Fifteen
15
Salem
When Eamon had gotten sick with Goodpasture syndrome and we were given his life expectancy, I’d lain in bed that night, thinking about death. How his life had been shortened because he’d ignored signs and hidden them from me, afraid of the cause. I had thought about Vanna and her fight with cancer. Then I had let myself think about my death.
How would it happen? What would it be that took my life in the end?
I could tell you that not one time had I imagined this. Sitting frozen on a barstool beside Kendrix, Pepper on the other side of the counter, with six men—who looked far more frightening than the bikers had—pointing guns at us.
The other customers were cowered under tables and hiding behind whatever object they had found. They seemed to be safe, however, because it was this direction where the scary men were focused.
I wasn’t sure I’d breathed since Pepper had stopped talking and gotten still.
She had been telling us about the new band she had coming in to play on Thursday night, but her words simply halted. I saw her reach for something under the bar, but she didn’t pull out anything. There were gasps, curses, and scraping of chairs behind us, causing me to turn around to see what was happening. Why Pepper had paled and gone silent, what the frantic noises were all about.
The six men were covered in tattoos. One had a tattoo that went all the way up onto his face—which, like the others, had several piercings. The man in the center of them all—if he hadn’t reminded me of a thug, I would have thought he was attractive—was the leader. There was that unmistakable air of authority about him. His darker skin and light-brown eyes, which reminded me of honey, made for a nice mix, if not for the cruel glint in his eyes.
His gaze settled on Kendrix, then swung to me, and a sadistic smile curled his lips, which made me shiver.
“Jett,” he said and winked at me before turning his gaze back to Kendrix, “you’ve been ignoring my calls.”
Kendrix started to move, and three of the men turned their aim directly at him.
“Wait!” Kendrix shouted. “Don’t do this…here,” he said.
The honey-eyed man’s attention shifted back to me, almost as if he was amused.
He tilted his head slightly, and then his gaze traveled down my body, making me feel exposed. “While I can appreciate your taste in cunts and the distraction this one must be,” he said in a slow, raspy voice, his eyes shooting back to Kendrix, “you stole from us. You stole from me .” The man made a tsking sound. “You should have known better.”
“No, I—”
The man cut him off, “Are you calling me a liar, Jett?”
“No, of course not.”
“Sure sounds like it.” He looked at the men flanking him, and they nodded in agreement. Then he cut his gaze back to me. I wished he’d stop that. “I might take some collateral.”
“Wait, I can get it,” Kendrix began.
The man snapped his cold gaze back to him. “Oh, so you do know where it is? And here I thought, you were telling me that you didn’t steal from me.” He nodded his head at the man to his right. “Bring her to me.”
My blood ran cold as the other man began taking long strides in our direction. The twisted grin on his face had me pressing my back against the bar behind me, trying to put distance that I didn’t have between us. Kendrix’s hand shot out to grab my arm. The man moved so quickly that I barely had time to react as the end of his gun was pressed against Kendrix’s forehead, shoving him backward.
The fingers that wrapped around my upper arm bit into my skin. I let out a cry from the pain as he jerked me up hard from the stool I had been sitting on to make me stand to my feet. If he tightened his hold on me any more, I was sure he’d snap my humerus in two. Tears stung my eyes from the pain, and I wobbled slightly on my heels before he began pulling me with him toward the honey-eyed man.
“Jesus, easy with her, Fly. I didn’t tell you to break her. She’s too pretty to be roughed up.”
The ironlike grip eased immediately, and I gasped in relief. He shoved me forward until I was in the man’s face. His eyes drifted over my face as he studied me, and then he reached out a finger and ran it along my jawline.
“I’m sorry, precious,” he apologized. “Fly is a brute. I should have sent Hatter to handle you.” He cut his eyes to his left. “Protect this, brother.”
If I could grow any stiffer, I would as another one of them came up behind me. My heart was hammering so loudly that it was almost all I could hear.
“It’s all right, love.” His voice was gentle, but that only seemed to make him more terrifying.
“Let her go, please. I’ll go with you to the gallery. It’s there.” Kendrix’s voice sounded panicked.
The honey-eyed man lifted his gaze from my lips, which he’d been studying, to my eyes and the evil gleam that lit his made me tremble. A pair of hands grabbed my upper arms, but not like the man he’d called Fly had. These were large, firm, and meant to move me, not manhandle me.
“Step over here with me,” the voice said.
With the sight of the other five men and their guns pointed at the bar, I went with him, not wanting to provoke anyone to shoot. He walked me over a few steps, then turned me to face Kendrix, Pepper, the two customers sitting at the opposite end of the bar—a couple who had been laughing and holding hands earlier—and the bartender, Regina, who had come in moments before these men did.
It was the calm yet almost-pissed expression on Pepper’s face that got my attention. The others were pale, and Regina was visibly shaking as tears rolled down her face. However, Pepper appeared ready to stalk over here and jerk their guns out of their hands, then hit them on the heads with their weapons.
The man released my arms, only to wrap one of his around my neck, pressing my back against his chest as he pointed his gun back at Kendrix.
What had Kendrix done? Why did he know these people?
This was a gang. They had all the signs of one. The matching tattoos on their arms, for starters. I hadn’t realized they all had the same one until I was so close to them. It was the grinning mouth of a skull with a cigarette in its teeth, which had smoke curling up from the tip, and two rifles behind it, crossing to make an X.
“You see, Jett,” the honey-eyed man continued, “I shouldn’t have to come looking for you.” He paused and flashed his sadistic smile over at me. “Although that part might be forgiven, seeing as what lovely company you keep.” Then he turned back to Kendrix. “But it’s respect, yeah. The respect that is due. You do your job. You get to live. You get to keep the little art gallery you have. Rent-free. But you disrespected me. Did you think I wouldn’t notice the candy missing?” He shook his head, as if disappointed with a child. “I didn’t get the title of Lord because I was a stupid fuck.”
My breathing came in small, rattling gasps as I watched Kendrix. His eyes swung to me, and he did look very sorry. That didn’t get me released, but he appeared to be upset about this. Well, maybe more like petrified, which didn’t ease my mind. There was literal sweat beading on his brow.
“I had some bills,” Kendrix began, turning his eyes back to the man. “It was a mistake. I was going to pay you for it.”
A deep, amused laugh rang out, and I jumped, startled. The man’s hold on me tightened, but when he realized I wasn’t trying to get free, it loosened.
“You smell fucking delicious,” his voice said close to my ear.
Bile rose in my throat, and for the first time, I started considering what they might be planning to do to me. What if they didn’t give me back? What if they took me with them?
“You had bills that cost more than half a mil? You were gonna pay that back? When, Jett? Please tell me when you were gonna have cash like that? Hmm? Because last I checked, that gallery don’t make that kinda cash.”
Half a million dollars? What candy cost half a million…oh. Wait. Holy shit.
My eyes widened as I stared at my boss, the guy I’d thought was a divorced dad of two, who went to bed before ten, liked to watch baseball, and was an avid collector of vinyl records. Had he been involved with drugs? That had to be it. The candy that was worth more money than I’d ever make in a lifetime.
Pepper moved then, sauntering out from behind the bar like a supermodel on a runway. I held my breath.
“As fascinating as this entire situation is,” she said in her thick Southern drawl, “can I ask you gentlemen to perhaps take it outside? I got to make a living myself, and this ain’t helping my business.” She stopped, placing a hand on her hip and glaring at the honey-eyed man who had called himself Lord, as if he didn’t have two of his men pointing their guns directly at her. Although, by the way she was acting, you’d never know it.
“You’ll have to forgive me,” the man replied. “I intend to take this elsewhere.” He glanced at his men. “Not that one. She’s Micah Abe’s sister.” Then he turned his gaze back to her. “I’m not here to piss off your brother or The Judgment. Fuck’s sake, the last thing I need is the damn Mafia on my ass.”
She nodded her head at me. “I’d like my friend back.”
He sighed. “That I can’t do. She’s not Micah Abe’s or The Judgment’s. She was here with Jett. I’m taking her as my insurance in case this one tries to run.”
Pepper’s eyes flickered with fury. Was she insane? They had guns. Why was she so, so calm? And who was the Mafia? The Judgment was an MC. Did Florida have a Mafia?
“That ain’t gonna work for me,” she replied.
The man holding me laughed, as did a couple of the others.
“Like I said, you are the only one off-limits.” He licked his lips. “Because of The Judgment. If not, you’d be going with me too.”
Pepper rolled her eyes. I stared at her in shock, horror, and a touch of awe. I wanted to be Pepper Abe in my next life.
“With or without Micah, I wouldn’t be going with you. And neither is she. Now, you can let her go, or I can make you,” Pepper warned him.
All the men began to laugh as if this were a stand-up comedy club and some comedian was onstage.
Then…Pepper smirked.
“I’ve always thought Pep was witty as fuck,” a deep voice drawled from behind us.
The man’s arm around my neck tightened until I couldn’t breathe as he swung me around with him to see who had spoken. My feet slid, and one of my heels came off in my struggle to touch the ground and breathe.
A man stood with his arms crossed over his chest, and his stance relaxed as a wicked grin played across his face. His hair was as black as mine and hung just below his ears. The deep olive complexion and his pale blue eyes were a startling mixture. He didn’t look my way, but winked in Pepper’s direction.
It was then I recognized his leather vest. It was like Rome’s. He was one of the MC members. But he wasn’t holding a gun, and he was alone. This couldn’t be the calvary.
“Now, how is it that you showed up here?” the man I thought was called Lord asked.
The other man shifted his gaze from Pepper to him rather slowly. “We stop in. Check on Pep. Listen to her jokes.”
“I don’t want issues with The Judgment. I want the candy that the man at the bar stole from me. That’s it,” he said with a small shrug.
The other man snickered as he looked from him to me. “What about her? You gonna let her go?”
I could feel the others’ eyes on me. I held my breath, waiting and praying silently that he said yes.
“She’s my insurance, collateral, payment for the hassle.”
The man with the leather vest shook his head slowly, as if he hated to share the bad news with him. “That wasn’t the right answer, I’m afraid.”
All at once, men in black leather vests began to enter the bar from every available door. Unlike the blue-eyed man, they had guns aimed in this direction. It continued until we were surrounded.
“Seems you pissed off The Judgment after all,” the blue-eyed man said.
Lord glanced around and smirked. “This doesn’t have to get messy. Just give me Kendrix Jett, and we will leave.”
The blue-eyed man cut his eyes to me. “And her.”
The other guy sighed. “She was with Jett. She goes with me. What does it matter to you if we take her?”
“Clear out,” a man said.
I watched as Micah Abe came walking between two men near the back door.
“Everyone not involved in this, head out the entrance. Sorry for the disruption. Won’t happen again. Come on back tomorrow for free drinks and fried pickles,” Micah informed the customers, who began to scuffle, then dart for the door, coming out from under tables and other hiding places.
“Micah Abe,” Lord said without turning around to look at him. He kept his focus on the blue-eyed man who had no weapon, as if he was more worried about him than all the others holding guns. “I was just telling your men here that I just want Kendrix Jett and the woman he came in here with. He stole from me. You know how that works. If someone takes from you, then you go get it.”
Micah truly did look like a movie star as he walked with a swagger into the bar. He reminded me of Brad Pitt in his younger years. He seemed out of place and not at all formidable, yet so calm. Much like his sister.
“You can have Kendrix, but I believe Lick was clear—the woman stays here.”
The man chuckled. “Come now. Word is, you got a woman on the back of your bike and a ring on your finger, Abe. What do you want with this hot cunt? Just taking my pay, is all.”
I shivered, trying not to think about what would happen to me if they took me. I might not die, but I would want to. I’d much rather take a bullet than be raped.
“Easy, beautiful,” the man holding me said. “No need to tremble. Lord won’t share you. He likes to make hot little bitches like you his sole property.” He paused, and his hot breath was on my skin. I winced. “But if he gets bored, I’ll be the first one to get a taste of this pussy.” He then pressed his hardness beneath his jeans against my lower back.
“Hatter!” Lord’s voice was a sharp sound that had the man holding me to his chest straightening.
“Sorry, brother. She smells so good,” he replied.
Lord glared at him.
“Last chance,” the blue-eyed man that Micah had called Lick said, his voice a snarl, unlike previously.
I saw Micah raise a hand, as if to tell Lick to hold on, but Lick’s threatening gaze was locked on Lord before it moved to me.
“Now, this seems to be a lot of wasted effort for a cunt,” Lord said.
The time it took for me to blink, I saw Lick’s lightning quick move, and then the gun was aimed at me or the man holding me. It was so brief, and then I was falling forward as something wet hit my cheek. The man’s hold was gone, and he fell back, splayed out on the floor.
Shouts, then another one of the men with Lord went down. I sucked in air, frozen in horror. Looking down at my arm, I saw splatters of blood, and I wanted to scream, but nothing came out.
“Let’s go,” a now-familiar male voice said, and I lifted my gaze to see Lick in front of me.
I blinked up at him. “Did you shoot me?” My words came out barely above a whisper.
An offended look came over him. “No, doll. I shot the fucker who had you. That’s his blood. We’ll get it off.”
I swallowed and nodded, although he hadn’t asked me a question. My throat was so tight that I felt as if I couldn’t speak, so I didn’t try again.
“Take her out the back!” Micah ordered. “Have the others taken to the bikes.”
Lick nodded but kept his eyes locked on me. “Can you walk?”
I said nothing. I had on one heel. Where was my other? Where was Kendrix?
I turned then to look for Kendrix or my shoe. Not sure what I should be doing. Then a scream tore from my throat at the sight of Kendrix on the ground. Blood coming from his mouth and his eyes staring blankly. He’d been shot. Who had shot him? Why?
Arms scooped me up, and I started to fight back.
“Easy, wildcat,” Lick said and jostled me until he was carrying me close to his chest. “Gotta get you outta here.”
I stared up at him as he began to walk. Where was he taking me? Where was Pepper?
“He’s dead.” I said the two words aloud more for my sake than anything. Letting it sink in.
“Fucker shouldn’t have stolen whatever drug the Landiagos were smuggling through his art gallery,” he replied, glancing down at me. “You aren’t involved in that shit, are you?”
I shook my head, not understanding. “What shit?”
He did a survey of my face, then lifted his eyes back to see where he was going. “Good. Not that they’d get to you. I’d kill ’em first.”
Who?
“What’s the Landiagos?” I asked instead.
“Lord and his gang. They’ve been transporting drugs into the Miami port for years, but mostly stay out of our way. Until today.”
And Kendrix had been helping them? He was dead. His kids! Oh God, and Marlana!
“Get the women back to the bikes,” Lick said to someone. “Micah will get Dolly when we get to the front parking lot. He’s going out that way.”
A door opened, and we went through it. There was a chill in the evening air when we stepped outside.
“Who has Pep?” a man asked.
“I have my own damn self, Country, and if you try and touch me, I will break your arm,” she replied.
Lick’s chest rumbled with a laugh. He was so relaxed as he continued to carry me. He’d just killed a man. There was blood on my face, dress, and arm, but he appeared as if nothing had happened.
“Who is Lick carrying?” a voice asked, one that I knew so well that it was embedded in my soul.
I sucked in a breath as relief sank over me. He was here. I needed to see him. He’d be able to tell me things. Explain all this. But as I scanned the area around us, I couldn’t see him.
Where was Rome?