I can learn a lot from these women.
I’m in good hands.
It didn’t take us long to organize a deal with the underground operators, The Rasino Brothers. Our reputation proving to be useful once again. They wanted their cash plus interest, agreeing if they handed over Kyle today. Gambling for months, with amounts he doesn’t have, he’s lived and borrowed on our name. The idiot owed seventy-five large ones. How the fuck he thought he would be able to pay it or gamble his way out was insane?
Kyle is addicted and disillusioned.
Reckless and carefree.
He is sick.
The money is a major problem, but more than that, the favor given to us could be a bigger issue. If others get wind of it, every man and his dog will exploit this.
“How did he think he could repay this?” Shaking my head, I say what’s running through my mind, my body rigid with anger flowing through it.
No one answers. Because there is no realistic answer.
“We should have done more than warn him earlier.” Drawing in a breath of smoke, I hold it in, contemplating our decision to only talk to him previously about his addiction and not showing him what others will do to him if he doesn’t repay on time.
“Emerald spoke to him. I took him aside too. Clearly, he has a problem. This time we will make the expectations crystal clear.” Slate’s pissed. When we speak, most people listen. Except Kyle believes he has some kind of immunity from this.
He’s the brother-in-law.
Expecting us to carry him.
He’d better work out fast this means nothing, when he’s risking his family’s lives.
“Kyle needs to be in a rehab facility,” Caden speaks as Slate drives us to retrieve him.
“He fucking needs to leave this state. Get far away from us as possible.” Tanner will never see Kyle as Emerald’s brother but a threat to Crystal and his relationship. “He will end up bringing heat to us that we don’t need or want.”
“He’s my soon-to-be brother-in-law. Emerald is organizing rehab for him but can’t get him in for a week. The place is full that she decided on. We all need to keep a watchful eye on him.”
“I won’t be his babysitter.” Tanner’s loud voice reverberates around the Plymouth Barracuda, his jaw ticcing a million miles an hour.
Pulling up outside an upscale building, we scope out the surroundings from the car before we progress to the front. Tanner stays back at the car watching for any problems, happy to be away from Kyle for as long as possible.
Slate pushes the button, all of us on high alert, my hands ready to grab the gun at my waist. The intercom wakes up.
“These are the details for transfer…”
Caden punches the buttons on his phone and hits transfer. “Done.”
“We’ll release him once it appears.”
Scanning the buildings and cars close by, nothing’s out of the ordinary, the street occupied with a few people going about their daily business.
Static interrupts the quiet.
“Slate… keep him away from our places. We won’t be as forgiving next time.” There’s a click and the door unlatches. Kyle is pushed through the opening, his clothes disheveled, face puffy and bruising around his eyes.
Walking back to the car, silence surrounds us which lasts until we’re halfway back to the apartment.
“Emerald’s booked you into a rehab clinic in a week. Until then, you’ll stay with us. Your sister’s already got a bedroom sorted for you.”
“I don’t need fucking babysat.” Kyle’s aggressive and his body tightens against the belt.
“Shut the fuck up. Your sister has been crying most of the morning thinking you were going to be killed, you selfish prick. This is happening.”
Tanner grunts from the front seat, restraining himself from knocking Kyle into next week. “You dick, we’ve got families to protect and you’re gambling like you’re a king. And you have nothing.” Fisting his hands, Tanner’s knuckles are white. “What the fuck did you expect would happen if Slate didn’t bail you out?”
Kyle barks, “I’m good for the money. There was a deal made. Those fucking sharks blindsided me with their interest terms.”
“Those sharks are underworld dealers who have messed you up the tiniest bit so far. The pain you felt strike through you when you were punched is nothing. It would be like a splinter piercing your skin compared to what is next on their list. They will kill every living relative of yours in front of you. You’ll be tied up, drugged or worse, unable to lift a finger to help them.” Kyle’s understanding of the world he is playing in is zero. He has no fucking clue. “You will hear their screams, their pleadings, their gasping breaths and see the blood spilling from their wounds. Silence won’t come fast enough, but it’ll be too fast when they are dead in front of you, because of you. Then if you’re lucky, they will put a bullet through your brain and end it quickly. I’d say though, they will tear you limb from limb, dissect your internal organs all while you writhe in pain. Leaving you to bleed out.” My head pounds and my teeth grind. I’m close to punching this idiot myself.
His chin lifts. “No one would dare do that to me or you guys.” Licking his lips, Kyle continues. “You’re The Savage Shadows, brutal, precise, and Kings of the Underworld in LA.”
Caden slaps his head with his hand. “You don’t see it, do you? We are worse than anyone can imagine. All of our lethal skill sets differing but together are ruthless when it’s necessary. It’s taken years to be here and it’s a very thin thread between staying on top and burning at the bottom. We keep that balance for many of the syndicates in LA, that’s why we are where we are. Your actions could send all our families crashing to the ground. Know one thing, none of us are going to sit by and let that happen.”
Dropping his eyes to his fists in his lap, Kyle whispers, “I’ll stay with you guys, but I need to go to work and rehab won’t be happening.”
“You selfish bastard.” Slate bangs his fists on the steering wheel, Kyle jumps. “It’s not a negotiation. This is how it is. The conditions are: you don’t gamble, you don’t message anyone to help you gamble, you don’t leave one of our sights, your phone already has been destroyed and we will issue you with a new one after rehab. You can go to work with Emerald, but you step a foot wrong, we won’t be able to save you again. This is a one-off opportunity. Second chances aren’t on offer. Do what we say, and you will stay alive.”
Simple rules.
Ones that are to be followed.
I hope for everyone’s sake, Kyle listens and complies.
Some days are fucking crap.
Today is one of those days and at present, it’s not getting any better.
Leaving my secluded cabin, instead of huddled inside with a girl I fantasized about my entire adolescent life, I was called to save a whiny, selfish prick’s ass and that was only the beginning.
An anger rivaling an eruption of Kilauea Volcano tore through my core. Restraining myself, watching Phoebe being assaulted by her disgusting brother was excruciating. Holding her, quite willingly ready to snap her neck, then kicking her body limp on the ground, red lined my vision. This piece of shit needs to be stopped. He’d got a lucky blow in, crashing me into the glass mirror because I’d focused on her sweet body convulsing on the ground. I promise, I won’t let that happen again.