Chapter 35
When you’re locked in a room, you do a lot of thinking.
I don’t doubt that calling Eli was the right thing to do. Or leaving my watch in the car. You would think a cop would know better than to put me in the trunk with my watch. I know they searched me somewhere because it would have been nice if they left my fucking chapstick.
Hearing the keys rattling in the lock, I look up, letting my thoughts about Eli drift away. I recognized the man as we fought right before he choked me out in my apartment, but I don’t know his name or where I know him from.
“Why am I here?” I deadpan, looking at him.
“Cause your brother killed one of our own.”
“Our?”
It makes him laugh; I’m aware of how afraid I should be if more than one cop is in on this. “That’s right, sweetheart, all of us are taking all of you down.”
“But why not go directly after him then?”
“Cause.” He steps in closer to me. “You’re responsible for getting that traitor out of jail.”
“Eli?”
“Yes.”
All I can do is shake my head as I realize where I recognize him from.
“What?”
“Is that how you sold it to the rest? Let’s kidnap the little sister because she did her job and presented evidence that proved you all fucked up?”
“That’s not true.” He takes another step. “He destroyed the evidence.”
It makes me laugh; this time I take a step towards him. “There’s no way to prove that.” I whisper, smirking back at him.
His nostrils flare with rage as he continues to stare at me.
“But let’s not pretend; we both know why you’re here at least... And it has nothing to do with my brother.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because I embarrassed you and you have the confidence of a much more attractive man.”
“I do just fine.” He snaps back at me.
“Never said you didn’t.” I shrug. “Only that you think you’re more than you are.
” I chuckle, watching the rage grow in him.
“Then you found out that Eli and I were together and even though we had already broken up, it pissed you off cause I turned you down, especially after he had you fooled for years.”
His cackle echoes so loudly off the walls that it makes me jump.
“Oh, this is too fucking good.” He doubles over, bracing himself on his legs.
“You’re why he had a death wish?” Shaking his head, having to wipe the tears away from his eyes.
“This couldn’t have worked out any better.
2 birds, one stone, and I didn’t even know. Thanks for that tidbit.”
“You didn’t know?” my eyes widening.
“No,” he leers at me.
“You’re an idiot if you think that’s funny.” I shake my head, trying to pull at my cuff.
“What Z taking him out will make all of this even better.”
“What?”
“Everyone knows what would happen if they so much as looked at you the wrong way.”
Rolling my eyes at his statement.
“They all know Z will disembowel them. No questions asked.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” Shaking my head. “He already knows.”
But mister Small-Dick Energy just looks at me confused.
“You know they’re gonna come for me?” I ask him.
“We’ll be waiting.”
“You’re gonna underestimate them.”
“We have everything planned out perfectly. We’re actually hoping they come looking for you because once they do…” he trails off, but lifts his gun up, leveling it with my forehead.
“You think you’re the first fucking person to put a gun to my head?
” I laugh out, pushing down all the fear that I have in this situation.
Being held at gunpoint has never been a common occurrence in my life.
Stepping in closer to show him I’m not afraid.
“You’ll underestimate them because everyone does.
Everyone has always underestimated the club, even when my uncle ran it.
But there’s one thing that most people don’t realize. ”
“What’s that?”
“The ol’ ladies. My aunts, my mother, while they might not have officially been members, ran with that club just as much as the men did.” I laugh, nodding my head. “And my mother never caught a fucking charge.” I smirk. “You may ask yourself why that even matters.”
“It doesn’t, your mother —”
“My mother taught us how to be like her. Calculated and precise, so no one knows what to expect.”
“Sure, that’s why your brother ended up in jail.”
“My brother ended up in jail before because he didn’t care not to.” Smirking, “And have you ever read about why he was arrested?”
He doesn’t answer, just continues to look at me.
“Because someone threatened me.” I laugh.
“Show’s that he’ll have a reactionary response and make a mistake.”
“He never made a mistake then. Why do you think everyone says he’ll gut anyone who fucks with me?
” I can’t stop the cockiness from wafting off me.
“He put him in the hospital. I’m sorry, correction, he dropped him off at the hospital after he almost killed him.
Because he was sending a message about what would happen if you fucked with his family. ”
His eyes widen, and it’s almost as if I can smell his fear. He turns quickly, and as his hand lands on the knob, I can’t help but start again.
“Did you tell your wife?” I push myself off the wall, trying to step closer, but the chain stops me.
“What?” he turns around.
“Did you tell your wife you offered to give me the ‘best orgasm of my life’?” Mocking him.
I’m nudging closer again, as if suddenly in the seconds since the last attempt something’s changed, but the metal only digs into my flesh.
“And you wonder how I know you have the confidence of a much more attractive man.”
My head jolts to the side as the stinging starts on my lip. Turning back to look at him. Spitting blood that’s already collected in my mouth.
“You’re gonna regret doing that.” I can feel a cut on my lip splitting as I grin in his direction.
“I’m not afraid of your brother…” he trails off as if he’s realizing something. “Or your fucking boyfriend.”
“You don’t need to be afraid of them; you should be afraid of me.”
“Why should I be afraid of you?”
Feeling the metal cutting against my wrists as I don’t let the stinging stop me, I’m mere inches away from him as I lower my voice. “‘Cause I’m gonna be the one who fucking kills you.”
He howls at me before clearing the doorway and slamming the door shut.
Groaning as they shut the lights off in the room again.
* * *
The door swings open some time later, and a shadow steps in before the lights come on, full-strength, blinding me.
“Get up.” A new man shouts. By his voice, I can tell it’s the other man from my apartment, and I also recognize him from that same night at the bar.
“Great, the whole crew’s here.” I mumble as he walks over, gripping hard onto my arm, uncuffing me, and hoisting me up.
“Ow.” Looking down and seeing a bruise already forming.
Something in his eyes as he realizes he hurt me makes me wonder if he’ll answer me.
“What did the last guard mean about Eli having a death wish?”
“What?”
“The other one said I was the reason he had a death wish?”
Glancing out the door, he pauses, looking back at me. “After your brother got arrested, Eli and Darren got into a fight in the parking lot. Some accusations were thrown around. Darren shot at him.”
“He shot him?”
“No, at him.” He rolls his eyes, and that look I thought I might be able to trust is gone. Shoving me out the door, causing me to stumble in front of 3 other men, none of whom I recognize. Looking at each of their faces, quickly taking note, and then at my surroundings.
The long hallway is just made of cement, reminding me of an abandoned asylum, or one of those sketchy problem-teen schools. A gun barrel shoves into my shoulder blade as asshole number 2 comes out of the room and grabs my arm to follow him.
Making our way down the corridor, I glance into the rooms as we pass.
Seeing the ruffled sheets on top of the same type of bed in the SHU cell, I’m held in.
It’s probably older than I am and smells of mold.
Even though I’m now sore from the position I had to keep my arm in, I’m glad I decided to sit on the cold ass ground the entire night.
My feet stop, but the man who still has hold of my arm continues to pull me forward, I’m sure deepening the bruise. But the terrified eyes inside the room stare back at me for only a second before the door is slammed shut.
“What the fuck is this place?” I snap at him, ripping my arm from his grip.
“That’s none of your business.” One of the men behind me says as he presses the rifle barrel further into my back.
“If you’re going to fucking shoot me, then shoot me.” Spinning around as I cut out with a hiss, realizing that once again the asshole of the bunch is the same.
An evil grin spreads on his lips as he raises the gun.
Stepping in closer, and pressing my forehead to the barrel, continuing to look up at him, pretending to be unfazed.
“Stop it.” Asshole number 2 demands him. “She’s not like the others.”
“Yeah, I’m not like the others.” I taunt him.
The rifle doesn’t lower, just continues pointed at my face.
“Matthews,” Asshole #2 demands, pushing the barrel away and breaking the contact.
The gun reluctantly lowers to his side as he leers at me. “You want to watch your fucking back.” He mumbles to me, trying to intimidate me.
“So scared.” I snark out.
“Let’s go,” #2 says. Grabbing hold of me again and yanking me back in the direction, putting himself between Matthews and me.
“Where are we going?” I snap at him, glaring down at where his hand’s still gripping my arm.
“To see the boss.”
“The police chief?”
“You think you’re funny, don’t you?”
“No, normally I think I’m adorable. And I think when people piss me off, I become more like my mother.”
“Shut up.” The barrel shoves into my back, propelling me to move forward.
The group moves me down a second hallway. There’s just as many rooms in this one, and I can hear crying echoing off the walls.