Chapter 30
Alessa
“Did he say what I think he just fucking said?” Ryder barks from his position, holding Xander to the floor. It speaks about what kind of person Xander is when not one of the guys in this garage will speak up on his behalf.
“Yes,” I sigh. “Fuck!” I dig my phone from my back pocket and dial Holden.
“What’s wrong?” he answers on the first ring, and I smile despite myself.
“Any activity outside of the garage since we got here?” I ask, and hear him tapping away on his computer.
“No. The last car to pull up was you guys. Nothing since then. Why?”
“If you see a white Dodge Challenger pull up, call me asap. Or any car. Okay?”
“Yes, Boss,” he answers immediately.
“Thank you.” I disconnect the call and stare at Playboy’s phone like Zane is going to pop through the screen.
“What are we doing, Boss?” Dex asks.
I run through my options as fast as I can.
We can kill Xander, but we don’t have enough time to frame the Russians if Zane is on his way.
The message was sent fifteen minutes ago, which could mean he’s here, or he could be busy and hasn’t read it yet; the chances for that are close to zero.
Why the hell did he call me a dime, and why would Zane care I’m here?
I turn to the kid, and he looks close to pissing himself.
“Why did you tell him I was here?” I ask as softly as I can. I’m teetering on the edge of burning this garage down with their bodies inside.
“He was here today,” the kid whispers.
“For what?” I ask impatiently. “Don’t make me drag the shit out of you.”
“He was asking about the fosters up the road. Told him that the twins that used to slang for them disappeared, and you were here right before that.”
“Do you know who she is?” Dex asks, and the kid shrinks again. Dex’s voice is rough all the time, but when he is pissed, it’s raspy and deeper.
“N…n…no.”
“Do you know who the Poletti’s are?” I ask, and he nods. “I’m Alessa Poletti.”
I give that a minute to sink in before his drug-addled brain catches up, and his eyes widen. “I didn’t kn...kn…kno…know.”
“Clearly,” Gage says dryly.
I need to figure out what to do with the other guys in here besides Playboy and the one I shot.
He was a good choice because he’s been on my list for the Black Demon hit for molesting a fourteen-year-old boy.
Of course, Xander has to die to send a message to Viktor.
I also need to call Alexey and Dmitri to warn them about what’s going to go down.
Their dad is such a pompous ass he never lets them know anything; they are pushed out to the sidelines, which suits them just fine for the time being.
They’re content with cash and cars being thrown at them to stay out of the way.
They hate Viktor on the best of days and are good friends, but how will they handle me starting a war with their dad?
“Les. We need a decision,” Ryder remarks.
I have no clue what to do. Zane will turn a blind eye to stuff he doesn’t see me do but cold-blooded murder?
He would bury me, the guys, and a very innocent Leo.
“Les.” We can take Xander with us, but what about the six witnesses staring at me?
Xander was going to die whether we found the coke or not; I didn’t issue second chances.
The coke just let me know Viktor is coming for my income, taking over my street factions; none of this is good.
“Les!” Ryder yells, jerking me from my thoughts.
I whirl around, pissed off. “What?!”
“We need a decision,” Dex repeats for him, trying to use that soothing voice that never fails but to piss me off more.
I look at Playboy’s phone; there are messages back from Zane. Fuck.
Z-Mack
Still there?
Playboy? Fucking answer me.
“If you let us go, I swear to God, dude, we won’t say anything.” One of the other guys is pleading with Gage.
“Do I look stupid to you?” Gage asks with a laugh. “No fucking way.”
“We didn’t know whose coke that was!” another one speaks up.
“Everyone shut up!” I yell and make one of the many decisions I’ll make tonight; I dial Zane from Playboy’s phone.
“What the fuck, Playboy?” Zane growls when he answers.
“I’m sorry. Playboy can’t come to the phone right now. He’s a little…tied up.”
Silence. “Les?” Zane says like he doesn’t want to believe I’m here. “Where’s Playboy?”
“You see, we came to see Xander, but we stumbled upon this little fucking rat. And you know who he was texting, Zane?” I pause for the dramatic effect. “You.”
“I have informants everywhere,” Zane says casually. Ryder and I exchange a look. This isn’t good.
“Are you investigating me, Zaney baby?” I purr, and that muscle in Ryder’s jaw immediately starts ticking. The silence on the other end of the phone is telling. “Let me put it this way, Zane. When I catch a whiff of you in my business, I will take away anything you have left.”
“Are you threatening me, Beautiful?”
“It’s not a threat. It’s a promise. You know who I am and what I’m about.” I hear a bunch of commotion on the other end of the phone before I hear a door click shut.
“Les, I need you to listen to me,” Zane rushes out. “You need to get the fuck out of there. Now. We’re about to raid that address you gave us.”
My heart sinks; we’re only two buildings down. “When?”
“Five minutes. Tops.”
I hang up and drop the phone to the floor. Dex smashes it under his big boot. “We have to go. Now.”
“What about them?” Leo asks, gesturing around the garage.
“Let them go.” I push my Glock in the face of the first guy who was pleading with Gage. “You say a word, and I will be back. You won’t leave here alive the next time.” He nods like a bobblehead. “Grab Xander and the rat.”
Playboy whimpers when Gage jerks him to stand, Dex cuts the zip ties off the others, and they scatter out the back door. Ryder knocks Xander in the temple with the butt of his gun, knocking him out cold, then zip-ties his hands.
“What about the coke?” Ryder asks, heaving an unconscious Xander over his shoulder.
“Looks like you just got a new car,” I tell him. “Take it to the docks.”
Ryder grins like crazy, dumping Xander in the backseat. “Be careful,” he says, kissing my lips firmly.
“You too.” I turn to Dex. “Go with him.”
He jerks a nod, and folds his large frame into the too-small car. It fires up with a roar, echoing through the garage. Damn. I should have chosen that car.
Ryder slowly backs it out while Gage and Leo close the garage doors. I jump into the driver’s seat of Gage’s Range Rover; Leo and Gage cram Playboy in between them. No sooner than I hit the button to start the car, I hear sirens wailing in the distance.
“Shit,” I mutter, shoving it in drive and tearing off behind Ryder.
Five minutes my ass.
Ten minutes later, we’re sitting at the docks where my shipments come in. The shipping containers are mostly for show, but I have legit stuff shipped out of here. We pull in behind them for cover.
I look at Leo. “You good?”
“I’m good, Baby,” he says with a smile.
I look at Playboy. “Don’t try anything stupid.” He’s shaking his head before I even finish my sentence. I honestly don’t think he’ll try anything; he looks seconds from shitting himself.
“Take him to Gerald and meet us back at the house,” I tell Gage and slide out of the car.
“On it, Boss,” he replies, jumping out of the backseat. He gives me a quick kiss before climbing into the driver’s seat and taking off.
I walk over to Ryder and Dex, who dumped Xander on the asphalt unceremoniously. I send a quick text to Gerald to tell him I’ll explain later and just keep an eye on Playboy.
“Morning, Xan,” I greet when Xander groans.
Ryder roughly pulls him into a sitting position by his shirt.
“You know I’ve given you more than one chance which I don’t do.
Call it whatever you want, but the only reason you’re still alive is that you worked under my dad.
” I pull my Glock out and aim it at him. “That ends now.”
“Wait. Wait! I can be your inside man with Viktor!” Xander begs.
“You think we can trust you now?” Ryder asks in disbelief.
Xander swallows, turning pleading eyes on me. “I fucked up, but I need the money.”
Don’t ask. Don’t ask. Don’t ask. I beg myself.
“Why?” I ask anyway. Dumbass.
“My mom is sick, and I needed the money for medical bills and her medicine.”
My heart drops to my feet. Why did I have to ask?! I know I can’t trust him for shit, but what if he’s telling the truth, and I sign his mom’s death warrant when I take him out?
My phone starts buzzing in my pocket, so I pull it out to see Holden’s name flashing across the display.
“Hello?”
“Oh, thank fuck,” he breathes out. “No one was answering, and I saw blue lights flashing all over the cameras.”
I wince. “Sorry. It’s been crazy. We’re okay, though. I promise.” I’m a horrible girlfriend. “I need you to run something for me. Xander King’s living relatives and if they’re being treated for anything.”
“It’s okay, Bright eyes; I’m just glad to hear your voice. I’m running it now.”
I smile. “We will see you in a bit.”
“I lov…” he pauses. “I’ll see you later,” he says, disconnecting the call. I stare at the screen, confused. Was Holden getting ready to say I love you? What would I have said if he did? I shake my head, deciding to cross that bridge when the time comes.
Two minutes later, I get the text I need.
Holden
No living relatives.
I laugh, but it’s not one full of humor. “You lying motherfucker,” I growl, shoving my gun back in his face. “You think I wouldn’t check that?”
I see the moment Xander knows he’s done. I would kill him, or Viktor would for ratting him out. He bows his head. “Please take care of my son.”
“You don’t have any kids. No living relatives,” I repeat what Holden told me.
He shakes his head. “I’m not listed as his father. He’s in foster care.”
“Which one?” I ask.
“The one up the street from the garage,” he answers.
Ryder jerks Xander’s head back by his hair to snarl in his face. “You left your son in that shit hole?”