As I scroll through my emails to kill some time while I’m waiting, my cell phone rings.
“T, what’s up?”
“Sir, have you heard from Ms. Andrews? I’ve been knocking on her door for the last fifteen minutes, but I’m not receiving an answer.”
“Are you sure you’re knocking hard enough? Maybe she can’t hear you. Can you hear anything inside?”
“No sir.”
Goosebumps spread over my skin as I think back to last weekend and Max Ridgeway. I wasn’t able to find much of anything personal on him, only business things. So I’m having my PI look into it. We’re scheduled to meet on Monday to discuss his findings.
“Knock the fucking door down, T.”
I hear a loud crash on the other end of the phone, followed by “Oh, shit!”
“T? What is it?”
“The place has been ransacked, Sir.”
Fuck!
I sped over to Red River as quickly as I could, calling the cops on the way. They’re sifting through Ingrid’s things right now. Dusting everywhere for prints. I gave them Max’s name and told them about what happened at the show last weekend. I also told them about her past with him.
I asked T to stay there and relay all information to me as it comes in. Then, I called my PI and told him that we needed to meet ASAP. That’s where I’m headed when my phone begins to ring.
“Ingrid?!” I shout into the phone without even looking at the caller ID.
“Carver? It’s me, Cornelius!”
Fuck!
“This isn’t a good time, Baxter.”
Just as I’m about to hang up, I hear him say that they’ve taken his daughter.
“Wait a minute, slow down. I’m dealing with my own crisis right now. Why do you think I’ll be able to help you with this anyway? Call the cops.
“I’m forwarding you what he sent me. Please, you’re the only one who knows about this! Please help me, Carver!”
My phone beeps letting me know the picture came through. I roll my eyes and pull over onto the shoulder. I open the picture and my blood runs cold.
In the picture, I see Ingrid in her underwear, gagged, and bound to a chair. That mother fucker, Max, is standing next to her with an evil grin spread across his face.
“What the fuck?”
“What? What is it?” Baxter asks me.
“I thought your daughter’s name is Cordelia?”
“It is.”
“The girl in this picture, her name is Ingrid Andrews!”
“Yes, Cordelia Ingrid Andrews Baxter.”
This isn’t fucking happening. I have so many questions but they all need to wait.
“Baxter, send me your address. I’m already in Red River. I’ll be there ASAP.”
He texted me his address and I sent it to my PI telling him to meet me there instead.
“We’re going to get your daughter back. I swear on my fucking life. As for Max, he messed with the wrong people and I will make sure he dies a very slow and painful death.”
TO BE CONTINUED…
Follow Murphy Wallace
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONCLUSION OF CARVER AND INGRID’S STORY.
BookBub: http://bit.ly/MurphyBB
Amazon: https://bit.ly/MurphyZon
Prologue
Devin
There's blood on my hands. It's not the first time and I doubt it'll be the last. There's a strange kind of beauty in the taking of lives. I didn't mean to step onto this path. The first time was an accident, but the sight of the life leaving his eyes awoke a lust in me that I'd never felt before, and for a long time I revelled in the work my father asked me to do.
It changed everything and now I'm one of the people our father calls when the job requires a deadlier touch, especially when it’s personal. He’s an arrogant son of a bitch who’d rather have his own son do the dirty work than pay The Reapers to do it. I’m not sure why he doesn’t trust them, he’s never divulged that information to me.
Some deaths are needed, some crimes need to be committed, and our power and wealth will ensure that we never have to pay the consequences for our crimes. Our wealth keeps us safe; it protects and elevates us above those beneath us.
Chapter One
Devin
I was born into this life; my parents were among the founders of The Society. It’s in my blood, yet I can’t avoid the fact that I stepped up to the plate and did it better than them. There’s blood on my hands, and it stains everything I hold dear. Not that much matters to me beyond the wealth I help to sustain, except maybe my brother Sebastian.
I stand in the shower and close my eyes, letting the water pour down over my face and body before I lean against the tiles so it can wash away the rest of the sweat and blood from my day. People always underestimate me and think they can steal a piece of the wealth our family has built over the years. Ending my life won’t change the status and power we’ve spent generations growing. I shake my head and allow the water to cleanse me of the filth that follows a threat, and the death that ensues for the ones who dare to challenge me. I may be the eldest son in the Johnson family, and the first heir to our fortune, but just because I’m not my father, it doesn’t mean I’m unworthy—it doesn’t make me weak.
I step out of the luxurious shower, and the warmth of the bathroom and the steam surrounds me. I pull a towel from the heated rack and wrap it around my waist, not bothering to dry my body and hair. I need a drink, and I need to fuck. The warm woman lying in my bed is reclining on her side, waiting and ready to please me. I ignore her in favor of the small bar in my room. I go pour myself a glass of whiskey, knock it back, and then make another, carrying it with me towards the bed. Setting it down on the coaster, I stand in front of her and drop the towel.
With a smile spread on her perfect stained red lips, Quinn comes towards me, every movement slow and seductive. We hate each other more than we like each other, and we will never end up together. She’s fated for Sebastian, but this is her little fuck you to him for seeing someone else. She gets what she wants out of it, and I get what I want. It’s a win-win, if or until Sebastian finds out. I never intended to touch her, but she caught me by surprise after I’d had a few drinks.
The next day I wake up in an empty bed, but I think little of it. I’m not Quinn’s keeper or boyfriend and she can come and go as she pleases. Our little one-night arrangement was fun while it lasted, but I’ve got more pressing things to deal with than an eighteen-year-old out for fun and on a mission to drive my brother wild. It’ll do him good not to have someone who’ll bow to his every whim. She’ll give him a run for his money, and then eventually they’ll marry and multiply the family’s wealth by millions.
Pushing thoughts of Quinn and Sebastian aside, I reflect on the incident the previous night. I’m getting a little fed up of these deadly little rendezvous with stupid assholes who want a piece of the wealth that elevates us far above them. This is the third time someone has overridden the security systems and breached the grounds. We need to get this fixed, and it better be soon, or heads will roll, and not just the bastards who foolishly believe they deserve to be more than a faceless, worthless corpse, and my security team will be next if they don’t get their fucking act together. I can take care of the intruders easily when they’re here, but the problem is that the bastards shouldn’t be able to make it this far.
I pick up my cell from the bedside table and swing my legs out of the bed, planting my bare feet on the plush carpeted floor. I brush my hair from my eyes and type out a message to arrange a meeting with my head of security. I quickly dress, putting on one of my favorite black suits, and carefully style my hair before leaving the room and heading toward my office. Father won’t be happy, but repeated failures can’t be tolerated, not when it comes to our safety. Who knows what else has been let slide when it comes to the security of both the family and our wealth.
Chapter Two
Ethan
It’s been
a week since I got the news from my parents that my little sister was dead. I flew straight back home as soon as I heard, and the house just isn't the same without her bubbly presence livening the place up. She was the life and soul of our family and now she’s gone, cruelly snuffed out at some party organized by The Society. The police were no help at all and refused to solve the crime.
This high and mighty club called The Society is the root of it all. There have been rumors circulating for years about the stretch of their power and influence. They shouldn’t be able to buy their way out of facing justice. There’s no doubt that they’re the reason why the police won’t investigate. Even the coroner’s report stated that her death was ruled accidental. We saw her body, the dark bruises around her neck, and the blood in her hair from the deep gash in the back of her head.
Accidental, my ass. My little sister was murdered, and my family and I are having to deal with the grief over her loss. If I have to go down and face The Society myself and start a one-person riot to get answers, then I’ll do it; for her.
“Where are you going?” I hear Mom’s voice behind me and look around to see her standing in the doorway of my bedroom, looking shattered and heartbroken.
“Back home, I need to be away from here, it’s too hard without Katy,” I tell her, grabbing my bag and making sure I’ve repacked everything.
My family will never know what happened to me if I never come home again. I’ll fade away, be another cold case the police won’t bother to investigate. I’ll take every precaution I can to protect them and ensure they never have to find out what I’m going to do. She doesn’t need to know that I’m not going home, and that I plan to get into this Society and get the answers I want, maybe extract a little retribution for what’s been done to my family. They didn’t just kill my little sister, they’ve destroyed my family, and honestly, even if by some miracle I succeed, I’m still not coming back. I don’t want to come home to memories of a house that’s filled with her absence.
The Society has messed with the wrong man, and the wrong family, but as luck would have it, I’ve got a way in, and I’m going to do everything in my power to ruin them. Who would suspect that the brother of a seemingly inconsequential girl would dare to seek retribution? I’m better connected than any of them could ever realize, but they won’t find anything that could betray who I truly am to them. I’ve got more skill than the Johnson family’s entire security team put together, and as it happens, a position has just opened for a new head of security. It’s almost time to exact my revenge and ruin them all. I’ve already taken steps to hide everything that could work against me, and I’m now in the process of getting inside. Thankfully, my education and experience has given me an edge, one that I used to my full advantage to obliterate the trail connecting me to Katy and my family and gain me access to everything I’ll need to destroy them.
I’ve received a phone call for an interview this morning, and my blood is already boiling at the thought of facing one of the people who is responsible for having my sister killed. Most likely they’ll have paid one of their subordinates to get their hands dirty; they’ve enough wealth to throw around. Blood money won’t compensate for the loss of Katy, but if I can drain every last dollar from them, it’ll give me a small sense of satisfaction to watch them realize exactly what they’ve lost.
Chapter Three
Devin
I’m due to meet with someone who’ll replace our former head of security. As predicted, Father was pissed when he learned what had happened to the previous one. Not that I really cared, I’d like to be able to sleep at night without worrying I’m going to be murdered in my sleep by assholes, and I’m sure he would too, so he can shut his fucking mouth. Just because they came for me, doesn’t mean he’s off the hook and not at risk either, considering he’s got more enemies than I do. Not to mention, I don’t think he’d be too happy if Sebastian was harmed either, and while I may not give a fuck if Nathaniel Johnson is murdered, I’m not going to let my brother become collateral damage.
Now that Sebastian’s unworthy little side piece has been taken care of, my father will undoubtedly want to focus on the future that Sebastian and Quinn are destined to share with each other, and he can’t do that if my brother is murdered. I reach for the glass on my desk and take a swig of the cool liquid, swallowing down the alcohol and regret. I never meant for her to die. I only meant to scare her worthless ass away from my brother, but it's too late now, and the deed is done. He'll forgive me, he always does. One day he'll understand that because of me, his hands are still clean. Sebastian knows as well as the rest of us in The Society, that the rules must never be broken.
I start pacing my office, and force myself to refocus, thinking over everything I read in Ethan Beckett’s file. I had my team run a full background check on him, and I’m pleased with everything they found. He’s twenty-nine, an only child with no living parents. He’s got a degree in Computer Science, several years of experience working with security networking systems, and his references are excellent. Let’s just hope he can meet and exceed my high expectations and requirements. If not, then he will either be shown the door or an unmarked hole in the ground.
I take a seat at my desk shortly before Mr. Beckett is due to arrive. It wouldn’t do for him to see me looking agitated. First impressions are key, and though I’m the one who needs to be impressed, image is everything when it comes to The Society, and I’ve a reputation to uphold. By the time I hear the knock at my door and I call out for whoever is on the other side to enter, I’m calm and composed, ready to meet the man who wishes to take his place as a cog in the workings of The Society by managing the Johnson family security. I have all the grunts I could need, and a supervisor to manage them, but I need someone to be the mind that keeps all the systems running smoothly, and these are the shoes that Mr. Beckett is hoping to fill.
One of the maids shows a man into the room, and I recognize him as Ethan Beckett from his photo in the file my security team provided me. Something about him tells me he’s much more interesting than his photo and file have led me to believe, however there’s only so much I can garner from words on a page.
“Mr. Beckett take a seat,” I command, gesturing at the empty chair opposite me.
“You must be Mr. Johnson?” he enquires, and I nod.
“I am. I called you about the security position that I’m in need to fill. Your references were glowing, and your experience and expertise all look to be of the high standard I require,” I say, and then slowly run through all the usual interview questions and procedures.
I’ve already made my decision, but I’ve yet to inform him that he has the job. Ethan Beckett already fascinates me. First impressions are everything, and his presence has been more captivating than I expected. I can’t put my finger on what exactly intrigues me so much about him, but there’s more to him than just being a computer geek with a high level of experience in computing and security. Time will tell, I expect.
“Congratulations, Mr. Beckett. You’re hired. You can start tomorrow morning. I’ll require you to live in a small house on the grounds as I’m sure you remember from our phone call about the job requirements. It has already been prepared in anticipation of a new occupant. I’ll have someone show you where it is upon your return.”
Ethan looks surprised but not displeased, and nods in acceptance. “Thank you, I’m looking forward to working with you. I’ll make all of the necessary arrangements, and I’ll see you tomorrow, Sir.”
I see him out of my office, and when I look into his eyes I have the fleeting feeling I’ve met him before. I’m almost certain that I haven’t, I would’ve remembered meeting him, regardless of his social status. I wouldn’t forget a handsome face like his, or the striking tattoos emblazoned on his skin which were peeking out from the end of his suit jacket. I curse myself for being distracted by my wondering just how much of his skin is covered in ink. He’s the help and therefore shouldn’t be on my radar, yet my curiosity has
been piqued.
“Yes, I’ll see you tomorrow and we can go over in detail everything I require of you as well as getting your security clearance to manage the security network within the property, amongst other things.”
I offer Ethan my hand to shake and he takes it, gripping it firmly in his. I push aside the flash of desire that makes me wonder how it would feel to have him firmly gripping my cock instead. I need to get laid again. I haven’t had the opportunity since the other night with Quinn. I’ve been too preoccupied to attend any of the social gatherings or attend the private club we own. Once everything has been taken care of and is running smoothly again, I’ll be able to relax enough to go out and seek the release that comes from fucking, rather than the one at the bottom of my favorite whiskey glass.
Chapter Four
Ethan
It angers me when I think about the fact that I’ve just signed my soul away by going to work for one of the families in The Society after what they did to Katy. But this is the best chance I’ll have to destroy them and find out the truth about what happened to my sister. Once I’m given free access and security clearance to their network, I’ll be able to do some digging into everything, from financial records, to appointments, and to their CCTV. It’ll take time to gather all the information I’ll need to avenge my sister and ruin them for good.
I loathe the thought of helping them in any way, and I’ll be fucked if they find out who I really am, but the reward will be worth the risk, and maybe after this is done I can barter back my soul. Everything I need has already been packed, because even if this had fallen through I’d be going back home anyway to work on my plan, but this is so much more convenient. When I was shown where I’ll be staying I asked if I could start moving in right away. There’s no sense in dragging out the moving process when I’m ready and able to do it right away. Besides, it’ll give me a day to settle and get my bearings before I start thinking about what’s coming next.
The Society Page 26