New Title 6 (27 page)

 Griz
walked over to me. “She’s freaking. I'm worried she’ll lose it soon.”

 I
nodded. “She’s not the only one.” I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “The
thing I’ve noticed, though, is that Hell Mouth relies on Zara in more ways than
one. Deanna not only helped Zara outta her past, but I’m sure it was the other
way around as well. Not sure, kitten knows that though, unless she does and
carries that burden, as well as Deanna.” I looked over my shoulder to Deanna as
she perched her ass on the end of Vi’s desk. She looked in pain. “Anyone can
fuckin’ see that woman has been through some shit from that big iced wall she
has built around her, and right now, it only seems Zara has a key.”

 I
turned to Griz. “Good luck, brother; you’re gonna need it.” My phone rang; I
grabbed it outta the pocket of my jeans, and answered with, “Speak.”

 “Just
got back to the compound.The brothers have nothing. No one’s called in with
shit, Talon. How’s your end?”

 “Violet,
how we doing?” I was feeling antsy. I needed to be doing something instead of
talking shit with Griz, or standing around doing nothing at all. I felt
useless, and it fuckin’ hurt when it was my family out there in trouble.

 “Zip.
I’ve got Chuck on the line; there’s no one at their houses. Their cars are in
their frigging drive. I’ve got nothing else to go on. I’m sorry.”

 “Jesus
Christ,” I whispered.

 “I’m
guessing it’s not good,” Blue said on the other end of the phone.

 “No.
Fuck, brother.We have to find them—”

 “Talon,
wait,” Blue snapped.

 “Blue?”
I heard talking in the background, but I didn’t know what was being fuckin’
said. “Brother?”

 “Shit.
Shit, boss, we’ve got them. Travis just came in; he’s fucking found where they
are.”

 “Text
me the address. I’ll meet you there,” I said, and turned to the others.
“Travis's got a location. Let’s go.”

 “Thank
God.” Deanna sighed.

 “Christ,
yes,” Griz growled.

 “Talon,
wait,” Violet called.

 “What,
woman? I gotta get my family.”

 “You
and Griz need my guns. If the bullets are traced, I’m covered for being a PI.
You’re not.”

 I
closed my eyes.

 My
sister was protecting me.

 “I
want one too,” Deanna said.

 “No
way, darlin’. You get a taser,” Griz barked, and handed her a black taser from
his back pocket.

 “Seriously?”
she said with an eye roll.

 I
ignored them as Violet approached holding three guns. She handed one to Griz,
and then one to me. I looked her in the eye and said, “There could be a lotta
people goin' down today, Vi. You ready for this?”

 “Fuck
yeah.” She smiled.

 “Let’s
move then.” I smiled back.

I
woke laying on a double, four-poster bed in a dark room. I could see
the sun shining through the gaps in the blinds. That told me it was still
daytime, but I didn’t have a clue what hour it was, or how long I’d been
asleep.

 I
was sore all over; I needed water and something to eat, but I doubted I’d be
able to keep it down.

 Where
was my family?

 What
was going to happen next?

 I
sat up slowly, wincing when pain stabbed through my head and leg. I looked down
to the wound and found that someone had changed me into slip-on pajama pants.

 Why?

 The
door opened, and in walked a young girl around the age of sixteen with long,
red, curly hair, and a freckled face. She was short but slim, too skinny,
actually. She carried a tray with a glass and a bowl upon it.

 “Oh,
you’re awake.” She smiled. “Good, you’ll be wanting some food and water, yes?”

 I
nodded. What was such a young girl doing in the house with David? She set the
tray on the bed beside me. I took the glass with shaking hands and sipped it.
The water helped my parched throat.

 I
looked to the door that she’d left open.

 “You
won’t make it.” She smiled as she stood beside the bed.

 What?
Was she a mind reader?

 “W-who
are you?” I asked.

 “I
was homeless until David took me in.” She glanced at the door, and then back to
me. Bending over so we were inches apart, she whispered, “You need to get out
of here; he’s going to kill you.”

 My
eyes widened. Why was she warning me? I controlled my eye roll.
God, doesn’t
she think I already know that?

 “How
can I get out?” I asked.

 She
laughed. “That, I don’t know.”

 “I
wouldn’t without my family anyway.”

 Her
head cocked to the side. “Smart or stupid, you are, but I can’t work out which
one. I know I’m stupid, because I keep staying here. So maybe you’re the same?”

 Probably
.

 “Josie,
what are you doing in here?” David came through the door.

 “Nothing,
Daddy. Um, I mean, I brought our guest some supper.”

 Oh
my flipping God. Was this for real? I mean I'd always wanted to role-play where
Talon was a pirate and I was a damsel in distress…kind of like now.

 But
they're roles were just fruited up.

 Jesus,
why hadn’t I seen how crazy this fucktard was from the start?

 He
stalked across the room. Josie backed up until she hit the wall. “I told you
not to call me daddy around people,” he hissed through clenched teeth, and then
slapped her across the face.

 She
whimpered and sunk to the floor. “I’m sorry, David.”

 “Don’t
be an ass,” I said. He turned to face me.

 Better
me than an innocent girl.

 His
arm outstretched, grabbed me by my hair, and dragged me from the bed. I cried
out when I landed on my knees in front of him.

 “Don’t,”
Josie screamed. She jumped onto his back, clawing at his face. He swore and
flipped her off; she landed beside me with a
thunk
. He kicked her in her
side and she groaned.

 With
a fist, I punched him in the balls. It was his turn to groan, bending at the
waist.

 “Run,”
I yelled to Josie, but she didn’t move. Staying in her protective ball.

 “Jefferson,”
David called. In ran Jeff. “Take my
wife
to my office. I’ll deal with
her in a minute.”

 “You
are nothing but a perverted cocksucker, David. Or should I call you daddy too?
Isn’t that what you like, you hairy sac sucker?” I yelled.

 “Take
her now,” David barked. Jeff dragged me up and threw me over his shoulder. I
clenched my teeth from the pain.

 We
moved down a hallway, but I noticed David walk out of the room behind us and
lock the door. I smiled to myself; I’d pissed him off that much? I guess he
wanted to deal with me first. At least that left Josie alone…for now.

 Into
the office, Jeff threw me onto the couch.

 “Leave,”
David ordered.

 Jeff
smirked down at me, gave me a tap on the head, and left, closing the door
behind him. David turned the lock into place.

 He
started pacing the room. “I used to think that when I got you back we could
have worked this out. But you’ve changed.”

 “Lucky
for me, eh?” I sat up straighter and wondered why I wasn’t bleeding through the
pants I had on. I felt my leg where David had stabbed me. It was covered by
some sort of taping.

 “Shut
the hell up,” he screamed. I felt like telling him he screamed like a girl, but
I didn’t think that would go down well. Though, my chances were getting slimmer
by the second.

I love you, Talon
. Tears threatened.

 All
I could do now was pray that he got here in time to save the children and my
parents.

 “I
should have never been with you, David.” I laughed. “I thought I knew what love
was, but I didn’t. Because now I know what love is, the love I feel for Talon
is bigger than anything I’ve felt before—”

 He
ran at me, grabbing my shoulders, and roughly shook me. “Shut up. Shut up. Shut
up. You are nothing.” He spun away and walked to the desk.

 Oh shit.

 He
pulled open a draw and pulled out a gun. “I would never have wasted my time in
finding you, but your life insurance is going to make it worth it.”

 Say what, now?

 “Um,
hold on a second.” I giggled. “Have you thought this through? Won’t the
insurance people know something's up if I’m riddled with bullets?”

 Why am I helping him? Jeesh.

 It
was then I realized that I wasn't scared of David. I was no longer scared. What
was in front of me was an old, mean man and nothing else.

 “The
police wouldn’t question a break in, where my dear wife was killed defending
our home.Well, not home—seems you made me fucking travel a state away to kill
you,” he yelled, and then shook his head. “But our new holiday warehouse is
nice, here in Melbourne. Isn’t it wonderful? I get a dead wife. I get money,
and a new place. Yes, I think I’ll intend on living here…with my two
daughters.”

 “No!”
I screamed.

 He
raised the gun and fired.

 My
body bounced back into the couch. I looked down as pain shot through my arm;
blood started to soak my tee.

 Damn it, I liked this one.

 “Practice
shot,” he smirked. He raised the gun again.