Chapter Twenty-TwoAinsleyReese
Unsure of Nova’s intentions, I parked my car in the garage. If she wanted to reconcile, I didn’t want to be bothered. If she wanted another round of bullshit, I definitely didn’t want to deal with that.
Breakfast stayed down, but it was lunch that my belly rejected, leaving me hungry, nauseated, and thirsty. I ate a few soda crackers and drank a bottle of water.
The silence of the house spooked me. I’m not sure if it was because Roman didn’t want me there or because Nova had blabbed my secrets. As I leaned against the counter, the clock shaped like a chef complete with hat didn’t comfort me or remind me of how much Roman balked at my themed kitchen ideas. He gave into me, and allowed me to add matching curtains, dish towels, potholders, and rugs. Although he refused my pink kitchen walls, he compromised and allowed pale yellow. I moved out two months later, so I never really got to enjoy my handiwork as a resident.
Once I finished my snack, I started to grab my things and head to the den for a quick nap. Then, I remembered overhearing Roman talking to his friend, Visor, and calling the window in his bedroom a security risk. Visor said he didn’t have time to see to it just then but as soon as Roman returned from the run, he’d get to it.
Roman hadn’t liked that, but he’d had no choice but to agree. I hadn’t seen a problem with it. Then . Now? It left me vulnerable. I wasn’t sure how many people knew about that window, but I did and that was all that mattered.
Digging deep and pulling my last bit of energy up, I remembered Kevin’s MO in Home Alone . I gathered dishes, glasses, my old jack set, and a few other items from kitchen drawers and cabinets, then laid out my booby traps in Roman’s room and outside his door. The noises would awaken me and alert me to an intruder.
It was the best I could do with what I had. Besides, I was on borrowed time in this house, so I had to enjoy my last time in my childhood home, which I wanted to do in peace. Worrying about intruders wouldn’t relax me, although a part of me couldn’t believe Nova would really ignore our years of friendship and expose me without good reason. I know she’d been angry. Yet, I wanted to believe Boom Boom coerced news of my pregnancy out of her. I was still done with that heifer but I needed to believe my life mattered to her, even a small bit.
Completed with my safeguards, I was too tired to make it up the stairs and to my room, so I grabbed my purse off the kitchen counter, walked to the den and sat it next to my .357. Yawning, I unfolded the blanket I kept on the sofa, stretched out, and fell asleep almost immediately.
A sound awakened me and I bolted upright, blinking to get my bearings.
“Hello, Ainsley.”
“Proctor?” I asked groggily. He was Roman’s friend, another Enforcer who’d helped me care for my brother. “What are you doing in here?”
Missile and Visor stepped next to him. When Proctor pressed his Glock between my eyes, they smiled.
I was chomping at the bit to get on the fucking road. Razor and Warrior seemed to have more questions than normal, annoying me to no end. The minute the meeting ended, I jumped to my feet to head out.
Of course, it wasn’t that fucking easy. Bolt, Knight, Baron, and Marquis kept asking me questions about Louisiana’s call. Razor told me not to go, concerned I was being set up. Bolt agreed.
In the end, I left against Bolt’s wishes. Way to prove my fucking loyalty, but I’d get back to Wichita before our next round of meetings tomorrow evening. Razor would fuck his night away. He definitely didn’t need my protection for that.
Bolt followed me to my bike and tried to talk me out of leaving. I refused to listen and asked him to join me. Those motherfuckers shouldn’t have been on our side of town, but if they wanted Ainsley dead, they’d follow her wherever.
If she hadn’t agreed to go to the hotel, I don’t know what I would’ve done. It would’ve been difficult to do my job because I would’ve been so worried about her.
Still, walking away from Bolt when he ordered me to stay until someone could ride with me felt as if I turned my back on a man who’d steadied me through my greatest trauma. I just couldn’t leave Ainsley on her own, even at the risk of Nova setting us up. But that cunt seemed to have a pattern. Blow up, wreak havoc, regret her behavior and apologize.
This was one time I would’ve dialed Roman’s number if I had it. Since I didn’t, I called the clubhouse and sent two prospects to the hotel, giving them her license plate number. Even if they didn’t know her room number, they’d be in the general area since guests parked close to their assigned rooms.
On the outskirts of Wichita, I gassed up and was preparing to jump back on my bike when Bean called me with news I didn’t want to fucking hear. Neither he nor Chi Chi saw Ainsley’s car. I told them to monitor the check-in desk and I’d be there as soon as possible.
When I turned on her street and didn’t notice her car in the driveway, I breathed easier until I reached her house and saw the door stretched open and three motorcycles where her car should’ve been. I stopped across the street, cut the engine, and considered my options.
This was Roman’s house, Scorpion territory. Maybe, it was a setup. I needed to get the fuck away from this place before they shot me the fuck down.
“Help me!”
I straightened at the sound of Ainsley’s scream. She jetted out of the house. A motherfucker hot on her heels grabbed her by the hair and yanked her back. I took cover behind the bumper of the car in front of my bike.
Grabbing my guns, I peeped around the cage and pointed it at her attacker. He grabbed her forearms and lifted her off her feet, shielding his body with hers as if he sensed my presence. Two other motherfuckers rushed out, guns pointed at Ainsley. The motherfucker imprisoning her, cut off another scream with a hand over her mouth, and dragged her back into the house. After his friends followed him in, he slammed the door shut.
Sonofabitch .
I hurried across the street. Expecting to hear gunfire any minute pushed my heart up to my throat. I stared at the door, wondering if I opened it, would the alarm beep or announce it opened. I couldn’t risk that possibility, so I hauled my ass to the side of the house and hopefully the right window Louisiana boasted about slipping through. A part of me hoped Roman Mac wasn’t that much of a careless jackass and had secured that fucking window immediately. But the bigger part, the frightened-for-his-woman side, prayed he’d left it alone.
Luck was on my side. The window slid open as easily as Louisiana described. I’d ream Roman’s ass another time over this lax in security. Wondering why his lamp light was on, I took it as a blessing that allowed me to see various objects on the floor. Water glasses, picture frames, marbles, jacks and several balls. Weird, but whatever floated that motherfucker’s boat.
I halted long enough to take my guns back in hand. It was impossible to climb through the window holding them.
Carefully stepping through the maze of obstacles, I reached his door without incident and opened it with the utmost care. I peeped out. The overhead light shone directly on a tray with plates and glasses sitting in front of the door.
What the fuck?
Gritting my teeth in annoyance, I stepped over it and took care as I made my way down the short hall. A glance revealed another long hallway with the front door squarely at the midpoint.
Why the fuck was it so quiet? Three motherfuckers and a hysterical woman created a lot of noise, but I could’ve heard a fucking pin drop. Finger on the trigger, I lifted my gun and rushed down the hallway where it opened up at the other end to the den. Immediately, I saw Ainsley’s purse and gun. But not her and not those three fuckheads.
Laughter accompanied by heavy footsteps exploded around me. A brief moment of listening revealed the noise came from behind me. Pressing myself against the wall and appreciating the dimness of the room, I waited for my opportunity to strike because I still didn’t hear Ainsley.
The footsteps drew closer, so I hurried to the other side of the table with Ainsley’s things and tucked myself into a shadowed corner. Not a moment too soon either.
The overhead light flared to life. Before I considered how exposed I was, Ainsley sprawled onto the floor, either because someone shoved her or she tripped.
My guess was the former. Her feet weren’t bound like her hands. Seeing the tape around her mouth explained why I hadn’t heard her.
The three Bloody Scorpions trained the guns at her head. The sight fucked with me. If I pulled the trigger, I needed to be fast enough to fuck up all of them before they shot her. Two was a definite. That third fuckhead might kill her before I got to him. I couldn’t take the risk of spraying them with bullets because I might hit her.
“Sit up, Ainsley!” the motherfucker who’d used her as a shield earlier said.
She heaved in a breath, then sniffled. To keep as clear a head as possible, I had to ignore that pitiful sound. The minute they moved their fucking guns away from her head, I intended to shoot.
They watched as she struggled to a sitting position. My attention repeatedly strayed to her. Later, I’d call myself a stupid asshole for allowing her to draw my focus away.
“I don’t know if I want you to die quickly or watch you bleed to death slowly.” He circled her, having absolutely no fucking Spidey senses. Most motherfuckers felt the presence of someone else.
“I vote for slow and painful,” one of his companions said. “She’s Reese Sinclair’s slut.”
“We’ll send her tits and her lips to him.”
I couldn’t believe the nausea twisting in my gut. It almost overtook my fury, especially when Ainsley began trembling.
“Roman always thought your pussy was too good for one of us and look how you repay him.”
Their voices were blurring in my head. Their bullshit bored me. I had to take the fucking shots and live with the consequences. I reminded myself Trinity’s death hadn’t been my fault, and my misplaced guilt almost ruined my life. If shit went south and Ainsley ended up dead…then I’d never fucking forgive myself.
The shortest one dragged Ainsley to her feet by her hair, keeping his gun pressed against the back of her head. The second one jammed his gun against her temple. And fuckface mouthpiece shoved his weapon against the tape covering her mouth.
Small motherfucker kissed her neck. I thought I hated Roman but it couldn’t compare to the loathing stirring in me toward this motherfucker. “We might let you live if you’re willing to show your appreciation.”
“Wizard and Kite would take some pussy from you if you fuck good enough. But we have to sample everything.”
“Just don’t let Boom Boom find out. He was going to be a recurring customer.”
“Motherfucker’s going soft in his old age. Selling this cunt instead of putting a bullet in her brain for her betrayal.”
Ainsley made a noise in the back of her throat. They laughed. She tried to talk.
“Are you agreeing to our plan?” Small motherfucker asked.
She nodded, and I went on high alert. Ainsley intended to try to save herself. If she got them to move their fucking guns, I’d applaud her. She must’ve been on to something because he untied her hands.
Their leader snatched his gun away from the tape. “If you try something, I’ll carve out your fucking eyeballs.” He ripped the tape away and she cried out. “What the fuck do you have to say?”
The third one slapped her face. “You lead us on a merry chase again through this fucking house and we’ll shoot you.”
“I c-can’t…I w-won’t be able to p-p-perform if you have g-g-guns on me.”
“Do you think we’re fucking stupid? You can hit a fucking apple from ten yards away. I saw it with my own two eyes. Roman been teaching you to shoot since you were ten.”
Asshole slapped her again. “Answer Proctor, Ainsley Mac.”
Hearing her referred to with that last name jarred me.
“I’m Ainsley Valois and you know it, Missile.”
“You’re anyone I want you to be,” Missile snarled. “Always such an uppity cunt. You should’ve followed Nova’s lead. She’s a good, sweet girl.”
“Just move your guns away from my head,” she pleaded. “They might accidentally fire.”
“Do you think we give a fuck about that?” Small motherfucker demanded.
“No, Visor, but you care about Roman,” she said tiredly.
“We feel sorry for that motherfucker,” Proctor corrected. “Such a good big brother to an ungrateful bitch.”
Visor rubbed his chin. “Maybe not ungrateful? Maybe protective? All you have to say is Reese Sinclair forced you to fuck him and we’ll make a call.”
“We’ll still fuck you, but we’ll clear up everything else,” Proctor said. “Don’t mean another motherfucker won’t come after you.” He roared with laughter. “You’re not well-liked right now. Don’t think that’ll ever be fixed. So, let’s have it. Tell us how brutal Reese Sinclair was with you.”
She clamped her jaw, which pissed me off. She should’ve said I forced her to do unspeakable acts, but it finally dawned on me that she’d never really gotten the danger. Even after her parents were killed with her in the car, she’d looked at her brother’s lifestyle as just an ordinary existence. It was why she hadn’t revealed who her brother was and why she expected our hatred to fall away because she carried my baby and Roman was her brother. The rivalry between us was still abstract.
“Say it, Ainsley,” Proctor ordered. “Tell us how he shoved his cock up your pussy and down your throat.”
The little idiot wouldn’t say it.
“Just m-m-move the g-g-guns away,” she insisted.
“You know what I realized, fellas?” Missile said before anyone answered her. “She never answered whether she thought we were stupid.”
Fuck me.
He looked at her. “Well, do you? Cuz the way I see it, I’m thinking you think we’re dumb assholes. Why would we move our guns away when you karate chopped Proctor and tried to send Visor’s cock up through his throat a fucking half an hour ago?”
“I won’t do anything again,” she said in a pitiful voice.
“Answer the question, Ainsley,” Proctor said, “then we’ll see.”
“Do I think you’re stupid?” she asked.
“That’s the one,” he responded, and I held my breath, praying Ainsley played their fucking game.
“As a matter of fact…” Her voice trailed off and she heaved in a breath. “I think you’re all fucking brainless motherfuckers. Roman has cameras, jackasses.”
“You’re lying,” Missile said.
Ainsley pointed toward a door on the opposite side of the room. A light was blinking.
“Roman will understand your anger and outrage. He hates me, too.” Another sniffle escaped her. “But he agreed to Boom Boom’s plan, so he doesn’t want me dead. He will fucking hunt you for the rest of your miserable lives, especially since he considered you his brothers and his friends. Kite and Wizard must’ve paid you three a lot to betray him.”
“Fuck!” Visor yelled.
“It doesn’t matter if you shoot the camera or kill me. He’s already seen enough to know who you are.”
“I told you to get Boom Boom in on this, Proctor!” Missile screamed.
“He tipped off that Royal Bastard to Roman’s location, then didn’t ice him when those motherfuckers let him live,” Proctor snapped.
Missile scowled. “Maybe he should’ve ridden out to Roman’s location himself instead of loud talking in a goddamn store so that motherfucker could hear. Personally, I would’ve shot that Bastard and then fucked up Roman if he interfered with me and my bitch.”
“You wanted my brother dead?”
What the fuck was she fucking on, goddamn it? They’d broken into her house and backstabbed her brother in the process. Clearly, they weren’t loyal.
“Just put the gun down,” she insisted. “You wanting Roman dead isn’t important. He’ll overlook that.”
Had the baby affected her fucking brain? They wanted her dead.
Proctor was the first to drop his gun, stuff it in his cut, and back away. “Fuck no we don’t want him dead, Ainsley. Roman Mac’s a good motherfucker. But we ain’t interfering in Boom Boom’s business.”
The moment he nodded and Missile secured his gun at his side, Ainsley ducked away from Visor’s piece and launched herself at Missile. If I hadn’t opened fire with both guns blazing, Visor would’ve shot the fuck out of her.
Ignoring her screams, I pulled her into my arms, lifted her over the dead motherfuckers and carried her to a place where I could hold her tightly.