Shattered Love_Heart_Rending Love Story

by Ivy Rose

  “I’ll check in at 3:00 p.m. every day. If I don’t, then the boys know what to do.” He disconnects the phone.

  I go to chuck it against the wall, but realize it’s my only line of communication to my daughter, so instead I grab the table from the end of the bed and chuck it across the room. My breathing is ragged.

  “He’d better be good.”

  Anderson nods his head. “Inferno is the best there is.”

  I pace the room like a wild animal. I can’t stand still, sit down, eat, or sleep knowing they have my baby girl.

  Does she even know I’m fucking alive? This is bullshit. I can’t just fucking sit here. I swing open the door as Anderson goes to open it.

  His eyes widen as he takes me in. “Come with me.”

  I follow him through a maze of corridors until he comes to a stop.

  “There are clothes inside for you.”

  I look down at my gown, my bare ass on display. I slip into the room, shoving off my sweatpants, t-shirt, and trainers before meeting him back outside.

  We carry on a few more minutes before we get in the elevator. Instead of going up, like I expect, we go down. He doesn’t say anything until the doors open.

  Noise is the first thing I register, then it’s the people. There are at least twenty people here. There are big screens which look like a map with a red dot and a yellow one.

  People clicking away at keyboards and people talking on headsets. Then, there are a couple of TV screens playing some sort of live feed. It takes a second to register who and what it is.

  I race over to the screen. “Juliet.”

  As if hearing me, she looks straight at the camera.

  “Does she know we’re here?”

  Anderson shakes his head. “No, only our guy. He won’t give her that sort of information. He won’t do anything to jeopardize the case. This has been four years coming.”

  I turn back to the screen to see Juliet.

  Her back straightens. The back of a man comes into view and a glimpse of pain covers her face before she lunges at him.

  Inferno grabs her arm, twisting it. She closes her eyes before he chucks her against the wall, grappling his fingers around her neck.

  “I’m going to fucking kill him.”

  Anderson points to the screen. “He’s not hurting her. Look.”

  I look back at the screen.

  “She’s not struggling. Her breathing is fine, her eyes are not wide. She’s not scared, she’s pissed.”

  Inferno turns around, saying something over his shoulder that has the men leaving quickly.

  I expect him to drop the act.

  Instead, he leans into her. His tongue comes out, licking her neck and a slow growl escapes, but a smirk comes over my face as Lettie lifts her knee. Inferno falls to the floor, biting his lips as he rolls around on the floor.

  I grin at Anderson and point at the screen. “That’s my baby girl.”

  Looking amused. He nods, handing me a phone. “Tomorrow, he’s going to leave his phone out for her to grab. All calls from the phone will connect to here. We will tell her that she needs to message us.”

  I nod, placing the phone in my pocket.

  “Stone, you can’t let her know you’re alive.”

  I nod my head. “Ok. But I’m in. When you go to get her, I’m coming.”

  Anderson studies me, but nods. “Inferno will look after her, Stone. It’s personal to him too.”

  I stare into his eyes.

  “There’s no other option.”

  The first message comes through the next day around noon.

  Juliet: My name is Juliet Stone. I need you to find out if my dad is alive. Please! His name is Dominic Stone.

  I write a million different texts but I delete them all. I can’t lie to her, but I need to keep her safe.

  Dominic: He was found. He had lost a lot of blood.

  I hit send, my grip nearly breaking the phone.

  Her message is almost instant.

  Juliet: Thank you for telling me. Are you sending help?

  My heart clenches. I quickly type out a message.

  Dominic: Yes, but you need to hang tight for a while. Are you ok?

  I pace back and forth, checking the phone to make sure I haven’t turned the damn thing to silent. I move the volume up and down and am checking the bars for a signal when the thing finally beeps.

  Juliet: Yes, I’m ok.

  I take a deep breath, typing out the next message.

  Dominic: I need you to listen carefully, ok? You need to go against everything you feel. Don’t fight back. Play obedient. No smarting off. You listening, kid?

  I press send, knowing how smart my baby girl is. The three dots appear, then disappear again, only to return once more. I can almost hear my beautiful laughing, knowing how crazy our daughter is driving me.

  Juliet: Yes! I will be waiting!

  I smile because she fucking got it. She knows it’s me. She knows it. I can feel it.

  Dominic: Hold tight. We’re coming soon!

  Dominic

  Anderson turns up in my room a few minutes later. “You did good, Stone!”

  I don’t fucking reply. He knows I fucking hate this shit. I follow him back to the room. I spend the whole night watching the live feed. I watch as Juliet breaks down and sobs on the floor, my fingers running across the screen just like I watched when Avery was pregnant. I sit there all night so she won't be alone, hoping that somehow, in all the shit, she feels me and her mother, and won’t be scared.

  I walk outside holding my face towards the sun, before returning. Anderson meets me by the door handing me a sandwich and coffee.

  Walking into the room, every hair on my neck stands up. Everyone looks at me for a split second before they carry on tapping away, speaking into their headphones.

  Something is off. “Boss!”

  We both race over to the screens. Anderson looks at the screen where a group of men have gathered. It seems the whole gang is there—at least twenty of them.

  “What happened?” Anderson’s voice is cold. He’s eyes darting all over the monitor.

  “I don’t know! They approached the girl. Inferno—he, um, well, he kissed her. Then, they arranged this big fight. Inferno is involved.” Riley gulps, pulling on his tie.

  Anderson frowns. He leans forward completely puzzled.

  I watch a man with a bald head walks into the ring. He pulls his top off, banging on his chest like he’s a fucking caveman.

  “Who’s that fucker?” I already know I fucking hate the cocky prick.

  Anderson lips actually curling up. “That’s Rixs.” He spits as if that name leaves a bad taste in his mouth. I know that name, he’s the bastard that started all this.

  I watch as he looks at my baby girl.

  “Mine,” he mouths before a sick grin lights up his face and he licks his lips. Like a gun butt to the head, I know what’s happening.

  “Fuck! It’s a property fight. Whoever wins gets my fucking daughter!”

  Anderson’s eyes widen and he studies the screen. “We've heard of these fights, but we’ve never seen them.”

  I grab the back of my neck. “How good of a fighter is this Rixs?”

  “He’s not that good, but he's high. I don't need to tell you what that means.”

  Closing my eyes, nodding. I’ve seen men still run with eight bullets in them because they were fucking high.

  “He’s also a dirty fighter. He won't just bring his fist to the fight, and I can guarantee he will fight dirty.” Looking at the screen I know hasn’t got a fucking clue what’s going to happen.

  “Put it on the big screen!” he shouts to the room and nearly a whole wall is filled with the video link.

  “If he fails, I’m going in. There’s no fucking stopping me!”

  Anderson looks at me, dead in the eyes. “He can’t—” He cuts himself off, looking at the screen as they circle each other like animals.

  Rixs grins like a maniac bef
ore lunging at Inferno and landing a sharp hit to his chest, making him stubble back.

  Inferno comes back swing after swing, sending Rixs to his knees. Inferno is a good fighter with a strong punch you can see the strength. Before Inferno can move in, Rixs sends a cloud of smoke toward him.

  “He can't fucking see.” I growl. All of us take a step closer to the screen.

  Everyone holds their breath as Rixs rains down blow after blow on Inferno. He spits at him, then the video screen catches something.

  “He's got a knife, sir!”

  Anderson looks over his shoulder. “I can fucking see, Riley.”

  We watch as Inferno’s eyes widen. He pulls his hand away from his side.

  “He's cut.” Riley practically fucking screams

  Anderson growls. “Stop with the Goddamn fucking commentary.” Grabbing his phone out of his pocket pressing just one number

  “Get the team ready—” I look a back and Inferno’s whole body changes.

  “Wait!” I point to the screen and we watch as Inferno lunges at Rixs.

  He comes at him from the left and right before he up-cuts him. Rixs sways on his feet, slashing the air with the knife before he falls to the floor.

  The group of men all punch the air. There’s no sound, but they’re cheering.

  Juliet is pushed in the middle of the ring.

  “What the fuck is happening?”

  Rubbing his hand over his face. Glancing at me through the corner of his eye.

  “Now, he claims her.”

  We watch as Inferno grabs Juliet’s neck. He leans in, inhaling her.

  I let out a growl, turning away.

  Anderson pats my back. “Look, he's asking permission. She nodded.”

  I can't look. I don't care that Juliet is older than Avery and I were when we got together, she is my baby girl. I just got her and I'm not fucking losing her to some dick.

  I walk outside and punch the wall. I lean my head against the wall and close my eyes.

  The place is completely quiet, with none of the hustle and bustle from earlier. The only glow from the room is from the screen and a few men at the back of the room who pull the night shift.

  A cup of coffee is placed beside me.

  I turn to see Anderson.

  Studing me before taking a seat. “You’ve been here all night?”

  I nod, not taking my eyes off the screen.

  “She knows I’m here watching her. She knows I’m here. I’ve got to believe that.”

  He nods. “You can still sleep. I have men watching her.”

  I shake my head. “No! It's my job—”

  I cut off when I see someone who I haven't seen before enter the compound. The hairs on my neck stand on end. The way he walks, the way the men all take a step back is familiar.

  Then, he looks at the camera. I see in him the same darkness that lives in me. It's like our demons recognize each other. He turns his head away.

  Anderson lets out a deep breath.

  “Who’s that?”

  He visibly swallows, loosening his tie. “Blaze. He’s the second in command, but talk is he will be taking over soon. He’s the reason the Scorpions moved this close to town. He has a shooting range and could hit a running target blindfolded. I’ve seen him lay men out cold with one punch. He’s dangerous, if there was such a thing as the devil. He’s it!”

  I follow him as he walks toward the bar.

  There, a drink is placed in front of him before he even gets to the bar. He rolls his sleeves up as he looks around.

  “He’s looking for someone.”

  “Blaze has just arrived.”

  Seconds later Inferno walks into the room, his arm casual over Juliet’s shoulders.

  Blaze automatically straightens. He waits for Inferno to get close.

  Inferno nods, his chin slightly dipping. He places Juliet on the stool before walking over to Blaze, but I don't miss the way Inferno keeps Juliet in his vision, and for once, I'm glad.

  We can't hear what's happening, but we watch Inferno’s body tighten. There’s a sharp nod before he storms toward Juliet. He leans in, whispering something that has her head shaking. He grabs her face, resting his forehead on hers.

  After a minute, she nods her head.

  He grabs her hand and walks her over to Blaze. He says something to Blaze that has him looking at Juliet before he nods. He says something that has every head in the room nodding.

  Anderson is pacing behind me. “What the fuck just happened?” He looks completely bewildered.

  I rub my jaw. “He just gave her protection.”

  I look at Anderson. “Blaze trusts him. He is second in command. You know he's dead if they ever find out. You will never find his body.”

  His face turns stony. “We won't let that happen, Stone.”

  I go back to watching the screen, I hope they right. No matter what I think of Inferno personally, he’s kept his promise and kept my baby girl safe so far. He playing with fire I just hope he doesn’t get burnt alive.

  They all walk out of the compound. Some jump in a van or on bikes, but none of them move.

  I watch as Inferno and Blaze are last to get on their bikes. Inferno looks over his shoulder, his eyes on Juliet. He says something that has her running into his arms. He kisses her like it's their last kiss before they pull off in sync, leaving my baby girl in a pile of dust, her arms wrapped around her waist.

  She waits until the air clears before walking back into the compound.

  The men inside don't even look at her.

  She walks to the room she’s been sharing with Inferno.

  “Why don’t we just go in? They’ve been gone for three fucking days.”

  Anderson sighs. “We've got to trust him. I know you have every reason not to, but he's our man. He's lived this life. He knows these men better than anyone.”

  I grit my teeth. “She's not eating. She's spending all her time in that room.” I can’t see what the fuck is happening. It's the only room where there are no cameras. It's driving me crazy that I can’t see what’s happening.

  His eyes soften. “Stone, I get it. That’s your daughter, but you need to trust me, trust us.”

  I walk off before punching the asshole. I go back to the screen just as Juliet comes out of her room. My damn heart starts beating again.

  She walks out, her face up to the sky, then a smile appears on her lips. Her body goes still as she turns her head to the gates.

  They open a few seconds later and Blaze rolls in. He gets off his bike, stops and stares at Juliet.

  Inferno rides in next, quickly parking before jogging over to my baby girl. It makes me turn away as he kisses her as if he missed her.

  I hope, for his sake, he’s a good fucking actor, that this is all a fucking act.

  He walks Juliet back to the compound, but I don't miss the way Blaze watches her.

  Dominic

  It’s been a week, seven fucking days and eight hours since they took my daughter and all I have is a fucking screen to watch her from.

  The only thing keeping me from racing in there and destroying them all is the fact that they could hurt her before I get to her, so I have to trust a man I don't want to. I have to have blind faith in a man that I know is connected to the Scorpions that is in deeper than even his colleagues are aware of. I’ve seen the demons swirling in Inferno’s eyes.

  I don't miss the way something is happening. It’s almost too quiet, like the calm before the storm. I can feel it deep in my bones. Something is going down and my fucking daughter is in the damn fucking middle of it.

  “Stone.”

  I turn toward Anderson’s sharp tone.

  He nods at me to follow him and I jump up, catching up just as he opens a door. There are already around twenty men in here.

  “Take a seat, Stone.”

  I shake my head and lean against the wall. What is it with people telling me to take a seat? I know, whatever they are going to say, I’m not going
to fucking like it. Like sitting my ass down will make it fucking better.

  To all these people, it's a job. To me it's as personal as it can get. Not only have they killed my wife, taken the beauty from my life, they now have my daughter. It doesn't get more personal than that.

  “Today is the day.”

  I stand up straighter.

  Anderson looks at me.

  “What's changed?” He had better not bullshit me, because I know something changed.

  “We got a phone call an hour ago. Something is changing enough that our man thinks we need to rescue the hostage today.”

  I grind my teeth. “Her name is Juliet Avery Stone, she’s twenty-one years old and she’s my daughter. The men that have her are the ones that killed her mother, my wife.”

  Anderson nods, and I see a few of the men nod their heads.

  “So, we’re going in at 1600 hours. We have been told that there is an important meeting that will take most of the gang members from the compound, including the high ranking members.”

  Everyone nods their head.

  “I’m coming.”

  Anderson studies me before nodding. “You stay in the van, Stone. You let my men do their job.”

  I place my cold, stony mask on before nodding, because he’s off his fucking head if he thinks I’m going to sit in the van with my thumb up my ass while they go get my daughter.

  We all sit in the van, guns between our legs. There’s a hunger in everyone's eyes. The moment we all sat in the van, the laughter and jokes between everyone stops. Their bodies change, each going to the place they need, the space in their head where they become the machines they have been trained to be.

  Just like them, I tease my demons and make them hungrier than they have ever been before. I let a darkness so thick that it almost blinds me, consume me.

  Anderson is in constant contact with the other van that is following behind us. In total, there are four vans, each holding five men and coming in from different directions to the compound.