Panting, I slam the door shut behind me, the safety of my new home greeting me with a stark silence. Locking the door I quickly strip myself free of my clothes and weapons, heading to the shower to get Travis’ disgusting blood off my body.
It’s done.
I’m glad it is. I don’t regret it.
But…that guy. He saw me, obviously, but if he’s hanging out with Travis, will he be a problem. The bathroom is full of steam as I scrub my skin free of blood until it’s raw. I let the water pour over my head as those hooded eyes flood my mind.
He was dangerously handsome, a little scruffy but still well put together, the only unkempt aspect about him were the curls on his head. His eyes were hooded, but still so captivating and consuming, like he knows your secrets and can see inside of your soul.
Damn it, he won’t leave my mind. Who was he? Is he a threat? Should I be worried? The ringing of my phone pulls me out of the shower and I sigh, turning off the water. It’s 4 in the morning and I just want to sleep, however, Roman’s name on my phone proves that won’t be happening.
“Yeah?”
“Come to the office. Now.” Roman’s tone is harsh and stern before he abruptly hangs up, making me groan. I have a bad feeling about this.
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Once again the air is strained. The mood is heavy and suffocating. Nothing but silence and my footsteps are heard around the office. Reggie and Noé stand at the far wall, the blood on her face and bruises on her skin has me frowning and on edge. It’s hot in here, a stifling heat that has a thin layer of sweat rising on my skin. A quick glance around and one thing becomes clear.
Something has happened. That’s the only thought in my mind as the heavy oak doors slam shut behind me. Reggie and Noé stand near the far wall of the office, her eyes a silent plea that only I can read. I give her a nod of reassurance and continue forward, masking my growing fury with nonchalance.
Reuben waits for me behind his desk, smoking a cigar, Roman and Alan flanking his sides, patiently awaiting orders. Their faces are emotionless giving no clue to the dense atmosphere.
I stand in front of his desk, and wait.
The silence makes my earlier anxiety rise but I refuse to let it show. I’m nervous, but make no move that displays fear. Instead, I cling to the earlier anger that I held, the victory that I felt, and the realization that Noé is hurt, and I wasn’t there to protect her.
Reuben rounds his desk slowly, eyeing the various rings on his finger. Blood on diamonds.
Noé’s? Possibly. But why? Because of me?
Is that why she looks worried, why her stare secretly told me to run as soon as I stepped into the room.
“Do you know who I am?” Reuben’s words cut through the silence as he sets his hard, heated glare on me. The question isn’t rhetorical, but I don’t answer, I just stare only fueling his rage. His white hot anger is nothing compared to the cold rage slowly turning my blood to ice.
In a rush faster than I can dodge, my head whips to the side, stinging against the blunt force caused by the back of his hand. Blood fills my mouth, staining my teeth with red. My emotions resemble the bloody diamonds he used to strike me, hard, withstanding, and tainted. But I’m grateful.
“Do you even realize the fucking position you’ve put me in?” I straighten up to receive another strike to my face. This is the Reuben I’ve been waiting to see. The truth behind the intricately decorated walls of a mansion built on corruption. Reuben yanks me up by my shirt, his cool, calm, welcoming demeanor snapping like a dry leaf under a steel boot. Crumbling and wasting away as if it never existed.
“Of course you don’t. You’re as stupid as your fucking whore mother.” He tosses me to the floor, shedding his suit jacket. Discipline. Restraint. Composure.
Those are the first skills that Noé forced me to master. When the temptation to get riled up and meet your enemies fury likewise, stay composed. Don’t let any emotions shine. During my training I mastered that lesson better than any other and applied it to every aspect of my new life. That’s why as Reuben’s fist rains down on the parts of my body I fail to block, my face remains unchanged.
“I knew you weren’t worth the price but you have significantly fucked up I’d be better off killing you my fucking self.” Reuben’s words hold the truth that was resting behind his charming smiles. This is the real Reuben, the father that wanted nothing to do with me. The man that built an underworld empire. The man I’ve been expecting. Reuben lifts me up only to slam me into the wall, his large hands wrap around my neck in a deadly hold. Noé’s self-possession wavers in an instant and if it weren’t for Reggie, she’d storm over and take my place.
“Mr. Stone, please, please don’t do this. She didn’t know it’s not her fault-” Reuben’s grip tightens as he growls in anger, the pressure in my head builds, my lungs and throat burn, and my lungs scream in agony.
“THAT’S ENOUGH! You were the one responsible for her! You are the one that’s supposed to keep her ass in line! Or do I need to remind you of your fucking failure again!? Look at you, crying, you’re weak and pathetic. A fucking disappointment. I expected better, Sparrow.” Reggie wisely clamps a hand over Noé’s mouth, silencing her cries and for that I’m grateful.
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Reuben’s furious but it is miniscule compared to my wrath.
How dare he put his hands on my Noé, strip her of her name and disregard her worth. The nerve of this old man.
It’s cold. As black spots cloud my vision and I struggle to breathe, I feel tremendously cold, like someone is drowning me in liquid nitrogen. Air harshly fills my lungs as Reuben throws me to throw ground, leaving me to cough and gasp on the bloody hardwood floor.
“You, idiot child, in your little vendetta, violated the space of the one person you should fear as much as me, Mr. Malone. And now it’s time for you to clean up your mess.” So this is about Travis. How did Reuben find out so soon? Those hooded eyes flood my mind again but I push the haunting image away, focusing on the events happening now.
Someone must’ve told, someone else I didn’t see, but who and who the fuck is Mr. Malone?
It doesn’t matter. All I care about is Noé and getting her the fuck out of here before I kill daddy dearest and worsen the situation. Reuben moves back behind his desk, sitting in his chair like a throne.
“Mr. Malone will be here soon and I expect you to keep your mouth fucking shut, while I fix your bullshit mistake.” Having regained my composure, I ignore Reuben and go to Noé, wiping the blood and unshed tears. The only emotion that dares show is guilt, for putting her in this situation. Guilt that she suffered Reuben’s wrath and ridicule because of my actions.
“I’ll kill him.” My mumbled words are the only testament of my fury which has Noé subtly shaking her head in another silent plea. She hides her fear, worry, and pain with practiced expertise but I see it all regardless and it further infuriates me. The daggers hiding underneath my oversized jersey are enticing me to make them useful, but I refrain, for now. Even though I’m not heartless enough to kill Reuben in front of Reggie, the desire to make him suffer for hurting Noé is almost overwhelming.
“I’m fine” her whispered resilience doesn’t calm me in the slightest, if anything it just makes me wonder how often this has happened to her. A knock sounds on the door as a guard comes in, announcing the arrival of Mr. Malone and his right hand, Harley Rose.
“Winter, get over here. Now.” Reuben’s tone is a strict warning that has me rolling my eyes before doing as I’m told. I resist the urge to freeze seeing those familiar hooded eyes. His stare hasn’t wavered from the club. It’s unnerving and uncomfortable, like he can see right through me.
He’s more attractive in the light of the office. He’s not exceptionally tall, only a few inches above me, he’s fit, muscular, the guns hanging on his waist prove he’s deadly, but it’s the aura around him. The way everyone in the room has become 10 times more tense than before. Mr. Malone’s presence demands attention and respect, but unfortunately…I don’t know who the fuck this guy is.
Someone worth fearing, evidently, but as he stares, I can’t find it in me to fear him. I only fear those eyes, they threaten to read and expose layers of myself that I didn’t know existed.
Nobody dares to utter a word as Mr. Malone steps forward until he’s in front of me. He reaches forward, grabbing my chin, not tight and not delicate either. He moves my face side-to-side, inspecting the damage Reuben just inflicted.
“You left me a big fucking mess to clean up, you know? Dead bodies are bad for business.” So he owns the club.
“You own the club. Were you guys friends?” My statement has him laughing, causing uneasy chuckles to erupt around the room. I’m the only one left clueless, staring at this Malone guy in confusion.
Is this really the man I should be fearing?
“Travis was a useful pawn, one easily controlled by drugs. Not reliable but cheap and convenient, not easily replaced.”
“I’m not apologizing.”
“You little bitch.” Reuben storms over but Mr. Malone holds up his hand, not taking his eyes off of me, halting Reuben in his steps.
“Watch your fucking mouth Reuben. You’re on thin ice already, and it has nothing to do with this. You’ve tried our patience long enough. I won’t have you insult my date.” Date? The fuck is this guy talking about?
“Date?” My surprise breaks the ice in my veins and I take a step back, making sure I see and hear him clearly.
“Yes, my date to the annual peace banquet.” So many questions pop into my head after that one statement.
“Um, I’m not sure I understand.”
“Reuben has garnered a substantial debt to our family and in order to reduce that date, he has offered your assistance.”
“My assistance being your date?”
“Yes, well, it will barely put a dent in his debt but that’s not my problem. We can discuss the details of the banquet in private.” My blank stare does nothing to waver Mr. Malone as he releases my face with a wide smile. I’m so fucking confused. What the hell is happening and why do I feel like I’m being sold again?
“Here is the contract, Mr. Malone.”
“Harley.” His right hand woman steps around me to grab the piece of paper from Reuben, briefly looking it over before returning to his side. I notice her glance at Noé a couple of times but she doesn’t say a word, only moving when directed.
“Right, shall we go talk, Winter? Or do you prefer Snow?” I nod, moving to grab Noé’s hand. She hesitates but after a light tug she follows me, more vulnerable and quiet than I’ve ever seen her. My heartbreaks and I feel fury rise in me again.
“I’d prefer a private conversation.”
“She’s important to me, the only person important to me.” I clench my teeth, trying to hold my anger at bay but my control is wavering. I’m furious and guilty and enraged. Thankfully, Mr. Malone seems to understand, nodding and motioning for us to leave.
“Don’t worry, I understand, Winter.” He gives me a small nod of solace and for a moment I just stare at this hooded-eyed stranger.
I’m not sure what it is about this guy, but that gripping familiar ice cold blocks forming a wall inside of me thaw just a little under his stare.
Noé and I head to the door, a slight limp in her step. We make it to the door when the cocking of a gun catches everyone’s attention. Mr. Malone has a gun pointed at Reuben, Roman has one pointed at him, and Harley has hers aimed at Roman. Reuben quickly waves his hand, urging Roman to put his gun away, which he does after some reluctance.
“I shouldn’t have to say this Reuben, you’ve been around long enough to understand. But in case your old ass has fucking forgotten; if you, puny, irrelevant disappointment of a man put your grimy hands on what’s mine, I will cut them off, force them down your throat, before I cut your fucking head off.”
Mr. Malone speaks calmly, casually, no different than before, but the promise in his voice is intimidating enough. His gun is pressed against Reuben’s forehead and he leans forward to whisper something in Reuben’s ear.
Whatever it Mr. Malone said to Reuben has him turning pale with fear and he even looks nauseous. Reuben is frozen in place as Mr. Malone tucks his gun away, clapping his hands and coming over to me and Noé.
“Ladies, let’s talk.” We follow Mr. Malone to his car that thankfully drives us home where we settle into the living room with ice and alcohol.