Never Ever (Never His Duet Book 2)

by Lia Ellison

“Looks like you’ve got a fan.” She let out a laugh.

  “So he’s not one of the Ritos?”

  “Him? Nah. But that other guy you spotted earlier... he just might be the one.”

  I hoped like hell she was right.

  Chapter 29

  I ROLLED OVER IN BED and groaned. It looked like I wasn’t going to fall asleep anytime soon, so I sat up, turning on the light. Aiden’s side of the bed was empty and cold. Where the hell was he?

  He should’ve already been here, but I supposed he was still busy with the guy we’d caught at the club. All we could find out about him was that he went by the name Five, and Aiden’s men were still trying to unearth his real identity.

  But the most important thing was to get Five to talk and tell us where the rest of the Ritos were and who was helping them, and if he couldn’t tell us that, then he should at least be able to reveal the location of Carter’s vault.

  Although, if Aiden still wasn’t here, that meant the interrogation was still going on. If Five refused to talk, I had no idea what we were going to do.

  I looked around the room, trying to find something to occupy my mind. But I wasn’t in the mood for reading a book or watching TV, and there wasn’t much that I could do except browse the Internet and search for silly videos or memes.

  My chest was heavy, as if the room was trying to smother me, and I knew I had to get out. After I got to my feet, I grabbed my robe and wrapped it around me.

  I squinted when the bright light in the hallway blinded me, and Jo looked up at me from the chair where she was sitting, a phone in her hand. She was keeping watch tonight, and I was sure the rest of the guards were close by.

  “Where’s Aiden?” I asked.

  “Interrogation room,” she said after a few moments of silence. I had a feeling she’d wanted to call it torture room or something similar but had decided against it.

  “And where’s that?” If I had to drag Aiden with me to bed, I was going to do it. What good would it do him to stay up all night with Five? The guy would talk eventually, and Aiden needed to rest.

  She cocked her head at me. “Why?”

  “Can you take me there?” If I went alone, the guards would probably lose their minds, and I didn’t want them to get jumpy and shoot me.

  “Yeah, but are you sure about that?”

  “I just need to see Aiden, so yeah, I’m sure.” I expected her to argue, but she pocketed her phone and hopped to her feet.

  “Okay. Follow me.” She led me down a few hallways, and I was glad I had her with me or I would’ve gotten lost. This part of the house was unfamiliar to me, and the guards were staring at us in wonder, but I ignored them.

  “He’s inside,” Jo said when she stopped in front of a dark green door. “I’ll wait here.” She leaned against the wall.

  “Thanks.” I pushed the door open just as Aiden punched Five so hard that the chair the guy was sitting in toppled over. There was a pool of blood on the floor.

  “Changed your mind?” Aiden said, his voice icy cold as he yanked the chair with Five back up.

  I grimaced as I saw the guy’s face, which was a bloody mess. His left eye was swollen, his nose bleeding and broken, a trail of blood coming out of his mouth. Tight rope had him secured to the chair.

  He spat blood, his chest heaving. The room was completely bare, with no windows, and the walls were yellowish.

  Aiden clenched and unclenched his fist, his knuckles bloodied. “Answer me!” he roared, and then he must’ve realized someone else was in the room, because his head snapped to me. He quickly dropped his hands to his sides, surprise flickering through his eyes as he straightened his back.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked.

  I closed the door behind me because I didn’t want Jo and everyone else outside to hear us. I supposed the room was soundproof since I hadn’t heard anything until I opened the door.

  “You need to come to bed. It’s late,” I said.

  Five chuckled, his good eye focusing on me.

  “You shouldn’t be here.” Aiden lowered his voice as he made his way toward me, but when he reached for me, he dropped his hand, scowling at the blood on his fingers. “Go back to bed. Please.”

  “I’m not going anywhere without you. Come on. Let’s go. You’ll finish this tomorrow.”

  “I can’t. You need to go.”

  “Did he say anything useful?” I glanced at Five, who was grinning at me. One of his teeth was missing.

  “Not yet, but he will.”

  Five was already pretty beaten up, and he didn’t look close to cracking. I supposed he wasn’t going to start talking if I asked nicely and explained I wanted my boyfriend in bed with me and not wasting his time in here.

  “Maybe we should speed things up.” I reached for the gun that was in Aiden’s holster and pulled it out. “This guy won’t crack. Look at him. You don’t need to waste your time. He probably doesn’t even know anything. He’s just some stupid lackey they sent.”

  Five’s grin faded a little.

  “You’re probably right,” Aiden said, the corners of his lips twitching up.

  “Then let’s finish this and go to bed.” I padded over to the guy and pointed the gun at him.

  “Whatcha gonna do with that, girlie?” Five asked. “Put it down before you hurt yourself.”

  “You mean down, like, here?” I jabbed the barrel of the gun into his crotch.

  His eyes widened as he squirmed in the chair, but he couldn’t get away.

  I glanced at Aiden, whose eyebrows were slightly raised. “How long do you think it takes for a man to bleed out if I shoot him right here?” I pressed the gun harder. “Do you think it hurts a lot?”

  Aiden shrugged. “You can try and see.”

  “Okay, yeah. But then we’re really going to bed.”

  “Sure, just let me bring something to put on the floor. It’ll be easier to clean up and you won’t get blood on your feet.” He started toward the door, and I put on my best wicked smile as I focused back on Five.

  “Oh yeah, that’s a great idea,” I said.

  “No, hey! Wait! Wait!” Five yelled.

  “I’m tired of waiting. If you don’t have anything useful to say, I think I’m just going to pull the...”

  “I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you everything I know!”

  “Tell us what?” Aiden asked as he came to stand next to me. “Talk, before she gets bored.”

  “Where are the Ritos hiding?” I asked.

  “I don’t know. I swear! We change our hideouts all the time.”

  “Wow, really?” I rolled my eyes and looked at Aiden. “I think I’m just gonna shoot him.”

  “The vault!” Five’s voice was high-pitched. “I’ll tell you where it is. Just don’t... don’t... please.”

  “Okay.” I lifted the gun. “Tell us what you know.”

  Chapter 30

  “I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT actually worked,” I said as Aiden came out of the bathroom. Five might not have been able to tell us everything, but he’d revealed enough.

  “Um, I don’t think you realize just how scary you looked with that gun.” He wiped his hair with the towel, which he then tossed to the floor.

  “Me? Scary? Really?” I raised an eyebrow at him.

  “Oh, come on. You came in there in your robe, snatched that gun, and looked ready to shoot that guy’s dick off just so you could go back to bed. Believe me. It was scary.”

  I let out a laugh. “I know. I still can’t believe I did that.”

  “You’re awesome.” He climbed onto the bed and pounced on me, wrapping his arms tightly around me and making me yelp.

  “Well, you got a chance to see what happens when I want you in bed with me and someone’s holding you up.” I grinned, and then his lips crashed against mine, his eyes sparkling with delight. “I can’t sleep without my favorite pillow.”

  “Your favorite pillow is right here.” He rolled over and pulled me on top of him.

>   I settled myself in the crook of his arm and traced a finger over his bare chest. “Do you think he told us everything?”

  “We’ll see. He’s still alive, but I don’t think he’ll say anything else.”

  “Are you going to kill him?” I hadn’t really thought about that, but Five was an enemy and we couldn’t exactly let him go. Still, he’d told us what we wanted to know, or at least some of it.

  “Yeah, but it’ll be quick. I’m not as ruthless as you.” His lips twitched up.

  “Hey!” I shot him a fake angry look.

  “Sorry! Sorry! Please don’t shoot me!”

  “I won’t, but just because I don’t have my gun with me right now, and I don’t like holes in my pillow.” I snuggled closer to him.

  It was weird to joke about this. We were still talking about taking the life of another human being, but how would Aiden and everyone else keep living with so much blood on their hands if they thought about it too much?

  Five would’ve killed me or handed me over to his boss, and then I’d have ended up dead anyway. Hell, the Ritos had wanted to give me to Carter, who’d intended to have me broken and turned into an actual slave.

  They’d all made their choices. I couldn’t really feel sorry for someone like that, or could I?

  “Are you okay?” Aiden asked, his eyes softening.

  I gave him a small nod.

  “Was tonight hard for you? The dancing, I mean.”

  I pushed myself up on my elbows so I could look into his eyes. “I don’t know. I don’t really like to remember those days. The place where I worked was a shithole and the boss was an ass. He didn’t care if I got groped, and he always paid me less because I refused to hook up with random men who came to watch me. I hated that so much, and I actually like dancing, just without all that crap.”

  “Does that place still exist?”

  “Maybe.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “But don’t look for my boss or anything. I think he’s been dead for a few years now.”

  “Oh.”

  Yeah, he’d so intended to find that miserable son of a bitch. “But today... it was different. It brought up some memories, but I didn’t feel so... I don’t know... dirty. It was a show that I did because I wanted to, and no one was touching me or wanting to make out with me, or something. And I didn’t have to take my bra off or wear a thong, so that’s a plus.”

  My fingers found his and intertwined.

  “Do you sometimes think about what would’ve happened if our lives were different?” I asked. “If my parents hadn’t died, maybe I would’ve gone to college and been someone else. Although, I like being me, even with all the bad stuff that happened. Maybe it’s crazy.”

  “It’s not.” He caressed my hand. “I almost went to college.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, it was when I was sure my brother would never let me be in the gang. He was treating it like his precious baby, and I thought he didn’t want me with him and that he’d rather pay for me to be away from it all. But then he offered me co-leadership, and I agreed. Maybe I shouldn’t have. Maybe I should’ve left it all behind. But then I wouldn’t have met you.”

  “Aww.” I leaned in to give him a kiss.

  “I forgot to tell you that I was too busy looking for the Ritos’ guy to see your show. Do you think you could give me a private show?” He winked.

  “Oh yeah? You want a private show?”

  “Yep, whenever you’re ready.”

  “I’ll have to check my schedule, but I think it can be arranged.” I grinned. “But now we should really try to get some sleep. We’re going to the vault tomorrow, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  I tilted my head at him, waiting for a few moments. “Oh right. You’re not going to argue now because you actually need me to open the vault. Ha!”

  “Honestly, after tonight, I don’t think I’ll ever dare to argue with you about anything. You always win anyway, and you’re dangerous.”

  “Afraid of me now, are you?” I reached down his body, slipping my hand into his boxer briefs and cupping his cock in a tight grip.

  He let out a gasp, but I could feel him growing hard under my fingers. “Yep, totally. I’m mortified.”

  “I promise I’m not going to hurt you. Much.” I let go of him and then settled back in his arms. “Good night.”

  I closed my eyes, feeling his chest rapidly rising and falling under my hand.

  “You’re a cruel, cruel woman,” he whispered.

  “I know. You like it.” I looked up long enough to grin at him. “Oh, and turn off the lights.”

  And then I drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter 31

  “IT’S ALL CLEAR. YOU can come,” Aiden said as he waved me over.

  I’d half expected that Five had lied to us, but it looked like he hadn’t. Aiden and his men had just finished sweeping a small one-story house that was hidden in the woods.

  We would’ve never found the place in a billion years, and even with Five’s directions, it had taken us some time to locate it. Not even the satellites or drones would’ve been able to capture it since it was hidden under the trees.

  But was there really a vault in this house? Its white walls were dilapidated, and the windows were covered with planks.

  “Did you find the vault?” I asked as we made our way toward the house.

  “Yeah, it’s in the basement.”

  “So it’s all true what Five said? Do you think the code he gave us is good too?” Although Five hadn’t been sure what exactly was needed from me, he was sure about the code because the Ritos had found it scribbled in a notebook the first time they got here.

  Aiden believed that the guy who was supposed to take me to Carter and who had the code had given up on waiting when no one had shown up, so he’d left and given out the code so no one would come after him later.

  “We’ll see, but be careful. We don’t know what’s in the vault,” Aiden said, placing his hand on my back as we stepped inside.

  This house didn’t smell like mold, but it had a weird odor, as if someone had used a lot of bleach. The floor was clean too, and I wondered what Carter had used this house for before he’d decided to put a vault in it.

  We descended a dark and narrow stairway, and then we found ourselves in a big empty room with stone walls, the only light coming from small windows at the top of the walls.

  The vault was like something out of a heist movie, as if this were a bank. But there was a keypad next to it and a dark rectangle, which made me think there was something under it and that the cover would lift only once the code was punched in.

  “Okay, let’s do this,” Aiden said, turning to his men. “Everyone keep your eyes peeled and be ready. Roy, you go outside and tell the rest to watch the perimeter. If anything shows up, even the slightest movement in the woods, let me know.”

  “Yes, sir.” Roy immediately rushed back upstairs.

  Aiden stepped in front of me as if he wanted to protect me from something that might jump out as soon as he punched in the code. But once he did, a red light started flashing, and the dark rectangle I’d seen lifted up to reveal a computer screen, or at least I thought that was what it was.

  “You have twenty seconds,” a computer voice said from somewhere. “Place the key’s hand against the screen.”

  Key’s hand? What the hell?

  Oh yeah, my hand.

  I was the key.

  Gah.

  Had Carter ever seen me as a human being? Just once?

  Nope? No?

  Okay.

  “Bomb! It’s a bomb!” someone yelled.

  I quickly stepped forward, pressing my hand against the screen. The counter stopped, and something beeped. A moment later, something sharp came out through a small opening I hadn’t even seen and pricked my finger.

  “Ouch,” I said.

  “What’s wrong?” Aiden asked, his arms around me and ready to pull me back.

  “I think it needs my blood
too.” But at least it was no longer beeping and threatening to kill us all, which was good. Except the door still didn’t show any signs that it was opening. What the hell was up with that?

  I pulled my hand back, and a bright light flashed across my face.

  Another beep came.

  “Access granted,” the voice said, and the door clicked.

  Aiden motioned for me to step away, and then he pulled it open. I was already reaching for my gun, just in case this whole thing was a trap, but no one jumped out at us. If the Ritos had been watching this place before, the lack of activity and the loss of their men must have made them change their minds about having their guard here.

  “Come look at this,” Aiden said as he entered the vault, and I followed. There were three shelves in the vault, filled with all kinds of boxes.

  “What is all this?” I furrowed my brow as I took a peek in one of the boxes.

  At first, I thought it was empty, but then I spotted a small black bag at the bottom, so I grabbed it and pulled it out.

  “Wow,” I said as I opened the bag and found a bunch of shiny diamonds. “So the diamonds do exist. Who would’ve thought?”

  “And my brother was willing to give them up just to see you and me destroyed.” Aiden picked up another box. “This one is full of papers.”

  “What kind of papers?” I set down the diamonds.

  He flipped through them and swore.

  “What is it?”

  “These are human trafficking routes, and names and numbers of people involved.”

  “Anything about that woman Carter bought?” If we could figure out where to find her, then maybe we could save her, unless it was already too late.

  “Yeah, I think so. If her name is Nina, then this is about her.” He handed me a piece of paper.

  I quickly scanned through it. “She’s supposed to be with that Markus guy, the one who was supposed to take me.”

  “Looks like it.” Aiden was inspecting another box. “I can’t believe my brother was so confident his plan would work that he didn’t even think you might not show up. If you’re the only one who can open the vault, he would’ve lost access to all this if the Ritos failed and you escaped. It’s insane.”