Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
Decker
I had been a real bastard to Regina. In fact, from the wariness in her eyes, she didn’t trust me, and that was something I never wanted to see on my girl’s face.
But I couldn’t help it. Whatever she was hiding was the big reason why she had fled Elida and cut off all communication with us.
It had been years since we’d been together, and her silence felt like a betrayal.
Raking my fingers along my scalp, I realized I was no better than her.
I had never reached out to either of them, because I was so far up my own ass with problems that I had solely focused solely on myself.
“Jesus, Jeromy. How did I get myself into this shit?” I stared up at the stars, wished he heard me.
Damn. This was the first time since his death that I’d said my ex’s name out loud. And it hurt. Genuinely pained me to the point that the initials I’d long-ago carved into my skin, on the inner part of my arm, ached.
I rubbed my fingers over the raised scarring and cursed. Needing to get out of my head, I started running. And since I hadn’t fully cleaned up the cabin where those two hitmen had been hiding out, I headed back there to finish the job.
Relieved to find the dwelling dark and quiet, I gathered what little food and supplies they had brought with them. Since a fire was out of the question, and I didn’t want to dig another hole, I decided to take everything back with me.
Once I knew no traces of either man remained, I climbed onto the ATV and started the engine.
Right as I pulled up to Merrick’s home, my cell phone buzzed with a text message. I glanced at the screen and it was Sabrina.
“It’s been a week. Give me good news,” I said, while glancing at the upper windows, and wondered what Krew and Regina were doing without me.
“I have some—and some that’s not so good.”
“Just lay it on me.” I dropped into the wicker chair on the porch, tipped my head back and stared up at the dark sky, which was littered with millions of stars.
“I had to do a deep dive on this shit. Eventually, I traced the original contract you completed,” she said with some dread. The clacking of keys stopped and the silence had me on the edge.
“You found out who took the hit out on Maxwell?” I asked, keeping my voice low tone, in case Krew or Regina was sleeping.
“Not a who, but a what.”
“Sabrina,” I growled, dragging out her name in warning.
“It’s not one person, it’s a group called the Agonas Associates,” she explained quickly.
“Never heard of them,” I admitted, while glancing around the area, staying alert for movements. Two killers had already camped out this close to us. I wouldn’t be surprised if more showed up.
“It’s a syndicate that runs the underground fight circuit in the Midwest, but the powers that be want to branch out toward the East Coast. No one knows who is involved—or who gives the orders. The group keeps a low profile, while their low-level scumbags do all the work.”
“Low-level. Meaning, Kane Maxwell?”
“Yes. And Jess Duncan.”
“Okay. If they took out the hit for Maxwell, then I’m assuming they did the same for Duncan and Maya.”
“Yes,” she said.
“Then how do we contact them to clear the shit up for Krew and Regi? We need to make sure the hitmen are focused on Jess and Maya.”
Sabrina chortled. “Dude, you’re not understanding the words coming out of my mouth…
Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. But truth, you’re not understanding me.
You can’t just call these people up. They are like ghosts in the network.
I told you no one knows who’s a part of the organization, or how many pieces are on that chess board.
I wouldn’t even know where or who to ask—and even if I did, I wouldn’t ask it. Not without repercussions.”
“Fucking Christ, Sabrina. I thought you’re on my side.”
“I am. Calm your damn jets, bossman. I didn’t say I was giving up.”
“Then how do we clear this shit up?”
“First, I went as far as to cover the trail you three left. Then, I need total clarity. I’m putting feelers out in the dark web about the confusion with these contracts.
But I’m telling you, Decker, this group isn’t going to give a crap if your Krew or Regi get dead over a mishap of names.
All they want is to eliminate Jess and Maya. Everyone else is collateral damage.”
“I get it about Jess. And I need to ask this, but why Maya?” Normally, I wouldn’t give a fuck about that bitch. Except, my instincts were warning me that she was far more involved than what the surface showed.
“Through the dark grapevine and a bit of hacking, I found out that Kane Maxwell was in deep with the Agonas Associates, working small bouts here and there. However, about three years ago Kane and that Jess guy became partners, and started a low-level fight ring in Chicago. Agonas heard about it, wanted in and started supplying the money and secure locations, and all Maxwell and Jess Duncan had to do was fill the rosters with fighters.”
“They wanted a cut of the profits.”
“Yes. And Kane and Jess got a much smaller cut than what they wanted.”
“I see where this is going,” I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck.
“I’m guessing that Maxwell and Duncan weren’t satisfied with their portion and so they started skimming larger chunks of cash off the top to add to the percentage they were supposed to take. And guess who was keeping the extra for the boys?”
“Maya,” I hissed her name like it was poison on my tongue.
“Right again. But somehow Agonas found out about the money and took the hits out,” Sabrina said with a hint of excitement.
In the two years I’d been working with Sabrina, I’d discovered that she had a strange fascination with chaos. In that respect, being a handler in this business of murder was a perfect fit for her.
“Maya is a bigger player than just being their bank,” I said, and something settled in my gut. Resolve? I wasn’t sure. “How are we going to rectify this? Contact them?”
“These people are powerful. They aren’t going to listen to you. They aren’t going to care.”
My anger rose, flooding my veins with venom. “I’m not going to accept that excuse.”
“Trust me, this is out of our hands,” Sabrina argued.
“Then I’m going after Maya and Jess and I’ll put an end to this shit once and for all.”
“There’s more, and you’re not going to like it,” she warned.
I closed my eyes and sucked in a breath, preparing myself for the news. “What is it?”
“As of yesterday, someone took out two more contracts. One for Regina K. Morton and the other is for Krew Matthew Gatlin.”
“Motherfuckers—There’s four contracts now—who did it?”
“Sorry bossman, the only person who has their hands in everything is none other than Maya Darvy.”
Rage exploded in my mind like an atomic blast. Even though I had always thought she was a jealous, manipulative cunt, I never thought Maya had the brains or the balls to do something so devious.
She took out a hit on her best friend. Why?
Did she do it to save her own ass, or was there more?
And why did she want to take Krew out? None of it made sense.
Again, it didn’t matter. She’d get hers, from my bullet.
“Hey, are you still there?”
“Yeah,” I growled out. “I want you?—”
“Already called shot on the contracts. But I swear I’m going to track that Maya bitch down.”
“Call me back as soon as you find her location—and that Jess.” I hung up and blew out a frustrated breath. The deeper this shit went, the farther down the black hole we three were falling.
Now the big question. Should I tell Regina and Krew about the new contracts and who took the hits out? Or let them be oblivious until after I tracked down Maya and Jess and eliminated those two?
I entered the house and noticed that the half-eaten plates of food were still on the table.
As I picked up the dishes, I heard Krew’s name screamed out in ecstasy.
Every cell in my body was telling me to go up and join them.
Instead, I dropped my chin and clamped my eyes shut, as pain lanced through my heart.
I couldn’t fault Krew and Regina for being together.
Maybe it was for the best. Regina hated me—she certainly didn’t trust me. And without trust, we had nothing. The three of us had nothing. But her and Krew? They fit. Not like me. I was too fractured to be whole for them. Too much darkness overshadowed the person I once was.
I stood there as quiet descended on the space. No wind gusts, not even the typical creaks and groans of the house, reverberated against my eardrum. It was eerily silent. The night made me think—hard and long on what I truly wanted out of my life. Merrick did it. Could I have the same happiness?
Could I have both Krew and Regina? Make a life with them, like I had tried with Jeromy? He would want me to—try—at least.
A tear trailed down my cheek and I quickly wiped the existence away with the back of my hand.
Broken or not, right then, I made a decision. I was keeping Krew and Regina forever… If they’d have me.
Since going upstairs to bed was a no-go, I went to the sofa, and crammed my body onto it. No doubt, it was going to be a long night. At least it was better than sleeping in the truck.