Virtue & Vengeance

by Tabatha Vargo

  Her eyelids opened, and she stared back at me. Moisture filled her eyes making the blue sparkle.

  It wasn’t long before her body tightened around me and she let go. Her body grew tense as she trembled before she loosened in my hold. Seeing her go over the edge pushed me, and I came hard, filling her without regard for consequences.

  We breathed deeply, taking in the steam of the shower and exhaling some new form of reason between us.

  Things were different, and I wanted them to remain that way. With Eden, I was a new man—one who pushed the addict inside me away and made me forget all about the need for sex. The need for her was so much stronger.

  She was my savior.

  It was time I became hers.

  I washed her once more, her body quaking as I touched her sensitive places with the sponge. Once we were both clean, I dried her. I’d never done these things for a woman, but she was broken. Not only physically, but I could tell her spirit was crushed. I wanted to bring her back to me.

  Once we were both dry, I picked her up and carried her to my bed. Pulling the covers back, I laid her down and moved in beside her, pulling her into my arms and keeping her there until she fell into a peaceful sleep.

  Once her breathing evened out, I climbed from my bed and made a crucial phone call. Upon hanging up, I crawled back under the covers with Eden, pulled her into my arms, and slept well for the first time in what felt like forever.

  What I had at that moment was all I could ever want or need.

  22

  EDEN

  I’D BEEN LISTENING to Zander’s soft breathing for the last hour. Afraid to move a single muscle, I lay as still as I could while I was curled in his arms. At that moment, I never wanted to leave his side, but it would be dawn soon, and I needed to be back before six.

  When I was sure he wouldn’t wake, I slowly slid free from his grasp.

  He moved, and I froze.

  Rolling onto his back, the sheet pulled, baring his chest, stomach, and waist to me. My body hummed with desire and my fingers ached to touch him, but I knew my time with Zander Hale was up.

  After I walked out of his suite, I was probably never going to see him again. The entire night with him had been the perfect ending to whatever we were.

  Friends.

  Lovers.

  I wasn’t sure anymore.

  But still, my heart broke knowing Zander didn’t love me. He never would, but my mind argued that I had enough love for the both of us. I knew he cared about me, probably more than he had cared about anyone in a long time, and that was enough for me.

  It had to be enough.

  I didn’t have the time for more anyway.

  When he resumed his soft snoring, I slid from the bed. Standing, I looked back at him, and tears slid down my cheeks. Backing away from the bed, I picked up my clothes and left his bedroom, shutting the door behind me.

  Inside his living room, I dressed quickly.

  When I woke up in Zander’s living room the night before, I’d been so relieved to see him that I’d almost told him everything, but when I thought about him, and Aunt Kennedy, and even his friend, Kade, I knew I had no choice.

  I wasn’t sure how I was going to ask him for the money. I had no clue what reason I would give him for needing that kind amount of cash, but just as I was thinking it through my eyes had settled on the painting on the far wall.

  His safe was behind that painting.

  I’d seen it the night of the gala when Zander put the deposits in it. He trusted me. I knew that because he had entered the code right in front me.

  I remembered the code clearly.

  My stomach twisted with guilt, and the thought of stealing from Zander made me want to be sick, but I knew it was the only way.

  My heart pounded fast in my chest, slamming into my ribs so hard it was beginning to hurt. I made my way to Zander’s safe, checking behind me and looking at his bedroom door as I did so.

  Lifting my hand, I slid the expensive painting to the side and pressed in the first number to the code. The keypad lit up blue, making my fingers glow. I typed the last three numbers, and the lock made a clicking sound before the door popped open.

  I looked back toward Zanders door, waiting a couple of seconds before I turned my attention back to the safe. Pulling the door open, I gasped and covered my mouth with my free hand when I saw the straps of cash hidden inside.

  I’d only gotten a brief glance inside the safe the night of the charity event, but I never expected there to be that much money. Bundles of bills held together by colored bank straps filled the safe to the brim on one side.

  On the other side, there were velvet bags full of what I was sure was jewelry, stacks of photos I had no time to look at, and personal belongings I assumed Zander found important since he was storing them inside of his safe.

  Reaching inside, my fingers shook as I took out a stack of hundred dollar bills. The hundreds were wrapped in a white and gold paper band. The band had the amount of the strap printed on it.

  Ten thousand dollars.

  I’d never seen that much money in my life, let alone handled it. I counted out fifty stacks of hundreds and set them on the floor beneath the safe. It was then I realized I had no idea how I was going to smuggle that much money out of his place.

  I closed the safe and covered it with the painting before I moved through his penthouse in search of something to put the money in.

  It didn’t take me long to find a duffle bag with the Empire Sevens logo in the hall closet. After stuffing the straps of cash into the bag, I searched for a pen and paper.

  I found his letterhead on his desk and began to scribble out what I hoped would be enough to keep Zander from looking for me.

  Zander,

  Last night was amazing, but after everything that has happened, I need to move on. I need to start over. Please tell Aunt Kennedy I’m sorry. Let her know I will get in touch when I can.

  I’m so sorry for everything.

  Always,

  Your angel.

  I wasn’t sure if he would notice the missing cash right away, but I prayed that if he did, he wouldn’t hate me for stealing from him.

  Sliding the strap of the duffle over my head and shoulder, I moved the note to a place where I was sure Zander would find it, and with one final look around his place, I bolted.

  I couldn’t seem to stop the racing of my heart until I was outside Empire where I quickly found the nearest trash can, emptying what I had left in my system.

  There were eyes all over me as tourists passed me. I hated being looked at. I was a despicable person.

  One who stole from the man she loved.

  One who was beaten and bruised.

  What did the people think as they passed me?

  Admittedly, I looked like an insane person in my filthy clothes, clutching a duffle bag as I puked bile into a trash bin on the street.

  I couldn’t dwell on that though because I needed to hurry and leave. I expected Zander to come running out of the doors of Empire with his security detail right behind him at any moment.

  He would be furious, and there was no way he would forgive me. I would find myself with Officer Johnson once again before they locked me up and threw away the key.

  I wasn’t sure which was worse.

  Prison or death.

  When I crossed the street, I saw the black Sedan sitting in the parking lot of the Dunkin Donuts. I ran toward them and pulled the back door open before sliding into the backseat. I was out of breath, and I felt as if I’d just aged ten years.

  “Did you get it?” Winston asked.

  “Yes,” I responded without looking at either of them.

  I was ashamed of my actions.

  I was a thief.

  Finally, I deserved to be shipped off to jail.

  “Good girl,” he said with a smile.

  Then he put the car in gear, and we drove off.

  We ended up back at the hotel, and after we entered the room, R
odger pushed me into the chair I’d slept in the day before. This time he didn’t tie me up, which I supposed was a plus.

  Winston stayed in the hallway as he made a call to who I assumed was Monty.

  Somehow the atmosphere around the two men had changed overnight, and I had a feeling I knew why.

  “You’re not going to let me go, are you?” I asked Rodger

  I knew the answer already.

  I remembered the conversation I’d heard between the two men the night before as I tried to cover my face with make-up.

  He didn’t look at me as he responded. Instead, he continued staring out the window as he said, “The boss wants to keep you a little longer. We can’t exactly have you running to the police once we let you go, can we?”

  “But I won’t,” I promised. “I swear I won’t. I just want to forget about you, Allen, and this whole mess.”

  Finally, he turned and looked at me, but his expression held no hint of sympathy. “Do your begging and pleading to the boss, girl. I have no say here.”

  He turned away, and I knew it was pointless to say anything more.

  Winston returned then, replaying his conversation with Monty.

  “Boss wants us to lay low for an hour or two. We don’t want to get caught up in a police search if Zander Hale decides to send out a search party for his girl.”

  The police.

  Yeah right.

  Zander would never send out a search party for me. The only way that would happen is if he realized I’d stolen from him.

  Money.

  He would search for his money.

  There was no doubt about that.

  But as for me, he wouldn’t kick up a fuss.

  “Turns out you’re going to be making the trip back to Arizona with us,” Winston said as if it was new information for me.

  It wasn’t.

  I tried not to cry as I thought about what the future held for me. Instead, I closed my eyes and remembered the hours earlier and what it had felt like to be in Zander’s arms.

  The night had been absolutely perfect, and it would be the memory I turned to every time I needed to escape my new life in Arizona.

  Zander Hale.

  He was the best and the worst thing to ever happen to me.

  The best because thanks to him I’d gotten to feel the most beautiful kind of love a woman could feel.

  And the worst because thanks to him I’d gotten to feel the most powerful heartbreak a person could endure.

  23

  ZANDER

  I WAITED AS LONG as I could stand it before I climbed out of my bed and made my way into the living room. It had been hell lying in bed and listening as she tore through my place. If she was trying to be quiet, she hadn’t done a very good job.

  The entire time all I wanted to do was get up and stop her. At the very least, I wanted to watch her and figure out what the fuck she was doing.

  Still, I stayed put. Staring up at the ceiling until I heard the front door open and close.

  She had been gone ten minutes, but this time when she left Empire Sevens I would know precisely where she was going.

  Grabbing my cell from the kitchen counter, I dialed Jerome’s number.

  “Do you have her?” I asked as soon as he answered.

  “Yes. I have my eye on her. She got in a black car with two guys. We’re following the car now. She was also carrying a duffle bag.”

  I frowned and looked toward my safe. “Okay, stay with them. I won’t be far behind.”

  “We will.”

  I hung up with Jerome and set my cell down.

  As I walked toward my safe, I spotted the note on the table. I picked it up and read over Eden’s words twice. After reading her note, I knew I was right to trust my gut.

  She hadn’t been telling me the truth, and whatever was going on, I knew she was still in trouble.

  Sliding the painting that hid my safe to the side, I pressed the code in. There was a click before the door popped open.

  My eyes scanned the inside of the safe, knowing right away that money was missing. I had no clue how much, and I didn’t have time to count it right then, but whatever Eden had taken, I knew she hadn’t taken it for herself.

  Someone was blackmailing her.

  I was dressed and in my car within ten minutes. I had Jerome move my car to the back entrance when I’d snuck off the night before to call him. It was then that I’d made sure he was outside Empire waiting in case Eden tried to sneak away.

  I had a feeling she would.

  Why else would she have lied about Allen skipping town?

  As I drove toward the address Jerome texted me; I knew my suspicions were correct. When I found whoever was doing this to her, they were going to pay dearly. Only when they were begging for death would I erase them from this world.

  24

  EDEN

  “IT’S TIME TO GO,” Winston announced to Rodger when he came back into the hotel room.

  He looked anxious as he shut the door behind him.

  He had been out in the hallway on the phone for the last twenty minutes, and I knew something in the plan had changed during that time.

  “Looks like your boyfriend didn’t care enough to send the police after you,” he mocked.

  He was grinning, but despite his sarcasm and playful smirks, I knew something was wrong.

  “Okay. Time to go,” Rodger said, stuffing things into his bag.

  “We’re leaving for Arizona?” I asked. “All of us?” I added, needing to hear Winston say that I was still going with them.

  But when avoided me altogether, dread filled me.

  “We’re leaving.” Was all he said as he moved around the room, collecting his things, as well.

  “All of us?” I repeated the question.

  I waited for him to respond, but when he ignored my question yet again, I knew what had changed in their plan.

  I wasn’t going to go back to Arizona with them.

  Fear, pain, and heartbreak tore through me. I was smart enough to know they were never going to just leave me here and go on their merry way.

  “What changed? Why is he doing this?” I asked, hoping I would have some kind of answer before I suffered my fate.

  Winston turned my way; his eyes scanned my face before he said, “It turns out you’re more of a liability than the boss wants. We’ve been warned about Zander Hale and what he’s capable of. It’s better if we get rid of you now. There’s no need to take you along and leave a trail back to us.”

  I wished I’d known this before I left Zander’s penthouse. At least then I might have still had a chance of getting his help.

  Quickly, I scanned the room around me, looking for anything I could use as a weapon. Yes, Winston and Rodger had guns, but if I was going to die anyway, I was at least going down fighting.

  Of course, there was nothing even remotely close to a weapon in the room. Unless you counted a lamp that I was sure was screwed down to the table.

  “You guys could just let me go. You have the money. Your boss never has to know.”

  I was grabbing for straws.

  I knew that.

  But I had to at least try.

  “Not going to happen,” Rodger said, shaking his head.

  My eyes went to the door. It was far from me, but I could make a run for it. Maybe I would make it out of the door quicker than they could pull their guns. Or perhaps they were terrible shots, and I would only get skimmed by a bullet.

  As I was thinking these things, I knew in the back of my mind that I’d watched too much TV. This was no dramatic TV series. This was real life.

  If I tried to run, I was going to get shot. Then again, if I didn’t try to run, I was going to get shot. So really why was I even thinking? I needed to stop thinking and just do.

  They had their backs to me, filling their bags and chatting as if I wasn’t waiting to be murdered right behind them.

  I stood slowly, praying the chair didn’t squeak beneath me, and
when I did my legs felt weak with fear. I inhaled as much as my lungs could hold and then I took two steps toward the door.

  When they didn’t notice, I moved a little quicker, keeping my eyes glued to their backs. I knew once I opened the door I would have to run. Still, they didn’t notice.

  I didn’t wait any longer. I turned and made a run for the door, but just as I reached it and pulled the door open, a set of arms hooked around my waist and threw me to the floor.

  “Where the fuck do you think you’re going?”

  There was no more time.

  I screamed, the sound shrill and loud, hurting even my ears.

  “Fuck! Shut her up, Winston,” Rodger yelled behind us.

  Winston moved over me and pulled his gun from the waist of his pants before turning it on me.

  This was really happening.

  I was about to die.

  Reflex kicked in, and I held my hands up to block myself as if my hands would keep the bullets from penetrating my body. He aimed the gun at my face, and I stared at the circular end of the barrel as it glared back at me like a one-eyed monster.

  “Sorry, kid,” Winston said before he settled his finger over the trigger.

  Again I screamed, and a loud bang filled the room as the gun went off. I jerked, the sound startling me more than being shot. Except, I didn’t feel as though I’d been shot.

  Then I looked up at Winston just as his eyes went wide. He reached up and grabbed the back of his head and brought it back around to look at it.

  It was covered in blood.

  The blood dripped from his fingers and onto my pants.

  Then he fell to the ground at my side like a heap of dead weight, and I was able to see someone was standing behind him. That someone was still holding the gun as if he were waiting to shoot again.

  Slowly, he dropped his arm, and his emerald eyes moved from Winston’s dead body to my face.

  Zander.

  He was there.

  Another shot rang out, and my eyes moved to the side of the room where Jerome was standing over Rodger’s body, tucking a gun into a holster hidden beneath his jacket.