by G. Bailey
"Tris could get in a lot of shit for this," I say.
"Yeah, he knows we owe him a massive favour," Elliot says, frowning at me like this is all my fault, but eventually, he looks away. I’m guessing I have a while for him to forgive me for this, too.
Seb hands out handguns to each of us. We all know how to use them, and Seb looks at me as he hands the gun over. I know we need to talk, but for now, Izzy is more important, and we both seem to understand that without any words.
"Right, we know the plan. If she is hurt, we still need to stick to it,” Harley says with the darkest look on his face I’ve ever seen.
"She isn't," I say flatly. There is no way they would go to the trouble of taking her if they wanted her dead.
"For their sakes, she best be fine," Elliot says. I agree.
26
Izzy
As my eyes flicker open to the dimly lit room, I panic. I can’t smell anything other than the metal smell of my blood. I can feel how sticky one side of my face is, and I try to move in my panic. I find myself tied to a chair, and my arm is killing me from the way it's pulled behind me. I suspect the fear is numbing the amount of pain I’m in. I want to cry out, but I don't, choosing to grit my teeth over the pain and fear. I know it won’t help to shout out for help, so I start looking around, and I see I'm in The Cage.
I start shaking as I realise I can't move, and I can’t even feel the end of the rope tied around my hands. Looking around, I realise I'm in the middle of the fighting cage where I saw Elliot fighting before. It's dark, and I can't see anyone. My terror blocks any noises from the silent room other than my heartbeat banging in my ears. My vision blurs as a wave of sickness hits me, but I shake my head to stop the urge to pass out.
I try to remember what happened to distract myself. I remember the car crash, and Blake. The crash, then his voice, and the gun shot float around my brain in fast motion. The whole scene makes me feel sicker than ever before, as I realise they shot him. My mind refuses to believe he is hurt, let alone that he is dead. I won't believe it. He is okay. He is fucking, damn okay.
“My sweet Elizabeth,” a familiar voice says from right in front of me as the room lights up. I look up to see the familiar face of the old man I met the last time I was here, and from the gym. I realise how stupid I was not telling the boys, or even Blake, about him. The old man is wearing a pricey suit like Harley wears, but Harley always looks like a normal, business man, whereas this man radiates terror instead of power. The man’s hair is styled nearly as perfect as his shiny, white teeth, which appear as he smiles at me.
I look around, not wanting to stare at the old man anymore, and see the snake tattoo guy from before, and another big guy next to the entrance to The Cage. The snake man smirks at me, making me shiver in fear as my arms start their shaking again. I pull my gaze back to the old man, who is inches away from me.
“What do you want?” I ask harshly, wanting to get to the obvious point. I have to guess this man is important enough to have had these guys kidnap me.
“Now, Elizabeth, let’s be nice. Don’t you want to know my name first?” he asks with a creepy grin. I have the urge to correct him on my name, as it doesn’t feel right coming out of his crazy-ass mouth. His familiar looking, blue eyes stare down at me. Why does he look familiar to me? My anger takes over my fear at this point, trying to think of a way out of this.
“Not really, asshole,” I say under my breath, and he walks the last few steps toward me.
I don’t expect it when he slaps me. The hit across my face is hard enough to make me see stars, and it feels like my face is going to explode. I go dizzy as my throat tightens for a second. All I want to do is cry, and I must black out a little as the world feels like its spinning.
The next thing I’m aware of is the metal taste in my mouth, and I feel sick as I remember the needle. They must have drugged me with something, and that’s why it’s hard to stay awake. I’m guessing getting slapped isn’t helping either.
I look up eventually, with tear-filled eyes, and the bastard is grinning down at me. I can see the pleasure of my pain in his eyes. He wipes my blood off his hand and onto his trousers, never breaking eye contact.
“Let’s try this again, and maybe a little nicer. My name is Arthur. I presume your brothers told you about me,” he says, watching as horror fills my mind.
I feel sicker as I realise this is the man who controls my brothers and killed my father, even if he did deserve it. I should have told someone about him. I’m so fucked. This guy is going to kill me, or worse, and I only want to see Blake one last time. I didn’t get to tell him how it’s him for me; it will always be him.
Shit, I'm in trouble, and I can only hope the boys find Blake. I hope they don't come here, as I guess he is going to use me as a trap. I can’t think of any other reason why the bastard wants me here.
“Yes, they did,” I bite out and glare at him. Arthur just chuckles and not one bit of me wants to know what amuses him. I move a little in my seat, wincing as pain shoots up my arm.
“Well, you owe me just like your brothers, who should be on their way soon to try to rescue you. We can negotiate terms.” He claps his hands together like he can't wait for my brothers to walk in here. He’s a crazy man, I think as I watch him look at me. I can’t work out what he is thinking, but, then again, I probably don’t want to know.
Arthur opens his suit to pull out his phone, and my heart drops when I see the shiny, black handgun clipped to the side of his hip. I can guess the bodyguards have guns too, and if my brothers walk in, it’s going to be suicide for them.
I must have blacked out again because, as I open my eyes, I jump back, seeing Arthur so close to my face and holding my chin roughly. It takes me a second to realise he is shouting at me to wake up.
“Ah, there you are. Your brothers are nearly here, sweet one,” he leans in to place a wet kiss on my cheek, and I cringe away. Arthur takes a step back and laughs at me while his eyes roam over my body. I’m more scared than ever now. A wave of sickness fills my throat, and it takes everything in me not to cry now.
I look away from the bastard at the doors as they bang open, and I see the outline of two men. My vision is still a little blurry, but as they come closer, I recognise snake tattoo guy and the other beefy guy flanking them. It’s Sebastian and Elliot, and I’m filled with relief and fear as I watch them. They’re both wearing grim faces until they spot me. The look of anger on the twins’ faces would scare me if I didn’t know it’s not aimed at me.
Sebastian's fists clench as he shouts at Arthur. “What the fuck did you do her?” I have no idea what I look like, but I’m guessing it looks bad. I can feel my cheek swelling, and there’s dried blood on my cheek and chin.
Arthur laughs in front of me, clearly entertained by my brothers, and doesn't answer until they are standing a few steps away from him.
“Stop there,” Arthur commands, and snake guy’s arm stops Sebastian, as does the other guy with Elliot.
“To answer you, she has a loud, rude mouth, and, well, I think she looks lovely even with the blood.” He smiles at me, and I flinch away as he strokes a finger down my cheek.
“I don't,” Elliot says flatly as I stare at him. Elliot gives me a look full of sympathy, and I find some comfort in the twins being here. Where the hell are Harley and Luke? I’m hoping there is a plan going on and not that the twins have rushed in here alone.
“Where is the famous King leader?” Arthur taunts and turns to look at my brothers. I can't see around Arthur, but as I look around, I can see snake guy grin in my direction, which makes me feel sick.
“You know, here and there,” Seb says in a cocky tone I’m used to hearing from him, and I wish I could see his face.
“Don't be cheeky, boy, we need to talk business. This one is your sister, and she owes me, thanks to her betraying father,” Arthur snaps. Clearly, Sebastian has a way of winding him up.
Sebastian interrupts his sentence as he tries to say s
omething else. “No, she doesn't owe anything. We have more than paid for his mistakes, and she never even met him!” he shouts loudly at Arthur.
“I don't care. See, when I first met your beautiful sister, I saw her potential. She can easily pay off her debts with me.” I shiver in disgust, I understand his sick meaning as he turns to wink at me.
“Over my dead body,” Elliot says darkly.
“That is not happening,” Sebastian says in nearly the same time.
“Well, it doesn't look like you have much choice. She is tied to a chair in my cage, and you are held by three people with guns, while you don't have any. This is me telling you, not asking.” Arthur turns his back on my brothers and walks over to me. He stands behind my chair and plays with my hair as I try to pull myself away from him, even if it’s impossible.
I see my brothers up close for the first time and try to smile at them, they both glare at Arthur and smile at me grimly as Sebastian mouths, “It will be okay.” I have no reason to believe him, but I do. I relax a little in the chair and try to block everything out. They won’t leave me here with him.
I jump as a loud bang fills the silent room, and the snake man collapses to the ground. I look away quickly from the body on the floor as Sebastian pulls out a gun from his boot and shoots the other bodyguard in the leg. I’m relieved he isn’t dead as he falls to the ground screaming out in pain. Sebastian walks over to him and kicks his face as I turn my gaze away again. I should be shocked at seeing a dead guy and an unconscious one, but I’m not.
I’m actually quite happy.
I look up to see Elliot pointing a gun my way. I know it’s not at me, but at the man standing behind me. Harley and Luke appear, both holding guns and looking furious, but I feel a wash of relief at the sight of all of the King brothers standing together. I never knew before what it’s like to have a protective family, but now I always will.
I feel a cold gun press against the side of my head, washing away any happy thoughts.
“Now, now, boys. I liked those two.” Arthur pushes the gun further into my head to make a point as my head is pushed to the side.
“No sudden moves, or my sweet Elizabeth is going to suffer for it,” he threatens, stroking the side of my face with his spare hand. I can’t move due to the gun, and I start shaking in fear as I look up to my brothers. Each one of them has the same angry face as they lower their guns.
“Let her go, and we will let you leave alive,” Harley says with an impassive face; he is acting like he has already won, but I don’t know why.
“Or don't, and we will kill you,” Elliot says and turns his head to nod at something.
“And I’ll blow your brains out if you don't move away from my girlfriend, either way,” I hear a dark voice from behind me, and I sink in relief knowing it’s Blake and he’s okay.
A sob escapes my lips as I let the happy tears fall at his voice. My Blake is alive, and I want to jump in happiness. If, you know, I wasn’t tied to a chair. The tears fall down my face. I just want to shout for him to get out of here, but, at the same time, I need him to save me. I’m not sure which thought is selfish, of if they’re both just coming from a fear of death.
“Fine,” Arthur says with his voice dripping in anger. I feel the gun move from my head as my neck snaps up straight, hurting from the weird angle. I watch as Arthur walks to the side of me with his hands in the air, and his gun drops to the floor with a bang.
The boys surround me, their backs facing me as they watch Arthur. I feel Blake cutting my ropes, and even if all I want to do is pass out, I don’t because I want to see Blake so much.
“You’re okay, beauty. I'm here, and we will get you out. I’m so sorry I let them take you,” Blake mutters, his words laced with sadness. I want to tell him it’s not his fault, as I feel the ropes fall to the ground behind me.
I'm still shaking as my arms fall free, and I moan in pain as my arm falls limply to my side. I move it to my chest while biting my lip not to cry out from the pain, but I can’t help the little whimper that escape my lips, or when I sway in my seat as my vision blurs again. Blake is now in front of me cutting the ropes from my legs as my eyes open. I drink in the sight of his messy, blond hair and a small lump on the side of his head. Blake is only using one hand to cut the ropes, and the other is making him flinch as he uses it to hold the rope.
“I love you, it’s not your fault. I thought you were dead,” I say in a hushed whisper, so only he can hear me, and I feel the tears fall from my eyes as he looks up at me with a relieved face.
“I love you more than anything, Izzy, and one gunshot is never going to be enough to stop me from finding you,” he says in a voice filled with passion as the ropes fall free, and I fall into him. I’m lucky he manages to catch me with his good arm, and I breathe in his warm scent, making me feel sleepier.
Luke looks down at us as I look up. “Let me carry her. Your arm, Blake,” he says the end part in a hushed tone, and Blake nods with a frown, looking down at me like he can’t stand to be away from me for a second.
Luke picks me up out of Blake’s arms and holds me close as my head swirls. Blake pulls out a gun from his jeans and moves to stand next to Sebastian who is slightly in front of us.
“We won't fight for you anymore,” Harley says. I’m drawn back into their conversation. I must have missed a part as Harley is now arguing with Arthur.
“We have a deal. If you don’t fight, I will send someone to kill you all. Starting with her,” Arthur angrily says. I can’t see him through the wall of King men, but I’m hoping he is looking stressed.
“You’d hurt my sister, my fucking, innocent sister who had nothing to do with this life? Why wouldn’t I hurt you?” Harley replies, and then saying louder, “We were kids when we struck that deal with you. We are men now, and I don’t see why I shouldn’t just kill you. I’m not a coward like my father. I will kill you if you come near us again, Arthur.”
“You won’t kill me. How would you get rid of the bodies you’ve already killed tonight? I will clean this up for you. If you let me go, we can work something out. I’ll get rid of these guys and you can walk away,” he says, offering something which I’m not sure Harley can say no to. Can he clean up these murders without the police being involved? They all have guns, which I know they can’t have legally.
“I think I would rather kill him,” Sebastian says offhandedly to Harley, and Elliot nods his head in agreement.
“Then you won’t be able to protect her, you’ll all be in jail for this, boys. The police work for me around here, and you would lose them a lot of money if you kill me. Who do you think they would come after if I’m dead?” Arthur says, making my brothers tense, but no one replies. I look up at Luke, who is wearing a worried face much like mine. Harley’s arm slowly lifts in the air, with a gun in his hand.
“Hold on, fine. If you win the last sixteen fights in the cage, I'll promise to stay away from all of you,” Arthur offers, and my brothers glance at each other as he continues. “Let me walk away alive, and I'll stay away from Elizabeth,” Arthur finishes. I can feel the terror in his voice. He still sounds creepy and cocky, but more afraid now. To be honest, my brothers all look scary as fuck, even to me, so I’m not surprised he’s scared.
“If you come after us again, we will go after what you care about the most. You forget, you have family, too,” Harley threatens and nods at Luke.
“Fine, don’t expect a deal with me again, and the fights best be good. You don’t want to know what I’ll do if you lose any,” he warns.
I remember murmurs and voices saying my name before everything goes black.
27
Blake
Sitting in my bed in the hospital is pure torture, as I still haven't heard how Izzy is. My mind conjures up the sight of her in that chair, and I feel like punching everything in the fucking room.
We rushed her in after she passed out at The Cage. We couldn’t wake her, and the doctors hooked her up to machines instan
tly as they started asking questions. I was dripping blood onto the floor and was made to get checked out when my mother saw me. I wanted to stay, but she made me go with a doctor to be checked out under the promise that she wouldn’t leave Izzy’s side. My mother may be little, but she is scarier than all of Izzy’s brothers when she is mad.
My mum is with her, so that helps, and her brothers too, with the exception of Seb. The stubborn bastard has stayed by my side to make sure I'm all right, even when I told him to stay with her.
When I asked him why he wasn’t with Izzy, Seb answered honestly earlier by saying, “Izzy won't forgive me if I leave you alone.”
The doctor confirmed that the bullet went straight through my arm, so no need for surgery, but he wants an x-ray, which I’ve refused. The doctor eventually leaves, telling me I don’t have a concussion from the car crash, and that I should be fine in a few weeks. I’ve had my arm all stitched up and some pain relief while I’ve waited for any news on Izzy; it feels like it’s been hours when in reality it’s only been an hour since we arrived.
“Have you gotten any news yet?” I ask Seb for the tenth time in maybe the last half hour.
He is pacing by the door as he stops to stare at me. I can see he is thinking of something, but he answers me. “No, Harley just texted and said no news,” he mutters, looking worried. “How's the arm?” he asks, moving to sit next to me.
“I’m fine, I just need to see her.” I sigh.
I remember the lame excuse we all agreed to say when the doctors asked any questions. I told them there was a car crash after being at a party. The boys made up the idea that Izzy felt ill at the party, and I worried someone had spiked her drink so I drove her home. We told them that after the crash, I called Izzy’s brothers and not an ambulance as it would have been quicker. It was clear they didn’t believe us much, and I wasn’t surprised when Harley pulled the doctor aside, whatever he said to him made the questions stop. I’m more surprised the police haven’t been called after all of this. I know Harley must have done something because the doctor didn’t even question my gunshot wound.