CHAPTER ELEVEN
– FIERO –
My anger still hasn’t subdued as I stare out of the window, looking down at the students who are leaving the building. They are all caught up in their own activities. Talking to others, rushing off alone, and completely oblivious to possible predators passing by.
I might be one of them, staring down at them and seeing possibilities to make a business thrive.
Yet, running into Cillian on my fucking territory was a confrontation I wasn’t prepared for.
Insane because I’m always ready for anything thrown at my feet.
Okay, I could hardly slice his throat in front of all the students surrounding us, but still.
“Boss,” Floris grunts as he steps inside my office without knocking. “We have a problem.”
“Now what?” I grumble and turn to face him.
I might sound annoyed, however I do welcome the distraction. I might not know what it is, but anything is better than thinking about the woman who I’ve been trying to get out of my head ever since I pulled my cock out of her willing body.
My brother sighs. “When we escorted Cillian off campus earlier, I made one of our guys shadow the woman’s apartment building.”
I nod in appreciation, and dammit, I should have done that. “Thank you.”
Floris rubs the back of his neck. “Don’t thank me yet...Cillian just showed up.”
“Fuck,” I grunt.
My blood turns to ice and I jump into a run.
My brother is out of the building first and gets behind the wheel.
I should have known he wouldn’t heed my warning.
As always, the fucker wants to finish what he started.
Shame I can’t commit plain murder if I don’t have a solid plan to cover it up or have enough evidence to justify my actions.
Floris hits a few buttons on his steering wheel. “Is that fucker still there?”
A voice flows through the speaker system. “Two men who arrived in another car at the same time as Cillian just went inside the building.”
“We’ll be there in two minutes,” Floris states.
“Make sure Quinn doesn’t leave with them,” I order.
The guy mutters a curse. “Cillian is coming out of the building. He’s alone and getting into his car. What shall I do?”
Floris turns to me and it sucks we’re not there yet.
I know exactly where Cillian lives and what properties he owns, that’s why I order, “The girl. Stay with the girl, she’s important.”
Keeping my distance isn’t an option anymore. I either protect her, or lock Cillian up until I have a plan to get rid of him for good.
“You guys better get here soon. They are carrying a rolled-up rug or something. Fuck.”
The voice over the speakers falls silent and when we round the corner and see the entrance of the building we know why.
“If there’s a fucking body in there, I’m going to hunt the fucker down right fucking now and rip his head off and piss in his eyes.”
Floris stays silent when I jump out as soon as the car has come to a stop. I come up behind the two men who have placed the rolled rug on the sidewalk to open the trunk.
“You two are going in there your-fucking-self,” I order and punch the first one in the face and the second one gets an elbow in the eye.
My brother is right behind me, taking one of the guys and grabbing his hair to knee him in the face. I punch the other guy two more times and he goes down onto the pavement.
“Here.” Floris hands me a zip tie.
We bind their wrists and ankles and shove them into the trunk.
Turning to the rug, I grab the knife from my buckle and cut through the rope holding it together.
It rolls open and Quinn’s body flops lifeless into the open air.
Her color seems normal and when I touch her she feels warm.
Checking her pulse, I’m relieved to still find her alive and breathing.
“Put her in our car,” I order. “I’m going to check her apartment and put the rug back.”
Rolling the rug, I throw it over my shoulder and go up to her apartment.
The door is still open and there are two suitcases in the middle of the room.
When I place the rug back and check her bedroom, I notice all the clothes are gone.
They were going to take her and all her belongings.
Gritting my teeth, I turn around and stride out the door with Quinn’s belongings.
Once I’m back at the car, I order Floris, “You take their car and stash them at the warehouse. I’m going to have a little chat with them once I have Quinn checked and am sure she’s okay.”
“Call me when you’re ready,” Floris states and gets behind the wheel.
I check the backseat and notice Quinn is still passed out.
Taking my phone, I get in the car and send a message to a doctor I have on a retainer.
Driving home, I keep checking the rearview mirror to make sure she’s okay.
They must have given her something to knock her out.
When I arrive at my home Buck is waiting in front of the mansion along with the doctor.
Bringing the car to a stop, I jump out and carefully scoop Quinn out of the backseat. “I think they sedated her. They had her rolled up in a rug to cover up the fact that they were dragging a body out of an apartment building.”
“Where should I put her?” I ask the doctor.
“A bed would be best,” the old man states.
Walking down the hall, I stop at the first guestroom. Buck opens the door for me, and I stride to the bed to carefully place her on it. The doctor opens his bag and starts to check her vitals.
“Give her the full rundown. Bloodwork, everything,” I tell him. “Come find me in the kitchen once you’re done.” I snap my fingers at Buck. “You, outside and guard her room.”
He follows me out and once the door falls shut behind us Buck asks, “Why guard her room when no one is here?”
I glare at the idiot while I state, “Because when the doc is done and leaves, she might wake the fuck up and wander off.”
Buck nods. “Gotcha. Sorry, boss.”
Not wasting another word, I head for the kitchen to make myself a cup of coffee. I have a feeling it’s going to be a long night. Not only because of Quinn, but I’m also itching to have a little talk with the two fuckers who knocked her out and rolled her into a damn rug.
They were following Cillian’s order, and yet I couldn’t give two fucks. That woman hadn’t hurt a fly and is only sucked into shit from others. Which reminds me, I’m sure the debt Quinn’s father had with Cillian was paid in full.
Especially since I’m the one who gave him the fucking money. So, why is Cillian still after Quinn when her family doesn’t owe him shit? I guess another chat with Andrew Caldwell is in order. Taking my phone in hand, I shoot Floris a message about Andrew.
I’m on my second cup of coffee when the doctor walks into the kitchen. “She’s still unconscious. I found a puncture wound, and I’m sure they gave her something to subdue her.”
“The blood results will show what they used on her?” I question.
The doctor shrugs. “It might. For now, her vitals are stable. I will keep an eye on her after I’ve sent the bloodwork to the lab to make sure she’s fine when she finally wakes up.”
“Thanks,” I rumble.
“What shall I tell her once she awakes?”
I glare at the idiot. “Is it your job to open your mouth and talk to my guest?”
“No, sir.” He bows his head and slinks away.
Another cup of coffee has me climbing the walls. Grabbing my phone, I call Buck and order him to keep Quinn inside her room. I also make sure he knows to throw the doctor out as soon as she’s conscious and physically okay. Once that’s handled, I get in my car and head for the warehouse.
A million things are running through my mind, and by the time I park in front of the warehouse I’m seething.
For decades I’ve followed rules and respected others, along with laws and shit.
Everything about this bullshit Quinn is wrapped in has caused me to turn my back on what I value and respect to get some old-fashioned vigilante justice.
Screw Cillian. It’s time for him to die.
There is no justification for his actions, taking Quinn in broad daylight, having her drugged with fuck knows what, and wrapped in a damn rug.
She can’t rely on her father, even if I cleared the path for that asshole.
Her brother is dead which leaves her with no one to have her back.
Quinn would say she still has her roommate, but then again, I took all Quinn’s belongings with me. So, all Aubrielle will find is an empty apartment. She will think Quinn has left to go back home, or at least...I will make sure she will assume this little white lie.
Because the turmoil of emotions flowing through me these past few hours are enough to make me come to one decision; Quinn is mine to possess. And soon everyone will know anyone who so much as touches her will face my wrath.