The edge of forever: A Blackhearts twins novel (Book two)

by Rachael Tonks

  I dart back over to the half-opened door, reaching in for my gym bag to search for my keys. The cold metal against my hand tells me I have found what I was looking for. “Let’s get inside. I need to see if Eric’s trailer key is in there.”

  “Good idea,” Marco says, landing a heavy hand on my back.

  Making our way inside, I switch on the light and begin searching, trying to find the fucking key that must be here somewhere. Unless Jax has it with him. I pull the keys from the key rack, frantically throwing them on the floor. But no joy. I step over to the shelf, running my arm across, and I knock the contents to the floor. Dropping down, I search through the stack of papers and more keys.

  “Shit,” I growl. “It’s not here.” I slam my clenched fist against the floor.

  “So what,” Marco looks at me with a worrying smile on his face.

  “So what?” I fire back. “I need to get in there,” I roar.

  “So I get one of my guys to get in there. No problem.” He loosely shrugs. He turns on his heel and steps outside. I follow him, stopping just outside my trailer. He walks over to one of the other cars parked, bends down to the window, and says something I can’t quite make out.

  Within seconds, he jogs back over to me, case in hand. “Let me locate your brother while my guys get you into the trailer, yeah?”

  “Sure.” I squeeze his neck gently. “Thanks for this, man. I owe you big time.”

  “Don’t thank me yet,” he says with a lift of his brow as he walks into my trailer. I step back and watch the guys as they bend in front of the door. All a sudden, the door is open, and they stand in front of it, their arms pointing inside.

  I race over, thanking them as I barrel inside. I head straight for Eric’s room, searching for something that could lead me to their whereabouts. I rummage through his cabinets, shocked by the amount of narcotics. Eric is doing some serious drugs. But I can’t find anything else of interest. I step out of his room and to the one next door. Kailee’s bedroom.

  I swallow hard, and a cold shiver rushes through me as I step inside. The room smells just as sweet as she does. The perfume she wears is all I can smell. I reach for the closet doors, checking inside for anything that might be missing. There isn’t a great deal in here, but I can’t see anything obvious missing.

  “Ryder…” Marco is screaming my name repeatedly. My heart pounds as I will my feet to move faster to get to him as quickly as I can.

  “What?” I roar, emerging from the trailer.

  “You’re going to want to come and look at this,” he shouts so loud his voice gives out.

  Kailee

  “I need you to change into these,” the dark-haired women instructs, thrusting the items of clothing toward me. I glance down and grab it from her hands. Holding it up, I look closely. This isn’t clothing. It’s lingerie.

  “I… I… I can’t wear this,” I croak out.

  “Oh, you can. And you will,” she says, widening her eyes. “Now,” she yells, and my body shakes in response.

  “What, here? In front of you and those guys?” I point over at the two men still blocking the door.

  I watch as she drops her head back, laughing loudly. She pops her hip out, placing a hand there.

  “What is it exactly that you expect? Getting changed in front of a few strangers is the least of your worries.” She continues to laugh.

  “I’m not doing it,” I roar. “You can’t do this to me. I’m not some damn puppet; I’m my own person.”

  She reaches for me, grabbing a handful of my hair and pulling it back so roughly that I can’t help but cry out in pain.

  “You have two fucking options, little girl. Either you cooperate, or I make you.” Her other hand reaches down to the table, and it reappears in front of my face. She has a hypodermic needle held between her fingers. “This little concoction will make you more than agreeable.” She grins evilly at me. “So what’s it going to be?” she asks, moving the needle closer and closer to my face. I try to push back, shaking my head as much as possible, despite her hold on my hair.

  “No,” I cry out. My eyes fill with impending tears, but I do everything I can to fight them back. I nod, determined not to get pumped full of God knows what.

  “Good.” She releases my hair, stepping back and picking up the underwear from the floor. “I’m glad we agree.” I reach my shaking hand out, taking the clothes from her grasp. I nervously look at the guys at the door and back at her again. I can do this. I have to do this. I close my eyes, turning until I’m facing the wall. I quickly undress, hunching my shoulders and trying to protect what little bit of dignity I have left as silent tears fall over my cheeks. I slide the bra around my torso, fastening it and pulling it into place. The pathetic scrap of material is practically see-through, and the lacy white material covers nothing. I try to swallow the bile rising in my throat; the fear of the unknown terrifies me.

  “Fear is natural,” the woman says smugly as if she is reading my thoughts. “But you need to learn to control it. Be strong but don’t fight the inevitable, darlin’.”

  I ignore her, continuing to change. I check over my shoulder, and she’s still there watching. Waiting for me.

  “Give me your old clothes. You won’t be needing those.” She holds out her arms, and I reluctantly pass my things to her. She takes them from me, and holding open a black sack, she throws them in. “Turn to me.” She twirls her long skinny finger in the air. “I want to see all of you,” she pouts, her eyes widening as I turn to her.

  “So fucking good,” she murmurs, resting her index finger against her plush lips. “We just need to fix your hair and give you a little makeup. Kailee, you are going to be the star of tonight’s show.”

  I’m screaming on the inside. I want to do something. I want to run or fight, but I can’t. When all is said and done, I have to do this. I have no choice. I shiver. I’m so damn cold and so very scared.

  The woman reaches forward, taking my hand and leading me over to the table. The stark white room has only the one clothes rack and this small vanity table. She presses on my shoulders, forcing me into the chair. My hands shake uncontrollably. I squeeze them together, trying to control the emotion raging inside me. I stare blankly at the wall as she styles my hair and applies more makeup than I’ve ever worn in my life. I let my eyes glance occasionally at my reflection in the mirror. If a hooker is the look she’s aiming for, I have to say she nailed it. My lips are now bright red, my cheeks highlighted and contoured. The volume of mascara on my eyelashes makes my lids feel heavy.

  “No crying now.” She shakes her finger in front of my face. “You are utter perfection,” she says smugly. “Don’t ruin it.”

  I lift my head a little in acknowledgment.

  “Well,” she says, clapping her hands together loudly, “my job here is done. Wait here. They will come for you when it’s time.”

  I do what I’ve got to do. I don’t fight. I don’t resist it. I play the game.

  Nodding, I fold my arms across my chest, trying to conceal my breasts.

  “I hope you get a good owner. There’s a fire inside you.” She stops walking, turns, and narrows her eyes at me. “A girl like you could do well out of this. This auction is full of millionaires. No, scrap that” — she pauses for a second, holding up her hand — “billionaires.” She smiles. Her smile is neither nice nor is it evil. Maybe it’s sympathic, but whatever it is, I’ll never forget that face.

  Never.

  “What do they want from me? What is it they expect me to do?” I ask, scared to hear her answer.

  “Everything, Kailee. Everything and anything. You will fulfill their every need and desire. Some will make you work; some will keep you to themselves. It all depends,” she says nonchalantly, lifting and dropping her shoulders loosely.

  “Work?” I whisper, my mind full of the thoughts that only nightmares contain. I’m beyond terrified. My legs shake, and I try desperately to hold on to hope. Maybe I can escape. Maybe I can get away
from whoever buys me. I sit in the chair, and there isn’t a part of me that isn’t shaking. I close my eyes, trying to figure out how to escape. I have to do this. I can do this, I tell myself.

  I hear a knock on the door. I try to concentrate on the men’s voices I can hear, but I can’t make out any of their words. I hear the lock on the door turn; my heart hammers and I chew on my bottom lip. Don’t cry, Kailee.

  I open my eyes, my gaze fixed on my trembling hands.

  “Kailee…” his voice calls me.

  I jump up from my seat. My eyes land on his face, and bile rises instantly, coating the back of my throat.

  “Jax,” I respond, my eyes raking over his face and body. A wolfish grin spreads across his face.

  “Wow,” he mouths; his eyes light up as he takes in my nearly naked body. “So glad I got a taste before we had to bring you here.”

  I gag, almost ready to throw up, but instead, I find the energy to charge at him. “How could you? How could you do this to me,” I scream, my clenched fists hitting him over and over. He brings his arms up, protecting his face from my onslaught.

  “Stop,” he yells, suddenly gripping my wrists, restraining me. “It was always the plan, princess. I was just hired to keep you sweet. Can’t say I didn’t enjoy it while it lasted.” He cocks a brow, and I’m enraged once again. I pull on my wrists, struggling to get him to loosen his hold on me. I kick my legs forward, connecting with his thigh.

  “You vile piece of worthless shit,” I yell back. “You’re sick. You’re both sick.”

  “Both?” he quizzes, his eyes narrowing on me.

  “You and Eric. You’re in on this together, aren’t you?”

  “You aren’t the first, and you won’t be our last.” He laughs. “We’re set to make some serious money here today.”

  “And my father? Does he know what you’re doing to me?”

  “Enough with all the questions.” He drops my wrist, grasping my jaw with his hand.

  “No,” I mumble, his hold impairing my ability to speak clearly. I struggle and finally snap my head out of his hold. “You don’t get to tell me what to do, Jax,” I say, my voice full of venom and deep rooted hatred.

  He laughs loudly. “I think you’ll find I do. I call the shots here, princess, not you.”

  Ryder

  “It’s a fuckin’ what?” I screech, my brain unable to process the shit flying from his mouth.

  “Don’t shoot the messenger, man.” He holds up his hands as if scared to continue.

  “You have to be wrong. This has to be a mistake,” I say, pacing back and forth, forcing my shaking hands through the thick of my hair.

  “I’ve been there before,” he says quietly as if scared by his own admission.

  “You’ve been… but why?” I hiss, not sure I want to know the answer.

  “You remember Fran, right?”

  I nod, my eyes pinned on him, waiting for a reasonable goddamn explanation.

  “Well, I, uh, purchased her from that very same auction,” he all but whispers.

  I slam my hands on the table in front of him, causing him to jump back in his seat.

  “Why the fuck would you need to buy a girl to work for you? I don’t get it. You’d better have a pretty good fucking explanation,” I roar.

  I reach inside my waistband, ready to blow this motherfucker’s head off if he makes one wrong move. His eyes follow my hand.

  “I haven’t hurt her, Ryder. But I needed to buy her for the silence. Any normal employee would be free to leave, and everything I’ve worked hard to build up could come shattering down around me.”

  His voice is taut, and the twitch in his eyes reveals his fear.

  But I can’t stop thinking about Pip. What the fuck would they want with her?

  “I know it’s not what you want to hear, but it’s common practice for our kind.”

  “Our kind?” I yell. “Do not include me in your sick fucking reasoning. I would never do something like that.”

  “Because, Ryder, behind that harsh façade is a good guy.”

  “Bull-fucking-shit,” I retort. “I’ve killed people and felt no remorse. Don’t make out like I’m some pussy with feelings. That’s not how it works, man. You clearly don’t know me as well as you thought.”

  “These auctions are safe places to buy staff. To own someone who works for you with no danger of them running off and revealing what actually happens beyond what we allow people to see.”

  I let out a growl of frustration. I understand what he’s saying and accept his explanation. But it’s not right. It’s so fucking wrong.

  “Man, this is fucked up.” I scrape my hands down my face; my heart beating like it’s about to give out. I feel physically sick to my stomach as my mind runs wild with thoughts of what’s happening to Kailee.

  “Because Kailee’s involved…” His words trail off. “Think about it, Ryder. This is good business sense. My staff are happy and come to no harm, and it’s a way I can ensure my deepest darkest secrets remain just that.”

  “Stop,” I yell. “Stop with the fucking bullshit excuses. Kailee has been taken, ready to be sold. And all because my motherfucker of a brother wants to make a profit from her.”

  “But the point I’m making is this. If you didn’t feel something for the girl, you probably wouldn’t be bothered with what he did with her… Am I right?”

  “Can we quit with the analysis and get the fuck out of here? We need to stop this from happening and fast.”

  “And what? You’re just going to show up and demand her back? Be her knight in shining armor? I’m not sure it works like that. Just because Jax is there doesn’t mean Kailee is.” He sighs.

  “She’s there. I just fucking know it.”

  I race into my room, pulling out the old suitcase hidden under my bed. I grab my gun and ammo as Marco’s words play over in my mind. I don’t know how this will play out. I don’t know what sort of place I’m going to be walking into. But one thing I’m certain of is that I will fight. I will fight to get Kailee back and make her mine. I should never have fallen for the charade my dick of a brother put on. He never wanted her, and watching them together tore a fucking hole in my heart.

  I’ve wanted her since the minute I saw her cradling her face that night she arrived. She has consumed me wholly since that day. I want her so badly that I can practically smell her, taste her. She is all I’ve thought about every single fucking day.

  What I feel for her is so damn intense that it’s almost become a part of me; a feeling that stays with me every minute of every day.

  I watched from afar, hoping she would find something better than us. Better than this goddamn trailer park. The thought of some lunatic touching her, or worse, hurting her makes it hard for me to breathe. This is so fucking dangerous, but I have to do this.

  I have to get back what is mine.

  “Ryder.” Marco calls my name.

  I push the second gun into the waist of my jeans, making sure my shirt covers it.

  “What, man?” I ask, emerging from my room. My eyes land on Marco, leaning against the wall.

  “Do you know what you’re getting yourself into?” He sighs heavily. “I love you like you’re my brother, but I’m not sure I can help you. Going to war was never on my agenda.”

  I lift my chin. “Just get me in there, and I will do the rest.”

  Kailee

  Jax leads me out of the room; my body shakes as my mind is full of fear. My feet drag along the floor as I try to stop this from happening. But I can’t. He’s too strong, and I’m too damn weak to put up enough of a fight. My eyes wander the hall. It’s old, cold, and feels very industrial. The bare brick walls are dimly lit, and I narrow my eyes, trying to take it all in. As we reach the end of the hallway, he grabs the handle and pulls open the door just in front of him. I twist my head quickly, trying to look for an escape route behind me. Maybe this is my chance to get away. As I look behind me, I find the two guys who had previously guard
ed the door are following us.

  My stomach plummets with disappointment, and tears threaten to break through. I feel weak and completely drained. I want to crash to the floor and sob.

  But I can’t.

  I have to remain strong.

  I have to fight.

  Fight to get through this.

  I shake my head, forcing back the emotion. I raise my chin a little, adjusting my posture.

  “I can do this,” I whisper in the tiniest voice possible.

  “What?” Jax spins around; his feet come to a complete standstill. “What did you say?”

  I look at the ruggedly gorgeous man standing in front of me. I still can’t believe this man would do something like this. I never once doubted his motives or his words. He was kind. He made me feel like he cared at a time when I felt abandoned.

  “We don’t have to do this,” I whisper, my eyes checking around us. “Take me home. Make me yours,” I plead with him. Not because I want him but because I want out of here.

  Narrowing his eyes, he clears his throat. “I can’t,” he mutters. “I have to do this. For Eric.”

  “I knew this was all him.” I reach forward, grazing his hand with mine. His admission gives me the little hope I need. “You don’t need him. What about Ryder?”

  “This has nothing to do with Ryder,” he snaps. “Ryder will kill me if he ever finds out about this.”

  “What? No,” I say, shaking my head. “He’s your brother. He loves you.”

  “He loves you more,” he whispers, his eyes widening. “He’s been infatuated with you since the moment you arrived. He loves hard, but I had to step in first. Make you believe that I wanted you. Because this” — he holds out his arms — “this was always the plan, Kailee.”

  “No, you don’t mean that…”

  “I mean every single damn word.” He turns his back and continues through the door. I jump at the contact of something cold and metal pressing on my back. I retract, arching my back, and look at the two men laughing behind me.

  “Let’s go,” one of them grumbles through his snorts of laughter. I quickly step forward, walking faster until I’m right behind Jax. I feel deceived and humiliated. He is seriously messed up and worked hard to trick me the way he has.