“How is this possible?” I turn to ask Nate. “What the fuck is going on? And what does Carter want with Isabelle?”
“I’m confused as fuck,” Nate says patting me lightly on the back.
“She’s here,” I blurt out, opening the gates and racing out of the door. She parks the car on the drive, jumping out and racing toward me, breathlessly.
“Brax,” she heaves, resting her hand on my chest and I instinctively wrap my arms around the girl who has become more than just Carter’s cousin. She’s become a friend. “We need to get over there. He has her and I’m worried what he’ll do.”
“What were you doing there?” Nate asks, cutting in.
“It’s such a long story.”
“You need to spit it out and fast. What the fuck has been going on?”
“That night at the bar.” She steps back from me crossing her arms nervously. “Carter came into the bathroom, talking all kinds of crazy shit to Izzy. He told her she was destined to be with him or some shit, and that her father was hiding her from him.” She talks animatedly, her arms flying and her words tumbling out faster than I’ve ever heard anyone speak before. “Anyway, we went to see her mom, to try to get the truth. Her mom admitted that her father worked for Carter but got into debt that he couldn’t repay. Carter claimed Isabelle as payment for the debt. Her mom and dad hid her away.”
“Fuck,” I say clenching my fist, rubbing my fingers across it.
“But it doesn’t finish there…”
I look at her with wide eyes. “Carter knew where she was. Those investigators you hired informed Carter of her whereabouts, but he couldn’t do anything because he didn’t want to jeopardize your working relationship. He loved the fact that he had that control over you, Brax. That he gave you a reason to keep working with him because essentially he was funding the search for her. And, as he admitted, you were a hothead working to make him a very rich man.”
“Motherfucker,” I growl. “I will kill him,” I snarl, spinning on my heel, ready to storm back inside and gear up.
“Stop,” Tara shouts after me, grabbing hold of my t-shirt, pulling me to a stop. “Carter found out right away that her father had died, and sent Alvrez to get Izzy. They were in on this together. This was him, all him. And now he finally wants the prize he’s been waiting all these years for.”
“No,” I say in denial. “I know he’s an asshole, but I would’ve known. Surely, I would’ve known, right? Why didn’t I know about this?”
“Because nobody knew.”
“But why did you go there? Why didn’t you come and tell me what the fuck was going on?”
“Izzy was beside herself at the thought that Carter was behind everything she went through with Alvrez. She wanted answers, and I wasn’t about to let her go there alone. I actually thought me being there would help her. That Carter would be reasonable since I’m his cousin. But it didn’t help. I’m so sorry.”
“Her mother knew. I can’t believe this shit. Why the fuck didn’t she come clean?”
“This is fucked up for sure, but what matters right now is working out how we are going to get Izzy back,” Nate adds, reaching for Tara and pulling her into his chest.
“Are you okay?” he asks, his heavily tattooed hand strokes her hair.
“I’m fine, I’m fine,” she repeats, pulling away from his embrace. “We have to get to her. I felt awful running out and leaving her, but I knew getting help was the only way. I was lucky to get out. I’ve never seen him like that before, Brax. I’m worried.”
“She had a gun. Why the fuck didn’t she use the goddamn gun!” I throw my hands up in frustration.
“I tried,” she says solemnly, dropping her head. “I really did, but he used her as a shield and she looked terrified.”
“Fuck!” I roar, kicking my foot out, making contact with her car. “He’s a dead man fucking walking,” I say, storming back inside, grabbing my gun, pushing it inside the waistband of my jeans.
“It’s time we fucking ended this.”
This shit is unbelievable. Never did I think I’d be hunting down the man who I trusted for so long. Someone I regarded as a brother. Someone who saved me from the clutches of death. Because, I know without a doubt that if he hadn’t come along that day, I wouldn’t be here right now. I also know that without him, I would probably be dead. I was a fucked-up kid with nothing to live for and more hate than I knew what to do with. He channeled that hate and anger into crime. And it worked. I poured every fucked-up feeling into killing and dealing with the city’s worst criminals.
I became the city’s worst.
I became the one they feared.
And here we are. Driving in Tara’s car to Carter’s house, ready to fill his skull with an abundance of bullets. Because, what I thought I’d become isn’t the reality. The truth is I was a pawn in his game. He used me because I was messed up enough to need saving. Yet, he was the catalyst for all the bad shit that has happened in my life.
Pulling out my cell phone, I dial his number like I’d done a million times before. Only this time was different.
It’s a death call.
The call that lets him know that the clock is ticking. Because there is no way he’s making it out of this alive
Resting the phone to my ear, I listen to it ringing over and over.
“Answer, dammit,” I breathe out, willing him to pick up the damn phone.
“Braxton.” His voice booms down the receiver. I pull it away from my ear, scowling at the phone in disgust.
“Get ready, motherfucker,” I growl. “I swear to God, you lay a fucking finger on her and I’ll make your death a painful one.”
He laughs maniacally. “Yeah… good one…”
“You think this is funny, huh?”
“I’m collecting my repayment. She’s mine to do with what I want, and you can’t do a fucking thing about it.”
“Man, you’ve been snorting too much coke. Because your ass is crazy right now. If you think I’m going to just walk away and let you take her, then you’re fucking deluded.”
“If you think you’re just gonna walk in her and reclaim her, then you’re the one fucking deluded! Good luck, man,” he chuckles before disconnecting the call. I let out a growl of frustration, clutching my phone in my hand.
“How are we getting in there, Brax?” Tara asks in a quiet, tentative voice, glancing at me from the driver’s seat.
“I have no idea,” I say, allowing my shoulders to sag.
“I got your back, bro.” Nate rests his hand on my shoulder, grasping lightly. “Let’s see what we are faced with when we get there.”
“But he’s expecting us.” Tara glances back at Nate. “He will be ready and waiting. We need to be prepared that we are walking into a dangerous situation.”
“We have to do this. We can’t achieve a damn thing if we don’t face the danger head-on, Tara.”
“Look at you being all philosophical and shit,” she quips with a raise of her right brow. “Look, I don’t know what will happen today, but one thing I do know is that I can’t lose either of you. You both mean too much to me. So whatever fucking happens, stay safe. Be smart. Because I’m not walking out of there without you. You understand?” Her voice wavers, thick with emotion and I notice a lone tear falling across her face. Her eyes flit between me and the road ahead, and I can’t help but feel emotional too. I’m about to do something I never imagined I’d have to do. Never in a million years.
“If we walk out of there alive, you know that means Carter doesn’t, right? I can’t let him get away with what he’s done. He has to fucking pay.”
“I get it,” she snaps. “I mean, I don’t like it, but I get it. He’s gone too far. He’s betrayed you for years and he should’ve known the consequences.”
“He ruined our lives. He took her away from me. Everything that has happened, everything… it was all because of him. Losing Travis, losing Isabelle then finding her but forcing her into the hands of that si
ck fuck who tortured her. I mean, have you any idea what he did to her? Because that motherfucker deserved to die, but Carter deserves it more. He was the one that put her there.” The more I speak the more the anger brews inside me. Fucking livid doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel.
“I understand,” she replies in a hushed voice. “I just never thought it would come to this. Carter is all kinds of fucked up. But this is something I never saw coming.”
“No one is more fucking shocked than I am. Years I’ve worked with the guy, calling him my partner. Fuck, he’s been like a brother to me.”
“I’m on your side, Brax.”
“What? You’re willing to turn against your own family?”
“We are related by blood. But I’m as much a part of his games as you are, remember? He brought me in to tempt you away. It was all part of his plan, Brax.”
“Motherfucker,” I say, letting out a huge controlled breath. My head is a fucking wreck right now. Everything in my life has been a lie. A twisted version of the truth.
I became a killer.
Because of him.
I lost the girl who held my heart in her hands.
Because of him.
I lost my best friend.
Because of him.
I have no choice but to take him out. But I’m torn. So damn torn between wanting to kill the sick fuck and losing another person I’d connected to emotionally. Someone I had loved. It’s like everyone I love, I lose.
Only this time it would be by my hands. I will be the one to make him disappear. He will be nothing more than a faint memory. Just like Travis.
“We’re here.” Tara speaks quietly, snapping me from my thoughts. I hadn’t realized how tightly I’d been clutching my hands together, until I glance down, looking at the nail marks on the back of my hands.
“The gates are locked.” I look up at the huge metal gates that surround the main entrance.
“I know the code,” Tara says, driving the car closer to the keypad, entering the number 6668. The gates start to open slowly, and she doesn’t hesitate to drive through them.
“Fuck,” she grumbles, straining her neck to look out of the windshield. I follow her eye, noticing the six men outside the house, each one holds a gun in their hands. Tara slows the car, putting distance between us and the men standing at the door to Carter’s house.
“Shit,” I mumble under my breath.
“They won’t just start shooting, right?”
“I say we take the fuckers out before they even have a chance to aim,” Nate offers, leaning forward, eyes narrowed and focused on me.
“You think we can?” I ask, looking seriously at Nate sitting in the back seat.
“We’d have to be quick. And accurate. But the two of us, sure.”
“What about me?” Tara asks, her eyes never leave the guys staring at us from afar.
“No fucking way,” Nate and I say in unison.
“Guys, we’re in this together. I want Isabelle to make it out of there too you know.”
“Slide down in your seat,” Nate orders, pressing down on her shoulders, causing her to disappear from behind the steering wheel. “Here’s what we do. We lower the windows, slide down in our seats and take them out.”
I give him a firm nod, lowering my window just enough to aim the gun. My breathing is ragged, but I know I have to keep my hand steady.
“On the count of three. Aim for the head.”
I watch as they turn to one another, glancing between us and each other.
“One… two… three…”
I pull the trigger over and over, moving until the row of men fall to their knees. Shots are returned and I can’t help but cower, hoping the shot doesn’t hit.
“Shit,” I hear Nate cry out. “I’m hit, I’m hit,” he repeats and I hear Tara shuffling beside me. But I can’t stop. Holding my breath, I desperately try to steady my gun. Lifting up a little, I look to see just one man still firing, his shots peppering the car.
I have to take him down. I just have to. I clutch the gun in my right hand and reach for the lever to the door with my left. Swinging it open, I drop from my seat, crouching, using the door as a shield to his relentless shots. I press my back against the door, knowing it’s only a matter of time before he aims for the part of me not concealed by the door. Peering from the side of the door, I pull hard on the trigger, firstly hitting his shoulder. He jolts back as the bullet makes contact, and I know now is the time. I stand from behind the door, stepping out and holding the gun out in front of me in two hands. I steady it for a millisecond before pulling the trigger for the final time. The bullet hits him directly between the eyes and he drops heavily to the floor. I glance over to the six men on the ground, making my way over slowly. No way am I taking any chances. I close in on the bloodied bodies on the floor, firing shots at each of their heads, ensuring the motherfuckers are no longer able to stand in our way. Racing back over to the car, I open the rear door.
“Nate, man. How bad is it?” I ask, reloading the gun as I look into his eyes, trying to find the answer.
“I’m good. I’m good,” he repeats and Tara ties a piece of material around the top of his arm to stem the flow.
“We need to get inside, and fast. Time is of the essence.” He smiles at me, but it’s more like a grimace.
“Are you sure you’re okay? I can’t afford to carry you, man.”
“I’m good. Honestly,” he says, stepping out of the car, clutching his gun in his hand. “Let’s do this.”
Racing over, we walk through the open door, peering to check for more men. “All clear,” I whisper, leading the three of us through the hall and toward the bottom of the stairs.
“Let’s try the office,” I say, making my way down the hall, constantly checking that the coast is clear. We stop just outside the door and I catch Nate’s eye. “I’m going in. Cover me.” He nods and I lower my shaking hand to the lever. Slowly depressing it, trying to be as quiet as possible, I push hard against it, throwing the door open. My eyes dart around the room and I stop breathing when I see her.
Tied to his office chair.
Gagged.
Tears streaming down her face.
Carter standing behind her.
Gun pointed at her head.
Smiling like a fucking Cheshire cat, he stands behind her, gun pressing against the side of her head, and I can’t do a damn thing.
“Get the fuck away from her,” I growl, stepping into the room, my arm at full stretch holding the gun out, pointing it at him.
“Or you’ll do what?” he drawls, his lip lifting as he scowls at me, eyes narrowed and directly on me. “I’ll put a bullet in her pretty little head before you can press the fucking trigger. So, go ahead. Take your shot.”
“Why? Just tell me why, because I’m fucking struggling to understand why you think you have any claim on a girl that belongs to me.”
“Oh, boo hoo. Did I steal your little childhood sweetheart?” He’s goading me, and every word makes me want to rip the motherfucker’s vocal cords from his throat. “Newsflash,” he sneers. “She was owed to me before you imprinted on her, dipshit.”
“She’s a fucking person, not a bundle of twenties,” I roar.
“He’s right. You need to listen to him, Carter,” Tara offers, walking in front of me and toward him.
“You need to back the fuck up,” he warns her. “I mean it, Tara. I’ll fucking pull the trigger.”
“You want her so much you’re willing to kill her? None of this makes sense, Carter.” She sighs, holding out her hand to him. But he doesn’t respond. Lifting the gun away from Isabelle’s head, he points it at her and she instantly lifts her hands, stopping dead in her tracks.
“You, cousin.” He waves his gun at her. “You fuck me over, then walk in here trying to be the peacekeeper. Well, fuck you,” he growls, his voice louder than ever. But louder still is the sound of his gun going off. I leap forward, racing toward him, knocking him to the ground
. Tara cries out, but I’m engrossed in letting out every ounce of anger I feel into this cocksucker’s head. Words fall from his mouth, but I can’t make sense of them. He tries to fight me off, but he’s just not strong enough. I ball my fists, pounding over and over against his face. Soon, it’s covered in blood and his body becomes lifeless.
“Tara, fuck, Tara, please be okay.” His voice snaps me from my rage and I turn to see her lying on the ground. Muffled cries also come from Isabelle. I look between them both, unsure what the right move is to make. Nate holds a shaking Tara close to his chest. I jump up, push my gun inside my waistband, untie Isabelle and release the gag from her mouth. I place my wavering hands either side of her face, looking into her heavenly blue eyes. The ones that own me completely. My heart, my soul. I hold her gaze for a second, needing the comfort I always found in them.
“Baby… oh God… are you okay? I’m so sorry…”
“Oh, Brax,” she wails, covering her hand over mine, leaning into my touch momentarily. Her eyes flash open and land on Tara and Nate on the floor. “Tara,” Isabelle screeches, holding out her hand to her. I turn, making my way over to her, dropping to my knees.
“Where was she hit?” I ask, my eyes roaming her body, searching for the wound. I see blood pouring from her arm, and I know she’ll be okay. “Quick, stem it,” I say, furiously tearing at my t-shirt. I start wrapping it around her arm.
“Talk to me, Tara,” I rush out.
“I’m okay,” she stutters, struggling to breathe.
“Come on, you’re scaring me, I’ve never known you this quiet.” I look up at Nate and back to Tara.
“I thought you didn’t scare easily.” She forces the words out and I see she’s struggling. The floor around us is covered in blood and she needs to get to the hospital, and fast.
“Well, you scare me,” I joke and she laughs weakly. I connect my eyes with Nate. “We have to get her out of here,” I say, widening my eyes.
The complete scars series: Books one-four Page 39