Degrees Of Distortion (Distortion Series Book 1)
Page 15
“You’re a liar,” Jackson seethed.
“He betrayed us all. I can prove it,” Beth insisted.
“How?” Jackson gripped the edge of the table so hard his knuckles turned white.
“You let me and my daughter go, and I’ll make sure you have all the evidence you need.”
“I can’t let you go.” Jackson shook his head.
“Jackson…you promised me,” Lexie spoke up.
Jackson rubbed his hands down his face and turned toward her. “I didn’t promise anything.”
“Yes, you did.” Lexie smacked her hands on the table. Many of the faces in the diner turned toward them with Lexie’s outburst, their interest piqued. “I trusted you,” Lexie said with a quieter tone, but the emotion was still heavy in her words.
“Jack,” Dane called out as he stood up suddenly from his seat. There was only one reason Dane would acknowledge him. Jackson swung his attention toward the door to see a black car pulled up in front of the building.
“Did you tell Officer Rosh you were meeting me?” Lexie’s mother asked in a panic.
“What’s happening?” Lexie asked.
Jackson pushed himself out of the booth and pulled out his gun. Panic exploded inside Lexie. This was not how she imagined her reunion with her mother. She still had no idea what was happening. A couple of screams erupted in the room as people noticed their weapons. Two more cars pulled up directly in front of the diner.
“What’s happening?” Lexie asked with wide eyes as they watched men exit the vehicles through the front windows and enter the diner.
Lexie’s mother grabbed hold of her arm. “Oh God,” she whispered as her grip became almost painful.
The waitress froze when the armed men started to pour in the entrance. They were here to cause trouble, and anyone who laid eyes on them knew the dangers that would soon follow.
The waitress’s fear spilled from her as she visibly shook. She dropped her pot of coffee, and it shattered over the floor. The dark liquid splashed across the black and white tiles running along the floor until it pooled against the shoe of the nearest man who entered. The waitress retreated behind the counter, tears streaming down her face. The men walked in and took various positions around the diner. All the customers looked terrified as they cowered in their seats, too terrified to move. Dane and Teddy both had their guns aimed toward the men.
A man walked in, dressed in a suit and tie. Everything about him spoke of money and power. From his suit to his well-manicured appearance, he was a man that was accustomed to giving orders. Lexie could feel the cold shift in energy as his polished shoes crunched the glass upon the floor. His gaze fell on her, and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Her mother’s nails would surely leave a mark as she refused to lessen her hold.
“Don’t even think about pulling the trigger.” The man looked at Jackson with a challenging expression.
“Fuck you, Stodden,” Jackson replied with malice. He seemed unfazed by all the weapons now aimed at him.
Lexie gasped when she realized this was the man she had read about in her mother’s journal, the man that very well might be her father—John Stodden. Waves of nausea hit her as she placed her hand against her throat.
“Tell your men to stand down,” John commanded. “I’m sure you don’t want any of these lovely people to be killed.” John held out his hands, indicating all the people in the diner. A few whimpers could be heard around them as well as a small child that began to cry. “I know who you are, Jackson Finley. As much as I despised your father, at least he knew what side of the line he stood on. I’ll advise you to stand down or you’ll meet the same fate as your father.”
Lexie watched Jackson clench his jaw. She knew he was struggling to remain in control of his emotions. “I’m surprised to see you here. From what I hear, it’s not your style.” Jackson refused to lower his gun as he looked at John over the barrel.
“I agree that these are not usual circumstances.” John placed his hands in his pockets casually.
Jackson didn’t back down, despite the fact that he knew he was outmanned and outgunned. Lexie didn’t understand how he could seem so confident in the face of danger. She, on the other hand, wanted to crawl under the table. His bravery astonished her.
“It’s been a long time, Mary. Or should I call you Beth?” John’s attention slid over toward her mother.
“What are you doing, John?” Lexie’s mother’s demanded. Her voice was strong considering the fact she could feel her mother tremble.
“Taking back what’s mine.” John raised his brow. Though he remained perfectly composed, Lexie knew he must be angry with her mother with their history. It scared her how cold and unfeeling he seemed. He almost appeared to be amused by the situation.
“Nothing here belongs to you,” her mother said, narrowing her eyes in contempt.
John dismissed her mother’s words, letting them roll off his impenetrable cold, dark shell.
“I know the circumstances are not ideal, but it is nice to meet you, Lexie,” John stated with a certain charm that was surely a key to his success and power. The way he looked at Lexie, she could understand how people could be drawn to him, but she knew the truth behind those deceiving eyes. He was the embodiment of a trickster.
“How do you know my name?” Lexie asked.
“I know a lot of things.” John extended his hand toward her. She looked down at it and made no move to accept. Her instincts screamed to retreat.
“Don’t fucking touch her,” Jackson demanded, raising his gun. All of Stodden’s men shuffled forward with their guns trained on him.
“You’re outnumbered.” John raised his brows. “You and I know how this works. You’re going to lower your gun and let us walk out of here.”
“I can take you down before anyone of these shitheads gets a round off,” Jackson said coldly.
“And if a stray bullet happens to hit a poor bystander…are you enough of a cop to care about the innocent, Jackson? What happens if Lexie gets hurt because of you?”
Jackson’s gaze flashed toward Lexie. She could tell he was struggling with the truth of John’s words. There was so much torment in his dark eyes.
“I believe you just revealed your weakness.” John smiled confidently.
“And you being here reveals yours,” Jackson countered.
“That’s where you’re wrong. I have no weakness.”
“You’re full of shit.”
John began to look impatient as he glanced at his watch. “Stand down and I promise Lexie won’t get hurt.”
“She’s not yours, John. Leave her out of this,” Lexie’s mother demanded. The calm, collected woman Lexie had known her entire life was stripped away to reveal something altogether different.
There was a flash of anger so deep and volatile in John’s expression it dropped the temperature of the room before he composed himself as he smoothed his tie. “If Lexie and Mary come with me, Lexie’s friends will be spared.” John nodded toward one of his men. Lexie’s eyes followed to see someone pull Stephanie and Evan out of the back of one of the vehicles visible through the diner window. They both looked disoriented. Their arms were tied and their mouths covered. Lexie gasped in terror as she watched her friends manhandled by John’s men.
“No!” Lexie cried when Stephanie’s eyes locked with hers through the window. “Don’t hurt them.”
“Fuck,” she heard Jackson mutter under his breath.
Lexie couldn’t take her eyes off Stephanie and Evan. The man who pulled them out of the vehicle had a gun trained on them. Stephanie was in tears, and Evan barely contained his anger. Lexie was terrified he would do something to get himself killed. Evan was never one to think through a situation, always diving in head first.
“I’ll go.” Lexie swung her attention back toward John. “I’ll go with you if you promise not to hurt them.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Twenty-Three Years Ago…
Mary Connors
The plan was made, and she was about to set it into motion. She walked toward the large mahogany bar that was lined with John’s favorite spirits. All were worth more than she would ever consider paying for a bottle of liquor. She ran her fingers over the labels and selected an opened bottle of whiskey. Pouring a generous amount in a glass, she tipped it to her lips. She let the harsh liquid swish around her mouth before spitting it into the sink. She pulled a small baggie out of her garter belt. It was filled with crushed sleeping pills she had been saving. She poured it into the drink and used her finger to stir it. When she could see no remnants of the powder, she wiped her finger along her neck and down the front of her nightgown.
Mary leaned against the bar and stared into the amber liquid. She had been dancing with the devil for far too long. “Please let this work,” she whispered. She picked up the glass and ignored the fear that twisted her insides.
Mary knocked on the large wooden doors that led into John’s office. He had been home for hours now, working away in his office, while she tried to gather the nerve. He would normally have had several drinks by now and would be starting to unwind from his stressful day, or so she hoped.
For the last few weeks, she had been playing her part perfectly. When she discovered she was pregnant, she knew she could not fall apart. She forced herself out of bed, forced a smile upon her face, and forced the image of love and adoration toward John. She swallowed all of her hatred, knowing this moment would come.
“Come in,” John called distractedly. Lexie took a deep, shaky breath. Her heart raced so fast she felt nauseous. She turned the knob and let it swing open. Lexie ran her hand along the doorframe and conjured a playful smile on her lips. “Lexie.” John looked up from his work, the scowl falling from his face as he leaned back in his chair.
“I’ve been waiting for you.” Mary stepped forward, making herself stumble slightly. “Oops…” She giggled at herself.
She watched a smile form on his lips as he watched her walk toward him. She was wearing his latest gift to her—a red silk nightgown that barely covered the curve of her bottom, matched with a black garter set. His eyes traveled up her body as she approached. An appreciative sound rumbled from his chest.
Mary deepened her smile. It was moments like this that made her remember why she fell into his trap. Monsters shouldn’t be so beautiful. “I’m a lonely girl,” Mary drew out, biting her lip as she leaned against his desk.
“We can’t have that.” His smooth voice washed over her, as he assessed her appreciatively.
“Do you want to know what I have been thinking about?” Mary ran her fingers along the edge of John’s desk as she walked around to stand in front of him.
He glanced at her legs before looking up, his desire painted all over his perfectly evil face. “What is going on in that pretty little head of yours?”
Mary leaned down and pulled his bottom lip into her mouth before giving him a gentle bite. She sat on his lap while looking mischievous. Mary tipped her glass up to her lips and pretended to take a drink before handing the glass to him.
He took it without question, his normally suspicious mind drunk on lust and the illusion she painted for him. He tipped the glass to his own lips and took a long draw as he watched her unbutton his shirt. Mary moved slowly, fumbling the buttons as she maintained the illusion that she was drunk. She wanted to make sure she stalled long enough for him to drink enough of the whiskey to be effective. Mary kissed his chest, running her hands down his hard lines until she slid down on her knees. John drained the rest of the glass as Mary pulled his belt from his pants.
She knew how much he loved it when she took him in her mouth. She stroked him as she slid her warm mouth over him. John growled in satisfaction as he wound his hand through her hair, pushing into the back of her throat. Mary tried not to gag as he took pleasure in her. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to make herself sound as if she was enjoying every moment, no matter how much she wanted to cry and run from him.
He suddenly pulled her hair, forcing her to stand. A whimper escaped her from his rough hold. He spun her around and yanked her nightgown up. Pushing her against his desk, papers scattered to the floor as she braced herself. She had to stifle her gasp as he pushed her chest down against the surface of his desk. The only thing she could think of was that she didn’t give him enough—her plan was not going to work.
When he suddenly released her, Mary looked over her shoulder and noticed John rubbing his hands down his face. “What the fuck!” He shook his head before his eyes met hers. He stumbled, placing his hand on his desk. Realization dawned on his face.
“What did you do?” His eyes filled with so much rage that a chill raked over her, stealing her breath. Mary stumbled backward out of his reach when he grabbed for her. He missed and collapsed, taking most of the contents of his desk with him as he fell to the floor.
Mary looked down at his unconscious body. Fear froze her in place. She tried to calm her breathing as she covered her mouth to stop the sob that tried to escape. She needed to move; she only had so much time to act before he would wake up. She knew that she would not survive his wrath this time. She had pushed too far.
Mary quickly ran over to the wall where she knew he kept his safe. He had opened it a few times in her presence, and she hoped that what she thought was the combination would actually work. She swung the painting open to reveal the number pad. Mary stared at the numbers, trying to remember the sequence. She knew the first three numbers. It was only the last that she was unsure about. She had become really good at pretending that she was not paying attention when she was in his office. With her first few attempts, she was only rewarded with a flashing red light. Mary shuffled her feet and tried to calm herself down. She tried one more time, swallowing the panic that was rising in her throat. The safe clicked and then flashed green. “Thank God!”
Mary swung it open. Her eyes fell on stacks of cash. She ran over to the closet and grabbed a black duffle bag. Grabbing as much cash as she could, she stuffed it into the bag. She noticed a box of computer disks tucked it the side of the safe and a few folders. She grabbed them all, not sure what would be relevant or not.
Mary went back to John’s desk, cautiously stepping over his still body. She could hear his long slow breaths, giving her some comfort that he was still unconscious. She wasn’t sure how long she had. She tried opening his desk drawers, but some were locked. She ran her hand on the underside of the desk, searching for a key, only to turn up empty.
Leaning, she patted John’s pockets. When she felt something that might be what she was looking for, she reached in and pulled it out. A small silver key sat in the palm of her hand. If she wasn’t so terrified, she would have screamed out in triumph. She pushed the key into the lock and pulled the drawer open. A few more files sat in the desk along with a handgun. She picked up the folders and tucked them into the bag before picking up the gun. It felt heavy and cold in her hands. She wondered how many people John had killed with this very gun as she gripped it and pointed it at his still form. It would be so easy to pull the trigger and rid the world of John Stodden forever.
Mary’s hands shook as she kept the gun aimed on John. Tears blurred her vision. They ran like a river as all the emotions she kept hidden for so long rose to the surface. Her sob broke the silence in the room. She wanted to pull the trigger, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t let her baby grow up without any family. She would be all her child would have and she wouldn’t risk being locked away. She let her arms drop as she looked
down at the man who took so much of her life away.
She wanted to trust Officer Finley. She needed to believe that he would keep her safe like he promised. She just needed to get this information to him, and he would protect her. She tucked the gun in the bag and ran from the room.
Mary dropped the bag on the floor in her closet and pulled on a pair of jeans, a sweater, and practical shoes. Mary wiped her face and took deep calming breaths. She didn’t want to look anything but poised when she left.
She had to walk past the office door on the way to the garage. It was still quiet within, giving her reassurance he was still out as she quickened her pace. She threw the bag into the passenger seat of her car and started it. She pulled out of the garage, hoping it would be the last time she ever saw John again. Excitement started to fight with the fear in her chest. As she watched the condo disappear in her rear-view mirror, it didn’t seem so impossible to escape John’s hold.
Mary drove to the meeting place she had arranged with Officer Finley. It felt like the ten-minute drive took hours as she constantly watched for a tail. When she pulled up in front of the coffee shop, Officer Finley was waiting for her. She parked her car, grabbed her bag, and walked to his car. As she approached, he stepped out and opened the rear door for her. She slipped in without a word.
Mary knew that Finley would have his partner with him. She hadn’t met him, but he sat in the passenger’s seat and gave her a quick nod when their eyes met. He looked down at the duffle bag she had thrown over her shoulder. She pulled it tight against her side, unprepared to trust anyone but Finley.
His partner looked to be about the same age; they both looked to be early thirties, though she wasn’t certain. Finley turned on the ignition and pulled out of the parking lot. They drove for a few minutes before the silence was broken.
“Are you all right?” Finley glanced back at her before his eyes returned to the road.
“I don’t know.” Mary sighed. She kept her eyes on the passing scenery as they drove.