17. Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Seventeen
Dominique “Nikki” Honoré
I didn’t have a clue what was happening, but one of the prospects was taking me to Joshua. When I asked for an explanation, all he did was shrug and explained he was simply obeying Prez’s orders.
During my time with the Sinners, I discovered they operated on a strict hierarchy. Joshua held the highest position as the Prez, with all orders passing through him. Among the lowest were those who were not yet members but were in the process of becoming one, the prospects. It was a world I didn’t understand but if I wanted to be with Joshua, I had to learn everything I could before I jumped feet first into the culture because apparently being with the Prez came with responsibilities.
We hadn’t had another real discussion about us since he had fucked me senseless. Yes, we slept together every night, but the discussion about where our relationship stood was never mentioned. I understood he was giving me time to decide. However, he didn’t know I had already made my decision the minute he said he wanted to be with me.
“We’re here,” the prospect said when he killed the engine.
I looked out the window immediately recognizing the Ledet’s funeral home, Sweet Buy N’ Bye. Whenever I was younger, I couldn’t help but laugh every time I saw the sign. Mr. Ledet had a lot of humor.
The prospect jumped out of the car, rushed around the front to the passenger door. He opened my door for me to step out. “I could have done that myself,” I said as I exited the vehicle.
“And have Prez on my ass for not treating his Old Lady with respect.” He closed the car door. “Nah. Anytime you’re with me, I’m opening all doors.”
Old Lady had been a title I’d heard time and time again since I’d been at the clubhouse. I’d only met one Old Lady so far and that was Lyra. The only other women I had met had been club whores.
He opened the door to the funeral home I hadn’t been in since I had to bury my grandmother. I hated funeral homes just as much as I hated hospitals. It was like every time I stepped foot in places like this, the oppressive weight of grief encompassed me.
I did the sign of the cross, then stepped inside. Immediately the overwhelming scent of fresh flowers, cologne, or perfume hit me. It was so strong it was nauseating.
“I see you still hate this place,” Joshua said, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me into his body.
“You noticed?” I asked, chuckling.
“I notice everything about you. I always have.”
He kissed me on the top of my head when I laid my head against his chest, inhaling his masculine scent. The sandalwood aroma immediately calmed my nerves and muted the grief sensation rising inside me.
“But you’ll understand my reason for having you come here. And it will be well worth it. Come on.”
I stepped out of his embrace, and he grasped my hand. “Prospect, lock the doors and wait outside.”
“Sure thing, Prez.”
Joshua pulled me down a narrow hallway and a shiver ran down my spine when I noticed the large metal doors at the end.
“Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise,” he said, looking over at me smiling.
When we reached the double metal doors, he pushed through them. We stepped into a larger room that had a table along with a sink, and some kind of machine sitting next to a tray that had scalpels, and other tools on it.
“What’s this room?” I asked as we walked through to the other side where there was another door.
“This is the embalming room,” he said, as he opened the door.
“Ew,” I mumbled, and his deep chuckle echoed off the sterile walls.
That was another reason I hated places like this. Even the echoing sounds were a reminder this place was lifeless. A place of death. A place of grief.
We walked down another narrow hallway, my hand still in his. And the closer we got to the door the more anxiety rose inside me. I didn’t know if it was because I hated funeral homes, or if it was because I had no idea why I would have a surprise here.
Joshua opened the door, and immediately I noticed the temperature difference. It wasn’t unbearably hot, but it was definitely hotter.
New York caught my attention as he leaned against the wall, engrossed in his phone, a frown etched on his face. I could understand why Lila was infatuated with him, despite the age gap, the man was undeniably attractive.
“This is the crematorium portion of the funeral home,” Joshua said, drawing my attention away from New York.
“Okay…but where’s my surprise?”
Why the hell did he have me at the crematorium?
“Where is she, New York?”
Pushing off the wall, New York quickly slid his phone into the back pocket of his jeans before motioning for us to follow along.
When we rounded the corner, I stopped in my tracks, letting out a gasp.
“Is that her?” I asked, unable to take my eyes off the woman who was going to let her husband do whatever the fuck he wanted to do to me.
“Yes,” Joshua said, as New York snatched gray tape from her mouth. “I thought you might want to be here when we find out where Decker is.”
I gazed at him. I hadn’t thought of anything but taking Decker down. After going through my notes and putting my story together, I’d come to the point where I didn’t give a fuck what happened to anyone who was involved in this sex trafficking ring. I hoped the Sinners found every one of them.
“Thank you.”
He nodded. “You stay over here. I don’t know how messy this will get.”
He pecked me on the lips, then he walked over to Samantha Decker who was on the verge of a breakdown. She didn’t even look like herself, with her curly red hair. If she had changed her appearance, it was likely her husband had done the same.
Joshua stood in front of her and crossed his arms over his body. “Where is your husband?”
She glared at him then spit. It landed at Joshua’s feet, and a wave of fury washed over me. I rushed towards her, but New York grabbed me before I could reach her, then pulled me away.
“You bitch!” I struggled against New York’s hold. “Let me go!”
“Let him handle it,” New York whispered in my ear. “She’ll shut down with you because you are one of the women her husband fantasizes about. We’ll never find him.”
I stopped struggling and glared at Samantha Decker. The hate staring back at me was shocking. She didn’t know me, but she knew what her husband had done to me. And by the animosity in her eyes, New York was right. She blamed me for her husband’s actions. She blamed all of us.
“You good?” Joshua asked when he walked up to me, pulling my attention away from the stupid bitch.
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I’m so sorry for interfering but when I saw her spit at you it made me so angry.”
Joshua chuckled, then pecked me on the lips. “I’m glad you want to stick up for me, but I can take care of myself.”
“I know. Go do your thing.”
“If you don’t agree with what I’m doing or have trouble stomaching what’s happening, New York will get you out of here. But this has to be done to find him.”
I nodded because I understood. I knew this wasn’t going to be pleasant to watch. But there was no telling how many girls she knowingly harmed. So, she’d have to pay just like her husband.
“So, Samantha,” he asked when he stood in front of her. “I’m going to give you another chance to tell me where your husband is before I stop asking questions.”
“I’m not telling you shit!” she sneered.
“Are you sure about that?” Joshua asked, as he picked up a pair of pliers from the table behind him. “Because let me be honest with you, Samantha. Even though you deserve every fucking thing that’s coming to you, I really would just like to kill you and get it out the way. However, I need to know where your husband is. So, you have two choices. Tell me where your husband is or face the consequences of being silent. Which will it be?”
She pursed her lips and continued to glare at Joshua.
“Have it your way.”
He grabbed her hand, secured to the chair with the same tape New York ripped off her mouth when we arrived. She struggled, but Joshua had a firm grip.
“Sorry, but this is going to hurt.”
I winced as he forcefully pulled out the nail of her index finger, causing her to let out a deafening scream. Without hesitation, he swiftly moved to her middle finger, tearing the nail from its tender nail bed followed by the nail of her ring finger.
“Please…” she begged as her right hand dripped with blood. “Please stop.”
As she pleaded for Joshua to stop, I remained unaffected by her pain. I couldn’t tell if my numbness to the brutal scene was a result of my time in captivity witnessing all that shit or was my indifference towards her suffering because she caused so much pain to so many women.
“You had your chance to tell me what I wanted to know, Samantha. So, your pinky and thumb are all the time you have left to think about what you want to do. Tell me where your husband is, or I move to the next hand. Those are your choices.”
I watched as Joshua pulled the last two nails from Samantha’s hand. Her face was streaked with tears and makeup trekked down her face. I was so surprised she hadn’t passed out yet.
“Where is your husband?”
A sob tore through her body. “Okay. Okay. Just please don’t kill me. I have a daughter.”
Joshua scoffed. “Why the hell would I give a fuck about your daughter when you didn’t give a fuck about anyone else’s?”
“Please. She’s just a child,” Samantha Decker pleaded.
“And so was Lila, but you didn’t care that your husband was selling her virginity to the highest bidder. How many more where there?” Joshua asked, his voice raising an octave. “How many more daughters did you allow your husband to rape and sell?”
The room was filled with Samantha Decker’s loud sobs, and she had the fucking audacity to appear ashamed of what she had done to us. I still couldn’t feel any pity for her even though I believed she cared about what happened to her daughter.
Was it sad her daughter would have to grow up without her parents? Yes. But since the little girl’s parents were fucking evil, it was probably better she grew up without them. As much money as both her mother and father had, she’d be well taken care of.
“Where is he?”
“We have a home in the Garden District.”
Joshua’s brows furrowed. “There’s no record of you having a home there. Trust me, we’ve checked.”
“Owen insisted it not be listed in either of our names,” she said, shrugging.
“Address?”
“1247, Jackson Avenue.”
Joshua turned to New York. “Send some of the guys to pick him up. Take him to Dragon’s.”
New York nodded and walked out the room. Joshua focused on me. “You sure you want to stay?” he asked.
“I do,” I said without hesitation.
There was no way I was walking away from this now because determination burned inside my chest like a raging inferno. Just like her husband, she deserved everything that was coming to her.
Joshua stared at me for a moment, his piercing gaze searching for any sign that I really didn’t want to go through with this. When he realized I wasn’t going to change my mind, he gave me a brisk nod. This was a part of his life and something I would need to get used to. He did things outside the lines when necessary and blurred the line between what was right and wrong. And I needed to see this to the end so I could get closure on this shitty part of my life and move on.
The room was filled with Samantha Decker’s tearful screams, echoing off the walls. Joshua pressed a green button on a box, and the furnace roared to life, drowning out Samantha Decker’s pleas for mercy. She would get no mercy from him nor me.
“You’re a monster!” she screamed as she looked at me.
“Maybe I am!” I shouted over the roar of the furnace. “But so are you. So, I guess I’ll see you in hell.”
Joshua walked behind Samantha Decker, wrapped his arm around her, gripping her under her chin, then pulling her head back. He reached behind his back and retrieved a knife.
He leaned down and whispered something in her ear, but the roar of the furnace drowned out his words. She shook her head, but his grip only grew stronger. He pressed the cold blade against her neck, then dragged it slowly across her skin. As she struggled against her restraints, her eyes grew wide with fear. A deep gash appeared, and blood flowed freely from the wound, creating a pool of red down the front of her clothes. Joshua released his grip on her, and she convulsed until her body grew still.
Without uttering a single word to me, he severed the tape with the bloody knife, freeing her from the chair. He lifted her up, then placed her in a long cardboard box that sat on rollers in front of the furnace. Then he threw his knife along with all the remnants of the tape that had been used to restrain her inside the box too. He hit a yellow button on the same box with the green button, and the cardboard box with Samantha Decker’s body inside, slid into the furnace.
He closed the heavy iron door of the furnace, then walked towards me. I released a breath when he pulled me into his arms.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
Leaning against him, I closed my eyes and focused on the comforting sound of his heart beating in a steady rhythm. The soothing sound of it instantly calmed my rising anxiety. “Yes. I’m just ready for all this to be over.”
He leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on the top of my head. “It’s almost done. Let’s get out of here. Hopefully, by the time we get on the road, the boys will have him at the farm.”
I gently untangled myself from his warm embrace. “The farm?” I asked, my voice filled with curiosity.
“Oh, you’re going to love this,” he said, laughing. “Decker will finally get what’s fucking coming to him.”
That was all I wanted. I wanted him and everyone else to face the consequences for their roles in all of this, no matter the cost. The cops weren’t going to do anything, but I would with the help of the man walking beside me. No matter how much of a monster it made me, they would all pay.