‘She’ll claw my eyes out, I know, I’ve been told.’
‘Who the fuck said that to you?’ Rushe asked, growing rigid.
‘The same woman who told me I shouldn’t walk on the wild side because I wouldn’t be able to handle you.’
‘What I hear, he’s the one who can’t handle you,’ Silver said. ‘You’re a wild cat.’
‘You came here to warn us,’ Flick said, swivelling her body to lean back on Rushe’s chest, while twining his arms further around her. There was something about the thickness of his solid, shielding embrace that sheltered her from danger and negativity.
‘I came here to tell you they’re watching,’ Silver said. ‘I don’t want the girls getting twitchy.’
‘And?’
Rushe’s single word was deep and commanding. He had picked up on something that Flick hadn’t. Right enough, Silver’s shoulders dropped a couple of inches.
‘He woke up.’
Rushe’s form grew, and although he kept her in his arms he took his butt off the back of the couch and rose to his full height. ‘Jansen?’ Silver nodded and averted his gaze. ‘Fuck,’ Rushe exhaled.
‘Wait, Jansen is awake?’ Flick asked, trying to get either of the men to look at her. But Rushe only tightened his embrace to prevent her from moving away. ‘This is great. This is amazing news.’
‘Maybe,’ Rushe said.
‘How can you say maybe?’ Flick said, and when Silver did eventually lift his head, the two men shared a solemn look. ‘Wait a minute, how do you know anything about Jansen?’
‘Silver got me on the Jansen job,’ Rushe said.
‘I had some guys trying to back door drugs into this place a few years back, and it caused me some trouble,’ Silver said. ‘Jansen was working a case, and he came to me, I gave him information, and he kept the pigs from my door.’
‘You were an informant,’ Flick said.
‘I don’t mean no one no harm. You leave me to my business, and I’ll leave you to yours,’ Silver said.
‘Having a relationship with the cops helps keep trouble away,’ Rushe said.
‘So you and Jansen had an association, and Jansen came to you when Victor took Serendipity?’
‘Rushe was here with Tawny at the time,’ Silver said. ‘He agreed to help Jansen out.’
So Flick now understood how Rushe had gotten involved with this in the first place. ‘So Rushe left here to work for Victor?’
‘Yeah,’ Silver said. ‘Victor called me to check that Rushe was legit.’
‘A reference?’ Flick asked, imagining that even criminals liked to check employment history.
‘I acted mad,’ Silver said. ‘And told Victor that Rushe screwed me over. It gave your boy credibility when I said he’d fucked up one of my girls.’
‘Sure it did,’ Flick said.
Victor wanted to check that Rushe was crooked, and Silver gave that confirmation. It made sense now why the Merciers would make an agreement with Silver to send Rushe back here until they were ready for him. They thought that Silver wanted revenge too, and that Rushe begrudged being here paying for the damage he allegedly did to this fictitious woman.
‘Is he talking?’ Rushe asked.
Silver shrugged. ‘That’s all I got. I had a guy checking in at the hospital every day or two. He just wanders by and listens to the nurses’ talk.’
‘Ok, we have to go there,’ Flick said, casting aside thoughts of getting to the library and phoning Eric.
‘No,’ Silver said, taking an involuntary step toward them. ‘This is gonna change the timetable.’
‘Timetable?’
‘Antoine was waiting for his uncle to return,’ Rushe said. ‘Now that Jansen’s awake, if he starts talking...’
‘We have to know what he knows,’ Flick said. ‘He’ll be devastated to hear about Serendipity, and he has to know that we’re on the case.’
‘Yeah,’ Rushe said, and though she couldn’t see his face she could hear his mind working. ‘You’re right; we have to know what he knows.’
‘I was supposed to talk to Eric today about the captains. It might be best to leave that until later, because Jansen can tell us if there’s a chance that we can trust them.’
‘Captains?’ Silver asked.
‘Don’t worry about it,’ Rushe mumbled, his mind was still elsewhere.
So Silver didn’t know everything, but that was hardly surprising. Rushe wasn’t known for sharing more than was necessary, as Flick had found out again today.
‘I have to get dressed,’ Flick said, digging her nails into Rushe’s arm when he didn’t release her.
‘Not in front of him you don’t,’ Rushe said, sounding more with it than he had a few seconds ago.
‘He doesn’t care,’ Flick said, not that she’d intended to get naked in front of Silver.
But the pimp’s smile rose again and he leaned back. ‘Not me,’ Silver said. ‘Get your tits out again.’
‘He fucks his share of women too,’ Rushe grumbled. ‘He’ll stick his dick in any hole that passes.’
That revelation actually made Flick smile at Silver, because the man she’d written off as flat and one-dimensional actually turned out to be very intriguing.
‘I like the way she’s looking at me now,’ Silver said to Rushe, but kept his smiling eyes on Flick. ‘Maybe sharing’s not such a bad idea anymore, huh? If I fuck you first, can I share your man?’
‘Out,’ Rushe barked, and Silver laughed but sauntered toward the door.
‘Don’t get yourself in more trouble,’ Silver said, on reaching the exit. ‘Check it out if you want but I say you should run, get going before those guys panic and have you in leg irons.’
‘Thanks for your concern,’ Rushe grumbled, and opened the door. ‘Out.’
Silver ambled on out, and Rushe swung the door into the frame behind him. ‘We have to go now. We don’t want the cops getting there before us,’ Flick said. ‘We have to tell Jansen about Serendipity—‘Rushe had turned his intimidating glare on her, but she didn’t shrink. ‘What?’
‘Going to the hospital is dangerous.’
‘I know,’ Flick said, peering closer. ‘But so is walking down the street for us these days. Silver is right that this will change their timetable. They could send the police here, if they decide to arrest you—‘
‘I’m prepared for that.’
‘I’m not,’ she said. ‘You’re not allowed to leave me. Who will watch my tail if you’re in prison?’
‘Eric,’ Rushe said. ‘I’ve given him instructions to—‘
‘Oh my god,’ Flick said, drawing back when he began to approach her. ‘You’ve made a contingency plan. You’ve actually made arrangements. Am I supposed to sit on my ass for the next thirty years while you rot in there?’
‘If you want to fuck around—‘
‘That’s not what I’m talking about, and you know it,’ Flick said. ‘You are not going to prison, and I will do whatever it takes to prevent it... whatever it takes.’
‘What does that mean?’ Rushe asked, doing some scrutinising of his own. He kept coming at her, but Flick backed away.
‘Nothing,’ she said, shaking her head quickly and swallowing away her determination.
This wasn’t a man to be caged, and if she had to give up her liberty for his, then she would. As his eyes narrowed on hers, Flick’s heart pumped louder because she was sure, she didn’t have an ounce of doubt. Rushe would remain free; she would dedicate her life to that conviction.
‘We have to go to the hospital,’ she said. ‘Get ready.’
Chapter Nineteen
Hospitals weren’t meant to be daunting places, at least not in terms of bad guys and danger. Flick’s apprehension only lessened once they parked the car and she could see the building. This was a place of healing, not of torture, and it would be filled with kind, noble people.
If they could talk to Jansen, then they could finally get some answers. So this task was important, and it wa
s not a time to be overcome by fear. Rushe had taken her to a diner to call Eric and let him know of the developments. Eric would update Liam, and the plan was to regroup later.
After selecting a parking spot on the far side of the lot, they departed the car. Rushe took her hand to lead her through the vehicles toward the main building. Because Rushe had been here before, Flick was confident that he knew where he was going. On reaching the complex, they moved past a vent pumping out steam and then went down a narrow alley, flanked by two dark brick walls.
The walkway was thirty feet long, but she could see the edge of the automatic doors on the other side of the courtyard beyond. Keeping her sight set on that, she reminded herself that every step was one closer to the knowledge that had the potential to set them free. Getting inside would be easy, then they had to find Jansen’s room, and...
Someone stepped into view at the end of the narrow space, and Rushe stopped. They didn’t have a chance to retreat because a fire door opened behind them, and eight men came out from inside before they let the door click back to lock.
‘Isn’t it wonderful news?’
The person who had come into the end of the alley started moving toward them, but stopped fifteen feet away. Flick wouldn’t have expected Antoine to leave his post at her parents’ home, but here he was now, standing tall in front of them.
‘What are you doing here?’ Flick asked.
Rushe shifted his body in front of hers in a shielding manoeuvre, but the eight guys gathered in an arc around them from the rear. None of them touched, but they were menacing enough to set her on edge, and Rushe too.
‘We got the news very early this morning that our associate is conscious, isn’t it wonderful?’ Antoine asked, without an ounce of delight.
‘What do you want?’ Rushe asked.
‘It is time to satisfy your debt with us. We shall settle your remaining affairs with Silver.’
‘No,’ Flick said.
‘We can send the police to Silver’s place for you,’ Antoine said. ‘Or we make the call here... were you trying to finish the job you started on Jansen?’
Their intention was to blame everything on Rushe, and with enough police corroboration they could get away with it. If Jansen was no longer a credible witness because of his injuries, then he’d be useless. Alternatively, it was possible that when he found out about Serendipity he would do anything to keep her safe, and that could include lying and implicating Rushe. Flick could jump up and down and proclaim his innocence as much as she wanted to, but if she was alone then she would not be very effective.
‘You expect me to stroll up to the closest cop and turn myself in?’ Rushe asked.
‘Non,’ Antoine said, on half a laugh. ‘We expect your lady to phone them.’
‘Excuse me?’
‘Oui, our boys here have rescued you from an attack that they witnessed. You are free of the abuse you have lived under, and now you have the chance to tell the police the full story.’
Flick started forward. ‘Why you fucking—‘Rushe took hold of her shoulders to prevent her advancing on Antoine.
‘You have no choices,’ Antoine said.
A thwack preceded a curse, then Rushe’s hands were gone. Flick spun to see Rushe land a punch on one guy as another hit his jaw. Rushe turned, but was hit again. Blood sprayed, and a third guy came at Rushe as a fourth brought up the butt of a gun.
‘Stop!’ she screamed out, and the men actually did desist but they remained on pause; none released his grip on the other. Rushe had blood on his forehead and on the back of his head. All of the guys matched Rushe in bulk, but he was outmatched in numbers.
‘You knew this was coming, ma chère... Your statement is expected.’
‘I told you I would testify against Victor,’ Flick said, spinning around to beseech the European. ‘Please, I told you I would, I promise you, I’ll implicate them all. You won’t go to jail; no one will know anything about your family. Please! None of the other women can testify to anything except Victor and his men. I’ll corroborate that, and Simone can give her testimony too. Please, Antoine! You don’t have to do this.’
‘Your father would be ashamed of your begging.’
‘I don’t care,’ Flick said, aware of the weight of wetness on her lashes. ‘You can be a reasonable man, this makes sense. Everybody wins. You get to start again, and we get to walk away.’
Antoine came closer, but remained out of her reach. The rabble of men detaining Rushe were a good ten feet behind her now. ‘And I told you it wasn’t enough,’ he hissed.
Flesh smacked flesh, and when Flick whirled she saw two guys with a hold of Rushe’s arms. They dragged him to the wall as a third thug landed a punch on his chin and another hit his gut. The gang would beat her love to a pulp and then claim that they’d done it in defence of her.
‘No!’ The male faces all came in her direction. ‘I said, no.’
‘Do you think that you can do something to prevent us, mademoiselle?’ Antoine asked, bringing his body toward hers when she shifted her focus to him.
‘You made me an alternative offer,’ she said, forcing herself to keep her eyes locked to his, in spite of the twist of bitterness in her throat.
‘Oui.’
‘You want my family,’ she said, with increasing determination.
‘Oui.’
Gritting her teeth, Flick had to will herself to utter the words. ‘You can have me,’ she exhaled and his chin came up. Quite unable to believe that she was going to acquiesce, Flick felt her soul depart her body. ‘I’ll do it. Whatever you want. Set him loose, you leave him alone, and Serendipity, and Jansen... your family will consider the debt paid, never go near any of them again, and I’ll do whatever you want.’
‘Kitten.’
She disregarded the growl that came from a distance behind her. Rushe was out of her view, and far in front of the haughty, yet intrigued, Antoine, whom she remained intent upon.
‘Do we have an accord?’ she asked.
Less than ten seconds passed, but it felt like a lifetime, and then the European’s smile curled further. ‘Take him far from here, and let him free.’
Antoine’s hand came up to caress her face, and Flick had to force herself not to recoil or spit out at him. Movement and shouting flared in the background, but she didn’t see Rushe again. Though it broke her heart not to look into his eyes one last time, she knew her own heart would never survive the intangible contact.
‘Flick! Kitten! You fucking dumb bitch...!’
The shouting kept up, but when the gang split from the alley the specifics faded. ‘You know I have been intimate with your sister,’ Antoine said.
‘Yes.’
‘I will not be faithful to you; there will be no love... We will know the truth, but your family will not. Their connections will be very useful.’
‘I know what you want from me, Antoine,’ she said. ‘If you and your associates hold up your end of the bargain, then I will do the same.’
Being back in her family home so soon had been unexpected, and until she received word that Rushe was still free Flick would maintain her frost. Not that she could imagine shirking it now after events of the day.
The Frenchman had put her into the back of his car, and they’d been driven all the way back to the Hughes’ home immediately.
‘I can’t believe it,’ Beverly said, when Flick and Antoine came into the family dining room. ‘Antoine told us that he would retrieve you, and here you are.’ Her mother went so far as to rest a gracious hand on her daughter’s elbow.
‘He what?’ Flick asked, when Antoine moved in close to her side.
‘Yes, this feud is just ridiculous, you should embrace your family. We should work through all issues with support, as it is not our place to judge each other.’
‘But you leave and return with our youngest child within a day,’ Beverly said. ‘You must be very persuasive.’
‘That I certainly am,’ Antoine said. His arm came arou
nd Flick’s shoulders, and her whole body went rigid.
Her urge was to scream and lunge around. Flick wanted to smack him in the head, beat him until he begged her for mercy, and then she’d keep on going.
It had taken eight guys to drag Rushe from her side, and she knew he’d be back with her just as soon as he could be. This wasn’t over. But making a scene now wasn’t going to improve relations, in fact there was a good chance that it would risk lives.
‘I’m going to call your sisters, and we’ll all have dinner this evening. This is tremendous news, your father will be pleased that you are home to stay.’
Beverly brushed her hand upward and vanished from the room in a flurry of silk and sparkling jewels. Beverly Hughes was always turned out to perfection. She wore stylish clothes in expensive fabrics, which were complemented by the latest jewellery designs and understated makeup. There was no detracting from her beauty or her sophistication. The door was closed, and instantly Flick shoved away from Antoine.
‘What did you do with him?’ Flick demanded, now that they were alone for the first time since the incident in the alleyway.
‘Rushe is fine.’
‘I don’t believe you,’ she said, going for the Scotch decanter in the corner and pouring herself a large measure.
‘He will stay working with Silver,’ Antoine said. ‘We have a few jobs, and he can enforce for us.’
‘No,’ she said. ‘You want my family. You want me here. I’m here on the proviso that no one gets hurt and that you liberate my friends, which includes Rushe. He’s tied to nothing and Serendipity goes free.’
‘They shall,’ Antoine said. ‘As soon as the case has been dispensed with.’
‘You’re going to keep Serendipity, and keep tabs on Rushe, until the prosecutors have made their case?’
‘And accountability has been placed firmly on the shoulders of Victor and his group, yes.’
‘That could take months.’
‘Or years,’ he said, watching her finish the liquor and pour another couple of fingers. ‘I like my woman to enjoy a drink, though perhaps not of something so potent in such volume.’
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