“Why would I do that? You’re doing such a nice job at it,” Damon says to Ian while pouring another drink.
“What’s your end game, what do you want from me?” Ian asks him looking around the room, pulling at his shirt collar.
Damon leans back in his chair and puts his hands behind his head.
He was wearing a white wife-beater and a heavy gold chain around his neck with gold rings on his fingers. He screams old school Mafia mixed with a paedo. Makes me sick.
“You know, Ian, this whole drugs and whores thing can’t last. There’s new competition every day and that shit is undercutting me at every turn. Then, my boy, I have your family that are taking a lot of my business and also my power and respect. That fucking Riddler cousin of yours has taken a lot of my men from me. And now he has his hands on my niece who was, and well with your help, will give me a rather large payday.”
“I can guess that’s a right kick in the balls then, Damon,” he says.
“You young guys think it’s all about shooting guns and fucking women. Really, this shit is a business. We need new territory, but that won’t happen because the city is in love with your family and I want to take that family out and put you in at the top, under me of course, and start expanding my new market of sex slaves and toys for the rich and dirty.”
“These women are, well, cheap as fuck, since they’re free. Disposable too. I figure I’ll start with girls like the ones who just serviced us, pretty and worth the investment, and slowly transition to women that are a little more high-end.”
A chill ran down my spine listening to him talk. He was talking about these girls like they were fucking products or some shit for him to sell and then throw away when they got too used up. He genuinely seemed to think that forcing humans into sex slavery was a great idea, at least from a business perspective.
“And like your niece,” Ian said pulling me from all the dark thoughts of how many pieces I could cut Damon into.
“Ah, yes. My niece. She’s a pretty thing, it’s her bloodline they are after. Oh, and her tight little pussy’s fetching me a lot. Right now, the men are up to three million and you’re going to get her back for me.” Ian laughs.
“From Micha? Like fuck I am,” he says, and I scoff. Yeah, bitch you know who’s stronger.
“Yes, you are,” he said to Ian.
“No, I’m fucking not. I like breathing,” Ian states standing.
“This meeting’s over. I have given you more than enough,” he says turning to walk toward the door.
The door opens before Ian could reach it and in walks two men. Both huge, both holding guns to his head.
“Two options here, Ian. Be the solider I know you are and take Micha out. Then bring me the girl or tell me where they are, and I’ll do it myself.” Standing, Damon walks up to Ian, his stare locked on the men before him. His fingers twitching, he wants to pull his piece.
One of the men step closer to Ian, his gun pressing into his forehead.
Jimmy moves toward me “What? I didn’t see this,” he says. I look at him and ask, “What do you mean you didn’t see this?” He shrugs his shoulders. “I shut the lid when the girls came in saying shit was on fire, man.” His eyes burning into mine. “Then I focused on getting my ass outta my club before I went down in burning flames.”
“Sorry, my phone went dead,” I said to him, my eyes moving back to the screen.
“Yeah, ya said that,” he says as I turn up the sound and Jimmy crouches down next to me.
“So, Ian you have been such a forthcoming solider so far with your little tidbits of information on the inner workings. What will it be this time?” Damon leans in close to Ian’s ear. Ian caves, I see it in his body the way his shoulders drop and his eyes change from hard man to scarred man.
“He has a farm outside of town, the Old Willow Estate. That’s where they have moved her to. But my Nona’s there, man.” With that Damon rubs Ian’s shoulder.
“See, that wasn’t that hard, was it?” And just like that his man pulls the trigger and Ian’s brains and blood splatter all over the room, the camera sending an eerie red hue through the screen toward us.
Pops slams the lid down, his face somber, his eyes wet from tears unshed. Standing he announces, “We have a war to prepare for.” He walks from the room and all I can do is stare after him, frozen.
Chapter Twelve
She’s the poem that I could never write.
~ Micha Ragen
My skin hums with life when I am around her. It’s like she’s in me. Inside my fucking blood just flowing through my veins.
Leaning against the doorframe I look in on her sleeping body in the bed that is ours, this is meant to be a safe place and a war is about to descend on it. Looking at the way the moon streaks her white skin with such stunning silver it makes me quiver. I’m ravenous for her. I’m ravenous for the power she gives me when I’m with her. She allows me to unleash my animal inside and doesn’t even flinch. She is confident and fierce. She could destroy me with one flick of her blade and I would allow it. I’d die for it. I’d destroy the world and all that’s in it just to keep her safe. The thought of Damon selling her has my skin crawling in more than anger, more than disgust, there is no word for it.
Anger rolled through me. I hated that Damon killed Ian and my poor Pops had to see that shit. I hated that my anger and vengeance had brought a war to my Pop’s table. That’s my home, where I wanted my family to be safe, was about to become a battleground. Fuck knows how many men Damon had coming with him. I had sent scouts out, eyes on him. They’re watching, waiting for his next move. He will know that I will be watching, though. So I send him one last Riddle to keep him guessing and to let him know that I am ready.
Riddle me this. Within the twilight who is it you wait for? Will there be sadness upon your farewell?
Kissing her forehead, I pull the covers over her body. I sit in the armchair in front of the open window and just watch the night bleed into dawn.
I could hear her stirring in the bed by the way her breathing changed and the rustle of blankets as she stretched. I crack out my neck, her warm fingers found either side of my shoulders.
“Did you sleep at all?” she asked me her voice sexy laced with sleep. Shaking my head. “What, Micha?” She moves in front of me, her body dressed in one of my shirts. Oversized on her little body but hitting the small curves of her hips and breasts. One side is falling off her shoulder, my hands find her hips pulling her down into me, my mouth finding the skin of her exposed shoulder.
“I had to keep watch.”
“Do they know where we are?” she asks as her hands run through my hair pushing the strands off my face. Her eyes meet mine as I raise my head up to hers.
“Yep,” was all I said when Jimmy busted into the room.
“We’re on, brother. Layla, you gotta hide, baby girl.”
“I ain’t fucking going anywhere.” She stands from my lap, my hands still on her hips.