Chapter Twenty-Six
“Talk to me, Keely.”
She kept her eyes on the ground in front of her, ignoring Jared. She’d managed to crawl far enough away to rest her back on the wall. It was a little comforting knowing that she couldn’t be blindsided with someone attacking her from behind.
“I would never hurt you. You know that,” Jared said.
Do I? She wouldn’t have doubted that statement an hour ago. But now? With everything she’d seen. Keely wasn’t sure of anything. Or anyone. How could she trust Jared? And Caine? Fuck! She’d finally stopped crying, and now her eyes welled on the brink of another breakdown.
Jared had been trying to convince her to let him look at her wounds.
She refused. Periodically, she searched the room.
Another man had entered the warehouse from the side door and went straight up the stairs.
She hadn’t seen him until the last second and only caught sight of the bottom of his pants and shoes.
Ridge and Cyrus were nowhere in sight. Neither was Caine.
She rested her head back on the wall and closed her eyes. She was wishing this was somehow a nightmare and she’d wake up in Caine’s bed, nestled safely in his arms.
But that’s not going to happen.
When she heard an unfamiliar clicking sound, Keely blinked open her eyes, and sucked in a breath. A man was standing three feet away with his arm stretched out and a gun in his hand pointed directly at her.
“Jay?” Keely kept her eyes on the guy. He couldn’t have been much older than her. Staring back at him, recognition was slowly setting in. This was the guy from Charley’s apartment. Her brother’s dealer. The one who had attacked her. Oh God!
Footsteps pounded the concrete, and seconds later, she heard Jared. “What the fuck are you doing?
“What you and the rest of them won’t. We don’t leave witnesses,” Zeke said, cocking the gun. “I’m just doing what needs to be done.”
Sheer panic ripped through her body, immobilizing her as she stared down the barrel.
“Jay!”
“Stand the fuck down!” Jared growled, as Zeke advanced on her.
In pure desperation, she called for the only one who could save her.
“Caine!”
The gunshot rang out at the same time she felt her breath leave her body.
It echoed off the walls in a deafening blast, and she squeezed her eyes shut.
A loud thump and pressure on her cut leg had Keely whimpering.
Had she been shot? There was definitely pain in her leg but not much more than from her fall earlier.
In the distance, she could hear footsteps. A lot of them hitting the metal that she assumed was the stairs.
“Oh fuck.” She’d recognize Caine’s voice anywhere. He was close.
Keely pried open her eyes, looking down at her leg. She expected to see a gaping hole from the gunshot. Instead, Zeke was laying on his side, a gunshot to the chest with blood oozing out of the center and his arm laid over her leg.
Keely scrambled away from him, turning and slamming into Caine’s leg. He bent down, hooked his arm around her back and the other under her knees, scooping her up. And she didn’t even fight him. Instead, she wrapped her arms over his shoulders, holding onto him tight.
“What the hell happened, Jared?”
Keely peeked past Caine’s shoulder. Nash was standing in front of Jared, who was holding a gun at his side.
Jared shot Zeke?
*
The next hour was a complete blur. She was in a daze, unable to make sense of anything that had happened. She barely remembered Caine carrying her out of the warehouse, putting her in the backseat, and holding her close to his chest the entire ride.
At some point she registered being in Caine’s loft.
He’d stripped her down, got in the shower with her, and cleaned every inch of her body.
She was numb, not wincing once from the sting of the water against her open cuts.
It was as if she was having an out-of-body experience.
She could see everything but felt nothing.
Caine got her settled in his bed and took a phone call. She didn’t know who he was speaking to, but his tone was hard and firm.
“I’m not leaving her.” There was a short pause then a thunderous roar. “I don’t give a fuck what he said. I’m not leaving her.”
Caine tossed the phone on the nightstand and turned, stilling when he met her stare. He slowly approached, sitting on the edge of the bed.
“Jared said it the other day. You’re not meant for this world.” Caine clasped his hands, resting his elbows on his knees. “He’s right.”
“What world?”
Caine sighed, angling his head, and meeting her stare. “Mine.”
Keely pushed up to a seated position, resting her back against the headboard. “Your timing sucks if you’re choosing now to break up with me.”
It was hardly the time for humor but it had always been her go-to. Caine dragged his hand down his face, clearly, struggling.
“Tell me what I saw, Caine.”
“I can’t.” He whispered.
She bit her bottom lip, inching a little closer to him. “Well, what can you tell me?”
There was a long stretch of silence.
“I started working for the Underground when I was about sixteen. Like most guys, I ran drugs, transported product, and played muscle during collections. I probably have a hundred assaults under my belt.”
What?
Caine looked across the room, refusing to make eye contact.
“The Underground, right? You don’t know what it is.
’Cause you’re not supposed to.” Caine shook his head.
“This wasn’t supposed to touch you. I wasn’t supposed to touch you.
” His voice was strained, and he dropped his face into his palms, dragging his hands over his head and gripping the back of his neck.
“What is it?” Her voice cracked.
“The Underground controls every illegal entity in the state. Drugs, guns, protection, murder. If it’s illegal, the Underground is in charge.
” He paused, dropping his hand and resting his elbows on his knees.
He still hadn’t looked at her. “Oz is the main boss, and along with Rogue, and Trey, they run everything, under them is Nash, and then” —he paused— “me and Jared.”
What? She’d known Jared for years and would’ve never expected anything like this. What Caine was describing seemed inconceivable. But, Jared had been there tonight with Caine.
“Does Killian know what Jared does?”
“Yeah.”
Her mind was reeling. How had she missed this? The security always seemed over the top for club owners but she figured it had more to do with ego than safety.
“What about Charley? Does she know? And Dahlia, Elle and Quinn?”
“They all know.”
Her best friend and brother had never said anything to her. She slumped against the headboard, ignoring the metal pressing against the bruising on her back.
“And now you know.” Caine slowly angled his head. “And tonight you saw the job we do for them. Who I am.” His gaze darkened. “Jared was right for warning you to stay away from me. I’m not a good guy.”
Caine stood and walked toward the door. There was so much to roll over in her head. She didn’t fully grasp everything he’d said, but she certainly got the gist of it. Keely could’ve let him walk away, but she straightened, feeling a spark of life flicker in her blood.
“But you came when I called you.”
Caine’s step faltered, and he stopped but never turned around.
At the very last second, when Zeke was holding the gun aimed at her, and she’d thought she was going to die, she’d called out for Caine. And when she opened her eyes, he was there.
She waited for Caine to face her again. He didn’t. He walked out of the bedroom without another word.
****
Caine had no intention of leaving Keely alone. He’d give her space to process everything he’d shared, but he wouldn’t leave her. Unfortunately, he wasn’t given a choice two hours later when Nash, Ridge, and Cyrus showed up at his loft.
“I have five men downstairs. They will secure the building and shut down the elevators so no one can go up or down. I’ll have two stationed at the door. They’ll only go inside with her permission if she needs something.” Nash said.
Caine ground his teeth, gripping his waist. It wasn’t good enough. Not for her. He was the only one he trusted to keep her safe. The last thing he wanted was to leave her.
“This isn’t just going to go away, Caine. This is bigger than us, and even Oz. We need to lock down a plan to deal with Inez. Oz wants you in his office, and it’s not a request.”
Fuck.
It was just past two-thirty when they arrived at the X-Lounge.
Caine felt as though he’d been up for days.
As they made their way to the office, security was lined up on either side of the hallway, taking up every inch.
All their men had been called in. This deal and the impending downfall had the potential to rock the core of the Underground and pit one boss against another.
They entered Oz’s office to find Rogue pacing around the center of the room. He jerked his head, scowling as Caine, Nash, Ridge, and Cyrus filed in, taking their place against the wall.
They all knew better than to say a word. They’d merely observe the hostile situation. There was nothing Caine could add to lessen the blow Jared was receiving.
“What the fuck were you thinking?” Rogue’s voice echoed through the room, loud enough to shatter the glass.
This was a new level of rage pinned on Jared.
“The only person bridging this fucking plan is dead. How the fuck do you think we’re gonna pull this shit off without him? Zeke was Anders’ guy, asshole.”
Caine had to give Jared credit. He didn’t cower under Rogue’s berating. Nor did he back down.
“You expect me to stand by and watch him shoot Keely?”
No.
“Fuck yes, I do!”
Motherfucker. Caine balled his fists, feeling his blood pump through his veins. He clenched his jaw trying to maintain his control. Rogue was testing him.
“Settle,” Nash said under his breath.
“Rogue,” Trey snapped, but Rogue was too incensed to heed the warning.