“How about after you were attacked? You were so certain he had nothing to do with it!” I clenched my fists.
“It just doesn’t sound right.” She crossed her arms. “I know Jay’s shirt had the logo on it, but I still don’t get it. The message on the wall…it just doesn’t add up.”
“It does add up, Julia. The message said to stay away from him. Thus meaning me. He doesn’t want you to see me anymore. If you do keep seeing me, he’s going to try to kill me.” I gritted my teeth. “It makes perfect sense that someone who beat you, hurt you, and stalked you would do something like that.”
“Oh right, of course!” She threw her hands in the air. “Kevin is the best candidate on paper, isn’t he? What about you?” She narrowed her eyes at me. “On paper you’ve stalked me, murdered your own brother, and spent time in prison. Sounds like you’re an even better candidate.”
A smile curved my lips. “Me stalking you isn’t on paper.”
“Fine. You murdering your brother isn’t enough?”
“Do you really think I’m behind all this? That I’m the one killing and making threats. Playing some sort of sick mind game?” She opened her mouth but I didn’t let her continue. “I’m not playing any game, Julia. There isn’t a need to play and fuck with you. You’re already mine.”
She snorted. “Could have fooled me.”
“What was that?” I sat up straighter.
“You keep saying that, but you don’t believe it. If I was yours you wouldn’t have needed to fuck me and cum in my mouth and ass over and over last night. You wouldn’t have needed to make an effort to reclaim what you consider to be yours.”
I glared at her, hating that she was right. Hating the fact that I was hers completely and she wasn’t mine at all. Last night at Rapture proved that and more.
But I wouldn’t reveal my doubts, my fears. She was mine. Whether she wanted to be or not. Like I told her before, it was too late. There was no going back. Not now. Not ever. “Keep telling yourself that,” I murmured as the limo pulled to a stop.
We climbed out, my men instantly surrounding us. I wasn’t taking any chances. Not this time. Randy was on my right, next to Julia. We hadn’t spoken at all since I’d dragged Julia into the dressing room the night before. But he’d seemed relieved, maybe even happy, when I’d pulled her back out of that room. As if he hadn’t expected her to come out alive. The reality of that scared me more than it should have. Randy knew me better than I knew myself most of them time, which really pissed me the fuck off. And if he’d been afraid of that, it meant he knew I was capable of it, that I loved too hard. To the point of no-fucking-return.
I expected Julia to bitch about the men, but she didn’t. She just stared up at the simple brownstone house situated in the suburbs, amongst many other houses that looked almost identical.
A middle-aged woman answered the door wearing an apron over a long-sleeved red shirt. “Can I help you?” She glanced between Julia and I nervously, then at the men flanking us.
“Yes, ma’am,” I said. “Are you Elizabeth Malone?”
She nodded her head slowly. “I am.”
“Who is it?” A loud voice shouted from inside.
Julia flinched next to me. Instinctively, I grasped her hand in mine.
“I-I’m not sure.”
“My name is Cole and this is Julia. We’re here to speak with you and your husband about his son, Kevin.”
A slightly balding middle-aged man came around the corner. “About Kevin? Who are you?”
“We—”
“I’m Julia.” She started to say something else, then snapped her mouth shut.
The man’s gaze raked up and down her body, flittering with emotions that made me want to punch him. “Julia?” He glanced at his wife. “I—”
“Are you Michael, his father?” Julia asked.
He frowned and nodded. “Why?”
“I dated Kevin a few years ago.”
Something like recognition lit his eyes. “Oh, yes. I believe he mentioned you before.” His gaze darted between the two of us and my men. “We don’t talk much though. Is there a problem?”
“Do you mind if we come in? We need to ask you some questions about Kevin.”
“About Kevin?” He looked confused. “Why? Is he in some kind of trouble?”
Is he in trouble? I wanted to laugh at that question. I wanted to shake the man in front of me and tell him all the horrors Julia had to live through because of his piece of shit, scumbag son.
“He’s missing,” Julia supplied before I had the chance to put my words together.
“Missing? What? Kevin?”
“Yes.” Julia nodded vigorously. “Since earlier in the week. Any information you have would be a great help.” Julia sounded meek and worried, like she was terrified for Kevin. I was glad she’d started talking before I started using my fists.
“Oh my goodness.” Elizabeth placed a hand against her chest. “Is he okay?”
“I…I don’t know. I hope so,” Julia said. “Can we come in?”
“All of these men are not coming in my house.” His gaze landed on me. “Not you, either. Only her.”
“Like hell. I’m—”
“Please, Mr. Malone. This is very important. Cole and his men mean no harm. They are only with me to protect me and you.”
He frowned. “Who are they protecting us from?”
“I don’t know.” Julia looked on the verge of tears, and I had the feeling she wasn’t acting anymore. She was scared death. I squeezed her hand, hating the way my heart ached for her. “Please, sir. It’s important.”
“All right.” He nodded reluctantly, cutting his eyes at me. “But only you two. The others stay outside.”
“And me.” Randy took a step forward.
Michael eyed us with suspicion before saying, “All right.” He must’ve decided against trying to argue since we both towered over him.
The house was clean, spotless. Not a thing out of place. They led us into a quaint living room where Julia and I sat on a couch facing a love seat. Randy stood behind us, his back to the wall.
“Go get everyone drink, Elizabeth,” Michael demanded as he sat down across from us. “Now, where is my son?”
“We don’t know,” Julia relented. Then she proceeded to tell him no one at his work had heard from him, that she hadn’t heard from him—as if that happened normally. She also explained someone was after her, gesturing to the scars on her neck. And that she feared Kevin was in danger because of her, not the other way around. She was so good. The words rolled off her lips as if she would be devastated if they didn’t find him.
She had barely finished her heartbreaking tale when Elizabeth reemerged, carrying a tray with four glasses on it. She set it down on the coffee table quietly.
“I haven’t heard from him,” Michael said. “I called him on his birthday two months ago. But that’s it.” He leaned back and threw his arm up on the couch. “Kid’s a mess. Probably just out on some bender, fucking some girl in another state he met on the internet.” He snorted. “That’s what I’d be doing if I disappeared.”
Julia’s gaze was glued to Michael, but mine was on Elizabeth. I didn’t fail to notice the way she stiffened when he said the last words.
“Sometimes men just need their time to break away and get some new pussy.” He smirked. “It’s normal, hon.”
Elizabeth walked quickly over to her husband and handed him a bottled beer, before turning to hand each of us a cup of something that looked like lemonade. Her face was completely expressionless, but as she pulled her arm away I noticed something on her wrist. Beneath the red fabric was a dark colored spot.
“What happened?” I asked her, my gaze trained on her wrist. She pulled her hand back quickly and yanked the sleeve down over her hand.
“Nothing.”
“It doesn’t look like nothing.”
“What?” Michael’s voice boomed behind her. His beady eyes were suddenly full of malice, as if someone had hit a
switch inside him.
“What happened to your arm?” I asked Elizabeth.
She shook her head quickly. “Nothing. Just clumsy.”
Yeah, right.
“She’s always bumping into things, banging herself up.”
Elizabeth nodded, agreeing with her husband as she sat next to him. He put his arm around her shoulders; the gesture wasn’t a protective one, but rather one of ownership.
“The lemonade is good, Mrs. Malone.” Julia broke the tension. She was sitting straight as a board, clutching the glass for dear life.
“Yeah, she’s gotta be good for something, right?” Michael smiled broadly, squeezing Elizabeth tighter to his body.
“You haven’t seen Kevin at all? No word from him or anything?” she pressed.
“Nope. No word from him, right, Liz?”
“Right.” Elizabeth gave a strained smile that put me even more on edge. Was he here? I thought he might be, but it almost seemed too easy.
“May I use your restroom?” Julia popped up out of her seat, surprising all of us.
What the hell is she doing? We had talked specifically about her not going anywhere in the house alone. If Kevin was there, we didn’t know what he would do when put in the tenuous situation of being caught. He could come out guns blazing—so Julia being alone somewhere else in the house was out of the question and she knew that. She knows that, but she’s going to do it anyway. I knew very well she didn’t need to use the restroom. We’d made a special stop on the way to make certain there would be no need for it.
Michael eyed her skeptically, as if he didn’t want to tell her, but he did anyway. “Sure. It’s just down the hall on your left.” He gestured with his hand. She hurried quickly in that direction. I shot a look at Randy and he fell into step behind her, filling me with a little relief. The fact she was going off into the house alone—even with Randy following her—made me want to fucking punch something.
I jerked my phone out and typed a quick text.
“What was the last thing he said when you talked to him?” I leaned forward.
“Who? Kevin?”
I nodded.
“The last time I talked to him was two months ago, like I already told you. And he said nothing. Just thanked me for calling. That’s all.” Michael paused. “Is there a reason you’re staring at my wife like that?”
I was looking at Elizabeth again. She was nervous, staring down at her fingers, twiddling them in her lap. “I’m wondering if your wife has some information for us about Kevin.” I need that information. Now. As I spoke I strained my ears for noises elsewhere in the house, but heard nothing.
Alarm skittered over Elizabeth’s features. “Oh, no. I’ve never even met him.”
“Then why are you so nervous?” She was acting like she was terrified—but of what?
“I’m not nervous,” she said, quickly glancing up at her husband.
“Why the fuck are you asking?” He looked down at his wife. “Do you know this guy?”
“No, honey. I don’t know him. I promise.”
His gaze raked over her with disgust while his face reddened, becoming even more pinched. “You’re a fucking liar.” He jerked his hand up and slammed his fist down on the top of her head.
“What the fuck!” I jumped up, red hazing across my vision, just as Elizabeth slumped down on the couch, covering her head with her hands.
“How do you fucking know him?” Michael shouted, his face bordering on a purplish color as he raised his fist again.
In that moment, another image superimposed itself over Michael and Elizabeth. I saw Julia, cowering beneath those bulging knuckles—Kevin’s knuckles. The image of her bloody and hurt, begging for Kevin to stop. The vivid details she had given me in the limo sliced through me, ripping me apart. I lunged for him, letting the red haze take over. I prevented the blow he was about to give her, knocking him back against the couch. He struggled beneath me, grunting.
“That’s how she got the bruise on her arm, huh? Guess it really is like father like son.”
Michael bared his teeth up at me just as the front door opened. I knew it was my men coming in to case the house; the text had given them a countdown.
“Where is Kevin?” I shouted down at him. Men moved around on either side of me, and I knew the rest were casing the house and getting Julia out.
“How do you know my wife?” he shouted back, struggling beneath me. “You’ve been fucking her, haven’t you? She’s always lusted after younger men.”
“What the fuck are you talking about? I don’t know your wife. But I need to know where your son is and you’re going to tell me. Now.” I jerked him into a standing position and two of my men grabbed his arms, subduing him.
“Fuck you!”
My fist slammed into his jaw instantly as if it was a natural reflex. I was done taking it easy, making simple moves to figure all the shit out. I wanted answers. I wanted vengeance. I wanted Kevin to pay for the shit he had done to Julia, even if he wasn’t the one behind all this, and I was going to beat the shit out of his abuser father until I got them. Michael spit blood onto the carpet and made a gurgling sound.
“Oh, please don’t hurt him!” Elizabeth’s wails drew my attention. Another one of my guys was subduing her, holding her arms while she flailed and tried to come at me. There was hate in her cloudy gray eyes. Hate for me.
“He hits you,” I said. “This piece of shit hurts you all the time, doesn’t he?”
She stopped her flailing and looked me right in the eye. “I love him.”
I blinked, confused, and shook my head. “Fine.” I glanced between them, an idea popping into my head. “Tell me where Kevin is or I’ll keep hitting your loving husband.”
Elizabeth’s mouth gaped open. “I really don’t know. I—”
I slammed my fist into Michael’s nose, my knuckles crunching against bone.
“No!” she wailed.
“Then fucking tell me where he is!” I looked back at Michael, whose lip and nose were bleeding.
“He’s not here,” Michael ground out.
“He’s really not. I’ve never even met him and we’ve been married for more than five years. Honest. Just please,” she wailed, “please stop hurting him. Please.”
I slammed my fist into Michael’s gut. It wasn’t good enough. They knew something. They had to. Michael slumped; the only thing holding him up were my men. “Tell me!” I shouted and punched him again and again. There was noise behind me. Wailing. Shouting. But I tuned it all out. I let it all go, let my arm think for me. My arm that was pounding into the body of the piece of shit before me.
It seemed to last forever, my knuckles meeting wet flesh slathered over bone. I knew if I hit hard enough that bone would break. It would crack under my hand, give way like it had never been whole before. I punched Kevin. That’s who it was before me. I punched Victor Marlin. I punched my brother Garrett. I punched all of them over and over.
Someone grabbed me from behind and I tried to push them away, but they were stronger. Multiple pairs of arms. Words being spoken to me over and over. None of them made sense until she was in front of me. My Julia. Like a bright shining star, she filled my vision. Her presence shouldn’t have calmed me, but it did.
I love her. I love her so much it hurts. It physically makes me rot from the inside out because I know I’ll never be happy without her. I know I’ll never be able to make her love me the way I love her. And that crushed me. It fucking destroyed me. Images of her with Victor entered my mind. All the times she’d fucked him. Of her waking up for him, of last night at Rapture. It was a montage of my downfall. The images that would haunt me forever.
“He’s not here.” Her words broke through the haze in my mind.
“What?”
“He’s not.” Randy stepped up next to her. “We’ve looked everywhere. The men are still double-checking, but there’s no sign anyone else is here. No clothes. No extra toothbrushes. No nothing, man.” He shook his he
ad. “Looks like ya boy is tellin’ the truth.”
Michael was unconscious on the couch, Elizabeth crying as she hovered over him.
I walked over to her slowly. “He hits you,” I said again, and she glanced up at me. “He hits you and you still protect him.”
She blinked up at me through bleary eyes. “He’s all I have.”
“Leave her alone, Cole.” Julia stepped around me and touched Elizabeth’s shoulder lightly. “I’m so sorry this happened, Mrs. Malone.” Her voice dripped with sorrow. “We have to get him to a hospital,” she said to me.
“No hospitals. I have a guy.” I snapped my fingers. “Bobby, go get Armstrong from outside.”
“They’ll get him patched up. He will be okay,” Julia said, rubbing her hand back and forth.
“Why did you come in here and do this? We didn’t do anything to you.” Elizabeth shook her head back and forth frantically, her red curls bobbing up and down. “We didn’t ask for this!”
Armstrong came in and knelt in front of Elizabeth and Michael, holding a large first aid kit.
“I’m sorry, Elizabeth. We just need to find Kevin. You have no idea how important it is.” Julia sounded like she was on the verge of tears. Unwillingly, my heart ached for her.
Armstrong started pulling out gauze and antiseptic.
“I don’t know where he is. I swear it!” Snot ran down her face from her nose. “Please don’t hurt him anymore.” She directed her words at Armstrong who had started cleaning the wounds.
“We believe you. But…” Julia got down on her knees. She looked uncertain for a moment. “You don’t have to stay here. We won’t hurt your husband anymore. But you can come with us and we will find somewhere for you to stay. Cole has connections.” She glanced up at me. The hurt in her eyes wounded me and nearly sent me staggering backward.
I nodded my head. “Yes. I can get you the money and a safe place to stay so you can get on your feet.”
Elizabeth shook her head frantically, tears still running from her eyes. “I love him. He needs me.”
“He hurts you. Don’t deny it, because I know. His son used to hurt me, too.” Julia’s voice cracked at the end as she reached for Elizabeth’s hand. She squeezed it before pushing the woman’s sleeve back and revealing the dark purple bruise. It reached from her wrist to her elbow. Some parts of the bruise were darker than others, signifying it hadn’t all happened at the same time. “Love that hurts you like this will eventually kill you, Mrs. Malone.”
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