PowerLess_Anti-Hero Game

by Chelsea Camaron

  “Sit tight?” I tried really hard not to yell, but couldn’t stop myself. “You want me to sit tight while the guy in the same room as me wants to kill me, and the guy coming after me probably wants to rape me and then kill me. Not happening.”

  Dane gripped Royal, picked her up by the arms, and set her down out of his way as he knelt down getting in my face. “That asshole will not touch a fucking hair on your head. He’ll be dead before the thought crosses his brain.”

  My stupid heart squeezed at his declaration. Why did it all have to be a lie?

  Tears started to form, but no way in hell would I let them flow. “Bathroom?” I asked.

  Dane pointed to a door. “There.” Without a word, I raced there, shutting the door and locking it.

  Pain, devastation, and betrayal hit me from all angles. I’d thought picking up my life and going into hiding was horrible. Losing my parents and Grampa was hideous. This. Dane’s betrayal was worse. How? Because I fell for him. Because I let that asshole into my heart only for him to tear it to shreds.

  It would’ve hurt less to actually put my heart through the cutting instead of this. I loved him. Loved him. Even knowing him for a short amount of time, I fell. Each time he touched me, I thought he was falling too.

  If I would’ve just followed through and stayed away from him at least my heart would still be intact. Now, not only was I going to die, my heart hurt so badly it made death welcome. It would put an end to all of it.

  With him here, I tried to hold on to my anger as best as I could. It was the only way to go because showing him how much he hurt me wasn’t an option.

  Fuck him. Fuck it all.

  22

  Dane

  Three hours she stayed away from me. I let it be. She hid in the bathroom at first. My instincts screamed to take the damn door off the hinges and bust through. I had done enough damage, though, with my actions. She wanted space, and she would get it no matter my urges to go to her.

  Eventually she came out, but only long enough to get Royal’s attention and hole away in the bedroom with her friend. She was avoiding me.

  I didn’t blame her.

  My phone rang, and my body locked to stone. Nothing good was going to come from this.

  The call I had been waiting for and dreaded was here.

  I didn’t answer it.

  Going to the bedroom, I knocked on the door. She had holed herself up in there with Royal. The alarms on the windows hadn’t gone off, so I knew they hadn’t tried to take off. She needed the time with her best friend.

  When she wouldn’t answer, I turned the knob. Surprisingly, she didn’t lock me out. Walking in, Royal looked up at me first, her face was puffy and makeup smeared. Aspen’s eyes locked to mine.

  Pain.

  Hurt.

  Betrayal.

  Anger.

  Dismay.

  Fear.

  They stared back at me in her deep green depths. I hated that I had done this to her and it cut me to the quick.

  “Royal, give us a minute,” I ordered and she obliged, nodding at Aspen then moving out of the confined space.

  “I don’t want to talk to you,” Aspen fired off with her eyes still on mine. She wasn’t backing down, and it was admirable. She had grit. I just wished it wasn’t directed at me.

  “I don’t expect you to talk. Just need you to listen.”

  She didn’t budge and as much as it killed I needed to lay it all out.

  “I have to leave. Garrett will remain here to protect you. If something happens and he says go, you go. Don’t question, don’t hesitate. Just go wherever Garrett says.” Reaching in my pocket, I pulled out a tiny piece of paper. “This code will get you into five different safety deposit boxes. Rather than keys, all of my assets are hidden away in boxes in different banks. This same code works at all of them. Garrett will give you a phone. In that phone are five numbers. Garrett will get you back to Pennsylvania. From there, you call Onyx if Garrett hasn’t already made arrangements with him. Onyx will get you in a home where no one can touch you. Paxton is your second call; again, Garrett will take care of this, but should you get separated from him, that phone has every answer you need. Paxton will tell you the location of each bank to get to my money. What’s mine is now yours. If anything at all happens, Onyx, Garrett, and Paxton will keep you safe.”

  Mentally, I ran through the numbers double checking to make sure I hadn’t forgotten a single thing. “Who are the other phone numbers?”

  “The nursing home I had your gramma moved to is in there. Her care is paid for in full with an account for her extras, like getting her hair done and incidentals. She is covered for as long as she lives.”

  I saw the tears building in her eyes. I didn’t have time to wipe them.

  “And the other number?” she asked, fighting back her emotions.

  “It’s to Ellen Sue. For all purposes she is the only mother I’ve ever known.”

  She blinked, not understanding me.

  “Told you, we got a lot of shit to iron out. I never lied to you about who I am. When I get back, I’ll answer any question you have. But right now, I have to leave and go meet the men who want you dead. I have to figure out how to get the target off your ass or put a bullet in them. Either way, today, I clear your name and anyone seeking harm to you.”

  “Are you in danger, Dane?”

  I smirked. “Baby, the life I’ve lived, every breath I take has been a dangerous one. Won’t lie to you about it, won’t sugarcoat shit. I do the best I can to keep my family off the radar of my enemies. Years ago I had very few choices in life. I made one to protect the people I hold close to me. That cost me. To this day, I’m repaying a debt.”

  My phone rang.

  Again, I didn’t answer the call.

  “I gotta go. Promise me you’ll stay with Garrett. Do whatever he says.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t owe you anything, Dane Anderson.”

  “No, you don’t. But I owe you your life, your freedom, and I’m going to give it to you.”

  “You owe me an explanation. Nothing more. Go do what you need to do, but come back here, Dane Anderson. That’s what you owe me.”

  Her answer surprised me.

  “I’ll do my best.”

  She got up from her spot on the bed and came to me. The air changed between us. “I should hate you. Maybe I do. I don’t know. What I do know is I want answers, and I want them from you. I don’t want a code to some boxes. I don’t want your money. I don’t want your protection. I don’t want to make calls to your family that I don’t know. I want you to come back here from doing whatever you need to do and explain to me where something that felt so very right went so very wrong.”

  Her words crushed me.

  I was speechless.

  For the first time in my life a woman had brought me to my knees so to speak. I couldn’t move. Instead, I dropped my head to hers as I reached out and cupped her face. Pressing my lips to hers, I kissed her with every emotion I hadn’t shared. Every piece of caring, compassion, and love I had inside of me I gave to her.

  Surprisingly, she opened for me, and our tongues danced. I gave her what I could in that moment.

  Then without a word, I pulled away.

  Without making a promise I wasn’t sure I could keep, I left the room. I didn’t know what today would give me. So I wasn’t about to let her down again. I had measures in place to take care of her and her gramma for the rest of their lives.

  “I’m out, Garrett,” I told him as I found him in the living room.

  “I’ll send the message to the Jacobys. You’re not alone.”

  I nodded, not saying anything more. Link had been tracking every move Freeman and Jolin had made. Since I was caught up with Aspen, Garrett had been his point person. Draven, who was part of my organization and did exactly what I did for a living, was on standby for me to make my move.

  He would have my back.

  Except, I didn’t want any of that. O
nly to get in, put a bullet in Jolin, sort out shit with Freeman, and leave.

  This life I had lived was a good one, but it was tainted. I wanted a fresh start. I wanted something I never wanted before… I wanted a life with a woman.

  Not just any woman. I wanted a life, a future with Aspen.

  Pulling up, I had my gun on my side, my knife strapped to my ankle, and a phone in my back pocket. The Zippo lighter remained in my right pants pocket. It was the perfect reminder of everything I had already overcame. Today would be another challenge and another test in life to endure. Like Amos and every other fucker who ever crossed me or the people I cared for, I would do anything and everything for the peace of mind to know they were okay.

  Aspen would be safe. No matter what it cost me.

  The address surprised me. It was downtown in a closed down restaurant not far from where Aspen worked.

  Walking in, I found Freeman sitting at a table with one of his men behind him and Jolin to his right with a smug smile on his face.

  “Where’s Aspen?” Freeman asked immediately, seeing I was alone.

  “Safe,” I replied.

  “That wasn’t your job.” He stroked his beard watching me, trying to read me.

  I didn’t reply and kept my face impassive.

  “Where is Aspen Kimmel?”

  “Do you know why you had to track her? The truth?” I asked Freeman, but locked my eyes on Jolin.

  “My nephew had a spat with his fuck buddy. Aspen seemed to have misunderstood what she saw.”

  Both of the men in front of me disgusted me. I continued assessing my situation. If there were only three of them, I could take them all out and still manage to survive. The problem was the unknowns in the back of the building.

  “Jolin was raping”—both men jerked their heads back at my harsh tone on the word—“Royal Tyng. She wasn’t his fuck buddy. She thought she was his girlfriend. She gave him her trust. Aspen witnessed the attack. She fought back for her friend.”

  “Which is why she needed to die; it’s why you were called for, Dane. You owe me, you owe my family,” Jolin fired back at me, not denying what he had done. “Remember where you came from, Dane. Remember what Amos used to do. We got you out of that.”

  I nodded. “Your uncle gave me a unique skillset. But with my talents comes responsibility.” I told Freeman his own words back to me. “I have to determine whether a job is worth the risk to my freedom. Saving your ass, Jolin, is not worth the risks.”

  Freeman surprised me when he laughed. Jolin looked to his uncle, puzzled.

  “That was a smart assessment, Dane. You’ve always been quick witted. Upon further investigation into Miss Aspen Kimmel, I learned of some information. Which is why your job changed from a kill to a delivery,” Freeman began to explain.

  “Why would you save her?” Jolin asked as Freeman lifted his revolver from the table.

  “Blood, Jolin. You’re my brother’s only son. It saved you many times. When you were a young man, I had hopes for you. I had no children of my own, and I saw potential in you.” Freeman raised the gun. Jolin smirked arrogantly at me. “The thing is you’ve put me in a hard situation, Dane. I asked you to deliver her to me so I could see for myself. She’s not here and you hold the key to that. For once, I’m going to trust the papers.”

  He turned his head to face Jolin. With the gun pointed to his nephew’s head, he shrugged his shoulders. “It’s a pity that you went too far, Jolin.”

  “Uncle Freeman, what are you doing? Royal’s fine, she forgave me. Aspen was the only witness. No one knows except the four of us in this room.”

  “You’ve left me no choice, Jolin. Aspen will never see you as a good man. She will only see our family name as tainted. I can’t have that.”

  “Who cares what some dumb bitch thinks?” Jolin fired back.

  Freeman smirked in a sinister way that gave even me a slight chill. “Because she’s my daughter.”

  If a pin dropped on the floor right now we would have heard it.

  “What?” Jolin asked.

  “You’ve made me have to choose, Jolin, between my nephew and my daughter.” He lined up the gun with Jolin’s head. “I choose her.”

  The shot rang in my ears as the gun went off. Jolin’s blood, flesh, bones, and brain matter splattered Freeman’s face.

  I was trying to process what he shared as well as decide what to do next.

  I had two men to take out, but one of them was Aspen’s father. Would she want to know? How much danger was she still in?

  Freeman Zook was her father.

  Once again, the game had changed.

  I thought about the file I had. The information weighed on me. I didn’t know how Aspen would feel if she knew the truth. I didn’t expect Freeman Zook to be her father.

  The damage he did to her family… unforgivable.

  The question was if I killed him now, would she forgive me later?

  Freeman turned to me taking a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiping his face with it while the big man behind him grabbed on to Jolin’s lifeless body and dragged him away from the table.

  With just Freeman and I in the room, this could all be over.

  Done.

  Washed away.

  One bullet and it would all be over. I had no doubt that some of his associates would come after me to avenge his death, but at this point, I didn’t fucking care as long as Aspen was safe.

  “I want to see her,” Freeman stated firmly.

  “And what? Tell her you killed her mother? You think she’s gonna want to talk to you about that?”

  The lines next to his eyes squinted. “See you’ve been doing your homework, considering that shit was buried deep. I didn’t know I had a daughter.”

  “And you still don’t.”

  “The only reason you’re alive right now is so you can take me to Aspen. She’s mine and needs to come back with me and claim her place in the family.”

  I felt my tension rise as I gripped my gun under the table. His was now pointed at me, but since I knew he wouldn’t fire, I had time.

  “You think it’s going to be that easy with her?”

  “Of course.” His demeanor never changed, but it struck me that with the information I had on Aspen, he didn’t know the woman at all. Would she hate me for killing her father? Probably. But it was the only way to keep her safe.

  “Who all have you told about Aspen’s parentage?”

  “Why do you need to know that?”

  Freeman was a smart man and didn’t get where he was today giving away information he didn’t need.

  “Need to know if she’ll be a target from your enemies,” I lied, not giving that first shit. Playing him wasn’t a sin I’d hold on to.

  “As far as anyone knows, Aspen is a nobody. The people close to me will know, but as of now, only a few associates.”

  This was better than nothing. If she hated me, at least I knew I could keep her safe. That was all that mattered.

  Without another word and quick as a flash, I twisted and shot two off right in Freeman’s skull. He slumped in the seat as his man came through the backdoor with two more on his heels. Kill shots right to the head, both going down.

  Quickly, I moved to the door the guys came through. Opening it, there was no one except a dead Jolin on the ground.

  Fuck.

  I grabbed my phone and put it to my ear. “Clean up on aisle seven.”

  23

  Aspen

  The front door to the cabin opened, and Dane strode in. I had to fight my body’s impulse to move to him and wrap my arms around him. Fear was all I felt while he was gone.

  Jolin was a mean asshole, and no matter how much Dane hurt me, I didn’t want him dead.

  His eyes connected with mine, and he winked.

  Winked.

  It made my belly quiver.

  “It’s done,” he said, striding to me as I sat on the lone couch. Dane knelt before me and grabbed my hand. “You never have
to worry about them again.”

  The relief was so heavy that my body fully let go. Tears fell and everything inside of me collapsed, reminding me of how much stress these past few weeks had been. Dane wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his lap.

  I didn’t quibble because I needed him in that moment.

  “Really?” Royal asked next to us. “He’s… gone?”

  “Dead, Royal. Jolin and the guy Freeman who put the hit on Aspen are both dead. Their bodies will never be recovered.”

  Out of the corner of my eye I saw Royal fall back to the couch and look up to the ceiling, but her face was blank making me wonder if she was happy or not. Not until she said, “Thank God,” did I know my answer.

  Slowly pulling myself together, I sat up and scooted off of Dane’s lap. “Tell me everything.”

  Dane didn’t waver. He told me everything from the time he got the phone call, to the moment he knew he’d never go through with killing me; to the moment he put a bullet in Freeman’s head. All of it. He gave it to me, and I believed him.

  “There’s one more thing,” Dane said, grabbing my attention back. “Need to tell ya something I don’t want to, but you need to know. I don’t want there to be any shit between us, Aspen.”

  He had that so wrong; there were acres and acres of space between us right now, but I nodded for him to continue. I didn’t foresee us coming out on the other side of this, but I didn’t want to go there with him right now. I didn’t have the energy.

  “Your mother was murdered not long after she had you.” My heart beat faster as I listened. “Freeman killed her.”

  I jumped to my feet. “What? Why?”

  “Because your mom was involved with him and he was a ruthless son-of-a-bitch.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “He was your father, Aspen. Freeman Zook was your father.”

  My feet stumbled against each other as I fell back to the couch, Royal wrapping me in her arms. This man killed my mother and was my father. How the hell was that possible?