CHAPTER 13 #2
I hung up before he could answer. I can’t go through with this shit and keep my face straight if I hear it again.
I know it…and that’s all that matters. I took the knife and cut the collar of my shirt, pushing my tits up as I turned around towards the suite door.
Just in time, too. I hear slow, purposeful footsteps in the darkness beyond it.
A well-dressed man in a three-piece suit appeared in the doorway, reaching in to turn on the lights.
We met eyes as the soft, soothing lights came on to make a nice halo on my head.
He’s older than Daddy by the looks of it.
Dark, slicked hair with streaks of gray.
Manicured facial hair and a couple of oiled strands to drop into eyes the color of obsidian.
I held his stare, refusing to break eye contact and cleaned the knife on my jeans.
“Welcome to Leviticus.”
“So…this is wife of O’Dell.”
I smiled sweetly.
“You know that this is the place for people that are already dead, right? Making them dead costs extra.” His eyes trailed down to the body on the floor. Okay, so I made a bigger mess than initially anticipated. Oops.
“You know why we’re here?” he asked, resuming his creepy eye contact.
“Because you think you’re entitled to money that doesn’t belong to you? Typical male behavior in my experience. ‘Wife of O’Dell’…reserves the right to do with that money as she pleases. I pleased…to give it to someone deserving.”
He straightened, putting his hands in the pockets of his suit jacket and I spread my knees to point the pistol at him that I’d picked up off the floor.
Didn’t see that coming. I smirked. “O’Dell was a business partner.
Business lacks. We were promised a healthy profit.
No one to come after for the gap…until we found out about you. ”
“From what I’ve seen, there’s a few missing girls that would argue that business is more than productive on your end. You gonna try to tell me Jonas promised you more?”
I’m not sure my smile is quite as effective as his seems to be. Even with a gun pointed at him. It’s got my insides crawling…and not in a good way. “Yes. He promised us an Irish mob queen. His queen.”
Fuck. He did.
“The girls we have are adequate. Young. Tight. But still fresh and resistant. O’Dell says you are the opposite…and very experienced. Title alone brings in the money. Your skill even more. That is the price.”
So that’s it, then. I use what I know. Do what I do best. That’s my bargain.
“Hmm,” I shrugged, trying to feign confidence. “Okay…so you want me to whore your vault full?” He pierced me with an intense look. “What’s in it for me?”
“Your heartbeat. And theirs.” His head nodded towards the suite doorway. “One dies in payment for my youngest son.”
“If you mean Vikter…we’re not responsible for that. Don’t send an amateur to take out a hit. Show some accountability. You send a mouse into the snake pit…they get swallowed. Besides…you already have your body. You shot her on the front porch.”
Please, God…let this work.
“I need proof.”
“Then I need something too.” I pulled my phone out and brought up Seven’s contact, showing it to him. “I’ll get you proof that she’s dead when you agree to my terms.”
“Which are?”
“How many Irish did you bring with you?” I relaxed my eyebrows so that he knew I wasn’t stupid. He’s not working alone. Jonas’s files told me as much. “Don’t try to play coy with me. McKinley’s boys are circling the blood in the water. So…how many?”
“I have the nephews. Promised them your brother’s head.”
“Oh, that’s not gonna happen, sweetie pea. I’ll put a bullet in your skull right now and suffer the consequences. It’ll be every man for himself. Or…we could be business partners. A lot cleaner that way, don’t ya think?”
He sighed, shaking his head and grinning at me with one eye narrowed. “And what does Queen propose?”
“I give you the money. Slut up your whorehouse…and you kill the nephews for me. I also buy out your ‘stock’ and train the girls myself. Everybody wins.”
“Buy them?”
I slipped down from the back of the pew and stretched casually, stepping into the aisle. “Yes. They’re mine. I pay you for what I need and help you make this business a success…you leave my family alone. Deal?”
He stewed for a minute and stared at my hand when I offered it.
“I’ll do you one better.” He turned his chin over his shoulder, saying something in Russian to someone I couldn’t see past the doorway, and a minute later, the McKinley brothers stood next to him with several Russian grunts standing guard. “This is the girl.”
I’ve never had the pleasure of formal introductions with Zach McKinley.
He was one of the possible prospects for me to be married off to, but obviously…
never happened. Not my type anyway. He’s way too prissy.
Not like Jonas…much worse. Prissy with a rich, college-kid attitude that reeks of frat house and club life.
That’s where Zach fucked up. Club life isn’t the same as mob life.
Not even close. You don’t even notice the trap door you’re standing on because you’re too worried about getting your shoes dirty.
He looked at me with disgust. His brother Angus is younger.
He’s a brat. I can tell. Takes one to know one.
I jutted a hip out and put the girls on display.
“She’s definitely Malek’s sister. A shittier version of the little traitor.”
I guess that was all Mikhail needed to hear.
He gave an order I assumed meant to kill them off, and the two henchmen standing guard pulled their guns out and shot them both execution style. Blood and brain matter sprayed my face, and I nonchalantly wiped my eye, cocking my head at the big boss.
“Really?”
He shrugged. “Confirm the money. I don’t care about the old woman.”
Old woman…oh, I’m gonna have such a fantastic time killing you, fucker.
I dialed Seven and it rang four times.
“Bridge? What the hell is going on up there?”
“Hey…I need you to listen very carefully.” I kept eyes on the three men watching me way too closely. “No matter what happens…you have to do what I tell you. Understand?”
“Last time you told me that, you left me in a cell to go be a savior. I didn’t like it then and I like it even less right now.”
“Sev…Malek was telling the truth. This isn’t about him. I did this. I need you to get pissed at me. Get mad. Hate my guts. Whatever keeps you from blaming him for it. That generous donation was me. I’m the reason your mom is bleeding out on a table.”
“…what?”
My chest ached and I swallowed. “I’m not a hero, Sev. I’m a villain. I told you…I do bad things. Even when I try to do good things, okay? This is my fault. Tell Vernon to give you the account number for the money. Send it to me. And tell Declan…fifteen grand.”
“This is why you’ve been on edge. It’s never been about him, has it?”
“It has. Maybe one day I can explain it to you…if you can ever forgive me.”
I heard her sniffle on the other end and I held my breath, begging my body not to betray me and bleed every emotion I’ve got. “Fifteen grand.”
“He’ll know what it means. Get the account number. Don’t look for me. Tell them I’m sorry…I never meant for any of this to happen.”
“Don’t you dare say the word goodbye. I’ll fuckin’ hate you for it.”
I smiled, biting down on my lip. “I love you, Seven Grey. Always have.”
Call ended.
My ankle bounced over the stained carpet, crossed over my leg while I waited on Don Juan over here to make sure I was good on my end.
These pews really aren’t comfortable at all.
A hell of a lot more uncomfortable when you’re waiting on somebody to decide not only your fate…
but the fate of everybody under this roof. He finally strutted down the aisle.
“We’re good. My men are leaving. Family is safe. Let’s go.”
I swallowed down my nerves and tried to at least seem like I was replacing it with my usual sass.
He turned to the side, keen on making sure I wouldn’t ram a knife into his back and ushered me in front of him while two men relieved me of all my pointy things.
This is it, I guess. No going back now, unless it’s in a body bag.
I followed them through the house and Declan stood outside the office by the front door.
I didn’t miss the blood spatter on the walls of the hallway, or my brother’s manic expression while he stood with his back against the basement door.
“You’re not takin’ her outta this house,” Dec growled, making to step forward. I threw a hand out, looking first at Malek, and then at the man I should have married.
“He’s not, Dec. I’m going on my own. I told you to trust me. Sev needs you both.” I turned my attention to my brother, who looked about as ready as Declan to blow a gasket. “I’ll mop this one up by myself, okay?”
“Bridget…” Mal’s eyes went to that dark place we feel the most at home. “I didn’t mean—”
“I know. It doesn’t matter. Take care of them.”
Declan’s gaze locked onto me, his jaw set and his muscles tight.
I need to learn that kind of self control.
I spoke as best I could with my eyes and nodded once, following the dipshits as they led me out.
Three of Mikhail’s men pointed guns at a familiar-looking guy in the front yard, though I can’t place where I know him from.
My brows scrunched as I walked past and the man looked at me, his eyes following me the entire way to a black SUV.
He’s wearing Declan’s hoodie…
“Phone,” one of the men demanded, holding his gloved hand out.
I glanced at the house as the rest of the grunts made their way out.
Declan’s shoulders heaved while he watched from the porch.
I gave up my phone and dude immediately dropped it, smashing it with the heel of his boot.
My breathing kicked up as a black head cover erased Dec completely, and I got shoved into the car.
…And so it begins…