the steps when I hear them creak.

  "Well, well, well. We have a predicament, huh, Ace?" Jasper says wiping the gun he has in his hands. "Ben, I thought I told you no weapons were allowed in my home." His gun raises and he walks toward Ben. "I suppose you think you're taking my little bird too?"

  "Drop the fucking act, Jasper," Lucas snarls, eyes and gun still aimed at Ben. "He knows everything."

  He does? He wasn't acting like he did when he got here.

  "I'm sure not everything." Jasper reaches between the men and grabs me, yanking me to his side. "He probably doesn't know you've stolen my fucking bird, Ace!"

  That's when Luke's arms pivot and the barrel of his gun is aimed at Jasper's head.

  This triangle of testosterone and weapons is going to get someone killed and, to prevent it from being me, I pull the gun from the back of my pants, taking a step away from Jasper and raising it. Jasper glances over his shoulder at me, Ben's staring at me shocked, and Lucas is wearing a smirk, like he thinks I'm on his fucking side or something.

  "Where's Bronson?" I scream at Luke and aim my gun at him. "I want my son and I'm fucking leaving."

  He raises his eyebrows at me, an amused look on his face. "I told you he's safe, Megs. Help me take care of this trash and we can go get him." The grin on his face only pisses me off more.

  "Shut up, Lucas."

  "Yeah, shut up, Lucas." Jasper chuckles. "This is why you should have killed the bitch sooner. Or never tried taking her from me in the first place. You can't handle a woman like her, Ace. I've always had her put in her place."

  "I've been waiting for this moment for years," I say breathily as excitement fills me and I raise the gun, firing the bullet that drops Jasper to his knees before he falls onto his face and the beautiful puddle of crimson begins to spread around his head. "Lower your gun, Luke," I say now aiming at him as he stares down at Jasper in shock.

  It takes him a few minutes to pull his eyes from what I've just done. I would’ve liked to have made it more painful for Jasper, but he was right, we're in a predicament here and I'm ready to take charge.

  "Seriously, Megs? I thought we were past this whole you trying to kill me thing," he says, a hesitant but cocky grin on his face. "You're actually going to kill me?" His eyebrows raise in question but he doesn't drop his aim from Ben.

  Ben talks over him, "Megan, go to the car. I will kill him." He raises his gun and the men are in a stare down.

  Lucas is sweating and Ben is trembling.

  Someone's going to die and I'll be damned if it's me. I think right now that's all our mentality. But to be able to leave here a free woman, I ha
ve to kill him.

  "I am no one's property," I say to them. "You thought you broke me, Lucas," I snicker. "You wasted months by keeping me in that basement. I finally got what I wanted. I broke you," I say and fire.

  I've always said it; torment can lead you to power if you can make it through the pain, and by now, you should have figured out pain is my pleasure when I'm the one with the power.

  The proof is all there. I will never hurt again at the hands of someone else and I will never fall from reign. It's not everyone's dream, but it is mine. Being powerful even in a corrupt system gives me that feeling I need. The feeling of being on top. I'm a bad person with evil tendencies, but I wasn't put on this earth to be loved. I was put on it to dominate. And the few people I care about, they love me.

  I can't say I ever thought it would happen to me. The love thing, that is. I never had to battle with emotions so strong it consumes you. I've turned into one of those people that look forward to someone instead of something. Love can make you weak but not until it happened to me did I realize that weakness is worth it. I love my son and would kill for him. I love my husband and would die for him.

  Some love stories start out in a mall or bar, ours started in a basement. I knew it was real, raw, unforgiving love the day the door had been unlocked and he came down those steps. Our eyes met and we just stood there, staring at each other a few minutes with no words spoken. The way he looked at me, like he'd never seen anyone else in his life, I knew it was love.

  People may snicker at my idea of love, but I snicker at theirs. I didn't want the same old love, I wanted exactly what I got. We have growing and learning to do, but I plan on this being my for3ver and if I knew everything about him already, this would never work. I can be patient, but don't bore me. And this man hasn't yet.

  He's perfect for me. A flawed, jaded, unforgiving woman. I proved to him my loyalty and he gave me any power he had, proving to me his gratitude. Even if his empire wasn't built by him, and it was forced onto him due to unfortunate circumstances of losing a parent too soon, I'll still take it. And I did.

  I'll admit at first I began devising a plan of how to weed him out. I love the man, but I can survive without him. Then I realized I didn't want to survive without him. He knows how to tame me. He knows how to enrage me. He's learned how to light me on fire every way possible and without saying it, he promises my blaze will never extinguish.