The Devil's Revenge (The Devil's Eyes) (20 page)
I walk into the house expecting Nick to come raging at me like a bull but instead it’s worse. He sits, silently eyeing me while Dwayne tries to silently warn me of his anger. I search the room for Kayla, my only hope to have any chance in this argument against Nick. I hesitate to open my mouth knowing the war will begin the moment I do, so I search for the right words to make a quick connection. “I love her. I love her, Nick.” He sits back with a cynical expression. “It was not my intention to disobey you or go against you, but I will not let you hurt her. You will have to kill me first.”
“Damn it Ryan, how did this happen?” Nick stands up yelling.
“There is something about her that I connected with, that I felt deeper than I have ever felt. She needs me, she loves me and I want to protect her.” Swallowing hard, I look back at Nick. “Protect her from anyone who wishes to do her harm. She can help us with Welch. She said she will, whatever we need.”
“She told you that?” He asks in disbelief. It’s not worth arguing with him, he is always right and will never believe any different until he sees it himself. “I guess I don’t have a choice in this do I? We are never going to find her, if I know you. And if we do …”
“And if you do, you will have to kill me to get to her. So you can either start now, or … trust me.” I look at him, mirroring his intensity, eye to eye.
“So let’s concentrate on something we can control. Estrella is scared. He is moving supplies around and barricading himself in that monstrosity of a house of his. We need to take him down in pieces. Let’s start with cutting off his trade routes. I have set up a meeting with Elijah tomorrow.” Nick announces as if the decision is final already.
“Elijah? Oh no, not Elijah.” I say hoping that I heard him wrong.
“He is our best ally right now, Ryan. I don’t understand why you two never got along.” Nick says, still furious with me.
“Because he is a jackass. He thinks he is smarter than everybody else and better looking too, which is ….”
“It shouldn’t matter what he thinks. The thing that does matter is that I can trust him to do what he says he will do, I only have to get him to agree to do it.” Nick waits for me to give in before continuing -
but damn I hate that guy.
“You two do what you do best and cut off any chance for spies to intrude.” Nick continues with our action plan, but when it’s over he forces me to stay and talk to him alone. “This girl … how do you know she isn’t setting you up?”
“You mean like Kayla had plans for you?” I ask him.
“Kayla didn’t have anyone helping her.” Nick retorts.
“Don’t worry
big brother
, I know what I am doing.”
“I hope so.” Nick says, grabbing me by the back of the head and kissing my forehead. “You are still my brother, and no matter how much you might hate it I am only angry with you because … I don’t want anyone to hurt you, Ryan. If someone comes after you then they will have to deal with me.”
Nick takes my hand and I know he is about to prepare me for something. I was told originally we are meeting with a possible ally, but now I am wondering whom this ally is. “Okay Nick, explain to me how you know this man?”
“He’s an old friend. Luke, Elijah and I started with Harvey at the same time. Elijah would steal cars with me and …” Nick smiles with an awkward glance my way, which is even more telling. “Well, Elijah has a way with women too, so we would make it a game at times. When we left Harvey, we split up the money we stole from him. Elijah went to do his own thing, to help his father out, and Luke followed me.”
“Oh great, another Nick. Is that what you are telling me?” I ask, rolling my eyes.
Nick laughs, “No one can be me, Princess.”
Getting out of the car, Nick escorts me inside the dark restaurant where we are immediately taken to the back room. I glance Ryan’s way and notice his intensity, which makes me uneasy. Dwayne, however, is calm as ever. Nick walks in the room and I immediately hear someone call out to him.
“Nicky! Cannot believe it’s you. Are you the walking dead? Only you could come back from the grave.” The man is concealed from my view until he gets up and hugs Nick and catches sight of me from over his shoulder. “Hello, and who are you?” He says, stepping around Nick to me with a kiss to the cheek and a slide of his hand down my arm.
Nick forces a smile as he pushes him back away from me. “Elijah, this is Kayla, my wife.”
Elijah stands back with wide eyes, “Fuck you! Are you kidding me? So the rumors were true? What happened Nick, she get something on you?” Nick shakes his head as he helps me to a seat. Elijah shakes his own head before noticing Ryan. “Is this? No! Little Ryan?” Elijah rubs Ryan’s head receiving a shove and an evil glare. “Wow, you actually filled out that bean pole body of yours. Did your dick finally get bigger too?” Elijah laughs, obviously knowing that he irritates Ryan with every word he speaks. “Let’s see …” He laughs enjoying Ryan’s annoyance.
“I doubt you want to be embarrassed Elijah, you just worry about your own diseased dick.” Ryan smarts off.
Elijah laughs, “Wow, someone still has an attitude problem. What, Nick didn’t feed you today or got a low blood sugar or something?” He smiles at Nick.
“Elijah, leave him alone and let’s talk.” Nick says, motioning for him to sit. Elijah sighs and sits but, holds his hand up and calls for one of the underdressed ladies to come to him.
“Sweetheart, get me a drink, will ya?” Elijah eyes her up and down before turning towards Nick with a smile. “Bitch got some crazy legs, think I am going to have to try her out before I leave.” I roll my eyes and he immediately notices but doesn’t comment.
“Elijah, I need to take care of a problem. Estrella needs to be dealt with and I want to do it now. We need to work together on this and take him out before it is too late for both of us.” Elijah sits back with a heavy breath. “You know it’s true.”
Nick leans down focusing on Elijah but Elijah avoids looking into Nick’s eyes. Whenever Nick speaks, Elijah looks around him and then focuses away when he himself speaks. “He is your problem, not mine, Nicky. He stays out of my territory and I stay out of his. My life is peaceful right now. I have no reason to change that, not for you or anyone.”
“I think you do, Estrella is working for Welch.” Nick replies.
“The senator?” Nick nods. “Still, what does that have to do with me?”
“You don’t think after they finish with us they aren’t going to come after you? You are smarter than that Elijah, you’re the next one on the list and you know it.”
“Not if I stay out of the way. They have no reason to come after me. I have no affect on what Estrella brings in or doesn’t bring in. I’m sorry Nicky but I can’t help you. I mean you’re crazy, you are here asking for help to go after a senator? You must have some kind of heat on you and that alone is enough for me to believe that I shouldn’t even be meeting with you right now.”
“No one knows I’m here, we made sure of it.” Nick assures him.
“No one knows? Bullshit, I don’t care how careful you were, someone can still find out. Especially when it comes to the government. Again –
No!
It was nice seeing you again and meeting your … fucking wife, but please leave my restaurant before I become a target too.”
“You are being stupid!” I yell at him, shocking him. Nick shakes his head at me. “No, someone should tell this fool what he is doing.”
“Kayla, come on let’s go.” Nick quickly stands up between us.
“No Nicky, apparently I am a fool so please …” He looks me over as I stand to meet him. “Please tell me Bitch, what I am too foolish to understand?” Nick eyes him closely and he backs a half step away from me.
“You are going to be the next one on their list. There is no way they are going to let you go your own way. They will want your territory too, and once we are gone there will be nothing to stop them either.”
Nick puts his arm around me, “Nice to see you again Elijah. Come on Kayla.” We leave and I can see the disappointment and worry on Nick’s face. I squeeze in tighter to his side and look up at him trying to read his thoughts. He smiles at me, “It’s going to be okay, don’t worry. I’ll figure it out.” Nick kisses me before he retreats into a pensive mood.
I can’t let it go, even with Nick devising alternate plans. I still believe his original one is the best one, and the one that will help keep him alive. The new one has him risking too much of himself, and losing him is not something I am willing to do … not again. On my own, I decide to try Elijah again. I find his home and after a few deep breaths I walk up to his door and greet his guard who escorts me to a room where I wait for Elijah. Dressed for business, I hope to win this negotiation with an intelligent approach. I stand ready and determined with my argument prepared. Elijah enters the room dressed casually and already has a scowl on his face. The man reeks of arrogance, everything he puts on his body highlights his ripped features. He thinks so much of himself he purposely chooses the perfect colors to emphasize his deep skin tone and the brightness of his eyes. The amount of time he must spend on his hair I am sure out does me - by hours. I am not threatened by his tall stature or his overtly masculine qualities - still, I can understand how women could be easily seduced by him. But if I can resist Nick, I can resist anyone. Especially this overconfident fool.
“Why are you here?” He asks, looking me over with a sarcastic grin.
“To change your mind.” I say, causing a full smile to form across his face as he prepares himself a drink. Elijah walks over to me and hands me a glass before taking a drink of his own. “I don’t think you made the right decision, but I also wanted to apologize for the way I spoke to you. There is a better way to handle business.”
“Nick send you?” He watches me closely. “Of course, he didn’t. He doesn’t have a clue that you are even here.” He turns from me with a laugh, but I stop him and turn him back to me.
Smiling sweetly, I let my softened eyes control him as I lower myself to a standard I never like to go - groveling, but with a twist. “Elijah, please help me. I know you are a smart man that has a lot of power, but imagine what you can do with Nick’s help.” When I realize I have his attention, I step back and take in a breath, “This is an opportunity for you, and I would hate for you to miss out because of your … jealousy.”
“Excuse me? And who am I jealous of?” He mocks back at me.
“No reason to be embarrassed, Nick is incredible in so many ways. I can’t think of any man that could live up to all that he has become. It only stands to reason that you would want to distance yourself from him, not be reminded of your shortcomings. But I assure you, you are a great man as well. You have obviously achieved much in your own life.” I smile waving my hands at the gorgeous room that surrounds me. “All I am here to say is that I think that your fears should not hold you back from what could be a great and prosperous partnership. So please, set aside your insecurities and reconsider.” With a sweet innocent smile I hold my hand to him watching the fury within him intensify.
Setting his drink down, he makes his way to me and instead of taking my hand he forces me against him. “I tell you what, I will change my mind if you kiss me. Actually …” he picks me up and throws me on the nearby lounge and immediately climbs on top of me. “Let’s just fuck, what do you say? Maybe you can change my mind with a good fuck.” He says crawling over me with his mouth exploring the exposed areas of my skin.
“Get off me. I am not interested in this kind of business with you.” With a swift kick I knock him away and adjust my posture properly.
“You telling me you didn’t come here to try to convince me with all of what you got hidden under that sweet little dress of yours. Baby, I will give you what you want, just give me some of that sweet ass of yours. It must be damn good if you got Nick to marry you.”
“If you would listen and stop being so full of yourself you might realize what is best for you.” I try to persuade him with a more determined approach.
“What is best for me, is to relieve my swelling dick.” Huffing at his disgusting comment, I continue with one reason after the other as to why he should change his mind, but he continues smiling and coming closer to me. “Come on suck my dick baby … try it. I know you want too.” He grabs his crotch, “Nick is not the only one with a big cock. Come on, try it.” He moves quickly and catches me off guard, pinning me down and forcing his hand up my dress. “I don’t know what wicked voodoo spell you put on Nick, but I guarantee you that same shit won’t work on me. I fuck women. I don’t fall in love, nor am I ever influenced enough to give them anything but an orgasm. If they think otherwise and give me any trouble, I will slit their throat and never think twice about it. Too much pussy out there sweetness, for me to worry about just one.” Elijah’s hardened expression might give most pause, but I have come up against Nick’s devilish eyes and I know Elijah has too. “Now, if you want my help, or hell, if you want to walk out of here alive, then strip and bend over.” He says, removing his shirt and preparing for what he believes is going to be an easy score.
