Mikial

by K. J. Dahlen

  “Is there any way we can get her back without causing him to kill her?” Sazon asked.

  Mikial shrugged. “I don’t want to rock the boat. He gave me his word he wouldn’t hurt her. All I want is to get her back. All he wants is the shipment.”

  “Think about this for a moment brother,” Yuri placed his hand on Mikial’s shoulder. “Can you trust him to keep his word? This is Flynn we’re talking about.”

  “I know but Pepper is counting on me. I can’t let her down.” Mikial shook his head. “I just can’t.”

  “No one is asking you to,” Barshan told him.

  “We need to figure out where he is. One of the reason no one has been able to stop him is no one knows where he is,” Roman stated. “Maybe if we can do that, we can keep an eye on him.”

  “And how do we do that?” Mikial growled. “We can’t exactly go to the police, now can we? They would ask too many questions and stop the shipment before he could get it. That wouldn’t be good for Pepper.”

  “I could get the word out,” Raven suggested. “I have friends out there that can go where no one would notice them.”

  Mikial shook his head. “I won’t put anyone else in danger. If Flynn catches someone sneaking around, he might think we sent them and he said he wouldn’t hurt her as long as I was smart. I can’t give him any reason to go back on his word. He said he would send her back in tiny pieces if I broke my word to him.”

  Raven came over to him and wrapped her arms around him.

  Mikial held her tight until Yuri growled a bit.

  Raven ignored her boyfriend and looked into Mikial’s eyes. “I promise you he won’t even notice they are there. These people do this every day, all day long. At least, let me try.”

  “Brother, think about what this really is,” Yuri explained. “This is about letting a bad man win. We belong to the Bratva. We make the rules in this city. Right now, he’s in charge. He’s controlling this situation. If we do nothing, he’ll do this again and again, and we will lose control altogether. He’s making a fool of us and that cannot be allowed.”

  “I know, but I’m afraid that if we go busting in there, he’ll kill her before we can get her back,” Mikial admitted.

  “Let’s find her first, then decide how we want to do this,” Roman suggested.

  Mikial took a deep breath and exhaled. Looking at Raven, he nodded. “Okay, ask your people to find him only and not to approach him in any way.”

  Raven squeezed his hand, then walked away to make her calls.

  Yuri handed Mikial and Kosta a shot of vodka. When they slammed the liquor down Yuri put his hand on Mikial’s shoulder and asked, “This is your call my friend. What do you want us to do?”

  Mikial shrugged. “I want my woman back in my arms. She hasn’t done anything wrong here. None of this is her fault. When we went out to her mother’s place this morning she was so happy. Some of the blanks of her life she could remember again. Part of me wants to wait the two days and not rock the boat. Then I remember the fear I saw in her eyes before he took her away from me. Did you know she couldn’t tell me that she loved me? After everything life had put her through she wasn’t sure she knew what love was. She always said she needed me or she wanted me but she just couldn’t say she loved me. She told me she felt it but was unsure of saying the words. She said she wanted to mean it when she finally said the words. Before he took her away, she kissed me and told me she did love me. There was a look in her eyes that astounded me. There was a lingering fear but for the most part it was absolute faith.” Mikial looked at the faces of his brothers. “Those words are so easy for anyone to say, but she couldn’t say them until today. She told me when she finally did say them she wanted to mean them. She wanted no doubt about the feeling behind the words and she only wanted to say them to one man.”

  “So what do you want to do about getting her back where she belongs?” Sazon asked.

  “I want to hunt this motherfucker down and rip him apart.” Mikial growled. “I want to hit him hard and fast and if he’s hurt her I want his heart in my hand.” Turning to Yuri he added, “When I looked into his eyes today, I saw nothing. No emotion, no empathy, no feelings at all. All the rumors we heard about the man are true. Do I trust his word to return her unharmed? No I don’t. He would kill her and never think about it twice. We have to find her and bring her home.”

  “I’ll put every man I have on this for you,” Barshan told him. Barshan ran a security business in the city, providing a safety net for big wig people, people who had enemies. He employed and trained his people to be able to fit hand to hand and with any and all weapons. His services were called upon all over the globe. But that was only one side of Barshan’s business. He also ran a profitable loan business. He secured loans for individuals at risk, those who had a business or tangible property as collateral.

  “As will I,” Yuri assured him. “Between the two of us we should have a small enough force to move quickly and quietly but also deadly enough to get the job done.”

  “Good.” Mikial grunted. “I want to hit this fucker hard and fast and take away everything he’s ever worked for. I want to send the word out that no one touches what’s mine. Timothy Flynn made his last mistake this morning when he took my woman.”

  Roman thrust his hand into the circle the five of them made. Sazon put his hand on top of Roman’s, soon Barshan and Yuri’s hands joined the others. Finally, Mikial’s hand topped theirs. Then all five chanted, “We are brothers by choice, blood has brought us together and holds us strong. Brothers we are and brothers we will always be.”

  Raven stood back and listened to the men. She knew they had a strong bond but the words and the feelings behind their vow touched her deeply. These five men were more than a family. She looked at Yuri and knew he would stand with the others and if someone had taken her she knew the others would fight beside to bring her back to him, the same as they all stood now to bring Pepper back to Mikial.

  She shook her head and had no sympathy for the likes of Timothy Flynn or Leon Knight. In fact, if she had any say in it, those two men would be left broken and ravaged. By the time they were done with them, those two men would be left barely breathing.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Pepper sat on the floor in the corner of Flynn’s office. People had been coming and going most of the day. She hadn’t been listening to the conversations around her or at least not trying to anyway. Flynn conducted his business as usual and Pepper didn’t think that was a good sign for her.

  After McKenna left this morning, she’d been back once. The other woman had ignored her completely, which suited Pepper just fine. It was only as McKenna was leaving that her attention turned to Pepper. McKenna stared at her for the longest time then she stomped over to where Pepper was sitting. She raised her foot and quickly kicked her in the stomach.

  The attack caught Pepper off guard and took her breath away. She was left gasping for air when McKenna kicked her again and would have for a third time but Flynn pulled her away. “I told you this already cousin, don’t damage the goods.”

  “But I’m really pissed and Leon isn’t here. I have to hit someone, it might as well be her. She’s the reason for my anger.” McKenna rallied.

  “Lady, that’s so ass backward.” Pepper coughed and spit up a mouthful of blood. “I’m not the one who betrayed you, Leon did.”

  “You shut your whore mouth!” McKenna screamed. “You shouldn’t even be breathing. You have no right to be alive.”

  Pepper grimaced as she sat up and tried to move away from the crazy woman. “You’re blaming the wrong person sweetheart. Go cut the nuts off your husband. He’s the one that stuck his cock into someone who wasn’t you, not me.”

  McKenna began struggling to get away from her cousin. “I’m gonna kill you, you foulmouthed little bitch!” McKenna screamed.

  Flynn hustled her over to the door and pushed her out into the other room. Slamming the door behind her, he snapped the lock and turned to f
ace Pepper. Shaking his head he said, “Lady you just don’t know when to quit, do you? Didn’t anyone ever teach you not to poke a wild animal?”

  “Screw you.” Pepper growled.

  “No thank you.” He nodded at her. “I don’t take sloppy seconds to the bear.”

  “The bear?” Pepper questioned.

  “You belong to the Russian.” Flynn shrugged. “He’s a bear.”

  “What does that make you?” she asked.

  “Me?” He grinned. “I’m a fox, quick, cleaver, and a great hunter.”

  Pepper rolled her eyes but didn’t say anything.

  Flynn went back over to his desk and sat down. Ignoring her, he began working again.

  Pepper leaned back against the wall and rubbed her sore ribs. McKenna had kicked her good and hard and she knew from past experience she would have bruises there soon enough. Brushing her wild hair back, she combed the long lengths with her fingers and finally began to braid her hair to keep it out of her face. As the day wore on, she couldn’t help but begin to worry about Mikial and what he was doing. She hoped he wouldn’t leave her with this maniac for two whole days but didn’t dare to hope he would come for her.

  She had only just found him but he was the only one she would ever love. She knew that in her heart, so she had no regrets telling him the words he’d wanted to hear. The moment she said them, his eyes filled with so much emotion, it had filled her own heart.

  Now, the longer time she spent with Timothy Flynn the more doubt she was beginning to feel.

  Closing her eyes, she saw Mikial’s face again. The strong lines and curves she adored so much. The light in his blue eyes, the stubble along his jaw and his short blond hair. His hard body and large frame with those powerful arms that held her so tightly. All put together that made him the man he was and yet, all those things didn’t define the man he was inside.

  Those things didn’t define the honor inside him. He was so much more than what he looked like and even though the outside of him was so fine, it was the man inside that mattered more to her. And just then she prayed she would see him again. She so wanted to feel his arms around her again, she so wanted to feel his skin against hers again, and for the rest of her life.

  Three hours after Mikial returned, Raven got a call back from her friends on the street. It was the one call that gave them hope they had found Timothy Flynn. The caller told them McKenna Knight had visited the warehouse near the old peer twice that day.

  Both times, she’d entered upset but left furious. This last time, it was reported she was escorted by one of Flynn’s men to her car and she was watched as she left. To Mikial, that meant one thing, Pepper had finally met her father’s wife and McKenna wasn’t happy about the encounter.

  He knew they had to move quickly before Pepper got hurt. He wasn’t going to honor his deal with Flynn and he doubted Flynn really believed he would. He might have the rest of the city in fear of him but Mikial wasn’t afraid of the man. Even if he’d been standing alone, he wouldn’t have feared the man but he wasn’t alone. With his brothers, he would never stand alone.

  He joined Yuri and the others in the security room in the basement of the hotel. When he entered the room, he noticed the thirty or so men all getting geared up to storm Flynn’s warehouse. All the men were dressed in black and checking weapons. They resembled a small army and Mikial supposed that’s what they were.

  “Are we good to go?” Yuri asked as he looked over at Mikial.

  Mikial nodded. “We end this today.”

  Yuri slapped a hand down on Mikial’s shoulder. “We’ll get her back to you and teach Flynn a lesson he should have learned a long time ago.”

  Mikial stared at his brother for a moment. “Flynn is mine.”

  “Agreed,” Yuri assured him as he put his hands up.

  “Then let the lessons begin.” Mikial smiled.

  As the darkening shadows began creeping in around the docks, some of those shadows moved into place. Every so often, one of the shadows chirped different sounds, not loud enough for anyone to hear except for those who knew what the sounds meant.

  Then all the shadows were silent. They had somehow found their way inside the warehouse and were about to ruin Timothy Flynn’s day.

  Once inside the building, Mikial’s eyes adjusted to the dim interior. Inside were seven men and three women. The men were playing cards while the women watched. They had opened bottles of beer on the table and they weren’t paying attention to anyone but themselves. Mikial saw Barshan’s and Yuri’s men scatter and get into position. What he didn’t see was Flynn or Pepper. He scanned the inside of the warehouse again, and still did not see them. But he did find a closed door at the far end.

  Mikial moved closer, staying in the shadows. He was about to storm the door when it opened from the inside and Timothy Flynn walked out. He was looking down at the paper in his hand. He glanced up briefly, then walked three more steps toward his men and stopped.

  He stiffened then slowly turned to face his office again. As he did, Mikial watched his eyes scanning the room. Almost as if he knew they were there. Mikial narrowed his own eyes and glared at Flynn. Without another sound, Mikial rose to his feet and stepped out of the shadows. Facing Flynn, he noted Flynn dropped the paper in his hand and reached back to grab the weapon at his back.

  Mikial raised his gun and pointed it at Flynn.

  Flynn paused and raised his hands. “You know I almost expected this from you.”

  “Then you shouldn’t really be surprised, should you?” Mikial growled.

  Flynn smiled. “I suppose you came after your woman?”

  “I did.”

  Flynn nodded to the office behind him. “She’s safe.”

  “Pepper,”Mikial raised his voice a bit. “Can you come out here?”

  A moment later, he felt her come up behind him but Mikial never took his eyes off Flynn. He didn’t dare look at her yet but he felt her.

  Then Flynn made a mistake. He took his eyes off Mikial and dropped his hands.

  Mikial saw his hand sneaking for the pistol he knew the other man carried. Without blinking, Mikial squeezed the trigger on his own weapon.

  Flynn flew backward without making a sound and then all hell broke loose. Shots were fired and screams rang out. But the chaos only lasted a few minutes and when it was over, the silence was deafening.

  Mikial still hadn’t taken his eyes off of Flynn. The other man hadn’t moved but the pool of blood he was laying in had increased. Mikial went over to him and gazed down at his body. There was a bullet hole in the middle of his forehead. Timothy Flynn had died the same violent way he lived. His struggle was over.

  Mikial finally glanced at Pepper. He noted the bruises and dried blood on her face. He rose to his feet and walked over to her. When he reached her, he brushed her hair away from her face. “Are you okay?”

  Pepper wrapped her arms around his waist and planted her face in his chest. “I am now,” she whispered. “You came for me. I prayed you would come f-for me.” Her words were broken with sobs.

  “I will always come for you,” he whispered back. “You are my woman.”

  Lifting her head, she looked him in the face. “I love you.”

  Mikial smiled. “I love you too.”

  “Can we go home now?”

  Mikial felt Yuri and the others coming up behind him. “Give us a moment to search Flynn’s office. We need to try and find out what he was waiting for in that shipment.”

  “Why?” she asked. “What difference does it make now?”

  “It was important enough for him to kidnap you so there must be something big in there,” Yuri explained. “We need to know if our city is protected against our enemies. We don’t want to run the risk of a war and be unprepared.”

  Pepper nodded. “Okay that makes sense.”

  Mikial led her over to a stack of boxes and helped her sit down while he took in the damage. When she flinched at his touch, he growled. “What the fuck did he do
to you?”

  Pepper shook her head. “This wasn’t Flynn’s doing.”

  “What does that mean?” Mikial frowned.

  “This was McKenna’s doing. When Flynn told her who I was, she didn’t appreciate the fact that I was innocent of any wrong doing.”

  “Stupid bitch,” Mikial muttered. He lifted her shirt and found ugly bruises on her stomach. Wincing he shook his head. “She certainly went to town on you didn’t she?”

  Pepper snorted. “This was her second visit.”

  “Her second visit?”

  “Yeah, she came back. Flynn told her she needed to protect her children from the fallout their father was going to leave so she left, then she came back. She would have stomped me into the dust if he hadn’t stepped in to stop her.”

  “She blames you for her husband’s infidelity?”

  Pepper nodded. “She said I shouldn’t be allowed to exist, that I never should have been born.” Tears rolled down her face. “I told her I didn’t ask to be born but she didn’t hear me. She looked at me like she wanted me dead. She wants me dead and I don’t think she’s going to stop until I am.”

  “Bloody hell if I let that happen.” Mikial growled.

  “I think she’s crazier than Flynn. She definitely had murder in her eyes.”

  Yuri came over to where they were sitting. “We have what we need here, let’s go back to the hotel, and sort it all out.”

  Mikial looked at him. “We may have another problem to settle.”

  “Tell me about it when we get back.” Yuri nodded.

  An hour later, they all met in Yuri suite. All the paperwork from Flynn’s office was spread around the table and everyone was looking at a small but elite empire.

  “Well,” Yuri said as he sat back in his chair. “Flynn was indeed building his place in the hierarchy of the underground of this city wasn’t he?”