by Naomi West
Forcing myself to take a deep breath, I turned to Bax. “Why are we trying to storm the hideout? Carlos wants me alone. To talk.”
“Because I don’t trust him,” Bax said, quietly. “We need at least three guys to back you up in case you have to shoot your way out. Besides, we’re not sure it’s a good idea for you to be going in there by yourself.”
I growled. He was probably right; Bax knew me better than anyone. And he knew that I would most likely do something stupid enough to get myself killed if left alone. But that didn’t mean I wanted to agree with him. My barely-contained anger needed a vent, and Carlos’ head sounded like a great place to start.
Pearl drew a vague map of the area in chalk directly on the folding table. The five of us stood in a circle around the table. Pearl had the best memory of any of us, and she remembered what the inside of the base looked like. She and Patrick had been called there on diplomatic sorts of talks on more than one occasion. But it had been years; that already tenuous relationship between the gangs had been worn away by Kelly’s crazed desire for something more.
Beside Pearl was Bax, and he had several hand-picked men he trusted at his side. One was a huge man named Cole and the other was Bax’s brother, Kite. The others were gathering supplies elsewhere. The group of us would be the invasion team after we came up with a plan based on Pearl’s map.
The planning only seemed to be slowing us down, and I needed to leave. The only thing that kept me here was Kelly’s vague orders to “bring a team with you.” I didn’t tell him about the note or about everyone’s sudden decision that I was somehow the next in line to Kelly’s throne.
I didn’t want to think about that. I just wanted to think about Josh and Ivy. And wringing Carlos’ neck.
“Okay, so we’ll send Creed in the front alone, and Kite, Cole, and I will find a side entrance to storm. As long as we’re quiet, we should be able to cover your exit, if you end up needing one. Our priority is Josh. Ignore the woman; she’s not a part of the plan.” Bax was staring at me oddly as he said the words. “Kelly’s orders.”
When I glanced up at them, both Pearl and Bax were watching me, as if waiting for a reaction. I was furious; Kelly’s orders! I knew the men would obey them too, leaving Ivy to fend for herself. I wasn’t sure Ivy would survive it.
“The only way we’ll go in after the both of them is if Creed claims Ivy as his own, making her part of the Edge for the rest of her life,” Pearl finished quietly, annunciating the words slowly like we were learning this for the first time.
But I couldn’t claim Ivy as my own. If my concentration was divided, if I tried to save them both and things went wrong, I would most likely lose both Josh and Ivy. I had to choose one, and my son came first. Even if it felt like someone had driven a knife through my ribs and into my chest at the thought of losing Ivy, I had to take care of my son. Ivy would survive on her own. Or she wouldn’t. It wasn’t my business.
But it feels like it’s my business.
Divided and unsure, I forced myself to pay attention to the plan, but my blood only seemed to boil hotter with every word. Filled with fury, I could barely hear the others discussing the plan around the roaring in my ears and in my mind.
The four of us said goodbye to Pearl, filing into one of the Edge’s few cars. It wasn’t as roomy as Pearl’s ancient van, but it was quiet. Far quieter than we would be on their bikes. It took us about twenty minutes to cross over into Carrion territory and find their base of operations. So far, Pearl’s directions had held up; the front doors of the building were just where we expected them to be. Everything was in order.
Bax parked the car down the hill about a quarter of a mile from the base. It was as close as we dared get and as far as we dared leave the car. I hoped we wouldn’t need to make a break for it; the hill was empty of any cover that would stop bullets. I guess I will just have to make sure the shooting never starts. It wasn’t my strong suit, being diplomatic. Carlos knew it, too. Which meant he was either desperate to stop Kelly, or hoping I would cause an incident that would start a war between the Carrion Club and the Devil’s Edge.
Either way, it would most likely end in Kelly’s death and the loosening of the grip of the cartel in our city. Carlos won either way.
It took every ounce of willpower I had not to turn around, grab the keys, and just drive the damn car through the front of the clubhouse.
Taking a deep breath, I left the boys as they slid around the side of the building in the dark, looking for the side entrance. I walked up to the double doors, my empty fingers itching for my guns, which were holstered at my sides. “They didn’t say unarmed,” I reminded myself.
The front door swung open on silent hinges as I knocked. I took a deep breath, trying to push back the haze of red that threatened to overtake me again, and stepped inside.
And Carlos was waiting for me on the other side.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Ivy
I did everything I could to hide my shaking. I felt like the last autumn leaf in the icy first winds of winter. Holding my hands hard in my lap, I tried to ignore the swirl of dangerous people around me.
Josh was sitting close by, his eyes pointed at nearly anything in the room but me. I wanted to comfort him, to say something that would put him at ease, but we were pretending. Pretending that we didn’t know each other and that Creed wasn’t anything to me. It sounded easier than it was; even little things could have given us away.
“Do you think they are going to hurt us?” Josh asked finally. He seemed unworried, but he was fidgeting less than usual. It had me worried, but I did my best not to look worried.
“That Carlos guy said they weren’t. Are you scared?”
Josh turned and looked at me, a fake little smile on his lips. “I’m not scared of anything, lady.”
“How old are you?” It was a question I honestly didn’t know the answer to; I’d never thought to ask Josh or Creed his age. I was pretty sure he was about nine, but I’d never actually asked.
“Eight and a half,” he proclaimed proudly. I was surprised again. Only eight years old and Creed expected so much of him. I wondered what little Josh would be like when he was his father’s age. Probably just as much of a criminal as he is. And that thought made me profoundly sad.
“Are you tired? You can come lay by me if you are.”
“I think I’ll be okay. I’m not a baby who goes to bed as soon as it’s dark.”
I chuckled. “You certainly are not a baby.”
The man watching over us, different than the one Carlos had beat up, looked back and forth between us. He didn’t seem to know what to make of our little conversation.
“Either way, there’s plenty of room up on this sofa, if you are interested in taking a nap or something.”
“I won’t need it,” Josh said confidently. “My dad will find me soon, then he’ll take me home.”
There was a little wobble in Josh’s voice as he said it. He wanted so much for his dad to come and save him, and save me too, but I wasn’t sure it was going to happen. I doubted Kelly would let him.
After a few minutes of silence, the door swung open with a groan. The hinges sounded like hadn’t been oiled in years, and I winced at the sound. It grated on my already-frayed nerves like lemon juice over a cut.
Carlos entered, and our watchdog got to his feet. “Sir,” he said, bowing his head a little. I was amazed at the discipline and respect this man Carlos got from all of his people. The Edge was nothing like this; they didn’t run with military precision like the Carrion Club did. But both groups were still dangerous. I should have never gotten caught up in either.
“Ms. Ivy.”
I tried not to show how frightened I was of this man, of his ice cold black eyes. I sat up, looked him right in the face, and squared my shoulders. “Mr. Carlos.”
He looked amused for a second, the first emotion I’d seen on that stoic face of his. I smiled tentatively in return. “You have lived at that motel
for some time?”
I shook my head, running my fingers through my curls nervously. “No. I just moved in several weeks ago after I lost my apartment.”
“How did you lose your apartment?”
I wondered what the harm of answering that question might be and thought through my answer completely before giving it. “I was naive,” I answered finally, feeling my shoulders droop a little. “My business partner took advantage of that. Stole my business out from under me, little by little, until she could take it from herself. Then she burned all of the evidence that I was ever part of the store. So I lost my job and my life savings all in one day. Had to sell everything I owned and moved into a cheaper place.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he answered, his eyes narrowing.
“Are you?” I retorted, surprising myself. “You don’t look it.”
His chuckle was dry and humorless. “So, you live on the same floor as Creed Carver?”
“This little boy’s father? Yes. But I do my best to stay out of his way.” Not entirely a lie.
“Have you ever met anyone else from the Devil’s Edge?”
I shrugged. “Maybe? I met a lot of people.”
Carlos cleared his throat, obviously annoyed. “Did you know that the Devil’s Edge is bringing in a cartel’s goods from Mexico to try and one-up the market here? Did you know they are trying to start turf wars with the other gangs in the area to gain the upper hand and wipe us all out?”
I shook my head. I hadn’t thought of it like that. I didn’t have to pretend to look horrified and surprised. “Why would they do that? Couldn’t bystanders be--” I swallowed hard. Perhaps I should tell him the truth, especially if he’s trying to stop the cartel from moving in.
He nodded. “I doubt very much that the cartel moving in will care much for the local lives of civilians,” Carlos answered coolly. He sat down across from Josh in one of the metal folding chairs, crossing his right leg over his left.
Nausea rose in my gut. He was right, of course. There was no denying it.
“We believe that there is some dissent inside of the Edge, and that Creed might be one of the men who is willing to listen to reason. We want to help him rise to power over Kelly and send the cartel packing before they get a foothold.”
“Why do you think my dad would help you?” Josh asked, crossing his arms over his chest. “Especially after you broke into my house and kidnapped me.”
“We believe your father to be a reasonable, if angry, man,” Carlos leaned back in his chair, his unnerving eyes still locked on me. “He’s not stupid, and I know he must hate the idea of letting the cartels in as much as I do.”
I took a deep breath, fidgeting on the couch under Carlos’ gaze. “What does this have to do with me? I’d rather just leave.”
“I think you know Creed better than you say you do. I think you can convince him to meet with us. If he becomes leader of the Edge, Creed will have Carrion Club’s full support and peace treaties, better than even Kelly has them now. Mostly because we don’t trust this Kelly with his wild ideas and power grabbing.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, holding them tightly to try and hide their shaking. “And so what? What makes you think a big tough guy would listen to someone like me anyway? I don’t think anyone cares for my opinion; this Creed guy won’t be any different.”
“I don’t believe that. You were in his home, protecting his child.”
I took a deep breath to refute him before pausing. No, he’s right. I want this to end as much as anyone does. Creed, I believe, doesn’t want this cartel thing to happen either. And if he had a say, I think Josh would also fight against this drug running thing. It’s dangerous, and it will hurt the neighborhood. Carlos, even if he is the leader of a gang, seems to be in the right, at least this once.
Uncurling from the couch, I leaned toward him. “No matter what you think, Creed doesn’t listen to me.” Josh blinked up at me, his chocolate eyes confused. I smiled down at him. “I just watch his son sometimes. There’s no point in lying if you already know; Creed pays me to watch Josh. We slept together, once, but he hasn’t claimed me as a part of the Edge. But if you let me go, I will do my best to convince him to come meet with you. This seems too important to not try.”
I had a flashback to negotiations classes I’d taken in preparation for becoming a business owner. Tell them your end of the bargain, then wait them out. Most people hate silence. So I tried it out. It felt odd to sit in silence when Carlos was obviously waiting for me to continue.
Josh made a noise in the back of his throat.
“Ms. Ivy. I don’t think we can let you go. I’ll make a bet with you, however. If Creed comes in here and doesn’t even attempt to rescue you, you’ll win the bet and I’ll send you on your way. I just never want to see you again in my town. If he does try to rescue you, however, I will win the bet, and you will convince him to meet with me. And we can both continue to live here, happily ever after.” He was grinning again, and I didn’t like the look of that smile one bit.
I thought through what he said. “Either way, you’ll let me out of here? Alive?”
“Either way, I will let you out of here alive,” he repeated.
There had to be a trick in there somewhere. Something I was missing that would cause me no end of trouble later. “And you won’t come after me?”
Carlos’ face didn’t change a bit. “I will only come after you if I win and you don’t convince Creed to meet with me.”
I gulped audibly, my mouth suddenly as dry as cotton. “Do I have a choice here?”
Carlos pressed his lips together and shook his head. I ran my eyes over that stoic face, the empty black eyes, up to the buzz cut black hair and back down. He didn’t seem to be trying to trick me, but he seemed like he would have no trouble lying to anyone. It was that emotionless expression, the precision placement of every muscle in his face.
But if there was a loophole somewhere, I could not see it.
“Alright, Mr. Carlos. We have ourselves a deal.” I held out my hand and he shook it, much to Josh’s obvious dismay.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Creed
Pushing my way into the Carrion’s building, I stopped in the doorway to let my eyes adjust a bit to the sudden brightness. There were two men waiting for me in the front entrance.
“Where is my son?” I asked, my voice icy and calm.
The two men said nothing. Instead, they just blinked at me like they hadn’t understood my words. Rage filled up my chest, pressing against my bones until they creaked. “I said where is my son?”
“Stop it, you big fat, stupid jerk!” It was Josh’s voice. Before I could stop myself, I was running for him, my legs pumping like mad to reach him. One of the Carrion men had my boy by the arms, dragging him away from me. I don’t think so! I slammed into him at full speed, my eyes wild. The man holding him collapsed to the ground, out cold.
There were shouts, then the sound of something crashing to the ground. Apparently, my men decided not to wait for me to cause a scene; they made one themselves instead. Bax probably heard Josh screaming and couldn’t stay out there anymore. Someone else spilled out of an open doorway, and I slammed my hand into his nose with a sickening crunch that echoed through the mostly empty building.
Bax was there, shouting orders. “Try not to kill anyone, men; we’re not trying to start a war with the Carrions.” As usual, Bax was thinking more clearly than I was. If what they say is true, and I end up with the Edge, I would want Bax as my second, I think. I shook that thought away; this was no time to get caught up in daydreams of the future.
I glanced around for Josh, but he’d disappeared somewhere in the chaos. He was probably hiding under something, trying to stay out of the way. “Where are you, Josh?” I called, my voice ragged and raw.
“Here, Dad!” I ran around the corner towards his voice. He was hiding under a table, waiting out the fallout of whatever mess his dad had gotten him into. Although he was
a pain in my ass, the kid did well in a bad situation. I had to give him that. Another of the thugs came around the corner, slamming hard into my shoulder. Ignoring the pain, I pushed back, sending him tumbling to the ground.
I wanted to murder all of them. If it wasn’t for the tiny voice in the back of my head that screamed about not starting a turf war with the Carrion, especially at this vulnerable transition time with the cartel, I probably would have.
But my rage was growing steadily inside of me. Where the hell was Ivy?
“I tried to save us; I did,” Josh said from his hiding place under the table. “But Ivy wouldn’t let me use the gun. She took it away from me as the men broke into our place.”
I growled. Of course she did. That woman had no sense and no spine. Why did I want so badly to find her? She was a liability; it was best to leave her here. Let Carlos have her. But that thought only made the rage worse.