Kyle
The safe-house was an old hunting lodge deep in the pines.
I paced the creaking wooden floor, boots scuffing the rug.
The place stank of sweat, cigarettes, and stale whiskey.
I’d barely slept in two days. I was dirty, beard scruffy, hair matted with dried blood from a cut over my eyebrow, a gift from the last fight he escaped courtesy of my father’s men.
I was on the phone; voice ragged with fury.
“I don’t give a fuck how many men we lost. Get me a headcount now!”
I threw the burner across the room, shattering it against the nearby wall.
He was shaking. I could still see Kennedy’s face when he’d left her to handle the arrangements for Mr. Valdez.
The look on her face was smug, confident and a little maniacal.
She thought she could break Nova and get her to cooperate.
I should have known she would fail. She was too emotionally unstable.
Now she was dead. Crew’s people had wiped out my men like roaches and Nova was back with him.
Leaving Timberly almost untouchable. I turned and slammed his fist into the wall, cracking the crumbling plaster.
“Fuck!” I turned, breathing heavily.
I could be on a private island getting my dick sucked right now, but instead, I was here chasing Nova’s stubborn ass.
If only she could have been submissive like my mother.
Then we wouldn’t be in this shit. I would be living my life, wealthy and worshipped by my wife like the king I was raised to be, and my sister would be alive.
In the corner, one of my surviving lieutenants flinched but didn’t dare speak as I stood daydreaming about the life, I was due.
Just then the door banged open, and my father walked in.
Judge Nathanil Harris was tall, lean, his hair iron-gray, his suit tailored even for a backwoods hideout.
His eyes were pale, dead. He walked in, took one look at me and sighed.
“You look like shit.” He barked.
“Hello to you too, father. They killed Kennedy.” I growled, wiping my nose on my sleeve.
His mouth didn’t even twitch. “Collateral.”
“That was your daughter.” I yelled, eyes flaring.
He shrugged off his coat, handing it to a guard. “She was an asset. She failed.”
I wanted to punch that smug ass look off his face, but instead, I stalked to the table covered in maps and printouts.
“Crew’s teams dug in. They won’t give Nova up.
They won’t let Timberly out of their sight without a small army.
He’s got two mercs with him, trained killers, fucking psychos.
We tried grabbing them separately. Both times went to shit. ” I reported.
My father leaned over the table, eyes cold.
“And Timberly?”
My jaw ticked as I tried calming myself before speaking. Calming my voice, I said.
“Untouchable. She’s always with Crew or locked down in that house.”
“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” My father’s voice dropped.
“I’m trying to fix it.” I said, mouth twisting.
His hand lashed out, open-palmed.
Crack.
I staggered back, cheek flaming in embarrassment.
“You stupid, weak little shit,” He snarled.
I watched my lieutenant as he tried to shrink into the wall as my father stepped closer. The fuck, I’m paying this man to help me fight a war and he scared of my fucking dad.
“We made a promise. That girl is owed. They paid us. They protected us. You gave your word she’d be delivered to marry into their family. And you can’t even fucking grab a six-year-old?!”
“She’s seven.” I growled, spitting blood. “It was supposed to be easy. We had Nova. She was the bait.”
“And now she’s home, and your sisters a corpse. And you’re on your knees.” He shouted, his voice like poison.
“I’ll fix it.” I groaned, eye glistening.
“No. You’ll do exactly as I say. Or I’ll shoot you myself and try to salvage this deal without you.” He said, shaking his head in disappointment.
My breathing hitched as my father turned to the lieutenant.
“What did they lose?”
“Twelve men, sir and Kennedy. The safehouse in the hollow was also burned to the ground.” My lieutenant said, licking his lips.
“Crew made you look weak. The partners are furious. They’re threatening to kill us all if they don’t get the girl by next month.
That was the deal. Their son is coming of age soon and the girl will need to be groomed to be the perfect wife, subservient and submissive.
They want her now so they can begin her training. ” He said, eyes locked on mine.
My stomach rolled. I’d heard rumors about what they did with the girls they bought. But Timberly was supposed to be my leverage to make all his family's dreams come true. My father leaned in closer.
“You fucked us. So now you’ll fix it. I don’t care how. I don’t care if you kill Crew in front of her and drag her screaming from the ashes. But you will deliver.” He seethed.
My mouth trembled at the malice in his tone.
“And Nova?” I asked. Hoping he would say I could still have her for my own.
“Fuck her, break her, sell her. Kill her if you want. I don’t give a fuck. She’s worthless now that your brat’s with Crew. But the girl is non-negotiable.” He commanded his voice flat.
My eyes narrowed as I wiped blood from my mouth and straightened.
“I’ll get her.”
“Good.” My father smiled thinly.
He picked up the maps, brushing dirt off his suit jacket.
“I’m bringing in help. Some of our old contacts. You’ve proven you can’t handle this alone.”
“Who?” I said teeth grinding.
“Killers. Mercenaries. People who don’t give a fuck about Crew’s reputation. Oh, and a special friend of the Valdez family. Make sure she has all she needs to do her job.” His eyes glistened as he spoke.
“That’ll start a war.” I swallowed hard.
“It already is, dear boy.” He said, clapping me on the shoulder.
He walked smoothly to the door and then turned and stopped.
“Clean yourself up. When they see you next, you’ll be leading an army.” He paused. “And Kyle?”
I blinked.
“Don’t ever mention Kennedy to me again. She’s dead weight. Focus on Timberly.”
I watched him as he left, his words making my heart pound. I could still see Nova’s face twisted in hate when I held her captive. And could almost imagine Crew’s cold eyes as he shot Kennedy. I shivered at the thought. The rage left me bent over the table, breathing hard.
Nova
That stupid bitch. This was all her fault.
Pain shot through my hand as I slammed it down on the table.
“They’re mine. One way or another I’ll have them both.
” I roared, startling my lieutenant. Outside, the wind howled against the lodge walls, the first signs of the storm to come.
Inside, my eyes burned with madness. And far away, Crew held my family tight, readying for the same storm.
I stood at the far end of the long metal table, arms folded behind my back, pretending I had control over what was happening.
But in truth, I didn’t like this shit. Not one bit.
The woman Valdez sent had ordered his men to infiltrate my team and keep an eye on me.
I haven’t even gotten the bitches name, nor had she offered it, and I hadn’t been dumb enough to ask twice.
This was supposed to be our first meet up and I was interested to see the type of people Valdez had working for him.
A large muscle-bound nigga sat in one of the metal chairs, legs crossed at the ankles, perfectly calm as if he didn’t have men outside ready to skin me alive if I stepped out of line.
“You're distracted,” he said smoothly, without even looking up from the tablet he held.
“I’m focused.”
“You’re obsessed. With the wrong person.”
Kyle’s jaw clenched. “Timberly is the target.”
“I’m aware.”
“Then act like it. Because we’re not paying you to chase pregnant women you couldn’t keep the first time.”
“Who the fuck are you to tell me what I’m doing wrong?” I gritted, tone sharp.
“My mistress asked me to babysit so I’m here. Everything else is just an observation. How about you stop being a bitch so we can finish this shit.” He said gruffly, voice a low rumble.
“Watch your muthafucking mouth when you're talking to me.” I roared.
“Or what? You’ll hit me? Hurt me? Like you tried to hurt her?” A female voice said walking into the building, calm and collected. She walked in heels clicking loudly across the concrete. She moved like a trained dancer instead of what she was.
Valdez’s whore.
Silence filled the room as she strutted over to her muscle, a large hat obstructing her face from view. Her man rose from the chair, taking her hand and guiding her gently into the seat at the head of the table.
“Thought so,” she whispered when I remained quiet, her lips curling in a smirk.
I squinted trying to see her face in the low light, but it remained hidden from view.
“Report,” she snapped, like I worked for her. “Valdez wants confirmation of Timberly’s location. I don’t need any rumors or hopes. Straight facts.”
“They’re still at the estate with heavy surveillance and heavier artillery.
He had them locked down pretty tight. Had someone on the inside but intel said he was taken out the same time as my sister.
The girl has only been out twice in the last two weeks, both times surrounded by at least four shooters. ” I said, gritting my teeth.
“And Nova?”
Nova.
Even hearing her name made his skin burn.
I hated her for running and Crew for taking her, but I hated myself more for still wanting her.
When we first met, she looked at me like I hung the moon.
But then it all changed. She couldn’t handle the life I was offering her.
She started treating me like I was the mistake in her story.
But I’d fix that and make her see. I would break her down and rebuild her from the inside out.
Remind her who touched her first. Who owned her smile and should’ve been the man raising that little girl.
Nova And Timberly belonged to me. Timberly was mine to do with as I pleased and what pleased me was to salvage this deal with the Valdez’s.
I would deliver the girl and keep her mother.
And when it was done, Crew Sanderson would die for taking what wasn’t his.
“She'll get on board to keep the girl safe.” I said, smiling darkly.
“And you think she’ll fall for you in the end?” She asked.
“She doesn’t have to fall. She just has to submit . ”
“You sound like your sister.” She smirked, lip curling.
I opened and closed my mouth, not wanting to say what was on my mind. This bitch was an extension of Valdez and if I angered her, it wouldn’t end well for me. So, I bit my tongue, for now.
“What’s the next step?” I asked calmly
“You wait. We move in a few days. Valdez wants the girl taken before Crew catches wind. Quiet. Clean.” She said, like it would be the easiest thing in the world.
“I’ll be ready.” I said, nodding my consent.
“But remember this,” she said, her voice dropping low. “You get Timberly, you deliver her. Nova is yours to keep. But do not let your personal needs cost this mission.”
I didn’t answer because in my mind, I already saw it; Nova in his bed on her knees.
Nova looking up at me like she used to. I would take her back body first, mind second and soul last. Even if I had to break every bone in Crew’s body to do it.
Taking my silence for understanding she ended our meeting, having her goon to show me out.
Two hours later, I returned to the warehouse, gun tucked at my side, nerves buzzing from too much coffee and too little rest. I had questions. More than that I had doubts. And I wanted answers.
“Where’s your boss?” I barked at one of the guards.
“Upstairs. Second office.” he said.
I marched up the steel stairs, boots hitting metal, each step heavier than the last. When I reached the door, I didn’t knock, just shoved it open to find her standing near the window.
She was still dressed in black, long hair pinned up, her heels now off.
In her hand was what looked like a file.
Stepping closer I stopped when she dropped the contents on the floor.
She had photos of Crew, Timberly and Nova.
“Thought we weren’t watching her,” I muttered.
“You were never going to follow orders.” She said, keeping her back to me.
“You think I can’t do my job?” I growled, stepping closer.
“I think you’re dangerous. But not for the reasons Valdez believes.”
“What the hell does that mean?” I said, narrowing my eyes at her.
She had removed the hat, but I still couldn’t make out her familiar frame. But then she turned and smiled. That smile, I knew that smile, the scar just behind her ear and the slight dimple only visible when she laughed.
“N-no, you, you’re dead.” I said staggering back.
“I told you not to look too hard,” she said softly.
“Sabrina?” I asked, voice cracking.
She nodded.
“I thought you were dead.”
“No,” she replied. “Just smarter than I used to be.”
“Why are you with them?” I asked, breath catching in my chest.
“Because they gave me what Crew never could, power.” Sabrina said, putting her heel back on and stepping forward.
Kyle’s head spun.
“You’re helping them take Timberly?”
“I’m helping them win. What happens to Timberly depends on how quickly Crew breaks. If you want Nova, be smart. Don’t screw this up.” She said, gaze darkening.
I stood frozen as she brushed past me, heels clicking once more.
“Get your obsession in order. Or I’ll bury you with it.”