by Zoey Parker
“Anything I can help with?” Axel slipped up behind me and stared. “What the hell is going on, anyway?”
“I’ll tell you later,” I said grimly. “People coming back from the dead isn’t a thing that happens every day.”
Axel threw his head back and laughed. “Ain’t that the truth,” he muttered. “Oh, yeah, some guy called for you a while back. Wanted to know if you’d be around today.”
I frowned. “Who? I didn’t get a call from anyone,” I said in accusing tone. Whenever calls for me reached the clubhouse, the guys were supposed to contact me immediately.
Axel shook his head. “It ain’t worth your time, I could tell the guy didn’t know anything about you,” he said. “It was a fucking scammer, or someone who just wanted weird info about you,” he added.
I frowned. “Still, though,” I said. “With all of this shit going on, I would’ve liked to know.”
“Sorry, boss,” Axel replied. He helped me carry a few boxes of ammo out of the warehouse and load up the back of my car. “Oh shit,” he muttered. “Here comes trouble.”
I whirled around to see that blond pussy, Troy, walking towards me with a weird look on his face. My hands balled into fists and I was just swinging my arm back to hit him when he held his hands up in the air.
“Wait,” Troy said. “I’m not here to fight you, man.”
I stepped closer and swung my arm back, holding it inches away from his face. “I don’t give a shit what you’re here to do, pussy,” I said in a menacing growl.
Troy shook his head and stepped away. “I’m here about Katharina,” he said quickly. “I want to help you. I know where she is and why Margot has her.”
I blinked and slowly lowered my arm to my side. “What?”
“I want to help you,” Troy insisted. “I know I’ve been a shitty person but I want to help. I don’t want anything bad to happen to her,” he said in a scared, nervous voice. “And now I’m fucking freaked out.”
I shook my head. “You’re fucking disgusting, you know that? You spend years abusing this chick and now you want to save her life? Why, so you can just go and keep doing the same thing?”
Troy shook his head. “I know that’s what it looks like,” he said hurriedly. “But I know Margot took her, and Margot’s responsible for Matthias’s death.”
“I already know that, asshole,” I said. “She called me not twenty minutes ago.” I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. Time was ticking, and my wife was in trouble. I had to go help her, I had to save her—it was a visceral need in my bones, my blood, that I’d never felt before.
“I gave Margot information about Katharina,” Troy said. “I know her hotel room is a direct shot from the hotel next door,” he added. He glanced down at the sniper rifle that I was still clutching in my hand. “And you can use that to shoot.”
I shook my head. I couldn’t believe I was accepting help from Troy. Of all the people I wanted to see dead and buried. He was a disgusting weasel; he wasn’t even a real man. He couldn’t even bring himself to defend Katharina himself. I wondered how long he’d been sitting on the information about the hotel room.
“I’m telling you the truth,” Troy said as if reading my mind. “I know you want me dead, and I understand why, but just let me help you with this first, okay?”
I sagged my shoulders. My life was crumbling around my feet, and I didn’t know who I could trust anymore. Margot, my ex-fiancée, my love, wasn’t really dead. She’d faked her own death and lied to me for years. Katie, my wife, was keeping secrets from me. And now Troy, this ratfuck of a human being, was trying to act like he was a decent guy, like he was my friend.
“You should listen to him,” Axel said in a low voice. He stepped closer. “I wouldn’t normally tell you this, but I think he’s telling the truth,” he added. “And you have to do something, Jace.”
I nodded. “I know,” I said. “You know it was Margot who killed Matthias, right?”
Axel looked into my eyes. “I always knew that,” he said. “I mean, I didn’t know it was her specifically. But, man, I always knew it wasn’t you. You believe me, right?”
We embraced in a rough, brotherly hug. “Thanks,” I muttered as we pulled away. “That means a lot, man.”
Axel nodded. “Of course,” he said.
Troy looked at me. “So, you ready to go?”
I nodded, feeling heavy and depressed and like nothing was ever going to make sense again. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” I mumbled. “Come on.”
Troy climbed in the passenger seat of my car and stared straight ahead. He was silent on the drive downtown, towards The Center Park Hotel. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, and frankly, I didn’t much care. I just wanted this shit to be over so I could put a bullet in his head and forget about him.
It occurred to me that he could have been bullshitting me. According to Katie, Troy was a master manipulator. While this little piece of shit didn’t look like much, I knew he had pressured Katie into doing lots of things she didn’t want to do, and had kept her from doing things that she actually cared about.
“Why did you treat her so badly?”
“What?” Troy turned in his seat and glanced at me. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t be a dumb shit,” I told him. “If I weren’t driving right now, I’d hit you. Why did you treat Katie so badly?”
Troy didn’t say anything. He looked out the window; when I glanced down to his lap, I saw that his hands were twitching and fidgeting.
“I don’t know,” he said finally. “It wasn’t like I wanted to do it at the time. But I was so unhappy, and she seemed so unhappy…I guess it was like a way of controlling her, of trying to make our relationship better.”
I snorted. “You are a Grade A bullshitter,” I said, whistling low. “And don’t forget that you’re still on my shit list,” I added. “You ain’t getting away with this just because you’re helping me right now. In fact, half the reason why you’re in the car is so I can make sure you’re not lying.”
Troy swallowed hard. “Margot had been out to get out her for a long time,” he said. He glanced over and I saw he didn’t look nervous anymore. There was a manipulative gleam in his eye. “She’s been biding her time and waiting for the perfect moment.” Troy looked at me. “And everything finally fell into place.”
I shook my head. “That doesn’t make any fucking sense,” I snorted. “Margot loved me. She’d never do anything to try to hurt me. She must have faked her death because someone was pressuring her, or because she was in trouble. I only wish she could have told me!” The very thought filled me with anguish and pain, the kind of pain that radiated out from my heart and made my limbs pulse.
“Don’t think that way,” Troy said. He gave me a nasty grin and I felt my stomach flipping over. It was an unpleasant feeling. “Margot knows exactly what she’s doing.”
“Kidnapping my wife and holding her for ransom?” I glared at him. “Margot isn’t crazy. Someone is putting her up to this. There’s no way she’d do that, not to me, not to Katie!” I paused. “Unless she’s jealous…”
Troy shook his head. “She ain’t jealous,” he said in a nasty, thin voice. “She ain’t jealous at all. She’s getting her dues, that’s all.”
I frowned. Troy wasn’t making any sense. He was like one of those dolls with a string in the back and when you pull the string, the doll talked to you. He was so deluded, so hurt by Katie’s actions that I could tell he’d do anything.
“So,” I said as casually as I could muster. “You going to kill me when this is all over?”
Troy looked at me in surprise. I couldn’t tell whether I’d guessed his plan or guessed the exact opposite. “You won’t keep me around,” he said, swallowing hard. “You’ll get rid of me the first chance you have.”
I paused, letting his words sink in. It was true that I planned to kill him as soon as Katie and I were both safe. Even though she’d rushed to his defense in the park, I
knew I couldn’t let him live. Troy had abused my wife for far too long, and he wasn’t going to get away with it. I had no way of knowing that he wouldn’t do the same to another woman in the future, and I didn’t think I’d be able to rescue her.
“I’m not talking about that now, not with you,” I said. “We have to find Margot and Katie first.”
Troy leaned back against the head and let his forehead rest against the window. I stared at him once I pulled up to a stoplight: he didn’t look well. His pale skin was greasy and full of acne, and his face was bloodless, like he hadn’t been sleeping well. His blond hair was plastered across his forehead and his eyes, though evil, mostly just looked tired. I couldn’t believe how someone like him could have manipulated Katie for years, but I was starting to realize there were a lot of things in the world that I didn’t know.
“It’s over here,” Troy said. He pointed towards two buildings. “On the right.”
“Thanks, genius,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I can tell.” My heart started to pound as we pulled into the parking lot of the hotel. With as much subtlety as I could, I readied the guns and ammo in a duffel bag, hoisting it over my shoulder.
“You ready?” Troy looked at me.
I nodded and swallowed hard. “Let’s do it.”
Chapter 25
Katharina
Margot and her man were huddled in the doorway, talking. I was laying on the bed on top of my hands, twisting and moaning in pain. My wrists and hands hurt so badly that I worried they’d have to be amputated by the time someone came for me. I hoped desperately Jace would come, but part of me knew that was impossible. After the way he’d treated me for sneaking out to Shady Woods Park before, I could just see him nodding to himself in satisfaction and telling me I deserved whatever awful thing was going to happen to me.
Then I realized he’d definitely come, but not for me. He’d come for Margot, his first love, who was still alive. Miraculously. Jace had thought this woman was dead for almost ten years, and here she was, in the flesh. Her black hair and dark eyes made her much more beautiful than I could have imagined, and I felt like an ugly little shrew in comparison. When Jace finds out she’s still alive, he won’t want you anymore, I realized sadly. You’re going to get a divorce and then I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before Troy comes sniffing around once again.
I knew Margot would kill me if Jace didn’t show. While I desperately wanted to live, I didn’t feel as though I deserved it. I’d gotten myself into this mess—I’d risked my own life and Jace’s, time and time again, and here I was. I’d snuck out and I deserved to be caught like this. I shuddered, hoping Margot would make it quick. She didn’t seem like the sadistic type, but I knew appearances could be deceiving. Obviously she was more than content to sit there and watch me writhe around in pain.
“Stop whining,” Margot called over to me as if reading my mind. “I can hear you all the way over here.” She gestured to her man, I’d heard her call him Benji in little snippets of conversation. “Do something about her,” Margot said, waving her arm in the air. “I don’t care, just make it quick.”
Benji walked over to me, a menacing look on his bulky face.
As I winced and shut my eyes, preparing for the blow, he struck me across the face so hard that I saw stars explode in front of my eyes. The pain was delayed for a moment and then it sunk in, so strong that tears came to my eyes. I could feel blood gushing from my nose and I sniffled, trying to breathe.
“Bitch,” Margot said under her breath. “You need to learn how to be quiet.” She walked over to me and glanced down, like I was some pathetic species of bug. “Do you really want to know why I’m doing this?”
“Please,” I begged. “Please don’t kill me.”
“Too late for that,” Margot said, her eyes flashing. “There’s a bomb in this hotel room, and it’s going to explode in two hours. That means the end of you, honey.” She winked at me and I felt a sickening feeling in my stomach. “And the end of whoever else is here, too,” she added, grinning. “I don’t give a shit about the people in this town.” Margot stretched and began to pick at her elegantly long nails. “Marquette is fed by drugs and The Silent Havoc, so I have no qualms about wiping it out.”
The blood was still flowing freely from my nose and I felt myself gagging on it as I tried to sit up. “Please,” I croaked. “Please, Margot.”
Margot shook her beautiful head. “No,” she said in a sad little voice. “I’m not finished making you suffer yet.”
Benji paced the hotel room with his hands shoved in his pockets. He glanced over at Margot. “Boss,” he said in a hushed voice. “Come over here.”
Margot got up glanced down at me again, the same pathetic, pitying look. “Don’t go anywhere,” she said nastily. “I’ll be listening.”
I watched as Margot’s perfect figure sashayed across the room. She leaned her ear close to Benji’s big mouth and he whispered something I couldn’t hear. A crease of worry appeared on Margot’s forehead.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Margot glanced back towards me. “I’m going to tell you a story,” she began slowly. “Listen up.” Her voice was sharp and harsh and not like I was used to hearing it. “This is why I hate you so much.” She glared down at me and I shivered; just the force of Margot’s gaze was enough to make me regret sneaking out of Jace’s house.
“Why?” I stared up at her, suddenly feeling brave.
Margot slapped me so hard that all of the air gushed out of my lungs. “Shut up, bitch,” she said softly. She sat down on the edge of the bed and crossed her legs primly at the ankle. “When I was a little girl, my father died,” Margot began softly. Her eyes took on a new cast of light, like she was staring at a fireplace. “My mother and I were alone. We were poor, Katharina. Really, really poor. Do you know what it’s like to be poor?”
I shook my head. “No,” I said softly.
Margot grinned. “I didn’t think so, cunt,” she said, tangling her hand in my hair and yanking my head back painfully. I let out a yelp of pain and Margot laughed evilly. “Back to my story,” she said primly. “We were very, very poor. My mother was really beautiful.” Margot sighed. “I always wanted to look like her. She was tall and thin with long black hair, dark eyes, and tan skin.” Margot looked down at her own hands. “Even though we never had a lot of money, Mommy always looked beautiful.”
A shiver went through my body.
“Mommy dated a lot.” She reclined on her back and propped herself up on her elbow, staring at the ceiling. “Mommy dated a lot of men, always had a new boyfriend. These men weren’t serious—they loved her beauty and her youth, and they didn’t even mind she had a little daughter. I think I was two when my father died. And after he died, she began dating about six months later.” Margot cackled. “I could give you a string of names from all of the men who paraded around. There was always a new one. Mommy liked younger men, and I always thought they were handsome. But she never fell in love with any of them; she just didn’t want to be alone. Do you know what that’s like, Katharina?”
I shook my head. “No,” I said softly. “I don’t.”
Margot smiled at me, catlike. “I know,” she said softly. “I know you don’t.” Her eyes took on that far-away dreamy quality once again. “Anyway, Mommy loved having boyfriends. There was always one man who pursued her, but she wouldn’t go out with him because he’d been married. Mommy was pretty strict—she only wanted to date men who would be devoted to her.” Margot grinned. “She loved the thrill of making them fall in love with her and then dumping them without thinking twice about it,” Margot added. The sick feeling in my stomach got progressively worse as Margot continued talking. “Can you imagine what that was like for me, Katharina? I idolized my mother, but she didn’t seem to want to spend a lot of time with me. She was always too busy doing her own thing, and she didn’t really care for being a mother.” Margot sighed. “She never should have had me, really, but I can’t think about that
now. It’s so very painful.” Margot reached up and wiped a tear from her eye.
I looked at her. “Are you okay?”
Margot blinked. “I’m fine,” she said. She smiled. “I’m exactly where I need to be right now, and I’ve got you with me.”
“So what happened?” Against my will, Margot’s story had begun to suck me in. I could just imagine what it had felt like to grow up with a mother who ignored you—not that my father had done the same thing, but he hadn’t really known how to be a father and a mother, which is what I’d needed as a little kid.