Shattered Dreams (The Believe Series Book 1)

by Angela Fattig

  I turn away as the vomit threatens to emerge once more. I can’t bear to watch and there’s no way I can help her.

  I hear a snap and then Facciolo say, “You will fucking watch.”

  My cell door squeaks open and I jump up, rushing to a corner. “No,” I scream as Facciolo’s goons advance, grabbing me and hurling me headlong through the cell door. My body slams to the floor with such force that my head bounces off the concrete floor. I feel myself wanting to give way to the nothingness. However, the goons have another idea. They heave my almost lifeless body from the floor and I can feel the blood flowing from my head. Through my hazy vision, I can see it staining the floor.

  Hanging limp in their arms, I feel fingers beneath my chin, lifting my face upward. Standing there sneering, is Facciolo. “Now that I have your attention,” he hisses, “You will watch.”

  Mustering what strength I have left, I spit in his face. “Fuck you,” I cry offering my own smile.

  He wipes the spit off, the smile vanishing from his face. He leans back and swings, backhanding me across the face, “Cazzo cagna!”

  I know just enough Italian to know he just called me a fucking bitch. Through my dizzying state I laugh. “You won’t win,” I slur, not knowing if what I’m saying to him is true. “They will find me, and when they do, you will die.” I feel crazed, like something has a hold of me and I start to thrash about, my chest heaving. The goons have to fight to keep a hold of me. “Do you hear me?” I scream, “You will fucking die. All of you!”

  He ignores my crazed state and motions for the goons to position me for a front seat view. He walks around the chair where the sobbing girl is bound and motions once more and another man walks in. “As I said, Alicia, I would rather show you than tell you,” he repeats, “Then my Amare, it shall be your turn.”

  The new man walks towards the girl dressed as a doctor. “No, Facciolo,” I scream, twisting in the arms that hold me. “Please, no. Take me. Leave the child alone.”

  He nods to the doctor as I hear uproar from the others behind me. “You will see Alicia,” he starts, “What happens when you cross me.”

  I surrender to mine and this child’s fate, knowing that as much as I want to help her, I can’t. I am sickened with the knowledge that I know what is about to happen to her.

  “Proceed Doctor,” Facciolo says. The doctor nods and begins his exam, positioning himself between her legs. The girl turns to look at me with a tear stained face. I can see in her eyes that she knows it is useless to fight.

  “Damaged goods,” Facciolo explains as the doctor starts the internal exam, “is worthless to me. In order to turn a nice profit, the goods must be pure. If they are not…” He trails off as the doctor looks up and shakes his head, “they are dead.” He finishes and nods to one of the goons.

  One goon releases me as the other takes his place. He stalks towards the girl, revealing a gun.

  Oh my god, he’s going to shoot her! I scream in my head. I feel renewed tears spilling down my face, mixing with the blood as the girl starts to scream.

  Facciolo laughs at the girls attempt to escape. “This my dear,” he says between laughs, “Is my favorite part.” Just then, the goon lifts the gun, a smirk on his ugly face, and pulls the trigger. A single shot rings out, and then everything goes dark and quiet, as if everything is finally right in the world.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Shots Fired

  “Agent Stein,” an agent that is manning the communications area calls out, “We have the location of Ms. Winters. Gunfire was heard coming from a building two blocks away.”

  “Holy shit,” Jareth shouts out, “Pull the men in and send them to observe the property. Once you have visual and you know how many men they have in place let me know, and whatever you do, you cannot be seen. If she is still alive, then seeing one of you will sign her death warrant, understand?”

  The agent nods. “Yes, sir,” he responds and starts to issue orders over the radio.

  I felt myself becoming agitated as I start to pace. “Why the delay Jareth?” I ask. “We know she’s there. That gunshot could have been for her. We need to get her out now.”

  “Gage,” I faintly hear Jareth call me. I am too wound up to react. Alicia’s only two blocks away and we’re still just standing here. “Gage!” he shouts this time and I stop. “Gage, if we rush in and she’s still alive, we could get her killed. Is that what you want? Do you want to live the rest of your life knowing that you killed her?”

  I feel myself start to calm down, but just a bit. I still want to kill someone. “Fuck,” I say running a hand through my hair, “You’re right.”

  “Now,” he starts, “Once we have visual, I will make a call. Once I do that, we will have a fucking army here. Then we go in. Not a second sooner. Do you understand?”

  I nod, looking away from him. He may be right, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to do what he tells me. Once I know he’s not paying attention, I will slip out. I may not be a fancy FBI agent, but I do know how to do my job.

  “Good,” he says eyeing me, “And for once in your life, really do what you’re told. I don’t need to scrape you up off the street.”

  I smirk and tilt my head. “When have I ever not done what I was told?” I condescendingly ask.

  He rolls his eyes at me and turns away. Ya, he has me pegged as well as I have him. It’s just a matter of who will win, and in this case, I will.

  An hour later, Jareth is preoccupied with a call. I slowly and quietly push my bike out a side door. Once I’m a ways down the street, I jump on, kicking the bike to life and race down the street.

  I allow my detective instincts to kick in. I’m scanning every building and alley looking for Jareth’s team. When I find them, I will be one step closer to finding Alicia.

  I spot movement up ahead and I kill the engine. Coasting the bike on to a side street, I jump off. Reaching into my leather jacket, I pull out my gun and check to make sure I have a couple more clips just in case.

  Slipping my jacket off, I lay it across the seat of my bike and make my way towards the building, darting in and out of the shadows now that the sun is setting.

  Staying low, I move stealth like and slip behind a car. Hearing voices I know their far enough away that I can risk a quick look. Peering over the hood, I see five of Facciolo’s men standing by the door. Knowing that any loud sounds will draw attention, I reach into my back pocket, pull out my silencer, and attach it to my gun. I need to be as invisible as possible.

  Ducking back down, I wait to see if I hear them move away from the door. This is my only way in, and if they don’t leave soon, I will be left with no choice but to put a bullet in each of their heads.

  Checking the chamber of my gun, I hear a new voice, a voice I recognize, Rick. My blood boils as rage fills me. The man responsible, my brother, is standing only a few feet away from me. The savage urge to aim and fire takes hold. It claims me, a need so great, that I feel it in my blood that if I don’t advance now it will be too late.

  I start to make a move and their voices grow louder. “The boss wants you to guard this door,” one of them says.

  “Fuck that,” Rick hisses, “I want to watch.”

  “You’ll do what you’re fucking told, Hinder,” another growls, “Or I’ll put a bullet in that ugly head of yours.”

  “Fuck you, Boris,” Rick screams, “Just fucking go. I’m tired of seeing your face.”

  I hear the men laugh and the door open then close. I chance a look and see that Rick is alone with his back to me. Stepping out from behind the car, I slowly stalk towards him, my gun raised and ready. “Hello big brother,” I sneer.

  Rick spins around, shock and confusion on his face. “Gage?” he questions as if he can’t believe I’m standing right in front of him.

  “What does big brother have himself into now?” I ask already knowing the answer.

  He holds his hands up in front of him and backs away. “Gage, it’s not what you think,”
he says, his voice breaking. “Just let me explain.”

  “I think we’re way past that, don’t you,” I ask, taking a step closer. “I always knew it would end this way. I had just hoped I was wrong.”

  He frowns. “Ends, Gage?” he questions, “What do you mean, end?”

  I ignore his question. “You took something of mine and I want her back,” I say.

  He shakes his head. “I don’t…”

  I stop him with a shake of my head. “You know exactly what I’m talking about,” I say, watching him start to slowly slip a hand around to his back. “I wouldn’t if I were you, Rick.”

  He smirks. “You always thought you were so much fucking better than me,” he says and laughs, “Mom and dad was always saying, ‘why can’t you be more like Gage? Gage is so perfect.’ Well you know what? I finally win Gage. I finally fucking win.”

  Just then, he whips his arm back around and we fire. His shot hits me in the shoulder as mine lands right between his eyes and he drops to the ground.

  Something passes through me and I think, I just killed my brother. My eyes mist, but I shake my head, now is not the time. There will be time for grieving later. Right now, I need to get to Alicia, and I know someone had to of heard Rick’s gun.

  Ignoring the blood pouring from my shoulder and the pain, I ease quietly through the door, and I can hear screaming. The sound, bouncing off the walls, is deafening. I know now that I’m in the clear; with the cries, there’s no way they heard anything.

  Waiting until my eyes adjust to the darkness, and I train my ears to know where the screams are coming from, and I spot a door in the far back with light coming from it. Gun at the ready, I slowly make my way towards it. Placing my ear against it, I listen to try and gauge what is happening inside.

  “Be still,” I hear Facciolo yell, “Be still or I’ll have Boris put a bullet though that fucking head of yours.”

  “Facciolo, leave her alone,” Alicia screams. “Get the fuck off of me!” My heart seizes, my stomach twists, and my rage is renewed.

  Wrenching the door open I storm in. “Facciolo,” I scream taking out the first goon I see with one shot.

  “Det. Hinder,” he sneers, “It is so nice to see you. Have you met Alicia yet?” he steps to the side and I see her. She is strapped to a chair, blood coving her from head to toe. He chuckles, “So sorry, you already have; my mistake.”

  I see several men advancing and I point my gun directly at Facciolo’s head. “Tell them to stand down or I’ll blow your fucking head off,” I command.

  “Gage,” Alicia screams.

  “I’m here baby,” I say, “Just be still and I’ll get you out of here.”

  Facciolo laughs, but his laughter dries up quickly when men begin to storm into the room.

  “FBI,” I hear, “Everybody on the ground now.”

  “We’ve got your back, Gage,” I hear Jareth say as he starts to fire.

  You fucking asshole, I think. You had this planned all along.

  “Get Alicia,” he says, “While we hold them off.”

  I hoister my gun and rush towards her. What a fucking genius, I think, what a god damn genius.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Jareth

  An Hour Before

  Slipping my cell back into my pocket I smile. I knew that if I told Gage not to do something, he would do it anyway and play right into my plan.

  “Sir,” Roger says and I turn to look at him, “Do you really think this is a good idea? I mean, allowing him to think he’s going against your orders.”

  “No Roger,” I say smiling larger, “It’s a brilliant fucking idea. Allowing him to think he’s defied me will be just the distraction we need. He’ll also lead us right to Facciolo. It’s perfect.”

  Roger looks around a little nervously. “Yes, but sir,” he says, “Det. Hinder can be a little hot headed and not to mention he’s too close to Ms. Winters. Won’t he allow emotions to rule his better judgment?”

  I shake my head. “That’s the good thing about Gage,” I explain, “No matter how close he gets, he doesn’t allow it to cloud his better judgment, and since his brother is involved, that’s what we need. He will put the badge before blood. This is why we want him with us at the FBI.”

  Roger nods his head, still unsure about the entire plan. “What do you want done about Ms. Taylor?” he asks.

  Yes, Ms. Taylor, I think smirking. I know what I would like to do with her, to her. I would like to put her over my knee and spank that beautiful ass and then fuck that perfect pussy. Just thinking about it has my cock stirring.

  “Sir,” Roger says breaking the spell Shannon holds over me.

  I shake my head. “Sorry,” I say, “Just keep eyes on her. Once we have Facciolo in custody and this case wrapped up, I’m taking a leave of absence.”

  “Very well sir,” he says and starts to turn but hesitates. Looking back at me he adds, “Not to over step my bounds, but I think Ms. Taylor is good for you. Whenever her name is mentioned, your eyes light up. It’s nice to see as it makes you less of an asshole.”

  I just glare at him, shocked that he spoke so honestly and direct. I never realized how much of an asshole I have been until this very second.

  Sensing my disproval, he says, “Sir,” and walks away.

  I wasn’t until that day at the coffee shop. I had thought I had my life under control, orderly. When I walked in and saw her sitting there, looking so lost, so alone, my heart tightened in my chest and my breathing became labored. Something came over me and I knew I needed to be the one to put a smile on that beautiful face.

  Walking towards her, I knew my life would never be the same and then she looked at me; her baby blue eyes claiming me, pulling me in to a world I may never leave again or want to. She had me, hook, line, and sinker. I was a goner. My entire existence rested on that moment, and then I fucked it all to hell. I left her asleep and alone in that hotel room. I didn’t even leave a note. The intensity of our connection, the fact that for the first time in my life I was making love not fucking, scared the ever living shit out of me. My flight or fight instincts surfaced, and being the asshole that everyone says I am, I ran.

  “Shots fired, sir,” Roger says, “We have conformation that Det. Hinder shot and killed Rick Hinder.”

  “Is Gage injured?” I ask, stepping closer.

  “A gunshot to the left shoulder, sir,” he answers. “He’s on the move so we believe he’ll be fine.”

  “Then that’s our cue,” I announce, “Everyone knows what to do. Shoot first and ask questions later, but whatever you do, make sure Gage and Alicia make it out safely. Roger, once they’re out, I want you and a couple others to tail them.”

  Roger nods. “No problem, sir,” he says.

  “Good, let’s ride,” I say. This should be interesting, I think, jumping into the SUV.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Death Would Be Better

  I wake to find that they have strapped me to the chair. The fight in me has left, this is my fate, and I surrender.

  Looking towards my left, I see the little girl from before, laid strapped to the dirty bed. My heart contracts and I feel a new wave of tears slid down my face. It makes me think of my unborn child. No child should be subjected to this. Hell, no adult should for that matter.

  Looking back to the ceiling, I close my eyes. Death would be better than the pain I’m feeling, both physically and emotionally. Yes, death would be welcomed, so very fucking welcomed.

  “Look Alicia,” Facciolo commands with a sneer, “Look at what happens to damaged goods. Let us see how damaged you are my Amare.” He motions for the doctor to start, and I close my eyes and pray.

  I feel the doctor move between my parted legs. I try one last time to fight him off, but they have strapped my legs open, preventing any movement.

  “Tsk, tsk,” I hear Facciolo say, “So damaged yet so beautiful.”

  “Sorry Mr. Facciolo,” the doctors says and I open my eyes, “She is
with child. I can abort the fetus, but it will still take away from her price.”

  At the mention of aborting the fetus I am enraged, what mother wouldn’t be? Mad with rage, I begin fighting my restraints. “Fuck you,” I scream, “Get the fuck away from me. Don’t touch my baby.”

  “Naughty, naughty Alicia,” Facciolo says, “Such language from a pretty mouth.” He motions with his head to his goons and they stalk towards the child lying on the bed.

  “Be still,” Facciolo yells, “Be still or I’ll have Boris put a bullet though that fucking head of yours.”

  “Facciolo, leave her alone,” I scream. “Get the fuck off of me!” I’m fighting with everything I have, yet it still isn’t enough. They’re going to kill my baby and the child on the bed.

  Just then, the door slams open and Gage is standing there. He storms in. “Facciolo,” he screams taking out the first goon he sees with one shot.

  “Det. Hinder,” Facciolo sneers, “It is so nice to see you. Have you met Alicia yet?” he steps to the side and I see Gage, a look of sadness and pure animal rage on his face. Facciolo chuckles, “So sorry, you already have; my mistake.”

  I see several men rushing Gage and he points his gun directly at Facciolo’s head. “Tell them to stand down or I’ll blow your fucking head off,” he commands.

  “Gage,” I scream.

  “I’m here baby,” he says, “Just be still and I’ll get you out of here.”

  Facciolo laughs, but his laughter dries up quickly when men begin to storm into the room.

  “FBI,” I hear, “Everybody on the ground now.”

  “We’ve got your back, Gage,” I hear Jareth say as he starts firing. “Get Alicia,” he says, “While we hold them off.”

  I’m struggling with my restraints when Gage reaches my side. He releases one strap and I place my hand on his arm shaking my head, he frowns.

  “The child,” I whisper, “Save the girl on the bed.”