30. Jordan
30
JORDAN
While certain parts of my life were a steaming pile of shit with the last name Everhart on them, the other part of my life was fucking glorious.
When I proposed on my knees, no rings in hand, I hoped they would say yes. I knew they loved me, but would they want that kind of commitment to me? My insecurity was a lump in my throat as I waited for them to respond.
For Vail to come home and tell me his sister agreed to officiate—not that I had any doubt—and that Ruined I thought I could finally breathe easy. Apparently, fucking not. There was always another asshole waiting in the wings to try to take what was mine.
Albert stood waiting beside my Maserati with the door open. “Good morning, sir.”
“Albert.”
“The usual route?”
“And then some. ”
“Very well.” He shut the door, closing me inside. The leather cradled me as I adjusted my body in the seat and pulled my seat belt on. Ava wanted me to, so I did it.
Raiden sat in the passenger seat while Albert slid behind the wheel. “If only you would have listened to me as well as you do to Ava,” Albert observed.
I said nothing, simply jutted my chin so he’d get fucking moving. I wasn’t in the mood to talk. There were bullets in my guns waiting to find homes in major organs.
Albert navigated the city streets with ease, stopping every now and then when I’d tell him to so I could speak with people on the ground, ones who lived and worked here. They didn’t have any information to share but while I spoke with them, I asked how their families were, how their businesses were doing. It was good for me to take an interest in the people who lived in my half of the city.
With none of them having information that could lead me to the Everharts, I started finding informants, ones Barrett’s coworkers used. If they thought I didn’t realize who they spoke to, they were sorely mistaken. I also paid those informants for information.
Once we’d exhausted East Dremest, Albert took the bridge over the creek to the other side of the city, my nephew’s side. The one the Dremests ruled too. I had very few cops in my pocket here, so Albert made certain to do the speed limit and abide by the laws.
I placed a call to Dexen and asked him to speak with his brother. They were in very different businesses, both that would have gossip going around if another criminal like me was slinking nearby. Although, no one was like me. I was stronger, richer, and had a worse reputation. The Everharts were fucking trash in my city, and I wanted everyone to know it.
After we left Dremest, we combed the suburbs, driving for hours, talking to those who would be open to speaking to me.
All for fucking nothing.
I had no leads, and my family was still at risk.
If only Barrett would find me another guard to torture. At least the Everharts were down a man after I killed one. With their lack of funds, they wouldn’t find many who’d be willing to work for them unless they promised them shit they wouldn’t follow through on.
The longer we drove, the angrier I became. Mile by mile, my blood pressure rose until Albert rolled down my window, snapping me out of my rage-filled haze so the warm air could float over my skin and chase some of the internal heat away.
“Did you see that, sir?” Albert asked.
I immediately perked up and gazed in the direction he pointed. “What am I looking for?”
“It was a cardinal perched on the tree branch. I could have sworn he was watching us. Maybe we should ask him where the Everharts are. At this point, he might be more knowledgeable than the people you’ve spoken with.”
The words on the tip of my tongue wouldn’t leave my lips. It was instinct to tell Albert to shut up or threaten him with a bird carcass in his bed, but he was right. The damned bird probably did know more than me.
“I’m really fucking tired of not being able to find people in my own goddamn city,” I growled. “I want Edison and Noel in a fucking warehouse with their arms and legs bound. I want their bodies waiting for my knife. I want their guards dead.”
If we were in my office, I would have taken a page out of my nephew’s book and thrown something across the room in anger. Why couldn’t I find these people? How did assholes keep hiding in plain sight? It was bullshit.
“I’ve missed the growling, sir,” Albert said cheerily. “Ever since you got together with Mr. Ayers and Mr. Weathers, your growls have been fewer. You’re happier. Almost smiling while in the car with me.”
Raiden’s shoulders were so damn tense in the front seat, it was like he was made from stone. He was waiting for me to lash out at Albert. He should have known by now there were a few people in my employment who I tried to rein it in with. Tried being the key word.
“Just take me home,” I bit out. Driving around was useless. I’d rather spend my time making money than chasing ghosts.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. I answered it with a sharp, “Yes?”
On the other end, all I heard was heavy, painful breathing like whoever called was hurt. I quickly glanced at the screen, which I neglected to do when I answered and saw Vincent’s name.
“Vinny, what is it?” I asked.
“I’m… shot. Bleeding. On Fourth. Lane’s gone. Taken. Fuck.”
“Albert, Fourth Street now,” I barked. “Vinny, stay on the line. What were you doing over there?” I wanted to keep him talking, focused on me rather than the pain he was in. Most people saw me as a heartless killer. The truth was, while my men were ready to give their lives for me and those in my protection, I’d rather they stayed above ground.
“He wanted… to buy something… Fuck, for Hartley and Forest.”
I swayed in my seat as Albert hit the gas and flew down the side streets less traveled by cops, thank fuck. I didn’t want to have to deal with them. Then I’d have to lead them away from Vincent and have someone else get him.
I could hear Raiden in the front seat call Alton and ask him to meet us at my building.
“Vinny, who took him?”
“Noel.”
Instead of my blood going cold, fire licked through my body. My veins were full of an energizing heat. That motherfucker took Hartley’s family. Lane didn’t come to us in the best way, but he was part of us now. He had no desire to go back to his family. Hell, Arden even met with him. Arden couldn’t reveal what was said, but he did tell us we were safe with Lane in our home. Either Lane was a hell of a tale spinner or everything he’d told us was the truth. If I went with my gut, Lane was honest with us.
We screeched to a stop near the corner of the street and rushed from the vehicle. Vincent wouldn’t be out in the open, bleeding on the sidewalk. He’d tuck himself away where no one would see him. The fact the cops weren’t already here meant Noel was well-equipped.
Raiden called Vincent’s name, trying to locate him when we heard a weak, “Here.”
Rushing down the alleyway, we found Vincent on the ground, leaning against a dumpster. He was going to need a strong antibiotic once he got cleaned up. Albert quickly wrapped Vincent’s leg and arm as Raiden stood guard and we got Vincent on his feet. He wasn’t a small guy, but we’d be able to carry him if need be. Vincent wanted to walk to the car, even if he was limping and red bloomed through his jeans more and more with each step.
As soon as we closed the doors, Albert took off. All my attention was on Vincent. Raiden had his gun in hand, ready to shoot if someone came after us. Surprisingly, they didn’t. The guards Edison and Noel hired must have been dwindling, especially if Noel took Lane himself.
Vincent groaned when Albert hit a pothole. He was paler than I liked. A curse tore from my lips. If Vincent wasn’t bleeding like he was, I would have called the fucking city and had someone out here to fix this shit. They were still doing roadwork on the streets after a winter of snowplows and salt.
The garage of my building had never looked so good as Albert pulled in and men waited to help Vincent from the car and into the elevator. Raiden and I followed behind them, Raiden still looking over his shoulder, waiting for a bullet to fly past us.