Risk

by Grady, Samantha

“You know Vinnie?” Adam screeched shocked.

  “I’m dating J, asshole.” I spat trying to pull myself away from tattoo face whose hand was digging painfully into my hip.

  “You three have really done it this time.” Adam roared throwing his hand into the air.

  “I’m feeling charitable Adam, so I’m going to give you some advice, call D and J explain your boys fucked up and return her to them without hurting another hair on her head,” Shark turned looking straight at tattoo face, his face going incurably hard, “That means you fuckwad.” He hissed. “Call me after you teach your boys a lesson Adam.” Turning on his heels Shark walked out the door with his friend leaving me alone with four men who might still kill me.

  “Get your hand off her hair, untie her, get her some ice and for the love of something holy get her off the freaking floor.” Adam screamed flinging his body round like a five year old having a fit. “Do it now,” Adam barked, “I’m going to go call D.”

  “You’re really going to tell them we took J’s girl?” Tattoo face yelled.

  “Be lucky I’m calling the saner one of the two.” Adam yelled as he walked out of the room

  Pulling a knife out tattoo face cut the rope holding my hands behind my back. Pins and needles spiked down my arm as blood rushed through my veins. Roughly taking my tingling arm the youngest looking of the three pushed me on to the couch that had the pounding in my head hurting a lot worse and stars exploding in my vision.

  Reaching my hand up to my forehead I pulled in a sharp breath as my finger traced a cut along a big bump.

  Coming back into the room tattoo face threw a blue ice pack at me. Not wanting to push my luck asking for a towel to wrap the ice pack in I held it close but not touching to my forehead and holy hell did that feel good. Now if I could just keep myself from throwing up I’d be good.

  Time seemed to crawl by or maybe it just went slower because I kept nodding off only to snap my eye painfully open when I realized it wasn’t a good idea to sleep when three people were staring at you like they wanted to kill you.

  As I started to lose the fight to keep my eyes open I heard Denny’s yelling voice, smacking the door open that had me cringing away from the noise Denny flew towards me while Cole and Ben surrounded us, guarding Denny’s back.

  Carefully putting his hand under my chin Denny lifted my face, gently pulling the ice pack away. Denny’s eyes widen turning a shade darker as a muscle jumped in his jaw and his teeth clenched together loudly. For some reason it was the anger on Denny’s face that finally had me crying.

  “Don’t cry sweetheart,” Denny said wiping my tears away with his thumb, “I’m going to deal with Adam and his boys, and then I’m going to take you to Jonah yeah?”

  “Yeah.” I whispered crying a little harder, I just wanted to be home with Jonah, Denny, Mason and my sweet puppy.

  Putting my hand with the ice packed back to my forehead Denny turned to face the others. “B eyes on Olivia.” Nodding Ben stepped back turning his body so he could watch me but still have Denny’s back. “Ok Adam lets state the obvious, I’m pissed as all hell. What the fuck were you thinking?”

  “That’s really none of your business.” Adam said his voice cracking.

  “Really, my brother’s girl getting hit with a gun by one of your boys is none of my business? Wrong, it’s very much my business and you better offer up the information I want to know or I’m going to make it Vinnie’s business. Want to know what Vinnie will do Adam?” Adam shook his head no, “Too bad I’m going to tell you, Vinnie will let J do whatever he wants and boys, just so you know, that’s the love of J’s life. If you think he won’t kill each one of you slowly you’re very much mistaken. Now talk Adam.”

  Thinking about it for a minute Adam shook his head, “Word is Mika’s got his top boy poking his nose into business around town. Did a little digging found the last name Rees thought we would pay him a visit only my boys fucked that all up as you can see.”

  “Olivia had a brother in the drug scene, he’s dead. If her brother was connected to Mika he isn’t anymore. Olivia is off your radar, got it?”

  “Got it.”

  “I also want a marker.” Denny said making Adam’s face redden.

  “Fine.” Adam spat, “Are we done?”

  “No, now I want to know which one hit her.” Without hesitation Adam pointed to tattoo face. Stepping forward Denny pulled his arm back and smacked tattoo face in the nose with bone breaking force. Tattoo face landed on his butt his hands going straight to his bloody nose.

  Shaking out his hand Denny came back to me, “Do you think you can walk?” Denny asked.

  Just think about it made me feel sick, “I don’t feel too good.” I whispered wanting to cry again.

  “Forget it, I’ll carry you.” Denny said pulling my arm over his shoulder and putting his arms around my back and under my knees lifting me up.

  Closing my eyes against the wave of nausea I let Denny carry me out of the house.

  Once we were outside Denny picked up the pace, “Call Doc, have him meet us at the house but tell him not to go in until we get there. We don’t need Jonah flipping out.” He whispered a hint of panic in his voice.

  Sliding into the back seat with me still in his arms I let me eyes slide shut.

  ****

  I was close to losing it. If Denny didn’t show up or call me soon I was going to have a mental break down.

  When Denny got the call that Olivia had accidently been picked up by Adams boys I almost lost it right there in the club. The only thing that had stop me from storming into Adam’s house and beating the living shit out of everyone was Denny reminding me that Olivia wasn’t talking to me because of the person she thought I was now that she knew about the drug business.

  Pacing back and forth through the living room Mason told me it was fine, for the hundredth time. One more fine out of his mouth and it was Mason I was going to beat.

  Mason’s cell ringing had me lunging for his phone but damn him, Mason was faster.

  Nodding his head and saying yes a lot made me almost lose it for the second time today.

  Finally hanging up Mason gave me an uneasy look, “You need to be prepared,” Oh shit how bad was it? “Olivia has a pretty nasty bump on her forehead Denny’s called Doc out.”

  I Wanted to scream and beat who ever hit my Olivia but I did neither as the door opened and Denny came in with Olivia in his arms, I froze, with a big bump on her forehead cut and bruised and tears streaming down her face I lost all the fight, thoughts of killing anyone who’d played about in this screw up went out the window as all I wanted to do was hold her and take care of her.

  Snapping out of it I went straight to them, Olivia arms reaching out for me before I even got there. Taking her into my arms I kissed her gently as she wrapped her arms around my neck holding on like she feared I might let her go. She had another thing coming, I was going to be stuck to her like glue for the rest of her life.

  Moving across the room I sat on the couch so Doc could check her head without me having to let her go and by the way she was still holding on she wasn’t going to be letting me go any time soon either.

  As I sat down my arm under her legs moved to rest on her hip, Olivia’s body tensed up and a hiss left her mouth. Pulling her shirt up and the waistband of her jeans down slightly deep purple bruises shaped like fingers had my vision turning red and thoughts of killing the person who put their hands on my girl back.

  Denny and Mason stepped in closer to see what had me freaking out, Denny cussed while Mason’s hand found one of Olivia’s which she grabbed a hold of.

  Trying to hand Olivia off to Mason, I got nails dug into my skin, “What are you doing?” Olivia croaked out in a rough voice.

  “Mason is going to take you for a little while I’ve got to deal with the person who put that mark on you.”

  “Denny took care of it.” Olivia whispered holding me tighter.

  “Is he still breathing?” I asked really h
oping the answer was no.

  “Not through his nose.” Denny hissed.

  “Not good enough−”

  “Jonah no. That’s not my Jonah.” Olivia spoke over my rant.

  “What?” I asked looking down at her face.

  “Before I was grabbed I was on my way to you because I remembered who you were before I found out. But being with Adam and his boys showed me that you and Denny are nothing like them. You may work in their world but you do not belong in their world. You’re a good person Jonah, you just made a big mistake you need to fix.”

  A hundred different emotions were running through me leaving me speechless. Settling back into the chair I held on to Olivia a little tighter kissing the top of her head.

  Doing what he was paid to do without asking how or why Doc did his thing asking Olivia annoying questions, and poking around her head.

  After another round of stupid questions Doc determined Olivia had a very mild concussion and other than some pain from the bump and cut she would be fine with over the counter pain killers, some more ice and being woken up every hour for the next twelve.

  “You sure she’s ok Doc?” I asked wanting to make sure.

  “She’s fine Jonah just a nasty bruise.” Doc assured me as he gathered his stuff, standing straight up he looked around the room, “Try not to smother her boys it’s a minor injury.”

  Looking up I saw it wasn’t just me worrying over Olivia, both Denny and Mason were huddled close, concern written all over their faces. It was obvious that they loved Olivia too.

  Announcing I was taking Olivia to bed both Denny and Mason came to her.

  Leaning down Mason kissed the uninjured side of her forehead, “Glad your home honey.”

  Taking Mason place Denny cupped Olivia’s face kissing her softy on top of her head. “No more crying sweetheart it breaks my heart.” Denny said catching the tear with his thumb, “Next time you and Jonah get in to it don’t leave us please.” Nodding her head yes Denny gave her another quick kiss then left the room.

  Standing up with Olivia in my arms I carried her to my room to let her get some sleep before we had a very long talk.

  Chapter 20

  Finally the longest twelve hours of my life were up; I’d woken Olivia every hour on the dot. For the first half she was groggy but smiley, the second half she was tired and mean and I found out last night, you should never wake a sleeping Olivia.

  I hadn’t slept at all last night instead I’d laid next to her watching her sleep. During the night Denny had come up and explained what had happen, that Adam’s boys had taken her because they thought she was part of Mika’s group. Mika’s boys being in town was bad news, Olivia’s brother once being involved with Mika was worse. Mika was a top drug lord in the Russian mob and pure evil; you didn’t cross Mika and live to talk about it. If Mika had sent his right hand man to take over Vinnie’s business we were screwed; Mika would have Vinnie’s business sooner or later.

  I didn’t really care if Mika took Vinnie’s business or not right now, I wanted to know how the hell had Olivia’s brother crossed Mika? Was it Mika that had been following Olivia, wanting her to pay for something her brother did? That thought both scared me and made me feel less guilty about bringing Olivia into my life because there was no way she could face Mika alone. And the guilt of exposing her to the harsher side of life was eased a little more by the voice in my head telling me that I did not show her the bad she had already seen it. Even if I’d left her alone like I should have she would have still been pulled into the bad because of her brother. What I would give to have a conversation with Olivia’s brother.

  Movement beside me pulled me away from my thoughts, looking down I found big blue eyes staring at me.

  “What were you thinking so hard about?” Olivia asked sleep still heavy in her voice.

  Did I tell her what I was thinking? Would talking about her brother send her into a panic attack? I couldn’t deal with a panic attack on top of what happened last night, she already taken ten years off my life. “How are you feeling?” I asked going for the safer route.

  “Tired and my head kind of hurts still.” Pulling her face up so I could look at it better I gently felt around the bump causing Olivia to wince, kind of hurts my ass she was in pain, “I’ll get you some more pain killers.”

  “Thanks but I can get them I need to get up anyways.”

  Was she freaking kidding me, “Where do you think you’re going?” I said stopping her from sitting up.

  “Jonah, I’m fine.”

  “I know but you scared the hell out of me…again, so just let me take care of you, ok? I need it.”

  Staring at me for a long moment Olivia eyes filled with tears, “I’m sorry I scared you again.”

  Pulling her against my chest I kissed the top of her head. “Not your fault baby.” I whispered into her hair.

  “I shouldn’t have been out so late but I needed to see you.”

  This is what I needed, lifting her face up with my fingers on her chin I searched her face, “Why did you need to see me Olivia?”

  “I missed you.”

  The words barely left her mouth when my lips crushed down on hers and took the kiss I’d been dying without.

  Pulling her mouth away from mine she put her hand on my chest stopping me from moving back in. “Truth Jonah, do you want out of Vinnie’s business and are you trying to get out?”

  “Truth baby, I want out bad and I am trying to get out.”

  “Ok.”

  Pulling back a little stunned I raised one eyebrow and tilted my head to the side, “Ok what?”

  “Ok I’m staying with you and probably for a really long time.”

  “Really?”

  “Jonah I understand how and why you got into Vinnie business. Does me understanding make it right? No, I don’t think it does but you’re trying to make up for it and honestly my heart wants what my heart wants, it doesn’t really care for right or wrong. But you should know I wouldn’t be coming back if you weren’t trying to get out.”

  Taking a deep breath to calm the emotion rage through my body I breathed out slowly, “I’m trying baby but it’s not something that is going to happen tomorrow or even next week. I can’t give you a time I can only tell you I’m trying.”

  “Good Jonah.” She said kissing my lips then slipping away from me and getting off the bed leaving me too stunned to move.

  What the hell just happened no argument just a simple ‘good Jonah’ what was she thinking or better yet what was she up too?

  ****

  Jonah had sent me back to bed after I was done in the bathroom. I could have argued but it wasn’t just Jonah I was up against, Denny and Mason were backing him. I was seriously waiting for them to brake out the bubble wrap.

  By lunchtime I was so bored I was willing to fight Jonah, Denny and Mason on the whole bed rest thing. But thankfully I was saved from what would have been me crying until I got my way by a very uneasy looking Ty.

  “What are you doing here?” I shouted as walked into the room.

  “Nice to see you too friend.” Ty said giving me his full sassy girl attitude.

  “Not what I meant.”

  Flopping down beside me Ty folded his arms across his chest and stuck his nose in the air, “Uh-huh.”

  “I meant how did you know I was here?”

  “When I came home last night Darcy said she hadn’t seen you for a couple of days. I called your cell but what has become your norm you didn’t pick up. I got worried so I called Jonah.”

  “Darcy is back?”

  “Yeah got back last night an hour before me.” Ty said dropping the attitude to give me a sad look, “She hasn’t called you?”

  “She doesn’t like me right now.”

  “It’s not you she doesn’t like Liv.”

  Wasn’t that the truth Jonah and Darcy had had a screaming match last time they saw each other.

  “So um…I actually came to see you for more than just to see
you.” Oh gosh his eyebrows were bunched together and he was doing that nervous chin-rubbing thing. “Your parents came by the apartment today.”

  “Goody, what did they want?” I said sarcastically, smiling big and batting my eyelashes.

  “They’re worried about you. They think your acting out because you’re in trouble.”

  “Acting out?” I asked my eyebrows just about hitting my hairline, acting out how and for what.

  “Getting drunk at a family dinner.” That wasn’t my best move ever but Jonah and I were playing a game it wasn’t from me acting out. “Not taking their calls or seeing them,” Still not acting out I’d never wanted to take their calls or see them, why would you want to see or talk to someone who was nothing but mean to you, “And now you have a big bump on your forehead,” I thought I did a pretty good job coving it up with make up, guess not. “And Jonah’s face looks like some tried to beat the shit out of him. Seriously Olivia I’m really worried about you.”

  “There is nothing to be worried about, I’m fine Ty.”

  “What happened to your head?”

  Shit what did I say, I couldn’t tell him the truth then he really would have a reason to be worried. Lord I was going to have to lie; I was so going to hell for all the lying. “I ran into a door.” Oh that was a good one I thought as Ty looked at me with disbelief and a hint of anger.

  “You’re such a liar. You know Olivia it’s really easy to dig up dirt on just about anyone as long as you’re digging in the right place. Don’t make me dig up dirt on Jonah.”

  Holy shit that was it, if I could dig up some dirt on Vinnie I could use it against him and make him let Jonah go.

  “Olivia!” Ty screamed shaking my shoulders.

  Umm ouch freaking bump on my head.

  “What the hell is going on?” Jonah yelled flying through the door shoving Ty away from me. “Olivia what’s wrong baby?” Jonah asked pulling me off the bed and running his hand down my body searching for, well I wasn’t really sure, I was wearing shorts and a tank top if I was injured it would be on display.