Chapter 14 #2
“Fuck the formula,” Cash shouts, and punches him harder than the first time. The sound of his fist meeting Samuel’s face has me shrieking. They don’t even look in our direction as Erick tries to calm me down. “He took Joseph instead,” he grits through his clenched jaw. “And my woman.”
Samuel jerks his head up, his eye already swelling. “I-I’m sorry.”
“You’re gonna fucking be by the time I’m done with you,” Cash snarls, grabbing the front of his shirt and yanking him closer to his face. “How do you contact him?”
“He always contacted me,” he stammers. “The last couple of times he called me from the same number. Maybe he’s still using it.”
“Give me your phone,” Cash tells him, and Samuel hesitates. “Now!”
Samuel fumbles around as he pulls his phone out of his pocket.
Cash rips it from his hand, and lets go of him, shoving Samuel to the floor in the process.
He punches some buttons, and the sound of ringing fills the room.
Erick puts his finger to his lips. Like I’m stupid enough to say anything right now.
Cash resembles a wild man. I do not want to get on his bad side, not when his sexy enforcer is here to help him.
Jesus, I’d hate to see what he would’ve done to him if Erick and I weren’t here.
“Samuel,” Phil’s voice comes through the speaker none too friendly. “What can I help you with?”
Cash grips the phone to the point of crushing it. “You can start with giving me back what’s mine.”
Laughter erupts on the other end of the line. It’s the most disturbing thing I’ve ever heard, and it sends chills through my body. It takes everything I have to keep my mouth shut and not scream at him to let me talk to Hazel. I bite my tongue and say a silent prayer for my best friend and Joseph.
“Ah, Cash,” Phil chuckles. “That was real funny. I’ve only taken back what you stole from me.
Don’t think I didn’t see your little love bites.
As for Joseph, he seems to be enjoying his little shtick.
Your precious Snap will be a bit different, though.
Guess we will find out whose the public will like best, huh? ”
“I want to meet,” Cash growls into the phone.
“I bet you do,” Phil growls back. “I’ll be in touch.”
“Wait,” Cash shouts, but the line goes dead. “Fuck!”
His furious bellow makes my body shake in fright.
Cash grabs Samuel by the arm and drags him to the bathroom, where he shoves him inside and slams the door shut.
The door knob squeaks under the force with which he grips it.
After a few seconds, he releases it and runs his shaking, bleeding hand down his face.
I’m not sure if it’s his blood or Samuel’s.
He sits down on the couch and finally looks over at where Erick and I are wedged in the corner of the room, staring at him in shock.
“Sit down you two. I’m sorry you had to see that,” he states tiredly.
Erick doesn’t move, just watches the two men in the living room. I don’t blame him. The entire situation is fucked up. There’s a drug dealer sitting in Hazel’s apartment, and we don’t know what he plans on doing with us. I’m fucking petrified and assume Erick is too.
“Where’s the beer?”
I tear my gaze away from Cash and stare at the other man, perplexed. He has nothing to say after all that except, “Where’s the beer?” Who the fuck is this guy, and does he have a heart at all?
“It’s in the fridge, Dale.”
Dale? Not a name I was expecting. Dale strolls into the kitchen and pulls one out of the fridge, twisting the cap open.
Tilting his head back, he takes several pulls off the bottle, drinking half of it.
I’m so sickened and intrigued by him that I can’t look away.
When he brings his arm down, he catches me staring at him from behind Erick and winks at me.
My eyes widen, and his lips spread over his face in a cocky grin before turning away. Bastard.
“Please, sit down,” Cash says again.
Erick edges away from the couch toward the door, pulling me with him. His attention never leaves Dale, who leans against the counter playing with his phone. Cash stares up at the ceiling in deep thought. It’s as though his world is crumbling around him, and he’s suffocating on the destruction.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to stay here.”
Cash and Dale eye Erick with the same look. They must spend a lot of time together to have similar mannerisms.
“It may not be safe for you to leave,” Cash says.
“Are you kidding?” Erick shouts, “It’s not safe here! You guys are in the middle of a war and dragging all of us into it!”
Dale puts away his phone and rounds the bar. He stops within a few feet from us, leans back, and crosses his arms in an intimidating fashion. Erick pulls me tighter against him.
“If you want to leave, the door is right there. I’m not holding you hostage.” Cash sighs and stands up, coming toward us. “But you keep your mouth shut and let us do what we have to do to get Hazel and Joseph out alive.”
Erick glances between the two men, questioning the validity of Cash’s statement. When he’s satisfied that Cash is telling the truth, he nods and says, “You have my word.”
He takes my hand and begins pulling me toward the door.
I don’t want any part of this shit either, but I’m not leaving until I know Hazel is safe.
I’m not sure what Cash’s intentions are, but I know one thing.
He won’t stop until Hazel and Joseph are found, which is more than the cops are doing at the moment.
I pull back on Erick’s grip, bringing him to a halt.
The torment etched on his face angers me and breaks my heart at the same time.
I know he just wants to keep me safe, but it’s not his call to make.
Erick’s fingers tighten around my wrist in an attempt to sway me.
“I’m staying.” I try once again to pull away, but it’s no use.
“Cady—”
“Let. Her. Go.”
My head whips around to the quiet command, and Dale is standing a mere foot from us.
His face is void of any emotion as he threateningly stares at Erick.
How did he move so fast? Not wanting Erick to get hurt, I turn to him and place my free hand on his cheek.
He nervously breaks eye contact with Dale and looks at me.
“I can’t leave until I know Hazel is safe.” I take a deep breath and speak with as much confidence as I can muster, but I’m pretty sure he can hear my uncertainty. “I’ll be safe here.”
His fingers loosen, and then he shakes his head as he releases me. Erick leans toward me and Dale twitches, as if he’s ready to strike him. He kisses me, but never takes his eyes off Dale.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Erick says, and then turns and storms out the door.
I’ve never seen him act that way. Then again, we’ve not been together long and have already dealt with more shit than most couples ever will.
Panic sets in as I realize what I just did.
I pushed away the only person I know is on my side to aid two criminals, who would probably have no qualm with ending my life.
Cautiously, I turn toward them. Dale has returned to his previous position at the bar, and Cash is sitting back down on the couch.
Both act as nonthreatening as possible, but it’s hard not to picture the scene that took place in this very spot just minutes before.
Cash pats the couch in a friendly gesture, inviting me to sit and relax.
“Say that you can kill Phil,” I say weakly. Cash turns his head, and his expression softens. “What do you plan to do next? What happens to us?”
Cash’s brows pull together, and he exchanges a confused glance with Dale. “Nothing. You go back to living your lives without Phil.”
“You’re gonna let us live?”
Cash sits up and turns toward me. “Of course, we are. Do you think we plan to kill you?”
I can honestly say that I don’t know. They stare at me waiting for my response.
“I’m not sure about anything anymore,” I whisper and turn away, fearful of what I will see in their eyes.
“I’m not a fucking monster, Cady.”
I latch onto Cash’s compassionate gaze that was just filled with a hatred I’ve only seen matched in Phil’s.
“I don’t know what you are, Cash.”