by Xavier Neal
“No problem.” Extending the room keys, she says, “First floor. Room 103. Everything has been set up for you. Please enjoy your stay.”
“I plan too.” I give her a small wink. “Every. Single. Minute.”
Knox grabs the hand that's not carrying our luggage. “Come on smooth talker. Let's go.”
We wander down to the end of the hall where our room is. Once she's swiped the key card and we're granted access into the room, I drop the bags and push her against the wall forcefully. Gripping my t-shirt tightly she falls into the kiss, the buzz of what we've done and what we're about to do spiking my adrenaline.
After rolling my tongue around hers barbarically, I abruptly pull my mouth back. In a whisper I say, “You do know that even if all that shit was for show, I meant every word of it. As soon as this is over, I plan on spending the rest of the weekend balls deep, baby.”
She cocks a grin and teases my mouth with hers lightly. “Don't make promises you can't keep.”
Growling I bite her bottom lip until she whimpers.
“Come on,” Knox insists pulling me along. “Let stay on schedule.”
I nod in agreement. Heading for the bed of the luxury hotel room, I flop down on the edge while Knox wanders around the rose petals Destin sprinkled on the ground. Time is ticking and I know we should be moving faster, but seeing her so damn blissful freezes me in place. There's an anxious urge to watch her happy overriding everything else.
Look at her. Seriously, stop looking at me and look at her. When has she ever been this fucking happy?
She runs her hands across the wooden desk as she wanders towards the giant red drapes that are covering the one other exit. After giving them a caress she struts past me to the bathroom that's being hidden by a luxury pair of cherry wood double doors. Knox gives the door a good push open and a small gasp comes from her.
When she turns around at me she snaps, “Holy shit! You have to see this tub!”
A small chuckle comes from me as I extend my hands backwards to lean on. “I'm sure I will later.”
With one final sigh, she enters the room again. “Alright. Let's do this.”
The two of us change out of our clothes and spread them throughout the room in a way that looks like we would be having wild, intense sex. We move drawers and knock things over to continue the illusion. I grab the small bag Destin left inside our closest and get busy staging the bed. Knoxie unlocks the briefcase he also left and begins prepping our fingerprints.
Once the dummies are in place, strings cleverly hidden like planned, I pick up the phone and dial room service. With my hands spread for her to apply the prints, I say into the phone, “Yes, this is Madden McCoy in room 103. I was wondering if you could bring a bottle of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries to my room in an hour.”
“Yes we can sir. It will be charged to your room,” the man on the other end informs.
“That's fine,” I agree as Knox lets out a fake moan in the phone. “Is there anyway you can just let yourself in and leave it inside. My wife-” She moans loudly again. “-and I uh...might not hear the knocking.”
“We can arrange that, sir.”
“Thank you,” I politely say and hang up. Once it's done, I slide the earpiece in my ear. “Triple D?”
“Here,” Destin's voice quickly says. “You're cutting it kind of close.”
“Don't give us lip, it's our wedding day,” Knoxie argues as I take my turn to apply her false fingertips.
He chuckles a little. “Everything in place?”
“Everything. Call has been made.”
“You two ready?” Destin questions.
I open the top drawer of the nightstand and grab the keys. The two of us head for the curtains. “Go.”
There's a sound of typing before he states. “Now.”
Unlocking the window, I help Knox out quickly and slide out myself just as smoothly. Quietly, I shut it. “Done.”
There's another sound of typing before he says. “Move your ass Madden. That clock is ticking.”
I crouch my body down with her hand in mine. “Yeah. Yeah. I know.”
The line goes dead. Carefully the two of us stay low to avoid being seen by anyone else who may look out their window. We scuttle down the alley, around the restaurant next door's garbage area, and to the SUV waiting for us.
Getting inside, I start her up, my nerves surprisingly even.
About to have the second most iconic moment of my life, you would think I'd be a little more edgy. Yeah I said second. Marrying the girl of my dreams is definitely the first.
Before I pull off, Knox's hand drops onto my lap. “Madden.”
“Yeah?”
“What's the McCoy way?”
My face twitches a smile at the same phrase I used to say to Merrick before we would take off for a deal with the man we're about to kill.
It was my way of making sure his head was in the game. More importantly, it was my way of making sure he knew he wasn't in it alone.
“Finish first on the road, and last in bed.”
Knoxie nods. “You ready for this?”
“More than you know.”
Pulling off down the road, I use the back streets, avoiding as many traffic cameras as possible, Destin toying with the feed on the ones impossible to avoid, helping keep us in the shadows. In just a few minutes we're exiting the highway with our lights off and into the parking lot of an abandoned strip mall.
After I kill the engine, I reach into the backseat grabbing the Beretta’s waiting for us. Carefully I hand one to Knox and place the other in my lap.
In the process of me grabbing the magazines, I state, “Only shoot when necessary.” Once I've gathered them I look at her sternly. “Only shoot to kill.”
Slowly she nods.
“I don't want that shit on your conscience more than it has to be.” She offers me a smile of appreciation. “Aim here.” I demonstrate on my body. “Stay with me. Do not leave my side until it's time. Understood?”
“Understood.”
“One last thing,” I sigh loading my weapon. “If you take a blow, even with the vest, that shit hurts. I'm gonna do everything in my power to keep that from happening to you, but brace yourself in case it does.”
The sound of her cocking her loaded weapon adds to the buzz coursing through my veins. “Got it.”
Leaving the keys in the vehicle, under the seat, we quietly sneak around towards the corner. I catch a small glimpse of the guard waiting on the outside. Effortlessly, I shoot one shot to the head dropping him. In a fluid motion she grabs the keys while I continue checking our surroundings.
The second the lock clicks, she carefully pulls the door open. With my gun pointed defensively in front of me, I'm slightly surprised when there's no one on the other side. Dust immediately clogs my throat as I grab Knox's hand. Pulling us low to the ground, I maneuver around the counters heading for the back of the store.
All of a sudden, a shot lands in the wall right above where we're crouched. Unsure of where it came from, I search the dim lit room for any sign of movement. When nothing happens, I lean over and in a gentle whisper demand, “Get down behind that counter.”
Knox nods and slips behind the area for protection. After making sure she's safe, I grab I loose hanger and slide it across the floor. This time when the shots fire, I pin point the shooter and take him out with two hits. We move faster towards the loading dock doors eventually making it without any more resistance. However the moment we prepare to cross the threshold, Knox almost runs directly into the trip wire waiting. Carefully helping her over it before myself, I lead us to the door that will take us to the basement.
The slimy bastard is hiding out in a basement. Did you expect anything less?
Quickly, yet quietly, we sneak down the stairs where I take out the guard protecting what I hope will be the last door between us and the man we're here to destroy. Knox grabs the key and unlocks this one too. With my finger resting on the trigger
, I do a quick search of the room that is also poorly lit. Just a couple steps inside one of his guards pops up from behind Knoxie, having come from one of the closed doors. He grips her tightly, a string around her neck. Before I have the chance to shoot, I'm attacked from behind as well. A struggle ensues between us while Knox fights her own battle, the sound of gasping for air echoing throughout the room. Unfortunately for me, I'm ambushed by three more, one around my neck and one on each of my arms.
Violently thrashing, I fight to save Knox who is being dragged behind one of the closed doors. On a violent roar, I shout, “No!”
My body instinctively struggles harder to get to her. The choking around my neck increases as do the blows to the rest of my body, in an effort to stop me from moving, but I don't. Using everything I have to try to get away, I'm disappointed in myself when I'm dropped in front of the very man I came to kill.
Don't panic. Just...don't.
“Tsk, tsk, McCoy,” The Devil fusses folding his arms across his chest. “Coming by yourself with that pathetic piece of ass you're just now banging?”
One of his men deliver a sharp kick to my ribs preventing me from answering.
“Take his weapons,” he instructs.
In the process of following his directions they deliver punches and kicks to keep me immobilized.
That shit should hurt, but it doesn't. Too numb.
“Now you're helpless.” He smirks, squatting down in front of me. “Just like the house cat you are.”
Barely able to keep my own head up, I spit the blood that's dripped into my mouth into his face.
Agitated, he bangs my head against the floor. Groaning at the pain, I shut my eyes tight.
She's fine. I know she is.
“You can go,” The Devil dismisses them. There's a sound of a weapon being cocked. “I can take care of this little cub.”
He's always making animal references. It's weird. And no, you never get used to it.
After they exit the room, he circles around my body, positioning himself in front of the door, which would be my only route for escape.
Like that was ever even an idea.
“You know, you are the whiniest fucking McCoy out of all of 'em.” He extends his gun at me while I drag my body upward to face him. “And that's saying something. You're punk bitch little brother-”
“Don't fucking talk about him,” I growl.
The Devil cocks his head as he cocks the weapon. “Oh I'm sorry. Are you the one with the upper hand here?”
Grunting, I merely roll my eyes.
“I didn't think so. Now...as I was saying,” he continues to annoy me to death.
Get it? Oh. Smile. Someone should. Stop worrying about Knox. She's....she's gonna be fine. My word.
“You have cost me so much, you know that?” He slightly lowers the weapon as he begins pacing. “My entire life. I'm down to the bare minimum in funds. All of my associates in power have been thrown out. My ability to move anything has been ceased. I'm looking over my shoulder every minute thanks to the little deal you cut with that fucking motorcycle gang. You have ruined my entire fucking existence. You have taken everything from me.”
Coldly I sneer, “Join. The fucking. Club.”
“Really?” He stops pacing. “You're gonna say that to me? After all I've done for you and your family-”
“All you've fucking taken!”
“So a couple dead bodies here and there. Hardly the same as making it impossible for me to live.”
“That doesn't seem harsh enough,” I grunt.
“See. Whine. Whine. Whine. That's why you'll always be at the bottom of the food chain,” he extends the weapon so I'm staring down the barrel once more. “Well, not any more. You'll be at the bottom of something, but I doubt you'll be eating much where I send you.”
There's a swift cock of another gun as it's pointed against the back of his head. “He's not going anywhere.”
Told you she was fine. Put on a helluva a performance, didn't I? What? Don't look at me like that. You know damn well I could've gotten away if necessary. I've taken down more for less.
“I'll shoot him faster than you can shoot me sweetheart,” The Devil chuckles under his breath.
“That's a risk I'm willing to take,” Knox states.
“And you say I'm cold,” The Devil harshly chokes.
Rising slowly to my feet I announce, “I told her, no matter what, not to hesitate to pull that trigger.” When his eyebrows lift, I shake my head slowly. “No matter what happens you're not leaving this building alive.”
“Give him your gun,” Knox instructs. “Slowly. There will be no warning shot.”
His face scrunches as he moves to hand it to me. Cautiously, prepared to avoid the shot if necessary. To my surprise he hands the weapon over. “On your knees.”
When he drops to them he questions, “How the fuck did you escape?”
“Funny thing,” Knox starts. “You're not the only one who knows the right pockets to fill. There's no loyalty surrounding you anymore. Offer a price tag big enough and anyone will switch sides.”
The man who grabbed Knox peaks around the corner. “Extraction and house cleaning ETA is four minutes and counting.”
“Son of a bitch,” The Devil grumbles. “Those screams-”
“Oscar worthy,” she proudly pats herself on the back, moving her body to stand beside me, gun never leaving his head.
With the weapon pushed against his frontal lobe I state, “I'm sending you back to hell where you fucking belong. You've got a one way ticket motherfucker.”
He cocks a crooked smile. “All this was your fault anyway. You started it, might as well be the one to fucking end it.” Hearing the words out loud causes a lump in my throat. “That accident was your fault. Your father begging for my help that last time was your fault. Blame me all you want, but if you had been a real man about your shit, everyone you love would still be alive. Hope that keeps you up at night...”
With a trembling jaw, I squeeze the trigger pumping two shots into his skull.
He's right. One shot for starting it and one shot to finish it.
Staring down at his lifeless body, relief regarding him floods my senses for the first time in over a decade. A freedom I don't recognize lands on my shoulder just momentarily.
That one moment is enough to last me a lifetime.
“You ready?” The BV MC prospect asks from the door way.
Glancing at Knox, she offers me her weapon. With a quick nod, we walk around the dead body leaving everything that once threatened and controlled my life in a cold heap.
The three of us move in haste to keep up with the ticking clock. When BV MC back up arrives to help dispose of the bodies, the weapons, and sweep for casings that were fired, we switch into the fresh clothing provided. They collect what we were wearing including our prints before a pair help escort us away from the building just moments before they set the entire thing on fire.
With Knox tucked against my side, the two of us glance over our shoulders watching the flames spread, erasing any final traces we were ever there. Peace settles into my chest replacing any apprehension that was once there.
Ding. Dong. The Devil's fucking dead. He's really fucking dead.
After arriving back without a minute to spare, we make sure to get the dummies and remaining evidence in the room out the window, the BV MC member helping us. Once he's disappeared, I insist Knox takes a shower by herself to rinse off not only the evidence from the night's events but any lingering trepidation she might've felt watching men die in front of her eyes.
That's not light shit to deal with.
By the time Knox has finished her shower, I'm applying the last of the healing ointment to the acquired bruises and cuts to my face.
Mel says this shit will make it disappear in a couple days max. Impressive considering how damaged I look at the moment. She also slipped me some pain killers that should help too. While I think she's a great match for my brother des
pite how they fucking met, she's definitely a valuable asset. Her skills are one of a kind.
Tossing the cream on the nightstand, I ask, “You okay?”
She leans her soaking wet body against one of the doors, an unmistakable look of concern plastered on her face. “I need you to be honest with me.”
I lean forward onto my legs. “Always am.”
“What accident?”
Anxiety grips the back of my neck forcing my entire body to stiffen. Locking my jaw in place, I let my hands mimic the action. Instead of answering the question, my eyes fall to the ground between my feet.