From my past, p.20
From My Past, page 20
Beep, beep, beep. Beep, beep, beep.
Where is that coming from?
Beep, beep, beep.
I walk through the living room, and pull the cushions off the couch in search for the noise. Nothing.
Going into the bedroom, the sound continued to ring out in illusive beeps.
The beeps were getting louder. I pulled the bed and sheets apart, searching for the sound and coming up empty. Getting on the floor and looking underneath the bed and through the bedframe, still coming up empty. I ran into the bathroom and the beeping got even louder.
“What is it?” I whisper, searching around but seeing nothing on the surface level. I tear through the cabinets, still coming up empty. Frustrated and now super over-stimulated with the continual beeping, I lean back roughly against the door and put my head in my hands.
The beeps echo slightly, still loud and there, I look over to where the sound must be coming from…
In the air vent I see a faint light, so faint I would’ve missed it had I not been on the floor.
I ripped the vent grate out unceremoniously and pulled the small clear bag containing a cell phone out. It was dreadful, freaky and scary all at the same time. A fog of suspense filled the air as I unwrapped the phone from the clear plastic, seeing the words ‘Unknown Number’ flashing on the screen. It was an older phone; wouldn’t have internet, was made only for calling and sending out the occasional text, and it was still ringing.
So many questions went through my mind. Should I answer it? How did the phone get in the vent? Who hid it within my apartment? But ultimately, should I answer it?
I took a deep breath and realized I would answer it regardless, I was too nosy. I needed to know who was on the other end. I pressed the green ‘talk’ button and slowly brought it to my ear.
“Hello?” I said strongly, hoping my voice sounded stronger than I felt.
“About goddamn time, you whore.”
Luca’s voice filled my ear and my body immediately went into protection mode. I curled into myself; my shoulders scrunching up higher, my arms wrapping around my torso and my feet slid up, bending at the knees to protect myself. It was so fucking stupid, just the sound of his voice sent me into this fearful state.
Not again. Never again.
“What do you want?” I sneered, forcing myself to relax and reminding myself that he wasn’t in the room, he couldn’t hurt me.
“I wanted to let you know, show you, just how inadequate you’re protected with the Irish. I wanted to show you I could’ve killed you. I could’ve done so much fucking worse than kill you. You aren’t safe. Not from me, not from my men.”
“That’s funny, Luca. It just seems like you weren’t man enough to kill me. You never have been. Just a weak, pathetic excuse of a man who thinks hitting and raping women is okay.”
I knew I was playing with fire but fuck, it felt amazing to finally tell him off. Finally show him he has no hold on me. I felt more powerful with the safety of the phone.
“I’ll remember that.” Luca said. I could tell he was livid by his accent thickening; in my mind’s eye he was most likely grinding his teeth and his nostrils were flaring.
“You should, motherfucker.”
“You’re being awfully cocky for being such a whiny cunt.”
“I finally have a partner who supports and cherishes me, not uses me as their emotional and physical punching bag.”
Luca scoffed through the phone. “For now. He’ll get tired of you like I did and kick you to the curb. Then you’ll have no one to hide behind, darling. You’re going to pay for what you’ve done, the war you’ve started and the inconvenience you’ve put me through for this. Just know this, you are going to get what is coming to you. What you deserve.”
Before I even took a breath to respond to the vitriol, he was spewing my way, Luca hung up and I was met with a dial tone. One thing was for sure, he wasn’t letting me go. What Kieron had said about Luca’s ego being bruised and how he wanted to punish me for it, was completely true.
Luca wasn’t going to stop.
I hope I could stop him before he hurt anyone I loved. I couldn’t let that happen. Even at cost of my own life.
I walked out into the living room, sitting down next to the go-bag with the phone in my hand. It was scary that Luca had somehow gotten into my apartment and stashed a phone. It was terrifying that he had been here when I was sleeping and vulnerable without Kieron there for protection. Without anyone or anything for protection.
Wherever Kieron was taking me, wherever this safehouse was, I was going to have him teach me to fight. Maybe even have him train me on how to use a gun. I would not be left vulnerable like that ever again.
I tossed the phone across the room. Not hard enough to break it, but I needed some space. I needed to think and calm down before Kieron got back.
The view from this high up was incredible and I hadn’t really given it the proper appreciation it deserves. With nothing else to do but wait, I figured no time like the present. Pulling back the gossamer curtain, it was like I could finally take a deep breath. We are so high above the fog up here, above the sounds of the city. The sun was brightly shining, illuminating the world in the best possible way regardless of any darkness or ugliness that was tainting my life.
I put my hand up against the warming glass, noticing for the first time just how thick it is. As I take a deep breath and then rest my head against the glass, I hear a zipping sound, like one of those fireworks on the Fourth Of July that zips around obnoxiously before disintegrating in noise and being.
Looking around me, I can’t find anything in the apartment that was making any noise, let alone one as annoying as that. But then, I slowly look back to the window as I realize the noise isn’t coming from inside. It’s coming from the outside.
Through the air is whizzing some kind of pointed object, propelled like a rocket and headed straight for me. It hits the window and explodes with a deafening boom. I turn and dive for the floor with my hands over my head, bracing myself for impact and injury, but it never comes.
The glass is still standing, spider-webbed and cracked, but standing. A barrier between me and whatever bad thing was coming for me.
“What?” I whisper, lifting my head slowly and hoping that nothing else comes at me.
“Talia!” Kieron’s voice roars from the hallway. “Talia!”
I climb to my feet, shaking slightly, I stand tall and strong, not willing to let Luca take anything more from me. He had beaten me, he had hurt me and abused me, but I’m not fucking there anymore. I’m strong and him trying to kill me really pissed me off.
The front door burst open and in ran my tall, burly, tattooed Mafia man. His eyes were wild, darting back and forth, as he searched the room for me while searching for a threat to protect me from. His heavy footsteps rushed over to me, sweeping me into his arms and holding me tightly against him.
“Are you okay? Fuck, Talia.” His eyes rake over my body, searching for any signs of injury. “I heard the explosion and I swear to God, I’ve never run so fast in my life. Do you hurt anywhere?”
His chest was heaving deeply with the effort it took to get here so quickly, but that didn’t seem to matter in this moment.
“I’m fine. I don’t even really know what happened.” My ears are ringing and I think I bruised my damn chin from diving to the ground. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, worried about you. I thought I’d lost you.” Kieron says, his voice full of leftover fear.
“I’m okay.” I immediately want to say hose three little words that will inevitably change my life. I want to prove to him that I’m okay and that our life will go on happily regardless of his job and family ties, of my past and how it’s gunning for us. I threaded my fingers into his beard and cupped his jaw, keeping his eyes locked to mine. “I love you, too.”
A stolen moment in a day that had erupted into chaos and fire, Kieron and I had been given clarity and understanding of our true feelings. I didn’t want to wait any longer, I didn’t want to give anything else to Luca by not giving Kieron my whole heart because I was scared.
“You do?” Kieron’s eyes sparkled with emotion and disbelief but the smile he gave me was one I’ll never forget.
“More than anything.”
“Not as much as I love you, baby.” He said and kissed me. One arm wrapped around my waist while the other hand went to the back of my head and brought me close to him. Wrapping me in his clean, masculine scent and I instantly calmed.
“As touching as this moment is, get the fuck out of here. Jesus Christ, what part of my orders are you not understanding?” Kellan yells at us through the door before disappearing back into the hallway.
“He’s right,” Kieron said, pulled completely out of the moment. “I need to get you out of here.”
“Then let’s go.” I grab his hand and thread our fingers together before picking up the go-bag and walking as quickly as I could with him through the hallway.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Kieron
“I found the phone about five minutes before the explosion happened. Then got the pleasure of hearing Luca’s fucking voice just being a prick.” Talia talked quickly as I strapped her into my car.
As brave as she was sounding, as angry as she was, her hands were shaking. She was going into shock and not realizing it, so I’m just trying to keep her moving and talking.
“Do you still have the phone?”
“Yeah, I grabbed it before we left. It’s in the bag.” Her teeth start to chatter and I rip my leather jacket off, tucking her into it as quickly as I can before closing the door of the Mustang. I needed to do a quick sweep of the car and make sure there isn’t any other explosives. I get down on the ground and look under the axis, then check the wheel wells, the trunk and backseat before being satisfied we were safe for the moment and running to the driver’s side.
I didn’t know if there are any more bombs or missiles in the building but I didn’t want to stay around to find out. It was obvious that the missile had been meant for Talia and the next time, we might not get so lucky. I wasn’t willing to chance it.
“That utter piece-of-shit.” I mutter under my breath. Talia was quiet, the shaking hadn’t gone away but at least it wasn’t getting worse.
I was going to find Luca and his cowardly hideaway and when I did there was going to be serious hell to pay. I’d take my brass knuckles and bust open his head until that Garzino fucker couldn’t get up. I wanted to see him suffer before I ended his life. I wanted to see the fear and remorse in his eyes before the life drained from them.
“He won’t be living much longer, baby. I promise you that.” I was speeding through the streets, pushing my Mustang to the max. I wanted to get us out of the city as quickly as possible.
“Kieron! You’re going too fucking fast!” Talia cries out.
“Can you tell me more about the call? What did he say? Exactly, Talia, what did he say?” I took my foot off the accelerator slightly, still going way over the speed limit, but enough that it made her feel more comfortable.
“He just wanted to call me names and get all pissy that I got away from him.”
“Talia, what exactly did he say?” I ask again. Putting my hand on her thigh I try to take a deep breath. She won’t appreciate me going all Second-In-Command but my patience is wearing thin.
“I told you, he was just putting on a show of power like he used to. But it won’t work on me anymore.”
“Goddamn it, Talia, what exactly did he say!” I snap, a lock of hair fell into my eyes and I moved the hand from her thigh to move it back. Stress and anxiety felt like they were going to make my heart explode. I just needed her to answer the fucking question the way that I’d asked. He might have left a clue or a message within his evil words that we could somehow figure out his next move, figure out where he is hiding. Fuck, any number of things, but I needed to know what he said.
“Please.” I say softly.
“He told me that I wasn’t safe with you or in that building. That the phone proved it. He told me I am a whore and I am going to pay for what I’ve done to him. He told me you’ll get tired of me and leave me. Then I’ll have no one to hide behind. His words, not mine. He called me ‘darling’ like he used to before he would beat me. But he said more than once about how I wasn’t safe with you or with the Irish and I’d be back with him and the Italians quickly.” She rattled off, not looking at me, but watching the cars and buildings fly by.
The leather of the steering wheel creaked with the strain of my grip. How dare he say those things to her. How dare he put those thoughts into her head that I’d leave her, ever. How fucking dare he say I can’t protect her.
“You know he’s just being a dickhead, right? He’s trying to get into your head and make you think those things. I’d never leave you, baby.”
Talia nods offhandedly, still not looking at me.
I run my hand over my face and grip the steering wheel harder. I would have to deal with this, with frightening her or hurting her feelings but I can’t right now.
Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I dial my dad’s number and wait for him to answer.
“Are you guys there yet?” Kellan’s voice asks through the phone.
“No, about ninety more minutes. Are you going to your safehouse?”
“ETA five minutes.”
“Good, good. I have new information from Talia about what happened.”
“Is she alright?” My dad asked and the fact that he asked about her before asking what the information was made me smirk.
“She’s rattled, but the bulletproof glass on our floor saved her life. I checked the car for explosives, but there wasn’t any. Garzino, or a man from their camp, somehow snuck into her apartment, hid a fucking cell phone and then called right before the explosion to keep her distracted.”
“Fuck.” Kellan snarls. “What did he say?”
“Nothing that needs repeating at this moment.” I say into the phone, chancing a look over at Talia. She’s finally looking at me, a look of gratitude in her eyes. “I’ll send any pertinent information your way.”
“Understood. Keep safe.” Kellan said and hung up. Putting the phone in the middle seat, I saw the exit for my beach house and took it.
* * *
“It’s beautiful!” Talia cried as she climbed out of the car. Watching her light up as she saw the beach, the water gently hitting the sand and the wind going through the trees was just what I wanted to bring to her. I wanted to give her relaxation and time to be herself. Once she saw the small one-story house right on the beach and looked back at me with a look of excitement on her face.
“Let me show you your new place for a while.” I held my hand out with a smile on my face and she ran over to take it.
Thankfully, I’d been able to shoot a quick text off to Cara and she was able to stock everything for us.
“Oh my god, Kieron, it’s beautiful.” She repeats as she is looking around my house. I never wanted a huge, obnoxious house that would be too much space for just me. With the craziness and danger of my life, I wanted a piece of paradise, an oasis, that I could all my own.
The wooden exterior was painted a pale blue and weathered from years of salt spray hitting the paint. The exterior trim was a natural brown and the awning was just deep enough that I was able to put two white rocking chairs side-by-side to watch the sunset. With the sand that came right up to the front door, it was the perfect little home. And I didn’t spend nearly enough time here due to the demands that come from being the Second.
Inside, I made sure to decorate, but honestly, I didn’t care much for decorating. Who did? I made sure I had a few comfortable places to sit; an overstuffed couch and loveseat, a big ass TV and the bookshelves were lined with my favorites. Whenever I actually got to be here, I just wanted to relax and get out on the water.
I watched Talia take in everything. Her long violet hair falling out of the haphazard ponytail she’d thrown her hair in earlier. She looked absolutely beautiful. Natural. Like she belonged here, with me. My girl.
“There are no pictures anywhere, Kieron.” She noted, dropping the go-bag in the middle of the living room.
“Who would I put pictures up of right now?”
“Your family, you traveling, you surfing, things you like…” She lists off. “I love having pictures up.” Talia says wistfully, her eyes trailing along almost sadly.
“What’s wrong, baby?” I can’t take the look of sadness in her eyes. Wrapping my arms around her and tucking her under my arm, I wait for her to tell me what’s going on.
“I had all these pictures at my, or Luca’s, apartment. They were of my family, of my childhood and my life when I actually knew what my life was.”
“We should’ve grabbed them before we left. We could’ve.”
“They’re just pictures.” She said sadly. “Nothing compared to staying alive and keeping everyone I love alive.”
“We’ll take more. And then,” I say, taking a step back and pointing to one of the blank spots on the wall “we put our favorite right here.”
Talia smiles at me, bringing some of that light she had before comes back into her eyes. “I’d like that.”
* * *
Call me through the encrypted line. We need to talk. My father apparently had something damn important if he wanted to talk through the encrypted line.
I pulled my laptop out of my go-bag, closing the door to the bedroom but leaving the door cracked so Talia could see me when she wakes up. After giving her a quick tour of the house, I offered for her to lay down and rest in my bed. Our bed. I’m surprised my stubborn woman took me up on it and she took her sneakers off and climbed right into the king-sized bed.
