by Dani Wyatt
We are down the hall and at the back entrance to the house. Wilson wheels me to the car and opens the door. I stop fighting the tears when I see May.
Her hands are taped like mine, her mouth covered with silver duct tape. Looks like she’s been crying, but she doesn’t look physically hurt. One of Victor’s posse sits across from her in the back of the limo.
“Put her in, let’s get this done.”
Wilson lifts me and I glare at him as he buckles me into the back seat. His mouth is next to my ear. “Please sign it, then you’ll be safe. It will all be over. I promise.”
May and I look at each other, unable to speak as Victor slides into the seat across from me and the sound of the driver’s door closing makes me wince.
The Bentley gently glides forward and the memory of the dark room from only a few weeks ago makes the bile rise in my throat.
Victor smiles, looks from me to May then back.
“The two little princesses in the tower, all grown up and out in the big world. Not all it’s cracked up to be, is it? You traded one devil for another, you just don’t know it yet.”
He reaches to the floor into a black satchel and pulls out a thick stack of typed paperwork, clipped at the top.
I lean to the left as the Bentley takes a turn and nearly topple over into May who is shooting daggers at Victor from her seat. She kicks her feet toward him, struggling and doing what she can to inflict harm without success.
“Here’s the situation, you spoiled princesses. You may think my father and I are the villains here, but let me tell you a little story.” Victor leans his elbows onto his knees, black eyes going between us. “See, there once was a young boy born to loving, adoring parents. Lived a nice life. His father worked for a man he adored. It brought them prosperity, comfort, a nice home. The boy’s father was like a brother to the other man. They swore that if anything ever happened to one of them then the other would take care of his friend’s family. Time went on, and the little boy turned into a young man. His mother and father were happy. They were a family. Then one day, there was a tragic accident. His father’s friend was killed, along with his wife. And so, their promise from long ago came to pass. Only there was something the boy’s father didn’t know when his friend told him, ‘Trust me, if anything ever happens, I’ll take care of you.’”
Victor snaps his tongue against his lips and sits up straight.
“You see, ‘Take care of you’ apparently means different things to different people. Because what happened was not exactly what they’d agreed on. See, when your father died, his business should have gone to my father. Only that didn’t happen. He willed it to someone else, a man that ended up releasing my father from his position in the company and leaving him as nothing more than a servant. He built that company with your father, and he got nothing. What’s more, he had two spoiled princesses to raise with almost no access to the funds necessary to keep his own life afloat. While you two had everything, my life blew up. My mother left my father over it and we moved in with the two brats who caused it all. The only life my father had was taking care of you two and the ostentatious monstrosity of a home you’d inherited.” I can see Victor’s nostrils flaring, the red heat rising in his cheeks. “Taking orders from the new lord and master. Holding onto what was left of his dignity in this world of ours. He was emasculated, humiliated. You both know, there were no other options for him. For us. He couldn’t go out into the world and get a regular job.”
Victor cracks a pained laugh, then pulls his phone from his pocket and starts texting someone. May and I look at each other. My legs are taped at the ankles, lying at an angle that is shooting pain up all the way into my spine.
“You think you’ve both hit the jackpot with those guys? They’re using you. At least my dad put in his years, fulfilled his obligations. Those two? They’re going to get you both right where they want you, leave you and take the spoils. You’re both so stupid you barely deserve to live.”
May shakes her head, her eyes looking at me as if to say, ‘We’ve got this’, but I want to scream at her. I want to tell her that her perpetual positivity, her sunny disposition, and her naiveté will not get us out of this. Not this time.
Time grinds to a halt as the car exits the freeway; we’re heading toward the more industrial center outside of town, where our father owned several warehouses. My father was a good man, but I’m not so naïve that I don’t know the business practices sometimes involved levels of intimidation. I suppose it wasn’t something we thought about much as children, but as we lived the last years with Simon at the helm of our lives, I realized that business in our ‘family’ wasn’t the same as ‘business’ out in the general world.
“So, here’s the deal.” Victor continues. “You’re going to make good on your father’s promises. It’s all about business, we can get this done quickly or you can make it hard and someone will get hurt. You’re going to sign this either way. Both of you. The only choice you have is how easy to make it.” Victor waves the paperwork in front of him. “You’re going to initiate a transfer from your holdings. I know what you have, and it’s going to be easy. A couple clicks of the buttons, you sign over ownership of your shares of Daddy’s stocks, and we’re all good here. That’s all, just the stocks. Not the cash. You’re both still two rich, little, entitled princesses, even with our new transaction. Everyone wins. All will be right with the world again. You’re free to give everything else away to those two clowns if you want to. You see, I can be reasonable. But if you don’t sign, I’ll start with her.” He jabs a finger at May. “Thomas here has skills, shall we say, of inflicting pain in ways you can’t even imagine.”
C H A P T E R F I F T E E N
ALLISTER
Decker slams on the brakes as he pulls into the turnaround at the front of the estate where I’m waiting. My head is pounding, my phone is in my hand, and I’m just praying for it to go off with a text telling me everything’s all right; that the girls are off somewhere eating cupcakes or whatever and there’s some innocuous explanation for the terror that has seized me since I got here.
But deep down inside, I know that that’s not true.
“The Bentley’s gone. Henrietta said she doesn’t know where they went.”
“Fuck. I’ve tried May’s phone eight times. Fuck it, I’m not waiting. We’re tracking their butts. I’ve got that tracker in her phone so even if it’s off, it still pings. Let me get on it.”
Decker brings his phone out and starts punching the screen as though he needs his fingers to go straight through it for it to respond.
“Let’s go.” Decker’s already got the Suburban in drive as I hop in the passenger seat. “They’re on I-69, heading south.”
I check the tracker as Decker shoots in and out of the cars around us. The freeway traffic is light, thank Christ, and we hit the exit in record time, heading toward the industrial center. I’m guessing they’re not in any sort of hurry because according to the tracker we’re gaining on them.
“They’re turning on Milwaukee.” I snap watching the little blue dot blink on the map.
“Fuck.” Decker pounds the steering wheel and we both know if they get down into one of those abandoned warehouses, no good is going to happen.
“I think we’re losing the tracking, Deck. Hurry. It’s not blinking.”
“Fucking service down here sucks.” He roars, punching the gas and swerving around a work truck that was in front of us. Tires squeal as he hits the turn at Milwaukee and blasts his foot on the accelerator again.
“Fuck! There!” My heart is slamming around in my chest as I catch red taillights turning into a half derelict, empty structure. “Turn left, go around back!”
I can see the Bentley isn’t moving quickly and Decker’s on it. He pulls around the alley behind, takes another turn and we’re on top of them. The Suburban screeches and Decker lays the massive front of the car into the passenger side of the headlights. We’re both out the doors before anyone can re
act, and for the first time in more years than I know, both our hands go instinctively to grip the guns on our belts, drawing them and aiming right at the car. We don’t carry all the time, but Decker keeps a safe locked with guns at both the Monarch and at his place. Decker made sure we were packed and ready just in case.
“Get out of the fucking car!” My voice could shatter glass.
I see Wilson’s hands fly off the steering wheel. Little fuck, I knew something was up with his overly attentive ass.
“You better unlock those fucking back doors, you little shit.”
Wilson lowers one hand and I hear the click of the locks. Lucky for him he’s complying because I am not in the mood to argue.
I’m at the back door in an instant. I’m not waiting, no way, my girl’s in there. The first sight I see is Leah, taped up and leaning at a painful angle, her head against the side of the car. My eyes shift to Victor as Decker comes in from the other side. Dumb fucks didn’t have seatbelts on and they’re both on their knees in front of the girls. If this wasn’t so fucked up I’d laugh my ass off.
Victor turns his head to lock eyes with the metal pointed at his slicked back Guido hair.
“Don’t reach for anything. Don’t take a deep breath. Don’t fucking blink.” My voice is a steady growl and he puts his hand back on the floor of the car.
Decker’s got Victor’s cohort by the hair, and has his gun against his temple when I hear the driver’s door open.
“I’m so sorry. I had to...” Wilson’s pathetic little voice comes from behind me. He’s a little shit, but I’m not picking up on anything threatening so I turn my head but keep my gun trained on Victor.
“Bullshit.” I look back at Victor. “You want to live, right?” It’s a rhetorical question so I continue. “Take the fucking tape off the girls, then sit your ass in that seat. You too.” I nod to the other meathead on the floor in front of May. They both shift and crawl back up, hands staying where we can see, then Victor starts untying Leah and May. “It’s okay, baby. It’s all okay.”
I hate that he’s touching her. Hate it. But there’s no way I’m taking the gun off either of them. As soon as the tape is off of May’s mouth, she’s screaming like a banshee, wordlessly, and it’s clear that Victor’s none too pleased about that, but it makes me smile a little to see him uncomfortable.
She kicks the other meathead in the shin before sliding over to help Leah as I keep the gun on Victor. When he’s done, he shifts and sits back in the seat, right next to his buddy, hands at his shoulders.
Decker shoots me a look. He can’t help the smile that hits his lips and I return it. Neither May nor Leah are any sort of pushover. Even if we hadn’t got here, I have a feeling these two assholes would have had their work cut out for them.
“I’ve got this.” Decker returns his gaze to Victor. “Help them into the car and I’ll wrap this up.”
“Look, I didn’t mean... I thought this was for the best.” Wilson’s still pleading with me from behind and it’s starting to get on my nerves, so I shoot him a look and he shuts the fuck up.
“Baby, you okay?”
Leah rubs her mouth where the tape has left a red patch but she nods. “It’s not his fault. I don’t know what was going on, but it was all Victor.” May and I help her out of the car but her eyes won’t stay on mine. I try to put an arm around her, but she’s not having that, either. What the fuck?
“Cops?” Decker mutters as he comes around to grab May, leaving the two assholes in the car to think about what’s going to happen next.
“Please, no more cops.” May leans her head into Decker’s chest. “Can we just go? I’m so tired of police and investigations...” Decker looks at me and I shrug. “I just want to start our life. Our lives.”
I’m ambivalent. I think these fuckers should get the long arm of the law shoved straight up their arse holes, but I also can see from the look in their eyes they get our message loud and clear.
Leah looks up at me, her arms folded over her chest before Decker or I can say anything else. “Tell me about the drugs. I need to know right now. And you were arrested, tell me about that. I can’t do this any other way. I’m so confused right now. I can’t trade one life of being used for another.”
My heart stops.
“Babe, what are you talking about?”
“Don’t act dumb, either. Wilson told me. He showed me pictures of the drugs. All the prescription bottles. Your background check with a conviction for drug possession. Illegally possessing prescription drugs.”
I see Decker shake his head and he speaks before I can. “That’s a long story, Leah, but it’s not what you think.”
“He’s right. I’ll tell you everything, and trust me. But let’s get back to the house first.”
Leah sighs, but she nods and lets May help her over to the Suburban.
“You two.” I lean down to the limo and peer inside. “Get your asses in that building. Count to ten thousand, then leave. I never want to see either of you again, do you understand? If you even see my face in a crowd you’d better turn around and run the other way.”
I keep my gun on Victor and his partner as they drag their sorry asses out of the car and into the abandoned building. I’m still not convinced we shouldn’t get the cops here. I take a glance to see the girls huddled in the back seat of the Suburban. I want them home and from the read I got on Victor, he’s not going to stick his ugly ass nose back around the girls again.
“You,” I say, turning the gun on Wilson, “get this fucking car back to the house and wait inside of it or you’re going to be even more sorry than they are.”
I almost feel sorry for him as he hangs his head and nods toward the ground. Leah says he didn’t have anything to do with this, but as much as I want to believe her, I’ve had a bad feeling about this little fuck since the moment I set eyes on him. I need to hear his side of the story, then I’ll decide what I’m going to do.
After a moment, the Bentley turns in a wide circle, Deck grabs my shoulder and guides me toward his Suburban. “You okay, man?”
“Yeah, I will be. I’ll tell Leah the truth. All of it. I’ll just have to take the chance that she won’t forgive me.”
He nods and we climb into the car.
C H A P T E R S I X T E E N
ALLISTER
Leah sits on her hands. We’re settled in the library at her estate. She looks so small sitting on the dark leather sofa as I lean my ass on the edge of the desk facing her.
“So, you went to jail to cover for your mom?”
I just finished telling her about Mom. Her struggle and how I’ve managed it as best I can. About how I took the fall for her once and I’m praying Leah sees the truth in my eyes.
“Yes. I love my mom. She’s in pain. She’s sick. I don’t have any ill will toward her, but I’ve also accepted who she is. I took her pills that day. She called the cops saying I was stealing from her. When they came, the pills were on me and, I don’t know, I just didn’t fight it. I said they were mine and they cuffed me and I pled guilty. I could have fought it, but for some reason I didn’t. I’ve never taken or done any drugs in my life, Leah. Ever. I never will.”
“This is all crazy. So much has happened so fast.” Her eyelids look heavy, and I feel how tired she is.
“I know it has. But if you need more reassurance, Decker was around when it happened. Even my mom will tell you it’s true. I’ve had her in four rehabs; Desiree stops by and manages to snag most of her pills and brings them to my place. Those are the pictures you saw.”
“But how did Wilson get them?”
“Fuck if I know. If you’re okay with it, let’s ask him. I have quite a few questions for Wilson right now.”
Leah nods and I push off from the desk. My hand cups the back of her head as I walk to her, my lips coming down to rest on the top of her head, breathing her in. I’m still praying we are able to close this chapter in our lives and move into the future together.
It tak
es me just a few minutes to find Decker and May; I want them with us when we hear Wilson’s side of this mess. Then I work my way to the kitchen where Henrietta is standing there with her knife in hand.
As soon as she sees me her eyes narrow and she points the steel my way.
“You need to take better care of her.”
“I’m workin’ on it. Trust me.”
She grunts my way then points down the hall toward the entrance to the garage.
“He is sitting down there. Waiting. He made mistakes, but he’s not bad. He’s sorry. I already told him how he was wrong. How he screwed up. But you talk to him now. He’ll tell you everything. Then those girls need some peace. If you can’t give it to them then you need to leave them alone.”
“I’m going to give her everything, Henrietta. I promise.”
I work my way down the hall and see Wilson leaning against the wall toward the end. He turns his head when he hears me coming and stands, hands in pockets. His eyes meet mine, though they are not challenging but rather bloodshot and tired.
“Come on. We’re all going to talk.”
He follows me in silence until we get back to the office. May and Decker are there and Leah is still sitting, only May is now at her side.
“I’m sorry.” Wilson’s voice breaks as he rubs his eyes and stands next to the desk. I stand a few feet away and Decker is settled in another chair at the end of the couch where the girls are holding hands now and looking from Wilson to me to Decker then back as Wilson speaks. “I honestly just thought I was doing the right thing. Keeping them from hurting you more. Trying to keep you safe.”
“But you could have just told us. Gone to the police.” May is trying to keep her voice even but I can tell it’s a struggle.
Wilson rubs his forehead. “I couldn’t go to the police. Victor sent me to both those clubs that night. The ones where the fires happened. He sent me to pick up two envelopes from some of his business associates there that night. He set me up. When I was sixteen I set fire to my foster parents’ house. I have that on my record and then with me being seen at both the clubs the night of the fires? If I didn’t do what he said, he was going to hurt you. I just needed to help. Victor said if I did what he asked and you signed the papers he would leave you alone from then on. That’s all I wanted. You are my family. I have no one else. I was just trying to help.”