Inside Danger (Outside The Ropes Book 2), page 7
“That’s what we find out now. I think I know.”
I liked that he said we, it made me feel slightly stable in a very unstable situation.
“Does it have to do with Damien?” Maybe my meeting with Miguel had been a set up.
“Don’t think so. They knew about Anatoli’s place. I think is bad business.”
Rusnak could be involved in all sorts of things, there was a good chance this had nothing to do with me or Gage. But, there was a chance it did. I pulled back in my thoughts, not wanting to get a head of myself.
“How do we find out?”
He met my eyes for a frozen moment and then said, “We talk to Ollie first.”
The minute we turned into the warehouse district I knew we were going to that strip club. But I didn’t care. I was determined to do what I needed to do to find out what was going on.
We walked through the back door, down the familiar hallway that pulsed with music and smelled of alcohol and bodies. Demetri led the way, confident in where he was going. He entered into the room that I had first met Nick in.
Silas and Rusnak sat on the couch, and Gage sat on the chair opposite them. They were huddled around the low coffee table in front of them but sat up as we entered, their gaze shifting from Demetri to me.
“Dem, you brought the girl along?” Rusnak lifted his brow with a curious smile.
I couldn’t see Demetri’s face from my spot behind him, but he grunted and shook his head. “We had incident tonight.”
Silas closed the dark case they had on the table, zippering it up as he slid it beside him. But Gage kept his face blank as he leaned back in the chair, splitting his attention between us.
“Come sit, sweetheart.” Rusnak’s voice easily relit my fuse.
“Regan,” I reminded him between clenched teeth.
His smile spread as his eyes narrowed. “Right, Regan. Sit down.” He dropped his eyes to the spot beside him, but I stood still.
“Get her out of here. We’ve got business to discuss.” Gage spoke up, deep voice even and low.
“I don’t mind her staying.” Rusnak flashed a look at Gage and then rearranged his face for me, back to smiling, but his voice had an edge as he repeated, “Sit.”
“If she’s going to stay, the least she could do is take off her clothes, give us a little entertainment. What else is she good for?”
I snapped my head to Gage. “Fuck you.” My nerves were too raw from earlier events, my control nonexistent. I understood him having to ignore me, but he didn’t need to be cruel. This was crossing the line.
He cocked his head, lips gliding up into a dark smile. “Fuck me? I’ll be by your room for that tonight, sweetheart.”
It took a moment to register, a second for the words to ignite and explode in me. Then I was all reaction, all my tension from tonight erupting. I lunged towards him, pushing him with a quickness and force that must have surprised him. He caught himself before he toppled over in the chair and rose to his feet. He towered over me as he grabbed my hands to keep me from striking him.
Demetri pulled me away, putting me behind him as he demanded, “Stop.” He gripped my shoulders, making me meet his eyes before he continued, “You stop. We leave in moment.”
I nodded and took in a deep breath, not daring to look at anyone else.
Demetri dropped my shoulders and turned back to the group. “These men,” he laid three ID’s on the table, “had issue with us, but they can’t tell what was no more.”
They leaned forward and studied the ID’s on the table.
Silas tapped one ID. “That’s the man from the other night.”
Gage’s eyes popped up, meeting mine for a heartbreaking, fire igniting second before moving to Demetri. “Where are they?”
“In car. But their bikes need clean up.”
Rusnak stood up and walked Demetri to the door. “Call Billy, take her back, we’ll be there soon.”
He held the door open for us. As I passed by, he shot me a hard look and spoke with an even harder voice, “I’ll talk with you tomorrow.”
Demetri turned down the radio as we merged on to the highway. “Why you let him into your room?”
My simmering anger went flat at his words. “Who?”
“Lawson.”
I shook my head, unable to form words.
“I never let someone talk to me like that. You shouldn’t either.”
“I don’t. You saw that.” My shock was receding, uncovering my anger again.
“I saw you act like child.”
“I’m not exactly thinking things through right now, not after what happened.” I tried to defend.
“You did good earlier, when it mattered.” He inclined his head in recognition, but then gave me a disgusted look. “But you let him get to you. He had control.”
I breathed through my reply, still stuck on Demetri knowing about Gage and I, trying to work out how to ask about that.
“I would kill someone who talks to me like that.”
That snapped my attention back to him and what he was saying.
He laughed at my expression. “I’ve killed people for less.” It almost sounded like a question as he smirked my way.
“Are you joking?” I honestly couldn’t tell, but he was still laughing.
“What you think?”
I didn’t have a clue. But I decided I didn’t really want to know the answer so I shook my head, looking away. My clouded brain couldn’t think of a tactical way to ask, so I just came out with it. “How did you know Gage came into my room? Who knows?”
He shrugged his shoulder. “Everyone that wants to know, knows.” He tapped the corner of his eye, “It’s my job to know.”
After a moment of silence he added, “But nobody cares. I only mention because of how you acted tonight. I had thought you stronger is all.” He turned up the volume, ending our conversation.
***
I sat in my room, trapped in my own mind, working out what I should do next. I needed a plan.
The door opened, and I jumped to my feet, anger blazing at the sight of Gage. Before he could close the door behind him, I pointed to the hall. “Get out.”
He shook his head, but didn’t step further into the room. “You know I didn’t mean it.”
“I don’t care what you meant, you said it. And I’m done with this game you’re playing.” I crossed the room to him, shoving him out the door.
He gripped my shoulders, forcing me to stand still. “It’s not a game. You know that,” he whispered, determined.
I pulled away from him. “Whatever. It’s over. If it’s too dangerous for you to even treat me halfway decent in public, then it’s just too dangerous.” I was mocking him, speaking the words flippantly.
He tried to step back into the room but I closed the door, keeping us in the hallway. I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep up my strength alone in the room with him.
“Don’t” he breathed, stepping closer to me. “Don’t push me away. You need me.”
“Need you? You have my mind twisted more than anything else going on, and I can do something about that. I can’t be two different people and you made your choice tonight. So walk away now.”
“This is you lighting those fires you warned me about. Don’t do it.” He reached for me, his hand landing on my shoulder. “Lets—”
I shoved his hand away. “You lit this fire. I’m just cleaning up.”
Demetri’s door opened and he stepped out, pausing as he took in the scene. He cocked his head at me, a glint in his eye.
“Fuck off Demetri, this isn’t any of your business,” Gage broke the silence.
Demetri’s smile broadened as he nodded at me. “She is my business. I leave if she wants me to.”
Looking between the two of them, I stepped back to my door, hand on the knob. “We’re done talking.”
Gage met my eyes as he stepped back.
Then Demetri stepped in front of me, lifting his chin down the hall. “You go now, Lawson.”
Gage walked away without looking back, but my eyes followed him until he turned the corner to the stairs, dropping out of view.
Demetri nodded to me and then followed behind Gage.
I walked back to my room, empty, but relieved that I had finally dealt with the one thing I did have control over.
8: Signs Of Life
THE CHILLY MORNING AIR SMELLED OF THE rain that came during the night. Puddles spotted the driveway and reflected the bright sunshine. All I kept wondering was if the rain had washed away the blood from the wreckage. Guilt was heavy in my stomach, a brick that wouldn’t budge.
Demetri was as silent as ever as we walked to the car. He’d only spoke to order me to get ready, we had to go to the gym and he was driving me again.
As we drove down the road, I looked for signs of the accident. There were skid marks on the road and grass. Nothing else I could see as we passed by. But my mind was expanding, thinking about what might have happened after.
“Did everything go okay last night?” I asked.
Demetri tilted his head towards me with a frown. “Hm?”
“The cleanup.” I swept my hand, gesturing out the window.
“Yes, finished.” He kept his face forward, eyes on the road.
“Did you find out who they were?” I asked, patience slipping.
“None to do with you.”
I guess he no longer considered me part of it. I decided to drop it for now and move onto my other concern of the night.
“What about Damien? Was that done last night?” Icicles formed painfully in my body, keeping me rigid as I awaited his answer.
He pulled his eyes from the road to narrow them at me. “Why you think that done last night?”
I gulped, air stuck in my lungs as I realized I’d almost caught myself. It was Gage who told me he was going after Damien last night when he did his transaction for Rusnak.
“Well, since we found out Damien suspected something you said it might speed up.” I quickly tried to cover my tracks and shrugged like it was just an assumption.
“Ah, that.” He looked between the road and me a couple of times with narrowed eyes before settling back down. “No, that was not done. Not yet.”
My almost slip still had me jittery. Demetri might have known Gage and I had some type of relationship, but I didn’t want to reveal that it had been more than physical. So I kept my mouth shut on further questions.
***
My workout couldn’t touch the turmoil in my brain. And Silas’s anger wasn’t helping.
“Dammit Rea, focus. You have a fight in two weeks, but if you keep this up you’re not going to have any more.”
I tried to shut down everything else and strike his hand, and it almost worked. But I still wasn’t getting into my zone, and eventually Silas called off the training.
“Go finish up on the treadmill. Be ready for more tomorrow.” He started to walk away and then stopped. Stepping back towards me, he dropped his voice, “I shouldn’t need to remind you that this is important. Act like it.”
I didn’t even have the energy to argue with him. There was nothing I could say anyways. He was right, I had to do better.
***
“Where are we going?” At this point I felt less than human. I felt numb as I followed whatever agenda others had for me.
“Nick needs to talk to you.” Demetri had his sunglasses on now, making his flat tone even more unreadable.
“What about?”
“He’ll tell you.” Once he merged onto the main road, he turned up the radio, his way of ending our conversation.
***
We were back in Nick’s office in the club, it was much quieter in these morning hours.
“I’ll cut to the chase, ‘cause I don’t feel like wasting time.” Nick leaned forward on the sofa, forearms perched on his knees and tattoos showing under his rolled sleeves. His dark eyes focused on me and I tingled with anticipation.
“I don’t trust ya. You’ve done very little to earn it. And now we’ve learned that the police are closing in on Damien, putting pressure on him.” He raised his eyebrow at me, pausing for my reaction.
But I had no reaction. I couldn’t put two and two together.
I shrugged. “Okay.”
Demetri pushed himself off the wall he was leaning on and sat in the chair next to me.
“That’s what Damien knows, that’s what boy was warning you last night.”
I shook my head. “Why would cops questioning him make him think someone’s after him? He killed a person. The cops should be all over that.”
“As far as I can tell from talking to Rock,” Nick began, “he thinks someone’s running their mouth to the cops.”
My breathing was shallow. I could feel Nick’s accusation in his glare, but I didn’t know what it was.
“So,” I stretched it out, gathering my thoughts. “Does that mean it’s too risky? You’re calling it off.” I wasn’t sure how to feel about that, but something like excitement sparked in me.
Nick and Demetri traded glances and then Nick stared me down.
“No. It means you’re going to be watched even closer.” He leaned back with a sneer. “We checked into ya phone records and know ya been in contact with the police. Tell us about that conversation.”
I perched on the edge of the seat, ready to run at the first sign of movement. The already tense atmosphere collapsed into unbearable as what he was accusing me of sunk in.
“I only talked to a friend, a street cop, a nobody. I just wanted to see what he knew about my friend who was murdered.” I looked to Demetri, hoping he believed me. “You’ve had my phone this entire time. I haven’t contacted anyone. I wouldn’t.”
Demetri nodded to Nick. “True. I don’t think she’d set us up. What she say? She hired us to kill someone?” He shook his head. “She’s not devious.”
Nick and Demetri stared at each other for a moment, then Nick shifted back to me. “Fine. Maybe Demetri’s right. Maybe ya only talked to the cop before, but consider this a warning. We’ll know if ya contact the police. And I hate killing police officers, especially when they’re only involved because idiots don’t know how to keep their mouth shut.”
I gave a slight nod, acknowledging his words. Fear strangled me, fear for Anthony. He was another person I regretted ever knowing, because I don’t only hurt myself with my choices, I destroy everything and everyone I come in contact with.
“Ya can leave now,” Nick said, rising to his feet.
***
“Why didn’t you tell me what that was going to be about? You knew about the phone records didn’t you?” I questioned Demetri, my muscles shaking as my control slipped away.
Demetri scoffed, sliding his glasses from the top of his head to cover his eyes. “I don’t have to tell anything. That’s Nick’s conversation, not mine.”
I buckled my seat belt and sat back, trying to reign in my emotions, lock them away again.
He started the car and then turned to face me. “I told I believed you. I do. Don’t make me regret that.”
His words actually calmed me. Even if they were a halfway threat, they were also a halfway support.
“Gun range again?” he asked and I nodded. “After I have to go, more errands to run, unless you change your mind about going?” He smiled at me, and it looked out of place on his face.
“No. Not tonight.” I was beginning to think going on his errands might be a good opportunity to make money and cut ties sooner, but I needed sleep tonight. I had been getting very little since this man dragged me to this place.
***
Something woke me up a second before the door flew open, rebounding off the wall with the force.
I sat up, expecting to see Gage’s shadow in the doorframe, at first I thought it was. But before my eye could even adjust, rough hands yanked me from the bed, dragging me out the door.
Nick had my shoulder gripped by one of his large hands, pulling me down the hallway. My heart pounded, blood pulsing through me as I tried to stay on my feet and keep up with his pace. He hadn’t spoken, but I could hear the anger in his breathing and it fueled his movements and grip.
“What are you doing? Let go of me.” My voice caught up with the moment. I spoke loud, hoping Demetri would come out of his room.
He jerked me forward, knocking me off my feet but yanking me up by my arm in a burning grip as he pulled me down the hall. “Shut up,” he commanded.
I scrambled back to my feet as we reached the stairs. He didn’t care if I walked or was dragged, it didn’t slow him down.
The frigid night air hit my skin, my t-shirt and sweatpants did little to block out the cold. My bare feet burned. The rocky surface cut into my skin as he forced me over the fields to the barn that Demetri and I parked in the night before. The arm he gripped had lost all sensation as he jerked me around to make me keep up with his long strides.
My nerves fired and pulsed as he slid open the barn doors, never lessening his grip on me. The coppery sent of blood was the first thing to hit me, and then the ground as Nick tossed me down. My palms burned as they scraped the wood floor, catching myself. But the pain was quickly forgotten.
The world lost focus, the edges bleeding into darkness as I took in the sight in front of me. Laid on his back, shirt blood soaked, eyes wide open but empty, Demetri.
My hands moved over him, checking for signs of life, a pulse, breath, anything. But he was stiff, and cold, except the blood covering his shirt held warmth.
Tears burned my vision as I looked around for anything that might help. There had to be something.
Nick grabbed the back of my neck, forcing me to look at Demetri. “See what ya did? I want ya to see what talking does and what ya cost us.”
I couldn’t breathe. Shock, sadness, fear warred inside me, shattering any coherent thoughts. Nick continued to yell at me, shaking me as he pushed me closer to Demetri. Then, suddenly, he dropped me.
