Chapter 19 Toxin
TOXIN
I heard my phone ringing in the distance, and it forced me awake. I felt Natasha’s hair sprawled across my chest and it made me grin. I reached around, feeling for the stupid ass vibrations. Only to have to get up and ruin the morning to go in search for my fucking pants.
But when I saw it was Grave, I picked it up immediately.
“This is Toxin.”
“Where the actual fuck are you? And tell me she’s with you.”
I sighed. “We’re at her apartment.”
Grave paused. “You were stupid enough to go back to her apartment?”
I walked over into a corner, away from Natasha and her sleeping form.
“I brought my wand and swept over this place. It’s not bugged. Not one single bit. It doesn’t even look like it’s been touched. This place is dusty as fuck, and there isn’t a scrape in all that dust. No one’s been here. At all,” I murmured.
“And you’re sure about that.”
I nodded. “It’s me you’re talking to. Yes, Natasha’s a bit of a hothead.
But you know I can focus through all that shit.
There’s nothing here. No boot prints. No evidence of locks being picked.
Or even changed, for that matter. Nothing’s broken.
Nothing’s been moved. Or stolen. I don’t get it.
Their first stop should’ve been her apartment. ”
“That can only mean two things. They’re either waiting for her to check in or—”
“They know she’s with us.”
“Exactly.”
“No. I’m telling you. They know she’s with us.”
He paused. “And when the fuck were you going to tell me that?”
I shook my head. “I only just found out myself. Look, Natasha placed a phone call to her connection in the mafia last night.”
“She what!?”
“Will you shut the hell up and listen? I don’t have much time before she wakes up. She called Phillip and found out a fuckton of shit that has her scared for her life. And rightfully so.”
“Give me the summary.”
“Her abusive ex, Ivan? Lars’ brother.”
“You’re fucking with me.”
“I’m not. He’s known the mafia’s had her all this time. She’s not even sure if Phillip’s ever been on her side. Ivan made some threats last night. Said if she didn’t return, he’d kill Diesel himself. All of us. And make her watch.”
“So, what’s the deadline? When does he want her back by?”
“My assumption is today. So, we might have a couple of hours or twelve. I’m not sure, and neither is she.”
He sighed. “Fuck. Okay. You need to bring her back here so we can set everything up. If she’s our only link, then we’re going to have to exploit that.”
“No.”
“No?”
“I promised her I’d keep her safe. That she wouldn't ever have to look Ivan in the face again after what he’s done to her. I’m not letting you put her in that situation.”
“We don’t have a choice, Toxin. Diesel’s dead if we don’t—”
I growled. “We always have choices. You taught me that.”
Grave smacked his lips. “We’re running out of time here, Toxin.”
“If you’re so willing to give up Natasha, why not just give Lars what he wants? Cage and Sutton?”
“Because they’re family.”
“And Natasha isn’t?”
The words flew out of my mouth before I could catch them. And they made Grave chuckle.
“Are you telling me she is?”
“That’s not what I’m saying.”
“I don’t know. Kind of sounds like you are.”
“All I’m saying is—”
He snickered. “You don’t have the ability any longer to ride any of us on how our women got roped into this bullshit. You know that, right?”
I rolled my eyes. “Can we stick to the conversation here?”
His chuckling faded. “All right. All right. But I’m still set on my plan. She’s our only way in. We have to—”
“I’m not putting her in harm’s way. End of story.”
“I can handle my own, you know.”
I whipped around and saw her standing there.
Her disheveled hair flipped off to the side.
The sheet wrapped around her beautiful body.
Her eyes, still adjusting to the soft morning light pouring around her blackout curtains.
She looked positively radiant. Even after we’d fucked one another’s brains out.
“That Grave?” she asked.
“It is,” I said.
“Put him on speaker.”
I sighed but did as she asked.
“Grave, you there?” I asked.
“Yep,” he said.
“Morning,” Natasha said.
He paused. “Hey there. Good morning.”
“I take it you’re wanting to dangle me as bait and Toxin doesn't like the idea?” she asked.
“Not in so many words. But you are our only in,” Grave said.
“I agree with you. And you don’t have much time. I have to check in today anyway. Preferably before lunch time.”
“I’m not letting you do this. It’s too dangerous. You're going to get hurt,” I said.
“Worse than what Ivan used to do to me?” she asked.
I glared at her, but like always, she didn’t back down.
“She can do this, Toxin.”
Natasha nodded. “Grave’s right. I can do this.”
I sighed. “Fine. I don’t have the energy to argue. But I’m in charge of your safety during this op. Me, and only me.”
“That’s fine with me,” Grave said.
“I wouldn’t want it any other way,” she said.
I reached out, cupping her cheek. “Good. So, no one’s going to be shocked when I go in with you.”
“What?” they asked in unison.
I grinned. “That’s my bargain. We can dangle Natasha however we want. But every step she takes, I’m right there with her.”
“That’s not going to work,” Natasha said.
“We have to find another way to protect her,” Grave said.
“Sending Diesel in alone is how he got taken. That and Ryker’s hotheaded moves. She’s not going in there alone. That’s my final offer,” I said.
And after a long moment of silence, she nodded.
“Okay.”
Grave sighed. “I guess I don’t have a choice.”
I shook my head. “You really don’t.”
“All right. We’re going to get back to the clubhouse soon. Natasha’s going to pack, then we’ll figure out our next moves,” I said.
“And I’m going to call Phillip. Let him know I’ll be checking into work tonight,” Natasha said.
“That’s a good in. You’ll need money, and they probably haven't found someone to replace you yet,” Grave said.
“We’ll see you in a bit,” I said.
Then, I hung up the phone before either of them could dig a deeper fucking hole.
Natasha left and started rummaging around for her phone.
And me? Well, I stood there trying to process my anger.
My frustrations with this entire situation.
I didn’t want to put Natasha in the line of fire again.
I’d damn near compromised this entire thing to get her out of that fucking fire in the first place.
But beggars couldn't be choosers. And we were scrambling for anything that might work.
Even Natasha knew that.
A phone ringing out in the room caught my attention. She came over with her phone, and I saw a number scrolling across it. I eyed Natasha and she mouthed the name “Phillip.” So, I silenced my breathing and tuned my ears.
“Good morning.”
The voice was lighter than I imagined it to be. Soft. Like the voice of a college boy still trying to find his way into the world.
“Is Ivan there? And don't you lie to me, Phillip,” Natasha said.
I heard the waver in her voice, and I wanted to pull her against my chest. Hug her until the pain stopped.
“No, he isn’t.”
She snickered. “How could you betray me like that? I thought we were friends.”
“Then, I did my job right.”
She paused. “Your job?”
“Yes.”
“And what kind of job was this?”
“A job Lars passed down to me. Told me to keep an eye out for you. Keep you somewhere safe before bringing you to him.”
She scoffed. “So, you always knew about Ivan.”
“Yes.”
“And you really don’t give a shit, do you?”
“In this lifestyle, no one has friends. You’d do good to learn that now, in case the boss decides to give you a second chance.”
“So, when I come into work tonight, no one’s going to slaughter me where I stand?”
I tensed at the words as silence fell over the phone.
“No, they won’t. On Lars’ orders, they won’t. Ivan wants you alive, so you'll stay that way. For now,” Phillip said.
“You’re a real piece of work, you know that?” she asked.
“So I’ve been told.”
I walked behind Natasha. I wrapped my arms around her. I settled my cheek next to her temple and swayed her softly side to side. Trying to comfort her as she held back her tears. Held back her anger. Held back her sadness.
“Where should I check in tonight?” she finally asked.
“The strip club,” Phillip said plainly.
“You guys moved me from the casino?”
“That was always the plan. And now, the plan has moved up a bit.”
“Am I serving drinks tonight?”
“No. Ivan wants you to dance. He’ll be the guest of honor, so you can consider this your apology to us before getting back to work full-time.”
She paused. “Ivan wants me dancing? But he hates that.”
“Not tonight, I guess. I’m just relaying information. Be there at eight or my men will come looking for you.”
She snickered. “Great. Sounds like a plan.”
She hung up the phone on him before pulling away from me. She ran her hands through her hair, and I tried keeping my cool. Dancing? Like, fucking stripping? I didn’t want her up there, shedding her clothes for a bunch of rich, horny guys.
“I know what you’re thinking, and hopefully it won’t get to that point,” Natasha said.
“It better fucking not,” I murmured.
“You just have to make sure you deal with the Diesel situation before I have a chance to hit the stage. Because if I get up there…”
She turned around and locked her eyes with mine.
“Does this seem too coincidental to you?” she asked.
I nodded. “It does.”
“This isn’t going to end well, is it?”
I strode for her and wrapped her up in my arms. Drawing her close as I gazed into her beautiful, swirling eyes.
“You will be safe. End of story. Do you hear me?” I asked.
“Even if I have to get on that stage?”
I nodded. “Even if you have to get on that fucking stage.”
She sighed. “I need to start packing.”
“And I should call Grave. Tell him what’s going on.”
“Meet at the front door in an hour?”
I kissed her forehead. “Make it forty-five minutes. We really need to be getting back.”