I pulled my hand away from my stomach. I wouldn't give Hut any excuse to hurt me. I’d push my shoulders back, do what I had to do, and then get out of here. Evening sunlight blinded me as Hut pulled the trunk open, and he hauled me up and out. He grunted as he deposited me on some gravel.
“Get up.” He stepped away from me, and I took a look around.
A house sat in front of me, a wraparound porch and one rocking chair by the front door, and to the right was a warehouse. I hadn’t been here before, so I had no idea where we were or what we were doing.
I placed my palms on the ground, the gravel biting into the soft flesh, and pushed myself up. I didn’t want to follow him into the warehouse, but dammit, I didn’t have a choice. I had no idea where we were, and no cell to contact anyone, so I moved toward him.
The warehouse was mostly empty with a stack of something covered in sheeting toward the back wall. “Hut? What are we doing here? Please, take me home.” I hated how whiney I sounded.
He stopped in the middle of the warehouse, the large overhead lights illuminating his tense body. “Home?” He turned around slowly, his face a mask of anger. “Home is with me, and you haven’t been there for nearly two months.” He widened his stance. “You’re not going anywhere...at least, not until Carson gets here.”
“But—”
Tires crunching on gravel cut me off, and I spun around to see headlights shining into the warehouse. I knew it was Carson before he stepped out of the SUV, followed by two of his men. My stomach dropped, and my gut told me this wasn’t a normal meeting. Carson had told Hut he wanted me in the first meeting I’d attended at his bar, and Hut had said he would have me in not so many words. My mind was running rampant, and however much I tried to deny everything falling into place, it was the only thing that made sense.
“I see you found my payment,” Carson said as he walked toward me. His gaze flicked over to Hut as he raised a brow. “Unharmed, like I requested.”
“She’s not hurt,” Hut growled. “Let’s get this done, I got places to be.”
Carson nodded and smiled down at me, the same smile that made me give him the nickname “Creepy Carson.” I shivered as he came closer, and my natural instinct was to cover my stomach, to protect the baby growing inside me from any evil these men could cause.
“Lovely Lola.” Carson sighed and stopped in front of me. He lifted his hand, his rough fingers trailing down my cheek. “Just as pretty as I remember.”
“Carso—”
“Did I say you could talk?” He tutted, his gentle fingers turning rough in the blink of an eye. He gripped my chin and forced my attention on him, and only him. “You’ll learn the rules soon enough,” he said, his eyes getting darker. “They all learn the rules.”
I swallowed, not sure what he was saying or what he meant, but it couldn’t have been anything good.
He let me go, smoothed out the lapels on his jacket, and turned to face Hut. “You have the product?”
“Yeah.” Hut pointed over at the corner. “It’s all there.”
“Good.” Carson nodded to one of his guys. “Get the payment.”
I backed away a step, wondering if I could run while they were occupied, but my back hit a body, and then hands were gripping my arms. Not hard the way that Hut had held me, but with enough force that I wouldn’t move.
“Take her to the car,” Carson said, flicking his wrist in the air in dismissal.
“The car?” I asked, my eyes widening. He was taking me with him—taking me away. I couldn’t allow myself to be put in that car. I’d heard the stories of what Carson did to women he liked, and there was no way I’d allow myself to be in that position.
“Yes, Lovely Lola.” Carson sighed and shook his head at me like I was being difficult. “You’re my new pet, and pets do as they’re told. Now, off you go.”
“No.” My voice was small as I tried to shrug Carson’s guy off of me. “No,” I said, firmer that time. “I won’t go.”
Carson laughed, his head thrown back from the force, and I really wanted to punch him in the face. He thought this was funny, but it wasn’t. And Hut was just standing there, not caring in the slightest that he’d just sold me.
“Oh, Lola, Lola, Lola.” Carson tutted again and darted forward. His hand made contact with my hip, and he yanked me into his chest, his erection poking me in my stomach. “You don’t know what your refusal does to me.” He groaned and ran his nose up the side of my neck. “I can’t wait to get you in my bed.” He pulled back slightly. “Or maybe I’ll take you here and now, show your brother that you’re all mine?”
“No.” I shook my head and tried to pull away. “You can’t do this. You can’t!” I slapped my hands off his chest, needing to get out of his hold, but he gripped me harder and pawed at my T-shirt, trying to pull it up. I couldn’t let him get to me. I couldn’t let him do this.
“Please,” I begged, tears streaming down my cheeks. I just wanted this to be a dream and not the reality I was thrust into.
Carson groaned. “God, you beg so good.” He flashed me a devilish smirk and gripped my bicep. I didn’t get the chance to process what was happening as he yanked me out of the warehouse and toward his car on the gravel.
“No, please. Stop.” My words were hitting deaf ears. He kept on pulling, and one of his guys opened up the back door. “I’m pregnant!” I screamed, the words echoing around the empty space.
Shit. Shit, shit, shit.
It was out of my mouth without a second thought, I should have regretted it, not knowing what they would do, but I didn’t. A small part of me hoped it would stop them from hurting me.
“You’re…pregnant?” Carson halted, his body perfectly still. It took him a second to process it, and then he was shoving me away and screwing his face up. “You gave me damaged goods!” he roared at Hut who had followed us out of the warehouse.
I swallowed and stared at Hut with wide eyes. This was my chance to get away, my chance to run, but my feet were planted to the ground, not willing to move.
“I…didn’t know,” Hut replied, not looking away from me. We were in a stare-off, and I could feel the rage rolling from him in waves.
“She’s no use to me now.” Carson threw his hands up in the air and spun to face his guy. “Put the payment back.” The guy spun around on his command, and Carson turned to face me. “I would have made you my queen, Lola.” His gaze dipped to my stomach. “The spawn has damaged you though.” He huffed out what sounded like a tired breath. “Such a shame.” I didn’t see his arm lift until it was too late, and then the back of his hand was connecting with the side of my face. The force sent me tumbling to the gravel, but I turned at the last second, protecting my stomach from the impact.
Carson drove away, kicking up gravel that bit against my skin. It was just me and Hut left now, and he had no choice but to take me home. Whatever was happening with him and Carson was no longer an option. The deal had fallen through, and it was all because of me.
“This is all your fault,” Hut said, his voice closer than I thought. I blinked several times and turned to face him a couple of feet away. “I got arrested because of you.” He stepped forward. “No one will do a deal with me because of you and your boyfriend.” Another step. “And now you let him get you pregnant.” A final step and his boots were in line with my face.
I should have attempted to get up. I should have run away into the vast darkness that surrounded us, but I couldn’t bring my body to move. Hut and Carson knew the truth, but it didn’t always set you free. Sometimes it trapped you.
He lifted his boot, and I flinched away, trying to move as quick as I could, but the sole of it pushed against the side of my face. He pressed harder, causing gravel to pierce my skin on the other side.
“I should kill you.” His voice was like whiplash, but the truth was ringing out with each syllable. “I should cut you to pieces and send them one by one to that fuckin' traitor Brody.” He twisted his boot into my face harder, and
I called out, the pain becoming too much.
“Please, Hut, you’re hurting me.” Tears streamed down my face. “Please,” I choked out on another sob.
His boot lifted, and I breathed a sigh of relief, but I shouldn’t have. I shouldn’t have taken a second to catch my breath, I should have sprung up and run because then he was on me, straddling my thighs.
“All of this happened because you opened your legs,” he ground out and clasped his hands around my wrists, keeping them pinned to the ground. “You’re just like your whore mother.” He narrowed his eyes. “I bet I was the only person you wouldn’t open your legs for.” He thrust his hips forward, and I felt his erection scrape against my groin.
My mind flashed back to over a year ago when he held me in the same position, a knife to my throat, as he tried to tear my clothes off. Only this time, we weren’t in a house full of people. Ford wasn’t here to get him off me and make me feel safe with a lock on my door. No one knew I was here. I had to save myself…
I had to save my baby.
“Hut.” I tried to soften my voice, but the shaky tone was clearly evident in the way his eyes lit up at the sound. “Please, just let me go, and we can go home.” I let my body go limp so he wouldn’t think I was fighting him. “We can go home together.”
He blinked several times and hope spurred me on. Maybe he’d believe me enough that we could make it out of here and back to the house. At least that way I knew where I was. I could formulate a plan when I wasn’t in immediate danger. All I had to do was get him to believe me.
His one hand loosened on my wrist, and I managed to pull in a breath. All too soon, that hand was gripping my face, squeezing so hard I thought he’d crack my teeth. He lifted my head with his one hand and slammed it back down onto the ground. I was sure I saw stars as pain exploded on the back of my head, followed by some wetness.
“No.” His one word destroyed all hope, and when his knife flashed in front of my face, I knew I had a choice to make. “I’m gonna cut the bastard out of you and leave you here to bleed out.” He trailed the knife down my chest and stopped at the top of my stomach. “I’ll leave just enough of you so your boyfriend knows who you are.” He cackled an evil laugh. “And I’m going to enjoy every”—he dug the tip of his knife into my stomach—“second”—I winced at the sharp force and felt the blood trickle over my skin and soak into my T-shirt—“of it.”
The buzzing in my mind made way for complete silence. My mind was blank, and all I had to do was channel that energy.
It was me or him.
And I’d choose me each and every time.
He was focused on watching the blood leak through my clothes from his shallow cut, not concentrating on the fact that he’d let one of my hands go, so I took full advantage and scraped my nails down his face. The shock of it had his hands covering the scratches, and then I had two free hands. I could try and buck him off, but all that would mean was a fight. A fight I didn’t have the energy to take part in. Not when I could have the upper hand.
“I’m gonna kill you!” Hut shouted, looking at me through his fingers. He pulled them away, staring at the blood coating them.
I grinned, lifted my palms, and snatched the knife out of his hand. “Not if I do it first.”
I didn’t think about it, I didn’t hesitate, I let my instincts take over and thrust the knife into his neck, all the way to the hilt.
His eyes widened, a second of shock taking over, and then I pulled it away, letting the blood flow out and coating us both in bright red.
“Wh…” His garbled letters trailed off, and his body rolled off me.
I stood, staring down at him as he clutched his neck, blood escaping through his fingers. And only one thought was going around and around in my mind.
What did I just do?
* * *
BRODY
I twisted the cap off the beer and looked at the time on my cell. One hour until Lola would be here. My stomach was roiling, my palms sweating, and it wasn’t because I’d just moved more heavy furniture into my new house but at the prospect of seeing Lola.
“I like your new place,” Jord said, sitting on the couch next to me. “It’s more you.”
I glanced around, taking note of the light-gray walls and the light wooden furniture, mixed in with a comfy leather corner sofa. “It is.”
Kyle stood in the doorway to the kitchen that was big enough for an island and a dining table, talking to Cade. I wasn’t sure what Cade thought of everything that was going on, but I’d let him choose which bedroom he wanted from the three that were spare. It was no surprise he’d chosen the biggest one.
“So, what happens now?” Ryan asked, crossing his ankles as he leaned against the large window that looked out into my driveway. “You just gonna jump from Moira to Lola?”
Jord snorted. “Did you not hear that he tried to do that already? Lola shot him down.”
I grinned as I moved the bottle to my lips. He was right, she had shot me down, but I was glad she had. This was exactly what I’d needed. To concentrate on myself and Cade for a little while. “She’s coming over in an hour, so all you assholes need to—” The vibrating of my cell cut me off, and I glanced down at it, half expecting to see Lola’s name, but it was Ford that flashed on the screen.
“Ford,” I answered.
“Brody.” His voice was low. “Old man Jack said Hut has been at the warehouse most of the day and he just came back. I think he’s up to something.”
I looked at each of the guys, who were staring at me, paying attention. My shoulders sagged, and I knew we had to go and check it out. It would take us an hour to get there and an hour back, so there was no way I’d be back when Lola got here. I had to make a choice, but in the long run, it was all for her.
“We’ll check it out,” I said, and ended the call. I placed my beer on the small table next to the sofa and stood. “We need to head out.” I didn’t say more than that, not with Cade standing and listening to everything being said. I shot off a message to Lola, telling her I had to head out but that I would be back and to just wait for me.
“We’ll meet you outside,” Ryan said, walking out of the room with Jord and Kyle on his tail.
“Son.” I stared at Cade. “I need to head out. You gonna be okay here for a few hours?”
“Yeah.” He rolled his eyes. “I’m nearly sixteen, Dad. Not six.”
I puffed out a breath. “Yeah, all right.” I pulled out my wallet and handed him a twenty. “Get yourself something for dinner, and lock the door behind me. Lola might turn up while I’m gone. You okay with that?”
I waited until he nodded, and then headed outside to the guys. Ryan and Kyle were already in Ryan’s SUV, and Jord was waiting next to my Mustang. They’d suited up, ready for whatever was about to happen, so I popped my trunk and pulled out my gear. My gun was already attached to my belt along with my badge, so all I needed was to put on my bulletproof vest, and I was ready.
I pushed into my car, switching the engine on, and giving Jord the run-down so he could relay it to Ryan and Kyle. What should have taken me sixty minutes, took more like forty thanks to the power of my Mustang engine. The closer we got to Cresthill, the more my gut churned.
“Something is happening,” I said to Jord when we were a couple of minutes out from the warehouse.
“Yeah, I feel it too,” Jord said, sitting forward in his seat. We’d always listened to what our guts told us, no matter what it was. It had saved our lives several times over.
I slowed the car right down, the gravel crunching under my tires, and pulled to the side at the opening of the road. We needed to go unseen until the last possible moment.
Ryan pulled in on the other side, and we all filed out, heading toward the warehouse in our usual formation. Jord in front, then me, Kyle, and Ryan taking up the rear. The lights in the warehouse cast a glow onto the gravel outside the house and illuminated a car I hadn’t seen before, but that wasn’t what had me halting with my han
d in the air to alert the guys. It was the figure holding a knife while standing over a limp body.
What the…
We all drew our guns, our instincts kicking in as we moved closer. “Put the weapon down,” Jord commanded, aiming his gun at the back of a woman. A woman I knew. A woman who shouldn’t have been here.
What the hell was going on?
Jord took a couple of steps forward, and I finally kicked into gear. I stowed my gun away, knowing the guys had my back, and walked past Jord.
“Brody!”
I held my hand up, silencing Ryan, and stepped closer. My gaze flitted over to Hut lying on the gravel, blood flowing from his neck like a river, but his chest wasn’t moving, and I didn’t need to check to see if he was alive. He wasn’t. And it had been at the hands of—
“Lola,” I said, my voice soft.
Her body stiffened, and she slowly turned, looking away from Hut’s body and at me. “Brody?” Her wide eyes and pale face told me she was in shock, but it was the sadness along with hope that had me wondering what had happened here. I reached forward and took the knife out of her shaking hands, handing it to Jord who was at my back in seconds.
“What happened?” I asked, needing to know but not wanting to. This wouldn’t be good for her, and the fact that we’d turned up would just be another nail in the coffin. Had it been anyone else, they’d have investigated it and found out the facts, but we had history, and that wouldn’t serve her well.
“He...he...oh god.” She choked on a sob, her hands gripping her chest. “I killed him.” Tears ran down her face, mixing in with blood that I wasn’t sure was hers or Hut’s. “I killed him.”
I swallowed, not sure how to feel about the fact that she’d clearly stabbed him in the neck, but that didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting her out of here and away from the body. But there was only one way to do that, and just as the thought occurred to me, Ryan was sidling up next to us.
Down Fall: Fallen Duet: Book Two Page 13