by Meghan March
I shook my head once, and Jorie cut off her sentence before she could say the one thing I didn’t need Bump to know yet.
Her younger brother looked between us, his eyes narrowing. “What the fuck is going on? You’ve both been acting fucking weird.”
Jorie glared at him. “We just went through a hurricane. Anyone would act weird.” She glanced back at me. “Be careful. Please.”
I nodded. “I’ll be back. Don’t go anywhere.”
When I returned to the apartment two hours later, it was eerily quiet.
“Jorie?” I called, but there was no answer.
“Bump?”
Apprehension made my blood run cold. I dropped two gallons of water, a bag of food, and the duffel, which I so far had refused to let out of my sight, on the floor, then ran to the bedroom and checked the bathroom.
Empty.
“Where the fuck did you go?” I asked the empty room before pulling out my prepaid phone. I tried Jorie over and over, but she never picked up.
“Baby, call me. Please. Where the hell did you go?” I said to her voice mail after the seventh call.
I dropped onto the sofa for a second and jammed my hands into my hair.
“Where would they go? Where the fuck would they go?” My stomach twisted because I had no fucking answers.
All the thoughts I’d had yesterday about life never being the same again? I was terrified that I was right, but in a totally different way than I’d anticipated.
We should have been long gone by now.
Moses might not know about the truck yet because of the storm—
My thoughts were cut short by someone screaming outside.
“Holy shit! This motherfucker is bleeding out!” one of the guys in Lonestar’s crew yelled loud enough for everyone on the entire fucking block to hear.
I bolted off the couch and ran to the door. I didn’t know why, but something in my gut told me to move my ass.
They have to be okay. They have to be okay. They shouldn’t have left. Why did they leave? Fuck. We should have been out of here already. This never should have happened.
I charged down the stairs, dodging the shit strewn everywhere from the storm, and stumbled when I hit the mud-covered pavement at street level. I whipped my head from side to side, looking for Bump and Jorie.
But there was no Jorie. Just Bump, covered in blood and sprawled out in the nasty pond that used to be a dirt-packed lawn.
I skidded to a stop in front of Lonestar and his crew, hitting my knees beside the only little brother I’d ever known.
“Bump! What the fuck happened?”
When he turned his head to look up at me, the life was draining out of his eyes. “Jorie . . .”
“Where is she?”
He only got one word out before he lost consciousness.
“Dead.”
Two
Scarlett
Present day
My heart stutters and my lungs freeze as I stare at the towering man sitting behind Gabriel’s desk, with a gun to Bump’s head.
Gabriel’s hand tightens around mine until I can’t feel my fingers.
Oh God, no. He can’t hurt Bump. No one can hurt Bump.
“I said, get on your motherfucking knees, Gabe. Make me repeat myself again, and you’ll have a hell of a cleaning bill.” He nudges the barrel harder against Bump’s head, causing him to screw his eyes shut and flinch.
Beside me, Gabriel squeezes even tighter before he releases me . . . and then he does what the man says and gets on his knees.
“No,” I whisper, but it comes out louder than I intend, and the man’s attention cuts to me.
His eyes alone are enough to unsettle me—the pale greenish gold seems to glow as if backlit with pure evil. Set against the tawny bronze tone of his skin, his gaze seems even more disturbing.
“You got something to say, girl? Wanna beg for your man’s life? Because he knows exactly why I’m here.”
I swallow what feels like a lump of charcoal in my throat as I bite down on my lip to keep from making another sound. I do not want that man looking at me. I don’t want that man to know I exist.
“Let her go, Moses. She’s got nothing to do with this.” Gabriel’s words sound like they’d been dragged down a gravel road before he bit them out.
Moses. Moses. Who is Moses? And what is this?
“She’s nice. You can’t hurt her.”
Bump’s plea brings the burn of tears behind my eyes. Sweet fucking Bump—except for that one time he kidnapped me.
If I weren’t paralyzed with fear, I’d be tempted to laugh at how much things have changed since the first time I was brought into this office. But, right now, I’m more worried about getting out alive.
“Shut the fuck up.” Moses jabs the gun harder against Bump’s temple, and the hair stands up on the back of my neck.
“Please, don’t hurt him. He’s—”
“Scarlett, get out of here,” Gabriel says, cutting me off.
“Shut the fucking door, Scarlett. You’re not going anywhere.” A cruel smile bends the man’s lips.
“She’s got nothing to do with this, Moses. Not a fucking thing. Let her and Bump go. You can do whatever the fuck you want to me. But just let them walk the fuck out of here.”
From beside me, I can practically feel the burning rage radiating off Gabriel. It’s hot enough to blister my skin. I glance down at him—the top of his slicked-back dark blonde hair—and I hate seeing him on his knees. I don’t know who Moses is, but I despise him for that alone.
“She ain’t going nowhere until I say so.”
“My security will be up here any minute. You’re gonna be fucked, Moses. So say what you came to say, and do what you came to do, unless you want to find yourself in a goddamned hostage situation. NYPD ain’t the same as the Biloxi PD. They’ll take you out in a fucking heartbeat. You got no one on your payroll to save your ass.”
I don’t know where Gabriel finds the composure to speak so rationally. Thank God one of us can.
But Moses doesn’t look concerned by Gabriel’s words. He throws back his head and laughs.
“Boy, you don’t know shit about shit. You never did. You think I just rolled up in the city today and let myself into your office? Fuck no. I’ve had my eye on you. For a man with a price on his head, you’ve done a piss-poor job of staying under the radar. I could’ve popped you so many fucking times, but what fun would that be? You wouldn’t even see it comin’. When I put a bullet between someone’s eyes, they always gotta know it was me.”
What? Oh. My. God. This crazy man has been watching Gabriel? Jesus Christ.
“Then what the fuck do you want?” Gabriel demands, and Moses grins forbiddingly.
“You owe me a hundred grand, plus fifteen years of interest. I’m here to collect.”
Three
Legend
The last place I want to be is on my knees, in my office, unarmed, with Scarlett beside me and Moses Buford Gaspard holding a gun to Bump’s head.
And yet, here I am.
My brain screams for Scarlett to fucking run, but she’s frozen like a statue beside me.
Of course this is how it would happen. I’m not even sure why I’m surprised. I’ve known for years that every move I make is a risk, but I didn’t realize Moses would lie in wait. That doesn’t seem like his style.
Then again, fifteen years ago, he was a gangster with a crew that followed his ballsy leadership without question. Why should I be shocked that he’s changed? I sure as hell have.
Except there’s one thing that’s always remained. I can’t outrun my past.
Now it’s time to face it and pay the consequences, but I won’t allow this to hurt Scarlett. I’ll take every fucking bullet while I stand in front of her like a human shield first.
Moses lifts his chin, and the words he spoke finally penetrate the chaos of my head.
“You owe me a hundred grand, plus fifteen years of interest.”
&nbs
p; “You got your numbers wrong, Moses. I sold your shit for fifty grand.”
Those fucking creepy eyes flash with humor before they narrow on me. “Ain’t my fault you were a terrible gangster. The cargo in that truck you jacked was worth a hundred K. You only got fifty? We’ll call the other fifty a penalty for taking what wasn’t yours. And that interest rate? Yeah, it’s gonna be about a hundred percent.”
He taps his finger alongside the trigger of the gun resting against the side of Bump’s trembling head. “We’ll call it a million and a half, because I like round numbers. Now, I want my money, Gabe.”
Fucking. Christ.
A lead anchor sinks to the pit of my stomach. “If you’ve been watching me, then you know I don’t have that kind of cash.”
Scarlett shifts beside me. “I do. I can get it for you, but it’ll take a few days. Just . . . leave us alone, and you’ll get your money.”
Fuck. I jerk my head up to look at Scarlett, not sure whether I should hug her or shake her right now.
On one hand, I’d do anything to save Bump, but I don’t want Scarlett mixed up in this. And letting Moses know she has that kind of cash? Bad fucking idea.
Before I can say anything, Moses leers like a fucking coyote smelling fresh blood in the air.
“Oh, Gabe. You really fucking leveled up with this bitch, didn’t you? Solid choice.”
When he shifts his attention to Scarlett, I want to shove her behind me so he can’t look at her.
“Noble shit you’re trying to do there, cher. But I don’t want your money. It ain’t no good with Moses. I want this motherfucker to pay, even if it means I take it out in blood. Did you know he stole from me? He tell you that? Gabriel Legend—nice fucking new last name, brother—jacked my truck of electronics, sold the shit, and planned to skip town like a little bitch.”
“She doesn’t need to know,” I manage to get out from between clenched teeth, my jaw aching with tension. “She isn’t part of this.”
Moses purses his lips. “Oh, she’s part of it, all right. Every single person in your life is subject to forfeit until you give me my due.”
“I told you—I don’t have the fucking money.”
“That’s why I’m here, Gabe. Because I heard you got yourself one hell of a fine opportunity on the table. You’re going back to fighting, aren’t you? And ain’t that fight against Bodhi Black? They’re already talking about the odds.”
My brain stutters to a halt. “Wait. You fucking come out of the woodwork now because of this fight?”
That grin flashes across Moses’s face again. “Yeah. You see, I’m betting a fuck ton on Black, and you’re gonna take a dive to make sure I get paid. That is, unless you got that one point five mil handy right now.”
Scarlett sucks in a breath beside me, but thankfully, she says nothing.
“No. Gabe is gonna win. Gabe won’t lose.” Poor Bump looks like he’s going to blow a gasket, and I pray that he doesn’t move or run his mouth any more.
Moses jabs him with the barrel. “What part of shut the fuck up don’t you understand, kid? You must have nine fucking lives.”
The reminder that Moses’s crew is the reason Bump is the way he is ignites an inferno inside me. Keep it together. I lock down my rage and stare at Moses, mentally crushing him with my bare hands.
“If I lose that fight, I lose everything.”
Moses’s grin has caused plenty of men to piss themselves, but I sure as fuck am not one of them.
Not back then. Not now. Not ever.
“You win this fight, boy, and you lose everything anyway. Whatever you think you have right now, it’s only because I allow it. I can take any fucking thing from you anytime I want. That’s how it works when you’re me.”
“How long have you known?” I don’t need to voice the rest of the question, because Moses gets what I’m asking.
“I’ve had my sights set on you for years. Been waiting for you to come back and try to fucking kill me, but you never did. Surprised me with that, Gabe. I thought you loved that bitch. You were willing to risk everything for her. Guess she wasn’t really worth that much to you if her dying meant nothing.”
His words slice through me, eviscerating me like he’s just gone at me with switchblades.
“I was biding my time.”
Moses’s dark eyebrows shoot up. “The hothead grew up. Who the fuck knew that was possible? Now, we got a deal? Or do I need to remind you what you got to lose if you don’t play the fight my way?”
Take a dive. Moses gets paid. I lose everything.
Or . . . win the fight, then prepare to fight for my life—and everyone I care about—against the man who has been hanging over my head like a guillotine for fifteen years.
When I don’t answer right away, Moses lifts the pistol away from Bump’s head and trains it on Scarlett. I jump to my feet and throw myself in front of her, my arms out.
Moses’s fucking grin widens. “That’s what I thought. You’ll do whatever I say, because you know exactly what I’ll take from you if you don’t. Shit, maybe I’ll even keep this one. See if she’s a better fuck than Jorie. Might be tough, because she had a cunt like solid gold. Then again, you know all about that.”
Bump lunges at Moses, but Moses is quicker, and presses the pistol right between his eyes.
“One more move and you die. And I mean all-the-way dead this time. I won’t graze you like those motherfuckers who put a bullet in your head in Mississippi.”
When Bump raises his hands in the air and drops to his knees again, Moses’s gaze lifts to me.
“I’ll give you one thing, Gabe. Your taste in women has improved. This bitch looks like she’d rather slit my throat than take my cock down hers. I’d hate to see something bad happen to her.”
I reach out to pull Scarlett directly behind me so he can’t see her. “She doesn’t exist to you. Threaten her again, and I’ll skin your ass and use it for a fucking lampshade.”
Moses’s chest shakes, and booming laughter fills my office. “Nice try, Legend. I’ll see myself out. You get to training. Get those fucking odds right. If I have to, I’ll pay you another visit. Just to remind you what you got on the line.”
He backs away from my desk, his gun trained on me now, and a panel in the wall opens behind him.
My fucking hidden entrance. How the hell did he find out about my fucking hidden doors?
Another man pokes his head through, but that’s not where my attention is focused. He’s got a TEC-9 in either hand. Probably fully auto. He’d kill us all in seconds.
“Now, be good little bitches and don’t follow us.”
But Bump doesn’t listen. He charges.
“No!”
Moses lashes out, catching Bump upside the head with the back of his hand holding the pistol. Bump crumples to the floor.
“Don’t do anything stupid, Gabe. That’s your last warning.”
Moses backs away through the door. It closes slowly, until all I can see are his fucking eyes glinting before he disappears into the darkness.
Four
Scarlett
My knees give out. I can’t help it. As soon as the door closes, I sink to the floor. My head swims, and everything feels like it’s happening in slow motion.
I have to get to Bump. But Gabriel is already ahead of me. He launches himself at Bump, and I crawl to them.
A trickle of blood leaks from Bump’s temple where he holds his head. “I’m okay. I’m okay. I’m okay.” He repeats it over and over, like he’s trying to convince himself.
“You’re okay,” Gabriel says, agreeing with him. “You’re totally fine, bud. You did real good. Real fucking good.”
I pull myself together and grab my clutch where I dropped it. Yanking it open, I pull out a small packet of tissues and take them to Bump.
“Here you go. Just a little blood.”
“I’m bleeding?” His eyes go wide. “I thought I was okay.”
“You’re fine, bud. Just fine.”
A knock comes at the door, and we all freeze. Gabriel moves toward his desk, and before I have time to comprehend what he’s doing, there’s a gun in his hand pointed at the door.
“Who the fuck is it?”
“Me and Roux,” Q says from outside.
Gabriel’s chin drops to his chest, and he lowers the gun. “Get in here.”
Q opens the door, and shock rips across his face as he sees Bump on the floor with bloody tissues to his head. Then he sees the gun in Gabriel’s hand and stills. Roux barrels toward Gabriel, and he shoves the gun in his pants before giving her a pat to calm her down.
“What the fuck happened? Is he okay?”
“Moses was here. He had Bump at gunpoint. He wants his money.”
Q’s olive-toned skin goes pale. “What? How? When? Where did he go?” He whips his head from side to side, like he’s afraid Moses might still be in the room hiding, and then pulls out his cell. “I’m calling the cops.”
“No,” Gabriel barks out, shaking his head. “Shut the door and put down your fucking phone. We aren’t going to the cops with this. No fucking way.”
“What?” Surprise rips the word from between my lips. “What do you mean, we’re not going to the cops? We have to. This is literally what they’re for.”
Bump shakes his head. “Can we go home now, Gabe? I want to go home.”
“What a fucking mess,” Q says, leaning back against the door. “How the hell did he get in and out?”
Gabriel helps Bump and me to our feet. “Hidden entrance. He must have been watching us for months, or paid someone off to get the access info.”
“Fuck. What did he say?” Q scans all the faces in the room before locking on Gabriel’s again.
“He wants me to lose the fight. Wants me to throw it.”
If I thought Q’s swarthy skin couldn’t get paler, I was wrong. “No fucking way. Fuck me. What the fuck do we do now?”
Gabriel throws his arm around Bump’s shoulder and pulls me into his side. “We go home and regroup.”