“I’m shocked you’re still alive at your old age.” I link my arm in his to help him back to the truck.
The sun is starting to set, and we’ve both had a long, hard day of work from sun up to sun down. I’m ready to cozy up in some sweats, have a nice dinner with a glass of merlot, and write for the rest of the night.
I’ve just sat down with my glass of wine and dinner, computer open to the latest draft I’ve started to work on. I’m deep in thought for this new story idea when I hear the first noise.
Crack.
Chesney told me to be careful at night because we are out in the boonies and there are wild animals on the ranch. I chalk up the noise to one of the animals—until I hear it again, louder thistime. My heart starts to thunder in my chest when I hear someone yelling.
It sounds bad, whatever it is, so I throw my chair back and slip my shoes on. I’m worried someone may be hurt. I rush into the night without a second thought, letting my feet guide me towards the ruckus.
Research notes: never listen to a cowboy.
grayson
. . .
TWENTY-ONE
I’ve been summoned yet again,like a dog called back by its owner, and I go like the obedient little pet I am. Every time I step foot in this rotting building, the further I sink into oblivion. I hate it here to my very core. What they stand for. What they make us do while they sit in their fancy clothes with their fancy friends and treat our lives like we are disposable.
I’m taping my hands when I feel someone approaching. My muscles stiffen on instinct, my body going into fight or flight mode. They relax a fraction when I recognize the voice.
“We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” Emilio Moretti, orMoretti, as most call him, jokes, slapping me on the shoulder.
He’s still been digging, looking for any way to get me out of this mess. It’s hard to keep my emotions in check and not demand answers from him. I know he’s on my side. He’s one of the good guys.
His words were joking, but his face portrays something else that twists my stomach. “Out with it,” I rasp, wanting to rip the band aid off.
He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. “It’s not looking good, brother.”
“Explain.”
Moretti reaches into his suit jacket, pulling out a folder. He extends it hesitantly my way, and I rip it from his hands. My heart drops to the floor with what I see.
“No,” I whisper, dragging my thumb across the photo. My hard eyes find Moretti’s. “How?”
He shrugs like this is normal to him. “They have eyes and ears everywhere, Grayson. I told you to be careful. Nowhere is safe.No oneis safe. This is a warning for pushing back. I’m doing all I can on the inside, but you just need to be patient. The more you try and pull away until we have a solid plan, the more they are going to show you who’s in charge.”
I throw the folder across the locker room and scream as the pictures all flutter to the ground. Pictures of me…and Maisie…kissing in the rain.They know. They are taunting me. I’ve asked too many questions, pushed too many buttons. Now, they are threatening me with Maisie.
This is exactly why I didn’t want to get myself involved with her, but I couldn’t hold back any longer. I thought maybe I could live in a happy little sanctuary for just a little bit until I figured out a solution. I got ahead of myself, too full of myself and the ability to escape them.
I needed Maisie to know how I felt about her. I could see it in her eyes, standing on the side of the road, that she was at her last straw. If I did or said the wrong thing, there would be no more pursuing her from the shadows. We would go back to strangers, and she would pack up her life in a couple months and never look back. I was too selfish to let that happen. I may not have been ready for her yet, but I knew she needed to know she was different. That, the consequences be damned, I needed to taste her, feel her. So it would be harder for her to walk away from me if I had to pull back a bit until I was out from under the mafia's thumb.
Until I knew she was safe.
Moretti’s hand finds my shoulder, halting the shakes that have taken over. “Hey, we will figure this out. I promise. But youneed to be careful until then. Got it? I don’t want to scare you, but when they make a threat, they follow through tenfold. You don’t want to know the types of things I’ve seen them do to a man…or woman…or child. They don’t discriminate.”
“FUCK!” My fist finds one of the old rusty lockers, denting the door. It sends an ache all the way up my arm that helps take my focus away from the pain in my heart. I look over my shoulder at Moretti, giving him a solemn nod. “I understand.”
Moretti dips his head at me in goodbye before striding towards the exit to get ready to watch the fights. “Kick ass out there and make them pay.”
I’m losing.
My head is distracted, thinking about a certain angel's lips on mine. Her taste. Her sweet scent. But, most importantly, the threat against her life.
Each swipe of my opponent's knuckles across my cheek helps take the pain away, if only for a second. I want to feel this pain. I deserve it after what I’ve dragged Maisie into. How could I be so stupid with her life, so careless?
