“Hold the phone,” Riggs said, holding up a hand. “Tony Soprano is going to take out that crazy clown in prison? That is your plan?” he asked incredulously.
“Was the plan,” I corrected.
“And now?” Bones asked hesitantly.
“Now, that motherfucker is mine,” I said simply.
“What does he want?” Pipe questioned.
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I don’t know what the fuck happened, where the plan went wrong but he took Reina and when he tried to get to Lacey, Blackie sacrificed himself. He called me again and asked if he had my attention before hanging up on me.”
The room grew silent, the bleak truth smacking us all in the face, we were riding blind. Or at least I was. I lifted my head and cleared my throat, pulling them away from their thoughts and demanding their attention.
“I’m sorry this shit fell on our doorstep. I’m sorry I didn’t bring it to the table sooner. You can vote upon my poor judgement but not now, that will have to be done some other time because right now you have a choice to make. I’m going after Jimmy Gold, I will put him in the ground and I will plow through anyone who stands in my fucking way. You’re either with me or you’re not but I got a brother to find and a woman to get back, and a cocksucking weasel to bury.”
“Ay,” Pipe said in agreement. “I’ve got you.”
“We’re brothers, that shit isn’t temporary, it’s a bond you take to your fucking grave. Now you may have forgotten that but I haven’t and I will not let you forget it ever again,” Wolf said, eyeing me. “Got your back,” he paused. “Always.”
“I’m in but I want pie when your lady friend is safe and sound,” Riggs said, lifting his head. “And I’m not sharing it either,” he warned.
“Let’s bring this fucker to his knees,” Bones chimed in.
“Do we get a vote too?” Mike asked, causing the rest of us to look at him. “Didn’t think so,” he said.
“I’ll call Pops, let him know he should expect us before nightfall,” Wolf stated. “Might not have a plan but we’ll have all the fucking ammo we need,” he added.
Pops was Cain’s old man, and the man in charge of our shooting range. It was owned and operated by Satan’s Knights but on paper Pops was the sole proprietor. The government was funny like that, wanting a man with a clean record in charge of a building full of weapons.
“I’ll get a truck off the lot for them,” Pipe said, motioning to Anthony and Mike.
“Bianci, you got any idea where he could’ve taken them?” I asked.
“Vic’s got properties all over, could be held up in one of them. We’ll check them out,” he said.
“I’ll get taps on the phones,” Riggs offered.
I nodded, watching as the men sprang into action, taking on tasks and doing what they could so we were prepared for whatever may come.
I gripped the edge of the table about to rise to my feet when my phone rang. Everyone froze, turning around to stare at the offensive phone in my hand. I accepted the call and lifted the phone to my ear.
“Parrish,” I barked.
“Good evening, friend,” Jimmy crooned into the phone.
“You’re no friend of mine, and I will show you what I do to my enemies,” I ground out.
His laughter filled my ear and my fingers dug into the edge of the table.
“Quite the character you are,” he commented. “But I’d take it down a notch if I were you,” he said.
“I’m not into games, Jimmy, so you should tell me what the fuck you want before I don’t give two fucks anymore,” I replied.
“I’m more of an actions speak louder than words type of man,” he said, deliberately. “You should receive a video shortly,” he said, disconnecting the call.
“Son of a bitch,” I shouted, sliding my phone across the table.
“What’d he say?” Pipe asked.
“Nothing, just that he’ll be sending me a video including his demands,” I shot a look toward Riggs. “Get a wire on that thing and get it done fast,” I ordered, before pushing back my chair and walking out of the chapel. I ignored the stares in the common room and climbed the stairs to the second floor, making a beeline for my room. I kicked open the door and my eyes zeroed in on the bed, memories flashed of Reina and the night we shared in this room. I closed my eyes and pictured her on my bed wearing my cut, her eyes locked with mine as I filled her.
“You,” I whispered.
“Me,” she affirmed.
“Not going to lose you, Sunshine,” I said in a whisper, to the memory of her living inside my head. I walked to my nightstand and opened the drawer, pulling out my prescription bottle and popped off the cap. I swallowed the pills as someone knocked on my door.
“Come in,” I called.
Riggs opened the door, holding my phone.
“Message came through before I could get a tap,” he said.
My phone chimed, alerting me of the message. I stood up and grabbed the phone from him, sliding open the message and stared at the grainy image. My fingers hovered over the play button as I tried to prepare myself mentally for the horror I was about to expose myself to.
I closed my eyes and saw Reina’s face and Blackie’s anguished eyes and that was all I needed. I opened my eyes and hit play.
Chapter Thirty
“I missed you, Sunshine, so goddamn much,” Jack whispered against my neck. He sucked the spot where my neck merged with my collarbone while his fingers dug into my hips and tugged me against his hard body. I arched my back, his erection brushing against my thigh.
I wasn’t sure who moaned, if it was me or him or maybe it was both of us, it didn’t matter either way as I gripped his shoulders and pulled him as close as possible. I was never letting him go. I felt his hands slide up my shirt, gliding over my stomach before roughly shoving my bra aside to grab my tits.
Heaven.
“Such a pretty girl, oh that face, I bet it’s all sorts of pretty when she’s coming,” a voice whispered in my ear. A voice that didn’t belong to the man I loved. My eyes sprang open as I screamed in horror.
So much for sweet dreams, I thought as I woke to face my nightmare. Jimmy was leaning over me trailing his tattooed fingers, dressed in gold rings, down my cheeks.
“Quite the dreamer, aren’t you?” he questioned, as he leaned closer, his breath on my ear, his lips dangerously close to my skin. I flinched.
Please don’t touch me.
He suddenly stepped back. “Let’s make that dream a reality,” he said, clasping his hands together. He kicked Blackie who was motionless beside me.
I wish I had paid closer attention when the drug counselor came to my high school but I was too enthralled with the boy who sat in front of me. So, when Mr. Martin lectured us on drug overdoses, I was too busy counting the hairs on the neck of whatever his name was. Good job, Reina. I squinted against the darkness and focused on Blackie’s chest, as long as it rose and fell with each breath, then he was still alive.
I didn’t know if he was sleeping or just unconscious. I prayed he was sleeping, but feared he’d already surrendered himself into a catatonic state. I didn’t know how much his body could withstand but if they kept shooting him with drugs, eventually he wouldn’t wake. I studied his features, noting how different he looked. I conceded that it was his eyes that held all the pain and with them being closed he looked almost peaceful. I wondered what Blackie was like before his wife passed away, before everything fell to shit for him. Was he happy? Did he laugh? I bet he smiled at her, I bet all his smiles belonged to her. Sadly, they died right along with her. One thing I was certain of was that he loved her more than anything and every breath he had to take without her was a twist of the knife in his heart.
There was someone else though, someone who pulled that knife slowly from his heart. Someone he was fighting for. God, I wanted to know her. I wanted to meet the woman who could mend this poor man and make him defy the odds.
He stirred, moaning as
his eyes opened half-mast. He was facing me but he didn’t look at me, he just stared at nothing.
Jimmy roughly grabbed his arm, inspecting the needle marks on it, grinning like a fucking banshee. I wanted to kick him in his gold teeth.
“Should we give him another hit?” one of the men asked Jimmy.
“Not yet,” he murmured, cupping Blackie’s face in his hands. “Time to give your president a message,” he said, slapping Blackie’s cheeks. “Take the cuffs off him,” he ordered to the man standing behind him.
Jimmy rose to his feet, spinning on his heel, and pointed a finger at the other man. “Get the phone ready; make sure the lighting is clear so when we shoot the video there is no mistaking what Jack Parrish will be seeing.”
The first douche bag un-cuffed Blackie and pulled him to his feet, he stumbled, barely able to hold his head let alone the rest of his body.
“What are you doing?” Blackie questioned groggily, as he was dragged across the room to the slop sink. I watched in horror as he struggled to fight. In his condition, he was no match for the man in control. The goon turned the faucet on, grabbed Blackie by the back of his head and shoved his face into the basin of the sink.
“Fuck,” Blackie hollered, as the ice-cold water poured over his head. He fought to lift his head, but the man slapped his head forcefully under the running water again. I was jarred from my trance when I felt Jimmy’s finger slide down my neck. I was no longer shivering. Instead, I was drenched in my own sweat. How fitting, right? Hell is supposed to be sweltering.
I flinched, closing my eyes and willing myself into another dimension as Jimmy’s finger slipped along my sweaty skin and between my breasts. I didn’t open my eyes until his finger left me and I watched in horror as he lifted it to his mouth and sucked the sweat glistening on his finger.
“You’re a pig,” I seethed.
“Funny, but you’re the one who will squeal like one in a few minutes,” he glanced over his shoulder. “Bring him over here.”
I diverted my eyes back to the sink and watched as Blackie lifted his head, slicking his hair away from his face and staring back at me. The man shoved him and he slowly shuffled his feet across the concrete until he stood in front of me.
I peeled my eyes from Blackie when I felt my hands become free and watched on as Jimmy kneeled before me and cut the ties around my ankles. A hand closed around my hair and yanked me to my feet. My legs gave out, from their lack of use, but the man tugged harder on my hair and I shrieked in pain as he forced me to stand on my wobbly legs.
“What the fuck man? C’mon leave her alone,” Blackie muttered. “You’re only making shit worse for yourself by fucking with her,” he slurred.
“Shut up,” Jimmy ordered, reaching down to his calf as he lifted his pants slightly and pulled a gun from the holster attached to it. He then raised it and pointed the barrel to the back of Blackie’s head.
“You don’t speak unless I tell you to,” he declared, glancing behind me at the man pulling my hair. “Give me the phone,” he demanded, reaching over Blackie’s shoulder to grab the iPhone. “Is it ready?”
“Yes,” the lackey replied.
My eyes were full of unshed tears, tears I chalked up to being born from pain and not fear because fear meant surrendering.
“Stay with me,” he mouthed, as Jimmy dropped his gun to play with his phone. Blackie turned his head and saw the other goon had his gun trained on him. I felt the man release his hold on my hair and I braced myself as I stood on my own two feet.
I felt my anxiety build as I wondered why they untied us and now left us to stand in front of one another. Sure, both of us were weak in the legs, Blackie worse off than me, but still it didn’t seem right. We couldn’t fight them, they knew that, and they gradually backed away from us, keeping their guns aimed at our heads.
“There is this old saying, maybe you’ve heard it,” Jimmy began, as he circled us with his arm outstretched recording himself as he did. “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me,” he arched his eyebrows and smiled at the camera. “I’m no one’s fool,” he declared, looking away from the camera and glared at Blackie. “You told me she was a whore. You said you take a chance a piece on her sweet cunt, right?” he questioned. “Answer the question! Look into the camera when you do.”
“Yes,” Blackie ground out.
“But you haven’t sampled her have you?” His eyes diverted back to me and he reached out and trailed his fingertip over my collarbone. “But you’re going to now and do you know why, pretty girl? Do you know why he will rape you?”
“Because you’re not a fool,” I hissed, my voice sounding just as defeated as the rest of me.
Rape.
“I’m not touching her you sick fuck,” Blackie said, through clenched teeth. “Shoot me up, do what you got to do but I won’t fucking touch her.”
Jimmy laughed, ignoring Blackie as he played back his video, scrutinizing it. I turned to Blackie.
“It will be okay,” he lied. We both knew it was a lie, but still I decided to test it, to test him and see how badly things really were.
“Leather and lace,” I breathed. “When we get out of here will you tell me what it means?”
He didn’t answer right away.
“Yeah,” he whispered.
The tears spilled from my eyes as he said the word. Blackie had no intention of divulging his secret, not if there was a chance we’d survive. He gave me what I wanted to hear, but he knew our truth and for the first time since Jimmy grabbed me I was contemplating laying it all down and giving up.
“No, that was all wrong, let’s try it again,” Jimmy said.
“Trust me,” Blackie whispered faintly, so low I barely heard him.
I lifted my hands and wiped the tears that stained my cheeks as he turned the camera back toward us. I could see the gun pointed at me from the corner of my eye. I closed my eyes as Blackie walked toward me.
“Thatta boy, make it good,” Jimmy sang. “Her life depends on it,” he reminded us.
Blackie took another step closer and swayed as he did so. He took my hand in his and placed his other on my hip. I could see the struggle in his eyes and chose to look away from him. He leaned close to my ear and nuzzled my neck.
“He loves you,” he whispered against my ear.
Jack. I closed my eyes and pictured his face, the smile he barely used and those eyes that got me every time.
“He’s here with you not me,” Blackie whispered, as he kissed my neck and his fingers worked the buttons of my shirt. “Follow my lead,” Blackie said, against my throat.
“Cut to the chase,” Jimmy ordered.
Blackie tore his mouth from my neck and lifted his head.
“Open your eyes, Reina,” he said softly, squeezing the hand he was still holding before he released it and took my face with both his hands. My eyes blinked open and peered into his. “Leather and Lace,” he whispered. “Now close them and think of Jack,” he said before he touched his mouth to mine.
And then it happened.
I wished for death.
I was ready to lie down and die when Blackie’s hands dropped from my face, his mouth releasing mine and his eyes staring at me blankly. I gasped when I saw the needle sticking out of his neck.
“Blackie?” I shouted frantically, grabbing his shirt with my fists. “What did you do to him,” I cried, as Jimmy’s goon pulled me back, strapping the cuffs back onto my wrists and securing me to the chair. Blackie fell to the ground, his body convulsing as though he was having a seizure.
“Please don’t let him die,” I sobbed as I stared at him, watching as he foamed at the mouth. “No, no, no,” I chanted, lifting my head to the empty room. The lock slid into place confirming my solidarity in watching my only friend as he most likely was dying.
Jimmy’s face illuminated the screen of my phone, flashing me a grin that displayed all his gold teeth.
“The following video is to ensure you that your peopl
e are alive and so shall they remain providing you deliver me the drugs you originally promised, that is, a quarter of a million dollars worth of heroine. If you do not deliver, then the next video you watch will be your right hand as he fucks your woman. Twenty-four hours to get me the drugs or your boy here will rape and murder your girl,” he declared. “And if you think his loyalty to you will stop him, you’ve miscalculated because he is my puppet now and I make him dance.”
The screen went black and muffled noises were heard before the picture came into view and I saw Reina standing in a dark room with a gun pointed at her head. My heart stammered as I noticed the tears falling down her face. Blackie’s body came into sight blocking my view of my girl as he dipped his head and kissed her.
Everything faded to black.
The video, and my soul.
Chapter Thirty-one
“Bulldog…,” I ignored the sound of Riggs faint voice.
I’m used to fighting myself for control over my actions, hating when my mind takes over and wins. But in that moment, with the image of Reina and Blackie ingrained into my head I welcomed the loss.
Take my mind.
Let me lose myself.
I didn’t want to be accountable for my actions.
I didn’t want to know what happens next.
“Jack, man, come on, don’t go there,” Riggs said, gripping my shoulders and twisting my body around so I was face to face with him. “You can’t lose it, not now,” he reprimanded.
Poor bastard, he didn’t know it was already too late.
Watch me.
I reached up and pried his hands off my shoulders shoving him back.
“Get your hands off me,” I roared, pushing him aside and stalking out of the room. I could hear him behind me, quickening his pace, believing he could reign me in.
“Stop him,” he shouted, from behind me as we ran down the stairs. “Pipe! Wolf!”
The kid was a rookie; he didn’t know any better. He hadn’t been around long enough to know when I didn’t fight, when I surrendered, there was no one who could stop me. No one could stop my maker.
The Tempted Series: Collectors Edition Page 82