By
Khelsey Jackson
Published by
Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing, LLC.
Algonquin, IL 6010
Black &Blue
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, duplicated, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior written consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
Text Copyright © 2013
All rights reserved
Published by
Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing, LLC.
Algonquin, IL 60102
Edited by Elizabeth A. Lance
For Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing
Cover by
Khelsey Jackson
I want to dedicate this book to my first fan, Candice Wardrip. Thank you for believing in me.
&nbselialip
My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of Earth.
-Abraham Lincoln
Prologue
Assassination
Daniel looked around at everyone, and then paused when his eyes landed on Jacob Rich, his oldest and dearest friend. They had been through so much together and they were about to do something that would change the world as they knew it. They wanted a new world, one that would allow them to rule over the poor class and basically be their slaves. Daniel and Jacob came from a wealthy background; they had many followers who would back them.
“Dan, are you sure you want to do this? You know that once it’s done there is no going back.” The plan was to kill the one person that was trying to stop them from rising up and controlling the country.
“We don’t have any other choice, do we?” Daniel turned to face his friend. He wore his three piece black suit, with a deep rich green shirt underneath the black vest and jacket.
Jacob shook his head. “No we don’t.”
Daniel didn’t miss the sadness in his voice as he reached down to pick up theMcMillan TAC- fifty, he’d used in the army a year ago as a trained sniper. He knew that the fifty caliber weapon would take care of what needed to be done.
The one person standing in the way of achieving their dream was the President of the United States. President Miller still wanted to keep everything the same, except he wanted to take even more from the wealthy and give it to the poor.
“Remember, you’ll have to be exactly six-hundred yards away from him and the secret service. After you shoot him, you have minimal time to get out. They’ll be looking for who did this,” Jacob said, and he nodded.
Daniel knew that he had just about three minutes before they pin pointed where he was. “I know, I’ll get out in the three minute window,” Daniel said as he walked out of his house with the black fifty caliber weapon in a black bag around his shoulder.
One hour later Daniel was lying on his stomach with aposthe butt of his gun against his shoulder, looking out of the scope. Any minute now President Miller would be walking out of the restaurant. He knew he would have about a minute to break down his McMillan and get to his car after he made the shot.
He looked through his scope and felt his heart race when the front doors of the restaurant opened and President Miller walked out. Miller waved at someone and Daniel took that as his opportunely to hit his target. He didn’t watch what happened next, he just quickly broke down his rifle and put it in his bag.
He ran to his car, opened the back door, shoved his bag in and covered it up with the black blanket he’d set back there. He got in his car and slowly drove back to his house to where Jacob was waiting.
When he got home he walked in to find Jacob next to the bar with a drink in his hand. He looked up at Daniel and raised his eyebrows.
“It’s done,” he said and walked toward him. Jacob handed him a glass and Daniel drank it without second guessing what it was. He needed something strong to calm his raging nerves down.
Jacob glanced at him. “I know. It was already on the news. Now it is your time to step up from Vice President and become President.”
Two years earlier he’d run with Charlie Miller, hoping for the Presidential nomination, but he hadn’t been able to get the votes, so he’d settled for Vice President. Now that Miller was dead, he would be leading the country the way it should be run.
Daniel had promised some of the wealthiest people in America, people who wanted to be the select few, that the country would be split into two classes, Blacks and Blues. The Blacks would be the wealth and would rule over the Blues, the poor class.
He wanted to make sure that the Blues couldn’t move up or become wealthy. He wanted to make sure that if someone was born a Blue, they would stay a Blue. The biggest obstacle to achieving two separated classes would be keeping them from intermarrying. He would have to make it a Federal Crime to socialize between the different classes with the harsh punishment of a death sentence, should it occur. And if you were born a Blue you would die a Blue along with your children.
“I will step up. I’m expecting the phone call at any minute,” Daniel replied.
That one phone call would set his plan in motion. As Vice President, he would take over from the now deceased President Miller and be in charge of the country. He’d already planned to end the war, but he would do what he promised. He would lead the country as he wanted, as the wealthy wanted. The lower class would work for spa/span>
“Sir, the President has been shot. The surgeons don’t think he’ll make it through the night. You need to be ready to be sworn in.”
Daniel already knew President Miller wouldn’t make it, and was most likely already dead. He should know, he was, after all, a perfect shot which was why he was chosen to make the assassination. “I saw the news, are you certain he won’t make it?” Daniel did his best to put as much empathy in his voice as he could, as Jacob rolled his eyes. He could hear a murmur of voices in the background.
The man on the phone sighed, “Sir, he was shot in the head.”
Daniel smirked knowing he’d been the one to do it, and he would be the one to tell the Country that their President was dead. He would be the one to tell the America citizens that the wealthy had won the war.
Chapter One
No B Club
“Are you sure you want to go in there?” Emily asked in a nervous voice, looking at the red neon sign that flashed No B Club on the side of the large warehouse. “I mean, can’t we just go to Black Diamonds?”
“No.” Jamie grinned as she pulled off her black leather bracelet and started toward the door. “I want to be here!”
After a short moment, Emily’s high-heeled footsteps closed in as she, too, put her bracelet in her purse and joined her. Jamie knew her friend was scared about going into the No B Club- the only place in town where Black and Blue bracelets could be together- and, though it wasn’t popular with the older generation and had a bad reputation with the law, Jamie had made up her mind. It was her eighteenth birthday, and even though Black Diamonds was only a few blocks from where they stood, the strictly Black-bracelet club wasn’t what she wanted, and neither the threat of rumors nor of the ominous broken windows would deter her.
Approaching the door, the bouncer in front asked for their hands and, as each unsteadily offered their palms, he drew a large, black B on them before waving them
in. Although they’d made it past the large man, Emily still shivered with fear and Jamie, spotting her friend, shook her head. As they stepped past the threshold and their bones began to vibrate from the intensity of the music, she let out a vicn>
They’d made it!
They walked past people as they made their way to the bar. Most were humping one another, and she realized she’d never understood why people really danced like that. It just made her think of naughty things that should be kept behind closed doors. Jamie glanced at her best friend, noticing she had wide eyes as she took in their surroundings. The music was loud, and the lights were flashing on the crowd.
“You know you don’t have to look so terrified,” Jamie said and smiled at Emily. “We are going to have fun!”
“I don’t know. I heard last week the Black Enforcers raided this club. Some of the club goers are still in the tower,” Emily fretted.
Jamie shrugged and forced her eyes away from her. The tower was where people went to await the council. The council was made up of the founding Black families. Most of the Blues sent there were put to death, but only in extreme cases were Blacks given the same punishment. Blacks were still beaten and tortured, just to try to get them to think the worst of the Blues. Jamie’s father was the head of the council. He was one of the people who believed the No B Club should be burned to the ground.
A man with a pierced eyebrow and a lip ring caught Jamie’s eyes. He had long, wavy, shoulder-length hair and she noticed he had on black eyeliner. Her heart sped up when he glanced at her. It surprised her, because she’d never felt like that before.
“Jamie, are you listening to me?”
Jamie turned her attention back to Emily, and saw an arched blonde eyebrow.
“What were you looking at?” she turned around to see, and when she looked back at Jamie there was a wide grin on her face. “Or is should I say who?” Emily giggled.
Jamie rolled her eyes, but peeked back at him. His eyes were still on her and he grinned. He was talking to another man, but his eyes stayed on her. “Let’s go over there, but I call the one with the piercings.”
Emily grabbed Jamie’s arm, and held her back. “What if they are Blues?” Emily whispered with fear edging her voice.
Jamie shrugged. She really didn’t care what he was. She just wanted to get to know him. She felt something pulling her toward him and wanted to know why. “I don’t care,” she said as she pulled her arm free, and walked toward the strange man with dark hair. She smiled when she heard Emily swear at her.
The pierced man grinned at her again as she moved toward him and she watched him say something to his friend, who turned around. He, too, was fairly attractive with his light, short, blonde hair slicked back away from his handsome face.
“Can we buy you two a drink?” the pierced man asked, and Jamie noticed his eyes were blue.
“Sure,” Jamie said, which made him smile. She felt her face heat up with a blush and silently thanked God it was dark in there and he couldn’t see what kind of affect he had on her.
The pierced man turned around to get their drinks and the blonde guy grinned at her and Emily. “Let’s find a table,” he said.
The three of them moved to an open table, and Jamie was grateful it was in the part of the club where the music wasn’t so loud. On the wall next to the table a single light lit up, so Jamie got her first good look at the other man. His hair was sandy blonde, but his eyes were a bright green. His gray shirt made his eyes seem greener.
“So, I’m Michael Rich, and my friend getting the drinks is Henry Roarke.” Michael looked past Jamie to Emily and he winked. “What are your names?”
Before she or Emily could answer, Henry joined them holding four drinks. “I wasn’t sure what you wanted, so I got you Cherry Bombs.” Henry smiled as he handed them their drinks, but when he handed Jamie hers, their fingers brushed and Jamie felt sparks ignite from her fingers then travel throughout her body. He must have felt it too, because his eyes were as wide as she knew hers were. Henry smiled as he sat next to Jamie, but kept a little distance from her.
“Perfect timing, I was just about to find out these two beautiful girls’ names,” Michael said, moving closer to Emily.
Jamie glanced at her best friend who was giggling at something Michael had whispered in her ear. “I’m Jamie Mo…just Jamie, and that’s Emily.” If they were Blues they’d recognize her last name as a Blacks founding family.
“Well, Jamie Mo, it is a pleasure to meet you. I’m Henry,” he said, his voice sounded low, but it entranced her.
“I know, your friend already told us.” She glanced up at him, wanting to steal a look, but she was met with blue eyes staring down at her, watching her. She turned her gaze to the tan line on his left wrist, the one caused by his bracelet. Jamie wondered if he was a Black or a Blue. She hoped for Black.
“How old are you eighteen…nineteen?” he asked her, and she brought her eyes back up to his face. From what she could see, he was handsome with his well-defined cheekbones, and squared jaw. A little dark stubble covered his cheeks, and she desperately wanted to run her finger tips down them, but instead she entwined her fingers together in her lap.
“Today is her eighteenth birthday,” Emily answered for her and Henry glanced at her for a second; then returned his eyes to Jamie.
“Well, Jamie Mo, happy birthday.” He’d dropped his voice just low enough for her to hear and she was under his spell.
“Thank you,” Jamie said and grinned. “Do you come here a lot?” she asked, but what she r>
A warm chuckle filled her ears. “I come here often.” He paused and stared at her. “I take it you don’t know the rules, right?”
She shook her head.
“Well you aren’t allowed to ask what bracelet anyone wears, or where they live. You can’t mention the colors here.”
Once again she peeked down at the tan line on his wrist. “Is Henry Roarke your real name?” Jamie asked as she looked back up at him.
“You will learn quickly, I don’t lie. Whatever I tell you is the truth, even if I know it will hurt you,” Henry said, looking past her. She wanted to turn around, but forced herself to keep her eyes on him. “Would you like to go somewhere quieter where we can talk?”
Jamie looked at her best friend. Emily was deep in conversation with Michael and wore the I would do anything for you smile on her face. “Sure,” she said meeting Henry’s gaze.
He slowly stood up and held out his hand for her. She took it without even thinking about it. Their hands felt right together like they were made for each other. He led her through the crowed club, and to a blood red door that read RED VIP. He slipped a red key out of his back pocket, and she arched an eyebrow at him. It must be something he did regularly, pick up some poor woman and bring her back here to have his wicked way with her.
A part of her protested the thought and wished for him to have anyway he wanted with her, but she wouldn’t be used, not again. “You know...I’m just going to go back to Emily,” Jamie said, feeling her anger at herself rise. She should have known he was too good to be true. She turned to walk away, but she felt a hand on her arm stop her.
“Jamie, what’s going on?” he looked at her, and she ripped her arm free.
“You come often enough to have a personal key to a private room?” She wondered how many girls had fallen victim to his charms, like she had.
A smile spread across his perfectly handsome face. “It’s not what you think, please come in and let me explain.” His eyes pleaded with her and she glared at him. “Please Jamie?”
She sighed, but followed him back to the door. He opened it for her, and let her step through, closing the door shut behind him. The music from outside sounded like a muffled song. Jamie glanced around the VIP room. It had a black velvet couch, and the walls were a bright red. “You have five minutes,” Jamie said, keeping her eyes away from him.
“Okay first, I’m part owner of the club, so I have a key to every ro
om, and secondly I don’t normally bring anyone back here, this is my personal room. The one I use when I don’t want to listen to the loud music.” Henry shrugged, and smiled at her.
Jamie felt her face soften as she turned back to him. “You’re part owner?” she tried to think about what she knew about the owners of No B Club, but there had been nothing on them. All anyone knew was that they were young; one Blue and the other Black. Once again she hoped he was a Black, things would be easier if he were.
“Yeah, Mike and I run this place. We wanted a place where we could be ourselves without worrying who was from what class,” he said moving closer to her.
Jamie’s heart was beating too fast. “Are you telling me you aren’t wondering what class I’m in?” because that was all she was thinking about. She wanted to know if they could be together, or if her father would kill the man standing in front of her for even looking at her.
Henry stroked her cheek, a smile on his sinful lips. “I haven’t thought about it, because it doesn’t matter here or to me.”
With him that close, she could see his eyes were a brilliant, light-blue with specks of navy blue. “Oh…but-”
“We have the night. We don’t need the light.”
Jamie nodded. She was enjoying his touch too much. She was the one to move away from him and his warm hand. “So…” she said as she looked around the red room again. Soft light filled the room and her eyes landed on a black, plushy couch which sat in the middle of the room. A little light wooden bar stood in the right corner of the room with a black shiny top.
Black and Blue (Black and Blue Series) Page 1