My hand tightens on the gun. I knew what their intentions were when I saw that they had cut her corset off, but until this very moment, I didn't understand just how depraved they could be.
“Come on, Case. They wouldn’t have fucked her any rougher than you have.” She laughs. “You may love her, but I know you. You don’t make love to her.”
“You know nothing!” I hiss.
She tilts her head to the side as blood continues to slowly run down her chin from where Brecken slapped her. “I know everything, Case. Everything.” She says it very slow, drawing out the word.
“For fuck’s sake, just shut up!” Brecken orders. “I’ve had enough of your shit, Rachel.”
She narrows her eyes up at him. “Maybe I’ve had enough of your shit!” she fires back. “Do you have any idea how exhausting it was to keep you two happy? All the coke I had to snort in order to let you place your hands on me.”
Brecken leans over and grabs her arm; he hauls her to her feet and then shoves her back against the bar. He presses his body into hers as he wraps his free hand around her neck. Her eyes close and her body thrashes as she tries to get away, but it’s not possible. He has a hold of her as he takes her air away. “You gonna tell me this doesn’t make you fucking wet? You gonna tell me that you faked it the last four years? I find that hard to believe.” He lets go of her, and she bends at the waist sucking in a ragged breath.
“You are one very vindictive bitch,” I say. “I mean that with the utmost respect.” I gotta give it to her.
She sucks a deep breath as she looks up at me. “I learned from the best, Case.” She swallows. “You and Brecken …” She shakes her head. “The way you use this fucking town with your lies and deceit.” She reaches up and rubs her neck as she straightens her back. “Did you ever think Taylor could end up with the same fate as Nicole?”
I feel my blood run cold as my entire body stiffens. “They prefer a little younger than Taylor, but she would still bring in money.” My teeth hurt from grinding them together. “It’s easy really. The selling of women.” She smiles.
“You have no clue what you’re talking about,” Brecken growls
She looks over at him. “You think Cricket only moves drugs?” she asks.
Brecken starts to shake his head. “I don’t believe a word you say.”
She crosses her arms over her chest, and she gives us both a smile. One that I used to think made her look halfway normal, but now that I know her real colors, it makes her look psychotic. “That’s your choice.” She looks at me. “But is that a chance you’re willing to take?”
“Cricket,” I snap, changing the subject. “He knows we’re undercover cops?” He has to. She had to have told him what we really do. “Why hasn’t he come for us?”
She takes a long, deep breath. “He doesn’t know.”
“Quit lying,” Brecken yells.
“I’m not. I swear I never told them who you really are.”
“Why not?” I demand. “Why not tell them the truth?” I can’t help but believe her. If Cricket knew who we really were, they would have killed us years ago.
“Do you have any idea what they would do to me if they knew I was sleeping with not just one but two undercover cops?” She laughs. “They would have killed me.” She looks over at me. “I allowed you to fuck me for six months before I even knew you were an undercover cop. If I had gone to them and told them that …” She shakes her head at herself. “It would have made myself look like an idiot.” She hangs her head. “Plus by that time I had fallen in love with both of you. I wouldn’t allow Cricket to kill you guys.”
“Then why are you trying to kill us now?” I demand.
Her head snaps up to look at me. Her dark brown eyes narrow on me and her lips thin. “Because of that bitch.” She growls. “She came in and ruined everything. You felt you could just throw me to the side in order to save her. I was no longer important,” she yells. “I had kept your fucking secret for four years just for you to throw me away.” Her body shakes as she fists her hands down by her side. “It was time I put you both in your place.”
“Jones is on his way.”
We all turn to look over at Taylor as she joins us once again. “You need to leave,” I snap.
She looks up at me. “I’m not leaving you.”
“Oh, but you are.” I look back over at Rachel, and she’s straightening her back as she pulls a gun out of her right boot. She used the distraction of Taylor walking into the room to reach down and pull her weapon. Even though the bitch came here thinking I was gonna make up with her, she had still planned to kill me. “I hate to break up the party, but I need to go,” she announces as she lifts the gun and points it straight at me. “And I can’t leave any of you alive.”
I lift my right arm that holds my gun and go to fire off a shot, but I’m too slow. She was already ready. I pull my trigger just as I turn my body and leap toward Taylor to get her out of the way of Rachel’s bullet. I collide with her and we hit the floor with a hard thud as the sound of the guns being fired ricochet off the club walls.
I look up toward Rachel and raise my gun to her again as another loud bang goes off. Before I can even pull my trigger back, I see her fall to her knees as blood runs from her chest. Her and Brecken stand facing one another, both guns were raised, but hers falls to the floor with her. He stands breathing heavy and a look of hatred on his face as he watches her die before us. She had gone to shoot him next, but he was faster. He shot her.
He stands over her with his gun still trained on her, and I look down at Taylor, knowing Rachel is no longer a problem.
“Sorry, babe. You okay?” I ask breathing heavy and heart pounding. I push her hair away from her face and see her eyes are closed. Another loud bang goes off, but it barely registers in my mind. Did I knock Taylor out? We hit the concrete floor pretty hard.
