HIS Choice: An H.I.S. Novel (H.I.S. series Book 2)

by Sheila Kell

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Megan couldn’t believe this. They were supposed to be safe. “How did you get in here?”

  “The manager owes us money.” Alex Childs, a Magic Shop enforcer, pointed a gun at her.

  She scanned the room. She’d never reach her gun before he could grab or shoot her. Where was Jesse? He must have seen Alex slip into the room.

  “Do not even think about fighting lady. I have no problem blowing out your kneecap.” His voice rang with sincerity.

  Her gut clenched. “What do you want with me?”

  Instead of answering her, he pulled a cell phone from his pocket. His gaze leaving her long enough to dial. “Hey. I need a favor. Can you have the Harrison house opened up right away? I’ll need a babysitter for a while too. I’ve got a special package.” He shoved his phone in his pocket. “Come on, pretty lady. You’re coming with me.” He waved his pistol toward the door.

  Where the hell is Jesse?

  The turmoil in her body, rapidly beating heart, racing pulse, sick stomach and weak legs almost pushed her to pass out. She was on her own until AJ returned and realized she was gone. Until then, she needed her strength and wits about her.

  After two deep breaths in and out, she swallowed the nearly choking lump in her throat. “Are you going to kill me?”

  She walked on unsteady legs out of the room, replaying his short conversation on the phone. He must be taking her somewhere to kill her, this Harrison place. Why would he need a babysitter? What exactly did he plan to do with her? The heartbeat she’d just calmed spiked. Please, Lord, not rape.

  She assessed him. They stood about the same height. His short, curly black hair and baby face would fool anyone into believing he was harmless. Like the other enforcers, he had broad shoulders and toned arms. She’d never overpower him.

  “Where are we going?” She winced, hot tears fought to release themselves from behind her eyelids. She’d asked AJ that many times. It had almost become a joke.

  “You, pretty lady, is my bait to catch that bastard.”

  She knew he meant AJ. If they drew him out, they’d kill him and then her. She knew it might come to this, but she’d expected it at the end. She didn’t want to be the reason he died. He’d fought to keep her alive and now she’d be his downfall.

  “Cross the street here.”

  His words yanked her out of her thoughts. There had to be a chance to escape. She’d find it and take it. Keeping him from shooting her would be the challenge. She doubted he had AJ’s attitude toward killing someone. This brought her thoughts back to when he’d held her at gunpoint, kidnapping her. She smiled. That seemed a lifetime ago.

  “Turn here.”

  She looked around to get her bearings. She hadn’t been in this part of town where every building looked alike and the street signs were absent. If she escaped, she needed to get back to familiar streets, back to AJ.

  “Stop. We’re here.”

  Alex ushered her up the steps of a rundown house with bars covering the windows. Once her eyes adjusted to the dimness, she surveyed the home. A cheap round dining room table with four chairs, a worn couch and a faded chair were the only furniture. No end tables, coffee tables or anything else that made a place a home. It must be a hiding place. She’d have to remember it.

  He dragged a chair from the table and moved it to the center of the room. “Sit. By the way, there’s no need to scream here. Even if someone heard you, they know to mind their own business. They know who owns the house,” he said proudly.

  She hadn’t screamed on the street for the same reason. It would have been a waste of breath, not to mention he may have shot her.”

  A toilet flushed and then another man walked into the room. She bent her head back to see a dark-skinned giant, a rather thin one, probably in his late twenties. He looked her up and down and smiled. Her heart dropped to her stomach.

  The earlier thought that they might rape her returned. That would not be the last thing that happened to her before she died. Anger turned her blood to heat in her veins. She’d fight with every last breath in her body.

  “Hey, man,” the giant said.

  “You up for this?” Alex asked.

  “Piece of cake.”

  “Megan Rogers, this is Jermaine. He’s gonna make sure you stay put.” Alex turned to the giant. “Tie her to the chair.”

  Her new babysitter grinned. “With pleasure.” He picked up handcuffs and rope from the table. “Who is she?”

  “She’s my ticket to AJ Hamilton.”

  Jermaine pulled her arms painfully behind the back of the chair and cinched the handcuffs tight. Then he wrapped the rope around her body and the back of the chair. He made sure to brush her breasts.

  She glared at him. No way would this sick pervert get the best of her.

  “There we go. Not goin’ nowhere, are ya?” He turned. “Done.”

  The writer in her wanted to correct Jermaine’s grammar. Slang drove her nuts.

  Alex moved toward her. “Where is he?”

  No way would she give AJ to them. Besides, she wasn’t sure exactly where he was at the moment.

  The enforcer backhanded her. Her head snapped sideways. Holy hell that hurt! She slowly turned her head back around and stared at him. Oh how she hated this man. She had to ignore the stinging pain and fight her watery eyes. Alex wanted to kill the man she cared deeply for. A man who’d come to matter in her life.

  “Where is he?”

  She remained stubbornly silent. Her clammy palms and heart thudding so loudly it almost deafened her were the only signs of her fear. She didn’t care if he backhanded her again. She would never give up AJ so he could be murdered.

  “Loyal thing, aren’t you? You must be fucking him. No woman would be that loyal if they weren’t fucking.”

  She continued to stare at him defiantly. If he’d been close enough she’d have spit in his face.

  “Well, if he’s as loyal to you as you are to him, he’ll come to us. He’ll believe that we’ll do an exchange and spare your life.” He laughed and backhanded her again.

  Something warm slid down her chin. Blood. She wanted to jump from the chair and beat the crap out of him. She hoped AJ really hurt him. She’d never been so blood-thirsty until the Magician ordered her death. She believed in justice, but had come to learn death was the only justice these men understood.

  He raked his eyes over her. “You’re one hot piece of ass. If you fuck as good as you look, he’ll come running for you. You can make it better on him if you tell us where to find him. I’m sure you’d hate for him to walk into our trap while trying to rescue you.”

  Trap? Oh God, AJ. Be careful.

  “Yes, we think he’ll try to rescue you. Don’t worry. I’ll be waiting for him when he does. I’ll be the one to kill him. The Magician will reward me.”

  “Don’t hurt him.”

  “Oh, she does speak. How about you use that voice to tell me where he is.”

  She shrugged as best as she could with the ropes around her shoulders. “He left me where you found me so I can’t tell you where he is. You’re wasting your time. We’re over. I doubt he’ll come for me.”

  “I don’t know about that. He’s gone out of his way to help you so far, saving you from Joe, keeping you one step ahead of us. I’ll wager that he’ll come. He seems to have some protective streak when it comes to you.”

  She couldn’t argue with that. “You’re wrong. We had a fling. It’s over. He left. End of story. AJ won’t come.”

  “Well, pretty lady, you’d best hope he does.”

  She knew he’d come. He’d rescue her. If he didn’t step into their trap.

  Alex turned to Jermaine. “I’ve got to get the word out so I’m leaving her here with you for a while. She is not to be harmed.”

  Her babysitter frowned.

  After the two were alone, the giant pulled a handgun from the back of his pants and placed it in front of him on the worn dining room table. After
turning a chair around, he straddled it, staring intently at her. Would he listen to Alex? The way he looked at her left no doubt he wanted her.

  “You sure are pretty.”

  She looked away.

  “I wouldn’t mind a piece of ya.”

  She snapped her head back in time to notice him licking his lips. She twisted her head away in disgust. All she had to do was survive until AJ arrived.

  She tried to block her baby-sitter from her mind. The red chair in the living room was worn and faded, but it looked more comfortable than the chair she was tied to, plus he couldn’t tie the rope so tight. She could escape. “May I sit in that chair instead?” She motioned her head in the direction of the chair.

  He turned around, looked at it and then laughed.

  Okay. That must be a no. It was worth a try. She’d try it with whoever watched her next.

  If only one person watched her at a time, they had to sleep at some point. If she could find a way out of the rope then she could escape. The cuffs could stay on. They’d prove a serious challenge but living would help her find a way.

  She attempted to shift her body. The rope was too tight.

  A thought occurred to her. “I have to go to the bathroom.” Maybe it had a window where she could escape. Why hadn’t she thought of that before?

  “Can’t it wait?”

  “No.” She crossed her legs, bouncing them like she couldn’t hold it. They stupidly hadn’t tied her legs. If she could loosen the ropes enough, she could use them to fight them off. Or something like that. She’d figure it out later. Right now glee slid down her spine. A chance to escape stood before her.

  He left his handgun on the table and untied her. With his hand holding her forearm tight, he shoved her down a hallway. “Here it is. Don’t try nothin’ funny.”

  “I need my hands out of these cuffs. I can’t go with my hands behind my back.”

  He narrowed his eyes at her and then pulled a key from his pocket. “Turn around.”

  She had a chance. Could she overpower him? He didn’t have his weapon on him. That’s when she noticed the knife attached to his belt. Unless she could get that from him, she’d be in trouble. Not to mention he outweighed her by a good 100 pounds.

  She rubbed her wrists. “Thank you.”

  Rushing into the grungy bathroom, she closed and locked the door. A strong urine smell knocked her back. She pinched her burning nose. Why couldn’t men aim in the toilet?

  She looked around. Dang it all to hell and back! No window.

  At least she could find a weapon of some sort. Maybe a razor blade to cut the ropes. Her hope skipped at the empty medicine chest.

  She took advantage of the bathroom break. Who knew when she’d have another one? There wasn’t even soap to wash her hands or towels to dry them.

  The rapping on the door startled her. “Long enough.”

  She could rush him. He wouldn’t be prepared for that. She opened the door and put everything she had into it. All she did was bounce off of him. He roughly grabbed her arms.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  She let out an exasperated sigh of despair. This had possibly been her last chance before AJ walked into their trap while attempting to rescue her.

  He shoved her back to the chair and proceeded to cuff and tie her up.

  “How long are you going to keep me here?” Could she never shut off her need to ask questions? No. It calmed her, centered her. Something she needed. Besides, it’s not like it’d hurt any. They planned to kill her anyway. Maybe she’d learn something that could aid in escape.

  “Don’t know. You have to ask Alex. This is his party.”

  “So, Alex is your boss?” Could she create dissention amongst the ranks? If she did, she’d try to sway him to her side so he’d release her.

  He chuckled. “Naw. I’m just helping out.”

  “Why are you helping him?”

  Her babysitter studied her intently. “You’re that journalist aren’t you?”

  She nodded. “That’s me. What do you do for Magic Shop?”

  He leered at her. “None of your business.”

  “Have you ever met the Magician?”

  He shook his head. “Of course not. I’m not important enough.”

  “Doesn’t that bother you? Not knowing who you work for?”

  “I work for Jimmy. That’s who I work for. The rest are just names.”

  Ah ha. Another dealer. “Jimmy let you off the street to watch me?”

  He smiled. “You’re smart. Nah, Jimmy doesn’t know I’m here. Alex wouldn’t get to be in charge if he did.”

  So much for gaining his assistance. They would kill her after AJ exchanged himself for her. No, he’d rescue her, not give in. He’d know they lied about letting her live. She had to keep telling herself that. It didn’t stop her from trying to work the knot on the back of the chair. Dumbass tied it right by her hands making it easier to grab.

  * * * * *

  AJ returned to an empty room. Horrible possibilities of what happened to Megan flooded his mind. They all ended with him holding her, blood running through his hands, watching her gasp her last breath.

  He had to find her.

  Dammit! It’d taken him longer to get back than he’d planned. He had no idea how long she’d been gone.

  With fear expanding in his chest, he answered the ringing burner phone.

  “It’s Javier.”

  “What do you have for me?” Javier Marshall was his informant that had found the safe houses for escaped convicts. Although he hadn’t been aware of their purpose.

  “There’s talk on the street to get a message to you. They’ve got your girl.”

  AJ breathed a sigh of relief. She’s alive. He curled and uncurled his fist in his empty hand. “What’s the rest of the message?”

  “Harrison House.”

  “Anything else?”

  “Something about her fate’s in your hands.”

  “Thanks, man.” He ended the call and hurled the phone across the room barely registering it smashing into small pieces.

  Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

  Pinching the bridge of his nose between his shaking thumb and forefinger, he dropped his head and took a deep breath. He had to calm down so he could think rationally. He wouldn’t turn himself over to them because they still wouldn’t release her. His only hope was that she remained alive until he rescued her.

  He closed his eyes and developed a plan. He wouldn’t rush in unprepared. Surveillance time. He would save her. He’d promised to keep her alive. He needed her alive.

  AJ suited up in black cargo pants, a black turtleneck sweater and his tactical vest then picked up the black bag of toys he’d brought back with him.

  Even though it was only a few blocks, he drove the Buick he’d stolen earlier to better conceal himself while he observed Harrison House, a piece of shit house on an almost deserted street.

  They’d expect him to attempt a rescue so he’d have to be smarter. This actually wouldn’t be too hard with the nimrod enforcers.

  The street was lined with cars, but not many people traversed up and down it. The bright sun, uninhibited by clouds, melted most of the snow from the sidewalks. The sound of crunching snow under his boots could be a problem.

  Searching for the best path, AJ caught Trey leaving the house with a heated look on his face. Alex must be leading the show and not sharing the credit with his partner.

  Surprisingly Damian never showed.

  AJ had seen no one else coming or going so he had no idea how many people were already in the house, how many he’d be up against. No matter. He’d take care of as many as he needed to get his little dove back. He rubbed his hand over his left breast.

  He couldn’t examine his feelings for her at the moment.

  He settled in for the long wait.

  Dusk turned to darkness. He’d go in when they were most likely sleeping. They’d best not have harmed her or put their hands on her. She was
his.

  A tall man with a hood pulled over his face walked toward him. He turned off the dome light and unlocked the car.

  “It’s about time you made it.”

  “I’m sorry we weren’t here to keep her out of trouble.”

  His heart felt for his brother. Jesse had placed all of the blame on himself when it belonged on AJ’s shoulders.

  “Don’t worry. It wasn’t your responsibility. What’ve you got?”

  “There’s too much information about you on the street.”

  Damn GPS. Too many people saw him.

  “Devon thinks he’s found most of the money. It’s just a matter of whatever the hell he does to find out who owns it. He said he didn’t need much more time. That’s how confident he was about it.”

  AJ nodded. “Good. Dev will come through. Anything on Jake?”

  “No. Speaking of brothers,” Jesse cleared his throat, “I told the twins, and they’re on their way home, pissed at you.”

  AJ shrugged. “They’ll get over it.” He constantly pissed his brothers off or disappointed them in one way or another. How would this be any different?

  “Those two?” His brother chuckled. “Are we talking about the same Matt and Brad?”

  AJ nodded to the house. “I don’t think Alex or Trey told anyone she’s here. There aren’t enough men waiting for me.”

  “I’m here for backup.”

  He shook his head. “No, Jess. This will be easy.” Plus, he couldn’t put his family in any more danger.

  * * * * *

  Alex returned with a bulky man Megan recognized as Trey, the final enforcer if AJ had been correct. She’d estimate him in his early twenties, tall with broad shoulders. This group was younger than she’d imagined would be charged with murdering people for a crime boss.

  The two men argued over her still being alive. Trey said there was no reason to keep her alive as AJ would turn himself over to them in hopes of saving her. Thank goodness Alex didn’t want her dead yet.

  Her heart twisted. He kept her alive so AJ would be forced to watch her die. Trey called Alex stupid and stormed out of the house. They didn’t know it, but AJ would rescue her, not fall into their stupid plan.