There were only three people who would call her. She’d spoken to her parents last night and again this morning. They would only be calling if something were wrong. Her boss had only called once, and that was to ask her if she could take over someone else’s shift the next day. She definitely didn’t intend to do that. The last possibility was Brett. She chided herself for not keeping her phone on her like he’d asked, and she rushed to dig it out of her backpack, answering just before it stopped ringing. “Hello?”
“Is everything all right?” he asked right off the bat.
“I’m fine, I just walked away from my phone for a minute. I’m sorry.” She didn’t feel very good about how worried he sounded. It had only taken her a minute to answer. “What’s going on?”
“Look, I don’t want you to worry because everything is under control. I just want you to take some precautions, alright?”
Krishna tensed. “Precautions against what?”
He didn’t answer right away. When he finally spoke, he was deceptively calm in demeanor, but Krishna could tell it was mostly for her benefit. “There are a few things going on with the Ashes that worry me a little, and I don’t want any fallout coming back on you. So I want you to pack a bag or two and go to Shane’s. Can you do that?”
She hesitated, wincing. “I’m already at Shane’s.” When he didn’t respond, she explained, “I was scared. You wouldn’t tell me anything, and I wanted answers, something to ease my mind. I thought Shane might know something.”
“I’ll tell you eventually. It’s just safer not to talk about it right now, Kris.” His voice was stern but pleaded her forgiveness. “But I’m glad you’re there. Could you stay the night?”
“I guess that’s up to him, isn’t it?” she snapped back. She was getting irritated at not being dealt into the hand and having to guess at everything. She might as well have been trying to walk across the country blindfolded. “You aren’t going to try to kill Pop, are you?” she hissed into the phone.
“What? No!” His denial made Krishna feel ridiculous for asking, but she had to make sure he wasn’t going to play stupid, dangerous games with his life. “Look, like I said, it’s just a precaution. But I want you to stay the night tonight, get back to your apartment early tomorrow morning, and go about your daily business as usual. What does your schedule look like?”
“I have class in the morning, and then I’m free for the rest of the day. Brett…” She trailed off. It wouldn’t do any good to demand further explanation. She wouldn’t get it. Sighing, she asked, “What else?”
She could almost hear the wheels in Brett’s brain turning as he thought it through. “Find a public place with lots of people to spend a couple hours after class. Somewhere you can stay pretty much in one place. Stay there until you hear from me. I’ll text you and give you an all clear or have you pack the bags and get back to Shane’s. Got it?”
Clenching her jaw, Krishna fought the urge to make demands and start freaking out. She was at home, where she didn’t care if she disturbed her very noisy neighbors. And she didn’t want Shane to get the wrong impression and think she was completely insane. She’d almost accomplished that once already by showing up at his door unannounced and demanding answers. “I got it,” she snapped.
“I’m just trying to make sure you’re safe, Kris. Please don’t be angry with me. It’s for the best, and I’ll explain everything as soon as I can. I promise.”
Rolling her eyes because she couldn’t stay mad at Brett, she threw her hands up in the air, even though he couldn’t see her. “Fine. I give up. I’ll just do what you say. But I want answers, Brett. And I want you to promise you won’t do anything to get yourself killed.”
“I don’t plan on it. I owe you an explanation, and I don’t think you want it from a ghost.” He laughed as he hung up, but Krishna didn’t find it funny.
She was already incensed about not being in the loop, and she had to go throw herself at Shane’s mercy now. She didn’t like any of this, and her fear grew as she wondered what could be such a big problem with the club that Brett would send her into hiding.
Carrying the sodas in her hands and her phone in her pocket, Krishna trudged back up the stairs, far more reluctant this time, and when she opened the door to the theater, she found Shane already settled and waiting, a broad grin on his face. “That took a little longer than I expected.”
She averted her gaze and said meekly, “Brett called. He doesn’t think it’s safe for me to go home until early in the morning.”
But he just shrugged. “You’re more than welcome to stay here. It’s no inconvenience. I have several guest rooms. Pick whichever one you like best.”
Krishna was so relieved she nearly melted into the floor. Sitting down in the oversized leather recliner next to him, she quickly made herself comfortable, reaching for her plate of nachos just as the lights dimmed and the film started to roll. She was going to enjoy this, if it was the last pleasure she had.
And from Brett’s sudden desperation to assure she wouldn’t go home, Krishna knew it very well could be.
CHAPTER TWENTY NINE
Alex took the long way around toward his apartments, first making sure he didn’t have a tail and then heading toward Krishna’s place. He needed to see her, needed to see with his own eyes that she was okay. She was his main reason for taking this enormous risk tomorrow.
Sure, he had plenty of other issues to settle, but he was tired of worrying that one wrong step would mean her life, and he didn’t want to be miserable anymore. He wanted her, to be with her, and he was going to take matters into his own hands to assure that he could have her. Or he would die trying.
But he needed that motivation, and he passed by her apartment building slowly, not risking turning in just yet. But he scowled, not seeing her car anywhere. In a bit of a panic, he turned around and rode by again, but he couldn’t find the Buick.
Nearly panicking, he pulled into the gas station on the corner and called Brett, who had left right behind him. It rang four times before the kid answered, and Alex was beside himself with worry. “Brett, she’s not home. Where is she? Did she go to her parents’ house?” That wasn’t a good idea. If Pop set his dogs on her trail and anyone got in the way, the assassins would plow right through them with bullets.
“She’s safe, man,” Brett told him, his tone telling Alex just how desperate he sounded.
“What do you mean? Where is she?”
“I made sure she was somewhere no one can find her, okay? She’s with Shane.”
That caused anger to start boiling in his chest. Krishna was at some other guy’s place, alone. “You really think she’s safe in the hands of some guy she barely knows?”
“Since that guy is Shane, yes, I do,” he replied with utter confidence. “He’s been my friend forever, and he knows Kris is all about you. He won’t do anything but keep her safe and give her a place to sleep. I’m keeping her there until all this is over.” He paused and continued, “You don’t need to worry about her. I did this so you could focus on what you need to do to make sure you can have her, Alex. I didn’t want you distracted and worried that anyone was going to find her and hurt her.”
Alex was speechless. This was his battle and, yet, it seemed like Brett was the one who had thought so much of it through. “I have to say, bro, I don’t think I could have done this alone. You’ve covered all the bases. Thank you.”
He scowled as Brett started to laugh at the other end of the line. “I think that’s one of the longest speeches I’ve heard from you. It’s kind of nice.”
Alex gnashed his teeth and said nothing for a long time. Finally, he growled, “Next time you want to make a move like that, could you give me a little warning?”
“Hopefully, there won’t be a next time,” Brett told him, getting serious. “But I’ll keep that in mind. Anything else?”
“Good luck tomorrow.”
“I think I’m the one who should be wishing you luck. Be safe, Alex.” He
hung up, and Alex tucked the phone away.
He wished he could see Krishna, but it probably set his mind more at ease to know she was sheltered and cared for. He pulled back out onto the road and rode home, where the silence that met him was so profound it was almost eerie.
He’d thought this thing through so many times he was breeding doubt, so he had to switch it off. Instead, as he flopped onto the couch, he focused on what would happen when Pop was no longer in charge of the Ashes. He expected a clear dividing line between his brothers. There would be a large group of Pop’s supporters who were angry and made waves. But those who stood with Alex and were glad to be free of his tyranny should far outnumber them. Most of them were just afraid to speak up now.
All of the prospects would be relieved; after all, if it were up to Alex, he’d negate their contracts and find other things for them to do to work off their debt to the club. He didn’t want to be a player in the drug game anymore. And since most of the boys had joined the Ashes straight out of jail, they were looking to get away from criminal activity. Just because Pop kept his operation low key didn’t mean it wasn’t dangerous or illegal. And with the new price of freedom, it looked like he was going to start picking up the pace, as well as ‘cleaning house,’ selectively getting rid of members he didn’t want around anymore.
Ideally, the club would find a way to bring in money above the table, and there wouldn’t be one person making all the decisions. They’d go back to voting – without the voters being afraid to vote against their leader. Alex thought a safe, healthy environment would be more profitable, and as far as he knew, the clubhouse might have felt safe from the outside world, but it had always been dominated by the feeling that you had to walk on eggshells around Pop.
All that made sense. The biggest problem was, almost none of his brothers were qualified to take the leadership position. Those who were had been involved in Krishna’s assault or were too close with Pop to trust. Quarter was a leader, but he was also a bad seed at this point. He couldn’t be trusted as far as Alex could throw the big guy.
Brett had the right qualities, but he was too young and too new. As much as he deserved respect, some of the old boys would have a hard time taking him seriously. Wishing there was another option, Alex realized the weight would probably fall on his shoulders, and he hated the idea. He’d at least like a choice in the matter, but obviously, he couldn’t hand over the responsibility to anyone else, especially when so many changes had to be made all at once. It was a delicate situation, and if it wasn’t handled right, the club would fall apart anyway.
“Shit,” he said, drawing out the word as he came to that final conclusion. How had it come to this? He just wanted peace, and here he was practically planning a war that started at the top and filtered down. And he was a one man army. Sure, he had supporters, and Brett was clearing the field as much as possible, but that didn’t change the fact that he’d be running into the enemy camp and facing a ruthless leader.
And he was damn confident about it.
Alex stood in front of the mirror in his bathroom and saw a stranger. He recognized his face, but that youthful mischief had disappeared in favor of the determined, mature adult who would stop at nothing to save the people he cared about. He was torn, liking the feeling of finally being a grown up and looking the part but angry at having his playful nature forcibly torn away from him.
But if he had to grow up, now was the time to do it, and he smiled confidently at his reflection, knowing he had the nerve. Now, he just had to couple that with the skill, and hopefully, in twenty-four hours, all would be right with the world.
***
Krishna woke up with a start in a pitch-black room, and she panicked. She didn’t know where she was, and she’d had a terrible nightmare. Gasping for air, she sat there in a cold sweat, looking around as her eyes adjusted, and reality came back to her. It wasn’t all that much better than her dream, but at least she was safe and alone.
Shane. She was staying with Shane, and Brett was going to call her tomorrow and let her know if everything was okay or not. That was a small relief compared to her dream. Her imagination had obviously taken over when she’d fallen asleep, playing on her fears. She’d been walking up to her apartment, and as she’d pulled out her keys to unlock the door, someone had grabbed her from behind, blindfolding her and knocking her unconscious.
She’d awoken in a dark room like this, but she was tied up in a chair, and there were hands all over her, the room filled with male laughter and derisive, lewd comments that echoed off the walls. She couldn’t scream or protest, gagged, and she could feel the tip of a very sharp knife to her throat. The voice in her ear was distinct, and Damien told her to be still and quiet if she wanted to live.
A spotlight showed that Alex and Brett were also bound and gagged a few feet away, and they were forced to watch the show helplessly. As she started to cry, Pop’s disembodied head had floated in front of her, like a balloon, decorated with clown makeup. An evil funhouse laugh came from it, and when his tongue rolled out of his mouth, it was one long, sharp blade, aiming for her chest.
That was when she’d woken up, and she could barely get past the horrid image and the absolute terror that gripped her heart and lungs. She wanted comfort, to fall into Alex’s arms, but that wasn’t even close to an available option. Throwing the covers off, she padded barefoot to the large picture window and drew back the curtains, finding comfort in the sliver of moon outside.
She opened the window, breathing in the fresh air, and it brought her back down to earth. She crossed her arms and leaned in the windowsill, staring out into the night and trying to figure out just exactly how her life had brought her to this place in such a short time. She didn’t exactly feel sorry for herself; Krishna tended to push those thoughts out of her mind any time they popped up. But she felt far removed from reality.
There had been several times lately she expected to just wake up and be late for her job at the store, all of this mess a weird, twisted dream. Not quite the nightmare she’d just had, but some sort of odd fantasy that combined her darkest fears and deepest wishes. It all played out like a story she was reading, except she was one of the main characters, and turning the page could mean more than solving a mystery.
She was hungry, and Shane had told her to help herself to anything in the house. She looked down at the t-shirt and boxers she’d borrowed to sleep in, having nothing with her to wear. This had all been a last minute decision. But she was appropriately covered, so if she ran into Shane or woke him, she wouldn’t be overly exposed or embarrassed. She had to stop as she went into the hallway to remember which direction led toward the kitchen. This house was so damn big, and she still wasn’t fully awake.
She turned right and found the stairs, taking them quickly with light steps on the balls of her feet. She made no noise, even across the marble floor into the kitchen. She opened the fridge and was relieved it didn’t make a loud popping noise as she broke the cold seal. She perused the contents and decided to grab some peppered sausage and cheese, a few crackers from the pantry, and a glass of apple juice.
She sat down at the table, not knowing how she could be hungry after the mountains of junk she’d eaten while they’d marathoned three movies. She looked at the clock; she’d only gone to bed a little over an hour ago, and though she’d fallen asleep instantly, she didn’t feel rested at all. And, yet, it felt like it had been hours since she’d gone to sleep.
Anxiety. That had to be the problem. Every time she got too stressed out or anxious about something, she had nightmares and difficulty sleeping. She kept melatonin on hand at home for times like this, but she didn’t have it with her. She hadn’t had any intention of spending the night anywhere but her own bed. She wondered if Shane had any, but she wasn’t going to snoop in his medicine cabinet. Besides, he probably kept that sort of thing in the master bathroom, and she sure as hell wasn’t going to sneak in or knock on his bedroom door to ask.
She’d seen
some tea in his pantry, and she resorted to the old cultural remedy. Searching the various flavors and styles, she found the lavender and chamomile, and she grabbed two bags, along with the unfiltered honey. In two minutes, she had the perfect sleepy time concoction, and she sat down to sip it, hoping it did the trick.
By the time Krishna finished the tea and the food, she wasn’t so wide awake. She didn’t believe sleep would come easy, but at least she felt like she could lie down again and rest until she finally drifted off. She climbed the stairs with heavier steps than she’d had coming down, and she shut the door and crawled under the covers in the guest room she’d chosen.
She settled into the pillow and closed her eyes, waiting for sleep to come. Frustrated, she opened her eyes…and found a stream of light coming through the curtain. She frowned just as the alarm on her phone sounded. She had fallen asleep, but she was still so tired, it felt like she’d just skipped time. It was almost seven, and she had to get home, shower, and change in time to be in class by nine.
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