War of Hearts

by Nina Levine

  I spit the blood in my mouth and draw air in as I stare up at him. I’m fucking spent, a combination of every hit and knife wound I’ve taken today along with his shit. My breathing is unsteady and he’s going in and out of focus as my vision turns fuzzy. “No,” I force out, my chest heavy as fuck. “By going against what you said and loving her, King.”

  He crouches and grips my face, his eyes dark pits of anger. “Any fucking way you cut it, you lied to me. You betrayed my trust in you.”

  I can barely see him, but I can feel every bit of his rage.

  We’re not coming back from this.

  He tears his hand from me and stands. “You can go to Melbourne. There’s no fucking way you’re staying here.”

  The last thing I hear from him is the door slamming closed as he leaves.

  Zara’s back after that, but I’m spiralling into the darkness.

  She’s saying shit to me, but the only thing I’m fixed on is King and his dismissal of me.

  We’re not coming back from this.

  40

  Fury

  * * *

  “Daddy has to go away for a while,” I say to Noah the day after King exiled me from Sydney.

  “I don’t want you to.” He looks at me with all the confidence in the world that he can have what he wants. And while I want nothing more than to give it to him, I’ve made the decision to go to Melbourne.

  Not forever.

  But after talking with Winter about the threat that Zenith poses to us here in Sydney if they aren’t wiped out in Melbourne, I’m doing this for Noah as much as for Zara.

  I refuse to let her go, but after going up against King, I know he and I both need some space to cool down. I’m not convinced he’ll ever come around to understanding what Zara and I have or how it happened, but I’ll give him a couple of weeks to get his shit together. Zara has shared the details of our relationship with her mother, and I figure if anyone has half a chance of talking some sense into him, it’s Lily.

  “I have to go, little man, but I’ll come back as soon as I can. And until then, Mummy and you are going to have fun here together.” I glance up at Lynette who’s watching me with a filthy expression. She’s dirty with me for doing this, but she consented to it after I agreed to a whole lot of shit I’ll have to make good on when I get home.

  As Noah’s bottom lip quivers and his tears fall, Lynette crouches with us and reaches for her son. “I’m not going anywhere, baby,” she soothes. “And like Daddy said, we’re going to play with all your toys a lot while he’s gone. And we’re going to read all your books.”

  It’s the books that do it. As soon as Lynette mentions reading, his face perks up. “My Bob book, too?”

  Fucking Bob to the rescue.

  After we’ve calmed him down and he’s happily playing in the lounge room again, Lynette pulls me aside. “Three weeks max, Fury. After that, you better get your ass back here for him.”

  I don’t blame her for being pissy, but she has no idea that while I hope to fuck to get this job done sooner than three weeks, I’m not sure it’s going to be possible. If that’s the case, we might be looking at me going back and forth for a while. When Winter shared some details of the shit he’s dealing with in Melbourne, it made me determined to help him wipe this fucking gang out.

  I grab my keys and phone off her kitchen counter. “I’ll call him once I’m in Melbourne.”

  “You better bloody call him every day.”

  I work my jaw. “You ever known me not to call him every fucking day, Lynette?”

  Her lips purse, but she doesn’t argue with me again.

  A few minutes later, I’m on my way to Zara’s, and when I arrive there, she greets me with puffy eyes.

  “Fuck,” I mutter, pulling her close, ignoring the agony in my body at the contact. All the hits I took yesterday have left me with worse bruising, swelling, and pain than anything I ended up with in my fighting days.

  She places her hands to my arms like she thinks her touch will break me. “Hey, you.”

  “Touch me, Zara. I’m not gonna break.”

  “Fury, have you looked in the mirror? You look like you’ve just spent a month straight fighting. I refuse to hurt you more than you already are.”

  I pull her hard against me. “I need you to touch me. I’m not going to see you for fuck knows how long.”

  Her eyes widen, and fucking finally, she puts her hands on me. And while it hurts like a motherfucker, the pain is nothing compared to what I’d endure for her.

  “I hate him for doing this to you,” she says.

  “Have you spoken to him yet?” I hate the divide this is causing.

  She shakes her head. “No, and I don’t want to.”

  “You need to talk to him.”

  “Why? He made it clear yesterday how he feels.”

  “Yesterday was more about me and him than you and him.”

  “How?”

  “King values loyalty and truth above almost everything else. A person could do pretty much anything and survive his wrath if they weren’t disloyal or dishonest. He views the shit I did as both of those things.”

  When she opens her mouth to argue, I silence her. “I didn’t come here to get into that with you. I won’t allow us to argue about shit, too. You need to talk to him and fix things between the two of you.”

  “And you need to respect my choice not to.”

  I want to boss her into this, but that’s because I’m coming at the situation with all the baggage of my childhood. It pains me to think of a parent and a child split apart when they could talk shit through and work on it.

  I brush my lips over hers. “Okay.”

  “Thank you,” she says softly, appreciation clear in her voice.

  My eyes drop to her lips and her body. I want to fuck her before I leave, but there’s no way in hell I’m up for that, and I don’t have the time, so I get my fill the only way I can.

  “I already miss you,” she says, drawing my attention back to her face.

  “This could take a while.”

  “I know.”

  My phone sounds with a text.

  * * *

  Devil: We need to get going. Traffic’s gonna be bad to the airport.

  * * *

  “You have to go, don’t you?” Zara says, disappointed but trying like fuck to hide it from me.

  Still holding her close, I press a kiss to her forehead and inhale her scent, committing it to memory. “I’ll call when I arrive.”

  She lets me go and after I brush my lips over hers one last time, I decide to hell with it and claim those lips in the kind of kiss that shoots pain through my entire body. When it hurts just to breathe, it sure as fuck kills to kiss her, but we need this. I need this.

  With one last long look at her, I turn and make my way to the lift to exit her building.

  This shit in Melbourne needs to end soon.

  I need my woman in my arms, in my bed, in my life. And I can’t fucking have any of that from another city.

  41

  Fury

  * * *

  I’ve been in Melbourne for three days and it’s cold as fuck. Today, I’m freezing my balls off during the emergency church Winter called this morning to go over some new information. Since I arrived, Zenith has gone into hiding, their numbers weakened by some targeted attacks Winter planned. I’m yet to get out there, having needed some time to work through the pain holding me back, but it looks like I’ll be getting my hands dirty today.

  Ransom, the VP of Melbourne, looks around the room as church draws to an end, his dark eyes settling on each of us as he makes his way around the table. I haven’t had much to do with him yet, but from what I do know, he’s quiet and doesn’t get into shit with anyone unless absolutely necessary. Thorn, one of the other members, has told me not to fuck with the VP, though, because if you do find yourself on his bad side, he’s merciless. “We’ve verified the link between Zenith and the homeless kids. Zenith is recruiting t
hem and training them up. We’ve yet to figure out where the funding is coming from for that, but we’re working on it.”

  Winter steps in. “Figuring out that funding source is the key to wiping this fucking gang out. I need you out there knocking down doors, asking questions, and helping us get to the bottom of it.” He pauses briefly, his features hardening. “This has been a long and bloody battle with these motherfuckers and I want it ended. Whatever you have to do to help make that happen, do it.”

  I file out with everyone else and head towards my room to get ready to go out. I’ve been assigned the task of making a visit with Ransom to one of the city’s most ruthless crime bosses. He runs strip clubs throughout Melbourne and a protection racket. Ransom has already talked with him, but Winter wants us to go in harder this time because he suspects the guy knows more than he’s letting on.

  “Fury,” Winter says, catching up with me. Jerking his head towards the bar, he indicates for me to follow.

  We take a seat in the corner, away from the few guys in here. “I need you on a job tonight. It’ll be just Ransom, you, and me. I know you’re not a hundred percent yet, but even still, you’ve got skills no one here does. However I want to give you the option to pass if you don’t feel up to it because this may not go down well.”

  “As in?”

  “As in we’re gonna get into it with Demon Raye.”

  “Fuck.” The Black Deeds MC president is not a man to get into shit with. “Why?”

  “Ransom thinks he’s gotten into bed with Zenith, even though both he and Zero told us Black Deeds wants nothing to do with the gang.”

  “Where’s tonight taking place?” What I’m really asking is how likely is it we’ll be surprised by others showing up?

  “We’ve discovered he visits a woman every Wednesday night that no one knows about. We’ll do it there.”

  I nod. “I’m in.”

  “Thanks, brother.” He stands. “We’ll leave at ten tonight.”

  He leaves me, stopping briefly on his way out to talk to his old lady about something. Birdie’s a fixture around here. She’s spent the last couple of days either on the phone to the other old ladies making sure they’re okay, or in the kitchen making meals for all the brothers from Brisbane and Sydney who’ve come down to help battle Zenith.

  Winter finishes with her and exits the bar at which point she calls out to me. “You need anything, Fury?”

  I shake my head. “I’m good.”

  She smiles and exits the room, too.

  The Melbourne weather might be shit, but the people are good people.

  “He’ll be finished with her at ten thirty,” Ransom says when we near the house in Brunswick just after 10:25 p.m. We parked a couple blocks over and walked the rest of the way.

  “We’re waiting for him to come out?” I ask as Winter scans the street.

  Ransom nods. “Yeah. He’ll come out through that side door”—he indicates the door—“and head towards the back fence. He never parks his bike out the front. We’ll grab him after he exits the door.”

  Winter comes to us after checking out something across the street. “Time to go.”

  We make our way to the side of the house and wait. At 10:31 p.m., Demon exits the house like Ransom said he would and turns towards the backyard.

  Winter moves into place behind him while Ransom is positioned along Demon’s path to the back fence. I stay with Winter and prepare for battle. Demon isn’t known for thinking before shooting. He’s also not known for forgiving shit like this, so Winter’s making a risky-as-fuck move here.

  Demon senses us almost straight away and pulls his gun as he spins around. Ransom moves fast, coming up behind Demon and pressing his gun to Demon’s head as the Black Deeds president trains his on Winter and me.

  Winter raises both hands in surrender. His gun remains in its holster; another risky move. “We just wanna talk, Demon.”

  “What the fuck about and why the fuck are you bringing this shit here?” His eyes glitter with hostility. Storm might have a working relationship with Black Deeds in Sydney, but not so much here in Melbourne.

  “I’m bringing this shit to you here for obvious reasons,” Winter says. Demon has kept this woman a secret for five years from anyone who would care to know of her existence. This is Winter’s way of letting him know we know about her. “The thing I want to discuss is your ties to Zenith.”

  Demon’s lips curl. “You’re making a mistake here. I hope you fucking know that.”

  Winter steps forward, bringing himself close to Demon. His body is rigid, tense. I can’t see his eyes, but I know they hold that fierce anger of his. Winter has the kind of patience I don’t see often in Storm, but he’s been tested during his years as president, and Zenith has unleashed his emotions in ways that are causing his patience to fade. “The only thing I know for sure,” he says low and dark, “is that Zenith needs to be put to fucking ground, and I’m willing to make any mistake while I do that. You and I have been through a lot in the last eight years; we’ll survive the fallout of this if it comes to that.”

  “I’m not thinking we’ll survive the fallout of you bringing this shit to my woman. I keep her out of the fucking spotlight for a reason and now I’m gonna need to bring her right the fuck into it.”

  “What you’re not picking up here is that I don’t give a fuck whether we survive a fallout or not, and although I’ve always been a long-term strategist, I’m currently running shit day by fucking day.” His tone darkens even further when he adds, “Right now I only care about my men and me surviving this night, however the fuck that needs to be done.”

  The air is heavy, weighted by Demon’s unpredictability as he spends a moment considering his options. I’m wondering where this is all gonna end up. If shit goes south and we have to take him out, Winter’s gonna have a bigger problem than just dealing with Zenith; he’ll have Black Deeds on the warpath. But he knew that going in, and if I know anything about him, he’s got a plan for all contingencies. He may have just told Demon he’s running day by day, but Winter’s idea of that and everyone else’s idea of that are two different things.

  Finally, Demon says, “I’ll give you what you’re after, but this information is gonna cost you, and when I call in the chit, you’ll deliver or you’ll have a new fucking headache to deal with.” When Winter nods his understanding, Demon continues. “I agreed to nothing with Zenith. What I did do was ask around and dig up some shit on them. They’re sly motherfuckers with no fucking code, which is why I will never deal with them. I don’t know what they’ve done to build their resources, but I do have a list of those resources I’ll give you.”

  “You’ll give me everything you have on them,” Winter says. “And I’ll keep eyes on your woman until all this shit is over.”

  Demon clenches his jaw. “You’ll have it tomorrow.” He lifts his gun to Winter’s head. “Now get the fuck off my property.”

  I’m not sure any of Demon’s information will be new to Winter, but I am convinced he’s not tied up with Zenith. The only other thing I’m convinced of after today is that we need to get this shit sorted fast; Storm’s resources are stretched dangerously thin if we’re happy to stir possible problems with the Black Deeds’ president.

  42

  Zara

  * * *

  Fury: You awake?

  Me: Yeah. I’ve been waiting for your text. Seriously, if you ever don’t send one, I’m gonna imagine the worst. How are you?

  Fury: It was a long day.

  Me: It’s been a long week.

  Fury: Yeah.

  Me: I miss you.

  Fury: I miss you, too, princess. Have you spoken to King?

  Me: Don’t even mention his name to me.

  * * *

  My phone rings and I smile when I see Fury’s name on the screen. He calls me every morning, but he’s usually too tired for a call at night so he texts me instead. I wait all fucking day for these texts. I live with fear daily again, this
time not for myself but for him.

  “I’m not talking to him,” I say when I answer the phone. “I’m not ready.”

  “Fuck, Zara, how long are you gonna drag this out for?” I’m not into this conversation, but I’m definitely into hearing his voice. Except for the exhaustion I hear in it. Fury’s been in Melbourne for a week now and every day he sounds a little more tired.

  “I need to shift my anger with him before I go to him.”

  “Baby, that’s not gonna happen. The only way you’re gonna shift that anger is to get it out, and he’s the one who needs to hear it.”

  “I’ve got an appointment with my new shrink tomorrow. I’m hoping she’ll help me move through some of it.”

  I hear the breath he releases. “That’s a good idea.”

  “You should go to sleep.” It’s the last thing I want to say to him, but he needs rest to ensure he’s at his best to face whatever tomorrow brings, because God knows, if he comes home from Melbourne in a fucking coffin, King and I will never resolve our issues.

  “Yeah,” he agrees. “I may not manage a call in the morning; we’re heading out early.”

  “Don’t even think about me. You just do what you need to do.”

  We end the call and I take a few deep breaths.

  He’s going to be okay.

  Me: My plant misses you.

  Fury: Your plant doesn’t fucking know me.

  Me: Still, she wishes you were here.

  Fury: Fuck, I wish that too.

  Me: How was your day?

  Fury: Long. Fucked. Yours?

  Me: Long. Fucked.

  Fury: Goodnight, princess.

  Me: Night xx