“I’ll explain when you get here.” I end the call and take Mia’s hand, leading her into the kitchen.
“Hudson, did you leave the fridge open?”
I ignore the question and grab three beers. I pass one to Jagger and one to David, when I turn to Mia, I see she’s staring at me. I sigh, “You screamed, what was I supposed to do? Do you want anything?”
She shakes her head. “No, I’m fine thank you.” She follows us into the sitting room as I wait for dad and the others to arrive. Mia curls up beside me as soon as I sit on the sofa, head resting on my arm, I move so that she’s tucked up against my body. Once again, she snuggles up closer to me, her head turning into my chest.
“Boss, what are we going to do about Martin?” Jagger asks his eyes on Mia.
“Once dad gets here, the bodies of his parents are going to be dumped outside his hideout along with that fucking gift he gave Mia. Letting him know that he has nothing. He’ll run, and Aaron and David will be on his tail.” I tell him and glance down at Mia, she’s fast asleep. She’s had a rough day, with no reprieve at all.
“No doubt that fucker will scurry into the sewers like the rat he truly is,” Jagger says taking a sip of his beer, “How long are you going to wait before you capture him?”
“I’m unsure, I’d rather end this now. Getting him at his hideout is stupid, he’ll have it rigged. I’m not losing anymore men to this fucker.” It’ll be a death sentence for my men sending them into it.
“So we tail him and run the fucker off the road.” David smirks, his hands balling into fists.
“Yes, take that fucker while he’s scrambling.”
David smirk widens. “It’ll be my fucking pleasure.”
A car door slams shut, and we all straighten up. We sit in silence as we wait for dad to come into the house. He doesn’t take long and as soon as he walks in the door, he starts demanding answers. “What the hell is going on?” His voice booming which makes Mia moan and turn in my arms. I’ll be glad once the morning sickness passes. Glancing at him, I see both Rory and Cormac walking in behind him.
“A lot,” David replies as he downs the beer. “You two are with me,” he instructs the brothers, and they immediately turn and walk out of the door. Even though I haven’t announced that David has moved up the ranks, the men respect him and do what he says. “I’ll let Hudson and Jagger fill you in. I’ve got shit to do.” He walks out of the house without looking back.
“So, want to tell me what the hell has happened since I’ve been gone?” Dad demands, his eyes looking down at Mia. “Is she okay?”
I shake my head. “No she’s not.” I take a sip of beer, the coldness making it slip down my throat easily. “I read the email from Coby, he told me that Martin has been listening to Mia’s calls and tracking her cell. He also gave me his last known location and Aaron has been sitting on him. Shit’s about to hit the fan as David’s on his way with the bodies and dump them at his hideout.”
Dad lets out a low whistle, “Damn, Son.” He shakes his head. “Paybacks a motherfucking bitch and he’s due to feel karma’s sting.” He glances between Jag and I. “What am I missing?”
I look down and see Mia’s still fast asleep. “Mia’s pregnant.” I announce and hear the sharp intake of breath, I keep my voice low as I continue. “Before you ask, it’s mine. She’s ten weeks. Martin somehow has found out about her pregnancy and managed to break into my house and leave a present for her. He thinks it’s his child and he’s fucking delusional.” I shake my head as I remember that fucking note he left for her.
“I’m going to be a grandad? Damn son, you sure know how to put a smile on my face. How’s Mia taking things?”
“She’s bottling everything up.” It pisses me off as I’m unable to help her until she lets it out. “She was scared when she found out she was pregnant that it could be that asshole’s. I told her even if it was, I’d support her, and I’d love it as mine.”
Dad nods. “Of course you would, Son. Mia’s yours and in turn her child would be yours. Just as Mia is mine.”
He understands me, something that when I look at Jagger, I don’t see. He’s confused and that’s fine, he doesn’t need to understand, it’s a moot point. “She had a scan at the hospital, they told her she was ten weeks.”
“Good, she doesn’t need that fucker in her life and if that baby was his, there’s no doubt he’d make her life ten times worse than it is now.” Dad says, sitting back in his chair.
“No dad, when he finds out that his family is gone and that the baby he thought was his, isn’t. He’ll go on a rampage.”
Dad tsks. “Fuck, that fucker needs to go down and soon. I’m not having him near Mia or my grandchild.” That’s a warning if I ever heard one.
“I’m on it,” I bite out. “Have some damn faith, yeah? What do you think Aaron and David are going to do? Sit on their damn hands?”
His eyes are narrowed, I know that he wants to say something else but he’s biting his tongue. I don’t want to hear whatever the fuck it is that he thinks he should say.
“Will you stay here with Mia? I’ve got to call a meeting.”
“Like you even have to ask. I’ll guard her with my life,” he promises me and I nod. “Go, she’ll be fine.”
Jagger stands and walks out of the room, he’s arranging a meeting with the men.
“I don’t think she’ll sleep in the bedroom, not after that fucker was in there. So stay out here with her.” I gingerly get to my feet, moving her slowly so that she’s lying on the sofa.
“I’ll stay here and I’ll stay awake, nothing is going to hurt her.” He stands, taking the blanket from behind him and throwing it over Mia.
“Thanks Dad.” I tell him as I finish my beer, “I’ll be a couple of hours.”
“Don’t thank me, you’re my son and she’s my daughter. Go, I’ve got her.” He pats my back and I turn back to Mia, placing a kiss on her head.
Walking out of the house, I see Jagger’s already in the car. He’s on his cell, so I climb into the passenger’s side and wait for him to end his call.
“Meeting’s set, the men are spreading the word like wildfire. I’ve made it clear if they’re not in attendance, they’re on notice,” he says as he puts his cell in his pocket and drives out of my driveway.
“Good, Dad’s got Mia covered.”
Jagger laughs. “Poor Mia, she’s fucked.” I glare at him, it just makes him laugh harder. “She’s got you, who’s a fucking psychopath who will kill anyone who even upsets her. Me, David, and your father who will gut anyone who hurts her. She has no chance of having peace.”
I shrug. “At least she’ll be safe.” That’s all that fucking matters.
Eight
Hudson
The smell of smoke hits me as soon as I exit the car. “Fucking hell, a bit morbid, Jag.” I comment as I take in the charred remains of the house.
“It was the only place I could think of and David agreed that it would be the best place. They feel the loss, we all do,” he tells me, seemingly unfazed that the house was only burned down mere weeks ago. That a woman lost her life as it blazed, our man lost the love of his life in the process.
“Sick fuckers,” I murmur as I walk into what’s left of the house. The walls are crumbled, there’s so much rubble on the ground that it’s hard to walk on, I manage to find a way into the building and find my men standing around waiting for me. What used to be the staircase, in pieces beneath our feet.
“I won’t keep you long, I have a few announcements to make and then we can get the hell out of here.” I glare at Jagger, the smell of smoke is awful, no doubt I’ll have to throw my suit in the trash, getting that smell out is almost impossible.
The men chuckle. “Boss,” I hear one of them say and watch as Dylan takes a step forward. The man is in his mid-thirties, he’s been with us for a while but he’s not shown any promise to be anything other than a soldier.
“Yes, Dylan?”
He stops
and stares at me. “I know you said that this is a required meeting, anyone who wasn’t here was being put on notice.”
I sigh, what the fuck is he getting at? I hate this bullshit. “Get to it.”
“Boss, Wally isn’t here,” he tells me and I can hear the wariness in his voice. A hushed murmur falls among my men.
“When was the last time anyone spoke to him?” This isn’t like Wally, the man lives for the organization, for my men, for me.
Silence descends as they try and remember the last time they spoke to him.
“Has anyone spoken to him since this morning?” So much fucking shit has happened since then. Again, no one answers. “Right, we’ll deal with that afterward.” I’ll be taking a trip to his house after this meeting. “Now, there have been some developments since this morning.”
My men straighten, their heads held high as they stare at me. I’m not sure if the rumors have hit yet, if they haven’t I’d be surprised.
“My mom is fine, she made it out of surgery and is on the mend. Tina, however, wasn’t that lucky. She didn’t make it out of surgery. That’s another death on Martin’s head.”
Curses go around, before each of them bow their heads in a sign of respect.
“Martin’s parents are dead, he lied and as a result, they paid that price.” They grin, finally, we finally have a small victory. “I’ve also found out where his hideout is. Aaron and David are sitting on it. His parent’s bodies are going to be dumped there, showing him that we know where he is and we will hurt him just as he has us. I’ve instructed them not to take him there. I’m not risking my men’s lives, God knows what he’s got rigged, and they’re going to take him on the road. He’s not going to escape. No more. It’s coming to the end.”
The men smile, glad that it’s coming to a close, we’ve all been on the back foot with this shit, but changes are going to be made. “Boss, is he coming in alive?” Ronald asks and I smirk, these new recruits are blood thirsty.
“Unless Aaron and David need to use excessive force, he will indeed be coming in alive.” I want my go at him, I want to see the life leave his eyes, watch as he finally realizes that I’ve won. “Now, there’s something I need to tell you, and what I say doesn’t leave this house.”
Their eyes widen, each one of them panicked, wondering what it is that I am about to say.
“Mia is pregnant. Martin believes it’s his.”
“Fucking asshole. I say fucking take the bastard out,” Dylan growls.
“I’d set the fucker on fire,” Roland replies.
“Fuck that, I’d attach him to my bumper and drive at full speed,” Clayton tells us.
Each one of them come up with a more graphic way of killing him.
“Boss, not that it matters, but is it his?” Kenneth asks, he’s the only one that doesn’t have a smile on his face. He’s been with us for about six months, in the beginning I thought he was a cop, I never have him do anything other than be a part of meetings and work security at the club.
“It’s mine.” The men all release a ragged breath, one I didn’t know they were holding. All except Kenneth, I stare at the man, wondering what the fuck he’s playing at. “Not that it matters, though, right?”
His eyes narrow slightly, “Are the rumors true?”
I glance at Jagger, there’s something off with this fucker, I knew it from the get go. “What rumors?” There’s absolutely no mistaking my tone that he better tread carefully.
He doesn’t heed my warning. “That Martin raped Mia.”
Every man steps backward as my hand reaches for my gun. He’s pushed his damn luck, the man is done. “Who told you that?” There are only a few men in my organization that know what happened and I know that they wouldn’t say a word, if they have, they’ll pay the price.
He doesn’t back down, he’s a brave man, there’s no doubt about that. “I overheard it.”
“Dude,” Roland growls, taking a step forward. “You had better wise up.” He informs him, and I let him do the talking, right now I’m close to taking my gun and putting a bullet in his head.
“I asked a question,” Kenneth replies, a smug smile on his face.
“A question that you had no right asking, now that you have, you best answer the boss’ question. Who told you about it?” Roland steps up so that he’s face to face. “Answer the damn question, who told you?”
Kenneth’s bravado seems to drop, “I overheard it.”
“Leave him,” I demand, as Kenneth hands reach for his neck. “Kenneth, do you value your life?” I ask and he shrinks back not answering, “Let me rephrase the question. Do you value the life of your wife and daughter?”
His Adam’s apple bobs up and down as he gulps, “Y...yes,” he stammers.
“Then you had better start talking or I’ll start shooting.” I don’t give a fuck, I’ll take his entire family out, I want to know who’s been talking about what happened to Mia. I want to know who’s got loose lips and can’t be trusted.
His next word has my entire body going solid. “Martin.”
“When did that asshole tell you?” Jagger says through clenched teeth.
Do we have a traitor amongst us? How did we manage to overlook this one?
Kenneth smiles. “The night he did it.”
“Move,” I tell Ronald, and he immediately takes a step aside, my gun lifts, “You can go to hell along with him.”
That smile widens. “Don’t you want to know why he told me?”
Yes. “No, you don’t matter to me.”
He laughs. “Oh but how I do. You see Hudson, I matter a lot. You thought I was a cop, you have never trusted me and for that, it was easy for me to turn.”
I shake my head. “You’re full of shit.” Fucking jackass. His eyes flash with anger. I laugh, “Oh, did I hit a nerve.”
“I turned against you because you have no respect for your men.”
I raise my brow. “My men? I have the utmost respect for. I’d die for them as they would me. I don’t have respect for lazy, disrespectful, unethical men. That’s why I have no respect for you, since the day you came on board, you have shown every one of my men what not to do. Why do you think that none of my men associate with you?”
The shock on his face tells me that he hadn’t realized.
“You were dead weight. It’s always been a matter of time before you were chopped off.”
His eyes narrow. “Fuck you. I hope Martin rapes her again, and that fucking kid of yours.”
A red haze forms, and he’s gone. I don’t even realize that I’ve lifted my gun and pulled the trigger.
“Fucking prick,” Jagger spits as he walks over to Kenneth’s body. “He’s dead,” he informs me and I don’t give a shit. “Who the fuck else is a rat? Hmm?” He questions the men and each of them stand tall as if they have nothing to hide. “If it turns out that one or more of you are traitors, I’m personally going to see it that you’ll lose your life.”
“It’s time to go, I’ve got shit to do. Try and stay out of trouble,” I tell them as I turn and leave, “And clean up the body,” I demand as Jagger follows me out of the house, “Jag, we’re driving over to Wally’s house.”
He doesn’t seem surprised. “Yes boss. What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking that Wally doesn’t miss a damn meeting, he lives for the Brady organization,” I tell him getting into the car.
He climbs into the front seat. “Yes boss, but the man’s been married less than a week. If that were you and Mia, you wouldn’t be leaving the house. You would be balls deep inside of her.” He starts the car, just as my men begin to leave the house.
“Watch your mouth,” I say through clenched teeth, I don’t give a shit if he’s my best friend or not, no one talks about Mia that way. He turns on the engine and reverses out of here. “I’ve got a feeling there’s more to this shit than what meets the eye. Why did he tell Kenneth? It makes no fucking sense.”
“Unless, Kenneth was a plant all a
long? Maybe he is a cop after all? He could be one of Johnson’s men? I guess the only way we’re going to know for certain is ask the bastard when we get him.”
I take my cell out of my pocket and dial David’s number. It rings out, no answer. Fuck, I do the same for Aaron’s and it’s the same. Shit. Fuck. I call Rory, and it rings.
“Boss?” He sounds sleepy like I’ve just woken him up.
“Yeah, did you do as David had asked?”
“Yes boss. They were dropped off outside his hideout. David told Cormac and I to leave that he had it from there.” Gone is the sleepiness, he’s fully alert now.
“How far out are you?” I question, my fucking gut screaming that something has happened to Aaron and David.
“Ten minutes, less if I take my bike.” He has a Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird.
“Take your bike, they’re not answering. Find out what the fuck is going on. Call me as soon as you get to that fucking place.” I glance at Jagger, his knuckles white from the grip he has on the steering wheel.
“Shit, I’m on it. I’ll call you soon.” He ends the call and I know that he’ll be there within ten minutes, knowing Rory, he’ll be there in about seven.
“He’s gone?” Jagger asks.
“I believe so, the men aren’t answering. We’ll know for sure soon enough.” My gut’s screaming at me that something else is going to happen.
Jagger pulls up outside Wally’s house, its pitch black, not a single light on. “They could be asleep,” Jagger says and I scoff, he sighs. “Yeah, it doesn’t look good.”
I’m out of the car, my feet moving as quick as they can, when I get to the door, I know there’s something off. My men know about Martin, they know the threat that he brings, they wouldn’t leave the damn door ajar. I nudge the door open with my foot, my gun raised as I enter the house. I don’t need to move much further than the doorway when I see him. His lifeless body hanging from the banister. Fuck.
“Motherfucker.” I don’t need to turn to know its Jagger behind me.
“Search the house, find out where Molly is.” His wife wouldn’t come to the safe house I had for the families, she and Wally had just got married, and they didn’t want to be separated. My cell rings and I lower my gun, reaching into my pocket, I see Rory’s name on the screen. “Rory.”
Forever Love (Kingpin Book 3) Page 7