Chapter 41 #2
I looked around, but there were so many members I couldn’t be sure who she was looking at. “Well,” I said, “You let me know when you’re ready to talk to him and I’ll do my best to be your wing-woman.”
“I don’t think that’s what you mean,” Daisy said with a grin.
“She’s the First Lady, she can say whatever she wants,” Lacy cut in.
Shiv rolled her eyes. “Penny, just tell her so she can make him see reason. And maybe ya know, fuck some sense into him.”
Penny grimaced. “Oh God, I don’t need to hear about that.”
Laughter erupted, but Kristie tapped my arm nervously. “Shhh,” I said as Hawk came back over.
“Ladies,” he said. “Penny, can I steal these women away?”
“Sure. I just came to tell you I finished. I’ve got my master’s. Well, they’ll mail it, but I’m done. “
Hawk wrapped his sister up and she grimaced. She finally wrapped her arms around him and he said, “So proud of my little sis.”
“Okay, okay. I told Momma earlier. I’ll catch up with you later, Sugar,” Penny said before she walked away.
Hawk grinned as he watched Penny head back out, then he said, “Wow. Wonder how she’ll avoid us now. Anyway, can you all come with me?”
“All of us?” Daisy asked.
Lacy smacked her arm but Hawk smiled. “Yes, all of you. Ma said it was the right thing to do. Sugar should probably come as well.”
I cocked a brow, but was intrigued. He motioned for us to go through the kitchen, so I climbed from my stool and headed that way.
Looking around, I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.
“Keep going. Outside,” Hawk said as he walked past and opened the back door.
Mama Hen was outside and the officers had all met up with her. They all pulled their Old Ladies aside, and Mama Hen spoke to Sugar while Hawk stayed with me.
“Is everything okay?” I asked. They all seemed so serious.
“I have something to show you. And you get the option of how to handle it. Ma’s used to a little violence, but–”
“What is happening?” I cut in.
“We have Jeannie,” he said.
My breath caught. “Where? Here? I thought she got away?”
“No. She was hidden while they investigated in case they snooped around. And I wanted you healed up so you can do what you want. But I understand if you need me to–”
“Take me to her now,” I demanded as my pulse raced.
The others all followed. Hawk led us to the shed at the back of the property. I’d never gone over there. I assumed it held lawn equipment or something but I was starting to realize it wasn’t that kind of shed.
Two members stood at the door and tipped their heads. “First Ladies,” one of them said.
“Open it,” Hawk said. “It’s a tight space, so you go on. She’s bound.”
I took a deep breath then walked in. My nose scrunched as I walked inside. The other ladies came in behind me, coughing lightly. The smell of urine and copper burned my nostrils.
My eyes landed on her. She was in a chair, hands and feet bound well. She didn’t appear to have been abused in any way, though. Still, Jeannie’s hair was oily, her face sullen and sunken in, her lips dry and cracking. Her clothes had been soiled.
“Finally,” she said.
My heart was thundering in my chest. I wanted to do so many unspeakable things to her. I didn’t know where to start. What to say. Rage burned in my veins as my mind raced.
Daisy, though, was more sure of herself. “You’re the reason I was held by Romano. The reason I was used like a toy. And you’re the reason I was kidnapped.” She walked over, slamming a closed fist to her cheek.
Daisy hit her so hard, she fell from the chair. Mama Hen hustled over and grabbed her stringy blonde hair.
Jeannie smiled as she was put upright on the floor.
Lacy stepped closer, looking down at her. “You pretended to be my friend. I made you a bridesmaid.” Lacy’s voice was high. “Eagle almost died, and I almost got kidnapped. All those women.” Lacy’s lip trembled. “How could you?”
“No harm was going to come to you, Lacy. I really do like–”
Lacy’s arm whipped through the air as she leaned down. A loud pop sounded as her palm connected to her cheek.
Jeannie rolled her neck, but acted unbothered.
Shiv stepped closer. “I took a vow to do no harm, but I’m sure these ladies will more than make up for my share.” She spat at her then stepped back.
“Some shrink you are,” Jeannie said as she tried to rub her cheek on her shoulder.
I grabbed Shiv’s arm as she started to lunge for her.
Kristie stepped up to her, her full brown waves swaying as she walked. “You’re a disgrace to all women. I can’t believe I shared a table with you.” She delivered a closed fist. I was impressed. I’d pegged her a slapper, which is fine, but she really went for it.
Sugar was shaking, but I didn’t think it was from fear. She was holding in her anger. I grabbed her arm. “It’s okay. Now’s your chance.”
“And what’s her problem?” Jeannie said, rolling her eyes.
“She knows it was you. Or that you ordered it,” Mama Hen said. “We all know what you did.”
“Oh, yeah. I almost forgot about that whore being your mother. So sad. Especially since you got nothing from her to even show for it.”
Sugar lunged forward, a streak of blonde flashing before they both tumbled to the ground. Sugar got a few good hits in and Jeannie bucked and squirmed, then screamed, “Get her off!”
I went to grab her but Mama Hen stopped me. “Your shoulder.” She leaned down and grabbed Sugar’s arms, pulling her away.
Tears streaked her face but she sneered as she looked down and spit on Jeannie. “Trashy bitch.”
Jeannie rolled to her side, then gave a watery laugh. “That’s like the pot calling the kettle black.” She spat out some blood. “And you’re all so tough with me tied up.”
I walked to the table that was attached to the wall. Looking over it, I grabbed a knife that seemed pretty sharp.
“Katya,” Mama Hen said.
“It’s fine. She’s right.” I snapped the plastic binds at her ankles. Our guys were smart enough to switch them to heavy duty, but the knife cut through easily.
She tried to kick me, but even with my bum shoulder, my reflexes were much better than hers. I grabbed her foot, then sharply twisted it. Something popped.
She cried out as I dropped her foot then stepped over her before turning her to her belly so I could cut the ones at her wrist. “Fair is fair.”
Still gripping the knife, I grabbed her hair and lifted her head. “Did you notice my cut?”
“Aww, he finally fell to the pressure, I see. Congrats.”
I slammed her face to the ground then stood, slamming the knife to the floor. It stood just inches from her.
Leaning down, I grabbed her head again and twisted it so she could see Mama Hen. “Remember what I said at the cabin?”
“You said a lot of dumb shit. How can I possibly remember it all?” Jeannie asked, disdain dripping from each word.
“I said if you touch her, I’d break your hands.” Shoving her face back down, I gripped her hands, squeezed and twisted. As the bones popped, she wailed and shook.
She cried out, “I didn’t touch her!” followed by a shriek.
“You did. Maybe she touched you first, but you struggled with her, and I took a bullet trying to help.”
“Good thing there’s a new First Lady.” Jeannie’s breath was labored but she couldn’t stop running her mouth. “Guess she’s losing her edge.”
I stepped back, and let Mama Hen take her turn.
She was less methodical and less talkative.
Instead, she kicked her several times, then leaned down, gripping her hair with one hand and repeatedly slamming her fist in her face.
The snap when she broke her nose was loud, and Lacy and Kristie winced, but Daisy, Shiv, and Sugar watched on with poker faces as they all stood huddled together.
Mama Hen finally stopped, and pushed her head down before standing and shaking her hand. It was bloody, but from the broken skin at her knuckles, I couldn’t tell what was hers and what was Jeannie’s.
She lay there on the tarped floor, struggling to catch a breath. She finally managed to say, “You won’t kill me.” She spat again. “They’ll come for you,” she said, followed by a series of coughs. “The more you do, the worse it’s going to be.”
A maniacal laugh erupted from me. One I’d never heard, but it was suitable for the occasion.
“Oh, Jeannie, Jeannie, Jeannie. Tsk, tsk, tsk.” I crouched down, grabbing the knife that was still stuck in the floor.
“They didn’t tell you?” I stuck out my bottom lip.
“So sad. Your mother was taken into custody. And the family put it all on her and refused to allow their attorney to get involved. Seems your mother has been disowned.”
“That’s a lie. They’d never do that.”
“Does one of you have a phone on you?” I asked.
Kristie pulled hers out.
“Type in Anna De Luco kidnapping and show me, please.”
Kristie typed a few things and her brows shot up. “Oh, wow. Yeah, your mom is fucked.”
She came closer and held the phone up.
I read a few lines. “Martinelli cousin Anna De Luco indicted on numerous counts of Human trafficking, kidnapping, racketeering, and a laundry list of other lesser charges. Martinelli, rumored to be a crime boss in New York, has denounced the wrong doings of De Luco, calling her hideous and evil.”
“Stupid girl.” Jeannie scoffed. “Of course he said that. You should know the code of the family.”
I nodded for Kristie to go back with the others.
“I do. And the family would say the allegations are hideous and evil, offer to assist in bringing the right perpetrators to justice, and clear the name of their family. I wouldn’t be surprised if she mysteriously committed suicide in her cell sometime soon. ”
Jeannie sniffed. “Okay, fine. Then send Hawk in to finish me off. Or does he need me to finish him off?”
“You’re very delusional, you know that? Did you really think that would bother me?”
“Well, I know him more intimately than you. And I also know the pretty little princess won’t handle business. You may have your fancy kicks and tricks, but you don’t have the balls to kill me. So stop pretending.”
Using my foot, I rolled her to her back, sending her into a coughing fit. Blood covered her face and stained her hair.
Putting one foot on either side of her, I crouched down. “You forget, Gianna, I am my father’s daughter.” Leaning in closer, I gripped her face in one hand. “And the First Lady of Destiny’s Enforcers. And I want to thank you. You seemed to have unlocked my full potential.”
As I dragged the knife across her throat, I stared into her eyes, nearly the same brown shade as mine. Her body quivered as wet, gurgling sounds came from the cut as she struggled for air.
Gasps came from behind me so I said, “Leave if you must.”
But none of them moved except Mama Hen. She came to my side and crouched down as well. “No. I want to see the life leave her eyes. I want my face to be the last thing she sees. You have taken a lot from me, but you didn’t take everything. And now, you lose.”
“Oh, and Jeannie,” I said, “If for some reason your mother does avoid prison or a hit from your family, just know, she’ll have a long, slow, extremely painful death. She’ll be lucky to stay behind bars.”
Jeannie tried swallowing, only intensifying the squelching sound of her bleeding out.
As her lips turned blue and veins popped in her face, she finally stopped moving and the sounds ceased.
I slammed the blade back into the floor and Mama Hen helped me stand up. I wrapped my arms around her, and we shared a moment of tears. Not from sadness or regret, but relief. It was over.