Come To Me (Owned Book 3) (11 page)

Especially from me.

I pulled into the garage, momentarily stopping the deluge of flashbacks. Lenny was still sleeping in the back, she hadn’t even woken for a moment in the hours it had taken to get here. I got out of the car just as the garage door closed behind me, shutting out the now risen sun. Then I opened the passenger door.

Lenny lay sprawled out in nearly the exact same position I’d put her. Leaning forward, I put my bodyweight on the hood of the car as I examined her. Her leg was draped over the seat, her arm across her chest, her red hair messy and all over the place. It was a good thing I invested in the leather because it would be a lot easier to clean out the blood.

I lifted her into my arms. Even though she was basically dead weight, it still felt like nothing. She drowsily curled into my chest.

Looking back, I realized when I’d first invited her to my cabin I’d kicked down a domino that knocked down the entire chain. I should have realized then I was sending out an invitation I could never take back, but the day before she’d just unveiled a part of herself that made her more naked than any flesh. She’d told me secrets about herself that had opened her up like a lily. I’d felt compelled. Then again, with Lenny, compulsion seemed to be the name of the game.

I was playing with fire then. It was like I thought I could keep stoking the flame, thought I could continue to get warmed by it, build it bigger and grander, and nothing would get burned. Lenny was so magnificent; I wanted to see where it would lead me. I wanted to see what color her fire blazed.

The trip had ended when she’d tried to kiss me. She got on top of me, she took her shirt off, and she was more beautiful than my imagination had dared to dream. The fire licked my skin and I ran scared. The emotions she stoked in me were too big to rein in or control. The things she promised to unleash in me were beyond what I had promised myself. And then there was GEM. There would
always
be GEM, and to unleash that on Lenny was unfair. It was borderline cruel.

I’d pushed her off me and she lashed me with her tongue. That wasn’t the end of it, though, because I’d had a taste of it, of Lenny.

And Lenny was addiction.

Now as I walked up the steps to my cabin, looking down at her pale face, I was just as enthralled as I had been then. She was my Lenny. She would always be my Lenny, but I couldn’t keep putting her in danger.

I
laid Lenny down on the couch in my office. I would have put her in the bedroom, but I wanted her near me and I needed to work. I needed to find out if our friends and family were safe. I needed to see if
we
were safe. I needed to fucking figure out a plan…but she still hadn’t woken up.

Her lips were full, pouty, and effortless. Her eyebrows were unknit and her skin unwrinkled. I’d cleaned her wounds and the entire time she slept. She looked peaceful, and that had me uneasy. As I called Lissie and Zoe to check on their safety, a single red lock fell to her cheek.

Zoe picked up the call and immediately started in on me, asking questions that could have gotten her killed if she’d known better. She didn’t know better, though. She was just another casualty in my war. I moved the hair from Lenny’s face and ran a hand through my own, trying to shut Zoe up.

“Look, Zoe,” I grumbled. “I’m glad you know how to work a search engine.”

“Fuck off, Vic. We were in the airport when the news came on. Gang fight in coastal California my ass. Over forty found dead. What have you gotten yourself into?” Zoe was sharp, but beyond that, she was keen. She saw things others discounted as coincidence. Because of that, we’d always had a “don’t ask, don’t tell” type of relationship.

When Dean came and was hell bent on fucking up Lennox, he started with Zoe. She had a concussion and some bruises, nothing serious, but I took care of her. I’d used GEM for her as well as for Lennox. After that, it was a little difficult to continue our “don’t ask, don’t tell” dynamic. Still, we tried.

Silence permeated through the phone as I refused to answer her question. Right then, Zoe wasn’t in any danger, and I could keep it that way if she stayed dumb. Zoe was stubborn like me, though, so she wasn’t giving up without a fight.

“We’re having a great time visiting family,” Lissie said, coming on the line. I heard Zoe sigh, but inwardly I thanked Lissie. “The grandparents haven’t seen Thea since the christening. They weren’t super stoked that she was christened as a wicca…” Lissie started to ramble about the christening—or “wiccaning”. Both Lenny and I’d been present, as it was the day they’d made Lenny godmother to Thea. I could still remember her freaking out about it.

“Does that mean I have to be the mother when you die? I’m not a fit mother, guys, I
will
fuck up your baby. You should choose someone else.”

“No, our parents will take over if we both somehow die,” they’d assured her.

“What does a godmother do?”

“It used to mean you raise them in the faith.”

“You guys are religious? I’m not religious. Again, maybe you should pick someone else.”

“We’re Wicca, but again, we don’t expect someone else to raise our baby. We’re going to do it all. To us, it means that we love you and you have a special place in our and Thea’s lives.”

I thought back on the memory and how they’d asked me to be godfather while Lenny had cried. She’d been understandably touched. I would have freaked the fuck out too, if she hadn’t already done all the freaking out for me.

“That’s fantastic,” I said absently.

“How’s the godmother?” At Lissie’s question, I looked over at Lennox. All of her wounds had been superficial. She had no broken bones and no deep bruising. Her cuts weren’t even that deep. I wouldn’t say she’d been lucky—luck didn’t happen in my world. They’d spared her. They’d set her aside for some other time, but it would be over my dead body before they got their chance again.

“Vic?” Lissie pressed, and I realized I’d been quiet for a few moments. Shaking free of the memory, I turned on my computer to get to work. The ABCs
had kind of gotten fucked. I’d had a chance to assemble, but I’d had to skip right to clearing out, so I’d never gotten a chance to break. That meant my gear was out there, ripe for the taking. I needed to check and see if anyone was poking around.

“Sorry,” I mumbled. “She’s fine. Look I have to go. I’m glad you guys made it there safely.”

“Vic wait!” Zoe came on the line. “I just need to say before… It’s been…” She paused. “Take care of yourself.”

“I… Yeah.” I hung up and was dialing the next number within seconds. Eli’s low, smooth voice came clear over the receiver. For a second, I worried he hadn’t used the burner phone, but then I realized I’d dialed the damn number myself.

“Are you in a safe location?” I asked just as Lenny mumbled something in her sleep. Scowling, I looked over to see her toss and turn on the couch. I was just about to stand when Eli spoke.

“Yes we’re—”

“Don’t tell me!” I cut him off, frustrated. “I just needed to know you’re safe. Hopefully I’ll have this all figured out soon.” Lenny moaned and rolled to her side. I held my breath, watching her, waiting to see if she’d wake up. Our family was safe—for now. A stockpile of information, aliases, and codes was back at the apartment unattended because I hadn’t taken the time to break. Sure it was encrypted, but any company worth their salt could break it. It was too late to go back. And I still didn’t have a plan.

Yet all I wanted to do was get off my leather chair and wipe the sweat from Lenny’s brow.

“Is that all?” Eli’s pissed off question broke me from my stupor.

“Yep.” I heard him swear as I clicked off. Whatever he was going to say to me, I’d already said it to myself. Standing up, I went to Lennox and ran a hand across her forehead. She didn’t feel like she had a fever, but that wasn’t much comfort.

My medical knowledge was pretty fucking limited. I’d relied too long on GEM’s resources. For all I knew Lenny was dying of an overdose or infection. I mean her wounds looked superficial, but I wasn’t a fucking doctor. She’d stopped tossing, but that could mean anything. As I placed a strand of hair behind her ear, a number I didn’t recognize rang the burner.

I kept my hand on her forehead, answering, “Twenty-four-hour takeout. Do you want Chinese, pizza, or Thai?” Like I said, there are certain protocols and rules people in my line of work follow. If you’re like me, and you’re burned, you can’t simply answer an unknown call and say “Vic Wall, do you feel like murdering me today?”

So aliases, codes, and codewords were invented. Only a few select people knew how to respond correctly to my question. If answered incorrectly, you hung up and ABCd
.

“Shit, people still do that?” I instantly recognized the cocksure tone of Seven, head of The Boogiemen. The way he responded, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he was playing Xbox, as if life was always filled with contract kills and those filling the contracts.

“What the fuck do you want?” Never mind he didn’t answer my question. If Seven wanted me dead, it wouldn’t matter what I did. I could ABC, do-si-do, or hide in the presidential bunker. Seven wants you dead, you’re dead.

“I’ve got some information that might interest you,” Seven continued.

“What do you want?” I moved the phone from one ear to the other, preparing for whatever sacrifice Seven would surely request.

“Can’t a guy just do something nice?”

“Sure, a guy can.” I let my words lie like hardening cement.

“Jesus, you fucks fall in love and it’s like all the humor drains out your dick.” I stood and sat down on the chair opposite Lenny. Her breathing was still a little shallow and that didn’t sit well with me. Whatever drug she’d taken, she’d taken too much. Seven continued when I didn’t respond, “Consider it a wedding present.”

“I’m not married.”

“You’re bound more than those that are.” I wasn’t about to argue with that, though I did say, “For a man who isn’t in love, you sure seem to know a lot about it.”

Ignoring me, Seven said, “After you called, you piqued my interest.”

“Lucky me.”

“I learned of your really half-assed attempt at a hit.” Seven paused to laugh, which took about a minute. I frowned, waiting for him to stop. “You couldn’t even get to the fucking airport! Oh god…okay… You should leave that shit to the professionals, but that’s not why I’m calling. I’m calling because of GEM.” Grimacing, I turned away from Lenny and to my computer. The screen was blank now, but I faced it anyway.

“What, now they got you on my ass, too?” I asked.

“Nah, man. Let’s just say sometime in the near future you’re going to need my help.”

“I didn’t think The Boogieman helped. I thought The Boogieman—”

“Before you go postulating and shit,” Seven cut me off. “Let me just remind you that you aren’t the only one who’s been fucked in the ass by the long arm of GEM, Vic.”

“Still doesn’t explain why I’m going to need your help.”

“In due time.” The words were cryptic, but it was his tone that gave me pause and stopped my fingers from drumming against the desk. His brogue had taken a dark turn. I stared at the fingerprints I’d made on the glass, waiting for him to speak. When he didn’t, I made my position clear.

“My death toll has risen high enough, Seven.” Seven laughed, but this was not the same laugh as before. It was long and mirthless, and then the line went dead. I wasn’t given any time to wonder at Seven’s call. Barely had I put the phone down when the next fire sprouted.

“Your death toll?” I spun around at the sound of Lenny’s voice. She was sitting partially up, her arm propped on a forest green couch cushion. Hair a mess, pillow indents on her cheek, she looked absolutely fuckable. I shook my head, trying to get my mind clear. I stood slightly up, reaching an arm out, but she was already up and running away. Her footfalls faded and then I heard a door slam seconds later.

“Goddammit,” I said under my breath.

“L
ennox!” I banged on the bathroom door. “Let me the fuck inside.”

“Go murder someone,” she yelled back. “It’s what you love to do. I’m the idiot in this relationship! I’m the one who actually believed the lies! I’m the one who took the lies and loved them! Dean…Maybe Black Dahlia if we’re being honest for once…Are you responsible for all unsolved California murders?” She started to giggle and I frowned. It wasn’t exactly a funny topic of conversation. Through the wood I could hear a song starting to play. It was slow and melodious, with a high harmonic voice.