WYLDER Read online

  I don’t really give a damn why he needs to show good faith to these rats, but I am curious, and you know, if I’m dying, I will have answers. I deserve that much at least.

  Noni rubs his chin, the stubble on his mean little face interspersed with grey, showing his age. I’d love to rip his ugly face off, but hey…sometimes dreaming is for fools. So, I stay crouched on the carpet while he grins at me.

  “Your little friend, the mean one, his brother let her go, and she tried to run right to the cops. Thankfully, they caught her and provided proof of her death. But this broke the trust, no? And we cannot have broken trust between friends such as us.”

  “Lori?” I gasp, my eyes filling with tears. “She’s dead?”

  “Pffft, gone. I hear her lover did it himself when he found her.”

  I can’t sob past the ache in my heart, but I feel so much pain, so much anguish, knowing that she’s gone. It’s ironic though, and you know, I would laugh because it seems she and I were never destined to live.

  Sure, we made it out of that room and we were given a reprieve, but with men like these, it was a long shot at best.

  I hate them all. I hate Wylder so much right now I wish I could look into his face and spit on him like I should have instead of falling in love.

  “Ah, you are so quiet, little Miss Bright. I wonder, did you really fall in love with our Wylder?”

  Fucking sonofabitch. Haunt, I will haunt him for the rest of his life and drive him so crazy he’ll take himself out before I go to heaven.

  “I hate him,” I grate, raising my head when he stands and comes my way.

  His hand on my face makes my skin crawl, and I want to puke when he leans in and licks all the way up my cheek to my hairline. My shudder doesn’t go unnoticed, and he laughs as he pulls away, his dead eyes glittering with unholy glee.

  “Oh, but of course you do. Love is a fickle thing, no? Better to see things as they are. You are a vessel for pleasure, Miss Bright, nothing more, and when you have outlived your use to me, as you did to Wylder, I suspect you will be glad to die.”

  I suspect I will, I think as I fight tears and tell myself not to think of Wylder at all. It hurts though. God, it hurts that he did this to me. It would have been far kinder to kill me, the way they killed Lori, rather than to have sent me back here.

  My only consolation is the fact that I understand that I won’t be leaving here for some brothel where they’ll violate me for days. I can’t deal with much more pain, and I know I’d kill myself if that were the case.

  No, better to make my stand here and go with some fight left in me.

  “I’ll kill you before I let you touch me, you pig,” I hiss, coming to my feet on shaking legs with little to no steam left in me.

  Now that the adrenalin is gone, I am freezing, so cold, despite the stuffiness in the office, I feel my jaw tremble. My skin is icy, numb, and I know that whatever Wylder shoved into my leg is the same stuff they used on me when they took me the first time.

  “My dear Miss Bright, if you so much as move without my permission, I will hurt you in ways that will have you begging for my touch rather than the pain. Is this what you want?” he asks, slapping me so hard, so fast, I can’t avoid the blow and hit the floor in a daze.

  For a little man, he’s got strength. I’ll give him that. But I can fight. Daddy taught me to fight, and I may not make it out of here, but I can bring some pain before they pin me down.

  “Be a good girl.”

  Good girl my ass.

  Launching up to my knee, I swipe a leg out, striking fast, and sweep his feet out from under him. I’m on him before he can move, and a swift punch to the throat has him gagging and clutching at himself, struggling for air.

  Rolling away, I intend to get up and make it to the door, but I underestimate him greatly and cry out when he lunges for me, taking me to my back, his hands squeezing at my throat and cutting off my airway.

  God, I should have punched him harder, I think as I struggle and gasp, clawing at his hand in a frantic bid to break free and draw a breath.

  “But, of course, you can die if that is your wish,” he wheezes, squeezing so hard my vision goes black for a heartbeat.

  Oh God, oh God, I’m going to die, I think as my struggles become sluggish, my arms going weak with lack of oxygen. I buck, trying to dislodge him, but he’s so strong it’s like trying to fight off an enraged bull.

  For someone who so easily accepted death, I’m finding it hard to just lie here, even if my body doesn’t want to work, and I gasp when a thought strikes me.

  My lungs burn as I let go of his hands, and the instinct to keep clawing at them, at his face, is strong even as I force myself to lie still and grope for my foot.

  It feels like forever before my fingers close around the plastic, but they finally do, and then I’m stabbing up at his throat with a gasping war cry that turns into a gag when the melted toothbrush makes contact and pierces him.

  Blood. Blood goes everywhere, on me, the carpet, but I don’t give it another thought as I shove Noni off me and roll away, scrambling to the wall as I watch him thrash and gurgle before falling still.

  It’s horrifying when he finally stops twitching and I feel his blood on my hands, so bad I bend at the waist and puke right on his carpet. When I’m done, I feel drained and numb with horror, but I can’t let it sink me yet, because I have to get the hell out of here right now.

  Honestly, I just killed some huge crime lord or whatever, and that is so not gonna go down well with whoever is out there. I’m trembling as I open the door a crack and almost faint with relief when I see an empty corridor, the same one I walked down when Wolf let us out of the cell.

  Doors, I see doors, heavy doors that we had no hope of getting through, and as I lean into the first one and hear a muffled sob, I know why I am here, why God sent me back here into hell.

  Opening the door, I see a naked girl who can’t be older than twenty, and breathe, praying for the strength to get out of here in one piece.

  “I’m here to help you.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Wylder

  Remaining still as a statue, I keep myself in an indolent slouch and look at Ariston, my face a mask of emptiness that Danny once told me scared her more than anger.

  The man is smiling at me as if he’s got the upper hand, but I know better, and thanks to Noni and his delighted phone call upon receiving Danny, I know that no one is coming to back Ariston up.

  We’re at the warehouse, the very same one we started at, and after Wolf crashed the car into the wall and walked away without a show of remorse, I walked in here and started dealing.

  Of course, Noni thought it was a double-cross, until his guys called him to tell him they had Danny. Then the guy was all smiles. I almost took his teeth out, wondering what it is about my Danny that makes men weak and stupid.

  Because Noni is being a fool, letting the lust he feels after meeting Danny cloud his better judgement. But whatever. I knew she’d keep him busy and so happy with the offering that he’d double-deal Ariston. Not that it took much but a reminder that he makes more money dealing with me than he ever did with this asshole, but…

  Things are going exactly as planned. Wolf should be on his way to Noni right now to get Danny and kill the little shit before he hurts her, and then he’ll get her out.

  Lynx is watching us all through his scope and will start shooting if anyone so much as moves for a weapon. Hawk has backup ready, and me, I am exactly where I always wanted to be, looking back at my enemy before I put a bullet between his eyes.

  “But I am glad that you are a businessman and won’t allow old family history to color your judgement,” Ariston says, giving me a smile of triumph.

  “You are. You’re also a fool if you think I planned all of this only to get into bed with the man who ordered a hit on my eighteen-year-old sister,” I say slowly, shaking my head with a dark smile when he starts and turns his beady eyes on me.

  “Eh,
I wouldn’t do that if I were you, gentlemen,” I say, shaking my head when they reach for their guns. “Right about now, you have one of the best snipers in the world with his sights trained on you. One move and he’ll drop you all. Just ask yourself if you’re willing to die with your boss tonight or if you’d rather walk out of here unscathed. I only want him. Your choice.”

  The first one to twitch drops a second later, Lynx’s skill with his rifle making the other three pause and hold their hands out.

  “Go.”

  Ariston is still sputtering when the door closes behind them. I don’t move at all, not even when one runs out behind me, because I have faith in Lynx, and besides, I won’t show an ounce of fear in front of this asshole.

  “You honestly think I would walk in here and do business with the man who had my baby sister violated and beaten to death? You must be crazier than the rumors say you are, you piece of shit,” I snarl, watching him sweat and relishing the fear that makes his eyes go wide.

  I feel satisfaction. Hell yeah I do, but mostly, as I look at him and see him swallow, all I want is to get out of here and make sure my girl is okay.

  “It was business! You understand business, Wylder.”

  “Do I?” I ask curiously, loving his confusion when I shake my head.

  “But the women and the drugs—”

  “Were just a cover. Yes, I couldn’t save them all, because that would have tipped Noni off that he had a rat, but I’d say a good sixty percent of them never made it past those borders, and the others went to places where escape was possible or the men were at least humane. Don’t worry though. We know where every single woman is right now, and once I kill your fat ass, I have teams ready and waiting to go get them.”

  That trips him up, as I expected it to, and I smile, baring my teeth when his face goes red with rage.

  “You’re a plant!”

  “Nope, I’m a mobster with a conscience. I had to build this business from the ground up to get to you, but I have friends in high places, asshole. Yeah, I got my hands really dirty coming for you, but do I look fucking stupid? I haven’t made one move on you or the trafficking operations without cutting a deal for myself and my family. I’m no saint, but I am not a monster like you. Tell me, was it worth it, killing an innocent girl just to get a few thousand dollars laundered through a little company that wasn’t even on the radar?” I ask, genuinely interested now that he knows he’s going to die.

  Like all cornered rats who know their number is up, he spits curses at me and starts justifying his ass.

  “All he had to do was turn a blind eye! That’s all! He would have made his cut of the profits, and your sister would have lived.”

  His words piss me off because in no way is my pop to blame for this. He made the right choice, the moral choice, and lost his child, almost lost his whole family as well.

  And for what? So this fat bastard could make a few more dollars to feed his obese ass? I’m sickened by him, so filled with hate it’s hard not to leap over the table and start beating him the way they beat Sparrow.

  “Don’t kill me! Don’t. We can cut a deal—”

  “I don’t want a deal, Ariston. I want you to die just like your son and his friends died,” I say softly, watching his face pale.

  “That was you?”

  “That was me and my brothers. That was justice. And no, I won’t cut a deal. I promised my family a long time ago that I would kill you all no matter what it took, and today, today that vow is fulfilled.”

  I give Lynx the signal and walk away before Ariston hits the floor, my job done. I have more to do now, my life hanging by a thread as I walk out of the warehouse to see Danny standing in the middle of a group of women and so many agents my criminal heart shudders.

  I shouldn’t go anywhere near her. I should walk away, but I’m in front of her before I can tell my feet to go in the opposite direction.

  She’s bruised and scratched and covered in blood but so beautiful I feel my heart pulse a beat of longing that weakens my knees.

  “Stay away from me.”

  Her hiss is like a slap, and I stumble as I reach out, wincing when she slaps me so hard my head rocks back.

  “Don’t you touch me! Don’t you dare touch me, you monster. You liar.”

  Her yells have everyone stopping to look over at us, but I don’t see anyone but her as the tears start falling, and I become aware of Wolf and Lyon pulling at me.

  “I love you! I love you, Danny.”

  “Come on, you stupid asshole! Christ, we only have a certain window of time to get out of here before Sanchez can’t hold them back! We have a debriefing to get to, Bear.”

  I listen only because I have to, because I can’t get Danny back if I’m behind bars serving a life sentence for murder, but my eyes never leave her as my brothers force me into a helicopter, and I keep looking until we’re so high up I can’t see her at all.

  Danny

  You know, life is just so weird, so, so weird, I think as I lean back on the couch and stare at the ceiling like I have been doing for three whole weeks.

  I haven’t been back to school. I just don’t care about that anymore, and after I managed to mend fences with Daddy and assure him I’m okay—after telling him the whole truth and getting a look that almost killed me, of course—this has been my life every day for weeks.

  I’m not depressed, exactly. I don’t have any thoughts, dark or otherwise, about myself. I just don’t care. I’m numb. So numb it’s a miracle that I get up every morning and shower and feed myself.

  I can’t seem to make myself care. Correction, I won’t make myself care because I like this numbness. It’s safe and comforting, and I don’t have to fear feeling things that will wreck me.

  I haven’t spoken to anyone but Daddy, who calls me every day and won’t stop hounding me. I finally capitulated and agreed to go away somewhere tomorrow because he’s driving me crazy with his guilt and worry.

  I tried to explain that he has nothing to feel guilty about, that I was the one who should feel terrible for the lies I told, but the man keeps saying that I need to know everything and that he owes me an explanation about Wylder.

  That’s where I stop him every time he calls, and after threatening never to talk to him again if he ever mentioned that name, I have peace.

  I need just a little more time to shore up some strength. I know, eventually, the dam will burst and that I will have to deal with it all. First and foremost, the fact that I killed a man.

  I don’t know how I’ll handle that once the feelings return, but I keep telling myself daily that it was self-defense, so I may just get through it.

  Wolf tried to explain everything to me after I attacked him when he came running down the corridor, but I only heard snippets. I was so angry and scared when I saw him I kinda lost it, and only the agents who pulled me off him could calm me enough that I didn’t keep hitting him.

  Daddy would be proud to know that I left him limping out of that hellhole.

  And then Wylder. Now, that is a big one, because I haven’t thought about what happened or how he betrayed me. Not yet. I just wake up and stare at nothing. Eat. Bathe. Sleep.

  I felt a little something when I woke up one morning to my period, but I don’t know if it was relief, like I keep telling myself it was, or sadness. I think sadness, but if I keep pretending hard enough I was happy, then I should feel that way. I hope.

  A bang on the door has me groaning, and I roll to my feet and walk to the door in the same state I’ve been in for weeks. Numb.

  “Dammit, Danny bug, did you even check the peephole?” Daddy rages when I pull the door open to see him standing there, his muscular body filling the doorway.

  “Sure. Just like you taught me,” I lie, standing aside to let him in.

  He grunts at the obvious lie and slams the door shut as I shuffle back to the couch, my haven.

  “Kid, you look like shit,” he mutters when he eyes my hair and sweatpants.

&nbs
p; Lori brought me sweatpants the first time she visited, stating that every woman needs sweatpants after a trauma. She was right. We ended up talking for hours, me dry-eyed while she raged on and on about Wolf and what a bastard he is.

  I refrained from pointing out that if all she thinks about is Wolf, then she must love him. Mostly because she told me she’s been taking karate classes and I don’t have the strength to defend myself if she tries to kick my ass.

  “Danny girl, are you listening to me, bug?” Daddy asks, cutting into my thoughts with a growl.

  “What?”

  “Dammit! Daniella Bright, you stop that weak shit and listen to me right now!”

  “If this is another attempt to talk to me about my feelings, then just don’t, okay? I don’t want to hear anything about Wylder or get some lecture about how there are a million other men in the ocean or whatever! I don’t want to hear it. I did all this to myself and almost died because instead of being smart the way Lori was, instead of running, I stayed with him and kept making up excuses for why, instead of accepting that I was blinded by him. He’s a monster, and I fell in love with him,” I say, holding it all in when the shell cracks ominously.

  Daddy looks at me sadly, and I feel so guilty that I can’t let him in right now, but I feel…as if I am mourning, you know? Because something died. I won’t get all melodramatic and say a part of me died. I am not that pathetic.

  But my faith did die, and I am just not ready to deal with the funeral yet. I need time. I can’t do it right now, because I’ll start crying and I won’t stop until I’m a shell.

  I don’t want to be a shell of my former self. I want to be me, the survivor. And I will be as soon as I lie to myself enough and have it down that I didn’t love Wylder, that I was just playing him so I could escape.

  See. Easy. All lies, but as long as I believe them, in the end, that’s all that counts.

  “He told you about his sister?”

  “Sparrow,” I confirm, shrugging because I just don’t care!

  I don’t. I get that she died and it was some huge trauma, but what he did to me, the way he was going to sacrifice me, is bullshit. There I was, all “I’ll sacrifice myself because my life isn’t any more important than your family’s”—*said in whiney, disgusted voice*—and he just throws me to the freaking wolves with a bloody bone tied around my neck.