Chapter 44
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Penn
I was able to calm Owen and Olivia down in the van. When we got to where we were going, I told them not to let go of my hands.
“Let’s go,” a guy said.
Owen and Olivia gripping my hands, I followed him out of the van. A quick sweep told me I was at Benito’s home. Seriously? He’d brought me to where he lived. Did he think Gideon would suspect it too easy and therefore not look here?
I also noticed a few guys on the grounds, but not as many as I’d thought he’d have after the massacre at the venue.
The doors opened, and we were ushered through the foyer and into what I assumed was his office.
“Ah, my guests have arrived.”
“Guests implies we chose to be here,” I deadpanned.
“Pennsylvania, the boy nobody wanted.” He cocked his head. “I did some digging into you. Your parents gave you up because you were some kind of freak. Funny story, I know your parents. Saw them just last year in Atlanta. They’re doing wonderfully without you.”
If he thought that was going to bother me, he didn’t know a damn thing about me. “I’m thrilled for you.”
“Even Tennessee didn’t adopt you…did she really even try hard enough?”
I sighed. “Look, Lorcan Anders tried this whole let’s make me feel sad and alone bullshit. Didn’t work for him, not going to work for you either, fuckwad.”
He chuckled, his gaze dropping to Olivia and Owen. “I’m sure you two are very scared. It was a traumatizing day. But this is life with a daddy like yours.”
I pulled them both behind me and sneered. “You don’t fucking talk to them.”
He held his hands up in mock surrender. “This was completely avoidable you know.”
“Was it? Because something tells me you got into bed with the Bratva, and they aren’t keen on outsiders. I’m sure if Gideon doesn’t dispose of you, they will.”
“You’re smart, Penn, I’ll give you that. How’d you figure the Bratva and I were working together?”
“Well, let’s see, the guy who shoved me into the van was Russian, for one. Lev, Ivan, and Mikhail have been acting sketchy, and I recognized some of the rifles used at the venue as ones Gideon’s sold to the Bratva.”
He nodded. “Observant. Yeah, the pakhan or whatever you call their godfather of sorts, was very intrigued by my offer. See. I want one thing…maybe two.” He stood from behind his desk and moved toward the small bar.
“And what’s that?”
“I want my family home, and I want Gideon to suffer. Simple, really.”
I snorted. “So, you’re butthurt you lost the election because you’re an abusive prick and were called out, so now you want to bully Gideon for your wife leaving your sorry ass?”
He slammed the decanter down, his cheeks reddened. “She was taken! Forced to lie.”
“Spare me, Benny. We all know you have a temper and couldn’t hold back. Tell me something, does beating up women and slapping kids around make you feel manly?”
He stormed over to me. I made sure the twins were securely behind me, and with my hands occupied, I couldn’t block the punch to my nose.
Blood flowed out of my nose, but other than the fact that it was annoying, I was fine.
“Penny!” Owen shouted.
“I’m fine, little man. I’ve had wind hit me harder than that.”
“You leave Penny alone,” Olivia yelled.
“I will. If he tells me where my family is.”
I spit a wad of blood onto his shoe. “They’re in Fucklandia, where fucks go to die.”
Smack. “You want to have Owen and Olivia watch me beat the shit out of you?”
“Is that what you’re doing?” My brows hit my hairline.
Smack. “I can do this all day.”
“I have a feeling your hand will hurt way before my face.”
“Is that so?” He grinned. “Well, maybe we don’t use my hands.” He motioned to someone behind me. “Take Penn downstairs. Maybe see if you can get him to talk.” He glanced at the twins. “Kids stay here.”
“Like hell they do!”
Just then they were torn from my grasp by two men. My hands free, I wrapped them around Benito’s throat. “Let them go, you son of a bitch, or I’ll choke you out right here.” I didn’t let up, enjoying how his face turned purple.
Someone pounded on my back, but I was laser focused.
Benito waved his hands and Olivia and Owen ran to me, his arms circling my waist. I let Benito go and lifted them into my arms. Not easy, since they were seven and not as light as they used to be.
“Touch them again, and I won’t stop until I pop your head off your shoulders.”
Benito was coughing. One of the guys brought him water. It was a pathetic sight but then again, he was a pathetic man.
“Fine.” He tried clearing his throat. “You want to have them watch as my guys tenderize your face, have at it.”
“Your guys?” I released a laugh. “They aren’t yours. They’re Bratva. I’m guessing you lost your men once they realized what a piece of shit you were and as soon as their pakhan calls them back, you won’t have these guys either.”
“Take them downstairs!” Benito hollered as he stormed out of the office like a child who didn’t get his way.
“Penny, I’m scared,” Olivia whispered in my ear as we were led to the basement.
“It’s gonna be okay. Daddy will find us, and I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
“Mila got hurt.” Owen spoke softly, followed by a sniffle. “The man came, grabbed me. She tried to pull me away and he hurt her, Penny.”
Fuck.
“Don’t think about that right now. Daddy is there; he will try and get her help. I need you both to do whatever I say whenever I say it, understand?” They nodded against my shoulders. “No matter what it is, don’t argue, just do it. Promise?”
“Yes, Penny,” they said in unison.
We were led to a large room where there were a couple of chairs and what looked like shackles attached to the wall. It was easy to guess where I’d be going.
“The kids can sit in the chairs,” a man grumbled.
“If you think I’m going to let you tie me to a wall and leave them defenseless, you’re dumber than I thought you were.”
“There are no choices.” He tried to grab for Olivia, and I kneed him in the nuts.
“Don’t fucking touch them!”
The sound of a gun cocking made me freeze. “Let children down.” A man with a much thicker Russian accent pressed the barrel to Owen’s head. “I don’t care what Benito says, I will shoot him, then her, then you.”
I believed him wholeheartedly. “Fine. But I will take them to the chairs.”
“Go.” He lowered the gun, and I led them to the chairs.
“I want the two of you to do me a favor. Remember you said you’d do anything I said?
” They nodded. “I want you to close your eyes.” I spoke so softly, only they could hear.
“They can’t hurt me, but it may look like they are.
I will be okay. I want you both to keep your eyes squeezed shut. Can you do that for me?”
Olivia started crying and wrapped her arms around my neck. “I don’t want them to hurt you, Penny.”
“I’m Batman, remember?”
Owen joined his sister in the neck hug. “I love you, Penny.”
“I love you guys. Eyes shut now, okay?”
Again they nodded and released me. I stood and faced the two men waiting for me.
“Let’s get this over with.”