by Wilder, L.
“What do you mean no charge? This has to cost a fortune!”
“Yeah, but that’s not for you to worry about.”
Becoming aggravated, I snapped, “What do you mean ‘it’s not for you to worry about’? Who do you think is paying for all this?”
Just then, his phone started ringing, and he pulled it out of his pocket and answered, “Yeah?”
After a three-second conversation, he climbed down from his ladder and rushed towards his truck then said, “I’ve gotta jet, but my guys will get this finished up.”
“Wait.” I started to follow him as I shouted, “You haven’t answered my question!”
“You’re asking the wrong man, doll.” He turned and gave a few orders to his biker buddies then climbed inside his truck. He started to pull away from the curb but stuck his head out the window to inform me, “Once they get done installing everything out here, they’re gonna need access to the inside.”
Before I could refuse, he’d already hit the gas and disappeared into the flow of traffic. I let out a deep breath and turned to the younger of the two men Riggs had left behind. “Can you at least tell me what you’re going to be installing?”
“We’re putting up two cameras out here and two more in the back of the building so you can monitor all the entrances.” He started up the ladder as he continued, “Then, we’re gonna add a couple of security lights and new locks on all the doors, including upstairs in your apartment.”
“My apartment?”
“Yes, ma’am. We’ll mount a camera and security lights up there, too.”
“Is all that really necessary?”
“You never know.” The sun was starting to bear down on us, and sweat trickled across his brow as he shrugged. “Better to be safe than sorry and all that.”
“But ... I didn’t ask Shadow to do all this.”
“He’s just trying to make sure nothing happens to you, and I can’t say I blame him.” He looked down at me with his eyebrow cocked high. “If I was Shadow and had a hot girl like you living and working in an area like this, I’d be doing the same damn thing.”
Before I had a chance to comprehend what he’d just said, his buddy handed him a long cable of wires and said, “Hey, man, if we wanna get this shit done before the store opens, we better get rolling.”
“Yeah, Skeeter, I know. I’m working on it,” he complained.
“I guess I’ll let you get to it,” I told them as I started towards the door. “But I expect you to leave me a bill when you’re done. There’s no way I’m letting Shadow pay for all of this.”
He nodded. “I’ll see what I can do. By the way, my name’s Turnpike. If you need something, just let me know.”
“Thanks, Turnpike. I will.” As I turned back towards my door, a thought crossed my mind. Even though it was early, the temperature was already scorching hot and the humidity was climbing by the second. I glanced back over to the two bikers and couldn’t help but wonder why they hadn’t chosen something more comfortable to wear. Curious, I asked, “Hey, Turnpike. Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“This may sound like a crazy question, but why are you wearing those hot leather vests? It’s like ninety-five degrees out here. Aren’t you miserable?”
“Honestly, they aren’t as hot as you might think, but even if they were, I wouldn’t go anywhere without my cut,” he answered proudly. “Besides, wearing them today helps you just as much as it does us.”
More confused than ever, I mumbled, “Huh?”
“People see members of Satan’s Fury out here working on your store, they’re gonna think twice before fucking with you,” he explained. “And they sure as hell aren’t gonna get in our way while we’re working. Simple as that.”
“Oh.”
“I’ll let you know when we need to get inside.”
“Okay,” I answered as I started upstairs.
I contemplated everything he’d said as I headed to the bathroom and started my shower. I’d never really thought of myself as a judgmental person, but there was something about his answer that stuck out in my mind. When he mentioned people seeing Satan’s Fury working on my store, it made me wonder if that was actually a good thing. Like most folks who lived in the city, I’d heard the stories about Satan’s Fury, and while I had no idea if all of it was true, it had made an impression on me—a not-so-good impression. I had no doubt that the same was true for lots of people in the area, and I had to consider the ramifications of my store being associated with the club. Everything I had was wrapped up in the success of my little business, and if it went south, I’d have nothing. That image terrified me, but at the same time, something told me it wasn’t necessarily all that bad either, especially when I thought about all the money I’d lost from thugs who’d stolen from me. Theft and vandalism were big problems in my neighborhood. As much as I hated the thought of losing the little bit of Hallie that still lingered in the bookstore, I’d often considered moving to a new location. Starting over would take money, lots of money, and it simply wasn’t an option. So, I figured my best bet was to just pay for the new security system and pray that my loyal customers wouldn’t be steered away by the presence of Shadow’s brothers.
Once I was dressed, I went downstairs to let Turnpike and Skeeter inside so they could finish installing the new locks. After they were done, they headed upstairs to work on whatever they needed to do up there. While they were busy, I set about getting everything ready to open the store. I’d just finished making the coffee when Turnpike came in. He walked over and handed me a new set of keys and said, “We’ve got everything up and running.”
“Okay. Thanks. I really appreciate it.”
“No problem.”
“Can you do me a favor?” I asked as I headed over to the counter.
“Sure. Whatever you need.”
After I filled out a check, I handed to him and said, “Can you give this to Shadow? It’s all I can afford right now, but I’ll get him the rest as soon as I can.”
His face twisted into a grimace as he glanced down at the check. “I don’t know. Maybe you should talk to him about this first.”
“There’s nothing to talk about. I’m going to pay for everything. It’s just going to take a little time,” I answered firmly.
“Okay, but he’s not gonna like it.”
“Maybe not, but that’s the way it’s going to be. Anyway, I really do appreciate you and Skeeter doing all this today.”
“It’s been a pleasure.” As he started for the door, he shouted, “Hope to see ya around!”
“You too!”
Once they were both gone, I strolled over to the front door and turned the Open sign around then glanced out the window. I wasn’t surprised to see that Shadow was nowhere in sight. Even though he had my number, he hadn’t used it, and I hated that it bothered me so much, especially since I’d spent my entire morning going over all the reasons why getting involved with Shadow was a bad idea. While mine were totally justifiable, it irked me to think he might’ve had the same doubts I’d been having. Maybe it was all just in my head. Maybe he was just busy, but even so, he could’ve touched base to at least warn me that his brothers were coming by. Something. The whole thing was getting under my skin, and seeing how he hadn’t shown up for his morning coffee just added salt to the wound. Thankfully it was Saturday, the busiest day of the week, and without Debbie here to help me with the customers, I didn’t have time to dwell on it.
Things started to slow down as lunchtime rolled around, and I was able to finally catch my breath.
I was just about to grab myself a cup of coffee and a bite to eat when I heard the front door open. At first, I thought it was just another customer coming in to browse, but a peculiar sensation suddenly washed over me, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand tall. Without even looking, I knew it wasn’t just some random customer. Instead, it was someone from my past, someone I’d hoped that I’d never have to see again. With my heart po
unding against my chest, I slowly turned around, and my worst fears were confirmed when I saw him standing there. Other than a few defined wrinkles and gray hairs, he looked exactly the same. The same body. The same intense, dark eyes. Even his voice sounded the same as he said, “Hello, Alejandra. It’s been a while.”
“Yes, it has. I wish I could say that it’s good to see you,” I spat. “What are you doing here, Marcus?”
Shadow
There are two ways to initiate an attack: sneak in quietly, and do your best not to be seen as you take out the enemy one by one, or bust in—full throttle with guns a blazing and wipe out your adversaries in a matter of seconds. Considering the fact that Gus’s patience had worn thin, it came as no surprise he chose the latter. We’d lost four of our men in a week and had no idea who was truly behind the attacks. The man with all the answers was just within our reach, and we were all ready to find out exactly what he knew. Gus motioned for us to move forward as soon as we got off our bikes, and like a pack of hungry wolves, we advanced towards the warehouse, keeping our focus on all the windows and doors. Like most of the buildings in the area, it was old and dilapidated with local gang tags spray-painted all over the metal exterior, and most of the windows were already destroyed, making it easier to see inside. There was trash and debris strewn from the front to the back of the building, making it clear that Jasper had no pride in his business.
As soon as the front guard noticed us charging towards him, he lifted his weapon and pointed it in our direction. Unfortunately for him, Gus already had his Glock drawn, and before the guard even had a chance to fire, Gus pulled his trigger and killed him on the spot. By the time his lifeless body fell to the ground, four more guards made their appearance. Gus turned to T-Bone and Murphy and ordered, “Cover the back. Don’t want that motherfucker slipping through our fingers.”
With a quick nod, the pack divided, and in a matter of seconds we’d surrounded the entire building. Thankfully, we were on the outskirts of town, so we didn’t have to worry about being heard as the explosion of gunfire erupted around us. With each guard who was taken down, we continued to move forward until we were just a few yards away from the front door. Once he felt the coast was clear, Gus pointed to the door, giving the go ahead for me and Murphy to enter. As we stepped forward, Murphy turned to me and said, “I’ll go in first. Cover me.”
I followed him through the door, and we’d only taken a couple of steps when gunshots were fired from the left side of the room. As soon as I spotted the shooter, I aimed my gun at his head and squeezed the trigger, taking him out before he had a chance to fire off another shot. We surveyed the area closely with each new step while slowly continuing forward, and it wasn’t long before I noticed Gus, Riggs, and T-Bone slipping through one of the side doors. They fired off several additional shots behind us, and after they took out the last of the guards, T-Bone shouted, “Clear!”
With a quick nod, Murphy started towards the office door. He extended his hand, and just as he was reaching for the doorknob, a round of bullets blasted through the wooden door. As he lunged to his right, Murphy growled, “Goddammit!”
I shot off several rounds directly in the center of the door, and after I heard a loud thud against the floor, the gunshots stopped. With my Glock aimed straight ahead, I lifted my foot and slammed it into the door, and as it burst open, Jasper darted out of my line of sight. He slipped behind his bodyguard—a massive African-American male who was at least six foot seven with muscles bulging from head to toe, including a neck that was as thick as a tree stump. The guy was intimidating to say the least, and the fact that he had an AR pointed at my chest didn’t help matters. I inhaled a deep breath and tried to think about my next move when Murphy and the others came up behind me. The man’s eyes grew fierce, and like an animal that had been backed into a corner, it was clear that he was prepared to do whatever it took to fight his way out.
I kept the barrel of my gun trained at his head and said, “Drop it.”
“And why would I do that?” he asked as his finger twitched against the trigger. I wasn’t sure which surprised me more, his high-pitched, feminine voice or the fact that his fingernails were painted a bright shade of pink. It was then that I realized he wasn’t Jasper’s bodyguard after all.
“Because it’s the only way you’re gonna get out of here alive, Milton.”
He cocked his eyebrow as he spat, “We both know I’m not getting out of here alive, but at least I can take you with me when I go.”
“We’re not here for you,” Gus told him as he stepped up beside me. “We just want Jasper. Hand him over, and we’ll be on our way.”
“What do you want with him anyway?”
“That’s between him and me,” Gus growled.
“What is it about you Satan’s Fury boys? It’s like you think you own the whole goddamn city.”
“That’s because we do, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll hand over Jasper and be on your way.” Gus took a step towards him. “Cause if you don’t … and you even think about pulling that fucking trigger, I’ll do things to you that you can’t begin to imagine. Hell, you’ll be begging me to put a fucking bullet in your head, and once I’m done with you, I’ll go after every fucking person you’ve ever cared about or even thought of caring about, and I’ll do the same fucking thing to them. You got me?”
“Don’t listen to him.” Jasper’s beady, little eyes filled with panic as he pleaded, “If you hand me over to them, there’s no telling what they’ll do to me.”
Lowering his rifle, Milton turned and looked at Jasper as he said, “I tried to warn you, but you were just too damn stubborn to listen. Now, you’re gonna have to face this thing head on.”
“But it wasn’t me.” Jasper’s back stiffened as he continued, “I wasn’t the one who took out their guys.”
“Stop with the bullshit, Jasper. No one wants to hear your fucking lies, especially me,” Gus growled as he took the rifle out of Milton’s hand. “I know you’re in cahoots with someone, and one way or another, I’m gonna find out exactly who it is. So do us both a favor and save us some time and trouble. Tell me what I want to know.”
“I already told you. I didn’t have anything to do with it.”
“Alright then. Have it your way.” Gus looked over to me and said, “Take them back to the clubhouse.”
“Wait! What?” Milton shrieked. “You said you’d let me go.”
I shook my head. “I said you’d walk out of here alive, and you are.”
“That’s bullshit, man. I didn’t have anything to do with this shit!”
“We’ll see about that,” Gus grumbled. “Get them out of here.”
As Murphy and I started to lead them out of the office, Riggs asked Gus, “What do you want us to do about cleaning up this mess?”
“You and Blaze gather up anything we might need out of here … computers, files, whatever—and load it in the truck.” He looked over to T-Bone and instructed, “You and Cyrus help the prospects clean the area. Make sure you clear our tracks, then light a match to the place.”
“You got it.”
Murphy and I zip-tied Milton and Jasper’s hands behind their backs, then took them out to the SUV. They both reminded me of an old married couple when Milton glared at Jasper and whined, “I’ll never forgive you for this.”
With a roll of his eyes, Jasper mumbled, “You weren’t complaining when I bought you that fucking BMW last week.”
“That’s because I didn’t know it was blood money that bought it.”
“Blood money, huh?” I growled as I grabbed Milton and shoved him in the back of the SUV. Glaring at him with all the sarcasm I could muster, I added, “Gotta wonder how you knew about that.” And then I slammed the door.
After that, Milton didn’t say another word. Once we had them both secured in the vehicle, we drove straight to the clubhouse and led them both inside. While Murphy put Milton in a room, I took Jasper on a little tour of the building, starti
ng with Boon’s holding room. When I eased the door open and the foul odor of the room started billowing out, Jasper winced with repulsion. It was clear from his expression that he wasn’t prepared to see his employee bound to a wall with blood and bruises covering his entire body. In his weakened state, Boon was barely able to lift his head, but when he noticed Jasper standing there, utter defeat flashed through his swollen eyes. “Fuck, boss. I was hoping you were gonna find a way to get me outta here.”
“I might’ve been able to help you if you hadn’t run your goddamn mouth, dumbass. I should’ve known I couldn’t trust you.”
“You don’t understand. I took all I could take, boss. I really did,” Boon complained.
Remembering how hard he’d fought to keep his boss’s secret, I turned to Boon and asked, “You reckon he could do any better?”
“Got no idea.”
Jasper’s entire body stiffened when I replied, “Well, don’t worry. I’m about to find out.”
Without giving either of them a chance to respond, I closed the door. Sensing that things were about to take a turn for the worse, Jasper started to resist, but he didn’t get very far as I tugged him down to the next room. I opened the door, revealing Hoss bound to his chair exactly the way I’d left him. Jasper’s eyes widened with horror as he gasped, “What the fuck did you do to him?”
Ignoring Jasper’s comment, Hoss turned his attention to me as he pleaded, “See. I told you how to find him. I done what you asked. Now, will you let me out of this fucking chair? It’s killing me, man. I can’t take it any longer.”
“What the hell is this place?” Jasper asked.
I closed the door and shoved Jasper further down the hall. All of the holding rooms were taken which left only one empty room in the hall. While I’d never used it during an interrogation, I decided it was the perfect place for Jasper. I opened the door and pushed him inside my storage room. As soon as he caught sight of all my tools and devices, he started to cry and thrash about from side to side as he shouted, “Oh, God! What the fuck are you going to do to me?”