Now Scarso is here and apparently has some long lost connection to Kid. He’s pissing me off looking at her the way he is. I’m ready to hear what this motherfucker has to say.
“Get talkin’,” I order. No kind requests here.
“As I was explaining earlier, I’m agent Nick Cooper with the DCA. I was undercover in the Mancini Crime Family under my birth name of Nick Scarso. I’m limited with what I can divulge at the moment, but I’m happy to fill you guys in on what I can,” Scarso explains nicely. I stare at him with a look that says get fuckin’ talkin’. Dude is seriously testing my patience.
“As Shanny said we have history, but that wasn’t known before she was taken. I did not know of her abduction until twelve hours after she was grabbed. I was called in to take over an information extraction job. I recognized Shanny upon entering the premises and took over ensuring her safety. I believed Shannon Murphy to be dead. For reasons that are currently being investigated it seems her death was faked at the time her father was killed,” he pauses looking at Kid. Her eyes are bugging the fuck out, but she doesn’t comment.
“About five months ago Vito Mancini had men begin to search for Shannon Murphy. It took them several weeks to locate her. Once they did they spent several more weeks following her and collecting information,” he pauses again to check on Kid. She must already know this part of the story because she looks blank. The rest of us are becoming varying levels of irritated and confused.
“Mancini ordered the grab and had it carried out by a team of his men. The beating and torture she received were not at my hands nor was I present when it occurred. It was carried out by one of Mancini’s soldiers.”
“Where’s the soldier?” Sully Sr. interjects in a menacing growl.
“He was retired after a later incident that again I’m not at liberty to discuss,” Scarso responds harshly. Kid gasps and we all look her way.
“Kiddo?” Kellerman asks softly.
“I’m okay,” she lies. “Go ahead, Nicky.”
“There was a standing deadline to extract information from Shanny of sixty hours. When that deadline came and went, another crew would be movin’ in to reduce risk. I was in the process of preparin’ to move her when the ambush occurred. That ambush was orchestrated by Andrew Taylor as you all knew him. His birth name was Anthony Tarantino, Mancini’s third cousin.”
“WHAT?!” Kid screams.
“Kid, calm down. You can’t get your blood pressure up,” Cal soothes. Everyone sits quietly waiting for Kid to calm down and to get her shit together. We knew this or at least some of this. Kid’s hearing it for the first time and there is betrayal and pain covering her beautiful face.
“Explain that shit to me,” Kid seethes glaring at Scarso.
Scarso clears his throat and quietly begins to explain, “Tarantino, uh…Taylor was raised by his aunt in Kansas City and then started workin’ for Mancini. His background as a cop is real, though I don’t know the details on all of that. I can only assume he was workin’ for Mancini inside the force. While his men were watchin’ you they reported back to Mancini. From what I’ve learned, when you put out feelers for a bodyguard Mancini sent in Taylor. He was just there to keep close tabs on you and feel out the guys. He was there to keep you alive too. I told you the threats against you were real and not from us,” Fucking shit! Someone else is threatening Kid? I’m locking her in her bedroom when we get home.
“Lockin’ you in your bedroom when we get home,” O’Sullivan grinds out at Kid. I laugh one hard bark out loud. Great minds think alike! Kid snickers. Fuck I missed her laugh.
“I’m sorry to say this but he did have genuine feelings for you, Shanny. He was in pretty constant communication with the team. He told them things had gotten personal with you. The grab leader was on the phone with him the day of the snatch right before you walked in to talk to him. He said if you didn’t answer the door that meant he was claimin’ you and shuttin’ the job down.”
“You’ve got to be fuckin’ kiddin’ me?” Kellerman sneers. “You’re tellin’ me not only was he makin’ a play for my woman, but because she turned his ass down he allowed this shit to happen?!” Scarso nods. “That motherfucker’s lucky he’s dead!” Okay, that rage I was talking about earlier, it’s ramped up a bit now. Normally, this is where Kid would step in and calm him down except I think she’s more pissed than he is. FUCK!
“Kid, I think this is enough for today. You just woke up and you’re not healthy yet. Let’s do this another time,” Collin suggests calmly.
“He kissed me. Told me he loved me. Told me he’d wait for me to figure shit out with Kel. I laid bound to a bed knowin’ he’d be lookin’ for me and felt comforted by that! When he walked in that room, I thought he’d come to rescue me!!” she wails.
Kellerman stands up abruptly and moves with purpose (and a bit of a limp) into Kid’s bathroom slamming the door shut. The scream that follows I can only describe as gut-wrenching. He sounds like an animal, feral and primed to kill. I look to Kid for some guidance. Her face is completely pale. She wasn’t thinking about Kellerman when she said that shit and now she feels guilty. I’ll do anything in the world to get that look off her face.
“Kid, he’ll be fine. That’s not on you,” I soothe.
“Kavy, please,” she softly pleads for me to make it stop. We can hear his fists pounding the tiled walls. He’s going to fuck me up when I walk in there, but I’ll take it for her. I stand up, Cal and O’Sullivan follow. Reinforcements are a good thing to have right about now. I walk to the door of the bathroom and pause a second before I open it. What I see before me cracks my heart in two.
Kavanagh
Kellerman is on the floor continuing to hammer his left fist into the wall. The entire wall is shattered. Maybe an eight foot squared wall, tiled three quarters of the way to the ceiling and not a one intact. The classic white hospital tile is dripping in bright red anguish-filled blood. Kellerman’s hands are ruined, bones broken, skin gone, agony seeping from the wounds. I take a tentative step toward him, pausing when his eyes cut through me. I thought his screams were feral, his eyes are haunted. He’s finally broken. I look back at my boys and indicate with my chin for them to shut the door. I don’t want an audience for whatever goes down. O’Sullivan shuts it and he and Cal take steps so they’re right at my back.
Kellerman is still driving his fist into the wall, but softer and more repetitive now. I take another step and end up at his feet my boys just behind me. I crouch down to his level and he lunges at me with the strength of a lion. I fall back on my ass, Cal and O’Sullivan bending down to catch me from falling flat on my back. I’m on my ass on the floor of a hospital bathroom with a 6’5” 260 pound man in my lap fisting my shirt, shaking uncontrollably, sobbing like a baby. Cal quickly scoots around me and wraps his arms around Kellerman. O’Sullivan does the same from the other side and we sit there in the man hug to end all man hugs…the four of us weeping.
Kellerman
I broke. Picturing her laying bound to a bed seeking comfort in Taylor searching for her broke me. He didn’t love her. I don’t give a flying fuck what Nick Scarso (or whatever his name is) says. If he loved her she never would have been laying on a bed, bound, waiting for him to rescue her. She’s been kidnapped, beaten, tortured and betrayed. The betrayal I just witnessed streak across her face caused pain in my soul I didn’t know had nerve endings. I slowly start to get my breath back and my shaking under control. I’m sitting in Kav’s lap like a toddler with O’Sullivan and Cal surrounding the rest of my body. They’ve all stopped crying but are still holding me with supportive force. I release a deep breath and pull my head out of Kav’s rock hard chest. I open my eyes and meet Kav’s to see concern and love (manly love) pouring from them.
“Thanks,” I croak. My throat is wrecked from the screaming and sobbing. O’Sullivan drops his arms but leaves a hand on my calf. Cal drops his and leaves a hand on my shoulder. Kav leaves one hand wrapped around the side of my neck.
“The last thing she heard about me was that I cheated on her and got another woman pregnant. We haven’t talked about it yet so I don’t know where her head’s on that shit. Taylor, or whatever the fuck his name was, made a move on her and told her he loved her before she got snatched. She wasn’t waitin’ for me to save her. She was waitin’ for him,” I explain softly.
“Man, I get that’s fucked up. It. Is. Fucked. Up. But that asshole’s gone. Your baby momma situation will work itself out, you didn’t cheat on Kid. She’ll see that and you two will work on this shit. Don’t let Taylor take anything else from you. And if you can’t do that, then don’t let him take anything else from Kid,” O’Sullivan beseeches me.
“If she leaves me you guys have to promise to keep her safe. If Scarso is tellin’ the truth and those death threats made on Kid are from someone else you have to keep her safe,” I order gruffly.
“Don’t man. Stop yourself from goin’ there. You’re not goin’ anywhere. She’s not leavin’ you so get that shit outta your head! One thing at a time right now. Let’s focus on gettin’ Kid healthy and whole first. Nothin’ else will happen to her. We’ll watch her night and day. You’ve already been doin’ that and so have we. We won’t stop no matter what,” Cal commands. I’ve never heard him that serious ever. I don’t think I’ve heard him say that many words before period.
“Now. You’re a fuckin’ mess,” Kav points out. He’s right. I’m covered in blood and still bleeding. I’m guessing a few of my knuckles are broken. The bathroom is fucking wrecked. That’s going to be a fun bill to pay! “Get in the shower and we’ll get Aidan to come look at your hands.”
The four of us stand up. We’re four big guys in a small bathroom. It’s a tight squeeze. Jesus there’s blood everywhere.
“Thanks guys. I really mean that. I don’t know what else to say, but I needed that. The release…and the comfort,” I say quietly looking at my tattered hands.
“It’s what we do. We’re family,” Kav says smacking my shoulder twice followed by the other guys. I nod as they make their way out of the bathroom.
Shannon
I don’t care what Kavy says, that shit is on me.
“I can’t believe I just did that,” I admit in a whisper.
“Kid, this has been rough on all of us. I think Kellerman took it worse than any of us, if that’s possible. He was wrecked when you were gone. He worked endlessly, doing anything he could to find you. He wouldn’t talk to anyone, barely ate or slept. You’d think him recovering from his beating he woulda needed more rest, but he didn’t,” Hugh explains.
“What beating?” I ask sternly. Blank faces look back at me. Oh no. They’re telling me. I arch my brow waiting.
“I don’t know all the details, Kid. Maybe you should talk to the guys,” Hugh dodges.
“Don’t you fuckin’ dare, Hugh Jacob O’Sullivan. You tell me what you know!” I demand.
“Kid, I’m serious, I don’t know. He was fucked up when he got to Chicago. He took a beating, I know what that looks like. I don’t know anything other than that.”
“Pappy?” I question. He looks like he knows.
“Kid, let’s not go through all of this right now. You need rest. I shouldn’t have let this go this far. We’ll come back tomorrow and finish with Scarso,” Pappy instructs in his fatherly tone.
“Stop callin’ him that!” I screech like a spoiled brat. My emotions are making me a little crazy. I’m blaming the drugs. “His name is Nick Cooper. And I need to talk to him alone for a minute,” I say quietly.
Pappy studies me and Nicky for a long moment.
“Okay, Kid,” Pappy relents. “But not too long. Cooper can come back tomorrow and we’ll finish this conversation. No damn arguing,” Pappy demands. I nod. He’s right, I’m beyond wiped. I napped most of the afternoon but my energy is zapped at this point. I close my eyes. “We’ll see you tomorrow, baby girl.” Pappy kisses my forehead.
“Love you,” Hugh says kissing my cheek softly.
“Be back in the morning, Kid,” Collin says kissing the tip of my nose. I finally open my eyes to see their adoring faces relaxed. They have killed themselves to find me and get me well. I love my family.
“Thank you guys. Thank you for searching for me. Thank you for loving me. I love you all so much, I’ll never be able to say it enough,” I say gently.
“You’re the best piece of all of us, Kid. Doesn’t work without you,” Hugh says with a strangled voice trying to hold back his emotions. I smile and nod as they turn away to leave.
“Gentleman, I’ll explain this further tomorrow if you like but for now you need to know that Nicky Scarso died in the firefight at the farm,” Nicky says professionally.
The O’Sullivans stare long and hard at Nicky. If they knew everything that Nicky did for me it wouldn’t be so difficult, but I’m not in any condition to go into details right now.
“Cooper?” Pappy growls low and menacingly. “You fuck with her anymore, I’ll end you.”
“Noted,” Nicky replies confidently. The O’Sullivans leave. I can’t hear anything in the bathroom anymore. I’m so worried about Kel. If I could go to him I would. Maybe Nicky would carry me in there.
“Shanny, I know this is hard. I can’t begin to apologize to you for not gettin’ to you sooner or figurin’ out a better way to get you outta there. I want to make this right but I’m not sure I can. Tell me what I can do for you,” Nicky agonizes.
“Nicky this is gonna take time. You can’t fix this, nobody can. I appreciate you comin’ here and tryin’ to sort shit out for us,” I say as my eyes flutter shut.
“I’m sorry I had to bring up the soldier,” his voice is pained. My eyes fly open.
“Don’t. Please, I can’t. Kidnapping, beating, being shot, betrayal I can deal with all of that right now. I can’t deal with the almost rape. I will, I promise, just not today.” Nicky nods his head leaning over me he presses his lips to my forehead.
“I need you to give me details about what’s goin’ on. The key, Nicky. Please tell me you found the key,” I plead. Nicky squeezes my hand and smiles broadly, his fake brown eyes alight.
“I got the key. That key is currently causin’ a world of hurt for a lot of people, Shanny. Nothing is public yet, but what we found in the safe deposit box is gonna end the Mancini Crime Family and Governor Grady,” Nicky explains with a smile.
“What? Governor Grady…what does he have to do with this?”
“The day you and your father were shot I was at the house you and your father visited. It wasn’t an office you went to it was Grady’s house. I saw you throw that penny into the fountain and I ran to you, but you were already driving away by the time I got there. Your father had mountains of evidence against the then Senator Grady and Vito Mancini. I’m guessin’ he was there to try to broker a deal or something. We don’t know yet. But what we got will put everyone involved in prison for life Shanny. You did something amazin’ figurin’ out where that key was,” Nicky beams.
“I didn’t do much, Nicky. You’re the reason I figured it out. You guided me to the memories and thoughts,” I say smiling brightly at him. I know he didn’t do anything to make me remember (dream) the conversation my last moments with my father, but I still remembered it while he was there. As heartbreaking as it is to remember it’s infinitely better than not having the memory.
“It was all you. I just pushed a little when you couldn’t get there on your own,” Nicky says sheepishly.
“Bullshit, Nicky. You did a lot for me. I would have never figured that out without you. I’m glad it worked out and I don’t have to worry about anyone comin’ after me again,” I say in a relieved breath. “Can I ask you something?”
&nb
sp; “Anything.”
“What’s the DCA? I’ve never heard of it.”
“It’s an offshoot of the FBI. We work covertly with little to no red tape on domestic issues. Drugs, human trafficking, organized crime, things like that.”
“You’re Jason Bourne aren’t you?” I ask in a feigned fangirl voice.
“Somethin’ like that,” Nicky says in a cocky tone followed by a sincere smile.
Nicky stands up and presses a soft kiss into my cheek.
“Thought I lost you again,” he murmurs into my skin before pressing another kiss to it. “I’ll be by tomorrow to go over some more stuff.” Nicky stands to leave the room but I stop him.
“Nicky,” I call. He halts his retreat turning back to face me. “Thank you. You kept me alive and safe. No matter what happened to me this wasn’t because of you. You’re not to blame.”
“Why’d you do it?” he questions in a whisper, making his way back to my bedside. Nicky sits in the chair and studies my face long and hard.
“Do what?”
“Throw yourself in front of me?” he asks quietly studying his hands that are bandaged and mangled.
“I just did,” I say with a shrug. I don’t know why I did it. I just did. Taylor was going to kill him and I couldn’t let that happen. If I’d had a gun I would have shot Taylor. I wouldn’t have killed him, but I would have stopped him. “What happened to your hands?”
“When you jumped in front of me I wrapped my hands around your head. The bullet that got you went through me. Doctor told me that it changed the trajectory of the bullet enough to stop you from getting the full brunt of the bullet.”
“So you saved my life.”
“No Shanny, you saved mine.” His eyes (I hate the fake brown) get soft and I see how much pain he feels for what happened to me. I realize I want him in my life. I don’t know how much, but I went through something that only he knows. I feel deeply connected to him. If he hadn’t come to the job there’s no doubt I’d be dead right now and probably would have gone through horrors before that end.
Blackness Takes Over & Blackness Awaits Page 38