by Marissa Ann
“I don’t know what you mean. I’ve never seen him before.” aching as nonchalant as possible but unable to look Mina in the eye.
“I can tell you are lying. Not yet sure as to why though. You know none of us will tell your secrets.”
“You all won’t say anything in front of any of the guys? You have to absolutely swear it!” She looks at each of us as we promise to keep whatever she says to ourselves.
“Okay.” She sighs. “Bella, do you remember when I was invited to that Inkers Expo down in New Orleans?”
“Yeah, it was a bit more than a year ago. Wasn’t it?”
“Yes. The night before I was to leave from there, I went with some of the other artists to a club just to hang out plus possible make a few more connections to get my name out there. Anyway, right when I was getting ready to leave was when I first saw him in the corner while I was on the balcony.” She begins to smile as she remembers.
“Well I certainly don’t want all the dirty details but who exactly is he?” Mina smiles.
“Speak for yourself on the details! We pregnant bitches need new ideas!” Bella wags her eyebrows up and down. We all laugh as Fiona throws a French fry at Bella.
“You are a fucking freak!” Fiona says to her. “Honestly? I have no idea who he is other than his name is Baratta. We didn’t share much that night. At least not those kinds of details.” Fiona shrugs.
“Do you all want to know my opinion on it all? Because honestly, things have been kind of odd lately if you haven’t noticed.” Mina looks at each of us seriously.
“I’ve noticed the prospects being on duty to watch the back shed. Actually I think it started the day Baratta showed up.” Bella’s eyes widen as Mina shakes her head.
“Exactly. They have someone in that back shed and I think it is Ray Stein.” Mina whispers across the table and my own eyes widen at the thought.
“He’s connected to the Mob. That could be who Baratta actually works for. You met him in New Orleans Fiona, which is where they are from!” I whisper back as I cover my face with my hands.
My heart starts to race but I start my breathing exercises like the therapist taught me to do. A minute later and I am fine again.
As I remove my hands, I see all the girls patiently waiting for me to become calm again.
I love these women for always knowing what I need.
“I’m good. Carry on.” I announce as I take a sip of my coke.
“What do you think about getting a little pay back from that sick bastard?” Mina asks, dead serious.
“You girls would help me do that?” I whisper back.
“Hell yeah we would!” they all three say at once and then start laughing as if we aren’t talking about something that could get us all put away for life.
“But how will we get past the guard?” I wonder out loud.
“Don’t worry, I already have a plan.” Mina begins to smile in a way that I have never seen before. It’s kind of scary but damn if I’m not totally in!
Chapter 10
Blood
After going off the way I did on Ray, Timber called in our doctor friend that keeps our activities to himself so that he could check him over. We would definitely hate for Tony Marcus to get here and the fucker is already dead.
He didn’t seem to have any major injuries other than bruises. Too bad. If they had left me alone, he’d either be dead or sporting some serious scars.
“Doc leave?” I ask Timber as he takes a seat next to me at the bar.
“Yeah, he gave him a sedative to knock him out so that Fang could get the stinky fucker cleaned up.” He shivers, remembering the smell.
“I had to clean my arms up after too. It’s all I could smell even while covered in his blood. Where’s Baratta?” I ask as I look around for him.
“He’s on the phone outside with his boss.”
“You think we can trust this Tony Marcus? I mean we are talking about the Mob here.”
“I’m not really sure yet. Guess we will find out what he’s made of tomorrow when he gets here. Baratta doesn’t seem so bad although Snake still hasn’t found anything about him. I mean nothing. Not even a driver’s license.”
“Did you hear the name Ray called him?” I ask quietly.
“I texted Snake right after we pulled you off of Ray. He’s cross referencing the nickname in every database he can access as we speak.”
“Good. There’s something about him that just doesn’t sit right with me.”
“That wouldn’t have more to do with the look I saw you give him last night when he asked about Fiona would it?” Timber looks directly at me.
“He has no fucking business looking at my sister like that!” I growl into my beer.
“Your sister is a looker, always has been. You can’t completely blame him for looking. You also need to get used to men looking at her like that. She’s not a child any longer, she can take care of herself and you don’t want her to move away again because of you messing in her relationships.”
I curl my lip up at the thought of her dating but do realize Timber has a point. Ever since she moved away from White Summer, I have felt like it was my fault for her leaving.
We had a huge fight about the type of guys she was dating at the time. A few weeks later she came up with the idea to move away. I don’t want that to happen again.
Miranda
Getting back to the clubhouse, Bella, Fiona and I head inside as Mina goes on a mission to get our supplies. She said she knew the perfect thing to use for my revenge. And knew exactly where to find it.
I shiver just at the thought but smile as well. Too bad for Ray that I know what he truly fears and it’s something that most little boys absolutely love to play with. Where Mina could find such things during winter in Montana is beyond me but I didn’t ask for details.
Seeing Blood sitting at the bar, I head in his direction, taking a seat next to him.
“Hey Angel. Have fun shopping with the girls?”
“Yep. We even went by Bella’s Brew to eat lunch.”
“Any problems?” He looks fully at me and I know what he is asking.
“Not really. Almost had one panic attack but I did the breathing exercises I’ve been learning. Calmed myself without a problem. It was great!” I smile wide.
Hearing someone call my name, I turn in that direction to see my Uncle John coming through the door.
“Uncle John! What are you doing here?” I stand up to hug his neck.
“Just thought I would swing by and let you know that all the new doors were installed today. The new windows should be done later this week, as well as the new alarm system on the house. SO you should be able to move back home soon.” He smiles at me as I lose a little bit of my excitement from earlier.
“Oh, well, that’s great I guess but I am planning on selling it. I just can’t imagine staying there after everything that happened.” I murmur as I look over at Blood who clearly is not smiling.
“I figured that would make you happy. To be able to go back home. But I guess I can’t blame you for not wanting to go back.” My Uncle says with understanding.
He stays for only a few more minutes before having to leave for work since he is on night shift. It takes Blood only a few minutes after he leaves to ask me about my plans.
“So you want to sell your house?”
“Yes but I will need to find another place soon. I mean, I love being here with you. Plus the girls mean the world to me. But we can’t live in that tiny room forever, Blood.” I explain, hoping that he will understand.
“WE can’t?” he smiles realizing that I said we and not just I.
“No. WE can’t.” I smile as he pulls me into his lap and covers his mouth with mine.
“We can get the next cabin that becomes available at Wolf’s Ridge.” He suggests a few moments later.
“Those cabins are definitely beautiful. Do you think there will be an availability soon?” My mind starts going over the possibilities o
f living in one of the cabins.
“We’ll check with Mina about it.” He says as he kisses my forehead with a smile.
Blood
Once all the women head off to bed, we all sit around just shooting the shit.
“So why not tell us why Marcus doesn’t know what his son has been up to while he’s been out of the country.” Snake asks from his seat.
“Well, it’s not that he didn’t exactly know, it’s just he was more invested in what he went searching for in South America.” Baratta answers as he relaxes farther into his seat.
“What was he searching for that was more important than his son selling and torturing women?” I growl down the table.
“The love of his life.” Baratta murmurs quietly as the rest of us are not totally sure what to say to that.
“Did he find her?” Timber asks.
“Yes. But it’s all very complicated. You see, Joey, is not actually his son. He is his brothers’ son that he adopted after he died. He suspects Joey of being the one that caused Morgania’s disappearance.”
“Oh shit, that’s fucked up. Why would he want to get rid of her?”
“She has a daughter named Markayla. Beautiful young woman. It has always been suspected that she is Mr. Marcus’ true heir although he has never admitted as such.” He shrugs. “Joey has also been unnaturally obsessed with her since she turned fourteen. When Morgania started to notice and voice her concerns, she went missing.”
“If it is true, what will he do with his nephew?” Snake asks even though we all are curious as to the answer as well.
“What would you do?” Baratta asks looking at each of us.
“Nephew or not, he’d be six feet under.” Bear, who is normally very quiet, speaks up from his chair at the bar.
“I’d have to agree with Bear.” Timber says into his beer as we all shake our head in agreement.
Miranda
It only takes us an hour of waiting on Fiona to have everything we need. Carrying her load in a plastic bucket, Fiona puts them into the back of the SUV before we all pile in.
“One day you are going to have to tell us who your contacts are that can help get such things in the dead of winter.” Mina says in all seriousness to Fiona as croaking sounds come from the back.
“Are you sure this will work?” Bella holds up the container of coffee Mina laced with sleeping pills.
“Absolutely! It’s the same recipe I used to knock my brother Reaper out when I wanted to sneak out back in high school.” She smiles at the memory.
“I’m not going to pull all the way up to the shed so Fang won’t see you guys in the truck. Give me twenty minutes and then pull the rest of the way up.” She says as she takes the coffee and gets out of the truck, walking towards the shed.
Twenty minutes later, we pull up and see Fang dead asleep on the ground.
“Holy fuck! You didn’t kill him did you?” Fiona demands as she walks over to check his pulse.
“No! I’m a professional and know what I am doing!” Mina huffs as we begin to laugh.
“Come on; let’s get this show on the road.” Mina motions for us to follow her to the back of the SUV.
Watching as she opens the back, we immediately spot the box. A box that eerily looks similar to the one I was held in when they transported us down south.
“Where the ever loving fuck did you find this?” Fiona demands before I can say anything.
“In the old storage shed.” She shrugs as if it were natural to have such a thing in storage.
We pull it out and open the top. There on the inside of the lid is what is clearly claw marks as if something or someone was desperately trying to get out. I should know as the one I was held in had the same thing by the time I was taken out of it. I shiver from the memories.
“You okay there, Miranda?” Mina asks softly.
“Yeah, I’m good.” I shakily reply, still staring at the box.
“I’m not sure if I should now be afraid of the men I have known my whole life or be thoroughly impressed.” Fiona who is also still staring at the box with wide eyes whispers causing everyone to laugh breaking the serious moment.
As we carry the box to the door, we hear something behind us. Turning in that direction, Baratta steps into the light. We drop the box in front of the door and freeze in place.
“Seems you have used all of whatever you gave that poor fellow. So how exactly do you women plan to get Mr. Stein into that box? I assume that is your plan?”
“Well Mr. Cocky, since you are here, YOU can help get him into the box.” Mina crosses her arms waiting for him to refuse.
Surprisingly, he just smiles and walks the rest of the way to us, opening the door.
“Then grab your box and follow me.”
“Seriously? You aren’t going to rat us out?” I ask, stunned by his actions.
“You are not my women therefore I do not have a dog in this race. But, I will help to get him in the box so that none of you get hurt.”
Walking in, the stench is overwhelming. It takes Ray a few minutes to look up to see who walked in. His lip curls up in disgust as he begins calling me all kinds of names.
“Shut up!” Mina screams and he turns in her direction. “Glad I can get your attention. A little birdie told me you are afraid of frogs. Is that true?” She waits a beat but he says nothing. “Guess we are about to find out. Baratta put him in the box please.”
Within a few moments, he is locked up in the box as we all take turns dropping frogs into the hole on top. With each frog, his screams get louder and my smile gets wider.
Blood
A little after midnight we all get up to head to our rooms for the night. I catch Timber looking at his phone curiously.
“Something wrong Prez?” I ask and all the brothers stop to hear the answer.
“Fang hasn’t checked in. I sent him a text twenty minutes ago and he still hasn’t answered back.”
“We should all go check it out. Let’s check on the girls first though.” Timber agrees and we all head to our rooms to check the girls.
It doesn’t take long for us to realize that they are all missing.
“Oh fuck! Baratta isn’t in his room either!” Snake slams the door to the room we gave to Baratta to use while he is here.
“Everyone grab your weapons. Meet outside in five minutes. Hopefully we find them quickly.” Timber growls with worry.
I know what he is feeling. It took too long last time to find Miranda. We got lucky she wasn’t more damaged by the time we got her out of that warehouse. It could have been worse.
“Hey! I checked the security feed. They are at the back shed! The one with Ray Stein and it looks like Fang is on the ground!” Snake hurriedly tells us as we move to the door.
It only takes a minute to pull up to the shed. Getting out, we quietly make our way over to Fang and check his pulse. He seems to just be asleep and unhurt but we are unable to wake him up. Just before we open the door, we hear all the women laughing like crazy.
Opening the door, we see the girls all passing around a bottle of liquor although Bella just passes the bottle on. Baratta is leaned up against the back wall shaking his head and Ray Stein is nowhere to be seen. All we can see is a box shaped like a coffin sitting in the middle of the floor.
“What the fuck is going on here?” Yells Timber which makes the girls all jump but Baratta just stays in the same spot he was in. “Where the fuck is Ray?” His question just pushes the girls into loud giggles once again.
“Care to fill us in on what the fuck you and the girls are doing here? And why is Fang knocked out cold?” I wait for Baratta to answer.
Pushing himself off the wall, he takes out a cigarette, lighting it up.
“They needed help getting him into the box. That I helped with. As for your prospect, the main lady there did that.” He points to Mina.
“Ray is in there?” Points Snake. “Why?”
“That my friend you would have to ask your women. If th
ey are not too drunk to answer you.” He chuckles as he heads towards the door.
Right at that moment, we hear a chorus of frogs coming from the box.
“What the fuck is in there with him?” Dane demands sending the girls into peals of laughter.
Chapter 11
Blood
The next morning all the girls except for Bella have a major headache as we sit down for breakfast.
The brothers talked it over last night before going to bed that we would not be easy on them this morning. So we all are making as much noise as possible.
“Okay. Now that all of you ladies are awake it’s time to discuss your actions of last night. Whose hair brained idea was it to begin with?” Timber asks from the head of the table.
He looks over at Mina as if he knows that it was her. Hell, we all believe it was her. She grew up in this life so she would know how to plan it all out.
“Really? Not a single one of you are going to tell who thought it would be a good idea?”
“It was mine! I wanted to make him suffer after everything I went through. I talked all the girls into it. I’m sorry.” Miranda speaks up on everyone’s behalf.
“While I commend you for taking the blame, I find it highly unlikely it was you sweetheart. But that being said, I do believe that every one of you needs to be punished for what you did. I was very specific when I said where you ladies were and was not allowed to go. Was I not?” He looks at them all one by one until they each shake their head. “I think I will leave that up to your men to take care of. And I do not want to ever have to have this conversation with you all again. Are we clear?” He waits for them all to answer yes before he sits back down to finish his breakfast.
My sister being the smartass that she is raises her hand until Timber notices her.
“I don’t have a man to take care of it.” She smirks in his direction.
At that moment, I swear I heard Baratta murmur real low, “That could be remedied.” But there was no way for me to be absolutely sure. So I just look in his direction but he continues to look at his plate as he finishes his eggs.