by Ashley Jade
I roll my shoulders back and position myself in front of the door to the main entrance.
I feel my phone buzz in my pocket again and I take it out.
Jackson: I'm on my way to the fight club. Be there in 5.
I kick the wall and curse, I honestly didn't expect Jackson to figure it out. Or rather, I expected him to, but I planned it so he would be far enough away he wouldn't be able to make it here in time for my meeting with Travine.
Ricardo: How did you figure it out?
Jackson: I made Google maps my bitch.
I press the button to respond but he sends me another text right after that one.
Jackson: Also it's the only place you don't lose.
I go to put my phone back in my pocket, but think the better of it.
I haven't done my hourly check in with the bodyguards yet and given Jackson's definitely not with them now, it's more important than ever.
My stomach twists when they don't pick up and I try again.
It's bad reception. Maybe they're in a tunnel.
When they don't pick up for a third time, I feel myself start to panic.
Since Lou-Lou doesn't have a cell phone, I call Alyssa.
It rings once and goes to voicemail.
I call the driver next and when he doesn't pick up...I know without a doubt something's wrong.
I dial Jackson's number and that's when the door to the fight club opens.
And in walks John Travine.
I don't think, I just act on instinct and raise my gun.
I'm about to pull the trigger, but I hear someone screaming behind him.
It's a scream I recognize.
It all happens so fast, I don't even have time to react when I see Marlene enter...holding a gun up to Alyssa's head.
I charge forward, but then Marlene shouts, “Get the fuck in here now, crazy. Or I'll kill her and the baby.”
When Lou-Lou walks in next, the entire world shifts on its axis.
Her eyes are closed and her fists are clenched. She's shaking and trembling, but she's fighting it.
She apologizes to a sobbing Alyssa right before she opens her eyes and looks down, refusing to look at him.
That's right, Lou-Lou. He doesn't exist. Pretend he's not here. Don't let him scare you.
When I see him reach out and grab her hair, I cock my gun.
“No!” Lou-Lou screams as he holds a gun up to her head and forces her to stand in front of him. “Please, Ricardo don't do it. They'll kill Alyssa and the baby. Please, I'm begging you not to shoot him.”
It's a horrible thought to have, one that makes me a monster, but for a moment...I don't care.
When I hear the door to the back entrance open next, I can't even feel relieved...because what Jackson's about to walk into will undoubtedly be his worst nightmare.
The motherfucker in front of me knows this and smiles from ear to ear.
On the surface, like most politicians...he seems personable.
Hell, maybe even friendly looking. His hair is perfect and his teeth are straight and white. Even his fake tan seems real.
He's tall but not too tall, maybe just over 6 feet and he has a medium build. Nothing too threatening, nothing that would make a person stay away.
But hands down, the worst part of his appearance has to be that smile.
The man has a really nice smile...a familiar smile.
It makes him handsome. It makes him approachable. It makes him trustworthy.
It's a smile that hides the monster he is on the inside.
It's the reason Lou-Lou probably doesn't smile much, or rather, tends to give everyone a fuck-you smile instead of showing her real one.
Lou-Lou and her father look nothing alike...except for that fucking smile.
It's damn near identical. Only further proving how much joy he's sucked out of her life.
I hear Jackson's footsteps and see the color drain from his face when he sees Alyssa.
He charges forward but I stop him because he needs to be smart right now, and the girls need to live. “They'll kill our girls.”
“How the fuck did this happen?”
“I fucked up.” I look at Marlene and sneer, “I trusted someone I shouldn't have.”
There are numerous reasons why Marlene did what she did, I can think of at least five just off the top of my head, but none of that matters right now.
Because the only thing that matters is Lou-Lou.
“What do you want?” I'm looking at Travine now. “If you didn't want something from me they would already be dead. So spare me the song and dance, I know I've got something you want, what is it?”
He starts walking backwards with Lou-Lou and I see Jackson move toward Marlene and Alyssa with his gun drawn.
“Jackson,” I say, refusing to take my eyes off Lou-Lou. “Be smart. Don't let your anger get the best of you. She's alive and you need to make sure she stays that way. That's the important thing.”
I have no clue what Travine has planned for this little show down of his, but I do know that if Jackson's emotions take over and he uses that gun on Marlene, he'll lose everything.
Travine smiles that fucking smile and continues tugging Lou-Lou backwards until he's up against the side of the cage. “What I want is right here. What I want is what your father took from me. Everything he took from me.”
There's really no reasoning with a man as sick as he is, but I have no choice but to try, because what he wants he can't have.
Not unless it's over my dead body.
“The council is helping you become mayor—”
“Were,” he interjects. “Kind of hard to do that when they're all burnt to a crisp, now isn't it?”
Lou-Lou finally looks up at me then, surprise more than evident across her beautiful face.
I mentally curse myself out for every time I had a chance to kill that traitorous cunt Marlene and didn't. I guess it finally makes sense now why she didn't leave me. She was keeping tabs on me for the council...and I guess once the council became toast she figured she'd join Travine's team. She knew she'd never have a shot at controlling the DeLuca's...but a man like Travine?
Yeah, she'd have no problem sinking her hooks into someone like him.
It's sickening what an aphrodisiac money, control, and power can be to people.
But not nearly as sickening as the way he presses the gun into Lou-Lou's head and cocks it right before his free hand starts traveling south.
Lou-Lou struggles and I'm so fucking proud of her. I'm so proud of her for standing her ground and fighting...but unfortunately that's what's going to get her killed.
He digs the gun into her temple harder. “Stop fighting me, Lucianna. Or I will kill you.”
“Do it,” she screams, attempting to headbutt him.
I see his eyes flash and my heart free falls.
Because I know that look.
This monster will do it...he'll do it just because he can. Just because he's not getting what he wants from her...he'll do it just to claim every bit of power and control right now.
“Lou-Lou,” I bark and she freezes at the sound of my voice.
I swallow hard right before I tell her the worst statement I've ever had to utter. “Stop fighting.” When she opens her mouth to argue I whisper, “For me, Lou-Lou.”
Her body goes slack and I can't bear to see the pain in her eyes, the pain that I just caused.
I focus my gaze on Travine. “What do you want? Tell me and I'll make it happen.”
He smiles and skims down Lou-Lou's stomach with his free hand and I all but choke on my disgust. “I want to be mayor.”
“Done.”
“I want every penny from the DeLuca empire.”
“Done.” I pin him with a stare. “I'll have it wired to you by morning. And if you don't believe me, let her go and put the gun up to my head instead.” I take a step forward. “This has nothing to do with her, everything you want I can give you.”
“That's where y
ou're wrong.” I can hear Lou-Lou's stomach lurch when he lifts her shirt, exposing her abdomen.
His fingers dance across her skin, toying with her. “I'm still not done making you pay.”
“So make me pay, not her.” I take another step forward but he bares his teeth and sneers, “Either I make you pay this way...or I kill her. Either way you will suffer before the end of the night. Choose your poison.”
He knows I can't let her die.
When I don't answer him, Lou-Lou whispers, “Let him kill me, Ricardo. Please, I'd rather die.”
“There you go again, Lucianna. No one cares what you want. It's about what I want. What happens when you make Daddy mad? Or did being a little whore for both DeLuca men make you forget?”
He flicks open the button on Lou-Lou's jeans and I become lightheaded.
Before this moment, I would have considered myself a strong man...stronger than most. But I don't think I'll be able to survive him doing this to her.
I can't survive hearing her pleas for him to kill her...
I can't survive being powerless to stop it.
Despite what he's about to do to her, his finger is still on the trigger of the gun pointed at her head. Giving me no room and no way to stop this.
Lou-Lou squeezes her eyes shut. “I wish I was free. I wish I was—”
“Stop making those fucking wishes!” His hand grips her throat and I stop breathing entirely. “What happened when I caught you making wishes in the field out back, Lucianna? Why did Daddy burn all those dandelions?”
The tears falling down her face feel like a thousand knives stabbing me all at once. “Because wishes don't come true for girls like me.”
“That's right, they don't.”
Her eyes connect with mine, begging me to end this. Begging me to save her in the only way I can right now.
My own eyes sting with tears...because for the very first time in my life—I consider setting her free in the way she's pleading for right now.
I consider letting her go be with our baby.
I consider letting my angel be with the other angels...where no one can ever hurt her again.
I swallow my tears and stuff them back down when his hand ventures lower and she cries out my name.
There aren't enough tears in the world to cry for a girl who's suffered the way she has.
Because those tears will never wash the shame away.
But she's not alone, my Lou-Lou won't go through it alone this time.
“Lou-Lou,” I whisper. “Please baby look at me.”
When she doesn't open her eyes, I try again. “It's me. It's your Ricky. Please look at me.”
She finally does and I hold her gaze. “It's me touching you right now. Not him. It's me, Lou-Lou.”
She takes a deep breath and nods, her eyes never leaving mine.
The sick fuck continues, whispering shit into her ear that I'm more than thankful not to focus on.
Because in this moment, it's just Lou-Lou and me.
And we're someplace he can’t ever hurt her again.
Someplace only we know.
When I see her eyes flash and that beautiful strength shines through again, I know what's about to happen and I'm so fucking ready for it.
She moans and grinds into him.
I see the sick lust brewing in his eyes right before he closes them and orders her to continue.
But what that fucker doesn't realize is...this moment will be his last.
Because him getting lost in his sick urges is the ultimate distraction for him.
And the ultimate gamble for me...but I take full advantage of it...and so does Lou-Lou.
Because we have nothing to lose at this moment and everything to gain.
I watch as Lou-Lou reaches behind her to undo his belt...and pulls out a gun from her waistband instead.
Then she shoots the fucker right in the dick...causing him to tilt his gun up slightly...and giving me the perfect leeway I need to shoot him in the head multiple times.
I had intricate plans that involved torturing him and making him suffer before ending his miserable existence for good, but none of that matters now as I watch his body drop.
Because he's finally gone for good.
The whole thing took less than 5 seconds to happen, making it one of the quickest kills of my life.
And hands down the most satisfying.
A scream breaks out from somewhere behind me and my stomach coils. I momentarily forgot about Alyssa and Jackson.
Everything happens in slow motion as I watch Marlene pull the trigger of her gun.
The gun that's pointed at me now.
Alyssa screams and Jackson yells my name as he snatches Alyssa away from Marlene's hold.
Lou-Lou attempts to jump in front of me...but I turn and throw my body on top of hers, protecting her instead as we fall to the ground.
“No,” Lou-Lou cries, but I shut her up with a kiss.
Because this is the way I'm spending my last second on earth.
Kissing her like there's no tomorrow.
Kissing her like I did yesterday, like I always have, ever since our very first kiss.
Kissing her like she's my everything...because she is.
I kiss Lou-Lou the way a girl like her deserves to be kissed.
With every ounce of love I have for her as it seeps out of me.
I can feel someone's presence looming right above us. “Who knew your lunatic maid would end up being a better marksman than you?”
I break away from the kiss and stare up at Jackson. “I beg your pardon, asshole?”
“You're okay?” Lou-Lou whispers, grabbing my face.
I nod and brush my thumbs over her tear stained cheeks. “Are you?”
Those doe eyes of hers sear me and my heart pounds like a jackhammer as she wraps her arms around my neck. “He didn't touch me, I was with my Ricky.”
A weight the size of a boulder in my chest dislodges and I sit up and lift her into my arms.
She hugs me so tight I have to actually focus on Jackson's next statement. “When you turned to throw yourself over Lou-Lou, the bullet literally just missed you.” We all stare at him wide-eyed and he holds up a finger. “But that's not the best part.”
A huge grin stretches across his face and he points to Marlene's lifeless body which is surrounded by a pool of blood. “The best part was when that bullet ended up ricocheting off the metal cage and right back into Marlene where it belonged.”
“How's that for karma?” Alyssa says as we stand up.
Jackson squeezes my shoulder before he pulls me into a hug. “The reason you've never lost a fight in that cage is because you're meant to stick around, brother.”
Lou-Lou gives me a look but Alyssa wraps her arms around her. “Are you okay?”
“I should be asking you that,” Lou-Lou says frantically, looking Alyssa over. “How are you? How's the baby? Should we go to the hospital?”
“No,” Alyssa says. “I'm fine. That bitch didn't hurt me, she was too busy ogling Jackson while asking him about his bank account and telling him how much better off he would be without me and the baby.”
“Wow—” Lou-Lou starts to say, until we hear the sound of a door opening.
“And this right here is the infamous fight club y'all—” Tyrone drawls before his mouth hangs open.
He quickly maneuvers himself in front of the door until it closes, purposely blocking the people behind him from coming in.
People are banging on the door and shouting but he ignores it.
His gaze focuses on the two bodies on the floor and the blood everywhere...including on all of us. “What in the actual fuck?”
“Surprise,” Lou-Lou mumbles and Jackson snorts.
“Travine's dead,” I inform him.
He looks at Lou-Lou and gives her a megawatt smile. “I hate that I didn't get to witness it myself, but damn if that's not the best gift I'll be receiving today.”
“Tyrone!” Momma shouts
from the other side of the door. “What in tarnation is going on in there? You better let these nice folks in and quit fooling around.”
Tyrone bows his head and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Not right now, Momma.” He looks at me. “Ricardo's having the place renovated, it's not safe.”
“Then why are you in there?” Some man's voice calls out.
Tyrone grunts. “That's Shelby's cousin Billy. No one likes him, he's too nosy for his own dang good.”
I point to the back exit. “You can always go out that way.”
“I know.” He grimaces. “But then they'll all find me again and I'll have no choice but to continue playing tour guide. I'd much rather hang out with y'all.”
“Exactly how many people are out there?” Lou-Lou questions.
“Not many, only about 20 or so.”
When her jaw drops he laughs. “Shelby has a big family.” He hikes his thumb in the direction of the door. “And these are only some of them.”
He makes his way across the room to the other door, but pauses and looks back at us. “Y'all gonna be okay? Should I reschedule the party?”
“No,” we all say in unison and he finally leaves.
A moment later, I bring my phone up to my ear and call a clean up crew.
“So what do we do now?” Alyssa asks when we walk outside.
Jackson looks at me. “We go get ready for Tyrone's engagement party tonight. Right, Ricardo?”
Lou-Lou gives me a look but I glare at Jackson. “Yeah.”
Lou-Lou stops walking. “What's going on?” She rubs her temples. “Did you really kill the council? There's still so much I don't understand.”
I take her hand in mine. “I'll explain everything to you later.”
“Sounds like a plan.” She squeezes my hand and I fight like hell to ignore the feeling in my chest.
Killing Travine and the council didn't change my plans. It only delayed them momentarily.
I meant everything I said to Jackson last night.
Chapter 38 (Lou-Lou)
I smooth my red dress over my hips, step into my heels, and turn around to face them. “Is it too much? Too inappropriate? I can change.”
Shelby looks at me like I've sprouted another head. “Absolutely not. Don't you dare.”
Alyssa zips up her own dress. “The bullet might not have killed him, but I'm pretty sure that dress will.” She looks down at her feet. “God, I hate looking like the goodyear blimp.”