Ashley perches her ass on the edge of the couch, next to me and rests her hand on my shoulder, offering comfort. “We can handle it. We just need to know so we can help you.”
“When I went down the hallway, that little boy was running around the corner and down the stairwell. I could hear his little feet slapping against the concrete. I don’t know what it is about him that draws me to him, but it does. He looks so familiar. I ran through the lobby and onto the street. I looked in both directions, but he wasn’t anywhere in sight. It’s like he’s a figment of my imagination. Like he doesn’t really exist, and my mind keeps on having him pop up. Anyway, I was turning to go back into the building when a blonde ponytail caught my attention turning down the alley. I ran over to the ally entrance and there was no one there. I walked down toward the dumpsters, the hair on the back of my neck stood on end and my gut was telling me to turn around, but if he was down there being hurt or worse, I’d never forgive myself. I reached the first dumpster when I sensed someone behind me. I turned around and Wrath was standing there.”
******
The sun is shining brightly, high in the sky, warming up The City. Once I reached a dumpster to my left, the hair on the back of my neck is standing on end and I sense someone behind me. I turn around and Wrath is standing there, an evil smirk on her face. She crosses her arms over a red hoodie she’s wearing, and she has a red bandana wrapped around her left jean covered leg. She’s sporting fresh bruises on her scarred knuckles and her long blonde hair is pulled up in a high ponytail. There are scars on her face, one above her left eyebrow and another across her chin. Her hips are slightly wider, and she could be a beautiful woman, but the hate on her face right now is making her ugly. Her hazel eyes are pinning me to the spot, trying to take control of my mind, like she could when we were kids. I’m not a kid and she can’t control me anymore. Once she realizes I’m not falling for her tricks, the smirk disappears, and she speaks.
“Mayhem, what a pleasant surprise. I’ve noticed you’ve seen my sister around.” Wrath sneers, licking her lips. I don’t bother to answer her. She knows what she’s been trying to do and it’s not worth my time. I don’t take my eyes off her, but my other senses are on high alert. Familiar footsteps approach me from behind, coming at me fast. I don’t dare take my eyes off Wrath. I slowly move so my back is against the building and I can see everything around me without moving. Switch appears and stands next to Wrath. The same hate filled smirk is on his face.
“I’ll take it from here, Wrath. Go back to the apartment and check on our guests,” Switch commands. He’s talking about Izzy and Xavier and my heart beats hard in my chest. Hate and rage flow to the surface and my hands begin to shake. I look between the two of them and see the hesitation in her eyes, but she doesn’t dare go against his demands. Spinning on her heels, Wrath huffs out a mumble under her breath and walks away.
Two other men approach us, ready to strike at a moments notice. I recognize one of them from back when I used to run with Switch, but his name slips my mind. He was a lower rank and not worth my time. He’s always been jealous of my progress in the gang and has been itching to take me down. He’s wearing a black t-shirt and blue jeans with a red bandana wrapped around his dark hair. His green eyes are boring into me, waiting for the command to attack. The second man is wearing the exact same thing, but he has blonde hair and blue eyes. He looks unsure of what they’re going to do.
Sick of waiting for them to make their move, I cross my arms over my chest and lean up against the building. “Is there something you want?” I ask, goading Switch.
“I want what you took all those years ago,” Switch answers.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I got out and left you high and dry. The only thing I took was my life back.”
“No, you took something that belongs to me. I want it back,” Switch demands. He looks to the two guys and nods his head. They slowly approach me and green eyes is excited. I can’t take them all down right now. I need to get inside to Izzy and Xavier. I hold my hands up in surrender when the two guys stand in front of me. I’m not going to put up a fight.
They yank my arms down and zip tie my hands behind my back. One pats me down for weapons and the other hangs onto my hands. Switch is enjoying watching me submit, but the difference between this time and last is that I’m doing this willingly now. He doesn’t know that he’s too conceited to see the difference and that will be his destruction.
Barefoot and tied up, we walk down the alley in the opposite direction I entered. A black SUV is waiting for us and I’m shoved inside. They throw a black sack over my head and the driver takes off, throwing me back into the seat. The base of the music is vibrating my back as they crank it up loud, muddling my senses. My shoulders stretch from my weight pulling on them and I shift slightly to relieve the pressure. I can’t see anything as we take turn after turn and ride for what feels like hours. With my sense scrambled between the loud music, the crazy driving and the sack over my head, I have no idea where we are when we finally stop. Strong hands yank on my arms and pull me out of the SUV. I try listening to the noises around me, but my ears are still ringing from the music and I can’t hear anything, only feel. My feet are cold on the concrete as I’m lead down a set of steps. I can feel the dank air penetrate my skin the further we walk, and the temperature drops a few degrees.
Someone clips the zip ties and hooks heavy chains around my wrists. The weight of the chains is familiar as they pull them until my hands are above my head, my feet barely touching the ground. They remove the black sack from my head and I blink several times, trying to adjust to the harsh spotlight shining down on me.
I detect a shadow in the corner of the basement watching and waiting. I can’t see who it is, but the humming of electricity running in the ceiling above my head brings back memories that set me free. Memories of the last time they had me here. This isn’t where I wanted to go, where I wanted to be.
Hours upon hours of torture Switch, Wrath, and Marcus inflicted upon me for nothing. My body has shut down, but my mind is still going. I’m plotting the way I will perpetrate the same torture to them. They won’t have a quick and painless death. No. I’m will make them suffer at my hands every minute of every day they do this to me. Switch and Wrath will wish they never laid a hand or a whip on me.
Once I regain consciousness for the sixth time, they uncuff me from the beams and I fall to the cold concrete with a thud, unable to stop myself. My arms and legs are numb from being suspended for so long and my body is bruised from the beatings they delivered repeatedly. Some of my ribs are cracked and my face feels like it’s on fire. Switch grabs me by my armpits and hoists me up with the help of two other men I don’t recognize. He plops me down in a cold, metal chair and paces back and forth. The two men walk out of the room and leave us alone.
“Well, Nolan, I see you’ve learned a few things while you were away,” he scoffs. I laugh, unable to stop myself. I’ve lost my damn mind. The movement brings pain to my already beaten body, but I can’t help it. They have no idea what I’ve taught myself after the last time they inflicted this type of torture and it almost cost me my life.
“What do you want Switch?” I ask between bouts of laughter.
“I want to know what the fuck you did to my gang, you ass fuck,” he growls.
“What I did to your fucked up little family? I didn’t do anything, you sick fuck.” I snap. Switch backhands me across the face and my mouth fills with blood. I spit the copper out onto Switches shoes and meet his black eyes. “Go ahead, give me your worst.”
His nostrils flare and his eyes narrow in my direction. He turns on his heels and stomps out of the room. The heavy metal door slams behind him, locking me in the dingy and dirty basement, alone. Fatigue overtakes me, and I fall asleep bounded in the metal chair.
****
“When I came too, they stuck a needle in my arm and the drug they injected shut my mind down and I had no control over my body. I wa
s under their command for a limited time. With my massive body weight, the drug didn’t last as long as they expected and I played it off. I acted like I was still under their full control, so Switch and Wrath took me to The Circle. I think they wanted to make me fight again, but then I saw you,” I look up at Ashley and grab her hand. “My angel in a dark world. The drug was still in my system, but I had a reason to fight again. I had control of the hate and rage burning through my veins. You all know the rest.”
“I knew something was wrong when I saw you,” Ashley responds. Tears trickle down her cheeks and her eyes are red from crying. “I wanted to bring you back.”
“You did, Ash, you did,” I whisper as I rest my forehead against hers, breathing her scent in. Her arms wrap around my neck and she hangs onto me tightly. Ashton shifts next to me and stands up, pacing the living room. His phone rings and he answers it.
“Iverson here,” he says into the phone. “What do you mean? When?” He stops pacing and stands right in front of me. “Yes, he’s right here.” He hands me the phone. “Marks wants to talk to you.”
I remove the phone from Ashton’s outstretched hand with unsteady fingers and put it up to my ear. “Marks, what’s going on?”
“Boss, thank God you’re OK. Listen, they just left the building with Izzy. I don’t know where they’re taking her, but Xavier is there alone. Now’s our chance to get him out.”
“We’re on our way,” I answer and hang up the phone. I find Ace standing in the doorway. “I need a couple of fast cars. Can you help?”
“In the garage,” Ace responds.
“Come on, let’s lock and load. Xavier is alone right now. They took Izzy somewhere and now’s our chance to get at least one of them back.”
We all stand quickly and run to the garage attached to Ace’s brownstone. He flips on a switch and the fluorescent lights come alive, shining on the three cars he has stored in here. All the hoods are up like on a showroom floor. One is a shiny purple Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat with a 6.2-liter super charge V-8 engine. The second car is a sleek grey Ford Mustang Shelby GT 500 super snake with a 5.4-liter V-8 engine. Ashley squeals like a little girl when she spots this car. Her body is throbbing with excitement. I know what car she wants to take. The third car is dark blue Dodge Viper GTS with a 6.2-liter V-8 engine.
“Ace, I’m speechless,” I finally say, salivating over these magnificent beasts.
He grins and runs a finger down the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. “This one is my baby. Be gentle with her.”
“Aren’t you coming with us?” I ask.
He raises a dark eyebrow and gives me a duh look. “Of course.”
“Nolan,” Ashton says from behind me. “We need weapons.”
“I got that covered too.” Ace says and walks to the back wall. He hits a switch and the fake wall drops, revealing an arsenal of weapons. “Take what you need.” He grabs two black Smith and Wesson .40 caliber guns. He cocks one back and chambers a round, tucking it into the waistband of his jeans. He hands the other one to me and I do the same. Ashley is staring at all the guns and ammo and picks up a 9 mil. She cocks it back and straps it to her thigh, giving me a wink.
I pick out a sleek .45 caliber and chamber a round. I strap that one to my other hip. Once we’ve all picked our weapons, Ace hits a switch again and the wall raises, hiding his weapons.
“We’re locked and loaded, let’s roll,” I say with a cocky attitude. Finally able to do something other than play on the defense against these ass fuckers, I’m ready. Ready to get Xavier back and find out where they took Izzy. I’m ready to end this for the last time. If we shed a little blood, it doesn’t matter anymore. I’m done being their sheep, being herded by their command.
Chapter 24
Nolan
Ashley and I are in the Shelby GT 500 Super Snake. She’s driving and handling the beast like a pro, weaving in and out of traffic. The engine vibrates under her command. Ashton is in the Dodge Viper GTS and Rush and Ace are in the Dodge Charger Hellcat. If things go bad, at least we have these fast cars to escape in. I glance out the window and the moon is peeking through the clouds, bringing a slight chill to the air.
Ashley shifts gears and weaves again, passing people left and right. Headlights directly behind us, tell me Ace and Ashton are right on our tail as we fly through the streets of Manhattan.
“Nolan are you with me?” Ashley asks.
“Yes,” I answer with a raised brow.
“There’s something you’re not telling me. You’ve left out some details back at Ace’s house. Now it’s just the two of us and your chance to come out with it.” She sneaks a glance in my direction and smirks. My face must have shown my thoughts. “Thought so.”
“I overheard Marcus, Switch, and Wrath when they assumed I was unconscious. Wrath was yelling at them, begging them not to use someone named Sherwood as bait. She acted like she honestly cared for whoever it is.” Ashley swallows hard and I realize she’s hiding something. “Ashley, what is it?”
“I don’t know how to explain this, but I’m just going to rip the band-aid off. Brace yourself because you’re going to be pissed.” She takes a deep breath and continues. “Sherwood is her ten-year-old son.”
The world falls away at my feet. My stomach is churning and I’m going to be sick. “What?” I whisper. “She has a son?”
“I just found out and haven’t had time to tell you. That little boy you’ve been chasing around the city is Wrath’s son.” Ashley rests her palm on my thigh and gives it a gentle squeeze. Images of the little boy with similar brown eyes and light brown hair flash in my mind. His little hand reaching for me after being dragged away by Wrath’s sister. He was trying to get my attention and I ignored his pleas. Breathing deeply, I control my mind and push it down.
“Nolan are you all right?” Ashley quietly asks.
“I’m good,” I answer, clearing my head. “I’ll deal with that later. Right now, I want to get Xavier back and find out where they took Izzy.”
“Good because we’re a few minutes away and I need you at one hundred percent,” Ashley says. I cover my hand with hers and give it a gentle squeeze. We’re in this together, no matter what happens, the two of us will get through this and come out on the other side. I must believe that, or all of this is for nothing.
Ashley steers the car to a curb right in front of the apartment building where it all started. I fight to keep the rage and hate tamped down looking at the place. Memories of a past I don’t want to remember flip through my mind. I get out of the car and stare up at the building. My eyes narrow on a single window I remember exceptionally well crawling out of many times. The fire escape is rusted, and the black paint is peeling withstanding the weather. Ashley stands next to me, shoulder to shoulder. She’s ready to do whatever is necessary inside this building with me, by my side. Ashton gets out of the car and stands next to my other side, he’s ready to go. Ace stands next to him and Rush is next to Ashley.
Shadows move from the side of the building and approach us quickly. Marks, Ramirez, Harris, and Christian come into the light flickering down from the street lamp. They’re all here with me, too. A sense of belonging rushes my body and a weight has lifted off my shoulders. My team is back together and I’m proud of the way they stayed by my side even though I’ve pushed them away.
“Boss,” Harris speaks, breaking me out of my moment. “You ready?”
“I’m ready. This is what we do. No matter what happens inside this building, you get Xavier out. I will not guarantee I won’t lose my head, but I need you all to promise me you’ll put his safety first and get him out. Then we’ll scour this city for Izzy. I won’t stop until she’s back and neither should any of you. Same with Redline, he’s missing too. If we can get them all back in one piece, safely, I’ll consider it a job well done.”
We’re ready, we’re a team and we’re going in. Marks, Harris, and Ramirez draw their guns and lead the way up the concrete step toward the building, followed by Rush
and Ace, then Ashley and me. Bringing up the rear is Ashton and Christian. We quietly make our way inside, moving like a well-trained machine. Each of our movements are coordinated with each other and no one makes a sound. No heavy breathing or clomping footsteps. Once we’re inside the building, we walk down a long, dirty hallway toward the rickety old elevator. We bypass the elevator and opt for the stairwell. It’s going to be a long trek to the apartment, but we can handle it.
Several minutes later we reach the point of no return. Standing outside the door that’ll lead us to Xavier, we all check our weapons, making sure they’re ready and I give Harris a slight nod.
“Ok, listen up,” Harris whispers. “There’s a camera outside this door, pointing right at us as soon as we step into the hallway. If they have anyone set up around the apartment, it will alert them. We need to go in fast and fiercely. Everyone ready?”
“Oh, I’m ready. Let’s do this.” I respond. My heart is beating hard in my chest and adrenaline floods my body. I close my eyes and steady my breathing, calming my heart rate down. I must maintain control before we go in. Opening my eyes, everyone is watching me, waiting to see which side of me emerges. I’ve tamped the beast down and sealed it off. I’m in control, not the other way around. I narrow my eyes on the door and give the go ahead.
“On the count of three,” Marks quietly says. He holds up a hand, “One.” He rests one hand on the door, ready to push it open. “Two,” he makes eyes contact with each of us. “Three.” He shoves the heavy metal door open.
We rush down the dirty hallway fast and low, guns drawn, fingers on the trigger ready to take anyone down. No one comes out of the other apartment doors. We reach the door of my teenage years and I try the knob. It’s not locked and swings open with an eerie screech. Harris turns on the light switch and fills the room with a soft glow.
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