Chapter 23
Chapter
Twenty-Three
Fifty minutes earlier.
Scarlett
T he loudness of the door banging shut in JB’s face was nothing compared to the high-pitched scream of the voice in my head, telling me to go after him. Yet the pain in my heart, and my stubbornness wouldn’t let me. The last few months have been hard. I’ve conditioned myself not to think about him every second of the day. It’s been near on impossible, not to mention the dreams that have haunted me every night. Seeing him has demolished the walls that I’d managed to build, leaving me once again feeling vulnerable and foolish. I had fallen once again. His touch putting a flame to the fuse that would undoubtedly lead to one hell of a fire. My heart can’t take him leaving again; but can it be strong enough to stay away? Should I live for today and fuck tomorrow? Because who knows what the outcome will be, especially if JB is involved with the Death Valley Irish?
I go and grab my cell phone from where I left it earlier on the kitchen countertop, and move to go back to my bed, only I’m halted in my tracks by the firm knocking on the door. He’s not giving up easily. He’s fighting for me, but I’m not going to make it easy for him.
“For fuck’s sake! Can’t you just leave?” I shout as I walk back to the door. “Go home, JB.”
Another knock, but this time louder. I tell myself that the reason my hand is on the lock, ready to release it, is because I don’t want him to wake the neighbors. The real reason is that I want him here. In my home. In my bed. In my life.
“What is wrong with you?” I release the catch. “I thought I made myself clear.” It takes mere seconds for me to realize my mistake as soon as I catch sight of the redheaded twins taking up all the space in the doorway. I push hard on the door to close it, but it’s futile. They’re bigger, stronger, and the door bangs against the wall with the force they put behind it. I turn on my heals, ready to flee towards the bathroom, the only internal room with a lock. If I can just get there and lock myself in, it will give me time to make a call on my phone that I still have clutched in my hand. My plan doesn’t get a chance to come to fruition as I’m grabbed around the waist, a hand is slapped hard against my mouth as my feet leave the ground, and I’m carried inside. I’m thrown facedown onto the couch, and I scurry around until I’m sat upright, knees tucked up close under my chin, as I take in my assailants. I count four in total crowding the room. The twins stand back, covering any possible escape routes. The other two hover over me.
“So sorry for the intrusion.” A tall guy with red hair standing in front of me, says with not much sincerity. “But it has recently come to our attention that you could be of great help to us.”
“Who are you?” I try to sound unaffected by their intimidation, but there’s a slight waver to my voice.
“Excuse me,” he places his hand on his chest and bows his head. “I’m Jimmy Dunne, but you might know me as Paddy. I’m sure your boyfriend will have mentioned me, seeing as he’s been working for me.”
“You must be mistaken,” I reply with a tight smile. “I don’t have a boyfriend. You must have the wrong apartment.”
“Now let’s not be telling lies,” He sighs. “That will only make things more complicated. I heard you shout his name, JB… you remember?”
“You’re still very much mistaken,” I drop my feet to the floor and try to stand, but the big oaf that carried me in here is still holding guard, and pushes me back down into the seat. “I won’t deny I know a JB, but he’s nothing but a casual hookup.”
Dunne starts to pace the floor in front of me. “Still, you lie to me,” he tsk’s. When he gets near to the bookshelf, that holds my small collection of favorite books and framed photographs, he stops suddenly. I take the chance to quickly fumble with my phone, slipping into the small pocket inside the waistband of my shorts. Thankfully, nobody notices.
“What do we have here?” First, he picks up the picture of my mom and looks at it closely. He turns his head and looks at me intently, before turning around and replacing it back onto the shelf. He checks out the next photo, and begins to shake his head from side-to-side. “You’ve done well here, Mal,” he lets out a loud guffaw. “Your hunch that this was worth a further look was a cracking call.”
“How’s that?” the one who had manhandled me asks, looking rather smug.
“You’ve struck fecking gold, fella.” He turns brusquely towards me, picture still in his hand, pointing at the image. “What does daddy Smoke think about you fucking a Young Outlaw, especially one from out of town with no ranking within the club?”
“You’re fucking with me?” Mal gasps. “So, she is the Prez’s daughter and not just the chick who ran the whore house?”
“She’s also our ticket to bringing down the Young Outlaws, once and for all.” Dunne throws the picture frame across the room. The sound of splintering glass as it hits the wall follows, and then a thud, as what is left of the wooden frame hits the floor.
“No,” I scream, jumping to my feet. Mal is still preening from his pat on the back, giving me the chance to elbow him in the ribs. A whoosh of air noisily spills from him at the impact, but he quickly recovers and grabs my forearm. Dunne quickly steps in front of me, and before I have a chance to scream again, he backhands me across the face. Fire blooms across my cheek, my teeth clash and a metallic taste coats my tongue from my now busted lip. “Fuck you,” I spit red across his face, but the bastard just laughs.
Mal raises a hand, but it’s quickly halted by Dunne, despite him just doing the same to me. “You’re a feisty one. Can’t say I’m that surprised with Smoke and Violet as parents. The apple never falls far from the tree, is that not so?” I don’t answer him, but the glare I give him… if looks could kill, he’d be dead, buried and riddled with rancid worms. “Find something to gag her with and then get her downstairs. Stick her in the trunk of the car, less chance of her attracting attention, and do it quickly and quietly. If you do encounter any problems, make sure that Carl takes care of it before he leaves.”
“Sure, Paddy.” He pulls me to him, tightening his hold on me further, his fingers crushing my bones. “Nolan, tape her mouth up. Rory, make sure the coast is clear.” Last of all, he turns his attention back to Dunne. “Are we heading back to HQ?”
“To be sure. Let’s see what our newest recruit has to say for himself when he realizes that we are, and have always been, steps ahead of the fecking MC.”
As soon as the silk scarf, that’s been hanging on one of the coat hooks by the front door, is shoved into my mouth and tied tightly at the back of my head, the reality of the situation hits hard. My heart starts to race, and my skin chills, yet beads of sweat pearl on my forehead. Every needed breath I try to take in, is restricted by the fabric, even my nose is partially covered, leaving me boneless and woozy. As they drag me across the room towards the front door, I pool the little strength I have, and sweep my arms over the side unit, sending the cherished ceramic bowl, that belonged to my mother, crashing to the floor, instantly fracturing it into pieces. The framed photograph of her holding me in her arms as a baby, also hits the ground. Shards of glass scatter amongst the short fibers of the carpet. I hiss out as they pierce the underside of my bare foot like tiny knives as I’m pushed forward and out of the door. I’m held back for a moment until one of the twins check the hallway. Then they quickly bundle me into the lift. With blurred vision, I cast my eyes over each one of them, but come to a sudden stop when I find Dunne.
The smile on his face, and the way his eyes gleam with pure satisfaction that he’s got one up on the Young Outlaws fills me with anger and fear. In my mind’s eye, I’m launching myself at him, fingernails gouging out his green eyes, my knee hitting him hard in his junk. In reality, if it wasn’t for the firm grip that they have on me, and the support of the lift wall behind me, I’d be slumped on the floor, fear and panic wiping any strength that I have to fight back. And I hate myself for it.
The cool air hits my damp skin as soon as we leave the building, making my already trembling body shiver. The black sedan is waiting, the trunk already open. With a surge of energy that seems to come from nowhere, I pull my arm free and try to run, but before I get more than a couple of steps, my feet lift from the ground and I’m un-ceremoniously dumped in the trunk of the car.
“Please, no!” I scream, but it comes out nothing more than a screechy moan, the scarf muffling the majority of the sound. I try to kick out, but all that does is earn me a punch to my stomach. My body instantly curls into a protective ball, giving them the opportunity to slam the trunk shut. Leaving me in the dark, scared and struggling to control the fear that is threatening to take control. When I try to kick out against the metal side, shockwaves of pain travel up my leg and through my body. Tears fall easily down my cheeks when I squeeze my eyelids tightly together, not wanting to see, not wanting to believe, yet the rumble of the engine and the sway of the car does nothing to ease the hopelessness that is about to consume me.
Present time
Johny B
“Let her go, Paddy,” I sigh. “You’ve got it wrong. She’s nothing more than a casual hook-up. If you think that you can use her to get to me, you’re deluded. She means nothing to me.” The words are like acid on my lips, but needs must.
“You two,” his pointed finger flicks between me and Scarlett. “You must have gone to the same school for shite liars, because neither of you are convincing.” He stands and comes back around his desk until he’s stood in front of me. “So, JB, I have this dilemma." He goes down on his haunches, so we’re face to face. “Do I punish you by making you watch as my men take a turn with her? Or do I let you defile her in the most heinous ways while holding a gun to your head?” I keep my expression as nondescript as I can, but inside, I’m at the complete opposite end of the spectrum.
“Would you take a bullet for this pretty, red-headed siren? I think you would, because we all know that once Smoke finds out you’re the one that led us to her, he’ll hunt you down and gut you for it, anyway.” He slaps the palms of his hands down hard onto his thighs. “My men it is then.”
I lunge forward, but my attempt is quickly blocked by Mal, his forearm at my throat, pushing me back into the couch.
Dunne raises to his full height and taps his bottom lip with his index finger. “What do you think, Mal? You want to be the first to fuck the Prez’s daughter in the arse?”
“I’d rather slit her throat,” he responds.
“But what’s the fun in that, now? I want to make sure that Smoke suffers for the devastation he caused my family, and what better than to send him video evidence of how we ruined his precious princess?” He walks towards his desk, and with one quick sweep of his arm, he clears everything from the top. “Get her up here,” he directs at Rory, pointing at the desk. Rory yanks on the chain, tightening the grip around her throat, leaving Scarlett no option but to follow his lead, until she’s leaning against the short side of the wooden surface.
“I should have put a bullet in yours and your brothers head when I got the chance,” I spit out at him.
“But you didn’t, did you,” Rory sniggers. “Must admit, I thought you’d realized that we were on to you and you were going to take us out. But no. Big mistake. Huge mistake.” He gives one more tug on the chain to fuck me up even more.
Dunne grabs the old wooden chair from the near side of the desk, scraping the feet across the floor until it’s around eight feet away from it. “And you, JB, get to have a front-row seat.” Nodding his head at Mal, I’m pulled to my feet and pushed the few paces before I’m forced to sit down in the chair. “Secure him,” is the next instruction Mal gets from Dunne. My hands and ankles are cable tied to the chair.
Dunne walks towards Scarlett, stopping right in front of her as he leans in a little closer. “You know, seeing as I’m the one that your daddy hates the most,” he sneers. “It seems only right that I’m the one he first sees fucking his precious princess.” He slams his hand into her chest, Scarlett falls backwards, her back hitting the surface of the desk. “Take the chain from around her neck.” Dunne instructs Rory. “We wouldn’t like to choke her out too much. I want her conscious while I mutilate her delicate cunt.” While Rory removes the chain, Dunne tugs at the fabric of Scarlett’s shorts, dragging them over her knees, down and over her blood covered feet. He lets out a growl of approval at the sight of her nakedness. Now free of the chain, and vulnerable, Scarlett lashes out, but Dunne leans back and out of reach. “You’re a feisty bitch, are you not,” he sniggers. “Let’s see how much fight you have with a gun to your pretty little head.” Rory drops the chain to the floor, pulls a gun from the back of his pants and places it firmly against her head. Scarlett’s eyes bulge wide, and even from this distance, I can see that her whole body is trembling. “Now, I can promise you…” Dunne rags her legs wide open. “This is going to ruin you. Not only your flesh, but this is going to be the hell in every nightmare and waking thought for the rest of your life.” With one hand he fumbles with the fastening of his pants while the other thrusts hard between the apex of Scarlett’s legs. The way her body jerks, a cry muffled by the gag, and tears springing to her eyes, I know his fingers have penetrated her.
Damn it. While the horror plays out around us, I’ve been working on the tie around my wrist and I’m so close to loosening it. Not being quick enough to get to her is killing me, but the need to get Scarlett away from that fucker spurs me on. Anger threatens to engulf me, as Dunne continues to defile her while still struggling to release his cock from his pants.
Even though I can’t take my eyes from Scarlett, I keep working, working the plastic looser. Scarlett’s head tilts to the side, her eyes connecting with mine. It’s as if I’m reading written words on a crisp clear piece of white paper. ‘I can’t go through this. I’d rather die than live with the memory of what he’s about to do.’ I plead with her, trying to communicate with my eyes. ‘Hold on. Please. Just hold on.’ A quick shake of my head, but her eyes are now glazing over, I’m not sure she sees me or understands what I’m trying to convey, before she turns her head away.
Her fingers twitch, and her hand begins to rise from her side, but the crashing sounds and gunfire from below is enough to bring us all to a stop.
“Go, see what the fuck is going on.” Dunne shouts. “I’m not done.” With determination, his fingers rip at his zipper, his hard cock instantly shooting free from its confinement. The room empties, leaving only the three of us. Scarlett, laid out on the desk top, hands now free, but held in place by Dunne’s powerful grip on her hips a he yanks her nearer to him so he can line himself up to penetrate her.
“Rrrawww,” Scarlett’s muffled scream shrills louder than anyone could imagine, her hands clawing at Dunne. Her whole body coming to fight off her assailant. Dunne, still determined to have his way, fists his hand and smashes it into Scarlett’s face. Instantly, she falls hard back against the desk, her head bouncing off the wood. She doesn’t move.
Dunne laughs out loud like a demented movie villain, so intent with his need to get revenge and using Scarlett as his ultimate tool, that he doesn’t see me stand, arms now free, until I launch myself towards him.
I get intense pleasure from the shocked look on his face before my fist connects. My movement is restricted because my legs are still attached to the chair, so where I go, the chair goes with me. Dunne turns awkwardly, so I use my full body weight to bring him down to the floor. As we roll around, each getting in punches, the chair starts to break into pieces, giving me that bit more freedom. Each piece of splintered wood a possible weapon.
For a second, I’m distracted by the sound of gunshots closer than before, giving Dunne the chance to whack me at the side of the head with one of the chair legs. I scoot back on my ass to try get away, my hand finding the scattered items from the desk that had been discarded earlier, but he continues his pursuit, giving me no time to try and get back to my feet.
Standing above me, looking down, he bares his teeth, snarling. Spit and saliva coating his mouth. He swings back the wooden weapon still in his hand, ready to take another blow, but the rage that has been building from the moment I saw Scarlett scared, bloody and captured, explodes through my veins. Like a raging animal I jump to my feet, a dark veil over my morals, sense, or humanity and I pounce.
My body weight, and fire in my belly, are enough to unbalance Dunne and has him falling backwards on his ass. Before he has a chance to comprehend what the fuck is going on, I sit on him, bring my hand up and with the heavy, round object I hold, I pound it once, twice… again and again, until his features are gone, his skull caved in, not a breath of air left in his lungs.
My hands are coated with blood and brain matter, as is the paperweight I’m still clinging on to. My heart rate is skyrocketing, my breathing hard and fast. The dark haze slowly receding with each deep intake of air that is laced with the smell of blood and death.
“Scarlett!” I crawl on all fours across the floor to get to her, using the desk to slowly heave myself up onto my feet. I’m exhausted, but the fear that I’ve lost her is enough to keep me moving.
“Scarlett?” I quickly put two fingers to her neck, growling when I see the red welts there, left by the chains, but then I exhale with a thankful moan when I feel a pulse. I quickly pull off my t-shirt and despite it being splattered with some Dunne’s blood, I lay it over her exposed pussy, tucking it under her hips to anchor it in place. Whatever happens, no fucker is seeing her in that way, and if any one of them try to touch her, I’ll fucking gut them with my bare hands.
“Scarlett, darlin’. Wake up for me, baby.” I wipe the cleaner of my two hands on my pants then run it gently behind her head looking for signs of blood, but I don’t find any.
The door crashes open. I glance over my shoulder and find Mammoth filling up the doorway. He’s quickly pushed aside, and Smoke is there, closely followed by Stone, but I ignore them all and turn back to the woman who is my only concern. She owns my heart. To me, the room is empty apart from us, because that’s all I care about.
“Come on, baby. Please. I need to know you’re okay.” I drop my head to her chest, ignoring the surrounding shouting. “I love you, Scarlett. Please, please.” At first, I think it might be Smoke trying to pull me away from her, but the touch is soft, caressing and everything Scarlett is. I raise my head to look at her, her eyelashes fluttering as she comes back to me. I go to place my hand gently against her bruised face, but I’m hauled backwards before I get to touch her.
“Get the fuck back,” Smoke growls loudly. “Scarlett, sweetheart?”
I try to fight my way back to her, but Mammoth is holding me back, holding strong but not without an air of understanding and gentleness.
“Give them a moment,” he warns. “You need to back off. For now. Let the shit settle.”
“You don’t understand, Mammoth,” I cry. “I need to be with her.”
“Believe me JB, I know.” He oozes compassion. “But for now, you need to let Smoke have time with his daughter.”
“But…” A flash of heat suddenly surges through me. I can hear the accelerated beating of my heart in my ear. A wave of dizziness flows over me, my knees buckle and despite Mammoths hands coming out to grab me, I hit the floor, and then everything goes black.