I was squatted in the shadows with my back against a brick wall. I rested my elbows on my knees and ran my hands over my head and face, massaging the stress away. With one last deep breath, I stood and started across the street with heavy steps of determination. I put one foot in front of the other, not thinking about what could happen. I kept my eye on the prize: Crash. I took her father’s life. I owed her, and that’s all there was to it.
I pressed my ear against the wooden door and listened. I didn’t hear anything from the other side. I grabbed the handle on the door and pulled it to the right, sliding it across the track until it was open enough to step through. Directly in front of the door was Crash. She was sitting in a chair in the middle of the floor. She wasn’t beaten up or bruised. She wasn’t tied up or gagged. She was just sitting there, hands in her lap, like she was just patiently waiting for something.
“Crash,” I breathed as I lifted my foot to start in her direction. I lowered my foot and froze when I heard the cocking of a gun. Turning my head to my right, I found myself staring down the barrel of a gun. Looking further, I found the gun in the hand of one of the bossman’s lackeys.
“Not so fast,” he said in his deep baritone voice.
“Right on time. Just like I knew you would be.” Bossman’s voice called out.
I turned to see Bossman come into view. He was walking toward me, but he stopped at Amelia’s side.
“I’m here, so you can let her go,” I said thickly.
He gave a lopsided smirk as he turned to look down at her. He was younger. Probably not much older than me. Russian. A real fucking prick.
He lifted his hand in her direction, and I took a step closer.
“Don’t fucking touch her,” I warned.
I was held in place when I felt the barrel of the gun touch my temple.
Bossman smirked and dragged his knuckles across her cheek. “I see now why she has such a hold on you. She is breathtaking, isn’t she?” He looked over at me.
My hands tightened into fists at my sides, unable to take a step without worrying about being shot.
“Her daddy knew what he was doing by keeping her out of this side of his life.” He pursed his lips and shook his head. “Hemust have known the power of those blue eyes. Let me guess, you look like your mother?” He looked down at her.
She just glared at him with narrowed eyes, her bottom lip wobbling.
“I can’t help but feel a little protective myself. I mean, I was close with your father, you know.” He glanced at me and back to her. “What are you doing messing around with this loser? You know your dad wouldn’t approve.”
“Go to hell, Hail,” she spat at him.
He snatched her up by her hair, pulling her to her feet. She didn’t make a sound, but I jumped forward only to be hit with the butt of the gun. My brow instantly busted and started to bleed as I fell to my knees from the dizzying hit.
“Luckily for you, I know how to keep my word. I’ve got someone to punish,suka. You’d better get out of here before I change my mind.” He shoved her toward the door.
She stumbled but stayed upright as she walked my way. I grabbed her wrist, stopping her at my side.
When her eyes met mine, I said, “I know I fucked up. I know I should have told you when I put it all together. I’m sorry I didn’t. I was scared. I didn’t want to lose you.” I breathed out, my voice trembling. “I love you, Amelia, and if this is the only way I can show it, it’s what I’ll do. Go, get out of here before he changes his mind.”
Her brows knitted together as doubt crossed her face, but she didn’t reply. She just pulled her arm free from my grasp and stepped out the door the moment it was pulled open for her.
Like that, she was gone, and it was just me and the mess I’d created for myself.
Chapter 25
Amelia
My head was pounding. I was lost and scared. I was still angry with Oliver. It felt like I was on some kind of rollercoaster with how disoriented I felt.
He made my world turn upside down with one sentence, and then, before I had time to find my bearings, I was knocked out and kidnapped.
I won’t lie and say that I wasn’t scared, because when I woke up with men I didn’t know, in a place that wasn’t familiar, I was scared.
Then Mikhail walked in, all swagger and good looks. I knew him from my dad’s circle. My dad did a lot of work for him. He was a lowly Russian mobster who had been pushed out of Chicago. He’d started a life in Seattle, grown large over the years, and expanded into California. I knew he was fighting another mobster, Nico, for territory. He’d offered my dad money for me, but thankfully, my dad had laughed it off and said no. In the early years of my relationship with Alex, he’d done jobs for Mikhail too. The fact that Oliver and my life collided like this felt like more than fate, if there was such a thing.
Mikhail promised they’d let me go. I guess I was still in shock that they actually let me walk out since I knew Mikhail was a real piece of work. He was wicked as the day was long.
