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32
Three years ago
“Well, we seem to have a little issue now, don’t we, pretty girl?” Jeb says as he kicks the dead man’s body off the seat and places the chair in front of me, sitting down.
He’s still holding the gun. It dangles from his fingers carelessly as a pool of dark red blood spreads over the wooden floor getting closer and closer to my feet. I look at him with wide-eyes, fear leaving me mute.
“You know it’s a shame because I hear my nephew has taken quite a liking to you. Putting a bullet in your head won’t do good things for our relationship,” Jeb muses, cocking his head to the side and running his fingers over my cheek. My jaw begins to chatter, and he grips my chin tightly in his hold. “Then there’s the small matter of you seeing something you shouldn’t. This bastard was shot because he was supposed to be keeping an eye out and preventing someone like you from stumbling across something you have no business seeing. It’s quite a predicament, don’t you think? So, what should I do, huh?” He lifts the gun and places the cold, hard, metal edge against my cheek.
“P-please, don’t kill me. I’ll do anything...” I stutter, slamming my mouth closed as he leans forward, the gun biting into my skin. He looks into my eyes for a long, long time. His eyes are as pitch black as Zayn’s, but there’s no life in them. When I look into Zayn’s eyes I see stars, when I look into Jeb’s I see nothing but a void as black and final as death.
“Funnily enough, I believe you.” Jeb suddenly jerks back, removing the gun and throwing it onto the table. I flinch, expecting it to go off. It doesn’t.
“Safety’s back on, pretty girl,” Jeb says with a smile that’s far too dark to be friendly.
“So, how are we going to play this, huh? You look like the kind of girl who can keep a secret. Can you keep a secret, Penelope? That is your name, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” I confirm. He can call me what the fuck he wants as long as I’m still alive to hear it.
“You keep my little indiscretions a secret and I’ll let you toddle off back to the Breakers and keep my nephew happy. Provided you keep this quiet, then we’re all good. I’m happy, you’re happy, my nephew is happy.”
“I-I can’t,” I stutter.
“What do you mean youcan’t?” Jeb spits out, reaching for the gun once more.
“My b-brother, he threatened to kill my little sister if I stayed friends with the Breakers. I-I have to break up with them, tonight. He’s going to kill her if I don’t,” I sob, tears falling freely now. I swipe at them, forcing anger into my heart so that fear doesn’t make me look weak.
“Did he now? Why am I not surprised?” Jeb says, lifting his foot and placing it on the dead’s man’s back. “Your brother is volatile and has already expressed his dislike of you hanging out with my nephew and the Breakers. I can’t see the problem myself. Then again, no one quite knows what the fuck goes on in David’s head at the best of times.”
“Ihatehim,” I seethe. No truer words were spoken and Jeb, being the kind of man he is, recognises that powerful emotion all too well. Hate fuels violence and violence fuels hate. A vicious cycle that people like Jeb thrive in.
“I can see that. Thing is, I’d offer to put a bullet in David’s head myself if it wasn’t for the fact that he’s exceptionally good at his job. Business is booming and I owe a lot of that success to David. Of course, I’d never tell him that. So, I really need to keep him on my side. Hmm…” Jeb taps his chin, thoughtful for a moment.
“He can’t hurt my sister… Please, she’s just a kid. Isn’t there anything you can do? Even if I walked away from the Breakers he’d still find a way to hurt her, to hurt me. I know it. I don’t want to lose them, but I can’t lose my sister. I can’t.” I’m shaking so violently now that the tip of my trainer slides into the pool of blood. I yank my foot away, holding back the puke threatening to break free from my mouth.
Jeb nods, watching me closely. “The way I see it, keeping away from the Breakers is your only option. David is a man of his word. I know that. Hewillkill your sister if you break your promise. Now, I can deal with Zayn’s broken heart. All he’ll need is a few women to fuck and he’d be over you, but I sure as fuck don’t need a little girl’s murder on my hands.” He laughs raucously and I flinch. This isn’t funny. None of this is fucking funny.
“Will you help me? I’ll keep your secret. I swear to you I will never, ever, tell a soul about anything I saw today. I’ll do whatever you want, I swear it.”
Jeb nods. “Isn’t it ironic. Here I was thinking that I’m going to be indebted to you and now you appear to be indebted to me. Funny how that goes.”
“Please. I’ll do anything,” I repeat, determined to save Lena’s life even if that means sacrificing my own happiness. I need to get out of this room and back home to my sister. I need to hold her and know that she’s going to be safe.
“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. Tonight, I’m going to secure your sister’s safety and send your brother away in exchange for your silence. I’ve got contacts in Mexico and have been looking to widen my net. Your brother is going to run my business over there. It’s a win-win on all counts.”
“Thank you.” I blow out a heavy breath, tears pricking my eyes.
“But, you’re still going to dump the Breakers because your brother won’t be any good to me if he’s obsessing over you and yourfriendshipwith them.” He rolls his eyes at the word, as though such a thing as friendship is insignificant. I suppose for a man like him, it is. “You’ll have no contact with them for this moment on.”
My heart fucking cracks, bleeding as heavily as the dead man on the floor, but I nod my head anyway. “Okay,” I whisper, dropping my head and gritting my teeth against the flow of tears that threaten.
“But you’re going to have to do something else for me too,” Jeb says, inching closer. He lifts my chin with his finger, forcing me to look at him. “You’re going to have to be mine.”
“Yours?” I choke, shock filtering into my features.
“Yes,mine. Don’t worry, Penelope, I don’t want to fuck you, but one day I’m going to call in this debt and you’re going to have to do what I ask. No fucking questions.”
“What do I need to do?”
