The Drazen World: Torn (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Torn #1)

by D. B. Canavan

  “That’s Federal agent Nichols to you.” I hiss, he never took my career seriously.

  He chuckles, amused by my attitude.

  My eyes watch as the chip is passed to Xander, boxed, then stuffed in his front pocket. “I’ll get this to the lab right away and we should have the results in a few days. Hopefully sweetheart, you did your job right.” His eyes hungrily roam my body.

  “Fuck off Xander.” I hiss.

  I turn my gaze back toward Detective Reagan, who has an amused look on his face.

  “If that’s all Detective, I have real work to do.” I slip my badge over my head and place it back into my purse. Walking to the door, I cringe as I reach for the handle. I open his office door and freeze. Fuck. I quickly step back, shutting the door. “Son of a bitch.”

  “What wrong sweetness.” Xander wanders over peeking through the blinds.

  I harshly jab Xander in the ribs making him grunt. “That perp there, at the far desk on the right.” I point to the blue eyed, bow lipped man being handcuffed to a desk. “He’s my neighbor’s best friend, Paulie. He can’t see me walk out of here. They think I work in business.” I turn and throw the detective a furious gaze. “This is why I wanted to meet at headquarters.” I gently run my hands over my eyes. “Now what. It could take hours to question him.”

  “We’re just going to have to arrest you.” Xander immediately spouts.

  “What?” I shoot him an evil glare.

  “Well, not for real sweetheart. We’ll make it look real.” Xander grins.

  “Arrest me? You’re joking?” I scowl.

  “It’s the only way to get you out of here without blowing your cover.” Detective Reagan interjects.

  Damn, I know he’s right. “Arrest me for what?”

  “I don’t know, pick something.” Detective Reagan chimes, he’s clearly on board with Xander’s idea.

  I take a few seconds, running through my options. “How about overdue parking tickets.” I watch as they both raise a questioned eyebrow. “A LOT of unpaid parking tickets.” Jesus, do I have to spell it out to them.

  “That could work.” Xander grins. “You’ll have to put up a fight.” He grins a wicked grin.

  “This is serious asshole.” I growl. “You’re going to have to make this look real.” I hiss at Xander. “You’re going to have to cuff me out there and drag me down to a holding cell”

  “Don’t forget finger prints sweetness.” He wiggles his eyebrows.

  “Oh screw you Xander.”

  Holding up his hands. “Hey you said you wanted real.”

  “Fine.” I turn, and poke him in the chest. “I’m going to argue with you to make it look real. Play along if you remember how.” I scoff.

  I watch as Xander walks over to the door resting his hand on the knob. “Ready when you are Haylee.”

  “It’s Faith Winters jackass!” This isn’t going to work, he’s going to blow my cover.

  “I know, just yanking your chain.” He chuckles that chuckle I used to find cute. Now when I hear it, all I want to do is smash in his face.

  “Let’s do this, Faith. I have a lunch date.” He glances at his watch.

  “Of course you do.” I roll my eyes.

  “Pleasure to meet you Agent Nichols.” Detective Reagan’s lips twitch with humor.

  Xander opens the door and roughly grabs my elbow. “This way Ms.”

  As we step through the door I go into character. “Take your hands off of me. I’m not going anywhere with you.” We struggle, attracting the attention of the room.

  Next thing I know, Xander has my arm twisted behind my back, and slams my face onto the desk.

  Fuck. I see stars. Shit that hurt. I lift my head, turning it toward the room. I feel something warm trickle down my cheek. Out of the corner of my eye I see blood smudged on the desk. Assholes gonna pay for that. “This is crazy!” I screech. “It’s just fucking parking tickets.” I struggle.

  “A lot of parking tickets Ms. Winters.” He kicks my feet apart, pinning my wrists to my back. He grabs his handcuffs and snaps them around my writs. “Faith Winters, you have the right to remain silent. If you give up that right, anything you say can be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney, if you can’t afford an attorney the court will appoint one for you.” He purposely kicks my feet farther apart, slamming me to the desk harder than before. Asshole is enjoying this.

  “Do you understand these right as they’ve been explained to you Ms. Winters.”

  “Yes.” I mumble into the paper on the desk. I’m gonna kick his ass.

  “What was that Miss? Do you understand these rights as they’ve been explained to you?” He roughly moves me against the desk.

  “YES!” My voice carried across the room.

  I feel his front rest against my back as he whispers in my ear. “How am I doing Faith?”

  “Asshole.” I whisper back, trying to jab him with one of my heels.

  I know he heard me, I can feel him chuckle against my back.

  “Good.” Next thing I know, his hand rests in the middle of my back pinning me firmly to the desk. Sticking his knee between my legs he begins to frisk me. I feel his hands travel roughly up my ribcage, his fingers flexing over my breast giving each a quick squeeze. Then his hands travel down my side and over my hips, his fingers flexing into my ass. I struggle and he pushes me harder into the desk. Finally with one hand he runs his fingers up the inside of my skirt. I know it’s protocol to search for a weapon, but it’s not protocol to try to finger fuck the perp

  He’s a dead man.

  He yanks me from the table by my upper arm, making me wince. My right cheek bone throbs and my shoulders ache. “This way to finger printing ma’am.”

  He grabs my purse and roughly yanks me down the hall. “I want my phone call!”

  “In due time Ms. Winters. In Due time.” He chuckles. He drags me around the corner and into the elevator. Hitting the ‘down’ arrow, he starts to whistle happily. As soon as the elevator doors shut I spin on him, head butting him

  “You fucker!” I hiss, watching him stumble backwards.

  “Fucking shit Haylee!” His hand cups his eye.

  “It’s Faith you fucker! I hope you enjoyed yourself, because when you take these cuffs off I’m going to rip your dick off.” My voice ricochets off the walls of the small elevator.

  A smarmy smirk overtakes his face. “I haven’t had that much fun since - I can’t remember.”

  A loud ding has me stepping back, passively watching as the doors slide open.

  Walking to the holding cell, Xander un-cuffs me, setting my purse on the floor.

  Before he can react, I pull back and sucker punch him. “You son of a bitch! You ever touch me like that again and I’ll fucking cut your dick off.” I hiss.

  “Fuck! You told me to make it realistic.” He takes his handkerchief and pinches the top of his nose. “I think you cracked my nose.”

  “I’m losing my touch. I meant to break the fucking thing.”

  “You always were a touchy bitch.” He turns me abruptly and pushes me into the holding cell. Shutting the door with a clang, he grabs the phone off the wall handing me the receiver.

  “Make your phone call.” He snaps. “I’ll dial for you.”

  “Grab my phone and find me Johnathan Drazen’s number.”

  I only sit for half-an-hour, eyeing my purse perched on the desk across from my cell. My fingers gently trace my cheekbone. I wonder how bad it is? I get up from the bunk bed and face the sink. Leaning into the clown like mirror, I try to check the damage. I’m gonna have a shiner. Asshole. Leaning over and slashing water on my face, I gingerly dab my cheekbone with the crusty hard paper towels that sit on the side of the sink. God only knows where they’ve been.

  Suddenly, wafts of musky sage tickle my nose. Jonathan.

  “Good news Princess, I’m springing you from this joint.” His deep voice is a welcoming sound. Our eyes lock through the circus like
mirror. Even distorted he’s gorgeous.

  “Tell me you carved our initials into….”

  As I turn, his eyes land on my face. All the humor drops from his good looks, replace by red hot anger. “What the fuck happened to you?” His voice is ferocious.

  “Nothing, it’s okay.” I wave it off, but I know he’s not going to let it go.

  “Come here Princess.” His voice is low and demanding.

  I slowly walk his way, his eyes never leaving the cut and bruises that line my eye and cheekbone. The more he looks the more his features turn to stone. His normally beautiful green eyes, are burning dark with anger. I gasp, this is not your normal anger, this something darker.

  “GUARD!” His volatile voice, spiked with anger rages down the halls of the cellblock.

  His voice even making me jump in place. “Johnathan.” I whisper

  “No. Not now.” He snaps, holding up a hand.

  A young, slender cop appears out of nowhere. “Open the fucking door. Now!” Under Johnathan’s lethal gaze, he fumbles with the keys dropping them once. Finally the door opens and I’m scooped into Johnathan’s warm arms. “You okay Princess.”

  “Yeah.” I mumble into his broad chest.

  “Who did this?” His voice oozes with revenge.

  I open my mouth than shut it. If I give him Xander’s name, would Xander blow my cover? I stay silent, hoping to let his anger dissipate. Maybe he’ll forget he asked.

  “Guard, who was the arresting officer?” Johnathan barks at the poor officer.

  “Um, Sir.” The officer scrambles to the desk to check my paperwork. “Detective Xander Meyer, Sir.”

  “Johnathan, really I’m okay. Leave it.” I step away looking into his eyes. My body stiffens in place. What I see swirling in his eyes has me wondering if the rumors about his family are turn. The look in his eyes is that of a man who would kill. “Johnathan really. I just have to pay my parking tickets and we can go.” I look at the officer who has wisely distanced himself. “Officer, may I have my purse, please.” I smile warmly, the poor kid looks like he’s going to pass out.

  “Sure ma’am.” I snatch it from his hands, making sure it’s zipped shut. Last thing I need is for my badge to come bounding out onto the floor,

  “I’ve paid your tickets.”

  “What?” I gasp. They took money from Johnathan for fake tickets. Xander that asshole.

  “Yes Ma’am, you’re free to go.” He hands me a clip board. “Just sign this please.”

  I scribble my name and make my way toward the elevator tucked under Johnathan’s arm.

  As we walk through the lobby, all eyes are on us as we stride toward the door. We walk out the door and immediately my eyes lock onto a black sedan parked out front. Johnathan still hasn’t uttered a words. I’m kind of glad, I don’t really want to deal with him when he’s furious.

  He holds the car door open for me and slides into the backseat next to me.

  “To the airport.” His commanding voice fills the car.

  It takes me a few seconds to process what he’s said. “Airport? You can drop me off first. I’m on the way…”

  “You’re coming with me.” He cuts me off.

  “What? Where?” I look out the window.

  “L.A. I need to handle a few personnel issues.” He firmly states as his eyes mindlessly roam out the window.

  “But I don’t have any cloths or a bag.”

  “Well get you what you need there.” His head snaps in my direction, his eyes land on my face, tracing the bruises.

  “Johnathan I can’t just pick up and…”

  “It’s part of the job Faith. Assuming you still want the job.” He snaps angrily.

  “Of course I still want the job.” My eyes roam his face. I’ve never seen this side of Johnathan Drazen.

  “Then sit back and relax.”

  I watch as he takes a handkerchief out of his pocket and leans forward. Taking the top off the ice bucket sitting on the tiny shelve in front of us, he plucks a few ice cubes into the soft cloth and folds it over.

  “Here, hold this on your eye. We’ll have it looked at in the air.”

  I lean back, wincing as I place the cold cloth against my cheekbone. I guess I’m going to L.A.

  Chapter Ten

  Antonio

  “Are you sure it was Faith?” Everything in my body freezes. Faith was arrested?

  “Paulie saw it with his own eyes, Spin.” Enzo pops open a beer and plops down on the couch.

  “What the fuck was Paulie doing at the police station?” I raise a suspicious eyebrow. Ever since I started spending time with Faith, Paulie has been reckless and deviant.

  “He got picked up for speeding and mouthed off to the cop. He said something about Iowa being Hicksville, USA, and then he offered the cop a donut.” Enzo snorts, cracking the ‘in the shell’ peanuts three at a time.

  “Oh for Christ sake. He warns me off Faith, telling me she’s going to attract attention. Then he’s out insulting the Polizia. Really? Cazzo!” I grab the nearest object, which just happens to be a book, and whip across the room.

  My mind flashes to images of Faith in hand cuffs being slammed to a desk. “What the hell did they arrest her for?” I can’t imagine Faith doing anything to get arrested. They had to have the wrong person.

  “They arrested her for unpaid parking tickets.” Otto’s head drops forward, shaking it in disgust.

  “Excuse me? Unpaid parking tickets?” Are they messing with me?

  “Yea Spin, I guess she had quite a few of them.” Otto shrugs his shoulder and grabs a handful of ‘in the shell’ peanuts.

  “They could have cut her some slack. It’s easy to forget about those fucking things.” Enzo stops, his eyes flicker nervously between Otto and me.

  I know he has more information. “Spit it out Enzo.”

  “Paulie said the cop got pretty rough with her.” His voice drops to a low growl.

  “What?” The blood in my veins freezes.

  “Yeah, I guess she had quite a shiner and was bleeding.” Otto pops a few freshly shelled peanuts into his mouth.

  “Yeah, Paulie told me she tried to knee the cop when he got handsy frisking her.”

  Images of Faith bent over a desk, while some asshole feels her up sends me over the edge. “I’m gonna to kill that mother fucker!” I grab my glass off the table and hurl it against the wall. Shards of glass scatter everywhere, leaving Brandy dripping down the wall.

  “Spin, take it easy. We don’t need the neighbors calling the cops. Otto hisses.

  “Who was the stronzo that arrested her?” My eyes snap between Otto and Enzo. The longer I have to wait for an answer, the angrier I get.

  “Don’t know boss?” Enzo holds up his hands.

  “Find out!” I snap. “He’s a dead man.” I walk over to the counter and pour myself another drink.

  “Paulie said, when the stronzo came back up from booking her he looked like he had a broken nose.” Enzo’s eyes dance with humor.

  “I knew I liked her.” Otto grins. “Girls got a lot of spunk.” He holds up his beer in a toast.

  “Listen Spin, you can’t do anything to the cop. We’re supposed to be laying low here, not knocking off poliza.”

  “Any asshole that lays a hand on her dies.” I don’t know if I’m more pissed that the police man handled her, or that she call someone else to come get her. “Who the fuck did she call again?”

  “A dude called Johnathan Drazen.” Otto pulls out his phone, silencing the ringer. “Fucking telemarketers.”

  “Why the fuck does that name sound so familiar?” I know that name from somewhere, but where? “Why the fuck didn’t she call me to...”

  “Spin think about it.” Otto interrupts. “Even if she had called you, there’s no way you could have walked into that police station, even if it is bum-fuck-Iowa. They would have arrest you on the spot.”

  “You think those assholes know who I am?” I sip my drink, walking over to the
couch. “You think they have a picture of me hanging on their walls?”

  “Spin, Otto’s right. You’d have only blown our cover.”

  “Were the fuck is she now?” My eyes snap to the clock on the wall. “It’s seven, she’s usually home by now.”

  “At work? She left with Drazen.” Enzo drains the rest of his beer.

  The door opens and in strolls Paulie. “What. The. Fuck. Paulie?” I hiss. “What happened to keeping a low profile?”

  “It was a bogus stop. I was only doing five over the limit.” His voice is dismissive.

  Otto snorts loudly, not even trying to hide his laugher. “Five? Really?”

  “Okay ten.” Paulie waves him off.

  “That’s not what I heard Paulie.” Enzo grins.

  “Fuck off.” Paulie hiss at Enzo through gritted teeth.

  I don’t move a muscle or say I word, I just follow Paulie with my eyes. I watch as he throws his jacket on the chair and walks into the kitchen. Pulling the refrigerator open, he grabs himself a beer, twisting off the top. He tosses the cap in the sink and gulps half the bottle down. “Anyone else what a beer?” He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

  Enzo and Otto have noticed my mood and say nothing. Silence fills the apartment.

  “Spin? A beer?” Paulie empties his bottles and grabs another.

  “No.” I snap. “What I’d like to know, is what the fuck you were thinking.” My voice stings against my vocal chords.

  “Fine. I was going twenty fucking miles over. The cop was an ass. Once he figured out I was from out of town, he started harassing me.” Paulie throws his arms out wide.

  “So you thought insulting him would make things better?” Otto throws him a stern look.

  “Hey, is this or is this not Hicksville? There’s nothing to do in this god damn town.”

  “I don’t give a shit if you have to sit around and play with your own dick, you do NOT go out and purposely attract attention to us!” I’ve had enough of Paulie’s attitude.

  “Oh, now that you have someone to play with your cock your worried about laying low.” Paulie steps into the living room, getting in my face.