Dangerous Ties (Ties #1)

by J. L. Beck

  “About time you showed something… Your daddy's about to come, and he ain’t going to rescue you.” I rolled away from the voice. I just wanted to die.

  “Leave her to me.” The voice associated with those words caused the blood in my veins to run cold. I knew that voice, the anger behind those words, and what would happen the moment I was left alone with him.

  “Luke, man, you know this is my thing…” Luke? Who was Luke? My eyes popped open, meeting his dark ones. It was like looking the devil right in the eye and knowing he would kill you in an instant.

  “Boss asked me to perform some special duties, Cole. Just here to do my job.” I twisted away from both of them, the room growing darker with each passing second.

  Cole raised his hands, slight irritation evident in his eyes and he stepped away, walking out of the room that I was being held in. When the door closed behind him, the door to a freedom filled life also closed.

  “You’ve truly out done yourself, Ellie. I mean this time you’ve decided to not only run from me, but to fuck another man. ANOTHER man!” he screamed, his voice causing my ears to ring.

  “I did nothing, Drake,” I pleaded, even though I didn’t want to. I wanted to be strong. I wanted to fight back, but I couldn’t, there was no point in any of it. I would die at the end of all of this, all at the hands of the man I was trying to run from.

  “You did. Not only are you a fucking slut, but you’re a liar. A liar, Ellie, and you know what your father has me do with those that lie... You remember, right?” Drake’s footfalls were heavy, each one of impending doom until he was halting right in front of me. He pulled a knife from his pocket bringing it down to my throat.

  “Please…” I cried out. I was far too weak to fight him, and even if I tried it wouldn’t matter. Someone else would get to me before I could escape.

  Drake smiled like a snake being served his first meal in days. “Please…” He mocked me.

  “Don’t… Don’t kill me yet…” I blinked my eyes open, staring at him in the most convincing way I could. Slowly his eyes softened, one of his hands reaching down to comb through my blood-matted hair.

  “I’ll do whatever you want,” I pleaded with him, still unmoving because I wasn’t sure what would happen next. Drake was like a ticking time bomb. If he exploded, it was all over.

  Instead of doing so, he did something I least expected- he smiled, but just as fast as it appeared it vanished.

  “Like your pity me eyes could ever work on me again,” he sneered, his fingers digging into my hair as he pulled to lift me from the ground. My scalp burned and fresh tears fell from my eyes as a scream resonated from deep within my chest. “I know better now. I know better than to trust you. After I watched you fuck Grayson on that video. We had a camcorder in that room… bet neither of you knew that. Now, I have much better plans.”

  Shivers racked my body, the beating of my heart was loud in my ears as Drake slammed me against the brick wall.

  “Instead…” Drake released me only to grip my chin tightly, “I’m going to fuck you until you’re bleeding, until you’re begging me to stop. Then, and only then will I scar your body the way you have scarred my heart by being a slut.” His breath blasted against my skin as the blade slid against my throat. I could feel the sharp edge sink into my skin just enough to cause a small cut.

  My flesh burned as Drake made a trail with his hand between my legs. I squeezed my eyes closed and pressed my thighs together as hard as I could.

  “Do you think that will stop me?” he whispered, biting my nipple hard enough to draw blood. A scream crept out of me just as his hand attempted to pry my legs open. Something inside of me snapped and no longer could I hold on. My thighs went slack and my body flailed against the wall.

  “That’s my girl, take it like the slut you are. Give that pussy to me,” Drake growled, his tongue licking away the blood on my throat. My mind started to close in on itself just as Drake's fingers entered me harshly. Pain formed but didn’t register in my mind. I was going in on myself, burying all the hurt again.

  He will come for you, Ellie.

  He loves you, Ellie.

  He wants you.

  You’re worthy. I kept telling myself, hoping every word whispered was true.

  “Hey, fuckwad, if she wanted it she would be moaning by now.” I didn’t know that voice and the last thing I wanted was another man to come and try and hurt me. I squeezed my eyes together harder than I had before, not wanting to see the end happen. I could hear the bone meeting bone, and then the sound of a body hitting the floor. Relief soared through me as soon as I realized Drake was no longer touching me. Breath entered my lungs, and I sunk to the floor with the shadow of a man above me.

  I blinked, trying to focus on him, his image, and what he was saying but my ears seemed to stop working. My body shook, the cold floor biting into my naked flesh. I had been used and abused, again and again. This time would be no different.

  “I’m going to save you,” the voice said, and I watched as he pulled a needle out of his pocket.

  Save me? With that? How would he do that? I tried to ask him questions out loud but nothing would come out. My mouth was unmoving, my lungs barely filling with oxygen as I fought to move away from him. The fight was useless as he grabbed my arm, plunging the needle deep into my skin. A burning sensation covered my body in an instant.

  I twisted my head back and forth, my body filling with panic as the feeling of control left my me and my heart rate slowed down.

  “It's all going to be okay now… Everything is going to be okay.” The mystery man’s cool breath fell against my cheek, and it was in that coolness that I realized I had smelt that cologne before. That I'd heard that voice before.

  I knew this man. I had to.

  I tried to blink my eyes open more, only for them to close more firmly. I was falling deeply into the abyss. Nothing could save me now.

  My senses were on high alert, my heart rate skyrocketed, and my hands felt clammy. I was wearing a suit, wining and dining with my boss when I should’ve been putting a gun to his head and rescuing his daughter.

  Patience.

  I thought I could walk into the dining area and not want to wrap my hands around his throat, but I was wrong. The second I saw his eyes I could see the resemblance to Ellie’s, which only made the fire in my veins burn hotter. I was ready to fuck him up, to cause him all the same pain he had caused her. Worst yet, Tuck wasn’t anywhere in sight to keep me from doing something stupid. I hadn't seen him since earlier when I went to him for advice, and none of the other guys knew where he was either. I was starting to go out of my mind, especially since he went completely off the fucking radar.

  “Tonight is for you, bud!” Dex congratulated me like I had saved someone's life or something. A beer landed in my hands, and just as I brought it to my lips her father started to speak.

  “Grayson…” His voice was deep and robust. He held authority when he talked and everyone seemed to be drawn to him, everyone but me.

  “I hope my daughter wasn’t as much trouble as she often is.” He smirked, showing off perfectly straight white teeth. I had met him only a few times before, and he seemed to look the same each time. Anger ruled over everything as I stared at him; images of my dead sister's body, the fact that I knew her killer could be in this room. My mind drifted back to images of Ellie as she was beat by his men.

  “No, not at all sir,” I ground out between gritted teeth. I took a long chug from the beer, it took everything inside of me not to take this bottle and smash it against his head. I knew there was more behind everything, and from the way he was watching me I wondered if he was going to tell me.

  “Good, good. I’m glad that it was you who found her. I know we have had quite a rocky road, but I want you to know that I still love you as if you were my son and I your father,” he said sincerely. His words making the cracks in my heart more profound, and I gripped the bottle hard in my hand, waiting for the moment the glass
would break.

  “Thank you…” I grunted, trying not to sound as angry as I was feeling.

  “You don’t have to…” Boss started to say but stopped midsentence as one of his guards stepped in to whisper something in his ear. His eyes grew wide with a mix of emotions, first fear and then anger. He gripped his tie, tightly adjusting it before speaking again.

  “Men, I hate to cut this celebration short as we can always come back and celebrate, but I need you back at the house with me.” Fear rooted me in place. What had his bodyguard said, and why did we need to go back to the house? If we went back to the house we would see Ellie, and that meant she would be killed before I ever got my hands on her.

  “What’s going on, boss?” Dex asked, concerned. His dark eyes peering into my own as if it was I who had done something wrong.

  Cole was lounging in the corner by the bar watching and waiting for the next victim, completely oblivious to what was taking place.

  “It's been discovered that my daughter is finally dead…” Boss smiled, and my heart sank into my stomach. Emotions flooded me at every angle. She couldn’t be dead... there was no way, who had killed her?

  “What happened?” I blurted out without cause, if she was dead what was the purpose of hiding my feelings anymore? Dex shot me a dirty look as if to say my loud voice and question asking hadn’t gone unnoticed.

  The rest of the boss’ men gathered around, including Cole who was supposed to be with Ellie. My mind wandered through people slowly as I tried to figure out who it was that should’ve been watching over her.

  “What the fuck happened? I left her with Luke and now she’s dead? Did Luke kill her? I mean nothing against you, boss, but the bitch is annoying as fuck. I would’ve killed her eventually as well,” Cole added.

  “Luke? Is he okay?” Dex jumped in. Boss watched us all closely, pulling his phone from his pocket.

  “The limo is waiting out front to take us back. We need to find out what happened, and then I will enlighten you all.” Boss smiled down at his phone, his beady little eyes showing deadly secrets.

  In that moment I prayed as hard as I could that Ellie was still alive. That once I got there it would all be seen as a mistake and Tuck would have shown back up and we could get her out of there. Even if it meant betraying them and being put on their kill list.

  My feet were heavy as I lagged behind, and Cole scurried past me but not before exchanging words.

  “I know you’re hiding something. You fucked her without fault, Gray.” I rolled my eyes, trying not to anger myself any further. I was on the edge of losing it at this very moment.

  “I have nothing to explain to you, asshole,” I mumbled back just as we pushed through the doors leading out to the limo. I was jittery with fear the entire drive, and as we pulled up I could feel the blood leaving my face.

  God let her be alive. I will never ask for anything else in my life, but please don’t let me fail another person. Please don’t let this be the end.

  We entered the building heading straight to the basement-in the interrogation rooms, which is where I thought they were holding her. My nerves were on edge, my heart beating in my ears as we entered the room.

  Her naked lifeless body laid on the floor while Luke sat in the corner of the room, a large black and blue mark across his forehead.

  “What the fuck happened?” Words were leaving my throat without thought. All my emotions were gone. Every single shred of hope had left my body as I watched her father place his fingers against her pulse.

  Her skin was pale, covered in bruises and blood. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I had failed her, just like I had failed my sister, Stephanie. I failed them all... and for what?

  “She’s gone,” Boss announced, and it was then that I completely lost my shit. My fists were flying without a moment's notice, my hands shaking. I punched the nearest wall, causing all the attention to be brought on me.

  “She better be gone. Bitch caused more damage than anything.” Luke’s voice was hoarse as if he had been yelling for hours. Boss looked at me and then down to my bleeding fist.

  “What’s a matter, son?” He paused before looking back at Luke.

  “Seems to me that there were other things that weren’t brought to my attention?” he added, before I could answer. I hadn’t thought before acting, but then again what was the fucking point. The whole reason for me to live was lying lifelessly on the floor, and worst of all was that her death now weighed on my shoulders.

  I had killed the woman I loved, and I hadn't even been the one to take her last breath away. Love? Had that singular word escaped me. I knew it hadn’t been that long since I've known her, but I felt for her what I had never felt for others. So was it love? My eyes burned, and my breath felt like it was stuck in my chest. It was more than love, it was compassion and fear for someone that I hadn’t been able to tell I loved. All I wanted to do was lay on the floor next to Ellie and hold her for as long as I could. I wanted to bring her back even if just for a second to tell her how I feel, and how sorry I was to have failed her.

  “I just…” I growled. “I thought I was going to have the chance to end her life.” I lied. I still needed answers. I would get them. I would avenge for not only my sister, but for Ellie too. I would bring this man to his knees and beat him into the ground. I would become the secret killer he never saw coming.

  “No need to feel bad, at least she’s dead,” Dex added. My nails dug into my palm. Blood poured from the wound on my fist, but I didn’t care.

  “I have some news I wanted to let you guys in on. I thought at least there would be one snake in this group, but I guessed wrong. I had a man very close to me undercover in the group staying with you,” Boss spoke loudly. As shocking as this news was it wasn’t that shocking; at least not until he added the last part.

  “The undercover boss was Luke, who is actually my son in law. His real name is not Luke, but Drake.” Boss smiled wide and happy as if he had granted us the biggest secret of all. I looked straight into Drake’s ugly fucking face, a million and one different emotions raging a war inside of me.

  This man had hurt my Ellie, this man had done horrible things to her, and he was going to pay. Now everyone would pay.

  I would end everyone’s life, simply to bring life back to her.

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