I look away. I’m beginning to shut down. All I keep seeing right now is Lena and what I had done. I will never be able to get over that.
“How did you manage to get out?”
My whole body tenses up at the question and I hold eye contact with Wes. “I didn’t.”
I stand up from the floor and walk towards my purse. I grab the keys to my Lexus and jingle them out in front of me. “After I had told the police about Carter and what he did, he went to prison. I knew it wasn’t over. I knew Olin would come for me. And he did. I was in bed sleeping and I was grabbed and taken to the warehouse in the middle of the night. I put up a fight, but the men who took me did also. By the time I arrived at the warehouse, I could barely breathe or see.
“Olin was furious that his only living relative; his precious fucking nephew, was sent to prison. Of course, he blamed it all on me. I came there thinking my life was going to end and the scary part is, I was so messed up in the head, I welcomed it. I just wanted the pain, the nightmares and the regrets to go away. He didn’t kill me. Instead, he offered me a deal. Well, it wasn’t really a deal, he tends to use that word loosely. He said he was only sparing my life momentarily. That he was leaving my death to Carter once he got out should he choose it, but I was to work for him until then. I figured he wanted me to be his next little whore, but that wasn’t it. I was surprised when he told me he wanted me to race in Carter’s place and if I were to survive, then he would keep everything I earned in return of losing his prize racer. I agreed, but was secretly relieved. I was good, I am good and he had no idea how good I was. In fact, he had no idea Carter had taught me.
“The first race was last summer and I knew how brutal it was. It’s like a damn Demo Derby, but in the form of a race. No one cares if you die. No one comes to help if you wreck. You’re considered weak if you do.”
I chuckle to myself. “They really had no idea how good I was until that race. I didn’t win, but I came damn close. I ended up getting third and Olin was pissed. He took me out back and beat the living shit out of me, took my car keys and said he’d see me next year and then-”
“When are you supposed to race next?” Wes grits out, interrupting me. I can see that he’s getting what I am saying and he isn’t happy about it. Well, buddy, neither am I. This makes the answer to that question even harder for me.
“Soon.” I shrug my shoulders. “I’ll get that exact date and time sent to me. Or hand delivered.”
He stands up and faces me. “No,” he says with finality.
“Excuse you?” Not entirely sure I heard him right.
“No, you can’t race. It’s too dangerous.”
I scoff at him. “Uh… okay… not. I think it’s cute that you think this is an option for me. I told you, I have to do it.”
“But he’s out now. So that means it’s over then.”
This guy is unbelievable. “That’s what I would like to think, but I know it’s not. It’s about to get worse and I have no choice in the matter.”
Wes rubs his hands on the back of his neck. He’s frustrated. It’s a telltale sign I have picked up on. “Yes, you do, Marlie. I can protect you and Gemma. You don’t have to do it.”
I laugh and I laugh madly. I can tell him all about them and he still won’t get it.
“Whatever, I am not going to talk about this right now.” I walk away, heading towards the door. I stop and turn my head to the side “Or ever,” I say and open the door.
Jesse is leaning against the door frame. I glare at him.
“Trouble in paradise?” he asks.
I don’t respond. I just walk right passed him to find Gemma. Though, I don’t know where she is.
I stop and turn back around towards Jesse. I arch my brow at him.
He smirks and points to the room two doors down from Wes’ in the other direction I was going. “I took good care of her last night.”
“I’m sure you did,” I say annoyed, as I brush passed him.
Wes doesn’t follow me, which is good, since I need a breather. Right now, it’s all too much and I just want to go home. I don’t think home is a good option but it’s the only one I have unless I want to stay here and I don’t want to do that right now. I’m going to take the gun and go home.
I knock on the door before I walk in. There’s Gemma, sleeping. I roll my eyes and walk over towards her. “Get up,” I say I pulling covers off of her.
“Hey!” She sits up quickly and rubs her eyes.
“Come on, time to go.”
“Why?”
“Because we need to go to our home. Ya’ know, the place we live?”
“But what about last night? Wes and Jesse can keep us safe if we stay here,” she inquires, but she still gets up and starts to get dressed.
Even if she does make a good point, I’m not going to admit it. “I just want to go home okay? I need...” I pause trying to take a moment. At this point I am pretty frantic. I just want to leave. “I need time to think, Gemma.” I sit down on the bed and lay back wanting to scream, but instead, I take a deep, struggled breath. “I told him Gemma, I told Wes everything.”
Gemma stops what she’s doing at looks at me. “Are you okay?”
“No. That’s why I need to leave. I need time. I had to relive all that again in a matter of minutes.”
She comes and lays down beside me and I lean over a few inches and rest my head against her shoulder.
“I know how hard that probably was and it’s for good reason you told him, but I’m staying, Mar and I want you to as well.”
I lift my head and look at her, “What? What about our business we still have to run?”
“I’ll still be there Monday, chick. I just don’t think we should go home right now.”
The more I think about it, the more I agree that she should stay here, but not me. Right now, someone is after her. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to her if she were to come with me, but I need to go.
“I have to go, Gemma. At least just for a little bit. I might not even go home. I just need to go. Okay?”
She looks at me sympathetically and nods.
I sit up when I remember something. “So… you and Jesse, huh?”
She sits up too and turns to me with her face lit up. “Yeah, who would have thought?”
I laugh. “Oh, I thought it.”
She rolls her eyes and laughs with me. “Oh, whatever. He’s actually not too bad of a guy. You just have to get passed the smug and smartass part of him.”
“I’ll take your word on it.”
After talking a bit more, Gemma walks out with me to go find something to eat, but leaves me at Wes’ door. I walk back into his room and he’s not there. I grab my clothes and quickly change. Once done, I go over to the night side table and stare down at the gun.
“If you insist on leaving, please take it.” Wes’ voice comes from behind.
I pick up the gun and shove it into my purse. I turn around and face him. “Thanks.”
He walks up to me and brushes some hair away from my face. “You’re really leaving?”
I sigh and take hold of his hand. “Yes. I need time, Wes. This is all a lot to take in. I told you things that I never wanted to repeat. I just need to clear my head.”
He steps aside, “I understand, but you’ll call if anything happens?”
I nod and move past him, still holding his hand. I don’t get too far before he grasps my hold of my hand tighter and pulls me back, bringing me crashing into his chest. He stares at me for moment, just looking into my eyes. “We’re okay, aren’t we?”
“Yes,” I breathe out bringing his lips onto mine. The taste of his kiss is so bittersweet. Especially because he breaks it, leaving me wanting more.
I walk out his room and down the steps and at the bottom of the stairs I see Jenner standing by the door, holding a set of keys. My keys. The keys I distinctly remember having in my purse not even twenty minutes ago.
“Hey, Jenner,” I say t
rying to appear cheerful.
“Ms. Edwards.” He greets me back.
“Please, Just Marlie.” I smile at him. I hardly know the man, but I can tell he’s a good one.
His smile spreads across his face. “Alright then, Marlie. I have your car ready for you out front.”
From a warm smile to frowning in an instant, I remember my car not being in the best shape after last night. Wonderful, I think. Going to have to call and get that fixed right away. Good thing I have an under the table kind of guy for that. Let me just add that to the pile of shit I have to deal with as well. I can’t be driving around without a window and a bullet hole in my dash. I take the keys from Jenner, who, by the way, is still smiling. I open the door and I am shocked straightaway at the site of my car. It looks brand new, like nothing ever happened. I turn around and look at Jenner.
“Had if fixed last night. Even gave it a nice tune up.”
“Wow, thanks Jenner.”
“No need to thank me, Wes had it set up. He had his personal mechanic come over.”
Son of bitch. He must have called after I had fallen asleep.
I shut the door to Wes’ home and walk down the steps. I get into my car and take off. All I need is some time to think about what to do. I need to make sure Gemma stays safe and alive. I need to make sure I stay alive and safe. I need to have a game plan.
TWENTY-THREE
AFTER HOURS OF DRIVING AND THINKING things through, I end up back at my garage to put the car away. I haven’t really come to any conclusions as far as what to do. I have mostly spent the last couple of hours replaying the last eight years of my life. The things I have done, the things I haven’t done. Comparing Wes to Carter. Comparing myself to Wes and Carter.
The one thing I have decided on, is that going back to Wes’ is probably the best option as far as safety. Besides, I don’t want to leave Gemma all alone there with them. It’s not them that I’m worried about, it’s that I feel like I would be abandoning her there if I don’t go back. I am only going to be staying the rest of the weekend though. I am not going to run and hide. That has gotten me nowhere before. Monday morning I am going to go to work and make the calls necessary to get my place the best security there is. All new locks, alarm system, and whatever else they can do to ensure me that no one can get in from the outside.
Right now, I am putting my car away and trading it for my truck. I don’t like taking my car up the mountain, even if it is a short distance before I hit a smooth, paved road, I don’t like it. I don’t want to have to put the car away either since they obviously know I have it and know where the shop is too. I’ll come back to get it once I find another place to store it for the time being. I hop in my truck and set off for my apartment to get some clothes and whatever else I’ll need.
I GET TO MY place and park the truck across the street. I get up my stairs and unlock the door. I get in, shut the door and then set down my keys and purse. The apartment is dark with all of the curtains closed. The first thing I do is go to the big bay window and open up it up. I look out at the city and appreciate it a little bit more today.
“Looking good, Doll.”
I freeze at the cold voice that has just come from behind me and I’m pretty sure I just stopped breathing too. My heart just went from calm and steady, to rapid beats that I’m sure are going too fast for it not to explode.
No, this can’t be happening. He can’t be here. I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to turn around. I don’t want to see him, to face him.
I do nothing.
“Aren’t you going to turn around? It’s been too long since I’ve seen your beautiful face.”
Don’t cry, don’t cry.
I slowly turn around with my hands fisted and my nails digging into my sweaty palms. I don’t look at him, though. He doesn’t deserve that.
“Get out,” my voice comes out steadier than I feel. I don’t want him to see me be weak. I want him to get the hell out of my home.
I look up at him and gasp. He looks so different from the last time I had seen him. His muscle mass is at least twice the size it was before. His hair is buzzed and he definitely has had more tattoos added. Bastard has gotten better looking to sum it up. It’s shitty that karma didn’t screw him in the looks department. He is dressed in his usual bad boy attire: white tee and ripped up faded jeans. His muscles are screaming in protest in them, wanting to break through the fabric. The very same look that has always made me weak in the knees, but not today. Not ever again will I succumb to his looks and charm. I have a real man now and the one standing in front of me is worthless.
He eyes me up and down like I’m a piece of meat. “Looking good, Marlie. I don’t remember your body being quite as tight or your ass as fine as it is now.”
I want to throw up. I feel so exposed right now, wearing the same clothes as I did yesterday; a crop top and short shorts. I don’t care how hot it is outside, I feel like wearing a snowsuit with the way he’s looking at me.
“Miss me, didn’t ya’?” he says cockily, while sitting on my fucking couch.
“Get out,” I say again.
He gets up and I am stupid enough to believe he’s actually leaving, but no, he reaches into his back pocket and hands me a white envelope. “Come on, Doll. Can’t we put things behind us and move on? I mean, I have already decided to forgive you for what you did to me long ago.”
Ha! He forgives me for what I did to him? How fucking sweet of him. How about what he did to me? I’m still trying to repair myself from the emotional scars he had left me with. Not to mention, the one physical scar that has healed, but is more visible and real than anything else.
I don’t take the envelope from him. I don’t want to be that close to touching him. The distance between us is sickening enough.
“How the hell did you get in here?” He sets the envelope on the table and looks back to me. His eyes cloud over and that’s when I see him, really see him. He still might be smiling and his appearance might have slightly changed, but the evil in his eyes hasn’t. He’s as dark as ever.
He smirks wider and walks closer to me, forcing me to back against the window. “You of all people should know how I could have achieved that.”
He is absolutely right. I of all people do know how he did, but I can’t think about that right now, I need to get him out of here.
He comes in even closer to me, placing his hand above me on the wall next to the window and moves his face to where its only mere inches from mine. “God, it’s so good to see you, Doll. I’ve been keeping an eye on you, ya’ know. Having my men tell me what you’ve been up to isn’t the same as seeing it. I’ve missed you.” He rubs his nose along my cheek and I instantly move my face from him and side step to get some distance. But he grabs my arm and snaps me back to where I was before. The back of my head slams against the window and I start to see spots instantly. I whimper out in pain from my head. I’m trapped just like last time and this feels just like last time. His grip on my arm is tight and I know it’ll leave bruises. Tears threaten to surface from the pain of that and my head. “I’m not done talking to you. We need to chat. Catch up on all things going on with Marlie these last few years.”
Anger laced with fear forms from my voice. “Let go of me, Carter. You don’t need to know shit.”
He actually lets go of my arm, but he still has me trapped. I need to get out of here. I don’t really know what he wants, but I don’t want to stick around to find out. Think Marlie, think.
My purse! The gun! If I can move quickly enough, I might be able to get to it before he catches me.
I duck down fast and move out from under his arms and go to the left and run around the couch. I get to my purse and fumble to get it open. Jesus, Marlie. Get it together. I snatch the gun out and turn to point it at him. He hasn’t moved. He’s just standing there, watching me.
“Get out,” I repeat for the third time.
Now he laughs at me. “Relax, Doll. I’m not here to hurt you�
�” he trails off making me think that’s exactly what he wants to do.
I so badly want to cry but I am holding it in. He doesn’t get to see me that way. I can’t have him see me that way. And I am so sick of hearing him call me that stupid name he gave me when we were together. It really pisses me off. I think my anger might be taking over the fear for now and that’s good. The gun my hand is giving me some courage I think. Which is a good thing, I need to be angry. Anger makes me stronger. I stand taller and flick the safety off still pointing at his chest. “I am not your Doll, Carter. Now get the fuck out of my home.”
He starts walking again, trailing his fingers along the couch as he makes his way towards me; his expression more serious now. “Careful who you threaten, Doll. I’d hate to see anything happen to your business, home, life, and friends if you piss the wrong people off.” He moves towards the fridge and opens it. Grabs a beer, twists off the cap and drinks the whole thing, before throwing it in the trash.
Why did I leave Wes’ home? Why am I so fucking stubborn? I could’ve just stayed and figured my shit out at his home, where I was safe. What I would give to be back there right now, would be everything.
I keep the gun pointed at him as he grabs another beer and leans against the counter like he plans to stay for a while.
Asshole.
“Ya’ know, I remember you having such a mouth on you. Never a dull moment when you were speaking.” He shrugs his shoulders and tosses back the second beer. “Guess time has changed you.”
“Fuck you,” I spit.
“Ah ha! There’s my little spitfire. Where’ve ya’ been?” he laughs as he disposes of the other beer. Then looks over at the table and sees the letters. I swear his smile just got brighter and my heart drops at the sight of the pleasure forming on his face.
Underground Secrets (The Underground #1) Page 23