AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Cole eyed me disapprovingly and dropped the act. “Let’s get this straight, Martino, if you let some guy take your girl up to that hellhole, you’ll probably never see her again — not in one piece, anyway.”
His words knocked the air from my chest. “Let is a strong word,” I ground out. “This is the first I’m hearing about the place.”
Cole shrugged. “The question is, what are you going to do there? You can’t go running in, hockey sticks at the ready, and save the day. That’s a serious moneymaking operation, and they are armed to the teeth. We had a lot of tension with them a little while back, when I decided that the whole thing was too fucking depressing to be involved with. Duncan Fitzgerald didn’t like that.”
“So come with us, then,” Marcus suggested. “It can be a brother-bonding trip.”
Cole chuckled. “I don’t start trouble for other people.” He scratched his stubble and considered. “Though, they do fuck with our business from time to time and bring extra scrutiny down on us. Being rid of them would be useful.”
“You said they keep unwilling women there. Isn’t that fact alone enough to make you help?” I growled out.
Cole’s dark eyes flashed with warning. “I’m not the fucking cops, Martino. I’m no caped crusader. I can’t save anyone but myself.”
“So, you won’t even try?” I pushed, aware I was treading on dangerous ground but unable to stop myself.
He stared at me for a long time, fire burning in his lethal eyes. Finally, he tilted his head to the side and nodded.
“Your friend has guts, Marcus. I like him. Fine. I have nothing to do today but go and pick a fucking fight. It’s been a slow week.” He pushed himself up and stretched. He spoke over his shoulder to one of the bikers lurking in the booth behind him. “Call the boys. Let’s go and have some fun.”
Winter
After hours of waiting, the door finally swung open. Trent lounged in the doorway. He was wearing a suit and looked like he’d had a long night. He smelled like booze and sweat. There were dried rings of it on his pale-blue dress shirt.
His gaze ran over me and Selena, and he smirked with satisfaction. “Winter, enjoying your stay?”
“Why are you doing this? I was doing what you said. I broke up with Asher?—”
“And snuck away for a secret rendezvous in the woods. You have no idea how that makes me look, like I can’t even control my future wife.”
“I didn’t sneak away.”
“I don’t care. Don’t bore me with the details. The fact is, you embarrassed me, and you’re going to pay for it.” His attention latched onto Selena. “Or your friend is, your choice.”
Selena was shaking beside me. I took my arm off her shoulders, ignoring her when she clutched onto me and stood.
“This is between you and me.”
Trent raised an eyebrow at me. “Look how brave you are. It’s a shame to damage the marriage merchandise, but I’m happy to oblige you. Best break that indomitable spirit now.”
“You have to guarantee that Selena goes home untouched, and that nothing happens to Asher.”
Something dark and violent passed through Trent’s eyes before he sneered at me. “And tell me, what did Martino do to inspire such unwavering loyalty from you?”
He loved me when no one else would. He wanted to take care of me, like no one else ever has before.
“Does that matter now?” I evaded his question. Even talking about the things that had passed between me and Asher, a balm for my lonely soul, felt dirty. I didn’t want Trent’s influence to sully the pure and brilliant love I held for Asher.
“No, I suppose not. I won, after all.” Trent pushed the door open. “Come on, then.”
“No!” Selena cried, holding on to me as I stepped away.
I shook my head and shushed her softly. “It’s okay. It’ll be okay, remember?”
Bran O’Connor and his bloodthirsty vengeance was, hopefully, on the way. We just had to hold on. I just had to hope that Selena remembered the plan. She seemed so panicked and out of it, and who could blame her?
I followed Trent through the building, heading lower still. Was there no end to this building? Was the basement literally in Hell?
We came to a small room with black studded leather walls. I would guess it was a tattoo parlor if I hadn’t slipped into an episode of The Twilight Zone. The centerpiece of the room was a chair with restraints on the arms. The smell of burning filled the air. Like barbecue with a side of singed hair. It immediately made me queasy.
