Chapter 34
Myles
Ten Minutes Prior
“Okay. When we get there, just stay hidden in the back. Take one of the earpieces. I’ll create a distraction. I want you to sneak around back. There’s a walk-out door from the basement. Most likely, she will be down there,” Cash says as I climb over the back seat into the trunk.
“Where else would she be if she isn’t down there?” I ask.
“Myles, I’m not going to lie to you…You thought Declan was a psychopath, but he was nothing compared to Quin. Just be prepared for…”
My breath hitches in my throat.
“What? Prepared for what?”
“Just…She might be in rough shape or…”
“No! Don’t fucking say it, Cash!”
“I’m not, okay? I just want you to know what you might be walking into…He’s crazy.”
“I’ll fucking show him crazy. If he harmed a single hair on her head…No, fuck it. If you can get him restrained, leave him for me.”
“Myles…”
“No! He’s going to pay for taking her from me.”
“Quiet! We’re at the gate. Alexandria, when we get there, I want you to stay in the car as well. Wait for Dex’s team to get here. Got it?”
“Fine. Whatever,” she huffs.
I flip up the false bottom of the trunk and slip inside the opening. It’s snug, and my body has to bend at a weird angle. I can feel my stitches straining and pulling at my skin.
“Hey, Vance! Long time no see. Can you let Quin know I’m here?”
“Hey, Cash. Yeah. He’s just dealing with an issue at the moment, but he should be finished soon.” I can hear the chuckle in his voice, and my stomach drops.
“No problem. I’ll just wait in the kitchen. I know he had a remodel done, but did the layout change?”
“Nah, the only thing that changed was he added a pool out back and a few new toys for the basement. Who’s the chick? One of your dancers?”
“Yeah. Dancer…Private entertainer…Honestly, she’s one of the best,” Cash teases.
“Sweet! Might need to have her give us a show later. You got a name, Sweetheart?”
“Angel. Her name’s Angel. She doesn’t speak much. Honestly, we prefer them to be silent. No one wants pillow talk after the entertainment.”
“Fuck! I could definitely use some entertainment,” he laughs. I can only imagine Alexandria’s nails digging into the leather as she tries not to hit them.
“You off at nine?”
“Nope. He’s got us on twenty-four-hour shifts. Something about needing higher security right now. You know how paranoid he can be,” he laughs.
“Oh, trust me, I know. How many men do you guys have on today anyway? Five?” Cash teases.
“Seven, actually. Three here at the gate. Three on the main floor. Chad’s in the basement helping out with the issue.”
“Chad’s here too? Damn, I haven’t seen that fucker in a year.”
“You know he has a soft spot for that kid. Family and all that shit.”
“Well, I don’t think I’ll be here all night, but I’ll stop by on my way out. Next time you’re out in Vegas, come check out the new club.”
“Is it still like the one Declan ran? Fuck, I loved that place.”
“Sorta…”
A crackling sound can be heard from a radio, and Cash stops talking.
“Yeah?”…More intelligible noises come through the radio. “Yeah, he’s on his way,” Vance says back to the person on the radio.
My heart is pounding in my chest. I’m so fucking close.
“All right, Cash. Quin’s waiting for you in the front room now. See you later.”
“See ya.”
I can feel the SUV jerk as it begins to drive on.
“You need to take a gun. Or fuck maybe two.”
“Why?”
“Chad’s down there with her…He’s Quin’s cousin. He’s known for his torture methods. Quin would brag about him to Declan, and I was unfortunately there to hear about it…He’s fucked up, man. Last I heard, he was in New York, but apparently he’s back.”
“You owe me an apology!” Alexandria huffs.
“Hey, I figured it would help keep those beautiful lips shut. Now, be a good girl, Angel, and wait in the car for Dex. Myles, listen for my signal.”
“Cash…” Alexandria’s voice is hushed.
“Hmm?” I can hear the click of his door opening.
“Just…Be careful, okay?”
“Ha! Don’t worry about me, Angel. Just be a good girl and stay here.” The door slams shut, and I can hear Alexandria’s hushed curse.
“Asshole.”
We sit in silence for a few moments before the unmistakable sound of Quin’s voice comes through the earpiece.
“I thought you were coming later this week?”
“Yeah. I decided I needed a break from the club shit. I was already on my way back to San Antonio’s Badlands, so I figured I might as well take you up on the invitation.” Cash lies.
“You could have texted. I’m dealing with an issue. It shouldn’t take me more than an hour or so. Feel free to wait…”
“What kind of issue?” Cash cuts Quin off.
“Nothing you need to worry about. I know you don’t like to get involved. So, if you’ll excuse me…”
“Mina’s missing, Quin.”
“Oh? Declan's Little Dove? Wasn’t she with Myles?”
“He was in a horrible car accident. Someone ran them off the road. But Mina wasn’t there when we showed up.”
“Hmm…Maybe she drowned?”
“I never said their car went into the water…”
The silence is killing me. It’s maybe three seconds' worth of silence, but my heart has beat over a hundred times in those three seconds.
“Where is she, Quin? I know you have her!”
“Do you know she and that mother fucker Langston are the ones who killed Declan?” Quin asks. His voice is calm but sharp.
“I do…”
“And you were just going to let them live?!” Quin shouts.
“Declan made a bad choice when he kidnapped them. They were only defending themselves…”
“Fucking hell, Cash! Seriously? He was your fucking flesh and blood! And you’re just ‘okay' with them killing him? Why? Because it got you Badlands?”
“I never wanted Declan dead, Quin. I wish he was still here, but he’s dead. What’s done is done. Nothing we can do will change that.” Cash shouts back.
“Bullshit! You never cared about him! Not like I did. He was my brother. And they killed him! I can’t let them live…I can’t let her…”
“Quin! You need to let Mina go. Where is she?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Quin’s voice is hushed. It sounds cracked like he’s holding back tears.
“Quin, please. Just let me take her home.”
“I can’t do that, Cash. Did you bring Myles with you?”
“What? No!”
*Click*
“Don’t lie to me, Cash.”
“I’m not…Quin. Where’s Mina? Is she in the basement?”
“It doesn’t matter where her body is. Did you bring Langston here or not?”
“Just put the gun down, Quin.”
“You don’t get it…Do you?” Quin’s voice sounds broken.
“Tell me. We can talk about it but just let me GO TO THE BASEMENT NOW and get her.”
“Myles, that’s the signal. Go!” Alexandria shouts from the front seat, but I'm already up and opening the tailgate.
I glance around before lifting it fully. I grab two guns out of the side compartment. I’ve shot enough guns in my life to be confident in that. What I’m not confident in is whether I'll hesitate to pull the trigger to kill someone.
I can still hear the conversation in my ear.
If he can keep Quin talking, I should only have to deal with the one guy.
I run along the side wall. My side is pulsing in pain.
I press my fingers to the closed wound and discover a stitch or two popped open.
Blood stains the shirt and runs onto my jeans.
As I round the corner to the backyard, I’m still trying to pay attention to the conversation, but I haven’t heard half the shit they've been saying. I can see the door to the basement.
“Who's the whore in your car? They said it’s a blonde woman…”
I freeze.
“She’s just a dancer, Quin. I brought her for some fun. That’s all. Nothing else.”
“Why do you keep lying to me, Cash?”
“I’m not. I…”
*Crack*
“Fuck! Why the fuck did you hit me? You broke my fucking nose,” Cash screams.
“Boys!” Quin shouts.
“No…” Cash’s voice is pleading. Dripping with rage and terror.
The sound of a woman screaming can be heard through the earpiece.
Alexandria?
“Cash. I’m sorry. I…”
*Smack*
“Quiet!” Quin shouts. My blood is boiling.
“Don’t you fucking touch her!” Cash seethes. The fury in his voice matches my own.
“I thought you said she was just a dancer...Hmmm? Nothing else…Right?” I can hear a whimper from Alexandria.
“I said Let. Her. Go!”
“What was your name again, sweetheart?”
“A…Alexan…Ahhh” Her screams peak the microphone, and my ear begins to ring.
Fuck!
I’m going to kill him slowly.
“Quin, stop! I’ll do whatever you want…Just let her go. She isn’t a part of this.”
“Sure she is! You brought her along, didn’t you?”
“I didn’t have a choice…” Cash says quietly.
“Cash…I’m sorry.” Alexandria's tears can be heard in her voice, and it’s taking everything in me not to rush in there and kill him now. I need to trust Cash to be able to save her. I need to find Mina.
My fingers turn the knob slowly, not wanting to make a sound. It leads into a hallway. Everything is metal or concrete. It’s freezing and eerily quiet, which makes my heart drop into my stomach. I want to scream for her. Call her name so she knows I’m coming, but I can’t.
I slowly make my way down the hall. Each room that I check is empty. I get closer to the end of the hall, only two more doors. When I stop in front of the second-to-last door, I can hear a voice. It’s a man’s.
“I was hoping you’d still have some fight left in you. I love it when they fight back,” he says.
*Crack*
The sickening sound of a skull cracking on the floor can be heard through the door.
I turn the knob.
The door silently swings open.
All I can see is red.
All I can feel is a burning, unrelenting, agonizing pain.
Her blood is everywhere.
Her body lies there still and silent.
Her thong is tossed to the side, and her body is pinned beneath him as he straddles her.
I don’t think.
I don’t care anymore.
If she’s dead, my life is over.
I raise the gun aiming it at the back of his head…
And pull the trigger.