Twenty-One
Max
Harker was tall and well-built but wasn’t as big as me or as badass. He was also older, with a slight paunch and would be much slower.
Yanking my sweater off over my head I tugged my T-shirt down and rolled my shoulders before cracking my neck. Throwing my top to the side of the yard, I pumped my fists and warmed my fingers up as I jogged on the spot.
At the ring, the fights were still bare-knuckle but tape was usually used to stop the skin splitting. My fingers were scarred from catching them on my past opponent's teeth and I saw Harker’s gaze drop to them fleetingly.
“Max!” Amber yelled almost hysterically.
Without breaking eye contact with my opponent I shouted, “Don’t worry baby, it will all be over soon.”
Harker’s expression darkened as I called her baby and his lip curled as he raised his fists before spitting on the floor, aggressive waves rolling off him.
“You’re right about that you fucking pussy,” he growled.
I watched as he assumed the position, his fighting stance suggesting he was experienced, but he had nothing on me. I did this shit for fun.
Then Kinlan’s men started to egg us on, one shouting for us to get on with it. There were a few claps and shouts and then it was game on. Their guns were lowered and they were now spectators.
I had the element of surprise and decided to rush Harker. Even in illegal fights, there were rules, but there were also those grey areas. Without further ado I charged the fucker, my shoulder slamming into his stomach, sending us both to the ground. The breath was knocked out of him with an Ooofff!
Whoops and catcalls erupted around us .
We rolled over, jolting from side to side and I got in a punch, hitting him directly in the ribs before he shoved away and shot upright. I too pushed upwards as Harker lunged, catching me on the jaw and I fell back slightly before rightening myself, pain exploding through my face.
As I hoped from foot to foot, he threw a couple more punches before I round-housed the fucker, my knuckles connecting with his nose; the sound of bone breaking echoed in that small space. Harker snarled with rage, falling forwards grabbing my tee, and wrestling me to the floor. As he climbed on top of me, he rained punches into my ribs and face and I attempted to block him with my elbows as more pain shot through my side.
I could hear Amber screaming.
Pulling back my arm, I upper-cut him, smashing him under the chin and he fell back. I shoved him off me and he nimbly darted to his feet.
As I sprawled to the side, I made to stand up but the fucker kicked me in the stomach winding me.
“Stop it, you’ll kill him!” Amber yelled. And that sound gave me strength. With a roar, I rolled towards him, and kicked out my feet, knocking Harker’s out from under him and he went down like a sack of shit.
Pushing up on my elbows, I dragged my body over his, smacking him in the face several times. His skin was becoming bruised and bloody with each contact my hands made but he wasn’t beaten yet. Harker pulled his arm back and jabbed me in the rib; the one I suspected he’d already broken. My breath whooshed from my body as I doubled over, dazed. I could hear Harker shouting curses as he dragged himself out from under me.
“Max!” Amber screamed and I turned, seeing her through one bad eye as she fought against Dexter to get to me, which would have put her in danger.
I rolled over again and shoved to my feet, “Don’t let her go, man,” I barked at Dexter and he nodded, holding her thrashing body tight .
Harker was bouncing back and forth, now assessing me for weakness. Which was of course my ribs. Fuck knew how badly busted they were. He’d also partly opened the wound I’d received the night of the fire and it burnt like a bitch.
The crowd continued encouraging the fight, with thrilled voices, and vocalised winces as we pummelled each other. They were enjoying the show.
I shot a glance at Kinlan who was leaning back against his car with one foot crossed over the other. His face was expressionless, almost bored.
Dragging my gaze back to Harker, I spat on the floor as we circled each other, “My eighty-year-old grandmother hits harder than you,” I snarled prancing from one foot to the other, as I taunted my opponent; a must in the fighting ring, it made your opponent angry which equalled loss of control. Harker was unsteady on his feet but holding his own. His nose was fucked and the blood I saw there gave me a perverse satisfaction.
He threw a punch and I easily avoided it.
“Come on you, you can do better than that,” I baited in a menacing voice. My hands throbbed and I clenched them tighter.
Harker swung another, but I dodged it again, coming back with my right, and cuffing him on the cheekbone. He fell back a step and then roared like the bitch he was, his control was fucked.
More shouts from the men with Amber’s cries thrown into the mix erupted around the yard.
And we danced. I led which was to be expected, darting away from each blind punch he threw at me, it was only a matter of time now, I knew I had won. Drawing my fist back I hit him in the side of the head, the skin of my knuckles busting open from the impact.
Spitting more blood on the floor, I cricked my neck and then went for my signature KO move. Pulling back my left, which was my winning arm, I smashed my fist into his melon fucking head, blood spurted from his mouth as his teeth caught on the flesh inside .
And he went down like a ton of bricks, smashing into the gravel. I omitted a war cry, my side was in agony, one eye almost closed and I bent over. My hands on my thighs as I dragged air into my lungs, my ribs on fire. My body ached like hell but I was wired.
The crowd of around nine men whooped and chanted.
I’d been too cocky. As I dropped to my knees, I realised I had wrongly judged my opponent, Harker had been tough to bring down. My energy started to drain from my body as I fell forward, resting my weight on my hands against the driveway as I tried not to throw up.
It was at that point that Amber must have broken free from Dexter and she ran towards me and threw herself over my body, those slender arms wrapping across my back. She was panting uncontrollably and I faintly heard clapping and guffawing from the audience of gangsters. I pushed my hands off the ground and wrapped them around her body. Her scent hit my nostrils and gave me some strength, almost like it had the power to heal.
“Congratulations, Hunter,” I heard Kinlan say.
Feeling elated, I rested my eyes and breathed in Amber’s scent. It was a mistake.
Before I could open my eyes, it all went to shit as victory was lost. I felt Amber being tugged away from me and I lunged to grab her but missed. Harker had managed to push to his feet, having landed by the gun he dropped earlier. He now had it pressed against Amber’s temple, his hand holding her by the hair. Unshed tears lined her eyes as she stared back at me with a helpless expression.
She mouthed I’m sorry as I slowly pushed to my feet, raising my arms in surrender.
“Don’t do it. It’s over,” I said, my breath hissing through my teeth.
My heart was beating against my chest, all thoughts of my ribs and other injuries forgotten. He wouldn’t do it, he couldn’t. No !
I turned to glance at Kinlan, expecting what? Who fucking knew. The man had not moved from his position by the SUV and his men were staring at him, waiting for their instructions.
“Do something,” I yelled at him but he just glanced between us with a strange expression.
I pinned my glare back on Harker, “If you hurt her, I will end you!”
Kinlan shook his head, totally calm and unaffected that Amber had a gun to her head. He took a step forward and addressed Harker directly with a tut.
“Don’t tell me you’re going for the cliched ‘if I can’t have her no one can shite?” he said, questioning Harker with a chin lift. His hands were by his sides and I was thankful he hadn’t drawn his gun. He also motioned for one of his men who had slowly lifted theirs to lower it.
Kinlan shunted forward, moving slowly, reminding me of a panther before it struck.
“Well?” he prompted, coming to stand beside me, though not giving me the time of day. Panic surged through my chest. Is the fucker going to let him shoot her?
No!
“She belongs with me, she always has. I’d prefer to own her in this life, but if I have to do it in the next, so be it,” Harker spat, a bubble of blood oozing down his chin. Amber continued shaking, her breath wheezing, her chest rising and falling as she held onto Harker’s wrist. The one where the hand was tugging her hair. I could see she was in pain as he twisted his fingers into those silky strands.
“So very predictable. But I’m bored now,” Kinlan then raised his hand into the air above his head.
I’d played enough Call of Duty on the Xbox to know that he was making a signal to shoot, and…
ZIP! The bullet sailed past us, causing me to flinch .
It pierced Harker’s skull in the centre of his head and it was over. There was hardly any blood, it looked more like someone had drawn a dot on his head with a red pen. A storm of emotion ran through my brain, it was the first time I had seen a man die in front of me.
Harker fell to the ground in a cold lifeless heap. Amber screamed and fell to her knees and I ran to her and dragged her shivering body into my arms, slowly backing us away from where the body was crumpled against the gravel. I knew there could have been another bullet out there with my name on but I didn’t care. I just needed to get her away from Harker. Keep her safe, shelter her from that ugly.
I flashed Kinlan an astounded look over her shoulder but he just shrugged.
“What? He was annoying me with his whiny bullshit,” he said defending his decision to off the fucker in front of us.
“You could have hit Amber,” I snarled and he chuckled.
“Don’t be ridiculous. Cillian is a crack shot with over twenty years of experience. I only employ the best.”
Turning away in disgust at how unfazed he was, I cradled Amber’s head as she attempted to look behind her. “Don’t look. Just focus on me, OK?” I whispered, not wanting her to see Harker’s lifeless body.
“Is he dead?” Amber said with a hiccup.
“He’s dead. I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it. The man has been involved in some sick shit in the past.”
Amber’s eyes widened in confusion so I changed the subject before she could dwell, “Are you hurt, did he hurt you?” I questioned, pulling back, my eyes assessing. Her face was white as a sheet.
“I’m fine. I thought you were going to die, I thought I was going to lose you,” she sobbed, almost hysterical now. “Oh my God, Max.”
“I know and I’m sorry you had to see that. But you’re safe now, the fucker can’t hurt you, or us anymore. ”
“Where’s Dexter,” Amber said, looking around.
“I’m here Miss. Nothing to worry about,” Dexter said from behind us.
“The show’s over people. Let’s clean up and head out,” Kinlan suddenly ordered.
The sound of sliding doors echoed through the air as did booted feet hitting the gravel but I didn’t give a shit. I had Amber in my arms, and I lifted her towards me, cupping her jaw and placing my mouth over hers. I wanted to distract her from what was clearly an order to dispose of the body.
As our mouths moved together and she wrapped her arms around me, I could feel people surrounding us.
“Whilst this is all very romantic. Do you mind saving it? We’ve got shit to do,” Kinlan said and I drew back, looking up at him with rage and disgust. It was his fault that Amber had almost been shot. I pushed to my feet and went to lunge for him but he shook his head and stepped back. His message was clear. The hidden sniper that had taken Harker out would now have eyes on me. I raised my arms and backed off a step, taking Amber’s small hand in mine.
Two of his men rushed past me with large sheets of plastic which they placed next to Harker’s body. I held Amber against my side so she didn’t watch, her face pushed into my shoulder.
Harker’s body was rolled onto the plastic in seconds and he was then carried over to the van. It was empty in the back apart from what looked like cleaning supplies.
I watched as they threw his body encased in plastic into the space there like he was no more than roadkill.
“Miles, CCTV?”
“Wiped boss. Jammer deactivated. No trace,” the guy ‘Miles’ replied. He was a tall thin man with glasses and must have been Kinlan’s tech guy .
So, they had somehow wiped the security system so there would be no trace of what had happened. That meant no proof and no police but I knew we couldn’t report it. That didn’t sit right with me but what could I do?
As Kinlan walked toward me, two other men flanked him and the guy called Lewis kept his gun on Dexter.
Pushing Amber behind my back, I squared my shoulders.
“You did well, Max. And I’d like to revisit my original offer.”
I snorted, “What? To be the muscle for the mafia?”
I felt Amber stiffen behind me as she whispered, “Max? What…” her voice trailed off as Kinlan came close.
“Yes.”
Inhaling, I felt between a rock and an even bigger rock. If I said no, would he kill me? A thought suddenly occurred to me.
“Did you know I’d beat him?”
The mob boss smiled, “Of course. I never had any doubt of that. David wasn’t the toughest of characters. That’s why he preyed on little girls.”
“Why didn’t you just shoot the fucker and be done with it?” I rasped, glancing towards Dexter who was still quite pale.
“Where is the fun in that? Didn’t it feel good smacking the living shit out of him?”
Christ, he was right and that thought made me sick to my stomach. What had I become?
“What if I’d lost?” I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth.
Kinlan brushed a speck of gravel dust from his sleeve and withdrew his sunglasses. “I suppose we’ll never know.”
I then watched as he walked away, flanked by his men and they all climbed into their cars.
“What the hell, Max? How do you know someone so dangerous? And who is David, I don’t understand. ”
Before I could reply, the rear blacked-out window slid down and Kinlan motioned me over. I went like the lapdog he had turned me into.
“If you’re going to tell me you were never here, you can save it,” I huffed. Did the guy think I had a death wish? He removed his sunglasses, those shrewd eyes pinned to mine.
“That wasn’t what I was going to say at all,” he said with a bland look.
“OK then,” I said, wondering what he wanted now.
“Make sure the paperwork for my new warehouses is on my desk first thing.”
The son of a bitch. So, he was going to hold me to my offer to give him the property for free, “And then we’re done?”
He nodded, “And then we’re done.”
“Fine,” I said through gritted teeth.
As the cars left the estate, I turned and walked towards Amber and Dexter. There was no blood or sign that Harker had ever been there. No gun or bat either. Just the two battered cars and scuff marks made in the gravel. I grabbed my sweater and wrapped it around Amber’s shoulders.
She was watching me with a sad little face and I could see she was still shaken. I lifted her into my arms bride style and walked towards the house with Dexter flanking us.
Amber explained how the staff were tied up in the kitchen.
Fuck, so the staff were involved.
And I knew at that point that it was time to get all our stories straight. Our future safety depended on that.