Wildcard: Volume Two (Wilcard, #2)

by Missy Johnson

  Ryder,

  You don’t want to piss this guy off. Tony Larezzi, born 03/08/1987. He was just released from a stint in prison for drug offences. He has a record that is way too long for me to list and some pretty strong links to some really bad guys. To put it mildly, this guy is bad news. As in, it’s only a matter of time before he’s away for life.

  Is this chick really worth all this trouble? I mean, you can fuck me without all the drama anytime ;)

  Anna

  I reply, ignoring her advance. The last thing I need is another woman in my life. I’m having enough trouble managing one.

  Can you get me details on this guy? Address? Phone number? That kind of thing?

  While I wait for her reply, I Google him and his criminal history.

  Bingo. Images and news stories fill the screen. He looks a lot rougher in these photos than when I saw him on her doorstep, but it’s definitely the same guy. My email icon pops up. I click on it and read Anna’s response.

  Sure. Address is 505 Seventh St, Parkenson. Phone number is 555 404 3433. Do you want his social security too? Yeah, I’m that good ;)

  Don’t do anything stupid. This guy doesn’t fool around. As I said, he’s only been out of jail a few weeks. Give me a call when you’re back in London. I’m really looking forward to seeing you again.

  Anna xx

  I stare at his address for a long time. I’m torn between honoring her wishes and stepping in. Plugging his address into maps, I see he’s less than twenty minutes away. For God’s sake, someone has to do something. This guy needs to learn.

  Fuck this. I’ll take matters into my own hands.

  Chapter Twelve

  Scarlett

  Under Penny’s advice, I buy a disposable phone so it can’t be traced back to me. I’m more than a little concerned at just how much she knows about all this, but I’m too desperate to question it. If this works, and he leaves me alone for good, then that is all that matters. How little I know about my friend is the least of my worries at the moment.

  I’m sitting in my car outside my house when I make the call. I’ve been sitting here for the last twenty minutes trying to summon up the courage. Who knows what this guy will be like? He threatens people for a living—and God knows what else. Has he killed people before? Is that what he is . . . a hitman?

  I take a deep breath and plug in the numbers. He answers on the fourth ring.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi,” I say.

  My heart is pounding and I stifle a giggle, something I do when I’m nervous. Right now, I’m shitting myself, because I’m not exactly an expert when it comes to this kind of thing. I don’t even know what to say. How do I start this conversation? It isn’t like I’m ordering a pizza. ‘Hey, I need you to scare the shit out of my ex so he stays the fuck away from me’?

  “I got your number from a friend who said you might be able to help me.”

  My voice is high pitched, a reflection of just how nervous I am. My hands are shaking so much I’m in danger of dropping the phone. I prop my arm up on the window for extra support.

  “Uh-huh.”

  I pause, expecting him to say more. He doesn’t.

  “Um, I-I need something taken care of.”

  “Something or someone?”

  “Someone,” I say. I breathe out. My eyes are closed as I run my fingers through my hair. What am I doing? I can’t do this. But I don’t feel I have a choice. I focus on the steering wheel, cutting off my emotions.

  “What exactly are you after?”

  There’s a menu for this kind of thing? My mind goes blank. I rub my forehead and try to think. I don’t know what I want. I’m annoyed at Penny for not warning me that I needed to place a fucking order.

  “My ex-boyfriend is blackmailing me. He’s the father of my boy and he wants money. But I know if I give it to him, he’ll be back. I-I think I want to scare him off. I don’t want to hurt him, just threaten him?” My voice squeaks.

  “You think you want to threaten him?” His voice rumbles as he laughs. “Lady, there’s no thinking in this business. There’s do and don’t.”

  “I want him out of my life.” This time I speak with conviction. I have no idea where this strength has come from, but it’s there. Silence greets me.

  “You know the truck stop leading out of Menzies Creek?”

  “Yes,” I say. I don’t, but I’m sure I can look it up.

  “Meet me there in an hour. I’ll need his details, a recent photo of him, and ten grand in cash.”

  He hangs up before I can respond. I drop the phone and focus on my breathing.

  Holy shit, did I just do that? What if they hurt him? God, what if they kill him? How the hell can I live with that?

  I’m already regretting this, and it hasn’t even begun.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Scarlett

  I feel like I’m in a B-grade movie.

  My hands are shaking as I hold my bag close to me. Inside it sits the ten grand that will expel Tony from my life forever. I look around, though I’m not exactly sure who it is I should be looking for. My hands are trembling like crazy. I can’t think at the moment, or I know I will talk myself out of this.

  I tell myself that this is all for Jake, but I know a big part of this is for me. I can’t cope with the control he has over me anymore. I can’t handle him hanging it over my head.

  I jump as the phone rings. Lifting it to my ear, I hear the soft drawl of his voice.

  “The booth up the back. Order a coffee, drink it, leave the cash and his information in the envelope that’s sitting under the seat.” He hangs up before I can respond, and I can only assume I’m being watched.

  I walk over to the booth and sit down. My legs are weak and I’m tired. I want to laugh, because this can’t be real. What the hell would Ryder think if he knew what I was doing? I don’t even need to answer that. He’d think I’m insane. I am insane.

  A pretty young waitress takes my order and brings over my coffee. I thank her and gulp it down. I just want to leave and forget about this whole thing. I just want to forget him. As soon as my cup is empty I throw a bill on the table and unzip my bag.

  Glancing around, I shove the yellow envelope full of cash under the seat, and then I stand up and practically run out of the diner. Outside, I turn the corner and head for my car, stopping only at the dumpster, where I smash the disposable phone under my foot and toss it inside.

  I want to erase every trace of him from my life.

  ***

  My heart is still pounding when I pull up outside Penny’s half an hour later. I force myself to relax, because I can’t let Jake catch on that anything is wrong. I don’t want to even think about what I’ve just done, because thinking leads to regret and regret leads to guilt. I jump as my phone starts to ring. I reach over and answer it, seeing it’s Penny.

  “Hi. I’m just outside.”

  “Scar, I’m at Northside Children’s.”

  I feel sick. The tone of her voice is scaring me. She sounds upset.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask.

  Every worst case scenario is circling around my brain. I’ve been through this dozens of times, but it never gets any easier. Nobody wants to see their baby sick.

  “I don’t know. He was struggling to breathe when I picked them up from school. A doctor is with him now. I’m sorry I didn’t call earlier, but my first priority was getting him help.”

  “I’ll see you there soon.” I hang up and start the car. I feel like I’m driving in slow motion and every single person in Chicago is there to get in my way. I run a red light and slam my foot down on the accelerator. I swallow the lump in my throat as tears force their way down my cheeks.

  Thank fucking God the hospital is only ten minutes away.

  Please let him be okay. God, if anything happens to my baby...

  Chapter Fourteen

  Ryder

  I open the door. My stomach tightens. Just the sight of this sick bastard makes m
e sick. He smirks and swaggers past me. He knows exactly what I think of him, and he doesn’t give a shit.

  “Does she know you called me?” he asks.

  I narrow my eyes. He already fucking knows the answer to that. She would kill me if she knew I was getting involved. But what choice did she leave me? I had to get rid of this asshole for her, because he wasn’t going anywhere on his own.

  “What’s it going to take for you to disappear?” I ask coolly.

  He walks over to my minibar and helps himself to a beer. My jaw clenches as he twists open the top and takes a mouthful. His eyes are laughing at me. The bastard thinks he’s in control, which makes me want to pound his face in.

  “What makes you think you can buy me off? Maybe I just want to get to know my son.” His eyes narrow and I laugh. This scumbag is so full of shit.

  “Because I know the kind of lowlife scum you are. Fifty grand transferred into your account, and you get the fuck out of their lives and stay out.”

  He walks over to me, the open beer dangling from his fingers by his side. “Maybe I don’t want your money,” he drawls, cocking his head to the side. “Maybe what I want is to be balls deep in that soft, tight pussy again. You’ve been there. I’m sure you know what I mean—”

  He laughs as I grip my fist around his neck. I have him up against the wall and I so badly want to beat the shit out of him. I curse and let go, my hands balling into fists beside me.

  “This is a one time only offer. Fifty thousand and disappear.”

  “This is how it’s going to go, Ryder Stevens.” His cold eyes level with mine. “Two hundred and I’m gone. Forever.”

  I laugh. “You’re fucking kidding me. There is no way in hell I’m handing that kind of cash over to you.”

  “Oh, but I think you will.” He grins, wetting his lips. He rubs the stubble that lines his jaw and adjusts his belt. “See, there’s a few things I know about your little girlfriend. Things I’m sure the police would be deeply disturbed to hear about. Not to mention child protective services.”

  His words send a shiver down my spine. I have no reason to believe this sack of shit, but I do. He’s telling the truth. I know he has something on her, but what the hell could she have done that would risk her losing her son?

  “Fine,” I say, gritting my teeth. “Two hundred grand will be in your bank tomorrow. But so help me God, if you ever show your face around here again, I’ll fucking kill you myself.”

  He takes a step closer to me. He’s so close that I can taste the secondhand smoke that spills from his breath. My fists clench beside me as I wait for him speak.

  “Trust me when I say this, Ryder,” he whispers menacingly, his eyes darkening. “I don’t want anything to do with the kid, nothing at all. But fuck with me, and I’ll ruin her life. You can count on that.”

  End of Volume Two. Volume Three will release on the 30th September.

  Other books by Missy Johnson

  See full backlist, links and full blurbs at

  www.missycjohnson.com

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