Love in Disguise

by Lyssa Cole

My parents’ murders weighed heavy on my soul, and I was angry and bitter. I wanted justice for their deaths. I still do.

  I’ll never forget the conversation I had with Mason.

  “Don’t you realize what a horrible person he is?”

  “No, Gabe, I don’t. So, he likes women and drugs and money. What’s so bad about that?”

  “Mason, what he does is illegal and the worst part of it all is that he’ll kill anyone who stands in his way, even his own family.”

  “You’re crazy. Just like Mom was, never wanting to give him a chance. I’m staying here with Damon and if you leave, you’ll be nothing to me. Not a damn thing.”

  I wanted to punch him, my fists clenched at my sides. But I took the high road and walked away. Brotherless.

  Uncle Lenny was a disgusting human being. He killed for drugs, he killed for money. He treated women like objects, using them for sex and more drugs. He stopped at nothing to get what he wanted when he wanted it. There was no way I was living a life that way.

  My brothers’ actions appalled me. I thought they’d stay with me, not get sucked in and tempted by money, women, and drugs. But they were goners, lost in the haze of it all.

  I ran away a month later and was able to be emancipated from my uncle. I had nowhere to go, so I traveled with nothing but my bag on my back. I got around, accepting odd jobs here and there and eventually buying myself a clunker. I would either camp or stay at a local shelter.

  When I made it out to the West Coast, I scored a generous job in security and that’s when I knew my calling. I rented a cheap room and saved as much money as I could, working double shifts and overtime. Within a year’s time, I was ready to enroll in school to become a police officer. I’d worked my way up to the FBI eventually and when the time was right, my uncle would finally pay.

  And now it’s time. After my jog with Luna, I head home to shower, dress, and eat. I lay my plans out on the table and study them. I plan on staking out a few locations I’ve gotten word my uncle may be at.

  After committing my plan to memory, I finish packing and head out the door.

  It’s game time.

  I sneak down the alleyway, my night vision glasses giving me a clear view. My gloves trail along the wall, feeling for the bump I was told should be here. Underneath the bump is a door handle that when turned, it opens a secret door, one that was completely blended into the wall. A few agents follow me, on guard in every direction.

  It’s quite high tech and easy enough to not spot the bump at all.

  My earpiece chirps, “Still clear on this end.”

  I have a ton of guys keeping watch in case they try to ambush me. Including several snipers staked out from a distance, ready to fire on my command. I’m not taking any chances with these pricks.

  My gloves snag on something. I stop and run my fingers back over it, feeling the shape of a small ball. I move the ball out of the way, feeling for the door handle. It sits just behind the ball shape and when I grasp it, I quickly tug it down. The wall rumbles and the door opens a crack. I slide inside, my guys close behind, blinking in the dark hallway.

  “Are you in, Gabe?” one of the guys asks over the earpiece.

  “Yes,” I mumble as I glance around.

  I keep moving, the hallway never ending. There are no lights or windows, or even doors, and it continues on and on. The men feel the walls for anything we should be aware of.

  Just when I think I see a light ahead, a flash goes off in front of me, blinding me as I’m knocked backward. My hands fly out, and I connect with something, a loud crack sounding in the small area. My head hits the wall, a sharp pain piercing my skull. I’m up in a second, my eyes searching for whoever knocked me over.

  Behind me, I see all men knocked out and unconscious. I tap my headpiece and whisper, “Backup now. I repeat, backup now. Men down.”

  A muffled response comes through, but I don’t hear it.

  I’m too focused on what I see. I squint my eyes, my head pounding from my fall. A man is hunched over and clutching his chest. He’s gasping for air, his breathing heavy and fast.

  I move closer, and his body shape becomes familiar. I’m mere feet from him when it dawns on me who it is. Tom. My uncle’s right-hand man.

  The one who carried out the hit on my parents.

  The wrong hit. A deal gone bad.

  My parents mistaken for someone else. Some other family Tom was ordered to kill.

  But, no, he killed mine in cold blood.

  My mind goes blank. I reach for my gun sitting against my back and pull it out, placing the barrel against his temple.

  “Remember me, Tom? Your piece of shit boss’s nephew?”

  Tom shakes his head as his breathing increases.

  “You killed my parents. A stupid fucking deal gone bad. Did you get off on killing so violently? Or are you just a fucking monster inside?”

  Without another thought, I pull the trigger, shooting him straight through the head.

  He slumps to the side. Alarms go off, and I run back to my men, trying to shake them awake. They don’t budge, their pulses faint.

  Fuck! Where the fuck is my backup?

  I tap my earpiece again. All I hear is static, but I talk anyways, hoping someone hears me.

  I hear shots and run in the opposite direction, hoping for a door, window, anything.

  Finally, some light shines.

  I can see the door looming ahead. My legs burn, but I don’t stop.

  Almost there. So fucking close…

  A hand grabs my arm, yanking me backward.

  Sharp pain runs through my arm, and I feel sick to my stomach.

  I fall to the ground and everything goes black.

  Chapter 23

  Gabe

  I wake up in the dark, the smell of sweat and urine overwhelming.

  Where in the fuck am I?

  I roll my head around, my stomach queasy. I try to move, but my hands and feet are tied to a chair.

  Shit, shit, shit!

  I clench my fists and pull as hard as I can, but the rope bites into my skin. “Fuck!” I scream.

  “What’s wrong, bro? Having trouble getting up?” Mason’s voice drips with sarcasm.

  The room suddenly lights up, and I blink, my eyes adjusting.

  Glancing around, my heart picks up speed at the sight. It’s a disgusting empty warehouse, various guns and ammo lying about. I see my aunt, uncle, and cousins tied up in the corner, my aunt sobbing, the rest of them passed out. Big boxes of who knows what are stacked around the area.

  “Well, well, well. If it isn’t Goody two-shoes himself.” My uncle snickers, coming up behind Mason with Damon in tow. These fucking clowns.

  I grit my teeth, not giving in to his taunts. It’s not worth it. I look away, focusing on my aunt. She’s terrified, and my heart lurches.

  “No comment, Goody Gabe?” The three of them snicker, and I roll my eyes.

  “Don’t you fucking roll your eyes at me.” Uncle Lenny leans down over me, his eyes yellow, his skin pale and bumpy. He looks like fucking shit. “Tell me, what are you doing sneaking around on my property? Have you finally come to pay your debt? And, and, you helped yourself to killing Tom.” His eyes flash, his nasty breath filling my nose. He pushes back on the chair, and I go flying backward, my head hitting the floor hard.

  Laughter fills the area as my uncle lifts me back up and slams me again. I taste blood.

  “Stop! Just please stop!” my aunt cries.

  Uncle Lenny throws her daggers but stands up straight as he glances between us. He rubs his chin as he walks back and forth in front of me. “This is how shit is going down. You kill someone close to me. I kill someone close to you. Your aunt dies.”

  My aunt screams and I shake my head violently. “Wait, wait,” I snap.

  My uncle turns to me, his lip curled in a snarl. “That’s the way shit goes down around here. Unless.” He pauses, scratching his chin. His nails look dirty and his face is worn. “You pay
your debt. Then she won’t die.”

  “I don’t fucking owe you anything!” I yell, my breaths coming in short spurts.

  Without a chance to say more, a gun is fired, and my aunt slumps over. “No!” I cry, and my brothers laugh along with my uncle. I use all my might to get my hands out of the rope, but it’s no use, my arms beginning to bleed.

  “You won’t ever get out.” My uncle sneers. He kicks the chair, and I go flying backward again, this time my head cracking against the chair and floor.

  Everything goes dark.

  My eyes blink open. My ears ring, my head dizzy and pounding.

  I gag as the smells fill my nose, my body shaking, every part of me aching in pain.

  I grit my teeth as the memories come back in bits and pieces.

  This shit needs to end.

  He lured me here, wanting me to pay this so called debt he thinks I owe him. I don’t owe that man shit. I can’t help my parents left all of their belongings and a family inheritance to me in their will. Did he really think my mom would leave him a piece?

  My brothers didn’t get near the amount I did, but they don’t know that. Besides, their money was gone as soon as my uncle got his hands on it.

  He wants mine, but he isn’t going to fucking get it. He doesn’t deserve a cent of it. His evil lifestyle has caused their deaths. Besides, it was never his money to have.

  And now my aunt…my second mother is gone…

  A wave of nausea comes over me, and I lean to the side, emptying my stomach. Some of it splashes on me, my body unable to twist to the side completely. I retch until my stomach is aching and dry heaves take over.

  Silence surrounds me, and I wonder if my family is still over there, still unconscious. I glance around as I think of a plan. How am I going to get out of here?

  I doze in and out of consciousness, the next few hours a blur. I’m dehydrated and starving, and I think I have a concussion. I have to fight to stay awake. Sleep is the last thing I need right now.

  Alicia’s face pops into my mind, and I thrash around. Desperation fills me.

  Think, Gabe, think!

  All of my training fails me, my mind blank. I have no clue what to do or how to get out of here.

  My uncle is going to pick us off one by one. A sick feeling fills my gut again.

  Just let the darkness take you…it’s warm…and peaceful…oh, so peaceful.

  I close my eyes and slip inside where pain can’t find me.

  No one can.

  I feel water drip on my skin, fingers digging under the rope. My eyes fly open, and I gasp, moans pouring from my mouth. “Get away from me! Get away!”

  “Shhh, Gabe, shhh. It’s Matt.”

  He quickly works on untying me.

  “What’s going on?” I look around frantically, hoping to see my family.

  “Your brothers and uncle took off. Ran out a backdoor and while the snipers fired shots, they missed them, only knocking over a few of his men. We’ve scoped this entire place and it’s empty.”

  My heart drops into my stomach. “What about my family?”

  Matt shakes his head. “Only the young girl left.”

  I feel sick. My uncle and Andrew gone? Poor Ava having lost her entire family in one day.

  I hang my head in defeat.

  Matt lifts me up, letting me lean my weight on him. “We gotta get out of here, Gabe.”

  Two agents lead the way, while two follow behind us.

  We reach the door when a loud explosion sounds in our ears. We’re thrown to the ground from the impact, the area filling with smoke.

  I scream, but no sound comes out. I can’t hear anything, the ringing in my ears loud and shrill.

  Darkness welcomes me once again, and I slip under but only for a mere second. I’m lifted out of the smoke and dragged backward along the floor. My pants rip and tear, the hard concrete floor digging into my skin.

  I’m thrown into a room, the door slamming shut behind me.

  I back up into a corner and reach for my gun.

  It’s gone.

  Of course it is.

  My pulse picks up, a cold sweat breaking out on my forehead.

  A bright light fills the room, and I blink to clear my eyes, my hand shielding my head. When I look up, my uncle stands there, a look of triumph on his face.

  He leans down, his face inches from mine.

  I stretch my hand back and punch at full force, landing him square in the jaw. He tumbles backward but quickly scrambles to his feet.

  He lifts me up by my shirt and slams me into the wall. My head rolls, and he slams me again.

  “Fuck you, Gabe. You’ve made my life so much harder than it needed to be. And for that, you’re gonna pay. Then I’ll enjoy all of that money that should be mine and maybe I’ll even turn Ava to the dark side now that she has no one left.”

  I hear cackling in the background and my blood runs cold.

  He delivers a few more punches before letting me slide to the floor, blood trickling down my face.

  “You really thought you and your friends could overtake me? I have security for days.”

  “My backup will be here any second.”

  My uncle stops pacing in front of me. “All of your backup is dead.”

  “Actually, no, it’s not,” a loud voice yells behind me and shots are fired left and right as my uncle’s men are taken out.

  FBI agents flood the room, surrounding me. Two are holding my uncle down, waiting for my instruction. I’ve made it clear to everyone I’ve wanted to handle my uncle.

  Matt is back by my side, and he lifts me, placing a pistol in my hand. I look at him, and he nods.

  I hobble over to my uncle with Matt’s help and stop inches from him.

  “Look at me.” I push the gun against his head. “I said fucking look at me.”

  His head still doesn’t lift.

  “I knew you were a fucking coward. Now it’s my turn to make you pay.”

  I fire the gun.

  It’s finally over.

  “I’m so scared,” Ava whispers and hugs me tight outside of the police station in downtown New York City. “I’m going into witness protection for a while. They want to make sure they’ve taken down all his men. Who knows how far his deals went. I feel like I’ll never be safe. I’m all alone now…” Her sobs take over, and I hug her close to me.

  My own eyes fill with tears. “I’m so sorry it went down this way. When I get back to the city, I’ll be there for you. Whatever you need, Ava.”

  She nods and hugs me tighter. “The images keep playing in my head. I wasn’t unconscious when he killed my father and brother, Gabe. I saw it all. All of it.” She chokes, her sobs growing louder.

  My heart breaks for her. “Shhh, it’ll be okay.” I rub her back and try to bring her comfort. I don’t know if it’ll be okay, but I’ll do my damnedest to keep her safe.

  My brothers are arrested, the drug ring broken up. Most of the men are dead and if not, they’ve been arrested too. It’ll take time to catch everyone who had a hand in it, but at least it’s in the works.

  Ava pulls back, her cheeks stained with tears. She’s cried all day as we gave our statements to the police. Her friend pulls up to the curb and rushes over to her.

  “Ava! I’m so sorry.”

  They hug and cry, and I rub Ava’s arm one last time.

  We say our goodbyes, her friend promising to help Ava into the protection program, both of them heading back into the police station.

  Before going to the police station, I spent the morning at the hospital with Ava. I suffered a lot of bumps and bruises, including a couple of bruised ribs. No concussion, surprisingly. Now, I’m ready for a long shower and bed.

  I was instructed to take it easy and get some rest. I doubt that’ll happen.

  I lean my head back and watch the city go by. We’ve decided to have services for her family, and then a special service to honor my parents. I’ll be here for another couple of days at least, an
d I owe everyone an explanation.

  Blake’s been frantically calling me, and I know I’m in for an earful. Joe said he’s trying to diffuse the situation but to hurry my ass up. They made major headway on the case, and they need me to make a big move.

  My thoughts drift to Alicia, and I realize just how much I miss her. Each beat of my heart is painful, and I yearn to be near her.

  I hope she’ll hear me out. I’m ready to tell her everything, to explain my life to her.

  The darkness should stay away now, especially with her by my side.

  I’m just afraid she’ll never forgive me.

  This weekend has felt like an eternity. Between the funeral, the burial, the family functions, and my parents’ memorial, it’s been nonstop. Food, drinks, and mingling ensued, old family and friends catching up with each other, reminiscing and giving their condolences.

  A horrific event brought us together, yet we smile through our tears and get through the days. I’m worried about Ava. She’s not doing well and barely made it through the services. Police escort follows her wherever she goes, and I can see the fear in her eyes, always looking behind her back.

  It pains me to see her this way, to see the damage that’s been done. The light is gone from her eyes, and I don’t think it’ll ever be back.

  I move through my own emotions, Alicia never far from my mind.

  I wish she were here with me, on my arm, giving me her support.

  I need her. So fucking much.

  Staring at the ceiling of my bedroom, I scratch Luna’s belly.

  I should call her. Hear her voice. Make her talk to me.

  My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I slide it out, hoping it’s her, hoping she read my mind. Blake’s name flashes on the screen. I sigh.

  I guess it’s better late than never to get this conversation over with.

  “Blake, listen. I can explain—”

  He cuts me off, his voice frantic. “Gabe. You have to get here now! There’s an emergency.”

  I sit up in bed, his voice setting off alarms in my head. He never sounds that scared. “What is it? What happened?”

  Blake pauses, and I swear I hear the seconds tick in my head like a bomb.

  And then he drops it.

  “Anne and Alicia have gone missing.”