Chapter Twenty-Three #3
He shrugs, his hand dropping to his side.
“I’m not the head of this club until Warden’s either buried six feet deep or resurfaces and strips me of the title.
“And, as much as I hate to admit it, Warden was right. We’re going to fucking need you to break them.
And unfortunately, you haven’t done that yet. ”
“How? What more do you want me to do?”
He thoughtfully strokes his chin, then grins. “I want you to bring me his bitch and child.”
“What?”
“His girl. The one you said yourself he’d do anything for. He has a kid now too, right? Bring me them. If you do, I’ll claim you as my Ol’ Lady.”
“You want me to kidnap my ex best friend and her child?”
He nods.
“What do you plan on doing with them?”
He shrugs. “Play with them. Use them as bait. Off them if I have to.”
My blood turns cold.
“Warden said they were off limits!”
Smirking, he gently caresses my cheek. “Do you see him around?”
When I don’t immediately answer, he frowns. “I see by your expression that you don’t think you can do it.”
“Oh, I can do it. I’m just not sure if I want to.” My arms fold defiantly in front of me. “
“Oh, you will,” he growls, making me take a step back. “Because if you don’t—”
“What? You’ll kill me?”
He moves into the drawer of my dresser and pulls out the vial I have hidden in a sock.
“There are things far worse than death, Poppy. Imagine what your life will be like without your next fix.”
Without remorse, he throws the vial to the ground the glass shattering on impact.
“Are you fucking crazy! Do you know how much that was worth?”
He nods. “And I’ll shatter another if you don’t complete this task for me.”
“Okay,” I answer quickly, heart racing when he steps to the other place I have a cache hidden away. “I’ll do it.”
“Good, see that you bring them both here by tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
He nods. “Tomorrow.”
Then he’s gone, leaving me to stew in another mess of complicated decisions I don’t want to fucking make.
I tracked her movements and called in a few favors before I finally found her. It wasn’t too hard. She left to go stay with her Mom in Sparks after she had a falling out with Eddie, leaving her and her son way too vulnerable. She was safer with him than without him.
I had every intention of showing up here and grabbing her just like Arturo wanted until I looked through the window and saw her with her son.
Now I just don’t have the heart to do it.
I know what Arturo wants her son for. Moseley just started a trafficking ring that specializes in the distribution of small children, and Arturo took it over when he took over the Misfits.
As much as I hate her and her husband, because apparently, they got married, I don’t want something to happen to her son. I may be empty inside, but I still have a heart. Especially for kids.
But in order for this to work, I have to scare her back to Eddie, and the only way I can do that is by showing her just how vulnerable she truly is.
My hand hovers at the door for five whole seconds before it finally connects. When I take a step back, I find Amber’s mom standing there, staring at me like I’m nothing but a stranger selling her magazines. “Poppy?”
I look over her shoulder and catch Amber’s eye, noticing the way she suddenly looks panicked.
“Hey, Joanie, can I come in?”
She nods slowly, then leads me into the area where Amber is sitting, quickly exiting when she senses the tension brewing between us. “I’m gonna go check on Gio. You two girls play nice.”
“You still look like shit,” Amber rushes out, staring at my face that’s starting to show signs of withdrawal.
It catches me off guard, so much so, that the anger and hostility rises to the surface. “Still a bitch I see.”
“What are you doing here, Poppy?”
She watches me as I move to the center of the room, fidgeting with magazines on the table before turning toward her. “Must be weird to see your mom off drugs,”
She glares at me. “What do you want?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I was sent here to kidnap you and your son.”
Her eyes widen with readable fear. Good thing I’m being nice today.
“Don’t worry. Unlike you, I’m still loyal to a friendship that died years ago. I’m here as a warning, Amber.”
“Warning?”
“You’re safer with him than without him.
You could fly back to Italy and they’d still find you.
They know you make him vulnerable, and that you’re the key to bringing him down.
They won’t stop until he’s dead, I hope you know that?
They’ll use you as leverage. If I can find you this easily, so can they.
That’s why you need to stick by him, Amber.
He’s your only shot at survival.” I inch closer to her, my determination to keep her safe waning.
I know when I return to Arturo, he’s going to kill me.
Maybe even for real this time. “This may be the last time we see each other. You were the last of my initiation.”
“Initiation?”
I nod, unable to meet her eyes. “It’s what happens when you sell your soul to the devil, Amber.
I’ve done things I’m not proud of…” My eyes migrate to the front window, and a beautiful red cardinal splashing around in the birdbath.
It makes me wonder if that’s Pippa watching over me, showing me I’m doing the right thing.
“Things that make me want to die. There’s no coming back from where I’ve been.
I’m in deep, Amber. Deeper than I should be.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I had plans for my life—plans that died the day Pippa did. ”
The pity in her eyes overwhelms me. “Don’t ever get hooked, Amber. It kills your soul.”
She gasps, covering her mouth in shock. “Oh, Poppy.”
“Don’t pity me, Amber, I brought this on myself. This is my battle to lose.”
My body hovers near her front door. “You two need each other if you’re going to get through this. So, go back to him. Let him protect you. It’s the only way you’re going to survive now that the Misfits know you exist.”
“Poppy, wait!” she shouts after me. “Let us protect you, too!”
For a second, I look back at her, my head shaking in defeat. “It’s too late for me, Amber. Just let me go. You did it once. You can do it again.”
Then I’m gone, returning to the only home I’ve known. A prison made just for me.