Monster In The Shadows: A stand-alone dark romance, page 15
“Leave!” She raises her voice, but doesn’t shout.
She steps back into her house and goes to close the door. My balance may be fucked, but I’m still faster than her. I grab her wrist just as I hear a motorcycle pull up.
“Get your fucking hands off of her!” Sway yells.
I immediately drop her hand.
“Close the door and lock it. I’ll be back later,” he tells Leanne, his tone softer.
She nods and slams the door.
“I thought I told you not to let this fuck up your head!” he screams at me, his face going red.
“I’ve got it handled,” I scoff.
“This is you having a handle on things?” He clenches his fists, and the vein in his neck pulses.
“Whatever,” I state, walking to my car and driver.
This was a stupid idea. Clearly I’m not going to be able to see Paige right now.
Sway grabs my arm, stopping me. “You did this to yourself. So lie in this bed you made. But if you ever lay a hand on my girl again, I’ll chop it off.”
He moves to his bike and waits for me to get into my car.
What a fucking gong show this has turned into.
“Get up. We have shit to do,” Sway barks, throwing a glass of water on me.
“Fuck!” I yell, sitting up. My head is pounding. “What the fuck was that for?”
I wipe the water off my face and glare at Sway.
“For being a fucking tool. Do you remember me threatening to chop your hand off?”
I shake my head, then put my hand on it. Fuck, it hurts. How much did I drink last night? Everything’s kind of a blur, and I don’t remember much after I called for some more girls.
“What are you talking about?” I ask.
“You showed up at Leanne’s and you grabbed her wrist. You’re fucking lucky you didn’t leave a mark.”
Fuck. What the hell did I do that for? Scrubbing a hand over my face, I try to remember anything from last night, but it’s a complete blank.
I don’t do that. I don’t lose control. I don’t let myself get messed up like that.
“You don’t want to admit that you’re upset, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that you are. I honestly don’t care what you do about Paige, but I do care about a few things. Don’t ever go to Leanne’s house without my permission. And don’t let your head fuck with what we’re doing. We almost have our answers, and I won’t let you stop us. Are you capable of doing that? Or do you need to take a step back?”
I growl at him like a fucking animal. “I’m capable. You know that. Don’t question me.”
“I wouldn’t have to question you if you weren’t doing stupid shit. Get your head out of your ass. I’ll meet you in your kitchen in twenty. Take a fucking shower. You stink.”
He storms out of my room and slams the door. I take a few breaths before taking the glass that Sway left on my nightstand and throwing it against the wall.
How did I let Paige in like this? It will never happen again. She’s out of my life, and it’s for the best. Now, I need to pull myself together and get the answers we need.
“You got yourself under control?” Sway asks when I enter the kitchen.
I shake my head, not wanting to answer him. “First, coffee.”
I pour a large cup and take a sip, taking a moment to let the caffeine take its effect.
“I’m sorry for touching Leanne. I know better than to touch your girl,” I say after a couple minutes of silence. “I honestly can’t even remember anything from last night. I don’t do that. It won’t ever happen again.”
He nods at me. “I know, man. But I’m serious. We may just be fucking, but she’s still mine.”
“I get it. It won’t happen again.”
“So, how do you want to do this? We’ve been torturing him for three days and he hasn’t cracked yet.”
“I think he’s close. Kyle also got some information yesterday that will help us.”
“And that is?” Sway asks, raising an eyebrow.
“He has a son,” I say with a smirk, and pull up a picture of him on my phone.
“How does no one know this? And how did Kyle find out about it?”
“Marcus is always transferring money, and it’s almost impossible to figure what it’s for because it all goes into offshore accounts. He isn’t stupid. Most people don’t dig too much. They think it’s all just his shady shit. What they don’t know is that he sends money every month to a young woman. Turns out he knocked her up when she was eighteen. He sent her off and takes care of her and his son.”
Sway’s eyes go wide, and he smiles. “We found our ticket.”
“Yep. Kyle got me all the information about them. The mother listed the father as unknown on the birth certificate, but look at him. He looks just like Marcus.”
After a few cups of coffee, I nod at Sway.
“Let’s do this. I’m sorry I fucked up last night, but you’re right. I won’t let anything get in the way of us shutting this shit down.”
“Let’s get our answers,” Sway says, following behind me to the dungeon.
“Hello, Marcus,” I say after we enter his cell.
“I’m still not talking. Kill me. You’ll never get anything out of me.”
One of his eyes is completely swollen closed, and he’s having a hard time keeping his head up. He’s been harder to crack than most men. I respect that, but everyone has a breaking point.
“You know, we figured you might say something like that,” I say, pulling out my phone. “But I found out some very interesting information. Do you know who Jason Aguilar is?”
His eyes immediately give him away, and I can’t help but laugh.
“I’m surprised no one knew about this sooner, to be honest with you,” I tell him, smiling as the sweat drips down his face. “So, you are going to talk. Or we kill him and his mom.”
“Women and kids are off the table for you,” he says, his voice shaking.
“Every man has a moment where they have to change. This is mine. Who the fuck hired you?”
He spits at my feet, thinking that will cause a reaction, but it doesn’t.
“You have to the count of ten to start talking, or we’re done here. Oh, and don’t think we’re going to kill you. That wouldn’t be much fun. I want you to watch them die. The clock is ticking.”
He doesn’t say anything, so I start to count.
“One.”
Silence.
“Two.”
Silence, but his jaw ticks.
“Three.”
Silence.
“Four.”
Silence.
“Five. I’m not bluffing, Marcus.”
Silence.
“Six.”
Silence. He claws at the chair he is strapped to with the one hand that actually has fingers still attached to it.
Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he doesn’t care for this boy. Family doesn’t mean much to men like Marcus, but I thought I pegged him differently.
“Seven.”
Silence.
“Eight.”
Silence.
“Nine.”
Still nothing.
“I guess we have a kid to kill,” Sway says, grabbing for the door handle.
“Stop!” Marcus screams.
I turn my back to him and smile at Sway.
“Are you going to talk?” I ask Marcus, turning back to face him.
“It was Hector Ramone. He wanted Bellini dead for double-crossing him. I don’t know why they wanted you to kill him, but the directions were very specific. I didn’t know at first that he was the head of the sex trafficking ring, but when I found out, it was too little, too late.”
I slap him on his cheek a couple times and smile. “Good boy, Marcus. I knew you would do the right thing and talk.”
“Can I go now?” he asks.
Sway and I both laugh.
“You act like you don’t know how this goes. You aren’t making it out of this room alive, Marcus. But you aren’t dying today,” I tell him.
“Please, just don’t kill my son. He knows nothing about this life. He’s only three.”
I nod. “Your son is safe for now, but if I have more questions, you answer them.”
He nods quickly. “Anything. Just please spare his life.”
Sway and I walk out, not even having to lay a hand on him. Sometimes the best way to get your responses isn’t to hurt the people you are holding, but to hurt the people closest to them.
“Now what’s the plan? Are we going straight for Hector?” Sway asks when we get back to my kitchen.
“We take out his men one at a time. Get your brothers to help. Hector will figure out quickly that we know about him, but if we don’t take them all out, this will only start over again with someone else heading it. These groups are like Hydras. You chop the head off, but it just regenerates. We know who we’re dealing with. Now we just need to take them all out. Rip the guts out.”
“I know Hector runs the east side of town. He was mainly just meth. I don’t know when he got into selling women,” Sway answers honestly.
“I think we were compliant in our lives. We didn’t know because we didn’t need to know. It wasn’t affecting us until it was.”
“Why did he want you to take Bellini out if he knew that you’re against bringing women and children into this? If he’s running the whole thing, I would have thought you’d be his last pick.”
“My stance on women and children isn’t common knowledge. Only the people closest to me know that. When someone wants a woman or child dead, they usually do it themselves. It’s a personal thing. Hits are rarely hired against them, so it was easy to keep that to myself. I didn’t hide it, but it would be easy to not know it. He simply hired the best; I just wish I knew why he went through Marcus and didn’t come to me directly.”
That piece of the puzzle is still fucking with my head.
“Maybe he did know about your stance on women and children. If Marcus hadn’t spoken up, we never would have found real answers.”
I nod. “I guess we’ll have to ask him when my gun is down his throat. Get the boys together. This war starts soon.”
Sway nods and walks out.
Now I’m alone in my house. I used to love the quiet. Now it’s just making me want Paige more than ever.
But I can’t have her. Even though she wants me as much as I want her, she wants something I can’t give her. I can’t be the man she deserves, so I just have to let her go.
“I am sick of your fucking moping,” Leanne says, walking into her kitchen and grabbing the bottle of tequila.
“I really don’t feel like drinking,” I tell her, stretching and pulling up my fuzzy blanket.
“Well, the only way to liven you back up is to get you drunk, so I’m doing you a favor. Do you want to just do shots, or would you like a chaser?”
I know I’m not winning this argument.
“Bring me a chaser,” I mumble.
She giggles and hurries to grab some beer.
“Are you joining us?” Leanne asks Sway, shaking the bottle of tequila.
He shakes his head and chuckles. “You look like you’re going to be up to no good, so I’ll stay sober and keep your ass out of trouble.”
She presses her hand against her chest in mock disbelief. “Me, trouble? Never.”
I can’t help but laugh. “Your middle name is trouble.”
Leanne nods and takes the lid off the tequila.
“I broke my shot glasses, so just take a good chug,” she tells me, bringing the bottle to her lips.
I wince for her, but she looks like she just took a gulp of water.
“Here’s your chaser,” she says, handing me the beer and the tequila.
“To forgetting assholes,” I salute her, bringing the tequila to my lips and taking a healthy chug.
I shudder from the burn and quickly drink some beer. Not the best chaser, but it works.
“I want to do your hair and makeup,” Leanne says, jumping up and down.
“No. I don’t want to go out.”
“We don’t have to go out, but I know I always feel better when my hair and makeup is done.”
“Why did I interrupt girls’ night again?” Sway asks.
Leanne and I both giggle.
“Because you like to stare at my ass,” she tells him.
Sway bites his lip and nods. “Definitely one of the perks of being over here. Are you guys going to get drunk and make out? Because I’m all for women exploring their sexual desires. And if you want a dick to get involved, I will be happy to be of service.”
I laugh and remember the one time we did make out. Both of us got weirded out by it.
“Sorry to disappoint you, but been there, done that, not happening again,” I say.
The look on his face is priceless.
Leanne runs off to get her makeup, and I’m left alone with Sway.
“Are you ever going back to him?” he asks.
I feel a pang in my chest. “No. He likes to use people, and I won’t be a pawn in his game. I’m starting to think I was never in real danger, and when I was, it was all because of him. If he leaves me alone, I’ll be safe. Was the rock thrown into my window even real, or was it Donovan’s sick way of getting me to move in with him?”
Sway doesn’t say anything, but his silence speaks volume.
A rush of anger runs through my veins. I’ve been putting the pieces together for a couple of days. I just want to forget all things Donovan, but he consumes all my thoughts. A part of me wants to understand why he did what he did and forgive him, but how is that even possible?
“Okay, I’m thinking dark and sexy. And I’m going to style your hair in big waves,” Leanne says, spreading all her stuff out on the couch beside me.
Before she starts, I take another big chug of tequila. Maybe I can get drunk and forget the shit show that has been my life this year.
“You know what? Let’s go out!” I shout after one too many tequila shots.
“Fuck yeah. I have the perfect outfit for you,” Leanne says, pulling me into her room to change.
She puts me in a low-cut crop top with a jeweled overlay and a short flowy skirt. The black looks amazing against my skin. I look like fire.
“Oh, my God. You look hot. Let’s get you fucked tonight!” Leanne shouts.
I giggle. “I’m so ready to lose this V-card. What good has it done me? Men are pieces of shit, but I can use them just as good as they can use me.”
“That’s the way to think!” she shouts, and changes into a red dress that makes her blonde hair look amazing. “Let’s go find you a big dick!”
Sway follows behind us, mumbling something about this being a bad idea. Leanne already ordered an Uber, which is waiting for us, and we jump in, snuggling together in the back seat.
“Why don’t you wear those gorgeous earrings anymore?” Leanne asks.
I almost spill that they were trackers, but catch myself.
“Because I don’t want any memories of that asshole.”
“Preach, sister,” the Uber driver says, and I high-five her.
“Stay close, please,” Sway says when we exit the car and make our way to the line outside the club.
“Oh, my God! I know the bouncer!” Leanne yells, running to the front of the line.
“Is she always this crazy when she’s drunk?” Sway asks.
I nod.
“Come on, let’s go!” Leanne yells at us, and we walk past the angry partygoers.
“You didn’t show him your tits, did you?” Sway asks Leanne, who laughs and gives him a sloppy kiss.
“Nah, baby. Those are all yours right now. Want a sample?”
He shakes his head. “You are fucking trouble.”
He smashes his mouth to hers and I wander off to the dance floor. I’m moving my hips to the music, letting the beat guide me.
“Mind if I join you?” a very tall and well-built guy asks, placing his hands on my hips.
“Think you can keep up?” I ask boldly.
“Oh, I know I can.”
He pulls me to him, and I know I should be turned on. He’s hot, and before Donovan, I would have been all over him.
Why did that man have to fuck my head up?
I still want to lose my virginity, and maybe fucking this guy will get Donovan off my brain. I can do this.
“I want you,” I say into his ear, so he hears me.
“Let’s get out of here, then.”
“I have to tell my friend first,” I tell him, looking for Leanne.
As soon as I see her, I run over and give her a hug.
“I’m leaving with him. Goodbye, V-card.”
“Get it, but be safe! Text me your location as soon as you get there.”
Sway grabs my arm. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Paige. You’re very drunk.”
Leanne swats at his hand. “Let her have fun. I’ve done way worse.”
He glares at her, and she shrugs.
“I promise I’m not a bad guy,” the man says, pulling me to him.
“That’s what they all say,” Sway growls.
“Why don’t you come back to my place?” I say to the guy, whose name I’ve just realized I don’t know.
“I’m down for that,” he says, kissing me hard.
It feels nothing like when Donovan kisses me. It’s nice, but it’s too sweet. It’s not dominating and all-consuming. It doesn’t make me forget about everything and everyone else. It just makes me want the man I can never have.
“There you go. You know where I’ll be,” I say to Sway.
I start to leave, but as soon as I turn, I run into a brick wall of a man.
“Don’t you know how to watch where you’re going?!” I yell, but freeze when my eyes meet Donovan’s. “You have got to be kidding me.”
Sexy stranger pulls me into him.
“Do we have a problem here, babe?” he asks, and I know he’s sizing Donovan up.
“Who the fuck are you?” Donovan asks between his teeth.
“Name’s David. And you are?”
“She’s mine,” Donovan says, grabbing my hand.
Jolts of electricity shoot through me, and I’m instantly turned on. Why is he the only one who does that to me?
