《The Joy of Revenge》 Chapter 1 The Joy of Revenge Prologue Let me tell you a story¡­. Once upon a time, there was a young girl named Joy. She lived in a small town called New Salem in North Dakota. Her family wasn¡¯t rich, but they weren¡¯t considered poor either. Her parents were hardworking and religious folk and they were respected among the town¡¯s people. Her mother named her Joy because when she was born, she brought joy into their lives. Her mother and father had been trying so long to have a baby and when her mother became pregnant, her parents were so happy. Finally, after so many years of all the disappointments and false rms, they were going to have a baby. Joy¡¯s mother had to stay in bed all throughout her pregnancy. There was a bit of bleeding during the first trimester, so the doctor ordered her mother to stay in bed. Her mother didn¡¯t mind if she wasn¡¯t allowed out of the house. She believed it was all for a good cause. Joy¡¯s father hired someone else to help him at the small grocery store they owned in town and also hired some help around the house so Joy¡¯s mother could take of herself and their baby. He¡¯d do anything just as long as their little Joy came out healthy. When Joy was born, her mother said she came out howling. She had strong lungs and the doctor said she was healthy as a horse. When the nurse came to her mother¡¯s room so she could suckle, Joy¡¯s cries were so loud, they could already hear her as the nurse came. But once Joy was in her mother¡¯s arms, she quieted instantly, like she knew she belonged there. Her father brought all their friends to the hospital toe see Joy. He was so proud. Joy grew up like any other little girl. ying games with all her friends, riding her bike to the park, eating ice cream on a hot summer¡¯s day and watching the stars on a clear starlit night. She was always full of energy. She could never sit still for a second¡­not even for the Taylor family¡¯s annual Christmas photo they hand out to friends and family. Joy was always N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. seen fidgeting, she could never keep still. When it was time for Joy to go to school, she fit right in with all her peers. She was one of the brightest in her ss and the students and teachers in the local grade school always fawned over her. She was a pretty little girl with chestnut colored hair and aquamarine colored eyes. There was usually an ongoing debate whether Joy¡¯s eyes were green or blue. To stop the squabbling, her father would say everyone was right. He told them Joy¡¯s eye color depended on the time of day. When it was bright, they were green. When it was dark, they were blue like the ocean. 1/4 Prologue Everything seemed fine for the Taylors until Joy entered high school. Sure, she was still one. of the brightest in her ss, but the students and teachers in the local high school no longer fawned over her. She was skinny, tall and awkward for a freshman while the other girls her age had nice perky breasts and were curvaceous. For the first time in her life, Joy became the butt of someone¡¯s joke, the receiving end of a prank, a victim of a bully. Joy would often wonder why did people need to undergo puberty as she¡¯d stare at herself in the mirror before dressing for school. Everything was fine before high school. No one made fun of her, criticized her, orughed at her. What was so special about breasts or sashaying hips? Well, Joy didn¡¯t mind just as long as her bestfriend, Noah, was beside her. When they were little, Noah¡¯s family moved into a house along their cul-de-sac. He was shy and timid and had a stutter, but Joy didn¡¯t mind. To her, Noah was special. Noah was smaller than the average boy and he was picked on a lot. Joy would always defend him from the yground bullies, hold his hand when he was hurt, and shared everything of hers with him. They were two peas in a pod. Where one was, it was expected the other was there too. They only separated when they had to go home to sleep. One night, when they were stargazing under the clear night sky on a pic nket at the meadow near Joy¡¯s house, they made a pact that they would always be friends forever, no matter what. Noah smiled at her with that adorable toothless grin of his and hugged her real tight. Joy knew in her heart that Noah would never leave her. Not now, not ever. But unlike Joy, who obviously was ate bloomer, Noah began to grow into the man he was destined to be during their freshmen year. He grew tall and his muscles started to form. He was no longer toothless and was blessed with perfect white teeth. His blonde hair shined like wheat in the sunlight and his chocte brown eyes tw inkled when he smiled. The freckles. around the bridge of his nose gave him that manly charm. He even grew out of his stutter. When they walked through their school together, Noah in his favorite white T-shirt tucked in is ripped blue jeans, the girls would all sigh as he passed them. Unfortunately, their friendship changed the summer before their sophomore year when Noah got a job flipping burgers at the local diner in town. He made friends with the kids who used. to bully him in grade school. They were the popr kids in their high school and they. believed Noah would be a good fit in their group. Yeah, they were all handsome and beautiful, some of them rich with powerful parents, and Noah knew being friends with them would give him an edge to get where he wanted to be in the future. He began ignoring Joy and brushing her off when she came to see him. It broke Joy¡¯s heart. She understood people. did change, but she couldn¡¯t believe Noah, of all people, would hurt her. III 2/4 Prologue During their sophomore year, loy was now all alone. What was worse, Noah, who promised he would never leave her, began joining in on his friends fun of tormenting her every day. She would lock herself up in the girls bathroom and cry. She couldn¡¯t believe her Noah could be so cruel! Joy left town to visit her aunt, who lived in California, the summer before their junior year. When she came back, no one could recognize her. She had finally blossomed into ady. Her once frizzy chestnut brown hair was now straight and curled at the ends. She now had big perky breasts and curves in all the right ces. Since she was tall, her long legs gleamed like baster in the sunlight. Her braces were gone and she smiled so sweetly, showing off her perfect teeth through her perfect pink lips. She was loved by all and she lived happily ever after¡­ Sorry, I was just fooling you. You know what they say, life isplicated. And joy can turn into misery in a heartbeat. It was one in the morning when the Taylors heard a knock on their door. It was the night of the spring dance and joy had permission to sleep at a friend¡¯s house after the event. Toy¡¯s father peered through the peep hole of the door and saw Noah standing at their doorstep. swung ¡°Noah. Joy isn t here. She¡¯s staying over at Lisa¡¯s for the night, Joy¡¯s father said as he the door open, wearing a robe over his pajamas. His eyes widened when he saw Noah carrying a girl in his arms. Her unrecognizable face was covered with blood, her wrists and ankles had ligature marks, and her white dress was torn to reveal her naked, bruised and wounded body underneath. He recognized the white dress. It was the same dress Joy made for the spring dance. ¡°OH MY G OD! JOY!¡± Noah was crying and shaking terribly. ¡°M-Mr. Taylor, can I bring Joy inside? 1-1 f-found her in the b- boy¡¯s gym room tied up and badly hurt. ¡°Give my daughter to me!¡± Joy¡¯s father screamed. Noah gently ced Joy in her father¡¯s arm, backed away and wiped his nose. ¡°MARGARET! GET THE KEYS TO THE TRUCK! I NEED TO BRING JOY TO THE HOSPITAL! Jay¡¯s mother ran down the stairs of their two-storey home,pletely confused. ¡°Why do you need to bring Joy to-¡± She froze as she saw her bloodied daughter in her husband¡¯s arms. ¡°WHAT HAPPENED?! My baby! What happened to you?¡± Joy¡¯s mother eximed as she rushed to her daughter, sobbing pitifully. O 3/4 Prologue ¡°Maggie, we need to bring Joy to the hospital. Grab my keys and my wallet and lock the door, Joy¡¯s father said calmly. Joy¡¯s mother quickly grabbed the keys and her husband¡¯s wallet from a tray on a small table in the foyer. ¡°Noah, follow us in your car. I need you to tell the police what you know.¡± At the hospital, the doctor gave the grim news to the Taylors that Joy was raped repeatedly. She also had broken ribs, trauma to her face and head, and a broken leg and arm. Whoever attacked her left her for dead. When Noah talked to the police, he said he didn¡¯t know anything and when the police visited the local high school, the kids didn¡¯t want to talk. Instead, they said Joy was begging for it since she was wearing a backless white dress to the dance that left nothing to the imagination. The boy¡¯s gym was immacte when the police searched the premises for evidence. They could not find any trace of hair, blood or semen. All they found was the smell of bleach. Joy¡¯s gown and sexual assault kit mysteriously went missing. Without any evidence, the Sheriff told Joy¡¯s father they could not file charges. If they did go ahead and file charges, Joy would have to relive everything those boys did to her in front of so many people and if they lose the case, she would be branded as the town¡¯s w h ore forever. Joy didn¡¯t return to school after she was discharged from the hospital and no one saw her after that. The Taylors sold everything and left, hoping to give Joy a chance at a normal life after her ordeal. No one knew where they went and after ten long years, the Taylors were now just a mere memory in the small town of New Salem. Well, not anymore. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom POST COMMENT Totally enjoying all the juicy gossip. What¡¯s more they are ying right into Joy¡¯s hands mwhahaha Morgan I say it¡¯s torture because I am really interested to see what happens next. I have no otherint! VIEW ALL 5 COMMENTS TO 43 4/4 The Joy of Revenge BOOK 1: The Love of the Blood Disciples CHAPTER 1 The First Day Joy I was s staring at myself in the mirror when I heard a knock on my bedroom door. I was dressed in an ordinary gray hoodie paired with my favorite jeans and white sneakers. My long silky chestnut brown hair flowed freely below my shoulders, providing a suitable cover if ever I needed to hide my face. I sighed. The idea was to blend in and not stand out, but I still had marks on my face which even make-up couldn¡¯t hide. It has been over a year, but I was far from calling myself fully recovered. There were still noticeable marks on my face, although I can say there has been a stark improvement. At least I still had my aquamarine eyes. It was the only feature I had that I could still call beautiful. ¡°Sweetie, breakfast is ready,¡± my mom said, opening the door to my room. She was already dressed, ready to go to the hospital where she worked. She was wearing pink scrubs and white sneakers, her long brown hair was fixed into a neat bun while her face was devoid of make-up. ¡°Okay, Mom,¡± I said, taking onest look at myself in the mirror. It was my first day at university and I was nervous. Scratch that. I was absolutely freaking out! Noticing my distress, my mom walked up to me and gave me reassuring hug. ¡°Honey, I know you¡¯re nervous, but look how much you¡¯ve improved. It has only been a little over a year and you¡¯re looking like yourself again,¡± she said, peering into my eyes. ¡°But if you aren¡¯t ready, we can ask the dean to- ¡°No, Mom. It¡¯s now or never. I need to put high school behind me and move on or I¡¯ll never be able to move on,¡± I said. ¡°Anyway, I look so hideous, no boy is ever going to try and touch me. They¡¯ll probably throw up at the mere thought.¡± The reassuring expression on my mom¡¯s face instantly turned to sadness. ¡°Honey, I¡¯m so sorry this had to happen to you, but look at the bright side, you¡¯ve been given a second chance. Come on.¡± She put her arm around my shoulders and guided me to the door. ¡°You don¡¯t want to bete for your first day of school.¡± 1/4 BOOK 1 The Love of the Blood Disciples CHAPTER 1 The First Day I picked up my backpack and followed my mother to the kitchen. Since I still had problems going up and down the stairs, my parents made the small office space on the ground level of our small townhouse into my temporary bedroom. ¡°Herees my college student. You got everything with you?¡± My Dad asked before taking a sip of his coffee. ¡°Yep, I answered, making myself a bowl of cereal. My dad heard the nervousness in my voice and ced a loving hand on top of mine. ¡°Your mom and I, we are really proud of you, Joy. You¡¯ve ovee so much so quickly. When I was your age, it took me a while to get myself together when your grandparents died.¡± My dad sighed and leaned back in his chair. ¡°I wish things were different, but we need to deal with the cards we¡¯ve been dealt with. All of us together.¡± ¡°I know, Dad. I wish things were different too. Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll be just fine,¡± I said before I began eating my cereal. 1 nced at my dad. He now had more white in his hair than ever before. He lost a ton of weight; his once round belly was much smaller, his face and arms much leaner. The stress of moving away from his home town and caring for his ¡®brutally raped¡¯ daughter showed. ¡°Since Mom has an early shift, I¡¯ll be driving you to school,¡± my dad said, picking his keys up from the kitchen counter while I washed my empty cereal bowl. ¡°Sure, Dad.¡± My anxiety grew as I sat quietly in the car while my dad drove me to school. I haven¡¯t been. out with students my age ever since my assault that night at the spring formal of my junior year in high school at New Salem, North Dakota My parents and I moved to California after that in the hopes of a second chance in life. I was homeschooled my senior year while I underwent a series of surgeries to restore my face. I actually felt like this massive science project every time I went under the knife. But after each surgery, I noticed there was a huge improvement from before which gave me hope. At least now, I can look at myself in the mirror and not gag from seeing my reflection. My dad parked next to my building and gave me a kiss on my cheek. I gingerly exited his SUV, so I wouldn¡¯t put too much pressure on my once broken leg. Although my leg was dered healed by my doctor, it still hurt a bit, so I walked with a slight limp. My doctor assured me it would go away in time and I will walk again like nothing ever happened. 2/4 BOOK 1 The Love of the Blood Disciples CHAPTER 1 The First Day ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up at this exact same spot, sweetie my dad called out to me from his car window. ¡°Sure, Dad. I¡¯ll see you after ss. Love you!¡± I said, waving goodbye. I covered my head and my face with my hoodie before walking to my building. Although my face was improving, I was still self-conscious of my appearance. My cheeks were riddled with scars, blemishes and discolorations. I know people would try and ask me what happened to me if they notice my face. And because I didn¡¯t want to relive that particr moment in my life every single time I was asked, I decided it was best if I hide my face as much as I could. a big As I walked along the campus sidewalk, I saw a group of students, hanging out near tree. There were three boys and two girls. One girl I remembered from my admissions interview. She was part of the student council who handled student affairs and helped faculty with admissions. As I passed by, the girl beside her called the attention of the three boys with them and pointed at me. I know I should have looked away, but I couldn¡¯t help, but stare. They were the most gorgeous young men I have ever seen in my life. If I had thought Noah was handsome, these s were d downright beautiful. I could think of no other word to describe them. guys While that girlughed at my appearance, the three boys looked at me with this horrible expression on their faces. I felt so embarrassed, I quickly looked away. Serves you right, Joy. You aren¡¯t suppose to stare at people. It¡¯s rude. I sighed. Well, at least I had something nice to look at on campus. I walked into my building, found my room and picked a chair off to the corner where I could hide from everyone else. I made myselffortable and waited for our professor to arrive. More students began entering the ssroom five minutes before ss was expected to start. Our professor also walked in, briefcase and coffee in hand. He was a tall man with gray hair and sses, looking quite tired. While I studied our professor, I didn¡¯t notice the three boys behind him. Their eyes locked with mine as our professor walked quickly to his desk. Oh my gosh! It was the three gorgeous boys from earlier! They were in my ss! All three of them were the same height, had the same dark hair and muscr build. I quickly assumed they were brothers because they resembled each other in a way. ||| 3/4 12 26 Sat, Mar 23 BOOK 1: The Love of the Blood Disciples CHAPTER 1 The First Day But they had different colored eyes. One had startling blue eyes, the other had rare honey- colored eyes and thest one had light brown eyes, the color of dark caramel. Their parents must be really good-looking to have a brood of gorgeous men in the family. The one with dark caramel eyes suddenly gave me a small smile. I quickly lowered my head, blushing. No, Joy. That smile wasn¡¯t for you. I surreptitiously nced upward to check if that smile was for me, but to my dismay, they had already taken their seats. I slowly turned my head to scan the people at the back, but I couldn¡¯t find them. I sighed. Well, it was time for me to focus on the lecture rather than boys. When I was in high school, I focused on boys during my junior year and look where it got me. ¡°Sebastian, will you please stop crowding me!¡± A deep manly voice growled right behind me. I turned to look at who it was and I unexpectedly found the three of them seated behind me! I quickly faced forward and sat up straight, deciding it was best to just look at my professor for the rest of the period. But it was so hard to concentrate knowing they were seated behind me. Chapter Comments Kiertekles 1m3n: Noah has to know more than what he¡¯s saying. His guilt is probably the only reason why he brought her home Nicole Velox POST COMMENT JOST COMMENT 1m3n (. This first chapter has brought tears in my eyes and anger in my heart. Now I have to read this book till the end. VIEW ALL 10 COMMENTS 37 SHARE 4/4 12:26: Sat, Mar 23 Chapter 2 CHAPTER 2 The Girl With The Limp Xavier First day of our freshmen year in college and there were so many girls! Sure most of them would probably flock to Sebastian and Cristos, but I only needed one. The one girl who would make me feel complete. We were talking to a couple of girls under one of the trees near the entrance to our building. Malia and Alison were both upper ssmen. Malia, who was currently part of the student council, happened to be a cousin of Sebastian¡¯s. ¡°Sure, Dad. I¡¯ll see you after ss. Love you,¡± I heard a sing-song type of voice say. To me, her voice was so beautiful and so rare¡­like music to my ears. I quickly scanned the students. near the parking area, desperately looking for the voice¡¯s source, when I saw her limping along the campus sidewalk. ¡°Check out Frankenstein,¡± the girl named Alison said, pointing to the girl limping towards us. Alison wasn¡¯t a close friend of Malia¡¯s, but since she had her sights on Sebastian, she decided to hang with us before our sses started. As the girl with the limp walked by us, she caught us looking at her. Usually when girls catch. us staring at them, they usually look away, blushing. But she stared as we stared and for the first time, I felt small under her gaze. ¡®Alison, you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Malia said sternly. ¡°That girl has had it pretty rough.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Did she get hit by a bus or something?¡± Alison said,ughing. ¡°Because she definitely looks like she got hit by a bus.¡± ¡°Alison, you better shut up or I¡¯ll make sure you look like you got hit by a buse tomorrow,¡± I said, annoyed. Alison stared at me with her mouth open, shocked that I had just threatened her. I grimaced and pushed her aside. She wasn¡¯t part of our group anyway. I needed to focus on the girl with the limp. ¡°Malia, what happened to her?¡± I asked, impatiently. I couldn¡¯t believe something terrible could happen to someone with such a pretty voice. ¡°It¡¯s not my ce to tell you, but she was assaulted,¡± Malia said, sighing, the sadness in her eyes as she watched the girl slowly walk by us. 1/4 2:26 Sat, Mar CHAPTER 2 The Girl With The Limp Assaulted?! What?! I guess my face reflected the horror I felt, because the girl quickly. lowered her face. ¡°What do you mean by assaulted, Malia?¡± Sebastian asked, his face turning dark. ¡°Sebastian, I¡¯m sorry. I told you it¡¯s not my ce to tell any of you,¡± Malia replied. ¡°Did it happen here?¡± Cristos asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Cristos,¡± Malia answered. ¡°She applied for a schrship and because of her ordeal, admissions gave her a full schrship. Actually, when she came in for the interview, her face was much worse than that and she was on crutches. So far, she¡¯s healing rather nicely and she can walk on her own now. Guys, if she is in one of your sses, don¡¯t say or mention anything about it. I think she and her family are in hiding. You know what? Don¡¯t do anything s tupid either. I¡¯m warning you boys. When we got to ss, we were surprised to find her seated near the corner ready to take down notes. Instead of entering our ssroom, Cristos walked up to a bunch of girls. standing near the door. ¡°Hey. Do you know that girl¡¯s name?¡± Cristos asked casually, discreetly pointing at the girl with the limp. ¡°Yeah, Joy Taylor,¡± one of the girls replied. ¡°Do any of you know what happened to her? Sebastian asked. ¡°The teaching assistant said she was assaulted. That¡¯s all we know. If you want to know more, I guess you have to ask her,¡± the same girl answered. ¡°Thanks,¡± I said and pulled Sebastian and Cristos off to the side. ¡°Sebastian, ask through the grapevine if they know of anything about that girl. If you find the m otherf uckers, I want to know. Nothing goes unpunished.¡± ¡°Will do,¡± Sebastian answered. ¡°What will you do if ever I find the as sholes who did this to her?¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I will break bonel their bodies before I put two in their heads,¡± I answered truthfully. ¡°Look at her. How could anyone do something like that to her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it looks like she made someone very angry,¡± Cristos said as he studied her from afar. ¡°The amount of injuries is tantamount to rage. But look at her eyes. There¡¯s a 2/4 12:26 Sat, Mar 23 CHAPTER 2 The Girl With The Limp sadness in them. Whatever happened to Joy Taylor, she didn¡¯t deserve it.¡± ¡°My thoughts exactly,¡± I said, agreeing with him. ¡°I want to know what happened to her. Let¡¯s use all our connections and found out what we can.¡± ¡°Heads up, guys. Our professor is here,¡± Sebastian mumbled, discreetly pointing to a tall man entering our ssroom. He had white hair and sses and was holding a briefcase and a cup of coffee. We followed him inside, pausing to find chairs so we could sit beside each other. I caught her staring at us and so I decided to give her a small smile. I thought she would smile back at me, but she quickly hid her face. I sighed. I wanted to help her, but I just didn¡¯t. know how. Cristos nudged and pointed at some empty seats behind her. Things were looking up. We quickly took our seats behind her. I wanted to introduce myself, but she seemed skittish. Of course¡­who wouldn¡¯t be skittish after being hurt like that? Sebastian¡¯s leg kept bumping into mine as he sat, spread eagle, like he was airing out his big balls. ¡°Sebastian, will you please stop crowding me,¡± I told him, while pushing his leg away. She suddenly turned to look at us and was surprised to see us sitting behind her. I was about to say hi, but she quickly turned away. I hoped she would turn around again, but through the whole lecture, she ignored us. It was my first time to feel invisible¡­ and it hurt like hell. After ss, I sadly watched her walk away. I was about to follow her when Cristos stopped me. ¡°Xavier, let¡¯s give her some space. It¡¯s only the first day of school. Don¡¯t worry, opportunity will present itself. When she needs us, we¡¯ll be there for her. Right now, let¡¯s allow her to adjust,¡± he said. ¡°I agree, Sebastian said. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on finding out who did this to her.¡± He whipped out his phone from his pocket and dialed. ¡°Capo De Luca, I need you and the other capos to do some research for me,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°No, it¡¯s not for school. Well, it is¡­sort of. I want you to ask around if anyone knows of an assault on an eighteen year old girl, tall and slender with brown hair and blue-green eyes. If 3/4 12:26 Sat, Mar 23 ¨C CHAPTER 2 The Girl With The Limp you find anything, and I mean anything, you tell me.¡± ¡°No, De Luca, don¡¯t touch them if you do. Xavier will be in charge of that,¡± Sebastian added before hanging up. I smiled sinisterly. I would make them pay for what that did to her. Chapter Comments Jackie Jeroue 1m3n This chapter is a lot better. I too hope she doesn¡¯t get bullied or hurt again. Hopefully she will get her revenge. This will go into my library to continue reading. Taryn Cook if we said this was during covid she would be wearing a mask to cover some of them¡­¡­ VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS POST COMMENT : 39 4/4 Chapter 3 CHAPTER 3 What Happened to Joy? Sebastian I went to the dry cleaner¡¯s right after school. After waving my hand to the store manager, I walked directly to my office which was located at the back of the shop. Capo De Luca was already waiting for me, seated in front of my desk with a ss of scotch in his hand. He looked sharp in his dark blue suit, leather shoes, and expensive watch. The blueplemented his light brown eyes while his gold watch matched the color of his hair. I was expecting Capo De Luca to have information regarding Joy Taylor¡¯s assault, but he said he wasn¡¯t sure if the information fit. ¡°Domenico, I only found two girls who fit your description. One is dead while the other is still in the hospital,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s not her, De Luca, although I want you to find out who hurt the girl who¡¯s currently in the hospital. The girl I need information on, she¡¯s a ssmate of mine. Walks with a limp and has several scars on her face,¡± I said. ¡°Then¡­ whatever happened to her urred maybe a year ago. I will look into it. Can you give me a name? It will make my investigation go faster, he exined. ¡°Joy Taylor. Malia said she and her family may be in hiding,¡± I mentioned. ¡°Joy Taylor is amon name and if it is true she¡¯s in hiding, then she might not be from California. Do you have any idea where she¡¯s from?¡± De Luca asked curiously. I, obviously, piqued his interest after telling him she might be in hiding. ¡°I¡¯m having Cristos look into that. Malia won¡¯t say anything so I told Cristos to hack into the university¡¯s student database,¡± I answered. ¡°Do you think the culprits are from a rival family? Maybe a rival organization?¡± He asked. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know, De Luca,¡± I said. ¡°The work appears to be driven by hate rather than retribution. There is no art or skill in this attack!¡± I poured myself a shot of scotch and took a sip. ¡°There is one thing I am most certain of¡­Joy Taylor wasn¡¯t supposed to survive.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a fighter!¡± De Luca eximed with admiration. ¡°Those are the type of women we need in our organization. If I were you, Domenico, you should bring her in and we can mold her¡­. train her. She can be a deadly assassin. She has the drive for vengeance.¡± 12 26 Sat, Mar 23 P CHAPTER 3 What Happened to Joy? ¡°Xavier, I think, would disagree,¡± I argued. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be looking into this Joy Taylor if it weren¡¯t for him. He has a soft spot for her. I don¡¯t think he would want her to be part of our world. I even promised him I would talk to our doctor friends and help restore her face. stic surgery and face restoration is very expensive. I¡¯m guessing her family may be having difficulty raising the funds needed to help her, thus the blemishes on her face.¡± My phone suddenly began to ring. It was Cristos. ¡°Cristos, what have you found out?¡± I asked. De Luca leaned over and ced his arms on my desk. Curious minds wanted to know. ¡°Sebastian, I wasn¡¯t able to find her previous address on her file, but I found her birthce. She was born in a town called New Salem in North Dakota. I called the local high school in that area pretending to be admissions and they said there was a student named Joy Taylor, but she left during the end of her junior year,¡± Cristos said in such a hurry, I was having trouble keeping up. ¡°Did you try asking why she left?¡± I asked him. ¡°I did and the woman I was talking to hung up, Cristos answered. ¡°Joy Taylor¡¯s old school is definitely hiding something.¡± ¡°Good work, Cristos, Imended him for his quick thinking. ¡°Now we know where to begin. Look for any news on Joy Taylor¡¯s assault in that area. Something as gruesome as that must have made headlines. ¡°Copy that.¡± ¡°Domenico, what did Primo find out?¡± De Luca asked after I hung up. ¡°A small town called New Salem in North Dakota is hiding something about Joy Taylor,¡± 1 replied. ¡°North Dakota? The ruling party of the Central States Mafia is the Angels of Darkness,¡± De Luca murmured. ¡°They are our most hated rival. Now this has gotten even more interesting. I¡¯ll see what I can find. It won¡¯t be easy, but I¡¯ll do whatever I can to get information on Joy Taylor.¡± He stood up and extended his hand. I did the same and we both shook hands. ¡°Domenico, this Joy Taylor is very intriguing, De Luca said while he fixed his neck tie and. the jacket of his suit. ¡°I¡¯m telling you. Bring her in. If she did have an encounter with an Angel of Darkness, she is more valuable to us. Her alive is already a weapon against them. Discuss this with Primo and Beaufort. Beaufort has to realize she needs to learn how to J 2/4 12:26 Sat, Mar 23 OWN CHAPTER 3 What Happened to Joy? defend herself.¡± ¡°I appreciate the candor. I will pass on your suggestions to Cristos and Xavier. Thank you, Capo De Luca, 1 said. ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll get going and tell my assets to gather information from North Dakota.¡± After De Luca left, I went to the gym. I needed to release some of this pent-up energy on the punching bag and clear my mind of everything else, except for Joy Taylor, so I could think. When it came to business, the Angels of Darkness couldn¡¯t be trusted. They had a knack of killing off their dealers, drivers, mules¡­. even their investors, chemists and suppliers. We and the East Coast Grim Reapers rarely did business with them. Unfortunately, one time our suppliers made the mistake of leaving merchandise intended for the Angels of Darkness at our ports. It was a huge problem, especially when they used us of stealing their merchandise. As a sign of good faith, our fathers, the bosses of the Blood Disciples, the ruling party of the West Coast, shipped their merchandise to their ports in Texas using one of our cargo vessels. Our fathers didn¡¯t expect them to go trigger happy on our boys and sequester our ship, so we decided to teach them a lesson. Cristos, Xavier and I, after meticulous nning, were able to gain an audience with the boss of the Angels of Darkness. He loved football and had a private viewing suite booked to watch the Superbowl. We fogged the room with sleeping gas and after he and his entourage copsed, we took him in for questioning. Fearing for his life, he told us the unsanctioned killings were done by his nephew, an underboss like the three of us. He negotiated his nephew¡¯s life in exchange for his freedom. to our surprise. It wasn¡¯t a secret that he became boss because of his trigger happy nephew. After Xavier killed his nephew, the boss of the Angels of Darkness mysteriously died and his ruthless sister took his ce. The killings stopped, however the animosity between families remained. Could it be possible Joy Taylor stumbled across a capo, a soldier or an associate of the Angels of Darkness? An underboss perhaps? Were they trying to teach her a lesson? No, she was expected to die from her injuries. After training, number my phone and noticed missed a call from my father. I dialed his 3/4 CHAPTER 3 What Happened to Joy? ¡°Papa, you called?¡± ¡°Our shipment has arrived. I need you to oversee the cargo,¡± he said. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll call the boys and head there now.¡± It was time to go to work. Chapter Comments Mary Hall Joy has bodyguards she doesn¡¯t even know about Bethany Belter 1m3n I wasn¡¯t really sure if I was going to like the story but I got sucked right in. VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS 39 < SHAREProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Chapter 4 CHAPTER 4 Infatuated Cristos It was already a Friday. Thest day of the school week. I was looking forward to some free time, so I could go over my research on Joy Taylor. Actually, I didn¡¯t have much to go by. ¡°Cristos, have you found anything?¡± Xavier asked. He was so impatient. He thinks digging up the past was so easy. ¡°Nothing yet. I told you it¡¯s as if she doesn¡¯t exist,¡± I said. ¡°Let me rephrase that. It¡¯s as if whatever happened to her didn¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°You know that¡¯s only possible if someone can control all the people in town, includingw. enforcement. Who in that town is the richest and most powerful?¡± Xavier asked. We were outside the library, seated on a bench under a tree. We noticed Joy would go directly to the library between sses and so to keep an eye on her, we would usually sit here and wait for her. ¡°I¡¯d say the mayor,¡± I answered. ¡°Then I say focus on him,¡± Xavier said, checking his watch. ¡°S hit! My next ss is about to start. Keep an eye on her for me, will yah? Text me where she goes. I¡¯ll see youter.¡± He ran off to his building, leaving me behind typing on myptop, continuing my research. I really hated it when everything leads to a dead end. There were no newspapers or any video mentioning Joy Taylor¡¯s assault. I went back as far as five years and I still didn¡¯t find anything. All I found was how the good mayor Thedore Cohen was making New Salem a town of the future. Maybe Xavier was right. It had to be someone powerful enough to block the media and intervene with law enforcement. If it wasn¡¯t the mayor, then who? I was looking into information about the Sheriff of New Salem when at the corner of I saw Joy exit the library heading towards the students¡¯ cafeteria. I didn¡¯t notice it was already lunch time. I qu yptop and followed her. She forgot shr my eye, Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. many of our fellow schoolmates began pointing at her as every one of them a dirty look. How dare they laugh at rough so much! 1/3 12:26 Sat, Mar 23 CHAPTER 4 Infatuated I sighed and shook my head as I walked. Such immature minds. They would never know what Joy has been through unless they walked a mile in her shoes. I actually doubted if they would survive if it happened to them. I rushed up from behind her and quickly held the door open so she could pass through. She looked up at me, surprised to see me holding the door for her. She smiled shyly at me and nodded her head gratefully. I noticed her eyes were a stunning shade of blue and green¡­ very beautiful. ¡°Uhm, thank you,¡± she said. She had a really sultry voice. No wonder Xavier liked her. ¡°No problem,¡± I replied. She entered the cafeteria and fell in line. I fell in line right behind her. I never noticed how tall she was. Standing straight, she reached up to my shoulders. She was slender and had long legs. I noticed how graceful her hands were and that she had clean fingernails. When she flipped her long chestnut brown hair, I could smell the floral scent of her shampoo. When we reached the cashier, I thrusted my money at the cashier before she could pay. ¡°I got this,¡± I said, smiling at her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± she said, pouting her lips. She actually looked adorable. ¡°You can buy me lunch next time,¡± I told her. When I said that, she grinned and nodded her head. ¡°Okay, next time then,¡± she murmured sweetly. ¡°Thanks again.¡± She was picking up her tray so she could find a table to sit at when a familiar voice spoke from behind us. ¡°Cristos, I was looking for you at the-¡± Xavier suddenly stopped when he realized who I was talking to. ¡°S-Sorry¡­¡± Joy smiled at Xavier which made him blush. ¡°Uhm, hi! C-Cristos here was so kind to pay for my lunch,¡± she said. ¡°Thank you, C-Cristos.¡± She took her tray and found a spot all the way in the corner away from all the students. I smiled. I liked how she said my name. ¡°Da mn it, Cristos! You should have texted me you were here. I could have bought her lunch!¡± Xavier eximed, utterly irritated at me, as we seated ourselves just a few tables away from 2/3 CHAPTER 4 Infatuated her. ¡°Sorry! I was so engrossed in studying her. She has really beautiful eyes,¡± I mentioned. He raised an eyebrow, surprised I had noticed her eyes. Then he leaned back on his chair, sulking. ¡°I saw her first!¡± Xavier mumbled, like a child. ¡°We all saw her at the same time, Xavier. Hey! I¡¯m invested on whatever this is too, you know. Just calm down. Sebastian and I, we want to help her too. Together, we¡¯ll find whoever did this to her and make them kneel in front of her. I swear it,¡± I told him, trying to cheer him up. He sighed and leaned forward. ¡°I¡¯m just protective of her. I don¡¯t want to see the sadness in her eyes anymore.¡± Xavier¡¯s voice had a tenderness in it that I have never heard before. Was he in love with her¡­ already?. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Xavier.¡± Sebastian suddenly appeared and slid into a chair beside Xavier, giving him a sandwich and a drink. ¡°I already talked to my mother. She¡¯s arranging for our medical colleagues to help Joy.¡± Xavier turned around to nce at Joy who was reading a textbook while finishing her lunch. ¡°Whatever the costs, Sebastian, I will pay. Just tell them to make her beautiful just like her heart.¡± I nced at Sebastian whose eyes were also on Joy Taylor. I sighed. All three of us secretly watching her. s were It was so weird. We haven¡¯t even formally met, but the three of us were already infatuated with Joy. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom totally love the story so far Heidi Van der Taelen very interesting stor n¡¯t wait for the next chapter VIEW ALL 3/ POST COMMENT 47 Chapter 5 CHAPTER 5 The Dark Trio Joy The first week of school went by quickly. I had made zero friends, but that was because I kept mostly to myself. If I wasn¡¯t in ss, I was in the library, trying to stay invisible. So far, I liked being in college. Here, most of the students were mature and were busy trying to finish their education. With tuition so expensive, students couldn¡¯t waste their time on petty things although there were some who were born into rich families who felt entitled enough to squander a good education. But, unlike my first week of college, the second week, people started taking notice of me, but not in a good way. The whispers, the looks and the snickering as I walked by¡­ increased. Well, I didn¡¯t mind. That I could tolerate. The students on campus could continue whispering andughing behind my back, just as long as it stayed that way. Unfortunately, if I had thought during my first week that bullying was a thing of the past, I was wrong. I was wall walking to myst ss of the day, happy another week was over. I was looking forward to the weekend since my dad had promised me we could go out and watch a movie. As I walked through the hall, the students I passed by were snickering, but not entirely directly at me. I quickly looked behind me and saw a tall boy with blonde hair and light blue eyes making fun of the way I walked. I sighed. You can take the boy out of high school, but you can¡¯t take high school out of the boy. I shrugged my shoulders and proceeded towards my ssroom. At least the boys here were so repulsed by me, they wouldn¡¯t dare try and rape me. I¡¯ve already experienced that and I do not want that to ever happen again. I finally saw my ssroom up ahead and walked as fast as my busted leg could take me. Loitering beside the entrance were two tall muscr boys casually talking to some girls. I recognized them to be the two boys of the trio I had a crush on¡­Cristos and Xavier. After Cristos bought me lunch, I decided to ask a ssmate of ours who they were. My ssmate laughed at me when I asked, thinking I was out of my mind to even think they would give me time of day. I tried to exin it wasn¡¯t like that, but she wasn¡¯t convinced. 1/4 CHAPTER 5 The Dark Tric ¡°I guess the line of girls to the Dark Trio has another one,¡± she said. ¡°Well, the one with the blue dreamy eyes is Cristos Primo. The one with honey-colored eyes and who just exudes confidence is Sebastian Domenico while the quiet one with brown eyes is Xavier Beaufort. They all came from the same high school and are bestfriends. Like brothers even.¡± Cristos and Xavier were both casually dressed in regr T-shirts, jeans and sneaker and both were undeniably handsome. No, beautiful. I sighed. They were the type of boys who could date anyone they wanted. Xavier nced at me as I approached with a small smile on his face which instantly disappeared. He nudged Cristos in the ribs and pointed at me. Cristos immediately looked up at me, then nced at the as shole behind me and I saw the anger in his pretty blue eyes. ¡°Hey Mark, didn¡¯t your mom ever teach you to never make fun of people with disabilities?¡± Cristos asked angrily. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Cristos. His mom was too busy f ucking the pool boy to ever give a da mn about him,¡± Xavier said. The girls surrounding themughed. I grimaced. I didn¡¯t need anyone to y the hero. ¡°Guys, stop it. Let¡¯s just go to ss,¡± I said in an attempt to pacify the situation, but Mark pushed me aside to confront Cristos and Xavier. I almost fell, but a pair of strong hands broke my fall. I looked up and saw a pair of beautiful honey- colored eyes staring at me. The other boy whopleted the trio¡­ Sebastian. Domenico. He was tall and muscr like his friends with the same dark hair. Unlike the other two though, he had dimples on each side of his smooth clean-sh aven face. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. He smiled at me, his dimples appearing on each side of his cheeks. Are you okay?¡± He asked. I nodded my head weakly, not knowing what else to say. ¡°You stay here, okay? Don¡¯t move. I¡¯ll take care of this,¡± he said and walked towards Mark who was arguing with the other two. He ced a hand on Mark¡¯s shoulder and around. spun him ¡°You haven¡¯t changed, Mark. You¡¯re still a clown, he said. ¡°Do I need to remind you what ns when you act inappropriately?¡± stian, I was just goofing around that¡¯s all, Mark answered, defending himself. 2/4 737 CHAPTER 5 The Dark Trio ¡°You pushed her, you p rick. I want you to apologize to her,¡± Sebastian said. Mark, stunned, raised his eyebrows in protest. ¡°Dude, why should I? She was in the way,¡± Mark reasoned. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s your chick?! Man, you guys have some weird tastes.¡± ¡°So what if she is? Apologize, Mark¡­ or I¡¯ll have Xavier here take a baseball bat and shove it so far up your a ss, you¡¯ll be wearing a diaper for a week,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°So what¡¯s it going. to be?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Mark said insincerely. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Joy,¡± Sebastian said. My eyes widened. He knew my name! ¡°What?¡± Mark asked, confused. Sebastian lowered his head and cupped the back of Mark¡¯s hands so he could look at him dead in the eye. neck with one of h ¡°Her name is Joy. Say ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Joy¡¯ and add some feelings to it, so it sounds sincere.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Joy. It will never happen again,¡± Mark said. This time he sounded afraid. ¡°T-that¡¯s okay. Just as long as it doesn¡¯t happen again,¡± I said, shyly. ¡°Now, go. Run to mommy. That¡¯s a good boy,¡± Sebatian said, patting Mark on the head. Mark quickly picked up his bag-and ran to ss. Sebastian took my hand and assisted me inside our ssroom. ¡°Come on, Joy. I want to know your story,¡± he said. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m Sebastian Domenico and these two knuckleheads are. Cristos Primo and Xavier Beaufort.¡± I stared at him with my mouth wide open as he led me into our ssroom with Cristos and Xavier following behind us. I couldn¡¯t believe the three of them came to my defense! Sebastian led me to a spot where all four of us could sit together. Sebastian was on my left. while Xavier was on my right. Xavier helped me with my backpack and waited for me to sit down. ¡°Joy, you¡¯re with us now. No one is ever going to hurt you again. I promise,¡± Xavier said. I smiled at him, not knowing what to say. That was the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me. I leaned back on my chair, feeling like a heavy burden was lifted from my shoulders. I now 3/4 CHAPTER 5 The Dark Trio had friends. They were like a miracle wrapped as handsome men¡­ my miracles. Xavier I couldn¡¯t wipe the smile off my face. Here she was, seated right next to me, smiling at me and looking at me with those beautiful blue-green eyes of hers. If she only knew how much. she meant to me even if we never really spoken to each other. After ss, she checked her phone while I carried her bag for her. She looked anxious. ¡°My dad said he can¡¯t pick me up. He has a meeting at his workce,¡± she said, sighing. ¡°Oh well, I¡¯ll have to take the bus.¡± ¡°No, you won¡¯t. We¡¯ll drop you home. But you look hungry. How about we get a bite to eat?¡± Sebastian quickly took Joy¡¯s hand and led her to the parking lot before she could protest. I nudged Cristos to follow them secretly hiding my smile. More time with Joy. Chapter Comments Catharina B?hr 1m3n Oh I¡¯m in love I like how the boys care about her, even though they haven¡¯t talked to her. Luna-Mom This really is beautiful and I love how the boys are so caring and kind -VIEW ALL 3 COMMENTS > POST COMMENT 44 < SHARE 4/4 Chapter 6 CHAPTER 6 Domenico¡¯s Joy ¡°You look hungry. How about we get a bite to eat so you can tell me your story?¡± Sebastian said as he led me to the campus parking lot. I tried to pull my hand away from his, but he had a tight grip. ¡°I don¡¯t have a story to tell,¡± I mumbled. ¡°Fine. You don¡¯t have to tell me now. I¡¯m willing to wait. But let me, at least, take you out to an early dinner so we can get to know each other better,¡± he said. ¡°Sebastian, I don¡¯t want you to think I¡¯m ungrateful in any way, but why do you care anyway? I am not your charity case. There are so many women here on campus who are practically groveling at your feet. You can take your pick! I mean, why waste your time on me?¡± I asked, wanting some answers. I waited for him to say something, but he was more focused on dragging me to his car. ¡°I¡¯ll answer your questions once you get in the car,¡± he said, opening the door. ¡°Get in, Joy.¡± 1 looked at him, then at his car. It was a really nice ck Dodge Challenger and I really wanted to see its interior, but being in a car with a boy brought back some really bad memories. ¡°Uhm, can we just eat here? Somewhere on campus?¡± I asked, hoping I could convince him. After the assault, I still felt vulnerable. I wasn¡¯t ready to hop into a car with someone I barely knew. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Joy? I can see the hesitation in your eyes. I can hear it in your voice. I promise, I¡¯m not going to hurt you. I just want something good to eat at a quiet ce where we can talk in private. Then, I¡¯ll drive you straight home. Here¡¯s my phone. He ced his phone in my hand. ¡°My pincode is 0395. You can call the police if ever you feel threatened.¡± Linh ing to build enough courage to enter the car. I nced at him, biting my I should. Finally, I nodded my head and slowly entered the car. Sebastian said as he closed the door. He waved at Xavier and Cristos, who were other muscle car, before sliding into the driver¡¯s seat. Even for a man so tall, he was aceful. ¡°I hope you like Italian food.¡± He suddenly reached over and fastened my seat belt. He was so near, I could feel his breath on my face. 1/4 12:27 Sat, Mar 23 N CHAPTER 6 Domenico¡¯s ¡°Sure, pasta and pizz¨¤,¡± I said, feeling a bit anxious. I needed to rx. I began fidgeting with I the cuffs of my white, long sleeved, button-down blouse, hoping the distraction would help. put my mind at ease. When that didn¡¯t help, I began rubbing my sweaty palms on the thighst of my jeans. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, Joy. You¡¯ll like my mom and have a feeling she¡¯ll like you too. She cooks the best ravioli in town and I¡¯m not just saying that because she¡¯s my mom,¡± he said as he drove out of the campus. His mom?! I¡¯m going to meet his mother?! I looked down at what I was wearing and groaned. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°What you¡¯re wearing is fine. Look at me. I¡¯m just in a regr t-shirt and jeans,¡± Sebastian pointed out. ¡°B-but she¡¯s your mother. She wouldn¡¯t care if you were in rags, I argued helplessly. If the car wasn¡¯t moving, I probably would have jumped out. ¡°Well, at least you know you¡¯ll be safe, Sebastian said, winking at me. ¡°So, you asked me why do I care? The first time I saw you, I just felt I needed to protect you. I know it sounds weird, but I can tell something really bad happened to you. I know you barely know me, but Joy, you can trust me.¡± ¡°So you do see me as a charity case,¡± I muttered, lowering my head in shame. I didn¡¯t want anyone¡¯s pity. I just wanted to move on and live my life. ¡°No, of course not,¡± he denied. ¡°I-1 just want us to be friends. How about that?¡± He smiled at me, showing his perfect teeth and his gorgeous dimples. He wants to be friends. I guess there¡¯s no problem with being friends. But again, those boys who hurt me said the same thing and look at what they did. My face is a mess, I walk with at limp and ors believe I will never have children of my own. _ ba stian want to rape me? Xavier or Cristos for that matter? They could. of any girl and I¡¯m sure none of those girls would mind sharing their beds. offended,¡± Sebastian suddenly said, grabbing my attention. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ what?¡± I asked. ¡°Am I that bad a person?¡± Sebastian asked. I turned my head to look at him, puzzled by his question. ¡°The only reason why you wouldn¡¯t want me as a friend is if you think I¡¯m evil. Am I really that bad of a person?¡± He nced at me with puppy dog eyes and I melted. 2/4 CHAPTER 6 Domenico¡¯s ¡°Of course not, Sebastian. I was just thinking of something else. Sure¡­We can be friends,¡± I answered quickly. Maybe too quickly. Ugh, I wanted to kick myself. This time, his smile was gentle, full of kindness and empathy. ¡°You¡¯ve made me really happy, Joy. I turned to look outside my window and heaved a sigh. I silently wished I had a fairy godmother who could fix my face and heal my body. Maybe if I didn¡¯t look like such a monster, probably Sebastian and I could be more than just friends. Well, a dreamer can dream. Sebastian parked his car in front of a cozy looking Italian restaurant named Domenico¡¯s. I should have known we would be eating at his family¡¯s restaurant. Xavier and Cristos were already seated inside chatting with a middle-aged woman wearing an apron over a nice te-colored pant suit. Sebastian held my hand as he introduced me to her. ¡°Mama, I want you to meet Joy. Joy, my mother, Rosario Domenico,¡± Sebastian said, introducing us. ¡°Nice to meet you, Mrs. Domenico,¡± I said, extending my hand for a handshake. But instead of taking my hand, she took me in her arms and hugged me.. ¡°Mrs. Domenico is Sebastian¡¯s grandmother. You can call me Mama Rose, sweetheart.¡± She chin and studied me under the light. Who did this to you?¡± Sebastian¡¯s mother asked. My heart s kipped a beat. lifted my ¡°Ah, Mama Rose, uhm¡­¡± How could I tell her a bunch of boys raped me, then took some gym equipment, smashed my face with it and left me to die? She noticed I was struggling with my words, so she gave me another hug. ¡°You tell me when you¡¯re ready, Joy. Right now, you eat. Sit, sit.¡± That afternoon, I had so much fun. I giggled andughed. Joked around and talked. They didn¡¯t care about what I looked like or who I was. For the first time in a long time, I had friends. I called my parents to tell them I was out with my new friends and Mama Rose promised ??? 3/4 Sat, Mar 23. CHAPTER 6 Domenico¡¯s them I was in good hands. She even went as far as telling them that no one would dare touch me¡­ in a most serious tone. I found that strange, but after witnessing what Sebastian, Xavier and Cristos did to Mark, I assumed maybe they had undergonebat training or something. After our early dinner at Domenico¡¯s, they drove me home. I introduced them to my parents. who, at first, were wary of the handsome trio. I couldn¡¯t me them. After what happened to me, all men were bad men in the eyes of my parents. As the weeks progressed to months, my parents learned to love them. Especially with all the help they offered me. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom her trio of hunky heroes taking good care of her Yuri Suzuki Oh g d, poor girl. I hope she can get pregnant from one ofvthe three boys. VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS ? POST COMMENT 41 4/4 Chapter 7 CHAPTER 7 Transformation Joy 7360 Freshmen year went by so quickly. When I managed to pull what every girl in my school wanted, to be a part of the handsome trio¡¯s lives, I was looked upon with respect, although people whispered behind my back. ¡°She probably slept with all three of them¡­the s lut.¡± ¡°She¡¯s just their pet dog. A charity case. ¡°I heard those three guys are part of a gang or whatever and she got caught in the middle. At least they have a conscience.¡± Whatever. They were my friends and they treated me nicely without asking anything for return. I did help them with their assignments and projects for school, but that wasn¡¯t enough to repay all the kindness they showed me. It was summer vacation and I was going to undergo a series of surgeries from rhinosty to scar revision techniques. Sebastian said everything was free, but I knew someone would be paying. If not in cash, in favors. ¡°Sweetie, Xavier is downstairs to drive you to the hospital. Your dad and I will be there as soon as our shifts are over, I promise, my mom said. I picked up my bag with my belongings and took a photo of myself to serve as reference. ¡°Okay, Mom. Let¡¯s do this,¡± I said as I walked down the stairs. I no longer walked with a limp. Xavier and Cristos hired a physical therapist to help with my leg. After four months of constant therapy, I gained muscle and the pain finally went away. I jog with the boys every weekend on campus to maintain muscle. had thought the boys in North Dakota treated me like a princess, Sebastian, Cristos and treated me like a queen. They did everything and bought me everything. Even these ner jeans I was wearing, this I got from Cristos. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. vier, who was standing near the door, jumped to grab my bag. Of the three, he was very rotective, and always, always carried my bag. ¡°You ready?¡± Xavier said enthusiastically. He was very excited while I was nervous. What if 1/4 CHAPTER 7 Transformation. these scars wouldn¡¯t go away? ¡°Joy?¡± I smiled at him, hoping he wouldn¡¯t see past my smile.. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°Mrs. Taylor, I¡¯ll take good care of Joy. I promise Xavier told my mom while we exited the door. ¡°I know you will, Xavier. Just call me if there are any problems,¡± my mom said. ¡°I will, Mrs. Taylor.¡± My parents loved the boys and now trusted thempletely. Once we became friends, they saw a huge improvement in me. Finally, that second chance on life was happening and my parents owed it all to them. Once we were in the car, I asked where Sebastian and Cristos was. ¡°Sebastian¡¯s in training. Remember he has thatpetition. Cristos will meet us at the hospital, Xavier said. He ced a hand on top of mine. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be scared. These doctors are the best at what they do. You did see the photos from that one celebrity right?¡± ¡°I know, Xavier. But what if these scars are permanent?¡± ¡°I have a feeling they¡¯ll be able to lighten up those scars. One doctor said there¡¯s a possibility they can achieve a wless finish,¡± he said, reassuring me. ¡°Joy, this isn¡¯t like you. Why all the negativity?¡± 1 nced at him. He was right. I was being pessimistic. Here they were trying to help me. I owed them a bit of optimism. ¡°I¡¯m just being a bone head. You¡¯re right. These surgeries are going to work. When we go back to school in the fall, everyone will see a better looking Joy Taylor.¡± ¡°Now, that¡¯s my girl,¡± I didn¡¯t even notice we were already at the hospital. ¡°Joy, you¡¯ll always be beautiful in our eyes. We just want you to get your life back.¡± For the rest of the summer, I was confined to healing at home. I wasn¡¯t allowed to do any strenuous activity could allow proper healing from the scar revision surgeries. After the help bsided, I underwent dermabrasion sessions andser treatment to e and heal smoothly giving me a wless finish. may have started with me looking like a freak, but as the days turned into 2/4 CHAPTER 7 Transformation months, I was surprised to notice the scars were almostpletely gone. Once the improvement was noticeable, a doctor ced face fillers to give me fuller cheeks and to add contour to my jawline. Towards the end of our sophomore year, I looked beautiful. Every boy who called me a freak now vied for my attention. Including a boy named Jonathan Marshall. He even tried to kiss me. Ew! I didn¡¯t care about the other boys. All I cared about were the three men who took the effort to give me my life back. I had be very dependent on all three them.. to the point I didn¡¯t know where I started and they began. I was also scared. Scared they would suddenly leave me for someone better. I felt such a burden to the three of them. I knew aside from school, they were working for their parents. It was hard enough to juggle school, what more handling other responsibilities? However, as busy as they were, they seemed to find a way to fit m in their hectic schedule. After I got the okay from my doctor, I was allowed to attend the parties held during spring break. We drove to Malibu and I was amazed to see all the college students of California in one ce. We were at the beach, enjoying our co cktails, when one boy tried to grab my breasts. Sebastian threw one punch at him and he copsed on the sand, knocked out. ¡°Anyone else want to pull a stunt like that?¡± Sebastian yelled. The guy¡¯s friends pushed their way towards us and a fight ensued. I had to hand it to Xavier. He brought down three of the guy¡¯s friends singlehandedly face first into the sand. We walked away,ughing, without a scratch on any of them. I was proud of them, but it made me think¡­ Why have they been trained to fight like that? 3/4 CHAPTER 7 Transformation Chapter Comments Luna Mom so love Mama Rose, brilliant chapter Morgan how inconsiderate of her traumal VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS 43 Chapter 8 CHAPTER 8 The Blood Disciples Joy It was summer vacation once again. To be ready for our junior year at university, Sebastian was sending me to New York to meet with a medical colleague of one of my doctors. She insisted I go see him, so I would finally be perfection. I would be gone for two weeks without Cristos, Xavier and Sebastian by my side, apanied only by my father. My mother, unfortunately, couldn¡¯t get off of work. She said she had to cover for another nurse who had a medical emergency in her family. Before my scheduled trip, I spent time with the boys individually. Sebastian took me out to watch a concert with him. Xavier and I had dinner then watched a movie together. Cristos. asked me out to do some shopping with him which actually meant to do shopping for me. He loved designer and he loved designer on me. He would take me to the most expensive branded stores and buy me what he saw looked good on me. I was tall and he saw how. clothes seemed to flow nicely on me. ¡°When we graduate Joy, I promise to take you to see Paris Fashion Week,¡± he said, paying for all my stuff. ¡°Cristos, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re spending too much on me? I mean, my clothes were only fromst season.¡± ¡°Let me spoil you, Joy. Anyway, I¡¯m not even spending as nearly as much as Xavier is spending on you,¡± he answered to my utter shock. ¡°What does that mean?¡± I asked. I saw him close his eyes, realizing he opened his big mouth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Joy. It¡¯s nothing. Really. Just forget about it,¡± he said. ¡°Cristos, I will be donating all of this to charity if you don¡¯t tell me what is going on,¡± I threatened. ¡°Okay. Okay. Xavier is the one paying for all your medical bills. Actually, everything is paid in full. It¡¯s not like Xavier is bending over to find money to pay-¡± ¡°Sebastian told me all the work is free. I knew someone was paying for everything. G od, how could I have been such an idiot!¡± I eximed. I yanked him outside so we wouldn¡¯t make a scene. 1/4 CHAPTER 8 The Blood Disciples ¡°I know all three of you are rich, but how can Xavier Beaufort, a college student, pay for all my medical bills? And how can you afford to pay for all my designer clothing? What about Sebastian and this New York trip? I want to know, Cristos.¡± ¡°Fine, Joy. Let¡¯s just put everything in the car and grab a drink somewhere. I know a ce. Cristos drove me to a small bar located at a part of Los Angeles that I have never been too. Although themercial establishments beside it were posh and modern, this small bar retained its old vintage form. The patrons inside raised their sses at Cristos once he entered. The bartender quickly lifted the small bar door so Cristos and I could walk through. ¡°Bernie, two White Russians in my office please, Cristos ordered the bartender. ¡°Coming right away, boss,¡± Bernie replied. Cristos led me into an office. It was made fully of dark wood and everything was matching. He pushed a button on a remote and the monitor lit up behind his desk. ¡°The bar is a front to hide my office and my workspace. I¡¯m a hacker and those people you see are part of my team,¡± he admitted. ¡°Do you guys steal money from other people?¡± I asked,pletely shocked at his revtion. I knew Cristos was good withputers and encryption, I just didn¡¯t know how far it went. ¡°Sometimes. Sometimes we manipte, troll, steal incriminating evidence. The usual.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I said, sitting down in front of his desk. I was about to say something when a knock on the door interrupted us. It was Bernie with our drinks. He ced our co cktails on the desk and quickly left.. ¡°Our fake ID¡¯s¡­did you make them?¡± I asked. He nodded his head. I was impressed because theyN?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. looked so real. ¡°Judging from the monitors, it looks like a call center. How could you have the capital? The security to work without even being scared ofw enforcement?¡± Cristos handed me my drink and sat down behind his desk. ¡°Sebastian, Xavier and I were born into this kind of life. Since we were little, we were trained to work as like our fathers. Mama Rose isn¡¯t just a simple housewife. She is also on and sits as a third high ranking official,¡± Cristos exined. and I are underbosses of the Blood Disciples, the ruling party of the West part 2/4 CHAPTER 8 The Blood Disciples Coast Mafia. Our fathers are the bosses while our mothers and sisters are consiglieres. We are in training to be the bosses once our fathers retire. Sebastian is in charge of merchandise, ports, and businesses while Xavier handles the trash. I, on the other hand, am in charge of the virtual world. Anything digital goes through me.¡± ¡°Whay do you mean Xavier handles the trash? I asked. It didn¡¯t sound as appealing as their job descriptions. ¡°I mean it figuratively and literally. He is in charge of sanitation. He kills the vermin and cleans up after himself. No evidence, no ties to us and no tales,¡± Cristos said. Xavier kills people? It sounded far from the sweet quiet guy I was used to. ¡°So Xavier¡­he¡¯s the only one who kills?¡± ¡°Not exactly,¡± Cristos answered. ¡°He may be our top assassin, but Sebastian and I, we have had our fair share. To rise in rank, you need to show your loyalty. When a boss. says shoot. it¡¯s not your ce to ask any questions.¡± ¡°Since I know all of this now, are you going to shoot me?¡± It was a fair question. Heughed at me like it was a joke and finished his drink. ¡°You mean so much to us, Joy. I told you all of this because I want you to ept all of me¡­all of what we are. Actually, I¡­ well, we want you to join us. Be part of the family. So we don¡¯t have to hide who we are from you anymore, Cristos begged. I downed my co cktail, savoring the bite of the vodka and noticed my hands were shaking. I was terribly confused and scared. But why be scared though? They have protected me since they first met me. I owe them my loyalty. ¡°I have to think about it first. I guess this trip to New York City will be good for me. Away from the three of you. It¡¯ll probably give me a better perspective of things,¡± I told him. He smiled at me. ¡°I promise we¡¯ll call you- ¡°No, Cristos. I need space to think. No, I won¡¯t tell anyone. You guys deserve my silence and loyalty. I just need some time alone.¡± After Cristos dropped me off, I didn¡¯t take any of their calls. I left for New York without even 3/4 CHAPTER & The Blood Disciples saying goodbye. It was the worst two weeks of my Chapter Comments Mary Hall life. I hope they teach Joy how to defend herself Luna-Mom so happy to read how her second chance was happening VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS 38 POST COMMENT 4/4 Chapter 9 CHAPTER 9 Confrontation Sebastian I arrived at Domenico¡¯s with a heavy heart. The three of us have been fighting while Joy was away. She is scheduled to arrive tomorrow from New York. For the past two weeks, she ghosted us. She didn¡¯t answer any of our calls and texts, not even emails, which put Xavier on edge and Cristos in a tight spot. I knew Xavier was in love with Joy the moment he met her. However, it didn¡¯t stop me or Cristos from falling in love with her too. In high school, we practically f ucked anything with a skirt. Just as long as she showed interest and would willingly spread her legs, one of us would put their co ck inside her. In between sses, you would find one of us in a secluded spot for a quickie or a bl ow job. During the weekends, we would head out to the clubs to f uck older chicks. It was a wonder how we passed high school and got into college with all the f ucking. College was supposed to be a f uck fest for the three of us, but when we met Joy, we lost our interest to date other girls. One night when I was at Capo De Luca¡¯s club having a drink before heading home, a tall girl in a tight ck minidress, caught my eye. She had long silky chestnut brown hair that curled at the ends and was dancing so seductively with a man who couldn¡¯t keep his hands to himself. I felt jealousy and rage swell up inside of me. I quickly left the bar and walked towards her. I pushed the man away and ced an angry hand on the girl¡¯s arm. ¡°Joy, what are you doing with that piece of sh it?¡± I shouted so she could hear me. The tall girl with the long chestnut brown hair turned to face me. I was shocked to see it wasn¡¯t Joy. I let go of her instantly and apologized to her date. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I thought you were someone else,¡± I apologized quickly. Capo De Luca rushed towards me, thinking the man was an enemy of purs. ¡°Domenico, is this as shole bothering you?¡± ¡°No. Give this man a drink as an apology,¡± I said, De Luca snapped his fingers at a waiter and yanked me to the bar. 1/5 27 Sat Mar 23 OMN CHARTER 9 Confrontation ¡°What the f uck was that, Domenico?¡± He asked while gesturing to the bartender for another round. Once the shot ss was ced in front of me, I downed my shot of Absinthe, closing my eyes as the fiery liquid burned my insides. ¡°I made a mistake. I thought the girl was loy.¡± I answered. De Lucaughed and hit me on the back. The same Joy Taylor who until now is aplete mystery?! I have to say, she is a beauty. All thanks to you, Xavier and Cristos. So, are you in love with her? De Luca asked amused. ¡°And does Xavier know?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. 1-¡± I paused. I couldn¡¯t lie to myself any longer. ¡°I think so, De Luca. I think I¡¯m in love with her.¡± ¡°Oh s hit! We need another round! Miguel, keep theming!¡± De Luca ordered the bartender. ¡°I heard from Cas sandra that Cristos may be in love with Joy too.¡± Cas sandra was Cristos younger sister. ording to her, Cristos only speaks of joy.¡± He pped his hands andughed hysterically. ¡°You three are a piece of work, you know that? Destined to be bosses while sharing one woman. If I were you, you bettery down all your cards to your two blood brothers. If not, whatever your fathers have worked so hard to build will be gone.¡± ¡°I doubt an empire wille crushing down because we love the same girl, I said. De Luca looked at me, shocked. ¡°Tell that to Helen of Troy, the woman whose faceunched a thousand ships,¡± he said, quoting mythology. And how about loy? Who does she love?¡± I stared at him nkly. I actually didn¡¯t know. She treated us all the same. De Luca saw my expressionProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. and handed me another shot of Absinthe. ¡°If you can¡¯t answer that question, my friend, she may not love either one of you.¡± De Luca¡¯s tone changed, sounding serious. Talk to your brothers. I hate to see you three fighting when it may be a lost cause. He tapped his shot ss against mine before drinking it. And here we are¡­ fighting. I called them to meet me at Domenico¡¯s. It was neutral ground e could shout and fight without interference. other was already waiting for me inside the restaurant. She pointed to the conference we used when the bosses had meetings here. Fix this, Sebastian,¡± my mother said. ¡°Whatever this is¡­fix it!¡± 215 12-27 Sat, Mar 23 SIN CHAPTER 9 Confrontation ¡°I will, Mama,¡± I promised her. Inside the conference room, Xavier and Cristos Were eyeing each other like they were daring each other to make the first move. I coughed and sat down with them. A waiter served us appetizers and some wine. After he left and closed the doors behind him, the confrontation began. ¡°How could you, Cristos? Why did you tell Joy about us, about the Blood Disciples? She must feel disgusted knowing I¡¯m the top assassin in the organization!¡± Xavier said through. clenched teeth. ¡°I couldn¡¯t lie to her anymore, Xavier. Being honest was the one thing I could give her,¡± Cristos argued. ¡°Do you know I feel worthlesspared to the both of you? You made her beautiful again. You gave her confidence. You gave her her life back. If I had only known I would feel this way about her, I would have asked to split the bill!¡± ¡°What do you mean, Cristos?! Don¡¯t tell me you love her too?¡± Xavier asked, his disbelief evident. I knew he felt betrayed. ¡°I love her, Xavier, Cristos finally admitted. I fell quiet watching the both of them admit their feelings. ¡°I swear, I didn¡¯t mean for this to ever happen, but it did. At first, I just wanted to help her, but now, I feel I can¡¯t lose her.¡± I wanted to admit that I felt the same way, but I didn¡¯t want to add to the stress. Xavier stared at Cristos like he had just taken his heart from his chest and squeezed it in his hands. ¡°Xavier, I know you feel betrayed, but listen to me,¡± I said. ¡°Why should I?! He stabbed me in the back!¡± Xavier roared ¡°I¡¯ve stabbed you in the back?!¡± Cristos yelled back. ¡°How can you say that? Did she ever tell you she loves you?!¡± ¡°No!¡± Xavier admitted. ¡°What about you?! Has she told you she loves you?!¡± Xavier shot back. Before Cristos could on his mouth, I spoke. ¡°No, she hasn¡¯ to her par frien ¡®I love you to either one of us. I¡¯ve heard her say ¡®I love you¡¯ has she said she loves us. Not even collectively. Not even as 3/5 12-27 Sat, Mar 23 N. CHAPTER 9 Confrontation Xavier and Cristos sat back down feeling defeated. They now understood there was no reason to fight when the one woman the three of us loved may not share the same feelings. ¡°So, what do we do now, Sebastian? I don¡¯t want to lose her¡­ not even as a friend,¡± Xavier muttered. He wasn¡¯t angry anymore. He was now concerned that all three of us may not have Joy in our lives when she came back. ¡°I know Joy,¡± Cristos said. ¡°She¡¯s not the type to turn her back on people who care for her. In my gut, I know she sees us as her closest friends. ¡°Are you sure? Because these two weeks seem like she HAS turned her back on us. All thanks to you, Cristos, Xavier said, gruffly. ¡°Xavier, calm down,¡± I said. ¡°Let¡¯s give the space Joy needs. When she¡¯s ready to talk to us, I know she¡¯ll give us a call or send us a message.¡± Suddenly, all three of our phones pinged at the same time. There was only one person in the world who could make our phones ping at the same time.. All three of us quickly took out our phones to check her message. After two weeks of nothing, we were starving. ¡°Hey guys! I¡¯m back a day early. Let¡¯s go grab a drink. Pick me up at 6.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a heart in her message,¡± Cristos said, smiling. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a good sign.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pick her up,¡± Xavier said. ¡°Cristos just figure out a way to tell her. You know I¡¯m not good with words. If someone has to tell her, it has to be you.¡± ¡°What do you mean, Xavier?¡± I asked. Was I hearing correctly? Xavier was willing to share? ¡°You are my brothers¡­ that¡¯s how it has been since we were kids. We were brought up together to forge the bond that nothing can break,¡± Xavier reiterated what was instilled in us by y our fathers. ¡°The way I see it, maybe loving the same woman will make that bond permanent. We¡¯ll meet you guys at Skybar,¡± Xavier said, leaving us. ¡°So, what do you think we should do?¡± Cristos asked. I averted my eyes. I had something in mind. 4/5 12:27 Sat, Mar 23 N CHAPTER 9 Confrontation Chapter Comments Luna-Mom Delighted it¡¯s all out in the open VIEW 1 COMMENT Chapter 10 CHAPTER 10 A Different Joy My mother didn¡¯t even recognize me at the airport when I only had minor surgery done and colored my hair to a dark blonde The difference is amazing, my mother said, touching my new gold locks. You look gorgeous, sweetheart. I think I should color my hair.¡± I giggled. Should I book you an appointment? I have Cristos ask his hair stylist I instantly stopped. How could I ask Cristos a favor when we weren friends anymore? I lowered my eyes, terribly sad. ¡°What¡¯s the matter sweetheart? My mother asked noticing my sad face. ¡°I think Joy and the trio broke up, my dad said, chuckling. He sounded amused. I gave my dad a dirty look. ¡°What happened to you and your friends? My mom asked as we all entered the her car to leave the airport. ¡°I just found out about something, that¡¯s all, I said. ¡°And does this something directly affect your rtionship with the boys?¡± She asked. I stared outside and thought about it. They kept the truth about themselves for two years and we were all fine. Should we be any different now I knew the truth? The answer was simple¡­no. ¡°No, Mom. It doesn¡¯t, I said. ¡°Did they do anything to hurt you?¡± She asked. ¡°No, they didn¡¯t, I answered quickly. ¡°Then, whyplicate things? You do want to still be friends with them, right?¡± My Dad asked, curiously. ¡°Yes, Dad. I still want to be friends with them, lied. I wanted to be more than just friends¡­. to all three of them. 1/4 CHAPTER 10 A Different Joy After our first afternoon out at Domenicos, the trio now became a quartet. I became the envy of all the girls on campus. I had the attention of these three gorgeous men¡­ if not all of it, most of it. At first, I thought I was in love with Sebastian. Out of the three, he was the easiest one to talk to, with that boy next door kind of charm¡­ that certain je ne sais quoi. When he looked at me with those honey-colored eyes of his. I would shiver involuntarily, even melting under his intense gaze. When we touched, I felt the electricity and sometimes, I saw his eyes go dark with desire, but it was so fleeting, I thought I had imagined it. One time at the library, someone bumped into me pushing the length of my body towards him and I swear, from my point of view, it looked like he was going to kiss me. I raised my lips and closed my eyes, waiting for his lips to touch mine, but when I opened my eyes, I saw him smiling at me. I wanted to kick myself. Sebastian always had to be somewhere else for some reason, so I spent most of At school, my time with Cristos and Xavier. At the start, I treated them as just friends, since I had my heart set on Sebastian, but I didn¡¯t notice I had fallen in love with them too. First, Xavier then Cristos. Last December, while I was waiting for Cristos, I saw Xavier talking to a female ssmate of ours. It wasn¡¯t a secret Shara had a crush on him and I could see by the way he smiled at her that he was into her too. Xavier put her arm around her and they walked away while I fought hard to control my jealousy. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Joy?¡± Cristos asked, his tone confused as he finally appeared by my side. He saw Xavier walking away with Shara and noticed the scowl on my face. ¡°Nothing,¡± I said, quickly turning my scowl into a bright smile. Cristos didn¡¯t look convinced. ¡°Shara and Xavier are partners for a project. I can already see Xavier is trying to manipte Shara to do all the work. He is sozy,¡± Cristos exined, rolling his eyes. I averted my face wouldn¡¯t see me blushing. away from his, so n Then, Cristos. While we were shopping on Rodeo Drive, I didn¡¯t like one of the young sales representatives at a particr store. She served us champagne while making sure Cristos had an unobstructed view of her cleavage. Cristos stared at her breasts longer than he should have. When the young woman walked away, sashaying her voluptuous hips, I caught Cristos trying to look under her really short skirt. 2/4 12:28 Sat, Mar 23 CHAPTER 10 A Different Joy ¡°Let¡¯s go. I don¡¯t want anything from here,¡± I said, acting like a child.¡± The store manager, who noticed the reason of my behavior, apologized and told his sales reps to stay away. When I was trying on a dress, the store manager assisted me and had this to say¡­ ¡°I understand a woman in love. I was in love once¡­¡± love. I looked at her, surprised at her analysis. I had fallen in love with three men. How was that possible? I beganughing hysterically, like a crazydy. The store manager beganughing too¡­with me or at me. I had no idea. But after we stoppedughing, she gave me a telling look as if she knew why I was laughing. The more time I spent with Cristos and Xavier and got to know them more, the more I fell in love with them. It was crazy. How could I have fallen in love with three men? What Cristos told me about the Blood Disciples was just a reason for me to push them away. But in New York City, as I stared at my phone, wishing one of them would call, I realized they were my sun, my moon and my moon and my stars. an ¡°Hey Mom¡­Dad¡­ Is it okay if I hung out with them tonight? I mean I know I just got here, but I really need to see them,¡± I said. ¡°Sure, honey. I was nning to ask your Dad out on a date. Just a movie. Tomorrow, I have the day off,¡± my mom said smiling, ¡°Tell Cristos to book me a stylist for tomorrow afternoon. I want a blonde look just like yours.¡± ¡°Sure, Mom.¡± I took out my phone and sent a message through chat. I could see they were all active. AtProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. least the message woulde to them at the same time. It Look Several moments before one of the answered. you.¡± ¡°X is on his way. We¡¯re happy you¡¯re back. We missed I smiled when I saw the heart. I sighed and leaned back on the backseat of the car, my smile still on my face. ¡°Aw, there¡¯s that beautiful smile,¡± my dad said, chuckling. If he only knew¡­ 3/4 Sebastian¡¯s Tirade ring the doorbell. I stood nervously in front of Joy¡¯s house, taking deep breaths, mustering up the courage to With shaking fingers, I pressed the doorbell, then braced myself for the unknown. ¡°Xavier, sweetie. It¡¯s so nice to see you. Come on in. Joy is upstairs, still getting ready. But she¡¯ll be down soon,¡± Mrs. Taylor said with her arms outstretched. Joy¡¯s mom weed me into their home with a big hug. I closed my eyes, so relieved. I rxed in her arms, choking back the emotions I felt. When she let me go, I opened my eyes and saw a tall blonde in a sex y white spaghetti strapped fitted dress that went just right below her knee standing at the bottom of the stairs. On her feet were strappy white sandals while she carried a small white purse on her arm. I blinked. ¡°Joy?¡± I asked tentatively. She lifted her face and I saw those beautiful blue-green eyes of hers. ¡°Oh, wow!¡± I eximed. ¡°Your hair! Your dress! Your dimple on your chin! Oh my G od! You look great!¡± ¡°Xavier, don¡¯t drink and drive. And you know she has a curfew, Mrs. Taylor said. ¡°Where are you guys headed?¡± ¡°The Roof Garden, Mrs. Taylor,¡± I lied. ¡°Alright. Have fun, then,¡± she said, then turned to Joy. ¡°Dad and I are going to Guisados, then we¡¯ll watch a movie after, so just call us if you need anything.¡± ¡°Okay, Mom. Have fun with Dad. Joy wrapped her arm around mine as we exited the house and walked to the car. I felt a shiver run up and down my spine just from her simple touch. At Skybar, Cristos and Sebastian were waiting eagerly. Since all three of us had connections, we were given a secluded spot away from the party. And just like me, Sebastian and Cristos did not recognize Joy from afar, but when they saw her eyes, they instantly knew who she was. 1/5 Chapter 11 CHAPTER 11 Sebastian¡¯s Tirade You finally wore the dress I bought for you, Cristos said. ¡°And this hair, I like it.¡± fore I forget, my mom needs you to book an appointment for tomorrow afternoon at the lon you go to,¡± Joy said. ¡°She wants to go blonde too.¡± I ¡°What the world needs right? Is another dumb blonde, Sebastian said unexpectedly, I gave him a dirty look. What in the f uck¡­ ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Cristos asked Sebastian gruffly. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you guys. She ghosted us for two week. Didn¡¯t answer our phone calls, not even a single text to inform us she¡¯s okay. She spends our money to make herself beautiful and what thanks do we get huh?¡± He scoffed at us. ¡°Now she makes one small message and you guyse running. You two are so pathetic ¡°About that, Sebastian, I¡¯m so sorry. Cristos told me about what you guys do and I freaked. If it¡¯s any constion, I felt miserable these past two weeks,¡± Joy quickly exined. ¡°I really missed you guys. I promise, I¡¯ll never do it again¡± ¡°Well, Cristos and Xavier may forgive you so easily, but it will take more th just a short exnation before you and I can be friends again,¡± Sebastian stood up and buttoned the guys have fun.¡± forms su You ¡°Sebastian-¡± The smile on Joy¡¯s face when she entered Skybar was gone, reced by panic, fear and rejection. Sebastian raised his hand to stop Joy. ¡°After helping you these past two years, I think I deserve better treatment. All three of us do. Cristos¡­ Xavier¡­I have no problems with you nor do I care if you want to keep her as your friend.¡± And with that, he left. Cristos and I were so shocked, we didn¡¯t even stop him from leaving. What was wrong with him? ¡°Joy, don¡¯t worry about Sebastian. I¡¯ll talk to him. He¡¯s just really hurt you ignored him, that¡¯s all,¡± I said, trying to cheer her up. ¡°He¡¯s right, Xavier. I shouldn¡¯t have done that to either one of you. I¡¯m really sorry,¡± Joy said trying to fight the urge to cry. ¡°We know, sweetie. We¡¯ll handle this,¡± Cristos said looking at me like this wasn¡¯t the reunion 2/5 CHAPTER 11 Sebastian¡¯s Tirade he had in mind. I turned and saw Sebastian exiting Skybar with his arms around a girl. I mean if he wanted to go and f uck someone, he didn¡¯t have to go and ruin our night. ¡°Let¡¯s forget about Sebastian for now. Cristos and I will get to the bottom of this. Let¡¯s grab a drink. Miraculously, it was a fun night even if it was just the three of us. After dropping Joy home, Cristos received a message from De Luca, Sebastian¡¯s Capo.. ¡°Xavier, somethings happening at Sin,¡± he told me while we walked back to our cars. ¡°De Luca¡¯s ce? Don¡¯t f ucking tell me Sebastian went there instead of staying with us. D amn it!¡± I eximed, running my fingers through my hair. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s go and pick him up. He is such an as shole!¡± Sebastian After using up all my strength to leave Joy and hopefully mend the bond between Cristos and Xavier, I picked up a brte and her friends and went to Sin. I needed to drink heavily and it was the only ce I could think of that would allow me to drink until I passed out, knowing Capo De Luca and his crew would take care of me after. It was almost packed when I arrived. People were already dancing to trance, high on whatever party drug De Luca was offering. I offered the girls a drink, but they wanted something more thrilling. I told De Luca to have one of his dealers fulfill their requests, so they could leave me the f uck alone. Fine, I did n to reprimand Joy, but it came out so harshly. When I saw the rejection in her eyes, IThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. almost caved, but I had to do it. Cristos and Xavier were already fighting over her. I didn¡¯t want to be challenger number three. ¡°Woah. Domenico, slow down,¡± De Luca said, grabbing my shot ss before I could down it. ¡°The night is still young and you are downing shots like there¡¯s no tomorrow. The only time I¡¯ve seen you drink like this was when you found out Alicia was f ucking that t wat behind your back. What happened? Did Joy make her pick among the three of you?¡± ¡°No. I just f ucking told her I didn¡¯t want to be her friend anymore,¡± I said, shaking the tipsiness away. 3/5 CHAPTER 11 Sebastian¡¯s Tirade You what? How the f uck can you be such a coward?¡± De Luca asked. ¡°Watch it. I am still your boss.¡± I grabbed the shot ss from him and drank. ¡°Cristos and Xavier are already fighting over her. I just took myself out of the picture. Anyway, she doesn¡¯t love any one of us. She totally ghosted us when she was in New York and now that she¡¯s here, she expects us to grovel at her feet.¡± ¡°I heard about that from Ca ssandra,¡± De Luca said. I nced at him. He¡¯s probably f ucking her. ¡°Cristos told Joy about the organization. It¡¯s a lot to absorb when supposedly her three bestfriends are suppose to be outstanding citizens. I actuallymend Cristos for doing that. Now, we can formally make her a Soldier and start training her. She will make a great assassin.¡± ¡°F uck you, De Luca. Just shut up about her joining the family and have your bartender get me more shots!¡± De Luca snapped his fingers at the bartender and gave me my space. I thought I was free to drink alone, when I heard familiar voices behind me.. ¡°Where is he, De Luca?¡± Xavier shouted so he could be heard above the music. ¡°He¡¯s over there, De Luca answered. ¡°Easy boys. He suffers from heartache.¡± He left the three of us, laughing so hard, it was his private little joke. ¡°Remind me to shoot him tomorrow,¡± I said, raising a shot ss. Cristos forcibly took the ss and drank the shot instead. ¡°Enough, Sebastian.¡± He ced the shot ss on the bar and gestured to the bartender. ¡°Water. My friend needs water.¡± ¡°You hypocrite. You watched us argue over Joy when you are in love with her,¡± Xavier scolded me. ¡°Then, you say those mean things to her, making her feel like everything is her f ucking fault. ¡°Xavier is right,¡± Cristos said. ¡°What you said and did to Joy is downright selfish.¡± He took the water bottle, opened it and handed it to me. ¡°You f ucking owe her an apology.¡± ¡°F uck you. You can¡¯t tell me what to do,¡± I argued. ¡°You sound like a child, Sebastian,¡± Cristos said. ¡°What were you nning to do? Avoid Joy forever thene here and drink yourself to death every f ucking night? She may not love us the way we love her, but at least we have her in our lives. Can¡¯t we just ept that and live 4/5 28 S?t Mai 20 The Joy of Revenge. Chapter 12 CHAPTER 12 Joy¡¯s Story: A Tragedy Cristos The start of the next school year was near and for Joy¡¯s twenty-first birthday, we decided to go to Sebastian¡¯skehouse at Lake Tahoe. After finding Sebastian drowning his sorrows at De Luca¡¯s club, all three of us now knew we were in love with the same woman. While Sebastian was pessimistic, Xavier and I, on the other hand, were optimistic we would find some sort ofpromise. As Xavier put it, ¡°maybe loving the same woman will make the bond permanent. First, we agreed to confess our feelings. It will allow Joy to choose. Second, we agreed to ept whatever she decides. If she will choose one of us, reject all of us, or hopefully choose all of us, we will abi de by her decision. It was risky, but all is fair in love and war. Luckily, Joy¡¯s parents trusted us enough to allow her to travel and stay with us without a chaperone. To put their mind at ease, I told them my sister would being with us. Actually, Ca ssandra would be staying over her friend¡¯s ce which was near Sebastian¡¯skehouse, so it wasn¡¯t entirely a lie. I really hated lying to the Taylors. After what they¡¯ve been through. Sebastian¡¯s family¡¯skehouse is a two-storey, six bedroom mansion made of wood and ss fronting theke with its own dock. It was hardly ever used, but since the house was built by Sebastian¡¯s grandfather, the Domenico¡¯s could never sell it. When we arrived, Joy was amazed. She was like a little girl, running through the wide living room, running her hands over the the granite countertops, jumping on top of her bed. While Xavier started a fire outside in one of the fireces at the expansive outdoor terrace of the mansion, Sebastian raided the winery and I stocked the kitchen with the groceries we purchased on our way here. ¡°What can I do?¡± Joy asked, plopping herself on top of a stool and watching me. I was preparing the ingredients for smores and had already popped in a couple of frozen pizzas in the oven. Mama Rose had made us some pizza sauce which I only needed to reheat. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°You¡¯re the birthday girl,¡± I said. ¡°You do nothing.¡± ¡°I can make a sd,¡± Joy offered. ¡°Actually, Mama Rose prepared everything, so all you need to do is sit.¡± She sighed, watching 1/5 CHAPTER 12 Joy¡¯s Story: A Tragedy the sky turn to dusk. ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful here. I used to live in a house surrounded by nature. I miss it,¡± she murmured. It was the first time she ever mentioned her previous residence. ¡°Yeah? Where¡¯s that?¡± I asked coyly. W silly. New Salem, North Dakota,¡± she answered. ¡°I¡¯ve told you that, right?¡± ever mentioning it,¡± I said. ¡°Did you live there long?¡± in high school, right before I was-¡± She stopped abruptly, hearing ter and Sebastian sing. They both appeared from outside; Sebastian was holding a cake while Xavier had a couple of bottles of champagne. ¡°Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday dear Joy. Happy Birthday to you. She blew out the candles and pped happily like a young girl. She unexpectedly stood up and kissed us each on the cheek. If she ever rejects uster, I vowed to never wash my cheek again. We all had dinner at the terrace. It was a magnificent starlit night. After dinner, the party began. ¡°No more fake ID¡¯s for me!¡± Joy eximed as we raised our sses to her name. ¡°To Joy!¡± We downed our sses of Jagermeister, already tipsy from the bottles of wine and champagne. ¡°You know guys, I never thought I¡¯d have friends like you. I actually thought I¡¯d never be happy again. Toy said, beginning to be talkative. She was like that when she was tipsy. Some men would think it annoying, but we found it adorable. ¡°Why do you say that, Joy?¡± Sebastian asked. I nced at him. He was manipting her to talk. ¡°You know why. Sebastian,¡± Joy mumbled. ¡°Remember the first day you guys saw me¡­ scars on my face, a limp in my step. These boys I was in high school with¡­ they tied me up on the boy¡¯s vertical bench press, tore this beautiful white gown I made myself, raped me then beat me to a pulp. After that, they want back to the spring formal like nothing ever happened and left me in the boy¡¯s gym room to die. It was all a big mess.¡± Joy took another shot while the 2/5 CHAPTER 12 Joy¡¯s Story A Tragedy three of us stared at her, shocked to hear her talk about her assault. After two years, none of us knew she had been sexually assaulted. I walked to where she sat and hugged her. She patted my arms like I was the one who needed comforting. Xavier, I noticed, was furious. Sebastian, for the first time, wast speechless. I was mad mainly at myself for not finding anything about her and giving up. I should have done more digging. ¡°Honey, ssshhhhh. Everything is okay,¡± I said, rocking her in my arms. ¡°No. You deserve to know. You told me the truth about yourselves, so I should tell you my story,¡± she said. ¡°Right, Sebastian?¡± I looked at him from above Joy¡¯s head and shook my head. But he nodded his head instead, agreeing with Joy. I wanted to punch him in the face. It was her birthday and this was suppose to be a happy asion. I moved a chair to sit next. to her just in case she needed my strength to help her. I actually wanted to run to theke and scream, but Joy needed me and by her side I¡¯ll be. ¡°Alright then,¡± Joy took another shot, rubbed her hands together and began to tell her story. She sounded like she was telling us a horrifying ghost story. ¡°It was the most anticipated event of junior high¡­ The Spring Formal. Months before it, I designed and made this white backless dress. I wanted Noah, my bestfriend, to be my date, but his friend Liam asked me first. What¡¯s funny was, I agreed to be Liam¡¯s date minutes before Noah asked me.¡± ¡°At the night of the spring formal, I was alone at the auditorium, waiting for Liam to get back from the washroom, when my friend Lisa and Liam¡¯s ex-girfriend, Nicole, told me Noah was waiting for me at the boy¡¯s gym.¡± Joy ced her hands on her chest and we instantly knew, once upon a time, this Noah was special to her. ¡°I thought finally¡­ finally¡­ he was going to confess he had feelings for me, because ever since our freshman year, I developed feelings for him. I didn¡¯t want Liam or any other boy. I just wanted Noah. Since Liam had been away for so long, I thought he wouldn¡¯t mind if I snuck out for a bit to talk to Noah.¡± ¡°When I got to the boy¡¯s gym, the door was open. I was expecting to see Noah standing in the middle of the gym, you know, with some flowers in his hand, kneeling down, so handsome in his tuxedo.¡± She laughed at herself ¡°I had a very vivid imagination back then.¡± She suddenly shook her head and closed her eyes. She was quietly beating herself up for being so naive. I took her hand in mine and held it tightly. She gazed at me with unsure 3/5 CHAPTER 12 Joy¡¯s Story A Tragedy eyes, inhaling deeply, mustering enough courage to continue. The tragedy wasing. There was a single light on, but no Noah. I even called out to him, but there was no answer. Thinking it was another of Nicole¡¯s pranks, I turned around to leave, but the doors suddenly closed. There stood Liam and his three bestfriends, Cris, Jack and Dan, who were waiting for me with these evil grins on their faces.¡± Her face suddenly changed from confident to frightened. Her hand was shaking and a cold sweat appeared above her brow. ¡°I tried to run away, I did, but I tripped on my dress and fell. They picked me up from the floor and threw me against the vertical bench press. While Liam and Cris held me down, Dan tied my wrists and ankles down. Then, he ripped my dress apart, ripped my underwear and shoved it in my mouth.¡± ¡°Cris was first. He couldn¡¯t get it up for whatever reason, so he started punching me. Every time his fist connected, he became hard. He did a nal first, thrusting so hard while beating my face. Then, when he was about toe, he stuck his penis into my vagina, pumping until he came while he grabbed my head with his two hands, hitting my head against the bench press. ¡°After Cris, Liam raped me then Jack. Liam smashed my face with a barbell when he came, screaming ¡°Death to all Taylors¡± while Jack strangled me so hard, I almost died.¡± ¡°Dan, instead of using his di ck, used the end of a mop instead and inserted it all the way in. After that, he took a baseball bat, broke my arm my leg, and some of my ribs. ¡°When he was done with the bat, Dan told the others to fix up so they could go back to the spring formal before everyone noticed they were gone. He said to leave me there. The janitor will surely find me dead in the morning. I remember the sounds of theirughter before they left the gym. Whatever they did to me, they clearly enjoyed it.¡± ¡°And no, the janitor didn¡¯t find me. A girl did. I couldn¡¯t see who she was because both of my eyes were closed shut from the beatings and sadly, I didn¡¯t recognize her voice. She said she would call Noah to take me home.¡± ¡°Once I heard my parents¡¯ voices, I tried to tell them who hurt me, but my jaw was broken, so I wasn¡¯t sure if they heard me. I passed out on our way to the hospital. When I woke up, was lying in a hospital bed being treated for my injuries. I ¡°I expected to hear Liam and his poss¨¦ were already behind bars, but I overheard the Sheriff telling my father that they found the boy¡¯s gym clean¡­ that no one was talking. I also 4/5 CHAPTER 12 Joy¡¯s Story: A Tragedy overheard him say evidence had gone missing, including my gown. With no evidence and no eye witnesses, the Sheriff told my dad if we decided to file charges, it would be a case of ¡°he id, she said.¡± We would definitely lose and I would bebeled as the town¡¯s w h ore. All the sin our school were already gossiping about the dress I wore, saying it left nothing to the magination.¡± ¡°After I was discharged from the hospital, my dad would go to the local pub and drown his sorrows in alcohol. One night, instead of my dading to the pub, Old Man Eugene brought a bottle of his finest bourbon to our house and told him nothing was going to happen if my father kept drinking. ¡°The next day, my dad said it was time to move on. We would sell everything even the grocery store that has been in his family for three generations and fix my face. I told him we shouldn¡¯t, but he said nothing is as important to him than me. He said it was a small sacifice for my future. And he was right. If it weren¡¯t for his decision, I wouldn¡¯t have met you guys and I wouldn¡¯t be this happy.¡± ¡°I really love you three. You guys mean the world to me.¡± Chapter Comments Luna-Mom yay it¡¯s finally out there that the trio love her WWI VIEW 10 COMMENT POST COMMENT Chapter 13 CHAPTER 13 Letting Go Sebastian Finally, she said she loved us. It made my heart swell with happiness from hearing her say those three little words, but it wasn¡¯t enough to dispel the fury I was feeling that something so horrifying happened to her. Her words were tragic enough¡­ what more the experience. I know I shouldn¡¯t have nodded my head, asking her to tell us her story, but Joy, she needed 1 to let go of the past. ¡°Come on, honey. I¡¯ll help you to your bed,¡± Cristos said, lifting Joy from her chair. She had more than enough to drink. ¡°No, I want to drink some more,¡± Joy protested, trying to push Cristos away. ¡°It¡¯s my birthday!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve had more shots than three of usbined, Cristos scolded her. ¡°Tomorrow is your actual birthday. You don¡¯t want to have a hangover for what we have nned for tomorrow. Come on. I¡¯ll tuck you in.¡± While Cristos led Joy to her room, Xavier went to the mansion¡¯s gym, his hands balled up into fists. I followed him quietly, carrying the bottle of Jagermeister and three shot sses. When we entered the gym, he went straight to the punching bag and began hitting it repeatedly, allowing himself to release his rage. When he stopped, he held on to the bag, covered his eyes with one hand and wept. I gave him his space, preparing a small table for our drinks. While I watched his shoulders shake from his so bs, I secretly wiped away my tears. I had to let out some of the pain in my chest. It was just too much to bear. After several moments, Xavier fixed himself and casually walked to the table to drink a shot. I could see he felt better. ¡°I know I should be happy hearing joy say she loves us, but I can¡¯t imagine what she went through. Getting hit by a baseball bat while tied up?!¡± He nced at me before raising hist shot ss to his mouth. ¡°Sebastian, did you know? Did you know what those animals did to her and didn¡¯t tell us?¡± I had a feeling he would assume that I knew something since I was acting so calmly, but what was going through my head was the murders of Liam, Cris, Jack, Dan, Nicole, Lisa, 1/3 CHAPTER 13 Letting Go Noah and the Sheriff by my hands. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t know she was raped.¡± ¡°Then how can you act so calm?! F uck! I want to fly out to New Salem and kill them all!¡± ¡°Me too, Xavier,¡± Cristos said, finally joining us. His eyes were red and he was sniffling. He cried too. ¡°Sebastian, why did you f ucking have to nod your head? It¡¯s her birthday for crying out loud.¡± ¡°She needs to let go of her past, Cristos. I believe telling us her story makes us a part of her and vice versa. Plus, I wanted to know who we have to kill so we can n ordingly, I answered grimly. ¡°Cristos get all the information from the database of her old high school. We need all information regarding a Liam, Cris, Dan, Jack, Noah, Lisa and a Nicole. One of them has a rich daddy or mommy who has the authority to block a case like Joy¡¯s. Look into the town¡¯s Sheriff and his force. Evidence went missing under his watch. If he wasn¡¯t given sh it about it, it means he¡¯s under someone¡¯s payroll. ¡®Got it. I¡¯ll even find out where they are now. I¡¯ll also check if there are more cases like Joy¡¯s although I highly doubt if I¡¯ll find something, Cristos said and ced a hand on Xavier¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Xavier, I know what¡¯s going through your head, but you have to promise you won¡¯t go Rambo and kill them. We need to redeem Joy¡¯s dignity. They called her a wh ore. Whatever we do, the truth has toe out first. Xavier scowled, not liking the idea of waiting. ¡°Can¡¯t I just kill one of them? To serve as a warning?¡± Xavier asked, frustrated he had to keep his itchy trigger fingers at bay. ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°Cristos is right. Any death will point them to Joy. I highly doubt if they aren¡¯t looking for her. Good thing Joy Taylor is amon enough name and there are thousands of universities over the country. Xavier, tell Kelly at the registrar if any calles in looking for information on a Joy Taylor, tell him to say there is no student by that name and to tell us immediately.¡± ¡°How about if they try and hack the system?¡± Xavier asked. ¡°They¡¯ll find her birthce.¡± ¡°Cristos, add a firewall to the school¡¯s database. Make sure it¡¯s imprable,¡± I said. ¡°Cristos when you find the information we need, I¡¯ll ask De Luca to investigate if they have any ties. with the Angels of Darkness.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Xavier eximed, his eyes widening in disbelief, but quickly narrowed. ¡°I should have known. Animals. He drank a shot and yed with the shot ss with his fingers. ¡°Joy needs to start training and be formally included in our family. It will make her untouchable.¡± 2/3 CHAPTER 13 Letting Go De Luca keeps telling me the same thing ever since I asked him to investigate Joy¡¯s assault. suspects the cu nts who assaulted Joy are part of the Central States ruling party,¡± I said. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m going to agree with De Luca, but he¡¯s right,¡± Cristos muttered. ¡°We can¡¯t just offer our protection. With her on the inside if anyone touches her, it will cause a war.¡± ¡°Guys, we can¡¯t just bring her in. She needs to prove her worth. That¡¯s how it has always been, I reasoned. ¡°Xavier, do you honestly think she can kill someone?¡± ¡°1-1 don¡¯t think so,¡± Xavier answered truthfully. He sighed. ¡°Since, I¡¯ve already taught her some defense moves, I¡¯ll be in charge of her training. She¡¯ll prove her worth eventually. Once she does, do I have your word, Sebastian, you¡¯ll formally make her a part of the family?¡± ¡°You have my word. Now, let¡¯s make a toast. The one woman we love has finally said she loves us. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom my heart crumbled when Joy was telling the guys of her horrific ordeal Sara Logan I was relieved to hear Noah didn¡¯t take part he pi ssed me off for ditching her, etc. VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS 34 POST COMMENTN?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Chapter 14 CHAPTER 14 Scavenger Hunt I woke up with a huge headache 1 drank to much too quickly With a gran. I sat up with my hand om my head and noticed a breath staple of alcohol looked and me, surveying my surroundings not recognizing the room into felier of panie rared server my chest. I pushed the nkets away from me and discovered, to my utter relief, I was fully clothed clothes 1 had worn yesterday, all the way down to my socks. Then, I remembered and smirked like an idiot. Right¡­I was at Sebastian¡¯skehouse celebrating my birthday A ss of water and a couple of pills of aspirin were sitting on the night stand beside my hed with a happy birthday note. I gratefully took the medicine and got out of bed to wash up. After brushing my teeth, I let the warm water of the shower wash my hangover away. The painful throbbing in my head slowly began to ebb, so I took the time to recall the events: fromst night. After dinner at the terrace of the Domenicokehouse, we celebrated and I drank shot after shot after shot¡­ The I was in high school with¡­ they tied me up on the boy¡¯s vertical bench press, tore this beautiful white gown I made myself, raped me then beat me to a pulp.¡± I gasped in horror. I was so drunk that I had unwittingly told them what happened. I tried to think fast and hard, trying to recall their facial expressions, but it was mostly a blur. I do remember Cristos holding my hand while I relived my experience¡­ The boys pounding away on my raw vagina and anus as the beat me up. The impact of the baseball bat when it hit bone. My struggle to breathe and the pain I felt as I took each breath so I could survive. The silent prayer I made, hoping my parents could live through the heartbreak of my death. Will Cristos, Sebastian and Xavier treat me differently knowing I was raped so savagely? Are they disgusted? Has Xavier contemted killing them? I fixed myself as quickly as I could. Before going downstairs, I checked my phone for messages and saw two were from my parents. I called my mom. 14 CHAPTER 14 Scavenger Hunt ¡°Happy Birthday, sweetie! How¡¯s everything going?¡± My mom asked. ¡°Hey Mom! I just finished taking a shower. Everything has been really fun. There was a cake and some champagne,¡± I told her. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°I know you¡¯re of legal age now, but easy on the booze. Make sure to take lots of pictures. I gotta go, honey. I¡¯ll see you soon.¡± ¡°Say hi to dad, Mom. Love you.¡± cked 1 heaved a sigh and decided I couldn¡¯t stay up here forever. I opened the door and caught a whiff of barbecue. They were cooking. I ran down and saw all three of them preparing our food. Sebastian was cooking pasta in the kitchen while Xavier and Cristos were arguing by the grill. ¡°Cristos, well-done doesn¡¯t mean burnt,¡± Xavier said. ¡°I told you I¡¯ll do it.¡± He picked up a piece of burnt beef with some tongs and made a face. ¡°You need to learn how to cook.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you, Xavier,¡± I said shyly. I can grill.¡± ¡°Good morning, sleepy head,¡± Xavier said, smiling. ¡°Sure, let me see your skills in grilling.¡± After cing some olive oil on the steak, I added seasoning. I made sure the heat was concentrated in the back. I only needed the heat for several minutes for each side before I moved the steak to simmer a little at the front of the grill. Romero the steak off the grill, I sliced it to show Xavier the center of the steak was pink and juicy. He tried it and gave me a thumbs up. See, Cristos. This is how you grill steak.¡± We had brunch at the terrace. Steak and pasta with marinara sauce while we shared a couple of bottles of red wine. Along with the view of theke, I was blissfully content. After all the dishes were in the dishwasher, they told me to go upstairs and change. dan ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the clothes I have on?¡± I had an oversized T-Shirt over bicycle shorts. I wanted to befortable and not look like a flower vase. Sebastian ced both of his hands on my shoulders and looked me straight in the eyes, giving me his poker face. ¡°You need to where something you can swim in, run in, hike in, but still look presentable if you were to have dinner at, let¡¯s say, some random cafe,¡± he said. 2/4 CHAPTER 14 Scavenger Hunt I eyed him warily. ¡°Okay. Do I need anything else?¡± ¡°Wallet, phone, identification¡­the usual. After you¡¯re done, meet us by the pool.¡± I put on a violet knotted floral-print bikini underneath a white button-down polo shirt tucked into denim shorts. After putting on my trusty white sneakers, I ced all my essentials in a small leather backpack, including a small face towel, clean underwear, a clean shirt, a Swiss army knife, some biscuits and a small bottle of water. It seemed the boys had something nned and I didn¡¯t want toe out unprepared. It was a bright sunny day, perfect for lounging at the pool. The beige cu shions of the chaise wicker lounge chairs were each draped with beach towels and covered by beige outdoor umbres. I walked towards the chairs and found one chair had a small white gift box tied up with yellow ribbon. I picked up the box and opened it. Inside was a piece of paper. It read: I¡¯m not the alphabet, but I have letters. I¡¯m not a pole, but I have a g. Mailbox. I stuffed the box and the piece of paper in my bag and began my walk to the road. where I noticed the mailbox when we arrived yesterday. It was outside the gate of the property and a good hike upwards. Sebastian wasn¡¯t kidding when he said hike. I opened the mailbox and found another box with a blue ribbon tied around it. I opened it and found another piece of paper and a car key. It had two riddles; Watch where you¡¯re walking. If you step on a c rack, you might break your mother¡¯s back! I¡¯m always tired but never sleep. If you get sleepy, take a nap in my backseat. So I needed to find a car parked near a sidewalk. Sebastian¡¯s property was at the end of the road. I surveyed the road ahead and saw a sidewalk. There sat a lone silver car parked beside it. I ran towards it and pressed the button of the car key. It¡¯s lights shed and the doors unlocked. I opened the door and found another a box with a red ribbon. I took the box and slid into the driver¡¯s seat. This time the box was bigger and heavier. Mmmm¡­.It had that new car smell. It was a brand new BMW. I opened the box and found a brand new phone. As I lifted the phone from its box, a sheet of paper fell. 3/4 CHAPTER 14 Scavenger Hunt It read: I used to be a tree until I traded my root for routes. I have a rose, but I¡¯m not a garden. I have a ring, but no finger. Sometimes I die, but if you charge me up, Ie alive. A map and a phone. I had the phone so I needed to find the map. The car had a navigation system. I started the car and turned on the navigation system. It pointed me to store. I dialed the store¡¯s number and a woman answered. ¡°Hi! My name is Joy Taylor and I¡¯m calling- ¡°Yes Ms. Taylor. We have your items ready for pick-up.¡± I drove to the store which was located in Incline Vige. It was a small jewelry store beside a boutique. The store manager quickly handed me a small box which had an expensive watch inside of it, a box with ck pumps my size and a bigger box with a ck co cktail dress ¡°Mr. Domenico wanted me to direct you to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Ms. Taylor.¡± After thanking him, I drove to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. After handing my car to valet, I walked inside the hotel, armed with my treasures I found at the end of each clue, and asked if there were any messages for a Joy Taylor.. The staff waltzed me right into a suite where the phone was ringing. ¡°Dinner will be served at our Private Dining Area at six in the evening, Miss Taylor,¡± the woman said. I looked at the time and noticed I only had a couple of hours to get ready. Good thing I brought everything I needed. Even clean underwear. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom the guys are amazing, putting Joy first and no go on a killing spree VIEW 1 COMMENT COMMEN POST COMMENT 31 < SHARE Chapter 15 CHAPTER 15 Confession Xavier I was nervous¡­no, I was scared sh itle ss. We were already dressed, lounging around in our suite, waiting for dinner. We were at a suite right below Joy¡¯s and I could also tell the o two were as nervous and scared as me. I opened the minibar and prepared drinks for the three of us to help take the edge off. We knew Joy wouldn¡¯t ept our gifts if we gave them to her outright, so we made her go on a scavenger hunt, collecting her gifts in search for the next clue. I still had one more gift to give her¡­ whether or not she epted to be our girl. I wanted to pamper her. After listening to her story, I was right to assume that her assault wasn¡¯t because she did something wrong to someone else. Those a ssholes just wanted to break her because she had a good heart. I handed Sebastian and Cristos each a ss of scotch and sat down with them in the living room of the suite. Sebastian was wearing a dark gray suit with a blue tie, while Cristos opted for a ck suit and I, a dark blue suit with a maroon-colored tie. Cristos was on hisptop, searching for the answers we needed regarding the bas t ards of Joy¡¯s past. ¡°I found out that the guy named Liam is the son of New Salem Mayor Theodore Cohen. The Cohens moved to New Salem during the prohibition era with their riches in tow. This definitely smells like the Angels of Darkness,¡± Cristos said. ¡°What legitimate businesses do they have in the area? Sebastian asked. na ¡°They own a lot of undeveloped property. One property is currently being developed into housing,¡± Cristos answered. That was where the money wasnd. ¡°Before this Theodore Cohen, who was mayor?¡± I asked. ¡°His father, Robert Cohen and before that, his grandfather Edward Cohen and then his great- her, Ethan Coen. ¡°Holy s hit. That¡¯s four generations of Cohens,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°That means the next mayor of New Salem will be-¡± ¡°Liam Cohen, Cristos spat out the ba stard¡¯s name. ¡°And get this, one of the pioneers of New Salem were the Taylors. I think the Taylors and the Cohens were rivals. Remember, ¡°Death to all Taylors¡±? 1/4 12:29 Sat Mar 23 N CHAPTER 15 Confession ¡°He¡¯s been groomed to hate the Taylors,¡± I said. I propose we wait until this Liam Cohen bes mayor. In that way, we can take both him and his father down.¡± 72% ¡°I read from their town¡¯s paper that Theodore Cohen is nning to retire once Liam graduates from college. That¡¯s in a couple of years, Cristos said. ¡°Are you willing to wait that long?¡± ¡°I told you, there¡¯s no expiration date on revenge. I don¡¯t care if we have to wait a few more years. Probably, by that time, they¡¯ll think Joy is gone forever. They won¡¯t see iting,¡± I exined. ¡°Actually, that¡¯s a good idea, Sebastian said, agreeing to my suggestion. ¡°Theodore Cohen has been mayor for so long. He has the people wrapped tightly around his little finger. Even when Liam bes mayor, it will still be Theodore Cohen running the show. All we need to do is pit-Liam against his own father.¡± ¡°Do you actually think this Liam would go against his father?¡± Cristos asked. ¡°When he assaulted Joy, he went against the good e of his father,¡± Sebastian reasoned. ¡°I believe Liam has some unresolved issues with his father. Right now, he¡¯s just a boy living off of his family¡¯s legacy, but once he bes mayor and has the authority to do whatever he wants, he won¡¯t like Daddy meddling in his affairs.¡± I nodded my head¡­he made sense. ¡°Well, we have years to n. Right now, my only concern is Joy,¡± I told the two. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We don¡¯t want to bete for our date.¡± The table in the private dining room we booked was elegantly fixed for the four of us. The three of us fixed our neck ties and unbuttoned our suit jackets before sitting at the table, waiting for Joy to arrive. When she did, we all stood up. She was perfection¡­ wearing a fitted ck floral co cktail dress which gave emphasis on her cleavage, her small waist and her curvy hips. Her flowing blonde hair was parted to the side and tucked behind her ear. On her left wrist, she wore the watch I gave her, making me smile. ¡°The dress fits perfectly,¡± Cristos said. He has shopped with her so many times, he knew her measurements by heart. ¡°Beautiful,¡± I murmured while I helped her with her chair. Joy blushed and smiled shyly. She my heart s kip a beat. made ¡°I agree with Xavier. Beautiful,¡± Sebastian said, smiling brightly. 19 Sat, Mar 2 DAN CHAPTER 15 Confession 7238 Dinner was also perfection. Kobe beef, scallops, lobster, oysters, cheese, ham, prawns¡­ the tes just cameing. For desert we had chocte truffles and ice cream. After dinner we decided to go to our suite and have one drink before going back to the mansion. We still had one more thing to do. We all sat at the balcony, sipping our champagne. There was something about the stars and the moon that makes love so romantic. I LOOK but the velv rectangr box from my inner coat pocket and waited for Cristos and Sebastian to do their thing. I was never good with words. Virtue Cristos suddenly kneeled in front of me and took one of my hands in his. He slowly raised- the palm ofProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. my hand to his lips and kissed it so gently. A sudden shiver ran down the length of my spine as he ced my palm along the side of his cheek. He smiled sweetly at me, but his blue eyes gazed into mine with a passion I have never seen before. ¡°You deserve to know the truth too, Joy,¡± he said, his voice so low. ¡°I know you see us as your bestfriends, maybe you even see us as your brothers, but we actually don¡¯t want that. We don¡¯t want to be your friend or your brother.¡± My heart sank. The kiss on my palm, this borate celebration, was just a distraction to my impending doom. I should have known. I was just a charity case to them, have always been. And now that I have completed my metamorphosis, it was time to say goodbye and part ways. I lowered my head and simply nodded. I had previously thought I would be strong enough to ept their rejection, but this gut-wrenching pain I felt in my chest was worse than I had expected. I couldn¡¯t hold back my tears. I helplessly tried to blink them away, ashamed they would see how distraught I was. I didn¡¯t want their pity. But as hard as I tried, I couldn¡¯t keep the tears at bay. ¡°Hey. Why are you crying, my dearest?¡± Cristos asked, his distress noticeable in his voice. Xavier immediately pushed him away and took me in his arms. He stroked my hair and ears from my cheeks while Sebastian rubbed my back to console me. ¡°Cristos, if you weren¡¯t my blood brother, I would drag you to theke and drown you,¡± Xavier said angrily. ¡°Why did you have to pause like that? Now look. Joy thinks we don¡¯t want her in our lives.¡± He kissed my forehead and wiped the remaining tears from eyes. ¡°Sebastian, I told you it should be you who tells her.¡± I raised my hands in the air, stopping Sebastian from saying anything. ¡°No, Sebastian, I get it. I do. I was just a charity case for you three and now that it¡¯s over, you want me to move on. ¡°I should punch the both of you in the face!¡± Xavier hissed at Sebastian and Cristos. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, looking frustrated. Suddenly, he took my hands, ced it on his chest above his beating heart and covered my hands with one of his. I lowered my head, anticipating the heart ache that I knew would come. ¡°You know me, Joy. I¡¯m not good with words,¡± Xavier croaked. He lifted my face, gently caressing my chin with his thumb, so his eyes could peer into mine. ¡°But my heart that you feel beating under your hands, it only beats for you¡­ ever since I heard your angelic voice. Same goes for Sebastian and Cristos. Our hearts belong to you, Joy. Only you¡­ and that, my love, is the simple truth.¡± He opened a long velvet rectangr box and took out a gold bracelet. It was engraved with two words¡­ ¡®Our Heart¡±. ¡°You are our heart, Joy,¡± Xavier said while cing the bracelet on my wrist. ¡°Do know I¡­ I mean we love you and will go on loving you until our final breaths. ¡°I love you¡­¡± I whispered and grinned brightly with tear-filled eyes. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom a treasure hunt is the best way to receive gifts POST COMMENT VIEW 1 COMMENT? 30 < SHARE Chapter 16 CHAPTER 16 An Unforgettable Night Sebastian When arrived back at the mansion, we decided to celebrate until we all passed out drunk. There were no more secrets or lies. Now, we could look forward to our futures together. Joy paced herself since she was drunk the night before while I had to make sure nothing bad happened in the mansion. My father would never let me use thekehouse again if something did. After Cristos and Xavier passed out drunk, I invited Joy to take a dip in theke to help sober us up so we could take care of the two when they woke up. Joy agreed and instead of putting on a bikini, she took off all her clothes and walked into the water, her svelte body basking in the moonlight. I quickly took off my clothes and followed her in. We sshed water in each other¡¯s faces, joked and laughed. ¡°Stop,¡± she cried, breathless fromughing. ¡°I think I have water up my nose.¡± ¡°Let me check,¡± I said, swimming towards her. I lifted her face, but instead of checking her nose, I lowered my lips to kiss hers. She moaned as I nipped on her lip, opening those beautiful, luscious lips of hers. Then, I covered her lips with mine once again, darting my tongue into her mouth. Our tongues entwined, tasting and savoring, with so much longing for each other. ¡°Sebastian,¡± she groaned breathlessly against my mouth. ¡°I know, sweetheart,¡± I murmured. ¡°I want you too. We need to get out of theke before we catch a cold.¡± We got out of theke, picked up our clothes and walked back inside the house. I pulled her upstairs to my bedroom and told her we needed to take a shower. She stood in the middle of my room, covering herself with her clothes while averting her eyes. I was naked and my penis was fully erect. ¡°Sebastian, 1-¡± I pulled her against me, iming her lips and letting her feel my erection against her body. She dropped her clothes and wrapped her arms around my neck, returning my kisses while I cupped the back of her head to keep her from moving. My kisses were hard and roughed, but I just couldn¡¯t restrain myself any longer. 1/6 CHAPTER 16 An Unforgettable Night Against the warm water of the shower, I trailed kisses down her neck,tching on to the supple skin of her breasts and sucking her pink nipples while I stroked the cute triangle between her legs. ¡°Oh G od, Sebastian, please,¡± she moaned. *Patience, Joy. I need you to enjoy what I¡¯m doing to your body as much as I enjoy doing it.¡± I bent down on my knees, ced her leg on top of my shoulder, and began to lick her c lit. I licked and suck until I heard her scream and shudder with her release. Her fingernails dug into my shoulders as she experienced her first ever org asm. When I stood up, her eyes were wide with surprise. ¡°Sebastian¡­¡± I slid two fingers inside her and she whimpered. ¡°You¡¯re so tight, my love. This may hurt a bit,¡± I said, pumping my fingers inside her. I felt her body tremble and she lifted her leg, wrapping it around my butt. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°Oh my gosh, that feels so good, she moaned. I kissed her again while recing my fingers with my throbbing erect penis. I held on to her butt as I slid my shaft all the way in. I saw her eyes roll into the back of her head. ¡°Yes! Yes!¡± Joy screamed. I begun pumping into her, slowly at first, then faster and faster. ¡°Joy, oy,e for me, baby, I groaned. I was close, but I needed her to reach the heights of pleasure. I thrusted harder and faster, keeping the pace, as our bodies moved as one. She suddenly gasped andtched on to me for dear life, trembling with ecstacy, while I thrusted one last time,ing inside her. ¡°I love you, Joy,¡± I whispered, cradling her spent body tightly against mine. ¡°I love you so much¡­¡± It was a night that will be etched in my memory forever. Xavier I suddenly woke up and found myselfying t on the cus hions sc attered on the floor. I 2/6 HAPTER 16 An Unforgettable Night iled myself up and felt the world was still spinning a bit, but it wasn¡¯t anything I couldn¡¯t handle. Cristos was snoring on one end of the U-shaped couch, drooling on a throw pillow. After going to the bathroom and gargling with mouthwash, I went outside. I needed some air. I walked out to the terrace down the steps to the lounge chairs of the pool. It was quiet, dark and cool. I took off my shirt andid back on one of the lounge chairs, closed my eyes and sighed blissfully. ¡°Xavier,¡± I heard Joy¡¯s voice and felt her hand on my cheek. ¡°Honey,e with me and we¡¯ll get you to bed.¡± ¡°Just stay here with me. It¡¯s big enough for the both of us,¡± I whined, not wanting to move. When nothing happened, I thought she had left me. A nket was suddenly thrown over me and after a few moments, I felt a warm soft body snuggling against mine. I opened my eyes and from the faint light of the nearbymps, I saw Joy¡¯s face on my shoulder. ¡°Am I dreaming?¡± I asked aloud. I raised my hand to caress her cheek. She did the same to me. Then, I felt her fingers brush my hair away from my forehead. I wasn¡¯t dreaming. I kissed her. I know I should have asked her first, but I ever since I first saw her, I always imagined kissing her. If she tells me stop, I will and I¡¯ll drop to my knees and apologize. I waited for her to tell me to stop, but she opened her mouth and allowed me to deepen the kiss. ¡°I just want to be close to you, Xavier,¡± she whispered against my mouth. I wrapped an arm around her waist and pushed her se xy body against mine, running my hands along her thighs.. She was wearing an oversized T-shirt and panties without a bra. I could feel her nipples graze by bare chest which made me go hard with desire. ¡°If you want me to stop-¡± 3/6 CHAPTER 16 An Unforgettable Night ¡°Sssshhhh¡­Please, baby, I want to feel you inside me,¡± she murmured seductively. I raised my head to stare at her beautiful face. Even in the dark, she was a goddess. I quickly took her panties off and ran my fingers up her smooth legs, all the way to her inner thighs. I felt her shiver against my touch. Her reaction made me bold. I quickly parted her thighs and began to stroke her, rubbing the sensitive nub between her folds.. I was surprised to find her soaking Met. I inserted a finger inside her and she threw her head back and moaned. ¡°Yes, Xavier. Make mee.¡± I went back to her c lit, stroking her while kissing her. When she came, she bit my lip and dug her nails into my back. I took off her oversized T-shirt and my pants then covered her body with mine. I kissed her nipple and squeezed her breasts before I entered her. She clung to me as I thrusted in and out her slowly, holding back because I didn¡¯t want to hurt her. She wrapped her legs around my waist and lifted her hips to meet my every thrust.. ¡°More¡­I want more,¡± she groaned. I came undone. I thrusted in and out, harder and faster, the lounge chair squeaking as I moved. She rubbed my nipples with her fingers as I threw back my head in ecstacy. She stiffled a scream when she came. Her body shuddered under mine from her o rgasm. I thrusted into her one final time and came. My coc k pulsated with each spit of mye. I copsed beside her, her leg resting possessively on top of my hip. I caressed her cheek and smiled at her with all the love in my heart. hispered. She gave me a small smile. u, too, Xavier.¡± I closed my eyes and fell asleep. Cristos My aching head. Too much tequ. I opened my eyes and found Joy wiping my I with a 4/6 CHAPTER 16 An Unforgettable Night cold cloth. ¡°I need to go to the bathroom,¡± I mumbled. I got up and walked quickly to my bedroom. I threw up. After letting out all the alcohol from my stomach, I brushed my teeth and took a quick shower. I felt much better after. I put on some clean boxers, nning to go back to sleep. I was surprised to find Joy sitting on my bed, waiting for me. She pointed to the ss of water and aspirin on my nightstand. ¡°I just got Xavier into bed. Sebastian said we should take care of the both of you, bu but he¡¯s snoring,¡± she said while I took the medicine. I felt self-conscious standing in front of her d only in my boxers. ¡°It¡¯s still dark out. Why don¡¯t you stay with me?¡± I asked, patting a pillow. She lifted her feet andid down. She patted the other pillow next to her, telling me toy down next to her. Once in bed, she snuggled close to me. I could smell the floral scent of her shampoo. She ced a hand on my chest which made me tremble. I quickly pulled up the sheets, trying to cover my body. I was only human and the girl next to me wasn¡¯t just hot, but someone I adored. I didn¡¯t want to hurt her. She needed her sleep anyway. I moved my head to kiss her good night. Unfortunately, all my chivalrousness flew out the window once my lips tasted hers. It has been quite some time since thest time I had sex, my body and mind was waging war against each other. Joy sat up on the bed and took off her shirt. I gasped while I stared at her naked body. Apparently, she wasn¡¯t wearing anything underneath. kissing my lips, moving downward to my nipples, down my stomach, to my boxers. I was already hard and my di ck was throbbing for release. She pulled down my boxers and took my penis in her mouth. She licked and sucked, bobbing her head up and down. I couldn¡¯t stand it. Anymore of her mouth and I woulde. I reached down and pulled her up, quickly maneuvering my di ck inside of her. I groaned, thinking of other things so I wouldn¡¯te so fast.. She began to move while watching herself move up and down my shaft. She suddenly pushed 5/6 CHAPTER 16 An Unforgettable Night up, flipping her hair in the air while cradling her breasts in each hand. Oh, gosh she was so hot and her pu ssy was so warm inside. She moved up and down, faster and faster, against my co ck, dripping with her juices. I propped myself against my pillow and reached down to stroke her cl it. ¡°Oh yes, Cristos! Im going toe.¡± she said. I sat up and grabbed her hips, pumping harder. She quickly held on to me as we both found our release. She copsed on top of me, panting and sweaty, with my di ck still inside her. I stroked her back until her breathing slowed. She rolled to her side, covering herself with the bedsheet. I couldn¡¯t move. I just kept staring at the wall, blissfully happy. ¡°Love you,¡± she said sleepily. ¡°Love you more,¡± I replied. Chapter Comments Lune-Mom Nice chapter Chapter 17 CHAPTER 17 Shadow Joy Xavier and I were driving to a mansion in Beverly Hills for my initiation ceremony. I was nervous and excited at the same time. I was wearing a white strapless gown while a ck ceremonial robe sat on myp. Xavier was wearing a tuxedo and looked proud aside from handsome. Aside from being a college graduate, I would now be part of the Blood Disciples, something I never thought would happen. Our junior year went by as quickly as our freshmen and sophomore year. Xavier and I would train after ss or during our free time. He taught me self-defense, mixed martial arts and weaponry. Cristos was my work-out and shopping partner. We would jog together, hike together, work out at the gym together. Aside from that, he was also my nutritionist. I really hated taking those protein shakes, but he would scold me every time he caught me dumping the contents of my ss in the sink. Since Sebastian needed an assistant to keep track of all his cargo arriving at the ports, he employed me to help him. Once word reached the bosses, I was tagged as an associate¡­ I was doing work for the family, but really not part of the family. I had epted my fate, believing I couldn¡¯t do more to elevate my status within the organization. For our senior year, I continued helping Sebastian. We became a team on the docks and since it was a job, I was earning money. graduation when one night, while Sebastian and I were manning the docks. he unloading of cargo, a capo from one of the mafia families under the ples unexpectedly paid Sebastian a visit. While they were talking to each other, I noticed a hooded man, who was covered from head to toe in tattoos, sneaking behind Sebastion. Since Xavier trained me in using knives and daggers, Cristos gifted me with a hairb essory with a sharp needlelike de in the middle. I would usually wear it when I was working with Sebastian since Xavier warned me to be vignt at all times, especially at the docks. 1/5 CHAPTER 17 Shadow 1 took the hairb, inserting the de in between my halled up fingers and stealthily ran behind the tattooed gang man and quickly inserted the de into the back of his head, like a pang needle. He copsed loudly on the ground behind Sebastian alerting the capo who was speaking to him. Before the capo could grab his gun from under his jacket. I threw my hair essory at his chest, stabbing him, giving Sebastian enough time to shoot him in between the eyes. After taking pictures and alerting the organization of the rogue family, Sebastian and his crew threw the men in the sea. While they were doing that, Capo De Luca took off his coat, wrapped me in it and had me sit in his car. I was shaking and scared. I had just killed someone. ¡°You okay, Joy?¡± Capo De Luca asked me tenderly. I shook my head. I couldn¡¯t get myself to open my mouth and speak.. ¡°You did the family a great service. The three bosses will be forever in your debt,¡± he said, taking a bar of chocte from his coat. ¡°Here, have some. You¡¯ll feel better.¡± I took the bar of chocte and bit into it. He was right¡­ It did make me feel better. Sebastian left Capo De Luca to finish overseeing the unloading of the shipment and drove me to Cristos¡¯ bar. Xavier and Cristos were all smiles, proudly waiting for me at the door. They took me by the arms and kissed me on both cheeks. When the bartender saw that, he made everyone raise their sses to me. ¡°I need to go to the bathroom. I think I¡¯m going to be sick,¡± I said, running towards the ladies. I threw up, but the uneasiness was still there. After I rinsed and cleaned up, the three handed me a ss of champagne. That¡¯s when I became angry. ¡°How can you guys celebrate when I just killed someone?!¡± I hissed at them through clenched teeth. ¡°Woah. No, Joy. You have it all wrong. You SAVED Sebastian, Cristos exined. ¡°Now, the bosses are in your debt, a debt which can only be repaid by blood. You are now family.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel happy and I don¡¯t feel part of the family. I feel sick to my stomach,¡± I said. ¡°Normal reaction for your first time,¡± Xavier said. ¡°Joy, if you didn¡¯t intervene, Sebastian here,¡± he patted Sebastian on his shoulder, ¡°wouldn¡¯t be standing here and you would be crying your eyes out over his death.¡± 2/5 my be. Jy Thank you. Sebastian sad, taking my hand and kissing it. The Blood Disciple you a debt. He then kissed me on both cheeks and the bartender again called for a tou Sebastians phone began to ring and he showed as who it was it was his father. He answered it and smiled. ¡°He wants to talk to you I took the phone and answered, ¡°Hello, Mr. Domenico. I¡¯m Joy Taylor.¡± From now on, loy, you can call me Papa. An intiation ceremony in your honor will be held after your graduation from university. Wee to the family¡± Thank you. Papa.¡± I said. ou saved my boy, joy, anything for you.¡± And now here I was about to pledge my life to the family. As we approached the private driveway, I could already see the multi-level residence are with lights. V?llet attendants in uniforms ushered in the numerous luxury vehicles, assisting the guests into the entrance into the entrance of the mansion before parking the cars near the four door cars near garage at the end of the spring property. l¡¯ Wee to Cristos house. Joy Xavier said. This is Cristos house?! I eximed, marveling at the modem mansion. It was a work of art. And what about you and Sebastian?¡± ¡°Nearby,¡± he answered Actually, Cristos, Sebastian and I are going to move out of our parents homes soon. We found a nice house in Cbasas and we thought all four of us could be that,¡± I replied, already imagining life together in one house. ¡°New job, new just epted a job as a rookie sports agent which the three of them were against. ¡°You dont need a job. Toy. You have us.¡± Xavier argued. I want to do this on my own. Xavier. I reasoned. Anyway, since I¡¯ll be living with you. I¡¯ll be saving on rent ¡°But you¡¯ll be bossed around and yelled at. With us, you¡¯re the boss,¡± he said.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I at least try it out first? Once I start earning the big bucks, I can open an agency of 35 CH. TER 17 Shadow my o. A legitimate business.¡± How we hand you the capital and you do it now? He asked, stopping at the mansion¡¯s entrance. We got out and walked into the ss atrium entry. ¡°With no experience and clientele, it will be doomed. No, I¡¯ll work my way up. Meet the athletes, gain connections, establish a rapport. I need to make a name for myself.¡± We were ushered into the ss-walled ballroom where a stage and numerous tables were set up for guests. Xavier guided me to one of the tables near the stage, took the robe I had been carrying and ced it over my dress. A few of the guests who were already seated, pointed at me and pped their hands. One by one, the guests lined up and began kissing me on both cheeks. Apparently, I was the guest of honor and all of them wanted to pay their respects. I didn¡¯t see Cristos or Sebastian until the initiation ritual began. I was escorted by Xavier to a podium facing the stage before he put on his hooded robe and took his seat on stage. There sat in front of me the three bosses and three underbosses of the Blood Disciples. Sebastian took a needle and pr icked my finger. A drop of my blood was ced in a small crystal tube shaped pendant which was given to one of the bosses. I took my oath in front of everyone, solidifying my position in the family. I was then asked to sign a contract by cing a thumbprint with my blood as ink. ¡°I am proud to introduce our new family member, soldier Joy Taylor, The Shadow, one of the bosses said. Judging by his blue eyes, I assumed it was Cristos¡¯ father. ve me a standing ovation as soon as the ceremony was over. The band began to celebration commenced. It was like a wedding reception. met Cristos, Sebastian¡¯s and Xavier¡¯s parents. They treated me like their daughter, asking me to call them Mama and Papa. While we were lounging around outside beside the massive pool, I asked them why was I given the nickname Shadow. ¡°Your shadow is thest anyone will see before they die,¡± Sebastian answered. 4/5 CPTER 17 Shardon Iiri med terribly guestme Chapter Comments 032 POST COMMENT NOW SHARE 5/5This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Chapter 18 CHAPTER 18 Miss JT Joy I entered my office building with a cup of coffee in one hand and a small briefcase in the other. I was wearing a chiffon white button down blouse, a light gray pantsuit, and silver strappy high heeled sandals. ¡°Good morning, Miss JT,¡± my receptionist said. I nodded my head at her and proceeded to my office. My secretary was already waiting for me with my schedule. ¡°Miss JT, your team is in the conference room and here is your schedule for today,¡± she said. ¡°Thank, Emily,¡± I said, grabbing the sheet of paper. ¡°If my parents call, please tell me.¡± ¡°Sure thing, Miss JT.¡± After I graduated college, I took a job as a rookie agent at a sports agency and worked my way to the top. When I closed a deal with my first super star athlete, I decided it was time to put up my own sports agency. Currently, I have a long list of distinguished and highly-paid athletes being managed by my company and so far, it has been profita profitable. While I was a struggling rookie agent, the boys wanted to put up the capital so I could start my own agency, because they didn¡¯t like seeing me under so much stress. However, I wanted to do everything on my own. It did take me several years to get where I¡¯m currently at, but I did it. Ultimately, the agency is my business and mine alone. It wasn¡¯t easy. I actually wanted to throw in the towel numerous times as I started my career. If it weren¡¯t for the support of my parents and my three partners, I would have. Thank G od, I preservered. Now, I was sessful. My parents were currently vacationing in Europe. As an anniversary present, I gave them their dream honeymoon, touring France, Venice, Italy, the Vatican, Spain, Switzend, and the United Kingdom. They call me every morning, so I was expecting their call. I walked into the conference hall and smiled at my team of agents. ¡°Good morning everyone! Who do you have for me today?¡± I was delegating work to my team and preparing to head to a photoshoot for a star yer 1/5 OFTER 18 Miss JT whey phone began to ring. My mother was calling. Hey! How are the Swiss Alps treating you?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s gorgeous, honey. I wish you could be here,¡± she answered. Then it wouldn¡¯t be called a honeymoon,¡± I said, giggling. Thm, honey, I have a favor to ask you. Do you remember Old Man Eugene? She asked. I paused, stood up from my chair and walked into my office, closing the door behind me. It¡¯s been years since my parents mentioned anyone from New Salem. ¡°Yes. Mom. He owns the pub at New Salem. What about him?¡± I asked. ¡°Well, his granddaughter is missing and he called your father hoping to borrow some money to help find her,¡± she answered. ¡°Is it possible for you to send him some money for us?¡± ¡°Sure. Mom. Can you send me his details, so I can send the money right away?¡± I asked. Does he need anything else?¡± Prayers. His granddaughter¡¯s name is Joan Summers. She¡¯s suppose to graduate high school at the end of the the school year. Please include her in your prayers tonight, Joy,¡± my mom said. ¡°Will do. Don¡¯t forget to send Old Man Eugene¡¯s information. Tell Dad I said hi. Love you.¡± I said and hung up. My phone pinged right after with a message of the bank information of Old Man Eugene. ¡°Emily, kindly tell La and Austin I need them in my office now. Thank you.¡± I told my rough the inte. La and Austin were my best senior agents. ?¡± La popped her head through the doorway of my office. I gestured fore in and handed them my schedule. ¡°I need you and Austin to do everything on my schedule. I have a family emergency that I have to look into.¡± They both looked at me, puzzled. ¡°I thought you parents are touring Europe, Austin mumbled while scanning the sheet of paper. ¡°Extended family. Tell Liberty I¡¯ll make it up to her and tell Ben I¡¯ll call himter, I instructed while sorting my stuff in my purse. ¡°Buy them lunch and charge it using your 2/5 CHAPTER 15 Miss JT Company credit cards. ¡°Anywhere?¡± La asked, already smiling wickedly. ¡°Anywhere. I gotta go. Call me if you guys encounter any problems.¡± I said before leaving. I whipped out my phone and dialed. Cristos immediately picked up. ¡°Hi, honey! Do you miss me already? Cristos asked, amused I was calling him when we just had breakfast together. ¡°Like the moon misses the stars, I answered which was code that I needed something ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± He sounded serious. I entered my car before answering. ¡°I¡¯m on my way to you. I need a couple of favors. One. I need you to send ten thousand dors to a Eugene Summers of New Salem, North Dakota with bank ount number fifteen. thirty-five, twenty- one, fifteen, forty-five, ten. Use one of your untraceable ounts. Second, Ineed you to investigate a Joan Summers, aged seventeen or eighteen, a senior at New Salem High.¡± I turned on the ignition of my car and went to speaker phone. ¡°One-five-three-five-two-one-one-five-four-five-one-zero. Got it. What is this all about?¡± Cristos asked. I could hear him clicking on hisputer. ¡°Eugene Summers is a close friend of my dad¡¯s. His granddaughter, Joan Summers, is missing, I said. I heard more clicking and some mumbling. ¡°Joan Summers. There¡¯s a newspaper article on Jpan Summers dated a few days ago. It says here the Sheriff does not suspect any foul y. ording to him, Joan Summers is believed to have anBelongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. unknown online lover and he suspects she might have eloped. Hang on,¡± Cristos said. ¡°I just pulled her file from the school. She is an excellent student, with an almost 4.0 GPA and has been epted NYU. The Sheriff¡¯s story doesn¡¯t fit her profile,¡± Cristos murmured. I¡¯ll dig some more. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll see you in a bit. I hung up and dialed Xavier, hoping he would answer. Usually when he¡¯s at the shooting range, he puts his phone on silent. Luckily, he did. ¡°Hey, Joy! Is this about date night tomorrow? Don¡¯t worry, I have it all nned out,¡± he greeted me. 315 honey & cm, need a few. These contacts of yours in Bismarck, North Dakota, are they do you need? I need them to poke their nose into a missing girl case. Joan Summers. Whatever they can find. 10 p k.¡± I told Xavier. No need to pay. They owe me a debt. Where is this girl from?¡± He asked. New Salem, North Dakota.¡± I answered. He suddenly went into a coughing fit. It took him several moments topose himself. 7m sorry, I thought you just said New Salem.¡± he croaked, his voice raspy from coughing. Tes, Javier. Ist 6. Joan Summers is the granddaughter of an old friend of my dad¡¯s. Can you do this one little favor for me?¡± I asked sweetly. ¡°Pretty please?¡± You know I can¡¯t say no to you. I¡¯ll call you when I get something.¡± he said. ¡°Sure. I¡¯m heading to Cristos right now. If you want, you can meet us at his bar.¡± Taking a day off from work, Bays there.¡± The next call was to Sebastian. uh?¡± I heard him sigh. ¡°It¡¯s that important. Okay, I¡¯ll meet you Toy, what a surprise! Do you want to meet up for lunch?¡± He asked. Yeah, something like that. I need you to meet me at Cristos bar. There¡¯s something really important I need to discuss with you. It can¡¯t wait.¡± ¡°What is this all about? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re breaking up with us?¡± He asked, concerned. I giggled. ¡°No, silly. You guys are my sun, my moon and my stars, I said, alerting him. ¡°Something. came up at my old town. A girl is missing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a family emergency. Sure, I¡¯m leaving the cleaner¡¯s now.¡± When we were all at Cristos bar, the meetingmenced. ¡°What do you have, Cristos?¡± Sebastian asked. 4/5 CHAPTER 18 Miss JT ¡°Joan Summers, seventeen years old, auburn colored hair, five foot six in height, went missing on the night of her spring formal. She was said to be wearing a blue gown with white sandals. She wasst spotted talking to one of her teachers at the auditorium. She excused herself to use the bathroom and never came back. They noticed her missing because she was supposed to make a short speech.¡± Cristos slid a sheet of paper in front of us. ¡°This is her file.¡± was ¡°Student body president and organizer of the spring formal, with an almost perfect GPA. She in the running to be ss valedictorian. Already epted to NYU. I found nude photos. of her circting on social media. Sheriff has already made a statement about an unknown online lover. Rumors say she has been selling sexual favors online,¡± Cristos said. ¡°I found something interesting though. One student said she was being followed by the mayor¡­ a Mayor Liam Cohen. And check this out. He, then, slid a print out of a photo in front of us. ¡°On the eve of the New Salem High Spring Formal, aside from Mayor Liam Cohen, Councilman Cristian Murdock, New Salem Auditor Daniel Williams and Undersheriff Jackson Emery were all in attendance. I bet you ten grand the four of them had something to do with Joan Summers¡¯ disappearance.¡± My hands tightened around the handle of my purse. I had a feeling the four ba stards from my past had something to do with her disappearance. ¡°So she¡¯s been missing for over two weeks. That doesn¡¯t sound very promising,¡± Sebastian said, staring at the picture. Suddenly, Xavier¡¯s phone rang. He excused himself to take the call. ¡°But we have to find her, Sebastian,¡± I pleaded. I owe Old Man Eugene a debt.¡± ¡°I know, Joy, but usually in cases like this, with all the viscious lies spreading and nude photos, we aren¡¯t going to find her alive.¡± ¡°Sebastian¡¯s right,¡± Xavier said sadly. The conversation he just had didn¡¯t bring good news. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Joy.¡± Chapter Comments Luna-Mom h ooray for The Shadow VIEW 1 COMMENT POST COMMENT Chapter 19 CHAPTER 19 Bodies ¡°The once said. That were toote. The tears began to well up in my eyes while my body began to shake uncontrobly I didn¡¯t want to believe Joan Summers is dead 7. Just got news from Bismarck. Two bodies were found floating in theke between New Salem and Bismarck this morning. Both female. One has been identified as a Kimberly Smith, college student at Bismarck, twenty years old, dark hair, dark eves. The other was identified Joan Summers, seventeen, with auburn hair and brown eyes. Part of her blue gown was on her when they recovered her body floating in theke. Xavier said, choking at the I buried my face in my hands and began to so b. They took a young girl¡¯s bright future and ended it. How could they! Cristos. Sebastian and Xavier came to where I was seated and tried tofort me, but I just continued to cry. I felt like it was all my fault. save young girls from that town. I could still save the people of New Salem. I raised my head, wiping the tears from my tear-stained cheeks and decided it was time to take back that little part of me that they took ¡°It¡¯s time for me to go back home.¡± I told them, my face contorted with rage. ¡°It¡¯s time to punish the as sholes who hurt me, so they won¡¯t ever do it again.¡± Are you sure, honey? Are you sure you can face them?¡± Cristos asked unconvinced.. Xavier said there¡¯s no expiration date on revenge. It has been nine years since I left. I¡¯ve ed long enough. If I don¡¯t do anything now, more girls will end up in theke. That¡¯s something I can¡¯t live with knowing I can do something about it¡­ we can do something about it,¡± I said, my voice low from the anger I felt. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Xavier volunteered. ¡°Give me forty-eight hours and it¡¯s a done deal.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t deserve to die that easily, Xavier,¡± I argued. ¡°I want them to suffer. I want the whole town to know the truth. I want their families to be ashamed of them. I want them to feel pain. 1/3 CHAPTER 19 Bodies ¡°Alright,¡± Sebastian surprisingly agreed so easily. Remember, I have a debt to pay. But if we¡¯re going to this, we need to n meticulously. We can¡¯t just be two steps ahead of them. We need to be a mile ahead of them.¡± ¡°What do you propose, Sebastian?¡± I asked. ¡°Cristos, what do you know about the four men? Are they single or married with kids?¡± Sebastian asked. ¡°Cristian Murdock is the only one among the four who¡¯s married. He¡¯s married to a Lisa Brent,¡± Cristos replied. Lisa married Cris?! Oh wow. She nabbed her all time crush. ¡°Is this the same Lisa who lured you to the gym, Joy?¡± Sebastian asked me. I nodded my head. ¡°Cristos, gather information on Lisa Murdock. She must know something.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a realtor,¡± Cristos mumbled, clicking rapidly on hisptop. ¡°And on her agency¡¯s website, there¡¯s a two-storey colonial dubbed ¡°The Ol¡¯ Taylor House¡± for sale.¡± Wait a minute¡­ My dad¡¯s old house is for sale? I asked, surprised. Cristos showed me the screen of hisptop and I saw my old house. The house where I had many fond childhood memories. ¡°Make an offer. I¡¯m buying it.¡± He nodded his head and began to work his magic. Okay, this is what I have nned,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°The boys and I will be moving to New Salem to put down some roots and learn about the people of the town while gathering evidence against these men. We need new identities, a change of hair color or hair style. maybe contact lenses orser surgery. To avoid detection by the Angels of Darkness, we will employ dummy look alikes who will pretend to be us here in Califoria while we are there. Cristos, have Cas sandra scout for men and women who resemble all four of us.¡± Copy that,¡± Cristos said, without looking up from the screen of hisputer. sk your friends to scout the businesses in New Salem and their owners. See which Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. illing to sell or if there are anymercial spaces open for lease. We will pretend ottery winners or heirs to a small fortune when we move there,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°On it.¡± Xavier took out his phone and dialed. ¡°And what about me?¡± I asked. Sebastian sighed. ¡°You will be doing the most difficult part of our deception, Joy,¡± he said, taking my hands in his. ¡°Actually, it will be difficult for all of us. You are a beautiful and bright woman and they are men. I need you to make them fall in love with you.¡± 2/3 ERT Bos CHAPTER at Wat Naha Xaner fed outright, almosting his phone or Setia I will not low those animal touch her in my way f ucking way No Sebin veeam Do you think I want those as sholes near her? Sebastian yelled back at er piting their munders in my head ever since that summer in Lake Tahoe¡± He inhaled and nhaled deeph, trying to calm himself. They need to fall in love with her. When they do, loy will manipte them and lure them to where we want them hire Xavier stomped his foot angrily not convinced was the right thing to do. I wasn¡¯t either. I would rather jump over a cliff then be next to them. ¡°Time¡± Xavier eximed, frustrated. ¡°When do we ove When Cas sandra has found us dummies and we get used to our new identities.¡± Sebastian annered. ¡°I propose at least six months before next spring. Joy, you¡¯ll make the move muchter on. Our deadline is the next spring formal. Th ose bas ta rds seem to be consistent with that particr event. However this time, it won¡¯t be young girls floating in theke.¡± I smiled slyly at Sebastian. His n made sense. New Salem. Toy Taylor ising home.¡± Chapter Comments Emry Dovey time for Revenge snac VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS POST COMMENT 3/3 OOK 2: New Salem CHAPTER 20 Wee Home I got out of mod Road B codes Reet and dwyach Noise hat which at below my Seuilles Then they white has shed the wrinkles oft my beige linen I fixed my top and no as belee desing the door of my can. It was the start of spring and it was a beautiful day The sun was shining the leaves of the trees were green and the bank were orging I looked up at the white we stores colonial bose Not much has changed it still had the door. BE sime Ne Shutters and Sue foot she were ck railings along the brid stairs that led to the deer and a matching his pathway that just used to be a cemented walkway The blue door of the house suddenly opened and cut came my real estate agent with best. She was so happy that finally someone bought the house. It had been on the market for quite some time. There were rumors that by Taylors ghost roamed the hallways of the loy house. How nice they all thought I was dood Renovations are done and your interior designer is just putting up the finishing touches. Here to wee you to the neighborhood,¡± she said, handing me the fruit basket. Lisa bad grown into a beautiful woman. She was wearing a beige long sleeved silk blouse tucked in skintight Blue jeans. Her long light brown hair was styled straight and parted on the side while her bright brown eyes tw inkled as the sun shone on her small face. hy, thank you. Lisa,¡± I said. Lisa was a friend of mine back in high school. Unfortunately me, the friendship was one-sided. She took my arm to guide me to the steps of my new me. ¡°So. I heard you visited thatmercial space in town. The one right beside the grocery store. Are you looking to rent, lease or purchase? Lisa asked. Apparently, I was being atched and talked about. Well, this was such a small town and I was the shiny new object. everyone had their eyes on. ¡°So I can start with the paper work and get your business going.¡± ¡°Maybe rent for the time being. I¡¯m not sure if the town has a taste for my designs. If things go well, then I might go ahead and lease the space. I answered as we walked up the brick 1/5 Chapter 20 BOOK 2: New Salem CHAPTER 20 Wee Home steps. I opened the door and a wave of nostalgia hit me. I couldn¡¯t believe I was back in my childhood home. It brought so many happy memories. Sadly, it brought painful ones too. Lisa saw the sadness in my eyes and coughed, looking confused. ¡°Is there something you don¡¯t like? I can have the interior designer change it for you,¡± she said. I blinked and smiled at her brightly. ¡°No, everything is perfect. Just sad my parents aren¡¯t here to see me move into my new home,¡± I quickly said as an alibi. Well, actually it was partly true. ¡°Well then, you can always invite them for a visit. You do have a lot of space. Since you¡¯re single, you never know you might meet someone in town. Probably you¡¯ll get married and have a family of your own,¡± she said, taking my basket and cing it on the newly installed kitchen ind. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful home. It has so much character.¡± ¡°Are you married, Lisa?¡± I asked curiously. I knew she was, but I had to act like I was ignorant. ¡°Yes, to a wonderful man named Cris. You¡¯ll meet him at the town¡¯s Spring Parade. Maybe even sooner knowing this town is so small,¡± she answered. ¡°Any kids?¡± I asked. ¡°Nope. Although we want to have kids. I just don¡¯t think we¡¯re ready,¡± she replied, blushing. I also knew of her fertility problems and Cris¡¯ extracurricr activities but I acted as if she was right to wait. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s hard to have children. You need to be prepared. Look at me, no husband, no children. All I have is myself. Maybe I¡¯ll adopt a puppy to keep mepany,¡± I said, giving her a small smile. I may not have a husband, but I do have three wonderful partners. Of course, she didn¡¯t know that. ¡°Well, if you do get a puppy, you better keep him off the expensive furniture. Ah, here¡¯s Nicole. Nicole, are you done fixing the bedrooms?¡± Lisa asked. Nicole looked the same except for her cogen-inted lips and her blue contact lenses. She had the same tinum blonde hair, same big breasts and curvy butt. She was wearing a white bodycon mini dress cut deeply in front which showed her cleavage. Her hair, styled in 2/5 BOOK 2: New Salem CHAPTER 28 Wee Home messy bun on the top of her head, made her appear tall while her three-inch white pumps ped entuate ber short legs. She tried so hard to look like Pam Anderson, but she e up short¡­real short. ¡°everything is just perfect, she answered in her high-pitched nasal sounding voice. ¡°If you need anything else, don¡¯t hesitate to call me. I¡¯ll find you what you need. Lisa, we need to go. Liam called. He needs me to fix the newly renovated office on the first floor of the town hall.¡± Nicole grabbed Lisa¡¯s hand and tugged her to the front door. ¡°Here are all your keys, Virtue. If you have nothing better to do, it¡¯s women¡¯s night at the local pub. Come. Well be there after dinner for a few drinks, Lisa said, stumbling down the brick stairs as Nicole continued to yank her arm. ¡°Sure. I¡¯lle by. Well, after I tell my partners. I waved good-bye and slowly closed the door. It has been ten years. Ten long and painful years. My face was totally ruined by my rapists. Since the doctors of New Salem were ill-equipped to fix my face, my parents sold everything and we left for California, in the hopes to have my face restored. After many painful and expensive surgeries. I looked as beautiful as one of those celebrities in Hollywood. After the two women drove off, I walked around and inspected my childhood home. I lovingly touched the railings of the staircase, the mantle of the firece, and ran my fingers. along the newly painted walls. I had so many wonderful childhood memories in this house. I knew it was really difficult for my parents to leave our home, but they did¡­ for me. I wish I could call my parents, but I had to keep this a secret. To them, I was Joy Taylor. However, to New Salem, I was Virtue Sullivan. It cost several thousand dors identity, but it was all worth it. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. r my new After inspecting the house, I sat down on the gray L-shaped sofa perched against the tall windows in my living room and peered outside. hoping to get a glimpse of my neighbors. It doubted if any one of them could recognize me, but I still had to be careful. There was one neighbor in particr who I was hoping to see, but there was no need to rush. When you rush things, that¡¯s when idents happen. a I went to the kitchen where I had left my purse and took out an old photo envelope from a secret compartment of my bag. I opened it and pulled out an old photo of mine. Back then, 1 was a tall, skinny girl, who had chestnut colored hair, a long pointed nose anti pink pouty lips. Sure, I wasn¡¯t exceptionally beautiful, but I had captivating aquamarine eyes, framed. with thick luscious eyshes, which I believed was my most striking feature. 3/5 BOOK 2: New Salem CHAPTER 20 Wee Home I quickly put the photo away. Looking at it, here, where I grew up, unexpectedly made me feel queasy. I went to the powder room, sshed some cool water on my face, then stared at myself in the bathroom mirror. There was no denying it. I am apletely different woman from the young girl in the photo. Now, I had ash blonde hair, a small cute nose and a sultry mouth to match my small features. I also had high cheekbones and a cute feminine chin. Clearly, there was not much left of the Joy Taylor everyone in this town once knew. However, my eyes remained the same. I wanted to undergoser surgery to change my eye color, but Cristos, Sebastian and Xavier were against it. They figured I had been gone for so long, no one would notice my eyes. Anyway, my optometrist prescribed me tinted contact lenses which changed my eye color¡¯s hue to blue-gray. New Salem is temporary¡­ a means to an end. For the time being, I would set up a small shop selling and renting gowns. When I was young, I dreamt of designing and making my own gown gowns, clothes and essories. I could still live the fairy tale, even for a short while. Fairy tale. I had to learn the hard way that life isn¡¯t a fairy tale and happy endings are few and far between. Yet, in life, there are such things as fairy tale moments. I suddenly heard my phone ring, breaking me from my thoughts. I walked over to my purse, took my phone out and smiled as I read the caller¡¯s name on my phone¡¯s screen. ¡°You guys miss me that much already?¡± I asked, giggling. ¡°Every second away from you is painful, but hearing the wonderful sound of your voice helps. ease the pain,¡± a husky male voice answered. ¡°In short, we really miss you, baby. But it¡¯s time to get into character because someone is about to ring your doorbell,¡± another se xy male voice said. Who could being to visit me so soon? 4/5 BOOK 2: New Salem CHAPTER 20 Wee Home Chapter Comments Luna-Mom I love their n (TEK Mary Hall Love this n Sebastian hasid out VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS 29 POST COMMENT Chapter 21 CHAPTER 21 An Old Friend Toy As expected, the doorbell rang. I swung the door open to find a tall muscr man, with silky. blonde hair and chocte brown eyes, standing in my doorway. He was wearing a in gray T-shirt, jeans and brown boots. ¡°Hi! Since you¡¯re new in the neighborhood, I thought I¡¯d drop by and introduce myself. I¡¯m Noah, Noah Jensen,¡± he said and extended his hand for a handshake, grinning from ear to ear. I took his hand in mine and shook his hand. I noticed his hand felt rough and callused; it was definitely from all the construction he did as a contractor. ¡°Nice to meet you, Noah Jensen. I¡¯m Virtue,¡± I said, smiling shyly. Noah was still handsome. I believe he looked more masculine with his skin so tanned. ¡°Virtue, nice name. I live over there, the one with the ck truck,¡± he said, letting go of my band and pointing at his house. ¡°I just wanted to wee you to the neighborhood. It¡¯s been a while since someone lived here.¡± ¡°I know. Main reason why I got this house at a good price,¡± I said. ¡°Where are m my manners? Would you like toe in? Since we¡¯re neighbors and all.¡± I moved to the side to allow him to enter. ¡°Sure,¡± he answered and walked inside. ¡°Actually, I helped with the renovations. Your kitchen was done by me and my team. As well as the bathrooms.¡± I know¡­I saw your portfolio. ¡°I had Lisa and Nicole do everything for me since they know everyone in this town. Anyway, thank you. You and your team created a beautiful kitchen. The white mable is just immacte and the farm sink¡­ perfect.¡± I opened my new stainless steel refrigerator and found some orange juice. I guess Lisa left it knowing I didn¡¯t do grocery shopping yet. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°All I can offer you is juice. Which reminds me, I need to make a quick stop at the grocery store. I don¡¯t have any food. But I do have nice crystal sses.¡± I took two sses and poured some juice in each one. ¡°I can help you with your grocery shopping,¡± he offered, after he took a sip of the juice I gave him. I shook my head, not wanting to impose. 1/6 CHAF FR 21 An Old Foend Oh don¡¯t want to be a bother. Your family might need you,¡± I said. ¡®1 actual¡± live with my mother. My parents were in an ident a while back. I, uh, lost my father while my mother, she¡¯s paralyzed so I have a private nurse taking care of her,¡± he exined, a tinge of sorrow in his voice. He quickly hid his sadness and smiled brightly at me. ¡°Anyway, I have a lot of time on my hands since we finished your house and my next job doesn¡¯t start til next week. How about this? After I help you with your grocery shopping. I 11 give you a tour of the town¡­ as a thank you for hiring me,¡± he said. I smiled sweetly at him. Fine, but on one condition,¡± I said. What condition is that?¡± He asked. ¡°I buy you dinner after we drop off my groceries. Does steak sound good?¡± I asked him. Het grinned¡­ That will be great. So, do we take my truck or your nice car?¡± Noah yfully asked. I grabbed my purse and tossed him my keys. ¡°Mine.¡± Ah, it was like I was Joy again. Me and my friend Noah, two peas in a pod. Friends forever¡­ This was all part of our n. Cristos ays have to go poetic on her, Cristos?¡± Xavier asked as he sat beside full of food. e me g my toves poetry. You should try it. It really¡­uhm, excites her,¡± I replied, without taking eyes off the monitor. He nced at me with one eyebrow raised, shrugged his shoulders and opened his paper bag. I¡¯ll grab a poetry book at the bookstore on my way home.¡± He shifted his brown eyes towards the monitor. ¡°Look at that¡­ Noah Jensen is first to wee Joy,¡± he said with a disapproving tone. ¡°I still want him on the list even if he did help Joy, Cristos. There¡¯s something about him I don¡¯t like.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just jealous, Xavier, I argued. He scoffed at me. 2/6 TAPTER 21 AG Old Friend And you aren¡¯t? When Jos talks about him, its ve listening to her speak about her first lov: I don¡¯t know about you, but I hate it when he goes all starry eyed when the mentin his ne, Xavier muttered, frowning as Noah Jensen entered the house. ¡°Do you think the might still have feelings for him? ¡°No, I don¡¯t, Xavier. Remember, Noah didn¡¯t talk when the police questioned him and I kne Joy hasn¡¯t forgiven him for covering for his friends. He may have saved her body, but he did not save her soul,¡± I answered. Xavier threw one of his fries at me. ¡°You don¡¯t have to use one of your metaphors, Cristos. I¡¯m not Joy. ¡°We have got to start calling her Virtue. We can¡¯t afford to slip and jeopardize this operation. If these hooligans catch wind Joy Taylor is back from the dead, they won¡¯t think twice. They¡¯ll put her in a body bag. We have to be careful. Real careful,¡± I warned. ¡°Well, if they do figure out who she is, I¡¯ll just knock on their door and put two in them.¡± Xavier said, aiming two fingers at Noah¡¯s image. Then we can all go home and forget about this crazy as s town.¡± ¡°That¡¯s n B. Right now, let¡¯s stick to n A, I said. ¡°By the way, where¡¯s Sebastian?* ¡°You mean, Dominic? He¡¯s at the shop with Nicole, Xavier answered. He coughed, then, in a high pitched girly voice he said, ¡°Dom, thank you so much for your help. Why don¡¯t I treat you to a cup of coffee? You know, as a thank you for helping me find what I needed.¡± I couldn¡¯t help it; I cracked up. I disliked Nicole. She was always wearing revealing clothes which showed her breasts or her butt. When she bent down, we could always see her panties. sticking out from underneath. itation of her, Xavier. You must see her alot at the grocery store,¡± I said, opedughing. She keeps checking out my a ss, Cristos. I swear one time, she even squeezed it. I feel so vited, Xavier mumbled, before biting into his hotdog. ¡°Aw! She obviously likes you,¡± I said, trying to pinch his cheek. Because you and Sebastian are so adorable.¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯t told her you were g ay, I bet she would be at the pub twenty-four seven.¡± ¡°Well, darling. Someone has to stay close to Virtue without anyone suspecting we¡¯re lovers,¡± I 3/6 CHAPTER 21 An Old Friend said, batting my eyshes at him. Xavier suddenly pointed at the monitors. ¡°Check it out. They¡¯re leaving. Turn up the volume so we can hear where they¡¯re going.¡± Navier said. I clicked on the keyboard and Joy¡¯s sweet sounding voice filled the room. I buy you dinner after we drop off my groceries Does steak sound good? We heard Joy ask Noah. Xavier immediately wiped his mustard stained hands with a napkin. ¡°Time for us to keep an eye on our girl,¡± he said. I¡¯ll see you at the storeter.¡± He exited Sebastian¡¯s office, closing the door behind him. Joy was going to rent themercial space in between the grocery store and Sebastian¡¯s shop. Soon, we would have our girl with us without anyone suspecting we knew each other. Sebastian and Xavier, who moved here six months ago, acted as half-brothers who left the city after winning the lottery while I was a cousin who decided to join them a monthter after receiving my inheritance. Sebastian decided to open up a home furnishings store. Since his was the only store in New Salem which catered to home improvement, everyone came to him, allowing us ess to their homes with every doorknob they bought. Xavier, on the other hand, took over the grocery store which was once owned by Joy¡¯s parents. He gave the previous owner an offer she could not refuse. Mrs. Larson took her millions and her pet cats and moved to Florida where she is now living near the beach, sipping coc ktails from sunset to sun up, happily retired. As for me, to provide some sce to the old man who recently lost his granddaughter, I took the pub off his hands. He¡¯s the only one in this town who the three of us spoke to in private. Sebastian has copies of all the keys of all the doorknobs he has ever sold and one of them opens the door of the pub. We found the old man drunk in the back office of the pub after he closed up for the night. He was seated behind his desk, his head bent backwards, snoring with his mouth wide open. ¡°Wake him up,¡± Sebastian said while sitting down in one of the rickety chairs in front of the desk. ¡°Cristos, I have several new arrivals, if you want to change these chairs.¡± ¡°Will you give me a discount?¡± I yfully asked. ¡°Quiet, the both of you. He¡¯sing to,¡± Xavier said, nudging the old man awake. 4/6 CHA-TER 21 An Old Friend When he finally opened his eyes, he was surprised to see all three of us in his office. He opened his mouth to scream for help, but Sebastian raised his hand to stop him. ¡°Eugene, we are here as friends. You, once upon a time, helped some friends of ours, so we would like to return the favor,¡± Sebastian said. He was always the smooth one among the three of us, one reason why Joy quickly learned to trust us. ¡°W-what do you m-mean?¡± Eugene asked, scared we were going to hurt him. ¡°We have heard of your loss and judging by the missing evidence¡± of your granddaughter¡¯s case, you and I both know, you will never get the justice your granddaughter deserves. Just like another rape case almost ten years ago. You do remember her right?¡± Sebastian asked. ¡°How can anyone forget? The girl¡¯s name was Joy Taylor. She was such a kindhearted soul. Just like my little Joan. Do you know Joan was in the running to graduate valedictorian of her ss?¡± he croaked. He covered his mouth with a trembling hand and began to cry. ¡°Joan¡­she didn¡¯t deserve this, b-but those animals¡­ Those animals had toy their filthy hands on¡­. He couldn¡¯t continue. He covered his face and weeped quietly. Xavier ced a hand on Eugene¡¯s back to offer the old man somefort. ¡°Ack of evidence usually means a conviction is out of the question and any defendant will be acquitted, Sebastian said. ¡°What we can offer you and your family is vengeance. All we ask is for you to sell this pub to us and for you and your family to leave town to avoid any suspicions. We know you bought a gun, Eugene. You don¡¯t want to live locked up for the rest of your life because of scu mbags like the Mayor, do you? Let us help you get the justice your granddaughter truly deserves.¡± The old man peered at us through his tear-filled eyes, probably thinking we were crazy. on his desk and opened it. Inside is one million in cash and a bank book ander your name with a deposit of ten million dors. If you want more, name your price.¡± Eugene looked at the money, stunned to see that much money was in front of him. He reached over to touch it, but he hesitated, not sure if it was the right thing to do. ¡°A-are you going to kill them?¡± He asked. ¡°The less you know, the better, Sebastian warned him. ¡°So, do we have a deal?¡± 5/6 APTER 21 4 Ole Friend Book a bundle of one hundred dor bills and flipped through it. He ced the bundle be in the briefcase, closed it and ced it on hisp. ¡°My family and I leave tomorrow. You can have our house too. Just promise me you will make those sons of bit ches pay for what that did to loan¡­ and loy Before we left, I made a small request. ¡°One more thing. Eugene, when someone asks you why you¡¯re leaving, mention you¡¯re doing what the Taylor family did ten years ago. I want you to remind the good folks of New Salem of a young girl named Joy Taylor. Chapter Comments Mary Hall Her guts really got in this n, i love it Luna-Mom Well done Ms Virtue Sullivan let the gamemence t VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS 0 32 < SHARE POST COMMENT 616 Chapter 22 CHAPTER 22 Patience Joy Noah and I exited the house and walked towards my car. As I was about to open the car door, memories of our junior year in high school came flooding back. I nced at Noah who was busy checking out the exterior of my car. If I had just waited a little bit longer for him to ask me to the dance, perhaps the terrible things that happened to me that night wouldn¡¯t have happened. I entered my car, put on my seat belt and waited for Noah to slide into the driver¡¯s seat. This was how I imagined the spring dance would be. He woulde pick me up in his car and I would be seated in the passenger¡¯s seat all dolled up, hoping he would be my first kisse. night¡¯s end. I scoffed quietly, covering my mouth with the back of my hand. Well, I got more than I bargained for. As he drove out of my driveway, I turned to look out of my window, pretending I was busy looking at the scenery. Three months before the spring dance, I had begun to sew my own gown after months of sketching. I had asked Lisa for her opinion, showing her all my designs that I painstakingly drew and she had pointed to my favorite- a backless dress with a dramatic plunge neckline. and a mermaid silhouette. She suggested that I should make the dress white rather than blue which I had previously pictured it to be. Lisa said I would look like an angel. I remember closing my eyes and imagining myself wearing the white creation, looking like an angel and being the envy of every girl there, as I walked into the school¡¯s auditorium with Noah by my side who looked so handsome in his tuxedo. I decided Lisa was right and proceeded to make the gown white. Two months before the spring dance, news circted in school that Liam and Nicole had broken up. I thought it was all gossip until Liam and his poss¨¦ would regrly show up at my locker every morning and they would join me for lunch. Suddenly, they treated me like a princess and showered me with attention. Actually, the only reason why I allowed them to get so close was because of Noah. He was who my heart yearned for. There were times when Liam would visit me in the library or drive me home in his BMW. He did, at times, say he had feelings for me, but I would keep him at arm¡¯s length and tell him I wasn¡¯t ready for a rtionship. Thinking we were friends, I thought he would respect my. choices. I had forgotten he was a spoilt little child. 1/6 CHAPTER 22 Patience A month before the dance, many of the boys began asking the girls to be their date for the dance. I had thought, since Noah and I were friends again and we were regrly talking to each other, he would ask me straight away. However, Liam asked me first. I told him I would think about it, hoping to buy some time so Noah could ask me. It was two weeks before the dance and still no Noah. I called Liam up and told him I had decided I would be his date to the dance. He was so ecstatic! He promised me we would have a good time and told me he would take care of everything. Then, the unthinkable happened. After I had gotten off the phone with Liam, the doorbell rang. It was Noah! ¡°Hi Joy! Do you mind if I spoke with you alone? I have something I need to ask you.¡± He looked shy, nervous even. I smiled at him and closed the front door behind me. We sat on the steps in front of my house, looking up at the night sky. I waited for him to speak, wondering what he needed to tell me. ¡°Joy, we¡¯ve been friends a long time. Remember when I didn¡¯t have any teeth and I used to talk with a stutter?¡± ¡°Yeah, I remember. There were times when you would stutter on a word that started with ¡®s¡­. You would make this really cute whistling sound,¡± I said, giggling. Heughed, remembering how we were like when we were children. ¡°You know me so well,¡± he said after he had stoppedughing, his face suddenly turning serious. ¡°Joy, I-I, uh, I was h-hoping¡­ I mean, 1, uhm¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°I¡¯m just gonna spit it out. Joy, would you be my date for the spring dance?¡± I found myself just staring at him, not knowing what to say. How could I tell him I just agreed to be Liam Cohen¡¯s date just a couple of minutes ago? I wanted to kick myself for not. having the patience to wait! ¡°Noah, I am so sorry. I just called Liam before you rang the doorbell,¡± I said, thinking if there was a way to tell Liam I had changed my mind. Noah bent his head, trying to hide his disappointment. Tell me you love me, Noah. Tell me to tell Liam I changed my mind¡­ ¡°No, it¡¯s okay Joy. It¡¯s my fault. I¡¯ve been trying to find the courage to ask you. Anyway, it really doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯ll still see each other at the dance,¡± he said. 2/6 CHAPTER 22 Patience ¡°Of course. I promise I¡¯ll dance with you. I don¡¯t think Liam would mind, right? We¡¯re all friends.¡± ¡°Sure, Joy,¡± he said, standing up and pulling me up after him. ¡°I better go on home. I¡¯ll see in school tomorrow. Good night, Joy.¡± you He looked so crestfallen as he walked home. If he had just asked me to tell Liam I had changed my mind, I would have¡­for him. I sighed. Well, I made amitment, I had to honor it. As my father would always say, ¡°You are only as good as your word.¡± Images of that night began to gue me once again. How they tied me to the vertical bench press with my legs spread apart, my dress ripped open, and a piece of cloth tied around my mouth. How they took their turns with me,ughing in my face as they pumped harder and harder and harder¡­ Suddenly, an image of me punching Noah in the throat for keeping quiet all these years shed through my mind. I remember him telling me he had picked up a pair of underwear off the floor when he was driving me home. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Joy. Whoever did this to you, we¡¯ll find him. I got his underwear in a stic bag. They¡¯ll probably get some DNA or something off of it. Please Joy¡­ don¡¯t die on me.¡± I wanted to tell him ¡®thank you, but my jaw was broken at the time. Yet, the Sheriff said Noah didn¡¯t tell him anything nor did he give him any evidence. Neither did Lisa or Nicole who lied to me and told me Noah was waiting for me at the boy¡¯s side of the gym. They had told me he had something very important to tell me. I was such an idiot to believe Noah would be there, waiting for me, so he could confess his feelings for me. Instead, they branded me a wh ore, telling everyone I was to me for wearing a s lutty dress. to the spring dance. Patience Joy¡­. I squeezed the handle of my purse to calm myself as I felt my rage begin to bubble inside me. That¡¯s when I noticed we were already in the business district of town. I ran my fingers through my hair and blinked rapidly, making myself look as sweet as possible. I nced sideways at Noah and was relieved he didn¡¯t notice I was going through one of my episodes. ¡°This is such a lovely town,¡± I said, trying to break the ice. He smiled and nodded his head, agreeing with me. ¡°You looked so deep in thought, I didn¡¯t want to bother you,¡± Noah sain 3/6 ¡°I was thinking of ns for my store. I¡¯m nning to rent themercial space beside the grocery store and put up a clothes shop,¡± I quickly replied. ¡°And I want to hire you to help me set it up.¡± I saw his eyes lit up.. ¡°Sure. What are neighbors for.¡± Noah was really fun to be with. Weughed and chatted as we went aisle by aisle at the grocery store. Many of the customers stopped to wee me in town. They also thought Noah and I made a lovely couple and were happy to see Noah smiling so much. He looked embarrassed each time someone said that, but I didn¡¯t make an issue of it. I wanted him to learn to trust me, maybe fall in love with me, so I could break his ck heart. my While we were at one aisle, looking for some alcoholic beverages I could buy for housewarming party, I bumped into a tall man wearing a simple white v-neck shirt, jeans and an apron. I took a deep breath, inhaling the wonderful scent of his crisp, clean expensive cologne that I was so familiar with and loved. I looked up and saw light brown eyes smiling down at me while azy smile yed on his perfect pink lips. He was sporting a five o¡¯clock shadow. Obviously, he had forgotten to s have. ¡°Bo!¡± Noah eximed happily while shaking the hand of the handsome fellow. ¡°I¡¯d like you to meet a new addition to our town. Virtue, this is Bo, Bo Xavier. He owns this grocery store now. He bought it off Mrs. Larson then expanded it.¡± ¡°Oh wow! Nice to meet you, Bo,¡± I said, smiling tenderly while extending my hand to shake his. My darling, Xavier. It seems he has forgotten to take care of himself since taking his duties as a store owner so seriously. We shook hands enthusiastically, his hand lingering before he let go. He averted his eyes and coughed to hide the momentary faux pas.. ¡°Virtue. That¡¯s a nice name,¡± he said, redeeming himself. ¡°So what brings you to these parts?¡± He asked nonchntly. ¡°I just wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Try something new, more quiet and intimate,¡± I answered casually, looking at a can of soup. ¡°Married?¡± plied. not? A pretty little thing like you must have men knocking at your door, Xavier O 4/6 said, really getting into character. Noah was staring at me, interested at what I had to say. I shook my head and shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t seem to find the right guy, that¡¯s all,¡± I answered. ¡°You must have some high expectations, Xavier said, winking. ¡°Noah, you got your work cut out for you. Virtue, if you need anything, give me a holler. If I don¡¯t have it here, I can order it for you and have it delivered on your doorstep. By the way, where do you live?¡± ¡°She lives in my neighborhood, Bo. At the old Taylor house, Noah answered. ¡°Old Taylor house? Xavier asked, acting clueless. ¡°The nice colonial in the cul de sac. You¡¯ve seen it. White big house with the blue door and blue shutters. Xavier nodded his head, realizing he had. ¡°Ah, yeah. Isn¡¯t that house haunted? Some of the people here told me a young girl died there, Xavier said. ¡°Who to told you that? Nah, the whole family just upped and left. Haven¡¯t heard from them ever since, Noah said. ¡°Strange,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s actually a beautiful house. Bo, I¡¯ll be having a housewarming party soon. I¡¯ll send you an invite so you can see it for yourself,¡± I said. I had the sudden urge to kiss him and run my fingers on the small hairs on his face. These past several months have been tough being apart from them, but finally we were together again. Maybe not in the same house, but still in the same area. I absent-mindedly dropped a bag of chips on the floor. I sighed. I really missed the three of them. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯m really clumsy,¡± I apologized. Xavier picked up the bag of chips for me and smiled, showing me his perfect teeth. ¡°No harm, no foul. This is actually my favorite brand,¡± he said, putting the bag of chips in my cart. ¡°I gotta go back to work. I hope to see more of you Virtue. He scurried away to help another customer. I turned to Noah. ¡°My c can show you the spa ll. Let¡¯s head to the cash register and put these in the car so I enting for my clothing shop.¡± 5/6 CHAPTER 22 Patience Xavier I secretly watched Joy pay for her groceries while Noah, the putz that he was, was just standing around like a goof, not even helping her. I wanted to walk up to her and help her, but I had to restrain myself. Instead, I busied myself, stacking up merchandise near the entrance of the shop, trying to listen to theirN?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. conversation and wondering where Cristos was. Maybe he was still at Sebastian¡¯s shop, watching through the CCTV cameras. I nced at Noah who was carrying some bags of Joy¡¯s groceries and I felt the hot white was mine and no other surge of jealousy. Every fiber in my being was screaming that Joy man besides my Blood Disciple brothers were allowed to be with her. Especially a man who turned his back on her when she needed him the most. I have always been protective of Joy. Even on that day when I first saw her in school. It I had thought it was someone who walked in the same circles as we did, but I was wrong. was a bunch of punks masquerading as squeaky clean, good-natured boys who liked hurting young girls who gave them the cold shoulder. Ten years may have gone, but revenge has no expiration date. Nothing goes unpunished. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom Another amazing chapter VIEW 1 COMMENT. POST COMMENT 32 SHARE Chapter 23 CHAPTER 23 Reliable Joy After cing the grocery bags in the car, I took Noah to themercial space just beside the grocery store which would soon be my boutique. Luckily, he came prepared. Apparently, he keeps his builder¡¯s tape h ooked on his belt at all times. He promised me he could get the ce done in two weeks just in time for the spring formal. As we were leaving the emptymercial space to go around town, I noticed a man walking down the sidewalk. It was Cristos! He was wearing a form fitting ck T-shirt, skinny jeans, and ck loafers with no socks. He was sashaying quite ostentatiously with one arm on his waist while his other arm swung forward and backward with his every move. Noah followed my eyes and grinned at me. ¡°Ah yes. I had a feeling you would notice him. Come on. I¡¯ll introduce you. Hey, Chip!¡± Noah called out. ¡°If it isn¡¯t my favorite construction man!¡± Cristos said mboyantly, his hand twirling in the air. He nced at me and winked. ¡°And he has a date!¡± I bit my tongue to keep myself from giggling. ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Chip. I¡¯m just showing Virtue here around town. She just moved into my neighborhood,¡± Noah quickly exined, embarrassed I was called his date. Cristos began to fan himself with his hand. a ¡°I thought you were going to say she just moved into your house! Boy, you almost gave me heart attack! Virtue, darling, I¡¯m Chad Hendrix Palmer, the town¡¯s bartender, but you can call me Chip for short. Let me take a look at you, beautiful, Cristos said, lifting my chin up and scrutinizing me with laughter in his bright blue eyes. ¡°So pretty. Oooohhhh, Nicole has somepetition.¡± He snapped his fingers, delighted at the idea. ¡°Virtue, tonight isdy¡¯s night at the local pub, half off on all drinks. Do come. It will be an interesting night.¡± I was so busy gawking at him that I didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Virtue, cat got your tongue?¡± Cristos asked. ¡°Oh, yeah, Lisa told me about that. I¡¯ll stop by after dinner,¡± I answered quickly, embarrassed I was caught off-guard. ¡°Oh, Lisa, poor thing,¡± He grimaced, then quickly changed the subject. ¡°Well, what can I say. What happens at the Buzzed Pub stays at the Buzzed Pub. You, darling, have to witness it 1/4 CHAPTER 23 Reliable firsthand. So, where are you two headed?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to show her around town. We¡¯ll even drop by at the Mayor¡¯s office, so we can get a head start on those permits for the construction of this ce, Noah answered, pointing at the empty commercial space. ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re headed to the town hall to see Lim. Well, ta-ta darlings. Virtue, I¡¯ll see yourter tonight,¡± Cristos said and sashayed away to the grocery store. ¡°I like him,¡± I blurted out loud, giggling. Oh Cristos! You are such a character! ¡°That makes the two of us,¡± Noah said, chuckling. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s grab a cheeseburger from the diner and head to town hall. Once the permits are approved, we can start shopping for the construction material and furnishings at Dom¡¯s. Don¡¯t worry. The permits will be processed quickly because I know the Mayor,¡± he said proudly. When he noticed the cynical look I gave him, he quickly exined, ¡°Well, yeah, I know everyone knows the Mayor, but he and I are really good friends.¡± Good friends, he says. Sure, Noah. Good enough to stab me in the back. You are sooo reliable that way. It¡¯s only my first day back and I have to face the monster in all my nightmares. Sebastian ¡°Virtue is headed to the Mayor¡¯s office, Cristos whispered through the phone. ¡°I¡¯d like to ano apologize for the dy. I¡¯ll call you as soon as your order arrives,¡± I said to him. ¡°You too. Good day.¡± I abruptly ended the call and hid my smartphone in my pocket. ¡°Who was that?¡± A high pitched nasal sounding voice said in front of me. I wished I could. tell Nicole to leave, but she gave me priceless information for free. If she wasn¡¯t so useful, I would tell her what a bi tch she really was¡­ to her face. ¡°Just t some person asking me to follow up on his orders,¡± I said, making it seem call wasn¡¯t important. ¡°Anyway, before you make a decision on lights, how about with you to town hall and take a look at that office?¡± Nicole¡¯s face lit up like a Christmas tree. This was one of those rare times she¡¯d be a III HAPTER 23 Reliable patade me in front of all the women in this town. She couldn¡¯t get any attention from Xavier and Cristos had seemingly made everyone believe he was g ay, so that left me, the reliable one. I had to make the girls in Liam¡¯s group trust me enough to tell me if not all, most of his deep and darkest secrets. When the three of us ¡®moved here, all the single and unhappily married women vied for our attention. Cristos got sick and tired of all the groping, so he told everyone he was g ay. Xavier, on the otherhand, was only sociable at work. Outside of the grocery store, he was quiet and moody, angry at all the people living in this small town for what they did to Joy. If he had his way, he would take a machine gun and kill each and every living soul. It¡¯s actually a relief Joy is finally here with us. I actually saw Xavier laughing when he came back from the diner with his lunch. He¡¯s now in a better mood. If people in this town only knew all three of us were in love with Joy. It seems strange how three men could fall in love with one woman and share her. I even thought it was going to be difficult, being in this kind of rtionship, but it wasn¡¯t. All four of us were happy and we wouldn¡¯t have it any other way. ¡°Oh, Dom, really? You woulde with me?¡± Nicole asked, not hiding her surprise and excitement. I nodded my head. ¡°Stanley can watch the store for me. Right Stanley?¡± Stanley, an employee of mine, was a high school graduate who was trying to save some money for college. He was actually really helpful and had a good eye with regards to interior design. I was thinking maybe I could. leave the store to him when IProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. left. ¡°Sure thing, Mr. Samuels,¡± he said enthusiastically. ¡°If there are any problems, you can reach me through my cell, I told him, then focused my attention to the short tinum blonde standing in front of me. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful day. How about if we walk?¡± Nicole giggled and wrapped her hand around my arm. I was teny remove it, but I needed information on Liam and Nicole was one of Liam¡¯s clo ¡°Sure, we can walk, Dom, Nicole said, grinning from ear to ear. We exited my shop while Nicole clung to my arm, smiling smugly at every woman who walked by. OF course, I¡¯d rather be with Joy, but I had to make a sacrifice. If we wanted to achieve our goal, we had to hide our feelings. Joy¡­ Joy was now beautiful, although to me and the boys, she had always been The Joy of Revenge: Chapter 24 CHAPTER 24 Beauty Joy We bought some burgers at the diner where Noth used to work at when we were teenagers. As we entered the diner, I remembered how he told me he didn¡¯t want to speak to me ever again. ¡°Noah, I thought we were friends,¡± I reasoned with him at the bar. ¡°Can¡¯t we still be friends. even if you have new ones?¡± His new group of friends were at a table nearby, snickering at me for being so pathetic. ¡°Joy, how can we still be friends if I don¡¯t want you around me? Here,¡± he said, shoving at paper bag with my order of burgers and fries in front of me. ¡°Take your food and just leave.¡± I took the paper bag and rushed towards the entrance of the diner while his friends made cry baby faces at me as I walked away. ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± Noah asked concerned. I quickly blinked away the memory of his rejection. ¡°Sorry, old diners like this one always make me feel sad. It¡¯s like an age forgotten,¡± 1 answered. He nudged me yfully on the arm. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you as the nostalgic type,¡± he said. Then, he sighed. ¡°But yes, this ce has many memories.¡± ¡°Of course it does for you. You¡¯ve what¡­lived here all your life? So, when do I get to meet your bestfriend?¡± I asked. To my surprise, his smile disappeared and his expression changed to sorrow. I even noticed a deep sadness lingering in the depths of his chocte brown eyes. ¡°She and her family left years ago. I haven¡¯t heard from her and I don¡¯t know where she is. I wish I could, you know, bring back time and change everything. Maybe she¡¯d probably still be here,¡± he said, his voice full of regret. ¡°Why did she and her family leave?¡± I asked, curiously. ¡°Something bad happened to her. Well, I pray for her everyday. I just hope wherever she is, she¡¯s happy,¡± he replied. Oh, I¡¯m very happy. ¡°And you? Aren¡¯t you happy?¡± I asked. He nced at me and smiled. 1/ CHAPTER 24 Beauty ¡°Im happy now because I made a new friend.¡± We took our burgers and ate while we walked through town. He showed me the park, the local schools, a nice restaurant that served steak, and the town hall. ¡°Come on. I told you I know the mayor. I¡¯ll introduce you,¡± Noah said. I smiled at him. Of course you will. ¡°Oh wow! You¡¯ll introduce me to him? I eximed, sounding impressed. He chuckled. ¡°This is a small town. We all went to school together. Even Lisa and Nicole are friends with the mayor.¡± He took my hand and led me inside. The town hall was still the same on the outside as it was on the inside. The town wanted to preserve its historicalndmarks and the town hall was the town¡¯s prized possession. I remember when I was a little girl, I used toe here with my father when he needed to renew his business permit. I would run up and down the stairs, reveling at the echo my shoes made on each step. When Noah and I became bestfriends, we wouldpete with each other, trying to make the loudest echo. The heels of my sandals made a clickety ck sound and echoed around us as we took the stairs to the second floor. The railings of the staircase had gotten themselves a fresh coat of dark brown paint while the tall windows had been freshly polished, reflecting the colors of the rainbow as the sun streamed in. On the second floor, Noah guided me to the huge door of the mayor¡¯s office. He opened the door and walked in, ushering me inside after him. A woman with striking red hair pulled back in a ponytail wearing a simple tan business suit was seated at a small desk in front of a pair of double doors made of oak. The office was pretty much the same except for the painting of Liam hanging on the wall beside the double doors to his main office and the ck leather couch set which used to be This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. brown. Polished hardwood floors and wood panelled walls spanned the entirety of the room. ¡°Hi, Abigail! Is he free?¡± Noah asked the mayor¡¯s secretary. She was also part of their grou in high school. She used to take my chips during lunch. It wasn¡¯t enough that her family ha money; she had to steal too. ¡°Hey, Noah! He¡¯s currently on the phone with a sponsor. I¡¯ll ring him up for you in a couple of minutes,¡± she answered politely. ¡°Oh, who do you have behind you?¡± She moved her head to the side to look behind Noah and our eyes met. Her light green eyes widened in awe and I 2/5 CHAPTER 24 Beauty could see the admiration in her smile. ¡°Virtue, I would like to introduce you to the mayor¡¯s executive assistant, Abigail Reynolds. We went to school together. Abigail, this is Virtue. She just moved into the Taylor¡¯s old house, Noah said, introducing us. For a moment there, I saw a flicker of surprise, fear, and panic in her eyes as she stared at me, but she hid it quickly. ¡°Yes, I remember Lisa and Nicole said a woman purchased the house. I thought it was some old biddy. I didn¡¯t know it was a beautiful young woman,¡± she croaked then sighed. ¡°Virtue is such a unique name. What is your family name? Abigail was always the nosy one. ¡°Sullivan. My name is Virtue Sullivan,¡± I said, smiling at her and extended my hand for a handshake. She sped mine and marveled at my smooth skin. ¡°You have such nice skin. Where are you originally from, Virtue?¡± ¡°Nevada. I¡¯m an ountant. Well, I used to be an ountant. Now, I¡¯m venturing into clothing,¡± I replied, smiling at her. I felt like my face was going to cr ack from all the smiling I was doing. ¡°I¡¯m nning to open a boutique beside the grocery store. Noah and I thought we¡¯d have a start on the building permit for construction.¡± She nodded her head, then fleetingly nced at the double doors of Liam¡¯s office. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what,¡± Abigail said while quickly opening a drawer and taking out a coup sheets of paper, ¡°you fill this up and pay the necessary at the Auditor¡¯s Office downstairs. Come back tomorrow and I¡¯ll have your permit approved and signed.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± I said, taking the printed documents from her. It seemed she didn¡¯t want me to meet. the Mayor. Of course, I knew why. ¡°You can sit over there and fill those forms up while I have a word with Noah, Abigail said, handing me a pen and pointing at the small one seater which was against the wall near the double doors. I took the pen, sat down and began filling up the forms, making it appear I wasp attention to them. ny But we were in a room surrounded by wood. And wood coincidentally amplifies sound. CHAPTER 24 Beauty Noah I was starstruck. I couldn¡¯t believe my new nextdoor neighbor was such a beauty and so down-to-earth too. I couldn¡¯t figure it out, but she was so easy to talk to¡­ like I¡¯ve known her my whole life. Her voice somehow reminded me of Joy Taylor, my childhood friend. Despite the simrity, I felt at ease with Virtue. Usually when I meet someone new, I begin to stutter. It wasn¡¯t like that at all with Virtue though. The moment she opened the door and smiled at me showing her exquisite white teeth, I was smitten. Yet, she was a new acquaintance, obviously educated, well-off and very beautiful. A woman like her valued her independence. For now, I¡¯d take it slow. I¡¯ll be a good friend to her and hope it possibly blossoms into something more. As we walked through town, she caught the attention of the town¡¯s folk. Everywhere we went, I could see the admiration in their eyes. No doubt, there would be many single men vying for her attention. But if she were to be a problem, she¡¯ll have to face Liam and his father. Abigail knew what they were capable of. Matter of fact, I think everyone living in this town knows. They were a dirty little secret. ¡°Noah, what the hell are you doing bringing someone as beautiful as her to meet him. of all times,¡± Abigail hissed at me. ¡°What am I supposed to do? She¡¯s going to bump into them eventually. Better I introduce. her now and offer her my protection,¡± I said. ¡°Your protection?! That didn¡¯t help Joy Taylor and you know what they did to her,¡± Abigail mumbled through clenched teeth. ¡°Noah, a piece of advice, make sure that poor woman is with someone at all times. She seems like a really nice girl. I don¡¯t want to happen to her.¡± Abigail sighed and nced at Virtue who was busy writing taken a liking to Virtue and she had only met her. hing ilhad ¡°I¡¯ll ask Dom and Bo to keep an eye on her since her shop will be in between t CHAPTER 24 Beauty her. ¡°Dominic- ¡°I heard my name,¡± a low manly voice said behind me. ¡°Dom, hey!¡± I turned around to meet his honey-colored eyes. He was a good-looking chap, tall, muscr and well-spoken. Actually, his brother Bo was just like him, but Bo was a bit temperamental which kept thedy¡¯s away. Dominic, on the other hand, was aplete. gentleman. ¡°Yeah, about that, I have a new neighbor who will be opening a small boutique at that space beside your store. I was hoping you could help her out.¡± ¡°Who? Virtue?¡± The distinct high-pitched nasal sounding voice of Nicole echoed within the confines of the office. I lowered my gaze and found her clutching Dominic¡¯s arm. I raised my eyebrows, shocked Nicole was hanging on his arm when everyone knew she was madly and deeply in love with Liam despite his many ws¡­ if you can call them that. Nicole¡¯s eyes met mine and a flicker of fear shed, but she expertly hid it before anyone could notice.. ¡°Yes? Virtue suddenly said, hearing her name mentioned. I didn¡¯t notice, but she was already standing in front of Abigail¡¯s desk, handing Abigail her pen back. She smiled warmly at Dominic and Nicole before addressing me. ¡°Noah, I have the forms all filled out. I just need to pay the fees at the Auditor¡¯s office.¡± Suddenly, we heard the double doors open. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a fine day!¡± Liam¡¯s golden voice reverberated through his office. He walked out, sporting a nicely tailored blue suit. As expected, his dark eyes went immediately He instinctivelybed his fingers through his dark hair and fixed his maroon co. ¡°And who do we have here?¡± Liam asked, winking at Virtue. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom POST COMMENT totally love how all their nning is wonderful and getting information on Liam is a bonus VIEW 1 COMMENT K 31 The Joy of Revenge Chapter 25 ?CHAPTER 25 Meet the Devil at Town Hall *Cristos*N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. After alerting Sebastian of Noah''s n to bring Joy to meet the Mayor, Xavier and I walked towards a corner of the warehouse section of the grocery store where huge boxesid stacked on top of each other. Behind these boxes concealed a door to Xavier''s secret office. After we entered, Xavier clicked on his keyboard and all the monitors lit up. "Where are they headed?" Xavier asked me once we were safely inside. "To town hall. I have Sebastian following them," I told him. "Noah is so predictable. He meets a beautiful woman and the first thing he does is send her out to the wolves," Xavier said, his eyes seething with rage. "If we didn''t need him. I''d knock on his door and shoot him in the head." I suddenly saw Sebastian''s image on the monitor as he walked by one of the CCTV cameras. Walking beside him was a short blonde who seemed to be clinging desperately on his arm. "Fuck! Sebastian''s with Nicole. Noah and Nicole spell disaster. I''ll head to town hall and make sure everything moves smoothly. I don''t want those assholes to put Joy in apromising position just because she''s new in town," I said before pointing to a monitor which showed footage from the grocery store. "Lisa''s here. She invited Joy for a drinkter tonight at the pub. Remember, it''s Ladies'' Night. Use your charm and those expressive brown eyes of yours." Xavier rolled his eyes. "It''s not my fault her husband is into raping and murdering girls. Fine, I''ll flip the switch and charm her to get an invite for tonight so I can weed my way to " making friends" with Virtue. By the way, make sure you make Noah and Nicole look and feel like idiots." "With pleasure. Ta-ta!" I exited Xavier''s secret room and took the back entrance, not wanting to bump into Lisa. I''ve had enough of having to take care of her during the nights she would get so drunk at the pub. I waved at a few people across the street as I quickly sashayed my way to town hall. I really wanted to do what Xavier has always wanted; knock on the doors of the four men who raped and attempted to kill Joy and just shoot them in the head. But then, they would be remembered as martyrs and I wanted this town to spit at the mere mention of their names. Mayor Liam Cohen, son of the former mayor, loved the challenge, hated the rejection. He was said to have been seen stalking Eugene''s granddaughter. Joan, before she went missing. However, before her body was found floating at a nearbyke, nude photos of Joan circted around town including a nasty rumor of her selling sexual favors online. Despite Joan''s reputation in ruins, valuable evidence from the coroner''s office had gone missing. Because of Joan''s questionable character and an obviousck of evidence, Joan''s family did not pursue a case against Liam Cohen. Lisa''s husband, Cristian Murdock, was the town''s councilman and Liam''s closest confidant. One thing is for sure, he didn''t give two shits about Lisa. He was busy molding his political career and having a beautiful wife by his side proved handy to build a better image. I caught him roughing up some girl before fucking her in the men''s bathroom one night at the pub. Apparently, he was a sadist. Daniel Williams was New Salem''s Auditor. He, ording to Joy, was the smartest of the four and went on to graduate top of their ss as expected. The thing with Dan. there was something different about him. I would sometimes catch him staring at me when he was at the pub. I had a very strong feeling he was in the closet and men, like Dan, who have been pushed into the farthest and darkest corners of a closet, can be very dangerous. Yet there was a way for me to coax him out of his shell and I intended doing so. Then, there was Jackson Emery. He was the Undersheriff of this town and was patiently waiting for Sherill Combs to retire before vying for the position. As much as Jack wanted to be Sheriff of New Salem, he could not go against the wishes of Theodore Cohen, former mayor of New Salem and Liam''s father. Theodore Cohen was known to be a force of nature. Everything these boys had was all because of Theodore Cohen. I entered the town hall and ran up the stairs like my life depended on it. I slightly opened the huge door to the mayor''s office and peeped through the tiny space to get a good look at what was happening. Anyway, I needed some time to catch my breath before entering the office. I couldn''t see much because Sebastian''s back was blocking my view, but I did hear the double doors to Liam''s main office open and I heard the unmistakable timbre of his voice. "Isn''t this a fine day!" Liam eximed, walking out of his office. There was a pause before I heard him say, "And who do we have here?" An awkward silence fell. Xavier was right. Noah was only feeding Virtue to the dogs. I thought Noah would have grown some balls. but he''s just a limp dick. I wanted to put my hands around Noah''s throat and squeeze the life out of him. I quickly opened the door and sprung into character. *Joy* I coughed, taking a moment to muster all of my courage to face one of the cold-blooded brutes of my past. I took a step forward and raised my head so my blue-gray eyes could stare into the bottomless pits of hell which Liam called eyes. He stared at me with interest like a predator watching his prey. However, this time, unbeknownst to him, he was the prey, and I, the stalking apex predator. An ufortable silence settled in the room as we both regarded each other, neither of us wanting to back down. I waited for someone to say something, but no one, not even Abigail, introduced us. Of course, Sebastian couldn''t be the one to make introductions because we weren''t suppose to know each other. Liam just stood there, smiling at me, like the jackass he was while I stared back, hoping Noah would at least say something, but obviously he chickened out. With Liam as mayor, Noah was at his mercy. Nothing has changed. Liam still controlled all of them, just like it was in high school. As I continued to stare, an image of himughing as he struck my face with a barbell, breaking my jaw in the process, shed through my mind. I wanted to take out the knife Sebastian had given me and sh his throat. I imagined the feeling of satisfaction I would get while I watched a shocked Liam struggle to ask for help. I imagined the immense pleasure from the sight of his blood gushing out as he covered the wound with his hands, trying helplessly to stop the bleeding. I imagined myselfughing hysterically, so pleased with myself, as he copsed on the floor, bleeding out until his ck heart stopped. But I didn''t want to be whisked away for first-degree manughter. Oh no no... There were just too many witnesses. There was a time and a ce to confront Liam and his merry band of misfits. Now, fortunately for him, wasn''t that time. I was about to introduce myself when I heard a very familiar and very theatrical voice behind me. "Why are you people blocking the doorway? What is going on in here?" Cristos asked loudly while trying to walk in between Sebastian and Nicole who didn''t want to let go of Sebastian''s arm. "Move over, Smurfette! This is the Mayor''s office not some ce you go to for a first date. Although, Dom, that''s pretty unique." "Thanks!" Sebastian answered, smiling. "That wasn''t apliment," Cristos quipped and turned around to face me, smiling brightly. He shooed Noah away and wrapped his arm around mine. "Virtue, you''re here! Isn''t this a fabulous coincidence! Virtue, this is the Mayor of New Salem, Liam Cohen," he said, introducing us. "Liam, this is Virtue. She''s new in town and my new bestfriend. Right, Virtue?" We giggled together while I nodded in agreement. "Right. Chip." I answered, feeling at ease. Cristos'' touch alwaysforted me. I ced a hand on his arm and snuggled closer. "Anyway, you have inspired me to get some renovations done at the pub, so here I am!" He raised his free hand in the air in a ta-da pose, then quickly pulled it down. "Well, to grab a building permit, of course. What about you, Dom? Why are you and Scrappy Doo here?" Nicole gave Cristos a dirty look, but he ignored her. I bit the inside of my lip to keep myself fromughing. "We wanted to ask Liam for lighting suggestions for the newly-renovated office downstairs," Sebastian answered. "Virtue, have you met my cousin?" Cristos asked. I shook my head. "No? This is Dominic and he owns the furnishings shop." Then, he pointed at Nicole. "And that is his pet goldfish." Cristos checked his watch and gasped. "Look at the time. I need to open the pub soon. Anyways, we better get going. Noah, don''t worry, Virtue is in good hands. I''ll be the one to show her around town." Cristos took my hand to lead me out of the office, but quickly stopped. "Oooops, I forgot! Abigail darling, forms please!" As if on cue. Abigail handed him the same forms she gave me. "Don''t forget to pay your fees at the Auditor''s office," she reminded us. Before we exited the office, I turned to face Liam. "Mayor Cohen, it was a pleasure to meet you. "The pleasure is all mine. Virtue." One side of his lips moved while his eyes narrowed giving him an utterly sinister look... Chapter 26 CHAPTER 26 Creativity Liam ¡°Hey, Virtue!¡± Noah called out to the tall and stunning blonde who Chip was practically dragging out of my office. My eyes ran up and down her svelte figure, settling on her cute tush. I quickly noticed she didn¡¯t have a panty line. ¡°What about tonight? Are we still going out to dinner?¡± Noah asked, a hopeful tone in his voice. I raised my eyebrows. Noah had already made ns to take her out to dinner? She stopped and turned around, her hair flipping through the air,nding neatly below her shoulders. A cute smile yed on those luscious pink lips of hers making my heart sk ip a beat. There was no denying she was the most beautiful woman I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. ¡°Of course,¡± she said, her captivating voice echoing throughout the room. ¡°I¡¯ll meet you at my ce around six-thirty since our reservations are at seven. Chip, would you like to join us?¡± Her voice sounded like a luby, ethereal and hypnotizing. If she were to ask me for anything right now, I¡¯d give her what she wanted, no questions asked. But it was strange though, her voice seemed familiar to me¡­ like I¡¯ve heard it before. I probably had heard a voice like hers on television. ¡°Three¡¯s a crowd, sweetheart. I would rather have Noah all to myself,¡± Chip murmured, then laughed at his own joke. ¡°But since we¡¯re bestfriends,¡± he said, touching her pretty little nose, ¡°I can share.¡± ¡°Alright, then. Harold¡¯s at seven. See you, Noah. Virtue waved goodbye and with a flic her beautiful silky blonde hair, she was gone¡­ to my utter disappointment. Abigail coughed, grabbing my attention, then secretly nced sideways at the tall man standing beside Nicole. Apparently, he was closely watching me as I watched the beautiful blonde leave my office. Dominic Samuels was his name and he was obviously tall, dark and handsome. The same was true for his half-brother, Bo Xavier. The high school girls and the female college stu from themunity college all fluttered to the both of them like butterflies to necta honestly, it was pretty annoying having them for competition. Especially when there w thro dark rumors of me and my friends circting around town. I coughed to clear my wiping any trace of emotion Virtue had stirred deep within me. ||| 0 CHAPTER 26 Creativity ¡°Dom, about those lights, anything you suggest will be great. Just send my office the invoice and I will foot the bill,¡± I said, hoping he would leave and take Nicole with him. Nicole was another problem. Because of her connections, she acted like a queen in this town, thinking she had the right to do what she wanted. She was lucky she was a friend of my father¡¯s. I was already contemting killing her because she knew too much. ¡°We won¡¯t take anymore of your time then. Nicole, let¡¯s get back to my shop. I already have a great idea for the office downstairs. See you, Mr. Mayor, Dominic said, exiting my office with a frustrated Nicole chasing after him. ¡°Noah, I¡¯d like to speak with you,¡± I said, pointing to my main office. ¡°If you would so kindly enter my office.¡± Noah nodded his head and walked inside. I gave one look at Abigail before I followed Noah inside and she nodded without speaking. She was another thorn in my side, but she was useful and she kept quiet¡­ just like a goodp dog. Anyway, she knew the punishment if she ever stepped out of line. I closed the doors and walked behind my desk. Noah was already seated in front, tapping his foot. ¡°So, what do you know about this Virtue?¡± I asked. ¡°Her full name is Virtue Sullivan and she just moved into the old Taylor house.¡± ¡°The old Taylor House?! I thought¡­¡± My voice trailed away. F uck! ¡°What else do you know about her?¡± ¡°She told Abigail she used to live in Nevada and worked there as an ountant,¡± Noah answered. ¡°She ns to open a boutique at the emptymercial space beside the grocery store and she just hired me to do the necessary construction.¡± ¡°Married?¡± I asked. ¡°No. When Bo asked her, she said she wasn¡¯t married. Hasn¡¯t found the right one,¡± Noah answered. ¡°Liam, I actually like her. I feelfortable around her.¡± ¡°She¡¯s single, Noah. For any man, she is fair game,¡± I replied. ¡°Fair enough, Liam. You can always say you like her too,¡± Noah said. I stared at Noah and sighed. I always had to get my hands dirty. I wondered how my father was able to do it while he was mayor. O 2/ CHAPTER 26 Creativity ¡°Now, since you will be her contractor, why don¡¯t you set up CCTV cameras in her store? If I had only known she was this young and beautiful, I would have suggested you put up cameras around her home,¡± I said. ¡°That reminds me, I need to have a chat with Lisa and Nicole. I hate it when someone hides things from me.¡± ¡°Liam, I can¡¯t do that,¡± Noah argued. ¡°If she finds out I installed cameras in her store without her knowledge, she will sue me and I¡¯m done in this town.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll have someone else do it then, so you can feign innocence if she finds out,¡± I said. ¡°Who?¡± He asked casually. I rolled my eyes. ¡°All you have to do is tell Virtue she needs to hire Nicole. Nicole will handle everything,¡± I answered. ¡°Alright then. Send Cris my regards,¡± Noah said, smirking. Everyone had thought an old woman would be moving into the Old Taylor House¡­ even Noah.. Virtue Sullivan changes everything. Abigail I slipped off my heels and slowly inched my way towards the double doors of Liam¡¯s office. I had to find out what Liam was up to. After I saw that familiar glint in his eyes, I knew Liam had found his new target. Sure, my family had a honeybee farm and we did well producing pure honey, contributing to make our state the number one honey producer in the country, but my family¡¯s wealth didn¡¯t equate to power, so my dad pushed me and Cris towards the Cohens for our b best interests. As a little girl, I always wished I was like Joy Taylor. She was pretty, kind and smart too. Nicole and Liam were always envious of the good words our teachers had to say about her was envious too, but since she always treated me with kindness, I never thought of ever harming her until we all jumped to high school. Nicole was an early bloomer. She became the girl of every boy¡¯s fantasy. Thus, Liam kept he on a tight leash knowing with her by his side, he could control everyone. O 3/5 CHAPTER 26 Creativity Liam, Cris, Dan and Jack were early bloomers too, just like Noah. Noah was by far more charming and dashing than Liam, so by our sophomore year, Noah was part of our group. He knew Noah was soft and to Liam, that was useful. Lisa and I were like Joy,te bloomers. Lisa tried her hardest to be included in the group, doing anything Nicole and Liam wanted, but it was never enough. I, on the other hand, was privileged enough to be included since Cris and were cousins and my family had it weren¡¯t for those technicalities, I would have been like Joy¡­ alone. money. If While we were in high school, we were the popr students and bullied our way to getting what we wanted. It was all fun and games until it became a horrific and terrifying tragedy that I couldn¡¯t believe my friends nor my cousin had the stomach of doing. I was the one who found Joy Taylor gasping for air while tied to a bench press. I was the one who cut her free. I was the one who told Noah to take her home. I confronted them, thinking they would be scared of the consequences. Yet what I discovered was more terrifying. Mayor Theodore Cohen threatened he would set my family¡¯s farm on fire if I ever breathed a word of the ¡®unfortunate incident to anyone. Then, he calmly asked for the name of the ng man who helped Joy Taylor. After I told him what he wanted to know, he called someone telling them to clean the mess up for him. young I pushed myself to forget, thinking Joy Taylor was the first andst of all my troubles until Liam met Joan Summers here in his office two winters ago. She was the high school student body president and she hade to talk to Liam about helping fund the spring formal. I saw how he touched her, making the poor girl squirm in her chair. I watched as he lean over and touch her thigh. I stood by helplessly as he ran his hand down her back to on top of her firm buttocks. He asked me for her schedule. I initially objected, but one threatening look was enough to make me reconsider. I got him her schedule and as mayor, he got passes for himself and the boys to the spring formal. Joan Summers went missing that night. I wanted to help Old Man Eugene and his fi her, but I didn¡¯t know where to begin. I asked Lisa for help, knowing she would kn something, but she brushed me off. ¡°I value my life, Abigail. I don¡¯t want to die just yet,¡± Lisa said, drunk. ¡°If you you would forget this ever happened.¡± value your CHAPTER 26 Creativity After a couple weeks, Joan¡¯s body was found floating in theke. I cried myself to sleep that night, knowing I should have done more, but with two hands tied behind my back, I was useless. This time, I¡¯m not going to let anything happen to Virtue Sullivan. Of all the towns in North Dakota, why oh why did she have to pick this one?! ¡­ set up up CCTV cameras in her store,¡± I heard Liam tell Noah. I slowly tiptoed back to my desk. I had enough useful information. All I needed was a little creativity. ¡°Is my son here, Abigail?¡± I jumped in my chair, startled. I raised my eyes to find the cold dark eyes of Theodore Cohen looking down at me. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom. love how Joy and the boys are acting out with their new characters VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS ? POST COMMENT 27Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Chapter 27 CHAPTER 27 The Auditor Joy ¡°Come on. We need to pay and have Dan stamp and sign our forms,¡± Cristos said. ¡°Then tomorrow we can pick up our building permits and start creating our magnificent works of art!¡± I winced as Cristos uttered Dan¡¯s name. Liam¡¯s influence had provided good positions for his friends. Daniel Williams was currently the town¡¯s Auditor. As we went down the stairs, the sounds of our shoes echoing around us, I nced at Cristos and felt calm. My men were well aware I was quite capable of protecting myself, however, they were also aware the rage I had kept bottled up inside all these years was waiting to be unleashed. They weren¡¯t necessarily concerned about the dangers that Liam posed, they were only protecting me from myself. When I met them, Cristos, Sebastian, and Xavier acted like a bunch of regr college boys wanting to finish their education, but in reality, they were much more than I had ever anticipated. They were the underbosses of the Blood Disciples, the ruling party of the West Coast mafia. Their fathers sat at the tippy top of the food chain, both revered and feared, as brothers who swore an oath to never betray each other. This oath was instilled in their eldest sons who at the day of their births acted as one unit. In the mafia, respect is held in the highest regard. There is no room for entitlement, privilege, nor special treatment, and even though Cristos, Sebastian, and Xavier were born to rule, it didn¡¯t necessarily mean the leadership would be handed to them on a silver tter. They had to earn their way to the top, and their fathers made sure of it. They started young, each with a skill honed to perfection. Xavier was the marksman, an expert on weaponry, a cold-blooded torturer, and killer. Although all three of them were trained to kill, Xavier made it look like art. When I first started hanging out with them, I always wondered why Sebastian or Cristos would always use Xavier to threaten their rivals until I heard the story of how he singlehandedly eradicated a subordinate mafia family for disrespecting his father. After that, no one else dared spit on the three bosses unless they wanted their whole family dead.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Xavier was said to be seventeen at the time and used his SAT review as an alibi. He was the brains and the diplomat. There was no disagreement he couldn¡¯t fix. No problem he couldn¡¯t solve. More importantly, there was no strategy that has ever failed. He became a master fighter and champion with exclusive bragging rights that made others envious of his handsome face. I didn¡¯t want to be part of their world, it was inevitable. At 41, I had killed a man. Standing behind Sebastian, I was given the name Shadow, because I was the shadow the capo saw after I pierced his brain with a pithing needle. A cold-blooded killer, no, I had only killed that one time. I love Sebastian, and there is nothing I wouldn¡¯t do to protect him. Even today, it¡¯s still hard to believe that these three wonderful men adore me. "Is everything alright? You have been smiling at me like a love-struck teenager. Do you have the hots for me? Girl, you and I are made of the same stuffing," he said, bringing me back to the present. I yfully pped him on his arm, ¡°No, silly.¡± ¡°So, Virtue, Ladies'' Night at the Buzzed Pub tonight. Will I see you there?¡± Dan asked out of the blue. ¡°Aaah, yes! Lisa asked me toe, and so did Chip¡­who is my new best friend, I must add,¡± I answered, grinning. ¡°New best friend, huh? Chip here owns the pub. He¡¯ll do anything to get more people to buy his pub for a drink. And you should stay away from Lisa. She drinks to get drunk,¡± Dan warned me. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the point?¡± I argued, confused. ¡°Tipsy, not drunk,¡± he answered, winking at me. "Rule of thumb, leave the pub with your dignity intact. Well, at least some of it. If I see youter tonight, your first drink is on me.¡± ¡°Woah! Talk about cheap! Buy her a drink some other time, not whendies'' drinks are half off,¡± Cristos reprimanded Dan. ¡°Anyway, thank you, Dan. Virtue and I will be back tomorrow.¡± Cristos took my hand and led me outside. It was alreadyte afternoon, and I had to drive home, unpack my groceries, and get ready for dinner. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, honey. I¡¯ll walk you to your car,¡± Cristos said then he leaned down and whispered in my ear. ¡°Keep the knife in your purse. You might need itter tonight. If one will be there, they will all be there.¡± Suddenly, a male voice called out from behind us. ¡°Shoot! I almost forgot about Noah.¡± Chapter 28 CHAPTER 28 Pact Liam I looked out the window and saw Virtue and Chip exiting the town hall. I messaged Dan if he had finished processing their payments and he had replied to tell me he did. He even included an invitation for a drink at Chip¡¯s pub. Perfect.. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± My father asked, bringing me back to the present. I was mayor, but my father still acted like HE was mayor. He would take his seat behind the desk and rummaged through every document he could find like the town was still his to run. He peeked over my shoulder, trying to find what I was looking at. He unfortunately saw Noah who was chasing after the exquisite blonde. I saw his sharp intake of breath and the disapproving look he gave me. ¡°Son, you have to know where your ce is in this town,¡± my father said, turning his back to the window. ¡°I hope your future activities will not be as messy as the most recent one.¡± ¡°Joan Summers was a liability,¡± I mumbled at him. ¡°Actually, Old Man Eugene was the liability. We needed to silence him.¡± ¡°Just make sure to clean up after yourself. I had thought after all these years, you and your friends would know how to dispose of garbage properly. We still have one problem who is somewhere, G od knows where, biding her time, waiting for the perfect moment toe out from hiding. If Joan Summers was found alive, Joy Taylor would be here making sure you, Cris, Dan and Jack would get life sentences. If you weren¡¯t such a coward, you would have finished her off when we told you to.¡± ¡°Why pin the me on me, Dad? You told me you already had ordered someone else to do it,¡± I argued. ¡°And didn¡¯t I tell you the Sheriff had enough on his te? That is why I told you to finish her off at the hospital. Any of you boys could have done it, but you were all too scared of your own shadows,¡± he said and abruptly changed the subject. ¡°Where are those documents you wanted me to take a look at? I¡¯ll just bring them with me and go over them at home.¡± ¡°There on the desk inside the brown envelope, I said as I closely watched Chip, Noah and Virtue talk among themselves. ¡°By the way, son, I will be using the cabin this weekend, he murmured while picking up the 0 1/3 CHAPTER 28 Pact envelope from my desk. I nodded my head, acknowledging hismitments. ¡°Of course, Dad.¡± ¡°While I¡¯m away, remember to act like the duly elected mayor if that isn¡¯t too much to ask,¡± he reminded me. ¡°Follow orders and practice some self-restraint. I don¡¯t want toe back. home and find my town, a town I have poured my blood, sweat and tears, burning to the ground. Do I have your word?¡± I watched as Virtue and the two men with her walk away, the red-orange rays of the sun shining on her golden locks. Unexpectedly, Noah turned his head and saw me watching from the window. He secretly waved at me to my dismay. As much as I wanted to get to know her, I knew after a day or two, she would hear the rumors and whatever chance I could have had to be with her would be gone. If I could only point the finger, I would but that would ultimately mean my death. I would just have to y the perfect gentlemen. Maybe she could at least give me an opportunity to get to know her better. ¡°You have my word, Dad.¡± I waited for my father to leave before calling Cris. ¡°Aren¡¯t we seeing each other at the pub tonight? What¡¯s so urgent?¡± Cris asked, like the p rick he was. ¡°You need to keep an eye on your wife, Cris,¡± I told him. ¡°Why? What did she do?¡± Cris asked, puzzled. There was never a time Lisa did something to jeopardize us, so I knew why Cris was confused. ¡°She didn¡¯t tell us who was moving into the Old Taylor House,¡± I answered. ¡°Yes, she did. She said a woman was moving in after all the renovations were done. Liam, I don¡¯t understand what the problem is? Did Noah say something? What? Did the Taylors move back?¡± He asked, amused.. ¡°You know we already have problems with the trio that moved in six months ago. We change locations and delivery times because the boss thinks they might be undercover. a young woman has moved into the Old Taylor House. She¡¯s too beautiful to be underco but she poses a threat. If she bes a problem, we might have to dispose of her,¡± I O CHAPTER 28 Pact exined. ¡°Liam, I had the trio checked. Their story checks out. Give me the name of the woman who moved into the Old Taylor House and I¡¯ll have her checked out too. Call the Sheriff, have him do rounds around town so he can take a look at her license.¡± ¡°Her name is Virtue Sullivan, previously from Nevada, single, blonde hair and blue eyes. Chip has already taken a noticeable liking to her.¡± ¡°Noticeable? He¡¯s g y, Liam,¡± Cris said. ¡°This paranoia is going to get us in trouble, Liam. I didn¡¯t expect the body of Joan Summers would be floating around in ake beside our town. You said she wouldn¡¯t be found. How the f uck did that happen?¡± ¡°My men f ucked up. They told me they buried her as ordered, but apparently they didn¡¯t, I said. ¡°Well, all of them are now dead.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll check out this Virtue Sullivan. Liam, if she checks out, talk to the boss. We can¡¯t afford anymore bad publicity so close to elections,¡± Cris said and hung up. I wanted to throw my phone across the room. I was so frustrated. I didn¡¯t want to keep doing of this, but a Cohen of the past made a pact with the devil. any And that pact was inherited. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom getting more and more interesting VIEW 1 COMMENT POST COMMENT 29This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Chapter 29 CHAPTER 29 The Sheriff Joy Noah and I decided to drop off my grocery items at my house, then freshen. up for dinner. In California, it was already a bit warm during this time of year and my current outfit would have been fine for the evening. Unfortunately, it was still a bit chilly in North Dakota. Now that the sun had set, a cool breeze blew giving a chill to the air. Without a light jacket or a shawl, I would be shivering the whole night. I invited Cristos toe with us, but he said he had to open his pub and get it ready in time for happy hour. And since he was runningte, he had to back out of our dinner ns. He did promise me we would do a sleepover soon. I smiled coyly¡­ I was already picturing what we would do together in my new house! I dressed casually in a camel colored off-shoulder long-sleeved cashmere sweater and skin tight jeans to showcase my long legs. I paired my outfit with knee high brown boots and a brown leather bag. When Noah showed up at my doorstep, I was surprised to see him wearing a nice crisp white long- sleeved shirt under a blue dinner jacket which he paired with dark blue jeans and loafers. His blonde hair was still damp from his shower and he obviously had taken the time to sh ave, cut his fingernails and put on some nice cologne. The restaurant surprisingly was a bit crowded when we arrived. Thankfully, I made a quick reservation when Noah and I passed by earlier during our walk. If I hadn¡¯t, Noah and I would have been turned away and instead of nice, juicy steaks with mashed potatoes and cornbread, we would be at the diner eating cheese steak sandwiches instead. Well, I wasn¡¯t hungry anyway, but I did want to sit and talk. After our visit with the mayor, Noah¡¯s demeanor had changed. Earlier at the grocery store, he acted jolly and friendly, but now, he acted reserved and preupied. Obviously, Liam was the reason for this sudden change in him. It was such a shame really. I was hoping this: would be a fun evening. I ordered a bottle of wine thinking a bit of alcohol would help loosen him up a little. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°I¡¯m driving, remember?¡± Noah said as our server poured us each a ss of red wine. ¡°Our neighborhood is just a fifteen minute walk from here, Noah. I can leave my car and ge it in the morning. I just thought a bottle of wine will help us both unwind,¡± I said, raising r CHAPTER 29 The Sheriff ss, ¡°To new beginnings¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll cheers to that,¡± Noah said and raised his ss. After a sip of wine, I saw him rx. We began talking about recreational activities in the area and uing town events to look forward to. We then went on to talk about the best flea markets for vintage furniture to thrift shops in Bismarck. As the conversation. progressed, we quickly moved from topic to topic, even touching the subject of why I left Nevada. Suddenly, a middle-aged man in a police uniform stopped in front of our table. I looked up and found the kind eyes of the sheriff staring down at me.. ¡°Good evening, Noah. I see you have a date,¡± he said, smiling. ¡°Sheriff Combs, I¡¯d like you to meet Virtue. She just moved in-¡± ¡°Into the old Taylor house. Yes, I know,¡± he said, cutting Noah off. ¡°Virtue, I¡¯d like to wee you to our small town. Unfortunately, I¡¯m here on an official capacity. Since winter is behind us and spring has started, I need to remind folks that there¡¯s a curfew for minors. I need to check your ID¡¯s although I know both of you are above the legal drinking age. Just standard operating procedure.¡± ¡°Sure, Sheriff.¡± I took my wallet out and gave him my driver¡¯s license. Noah did the same. ¡°Virtue Sullivan from Reno, Nevada,¡± he read my license. ¡°Yes, Sir. Near Lake Tahoe,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful there. Why move here?¡± The Sheriff asked curiously, handing me back. ¡°For a fresh start. I always wanted to live in a ce where every one knows everybody. Just like one big happy family,¡± I answered. He furrowed his brow and chuckled embarrassingly. ¡°Unfortunately, this one big family is now bing dysfunctional. Last year, two bodies showed up two weeks apart at the nearbyke. One was a young girl of seventeen while the other was twenty years old. The teenager was the granddaughter of a previous New Salem resident while the twenty year old was from the nearby city of Bismarck. Because untoward incidences, Mayor Cohen issued a curfew for all minors,¡± he said. ¡°Sorry to hear that, Sheriff,¡± I replied. ¡°I would like to ask though, was this a simple O CHAPTER 29 The Sheriff drowning or was there foul y involved? He raised his eyebrows, surprised I would ask so boldly. ¡°Foul y,¡± he answered. A suspect from Bismarck was arrested, but evidence points to an aplice who we¡¯re still looking for. Until we find this aplice, the curfew stays. Anyway, nice to meet you, Miss Sullivan. Enjoy your evening. Noah. The Sheriff tipped his hat at us and went to the other table. Our server finally arrived with our food and we both ate quietly. Noah looked detached, like his mind was on other things. I already knew what was bothering him. He was afraid I now had a different perspective of the men in New Salem and this was not good for his friends. I attempted to make small talk, but he would only answer me with a few words so I gave up trying to make conversation. Ever since I told Cristos, Sebastian, and Xavier the details of my assault, we kept a close watch on this town. I had thought that after what they did to me, they would lead squeaky clean lives to avoid any kind of suspicion just in case Joy Taylor were ever to suddenly pop up. However, we noticed they had escted while the people in this town continued to look the other way. The Sheriff, on the other hand, had a very close rtionship with the Cohens. I knew Sheriff Combs was the one who stalled the investigation on my assault. I also suspected he had something to do with my missing gown and the missing sexual assault evidence collection kit. While I strongly believe he discarded the evidence, Sebastian thinks Sheriff Combs has kept it as leverage to keep his position. ¡°No eye witnesses and no evidence. It would be a matter of ¡®he said, she said¡±, George,¡± Sheriff Combs said when he spoke with my father at the hospital. He told my father if we decided to prosecute, I would have to go on the witness stand and relive every horrifying detail of what had happened to me. He also pointed out the harsh. reality that rapists were hardly ever convicted in New Salem, which meant whoever I was going to use would get off scott free and I would bebeled as the town¡¯s trollop. My father then argued we could try and file attempted murder charges. But the Sheriff reasoned, if there wasn¡¯t enough evidence to put all four boys with me at the gym that particr night, then logic would dictate they weren¡¯t the ones who tried to kill me. The jury would give a ¡®not guilty verdict and we would be theughingstock in New Salem. ¡°Look at her, Sheriff! Look at the state my Joy is in. Aren¡¯t you going to do anything to find who did this to her? Since you¡¯re practically convinced it wasn¡¯t those boys,¡± my father 3/5 CHAPTER 29 The Sheriff hissed. I heard the Sheriff sigh frustratedly at my father. ¡°George, I¡¯m not your enemy here. I¡¯m your friend and honestly, I understand what you¡¯re feeling. I truly do. But you know who Liam¡¯s father is. You know what he¡¯s capable of,¡± Sheriff Combs said grimly. I heard the caution in his voice. ¡°If you love your little girl, you¡¯ll keep quiet and leave this town before it¡¯s toote.¡± I overheard all their conversations as Iid in the hospital, pretending to be asleep. My parents and 1¡­ we were alone. No one wanted to help us and if they did, they wouldn¡¯t dare try. I wanted justice, but the courtroom wasn¡¯t where I would get it. As I sliced some of my steak, I secretly nced at the Sheriff who was at a nearby table and imagined throwing my steak knife into his chest. I pictured myself giggling at him while I watched the blood trickle out from his wound after he removed the knife. I know he wouldn¡¯t die from such a small wound, but hurting him would appease some of my anger. I ced a piece of steak in my mouth and chewed slowly, savoring the meat¡¯s beefy and salty vor while stealing another nce at the Sheriff. Well, as they say, ignorance is bliss. These people¡¯s lives were going to be turned upside down and they didn¡¯t even know it. After the awkward dinner, Noah guided me to the Buzzed Pub which was previously known as the Night Captain. Before Cristos, this old local pub was owned by one of the oldest families who ever lived in this town. I casually walked inside the dingy bar as Noah held the door open for me. Tammy Wte¡¯s song ¡®Stand by Your Man¡¯ was ying while a band was setting up to perform on stage. I looked around and grimaced. Cristos really did need to have this ce spruced up. I stood in the middle of the bar, searching for Cristos, when someone tapped me on the shoulder. ¡°You made it,¡± Lisa eximed as I turned to face her. I grinned and pointed to Noah behind me. ¡°And you brought Noah.¡± She rushed to him and nted a kiss on his cheek. Lisa¡¯s breath smelled heavily of bourbon. Obviously, she had started early. ¡°Just you?¡± Noah asked rubbing off her lipstick from his cheek. ¡°Yeah, I was seated at the bar feeling lonely before you guys came in,¡± Lisa answered. ¡°Both Nicole and my husband are runningte while Chip is in his office talking to Dom and Bo. Anyway, all is better now since you guys showed up. So, what have you two been up to?¡± Lisa asked while gesturing to the bartender for a round. 4/5 CHAPTER 29 The Sheriff ¡°Noah has been kind enough to give me a tour of the town. We even went to the town earlier and I met the mayor,¡± I said. hall ¡°You met Liam?!¡± Lisa eximed loudly, her eyes as wide as saucers. She seemed surprised¡­ no, shocked. I gave her a puzzled look. ¡°Uhm, yeah, to get building permits. I also met Dan. He said all I needed to do was to sign. those papers you drew up for themercial space,¡± I said. She ced her hand on her forehead, obviously forgetting she and I still had some unfinished business. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she muttered, remembering the contract. ¡°How about you swing by my office tomorrow morning so you can cross those T¡¯s and dot those I¡¯s?¡± The bartender ced our orders on the bar and Lisa happily handed me a beer. ¡°Sure, Lisa. Noah and I need to start purchasing construction material and all the furnishings anyway,¡± I said taking a sip of my beer. ¡°Alright,¡± Lisa said, cheerfully. ¡°You do that and I¡¯ll go and pick up your permit from the Mayor. How does that sound?¡± Before I could answer her, I suddenly heard the door open, followed by several footsteps on the hard wooden floors. Lisa looked over my shoulder and grinned. ¡°Well, speaking of the devil,¡± she murmured and walked over to greet her friends. I slowly turned to face the devil. Chapter Comments Chapter 30 CHAPTER 30 The Councilman Joy Four people were shrugging off their coats and hanging them on the nearby coat rack. While I immediately recognized Nicole, Liam and Dan, I surmised the fourth and tallest person in their group, who Lisa was trying to kiss, was Cris Murdock. At first nce, Cris and Lisa looked as though theyplemented each other. He was her ¡®yin¡¯ and she was his ¡®yang¡¯. Cris had blonde hair like the color of ripe corn during a summer¡¯s harvest, gray eyes, a square jaw which gave him that manly rugged look, a pointy nose, and incredibly thin lips above a dimple on his chin. He was wearing a ck pinstripe suit and carrying a small briefcase. If it weren¡¯t for the little stain on a section of the upturned cor of his light gray shirt, I would have assumed he came from a business meeting. Aside from being Lisa¡¯s husband, Cris was Liam¡¯s bestfriend and the star quarterback when we were still in high school. Evidently, I wasn¡¯t the only one who noticed the stain on his cor. Lisa reached up and immediately fixed his cor, then quickly turned away from him. Not even her small smile could hide the sadness in her light brown eyes. ording to Sebastian, Cris was known to have a penchant for his young secretaries, something Lisa knew. ¡°Where¡¯s Jack?¡± Lisa asked, noticing they were one short. ¡°He¡¯s still down at the police station. There was an ident on the I-94 this afternoon,¡± Nicole answered, fixing her ck fitted minidress while scanning the people around the bar. ¡°Where¡¯s Dom? He said he was already here.¡± Wow, Nicole was keeping tabs on Sebastian. ¡°He¡¯s in the office with Chip and Bo, Lisa replied, walking towards me. She wrapped her arm around mine as if I was her new security nket. ¡°Cris honey, she¡¯s the one I was telling you. who bought the old Taylor house and fixed it up. Virtue, this is my husband, Cris Murdock. He¡¯s the town¡¯s councilman,¡± she said so proudly. Why shouldn¡¯t she be proud? She was like me in high school, practically a nobody, but look at her now; she was beautiful and married to our high school quarterback. Back then, as much as she tried to please Liam and Nicole, she could never get into their inner circle. It was quite pathetic actually, watching her kiss their a sses. may But high school is hellish and if you could be popr in any way, try as you may. J 1/5 CHAPTER 30 The Councilman I wanted for Cris to extend his hand or say something, but he just stood rooted at the spot, staring at me¡­ in awe. If his wife wasn¡¯t clutching my arm, I would feel triumphant in a way. That was the reason why I was here. To make them kneel on their knees and beg me to be theirs. I lowered my eyes, acting a little self-conscious, as Cris tantly stared at me. Cristian Murdock was the typical jo ck who bullied all the nerds, freaks and geeks. He¡¯d either give you a wedgie, steal your lunch money, make you do his school work for him, or if he was in a really bad mood, punch you in the face. When his coach reprimanded him for the numerous ck eyes he caused, he decided it was best to hit people in ces hidden by clothing. He b egan suc ker punching people in the gut or kicking people in the back. Since all injuries were practically invisible, Cris continued with his bad behavior, loving how he could get away with anything. Cris was the one who took my virginity, both vaginally and a nally. While I was tied bench press, he quickly took off his pants and underwear to f uck me, but his penis needed up to the coaxing. The only way for him to get an erection was for him to hurt me, but for him to reach an org asm¡­ well, he almost killed me. My fingers instinctively tightened around the neck of my beer bottle as images of him breaking my nose shed through my mind while he pumped harder and harder into my raw anus. I felt the urge to hit him on the head with my beer bottle then stab his face with the shattered bottle repeatedly until there was no skin left. I felt my cheeks grow warm just thinking about it. ¡°You¡¯re making her blush, Cris. By the way, wipe that drool off your face, Liam said, pushing him out of the way. ¡°Miss Sullivan, what a wonderful surprise! I¡¯m so d to see you here.¡± ¡°No need to be formal, Mayor Cohen. You can call me Virtue,¡± I smiled ¡°People of New Salem use Mayor Cohen when they speak to m ly at him. call me Liam instead.¡± He gestured to the bartender. ¡°Patrick, usual. The his head and began preparing their drinks. ¡°Virtue, would you care to join us? have a table reserved when we¡¯re here. Of course, Noah will be joining us too. Righ Liam gave me a quirky grin, but it looked more like a sneer rather than a smile. I looked at Noah, who was standing near the jukebox, hoping he would refuse their invitation, but he nodded his head meekly while casually drinking C 2/5 CHAPTER 30 The Councilman I took a couple of wine sses and the bottle of red wine and ced it in front of Sebastian. I gave Chip my credit card and told him to open a tab and include the drinks from Liam¡¯s table. ¡°Dominic, I need your help.¡± He smiled and poured himself and Nicole a ss. ¡°Virtue, you came to the right ce.¡± Cris I was tongue-tied, speechless! She was a goddess. And without even imagining hurting her, I got a full erection. This has never happened to me before. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t divorce my wife. Her family had a good standing in this town and were well-off. Lisa was also well-loved by the people, a hard worker, and she was photogenic, beautiful in pictures at any angle. But Virtue Sullivan was a ten! She had so little make-up on, but she was utterly beautiful. They way she blushed, bit her pink luscious lips, even her eyes were a unique kind of blue I have never seen before.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Her hair draped neatly on her shoulders even when she moved and her voice was se xy. Imagine waking up and seeing her face greet you in the morning. Oh wow! I wanted it to be me. Elections will be held on the second week of June. I will use Lisa to secure my reelection then divorce her and pursue a rtionship with Virtue. It sounded far-fetched, but maybe it was possible. I nced at the bar and saw how my wife had taken a liking to Virtue. I saw how wrapped her arm around hers. She was protecting her. I was busy watching Virtue¡¯s every move when Beth, one of the pub¡¯s server girls, ced our drinks on our table. ¡°Uhm, Mister Mayor Sir, all your drinks have been paid by Miss Virtue and she wants me to tell you she¡¯ll pay for everything for tonight,¡± Beth said to our surprise. Liam took hi scotch and raised it for a toast. ¡°To Miss Virtue then,¡± Liam said before downing his shot of scotch. ¡°Beth, if everything her, then keep theming.¡± O CHAPTER 30 The Councilman ¡°She checks out,¡± I whispered, after Beth left. Liam nodded his head. I was expecting him to say something, but he kept silent. ¡°Liam, she¡¯s an asset to our town,¡± Dan said. ¡°I heard the renovations she made to the old. Taylor house has increased its value two-fold. Now, she¡¯s nning to open a boutique to cater to the fashionable people of this town. We need someone like her. She isn¡¯t whatever you¡¯ve already judged her to be.¡± ¡°What do you know about her, Dan, huh? She just moved in and you¡¯ve already put her on a pedestal,¡± Liam argued. ¡°Well, I guess we can all agree she is the most beautiful woman in this town.¡± ¡°Exactly, Liam. She is the most beautiful woman here,¡± Dan said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you woo her to be your wife? With her by your side, you can run for Governor or maybe vie for the Senate. She obviously has money. No matter what Theodore Cohen says, Liam, she will make a perfect wife.¡± I sank into my chair, jealous and envious. Liam was single. He had a better chance of winning her than someone who was married like me. The only way I could get Liam out of the picture was to turn him in to the authorities or kill him. Unfortunately, he could do the same to either one of us. The s hit we do for ambition. It never pays. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom it¡¯s getting tense now VIEW 1 COMMENT POST COMMENT 30 5/5 Chapter 31 CHAPTER 31 Sacrifice at me. Fortunately, I survived gym ss without any other inconvenience. ¡°You know, Chip, Nicole did a wonderful job for my house. Maybe she can do wonders for your pub,¡± I said, helping Nicole redeem herself. Cristos eyed me warily. I raised an eyebrow 1 at him, daring him to challenge me. He knew we needed to get on her good side so she¡¯d talk. Cristos rolled his eyes, finally agreeing to a ceasefire. ¡°Oh yeah? I want to see your house. then. If I like what I see, I¡¯ll hire her.¡± ¡°Really?!¡± Nicole squealed. ¡°Oh my gosh! I have so many ideas for this ce!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself, honey¡± Cristos said, going behind the bar. ¡°I need to see Virtue¡¯s house first before I make my decision. And I don¡¯t want anything fancy. I want to keep the hardwood floors, but I do want to update the front bar, the bar top, back bar and under bar and include light instations and maybe oak panels on the walls. Once that¡¯s done, I¡¯ll need furniture that matches the interior.¡± ¡°I can get the construction done for you,¡± a familiar voice said behind me. I turned and found Noah. ¡°I can show you my portfolio tomorrow and take measurements. We can change this bart ice dark granite or quartz depending on your budget or you can go for a finish.¡± rything in my store,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°Why don¡¯t all of youe by tomorrow Dom, we live in the same house. Can¡¯t you just show me pictures so I don¡¯t have to wake up so early? You know I get hometer than the rest of you.¡± ¡°Yes I do know, but your establishment doesn¡¯t need to open early in the morning like the rest of us, Chip,¡± Sebastian said, yawning. ¡°And no, I don¡¯t have a catalog at home. Since you and Virtue are hiring the same contractor, it¡¯ll be more efficient for Noah, if all three of you came at the same time and did your shopping. Virtue wants her store to open in two weeks, but if you have construction done atProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. the same time, it¡¯ll bump Virtue¡¯s opening to ater date. What I suggest, Chip, is do your shopping tomorrow, have Noah start construction on your new bar with the necessary materials, so when he¡¯s free, he can install everything without-having to eat up Virtue¡¯s time frame. As for the walls, Stanley, Bo and I can help with that.¡± ¡°Hold up. I¡¯m too busy to install wall panels,¡± Xavier argued. ¡°The grocery store is open everyday which doesn¡¯t give me a holiday. P-plus, I just promised Virtue, I¡¯d help her set up her store. Right, Virtue?¡± My eyes darted instantly to his as he wiggled me into their 2/5 13:31 Mon, Mar 25 M CHAPTER 31 Sacrifice argument and I saw his puppy dog eyes begging at me. ¡°Yes, he did actually,¡± I confirmed, winking at Xavier. ¡°Since I¡¯m borrowing Bo for my store, I can offer you my services instead.¡± ¡°Ah, no, Virtue. We¡¯ll be fine without you,¡± Sebastian remarked, knowing I was bad with construction. I was the one who botched up the painting job at our home in Cbasas. I could draw my own designs, but I couldn¡¯t paint a wall¡­ go figure. ¡°Wow, you sound like Virtue here is bad with construction,¡± Lisa muttered, noticing the of Sebastian¡¯s voice. She was a bit drunk, having started since happy hour. tone ¡°Look at her hands, Lisa,¡± Sebastian said, cing my hand in his. I felt that familiar tingling sensation whenever we touched. ¡°These are hands that have never held a tool before. Not even a trowel for gardening.¡± He caressed the back of my hand gently, then turned it to show my palm. He ran his index finger along the length of palm, tickling my skin. I instantly felt that familiar warm longing erupt between my legs. Sebastian¡¯s lips curved into a knowing smile. He ced my hand back onto the bar top, his touch lingering on my skin. I sighed dreamily. Oh, how I missed them¡­. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him, Virtue,¡± Cristos eximed. It¡¯s my bar. You cane and destroy anything you want! I¡¯ll just have to bill you.¡± Everyoneughed. Now this was fun. But I could tell the others were tired and needed to get some sleep. ¡°Well, I have to go home. I have an early day tomorrow. What about you, Bo? Youing or will you be staying longer?¡± ¡°I¡¯ming with you. I need to be at the grocery store early for the deliveries,¡± Xavier answered. ¡°How about you, Nicole? Do you need me to drive you home?¡± Sebastian offered. He was always the gentleman. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Dom. Dan promised to drive me home, Nicole replied. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll see you all tomorrow,¡± Sebastian said and noticed Noah had a ss of scotch in his hands. ¡°Noah, aren¡¯t you driving?¡± ¡°Virtue and I will be walking home,¡± he answered. ¡°Oh no, you aren¡¯t. My bestfriend isn¡¯t going to walk. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll drive them home, 3/5 CHAPTER 31 Sacrifice Dom, Cristos said. ¡°Alright, then. Good night and drive safely. Nicole¡­ Lisa¡­ Sebastian patted both of them on the back. I waved good-bye at Xavier. I caught the longing in his eyes as he nced back at me before. leaving the pub and I felt my heart constrict in my chest. I didn¡¯t expect pretending not to know them would be difficult. Anyway, when construction starts for my boutique, I¡¯ll be able to spend more time with him. Noah sat at the now vacant seat beside me while Nicole returned to Liam¡¯s group. ¡°Finally, she¡¯s gone, Lisa said and sat straight in her chair. ¡°I thought you were already drunk, I murmured while I watched her order a new round from Cristos. ¡°Me? Drunk? Not even close,¡± Lisa said. ¡°But since Chip here has offered to drive the two of you home, you can join me. Chip, bourbon for me, beer for Noah and get your bestfriend a new bottle of wine. On me.¡± Nicole I took a seat beside Dan and watched as Lisa, Virtue and Noah toasted to their new friendship. I heaved a sigh. Abigail used to be by my side all the time in high school, but things suddenly changed after the spring formal during our junior year. She began avoiding us, focusing instead on school and the SAT¡¯s. I wasn¡¯t used to being alone, so during our senior year, I brought in Lisa to be part of our inner circle. Anyway, I owed her for helping me lure Joy Taylor into the boy¡¯s gym room. Joy Taylor wouldn¡¯t have come so willingly, if it weren¡¯t for Lisa. I knew she and her were friends even though Lisa would bad mouth her to me whenever we spoke. We never mentioned Joy Taylor¡¯s name all throughout our senior year, hoping the past wouldn¡¯t catch up to our present. When we graduated high school, Lisa was epted to Northwestern University and since her family had money, she was fortunate to leave the state. Liam, Cris and I went to neighboring Bismarck to finish school while Dan went to Univeristy of North Dakota and Jack stayed in New Salem to attendmunity college. 4/5 828 CHAPTER 31 Sacrifice During the Christmas of our sophomore year in college, Lisa came home for the holidays and we were all shocked to see she had blossomed into a beautiful woman. Cris, who Lisa had a high school crush on, immediately began dating her. After we graduated, Cris proposed to Lisa, asking her to be by his side as he started his political career. Lisa went into real estate while I opened my interior design business. I had thought everything was fine between us, until one night during Liam and Cris¡¯ victory party, Lisa became so drunk, she bitc hed about getting her involved in the Joy Taylor scandal. *Joy was my friend, Nicole,¡± she said, while we were both outside of the venue, trying to get some air. ¡°She didn¡¯t deserve that. Actually, no woman deserves to be treated that way. You should have told me what they had nned. I could have probably prevented them from hurting her that way.¡± I rushed towards her and pped her in the face. ¡°I would like to remind you we are at your husband¡¯s victory party. Or have you forgotten Cris was one of the boys implicated in Joy Taylor¡¯s assault? I grabbed her shoulders and made her look me straight in the eyes. ¡°Lisa, remember what I told you¡­ keep your mouth shut and your head down or someone wille knocking on your parents¡¯ doorstep. You won¡¯t like what happens next. Now, get a grip. love Cris and your parents, you¡¯ll make the sacrifice.¡± Liam¡¯s voice suddenly interrupted my thoughts, ¡°I need to talk to you. There¡¯s thing I need you to do for me.¡± nodded my head meekly and nced at Virtue and Lisa at the bar. I should have stayed with them. Chapter Comments 27 POST COMMENT NOW Chapter 32 CHAPTER 32 Keepsake Lisa up from ¡°Lisa, honey, it¡¯s time to go home,¡± Cris said gently from behind me. I gingerly stood. my barstool and gathered my things. It was one of the few nights I¡¯ve gone home a bit sober. ¡°Night, Virtue. I¡¯ll see you in the morning,¡± I said, cing the strap of my bag on my shoulder. ¡°I really had fun tonight.¡± ¡°I had fun tonight too, Lisa. We should do this again, but with coffee,¡± she replied with such a charming smile, I smiled back in return. Cris ced his arm around my shoulders and I waved goodbye to Virtue, Noah and Chip as he led me outside. When we exited the pub, I noticed Dan and Nicole drive off while a drunk Liam stumbled into the backseat of his ck BMW. The window of the driver¡¯s side was rolled down and I noticed Theodore Cohen¡¯s trusted driver, Henry, waiting for Liam to get his drunk as s into the car. Liam rarely drank to get drunk, but I guess tonight was one of those rare nights. Cris opened the passenger¡¯s side and waited for me to be seatedfortably before closing the door and climbing into the driver¡¯s side of our SUV. Virtue made an offer to buy the housest year even though she wasn¡¯t ready to move in. She said she fell in love with the house and the location and decided to buy the house so it would be taken off the market. I met with her in Bismarck a couple of months ago to discuss the renovations she wanted. done and I found her to be warm and friendly. After our meeting, I felt excessively guilty for selling her a home in a town where a lu natic mayor sits on the throne. Since she was still finalizing the sale of her home in Nevada, she asked me to oversee renovations, sending me huge amounts of money, telling me ten percent was allotted to me, just as long as renovations would be done by the time she arrives. We would chat on the phone from time to time and I found her polite and down-to-earth which is rareing from such a beautiful woman as herself. Usually women like her were demanding andpletely stuck up, but she never acted in such a way, which made me admire her more. Honestly, it amazes me so much, seeing her carry herself with such humility.¡± I nced at Cris who was focused on driving us home. We looked like the perfect couple, but 1/5 13:32 Mon, Mar CHAPTER 32 Keepsake in reality, we could no longer stand being with each other. For the sake of appearances, we still lived in the same house together, but we slept in separate rooms. We¡¯ve been sleeping seperately ever since I caught him f ucking his secretary on his desk. ¡°I think you surprised everyone, Lisa. We were all expecting an old woman to move into the old Taylor house,¡± Cris suddenly said, breaking the ice.. ¡°What made you guys think that?¡± I asked, confused.. ¡°Remember I asked you who was moving into that house that one night at the pub and you mumbled ¡®some woman,¡± he answered. ¡°We all expected it to be some retiree. You know, someone else who could get along with all the old folks at Taylor Loop.¡± He paused and shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Well, it seems you found a new friend. And I like how she¡¯s a positive influence on you.¡± 1 quietly scoffed at him. Whatever Cris¡­ ¡°I¡¯m actually happy I met her, Cris,¡± I murmured, ¡°I-I¡¯m just concerned for her safety. To tell you honestly, I feel guilty.¡± Guilty? Why Lisa?¡± He asked. ¡°Does this have something to do with Liam?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± I said, not wanting to say it out loud. I feared voicing out my concerns would make it a realityN?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. and I wanted to live in Never Never Land just a bit longer. I heard Cris sigh. ¡°I know what is going through your mind, Lisa.¡± ¡°Is there anything you can do, Cris?¡± I asked hoping he would offer to help, but I knew he had his hands tied. ¡°Well, Dan is trying to convince Liam that she would make an exceptional wife. Fm hoping Dan will get through to him and make him realize Virtue is an asset and not a liability,¡± he answered. ¡°If there is anything you can do to help, I would be very grateful,¡± I replied. ¡°You know, Cris, I really want us to be friends. You and I, we make a great team.¡± ¡°We do, Lisa,¡± he said, agreeing with me. ¡°I know this may not mean anything to you, do love you and I¡¯ll always will. I know I¡¯m a terrible husband, but Lisa, you can count on me to be a friend.¡± but I 2/5 CHAPTER 32 Keepsake cheek. Thanks, Cris. You¡¯ll always be special to me too, I sniffed, a tear falling down my This was actually the first time we have spoken civilly to each other ever since we decided to sleep in different bedrooms. It was a breakthrough for both us. Once we got home, I kissed him on the cheek and went straight to my bedroom to take a shower. After putting on my pajamas, I sat on the edge of my bed feeling a bit nostalgic. My eyes went to the three picture frames on my nightstand and I gazed lovingly at the photos staring back at me. One was a photo of me and my parents during my college graduation, the other was a wedding photo of me and Cris, while the third photo was taken during the spring formal of my junior year¡­ my only keepsake of my friendship with Joy Taylor. I picked it up and ran my fingers along the zing of the frame, wistfully yearning for the young girl, who had her arms wrapped around my teenage self as she grinned happily at the camera, to appear. 1 often ask myself why. Why did I listen to Nicole? Why didn¡¯t I go back for Joy? WHY DIDN¡¯T I DO SOMETHING¡­ANYTHING?! hat kind of a sick person am 1? o many questions¡­ none of them with answers. Poor Joy. It has been ten long painful years and no one knew where she was. I tried calling her aunt in California, hoping for some information, but she said she had no idea where the Taylor family could have gone. I tried looking for her through social media, but there were so many women with the same name, it was impossible for me to find her. I tried keeping the old Taylor house in the market, hoping one day, they would return and Joy would hug me tightly and tell me all is forgiven. ¡°I didn¡¯t know, Joy. Honestly, I thought it was just a prank. I really didn¡¯t know,¡± I whispered. to the young girl with chestnut colored hair and stunning aquamarine eyes. get some sleep. I I ced the picture frame back on my nightstand and prepared myself to get sighed, remembering my night. Virtue Sullivan reminded me of Joy. They both had the same sultry voice and the same sing- 3/5 CHAPTER 32 Keepsake songugh. They were both optimistic and hardly spoke an unkind word to anyone. I closed my eyes, allowing myself to drift off to sleep, feeling a heavy burden has been lifted. from my shoulders knowing Cris stood beside me in a way. loy ¡°Chip, how far do you live from here?¡± I asked as we exited the pub with Noah in tow. We left Patrick, the bartender, to lock up for the night. Everyone went home early and we were fortunate to leave at half past midnight. ¡°About a twenty minute drive that way,¡± Cristos said, pointing to the direction of Old Man Eugene¡¯s house. Old Man Eugene¡¯s family and my dad¡¯s family were pioneers in this town. Back in the day, my dad¡¯s family was well-off, but a string of misfortunes gued the family. After his parents died, all he inherited was our house located on acres of property and the grocery store. statue at New Salem Park where a Summers and a Taylor stood hand in hand ther. I did some research when I was in high school and saw an article on the mysterious death of Mayor Owen Summers. His sessor, Ethan Cohen, was believed to have bought his way in, but no one could ever prove it. Ethan Cohen went on to say the malicious. usations were made by his detractors who wanted a Summers or a Taylor in town hall. The Cohens arrived during the prohibition period together with their unexinable wealth. After Ethan Cohen seized power, no other Summers or Taylor was ever elected again. Instead, the mayoralty was handed from a Cohen patriarch to son. Their mansion is perched atop Prairie¡¯s Peak, a hill overlooking town hall. It was secluded and well- guarded. ¡°Well, mine is five minutes away in that direction,¡± I said, pointing the other way, as he helped me drag Noah to his bronze Range Rover, I whistled. I should get one. ¡°Uhm, my car costs as much as your car, so you shouldn¡¯t be impressed,¡± Cristos said, practically pushing Noah into the backseat of the luxury SUV and mming the door, clearly irritated. ¡°Although, mine IS new. Fine, go ahead and be impressed.¡± He opened the passenger door for me and I climbed in, checking out its interior. Nice, I waited for him to slide into the driver¡¯s seat before we talked cars. 4/5 13:32 Mon, Mar 25 M SE L CHAPTER 32 Keepsake ¡°I was thinking of getting one¡­ I mean an SUV. What does Dom and Bo drive?¡± I asked. ¡°You and Dom have the same taste. He has a Mercedes SUV while Bo, who is more. masculine, drives a Land Rover Defender. I was about to buy one. It¡¯s a real beaut,¡± he said, driving towards the direction of my house. ¡°I can imagine,¡± I said, knowing Xavier. I nced through the rearview mirror and noticed there was another car behind us. I turned in my chair to take a closer look and saw a BMW emblem. ¡°You noticed too, huh?¡± Cristos said, looking through the rear view mirror. ¡°Let¡¯s get Noah home first, shall we?¡± Cristos drove calmly, but he opened the center console to have his gun readily avable if needed. We dropped off Noah first. Cristos had to shake him awake because there was no way in hell and we could carry him. Then, Cristos parked his SUV in front of my house. He took his gun ced it in his leather sling bag while I readied my knife before exiting the car. Liam¡¯s BMW was parked near the trees at the entrance of the cul-de-sac. calling Dom and Bo,¡± Cristos said walking into the house while dialing his phone. ¡°You ould get on the phone and call the police.¡± I took out my gun from a kitchen cab and ced it behind a throw pillow of my sofa before calling the Sheriff. The home security consultant I hired would be arriving tomorrow. I had to wait until construction on the house was finished since I didn¡¯t trust Lisa to oversee the instation. I just didn¡¯t expect Liam to begin stalking me so soon. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom This book has me h ooked so far VIEW 1 COMMENT > Chapter 33 CHAPTER 33 What if? Sebastian During our first few months in New Salem, it was hard to move around. The weather was bad and the Sheriff was always doing his rounds around town at night. When we were at the pub, Jack would always be there with his friends. One night, Xavier and I decided to go to the diner for some greasy cheeseburgers, but the Sheriff was at the entrance, blocking us from entering. He told us to go on home because there was some sort of meeting going on. We tried to peek inside, but the curtains were down, blocking our view. Xavier installed a CCTV camera in front of the diner, but nothing out of the ordinary popped up. We did notice certain folks woulde in at the same time during a particr part of the day and they all had a ck sling bag with them. I tried peaking into a bag of one of those people who happened to enter my shop, but there wasn¡¯t anything out of the ordinary. Xavier did the same, but he didn¡¯t find anything to go with. Since we couldn¡¯t use our cars or motorcycles to do surveince at night, we would go on foot, dressed in white to blend with the snow if we needed to hide. This is the reason why we¡¯ decided we would stay in our offices once Joy moved in. It was an eight minute jog to get to her house. Xavier and I arrived at his secret office at the warehouse section of his grocery store from the pub. Since Joy was already in town, we were going to start spending the night in our respective offices. I sat down on Xavier¡¯s leather couch, deep in thought. After Xavier and I arrived in New Salem, Cristos called after two weeks informing us someone had asked about us. For Joy, it was a matter of hours. ¡°Sebastian, someone called asking about Virtue, Cristos said while we were in his office earlier this evening. ¡°My team intercepted and answered all the questions that a certain Tom Smith asked.¡± ¡°The people who run this town don¡¯t like to be caught off-guard especially by someone young,¡± I said. ¡°For the past six months, I¡¯ve noticed that the people who¡¯ve been moving. into this town are either middle-aged or older, people who like to stay at home or won¡¯t put up a fight. Before they even move into their respective homes, the whole town knows them by their names.¡± There was a section of New Salem that was now a sprawling residential area 1/4 13:32 Mon, Mar 25 M du CHAPTER 33 What If? with its own clubhouse and church. ¡°Cristos, how are Benny and Leo doing at the Cohen Mansion?¡± Xavier asked, hoping they had found some additional information that we could use. Bernard and Leonard Primo were two of Cristos closest cousins and have been working as guards for the past three months at the Cohen Mansion on Prairie¡¯s Peak. We heard through De Luca¡¯s contacts that the Cohens were hiring new guards and asked them to go undercover. They were younger than us, muscr, tall, and didn¡¯t resemble Cristos in any way. Bernard was a blonde while Leonard was a redhead. ¡°They¡¯re onpound duty most of the time, but cargoes in every two weeks as usual. They don¡¯t know what¡¯s in the crates although the other guards say the crates are filled with bottles of wine. They overheard Liam saying they will be moving the cargoe election,¡± Cristos said. ¡°I told them if they need to kill someone to get into Liam¡¯s good graces, then do it.¡± ¡°Who among the people on our watch has gone to the mansion?¡± I asked. ¡°Nicole, Cris, Jack, Dan and Noah,¡± Cristos enumerated. ¡°The usual.¡± There was something I noticed a while ago at Liam¡¯s office. Nicole¡¯s palms became sweaty ter she and Noah made eye contact. It¡¯s my first time to ever see Nicole react that way to Noah,¡± I told them. ¡°I know Noah is one of the handful of people who has the privilege of entering the Cohen Mansion. I¡¯ve always suspected he was on Liam¡¯s payroll, but I assumed for odd jobs. What if Noah is a hitman?¡± Xavier began tough hysterically. It did seem a bit farfetched. Noah obviously didn¡¯t fit the profile. But then again, I¡¯ve seen Xavier go out of his way to pretend he was a homeless man just to get close to his mark. What if? ¡°And what makes you think that?¡± Xavier asked after he stoppedughing. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have the balls to kill someone, Sebastian. You know what I think? Noah¡¯s a snitch. He keeps an eye on people and if they as much as think of betraying Liam, all Liam has to do is make life unpleasant for them.¡± ¡°But what do these people do for Liam exactly? Cargoes in at the Cohen Mansion looking like crates filled with wine bottles. People going to the diner with ck sling bags. This is a well-nned scheme they have going on,¡± I said, frustrated. ¡°The only crimes that have happened in this town, that we actually know of, is the one involving Joy, which I may 2/4 13:32 Mon, Mar 25 Ju CHAPTER 33 What if? 82% add is practically non-existent, and the death of Joan. Other than that, this town is squeaky clean.¡± ¡°I told you we should put a bug in the diner,¡± Xavier said, annoyed. ¡°Wait, Virtue said she¡¯s nning to have a housewarming party. Why don¡¯t we ask her to go to the diner and order. food for her party? Cristos, you go with her and nt a bug.¡± ¡°Alright. I know the perfect spot. If we¡¯re able to enter the office of the diner, I¡¯ll get one in there too,¡± Cristos said. ¡°By the way, my team found a document from all the files I sent them from this office. It¡¯s a blueprint of the Cohen Mansion.¡± He clicked on hisptop and showed us a photo of the blueprint which was hard to read. I zoomed in on a portion and pointed at it. ¡°There seems to be a tunnel leading towards town hall. Can you see it, Xavier?¡± I asked him. He inched his face closer to the screen for a better look. e crates ¡°It seems to lead to the basement of town hall,¡± Xavier answered. ¡°It¡¯s possible those will be moved there. But the question remains, what is in those crates? Firearms perhaps?¡± *Firearms being shipped here every two weeks? For what? To go deer hunting? No, it has to be something else,¡± I said. ¡°Well, Theodore Cohen will be leaving this weekend ording to Leo. He¡¯ll be going to the Cohen cabin in the woods near theke,¡± Cristos informed us. ¡°Have Leo ce a tracker on his car. After you¡¯ve pinged on his location, try and get satellite images. This is actually one of those rare times Theodore Cohen will be out on his own. If he¡¯s still running the show, he¡¯ll probably meet with someone¡­hopefully someone who can give us answers.¡± The sound of Xavier¡¯s phone ringing interrupted my thoughts, bringing me back to the present. ¡°He¡¯s here with me. We¡¯ll be there in ten minutes, Xavier said before hanging up. ¡°Get dressed. Liam¡¯s car is parked in front of Joy¡¯s house. They need back up.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take my car,¡± I said without thinking. I quickly stood up from Xavier¡¯s couch, banging my knee against the small coffee table. The pain from hitting the edge of the table didn¡¯t register. Instead, my pulse was beating so fast against my chest while my body had be cold and mmy. For the first time in my life, I was afraid. 3/4 13:32 Mon, Mar 25 dC CHAPTER 33 What if? I knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to live with myself if something happened to Joy. If I was panicking, Xavier was all business. He had already taken off his jeans and was putting on a pair of ck pants while I just stood there. After zipping up his pants, he threw. a ck long sleeved shirt with a pair of matching pants at me. ¡°Sebastian, we go on foot. This might be a test. If they see using to her aid, they¡¯ll know something¡¯s up,¡± Xavier said matter-of factly while putting on a ck long sleeved shirt. ¡°Get dressed and take whatever weapon you want.¡± He nudged his head towards his weapons cache while putting on a pair of boots. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. We quietly exited his grocery store dressed head to foot in ck. Xavier was carrying his s niper rifle in a ck bag slung over his back while I had a Nighthawk Custom GRP with a suppressor. We ran towards the old Taylor house as fast as we could. We were already in position, hiding in the woods, when a dark gray RAM truck parked behind Liam¡¯s ck BMW. Crouching down, I slowly crept my way towards the two vehicles, hoping to eavesdrop on Liam and the Undersheriff. I needed to know¡­. ¡°What was Liam doing here? Chapter Comments Luna-Mom Another great chapter Morgan I can¡¯t believe I actually feel bad for her¡­. VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS? Chapter 34 CHAPTER 34 The Undersheriff Jack 82% ¡°Jack, we just got a call from the old Taylor house. I need you to go check it out before you head home,¡± Sheriff Combs said, as I was straightening my desk. I heaved a sigh. It has been a long day and all I wanted to do was get home, take a hot shower and climb into bed. ¡°Old Taylor house?¡± I asked, puzzled. No one has lived there for years. I followed him into his office and closed the door. ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? A young woman just moved in. They¡¯ve been renovating that house for months. I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t know, Sheriff Combs answered. Oh, right¡­ ¡°Now I remember. Yeah, Lisa mentioned she sold the house to a woman. She never mentioned anything else. What¡¯s theint about?¡± I asked, hoping it was just another stray dog. When the Sheriff scratched his head, I knew it wasn¡¯t anything simple. ¡°A suspicious looking vehicle is parked near her home. A ck BMW. I don¡¯t need to give you license te. You already know who it is,¡± he said, shaking his head. hat the f uck is Liam doing there? ¡°Name and description of the woman living at the old Taylor house,¡± I asked. ¡°Virtue Sullivan. 27 years old. Single. Five foot nine. Moved here from Nevada. I saw her a while ago with Noah at Harold¡¯s. Blonde hair, blue-gray eyes, pretty,¡± the Sheriff answered and gestured for me to come closer. ¡°She¡¯s not your typical helpless female. Tell your friend it isn¡¯t ideal behavior to stalk women and follow them to their homes. If she takes a video or a photo of his car and uploads it on social media then goes missing, he will be the first person the good people of the virtual world will point their fingers at.¡± He leaned back on his chair and gave me a telling look. If he goes down, we all go down. F uck! ¡°Got it, Sheriff. I¡¯ll go over there and fix what needs fixing,¡± I said, annoyed Liam was up to his old tricks. ¡°You do that, son. Assure Miss Sullivan that it won¡¯t happen again.¡± I tipped my hat at the Sheriff and rushed out of his office. The police station was just a quick drive to the old 1/6 13:32 Mon, Mar 25 CHAPTER 34 The Undersheriff Taylor house and wasn¡¯t far from where I lived. 82% I explicitly told Liam toy low after Joan Summers. We were lucky another body was found. along with hers with the same cause of death making it look like a serial murder case. Although initial evidence from Joan Summers¡¯ investigation went missing, we pinned her death on the same suspect who murdered the twenty year old college student from Bismarck. Sheriff Combs found him a couple of weeks ago, via an anonymous tip, hiding at an abandoned underground coal mine just within New Salem jurisdiction with the murder weapon in his possession. Forensics found Joan Summers¡¯ blood on it. Despite of the ¡®new found¡¯ evidence and a suspect in tow, there were still people who weren¡¯t convinced we had nothing to do with it. I couldn¡¯t me them. After a high school student imed she saw Liam following Joan Summers and all four of us present at the New Salem High Spring Formal, who wouldn¡¯t? Especially after Joy Taylor. Liam¡¯s ck BMW was parked near the old Taylor house as I approached the entrance to the cul-de- sac. I parked my truck behind it, casually walked up to the driver¡¯s side of the car and knocked on the window three times. The window automatically rolled down revealing the Cohens¡¯ trusted driver, Henry, behind the wheel. ¡°Good evening, Henry. You wanna tell me why you¡¯re parked out here in front of the old Nor house?¡± I asked, not surprised to find him in the driver¡¯s seat. efore he could answer, the window of the door to the backseat of the car rolled down and out popped Liam¡¯s face. From where I was standing, I could smell the distinct aroma of scotch on his breath. ¡°What are you doing here?!¡± Liam hissed. ¡°I should be asking you the same thing, Liam,¡± I answered. ¡°We made a wrong turn,¡± Liam lied. I rolled my eyes. ¡°We got a call down at the station about a suspicious looking vehicle parked out in front of the old Taylor house.¡± I bent down to stare at him in the face. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but whatever this is, Liam, it doesn¡¯t look good. If the woman in that house takes a picture of our car and posts it on the inte, whatever spections this town has of you, Joy Taylor and Joan Summers¡­ all of that will be true in their eyes.¡± I wrinkled my nose at the smell of alcohol on his breath. ¡°What you should do is go on home and get some sleep.¡± Liam smirked at me. 2/6 82% CHAPTER 34 The Undersheriff ¡°You know, Jack, you aren¡¯t Sheriff yet. If I don¡¯t get reelected as mayor, you can kiss you dreams goodbye,¡± Liam threatened. I let out a frustrated sigh. ¡°Liam, I¡¯m your friend and I¡¯m just looking out for you. No more stunts like these until the election,¡± I said, trying to persuade him to listen to me. Finally, Henry, the voice of reason, came to my defense. ¡°Undersheriff, you¡¯re right. We will be on our way home now,¡± Henry said and started the car. ¡°Drive safely,¡± I said as they drove off to Cohen Mansion. All I have to do now is speak to Virtue Sullivan and I can go home. Joy I was hoping Sheriff Combs woulde. We needed evidence confirming the close rtionship between him and the Cohens. But he sent someone else to check up on my comint. As the police officer spoke to Liam, I watched through the curtains while Cristos was outside. king photos using my DSLR camera just in case my CCTV footage was unclear. vier and Sebastian were already hidden within the trees before the police officer arrived. Xavier was aiming a sn iper rifle while Sebastian was probably somewhere near the car trying to eavesdrop. After several minutes, the BMW¡¯s headlights finally turned on and drove away. The police officer then began to walk towards my house. I quickly went to the powder room to fix myself and waited for him to ring the doorbell. Once the doorbell rang, I slowly walked to the door and opened it as far as the door chain. would allow. I peeked through the cr ack, looking frightened. However, when I recognized who it was, my eyes narrowed icily. No wonder Sheriff Combs didn¡¯te to my rescue. He sent Jackson Emery instead. Jackson Emery was our champion wrestler. He was dubbed ¡°The Superman¡¯ because of his strength, his muscr physique, his ck hair and his light blue eyes. During our junior year, his coach had already begun grooming him for college scouts, hoping Jack would be offered a schrship at a prestigious university. An injury during his senior year destroyed all hopes of a schrship and Jack, unlike his friends, had to finish school at themunity. 3/6 82% CHAPTER 34 The Undersheriff college. Jack wasn¡¯t as quick-tempered as Cris. Sure, he pushed people around, especially when they were in his way, but he wasn¡¯t as impulsive or reckless. He was quiet most of the time and always appeared to be daydreaming in ss. When I became hisb partner in Science our junior year, we bonded. And since I was naive and gullible, I thought he and I were friends. Images of him pounding away on my raw vagina shed through my mind. I remember him grabbing my breasts and squeezing them so tightly, his sweat dripping on me while he struggled to c um, his breath on my face as he pumped harder and harder while I struggled to remove my ankles from my restraints so I could close my thighs and kick him away. 1 remember how his hands wrapped around my throat and strangled- ¡°Miss Sullivan, good evening. I¡¯m Undersheriff Jackson Emery,¡± he said politely, showing me his badge through the cr ack. ¡°We received a call from you about a suspicious looking vehicle parked near your residence. I¡¯d like to inform you there is nothing to worry about. The driver just seemed to have lost his way and stopped to make a phone call. After I gave him directions, he has gone on his way. He apologizes for the trouble he may have caused you and promises to never bother you or the people of this neighborhood ever again.¡± I closed the door to unhook the chain so I could thank him properly when I noticed the aseball bat Cristos had left on the corner beside the door. I imagined myself taking the bat d swinging it across Jack¡¯s face. I pictured him copsing on my doorstep, blood spurting. ut of his mouth. I coughed, opened the door and gave him a bright smile. I noticed the momentary surprise in his eyes before his lips curved upward into that goofy grin of his. He always smiled that way when he saw Abigail. When we wereb partners, he admitted that he had a long-time crush on her, but didn¡¯t have the guts to ask her out. ¡°Thank you so much, Undersheriff Emery,¡± I said. ¡°You must forgive me. I¡¯m new in town and living alone. I guess my emotions got the best of me.¡± ¡°d to be of service. I noticed the bronze Range Rover parked in front. Is Chip here with you?¡± He asked, pointing at Cristos¡¯ car. Nothing goes unnoticed in this town. ¡°Yes, he is,¡± I answered. ¡°He drove-¡± ¡°Undersheriff Jackson Emery! We missed you at the pub tonight,¡± Cristos said, back in character and appearing from the den, holding my universal remote. He snuck in through the back before Jack rang the doorbell. ¡°I told Virtue it was nothing, but she told me to stay until the car left.¡± 4/6 13:32 Mon, Mar 25 90 E CHAPTER 34 The Undersheriff 87 ¡°Well, it¡¯s nice to know you¡¯re with her, Jack said, looking inside my new home. ¡°Wow, I like what you¡¯ve done to this ce.¡± He nodded his Head appreciatively. ¡°Anyway, Virtue, if you need anything and I mean anything, give me a call.¡± He handed me his card. ¡°I¡¯ll do that. Thanks, Undersheriff,¡± I said, as I reached for his card. ¡°Jack. You can call me Jack,¡± he said, while his fingers brushed against mine. It made my skin crawl. ¡°Well, thank you for all your help¡­ Jack.¡± ¡°If I run into you in town, maybe we can go and get some coffee? Or maybe grab a drink at the pub?¡± When pigs fly, Jack. ¡°Sure, I¡¯m opening a small store beside Bo¡¯s so you¡¯ll be seeing me in town. We start construction soon,¡± I answered. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll see you soon, then. Good night, Virtue.¡± He waved at me and walked down the brick steps. od night, Jack.¡± I slowly closed the door. I peered through my peephole and saw him walk ncing back at my door with a silly grin on his face. After he drove off, the back door to my house opened and in came Xavier and Sebastian. After giving Sebastian a tight hug, I turned to Xavier and he held me tightly against his body, resting his cheek against my forehead. ¡°I don¡¯t want to let you go. I¡¯ve missed you so much,¡± he croaked and lowered his lips to give me a long lingering kiss. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too, Xavier¡­ All three of you¡­¡± Cristos suddenly coughed.. ¡°I hate to break the reunion, but you guys need to see this.¡± 5/6 CHAPTER 34 The Undersheriff Chapter Comments Luna-Mom I too want to know what¡¯s happening in this town VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS > 28 SHAREThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Chapter 35 CHAPTER 35 Pretending Xavier After kissing Joy, I hugged her so tightly. I didn¡¯t want to let her go. It has been six long months since I had Joy in my arms. Unlike Sebastian and Cristos, once I arrived in New Salem, I stayed, keeping a close watch on the people of this town. I had my suspicions, but I didn¡¯t have the evidence to prove my theories¡­ not just yet. Joy was supposed to arrive when construction on her shop was almost finished, but after they arrested a man said to be the primary suspect of the murders of both Kimberly Smith and Joan Summers, Joy decided toe early. I, of course, was against it, but now I see how distracted Liam and his group have be now that Joy was here. I saw how Cris stood in the middle of the pub, all tongue-tied, drooling right in front of her. I noticed the longing looks Liam gave her while she sat at the bar. I saw how Noah. whispered something into Liam¡¯s ear when they passed each other at the restroom. And just while ago, I saw the grin on Jack¡¯s face when he walked back to his truck. to admit, there was something different about Noah, although I still didn¡¯t agree with b astian¡¯s theory that Noah could be a hitman. If he was a hitman, why didn¡¯t he finish off Joy when he drove her home after her assault? Did he feel sorry for her because they were bestfriends? I could see the dilemma. But Noah the assassin? don¡¯t think so. ¡°What is it, Cristos? What did you see from the CCTVS?¡± Sebastian asked as we followed them into Joy¡¯s sound proof den. I sat down on the couch and made Joy sit right beside me. I buried my nose in her hair, blissfully inhaling the floral scent of her shampoo. ¡°I miss the smell of your hair,¡± I murmured, kissing the top of her head. She giggled and snuggled closer, wrapping her arms around my neck. ¡°Focus, you two,¡± Cristos scoffed at us. I took a throw pillow and threw it at him. ¡°I¡¯ve missed Joy,¡± I murmured, staring at her and caressing her cheek. ¡°I¡¯ve been in this town. for six solid months helping everyone with their shopping. Please¡­ let me be happy just this once.¡± Sebastian rolled his eyes at me, then fixated his gaze on the screen of the huge Smart 1/4 Mon, CHAPTER 35 Pretending TV. ¡°Is that Noah?¡± Sebastian asked, surprised. Cristos nodded his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this from Noah,¡± Cristos said. ¡°He pretended to be drunk and asleep in my car while I drove. Virtue, if we had slipped and reverted back to our names, he would have found out. We have to make it a rule to use our fake names everywhere and anywhere in this town. It doesn¡¯t matter if we¡¯re alone in the car. ¡°Chip is right. We have to embrace our fake identities full time,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°Chip, I need. you to call Lou and tell him to fly in as soon as possible, so he can install the security system of Virtue¡¯s home. I want him hereter in the day.¡± He pointed to the ongoing now footage on one of the smaller windows at the bottom of the screen. Noah was looking through the windows of Joy¡¯s house, trying to find cr acks within the curtains. ¡°It looks like. he¡¯s been employed by Liam to keep a close watch on you, Virtue, a very close watch.¡± ¡°What did you hear from Liam and Jack¡¯s conversation, Dom? Do you know why Liam was parked outside?¡± I asked. ¡°Jack told Liam toy low until elections and no, Liam didn¡¯t say why he followed Virtue,¡± Sebastian answered while he reviewed the footage. ¡°Noah came out from the back of his house and stopped at the big elm tree at the side of Virtue¡¯s yard. He was listening to her versation with Jack. Now, he¡¯s trying to peek through the windows. This isn¡¯t the Noah we known for the past six months. There¡¯s something different about him.¡± ¡°I was just thinking the same thing. Can we now include him on the list?¡± I asked them, hoping they would agree. Well, I gotta try. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. ¡°To kill? It¡¯s up to Virtue,¡± Cristos answered. ¡°But I¡¯m going to start doing some digging. I can¡¯t believe he outsmarted me¡­ I mean, us.¡± ¡°I think you should hire another contractor for your store, Virtue,¡± I suggested. ¡°He could do all kinds of sabotage or h ook up CCTV cameras as small as a screw in hard to reach areas.or even ce a bug.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t, Bo. I already hired him,¡± Joy argued. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Lou is suppose to give me this camera detector and bug scanner device.¡± ¡°If he doesn¡¯t, you can borrow one of ours,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°Chip, I need you to hack into his home Wi- Fi system, get all his passwords and check if he orders anything online, especially CCTV cameras and audio listening devices,¡± Sebastian ordered Cristos. 2/4 13:32 Mon, Mar 25 d CHAPTER 35 Pretending ¡°Gotcha, I¡¯ll check his schedule while I¡¯m on it,¡± Cristos replied, nodding his head. ¡°Do you have anything on Nicole, Abigail or even Lisa?¡± I asked him. 82% ¡°I¡¯ve hacked into their Wi-Fiwork and have all their data, but I haven¡¯t found anything unusual in their group chat except for the usual Let¡¯s get a drink. Not even Cris. I suspect they use burner phones without Wi-Fi capability. I went over to Sheriff Combs¡¯ house and didn¡¯t detect a Wi-Fi system,¡± Cristos said, sighing. ¡°He¡¯s a dinosaur. As for the Cohen Mansion, it has security roaming twenty-four seven. That ce is built to keep everyone out. Leo and Benny are currently on the inside getting information, but we need to move faster.¡± Leonard and Bernard Primo are two of Cristos closest cousins. When we told them of our ns, they wanted in right away, but Cristos told them to wait until we can find them the perfect undercover job and now they have been working at the mansion for three months. ¡°Chip, you need to hack into town hall,¡± Joy suggested. ¡°Or ce a bug or camera inside. Liam¡¯s office, maybe even Cris¡¯ office and the Sheriff¡¯s. Those three offices are easily essible to the public.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t I I think of that? I¡¯ll hack into town hall asap. But bugging Liam¡¯s office¡­ it isn¡¯t as easy as it sounds, Virtue,¡± Cristos said. ¡°Not everyone is allowed inside Liam¡¯s office. Have you gone into Liam¡¯s office, Dom?¡± Sebastian shook his head. ¡°How about you, Bo?¡± I shook my head too. ¡°I haven¡¯t either. See?¡± nput a bug in Cris Murdock¡¯s office,¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯s been hounding me about sponsorship r his reelection. I¡¯ll ask him to meet with me at his office.¡± ¡°One down,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°Any takers for the Sheriff¡¯s office?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll do it,¡± Joy answered. The three of us looked at her reluctantly. ¡°I-I think Jack has a crush on me. He asked me to have coffee with him if we ever bump into each other in town. I¡¯ll try and visit his workce after we¡¯ve had coffee.¡± ¡°You are going to go on a date with that f ucker?¡± I asked, feeling jealous and angry. ¡°Bo, isn¡¯t that why I¡¯m here?¡± Joy took my hand and ced it on her cheek. ¡°Remember, it¡¯s for a od cause.¡± ¡°Bo, we¡¯ve already discussed this,¡± Sebastian argued. ¡°Virtue¡¯s here to manipte all four¡­. well, five, if we count Noah. I¡¯ll ce a bug in the newly renovated office at town hall. Nicole told me someone close to Liam will be using that office. Chip, have Benny and Leo ce a tracking device on Liam¡¯s car.¡± 3/4 Mon, Mar 25 Mu CHAPTER 35 Pretending ¡°Got it.¡± 3.82% ¡°Onest thing,¡± Sebastian took out a ck box which looked like an airpod charging case from his his pocket. ¡°Virtue, I need you to ce a bug inside Noah¡¯s house. It¡¯s already preformatted so all you have to do is stick it in a concealed space like under a table.¡± He give you a GPS tracking device if I can¡¯t ce one on Noah¡¯s truck myself.¡± Joy nodded her head enthusiastically while cing the small ck case in her pocket. handed the box to Joy. ¡°Noah just ran back to the elm tree,¡± I said, pointing at the screen of the Smart TV. ¡°Chip you need to leave while we run out the back door. Virtue, go outside and say goodbye to Chip,¡± I instructed. I saw the disappointment in her eyes. I lifted her chin so I could gaze into her beautiful blue eyes. ¡°Hey, we¡¯ll see youter in the morning. You can spend time at Dom¡¯s store or hang around at the grocery. Remember, we¡¯ll be sleeping at our offices from now on. Chip, though, is still clearing out Old Man Eugene¡¯s office,¡± I told her, kissing her on her forehead. ¡°Well, since I¡¯m having construction done, I can fix the back and make it into an office sh bedroom and have a sofa bed ced inside, Chip. So all three of you are next to each other,¡± Joy offered. I that¡¯s a n,¡± Cristos said, smiling. ¡°Okay, we all need to leave. Virtue, make sure you your gun beside you when you sleep. Bo, switch off the lights at the back before you ys leave.¡± gave Joy onest hug and quickly went to the back door of her house without looking at her. I felt I wouldn¡¯t be able to leave if I looked at her one more time. ¡°Hey, the GPS tracker I put on Dan¡¯s car shows me he and Nicole went somewhere else,¡± Sebastian said while I turned off the lights in the back. ¡°You wanna check it out?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Chapter Comments Luna-Mom another great chapter, full of suspense. VIEW 1 COMMENT > 27 < SHARE POST COMMENT Chapter 36 CHAPTER 36 Donuts Joy After the boys left, I took a quick shower, crawled into my king-size bed¡­ ¡­alone¡­. ¡­.with my gun in the drawer of my nightstand and went to sleep. I woke up to the loud sound of chiming bells and groaned. With my eyes still closed, I reached over on to the nightstand, blindly feeling my way to the source of the sound. Once I felt my phone, I quickly tapped on it and the ring sound disappeared, allowing the silence of my room to surround me once more. I was still groggy, but I had to wake up. I promised Lisa I¡¯d be at her office early in the my word. morning and when it came to business, I was true to my 1 sat up and stretched my hands above my head, bending from side to side to wake up. It was five- fifteen in the morning and still dark, but I needed to go for an early jog before I started my day. ressed in running gear. A simple white tee over a blue sports bra, blue running shorts ite running shoes. I tied my hair into a high pony tail and ced my phone, wallet, and a face towel into a small jogging pouch. It was a bit chilly outside, but nothing 1 couldn¡¯t handle. I did some stretching exercises at the bottom of the brick steps in front of my doorway, holding on to the ck railing while I held each foot behind me. After stretching, I proceeded down the street, exiting the cul-de-sac into town. I decided to jog to the diner to grab breakfast to go and pick up my car at Cristos¡¯ pub. Sadly, Cristos had to leave to provide Sebastian and Xavier some cover. I was hoping he would spend the night. Unfortunately, we weren¡¯t expecting to find Noah sober and spying on me. At least I was able to share a sweet moment with Xavier. Among the three of them, I didn¡¯t -see him the longest. While Sebastian and Cristos made quick trips to California, Xavier sacrificeding home. He didn¡¯t want Liam and his buddies snooping around while he was gone, especially when he had ¡®sensitiveThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. equipment¡¯ lying around the warehouse of his grocery store. Well, as they say, good thingse to those who wait, and finally, we were together again. 1/5 13.32 Mon, Mar 25 CHAPTER 36 Donuts I stopped right in front of the diner and steadied my breathing before entering. The diner opens at five and usually has fresh pastries served by six. I nced at my watch and saw that I was ten minutes early. I entered the diner and took a seat at the counter. I was patiently waiting for the server, ying with a dinner knife, when someone sat beside me. I turned my head and saw Jack Emery smiling at me, freshly showered and dressed for work. ¡°Good morning, Virtue! I guess Go d heard my prayer this morning. I smiled at him, but the grip I had on the dinner knife tightened. I wasn¡¯t expecting to see him so soon. What rotten luck¡­ Well, a dinner knife may not be sharp, but I can stab him in the eye with one. Jack driving to the diner when I saw her running. Her long legs kept a steady pace. while her a ss sashayed with every step she made. I thought she was going to turn around and ead on home, but she ran towards the diner instead. She took a moment outside to steady her breathing and wipe the sweat off her face before walking inside. After I woke up, I had asked G od for our paths to cross again and here she was. I couldn¡¯t believe my good fortune. She was sweaty, her cheeks flushed and there were errant strands of blonde hair on her forehead which made her look even more beautiful in my eyes. As the sunlight began streaming into the diner, her skin glowed, making her look like a sun goddess. ¡°Good morning, Jack!¡± She smiled ever so sweetly, showing me her perfect teeth. Her blue -eyes tw inkled like gems. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you out so early in the morning. Do you usually have breakfast here at the diner?¡± ¡°Just every every Monday and Friday. I have to be at the station by six-thirty. I actually wasn¡¯t expecting to see you here. You don¡¯t look like the type to eat all this greasy food,¡± I said. Sheughed. It was so beautiful to hear. There was one other woman who had augh I liked, but 2/5 13:32 Mon, Mar 25 M SE CHAPTER 36 Donuts she doesn¡¯t talk to me anymore. If we did talk, it was usually because I had business with Liam. 8261 ¡°I had their cheeseburger yesterday and yeah, it was a bit greasy, but isn¡¯t that the reason why we alle back for more? Nothing beats eating a greasy cheeseburger, especially when you¡¯re with good friends,¡± she murmured. ¡°Anyway, I heard their donuts and bagels are really good. Since I promised Lisa I¡¯d meet her first thing, I can only have a quick breakfast. What about you, Undersheriff?¡± The way she said ¡®undersheriff¡¯ was so s exy. Her face was so close to mine, I could smell the peppermint of her mouthwash. I imagined myself licking the sweat off her neck, my mouth moving downward to her supple breasts while my hands caressed her inner thighs¡­all the way up her¡­ ¡°Undersheriff, your usual?¡± Kate, one of the diner¡¯s waitresses, asked, interrupting my erotic thoughts. Kate was a middle-aged woman, who had circles around her brown eyes fromck of sleep, bony cheeks and white in her dark hair. She was wearing her pink and beige waitress uniform which hung loose on her. I was surprised. Even Kate¡¯s gaunt face couldn¡¯t bring down my bo ner. I ced my hat on myp, hiding my erection. If I have timeter, I¡¯ll just je rk off to the re I took of Virtue while she was jogging. p, Kate,¡± I croaked. I immediately coughed to straighten my voice. ¡°Okay,¡± Kate wrote down on her notepad, amused she caught me off-guard. She ripped off the piece of paper, ced it on the cook¡¯s counter and rang the bell. Then, she turned to Virtue. ¡°Hi honey. My name is Kate and I heard you¡¯re the new girl. Nice to see you so early this morning. Since you walked in, Lyle has been in a good mood. He said he saw you with Noaht yesterday.¡± Kate pointed to the cook who was singing while he was cooking. Lyle was a thirty year old man and always had the morning and afternoon shifts. ¡°So, what can I get you?¡± ¡°Hi Kate. I¡¯m Virtue¡­ and I would like three boxes of powdered donuts and a box a bagels,¡± Virtue answered. ¡°You know what¡­ make that four boxes of donuts. I forgot. I¡¯m meeting Lisater. And oh, say hi to Lyle for me.¡± ¡°Four boxes of donuts?¡± Kate asked, surprised. ¡°Yes, Kate. One for me, one for Noah, one for Lisa and one for Jack here for being so helpful 3/5 13:33 Mon, Mar 25 CHAPTER 36 Donuts 82% last night.¡± Oh s hit! Of all the people Virtue could talk to, it had to be Kate. Kate¡¯s daughter was Joan Summers¡¯ bestfriend. ¡°Ma honey, I need four boxes of powdered donuts and a box of bagels,¡± Kate instructed the other server and focused her attention to Virtue ¡°You don¡¯t say. What happened?¡± Kate asked, interested. I waved my hand in the air, hoping to stop Virtue from saying anything. ¡°It was nothing. Honestly Virtue¡­you don¡¯t have to buy me a box of donuts-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be modest, Jack,¡± Virtue cut me off and ced a hand on my shoulder. I trembled at her touch while I felt a throbbing in myher regions. My c ock was throbbing for her¡­ throbbing to be inside her. I was so busy imagin ing myself in between her thighs that I didn¡¯t stop her from telling Kate about what happenedst night. ¡­there was this suspicious looking ck car parked in front of my housest night. Jack confronted the driver and sent him on his way,¡± Virtue said as if I were her hero. I¡¯d actually feel proud if it weren¡¯t for the circumstances. ¡°ck car, huh?¡± Kate said, staring straight at me. I quickly averted my eyes from her og gaze. was grateful when Ma came with the boxes of pastries in paper bags. Virtue handed me at bag and took out her wallet to pay. ¡°Thank you, Kate,¡± Virtue said, handing her $200. ¡°Jack, your breakfast is on me. Kate, keep the change. Have a good day everyone.¡± She hopped off her stool, took her paper bags of pastries and walked towards the entrance of the diner. I sighed dreamily while I watched her walk away. How can anyone be so beautiful? Suddenly, I realized I forgot to ask her out for coffee. ¡°Hey Virtue! Wait!¡± I called out to her loudly. ¡°How about-¡± I was toote. She had already left the diner. I was about to chase after her when Kate dumped my te of eggs, bacon and toast in front of me. 4/5 CHAPTER 36 Donuts I sighed. I¡¯ll just look for herter.¡± Chapter Comments Luna-Mom Chapter 37 CHAPTER 37 Bugs and Mrs. Jensen Joy I heard Jack call out to me, but I ignored him and hurriedly walked away. I was in need of some fresh air. The Undersheriff had horrible breath. Before Cristos left my housest night, he gave me a small ck case identical to the one Sebastian gave me and asked if I could ce the bug in the diner for him. I thought it would be tricky, but it was pretty simple. I was even seated beside the Undersheriff when I secretly. ced the bug underneath the counter. Unfortunately, I had to suck it up and endure Jack undressing me with his eyes. Ugh! How I wanted to use the dinner knife and poke his eyes out! After picking up my car, I drove home, took a shower and got ready for the day. I decided to wear a sleeveless light blue floral maxi dress. I used a thin brown belt and a beaded ne. to essorize, then I paired everything with brown boots. I fixed my hair into a half ponytail, allowing the curled ends of my hair to drape my shoulders, then I inserted my beloved ded hairb essory to hold it all in ce. ed everything I needed in a brown leather tote bag. Then I took a box of donuts from r and walked straight to Noah¡¯s house. I waved at Old Man Tucket as I walked to Noah¡¯s house. He was a grumpy and nosy old man who lived in the house directly across from mine giving him an unobstructed view. He could keep an eye on my house until Lou arrives to install my security system. I stood on the porch, in front of the Jensen¡¯s doorway, inhaling and exhaling deeply. I needed to nt a bug in Noah¡¯s house. Hopefully, we could get some useful information out of him, so we could n ordingly. I rang the doorbell and a young brte in her early thirties wearing a nurse¡¯s uniform opened the door. I smiled at her sweetly. ¡°Good morning! I¡¯m Virtue Sullivan and I just moved into that house over there,¡± I said, pointing to my house with my thumb. I¡¯m actually a client of Noah¡¯s and I was wondering if he¡¯s ready to go into town so we could purchase construction material.¡± She gave me a small smile, but I noticed the apprehension in her light blue eyes. ¡°I-I¡¯m Carol, Mrs. Jensen¡¯s private nurse. I¡¯ll go and check if Noah¡¯s ready. If you c-could just 1/5 CHAPTER 37 Bugs and Mrs. Jensen wait-¡± 81% I had a feeling I wouldn¡¯t be allowed in the house. ¡°I brought some donuts from the diner,¡± I said, quickly walking into the foyer. ¡°You can share them for breakfast or have them as a snackter¡± I ced the paper bag on the entry table. near the door. ¡°How about if I wait in the living room for Noah?¡± I looked around and noticed not much has changed, although there was a dank smell of urine. ¡°O-okay,¡± Carol stuttered. If she looked worried earlier, right now, she looked afraid. She led me into the living room where I found Mrs. Jensen seated in a wheel chair, so thin and frail, wearing an oversized pink nightgown. Her once beautiful light brown hair was now all white and willowy and her skin was pale and wrinkled. ¡°Hello, Mrs. Jensen. I¡¯m Virtue, your new neighbor,¡± 1 announced, hoping I could get a reaction. I heard a buzzing sound and the wheel chair turned automatically to face me. Mrs. Jensen was seated comfortably in a power wheelchair with a mechanical respirator attached, ¡°I¡¯ll leave you you two, so I can check on Noah. I¡¯ll only be gone a minute,¡± Carol assured Noah¡¯s mother. Mrs. Jensen didn¡¯t do anything; she just continued to stare at me. She looked old ickly, but her brown eyes had that same vibrance. er Carol went up the stairs to tell Noah I was here, Mrs. Jensen blinked her eyes. Judging by the venttor, she couldn¡¯t speak and used her eyes to talk. ¡°I just moved into the old Taylor house,¡± I said, trying to make small talk. ¡°I hired Noah to help me open a small boutique in town.¡± She blinked her eyes rapidly and I noticed a tear fall from the corner of her eye. I rushed forward and took a tissue from my tote bag to wipe her tears. Poor thing. ¡°I cane visit you more often if you want, Mrs. Jensen. I cane read to you. What do you say?¡± I smiled at her tenderly.. She blinked once. I guess one meant yes and two for no. I sighed. It was such a shame to see her like this. Mrs. Jensen was like a second mom to me. She was the previous owner of the small 2/5 Áã81% CHAPTER 37 Bugs and Mrs. Jensen bookstore in town and she was one voracious reader. She just loved books. When Noah and I were kids, she was always seen reading a book on their porch. During my freshman and sophomore year in high school, I would sometimes join her on their porch and read as an escape from this cruel world. After I was assaulted, she came to visit me in the hospital and left a book for me to read. Since both of my eyes were swollen shut from the beatings I got from the ¡®four horsemen of the apocalypse¡¯, my mother read to me, which helped me fixate my emotions on the heroine. of the novel rather than wallow in self-pity. When my father decided to leave New Salem after having a heart to heart talk with Old Man Eugene, Mrs. Jensen asked my mother where we nned to move. My mother told her, ¡°Wherever the wind takes us, Laura.¡± ¡°Maggie¡­you¡¯ll give me a call, right? Or maybe send me a postcard?¡± Mrs. Jensen asked. ¡°I will,¡± my mother answered, lying to her. We had agreed we wouldn¡¯t contact anyone from New Salem except for Old Man Eugene. We left during the dead of the night, not a soul was on the streets. We went straight to Bismarck where we changed cars, then drove to Wyoming where we traded in our car for another second-hand car. From Wyoming, we went to Nevada. My father loved ying ckjack, so my parents thought they could probably pocket some extra cash from the inos. After waiting for them for four hours at the motel, they came back with their pockets full. Since they won some money, my dad traded in our car for an SUV to my utter relief. The smallpact car we got in Wyoming was quite ufortable. My parents liked California so much, they decided we should live there. With the got from the grocery store, they were able to purchase a townhouse. It was smaller than what we were used to and there were people all around us. But none of them knew us which worked well for us. money they After a couple of years, my dad called Old Man Eugene to see how things were back in New Salem. That¡¯s when my dad found out about Noah¡¯s parents. Earlier, when I rang the doorbell, I noticed the porch needed some repairs. Having a private nurse is expensive and I know Noah must be struggling to give his mom proper care. ¡°How about Ie by the day after tomorrow? I¡¯ll pick up a good mystery novel at the bookstore and we can start reading. I¡¯ll even get you a thick nket so we can read on the 3/5 13:33 Mon, Mar 25 CHAPTER 37 Bugs and Mrs. Jensen porch,¡± I said, bending down and taking her hand in mine. She answered me again by blinking once. 81% ¡°Virtue?¡± Noah was right behind me and he sounded angry. I turned my head to look at him. and noticed his puffy eyes and unshaven face. Of course. He was uptest night¡­ drunk. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°I was just promising your mother I¡¯de by and read to her. I noticed all the books on the shelves,¡± I exined, standing up and walking towards the shelves of books which covered a portion of the main wall of the living room. I picked out a book and noticed how dusty it was. Perfect. ¡°My mom¡¯s too sick to be entertaining guests, Virtue,¡± Noah scolded me. ¡°She needs to rest. Reading to her will only get her excited and it¡¯ll put a strain on her heart.¡± Sadly, I wouldn¡¯t be spending some time with Mrs. Jensen after all. Well, I could get that porch done, so I can see her from time to time. Noah bent down to talk to his mother. ¡°Mom, Virtue and I need to go to town. Carol will give you a sponge bath and change what needs changing. I love you.¡± Noah gave his mother a quick kiss on the cheek. She blinked rapidly and a tear fell again. This time, Carol took over. y, Mrs. Jensen. Let¡¯s get you cleaned up and changed,¡± she said. Carol quickly turned the eel hubs of the wheelchair to manual and pushed Mrs. Jensen out of the living room. ¡°Come on, Virtue. Let¡¯s get going,¡± Noah said gruffly. I quickly ced the book back on the shelf and we exited the house. ¡°Since we need to purchase construction material for my shop, let¡¯s buy some material for your porch. It needs some paint and the floorboards need changing,¡± I told Noah once we were outside of his house. ¡°I¡¯m not your charity case, Virture,¡± Noah snapped angrily. Touchy, touchy¡­ ¡°But your mom would appreciate it. She cane outside, get some fresh air and watch the neighbors,¡± I reasoned politely. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± he mumbled like a petulent child, then pointed to his pick-up truck. ¡°I 4/5 818 CHAPTER 37 Bugs and Mrs. Jensen need to use my truck. We can meet up at Dom¡¯s. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s meet at Dom¡¯s. I still need to swing by Lisa¡¯s office.¡± I waved at him then walked to my car. This Noah reminded me of the Noah during our sophomore year¡­dismissive, arrogant and apathetic. He obviously didn¡¯t like thepassion I showed his mother. Well, I hated the indifference he showed me while Iid in the hospital. I entered my car, fastened my seat belt and turned on the ignition. I waited for him to drive by before exiting my driveway. Sure, Noah was an as shole. But now, he was an as shole with a bug in his house. Chapter Comments Emy Duvey good job! Chapter 38 CHAPTER 38 Breakfast Joy I pushed the ufortable exchange I had with Noah to the back of my mind and drove to Lisa¡¯s office to sign my lease papers. I was surprised to find her already there before office hours, fresh, fashionable and perky. After signing the papers, I invited Lisa for coffee. She politely declined saying she didn¡¯t have time because she needed to go see a potential client. She did promise me she would personally pick up my building permitter in the morning and would call as soon as she had it. So, I decided to grab some coffee for Xavier and Sebastian and head to Dom¡¯s Unfortunately, Dom¡¯s was still closed when I arrived. There was a small group of people gathered outside talking amongst themselves, wondering why Dom¡¯s was still closed. I decided to go see Xavier instead. He was runningte too. After telling the store manager I needed to order something very specific from Bo, he pointed me to Xavier¡¯s office which was at the very back of the store. When my dad owned the grocery store, it was much smaller and his office used to be near oduce section. I used to do my homework there after school, then I would help stock elves before going home. This wholemercial property used to be Taylor property, but most of it was sold after my great grandfather died and was subsequently divided among the children. My grandfather took the grocery store because he had always wanted it while his two other siblings took the money from the sale of the property, invested it and were scammed. One brother drank himself to death while the other took a gun to his head. They were both single with no heir, leaving my grandfather to inherit what little they had left. The four other houses along Taylor Loop were houses built by my great grandfather for his children. When my grandfather¡¯s siblings died, my grandfather sold the four houses and moved into their ancestral house which people know today as the Old Taylor House. When I was old enough, I asked my father why there was an extra house. He told me my great grandparents had a fourth child, their only daughter, but she had died at a young age. He didn¡¯t know the circumstances of her death nor did he ever ask. He believed her death was a result of an illness. 1/5 81% CHAPTER 38 Breakfast My grandparents died in a freak boating ident on theke at New Salem Park. My dad was in the middle of his junior year in college when it happened. He quit school and went on to take care of the grocery store. The grocery store was important to my grandfather and my dad wanted to honor his memory by keeping the business running. He met my mother during one of his trips to Bismarck. She was a nurse who he bumped into while in line at a popr fastfood joint. My dad, who had kept to himself after the death of his parents, was given a second chance to live his life when he met my mother. When I was born, their lives became complete. I stopped in front of Xavier¡¯s office and knocked. The door swung wide open, allowing me to enter. I knew he already saw me through the CCTV cameras sc attered all over the store. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. The door quickly closed to reveal a half naked Xavier behind it. He only had pants on and his hair was still damp from taking a shower. I bit my lip, not expecting to see his bare muscr chest. I quickly ced the coffee, donuts and my tote bag on one of the empty chairs in front of his desk. ¡°Mmmmm¡­ coffee delivered by my girl. Does a kisse with it too?¡± Xavier asked, his voice husky with desire. e and get it,¡± I murmured provocatively, licking my lips. He locked the door and quickly walked towards me, wrapping his arms tightly around my waist. I ran my fingers on the smooth skin of his pecs and felt his muscles contract underneath my hands. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting so long to have you all alone, Xavier said, lowering his head to kiss me. It was a passionate kiss. The pent-up desire from all the months we had spent away from each other¡­ all the longing and yearning¡­was poured into this one kiss. He suddenly lifted me to sit on the edge of his desk, quickly hiking my skirt up while his hands stroked my inner thighs all the way to myce panties. ¡°I¡¯ve told you¡­ you shouldn¡¯t wear panties when youe and see me. It¡¯s one piece of clothing that just gets in the way of us f ucking, he growled, ripping my panties off and throwing them on top of his desk. ¡°Now spread those gorgeous thighs of yours, sweetheart. It¡¯s time for breakfast.¡± 2/5 6.81% CHAPTER 38 Breakfast I obeyed, spreading my legs far apart. He knelt down and began to eat me, sucking and nibbling while inserting a finger into my already wet pu ssy. Because he knew where to suck and what to touch, I quickly came. I bit my lip and stiffled a scream. I didn¡¯t want anyone to hear us. Xavier hurriedly pulled down his pants and mmed his delicious hard coc k into me, not wasting any time. I held on to him tightly, my eyes rolling in the back of my head. It felt so good to feel him inside me. ¡°Oh G od, yes,¡± I whispered, biting on his ear lobe. He thrusted hard and deep, faster and faster, f ucking me so hard it felt like heaven¡­ and I wanted it to last forever¡­ But I desperately needed my release. I felt his finger on my c lit while his hard c ock moved in and out of me. After a few strokes of his fingers and a few more thrusts, I arched my back and came, digging my fingernails into his back. ¡°Bo!¡± I gasped, throwing my head back, as I rode the waves of my o rgasm. He thrusted inside me one more time, finallying, his body shuddering with his release. kissed me tenderly. ¡°Oh, thank G od. I thought I was going to go insane without you,¡± he murmured against my mouth. I hugged him tightly, rubbing my hands against his smooth skin. I thought we were going to stay that way just a little bit longer, but he suddenly pulled out of me and quickly zipped his pants up, leaving me utterly disappointed. He then pointed to the monitor beside us, irritated at what he saw. ¡°Nicole¡¯s here, babe. You can use the bathroom and fix yourself up while I distract Nicole,¡± he said, putting on a shirt and his apron. Then, he took a tissue from his desk and wiped my lip gloss off his lips. ¡°Dom is runningte too. I passed by beforeing here,¡± I told him as I gingerly walked to the bathroom. ¡°No wonder she¡¯s here. Wait for me okay? I¡¯ll just take her to Dom¡¯s, Xavier said, grabbing his phone and dialing before leaving his office. I cleaned myself up, retouched my make-up, fixed my hair and straightened my clothes. 3/5 81 CHAPTER 38 Breakfast When I came out, Xavier was already back, drinking the coffee I brought him. He winked at me and smiled wickedly. Hmmm¡­ I felt myself go wet. I wanted him to do me again, but from behind. Oh, how I wished we were back in California. ¡°Why are the both of you runningte, Bo? Where did you guys go after leaving my house?¡± I asked as I sat down in the empty chair in front of his desk. ¡°We did some surveince work,¡± Xavier answered. ¡°Dom ced a tracker on Dan¡¯s car and we decided to check it out before going home. Dan and Nicole apparently went to the new residential area near town. We found them walking from a newly built house to the clubhouse where Dan¡¯s car was parked. There was someone with them, someone with a ck sling bag. We¡¯ve noticed a lot of people here have the exact same bag.¡± ¡°I see,¡± I said, trying to remember if I¡¯ve seen anyone with a ck sling bag. ¡°Could be coincidence, could be something else. Anyway, can you tell Chip I¡¯ve ced the bug he wanted me to put in the diner and I¡¯ve also ced the bug Dom gave me on one of the book shelves in Noah¡¯s house.¡± a ¡°I¡¯m impressed,¡± Xavier said, nodding his head appreciatively. He grabbed my panties and ced it in one of his drawers for safekeeping. I¡¯ll tell him when I see him.¡± He let out a rated sigh. ¡°I want you to stay here with me, love, but we have to keep up appearances.¡± 6d up from my my chair, took my brown tote bag and the coffee I bought for Sebastian and olew him a kiss. ¡°I¡¯ll be at Dom¡¯s if you need me. Enjoy the donuts.¡± I left Xavier¡¯s office light on my feet. After Dom¡¯s, I¡¯ll ask Cristos to apany me to Bismarck so we can pick up Lou. I¡¯ll also ask him about some documents my dad gave Old Man Eugene before my family left New Salem. I was about to exit the grocery store when someone tall blocked my path. He was wearing a nicely tailored dark blue suit and smelled of expensive cologne. ¡°Good morning, Virtue! Fancy seeing you here!¡± I nced at the cup of coffee in my hand, then at the tall man standing in front of me. It would be such a shame to ruin that nice suit. 4/5 CHAPTER 38 Breakfast Chapter Comments Luna-Mom Yes Joy let¡¯s show them what you and your men can do Mary Hall Great job Joy VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS 26 Chapter 39 CHAPTER 39 Divide and Conquer Joy I figured it would take about five minutes for Xavier to get to the storefront from his office. Five minutes is usually just a blip on the radar, but when you are with distastefulpany, five minutes feels like an eternity. As my blue eyes locked with the man¡¯s twi nkling gray ones, the voice in my head screamed¡­ I hate you! Luckily, it didn¡¯t take me much effort to smile brightly at the tall man while hiding my disdain. ¡°Councilman Murdock, what a nice surprise! I was just with your wife earlier.¡± I deliberately ced an emphasis on wife, hoping he wouldn¡¯t miss it. ¡°After signing the lease, I came straight to Dom¡¯s to purchase construction material, but his store was still closed. So, I decided toe here and order a nket from Bo instead. I just finished with him,¡± I exined, fighting the urge to giggle. And it felt soooo good. enough about me. What brings you here, Councilman?¡± I flipped my hair and ced a active hand on his arm, hoping he would think with the head in between his legs. He suddenly coughed and turned red. That was the reaction I was looking for. ¡°I was hoping to talk to Bo about my campaign. Elections areing soon and I was hoping Bo¡¯s grocery store could help sponsor my reelection, and of course, the reelection of our good mayor, Liam Cohen. Everyone in New Salemes here and if they see Bo¡¯s supports us, it may help us win again,¡± he replied. ¡°But I must say it is wonderful bumping into yo like this. I would like to apologize for my behaviorst night. It isn¡¯t everyday I meet such a beautiful youngdy as yourself.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment, Councilman, so there isn¡¯t a need to apologize,¡± I said flirtatiously. He grinned from ear to ear. you ¡°So, you¡¯ll be deemed a resident of New Salem after thirty days which means you can vote in June. All you need to bring is any form of identification with you and a current utility bill at your designated polling ce. It will mean the world to me if I can get your support,¡± he said, looking at me with puppy dog eyes. 1/6 13:33 Mon, Mar 25 CHAPTER 39 Divide and Conquer Why in the world would I support someone like you? ¡°Of course. Anything for you, Councilman,¡± I said, batting my eyshes at him. ¡°You can call me Cris, Virtue,¡± he said, winking at me. I noticed some of the customers were openly watching our exchange. Well, I needed to divert attention away from Cristos, Sebastian and Xavier. If people begin talking about me, the trio can move more freely. ¡°Well then¡­.anything for you, Cris,¡± I murmured I saw his face turn unmistakably red. ¡°Cris! What can I do for you this fine morning?¡± Xavier suddenly asked from behind me. I heaved a sigh of relief. Oh, thank Go d! The bagel I had earlier was threatening toe out from all this flirting. ¡°The very person I needed to see, Cris said, extending his hand for a handshake. Xavier grabbed Cris¡¯ hand and shook it. Time for me to leave¡­ ¡°Well, I need to go to Dom¡¯s. Bo, please call me about that nket I ordered earlier. It needs the perfect color of cerulean blue. Cris, I¡¯ll go ahead. Have a good morning gentlemen!! ed goodbye at the both of them and quickly left the grocery store. I kept my smile Mastered on my face just in case I was being watched. Surprisingly, there were already a lot of people shopping at Dom¡¯s when I entered. I noticed Sebastian was busy entertaining a group of housewives, leading them towards the house decor and furniture section of his store. I decided to browse around, looking for people. carrying a ck sling bag. Yet, I didn¡¯t notice anyone with such a bag. Dom¡¯s was divided into two sections, mainly, home decor and furniture and hardware. I didn¡¯t expect Dom¡¯s was just a big as Bo¡¯s. When I open my boutique, this wholemercial space will be our territory. As I was walking around, I caught the familiar scent of Nicole¡¯s sweet-smelling perfume while I heard the distinct timbre of Noah¡¯s voice. They are here together? I followed the scent of Nicole¡¯s perfume and found them huddled together looking at a 2/6 13.33 Mon, Mar 25 CHAPTER 39 Divide and Conquer laptop atop a tall bar table near the ¡®Lumber and Building Materials¡¯ section of the hardware. A chubby- looking fellow with brown hair and sses wearing a blue and maroon striped shirt and jeans was with them answering Nicole¡¯s questions. I coughed to grab their attention. ¡°Virtue, you¡¯re finally here,¡± Nicole said. ¡°I went looking for you at Bo¡¯s, but I couldn¡¯t find you.¡± Here we go¡­ ¡°Oh, I was just talking to Cris,¡± I said. She looked at me puzzled. Cris, being so tall, was a hard man to miss. ¡°I would have noticed Cris,¡± she remarked, frowning. Today, Nicole was wearing a yellow halter ruched bodycon dress with a matching yellow sweater and yellow tforms on her feet. Her hair was up in messy bun on the top of her head as usual, making her look tall. ¡°Well, if you did, then you would have seen me speaking with him,¡± I murmured, running my fingers along some of the wood disyed on a rack. ¡°Nicole here sees Bo and everyone else in the store bes invisible,¡± the man with them unexpectedly said. Noah smirked to Nicole¡¯s utter dismay. found myself a worthy ally. i. I¡¯m Virtue and you are?¡± I asked. ¡°Peter McDowell, but you can call me Pete, Miss Virtue,¡± he said, turning red. I love it when I make men blush. ¡°No need to call me Miss. Virtue will do just fine, Pete. So what are you guys discussing over here?¡± I asked charmingly. ¡°Potentialyouts for your store, V-Virtue,¡± Pete answered. ¡°I and a co-worker of mine drew these up for you to choose.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very talented, Pete,¡± I said after looking at theyouts and the designs on hisptop. Everything including the material needed was included in his design. He also incorporated images of what the boutique would look like finished and furnished for eachyout. ¡°Did you also design theyout for my kitchen and bathrooms?¡±. Pete nodded his head enthusiastically. 3/6 33 Mon, Mar CHAPTER 39 Divide and Conquer Peter McDowell. I remember him. He was a year younger than us and was bullied worse than others. Apparently, now he worked for Noah. Judging how quick he came to my rescue showed he had sp unk. I needed to get the story on Peter McDowell. He was wasting his talent in this small town. ¡°So, Virtue, whichyout do you want?¡± Nicole asked impatiently. I was taken aback. I didn¡¯t hire her. I nced at Pete who looked as though Nicole was an inconvenience. ¡°Well, to answer your question, I want the free-flowyout with a bigger office,¡± I answered. ¡°But I have to apologize for the mix-up, Nicole. I ced a hand on her upper arm to appear apologetic. ¡°Chip will be hiring your services. The pub is a big project and I don¡¯t want to get in the way of the renovations of the town¡¯s favorite watering hole. Since Chip will be hiring you, I think I¡¯ll hire Pete here to oversee the interior design of my shop since he already has a concete vision. What do you say, Pete?¡± Pete began to nod his head, but the angry re from Nicole stopped him. Noah bit his lower lip and looked away as if I had ruined their ns. Perfect. ¡°Actually, Virtue, I can do both projects at the same time,¡± Nicole hurriedly exined. ¡°Plus, Chip hasn¡¯t even called me to=¡± ¡°Hold your apuse, everyone. The star has finally arrived,¡± Cristos said loudly, interrupting ever Nicole was going to say. Yesterday, he wore mostly ck, but for today, he was ly in pink except for his white sneakers. ¡°Nicole! You said you would help me with the o. Why are you with Virtue?¡± Cristos pouted, looking sad and disappointed. ¡°And I heard. what you said. You can¡¯t do both projects because I am a very demanding client.¡± ¡°And Virtue isn¡¯t. I did her house with minimal supervision. I mean, aren¡¯t you suppose to be bestfriends, Chip? Usually bestfriends share,¡± Nicole reasoned. ¡°Darling, this is business not friendship. Virtue already has Pete and Noah prioritizing her boutique. She doesn¡¯t need you. I need you. Now help me pick out what I need or you will never get a bonus from me.¡± Cristos maneuvered the little bit ch away giving Pete some breathing space. I had Pete discuss everything with Noah and Stanley, Sebastian¡¯s very young assistant. I paid everything in full and told them I would give them a bonus if they have everything done in two weeks. I wanted to see how far I could push Noah¡¯s buttons, so I bought the material for his porch. As expected, he blew his top off to the shock of everyone in the store. 4/6 13:33 Mon, Mar 25 c CHAPTER 39 Divide and Conquer S81% ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you I¡¯d think about it?! Who do you think you are, Virtue?!¡± Noah eximed furiously. ¡°Just because several people pay youpliments, doesn¡¯t make you a queen. You are nothing in this town!¡± He knew he went to far when Nicole, Cristos and Sebastian suddenly appeared, looking completely shocked, offended and appalled. Sebastian opened his mouth to say something, but I raised my hand to stop him. ¡°Noah, the building material is for someone you love dearly. Don¡¯t let your pride get in the way of someone¡¯s happiness.¡± My lips were trembling and my voice was a bit raspy. ¡°Dom, just deliver the material to my house.¡± ¡°Sure thing, Virtue.¡± I checked my phone for messages and saw a missed call and a text message both from Lisa. The message read to meet her at town hall. I sighed. Great¡­ ¡°Pete, make sure everything is ready to be transferred next door. If you need anything else, order it.¡± My voice cracked and I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. tue, I¡¯m so sorry. If you could just wait and listen to my exnation-¡± No need to exin, Noah. Just make sure everything is ready. Once I get the building permit, I want the construction to start,¡± I said, my voice going h o ar se again. I lowered my head to hide my eyes and sniffled. I took a tissue from my bag and quickly wiped my eyes and nose. Then, I fixed my hair, took some calming breaths and smiled, finallyposed. I called out to Cristos who had just finished paying for his construction material. ¡°Chip, I think our permits are ready at town hall.¡± He tucked his receipt in his bag and took my v arm. ¡°See youter, everyone,¡± Cristos said, waving as we exited Dom¡¯s. Before the doors closed, 1 secretly nced behind me and saw a scowling Nicole and a troubled Noah looking at each. other. The ends of my lips curved into a small smile. Divide and conquer. 5/6 CHAPTER 39 Divide and Conquer I¡¯m sure Liam is not going to be happy about this. Chapter Comments Nina Caldwell POST COMMENT The first part of this book was straightforward, but this second part has so many twists, I¡¯m actually trying to figure out what wille next. It¡¯s absolutely exciting. Aft¡­ Luna-Mom Wow love how great this story is flowing. With so many twists and sneaking around is brilliant VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS 26 SHARE 6/6 Mon, Mar The Joy of RevengeN?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Chapter 40 CHAPTER 40 A Stir Noah I made Virtue cry. It wasn¡¯t my intention, but I didn¡¯t want her near my mother. 981% Last night, I pretended to be drunk when we left the pub. My arm was around Virtue¡¯s shoulders with my hand dangling in front of her as she and Chip helped me outside. I even felt myself go hard when my hand slightly brushed against her breast. But when Chip pushed me into his car like I was a major inconvenience, I was offended. Apparently, I wasn¡¯t his ¡®favorite construction man¡¯ after all. When they dropped me off, I saw Liam¡¯s car. I quickly walked inside of my house and watched through the window. After Chip parked his car in front of the old Taylor house, he and Virtue casually walked inside like they didn¡¯t notice anything. Then, Jack¡¯s truck suddenly pulled up behind Liam¡¯s. I thought they were going to jump Virtue and Chip together. Liam was a spoilt, little rich boy who was utterly bored with his life. Once he tasted the titition from the thrill of raping joy Taylor, he kept looking for that same feeling. And I could tell, Virtue Sullivan was next on his list. I exited through the back of my house and ran towards the big elm tree in Virtue¡¯s yard. If ig were to happen, I needed to be ready to record the whole thing and use it as hing age. Yet, I was wrong. Virtue had apparently called the Sheriff¡¯s office to deal with Liam. Surprisingly, no one else came to help her. After Jack left looking like a giddy teenager, I snooped around, wondering what Chip was doing inside, but I couldn¡¯t see or hear anything. I was guessing they were in Virtue¡¯s soundproof room which had no windows. I ran back to the elm tree after I had noticed Old Man Tucket peering through his windows. It was about to run back to my house when Virtue¡¯s door suddenly opened and out came Chip. Chip bbered away about whatever movie they were watching and Virtue said he coulde by anytime and finish the movie. After waying goodbye, the downstairs lights in the old Taylor house switched off. I debated whether I should break in and take a look around, but all the lights at the Tucket house from across the street turned on, so I decided to call it a night. I¡¯m worried Virtue might decide to have a security system installed after the stunt Liam 1/5 81%% CHAPTER 40 A Stir pulled. She didn¡¯t have one installed yet, so it would be easy to break into her house. But Old Man Tucket, whose house was directly across from hers, was always on neighborhood watch. When I left the cul-de-sac, I saw the old man sitting on his porch, reading the morning newspaper. Nosy old man. I¡¯ll just have to put a wireless CCTV camera on the big elm tree and hope I find something. Nicole was waiting for me at my office at Hillcrest, the new residential area several minutes outside of town. Just seeing her so early in the morning ruined my day, but she needed to set up those cameras. We all needed to know why Virtue was here. If she wasn¡¯t undercover then. who was she? Unfortunately, our ns didn¡¯t pan out. In this business, customer satisfaction is important. I didn¡¯t want Virtue to employ yton Benjamin, the person behind Bo¡¯s and Dom¡¯s. He was a contractor working out of Bismarck, who happened to be the cousin of Kimberly Smith, the twenty year old who was found dead in theke along with Joan Summers. Because of the trio¡¯s association with both the Summers and Smiths, Liam kept a close eye using Nicole as his spy. Nicole looked at me, nudged her head at Virtue and Chip who had exited Dom¡¯s and. mouthed, ¡°Fix this.¡± ly went outside to chase after Chip and Virtue when I was stopped by a group of n telling me to apologize to Virtue. ¡°Noah?¡± I turned my head and found Cris with a puzzled expression on his face. This married so nofab itch, who I¡¯ve never seen buy a light bulb, is here at Dom¡¯s. If it wasn¡¯t for sponsorship, most likely he¡¯s here because of Virtue. Cris Finally my h ard-on from earlier was gone and I was able to walk without any trouble. But I wanted to see her again. I didn¡¯t care if it would take a while for my erection to subside. I swiftly walked out of Bo¡¯s, hoping to catch Virtue at Dom¡¯s, but I saw her with her arm linked with Chip¡¯s, both of them walking to Chip¡¯s car. 2/5 13:33 Mon, Mar 25 de CHAPTER 40 A Stir Suddenly, out came Noah from Dom¡¯s with a few of the town¡¯s folk. ¡°Noah, I hope you apologize to that sweet girl. It¡¯s not everyday you meet an angel,¡± one of the women told Noah before waving her goodbyes. ¡°Noah? What just happened? And why is Virtue with Chip? Where are they going?¡± I asked, rmed. ¡°To town hall. You were at Bo¡¯s?¡± Noah asked, surprised. ¡°Yeah. I spoke with her awhile ago. Noah, what just happened?¡± I wanted answers. I nced through therge storefront windows of Dom¡¯s and saw Nicole talking to Pete. Nicole looked angry. Huh? ¡°I blew it. I yelled at her for buying construction material for my porch,¡± Noah exined. ¡°G d, I am such an as shole.¡± ¡°Noah, are you intentionally acting like an as shole so Liam can find someone else to follow her? Because if you are, it¡¯s working. ¡°I don¡¯t know why Liam is going bonkers anyway, Cris. She isn¡¯t a Taylor or a Summers. She¡¯s just a lone woman who moved into the old Taylor house,¡± Noah replied. I ced an arm on his shoulders, turning him away from Dom¡¯s storefront windows. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple, Noah, and you know it. You know their families have been warring against each other since the Cohens came to New Salem. Problem is Theodore believes they have evidence against them. Right now, he and his men are hunting down Old Man Eugene. They didn¡¯t expect for him and his family to leave so abruptly and sell the pub and their home to the trio. Theodore still suspects the trio are either working undercover or rted to the Summers and ns to do away with them. Sadly, Liam thinks the same way about. Virtue. We need to prove to him and to Theodore that she isn¡¯t a threat,¡± I exined, patting Noah¡¯s shoulder. ¡°The spy cameras were supposed to be the only viable evidence to prove Virtue isn¡¯t what Liam thinks she is. You need to find a way. Beg for her forgiveness and take the construction material. Appreciate the gesture.¡± ¡°Easy for you to say. You weren¡¯t the one who insulted her,¡± Noah muttered under his breath. ¡°Did she say anything derogatory to you when you insulted her?¡± I asked. ¡°No.¡± 3/5 13:34 MOT, CHAPTER 40 A Stir ¡°She¡¯ll forgive you. Noah, think of what Dan said. She¡¯s an asset. Remember, we need to prove she isn¡¯t a threat. Once Liam is convinced, he might even listen to Dan and I don¡¯t know¡­maybe befriend her. You¡¯re doing her a favor. Don¡¯t be hard on yourself.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, Cris.¡± I patted Noah on the back. Although Noah has been friends with us since high school, we kept him in the dark. That¡¯s all he needed to know for now. I lifted my head and was surprised to see Virtue speaking with¡­. Jack! What. In. The. F uck! That c ock-blocking so nofabitch! Virtue is mine! A sudden cough behind us interrupted my thoughts. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°Noah, I need you to sign these forms,¡± a deep-toned voice said from behind us. We instantly turned around, obviously caught off-guard. ¡°Sure, Dom.¡± How long has he been standing there? Sebastian Joy has only been here for two days and she has already caused a stir. Clever girl. Noah didn¡¯t want Joy near his house. I was guessing he didn¡¯t want her near his mother. Xavier always wondered why he wasn¡¯t allowed to bring his deliveries into the house. It never dawned on any of us that Noah¡¯s mother may know something. We have been so busy looking into Liam when Noah may have all the information we need.. I nced through the windows and saw Cris talking to Noah. I left Nicole and Pete, who were both busy bickering at each other, to eavesdrop on the two men. Cris did not disappoint. Now, I knew we were on Theodore Cohen¡¯s s hit list, that they were looking for Old Man Eugene, and Liam was suspicious of Joy. I wasn¡¯t surprised to hear Cris speak so fondly of Joy nor was I surprised to see Undersheriff 4/5 13:34 Mon, Mar 25 CHAPTER 40 A Stir Jack Emery pop up at the parking lot. It would be easy for Joy to manipte the two men. which would leave us to contend with Liam, Theodore, Sheriff Combs, Dan and Noah. I noticed Cris¡¯ eyes darken with jealousy as he watched Jack speak with Joy. From inside my store, I could hear Nicole arguing with Pete. It was time for me to break up this little discussion and pacify a brat. I coughed, grabbing their attention. ¡°Noah, I need you to sign these forms,¡± I exined. I saw a flicker of anxiousness in Cris¡¯ eyes when he turned around to acknowledge me. Inside my store, I watched Jack wave goodbye to Joy with a big grin on his face while a jealous Cris approached him. Town hall was next. The game was bing exciting, in fact, so exciting that I had a red- faced Nicole desperately trying to convince Pete she should oversee the interior of Virtue¡¯s store. Pete, Liam is going to hear about this,¡± I heard Nicole hiss through clenched teeth. ¡°Liam? Is there something I should know?¡± I asked. Nicole jumped at my voice. ¡°I was just reprimanding Pete about a mistake he did in one of the houses at Hillcrest. Noah and I need to go to the pub to make sure the measurements are correct. See you guyster,¡± she said and left, grabbing hold of Noah and dragging him to the parking lot. Pete heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Thanks, Dom.¡± ¡°My pleasure. Have you had breakfast? Let¡¯s have some coffee in my office while you wait for Virtue.¡± Chapter Comments POST COMMENT ͹ Luna-Mom absolutely brilliant, looking forward to reading what¡¯s happening with the way noah and nicole treated Virtue VIEW 1 COMMENT > 27 5/5 Chapter 41 Chapter 41: A Warning The man offered a kind smile. "Sir, why are you at Sunset Valley? Are you being hunted by your enemies?" In that situation, Chandler would not have normally asked a stranger something so sensitive, but he was a bit anxious, so he did not hold back on his questions. Fane frowned, a hint of unhappiness shed on his face. He nodded to Chandler. "There are no enemies after me. I just injured myself while training." Fane was not lying. The moment he said that, Fane clutched the staff in his hand and prepared to distance himself from the carriage. He had seen the level of the man in the carriage. At just this age, he was already at thete stage of the innate level. He should be a disciple of a n. Even though he did not know if the man was friend or foe, Fane was not nning on making any friends. Looking at Fane about to leave, Chandler hurriedly said, "Please, wait. You''re already injured. Inside Sunset Valley, there''s a good chance you''ll die." Fane raised an eyebrow, suddenly realizing where he was. After being sent by that old man so far away, he had no idea where he had been transported to. Based on what that person said, Sunset Valley was a dangerous ce to be. If he walked away alone, he might actually end up dying. He let out a sigh. It seemed like he would be forced to make a friend. He turned around to look at Chandler earnestly. "Thank you for telling me that. In truth, I was transported from far away. I entered a secret realm a while ago and identally fell into a wormhole. After that, I was transported here. I was clueless about my whereabouts before." Fane''s exnation was partially honest, but it was not the full story. He admitted that he had been transported over before everything around him was unknown. If he said anything, it would have been easy to reveal any lies, so he decided to tell a partial truth. When he heard Fane''s exnation, Chandler''s eyes widened as he looked at Fane strangely. He was stunned for a moment before he continued, "So you mean you''re not from around here? You were sent here by a long-range transporter?" Fane nodded. "I had entered a hidden realm to explore with some fellow disciples and identally ended up here. Where is this ce?" Chandler nodded, not looking like hepletely believed Fane. Nheless, he still exined, "This is the southern part of Middle Province. It''s part of Rosefinch Pavilion''s territory." Rosefinch Pavilion? Fane was stumped. He had never heard of that name before. Nheless, he truly was in Middle Province. The old man had told Fane that the key was in Wild Gorge Pass, and Wild Gorge Pass was in Middle Province. Since that old man wanted to send him off, he had naturally been sent to Middle Province. However, Fane had never heard of Rosefinch Pavilion before nor did he know how close Rosefinch Pavilion was to Wild Gorge Pass. Chandler very sharply caught the confusion in Fane''s eyes. He immediately understood that the young man before him had probably never heard of Rosefinch Pavilion before. The curiosity in his heart stirred. "You don''t know Rosefinch Pavilion?" Fane stopped. He wanted to say he knew Rosefinch Pavilion, but he knew far too little about Middle Province. If he said he did, it would be easily seen through, and would be meaningless. Thus, Fane nodded. "This is my first time in Middle Province." ¡°Yep. Just some things to make it look less¡­¡± Cristos paused to think of the right word. ¡°Dingy,¡± I said. We allughed. ¡°I have to agree the pub needs fixing. But you¡¯re keeping the hardwood floors, right?¡± Jack asked. Cristos nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be having the wood refinished. You know¡­ patch, repair and sand, then Noah¡¯s men will apply fresh stain andcquer. When it¡¯s done, my floor is going to shine like it¡¯s brand new. I¡¯m also having the walls repainted and the front bar, under bar, and back bar reced. I¡¯m guessing everything will be done in a month or so.¡± ¡°The pub will be closed every weekend for a month?!¡± Jack didn¡¯t sound too happy. ¡°Well, maybe longer when I have the floors done. I need everything to set and dry before any of us can step on the wood,¡± Cristos exined. ¡°I¡¯ll probably need the same amount of time for the bar.¡± ¡°I guess we just have to drink at home then,¡± Jack said, smiling. ¡°So, I¡¯ll see you tonight, Virtue?¡± ¡°How can I say no to the both of you,¡± I answered, smiling back. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tonight, sheriff. Right now, Chip and I have to head to town hall.¡± Jack¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°What for?¡± ¡°For our building permits, silly,¡± Cristos replied, pping his hand in the air. ¡°Virtue needs hers right away. She wants her boutique operational before prom. That¡¯s still a thing, right? I mean, prom?¡± Cristos looked meaningfully at Jack, hoping to get a reaction. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s still a thing,¡± Jack murmured, his eyes zing over. ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ The spring formal ising up.¡± He blinked his eyes rapidly and shook his head as if he was shaking away a bad thought or a bad memory in his head. My hands instantly balled into fists. Unlike this bastard standing in front of me, I could never shake away the memory of that horrible night. Cristos, who had noticed my cheeks had gone red, coughed and opened the door of the passenger side of his car. ¡°Virtue, get in. Jack, we¡¯ll just see youter tonight.¡± Cristos waved at Jack and sashayed his way to the driver¡¯s side. I smiled at Jack before entering the car. When I was seated, Jack gave me a small wave and closed the door for me. ¡°You okay, Virtue?¡± Cristos asked as he drove us out of the parking lot. I gave him a bright smile. ¡°No pain, no gain.¡± At town hall, Dan told us to head on up to see Abigail which meant I would have to face Liam. What a way to ruin my day¡­ Cristos knocked tentatively. After we heard a female voice say e in¡¯, he opened the door. Abigail was seated at her desk, wearing a salmon-colored pantsuit and a big smile. ¡°Good morning, Abigail! We just saw Dan downstairs and he told us we could pick up our building permits from you,¡± Cristos said in a hushed tone while practically tiptoeing across the room to Abigail¡¯s desk. He pointed at Liam¡¯s office. ¡°Is Liam here?¡± ¡°No, but he¡¯ll be hereter in the day,¡± Abigail answered while shuffling through the documents on her desk. I entered the room, feeling lucky I was able to dodge seeing Liam, and closed the door behind me. ¡°Here are your building permits as promised. It would¡¯ve been done when Lisa was here earlier, but I had to wait for the floor ns and costs. Pete just sent them a while ago.¡± She handed us our documents. ¡°Well, you guys are all set. If you need anything else, don¡¯t hesitate to ask me.¡± ¡°Thank you so much, Abigail,¡± I said while cing my permit inside my tote bag. ¡°I hope when construction is finished, you can drop by.¡± ¡°Of course I will, Virtue,¡± she replied, grinning at me. ¡°So where are the both of you off to?¡± ¡°Maybe go and have brunch,¡± Cristos answered. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Since Liam isn¡¯t here, why don¡¯t you join us?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to, but I have to finish all of this before the day ends,¡± she refused politely while cing a hand over a pile of papers on her desk. ¡°Tomorrow is a Saturday and I was nning to drive to Bismarck for some antiques. New stuff will being in today, so I¡¯m excited I might find a new teacup to add to my collection.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°We should do that, Chip,¡± I suggested. ¡°Noah told me Bismarck has great vintage finds.¡± ¡°Alright. We can do that after brunch,¡± Cristos agreed. ¡°Since you have so much work to do, we won¡¯t take any more of your time, Abigail. Thanks again.¡± Unexpectedly, Abigail stood up from my desk and grabbed my arm. ¡°Wait, Virtue,¡± she said, her voice faint and subdued. ¡°I know this will sound crazy, but I overheard Liam tell Noah to put up CCTV cameras in your store.¡± I stared into her eyes, my brow furrowing while my eyes slightly narrowed, trying to figure out why her voice sounded so familiar. It¡¯s like I¡¯ve been hearing it over and over in my head. I needed a second to think. If only I could remember¡­ She suddenly let go of her arm andughed nervously. ¡°I-I¡¯m terribly sorry. You know what? Just forget I ever said anything.¡± ¡°It does sound¡­ weird, but thanks for the warning,¡± I murmured. I took her hands in mine. ¡°Thank you, Abigail.¡± I squeezed her hands before letting go. After blowing Abigail a kiss, Cristos rushed forward to open the door so we could leave. When the door swung open, I gasped. Standing in the doorway, leaning forward with his right ear towards us, was Liam. He was obviously eavesdropping, the prick! ¡°Oh, why are you standing in the doorway of your own office, Liam?¡± Chapter 42 CHAPTER 42 Tug of War Liam Hangovers. One reason why I rarely drank to get drunk, butst night I wanted to forget about the past, my obligations, my responsibilities and this gnawing feeling I would have to do something inexplicably deplorable, if not, be at themanding end of it. It didn¡¯t matter. All fingers would point to me¡­. Not my father. Not the boss. Not my friends. Me I wanted to call in sick today, but it was a Friday. ¡°Monday and Friday are reserved for the people, the rest of the days of the work week is for business, while the weekend is for yourself and family,¡± my dad would always remind me when I didn¡¯t want to go to town hall. Today was no different. ¡°Get up, Liam. Today is a Friday. People are expecting you toe to work today,¡± my father said, shaking me awake. He was dressed and ready to leave for the cabin in the woods. ¡°Dad, I have a hangover and a splitting headache,¡± I reasoned while I rubbed my forehead, closing my eyes tightly. And whose fault is that? I¡¯ve told you time and again to drink within your limits,¡± my dad aid. ¡°Take the medicine ire has left you on your nightstand and take a shower. Don¡¯t forget to brush your teeth. You have horrible breath.¡± I sat up on my bed and took the aspirin and the ss of water that wasid out by our maid. from my nightstand. ¡°I thought you were leaving early,¡± I said after I had ced the empty ss on my nightstand. ¡°I would have, if you hade down for breakfast, my father answered, letting out a sigh of frustration. ¡°I heard from Henry that you drove by the Old Taylor House. Why did you do that for?¡± ¡°I just wanted to make sure our new resident got home safely,¡± I answered, pushing back my. sheets and getting out of my four-poster bed. My head was throbbing and the sunlight. pouring through the tall windows of my room was hurting my es my eyes. ¡°New resident? The woman named Virtue Sullivan? Liam, I need to do a background check on her. A woman like Virtue Sullivan usually goes where the action is¡­big cities like New 175 CHAPTER 42 Tug of War York, Los Angeles, or Chicago. Not small towns where designer clothing is hard toe by. You don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t noticed her expensive car and her Prada bag? I doubt if she¡¯s here. for the scenery.¡± I grabbed my phone to check my calls and messages. Nicole had messaged saying Pete would be taking over Virtue¡¯s boutique. I quickly messaged her telling her it wasn¡¯t a problem. After sending a message to Abigail that I would being inte, I threw my phone on my bed and took out a piece of paper from my briefcase which Cris gave mest night. ¡°Cris says she checks out. All the information on Virtue Sullivan is on that sheet of paper. You can call her parents if you want. Their numbers are on there.¡± I watched my father scan the sheet of paper. ¡°It says here she was a victim of a mugging in Las Vegas and sought therapy after. Her shrink suggested she move to a small town with a low crime rate,¡± my father said, nodding his head. ¡°She¡¯s fragile. Perhaps her parents will be moving in with her. The Taylor house has more rooms than the town inn.¡± ¡°Dad, we have to stop with the paranoia,¡± I said, quoting Cris. ¡°It¡¯s causing us more problems. How about if I befriend Virtue? She¡¯s opening a boutique beside Bo¡¯s. Plus, she¡¯s single and of marrying age. ¡°Friends, sure. More than friends, no. I have already made an arrangement. You will give me heir who will be our ticket out of the pact our forefathers had made. I am sick and tired of ing a pawn. I want us to be kings in this state he said frustratedly. ¡°You should get ready for work. I¡¯ll be back from the cabin on Sunday.¡± He walked towards my bedroom door. ¡°And Liam, no more drinking.¡± He left, closing the door behind him. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. I wanted to scream. My father was such a pain. He even made arrangements for me to marry someone I didn¡¯t love. I had a feeling it was one of the daughters of the higher-ups in the organization and most of them were butt ugly. After taking a long and rxing hot shower, I got dressed and left. I hated eating at home alone. My mother died when I was a baby and ever since, it has only been me, my dad, the ser vants and the guards. I picked up breakfast at Harold¡¯s including a huge cup of coffee so I could eat in my office. As I parked my car, I noticed Chip¡¯s Range Rover in the parking lot. Ah¡­building permits. I walked inside the building, my food in one hand and my cup of coffee in the other, and quickly went up the stairs to my office. 2/5 CHAPTER 42 Tug of War I ced year against therge wood door, listening in on their convention, when the door suddenly swung open almost making me lose my bnce. I saw Virtue jump and gasp while Chip gave me a dirty look. If Virtue was pretty yesterday, she was even more beautiful in her dress with her hair up. ¡°Uhm, why are you standing in the doorway of your own office, Liam?¡± Chip asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest. He knew 1 didn¡¯t like him. Hell, I didn¡¯t like him and his cousins. The people of this town were beginning to warm up to them and since they were all so handsome and kind, some of the town¡¯s folk were beginning to think of them as potential leaders of this town. ¡°I was trying to nudge the door open,¡± I said, showing him that my hands were full. ¡°Have you gotten your building permits?¡± Virtue took out a piece of paper from her brown tote bag and showed it to me. ¡°Yes. We are all set. Thanks to Abigail.¡± ¡°I heard Bismarck. What¡¯s happening there?¡± I asked, entering my office and handing Abigail my food and my coffee. I noticed her hands were slightly shaking. I fixed my light gray suit and tightened my dark blue tie while I watched her through hooded eyes. Why so nervous, Abigail? l es,¡± Chip answered. ¡°Abigail here told us about a new batch of antiquesing in at ea market. We¡¯ll be driving there after we¡¯ve had brunch.¡± ¡°So you¡¯ll be gone the whole afternoon?¡± I asked. ¡°Just for a couple of hours. I need to be back before Friday happy hour,¡± Chip replied. ¡°We need to go. Much to do, so little time. See youter, Mayor.¡± Chip said ¡®mayor¡¯ like it. disgusted him. There was no doubt in my mind he knew it was my car following themst night. I wonder if he has told Virtue about the stuff the people say y about me.. ¡°See you and thanks again,¡± Virtue said, waving her hand and smiling brightly at me. Judging by her smile, I guess she was clueless then. She wouldn¡¯t be so nice if she had heard. She was such a beautiful woman. I noticed the cr eamy skin of her breasts peeking from the low neckline of her dress and felt myself go hard. Maybe I could convince my father to marry her, if ever we became a couple. She¡¯s very charming and could probably charm herself into 3/5 13:35 Mon, Mar 25 CHAPTER 42 Tug of War my dad¡¯s good graces. ¡°Virtue, wait!¡± I called out to her before Chip could drag her away. She stopped and turned around, a puzzled expression on her face. ¡°Yes, Mayor?¡± Her voice was so seductive. She made ¡®mayor¡¯ sound like an endearment. ¡°I was wondering if I could invite you to dinner¡­¡± I croaked. I saw her hesitate. ¡°N-not today. since I think you¡¯ve made ns. ¡®H-How about tomorrow at my ce?¡± ¡°Your ce?¡± Virtue asked. ¡°I live on Prairie¡¯s Peak. The big house on top of it,¡± I answered. ¡°My dad is out of town so we¡¯ll have the ce to ourselves. The view of the town at night is spectacr.¡± ¡°I-1 don¡¯t know-¡± Mugging¡­she¡¯s fragile¡­ ¡°Chip, you cane too,¡± I offered, ¡°unless you have to be at the pub.¡± As much as I disliked him, he could provide Virtue some security. I needed to show her I wasn¡¯t a bad guy. ¡°The pub will be closed tomorrow for renovations. I have never been to Prairie¡¯s Peak. I na go,¡± Chip said enthusiastically. I saw Virtue¡¯s resolve melt away. Okay, but on one condition,¡± she said. I raised my eyebrows, hoping it wasn¡¯t something difficult to do. ¡°You have toe to my housewarming party.¡± ¡°At the Old Taylor House?¡± I groaned. Sitting outside her house was one thing, but going inside? My dad won¡¯t like it. But I can pass by for a drink and leave. ¡°Ah, yeah. That¡¯s where she lives, silly,¡± Chip said. ¡°You have got yourself a deal,¡± I said, extending my hand. She took my hand in hers and shook it. Her touch made me shiver and that sparkle in her blue eyes made my heart sk ip a beat. ¡°So, what-time tomorrow, Mayor?¡± Virtue asked, her hand still in my mine. ¡°Six-thirty. We¡¯ll have pre-dinner drinks, then dinner will be served at seven,¡± I answered, letting go of her hand. ¡°See you tomorrow night then,¡± Virtue said, waving goodbye. ¡°Have a good day, Mayor.¡± 4/5 CHAPTER 42 Tug of War She turned around and I caught the faint scent of her expensive perfume. I sighed happily. I have a date with Virtue. My only problem was my father¡­ and maybe the boss. Well, there were ways to make my father disappear just in case he had a problem with Virtue. I closed the door to my office and dialed a number. The person answered after several rings. ¡°What?¡± He asked impatiently. Of all the people to be an underboss of the organization, it just had to be him. ¡°Cris said Virtue Sullivan checks out. If you still need to find out more about her, have someone bug her house. She will be having dinner with me tomorrow night. Noah said she doesn¡¯t have a security system installed, so it¡¯ll be easy to break in.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± he said, then hung up. I began eating breakfast feeling an inner tug-of-war of emotions. I looked forward to spending time with e tomorrow night, but I was also anxious to find out the truth about her. is an undercover agent, I¡¯ll have my fun with her before I dispose of her. Maybe this Cris and Jack will join me. I sighed. But waking up beside her every morning would make me so happy. I clicked on myptop so I could skim through the CCTV footage of my office, but I was interrupted by Abigail¡¯s voice from the inte ¡°Mayor Cohen, Mrs. Lowell is here to see you.¡± I closed myptop. I¡¯ll look through itter. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom uh-oh not good VIEW 1 COMMENT POST COMMENT Chapter 43 CHAPTER 43 Up to Prairie¡¯s Peak Joy After getting our building permits, yesterday went by quickly. We met up with Big Man Lou and his team at a small warehouse in Bismarck. He was a capo who worked under Cristos and was in charge of handling Cristos¡¯ team while he was away. ¡°We found a lead on the doctor who took care of you when you were hurt, JT,¡± Lou said while cing a folder in front of us. ¡°We suspect she¡¯s in Bali, Indonesia. From what Primo found outst night, the money trail from one of the Cohen¡¯s bank ounts leads to an ount in that country. The doctor reverted back to her maiden name after she and her husband were divorced. As for the husband, we don¡¯t know exactly where he is, but her name shows up at a local money remittance center. We think her husband might be living near her.¡± ¡°At least we know where to find her. I already hacked into St. Elizabeth¡¯s database and found that joy¡¯s medical files have been deleted. I doubt if there¡¯s a printed copy at the records section. The only reason why Theodore Cohen sends the good doctor money is because she has a copy of the files,¡± Cristos said. ¡°Have you hacked into the coroner¡¯sputer?¡± Lou nodded his head. Everything on Joan Summers is there, but the coroner¡¯s findings have already been doctored. Joan Summers and Kimberly Smith share the same findings except for the date and time of death which are consistent for a serial murder,¡± Lou borated. ¡°I¡¯m guessing the coroner keeps copies of his ¡®true¡¯ findings at home.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re right. But just like the Cohens, his house is like a fort. Did you find a money trail?¡± Cristos asked. ¡°He just bought a new Volvo for his wife.¡± ¡°No, we didn¡¯t. We think the coroner is being paid in cash,¡± Lou said. ¡°If you turn to page three, there¡¯s something we found in one of Daniel Williams¡¯ files. It seems to be a spreadsheet set up for sales and profits. Of what¡­it wasn¡¯t listed. But whatever they¡¯re selling has earned them a cool three million dorsst month alone. Anyway, we¡¯re still going through the files. When we find anything important, you¡¯ll be the first to know.¡± ¡°Well, I doubt if they smuggle in goods. I¡¯m leaning more on the possibility of drugs. This is more of Sebastian¡¯s arena. I¡¯ll see he gets the data. By the way, I need info on a Noah Jensen. I found this in my car,¡± Cristos said, showing Lou a stic bag of a circr listening device chopped up in pieces. ¡°This is your police standard issued listening device. Did this Noah Jensen put this in your 1/5 CHAPTER 43 Up to Prairie¡¯s Peak car?¡± Lou asked. ¡°Yep. He was seated in the backst night and I found that underneath the backseat when I got home. We also saw him snooping around Joy¡¯s housest night,¡± Cristos said. ¡°Lou, he pretends to be a nobody, but now I have my doubts.¡± ¡°This means whoever is running the town has a hold onw enforcement. As for Noah. Jensen, he isn¡¯t a nobody. He¡¯s someone trusted by someone up in the food chain to have stuff like this,¡± Lou said. ¡°What does he do for a living?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a contractor,¡± I answered. ¡°Contractor? He can build aboratory without anyone knowing. I heard there¡¯s a new residential area just outside of your town near theke. They can make the drugs there and transport the drugs via boat to the nearby towns and cities for distribution,¡± Lou spected. ¡°I¡¯m beginning to think Noah deliberately withheld evidence and information when you were attacked, Joy,¡± Cristos murmured as he looked through the files. ¡°And your attack was probably ordered by someone high in rank as an initiation of sorts. Why they targeted you? You must have witnessed or heard ¡®something or maybe your parents did. It was their way to shut you up.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask my dad,¡± I told Cristos. ¡°I don¡¯t remember ever seeing or hearing something out of the ordinary.¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°What else do you need, Primo?¡± Lou asked. ¡°Say the word and I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°I need you to make an anonymous tip to the good Sheriff of New Salem through a burner phone and get opera tickets for the coroner and his wife. Whatever else I need done is more Xavier¡¯s arena. Just get that info I need on Noah and all the people under his payroll,¡± Cristos said. ¡°And monitor all activity from Dan¡¯sputer. I¡¯ll hack into his home system so you can also monitor him from there.¡± After our short meeting, Big Man Lou and his team disguised themselves as delivery men delivering antique furniture. While Cristos and I set up the pieces of furniture in a spare room, Lou and his men quickly set up my home security system. They were in and out in an hour. ¡°Your security system is installed and it is time for me to head to the pub. Youing with or you¡¯ll just meet me there?¡± Cristos asked. ¡°Coming with. I need to pick up my car at Bo¡¯s. I¡¯ll just have one drink with Jack and head 2/5 CHAPTER 43 Up to Prairie¡¯s Peak home. I need to get some sleep,¡± I said, yawning ¡°I bet you twenty bucks Jack is a no-show.¡± Cristos won the bet. At the pub, Jack didn¡¯t show up, but Lisa did. She said Jack and the Sheriff were on a manhunt for the aplice of the Summers and Smith murders. I heaved a sigh of relief, thankful the anonymous tip worked, and called it an early night.. In the morning, news spread that a fire erupted at Sheriff Combs¡¯ house while he was out on a wild goose chase. Xavier made sure whatever he took would never be discovered. I stayed home the whole day. I did call Pete to check on their progress and he said they were on schedule It was almost six o¡¯clock and I was waiting for Cristos to pick me up. I was wearing a white short sleeved midi dress with a matching long white cardigan and white strappy sandals with a low heel. My hair was up in a neat and tight bun, essorized with my favorite ded hairb. Cristos called to tell me toe out before he entered the cul-de-sac. I punched in my security code, then turned off the lights and locked the door. I nced at Noah¡¯s house before climbing in Cristos¡¯ car and noticed his truck wasn¡¯t in the driveway. You nervous?¡± Cristos asked me. He was wearing a dark blue long sleeved polo shirt with haki chinos. He looked simple, casual and dashing. ¡°No. But I would rather go out on a date with you,¡± I said, giggling. He patted my knee lovingly. ¡°Me too, honey,¡± Cristos said, driving to Prairie¡¯s Peak. ¡°Let¡¯s just think of Liam as a third wheel. By the way, I got the medical records of Laura Jensen, the autopsy report of Owen Jensen and some news clippings about their ident. I also pulled out the school file of Peter McDowell. Apparently, he moved here from Texas his freshman year in high school after his father died. Not much is in his file so I¡¯m going to do some digging.¡± ¡°Do you know where he lives?¡± I asked. ¡°At Hignd Oaks, the prime residential area where the coroner lives. His mom owns the local pharmacy,¡± Cristos answered. ¡°They have business?¡± money,¡± I said. ¡°So why is Pete working for Noah when he can put up his own 3/5 13:35 Mon, Mar 25 M S CHAPTER 43 Up to Prairie¡¯s Peak ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to do some digging, Cristos replied. He nced at my hair and nodded approvingly. ¡°I know this isn¡¯t your first rodeo, but are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes, I have liquidtex covering my fingerprints and hydrogen peroxide wipes to destroy DNA from ss and utensils,¡± I said. ¡°And when we¡¯re there, what should you do?¡± ¡°Drink at the same spot so it will be easier to wipe off lipstick. Hydrogen peroxide wipes should always be on hand to wipe ss and utensils if ever I have to leave them unattended. ce disposable seat cover before peeing and add soap when flushing. Make sure not to y with hair, so there will be no hair fall. If I sneeze, ce tissue in my purse, not in the trash bin. I think I got it,¡± I said. ¡°Good girl. With Liam, it¡¯s always a da mn test,¡± Cristos said. ¡°Since I¡¯ll be the designated driver, I won¡¯t drink, just in case he drugs you. If he does, I¡¯ll send out a 911 message to Sebastian and Xavier.¡± If Liam does drug me, Xavier will kill him,¡± I said. Cristos chuckled. ¡°Seriously, if he does drug you, I¡¯ll kill him.¡± efore entering the estate, we needed to wait at the guard house for Liam¡¯s phone call nfirming our appointment. Once he did, the guard opened the gates and waved at us to enter. It was a steep and lonely climb up to the top of Prairie¡¯s Peak where we found the magnificent chateau- styled redbrick home, reminiscent of the 1920s art deco period¡­the time when the Cohens arrived at New Salem. The dark wood stained-ss doors opened to reveal a smiling Liam dressed in a white long sleeved shirt under a dark gray vest with matching dark gray pants and leather shoes. ¡°There are usually guards out here on the grounds. I guess Liam told them to go elsewhere so they wouldn¡¯t freak you out,¡± Cristos said as he parked his ear. He flicked his fingers in the air while he fixed his hair. ¡°Well, time to get this show on the road.¡± I opened the door, exited the car and felt the chill in the air. I quickly tightened my cardigan around my body, shivering from the cold breeze blowing across the hilltop. After securing his car, Cristos offered me his arm and guided me to the front doors of the mansion where Liam stood with a drink in his hand. 4/5 13:35 Mon, Ma CHAPTER 43 Up to Prairie¡¯s Peak I tightened my hold on Cristos¡¯ arm. I felt a sudden urge to inflict pain. There was no father and no army to stop me. I could tie Liam up and y pin the tail on the donkey with a knife. As we approached, Liam mockingly bowed at us. ¡°Wee to my humble abode.¡± Chapter Comments Luna-Mom This mayor thinks highly of himself VIEW 1 COMMENT > POST COMMENT 27 + Chapter 44 CHAPTER 44 The View Liam The cold wind was blowing, making Virtue wrap her cashmere sweater tightly around herself. Oh, how I wanted to wrap myself around her naked body and touch every inch of her¡­ ¡°Wee to my humble abode,¡± 1 eximed merrily, gesturing at my two guests to follow me inside. ¡°This is the entry hall. Everything you see is original from the hand painted ceiling to the paneling as well as the chandelier. We¡¯ve done a few minor improvements, but it¡¯s mostly for entertainment.¡± They surveyed the interior of the house, marveling at the shiny hardwood floors, the walls. decorated with old paintings and the white birch paneling touching the painted ceiling above. They both paused to admire the chandelier hanging in the middle. ¡°It¡¯s absolutely stunning, Liam,¡± Chip said, disentangling himself from Virtue. She scoffed at him and backed away, raising her hands. I took the opportunity of the little scuffle to offer her my arm instead. She smiled and wrapped her hand around the crook of my elbow. A shiver went though me, delighting at her ouch. ¡°So simple, yet so beautiful,¡± I whispered into her ear. ¡°I¡¯d take your sweater and hang it, but we¡¯ll be going out to see the view overlooking the town and there¡¯s a chill in the air. I wouldn¡¯t want you to catch a cold,¡± I said. She smiled at me. ¡°You have a beautiful home, Liam. A remembrance of the 1920s art deco era,¡± Virtue said. ¡°Please, continue with the tour.¡± ¡°Yes, please,¡± Chip said while peering through the ss cabs filled with porcin- figurines antiques and rare vintage finds here must cost a fortune. Virtue, look. They have a dro 18th Century Coach sculpture. That piece alone is priced at fifty grand.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my grandfather¡¯s collection. Some people collect cars, my grandfather loved. collecting- figurines,¡± I told him, then pointed to a doorway to our right. ¡°Right through there is the formal living room.¡± This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. The heels of her sandals made a clickerty ck sound as she walked, her face full of admiration. I could tell she was impressed which made my heart swell with pride.. 1/7 13:35 Mon, Mar CHAPTER 44 The View Chip followed us into the formal living room which featured an Italian marble hearth and a painted ceiling just like the hallway. The furniture were antiques while a few paintings covered the walls. I ced my ss on the small rectangr table behind the sofa and led her through two double doors which led into the formal dining room where another set of double doors led outside to the view deck. ¡°I promised you the view of the town and I keep my promises,¡± I said as I led her to the double doors. Unfortunately, ire, my maid, emerged from the door to the kitchen. ¡°Sir, dinner is ready,¡± she announced. ¡°We¡¯ll go outside after we¡¯ve had dinner. The steak won¡¯t taste as good cold,¡± I said. Virtue smiled and nodded her head in agreement. ¡°Would you like me to take your sweater? We¡¯ll just hang it on the coat hanger by the door, so you can put it onter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll do it,¡± she said, letting go of my arm. I frowned. I felt crestfallen without her touch. She shrugged out of her cardigan revealing the white short sleeved dress that hugged every ve of her body. The neckline was low enough to show her cr eamy skin and the cleavage of breasts. I stared as the twin mounds moved ever so slightly as she removed her cardigan. idn¡¯t matter what she did or how she did it¡­every move she made was so sensual, sultry and seductive¡­without her even knowing it. Even the simple act of hanging her sweater made me go hot with desire. I watched how her. cute as s moved as she walked towards the coat hanger. I bit my lower lip and groaned¡­ there was no visible pantyline. I felt myself go hard. I just wanted to grab her b uttch eeks and rub myself against her. Unfortunately, Chip was in the same room with us. For now, I had to keep myself in check. ¡°I hope everything is to your liking,¡± I said as I quickly assisted Virtue with her chair. Chip took the seat across from hers while I sat in front of the dining table. ¡°I won¡¯t be drinking tonight, Liam.¡± Chip covered his empty wine ss with his hand, prohibiting my maid from filling it with red wine. ¡°I¡¯m the designated driver. ¡°I can have Henry drive you home, Chip,¡± I offered. He shook his head. 217 CHAPTER 44 The View ¡°I need my car tomorrow morning, Liam, Chip reasoned. ¡°I have to clean the pub, so I can open on Monday. The new ceiling is already up. Next weekend, I¡¯m having the walls done.¡± ¡°Finally the pub is going through an overhaul,¡± I said after sipping a spoonful of my soup. ¡°I love the ce, but the floors need a good polish, I don¡¯t know why Old Man Eugene never took the time to have the floors done.¡± ¡°Well, even if the pub looks awful, people stille to drink,¡± Chip said. ¡°So, who lives with you here? Just you and your dad?¡± I nodded. ¡°Yeah, my mom died when I was young.¡± ¡°You should get married and fill this ce up with kids. Are you dating anyone? Or are you and Nicole a thing?¡± Chip asked. I coughed and nced at Virtue who stopped sipping her soup. She was interested at what I had to say. ¡°Nicole and I aren¡¯t a thing and that¡¯s the truth, I answered. ¡°We were¡­back in high school, but it didn¡¯t work out. Now, we¡¯re just friends.¡± ¡°You sure about that? Because Nicole still seems to think of you as hers,¡± Chip argued. ¡°I thought Dom and Nicole were dating,¡± Virtue countered. Chip looked up at the ceiling, thinking. bes seem that way, but I¡¯m not too sure. I¡¯ll ask Dom,¡± Chip said. ¡°So, Liam? Are you ating anyone?¡± ¡°Well, right now, I¡¯m hoping¡­ even wishing for someone,¡± I replied, trying to be vague. I didn¡¯t want to scare Virtue away. ¡°Hoping? I was hoping to get a yes or a no to my question, but I¡¯ll settle for that,¡± Chip said, his eyes widening at the steak in front of him. ¡°Filet mignon.¡± He took his steak knife and sliced through the meat. ¡°Medium just how I like it.¡± He took a piece with his fork, ced it in his mouth and sighed blissfully. ¡°I want to have dinner here every night.¡± ¡°Since you asked about my love life,¡± I said, ¡°how about you, Virtue? Are you dating anyone?¡± ¡°Like you¡­ I¡¯m hoping. Mmmm¡­,¡± she purred blissfully at the piece of steak in her mouth. ¡°My compliments to the chef. This is cooked perfectly.¡± I smiled. I love a woman who eats. ¡°Has anyone in town asked you out?¡± I asked, thinking of Dom and Bo. They were pretty attentive to her the other night at the pub. I felt a tinge of jealousy when Dom touched her 3/7 CHAPTER 44 The View hand. I didn¡¯t know what they were talking about, but the way he touched her looked like a caress. ¡°Aside from you? Yeah, someone has asked me out. He stood me upst night,¡± she said to my shock. ¡°Who?¡± I asked, trying to sound nonchnt. ¡°Jack!¡± Chip answered for her. I paused, swallowing the piece of steak in my mouth, and looked at him, urging him to say more. ¡°He asked Virtue to have a drink with him at the pub, but he didn¡¯t show up.¡± ¡°He did, did he,¡± I mumbled before drinking some wine. ¡°And Noah?¡± ¡°Oh, he helped me with groceries, so I decided to buy him dinner,¡± she answered casually. So it wasn¡¯t a date. It was just her way of thanking him. And here I thought it was a dinner date. F ucking Noah¡­ waving and smirking at me the other day. I should have known Jack Emery would try to ask Virtue out. S hit. There must be something wrong with him. He couldn¡¯t even get to first base with Abigail, but now he thinks he and Virtue can be a couple?! I smirked while I sliced through my steak. e and him¡­undersheriff, a has been injured high school wrestler¡­. they weren¡¯t a good While Virtue and me, the mayor of this town, a Cohen¡­ we were perfect together. Cris, as much as he wanted to get into Virtue¡¯s pants, couldn¡¯t afford a scandal before the elections. He had to y it safe. I doubt if Virtue wanted a rtionship with a married man. Someone as beautiful as her deserved to be the queen of her home, not some mistress. After finishing our steaks, I asked ire to serve us coffee at the view deck. I wanted to end the night romantically, hoping Virtue would see me more than just a friend. After she put on her sweater, I opened one of the doors and took Virtue¡¯s hand in mine, assisting her onto the view deck. She gasped seeing New Salem below us, its lights tw inkling like stars. ¡°You weren¡¯t joking, Liam. This view is AH-MAY-ZING!¡± Chip eximed, patting me on the ¡°When I have enough money, I¡¯m going to purchasend overlooking the town and build a house. I can already imagine myself at night with a ss of red wine. You will need to yank me away from my house.¡± He back. He took out his phone and began taking picture 4/7 CHAPTER 44 The View suddenly paused, shivering. He didn¡¯t have a jacket. ¡°It¡¯s so cold. Uhm, I¡¯ll have my coffee inside, thank you. By the way, can I use your restroom, Liam?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± I replied. ¡°Ask ire for directions.¡± Chip quickly left us, sashaying back into the house. My luck! Some alone time with Virtue. I stared at her. The moonlight kissed her gorgeous face, her blue eyes shining like sapphires. ¡°You¡¯re right. The view is breathtaking,¡± she murmured. ¡°You¡¯re breathtaking,¡± I said, lifting her hand and kissing it. I thought she was going to pull her hand away, but to my relief, she didn¡¯t. ¡°It must be wonderful to see this during the day she murmured, shyly. Her eyes nced at me while a small smile yed on her luscious pink lips. ¡°It gives me a wondeful feeling sharing it with you. Honestly, having you here beside me has made this already spectacr view very special to me. I will never forget tonight,¡± I said, squeezing her hand. le cheeks suddenly turned a bright red. I caressed her cheek, marveling at the beauty bod beside me. outo hat is so sweet of you to say, Liam,¡± she murmured. ¡°Tonight is special for me too.¡± Her face was so close to mine I could feel her warm breath. I lowered my head. I wanted to taste those sweet lips. I wanted to feel her softness against my body and cradle her in my arms¡­ But the sudden sound of a phone ringing interrupted my intentions. She backed away and pointed to my pocket. ¡°That must be important,¡± she said. I rolled my eyes, frustrated. Who the f uck is calling me anyway? I took out my phone from my pocket and saw ¡®JE¡¯ shing on the screen. Did-Jack know I was. with Virtue? Was he on his way here? 5/7 CHAPTER 44 The View I excused myself and moved to the end of the view deck, keeping her within my sight. I didn¡¯t want to leave her, but I had to take the call. ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked, ready to give him a tongueshing if he was on his way to get in the middle of my date. ¡°I¡¯m busy at the moment.¡± I heard the unmistakable sounds of a siren in the background. What was going on? ¡°Liam, sorry to disturb you,¡± he said sarcastically. ¡°But there was an ident on I-94.¡± ¡°And? What does that have to do with me?¡± ¡°Can you stop being an as shole just this once and listen to me?!¡± Jack roared through the phone. ¡°I¡¯m calling you because the person in the ambnce is Abigail. She was in an ident. She¡¯s alive, but it¡¯s bad Liam. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s going to make it.¡± I could hear the fear and regret in his voice. I, myself, was taken aback at the news. I-I¡¯ll head to the hospital now,¡± I said, hanging up. What happened? ¡°Liar verything okay? You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost,¡± Virtue said. I didn¡¯t notice she towards me. o go to the hospital. Abigail¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t say it out loud. It would make it real. What happened to Abigail, Liam? Why is she in the hospital?¡± I heard the rm in her voice. ¡°S-she was in an a-ident,¡± I whispered. ¡°Oh my G od!¡± Virtue eximed, quickly embracing me. I let herfort me. It felt good to be in her arms¡­ she gave me hope. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯reing with you.¡± 6/7 CHAPTER 44 The View Chapter Comments Luna-Mom let the fun begin VIEW 1 COMMENT ¡¤ 26 SHARE POST COMMENT 7/7 Chapter 45 CHAPTER 45 St. Elizabeth¡¯s Joy Before entering the backseat of his car, Liam kissed me on the cheek and whispered, ¡°Thank you. If I wasn¡¯t so concerned about Abigail, I would have vomited the steak we had earlier. Cristos and I climbed into his Range Rover and sped off following the ck BMW driving ahead of us. ¡°Virtue, what¡¯s going on?¡± Cristos asked. He wasing out of the bathroom when I told him we had to leave for the hospital. ¡°Jack called to tell Liam Abigail was in an ident,¡± I answered. ¡°Chip, I have this really bad. feeling it was because she told us about the CCTV cameras Liam wants installed in my store.¡± I scoffed angrily. ¡°The Angels of Darkness just love bu tchery.¡± My hands were balled up into fists. I wanted to hurt whoever hurt Abigail¡­so very badly. ¡°Virtue, calm down. Jack said it was an ident. Let¡¯s get the facts before we start making. conclusions, okay? But, yeah, you have a point. I wouldn¡¯t kill someone for doing something like that, but the Angels of Darkness? They¡¯d do it for far less atrocious reasons. Here¡¯s my he said, unlocking it before handing it to me. ¡°Send Dom and Bo a message that aded to the hospital. Tell them Abigail is hurt.¡± what he said and waited for their reply. ¡°Bo says they¡¯re already on their way to the hospital. They heard about Abigail through Nicole.¡± Cristos sighed. ¡°Tragedy always has a way of bringing everyone together,¡± Cristos mumbled darkly as he followed Liam¡¯s car out of the estate and onto the main road. ¡°Abigail and her family are very close to the Cohens, Chip. She¡¯s also someone Liam can¡¯t afford to lose. I highly doubt if Liam sanctioned the hit,¡± I said. ¡°Plus, you should have seen his face earlier when he got the news. I thought he was going to cry.¡± ¡°Associates killing associates¡­something that doesn¡¯t usually happen, but is not unheard of,¡± Cristos muttered. ¡°I need to call De Luca and ask him to rush the Angels of Darkness Mafia family tree. He keeps saying the list is iplete. They had a major revamp once the former Big Boss¡¯ sister became the ¡®Boss of All Bosses¡¯ after Bo killed their nephew. You know what? F uck De Luca. I¡¯ll have Lou do the tree for me.¡± ¡°I remember Bo telling me that story. How old were you guys when that happened?¡± I asked. 1/5 CHAPTER 45 St. Elizabeth¡¯s ¡°Young. It was one of our first sanctioned kills. Bo used a sn iper rifle and shot the underboss when he was throwing a party in his own backyard. It was a perfect shot,¡± Cristos recalled. ¡°Bo should¡¯ve just exterminated all of them including their associates. That would have meant one less Cohen in the world.¡± I heard the disdain in his voice. ¡°Uhm, but you left me to deal with a Cohen¡­ all alone. I thought we were a team,¡± I whined. ¡°You know why I had to, Virtue. While you were distracting Liam on the view deck, I was able to hack into their router. So yes, we are a team,¡± Cristos exined. He paused and nced at me, a puzzled expression on his face. ¡°Virtue, what happened while I was gone?¡± ¡°Liam almost kissed me if it weren¡¯t for that phone call, Chip.¡± I sighed. I sounded like a child. G od, Joy! Get it together! Honestly, I felt so relieved when Liam¡¯s phone rang, but sadly, it was at the expense of someone else¡¯s pain and suffering. ¡°And how did that make you feel?¡± Cristos asked curiously. ¡°I wanted to stab him with my hairb,¡± I answered truthfully. ay¡­make sure to keep that thought in your head when you close your eyes. Passion ets passion. These men want to f uck you while you want to kill them. Pour out all of your anger and you¡¯ll find them begging you for more, Cristos coached. ¡°Whatever we need you to do is difficult, but remember, our goal is to watch them burn.¡± ¡°Speaking of burn, what happened to the Sheriff¡¯s house?¡± I asked, remembering the news from this morning. ¡°Bo stole the Sheriff¡¯sptop and sent it to Lou. He didn¡¯t find the missing evidence of your assault nor the initial evidence from the Joan Summers¡¯ investigation. Unfortunately, we have to wait until Friday night to break into the coroner¡¯s house. He won tickets to see the opera at Lisbon Opera House plus aplimentary stay at the Hamptons Suites,¡± Cristos exined. ¡°If we can¡¯t find anything at the coroner¡¯s, best bet is Theodore Cohen has the evidence. I messaged Leo and Benny to find out where his safe is.¡± ¡°And what about Theodore¡¯s cabin in the woods? Is it possible he has things hidden there?¡± ¡°F uck! I forgot to ping in his location,¡± Cristos uttered while shaking his head frustratedly. ¡°I¡¯m focusing too much on the renovations. I¡¯ll get to that as soon as I get back to the pub. 2/5 CHAPTER 45 St. Elizabeth¡¯s You¡¯re right. That cabin might be hiding secrets. When we finally arrived at St. Elizabeth¡¯s Medical Center, I looked up at the tall white building and remembered the two weeks of my stay as a patient. I had passed out in the backseat of my father¡¯s car when he drove me to the hospital and when I became conscious, I found myself lying in a hospital bed, my arm and leg in a cast, my ribs and jaw broken, my face battered and a searing pain in my groin area from being ripped apart. ¡°Virtue, honey, everything okay at your end?¡± Cristos asked, taking my hand in his and squeezing it tightly. I swallowed back the tears and nodded my head. ¡°I¡¯m okay. I just had another moment of weakness,¡± I croaked. I sniffed and looked at him. ¡°When I¡¯m finished with all of them, they won¡¯t be seeing the inside of a hospital.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my girl,¡± Cristos said, then pointed at someone entering the hospital. ¡°Dan¡¯s here. It¡¯s time for me to get my groove on.¡± He ran his fingers through his hair. ¡°Well, that¡¯s one man off the list of men I have to seduce,¡± I murmured. ¡°Good for me, but bad for you.¡± ¡°I heard Dan is purchasing a new house at Hillcrest. He¡¯s my ticket inside. Now, wipe your nose and let¡¯s go. Abigail needs us.¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ixing myself, we exited the car and walked inside the hospital. To my surprise, one in Liam¡¯s inner circle was already seated in the waiting room¡­ everyone except for Noah. Sebastian and Xavier were seated at the other end of the waiting room with Nicole. 1 clenched my hands into fists to prevent myself from waving at them. I noticed Xavier nodded his head at Cristos while his eyes avoided mine. ¡°Virtue, oh my gosh, it¡¯s so nice to see you,¡± Lisa rushed towards me and gave me a tight hug. ¡°You look all dressed up. Where did you twoe from?¡± She may have been worried about Abigail, but that didn¡¯t stop her from gossiping. ¡°We had dinner with Liam,¡± I answered. From the corner of my eye, I saw everyone¡¯s head turn towards Liam who was currently speaking to a doctor. ¡°How¡¯s Abigail?* ¡°She¡¯s in surgery,¡± Jack, who was standing behind Lisa, answered for her. ¡°Virtue, aboutst night, 1-¡± ¡°Undersheriff, it¡¯s fine,¡± I said before he could say anything else. ¡°Right now, let¡¯s focus on Abigail. She needs our prayers. Do you know what happened, Jack?¡± 3/5 13:36 Mon, Mar 25 CHAPTER 45 St. Elizabeth¡¯s Before Jack could answer me, Liam patted him on the back and took his ce beside me. While Lisa gave Liam a small smile, Jack¡¯s smile turned into a scowl and his eyes narrowed at Liam. ¡°It¡¯s still an ongoing investigation,¡± Jack answered gruffly, tight-lipped, not willing to talk. Lisa snorted in response¡­stating the obvious. He was jealous. ¡°I see,¡± I replied, ying it c ooly. ¡°Well, I better grab a seat then and wait.¡± ¡°Virtue, I have to do some paperwork for Abigail since I¡¯m her ¡®in case of an emergency contact person¡¯. Her parents are out of town at the moment. Is it okay if I leave you?¡± Liam asked, politely. I watched Lisa¡¯s jaw drop. Liam is usually your typical a sshole, but right now, he was acting like a perfect gentleman. If it weren¡¯t for that wink he gave Jack, I would have actually believed he was a gentleman. Sure, Liam,¡± I answered smiling. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Liam nudged Jack toe with him. If they weren¡¯t going to have a man to man discussion about me, they were going to discuss the mystery behind Abigail¡¯s ident. istos had already taken a seat beside Dan and both of them were engaged in a serious onversation. I decided to sit next to Lisa and Cris. Cris looked like he lost the election. He was ying with his phone with this sullen. expression on his face. Lisa, on the other hand, began discussing how hard it was for her to find something to do while the pub was undergoing renovations.. I pretended to listen to her, nodding my head at every mundane thing she said, while the memories of my stay in the hospital came rushing back. I remembered my mother giving me a sponge bath, telling me over and over again that I would be okay. I remembered my father holding my hand while asking me to forgive him for being a failure. I remembered the tears I cried, knowing I would never be the same again. I nced surreptitiously at Lisa, fighting the urge to ask her why. Why did she lure me to the boy¡¯s gym room that night? What did I do to her to make her hate me? Why, Lisa? WHY? 4/5 CHAPTER 45 St. Elizabeth¡¯s I coughed, hiding my difort and sat up straight. I suddenly heard Sebastian¡¯s voice. asking Nicole if she wanted some coffee. I moved my head to look at him and noticed Xavier was gone. Where did he go? Chapter Comments Luna-Mom POST COMMENT of course they tried to take Abigail out because she told Virtue about thetv being. installed at her home VIEW 1 COMMENT > 25 Chapter 46 CHAPTER 46 Red Roses Joy I woke up to a beautiful Sunday morning. I sat up on my bed and stretched my hands above my head. After the doctor came out to tell us Abigail was stable, we all heaved a sigh of relief and decided to head home, except for Nicole. She opted to stay with Abigail until her parents. arrived and Sebastian agreed to stay with her. I felt a tinge of jealousy, but Nicole had information and if Sebastian had to f uck her for it, so be it. Liam offered me a ride home, but Cristos intervened saying it was out of Liam¡¯s way and promised he would make sure I got home safely. Before Liam could say or do anything else, Jack pushed him towards his BMW with Cris chuckling behind them. Since Xavier rode with Sebastian and Sebastian wanted to stay, Xavier rode with us. ¡°You went missing awhile ago, Bo,¡± I said. ¡°What did you find out?¡± ¡°I thought I went unnoticed,¡± he replied from the backseat. ¡°Well, someone needed to spy on Liam and Jack. Since all three of you were preupied, I decided to follow the two at the ction. ording to Jack, witnesses saw a truck sideswipe Abigail¡¯s car which off the rode and hit a tree. The police will be going through the CCTV footage. tter grab that footage before the Sheriff has that wiped off from their database. do, Cristos said. ¡°Did you overhear anything else?¡± ¡°Just that Liam warned Jack to back off. Liam thinks Virtue likes him,¡± he scoffed. ¡°It must have been one hell of a dinner for him to think that.¡± Cristos scolded him. ¡°What else did you ¡°Bo, it isn¡¯t the time to y the jealous boyfriend,¡± hear?¡± Xavier sighed melodramatically before continuing. ¡°Well, Jack asked Liam if Virtue and him were a couple and Liam answered no. Jack argued Virtue has a right to choose,¡± Xavier borated. ¡°And get this, Jack even said if he has to, he¡¯ll warn-Virtue about Liam¡¯s past. Liam became so angry, he was about to take a swing at Jack, if it wasn¡¯t for a nurse standing next to them.¡± Heughed and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m guessing they¡¯ll bepeting for your attention, Virtue. Chip, next weekend, I need you to keep the pub open.¡± ¡°Why?¡± 1/5 CHAPTER 46 Red Roses ¡°While we were doing surveince at Hillcrest, we overheard two men sporting identical ck sling bags discussing a delivery at the dock for next weekend. We had to climb the hill outside Hillcrest to find the da mn dock.¡± ¡°And?¡± Cristos asked, urging him to continue. ¡°There¡¯s a dock just outside the clubhouse, obscured by the tall fence around the perimeter,¡± Xavier said. ¡°Any news if Lou found the meeting point on the other side of theke?¡± ¡°Nothing so far. But if there¡¯s movement over the weekend, we¡¯ll catch it. Lou and my ment have put up cameras in the area,¡± Cristos answered. ¡°Good. I¡¯m having a team of my mening in as delivery men for Virtue¡¯s merchandise. They¡¯re on the road and will be here in a couple of days. Your men will stay in Bismarck, mine will be at Lincoln while Dom is sending his men to Mandan. In the next couple of weeks, it will get nasty. Virtue, I need you to be prepared. Liam, Jack, Cris and Noah will find themselves in a shi tstorm. Take advantage of it. By the way, we still need a bug at the Sheriff¡¯s station. Come by the grocery tomorrow so I can give you one.¡± ¡°No problem. I¡¯lle in the morning, Bo.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you. And Virtue, you look really beautiful tonight. When this is over, I¡¯ll take you a proper date that will take your breath away¡± Xavier promised as Cristos parked his car nt of my house. The lights at Noah¡¯s house are on and his truck is in the driveway,¡± Cristos pointed out. ¡°He was a no show at the hospital earlier. He must have been ordered to do something important. Make sure your security system is on. I have Lou watching from the cameras. He¡¯ll inform usThis is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. if something out of the ordinary happens.¡± Well, nothing did. I was able to sleep soundly. I checked my phone for messages and saw one from Xavier reminding me to pick up my order from him and another from Liam thanking me for the special night. Men. I took a shower and got dressed in a pair of red jeans and a fitted beige ribbed knit short sleeved blouse. I decided it was a no make-up kind of day. I tied my hair up in a messy bun, put on a pair of beige pumps and filled a beige purse with my essentials. After grabbing my keys, I punched in my security code and opened the door to find Noah standing on my doorstep with a bouquet of red roses. He was wearing a white shirt, jeans and sneakers. ¡°Good morning!¡± I greeted him after I closed the door behind me. ¡°We missed youst night. at the hospital. Are the roses for me?¡± 2/5 13:36 Mon, Mar CHAPTER 46 Red Roses ¡°Good morning, Virtue,¡± he said thrusting the bouquet in my direction. ¡°A delivery man came while I was about to ring your doorbell.¡± I took the bouquet of long stemmed roses and immediately read the card. It was from Liam and had a cheesy dedication on it. ¡°Roses are red, violets are blue. No one in this town is as beautiful as you.¡± I imagined sending him poison ivy with my own version of the poem written on a card. Roses are red, violets are blue. I have five fingers and the middle one¡¯s for you. ¡°Thanks, Noah,¡± I said, cradling the bouquet in my arms. ¡°Is there anything I can do for you?¡± ¡°I came by to ask how Abigail was doing. My mom wasn¡¯t feeling wellst night, so I couldn¡¯t make it,¡± he exined sheepishly. ¡°Abigail is stable. I¡¯ll be visiting herter,¡± I replied. ¡°How¡¯s your mom? Is there anything I can do for her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s better, thank you for asking,¡± he replied, grinning at me. ¡°I-I got to thinking the other day a-after I said those awful things to you¡­maybe you¡¯re right. I mean about fixing the porch and reading to my mother. That is, if you still want to¡­¡± His voice trailed off as he ited for my answer. elt something had changed. He was acting terribly nice¡­ too nice. What are you up to, Noah? ¡°Of course, Noah. The construction material are in the shed at the back. You are wee to take the material at any time,¡± I offered. ¡°I¡¯ll get the material now if that¡¯s okay and start with the repairs. It¡¯s a Sunday and my day off,¡± he said. ¡°Sure. I need to head to Bo¡¯s to pick up a few things, but I¡¯ll be back after I visit Abigail at the hospital. I¡¯ll tell her you said hi. Before I forget, how¡¯s the boutique going?¡± I asked. ¡°On schedule. Ceiling and walls have been painted and lights have been installed. We start installing the hardwood flooring and the tiles in the bathroom tomorrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll drop by and check. Thanks Noah.¡± ¡°Drive safely, Virtue.¡± 3/5 CHAPTER 46 Red Roses I walked to my car and noticed footprints on the soil near the elm tree, including pieces of bark. I smirked. He couldn¡¯t break into my house so he ced a camera in the tree. I nced at him as he walked to the back of the house. He¡¯ll probably put up another camera in the back. I sighed as I threw the bouquet in the backseat of my car. I sent Liam a message thanking him for the roses and another massage to Lou to keep an eye on Noah while I ran my errands. After my housewarming party, I¡¯ll have to bring Lou in to de-bug my house. Xavier r was waiting for me at the entrance of Bo¡¯s. Once the door to his office closed behind us, he pulled me into his arms and kissed me passionately. ¡°I want to do more, but we can¡¯t,¡± he groaned when our lips finally separated. How disappointing. ¡°Noah was waiting for me outside,¡± I said, plopping into a chair. My knees were wobbly from our kiss.¡±I think he ced a camera in the big elm tree in front of my yard.¡± ¡°Yup, Lou called to tell us that. I¡¯m telling you we should put him on the list. He¡¯s as guilty as any one of them, Virtue,¡± Xavier reasoned. ¡°Chip heard him speaking to someone on the phone through the bug you ced inside his home. Whoever it was wants to keep an eye on at all times.¡± he, put him on the list,¡± I said, giving in to Xavier. He grinned, happy Noah was now a target. ¡°Was it Liam?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t say a name, Xavier replied. ¡°They really think I¡¯m undercover. I need to prove them otherwise. Anyway, where¡¯s that bug you want me to put in the Sheriff¡¯s office?¡± ¡°Here.¡± Xavier handed me a ck case. ¡°And this is the nket you ordered. Anything else?¡± ¡°Booze. I need to stock up for my housewarming party. Booze and jealous men are a great combination,¡± I said. ¡°For when?¡± ¡°After 1 my boutique is done. I need champagne for the grand opening for the boutique while I need hard liquor, red wine and beer for the house.¡± I stood up and walked to the door. 4/5 CHAPTER 46 Red Roses ¡°Got it. I will personally deliver everything myself,¡± Xavier said while he opened the door. ¡°And what about food?¡± He asked as he led me out. ¡°Steak, barbecue, burgers?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll probably order food from Harold¡¯s or maybe the diner. We¡¯ll see. Thanks again, Bo.¡± I walked out and headed to do a quick inspection of my boutique. I was inside ying with the lights and thinking of cing a light instation or a chandelier in the middle when the ss door opened and in walked Jack wearing jeans, a blue shirt and brown leather boots. Ah, the very man I needed to see. The blue of his shirt matched his eyes. His chest muscles were bulging through his shirt and the short sleeves disyed his muscr arms. He looked good out of his uniform. ¡°Oh wow! You look different without your uniform, Undersheriff. Sorry, but my merchandise isn¡¯t up yet,¡± I joked. ¡°So, what can I do for you, jack?¡± Chapter Comments Luna-Mom interesting chapter. VIEW 1 COMMENT POST COMMENT Chapter 47 CHAPTER 47 Slow Sunday Joy I waited for Jack to answer my question, but he just stood in front of me, undressing me with his eyes. I coughed loudly to grab his attention. It worked. He turned beet red¡­ as if he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar. ¡°Uhm, I-I was hoping to ask you out to have-¡± He abruptly stopped, interrupted by the sound. of his phone ringing. He took out his phone and looked at the screen. His face paled. ¡°Excuse me. I need to take this call,¡± he mumbled. I smiled and gestured-for him to take the call in front of me. ¡°Yes, Sheriff?¡± Ah, the other man I had to see. Whatever Sheriff Combs had to say was utterly short. After a few seconds, the call ended, leaving a confused and extremely apprehensive Jack in front of me. ¡°Uhm, Virtue, I need to leave,¡± he said anxiously I stared at him looking disappointed. soon?¡± I asked, not masking the disappointment in my voice. I needed to make him elieve I wanted to spend time with him. ¡°I have to go see the Sheriff. He isn¡¯t in a good ce right now after his house burned down. He¡¯s moving into a house at Hillcrest, but he¡¯s not happy about it. His house was his childhood home,¡± he exined. ¡°Aw, poor man. I did hear about the fire, but I didn¡¯t know to what extent. I should send him a gift,¡± I said. He grinned. A gift with a small camera or a bug inside it¡­ ¡°Anyway, I was hoping to ask you out for brunch, but I have to go to work. How about dinner? I¡¯ll pick you up at around six tonight?¡± ¡°Tonight?¡± His grin quickly changed to a crestfallen expression. He had mistaken my question as a rejection, so I quickly continued. I was thinking of going to Bismarck to do some antiquingter this afternoon. How about youe with me and help me pick out a 1/6 CHAPTER 47 Slow Sunday gift for the Sheriff? Then, we can have dinner there. You know¡­just chill and get to know each other,¡± I suggested. The grin on his face returned ¡°sure what time? ¡°Pick me up at around four-thirty¡­ ish? Give me your phone, so I can put my number in. Then, just call me when you¡¯re free. He handed me his phone and I typed in my number. ¡°I¡¯ll see youter then, okay?¡± He sounded doubtful. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re the one who stood me up, remember?¡± I reminded him before giving back his phone. ¡°Touch¨¦! I¡¯ll call youter when I¡¯m on my way to pick you up,¡± he said and waved goodbye. I watched Jack leave with that goofy grin on his face, climb into his truck and drive away. Jack had threatened that he was going to tell me all of Liam¡¯s dark little secrets. Jack just needed a little push. I grabbed all my stuff and headed next door to Dom¡¯s to see if he had anything to offer me. I This is from N?velDrama.Org. pushed the ss door open and walked in. Apparently, it was a slow Sunday morning. The town¡¯s folk were still busy at church and ly brunch. I found Sebastian by the cash register doing inventory. m, good morning! I was hoping to see you,¡± said. Stanley, who was standing beside Sebastian, quickly raised his head from the architectural digest he was reading and smiled at me. ¡°Hi Stanley!¡± I greeted Sebastian¡¯s assistant. Instead of greeting me back, he waved at me, blushing ng to the roots of his hair. Sebastian chuckled at Stanley¡¯s reaction. ¡°I can see Stanley has good taste. It¡¯s nice to see a friendly face so early on a Sunday. So, how can I help you?¡± Sebastian asked. I smiled wickedly at him. I have an itch that needs scratching, Sebastian. ¡°I was wondering if you sell light instations or chandeliers? I was thinking of having one installed in the middle of the boutique. To give it an extra oomph,¡± I said instead of telling him what I really wanted. ¡°I have several catalogs in my office,¡± he replied to my surprise. He probably has an itch that 2/6 CHAPTER 47 Slow Sunday needs scratching too. I raised my eyebrows, urging him to invite me to his office. ¡°If you find what you¡¯re looking for, I¡¯ll order it for you and you can expect it in a couple of days. Come on, I¡¯ll show you to my office.¡± ¡°Great!¡± I eximed, smiling brightly. ¡°Stanley, you¡¯re in charge.¡± Sebastian said, then gestured for me to follow him to the very back of his shop. Once he locked the door, he pulled me into his arms¡­ I missed having him beside me, the smell of his hair, the smoothness of his skin, his c ock inside me, pounding away until we both came. I dropped my things on the floor and wrapped my hands around his neck, pulling his head down for a kiss. ¡°I miss you,¡± I whispered before his lips imed mine. His tongue plunged into my mouth while his hands roamed down my lower back, pushing my body tightly against his¡­ so tight, I could feel his erection through his pants as he hed against my body. d him too¡­so much so, my panties were already wet with desire. e suddenly dropped to his knees, unbuttoning and unzipping my pants, and pulled down my jeans and panties. Then, his mouth was on me, his skillfull tonguepping the wetness in between my thighs. ¡°Dom,¡± I gasped. It was so sex y and thrilling to utter their fake names. It was sort of like role ying in a way. While I squirmed from the confines of my jeans around my ankles, his tongue rubbed against my cl it. I felt his fingers glide through my wetness, moving up and down along my slick seam. As his mouth continued to y with my c it and suck on my juices, he quickly removed my shoes, pants and underwear. I held on to his shoulders, loving every second his tongue yed with my c lit, but I needed more. My core was clenching with the need for my release. He lifted one of my legs and ced it on top of his shoulder, opening me up even more. He buried his tongue between my folds, stroking my c lit to life while inserting a finger inside. 3/6 CHAPTER 47 Slow Sunday my dripping wet pu ssy, pushing in deep to my magical spot. Both his tongue and his fingers were driving me to the edge¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t stop¡­ I¡¯m so close,¡± I moaned, burying my hands into his hair, trembling while his tongue moved faster and harder on my engorged c lit and his finger darted in and out of my pu ssy. ¡°Come for me, Virtue. Come all over my face,¡± he growled. ¡°Ooohhh¡­yeessss!¡± I cried, my fingers tugging on his hair, while I rode the tidal waves of my org asm. He continued to lick my oversensitive c lit until I bit my lower lip to stiffle a scream. He licked my juices from his fingers. ¡°You taste so f ucking good and I know burying my c ock inside you will feel even better.¡± Sebastian stood up, unbuttoning and unzipping his pants, pulling out his hard and throbbing co ck. I wanted to bend down and take his shaft into my mouth, but before I could, he led me to the couch. He quickly sat down and pulled me on top of hisp, my thighs syed wide apart, with the head of his co ck positioned at the opening of my sex while he held on to my b uttcheeks. ant you to f uck me!¡± Sebastian growled into my ear. I obeyed, moving downward and ng all of him inside me in one swift movement. He groaned in pleasure, throwing his head back, as I began to move up and down his shaft. I started slow at first, then I picked up the tempo, moving faster and faster, until he couldn¡¯t keep up. As I bounced up and down, I could feel myself surging quickly towards my o rgasm. I wrapped my arms around his head and took his lips for onest passionate kiss before I reached the heights of ecstacy, shuddering violently with my release. He lifted his hips upward, thrusting onest time deep into the heart of me as he came. I copsed against him, breathless and trembling while he moaned blissfully. ¡°You are so amazing, Virtue¡­¡± Sebastian whispered, rubbing his hands along my back. I wanted him to continue cradling me in his arms, but I needed to move before anyone found us. I kissed him on the cheek and cautiously stood up, disentangling myself from our lover¡¯s 4/6 CHAPTER 47 Slow Sunday embrace. I was deeply disappointed to have to leave him while still recovering from our throes of ecstacy, but I had to. I picked up my things from the floor and hurriedly entered the bathroom to clean up and fix myself. When I came out, a cup coffee and a pastry was on the coffee table alongside a on the coffee table alongside a couple of opened for my perusal. Sebastian was seated at his desk with several documents in front of him. ¡°I saw Jacke out from your soon-to-be boutique. Anything I should know?¡± Sebastian asked, leaning back in his chair. ¡°We have a dateter. I¡¯m going antiquing with him at Bismarck,¡± I answered before biting into my croissant. Sex always builds an appetite! ¡°You need to flip the switch, Virtue,¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, puzzled. ¡°Make yourself more avable. Give them a little taste of what you have to offer as a woman. Forget about Bo. He will be jealous regardless. All of us will, but that¡¯s besides the point,¡± he replied. ¡°We are nning something big this weekend, Virtue, and I need you tofort them in their time of need. Especially Liam. I need you to make him trust you enough for to mention something¡­anything. Something here doesn¡¯t add up and you may be the to discover that missing variable.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Okay? Chip told me how you felt when Liam tried to kiss you. Virtue, let him kiss you,¡± Sebastian urged. ¡°It¡¯s easier said than done, Dom. Plus, I¡¯ve only been here for a couple of days. You¡¯ve been here six months and you haven¡¯t even gotten into Nicole¡¯s pants,¡± I argued. Sebastian looked at me, thunderstruck at my sarcastic remark, but I could still see the determination on his face. ¡°If I sleep with Nicole, will you agree to kiss Liam, Jack and maybe Cris?¡± Sebastian. bargained. I stared at him, not knowing what to answer. ¡°You don¡¯t have to-¡± ¡°You have been thinking about Liam since your junior year in high school, Virtue. Even if you 5/6 CHAPTER 47 Slow Sunday deny it, you have been wanting to be near him¡­ so near, you can smell his fear when you show him your de. Hatred is longing and longing is desire,¡± he exined. ¡°You just need to give Liam one kiss. It only takes one passionate kiss and you will have him going insane. So, do I need to sleep with Nicole to get you to agree?¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll practice with Jackter, but I¡¯m not promising anything. Maybe a dead body, if Jack tries something¡­¡± *You want your revenge or not?¡± Sebastian asked sternly. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°So you know what you have to do. If you y your cards right, one of them will fall in love with you and he will tell you everything we need to know. If all of them fall in love with you, then you¡¯ve won the jackpot. Right now, you are seen as a threat. Make them see you. lover.¡± I needed to imagine Jack, Liam and Cris as Sebastian, Xavier and Cristos. It was the only way. Chapter Comments Cathy Lazo Love it Chapter 48 CHAPTER 48 Dream Joy After ordering a chandelier from Dom¡¯s, I went and bought a ¡®get well soon¡¯ gift box at the novelty shop beside the town¡¯s bookstore. When I arrived at Abigail¡¯s hospital room, I saw Cris and Lisa sitting outside. Cris was wearing light blue jeans and a ck polo shirt while Lisa was wearing ck high waisted jeans and a long sleeved brown knitted top. Lisa¡¯s eyes were puffy and red and both looked utterly grief-stricken. Judging by their faces, I knew Abigail¡¯s prognosis wasn¡¯t good. ¡°Lisa, how is she?¡± I asked, sitting down in the empty seat beside her, cing the gift box on myp. Lis looked at me teary-eyed. ¡°She¡¯s in aa, Virtue. The doctors don¡¯t know when she¡¯s going to wake up.¡± She suddenly buried her face in her hands and began to s ob. I wrapped my arms around her and allowed her to cry on my shoulder. a, I¡¯ll go and get you some water.¡± Cris quickly left, looking ufortable with his wife¡¯sy of emotion. After drinking some water, Lisa¡¯s s obs died down. I rubbed her back while she wiped the tears from her eyes with a tissue. ¡°How about we head to the washroom, so you can fix yourself?¡± 1 offered. ¡°Cris, I¡¯ll tend to Lisa, okay?¡± I handed him my gift box and led Lisa to the restroom. Gosh, Cris, you are so useless¡­. Lisa washed her face with cold water as soon as we entered the bathroom. ¡°You know¡­ I¡¯ve only cried for two people¡­ make that three, if 1 include Cris.¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing the other person is either your mom or your dad,¡± I said. ¡°No. Actually, there was this girl named Joy. She was a friend of mine. To make a long story short, something terrible happened to her during our junior year in high school,¡± she exined while fixing her hair. 1/6 CHAPTER 48 Dream ¡°Joy? I haven¡¯t heard of her. Did she, uhm, pass away?¡± I asked, ying dumb.. ¡°She and her family left after¡­¡± She paused, not wanting to say what happened to Joy. ¡°I-I¡¯ve tried to find her, but it¡¯s like she disappeared.¡± ¡°Well, maybe she needed to forget,¡± I reasoned. Lisa nodded her head. ¡°You¡¯re right. I just wish I could tell her how sorry I am,¡± Lisa said, lowering her head in shame. Lisa thought a simple apology could make up for what happened to me. I felt my anger bubble up inside me once again. I wanted to grab her and smash her head against the mirror over and over again until I saw her blood drip down the side of her face. I wanted to scream at her and tell her how I felt while Cris, Liam, Jack and Dan brutalized my body. A simple apology won¡¯t cut it, Lisa! ¡°I feel much better now, Virtue. Thank you,¡± she said as she wiped her hands with a paper towel and threw it in the trash bin. inhaled and exhaled deeply in an effort to calm myself. Thank G od she didn¡¯t notice my mentary spurt of anger. ¡°Since you¡¯re feeling better, I think we can go back. I¡¯ll just drop off the gift I got for Abigail and head on home. Jack and I will be heading to Bismarck to do some antiquingter. I¡¯ll probably get a tea cup for Abigail. She said she collects them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going out with Jack? Didn¡¯t you just have dinner with Liamst night?¡± Lisa asked, surprised. ¡°Friends are allowed to go out together, right? I¡¯ve asked you out for coffee. I don¡¯t see what the problem is if I ask Jack to go shopping with me,¡± I argued. ¡°I forgot¡­ you¡¯re new in town. Jack is a great guy. He¡¯ll take care of you,¡± Lisa remarked while exiting the restroom. I was allowed to go in and check on Abigail. She was bruised and wounded. Her leg was in a cast and her head in bandages while a tube went down her throat. I squeezed her hand and told her to fight. I promised her when she woke up, I would be there to greet her. 2/6 CHAPTER 48 Dream I waved my goodbyes to Lisa and Cris and quickly left the hospital. Before I could enter my car, a hand tapped me on the shoulder. I spun around ready to defend myself. It was Cris! A tall man like Cris sneaking up on me was a no-no. This will not happen again. ¡°Gosh, you scared me, Cris!¡± I eximed. ¡°Did Abigail wake up? Did I forget something?¡± ¡°Sorry, Virtue. I didn¡¯t mean to scare you,¡± Cris said apologetically. ¡°I, uh, I wanted to talk to you about something. Bo suggested that I should ask for your help for additional campaign funds.¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing you want me to be a sponsor?¡± I asked. ¡°Among other things. Since the spring formal ising up, Bo rmended, as an opening promotion, you could give a discount to students and announce that a percentage of each purchase will go to our campaign fund.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in. How do we do this?¡± I asked. ¡°Come by my office tomorrow around ten in the morning so we can discuss it,¡± Cris wered. ¡°You have my card right?¡± do. Okay, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow morning. Cris waved goodbye with a big grin on his face as I drove off to go pick up lunch and head home to get ready to see Jack. So many men, so little time. I decided to wear white high waisted jeans and a green short sleeved floral cropped top with a low neckline paired with brown high heeled sandals. I pulled my hair back in a messy bun, put on a little make-up and essorized with aviator sh aves, gold jewelry and my trusty brown tote bag. I also decided to bring a thin brown zer if ever it got cold. Jack arrived early, his dark hair still damp from taking a shower. He was wearing a long sleeved white buttoned down shirt with its sleeves rolled up, dark blue jeans and his trusty brown boots. ¡°Mmmmm, I can smell the mint of your cologne¡± I said while I nced through the rearview mirror, noticing Noah staring as we drove off. 3/6 CHAPTER 48 Dream: ¡°And you look and smell really pretty,¡± Jack said, smiling. ¡°So, what did you do after I left you?¡± ¡°I ordered a chandelier and went to visit Abigail Poor thing is in aa,¡± I said, ncing at him for his reaction. Cristos had called me earlier to tell me the footage fromst night was already deleted. I heard his sharp intake of breath. ¡°D-Do the doctors know when she¡¯ll wake up?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, no,¡± I answered. ¡°Any word on what happened to her, Jack?¡± ¡°We suspect she fell asleep behind the wheel. Her car was moving in and out of thene. before it hit the tree,¡± he said, lying through his teeth. ¡°I see. Well, I pray for her recovery.¡± ¡°Yeah, we should pray she wakes up from this.¡± It was a quiet drive to Bismarck. Mentioning Abigail had ruined the mood. I didn¡¯t care. I liked not having to talk to him anyway. Everything changed once we started shopping. I didn¡¯t know Jack liked antiques. He showed me where and what to buy. He was rxed and fun to talk to and even if I didn¡¯t want to it it, I had a great time. reminded me of the time we wereb partners. During our junior year, I looked forward to sitting next to him for Chemistry. Too bad, it all went to s hit. Jack After shopping, I took Virtue to a restaurant located on top of a hill with a view of the city. It was a restaurant Cris rmended. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. I have never been this happy with someone. She loved antiques just like me and while we Toshopped, it was so easy to joke around with her and make herugh. We ordered pizza, pasta and chicken. As she ate, I stared. She was so graceful and elegant. She probably came from a family with money. ¡°Where did you graduate college, Virtue?¡± I asked. 4/6 CHAPTER 48 Dream ¡°UCLA, you?¡¯ My eyebrows rose. Good school. ¡°At themunity college,¡± I answered sheepishly. ¡°Your parents must be proud of you.¡± ¡°They are,¡± she said. ¡°Will they be moving here to live with you?¡± I asked. ¡°Maybe. I definitely have the space,¡± she answered. ¡°And what about your parents? They must be proud you¡¯re the Undersheriff at such a young age.¡± ¡°My dad died a few years back¡­cancer. My mom is a teacher at the local elementary school. What about your parents? What do they do?¡± ¡°My father is a supervisor at a hardware store while my mom is in the medical field,¡± she replied. ¡°And I¡¯m a former ountant soon to be store owner.¡± ¡°Why did you move here? Someone like you usually heads to Hollywood or something. Sheughed. Her cheeks turned bright red at thepliment. ¡°I can¡¯t act,¡± she murmured. ¡°But seriously, I moved here because I wanted to live in a close- knitmunity. My shrink said it would help me with my issues.¡± t a lot of people admit they see a shrink,¡± I muttered before I could stop. I thought I had ended her, but she smiled. ¡°There¡¯s no shame in asking for help, Jack,¡± she said. ¡°I was mugged during one of my visits to Las Vegas and sought help for the trauma. Look at it this way¡­ If I didn¡¯t go to therapy, I wouldn¡¯t have moved to New Salem and you and 1, we wouldn¡¯t be sitting here having dinner.¡± I nodded, agreeing with her logic. ¡°Remind me to send a bottle of red wine to your therapist,¡± I said, ¡°as a thank you.¡± ¡°A thank you for what?¡± Virtue asked. ¡°For bringing you into my life,¡± I replied honestly. ¡°That¡¯s so sweet of you to say, Jack,¡± she gushed. She took my hand in hers and squeezed it. It was a simple gesture, but it made my heart race with desire. Practice restraint, Jack. I needed to be a perfect gentleman to her. I wanted Virtue to fall in love in with me¡­ 5/6 CHAPTER 48 Dream Because I was falling in love with her. I didn¡¯t let go of her hand though. I kept her hand in mine until we had to leave. On her doorstep, she caressed my cheek. ¡°I had a wonderful time, Jack.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be at the diner tomorrow morning if you happen to go out for an early run,¡± I told her. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know¡­ I have a meeting with Cris at his office tomorrow morning,¡± Virtue said. My eyes narrowed. ¡°Why do you have to go see Cris?¡± ¡°It has something to do with his reelection,¡± she mumbled like it was irrelevant. Then, she leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek. ¡°Good night, Undersheriff.¡± She gave me onest gorgeous smile before closing the door. She kissed me! I wanted to shout for joy, but I had to y it cool. I was being watched. As I walked back to my truck, I saw Noah peering through his windows while talking to someone on the phone. I had a feeling he was talking to Liam. itched off my phone. If anyone needed me, they could wait until the morning. Tonight, I didn¡¯t want to be bothered. I was going to dream of Virtue. Chapter Comments Mary Hall He better not sleep with Nicole Luna-Mom ohhh noooo don¡¯t lower yourself to be with nicole but I guess it¡¯s needed VIEW ALL 4 COMMENTS > POST COMMENT 1 26 # Chapter 49 CHAPTER 49 Soldier Dan After cautiously stepping out of my Subaru SUV so I wouldn¡¯t get my expensive leather shoes wet, I fixed my ck trench coat and pulled up the cor to hide my face. I disliked this neighborhood. It was exactly like the one I grew up in. I knocked on the door of the Emery household. Jack had turned off his phone and now we had to do our meeting at his house. His house was built in the 1980¡¯s. Everything was outdated especially the smelly brown carpet that ran throughout the household. I would have preferred to have had the meeting at Cris¡¯ newly renovated modern-styled home, however, there was the peculiar case of the Undersheriff. Jack¡¯s massive truck was parked beside the small hybridpact car his mom drives, so I had no doubt he was home. A stout middle-aged woman swung the door open, allowing us to enter. Mrs. Emery was our third grade teacher when we were kids. ¡°Good evening Mrs. Emery,¡± I greeted her with a smile. ¡°Tell Jack we¡¯ll be downstairs in the basement when he¡¯s ready.¡± She nodded her head withoutint, knowing full well why ere there. estured to Cris and Liam to follow me inside. I walked towards a door beneath the stairs to the second floor and opened it to reveal another set of stairs that led to the basement. I switched on the lights and carefully walked down the short flight of steps with the other two slowly following from behind. This basement used to be Jack¡¯s bedroom and a ce we would hang ng out after school when we needed a ce to chill or goof around. Now, it was an empty space with a small chalkboard and a table surrounded by four chairs. We took our seats and waited for Jack toe down. When he finally showed up, he was wearing pajamas and his hair was still wet from his shower. ¡°What are you guys doing here?¡± Jack asked. I rolled my eyes. I hated it when he yed. dumb. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be here if your phone wasn¡¯t off, dufus.¡± Liam answered back, obviously peeved; a clear reflection of what all three of us were feeling. 1/5 CHAPTER 49 Soldier ¡°Guys, can we please get on with the meeting? I need to get some sleep. I have meetings tomorrow,¡± Cris said impatiently. ¡°Yeah, I know. You have a meeting with Virtue,¡± Jack said. ¡°She told you?¡± Cris asked, feigning ignorance. ¡°I forgot¡­ You went shopping with her. Did you enjoy carrying her stuff around looking like her driver?¡± Jackughed. ¡°Why would you care? You¡¯re married, Cris.¡± ¡°Knock it off, will yah?¡± Liam eximed, taking charge. ¡°Jack, you and I have to talk. Cris, you can¡¯t afford a scandal so near the election, soy off Virtue and Dan, I need you to pay off our friends.¡± I took out two thick envelopes from my inner coat pockets and threw it on the table. While Cris enthusiastically took his, I saw Jack hesitate. ¡°I can¡¯t keep doing this, Liam,¡± Jack said. ¡°I want out.¡± ¡°Have you finished paying off your father¡¯s medical bills, Jack? Have you even started fixing this house like you promised your mom you would?¡± I asked. but I¡¯m almost done with the medical bills and I can take a loan out to fix the house,¡± eplied. ou do know the cost when I inform the boss of your, uhm, exit, right?¡± Liam asked, staring at Jack. ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone about the business. You know I¡¯ll keep quiet. Please, I don¡¯t want to do this anymore,¡± Jack pleaded. ¡°Abigail is in aa and I-¡± ¡°Jack, why the sudden change of heart?¡± I asked, puzzled. ¡°Is this because of Virtue? Are you already falling for her?¡± ¡°I just want a chance at a normal life with her- raised a finger to cut him off. I was surrounded by im beciles. ¡°Do you think she¡¯ll want to be with you when she finds out you¡¯re in debt?¡± I asked, crossing my legs and leaning back against my chair. ¡°Do you actually think she¡¯ll get married to you and invite you and your mom to move in with her? Do you think someone as beautiful as her will y caregiver to your mom at her old age? Are you f ucking insane?¡± 2/5 CHAPTER 49 Soldier ¡°I don¡¯t know, but-¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. You don¡¯t know,¡± I said, looking at my nails. ¡°She drives a Mercedes-Benz, bought a house on her own, even renovated it, and is nning to open a business of her own. Do you know the dress she worest night was Armani? Do you know that small white Louis Vuitton bag she was carrying with her at the hospital costs more than what you make in a month? You seriously think your sparkling personality will win Virtue over? You are f ucking dumb.¡± ¡°So basically you¡¯re team Liam,¡± Jack scoffed, taking the brown envelope in front of him. He opened it and peered inside, nodding his head appreciatively at the gracious amount. ¡°No, Jack. I am rooting for our team. We¡¯ve been friends a long time,¡± I said. ¡°A woman shouldn¡¯t be the reason why we stab each other in the back. Maybe¡­ the three of you can share¡­just like what you guys did with Joy Taylor.¡± Jack¡¯s face darkened with rage. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever say her name in this house ever again! If it weren¡¯t for my dad¡¯s cancer, I wouldn¡¯t have agreed to that.¡± ¡°But your d ick surely agreed,¡± I argued. ¡°If I remember correctly, you came after you f ucked her. Sorry, my mistake. You came after you raped her.¡± I leaned on the table and stared directly into his eyes so IProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. could get my point across. ¡°Before you ever think of leaving the m, remember I have evidence against you. I can walk to Virtue Sullivan¡¯s house and tell you are a rapist. Do you think she would want to have a rtionship with you after I spill e beans? She will never ever want to speak to you ever again. Got it, Jack?¡± Jack nodded his head and sighed, looking defeated. ¡°Anything else on the agenda? I have to be up early in the morning.¡± ¡°We have a problem,¡± I said. ¡°After doing some digging, the boss himself says Virtue checks out and just like the three of you, he has taken an interest in Virtue.¡± I heard the sharp. intake of breath from all three men. ¡°That is a problem,¡± Cris said. ¡°He isn¡¯t the type Virtue would go out with even if you him up. So what do you propose? Don¡¯t tell me you want us to y matchmaker?¡± dressed I sighed and looked up at the basement ceiling, praying for a miracle. Even I couldn¡¯t do the impossible. ¡°I can only do so much,¡± I said. ¡°Virtue isn¡¯t the type to take money for a one-night stand. She isn¡¯t desperate.¡± 3/5 CHAPTER 49 Soldier I watched Jack shake his head. He didn¡¯t want to step aside and have the boss take a chance with her. Actually, even if the boss tried, Cris was right. He wasn¡¯t the type Virtue would date. She was a Barbie and he was definitely not a Ken. Liam was quiet. I already knew what was going through his head. If I failed to get the boss what he wanted, the boss will tap Theodore and Liam to abduct her. Cris and Jack didn¡¯t know all the details regarding Joan Summers, but I did. Just like Theodore Cohen, I was a soldier of the Angels of Darkness, the reigning mafia family of the Central States. I carried vital information and withheld it from my friends, including Liam and Nicole. It wasn¡¯t easy bing a soldier, but because of me, the production and profit of crystal meth went up, earning us millions. I first met the boss during high school, but he wasn¡¯t the boss then, his mother was. He was just a regr student like the rest of us. When his mother ¡®stepped down¡¯, he continued the business. Currently, he¡¯s hidden in in sight and acted like any of the town¡¯s folk. One day, during gym ss, he asked if I wanted to make some money. His mother needed orge Taylor to sell his property by theke. The only way for him to sell is if he needed money. The boss offered us one hundred and fifty thousand dors in exchange for the orutal assault of Joy Taylor, George Taylor¡¯s most cherished daughter. Since I was from a poor family who didn¡¯t have the means to send me to college even if I got a schrship, I quickly agreed. It wasn¡¯t easy to convince the others, but once Jack caved after discovering his father had cancer, Cris and Liam agreed. We raped her, but we weren¡¯t able to kill her. Joy was like a co ckroach who was almost- impossible to kill. When I called the boss that night, terrified the Sheriff woulde to arrest me, heughe d and told me his mother¡¯s friends would take care of it. Sure enough, without even batting an eysh, Theodore Cohen told his men to clean the mess. up and threatened Abigail he would set her family¡¯s bee farm on fire if she ever spoke a word to anyone. The boss said his mother would only pay up if the Taylors sold thend. Fortunately, they did. So Cris and I got money to help with college, Jack for his dad and Liam for his extravagant lifestyle. 4/5 CHAPTER 49 Soldier After graduating university, I became New Salem¡¯s Auditor,undering money and helping with the drug business. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t unt my wealth, but if I decided to turn back on mafia life, I could retire in Asia and livefortably for the rest of life. my my ¡°Dan, I¡¯ll talk to the boss first to get details,¡± Liam said. I saw Jack open his mouth to argue, but Liam raised his hand to silence him. ¡°I¡¯ll go see him Friday night.¡± Chapter Comments Luna-Mom ha jackey boy you think your in with a chance Chapter 50 CHAPTER 50 Joan Summers Liam Dan had a smirk on his face while I sat, thinking. I thought I was done after Joan Summers, but when Dan said that sleazebag had taken an interest in Virtue, I had a sinking feeling, this was just the beginning. When Joan Summers walked into my office to ask for sponsorship for the Spring Formal, I was amazed Old Man Eugene had a beautiful and bright young granddaughter, a stark contrast to him and his son Edward who looked like hillbillies. Her long thick auburn hair was tied up in a simple ponytail and her bright brown eyes looked so happy and carefree. She was dressed simply in a white blouse and a pair of jeans when she came to see me, but her simplicity was charming. While she talked about herself, she circled the chessboard resting on the old wooden table of my grandfather, eyeing it curiously. I asked her if she knew how to y chess and she said she was part of the chess club. So while we yed, she gave me her pitch for the Spring Formal. That was the start of our friendship. I visited her in school sometimes, just to say hi, while she woulde to the office for a quick game of chess after office hours. We didn¡¯t speak much throughout the game, but after each session we felt more rxed. Unfortunately, our new found friendship came to a halt when igene forbade her from seeing me and started telling everyone how much of and how we Cohens were land grabbers. for photos during the Spring Formal of New Salem High, she went missing. I en search for her, but they couldn¡¯t find her. It wasn¡¯t like her to leave; the Spring al was the culmination of her presidency. As the dance went on without her, I could ly feel dread and despair. The boss called a weekter, telling me to clean up his mess as payback for the time he and his mother helped us when we f ucked up the Taylor job. I didn¡¯t understand what he meant, but when I arrived at his secluded home in Bismarck, it hit me. Joan Summers was inside. was tin I thought she was dead. She up to the bed at the far end of the basement, naked except for her torn gown. Her body waspletely covered in bruises, burn marks and wounds. I ordered my men to prepare the body bag and untie her from the bed, but she suddenly opened her eyes and began to scream. One of my men took his gun and hit her in the head to shut her up. An image of Joy Taylor tied up on the bench press, bleeding, shed before my eyes. 1/5 CHAPTER 50 Joan Summers ¡°Kill her and bury her body where no one can find her, I said, gagging. I covered my mouth and took a deep breath to stop myself from puking. The smell was horrible. ¡°How do you want us to kill her?¡± ¡°Shoot her, strangle her, hit her on her head, stab her¡­ I don¡¯t care. Just do it!¡± I yelled, quickly leaving the basement. I ran to the kitchen and vomited into the kitchen sink, remembering Joy¡¯s so bs as she tried to free herself from her restraints. As I washed the puke from the sink, an image of the bench press we used suddenly entered my mind, but instead of Joy Taylor, it was Joan I saw tied up and crying out, her blood dripping from her injuries, and I puked again. F uck! Now, he wants Virtue. That night when we all met at the pub, I saw him standing across the street staring at someone having dinner at Harold¡¯s as Henry and I drove by. I told Henry to stop the car, so I could watch. That¡¯s when I saw Virtuee out with Noah. I know it was reckless of me to follow her home that night, however when I saw the silver Audi parked a couple of blocks away, I decided it was best if I apanied them home. ¡°I¡¯ll go see him Friday night. I¡¯ll get details and convince him it isn¡¯t in our best interest to cause another scandal,¡± I told Dan, Jack and Cris, Jack, you and I have to talk. I¡¯ll see you at my office around ten?¡± Sure, I¡¯ll be there,¡± Jack answered, nodding his head sadly. ¡°Dan, Virtue is new in town and seeking new friends. Tell him to invite Virtue for some coffee or better yet, tell him to bring coffee and maybe a box of pastries for her. Bo¡¯s new bakery serves really good pastries and has many to chose from,¡± I suggested. ¡°I can¡¯t do the impossible-¡± ¡°Dan, tell us what you really want to say¡­ that you don¡¯t give a sh it. All that matters to you is the money,¡± I hissed at him. ¡°Everyone in this town thinks I¡¯m a monster. Although I don¡¯t like it, it keeps the town¡¯s folk submissive. Why don¡¯t I leak the recording I have of you telling us to rape and torture Joy Taylor for one hundred fifty thousand so you can join in on the fun?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my fault people think of you that way Liam,¡± Dan scoffed. ¡°You were Joy Taylor¡¯s. date at the Spring Formal, you were spotted at New Salem High talking to Joan Summers, and you were in a group chat with her. Oh, don¡¯t forget that fact that your men killed her. It¡¯s just the same as you pulling the trigger.¡± 2/5 CHAPTER 50 Joan Summers I stood up and grabbed Dan by the cor of his designer trench coat. ¡°My men had to kill her to silence her or she and her grandfather would have pointed their fingers at you, your precious little boss, and whoever else had their way with her. All of you were her captors, molesters, and tormentors,¡± I said through clenched teeth. ¡°I was just the clean up crew¡­ repaying a debt from the Joy Taylor assault.¡± I let go off him, disgusted. ¡°That¡¯s w where you¡¯re wrong, Liam,¡± Dan said, stretching his neck and fixing himself. ¡°I only assisted in the abduction. It was the only way to lure Joan Summers away from the party. I thought you were one of her captors, molesters and tormentors¡­ along with your father.¡± Go d, I wanted to punch him in the face. ¡°She was like a sister to me, Dan,¡± I sat down, lowering my face. ¡°We liked ying chess against each other. That was all.¡± I closed my eyes from the pain. Remembering her¡­hurt. ¡°I didn¡¯t have the guts to kill her myself, so I had my men do it.¡± I shook my head. ¡°They did a really great job of burying her. Well, as they say, if you want the job done, better do it yourself.¡¯ ¡°Hey, Liam,¡± Jack said mournfully, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, man¡­¡± ¡°The hell you are, Jack!¡± I yelled at him. I inhaled deeply to calm myself. ¡°Dan, announcing he wants Virtue only means one thing¡­ he needs all four of us to abduct her and he will use whatever evidence he has against us to get what he wants.¡± the assault and death of Joan Summers,¡± Cris added sullenly. nas nothing to do with you, Cris,¡± I argued. I stared at him and was shocked to see it in is soulless eyes. ¡°You raped her, didn¡¯t you?! You f ucking t wat!¡± I punched him in the face, took out my gun and aimed it at his head. ¡°Do you know I vomited when I saw her, naked on the bed in that filthy basement, unrecognizable, with bruises, welts, burns and wounds all over her body? If it weren¡¯t for her auburn hair¡­ Why, Cris? Why?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m s-sorry, L-Liam, b-but¡­¡± ¡°But what?!¡± I didn¡¯t notice I was crying. All the heartache I had kept inside just came bursting out through my eyes. I wiped my face, shocked to find my cheeks wet with tears. ¡°Liam, calm down. We¡¯re friends, remember?¡± Jack said calmly to deescte the situation, his hands spread out in surrender while he slowly approached me. 3/5 CHAPTER 50 Joan Summers Jack quickly took the gun from my hand and gave me a hug. ¡°Jack, we have to do something,¡± I whispered in his ear. ¡°We can¡¯t let them do that to Virtue.¡° Jack nodded his head, patted me on the back and let me go. ¡°It¡¯s time to put an end to this meeting. You guys need to go home and get some sleep,¡± he said. ¡°Liam, I¡¯ll see you in the morning. I¡¯ll keep your gun for now, but I¡¯ll bring it over when I see you tomorrow.¡±. Jack reached down and helped Cris up. ¡°Put some ice on your face when you get home.¡± He crossed his arms and shook his head. ¡°Guys, I¡¯m really disturbed hearing all of this. Honestly, Liam, I actually thought it was you, because of all the sh it Old Man Eugene has been saying behind your back.¡± Jack looked at Dan. ¡°Dan, you have to tell the boss toy low. It¡¯s reelection. If we want to keep Liam and Cris in town hall, women in this town shouldn¡¯t go missing or worse, shouldn¡¯t pop up dead. I heard Sarah Hughes is gaining poprity in the mayoral race. If we continue to be reckless, we will risk it all.¡± Jack opened the door and gestured for us to leave. ¡°Now go home. What is done, is done. Tomorrow is a new day. 1 entered my y car and told Henry to drive back to the mansion. I leaned back and stared outside while he drove, extremely exhausted. I bit my fist as I imagined Virtue tied up, bruised and wounded. I imagined her being raped dused as a punching bag. I imagined her lifeless body after cracking her skull and I open nauseous. I did it once. Once was enough. Henry stopped the car at the entrance of the mansion. Leo, one of our new guards, opened the door for me. ¡°Good evening, Sir,¡± he said. Leo was tall and muscr, his red hair cut short. He was hired along with another, a blonde-haired man by the name of Benny. I remember reading in their file they were trained mercenaries and whatever I needed done was right in their area of . expertise. I¡¯ll y along. If the boss still wants Virtue even if Dan tells him to wait until election is over, then I¡¯ll promise I¡¯ll bring Virtue to him. While he waits in that secluded house he has in Bismarck, I¡¯ll have Leo and Benny put one in his chest and one in his head. Then, I¡¯ll have them kill whomever gets in my way. After it¡¯s done, this town will be mine. 4/5 13:37 Mon, Mar CHAPTER 50 Joan Summers This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. But before I clean up this town, I needed to keep an eye on my friends. Two in particr. Chapter Comments Louise The twist. It was Dan all along. Luna-Mom dan your ying with fire now my boy VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS ? POST COMMENT 25 SHARE 5/5 Chapter 51 CHAPTER 51 Late Night Meeting Joy 1 flinched at the sound of my rm¡­ I was unwilling to move, my mind still muddled from sleep, but I had to get up. With a groan, I pushed the covers back and stumbled out of bed. I scratched the bird¡¯s nest on top of my head and rubbed the sleep from eyes, walking in a zigzag pattern to my. bathroom to take a shower. Last night, we had ate night meeting whichsted until the early hours of the morning. Dressed in ck tactical gear with a small ck backpack on my shoulders, I waited after all the lights in all the homes around the cul-de-sac were off before slipping out through the basement exit of my house. Before leaving, I located the tiny CCTV camera that Noah had installed on my shed door. I ced a drop of ck nail polish to obscure its vision and left. my house to head into town. Before I moved into town, Xavier showed me the path through the woods which led to the warehouse of his grocery store. Once there, I tapped the keycard he had given me and the door opened, allowing me to enter without any ha ssle.. I removed my ck ski mask and walked to Xavier¡¯s secret office. A beep sounded and the door opened. I found Cristos, Sebastian and Xavier huddled around a long white table in front of a whiteboard where different photos and papers were pinned up. I handed Cristos the antique desk clock I bought for the Sheriff. He took the clock and began to work his magic on Xavier¡¯s desk. ¡°How was your date with Jack?¡± Cristos asked as he began to unscrew the clock. ¡°It was fun actually. He likes antiques,¡± I said, walking to the whiteboard and scanning through all the papers and photos on it. ¡°Over dinner, he went through all the information. on that file you made like a checklist.¡± ¡°Did he try anything funny?¡± Xavier asked. ¡°Sadly no, he was the perfect gentleman,¡± I answered, looking at the blueprint of the Cohen mansion. ¡°I kissed him on the cheek and he left my house wide-eyed and happy.¡± Xavier scoffed. Sebastian pped him on the arm with the back of his hand and gave him a 1/6 CHAPTER 51 Late Night Meeting dirty look. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Bo,¡± I said in a sing-song voice. I sterilized my mouth with mouthwash.¡± ¡°Kissing him on the cheek was a good call. Jack was acting like a lovesick puppy this morning looking for you,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°Did he say anything about Abigail?¡± ¡°They suspect she fell asleep while driving,¡± I answered, turning my attention to the blueprint of the town hall. ¡°You guys did hear Abigail is in aa right?¡± ¡°Yes, Nicole informed me,¡± Sebastian replied. ¡°Was anyone else at the hospital when you visited?¡± ¡°Cris and Lisa. Cris asked me to drop by his office at ten to discuss that promo Bo suggested. I n to spice it up and sponsor the Spring Formal as well.¡± ¡°Good idea. That will secure you an invite to the Spring Formal at New Salem High,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°Your gown and your necessary essories will be arriving with Bo¡¯s men. When is their ETA, Bo?¡± ¡°Tomorrow afternoon. Right now they are at a truck stop getting some sleep,¡± Xavier answered. ¡°I spoke with the high school student body president the other day when she and her mom were shopping. It so happens the theme I suggested to her months ago has been approved. It seems everything is going as nned in that department.¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Has the coroner confirmed for Friday?¡± Sebastian asked. ¡°Yes, he did,¡± Cristos said without lifting his head from the clock. ¡°Bo, have you found your entry point?¡± Sebastian asked. ¡°Yep, through the woods. After Chip hacks into their security system and blocks all cameras, I¡¯ll enter through the back and head to his office and the bedroom and clean the ce out, making it look like a robbery,¡± Xavier exined. ¡°I still need a theme for this Sa while cing a tiny camera in the clock. party at the pub. Any suggestions?¡± Cristos asked ¡°The Honey Bee Spring Parade still needs a Miss Honey Bee,¡± Sebastian replied. ¡°I heard from Nicole that Miss North Dakota will be attending an event in New York and won¡¯t be able to grace this year¡¯s parade. Apany Virtue tomorrow and ask Cris if you can hold a small pageant. Sweeten the deal and say a percentage of the night¡¯s sales will go to their 2/6 CHAPTER 51 Late Night Meeting campaign.¡± ¡°A week¡¯s time to have girls join a pageant? That¡¯s not enough time, Cristosined. ¡°Uhm, Chip, it won¡¯t be hard if you give out a live thousand dor cash prize to the winner,¡± I said. ¡°Make it a simple event. A casual attire and evening gown portion should be enough.¡± ¡°Casual attire and evening gown? That won¡¯t make the mene. I need the girls to wear a swimsuit if I¡¯m going to shell out five grand,¡± Cristos said. I rolled my eyes. I couldn¡¯t believe Cristos was being cheap. ¡°Do you, by any chance, have swimsuitsing in, Virtue?¡± ¡°No, but we can order them and have them flown in, right, Bo?¡± I asked Xavier. ¡°Yep. The bikinis will get here two days¡­ tops,¡± he answered. ¡°Create a flyer, hand them out once Cris approves, then close the application process by Wednesday. We can order the swimsuits Wednesday evening and they¡¯ll arrive just in time for Saturday¡¯s event. For the meantime, have the girls give you a photo of themselves in their own swimsuits and make a poster using those pics to bring in the crowd,¡± I suggested. ¡°Are you guys sure that whatever is going to happen is happening this Saturday?¡± ¡°Yes. Leo and Benny have confirmed that the bi-weekly drop is happening this Saturday. It can¡¯t be a coincidence,¡± Xavier said. ¡°Lou has already discovered the meeting point at the other side of theke. He found various tire imprints that lead to theke¡¯s shallow area. Anyway, my men will be there waiting just in case. If it does happen Friday night, I¡¯ve ordered them to kill everyone and take the merchandise. It will be sl oppy unlike what we have ve nned for Saturday, but it will still have the same result.¡± ¡°And what result is that?¡± I asked. ¡°It will flush out whoever is in charge of this town¡¯s illegal drug trade. We suspect it to be at woman, but we aren¡¯t entirely sure,¡± Sebastian answered, shuffling through the papers. strewn in front of him. ¡°A woman?¡± ¡°I pinged on Theodore Cohen¡¯s locationst night and was able to get some satellite images. from this morning,¡± Cristos said, clicking on hisptop and testing out the camera. ¡°He met with a woman, but her face was hidden under a scarf and thick sunsses. Two trucks filled with boxes were unloaded and the boxes were ced in a structure near the cabin. I couldn¡¯t see the structure though. Too many trees.¡± Satisfied the camera was working, Cristos began putting the clock back together again. 3/6 CHAPTER 51 Late Night Meeting ¡°We can¡¯t seem to find aboratory at Hillcrest. We¡¯ve gone through all the houses and the clubhouse, but nothing. Sebastian said, frustrated. ¡°What about the church?¡± Have you searched there?¡± Cristos said. ¡°I saw people with ck sling bags this morning, giving w ads of cash during offertory.¡± ¡°You went to church?¡± I asked, surprised. ¡°With Dan,¡± he answered. ¡°These people were mostly parents with college kids.¡± ¡°So they¡¯reundering money through church. That¡¯s actually brilliant,¡± Sebastian murmured. ¡°College kids huh? I¡¯ve noticed somemunity college kids at the bus station every Friday afternoon with ck sling bags. It¡¯s possible they¡¯re dealers. Finally, we have gotten some rity. I¡¯ll have some of my men tail these kids and see who they deal to.¡± ¡°What about the diner? Many of them go there with the ck sling bags in tow. Anything from the bug Virtue nted, Chip?¡± Xavier asked. ¡°Nothing. Just business as usual. I just don¡¯t have the time to nt a CCTV camera at the diner,¡± Cristos said. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± I said, volunteering. ¡°Jack will be there for breakfast. Where do I need to put it?¡± ¡°In the nt box along the booth in front of the counter nearest to the office,¡± Cristos mumbled while cleaning the clock up with a brush and wiping it with a piece of cloth. ¡°It¡¯ll be too obvious. They¡¯ll know you nted it if they find it, Virtue,¡± Xavier said. ¡°Wait until my men arrive with their deliveries. I¡¯ll have them have lunch there when it¡¯s busy. They¡¯ll find a way to nt the camera.¡± ¡°All done,¡± Cristos announced, pointing the antique desk clock in my direction and clicking on his laptop. ¡°Beautiful.¡± He swung hisptop for me to see and I saw myself smiling back. ¡°No need to see Jack at the diner. Go see him at work.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget about that bug, Virtue,¡± Xavier reminded me. ¡°We need eyes and ears in that office.¡± ¡°How about you? Have you bugged Cris¡¯ office?¡± I asked. ¡°Tomorrow. I was nning to bug his whole house,¡± Xavier said. ¡°His office is at his house?¡± I asked. Sh it. I didn¡¯t bother to look at Cris¡¯ card.. 4/6 CHAPTER STLate Night Meeting Temporary office. His office at town hall is under renovation.¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to be utterly disappointed when he sees Chip with you, Sebastian said, chuckling. He took out his phone and checked it A puzzled expression suddenly formed on ¡°What is it, Dom?¡± I asked. I put a fracker on Dan¡¯s car. After heading to Jack¡¯s neighborhood, he¡¯s now at Hignd Oaks. He was therest night before we all met at the hospital. Chip, do you know who he¡¯s visiting there at this ungodly hour?¡± ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Check if there are CCTV cameras in the area. If not, Bo and I will need to wait for him to visit again,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°There¡¯s something about Dan. The spreadsheet, thete night meetings, the expensive clothing¡­ he has ¡®made man¡¯ written all over himself. I want to know who he¡¯s seeing.¡± ¡°Have you ced a tracker on Noah¡¯s car?¡± Xavier asked. ¡°Not yet,¡± Sebastian answered. ¡°I¡¯ll do it at the pub on Saturday night. He¡¯ll be there for sure.¡± I helped Cristos make a flyer before heading home. Now, I had to meet him at Cris¡¯. Dressed in a camel colored pantsuit with a white silk blouse underneath and my hair in a ponytail, I drove to Cris¡¯ house at Valley Ridge, a residential area which catered to the upper middle ss just beside town. As I nced through the rearview mirror, I saw Cristos¡¯ car right behind mine. I was just in time. Cristos stepped out wearing a light gray pinstriped suit. I whistled knowing how expensive it was. He laughed, handing me the folder he was carrying. Cris¡¯ secretary opened the door and stared admiringly at Cristos. She was a young brte, fresh out of college, and was wearing a tight ck pencil skirt and a white fitted blouse with a deep neckline. She ushered us in, standing close to Cristos who gave her an annoyed look. When we entered his office, Cris had his back towards us while speaking to someone on his phone. When he turned to greet us, I gasped. 5/6 CHAPTER ST Late Night Meeting He had one beautiful¡­shiner. Chapter Comments Mia Joy is going to kill Liam, period! Luna-Mom it¡¯s getting messy VIEW ALL 3 COMMENTS 23 CHADE POST COMMENT Chapter 52 CHAPTER 52 Make a Statement Joy ¡°It looks worse than it feels, I can assure you,¡± Cris said. Cristos and I looked at each other, doubtful, but deep inside, I was apuding whoever punched him. This a sshole deserved it. ¡°What happened, Cris? Did on e of the town¡¯s folk punch you yesterday at church?¡± Cristos asked, pretending to be concerned. ¡°Ah, no, Cris said, embarrassed. ¡°I was bending down to pick something up near the door and suddenly the door swung open. The doorknob hit me right smack in the eye. ¡°Oooh, ouch,¡± Cristos said, making a face. ¡°I hope the discoloration is gone by the time Saturday comes. I¡¯m nning a huge event at the pub.¡± ¡°Oh yeah? I thought the pub will be undergoing renovations every weekend,¡± Cris replied, surprised. ¡°Well, Nicole mentioned Miss North Dakota won¡¯t be gracing this year¡¯s Spring Parade as Miss Honey Bee for whatever reason and I thought it would be a great idea to host a small pageant in search of this year¡¯s Miss Honey Bee, Cristos exined. Cris nced at Cristos then at me, thinking it was a joke. ¡°Why do a pageant? There¡¯s already someone seated next to you who is perfect to be Miss Honey Bee. I¡¯ve met Miss North Dakota and Virtue is so much prettier than her,¡± Cris said, trying to be charming. I smiled and shook my head, refusing to volunteer. ¡°That¡¯s really sweet of you to say, Cris, but I¡¯ve just moved into town. It should be someone who imbues the spirit of this town. You know, someone who walks, talks and breathes New Salem,¡± I argued, hoping it would be enough for him to reconsider. ¡°I don¡¯t think the town¡¯s folk would mind. You are beautiful, tall and young, perfect for Miss Honey Bee,¡± Cris reasoned. Cristos smiled and asked me for his folder. He took out a sheet of paper and ced it on Cris¡¯ desk. ¡°If you agree, a percentage of the night¡¯s sales will be donated to your party¡¯s campaign. I will also be awarding a grand prize of five thousand dors to the lucky winner and the winner will be the new face for my pub,¡± Cristos exined. ¡°Virtue here can join the pageant. if she wants, but I was hoping she would be one of the judges instead¡­ including you and Liam. 1/6 CHAPTER 52 Make a Statement ¡°That¡¯s quite generous of you, Chip, and I¡¯ll be honored to be a judge,¡± Cris said, looking at the sheet of paper and nodding his head. ¡°I¡¯ll approve this, but you also need approval from the mayor. I¡¯ll message Liam and tell him that you¡¯reing to see him.¡± He picked up his phone and sent Liam a short message. ¡°Thank you, Cris,¡± Chip squealed. ¡°I¡¯m so excited for Saturday!¡± ¡°By the way, Cris, I was hoping to sponsor this year¡¯s Spring Formal. I¡¯ll sponsor the dance and the students can buy everything from me¡­ down to their corsages.¡± A big smile formed on his face. *I have such generous friends,¡± Cris said, opening a folder and pushing it towards my direction. ¡°I need you to sign here.¡± After signing the documents, he handed me a printed copy of the estimate costs for the Spring/Formal. It was going to be a masquerade themed party. I had a box of masksing in real soon and one them was mine. I¡¯ll be dropping by the local high school this afternoon after my meeting with Bo,¡± Cris said. ¡°I¡¯ll see you there, Virtue, so you can speak to the principal. Chip, you shoulde, so you can ce a poster at the school. There are students who are already eighteen.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± I said. ¡°We¡¯ll see youter. Chip, let¡¯s go and see Liam.¡± ¡°Yep, let¡¯s get going. I need to distribute flyers and pin up the posters by today,¡± Cristos said, standing up and practically fleeing Cris¡¯ secretary. ¡°I¡¯ll give you copies of the documents after we¡¯ve spoken to the principal,¡± Cris said, putting his arm around my shoulders. His secretary coughed which made Cris immediately remove his arm. I nced at her and saw the dirty look she gave him. Ah¡­He¡¯s f ucking her. I waved goodbye and walked out to my car. Time to see Liam. Liam ¡°Jack, thanks forst night.¡± I gestured for him to sit. He arrived at my office as promised. 2/6 CHAPTER 52 Make a Statement ¡°Liam, I didnt say those things for you. I said it for Virtue. She doesn¡¯t deserve to be entangled in all this mess, Jack said. He took out a zip lock bag from his pocket. ¡°Here¡¯s your gun. I took the stic bag which had my gun inside of it and ced it inside a drawer before speaking. After last night, I¡¯ve been thinking¡­what if we kill the boss?¡± Jack looked up at me. and slowly nodded his head. I was thinking the same. The sh it happening in Hillcrest is enough,¡± Jack answered. I let out a huge sigh of relief. I had a feeling he and I were on the same page. ¡°What about Dan and camer Cris though? Seems to me they have been doing stuff behind our backs. I know Cris is into that BDSM stuff. I just didn¡¯t know that after Joy, he¡¯d continue on with his, uhm, aggressive tendencies. But what really bothers me the most is why Joan Summers? It can¡¯t be all- because of Old Man Eugene. Sure, he likes to shoot his mouth off, but he¡¯s harmless. Did anyone know you and Joan were close?¡± ¡°Abigail¡­ maybe Nicole and Lisa. Why do you ask?¡± He leaned forward and in a hushed tone said, ¡°I heard the Sheriff talking to someone on th¨¨ phone. He was really pis sed. I heard him say, ¡°We had a deal. No abductions in New Salem. What the f uck happened to our agreement?¡± This was after Joan Summers¡¯ body was found. in theke. You must have known they took her after all those nasty rumors about Joan Summers came out.¡± ¡°I did, but I wasn¡¯t expecting for them to make me clean up their mess. When I arrived there, JoanThis is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. opened her eyes and saw me and my men. had to shut her up. Even if I saved her, she would never forgive me,¡± I exined, remembering the using look in her eyes. ¡°They did that to make a statement. Their way of saying they have you by the balls,¡± he said, leaning back in his chair. I sighed. He was right. So, what do you have nned?¡± Jack asked. ¡°I¡¯ll be going to see the boss Friday night and convince him we can¡¯t do anything stu pid. since elections areing,¡± I answered. ¡°But if I can¡¯t convince him, I¡¯ll promise him I¡¯ll bring Virtue to him. Then, I¡¯ll have my men kill him at his safehouse in Bismarck.¡± ¡°So you¡¯ll be using Virtue as bait,¡± Jack said, nodding his head. ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± ¡°Keep an eye on Dan and Cris, especially Dan. I want to know where he is at all times. If you hear anything, let me know.¡± ¡°No problem. Well, I gotta go back to work. Call me if you need anything,¡± Jack said and left. 3/6 Mar CHAPTER 52 Make a Statement I checked my phone and saw a message from Cris. Virtue and Chip were on their way to see me. Using the inte, I told Ma, my new secretary, to let them in. ¡°When Virtue Sullivan arrives, show her into my office, please.¡± ¡°Who, Sir?¡± Ma asked, a bewildered tone in her voice evident. Of course, everyone in this town knew every resident living here except for the very beautiful Virtue Sullivan. ¡°Virtue Sullivan. She¡¯s the woman who bought the Old Taylor House,¡± I exined. I wasn¡¯t expecting her to squeal with excitement. ¡°The really gorgeous woman who drives the Mercedes-Benz?!¡± She squeaked. ¡°She¡¯sing here? Oh my gosh!¡± ¡°Woah there, Ma,¡± I said disgustedly. I f ucking need a new secretary. ¡°Remember what we discussed?¡± ¡°Secretary has the word ¡®secret¡¯ in it meaning everything that happens in this office stays here,¡± she reiterated. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mayor Cohen. I forgot.¡± Suddenly I heard a knock through the inte. Not wanting to be utterly humiliated by my secretary, I hurriedly walked out of my office as Chip and Virtue walked in. I looked at Chip from head to toe. He was surprising dapper today in his pinstriped Armani suit. He obviously had excellent taste. Virtue was equally stylish in her pantsuit, looking very sleek and chic for business. Her white high heel pumps entuated her svelte body while her small white Louis Vuitton purse screamed she had money. ¡°Virtue¡­ Chip.. right this way please,¡± I said before my secretary could open her mouth. Virtue nodded her head and gave Ma a small smile before entering my office. The sound of her heels made that clickety ck sound which I had begun to love. I quickly closed the doors behind them. I didn¡¯t want Ma to hover. ¡°How can I help you?¡± I sat behind my desk, ready for business. ¡°Liam, I¡¯m nning to host a Miss Honey Bee pageant at the pub this Saturday. A percentage of the night¡¯s sales will be donated to your party¡¯s campaign as a thank you,¡± Chip said while cing a printed sheet of paper with all the details of the pageant. ¡°I would also be honored if you can help judge the pageant.¡± 4/6 CHAPTER 52 Make a Statement ¡°What time will this be?¡± I had to be at theke to oversee the delivery of the crates this Saturday. ¡°Around nine or ten in the evening,¡± Chip answered. Delivery was at midnight. I could leave right after. My stomach grumbled. I checked my watch and saw it was almost time for lunch. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll approve this,¡± I said, signing the document. ¡°But on one condition.¡± ¡°Sure, what is it?¡± Chip asked. ¡°Virtue has to have lunch with me.¡± Virtue raised her eyebrows and inched closer to my desk. My gosh, she looked like a goddess. in the sunlight. ¡°Sure, for Chip. Where do you want to have lunch?¡± Joy Liam checked his schedule and frowned, ¡°Unfortunately, I have a meeting scheduled at one, so that means we can¡¯t go far. How about Harold¡¯s?¡± ¡°Harold¡¯s is fine,¡± I answered. ¡°Don¡¯t I get an invite?¡± Cristos asked, pouting. ¡°Don¡¯t you have flyers to give out and posters to put up?¡± I answered his question with another question.. Cristos rolled his eyes and sighed. ¡°I hate it when you¡¯re right.¡± Instead of using the bug Xavier gave me for the Sheriff¡¯s office, I put it under Liam¡¯s desk. Finally, we had ears. I walked out of Liam¡¯s office extremely pleased with myself. 5/6 CHAPTER ST KANKE S ?ESTERNTO Chapter Comments Ary and her Trio are going to have some major fun on Saturday VR 16MMORT 625 Chapter 53 CHAPTER 53 Two-faced Pete Joy Having lunch with me was Liam¡¯s chance to parade me around town. I saw the town¡¯s folk whisper behind our backs as we walked to Harold¡¯s. Despite the whispers, Liam seemed to be in a good mood. We ate while talking about the grand opening of my store, the uing Spring Parade and the election. Not once did he mention Abigail¡­ much to my dismay. ¡°Have you gone to visit Abigail since Saturday night?¡± I asked him casually. ¡°Unfortunately, no. Yesterday, my father arrived from our cabin in the woods near New Salem Park. Sunday has always been reserved for family,¡± he answered after finishing his juice. ¡°Have you?¡± ¡°Yes, I did¡­ yesterday. Abigail is in aa and the doctors can¡¯t say when she¡¯ll regain consciousness,¡± I said. ¡°Do you know what happened to her?¡± ¡°Jack said she must have fallen asleep while driving,¡± Liam replied, acting as if Abigail was irrelevant. That didn¡¯t surprise me. Liam never cared for anyone, but himself. ¡°So what will you be doing after lunch?¡± He asked, changing the topic. ¡°I¡¯ll be headed to my boutique to check on its progress, then I¡¯ll be meeting Cris at New Salem High,¡± I answered. He nodded his head.. ¡°I¡¯m actually waiting for the student body president toe see me about the Spring Formal sponsorship,¡± Liam muttered. ¡°I guess they have the budget and don¡¯t need my help. Last year, the student body president came to see me at the beginning of the year. This year¡­ nothing.¡± There was a tinge of sadness and regret in his voice when he spoke of Joan Summers which puzzled me. If he orchestrated the whole thing t should be a coc kiness in his voice.. However, I wasn¡¯t imagining things¡­ the sadness was also evident in his eyes. I ced a hand on top of his to console him. He took advantage of the situation and quickly took my hand in his. The momentary empathy I shared with him dissolved as fast as it came. When it¡¯s Liam, why bother? ¡°About that, I¡¯ll be sponsoring this year¡¯s Spring Formal. It¡¯s the least I could do knowing 1/5 Tue: Mar 26- CHAPTER 53 Two-faced Pete most of the students will be buying their essentials for the prom from me,¡± I said. He raised my hand to his mouth and gave it a kiss. I had to fight the urge to pull my hand away. ¡°Beautiful, kind and generous¡­ what can any man ask for? Liam murmured. He nced at his watch and frowned, then waved at the waiter for the bill. ¡°Time seems to fly when you¡¯re enjoying yourself. I need to get back to the office. How about if I call youter? Maybe we can have dinner together?¡± ¡°Sure, Liam. I¡¯ll be at the pub helping Chip organize the pageant. If you¡¯re too busy for dinner, you can drop by for a drink.¡± He smiled and caressed my cheek. ¡°Now that sounds like a n. At least I get to see you Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. before I head home.¡± After he paid for lunch, we walked back to town hall. I waved goodbye and quickly entered my car. Since Cristos had to put up posters and hand out flyers, there was one ce I knew he¡¯d go to¡­Bo¡¯s. z storefront And I was right. I found Cristos and Xavier inside, taping up posters on the big windows announcing the three day application for Miss Honey Bee as well as a flock of young women outside, hovering in front of them. But thedies weren¡¯t there for Miss Honey, Bee, they were watching the two handsome men through the store¡¯s windows. I waved at the two men behind the group of eager girls. Xavier waved back and smiled, showing off his perfect teeth. Some of the girls squealed with delight while the rest giggled. ¡°Virtue, are you nning to join the contest?¡± A male voice said. I turned around and found Pete and Noah walking towards me. ¡°Oh, hey guys! I¡¯m actually helping Chip organize the whole thing. Have you guys had lunch?¡± I asked. ¡°We grabbed a couple of cheeseburgers from the diner, Pete answered, yawning. ¡°Late night, Pete?¡± I asked curiously. Why was Pete McDowell upte on a Sunday night? ¡°Aaah, yeah. I h-had a d-design to do for a house at Hillcrest,¡± he stuttered. He was lying. I wanted to interrogate him further, but I nodded my head instead. ¡°I see. A lot more people must be moving in. Good for business,¡± I said, smiling. I saw him rx a little while Noah chuckled in amusement. 2/5 CHAPTER 53 Two-faced Pete ¡°Well, Pete here is giving Nicole a run for her money, Noah said, patting Pete on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m going to go and get a cup of coffee at Bo¡¯s, Pete suddenly said, turning red. I saw the angry glint in his eyes while he nced at Noah, Why would he be angry at Noah? Forughing? ¡°D-do you want to grab a coffee with me, Virtue? And maybe a pastry? I heard Bo¡¯s has a new bakery.¡± The croissant I had yesterday at Dom¡¯s was from Bo¡¯s and it was good. ¡°Sure, Pete. Let¡¯s see what they have. But I¡¯m buying okay?¡± I turned my attention to Noah. ¡°Hey, Noah, why don¡¯t we grab a box of pastries for your crew?¡± I paused, remembering Mrs. Jensen. ¡°And I¡¯ll get a box for your mom. How is Mrs. Jensen today anyway?¡± Noah raised his brows at the unexpected question. Doesn¡¯t anyone else ask about her? ¡°Today is a good day for her,¡± he answered. He put his hand on Pete¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Pete, why don¡¯t you grab that box for the crew? I need to go back inside and supervise. I don¡¯t want our men screwing up the tiles in the bathroom. And Virtue, anything would be nice for my Thank you.¡± ¡°Alrighty then,¡± I said, grabbing Pete¡¯s arm. ¡°Come on, Pete. I missed my cup of joe this morning.¡± mom. After paying for our orders, Pete and I sat at a small table in front of Bo¡¯s Cafe and Bakery. Pete rmended I try an eir and so I did.. ¡°So, Pete, have you lived in New Salem all your life? Like Noah and the rest of people here?¡± I asked. ¡°Uhm, no. Originally from Austin, Texas. I moved here during high school,¡± he answered, ¡°after my dad died.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± I said. ¡°It must have been very traumatic for you, dealing with loss. so very young.¡± He nodded his head while looking at a distance. ¡°H-he died of a h-heart attack while we were celebrating my quince¡­ uhm, my right to passage for turning fifteen,¡± he quickly exined, lowering his eyes. There¡¯s that stutter again. He was lying. ¡°You¡¯re hispanic,¡± I said, nodding my head appreciatively. ¡°Nice. But McDowell is a British surname¡­ right?¡± ¡°Scottish,¡± he replied. ¡°My mom, she reverted back to her maiden name when my father died. good idea if my name was changed too.¡± She thought it was a 3/5 CHAPTER 53 Two-faced Pete ¡°I see, I said, nodding my head. I stared at his dark brown eyes and saw his heartache. I rubbed his arm tofort him, hoping I could make him feel better. My mind wandered, going back to those days in high school when I noticed him in the hallway. I remembered him talking to a girl with jet ck hair and green eyes, a ssmate of mine, named Sarah Hughes. The same Sarah Hughes who was running against Liam for mayor. I sighed, remembering the racistments and slurs thrown his way against his ethnicity. He had dark wavy hair back then and a real bad case of e. He was also thin, with his Adam¡¯s apple protruding awkwardly from his neck. ¡°What about you, Virtue? I mean, are your parents still alive?¡± Pete asked, interrupting my thoughts. ¡°Very much. They live in Oregon near the border of Nevada. After graduating college, I got a job in Reno to be closer to them. Well, close enough to maintain my independence.¡± North Dakota is far from Oregon. Will they be moving here to live with you?¡± Pete asked.. ¡°Maybe. I do have the space,¡± I said. ¡°I just want to settle in first.¡± My phone suddenly chimed. It was Cris telling me to meet him at New Salem High at three. I sighed. I still needed a recement bug for the one I stuck on Liam¡¯s desk and to drop by the Sheriff¡¯s station. ¡°Boyfriend?¡± Pete joked. There was an arrogance in his voice that I picked up¡­ like I was a s kank. I eyed him warily. ¡°Cris Murdock actually¡±, I answered coldly. ¡°I need to meet him at New Salem High. I¡¯m sponsoring the Spring Formal and I need to write the school a check. But before I meet him, I have to talk to Bo about the booze I need for the grand opening of my boutique and house warming. ¡°Well, I need to go next door and get back to work,¡± Pete said bitterly, noticing my mood had changed. ¡°Thanks for the coffee and the eirs.¡± ¡°Can you give this box of croissants to Noah, please? For his mom. Thanks Pete,¡± I said, handing him the box. ¡°I¡¯ll stop by before I head to the school.¡± He nodded his head and left. ¡°He doesn¡¯t look too happy,¡± Cristos muttered, sitting down in Pete¡¯s empty chair while grabbing my cup of coffee and sipping it. He took my half eaten eir, ate it all and drank. 4/5 CHAPTER 53 Two faced Pete the rest of my coffee. ¡°How about a buy you a slice of gourmet pizza?¡± said, changing the subject. It wasn¡¯t the time nor the ce to talk about Two-faced Pete. ¡°No need,¡± Xavier said, handing Cristos and me a slice of tomato and basil on white cheese pizza before sitting with us with his own slice. He slipped a napkin in my hand with something hard in it. I smiled. It was another ck case. I quickly ced it in my purse. Cristos took a bite and moaned blissfully. I noticed Xavier was dressed in dark cks and a light blue dress shirt. ¡°Meeting?¡± ¡°Yep, in thirty minutes,¡± he said before taking a bite of his pizza. ¡°Cris¡¯ house is near, so it¡¯s no problem. By the way, your booze is en route and I owe you a drink at the pub. I¡¯ll see your tonight.¡± He winked. , I did the impossible. I just hope we get information from Liam. I also needed to know more about Pete. Why lie about his father¡¯s death? Chapter Comments Luna-Mom I love the dynamics of Joy and her boys Emy Duvey So Pete is the Boss???? VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS > POST COMMENT T 26 Chapter 54 CHAPTER 54 Theodore Cohen Joy Cristos and I agreed to meet at New Salem High School at three. While he and Xavier finished having ate lunch, I drove over to the New Salem Sheriff¡¯s Station to drop off my gift. I crossed my fingers, hoping Jack and Sheriff Combs were there. Luckily, I saw Jack¡¯s truck parked out front along with several other vehicles. It was time for us to have eyes and ears in Sheriff Combs¡¯ office. New Salem Sheriff¡¯s station was a small one story brick building. Like the town hall, this building was preserved for its history. The bell chimed as I opened the ss door. I found several officers walking to and fro with papers in theirs hands. It was quiet inside except for a few who were on their phones. I ked up to the counter with the antique clock cradled in one of my arms while I carried a er bag with a box of eirs. Behind the counter, a stout man in a uniform was busy riting in a ledger. ¡°Good afternoon, Sir, I greeted the man. He was probably in his thirties. He had dark hair, dark brown eyes and sported a well-trimmed dark moustache. He had thick dark hair covering his arms and fingers and wore a gold band which fitted snugly around his chubby ring finger. He quickly looked up at me, clearly surprised to see me standing in front for him. ¡°Uh, hello there, Miss! How can I help you? His manly voice was weing and warm. I smiled at him. I¡¯m Virtue Sullivan. I was hoping to see the Undersheriff, if he¡¯s not busy. I don¡¯t want to be a bother.¡± ¡°Oh no, you¡¯re certainly not a bother, Miss Sullivan. That¡¯s him right there,¡± he said, pointing to a cubicle in the back where a head with ck hair was hunched down. Yup, that¡¯s Jack alright. ¡°Is it okay if I see him, Officer¡­¡± ¡°Cannon,¡± he answered, smiling warmly at me. ¡°It¡¯s no problem, Miss Sullivan. We don¡¯t get too many visitors. It¡¯s nice to see a civilian drop by once in a while.¡± ¡°That¡¯s kind of you to say. Thank you for all your help, Officer Cannon.¡± I smiled at him. gratefully and walked towards Jack. 1/5 CHAPTER 54 Theodore Coben My heels made a clicking sound on the old hardwood floor as I walked, making heads turn curiously in my direction. I smiled at Jack¡¯s colleagues before stopping right in front of him. I coughed softly to grab his attention. He looked up and his eyes widened seeing me smiling down at him. ¡°Hi, Undersheriff! I¡¯m so sorry to bother you at work.¡± ¡°Virtue!¡± He quickly stood up, banging his knee loudly on his desk. That must have hurt. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I looked at him with concern. If it did hurt, he hid it well. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He dis dismissed his clumsiness and chuckled to hide his embarrassment. ¡°What brings you here?¡± I showed him the clock. ¡°I was hoping to give this to Sheriff Combs. Is he in?¡± He pointed to the Sheriff¡¯s office which was near his desk. ¡°Ah, yeah. He¡¯s in his office. How about I take you to see him?¡± ¡°Yes, please,¡± I said. He stepped out of his cubicle and ced a hand on the small of my back to lead me to Sheriff Combs. He knocked on the door tentatively and waited. ¡°Come in!¡± Sheriff Combs suddenly yelled from the other side of the door. Jack opened the door and ushered me inside. The Sheriff like the rest of the people inside. the station were busy doing paperwork. He looked up at me with a surprised look on his face. I guess no one expected to see me here. He coughed and gestured for toe in. His kind brown eyes smiled at me as I approached. ¡°Hi Sheriff Combs. I hope I¡¯m not disturbing you,¡± I said as I walked to his desk. ¡°Not at all, Miss Sullivan,¡± he answered. ¡°How can I help you?¡± ¡°I heard about your, uhm, unfortunate circumstances, so I decided to get you a gift. Jack and I went antique shopping yesterday and he helped me pick out this clock for you,¡± I answered, cing the clock and the paper bag on his desk. ¡°And oh, I brought you a box of eco from Bo¡¯s new bakery that you can share with your men.¡± 2/5 CHAPTER 54 Theodore Cohen ¡°That¡¯s awfully kind of you, Miss Sullivan, Sheriff Combs said, grinning. ¡°Thank you for your gifts and thank you Jack for helping her pick this out for me. I like it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re most wee,¡± I said, grinning back at him. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t want to keep you from all the work New Salem¡¯s finest does for this town.¡± ¡°You have to leave so soon?¡± Jack asked, frowning. ¡°I, uh, have to meet Cris and Chip at New Salem High,¡± I quickly replied. ¡°Oh? Why is that, Miss Sullivan?¡± Sheriff Combs asked. ¡°I¡¯ll be sponsoring the Spring Formal this year as a promotion for the grand opening of my boutique. I sponsor the dance and the students can buy their gowns and tuxedoes from me¡­ or rent, if need be. It will be a good start for my business,¡± I exined. ¡°I see,¡± Sheriff Combs said. ¡°Someone so new in town is actively taking an initiative to participate and contribute to New Salem. You are someone the town needs. If you need anything, Miss Sullivan, you cane to me.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sheriff,¡± I replied, smiling at him. ¡°Have a good day.¡± ¡°You too, Miss Sullivan,¡± Sheriff Combs replied as I exited his office. ¡°Do you need me to take you to the school, Virtue?¡± Ja ck offered. I raised my hand and rubbed his upper arm gently. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay, Jack,¡± I answered. ¡°You obviously Have a lot of work to do. Anyway, if ever you¡¯re not busy, I¡¯ll be at the pubter to help Chip with his pageant, so-¡± ¡°Pageant?!¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? Chip is hosting a ¡°Miss Honey Bee¡± pageant this Saturday night. I¡¯m helping him organize since it¡¯s less than a week away.¡± ¡°Oh okay,¡± he said, smiling. ¡°Then, I guess I¡¯ll see youter.¡± ¡°Later then.¡± I waved goodbye at him and all his colleagues as I walked out. But before I could exit the building, I bumped into a tall man who had dark hair with wisps. of white wearing a nice dark suit. I looked up and noticed Theodore Cohen staring back at me. 3/5 CHAPTER 54 Theodore Cohen I wonder why he¡¯s here¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I hastily said and quickly moved to the side to let him enter. He cordially smiled. back at me, but the smile didn¡¯t quite reach his gray eyes. ¡°That¡¯s quite alright,¡± he said, standing up straight and fixing his dark blue tie. ¡°You must be in a hurry, Miss¡­¡± ¡°Sullivan, Virtue Sullivan,¡± I answered. ¡°I have a meeting at three that I can¡¯t miss.¡± ¡°Virtue Sullivan¡­ ah, yes. You¡¯re the one who bought the Old Taylor House. Where are my manners?¡± He chuckled, but just like his smile, hisughter didn¡¯t reach his cold eyes. ¡°I¡¯m Theodore Cohen, the former mayor. Of course, you know my son, the current mayor, Liam Cohen.¡± He extended his hand for a handshake. I ced my hand in his and we shook hands briefly. His hands were smooth and cold, just like his eyes. ¡°What brings you here at the Sheriff¡¯s Station?¡± ¡°I came to drop off a gift for Sheriff Combs,¡± I said. ¡°I heard about the fire and thought it would be a nice gesture to get him a gift.¡± ¡°Yes, that was quite unfortunate. However, he now has a new house in Hillcrest. Then again, that was really considerate of you. Your gift now serves as both a sympathy and a housewarming gift,¡± Theodore Cohen said. He was so formal. Unlike Liam, he was cold, uninviting, and a snob. Those were the reasons! why I disliked him when I was a child. He may have acted friendly, but it was all a pretense to keep the people of this town in check. Every time my dad and I had to go see Theodore Cohen, I hid from him. Not even that bowl of lollipops resting atop of the Mayor¡¯s desk could coax me toe out from behind my dad. I nced at my watch. ¡°You¡¯ll have to excuse me, Mr. Cohen. I¡¯m runningte for a meeting at New Salem High.¡± ¡°And why do you need to go there?¡± Theodore Cohen asked surprised. ¡°I have a meeting with Councilman Cris Murdock and the principal to present a check to the student body president. I am sponsoring the Spring Formal as a promotion for the grand opening of my boutique which I hope will happen next week,¡± I answered curtly. He always needed to get into everyone¡¯s business. Probably the reason why he kept Abigail as Liam¡¯s secretary. She was nosy. ¡°Trying to y an active role in themunity¡­ I like that,¡± Theodore Cohen said to my 475 CHAPTER 54 Theodore Cohen surprise. By the way, I saw posters of a pageant for Miss Honey Bee. Do tell Chip to keep the pageant tasteful. I dislike anything grotesque in this town.¡± Now that¡¯s the Theodore Cohen I remember. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Cohen. Chip and I will make sure the pageant is respectful. We don¡¯t want to leave an impression that we are grotesque individuals,¡± I assured him, my tone blunt. That remark earned me an irritating smirk from him. 1 My hand tightened around the handle of my purse. I wanted to smack that smug and conceited expression off his face. ¡°Of course, you will, Miss Sullivan. Good day.¡± I gave him a small wave as I exited the Sheriff¡¯s station. Just another day in As shole Valley. Anyway, whatever business he has with Sheriff Combs, we will know. While giving the Sheriff the antique clock, I ced a bug discreetly under his desk. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. I drove out of the parking lot and headed to New Salem High. I scoffed, remembering what Theodore Cohen said. Grotesque, my a ss. If there was anything grotesque in this town, it was the Cohens. They are monsters. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom two faced pete is right POST T COMMENT Morgan Pete is boss! VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS 23 5/5 Chapter 55 CHAPTER 55 Coroner¡¯s Office Joy I love Fridays¡­ I closed the book I was reading to Mrs. Jensen and watched the sunset. With the various listening devices in each location, we were able to have an idea what the other group¡¯s ns were. Theodore Cohen had visited the Sheriff to tell him his delivery would be arriving on schedule at the diner. It was the one ce Xavier had been keeping a close eye on, especially their deliveries. He noticed that every other Wednesday, several delivery trucks with a ketchup symbol on the box would arrivete at nighting from the general direction of New Salem Park. It was also the one night the Sheriff would patrol that specific area. cargo ¡°The only way I can find out what their cargo is if I head to Theodore Cohen¡¯s cabin in the woods before the delivery date,¡± Xavier said. ¡°Chip, what is the location of the cabin?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about twenty miles away, located just outside the park, near the deep portion of theke where people are prohibited to loiter,¡± Chip said ¡°But we¡¯re in luck. Leo and Benny just sent me a will be headed to the cabin to supervise the delivery. I¡¯ve messaged e that thou them to send me a photo of the contents of the boxes.¡± We found out the boxes were filled with cold medicine, a key ingredient in cooking meth. After handing the New Salem High principal a check for the Spring Formalst Monday, my week comprised mostly of helping Cristos with the ten luckydies he had picked out from all the aspirants who applied to join Miss Honey Bee. We quickly posted posters of the ten women in their swimsuits, informing the public that tickets were being sold for the event. Last night, the pub was packed with people purchasing tickets. When the pub closed, Miss. Honey Bee was sold out which had Cristos scurrying to hire more servers for tomorrow¡¯s This is from N?velDrama.Org. event. I did see Jack and Liam during the week, mostly at the pub. But after one drink, both of them would leave together saying they were just checking up on me¡­ whatever that meant. Sebastian informed me Jack and Liam have been meeting with Dan and Cris at Hillcrest. Aside from the cough medicine delivery, we also heard Liam making an appointment to see 1/6 CHAPTER 55 Coroner¡¯s Office someone tonight. We didn¡¯t know who he was supposed to meet, we only knew it was urgent. Since I noticed Noah had finished his porch, I decided toe by his house this afternoon. I gave Mrs. Jensen the nket I had ordered for her and sat down with her on the porch to read a chapter of a novel I picked up from the bookstore. It was a romance novel where the heroine was an undercover cop who falls in love with the Mafia Boss. Noah arrived as Carol was wheeling in his mother back into the house. The sun¡¯s rays were nearly gone and the lights on themp posts around the neighborhood had just turned on. ¡°Good evening, Noah,¡± I said. ¡°I just finished reading her a chapter. I¡¯ll probablye by next week. I have to head to the pub and see if the stage and the ramp holds-and if all the decorations for the stage have arrived.¡± ¡°Thanks, Virtue,¡± he said, grinning. He seemed to be in a good mood. ¡°I¡¯m sure my really happy that she¡¯s made a new friend. How about if I walk you home?¡± mom is ¡°Sure.¡± I turned around and walked down the steps. My long red and ck boho skirt twirled as I moved. I was wearing a ck spaghetti strap camisole top along with the skirt, so I felt the chill of the night breeze on my skin. ¡°So¡­ big night tomorrow night. I have my money on number eight to win,¡± Noah said, chuckling. ¡°Ah, you already have a favorite. Will you be watching tomorrow night?¡± I asked. ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have a ticket,¡± Noah said. ¡°I went over to the pub this afternoon and Patrick said tomorrow¡¯s event is sold out.¡± ¡°Well, lucky for you, I have extra,¡± I said, smiling at him. ¡°You do?¡± Noah asked. ¡°I¡¯ll buy it off of you.¡± ¡°Nah¡­ what are neighbors for,¡± I said, yfully pping his arm. ¡°Come on. It¡¯s in my v car.¡± I took out two tickets from the glove Coment. ¡°For you and a plus one. My way of thanking you¡­ now that my boutique is almost done.¡± ¡°I should be the one thanking you, Virtue,¡± he replied. ¡°You helped with the porch, read to my mom and now you are giving me tickets. You¡¯re a really good friend.¡± 2/6 CHAPTER 55 Coroner¡¯s Office We were standing face to face, underneath the dark sky, the wind billowing through our hair. I could feel his warm breath against my forehead as I looked up at him expectantly while he looked down at me with desire in his chocte brown eyes. This¡­ the two of us standing face to face as if frozen in time had filled my dreams, day and night, during my junior year in high school. It was something I had prayed to G od so earnestly for, something I had wished for with all my heart and soul as I stared up at the ceiling of my bedroom during those sleepless nights¡­. It was so breathtakingly poetic¡­ if this had happened ten years ago. But now, all I can think of, as I looked at him, was his betrayal. He took a step closer, covering my hand with his. He reached up and caressed my cheek, resting his callused hand along my jaw. It took all of stop myself from flinching from his touch. my energy + ¡°Actually, I think you should be Miss Honey Bee. You are just¡­. perfect,¡± he murmured. He lowered his head while I stood still, anticipating his lips on mine. ¡°Good evening, Noah, an elderly man¡¯s voice interrupted us. I turned my head to see Old Man Tucket rolling his trash bin to the entrance of the cul-de-sac. He was smiling. He never smiled. ¡°Mr. Tucket, how are you this evening?¡± Noah said, lowering his hand. ¡°Just fantastic!¡± He eximed as he walked away. I¡¯m going to give that guy a box of croissants. ¡°I better get going,¡± I quickly said. ¡°Chip won¡¯t be too happy that I¡¯mte. If you have time, drop by. If not, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± I waved goodbye before entering the car. I left him standing on my driveway, his face a beet red. Blood red was a better color for him. I exited the cul-de-sac, waving at Old Man Tucket, and drove towards town. Tonight, Xavier was going to the coroner¡¯s. 3/6 CHAPTER 55 Coroner¡¯s Office Xavier Hignd Oaks. The homes of the rich people of New Salem. It was an exclusive residential area which had several security guards patrolling the area twenty-four seven. Each massive home was built on half an acre ofnd giving each home the privacy each homeowner deserved. It also meant I could break into the coroner¡¯s house without alerting the neighbors, but his home security system was so sensitive, even something as small as a rat could trip the censors, allowing the security lights around the whole house and yard to turn on, making anyone visible. ¡°Base, I¡¯m in position. Housekeeper has left the house and no guards in sight. Disable the security system,¡± I whispered, lying face down on top of the tall wall which fenced Hignd Oaks from the outside. ¡°Disabling now,¡± I heard Cristos say through my earpiece. ¡°Estimated time¡­two minutes. ¡°Copy that,¡± I said, peering through my binocrs, scouting the area. A ck car suddenly stopped in front of the house opposite the coroner¡¯s yard. I zoomed in and saw a man wearing a suite out. He looked familiar. I zoomed in on the car and saw the W at the end of the emblem on the hood of the car. It was Liam. ¡°Base, I spotted the mayoring out of his car Who owns the house in front of the coroner¡¯s?¡± I asked. ¡°Hold on,¡± Cristos said. I heard him clicking on hisptop for the Hignd Oaks residential map. ¡°Got it. McDowell. The home across the coroner¡¯s is owned by Pete McDowell¡¯s mother, Cynthia McDowell.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll check what¡¯s happening across the street once I¡¯m done,¡± I said, cing my binocrs in my bag. ¡°You will jeopardize your mission if you get caught,¡± Cristos said. ¡°Stick to the n. Security system is disabled. You have thirty minutes.¡± I quickly rappelled down the wall and ran towards the back entrance of the house. Using my tools, I opened the back door and walked right in. After turning on my night vision, I quickly it was made my way through to the coroner¡¯s office. I tried the doorknob and to my surprise, unlocked. mys His office was practically just a room with a desk and three chairs. There were no shelves, no 4/6 CHAPTER 55 Coroner¡¯s Office books, noputer¡­ not even pen and paper.. I was about to leave to head upstairs when desk. It was a secret door. I saw the indentations along the wall behind the On the wall, there was a light switch with a ck button underneath. I pushed the button and a portion of the wall swung open. Inside was the coroner¡¯s ¡®real¡¯ office. Filing cabs surrounded the walls with each drawn labeled with a letter of the alphabet. In the center of the room was an antique desk where hisptop sat. I opened it and ced my Poison Tap plug into the USB port to unlock theptop. After a minute, done. I reced the plug with a USB and copied all its files. Sebastian had told me that instead of making it look like a break-in, it would be better if it appeared as if nothing ever happened. After the fire I had caused at the Sheriff¡¯s, Sebastian didn¡¯t want people to get suspicious. After deleting the log of my activity on theptop, I closed it and turned my attention to the filing cabs. I made a beeline for the letter S, knowing a coroner deals with investigating the cause of death. I found many file folders with a Summers surname, two with the first initial J. I took both out and luckily found Joan Summers¡¯ autopsy reports, one with the original findings of the coroner and the other with his doctored findings. I took pictures of all the documents inside. her file folder. After putting the folders back, I noticed a file folderbeled D. Samuels. What the f uck is this doing here? I took out the file folder and found pictures of Sebastian at his store including all the false information about him. I took pictures and put it back, then searched for Sullivan. There it was¡­ a brand new file. folder and inside were several pictures of her. Obviously, we were being watched. If he had files on each of us, he must have files on Joy Taylor. I went to the drawerbeled with a T and found numerous file folders with a Taylor surname, but only one with the first initial J. This had to be it. My hands were trembling as I opened the folder. I wanted to puke when I saw the pictures. I saw Joy¡¯s bludgeoned face, her jaws wired shut, her leg and arm in a cast, the bruising around her neck, the hematomas all over her body. I even saw photos of her vaginal and a nalcerations from her brutal rape. 5/6 CHAPTER SS Coroner¡¯s Office I felt so angry. I wanted to cross the street and shoot Liam in the head! ¡°You only have ten minutes left. I heard Cristos say. I inhaled deeply to calm myself. I quickly took pictures of everything and ced the file folder back in its ce. I made sure everything looked untouched before I left. I clicked on the ck button and the wall swung closed. I hurriedly left the house, ran across the yard and climbed my way to the top of the fence. Before I rappelled down, I noticed Liam¡¯s car was already gone. I walked slowly into the forest to where my motorcycle was parked.. ¡°Did you find anything?¡± Cristos asked. ¡°Yes,¡± I choked. ¡°You found it. How bad was it?¡± on a sec. I think I¡¯m going to be sick.¡± Chapter Comments Luna-Mom Another excellent chapter VIEW 1 COMMENT! POST COMMENT Chapter 56 CHAPTER 56 Negotiations. Liam ¡°I know both of us can agree a Cohen seated in town hall will be profitable for all of us. If I were you, Capo Bas tone, find someone else to tickle your fancy. For the mean time, let us refrain from abducting women from this town, especially someone like Virtue Sullivan,¡± I reasoned. I was standing in front of Peter McDowell, the underboss of the West North Central States Organization, while he was seated on the ck leather couch of his basement office with a young girl seated beside him fondling his cro tch. It was disgusting, but I needed to put up with it. ¡°You just don¡¯t understand the satisfaction I get when I¡¯m able to tame a wild mare, Cohen. Virtue Sullivan has a mean streak about her. I saw it in her eyes when I mocked her. I definitely know she will be a tough one to cr ack and I want to be the one who those beautiful blue eyes of hers¡­ fears,¡± Pete said, unzipping his fly and pushing the young girl¡¯s head so she can suck his miniscule co ck. ¡°I¡¯ll keep my urges at bay, but for a hefty price. If there is one thing that can give me an instant hard on, it¡¯s money. After tomorrow night¡¯s delivery, I want all the money in the crates hidden in your basement as well as half of the delivery tomorrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Did you just say you want half of the money being delivered tomorrow? And how do you know I have crates in my basement?¡± I asked, surprised. ¡°To answer your first question, my percentage just went up to keep my carnal urges for Virtue Sullivan at bay. As for the crates in your basement, Dan is very meticulous when ites to money. So? Do we have a deal?¡± Pete extended his hand while the young girl¡¯s head was bobbing up and down. I quickly took his hand and shook it. ¡°If you double-cross me, Cohen, I will make you watch while I rape Virtue Sullivan. Make sure you deliver my money on Sunday.¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Without another word, I nodded my head and w ran unt stairs. I waved at Cynthia McDowell and their goons before exiting the house and entering my car. ¡°Henry, to the pub,¡± I said to my driver. I sighed,pletely relieved and leaned back in my seat. 1/6 CHAPTER 56 Negotiations The meeting with Pete didn¡¯t go as expected, but I was satisfied with the results. I was able to sway the underboss from abducting Virtue, unfortunately it was going to cost me the money I was about to launder as campaign funding for my reelection. Well, not all of it. Dan was short on his calctions. I always had an extra shipment diverted to the cabin in the woods. Tomorrow was no different. When I was introduced to Peter McDowell by my father, I was absolutely shocked to learn that the scraw who was smiling sinisterly at me would be my future boss. His mother hosted a ¡®Carnaval housewarming party at their new home and my father had no choice to attend with the explicit instructions to bring me with him. ¡°Why do I have to go with you, Dad?¡± I asked. I wanted to head over to Jack¡¯s and y video games in his musty basement bedroom. go off ¡°Because I was told to bring you. Believe me, son¡­ I would rather you stay here or with your friends, so you won¡¯t do anything to embarrass me in front of such important people, but my invitation has instructions for me to bring you. I guess it¡¯s because Capo B astone has a son of her own and wants the both of you to be friends.¡± ¡°Capo Ba stone? Who¡¯s that?¡± As a child, I never stuck my nose in my father¡¯s business, even though he was trying to groom me to be the next Mayor Cohen. Honestly, in my mind, I would be mayor, regardless. voll ¡°Liam, do you ever listen to what I tell you?!¡± My father¡¯s voice had a disapproving tone. ¡°I may be mayor in this town, but I answer to someone. Just like me, once you be mayor, you will answer to someone. That¡¯s how it has always been for us Cohens.¡± During the party, I stood by as the adults spoke of their problem about a piece ofnd owned by George Taylor. It was actually a piece of prime property located near theke and from what I heard, George Taylor was unwilling to sell. ¡°Aren¡¯t you friends with Joy Taylor? Pete McDowell asked while positioning himself beside me, holding two sses filled with what looked like chocte milk. He handed me a ss. and I took a sip, surprised the liquid had the bitter taste of alcohol. I coughed. ¡°What is this?!¡± Bailey¡¯s liqueur,¡± Pete scoffed, his beady dark brown eyes filled with contempt. ¡°You¡¯re friends with Joy Taylor right?¡± He asked again. ¡°Yeah. What is it to you?¡± I asked. 2/6 CHAPTER 56 Negotiations ¡°My mother wants theirnd and whatever my mother wants, she gets,¡± he answered nonchntly. ¡°If you truly care for Joy¡¯s welfare, you¡¯ll convince her father to sell or I will have to use drastic measures. And when I say ¡®T, what I actually mean is ¡®you.¡± ¡°Excuse me? Are you trying to tell me I will need to kill Tavlors?!¡± I scoffed at him. ¡°I know our families haven¡¯t been on good terms, but where I¡¯m from, Mexican, we don¡¯t kill our own. We¡¯d rather kick the immigrants out of our country.¡± Heughed, looking at me like I was joke. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have to tell you this, but this immigrant has your balls in his hands and is about to squeeze your nut sack until you scream mercy.¡± He finished his drink and whispered into my ear. His breath stank of alcohol. ¡°Get the job done, Liam, or I¡¯ll make sure you spend the rest of your high school days in shame and embarrassment. Whatever you¡¯ve been doing to me is nothingpared to what I have nned for you.¡± ¡°We¡¯re just in high school! You can¡¯t expect me to do-¡± ¡°In the organization, your right of passage happens at fourteen. At fifteen, you are inducted into the family. I¡¯ve been itching to kill you and your friends, but as a son of an underboss, my hands are tied. But mark my word, Liam, when I rise in rank, I will never make you forget your ce in the organization, Pete said, cing a hand on my shoulder and squeezing it until it hurt. ¡°Remember your nut sack and how I will love squeezing it when you don¡¯t obey.¡± My father tried reasoning with George Taylor while Cynthia McDowell gave him an offer he couldn¡¯t refuse. George Taylor politely declined, telling them thend was Joy¡¯s, a gift he nned to give her after she graduated high school. Unfortunately, Capo Ba stone couldn¡¯t wait that long. One day, at Jack¡¯s musty basement bedroom, I was going to ask Cris, Jack and Dan what I could do to have the Taylors sell that particr property, but before I could ask, Dan told us of his proposal to get rid of the Taylors. I was utterly shocked that Pete had gotten to Dan. Cris and Jack refused at first, but when Jack found out about his father¡¯s cancer and all the expensive treatment his father needed, he agreed to Dan¡¯s one hundred and fifty thousand. dor offer to brutalize Joy Taylor. Cris eventually agreed and since we were all friends, I did too. While my father cleaned up the mess we left behind, he told me he was disappointed. He said putting a bullet into Joy Taylor¡¯s head was easier and less messier than what we had did. Whoever concocted the idea of raping and violently attacking her wanted to ensure we 3/6 CHART TERI T? MOUNtiatione would never be able to escape the clutches the diganization had on us. I argued if we had killed her, we would have to kill her father, her mother and whomever else was in line to inherent thend. Now that the Taylors believed they were no longer safe in New Salem, they would sell, take the money and leave. My father wasn¡¯t convinced at first, but when George Taylor knocked on Cynthia McDowell¡¯s door to sell, he finally saw it my way and patted me on the back, although he still believed we should have killed Joy Taylor when we had the chance so there would be no loose ends. My car came to a sudden halt in front of the pub and jolted me back to the present. I walked into the pub and found Jack drinking at our usual spot. I nced around and noticed Virtue wasn¡¯t there. ¡°Where is she?¡± I asked while gesturing to Patrick, the bartender, for my usual including another beer for Jack. in Chip¡¯s office rummaging through the boxes of decorations for tomorrow¡¯s event. ow did your meeting go?¡± Jack asked. ¡°He said he¡¯s not going to touch her,¡± I said. ¡°If we continue bringing in cash, he¡¯ll find other ways and other girls to satisfy his urges¡­elsewhere.¡± ¡°So he¡¯s really into kidnapping women and turning them into s ex ves?¡± Jack whispered after the server ced our drinks on the table. ¡°I think he and Cris have been doing this together. Remember after we graduated college, right before Cris got married to Lisa, they both went to Europe for like four months? I think. that¡¯s when the obsession started,¡± I answered. ¡°Well, if it¡¯s money he wants, then we need to keep an eye on the shipments. Since you¡¯ll be needed here tomorrow, I¡¯ll go to Hillcrest and make sure everything goes ording to schedule,¡± Jack said. ¡°You keep an eye on Virtue, since Cris will be here for Miss Honey Bee. Just keep th at f ucker away from her, that¡¯s all I ask.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± I told Jack. ¡°I need you to keep an eye on Dan at Hillcrest. If there¡¯s someone here who wants to sabotage us, it¡¯s Dan.¡± ¡°Dan wants to what?¡± We heard Nicole¡¯s high pitched voice from behind. She was surveying the pub, her brow furrowed, looking for someone. ¡°Dom said he¡¯d be here.¡± 4/6 CHAPTER 56 Negotiations I watched her as she gestured to Patrick for a drink. She was wearing a red cropped top with a matching red skirt paired with ck stilettos while her pale blonde hair was down, the ends curled to frame her face. As I studied her, realized I didn¡¯t see her all week. I do remember asking Dan about her last Wednesday He said she was out of town. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you all week, Nicole. Where have you been?¡± I asked. ¡°At Hillcrest. Since Pete is busy with Virtue¡¯s boutique and the pub¡¯s renovations are on a standstill for tomorrow¡¯s event, I decided to take a job at Hillcrest.¡± ¡°That¡¯s funny. I asked Dan where you were and he said you were out of town,¡± I muttered. She blushed. ¡°Yeah¡­ I was with Noah. We went to Fargo for a night and came back home the next day. A client asked for a specific type of tile, so we went, Nicole exined. Noaly and Nicole have been going out of town more regrly it seems. I rememberst month they both went to Jamestown and the month before that, they went to Carson and stayed there for two days. She mentioned they were looking for an antique chandelier. Before this infatuation with Dom, she usually hung out with Noah or Dan. I actually thought Noah. and Nicole were a couple at one point. Apparently, I was wrong. ¡°Ah, there¡¯s Dom now.¡± I looked up and saw Dom and Virtue walking out of Chip¡¯s office, each carrying a box of decorations. Nicole hurriedly stood up, walked up to Dom before he could ce his box down and clung to his arm. Virtue ced her box on the edge of the stage and waved at us. We waved back. I was happy to see a smile on her face. She was wearing a simple ck top and a colorful long skirt paired with t sandals. Her hair was up in a half ponytail and she had barely any make-up. Compared to Nicole, Virtue was stunning. I¡¯m sure Dom saw that, but since Chip and her were good friends, he probably saw Virtue as a cousin too. I just needed to keep the cash flow steady for the time being. Maybe Jack and I coulde to an understanding once I¡¯ve secured my position for the next four years Ultimately, I needed to kill that fat f uck who called himself an underboss without anyone knowing it was me. But first, I would have to create a private army. With a small private army, I would gain hold of North Dakota and keep Virtue by my side. 5/6 CHAPTER 56 Negotiations I¡¯ll have to tap into my inheritance and use some of that gold my great-great-grandfather left me Vritue was worth it. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom Oh wow that¡¯s great, got what they were looking for and more. Anna Murray Please more chapters VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS Chapter 57 CHAPTER 57 Martini Cristos I waited patiently for Xavier topose himself knowing he had done the same for me on many asions. Among the three of us, Xavier enjoyed violence. He had a stomach for all the gore that came his way. It wasn¡¯t like Xavier to experience any aversion when it came to certain things like assault¡­ unless whatever happened to Joy was more than disturbing. It was horrifying. Luckily, Joy and Sebastian didn¡¯t pay much attention as I assisted Xavier. They were both busy going through the boxes of decorations for tomorrow night¡¯s event. While she and Sebastian discussed her ns for the stage, Joy had this winsome smile on her face. I didn¡¯t want to upset her with news that Xavier had found the gruesome evidence of her assault at the coroner¡¯s house¡­ not just yet.. ¡°Sorry, Base, Xavier finally said, sounding much better. ¡°I¡¯m not usually like this. Maybe because it¡¯s her. By the way, I noticed Liam¡¯s car isn¡¯t parked up front anymore. Whatever business he had with the McDowells, I guess it¡¯s done.¡± I ¡°We did overhear him saying he had a meeting with someone tonight,¡± I said, taking a look at my monitor of the CCTV footage from the pub. ¡°That someone could be either one of the McDowells. Anyway, Jack just walked into the pub, so Liam may be on his way here or he may be heading to Hillcrest.¡± ¡°Well, just message me if he finds his way to the pub,¡± Xavier said. ¡°I¡¯ll head to Hillcrest to check.¡± ¡°Copy that.¡± I briefly went to the bathroom to freshen up. When I came out, Sebastian and Joy were about to leave the office, each carrying a box of decorations. ¡°What¡¯s your hurry?¡± I asked. I still had to hide myptop and lock it in my safe. ¡°Liam and Nicole just walked in. I need to find out what Nicole did in Fargo yesterday, so I told her I was here,¡± Sebastian exined. I looked at him surprised. ¡°Noah told Patrick he was at Fargo yesterday when he came by the pub this afternoon to buy tickets,¡± I said. Was it a coincidence or not? 1/5 CHAPTER 57 Martini ¡°But Noah¡¯s truck was parked in front of his house when I came homest night, Joy said, puzzled. ¡°Let¡¯s check the footage from the cul-de-sac. I didn¡¯t notice if anything came through the cul-de-sac, except for- ¡°What is it?¡± Sebastian asked. ¡°Old Man Tucket who lives right across from me, Noah was about to kiss me a while ago, but the elderly man interrupted us. He definitely saw something,¡± Joy said. I opened the door and ushered them out. ¡°I¡¯ll check the footage while you guys entertain. I¡¯ll see you at the bar,¡± I said. Joy and Sebastian nodded their heads and left the office. After messaging Xavier that Liam was at the pub, I checked the early morning CCTV recording of Joy¡¯s neighborhood and found Nicole¡¯s Volvo XC40 had stopped just before entering the cul-de-sac. I saw Noah exit her car and slowly walk towards his home. He suddenly stopped several feet away, turned around and gave Nicole a flying kiss. They¡¯re f ucking¡­ I zoomed in on Noah¡¯s face as he walked home and found him smiling which only meant. Nicole reciprocated before making a U-turn and driving home. I didn¡¯t hear Noah mention anything through the bug Joy ced in his home. Most importantly, I didn¡¯t even hear Liam mention any of it. Did Liam know about this or was he clueless like the rest of us? After cing my trustyptop in my safe, I walked out of my office and went straight to the bar to help Patrick. Fortunately, tonight was a slow night. Everyone was getting ready for tomorrow¡¯s events¡­ inside and outside the pub. I watched Joy joke around with Liam and Jack as I manned the bar. Every single time I heard Joy laugh, I had the urge to throw my Kiwi Chef knife either at Liam or Jack¡¯s head. After Xavier¡¯s ¡®violent¡¯ reaction, I felt they had no right to any of Joy¡¯s affection, even if it was all an act: ¡°Base, all is quiet in Hillcrest. No one is here. Not even Dan or Cris. I¡¯m returning to the warehouse,¡± I heard Xavier¡¯s voice through the earpiece. I bent down to grab two martini sses from the under bar. 2/5 CHAPTER 57 Martini Copy. Over and out, I said while I proceeded to make a dirty vodka martini for me and Joy. This was the one benefit of acting like we were best friends¡­ we could do things together like a couple. Yum, a vodka martini,¡± Nicole said as she and Sebastian sat in front of me. The rest of the drinking public were calling it a night and here was gued with a ¡®Marilyn Monroe¡± sounding troll. ¡°Chip, two please,¡± tian said. I ced two napkins and gave them the two I had already made and garnished it with olives. I watched as Nicole took an olive in her mouth and began chewing it like she was giving head. How entertaining¡­ I quickly made two more dirty martinis and gestured for Beth to hand one to Joy. Instead of savoring mine, I downed it, grateful for the salty sour taste of the brine. I quickly made a couple more sses. Tonight, before my event, I will drink. Joy or Sebastian could drive me home. ¡°Aw, you missed me, Dom?¡± I overheard Nicole say. ¡°I had to go to Fargo for a client of mine.¡± I scoffed at her. ¡°What was in Fargo?¡± I asked, demanding an answer. ¡°Tiles,¡± Nicole answered defiantly. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°You couldn¡¯t find a certain tile at Dom¡¯s, so you drove almost three hours away to buy it?¡± I asked, downing another vodka martini. Sebastian watched with interest as Nicole squirmed in her stool. ¡°W-well, w-we needed it right away and deliveries at Dom¡¯s usually take a couple of days.¡± At first she looked unsure, but since the lie made sense, she eventually looked more confident. ¡°My client was willing to pay anyway.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s your client?¡± She paused for a moment. ¡°S-sheriff Combs.¡± ¡°Sheriff Combs who used to live in a rickety old house wanted a specific tile and was willing 3/5 CHAPTER 7 Marium to pay yo ve van travel across the state to purjuse this specific tile. You know what? I so does make sense, I mumbled while looking like was thinking. I threw my hands up in the ait Anyways, why should I care? W what do y you mean? Nicole asked, looking as if she wanted to dump the martini on my head Noah mentioned he went there when he came to the pub to buy tickets for tomorrow¡¯s event. Did you see him there?¡± asked, watching the blood drain from her face, ¡°Uhm, yeah, I did see Noah at Fargo,¡± she admitted. ¡°It¡¯s a good enough alibi, Nicole,¡± I said, gazing her. ¡°Personally, I think you¡¯re cheating on Dom, but maybe I¡¯m wrong.¡± Nicole¡¯s face paled like she saw a ghost. I nailed her. But before Nicole could answer, Sebastian said, ¡°You are wrong, Chip. She isn¡¯t cheating on me. Nicole and 1¡­ we¡¯re just friends. Whatever she does during her free time is her business Sebastian downed his martini and yawned. ¡°I need to get some sleep. I have some deliveriesing in tomorrow.¡± He threw some money on the bar top. ¡°Good night, Nicole, Chip, make sure she gets home safely.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, Chip. I¡¯ll drive her home,¡± Liam said with Jack and Joy behind him. ¡°Nicole, your keys. I¡¯ll just have Henry follow us. It¡¯ste and I still have things to do tomorrow.¡± Sebastian nodded his head and quickly left. I had a feeling he wanted to see Joy¡¯s file, but I just couldn¡¯t be reminded of what these b astards did to her. Not just yet¡­. ¡°T-that¡¯s okay, Liam. I can drive myself,¡± Nicole tried to back away, but Liam took a hold of her arm. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a request, Nicole. Keys¡­now,¡± Liam insisted. Nicole opened her red purse and dangled her car key in front of Liam. Liam sn atched the car key from her hand and turned to Joy. *Virtue, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, okay. Good night, Liam kissed her on the cheek. ¡°Why do you need to drive Nicole home?¡± Joy asked. ¡°There are certain things we have to discuss regarding her Fargo trip,¡± Liam said.. 4/5 CHAPTER 57 Martini ¡°Oh, okay. Well, good night then.¡± ¡°Good night, Virtue,¡± Jack said and kissed her on the other cheek. My blood was boiling. I wanted to take the vodka bottle and hit their heads with it. I sighed. frustratedly, I had to keep my temper in check. I noticed Nicole was staring at me. I guess she saw the fire in my eyes. To conceal my anger, I rolled my eyes at her. She scowled at me as Liam dragged her outside. ¡°Good night, guys! Drive safely.¡± Joy called out to them as they exited the pub. Good riddance. ¡°What was that all about?¡± Joy whispered. I shrugged my shoulders. ¡°Noah.¡± I was about to down my third martini when Joy took the ss from me and ced it back on the bar top. ¡°How about we drink at my house tonight and set the stage up tomorrow?¡± Joy asked, noticing I wanted to drink. ¡°I¡¯ll drink with you, but I don¡¯t want to drive drunk. What do you say? The pub is empty anyway.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s.¡± Chapter Comments Luna-Mom Interesting twists and plots in the making Morgan what we has done* VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS > 24 < SHARE Chapter 58 CHAPTER 58 Expose Liam ¡°Get in the car, I opened the passenger door of Nicol from my father. For what¡­ I was never told. Volvo. The car was a birthday gift ¡°What did you do at Fargo?¡± I asked, once I maneuvered the car to Valley Ridge. Nicole, Cris and Lisa lived in the same residential area. ¡°I bought tiles,¡± Nicole replied, annoyed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the big deal is. Do I have to tell you every time I go out of New Salem?¡± ¡°Yes, you do,¡± I answered. ¡°We aren¡¯t a thing, right, Liam? You and I¡­ we¡¯re just friends. So why do I have to tell you everything I do? Even Dom just said whatever I do is my business because we¡¯re just friends.¡± ¡°What the f uck are you talking about, Nicole?¡± I couldn¡¯t believe she was talking about rtionship statuses when I meant business. I nced at her and noticed her lower lip was quivering ever so slightly. ¡°You have to tell me everything you do because you are under my payroll. Even this expensive car was bought with Cohen money. So aside from the very specific tile you needed for your client¡¯s bathroom, what the f uck did you and Noah do in Fargo?¡± ¡°Dan had me deliver twenty bricks of ice,¡± Nicole finally admitted. One brick or a pound of meth was equivalent to three thousand five hundred dors. Twenty bricks equals seventy thousand dors; money that wasn¡¯t in the books, if I didn¡¯t know about it. ¡°Andst month?¡± ¡°Same, but Noah and I only passed through Jamestown. We actually went to Rapid City in South Dakota,¡± Nicole replied. I nodded my head. During all these monthly trips, Nicole was smuggling meth. ¡°And for this Fargo trip, you guys were just passing through too, right?¡± Yeah, we drove to Minnesota.¡± ¡°How much, Nicole?¡± 1/6 CHAPTER 58 Expose ¡°Uhm, you see¡± I cut her off. ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask again. How much, Nicole?¡± ¡°Sixty percent since Noah and I take all the risks, Nicole said. ¡°I know why Noah needs money. His mother needs special care. Why do you need money, Nicole?¡± ¡°My mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer¡¯sst year and I told Dan I needed money,¡± Nicole said, sighing and looking out of her window. I heard the sadness in her voice. ¡°I¡¯m nning to put her in a home, Liam, and I want her to live the rest of her days in a nice private room with the best care.¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°And if you get caught?¡± I asked her. ¡°What happens to your mother then?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t get caught Liam,¡± Nicole replied, shrugging off the possibility. ¡°You may think I¡¯m an airhead and Noah a pushover, but we use fake identifies, hide the contraband inpartments in the backseat and the people we deliver to are known contacts of Dan.¡± I stopped in front of her modern white painted brick house with ck and gray painted trimming. It was a house Nicole bought for her mom once she began earning money. Nicole¡¯s father left town after her mother announced she was pregnant. Ms. Davis worked hard as a town clerk under my father, never marrying. I understood why Nicole was risking so much to give her mother proper care. I gave Nicole back her keys. ¡°I overheard you tell Chip you met up with Noah at Fargo. Make sure you stick to that story, otherwise people will catch you in a lie. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± I quickly exited the car and entered mine. ¡°Henry, home.¡± I have to talk to Dan. I¡¯ll ask him if the money they earn from the monthly trips is in the ledgers. If he answers no, I¡¯ll ask for a cut or I¡¯ll threaten to expose him. Pete won¡¯t like knowing one of his soldiers is stealing from him. Cristos ¡°Let¡¯s,¡± I replied, winking at Joy. ¡°Patrick, I¡¯ll be heading out. After you close up the pub, you 2/6 CHAPTER 581 xpose can head on home. Tomorrow, I need you here around three in the afternoon. Can you make It? ¡°Sure, Chip,¡± Patrick replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be bringing my younger brother to help with the drinks for tomorrow¡¯s event.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± I told Patrick, then I turned to Joy. ¡°I¡¯ll just grab the things I need from my office and we can go.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll wait for you outside.¡± Joy waved goodbye at Patrick and exited the pub. I quickly took my leather satchel, ced myptop in it and grabbed a cloth tote bag. After punching the security code and locking my office, I took a bottle of vodka, a bottle of vermouth, and a bottle of olives in brine from the under bar and ced it inside the tote bag. After signing the inventory for the stock I took, I exited the pub and found Joy already in her car waiting to leave. I quickly entered my car and we drove to her ce. While I prepared the drinks in the kitchen, Joy went upstairs to change. I was cing some prosciutto on a te to snack on when I heard her footstepsing down the stairs. I quickly arranged everything on a tray, hoping it would appear romantic. I almost dropped the tray when I saw her sashaying her way towards me. She was wearing a white see-through babydoll off-shoulder bra with matching white thong. panties. I went hard. ¡°Uhm¡­ What about out drinks?¡± I asked. She took her martini ss and downed it. ¡°We can drink before and after.¡± I downed my martini and allowed her to drag me into her sound proof room¡­ one ce Joy could scream as much as she wanted. Joy I dragged Cristos into my soundproof room. The sofa bed was ready, inviting us to lie down and do whatever we wanted. Once the door closed behind us, Cristos hurriedly pulled me against his body, closing the gap 3/6 between us. He groaned before mming his lips against mine. It felt like electricity went * ??:??) through me Lead feel the ingency in his kiss, The kiss seemed tost forever. When Cristos finally lifted his head, we were both breathless, gasping for air It felt like time stood still as we just stood there, relishing the moment, enjoying being in each other¡¯s arms while we inhaled each other¡¯s exhaled breaths. I quickly unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, inserting a hand into his briefs and wrapping my fingers around his hard c ock. A groan quickly escaped from his luscious lips as his hips. moved, grinding his coc k against the smooth skin of my hand. ¡°That feels good,¡± Cristos moaned, obviously enjoying the friction. ¡°I know what will feel even better, I murmured into his ear. I took his earlobe in between my teeth and began to nibble on it. He groaned again, his hips moving forward and backward as my grip tightened around the hard and rigid length of his penis. While he moved, I delighted. at the pleasure I was giving him with just a simple touch. However, I could feel that familiar ache between my thighs and the heat that came along with it. I needed my release and I needed it soon. He imed my lips once more, his tongue darting in and out of mine, licking, teasing and sucking. After leaving me breathless once again, full with overpowering desire, he pushed me onto the sofa bed. ¡°You look so f ucking hot in this little outfit you have on,¡± Cristos said, quickly taking off all his clothes. ¡°But all I want to see is your beautiful naked body and bury myself so deep inside your dripping wet pu ssy until you and Ie!¡± Against thece of my white thong panties, he rubbed my pu ssy with his fingers. I spread my legs and squirmed, as his fingers went up and down along the seam of my pu ssy, making my panties wet. ¡°Mmmm, so wet,¡± Cristos said, h ooking the sides of my thong underwear with his hands, pulling my panties down my legs and tossing them on the floor. He spread my swollen lips and quickly inserted a finger into my hot, wet, and sensitive pus sy. My hips bucked as he pushed his finger deep inside me. ¡°Ooooh, I moan. ¡°I want more¡­¡± ¡°I know you do, baby. Let me please you first.¡± 4/6 CHAPTER 58 Expose His lips suddenly wrapped around an erect nipple protruding againt thece of my see through bra while his fingers worked their magic on my cli t. In his rush, Cristos forcefully pulled down my bra, ripping thece apart. I didn¡¯t care¡­ I only cared for his mouth¡­ sucking each nipple, turning them into sensitive twin peaks. I could feel the heat building in between my leg from his fingers, wishing for that o rgasmic end, but his fingers stopped ying. Instead, his hands grabbed a hold of my thighs, positioning my very eager pu ssy right at his mouth. His tongue began to lick my c lit, up and down, coaxing the little nub back to the brink of ecstacy. ¡°Oh, f uck!¡± I growled, my hips writhing in pleasure. I was at the edge. It was right there. My fingers dug into his hair. ¡°Oh yes, baby! I¡¯m almost there.¡± He sucked and licked my c lit as his fingers flicked inside of me¡­near that magical spot. I screamed out as I came, the delight of my releaseing in waves while Cristos continued to eat me. I tugged at his hair, trying to pull him up. ¡°I need to feel you inside of me,¡± I pleaded. He entered me quickly, but he pulled out and thrusted back inside me slowly, teasing me. I wrapped my legs around his back and moved upward, meeting his thrusts. ¡°Patience is a virtue,¡± he whispered. ¡°We have all night.¡± He continued making slow deliberate thrusts. It felt good, but I was impatient. ¡°I need to come¡­NOW!¡± He kissed me while he picked up the pace. ¡°Whatever my queen wants, she gets¡­¡± He began moving faster, mming his co ck into my p ussy. I moved with him, clutching ontol his shoulders while wrapping my legs around his waist. ¡°I¡¯ming¡­¡± I heard him say. I was too. I felt his co ck swell and jerk, signaling his o rgasm which in turn made mee. My vaginal muscles mped on his penis as he came inside me, the spasms of our release so incredibly 5/6 CHAPTER 58 Expose glorious Cristos fell on top of me, spent, gasping for air. It took him a while before he was able to speak. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you, Joy.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too, Cristos.¡± Chapter Comments Luna Mom Fantastic twist and I love the guys Anna Murray POST COMMENT I know your probably busy, but please please give us more chapters instead of one a week plense A VIEW ALL 3 COMMENTS 27 Chapter 59 CHAPTER 59 Regret Sebastian I left the pub in a huff not expecting Nicole to be in cahoots with Noah. As I sped towards Bo¡¯s and Dom¡¯s, I saw Noah¡¯s truck speeding towards me on the oppositene. Where the heck was he going? I slowed down and peered into my rearview mirror after he drove past me, watching which direction he took at the th ree-way fork at the end of the road located just after the pub. He turned left heading towards the general direction of Hignd Oaks. I fought the urge to follow him. It would be too obvious if I did. I¡¯ll just have Cristos pull out the CCTV camera footage in that area and see who Noah was visiting at this time of night. I hit my steering wheel in frustration¡­ I really needed to put a tracker on Noah¡¯s truck. I headed to Xavier¡¯s warehouse and waited for him, hoping he had found something of value at the coroner¡¯s home. I was so busy trying to distract Joy earlier at the pub, given there was a possibility Xavier may find something, that I didn¡¯t pay attention to Cristos. I made myself a drink at the minibar and sat down on the couch, feeling angry at myself for thinking I had Nicole wrapped around my little finger. The yer got yed. This was something I didn¡¯t expect. Well, two can y that game. After dismissing her at the pub, Nicole will either act extra sweet et to gain my affection or she¡¯ll act like I never existed. Maybe she¡¯ll even move on to Xavier. If that happens, Xavier will just brush her off like he¡¯s done so many times before, leaving her toe back to me. I had to hand it to Noah. He was a sneaky ba stard. We have only heard him speak to someone of interest twice maybe thrice at his home, but he never mentioned any details nor did we hear anything significant from him when he spoke. After my second shot of bourbon, I heard the familiar sound of the door opening. gun peeking around ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I heard him ask and saw the silencer of his gun pe the corner. Xavier never took chances. ¡°I needed a free drink,¡± I answered. He quickly holstered his weapon and walked in. 1/5 CHAPTER 59 Regret ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°I found out Nicole went to Fargo with Noah or maybe met up with him there. Point is there¡¯s something going on between Nicole and Noah,¡± I told him. He didn¡¯t look interested. ¡°What do you mean, Dom? Have they gone out of town before or was this the only time they went together?¡± Xavier asked while he ced his backpack on his desk. ¡°Because if they¡¯ve been going out of town secretly, why would the both of them slip up now?¡± I paused. Xavier had a point. Why would Noah slip up and tell Chip¡¯s bartender he was at Fargo? He could have lied and kept everything a secret. ¡°Good question. I¡¯m thinking he wanted all of us to find out,¡± I replied. ¡°Liam didn¡¯t look too happy at Nicole when he offered to drive her home earlier.¡± ¡°So she even kept the truth from Liam. Looks like Noah is stabbing Nicole in the back,¡± Xavier said, his eyes narrowing like he was trying to remember something. ¡°Sam has noticed Nicole has been dropping by Noah¡¯s office at Hillcrest more often.¡± Sam was Xavier¡¯s capo and his second inmand. If Xavier didn¡¯t have time to do the job, Sam would step in. Since we needed more of our men to do surveince,st Tuesday, Sam arrived as one of the delivery men of Joy¡¯s cargo After cing a camera in the diner, Xavier sent him out to do what he did best¡­ find dirt. ¡°Of course she drops by his office often. They renovate houses together,¡± I reasoned. Xavier shrugged his shoulders, took out his camera and connected the camera to hisptop via a cable. ¡°Sure they do¡­ after office hours,¡± Xavier scoffed. ¡°I¡¯d tell you to put a tracker on Nicole¡¯s. car, but I already had Sam do it.¡± Xavier suddenly threw a smartphone at me. ¡°I also had him. put a tracker on Noah¡¯s truck. He¡¯s been shadowing them for the past couple of days. I looked at the GPS tracker on the smartphone,pletely surprised. I didn¡¯t know Xavier had taken the initiative. ¡°You knew Noah went to Fargo?¡± ¡°Actually, he didn¡¯t take his truck,¡± Xavier answered. Joy did mention she saw his truck parked in his driveway. ¡°Noah hitched a ride in one of those ketchup delivery trucks all the way to Bismark. That¡¯s where Nicole picked him up and they drove all the way to Minnesota after making a pit stop at Fargo for some tiles.¡± ¡°This information would have been nice if you had told us beforehand,¡± I reprimanded Xavier. 2/5 CHAPTER 59 Regret ¡°Oops, Xavier said, chuckling and handing me a couple of pictures of a six-storey building that had a travel agency, a convenience store and aundromat on the first floor. ¡°Anyway, they spent the night together at some motel after driving out of that building.¡± Xavier pointed at the photo in my hand. ¡°Sam said the entrance in the back is heavily guarded. By the way, Dom, Sam also said Nicole and Noah are f ucking. Sam doesn¡¯t have pictures, but he has a recording of Nicole screaming Noah¡¯s name and I can tell you right now, it wasn¡¯t out of anger. ¡°Chip kind of hinted the same at the pub. He must have seen something in the CCTV footage at the cul-de-sac,¡± I said. I checked the tracker. ¡°It says here he¡¯s at Hignd Oaks.¡± ¡°Liam was at the McDowell¡¯s when I broke into the coroner¡¯s house. It¡¯s possible he¡¯s there f ucking Ms. McDowell.¡± Xavier smirked trying to keep himself fromughing. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s wait for Sam¡¯s report.¡± ¡°Speaking of the coroner¡¯s, what did you find?¡± I asked. regretful ¡°Everything¡­ even files on you, Virtue Sullivan and Joy Taylor,¡± Xavier said, a tone in his voice. ¡°You sound like you regret finding Joy¡¯s files,¡± I uttered. ¡°After seeing the photos of her assault, Dom, I regret listening to Joy and not killing them. right away. That¡¯s my only regret,¡± Xavier said, sighing. ¡°It¡¯s taking all my willpower not to. get into my car and shoot them where they sleep. I¡¯m telling you, Dom, they don¡¯t deserve to live.¡± ¡°Let me see what you¡¯ve found,¡± I said, putting my drink down on the coffee table. He clicked on his laptop and gestured at the screen. I quickly scrolled through the photos of the aftermath of Joy¡¯s assault. I didn¡¯t want to see what they did to Joy because I knew I wouldn¡¯t be as forgiving as Xavier if 1 if I saw her brutalized body. What I wanted to see is if the coroner took extra steps a as insurance. And he did. In the file, he documented the whole investigation from the time Abigail Reynolds found her tied up on the bench press. ¡°Abigail was the one who found Joy, Bo,¡± I told him, utterly shocked. ¡°It says here, Abigail Reynolds found Joy Taylor tied to the vertical bench press right before the Spring Formal was about to end. She was worried when Lisa Brent and Nicole Davis came back to the dance without her when she was absolutely sure she saw the three of them leave together, heading towards the boy¡¯s gym room. When she found Joy, she immediately called Noah Jensen and 3/5 CHAPTER 59 Regret told him to take her home.¡± ¡°So it was Abigail who found her and not Noah, Xavier said, his voice filled with a newfound respect for Abigail. I¡¯m going to pay off her bills, order some men to guard her and send a specialist to see if they can help her.¡± ¡°It also says here Cynthia McDowell called Theoflore Cohen who in turn called Sheriff Combs to clean up the mess. ording to the four boys, they were offered one hundred and fifty thousand dors to assault Joy Taylor so her father, George Taylor, would sell prime property located beside theke. They left her, tied to the bench press, thinking that she would slowly die from her extensive injuries. ording to Jackson Emery, he had only participated to earn a cut from the one hundred and fifty thousand dors offered by Peter McDowell through. Daniel Williams because his father was diagnosed with cancer.¡± ¡°Wait a sec¡­ Peter McDowell ordered the hit on joy? For a piece of prime property? Seriously? Xavier asked, his face contorted with rage. ¡°So that fat, geeky, and shy persona is all an act?!¡± ¡°Yep. He¡¯s hiding in in sight,¡± I said, scrolling down, still reading the lengthy document. ¡°It says here, Peter McDowell¡¯s father was a powerful underboss, the nephew of the Boss of the Angels of Darkness. He was shot dead in his backyard during his son¡¯s ¡®Quince celebration in Austin, Texas.¡± I heard Xavier mutter a curse under his breath. r was My eyes left the screen of theptop, stunned at this revtion. Pete McDowell¡¯s father the underboss we tracked down after abducting the boss of the Angels of Darkness from his VIP room during the Super Bowl. The very same one Xavier killed for killing our men and sequestering our ship. ¡°WE did this to her, Dom! We did this to Joy! If we didn¡¯t kill that so nofabitch, Joy wouldn¡¯t have gotten hurt!¡± Xavier yelled, punching a wall. ¡°I should just kill myself right now!¡± I walked to his minibar and made him a drink to calm his nerves. ¡°Bo, then Joy wouldn¡¯t have moved and we wouldn¡¯t have met her,¡± I said, trying to rationalize the situation. ¡°Yes, Joy didn¡¯t deserve all of that, but she deserves us. Anyway, we had no idea that b astard¡¯s wife and child would move to New Salem.¡± I watched Xavier closely as he took a sip of his bourbon. His eyes had a sadness in them. Whenever it was about Joy, this ruthless man always melted. 4/5 CHAPTER 59 Regret ¡°Ms. McDowell keeps asking me to go out with her, Xavier said, the sadness in his eyes This is from N?velDrama.Org. changing into rage. ¡°It¡¯s time I befriend her and be her new boy toy. Cynthia McDowell is now part of the list.¡± Chapter Comments Luna Mom I love how Cristo pleases his Queen N VIEW 1 COMMENT POST COMMENT 27 Chapter 60 CHAPTER 60 Catfight I woke up early, tool, a shower and got dressed, haking sure I looked dashingly handsome and smelled just as good. I wore a tight light blue button down shirt and beige cks. I slicked my hair back, trimmed my facial hair, and unbuttoned a few buttons of my shirt to show some chest. I spritzed some of my favorite cologne and put on my favorite ck loafers before leaving my office and positioning myself near therge storefront windows of Bo¡¯s for all thedies to see. As I hovered around, I received several appreciative looks, smiles and stares. I smiled back and even waved at some of the passersby to their delight. Unfortunately, I was aiming for one woman and one woman alone. Today was a Saturday, the day Cynthia McDowell does her grocery shopping. She and her close friends were notorious cougars, a group of women in their fifties who prey on younger men. Honestly, Cynthia didn¡¯t look like she was ifty. She took care of herself and had a voluptuous and fit body which she showed off through the tight-fitting clothes she wore. After standing near the windows for fifteen minites, I saw her white Mercedes-Benz enter the parking area. After securing a parking space near the store, she came out wearing a tight tan colored faux leather miniskirt, a white long sleeved chiffon top and knee high boots. Her short auburn hair was styled neatly and her smooth cheeks glowed in the sunlight. It was time for me to make her drool. I pretended to fix some of the merchandise while smiling at a few customers. I secretly nced at her direction to check if she saw me. And she did see me. I could tell by the look of determination in her eyes and the quickness in her steps. You have to find me first, Cynthia. I quickly walked to the back where the discounted items were on disy. Cynthia disliked passing through that section, but if she wanted me, she needed toe and get me. ¡°Good morning, Bo,¡± a husky female voice suddenly said from behind me. I turned around and found one of Cynthia¡¯s friends standing beside her cart wearing a colorful maroon and gold kaftan top and light blue skinny jeans paired with ck pumps. She was the ex-wife of the owner of the diner. These rich folks all liked toe in early before the masses came. 1/5 nds Martin, Neek can i taip yra? 1 asked, giving her a warm smile. She smacked her lips like I was a fuely piece of fried chicken Bu sheart you don¡¯t need to be so formal. You can call me Norma, she said, touching file showcasing her long red fingernaik. Ever since I moved here, these women have been trying to seduce me. They obviously found my temperament alluring¡­¡­ hoping to tame my inner haid boy, ¡°Of course, Norma,¡± I said, shing hes another one of my charming smiles. ¡°So, what can I do for you?¡± Before she could answer me, a familiar voice screeched from across the aisle. ¡°Norma, I see you¡¯re bargain hunting again, Cynthia McDowell scoffed, her light green eyes narrowing as Norma Martin rubbed my arm with her polished hand. ¡°You should try it some time, Cynthia, Norma countered, looking smug. ¡°You never know what you can find.¡± Norma abruptly turned her back on Cynthia and with a smile said, ¡°Now, Bo, I need you to help me find some items on my list.¡± While she rummaged through her purse, Cynthia sashayed towards us, slowly pushing her cart through the aisle. ¡°Does Jimmy know you¡¯re here?¡± Cynthia asked, a malicious smile ying on her pink lips. I looked at Norma and saw her squirm ufortably. James ¡°Jimmy¡± Cole was Norma Martins young collegiate lover. He was just a few inches. shorter than me with light brown hair, dark eyes, and freckles on his cheeks. He had a lean, muscr physique from participating in sports and had that boy next door¡¯ kind of charm.. Although he appeared to act like Norma¡¯sp dog, he was street smart and milked her as much as he could. Jimmy drove a nice red Ford F-150 which was said to have been a gift from Norma. When I began manning the grocery store, I met Norma and Jimmy together during Norma¡¯s regr weekly grocery routine and had made the mistake of assuming they were both mother and son. After the embarrassment I caused during our first encounter, I never saw them shop together ever again. Jimmy drops by during the week with a list written in Norma¡¯s handwriting while Norma continues toe every Saturday. ¡°So that¡¯s how it¡¯s ng to be, huh, Cynthia? You can¡¯t y fair, so you bring Jimmy into the equation. You¡¯re just jealous that these boys prefer me while you can¡¯t even keep a boyfriend longer than a month!¡± 2/5 CHAPTER 60 Catfight Catfight. ¡°If you can excuse medies, I¡¯ll give you a moment alone to-¡± ¡°You stay right here, H o, Normamanded, holding on to my arm, so I would stay put. ¡°Admit it, Cynthia! You¡¯re jealous because I¡¯m prettier than you and give better head!¡± ¡°Ladies, please keep your voices down. There are children present-¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Norma. Keep your voice down. You obviously have no shame,¡± Cynthia sneered, leaving her cart and walking towards Norma. ¡°You even want to do this in front of Bo. Remember who you¡¯re speaking to, Norma, or do I have to remind you of what I¡¯m capable of doing?¡± There was a dangerous tone in Cynthia¡¯s hushed voice. ¡°Is that a threat, Cynthia?¡± Norma asked while lifting her chin up defiantly. Cynthia closed the gap between them and ced her mouth near Norma¡¯s ear. ¡°No, Norma. I don¡¯t do threats. I make promises Cynthia whispered. ¡°Today, you are part owner of the diner. Tomorrow, you can be part owner of rubble and ash. So, what is it gonna be? Diner or ash?¡± I saw the fleeting look of rm pass through Norma¡¯s eyes as she stared back at Cynthia¡¯s, then her eyes lowered in defeat. She quickly backed away from Cynthia, coughed then smiled apologetically. ¡°Cynthia, do excuse my momentarypse of judgement,¡± she croaked while grabbing her cart. ¡°Will I be seeing youter tonight at the pub?¡± Before Cynthia answered Norma, her eyes turned to gaze at me, looking me up and down, her desire for me evident in the appreciative look she gave me. ¡°Bo, would you like toe with me? I have an extra ticket,¡± Cynthia said, her eyes expectant, hoping, wishing and fervently praying for me to agree to be her date. I grinned at her. ¡°How about if I meet you there?¡± I asked. Her light green eyes instantly lit up, her cheeks turned as red as her hair and the corners of her lips moved upwards. However, the expression on her face quickly turned to concern. ¡°But you might be meeting up with other people like Dom, Chip or that really beautiful 3/5 CHAPTER & Catfight youngdy when opening a store next to yours. Ob Virtue, I said, rolling my eyes in disbelief. She¡¯s Chips bestfriend, so she¡¯s treated like family. Phis, she isn¡¯t my type. I prefer a more, thm, mature woman. I caressed her cheel and smiled, slowly licking my lips, my tongue darting out of my mouth. I was clearly flirting with her. Cynthia stared at me wide eyed, her lips slightly parted and her cheeks flushed. No doubt, her pu ssy was probably soaking wet. So, how about I reserve a table for the both of us? I¡¯ll call Chip right now and book us a table, I suggested. I nced at Norma who was watching the exchange between us with her mouth agape and her eyes green with envy. ¡°S-sure. W what t-time do you want to meet? Cynthia McDowell unexpectedly sounded like a young girl who was insecure of herself. She was nervous. I gazed down at her like there was no other woman I would rather be with. I just had to imagine she was Joy to make it look convincing. ¡°Let¡¯s meet at nine. It will give us time to enjoy each other¡¯spany before the pageant starts,¡± I said. She nodded her head enthusiastically. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll be there at nine, Bo¡­¡± ¡°I promise, Cynthia,¡± I assured her, running my hand along the small of her back. ¡°Now, let me assist youdies so the both of you can get ready for tonight. I heard everyone who¡¯s anyone will be at the pub tonight.¡± Norma and Cynthia quickly gave me their lists. I had them wait at the cafe, so I could personally tend to their grocery shopping. When I finished and ushered them to the cashier, the two of them had already made ns to get their hair and nails done. I wheeled their groceries to their cars and ced the bags in their respective trunks. After I had finished with Cynthia¡¯s purchases, I ced a tracker on her car. I waved goodbye and smiled smugly as they both drove off to the salon. Tonight was going to be one hell of a night. 4/5 CHAPTER 60 Catfight Chapter Comments Luna-Mom Yesssss all the dots are connecting for the guys Teresa ray let the party begin can¡¯t wait for the fireworks VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTSThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Chapter 61 CHAPTER 61 Zemnity I noticed the sun streaming through the curtains as I woke up. I wiped the drool off my mouth and heard someone snoring beside me. I slowly turned in my bed and smiled. Waking up with Cristos beside me in my bed felt surreal, I caressed his cheek and ran my fingers through his hair. At least I was able to spend a night with one of my three men since I moved here. I sighed blissfully. It was a wonderful night. I sat up and raised my arms above my head to stretch. After stretching out the kinks in my back, I opened the drawer of my nightstand for my phone. S hit! It¡¯s already nine in the morning! I nudged Cristos awake. We had so much to do. ¡°Chip, wake up! It¡¯s already nine! We still have to decorate the stage before the contestants. arrive. The girls will being in after lunch to practice their walk before hair and make- up, I yelled, hoping my loud voice would wake him. Cristos suddenly opened his eyes and quickly sat up almost bumping my head with his. ¡°What?!¡± He jumped out of bed and began putting his clothes on. ¡°I¡¯ll just take a shower at the pub. I¡¯ll call Dom and Bo and see if they can help with the decorations.¡± ¡°You can take a shower here with me¡­¡± I pushed the bedsheets aside and rolled over the bed, naked, showing him my bare buttocks while wiggling my feet in the air. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to take a shower and Virtue, darling,¡± he said while averting his eye from my nakedness, ¡°remember, I¡¯m g ay.¡± After tucking in his shirt, Cristos looked at himself in the full length mirror of my room. He ran his fingers in his hair, trying to tidy up some stray strands. When he was satisfied with his reflection, he flicked one hand in the air while cing his other hand on his hip¡­. obviously back in character. I sighed and decided to get out of bed, covering my nakedness with a pillow. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll meet you at the pub,¡± I said, sounding disappointed. He gave me a dirty look. ¡°I¡¯ll have breakfast waiting for you when you get there,¡± he uttered, a stern tone in his voice. This is from N?velDrama.Org. 1/5 CHAPTER 61 Zemnity He grabbed his keys from my dresser and waved goodbye. ¡°Make sure to brush your teeth. You have really bad morning breath. He dashed out of my bedroom just in time, dodging the pillow I threw at him. ¡°I want some buttered croissants, crispy bacon and atte!¡± I yelled after him as he ran down. the stairs. ¡°And make sure you punch in my security code before closing the door!¡± I mmed my bedroom door and stomped my way into the bathroom. It was time to wash the previous night away and get ready for the day. I decided to wear a puff sleeved whitece vintage dress and white low-heeled sandals. I styled my hair into a half ponytail and ced everything in the white Louis Vuitton Artycapucines bag, an expensive bag given to me by Xavier. It was my favorite bag and the first purse Xavier had ever given me. Xavier was a practical man and believed in spending money on useful things like cars, weapons, equipment, so it was a surprise when the bag. arrived on my doorstepst Chrstmas. ¡°Whose beauty surpasses the delicate artwork of this bag¡­ I love you you. ¨C X¡± That was written on the card when I found the parcel after the doorbell rang. No cheesy ¡°roses are red¡± rhymes, just a simple sentenceing from the heart. After making sure I didn¡¯t forget anything, I punched my security code on my rm system and walked out of my house. As I drove out of the cul-de-sac, I noticed Noah¡¯s truck wasn¡¯t parked in front of his house. I guess it was an early Saturday morning for Noah. Anyway, I¡¯ll be seeing himter tonight. In town, I saw Jack standing in front of his truck which was parked at the diner and h onked. He waved at me as I drove by. When I entered the pub, I found Xavier with his back toward me, dressed to impress while unpacking breakfast from the paper bags he had brought from his cafe. I whistled as I walked towards him. ¡°You look so handsome. Where¡¯s Chip?¡± ¡°Still taking a shower. We were waiting for himst night. We didn¡¯t know he spent the night at your ce,¡± Xavier said without bothering to look at me. He sounded jealous. I walked towards him and wrapped my arms around his waist from behind. I rubbed my face against the back of his neck, licking his earlobe. 2/5 CHAPTER 61 Zemnity 1 felt him tremble against my body. I lowered my hands to the front of his pants and felt his erection. Mmmummm Virtue, y nicely,¡± he groaned as I rubbed his erection against my palms. ¡°I am ying nicely, I remarked. Do you, by any chance, have a date?¡± He suddenly spun around and nodded his head, looking rather serious. ¡°I do, in fact, and it isn¡¯t you, youngdy.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± I began to move my hips and rub against his groin. I could feel his erection against my dress. ¡°Virtue, be a good girl and have some breakfast or I¡¯ll rip that pretty dress of yours and f uck you on the bar top, he muttered. ¡°Right now?¡± I dared. Virtue!¡± Cristos yelled, walking into the bar area from his office, his hair damp from his shower. I pushed away from Xavier, looking guilty. Cristos rolled his eyes while a sheepish Xavier tried to hide his erection. I raised my hands above my head in surrender and backed away. So, Xavier has a date. Knowing Xavier, it meant he was trying to get close to a mark. ¡°Someone I know?¡± The door of the pub suddenly opened and Sebastian walked in with a small box in his hands. He closed the door and locked it, so no one else could enter. I waved hello at him as he ced the box he was carrying on the stage area. ¡°I have a date with Peter McDowell¡¯s mother, Cynthia. She¡¯s my date for tonight, Xavier answered, as he pulled out a chair for me to sit in. ¡°Why?¡± After I was comfortable, he ced thette I asked for in front of me. ¡°Pete ordered your assault for a piece of property your father was unwilling to sell to his mother. The same property where Hillcrest is built on.¡± I just sat there staring at the cup of coffee Xavier gave me. I knew there was something about p Pete, I just didn¡¯t know he and his mother was behind my assault. 3/5 CHAPTER AT Zemnity Apparently, they wantednd which belonged to my father. I had always thought all the money my parents had was from the sale of the grocery store. I wasn¡¯t aware my father had land near theke. My eves narrowed as I stared at my coffee. They almost killed me fornd. They could have just given my father an offer which would have made my parents very rich people¡­ so they would never have to think about money over I mean, that¡¯s what I would do to buynd or what normal businessmen would do. But these animals weren¡¯t normal businessmen, I took a sip of mytte and weed the warm liquid down my throat. It was soothing as well as calming. As much as I wanted to go on a rampage, it wouldn¡¯t help. ¡°They¡¯re part of the Angels of Darkness aren¡¯t they?¡± Cristos asked while Sebastian and Xavier sat down with me with a cup of coffee in their hands. ¡°Yes, they are,¡± Sebastian answered. ¡°Peter McDowell is the underboss of the West North Central States, a position he got from his dead father, Rafael Cadena, who was the nephew of the former boss of the Angels of Darkness. Virtue, I think you¡¯ve heard the story of the underboss we tracked down when we were just teenagers.¡± Xavier took my hand in his while avoiding eye contact, his face appearing despondent. My heart was racing. I shook my head at the absurdity. It couldn¡¯t be possible. Talk about zemnity. But it wasn¡¯t Xavier¡¯s fault. He did what he had to because Rafael Cadena killed their men and stole their ship. He had no idea Cadena¡¯s family would move to New Salem nor did he know that Pete was just as evil as his father. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Joy,¡± he said, reverting to my true name. ¡°If I had only known, I wouldn¡¯t have killed him. You mean the world to me. Please, Joy, forgive me¡­ I never thought-¡± I raised my hand to quiet him and caressed his cheek. He raised his face to look at me and I noticed. tears in his eyes. ¡°Bo, my father never thought that a piece ofnd would be the reason why four boys would. attack me,¡± I said, hoping the simpleparison would be enough for Xavier. I didn¡¯t want Xavier to live with the guilt. ¡°Y-You don¡¯t me me for what happened to you?¡± Xavier asked, peering into my eyes for CHAPTER 61 Zemnity the truth. I shook my head and kissed him tenderly on the check. It wasn¡¯t his fault and it wasn¡¯t fair to pin the me on him. ¡°My rape didn¡¯t need to happen. if they yed fail. They could have made my father a very wealthy man, but they didn¡¯t.. Instead, they hurt me to get to him. So, Bo, what is your n with Cynthia?¡± I asked, smiling sinisterly. He grinned at me, his beautiful brown eyes full of mischief. ¡°Something Pete isn¡¯t expecting,¡± he answered, winking at me. ¡°By the way, Chip, I need at table reserved for tonight. I want to make Cynthia McDowell¡¯sst night on earth a memorable experience.¡± Chapter Comments Luna-Mom POST COMMENT ha love the title of catfight and the fact it¡¯s cougars of the town is just brilliant. Diner or Ash is brilliant Mary Hall I can¡¯t wait to see how xavier handles this VIEW ALL 4 COMMENTS 25 SHARE Chapter 62 CHAPTER 62 Laboratory I usually s kip Saturday morning breakfast with my father to get more sleep, but there was something I had to do that couldn¡¯t wait. When I sat down beside my father at our dining table to have breakfast, even he couldn¡¯t keep his surprise to himself. ¡°Whatever you have to do or whoever you have to see must be really important for you to be out of bed so early on a Saturday morning,¡± my father sald, looking away from his digital newspaper to gaze at me from over his eyesses. ¡°I need to speak to Dan,¡¯ I said while pouring some vyrup on the te of french toast ir just ced in front of me ¡°I thought you were going to help out with your little girlfriends nonsense,¡± he scoffed while fixing his sses and focusing his attention hack to whatever he was reading allowing a slice of french toast Miss ¡°It¡¯s actually not nonsense, Dad,¡± 1¡¯argund after North Dakota hacked out of being this year¡¯s Miss Honey Bee for our spring parade Vittur and Chip are at least helping our town find one from among ones to be the star of this year¡¯s parade immat ¡°I didn¡¯t know Miss North Dakota wasn¡¯t going to grace the year¡¯s parade he mumbled, the usual disapproving to present whenever he w uninformed Well dont forget your other responsibilities. I want the delivery to arrive riche ¡°About the delivery tonight, Capo B astone wants hall, I mentioned casually ¡°Half? Why does that nitwit want half I knew my father wouldn¡¯t like the ne arrangement. I took a sip of my coffer and pond at him an | exined ¡°I agreed to let him have half of the money, so he could stop him abducting women in this town,¡± I told my father. I think he doesn¡¯t care he rainsy chances as a reelectionist be ? I crossed my fingers and hoped my father would intervene on my behalf. To my utter relief, I saw my father shake his head with a scowl on his face. ¡°He promised the Sheriff he would refrain from any noticeable criminal activity after the Joan Summers fasca ofst year until elections were over, he growled, cing his tablet on 5-576 CHAPTER 62 Laboratory the table and taking out his smartphone. ¡°I will call his mother and tell her to put a leash on that psychopath she calls a son. Excuse me.¡± My father stood up from the table and went into our study to have some privacy. I smirked as I quietly sipped my coffee, grateful my father could still pull some strings. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have a close working rtionship with Cynthia McDowell, but my father did. If there was anyone who Pete would listen to, it was his mother. I asked ire for another cup and waited for my father toe out of our study. I was halfway done with my refill when my father finally appeared with a look of concern on his face. What is it this time? ¡°I was told to dispense with the arrangement her son has asked of you and continue honoring the previous arrangement,¡± my father said, sitting down in his chair. ¡°However, there is an issue that is troubling. Theboratory personnel could not get any DNA on the sses, utensils and tes your guests usedst Saturday when I was away.¡± ¡°What?!¡± I angrily nced at ire whose face had turned red from her evident betrayal. She coughed and quickly left the dining room, heading back to the kitchen. The punishment for betrayal is death, ire. ¡°You don¡¯t think I wouldn¡¯t know about your little dinner date with Virtue Sullivan and that insect everyone calls Chip?¡± My father¡¯s gray eyes had a wicked glint in them. ¡°Dad, I don¡¯t know what the problem is. She is a beautiful woman who I would like to date-¡° ¡°Yes, all of them are beautiful, until she has a knife at your throat. Theodore Cohen never minced words. He didn¡¯t trust Virtue. ¡°ording to theboratory specialist, all he found was H202.¡± ¡°Maybe ire identally ced the dirty dishes and utensils in the dishwasher,¡± I reasoned, hoping my simple exnation would remove any doubt my father had. ¡°Hydrogen peroxide, Liam. H2O2 is hydrogen peroxide, not water. ording to theb specialist, hydrogen peroxide imposes oxidative stress on cells, leading to cell death,¡± my father exined. ¡°I¡¯m impressed someone as beautiful as Virtue Sullivan is careful, but it makes me wonder what she¡¯s hiding.¡± I tried to remember if I saw Virtue with anything in her hands. I did notice she used moist 2/5 CHAPTER 62 Laboratory towelettes. Maybe it had hydrogen peroxide in them. But that wasn¡¯t the issue here¡­ ¡°I recall Virtue used moist towelettes when she had dinner here, but Chip didnt, Dad,¡± I said, snarling as I said the word dad. ¡®It seems strange that yourboratory specialist couldn¡¯t find DNA from the both of them. Maybe you should ask ire if she handled their used tes and utensils properly. Then again, that isn¡¯t the issue here. What did Virtue Sullivan do to you that has made you so suspicious of her? I understand if you don¡¯t like her, but you are putting way too much effort in discrediting her.¡± I looked at my watch. ¡°I have to go.¡± I stood up from my chair and was about to leave when I remembered something. ¡°Before I forget, Abigail¡¯s parents have been asking for you. They¡¯re wondering why you haven¡¯t gone to visit their daughter who is currently in aa at the hospital. Good day, Father.¡± my disdain on thest word I uttered before turning to leave the mansion. I haven¡¯t for an hour and already the day was turning into a horror movie. deal with ireter, right now I needed to negotiate terms regarding Dan¡¯s smuggling operation. I drove out of the estate and headed towards Hillcrest. I didn¡¯t mind if the day started crummy¡­ All I cared is getting my delivery safely into Cohen mansion and delivering Capo B astone¡¯s cut without dy. I parked in front of the clubhouse of the residential area and hurriedly walked inside. Outside, it looked like any clubhouse, but inside, it was guarded like a fort. It was through the basement of the clubhouse where you could find the entrance and passageway to the methboratory underneath the church. After walking through a long tunnel towards the ss doors of theboratory, the guards redirected me to Dan¡¯s office. Through the clear ss walls, I saw numerous Hillcrest residents in hazmat suits, goggles, masks, and gloves cooking meth. I covered my nose and mouth with a handkerchief as I walked by, not wanting to inhale the rotten egg smell emanating through the ss walls. As I approached, the frosted ss door of Dan¡¯s office swung open. A guard appeared and ushered me inside. Dan was seated behind arge wooden desk covered with bricks and sachets of crystal meth¡­ all ready for distribution. ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Mayor Cohen? Dan said as his eyes met mine, 3/5 CHAPTER 62 Laboratory gesturing for me to take a seat in one the chairs in front of his desk. I usually didn¡¯t visit theb during the day, but it was the only ce I knew where I could find him. ¡°I heard of your smuggling operation, Dan,¡± I said. ¡°Does Capo B astone know about this?¡± His smile quickly changed into a frown. ¡°Nicole told you. I knew I couldn¡¯t trust her to keep quiet. I bet you¡¯re here for a piece of the pie. He opened a drawer, took out a couple of w ads of cash and threw it on the desk in front of me. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want your money. What I want is your cooperation, Dan. Whatever Capo Bas tone wants done, any pertinent information, it goes through me first, I negotiated. He stared at me, shocked. ¡°Does this have something to do with Virtue?¡± ¡°That and among other things. I don¡¯t want women going missing so near the elections¡­. especially Virtue,¡± I answered. So you¡¯re taking my advice and wooing her to be your wife?¡± Dan asked. I nodded my head. He rubbedThis is from N?velDrama.Org. his chin and squinted his eyes, obviously thinking. ¡°Through her business, we can smuggle more meth andunder more money. Imagine, Liam, we use her boutique as a front, putting up branches all of over the state. It would be perfect for business. With all that money, you could run for governor or senator and have a beautiful wife beside you when you campaign. Just imagine, Liam. The possibilities are endless.¡± It was my dream¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve spoken with Capo B astone and all he asks is to keep the cash flowing. He¡¯ll set aside his, uhm, carnal urges and y nice,¡± I said. ¡°Well, I doubt Capo Ba stone will keep his word while he ys alongside Cris. I¡¯ve been telling you, Liam, you need to keep Cris on a tight leash. You never know¡­ his sh it may just blow up in your face,¡± Dan warned. I scratched my head. There was something going on. ¡°What do you know?¡± I asked him. ¡°They have a girl locked up at Bismarck again. She was abducted justst night at Mandan,¡± Dan answered, leaning back in his chair. ¡°The police has CCTV footage of the abduction. For all we know, Cris may be identified as a suspect¡­ soon.¡± F uck! 4/5 CHAPTER 62 Laboratory ¡°He¡¯s judging tonight at the Miss Honey Bee pageant. I¡¯ll talk to him then, Dan.¡± Dan rolled his eyes at me. ¡°Liam, out of the four of us, Cris is the weakest link. He always demands for a lion¡¯s share of our take without any of the risk. Honestly, I¡¯d rather give Jack his share, Dan said. ¡°Cris is a liability. We need to get rid of him.¡± I stared at Dan, shocked he would stab his friend in the back. Unfortunately, he was right. Kidnapping, raping and killing girls left and right was something that maye back and bite us in the a ss. Cris needed to be dealt with ordingly. However, I couldn¡¯t kill my friend. ¡°I can¡¯t kill him, Dan, and I won¡¯t. I can¡¯t betray him like that. Can you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, I can¡¯t either,¡± he answered, lowering his eyes, regretting his words. ¡°But there is another way to get rid of him without killing him¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll give him a taste of his own medicine.¡± Chapter Comments Luna-Mom Brilliant chapter [ VIEW 1 COMMENT POST COMMENT 24 Chapter 63 CHAPTER 63 Champagne Cristos Night had fallen over the quiet town of New Salem. It was the calm before the storm. The contestants were in the dressing room doing their hair and make-up while I sent Joy and Xavier home to get ready for tonight. Sebastian went to Bismarck to supervise our three teams to ensure operations go smoothly during the heist. As for me, there were still things I needed to do in the pub, but I decided to go home and get dressed first. It was worth the twenty minute drive since I didn¡¯t have a change of clothing in my office. Although I wanted to wear a suit, I thought it would be too much, so I opted for a simple crisp white long sleeved buttoned down shirt and navy blue cks, all paired with brown shoes. After putting on my gold Rolex and making sure my hair was styled in ce, I drove back to the pub to prepare the table Xavier had requested and ensure the pageant proceeds without any other dy. When I arrived, I wasn¡¯t surprised to find the pub filling up with people. The pageant wasn¡¯t supposed to start in an hour and a half, so to entice my patrons toe early, I extended happy hour as an extra perk for the asion. I also included a discount ondies¡¯ drinks to get the women toe in, knowing it would be mostly men inside the pub and I didn¡¯t want it packed with so much beef. After r grabbing the things I needed from my office, I began setting up the table for Cynthia McDowell. Over the simple white table cloth I used to cover the wooden table Xavier specifically requested at a dark corner of the pub, I ced a sheer maroon table runner to create an illusion of romance. I lit up a long tapered white candle on a vintage brass. candlestick andid a beautiful bouquet of red and white long stemmed roses on top of the table. Beside the table, a champagne ice bucket on a stand was already filled with ice and. three bottles of Laurent- Perrier Champagne. Xavier requested Dom Perignon, but I told him champagne as expensive as Dom was for celebration not extermination. He smirked at my comment, agreeing with me. ¡°Who¡¯s that for?¡± Lisa¡¯s familiar voice asked from behind me. I turned around and greeted her with a warm smile. 1/5 CHAPTER 63 Champagne I was stunned to see her wearing a little ck dress which seemed to have finally made its way out of the end of her closet. On her feet were pointed toe high-heeled sling backs while her hair was up in a neat bun disying her long neck. I actually felt sorry for Lisa. Here was a beautiful brte who had wasted so many of her years with an animal named Cris. Anyway, it won¡¯t be long and Cris will be six feet below the ground. I just hoped Lisa would move on quickly and fall in love with someone who would make her truly happy. I ced my cheek against hers and kissed her cheek to cheek. ¡°Lisa, it¡¯s so nice to see you.¡± I, then, pointed to the table. ¡°Well, Bo called this morning requesting I reserve a table for ady friend for tonight,¡± I exined, then ced a finger against her lips to quiet her. I- already knew what her next question would be. It¡¯s for Cynthia McDowell.¡± I abruptly turned around to walk back to the bar. As I walked away, Iplimented her. ¡°By the way, nice dress.¡± ¡°Uh, thanks. So, Chip, does Bo have a date with Cynthia McDowell? Or did Bo just reserve at table for her?¡± Lisa asked, following closely behind as I walked to the bar. I could understand why she wanted to rify things. I gestured for her to sit at the bar while I went behind it. After cing a martini in front of her to compliment her sophisticated outfit, I leaned towards her and whispered, ¡°Bo wanted the table to be special and even sent that beautiful bouquet for her. So, maybe he did ask her out on a date.¡± Lisa moved her head away from mine, her brown eyes as wide as saucers. ¡°Bo is into older women?¡± I thought-¡± ¡°You thought what?¡± This I wanted to hear. ¡°I thought he might have a thing for Virtue,¡± Lisa said. Iughed at the absurdity and ced my hands on my hips. ¡°Why in the world would you think of such a thing?¡± She shook her head and ced her hand over her eyes, realizing she had made a mistake. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I listen to Cris. He said he saw Virtue at Bo¡¯s and noticed how his eyes followed Virtue out of the store. Phew! I thought Cris might have seen something more incriminating. I decided I should change the subject and turn the tables on her. 2/5 CHAPTER 63 Champagne ¡°And where is this hushand of yours? I raised an eyebrow as I asked. She shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Your husband has left you all alone while you sport the forever elegant little ck dress?¡± Chip, I actually have no idea where he is. I called him a while ago and his phone was out of service. He left for Bismarckst night to have a meeting with a ¡®private sponsor. That¡¯s all I know.¡± It was weird, but she actually sounded relieved. ¡°If it¡¯s any constion, you can report him missing if he doesn¡¯t show up for the pageant,¡± I joked. I paused to survey the crowd and nced at my watch. Almost nine. Everyone should being in at any minute. And I was right. Noah walked in with Jack Emery. After seeing me with Lisa, they both waved and walked towards the bar. Jack was still in uniform. ¡°Lisa, Where¡¯s Cris?¡± Jack asked gesturing at me for two beers. I nodded my prepared their drinks for them. head and ¡°Somewhere,¡± Lisa answered dismissively, then quickly changed the topic. ¡°Where¡¯s Dan? Isn¡¯t he coming here?¡± ¡°Uhm, not sure if he¡¯ll being to watch the pageant, but he¡¯s with the Sheriff. They¡¯re keeping gan eye on theke,¡± Jack said, leaning back on his barstool, ¡°while I¡¯m going to keep the troublemakers here inside the pub. I¡¯m going to make sure no one disrupts this an eye neve on pageant.¡± I stooped down pretending to get sses from the under bar, hoping Sebastian had overheard Jack. Luckily, he did. ¡°Copy that. Sheriff is at theke. Tanks are filled and the men are suited up. I just need you to shut down all the CCTVs from here to Timbuktu. Do it during the swimsuit portion¡­ while everyone¡¯s attention is focused on the pageant and not on you.¡± ¡°Copy,¡± I murmured while I rummaged for a white wine ss. Before I stood back up, I heard Lisa gasp and wondered why. I thought maybe something happened to Cris on his way back from Bismarck. I quickly stood up, sses in hand about to ask what just happened when I noticed everyone¡¯s attention was focused on the woman who just walked in. Many appreciative low whistles came from every direction of the pub as the tall blonde wearing a lemon spaghetti strap fitted mermaid c ocktail bandage dress strutted across the 3/5 CHAPTER 63 Champagne pub to the bar in matching yellow colored high heels. The mounds of her breasts peeked through the top of her dress while her curvaceous body was outlined by the fitted dress for all to see. There was no way any man could resist this se xy vixen. Her hair cascaded freely y over her shoulders and on her back, styled in huge luscious curls which bounced as she walked. Her body hugging dress left nothing to the imagination. She was a picture of perfection¡­ enticing every man. Jack quickly took charge and rushed towards her to protect her from the men¡¯s catcalls. A fleeting surge of jealousy erupted within me as I watched Jack take Joy¡¯s hand, but I stood back like the g ay man I pretended to be and smiled appreciatively as my supposed bestfriend walked an imagined catwalk. I apuded and yelled, ¡°Strut it, girlfriend!¡± ¡°Chip!¡± Xavier¡¯s voice interrupted my apuse. I pretended to jump and squeal. ¡°When did you get here?¡± I asked. ¡°I walked in with Virtue,¡± Xavier said, chuckling at the reaction of the people at the pub as Joy waltzed in. But I knew deep inside Xavier was pis sed. It was in his eyes. ¡°I guess everyone¡± else is invisible.¡± I poured a ss of white wine into a thin wine ss and ced it on the bar top just as Joy arrived at the bar, her arm wrapped around Jacks. After Jack took hold of her arm, the whistling stopped and the men in the pub averted their heads in embarrassment. ¡°Nice dress and nice entrance,¡± I said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you to arrive so early.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t early,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s already a quarter past nine. The pageant will be starting in forty-five minutes and I wanted to have a couple of drinks before we began.¡± She took the ss of white wine and downed it. Then, she turned her attention to Xavier. ¡°Hey Bo! So nice to see you outside your usual territory. Look at you¡­ so nicely dressed.¡± Xavier was wearing a casual dark gray suit without a tie. His white shirt was unbuttoned showing some of his chest. I smirked. Cynthia McDowell was known to insert her hand inside. a man¡¯s shirt. ¡°I have a date,¡± Xavier said, his face towards the entrance of the pub. ¡°And here she is now¡­¡± 4/5 CHAPTER 63 Champagne As I prepared more drinks, I watched discreetly as Cynthia McDowell wearing a fitted red dress flittered like an excited butterfly towards Xavier. I smiled. Tll have the dj y ¡®Lady in Red¡¯ter, I told Xavier while handing him two champagne sses. ¡°Sure,¡± Xavier said. ¡°And keep those bottlesing. I want her so drunk, I¡¯ll have to drive her home.¡± Chapter Comments Morgan I hope this girl is saved before they kill her Luna-Mom so he¡¯s gonna be abducted¡­¡­ VIEW ALL 4 COMMENTS 26 POST COMMENT 5/5This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Chapter 64 CHAPTER 64 Chilling Liam Before heading to the pub, I made a quick detour to Hillcrest and found Sheriff Combs at the dock of the clubhouse. I asked the Sheriff to supervise. With him there, no one dared double-cross me, not even Dan. The ck sling bags used by certain New Salem residents along with the honey and x seeds New Salem produced were Dan¡¯s main ways of smuggling our product to designated. points near the big cities of the eight West North Central States. The money which the students or the parents made by personally dealing to users isundered through Sunday¡¯s offertory at church while the money earned from meth smuggled via the honey and seed produce is ced in crates of red wine. The crates are then delivered by boat after arriving in Bismarck and Mandan. It was a tedious process, but it was a process which never faltered. For years, we followed the same routes and drop points without any trouble. However, after the numerous revtions among my close friends, people who I considered to be my brothers and confidants, it became clear to me that mycency would be my downfall. I decided it would be best if I step up and not allow Dan or Cris to have the opportunity to literally stab me in the back. Sheriff Combs was on his CB radio speaking to one of my men who was part of the weing committee for my delivery truck loaded with the crates. ¡°Contact me once you see the headlights of the delivery truck. Over.¡± Sheriff Combs was standing near the edge of the dock surveying theke with night vision binocrs. ¡°Copy that. Over and out.¡± Radio silence. The Sheriff put his radio back in his holster while he continued to peer through his night vision binocrs. I noticed the creases on his forehead. Obviously, he was bothered by something. ¡°Sheriff, anything wrong?¡± I asked. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ¡°I think I saw some movement at the parkside of theke, Sheriff Combs said. He suddenly pulled out his radio. ¡°Tanner, everything quiet at your end?¡± Tanner was one of the deputies. under my payroll and had the task of patrolling thekeside area of the park. ¡°That¡¯s an affirmative, Sheriff. Just waiting for the cargo to arrive,¡± Tanner said over the radio. 1/6 CHAPTER 64 Chilling ¡°I thought I saw some movement, the Sheriff said. He handed me his binocrs so I could have a look. I didn¡¯t see anything. ¡°It must have been a prairie dog or an otter. Don¡¯t worry, Sheriff. I¡¯ve got this,¡± I heard Tanner say. ¡°Son, you know the drill. Check in every thirty minutes. Over and out.¡± The Sheriff put his radio back in his holster and gestured for me to hand over his binocrs. ¡°I suggest you head back to town for the pageant. I got Jack stationed at the pub to make sure them surly. sons of bit ches at the pub are behaved. If a brawl happens, he knows what to do. Just be back before midnight.¡± ¡°Just to be clear, Sheriff, if you see anything out of the ordinary, shoot to kill,¡± I ordered while handing his binocrs back. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll be here before midnight to oversee operations.¡± ¡°There are only two ces the people are at tonight. It¡¯ll be easy to spot the good eggs from the rotten ones. I¡¯ll call you once the boys see the truck heading out of Bismarck, Liam, he said. ¡°By the way, where¡¯s your father. ¡°He¡¯s at home,¡± I answered. I saw Sheriff Combs grimace, annoyed my father was acting like he was retired. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sheriff. My father may be home, but he¡¯s keeping an eye on the CCTV cameras. Drink some coffee. It¡¯s going to be a long night.¡± ¡°I already have my thermos ready,¡± he replied. ¡°Enjoy your night, son.¡± Although I wasn¡¯t going to drink tonight, I had Henry drive me. I needed to think and I didn¡¯t want to space out while I was in front of the wheel. It was almost ten when I arrived at the pub. When I opened the entrance doors, I was shocked to see it packed with people. I noticed Jack, Noah and Lisa together at the bar, but what took my breath away was the gorgeous blonde in the yellow fitted dress. I felt the urge to run to her. I pushed through the crowd, not amused the people of New Salem weren¡¯t making a path for me to walk through. Of all the disrespect that could be thrown my way. My fists balled up as my anger began to bubble. These people cowered in terror when they saw my father, but saw me as insignificant. I reached down to get my gun from its holster, but a hand on my shoulder stopped me. ¡°Allow me, Mayor Cohen,¡± I heard a low masculine voice say from behind. I turned around. 2/6 I CHAPTER 64 Chilling and found Dom had made a path through the crowd. He tapped the shoulders of the two burly men in front of us. I knew them to be known bikers who caused trouble from time to time and sometimes did some smuggling for Dan. ¡°The Mayor would like to pass through,¡± Dom said icily. The two men coughed loudly and made space, extending their arms to make the people move back. ¡°Boys and girls, move aside for the Mayor, the biggest of the two said. The others moved except for one. He suddenly smacked the guy on the back of his head for ignoring his request. ¡°What the f uck!¡± The man eximed, ready to start a fight. He was tall and muscr with dark brown hair, ck eyes and wore piercings on his nipples. ¡°I said¡­the Mayor would like to pass through,¡± Dom growled at him. F uck you! Who the f uck do you think-¡± Before he could say anything else, the two burly bikers punched him in his stomach to silence him. ¡°Dom, man, my apologies, the biggest of the two said while their friend continued wincing in pain. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of him.¡± He, then, turned to me and gave me an apologetic smile. ¡°Mayor Cohen, I hope you enjoy your night.¡± This time the crowd moved back giving me a clear path to the bar. I nodded. my head in gratitude and walked towards Jack who had stood up from his stool after witnessing the confrontation. I raised my hands and gestured for him to rx. I nced behind me and found Dom had stayed back to talk to his biker friend. How in the world do they know each other? ¡°Liam, you finally made it,¡± Chip said while cing a ss of scotch in front of me. He knew me well. ¡°Thanks,¡± I replied, taking a sip of scotch and rxing a bit. My eyes quickly searched for Virtue, but she, unfortunately, was gone. ¡°Where¡¯s Virtue?¡± ¡°She¡¯s in the dressing room freshening up,¡± Chip answered. ¡°Now that you¡¯re here, we can start. How about you finish your double shot and I¡¯ll escort you to the judges table?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± I answered, agreeing with him. As I sipped my scotch, I noticed Cris was missing. 3/6 CHAPTER 64 Chilling I tapped Lisa¡¯s shoulder, hoping she knew where her husband was. ¡°Where¡¯s Cris?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Lisa answered gruffly. ¡°He said he needed to meet up with a private sponsor¡­ whatever that meant.¡± ¡°Have you tried calling him?¡± I asked. I took out my phone and called him, but his phone was out of service. Did Dan carry out his n already? ¡°Well? Were you able to reach him?¡± Lisa asked, downing her martini and gesturing to Chip for another one. She didn¡¯t sound too concerned her husband was missing. ¡°Because I haven¡¯t been able to reach him all day.¡± ¡°Nope. His phone is off,¡± I answered. I was about to message Dan when Chip ced a ss of bourbon beside me. ¡°Guys, Cris is a grown man. I bet he¡¯ll walk through those doors any minute now,¡± Chip said, -sliding the ss towards Dom. I shrugged my shoulders and hid my phone. Chip was right. Cris was a grown man and sometimes went off the radar. ¡°Dom, thanks for earlier,¡± I told Dom as he took a sip of bourbon. ¡°No thanks necessary, Mayor. Big Mike is a patron of mine,¡± he replied, cradling his ss in his hands. ¡°If it¡¯s any constion, I should be thanking you,¡± Dom said. My brow instantly furrowed, wondering what he meant. ¡°Thank me for what?¡± I asked. ¡°For epting us in this town. I¡¯ve grown quite fond of New Salem,¡± he answered, smiling, but his smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes. I was about to answer him, but he turned to Chip. ¡°Chip, where¡¯s Bo?¡± ¡°Over there. He has a date, Chip answered while pointing at an isted table at the side of the pub, practically hidden by the crowd. I raised my head and squinted my eyes to see who Bo was with. The woman¡¯s face was obscured by the darkness, but I recognized the short auburn hair of Cynthia McDowell. What?! ¡°Liam,¡± Jack¡¯s voice interrupted my thoughts, ¡°Virtue is already seated up front. I¡¯ll escort 4/6 CHAPTER 64 Chilling Cris to the front once he passes through the pub¡¯s front doors.¡± I drank the rest of my scotch and took onest look at Cynthia who was smiling brightly at Bo whose face was within kissing distance. All of a sudden, as if on cue, Bo looked in my direction and grinned at me. I gave him a small smile before walking toward the exquisite blonde who was waving enthusiastically from the judge¡¯s table. The smile Bo gave me was chilling. Just like the smile Dom gave me when I thanked him earlier. Both their eyes looked like the eyes of an apex predator ready to pounce on its prey. It was truly disturbing. I felt a hand on my arm and saw Virtue¡¯s smiling face in front of me. My body rxed and I quickly forgot whatever it was that was bothering me. She looked absolutely breathtaking. The mounds of her breasts peeked over the top of her yellow dress, slightly covered by the curls of her long blonde hair. Her dress fit snugly on her, graciously showing off her curves while also showing off her long legs. She e wore the dress to perfection and did it effortlessly. ¡°Liam, I thought you weren¡¯t going to make it,¡± she murmured in my ear. She took my hand and led me to a vacant chair beside hers. ¡°You and I will have to do. It¡¯s already a quarter past ten and Cris still isn¡¯t here.¡± I groaned. I needed to be in Hillcrest before midnight and Cris wasn¡¯t even here yet. ¡°I¡¯ll take Cris¡¯ ce,¡± Dom said, sitting beside me. ¡°We don¡¯t want the crowd to be rowdy for startingte.¡± Suddenly, Chip¡¯s booming voice came bellowing out of the speakers which surrounded the four corners of the pub. I sat up straight in my chair and scanned the score sheet on the table. I just wanted to get this over with so I could go back to counting cash. Before the contestants came out, Virtue took my hand in hers and squeezed it. I sighed as a 5/6 CHAPTER 64 Chilling tingle radiated throughout my body. Actually, it wasn¡¯t about the cash¡­ I needed to get to Hillcrest so I could keep her safe. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom the fun and games are beginning Morgan POST COMMENT VIEW ALL 3 COMMENTS > 25 Chapter 65 CHAPTER 65 The But cher¡¯s Wife Cynthia McDowell ¡°Good eveningdies and gentlemen! I would like to wee everyone to the Buzzed Pub. Tonight is a special night, full of beauty, charm and wit as we search for New Salem¡¯s Miss Honey Bee!¡± The pub broke out in whistles and apuse as our surroundings grew dark and the lights on the stage grew bright. One by one, youngdies dressed in their yellow and ck casual attire began walking up and down the middle of the vertical ramp connected to the center of the main stage. The bees against ramp was adorned with artificial flowers while the stage was decorated with toy a backdrop of an image of a honeb surrounded by various colorful flowers. ¡°You should be up there,¡± Bo whispered in my ear. ¡°You would make a perfect Miss Honey s so sensual. Bee.¡± I knew he was teasing me, but the way he said it was ¡°You think so?¡± ¡°I do.¡± His reply sounded like a promise. Every time he spoke, his low husky voice sent a shiver up and down my spine. The way he looked at me left me breathless while his breath on my face made me yearn for his kiss. My pu ssy was already dripping wet even without him touching me. That familiar ache of desire throbbed incessantly¡­ Whatever he was doing was tantric. Slow, intimate and erotic¡­. Mmmmm¡­ It has been a very long time since I felt this I felt giddy inside. Like a young girl in love. way. Yes, I have flirted with other men, but I desired Bo, I wanted him passionately¡­ I also wanted him to fall in love with me. ¡°More champagne for my sweet,¡± Bo murmured as he filled my ss. Beth, the pub¡¯s waitress, 1/6 CHAPTER 65 The B utcher¡¯s Wife had left a tray of appetizers before the pageant began, but the food remained untouched. ¡°If you want anything else, all you need to do is ask. ¡°Can I have you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you already have me?¡± He purred. 1 sighed and nodded my head as I peered into his gorgeous brown eyes, the color of dark caramel. My dead husband¡¯s eyes also had the same kind of hue¡­ maybe a bit lighter than Bo¡¯s eyes, but caramel all the same. Ever since I first saw Bo, I tried almost everything to grab his attention, but he always acted aloof towards me¡­ polite, yet aloof. Then, all of a sudden,st Saturday, something changed. Bo paused to chat with me and share a fewughs. And now, a weekter, we were on a date. My friends and I had thought Bo would take an interest in the neer, the tall beautiful blonde who moved into the Old Taylor House. I had actually considered killing her, but had shrugged off the idea knowing my son, who had a penchant for raping and killing gorgeous women, would do the dirty deed for me. Unfortunately, Liam Cohen had taken an interest in her too and asked my son not to touch her. Pete may be underboss, but the Cohens ran this town. Since the Cohens had a good standing within the organization, they were also given preferential treatment by the ¡®Big Boss of the Angels of Darkness. Well, just as long as she didn¡¯t sink her nails into my Bo Xavier, then, she won¡¯t be a problem. Honestly, I had my doubts when Bo asked me to meet him tonight, but when he looked at me as if I was the only woman in the world to ever exist, I began to believe that wishes coulde true. Norma, although jealous, helped me prepare for tonight. She called her favorite spa Bismarck and set an appointment for me: nails, scrub and wax. It was my first time to go Brazilian; I was bare down there and utterly vulnerable. in ¡°Norma, what if he doesn¡¯t want to see me after tonight? I don¡¯t know if I could continue doing my grocery shopping at Bo¡¯s,¡± I whined. We were inside a private room at the spa,id t on our stomachs, getting a well-deserved full body massage by two young men. C 2/6 CHAPTER 65 The B utcher¡¯s Wife Norma¡¯s giggles abruptly stopped after I voiced out my insecurities. ¡°Cynthia, this isn¡¯t about love. This is about sex and pleasure!¡± Norma eximed sternly. ¡°Get what you want out of the rtionship, then when it is time, let him go. If the both of you are meant to be, he will come back. But if it isn¡¯t, well, you¡¯ll have many erotic memories to fill your lonely nights. By the way, you should go lingerie shopping.¡± ¡°Lingerie shopping? Already?¡± I spat out as my masseur rubbed the kinks out of my back. ¡°Well, what are you going to wear tonight? You can¡¯t wear yellow¡­ the honey bee girls will be wearing yellow. You¡¯ll look like a total cliche, Norma said. ¡°I think you should wear red. It has always been your color.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that too much?¡± I asked. I heard Norma groan in frustration. ¡°Honestly, Cynthia, what the hell is your problem? You weren¡¯t this insecure at Bo¡¯s early this morning. What happened from there to here?¡± I¡¯m just scared I might say something wrong, spill something or get something stuck in between my teeth,¡± I said. ¡°Oh, I get it, Cynthia, Norma said, sighing. ¡°You¡¯re hoping he falls in love with you. Honestly, I hope Jimmy falls in love with me too, but I¡¯ve epted the inevitable. I know when he graduates college, he¡¯ll leave this town¡­ with me in it¡­ without ever looking back!¡± After hearing Norma¡¯s confession, I realized, she and I, we were on the same boat. We were both single, middle-aged women, still hoping for a forever, still wishing for a happily ever after. Yet, we didn¡¯t want to be with men our age. We wanted to be with young, virile studs, half our age, who could f uck us to kingdome. Therey our dilemma. But Norma was right. I shouldn¡¯t expect. Yet, there¡¯s no harm in trying. After Norma had someone wax myher regions, she dragged me to a boutique to purchase a dress and some skimpy lingerie to match it. I bought a red batwing sleeved one shoulder minidress with matching redced lingerie. For tonight, I paired the dress with my favorite ck high-heeled pumps with red soles while around my neck I wore my fa favorite gold ne that had a gold but cher¡¯s knife pendant dangling on it. It was a ne my dead. husband, Rafael ¡®The Bu tcher¡¯ Cadena, gave me when we began formally dating. It was a symbol that I was the only person who had his heart. At twenty, we both married, making me be the Bu tcher¡¯s Wife, a title I both loved and hated. At twenty-three, I had Peter. We tried to have more children, but I guess Go d had 3/6 CHAPTER 65 The B utcher¡¯s Wife other ns. I wa el that toying with our rivals was a bad idea, however he wanted to prove to e West and the Grim Reapers of the East that he and the Angels of be reckoned with. When one of the three bosses of the Blood im there was a mistake regarding one particr shipment of ours it, Rafael said he felt disrespected. He said the offer to fix the problem even consulting him was insulting and arrogant. I advised him to keep his cool, but Always, he never listened. he shipment came via one of the Blood Disciples¡¯ cargo ships, but instead of sending the Blood Disciples a ¡®thank you¡¯ note, Rafael and his men killed the crew and took the ship as payment for the disrespect shown to him by the Blood Disciples. I didn¡¯t expect the Blood Disciples to exact their vengeance so quickly. It was Pete¡¯s ¡®Quince¡± when I got the call that Rafael¡¯s uncle, who was the ¡®Big Boss¡¯ of the Angels of Darkness at the time, had made a deal with the Blood Disciples. I had thought it would take a day or two before their assassins made their way to Texas, but I was wrong. When I stepped outside to rejoin the festivities in our backyard, a loud cracking sound from a distance caught my attention and before I could react, Rafael wasying on the ground with a gaping wound in his head, his brain matter sttered all over a stunned teenaged Pete.. I took Pete and ran to New Salem, North Dakota where one of Rafael¡¯s capos had already taken refuge when the FBI got too close. The town appeared to be squeaky clean, but in reality, it housed the main laboratory of crystal methid hidden at a cabin near the park. I found the profits to be too small and decided to build one hugeboratory underground near theke. While Pete dealt with the trauma of his father¡¯s death, I focused on expanding operations to bring in more money, so I could one day get my retribution. But things are easier said than done. George Taylor didn¡¯t want to sell me hisnd, so I had my son deal with it. It wasn¡¯t an ideal solution to have George Taylor¡¯s only daughter raped and left for dead, but it worked. I got thend and built a massiveboratory underground while the Cohens saw thest of the Taylors leave New Salem. As for the Blood Disciples, no one could tell me which among the Blood Disciples¡¯ assassins. killed my husband. Before I could confront Rafael¡¯s uncle, he mysteriously died and Veronica, his sister and Rafael¡¯s aunt, took his ce. I begged Veronica for assistance, but she said if I avenged Rafael¡¯s death, it would create a bigger problem. Instead, she offered Pete his 4/6 CHAPTER 65 The But cher¡¯s Wife fall title unorthodox ways, my nephew dedicated his life to the organization. my appreciation, I will bestow his title to your son. Pedro just has to worthy,¡± Veronica said when she finally allowed me audience. I stood in front desk at a club she owned in Houston. nd how do you propose Pete proves his worth?¡± I asked. Simply by following our motto¡­ ¡®Our loyalty is bound by blood and money.¡¯ All Pedro has to do is kill someone I despise or bring in the wealth. When he does, the title of Capo Ba stone. will be bestowed upon him at a ceremony I myself will head.¡± So, I brought in the money for Pete, praying it will be enough. Thankfully, it was. Now, he was the Capo Bas t one of the West North Central States, but the trauma of losing his father had made him cold and cruel. He didn¡¯t care about keeping allies¡­ he just wanted people to follow orders. One time, I tried speaking to him about his fondness for kidnapping women, but he told me to stay out of his way. ¡°You can meddle and call the shots on everything else, Mom, just not my sex life. I like how they cry and scream. It excites me,¡± he said after I suggested he seek professional help. ¡°I can¡¯t kill you, Mom, but I can definitely throw you on a deserted ind and leave you there. ¡°Cynthia, everything okay?¡± I felt Bo¡¯s hand on my knee. I didn¡¯t notice I had spaced out. The contestants were already in their swimsuits walking up and down the ramp, all smiles, following the rhythm of the music. I smiled warmly at Bo and inserted a hand through the opening of his shirt, caressing his smooth chest. It was time for me to let go and be happy for once. ¡°Just as long as I¡¯m with you, Bo, everything¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Okay isn¡¯t enough,¡± Bo replied. ¡°I want everything to be perfect¡­ just for you.¡± He kissed me tenderly on the cheek. I think I¡¯m in love. 5/6 CHAPTER &5 The Bu tcher¡¯s Wife Chapter Comments Luna Mom Apex predators I like that description of the ques Morgan Liam is pretty observant! VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTSThis is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Chapter 66 CHAPTER 66 Fun Sebastian I thanked Beth for the ss of bourbon and drank quietly as the youngdies took turns on the microphone for Q and A. When Xavier and I first moved to New Salem, we asked who the troublemakers of this town were. Everyone pointed to Big Mike and Ol¡¯ Tucker, two notorious bikers, who loved to push people around. We found them hanging out at a biker bar along the highway and challenged them to a fight. I won both fights and earned their respect. So, if I ask them to move aside, they will, without a second thought. For tonight, I was wearing an expensive dark gray suit, ck leather shoes and a Patek Philippe watch, looking more like my actual self, Capo Ba stone Sebastian Domenico, rather than the Dominic Samuels everyone knew in this town. It has been a while since I yed ¡®dress up¡¯ and I decided tonight warranted a good suit. I saw the appreciative look in Joy¡¯s eyes when I sat beside Liam. She smacked her lips. discreetly as she handed me a pen for the scoresheet. I dropped the pen, knowing she would go down on her knees to pick it up. I grew hard watching her bend down provocatively, biting her lower lip and flipping her hair, trying to reach down for the pen. Her breasts j igg led as she moved while her thighs parted ever so slightly, giving me a glimpse of the cute dark triangle under her yellowce panties. When she stood up, she ced a hand on my thigh near my groin, then gently brushed her hand against my erection before cing the pen on the table. After she took her seat beside. Liam, I groaned inwardly,pletely frustrated. Cristos took turns hosting with a youngdy from the localmunity college. Every time the audience grew loud, wemunicated with our teams. As the pageant progressed, we all agreed to wait until the delivery truck showed up before Cristos hacked the CCTV cameras. An early disruption would alert Theodore Cohen and the Sheriff, giving them time to bring in reinforcements. We didn¡¯t want that to happen. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Question and answer portion. I winced as the young girls fumbled with their replies. Cristos and I didn¡¯t want to add a ¡®Q and A¡¯ portion, but Joy said it would lengthen the pageant giving Liam and his friends less time to scurry back to Hillcrest. While I filled in for Cris, I had to endure watching Joy flirt with Liam. She was touching his arm, putting her arm around his shoulders while smiling andughing at his puns. If it 1/5 CHAPTER 66 Fun wasn¡¯t for that tw inkle in her eyes, the twi nkle usually saw when she was negotiating a new contract for a client of hers, I would have thought she was having fun. She meant business, but it was hard to stomach. It was incredibly disgusting to watch up close, but Joy was working her magic to keep Liam preupied so he wouldn¡¯t think of the time. But each time her head moved close to Liam¡¯s, as if she was drawing him to kiss her, I had to fight the urge to strangle Liam with my bare hands. I expected I could handle watching her get all touchy-feely with Liam, but seeing it firsthand didn¡¯t sit well with me. I have to admit, it was a hard pill to swallow. Cris, is, on the other hand, was a no show. Bad for him, good for us, because it ruined his I my men h campaign. ording to one was with Pete McDowell. But where they actually were, we didn¡¯t know. ¡°You lost them?¡± I growled angrily when he gave me the unfortunate news while changing into his suit. My men weren¡¯t as resourceful as Xavier or Sam. ¡°A garbage truck blocked the road, Domenico,¡± he replied nervously. ¡°Since I had a GPS tracker on Cris¡¯ car, I thought I could catch up to them, but they unexpectedly switched cars. Cris left his car back at the ¡®Coffee Haven Diner. I did some digging and found out the diner is owned by the McDowells including the pharmacy beside it. I have Short Tony waiting at the diner in case Cris shows up for his car.¡± ¡°Are there any other properties owned by the McDowells?¡± I asked. ¡°Look into all their properties. One of them could be Pete McDowell¡¯s safe house.¡± ¡°On it,¡± he answered, ¡°but I do have a suggestion. Maybe one of you could get a bug inside the McDowell¡¯s residence. It¡¯ll be easier for us to know what they have nned.¡± ¡®Easier said than done,¡± I replied. It wasn¡¯t as if we never thought of that. ¡°No one, not even Xavier or Cristos, suspected McDowell to be the boss, so we didn¡¯t establish a good rtionship with him or his mother. But Xavier is on it. Hopefully, we can kill two birds with one stone.¡± He nodded his head knowing whatever Xavier had nned would work. ¡°Of course. Beaufort has a one hundred percent sess rate.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He will make up for your mistake,¡± I said gruffly. ¡°Now wait for Big Man Lou¡¯s signal. After Cristos turns off all the CCTV cameras, the lights at Hillcrest will turn on, so the 2/5 O < CHAPTER 66 Fun heriff won¡¯t be able to use his night vision binocrs. Big Man Lou will then give you the to take out the men in the boats. Don¡¯t embarrass me.¡± o w d towards the bar and saw that Nicole had joined Jack, Lisa and Noah. While nthusiastically beside Noah, I noticed Noah was looking towards our a scowl on his face. I expected Jack to be jealous, but it seems Jack and Liam have made certain arrangements to share Joy. I saw how Jack couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Joy carlier and until now, while she flirted with Liam, he still couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of her. He actually looked happy. This I didn¡¯t expect. I asked De Luca to do some digging into Noah Jensen¡¯s background and finances, but he only found a few details. What surprised me though is, unlike Jack, Noah had zero debt and was able to put up his own business with Pete McDowell working under him. It was quite bizarre. Based on my own experience, I believed Jack eamed more than Noah. Unlike Jack whose father had already died, Noah¡¯s mother needed private care which was quite expensive. So, how can someone like Noah be debt free? Jack, until now, was still paying off his dead father¡¯s medical expenses. It was quite an enigma. Xavier had a feeling Noah¡¯s secrety at home, because Sam found nothing in his office. Anyway, We ar are determined to unravel the mystery named Noah. Xavier, I knew, would find a way. The sudden shouting and screaming from the audience brought me back to the present. The crowd favorite, Contestant Number Eight, had just finished answering some mundane question the female host had pulled out of her as s and was now waving enthusiastically to the crowd. S hit! I didn¡¯t listen to her answer. ¡°It¡¯s almost time,¡± I heard Cristos¡¯ voice say vias. ¡°Keep an eye on the delivery truck.¡± I inched closer to Liam and Joy whose heads were hunched together, discussing the answer Contestant Number Eight had just given, hoping they could provide me some insight. ¡°This is a beauty contest,¡± Liam began, ¡°so I don¡¯t see the point of answering questions. She may not be too bright, but all in all, she¡¯s pretty and the crowd loves her. I can already picture the people on the streets, cheering for her as her float passes by.¡± I looked up at the honey blonde, brown eyed neen year old who was waving to the crowd in her sparkling gold gown. She suddenly noticed I was staring at her and blew me a kiss. My brow furrowed, trying to remember where I¡¯ve seen her before. I looked down at the scoresheet for her name¡­ Ma Lawrence. C 3/5 CHAPTER 66 Fun Silver Spoon Diner! She works part time at the diner and sometimes carries a ck sling bag. Gosh, I didn¡¯t even recognize her. She dyed her hair blonde and stepped out of her usual baggy clothing to show off her slender and toned body underneath. Hmm¡­. If I couldn¡¯t get Nicole to tell me anything, maybe Ma would be willing. I quickly looked back up at the stage and winked at her. From underneath the lights, I saw her blush. The end of her pink tongue darted out to moisten her lips, then she looked back down at me and smiled. I noticed the evil tw inkle in her eyes. Baby girl likes to y. I sat up straight and licked my lips, my eyes never leaving hers. Her mouth opened in surprise, but quickly turned into a big grin. ¡°Base, headlights approaching. Men are in position,¡± I heard Big Man Lou¡¯s voice over thes. I looked at my watch. It was almost midnight. I nced over at Joy who flipped her long hair away from her chest, giving Liam an unobstructed view of her cleavage: Liam, the dog he was, had his face so close to Joy¡¯s chest that if he stuck his tongue out, it could touch one of her breasts. I looked down at his pants. and noticed the outline of his bon er poking out. All ten contestants were now walking along the ramp, onest time, before the winner was announced. I hurriedly dering Contestant filled I in all the nk spaces on mys Number Eight as my winner. ¡°CCTV cameras have been turned off. Proceed as nned,¡± I heard Cristos¡¯ voice say through the coms. ¡°You have one minute to get into the water before the Sheriff discovers the problem with the CCTV cameras. After exactly sixty seconds, I will turn on the lights t obscure his vision.¡± to I leaned back in my chair and smiled as Ma Lawrence slowly twirled in front of me, revealing the smooth supple skin of her bare back in her backless gold gown¡­ and her firm tush. ¡°If Ma wins, she¡¯s going to start charging an arm and leg to watch her dance that stripper pole,¡± I heard Big Mike say from behind me. Aha! Let¡¯s have some fun with Ma Lawrence. 4/5 CHAPTER 66 Fun Ma stuck one of her legs out through the long slit of her gown while blowing me another ing 1. enly appeared in front of us with a tray of drinks in his hands. He gave me a smile as he ced a ss of bourbon in front of me. After cing our drinks on the le, he took the scoresheets and quickly scanned through them. ¡°It¡¯s time to announce our winner,¡± he said and turned to walk away. I stood up and grabbed his arm. I took out an envelope from my pocket and handed it to him. ¡°Tell Ma Lawrence it¡¯s from me. Tell her, I can make all her problems disappear.¡± Chapter Comments Luna-Mom really good background detail on Pete and his Mom VIEW 1 COMMENT POST COMMENT 26 < SHARE 5/5 Wed, Mar 27 Chapter 67 CHAPTER 67 Kill Shot oney Bee is no other than¡­ Contestant Number Eight, Miss Ma ly, it was over. Honestly, I disliked beauty pageants. Everything was fake. A dazzling duction to showcase an illusion of perfection. For me, true beauty shines from within. nced at my watch. It was just a little after midnight. As the crowd moved away from the stage, I got a clear view of the judges table. I watched Liam quickly stand up, ncing down at his phone. He ran his fingers through his hair, evidently frustrated, but quickly hid his frustration with a smile as Joy stood up from her chair. Liam suddenly wrapped his arms around Joy and kissed her tenderly on the forehead. I noticed his lips lingered on the top of her head while he kept Joy in his embrace a while longer. Liam was falling in love with Joy. He squeezed her in his arms onest time before finally letting her go. I noticed he appeared, to look distressed, but he continued to smile at loy, even caressing her face while saying his goodbyes. After Joy kissed him on the cheek, Liam quickly left her and answered his phone. When he reached Jack, he tapped the Undersheriff on the arm, gesturing to Jack to follow him. They werete. ¡°Excuse me, Bo, I just need to go to thedies¡¯,¡± Cynthia said suddenly, standing up from her chair quite unsteadily. I quickly stood up to assist her, grabbing her hand to keep her from falling. Mission aplished. After four bottles of champagne, she was drunk enough to manipte. Good thing the crowd immediately thinned out after the winner of Miss Honey Bee was announced. I decided it was best if I walked her to thedies¡¯ room. If she fell and broke her hip, it would definitely ruin my ns. ¡°I¡¯ll escort you to thedies¡¯, my dear,¡± I said while circling my arm around her waist. She 1/6 HAPTER 67 Kill Shot ed gratefully before resting her head on my chest. ¡°Then I¡¯ll drive you home.¡± As I led her to the restroom, the song ¡®Lady in Red¡¯ began to y. I smirked, knowing Cristos. was behind it. ¡°I love this song!¡± Cynthia eximed while struggling to walk straight. ¡°How is it possible that I¡¯m drunk and you aren¡¯t? You even drank more than I did.¡± ¡°Champagne is all bubbles. I usually drink boubon or whisky,¡± I answered. ¡°Just like my brother.¡± ¡°Are Dom and you close?¡± She asked, lifting her head to look at me. ¡°I understand you are half- brothers.¡± I rubbed my nose against hers. She giggled. ¡°Yes, we are,¡± I replied. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I wouldn¡¯t do for him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m envious,¡± she muttered. ¡°Growing up, I always wished I had a sibling I could count on.¡± Well, you don¡¯t need a sibling. All you need is a good man in your life,¡± I remarked, winking at her. She sighed dreamily and rested her head on my chest. As we slowly walked through the pub, I saw Liam and Jack leave, I watched Joy and Cristos joke around in the DJ booth and I noticed Sebastian flirting with the winner of the pageant, Ma Lawrence. Cynthia lifted her head from my chest to see who I was staring at. Good thing it wasn¡¯t Joy and Cristos. ¡°Ah, I see Dom is talking to one of the part-timers at the diner,¡± she revealed. No wonder Ma looked familiar. ¡°You probably know her. Dark hair, baggy clothes. Poor girl needs to work because her alcoholic mother is always too drunk to hold a job. The prize money from this pageant will help pay for college. Just don¡¯t let the innocent look fool you. On the weekends, she works as a stripper in Bismarck and deals on the side.¡± ¡°Deals what?¡± I asked nonchntly. If I could remember the ck sling bag on Ma¡¯s shoulder, I bet Sebastian could too. I nced at Sebastian and noticed he was enjoying himself while he worked his magic. But from where I was standing, he didn¡¯t need to do much work. Ma kept flipping her hair, trying to act coy, but her smile was a full-on invitation. I wondered what information little Ma Lawrence had to offer. O 2/6 r CHAPTER 67 Kill Shot ugs, sweetheart. She deals drugs.¡± Cynthia answered, stopping in front of thedies¡±. Just destroy her competition, Cynthia betrayed the organization. The Angels of Darkness were a bunch of spineless nitwits. I opened the door and ushered her inside.. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you here, sweetheart,¡± I said, then blew her a kiss. She yfully caught my kiss in her hands before disappearing inside the restroom. I sighed, relieved I could have a few moments alone. Plus, her cheap perfume was nauseating. ¡°Boats are in the water,¡± Big Man Lou said over thes. ¡°I repeat, boats are in the water. Leave no one alive.¡± I fixed my suit and smiled. Everything was going ording to n. It was a fifteen minute drive from the pub to Hillcrest. By the time Liam arrives at the dock, his men will be at the bottom of theke, his ¡®delivery¡¯ in our custody and the boats scat tered all over theke. empty, Several minutes had gone by when the door of thedies¡¯ room finally opened. Cynthia looked much better, but she was still obviously drunk. It was time to give her a taste of Bo Xavier. While Cynthia was in thedies¡¯, I watched Joy. The way she moved in that tight yellow dress of hers made me hard with desire. I pushed Cynthia against the wall, pinning her body with mine and rubbing my my erection against her loins. I gently caressed the side of her neck with my tongue, then I imed her lips for a searing kiss. When I finally raised my head, we were both gasping for air. She, because of passion; me, because of disgust. While she leaned on the wall and reveled in our kiss, I discreetly wiped her horrid taste fromThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. my mouth. ¡°Come on,¡± I said, wrapping my arm around her waist. ¡°Let me drive you home. Did you bring your car?¡± 3/6 CHAPTER 67 Kill Shot ¡°No.¡± swered sheepishly. ¡°Norma dropped me off. She said I had a better chance of you. rive me home if I left my car at home.¡± she was right,¡± I replied. ¡°Is Pete home to take care of you?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll take care of you.¡± She giggled and rested her head on my arm, allowing me to take charge. I waved goodbye to Cristos who was standing behind the bar speaking to Joy, Lisa, Nicole and Noah. Noah sat beside Joy, looking up and down at her appreciatively, while Nicole, who was seated at the other end, squirmed in her stool. Nicole caught me staring at her through the bar wall mirror and turned around to wave at me. I waved back. Nicole was definitely a spy. She reported to many, but where her loyalties lie remained a mystery, even if she was f ucking Noah. Outside, Sebastian was driving off with Ma Lawrence in the front seat. He rolled down his window and gestured to me with his hands. I nodded my head, understanding what he meant to say without an exchange of words.. After assisting Cynthia in the front seat, I switcheds tomunicate with Sam. ¡°We¡¯re on our way,¡± I said as I walked to the driver¡¯s side of my car. ¡°Copy.¡± I drove as quickly as I could to Hignd Oaks, not wanting my second inmand to have other duties while working on Hillcrest. Technically, he was there, but he had one thing to do for me before he could provide cover for our men who were in theke risking their lives. After parking in front of the beautiful two storey modern styled home of the McDowells, I helped Cynthia out of the car and walked her to her doorstep. We sauntered on her newly mowedwn, as she rummaged through her small purse for her keys. ¡°How about I give you a tour of the house?¡± She asked, finally finding her keys and walking up on the te gray tiled staircase to her front door. I smiled at her. I was hoping she¡¯d ask me inside. 4/6 CHAPTER 67 Kill Shot ¡°I¡¯d like that, but you¡¯re drunk and it¡¯ste,¡± I answered, acting like a gentleman. ¡°You can give me a tourter today after we¡¯ve had dinner.¡± I reached for her hand after she opened the door and raised it to my lips. I rubbed my lips on her palm while I waited for her answer. A promise of tomorrow usually made someone desperately wish for it to be today. I was hoping Cynthia was desperate¡­ and she was. ¡°There¡¯s this painting I want to show you,¡± she insisted. She pushed the door wide open, turned on the lights and pulled me inside. ¡°I want your honest opinion.¡± She dropped her purse on the the shiny ck table in her foyer and led me to her living room. I surveyed the big space. A lone long white couch with a matching rectangr white wood. coffee table stood atop a fluffy white marble rug covering the light cream colored hardwood floors. A white light instation hung from the tall ceiling above. The living room area was surrounded by tall windows without any drapes. I also noticed there were no CCTV cameras in the house. Sure, there were cameras outside, but none were facing the inside. No CCTV cameras and tall white paned windows all around¡­ the McDowells were very arrogant. Arge painting of her sitting on an antique lounge chair wearing a 1920¡¯s pper dress sat atop the mantle of her modern firece at the center of the living room. She pulled me towards the painting and pointed at it. I walked up to the firece, touching the white. wooden mantle. ¡°Target acquired,¡± I heard Sam say softly through my earpiece. I stood in ce, hoping she would follow my lead and just stand there beside me, in front of her atrocious painting. ¡°What do you think?¡± Cynthia asked excitedly. ¡°I think it¡¯s a keeper,¡± she said confidently, thinking I would agree with her. But instead of giving her my opinion, I ordered $am to shoot. ¡°Fire,¡± I said loudly. She quickly turned her head to look at me, her brow furrowed, visibly confused. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did you just say-¡± The sudden sound of the window shattering into pieces erupted from behind us, instantly frightening Cynthia. But before she could react, the bullet pierced the right side of her torso. where her liver is supposed to be. 5/6 CHAPTER 67 Kill Shot ct kill shot. she fell into my arms, hyperventting, her eyes wide, scared, and disoriented. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out¡­ she was struggling to find words to describe what she was. feeling. I pulled out my phone from my pocket and calmly dialed 911. ¡°C-can y-you send an a- ambnce to Hignd Oaks? T-the McDowell residence. M-my friend, Cynthia, has been s- shot. P-please hurry,¡± I said in a quavering voice. I needed to pretend I was terrified. I hung up my phone and stared down at her pale and frightened face. Poor Cynthia. I couldn¡¯t help, but feel smug. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom sneaky little Ma wants to y with the big boys Anna Murray POST COMMENT Ohe on, I know your busy but please give us more chapters. I¡¯m loving this book. but if we don¡¯t start getting more chapters to read then I¡¯m not going to bother until th¡­. VIEW ALL 3 COMMENTS > 25 Chapter 68 APTER 68 Revtion well I looked at Bo, my expression confused. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did you just say-¡± The sound of ss shattering stopped me from finishing my sentence. I froze, frightened of the unknown. Yet, I figured it was someone who thought it was pretty funny to throw a stone through my window. I was wrong. It was weird though. When the bullet pierced my body, I didn¡¯t scream out in pain. Instead, it took several moments for me to realize I had been shot. When my brain finally processed the unthinkable, it literally felt as if my insides were on fire¡­ like someone had shoved a heap of fiery coals inside my body at various ces. This made it difficult for me to actually pinpoint where exactly I was shot. I copsed into Bo¡¯s arms, distressed, frantic and inplete shock. I tried to say something to him as he cradled my head in his arms, but I couldn¡¯t find the words topletely describe what I was going through. My body was experiencing something my brain was having difficulty processing while there was so much happening at one time that I couldn¡¯t focus on just one thing. Bo called for an ambnce, his expression terrified, his voice trembling and choked up. He gave me hope. The corners of my mouth curved into a small smile as I watched him breakdown in front of me. I coughed, allowing air to enter my lungs, and felt the sudden excruciating pain at the right side of my body. I ced a hand on my wound, touching the gaping hole and the torn flesh on my side. I lifted my hand in front of my face, awestruck to see it covered with a sticky, warm, red substance. My blood¡­ That¡¯s my blood. IV-areon I looked up, my green eyes meeting Bo¡¯s. I searched for answers as I peered into his big beautiful caramel eyes, but found none. I couldn¡¯t understand how this could possibly be happening when I was so close to being happy again. C 1/5 CHAPTER 68 Revtion struggled to breath. I wasn¡¯t going to die in Bos arms. I wasn¡¯t going to allow it. I wanted to be with him¡­ forever. ¡°B-bo-¡± ¡°Ssshhhh¡­ It¡¯s going to be alright,¡± Bo murmured. ¡°It¡¯s going to be over soon.¡± I rxed instantly, nodding my head slowly, believing in his words¡­ that this will all be over soon. In a short while, I will be taken to the hospital and will wake up in a hospital bed, alive and well. All I needed to do was just hold on¡­ for a while longer. Bo gently brushed my auburn hair away from my eyes and caressed my cheek tenderly with the back of his hand. I quietly prayed the ambnce would arrive in time, so he and I could start living our lives together. However, the corner of Bo¡¯s lips slowly curved into a disdainful smile. I looked up at his handsome face and found his eyes peering into mine¡­ so sinisterly. My body tensed up once again, seeing all his hatred, anger and disgust, clearly manifested in those bewitching caramel eyes of his. Suddenly, I felt afraid¡­ very afraid. ¡°The ambnce will take about ten minutes to get here. Before it arrives, you¡¯ll be long gone. You see, you only have five minutes left to live, Cynthia McDowell. Unlike your dead husband, Rafael Cadena, who died a rtively painless death immediately after I shot him in the head, I need you to stay alive for just a bit longer than he did, so I can tell you how happy I am that you are lying in my arms, bleeding out on your polished hardwood floors, suffering tremendously as you sumb to your death.¡± My eyes widened, stunned at his revtion, then quickly narrowed angrily as the truth sank in. Long have I prayed toe face to face with the Blood Disciple who killed Rafael. Had I only known he was masquerading as a lowly grocery owner, Bo Xavier would have been dead. months ago¡­ by my hand. But if he was a Blood Disciple, then Dom and his cousin Chip must be high-ranking members of the Blood Disciples too. I tried to open my mouth to say something, but he covered my lips with his finger. 2/5 CHAPTER 68 Revtion ¡°I know, I know. You¡¯re angry I killed your husband and you¡¯re shocked a Blood Disciple underboss,¡± he borated while cing a hand on his chest, ¡°that¡¯s me, has been living in your territory for several months now¡­ undetected. Actually, Cynthia, three Blood Disciple underbosses have been living here¡­ observing and scheming. Tomorrow, this seemingly quiet town will have a lot to talk about. I can already picture your friends trying to console me,¡± he said, his voice both calm and dismissive, ¡°W-why?¡± I croaked. He chuckled and pinched my nose, utterly thrilled I asked. ¡°The million dor question. Why the f uck are we in New Salem?¡± He lowered his head and whispered into my ear, ¡°We¡¯re here, Cynthia, to avenge Joy Taylor.¡± He quickly raised his head to look at my face for my reaction. I shook my head. It couldn¡¯t be. The Taylors were a bunch of goody-two shoes. How was it possible they were connected to the Blood Disciples? Bo answered my denial with a nod, confirming his statement to be true. ¡°Oh yes, Cynthia. You do remember Joy Taylor, right?¡± I felt a tear fall from the corner of my eye. Even if my mind couldn¡¯t ept it, my body already knew there was no hope. ¡°You see, Cynthia, you, your son, and your per verted little friends brutally hurt the woman. who I am deeply and madly in love with. The woman I want to make my wife, hopefully raise a family and grow old with. You didn¡¯t need to have her raped. All you needed to do was ept you can¡¯t have everything in this world. But because you¡¯re an entitled little b itch, you had to go and touch Joy Taylor who didn¡¯t even know her father hadnd next to theke,¡± he snarled, his face contorted with rage. ¡°From one mafia member to another, you should always remember to never touch innocence.¡± My body began to shiver and my breathing quickened. I felt weak and dizzy. I was going into shock. I raised one of my hands, clinging to his sleeve while my eyes begged for his mercy. But to my dismay, I saw no remorse norpassion on his face. All I saw wasplete and utter satisfaction. ¡®You want to know a little secret that you can take to your grave, Cynthia?¡± Bo whispered in my ear. ¡°That little tart with blonde hair driving the red Mercedes-Benz that you and your friends utterly dislike is Joy Taylor. She¡¯s back to kill your son, the men who raped her, and the men and women who covered it up. I can guarantee Pete will be following you soon. You can wait for him at the gates of hell.¡± 3/5 CHAPTER 68 Revtion F-f uck¡­ y-you¡­ B-bo¡­ Blood suddenly gushed out of my mouth, making it difficult to breathe. My hand, which was clinging on his sleeve, copsed by my side while I choked on the horrid metallic taste of my blood. He unexpectedly kissed my forehead, insulting me. ¡°You wish, Cynthia. You wish.¡± His reply was quick and snarky. ¡°Goodbye B utcher¡¯s Wife and tell Rafael Cadena when you see him in hell that Capo B astone Xavier Beaufort sends his regards.¡± I wanted to scream obscenities at him, but I hardly had the energy. I focused my eyes on the tall ceiling of my house instead. It¡¯s true that your life shes before your eyes when you¡¯re about to die. Mostly, it¡¯s the happy moments you remember, the moments you cherish so much that you try to hang on even if you are at the brink of death. I remembered the day I first set eyes on Rafael. It was at the small cafe my family owns in Texas; the ce where my father did business with his associates. When my grandfather was still a young man, he was sent to the United States from sgow to begin criminal operations in the country, particrly drug trafficking. In the US, illegal drugs was a multi-billion dor industry and the bosses in sgow wanted a piece of the pie. After my grandfather died, my father took over the business and entered into a partnership with the ruling mafia party of the Central States The Angels of Darkness. When Rafael walked into our cafe, I felt my heart s kip a beat. He was so handsome wearing a dark blue tailored suit which fit him to perfection. His dark hair was cut short, his face clean-s haved, and those caramel eyes¡­ Oh, those luscious caramel eyes. When his eyes met mine, I felt myself melting under his gaze. He walked up to me, took my hand and kissed it. ¡°I have never seen a creature as exquisite as you. Your red hair reminds me of the sunset when the last rays of the sun linger in the sky and your beautiful green eyes look like the color of emeralds,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m Rafael and you are¡­¡± ¡°Your future wife,¡± I said, winking at him. From that day forward, we were always together until his death. The final beats of my heart filled my ears while the light around me quickly disappeared, the darkness swallowing me whole. Before I let out my final breath, I asked G od to take pity on me and to keep Pete safe. C 4/5 12-22 Wed, Mar CHAPTER 68 Revtion Rafael¡­ I¡¯ming, my love¡­ Chapter Comments Luna-Mom he couldn¡¯t help but feel smug Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Mary Hall Xavier is my n igger VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS > 24 < SHARE POST COMMENT Chapter 69 CHAPTER 69 Boatmen Sheriff It was past midnight and I was standing on the dock overseeing the delivery¡­ alone. ¡°Sheriff, the crates are on the rowboats heading your way,¡± the delivery man said through my CB radio. Two crates on each rowboat.¡± ¡°Copy that. Do not, I repeat, do not leave your location until I have eyes on the delivery,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s just a precautionary measure. In case something goes wrong, the boatmen can row back to your location.¡± ¡°Sure thing, Sheriff.¡± I heard the displeasure in his voice. He clearly did not want wait and I couldn¡¯t me him, but I had a feeling in my gut that something was off. Especially with Liamte for a scheduled delivery¡­ for the very first time. ¡°If all goes well, it will be a big pay out for all of us. Now do what I say and keep an eye on the prize,¡± I scolded him. ¡°Will do.¡± I checked in with the boatmen. ¡°Boatmen, if you see anything out of the ordinary, you let me know,¡± I reminded them. ¡°If you hear one of us scream that means we¡¯re in trouble,¡± Roger, who was one of Liam¡¯s men, joked. ¡°Very funny, Roger,¡± I replied. ¡°Row faster so we can all head on home.¡± ¡°Rowing as fast as we can, Sheriff. The crates are heavy,¡± Roger whined. I rolled my eyes. ¡°Fine! Just get here in one piece!¡± I decided to check in with Tanner, hoping he hadn¡¯t fallen asleep. ¡°Tanner, what¡¯s your situation?¡± I asked. Aside from keeping an eye on the parkside of theke, he was also in charge of receiving the extra cargo that Dan wasn¡¯t suppose to know. ¡°Waiting, Sheriff,¡± he answered. It was a relief to hear his voice. ¡°Good, son. You know what to do,¡± I said vaguely, knowing I was surrounded by vultures. ||| 1/6 CHAPTER 69 Boatmen ¡°Yes, Sheriff, Tanner replied. So far, so good. phone suddenly began to vibrate in my pocket. If it wasn¡¯t Liam, it was most probably his oked up at the sky and prayed it was Liam. y, it was Theodore. I groaned, knowing there was a problem. ¡°How can I help you, Theodore?¡± I asked calmly. ¡°The CCTV cameras are out, Nathan,¡± he said icily. ¡°All of them?¡± I asked, not believing what I was bearing. ¡°Yes, all of them,¡± he answered. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to call Liam to fix the problem, but he hasn¡¯t returned my calls. Is he there with you?¡± ¡°No, not at this moment, but he¡¯s on his way,¡± I lied, not wanting Liam to have anymore problems. Between him and his father, I liked Liam more. Theodore was one cold-hearted and selfish sono fabitch. He made me do all his dirty work for a pittance, unlike his son who was generous. ¡°Have him call me when he arrives at Hillcrest. If anything happens to the cargo, I will hold you and him responsible,¡± Theodore threatened. I shrugged my shoulders at his empty. threat. Like he was going to kill me with all the dirt I have on him. ¡°Theodore, if you don¡¯t trust us, why are you allowing Liam and me to be in charge? Why aren¡¯t you here making all the calls?¡± I asked impatiently. *Because, Nathan, I am not ap dog, unlike you and those insects around you,¡± he answered coldly. ¡°Have Liam-¡± A loud cracking sound from nearby made me jump in fright, interrupting my conversation with Theodore. If I wasn¡¯t mistaken, it was from a s niper rifle. I pocketed my phone and took out my CB radio and my night vision binocrs. With a sni per in the area, the boatmen were sitting ducks. This is from N?velDrama.Org. chats fired, I repeat, shots fired,¡± I said through the radio while peering through my binocrs. ¡°Boatmen, I need you to check in with me, over.¡± I waited for an answer, but there was only silence. I searched through theke, adjusting my ||| O MONTA 2/6 CHAPTER 69 Boatmen binocrs when the lights around me suddenly turned on, blinding me. ¡°What the f uck?!¡± I yelled, rubbing my eyes. I continued to contact the boatmen. ¡°Boatmen, check in, I repeat, check in, over.¡± Nothing. ¡°Delivery man, any sight of the boatmen?¡± I waited for a reply, but I only got static. My phone began to vibrate again. Thinking it was Theodore, I pulled out my phone angrily, but discovered it was Jack. I exhaled deeply before I answered his call. ¡°What is it, son?¡± ¡°Sheriff, I just got a call. Cynthia McDowell has been shot at her residence. An ambnce has been dispatched and I¡¯m on my way to Highand Oaks. Liam should be there any minute. I¡¯ll cover for you until the delivery is finished,¡± he said s I ran my hand through my hair, frustrated. Who the f uck shot Cynthia McDowell? I wanted to punch something. Everything has gone to sh it! ¡°I¡¯ll get there as soon as possible. Keep me posted,¡± I said, trying to keep calm. ¡°Will do, Sheriff.¡± I was about to radio Tanner when I caught sight of one of the rowing boats seemingly floating towards me. I squinted my eyes and caught sight of the back of a boatman seated on the boat. I let out a huge sigh of relief. For a second there, I thought I had lost them. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯mte, but I can see I¡¯m just in time,¡± Liam said, walking quickly towards me to the end of the dock. ¡°Jack left to go to Hignd Oaks. Something about a shooting incident.¡± ¡°Yeah, involving Cynthia McDowell.¡± ¡°What?!¡± I saw Liam¡¯s face turn pale. It wasn¡¯t his problem though, it was mine. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mayor. Ambnce is on its way to help her. From what I deduced from Jack¡¯s call, it sounds like a case of idental discharge,¡± I said to ease his worries. I pointed to the boat which was moving straight towards the dock. ¡°Let¡¯s get your cargo secure before-¡± 316 CHAPTER 69 Boatmen I suddenly froze from what I saw. As the boat hit the dock, the boatman fell back, revealing a gun shot wound in between his yes with blood dripping down his face. It was Roger. I heard Liam gasp in horror, but after noticing the boat was empty, his face quickly twisted with rage. ¡°The crates are gone!¡± He angrily stomped his foot on the wooden nks of the dock. ¡°Sheriff, find whoever stole from me and make sure you do what they did to these men!¡± Big Man Lou ¡°Two crates on each rowboat.¡± But there was an extra crate on another rowboat headed towards the opposite direction. ¡°Do not, I repeat, do not leave your location until I have eyes on the delivery. ¡°It¡¯s just a precautionary measure. In case something goes wrong, the boatmen can row back to your location.¡± The Sheriff¡¯s voice on the radio was demanding and arrogant. ¡°Sure thing, Sheriff.¡± The driver of the delivery truck didn¡¯t hide his irritation. He scared of him. wasn¡¯t ¡°If all goes well, it will be a big pay out for all of us. Now do what I say and keep an eye on the prize, the Sheriff ordered. I heard the driver smirk. ¡°Will do,¡± he replied before pocketing his CB radio. He turned around and gestured to the two men with him. ¡°You two, lock the back and let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t going to wait?¡± the one wearing brown boots asked, puzzled. ¡°Maybe if we wait, we might get paid ex-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t I pay you enough from what Cohen gives us? We delivered the merchandise on schedule, so now we go,¡± the driver said, climbing into the driver¡¯s seat and closing the door. ¡°No one in their right mind is going to steal those crates. Come on, you p ricks. Capo Ba stone needs a cleaning crew. Councilman Cris Murdock killed a girl.¡± I was underneath their truck recording their conversation. It was just a hunch, but I figured they may say something useful¡­ and thankfully, I was right. The underbosses will be 4/6 CHAPTER 69 Boatmen delighted to know that Cris Murdock has added another de to his growing list of achievements and that Liam Cohen was stealing from the Angels of Darkness. Once the truck left, I ran back to my small ck van parked in the woods. For this heist, it was my base of operations. I could see everything happening on the small monitors without any obstructions. ¡°Boats are in the water,¡± I said through thes. ¡°I repeat, boats are in the water. Leave no one alive.¡± The men were divided into three teams. The first team,prised of assassins in scuba diving gear, was tasked to kill Liam¡¯s men, then fasten ropes onto the boats. The second team, am, stationed at the deep end of theke, was assigned to pull the boats tond and unload the crates with the help of the divers. The third team were the couriers. After we received-intel from Leo and Benny confirming the cargo were crates of wine, the members of tithe third team would each take one crate of wine, load it onto their motorcycle, and drive off tto where Domenico¡¯s delivery truck was parked in the dense part of the forest just outside New Salem jurisdiction. SSecond team will then assist first team out of theke, then drive to the designated rendezvous point where another truck is waiting for them. As for me, I¡¯m going to the biker bankalong the highway to meet up with some new friends and try to infiltrate the drug. basisiness from the inside. Because our three underbosses had solid alibis, no one will suspect them¡­ just as long as none obtus get caught. We had to time worything perfectly. The team stationed at the deep end of theke had to wait for the cleoptityaolcheck in with the Sheriff before knocking him and his two men. unconscious. The drivers had to wait for the boats to reach the middle portion of theke. before emerging tibo the water and shooting the men on the boat. Everything was going ginoothly until the loud sound of Sam¡¯s s niper rifle had the Sheriff practically jumping itu cheke. It gave the second and third team less time to unload the cargo off the boats and get the crates strapped onto the motorcycles. ¡°Base,¡± one of Domenico¡¯s mmas said through thes. ¡°We¡¯ll send a boat towards the Sheriff to distract him. ¡°Make sure you get back across thhealke in time. You guys only have thirty minutes of oxygen left in your tanks, I reminded dem. Quickly now.¡± 5/6 CHAPTER 69 Boatmen ¡°I¡¯ll cover for them,¡± Sam said, his voice was low and raspy, giving me the creeps. Sam, the Lone th was Beaufort¡¯s prot¨¦g¨¦. Just like Beaufort, he never missed a target. ¡°Cohen¡¯s on e for you to skedaddle. I¡¯ll holler back when all the boys are on dry d out,¡± I said. I quickly pressed a button to hide all of my equipment and e back of my van. Once I wasfortable in the driver¡¯s seat, I sped off to meet up Ol¡¯ Tucker. I parked my vehicle at the back of zing Bikers Bar, Sam finally notified me that it was mission aplished. ¡°Boys are all ounted for, Sam said. ¡°Heading out to the rendezvous point.¡± Time for a bottle of whisky. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom POST COMMENT the saying¡± revenge is best served on a cold silver tter ¡± is appropriate for the Joy of Revenge VIEW 1 COMMENT > ? 23 Chapter 70 APTER 70 Joke l of a siren from a speeding ambnce rmed the remaining people inside. he pub. Lisa, who had been drinking heavily throughout the night, sobered up instantly and grabbed her phone from her purse to check her messages. After scrolling through her messages, Lisa jumped off her stool and, without even a goodbye, left the pub in a hurry. I nced at Cristos, who I noticed had been peeking at her phone while she went through her messages, but he just shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Lisa does that sometimes,¡± Nicole said, sliding into the empty chair Lisa had just vacated. ¡°Drive while drunk?¡± I asked incredulously. ¡°I would have offered to drive her if she had just. asked.¡± I turned to Noah and ced a hand on his arm. Just like Lisa, he was also drinking heavily. ¡°How about you, Noah? Do you need a ride home?¡± But before he could answer, Nicole intervened. ¡°I¡¯ll drive him home, Virtue,¡± Nicole said gruffly, jumping off the barstool and grabbing Noah¡¯s beer bottle. ¡°Come on. You¡¯ve had enough.¡± I removed my hand from Noah¡¯s arm and waved goodbye, satisfied at the reaction I got from Nicole. She was jealous. Noah sighed and waved goodbye while Nicole yanked him out of the pub. After they left, the rother patrons called it a night and left as well. I decided to help Cristos close up for the night. While I was gathering the empty beer bottles and used sses, Cristos¡¯ phone rang. ¡°Yep,¡± he answered. He kept a straight face as he listened to the person speaking to him on the phone while he gestured to me to follow him into his office. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll call him right away.¡± Once inside, Cristos called someone else. ¡°Hey, Link. Xavier was right.¡± whe Cristos was speaking to Attorney Lincoln Murphy, a capo under Xavier. He had arrived in Bismarck the other day, just in case Xavier ever needed awyer. There was always a risk might get caught. For tonight¡¯s homicide, Xavier had a hunch he would be detained as a suspect, being the only person present at the crime scene. 1/6 APTER 70 Joke e¡¯s at the sheriff¡¯s station at this very moment, Cristos exined. ¡°I have to remind you, your client is Bo Xavier. If you slip, the police will be suspicious. I¡¯ll be there after I close the pub.¡± ¡°Bo¡¯s in custody?¡± I asked once Cristos hung up. He nodded his head. ¡°Where¡¯s Dom?¡± ¡°He¡¯s with Miss Honey Bee, his alibi,¡± he answered while clicking on hisputer. ¡°I just hope the medical examiner extracts the bullet right away so the forensic ballistics expert can identify the bullet as soon as possible.¡± ¡°What if the coroner doctors his findings, Chip? I asked, concerned. He nced at me and smiled. Apparently, they were two steps ahead. ¡°Afterst night, the county coroner called in this morning to announce he¡¯s going on leave. The deputy coroner-sh-medical examiner will be taking his ce. She is no other than Sarah Hughes¡¯ mother. I think you know Sarah Hughes is running against Liam for mayor.¡± ¡°Are you sure she and the ballistics expert aren¡¯t under Theodore Cohen¡¯s payroll?¡± ¡°She isn¡¯t, but the expert could be, although I highly doubt if the expert can doctor a ballistics report without Doctor Hughes questioning his or her findings. Anyway, I¡¯ve heard Doctor Hughes has been comining about the unconventional practices of the coroner, so no need to worry. Bo will be out in no time.¡± He clicked on hisputer again and squinted. ¡°Nicole and Noah are headed towards Hillcrest while Lisa seems to be going to Bismarck. I¡¯m guessing to pick up her husband who just killed a girl he and Pete abducted.¡± I gasper I closed my eyes, as the rage rose up from inside of me. They¡­ just¡­ wouldn¡¯t¡­ stop. I¡¯ll be the one to make them stop. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I need you toe with me. If anyone can convince Jack that Bo is innocent, it¡¯s you. I inhaled deeply to calm myself, then fixed my breasts in my dress. ¡°Sure thing. I¡¯ll leave my car here and ride with you.¡± Thankfully, when we arrived, Bo was already being released. Link was all smiles as he greeted us. He was another handsome man, tall, with light brown hair and green eyes. Even at one in the morning, he looked dapper in his dark suit. 2/6 O < 1221 Wed CHAPTER 70 Joke ¡°Medical examiner sent a picture of the bullet and called the station to say bullet used was long range. Aside from her findings, the Sheriff confirms a sn iper rifle was fired de¡± crest Residences approximately around the same time Cynthia McDowell here made the 911 call. He believes the bullet was a stray and had hit Attorney Lincoln Murphy exined. ¡°They have nothing on you. Bo, n I go and pick up my car?¡± Xavier asked, like it was his first rodeo. Link coughed to onceal his laughter, amused with all the acting. ¡°Sure. If anyone harasses you, give me a call. I¡¯ll be staying at the inn tonight,¡± Link said before getting into his car. Bo waved goodbye to Link before lowering his head and covering his face with his hands, pretending to cry. I ced an arm around his shoulders and led him to Cristos¡¯ Range Rover. As we drove off, we just couldn¡¯t help ourselves. We snickered the whole way seemingly sharing a private joke. Nicole Noah was drunk and I didn¡¯t want to drop him off at his ce just yet. He was looking at Virtue the whole night like he wanted to eat her. I had to remind him that Virtue could never give him what I had to offer. ny car I drove to Noah¡¯s office in Hillcrest, knowing it would be free for the night. Liam was busy. with his delivery and wouldn¡¯t think to look for us there. As a precaution, I parked my near the huge trees at the dark end of the parking area, so no one would see it. ¡°Hey, Noah. We¡¯re here,¡± I said, nudging him awake. He opened his eyes briefly, before leaning back on his chair. ¡°Where are we?¡± Noah groaned. I quickly exited the car, ran to his side and opened the door. ¡°Nicole, where are we?¡± He asked again. ¡°At your office,¡± I answered in a hushed voice. ¡°Let me get you inside. I promise, I¡¯ll be gentle.¡± He smiled, ced an arm around my shoulders and got out of the car. He sta ggered to his feet, swaying a bit. I allowed him to lean on me for support, enjoying the feel of his body against mine. C 3/6 45 CHAPTER 70 Joke promise? I like it better when you¡¯re rough he joked. ¡°Do you have the keys?¡± ey.¡± I j ig gled the keys in front of him. With a smirk, he lowered his face and ongue darting in and out of my mouth aggressively. He was both so and so hot! I loved having sex while Noah was drunk. He didn¡¯t have any pretensions, he didn¡¯t hold back. ¡°Let¡¯s have sex on your car,¡± he suggested. I shook my head. ¡°And scratch the paint? No, honey. Let¡¯s go inside and f uck on your desk. ¡°Mmmm¡­good idea,¡± he said, walking towards the front door of his office while yanking me with him. Once the door closed behind us, he raised my hands above my head and kissed me passionately, nibbling my lips, sucking my tongue, and exploring the inner recesses of my mouth. When his lips left mine, I was breathless, but wanting more. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°You look beautiful tonight in this white slip you call a dress,¡± he said. ¡°Are you wearing any underwear?¡± ¡°No,¡± I moaned. ¡°Then spread your legs for me, baby. I want to see how wet you are.¡± I obeyed, spreading my legs to give him ess. I wanted to feel his touch. One of his hands went underneath my dress, caressing my inner thigh before moving to my slit. He rubbed his fingers gently, moistening his fingertips tips with my juice. He suddenly lifted his hand and ced his fingers in his mouth, tasting me. ¡°Sweet as always,¡± he whispered. He lifted the skirt of my dress above my waist and looked down at my naked pu ssy while inserting a finger inside. I moaned and threw my head back against the door. He licked my neck and nibbled on my ear while he thrusted his fingers inside of me. He finger f ucked me until I came, squirting all over the floor. I clung on to his neck as I rode the waves of my while he chuckled lowly in my ear, pleased with himself. My body was quivering, my knees were shaking, while the rest of my pus sy juice slowly dripped down my legs. ||| O 4/6 CHAPTER 70 Joke He yanked off my dress, taking both of my breasts in his hands, squeezing and kneading, while circling my sensitive nipples with his tongue. I pulled on his hair, moaning as white shes of pleasure hit me with each yful bite of my nipples. He was teasing me. ¡°I want more,¡± I groaned. He suddenly stopped and unzipped his pants. A wicked smile yed on his lips as I watched him undress. After he threw his clothing off to the side, he sat on one of the stic chairs meant for visitors. His hand stroked the length of his erection while he gestured for me to ed, I decided to go on home. I couldn¡¯t sleep here even if I wanted to. In my car when I remembered I had a nket in the back seat. I didn¡¯t n a cold. about to walk back to Noah, the cool wind suddenly blew towards me, blowing my in my face. I was quietly removing a few strands of my hair from my mouth when I ficed someone walking along the road. I quickly hid behind a tree, relieved that I had osed the window blinds and locked the door of the office on my way o The person ran towards Noah¡¯s small prefabricated office and peered through the windows, even trying their luck with the door. I silently prayed Noah¡¯s snoring wasn¡¯t loud enough to hear and that the person wouldn¡¯t dare knock. After several moments, the person ran back to the road to where a car was parked, obviously giving up. I heaved a sigh of relief, but kept my eyes on the lone figure. The wind blew again, but this time, towards the person who was leaving. My eyes narrowed as the wind blew the person¡¯s long hair¡­ It was a woman. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom oh yeah that¡¯s another brilliant chapter Morgan oh nooooo I was hoping they could save her VIEW ALL 3 COMMENTS > 24 POST COMMENT 6/6 Chapter 71 CHAPTER 71 Rifle Liam We were at New Salem Park with a team of deputies and K-9 dogs searching for whoever took our cargo. I was with Dan who couldn¡¯t hide the rage he felt. ¡°This is your fault, Liam,¡± Dan snarled at me. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t-¡± ¡°You were at theb, several feet underground, ying mobster in that cute office of yours when this happened, Dan,¡± I argued. ¡°I was doing one of my duties as mayor of this town when this happened. If there is anyone who should take the me, it¡¯s you. I¡¯m not a Soldier for the Angels of Darkness, you are.¡± ¡°No one¡¯s to me, boys,¡± the Sheriff said. ¡°Just figure out a way to earn back your losses.¡± Dan laughed, a high shrillugh¡­ like it was a bad joke. ¡°Two crates on four boats¡­ That¡¯s two million dors unounted for. Do you think we run this little operation on fairy dust? I have people to pay and that includes you, Sheriff!¡± Dan eximed angrily. Sheriff Combs¡¯ eyes narrowed darkly and I noticed his hand reaching for his gun. As much as I wanted him to shoot Dan, this would create a bigger problem. I got in between the both of them and raised my hands to calm them down. ¡°Stop it¡­ the both of you. Right now, we need to find whoever has that money. Eight crates just don¡¯t disappear. This was a well-nned heist which means a team of people did this,¡± I said. Dan backed off while the Sheriff lowered his hand. The lights around us, including the lights near theke, suddenly turned off. I groaned, taking my phone out of my pocket to use as a shlight. As we fumbled through the darkness, the Sheriff¡¯s phone rang. I saw it was Jack. ¡°Jack, release Bo Xavier from custody. He was just at the wrong ce at the wrong time. Even the coroner¡¯s initial findings support this,¡± Sheriff Combs said. He paused to listen to Jack. ¡°Sure, take his statement and release him. He¡¯s a witness, not our primary suspect. When you¡¯re done, get your a ss to New Salem Park. We have an ongoing manhunt.¡° ¡°Sheriff, we found Tanner and his boys,¡± a deputy yelled near the deep side of theke. ¡°They¡¯re out cold.¡± 1/7 CHAPTER 71 Rifle ¡°Get the EMT¡¯s on it,¡± the Sheriff yelled back while walking towards them. ¡°When theye. to, get their statement. And will someone please get these lights on! They were on just a moment ago!¡± Another one of the Sheriff¡¯s men waved his shlight, gesturing for us toe over. He was crouched near the ground, shining his shlight on the ground. ¡°Sheriff, I found motorcycle tracks headed towards Arnold County,¡± he said, pointing north. The Sheriff pursed his lips angrily. He and the neighboring sheriff had issues. ¡°Get everyone at the boundary between New Salem and Arnold County. See if we can get CCTV footage in that area,¡± the Sheriff ordered. Once the suspects enter Arnold County, we have a problem!¡± I scratched my head, wondering who would be mad enough to steal cargo from the Angels of Darkness. They knew the schedule, the knew how we were delivering the crates, and judging by the motorcycle tracks, there were many of them. This had to be done by one of the organizations under the Angels of Darkness because the East and West Coast mafia never interfered with our affairs. This was an inside job. *Sheriff! I found something!¡± An officer yelled, holding his K-9 back by its leash near the shore of the deep end of theke. The Sheriff rushed over, almost slipping on the wet ground. I followed him, hoping it was something which could lead us to the thieves. ¡°What is it, son?¡± The Sheriff said, panting as he cautiously walked near the murky water. The officer pointed at something on the ground. The lights finally turned on giving us a clear view of the object. Sheriff Combs crouched down, taking his phone out to take pictures. This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It¡¯s the sn iper rifle,¡± the Sheriff mumbled. He pocketed his phone and put on a pair oftex gloves. He picked up the weapon which appeared to have been disposed by the sn iper, however the s niper missed theke by a few feet. ¡°I need the rest of you to head to Arnold County, the Sheriff said, walking back to the entrance of the park. ¡°I¡¯m sending this to theb for fingerprints and DNA.¡±. Before Dan could turn around and follow the Sheriff, I grabbed his arm to stop him. 217 CHAPTER 71 Rifle ¡°Don¡¯t say a word of this to Capo B astone. I¡¯ll fix this,¡± I said. Dan scoffed. o lion dors?¡± Dan asked, yanking his arm away. sn¡¯t know how many crates were being delivered tonight. Usually we bring all we need to do is lie. Second, I can funnel some of the campaign money over up the heist. Everyone will be receiving their usual pay. Next delivery, I will be cking up the money at Bismarck myself,¡± I said. ¡°Dan,e on, can I count on you to do this for me?¡± He looked at me, then nodded his head. ¡°Fine, my lips are sealed. Just give me enough to continue operations and pay who we need to pay off,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t like this, but we have bigger problems. Cynthia McDowell is dead and someone will have to pay in blood.¡± I sighed. I had more than enough money to cover this, but I had ns¡­ sadly, those ns had to wait. Now, my main problem was finding whoever killed Cynthia McDowell. Sebastian I parked my car in front of Ma Lawrence¡¯s house in Jack Emery¡¯s rundown neighborhood. On the driveway was a old red pick-up truck that I believed had seen better days. Ma¡¯s hand was on my thigh, rubbing and squeezing it, while she nibbled on my ear and kissed my neck. Honestly, I felt like I was cheating on Joy, but when Ma left me to gather her things in the dressing room, Joy gave me her consent. ¡°I saw the exchange between you and Ma earlier,¡± Joy mumbled while we stood next to each other drinking. ¡°She carries around a ck sling bag,¡± I whispered in her ear. Joy nodded her head in understanding. ¡°If we need her, then do it,¡± she quickly uttered, then grinned at someone behind me. It was Ma carrying a backpack. ¡°Congrattions, sweetheart. Doe by the boutique so I can dress you, okay? Dom, make sure our Miss Honey Bee gets home safely.¡± She winked at me, then sashayed towards Noah who was openly staring at her breasts. I nced at Cristos who ced a bottle of vodka on top of the bar. I told Ma to wait for me at the entrance while I gavest minute instructions. 377 CHAPTER 71 Rifle be going to the rendezvous point. If anyone asks, I¡¯m with Ma,¡± I said, grabbing the on my cr otch, brushing against my co ck. I grabbed her by the shoulders. back, making her sit properly in the passenger¡¯s seat. e giggled, thinking I was ying hard to get. I pointed at the front windows of her house where a thin middle-aged woman with a cigarette in her mouth was standing, openly staring at the car. Ma let out a groan. ¡°Usually my mother is passed out drunk by this time, but I guess she didn¡¯t have enough money for gas so she could buy herself some booze, Ma said embarrassed. She was about to say more, but I covered her lips with my finger. ¡°Will she be okay with you having a boyfriend?¡± asked her. Ma looked at me surprised. ¡°But we just met each other-¡± I feel something for you, Ma,¡± I said, cutting her off. ¡°I promise to take care of you and your mother. Pay for tuition¡­ help you financially. All you have to do is be a good little student and take care of your mother.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all, Dom?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all,¡± I answered, brushing her hair away from her face. At first, her eyes sparkled happily, but suddenly her expression changed to panic. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you can be my boyfriend, Dom. 1, uhm, 1-¡® I kissed her forehead. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you. I promise Here, give this to your mother,¡± I said, giving her the bottle of vodka, ¡°and I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. That reminds me¡­ give me your number.¡± ¡°I, uhm, I, ah, don¡¯t have a smartphone. If anyone has to get in touch with me, they usually just call our landline.¡± How can she deal drugs without a cellphone? ¡°Okay. Put your home number then. I¡¯ll pick you upter around lunch and we¡¯ll get you a phone and maybe a car.¡± ¡°What?!¡± She squealed. I took her hand and kissed it. CHAPTER 71 Rifle dure my girl and my girl deserves the best,¡± I assured her. ¡°Now go inside and get some etheart. If you need anything between now andter, call this number.¡± I handed her J. She gave me a kiss on my cheek before exiting the car. She looked happy, uneasiness in her eyes eyes. must be one of Pete¡¯s girls. This will be interesting. After Ma entered her house, I drove off heading towards Mandan. From Arnold County, both trucks were instructed to drive to a warehouse in Mandan. One loaded with the crates while the other had our men. I stopped at a gas station along the highway and parked beside a tinted van. I quickly put on a hat and dark sses, got out and headed towards the restroom while the driver of the tinted van followed me. Inside the restroom, I handed my suit jacket, hat, dark sses and my keys to the driver of the van while he gave me his keys and a leather jacket. ¡°Drive my car to my store, De Luca,¡± I said. ¡°No one should think I left New Salem. Do you have the information I want?¡± He nodded his head. ¡°Veronica Ortiz is in Houston, Domenico, and I heard she has beenining about a certain underboss and his New Salem capo for not giving her her desired cut,¡± De Luca said. ¡°There are whispers that before the McDowells set foot in New Salem, there was a capot under Cadena who took refuge here before the FBI could arrest him. Goes by the surname of Duncan.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t recall a family with the surname Duncan living in New Salem. They might have changed names just like the McDowells. When did this capo move to New Salem?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have that information, Domenico. I¡¯m still digging.¡± ¡°Dig faster, De Luca,¡± I said. ¡°The Spring Formal is near and with Cynthia McDowell¡¯s death, Capo B astone Pete McDowell will want blood. We can¡¯t risk dealing with an unknown.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do,¡± De Luca said, putting on the jacket, dark sses and hat. ¡°Keep your head low and talk to no one. Make yourselffortable in my office.¡± A capo with his family moved to New Salem before the McDowells came. I¡¯ll have Cristos look into that. 5/7 CHAPTER 71 Rifle Jack At the door of the Sheriff¡¯s station, I watched Bo s ob while Virtue consoled him. Oh, how I wished I had Virtue¡¯s arms around me, instead of all this crazy s hit I had to deal with. Money was gone and Cynthia McDowell was dead. Who would have thought that tonight would end up like this? After Bo, Chip and Virtue left, I prepared my thermos and filled it with coffee. I had a manhunt to join which meant no sleep. After grabbing some sandwiches at the diner, I reluctantly climbed into my truck to head. towards New Salem Park. My CB radio suddenly went off alerting everyone to proceed towards the boundary of New Salem and Arnold County instead. Great. As I backed out of the parking lot, I noticed Dom¡¯s SUV pass by and turn towards his store. After seeing him with Ma earlier, I bet he dropped her home. Ma with Dom? Knowing her, I believed Dom deserved better, but that¡¯s just me. I stopped at the intersection and watched Dome out of his car and enter the side entrance to his store. He was wearing a hat with dark sses and he fumbled with his keys. He must have taken a fee swigs with Ma¡¯s mom. A car h onking beside mine grabbed my attention. F uck! It was the Sheriff. I rolled down my window. ¡°What the f uck are you doing sitting in the middle of the intersection?!¡± The Sheriff yelled. ¡°Get to Arnold County and find whatever you can to piece this puzzle together!¡± I groaned. It was going to be a long night. 6/7 CHAPTER 71 Rie pts POST COMMENT hse chapter ok but I think I¡¯m going to stop reading until the book is finished. Only ing one chapter a week is ruining the story for me. I find it quite frustrating, sure!¡­ EW ALL 3 COMMENTS 24 Chapter 72 CHAPTER 72 Gossip Joy I groaned, waking up to the sound of my rm.I needed more sleep, but I wanted to be where the people were, so I could get thetest news.. I dressed into my favorite pair of ripped jeans, a button-down blue and white striped blouse, hid my long hair in a white cap and paired everything with white sneakers. After putting all my things in a white tote bag, I exited my home and drove off to Bo¡¯s. The folks of New Salem woke up to a dreary Sunday as the news of the death of the beloved owner of the town¡¯s pharmacy spread. When I walked into Bo¡¯s, I was shocked to find Xavier surrounded by a group of middle-aged women who I assumed were friends of the deceased. They were consoling him, telling him he wasn¡¯t to me. I walked over to an aisle, pretending to mind my own business while I did some eavesdropping. Xavier¡¯s s eyes were bleak and bloodshot. His face appeared mournful and grief-stricken while he narrated the events leading up to Cynthia¡¯s death. ¡°I-I called 911, but the ambnce didn¡¯t get there in time to save her. I told her to hang on, but she lost so much blood,¡± he said, before blowing his nose into his handkerchief. ¡°It feels like it¡¯s my fault. I should have done more to save her.¡± ¡°Bo, it¡¯s not your fault,¡± a woman wearing a fitted ck blouse and skinny jeans said, rubbing her hand along Xavier¡¯s back. ¡°The Sheriff made a statement there¡¯s an ongoing manhunt. He believes someone may have entered New Salem while tracking a coyote or a fox, shot at it, but missed, hitting the McDowell residence instead.¡± ¡°Sweetie, you shouldn¡¯t be working after what happenedst night, another woman said. ¡°You should at least take the day off.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. I met Cynthia here,¡± Xavier murmured, a tear falling from the corner of his eye. We both took acting lessons in California and his performance would have earned him an A from our instructor. ¡°I¡¯d like to remember her smiling face as she walked through these aisles.¡± The group of women sighed, feeling very sympathetic to the grief Bo was experiencing. ¡°We understand, Bo,¡± the woman in the ck blouse said, while she rubbed her hand continously on Xavier¡¯s back. ¡°There¡¯s a viewingter tonight at the funeral home while a 1/6 CHAPTER 72 Gossip funeral service will be held tomorrow at ten in the morning. Then, she¡¯ll beid to rest at New Salem Memorial.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have Chip or Dome with meter tonight,¡± Xavier said, fighting back tears. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I need to ssh some cold water on my face.¡± He quickly left the group of women¡­ to their utter dismay. Their friend just died and now they werepeting against each other for Bo¡¯s attention. Judging from the small smiles on their faces, they didn¡¯t feel any grief for their friend. They actually looked quite relieved now their supposed queen was dead. I was looking for chips and dip when someone tapped me on my shoulder. I turned around to find Lisa. She was wearing a simple gray t-shirt and denim shorts while she hid her eyes behind a pair ofrge sunsses. ¡°Hey, Virtue! I knew that was you. There is no one in this town that looks that good in baggy jeans and a cap,¡± she said, smiling. ¡°I want to apologize aboutst night. I suddenly felt sick and drove myself home.¡± ¡°You poor thing,¡± I said, knowing she was lying to me. ¡°You should have asked me to drive you. What if something happened to you along the way?¡± ¡°Well, my house isn¡¯t far from the pub and I obviously got home in one piece,¡± she said. ¡°Anyway, did you hear about Cynthia McDowell?¡± I nodded my head. ¡°Noah called to tell me Pete is going to take some time off.¡± ¡°Are you going to the waketer tonight?¡± Lisa asked. ¡°Where will the viewing be held?¡± I asked ying dumb.. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. ¡°At Chimes Funeral Homes at eight,¡± Lisa answered. ¡°I¡¯ll try toe and pay my respects¡­ For Pete, I said. ¡°But if I can¡¯t make itter tonight, I¡¯ll definitely go to the funeral. Do you know when the funeral service will be?¡± ¡°Tomorrow morning at ten. I keep forgetting you¡¯re new here. Did you ever meet Pete¡¯s mom?¡± She asked. ¡°Not formally. I saw her with Bost night, before, you know¡­,¡± I tried to exin. ¡°Well, if not for Pete, go for Bo,¡± she suggested. I saw him earlier. He looks really distraught. 2/6 CHAPTER 72 Gossip I guess they might have had a deeper rtionship than we all thought. I¡¯ve already heard someone say Bo and Cynthia have been seeing each other secretly before their official date as a couplest night, and that Bo was even going to propose before the, uhm, unfortunate incident. Now this could y to our advantage. I lowered my head in sorrow, averting my eyes from hers. ¡°It¡¯s really heartbreaking for him, Lisa. He broke downst night when we picked him up from the Sheriff¡¯s station. He really cared for her.¡± I heard Lisa sigh. ¡°Instead of a wedding, we¡¯re going to a funeral. Things like these rarely happen in New Salem, so you know why people are talking about it. Anyway, I have some grocery shopping to do. If I don¡¯t see you later, I¡¯ll just see you tomorrow then.¡± She was about to push her cart away when I stopped her. ¡°By the way, did you ever get hold of Cris?¡± I asked, appearing concerned. ¡°Yeah. He attended a bachelor¡¯s party of one of his college buds. His phone ran out of battery and he forgot to bring his charger. Right now, he¡¯s nursing a really nasty hangover at home,¡± Lisa quickly mumbled, then waved goodbye, practically running away from me. After grocery shopping and listening to all the gossip, I went to check on the progress of my boutique. I was surprised to find Noah inside doing some measurements. He was wearing a fresh shirt and appeared to have showered. My eyes quickly surveyed the parking area. His pick-up truck wasn¡¯t parked anywhere nor was Nicole¡¯s Volvo.. Who did you drive with today, Noah? ¡°Noah! Fancy seeing you here on a Sunday,¡± I greeted him. ¡°I¡¯m just doingst minute measurements for the clothes racks, shelves and cabs. I¡¯ll have them installed on Tuesday, since my crew and I will be attending the funeral tomorrow. Will you be going?¡± Noah asked casually while he fixed the stand for the window disy. ¡°Yes, I will. Poor Pete, he must be really heartbroken.¡± ¡°He is. He put in a request for leave and I approved it,¡± he answered, looking at the painted walls and light fixtures. ¡°We¡¯re almost done here.¡± ¡°After the shelves, racks and cabs are installed, will everything be done?¡± I asked excitedly. 3/6 CHAPTER 72 Gossip ¡°Yes. I just need to install the refrigerator in the small dining area in the back and we¡¯re done with construction. Then, I¡¯ll have my crew clean up everything and put in the furniture, then you can start unpacking and disying your merchandise. By the way, I was wondering, if you would-¡± Suddenly, my phone rang. ¡°Great,¡± I mumbled while rummaging through my tote bag to find my phone. It was Liam. ¡°Excuse me for a sec,¡± I told Noah and answered, ¡°Hi Liam! What can I do for you?¡± ¡°Hi Virtue! I know this is out of the ordinary, but I wanted to ask you if you would like toe with me to Cynthia McDowell¡¯s funeral tomorrow?¡± Liam asked. ¡°I¡¯lle pick you up around nine- thirty.¡± ¡°Sure, Liam. I¡¯d like that,¡± I answered. Being with him wouldn¡¯t make me look like a sore thumb. ¡°Will you be going to the viewingter tonight?¡± ¡°No. I have some business to attend to,¡± he answered. ¡°Why? Are you thinking of going? You don¡¯t have to, Virtue. Attending the funeral is enough for you to pay yourst respects to Cynthia and offer your condolences to Pete.¡± I heard a tinge of anxiousness in his voice. Was he afraid of the possibility of something happening to me¡­ at a wake? ¡°Okay, if you say so,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow then, Liam. Take care.¡± ¡°You too,¡± he replied. ¡°Call me if you need me. See you, Virtue.¡± ¡°What did Liam want?¡± Noah asked once I hung up. My brow furrowed, not expecting the harsh tone in his voice. ¡°Oh, he asked me to go with him to the funeral tomorrow,¡± I answered. ¡°So, what were you saying before we were interrupted?¡± ¡°Ah, I was going to-¡± The door of my boutique swung open and a woman with long jet ck hair and luminous een eyes walked in. Her face was very f I¡¯ve seen her on many posters announcing her candidacy for mayor. Sarah Hughes. 72 Gossip Sarah Hughes,¡± she introduced herself and extended her hand. I quickly took her in mine and shook it. ¡°I, uhm, I came to check if Noah was done, so he coulde with me to give me an estimate for an office I¡¯m having renovated.¡± She seemed warm and inviting, but since I grew up with her, I knew she was a snob. Her mother and father were both physicians who both came from a family of physicians. They always had money and were one of the first families to ever live in Hignd Oaks. She was of average height, slim and pale. She had beautiful green eyes, but a beaky nose which earned her the nickname ¡°Beaky Sassy¡± when we were growing up. Her lips were long and thin and she had perfect white teeth. However, just like Theodore Cohen, her bright smile didn¡¯t quite reach her eyes. ¡°Sarah Hughes? The same Sarah Hughes running for mayor? Oh wow, it¡¯s a pleasure to make your acquaintance,¡± I said, pretending to fawn. I¡¯m Virtue. Virtue Sullivan.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Virtue. I can see what the people say about you is true,¡± she said, releasing my hand. ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°That you look like a celebrity,¡± she smirked. ¡°People say you¡¯re really pretty. Now that I¡¯ve met you, I can say it¡¯s true.¡± She didn¡¯t like me. Why am I not surprised? She must have a thing for Noah. ¡°I¡¯m done here,¡± Noah announced harshly, grabbing Sarah¡¯s arm and pulling her towards the door. ¡°Virtue, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. Come on, Sarah. I need to speak to Dom before we go see that office.¡± He opened the door and ushered Beaky Sassy outside. ¡°You better hurry up then,¡± Sarah said, exiting the boutique. ¡°He¡¯s about to leave. Something about a date.¡± Sebastian had a date with Ma. Xavier had to go to Cynthia¡¯s viewing. And Cristos, he said. he would be with Dan to attend church. I closed the blinds of my store, locked the door and took out the device Big Man Lou gave to check for bugs and spy cams. Pete was busy mourning the loss of his mother. Jack and Sheriff Combs were conducting a manhunt. Theodore and Liam Cohen were probably discussing the missing money. 5/6 CHAPTER 72 Gossip No one was watching me. Time to clean my boutique of bugs. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom brilliant chapter VIEW 1 COMMENT 24 SHARE POST COMMENT 2 6/6 Chapter 73 CHAPTER 73 Screwed Up was seated in her at my father, Isoning minutes Luckily we were in his stalk where ¡°Touched the delete 22 he an it his neck, concerned he was going 12 ko was bete behaved so he would calm down if I eight entes including the one that screamed, pounding his fist on his it and sea a 2000 200 seas NMK to be st a cantor to this speed the What a way to spend a Sundry Rain, I will att Downl pay the men and worn on our parol News! bad to iscen to my father scold medal on Merkull Tad things like this happen there are open we stool on rival org ans, 1 argued. And yes. I have called the do?e past them to kost the other hand, is content with the money e het hom the promises to keys que aist to ve ger continue like nothing As des stomat assures that ss Raxion woulx tot body of an attempt to steal our cargo. I have made sure no one talks including Shortbs and his deputies.¡± I noticed his had rx. I guess mas meities Caps Rastone would find ou about the heist and punish us for it. And how about the men whose bodies are at the bottom of theke the asked, without raising his voice. ¡°None of them work for Capo Ba stone. They were all employed by me, I answered 1 promise to eam back our losses and double up security. For now, Ell be unneling some of the campaign funding into our ount.¡± ¡°That¡¯s another issue that I have to discuss with you, my father said, shumming hits Hingers on his wooden desk. Aside from losing two million dors and giving over a million dors away to keep everything quiet, your poprity is dwindling. Sarah Flughes seems to be creating a name for herself. She has been seen speaking at Jack Emery¡¯s neighborhood. promising them better amenities. May I remind you one third of the voting poption live in that area, Liam.¡± I rolled my eyes at him. CHAPTER 73 Screwed Up ¡°Dad, I already have that covered. Just likest election, I¡¯ll be buying their votes. As for their neighborhood, I¡¯ve already signed off to fix the potholes in their streets as well as increase the number of streetlights. It¡¯s a band-aid solution, but it will keep them from voting for Hughes.¡± ¡°Pretty up their yground too,¡± my father suggested. ¡°Get it repainted and nt some. bushes or flowers in that ce they call a park. By the way, where is Cris Murdock? He needs to work for the money we pay him. I haven¡¯t heard from him sincest week.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t show upst night and Lisa said he¡¯s been gone since Friday. I assume he has been with Capo B astone,¡± I answered. My father shook his head disapprovingly. ¡°May Cynthia McDowell¡¯s death serve as a lesson for Capo B astone,¡± he said which puzzled the hell out of me. He acted like he didn¡¯t care. ¡°But with Cynthia McDowell dead, won¡¯t there be a disruption in the delivery of cold medicine?¡± I asked. No. It¡¯s business as usual¡­now that Norma Martin will be purchasing the pharmacy.¡± I leaned back in my chair. My father had an answer to everything. My only problem now was Capo Ba stone McDowell. Pete McDowell The staff of the funeral home was setting up for the viewing. Flowers adorned the area, chairs were aligned in rows for the guests, and coffee and snacks were set up in the corner. I sat alone, waiting for the casket which held my mother. G od, I screwed up. The sni per rifle used was traced to the East North Central States division of the Angels of Darkness. Sure, I did have a disagreement with the underboss of the ENCS regarding one of their women, but to kill my mother and attempt to steal my money was a low blow. That I believed. Before I left for the funeral home, I spoke with my capo, hoping he would agree to a retaliation. 2/5 CHAPTER 73 Screwed Up ¡°You aren¡¯t thinking straight, Pete. You¡¯ll ignite a war, if you go into their territory with guns zing,¡± my capo said. He was always calm and rational, always ying by the rules. He never wanted to color outside the lines. Well, that was after Joy Taylor. ¡°But they killed my mother! If I don¡¯t retaliate, they will see it as a sign of weakness,¡± I argued. ¡°First of all, we aren¡¯t sure it¡¯s them. Yes, the gun found by the Sheriff is a gun they smuggle, but it doesn¡¯t necessarily mean they pulled the trigger,¡± he rationalized. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that a gun¡­ that fell off a truck somewhere¡­ just happened to be the same gun that killed my mother? Do you see how st upid that sounds? They sent someone to kill her to get to me. in and simple.¡± ¡°Or maybe they hey sent someone to kill you, but killed her instead. There, in and simple,¡± he pointed out, turning the tables on me. ¡°Anyway, why would they want to kill you or your mother? What the f uck did you do?¡± ¡°Cris and I, uhm, we may have kidnapped a niece of the underboss. I did let her go found out about our mistake,¡± I admitted. ¡°Did Cris or you touch this girl?¡± His voice was harsh, warning me not to lie. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± when I ¡°Go dda mmit, Pete! You raped a niece of the underboss?! What is wrong with you?! You f ucking deserve to be hung by your balls!¡± He yelled through the phone, unable to contain his anger. He paused for several moments, breathing heavily, forcing himself to calm down. I waited quietly, knowing I f u cked up. But still¡­ ¡°I suggest you take the death of your mother like a man. You raped a niece of an underboss. This is your punishment.¡± He spoke in a hushed tone like I was child who was crying over a piece of candy. ¡°So you expect me to do nothing?!¡± I asked incredulously, not wanting to let it go. ¡°Yes, you little tw at!¡± I grimaced. I hated being called that. ¡°Now tell me, where is Cris? That cu nt is causing too many problems.¡± 3/5 CHAPTER 73 Screwed Up ¡°He¡¯s at home, recovering, 1 answered. ¡°He, ah, identally killed a girl. I usually have my men dispose of the girls, but-¡± ¡°I usually have my men dispose of the girls,¡± he said, mimicking me. ¡°You¡¯re pathetic.¡± ¡°F uck you! Remember, I¡¯m still your boss! I can have you killed!¡± I yelled at him, aware it was useless to threaten him. He scoffed at me, knowing that was all I could do¡­ pull rank. My capo never respected me. But I didn¡¯t care. I was still his boss whether he liked it or not. ¡°I swear on your mother¡¯s grave, Pete McDowell, one morning, when you wake up, the first thing you¡¯ll see is your severed dic k in my hand, he growled, replying to my empty threat. My eyes narrowed¡­ I didn¡¯t like the sound of that, not one bit. ¡°Boy, you have gone too far this time. My advice? y the grieving son, forget about avenging your mother¡¯s death, be grateful they didn¡¯t steal the money and keep your di ck in your pants.¡± ¡°How about Cris? You aren¡¯t going to hurt him, are you?¡± Cris was my bestfriend and he and I understood each other. I didn¡¯t want anything to happen to him. ¡°What about Cris? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re in love with him? You guys f uck each other too while sharing a girl?¡± ¡°No!¡± I denied angrily. ¡°If you say so,¡± he said, amused. ¡°If I don¡¯t get to Cris, the underboss of the ENCS will. Your mother is dead. Unfortunately, Lisa may be next. That wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea. Lisa only tied Cris down. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, Pete. Without Lisa in the way, you and Cris can do whatever you want. I¡¯m warning you. If you don¡¯t start thinking of what¡¯s best for the WNCS, don¡¯t be surprised if you find Veronica¡¯s men on your doorstep. Your mother isn¡¯t here anymore to protect you and I¡¯m sick and tired of babysitting. Your father may have been ruthless and petty, but he had the respect of the organization because he contributed to its rise. Get that through your thick skull, you tw at!¡± I already had the Cohens doing the work for me and they were paid graciously for their time. Even my capo, who also handled some of my affairs, was paid graciously for his work. As I sat alone in the empty viewing room, I thought hard, wondering how all of this could have happened. I came up with one possibility.. 4/5 CHAPTER 73 Screwed Up The Cohens¡­ Liam was in charge of the delivery. It¡¯s possible he was contacted by Alejandro, the underboss of the ENCS. Liam never liked working for me. He was a racist pig who couldn¡¯t stand having me order him around. Working with Alejandro could have been his way of removing me from the picture. Tsk¡­ tsk¡­ tsk¡­ Liam has to be taught a lesson. Since I lost my mother, he will have to lose something or someone precious to him too. There is one person. Someone who will probably give me the high I crave. It was an obsession, an addiction that was hard to control. Yes, I paid for sex, but it wasn¡¯t the same. I needed to be in control. I loved the feeling of being in control. I lived for that feeling. An image of her pleading and crying shed in my mind. I felt my heart race and my spine tingle. I want to hear her scream. I pulled out my phone and dialed. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Liam, I need to speak to you. I want to know where your loyalties lie.¡± Chapter Comments Luna-Mom Really love reading this story POST COMMENT VIEW 1 COMMENT? ºÏ 25 Chapter 74 CHAPTER 74 Loyalty Liam ¡°Liam, I need to speak to you,¡± Pete said over the phone. His voice was harsh and unrelenting. ¡°What about?¡± I asked. ¡°I want to know where your loyalties lie,¡± he answered. It was such a vague response, I knew I had to be cautious. His mother just tragically died, pushing him over the edge. I couldn¡¯t afford to make a mistake. My life was hanging in the bnce¡­ one wrong move could mean life or death. ¡°Sure,¡± I replied politely. ¡°Where and what time? ¡°Meet me here at the funeral home. Anytime would do.¡± I was with Dan paying off the people on our payroll. After hanging up, I grabbed Dan¡¯s dark silk shirt and pulled him aside. ¡°Did you say anything?¡± I asked Dan, peering into his eyes. He looked at me confused, wondering what I was talking about. After a few moments, his expression changed, realizing who and what I was talking about. ¡°No, Liam. You held up your end of the bargain. Why would I betray you? Betraying your would mean my death too,¡± he answered. ¡°Now, please let go of my silk shirt. I had this delivered from Nordstrom.¡± I scoffed at him and let go.. ¡°Capo Bas tone wants me to meet with him at Chimes. He said something about loyalty. Do you know what he¡¯s talking about?¡± I asked. He shook his head and took out his phone. ¡°No, but we know somebody who might. I¡¯ll call Cris and ask,¡± he said, dialing. ¡°Hey Lisa, can I speak with Cris please? He¡¯s asleep? Well, wake him up.¡± He rolled his eyes and pursed his lips. Cris was definitely starting to get on our nerves. While we waited for Lisa to wake Cris, I sent a message to two of my guards, Leo and Benny, asking them to meet me at the funeral home. I couldn¡¯t meet Pete alone. I had toe prepared. They sent me a reply telling me they were on their way. We waited patiently for Cris to get on the phone. Five minutes passed, but still no Cris. 1/5 CHAPTER 74 Loyalty nything? I mouthed to Dan. He shook his head, but suddenly raised his finger. Cris?¡± Dan said expectantly, but suddenly pouted. ¡°Fine. Good night, Lisa. He hung up, turned to me and shrugged his shoulders. ¡°He won¡¯t wake up.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll wake him up then,¡± I said, gesturing for him to follow me in his car. Before I drove off, I took out my gun from the glovepartment and holstered it onto my belt. We were going to wake up that a sshole. At the Murdocks, I forcibly pushed Lisa aside after she opened the door and walked inside their home with Dan following closely behind me. I looked around, but the living room and kitchen were empty. Lisa, on the other hand, looked agitated and troubled. Her eyes were puffy, her nose was red and strands of her hair were out of ce. ¡°Liam, he¡¯s not in a good ce right now,¡± Lisa cried out. ¡°Please, just give him some time.¡± Dan, keep her here. I¡¯ll speak with Cris,¡± I instructed. ¡°Where is he?¡± Lisa shook her head, not wanting to answer me. ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask again. Lisa, where is he?¡± ¡°Upstairs, Lisa answered, looking defeated. She suddenly turned to Dan and began sobbing on his silk shirt. I saw him grimace knowing his shirt was totally ruined, but after a moment, he shrugged his shoulders and wrapped his arms around Lisa. ¡°Give her a drink to steady her nerves. I¡¯ll take care of this.¡± Dan nodded his head. I ran upstairs and found Cris seated on his bed, mumbling to himself like a madman. He looked like s hit and smelled like s hit too. What the hell happened to him? I snapped my fingers in front of him, trying to grab his attention. ¡°Cris, it¡¯s me Liam. I need to speak to you about something.¡± open, His eyes moved to focus on my face, but he suddenly began to cry. He looked really awful. His face was all red, there was sn ot everywhere, and his mouth was wide wailing like an ambnce. I grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him, hoping he¡¯d calm down a bit, but he just kept crying. ¡°L-Liam, i-it was an ident. I swear, Liam, I didn¡¯t mean to kill her,¡± Cris cried out. What the hell did you get yourself into this time, Cris? 2/5 CHAPTER 74 Loyalty ¡°Kill who?¡± When he didn¡¯t answer, I shook him some more. ¡°Cris, answer me. Who did you. kill?¡± ¡°Lily. Her name was Lily,¡± he said, sobbing again, while he grabbed his head with both his hands and squeezed. I stared at him aghast, horrified he had lost it¡­ again. I took out my gun and pped him across his face. ¡°Get yourself together, man. We have bigger problems!¡± I pped him again, hoping the cold metal of my gun would wake him up. from his trance. ¡°Cris, you have got to wake up! This happened before when he found out Joy Taylor was still alive. He was scared shi tless. that Sheriff Combs woulde knocking on his door and arrest him. We hid him at Jack¡¯s house, hoping he would snap out of it on his own. After several days, it looked as if there was no hope of him ever getting better, so I punched him in the face as ast resort. I figured Cris was like a piece of machinery who needed a quick jump-start to turn on. Luckily, I was right or else we would have had to ship him to the nearest psychiatric ward. He instantly stopped crying and stared at me, surprised I was standing in his bedroom.. ¡°Liam, what the f uck are you doing here?¡± I heaved a sigh of relief. Cris was all better. Yet, he still had the audacity to act like an entitled little schmuck. ¡°You killed a girl and went into shock, you cun t!¡± I yelled at him. ¡°While you were having a me ntal breakdown, Cynthia McDowell was shot and killed. Now Pete just called me talking about loyalties. I want to know what you know. And don¡¯t lie to me.¡± ¡°Wait. What? Pete¡¯s mom is dead?¡± Cris asked, bewildered. ¡°Oh, sh it!¡± His finally digesting the information I had just given him. ¡°Oh, shi t, sh it, s hit, sh it!¡± eyes widened, ¡°You know something. Talk!¡± I screamed. ¡°I need to know everything¡­ now!¡± ¡°Alright, alright! Remember that, uhm, convention in Illinois I attendedst month?¡± He asked. I nodded my head and gestured for him to continue. ¡°Pete and I saw this really hot girl at this club in Chicago, so Pete bought her a drink, hoping she¡¯d talk to us. She took one look at Pete and sent the drink back, saying she didn¡¯t ept drinks from losers.¡± Here we go again! 3/5 1224 Wed, Mar 27 CHAPTER 74 Loyalty kidnapped her and raped her, didn¡¯t you?¡± It was more of a rhetorical question. I ly knew the answer. ¡°Did you have her disposed of after?¡± ¡°Uhm, no. We, uh, let her go,¡± Cris answered. I closed my eyes, knowing the girl was important to someone very important. ¡°Who was she?¡± ¡°Her name is Ariana De Vega, niece of Alejandro De Vega, who is the current underboss of the East North Central States,¡± he answered, his voice shaking. G od, I wanted to shoot him in the face! ¡°So everything that happenedst night was your fault!¡± I yelled at Cris. ¡°Now that as shole wants to pin it all on me. Loyalty? He probably thinks I made a deal with Alejandro De Vega.¡± I pointed my gun at him. Cris and Pete¡­ they both deserved to die! I¡¯ll talk to him, Liam. I¡¯ll tell him it wasn¡¯t you,¡± Cris pleaded with me. ¡°He¡¯ll listen to me. I promise you.¡± ¡°Cris, I¡¯ve had it with the both of you,¡± I said, aiming my gun at his chest. ¡°You f uck with my reelection, then you f uck with my operations. Honestly, I¡¯m better off with you dead. I should just kill you and ask Sarah Hughes to run with me. She¡¯d probably do a better job as councilman and do my work for me too.¡± ¡°Liam, I¡¯m begging you, man. I¡¯ll do whatever to make it up to you,¡± he pleaded. ¡°Fine.¡± I lowered my gun and sat down on an armchair near the bedroom window. I looked outside to check if anyone was watching the house. ¡°Call Lisa and have her pack some clothes for the both of you. Then, I want the both of you to get dressed for Cynthia Mcdowell¡¯s viewing. You will apany me when I meet with. Capo Bas tone later and you will vouch for me. If you betray me, I will kill you.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t go go out looking like this, Liam. I look h or I raised my gun, aiming for his chest. ¡°No? Then, I¡¯ll just kill you right now, Cris.¡± and Cris quickly stood up from his bed, finally grasping I no longer wanted to y games, called his wife to come upstairs. I was sick and tired of all the sh it they did, including ming me when things didn¡¯t go ording to n. They were entitled little pri cks who 4/5 CHAPTER 74 Loyalty thought ying mobster was a passport to do whatever they wanted. Sure, they were my friends, but I didn¡¯t deserve to be treated this way. I didn¡¯t deserve to take the fall. ¡°Hey, Liam, I¡¯m going to get ready,¡± Cris said, interrupting my thoughts. ¡°Can I have a little privacy?¡± ¡°No. You will get dressed in front of me,¡± I said. I want to make sure you don¡¯t try anything Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. funny.¡± ¡°Come on, Liam. I won¡¯t betray you. I promise.¡± ¡°I know you won¡¯t, Cris. Because from now on, your balls are mine.¡± Chapter Comments Luna-Mom so the tw at thinks going after virtue is an answer VIEW 1 COMMENT > POST COMMENT Chapter 75 CHAPTER 75 Chimes Joy After ridding my boutique of bugs and miniature spy cams, I made a brief stop at the hospital to check up on Abigail. Unfortunately, her condition hadn¡¯t improve although her parents still had hope. Abigail¡¯s mother gave me a warm hug when I came into the hospital room with some flowers. and a box of eirs. ¡°It¡¯s so nice to see you, dear. Since the ident, sadly, her friends haven¡¯te to visit her. I¡¯m happy you remembered her and dropped by, Mrs. Reynolds said as she tenderly brushed the hair away from Abigail¡¯s face. Some of her bandages were gone and there was some color in her cheeks. ¡°Sweetie, your friend Virtue hase to say hi.¡± Abigail¡¯s mother waited for some kind of response, but the only response came from the incessant beeping from her vital signs monitor. I took Abigail¡¯s hand in mine and squeezed it, silently thanking her for helping me after 1 was raped. I noticed her hands were warm and I prayed it was a sign she might wake up soon. I bought take-out from the diner, then headed home to unload my groceries. Since I had nothing better to do, I went over to Noah¡¯s house to read to Mrs. Jensen and wait for Noah. The e sun had already begun to set when I realized Noah wasn¡¯ting home. After politely. declining an invitation for dinner at the Jensen¡¯s, I went home, debating whether or not I should go to Cynthia McDowell¡¯s viewing. A part of me wanted to go. Aside from the information I could get, it was also a way t everyone in my sights. As they say, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. to keep Earlier, Cristos had messaged me to put in my earpiece, so we can all decide on our next course of action in case we ran into a snag. I¡¯ve been listening in on their conversations noticing Cynthia¡¯s death was a main topic. No doubt emotions were running high. Arge number of people were upset and furious while there were certain people looking for someone to me. Since Liam was in the middle of everything, he was the one holding the short end of the 1/5 CHAPTER 75 Chimes ick. We knew Pete would meet with him, the only question was where and when. Although ristos was listening in on every bug we had strategically ced, we couldn¡¯t find answers. I argued Pete was still busy at the funeral home making arrangements for his mother. Business woulde after. I believed Pete would meet with Liam after the funeral, but the boys had a hunch it would be tonight. They said Pete was like his old man, a hot head. I was cing my dirty dishes in the dishwasher when I finally heard Cristos¡¯ voice through my earpiece. I listened eagerly, hoping it was the news we were all waiting for. ¡°Heads up, everyone. Liam is causing mayhem at the Murdock residence,¡± Cristos said. ¡°From what I gathered from all the yelling and shouting, he¡¯ll be meeting with Pete at the funeral hometer and he¡¯s bringing Cris with him. I have also received word from Leo and Benny. Liam has instructed them to go to the funeral home.¡± ¡°Liam is going prepared,¡± Xavier said, sounding impressed. ¡°Have Leo and Benny ce a bug so we can listen in. Since Noah isn¡¯t moving from the Hughes¡¯ residence and Nicole is at home, I¡¯ll have Sam put a tracker on Pete¡¯s car.¡± ¡°What is Noah doing at Sarah Hughes¡¯ house?¡± Cristos asked, surprised. ¡°Renovations,¡± Sebastian answered softly. He was probably still with Ma. ¡°They were at Dom¡¯s earlier. And get this, Noah is also in charge of fixing up her headquarters for the election. I think he¡¯s doing it to sabotage.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Cristos said, agreeing with Sebastian. ¡°I did hear Liam mention something like that when he was on the phone at his office.¡± He paused for a bit before speaking again. ¡°Seems Cris is better. He¡¯s talking in coherent sentences again and from what I can hear, he¡¯s constantly apologizing to Liam for the Chicago incident.¡± ¡°Chicago incident?¡± It was my turn to ask. ¡°What happened in Chicago?¡± ¡°Cris and Pete made the grave mistake of kidnapping Capo B astone Alejandro De Vega¡¯s niece in Chicago, Xavier answered. ¡°De Vega, in turn, put up a closed contract for the assassinations of Cynthia McDowell and Cris Murdock without the approval of their boss. Since either death will be deemed as an unsanctioned hit, none of the assassins of the Angels of Darkness had the guts to deliver. So, we used that knowledge to our advantage.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, puzzled. Xavier chuckled. ¡°Sam and I made it look like either De Vega did it himself or someone close to him killed CHAPTER 75 Chimes. Cynthia for him. No one can deny the weapon used is a s niper rifle De Vega specifically out of the country,¡± Xavier exined. Unfortunately for Liam, Pete is already De Vega got his intel. I bet Pete thinks there was someone on the inside who that kind of sensitive information. Of course, both parties will deny the he truth remains, Cynthia McDowell is dead.¡± n¡¯t that cause a war between the two divisions?¡± I asked, knowing it will be a never- ding cycle of revenge until both Pete and this De Vega were dead. I highly doubt it. Pete doesn¡¯t have the balls nor does he have a private army of loyal soldiers. He could speak to their boss though and ask for a mediation. But there is no doubt in my mind, Liam will bear the brunt of Pete¡¯s anger.¡± Xavier had a point. If there was someone who needed to pay for all of this in Pete¡¯s twisted. little mind, it was Liam. I rushed upstairs deciding it was in my best interest to go to the viewing. Something was going to happen at the funeral home and I wanted to be there when it did. Since tomorrow was reserved for my little ck dress, I opted to wear a dark gray sleeveless. dress paired with a ck sweater and kitten heel pumps. I styled my hair in a neat bun and essorized it with my favorite ded hairb. I kept my make-up light and ced everything I needed in a small ck purse. I arrived at Chimes Funeral Home around nine and noticed the parking area was at capacity. Apparently, a lot of people hade to pay theirst respects to Cynthia and give their condolences to Pete. I parked my car across the street, hoping the owners of the flower shop wouldn¡¯t mind. I kept my head low as I walked through the parking area, slowing down as I passed Liam¡¯s BMW and Pete¡¯s silver Audi. Both cars were empty. Meeting was definitely inside. Before entering, I signed the visitor¡¯s log while scanning through all the names listed down. I noticed Bo Xavier, Chad Hendrix Palmer and Dominic Samuels had already signed the logbook, including Liam Cohen and Cris Murdock. As expected, the viewing room was full of people. Some were sitting, quietly sipping their coffee, while others stood in groups and mingled with each other, speaking in hushed voices, but pointing with their eyes. One group, I noticed, was the group of middle-aged women at the grocery earlier, all dressed in ck co cktail dresses, sipping on champagne while ncing at Xavier every now and then in the hopes of grabbing his attention. Unfortunately for them, Xavier, Sebastian and Cristos were standing together at a corner, talking amongst 12:24 Wed, Mar 27 MM. CHAPTER 75 Chimes themselve sof all the people around them. yed the room looking for Liam and Pete while I walked to the snack ere. in one of the empty rooms. greeted the server, smiling brightly. ¡°Would you happen to know where thedies¡¯ nis?¡± When you back at me. exit this room, turn right. It¡¯s at the end of the hall,¡± the young man said smiling Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied. I lowered my head and ducked outside, covering my face from the people who were in line to sign the logbook. If anyone would ask where I was, at least they knew I went to the ladies¡¯ room. Since the left side of the hallway of the funeral home led to the coffin shop, I immediately turned right and walked into the dark hallway towards the restroom, crossing my fingers they were here somewhere. I doubted they were at the back in the embalming area, but there are stranger ces to hold a meeting. Honestly, whoever owned Chimes Funeral Home had a sick sense of humor. As I walked through the dark hallway, I felt as if I was in a scene of a horror movie. My heels sunk into the thick carpet with each step, the air was surprisingly cold, and only a few of the antique wall sconces were working¡­ nope, flickering. I pulled out my hairb from my bun, arming myself, and slowly made my way to the doorway of the next viewing room. The door was slightly ajar, so I took a peek. All the lights were off. After checking if someone was behind me, I squinted my eyes looking for lights shining through any of the doors. I smiled. There was a lighting from the door at the corner, nearest the restroom. I quickly went to the corner, lying t against the wall, and tried the doorknob. It opened just a bit giving me a view of the inside. Seated at a small wooden table in the room were Pete, Liam and Cris. I didn¡¯t see any sign of Leo or Benny. S hit! If they were able to nt a bug in the room, I could just wait for Cristos to tell me what they talked about. But what if Leo and Benny were unsessful? There would be no way for us to know what 4/5 Chapter 76 CHAPTER 76 Underestimated Liam After Cris and I signed the visitor¡¯s logbook, I messaged Pete we were outside of the viewing room waiting for him. I had just sent the message when the double doors suddenly opened and Pete walked out. I quickly surveyed the ceiling above my head and noticed several CCTV cameras, one in particr was looking straight at me. ¡°Follow me, gentleman,¡± he instructed, gesturing for us to follow him to the dark hallway. I hesitated. The corridor¡¯s ceiling lights weren¡¯t even on and the wall light fixtures were constantly flickering, reminding me of a scary movie I watched when I was I kid. ¡°Scared?¡± Pete asked, amused. I scoffed at him. ¡°Why would I be?¡± I asked. He chuckled, shaking his head at my arrogance. ¡°Because you¡¯re walking into the lion¡¯s den,¡± he answered, entering the dark hallway. Pete looked like he was enjoying himself immensely. He had this strange smile stered on his face as if he had the upper hand. I had this gut feeling there was something wrong. Where the f uck was Leo and Benny? I roughly nudged Cris to walk ahead of me, so I could message my men while we walked through the dark corridor. I purposely hung back, so Leo and Benny could catch up to us. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for your goons, Liam, you¡¯ll be happy to know they¡¯re already here,¡± Pete said as he led us to the end of the hallway. ¡°You¡¯ll also be happy to know I¡¯ve taken the liberty in keeping them comfortable while we waited for you. Now put your phone away, before I take it away from you and destroy it.¡± I quickly pocketed my phone and ran my fingers through my hair, mad at myself for not having anticipated the possibility of this happening. I should have called in for more men as back up. F uck! F uck! F uck! ¡°You¡¯re awfully quiet, Liam,¡± Pete said, snickering. He stopped at a door and opened it. ¡°You have always underestimated me. This time is no different. While you were providing Cris with the necessary attention to wake him from his crazed state, I used the time to prepare for our little get-together. Now get inside, before my generous persona fades.¡± 1/5 CHAPTER 76 Underestimated Cris entered, his head hung low. For a tall man who loved to beat up girls and rape them, he was a coward. I could never rely on him for help. A small wooden table with a bottle of scotch and several sses stood at one side of the room while four empty chairs circled around it. While we followed him to the table, Pete gestured to us to take a seat. This surprised me because he rarely offers me a seat. Usually he makes me stand in front of him while he sits¡­ like a sl ave to his master. When the door closed behind us, that¡¯s when I noticed Leo and Benny kneeling on the floor at the other end of the viewing room. Their hands were bound and their mouths duct taped. Two huge men, who I have never seen before, were holding guns at the back of their heads. Go d da mmit! ¡°Sit down,¡± Pete instructed, pointing to two of the chairs, as he took his seat. ¡°Have a drink. with me.¡± He opened the bottle and poured some scotch in three sses. ¡°I said, sit down!¡± I nced at Cris and moved my head, urging him to sit down. We both sat down opposite Pete with our backs to the door. Pete raised his ss for a toast, waving with his other hand for us to do the same. ¡°Let us make a toast to new beginnings. Without my mother, I now have full control over the West North Central States. To new beginnings.¡± He clicked his ss against ours and downed his drink. Cris, following his lead, did the same. I hesitated, not wanting to give in to his machinations. Usually he looked like a re t ard, but tonight he looked sharp in his ck suit with his hair slicked back. He even wore hisrge gold ring encrusted with ruby and several small diamonds on his pinky finger, a ring bestowed upon him by the boss of the Angels of Darkness when he was given the rank of underboss. His father once owned it, now it was his¡­ Thanks to his mother. ¡°Drink, Liam. I¡¯ve gone to great lengths to get this particr brand for you. Plus, it¡¯s disrespectful to your host,¡± he sneered. I lifted my ss to my lips and downed its contents, then leaned back on my chair, cing hand on my gun. I was a good shot and could quickly shoot the two men behind Leo and Benny before aiming my gun at Pete. I just needed to time it perfectly. my ¡°What is this all about?¡± I askedzily. ¡°And why are my men hostages?¡± ¡°Liam, you are clearly mistaken. No, they aren¡¯t hostages. They¡¯re my guests,¡± Pete answered 2/5 APTER 76 Underestimated An annoying tone. ¡°Usually guests don¡¯t have guns behind their heads, Pete,¡± I replied sarcastically. ¡°My guests do. Right Cris? You, of all people, know how I treat my guests,¡± he quipped, ending the subject. ¡°And as a sign of respect, you will address me as Capo B astone. So, let¡¯s get down to business, shall we? We need to do this quickly as I have other pressing matters at the moment. I just need some rity before I bury my mother.¡± ¡°I had nothing to do with the death of your mother, if this is what all of this is about. I only found out about what you did in Chicago from Cris earlier this evening,¡± I rified, hoping he would believe me. ¡°It¡¯ true, Pete. He didn¡¯t know- Cris tried to exin, but he was interrupted. ¡°Silence,¡± Pete said angrily, his face contorted with rage. ¡°You honestly think I¡¯d believe you? ¨¤ casket in You¡¯re a f ucking politician, Liam. All you ever do is lie. My dead mother is lying in a f uck the other room and here you are lying to me about your involvement! Tell me, how the did the assassin know where my mother would be at that exact moment? It was timed to perfection!¡± ¡°Why are you pointing the finger at me? I didn¡¯t even know about your conflict with the ENCS. Have you ever thought maybe it was someone close to you? For all we know, it could have been Cris!¡± I argued, hoping he¡¯d realize I wasn¡¯t the traitor. ¡°Woah! Why are you pinning all this on me, Liam?!¡± Cris yelled. ¡°Because you¡¯re a f ucking coward!¡± I yelled back furiously. ¡°Maybe, just maybe, to save your own skin, you gave out pertinent information including my delivery of crates! Then, so no one will suspect it was you, you create the perfect alibi. While the rest of us were working, you were out killing a girl, pretending to have a me ntal breakdown after you did it!¡± I roared, asserting my key points as fact. I know I was putting Cris in a tough spot, but whatever he had with Pete had to stop. They were causing more problems together. It was Pete¡¯s turn to go quiet, his yful mood had quickly turned grim. I knew I had caught his attention. He sat quietly, deep in thought, his face slightly moving as he debated with himself. I inhaled and exhaled deeply, slowly reaching for my gun. I nced at Leo and Benny who were hunched forward giving me a clear view of Pete¡¯s men behind them. 3/5 CHAPTER 76 Underestimated It was now or- ¡°You make a valid point,¡± Pete said, realizing what I had just said could be true. I pursed my lips, frustrated I had just missed my opportunity to kill this moth erf ucker. ¡°You can¡¯t honestly believe him, Pete? I swear, I would never ever betray your trust. We¡¯re bestfriends, remember?¡± Cris reasoned. I grimaced. He and Pete were bestfriends? The utter st upidity. ¡°I spoke with my capo about this and he too believes you¡¯re a liability, Cris,¡± Pete said, shaking his head regrettably. ¡°After listening to Liam make his case, I¡¯m starting to think the same. Sure, we¡¯re bestfriends, but one, I agree with Liam¡­ you are a f ucking coward, and two, you, Liam, Dan and Jack are childhood buddies. Whatever trust we have isn¡¯t as strong. as the bond you have with your three other friends,¡± Pete said, his face serious. ¡°However, all of this can be fixed, including the matter of my dead mother. I just want what is owed me.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked impatiently. I just wanted this over and done with. Pete¡¯s smile was pure evil. ¡°A man after my own heart,¡± he said, taking out his phone and dialing. ¡°Bring him in.¡± The back door of the room suddenly opened. To my utter shock, in came my father, his hands bound in front of him and his mouth duct taped. Following closely behind him 1 was a man who had a gun aimed at his back. Pete gestured to the man to lead my father to the empty chair beside him.. ¡°What the f uck are you doing with my father?¡± I yelled, standing up. Pete raised his hand, cautioning me to stay in my chair. I slowly sat back down, keeping an eye on the man whose trigger finger was on a gun aimed at my father. ¡°Sit down, Theodore,¡± Pete instructed my father. I saw him hesitate, not wanting to give in to Pete¡¯s request. ¡°I said, sit down!¡± The man, who held a gun in his hand, kicked my father into the empty seat beside Pete. My father howled in pain as he fell back into the chair. Cris quickly stood up to help my father, but Pete waved his finger from side to side, telling him that wasn¡¯t a good idea. ¡°Now that everyone is here, let the negotiations begin.¡± 4/5 CHAPTER 76 Underestimated Chapter Comments Luna-Mom hope Leo and Benny show up soon VIEW 1 COMMENT > 23 < SHARE POST COMMENT 5:5 The Joy of RevengeThis is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Chapter 77 APTER 77 Deal was bowing in the middle of a stage amidst a crowd who was giving me a ang ovation, cheering and apuding me for my unprecedented magic trick. After telling Liam toe see me, I called his father telling him my mother had wanted to give him something before she died and instructed him to meet me at the funeral director¡¯s office. He was such an arrogant man. When we grabbed him and the two men following him, he kept shouting we would pay for cing our dirty little hands on him. It took a gun to his head to keep his mouth shut. Since there weren¡¯t enough dead people in New Salem to keep the funeral home afloat, Linda Jacobs, one of my mother¡¯s friends, helped smuggle product out of New Salem using their coffins. We helped her open branches in Bismarck, Mandan and Lincoln while keeping coffin production here. Only a few knew Chimes Funeral Home was like my yground. ¡°Why is my father here?¡± Liam snarled angrily, his hand reaching for his gun. He was such an idiot. He was outnumbered four to one. Cris didn¡¯t count. He was one of those freakishly big dudes who would scream at the sight of a co ckroach. *Calm down, Liam,¡± I urged him using a hushed tone. ¡°Let¡¯s not do anything rash here. If not, you and your father will be the next two influential people New Salem will be mourning for.¡± ¡°Enough of the vile threats. Answer me, why is my father here?¡± Liam asked again, but this time, he spoke calmly, although his face looked like it was about to explode. ¡°I thought I had made it simple for you to understand,¡± I said. ¡°Someone has to pay for the death of my mother and that someone is you, Liam, and your little group of friends.¡± Liam red at me with a murderous expression on his face. ENCS ¡°I¡¯m sorry, has the world gonepletely insane? Was I the person who kidnapped the underboss¡± niece in the first ce?¡± Liam asked. ¡°Must I remind you, our actions have consequences. If there is someone who should be med for your mother¡¯s death, it¡¯s you, Capo B astone. Face it, you killed you own mother, you worthless piece of-¡± I drew out my gun and aimed it at his chest. ¡°And must I remind you, I am the underboss of the WNCS. You work for me, thus it is also your job to protect me and everyone around me. 1/6 CHAPTER 77 Deal the job of the Cohens ever since you first came to this town. Protect those throne without thought or comint. Since you failed me, I will exact you or I can get it from those you call your friends.¡± piece of work, you know that?¡± Liam eximed shaking his head in disbelief. He aned back in his chair and gestured to me. ¡°Fine. What is it that you want? Hmm?¡± 1 owered my gun, hoping we coulde to an agreement. ¡°Someone very important to me was taken from me. In return, I want to take someone important from you. I know for a fact Theodore Cohen is important to you and your friends, unless there is someone else you can give me to take his ce,¡± I said, bargaining with him. ¡°Your choice.¡± He stared at me with a bewildered look on his face. Sure, I was talking like people were just pawns on a chessboard, but what were people to me anyway? People were expendable. It was a sick game I was ying, but I wanted to prove my point. I was boss, not Liam. I could twist anything to my advantage, including having him pay for the death of my mother. I nced at his father and noticed the scared look in his eyes. He had a nasty bump on his forehead and his face was pale. I wanted tough. High and mighty Theodore Cohen has finally realized that in this town, I reigned supreme. Hurry, Liam¡­.. Time is ticking. ¡°Unless there is someone who can take his ce, Liam murmured, clearly infuriated with the ambiguity. ¡°Tell me, Capo B ast one. Who can I exchange for my father? Do you want me to give you Alejandro De Vega¡¯s head on a te? Do you want me to track the assassin? Do you want me to abduct De Vega¡¯s neice for you? Or maybe you want a group of young girls to keep you satisfied every week?¡± I smiled. Liam enumerated from the top of his head hoping one suggestion would tickle my fancy. However, he misunderstood me. ¡°Liam, let me make this clear because you are apparently confused. I want someone important to you, unless you have feelings for De Vega,¡± I said, smiling mischievously. ¡°As for his niece, been there, done that. I even have a video of it.¡± ¡°You want someone important to me in exchange for my father-¡± 2/6 CHAPTER 77 Deal He closed his eyes, finally realizing who I really wanted in exchange for his father. ¡°No! We have already discussed this. I bring in the money and you won¡¯ty a finger on her,¡± he reminded me. ¡°That was before my mother died lying in a pool of her blood inside our very home,¡± I said. casually. ¡°No? Well, if that¡¯s your final answer, I¡¯ll just have Gomez here shoot your father in the head.¡± My voice held no remorse. I gestured to Gomez to do it and he took one step back and aimed the gun at Theodore Cohen¡¯s head. Theodore¡¯s eyes widened and he began mumbling incoherently through the duct tape, looking at me, begging for me to stop. Oh, now you respect me, you old coot! ¡°Wait!¡± Liam eximed, standing up and raising his hands to stop Gomez from shooting his father. ¡°If I do give her to you, are we good? What I mean is¡­ is the te wiped clean? And does this mean everyone here leaves without a scratch? He pointed to his two men who were kneeling at the other end of the room. ¡°Everything will be forgiven and forgotten, however I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t let the hostages go. If I do, then I¡¯m left without a bargaining chip, Liam,¡± I reasoned, not wanting to give up my hostages. ¡°How do I know you¡¯ll hold up your end of the bargain anyway?¡± ¡°I promise I¡¯ll give you Virtue Sullivan, just let my dad go,¡± he begged. ¡°I need some time so I can make the necessary arrangements. I don¡¯t want it to look like another New Salem rape- y case. It will further tarnish my image for reelection.¡± Iughed. He was worried about reelection. a me ¡°You are such a snob, Liam. I don¡¯t care about your reelection! However, I do care about honoring tradition. You want time, I¡¯ll give you time. I want Virtue Sullivan delivered to during the one event when you boys first got your hands dirty for me. Every single time. you and I meet, you look at me like I¡¯m this disgusting pe rverted monster. So as a reminder that you too raped an innocent girl, what better time than the Spring Formal? Why do you think I took Joan Summers during that event? I wanted New Salem to look at you the same way they did when news of Joy Taylor¡¯s assault spread across town. That¡¯s how much I hate you, Liam,¡± I uttered with so much loathing. ¡°Your father wille live with me as my guest until the Spring Formal. If you do not deliver, I will kill your father and throw him at the bottom of theke. So, do we have a deal?¡± I raised my hand where my ruby ring was nestled on my 3/6 Wed CHAPTER 77 Deal y finger, so he could kiss the ring to seal the deal. to his face and kissed the sparkling red gemstone as a sign he was agreeing before I could pull my hand away, he yanked me towards him and whispered. hen you think you¡¯re sittingfortably on your pedestal, look down. You¡¯ll see opping it down with an axe.¡± chuckled. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that,¡± I murmured. ¡°Men, take those two out the back. Don¡¯t kill them. I may have a use for them. Gomez, let Theodore Cohen go.¡± I poured scotch in another last ss and handed it to Theodore. ¡°Fix yourself up, Theodore. You still need to pay your respects to my mother.¡± ¡°Why you little-¡± Gomez pushed the muzzle of his gun against Theodore¡¯s skull, reminding him he wasn¡¯t free to scream insults. He begrudgingly took the ss from my hand and downed it, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. I buttoned my jacket and stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll see the both of you in the viewing room. Cris, please bring the bottle of scotch with you so we can make a toast in the memory of my mother. Theodore, follow me.¡± We exited through the back door, followed by Gomez, leaving a stunned Liam and Cris behind. That they didn¡¯t seeing. Liam I watched my father follow Pete out the back door. There wasn¡¯t much I could do as of the moment, but agree to the arrangement. Later, I¡¯ll talk to the Sheriff and see what we could. do to save my father. I gestured at Cris to follow me to the front door. As I grabbed the door kn ob, I was surprised to find the door was slightly ajar. Was someone watching us? I felt the cold air and shrugged my shoulders thinking it was a faultytch. This funeral home needed a lot of repairs. I noticed the restrooms and decided to ssh some cold water on my face. I quickly turned, my eyes still adjusting to the dark as I walked, when I suddenly bumped into someone. I muttered a curse under my breath, annoyed the hallway was so o dark. 4/6 CHAPTER 77 Deal e person stumbled on top of me and I caught a whiff of that expensive perfume who I new only one woman in this town wore. My heart ski pped a beat, knowing who she was. I wrapped my arms around the small of her waist and held her body against mine. ¡°Liam, oh my gosh! Thank Go d, it¡¯s you!¡± Virtue said, catching her breath. ¡°This hallway is so dark and creepy, I was beginning to imagine things.¡± ¡°You¡¯re safe,¡± I whispered, smiling down at her beautiful face. Just having her in my arms made me feel better. My eyes narrowed as I heard Cris cough behind me, reminding me of my deal with Pete McDowell. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. I still had time before the Spring Formal. I still had time to n Pete¡¯s death. Joy I was t against the wall, stunned at what I was witnessing in the room when I heard Cristos¡¯ voice through my earpiece. ¡°Where are you?! I saw you leave. Sweetie, there are CCTV cameras fronting our viewing room. They could have seen you leave too.¡± Great! Think, Joy, think! Restroom¡­ time of the month¡­. I quickly went inside the restroom and tied my sweater over my waist making people believe I had a stain. It was the best I could do. As I came out, I bumped into Liam. I stumbled on top of him, one of my hands armed with my ded hairb ready to strike if needed. ¡°Liam, oh my gosh! Thank G od, it¡¯s you!¡± I said, pretending to catch my breath. ¡°This hallway is so dark and creepy, I was beginning to imagine things.¡± ¡°You¡¯re safe,¡± he whispered smiling. Cris, who was standing in the hallway, coughed to grab our attention. ¡°Are you going back to the viewing room?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I answered, quickly hiding my hairb in my purse. 5/6 CHAPTER 77 Deal Ill take you, so I know you re safe.¡± He quickly wrapped my hand around his arm and let me through the dark hallway while Cris followed us As we approached the viewing room, I saw Xavier, Sebastian and Cristos waiting at the front of the door. Although they were all smiles, I saw the angry dint in their eyes, Chapter Comments M really don¡¯t want Virtue to be caught and alerts he men what¡¯s happening VIEW DINVENT POST COMMENT Chapter 78 PTER 78 Extraction istos We were outside the viewing room waiting for Joy. Our girl had gone to do some surveince on her own and from what we heard through her earpiece was enough to make the three of us very angry. Angry at ourselves, Liam, Pete and most especially at Joy for being careless. and ignoring hers. Earlier, while we mingled with guests in the viewing room, we waited for chaos to erupt. However, it wasn¡¯t the chaos we expected.. their The three of us excused ourselves from the throng of people who were present to payst respects to Cynthia McDowell and made our way to the far thest corner of the room so we wouldn¡¯t be disturbed. We huddled together while keeping a watchful eye. ¡°Has any one of you seen Pete?¡± Sebastian asked. He just came from a date with Ma and was casually dressed in a dark blue shirt and khaki pants. ¡°No, but his car is here. Maybe he¡¯s already speaking with Liam,¡± Xavier said who looked more formal in his dark gray suit. ¡°Did you see Liam¡¯s car when you walked in?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± Sebastian suddenly paused, looking above Xavier¡¯s head. ¡°Guys, check it out,¡± he whispered, nodding his head to the back of the viewing room. I raised my eyes and saw Pete McDowell in a ck suit with his hair styled in product closing the back entrance of the viewing room. ¡°Pete just came out from the back. Does he own this ce?¡± ¡°No. Linda Jacobs does,¡± Xavier mumbled. ¡°She¡¯s the woman in the ck dress.¡± ¡°Can you be more specific? They¡¯re all wearing ck,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Five foot six, about 140 pounds. Light brown hair, blue eyes, and red nail polish. Has a mole on her left cheek, Xavier described her without even looking at her. My eyes narrowed, scanning Cynthia McDowell¡¯s rich girlfriends. I found her giggling beside Norma Martin while sipping champagne without a care in the world. Hmm¡­ It was time I took a look at her finances. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Pete came in from the back and left through the front. Without even acknowledging or greeting any of his guests, he hurriedly exited the room through the front door. ¡°He¡¯s really a gracious host. Most of the people have been here since eight and he didn¡¯t even speak to any of them,¡± I said. 1/6 CHAPTER 78 Extraction ¡°He¡¯s like his father. He doesn¡¯t care about anyone, but himself,¡± Xavier said, raising his ss. and smiling to the group of twittering women. This is getting old.¡± ¡°Well, I heard Norma Martin is buying the McDowell pharmacy,¡± Sebastian said. We looked at him, impressed he got that bit of information. ¡°Ma told me. Her boss is Norma¡¯s ex- husband.¡± ¡°Seems you have a new target, Bo,¡± I said, snickering. He rolled his eyes and sighed. ¡°Means I have to break up a happy couple,¡± Xavier said before taking a sip of his drink. From the corner of my eye, a woman in a simple gray dress and ck sweater exiting the viewing room caught my attention. She may have made herself look nd andmon, but lov was here that hairb, I can recognize from anywhere. I was about to tell the guys Joy when Big Man Lou¡¯s voice interrupted me. ¡°Primo, I have two satellite messengers pinging. Leo and Benny are sending an SOS, Man Lou said through thes. ¡°Where are they?¡± I asked keeping calm. The SOS meant my cousins were in trouble. Big If anything were to happen to them, the bosses of the Blood Disciples would castrate the three of us. We were warned against encroaching on the Angels of Darkness¡¯ territory when we asked our fathers for their blessing to help Joy exact her revenge. It was a lengthy discussion, but in the end, Joy was family and we never ever turned our backs on family. When I sent Leo and Benny to Liam to do some snooping, I hadn¡¯t anticipated that Joy was. in the middle of something this twisted. We all had thought the Cohens were the ones who ran things in this town. Although they did in a way, they were still puppets on a string. ¡°Chimes Funeral Home. I hacked into their CCTV system. They entered the coffin shop with Theodore Cohen, then followed him inside to some sort of room or office. That¡¯s all I have of them,¡± Big Man Lou said. ¡°Pete McDowell just exited the viewing room,¡± I said through mys. ¡°Who is he meeting?¡± ¡°Liam Cohen and Cris Murdock, Primo. He¡¯s led them through the hallway opposite the coffin shop,¡± Lou said. ¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s where my eyes stop. However, Leo and Benny¡¯s distress signals are pinging in that area.¡± F uck! Pete has taken them hostage. 2/6 Wed, Mar 27 CHAPTER 78 Extraction ¡°Thanks Lou,¡± Xavier suddenly said, taking over. Keep us posted if anything happens.¡± He switched coms, contacting Sam. ¡°Sam, what¡¯s your status?¡± Sebastian and I watched in anticipation as Xavier paused to listen to Sam. We couldn¡¯t hear what Sam was saying. He and Xavier were sharing a private line. ¡°Do you know what they¡¯re nning to do with Theodore?¡± Xavier asked, pausing again to listen to Sam¡¯s answer. ¡°Where are you exactly?¡± Another pause. ¡°Formaldehyde is mmable and the crematorium uses gas, Sam. Alert us when you have them.¡± ¡°What did he say?¡± I asked, hopeful. Xavier gave me aforting smile. ¡°Sam is already out back, coffins are being loaded on a ck truck with license te 581- ELC, and Theodore Cohen is bound and taped, guarded by a man with a gun to his head. Unfortunately, there is no sign of Leo and Benny.¡± Xavier and Sebastian both took out their phones and began messaging their men. When Xavier was done, he patted me on my shoulder. Don¡¯t worry. I got this.¡± I had to hand it to Xavier. He was so calm. Him and his men loved being in the middle of conflict. They actuallyined that New Salem was so boring. But now, they finally got their wish for some action. ¡°I¡¯ve instructed De Luca to follow the truck,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed Pete doesn¡¯t seem too concern his mother is lying in a casket. I guess she had more control over the empire than he did.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be checking out Pete¡¯s finances,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll make all his money disappear- ¡°Hey, Bo! How are you? I hope you¡¯re feeling better,¡± Norma Martin said from behind me. While we were busy making ns, Norma Martin and her predator friends had walked over to check up on Bo. I grimaced as they began running their hands on Xavier¡¯s arms. Xavier appeared delighted at the attention and began charming the pants off of Norma. Cougarville. The predators had set their eyes on Xavier. Well, it was a means to an end. Sebastian and I stood there watching as theypeted for Xavier¡¯s attention until we heard a familiar voice shouting through our earpiece. It was Liam. Sebastian grabbed my arm and pulled me away from Xavier and the group of middle-aged women. 3/6 CHAPTER 78 Extraction ¡°Dont tell me it¡¯s¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s her. Shush! Im listening.¡± Just like Liam, we all underestimated Pete. He had taken Theodore Cohen, Leo and Benny hostage and were using them as leverage to get what he wanted from Liam. Liam, knowing he was backed into a corner, had no other option, but to yield and give in. Pete wanted Joy and although Liam reminded him of their previous deal, he said it was now null and void. after his mother¡¯s death. ¡°Men, take those two out the back. Don¡¯t kill them. I may have a use for them, I heard Pete¡¯s voice give out instructions. I felt relieved my cousins were alive, but it was time for Joy to get out of there. ¡°Where are you? I saw you leave. Sweetie, there are CCTV cameras fronting our viewing room. They could have seen you leave too,¡± I said through thes. I heard her mutter a curse under her breath before I heard a door open and her heels clicking against the floor. ¡°Wait for me outside. Pretend I have a stain on my dress,¡± she whispered. I was about to answer her when Xavier said something rather loudly. ¡°Roger that,¡± he eximed. The women around him looked at him puzzled. ¡°Roger what?¡± Norma Martin asked, amused. ¡°Military lingo for ¡°received and understood¡±. You were just inviting me to a dinner remember? So, yes, roger that, I¡¯ll go.¡± Xavier looked at his watch. ¡°As much as I want to stay, it¡¯ste and I need to wake up early for Cynthia¡¯s funeral. I¡¯ll see all of you tomorrow. Good night.¡± ¡°Do all three of you have to go?¡± Linda Jacobs asked, looking at Sebastian like he was a piece. of meat. ¡°Unfortunately, yes, Sebastian answered. ¡°But we¡¯ll see you again in the morning.¡± He took out his business card and handed it to Linda. ¡°If you need anything, give me a call.¡± Suddenly, I heard Joy¡¯s voice through my earpiece. ¡°Liam, oh my gosh! Thank G od it¡¯s you!¡± Joy said, catching her breath. ¡°This hallway is so dark and creepy, I was beginning to imagine things.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I said, preparing myself to use my gun. I¡¯d shoot Liam if it meant saving Joy. I didn¡¯t care if I¡¯d have to go into hiding. I nced at Xavier and I could see in his eyes that he 4/6 12.25 Wed, Mar 27 M CHAPTER 78 Extraction was thinking the same too. We exited the viewing room and waited for Joy. It felt like an eternity for her to show up. *X, standby for extraction,¡± one of Xavier¡¯s men said through thes. We needed to leave now. ¡°You guys know what to do,¡± Xavier mumbled, before turning around to greet Joy as she, Liam and Cris finally came out of the dark hallway. We were all smiles, but angry as hell at Joy for going off on her own. ¡°Hey guys. I couldn¡¯t get the stain off,¡± Joy whined. ¡°I think I need to go home.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll drive you home, sweetie,¡¯ I offered. ¡°Let¡¯s go home now.¡± ¡°But I brought my car-¡± All of a sudden, a loud explosion rattled the entire funeral home. We all dropped to the floor, covering our heads. I nced at Liam, noticing his arms were on Joy¡¯s head, sheltering her from the explosion. ¡°Get Virtue out of here, Chip!¡± Liam eximed, pushing Joy into my arms. ¡°Crise with me! I need to help my fa-¡± Another explosion erupted. The doors to Cynthia McDowell¡¯s viewing room suddenly burst open. People came out screaming and running, escaping with their lives. We noticed smoke had begun to billow out from the room. Apparently a fire had erupted from the back of the funeral home. Liam and Cris ran towards the crowd of panicking people, trying to enter the viewing room. Sebastian and I ced our arms around Joy while Xavier ced his coat around her as the sprinkler system turned on. We calmly led her outside amidst the frightened people. ¡°Extraction a sess. I repeat, extraction a sess. Taking Leo and Benny home.¡± At the mention of those words, we turned around to check on the damage and found Chimes Funeral Home engulfed in mes. 5/6 CHAP 78 Extraction omments she wasn¡¯t found and it¡¯s time to tell her men what she learned VIEW 1 COMMENT > 26 POST COMMENT 1 Chapter 79 CHAPTER 79 Hero Sam New Salem was such a small town, it was hard to blend in with the people. Everyone here knew each other. So, instead of blending in with the town¡¯s folk, I conceal myself, working as a ghost, a shadow. I know these people have seen me from the corner of their eyes, but before they could even turn their heads and focus their eyes on me, po of¡­ I was gone. After cing a tracking device on Pete McDowell¡¯s silver Audi, my miniptop pinged. I ducked behind the fancy cars and took cover behind the trees near the funeral home. I quickly pulled out myptop from my pack. Someone was in trouble and I had to answer the call. Satellite messengers belonging to Leo and Benny were sending a distress signal and global satellite positioning pointed to the back of the funeral home. Well, what do you know? I¡¯m already here. I sent out a group message to my feam who were at Old Man Eugene¡¯s property to prepare for an extraction at Chimes Funeral Home, sending them coordinates of Leo and Benny¡¯s exact location. I told them to hustle¡­ We had two of our own to rescue. I ced my mini-ptop back in my bag and hoofed it to the back of the funeral home. I noticed a huge ck truck making its way inside thepound, so I decided to hitch a ride. The truck slowed down as it entered, passing through the gates of a typical hexagonal wired fence without any ha ssle. I jumped off the truck and hid behind the garbage bins near the docking area of the funeral home. Once the truck had parked its trailer into the docking area, I snuck inside, using the darkness to conceal myself. The back of the funeral home was a dump. It had hazardous chemicals everywhere, boxes. upon boxes of s hit and coffin material lying around. It was smelly, dirty, dank and dusty, and it was terribly dark as if the owners disliked investing on light bulbs. stic p doors separated the embalming area from the outside. I quickly snuck into the embalming area and hid behind boxes of chemicals in a corner. That¡¯s when I saw Theodore Cohene out from a door, bound and gagged, being led by some punk holding a gun to a big room which looked like the funeral home¡¯s crematorium. 1/5 CHAPTER 79 Hero I looked above my head to check for CCTV cameras. Not one in sight. Good. It¡¯ll make my job a lot easier. The truck was a good distraction. All the men were outside loading coffins into the trailer. There was a lot yelling and the fork lift was he noisy. While I crouched down in my hiding spot, my eyes having finally adjusted to the dark, I noticed a red gasoline container. I was nning our escape when I heard Beaufort¡¯s voice on coms. ¡°Sam, what¡¯s your status?¡± He asked casually, knowing I had already seen the distress signal. ¡°I¡¯ve entered the back of the funeral home. Theodore Cohen is here, his hands are bound and his mouth taped. The back is crawling with critters. They¡¯re loading coffins into a huge ck truck. License te five eight one, echo lima charlie with ¡®Chimes Coffins and Funeral Homes¡¯ painted on the trailer.¡± ¡°Do you know what they¡¯re nning to do with Theodore?¡± Beaufort asked. ¡°No. But he has an ugly m otherf ucker with a gun guarding him. I don¡¯t see Leo and Benny but their SMs are pinging near this area,¡± I answered. ¡°Where are you exactly?¡± Xavier asked. ¡°Embalming area and crematorium. There¡¯s a door that leads inside the viewing area. I suspect Leo and Benny are being held captive somewhere there.¡± ¡°Formaldehyde is mmable, Sam, and the crematorium uses gas,¡± he said, indirectly telling me to use the resources I had around me to create a fire. ¡°Alert us when you have them,¡± Beaufort instructed. This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Copy that.¡± I crept towards the gasoline container, silently praying there was gasoline in it. I guess Go d was watching over us Blood Disciples, because it was filled with gasoline. Now, I had to wait¡­ patiently for an opportunity. If they were going to execute Leo and Benny, it¡¯ll probably be here where it¡¯s easy to clean the blood up and dispose of their bodies. I peeked through the stic ps and noticed the men had just finished loading their cargo onto the truck. Several of the men jumped inside the truck while the others climbed into 2/5 CHAPTER 79 Hero tive vehicles. I guess they were all going home. ked before it exited thepound. A shame it had to leave before the exploded. It would have been a great getaway vehicle. I suddenly heard a phone ring. The punk guarding Theodore answered his phone, then gestured to Theodore to walk back inside. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said to Theodore. Theodore stood up and walked back inside. When the both of them disappeared, I began prepping up for the distraction to facilitate our escape. e area I quickly covered the in gasoline, making sure the boxes of chemicals were doused in it. Since all the men had left for the night, I walked to the door that led to the inside and opened it, discovering it opened to a well-lit hallway with several doors across from it. I couldn¡¯t wait in the hallway. I was a sitting duck. I had to wait out here until I saw Leo and Benny before I could make my move.. After several minutes, the door at the far end opened and out came Leo and Benny, tied and gagged being led by two humongous goris. I heaved a huge sigh of relief, seeing the both of them were still breathing. ¡°X, I see them. Prepare for extraction. Over,¡± I whispered through mys. ¡°Roger that,¡± Beaufort answered. I switcheds tomunicate with my team. ¡°Team, prepare for extraction.¡± ¡°Team is on standby outside your location, Sam, answered Link. He may be an attorney, but he loved the action. ¡°X, standby for extraction.¡± It was a warning to Beaufort and to whoever was with him to get the hell out of here. Escape and extraction with a corresponding distraction usually meant an explosion. I hid behind the door and waited for the two goris to exit before knocking the both of them out with the butt of my gun. After cutting the nylon cables binding Leo and Benny¡¯s wrists, I handed Leo my gun and gestured for them to head outside so I could ignite the gasoline. I lit up my lighter, throwing it into the puddle of gasoline on the floor, then dashed outside so I could lead Leo and Benny to safety. 3/5 APTER 79 Hero e and chemicals alone weren¡¯t enough to cause an explosion, I ced enough C4 Iming table and on the door of the cremation machine. As we reached the gate. pound, I detonated the C4, one after the other, causing two explosions, hoping I¡¯d se panic and enough mayhem. Link and the rest of the team were waiting behind the trees with their motorcycles. ¡°Extraction a sess. I repeat, extraction a sess. Taking Leo and Benny home,¡± Link announced, handing Leo and Benny each a helmet. I turned to look at the damage I caused and found Chimes Funeral Home engulfed in mes. I switched mys. ¡°Lou, I need you to erase all CCTV footage of the Chimes Funeral Homes.¡± *Sam, you got it. By the way, well done.¡± Liam Dark clouds of smoke circled around us. I covered my nose and mouth with a handkerchief, plowing against the frightened people who were trying to escape the fire. I saw Pete making his way to the front, his arm covering his mouth. I was about to ask him. where my father was, but the a ss hole pushed me aside and quickly ran out. ¡°Dad, where are you?¡± I yelled out, squinting my eyes, desperate to find him.. Suddenly, a hand grabbed my leg. I crouched down and saw my father lying on the ground, underneath Cynthia McDowell¡¯s coffin. I handed my father my handkerchief to shield him from the smoke. ¡°Cris, we need to push the coffin off of him,¡± I croaked. The smoke was stinging my eyes and I couldn¡¯t breath. Cris nodded his head and positioned himself at one end while I grabbed the other end. Slowly, we lifted the coffin up and pushed it aside, enough for my father to crawl out from underneath it. Cris pulled him up on his feet, cing my father¡¯s arm around his shoulders, We were about to leave when I heard a woman¡¯s voice cry out for help. 4/5 CHAPTER 79 Hero Cris, go. I¡¯ll follow you,¡± I said. It took me a few moments, but I found the woman crouched. down on the ground. I lifted her up and quickly led her outside. Once outside, the town¡¯s firemen and EMTs assisted us, providing us with first aid and oxygen. ¡°Thank you, Liam,¡± Norma Martin said while breathing through her mask. ¡°You saved my life.¡± ¡°Seems you¡¯re a hero, Liam,¡± Sheriff Combs said, finally arriving at the scene. ¡°You¡¯ll be headlining tomorrow¡¯s news. Actually, all this will be headline news.¡± I nced at Pete who was seated on a stretcher receiving first aid. He looked furious. Chapter Comments Kuna-Mom now that was exciting VIEW 1 COMMENT 24 POST COMMENT Chapter 80 CHAPTER 80 Enigma Joy I woke up to a rainy Monday morning. I quickly grabbed my phone from my nightstand and checked my messages. As expected, a message from Liam was waiting for me, informing me Cynthia McDowell¡¯s funeral had been postponed to this afternoon, but he would no longer be attending. His father was in the hospital and he had to attend to his needs first. Sh it! Pete survived the fire. I put my phone down and stretched. No problem. If a fire couldn¡¯t kill him, I would. Last night, before the firemen and the rest of the first responders arrived at the scene, the boys decided it was better if we left and met up with Leo and Benny instead, before they left. New Salem. It was such a huge relief to see them alive and well,ughing with a drink in their hands. After giving Leo and Benny each a hug, I gave Sam a kiss on the cheek as my way of thanking him. Xavier looked on, proud of his prot¨¦g¨¦. Sam was proving himself indispensable. I was already up, brushing my teeth and recalling the deal Liam made with Petest night, when the doorbell rang. Wondering who it was, quickly put on my robe and rushed downstairs. It was Noah. He was wearing a long sleeved id shirt, jeans and his trusty work boots, while holding up an umbre to shelter him from the rain. He smiled brightly at me, appearing to be in a good mood despite the bad weather. ¡°Good morning, Virtue! I dropped by to check up on you. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve heard, but there was a fire at the funeral homest night,¡± he said. I invited him inside so he could get out of the rain and ushered him into the kitchen for some coffee. ¡°Yes, I know there was a fire at Chimesst night. I was there when it happened,¡± I replied, filling the reservoir of my coffee machine with water. After cing some coffee grounds in the filter, I turned my coffee maker on. ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t going to Cynthia McDowell¡¯s viewing,¡± he said, taking a seat in one of my kitchen stools and leaning his elbows on the kitchen ind. ¡°Tell me, what happened?¡± ¡°Well, I changed my mind at thest minute, thinking it would be better if I did go¡­ to show 1/6 CHARTER Pete during this very emotional time for them. Chip and I were about. this explosion. Smoke suddenly starteding out from the viewing people were running and screaming. Liam told Chip to get me out of there inside to look for his father. It was a frightening experience,¡± I said, narrating short version of last night. ¡°Anyway, I received a message from him this morning. rently, he and his father are fine, although his father is currently in the hospital.¡± I gged in my toaster, then I asked him, ¡°Do you know if there were any any casualties?¡± Yeah, several, ording to reports. The police are still identifying the remains,¡± he answered. ¡°After your, uhm, horrifying ordealst night, I have some good news for you. My team and I will be finishing up your boutique today instead of tomorrow. I, uh, I¡¯ve been. hired to clean up the debris at the funeral home and see what can be salvaged. Once Linda Jacobs¡¯ insurance pays up, she wants me to start construction.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really nice to hear. Thank you, Noah,¡± I said gratefully, grinning at him. I actually waited for you toe home yesterday to ask you if you wanted toe with me to Cynthia McDowell¡¯s visitation, but I guess you were busy,¡± I opened my refrigerator and took out a bag of bagels and some bananas. ¡°Aw, you should have called me. Seems like I missed a lotst night. I was over at the Hughes¡¯ residence installing new flooring, some light fixtures and putting up up new shelves,¡± Noah exined. Sure you did, Noah. Sarah Hughes and Nicole had that same look when they looked at Noah. They were in love with him.. I nced at him from time to time while I prepared a simple breakfast for the both us. I had. to make sure his hands were where I could see them. After finding bugs and cameras in inconspicuous ces in my boutique, I didn¡¯t want him doing the same in my house. ¡°Are you going to the funeralter this afternoon? Liam messaged me it was postponed to this afternoon,¡± I mentioned while cing a cup of coffee in front of him, including some cream and sugar. ¡°Ah, no,¡± he answered, shaking his head while he poured some cream into his coffee. ¡°I¡¯ll be at your boutique remember? Plus, there¡¯s some talk going around town that the McDowells are, uhm¡­ cursed.¡± I stared at him with a bewildered expression on my face, but in reality, I was fighting the urge tough. If you guys only knew¡­. 2/6 CHAPTER 80 Enigma ursed? Why do the people think that?¡± I asked, cing a te of bagels, a te of sliced ananas, a jar of cre amy peanut butter and a block of cream cheese on the ind counter. ¡°Do people here still believe in witchcraft?¡± ¡°Well, North Dakota has a rich Native American history and that includes certain beliefs about spirits and curses,¡± he exined while putting some cream cheese on his warm bagel. He took a bite and moaned in satisfaction. ¡°As a precaution, Virtue, I think it¡¯s best if you stay away from Pete, just for the time being.¡± ¡°Noah, I doubt if a curse caused the firest night,¡± I said, putting some peanut butter and slices of bananas on top of my bagel. ¡°I was there. The air in that ce was moldy, the lights were flickering and the hallway was so dark, I thought the boogeyman was going to jump out and grab me. That funeral home was in dire need of repairs. I suspect the fire was caused by something that short circuited.¡± I took a bite of my bagel and savored its sweet taste. ¡°Well, they¡¯re still investigating,¡± Noah said, looking at me. ¡°Are you considering going to the funeral?¡± ¡°Of course. Pete needs our support,¡± I answered before chomping down on my bagel. I was hungry. ¡°Is Liam going with you?¡± He asked, finishing his bagel. ¡°Ah, no. His father¡¯s in the hospital,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m going to call Chip and ask if we can go together.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Theodore Cohen is in the hospital, Noah said, sipping his coffee. He sighed. and ced a hand on mine, squeezing it. ¡°I know Liam¡¯s some sort of hero for saving Norma Martin from the fire, but he¡¯s dangerous, Virtue. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve heard, but Liam Cohen has been in the middle of two, uhm, cases.¡± ¡°Dangerous? Liam¡¯s dangerous? What do you mean, Noah?¡± I asked, pretending to be concerned for my safety. I finished my bagel and began licking my fingers. I saw Noah swallow hard as he watched me ce my fingers in my mouth. Naughty¡­ Naughty¡­. ¡°We were in high school when he, Jack, Cris and Dan were used of raping Joy Taylor, al friend of ours. S-she¡¯s the girl I was talking about¡­ my bestfriend. I don¡¯t know what happened to her after. She and her family left New Salem in the middle of the night. I haven¡¯t heard from her ever since,¡± he said, practicing some self-restraint. Good boy. 3/6 CHAPTER 80 Enigma ¡°used? Did Joy Taylor ever file charges?¡± I asked. ¡°No, but her father wanted to. Unfortunately, no one would talk,¡± Noah said candidly. ¡°So, there weren¡¯t any witnesses to corroborate her story. I see,¡± I said. ¡°Do you suspect a cover up? I heard Theodore Cohen was mayor before Liam.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what the town suspects,¡± Noah admitted, ¡°Poor Joy. She was raped and no one believed her. So how about the other case?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± ¡°You said Liam was in the middle of two. The first, he¡¯s an alleged rapist. How about the second?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ The Joan Summers rape-y case. Her body was found in the middle of thekest spring,¡± Noah said. ¡°Yeah, I recall Sheriff Combs talking about her. How does he figure in her case?¡± I asked, removing my hand from his grasp and picking up the used dishes and utensils, cing them. in the sink. ¡°He was seen following her, stalking her before she went missing,¡± Noah answered. ¡°Noah, if Liam killed her, don¡¯t you think he would dispose of her body properly where no on would find it?¡± I asked. ¡°It just looks too obvious. Plus, if I remember correctly, they found the person who killed Joan Summers or was that a cover up too?¡± I read the coroner¡¯s file on Joan Summers. Liam said Joan was his friend who yed chess with him at his office from time to time. Unfortunately, after Old Man Eugene found out about Joan¡¯s after school get-togethers with him, he began telling the townsfolk Cynthia McDowell and the Cohens werend grabbers. Liam stated he had no part in her abduction or rape, but he was ordered by Peter McDowell to get rid of her. Since he couldn¡¯t kill her himself, he instructed his men to do it for him and to bury her body. However, his men threw the body in theke instead of burying her. Noah leaned back on his stool with a sombre expression on his face. ¡°I know he¡¯s your friend, but Virtue, you don¡¯t know him like I do,¡± Noah said. I was ying the devil¡¯s advocate and it was working. 4/6 CHAPTER 80 Enigma ¡°Uhm, isn¡¯t he your friend too? I¡¯m not defending him. I just want the facts. You were the one who said he was dangerous. Is there more to these cases¡­ maybe certain details you may know?¡± I asked. I watched him squirm ufortably in his seat He knew more than what he was letting on, but he was sworn to silence.. ¡°I only hear what the townsfolk have to say,¡± he mumbled, finishing his coffee. I just have onest question, Noah. ¡°You said you were bestfriends with one of his victims. Did you ever feel the need to avenge Joy Taylor? Because if she were my bestfriend, I would.¡± He looked outside through the windows before answering my question. I was surprised to see the regret in his eyes. ¡°No. Because she left, so I moved on,¡± he answered, ncing at his watch. ¡°I best be going. Thanks for breakfast.¡± He stood up and quickly went to the door. No balls Noah¡­ ¡°My pleasure. Since you¡¯ll be busy, I hope you¡¯ll have time to drop by when I have my grand opening,¡± I said, following him. ¡°For you, I will,¡± he said, suddenly turning around to face me. He ced his arms on my shoulders and gazed down at me with his chocte brown eyes. ¡°Virtue, I care for you. I don¡¯t want to see you get hurt. So please, avoid Pete¡­ temporarily, until I say it¡¯s okay, and when you need to be with Liam, make sure you aren¡¯t alone.¡± I nodded my head. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°You promise?¡± He gazed at me with puppy dog eyes. ¡°I promise, after I go to the funeral.¡± He rolled his eyes at my answer. ¡°Fine. Just as long as you¡¯re with Chip,¡± he said, epting my proposal. ¡°I better get going. Take care, Virtue.¡± He quickly kissed me on my cheek and left. I waved goodbye as he walked through the rain underneath his umbre. Noah was an enigma. From what I remembered of him in high school, he was usually easy to read. Now, I couldn¡¯t read him at all. 5/6 TER Pama thing I was sure of, he was up to something. nced at Joy¡¯s shed as I walked away. The lens of the camera I had ced on the door had something blocking it. I¡¯ve been meaning toe over and take a look at it, but Old Man Tucket was always watching. Plus, I had stuff to deal with it. After climbing into my truck, I fixed my hair and checked if I had something in my teeth through my rearview mirror. I frowned as I gazed at my reflection, frustrated my boyish good looks weren¡¯t enough to charm Virtue. She needed a respectable man with money, a nice house, a nice car¡­ Someone she could be proud of. I backed out of my driveway and drove out of the cul-de-sac, slowing down as I passed her house. Soon Virtue. Soon. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom oh well karma what goes aroundes around y VIEW T COMMENT:This is from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 81 CHAPTER 81 Funeral Pete McDowell It was early in the morning when I was released from the hospital. After being discharged, I had one of my men pick me up and drive me to where my Silver Audi was parked. There was still some smoke coming from the charred remains of the funeral home, the pavement was wet from the rain and a ck hearse with my mother¡¯s casket waited patiently on the side of the road until it was time to bring my mother to her final resting ce. Afterst night¡¯s tragic event, her funeral was moved to the afternoon to give people time to dpress from the fire, however I doubted if any of the townsfolk would attend. There was a target on my back and my mother¡¯s friends knew this. Fortunately, the coffins carrying the drugs had already left before the fire broke out. If not, I would be dealing with a lot more, paying for those drugs from my pocket. I had so much on my te already. I didn¡¯t want to lose money too. Parrived home to find the window reced and the shattered ss and blood cleaned up. I decided to go straight to my room and take a shower. The smell of smoke on my hair, skin and clothes was nauseating. After getting dressed, I felt much better. I grabbed my phone and dialed the number of my capo. It was really frustrating that he had been missing in action after these two incidents. ¡°What do you want?¡± He asked, his voice harsh. I guess I woke the ba stard up. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you heard aboutst night,¡± I said, checking if he was updated. ¡°Yes, I have. It¡¯s hard to miss a ck cloud of smoke in the sky. I also heard our good mayor is now quite the hero,¡± he said disapprovingly. ¡°Why am I not surprised? It¡¯s like everything you touch turns to s hit. What happened, Pete? ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know. One second, I was closing a deal with Liam, the next¡­ an explosion erupted from the back of the funeral home.¡± ¡°You made a deal with Liam? What deal, Pete?¡± He asked angrily. He was always missing when I needed him, but he always acted angry when he wasn¡¯t informed. ¡°In exchange for his father, I, uh, I¡­¡± ¡°Spit it out!¡± 1/5 CHAPTER 81 Funeral ¡°In exchange for his father, I asked him to deliver Virtue Sullivan to me on the day of the ¡°I blurted out, knowing he wouldn¡¯t approve. I waited for the insults, but I himugh instead.. Spri ?¡± He asked, amused zoes in or answered. ¡°But, because of the fire, I lost my leverage. Theodore Cohen is tly confined in the hospital. Liam has guards manning the premises. No one goes. without his approval.¡± was already impressed you had Liam on his knees, now we¡¯re back to square one,¡± he coffed at my stu pidity. ¡°You don¡¯t need to literally imprison Theodore. All you need to do is remind them what¡¯s at stake. Have one of your men dress up like a nurse and ce a note beside Theodore¡¯s bed or f uck around with Liam¡¯s chessboard, you know, the one he has in his office. Give subtle hints to help jog his memory. Remind him this is your town and he can¡¯t run away from his¡­ obligations.¡± Good idea. Simple, yet threatening. I liked it. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do what you¡¯ve suggested,¡± I said, then I quickly changed the topic. ¡°Back to why I called you. Where the f uck have you been? After my mother dies, a fire conveniently erupts at the funeral home. I want you to find-¡± ¡°You want me to find whoever is doing this to you? I don¡¯t need to. You already know who¡¯s behind all this, so why bother?¡± He said, dismissing the idea of looking for the assassin. ¡°If I were you, leave town for a while. After your mom¡¯s funeral, why don¡¯t you fly off to, let¡¯s say, Hawaii? Get a tan, change your hair, get some liposuction done, buy colored contacts, a whole new wardrobe and a whole new identity. While you¡¯re gone, have Lisa sell the house, then use the money to buy a new one. I heard from a little bird that Norma Martin¡¯s husband. is selling. When youe back, no one will know it¡¯s you unless you wear the ring. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be in charge of things until you get back. It¡¯ll be business as usual. I¡¯ll even whip Cris into shape.¡± I sat down on the edge of my bed and thought about it. Instead of Hawaii, I can fly to the Carribean, get off the grid for a while, thene back as a whole new person. Alejandro De Vega wouldn¡¯t even know it was me. Then I can grab that ba stard¡¯s wife and send her back to him in a body bag. I have a little under two weeks until the Spring Formal. I coulde back, pick Virtue up and fly her to the Bahamas. There, she¡¯ll be my se x sve and no one would hear from her again. 2/5 PTER 21 Funeral know what? I¡¯ll take that into consideration, I told my capo. ¡°For now, I¡¯ll bury my other.¡± ¡°You do that, Pete,¡± he said and hung up. After brunch, I got dressed into another ck suit, slicked my hair back and decided not to wear the ring. My capo was right, the ring was a dead giveaway. I hid my tired eyes with ck sunsses and proceeded to the cemetery for the funeral rites, my men following close behind me. The rain had finally stopped and the sunlight had begun peeking through the dense gray clouds lurking in the sky above, improving my mood. The burial site was empty. Rows of wet empty chairs stood behind my mother¡¯s casket. Afterst night, I expected no one would attend, but it still hurt seeing no one was there. I quickly took a seat i in the front, took off my sunsses and gestured to the priest to start. My men, or what was left of them, sat in the back, making sure no one came near me. After the priest blessed the site and sprinkled Holy Water on the coffin, he suddenly paused, looking above my head. That¡¯s when I heard several voices behind me. I turned around and found my men blocking a group a people from entering the site. One of them was Virtue. She was wearing a ck puffContent (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. sleeved belted dress, her long blonde hair cascading below her shoulders. I raised my hand at the priest to excuse myself and walked up to my men. Apanying Virtue was Chip, Bo, Dom and to my utter surprise, Ma. Only the five of them were brave enough to grace my mother¡¯s funeral. I actually felt grateful. ¡°Let them sit,¡± I told my men. They moved aside and allowed the group to enter. ¡°My sincerest condolences, Pete, Virtue greeted me as she walked on the wet grass in her high heels, holding a bouquet of flowers. She was assisted by Chip, who was holding her arm. She handed me the bouquet and gave me a hug. ¡°Thank you,¡± I murmured, raising my eyes to look up at her beautiful face. Honestly, I felt short. She and the three men towered over me. ¡°Cousins of yours?¡± She asked pointing at my men. ¡°Ah, yes,¡± I lied. ¡°After two consecutive days of tragic idents, my family is a bit overprotective. Sorry about that. Please, sit,¡± I gestured to them to sit anywhere they liked. Virtue wiped her chair with tissue before sitting. She was such a girl scout, even though I¡¯ve noticed she carried such tiny purses. After the others took their seats, I gestured to the priest to continue. 3/5 CHAPTER 81 Funeral I stared at Ma as she held Dom¡¯s arm, hiding her face from me. I couldn¡¯t help, but feel impressed. She looked all shiny and new with her honey blonde hair. She was wearing a simple ck dress and ck stiletto heels, carrying a nice leather purse which I suspected was a gift from Dom. After winning Miss Honey Bee, she had caught the eye of one of the most sought after bachelors in this town. My eyes narrowed enviously. I had to remind her she was mine before any other. 1 nced down the row and saw Virtue staring at me curiously. I smiled at her warmly, hoping a smile could conceal my intentions which had inadvertently shown on my face. She, of all people, shouldn¡¯t suspect Ma and I had history. The funeral proceeded without any further dy. I invited them all to Harold¡¯s for some snacks and drinks after the funeral was over. ¡°That¡¯s really nice of you, Pete, but we have to get back to work,¡± Bo said. ¡°Virtue here has to start cleaning up and unpacking those boxes she left in my warehouse.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Noah should be done with the construction by now,¡± I said. ¡°Well, I hope to drop by when I get back.¡± ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± Virtue asked, surprised. ¡°Just a short vacation. After all that¡¯s happened, I think I just need to sit down at a beach somewhere and rx,¡± I said. ¡°You should. You deserve it,¡± Chip said, agreeing with me. ¡°But you¡¯ll miss my grand opening,¡± Virtue said sadly. ¡°Well, taking care of yourself is more important. We¡¯ll be right here when you get back.¡± I watched as they entered their cars, particrly Ma, who had a big smile on her face. Dom treated her like his queen, opening the passenger door of his car for her and ushering. her inside. ¡°Boss, where to?¡± One of my men asked, waiting for my instructions. ¡°Home. I need to pack. While I get ready for my trip, I need you to bring Ma to me and leave a note on Theodore Cohen¡¯s pillow,¡± I instructed. ¡°The girl with Dom?¡± He asked, puzzled. ¡°Yes. Have her wait for me in the safe house at Bismarck.¡± 4/5 CHAPTER 81 Funeral Before I leave, I¡¯ll have a little fun first. Xavier After Pete drove off, I took out my phone and dialed. ¡°Sam, I need you to shadow Pete McDowell. Bring your passport and pack some stuff. I¡¯ll have the ne ready to depart.¡± ¡°Got it, X.¡± Chapter Comments Luna-Mom so Noah thinks he¡¯s a more suitable guy for her to date??? hmmmm Morgan think Noah is Pete¡¯s boss. he¡¯s moved up the rank. VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS 22 < SHARE POST COMMENT Chapter 82 CHAPTER 82 Utility Closet Liam After taking a shower at the hospital, I decided to dress into one of my casual suits and sat down on the couch in my father¡¯s hospital suite. His leg was in cast and he was sleeping with an oxygen mask on to prevent any severe effects from smoke inhtion. I asked my secretary toe down to the hospital to bring me the documents I needed to look over and sign. When I was done, I told her to cancel my appointments for the whole week and for her to lock up the office and go home. It was a sad day. The funeral home was gone and the hospital was packed with traumatized people from the fire. Although there weren¡¯t any casualties among the guests who had come to pay theirst respects to Cynthia McDowell, there were three bodies found at the back of the funeral home. I prayed that Leo and Benny were able to make it out in time, but I assumed the worst. was §á§à I had my men guard the premises of the hospital. After speaking to the Sheriff, there other way to protect my father, but to do it myself. He reminded me if he were to arrest Pete, we would all go down. He had enough evidence on all of us to lock us up for good. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Liam. There¡¯s not much I can do. What we can do though is use his problem with this De Vega fellow to our advantage,¡± Sheriff Combs suggested. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked. ¡°We can kill him and bury him in the forest where no one can find him, then act as if he was taken by De Vega. Or we can have someone kill him while he¡¯s walking down the street and make everyone believe it was De Vega,¡± he answered. ¡°It¡¯s either you take matters into your own hands or you wait for Pete to do his worst. It¡¯s up to you.¡± ¦§ The Sheriff was right. I had to take matters into my own hands. But I knew Pete would also be heavily guarded after what happenedst night. I had to wait until he lets his guard down before I made my move. I nned to make it look like he died of natural causes and not a gunshot to the head. The people of New Salem would think it wasn¡¯t safe under my leadership if Pete died while walking down the street. Dan arrived at the hospital with a fruit basket in his hands wearing another one of his silk shirts under his designer trench coat. I instructed my guards to keep an eye on my father and not to let anyone in the room while I spoke with Dan. I led him to a utility closet at the far end of the hallway and locked the door. 1/5 CHAPTER 82 Utility Closet ¡°What happenedst night?¡± Dan asked in a hushed voice while we stood in the middle of mops and buckets. ¡°Is Lisa okay?¡± I asked. She was distraught when Cris and I left herst night. ¡°Of course. She¡¯s at Hillcrest,¡± Dan said. ¡°She¡¯s under a bit of stress after finding out her t we are husband killed a girl, that she might be the next target of some mafia boss, and that all tied up in this together. Then, there¡¯s the little issue of Pete being our boss and that we deal drugs. Well, she had to find out sooner orter. I actually thought she had an idea, I just didn¡¯t bargain she was oblivious to her husband¡¯s extracurricr activities. Anyway, she promised to keep her mouth shut if it¡¯ll keep her alive. So, Liam, talk to me. What happenedst night at the funeral home?¡± ¡°That ba stard kidnapped my father,¡± I said angrily. Dan shook his head in disbelief. ¡°The big boss won¡¯t like hearing Pete overstepped his bounds. Theodore Cohen is under the protection of the Angels of Darkness for services rendered,¡± Dan said. ¡°First, he kidnapped and raped De Vega¡¯s niece, now he f ucked with Theodore. He¡¯s such an idiot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not all. He asked me to give him Virtue in exchange for my father,¡± I said. ¡°And get this, he wants it done during the Spring Formal. I heard Dan mutter a curse underneath his breath. ¡°Why am I not surprised? He really wants to ruin your chances at reelection. Anyway, he called me earlier to tell me he¡¯s leaving. He told me to send his take to his offshore ount: and make sure I ship the big boss¡¯ money to Texas while he was gone,¡± Dan said. I stared at him, not believing what I had just heard. ¡°G od da mmit! I was nning on something. You sure of that?¡± I asked, knowing Pete was such a liar. ¡°Like I would make this up. He said he¡¯ll be leaving the country and that he¡¯ll be gone indefinitely. That¡¯s what he said,¡± Dan confirmed. ¡°Did he say why?¡± Dan shook his head. ¡°I assume because De Vega is hunting him down and that this little stunt with Theodore will earn him a visit from the big boss once she finds out,¡± Dan answered. ¡°What I do know is he¡¯s scared. He told me ever since he left the hospital, he feels like someone is following him so he¡¯ll be doing the old switcheroo to get out of town.¡± ¡°Switcheroo?¡± I asked, puzzled. Dan rolled his eyes at me. 2/5 CHAPTER 82 Utility Closet es, let¡¯s say, to the diner. Inside, there¡¯s someone who looks like him, has the exact ppearance. They exchange clothing, then that someone who looks like him iner, gets into his car and he drives off to the nearest airport while Pete ar and drives off to wherever, Dan exined. ¡°That¡¯s the old switcheroo.¡± Doesn¡¯t necessarily mean he¡¯s leaving New Salem. He might just dye his hair and head. o his safe house in Bismarck,¡± I said, knowing he was clever. Il have my men check just to make sure. If he¡¯s there, I could definitely have someone shoot him while he walked though the streets. ¡°I doubt it. His capo will be in charge while he¡¯s away, Liam,¡± Dan argued. I nodded my head, thinking this set-up was better. His capo rarely interfered just as long as the money came in. Technically, this meant I would be left in charge. ¡°Are you sure about this? Has his capo even called?¡± I asked. ¡°To answer your first question, yes, I¡¯m sure of the arrangement and to answer your second question, no, his capo hasn¡¯t called. But I¡¯d rather have him in charge than Pete. Since Cynthia left everything to Pete, he has been a real problem. This thing he has with Cris and these women¡­ He¡¯s worse than a drug addict. So, what have you done to Cris?¡± ¡°He¡¯s at the mansion. I was thinking of keeping him there until the election so I can keep watch. But if Pete is leaving, I can send him home and have Jack keep an eye on him. Without Pete here, he can¡¯t go off and abduct women on his own,¡± I said. ¡°Where¡¯s Jack right now? I was expecting to see him here.¡± ¡°Unlike Sheriff Combs, Jack is friends with the Sheriff of Arnold County. He¡¯s still looking for our missing cargo. I heard they have a lead,¡± I said. Dan heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Oh, thank G od,¡± Dan eximed happily, then he ced a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Liam, whatever deal you made with Pete, I doubt if it¡¯ll push through. Spring Formal is just around. the corner and Pete has to drastically change his appearance so he won¡¯t be recognized. Even the best stic surgeons can¡¯t do that in two weeks. My suggestion, ask Virtue out, then propose to her. When she¡¯s under your protection, Pete can¡¯t touch her the way he wants to touch her. When you and Virtue get married, we can start opening boutiques within our territory to e expand our business. F uck Pete. He¡¯s bad for business.¡± That didn¡¯t sound bad. I didn¡¯t want to marry whoever my father had arranged for me to marry and right now he was confined in the hospital. If I propose before he gets out, there won¡¯t be anything he can do. 3/5 12:25 Wed, Mar 27 ¨C p CHAPTER 82 Utility Closet ¡°People love a wedding. It will surely improve my image with Virtue beside me, campaigning with me. Well, I have to go shopping for a ring then, I said, fixing my jacket and opening the door. ¡°Better you leave it to me, Liam,¡± Dan said as we walked out. ¡°Just give me a budget and I¡¯ll get thatThis is from N?velDrama.Org. ring for you.¡± ¡°No problem, but you need her ring size-¡± A loudmotion near my father¡¯s hospital room interrupted me. I dashed towards the suite and saw my men holding a man against the wall. He was wearing hospital scrubs with a surgical mask on his face. ¡°Sir, this one tried to get in without approval,¡± one of the guards said, his arm on the man¡¯s neck. A I grabbed the mask and ripped it off his face. It was one of Pete¡¯s men. Let me go. You know who I work for,¡± he smirked. ¡°I just need to leave this card on Theodore¡¯s pillow.¡± ¡°What card?¡± I looked down at his hands and saw a small card between his fingers. I sna tched it and read its contents. ¡°I expect our deal to push through or else. P¡± Dan, who was looking over my shoulder, said, ¡°He has some balls.¡± ¡°Yeah, he does, and I¡¯m going to be the one who cuts them off,¡± I mumbled. I patted the man down and found his phone. want to know I approached one of my guards and whispered, ¡°Torture him for answers. I want where his boss is flying off to and what his ns are.¡± 4/5 CHAPTER 82 Utility Closet Chapter Comments Luna Mom Pete¡­ Pete¡­.Pete you think you can outsmart Virtue and Co!?! Emy Duvey the capo know them? their n??? wow I can¡¯t wait! Chapter 83 CHAPTER 83 Payment Veronica Ortiz, Houston, Texas I was seated in my office behind my desk at my Houston mansion wearing a white Chanel suit, one of my favorite pieces in my wardrobe. My long salt and pepper hair was styled in an ornate bun and a thick gold and diamond ne restedfortably around my neck. It was a nice sunny day and the breeze entering my office was weing. When I was a child, I pictured myself as an astronaut or a teacher. I never wanted this life, but it was the only life I have ever known. Yes, I wouldn¡¯t be able to afford this Chanel suit. on a teacher¡¯s sry, but at least I could hold my head up high, proud of myself at what I have aplished. I sighed as I watched the trees sway with the breeze. Life never goes as nned. Instead of being a poor teacher, I was rich and lived in a glorious multi-million dor mansion, but I wasn¡¯t proud of myself. Not one bit. If there was one thing I was proud of, it was my son. He moved away from this life and opted to be a doctor. He goes around the world fixing poor children¡¯s smiles for free, his way of giving back for what our family has taken. Yet, things would be way worse if I didn¡¯t sit at the very top. Before I became the Godfather, the Angels of Darkness was spiraling out of control. Pride is a nasty thing. Once a made man reaches a certain rank, he believes anything he does is just and right, even if he tra mples on the innocent. Power like that is ungodly. My grandfather who was the Godfather when I was young always told me we may be considered criminals in the eyes of the government, but to the people who had nothing, we were seen as heroes. We should never force our will on others, instead allow them to make choices of their own.. My family started their smuggling enterprise tobat the rising prices of goods. Employment was dismal and pay was even worse. Hard working people working double jobs couldn¡¯t even afford to buy a nice television set for their family or an electric fan to fight the heat. With our smuggled goods, weContent (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. provided them those luxuries at a price they could afford. But the world suddenly became an ugly ce, all driven by money and the need for power. When my father became the Godfather, he decided to reign over all criminal activity. Drugs, prostitution, gambling¡­ he oversaw all. Yet, he wanted his minions to act in a civilized manner, killing those who overstep their limitations. This continued until my father died, 1/5 CHAPTER 83 Payment shot in the chest, by those who believed his rules to be bu lls hit. When my brother inherited the position, he was so unlike my father, he allowed his members to run amok. This caused. problems with the neighboring reigning mafia organizations. So I had to intervene before it could get any worse. It was a pity to watch my brother die. But those under the Angels of Darkness had to learn. there was a price to pay for their actions.. A knock on my office door interrupted my thoughts. I moved my chair to the center and sat up properly. ¡°Come in,¡± I said, fixing my Chanel suit. The door opened and in came my consigliere. He was my right hand, an indispensable member of the Angels of Darkness. Just like me, he had white in his hair, a testimony to our age. He was nicely dressed in a dark blue suit, but he had a grim expression on his face. Obviously, there was a problem. ¡°Do?a, we have an undocumented delivery at The Blues Club,¡± Lorenzo announced unexpectedly. ¡°It¡¯s from North Dakota.¡± ¡°North Dakota?¡± I asked, puzzled. ¡°From Pedro?¡± I detested the name Peter. He was born Rafael Pedro Cadena Jr., after my poor nephew. However, his mother believed it was in our best interest if he were to blend in with the Americans so the Blood Disciples would not find. him. ¡°No, Do?a,¡± Lorenzo replied. ¡°The delivery men said it was from a group called the ¡°Tres Caballeros¡±. The men have already taken the cargo out. Wine crates filled with money. I estimate it to be over two million dors. One had an envelope with this inside it.¡± He ced the USB on my table. ¡°Tres Caballeros¡­ The three gentlemen, you say? Odd. Have you checked it for viruses?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes, Do?a,¡± Lorenzo said. ¡°It¡¯s clean.¡± ¡°What¡¯s on it?¡± I asked, intrigued. ¡°It seems there are problems in New Salem. I called De Vega to confirm. He told me Pedro apparently kidnapped and raped Ariana,¡± Lorenzo said sadly. ¡°What?! Why was I not informed of this?¡± I asked, grabbing the USB and cing it into myptop. 2/5 CHAPTER 83 Payment ¡°It¡¯s p in enzo admitted. ¡°I heard of thisst month, but I did not conduct an.upied with our problems at the port.¡± old. .That was a big problem. It¡¯s not your fault if you forgot. I, too, am ol anderstand,¡± I said, scanning through the contents of the USB. The problem would have cost me millions. I couldn¡¯t let those sharks at customs take my ndise. ¡°Have you called Pedro?¡± y, his phone is off. Do?a, I have more bad news. Pedro¡¯s mother is dead and Theodore hen is in the hospital,¡± Lorenzo said. ¡°I asked De Vega if he killed Pedro¡¯s mother, he enies it.¡± Call Nestor,¡± I said. ¡°Someone needs to exin why so much has happened without me knowing!¡± Lorenzo dialed Nestor¡¯s number and put my phone on speaker. ¡°Do?a Ortiz, what do I owe the pleasure?¡± He sounded amused to my surprise. ¡°Cynthia McDowell¡­ is she dead?¡± I asked. ¡°Si, Do?a,¡± he said. ¡°Recently buried.¡± ¡°How did she die?¡± I asked. ¡°Shot at her own home by a s niper rifle De Vega smuggles,¡± he answered. I pursed my lips. Just like what happened to Rafael. Could it be the Blood Disciples again? I doubted it. ¡°And Theodore Cohen?¡± ¡°Abducted by Pedro,¡± Nestor replied. ¡°He wanted to make a deal with Liam Cohen, so he took. him.¡± I grimaced. Pedro was turning out to be like his father. ¡°A deal was made at the funeral home during Cynthia¡¯s viewing, but a fire broke out. There was some sort of explosion which the firefighters are still investigating. Theodore Cohen was hurt as a result. He¡¯s in the hospital with a strict no visitors policy.¡± ¡°I tried calling Pedro, but his phone is off. Where is he?¡± I asked. ¡°He fled. I don¡¯t know where to,¡± Nestor answered. ¡°I need you to rify this for me, Nestor. Did Pedro kidnap and rape Ariana De Vega?¡± ¡°Yes, he did. He admitted to the crime and I have a recording of him admitting to it,¡± Nestor answered. ¡°To make a long story short, while he apanied his friend, Cris Murdock, to 3/5 CHAPTER 83 Payment Ariana at a club in Chicago. He offered her a drink and he shrugged him hurt, thus, to teach her a lesson, he abducted her and raped her, only to as looking for her. He set her free, but the damage had already been done. m viting my limitations as a mere capo, but your underboss is more with kidnapping and turning women into se x ves for his utter amusement er than the business. It has gotten so bad he did it to one of our own.¡± That¡¯s alright, Nestor. I value your opinions. My father was the same with your father,¡± I said. ¡°Thank you, Do?a, for your confidence. Unfortunately, my hands are tied. Although I have explicitly told Pedro not to, he repeatedly ignores my warnings,¡± Nestor said, sighing. ¡°You¡¯re in charge, Nestor. If you find out where he is, give me a call. I will deal with this,¡± I instructed him. ¡°Si, Do?a,¡± he agreed and hung up. So why Lorenzo. why were we given money? Information like this is bought, not given freely,¡± I told ¡°Yes, about that¡­The money was sent by a woman named Joy,¡± Lorenzo answered, cing at piece of paper on my desk. ¡°As payment. In return, she wants Pedro to die by her hand without any interference from the organization. I took the piece of paper and read it. My nephew has been hiding his extracurricr activities. This woman must have been one of his many victims. Like all women, I detested rapists. If it were me, I would cut Pedro¡¯s penis off with a Bu tcher¡¯s knife and let him bleed to death. ¡°I was about to ask you to check all chartered flights from the WNCS, so I could deal with Pedro, but there seems to be one who is willing to pay to carry out my ns. Tell the delivery men, I agree to her terms. And Lorenzo, tell De Vega to stand down. Joy will give him the revenge he seeks.¡± ¡°Of course, Do?a. What else do you need me to take care of before I go?¡± Lorenzo asked. ¡°Send flowers to the grave site of Cynthia McDowell, something big and borate, so Pedro knows it¡¯s from me,¡± I said, smiling. 4/5 Chapter 84 CHAPTER 84 Secret Wall Joy I had Cristos follow me home so I could pick up my overnight bag and leave my car. After locking up my house, we drove back into town. Cristos dropped me off at my boutique while he went next door to do some grocery shopping. The boys at Old Man Eugene¡¯s wanted some steaks and potatoes delivered for dinner. Through the storefront windows, I noticed my shop was clean, furnished, but empty. Noah and his crew must have already gone home. I opened the door and dropped my heavy overnight bag on the floor, my eyes surverying the finished- project. I sighed happily. This was my store. I walked inside, my heels making a slight clickety ck sound against the polished hardwood. floors with my every step. The mirrors seemed to glow underneath the lights. The vintage furniture I had bought from Bismarck gave the shop an elegant appeal. All that was missing were the gowns, dresses, suits and apparel I was going to sell. I twirled around, reveling at a dream that could have been mine, if I wasn¡¯t raped and brutalized. While I was admiring myself in one of the mirrors, I suddenly heard voices. Odd. I tiptoed to the short hallway towards the back where my office, bathroom, storage room and fitting rooms were all located. The lights weren¡¯t on in that particr area, so I squinted my eyes to see through the darkness. I found Noah and Nicole standing in front of the wall that separated my space from Xavier¡¯s warehouse. While Noah was still wearing what he wore this morning, Nicole was in a floral spaghetti strap mini dress and high heeled sandals, her hair in a ponytail in the back of her head. They were whispering to each other, oblivious to the fact that I was standing right behind them. ¡°Nicole, trust me,¡± Noah whispered. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll make it up to you. When all my ns push through, you and I will be together. Right now, all the pieces are starting toe together. Per and Liam are at each other¡¯s throats. It¡¯s all going to happen soon.¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that, Noah. Don¡¯t y with me. I saw her the other night at your office. If it weren¡¯t for her ck hair- 1/5 11:41 Thu, Mar 28 CHAPTER 84 Secret Wall ¡°Virtue, I have some store. croissants and coffee for you, Cristos¡¯ voice echoed throughout my Cristos¡¯ voice echoed I pursed my lips, frustrated at the sudden interruption. Thanks a lot, Cristos. I quickly switched on the lights. Nicole and Noah both turned to find me admiring the wall paper while Cristos stood behind me. I turned my head in their direction and jumped, pretending I was startled by them. ¡°Oh my gosh! I didn¡¯t notice you guys were there!¡± I eximed. ¡°Virtue¡­ Chip¡­ uh hi! We were just about to leave,¡± Nicole lied. I noticed Noah¡¯s face had. turned bright red from being caught off-guard. ¡°Noah, you did excellent work,¡± Cristos said, cing the food on the counter. ¡°So when can I haye you back at the pub?¡± I moved aside so Noah and Nicole could walk by Noah¡¯s face was still a bit red while Nicole looked annoyed. I rolled my eyes at them. Of all the stu pid things they could do, they had to have a meeting here. ¡°About that, I was nning on going to the pub tonight to speak to you about postponing the renovations at the pub. I was hired by Linda Jacobs to up the debris from the funeral home and start construction right away. Chimes is the only funeral home we have in New Salem and now that it¡¯s ash, I think it¡¯s my civic duty to help build another one for the people of New Salem, Noah said, sounding like a politician. ¡°Seems like you want to run for mayor, Noah,¡± Cristos quipped. ¡°Sure, I can postpone renovations on the pub. Just promise me when your schedule is free, you¡¯lle and finish it.¡± ¡°I promise,¡± Noah said, extending his hand. Cristos grabbed it and shook it, sealing the deal. ¡°Virtue, I¡¯ll come by your house to drop off your bill. Come on, Nicole. We need to check that design you made for the new funeral home.¡± ¡°Bye guys,¡± Nicole said, lowering her head while tucking some errant strands of hair behind. her ear. Once the door closed, Cristos looked at me with a warning look. I shrugged my shoulders and walked over to the wall near the disy area and pulled out the PVC sliding wall panel to block everyone¡¯s view from the outside. 2/5 11:41 Thu, Mar 28 CHAPTER 84 Secret Wall ¡°Maybe I should put bells on the door, so I know when it opens¡­ Just like the pub,¡± I said. Cristos grimaced. It wasn¡¯t something fashionable to install. ¡°Or you could install a door chime just like Dom¡¯s. Dom can install it for you,¡± Cristos said, before locking the door and pulling the sliding wall panel all the way before locking it. I pulled out Big Man Lou¡¯s trusty device and began scanning while Cristos sat down on the couch at the side of the store. Luckily, Noah and Nicole didn¡¯t install anymore listening devices nor spy cameras. I completed a quick sweep in minutes, including my storage closet, office, fitting rooms and restroom. ¡°Clean, I announced, cing the gizmo back in my bag. ¡°Sorry about that. They were staring at that wall. For a second, I thought they figured out our secret wall panel.¡± ¡°What did you overhear this time?¡± Cristos asked while he clicked away on his phone. ¡°Lover¡¯s quarrel. Nicole said she saw a woman with ck haire by Noah¡¯s office the other night,¡± I said. ¡°She sounded jealous and skeptical.¡± ¡°ck hair? There¡¯s only one woman thates to mind when I hear ck hair,¡± Cristos said. Suddenly, the wall panel opened and in came Xavier from his warehouse, carrying a huge box. After he was safely in the store, the wall quickly closed behind him. ¡°Chip, some help please.¡± ¡°I¡¯m wearing Armani,¡± Cristos said, not wanting to get his ck suit dirty. ¡°Then get dressed into jeans and a shirt,¡± Xavier said, cing the huge box on the floor. ¡°There are clothes in the office. So, what are you guys talking about?¡± ¡°Nicole saw a woman with ck haire by Noah¡¯s office the other night,¡± I answer taking off my heels and putting on slippers. I walked over to Cristos and sat beside hi ¡°Sarah Hughes and Noah?¡± Xavier said, shocked. ¡°I actually thought Sarah Hughes was lesbian.¡± ¡°Well, she isn¡¯t. She¡¯s in love with Noah,¡± I said. ¡°It was written all over her face when I her here, right in the middle of my shop, while she was sizing me up.¡± ¡°Virtue, every warm-blooded female in this town thinks you¡¯repetition,¡± Xavier said. doesn¡¯t matter if they¡¯re as young as Ma or as old as Norma Martin.¡± He suddenly kicke CHAPTER 84 Secret Wall Cristos on the leg. ¡°Chip, get you a ss up and change! There are more boxes out in the back. and Dom doesn¡¯t get here ¡¯tilter. After he takes Ma home, he¡¯s meeting up with De Luca gas station.¡± When Cristos didn¡¯t budge, Xavier kicked him on the leg again. ¡°Chip!¡± at the ¡°Hold on!¡± Cristos yelled back, still reading something on his phone. ¡°It says here in an email that the McDowell residence will soon be on sale. I hacked into Linda Jacobs¡¯ ount and the email was sent by Pete this morning before the funeral.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have Link buy the house and put up a practice here. It¡¯ll get us eyes in that exclusive residential area, Xavier said. ¡°When does Big Man Lou move into Hillcrest?¡± ¡°This Friday,¡± Cristos answered, still swiping away on his phone. ¡°He¡¯s bringing in Dina to pose as his nosy wife.¡± Dina was another one of Cristos¡¯ prized hackers. She hacked into the electric grid in Oregon two years ago when Xavier needed to pull one of our own out from police custody. ¡°Yes! Dina ising,¡± Xavier said enthusiastically. Whenever he needed assistance and Cristos wasn¡¯t avable, she was his second choice. ¡°Tell her once she gets into town toe to the grocery store. If Liam and Pete are going to push through with their deal, I want the lights out when I start shooting.¡± Cristos¡¯ phone kept pinging as he clicked and swiped. After news of Leo and Benny¡¯s abduction spread throughout the members of the organization, everyone wanted in for some payback. ¡°I have some good news,¡± Cristos said, smiling as he read his phone. ¡°Veronica Ortiz has epted Joy¡¯s payment and our terms. We¡¯re free to kill Pete McDowell without epts u any interference from the Angels of Darkness.¡± Xavierughed and kissed me on my forehead. I looked at the both of them puzzled. ¡°Joy¡¯s payment?¡± I asked. ¡°You, my dear, just paid the Godfather of the Angels of Darkness, Veronica Ortiz, two mi dors to kill Pete McDowell. Her go signal means this is a sanctioned hit,¡± Xavier said. doesn¡¯t matter where Pete is or where he hides. You can walk up to him sitting on a beac pull out a gun and shoot him in the head. The Angels of Darkness won¡¯t care.¡± That was good news. ¡°But we have to move fast. If Pete finds out there¡¯s a sanctioned hit on him, he¡¯ll hide and undergo drastic measures to change his appearance,¡± Cristos said, cing his phone in his pocket and standing up. ¡°Let¡¯s pray he wants you so bad, he¡¯lle back to CHAPTER 84 Secret Wall were you, keep a weapon with you at all times. You did bring the small gun Bo gifted you, right?¡± ¡°Yep. I brought my NAA short. It¡¯s in my purse,¡± I replied, standing up too. ¡°I¡¯m going to change. I¡¯ll see you guys back here in five.¡± After removing my ck dress, I dressed into denim shorts and a regr T-shirt. When I came out of my office, I found Cristos wearing ripped jeans and a ratty old shirt, sea ted. casually on the sofa, clicking away on aptop. Xavier, on the other hand, looked pi ssed as he walked up and down my boutique. He was on his phone, hissing at whoever he was talking to. ¡°What the f uck do you mean it wasn¡¯t him?!¡± I walked over to Cristos, nudged him and pointed at Xavier. He had a grim expression on his face. ¡°Sam lost Pete. Virtue, I think you have to stay here for the night.¡± Chapter Comments 16 POST COMMENT NOW Chapter 85 CHAPTER 85 Ma is Missing Xavier I waited for Cristos to get out of his suit and change so we can bring in more boxes. Once we were inside Virtue¡¯s, my phone began to vibrate. I pulled out my phone. ¡°It¡¯s Sam,¡± I told Cristos, who nodded his head and gestured for me to answer it. He pulled out aptop from a bag he ced on Joy¡¯s counter, sat down and opened it. ¡°Sam, what do you have for me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how am I going to say this, X, but lost Pete McDowell,¡± Sam said quietly. ¡°You lost him?!¡± I asked shocked. How was it possible for Sam to lose him? I began pacing up and down the length of Joy¡¯s store, trying to calm myself down, so I can think. ¡°I don¡¯t know how it happened, X,¡± he said. ¡°I was following him out to Mandan when his car stopped at a restaurant. He sat near the window where I could see him, so I decided to wait for him in the car. The only time he left his seat was for two minutes and that was it. After he ate, he got into his car again and proceeded to Mandan Regional Airport. That¡¯s when I discovered it wasn¡¯t him.¡± 2018 ¡°What the f uck do you mean it wasn¡¯t him?!¡± I hissed at him. I wanted to yell at him, but I knew Sam was already beating himself up for losing Pete. ¡°I followed him into the restroom and stared at him through the mirror. When I saw it wasn¡¯t him, I followed him out, dragged him to my car and knocked him out. Then I took. everything in his pockets. His carry-on was empty. This guy, Logan Finn, is an actor. He was called up by his agent, Marshall West, this morning,¡± Sam exined. I shook my head andughed. I heard Sam heave a huge sigh of relief, hearing myu Pete did the old switcheroo¡­ He was probably still here, watching. He couldn¡¯t leave New Salem on a whim when h Liam was making ns too. Why fly out when you can just lie, right? ¡°That ba stard might still be here. So technically he hasn¡¯t gone missing,¡± I said calmly. ¡°Where are you?¡± CHAPTER 85 Ma is Missing ¡°At a basement of an abandoned building here in Mandan waiting for sleeping beauty to wake up so he can answer some of my questions.¡± ¡°Does he really look like Pete McDowell?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯ll send you a picture. In my opinion, from afar, yes. Up close, this guy is better looking than him,¡± Sam answered. ¡°Don¡¯t scare him. Offer him a business proposal. Tell him you¡¯ll pay him a hundred thousand dors if you need him for a job. Before you let him go, give him some money,¡± I instructed Sam. ¡°No problem, X. I¡¯m really sorry for letting you down,¡± Sam apologized. ¡°No worries, Sam. At least we know Pete might still be here. I¡¯ll see you when you get back.¡± I hung up and turned to Joy and Cristos who were listening in on our conversation. I pointed at Joy. ¡°As a precaution, you stay here for the night. Chip, you and I are going to do some surveince work at the Old Taylor Houseter. Have Lou pull out all properties that the McDowells might have in Bismarck, Mandan and Lincoln.¡± Cristos nodded and began clicking away. ¡°You really think he¡¯s still here?¡± Joy asked. ¡°I do. Why leave now when the Spring Formal is so close by?¡± I asked. ¡°You have a point, but here me out on this one,¡± Joy asked before continuing. ¡°I saw something which¡­ unnerves me. At the funeral earlier, Pete was looking at Ma strangely. His eyes went up and down the length of her body, like he was undressing her with his eyes. He even smacked his lips like he was salivating. It was totally disgusting. Poor Ma kept hiding her face away from Pete the wholePublished by N?v''elD/rama.Org. time. Watching the exchange between the two, it just gave me an uneasy feeling. Maybe right now, it isn¡¯t me he¡¯s after. Maybe it¡¯s Ma.¡± I did notice that too. Pete was obviously leering at Ma. I thought about it. It was possible. Sebastian did mention he suspected Pete and Ma had some sort of rtionship. I couldn¡¯t me Ma. She had to do what she could to earn money. Poor thing. ¡°Do you think he¡¯d be crazy enough to kidnap Ma? Our Miss Honey Bee?¡± Cristos asked. ¡°He¡¯s crazy enough,¡± Joy replied matter-of-factly ¡°He wants me in exchange for Theodore, remember? That, I say, is insanity.¡± True. In this rivalry Pete had with Liam, Theodore was more important than Joy, in my opinion. But he was a rapist and rapists are only obsessed with one thing. 2/6 CHAPTER 85 Ma is Missing I took out my phone and dialed Sebastian¡¯s number. The way Joy described Pete made me feel uneasy too. ¡°Bo, what¡¯s up?¡± Sebastian answered. ¡°Ma¡­ is she still with you?¡± I asked. ¡°No. I dropped her off like over an hour ago,¡± Sebastian answered. ¡°What is this all about?¡± ¡°Pete did a switcheroo on Sam, so it¡¯s highly probable he¡¯s still here,¡± I replied. ¡°What¡¯s worse is Virtue here said she noticed at the funeral earlier that Pete was looking at Ma like she was a piece of meat he couldn¡¯t wait to sink his teeth into. It just gave out this weird vibe. Dom, it might be nothing, but with Pete you never know. I just can¡¯t shake the feeling that Ma might be in danger.¡± ¡°Call the men and have them ready just in case. Keep this line open. I¡¯ll call her first and see if she¡¯s okay. If she¡¯s not, I¡¯ll tell you where to meet me. Tell Virtue to stay in your office at the warehouse until this is resolved.¡± ¡°Copy that, Dom.¡± Sebastian I was back at the smelly restrooms of the gas station. Before Xavier called, I was scolding De Luca for not getting the information I wanted on the missing capo of Rafael Cadena who fled Texas. De Luca was having problems finding information on him. No one wanted to talk. rewell¡¯s capo. If Pete ¡°De Luca, I need to leave. Since your men can¡¯t seem to find people willing to talk in Texas, bribe your contact at the FBI for information on were to fl his capo will have free reign over New Salem. I need that information, so I know who I¡¯ against, I told De Luca. ¡°That means I need to fly back to California then, if I need to get that information, Domenico,¡± he said. ¡°Once I get that information, I will call you.¡± I nodded my head at h before exiting the restroom. I entered my car and dialed Ma¡¯s new number, hoping she would pick up, but she didn I called herndline. Luckily, her mother answered. O CHAPTER 85 Ma is Missing ¡°Hello, Ms. Lawrence, it¡¯s Dom. I was hoping to talk to Ma. She¡¯s not answering her phone,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dom, but she just left,¡± Ms. Lawrence replied. ¡°Mr. Martin called and he said he needed her to take a shift at the diner.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ms. Lawrence. I¡¯ll pass by and check up on her.¡± ¡°Sure thing, Dom,¡± she said and hung up. I dialed Xavier¡¯s number. They were closer to the diner. ¡°Bo, I can¡¯t contact Ma through her new phone, so I called her mother. She said Ma went to the diner. Can you check if she¡¯s there?¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll call you once I know something.¡± Xavier hung up. I started my car before dialing one other number on my burner phone. Taking a page in Xavier¡¯s book, I had one of my men keep an eye on Ma. I had a funny feeling Pete would be jealous-knowing one of his prized girls was now mine. It took several rings before Delgado answered his phone. ¡°Domenico, sorry if I didn¡¯t call you right away. was scared I might lose sight of the car I¡¯m following. It is a red Kia with license te 267-ILM. The car stopped for the girl while she was walking, Delgado exined briefly. ¡°She was walking? She didn¡¯t take the car I bought her,¡± I asked. ¡°No, she didn¡¯t. Domenico, it seems she knows the people inside the car. She entered without a fuss,¡± he said. ¡°Where are you?¡± I asked. ¡°I am on the highway driving towards Bismarck. We are about ten minutes away from the exit into the city,¡± Delgado said. ¡°I¡¯m heading towards you. Make sure to keep this line open and don¡¯t lose that car,¡± I instructed and hung up. I took out my miniptop to ping on his location, then I quickly exited the gas station and turned right towards Bismarck I was about ten miutes minutes away from Bismark when Xavier called. CHAPTER 85 Ma is Missing ¡°Dom, asked Kate and Lyle, but no one¡¯s seen Ma,¡± Xavier said angrily. ¡°I¡¯ve got Chip and Big Man Lou looking through all the CCTV cameras for a lead. F uck! I can¡¯t believe this is happening.¡± ¡°I have a lead. I instructed Delgado to tail Ma and he said she entered a red Kia with license 267- LLM which is already in Bismarck ording to the tracking device I have on Delgado¡¯s car. I¡¯m about eight minutes away,¡± I said. a ¡°Big Man Lou and Chip¡¯s men are there. I¡¯ll round them up for you,¡± Xavier said, sounding a bit relieved I knew where Ma was. ¡°Do you need me and Chip to go there?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t get to Bismarck in time. Just have Chip man the CCTV cameras,¡± I instructed. ¡°Copy that. I hope you find her Dom.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± I said, before hanging up. This was all my fault¡­ another woman under the mercy of a lu natic named Pete. I noticed the green circle had stopped at a building in the heart of Bismarck. I stepped on the gas. Time was of the essence. The sun was beginning to set when I arrived at the building. I drove into the carpack, following the directions on myptop. On the third level, I found Delgado¡¯s dark colored Honda ord parked with its engine. running. I passed by looking for the red Kia and found it parked on the other end of the parking level. I decided to go down to the second level parking and park below them. I dialed Xavier¡¯s number for some news. ¡°You¡¯re on speaker phone,¡± Xavier said as soon as he picked up. ¡°I¡¯m at the Aspire Tower Building carpark. Delgado¡¯s car and the red Kia are parked on third level,¡± I said while I changed my jacket and put on a ball cap and sunsses. ¡°Yeah, we know based on your tracker, but there seems to be a major problem,¡± Cristos ¡°There aren¡¯t any CCTV cameras online in that specific building at the moment. It¡¯s like every camera was conveniently turned off.¡± Now that didn¡¯t sound so good. ¡°I¡¯m going up to check. Delgado¡¯s car is parked but his engine is still running,¡± I told ther took my gun out of the glovepartment and holstered it to my belt. warned me ¡°Big Man Lou and my men are about a couple CHAPTER 85 Ma is Missing minutes away. Don¡¯t go at this-¡± I didn¡¯t hear the rest. My burner phone began vibrating. I quickly swiped it, hoping Delgado had news. ¡°SD¡­ What does SD mean?¡± An unfamiliar male voice said. I clenched my Something fists has happened to Delgado. ¡°Se?or De Vega? Is this you? I can hear you breathing.¡± The man laughed, snorting at the end. I knew thatugh. It was Pete. I wanted to shout and yell at him, but I decided against it. I needed to keep my anonymity. ¡°Your man in the Honda ord is dead. Did you actually think we wouldn¡¯t notice him. following my my men? You killed my mother and you are so desperately trying to kill me. News sh¡­ I have nine lives, baby. You better watch your back, De Vega, because I¡¯ming for you,¡± he hissed and hung up. Delgado is dead and Ma is missing. This couldn¡¯t get any worse. Chapter Comments 14 POST COMMENT NOW < SHARE Chapter 86 CHAPTER 86 Coffee Haven Ma I was sitting alone at the counter of Coffee Haven Diner in Bismarck, trying to figure out how the hell I was supposed to leave the ce. There were two of Pete¡¯s goons standing by the door and one more was seated at a table. I yed with my milkshake while staring nkly at the big screen of the TV h ooked up on a wall. I didn¡¯t feel like eating or drinking. My stomach was in knots and I was feeling anxious and a bit scared. Earlier, I had to switch cars beforeing here and now, I couldn¡¯t leave. At New Salem, before I left home earlier, I got an unexpected call. ¡°The boss wants you to dance for him. He¡¯s willing to pay you two grand,¡± Ernest, Pete¡¯s bodyguards said. one of ¡°But I can¡¯t-¡± you up on ¡°No buts, Ma. You know the boss. He doesn¡¯t take no for an answer. We¡¯ll pick you up Main Street. By the way, make sure you shower, he said and hung up before I could say anything else. I sighed angrily and began gathering the things that I might need, cing all items in my backpack. I was angry at all the rich folks who thought that poor people were their serv ants, always at their beck and call, ready to please them without comint. If for any reason you could¡¯t live up to their expectations, they would make nastyments and spread rumors. That¡¯s how it¡¯s been all my life. I didn¡¯t want to strip for the boss. I no longer needed to. But as Ernest said, the boss never took no for an answer. I also didn¡¯t want him showing at my doorstep at the middle of the night. He¡¯s done that before. When my mom reprimanded him for showing up at our doorstep at such an ungodly hour, he pped her in the face and told her to suck on a bottle. I didn¡¯t want that to happen again. I¡¯ll just have to tell the bosster that tonight was myst night. I¡¯m hanging up the ska nky lingerie and the tform heels. This morning before Cynthia McDowell¡¯s funeral, Dom paid my tuition in full and opened a bank ount under my name. He deposited a sizable amount, so I didn¡¯t have to worry 1/ O 11:41 Thu, Mar 28 CHAPTER 86 Coffee Haven I needed to do was be a good student, finish my education and take care of my mom. I decided to keep my job at the diner. It wasn¡¯t hard work and I enjoyed waitressing. I didn¡¯t want to be overly dependent on Dom. He was such a nice guy, a good catch¡­ and I felt if things went smoothly between us, we could even get married and raise a family. I stared at the white counter of the diner and made heart shapes with my fingers. I was debating whether he loved me because after only a few days, I¡¯ve fallen in love with him. I sighed¡­ Dominic Samuels¡­ He was tall, dark and handsome, rich, and educated. Most of the girls I went to school with were either crushing on him or his brother, Bo Xavier. Honestly, when he stared at me with those honey colored eyes of his, I felt myself melt¡­ like ice cream on a hot summer¡¯s day. I don¡¯t know what had gotten into me while I was up on stagepeting for Miss Honey Bee. When I saw Dom looking up at me, I didn¡¯t want to pass the chance to catch his attention. So, I began flirting with him. When he started flirting back, it caught me off- guard, leaving me breathless with excitement. I didn¡¯t expect someone like him would notice little old me. The whole town knew he was into Miss Nicole who had big boobs and a big butt and wore those itty bitty dresses. Then, of course, there¡¯s Miss Virtue, who Dom was close to. She was a heroine of mine. I wanted to be like her because she had it all¡­ looks, brains and money. All the men followed her with desire in their eyes, but they were all afraid to even talk to her. I wanted that. I wanted that kind of respect. Dom, I noticed, had that same desire in his eyes when he looked at Miss Virtue while I was up on stage. But suddenly that all changed when I won. Since that fateful night, he has made me feel like I¡¯m the only girl in the world. Yesterday, Dom took me to Bismarck to go shopping. He bought me a new phone, a designer bag and new clothes. Then, to my surprise, he brought me to a car dealership and bought me a Jeep Cherokee. I wanted to cry with happiness. This was how it felt to be taken care of. This was how it fe to have some security. he drove me home and came inside to meet my mother, I invited him into my room and made him sit on my bed. Wearing one of the pretty dresses he bought me without any underwear underneath, I sat on hisp and began kissing him. I ced his hand in between my 1 legs, hoping to pay him the only way I knew how¡­ by the use of my body. He gently stroked my folds as I kissed him. He smelled so good; his expensive cologne was2/ CHAPTER 86 Coffee Haven crisp and clean. I hiked up my skirt and spread my legs, so his fingers could work their magic. I He finally found the sensitive nub of my c lit and began to b. I moaned in his mouth as his fingers moved faster and faster, stroking my cl it to the brink of ecstacy. When I came, almost screamed out. It was one of the few times I have evere. None of my paying customers never thought of pleasuring me when we had sex. ¡°I have to go, Ma,¡± Dom suddenly said, to my utter disappointment. ¡°But I¡¯m wet. I want you to f uck me,¡± I murmured against his mouth. He inserted his finger in my puss y and began to finger f uck me instead. I threw my head back. It felt so good. ¡°Ma, honey, your mother is outside and I don¡¯t want her to think anything bad of me,¡± he whispered against my ear as his fingers moved faster and faster until I e all over his fingers. He lifted me up in his arms and ced me gently on my bed. ¡°That¡¯s all for now, my sweet. Dream of me tonight, okay? Good night. He kissed me passionately, fixing my dress, and walked out of my bedroom, closing the door quietly behind him. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. I hugged my pillow tightly, satisfied, but wanting more. If he could bring me to the edge just by using his fingers, I could only imagine what his c ock could do. After I had ced everything I needed in my backpack, I told my mother I needed to work a shift at the diner and left the house. It was weird. After I got into the car, I thought we would be going to Hignd Oaks. I usually danced naked in Pete¡¯s basement where he would eat me and finger f uck me while I sat spread eagle on the top of his couch. He loved eating pu ssy, but when he was done, my juice was all over his face. He was a sl oppy eater and it was gross. He would f uck me after that, do ggy st yle, but his penis was so small I could never feel anything. I would fake an o rgasm like I usually do with all my clients. I wanted it to be quickly, so I wouldn¡¯t experience any chafing. Instead of Hignd Oaks, we drove out to Bismarck. I was seated in the back while two Pete¡¯s men sat in front. They kept looking behind me and were constantly tapping their fingers on their smartphones. When we finally got to Bismarck, they made me exit the c the garage of a tall building where two other men dragged me inside to an elevator that brought me to another level of the garage. There, a silver Honda Civic was waiting for m thought that was it, but I wound up being dropped off at Coffee Haven Diner where a chocte milkshake and a burger were waiting for me at the counter. I tried leaving, but people in the diner wouldn¡¯t let me out. CHAPTER 86 Coffee Haven I started feeling uneasy after they stopped me from exiting the diner. I suspected something was up. I excused myself to go to the bathroom. Maybe there was a window there I could climb out of. Unfortunately, when I checked, I found there were no windows. I took out my smartphone and messaged Dom, telling him I was in Bismarck at Coffee Haven Diner. I waited for him to text back, but he didn¡¯t. I decided to check if there was a fire escape, but when I came out of the restroom, one of Pete¡¯s goons was waiting for me. He took my arm and shoved me back to the counter. I decided it was best if I waited until I was asked to exit the diner before I made my move to escape. Suddenly a ck van appeared in front of the diner, its tires making a squeaking noise as it stopped. Two men got out, one of them I recognized. They walked in and gestured at me to move. ¡°Get in the van¡± Riley, one of Pete¡¯s men, grabbed my arm and shoved me towards the ck. van. Riley and I knew each other when he still used to go to school. Just like me, he and his grandma needed money. To provide for his grandmother, he became Pete¡¯s errand boy and dealt drugs on the side. I even heard he smuggled drugs across state lines for an even bigger cut. I wanted to do that before¡­ smuggle drugs to other states for a bigger payday, but I had to fix our old truck before I could start and that cost money. Money, my mama drank and smoked away. Both Riley and I were the same, we had to do everything we could possibly do just to get food on the table. Aside from working as a waitress at the diner, I worked as a stripper, dealt drugs to the h orny college boys and sometimes did some h ooking on the side. It was either that or I would have to scrounge for food in the dumpster. ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t have to shove me, Riley,¡± I said, raising my hands above my head and j towards the van. ¡°I¡¯ll get in.¡± As I walked, I scanned the area, nning my escape. However, Riley, sensing I was go my do run, shook his head and shed his gun. I sighed and walked slowly¡­ slowly to my From out of nowhere, several motorcycles came into the parking area of the diner. ¡°Ma, hurry the f uck up!¡± Riley hissed at me, pulling my arm, so I would walk faster. From a distance, I could hear the sirens of police cars rushing towards us. I closed my ey and silently prayed to G od for the police to find me. The Joy of Revenge Chapter 87 CHAPTER 87 Crossfire Cristos Drama, drama, drama¡­ After what happenedst night, I thought this was going to be a quiet Monday. Boy, was I wrong. I was clicking away on myptop like my life depended on it, trying to get CCTV footage from Sebastian¡¯s current location. Not one single camera was online. It was either Pete McDowell owned Aspire Tower and had his security turn all CCTV cameras off or he had a hacker blocking me. I initiated a search for a code Pete¡¯s hacker might have embedded in the encryption. ¡°I¡¯m going up to check. Delgado¡¯s car is parked but his engine is still running,¡± Sebastian said. through speakerphone. ¡°Wait for backup, Dom,¡± I warned Sebastian. ¡°Big Man Lou and my men are about a couple of minutes away. Don¡¯t go at this alone. It might be a trap. An unfamiliar voice suddenly filled Joy¡¯s shop. ¡°SD¡­ What does SD mean?¡± ¡°Who in the f uck-¡± I gestured to Xavier to keep quiet and listen. Joy inched closer to Xavier¡¯s phone, curious as to who was speaking. ¡°Se?or De Vega? Is this you? I can hear you breathing. The owner of the unfamiliar voiceughed, snorting at the end. Joy covered her mouth and gasped in surprise while Xavier nced at me anxiously. We knew thatugh. It was Pete McDowell. We waited for Sebastian to say something, but he kept quiet. ¡°Your man in the Honda ord is dead. Did you actually think we wouldn¡¯t notice him. following my men?¡± He snickered, snorting when he was done. ¡°You killed my mother and you are so desperately trying to kill me. News sh¡­ I have nine lives, baby. You better watch your back, De Vega, because I¡¯ming for you,¡± he hissed. We waited for more, but all we got was silence. 1/ ¦§ CHAPTER 87 Crossfire his body.¡± ¡°No. Get out of there, Dom, I said, looking at myptop which was still searching for codes. ¡°I told you it might be a trap. I will instruct Big Man Lou and my men to retrieve Delgado¡¯s body. Did you drive your Mercedes-Benz there or did you use another car?¡± ¡°I switched cars beforeing here. The Mercedes-Benz is at the gas station,¡± Sebastian answered. ¡°Pete has Ma. This is all my fault.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to fix this. For now, get the hell out of there,¡± Xavier said. ¡°Sam is on his way to Bismarck to look for Pete. I promise you, Dom. We¡¯ll find her.¡± We heard him sigh regretfully. ¡°Sure. If Sam finds anything, inform me. I¡¯ll help rescue her,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°Wait.¡± He paused. ¡°Do you guys hear that?¡± ¡°What? What is it?¡± Xavier asked, not hiding the panic in his voice. It¡¯s gunfire,¡± Sebastian answered. We heard him mutter a curse beneath his breath before hearing the familiar sound of tires against the smooth pavement of a carpark. ¡®I¡¯ll call your guyster.¡± He hung up. I nced at myptop and noticed it had found the embedded code. Ah, there¡¯s a hacker in this town. I smirked. It was time to see who¡¯s better. I removed it and the footage from the CCTV cameras emerged on the screen of myptop. Af the carpark, Big Man Lou and a team of my men were engaged in a gun fight. A dark colored. sedan suddenly came into view, opening its doors for the others to enter. Some of the men. scurried inside while the others ran into Big Man Lou¡¯s white van. The dark sedan quickly. drove off towards the exit of the carpark with Lou¡¯s van following closely behind. I watched several men enter a car, chasing after the fleeing vehicles. However, as they tu into ongoing traffic, the car suddenly swerved, stalling in the middle of the busy street, causing a pile up. I zoomed in on the car and saw a circr cr ack in the windshield. It was a bullet hole. Xavier¡¯s phone began vibrating. He answered, a smug smile on his face. ¡°Good work, Sam Now grab one and torture him ¡¯til he talks. Cut off a finger when he lies.¡± My phone pinged. I ced my Bluetooth device in my ear before answering, so I could ke my hands free. I was going through all the footage, hoping I would find Ma in any of it. CHAPTER 87 Crossfire ¡°Yes?¡± It was Big Man Lou. ¡°I have a location on Ma, Primo. Coffee Haven Diner. ording to Domenico, the diner and the pharmacy beside it are owned by the McDowells. We are on our way there.¡± That was strange. I never ced a tracker on Ma and if Sebastian had one on her, why would he need to look for her in the first ce? ¡°How do you know she¡¯s at the diner, Lou?¡± ¡°From Domenico. He has just instructed me to drive to Coffee Haven Diner.¡± Ma must have texted him. Pete overlooked the possibility that Sebastian might have bought Ma a phone. I guess she kept it on silent this whole time, biding her time. Smart girl. ¡°I¡¯m hacking into the CCTV areas around Coffee Haven Diner,¡± I said, clicking furiously on myptop. ¡°Sam, did you hear that?¡± Xavier said on his phone. ¡°Get there and give our men some cover. Pete¡¯s men are armed, give them a chance to use their weapons.¡± Xavier hung up, then pointed at Virtue. ¡°I have a car out back. I need you toe with me.¡± Virtue stood up eagerly. She was finally going to be of use in all this chaos. ¡°What do you need me to do, Bo?¡± Virtue purred, following Xavier to the secret wall panel. ¡°We¡¯re going to rescue Ma¡¯s mother. I bet Pete is using her as leverage to get to Ma. If Pete¡¯s men aren¡¯t in the house, they are definitely outside watching the house. We need booze, cigarettes and weapons¡­ and shoes in your case,¡± Xavier said, pointing at her bunny slippers. ¡°Come on, J. Let¡¯s put your training to use.¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. While they set off to save Ma¡¯s mother, I finally got into the feed at the diner. I zoomed i and saw Ma standing in the crossfire between two groups. ¡°Lou, you still there?¡± ¡°Aye, what do you see?¡± Lou asked. ¡°We g got bikers in the area. Ma is between them and Pete¡¯s men. The bikers look like they¡¯re trying to save her.¡± CHAPTER 87 Crossfire ¡°Copy that. I have a n.¡± Ma I stood in the middle of two groups. One group knew was armed but few, the other group I knew was brave. Unfortunately, bravery couldn¡¯t stop a bullet. I gasped for air while I trembled in fear. I felt sick to my stomach realizing I would be the first to die. ¡°Riley, what the f uck are you doing with Ma?¡± Big Mike said, getting off his motorcycle. I kept my hands raised above my head and turned towards the bikers. ¡°Please help me,¡± I cried out, not sure if they even heard me. My heart was racing, my to ask for help again, louder this time, so I was sure they¡¯d hear me. I swallowed the lump in my throat and licked my dry lips before I spoke. ¡°Please, please help me.¡± breathing shallow, and my whole body was shaking. I decided ¡°Mike, I suggest you and your crew turn around and leave,¡± Riley said. ¡°You don¡¯t want to get on the boss¡¯ bad side.¡± Big Mike ignored the warning. He took a couple of steps towards me, then stopped. I looked around and saw all of Pete¡¯s men aiming their guns at him, including Riley. ¡°Riley, she¡¯s one of us. I¡­ we¡­ can¡¯t allow this. You tell your boss if he wants a girl toe see me, Big Mike negotiated. ¡°The police are just around the corner, Riley. You guys better put your guns down.¡± ¡°Sorry, Mike, no can do,¡± Riley said, sneering at him. ¡°If I don¡¯t bring Ma to him, I¡¯m as dead. Now, Ma, be a sweetheart and GET IN THE F UCKING VAN!¡± I winced as Ril yelled in my ear. I nodded my head acknowledging what he wanted me to do, but I did move. I couldn¡¯t move even if I tried. I was so terrified. I just stood there shaking uncontrob ¡°Ma, one call from me and the men surrounding your house will kill your mother. Do want to be the reason why your mother ends up dead? Do you want that on your conscience?¡± Riley asked, his voice furious. 11:42 Thu, Mar CHAPTER 87 Crossfire My heart sank. They had my mother. The odds weren¡¯t in my favor. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt my mother, please. She¡¯s all I¡¯ve got, I begged. ¡°Then get your as s in the-¡± Riley wasn¡¯t able to finish his sentence. A white van came speeding into the parking lot, hitting him. He flew into the air like one of my old rag dolls andnded near Big Mike¡¯s feet. I heard gunfire as I stood there frozen, not knowing what to do. I felt an arm circle my waist, pulling me into the white van. I screamed and kicked, not knowing who had grabbed me. Before the van¡¯s door closed, I saw Big Mike wave to whoever was in the van before he jumped on his big bike. ¡°Ma, you¡¯re safe.¡± I heard Dom¡¯s voice. I looked around, but I couldn¡¯t find him. None of the men inside the van were him. ¡°Dom?¡± I asked confused, still shaking from my ordeal. ¡°Here on the phone,¡± Dom said. ¡°These are my friends. They¡¯ll be driving you to Mandan. I¡¯ll meet you there. Lou, keep her safe and thank you.¡± ¡°Will do, Dom,¡± the driver said. ¡°Ma, I¡¯m Lou. Please take a seat and put your seatbelt on. We¡¯ll be safe once we are out of Bismarck.¡± I heaved a huge sigh of relief. One of Dom¡¯s friends pulled me up and gestured for me to sit in one of the empty chairs. I followed Lou¡¯s instructions and put my seatbelt on. As I sat there quietly thanking G od for a second chance, it dawned on me¡­ I was in love with Dom. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom oh Ma VIEW 1 COMMENT 07 POST COMMENT 3 5/5 11:42 Thu, Mar 25 K? of t Chapter 88 CHAPTER 88 Save Ms. Lawrence Joy Inside Xavier¡¯s office, before I dressed into my suit, Xavier exined what we were about to do. It was brief, but thorough. I would be his point man in Ma¡¯s neighborhood while he would assist me from a distance. He believed Pete¡¯s men would underestimate me, especially if I wore something se xy that left nothing to the imagination. Xavier assumed Pete¡¯s men wouldn¡¯t contact each other, thinking they could do away with me on their own. I asked Xavier why not use a signal jammer. He said we¡¯d be affected too. Fair enough. ¡°It¡¯s safe to assume whoever¡¯s there has to check in every now and then. So expect there might be back-up,¡± Xavier reminded me while I tucked my hair into a ck skull nodded my head listening to all hisst minute reminders. cap. I Before he left me to get his dirt bike ready, Xavier gave me a pep talk. He put his hands on my shoulders and looked at me as if I was one of his men. ¡°I know you have qualms hurting and even killing people, but J, Pete¡¯s men have been aiding him since he became underboss. They aren¡¯t innocent; they¡¯re his aplices. They¡¯re no better. Remember what he has already done to you. Use that rage you¡¯ve held on for so long and channel it to help these women, to help the people of this town. Every single person you kill tonight, that is one less person who will hurt someone else,¡± he exined. I inhaled deeply. ¡°I understand, X. Let¡¯s kill these sons of bitc hes and save Ms. Lawrence.¡± Xavier smiled. ¡°I knew I could count on my girl. Saddle up. You¡¯re taking the Dodge,¡± he said, handing me his keys. Then he left the room so I could get ready on my own. I nced at myself in the mirror while I suited up and I saw a young Joy Taylor with chestnut brown hair and aquamarine eyes in a lovely white gown staring back at me. Suddenly, the reflection changed¡­ I saw the same Joy Taylor, but with a scarred face and broken leg. My hands instantly balled into fists remembering all the pain they had cause me. It was time to give them a taste of their own medicine. After dressing into an all ck one piece fitted leather suit and ck boots, I equipped myself with certain items and armed myself with my weapon of choice. Once I was done, exited Xavier¡¯s office and climbed into his ck Dodge Charger, cing a small backpack with all of Ms. Lawrence¡¯s favorite things on the passenger¡¯s seat beside me. ¡°You ready, J?¡± Xavier said, testing our communication devices, as I waited for the 11:42 Thu Mar 29. DJ 9 t CHAPTER 88 Save Ms. Lawrence warehouse¡¯s gates to fully open. He was already outside on his motorcycle, dressed in tactical gear with a sn iper rifle on his back. ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± I said, gripping the steering wheel with my gloved hands, excited to be able to use what I¡¯ve learned all these years. It was time to put me to the test. I didn¡¯t want to be remembered by just one incidental kill. I wanted the Blood Disciples to know I have what it the takes to be on the field. Plus, if I prove to them I¡¯m capable of killing without remorse, boys wouldn¡¯t need to hover so much. Remember Joy, they killed Joan, Delgado, and so many others. They even kidnapped Ma. They don¡¯t deserve to live¡­ I turned the ignition on, loving the powerful sound of the engine, then drove off towards Ma¡¯s home. As I entered the residential area, I was shocked to see the dpidated houses, the garbage on the streets, the rough roads, and the vandalized structures. When I was growing up, this particr neighborhood was the Hillcrest of today. Many families scurried to get homes here. Now, it was utterly neglected. ¡°I, I¡¯m in position and scanning the perimeter,¡± Xavier said. ¡°I see a dark blue car parked across the street from the Lawrence¡¯s with two men seated inside. I also see a silver car parked in front of the next door neighbor¡¯s house with two men sitting inside it as well. D amn, I can¡¯t see inside the house though, but I see shadows. If we don¡¯t time this properly, the men in the cars may alert the men inside Ma¡¯s home. You take the blue car across the street while I take the one parked next door. By theThis is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. way, we need to be as quiet as possible so we don¡¯t alert anyone. Don¡¯t forget to signal me when you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Copy that,¡± I said, shutting off my headlights before I turned the corner, parking the car three houses down from my target. I took my gun and attached my silencer, then walked out onto the sidewalk with the gun behind my back. I ducked between the other cars parked along the street, checking if any of the men in either cars had noticed my arrival. It seem they were busy on their smartphones.. ¡°Base, I need you to turn off the power in this neighborhood when I say so,¡± I heard Xavi tell Cristos while I approached my assigned vehicle. ¡°Working on it. Give me a couple of minutes, X, Cristos said. I quickly crept towards the car, making sure no one was watching from inside their homes. Once I got to the car, I calmly knocked on the window of the passenger side, crouched dow smiling at the men through the window. I pulled the zipper of my leather suit down to shot 11:42 Thu, Mar 28 ti CHAPTER 88 Save Ms. Lawrence them some cleavage. ¡°X, I¡¯m about to take down my target,¡± I mumbled. ¡°You have a green light,¡± Xavier said. The idiot seated at the passenger side quickly opened his door. ¡°Hey beautiful! How can I help you?¡± The man said, leering at me. His breath smelled like cigarettes, alcohol and onions. Gripping my gun, I moved to get a good look at the both of them, noticing they were distracted by the sight of my breasts. I quickly pulled my gun out from behind me and shot the both of them in the chest, then again in the head. ¡°I need you to die. Sorry boys.¡± I said, shutting the door quietly. I continued back to my car in a crouching position, giving Xavier the signal I was done. As if on cue, I heard the characteristic wh izzing sound of bullets flying through the air before it prated the windshield of the car across from the one I was. As I crept back to my car, I nced at the one Xavier had just shot at. I saw huge bullet holes in the windshield and two corpses with blood dripping from their heads. Once I was safely back inside my car, I zipped myself back up and contacted Xavier. ¡°X, target neutralized.¡± ¡°Yes, I can see that. Good job. Unfortunately, my hit wasn¡¯t sound proof. If the neighbors heard that, they may have already alerted the Sheriff. So we need to act fast. Judging by the shadows in Ma¡¯s house, I count two more inside. Knock on Ms. Lawrence¡¯s door with bottle in your hand,¡± Xavier instructed. ¡°Once I see Ms. Lawrence, I will know who to at.¡± ¡°What if it¡¯s a friend of hers, X?¡± I asked, not wanting any coteral damage. ¡°Let me this. I moved out of my parking space and slowly drove to Ma¡¯s house. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll let you handle this,¡± Xavier said, agreeing with me. ¡°Just have Ms. Lawrenc with you before the Sheriff gets here. I¡¯ll cover you.¡± I parked the car in front of the Lawrence residence, ced my night vision goggles on th top of my head, grabbed the bottle of alcohol I Had brought with me and walked towards door with my gun behind my back. Thu, Mar 28 CHAPTER 88 Save Ms. Lawrence 57%1 I rang the doorbell and waited. I noticed the curtains of the front window move, behind it a distinct shadow of a man. I looked down at the cra ck underneath the door and saw shadows moving behind the door. ¡°X, I have one by the window and one possibly behind the door,¡± I mumbled through my coms. ¡°I see him. Base, I need you to turn off the lights when I give the signal,¡± Xavier said. ¡°Copy,¡± Cristos replied. I quickly nned what I had to do in my head. I prayed the men inside didn¡¯t see me as a threat. I inhaled deeply, nted a smile on my face and rang the doorbell again. It took several moments before Ms. Lawrence finally opened the door. Through the side cra ck of the door, I noticed a man lying t against the wall. Obviously, not a friend. I smiled warmly at Ma¡¯s mother. She was shaking and looked quite agitated. Her eyes kept darting to the door. ¡°Good evening, Ms. Lawrence. I¡¯m-¡± ¡°I know you,¡± she said while gripping her yellow colored shawl that was resting on her shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re the pretty girl who moved into the Old Taylor House. Everyone talks about you. How can I help you?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a costume party being held at a friend¡¯s ce and there¡¯s a lot of food and beverages for everyone. Ma mentioned earlier this afternoon when I saw her that you loved to attend parties,¡± I said ¡°I would like to invite you as my guest. How about you get ready while I wait inside?¡± ¡°Ah, no. I¡¯d love to go, but you see I, uh, I have-¡± ¡°Come now, Ms. Lawrence. You don¡¯t want to keep Ma waiting,¡± I said. At the sound of Ma¡¯s name, the man by the window moved. ¡°I¡¯m going in,¡± I mumble under my breath. ¡°Base, lights off now!¡± The whole neighborhood immediately went pitch ck. I quickly pulled down my night vision goggles perched on the top of my head and rushe past Ms. Lawrence smashing the door against the man behind it. before throwing the bol 11:42 Thu, Mar 28 EI CHAPTER 88 Save Ms. Lawrence of premium scotch at the man in the living room. Pulling out my gun from behind me, I quickly shot the man standing in the living room before shooting the man behind the door in between his eyes. I went back to the man lying in the living room and shot him again¡­ in the head. Clean. No witnesses. ¡°Ms. Lawrence, are there any more of them?¡± I asked, walking back outside. She was shaking uncontrobly. ¡°There were just two-¡± ¡°X, make sure no onees after us,¡± I said. ¡°Copy. Keeping an eye on the door,¡± Xavier said. I grabbed Ms. Lawrence by the shoulders and led her to the car, but she pulled away. ¡°1-I need to g-get my things,¡± she said. The characteristic sound of tires screeching from a distance made the hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention. ¡°X, what do you have?¡± I asked, taking out a syringe from my pocket. I would have to sedate Ms. Lawrence and drag her to the car. We didn¡¯t have much time. ¡°I have a ck van headed towards you, Xavier said. ¡°Base, keep the lights from turning back on until J has flown the coop.¡± ¡°No on will be turning the power back on except for me,¡± Cristos assured us. I walked behind Ms. Lawrence, cing the syringe to her neck. ¡°What the-¡± Ms. Lawrence wasn¡¯t able to finish her sentence. The drugs kicked in almo instantly, knocking her out unconscious. For a small and frail woman, she was heavy. I was able to get her into the car before a headlights came barreling towards me. I quickly took my night vision goggles off and t cover. Again, I heard the sound of bullets w hiz zing by before the van hit amp post. I quickly entered the car and drove off, speeding through the potholes that marred the streets. ¡°Good work, J,¡± Xavier said. ¡°Base, what¡¯s the 411 on the Sheriff?¡± CHAPTER 88 Save Ms. Lawrence ¡°He¡¯s still at the station. I rerouted all iing calls from that area. J, you should be safe to 11:42 Thu, Mar 28 ti CHAPTER 88 Save Ms. Lawrence ¡°I want you to sleep in my arms tonight, J.¡± Chapter Comments Elizabeth Johnson poor ma, she is in for a shock. Luna-Mom oh dear Ma someone is kind and you think it¡¯s love you poor girl VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS 8 POST COMMENT Chapter 89 CHAPTER 89 Puttanesca Sebastian Mandan was only ten minutes away from Bismarck and approximately thirty minutes away from New Salem. Unlike Bismarck and New Salem where Pete has established hiswork, Mandan was overlooked, even though it was in the center of everything. Our safehouse was an old warehouse located at apound near Mandan Refinery, thergest oil refinery in North Dakota. Xavier bought it when we moved here, thinking it would be a great ce to serve as our headquarters. He was right as always, although Lou¡¯s antiques and vintage warehouse was proving useful too. Alongside the warehouse is a six story office building where the offices were converted into bedrooms to house all the men. While the upper levels housed the rooms, the first level was equipped with a kitchen, dining space, recreation and lounge area with a bar. Sure, on the outside, the building looked like it needed repairs and a paint job, but inside, it was cozy andfortable. The warehouse gates opened to allow our cars to enter. Once I exited my car, Ma came running towards me. ¡°Dom, they have my mom. They said they only need to make one call and they would kill her. I need to go back to New Salem and help my mother. She¡¯s all I got,¡± she said, sobbing into my chest. ¡°Please, please you have got to help me.¡± ¡°Ssshhhh. It¡¯s already being taken care of,¡± I said,forting her. ¡°Your mom will be here in an hour or so. Trust me.¡± She raised her tear-filled eyes from my chest and stared at me incredulously, thinking I was joking. ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand. Pete has my mother. He¡¯s some mafia boss with guns and goons. He owns the town. Dom, he¡¯s going to kill my mother. You have to believe me,¡± she said hysterically. ¡°I do believe you. Nowe on. I heard they made spaghetti,¡± I told her, gesturing for her to take my hand, but she didn¡¯t move. She continued to stare at me nkly. I rubbed my forehead to case my frustration. Ma had difficulty understanding. ¡°B-but if you believe me, why aren¡¯t you doing anything?¡± She aske 1/5 THE CHAPTER 89 Puttanesca a te of spaghetti. My mother¡¯s recipe,¡± I told her. ¡°Miss Virtue is rescuing my mother?¡± She asked, shaking her head in disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe, I know, but Virtue is trained for situations like these. She isn¡¯t just a pretty face. Come on. I¡¯ll ask for an update,¡± I said, gesturing for her to take my hand. It took a little time, but she eventually ced her hand in mine and allowed me to lead her into the building. ¡°Oh wow!¡± She eximed as she walked in. ¡°It looks really ugly from the outside, but inside it¡¯s so modern. This is better than my house.¡± I led her to the dining area where there were several small tables and pulled a chair from the table in front of the Smart TV. She sat down and wiped her tears away. I walked up to the kitchen ind where Cook was preparing two tes of pasta for me and Ma. He was a tall fellow who looked like a wrestler and had a passion for cooking¡­ both in the kitchen and in a laboratory. ¡°Have they started?¡± I asked him. Although quiet, he was always updated. ¡°Yes, Domenico. Shadow is point man while Beaufort is assist.¡± ¡°What?!¡± I eximed. Xavier allowed Joy to be point man? ¡°She already has the other with her, Domenico. Take a look. I have to warn you though, feed is dyed,¡± Cook said, serving me two tes of puttanesca and some garlic bread befor turning on the Smart TV. I took the food and ced it in front of Ma. Cook ced two wine sses beside our tes and opened a bottle of white wine for us to share. ¡°That¡¯s my house,¡± Ma said. ¡°Who is that?¡± I looked up and saw Joy in an all ck leather suit walking up to Ma¡¯s house. She was carrying a bottle of alcohol while her gun was behind her. Oh boy. ¡°Dom, do you know who that is?¡± ¡°Yes. Eat your pasta and drink your wine. You¡¯ll feel better,¡± I urged her. She ignored me and continued to watch. Joy rang the doorbell and waited. When Ma¡¯s mother finally opened the door, Joy looked as if she was trying to convince Ma¡¯s mother to leave with her, but just like Ma, the 2/5 CHAPTER 89 Puttanesca mother was stubborn. All of a sudden, the feed went ck. All we could see were flickers of light¡­ obviously, gunshots. Gradually, the feed went to infrared and I saw Joy dragging Ma¡¯s mom across the driveway. Joy was able to put Ma¡¯s mother inside the car, but she dropped down to take cover. Lights from a vehicle came into view, however the vehicle suddenly crashed into amp post. Joy quickly entered her car and sped out of the neighborhood, but was blocked by another car. Two men quickly walked out, but they copsed on the pavement soon after. ¡°Oh my G od! Are they dead?¡± Ma gasped. She turned to look at me. ¡°Who are you people?¡± ¡°We¡¯re the people who just saved your mother,¡± Cook said. ¡°If there is thank, it¡¯s Shadow.¡± one person you should ¡°Shadow? What kind of freak calls himself Shadow?¡± She asked. My eyes narrowed angrily at her. ¡°The freak is a she and she is someone I love, respect and admire. I suggest, Ma, if you want us to continue on with our friendship, you will never ever call her a freak again.¡± Joy Using the secret wall panel, Xavier and I walked into my boutique to find Cristos cing hisptop back in his bag. We were done for the day. ¡°I have to go to the pub. You guys wannae with and grab a drink? To celebrate?¡± Cristos asked as he ced the strap of his bag on his shoulder. ¡°Nah, I¡¯m tired and I gotta start rummaging through these boxes,¡± I said, taking off my skull. cap and shaking my hair out of its confinement. Cristos took me in his arms and gave me a tight hug. ¡°Virtue, you did excellent tonight. I¡¯m so proud of you. Because of you, Ma¡¯s mom is safe. Unfortunately, Ma won¡¯t be able to grace this year¡¯s Spring Parade. I¡¯ll call the first runner up tomorrow after the Sheriff announces the Lawrences are missing and tell her to swing h5 CHAPTER 8 Puttanesca so you can dress her up as Miss Honey Bee, Cristos said. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a shame, but better safe than sorry,¡± I replied. ¡°Has the Sheriff found the bodies?¡± Xavier asked. Cristos nodded his head. ¡°One of Pete¡¯s men called Sheriff Combs and said¡­ and I quote, ¡°a person in a ck car killed everyone¡±. I heard Jack is furious his neighborhood is now one big crime scene while Liam is pi ssed this killing spree will be bad for his image. This is why I need to get to the pub. I wanna hear what the townsfolk have to say. Maybe they¡¯ll finally put up a neighborhood watch.¡± He paused and looked at me from head to toe. ¡°I love that leather suit, by the way. I wonder who got it for you,¡± Cristos joked. ¡°You did,¡± I said, kissing him on the cheek. ¡°Go. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. If you get in touch with Dom, tell him to take care.¡± Once the wall panel closed behind Cristos, I unzipped my leather suit and stripped. I stood. in front of Xavier in myce lingerie. ¡°X, let¡¯s take a shower together,¡± I said, using the first initial of his name as if we were still working a hit together. I walked over to the wall and dimmed the lights in the shop. ¡°I need you to scrub my back for me. ¡°Your wish is mymand,¡± Xavier said, winking at me. He stripped, throwing his clothes in a heap on the floor. He stood proud and fully erect. My lips parted automatically. I wanted to suck. I knelt down in front of him and began sucking. My head bobbed up and down while he enjoyed himself, his head thrown back in bliss. ¡°Oh my G od, yessss¡­¡± he moaned. He began to move his hips, thrusting gently into my mouth as my lips mped down onto the length of his shaft while my tongue yed with the tip of his penis. I felt his c ock throb and swell as I sucked harder and moved my head faster. When his penis was fully engorged, I sucked with gusto, knowing he was about toe. ¡°J!¡± He cried out the initial of my name, his body shaking as he came into my mouth. I swallowed¡­ every¡­st¡­ drop. 4/5 CHAPTER 89 Puttanesca He quickly pulled me up and lifted me in his arms. ¡°Let¡¯s be the first ones to take a shower in your new shop.¡± While I brushed my teeth, he prepared the water for us. After I rinsed, he unhooked and took off my panties. He caressed my face and ran his thumb against my lips. my bra *If those old biddies only knew I have eyes for only one woman. I love you, Joy,¡± he said, reverting to my true name. ¡°You and I, we were meant to be.¡± My arms encircled his neck, pulling his lips towards mine. ¡°I love you, too, Xavier,¡± I whispered, gazing deeply into his brown eyes. He cupped the back of my head and kissed me. His lips were soft at first, then he gradually deepened the kiss, pouring all his passion and need into that one kiss. He led me into the shower, allowing the water to rinse off the residue of the nervous sweat that clung on my skin from saving Ms. Lawrence. After washing my hair, he squeezed some bath gel into his palms and began tother the soap on my body. He took his time massaging my breasts, my back, my legs and thighs before he found the sensitive nubContent (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. in between my thighs. He rubbed my cl it while he kissed me until I screamed into his mouth when I finally came. I was still riding the waves of my or gasm, when he lifted me up and thrusted deep inside me. I cried out with every thrust, loving how he felt inside me. When we were done, both our bodies were trembling from our climax. After he toweled me dry, we both went to sleep in my new sofa bed¡­ me in his arms¡­ happy and content. Chapter Comments Mary Hall Joy did her thing she killed without me more and that¡¯s what she needed Luna-Mom Wow Joy you really VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS have earned your ce amongst theds POST COMME 3 Chapter 90 CHAPTER 90 Alternative (TW: Rape and Assault) Pete McDowell I constantly kept rubbing my fake moustache and beard. It was itchy, but I needed a disguise. I was at a sleazy club, seated alone at the bar, drowning my anger and frustrations in alcohol. Sadly, there was no Ma to have fun with. And now, she had to be punished. This meant death to her mother. After the bad news from the diner, I quickly called the men I had sent to watch Ma¡¯s mother. ¡°Boss, what¡¯s up?¡± Johnny answered. ¡°Something¡¯s happened to Ma. She¡¯s a no show. I need you to kill her mother,¡± I instructed. ¡°Sure thing, Boss,¡± Johnny said. ¡°Make it look like an ident. I don¡¯t want the town making spections. She likes to drink, so-¡± I suddenly heard the doorbell ring. ¡°Sh it! There¡¯s someone at the door,¡± Johnny said, ¡°I¡¯ll call you back.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± I yelled, but it was toote. He hung up. I tried calling him back, but he didn¡¯t answer my call. I tried calling the men I had instruct to keep watch outside, but they, too, didn¡¯t answer. I tried Johnny again, but it just kept on ringing. After Johnny didn¡¯t answer my calls, I called his big brother to find out what happened. I had my phone on the bar top, waiting for some news. I downed my shot of tequ and rubbed my forehead to ease the tension. Se?or De Vega was very clever. He was someone I had underestimated. He didn¡¯t want anyone else to suffer the same fate as his niece. 1/5 CHAPTER 90 Alternative and money. I should have listened to my mother all those years ago when she had advised me to invest in mercenaries who were skilled inbat and warfare. ¡°Mom, hiring ex-military is expensive. Plus, New Salem isn¡¯t a ce where I need to have that kind of manpower anyway. I¡¯m good with whatever men New Salem and Bismarck have to offer. They¡¯re cheap, low maintenance and expendable,¡± I told her one night while we were having dinner. ¡°Pete, I¡¯m not telling you to hire a hundred. All you need is one small team. Sure, mercenaries are expensive, but that¡¯s because one of them is equivalent to twenty yahoos in this town. Learn from the Cohens. Their men are highly skilled and educated. Even Henry, their driver, has done some training. It won¡¯t hurt to have a couple of trained men by your side. You can even use them for logistics or ounting,¡± she advised. ¡°I¡¯m enough, Mom. I finished all the necessary training with Papa when he was still alive. Whatever skill set these mercenaries have to offer, I already have,¡± I said, waving my arms, proud of what I had aplished when I was still a teenager. ¡°Sweetie, I haven¡¯t seen you run or even exercise since your father died. I bet if you went to my cycling ss, you¡¯d copse from exhaustion.¡± ¡°I know I¡¯m fat and ugly, Mom. You don¡¯t need to remind me. But even though I¡¯m fat and ugly, I control this town. Just one word from me and any one in this stinking town is dead,¡± reasoned, sticking my knife into my steak. My mother grimaced and shook her head in disappointment. ¡°This organization is so much more than holding a man by his balls, Pete. Sure, the fear you, but do they respect you?¡± She asked, ying with her wine ss. ¡°Fear and are two different things, son. I¡¯m afraid you still have so much to learn. It¡¯s a good thi here to help you.¡± I sighed. She wasn¡¯t here anymore and right now, I was one big fat mess! I didn¡¯t know how was going to go back to New Salem and face the families of my men. I even made the mistake of promising Riley¡¯s mother I would keep her son safe. She thought he worked as a delivery man for my mother¡¯s pharmacy. Little did she know her son was a drug runner, a cleaner, and a kidnapper. Now, he was in the hospital after a white van smashed into him. It would be a miracle if he survived. Well, why should I care anyway? They¡¯ve earned more than what they¡¯ve actually had to offe/5 I CHAPTER 90 Alternative me. ¡°Hey handsome! Need somepany?¡± A young brte suddenly asked. She looked to be Ma¡¯s age, really thin, wearing a sparkling silver brassiere and short shorts that looked like underwear. She ced her hand on my thigh and my penis went hard. ¡°How much to take you out?¡± I asked casually. ¡°I¡¯m not allowed to leave the bar until my shift is over, but you and I can get cozy in one of the VIP rooms,¡± she murmured, cing my hand on her thigh. I stared at her made up face and shrugged my shoulders. I needed an alternative for Ma and she was as good as any. ¡°Sure. Lead the way,¡± I replied while leaving some money at the bar and pocketing my phone. She took my hand and led me to the back where the private rooms were located. I want the best room,¡± I told her, handing her a w ad of cash. Her eyes widened like saucers. while her lips curved into a big happy smile, knowing tonight was a good night. ¡°Right this way, handsome,¡± she said, palming the cash I had just given her and strutting like she was a model doing the catwalk. Her cute as s ji g gled as she walked making my d ick throb. Once we were in the VIP room, I ordered food and drinks, sat down on the sofa and made myself comfortable. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I asked. ¡°Brandy,¡± she answered. ¡°I don¡¯t like that name. How about for tonight I call you Ma instead?¡± I asked her, wa a hundred dor bill at her. ¡°Sure. Whatever tickles your fancy, she replied, sn atching the hundred dor bill. ¡°Now, strip, I said, tossing another w ad of cash at her. She quickly stood up and began to dance. I watched as she swayed her hips and twirled her hair, imagining it was Ma dancing in front of me. My phone began to vibrate in my pocket. It wasn¡¯t Johnny or Johnny¡¯s brother. It was another one of my men who was usually assigned to Hillcrest. T CHAPTER 90 Alternative ¡°What do you want, Tim?¡± I asked, keeping my eyes on the girl as she removed her bra. . ¡°Boss, we have a problem. All the men at Brook Haven are dead. It¡¯s a f ucking blood bath,¡± Tim said. I quickly sat up, stunned at the news. ¡°And Ms. Lawrence?¡± I asked, trying to keep my anger at bay. ¡°No sign of her. I walked in and found Johnny and Bill inside, but Ma¡¯s mom is missing.¡± ¡°And Johnny¡¯s brother¡­Tony? Is he there with you?¡± I asked, noticing the girl had already removed her shorts. She was now dancing in a silver g-string. ¡°Uhm, I found Tony and Dirk lying on the pavement at the entrance of Brook Haven, Boss. All of them¡­ shot in the head. Bodies still warm. Whoever did this, they made sure they left no one alive.¡± ¡°Have you spoken to any of the neighbors? Did anyone see anything?¡± I asked, gesturing to the girl to sit next to me. She did, allowing me to fondle her small breasts. information. ¡°Someone said they saw a ck car. That¡¯s all,¡± he answered. That was useless My hand traveled down the girl¡¯s body to touch her pus sy. She pushed my hand away and waved her finger from side to side, telling me I wasn¡¯t allowed to touch her there. My brow furrowed. What the f uck? ¡°Call the Sheriff. I¡¯ll have someone look into the CCTV footage. And Tim, find Ms. Lawrence. If the bodies are still warm, it means the people who did this aren¡¯t far.¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. My hand balled into a fist. No Ma, no Ms. Lawrence and this b itch beside me woul allow me to touch her pu ssy. ¡°Sure thing, Boss. I¡¯ll call you when I have news, he said and hung up. I messaged the hacker who I employed to do Aspire Tower and asked her to get me the footage from Brook Haven. I quickly pocketed my phone and focused my attention on the naked girl seated beside me. She was chowing down on the appetizers I had ordered like it was her only meal of the day. ¡°Aren¡¯t you suppose to ask before you eat someone else¡¯s food?¡± I asked harshly. She stopped, swallowed what was in her mouth and brushed the crumbs from her hands. ¡°Sorry. I thought it was okay if I just had a couple.¡± she apologized. 4/5 CHAPTER 90 Alternative ¡°It¡¯s okay. I just wanted you to ask,¡± I said, pushing the te of appetizers towards her. 1 pointed to the ceiling. ¡°Are there any CCTV cameras in this room?¡± She shook her head. ¡°We have some high rollers whoe in during the week and this room is reserved for them. That¡¯s one of the reasons why this room is so expensive in the first ce,¡± she exined, before cing a piece of shrimp in her mouth. I patiently waited for her to swallow the shrimp before punching her in the face. S onto the sofa, clutching her cheek. She fell I covered her mouth with one hand and punched her in the stomach with the other. She was so distracted by the pain, she didn¡¯t realize I had ripped the g-string off of her and had unzipped my pants, pulling out my co ck. ¡°Since I paid you so much money, bit ch, I¡¯m entitled to get something back. A service. You should have let me touch your pus sy, because now, I¡¯m going to f uck you!¡± I growled at her, holding both her wrists above her head. I felt her muf fled scream against my hand and saw the fear in her eyes. That fear was a turn on. I instantly grew hard just by the sight of that fear. I thrusted in her, hard and fast, over and over again, loving the feel of her dry pu ssy against. my co ck. I came inside her,ughing at her as I did. After I pulled my c ock out of her, I repeatedly punched her in the face, until shey unconscious on the sofa. I stood up and cracked my neck muscles, feeling gloriously at ease. I zipped up my pants, fixed myself up and walked out of the VIP room like nothing. happened. She wasn¡¯t Ma, but she was a good alternative. I nced at my watch. I still had some time left before my flight. Maybe I could get a better high from another girl at another sleazy club. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom Totally agree with caroline ck, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. The anticipation of what¡¯s going to happen to the rest of the posse is ramping up VIEW 1 COMMENT POST COMMENT 3 7 5/5 The Joy of Revenge Chapter 91 CHAPTER 91 Crime Scene Jack I grew up in Brook Haven¡­ And never had I seen something like this before. It was gruesome. At the entrance of my neighborhood, a ck Honda was parked in the middle of the road. Two patrol cars, a white forensic investigation van and a medical examiner fleet vehicle were already a at the scene. The area was cordoned off from the public with yellow barricade tape. ¡°What do we have here?¡± I asked the deputy in charge as I lifted the yellow tape so I could. enter the area. I looked down and saw two pools of blood. ¡°Two male bodies. Cause of death, gunshot wound to the head. One has been identified as Anthony ¡°Tony¡± Miller while the other is Dirk ¡°The Jerk Harris. Tony¡¯s younger brother, Johnny, was found dead on the floor in the living room of the Lawrence residence. Cause of death, gunshot wound to the head. There was no sign of force entry and Ms. Lawrence and her daughter Ma are no where to be found,¡± the deputy said, reading from his small writing pad. ¡°Is Ms. Lawrence¡¯s red truck in the driveway?¡± I asked. ¡°Yep, including a brand new Jeep Cherokee. I heard Ma¡¯s new boyfriend bought it for her, the deputy smirked. ¡°You know who the boyfriend is?¡± I asked. ¡°No. But no doubt them nosy neighbors of yours may know something,¡± he smirked again. I pped him on the chest with the back of my hand to stop his snickering. He coughed and pocketed his writing pad. ¡°Sorry, Undersheriff.¡± ¡°Have the forensics team collect the evidence then haul that car out of here. This is the only entrance into Brook Haven. I don¡¯t want to inconvenience the residents,¡± I instructed. He nodded his head and walked away to oversee the crime scene. I ducked under the tape and entered my residential area. I muttered a curse under my breath, dislikingPublished by N?v''elD/rama.Org. the fact that I had to walk all the way to Ma¡¯s house. As I approached, I could see the shing lights of patrol cars and I could hear the ruckus from the crowd. Although I was expecting a group of bystanders around Ma¡¯s house, I didn¡¯t would be a big assembly of curious onlookers. expect there 1/6 CHAPTER 91 Crime Scene 910 I pushed through the crowd, slowly making my way to the yellow barricade tape. Nothing could prepare me for what I saw. If I had thought the two bodies at the entrance to Brook Haven was bad, what I discovered here was way worse. A ck van with bullet holes on its windshield had smashed into themp post near the Lawrence Residence. Bodies from two cars parked along the street were being carried out in body bags by people from the medical examiner¡¯s department. I turned my head towards Ma¡¯s house and I noticed the lone figure of the Sheriff standing in front of two body bagsying at the doorway. I decided to check in with him first. As I crossed the Lawrence¡¯s unkempt yard, I noticed the new Jeep Cherokee parked beside the Lawrence¡¯s old truck. I felt envious. If I was only a girl¡­ Sheriff, what¡¯s the body count?¡± I asked as I walked up beside him. He turned to look at me and pursed his lips. ¡°Two here, two in each of the cars and one in the van. Little Ray luckily came out unscathed. He was in the back of the van, hidden between the seats,¡± the Sheriff said. ¡°At least we have a witness. Did he see anything?¡± I asked. Sheriff Combs shook his head. ¡°No. The electricity went out and it was pitch ck,¡± he said. ¡°Did he say why they were here in the first ce? Was he armed?¡± I asked, hoping for rity. for ¡°He won¡¯t answer any of my questions and yes, he had a gun. He says he wants awye Sheriff mumbled. He suddenly looked up at the sky as if he was praying to Go d for some direction.¡±We have two missing females, Jack. I can only specte, but this I can say certain¡­ This wasn¡¯t the work of an alcoholic woman and her frail daughter. All these dead men work for you know who. I need you to get me some answers from Little Ray. I have at feeling he¡¯ll talk to you.¡± ¡°Where is he?¡± I asked. ¡°He¡¯s in the back of my car. Be quick and be discreet.¡± I nodded my head and quickly turned to look for the Sheriff¡¯s patrol car. I walked around the people working at their assigned areas and headed towards the vehicle which was parked a 2/6 CHAPTER 91 Crime Scene couple of houses away. I opened the door to the driver¡¯s seat and entered the car. Little Ray, who was detained in the back seat, sat quietly, looking out the window. A wire grid partition separated the both of us. ¡°I need answers, Little Ray, and I need them now. Why are all of you here at Ma¡¯s house? You guys know she¡¯s under my protection. She¡¯s like a little sister to me. I even drive her to work sometimes,¡± I said. ¡°I want awyer,¡± he said gruffly. I turned around and looked at him. Little Ray Thomas and Ma were the same age and were schoolmates in high school. He was thin, with dark brown hair, brown eyes and a protruding Adam¡¯s apple. I heard he was nning to go to college since he and his parents were earning enough from peddling drugs. What I didn¡¯t know is that he had branched out to be one of Pete¡¯s men. ¡°Alright. From the way I see it, you were found armed where seven people are found dead and two women are missing. That¡¯s life imprisonment from where I¡¯m sitting,¡± I reasoned. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill anyone, Jack. When Mason and Lewis didn¡¯t check in with Topher, Topher asked me to come with him to check it out, that¡¯s all,¡± Little Ray admitted quickly. ¡°What were Mason and Lewis doing here in the first ce? I know you know something. If you want me to help you, you have got to give me something, I negotiated. He closed his es and hit his head against the back seat. He was probably debating whether or not to tell eyes me. ¡°Fine,¡± he finally eximed. ¡°The guys were holding Ms. Lawrence as leverage,¡± he spit out. ¡°Leverage? For what?¡± I asked. na ¡°So Ma wouldn¡¯t put up a fight. Riley and his crew¡­ they were supposed to deliver Ma to the boss. That¡¯s all I know,¡± Little Ray said, lowering his head-in shame. ¡°You were in the back of the van, right?¡± I asked ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And did you see anyone before you hit themp post?¡± I asked. ¡°No. The lights were out in the neighborhood. We had just turned the corner when all of a board the windshield cr ack then Tonher smashed into themp post. It happened 11:32 Fri, Mar 29 M CHAPTER 91 Crime Scene so fast, he croaked. He averted his face and wiped his nose. He was crying. ¡°I only figured out he was dead when I saw the bullet holes and the blood dripping from his¡­¡± He lowered his head, hiding his face from me. I wanted tofort him, but the partition was in the way. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you lost your friend, Little Ray. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll get the s on ofa bit ch who did this. As for you, the Sheriff just wants a short statement, then he¡¯ll release you from custody. You have North Dakota¡¯s permitless carryws to thank for that,¡± I said. I opened the car door and stepped out of the Sheriff¡¯s patrol car. When I spoke with Liam earlier today, he said Dan told him Pete would be leaving New Salem for a vacation. What the f uck was Pete doing kidnapping Ma and using her mother as leverage if he was leaving? It must have been a lie. I needed to find Riley or any one of his crew for more information. I¡¯ll call Dan and ask him to hold Riley¡¯s delivery so I could have a word with him. Before speaking to Sheriff Combs, I made a pit stop at the van to check on those bullet holes. Luckily, one of our senior deputies was in charge of overseeing the van. He was staring at the hood of the van with a puzzled expression on his face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Randy?¡± I asked behind him. He walked towards me and pulled me aside s we could speak in private. ¡°If a person was shooting in front of the van with a smaller firearm, he would shoot repeatedly, then move out of the way. Not in this case. There are only two bullet holes and judging by the damage on Topher, I suspect long range and big caliber. I asked around and some of the residents said they heard something¡­. like a distinct loud cr ack, but it didn¡¯t sound terrifying nor did it startle them. Some actually thought maybe it was lightning from a distance,¡± he exined. ¡°Where are you going with this, Deputy?¡± I asked, confused. After the Cynthia McDowell case, he obviously did his research. ¡°The sn iper used a suppressor. Undersheriff that kind of equipment is expensive. The 4/6 11:33 Fri, Mar 29 M CHAPTER 91 Crime Scene cheapest is priced at twenty-eight hundred dors and only fits with modern day weaponry. A suppressor brings down the sound of the supersonic boom of the bullet about¡­ let¡¯s say, 200 decibels at least.¡± ¡°Okay. So, a sn iper shot at this van? ¡°Yep. And the two in the silver Kia plus the two at the entrance of Brook Haven. A smaller caliber was used on the two in the house and the two in the blue Camry,¡± Randy said. ¡°So you think there were two suspects who did this?¡± I asked. ¡°Two at least, maybe three at most, if you want to include a getaway driver. I asked the neighbors if they saw anyone walking around and all of them had the same answer. None of them did. The only thing they did hear and see was this van crashing into the post and a ck car speeding away from Ma¡¯s house right after.¡± He suddenly leaned over and whispered in my ear, ¡°This looks like another abduction case.¡± Randy was on Liam¡¯s payroll and believed everything had something to do with him. Since he was on a need to know basis, he didn¡¯t know about Pete or the organization. Liam had money and employed trained guards. I knew a theory was already forming in his head. ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure, Randy. Better we keep quiet for now,¡± I told him. ¡°I know this is the wrong time to ask, but I need more money. Christine is pregnant again and with a baby on the way¡­¡± ¡°I gotcha. I¡¯ll get that money for you. I promise, I assured him, patting him on the shoulder. He smiled. ¡°Thanks, Jack.¡± I walked away, shaking my head in disbelief. Randy was bing a problem. I¡¯ll have the Sheriff deal with him. I found Sheriff Combs standing in the middle of the street, instructing the deputies to have the two cars and the van towed out. ¡°Little Ray said Ma¡¯s mom was being used as leverage, so Ma wouldn¡¯t put up a fight,¡± I whispered to the Sheriff. ¡°He said Riley and his crew were supposed to deliver Ma to him.¡± 5/6 11:33 Fri, Mar 29 Mo CHAPTER 91 Crime Scene The Sheriff pulled me aside. He had a grim expression on his face. ¡°Unfortunately, Ma has to take the fall for this,¡± he said. ¡°I need you to nt evidence.¡± Chapter Comments Luna-Mom Can¡¯t wait for Joy to teach you a really hard lesson pete VIEW 1 COMMENT POST COMMENT 4 16 6/6 Chapter 92 CHAPTER 92 A Surprise Joy When I opened my eyes, I expected to see Xavier sleeping beside me. But to my surprise, he wasn¡¯t there. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for Bo, he¡¯s been up hours ago a familiar masculine voice said. I rolled over and saw Sebastian sitting behind my desk. I quickly sat up, my breasts peeking out through my negligee. ¡°What time is it?¡± I asked, yawning. I quickly covered my mouth, realizing I had morning breath. Ew. Sebastian chuckled at my reaction. ¡°It¡¯s almost nine. We decided to let you sleep afterst night,¡± he said. ¡°When did you get in?¡± I asked, stretching my arms above my head to wake myself up. I pushed the nkets aside and put on my bunny slippers. ¡°Early morning. Your, uhm, rescue operation caused quite the stir. Everyone is-¡± ¡°Hold that thought,¡± I interrupted. I reached for my robe which was hanging behind my office door. ¡°Let me brush my teeth first.¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll prepare breakfast for you while I wait, Sebastian said. I opened the door and bumped into a muscr sweaty chest. I looked up and found Cristo shirtless, in faded blue jeans. ¡°Oops,¡± I mumbled, covering my mouth with my robe. ¡°Need to brush.¡± Cristos opened the bathroom door for me, moved aside and gestured for me to walk in. I stared up at him, one of my eyebrows raised, questioning why he was here so early. I was about to ask when he pushed me into the bathroom. ¡°I can smell your morning breath. Brush.¡± He closed the door hurriedly without giving me a chance to speak. After using the toilet, I brushed my teeth, still trying to figure out why Cristos was here. I quickly rinsedContent (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. my mouth and walked out of the bathroom, only to find Xavier handing 1/6 11:33 Fri, Mar 29 M CHAPTER 92 A Surprise combos under his trusty blue apron which he usually wore when manning the shelves at Bo¡¯s. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked, demanding a straightforward answer. ¡°Breakfast, Xavier answered, opening my office door. ¡°I brought those croissants you like.¡± He grabbed my arm and practically dragged me into my office. ¡°Ow,¡± I eximed, pping his hand away. ¡°I usually like being manhandled by the three of you, but you guys are acting weird.¡± I suddenly paused, my eyes widening into saucers, as a theory formed in my head. ¡°Oh my gosh! Did they find out it was mest night? Are they going to arrest me? Is the Sheriff here? Should I run?¡± Xavierughed. ¡°Eat your breakfast, Virtue. We¡¯ll see youter.¡± He winked and closed the door. I turned around to find Sebastian cing a croissant on a te with some cheese on desk. the side. Tworge red mugs of coffee were sitting on my Cappino. Just how you like it,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°Sit.¡± I shrugged my shoulders and sat down behind my desk, grabbing a mug. I raised the mug to my nose, inhaling the cappino¡¯s rich scent. If this was myst meal, I better make the most of it. Sebastian had already fixed my sofa bed and had tidied up while I was in the bathroom. He sat down in one of the chairs in front of my desk, grabbed his mug and sipped his coffee. ¡°What is going on, Dom?¡± I asked before taking a sip of my coffee. ¡°Ma wanted me to personally thank you for saving her mother. In exchange, she gave me. the location of Pete¡¯s safehouse in Bismarck and has also told me some other usef information. Unfortunately, she doesn¡¯t know the identity of Pete¡¯s capo. She said no one knows exactly who it may be. Ma suspects it may be Cris, but he doesn¡¯t quite fit the profile. I¡¯m waiting for De Luca to tell me if he¡¯s gotten some info from his contact in the FBI,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°What happens to Ma now?¡± I asked before taking a bite of my croissant. It was so fluffy, it practically melted in my mouth. I closed my eyes blissfully, savoring it¡¯s buttery taste. ¡°I¡¯ve sent her and her mother to Vegas. She makes a good spy. I¡¯ve employed her to get useful information from the crime bosses who happen to make their way to my club,¡± he said, leaning back in his chair. 2/6 11:33 Fri, Mar 29 M CHAPTER 92 A Surprise ¡°Did you tell her about us?¡± I asked before realizing my mistake.¡±What I meant was this whole thing we got going on.¡± ¡°About us being a rival organization? Somewhat he answered. ¡°About Joy Taylor? No. About me being in love with you? Yes. It broke her heart, but she said she suspected. She hopes she can be you someday.¡± I blushed as his honey-colored eyes stared at me. I felt my heart sk ip a beat. ¡°So, am I going to be arrested any time soon? Is this the reason why you guys are so nice to me?¡± I asked. Sebastianughed. ¡°No, but we do have some bad news,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°Seems the Sheriff found bricks of meth inside Ma¡¯s home including some high-powered weapons. She, her mother and unknown associates are now wanted for the death of nine people. They have a witness, a young man named Ray Thomas who went to school with Ma. ording to the Sheriff, Ray and the nine others were assets working undercover for him. The police have been monitoring Ma and her mother for a long while now and suspect them to be part of a drug trafficking ring.¡± ¡°Oh wow!¡± I mumbled, my mouth full with thest piece of my croissant. I couldn¡¯t believe the Sheriff could concoct such an inconceivable story. ¡°I have new identities for Ma and her mother waiting for them in Vegas and I have instructed Ma to change her hair color and to wear contact lenses¡­ and maybe get a tan, Sebastian assured me. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m waiting for Sheriff Combs or Undersheriff Emery toe knocking on my door. The perks for buying Ma a car and opening a bank ount for her.¡± He grimaced, annoyed at finding himself in the middle of an investigation. ¡°If they want their story to stick, they¡¯ll conduct a search at Dom¡¯s.¡± ¡°Do you need me to help you with anything?¡± I asked, standing up and grabbing my overnight bag. ¡°I¡¯ll get dressed and-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need help from you, Virtue. Link is already here to represent me and I have CCTV cameras all around my store and warehouse. If they nt evidence, we¡¯ll catch them on camera,¡± he said. ¡°Chip is helping Bo hide what needs hiding. Right now, they¡¯re installing a wall panel to hide Bo¡¯s hidden office, just in case they have a warrant to search his warehouse too.¡± No wonder Cristos is here. ¡°What about Old Man Eugene¡¯s house?¡± I asked, wondering if Xavier¡¯s men were still there. ¡°After Chip heard the news from Danst night, the ce is now clean and empty. The men are in Mandan awaiting orders,¡± Sebastian answered. He coughed, clearing his throat. ¡°Thoro¡¯s another bit of news Chin got from Danst night.¡± 3/6 11:33 Fri, Mar 29 Mo CHAPTER 92 A Surprise ¡°Yeah?¡± I asked absent-mindedly as I ced a pair of folded jeans and a bra on my desk. I opened the small built-in closet and found the silk one shoulder scarlet floral blouse I was looking for. I had forgotten I hung it there yesterday. ¡°Last night, Dan asked Chip if he could get your ring size and help him pick out a diamond ring for you,¡± Sebastian said, amused. ¡°Why in the world would Dan want to buy a diamond ring for me?¡± I eximed, exasperated. Has the world gonepletely insane? ¡°Dan isn¡¯t the one who¡¯ll be paying for the ring, Virtue,¡± Sebastian pointed out. I quickly spun around and stared at him with my mouth wide open. Even in my nightmares, I have never dreamt of being engaged to that monster. ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡°Yes way¡­¡± ¡°No!¡± I yelled. ¡°I am NOT going to ept his proposal!¡± I took off my robe and myce gown. and began to dress. ¡°Joy,¡± he said, reverting to my name. ¡°If you get married without a pre-nup and Theodore Cohen dies, you be the sole beneficiary of the Cohen estate once Liam is dead. As you know, Theodore Cohen is in the hospital. I only need to make a call to instruct the nurse administer some insulin into his IV line.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need his money, Dom,¡± I said, putting on some rust colored sandals. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it feel good to burn his house down?¡± Dom asked. I rolled my y eyes at him. ¡°I have a deadline. I want this done as soon as possible, so I can go back to California,¡± I argued. ¡°Then, get married as soon as possible and kill him once you go off on your honeymoon,¡± Sebastian suggested casually like it was the easiest thing. ¡°Why are you pushing this, Sebastian?¡± I asked, using his real name. ¡°What are you after?¡± I bent down to look him in the eye. ¡°Well after much thought the three of us have decided we want the Blood Disciples to take/6 11:33 Fri, Mar 29 MD CHAPTER 92 A Surprise I stomped my foot on the floor. Ugh! They have fallen in love with New Salem. A knock on the door interrupted our conversation. ¡°The four of us need to talk before you finalize your decisions,¡± I said angrily. I fluffed my hair before opening the door. Xavier and Cristos took one look at my red face and instantly knew my conversation with Sebastian didn¡¯t go so well. ¡°Dom, they¡¯re looking for you next door,¡± Cristos said. ¡°And, ah, Virtue, we have a surprise for you.¡± ¡°I hope this surprise isn¡¯t a wedding dress, a groom and a priest!¡± I hissed. Xavier tried to reach for my hand to console me, but I pointed an using finger at him. ¡°You were ere meant to be? supposed to be on my side. What happened to we ¡°W-we are m-meant to be, it¡¯s j-just- ¡°It¡¯s just expanding your territory is more important to you than me!¡± I inhaled deeply and. let out an angry breath. ¡°So where¡¯s this surprise?¡±. ¡°Take a look.¡± Cristos pointed to the inside of my shop. All the items that were packed in the boxes were either hanging on the racks or ced neatly on the shelves. Even the mannequins in the storefront windows were dressed in gowns that I had personally designed. My anger evaporated into air. I walked into the middle of my shop happily. It was ready to open. On the ss door, I read the name of my shop printed with bright colored vinyl lettering. I suddenly felt a tug in my heart. I silently wished it read Joy¡¯s. 5/6 11:33 Fri, Mar 29 The Joy of Revenge Chapter 93 CHAPTER 93 Message S¨¦bastian While Joy twirled happily inside her new store, I grabbed the box of pastries I had requested from Xavier, exited through the wall panel, and walked to my side of the warehouse through a sliding steel door. I entered the store through the back entrance to find an anxious Stanley waiting for me at my office. ¡°Dom, the Undersheriff is here. I told him to wait for you, but he wouldn¡¯t listen. They¡¯ve already begun their search,¡± Stanley said nervously. ¡°How about you make a pot of your famous coffee, Stanley, served with Bo¡¯s finest eirs,¡± I said, handing him the box, ¡°while I handle this.¡± Stanley nodded his head and quickly walked to the office kitchen, grateful he was excluded from the whole predicament.. With Stanley out of the way, I messaged Link to be on standby while I casually walked to the front of my store where Jack was overseeing the search. His deputies had K-9 units sniffing through all the merchandise. ¡°Undersheriff,¡± I greeted him, extending my hand. He took my hand and shook it warmly. ¡°Sorry, I was out back overseeing the new couch Mrs. Wheeler ordered. What is this all about?¡± eyes. I had a Jack handed me a sheet of paper, lowering his head unable to look me in the eye feeling he didn¡¯t like having to do this, but they had to make their story stick. ¡°A search warrant? Why?¡± I asked shocked as I scanned through the document. ¡°I have to apologize for this, Dom,¡± Jack said. ¡°I gather you heard what happened at Ma¡¯s?¡± I looked at him confused, pretending not to know. ¡°It says here you¡¯re looking for drugs. Why do you think I have drugs and what does all of this have to do with Ma?¡± I asked. ¡°Where were youst night?¡± Jack asked without answering me. ¡°I was here helping Virtue set up her store,¡± I said, stating my alibi. ¡°You can go check out Virtue¡¯s. Everything is hung and folded, ready for the store¡¯s opening tomorrow. You can even 11:33 Fri, Mar 29 MD CHAPTER 93 Message what happened to Ma? I¡¯ve been trying to get in touch with her since yesterday, but she won¡¯t answer my calls.¡± ¡°Nine people are dead, Dom. All of them were doing undercover work for us,¡± he said. ¡°We suspected Ma to be part of a drug trafficking ring and have been doing surveince. Last night, we had a narcotics buy operation, but it went terribly wrong. We believe Ma had trained mercenaries with her.¡± I shook my head in disbelief. ¡°B-but she had financial problems. She couldn¡¯t buy herself a new car or pay for tuition. This is why I decided to help her out. I bought her a new car and paid her tuition in full, so she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about money,¡± I exined, my mouth quivering as if I was about to cry. ¡°She fooled you, Dom. Hell, she fooled all of us. It was just a front,¡± he replied. ¡°We did a check and we discovered she has property up in Fargo. Her mother has been going back and forth readying their new house. They were about to leave New Salem, Dom.¡± He ced a hand on my shoulder in an effort to console me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to hear this from me.¡± ¡°I-I t-told her I loved her¡­ that I would take care of her,¡± I mumbled. ¡°She even told me she loved me¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m actually surprised to hear you and Ma are dating. I thought you and Nicole were¡­ you know,¡± Jack said, hoping the change in subject would help lighten the mood. ¡°I think she¡¯s dating Noah,¡± I said, taking a handkerchief from my pocket. I wiped my eyes discreetly, making it look like I was having trouble controlling my emotions. Oh yeah?¡± Jack asked. It was his turn to be confused. ¡°It¡¯s none of my business, but I kind of assumed since she went out of town with him without even telling me,¡± I said. He nodded his head. ¡°Oh¡­ Now I remember,¡± he said. ¡°These past several days have been the worst I have ever seen. I grew up here and I have never seen anything like this before.¡± I nodded my head absent-mindedly, sniffling loudly, lowering my head. ¡°Undersheriff, all clear,¡± one of his deputies announced. I raised my eyes and saw his team walking towards us with Stanley beside them. ¡°Undersheriff, we have some coffee and pastries for you,¡± Stanley said. ¡°That¡¯s mighty nice of you, Stanley, but we better get on qu way,¡± Jack said. ¡°Thank you, 2/6 CHAPTER 93 Message Dom, and sorry for the inconvenience.¡± As Jack and his deputies exited, I buried my face in my hands and cried, appearing to be heartbroken. ¡°Dom, what happened?¡± Stanley asked shocked. I wiped my eyes and blew my nose before answering. ¡°Ma yed me for a fool.¡± Jack I felt awful having to conduct a search at Dom¡¯s, but I needed to clear his name or people would start thinking Dom was part of this drug trafficking ring. He, Bo and Chip were such nice guys. This was the least I could do to help him out. ¡°Men, I¡¯ll see you at the station,¡± I said. Since I was already here, I decided to visit Virtue. I haven¡¯t seen her in days. ¡°Undersheriff, if you can, bring back a box of eirs,¡± one of my deputies said as he boarded. his K-9 into his truck. ¡°I¡¯ll see,¡± I replied, waving at them. I peeked through the ss windows of Virtue¡¯s boutique,¡± impressed with its sleek and chic design. Finally, New Salem had a taste of city living. Sure, Bismarck was close by, but it didn¡¯t hurt to have some of that modern day appeal. I saw her behind the counter with Chip. They were huddled together in front of what looked. like a cash register or aputer of sorts. I tried the door and it swung open. Might as well walk inside. ¡°Virtue honey, it¡¯s like ying with a tablet,¡± Chip said. ¡°You use this to scan, press amount, then press pay, then the cash drawer should open.¡± Virtue took a tag and scanned it. Then, she tapped on the screen following Chip¡¯s instructions, but the cash drawer wouldn¡¯t open ¡°Do you have one of these at the pub?¡± She asked, frustrated. Her voice was music to my ears. I felt myself rx from all the pressure from the past several days. 3/6 CHAPTER 93 Message He uses the same one in his shop.¡± Chip quickly took his phone out from his pocket. It was. surprising to see him in an old shirt and faded jeans. He raised his eyes and saw me staring at them. ¡°How long have you been standing there, Jack?¡± Virtue jumped, turned her head towards me, then smiled. ¡°Dom told me he helped you set up shop,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m impressed.¡± ¡°Yes, he did,¡± Virtue said, nodding her head. ¡°Now he has to teach me how to work this thing before I open tomorrow.¡± She eyed her cash register with disdain. ¡°How can I help you, Undersheriff?¡± ¡°Just wanted to see you,¡± I said honestly. She blushed and smiled brightly. ¡°Have you had breakfast?¡± She asked. ¡°How about I treat you to a cup of coffee and a pastry? I haven¡¯t seen you since Saturday and a lot has happened since then. Plus, I need a break from this thing before I throw it out the window.¡± ¡°Virtue, can I take a shower here?¡± Chip asked while clicking away on his smartphone. ¡°Of course you can,¡± she answered. ¡°You can even get dressed in my office.¡± ¡°Going somewhere?¡± I asked Chip. He nodded his head. ¡°I have to meet up with Dan,¡± he answered while scrolling through his phone. ¡°Uhm, Virtue, Dom says he¡¯ll teach you how to use the POS system after lunch. Apparently, he¡¯s not feeli well.¡± Chip¡¯s voice sounded baffled. ¡°Yeah, about that, I had to break some bad news to him about Ma,¡± I admitted. ¡°You tell Virtue all about it, Jack,¡± Chip said. ¡°Because I need to take a shower.¡± ¡°Lock the door behind us,¡± Virtue instructed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have a key.¡± She reached under the counter and took out a small red-orange bag. After Dan mentioned one of her purses was worth more than what I made in a month, I wondered how much this one cost. She walked over to me and ced her hand around my arm. She was wearing dark blue jeans, an asymmetrical blouse and red-orange sandals which matched her small purse while her hair cascaded over her shoulders¡­ always so beautiful. At Bo¡¯s Cafe, I told her what happenedst night and she was shocked beyond words. 4/6 CHAPTER 93 Message an ident, but this- ¡°No need to worry,¡± I assured her. ¡°We¡¯re looking for her. There¡¯s no ce where she can hide.¡± She ced a hand on my arm. ¡°Of course, Jack.¡± I was just beginning to enjoy myself when my phone began ringing. I muttered a curse under my breath. It was the Sheriff. ¡°I just got a call from the hospital,¡± the Sheriff said. ¡°Another o to Theodore Cohen. I need you to bring whoever that is here.¡± of Pete¡¯s men tried to get ¡°Got it,¡± I said and hung up. This was bad. There was an ongoing war between Pete and Liam. Pete had men from neighboring states, but because this was such a small town, it was difficult for any one ofPublished by N?v''elD/rama.Org. them to blend in. ¡°Virtue, as much as I¡¯d love to stay, I, unfortunately, need to get back to work.¡± ¡°I understand. I hope you can drop by tomorrow¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯ll be my grand opening. If you see Liam, tell him if he has time to please stop by.¡± ¡°I will. If you see someone suspicious, don¡¯t hesitate to give me a call. Take care, Virtue.¡± I waved goodbye, feeling light on my feet. She always had that affect. It was like she was sunshine on a gloomy day. As I started my truck, I saw Bo handing Virtue a box of pastries. She smiled at him, waved her goodbyes before exiting Bo¡¯s and walking back to her shop. then From the corner of my eye, I saw a man in a ck sweatshirt walking towards her. I didn¡¯t recognize him from anywhere. I quickly exited my truck and ran towards her, silently praying I could get to her in time. He stopped her and handed her something. But before he could run off, Virtue grabbed the sleeve of his ck sweatshirt. ¡°Who are you?¡± I heard her ask. He raised his hand to strike her, but I grabbed his arm in time, twisting it behind his back. ¡°Get off of me,¡± the man cried. ¡°I¡¯m just a delivery man.¡± ¡°I¡¯m taking you to the station.¡± I said, handcuffing him. I noticed Virtue staring at a small 5/6 CHAPTER 93 Message note. ¡°What does it say, Virtue?¡± Instead of answering me, she handed me the note with a troubled look on her face. I nced at the small piece of paper, my eyes narrowing at the brief message. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon. P¡± Chapter Comments Luna-Mom Oh dear Virtue you bettery down some very serious ground rules and boundaries. pronto VIEW 1 COMMENT Chapter 94 CHAPTER 94 Awake Liam My father was stable, but it didn¡¯t seem like he was getting any better. His doctors exined that because of hi age and the injury he sustained, the smoke had affected him worse than others. They assured me he was getting better and told me to be patient. Honestly, I didn¡¯t want to get my hopes up. Despite the mess from recent events, I decided to stay by my father¡¯s side until he was well. enough to continue his treatment at home. Pete was someone I didn¡¯t want to underestimate ever again¡­ I had learned my lesson. As I had anticipated, Pete sent another one of his men to the hospital, instructing him to leave a small note by my father¡¯s bedside. Just like the first note, this note also reminded me of our agreement. ¡°Spring Formal is next week. I will be there to collect. P I furiously crumpled the small piece of recycled paper into a ball and tossed it into the garbage can. Over my dead body, Pete. I believed our arrangement was null and void, simply because he had left my father behind to die in the fire. The act itself indicated Pete wasn¡¯t going to hold up his end of the bargain, so why should I? After tossing the small note, I walked over to the parking lot where a young African- American in man from South Dakota named Carter was sitting in the backseat of one of the sedans parked in the back. We only had a few families of color living in New Salem and I knew all of them. I¡¯m guessing Pete sent Carter to further taint my image¡­ as a racist. If a video recording of Carter being osted by my men ever surfaced, it would definitely ruin me. We detained Carter inside one of the vehicles used by my guards, waiting for Jack to arrive, so he could take him down to the station for questioning. I made the effort to make him asfortable as possible knowing if anyone heard himin, we would all be in trouble. I felt bad for the man. He wasn¡¯t part of this, but since he needed money, he was willing to1/5 CHAPTER 94 Awake deliver a note, so they grabbed the chance to earn some easy money. One of my men asked. where his friend was and he said he didn¡¯t know I had most of my men waiting for his friend to show up at my father¡¯s room, thinking Carter was a mere distraction, but his friend didn¡¯t turn up. I assumed Carter lied to make us think he wasn¡¯t alone so we wouldn¡¯t hurt him. ld be upstairs with When Jack finally showed up, I was angry for waiting for so long. I should. my bedridden father, but I had to wait because I definitely knew Jack would rough Carter up, if I wasn¡¯t around. ¡°Where have you been?¡± I asked angrily after he ced Carter inside a patrol car. ¡°Sorry, Liam. There was an incident at Virtue¡¯s,¡± he answered. My anger abruptly faded, reced with worry. ¡°You mean at the Old Taylor House?¡± I asked, shocked. ¡°Uhm, no. At her store,¡± he replied. ¡°She¡¯s there getting the ce ready for the opening ¡°tomorrow.¡± I didn¡¯t expect her store would be finished so soon. I was impressed. ¡°And?¡± I said, urging him to continue. ¡°She got a visit from one of Pete¡¯s men. He gave her a small note, but instead of letting the pre, he man walk away, she grabbed his sleeve and asked him who he was. If I wasn¡¯t there, would have hit her in the face,¡± he exined. I felt my anger bubble up inside me again. Virtue almost got hurt! Gosh, Pete was such a di ck! ¡°What did the note say?¡± Jack took out his phone and showed me a picture of the note. It was a one liner like the message I received yesterday, signed with the first initial of Pete¡¯s name. ¡°Does she suspect anything?¡± I asked. ¡°I think she¡¯s worried. I saw it on her face while she was staring at the note. I had to lie to her and tell her it might not mean anything¡­ that maybe it was a prank. But she pointed out the man who delivered the message was about to hurt her for just asking him who he was. ording to her, it¡¯s not the kind of behavior she¡¯s seen from folks in New Salem,¡± Jack said. ¡°I kind of got the feeling she knew the guy wasn¡¯t from here. 2/5 CHAPTER 94 Awake ¡°She¡¯s a smart woman and goes around town on her own. I bet she probably knows almost everyone in this town by now, so that¡¯s not surprising,¡± I reasoned. ¡°As for Pete, I¡¯m guessing, he¡¯s in South Dakota. Carter said he¡¯s from there.¡± Jack¡¯s eyes widened, surprised I knew the man¡¯s name. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were on a first name basis with the man seated in the back of the patrol car,¡± Jack scoffed. ¡°I had to keep himfortable or he would cause a ruckus. Anyway, Carter said the boss paid. him and a friend five thousand dors each to deliver messages. I¡¯ve been waiting for the friend, but apparently he was instructed to deliver a message to Virtue,¡± I said, shaking my head in disbelief. ¡°I have got to fix this.¡± ¡°Well, just to keep Virtue safe, I¡¯ve got Bo keeping an eye on her. Unfortunately, Chip is with Dan and Dom¡­ he¡¯s not in a good ce right now. But since they¡¯re friends, I know he¡¯ll keep an eye on her.¡± My face scrunched up wondering what happened to Dom. Dom isn¡¯t in a good ce right now? Why? It took me a few moments, but I finally figured it out. Oops. ¡°Ah, the Ma Lawrence fiasco,¡± I uttered, grimacing. I don¡¯t know what happenedst night, but maybe Ma got hold of a gun and tried to rescue her mother. It sounded far-fetched, but it was the only possible exnation, unless she had been nning to do this all along. Anyway, Jack was looking for Riley, to confirm if Ma was indeed with Pete. If Dom only knew, he dodged a bullet. That girl has been used and abused by whoe ¡°By the way, Jack, I need you to escort Cris and Lisa home. I had them confined in H so Cris wouldn¡¯t add to all the problems we have now. Before you leave them at their need you to put an electronic ankle monitor on Cris so we can track him wherever he ¡°I can¡¯t do that, Liam,¡± Jack said. ¡°First, I need a court order before I can put an ankle monitor on him and second, he¡¯ll probably kill me if I try. But I can put a tracking device on his car or have a deputy tail him. That¡¯s the best I can do.¡± ¡°Fine. Have a deputy tail him, then tell Lisa I need to see her hereter this afternoon. Tell her¡­ I have something important that I have to give her,¡± I instructed Jack. ¡°Question Carter and his friend for information, then let them go. Tell them if they ever set foot here again, their friends and family will never see or hear from them again.¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡± Jack said, tinning his hat and walking to the car. ¡°S hit! I almost forgot Virtue 3/5 CHAPTER 94 Awake says if you have time to stop by her shop tomorrow. It¡¯s her grand opening.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give her a call and tell her I¡¯ll be dropping by, so she¡¯ll expect me,¡± I said, waving at him. ¡°Jack, thanks man. I owe you one.¡± ¡°No Dr problem. Call if anything happens¡­ again.¡± He entered the patrol car and quickly drove out of the hospital parking lot. I waited for him to turn into the main road before I sprung into action. I wanted to tell him what I had nned, but I didn¡¯t want to tell him, then have Virtue reject meter. Better he find out when I pop the question. I took out my phone and dialed. Thank goodness Dan answered right away. ¡°Do you have the ring?¡± I asked, walking into the hospital. ¡°Liam, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m ordering pizza. Chip and just got to the airport. We¡¯re flying to Chicago to get youThis is from N?velDrama.Org. that ring,¡± Dan said, annoyed. ¡°I need the ring by tomorrow. Virtue¡¯s grand opening is happening and I want to do it out in public. It¡¯ll be great for my image if she says yes I heard Dan scoff. ¡°You never make it easy, do you?¡± Dan uttered disdainfully. ¡°I was hoping to spend the night in Chicago and do some shopping for myself, but since you need the ring by tomorrow, we¡¯ll be backter tonight. I already made an appointment at Tiffany¡¯s to see this stunning two carat square re cut diamond on a tinum band. It screams Virtue.¡± He sounded really excited. ¡°Good. Send me photos so I can form an opinion,¡± I said. I heard him scoff again. ¡°Sure, Liam. But I don¡¯t want to hear youin about the price. It¡¯s more expens your car.¡± I heard him sigh dreamily. ¡°And I get to try it on¡­¡± No wonder he was excit ¡°You know what? I should just give her my mother¡¯s old ring. I just need to have it clean and polished-¡± ¡°No, no, no, no! We¡¯ll get her a new ring. Don¡¯t be a cheapskate.¡± I heard an announcement on the PA. ¡°That¡¯s us. I¡¯ll call you when wend. When I got to my father¡¯s hospital suite, several doctors were inside, surrounding my father¡¯s bed. I felt my heart momentarily stop in my chest, thinking my father had died. I clutched my 4/5 CHAPTER 94 Awake chest, thinking I was going to have a heart attack. Suddenly, I heard the doctorsugh. What was going on? I quickly walked in and found my father finally awake. His steel grey eyes moved to look at me. ¡°Ah, there¡¯s my son.¡± S hit! Well, this meant I would have to have a simple ceremony. Only close family and friends in attendance with a judge officiating. Before my father is able to get out of bed. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom The intensity and mystery surrounding this whole town is ramping up I love it VIEW 1 COMMENT 6 < SHARE POST COMMENT 5/5 The Joy of Revenge Chapter 95 CHAPTER 95 Chicago Cristos After an almost two hour flight, Dan and I were finally in Chicago. Unfortunately, since Liam was nning to propose tomorrow morning, instead of spending a full night at The Penins, we would be leaving in the early morning. While we were seated in business ss, sipping champagne and snacking on cheese and prosciutto, I silently prayed Dan wouldn¡¯t make any unnecessary moves on me, Xavier and Sebastian would be able to convince Joy to ept the proposal, so she could gain control of everything once Theodore and Liam were out of the way, and I could get some useful information. I was looking for a hacker. After what happened at Aspire Tower, I needed to know who I was up against. Dina, one of my best hackers, was already trying to trace whatever digital footprints the hacker might¡¯ve left so she could at least get a location. She was currently in Mandan eager to move to New Salem, but she had to wait for Lou to pack up all his equipment, so he could set up base in the basement of their new home in Hillcrest. When we arrived at The Penins, I heaved a sigh of relief, happy to be in the city. Rural living, although quiet and rxed, was monotonous. I weed the hustle and bustle of the city, wishing I could stay a bit longer. Dan was obviously happy to be out of New Salem for a change and experience the good life. He said he was never able to fly out before because he couldn¡¯t find a friend toe with him. This is where I fit in. We both got our own suites and agreed to meet at the lobby for lunch after freshening up. Our appointment at Tiffany¡¯s was at two in the afternoon which meant we could have a long lunch, pick up the diamond, then go off and do our own shopping. Dan wanted more silk shirts and needed to go see a dermatologist so he could stock up on facial products. Unlike Dan¡¯s pricier suite, mine was small, good enough for one with a panoramic view of the city. I only brought a small carry-on with me, packed with my usual stuff, thinking if I needed more clothes, I could just buy them here. I needed more pink in my wardrobe anyway. After hanging my clothes, I changed into a beige button down shirt and brown chinos, pairing everything with dark brown leather shoes and a long light brown trench coat to fight the cold of the Windy City. 1/5 CHAPTER 95 Chicago When the elevator doors opened, Dan was already waiting for me at the lobby wearing a royal blue silk shirt and white chinos paired with a gray zer and ck loafers. Dan loved to mix and match colors. ¡°I made reservations at the Shanghai Terrace,¡± Dan said, pushing me back into the elevator so we could go to the fourth floor. ¡°I love Chinese food,¡± I said. ¡°Me too. Unfortunately, you can¡¯t find it in New Salem. When I really have a craving, I drive to Bismarck,¡± Dan said. ¡°We should really take a trip to New York. Maybe I can arrange everything.¡± The elevator doors pinged open and I could already smell the food. My tummy grumbled. I didn¡¯t know I was so hungry. Shanghai Terrace¡¯s main dining area was designed as a traditional 1930s style eatery decorated in red and gold, the colors contrasting beautifully with the dark brown of its tables and polished hardwood floors. Since the terrace area was not open for dining, we took a seat at one of the square tables near therge windows of the restaurant so we could admire the view while we dined. ¡°Order whatever you want, Chip,¡± Dan said, once we were seated. ¡°Everything is on me.¡± Then he paused, his eyes on the menu. ¡°I have an idea. Let¡¯s just order everything on the menu, so we can try all of it. We don¡¯t do this everyday, so let¡¯s splurge.¡± He smiled at the server. ¡°We¡¯ll take one order of everything on the lunch menu and a bottle of Dom Perignon.¡± The server nodded his head in acknowledgement and scurried away for our food and drinks. ¡°Back to nning a trip to New York. What do you suggest?¡± I asked. Dan twirled his in the air, like he was a magician. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for Virtue and Liam to have their honeymoon in New York and we cane with. While they do their thing, we can go off and do our thing. We can go to Broadway, vis the bars in Soho, and shop until we drop. We can even walk around Manhattan in our most colorful outfits.¡± He sighed, cing his chin in his hand, imagining being in New York in a loud designer outfit. ¡°I have been dreaming to go and spend a week there at least, but I never had the money,¡± he said. ¡°Now I have the money All my investments are doing well¡­ so well, I can finally experience life.¡± The server came back with our champagne and a tray full of appetizers. Dan quickly put some shrimp in his mouth and purred. ¡°I want to invest,¡± I said. ¡°Sure I own the pub and have some money saved up, but some extra money wouldn¡¯t hurt.¡± 2/5 CHAPTER 95 Chicago ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Liam and see if you can put in some capital like the rest of us. Real estate is booming in New Salem. I promise you won¡¯t regret it,¡± Dan said before chu gging down his champagne. ¡°You finished ountancy right?¡± I asked. ¡°Did you do any software or maybe encryption. when you were in college?¡± ¡°Uh, no. My expertise ends with Excel, spreadsheets and numbers, Dan answered. He squinted his eyes, thinking who he might know with that kind of background. ¡°Lisa I think tookputer science if I remember correctly. She has a really expensiveputer at home. and herptop is thetest.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I asked surprised. Lisa?! It can¡¯t be possible. ¡°Yeah. I remember she mentioned she was looking for this girl who moved out of New Salem during our junior year in high school. She said she hacked into school databases to look for information on her,¡± Dan borated. ¡°Sadly, she couldn¡¯t find anything about that girl, but she did say something about the girl¡¯s father working at a Target or something. I don¡¯t really Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. know.¡± So Cris uses his wife to do background checks. Sprry Cris, but Lisa found the information that I had nted. Still, I had to admit Lisa was a clever girl. With her background on the basics ofputer encryption, she learned how to hack on her own. Who would have thought? ¡°So, Lisa knows how to hack?¡± I asked skeptically. Dan shrugged his shoulders. ¡°She says she does. Honestly, we go to her when ourputers go on the fri tz, so maybe she does,¡± Dan said. ¡°Anyway, when you encounter problems with yourputer, you know where to go.¡± When we get back to New Salem, I¡¯m going to make an impromptu visit and check. kout her system. Whatever firewalls and security she has, I¡¯ll make sure to bring all of it crashing down. Our server came back with a tray of braised beef, Peking Duck, steamed halibut and bowls of noodle soup. It was all so vorful and aromatic, I made a me ntal note toe back and bring Joy. She would love it here. By the time we got to Tiffany & Co, Dan was buzzed. If I had previously thought he was talkative when tinsy Dan was loud 3/5 CHAPTER 95 Chicago Good thing the people at Tiffany¡¯s didn¡¯t mind and served us each a wonderful cup of coffee. Dan was able to sober up before he made an utter fool himself. We were led upstairs to view the exquisite square cut two carat diamond and tinum ring. Dan ced the ring on his pinky finger and we both gazed at it in awe. As the light touched the surface of the diamond, it reflected a myriad of colors on the surrounding surfaces including white light. I sighed. It would look perfect on Joy¡¯s finger. As I stared at the diamond, I still couldn¡¯t believe Liam was going to propose to Joy. I mean¡­ they only went out on one date! But then again, this was Liam. He was unconventional and unpredictable. After Dan had paid for the one hundred thousand dor ring including a couple of pieces for himself, we left Tiffany¡¯s like we had conquered the world, only to bump into two people we didn¡¯t expect to be in Chicago. ¡°Dan, what are you doing here?¡± I knew that irritating voice. I saw Dan purse his lips before he turned around to greet Nicole. ¡°Nicole, it¡¯s so good to see you in clothes,¡± Dan said before kissing Nicole on the cheek. And sure enough, Nicole was wearing a beige short sleeved, belted, buttoned down midi dress. A colorful silk scarf covered her blonde hair and a pair of oversized sunsses covered her eyes while nude pumps adorned her feet. In one hand was a small Prada shoulder bag. She actually looked good. ¡°Nicole, babe, what¡¯s keeping you?¡± asked another familiar voice. I turned around to see Noah walking up to us with two cups of coffee in his hands. He was wearing a dark gray single-breasted slim-fit Armani suit. He looked expensive¡­ all the way to his designer leather shoes. No f ucking way! ¡°Noah! Oh my gosh! I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re in a suit!¡± I eximed. ¡°Yeah, I had a wedding to attend,¡± Noah exined sheepishly. ¡°Cost me an arm and a leg.¡± ¡°Well, if it¡¯s any constion, you can wear that again at another wedding,¡± Dan said. ¡°What Dan means to say is Armani never goes out of style. You can wear it over and over 4/5 CHAPTER 95 Chicago again,¡± I said, trying to stop Dan from telling Noah about Liam¡¯s n to propose. ¡°No, silly,¡± Dan said, pping me on the arm. ¡°What I mean is New Salem will soon be the venue of The Wedding of the Year! If Virtue says yes, Chip and I will be organizing the Cohen and Sullivan Nuptials.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Nicole screamed. Dan nodded his head. Nicole gave Dan a hug and jumped up and down excitedly. Surprisingly, she was happy with the news. ¡°Is that why you two are here?¡± Noah asked shocked. He, on the other hand, didn¡¯t look so happy. ¡°Yes.¡± Dan waved his shopping bags in front of Noah¡¯s face. ¡°Since we¡¯re all here, let¡¯s have dinner together at RPM Steakhouse. Wagyu steak on me,¡± Dan announced, taking his phone out to make reservations. I nced at Noah who looked ufortable for whatever reason. Under the jacket of his Armani suit, I noticed a Tiffany T hinged gold bracelet. Nicole was wearing one too, but hers was studded with diamonds. Noah was such a bad liar. Chapter Comments Luna-Mom Things not going ording to Liam¡¯s n. Morgan a 2 carat emerald cut diamond even the most clear and best color is less than 30k. doesn¡¯t he have a nice BMW? VIEW ALL 3 COMMENTS 4 POST COMMENT 5/5 The Joy of Revenge Chapter 96 CHAPTER 96 A Difficult Decision Joy I was waiting for Sebastian to show up to give me a tutorial on how to use the POS system he had installed. I decided to arrange the essories I knew the students would need to pretty up their gowns on the disy rack while I waited. It was an interesting morning. I had noticed the young man in the ck sweater approaching even before Jack exited his truck and dashed towards me. Knowing Jack wouldn¡¯t get to me in time, I decided to stall the young man. I grabbed on to his sleeve and asked him who he was. I had already anticipated that my unexpected action would agitate him. If it weren¡¯t for Jack, I would have kicked the man in the balls despite the numerous passersbying in and out of Bo¡¯s. I didn¡¯t care if kicking him would reveal I had the capability of defending myself. After my assault, I vowed no one would hurt me again.. Yet, luck was on my side. Jack made me look¡­ helpless. I showed Jack the small note, looking anxious. After he ced his handcuffs on the young man, he roughly pushed the man against the wall of themercialplex building. ¡°Who are you?¡± Jack asked. The young man hesitated. ¡°ANSWER ME!¡± ¡°My name is Floyd,¡± the young man quicky spat out as Jack¡¯s quiet demeanor changed into a murderous rage. ¡°Floyd like the boxer,¡± Jack said. He grabbed his radio which was holstered on his belt and called it in. ¡°I have a twenty year old male, five foot ten, answers to the name of Floyd. L need someone to pick him up at themercialplex. ¡°Copy that, Undersheriff,¡± a male voice said through the radio. ¡°ETA, five minutes.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t arrest me,¡± the young man argued. ¡°I didn¡¯t do nothing.¡± ¡°Oh yes I can. I can hold you for assault and battery,¡± Jack said, his voice low and intimidating. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°I want awyer,¡± the man said, putting on a brave face. ¡°I have rights you know.¡± 1/5 CHAPTER 96 A Difficult Decision worry, Virtue. We¡¯ll get this sorted out. He won¡¯t ever hurt you.¡± I nodded, lowering my head, so Jack wouldn¡¯t see the anger in my eyes. My hands were shaking, making me look frightened. Actually, they were shaking because I was angry. Xavier suddenly came out, wondering why there were so many people gathered near his grocery store. ¡°Jack, what happened?¡± Xavier said, pointing at me, then at the young man in the ck sweater. ¡°This guy here thought it would be funny to y a prank on one of our own,¡± Jack answered. ¡°Prank? He almost hit me,¡± I said incredulously, acting hysterical, like whatever happened had just finally sunk in. ¡°I¡¯ve been here for two weeks and no one else has ever done something like this to me.¡± Xavier took me in his arms and consoled me. ¡°Hey, hey, hey¡­ ssshhhh¡­ Calm down. This is probably all a misunderstanding. Right Jack?¡± ¡°I was paid to give-¡± The young man didn¡¯t finish his sentence. I nced behind me and saw Jack with his hand on the young man¡¯s shoulder shaking his head, warning him not to speak. ¡°Yeah, Bo. This was just all a misunderstanding, Jack assured him. We suddenly heard the sirens of the patrol car. In a matter of minutes, Floyd was dragged into the back seat of the patrol car and driven away by a deputy. After Jack took a picture of the note with his phone, he ced a gentle hand on my arm. ¡°Virtue, I know he scared you, but him raising his arm was just probably a bad reaction to you pulling on the sleeve of his shirt,¡± Jack exined. ¡°I promise you, you¡¯re safe.¡± He turned to Xavier. ¡°Bo, can I count on you to keep watch?¡± ¡°Sure, Undersheriff,¡± Xavier answered quickly. ¡°Call me if you see anyone suspicious. I¡¯ll drop byter tonight to check up on you, Virtue. Thanks, Bo. I¡¯m d I can count on you,¡± Jack said and waved goodbye. I moved my hand, acknowledging his wave before entering my store. Xavier followed me inside and locked the door, but waited for Jack to drive off before speaking to me. 2/5 CHAPTER 96 A Difficult Decision ¡°What was written on the note?¡± He asked. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon. P,¡± I answered. He smirked and looked up at the ceiling amused. ¡°Lou will be hereter to install the security system with a door chime and ce a steel coiling door in front of the shop. Although the storefront window and door are made of security ss, double the protection is better,¡± Xavier said. ¡°I would have kicked that guy in the balls if Jack hadn¡¯t intervened. And this note is just a reminder from someone pathetic,¡± I said, cing the note on the counter. ¡°Pete wants everything to coincide with the Spring Formal. So we have to n for that night.¡± ¡°While you were having coffee, Chip left with Dan. They¡¯re headed to the airport bound for Chicago,¡± Xavier said, suddenly changing the topic. ¡°What are they going to do there?¡± I asked, knowing what the answer to my question would be. ¡°They have an appointment at Tiffany¡¯s,¡± Xavier said, avoiding eye contact. He walked to the counter and stood in front of me. ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to be engaged or even marry Liam, but I think it¡¯s poetic justice in a way. You marry him, kill him and everything the Cohens have to stand for all they¡¯ve umted throughout the decades from their underground operations, bes yours, Virtue. One of the Taylors his family has been warring with for generations.¡± ¡°But that pri ck raped me! I can¡¯t, Bo, and I won¡¯t,¡± I murmured angrily at him. ¡°I understand, Virtue, but hear me out, Xavier said. ¡°You do this and you not only get to kill the ba stard and his merry bunch of a sholes, but you get to wipe out his family name from memory. No more statues or relics of the Cohens, no more mansion sitting on the top of Prairie Hill, no more reminders that the Cohens ever existed, not even books. You can do all of that when you seize control of their lavish estate. If the Cohens yell ¡®death to all Taylors¡¯, you can answer back with ¡®death to everything Cohen¡¯ when you stand in front of their graves. You, no one else, but you can do that.¡± I stared at him, stunned, that he was able to exin things so coherently and so vividly. Xavier, the quiet one. While Sebastian thought I would agree with his proposal for the purpose of expanding their territory, Xavier made it clearer that I would benefit the most by giving a much bigger perspective¡­ a dazzling culmination to the revenge I still seek. I could destroy everything the Cohens have tried to build and wipe them out from the face of this earth. 3/5 CHAPTER 96 A Difficult Decision I sighed. He had a point. But deep inside my heart, I felt so disgusted that I would have to marry Liam Cohen¡­ the bas t ard I wanted stab with a knife until all his guts were hanging. out from his body. two carat ¡°Think about it, Virtue. Chip and Dan are on their way to Chicago to pick up a diamond ring. If I know Liam, he will make his proposal public to better his image. I¡¯ve been handing out fliers for your grand opening tomorrow. I have this nagging feeling, he¡¯s going to do it here, in front of everyone when he assists you in cutting the ribbon to open your new boutique. You have asked him to cut the ribbon, right?¡± Xavier asked. ¡°I was going to call himter and ask,¡± I answered. ¡°Well, think about it okay? I gotta get back to work. Dom will be hereter when he¡¯s done. pretending to be heartbroken over Ma.¡± He patted my hand and turned to leave. ¡°And sweetie, I meant what I said. You and I, we¡¯re meant to be together. All of this, all our sacrifices, is for you to get what you want¡­ so you can live your life with a happily ever after. We want you to be happy.¡± He unlocked the door and exited to head back to Bo¡¯s. I closed the disy cab, finished with my task of disying the essories¡­ asking myself repeatedly¡­ could I¡­ would I¡­ should I? Did I have it in me to pretend to love someone I have hated since I was a teenager? I was still debating with myself when my phone rang. I looked at the screen and saw it was Liam. Speaking of the devil¡­ ¡°Hi Liam! How are you?¡± I asked like a lovesick teenager, hoping he would hear the enthusiasm in my voice. ¡°I should be asking you that,¡± he replied, chuckling. ¡°I just heard what happened from Jack Are you doing okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I answered, shrugging the incident off. ¡°Jack exined it was all a prank. Anyway, the young man just handed me a note. It was harmless.¡± I quickly changed the subject. ¡°By the way, tomorrow is my grand opening. I was hoping you¡¯d stop by, but I have something else that you can help me with¡­ if you have the time, that is.¡± ¡°Anything for you,¡± he said. ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± ¡°Can you be my guest of honor for the ribbon cutting ceremony? It would be such a privile CHAPTER 96 A Difficult Decision if the mayor of New Salem could be here,¡± I said, my voice sounding hopeful. ¡°I thought you would never ask,¡± Liam replied happily. ¡°Would ten in the morning sound good?¡± ¡°That would be perfect!¡± I eximed. ¡°Ten in the morning it is. Promise me you¡¯ll show up?¡± ¡°I promise, Virtue. Gosh, I miss you,¡± Liam said, breathlessly. ¡°Just hearing your voice has made me smile.¡± ¡°Aw, I miss you too,¡± I said. ¡°How¡¯s your father by the way? Do you need me to drop by at the hospital?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for you toe here,¡± he answered. ¡°My father is awake and perky, thanks for asking. He¡¯ll be going home soon. We¡¯ve decided he can continue his recovery at the mansion.¡± That¡¯s great news. tomorrow then.¡± I lied. I had hoped he would remain in the hospital. ¡°I¡¯ll see you. ¡°Yes, tomorrow. Bye, love,¡± he said. I grimaced. He called me love. ¡°Bye, Liam,¡± I said and hung up. I threw my phone on the counter and cringed. ¡°So, have you decided yet?¡± Sebastian said from behind me. D amn that wall panel. ¡°It was a difficult decision, but yes I have decided,¡± I answered. ¡°You are looking at the soon- to-be Mrs. Liam Cohen.¡± Chapter Comments Luna-Mom Aha looks like Noah is going to have a lot of lies to tell Anna Murray I know you must be busy but please please more chapters, I need more VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS. 4 Chapter 97 CHAPTER 97 Nurse Sebastian I stood stunned, hearing Joy refer to herself as Mrs. Liam Cohen. I thought it would take a little bit more¡­ persuasion. I also felt a tug in my heart. As much as I didn¡¯t want to admit it, but it hurt to know Joy was about to ept a marriage proposal from someone else even though I knew it was for another purpose. I had always imagined she would eventually get married to one of us to cement her position among the Blood Disciples. Stop it, Sebastian. She¡¯ll be a widow soon enough. ¡°Bo exined if I do marry Liam, I could erase the Cohen name from memory and destroy everything they¡¯ve built once he dies. It¡¯s something I¡¯ve wished for ever since I woke up in the hospital after I was raped. Back then, I believed it would never be a reality, but now, it has be a possibility,¡± Joy gushed happily. I grinned at her. She looked so pleased. Luckily, Xavier had gotten through to her after I failed to convince her earlier. He and Joy have always had this connection which I¡¯ve always been envious of. Xavier, I believed, had a gift. ¡°Fortunately, Liam agreed to be at the ribbon cutting tomorrow at ten,¡± Joy said, walking behind her counter. ¡°But we have another problem. Theodore Cohen is awake and they¡¯re moving him to the mansion soon to recover.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll handle Theodore,¡± I said, walking around her so I could check the wires and conne of the POS system. ¡°I saw from the CCTV cameras you were given a note earlier. What o say?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon. P, she answered. I grimaced. Pete was relentless. ¡°When Lou gets here, I¡¯ll be going to Bismarck to check if the information Ma gave me is correct. I asked Chip to pull out the information I need, but he¡¯s busy at the moment. He said they¡¯ve bumped into Nicole and Noah in the Windy City,¡± I said while I took a price tag to test if the barcode scanner worked properly. Joy stood right beside me watching me use her POS system. 1/5 CHAPTER 97 Nurse to Nicole. Yesterday, I caught them fighting here of all ces. ¡°What about?¡± I asked, scanning the tag. It beeped showing the price on the monitor. I pressed on pay and entered a number higher than the price scanned, then I pressed enter. The cash drawer opened without a problem. ¡°They were fighting about a woman with ck hair, she answered as she crossed her arms and tapped her foot, ring at the cash drawer. Of course the cash drawer will open for you.¡± Joy scoffed and pursed her lips. Nicole knows about Sarah Hughes. That I didn¡¯t expect. ¡°So Nicole knows Noah is doing Sarah Hughes too, but they¡¯re still together. I¡¯m impressed,¡± I said. ¡°That will be one messy love triangle though. If Sarah bes mayor and Noah decides to marry her, that will leave a spiteful Nicole. I wonder how he¡¯ll be able to work around her.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll probably keep her as his mistress,¡± Joy smirked. I looked at her appalled she would say such a thing. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? You don¡¯t think Noah won¡¯t smooth-talk his way in keeping Nicole in his bed?¡± ¡°Maybe, but I have a feeling Nicole won¡¯t like it, I said, taking my credit card from my wallet to test the credit card reader. ¡°Of course she won¡¯t like it, but she¡¯s in love with him. It¡¯s either that or she loses him forever. But if I were Nicole, I would leave town and move on,¡± Joy stated matter-of-factly. ¡°Anyway¡­ what information are you going to check in Bismarck?¡± ¡°The location of Pete¡¯s safe house. Pete ns to abduct you during the Spring Formal and once he has you, he¡¯ll need to hide you from Liam,¡± I said while I tried to pay using my card. A receipt came out of the card reader indicating a sessful transaction. I smiled while Joy rolled her eyes in frustration. ¡°Ma says Pete has a sprawling brick mansion on the top of Huff Hills, but she also said she heard him mention a property near the Missouri River, a small cabin on Red River Hills. ording to Joan Summers¡¯ file, Liam knows the safe house on Huff Hills, so I¡¯m guessing Pete won¡¯t dare bring you there.¡± She heaved a huge sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s good we know where Pete may hide once he¡¯s here,¡± she said. ¡°Once I confirm all of Pete¡¯s properties, I¡¯ll have our men surround the area. Dina has a hit on someone who looks like Peteing off a private ne in Bimini, Bahamas. I have 2/5 11.34 Fri, Mar 29 ti CHAPTER 97 Nurse here. After fifteen minutes. Jowavable to maneuver herself around the POS system I had installed. It was nice to spend some time with her after living apart for so long. I had already noticed the clothes Cristos left in her small closet in the office. Soon, thismercial complex will be our home where we can do whatever we wanted. It would be like before. Three men living with the woman they loved. My thoughts went to Maria. She waiteartbroken when I admitted Virtue was someone dear to me. She asked why I had showered her with attention when I was clearly in love with someone else. I¡¯m sorry if I got you involved in all of this, but need information. I¡¯ve seen the ck sling bag carried around by the majority of the cornsfolk and I also noticed you carry it around. What¡¯s inside the bag?¡± She sighed beforestige answered. I¡¯m a drug dealer, Dom. The ck sling bog mammes shouldn¡¯t be touched. Most, if not everyone, knows about the drug trade. The thing boot New Salem is jobs are few and farm owners employ people with such a low sry, nechintoney because my mom can¡¯t find work. When my father left her pregnant with reg, amity disowned her. She had to do everything on her own. After she gave birth, she suffered from depression and found happiness in a bottle, she exined. Do you have any information on Pete McDowell? asked her. Do you know where his safe house in Bismarck is?¡± She nodded her head. I¡¯ve only been there once. A brick mansion on top of Huff Hills. He and Cris had s cover and they wanted me to get the party started, I usually enterram Pete in his bas Hignd Oaks, so I can¡¯t give you directions to le s ce on Huff Hili No, that¡¯s good enough,¡± I said gratefully. ¡°That information is a los llettp I did hear him talk about a small cabin in Red River Hills that he recently tough. This wa bad a week ago¡­ after he negotiated with Mayor Cohen. I was in the tossement when MEU Cohen came to see Pete, but he didn¡¯t notice me. He saw this other named Holly, warta aid, lowering her head in shame. I know Pete kidnaps young garis. Most people in mthink its the mayor. 1-I can¡¯t say anything because Pete pays me nowy kill dpentyrly, Link came through the door carrying an unconscious Ms. Lawrence in ins arm. sucht differently. She quickly bounced on Link, hitting and licking him 215 11:34 Fri, Mar 29 ti CHAPTER 97 Nurse while screaming on the top of her lungs. I had to pull her away. ¡°Virtue had to drug your mother or the both of them would¡¯ve been killed,¡± Link exined after I had subdued Ma. ¡°The effects should wear off in about an hour or so.¡± ¡°ce her in one of the rooms on the second floor, Link, I said. ¡°How¡¯s Virtue?¡± ¡°She was smiling when I left her at New Salem¡­ happy to have helped, Link answered before entering the elevator. ¡°So it¡¯s true? Miss Virtue helped my mother? She¡¯s trained to do all that stuff?¡± Ma asked shocked. ¡°I thought she was just this pretty woman out to get all the men.¡± ¡°Well, she is out to get all the men and she¡¯s seeding,¡± I said. ¡°You love her, don¡¯t you?¡± Ma asked. ¡°I do. She means a lot to me, I answered truthfully. ¡°Then why date me if you¡¯re in love with her? Don¡¯t you know I¡¯ve fallen in love with you?¡± She asked, tears forming in her eyes. could give ¡°I needed information, Ma, and I had to make you fall in love with me, so you me that information freely,¡± I answered. She shook her in disbelief realizing I had yed her. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Ma. I hope we can be friends.¡± I put a hand on her arm tofort her while she cried quietly. ¡°Did you make here here to help you get Pete?¡± Ma asked after shepose ¡°Not exactly. Virtue has an agenda of her own,¡± I admitted. ¡°So, what happens now? My mom and I can¡¯t go back home.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be moving to Las Vegas. Honestly, Ma, you re beautiful on stage. I want you to channel that beauty and get me information from certain men who enter a club of mine there. A new identity, house and car will be waiting for you. Unfortunately, your mother will enter a rehab center once you arrive. When she has embraced sobriety, I will have her be one of the hosts of the club. She will have a job which can sustain the both of you while you finish school.¡± My phone suddenly pinged. It was a message from Lou do was outsida candy to install loAS 11:34 Fri, CHAPTER 97 Nurse ¡°Lou¡¯s here. Once I¡¯m out, let him in,¡± I instructed Joy. ¡°No problem. And Dom, be careful. Pete might have people watching us,¡± Joy said. ¡°I will.¡± While I dialed a number on my phone, I walked through the short hallway to exit through the wall panel. After we found out Abigail was the one who saved joy, we had three nurses of our own apply when we heard there was a vacancy. Only two were hired, but that was enough to have eyes, ears and hands in the hospital. One of them was feeling homesick after only a week of working here. She wasn¡¯t ustomed to the quiet and the mundane. Luckily, the nurse was assigned to Theodore. ¡°Emma, I need you to give Theodore an insulin overdose,¡± I said as I walked out of the wall panel. ¡°My shift doesn¡¯t start until tomorrow morning, she replied. ¡°That¡¯s perfect. I need you to do it around ten in the morning when the mayor is busy doing other things.¡± POST COMMENT Chapter Comments Luna Mon Oh dear Joy you really have such a terrible time ahead of you. Think of the end game Morgan Teven cringed! yikes! poor Joy. I know I couldn¡¯t have¡­. VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS 65 5/5 11:34 Fri, Mar 29 40 The Joy of RevengeThis is from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 98 CHAPTER 98 Drunk Cristos After shopping all day, we were finally seated in a private room on the top floor of RPM Steak at North River waiting for our orders arrived. Dan and Nicole led the way to Michigan Avenue better known as the Magnificent Mile, the shopping district of Chicago, the home of luxury brands which were non-existent in New Salem. We went directly to Oak Street, the high-end enve in the city¡¯s Gold Coast neighborhood. If Los Angeles had a Rodeo Drive, Chicago had Oak Street. All the high-end luxury brands and designers like Armani, Herm¨¦s, and Escada including Harry Winston and Buceti were here. To my surprise, the first store we entered was Giorgio Armani. Unlike the others, I was looking for a more frendy and casual look. But then again, this was Armani. I have to admit Noah was a good looking man. codd easily see why loy fell in love with him when they were teenagers and why most of New Salem¡¯s single women were vying for his attention. His natural golden blonde hair glistened under the sunlight, his tan skin oozed masculinity, while his dark brown eyes, veiled beneath his long eyshes, possessed a mysterious character behind them. Then, there was his dazzling smile which I noticed had caught the attention of the svelte brte sales clerk standing beside him. She was eyeing Birr him with a t winkle in her green eyes. oh was the boy who every girl in New Salem High wanted to be with. Joy, being his bestfriend, must have been the envy of every zin in school. Destroying her the way Liam, Iran, Jack and Cris Gid, paved the way for others to get Joy¡¯s coveted role in Noah¡¯s life. I wondered what had happened after Joy left. No one spoke of her. They always referred to here at the son who left New Salem. 1 shadowed foah wondering if he was going to purchase anything. While Nicole took clothes off the racks like she could afford anything and everything, Noah rubbed his fingers on the eleg of the hung, loving the feel of the smooth delicate fabric on his fingers, seemingly debating with himself whether he should buy one. As I looked around the store, I decided to y the little devil who whispers in one¡¯s ear. 1/6 11:34 Fri, Mar 29 CHAPTER 98 Drunk ¡°As an owner of apany, you sometimes need dress shirts and cks when you¡¯re meeting with someone,¡± I said casually. ¡°That¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t usually have to meet the client,¡± he said. ¡°Lisa and Nicole are the ones. who meet with the clients and draw up the ns. I just do the work.¡± ¡°Yet, there are clients who need to meet you before they agree on anything. When Bo and Dom moved here, I heard you weren¡¯t able to meet with Dom, so he decided to hire Bo¡¯s: contractor instead. You could have earned a lot from Dom alone. But I guess it¡¯s a good thing. you were hired by Linda Jacobs to do the funeral home,¡± I said, shrugging my shoulders. ¡°No use crying over spilled milk.¡± ¡°Speaking of Dom, have they cleared him?¡± He asked. I saw him smirk before he quickly turned his head to look at some socks. ¡°From being involved in the Ma Lawrence drug bust? Yes, they did. Jack conducted a to a pink silk search at Dom¡¯s before Dan and I left for the airport,¡± I answered, walking over shirt hanging on a rack. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°I heard Dom bought Ma a new car. Didn¡¯t they just meet at the pageantst Saturday?¡± Noah asked, his tone curiously spiteful. ¡°Cynthia McDowell died, the funeral home went up in mes and nine people were found dead. If there¡¯s a lesson these past few days have taught me, it¡¯s not to waste any time,¡± I said while putting the pink shirt I took off the rack against myself as I stood in front of the mirror-to see if it fit. ¡°If you think buying someone a car is a bit excessive, how about a marriage proposal? Liam only went out with Virtue one time and he¡¯s going to propose to her tomorrow. ¡°Are you guys sure he¡¯s going to propose to Virtue? Noah asked while he stood in front of the mirror and checked if a necktie would go with his outfit. ¡°I remember Nicole mentioning Liam is arranged to marry some other girl. I know Liam, Chip, and I can tell you his father¡¯s approval means a lot to him. And what about Virtue? Virtue has only known Liam for a couple of weeks and they¡¯ve only gone out once. Virtue doesn¡¯t strike me as a power-hungry, gold digging bitc h. Why would she ept his proposal?¡° ¡°Seems like you¡¯re against Liam and Virtue marrying,¡± I said, handing the sales clerk the pink shirt. ¡°Any particr reason why?¡± Heughed, as if what I said was a joke. ¡°It¡¯s none of my business really and I actually don¡¯t care. I¡¯m just saying¡­ whatever this is, Chip, isn¡¯t going to end up in a fairy tale wedding and a happily ever after. Virtue and Liam? They don¡¯t make any sense. Just like Dom and Ma. Noah said, handing a neck tie, some? 2/6 23 11:34 En, Mar 294 b CHAPTER 98 Drunk socks, and a belt to the sales clerk. ¡°Let¡¯s just say you guys are right and Liam proposes to Virtue, guarantee Virtue won¡¯t ept his proposal and whatever future you guys are magining isn¡¯t going to happen. Personally, I believe Virtue deserves someone better¡­ someone who can take care of her, who will love her, cherish her and never leave her side. That someone isn¡¯t Liam, Chip.¡± I was surprised to hear a jealous tone in Noah¡¯s voice. You think that person is you?¡± I asked. ¡°Maybe he answered, admitting he wanted Joy. Why ave I not surprised? wat about Nicole? She seems to be in love with you, I pointed out. ¡°But you aren¡¯t in lotow with her, arent you?¡± Noah chuckled. smosen to say, Noan admitted. ¡°I grew up with Nicole. To be honest, I think she¡¯s over 7 2010 over Liam. But we wenud happy when she heard about the proposal. I think Nicole has moved on.¡± Welt 118d considering my options, Noah said. ¡°Plus, I need to focus on work and earn more money. and I have a paralyzed mother to care for. ¡°Now? este e 43.1, ocked to hear what Noah had admitted to me. Noah daringopine soject, but she just lowered her eyes. I¡¯ve picked ou Let¡¯s pr er, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I snod o my this, Noah said, pointing at a dark blue silk shirt. Live a little, Noadstersuading him to buy the thousand dor shirt. ¡°One shi hurt. He nodded his pead and n mdeti d¡¯ur e sake clerk the shirt. The brte smiled brightly at him which earned nera are from hole. Sincer Minole and Dan were close frist, there was no way Noah could talk himself out of having dinner with us. It was my two by the drinks and get them drunk so they¡¯d talk. We had been sippany on dumpagne whole afternoon¡­ just a little bit more and my companions would be drunk. 316 11:34 Fri, Mar 29 CHAPTER 98 Drunk While we waited for our food, I ordered c ocktails and appetizers, paying extra to have them put in an extra shot of tequ in their Crystal Paloma c ocktail. Our servers came back with our orders of Bone-in Ribeye steaks, Big Eye Tuna Sashimi, Bacon Mac and Cheese, Millionaire¡¯s Potato, Chilled Oysters and our tters of expensive Wagyu micro steaks. To compliment our dinner, I bought bottles of Bordeaux. After the hearty meal, I leaned back on my seat and waited. After our third bottle of red. wine, the stories began.. ¡°So all of you went to school together?¡± I asked. Nicole and Dan nodded their heads enthusiastically. ¡°Yep, we were all part of the same group in high school,¡± Dan said loudly. ¡°Noah became friends with us during the summer before sophomore year and Lisa came in during our senior year. Yeah, you guys used toe in when I was flipping burgers at the diner,¡± Noah said, slurring. After his third ss of wine, he opted to drink beer instead. ¡°But I thought you were all friends even in grade school,¡± I said, puzzled. ¡°Uhm, no. I was friends with Abigail and Liam in grade school,¡± Nicole said. ¡°Abigail was my closest friend and Liam was my childhood crush. We became girlfriend and boyfrien middle school. That¡¯s when I started growing boobs while the rest grew pimples.¡± ¡°And you Noah? Why weren¡¯t you guys friends then?¡± I asked. ¡°Because Noah had this awful stutter,¡± Dan answered quickly. ¡°The only person who coul actually understand him was Joy.¡± Nicole roughly nudged Dan in the ribs after he said her name. ¡°Joy?¡± I asked while I refilled their sses. Here we go¡­ ¡°The girl who left during our junior year. Her family used to own the grocery store and the Old Taylor House, Dan said. ¡°Joy was this pathetic little girl who used to follow Noah all around high school. Sure, she was this cute little thing during grade school, but when puberty hit, she was awkward and gangly.¡± ¡°Old Taylor House? The same house Virtue moved into?¡± I asked curiously. Dan nodded his4/6 11:34 Fri, Mar 29 CHAPTER 98 Drunk head. ¡°What happened to her?¡± *During our junior year, she sprouted boobs and became the town¡¯s wh ore,¡± Nicole hissed. ¡°She did Liam, Jack and Cris, then I guess she promised some other boys to¡­ you know. They ended up gang raping her in the boy¡¯s gym. She pointed the finger at Liam, but everyone in school knew she wasPublished by N?v''elD/rama.Org. lying.¡± ¡°Nicole, Noah uttered, giving her a warning look. Nicole shrugged her shoulders, looking unperturbed. ¡°Oh my gosh! Did these boys get arrested for what they did to her?¡± I eximed, shocked. ¡°No. As I said she was the town¡¯s w h ore- I cut off Nicole. ¡°Rape is rape,¡± I pointed out. ¡°If she said no, whether or not she was known to have multiple partners, that is considered rape. Noah, you lived next door to her, right? Did you help her?¡± Noah was so busy ring at Nicole that he jumped when he heard his name. ¡°I did. I was the one who brought her home¡­ she was all bloodied up from the assault,¡± he answered grimly. ¡°So what happened when she left?¡± I asked. ¡°We forgot about her,¡± Dan admitted, averting his eyes, ¡°Lisa came into our group began following Noah just like Joy.¡± Nicole kicked Dan underneath our table and him.. Nicole at No wonder Nicole led Joy into the boy¡¯s gym. ¡°Well, Nicole, since you dress up like the town¡¯s w h ore, if you ever get gang raped, ren your schoolmate named Joy,¡± I said, disgusted. ¡°Chip, we were teenagers,¡± Dan reasoned ¡°We-¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t make it right,¡± I said. ¡°I remember in my neighborhood, there was this young girl who was raped by a group of teenagers. After a week, those teenagers disappeared. Here in New Salem, you walk among them. How is that possible?¡± ¡°If you have enough money and connections, that s hit disappears, Noah admitted harshly. ¡°Noah!¡± Dan eximed, trying to hush him up. Noah raised his finger to silence him while raising his ss to his line.. 5/6 11:34 Fri, Mar 29 CHAPTER 98 Drunk After ch ugging the rest of his beer, to my surprise, heughed sinisterly. Noah leaned over our table and sneered at Dan. He had this insane look in his eyes which was unsettling¡­ and frightening. Dan gulped down the lump in his throat while I stared at Noah, stunned to see a side of him that I have never seen before. He slowly turned his face towards me while I quietly sat in my seat, looking at him wide- eyed and uneasy. ¡°You know, Chip, you¡¯re right. We at New Salem, we walk among them, giving these sons of bi tches opportunities to be rich and powerful. They¡¯ve forgotten their true ce in society¡­ a jail cell. Sadly, they¡¯re a bunch of lowlifes who act like they own the town, he said, his voice harsh and angry. ¡°If you care for Virtue, Chip, you should do everything in your power to sway her decision. Tell her not to ept Liam¡¯s proposal.¡± ¡°Im sorry,¡± I said, confused. ¡°How does Joy¡¯s rape figure in with Liam¡¯s proposal to Virtue? I thought joy used him, but another group was guilty of the rape.¡± joy was my bestfriend, Chip, and she never lied. Chapter Comments on now things are ramping up, hope Ma¡¯s mum gets back to being stable. Morgan mock ner head¡± WWW ALL 2 COMMENTS 63 < SHARE POST COMMENT 616 Chapter 99 CHAPTER 99 Mascara Cristos I was an outsider looking in. It was evident Noah was against Liam for whatever reason while Nicole, who was trying to remain loyal to Liam, was on the verge of destroying what little a rtionship she had with Noah. Dan, on the other hand, was sweating despite the cold from the air conditioning system. He was obviously worried he would be implicated in Joy¡¯s rape knowing it would change my perception of him and I would look at him in a different light. Dan wiped the sweat off his face with his handkerchief, then crossed his arms in front of his chest, sitting quietly, afraid a rebuttal would fuel Noah even more. Nicole, on the other hand, yed with her table napkin absent-mindedly, but her face could not mask the hurt she felt. Even after ten years, Joy had a special ce in Noah¡¯s heart. I nodded at Noah and patted him on the back. He blinked rapidly, as if I had awoken him from a stupor, realizing he had put his friends in a bind by blurting out a forbidden secret. For those who really knew Joy, what Noah spoke was the truth. This was the one reason why I always brought her shopping with me; she could never keep a straight face when the pieces of clothing I tried on didn¡¯t do me justice. Before we all left for New Salem, she took acting lessons with Xavier to help her ease into her role as Virtue Sullivan. She learned how to le naturally without the telltale signs she was being dishonest. So far, she was doing beautifully. After weeks of mingling with people she grew up with, no one knew she was Joy Taylor. Noah, noticing the awkward position he had ced his friends in, raised his hands in the air, silently apologizing for his behavior. ¡°It must have really hurt you when she left. Before I moved to New Salem, most of my friends tried to talk me out of it. It really hurt them to see me go,¡± I said, coaxing Noah to admit his feelings. He leaned back on his chair and shrugged his shoulders. ¡°It did,¡± he admitted. ¡°I lost the one person who didn¡¯t care if I stuttered or had an ugly old cor.¡± He eyed Dan and Nicole separately as he enumerated both. ¡°But she¡¯s gone now and life moves on. I just hope¡­ wherever she is¡­ she¡¯s happy.¡± He raised his beer ss and gestured to the waiter for more, but Nicole shook her head. 1/5 11:34 Fri, Mar 29 CHAPTER 99 Mascara That¡¯s enough, Noah,¡± she muttered. He scowled angrily at her. ¡°Fine. If I can¡¯t drink, I¡¯ll just go to the restroom,¡± he mumbled, standing up from his seat before Nicole could say anything else. He left the private room rather quickly for someone who was drunk. After Noah had exited the room, I watched Dan and Nicole both heave huge sighs of relief. ¡°Chip, Noah¡¯s drunk. You have to excuse him,¡± Nicole said, looking sideways at Dan who I figured was trying to think of something to clean up this whole mess Noah created. ¡°If you could just allow me to exin to clear this whole thing up. Joy¡¯s assault¡­ it happened during the Spring Formal and Joy¡¯s date to the event that night was Liam. Anyway, the reason why joy mes Liam for what happened to her is because he left her standing alone on the dance floor. You see, Liam and I had just broken up a few months before the event, so when he arrived with her, I felt really jealous. While Joy was busy talking to Lisa and enjoying some punch, I pulled Liam away and took him outside to convince him to get back together with me. By the time Liam and I got back to the dance, she was gone. Our schoolmates said she excused herself to go to the restroom, but she didn¡¯te back. We all thought maybe she went home or you know¡­ did the nasty with someone else. We didn¡¯t think much of it until the next day when we heard she was in the hospital, raped and badly beaten. None of us talked because we all didn¡¯t see or hear anything. So you can imagine the shock we felt when we heard that Joy was using Liam, Cris, Jack and Dan of rape.¡± I turned to look at Dan, pretending to be shocked to even hear his name. ¡°Dan, she used you too? Aren¡¯t you-¡± ¡°G ay? Yes, I am. I¡¯ve always been g ay although I tried to hide my true self when I school, Dan said. ¡°So you see, Chip, Joy was obviously lying. I can¡¯t even begin to i myself humping a girl. It¡¯s inconceivable¡­ and totally gross.¡± It took all my energy not to stab him with my steak knife. He may not have used his pen but he used the end of a mop to rip loy up from the inside. I had to hand it to Nicole. It was a clever story. These people would go to great lengths to twist the truth and keep the past a secret. Dan took his ss of red wine, crossed his legs and tucked an imaginary strand of long hair behind his ear. ¡°When Joy left town she was in such bad shape. For all we know, she eventually died from all her injuries.¡± Nicole pped him on the arm for saying that. ¡°What? What did I say wrong? Nicole gave him a dirty look instead of answering the question. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you harbor a grudge from her using you of rape I said nonchntly. 2/5 11:34 Fri, Mar 29 D CHAPTER 99 Mascara ¡°No, I don¡¯t, but I would rather think of her as non-existent, Dan said gruffly. ¡°As for Noah, although he believes in certain things, he never did say anything to Sheriff Combs. Deep inside, he knows the usations aren¡¯t true.¡± ¡®I feel really ufortable talking about her this way. Let¡¯s just keep it in the past where it should be,¡± Nicole said, drinking thest of her wine and ending the discussion. ¡°I better go and check on Noah. She opened her purse and quickly did her make-up. ¡°You do that and we¡¯ll take care of the bill,¡± Dan said. ¡°Chip and I will be leaving early in the morning. When do you fly back to Bismarck?¡± ¡°Tomorrow around ten in the morning,¡± Nicole said, after applying lip gloss. She checked herself one last time with herpact before zipping up purse. her By the way, where are you guys staying?¡± I asked. At the Waldorf, Nicole answered, standing up. I¡¯ll see you guys downstairs.¡± She grabbed er things and hurriedly left while Dan gestured to our server for the bill. CLipp, I know you¡¯re close friends with Virtue, but I hope you won¡¯t listen to Noah and try to antisme her decision. I heard what he said while we were shopping in Armani and contrary tos bent he said, I believe Liam and Virtue do make sense. They¡¯ll make a good-lookingban said. ¡°I cocot If Noah hasn¡¯t said anything to Virtue and I doubt if Virtue hasn¡¯t hea armond drown! Freplied, pointing out the inevitable. ¡°But I do like the idea of m marrying the mayor. I feel it would be in her best interests to marry Liam and a who is clore and her it would be in my best interests as well. Danughed and rai nd. 1 L es drink za sitni Dan said. I raised my ss and clinked mine against his. We both finished the rest bbbott wine, seemingly forgetting what was discussed earlier. He ppe hands excitedry. If Vinee says yes tomorrow, I have a feeling you, Virtue and I will be traveling to Chicagoitira W ang! ¡°That can be easily an The server came in with the ck Dan, I took it and handed my y ors assured him. ¡°I just hope we have enough time to prepare.¡± she presenter in his hands, but before he could give it to Dinner it on me.¡± ¡°Why, thank you, Chip, Dan said gratefulty Ye I do hope we have more time to prepare, but knowing Liam, he i vant tith conne quick! Anyway, he does have the money to make it 375 Fri, Mar CHAPTER 99 Mascara We quickly gathered our bags and left the private room, happily talking about bridal gowns as if we were the ones getting married. I wanted a more conservative gown while Dan wanted a more trendier look. We were loudly debating among ourselves as we exited RPM Steak when we found Nicole crying outside, her bags sc at tered on the sidewalk. Dan handed his bags over for me to carry, rushed towards Nicole, and quickly embraced her, as she continously sobbed. If I didn¡¯t know her, I would¡¯ve felt sorry for her. After I had gathered all her things from the sidewalk, I pushed back the pleasure I was feeling from seeing her so distraught and rubbed her back tofort her. She raised her face from Dan¡¯s chest, her mascara and eyeshadow smeared all over her face. ¡°He left me,¡± Nicole sobbed. ¡°Noah left me. He said he¡¯s going straight to the airport to fly back to New Salem tonight. ¡°What?¡± I asked. ¡°Did he say why?¡± She nodded her head. I waited for her to borate, but she didn¡¯t say anything. And? Why is he flying back so soon and without you?¡± I asked, urging her to tell us. ¡°He said something¡¯s happened that needs his immediate attention,¡± she said. ¡°Since I didn¡¯t want to fly back until tomorrow, he said I could stay, but he needed to get back.¡± ¡°And here I thought he broke up with you, Dan said, grabbing her by the arms and shaking her gently. ¡°He probably just has an emergency, Nicole¡­ his mother is sickly. Dry your tears. You¡¯re probably crying for nothing. ¡°I thought the same thing,¡± I said, chuckling. ¡°You are overreacting, Nicole. Now, let¡¯s get you back to your hotel. Dan ced his arm around Nicole and led her to the taxi stand while I quickly group messaged the others to tell them Noah was flying back to stop Joy from epting Liam¡¯s proposal. So much drama¡­ and it wasn¡¯t even midnight yet. 4/5This is from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 100 CHAPTER 100 Stalker Joy I woke up to the startling sound of my doorbell rolled over in my bed, groaning at the incessant chimes echoing through my house, and opened one eye to look out my window. I was surprised to see that it was still dark outside although the first rays of the morning sun were already lighting up the h orizon Who in the world is ringing my doorbell so early in the morning?! While 1 covered my ears with a pillow to mu ffle the sounds, I rolled over again and grabbed my smartphone on my nightstand, noticing I didn¡¯t have any messages nor did I have any missed calls. I quickly swiped the screen to check the CCTV footage, fighting the urge to just ignore the sound and fall back to sleep. However, I immediately sat up when I saw Cristos standing on my doorstep, pushing on the doorbell like his life depended on it. He was facing the yard, his back against my door, looking around as if he was waiting for something¡­ or someone¡­ to attack. I also noticed his other hand was inside his coat pocket. Apparently, he was armed. Joget Joy, get out of bed. It¡¯s an emergency! Without putting & robe on, I hurriedly walked down the stairs in my skimpy pink silk pajamas. Cristos needed me and I needed to help him.¡± Downstairs, I made my way to the front door, fumbling for the light switch. I figured with The lights on, whoever or whatever was causing Cristos to behave in such a way, would flee. As soon as I unlocked the door, Cristos came berging in with all his luggage in tow. He pushed me aside, closed the door and quickly punched in my code to arm the security system. ¡°Get down! Cristos instructed, pulling me down to the floor. ¡°Stay away from any of the windows, keep your head down and when I tell you, go hide in your media room.¡± Crouching low himself, he swiftly went to each of my windows to untie the curtains, obstructing the view of anyone lurking outside. I quietly obeyed Cristos instructions and crouched low, practically crawling to hide in between the stools underneath my kitchen ind. My heart was beating madly against my chest while my zrozziness shifted into panic. 1/5 15:02 Sat, Mar 30 CHAPTER 100 Stalker ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked nervously trying to make myself as small as possible so I wouldn¡¯t be seen through the cr acks of my curtains. ¡°I thought I saw someone in a track suit when my car entered the cul-de-sac. It was weird. One second that someone was there, the next, p oof, he was gone like a ghost. I saw him. move towards the tree in your front yard, but when I went to check, no one was there,¡± Cristos said. I rolled my eyes. This kind of behavior was seriously going to blow our cover. I could already imagine what Old Man Tucket from across the street was thinking with Cristos barging into my house! ¡°Chip, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re overreacting? Maybe it was someone doing some early morning jogging¡­ a neighbor of mine. Just check the CCTV footage around the neighborhood before you make me die of a heart attack,¡± I said before standing up from my hiding ce. I headed to the kitchen, turned the lights on and began preparing to make us some coffee. This sort of paranoia was just absurd. ¡°Virtue, I said, get down!¡± Cristos hissed. ¡°Most of your neighbors are elderly people and can¡¯t move as fast as the person I saw a while ago.¡± ¡°Noah can, his mother¡¯s nurse can and oh¡­ Old Man Tucket¡¯s grandson can, I enumerated all of my young and capable neighbors from the top of my head. ¡°All the windows in this house is made of security ss and I doubt if a person in a track suit can hide a high. powered weapon under his jacket. The sun is already rising and usually Old Man Tucket is up before dawn watching the neighborhood through his windows. That someone disappeared because he or she might get caught.¡± ¡°But Pete-¡± ¡°But Pete wants me delivered to him on the day of the Spring Formal, so no, Chip, he won¡¯t hurt me,¡± I argued. ¡°Check the CCTV footage for a clearer view of whoever was here while I make us some coffee.¡± ¡°Fine!¡± Cristos quickly stood up from his crouching position and fixed his coat, looking more. irritated at himself than at me. He grabbed hisptop bag on top of his carry-on, sat down at my dining table and began working his magic. In a matter of minutes, he was muttering something under his breath. After t the coffee was done, I poured us each a cup and went to him to serve him his coffee. I peeked through the cr ack of my curtains to check if anyone was snooping before I sat down 2/5 beside him. I quietly began sipping my coffee, patiently waiting for him to speak. ¡°Seems you were right,¡± Cristos eventually said after clicking through all the footage from all the CCTV cameras they had ced in my neighborhood. ¡°The person in the footage wasn¡¯t here for you. I heaved a small sigh of relief and leaned back on my chair, stretching my neck muscles to rx. Honestly, after yesterday¡¯s.n ote courier fiasco, I¡¯ve been on edge. Cristos barging in on me like this at six in the morning only fueled my anxiety. I decided to find something for us to cat. Food was alwaysforting. I stood up and walked to my refrigerator to grab the box of croissants brought home with me. I ced them all in the toaster oven and took out tes and utensils. ¡°How can you tell that person wasn¡¯t here for me?¡± I asked, hoping he had an exnation. ¡°The person was scoping one particr house. Noah¡¯s, Cristos said. That was unexpected. I¡¯m sorry if I scared the bejeezus out of you so early in the morning, but since Pete has been sending people to scare us, you can¡¯t me me.¡± ¡°Can you tell if that person is a woman?¡± I asked. Cristos looked at me puzzled. ¡°I remember Nicole mentioning she saw someone at Noah¡¯s office. If it weren¡¯t for the person¡¯s long ck hair, Nicole wouldn¡¯t have known it was a woman.¡± Cristos nodded his head at the possibility and began clicking away on hisptop. ¡°I can¡¯t see the person¡¯s face or hair because of the hood of the track suit, but the sneakers. are most probably a girl¡¯s,¡± he said, leaning back on his chair and crossing his arms in front of his chest. ¡°The sneakers are definitely smaller in size including the hands¡­ the person¡¯s hands are dainty. It¡¯s highly possible it¡¯s a girl.¡± ¡°Well, I can always go next door and ask Old Man Tucket if he saw anything, but he might get suspicious,¡± I said, cing the warm croissants on a te. I walked back to the dining table with the te in my hand and a couple of forks in another. ¡°Noah, I believe, has a stalker.¡± Cristos nodded his head in agreement. ¡°I won¡¯t be surprised if this person turns up to be Sarah Hughes or any of the women who went to high school with you guys,¡± Cristos said before biting into a croissant. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± I asked while covering my full mouth with my hand. llowing Noth around after loy left.¡± he replied. I stared/5 CHAPTER 100 Stalker at him wide-eyed and surprised, not believing what I had just heard. I had always thought. Nicole disliked Noah when we were kids. She wouldugh at his old Ford pickup truck when it came ch ugging into the school parking lot and make snidements at Noah when he would join their group before ss started. ¡°I find that hard to believe,¡± I mumbled. ¡°That¡¯s not all. Nicole was crying her eyes outst night when Noah left her toe back to New Salem. She looked so pathetic. Her mascara was all over her face,¡± Cristos said, smirking. He raised his cup of coffee to his lips and took a sip, then raised his finger like he forgot to tell me something. ¡°Mmmm, I almost forgot¡­ The biggest surprise was seeing Noah in a Armani suit and wearing expensive jewelry.¡± ¡°What?!¡± I eximed, almost choking on my croissant. He pointed his fork at me. ¡°I had that same reaction,¡± he said. ¡°And get this, he even bought more stuff at Giorgio Armani, Dolce and Gabbana, Bloomingdale¡¯s, and Nordstrom. He even bought some jewelry. from Harry Winston.¡± ¡°Oh wow,¡± I said. ¡°But if he has money to spend, why doesn¡¯t he just buy a new truck instead?¡± ¡°I have no idea. I assume he doesn¡¯t want people to know he has money,¡± Cristos answered. ¡°I doubt if the money is from his business. If he¡¯s doing jobs with Nicole, the money is most likely from smuggling meth across state lines.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m guessing you guys talked about Joy,¡± I said, going back to what he had mentioned earlier about Nicole following Noah after I had left. ¡°What did they say?¡± ¡°The topic on Joy kind of slipped when I asked why Noah wasn¡¯t friends with them in grade school. Dan answered Noah had this stutter that only Joy could understand. I asked who she was and that¡¯s when the conversation took an ugly turn. Nicole went on to exin Joy was the town¡¯s wh o re who slept with everyone. Noah, I can tell you, didn¡¯t like that. Not¡­ one¡­.. bit.¡± ¡°Noah finally grew a pair of balls, huh?¡± I said. Cristosughed. ¡°He actually did. Noah said and I quote, ¡°Joy was my bestfriend, Chip, and she never lied.¡± And he also pointed out that s hit could disappear with the right connections,¡± Cristos answered. ¡°But there was something off. Noah was different. He was assertive, calcting even frightening, not the usual charming Noah we know who¡¯s a pushover. He made Dan and Nicole fidget ufortably in their seats. I¡¯ve never seen that side of him¡­¡± Cristos¡¯s voice Sat, Mardu. CHAPTER 100 Stalker trailed away. ¡°Unfortunately, he also told me to sway your decision. You have decided¡­ yes?¡± ¡°I have,¡± I said, chewing on my croissant. ¡°I¡¯m going to say yes.¡± He smiled brightly. ¡°Who convinced you?¡± Cristos asked. ¡°Bo,¡± I answered. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for Noah to show up on my doorstep, but I guess I wasn¡¯t thePublished by N?v''elD/rama.Org. reason why he came home so soon in the first ce. Actually, I don¡¯t even know if he¡¯s next door. I got home sote. Lou installed my security system at the shop yesterday and brought Dina.¡± ¡°Ah. She¡¯s finally here. Oh, thank G od. I¡¯ll have her shadow X from now on. I am such an idiot for not getting her toe sooner. If I had-¡± Cristos stopped mid-sentence hearing the unexpected chime of the doorbell. He clicked on hisptop to ess the CCTV feed. y went into ¡°It¡¯s Noah!¡± He mouthed. He closed hisptop, picked up his luggage and quickly my den, closing the door quietly behind him. I looked down at myself to find my nipples peaking through the flimsy cloth of my silk camisole. I quickly moved my long hair to the front of my body, fluffing it so I wasn¡¯t exposed. I inhaled deeply before opening the door. Here we go¡­. Chapter Comments 4 POST COMMENT NOW Chapter 101 CHAPTER 101 Intervention Joy After checking if I had bad breath, I opened the door just a bit and peeked through the small opening with one eye showing through the tiny slit. I inhaled deeply and caught a whiff of Noah¡¯s cologne. It was a familiar scent, Acqua Di Gio, obviously bought during his shopping spree. His hair was still damp from his shower and he was wearing a new long-sleeved dark blue shirt with its sleeves rolled up to just below his elbows. He was grinning at me through the small cr ack, his chocte brown eyes t winkling. As the sun¡¯s rays came shining from behind him, his wheat colored hair glistened like gold, something I used to stare at in awe when I was just a little girl. Now is not the time to reminisce, Joy. Lopened the door just a bit wider showing him wasn¡¯t dressed to entertain guests. He coughed, quickly averting his eyes as he caught a glimpse of my silk pajamas. I had to hand it to him. Noah was quick to redeem himself. Although he appeared to act like man, I did see a sh of admiration and desire in his eyes as he looked at my lad body. sk, tsk¡­ Naughty, naughty¡­. The corners of my lips curled up into a small smile, noticing his red cheeks. As much as he wanted to portray that he was not all affected by my appearance, his body said it all. He moved, shifting his weight while cing one hand on his waist. His eyes focused on my face, expertly ignoring my body from the neck down. He cleared his throat and grinned again, even waving awkwardly with his free hand. ¡°Good morning, Virtue,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to barge in on you so early in the morning, but I noticed Chip¡¯s car in the driveway and thought since you were awake, I¡¯d stop by before I go to work. There¡¯s just something really important I need to talk to you about.¡± ¡°Do Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. you want toe in?¡± I asked. ¡°You can have a cup of coffee while I clean up the dining table. Chip¡¯s in the den getting some rest. There¡¯s still time before the ribbon cutting ceremony, so he asked if he could take a nap,¡± I said, opening the door even wider and stepping out a bit from behind the door to show off more of myself. I heard his sharp intake of breath as he quickly surveyed my body before his eyes rested on my face like a gentleman CHAPTER 101 Intervention I fought the urge to smirk. Noah was nothing like a gentleman. ¡°No, this is fine. Uhm, I don¡¯t want to wake Chip up,¡± he said. He looked away towards the hushes of my yard, his brow furrowed, thinking of what he had to say. He took a deep breath, then focused his attention on me with a determination in his eyes. ¡°Virtue, I guess you¡¯ll see this as an intervention of sorts, but remember what I told you about Liam and the two scandals he was implicated in?¡± I nodded my head. ¡°Well, whatever happens, I just need you. to trust me when I say Liam isn¡¯t what you believe him to be.¡± ¡°What do you mean, Noah?¡± I asked, puzzled. ¡°And why are you talking about Liam?¡± My tone didn¡¯t hide my distaste. We looked at each other confused. His brow furrowed further while he stuck his thumb out and pointed to Cristos¡¯ car. I¡¯m sorry. Chip hasn¡¯t said anything yet?¡± He asked. ¡°Has said anything about what, Noah?¡± I asked impatiently. ¡°Chip just told me how fun it was to bump into you and Nicole in Chicago yesterday and that all of you got to do some shopping.¡± My voice sounded envious. He shook his head and hands, denying his involvement with Nicole. I knew Noah would notice how I added an emphasis on Nicole¡¯s name and that he would mistake my tone as jealousy. ¡°About me and Nicole, we¡¯re just friends, Virtue, he said, stating their rtionship status. ¡°We¡¯ve been friends since high school, so we¡¯re really close. I mean, close friends can travel out of town, can¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Of course, friends can travel together, but your rtionship with Nicole doesn¡¯t seem that way to me, Noah. I¡¯m a woman. I sense these things,¡± I said. ¡°And what¡¯s wrong in admitting you and Nicole have a rtionship deeper than friendship? I don¡¯t think Liam would mind. That is why you¡¯re here¡­ Right, Noah? You¡¯re afraid Liam might not like you dating Nicole?¡± He shook his head frantically, knowing we were going off-topic. ¡°No, no, no,¡± he eximed. ¡°I mean, yes, I¡¯m here about Liam, but not because of Nicole and no, Nicole and I aren¡¯t dating.¡± ¡°Then, why are you here? Is there something I should know?¡± I stared at him waiting for 845 CHAPTER 101 Intervention to give me a straightforward answer. Noah, I saw, took a moment, mustering enough courage. to speak. *1-1, uhm, y-you s-see,¡± Noah stuttered nervously, struggling to find the words to say while he blinked rapidly just like when we were kids. Suddenly, I saw Noah as the little boy who I used to go around town with. Like Wherever he was, I was right there beside him, not caring if he stuttered. e peas in a pod. I reached over and ced my hand on his arm, rubbing my thumb gently on his skin. I used to do that when we were children. It would calm him down and he would take a deep breath and start over¡­ slowly. And that¡¯s what he did. He paused and took a deep breath. His eyes suddenly met mine and time stood still¡­ bringing us back to when we were kids¡­ But I knew it wasn¡¯t like that for Noah. I could see it in those chocte brown eyes of his. He was gazing at me as if he had won the lottery¡­ as if he had finally found the woman of his dreams¡­ as if he was head over heels in love with me¡­ 12 me I¡¯ve seen that look before. I¡¯ve seen it from Xavier, Cristos and Sebastian¡­ the three men I felt a slight tug in my heart. still have feelings for Noah? I pulled my hand away from his arm as I was flooded with a myriad of emotions, spiraling again from a time from way back when. out ag I found myself going back in time, remembering how I longed for Noah to look at me the same way before I was raped. However, I also remembered the days I spent in the hospital hoping Noah woulde and visit me, hold my hand and tell me he was there for me¡­ that everything would be okay. Yet, Noah never came. When his mother came to visit, I heard he was busy finishing at chemistry project and had no time toe and visit. It was then and there that I knew I was all alone. Noah had abandoned me. This a sshole, who I had thought was my friend, abandoned me. 3/5 CHAPTER 101 Intervention No, I didn¡¯t have feelings for this b astard. My hands instinctively balled up in fists. I quickly hid my hands behind my back and tried to calm the anger that was beginning to surface, hoping he wouldn¡¯t notice anything. Theer of my lips moved to form a small hopeful smile. ¡°Yes? And you were saying?¡± To my surprise, he chuckled softly. ¡°It¡¯s like I have my bestfriend back,¡± he whispered low, his voice thick with emotion. He reached up and brushed my hair from my face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t hear you,¡± I said, acting coy. He coughed and smiled, but this time he let his feelings shine through his eyes. ¡°Virtue, Liam isn¡¯t the only man out there for you,¡± Noah said. ¡°You deserve much more. Just open yourself to the possibility.¡± may have I am open to every possibility, Noah,¡± I said. ¡°Liam and I have only dated once and seen each other on asion, but for now, Liam and I are friends. Good friends. He has not shown me anything that may ruin the trust I¡¯ve given him.¡± ¡°For now he hasn¡¯t, but trust me, Virtue, he has skeletons in his closet. All the Cohens do. If you could do some research into the Taylors and Cohens, you will find out that the Cohens have done everything in their power to ruin the Taylors. It was no different for Joy. Joy trusted Liam with all her heart. He was even her date during the Spring Formal when the rape happened.¡± ¡°I can hear the regret in your voice again, Noah, I pointed out. ¡°I know she was your bestfriend. If you could do anything differently, what would you change?¡± I saw the surprise in his face. He wasn¡¯t prepared to answer that simple question. ¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t answer that with just one answer. Maybe if I could change who she was and who I am, maybe things wouldn¡¯t have ended the way it did,¡± he said. What? Change who he was? He was speaking in riddles. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s time to move on,¡± I urged. ¡°I need to give Liam the benefit of the doubt like I¡¯ve given you and everyone else in this small town. Unless I find something concrete, Liam will remain my friend. Just like you, Noah. We¡¯re friends, right?¡± I grabbed his hand and squeezed it. He grinned at me. 4/5 CHAPTER 101 Intervention ¡°Yes, we¡¯re friends, but I-I am hoping we could be more than just friends,¡± Noah answered. ¡°You¡¯re sweet, but there seems to be a long line of women who would like to be more than just friends with you. Nicole is my friend too and I don¡¯t want to step on her toes.¡± ¡°I assure you, Nicole and I, we are just friends,¡± Noah said, clearly frustrated. ¡°And there isn¡¯t a long line of women who want to be more than just friends with me. Please, Virtue, just open yourself up to the possibility. In time, I¡¯ll prove myself worthy.¡± ¡°Okay. But just because you said so,¡± I murmured, winking at him. ¡°Anyway, I need to get ready. I hope you cane by for the ribbon-cutting. It¡¯ll be at ten.¡± ¡°Sure, Virtue,¡± he replied, grinning at me. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll be there.¡± He kissed me on the cheek, waved goodbye and left.. I quickly closed the door behind him. If he had said all of that ten years ago, I would have agreed to what he wanted in a heartbeat. The smile I had stered on my face changed into an angry scowl. Men. All they wanted was a pretty face. ¡°That was a long talk. Did he tell you not to marry Liam?¡± Cristos asked, emerging from the den. He was probably watching from the CCTV cameras. ¡°No. But he said he wants to be more than just friends,¡± I answered exasperated. ¡°And what did you say?¡± ¡°I told him Nicole and many other women would like to be more than just friends with him,¡± I replied, rolling my eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s get ready. We need to dress to impress.¡± ¡°Oh? Why?¡± ¡°Because once I ept Liam¡¯s proposal, it¡¯s going to be front page news!¡± Chapter Comments ͹ 2 POST COMMENT NOW SHARE 5/5 The Joy of Revenge Chapter 102 CHAPTER 102 Pink Joy Cristos and I arrived at my boutique before nine-thirty in the morning. Like everyone else, I parked my car in the parking lot, right beside Cristos¡¯ Range Rover. Since my motif was pink like the color of the signage of my shop, Cristos had no problem donning his newly purchased pink cored dress shirt. He rolled the sleeves up to his elbows and paired his pink shirt with ck skinny jeans and ck leather pointed toe boots. I, on the other hand, decided to wear one of my designs to showcase what I had to offer. It was a particr design that I had sketched while I hid inside my room, just before we left New Salem. It was a sleevless whitece dress with a midlength tulle skirt embroidered with pink outfit with dainty flowers. I adorned my dress with a slim salmon colored belt and paired my light pink high heeled stiletto pumps and a matching pink leather shoulder bag. My hair I styled in a neat bun behind my head with my favorite ded essory hidden beneath small dainty pink flowers. As Cristos and I walked towards my store, I noticed Xavier¡¯s people had already set up therge bouquets of pink and white roses on flower stands right in front of the storefront windows as well as an arch made entirely of pink foil balloons above the ss door to wee customers to my boutique. Last night, Xavier promised me he would handle everything so I coulde inte, including opening the boutique. He made good on his promise. Everything was ready except for the appetizers and refreshments. Sebastian, who was busy cing a long white table in front of the store, turned his head at the sound of my heels on the pavement. Just like Cristos, he was wearing a light pink long sleeved dress shirt, but he had paired his with tight fitting gray cks. ¡°The woman of the hour has arrived. I¡¯m guessing you didn¡¯t get much sleep,¡± Sebastian greeted us. ¡°Chip, I told you toe here from the airport.¡± ¡°Virtue¡¯s house was closer,¡± Cristos argued, cing a hand on his hip. ¡°Plus, she needed my help in picking her shoes.¡± Sebastian rolled his eyes as Cristos got into character. ¡°I asked you toe here because we needed your help to set up the decorations,¡± Sebastian scolded him. ¡°Det l¡¯ es wearing Armani Cristos whined. Sebastian scoffed at him, not caring what he was CHAPTER 102 Pink wearing. ¡°Fine. What do you need me to do?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m waiting for Bo to bring me a pink tablecloth, Sebastian said. ¡°After we decorate the table, you can help ce the sses and food for the townsfolk.¡± ¡°That I can do,¡± Cristos said, grateful he wouldn¡¯t have to do any heavy lifting. ¡°I have to admit the complex is turning out to be like a scene from Barbie. I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s so much pink.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t pink suppose to be your favorite color?¡± Sebastian mumbled. Cristosughed. ¡°Yes it is, but on me not everywhere else,¡± he said, twirling around like a model. ¡°Wait a minute. Where¡¯s the bubbly by the way?¡± ¡°Some are in the chiller at Bo¡¯s while I ced a number of bottles inside a chiller in Virtue¡¯s office. We weren¡¯t able to get a license to serve because you and Dan left for Chicago,¡± a familiar male voice said. I turned to find Xavier wearing a light pink suit to my surprise. Xavier hated pink. ¡°Oh wow!¡± I eximed, stunned. ¡°You look-¡± ¡°Like cotton candy? Yeah, I know. The guys back at Bo¡¯s have been making fun of me since I stepped out wearing this,¡± Xavier said, looking at what he was wearing. Cristos and I giggled. while Sebastian looked at his own shirt in aghast. He didn¡¯t want to be seen as a piece of cotton candy too. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Bo, I was gonna say dashing, sort of like Barbie¡¯s Ken, but cotton candy works too,¡± I said, trying to stop myself fromughing. ¡°And I thought we were friends,¡± he said, regretting he wore pink. ¡°I¡¯m going to head back and change.¡± ¡°Aw, it¡¯s just for the day,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Remember¡­ on Wednesdays, we wear pink.¡± ¡°No, no, no¡­ Just for this Wednesday. After this event, I am never wearing pink again,¡± Xavier said gruffly. ¡°You do know I¡¯m only doing this for you, Virtue. You owe me.¡± ¡°You owe me too,¡± Sebastian piped up. I looked at the two of them astonished they would gang up on me for wearing pink. There was already a coup¡­. sheesh! 2/6 CHAPTER 102 Pink ¡°I¡¯ll take all of you out to dinner for helping me, I promised. ¡°But for now, stick with pink and please¡­ wear a smile.¡± ¡°Easy for you to say,¡± Xavier said, sulking. ¡°You look ravishing in pink.¡± Xavier turned to Cristos. ¡°Chip, although I can tell you¡¯re wearing Armani again, I need some help with the food and drinks.¡± ¡°Hold on. Before I help you out, I¡¯ll call Dan and get that license. What are you going to serve, anyway?¡± Cristos asked. ¡°The usual finger foods. Pigs in a nket, fried ravioli, mini tacos, gourmet pizza rolls, fried mozare sticks, vegetable sticks, tomato bruschetta and mini red velvet cupcakes with watermelon juice and strawberry lemonade, Xavier replied. ¡°My kitchen prepared everything. Come on. It¡¯s almost ten.¡± After Sebastian tested the sound system I had Lou install yesterday, he and I prepared the pink ribbon for the ceremony, the tes, sses and utensils while Cristos and Xavier ced the appetizers we were going to serve on the long table amidst the growing crowd of curious onlookers. It was rtively quiet until a small group of privileged middle-aged women pushed their way through the crowd. I nced at Cristos and we both rolled our eyes. pull ¡°Bo, oh my gosh, you look stunning in your suit, Norma Martin gushed. ¡°Not most men can that look off. Chip always looks great in pink, but seeing you in this makes me want to eat you.¡± ¡°And there goes the cotton candy image inside my head,¡± Sebastian muttered under his breath. Cristos averted his face, snickering at Sebastian¡¯sment. As hard as he tried, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from laughing. I elbowed him in the ribs to get him to stop.. Xavier, hearing thement, shot Sebastian a dirty look before quickly turning his scowl into a weing smile. ¡°Ladies! So nice of you toe,¡± Xavier greeted the four women who were all wearing something pink in their outfits. Xavier suddenly took my arm and pulled me towards his friends. ¡°Ladies, I would like to introduce you to Virtue Sullivan, owner of Simply Virtue Boutique. Sullivan, I want you to meet Norma, Linda, Morgan and Charlotte. They were some of Cynthia¡¯s closest friends.¡± I smiled at them, however they didn¡¯t smile back. Instead, they looked at me from head to toe. 376 CHAPTER 102 Pink They reminded me of the stics from the movie ¡°Mean Girls¡±. ¡°Sullivan? Norma asked, smirking at how Xavier called me. I think Xavier decided it would be fun to address me by my fake surname so it would appear we had apletely tonic rtionship. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s herst name, right? I like how it sounds. Makes her one of the guys, Xavier said, yfully punching me on the arm. ¡°Right, Sullivan?¡± ¡°Next, you¡¯ll be calling me Sully, Bo,¡± I answered dryly. ¡°Just stick with Virtue.¡± I turned my attention to thedies who were still staring at me. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s really nice to finally meet all of you. Bo always speaks fondly of you.¡± I checked my watch. ¡°It¡¯s almost ten. If you can wait patiently, our guest of honor should be arriving shortly.¡± ¡°Is it a celebrity?¡± Linda Jacobs asked excitedly. ¡°Well, if you can call our mayor a celebrity, then yes,¡± I answered. She frowned, clearly disappointed, but Norma Martin had an opposite reaction. ¡°Sure, he¡¯s a hero,¡± Norma said, smiling. ¡°He saved me during the fire.¡± Liam obviously had Norma¡¯s loyalty. She was the one I had to befriend. ¡°And he shielded me from the explosion,¡± I replied. ¡°This town has a wonderful mayor. He¡¯s willing to sacrifice himself for his constituents.¡± ¡°Amen,¡± Norma replied. ¡°And here hees right now¡­ with his entourage.¡± I turned to see Liam¡¯s ck BMW, Dan¡¯s silver Subaru and Jack¡¯s RAM pickup truck enter the parking lot one after the other. As I scanned the vehicles, I noticed Noah¡¯s pickup parked at the end. Noah is here, but where is he? I quickly scanned the crowd, but I couldn¡¯t find any sign of him. The crowd parted to allow Liam through. He was wearing a dark blue suit with a pink tie for the asion while Dan was wearing a dark pink short sleeved silk shirt, white chinos, and ck leather shoes. Jack, on the other hand, had his uniform on. Well¡­ he was on duty. Liam greeted me with a warm smile on his lips. He quickly kissed me on the cheek which drew the attention of the crowd. They began to murmur among themselves while Xavier¡¯s 4/6 CHAPTER 102 Pink ¡°You look absolutely stunning,¡± Liam said while his eyes quickly roamed the length of my body. ¡°Thank you, Liam,¡± I replied. ¡°You look really handsome too. And¡­ you have a pink tie on.¡± I reached up and fixed his tie. We stood still for a moment, staring in each other¡¯s eyes like a couple in love. I heard the clicking sound of several smartphones. Our public disy was news. ¡°It was a gift and has been hanging in my closet for some time waiting for the perfect asion, Liam said. ¡°Bo, Chip, Dom¡­ It¡¯s good to see you¡¯ve been helping Virtue with the preparations.¡± ¡°The least we can do for our new neighbor, Sebastian said, extending his hand to Liam. Liam grabbed it and shook it enthusiastically. ¡°By the way, Dan has the license you requested. You can serve champagne, just don¡¯t allow minors to get their hands on a ss,¡± Liam said while he shook hands with Xavier and patted Cristos on the arm. After everyone exchanged pleasantries, Liam turned around to address the crowd. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see everyone here. How are you folks doing?¡± While Liam did somest minute brown-nosing, I quickly picked up the microphone I had left on a small table Sebastian had set up for coupons and flyers. While I prepared for my speech, I noticed a head with golden colored hair at the end of the crowd. There, standing beside Jack, was Noah. Both of them had scowls on their faces. I guess Noah told Jack. ¡°Hey, Virtue¡­ honey..,¡± Cristos said, interrupting my thoughts. ¡°Let¡¯s start.¡± I nodded my head and positioned myself beside Liam. I nced at him and noticed how ufortable he looked. His face was flushed and he was sweating profusely. He¡¯s scared I might refuse his proposal. ¡°Liam, are you okay?¡± I asked as he wiped the sweat off his brow with a handkerchief. I ced a hand on his cheek to calm him. His lips moved upward into a small smile while he slightly nodded his head. 15.6 Chapter 103 CHAPTER 103 Ribbon Cutting Xavier Pink was definitely not my color. I was silently praying all of this would be over soon so I could change. ¡°And here hees now¡­ with his entourage,¡± Norma said, pointing at the ck BMW that had entered the parking lot. I coughed, quickly moving away from Joy and the irritating group of privileged older women. I headed to the juice dispensers at the end of the long table to grab a drink to ease my sham of a scratchy throat, ¡°Sam, I need you to keep watch,¡± I mumbled as I raised the ss of watermelon juice to my lips. ¡°Copy, X, Sam replied. ¡°I¡¯m shadowing Noah. Right now, he¡¯s standing behind his car at theplex parking lot. He¡¯s on his phone arguing with one of his girlfriends.¡± I smirked. Which one? Well, it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Make sure no one makes trouble¡­ especially him,¡± I said, after taking a sip of my juice. ¡°This is already stressful for all of us. I don¡¯t want to deal with anymore problems.¡± None of us liked the idea of Joy eventually marrying Liam, but it was a means to an end. ¡°You can count on me, X.¡± He paused. ¡°I gotta go. Noah is on the move,¡± Sam whispered. ¡°Find out what he¡¯s up to, Sam. The rest of you, blend in and keep watch. If you see anyone. suspicious, grab ¡¯em and make them talk. But if you see Pete, kill him,¡± I instructed my team. ¡°Over and out.¡± There was news Pete was in the Caribbean, unfortunately, we were still waiting for confirmation. After I argued that it would be better if Sam was here just in case Pete never left, Sebastian sent one of his men to track him down in the Bahamas. If that person was indeed Pete, Sebastian gave explicit instructions to kill him. I know Joy wanted to kill Pete McDowell herself, but we couldn¡¯t take anymore risks. We all made the mistake of underestimating Pete McDowell. We weren¡¯t going to do that again. The faster we get rid of him, the better. I ced my ss on a ss rack atop a small table designated for used sses and turned around to see Liam and Dan making their way to Joy. The both of them seemed to be 1/5 15.03: Sat Mbl.30 CHAPTER 103 Ribbon Cutting He and Dan suddenly stopped just before they reached the noisy crowd of well-wishers. I raised my hand to cover my eyes from the re of thete morning sun and squinted to see the expressions on their faces. I noticed the panic and dread in Liam¡¯s usually calm gray eyes while Dan¡¯s face was apologetic. I had an inkling Dan had finally told Liam that their dinner in Chicagost night didn¡¯t go so well. Judging by the petrified look on his face, I quickly assumed Liam was going to back out or agree to either postpone his proposal knowing there was a high possibility Joy would not marry him. If Virtue were to refuse, Liam would be theughingstock of New Salem. Just the mere thought of Liam backing out made the corners of my lips curve upward into a small smile. But Liam has to propose and Joy has to ept. She needs to destroy the Cohens from within. I know it was wrong for me to feel this way, but there was a huge part of me that didn¡¯t want this wedding to happen. Sure, I was the one who talked her into epting Liam¡¯s proposal, but deep down, it was difficult to ept that a simple n for vengeance hade to this. Admit it, Xavier. I sighed. Fine, I should be the one asking her to marry me and not that ba stard. I should have to my mother. My mom told me when you love someone with all your heart it. I should¡¯ve asked Joy to marry me years ago when my mother gave to propose with. Go d, I¡¯m such a f ucking idiot. shoulda¡­ and apuse suddenly erupted from the townsfolk, as Liam walked through the d, interrupting me from my thoughts. Even in his somewhat flustered state, the show Must go on. However, as Liam greeted us, I could tell by the uneasiness in his eyes and the sweat dripping from his face that he was determined to go through with the proposal. I had to hand it to this guy¡­ he had balls. While Joy prepared herself to make a short speech before the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon, Sebastian nced at me and Cristos, tapping on his watch with two fingers. We needed to speed things up. The nurse was on her way to Theodore. 2/5 CHAPTER 103 Ribbon Cutting ¡°Hey, Virtue¡­ honey¡­ Let¡¯s start, Cristos said nudging her elbow to move things along. Joy nodded her head and raised the microphone to her lips, but she paused noticing how anxious Liam looked. ¡°He looks as if he¡¯s going to faint,¡± I whispered to Cristos as he took the spot beside me, pushing Norma Martin aside. Sebastian quickly maneuvered himself in between Norma and Chip, casting her even further away from me. While Norma gave Sebastian a dirty look which he ignored, Linda grabbed Norma¡¯s hand and pulled her away to sit on some chairs Sebastian had pulled out from his office. Ugh¡­ Norma was bing obsessed. ¡°D amn it. Well, we can¡¯t have anymore interruptions or distractions. When Virtue¡¯s done, Bo, I need you to hand her the scissors and grab the mic,¡± Cristos mumbled his instructions. I gave him the thumbs up sign. ¡°Chip, offer Liam some reassurance,¡± Sebastian murmured to Cristos. ¡°We need this done now. Cristos nodded his head. ¡°Just keep those meddling ol¡¯ biddies away and I¡¯ll handle the rest,¡± he said before positioning whis side Dan who was standing behind Liam. Cristos bowed his head and in Dan¡¯s ear that made Dan grin from ear to ear. Good. Now that¡¯s ist Virtue. Get the bottles of champagne ready. I ced a small cooler under just in case we got that permit.¡± Sebastian nodded his head and walked behind the able to take out the bottles. grabbed the scissors from the coupon and leaflet stand and walked to Joy, positioning myself behind her as she weed everyone to her new store. I looked out towards the parking lot and saw Jack and Noah, standing beside one another, both looking angry and irritated. Noah was shaking his head while I could clearly see the betrayal written on Jack¡¯s face. Liam didn¡¯t tell him, so Noah did. I heard Joy cough through the speaker. Game time. ¡°Wee everyone! Today, we celebrate the grand opening of my humble boutique. I am so grateful to all of you who havee to celebrate with me, especially the people who have been with me every single step of the way, helping me achieve my dreams,¡± she said, pausing CHAPTER 103 Ribbon Cutting to smile at Liam while cing a gentle hand on his arm. ¡°To those who don¡¯t know me yet, my name is Virtue Sulliven and I am the very proud owner of Simply Virtue. With me on this most auspicious asion are Mayor Liam Cohen, New Salem Auditor Daniel Williams, Bo Xavier of Bo¡¯s Supermarket, Dominic Samuels of Dom¡¯s Home Furnishings, Chad Hendrix Palmer of Buzzed Pub and, of course, our hardworking undersheriff, Jackson Emery. Now, let¡¯s cut that ribbon!¡± The crowd broke into an apuse. I stepped forward handing her a pair of gold scissors while taking the microphone from her. ¡°Mayor Cohen, would you please do me the honor of cutting the ribbon with me?¡± she asked. He nodded his head, cing her hand on his arm and escorting her behind the long pink ribbon. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Joy nce down at the sharp gold ted scissors in her hand and I saw that familiar stone cold look in her eyes. Whenever she thought of Liam or any of his friends and how they hurt her her beautiful aquamarine eyes would turn cruel and heartless. I knew what was going through that mind of hers. She was picturing herself stabbing Liam in the heart with those sharp scissors in front of the crowd. I imagined a triumphant Joyughing sinisterly as Liam¡¯s blood spewed all over the horrified people including the four middle aged women who were desperate to get my attention. Sadly, I also imagined Jack intercepting her before she could even make a run for it. Eventually, they would discover she was Joy Taylor and lock her up in an institution for the criminally insane for all eternity. Joy¡¯s eyes suddenly met mine and she smiled. She knew that I knew what she was thinking. Not today, Joy. I scanned the crowd and noticed the hopeful faces of the people as they recorded Joy and Liam¡¯s every move with their smartphones. They wanted to be the first ones to tell their friends that Liam and Virtue were seeing each other. I had a feeling all of them will be having the shock of their lives when Liam proposes. Joy handed the scissors to Liam before positioning themselves behind the pink ribbon with Joy¡¯s hand atop Liam¡¯s. Suddenly, Cristos shoved a bottle of champagne in front of me, obstructing my view. I quickly ced the microphone back on the small ¡®wee¡¯ table and began shaking the 4/5 CHAPTER 103 Ribbon Cutting champagne bottle. Joy and Liam¡¯s hands moved in unison and together, they cut the massive pink ribbon. While the crowd erupted in apuse, Cristos, Sebastian and I sprung into action, popping the corks from each of our bottles. The crowd shrieked excitedly as bubbles of champagne came bursting out. From the corner of my eye, I saw Dan whisper something in Liam¡¯s ear. Liam immediately rxed and an ecstatic grin erupted on his face. We began pouring the champagne in the sses, eager to get the party started but before we had the chance to serve some of the champagne, Liam cleared his throat and loudly said, ¡°Virtue, there¡¯s something I have to say.¡± My heart began to beat loudly in my chest. Even though this was all nned, Joy was the love of my life¡­ and here I was going to watch the most precious thing on this earth be engaged to another man. I did to be this painful: mments J000 ave to wait for another update to find out! EW 1 COMMENT > 4 POST COMMENT 3 Chapter 104 CHAPTER 104 The Proposal Liam Virtue took the cordless microphone and began her speech. I wiped my forehead with handkerchief, annoyed at myself for not being able to hide my anxiety. my As I exited my car earlier, I surveyed the people gathered in front of themercialplex and immediately saw Virtue. She stood out in her white and pink dress looking very pretty. There was r no doubt in my mind, she¡¯d probably look like an angel in a wedding gown for sure. I shut the door of my car and waited for Dan who had parked his car across from mine. He smiled, walking with a sk ip in his step, clutching a robin¡¯s-egg blue jewelry box in his hand. Jack, who had parked further away, was concerned with security. He was seated inside his car, speaking to someone on his CB radio while he eyed the growing crowd. Dan¡¯s eyes followed my gaze, noticing it had fallen on Jack¡¯s truck. ¡°You haven¡¯t told him, have you?¡± He asked while he handed me the Tiffany & Co. jewelry box. I quickly took it from him and opened it to check. The two-carat diamond ring sparkled under the sunlight, casting a rainbow of colors on the ck paint of my car. It was even more beautiful than I had imagined¡­ It was perfect. From the corner of my eye, I saw a ck head of hair emerging from the RAM truck. I quickly snapped the jewelry box closed and pocketed it. I didn¡¯t want to spark a confrontation here. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. I didn¡¯t want any problems from him before proposing, especially when there¡¯s a good chance she¡¯ll probably say no,¡± I answered, straightening my jacket. ¡°I have a feeling she¡¯ll say yes, unless Noah was able to get to her, Dan said. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I gestured for him to walk beside me so we could talk while walking. ¡°We, uhm, bumped into Noah and Nicole in Chicago. After we had dinner, Noah dumped Nicole like a piece of trash on the sidewalk while he rushed back to New Salem,¡± Da answered. ¡°And how do you know he rushed back to talk to Virtue? He may have had a priormitment he overlooked or an emergency,¡± I pointed out, 1/5 Sat, Mar CHAPTER 104 The Proposal ¡°I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m going to say this, but I might have made a slight boo-boo,¡± Dan mumbled, lowering his head in shame. What the f uck was it this time?! I waited for him to continue, to tell me what had happened in Chicago, but I was only met with silence. ¡°Spit it out, Dan. I can¡¯t read your mind for crying out loud!¡± I said impatiently. Dan sighed, looking defeated. ¡°I kind of mentioned the name of the girl who left New Salem during our junior year in high school,¡± Dan answered sheepishly. I automatically stopped walking and ced my hand on his chest to make him stop too. ¡°You what?!¡± I asked incredulously. ¡°In front of Chip of all people?!¡± ¡°I had been drinking all day and I slipped. But don¡¯t worry¡­ Nicole made up a usible story and Chip¡­ well, he really didn¡¯t care too much about the details. He was more concerned about Virtue and the wedding,¡± Dan rambled nervously.. ¡°And Noah?¡± I asked, staring into his eyes to check if he was lying to me. ¡°He, uhm, he was angry. He advised Chip to tell Virtue not to ept your proposal,¡± he answered quickly. ¡°Why did you have to tell Noah about the proposal in the first ce? I wanted it to be a surprise.¡± I took a step forward and resumed walking. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it¡­ I was just so excited,¡± Dan replied, chasing after me Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°Do you think Chip told Virtue about me and what happened in our junior year?¡± I asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think he did. He did ask for a liquor permit for the event though, knowing the both you would want to celebrate your engagement. I have the permit in my pocket.¡± of I closed my eyes for a second, feeling a bit relieved. If Chip was optimistic, then I should be too. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear, but I¡¯m still nervous. It¡¯s either Ie out a champion or be the biggest joke of New Salem¡­ no thanks to your big mouth. Just keep your mouth shut and when I non the question, nudge her to say ves, ok?¡± 2/5 CHAPTER 104 The Proposal ¡°Promise,¡± Dan said. ¡°By the way, where¡¯s Cris? ¡°He¡¯s at home¡­ feeling unwell. I have someone keeping an eye on him,¡± I said, fixing my hait. ¡°Now, smile, Dan. This is suppose to be a happy asion.¡± As we made our way through the boisterous crowd, I took a moment to observe our surroundings. A large colorful sign on an easel announcing a promotional fifty percent sale on all items for the day was standing beside the ss door of Virtue¡¯s shop. Surrounding the storefront windows were pink and white roses arranged inrge bouquets positioned atop flower stands while appetizers, refreshments and ssesy neatly on a long table covered with a pink tablecloth decorated with white-ribbons. It was simple, but everything was nicely arranged. After greeting Virtue with a kiss on her cheek, we started the ceremony amidst the murmurs of the crowd who were already making spections of my rtionship with Virtue. Not many have seen us together and none knew we may be romantically involved. My kissing her on her cheek was a surprise to all. I noticed Jack was standing in the back beside Noah who kept shaking his head, hoping Virtue would notice him. I immediately suspected Noah probably had a thing for Virtue. But if there¡¯s knew about Nicole, she was a jealous psychotic bi tch who would make ble for him. That was one of the reasons why I dumped Nicole in the e was an animal in bed, but she was always jealous of other women. lif trying to get yourself out of that one, Noah. ugh Noah kept his mouth shut and his head low, he never looked at me with the same. pect after Joy. Apparently, he was just biding his time, waiting for the perfect opportunity o sabotage me. Guessing by the scowl on Jack¡¯s face, Noah probably already told him what my ns were. I couldn¡¯t have Jack be my rival. After I propose, I¡¯ll talk to him and fix this. As for Noah, I¡¯ll get to him through Nicole. The crowd suddenly broke into an apuse, jolting me back to the present. Unfortunately, Virtue was already done with her speech. My time was almost up. My heart began to beat loudly against my ribcage, my hands began to shake, and my body went cold and mmy all over. For the first time in my whole life, I was s terrified. Virtue turned off the microphone, gave it to Bo while he gave her a pair of oversized scissors. She suddenly ced a hand around mrm. leading me to the pink ribbon. I was. $65 CHAPTER 104 The Proposal out of it¡­ I waspletely lost. ¡°Mayor Cohen, would you please do me the honor of cutting the ribbon with me?¡± Virtue asked, handing me the scissors. I nodded my head, inhaling her sweet scent of rose, patchouli and orange. Her scent made me light-headed and woozy, like I was about to faint. If it weren¡¯t for her dainty hands on top of mine, I would have surely copsed. Unlike my sweaty palms, hers were soft and smooth. She was obviously at ease with the crowd. Virtue definitely had the makings of a politician¡¯s wife. First, I needed to cut the ribbon, then I can go on one knee and propose. Let¡¯s do this. I raised my eyes to look at the crowd and noticed everyone had their phones out recording everything. I gulped, fervently praying to Go d that Virtue would say yes. Our hands moved in unison and together we cut the massive pink ribbon. Chip, Dom and Bo sprung into action and popped the corks out of the champagne bottles. People shrieked excitedly as the bubbles from the bottles came bursting out. Dan suddenly grabbed my arm. ¡°Chip said Virtue will most probably say yes. She likes you. Come on. You can do this, Liam.¡± I smiled feeling a bit more at ease. All I had to do was ask. It was now or never. I held on to Virtue¡¯s hand. ¡°I have something to say,¡± I said. Everyone stopped moving to look at the two of us. ¡°Liam¡­¡± Chip said, handing me a ss of champagne. Liquid courage. I downed the ss, not even savoring its fruity taste. I handed Chip the ss back and took a deep breath. For luck, I raised the back of Virtue¡¯s hand to my lips and kissed it. ¡°You are so beautiful. Virtue, whatever happens, believe me when I say I adore you,¡± I whispered. She smiled and reached up to caress my face. It was a simple gesture, but it gave me all the courage I needed. I took another deep breath, thinking of what to say. I had prepared a speech, but standing here in front of her and the growing crowd had made me forget it. I decided to speak from the heart. 4/5 15.03 Sat, Mai CHAPTER 104 The Proposal ¡°Virtue, if I could only exin how you make me feel when we¡¯re together. How every time I hear your voice, I feel all giddy inside. How every time you smile, you make my heart literally s kip a beat. How every time I see you, I get butterflies in my stomach. How whenever I¡¯m with you, I get lost in your eyes¡­¡± I sighed. ¡°No one has ever made me feel this way. Honestly, I feel like I¡¯m in heaven whenever I¡¯m with you.¡± ¡°Since the day I first met you, I have continously thanked Go d because I finally found the missing piece to my existence. With you, I¡¯mplete. With you, Virtue, I¡¯m happy.¡± I knelt down on my knee and I saw the stunned expression on her face as I took the little jewelry box from my pocket. ¡°Oh my Go d!¡± She eximed. She covered her mouth with both her hands and I noticed the tears begin to well up in her eyes. I smiled at her, feeling more confident. This was the same reaction Lisa had when Cris proposed to her. ¡°Virtue, I don¡¯t want to waste any time on a long and fancy courtship because I know in my heart I love you and that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. But marry me now, Virtue, and I promise you, I will court you forever. Please make me the happiest of men. Say es and let me love you forever.¡± I opened the jewelry box and I swear I was momentarily blinded by the sparkle of the diamond. It was quite a rock. The noisy crowd suddenly grew quiet, so quiet I could hear the vehicles driving by on Main Street. We patiently waited for her to answer. My heart began to beat rapidly again. As I gazed at her beautiful face, I silently prayed to Go d. Please make her say yes. Chapter Comments Susan Wynne I like the story but it¡¯s starting to drag on. VIEW 1 COMMENT POST COMMENT LIKE < SHARE 5/5 Chapter 105 CHAPTER 105 y The Angel Joy My expensive acting lessons were finally paying off. I had the people at a standstill. Everyone looked on, seemingly frozen in time, eagerly awaiting my response. If only my acting coach could see me now, he¡¯d probably be impressed. It was such a pity I couldn¡¯t send him a video of this to show him how much progress I have made. Maybe after all of this was over, I coulde over and we couldugh about it over a bottle of his favorite Italian red. During the first four weeks of our almost four month acting course, I believed Francesco, our instructor, was a hack. That was until one of his beloved students, an A-list celebrity, came knocking on his door, interrupting our private lessons at his posh Beverly Hills estate. For the first time, Xavier sat starstrucked, blushing to the roots of his hair, while mustering the courage to meet the female celebrity. She politely waited for him to say something, noticin e moving, however nothing seemed toe out of his mouth. I smiled r while I took Xavier by the elbow to urge him to his feet so we could e famous actress. ntinued to struggle with his words, I nudged him gently with my elbow, hoping provide him the small push that he needed. It worked. He finally said hi. As much as ed tough at his reaction to her, I didn¡¯t want to embarrass him. Plus, I knew acesco wouldn¡¯t approve especially when such an important person was with us. So, I continued to smile politely instead and waited for introductions. ¡°She is one of my masterpieces,¡± Francesco eximed in his thick Italian ent and high- pitched voice, obviously proud of what the actress has aplished. ¡°Just like you, she did not know how to act. But look at her now, an award winner.¡± He picked up a paper bound screeny from a table nearby. ¡°Come. Let us give them a sample.¡± ¡°Of course, Francesco, but there is no need for a screeny,¡± the female actress said, waving off the paper bound manuscript. ¡°I¡¯m guessing this one needs some encouragement?¡± She eyed me with interest. ¡°Si,¡± Francesco answered in his native Italian, the disdain apparent in his voice. I was having trouble from the very beginning. ¡°This one is not interested in movies. She wants to learn. how to lie.¡± The actress nodded her head, acknowledging the situation. 1/6 CHAPTER 105 y The Angel ¡°You¡¯re an honest person,¡± she said. ¡°In my line of work, I appreciate honest people, however Francesco here hates your type. He believes honest people have difficulty ying pretend.¡± She sat down on the couch across from Xavier and I, gesturing to Francesco with one hand for something to drink while with the other, she motioned for us to sit back down. ¡°You have to see it in a different perspective. Pretend isn¡¯t a lie, it¡¯s imagination. As we all know, imagination is conjured by our psyche and whatever is created by our mind can¡¯t all be a lie. Because if it were all a lie, than all of it would be impossible to achieve. Right?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Xavier answered quickly, without even taking the moment to think. I turned to stare at him, my eyebrows raised in shock. Xavier was obviously captivated by her, hanging on to her every word. I actually felt a bit jealous. Unlike Xavier who was eager to please, I paused and contemted her words. After several moments, I finally nodded my head in agreement to her argument. What was impossible decades ago was possible now. Thanks to innovation and little imagination. you want to learn to lie?¡± She asked, leaning back against the cus hions. nce,¡± I told her honestly while trying to lie. I kept a straight face and made sure my vas devoid of all emotion. Her eyes scrutinized my appearance while I gazed at her, ty praying she would think I was lying. ou almost had me, but I can see the iciness in your eyes. It¡¯s an improvement nheless. What did he do to you?¡± She asked. ¡°They,¡± I corrected her. ¡°They raped me.¡± I tried to control my anger as I answered her, but I felt my face heat up. The actress shook her head in disbelief, not expecting the answer I gave her. ¡°I would want vengeance too,¡± she said apologetically as Francesco came with a bottle of wine and a couple of sses in his hands. ¡°Francesco, she has deep-seated anger.¡± ¡°I know, but she must learn to control some of that anger if she is going to face them,¡± Francesco said. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± The actress asked. ¡°Joy.¡± The actress smiled, amused. ¡°You are such a contradiction. You have such a beautiful face and you are blessed with a name which means immense happiness, but in reality, you have so much anger and hate 26 CHAPTER 105 y The Angel inside. Tell me, Joy, what will make you feel happy again? She asked nonchntly. ¡°All of them dead by my hand,¡± I said, smiling warmly. This time she pped her hands. ¡°Now that sounded like a lie, because you used your attributes to shield your true intent,¡± she remarked. ¡°I guess now you know why I¡¯m here. Francesco called me over to show you your the necessary tricks to fool your audience. But to tell you frankly, your pretty face and pleasing voice should be enough to fool anyone. All you have to do is y the angel, Joy, and they will never suspect that you¡¯re the devil.¡± ¡°y the angel?¡± I asked. ¡°In sher films, the killer is usually the one who everyone least suspects. The goody two shoes, the innocent virgin, the prettiest girl, the cool guy. All of them share one distinct characteristic¡­ they are perceived by the audience as either perfect, naive or angelic¡­. intrinsically good. And that, Joy, is what you need to portray. To be the one who everyone least suspects. An angel.¡± The actress¡¯ words echoed as I looked down at Liam¡¯s pleading gray eyes. He didn¡¯t know I killed those men at Ma¡¯s. No one knew. Truly, I am the one who everyone least suspects. An image of Liam¡¯s dead body seated in front of his desk shed through my mind, blood. dripping from a wound at the back of his head inflicted by his own gun held tightly by one of his limp cold hands. On his desk his tablety showing the headline of the town¡¯s newspaper announcing his involvement in the rape of Joy Taylor as well as the death of young Joan Summers via documents found from the coroner¡¯s office. Liam Cohen¡¯s death would be deemed a suicide, wiping thest of the Cohen bloodline from this earth. With him and his father gone, I would inherit everything. Just thinking about it made me very happy. So happy, tears began to well up in my eyes again. Now all I had to do was say yes. Say yes, Joy. ¡°Y-yes, Liam¡­ I¡¯ll marry you.¡± My voice was barely audible, but as soon as the words came out of my mouth, everyone erupted in an ear-splitting apuse. Liam slipped the diamond ring on my finger. It was a perfect fit. I could see the smug satisfaction in his gray eyes as he stood up and twirled me in the air. 3/6 CHAPTER 105 y The Angel When my feet finally hit the pavement again, I nced at Xavier, Sebastian and Cristos. Xavier looked on like a proud mentor while Sebastian and Cristos looked extremely happy. The three of them, including Dan, congratted us to the absolute joy of everyone. *Engagement party at my houseter,¡± I told each of them as they kissed me on the cheek. That¡¯s right¡­ y the angel¡­. The angel of death. Noah While everyone cheered, I froze. I didn¡¯t know how to react to what I just heard. It wasn¡¯t possible. Virtue said yes? ¡°Well, she said yes,¡± Jack said, sounding defeated. ¡°We better go over and offer our congrattions. That¡¯s what friends do in situations like this. We hope for the best.¡± I shook my head. I couldn¡¯t be happy for them. No, this was all a lie. ¡°This is probably a farce¡­ just to get Liam votes for his re-¡± ¡°You think Virtue of all people would agree to take part in a ploy so Liam can get reelected?¡± Jack asked, cutting me off. ¡°Liam ask her to marry him and she said yes in front of so many witnesses. There is no way that this is a scam,¡± Jack argued. ¡°Jack, he asked her at the grand opening of her store knowing there would be a crowd. And ow Chip and let¡¯s not forget that Chip was with Dan when he picked up the ring. We all know Virtue are practically inseparable. It¡¯s impossible she didn¡¯t know that this was going to happen,¡± I reasoned out. ¡°So cry me a river, Noah,¡± Jack scoffed, not wanting to listen to any of my arguments. ¡°If whatever you¡¯re saying is true, then maybe they won¡¯t get married. Until then, let¡¯s be good men and offer our congrattions.¡± He gave me a sideways nce, his brow furrowed. ¡°What is it with you anyway? Aren¡¯t you seeing Nicole?¡± ¡°No. Nicole and I are just-¡± Jack chuckled, my denial expected. 4/6 15:09 Sat, Mar 30 CHAPTER 105 y The Angel Remember that Christmas during our freshman year in college when Cris started dating Lisa? Nicole broke into his car and shed his leather seats,¡± Jack said. ¡°I, on the other hand, you know made the mistake of sleeping with her after Liam and Cris¡¯ victory party and do what she did when I told her it was just a one night stand? She went to my mother at her school and told her I had an STD. Sure, she didn¡¯t do sh it like that to Liam, but that¡¯s because Liam has enough power to bury her. So, if you don¡¯t love Nicole, you better end it¡­. now. She¡¯ll probably put some negative reviews on your website, but hey, you¡¯re the only contractor in this town.¡± I wanted tough, but I kept a straight face. I didn¡¯t want Jack to know I knew about all that. Of course I knew Nicole had abandonment issues and I also knew all the problems Nicole gave them after they used her and threw her away. I was the one who helped-her do all that s hit to them. Cris had to spend so much money to have his car fixed while everyone stayed clear of Jack not wanting to catch whateve r sexually transmitted infection he had, I had so many clever ideas, yet my cleverness never seemed to work on Virtue and Chip Why is that? Anyway, I wasn¡¯t worried about Nicole. I had her where I wanted her. ¡°Come on,¡± Jack mumbled as he nudged me in the ribs. ¡°Let¡¯s act like gentlemen and congratte the newly engaged couple.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± I said, knowing there was nothing else I could do for now. If this was a lie like I believed it to be, no wedding will happen. They¡¯ll just keep telling people what they want to hear until they get sick and tired of lying. But then again, if this wasn¡¯t a lie, I had to do something before they say their I do¡¯s. I had more tricks up my sleeves. I Virtue will never be Mrs. Liam Cohen¡­ on saranten Over my dead body. 516 Sat Mar 20! CHAPTER 105 y The Angel Chapter Comments Morgan POST COMMENT Noah is most likely the one who gives Pete his orders¡­ I wouldn¡¯t underestimate him. Elizabeth Johnson I can¡¯t fathom Noah out. Pete is a degerate sick psychopath, Chris is a weak sick abuser, Jack and Liam are both pathetic cowards Noah seems to be more calcting¡­ VIEW ALL 3 COMMENTS >Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Chapter 106 CHAPTER 106 The Mystery Sebastian After congratting the newly engaged couple, Xavier positioned himself at the long table and began his duty as a gracious host. He handed out tes and assisted the people with appetizers and drinks, making sure they had their fill before entering Virtue¡¯s. Since I was the one who installed the POS machine, I went behind the store counter and started ringing up sales. Everyone was happy eating, drinking and shopping, seemingly clueless of what was yet toe¡­ Especially Liam. He had a possessive arm around Joy¡¯s waist like he didn¡¯t have a care in the world. He was beginning to look like his usual self¡­ conceited and arrogant. After the fire, he lost his confidence, but now, he was back in the game. Unfortunately, in an hour, maybe less, the rug will be pulled from under his feet once again. I, for one, will enjoy watching him squirm. Earlier, startled gasps echoed all around as the unsuspecting public watched their mayor confess his feelings for Virtue. Although Liam appeared to look brave, I noticed the beads of sweat that formed on his forehead and how his hands shook uncontrobly as he presented Joy with the ring. He was obviously terrified she would reject him, but I believed that was all an act. By proposing to her in front of everyone, Liam had the support of the people. He was counting on the bacsh that would happen if ever Joy said no. A rejection of him was a rejection of New Salem. Joy would be ruined in this town without Liam having to do anything. If Joy answers yes though, no one would say she was coerced into epting his proposal when in fact, Joy didn¡¯t have much a choice. Liam was very clever indeed. Wanting to look as terrified as his friend, Dan gripped Cristos¡¯ hand tightly in his, closed his eyes and began mumbling a prayer. Cristos repeatedly tried to pull his hand away, but Dan held on firmly. Since there was nothing he could do, Cristos endured the difort, his eyes looking up towards the sky, praying Joy would voice out her answer as soon as possible so Dan would let go. CHAPTER 106 The Mystery The four middle-aged women who were seated off to the side, looked on expectantly, however only one of them watched with disdain¡­ Norma Martin. Unlike the others who seemed to ept Joy, Norma didn¡¯t hide her contempt. Norma was a lioness who was utterly territorial. She couldn¡¯t ept that soon her position as the leader of the matriarchs of New Salem will be taken by another¡­ by someone who was much younger, definitely more beautiful than her and who would soon bear the name Cohen. That family name was the ultimate weapon in this town and Norma Martin could lose all the things she worked hard to build just because Liam wanted to get married. I knew what was going through her head. She didn¡¯t want to share power again¡­ not with Joy. Her eyes narrowed sinisterly while her lips curled into a disdainful sneer as she recorded the proposal on her phone. I had a hunch she was going to send the video to Pete McDowell. She and Cynthia, despite their power struggle in the organization, were good friends after all and Pete was probably like a son to her. I believed she would inform Pete of all this. It was the main reason why I had Xavier invite her and her friends. I needed to trigger Pete intoing out from wherever he was hiding. young women in Bismarck all the way to South Dakota, his trail went dead. My men in the Bahamas were having trouble finding his location while Dina had problems spotting him through facial recognition.. Although he left a series of raped and savagely beaten Currently, Dina was tucked away in Xavier¡¯s office, hacking into the four women¡¯s phones through the public wi-fi system that Cristos set up himself. Actually, he was getting everyone¡¯s information. Cristos was sick and tired of going though the townsfolk one by one. This way he will have all he needed onPublished by N?v''elD/rama.Org. file. My eyes darted back to Norma who had an ugly scowl on her face. Poor Norma¡­ she and her ex- husband will be shunned by the public after the people hear of the death of New Salem¡¯s beloved patriarch. If everything goes ording to our ns, Norma and her ex-husband will be on Liam¡¯s s hit list. While Xavier poured champagne in the sses, hit him on the back knowing his feelings for Joy would be more obvious to the trained eye. With four older women eyeing him so closely, he didn¡¯t have the luxury of showing any emotion except a reaction to actual physical pain. ¡°Ow!¡± Xavier mumbled, wincing in pain. ¡°That hurt, Dom.¡± CHAPTER 106 The Mystery some support. Soon, she will get what she wants and we will be in charge of this town.¡± Xavier stretched out his sore back like a big baby. ¡°I wish it were that simple, Xavier muttered under his breath. ¡°It is that simple, Bo, I argued, grabbing the empty bottle and handing him a ss of champagne. ¡°You should be proud of what she¡¯s aplished. Everything she has done to get to where she is now is all because of you.¡± Xavier grinned at me and raised his ss. *I really appreciate you saying that, Dom. Thanks,¡± Xavier said and drank the champagne. ¡°You¡¯re wee. Now you know what you have to do. Norma is going to be knee deep in s hit if everything goes ording to n,¡± I told him, ¡°Gotcha, Xavier said, fixing his hair and pushing his chest up like a stud. ¡°So many women, so little time. Keep an eye on Noah, will yah? I don¡¯t want anything funnying from him.¡± My phone suddenly vibrated as I nodded my head to Xavier¡¯s request. I quickly took it out of my pocket, thinking it was Emma. ¡°It¡¯s Nicole,¡± I said surprised. ¡°Noah dumped her, so she¡¯s running back to you. Isn¡¯t that convenient?¡± Xavier said. ¡°Ignore her. She¡¯s bad news.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± I quickly pocketed my phone. I was getting antsy. Emma told me to make sure whatever we had nned should happen without dy since it was possible Theodore¡¯s health could take a dive in a span of minutes. However, nothing yet. I wanted to message her, but Emma warned me not to send her any messages nor to call her. I had to be be patient. Well, at least luck was on our side. Theodore¡¯s time was up and Emma needed a fall guy for Theodore¡¯s unexpected death. Previously, I had thought she wanted to go home because she was homesick. Apparently, the main reason why she wanted to resign from work was because of a male nurse named Ford Martin who harassed the female nurses while on duty. She said if Ford gets arrested, she would stay in New Salem. The rest of the nurses were her friends and she was in good terms with most of the hospital administrators. It was just that putz who she needed to get rid off. Xavier nudged me with his elbow as the crowd began cheering and apuding Virtue and Liam¡¯s engagement. I poured a ss of champagne for Joy and rushed forward to CHAPTER 106 The Mystery While I manned the cash register, I was pleased the townsfolk were clearly enjoying themselves. When Xavier and I opened our stores, we didn¡¯t serve appetizers or refreshments. This was our way of giving back while helping Joy with her store. ¡°You seem to be deep in thought, Dom,¡± Noah said, appearing in front of me with an empty ss in one hand and a couple of silk scarves in another. He ced the scarves and some money on the counter. I felt embarrassed. I was so deep in thought I didn¡¯t notice him inside the store. ¡°I¡¯m just surprised Virtue and Liam are engaged. None of this was expected,¡± I said, lying to him, while scanning the tags. ¡°I mean, they¡¯ve only known each other for a couple of weeks. I guess, maybe they¡¯ve been seeing each other in secret. Have you ever noticed Liam at Virtue¡¯s? You guys are neighbors right?¡± I ced each of the scarves in customized ¡®Simply Virtue¡¯ paper bags and ced his change on the counter. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re neighbors,¡± Noah answered. ¡°But I¡¯ve been working nights for the past couple of weeks, so I can¡¯t really say if Liam has been visiting Virtue. But Virtue is usually with Chip, so I doubt ve been seeing each other,¡± Noah said while he pocketed his change. ¡°So ne, you didn¡¯t know?¡± I shook my head.. You sked back. y. I bumped into Chip and Dan in Chicago,¡± Noah answered, puzzled. ¡°You didn¡¯t Chip left oah, of course they knew I left,¡± Cristos answered, making his way through the crowd of customers. ¡°I just didn¡¯t tell them why Dan and went to Chicago.¡± ¡°Well, I said my peacest night and I¡¯m sticking to it. Virtue is making a big mistake. Liam isn¡¯t the right man for her,¡± Noah insisted. ¡°Noah Jensen!¡± Linda Jacobs called out, her hands on her hips. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking all over for you. We need to go over the schedule of your demolition team.¡± She grabbed his arm and pulled him away. ¡°If you would excuse us, boys. Noah and I have some things we need to straighten out.¡± Before Noah could say anything else, Linda pushed him towards the exit. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to Noah,¡± Norma Martin suddenly said, carrying a dress in her arms. ¡°That boy has always been jealous of Liam. Whatever Noah¡¯s told you about Liam, none of it is true. If there is anyone with skeletons in his closet, it¡¯s Noah.¡± CHAPTER 106 The Mystery There are rumors his parents¡¯ ident wasn¡¯t an ident,¡± Norma exined. ¡°There are some people who think Noah had a hand in that. Something about faulty breaks. Noah was top of his ss in their automotive course during their senior year in high school. If there is someone who knows how to sabotage a vehicle, it¡¯s him. Nothing was proven back then, but some suspect him.¡± ¡°Norma, you¡¯re forgetting one pertinent question, though,¡± I said as I scanned the tag of her dress. ¡°Why would Noah want to kill his own parents?¡± Norma Martinughed. It was shrill and incredibly wicked. We stared at her, waiting for her exnation. ¡°Why would Noah want to kill his parents? Now that¡¯s the mystery,¡± Norma said, winking at me. ¡°But I¡¯ll tell you this ¡­ Noah¡­ he isn¡¯t what you think he is. Not even Liam knows what he¡¯s capable of.¡± ¡°That sounds intriguing, Cristos said. ¡°I would love to hear more.¡± You would, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± Norma paid for her dress then took the paper bag f from the counter. ¡°Maybe if Bo proposes to me, then maybe you two will be part of my inner circle. Until then, my lips are sealed.¡± We watched a very smug Norma Martin exit the boutique to say her goodbyes to Joy, Liam and Xavier. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± Chapter Comments Tracy Smith I please update, this is why I try not to start ongoing stories VIEW 1 VIEW 1 COMMENT? Chapter 107 CHAPTER 107 Emma vs Ford Emma St. Elizabeth Hospital It was after ten-thirty in the morning and I was standing at the nurse¡¯s station finishing my charts. I kept looking at my wristwatch, anxiously waiting for the rm to sound, but all was quiet. I rubbed my forehead, debating whether I should go and find Autumn so I could ask her if she was able to inject the IV bag with the co cktail I gave her. After I bumped into Ford earlier, I scurried away from the third floor back to the nurse¡¯s station without even assisting Autumn out of the utility closet. I paused, covering my mouth with my fist in absolute horror. What if she¡¯s still up there waiting for me to help her? G od, I was such an idiot. I forgot about the safety of one of my own. I wanted to kick myself for making a mistake. I knew Domenico wasn¡¯t going to like this. I was about to go and check on her when I heard her voice. Without moving my head from my chart, I surreptitiously nced at my surroundings, hoping to catch sight of her¡­ just to confirm if it was indeed her. It was her¡­ I let out a sigh of relief when I saw her characteristic ck armor sleeves as she entered the ER. I continued scribbling on the form in front of me, trying to steady the nervous beat of my heart. I needed to be more careful. Autumn was the only person in this. hospital I could count on. Without her, I was basically alone. I volunteered for this assignment not because I knew I was right for the job, but because I wanted to work under the three underbosses again. Beaufort, Domenico and Primo had the thrill of what mafia life was supposed to be and after years of working a non-existent life as Domenico¡¯s capo, I wanted to be in the middle of all the action once again. And after just a week, I finally felt alive! I never thought that it would be in this pitiful rural town where I would feel my heart beating painfully against my chest. This was what was missing from life¡­ the action! CHAPTER 107 Emma vs Ford firstborn child of the Famiglia Caruso, a family whose roots helpedy the foundation of the Blood Disciples, was given the privilege to serve as it was my birthright. None of my siblings could openly oppose the issue, although both my younger brothers initially believed a female like myself had no right to be in the organization. Well, I proved them wrong. Like all Caruso firstborns before me, I underwent training in firearms, explosives andbat. Because I was a girl, I had to train harder and more often than the men. My father, Don Emilio Caruso, didn¡¯t want me to fail the three underbosses during our diciottesimo or the Blood Disciples¡¯ version of celebrating one¡¯sing of age. He wanted me to be seen as an indispensable asset to the underbosses and not just someone from an important family. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Unlike any other regr diciottesimo, the eighteen year old children of the high ranking Blood Disciples¡¯ members are given a mission toplete. Ifpleted, we would be immediately inaugurated as high ranking members of the organization without question. However, if we were caught, the organization would wash their hands of us and if we failed, we would be remembered as those who brought shame to the organization. For our diciottesimo, Beaufort, Domenico, Primo, and I, were ordered to extract payment the Grim Reaper¡¯s godfather, Niki Devin, had rued for breaching the pact he made with the three bosses. We were tasked to kill his son as well as steal a diamond ring worn by his young wife¡­ with her finger still attached to the ring. Unfortunately, our test wasn¡¯t something any of us imagined although Beaufort, Domenico and Primo had already done something simr to the Angels of Darkness. The night before I left for the East Coast, my father sat me down and gave me some advice. He told me to listen to the underbosses, to observe and learn from them. He told me to make sure I voiced out my opinions and made suggestions. Every small bit of information was crucial for a sessful hit. Lastly, he reminded me to work as a team and to never leave one of your own hanging. Sorry, Autumn. We divided ourselves into two smaller groups. Beaufort, the best assassin of the Blood. Disciples, was tasked to kill the son while the rest of us were tasked to cut off the finger of the young wife while she was at the spa. We had to synchronize our efforts since one mistake would alert the whole Grim Reaper organization, making it more difficult to finish off the job. The killing part was Beaufort was able to neutralize our first target, Stefan Devin, from easy. almost a mile away after shooting all of his bodyguards before any one could alert any of his family members. ording to Beaufort, he took down the bodyguards one by one, before he shot Stefan in the head while he sunbathed on his luxury yacht in the clear blue waters off the coast of Miami. CHAPTER 107 Emma vs Ford I, on the other hand, had to be the one to chop off the finger of the unsuspecting wife. In an expensive trendy spa in New York City, I posed as a manicurist while Domenico passed himself off as a masseur. When the young wife arrived for her appointment, she took one look at Domenico and asked for him to be her masseur for the rest of the afternoon. While she showered, I went through her things in her locker while Primo cloned her sim card and diverted all her phone calls and messages to another number so she wouldn¡¯t be disturbed. After Domenico knocked her out with a sedative, I took a bone saw and cut off her ring finger where the beautiful diamond ringy. It was a rare pink diamond on a simple tinum band, an important heirloom of the Devin Sem¡¯ya, the ruling family of the Russian mafia. The bosses of the Blood Disciples wanted to take everything from Niki to prove a valid point. I felt so bad, I made sure I bandaged the severed area properly and elevated her hand to help stop the bleeding. During those tense moments, I decided to go into the medical field and be a nurse. And here I am¡­ a nurse. A nurse who was actually trying to kill a patient¡­ a patient who did everything in his power to cover up the fact that his darling boy was a rapist. ¡°Look who I get to bump into again,¡± said a familiar male voice. I looked up and saw Ford Martin smiling down at me. Ugh. I was hoping he¡¯d be so busy with Theodore he wouldn¡¯t have time to harass any of us, but Theodore was proving to be a very difficult man to kill. I came to work early this morning with an airtight n along with a syringe filled with a lethal co cktail of digoxin and insulin which Autumn and I had to administer into Theodore Cohen¡¯s IV Bag. His IV Bag was usually dispensed and changed in the morning by the one and only Ford Martin, the male nurse who every female nurse in this hospital abhors. New Salem was such a small town that even their hospitalcked the necessary technology to be called world ss. Here, there were no automatic drug dispensing machines. Instead, the nurses have to go to the pharmacy to collect each patient¡¯s prescription. Those who have been working here the longest are able to dispense medication for VIPs like Theodore Cohen while new nurses like myself and Autumn, needed to be evaluated before we were able to handle medication for such important people. Whatever I had to do went against my oath, but that a sshole hurt one of ours. Miss IT has CHAPTER 107 Emma vs Ford lived in such a tragedy. Usually, trauma like that makes a person implode from within. Not Miss JT. She used all her pain and came out a better person. going to take I checked my watch and noticed I had some time before the as shole, who was the fall for Theodore Cohen¡¯s death, arrived. He usually came in at eight which gave me enough time to check on my patients and make myself pretty. My task seemed difficult, but honestly it wasn¡¯t. I just had to wait and offer myself up as bait. I decided to visit Abigail Reynolds, the young woman who was said to have been in a vehicr ident before she was sent to the ER, an ER I believed had no capability to treat trauma of her kind. Based on my personal experience of patients who were driving before a road mishap urred, blunt force trauma to the head was usually seen in the front along with facial fractures and not necessarily in the back of the head. In Abigail¡¯s peculiar case, I suspected there was foul y involved. I don¡¯t know how all of the hospital staff could keep quiet, but since Abigail needed to be silenced, no one was doing jack s hit. As alway II¡¯s mother was seated in the corner. She stayed with Abigail, day in and day would wake up from hera. I didn¡¯t have the heart to tell her that if er wake up, s she would be paralyzed from the neck below. Whoever did this to actly where to hit her. Every time I saw Mrs. Reynolds, I had to bite my tongue. g her the truth. Abigail¡¯s prognosis wasn¡¯t good and as much as I wanted to tell uldn¡¯t. It would make me the next target. gail Reynolds caught my attention not because Beaufort asked me to check up on her om time to time, but because I caught sight of her file in Ford Martin¡¯s locker¡­ the same nurse who, at this very moment, was sneering wickedly at me. Right now, Ford was smiling like he didn¡¯t have a care in the world. I smiled back at him. Soon, all of that was going to change. The Joy of Revenge Chapter 108 CHAPTER 108 Code Blue Emma It appeared as if I was smiling at Ford when in reality I was smiling at Autumn who gave me a thumbs up sign behind him.. I nced at my watch and saw it was almost eleven. Mayor Cohen¡¯s proposal to Miss JT was probably done by now which only meant Domenico was waiting for the other Cohen to kick the bucket. Unfortunately, the digoxin seemed to be taking its sweet time. ¡°You¡¯re in a good mood,¡± I pointed out before looking back at my chart. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I be? All my patients are doing well and you and I are going out tonight, Ford announced proudly. Pam, the motherly looking nurse who was in charge of the nurse¡¯s station, gasped in shock. Lucky for her, she was one of the few nurses Ford didn¡¯t harass given she wasn¡¯t his type. Ford liked his women fit and voluptuous while Pam was just a bit overweight for his sensitive tastes. Since the Martins had money and had a close rtionship with the Cohens, Ford roamed the hallways like he owned the hospital. He was a sex predator and was known to have sexually harassed almost every female nurse here. To my dismay, I was no different. Unfortunately, being his new target meant I had to be at the receiving end of all of his sexual innuendoes including his inappropriate touching. During my first day on the job, I made the mistake of reporting his behavior to our superior. So, instead of fixing things, I made matters worse and to top it all off, I¡¯ve gotten reprimanded twice from blunders Ford purposely fabricated. As a result, I was taken off of Cohen¡¯s service to his entertainment. ¡°Hey, rke,¡± he greeted me as I exited the nurse administrator¡¯s office after being lectured. He was seated by the door waiting for me toe out. ¡°All you have to do is be my girlfriend and all of your troubles will disappear.¡± ¡°Eat hit, Martin,¡± I growled at him, my hands balled up tightly in fists. If it weren¡¯t for Domenico, I would have kicked his as s. ¡°Oooooh¡­Potty mouth. I like that,¡± he said, pushing me against the wall, not caring if our superior was on the other side. ¡°I can already imagine that pretty mouth of yours wrapped around my c ock. Just thinking about it has gotten me soooo hard.¡± ¡°Get off of me, Ford,¡± I said, pushing him away. He chuckled, his hands raised above his head, CHAPTER 108 Code Blue in surrender. ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything to you yet, rke,¡± he reasoned. ¡°And even if I was doing something to you, there¡¯s nothing you can do about it. Typical chauvinistic response¡­ I can get away with murder, woman. ¡°Stay away from me, you as shole,¡± I said through clenched teeth. ¡°Unlike you, I need to get back to work.¡± I quickly turned and walked away controlling the anger that was pushing through the surface. ¡°Remember, rke, all you have to do is be my girlfriend.¡± It took all the willpower I had not to turn around and punch the f ucker in the face. At the moment, I vowed to have thestugh.. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ford. You and I are going out tonight? When did you make that assumption?¡± I asked, not even looking up from my chart. I hinted on that earlier when I bumped into him, but I had to say something to distract him. Earlier, after I had checked on Abigail, I took the stairs and headed to the psychiatric ward located on the sixth floor of the hospital to meet with Autumn. Fortunately, there are no CCTV cameras on that entire floor and the psych ward is always practically deserted in the morning. As usual, the sixth floor was dark and empty with the sounds of the pitiful moans of the psychiatric patients resonating throughout its walls. I exited the stairwell, pausing to take a look around the corner to check if Tamara, the middle-aged African-American female nurse who was constantly assigned the graveyard shift, was awake. Tamara, like always, was asleep. She was seated in her trusty desk chair, her head thrown. back against the head rest while she snored with her mouth open. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. I quickly turned the corridor towards the opposite direction and headed to the women¡¯s. restroom at the end of the hallway. I walked quietly inside the restroom, ustomed to the flickering lights and the dank smell and quickly noticed one of the stall doors was closed. I bent my head down to look through the small opening near the floor and saw Autumn¡¯s familiar white sneakers. The toilet suddenly flushed.. ¡°Eme is that you?¡± The stall door opened and out came Au a nurse who worked for 2/7 CHAPTER 108 Code Blue Primo. Just like me, she was wearing light blue medical scrubs and her dark brown hair was tied up in a ponytail. When we both came in for our job interview, Autumn covered all of her body ink and took out all of her piercings. She swiped out her usual dark lipstick and opted for a light shade of pink, looking like a proper youngdy. Everyday, she wears ck arm sleeves to cover the tattoos on her arm, but now she has begun to add more of her jewelry to her repertoire. Under the flickering light, the small diamond stud attached to her nose sparkled. ¡°I can see you got your nose ring in and you¡¯ve decided to go back to your usual dark shade of lipstick,¡± I said, liking how much itplemented her. ¡°I gotta keep that a sshole from looking my way. He thinks piercings and tattoos are grotesque,¡± she said while she washed her hands. ¡°He¡¯s the one who¡¯s grotesque, I mumbled annoyed. ¡°Well, you only need to put up with him for just a bit longer,¡± she said, winking at me. ¡°You have it with you?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± I answered, taking out the syringe from my pocket. ¡°A ssholees in around eight in the morning. He dispenses Theodore Cohen¡¯s bag at around nine-thirty which gives us enough time to get ready. I have to psyche myself up to flirt with him. I flirt and you squirt.¡± ¡°That sounds terribly gross,¡± Autumn smirked. ¡°By the way, I already hacked into the system and put all the CCTV cameras on that floor on loop. I guarantee you no one will see us. Just make sure that none of the bodyguards notices Ford¡¯s ident.¡± Aside from being a registered nurse, Autumn did some hacking on the side. Everyone who was under Primo had a way withputers. This hospital was so ancient anyway, I¡¯m guessing she had no problem taking over the system. of Thanded the syringe to her. ¡°You¡¯ll have to inject this into the IV bag. I¡¯ll knock the contents his tray out of his hands and aim for the utility room like we¡¯ve nned. When you¡¯re done, throw the used syringe in a toilet tank where no one will be able to find it. Make sure you check if the IV bag is for Theodore Cohen. I don¡¯t want someone else to die,¡± I instructed. Autumn took the syringe and nodded her head. ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll check the bag before I inject,¡± Autumn said, pocketing the syringe. ¡°See you at the utility roomter.¡± 3/7 CHAPTER 108 Code Blue ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead. I have to fix my hair and put on some make-up and perfume.¡± Autumn smiled wickedly. ¡°I¡¯m just happy that after today I don¡¯t ever have to see his ugly a ss again,¡± Autumn said. ¡°Take care, Ems.¡± ¡°You too, Autumn.¡± I quietly opened the bathroom door and listened for the sound of footsteps or voices, but I only heard the harsh sound of Tamara¡¯s snores. ran back to the stairs and headed to the private bathroom on the fourth floor reserved usually for the doctors. The nurses were allowed to use it just as long as we didn¡¯t make a mess. I wasn¡¯t ugly nor could I be considered exceptionally beautiful. But with a little help, I could make my in face look pretty when I needed to. I fluffed my hair with the blow dryer in the bathroom, letting my long light brown hair cascade along my back. I put some color on my cheeks and added some mascara on myshes to make my light blue eyes pop out. Lastly, I glossed my lips with my favorite shade of pink and peach and dabbed some Chanel No.5. I exited the bathroom, looking perky, as my hair bounced around my shoulders with my every step. I noticed I caught the attention of some of my other male colleagues. They smiled at me as I walked by, surprised I looked so done up. It was after eight when I got to the nurse¡¯s station to pick up my chart for the day. ¡°You look pretty today,¡± said a thirty year old nurse named Rodney, the surprise evident in his voice. He was one of the few male nurses here who treated everyone with respect. ¡°Is this because of what happened the other day? Ems, don¡¯t listen to Ford. You¡¯re a grea you have to do is stay out of his way.¡± great nurse. All ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s all I have to do, Rodney? Stay out of his way? He¡¯s given me the option of bing his girlfriend or getting the boot,¡± I said loudly, hoping the female doctor beside us would pick up on my sentiments regarding Ford Martin. ¡°It sounded like Ford wasn¡¯t giving me much of choice. I don¡¯t want to get fired. I need this job.¡± Rodney shook his head. ¡°You do have a choice, Emma. I gotta go and do my rounds, but we¡¯ll talkter. Just stay away from him. Evaluation ising up and I think I can fix this. Ems, please just listen to me.¡± He picked up his chart and waved before leaving me at the nurse¡¯s station. ¡°I¡¯ll see youter, Pam¡± I said to the nurse in charge of our station and grabbed my chart. 14/7 CHAPTER 108 Code Blue only had a few patients under my care given I was reprimanded twice thanks to Ford. ¡°Sure, Emma, Pam replied. ¡°Now scoot. Ford is on his way here.¡± ¡°How can you tell?¡± I asked, looking around for any sign of him. ¡°All the women on this floor are making themselves scarce,¡± Pam replied, gesturing for me to leave. ¡°That means you better go too.¡± After o quickly finishing my rounds, I went to the third floor to wait for Ford. As I turned the corner, I saw Mayor Cohen leaving the VIP suite while Ford approached from the other end of the hallway. I quickly took a seat in one of the hard stic chairs reserved for patients waiting forb results and hid myself behind a burly man who looked terrified. I watched Mayor Cohen pause to greet Ford who was carrying the tray of Theodore Cohen¡¯s meds in his hands. While they exchanged pleasantries, my eyes went to the utility room, noticing the door was open. Autumn was already inside, waiting. After Mayor Cohen waved his goodbyes and entered the elevator, Ford proceeded towards Theodore Cohen¡¯s VIP room, his eyes on a sheet of paper which I suspected was given to him by Mayor Cohen. I got up from my chair and walked towards him, my head bent down, looking at my chart. As Ford neared the utility room, I rushed over, bumping into him, knocking the tray from his hands. The IV bag flew into the utility room while his arms circled around me, one hand. grabbing my butt. ¡°Oh my gosh,¡± I eximed. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Ford.¡± I batted my eyshes at him.. ¡°That¡¯s okay. Just help me collect everything off the floor,¡± he said, pleased I didn¡¯t get mad at him for grabbing my butt. ¡°You look really pretty today. Are you going to ask me out?¡± He smirked. ¡°A friend of mine and I are going to have brunch together, but if we¡¯re able to leave work early, maybe we can go and grab a drinkter,¡± I suggeated as I began picking up the medication off floor. Good thing they were in stic containers. ¡°S hit! Where the f uck is the IV bag?¡± Ford asked, panicking as he searched for the IV bag. ¡°It must be inside the utility closet. Let me check,¡± I offered. ¡°No. I¡¯ll do it.¡± Ford said, pushing the door open. 5/7 CHAPTER 108 Code Blue Lying on the floor was the tray with the IV bag inside of it. Ford quickly picked it up and closed the door while I ced all the meds back on the tray. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry,¡± I apologized again. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you back some dessert as an apology.¡± He smiled wickedly. ¡°Nah. Let¡¯s just grab a drinkter instead,¡± Ford replied. ¡°See you, Emma.¡± He suddenly. pped me on the butt. What a p rick. I red at him as he waved smugly at me. I quickly left, heading back to the nurse¡¯s station. It was almost eleven and nothing yet. Maybe my mixture wasn¡¯t potent enough. Patience, Emma.¡± ¡°You said you had a brunch to go to, but if we leave work early, we can go and grab a drink,¡± Ford¡¯s voice interrupted my thoughts. ¡°Admit it, rke. You got dolled up for me and brunch was just an excuse.¡± ¡°I do have a brunch to go to,¡± I said, cing my chart on the wall. ¡°Since I¡¯m finally done with paperwork, I¡¯m off to Harold¡¯s.¡± I turned to leave, but Ford grabbed my arm. ¡°You think you¡¯re so clever,¡± Ford said. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked coyly. ¡°This is a ploy, so I can buy you brunch. Well, it¡¯s working. How about-¡± Pam suddenly coughed, interrupting Ford. ¡°Ford, Emma, Rodney and I are going out for brunch. We¡¯re just waiting for Rodney to show,¡± Pam said. ¡°Hey, F atso, I wasn¡¯t talking to you,¡± Ford said harshly, but Pam was used to it. ¡°Aw, Ford¡¯s hurt, Emma,¡± Pam teased. ¡°Keep it up, Pam or I¡¯ll-¡± ¡°You¡¯ll what, Ford? Have me fired from my job?¡± Pam scoffed. ¡°One day, that will be you.¡± 617 CHAPTER 108 Code Blue Ford wasn¡¯t able to finish his sentence. A loud voice screeched through the inte. ¡°Cold blue. Cohen.¡± He let go of my arm and ran to his patient. Goodbye, Ford. Chapter Comments Elizabeth Johnson Is there a point to knowing Emma¡¯s story? I hope so because otherwise its pointless. VIEW 1 COMMENT 4 Chapter 109 CHAPTER 109 Time of Death Ford Martin If someone had told me Theodore Cohen was going to die today, I would have never believed him. However, nightmares can turn into reality. ¡°Code Blue. Cohen. I repeat. Code Blue. Cohen.¡± As I pushed the people aside to reach the VIP suite, a cold dread washed over me. I couldn¡¯t believe this was happening. Theodore was alive and well when I changed his IV bag and gave him his medication earlier. He evenined about the food. He wasn¡¯t supposed to die¡­ he was supposed to be dischargedter this afternoon to continue his recovery in thefort of his home. ¡°G od, save him,¡± I prayed while I took the stairs two at a time. ¡°G od, help the doctors save Theodore. After giving T Theodore his medication, I roamed the third floor, deciding whether I should ept Liam¡¯s proposal and be Theodore¡¯s private nurse. The pay he was o offering ng was three times my sry and I would have the privilege of living with them at the Cohen Mansion¡­ just like family. It was a great offer, but if I were to ept, it would mean I would no longer be the king of my own pce. Here at St. Elizabeth Hospital¡­ this was my yground. I was King Kong seated atop a throne while the rest were insects I could crush within the palms of my hands. Here, I could stomp my feet, beat on my hairy chest and scream! This dreadful hospital was my kingdom and I could not allow someone else to sit on my throne. Before returning to the nurse¡¯s station, I took a little detour and headed to the office of the nurse administrator on the fourth floor. I had overheard that Rodney Marshall, a fellow male nurse, was petitioning the female nurses to voice out their concerns at my uing evaluation. Although a few agreed, most of the female nurses refused and he was having trouble convincing them otherwise. Rodney didn¡¯t know who he was up against. I had an ace up my sleeve¡­. 1/7 CHAPTER 109 Time of Death Unbeknownst to him, I had a collection of naked pictures of almost all the nurses employed at St. Elizabeth¡¯s. Out of fear of a scandal, these women would never talk. But still, I had to get rid of Rodney. He was going to ruin me just to protect that new nurse, Emma rke. This job Liam needed filled would be the perfect alternative for Rodney. He would earn the big bucks working at the Cohen Mansion while I could keep my position as the big man at St. Elizabeth¡¯s. I didn¡¯t need money¡­ what I wanted was control. It was a win-win situation for everyone. I couldn¡¯t do this alone though. I needed help from our nurse administrator, Lindsay Hartman, who was an elderly woman nearing her retirement. She was my mother¡¯s aunt and has been working at this hospital for over forty-five years. Since we were rted, Lindsay Hartman always took my side. It didn¡¯t matter what it was. In -her eyes. o wrong¡­ colleagues were jealous of that. ed on my grandaunt¡¯s office door, my thoughts went to Emma¡¯s first day here eth¡¯s. Emma, the s tupid cu nt that she was, thought she was doing everyone a eporting back to the administrator. Little did she know, the joke was on her. iced the surprise in Emma¡¯s eyes when I casually walked into the nurse administrator¡¯s ice without even knocking. ¡°You wanted to see me, Great Aunt Lindsay?¡± I asked, smirking. I saw Emma close her eyes. when she realized we were rted. ¡°Yes, I did, Ford. Please take a seat,¡± Great Aunt Lindsay said while she pointed at one of the chairs in front of her desk. ¡°Nurse rke, please tell Nurse Martin what you just told me.¡± My aunt looked at Emma, urging her to speak. ¡°Go on, Nurse rke. If you can tell me then you can tell the person you¡¯re using. I believe everyone should be given the chance to properly defend themselves given the circumstances.¡± I watched Emma bite her lip nervously. She didn¡¯t expect a confrontation. ¡°I-I don¡¯t like how you touch me,¡± Emma finally spat out, her chin raised in defiance. ¡°I don¡¯t like the way you speak to me too. You make me feel ufortable.¡± 217 CHAPTER 109 Time of Death ¡°I make you feel ufortable?¡± I asked bewildered. ¡°You practically threw yourself at me, then you use me of touching you? I¡¯m sorry, Great Aunt Lindsay, but you can¡¯t possibly believe her?¡± ¡°What do you mean, Ford?¡± My grandaunt asked ¡°She¡¯s obviously lying,¡± I pointed out. ¡°She was flirting with me at the nurse¡¯s station, practically unting herself at me. You can¡¯t me me for misinterpreting her actions.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t flirting with you,¡± Emma said, boldly denying the allegations. ¡°I was merely introducing myself to you.¡± ¡°Sure, you were, Emma,¡± I scoffed. ¡°First day on the job and you¡¯re already creating a me too movement. I bet you do this to all the male nurses youe in contact with. That¡¯s not fair to me or to any of us male nurses.¡± I moved forward to my grandaunt¡¯s desk to plead my case. ¡°Great Aunt Lindsay, in my defense, I was just being friendly.¡± I was about to say more, but saw the warning look on my grandaunt¡¯s face and decided to shut up. ¡°Nurse Administrator, if you don¡¯t do anything now, you yourself may face charges in the future for not reporting Nurse Martin¡¯s actions,¡± Emma argued. ¡°I assume you know what happened to the people who were responsible for covering up Larry Na ssar¡¯s sexual abuse. They were sued by Na ssar¡¯s long list of victims.¡± I stared at Emma, stunned she was using the term sexual abuse. ¡°I have never abused anyone sexually. All my sexual encounters WOTD with consent. And who is this Larry Nas sar anyway and what does he have to do with any of this when there has. been no abuse?¡± I asked angrily. She was really pushing it. ¡°He was an orthopedic doctor who worked for the USA Gymnastics Organization and is currently incarcerated serving over 3 life sentences. His victims, gymnasts of the national team, were all used of lying¡­ just like what you¡¯re using me of doing right now. But it was proven that his victims weren¡¯t lying,¡± Emma pointed out. ¡°I¡¯m not lying, Nurse Administrator Hartman and despite what Nurse Martin has said, I can distinguish friendly from harassment.¡± Ford, I want you to apologize, my grandaunt suddenly said while she studied Emma through her sses. ¡°Apologize for what?¡± I asked her. ¡°I didn¡¯t do any of the things she¡¯s using me of doing!¡± ¡°It¡¯s her first day at work. Ford. Please understand she doesn¡¯t know you like I do lu CHAPTER 109 Time of Death can keep the peace, I need you to apologize to her.¡± Great Aunt Lindsay lowered her sses, gesturing with her eyes for me to apologize. I fell back on my chair and crossed my arms in front of chest like a petnt child. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, rke, I mumbled under my breath, my apology insincere. I nced at Emma and found her smiling smugly at me. My apology was like an admission of guilt. However, her small victory was short-lived. Ha! ¡°As for you, Nurse rke, never in my life has anyone used me of covering up a molester. I can assure you, Nurse Martin is a smart, charming young man who was raised by G od- fearing folks. Any woman would be honored to have him shower her with attention,¡± Great Aunt Lindsay said, peering at her th rough her bifocals. ¡°I don¡¯t know how they do it where you¡¯re from, but here we treat our supervisors with respect. If you evere into my office again telling me I¡¯m just as bad as a rapist, I will call the Sheriff and have you thrown in jail.¡± Emma¡¯s widened in horror. ¡°You can¡¯t do that!¡± an. Here, in New Salem, we know our ce. You should learn yours,¡± Great y said before opening a folder. ¡°Both of you¡­ get back to work. I don¡¯t want to d for the rest of the day.¡± out of Great Aunt Lindsay¡¯s office that afternoon feeling vindicated while Emma d an important lesson¡­ I was a hard man to bring down. ter witnessing how my grandaunt put Emma in her ce, I knew she could help me. If anyone could convince Rodney to be Theodore¡¯s nurse, it was her. I fixed my hair before knocking on her door and waited for her to let me in. ¡°Good morning, Great Aunt Lindsay,¡± I greeted her enthusiastically. She was wearing a light. blue business suit with a white silk blouse underneath. Her short salt and pepper hair was neatly styled while a string ofrge pearls adorned her neck and bronze framed eyesses rested on her weathered face. She appeared to be reading something on thatrge tablet of hers before I interrupted. ¡°Ford, what do I owe the pleasure?¡± She asked as she curiously looked at me over the lens of her bifocals. She gestured for me to sit in one of the chairs in front of her desk. ¡°I was hoping to talk to you about someone,¡± I replied before I seated myself. 4/7 CHAPTER 109 Time of Death ¡°Sure. What¡¯s on your mind? Great Aunt Lindsay asked, putting her tablet down and giving me her undivided attention. ¡°You know Rodney Marshall, right?¡± I asked her. ¡°Of course, I know Rodney Marshall. I¡¯ll be promoting him soon, she answered. ¡°Promoting him?¡± 1 croaked. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Yes, Ford. Promoting him. I¡¯ll be retiring soon and I need a recement. I had initially wanted you to take my ce, but there is no denying your inappropriate behavior. I even took the time to speak to your mother about this, but the apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree, does it? Your mother is the same way, always canoodling with that collegiate boyfriend of hers,¡± she scoffed disapprovingly as she mentioned my mother¡¯s current beau. state of ¡°Are you promoting Marshall to be your recement?¡± I managed to ask despite mys an you do this to me, Great Aunt Lindsay? How could you betray your own shock tongue, Ford Martin,¡± she scolded me, her face turning red with fury. ¡°I didn¡¯t do you. Whatever is happening is your own doing. Did you think the board wouldn¡¯t our behavior? That the doctors would turn a blind eye? Did you think Rodney or any of the other nurses wouldn¡¯t go against you?¡± She suddenly chuckled, finally ing why I wanted to speak to her about Rodney Marshall. This is why you¡¯vee to me. You want me to fire Rodney Marshall for you. I¡¯m sorry, Ford. It¡¯s out of my hands.¡± ¡°Actually, I wanted you to offer Marshall a job working for the Cohens. Liam is willing to provide three times the pay and free board and lodging at the Cohen Mansion on Prairie Hill,¡± I said, showing her the sheet of paper Liam gave me earlier. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take it?¡± She asked. ¡°I would rather stay here and be the nurse administrator,¡± I said, smiling. Sheughed and shook her head at my answer. My smile quickly disappeared. Even with Marshall gone, I still wouldn¡¯t be considered for the job? ¡°Grandnephew, I submitted three candidates to the board and you were rejected outright. Marshall was their first choice and Pam Reese was their second. It¡¯s a shame, but it was based on merit, and you Ford,cked the necessary credentials. For now, Rodney Marshall will be my junior administrator while he trains under me. When I retire, Pam will then take the vacant junior position and work under his tutge,¡± my grandaunt exined. 5/7 Chapter 110 CHAPTER 10% Ture of th ¡°I missed the part about me, 1 muttered, trying to digest all the information What is going to happen to me? My grandant sighed and took off her sses before the focused her beady eyes at me. I noticed the sad look and I instantly know it wash good ¡°You will stay on as a nurse until I retire. Knowing Marshall, once he bes the sentier nurse administrator, he will fire you,¡± she replied. ¡°My suggestion? Take the job the Cohens have offered and work for them or you can help your mother instead. I heard the purchased the pharmacy. She¡¯ll be needing an extra set of hands to manage another businen! rap I shook my head at her suggestions. I didn¡¯t want to leave. I wanted this hospital to be ra by me. ¡°Is there any other way for me to be nurse administrator? Come now, Great Aun Lindsay. What can my family offer so I can be the first choice as your recement! The elderly woman sighed. I suddenly felt like she didn¡¯t want me for the job. The bi tch. ¡°Your mother will have to bribe all the members of the board with a substantial mary donation. And when I say substantial, I mean hundreds of millions of dors. This hospital needs several renovations done. If she can offer the board the money they want or need, she can negotiate and add a use stipting that you will take my ce as nurse administrator, she admitted. I smiled. I could use my trust fund without having to burden my mother. ¡°Thank you, Great Aunt Lindsay I said. Tll see what I can do.¡± ¡°Time is of the essence, Ford,¡± she wamed. I will be announcing my retirement by next week. Good luck.¡± I left my grandaunt¡¯s office feeling hopeful. After Theodore is discharged, I will visit the hospital director and offer him a cash grant that he wont be able to refuse, thus solidifying my status in this hospital where I can continue my rule without any further resistance. I wanted to celebrate. I looked for Emma to take her up on her offer, however she suddenly reneged¡­ the cu nt. And now I was racing like a mad man to Theodore¡¯s suite. CHAPTER 109 Time of Death ¡°Enough, Doctor Lewis, Doctor Morrison said as I arrived at the suite. I found Doctor Lewis s gone.¡± performing CPR, hoping to revive Theodore Cohen. ¡°I said enough, Doctor Lewis. He¡¯s Doctor Lewis stopped doing chestpressions and nced at the huge clock hanging on the wall. He sighed before announcing what no one wanted to hear. ¡°Time of death¡­ one minute after eleven in the morning.¡± Chapter Comments Morgan POST COMMENT I¡¯d really like to learn about the main story. Not sure why I need to know Emma, Ford, or any of these characters. we¡¯ve been at 11 am on this day for almost 3 weeks now. VIEW 1 COMMENT > 4 a 777 The Joy of Revenge CHAPTER 110 Fault Lindsay Hartman As soon as the elevator doors opened to the third floor, I hurriedly walked out, my ck pumps making a stato tapping sound on the ceramic tiles of the hospital floor. I heard the voice on the PA system announce, ¡°Code Blue. Cohen,¡± but maybe I heard wrong¡­ Maybe his doctors have already revived him and it was just something they overlooked. Halfway down the hall, I saw Ford leaning against the doorway of the VIP suite, his head resting on his arm while he repeatedly kicked the frame of the door in anger. I abruptly stopped in the middle of the hallway. My mouth immediately went dry, beads of cold sweat suddenly appeared above my brow, while the sound of my galloping heartbeat filled my ears. I was terrified of what the implications would be for me and this hospital now that Theodore Cohen had died on my watch. What happened? Theodore was as strong as a horse. Dr. Rachel Morrison and Dr. Mitchell Lewis appeared from the room, pausing at the doorway to give Ford some instructions before proceeding towards the elevators. They both shook their heads sadly as they approached me, defeat clearly in both of their eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve instructed Nurse Martin to bring Theodore Cohen¡¯s body to the morgue, Nurse Hartman,¡± Dr. Morrison informed me without even greeting me first. She was a slim dark- haired woman in her forties, bright, and the Department Head of the Department of Cardiology. She looked grief-stricken¡­ her lower lip was trembling and I could see tears welling up at the corner of her eyes. ¡°If you will excuse me, I need to make a painful phone. call and inform Mayor Cohen his father has passed away.¡± I nodded my head, acknowledging her simple request. She ced her hands in the pockets of her white doctor¡¯s coat, lowered her head to hide her face and quickly left me with Dr. Lewis to use the elevator. ¡°What happened, Mitchell?¡± I asked Dr. Lewis. He was one of our newly hired attending physicians specializing in orthopedic surgery. He was of average height and build, bald with CHAPTER 110 Fault ¡°He suddenly went into cardiac arrest, Nurse Hartman, he answered, shaking his head in disbelief. ¡°Rachel and I were in his room doing durst routine check-up so we can start the paperwork to discharge him this afternoon. He wasughing, clearly in good spirits and appeared to be in good health. But right after I was done with my assessment of his arm, Rachel checked his heart sounds and said she heard something that concerns her. She was checking his ECG print-out for arrhythmias when all of a sudden he lost consciousness and tlined. It just happened so fast. I tried my hardest to revive him, but there was nothing more I could do.¡± ¡°Do you ou suspect any foul y?¡± I asked. Dr. Lewis shook his head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t, Nurse Hartman,¡± Dr. Lewis replied, peering at me through his sses. ¡°Theodore Cohen was diagnosed with an underlying condition several months back and has been taking maintenance medication since then. Unfortunately, one¡¯s health can worsen when we least expect it. Perhaps, given the trauma he experienced several days ago, his condition worsened even though he appeared to be in good health. Complications of smoke inhtion can appear after four to five days.¡± ¡°Do you think Rachel may have missed something?¡± Dr. Lewis raised his eyebrows in surprise. ¡°Nurse Hartman, are you implying Dr. Morrison was at fault?¡± ¡°Of course not. It was just a simple question,¡± I said quickly. ¡°Dr. Morrison has been monitoring his ABG along with his ECG. If you want to point the finger at someone, point it at the one who is never around when you need them,¡± he said openly, frowning at me. ¡°Thank you, Dr. Lewis. I¡¯ll have Nurse Martin transfer the deceased to the morgue and I¡¯ll personally wait for the mayor so he can say his goodbyes before transferring the body to the mortuary of his choosing,¡± I said. ¡°Please offer my condolences to the Mayor,¡± Dr. Lewis said. ¡°Now if you can excuse me¡­ I have patients I need to attend to.¡± He gently patted me on the shoulder and quickly walked to the elevator. I sighed and continued to the VIP suite to assist Ford. I noticed two of Liam¡¯s bodyguards seated beside the doorway, looking straight ahead at the wall across from them, both appearing to be in shock. I decided I¡¯d take care of them after Theodore¡¯s body was transferred to the que 2/7 This is from N?velDrama.Org. CHAPTER 110 Fault It was like I was standing in a surrealistic nightmare. Theodore Cohen was indeed dead! ¡°Nurse Martin,¡± I gently called out to Ford to grab his attention, however he didn¡¯t respond. He was standing beside the dead body of Theodore Cohenying on the hospital bed covered with a white nket. An empty stretcher stood waiting behind him. I patiently waited for a few more moments, allowing Ford to say his goodbyes, before I called out to him again. ¡°Ford!¡± He jumped, startled by the sound of my voice. He moved his head to look at me and I saw me, Great the fear in his eyes. ¡°I promised Liam I¡¯d take care of his father. He¡¯s going to kill Aunt Lindsay.¡± ¡°Ssshhhh. I spoke with Dr. Lewis. There was nothing more that they could do¡­ that we could do,¡± I said. ¡°Wheel the deceased to the morgue and wait for me outside. We need to be prepared for Mayor Cohen¡¯s arrival.¡± Ford nodded his head and sprung into action. After he had thoroughly wrapped Theodore Cohen¡¯s body, he positioned the body near the edge of the bed. I quickly went to Theodore Cohen¡¯s head and helped Ford move the body to the stretcher. After he left, I handed the two bodyguards some water and urged them to wait for the mayor downstairs. I had gotten them up from their seats when Sheriff Combs appeared with a set of deputies following him. ¡°Why are you here, Sheriff Combs? Where¡¯s Mayor Cohen?¡± I asked puzzled. ¡°Lindsay, it was part of protocol to alert me first if anything happened to Theodore. Terry was the one who alerted me,¡± he replied, pointing at the bodyguard on my left. ¡°I need this ce cordoned off to everyone else and I need a list of all the people who had ess to Theodore. For now, I¡¯m treating this as a potential crime scene.¡± He nced at the room. ¡°Where¡¯s the body?¡± ¡°Thad a nurse transfer the body to the morgue,¡± I answered. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have the medical examiner conduct an autopsy. She¡¯s on her way,¡± he said. ¡°Deputies, I need you to seal the room off and I need you to search all the rooms on this floor for anything out of the ordinary. Lindsay, I need that list as soon as possible and no one, I mean no one, leaves this hospital until I¡¯ve cleared them. This is a homicide investigation until the medical examiner establishes cause of death.¡± 317 CHAPTER 110 Fault ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll get that list for you. I just need to go to my office on the fourth floor,¡± I said, flustered. Theodore¡¯s death was a now crime scene What was happening? ¡°By the way, before you go, I need all the footage from the CCTV cameras and the list of people at the pharmacy as well as the list of his medications,¡± the Sheriff further instucted, believing I had ess to everything he needed. I coughed, clearing my throat. ¡°Sheriff Combs, I¡¯m sorry. I am not the hospital director nor I am the hospital¡¯s CEO. I can get you the list of nurses who was under Theodore¡¯s service, but regarding the other things need, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to talk to our hospital director Dr. Michael Smith or our CEO Dr. Nora Williamson for all the information you need.¡± you ¡°Dr. Nora Williamson?¡± He croaked. ww I rolled my eyes. They still can¡¯t be fighting? ¡°Yes, Dr. Williamson. Her office is on the fifth floor right above mine,¡± I said, pausing to look at who just exited the elevator. ¡°And you¡¯re in luck! Here she comes right now.¡± He quickly ¡­ uhm. turning red. e you doing here? And why are your deputies cing yellow tape all iled apologetically at Dr. Williamson, gestured to the bodyguards to leave and quickly made my exit. I took the elevator to the first floor and headed to the nurse¡¯s station. I found Rodney finishing his charts while Pam was talking to the new hire, Emma rke. ¡°Pam, I need you to tell all the nurses on duty today that no one leaves until they are questioned by the police. This is regarding Cohen¡¯s death.¡± I turned and left to get the list the Sheriff requested. As expected the whispers began as soon as I left. Ford had nothing to do with this. Dr. Rachel Morrison¡­ she was at fault. 4/7 CHAPTER 110 Fault Sheriff Combs Of all the people I had to deal with, it had to be her. Nora Williamson was my childhood sweetheart until she decided to leave me to pursue medicine. By the time she came back, I was married to my Julie while she was a newly hired. attending physician. I had to admit, she looked good for an older woman. Underneath her doctor¡¯s coat, she was wearing a gray pantsuit paired with a pink blouse. Her straight long brown hairy below her shoulders and her make-up was expertly done. She obviously took care of herself. ¡°Unlike you, I¡¯m a busy person, Sheriff. It¡¯s either you deal with me or I¡¯m calling ourwyer. Well?¡± Nora-¡± ¡°Dr. Williamson, if you don¡¯t mind. She took offense by my use of her first name. Doctors! ¡°Fine. Dr. Williamson. Since there has been a threat to Theodore Cohen¡¯s life, I need to rule this out as a homicide. For now, this is ongoing investigation. Once the medical examiner has established Theodore Cohen died of natural causes, I will stop my investigation,¡± I exined. Her eyes narrowed icily. ¡°The way I see it, there is no crimemitted here,¡± Nora Williamson said, her voice low. ¡°Theodore Cohen was a sick man and died of natural causes. Now, if there was foul y, one of my doctors would have reported it to me which would lead me to call the proper authorities to investigate the matter. Just because the patient is a Cohen doesn¡¯t mean he gets preferential treatment.¡± She suddenly took a step forward closing the gap between us to whisper in my ear. ¡°From what I know of the Cohens, this is poetic justice. I remember this room. I remember treating a youngdy who was brutally raped and if memory serves me right, you didn¡¯t arrest the people who were responsible for her being in that room. You remember her, right, Sheriff Combs?¡± Of course, I remembered. Nora screamed at me in the utility room on this very floor to arrest Liam and the others. She said Joy Taylor wouldn¡¯t stop scribbling their names on whatever piece of paper she could get her hands on. Nora was sure Liam had raped Joy Taylor. She said Joy had no reason to lie. CHAPTER 110 Fault I replied, avoiding her question. Her lips turned up into a scornful smile. ¡°You don¡¯t have probable cause to question my staff, Sheriff. Whatever threats you say Theodore Cohen had received are from people outside this hospital,¡± she countered. ¡°As for the body, you will have to get the permission of Mayor Cohen for an autopsy. Only then will this hospital release the body into your care. When the medical examiner finds proof of foul y, then I will allow you to question my doctors and nurses after you present a warrant.¡± I chuckled. The nerve of this woman to dy an investigation. I had to turn the tables on her. ¡°Are you hiding something from me, Dr. Williamson?¡± Her eyes widened in shock. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare pin this on me, Sheriff! I am merely protecting this hospital from the likes of you!¡± She muttered through clenched teeth. G od, this woman was a tiger! Roar! ¡°If you don¡¯t cooperate with me, Nora, I will release a statement about the man who entered this very hospital disguised as a nurse. It will ruin you and this hospital that you¡¯re protecting,¡± I said. ¡°What do you think will happen to you? To this hospital? Hmmm¡­¡± She stared at me angrily while she tapped her foot. I knew what was going through her head. If I went ahead and announced these allegations she will lose her job. ¡°Fine, do what you need to do. But I¡¯m warning you¡­ No statements until we get all the facts. Now, if you will excuse me. I need to call the board and do some damage control.¡± ¡°Nora, I want the footage of the CCTV cameras and a list of all his medications,¡± I said as she turned to walk to the elevator. I watched her practically run away from me. Although she was right that Theodore¡¯s death was poetic justice, I had to make sure it wasn¡¯t Pete. Because if it was him, it meant there were townsfolk loyal to him. It also meant I would need to open up the killing fields again. Chapter 111 CHAPTER 111 Bargaining Liam I was sipping champagne inside Virtue¡¯s boutique watching customers purchase clothes and essories with this goofy grin on my face. I just couldn¡¯t believe it. Virtue said yes to my proposal. The moment she said yes, I had vowed no one would hurt her not even Pete McDowell. She was under my protection. Come Spring Formal, I will make sure she is protected and will instruct all my men to shoot to kill.. While I rxed, Virtue helped her customers with fittings including choosing the right essories to match their purchases. She was patient and soft spoken and looked genuinely sincere as she assisted everyone who came to her with a question. I yawned, finally feeling the restless nights I¡¯ve had sleeping at the hospital. It was so. ufortable trying to get some sleep on the only chair inside my father¡¯s hospital room for the past few nights. My lack of sleep topped off with the champagne was making me woozy. I needed to get some rest. What I needed was a vacation. I should have Dan n a trip so I could take Virtue to Chicago with me to do some shopping. ¡°Liam, let¡¯s get you into the office,¡± Chip said, noticing I was tired. ¡°You can make yourselffortable on Virtue¡¯s couch. It¡¯s big enough for you to sleep in.¡± unpose to be ¡°No. I probably just need a cup of coffee,¡± I said, feeling embarrassed. This was suppose a celebration and here I was practically falling asleep. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you a cup after you take a nap. For now, you should go and get some rest,¡± Chip- urged me. ¡°Chip¡¯s right. You need some rest, Liam. Come on. I¡¯ll help you put your feet up,¡± Dan said, suddenly appearing by my side. I nodded my head reluctantly, handing my empty ss to Chip. ¡°You don¡¯t think Virtue will mind if I leave her for a nap?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Chip said. ¡°Her shop is your shop. Go and make yourself feel right at home.¡± 776 I followed Dan into Virtue¡¯s personal office. It was set up like a huge lounge area with a nice stay here the middle of the room under a fur rug. It was clean, soundproof, and cool. I inhaled deeply as I walked inside, taking in the scent of Virtue¡¯s expensive perfume. Ah, I could forever. I loved her scent¡­ I could live everyday just sniffing her. soft I went directly to the couch and sat down, sighing as my back pressed against the cus hions. Dan dimmed the lights and took a seat behind Virtue¡¯s big white customized desk. ¡°So, when will the big day be happening?¡± Dan asked while I closed my eyes. I shrugged my shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ll have to talk to Virtue first, but I¡¯m thinking Virtue is the epitome of a June bride. It will give us enough time to get to know each other more before we tie the knot,¡± I saidzily. ¡°Sounds good,¡± Dan said. ¡°It¡¯ll give us enough time to n the wedding too. What about a pre-nup? Are you going to ask her to sign one?¡± Iughed. ¡°We haven¡¯t gotten married yet and you¡¯re thinking of divorce. Personally, I don¡¯t think I need one. What I do need is an heir. Imagine having a little boy and a little girl looking like Virtue. I¡¯m assured handsome kids.¡± ¡°A pre-nup is just for you to protect your assets, Liam. If you promise her a specific amount, she won¡¯t run after the mansion or any other property you have,¡± Dan murmured. ¡°But she may take custody of our children. That I won¡¯t allow, Dan. Divorce is out of the question. The only thing that will separate us is death,¡± I muttered under my breath. Dan paused realizing what I meant. ¡°No, Liam. You can¡¯t do that to her.¡± I know killing her wouldn¡¯t give me any satisfaction, but I had to protect my own interests and I didn¡¯t want any of my children to live away from me. It would break my heart. ¡°No one will take my children away from me, Dan. No one,¡± I replied, hoping to end the conversation. ¡°Fine. Just don¡¯t be difficult, Liam. Virtue is such a nice person and I know she¡¯s patient. If you at least meet her half way, I believe the both of you will stay together until old age. To tell you honestly, I actually see her as someone who can serve as councilwoman,¡± Dan said, a wishful tone in his voice. That was actually a great idea. Cris was bing a liability and Virtue would make a great recement. 2/6 I raised my arm and pointed at him. ¡°This is the reason why we¡¯re friends. You have so many great ideas. Virtue will make sure a Cohen will preside over the people if she bes councilwoman. She¡¯ll give them everything they want while we continue our operations from under their noses. Who knows? I can run for a national position while she stays here and bes mayor. It will be like a dreame true,¡± I mumbled, exhausted. I fell asleep, dreaming of my future with Virtue. I dreamt of our happy family. In my dreams, I saw my father happily ying with the children in our front yard, while waving at us as Virtue and I left the mansion to go to work. It was picture perfect. Suddenly, I found myself at his bed at the hospital. He had a scowl on his face¡­ a far from the happiness I saw just a moment ago. cry ¡°Son, are the rumors true? You proposed to Virtue Sullivan?¡± He asked. There was no use hiding anything from this man. ¡°Dad, contrary to what you might believe, Virtue will make a good wife,¡± I argued. ¡°Liam, you¡¯re suppose to marry someone else,¡± my father said. ¡°I¡¯m sick and tired of being a puppet. This woman I¡¯ve arranged for you to marry will be our ticket to bing masters of our own universe. Aren¡¯t you tired of working for someone else? Because I¡¯m tired. You need to do this for us, Liam. Virtue Sullivan is just a pretty face. I guarantee that she will be a liability for us. If I were you, just hand her over to Pete.¡± ¡°Dad, I¡¯d rather kill Pete.¡± ¡°And have the big boss kill you for killing him? You aren¡¯t thinking straight, son. We can¡¯t touch them. Our ancestors made sure of that,¡± my father argued. ¡°If only I had the guts to fix this¡­ Now, it¡¯s toote.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, pulling a chair and sitting down beside his bed. ¡°I should have married Cynthia McDowell when I had the chance. All I had to do was swallow my pride. When they moved to New Salem, Victoria Ortiz suggested I marry Cynthia. and take the position as Capo Bas tone from Pete. If I had just done what she rmended. me to do, you would be Capo Ba stone, not that sniveling child Cynthia called a son,¡± he exined. ¡°Dad, if you couldn¡¯t do it, what makes you think I can?¡± I asked. ¡°You had the chance to marry for love. I want that. I want to have the freedom to choose who I marry. Virtue may not be part of the Angole of Darknace, but I soo her being good for this family. As for Pete. 3/6 I¡¯ll talk to Ortiz. Maybe we cane up with an arrangement. Don¡¯t worry, Dad. I¡¯ll fix this. I promise. Just ept Virtue as your soon to be daughter-inw.¡± My father nodded his head, epting my promise. I heaved a sigh of relief, thankful I took the chance of bargaining with him. ¡°Alright then. Just know I¡¯ve always been proud of you, Liam.¡± ¡°Thanks, Dad.¡± I reached over and grabbed his hand. My father and I don¡¯t always see eye were family. Family was important to me. to eye, but we Jack My phone was vibrating. I took it out of my pocket and answered the phone call. It was the This is from N?velDrama.Org. Sheriff. ¡°Jack, I need you toe to the hospital. We have a big problem,¡± he said. ¡°Sure, Sheriff. Should I tell Liam that I¡¯m headed there?¡± ¡°You¡¯re with Liam?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s the opening of Virtue Sullivan¡¯s boutique. I¡¯ve been here since ten managing the crowd. Why? Does this have anything to do with Liam?¡± I asked. I heard the Sheriff sigh. ¡°It¡¯s good to know you¡¯re with Liam. I need you to drive him here. I need his permission to conduct an autopsy on his father¡¯s body. I need to rule out foul y,¡± he exined. ¡°Theodore Cohen is dead?!¡± I blurted out without thinking. Good thing I was away from the crowd. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t anyone told Liam?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to get a hold of him, but he won¡¯t answer my phone calls,¡± he answered.¡± Since you¡¯re already there with him, I need you to tell him and bring him here.¡± ¡°Sure, Sheriff,¡± I said, not knowing what else to say. ¡°I¡¯ll grab Liam and head to St. Elizabeth¡¯s.¡± 4/6 Liam about his dead father. I couldn¡¯t do it. I needed help. I decided to ask Virtue for her help. The crowd had begun to disperse now that the food and drinks were almost gone. I saw Noah talking to Linda Jacobs near the long table which was now full of dirty tes and sses that Bo¡¯s staff were now collecting. ¡°Norma says he¡¯s headed to Texas before he makes his way back here. I don¡¯t know where he¡¯s going to stay since he sold their house. Someone s natched it right up ording to Lisa. And to think that house costs a pretty penny,¡± Linda Jocobs said to Noah. She suddenly covered her mouth when she saw meing. I wondered who they were talking about. ¡°Hey Noah, have you seen Liam?¡± I asked, hoping he knew. I couldn¡¯t find Liam anywhere. ¡°He¡¯s inside with Dan,¡± Noah replied while pointing at the store with his thumb. ¡°Hey, everything okay?¡± ¡°I just need to find Liam,¡± I said, not wanting anyone else to hear the news of Theodore¡¯s passing. ¡°Excuse me.¡± I rushed inside and saw Virtue helping one of the townsfolk with a dress. ¡°Virtue, I¡¯m sorry to bother you, but I need your help,¡± I said. She smiled at me and gestured for Chip to help the woman with her dress while she spoke with me. ¡°Sure. What can I do, Undersheriff?¡± She asked sweetly. I bent down to whisper in her ear. ¡°Something has happened to Theodore Cohen. I need you to tell Liam for me,¡± I answered. She looked up at me, surprised. Her smile quickly disappeared as she saw the grief in my eyes. ¡°Oh my Go d!¡± She eximed. ¡°Uhm, Liam is in my office taking a nap. Right this way please, Undersheriff,¡± she said gesturing for me to follow her. I followed her to the back of the store, past the fitting rooms and the storage room to two doors standing g across from each other. The one on the right was the bathroom while the one on the left was her office. All the doors except for the storage room door were painted a dark. charcoal color which contrasted sharply against the white paint of the walls. If I were to buy a new house, I would consider painting it a charcoal gray. It was manly and warm. 5/6 Virtue opened the door to her office and I followed her inside. Soft orange lights glowed from the light instation of the ceiling, making the room appear dark. No wonder those things had so many kinds of lights on them. You could y with them to make some of the lights your nightlight when needed. Her ring sparkled against the light and I felt a wave of jealousy. However, I had to set it aside. There were more important things to think of like the death of the former patriarch of our town. Virtue walked quietly to Liam who was seated on the couch¡­ snoring. He was really tired. She put a hand on his arm and gently roused him from sleep. ¡°What?¡± Liam asked as his eyes opened. ¡°Liam, darling, I¡¯m sorry to have to tell you this, but something has happened at the hospital.¡± Chapter Comments POST COMMENT NOW 5 6/6 The Joy of Revenge Chapter 112 CHAPTER 112 Denial Joy It was dark in my office and Liam was having trouble focusing. He couldn¡¯t see how pleased I was. When Jack asked me to tell Liam about Theodore Cohen, I wanted to smile and tell Jack that nothing would give me more pleasure. Slowly, the people on our list were sumbing to their deaths. Patience was definitely a virtue. ¡°What is it?¡± Liam asked as he sat up from the couch, rubbing the sleep from his eyes with his fingers. *The Sheriff called. He needs us to go to the hospital, Liam,¡± Jack gently said from behind me. Although I knew, I needed him to say it. The pain in his eyes made it clear, but Jack didn¡¯t say anything specific. I needed to hear iting from him. I wanted him to say Theodore was dead. Liam rubbed his eyes. ¡°What do you mean, Jack? ¡°I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m going to tell you this, but the Sheriff said your father has passed. away,¡± Jack replied. I wanted to smile, but I pursed my lips into a frown instead. Theodore Cohen was definitely dead! Another one bites the dust. Liam blinked rapidly and looked up at the both of us. I could see the disbelief in his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s not possible. He was supposed to be discharged this afternoon,¡± Liam argued. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, Liam,¡± Jack said. ¡°If you want answers, we need to go to the hospital now. The Sheriff is waiting for us.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with you, Liam,¡± I offered, acting as the ever dutiful fianc¨¦. Of course, I needed to be at his side. But in reality, I wanted to know what angle the Sheriff was looking into so the boys and I could n ordingly. 1/4 12.00 Mon, Apr CHAPTER 112 Denial I was about to tell him that he needed support, when suddenly, my office door opened and Dan and Cristos walked in. Dan turned on the lights and I noticed the frantic look on his. face. ¡°Liam, we have to go to the hospital. It¡¯s all over social media. Your father had a heart attack. and died. We need to go now!¡± I quickly nced at Cristos, wondering if they had anything to with that. Knowing the Sheriff, they would want to keep it quiet while they investigated. Liam quickly stood up and hugged me tightly, trying to gain some strength. ¡°Virtue, you stay here with Chip, Dom and Bo. They¡¯ll protect you, right, Chip?¡± ¡°Of course, Liam. We¡¯ll keep an eye on her. But may I ask why she needs protection?¡± Cristos asked, puzzled. ¡°Now isn¡¯t the right time to tell you. I need to get some answers first, then I¡¯ll tell you,¡± Liam¡¯s voice croaked with emotion. ¡°Just stay here and I¡¯ll call youter if I need you at the hospital, okay, Virtue?¡± I nodded my head and gave him a kiss on his cheek. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for your loss, Liam.¡± He caressed my cheek and kissed me on the forehead. ¡°I love you,¡± he whispered. ¡°Dan¡­ I need you to drive me. I¡¯ll have Henry bring my car to the hospital later. Jack, you follow us in your truck. ¡°I¡¯ll drive your car to the hospital, Liam,¡± I offered again. Liam shook his head. ¡°You stay here with people I can trust, okay?¡± Liam said and hugged me again. ¡°I can¡¯t afford. to lose you. Chip, I¡¯ll leave you with Virtue. Men, let¡¯s go.¡± Jack, Dan and Liam quickly exited my office, leaving me and Cristos behind. I sat down behind my desk while Cristos locked the door. ¡°That was a nice touch. Who put it on social media?¡± I asked, grinning. ¡°Dina,¡± he answered smiling. ¡°We need to send a gift to Emma and Autumn. This wouldn¡¯t be possible without them.¡± ¡°You better tell Bo to get ready. Norma Martin will be running to him for help.¡± 2/4 12:00 Mon, Apr 1 MG CHAPTER 112 Denial Of course. Liam As I rushed out of Virtue¡¯s, many of the townsfolk who were still there offered their sincere condolences. I nodded at them, acknowledging their kind words, not knowing what I should say. I was still in denial. I had just dreamt of my father a moment ago and now he was dead. This wasn¡¯t happening. ¡°Liam, I just heard. I¡¯m so sorry, man, Noah said. He was standing right outside the shop with Linda Jacobs. Linda Jacobs¡­ she was one person I needed to help me with my father. ¡°Linda, have your people meet me at the hospital, please,¡± I instructed. ¡°I will, Liam,¡± she answered as I walked away. As I nced behind me, I saw the people gather to watch us leave. Jack went ahead to get to his car. After Dan unlocked his car, I climbed in, put on my seatbelt and waited for Dan to drive. I pulled out my phone from my pocket and saw all the missed calls from the Sheriff and my father¡¯s cardiologist, but none from Ford Martin, I explicitly told Ford Martin to keep an eye on my father and to call me if something happened. The as shole didn¡¯t even bother to message me, but my father¡¯s death was all over social media. Who the f uck did that? Maybe he did, the d ick. It was a quiet drive to St. Elizabeth¡¯s. Once Dan entered the parking area, I jumped out. ¡°Liam!¡± He cried out startled. ¡°Just park the f ucking car and meet the hospital. me inside!¡± I shouted, running towards the entrance of I was angry and I wanted to pin the me on someone. My father didn¡¯t die of a heart 3/4 12:00 Mon, Apr 1 M CHAPTER 112 Denial ¡°Liam, son, the medical examiner just arrived. I need you to give your consent,¡± the Sheriff said as I approached him. He was standing at the entrance of the hospital with a couple of his deputies. ¡°Why is my father¡¯s death all over social media?¡± I asked angrily. ¡°We¡¯re trying to figure that out. I confiscated all of the nurses¡¯ and doctors¡¯ phones. I¡¯m having the deputies go through them,¡± he answered. ¡°And where is Ford Martin?¡± I asked. ¡°He¡¯s here somewhere. Why?¡± ¡°I need to speak with him.¡± The Sheriff¡¯s phone pinged. ¡°The medical examiner needs your Ford after we speak to the medical examiner.¡± consent asap. You can talk to I walked inside the hospital and noticed everyone was looking at me. I ignored the stares, averting my eyes to the side. I was about to push the button of the elevator when I saw Ford standing at the doorway of the ER. The as shole! I couldn¡¯t control myself. I rushed towards him and grabbed the cloth of his light blue scrubs. ¡°What happened, Ford?! Why didn¡¯t you call me?!¡± I yelled in his face. Jack pulled me off of him while the Sheriff pushed Ford away from me. ¡°You killed him! I¡¯m going to make sure you rot in a cell for the rest of your life!¡± Chapter Comments Susan Wynne hoping for a update soon VIEW 1 COMMENT ? 5This is from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 113 CHAPTER 113 eptance Liam Currently, I was seated in one of the antique chairs of my father¡¯s huge walk-in closet going through his collection of expensive cuff links, hoping to choose the perfect pair to go with the suit I had already chosen for him to be buried in. As I scanned each one, my eyes. suddenly filled with tears. I blinked, allowing the tears to fall down my cheeks. Since I was alone, I allowed myself to sumb to the grief that I had kept at bay. Honestly, the anguish was feeling felt like a brick wallying upon my bare chest. I This was supposed to be a happy day. The most beautiful woman I have everid eyes on had epted my proposal. She was a treasure. Extremely kind and caring. However, once I heard the bad news, all the joy I felt disappeared¡­ reced by an ache from the loss of a man I loved¡­ despite all his ws. Ford Martin, the nurse I had entrusted my father¡¯s care to, was escorted to a conference room on the fifth floor after Jack was able to pry my fingers off of his light blue medical scrubs. The Sheriff quickly cautioned me, advising me to stay calm while they conducted their investigation. He didn¡¯t want assault charges to be brought up in case the medical examiner ruled out foul y. Honestly, I wanted to beat Ford Martin to a pulp, but the Sheriff was right. I had to keep my hands to myself. I raised my hands above my head in surrender, muttering a crude apolo while I watched a terrified Ford and an elderly woman with a furious scowl on her face quickly enter the elevator with a deputy by their side. Seeing Ford so scared gave me an immense satisfaction. After I formally identified the corpse of my father and gave my consent for a post-mortem examination, Dan excused himself to go back to theb in Hillcrest, stating he had a problem to fix. ¡°You want me to go with him?¡± Jack asked me as Dan exited the hospital. He sounded. suspicious. I couldn¡¯t me him. ing an eve o on ¡°No. I need you with me,¡± I answered. ¡°Besides, I have people at theb keeping him¡­ especially from that office of his where he ys gangster. Come on. I need you to escort me to Cohen Mansion. All my bodyguards arepletely worthless.¡± 1/5 CHAPTER 113 eptance Sheriff Combs, Jack and I left the hospital and drove to Prairie Hill to pick up some of my father¡¯s personal effects while we waited for the medical examiner¡¯s results. It was hard to ept that my father was dead. But I had to force myself to face the reality that from now on, I would never see him walk the rooms or the halls of this house ever again. Never would I see him seated at the dining table, never would I hear his disapproving voice, never would I see those cold gray eyes staring back at me¡­ He was gone too soon. I sobbed quietly as the realization dawned upon me. My father was no longer with me. I was now¡­ all alone. Yet, I also realized I was now my own man¡­ that I was now the only authority over New Salem. The tears stopped as I basked in the pleasure of being the only Cohen left standing. My father wasn¡¯t here anymore to call the shots. I was now the big man in this small, pitiful town. I nced at myself in the mirror and I saw myself smiling. Finally, eptance. I heard footsteps and voices as my father¡¯s bedroom door opened. I quickly wiped the tra of tears from my cheeks as well as the s not from my nose andposed myself. Luckily was able to fix myself before the double doors of my father¡¯s closet opened, revealing Sh Combs and Jack, both withThis is from N?velDrama.Org. impatient looks on their faces. ¡°Liam, are you done yet?¡± The Sheriff asked, taking the suit I had hung near the entrance. ¡°Dr. Hughes just called. She said she¡¯s found something that suggests your father may have been murdered. Also, the media are waiting for you at St. Elizabeth¡¯s. They need you to make a brief but formal announcement regarding Theodore Cohen¡¯s passing. We need to go back to the hospital right away.¡± As they both entered the closet, the light from thete afternoon sun came bursting in, shining on the diamond cuff links my father said were a gift from my mother. I took them out of the jewelry box and ced them gently inside a small satin bag before cing them inside my inner coat pocket.. My lips curved into a small smile. It was the perfect choice. 2/5 CHAPTER 113 eptance anniversary. My father orily wore the cuff links once a year to celebrate their wedding a again. heart of hearts, I believed my parents were both happy¡­ now that they were together ¡°Sheriff, there¡¯s no doubt in my mind my father was murdered,¡± I said, cing the jewelry box back inside the drawer I took it out from. ¡°I¡¯m hoping the evidence is enough to substantiate my im. If the evidence suggests Peter McDowell had a hand in this, I want you to start cleansing this town of all the filth he left behind. I don¡¯t want anyone in New Salem to be associated with him. Do we understand each other?¡± ¡°I understandpletely, but we do have one other problem,¡± the Sheriff replied, walking out into the bedroom with the suit in tow. After I closed the drawer, I gestured to Jack to pick up the box of shoes I left on a small wooden table while I picked up a small bag packed with some of my father¡¯s personal belongings off the floor. I followed Jack out of the closet, shut off the lights and closed the doors behind me. I nned to keep everything in its ce just like how my father left it. ¡°What other problem?¡± I asked, turning to face the Sheriff. There was always a problem of some kind. ¡°Pete has someone working directly under him. His officer-in-charge-¡± ¡°His capo, Sheriff,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t know who he is nor does Dan. I have a feeling my father may have had an idea who this capo is, but unfortunately, he¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°Dan¡¯s another problem, son. He¡¯s a soldier of the Angels of Darkness, right?¡± ¡°Yes, he is, but Dan¡¯s loyal to me. I can vouch for him.¡± I pointed at the door and gestured to them to exit the room. Here we were, standing and having a casual conversation in a dead. man¡¯s room. It felt weird. ¡°Liam, he¡¯s loyal to the organization,¡± Jack said, finally contributing to the conversation as he followed the Sheriff out of my father¡¯s room into the hallway. ¡°If word gets out we are going after everyone who has ties with the Angels of Darkness, who do you think the big boss will call first? Add the fact that we don¡¯t know the identity of Pete¡¯s capo. He can pull the rug doorbell in from under our feet at any time. Personally, I don¡¯t want the b astard ringing my the middle of the night and my mom opening it only to find a gun aimed at her head. I suggest we ask Dan to call the big boss and ask who the so nofabitch is.¡± I walked ahead of them and load them down to the first floor via the grand staircase of the3/5 CHAPTER 113 eptance mansion while continuing our discussion. ¡°Jack, you just can¡¯t make certain demands. You have to give something to the big boss in exchange for valuable information. And I will tell you an identity of a capo will cost a pretty penny. I¡¯ll have to look into my resources first before Dan even thinks of talking to Ortiz, so I know how much I can offer her as a sign of my goodwill.¡± ¡°So, do I postpone the re-opening of the infamous Killing Fields of New Salem until you get that information?¡± Sheriff Combs asked as we reached the grand hallway on the first floor. I grimaced. It was part of the Cohen legacy I wanted to keep secret. The Killing Fields was arge stretch ofnd owned by my family just on the other side of Prairie Hill where many of the bison of North Dakota passed through. During both my great grandfather¡¯s and grandfather¡¯s terms as mayor, New Salem was the sanctuary of the Angels of Darkness assasins. They often buried their targets there so no one would ever find them. My father, with the helpful cooperation of the Sheriff and his deputies, used the Killing Fields to bury his sworn enemies. When they had cleaned out the town, they closed the area and ced a sign warning people not to enter due to the wandering bison in the area. ¡°I prefer we start as soon as possible. Pete¡¯s second inmand never interferes in Pete¡¯s messes and I¡¯m guessing once we start killing Pete¡¯s men, he¡¯ll be so scared to even try, knowing we¡¯ll kill him too,¡± I replied. ¡°Start with two of Pete¡¯s well-known associates living in Hillcrest. If Dan tries to get in the middle, then you know what you guys need to do.¡± ¡°Are you seriously telling us to kill Dan?¡± Jack asked, shocked I would even suggest it. D was a friend above anything else. ¡°If he tries anything funny,¡± I answered gruffly. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t, then there¡¯s no problem.¡± ¡°You sure about this, son?¡± Sheriff Combs asked, looking at me dead in the eyes. ¡°Once I start ripping families apart, there¡¯s no turning back.¡± I sniffed, taking a second to think. Better to do it all at once. It lessened the chances of one of them fleeing or talking. I¡¯ll ask Dan to message all of Pete¡¯s remaining men, then we strike,¡± I replied to the Sheriff. ¡°May this serve as a lesson. They should have thought of the consequences before they touched my father. Now that he¡¯s dead, they no longer have a bargaining chip.¡± ¡°Tell Dan to tell all of Pete¡¯s men that Pete is providing a cash bonus. That will get them to alle at the same time without any of them bing suspicious. Schedule it for 4/5 CHAPTER 113 eptance tomorrow evening at the lone barn near the Killing Fields,¡± the Sheriff instructed before opening the door of his car. I shook my head. His suggestion was all wrong. ¡°Let¡¯s no be so hasty. Dan might warn Pete¡¯s men instead,¡± I told the Sheriff. ¡°I propose scheduling the meet for Friday night when we usually pay our dealers. I will instruct Dan to tell them we are moving payment to the barn since Hillcrest is now a target. Anyway, the barn was our prior meeting ce before Hillcrest became operational. They won¡¯t suspect a thing.¡± I noticed the uneasiness in Jack¡¯s eyes as he nodded his head in acknowledgement to my n. I knew what he was thinking. A massacre was a far cry from killing one single person. I didn¡¯t care. They killed my father. If I could ept the fact that I no longer had a father, than they could ept the consequences of their actions. If they were on Pete¡¯s side, then they were my enemies. And anyone against me shouldn¡¯t be left standing. ¡°Fine, but you have to take part in this,¡± Jack muttered under his breath. He looked squeamish. I ced a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. Of course I wanted in. ¡°It will be my pleasure, Jack.¡± Chapter Comments 4 POST COMMENT NOW Chapter 114 CHAPTER 114 upied Joy I sighed as I sat down behind my desk with my phone positioned in front of me, waiting for the press conference like every other person in this town. The sun was finally setting and the only other people in my shop were Dina and Cristos. News of Mayor Cohen¡¯s press conference spread quickly throughout the town. The media, I heard, were already stationed at St. Elizabeth¡¯s ready for Liam to make his announcement. The townsfolk, who were so eager to listen to what he had to say, either went home to watch him on television or went directly to the hospital to offer their support. After Liam left my store earlier, I noticed the crowd thin down almost immediately. When lunch time came, my store was empty except for a few demanding customers who wanted a number of alterations to suit their tastes. Luckily, the evening dresses they wanted were made by me, so I knew what to alter and how to alter the dress without ruining the fabric. To Sebastian¡¯s amusement, Dom¡¯s was empty as well. Since both our stores were empty, it wasn¡¯t a surprise when Xavier came bustling into my shop carrying tons of food. ¡°Norma and her friends are organizing a vigil for Theodore at the hospital,¡± he said as he ced the bags of food on the counter. He had changed into his usual T-shirt and jeansbo sans his favorite blue apron. Xavier couldn¡¯t stand being in pink. Sebastian chuckled while he rummaged through the bags. ¡°Norma isn¡¯t going to like it when she finds out her son is the primary suspect for the dead person she¡¯s organizing that vigil for. She¡¯ll probably faint if Liam and the Sheriff decide to broadcast their investigation.¡± ¡°Any word on what¡¯s going on at the hospital?¡± Xavier asked him. Sebastian shrugged his shoulders and opened his mouth to answer, but Cristos spoke up. ¡°Autumn says the Sheriff has confiscated their phones, each one of them are being questioned and the deputies are searching through their lockers using their K-9 units,¡± Cristos enumerated to our astonishment. ¡°Imagine¡­ all of that being done without a warrant.¡± ¡°Police can conduct a search without a warrant just as long as they have reasonable suspicion of exigent circumstances and believe me, finding Theodore¡¯s murderer is pressing,¡± Sebastian exined. ¡°How are youmunicating with Autumn anyway? Emma gave explicit instructions to refrain from messaging or even calling her.¡± gave me 1/5 CHAPTER 114 upied ¡°Autumn has a burner phone stashed somewhere in the hospital,¡± Cristos answered, taking out his phone. ¡°For someone who physically stands out in this town, she seems to get around without being seen.¡± Cristos tapped on his phone and handed it to Sebastian. ¡°By the way, Dina sent me the video of Liam and Ford Martin¡¯s little scuffle when Liam arrived at the hospital.¡± Sebastian and Xavierughed while they watched the video. After they were done, Sebastian handed the phone to me so I could have a look. When Liam grabbed Ford¡¯s shirt, I knew Liam wanted to kill him. I zoomed in on the video to get a good look at Ford, trying to remember who he was when we were children. As I continued watching the short video, I noticed a scar on his right arm and it hit me. Ford was the older boy I fought with when I caught him looking underneath my skirt at the yground. ¡°The Martins will soon be outcasts in New Salem,¡± Sebastian said, looking quite satisfied as he ate. ¡°How¡¯s Dina doing with the footage we have of the hospital?¡± ¡°She¡¯s done editing Emma and Autumn out from the video,¡± Cristos replied. ¡°When the Sheriff watches the footage, all he¡¯ll see is Ford heading to Theodore¡¯s hospital room with all the necessary medications in his tray¡­ like any other day. The evidence will surely point to him, no matter what he says to refute it. Cristos suddenly turned to me. ¡°Virtue, I have Dina pulling all of your videos and pictures off of social media. I don¡¯t want your parents finding out and flying here unexpectedly. It will ruin all of our ns.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Quick thinking,¡± I said, agreeing with him. There was always a chance my parents might se me on social media. I didn¡¯t want to give my father a heart attack. I took a slice of gourmet pizza and stood up to go to my office. ¡°Speaking of my parents, I need to give them a call. I know they¡¯re busy fixing that dpidated vi I purchased for them in Italy to keep them upied. Seems to be working. They haven¡¯t called for three days which is a first.¡± ¡°Sure, honey. Say hi to them for me while you¡¯re at it,¡± Xavier said winking. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the mess. I¡¯ll have my staff clean it up. Anyway, my grocery store is practically deserted. I¡¯ve already told my staff that we¡¯ll be closing early, so they can join the vigil if they want to.¡± Once Dina was done doing her magic out in the back, she came into my shop with her fake resume to apply as my sales associate. Xavier needed her around to do tech support while I needed someone who knew how to use a gun. Sebastian quickly taught Dina how to use my cash register before going off on his own. Since 2/5 CHAPTER 114 upied the townsfolk were all preupied with Theodore¡¯s death, he decided to go and oversee some of his ¡®other businesses¡¯ which usually meant he was going to talk to De Luca or see another one of his men. Xavier, on the other hand, had promised Norma he would go to the hospital and participate in the vigil. While he joined Cynthia¡¯s old crew, he instructed his men to keep an eye out for Pete and told Sam to stay with Noah. After the grand opening ceremony this morning, Noah went straight to his office to meet with Lisa and Link to begin renovations on the McDowell residence. As for Cris Murdock, he was on sick leave ording to Dan, but Sam had eyes on his house just in case Cris decides to leave thefort of his home. Nicole, surprisingly, was missing in action. ording to Cristos, before she entered the Waldorf Hotel, he noticed the angry glint in Nicole¡¯s eyes. He said she looked like she was already nning her vengeance. Noah better watch his back. After I had finished with the alterations in the small tailoring area in the stockroom, I went to my office to see if the press conference had started. Luckily, media was still on standby at St. Elizabeth¡¯s. I kicked off my shoes and leaned blissfully against my chair as I waited for Liam, my fianc¨¦.. when Cristos knocked. ¡°I need to go to the pub,¡± Cristos announced. He quickly walked in and sat on the couch, yawning. Poor Cristos. He was tired. ¡°Since Dina won¡¯t be able to handle the influx of students who will being in the next several days before the Spring Formal, I¡¯ve hung a ¡®Help Wanted¡¯ sign in front of your shop. You also need someone to help you alter the gowns You can¡¯t do it all on your own.¡± ¡°Ugh, you¡¯re right,¡± I said, yawning. ¡°I should¡¯ve thought of that before opening this store. I hope I get the help I-¡± We suddenly heard a chimeing from the front of my store, alerting us that someone had s pugs just walked in. Cristos rolled and was about to stand up to take care of it, but I gestured to him to stay seated. Dina could handle this. After several moments, a soft knock sounded on my door. The door opened and Dina popped her head in, her bright eyes t winkling with mischief. Dina was one of those brilliant minds that couldn¡¯t sit inside a ssroom even if you taped her to her chair. She was petite and slender halt- Asian and half-Italian, with light brown. 3/5 CHAPTER 114 upied almond shaped eyes, rosy cheeks, nice wless skin and pink thin lips. Her fine brown hair if was cut into a short pixie cut, but styled with long bangs she could twirl behind her ears she wanted to. She was wearing an as s ymetrical pink top and white skinny jeans paired with high-heeled pink stilettos. ¡°Miss V, a Miss Nicole is here to see you,¡± she said. I nced at Cristos and saw him grimace. Nicole always spelled trouble. ¡°Anyone else inside?¡± I asked, putting on my bunny slippers. I¡¯m wearing ts from now on. ¡°No, Miss V,¡± Dina answered,ing inside the office. ¡°Before I told her you were here, she wanted me to give you a box and an envelope¡­ and she¡¯s acting really strange. She keeps whispering for some reason and she keeps hiding her face with her scarf.¡± ¡°She and her boyfriend covered the store with CCTV cameras and listening devices,¡± I told her. ¡°Flip the sign at the door and close shop. We won¡¯t be entertaining anyone else,¡± I said, standing up from my desk and handing her the keys. ¡°Will you be okay opening the store on your own tomorrow morning?¡± ¡°No problem, Miss V. I¡¯ll have my husbande in with me tomorrow,¡± she said, smiling at me. I smiled back. She was so small, but so energetic. ¡°Come on, Chip,¡± I gestured to Cristos. ¡°Let¡¯s see what our unexpected visitor wants.¡± He scowled before getting up on his feet. Unfortunately, he still needed to deal with Nicole before leaving to go to the pub. I followed Dina into the shop and instantly saw the lone figure of Nicole in a long sleeve fitted maxi dress with blue and white stripes. She was wearing white sneakers and had a b scarf wrapped around her tinum blonde hair. When she turned to face me, that¡¯s when I noticed the big-rimmed sunsses covering her eyes. She was trying so hard to keep herself hidden. Shockingly, she wasn¡¯t wearing any make-up which I thought was a better look for her. She actually had nice skin under that full face of make-up she usually puts all over her face. ¡°Virtue, hi,¡± she greeted me. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry to bother you, but I don¡¯t have anyone else to turn. to.¡± Her voice was barely audible against the soft sound of jazz music ying in the store. I wanted to reprimand her¡­ That¡¯s what you get when you bug every ce in such a small town. Nowhere was safe. ¡°Nicole sweetheart I thought you were flying inter this evening.¡± Cristos said from behind CHAPTER 114 upied me. ¡°Chip, you¡¯re here,¡± she said nervously. ¡°I was hoping to speak to Virtue alone. I, uh, I¡­¡± ¡°You know I can keep a secret, Nicole,¡± Chip replied gently. ¡°I know you can, it¡¯s just that¡­ well, I need a favor from Virtue and maybe you won¡¯t like having your bestfriend help me,¡± Nicole said. ¡°Come on,¡± I ced an arm around Nicole. ¡°Why don¡¯t we speak in my office?¡± Nicole shook her head and pulled away from me. ¡°Please not here. Can we talk somewhere else?¡± Chapter Comments 4 POST COMMENT NOW < SHARE Chapter 115 CHAPTER 115 Box Xavier Night had fallen on New Salem. I was seated in my car which was parked at the far end of the parking lot underneath some trees away from the ring street lights¡­ silently waiting. Cristos may know what was happening at the hospital, but I had eyes on everything else. Max, a capo of mine, told me a certain tinum blonde was heading this way. I had him wait at the airport for Nicole¡¯s arrival and told him to follow her while Sam kept a close distance to Noah. Honestly, I believed Nicole and Noah were truly meant for each other. They were both trouble. But despite all of Nicole¡¯s efforts, for Noah, the feeling wasn¡¯t mutual¡­ He wanted Virtue for himself. When Joy epted Liam¡¯s proposal, I caught a glimpse of the jealousy, disbelief and pain in Noah¡¯s eyes. But when Liam exited Virtue¡¯s to go to the hospital, I saw the smug satisfaction. on his face. I even noticed how his eyes narrowed darkly as Liam walked away. I suspected Noah was nning to cause trouble for the town¡¯s ¡®newly engaged¡¯ couple¡­. leading me to question how and when. Thus, I ordered Sam to tail him while I instructed Dina to prioritize the listening device Joy had nted in his house. If anything came up, I wanted to be the first to know. While Cristos was in Chicago, I asked Dina to check if Noah had any offshore ounts. Despite whatever Sebastian or Cristos believed, I suspected he was sitting on arge nest egg, pretending to be poor. Unfortunately, Dina couldn¡¯t find anything on Noah Jensen except for his bank ount at the local bank. Sure, he had a hundred thousand dors in his ount, which is a lot given the state of the majority of the townsfolk, but I believed Noah had more¡­ millions more. I don¡¯t know what it is, but Noah just rubs me the wrong way. He¡¯s someone who I believe can¡¯t be trusted. 1/6 CHAPTER 115 Box ¡°X, she¡¯s driving a vintage silver BMW,¡± Max said through ourmunication devices. ¡°She¡¯s in a blue and white dress carrying a blue tote bag. ETA about ten minutes.¡± ¡°Copy, Max. Sam, what¡¯s the location of your target?¡± I asked. ¡°He¡¯s heading northbound towards St. Elizabeth¡¯s,¡± Sam said. ¡°Followed by the real estate. agent, Lisa Murdock.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lose sight of him,¡± I said. ¡°Sebastian¡¯s men can¡¯t find Pete anywhere in the Bahamas. I have a strong feeling that as shole is here somewhere and Noah¡¯s going to be the one who leads us to him. Anyways, I¡¯ll be headed to the hospital in a bit. I just need to find out why Nicole is on her way to see Virtue when she should be driving to the hospital. This doesn¡¯t feel right.¡± ¡°Copy that, X, Sam replied. ¡°Holler if you need assistance. Link is headed towards you as we speak. While I waited, I silently watched my staff as they went about their way to close up the grocery store. Although some of my employees were Blood Disciples, most of them were townsfolk and they all wanted to go to the hospital to give Liam their support. Liam¡­ It took every ounce of self-restraint I had not to kill him. I don¡¯t know if he ever noticed, but Joy cringed every single time he touched her. Fine, it was hardly noticeable, but I could te Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°X, she¡¯s entering the parking lot,¡± Max suddenly said, interrupting my thoughts. I turned around and saw the unmistakable round headlights of a vintage BMW¡­ Nicole¡¯s mother¡¯s car. *Standby,¡± I told Max. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this.¡± Nicole parked in front of Virtue¡¯s, exited the car, and ced a pair of sunsses over her eyes and a blue tote bag on her shoulders. There seemed to be an outline of a box protruding from her bag. I assumed the box was for Joy. From where I was parked, I could clearly see the inside of the brightly lit shop through the storefront windows. Nicole entered, bowing her head while she rummaged through her bag. She took out a brown rectangr-shaped box and a white envelope from her tote and proceeded to the counter to speak with Dina while she covered her face with the blue scarf wrapped around her head. 2/6 CHAPTER 115 Box I quickly exited my car and headed over. Max said when Nicole walked out into the airport earlier, he saw the anger in her eyes while she hurriedly walked outside to grab a cab. But her rage didn¡¯t bother him. What bothered him was the wicked smile that yed on her cogen filled lips as she climbed into the cab. Nicole was up to something and I bet her target was the one who made Noah leave her in Chicago in the first ce. Whatever was in that box was bad news. Apparently, Dina was thinking the same. Instead of receiving the box, she spoke to Nicole with her hands to her sides. I uttered a prayer hoping Dina would just tell Nicole that Joy wasn¡¯t there. But unfortunately, Dina pointed her thumb towards Joy¡¯s office before leaving the counter. Nicole left the box and the envelope on the counter and turned around to look at the -clothing disyed on the racks. She nodded her head appreciatively as she flicked through each of the dresses. I quickened my pace, keeping my eyes on her face. After going through one rack of clothing, she pulled down her sunsses and nced at the box on the counter. Then, the unthinkable happened¡­ her lips curled into a sinister smile. That b itch! Nicole slowly made her way to the huge mirror on the east side of the store, covering h eyes again with her sunsses and recing her evil smile with her poker face. That¡¯s h o Joy by and Cristos found her as they sauntered out to greet her. This was my fault. Joy¡¯s shipment of CCTV cameras and monitors was dyed. I was in charge of that. I knocked loudly on the ss door to grab Dina¡¯s attention. Dina spun around and found me with my face against the ss. She rolled her eyes at me before slightly opening the door. ¡°Sorry, we¡¯re closed, Sir,¡± Dina said, pretending not to know me. Smart. ¡°I¡¯m good friends with Virtue. And that guy, Chip, cousin,¡± 1 3/6 g over there¡­ he¡¯s my I CHAPTER 115 Box quickly exined. ¡°I¡¯m Bo. I own the grocery store next door. Can Ie in? I have something to ask them.¡± Dina smiled before she swung the door wide open. ¡°Miss V, Mr. Bo is here for you,¡± Dina announced. She quickly closed the door behind me and scurried back to the counter, casting a wary eye on the box. ¡°What are you doing here, Nicole?¡± I asked, pr¨¦tending to act surprised. ¡°I just got here from Chicago and I wanted to congratte Virtue for finally opening her store. Well, that, among other things,¡± she answered slyly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. What I meant to ask you is why aren¡¯t you at the hospital? Everyone is either headed to St. Elizabeth¡¯s or is already there for the vigil. The press conference has probably already started and Liam must be in the middle of answering questions concerning his father¡¯s death.¡± Nicole¡¯s eyes widened and her face paled. She looked like she was going to faint. She didn¡¯t know? ¡°Wait! Theodore is dead?!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone tell you?¡± I asked, puzzled. I¡¯m actually about to head on over. I just stopped, by to ask if Chip and Virtue wanted toe with me.¡± ¡°Uhm, I can¡¯t. Liam told me to stay away from the hospital,¡± Joy said. ¡°I¡¯m duty-bound s I¡¯m his fianc¨¦. Joy raised her hand to show off that diamond of hers.. Cheap. I would have gotten her something more expensive. Joy deserved better. We all stared at Nicole who stood rooted to the spot. She was clearly in shock. ¡°C-Congrattions, V-Virtue,¡± the bit ch finally spat out. ¡°W-We¡¯ll have to talk some other time. 1-1 have to go to the hospital¡­ Liam needs his friends. She gasped at her own faux pas. ¡°Uhm, no offense, Virtue.¡± Joy¡¯s lips curved into a small smile. ¡°None taken, Nicole,¡± she replied. ¡°Tell Liam if he needs me, all he has to do is give me a call.¡± ¡°No problem. I will. W-Well, bye, everyone,¡± Nicole said, walking towards the door. But before she could even touch the door handle, Dina called out to her. ¡°Miss Nicole you left your box¡± Dina said, pointing to the box. 4/6 CHAPTER 115 Box ¡°I¡¯ll take that,¡± I said, walking to the counter. Nicole waved her hands and shook her head, gesturing for me to leave the box on the counter. ¡°You want me to leave this here?¡± I lifted the box off the counter. It was heavy. What the f uck was in this thing anyway? ¡°Yeah. I need Virtue to give it to Noah¡­ since, you know, they¡¯re neighbors. Both the box and the letter are for him,¡± she answered, flustered. ¡°I heard Noah is going to the hospital. You can just give it to him there,¡± I said, walking over to her with the box in my hands. ¡°Come on. I¡¯ll help you find him. He won¡¯t be too hard to spot in the crowd.¡± She nodded her head meekly and with shaking hands reached for the box. I pretended to drop the box, wanting to see her reaction. I wasn¡¯t disappointed. She screamed. I looked down at the box. In my hands was an explosive. Heavy, small and scary¡­ so scary that it shouldn¡¯t be in the hands of a heartless, jealous, vengeful little bi tch like Nicole. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Nicole said,posing hersef. She took a couple of deep breaths. ¡°Inside is. something very fragile.¡± She took the box and ced it in her bag. ¡°I bet,¡± Cristos said, an angry scowl on his face. He knew what was inside the box. ¡°Ni g Virtue¡¯s isn¡¯t a delivery service. If you want to send Noah a package, I suggest you hir courier. Now, let¡¯s all get the hell out of here, because I¡¯m needed at the pub. Bo, kind escort Nicole to her car. Virtue, please put some shoes on while I grab some of my thing from your office. You and Dina areing with me.¡± ¡°Nicole, after you,¡± I said, walking to the door and opening it. She sighed and with her head hung low, she exited the establishment. We have a little bomb maker in this town. This wasn¡¯t good. I have to do something¡­. I don¡¯t want Joy¡¯s car to suddenly explode. While Nicole started her car, I ran towards mine so I could follow her to the hospital. ¡°Max, I need you to do something for me,¡± I said through mys as I turned on the ignition and drove to the exit of the parkingplex right behind the vintage BMW. 5/6 CHAPTER 115 Box ¡°Sure, X. What is it you need me to do?¡± Max asked. ¡°I need you to put Nicole in the hospital. Mug her, run her off the road, push her off a cliff¡­ just use yo your imagination. I don¡¯t care what you do¡­ Just make sure she isn¡¯t able to use her legs or better yet, her hands. That f ucking b itch knows how to make an IED.¡± ¡°I have something in mind, X, Sam suddenly said. ¡°Let¡¯s give Nicole a taste of what Miss JT suffered in the hands of her rapists. We won¡¯t rape her. We¡¯ll just hurt her and make it look like Pete did it.¡± That¡¯ll work. ¡°Call that actor who Pete hired to do the switcheroo. Offer him a million dors to y the Underboss.¡± Chapter Comments POST COMMENT NOW 6 Chapter 116 CHAPTER 116 ident at the Intersection Nicole I was seated in my car, utterly frustrated at the turn of events as well as angry at myself for not having a n B. I had nned this so well. I was suppose to leave the box at Virtue¡¯s, make it appear I needed her help, then change my mind when she rejects my offer to talk somewhere else. I would instead instruct her to give the items to Noah before quickly leaving her boutique, thanking her for all her help. Then, once she was inside her car, alone, I would detonate the bomb. It was perfect. I just didn¡¯t n for Chip or Bo to be there. Why, oh why, didn¡¯t I manage to include them in my ns? I hit the steering wheel with my palms before turning on the ignition of my mother¡¯s car. D amn it! Why did those men always have to be by Virtue¡¯s side, anyway? I threw my sunsses on the passenger¡¯s seat of my car right beside my bag before driving out of the parking lot. I wanted to scream. Once again, I wasn¡¯t able to aplish what I set out to do. I wanted to hurt people and make them suffer. Especially Noah¡­ I wanted him to feel the pain I was currently experiencing from my bleeding heart. I quickly turned to the exit of the parking lot and noticed Virtue¡¯s red Mercedes-Benz. Hmm¡­ I could always ce the bomb underneath her car. S hit! Why didn¡¯t I think of that before? For now, I¡¯ll just defuse the bomb once I get home. There will always be another day to cause mayhem. I nced at my rear-view mirror and saw Bo¡¯s Land Rover right behind me. For someone who usually kept to himself, all of a sudden he was so outgoing. Before Virtue, he was quiet and tight-lipped, although very polite. But now, he was off dating older women, socializing and organizing events. I grimaced remembering the arrogant tone in Bo¡¯s voice from earlier. It was clear Chip had, 1/5 CHAPTER 116 ident at the Intersection Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Noah¡­ I scowled angrily as I recalled the confrontation we hadst night. After his maddening disy at dinner, Noah excused himself to use the restroom topose himself. I left Dan and Chip at the private dining room to check if he had calmed down. I found him outside, speaking to someone on his phone. ¡°I¡¯m not at home and no, I¡¯m not at the pub either. I¡¯m in Bismarck for business. I¡¯ll just see you when I get back, okay? I promise. I¡¯ll probably be backter tonight. No, not tonight. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow,¡± I overheard Noah say before he turned around to find me standing baking him. ¡°I gotta go. I¡¯ll call you back in a bit!¡± He pocketed his phone and ran his fingers through his hair. ¡°What? What is it this time, Nicole?¡± ¡°I just wanted to see if you¡¯ve calmed down,¡± I answered. ¡°Noah, you know you don¡¯t have the power to take Liam down. Even if you tell everyone he raped Joy Taylor, no one is going to believe you.¡± ¡°I was calm, but you just had to bring it up again,¡± he replied, exasperated. ¡°I don¡¯t care if no one believes me because what I know is the truth. Right, Nicole?¡± Noah asked, his chocte. brown eyes glistening with malice. ¡°Stop ying innocent, Nicole. After all these years, neve once had I ever asked you about that night.¡± I wanted to kick myself. I shouldn¡¯t have said anything. ¡°Stop it, Noah. Let¡¯s forget about all of this and enjoy Chicago,¡± I pleaded. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s a in the past. To me, it never happened.¡± He grabbed me tightly by the arms and shook me. ¡°But it did happen, you cu nt,¡± he said through clenched teeth. ¡°You honestly think I don¡¯t know what you did?! Oh, I got all the little details from Abigail. She said you and Lisa were the ones who lured Joy into the boy¡¯s gym. I can¡¯t speak for Lisa, but I definitely know you knew what was going to happen to her. Tell me, how much did he pay you, Nicole? How much?!¡± ¡°Five grand,¡± I spat out. ¡°He gave me five grand. All I needed to do was get Joy to the boy¡¯s gym. And no, I didn¡¯t know they were going to do that to her. Now, let go of me!¡± He pushed me away, utterly disgusted. ¡°You¡¯re just as guilty as Liam,¡± he said, his voice low. ¡°I want you stay away from me. I have ns and you aren¡¯t included in those ns.¡± ¡°Oh yeah? And who¡¯s included in your ns? Virtue?¡± 2/5 ¡°She doesn¡¯t concern you,¡± he answered dismissively. ¡°She doesn¡¯t? I have eyes, Noah. I¡¯ve seen how you look at her,¡± I said angrily. ¡°Let¡¯s not forget the things you said to Chip at dinner¡­ that honorable disy of yours was because you want her.¡± I laughed at him like he was a bad joke. ¡°She¡¯s out of your league, Noah. She¡¯s better off with Liam rather than you who¡¯s barely a carpenter.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t that right, Nicole? I¡¯m barely a carpenter? Oh, I get it. What you mean to say is you¡¯re out of my league too,¡± he pointed out, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re old enough to find your own way home, because you and I¡­ we¡¯re over. You get that? We¡¯re over!¡± He picked up his purchases off the sidewalk and turned, leaving me. ¡°I¡¯m heading to the airport and taking whatever flight there is back to Bismarck.¡± ¡°Sure, go run home to Virtue. I bet she¡¯s just as disgusted with you as you are with me!¡± I screamed after him. He paused and slowly turned around to face me. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about Virtue, Nicole. But this I can say¡­ Virtue isn¡¯t a sl ut who has to sleep her way to get what she wants unlike someone I know,¡± he uttered. ¡°F uck you, Noah! You and I¡­ we¡¯re the same. You sleep with anyone too. You¡¯re even sleeping with that troll Sarah Hughes,¡± I spat out. ¡°One day, when you least expect it, I swear, I¡¯m going to cut you penis off!¡± He quickly closed the distance between us and shoved his face right in front of mine. As I stared into his angry eyes, I suddenly felt his hand against my throat. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t even bother going back to New Salem, Nicole,¡± Noah murmured angrily. ¡°Because if you do, I¡¯m going to squeeze the life right out of you.¡± After he uttered those words, his hand tighten around my throat, making me choke. I struggled against him, trying to wriggle my way out of his grasp. Suddenly, he kissed me onest time and quickly pushed me away from him. I bent down and coughed, catching my breath. I lifted my eyes to look at him and saw him smiling down at me¡­ so eerily. I couldn¡¯t believe the man standing in front of me was the same man I desperately loved. ¡°Before I go, I just want to offer you a piece of advice. Keep those legs closed, Nicole. Every house I¡¯ve been to in New Salem smells like your pu ssy juice. You probably squirt all over their walls.¡± The nerve! 3/5 I picked up one of my bags and threw it at him. Heughed at my reaction, then spun around to hail a cab. The sudden sound of a car h onking behind me made me jump. The light at the intersection. had turned green. I sighed. I was so absorbed in my thoughts, I didn¡¯t even notice the change of the traffic light. I pressed on the gas, slowly elerating through the intersection, and noticed the traffic up ahead. The hospital was just several blocks from where I was. I decided I should just park at the convenience store and walk the rest of the way there to avoid traffic. I was a already in the middle of the intersection when I noticed a pair of headlightsing right at me. It¡¯s true that everything goes in slow motion when you¡¯re facing death. I turned the steering wheel and stepped on the gas, desperately maneuvering my car away, but the speeding truck hit the back of my car. Never drive angry, my mother would always remind me. Clearly, mothers know best. I was so angry after I left Virtue¡¯s store, I forgot to put my seatbelt on.. I flew out of the windshield,nding with a thud on the pavement while my mother¡¯s car spun round and round, bouncing like a ball against the concrete road. After onest somersault in the air, it finally hit the post of the nearest street light and exploded. I couldn¡¯t move. Every ce in my body hurt. It was excruciatingly painful to even think My eyelids suddenly felt heavy. I was about to close my eyes and drift off to sleep when I heard footsteps walking towards me above the throbbing sound echoing throughout my aching head. ¡°I need an ambnce at the intersection of Main Street and Prairie Avenue. There¡¯s been an ident. There¡¯s a victim lying in the middle of the street, female, possible spine and head injury,¡± the man said calmly before pausing. ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t move her. Just tell the EMTS to hurry.¡± I tried to move my eyes to the direction of his voice, but even that was painful. No, I¡¯m not going to die. I need to live to get back at Noah. This was all his fault. ¡°Nicole, I called an ambnce. I can¡¯t move you, but I can keep you warm. I¡¯m going to put a nket on top of you okay? And whatever you do, don¡¯t close your eyes. I need you to focus on my voice or anything that can give youfort. Hang on, Nicole. Help is on its way.¡± 4/5 CHAPTER 116 ident at the Intersection I tried to focus on my surroundings, but everything nearby was a blur. I opted to speak. It parted my lips to ask the man¡¯s name, but I couldn¡¯t form the words. I finally decided to just stare up at the night sky and watch the stars tw inkle above me. I was determined to keep my eyes open¡­ like a good little girl. I saw one star seemingly winking at me as I imagined using a chainsaw to hack bits and pieces off of Noah¡¯s body. The pleasure I felt made the pain disappear. Focus on anything that can give youfort¡­. I focused on the image of Noah¡¯s blood staining my hands¡­ It gave me hope. Chapter Comments POST COMMENT NOW Chapter 117 CHAPTER 117 Hit and Run Xavier I watched in horror as the delivery truck plowed through the intersection aimed at one car and one car alone. I may have told Max to run her off the road, but I didn¡¯t order him to kill her. I just wanted her to be admitted to the hospital with a broken leg or maybe a couple of broken ribs, but I didn¡¯t intend for her to die¡­well, not just yet. Sure, she did something s tupid¡­ She targeted Joy, but that was to get back at Noah. Nicole was Noah¡¯s kryptonite¡­ It seemed Nicole would go to great lengths to hurt Noah. I believed she was the one who would help me take him down¡­ After she had the time to cool off and think things through. Luckily, Link came out without a scratch. He was in a white Audi SUV, driving alongside Nicole¡¯s BMW when the truck sped towards them. He was able to veer away and stop just as the truck hit Nicole¡¯s car. The BMW bounced up and down like a huge basketball against the hard concrete before exploding against a street light. ¡°Max, you seeing this?¡± I asked through ours. He was a few cars behind me. ¡°Affirmative, X,¡± Max answered. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it was an ident.¡± He was right. Obviously, Nicole had be someone¡¯s problem and that someone put her on his hit list¡­ Which raises the inevitable question, who? It couldn¡¯t have been Liam. He valued his friends. His only beef was with Pete. She seemed to be close friends with Dan although Cristos mentioned she annoyed him in a way. Jack was like Liam. He also valued his friends. He¡¯d kill for them, but I doubted if he would1/6 CHAPTER 117 Hit and Run That left me with only three men on the top of my head. The notorious underboss Pete, the ex- boyfriend Noah and the sa distic Cris. Fortunately for Nicole, this attempt on her life made her a valuable asset to me. She needed to survive. up and ¡°I noticed when we were waiting for the light to turn green, the truck had its hood. the driver had his head stuck underneath like he had car trouble. He was gesturing to the cars behind him to drive ahead,¡± I said, as I quickly drove my car off to the side. I needed to get to the driver of that truck. I took off my seatbelt and exited the car. ¡°Maybe the truck driver was stalling purposely¡­. waiting for her,¡± he replied. ¡°X, I¡¯ll drive ahead and park my car at the convenience store. Holler if you need me.¡± I ran out to the middle of the intersection and saw Link on his phone, walking towards a lone female body in a blue and white dress lying with her back against the cold hard pavement. Her legs and arms were syed out and she wasn¡¯t moving. ¡°I need an ambnce at the intersection of Main Street and Prairie Avenue. There¡¯s been an ident. There¡¯s one victim lying in the middle of the street, female, possible spine and head injuries,¡± I heard him say. ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t move her, just tell the EMTs to hurry.¡± He pocketed his phone and quickly walked towards me. ¡°She flew out through the windshield her car. I¡¯m guessing she didn¡¯t have a seatbelt on.¡± ¡°How is she?¡± I asked. ¡°She¡¯s conscious,¡± he answered. I heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°You deal with her,¡± I told him. ¡°I¡¯m going to go and have a small chat with the driver of that truck.¡± He nodded his head. ¡°I have a nket in my car,¡± he said. ¡°The operator told me to keep her warm, but not to move her.¡± ¡°Sure, keep herfortable,¡± I said, nodding my head. ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone else near her until the paramedics arrive. And I need you to call our doctors. If it¡¯s possible, I want her transferred to another hospital.¡± ¡°I¡¯m on it, Bo,¡± Link said, before running back to his car to grab a nket for Nicole 2/6 CHAPTER 117 Hit and Run I dashed towards the truck and saw a man emerge from the driver¡¯s side. He was walking unsteadily, rubbing his forehead with his fingers. He was of average height, dark hair and tanned skin, with a mole on his right cheek. He was wearing dark blue coveralls and ck boots. He was someone I¡¯ve never seen around town before. ¡°Hey, you!¡± I yelled as I approached. He raised his head to look at me, the shock apparent in his dark eyes. He lowered his hand from his forehead and pointed at himself. ¡°Yes you! What the f uck, man! Didn¡¯t you see your light was red?¡± I asked angrily. Instead of answering me, he turned around and hurriedly walked away from me. ¡°Don¡¯t you walk away from this!¡± I yelled after him. He didn¡¯t stop. Instead, he bolted. ¡°Stop him! He¡¯s trying to get away!¡± I yelled to anyone who could hear me. However, everyone was preupied. It was all up to me. Thank goodness I had changed into my sneakers. I chased after him as he ran across the intersection towards the direction of the hospital. He apparently knew there was crowd gathering there. ¡°Max, I have a dark haired man in dark blue coveralls headed towards you,¡± I said, panting as I ran. The f u cker was fast. ¡°Copy that, X,¡± Max said. ¡°I¡¯m across the street from you,¡± Max answered, ¡°and I have eyes the target.¡± I nced to the right and saw Max walking casually towards the driver who was desperately trying to reach the crowd. The assembly of people were so near that I could hear them chanting prayers for Theodore Cohen. Just before the driver could enter the dense mob through a gap between a group of people, Max quickly positioned himself in front of him and with one fluid move, struck the man in the neck, right at the Adam¡¯s apple. The driver fell back, clutching his neck while gasping for air. He tried to call out to the people, gesturing for them to help him, but his pleas were ignored. Max quickly pulled him up, twisting his arm around his back. The driver howled in pain, but his cries were drowned out by the cheers and chantsing from the townsfolk. 3/6 CHAPTER 117 Hit and Run I stopped underneath the trees along the sidewalk, away from the street lights, to catch my breath. Without loosening his hold on the man¡¯s arm, Max pushed him towards me. Fortunately, we were well hidden in the darkness. I patted him down, looking for his wallet or a phone. I found his wallet in his back pocket and his phone in a pocket up front. I pocketed the phone before searching for any identification. ¡°It says here your name is Miguel Hernandez,¡± I said. ¡°Born in Mexico City, thirty-eight years. old, current address is in Houston, Texas. What are you doing all the way in North Dakota, Miguel? I waited for his answer, but he refused to open his mouth. Max pulled on his arm. ¡°Answer him or I¡¯ll break your arm!¡± ¡°I was called to fulfill a promise,¡± he cried out. ¡°A promise to whom?¡± I asked. ¡°I can not tell you,¡± he replied. ¡°I am sworn to secrecy.¡± This as shole was a member of the Angels of Darkness! ¡°Get him out of here,¡± I told Max. ¡°I want you to find out everything he knows. I¡¯ll go back to the intersection and tell everyone I lost him in the crowd. You know what that means.¡± ¡°That means you and I are going to bestfriends, amigo,¡± Max said, smiling.¡± And I can promise you, we are going to have lots of fun together. Later, Bo.¡± I ran back to the intersection, thankful the paramedics and the firemen were already there. Surprisingly, Jack was also there, overseeing everything. ¡°Undersheriff, oh thank Go d, you¡¯re here,¡± I said, catching my breath. ¡°Lchased after the driver who hit Nicole¡¯s car, but I lost him in the crowd. He¡¯s around five foot eight or maybe nine, dark hair, tanned skin, a mole on his cheek. He looked maybe around mid orte thirties wearing dark blue coveralls like a mechanic. How¡¯s Nicole, by the way?¡± ¡°She¡¯s over there. EMTs are prepping her up before they drive her to the hospital. I already got a statement from your attorney. I need to get a statement from you, Bo,¡± Jack said. I nodded my head. It appeared Jack was all business. Of course, he had a lot on his te at the moment. ¡°I was dri driving behind her¡­ heading towards the hospital. When the light turned green and1/5 CHAPTER 117 Hit and Run her car didn¡¯t budge, I h onked my horn to get her to move. I actually regret doing that now,¡± I said sheepishly. Jack patted my shoulder. ¡°This wasn¡¯t your fault, Jack said. ¡°So you were behind Nicole in thatne. Where was this truck?¡± ¡°Over there,¡± I pointed to the left side. ¡°While we were waiting for the light to turn green, I remember seeing the driver was outside of his vehicle checking the engine. Seemed like he was having car trouble or something. Anyway, one second, the truck looked like it was having trouble starting. The next, it was in the middle of the intersection heading straight towards Nicole.¡± ¡°And the driver fled the scene?¡± Jack asked. ¡°Yup. I confronted him and asked if he had seen that his light was red, but instead of answering me, he ran. I chased after him, but I lost him in the crowd.¡± ¡°Thanks, Bo, that¡¯s all I need for now. I¡¯ll radio in the description of the driver and give all the information you gave me. This is now a hit and run investigation,¡± Jack said. ¡°Is it okay if I go and check up on Nicole now?¡± asked. He smiled. ¡°Sure, Bo. It¡¯s nice to know Nicole has friends she can count on,¡± Jack replied before walking to his car. The sounds of sirens echoed all around me. The EMTs had ced a neck brace around Nicole¡¯s neck and had securely strapped her in a stretcher before moving her into the ambnce. I walked up to a female EMT who was talking to Link and coughed to grab her attention. I had to stop myself from smiling. It was Autumn I forgot she was a Nurse Paramedic. ¡°How is she?¡± ¡°From my initial assessment, she has a fractured leg, fractured wrist and a broken cor bone. Vitals are stable and she¡¯s conscious. We¡¯ll check for any head or spinal injuries once she¡¯s in the hospital,¡± she answered. ¡°Honestly, it could¡¯ve been worst. She¡¯s one lucky girl.¡± ¡°How can I have her transferred to another hospital?¡± I whispered. ¡°She needs to have an injury like Abigail¡¯s and she has to have her next of kin or family doctor sign for the transfer.¡± she said. ¡°This is the reason why Abigail can¡¯t be transferred. 5/6 CHAPTER 117 Hit and Run Her mother won¡¯t authorize it.¡± ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll speak to Ms. Davis and hope she can help me transfer her out of here. Thanks for your help.¡± ¡°No problem. Well, I gotta go. The docs are already waiting for her. They probably see her as a great distraction from all the trouble the hospital is in. In case you didn¡¯t know, the mayor is sueing the hospital for his father¡¯s death.¡± Link and I waved goodbye as the ambnce rushed off. Luckily, no one else was hurt from the crash. ¡°I gotta make a pit stop at the pub, so I need you to follow her, Link. Present yourself as the family¡¯s attorney,¡± I instructed. ¡°Also, I need you to draw up a Power of Attorney making you Nicole¡¯s guardian. I heard that Ms. Davis was diagnosed with early onset Alzhiemer¡¯s. If the family doctor won¡¯t sign the transfer, I want you to do it, I instructed. Got it,¡± he said. ¡°I called our doctors, by the way. One is flying in tonight to make an assessment. While the doc makes her assessment, I¡¯ll have the papers printed out ready for Ms. Davis-¡± The sudden sound of my phone ringing interrupted him. I pulled it out and saw the name Dom on the screen. ¡°What-¡± ¡°I need your help. I¡¯m at Pete¡¯s mansion on Huff Hills and there¡¯s a team of mercenaries who¡¯ve entered thepound,¡± he said.. For the love of G od¡­ ¡°I¡¯m on my way.¡± Chapter Comments 3 POST COMMENT NOWCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Chapter 118 CHAPTER 118 Huff Hills Sebastian There wasn¡¯t any good newsing in from the team of men I had sent to the Bahamas. When I called earlier, they informed me there was no sign of Pete McDowell at any of thergest densely popted inds. To widen the search and cover more area, my men decided to split up, each one assigned to visit a designated area. The Bahamas had thirty inhabited inds¡­. And I only sent five men to conduct the search. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. This was a huge problem. None of us had a clue to where Pete was. And we were running out of time. The Spring Formal was next week.. to Dina was going through all the feed from airports, bus terminals and train stations within the Central States, hoping to find Pete through her facial recognition software. Cristos was following the news on the series of sexually assaulted exotic dancers, waiting for another pop up so he could triangte a location. The most recent victim was a woman in a town near the North Dakota and Minnesota border. Cristos believed Pete was rounding up all his subordinates and allies in his territory, making Cristos suspect a war was brewing. Xavier, on the other hand, said he was keeping tabs on someone he believed may lead us Pete, but didn¡¯t mention anything else. He said if he found something, anything, he promised he would tell us, but not until then. As for me, all I had was the information Ma gave me. Since De Luca was back in town, I asked him to apany me and check out the McDowell mansion up on Huff Hills before heading over to the cabin at Red River. It was reckless not to tell Xavier and Cristos my ns, but I wanted answers right away. As they say, ¡°If you want things done properly, you have to do it yourself.¡± I intended on getting the information we needed¡­ for Joy¡¯s sake. Since the McDowell residence in New Salem was cleaned out before Link could even purchase the house, I figured it was possible there might be some things at Huff Hills or at that cabin along the river that could point us at the right direction. CHAPTER 118 Huff Hills I felt lucky. Theodore¡¯s death was a sess. I believed I could aplish one more feat before the day was over. De Luca and I arrived at the foot of Huff Hills in a ck SUV, dressed in our tactical gear, just as the sky grew dark, with thest of the sun¡¯s rays disappearing from the h orizon. We parked several blocks away from the lonely mansion sitting atop the highest hill and decided to hoof it the rest of the way to do away with the chance of being heard or seen. All the lights inside the old gothic mansion were off. The only light illuminating the massivepound was an orange hued bulb at the front porch. From afar, the mansion reminded me of one of those old haunted houses resting atop a sp ooky mountainside. ording to a website, the Huff Hills mansion originally was owned by a family ancestor of the Taylors. The man made his money growing wheat and was said to own prime farnd from here to New Salem. Undoutedly, the Taylors were once the richest in North Dakota up until the Cohens came. Although the mansion¡¯s structure was old, it looked well-kept. The front door, walls and shutters had a new coat of paint on them while thewn was cut, the bushes around the porch area were neatly trimmed and the grounds were swept clean. There were no cars parked on the paved driveway nor were there any security roaming around, not even a dop As we approached the tall ck iron gates to the estate, I noticed the gates were chained together with a huge silver padlock. ¡°This padlock and chain look new,¡± De Luca whispered as he bent down on one knee and picked the lock. Whoever was here just left. That gave me a bad feeling. I turned around to survey the dense forest in front of the house and I suddenly felt uneasy. Pete might be expecting us. I was about to tell De Luca that we should juste back another time, but he had already entered the estate, swinging the gates free of the thick chains, so I could pass through. 2/6 CHAPTER 118 Huff Hills What the hell¡­ If Pete was inside, I¡¯ll just kill him. Problem solved. ¡°I don¡¯t see any CCTV cameras in the area. Do you think the house has an rm inside?¡± De Luca asked. ¡°It probably does. We need to go through the front to check. I¡¯ll shoot the light out. Ready tools to pick the lock on the front door,¡± I said. your ¡°Copy,¡± he replied. Crouching low, we quickly crept towards the porch. I took my gun out from its holster, screwed on a silencer and aimed for the light. The shattered ss from the bullet hitting the bulb made a loud enough sound. I gestured to De Luca to stop moving. The noise could have alerted anyone inside. If there was someone inside, we would definitely see some movement. Fortunately, nothing. I gestured to De Luca to proceed to the front door. He hurriedly went up the steps and took out his tools to pick the lock. While he focused on unlocking the door, I took out my jamming device and turned it on. If the house had a wireless rm system, the signal, which would supposedly alert the police, would be blocked. If it wasn¡¯t a wireless rm system, then we had exactly thirty second cut the phone line. ¡°Alright,¡± De Luca said, sliding a neodymium ma along the door. ¡°Now, I just need a ma to unlock the top lock.¡± After he heard the unmistakable click of the lock, De Luca slowly turned the doorknob and slightly opened the door, looking closely for some tripwire. Then, with a smug smile, he swung the door wide open. ¡°After you, sir.¡± I swiftly entered using a small shlight to illuminate my surroundings. I saw a characteristic red sh of a security panel. It was a wired house rm. I followed the line, found the wire to thendline and spliced the wires with a pair of Lineman¡¯s pliers. Once that was done, I opened the security panel and took out its battery source. The blinking red light disappeared instantly. I quickly turned off my jamming device. I needed a signal for my phone. ¡°What do you want to check first?¡± De Luca said. 3/6 CHAPTER 118 Huff Hills ¡°There must be an office in this ce,¡± I said. ¡°Let¡¯s look for it and search in there. If it isn¡¯t on this floor, we¡¯ll go upstairs.¡± We shed our shlights around as we quietly roamed through the first floor of the house. The furniture was covered with white linens while the rugsying on the hardwood floors were covered in stic. The kitchen was immacte. I went over and checked the sink. There were no dirty dishes. and the sink itself was dry. That was a good sign. ¡°Sink¡¯s dry. Means no one has used the sink recently. Come on. Let¡¯s go over there. I saw a door to the left of the staircase.¡± We quickly left the kitchen and headed to the direction of the staircase where I had seen the door. I tried the doorknob and the door opened. chair I was right¡­ it was an office. An empty office. Only a wooden desk and single wooden was inside. De Luca rushed towards the desk and began opening its drawers one by one. I surveyed the room and looked closely at the light switch and walls. When Xavier broke into the coroner¡¯s house, he said the coroner¡¯s files were hidden behind a wall which swung open by pressing a button underneath the light switch. There was no button underneath the light switch. I ran my fingers along the walls. There were no indentations. I checked the floors for scuff marks. Nothing. This room didn¡¯t have secret panel. ¡°I found something,¡± De Luca suddenly said showing me sheets of crumpled paper. ¡°Where did you find that?¡± I asked. ¡°They forgot to empty the trash, De Luca said, pointing at a trash bin underneath the desk. ¡°Anyway, this is a print out of an itinerary for a flight from Texas to Chicago under a name Luis Villegas. This was dated yesterday.¡± ¡°Another one of Pete¡¯s aliases I gather,¡± I said. ¡°This is strange,¡± he murmured, puzzled. ¡°My asset at the FBI told me the capo who fled from Texas was a man named Luis Villegas.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one in New Salem by that name,¡± I said, knowing that for a fact. ¡°He could¡¯ve changed his name.¡± De Luca said. 4/6 CHAPTER 118 Huff Hills ¡°Even then¡­ this is the Mexican mob we¡¯re talking about,¡± I reasoned. ¡°He¡¯d definitely stick. out in New Salem just like Pete. I haven¡¯t met anyone who looks Hispanic unless he went under the knife.¡± The sound of screeching tires made us both turn our shlights off. I walked out of the room towards the living room window and peered outside. A dark van had stopped in front of the gate. Four men walked out¡­ all of them¡­ armed. S hit! I took out my phone and dialed. I had to call Xavier. Since the backyard opened to a cliff, there were only two ways out¡­ Through the gate or over the tall concrete fence. ¡°What¡¯s-¡± ¡°I need your help. I¡¯m at Pete¡¯s mansion on Huff Hills and there¡¯s a team of mercenaries who¡¯ve entered thepound,¡± I quickly exined, pausing as I heard the unmistakable sounds of sirens on Xavier¡¯s end. What was going on in New Salem? ¡°I¡¯m on my way,¡± Xavier said. ¡°How many are there?¡± ¡°Four,¡± I answered, peeking through the window again. The four men were huddled toge while they prepped themselves. They all had vests on which meant I had to shoot them the head to kill them. ¡°They¡¯re the weingmittee. Rig the entrances with explosives. That¡¯ll take a couple off your back,¡± Xavier instructed. ¡°ETA twenty minutes, unless I get caught speeding. Since Mandan is closer, I¡¯ll alert the men and send them to your location. And Dom, wear your earpiece.¡± After hanging up, I opened the backpack I brought¡­ packed by Xavier himself. Inside a clear pouch was some semtex and in a ck case were charges and detonators. Easy peasy. ¡°De Luca, shield yourself behind the kitchen counter. The only way they¡¯ll be getting inside. is through the windows. Aim for their heads.¡± De Luca took the safety off his gun and readied his ammo. ¡°Time for some target practice on live bait.¡± 5/6 CHAPTER 118 Huff Hills I molded a small amount of semtex and stuck it on the front door, inserting a charge. I did the same for the back entrance and handed De Luca the detonator, instructing him to detonate when they twist the doorknob. Armed with the detonator for the explosive I stuck on the front door, I went back to the living room window to check on our guests. They were casually walking across the paved driveway, looking quite pleased. I smiled and positioned myself behind the couch. Let the games begin. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Chapter Comments Susan Wynne can we get more than 1 chapter at a time please VIEW 1 COMMENT POST COMMENT 4 6/6 Chapter 119 CHAPTER 119 Saving Sebastian Xavier I was as speeding through the highway like my life depended on it. I didn¡¯t have to change in New Salem, so I sent word to the Blood Disciples in Mandan to have my provisions waiting for me in Bismarck. After instructing our men in Mandan, I called Cristos. ¡°I¡¯m currently on my way to Bismarck. Dom called me for help,¡± I said. ¡°What do you need?¡± Cristos asked. This is what I loved about the guys. We were always in sync. ¡°I need you to send me a satellite image as well as a blueprint of the mansion at Huff Hills straight away,¡± I replied as I drove. Thank G od there wasn¡¯t any traffic. ¡°Sure thing,¡± Cristos said. ¡°Sending now.¡± My phone pinged, notifying me the data I requested had arrived. ¡°Do you need us to-¡± ¡°No. Pete may have someone watching Virtue¡¯s every move,¡± I said, cutting him off. ¡°He¡¯s somewhere close. I can sense it. Right now, the best thing for you and her is to stay in New Salem and stick together. But I do need Dina. Have Lou pick her up.¡± ¡°Dina¡¯s already on the phone with Lou,¡± Cristos said. ¡°Virtue and I will be at the pub until al of this is over.¡± ¡°Do not leave Virtue¡¯s side, Chip. Whatever you do, guard her with your life,¡± I instructed. ¡°And make sure Dina has an earpiece. I need tomunicate with her.¡± ¡°Copy that,¡± Cristos said before hanging up. After exiting the highway into Bismarck, I stopped at the nearest gas station. I instructed one of my men to meet me there. I couldn¡¯t bring my car. Someone from New Salem would easily recognize me. Plus, I needed to change. As always, waiting for me was a white service van. It was a good disguise if ever I needed to stop and install a camera. I opened the back doors of the van, hopped in, and began undressing. Everything I needed,/7 CHAPTER 119 Saving Sebastian From the gas station, we sped through the city to the looming hills which housed several of the affluent people of Bismarck. Pete¡¯s mansion was located near the top of the highest hill which was a great vantage point if I were inside, but a huge problem for me outside. I needed to find higher ground. Adjacent to Pete¡¯s mansion was another sprawling mansion about a quarter of a mile away. If I could just get on top of the roof, I could get a good view. Time to call Dina. ¡°Yep?¡± She greeted me. ¡°Location?¡± I asked. ¡°Sitting behind a speeding white van with all the hardware and software I need. ¡°Excellent. First, I need you to cut all CCTV footage from the whole area of Huff Hills,¡± I said. I heard her mumble ¡®okay¡¯ followed by the distinct sound of her fingers tapping on her keyboard. ¡°Then, I need you to call the people at the rk Residence and tell them to leave their house. Check if they use gas to cook. If they do, say your system has detected a leak and they need to evacuate the premises.¡± There was a whole lot of clicking and mumbling before she replied. ¡°Yep, they use gas,¡± Dina said. ¡°I¡¯ve hacked into their security system and moni by CCTV. I¡¯ll call you once they¡¯re out.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. m ¡°Good and make it quick,¡± I said. ¡°I need that house. Once I get Sebastian out, I¡¯m up on top of their roof and see whoes after. Tell them to stay out for at least se hours. And Dina put on your earpiece. No need to call, just speak to me throughs ¡°Alrighty,¡± she said and hung up. ¡°Our men are already at the foot of the hills,¡± my driver said as I got off the phone with Dina. ¡°How many?¡± I said, putting on my earpiece. ¡°Three groups of five. Chef is leading them,¡± he said chuckling. I smiled. Chef hated guns, but loved knives. I decided to get in contact with him. ¡°Chef,e in. This is X,¡± I said through ours. 2/7 CHAPTER 119 Saving Sebastian ¡°Have you and our men intercept. We need to draw them outside,¡± I replied. ¡°Copy.¡± I nced at my driver. ¡°Speed up. At the foot of the hills, we sped upward, swerving our way through the slopes. I took out my binocrs and noticed smokeing from the house. Sebastian rigged the house with explosives which meant the two cars heading towards him must be the cavalry. As we got closer, I could already hear the gunshots. I switcheds to speak with Dina. ¡°Dina, divert all 911 calls from this area,¡± I said. ¡°Already did,¡± Dina said. Good girl. ¡°And has the rk family left their house yet?¡± asked while putting my backpack on and cing the strap of my sn iper rifle over my shoulder. out The ¡°They¡¯re scrambling gunshots are scaring the sh it out of them.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I replied. ¡°Now, for your specialty. I need you to cause a ck out.¡± She giggled. ¡°Power grid will be offline in three¡­ two¡­ one,¡± she counted down. All the lights from all the homes and buildings in the area went out including all the st lights. I readied my night vision goggles. It was pitch ck outside. I tapped my driver¡¯s shoulder once I saw the spark of lights from the gunfire. ¡°Stop here. Park the van in the forest and if anyone elsees, inform us.¡± I opened the back door and jumped out. I lowered my night-vision goggles over my eyes. ¡°S, what¡¯s your status?¡± I asked throughs. ¡°Alive. But there are several men shooting at us from outside,¡± he answered. ¡°One is hidden among the bushes at the front porch and there are two at the back.¡± I moved my head from side to side and cracked my neck muscles. Time for me to go save Sebastian. 3/7 CHAPTER 119 Saving Sebastian I dashed through the forest heading towards the sound of gunfire until I reached a clearing near the cars of my fellow Blood Disciples. I heard a bullet w hiz by and decided to shield. behind a huge tree from the ensuing gunfight. mys Obviously, Pete¡¯s men came prepared with their night-vision goggles. I could tell because their aim was still pretty good. It was time to make things interesting. First, a distraction. Dina, I need the power back on in this sector and this sector alone,¡± I said through mymunication device while I took out my military gas mask from my backpack. I took off my night vision goggles and ced the mask over my head. ¡°You never make things easy, do you, be back on X?¡± Dina said. ¡°All units standby. Power will in three, two, one¡­¡± The streetlights fronting the gates of Huff Hills mansion suddenly came back on causing e was stupi tupid Pete¡¯s men to howl from the re. I counted seven of them. Luckily for us, one enough toe out of hiding while removing his goggles. The Blood Disciples shot at him from all directions. One down. His teammates quickly aimed their weapons at us and began shooting like a bunch of cr lu natics trying to hopelessly avenge theirrade¡¯s death. Apparently, they had a lot ammo¡­ But did they bring masks? Time to find out. I took out a smoke grenade from a side pocket of my bag. ¡°Units, I¡¯m popping smoke,¡± I warned. When I called them earlier, I told them to bring a list of provisions, one of the items a gas mask. Still shielded by the tree, I popped the canister open and threw it underneath one of the cars blocking the gates. Smoke quickly filled the air. Without masks, the hired guns quickly moved away from the smoke, coughing. A few came out with their hands above their heads, in an act of surrender. 4/7 CHAPTER 119 Saving Sebastian ¡°Approach with caution,¡± I instructed my team, taking my gun out and walking towards the one who was closest to me. He was on his hands and knees coughing. Using the butt of my gun, I hit him on the back of the head rendering him unconscious. We¡¯ll take this one in for questioning. From the corner of my eye, I saw one of his buddies desperately trying to aim his gun at me while wiping his eyes on his sleeves. I quickly raised my gun and shot him in the head. Never hesitate. Two down. ¡°X, we got this,¡± Chef said. I nced at his direction and saw the four other hired professionals already lying on the ground. ¡°Search their pockets and their cars,¡± I instructed, then pointed to the one I had knocked out. ¡°Keep this one alive for questioning and kill the rest.¡± I gestured to Chef. ¡°Chef, you¡¯reing with me.¡± The gray smoke was clearing up a bit as we entered the gates. ¡°S, we¡¯ve entered thepound. Standby for rescue,¡± I said, yanking Chef to a nearby tree at the sound of sudden gunfire. As we took cover, I pointed to the lone shooter hiding in the bushes surrounding the porch. He nodded his head, gestured he would be going the other direction and took out a knife. I nodded my head in understanding. He needed a distraction. ¡°Hurry, X. I¡¯m wounded,¡± Sebastian said, coughing. F uck! ¡°Dina, contact HQ at Mandan and tell the Doc to have the infirmary ready. We¡¯ll be there in ten minutes give or take,¡± I said throughs. Doc used to have a clinical practice until he was sued for malpractice. Now, he treats us sc umbags instead. ¡°Got it.¡± After removing my mask, I moved to another huge tree which was a bit closer to the porch. I aimed my gun at the flower pot above the shooter¡¯s head and shot a at it. Instead of aiming inside the house, his gunfire was now redirected at me. He was using a powerful assault rifle. I could hear the bark of the tree cracking with every shot he made. While he was busy shooting the tree, I screwed on my silencer. All we needed to do was wait? CHAPTER 119 Saving Sebastian until he ran out of ammo. Suddenly he stopped. I peeked around the trunk of the tree, aiming my gun towards the shooter. However, Chef got to him first. I watched with satisfaction as the a sshole fell to the ground with a knife stuck at the back of his head. ¡°Chef, there are two more out back, I said throughs. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of those as sholes,¡± Chef said. ¡°You tend to Domenico.¡± I ran towards the huge gaping hole at the front of the house, crouching low. Aside from the shooter with the knife behind his head, there was anotherying on the ground. Before entering the house, I shot him in the head. Just needed to make sure he was dead. ¡°S, where are you?¡± I whispered. ¡°Kitchen,¡± he replied, then paused as a bullet wh izzed by him. ¡°Hurry.¡± I silently prayed Sebastian wasn¡¯t badly wounded. Boss Domenico would definitely catch the first flight here and kill me himself if anything bad were to happen to his one and only son. I quickly crept towards the back of the house, making my way to the ck and white marb kitchen ind. For an old house, the inside was modern with an open floor n. I was traversing the din area and was just about to reach the kitchen side of the ind when the sounds of heavy footsteps on the wooden deck of the backyard made me take cover against the living side. They were like co ckroaches. There were so many of them. I could hear Sebastian¡¯sbored breathing and the scuff sounds-from his shoes as he struggled to move away from the owners of those footsteps. I needed toe up with a n. ¡°Who are you?¡± A man asked. I turned my head to peek around the corner and noticed the night vision goggles over his eyes. I moved my head back and scanned the dining area for a light switch. 6/7 CHAPTER 119 Saving Sebastian I smiled. I love it when a nes together. Chapter Comments 64 POST COMMENT NOW Chapter 120 CHAPTER 120 Basement Xavier In a squatting position, I waddled quietly to where the dimmer was. He was a huge mo fo with an assault rifle and apanion behind him, so I needed to time things right. I had my gun ready. All I needed to do was reach for the light switch. ¡°Who are you?¡± The man asked, slowly moving forward, his assault rifle aimed downward at Sebastian. ¡°No one, I heard Sebastian¡¯s curt answer and his sharp intake of breath. Sebastian was clearly hurting, even though he had a high pain threshold. I should know, I¡¯ve watched him fight at the pits back when we were in college. I won a lot of money because of him. ¡°WHO ARE YOU?¡± The man asked again, but this time he sounded pi ssed. ¡°Answer me or I¡¯ll shoot you.¡± ¡°Then shoot,¡± Sebastian taunted him. ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m already bleeding out. Just put me out of my misery.¡± ¡°We need him,¡± the man behind the huge m otherf ucker said. ¡°Our orders-¡± ¡°I know what our orders are! You don¡¯t need to-t Perfect. They were arguing. I quickly turned the dial to the brightest setting and heard the men cry out from the reing from their night vision goggles. Without hesitation, I stood up and squeezed the trigger, shooting at the man who spoke to Sebastian. He dropped. his gun and stumbled forward with a shocked look on his face. Blood trickled down his nose from the bullet wound on his forehead before he copsed on the floor with a loud thud. I quickly aimed my gun at hispanion who I noticed was grasping his neck with his hands. Apparently, Chef got to him first. Blood dozed out of his mouth as he desperately tried to stop the blood from gushing out of his neck. However, the cut was so deep, he sumbed to his death, falling sideways beside his dead friend. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Nice. 1/6 CHAPTER 120 Basement out from a bullet wound near his right shoulder. I checked the wound and saw it was a through and through away from any vital org ans. Clean shot. All he needed was the Doc to stitch him up and he was good as new. I took out my knife, cut open his tactical gear, and ced a white cloth over his wound. He grimaced in pain. I chuckled. ¡°Big baby.¡± ¡°Since you saved my life, I¡¯ll let that slide. By the way, De Luca is hiding in that room over there.¡± He pointed to the door behind me. ¡°Why am I not surprised?¡± I said, knowing De Luca was a coward. ¡°Of all the people y you could bring with you, it had to be him¡­ the pretty boy. Chef, get De Luca out from there.¡± Chef opened the door and looked in. ¡°Uhm, no De Luca, but there are stairs that lead down to a basement.¡± I assisted Sebastian to his feet, then took his left hand and raised it to his wound. ¡°Keep pressure on that,¡± I instructed before talking through thes. ¡°Men, secure the perimeter. Dina, make sure to transmit my feed to Cristos. We found something and are going to conduct a search.¡± I called out to Sebastian who was walking towards the basement door. ¡°You should really go see the Doc.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going downstairs. I need to see what¡¯s down there,¡± he mumbled like a petnt child. and disappeared from the doorway. I rolled my eyes. Someone needs to save him from himself. ¡°Fine,¡± I said, cing a listening device beneath the countertop. I rummaged through my bag, found a small CCTV camera and pinned it on my tactical gear. Cristos needed to see what we saw. I walked towards the basement door and noticed Chef standing beside it. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going toe with?¡± ¡°I dislike basements,¡± he admitted. For such a big man, he had so many aversions. ¡°I¡¯ll just stay up here, if you guys don¡¯t mind, and guard the door for you.¡± That sounded good. ¡°You¡¯re right. We need someone to guard the door,¡± I said. ¡°Holler if there¡¯s a problem. Gun?¡± He patted the vest of knives he was wearing. ¡°I¡¯m all set,¡± he said, then pointed at the dead bodies on the floor. ¡°If I need a gun, I¡¯ll just borrow his.¡± 2/6 CHAPTER 120 Basement Alrighty then. I quickly went down the stairs to find a slightly opened steel door. No wonder De Luca left Sebastian on his own. He was preupied with picking the lock. I coughed, covering my nose with my hand. The smelling from the room was horrible, like something died down here. I swung the door open to air out the room and gasped in horror to find a young girl lying naked on a king sized bed with her arms hanging above her head, chained to the wall. The room was dank, dirty and dim with h orizontal slit-type windows. As I approached the bed, I noticed she had blonde hair just like Joy¡¯s. The hairs on my arm quickly stood up as I imagined the horror of Joy chained up like this inside this smelly dirty room at the mercy of Pete. As De Luca picked the lock of the padlock on the chain around the girl¡¯s wrists, I helped Sebastian cover the girl with the soiled bed sheets she was lying on. She had many bruises. and wounds over her body. Aside from the bed and the girl, there was nothing else in here, not even a chair. ¡°Do you have any water?¡± Sebastian asked. ¡°She¡¯s dehydrated.¡± I nodded my head and rummaged through my backpack without saying a word, still in shoc to find a young girl in such a distressing state. I took out my water bottle, then leaned over to check her pulse. It was faint and erratic. She was near death. I lifted her head gently and ced a few drops on her pale chapped lips. I saw her pink tongue lick the water from her lips. ¡°More,¡± she whispered. I raised her head, ced the spout of my water bottle in her mouth and allowed her to sip. After drinking, she opened her eyes a little. The skin around her eyes were bruised and she smelled of her own urine and feces. I felt so angry. Pete had no right to this to these girls. ¡°Just a bit more and I¡¯m done. There you go. Free,¡± De Luca said, finally unlocking the padlock and unchaining the small wrists of the young girl. Her hands dropped on the bed. She didn¡¯t have any strength left. 3/6 CHAPTER 120 Basement ¡°Are you the police?¡± She asked in a hushed voice. ¡°Not exactly,¡± I answered. ¡°But we¡¯re going to take you home. I promise.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she murmured, before fainting. I picked her up from the bed and handed her to De Luca. ¡°Chef is waiting upstairs,¡± I said.. ¡°Take her to Mandan and tell the Doc to patch her up. S, you go with her. I¡¯m going to install a CCTV in here, then I¡¯m going to take a look around.¡± ¡°No, I want to-¡± Sebastian protested, but I cut him off. ¡°What I need you to do is be with her and gain her trust,¡± I told him. ¡°Besides, look at yourself. You¡¯re bleeding all over the ce. You really need to go and see Doc.¡± Sebastian nodded his head and gestured to De Luca to follow him. I took a small portable drill from my backpack, drilled through the wall fronting the bed and ced a small camera inside the hole I created. Then, I quickly ced a few listening devices underneath the bed. I was cing a bug on the headboard of the bed when I noticed a small button beside it. I pushed it. The wall on the right side of the bed swung open. Inside was a cage with a women lying in the center. Unlike the other girl, she had a thin white night gown on. She also had blonde hair just like Joy¡¯s. She was tall and thin, bruises all over her arms and legs¡­ and she wasn¡¯t moving. I unhooked my small pouch of tools from my belt and picked the lock. After several moments, I was able to open the cage. I checked for a pulse and let out a sigh of relief when I found one. It was strong. ¡°I¡¯m thirsty,¡± she moaned. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I asked, grabbing my water bottle from the side pocket of my bag and wetting her lips. She licked her lips then opened her eyes. I noticed they were blue just like Joy¡¯s eyes. I moved her hair away from her face. Although her eyes and hair were like Joy¡¯s, she didn¡¯t look like her. 4/6 CHAPTER 120 Basement ¡°Cris, stop ying. I¡¯m Virtue,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Why did you leave me locked up for days. Did you forget about me?¡±¡± The hairs on my arm stood up again. All this time, Pete and Cris were fulfilling a fantasy. A sick, twisted fantasy where they brutalized Virtue over and over again. All this while, we were focusing on Pete, thinking Cris was just his wingman. He was ying all of us for fools. Cris wasn¡¯t m entally ill. It was just a ploy. I lifted the girl in my arms. Just like the first one, she was light as a feather and smelled like urine. I headed towards the door and quickly went up the steps to find Chef waiting. ¡°Take the girl and leave,¡± I instructed Chef. ¡°I¡¯m going to do more snooping around.¡± ¡°The men have rigged the gates to the mansion with explosives,¡± he said, handing me a detonator before taking the girl. ¡°That will buy you some time.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± I said. ¡°Keep me posted.¡± He nodded his head and left. ¡°Dina, I want you to check on Cris Murdock. I¡¯ve been too focused on another that I forgot about him,¡± I said, heading towards the study of the mansion. On the blueprint, the office was near the stairs. ¡°Actually, Primo has been keeping a close watch on Cris Murdock, X. He believes Cris is sti in contact with Pete,¡± Dina answered. ¡°Anyway, we saw Cris standing in front of the pub through CCTV. Primo thought it odd, so he called the Blood Disciples posing as Bo employees toe to the pub for drinks,¡± Dina answered. Good. At least Cristos wasn¡¯t as reckless as Sebastian. As I walked through the mansion, I was fighting the urge to set the ce on fire. But if I did, Pete wouldn¡¯te back. I wanted him to return, so I could personally shoot him myself. I found the office and like the coroner¡¯s, it was empty. Unfortunately, there was no switch or anything to indicate a hidden room behind a wall. I noticed the rug underneath the table. Unlike the rugs in the living room, this one didn¡¯t have any stic on it. I pushed the table and chair aside and rolled the rug up. The so nofabitch had a hidden basement door. 5/6 CHAPTER 120 Basement However, this didn¡¯t lead to the room where we found the two girls. This was an entirely different section. I was about to open it when I heard static fill my earpiece. ¡°X, we got a couple of bogeys headed your way, moving fast. ETA seven minutes,¡± Dina said. 1 switcheds to speak with my driver. ¡°I need you to stall the vehicles heading towards the mansion. Heughed. My driver was ex-military and was waiting for an opportunity to cause mayhem. ¡°By all means, X. Chapter Comments POST COMMENT NOW SHARE Chapter 121 CHAPTER 121 The World Has Seen Joy my pillow, I woke up to the sound of someone knocking on the door. I covered my head with praying the sound would just go away. too The knocking, however, turned into incessant banging. I quickly sat up, my tussled hair falling over my face as I scowled. ¡°I¡¯m up, I¡¯m up!¡± I yelled, hoping the sound of my voice was good enough to stop whoever was on the other side of my door. But it wasn¡¯t. The banging continued. Wait just a second¡­ If I was at home, why would someone be banging on my door? I flipped my hair away from my face and opened my sleepy eyes¡­ just a tiny bit¡­ and realized I was in my office. I forgot. Cristos stowed me away in one of Bo¡¯s delivery trucks after Xavier sessfully rescued Sebastian from the Huff Hills mansion. He told me to spend the night at my shop because going home was way too risky. I slipped into my bunny slippers, groggily walked towards the door and slightly opened it, peeking through the tiny slit with one eye open. It was Xavier still dressed in his tactical gear. He must have just arrived back from Bismarck. I swung the door open and allowed him to enter ¡°The hero¡¯s finally back. What time is it anyway?¡± I asked, walking back to the sofa so I could go back to sleep. ¡°Almost two in the morning I think,¡± he said, entering my office and closing the door behind him. ¡°Sorry to wake you, but I need you to get dressed ande with me.¡± I stopped by the side of my sofa and sniffed. He smelled like smoke and urine. ¡°You smell funny,¡± I said, yawning. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go take a shower ande sleep with me.¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to, but we have somewhere to go,¡± Xavier said.¡± Come on, Virtue. Be a good girl and CHAPTER 121 The World Has Seen ¡°Someone¡¯s waiting for me at two in the morning?¡± I asked, sounding skeptical. I was fully awake now. Maybe it was my dad? Or maybe my mom? ¡°Yes¡­ and no, it isn¡¯t your parents,¡± he answered, reading my mind. I pointed at the direction of the warehouse thinking that someone was waiting for me in his office, but he shook his head. ¡°Where then?¡± I asked. ¡°Mandan HQ,¡± Xavier answered. ¡°I, uhm, I did something incredibly st upid¡­ out of anger. I¡¯m terribly sorry that I did this to you¡­ Unfortunately, there¡¯s no turning back now.¡± He sighed, apparently frustrated, like a heavy burdeny on his shoulders. What was he talking about? He was speaking in riddles. I shrugged. The man in front of me was Xavier, the hero. I wanted to hug him for saving Sebastian, but he smelled awful. He was actually already starting to stink up my office. ¡°Do we have to do this now?¡± I protested. ¡°Yes. We need a decision from you now. Chip and Dom are waiting. While you get dressed, I¡¯m going to take a quick shower. I¡¯ll meet you outside.¡± He turned and left. After spritzing my office with air freshener. I went to the bathroom to wash my face and my business. Then, I put on a pair of jeans and a in white T-shirt, then twisted my into a messy bun. After putting on a pair of white sneakers, I grabbed everything I need ced the items in a small tote bag and went to the warehouse through the wall panel. Xavier was already waiting for me beside a ck BMW holding two disposable cups of coffee and a paper bag, his hair still damp from his shower. He was wearing a dark blue T-shirt, ck jeans, and a shiny pair of ck boots. I stopped and looked down at what I was wearing. He looked dressed up considering he was only wearing a in shirt and jeans. ¡°Should I change?¡± I asked. ¡°No, you¡¯re beautiful,¡± Xavier said, walking towards me and giving me a kiss on my forehead. ¡°Coffee and donuts for my queen.¡± He lifted the bag in front of me then pointed at the car. ¡°As well as a chariot, my queen.¡± ¡°Seriously? A ck BMW?¡± I asked, my eyebrow raised while I took a cup off coffee from hi 12:02 Mon, Apr 1 CHAPTER 121 The World Has Seen and the paper bag. My stomach suddenly grumbled at the mention of donuts. I was hungry. ¡°People will think it¡¯s Liam driving at this ungodly hour and won¡¯t even dare try to stop us, he replied, gesturing to the passenger side of the car. ¡°Get in. Chip is getting antsy and as for my coffee, Dom, well, let¡¯s just say he¡¯ll feel much better with you by his side.¡± I took a sip of realizing it was my favorite¡­ a cappino. I closed my eyes in bliss, savoring its delightful cin namon vor. ¡°Mmmmm¡­ perfect,¡± I purred before opening the car door. After I was seatedfortably inside, Xavier turned on the ignition, clicked on his small remote, opening the giant warehouse doors in front of us, and drove off. ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked as we exited the boundary of New Salem. ¡°Mandan HQ, sleepyhead,¡± he answered, chuckling. Oops. ¡°I drove here toe and get you after Chip told me he sent you here through a delivery truck of mine.¡± I noticed the angry tone in his voice. ¡°I had thought he would listen to me after I explicitly told him not to leave your side. But what does he do? He sends you back here¡­ alone.¡± ¡°Bo, I was tired and needed to get some sleep. You¡¯ve seen Chip¡¯s office¡­ it doesn¡¯t have anything to sleep on,¡± I argued. ¡°Then he should have gone with you¡­period, Xavier argued back. ¡°We can¡¯t afford to be reckless anymore. If anything were to happen to you, I know I won¡¯t be able to stop mysel ¡°You won¡¯t be able to stop yourself from what?¡± ¡°From killing everyone in New Salem, that¡¯s what,¡± he admitted. ¡°All this is getting ridiculous. Dom¡¯s hurt, you¡¯re engaged to a man who raped you, there¡¯s an angry underboss hunting you down and there¡¯s an unknown capo who¡¯s an even bigger threat to all of us because we don¡¯t know who the hell he is. It¡¯s getting dangerous and I don¡¯t know if I still have it in me to wait until the Spring Formal. I¡¯m on edge¡­ this fear I feel is beginning to swallow me whole. You know me¡­ I¡¯m usually as cool as a cucumber, but tonight, I couldn¡¯t stop myself. I gave in to the fear¡­ and my anger. ¡°Bo, you¡¯ve been speaking in riddles since you woke me up. What are you talking about?¡± I asked, confused. ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± 3/5 ¡°No, Bo. You woke me up at two in the morning, so you owe me an exnation,¡± I said, CHAPTER 121 The World Has Seen turning in my seat to look at him. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just say it? Hmm¡­. Everything is my fault. Yep, I was the one who got everyone into this mess. But I just wanted to stop them from hurting more people. Sure, it may include making them pay for all the pain they¡¯ve caused me, but I deserve it.¡±I pointed to my face. ¡°You probably think just because I¡¯m beautiful now that I¡¯m okay. No, Bo. I am not okay and will never be okay until I get the justice those pr icks owe me.¡± I turned around to look out through the window hoping he wouldn¡¯t notice the angry tears that were about to fall. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to continue with what we first set out to do, fine¡­ all of you can go home. I¡¯ll do this myself.¡± ¡°Joy,¡± he uttered, reverting to my real name. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant and you know it. I just want to be done with this whole masquerade. You know what I want to do? I want to grab a gun and just shoot all of them in the head. Including Veronica Ortiz. That b itch was in on this the whole time. She earned money from all those sick m otherf uckers who like watching all that horrible stuff happen to all those girls Pete and Cris abducted. When we¡¯re done with New Salem, I¡¯m going to Houston to make a house call.¡± I turned my head to look at him, a stunned expression on my face. ¡°What do you mean she earned money?¡± I asked, urging him to exin. He sighed. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°I found a hidden basement door in Pete¡¯s office at Huff Hills mansion. It was filled with monitors and computers. I had Dina check it out and there were tons of videos of women being ng sexually abused, mostly by a tall man wearing a ck hood over his face. The server transmitted all the feed to a site found on the dark web that caters to all these sick f ucks all over the world. From what Dina was able to pull out from the data of the million subscribers who pay to watch, it showed Veronica Ortiz has earned hundreds of that¡¯s not including the fee from the feed they send to their VIPS.¡± I saw him ope to say more, but he hesitated. ¡°Xavier,¡± I said, using his name, ¡°what else did you find?¡± I saw him inhale deeply ther exhale. There was more bad news. nd ¡°W-We, uhm, actually, Dina found the video of your assault. You were one of their first celebrities. Of course, I had her delete it. But there might be copies of it lying around. somewhere. Who knows what these sick f ucks have done with it!¡± I heard the stone cold fury in Xavier¡¯s voice. He must have seen it. No wonder he said he wasn¡¯t able to control himself. I, too, felt my anger bubble up inside me. Not only did I have to suffer through the agonizing experience, those as sholes took a video and distributed it to their sick pals¡­ for a price! The world has seen what those a ssholes did to me¡­ and loved it! I wanted to scream. 4/5 CHAPTER 121 The World Has Seen My hands clenched into fists as my rage took over me. I punched the dashboard of the car over and over again. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Joy. This is why I wanted to tell you at headquarters,¡± Xavier said meekly, maneuvering the car into what appeared as a neglectedpound with a big warehouse and a rundown building beside it. ¡°Whatever rage you¡¯re feeling right now, feed off it and channel it towards the person I want you to see.¡± The doors of the warehouse opened, allowing Xavier to park inside. After he had turned off the ignition, I ced a hand on his to stop him from exiting the car. There was something I needed to know, ¡°See who, Xavier?¡± I asked. ¡°Is it Pete?¡± Chapter Comments Morgan cup of coffee Morgan mother of all cliffhangers!! VIEW ALL 3 COMMENTS > 5 POST COMMENT 5/5 Chapter 122 CHAPTER 122 Cris Murdock is Dead Joy ¡°Nope, it¡¯s not Pete,¡± Xavier said, taking his gun out of the glovepartment and clipping the holster onto his belt. ¡°But he¡¯s here¡­ somewhere. So you know what that means¡­ We need to stay vignt at all times.¡± He exited the car, then came to my door to assist me out from the BMW. ¡°Let¡¯s eat first. I told Chef you wereing to HQ and he cooked your favorite. Baked ziti and honey-zed chicken.¡± I squealed happily. This was such a good surprise. Chef was here¡­ in North Dakota. While the rest of us called him Chef, Sebastian called him Cook. This was because Chef was Sebastian¡¯s best cook¡­in hisboratory. If Chef wasn¡¯t in the kitchen or in ab cooking, he was usually busy torturing or disemboweling some poor soul at Sebastian¡¯s Meat Shop. He loathed guns, loved knives and his favorite topics of conversation were the ¡®Sinct Art of Knives¡¯ and The Exact Science of Torture¡¯. He was a heavyset, bull-necked man, really muscr, whose fashion staple was the muscle shirt¡­ to showcase the tattoo of an image of his mother on his arm. He looked quite intimidating, but Chef was a big scaredy cat¡­ spiders and co ckroaches included. ¡°Oh my gosh! Chef¡¯s here!¡± I jumped up and down excitedly. ¡°I really miss his cooking!¡± ¡°Oh please,¡± Xavier said, sounding jealous. ¡°You eat his gourmet pizza and croissants all the time. Who do you think cooks all that stuff? Me?¡± ¡°Well, I know it isn¡¯t Cristos,¡± I said, giggling. ¡°No wonder you only serve croissants and gourmet pizza twice a week at the cafe.¡± Xavier chuckled. ¡°Chef rides in the back of the delivery truck andes in early in the morning to make the croissants just for you.¡± He pointed to a pair of steel doors and took my hand. ¡°Right this way, my queen.¡± From outside, the warehouse looked dpidated and small, but inside, it waspletely renovated andrger than I pictured. ¡°This section of the warehouse is the designated parking area,¡± Xavier said, acting like a tour guide. My eyes quickly surveyed therge assortment of vehicles parked side by side and 1/7 CHAPTER 122 Cris Murdock is Dead corner. It had a big white X taped on the rear window. Xavier rushed ahead of me to open the steel doors. I thanked him and found myself standing in a well- lit hallway. ¡°This section is mainly office space, additional rooms for the men and storage,¡± Xavier exined briefly. ¡°The makeshift bedrooms are located at the far end of the warehouse to give people their privacy.¡± Xavier proceeded down the hallway towards another set of steel doors. ¡°Is that thest pair of steel doors we need to walk through?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Xavier answered. ¡°You must be hungry. Come on. We¡¯re almost there.¡± There was one particr room that caught my attention, a room with ss walls, where several Blood Disciples were watching the live feeding from CCTV cameras monitors. on ¡°This is now a 24/7 operation,¡± Xavier exined ¡°I have my men watching round the clock.¡± Finally, Xavier opened thest set of steel doors revealing a narrow concrete pathway which led to the rundown building I saw as we were driving to the warehouse. The windows and ss doors were covered with old nks of wood, the building had vines. climbing its walls while the flower beds were either full of weeds or full of murky green Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. water. I nced at Xavier as we stopped in front of the building¡¯s entrance, puzzled we would be eating here. ¡°We¡¯re going to eat in there?¡± Before Xavier could answer me, the front doors of the building suddenly flung open. Cristos had been waiting for us. ¡°Oh, thank Go d, you¡¯re okay,¡± Cristos eximed, ushering us inside. I was stunned to see that inside was quite the opposite of the outside. Inside, the building looked like a small hotel. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± I asked him. ¡°Because the person beside you said you¡¯re in danger, Cristos replied dryly. ¡°Sometimes you go too far. Xavier¡± I quickly assumed this was a safe space since they were using their real2/7 CHAPTER 122 Cris Murdock is Dead at least called me to tell me she was fine. Xavier scoffed at him. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have horrifying visions in your head if you had gone with her like I told you to do, Xavier said, walking to the lounge area. ¡°If I didn¡¯t call, it¡¯s because I wanted you to feel what I felt when you told me you sent her to themercialplex so she could get some sleep¡­ alone.¡± ¡°You guys do know the person you¡¯re talking about is here with you, right?¡± I said, trying to dispel the animosity between them. ¡°As you both can see, I¡¯m fine. I followed all of Cristos¡¯ instructions, Xavier. I didn¡¯t turn on the lights in the shop just in case there¡¯s a c rack between the windows and the steel coiling door and I went straight to my office and locked the door¡­ after taking a shower and brushing my teeth. By the way, where¡¯s Sebastian?¡± I sniffed and caught a whiff of garlic bread. Yummy. ¡°He¡¯s in the in infirmary, knocked out by the painkillers Doc gave him after he stitched him up, Cristos answered. He shook his head and waved his hands in the air, not wanting to be distracted from the ensuing argument he and Xavier were having. ¡°What is the problem, anyway, Xavier? If I didn¡¯t-¡± ¡°Cristos, if you don¡¯t mind, let Joy eat first, then we can continue this conversation, Xavier said. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m hungry.¡± Cristos scowled at Xavier for cutting him off, but nodded his head, gesturing towards the dining area. Chef was all smiles when I took a seat at a small table. He ced arge helping of baked ziti and a tter of zed chicken in front of me then poured me a ss of red wine. ¡°I was wondering when I¡¯d finally get to see you Chef said while we ate. ¡°I¡¯ve constantly asked the three underbosses to bring you for a visit, but Beaufort said it¡¯s too much of a risk. I thought it was just an excuse to keep you from me, but the men watching your old home have said they¡¯ve seen someone frequenting your neighborhood. Unfortunately, they can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s a woman or a man. So, since the old lady living in the house in the middle of your cul de sac is entering a nursing home and selling her house, I¡¯ll be buying it. I¡¯ll be dying my hair white to look like an old geezer, so no one will think I¡¯m a mean mo therf ucker.¡± ¡°So we¡¯re gonna be neighbors? Can Ie to your house to have dinner? Please?¡± I asked hopefully. ¡°You cane every day. I¡¯ll feed you and keep you healthy,¡± Chef said winking, then left for the kitchen. 3/7 12:02 Mon, Apr 1 MG CHAPTER 122 Cris Murdock is Dead ¡°At least if I tell Chef to never leave your side, he¡¯ll listen to me, unlike someone else I know,¡± Xavier mumbled. I rolled my eyes. The sh wasn¡¯t over. ¡°Excuse me, but I wasn¡¯t the one who came into the pub, all guns zing, without a mask on!¡± Cristos eximed angrily. ¡°Admit it, Xavier, if I didn¡¯t keep the pub open, you would cover and this have gone to his house and would have done the same to him¡­ Blowing your whole operation we have going. At least, it happened in my pub without any witnesses!¡± ¡°Yep, it happened in your pub without any helping from you, thank you very much,¡± Xavier replied curtly. ¡°Oh yes, I did help you,¡± Cristos mumbled ¡°I kept himfortable until you got there. But you¡¯re missing the point. You have to learn to control your emotions, Xavier!¡± ¡°Woah! I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m confused,¡± I interrupted. ¡°What happened when I left the pub?¡± Through the CCTV feed, I remember seeing Cris entering the Buzzed Pub without Lisa, dressed in casual attire with a cap hiding his face. He tried to go incognito, but he was so tall. It wasn¡¯t much of a disguise. After Cris walked in, Cristos told me to change into coveralls Bo¡¯s delivery men wore and ride with them back to themercialplex. ¡°Cris came in and told me he just wanted to drink alone. He ordered a bottle of scotch and asked for a bucket of ice and a small ss. Since the pub was empty because of the vigil Patrick and Beth had the night off, I tended to the bar watching him drink, shot after sh was about to ask him to go home when I got a message from Xavier asking me if I knew where Cris was since Dina mentioned we saw him standing outside. I told Xavier that Cris was a at the pub, alone, drinking himself into a stupor. ¡°To cut the story short,¡± Xavier interjected, ¡°I went to the pub and beat the cr ap out of him. While he was lying on the floor, I aimed my gun at him, about to pull the trigger, when he uttered the name Bo. I was filled with such rage from watching the video of your assault that I forgot to hide my face. As I told you earlier, Joy, I was incredibly st upid and rash. But it¡¯s toote now. He¡¯s seen my face and knows who I am.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re telling me the person waiting for me is Cris Murdock?¡± I asked surprised. ¡°Yes,¡± Xavier answered. ¡°We need you to make the decision to kill him or keep him prisoner. Cristos wants to keep him prisoner, so we can use him. I say kill him since he¡¯ll use every opportunity to bury us. Sebastian, on the other hand, said it was in our best interests to ask you to decide¡­ right before he cked out. Anyway, before you make that decision, I want you to see him. I¡¯ll be right beside you.¡± 4/7 CHAPTER 122 Cris Murdock is Dead ¡°Me too,¡± Cristos uttered. ¡°No,¡± Xavier said. ¡°You might stop me from shooting him in the head. By the find anything on his phone that will lead us to Pete?¡± ¡°Dina¡¯s working on it,¡± Cristos replied. ¡°What about his car?¡± way, did you ¡°I have Sam and Lou cleaning the car. They¡¯ve removed all trackers including a tracker that isn¡¯t ours, disabled the GPS system, removed the SD card from the dashcam and have deleted all footage,¡± Xavier said. ¡°Jack will find Cris¡¯ car somewhere in Bismarck with his clothes and shoes stuffed in the back of the trunk.¡± While they discussed where to dump Cris¡¯ body if ever I decide we should kill him, I sat quietly, sipping the rest of my wine, deciding whether or not we should kill him. ¡°Joy, you ready?¡± Xavier asked. I nodded my head. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s get you a weapon.¡± ¡°No need,¡± I told him. ¡°I brought my own.¡± I opened my tote bag, took out my glock 17, and clipped the holster to the waistband of my pants. ¡°Good enough,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Cristos, you watch from the monitors.¡± We left the rundown building and walked towards the warehouse, but this time, we went down a flight of stairs through a hatch at the side of the building. ¡°This serves as a basement for when a tornadoes,¡± Xavier exined, turning the light on. It was a clean open space without furniture. At the end were two doors of two small rooms fronting each other. He led me to the doors and stopped. ¡°That¡¯s the bathroom while this is the storage room. We had no other ce to put him.¡± He took his gun from its holster before opening the door and turning the lights on. I saw a bloodied Cris, on the floor naked, cuffed to a set of steel shelves that were screwed on to the floor. He was conscious, with one eye open. The other eye was swollen, with dried blood around it. ¡°Hello, Cris,¡± Xavier said ushering me inside. It smelled of urine. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you¡¯ve pi ss ed yourself. It doesn¡¯t feel good to be the one on the receiving end, huh, Cris?¡± ¡°Why is she here?¡± Cris croaked. 5/7 CHAPTER 122 Cris Murdock is Dead ¡°What? You¡¯re embarrassed?¡± Xavier asked amused. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell her what you sick f ucks have been doing at Huff Hills? No? Fine, I¡¯ll tell her.¡± ¡°Tell me what?¡± I asked. ¡°He and his bestfriend Pete have been kidnapping young girls who look just like you, same color hair and same blue eyes, locking them up in a basement, then filming them while they sexually abuse them. Sick world we live in right, Joy?¡± ¡°Joy?¡± Cris asked, puzzled. ¡°But her name is Virtue-¡± ¡°My name is Joy Taylor,¡± I said, correcting him. ¡°Where¡¯s Pete, Cris?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be Joy,¡± Cris said. ¡°Joy Taylor had brown hair and blue-green eyes. She was as thin as a toothpick and had a nose that stuck out like Pinhio.¡± ¡°That was before you guys ruined my face,¡± I said. ¡°Tell me, where¡¯s Pete? You answer me and I¡¯ll have Bo here let you go.¡± Cris stared at me with his one eye, looking at me like I was a joke. The small room was suddenly filled with the sound of hisughter. Obviously, he was mocking me. ¡°You guys are going to let me go?¡± Cris eximed, his voice full of malice. ¡°Yup, you must be think your Joy Taylor alright¡­ because she was one st upid bit ch. You know what I think, you must be came back because you missed me. Admit it, Joy.. you miss my big co ck. That¡¯s right, I wa the one who took your virginity. I remember you were so tight. And your screams were the sweetest among all the girls I¡¯ve f ucked.¡± He smiled wickedly. ¡°Look at that, Joy, I¡¯m getting hard from just remembering that night. Sure, I¡¯ve been fantasizing raping Virtue, but to do you again, well, that would be extraordinary. Pete regrets not doing you, but apparently luck is on his side, because he¡¯s going to get his chance!¡± I saw red. I took my gun from its holster, quickly aimed it at his chest and squeezed the trigger. I shot at him, over and over again, until my ammo ran out. I just kept squeezing the trigger, not noticing the clicking sounds my gun was making since there were no bullets left. Xavier took the gun from my hands and caressed my cheek. ¡°Sshhhh¡­ He¡¯s never going to hurt you again,¡± He said, taking me in his arms.¡± You killed him. Cris Murdock is dead¡± 6/7 12:02 Mon, Apr 1 CHAPTER 122 Cris Murdock is Dead We left Cris¡¯ bullet-riddled corpse for the men to clean up. It felt good to kill him. I felt good. I was finally getting what I deserved. We found a smiling Cristos waiting for us beside the hatch as we exited the basement. ¡°Dina found something. We might have a location.¡± Chapter Comments Elizabeth Johnson POST COMMENT I really like this book and Im so d Joy has started to get her revenge but please it is going so slow. Did we really need to give her a tour of the facility and lunch????? VIEW 1 COMMENT? 65 7/7 Chapter 123 Check 123 Decoded Joy ¡°You might have a location?¡± I asked, not wanting to get my hopes up. ¡°Lou found a burner phone in Cris¡¯s glovepartment and gave it to Dina for processing,¡± Cristos said. ¡°There were several numbers found, but the most recent calls made were from three numbers, all prepaid and were all bought from one store.¡± ¡°And?¡± Xavier asked impatiently. ¡°And the store is in Houston, Texas where the headquarters of the Angels of Darkness is located, Cristos said. ¡°Unfortunately, everything was paid in cash, but the store has a CCTV camera. Dina is hacking into their system as we speak. ¡°When was the purchase made?¡± Xavier asked, leading us back to the rundown building. ¡°About two days ago,¡± Cristos said. ¡°That¡¯s two days unounted for,¡± Xavier replied. ¡°Flight from Houston to Bismarck is approximately three hours. He could have flown back here the same day he made that purchase. Plus, we don¡¯t have any evidence proving it was Pete who made the purchase or even called Cris in the first ce¡­ which again leaves us with absolutely nothing. Good work, Cristos,¡± Xavier remarked dryly as he entered the rundown building and headed towards the lounge area. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I failed you, kind sir, but that gives us a lead. When Dina gets the image of the person who bought the phones, she will then match the biometrics of that person to the people at the airport, train stations and bus terminals from the time Pete left New Salem. If she gets a match, she will take note of the date and time of arrival and search for a name through the manifest.¡± ¡°Tell Dina to do away with bus terminals and train stations to narrow down the scope of her search,¡° Xavier said, taking a seat on the long L-shaped leather couch of the lounge area. I sat beside him leaning back against the throw pillows blissfully. ¡°He¡¯s definitely traveling by ne. He doesn¡¯t have the luxury of spending a day travelling by car, bus or train. Any messages on Cris¡¯ burner phone?¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°Yes, but the messages are in code,¡± Cristos said. ¡°I¡¯ve got my team trying to break the code and piece all of this together-¡± 1/5 Check 123 Decoded Cristos abruptly stopped at the sound of footstepsing down the stairs. It was De Luca. ¡°IT, The Shadow, it¡¯s been a while since I saw youst,¡± De Luca greeted me. ¡°I heard you¡¯re engaged. Congrattions!¡± I smiled at him and he winked at me. ¡°What is it, De Luca?¡± Cristos asked, annoyed by his interruption. are sti ¡°I know you guys sour at me for leaving Domenico, but I was trying to save a poor girl chained to a wall,¡± De Luca said, feeling quite the hero. ¡°Anyway, I forgot to give this to you. I found this in the trash in that office at Huff Hills.¡± He pulled a folded piece. from his pocket. ¡°It¡¯s a flight itinerary for a Luis Villegas. of paper ¡°Let me see that,¡± Cristos sna tched it from him, took a quick picture of it, then quickly browsed through the printed document. ¡°I was in Chicago the same day this Luis Villegas arrived.¡± ¡°You were in Chicago?¡± De Luca asked, surprised. ¡°Yeah, I went with Dan to pick up the ring Liam sent him to buy. We so happened to bump into Noah and Nicole just outside of Tiffany¡¯s. Any one of the three could have gone to meet with Luis Villegas aka Pete McDowell,¡± Cristos murmured. ¡°It¡¯s a possibility,¡± Xavier said. ¡°I doubt it was Nicole though, because they banged her up pretty good.¡± ¡°That was the ident at the intersection?¡± I asked. ¡°We saw that through CCTV.¡± ¡°Yep, that was her. Link is with her while I have Max torturing the driver for information. If that doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll ask Chef to get the information out of him,¡± Xavier said sleepily. ¡°May I interrupt?¡± De Luca asked. ¡°Domenico sent me back to California to get in touch with my asset in the FBI for information on the capo who fled Texas. Little is known about his whereabouts after he left Texas, but the capo¡¯s name was Luis Villegas. My asset said he was married however, there is no information if Luis Villegas had a child. My asset said this happened almost twenty-five years ago. ¡°Did your asset give you a picture of this Luis Villegas?¡± Cristos asked. ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s a picture of him when he was in his early twenties,¡± De Luca said, taking out his phone. He clicked on it and Cristos¡¯ phone pinged. ¡°He¡¯s light skinned with light brown hair ording to his file. He can pass as a Caucasian 2/5 12:03 Mon, Apr Check 123 Decoded with just a bit of work done,¡± Cristos said. ¡°He also has a clean rap sheet before murdering one of his own, a cousin of Ortiz. No wonder he ran.¡± ¡°Let me take a look at that,¡± Xavier said. Cristos clicked on his phone sending the photo to Xavier. ¡°If this photo was taken when he was twenty-three that makes him forty-eight today.¡± Xavier squinted his eyes trying to imagine what Luis Villegas would look like in histte forties. He shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t recognize him from any of the townsfolk. If he ran, that means either they betrayed him or he betrayed them. But the McDowells followed him to North Dakota, meaning there¡¯s a level of trust between them. There¡¯s something here that. we¡¯re all missing.¡± ¡°Well, if Pete¡¯s using the name Luis Villegas, it¡¯s for a reason,¡± I said. ¡°Maybe Luis Villegas was betrayed by his own. Because the way Pete¡¯s twisted mind works, everyone against him is a traitor.¡± ¡°Here, Joy, take a look,¡± Xavier said, handing me his phone. ¡°Maybe you know him. You¡¯ve lived in New Salem most of your early life.¡± I took Xavier¡¯s phone and stared at the photo of the man named Luis Villegas. It was a ck and white photo of a man who had chubby cheeks, a moustache and long hair. I shook my head. I didn¡¯t recognize him. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen that man before,¡± I told them. ¡°Maybe he didn¡¯t move to New Salem with his wife, maybe he lives in Bismarck or Mandan.¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Cristos said, clicking on his phone. ¡°Maybe the McDowells, who were in Or favor, was given permission to live among the Cohens.¡± He tapped on his phone onest time and smiled. ¡°I sent the information to Dina. I hope she can find something while I help decode those messages. The door to the building suddenly opened and in came one of Xavier¡¯s men, panting.¡± ¡°There¡¯s movement near the Cohen Mansion at an old barn.¡± Xavier quickly stood up. ¡°Send the cleaners to the basement and tell them to bury the body. where no one will find it,¡± Xavier instructed him, ¡°Cristos, I¡¯ll leave it up to you to find whatever you can on this Luis Villegas. There¡¯s something that doesn¡¯t add up.¡± ¡°Who died and made you king?¡± Cristos scoffed, standing up as well. Xavier red at him. ¡°This isn¡¯t about being ¡°boss¡±,¡± Xavier said. ¡°My priority is keeping everyone safe. Cristos, you¡¯re good withputers, with finding and gathering data¡­ Right now, I need you to find. and gather the intel we need. You were right thinking a war ising. it is. If my 3/5 12:03 Mon, Apr 1 Mu Check 123 Decoded assumptions are correct, Pete thinks De Vega is behind everything happening in New Salem. He will attempt to ambush De Vega and take his territory in exchange for his life. This is why I need you and Dina to follow the bread crumbs Luis Villegas leaves behind. Right now, what we do know for certain is that he was in Chicago the same time you, Noah and Dan were. He might have been stalking you without you even realizing he was there. Joy, youing?¡± I nodded my head. I stood up and kissed De Luca on the cheek before following Xavier and Cristos to the warehouse. The door to the ss-walled room automatically slid open allowing the three of us to enter. ¡°What do you guys have for us?¡± Xavier asked, standing behind four men seated in front of the monitors. I squinted my eyes as I stared into the monitors. ¡°We only have one camera in the area and the images are obscured by the dark, but that right there is the Sheriff¡¯s patrol car,¡± one of them answered. ¡°At the Ol¡¯ Barn near Prairie Hill? That¡¯s Cohennd,¡± Xavier pointed out. ¡°What¡¯s he and his deputies doing there so early in the morning?¡± ¡°Looks like he¡¯s opening the ce up,¡± I said. ¡°My dad said back in the old days they used to hold parties there the night after the Honey Bee Spring Parade. I don¡¯t know how the Cohens acquired it, but when they did, that was the end of the Honey Bee Dance. The Cohens prohibited everyone from going near the Ol¡¯ Barn.¡± ¡°We need more cameras in that area. It seems they n to use the barn for something,¡± Xavier mumbled more to himself than to us. He was rubbing his chin with his fingers as he stared at the monitors, deep in thought. Suddenly, he jumped. ¡°Woah, what¡¯s that?¡± Xavier pointed to a pair of headlights entering New Salem from the highway. ¡°Zoom in on the license te. ¡°I don¡¯t know how-¡± ¡°Get out of that seat,¡± Cristos growled, shoving the Blood Disciple out of the chair and taking his ce. ¡°I¡¯ll have Lou bring a team of my men here.¡± A few clicks and an image of the license te popped up on the screen. ¡°I know this car,¡± Cristos said. ¡°It¡¯s Lisa¡¯s. It looks like she¡¯s headed towards the Sheriff¡¯s Station.¡± ¡°Is it possible to rewind the footage to see where she went?¡± I asked. 4/5 12:03 Mon, Apr 1 MUG Check 123 Decoded ¡°No need,¡± Xavier said, his eyes narrowing into slits. ¡°She¡¯ssdooking for Cris. Get the footage from Huff Hills and look for her face in the crowd.Ifsheisst there, she knows more than she¡¯s letting on.¡± Cristos chuckled. ¡°The poor little hacker can¡¯t find her husbond Mill the signals from all the tracking devices are jammed. Not even Jack can help her. All ofadden his phone rang. He answered it. ¡°Send me the decoded messages now. And who was st hac one who was able to cr ack the code? Yeah? And what do you want?¡± Cristos scratcheck its head and grimaced while handing his phone to Xavier. Xavier looked at the phone, puzzled. ¡°What?¡± It¡¯s K iki. Cristos said. K iki was Xavier¡¯s baby sister. ¡°She wants to talk to you I¡¯m sorry, Kavier. I promised to give anything to the one who c racks the code. She wentes in.¡± Chapter Comments POST COMMENT NOW 5/5 Chapter 124 The Joy of Revenge CHAPTER 124 Missing Person Lisa I was on the freeway, driving home from Bismarck, feeling utterly hopeless. It was almost four in the morning. I needed to get some sleep, but finding Cris was much more important. He was ruining himself with this obsession he had with whatever he and Pete were into. Last Saturday night, after the Miss Honey Bee pageant, I received a text message from Cris asking me to pick him up. I drove to Bismarck and found him standing on the side of the road beside Huff Hills mansion seemingly catatonic. Pete and I had to shove him into the backseat of my car just to get him inside. As I drove us back home, he just sat there, wide-eyed, looking extremely scared, uttering the words, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to, but she was so small, over and over again. ¡°You didn¡¯t mean to do what, Cris? And who was so small?¡± I asked, hoping the questions would help clear his head and snap him back to reality. But he ignored my questions and just continued saying those nine words over and over again. The next morning, I found him seated on the edge of his bed staring off into his space, pillow untouched, making it quite obvious he didn¡¯t sleep at all the night before. I tried to feed him and bathe him, but it was next to impossible. So I let him sit and stare, making a m ental note to have him admitted if things didn¡¯t get any better the next day. Yes, I did panic when Liam and Dan showed up unannounced at our doorstep, looking for Cris, but I also felt grateful. I had a feeling they knew how to help him and I was right. It only took Liam ten minutes to bring him back to his wits. I was relieved to hear Cris yelling again, however the words I heard him utter made me realize the Cris seated in his bedroom was no longer the Cris I fell in love with. He was this monster who kidnapped and raped women. I had thought the rape of Joy Taylor was a one time thing, unfortunately I was so wrong. Now, there was this mafia underboss named Alejandro De Vega of the East North Central States who wanted to exact vengeance because he and Pete couldn¡¯t handle rejection. This was more than I could handle. 1/6 CHAPTER 124 Missing Person ever happened. But when he came back home from Chimes, he was agitated and angry, like he was betrayed. I tried talking to him, but he told me he just wanted to be left alone. And that¡¯s what I did, I left him alone. What I should have done was have him admitted into the psychiatric ward, then I wouldn¡¯t be driving around town looking for him. Despite Theodore Cohen¡¯s death, my day was full of clients trying to sn atch up newly listed homes on the market. However, it was Bo¡¯s attorney, Lincoln Murphy, who caught my eye. He was dashing, very respectful and aplete gentleman. He bought the newly vacated McDowell residence without even negotiating the price. ¡°I¡¯ll take it it and whatever furniture is in it,¡± he said, writing me a check. ¡°I¡¯ll even add another hundred thousand dors if you can give me the keys by tonight.¡± ¡°Why would you want to move here?¡± I asked, suspiciously. ¡°Your practice is in Bismarck, right? I believe there are condominiums in the city better suited for someone like you.¡± He sighed. ¡°I¡¯m currently living in a condo,¡± he said. ¡°The view is amazing, I live with so many other people, but to tell you honestly, I feel so secluded, so alone.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s an easy fix,¡± I replied, smiling. ¡°You should make friends with some of your neighbors.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°And have them banging on my doorte at night when they want to drink? Nah. Better keep them at a safe distance, like the homes in Hignd Oaks. Houses are at a good distance. from each other, giving me all the privacy I need while the townsfolk will make me feel right at home.¡± I nodded my head, agreeing with what he said. I nced down at the form I had him fill up. ¡°It says here you¡¯re single,¡± I said, surprised. ¡°Why buy a house so big?¡± ¡°When I decide to start a family, I want everything in ce,¡± he answered. ¡°Big house with enough rooms and a big yard for the kids to y in. I think that¡¯s what all married couples want.¡± I grimaced, knowing I would never get that from the man I was married to. Cris Murdock was. a sick man, but I couldn¡¯t leave him without damaging his reputation in this town. Actually/6 CHAPTER 124 Missing Person leaving him would damage mine even more. ¡°By the way, any singledies here you can introduce me to?¡± He asked casually. ¡°Well, there¡¯s my bestfriend, Nicole Davis, and a woman who just moved in from Nevada. Her name is Virtue Sullivan,¡± I answered. ¡°I have another friend, Abigail Reynolds, but she¡¯s in the hospital.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already met Virtue Sullivan through Bo,¡± Lincoln Murphy said. ¡°She¡¯s extremely beautiful. She¡¯s, uhm, out of my league. But I¡¯m willing to meet your bestfriend when the time is right.¡± ¡°Sure, Mr. Murphy,¡± I replied. ¡°Link. You can call me Link.¡± Even his nickname was s exy. I wanted to kick myself. Here I was, a married woman, flirting with a handsome and witty man. I sighed. Cris used to be like that. Now, he was someone I didn¡¯t even know. y car in our After participating in the vigil, I went home exhausted. I was about to park my driveway when I noticed Cris¡¯ car was not in its usual spot. Where the f uck did he go? I rushed inside our house, grabbed myptop, and began tracking him through the small GPS trackers I ced in all his shoes as instructed by Liam. While his other pairs showed a green dot on my locator, there was no signaling from one pair. I began clicking away, trying to track his car. Same thing, no signal. I went through the town¡¯s CCTV feed and I found nothing. There was only one ce I knew he would go tote at night. I exited the house, dashed back into my car, and drove to Huff Hills. Last night, when he thought I was already sound asleep, he left the house. I tracked him down to the mansion on Huff Hills. I suspected he was meeting with Pete. I was about to call Liam and tell him about Criste night rendezvous, but decided to do it in the morning. 3/6 CHAPTER 124 Missing Person peeked inside Cris¡¯ room and saw him sleeping peacefully. I decided to let histe night excursion slide since it was his first offense. I promised I would tell Liam if he ever did it again. I decided to call Liam. Maybe he found out aboutst night and met up with Cris to reprimand him. At least knowing where he was would alleviate the worry in my heart. Liam answered after several rings. ¡°Liam, Cris is missing,¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯s what?!¡± Liam roared. Okay¡­ Liam wasn¡¯t with Cris. ¡°What about those tracking devices I told you to ce in his shoes?¡± ¡°The pair he¡¯s using isn¡¯t pinging me his location nor is his car,¡± I said. ¡°Signal¡¯s jammed,¡± Liam mumbled. ¡°Where are you?¡± I¡¯m on the freeway heading towards Huff Hills, I answered truthfully. ¡°It¡¯s the only ce I can think off. Most of the establishments in New Salem are closed.¡± ¡°Alright. If you find him, tell him if he wanders off again, I will kill him myself,¡± Liam growled before hanging up. As I reached the foot of the hills, I was shocked to see the police, the firemen and emerg medical services blocking the entrance to the prime neighborhood. I rolled down my window to speak to the nearest police officer. ¡°Ma¡¯am, this area has been sealed off from the public,¡± the police officer said. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Officer?¡± I asked. ¡°Groups of armed men were seen shooting at each other near Huff Hills Mansion¡± the officer said. ¡°For your safety, I urge you to go home.¡± ¡°But my husband is visiting a friend here,¡± I cried out. ¡°I¡¯vee to pick him up.¡± ¡°All residents have evacuated their homes,¡± the police officer said. ¡°You might want to head to City Hall and check the manifest. The people there will tell you where you can find your ¡®husband.¡± 4/6 CHAPTER 124 Missing Person hills. I parked my car to the side of the road and walked to a bunch of bystanders to get some information. ¡°I heard on the news police believe Huff Hills mansion was being used as a hideout by at group of drug dealers. I¡¯m guessing a deal went south. Only reason for them to kill each other,¡± I heard a man say as we watched from afar. ¡°They say there are dead bodies. everywhere.¡± I felt my heart constrict in my chest. It can¡¯t be possible¡­ As I continued to watch, I noticed several white vans with ¡®Medical Examiner¡¯ printed on their sides exit the police barricade from Huff Hills. I entered my vehicle and proceeded to follow the vans. I needed to know if Cris was a casualty. If he was dead, it would be painful, but I would ept it. At the morgue, I told them my story. They allowed me to look at the corpses to help identify my husband. Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t among the dead¡­ So where was he? I dialed the only person who I knew would help me. He wouldn¡¯t be too thrilled I was waking him up, but he was Cris¡¯ friend. Luckily, he answered right away. ¡°Lisa, shouldn¡¯t you be asleep?¡± Jack asked, yawning. Cris is missing, Jack,¡± I said as I exited the freeway to New Salem. ¡°I need your help in finding him.¡± ¡°When was thest time you saw him?¡± Jack asked. ¡°Yesterday morning before I went to work,¡± I answered. ¡°I drove to Bismarck looking for him at Pete¡¯s mansion on Huff Hills. Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t among the dead the police pulled out from that area.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°It has something to do about two rival groups shooting at each other,¡± I said. ¡°Something about drugs. Anyway, will you help me or not?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll help you, Lisa,¡± Jack said. ¡°Swing by the station, so you can fill up a missing. person¡¯s report.¡± 5/6 CHAPTER 124 Missing Person I heaved a huge sigh of relief. I still had someone on my side. My phone suddenly rang. The call was from an unknown number. I answered it thinking it was Cris. ¡°You won¡¯t find him,¡± a man¡¯s voice said. It sounded familiar. ¡°Who are you? What do you mean I won¡¯t find him?¡± I asked, panicking. ¡°De Vega swears it¡¯s not him. He even gave me a piece of information as a sign of goodwill,¡± the man said. ¡°What information?¡± I asked. ¡°Ortiz has sanctioned a hit¡­ a contract made with Joy Taylor.¡± Chapter Comments 4 POST COMMENT NOW 6/6 Chapter 125 The Joy of Revenge CHAPTER 125 Stale Donut Jack It was past four in the morning and I was still at the station. A lot has happened¡­ Theodore was dead, Nicole was in the hospital and now, Cris was mise I prayed next week would fly by smoothly, but I knew that wasn¡¯t going to happen. With all the festivities coming our way, it spelled disaster. I was seated at my desk, rubbing my eyes from all the paperwork I had to finish. The Sheriff and several of our trusted men were at the Ol¡¯ Barn near Prairie Hill setting it up for the meet tomorrow. F uck! I almost forgot about that. I was grabbing a cup of coffee and a stale donut when Lisa arrived. She looked distraught and clearly upset. Poor Lisa¡­ I decided to make her a cup of coffee too, hoping the bitter brew would help calm her nerves.. I gestured for her to grab a seat at my desk and wait for me. She nodded and sat down quietly, fidgeting with her phone. A couple of weeks ago, Cris was all about the election, but in a blink of an eye, he changed. The others believed it was all Pete¡¯s doing, but no, it was Cris. He was so into BDSM. Pete¡­. he was just a follower. For a man, nothing beats the feeling of an intense org asm and judging from the strained. rtionship between Cris and Lisa, I automatically assumed he wasn¡¯t getting it at home. He couldn¡¯t rough up his wife without people noticing. He had to get that gratifying feeling elsewhere. And with Pete by his side, that meant he had unlimited ess to most of the women who walked the face of the earth. I¡¯ve told the Sheriff repeatedly to keep a leash on Pete, but he said that was Cynthia and Theodore¡¯s department. Now that they were both gone, Pete didn¡¯t have anyone stopping him¡­ and that meant more for Cris. 1/5 CHAPTER 125 Stale Donut I was walking towards my desk when a loud so b broke the silence of the station. Norma Martin walked out from the waiting area near the holding cells and headed to the restroom. ¡°Hey Lisa,¡± I said, cing the disposable cup of coffee in front of her. ¡°Here, have some coffee. I¡¯d offer you a donut, but this was from yesterday.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, Jack. Thank you,¡± she said with a small smile and ced her shaking hands. around the cup. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Norma?¡± ¡°Ford was arrested for the murder of Theodore Cohen, I told her. ¡°There¡¯s substantial evidence pointing to him as the primary suspect. Her eyes widened in shock. ¡°B-but the Martins and the Cohens are close family friends, Jack. What reason could Ford possibly have for him to kill Theodore?¡± Lisa asked quietly. ¡°That¡¯s practically suicide.¡± ¡°He may not have a reason to kill Theodore, but Pete does. No doubt the Martins and the Cohens are tight, but the Martins have an even closer association with the McDowells. Cynthia bailed them out when they were on the verge of bankruptcy,¡± I replied. ¡°Yeah, I remember that,¡± Lisa said, nodding her head. Her family was well off too and of ant course knew the other rich folks of New Salem Norma asked my father to give h extension on her loan, but her request was denied. Right before the bank could release a foreclosure on their properties, she visited my father and dumped a bag full of cash on his desk. To this day, my father wondered where the Martins got all that money. Apparently, they got it from the McDowells. She sipped her coffee and grimaced. Oops. I pushed the packets of creamer and sugar in front of her. ¡°Liam is sueing the hospital for criminal negligence, but the hospital CEO is going to fight it.¡± I nced down at a sheet of paper on my desk and read the print. ¡°The hospital stresses the evidence obtained shows Ford Martin was coerced to kill Theodore Cohen by someone outside the hospital. Thus, this aggravating circumstance does not, in any way, reflect on his record as a nurse nor does it reflect on the health care the hospital provides. This was written by their medical- legal,¡± I said, noticing Norma hade out of the restroom. I coughed to change the subject. ¡°Have you heard Nicole is in the hospital?¡± Lisa shook her head ¡°No. What happened to her?¡± She asked. ¡°She was in a car ident at the intersection between Main and Prairie. She¡¯s stable, but she doesn¡¯t look too good.¡± ¡°Oh my gosh!¡± She eximed. ¡°I¡¯ll visit her first chance I get. Was it like Abigail¡¯s ident?2/5 O CHAPTER 125 Stale Donut ¡°No. She flew out through the windshield of her car. She was fortunate that there were people at the scene willing to help,¡± I replied, wanting to change the subject. The driver was still on the run and I felt guilty about that. ¡°So, you¡¯re here to file a missing person¡¯s report. I opened a drawer of my desk and took out a form. ¡°Usually you have to wait twenty-four you file hours before filing a report, but I haven¡¯t seen Cris for days. No one has. So, I¡¯ll the report now. To aid in our investigation, you also have to tell me everything and anything you can think of that¡¯s happened the past couple of days.¡± Lisa let go of her cup of coffee and began to fill up the form. ¡°Before I say anything, can you promise me you won¡¯t say anything to Liam?¡± She asked, her voice fully of worry. I sighed. This was going to be harder than I thought. ¡°I¡¯m going to be honest, Lisa. I won¡¯t say anything to Liam unless anything you say to me has a direct effect on him. If it doesn¡¯t, my lips are sealed,¡± I told her. ¡°If it does, I¡¯ll have to tell him.¡± way. ¡°You¡¯re a good man, Jack,¡± she said.¡± Actually, whatever I know won¡¯t affect Liam in any Well, Cris left New Salem the other night and headed to Huff Hills. I know this because Liam in had me ce GPS trackers in his shoes. I don¡¯t know what he did there. When I woke up theCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. morning, he was back in bed, sleeping. I, then, left for work and was out the whole day. I even went to the vigil.¡± ¡°Yes, I saw you there,¡± I said, confirming. ¡°By the time I got home, his car was gone. I tried locating him through GPS, but his trac didn¡¯t ping a location, nor did his car. So, I went to Huff Hills. When I got there, there we police, medical services and fire trucks barricading the entrance at the foot of the hills. ording to the police officer I spoke to, two rival groups were seen shooting at each othe I decided to park my car and join the crowd of bystanders to get information. That¡¯s where heard someone mention the police believe Huff Hills mansion was being used as a hideout by a group of drug dealers ¡°Then, what did you do?¡± ¡°1, uhm, followed the Medical Examiner vans to the morgue. He wasn¡¯t in any of the body bags.¡± ¡°How many dead?¡± I asked. ¡°ording to the medical examiner, seventeen. Ten at the mansion, seven along the road. leading to Huff Hills mansion,¡± she answered. ¡°After the morgue, I drove back here.¡± 3/5 11:49 Tue, Apr 2 G CHAPTER 125 Stale Donut ¡°Lisa, maybe fears. Cris wille home like he did the other night,¡± I said, hoping to ay her ¡°I haven¡¯t gone home to check if he¡¯s there, but jack, I couldn¡¯t locate him with the tracker I put inside his shoes. He doesn¡¯t even know I¡¯m tracking him,¡± she said. ¡°There is a possibility that he blocked the signal himself so no one could track him,¡± I muttered under my breath. She shook her head at the possibility. ¡°You don¡¯t know Cris like I do. He isn¡¯t into these¡­ gadgets. He can¡¯t even figure out half of the functions on his phone. Sure, he knows how to use aputer, but that¡¯s it,¡± she reasoned, leaning back on her chair, frustrated. ¡°You have got to listen to me¡­ Cris wouldn¡¯t know how to jam a signal from a tracker, Jack! ¡°But Pete would,¡± I replied, surprised at her outburst. ¡°He would know what a jamming device is, where to get one and how to use it. Have you tried calling Cris at least?¡± She looked at me with a shocked expression on her face. ¡°Well, have you?¡± ¡°N-No, I-I was so preupied in trying to find him that I didn¡¯t even think of calling him,¡± she said, picking up her phone. ¡°I¡¯ll call him,¡± I said, stopping her. Cris may not want to take her call, but he would need to take mine. I took my phone out of my pocket, ced it on speaker phone and dialed. It went straight to voicemail. ¡°See Jack,¡± Lisa said. ¡°Even when he¡¯s busy gallivanting with Pete, it rings before going to voicemail. Something has happened to him¡­ I can sense it. Especially after I got that phone call from this unknown number telling me I¡¯ll never find him.¡± I paused, taken aback by that piece of information. ¡°You got a call from an unknown number? Was it a woman or a man who called you?¡± ¡°A man. His voice was familiar. It sounded a bit like Pete,¡± she exined, clicking on her phone. ¡°Anyway, he said he spoke to Alejandro De Vega and De Vega swears whatever is happening in New Salem isn¡¯t because of him. Here, this is the number he used to call me.¡± She slid her phone over so I could take a look. I wrote the number down, making a m ental note to call this number and triangte its location. De Vega¡­ Liam mentioned Cris and Pete abducted and raped a girl who happened to be the niece of De Vega, the underboss of the ENCs solving the puzzle of Cynthia McDowell¡¯s 4/5 11:49 Tue, Apr 2 MG. CHAPTER 125 Stale Donut death. But if De Vega swears it wasn¡¯t him, then who wanted Cynthia dead? ¡°Anything else this mystery caller tell you?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes, and this is where it gets really weird,¡± Lisa said. ¡°He said Joy Taylor made a contract with Ortiz for a sanctioned hit.¡± I froze. A nightmare has be a reality. Chapter Comments ar 5 POST COMMENT NOW Chapter 126 CHAPTER 126 She¡¯s Back? Jack ¡°Joy Taylor?¡± I croaked. My mouth had suddenly gone dry. Joy Taylor¡­ hearing her namee out of Lisa¡¯s mouth felt like a bucket of cold water was dumped on my head. Joy Taylor was in contact with the Big Boss of the Angels of Darkness? She had ties with the mafia? What?! It couldn¡¯t be possible. I coughed, trying to hide the dread I was feeling. After all these years, someone hade back from the dead. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said. ¡°Did you just Joy Taylor? The same Joy Taylor we went to high school with?¡± ip to make ¡°Yes, Jack,¡± she answered harshly. ¡°Do you know any other Joy Taylor?¡± I bit my lip sure this wasn¡¯t one of my nightmares. ¡°Did this man tell you who the target is?¡± I asked, beginning to sweat. It could be any one of us or all of us. ¡°Unfortunately, he hung up before I could ask.¡± She leaned forward and looked around, before she continued. ¡°Jack, I have never asked either one of you, not even Cris, what happened that night of the Spring Formal. But think about it. Spring Formal is next week marking the ten year anniversary of Joy Taylor¡¯s sexual assault by unknown men who until this day have not been apprehended. Theodore and Cynthia are dead, Nicole is hurt and now, Cris is missing. Although I have no idea what Cynthia McDowell has to do with all this, I do know Mayor Theodore Cohen used all his connections to keep you guys out of jail. Cris is already one off her list.¡± I could tell she felt betrayed by all the lies. It was in her voice. ¡°That leaves her with just three left¡­ Liam, Dan and you, Jack.¡± I grabbed her arm and squeezed it. ¡°Let me make this clear. We had nothing to do with Joy Taylor. You hear me?¡± I quickly let go of her, before I did anything more to hurt her. answers ¡°You¡¯re scared,¡± Lisa said, massaging her arm. ¡°I can see it in your eyes. I can see the to all my questions regarding that night ten years ago just by looking at you.¡± The corner of 6 1/6 CHAPTER 126 She¡¯s Back? Joy Taylor is truly back to get her revenge, there is no doubt in my mind, she¡¯lle for me too. I was her bestfriend, a person she trusted. And what did I do? I lured her to you.¡± She stood up and grabbed her phone. ¡°Find my husband. I don¡¯t care if you bring him back to me in a body bag. Just find him. Thank you, Undersheriff.¡± ¡°If Cris gets in contact with you, don¡¯t hesitate to call,¡± I said gruffly. ¡°And don¡¯t forget to visit Nicole.¡± That went well¡­ ¡°Oh, I will,¡± she said, sighing. ¡°I can¡¯t help, but reminisce about high school. You know, I was so lucky to be a cheerleader during our senior year. All thanks to Nicole, of course. For three years, I was a nobody, just like Joy, bute senior year, I was popr. If there¡¯s one thing I regret, it was that need to be one of you guys. I should¡¯ve just epted the fact that I could never be popr. Maybe Joy would still be here. Maybe instead of Bo¡¯s, it would still be the Taylor¡¯s supermarket. Maybe Joy would have married Noah.¡± Maybe Joy would have married me. I was kind of getting to know her our junior year since Abigail made it clear I disgusted her. But my dad was diagnosed with cancer during that time we needed the money. ¡°Stop it, would you? You¡¯re giving me goosebumps.¡± Lisa looked at me with a smug expression on her face. She knew she was getting to me. ¡°How about a cheer before I go?¡± She asked, her eyes twi nkling with mischief. ¡°You better watch your back, because Joy Taylor¡¯s back!¡± Sheughed and turned to exit the station. I wanted to shoot her in the head. ¡°Joy Taylor is back?¡± A curious voice asked behind me. I closed my eyes, annoyed someone had overheard us. I turned around and found Norma Martin standing behind me. Of all the people who could have heard, it was big mouth Norma. ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°We were just reminiscing about high school.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered if she¡¯d evere back, Norma said. ¡°Especially after Cynthia took her inheritance from her.¡± ¡°What?¡± I thought hard. I remember Dan telling us Pete would pay us once thend was sold to his mother. I didn¡¯t know thatnd was Joy¡¯s inheritance. 2/6 CHAPTER 126 She¡¯s Back? ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± Norma said, smiling wickedly. Even though her eyes were all puffy from crying, she still managed to look evil. ¡°Thend Hill Crest is built on formerly belonged to George Taylor. Cynthia tried everything to get thatnd, but George wouldn¡¯t sell. He said it was Joy¡¯s inheritance. Well, we all know what happened right? Joy Taylor was brutally raped and they left town, that is, after George sold the property to Cynthia. Cynthia, may her soul rest in peace, always got what she wanted¡­ by h ook or by crook. If I were Joy Taylor, I¡¯d definitely exact revenge on the person who started all of this in the first ce and the one person who covered it all up.¡± She moved closer to whisper in my ear. ¡°My son is innocent, Jack. He didn¡¯t murder Theodore Cohen like all of you nitwits are implying. But I know who did. By the way, if you can get in touch with Bo¡¯swyer, I¡¯d appreciate it. I fired ourwyer for being such a pu ssy to go against the Cohens. Do hurry. I want my son out when the sunes up.¡± She smirked and turned to walk back to the waiting area. Cynthia, Theodore, Nicole and now Cris¡­ Abigail wasn¡¯t part of the whole thing, but she did keep quiet all these years. But people would notice a tall, brown haired, blue-green eyed woman walking the streets. Hell, I would. She was the one girl who haunted my nightmares, every night for the past ten years. I decided to walk outside and make a couple of phone calls. I didn¡¯t want Norma to eavesdrop on me again. I dialed, hoping Liam would answer. He didn¡¯t. I decided to call Dan. Luckily, he answe ¡°Jack, it¡¯s five in the morning. Not even my mother wakes me up this early.¡± ¡°We have a problem,¡± I said. ¡°Lisa came by to file a missing person¡¯s report. Cris has gone. missing.¡± He scoffed. ¡°Like Cris hasn¡¯t gone off the radar before, Jack, Dan said. ¡°He¡¯s a grown man. He¡¯lle home when he¡¯s good and ready.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the thing¡­ Lisa ced GPS trackers in all his shoes. She says the one pair he¡¯s wearing isn¡¯t pinging a location, including the tracker she has on his car. We tried calling. him, but it goes straight to voicemail. Anyway, before I tell you more, I gotta ask, have you any idea where Pete is?¡± I asked. ¡°No and I¡¯m telling you the truth,¡± Dan replied. ¡°Maybe Cris is with him that¡¯s why the signal on the trackers you have on him are jammed¡± 3/6 CHAPTER 126 She¡¯s Back? ¡°I don¡¯t know, Dan. Cynthia and Theodore are dead, Nicole¡¯s in the hospital and Cris-¡± ¡°Nicole¡¯s in the hospital?! What the f uck! Why wasn¡¯t I informed?¡± He screamed. I had to pull my phone away from my ear. ¡°Sorry about that. I¡¯ve been really busy with the Theodore Cohen investigation,¡± I apologized. ¡°A truck crashed into her while she was driving her mother¡¯s old carst night. She flew out the windshield. She¡¯s stable, but from what I saw, she¡¯s gonna need a lot of therapy.¡± ¡°Poor thing¡­ I¡¯ll visit herter,¡± Dan uttered sadly. ¡°Okay, is there anything else you want to tell me? Since I¡¯m wide awake from the news of Nicole¡¯s ident.¡± ¡°Well, Lisa said she got a call from a man using an unknown number. She said the man told her Alejandro De Vega says he has nothing to do with all the s hit happening here. The man also mentioned she would never find Cris and that Ortiz has consented to a sanctioned hit.¡± Sanctioned hit? Did this man tell Lisa who the target is?¡± ¡°She said the man hung up before she could ask him,¡± I answered. ¡°And aside from Ortiz, who is the other contracting party?¡± He asked. I sighed. ¡°Joy Taylor.¡± I heard himugh. Is this a prank? Are you and Lisa in on this together? Because it isn¡¯t funny, Jack,¡± he scoffed. ¡°Then why are youughing, Dan, because Lisa wasn¡¯tughing when she told me,¡± I said. ¡°Who called her?¡± ¡°She said the voice sounded like Pete¡¯s,¡± I answered. ¡°That lu natic is here watching us, toying with us,¡± Dan muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t believe a thing that he says and you shouldn¡¯t either. Cris must have sk ipped town to make it appear it was Joy Taylor. Pete¡¯s right¡­ you can¡¯t find someone who doesn¡¯t want to be found. Gosh, Jack, stop being gullible and think. Pete is behind all of this and he¡¯s using Joy Taylor to mess with our heads!¡± S hit¡­ Dan was right. Why did I have to give in to my fears?! 4/6 CHAPTER 126 She¡¯s Back? impable. ¡°I have another problem,¡± I mumbled. I heard Dan let out an angry sigh. ¡°What is it this time?¡± ¡°Norma heard Lisa, now she believes Joy Taylor killed Theodore and her son is innocent.¡± ¡°Do I always have to do the thinking for you? Complete and utter deniability. When she uses Joy Taylor as Ford¡¯s scapegoat, make it appear she¡¯s sick in the head.¡± I smiled. Ford gets incarcerated and there¡¯s a chance I could get Norma Martin locked. the psychiatric ward. It was a win-win. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. up in I took out the business card Lincoln Murphy gave me and dialed. He answered. ¡°Mr. Murphy, good morning,¡± I greeted him. ¡°This is Undersheriff Jack Emery.¡± ¡°Good morning, Undersheriff. Seems¡­ I dozed off,¡± he said, obviously annoyed at being caught off guard. ¡°How can I help you?¡± ¡°Norma Martin asked me to call you. I think Bo Xavier, a client of yours, told her to get touch with you. She needs you to represent her son. He¡¯s here in a holding cell at the Sheriff¡¯s station.¡± ¡°On what grounds?¡± He asked. ¡°Murder,¡± I answered. ¡°Does this by any chance have to do with the former mayor¡¯s untimely death?¡± He asked. ¡°Yes, it does.¡± I heard him mutter something unintelligible under his breath. ¡°I¡¯ll just check up on Nicole Davis first, take a shower, then I¡¯ll head to the station. I¡¯ll have my secretary set a bail hearing for this morning,¡± he rambled like he was reading a ¡®to d do¡¯ list. ¡°You¡¯re still at the hospital?¡± I asked, surprised. ¡°Yes. I wanted to make sure she was stable before I left. Tell my client not to say a word -546 Tue, Apr CHAPTER 126 She¡¯s Back? It was almost half past five, so I decided to head to the diner to get some breakfast. I was g my mouth with bacon and eggs when my phone rang. It was the Sheriff. ¡°I¡¯ve got some bad news.¡± S hit. Chapter Comments 3 POST COMMENT NOW SHARE Chapter 127 CHAPTER 127 Staged ??? ????? ? Emma It was half past four in the morning when I finally exited the hospital,pletely exhausted. I was assigned to pull an all-nighter since we were understaffed. Ford Martin, as expected, was arrested for the death of Theodore Cohen, Rodney Marshall was promoted to Junior Nurse Administrator while some of my colleagues decided it was best if they called in sick to stay away from the controversy the hospital was currently in. It didn¡¯t matter to the townsfolk though. They had no choice. St. Elizabeth¡¯s was the only hospital in New Salem. Take Nicole Davis, for example. She was better off going to another hospital for treatment since she was clearly in danger. Apparently, some truck crashed into her car while the driver¡­ well, he fled the scene and would have disappeared, if it weren¡¯t for Beaufort and Max. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t have a choice. So, it was up to me, Autumn¡­ and Link¡­ to keep her safe. Nicole was rushed into the ER with a fractured leg and arm, several broken ribs, a punctur lung yet she was lucky to have sustained minor head injuries. After the doctors¡¯ initial assessment, she was immediately wheeled into an OR. She finally came out from surgery in the wee hours of the morning, stable, but unconsciou The doctors decided to put her in a medically induceda to prevent parts of her brain from swelling, given she had sustained trauma to the head.. While I waited for her toe out of the operating room, I had to endure watching¡­ with. disgust¡­ the dashing Lincoln Murphy flirt with the nurses on duty at the nurses¡¯ station near Nicole¡¯s designated room at the ICU. Because he was so charming, my colleagues giggled at all his wise cr acks and innuendoes¡­. something they never did with Ford. If they only knew that he was a ruthless assassin. All of Beaufort¡¯s men were. I remember the day when I sawed off the finger of the young wife of Niki Devin¡­ I remember how my hands shook uncontrobly. Beaufort, unfortunately, sees puking or 1/6 CHAPTER 127 Staged because of my shaky hands. While Beaufort sees it as a weakness, I, on the other hand, see it as human. But I do sav understand Beaufort. You can¡¯t be an assassin and have a conscience. It doesn¡¯t work that way. I had just finished checking on Nicole and was about to grab a cup of coffee when I heard my name. ¡°Hey, rke, Rodney called out to me from behind. I quickly turned around and saw him with a clipboard. ¡°You¡¯ve been here almost twenty-four hours. You should go home and get some rest. Come in around noon. I¡¯ll have someone else cover your shift for the morning.¡± ¡°Junior Administrator Rodney Marshall,¡± I said, smiling. ¡°How¡¯s your f day?¡± ¡°Toxic,¡± he said. ¡°Hartman has me doing all of her work. I dropped by her office around six yesterday evening and found it empty. I guess since she has me as her assistant, she gets to leave the hospital whenever she wants.¡± He peeked into Nicole¡¯s room. ¡°She¡¯s stable¡­ good. I¡¯ll assign Nurse Roberts to take care of her until you get back.¡± He pointed at Link. ¡°Is that the boyfriend?¡± ¡°No,¡± I answered. ¡°He¡¯s just a Good Samaritan.¡± ¡°He looks more like a Prince Charming to me,¡± he muttered, pertaining to his goo ¡°Anyway, rke, go home and get some rest. I¡¯ll see youter at noon.¡± ¡°What about you? Aren¡¯t you going to get some sleep?¡± I asked, concerned. ¡°I¡¯ll grab a couple of hours of sleep in my new office,¡± he answered, waving goodbye walked away. ¡°Go home, rke. That¡¯s an order.¡± S. After getting all my stuff from my locker, I exited the hospital and walked through the parking lot to where my car was parked underneath a pair of old trees. They were huge tre their trunks filled with carved initials of loved ones who have passed away at this very hospital. While others saw it as tragic, I saw the beauty of still being kept as a part of themunity even in the after life. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you toe out of the hospital,¡± a familiar female voice said. ¡°I want the truth and you, Emma rke, are going to give me the truth.¡± Lindsay Hartman came out from the shadows of the trees, a gun in her right hand and a Bluetooth earpiece inserted in one ear. She was hither recording our conversation or rvi?¨¦ 11:49 Tue, Apr 2 MGu CHAPTER 127 Staged it to someone through her phone. D amn this bi tch. I dropped my bag on the ground and raised my hands above my head, steadying my breathing. I had to stay calm. Remember your training, Emma. I needed to distract her. ¡°The truth is your grandnephew sexually harasses women and is a murderer,¡± I said calmly. ¡°Is that so hard to ept?¡± ¡°Ford said he bumped into you in the corridor right before he gave Theodore Cohen his medication yesterday morning,¡± Lindsay Hartman said, ignoring what I had said. ¡°I went through the CCTV footage and couldn¡¯t find you anywhere in it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because Ford is lying. He¡¯s a liar!¡±. ¡°I know he¡¯s a liar, Nurse Emma. I¡¯m the one who taught him how to lie. This is why I know Ford is telling the truth. You bumped into him and changed the IV bag, didn¡¯t you? Why Emma? Just because he showed interest? Touched you in an offending way? Or is it because. someone wants the Martins out of the way? If that¡¯s the case, why not hurt Ford? Why would need to kill Theodore Cohen?¡± you ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about, Nurse Administrator Hartman, because I d Theodore Cohen. Ford did,¡± I replied, keeping the status quo. ¡°Oh, sure, keep using my name, Emma. There¡¯s nobody here. Even if you scream, no on be able to hear you. The guards are busy sleeping at their stations and it¡¯s around this ti when most of the staff doze off,¡± Hartman said, her face nk. She obviously had her poke face on. I was having trouble discerning whether she was hell-bent on killing me or if this was just a bluff. ¡°So tell me, who are you working for, Emma rke?¡± ¡°I work at St. Elizabeth Memorial Hospital,¡± I answered gruffly. ¡°Wrong answer!¡± She screeched. ¡°You think I¡¯m ying with you, don¡¯t you?¡± She was starting to feel frustrated. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I just think you¡¯re talking to the wrong person.¡± This time she smiled sweetly. ¡°You¡¯re right. I am talking to the wrong person. You know, I went through your file again and I found it so well-done that it felt strange¡­ andlit made me wonder. So I did some digging346 CHAPTER 127 Staged called all the hospitals in the West Coast when I happened to stumble upon Palmer Memorial using the number I found on their website. They said no one with the name Emma rke has ever worked there, but they did have a nurse named Emma Caruso working for them until a month ago. What was even stranger though was when I called the number I found on your file. The person who answered enumerated everything on your file like she was reading it, but identally uttered a different surname before reverting back to rke. I believe you¡¯re real name is Emma Caruso, yes?¡± S hit! I¡¯m goi going to have to tell Domenico that Primo¡¯s call center agents screwed up! When I didn¡¯t answer, she smiled at me, clicked the Bluetooth earpiece off and lowered her gun. ¡°I want twenty million dors wired to an offshore ount and I want it done by the time the sun rises.¡± She was after money¡­ This is why she sent Ford to negotiate with the hospital director. They wanted to milk the Martins¡­ Maybe so she could retire with a sizeable nest egg of her Own. I lowered my hands to my sides and stared at her with a bewildered expression on my face. ¡°Aren¡¯t you rted to the Martins? Shouldn¡¯t you be rich on your own?¡± I asked. is *My niece never learned the virtue of giving nor sharing,¡± she scoffed. ¡°All she ever did was take and take. Where do you think Ford gets that from? His mother! If it weren¡¯ mess, Ford would have offered his trust fund in exchange for my position. Well retire rich. That¡¯s where youe in. So, will you send me the money or should you now?¡± I sighed. It was always about money. I was about to negotiate, when, from the corner of my eye, I saw a figure in a suit dar behind the trees. No need to negotiate. Help was on its way. ¡°You are barking up the wrong tree, Nurse Administrator Hartman,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t have th kind of money.¡± ¡°Surely the person you work for has that kind of money,¡± she replied. ¡°Again, I work in that hospital¡­ just like you. I¡¯m guessing the board has that kind of money, but you know they¡¯ll never give it to any of us. We¡¯re just pawns who they work to the bone,¡± I exined. 4/6 11:49 Tue, Apr 2 MGU CHAPTER 127 Staged ¡°Then, I¡¯ll just have to shoot you now and tell everyone you confessed to the murder of one Theodore Cohen,¡± she said, raising her gun and aiming it at me. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± a man¡¯s voice said. Before Lindsay Hartman could react, Link shot her on the right side of the head, his silencer stifling the sound of the gunshot. She copsed on the grass, her blood pooling beneath her. Link pocketed her gun, ced his gun in her hand then squeezed the trigger. I noticed he was wearing leather gloves. He came prepared. He patted her down, found her keys in one of her pockets, and removed her earpiece. ¡°Leave now,¡± Link said. ¡°Autumn is already handling the CCTV footage. Don¡¯t leave anything behind¡­. because I¡¯m going to stage this as a suicide.¡± Without a second thought, I picked up my bag, entered my car and drove off. The Martins are going to be pis sed when they hear Lindsay Hartmanmitted suicide. So long, Hartman. Since Hartman figured out who I really was, I needed to ask Domenico for my next c action. I dialed his number. ¡°Emma, this is De Luca. Domenico has been shot and is unconscious. How can I help yo ¡°I¡¯ve been found out, but the person is dead. What should I do?¡± I heard a couple of voices the background before I got an answer. ¡°Emma, this is Beaufort. Call in sick so we can assess the situation. Where are you now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m on my way home,¡± I answered, yawning. ¡°Can you drive to Mandan HQ?¡± Beaufort asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m really tired.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay. Head to the warehouse behind themercialplex. I¡¯ll have someone drive you hare And ramamber call in sick 5/6 CHAPTER 127 Staged Finally, a day off. Chapter Comments POST COMMENT NOW SHAREContent (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Chapter 128 CHAPTER 128 Purse Link I thought North Dakota was going to be boring, but it turns out it¡¯s much more exciting than California. Here, we were ying with people, toying with their rtionships, messing with their heads. Back home, we would be hung by our testicles if we tried doing this to any of our mafia brothers and sisters. But here, in this small rural town, we had full reign. I always wanted to be part of a bit and I feel blessed Beaufort included me. Usually, it was either S Sam or Max working with him, while the rest of us assisted. It was disappointing, but we understood. Sam could move around like he was invisible while Max could practically do the same¡­ which made those two Beaufort¡¯s most valuable assets. ¡°Stealth is your greatest ally. Beaufort¡¯s words of wisdom. When I got the call to move to North Dakota, I didn¡¯t hesitate. I immediately volunteered. my services, hoping Beaufort would realize I was as indispensable as Sam or Max, then maybe, he would finally include me in all his missions. Sure, I was valuable to him as hiswyer, but I wanted to earn his respect as an assassin¡­ and I vowed I would gain his respect before we all had to go back to California. Truly, this week alone has been mind-boggling. From killing a woman in her home to setting the funeral home on fire¡­ From murdering a man in his hospital bed to torturing a driver for information¡­ I swear, without the three big bosses watching over us, we had the freedom to act as we saw fit. No wonder people wanted in. Even sn otty Emma Caruso found her way here, ying the dutiful nurse bit. I saw her mouth, ¡°Babysitter,¡± as she walked past me earlier. I didn¡¯t mind babysitting Nicole Davis. She was in danger which meant there was a chance I would see some action. Plus, this hospital was in the middle of a murder investigation. Roaming these hallways gave me the opportunity to gather information, Emma looked like she was going to puke while she watched me flirt with the female nurses/5 11:49 Tue, Apr 2 MG CHAPTER 128 Purse or the other, so these women would open up to me. And in a matter of thirty minutes, I found out that some of these nurses took drugs to stay awake. Surprisingly, one of them even told me who their dealer was, pointing at him as he walked towards Emma. It wasn¡¯t shocking watching Emma make googly eyes at the man who these other nurses called their go-to person for meth. Drugs and smuggling were Domenico¡¯s area of expertise. As they say, ¡°Like attracts like.¡± Since Junior Nurse Administrator Crystal Meth sent Emma home, I decided to stay until sunrise, then have someone else guard Nicole while I got ready to represent Ford Martin, the alleged nurse killer. I haven¡¯t received his call yet, but I was sure he was going to make that call soon. Just when I was thinking this may end up as a slow night, out of the blue, Autumn came to alert me that Emma was in distress. I was seated in one of those hard hospital chairs along the hallway, ying games on my phone, when Autumn suddenly sat down beside me, sipping on a cup of coffee. I noticed she was wearingtex gloves. ¡°We have a 9-1-1 situation. Emma has her hands raised above her head, standing in the parking lot beside those two old trees. It¡¯s Hartman,¡± she mumbled while her cup was ir between her lips. ¡°You help her while I take care of the footage.¡± She quickly stood up. walked away leaving a folded sheet of paper on the chair she vacated. Good thing Beaufort had me dip my fingertips in silicone. No fingerprints. I pocketed the sheet of paper, stood up and walked to the nurse¡¯s station. ¡°I¡¯m just gonna grab a cup of coffee downstairs,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯d really appreciate it if you keep an eye on Miss Nicole.¡± ¡°Sure, Link,¡± the pretty brte named Bea said, smiling. ¡°Anything for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see to it that I bring you a cup,¡± I said gratefully and quickly walked towards the stairwell. As I walked down the steps, I took out my leather gloves and put them on, feeling gloriously excited. This was why I was under Beaufort. I was a stone cold killer. 2/5 11:49 Tue, Apr 2 MG. CHAPTER 128 Purse I took out the sheet of paper and read it, knowing what I had to do. I¡¯ll confirm Hartman¡¯s identity first, then slip this piece of paper onto her corpse. Quick thinking, Autumn. I screwed on my silencer and tucked my gun under my jacket. It was time to y assassin. I decided to use the service entrance at the side of the hospital to avoid being seen. Outside was quiet. There were no guards and there was no one driving along the streets fronting the hospital. I dashed towards the two old trees, noticing Emma was speaking to someone hidden beneath the shadows. As I got closer, I discovered Emma was talking to an elderly woman who had a gun in her right hand. Seemed like Domenico¡¯s team was having a streak of bad luck. Beaufort repeatedly stressed we should never underestimate the people we were dealing with. I guess Domenico and his team never got the memo. I darted around the trees to listen to their conversation. I made sure to only step on the grass and not the dirt. I didn¡¯t want to leave any shoe prints. ¡°Well, I can still retire rich. That¡¯s where youe in. So, will you send me the money or should I just kill you now?¡± ¡°You are barking up the wrong tree, Nurse Administrator Hartman,¡± Emma replied. have that kind of money.¡± Confirmed. The olddy was Hartman. Hartman had some balls. She confronted a person thinking she had the upper hand just because she held a gun. And she wanted money¡­ lots of it. ¡°When a person negotiates for money, you know they¡¯ll double cross you once that money runs out.¡± Another of Beaufort¡¯s words of wisdom. Emma didn¡¯t negotiate, instead she yed the poor nurse part. I saw the old woman¡¯s hand shake. That wasn¡¯t what she was hoping to hear. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll just shoot you now and tell everyone you confessed to the murder of one Theodore Cohen,¡± she said, raising her gun and aiming it at Emina. 3/5 CHAPTER 128 Purse The old woman Was 5 distracted, she didn¡¯t notice mee up to her side. I positioned. myself near her right hand and aimed at the side of her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± I murmured, squeezing the trigger. She copsed on the grass¡­ without a sound. I quickly pocketed her gun and reced it with mine, cing her fingers on the trigger and squeezing it. With that done, I patted her down, taking whatever was in her pockets, including her earpiece. ¡°Leave now,¡± I instructed Emma, ¡°Autumn is already handling the CCTV footage. Don¡¯t leave anything behind¡­. because I¡¯m going to stage this as a suicide.¡± Without even a ¡®thank you, she left. Of course. Domenico¡¯s team members have always been proud, especially the one named De Luca. G od, how I disliked him. I slipped the piece of paper into the old woman¡¯s pocket, unscrewed my silencer and walked away to look for her car. I messaged Autumn asking for the make and model of Hartman¡¯s car. She messaged me it was a Subaru parked in front of the gift shop right across the street. I opened the car and quickly searched for anything important. I found her purse stashed inside the glovepartment. I opened it and checked to see what was inside. I found her phone, wallet and some other stuff. Nothing else was inside the car except for a spare car key hidden inside the center console. I was hoping to find aptop. Well, I have the keys to her house. I¡¯ll have someone sneak in before her body is found¡­ maybe I can do it myself. I took the valuables from her purse except for her wallet, removed the SD card from the dashcam, left her car doors unlocked and walked back to my car to take a look at the stuff I took. I was seated in the backseat deciding whether I should sneak into Hartman¡¯s home. when I identally dozed off. I was awakened by the sound of my phone ringing. ¡°Mr. Murphy, good morning,¡± a man¡¯s voice greeted me. ¡°This is Undersheriff Jack Emery.¡± ¡°Good morning, Undersheriff. Seems¡­ I dozed off,¡± I said, annoyed at being caught off guard. I checked my watch for the time and heaved a sigh of relief. I was only asleep for ten minutes. ¡°How can I help you?¡± ¡°Norma Martin asked me to call you. I think Bo Xavier, a client of yours, told her to get in touch with you. She needs you to represent her son. He¡¯s here in a holding cell at the 4/5 11:49 Tue, Apr 2 MG CHAPTER 128 Purse Sheriff¡¯s station.¡± ¡°On what grounds?¡± I asked. ¡°Murder,¡± he answered. ¡°Does this by any chance have to do with the former mayor¡¯s untimely death?¡± I asked, confirming. ¡°Yes, it does.¡± I didn¡¯t expect Jack to call me. I was waiting for Norma or Ford Martin. ¡°I¡¯ll just check up on Nicole Davis first, take a shower, then I¡¯ll head to the station. I¡¯ll even have my secretary set a bail hearing for this morning,¡± I rambled like I was reading a ¡®to do¡¯ list. ¡°You¡¯re still at the hospital?¡± He asked, surprised. ¡°Yes. I wanted to make sure she was stable before I left. Tell my client not to say a word until I arrive.¡± I stretched, preparing myself for battle. If Norma Martin thinks her son can get out scot-free, she¡¯s wrong. I hate losing, but for this particr case, I¡¯ll dly take the fall. But first, I needed someone to sneak inside Hartman¡¯s house while it was still dark. the number of one of our men named Jake. ¡°Wait for me at the corner of Main near theplex. I have something for you to do.¡± Chapter Comments 5 POST COMMENT NOW SHAREPublished by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Chapter 129 CHAPTER 129 Suicide Note The Sheriff It was almost six in the morning when I got the call from Bismarck Police. It was a phone call I wasn¡¯t expecting. ¡°Sheriff Nathan Combs, I¡¯m Detective Carl Matthews of the Bismarck Police Department. I¡¯d like to apologize for the hour, but there seems to be a series of untoward incidences that seem to be linked to the small town of New Salem. The most recent being a shootout at the Huff Hills mansion which intel says is owned by CMD Enterprises. I called the number listed. down and it was answered by a man who ims he¡¯s the attorney of the CEO of thepany, a woman named Cynthia McDowell, who happens to reside at Hignd Oaks, New Salem. I was hoping you could get in touch with her and tell her to drop by the precinct. There are a few questions I need to ask her,¡± the man said. ¡°That¡¯s not possible, Detective Matthews,¡± I replied, scratching my head, ¡°Cynthia McDowell passed awayst Sunday around midnight.¡± I heard his sharp intake of breath. ¡°That¡¯s, uh, that¡¯s unfortunate. Is there anyone else I could talk to? Her husband, a brother or sister, maybe her son or daughter?¡± ¡°Her son is out of the country on vacation,¡± I told him. ¡°No one knows when he¡¯ll be back. Her husband has been dead for years and from what I know of her, she doesn¡¯t have any brothers or sisters. I¡¯m sorry if I can¡¯t be of much help to yo you.¡± ¡°No, no¡­ you¡¯re helping me just fine, Sheriff,¡± he said. ¡°If there aren¡¯t any more questions, Detective, I have work to do,¡± I said, hoping that was it. Apparently, there was more. ¡°Hold on, Sheriff¡­ Before you hang up, I also called to inform you that we found a car at Elk Cliff, abandoned, registered to a Cris Murdock who I understand is a councilman of your town. We didn¡¯t find anything inside except for a pair of shoes and a set of clothing in the trunk. Dashcam is missing and it seems the car¡¯s exterior and interior have been wiped. clean. The people from our crimeb can¡¯t find one single print. Engine¡¯s cold¡­ so we figure the car has been here all night. I have my men looking through the CCTV footage near the area and unfortunately, we haven¡¯t found anything yet. Has anyone reported him missing?¡± ¡°No, not that I¡¯m aware of,¡± I answered. ¡°I¡¯ve been preupied with the investigation on the circumstances of the death of our former mayor as well as an ongoing investigation on the /6 CHAPTER 129 Suicide Note murders of several others, assets of mine who was helping us bust a drug syndicate. We believe a Ma Lawrence together with a group of unknown assants murdered our assets.¡± gman ¡°Ma Lawrence¡­ the name Ma was mentioned by a man we found injured at the diner several days ago,¡± he said, pausing to go through his little notepad. ¡°Here it is, a young named Riley Harris. He was struck by a vehicle and is currently in the hospital, unconscious.¡± I closed my eyes, trying not to panic. This was bad. If Riley ever wakes up, there was a big chance he¡¯d talk, putting everyone in jeopardy. ¡°I wasn¡¯t informed Riley Harris figured into an ident there. I¡¯ll call his grandmother and have him transferred here-¡± ¡°Sorry to interrupt, but it wasn¡¯t merely an ident, Sheriff. Currently, he is under the custody of the Bismarck Police. We¡¯re hoping when he wakes up, he¡¯ll be able to help us with our investigation,¡± the detective said, starting to sound suspicious. ¡°I called your office a couple of days ago and informed one of your deputies, a Deputy Randall Evans, about the incident. I was under the impression he notified you of the situation. Anyway, if it isn¡¯t any trouble, I¡¯d appreciate it if you coulde by our police station. Any time is fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see, Detective. I¡¯m really busy. Maybe I can send someone else to answer all your questions,¡± I replied, angry at Randy for not informing me about Riley. He was obviously sor at me since I refused to give him more money. ¡°Sure, Sheriff. That¡¯ll be fine too. By the way, if you get in touch with Councilman Cris Murdock, tell him toe by the station so he can pick up his car,¡± the detective said. ¡°Thank you, Sheriff, and good day.¡± This was just fantastic. Riley Harris and Cris Murdock¡¯s car were in Bismarck Police custody and to top it all off, they needed someone from New Salem¡¯s Sheriff Station to help with their investigation. I dialed Cris¡¯ number and it went straight to voicemail. I debated whether I should call Lisa. It was too early and I didn¡¯t want to rm her if Cris was indeed missing. There was only one person I could trust to handle the situation. Jack. 2/6 11:49 Tue, Apr 2 M GU CHAPTER 129 Suicide Note 60% ¡°I got some bad news. I just got a call from Bismarck Police. They found Cris Murdock¡¯s car abandoned near the side of Elk Cliff,¡± I said after he answered. He uttered a curse. ¡°Do you know anything about this?¡± ¡°Lisa came by the station around four this morning to file a missing person¡¯s report,¡± Jack answered. It was my turn to utter a curse. Cris is missing! ¡°Well, I need you to head down to Bismarck and while you¡¯re at it, inform Lisa,¡± I instructed. ¡°And ask Randy why in the hell didn¡¯t he tell me Riley Harris is in a hospital in Bismarck.¡± ¡°Riley¡¯s in the hospital? I spoke to his grandmother the other day and she said she didn¡¯t know where he was,¡± he said, sounding frustrated. ¡°Sheriff, if Riley talks, we¡¯re all going to go to jail.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯ll send someone to take care of him. In the meantime, I need you to put on a show and speak to Detective Matthews at the Bismarck Police Station.¡± Sure. I just need to finish my breakfast and head back to the station first. After I finish with the Martins and their new attorney, I¡¯ll call Lisa and have here with me to Bismarck.¡± ¡°Who is this new attorney?¡± ¡°Lincoln Murphy, the one who sprung Bo out after the Cynthia McDowell fiasco,¡± he exined. V ¡°I know him,¡± I said. ¡°Take your time. The detectives at Bismarck said they¡¯re in the wake of our investigation on the death of Theodore Cohen. Maybe I¡¯ll se station after we get this barn set up. We can¡¯t be seen here at sunrise which is h less than an hour. I¡¯ll contact Bismarck Police and tell them to expect you. And, of forget, call the district attorney so the both of you can meet this Lincoln Murphy-¡± I paused, noticing one of my deputies running towards me with his phone in his hand. ¡°Sheriff, I just got a call from St. Elizabeth¡¯s. Seems there¡¯s a dead body in their parking Female.¡± it G od da mn it! This sh it isn¡¯t going to end. ¡°Jack, you head on back to the station and wait for the Martins¡¯ attorney and the DA. I gotta shuffle it back to St. Elizabeth¡¯s. There¡¯s a dead body in their parking lot,¡± I said, informing him of our new case. ¡°Who is it this time?¡± Jack usked shocked. 3/6 CHAPTER 129 Suicide Note ¡°I don¡¯t know, but they say it¡¯s female,¡± I answered. ¡°It¡¯s going to be another long day. I was hoping to go home and take a shower. Seems I¡¯m not going to.¡± I sighed and ran my fingers through my oily hair. ¡°Call me if you have trouble keeping Ford Martin in lock up. I don¡¯t want that as shole out.¡± ¡°Will do, Sheriff,¡± Jack said and hung up. ¡°Men, that¡¯ll do,¡± I said, surveying the chairs and tables in the barn. I pointed at my deputies. ¡°You two, take the crates back to Cohen Mansion and you three, you guys are with me.¡± ¡°Sheriff, what do you need us to do after we¡¯ve unloaded the crates?¡± A deputy assigned to the crates asked. ¡°I need you to give this to the judge,¡± I said, handing him an envelope full of money. ¡°Liam. doesn¡¯t want Ford to make bail and sk ip town. Tell the judge, if he wants more, he knows who to call.¡± By the time we reached the hospital, the sun was up. Several of my men from the station had cordoned the area off from the public and were trying to subdue the media. I saw the medical examiner crouching down beside a woman¡¯s body. Her salt and pepper hair was twisted in a bun and she was wearing white coveralls with ¡®Medical Examiner¡¯ printed on the back. She was a woman in her early fifties with light green eyes and soft features, something her daughter, Sarah Hughes, didn¡¯t inherit from her. I looked down at the dead body lying on the ground and recognized the face Administrator Lindsay Hartman. This just keeps getting better and better. ¡°Dr. Hughes,¡± I greeted the medical examiner. ¡°What do we have here?¡± She stood up walked towards me. ¡°Lindsay Hartman, aged 62, cause of death gunshot wound to the right temple. There¡¯s stippling around the entry point consistent with suicide. Body¡¯s still warm. I give time of death approximately around five in the morning¡­ give or take. By the way, I found this in the pocket of her Chanel suit. It¡¯s a suicide note. She handed me a folded sheet of paper. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Sheriff¡­ It just seems so bizarre.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, putting on thetex gloves I have in my pocket and taking the sheet of paper from her. 4/6 CHAPTER 129 Suicide Note ¡°She¡¯s suppose to be retiring in a week or so,¡± she said. ¡°I even spoke to herst week about retirement homes in Florida. She was thinking of moving to some ce warm when she retired. But now¡­ this. It seems so out of character.¡± ¡°The suicide?¡± I asked. Lindsay Hartman was a cold woman, alone and lonely. Her contemting suicide was a possibility. ¡°No, Sheriff. Killing Theodore Cohen,¡± Dr. Hughes answered to my surprise. ¡°It¡¯s all there in that note. She confesses to injecting Theodore Cohen¡¯s IV bag with a lethal co ck tail of digoxin and insulin. I mean, what did she have against Theodore? It doesn¡¯t make any sense. ¡°She what?!¡± I hurriedly unfolded the sheet of paper and quickly read its contents. On the thin sheet of paper was Lindsay Hartman¡¯s well-written confession as well as an apology for including Ford Martin in her ns, stressing there was no other way to kill Theodore Cohen. Although the suicide note was well crafted, Lindsay Hartman didn¡¯t leave a reason why she wanted Theodore dead. My eyes narrowed suspiciously. This made things so convenient for Ford¡­ ¡°You¡¯re right, Dr. Hughes,¡± I said gruffly. ¡°Lindsay Hartmanmitting suicide doesn¡¯t make any sense unless this was all done purposely.¡± Dr. Hughes raised her eyebrows at my sudden implication. *Well, her confession absolves the hospital of any and all liability, Sheriff,¡± Dr. H pointed out. ¡°As for Ford Martin, if he gets a really goodwyer, he can either be all charges or go to jail for maybe twelve months on involuntary manughter cha thing is, if you think about it, the pharmacist who dispensed the medication should liable as well. If the pharmacist isn¡¯t held ountable for Theodore¡¯s death, the same apply to Ford Martin. His attorney will definitely use that argument in Ford¡¯s defense, charges against Ford will be dropped.¡± ¡°But there were text messages on his phone,¡± I argued. ¡°Which could have all been sent by Lindsay Hartman before she grew a conscience,¡± Dr. Hughes said. ¡°It¡¯s easy. All you need is an app on your phone.¡± I raised an eyebrow and looked at her skeptically. She bounced her head and rolled her eyes. ¡°If this was truly a suicide.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to the DA about the pharmacist, but twelve months for involuntary manughter isn¡¯t enough. If I can¡¯t get Ford for killing Theodore, I¡¯ll get him for sexual ha THE CHAPTER 129 Suicide Note non-consensual por nography instead,¡± I told her. She sighed, nodding her head. ¡°If it isn¡¯t one thing, it¡¯s another. A lot of the female staff at the hospital will be grateful. Well, I¡¯ll leave it up to you to inform next of kin, I¡¯ll call you if anythinges up from the autopsy. Have a good morning, Sheriff.¡± Dr. Hughes gestured to her team to put Lindsay Hartman¡¯s corpse in a body bag. After taking a photo of the suicide note, I ced the note in a stic bag and gave it to our crime scene operatives. ¡°I want you to check this for fingerprints asap and have theb examine if that signature is a forgery.¡± Then, I instructed my men. ¡°Get this ce cleaned up and tell the media they¡¯ll get a statementter in the day. When you¡¯re done, divide yourselves into two teams. I need one team to search Lindsay Hartman¡¯s home and another to search her office and to look for her car.¡± After giving my instructions, I quickly drove back to the station before the news of Lindsay Hartman¡¯s suicide spread. There was no way in hell I¡¯d allow the Martins to win. Chapter Comments Elizabeth Johnson I¡¯m getting more confused with each chapter. VIEW 1 COMMENT 4Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Chapter 130 CHAPTER 130 Meeting the Mart¨ªns Link The sun was rising when I left Hignd Oaks. Before meeting up with Jake, I made a quick stop at the diner to pick up a sandwich. As I was leaving the diner, I saw a ck Jaguar enter the parking area. But instead of parking, it continued moving towards the back. It was my first time to ever see that car in New Salem, so I quickly memorized its te number before driving off. I found Jake casually seated on a bench along Main Street, drinking coffee from one of Bo¡¯s disposable cups. When he saw my car, he threw his cup in the trash bin, opened the car door to the passenger¡¯s side and climbed in. Jake was what the Blood Disciples called a ¡®cross. He was exceptionally gifted, being both a skilled hacker and a trained mercenary, so it wasn¡¯t a surprise when Primo and Beaufort both tapped him to join their crew. Jake was given three days to decide, a cross thatid heavily on his shoulders. Ultimately, he chose Beaufort despite being heavily courted by Primo. It was one of those rare chances for Primo to employ a man with almost the same skillset as Beaufort, however the excitement of pursuing your prey on the field was something atputer or any gadget couldn¡¯t give Jake. Jake was a muscr man of average height. His short brown hair matched the color of his eyes while his muscr physique was well-hidden under an oversized gray hoodie¡­. he loved wearing hoodies. ¡°I got a copy of all of Hartman¡¯s files on herptop,¡± Jake said, showing me a USB sh drive. ¡°She was nning to leave New Salem under an alias, Mary Turner. That note you said you got from Autumn was actually written by Hartman herself.¡± the note ¡°So Hartman was going to take the fall by sk ipping town,¡± I said. ¡°The signature on looked authentic, so I¡¯m guessing Hartman left the note in her office and Autumn took it.¡± I maneuvered my car to the Sheriff¡¯s station, then handed him Hartman¡¯s phone. ¡°I checked her call log and noticed most of Hartman¡¯s recent calls were from Norma Martin. One guess is they were conspiring together. Did youPublished by N?v''elD/rama.Org. find a money trail?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes, I did,¡± he answered, scrolling through the phone.¡±Half a million dors was sent to Hartman directly from Norma Martin¡¯s ount. I grimaced. Five hundred grand wasn¡¯t enough. No wonder Hartman held Emma at gunpoint. ¡°I also checked Hartman¡¯s finances 1/6 11:50 Tue, Apr 2 MG CHAPTER 130 Meeting the Martins 60% and found she has a sizeable amount saved up in her bank ount. The five hundred thousand dors together with her savings is actually enough to buy this house she was eyeing in Miami, but that would leave her with little left. I figured the money was a down- payment, but¡­¡± ¡°But what? I mean it is possible it¡¯s a down-payment. If Hartman was nning to sk ip town, she would lose her retirement benefits,¡± I pointed out. ¡°I thought the same, so I checked Norma Martin¡¯s ount and discovered she¡¯s mostly in debt with the credit card¡­ the five hundred thousand being thest of her money. Surprisingly, though, Ford Martin¡¯s trust is still intact. ording to the stiptions provided by the grantor, Ford is allowed to withdraw a hefty sum at any time, given the money is intended to be used for livelihood, business or an emergency.¡± I had to make a call to Beaufort and inform him, Norma needed money and he had lots of it. ¡°Link, what¡¯s up?¡± He shouted. The background noise was really loud. I suspected he was in the back of one of his trucks heading back to New Salem.. ¡°I just wanted to inform you it seems Norma Martin paid Lindsay Hartman all the money she had left, so Hartman would take the fall for Ford. What if Hartman told Norma about Emma, so the both of them could milk Emma for money?¡± ¡°I doubt it,¡± Beaufort answered. ¡°But it can¡¯t be possible Norma¡¯s broke though¡­ She boug the McDowell¡¯s pharmacy after Cynthia died.¡± Apparently Primo has checked Norma¡¯s finances yet. ¡°Who said she bought it?¡± I asked, surprised. ¡°Ma Lawrence. She got the info from the ex-husband,¡± he answered. The ex-husband who no one has ever seen or met. ¡°It¡¯s probably all a lie. I had Jake do some recon at Hartman¡¯s house and he says Norma is in debt,¡± I exined. ¡°I see¡­ Emma did mention Lindsay Hartman believed Norma was one selfish b itch. I guess she didn¡¯t know Norma¡¯s broke. Thanks for the info, Link. I¡¯m going to have Cristos look into everything and n ordingly. Where are you headed now?¡± ¡°To the Sheriff¡¯s station to meet my new client,¡± I answered. 2/6 ¡°Don¡¯t forget to put in your earpiece. By the way good work on Hartman. I knew I could CHAPTER 130 Meeting the Martins count on you, Link.¡± Hearing his praise made my heart swell. I was finally gaining his respect. ¡°Jake, take my car and hand the USB and the phone to Beaufort,¡± I said, stopping the car right across the street from the Sheriff¡¯s Station. It was around seven-thirty and the sun was already up in the sky. After inserting my earpiece and making sure it was hidden, I opened the car door. ¡°After you report to Beaufort, tell him I need you with me today, just in case I need someone to carry out some important errands.¡± ¡°Sure thing, Link,¡± he said, but paused before opening his door. ¡°I forgot to tell you¡­ I also found out that about forty female nurses filed sexual harassmentints against Ford Martin, but most, if not all, didn¡¯t pursue it.¡± ¡°That many?¡± I asked before getting out of the car. And what did Hartman do?¡± ¡°She sent theints to the hospital director. I checked her email and the hospital director said he would take care of everything. I don¡¯t know what he did or say to these women, but they immediately withdrew theirints,¡± Jake said after he exited the car. ¡°Autumn must have that information. Tell Beaufort to have Primo ask Autumn for it,¡± I instructed Jake. ¡°Soon, we¡¯ll be able to piece all of this together. Personally, I think this. sexual harassment thing Ford has got going on has something to do with drugs.¡± ¡°Drugs?¡± Jake asked, surprised. ¡°Some of these nurses do drugs to stay awake. It¡¯s possible Ford targeted them because he knew he could use his knowledge of their drug use as a shield.¡± ¡°That sounds really f ucked up,¡± Jake replied, realizing how twisted everyone in this town really was. ¡°I thought we were only dealing with a handful of sick f ucks. I wasn¡¯t expecting. there¡¯d be more.¡± ¡°I know what you mean. By the way, change into something nice will you¡­ like a suit.¡± ¡°Hoodies are my thing, Link,¡± he said as he climbed into the driver¡¯s seat of my car. He gave me a small salute before he drove off heading towards theplex. Since it was still early, the parking lot at the station was practically empty. Good. I still had enough time to confer with my client before the district attorney arrived. Inside, I went straight to Jack who was on the phone with someone. He mouthed, ¡°Norma 6 CHAPTER 130 Meeting the Martins over there,¡± and pointed towards the back of the station. At the waiting area, I found Norma Martin on her phone, looking quite frustrated. ¡°Having trouble contacting someone?¡± I asked, smiling down at her. ¡°I¡¯m trying to call my aunt,¡± she murmured, a small smile ying on her lips. ¡°But her phone¡¯s off. She¡¯s probably getting ready for work.¡± She waved a dismissive hand in the air, pretending it was nothing. ¡°You must be Bo¡¯s attorney.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Lincoln Murphy. Undersheriff Jack Emery informed me of your son¡¯s case. I¡¯d like to have a few moments with your son before we speak to the district attorney on the circumstances of the case-¡± I paused, noticing Norma¡¯s eyes widen with shock. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­,¡± she mumbled under her breath. I turned around to find a rather short, stocky fellow in a gray suit standing behind me. His oily dark brown hair was slicked back while his dark moustache was well trimmed. He had dark beady eyes, a wide nose as well as a wide mouth while his lips were dark from smoking. I could tell¡­ he smelled like a cigar. ¡°Norma, what is this nonsense I hear? Ford killed Theodore? Is this true?¡± The man asked, scowling at her. Norma tried to answer, but her lips wouldn¡¯t move. I decided to butt in ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Have we met? I¡¯m Lincoln Murphy, attorney to Ford Martin-¡± ¡°It¡¯s Mart¨ªn, Mr. Murphy,¡± the man corrected me, using the Spanish pronunciation of M ¡°I¡¯m Tomas Mart¨ªn, Norma¡¯s ex-husband, but you can call me Thomas.¡± He grabbed my and shook it. ¡°Mr. Murphy, I don¡¯t care how much I have to pay, but I want my son out by day end. If he is truly guilty, I want him to have the lightest sentence possible for his crin You do this for me and I will make you a wealthy man. I can assure you¡­ I keep my promises.¡± ¡°Tomas, I already made a deal with Liam. This is why I need-¡± ¡°Enough, Norma,¡± Tomas Mart¨ªn said, cutting her off. ¡°The pharmacy stays in the organization. I can¡¯t believe you. You only had one thing to do¡­ to watch over our son, but you keep gallivanting with that college ni?o. I thought maybe you would grow up if I gave you less money, but you have be worse.¡± This is where Norma¡¯s money troubles stem from. 4/6 11:50 Tue, Apr 2 MG CHAPTER 130 Meeting the Martins .60% ¡°Our son is not a child. He is a grown man, Tomas,¡± Norma replied haughtily. ¡°And you have no right giving me less money. I am entitled to a piece of the pie, you jacka ss!¡± ¡°Link, cough once for yes. Is this Tomas Mart¨ªn Hispanic?¡± Beaufort asked through my earpiece. I coughed to answer Beaufort, but ended up interrupting the Martins¡¯ little spat. They both looked at me, embarrassed at their vile behavior. ¡°I think it¡¯s better if we take this discussion away from prying ears¡­ yes?¡± I said, gesturing for them to move further into the waiting area while I waited for Beaufort¡¯s instructions. Thest time we talked about Ford, Beaufort wanted me to make sure he went to jail. But Tomas Mart¨ªn was a game changer. ¡°The Angels of Darkness is primarily the Mexican Mafia. I want you to get on Tomas¡¯ good side. If he wants Ford out, get him out. Do whatever it takes, Link, Beaufort said. I undoutedly heard the excitement in his voice. I smiled at Ford¡¯s parents as they both calmed down.. A n was already forming in my head. ¡°Mr. Mart¨ªn, leave it to me. I¡¯ll get your son out. Tomas Mart¨ªn grinned at me. ¡°I like you already. I excused myself to call Autumn. On my way outside, I bumped into the district at needed to act fast. Outside, I saw a lone deputy admiring himself through his car window. I quickly hid hoping he wouldn¡¯t notice me. I was about to dial when I saw the Sheriff¡¯s car speeding towards the station. I decided to send Autumn a message instead and head back inside. What stopped me though was the harsh greeting the Sheriff gave the lone deputy. There was something else going on. 5/6 11:50 Tue, Apr 2 MG The Joy of Revenge Chapter 131 CHAPTER 131 There¡¯s a Reason Joy The sun was about to rise when we boarded one of Xavier¡¯s trucks bound for New Salem, leaving a shaken Emma to care for Sebastian. I wanted to stay and look after Sebastian myself, but I had to go back before Liam noticed I was missing. After Delgado, Xavier didn¡¯t want to lose any more members of the organization and the mere possibility of someone else dying ate at him. He decided it was best if we were prepared. So he ordered all his men stationed at Mandan to move to New Salem. Despite the risks, Xavier¡¯s sister¡­ she wasing whether we liked it or not. When Ki ki was formally inducted into the organization, she assumed Xavier would tap her to tap be a part of his group. But Xavier, who only wanted to protect his sister, had Cristos her instead. Although adept in h acking, Ki ki, like her brother, lovedbat and warfare. I remember her induction¡­ She was the first soldier to ever refuse a tap from an underboss. ¡°Katarina Xandra Beaufort,¡± her father yelled from the podium. ¡°You are privileged to have been tapped by a wise underboss. Know your ce in this organization or I will strip you of your membership.¡± ¡°But Father,¡± Ki ki reasoned, ¡°I deserve to be under Capo B astone Beau-¡± ¡°You will address me as Don, soldier,¡± her father reprimanded her. ¡°Understand our traditions. You will follow and serve Underboss Primo¡­ until your dying breath.¡± K iki muttered a curse before bowing to Cristos. It was obvious she wasn¡¯t too thrilled to be under him, but Cristos was definitely happy to acquire K iki. She had the Beaufort skillset he needed for his dirty work. Eventually, Ki ki warmed up to Cristos especially since she did all of his field work for him. However, as time went by, Xavier and his men oversaw all armed-rted operations. So, just like Dina and Lou, K iki ended up being in charge of arge team of hackers working for Cristos¡­ something she utterly detested. She was one slick cookie though. She waited for the perfect opportunity to get what she wanted. And even though Xavier screamed obscenities at her earlier, she wouldn¡¯t back down. Cristos had promised anything to the one person who could decode Cris¡¯ messages 1/6 CHAPTER 131 There¡¯s a Reason ¡°X, you aren¡¯t the underboss I work for,¡± she said while on speaker phone. ¡°Primo, you said I could ask for ar anything and this is what I want. I arrive in Bismarckter in the day. Please have Lou or Dina pick me up.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up,¡± I offered. ¡°You can y my bestfriend from Nevada who will be helping met with my wedding.¡± ¡°Oh, this is just fantastic,¡± Xavier eximed. ¡°The two of you together? Not only do I have to worry about just one woman, now I have two!¡± ¡°You will never have to worry about me, dear brother. As Joy¡¯s bestfriend, I can and will keep her safe,¡± K iki promised. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m afraid of,¡± Xavier said. ¡°You are just as reckless as Sebastian. And K iki, it¡¯s Virtue Sullivan, not Joy Taylor. If you¡¯re going to y her bestfriend, you better not slip. Chip and Virtue will pick you up at the airport. And Ki ki, I need you to be a girly girl.¡± ¡°Aw¡­ people in New Salem aren¡¯t into goth?¡± K iki asked, chuckling. ¡°No problem, Bo. I gotcha. Before we boarded the truck, we quickly went through Cris¡¯ messages, but despite being in word form, most of the messages didn¡¯t make any sense, except for thest one which had the words Ol¡¯ Barn and Friday. While heading back to New Salem, Xavier got an unexpected call from Link. It was a to discover Norma Martin was broke. ¡°I should¡¯ve looked into Norma¡¯s finances,¡± Cristos mumbled, angry at himself. ¡°I was a to, but Dan called and we had the Chicago trip and the proposal. It slipped my mind.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing then that Jake took a look at her finances for us,¡± Xavier said, cing at hand on his shoulder. ¡°Cristos, we need to find out who truly owns the pharmacy. Unfortunately, we are a man short, so it¡¯s up to us.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have Lou get us that information and I¡¯ll instruct my team to listen in on all of Liam¡¯s conversations. Something big is going to happen tomorrow and the Ol¡¯ Barn is where it¡¯s going to happen.¡± Xavier jumped out as soon as the truck stopped and immediately turned towards his office. But after a few steps, he abruptly stopped. I was about to ask him what was wrong when he gestured for all of us to keep quiet. 2/6 11:50 Tue, Apr 2 M CHAPTER 131 There¡¯s a Reason ¡°Link, cough once for yes. Is this Tomas Mart¨ªn Hispanic?¡± He asked through hismunication device. I noticed the excitement on his face as he listened intently. ¡°Who is Tomas Martin?¡± I mouthed to Cristos. He answered me with a shrug of his shoulders. ¡°The Angels of Darkness is primarily the Mexican Mafia,¡± Xavier suddenly said. ¡°I want you to get on Tomas¡¯ good side. Get Ford out. Do whatever it takes.¡± ¡°Get Ford out? Are you insane? What about Emma?¡± Cristos asked incredulously. ¡°And who is this T Mart¨ªn anyway?¡± ¡°Chip, I¡¯ll make sure Emma has back up. As to who this Tomas Mart¨ªn is, he is Ford¡¯s father and Norma¡¯s ex-husband,¡± Xavier answered. I gasped. Was he Luis Villegas in disguise? ¡°I overheard Norma and Tomas fighting over the pharmacy. Tomas said, and I quote, ¡°The pharmacy stays in the organization.¡¯ End quote. Xavier grinned at Cristos. ¡°I think we have finally found Pete¡¯s capo. I can¡¯t believe it. Everything does happen for a reason.¡± ¡°I need to h ook up myptop,¡± Cristos said, quickly walking towards Xavier¡¯s office which was still partly boarded up except for a small opening. ¡°I¡¯ll use facial recognition and see if he fits the description we found on Luis Villegas.¡± I followed Cristos into Xavier¡¯s office where he quickly set up hisptop and began typing. It took him about five minutes to hack into the CCTV footage at the Sheriff¡¯s station and. obtain an image of Tomas Mart¨ªn. He uploaded the image he got from De Luca and sought a facial match. ¡°Sixty-six percent,¡± Cristos announced, grimacing. ¡°It¡¯s not good, but it¡¯s high enough considering this photo was taken years ago. Height is a problem though. He¡¯s an inch shorter than this Luis Villegas, but we do be shorter as we age so this could be him-¡± ¡°Jake has something for you,¡± Xavier suddenly interrupted, entering with Jake. He handed Cristos a USB. ¡°Files from Hartman¡¯sptop. Link told me earlier Norma wired Hartman five hundred thousand to help Ford. You go through that while I check her phone.¡± Xavier sat down on his sofa and began swiping through Hartman¡¯s phone. ¡°Hartman was nning to s kip town¡­ she even wrote a letter confessing to the murder of Theodore Cohen¡­,¡± Jake began, but stopped. ¡°Has Autumn you, Primo? Otten in touch with I¡¯m sure she can provide us with more information than what I could get off Hartman¡¯sptop.¡± ¡°No. I told her toy low Cristas said grabbing his phone and dialing. ¡°Autumn, can you ¡¤ 3/6 11:50 Tue, Apr 2 MG. CHAPTER 131 There¡¯s a Reason speak freely? You¡¯re at home? Good. What do you have for me?¡± He put her on speaker phone so we all could hear what she had to say. ¡°Well, Hartman first tried to pin Theodore¡¯s death on his cardiologist, but it didn¡¯t work. After the Sheriff went through all the CCTV footages and smartphones they confiscated, he announced all the evidence pointed to Ford. Hartman called Norma to inform her of her son¡¯s arrest and told her she couldn¡¯t stand idly by and watch Ford be crucified for something he didn¡¯t do, so she offered to take the fall for Theodore¡¯s death. However, she went on to exin to Norma that it came with a price, considering her retirement benefits. would be revoked once she s kips town. Norma agreed to pay her all the money she had left in her bank ount just as long as all charges against Ford are dropped. Unfortunately, Hartman wasn¡¯t too pleased with the amount Norma offered her and was about to back out, but Norma promised her once Ford is released, she would ask Ford for a loan and pay her more. They negotiated for a while¡­ with Hartman finally settling for two million dors,¡± Autumn narrated. ¡°After writing her confession letter and leaving it inside her desk drawer, she pulled out a -long brown folder from under her desk. I thought she was going to go home, but she headed to the hospital director¡¯s office instead. Apparently, they both originally conspired to take Ford¡¯s trust fund money in exchange for his appointment as nurse administrator. However, due to the unforeseen circumstances, taking Ford¡¯s money was no longer a viable option, so Hartman proceeded in ckmailing the hospital director, showing him all the evidence she had collected in that folder she had brought with her. The hospital directorughed and quickly turned the tables on her, informing her he had evidence of her embezzling money from the department budget. It seems Hartman has a gambling addiction and travels to Fargo frequently,¡± Autumn exined. ¡°What evidence did she have against the hospital director?¡± Cristos asked. ¡°Drugs. The hospital director supplies the meth the nurses buy from Junior Nurse Administrator Rodney Marshall, one of two friends Emma has. Don¡¯t get me wrong¡­ I like Emma, I do, but she can be a real snob. Everyone at the hospital sees her as this big priss, so no one ever really warmed up to her. Ford, that idiot, had thought Emma was doing drugs since she was on speaking terms with Pam, this nurse who helps Rodney with his drug. dealing. That¡¯s the reason why Ford targeted Emma in the first ce. I didn¡¯t say anything because I needed her to act naturally.¡± ¡°Does Ford know about this Rodney?¡± Xavier asked. ¡°He only knows about Pam. Rodney is like a hero at the hospital. He even created a petition for the termination of Ford¡¯s employment.¡± 4/6 11:50 Tue, Apr 2 MG. CHAPTER 131 There¡¯s a Reason 60% ¡°Wait, I¡¯m confused. Rodney is openly trying to have Ford fired when the drugs he sellse from the organization Ford¡¯s mother is tied up with?¡± Xavier asked ¡°Based on what I heard from the hospital director, Norma Martin has no stake in the business whatsoever while Ford¡­ well, he was bing a hindrance to the business. The only reason why most of the sexual harassmentints against Ford were withdrawn was because many of the female nurses who filed aint were involved with drugs. As for Hartman, the hospital director reminded her that all he needed to do was say the word and she, Ford and Norma would cease to exist. He reminded her of a security guard and a janitor that went missing and told her, ¡®McDowell doesn¡¯t like liabilities. He prefers them buried in the ground.¡± I gasped again. The one ce we didn¡¯t care to look¡­ the hospital.. ¡°What happened after their meeting?¡± Cristos asked, shaking his head in disbelief. ¡°While I was providing care for Nicole Davis and everyone else was at the vigil, Hartman went to the nurses¡¯ locker room and raided Emma¡¯s locker, then quickly left the hospital right after. I have to apologize for my negligence, Primo, because it was already two in the morning when I was able to check the footage,¡± Autumn apologized. ¡°Do you know what she saw in Emma¡¯s locker?¡± ¡°She saw Emma¡¯s ring, Primo¡± Autumn said, her voiceced with concern. ¡°After watching th recorded feed, I went out for a smoke to calm my nerves and that¡¯s when I noticed Hartman car parked at the gift shop fronting the hospital. I decided to see if she was inside and she was, with a gun in her hands. That¡¯s when I decided to steal the note. I was on my way to warn Emma, but she had already left. I immediately linked into the CCTVs and found Emma standing in the parking lot with her hands raised above her head. I hurriedly alerted Link, knowing he could take care of Hartman.¡± ¡°Do you think she told Norma about Emma?¡± Xavier asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I don¡¯t even think she understood the inscription on the ring. But from the footage, it was clear Hartman marveled at the red diamond of Emma¡¯s family heirloom,¡± Autumn answered. TheCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. red diamond ring was only owned by the founding fathers of the Blood Disciples. Emma inherited hers from her father and it was worth millions. ¡°What I can definitely say though was Hartman wanted money and she was desperate. Desperate people often don¡¯t want to share.¡± ¡°I have to say you did well, Autumn, but next time keep Emma updated¡­ including me,¡± Cristos instructed her. ¡°We can¡¯t risk anyone¡¯s life. For today. Emma¡¯s calling in sick, so you¡¯ 5/6 11:50 Tue, Apr 2 M GU 60% CHAPTER 131 There¡¯s a Reason need to keep an eye on Nicole. I also need you to hack into the hospital director¡¯s files and look into every patient and every employee who is currently in that hospital and send that information to me. It¡¯s possible Pete may be hiding there.¡± ¡°Of course, Primo,¡± Autumn replied and hung up. ¡°I¡¯m convinced. There¡¯s a reason for everything,¡± Xavier said, standing up. ¡°There aren¡¯t any messages on this phone. Here, Chip. See if you can find anything else on it.¡± He handed Cristos Hartman¡¯s phone, then turned to speak to Jake. ¡°Jake, did Link leave you with instructions?¡± ¡°He needs me to assist him for the day, Bo,¡± Jake answered. ¡°For now, your mission is Tomas Mart¨ªn. I want to know where he lives. Tell Link to call me later. I need the both of you to ambush one of Sheriff¡¯s deputies, Xavier instructed. Jake nodded his head and quickly left. ¡°I¡¯ll call Sam and have him meet with the hospital director while Lou and my men put up CCTV cameras around the Ol¡¯ Barn.¡± ¡°Why do you need Sam to meet with the hospital director?¡± I asked, surprised. ¡°I¡¯m going to make a deal with Pete.¡± Chapter Comments 5 POST COMMENT NOW 6/6 The Joy of Revenge Chapter 132 CHAPTER 132 Poor Judgement Pete McDowell 60%Æ¿ I was in Bismarck, seated on a tattered sofa in a warehouse, seething with rage. Not only was I recovering from injuries, a number of the mercenaries I employed have wound up dead. After switching with an actor who resembled me, I followed him to the airport, hoping to catch whoever I suspected was following me, but to my utter shock, the person who I followed from the restroom was not the same man. I asked the man where he got his suit and he said a man in the restroom paid him a thousand dors to switch clothes with his friend. I rushed-back to the restroom and found it empty. I quickly called the actor¡¯s manager and asked for another to impersonate me. Luckily, he was able to find me another actor just as the private ne I charterednded at the airport. I had the pilot fly him to the Bahamas where a group of my men were waiting for his arrival. He was passed out drunk on the beach when my men took him. They dragged him to a boat, slit his throat and threw his corpse into the bottom of the sea. I told my men to stay put, just in case anyone came looking for me. The following day, my men notified me a small group of male tourists arrived on board a private ne who seemed to be moving from one hotel to the next. I ordered them to kill the male tourists, but after that call, I didn¡¯t hear from my men again. As for the missing actor from the airport, I received no word of his whereabouts. No doubt whoever took him must have killed him. Anyway, he was the least of my concerns. After speaking to my capos and leaving traces of myself in each state of the WNCS, I made my way to Texas under the name Luis Villegas, my father¡¯s most trusted capo. Once I arrived, I bought several prepaid phones and made a phone call to Cris. ¡°Hello Cris. Miss me?¡± I greeted him when he answered. ¡°Why the f uck are you calling me? If Liam finds out, he¡¯ll kill me,¡± Cris growled. He was still angry at me for betraying him. ¡°I need you to go to Huff Hills and clean the ce¡­ oh, and free those two b itches you left in the basement,¡± I instructed. 1/6 11:50 Tue, Apr 2 MG. CHAPTER 132 Poor Judgement ¡°Why the f uck would I want to go there? I killed a girl there, remember?¡± 60% ¡°Stop being such a pu ssy and clean the ce up. Call the cleaners, if you don¡¯t want to do it yourself. There shouldn¡¯t be a speck of my cu m on any of the-¡± ¡°Where are you anyway?¡± Cris asked, interrupting me unexpectedly. I¡¯m out of reach,¡± I answered candidly. ¡°Cris, just do what I say. I¡¯m expectingpany and I need the mansion spotless. While you¡¯re there, destroy all the videos. There shouldn¡¯t be any evidence. No one should know about our little side hustle, especially Ortiz.¡± Fine. But this is thest time I do any favors for you,¡± Cris said dryly. ¡°I mean it. I need to inget myself together and concentrate on the election.¡± s, Cris, you and I both know you don¡¯t have the willpower to silence that voice in your head¡­ kovou know¡­ the one that¡¯s egging you on to- Shut the f uck up! Don¡¯t you say another word,¡± He eximed harshly. Iughed at Cris ticeaction. He was so¡­ sensitive. ould you don¡¯t want me to say another word, then do as I say. Ma must have told whoever heraber about the mansion. By the way, I¡¯ve hired some mercenaries to keep a look out for one rope suspicious. Don¡¯t worry, they won¡¯t hurt you. They know you¡¯reing to do some ining. hing. I gotta go. Right now, I have business to attend to. I¡¯ll message you ing up befopbefore he could protest. For someone who liked it rough, he was su er my phone the call with Cris, I called the man I needed to see, however he sai et with me becae because Ortiz was watching him like a hawk. condolences, Pedro Pedro, Lorenzo greeted me. ¡°The news of your mother¡¯s death br h great sorrow. ConCynthia was a great woman.¡± enzo was the considersgifdre of Dona Ortiz as well as the creator of our cyber-entertainme erprise. After watching thing the video of the brutal rape of Joy Taylor, he sold her video to chos on the dark web todo and earned quite a bit of money. lizing the earning potential otsal of such videos, he bought a small building in Houston which ved as his headquarters for thiot that kind of raunchy entertainment. Just like our fellow mafia Mexico who specialized in humanand and sex trafficking, he began abducting woman and had rh brutally raped by his men while while recording them live. The money poured in like he hit jackpot.in 111 2/6 11:50 Tue, Apr 2 M Gu CHAPTER 132 Poor Judgement 58% But, much to his dismay, someone snitched to Ortiz. He was given the choice to stop or die. He chose to stop. When Cris and I graduated college, he called me to help him continue the business. I had my mother buy Huff Hills mansion and there, Cris and I started making money off of our favorite pastime. ¡°Thank you. Hearing your kind words warms my heart,¡± I replied. ¡°But let¡¯s get down to business. On the top of our agenda, I would like to inform you the BDSM video production is currently suspended until further notice. I have already sent you the earnings for this month, however, because of the circumstances, next month¡¯s earnings may be considerably smaller unless Liam Cohen delivers on his promise,¡± I told him. ¡°Pedro, speak freely please. What¡¯s going on? Why do you need to suspend production?¡± He asked. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°De Vega has taken a girl who has information of my safehouse. I suspect he will be making a house call any day now,¡± I answered. ¡°De Vega? I think you are mistaken. De Vega swears it isn¡¯t him,¡± he said, pausing. I heard voices in the background. ¡°Ortiz is calling for me.¡± Sh it! ¡°I took the liberty of booking you a connecting flight to Chicago. Fly to Chicago, Pedro. There, you will find the answers you seek.¡± ¡°Fly to Chicago? I don¡¯t want to die-¡± ¡°I have a small team already in ce in Chicago, I assure you, De Vega will not understands you are under my protection.¡± ¡°But, Lorenzo- ¡°Ep,¡± he silenced me. ¡°I promise you will thank me for this. Now go.¡± It was night time when I arrived at O¡¯Hare International Airport where a ck Cadic w waiting for me outside. Aside from the driver, a young man in a suit was also with us, seate in the passenger¡¯s seat. I tried to make small talk, asking them certain questions, but they kept quiet which I found disturbing. I wanted to get out of the car, but decided against it. I had to trust Lorenzo. After all the money I gave him, I knew he wouldn¡¯t put me in harm¡¯s way. 1 3/6 11:50 Tue, Apr 2 CHAPTER 132 Poor Judgement 58% I was dropped off at The Waldorf Hotel and was asked to change into the tuxedo hanging in a suite on one of the top floors. That¡¯s where I bumped into Nicole. She appeared to have gone shopping although her face was an utter mess. Her make-up was all over the ce, making her look grotesque. ¡°Is Liam with you?¡± I asked her. I had a feeling he wasn¡¯t because she was so annoying. ¡°No,¡± she answered in her high pitched voice. ¡°But I can call him. I heard he¡¯s been looking for you.¡± ¡°Is that how you treat the person who pays you all that money you spend for your shopping sprees?¡± I asked, unzipping the small carry-on I had with me. I took out a bundle of hundred dor bills and ced it inside one of her shopping bags. ¡°There. To keep your mouth shut. Buy yourself some pretty jewelry to go with all those clothes you bought.¡± I turned to open the door of my suite, but paused before entering. ¡°On second thought, give Liam a message for me, will you? Tell him¡­ I expect him to honor our deal.¡± After changing into a tuxedo and messaging Cris, I went back downstairs and rode the Cadic to an undisclosed location. After about twenty minutes, the car entered a car park of an unfamiliar tall commercial building. ¡°Capo B astone Cadena, right this way please,¡± the young man said after ushering me out of the car. ¡°Where are we?¡± I asked, feeling quite unnerved. ¡°I was instructed to bring you here. You will be dining with Capo Ba stone De Vega o floor,¡± the man replied without even answering my question. I was frisked by one the guards before I was allowed to enter the building. It was quiet a totally empty¡­ There was no one else inside roaming the lobby and there was no furnitur We took the elevator to the top floor where its doors opened to reveal a dark and emptymercial space except for a small dining table lit with candles where a middle-aged man in a tuxedo was seated¡­ waiting for me. ¡°I hope your flight wasfortable,¡± De Vega said, his voice low and rich, as he stood up to wee me. The gray streaks in his dark hair were noticeable while his face was smooth and clean-s haven. He was muscr for a man his age and stood an inch taller than I.. While I quietly stood in front of him, he stared at me, studying my face. After a moment, h CHAPTER 132 Poor Judgement murmured, ¡°You don¡¯t look like your father.¡± ¡°You knew my father?¡± I asked. ¡°Oh yes,¡± he answered. ¡°He and I were friends once upon a time. Your father was a man of authority¡­ he believed he was a league entirely of his own. Unfortunately, that¡¯s what put a target on his back. Sit and have some tequ with me.¡± ¡°Before I sit, I would like to apologize for taking your niece. It was poor judgment on my part, I apologized, hoping he¡¯d ept my apology. ¡°Poor judgement, you say? I can¡¯t call it that. I believe it was idiocy and conceit,¡± he said, clearly insulting me. I wanted to head back to the elevator and leave, but I still had several unanswered questions. So, I nodded my head and pretended to ept his harsh words. ¡°Since that has been taken care of¡­ Please, take a seat, Capo Ba stone Cadena.¡± He gestured to the empty chair beside him. I sat down, turning my head to see if the young man who apanied me was still behind. me. To my dismay, he was nowhere to be found. I was all alone with De Vega. my a My palms and began to sweat. I rubbed my palms against my thighs, trying to rx, but the movement made me feel more ufortable. I was so stu pid to walk into a trap. I was so stu pid to listen to Lorenzo when I was fully aware that he was a backstabbing, greedy s on ofa bitc h. I was so stu pid to think I was going toe out of this alive. ¡°Cadena, hijo, wipe the sweat off your forehead, De Vega chided. ¡°Lorenzo has given me strict instructions. I am only to do what he has asked me to do. I have prepared your father¡¯s favorite. Tequ Patr¨®n and enchdas.¡± He quickly poured me and himself a shot ss of Tequ and pped his hands. From the darkness, a man in a chef cap set down a te of warm enchdas in front of me. A wave of nostalgia hit me¡­ it was as if my father was with us. ¡°Eat. If you are afraid it is poisoned, I assure you poison is not my weapon of choice. I am not a pus sy. I like looking into the eyes of the man I kill. Plus, I made a promise to your 5/6 11:50 Tue, Apr 2 MG. CHAPTER 132 Poor Judgement father. I swore I would not kill his wife nor child. I am a man of my word,¡± he said, downing the tequ. He sighed and poured himself another shot. ¡°Your father always had good taste.¡± I rxed, drank my tequ and began eating my enchdas while he did the same, scrutinizing my every bite and my every sip. He was a gracious host, quickly filling my ss after every shot. However, halfway through my second enchda, he suddenly pped his hands. A group of men wearing nicely tailored suits suddenly appeared, surrounding us. I couldn¡¯t believe it¡­ I had the rug pulled out from under me. F uck¡­ Why did I have to listen to Lorenzo? Chapter Comments 5 POST COMMENT NOW Chapter 133 CHAPTER 133 Lorenzo and Nestor Joy I stared at Xavier, bewildered. ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re going to make a deal?¡± I asked Xavier. *I¡¯m going to ask Sam to tell Pete that Cris Murdock hired us to bring you to him. All he has to do is give us a time and a ce,¡± Xavier said casually. ¡°Simple, easy and none of us has to get shot at. Then, after we¡¯re done with him, you can kill the other three, so we can all go home. Well, all of you can go home. I still have to make a pit stop in Texas and visit Veronica Ortiz.¡± ¡°Hold that thought, Bo,¡± Cristos, who was still typing on hisptop, said. ¡°I¡¯m looking through the wire transfers and the initials of the recipient don¡¯t match.¡± ¡°What do you mean the initials don¡¯t match? There¡¯s a V, isn¡¯t there?¡± Xavier argued like a sma rt s s. ¡°Yes, but the initials are a V.L. Ortiz and not a VA. Ortiz. Do?a Ortiz¡¯s full name is Veronica Aldana Ortiz. This can¡¯t be her-¡± ¡°V.L. Ortiz stands for Vicente Lorenzo Ortiz, Dona Ortiz¡¯s cousin,¡± a familiar male v at the entrance of Xavier¡¯s office. We all turned our heads to find De Luca standing 1 doorway. ¡°De Luca, what are you doing here?¡± Xavier asked, annoyed. ¡°How did you get here any ¡°On the delivery truck with Chef,¡± De Luca said. ¡°He¡¯s going to take a look at that house at the Ol¡¯ Taylor cul-de-sac.¡± ¡°So, this means o was prof from the girls Cris and Pete kidnapped and raped. Who is this Vicente anyway?¡± Cristos asked. ¡°Do?a Ortiz¡¯s consigliere. He¡¯s known moremonly as Lorenzo in the Angels of Darkness,¡± De Luca answered smugly. ¡°By the way, I sent my contact in Texas the information my FBI asset gave me and he finally sent me some information which makes sense.¡± He sat down on Xavier¡¯s couch, making himselffortable. ¡°Luis Villegas was an illegal, a product of a prostitute mother and one of her gr ingo clients. He adopted the name Louis Duncan after he was smuggled into Texas by the Cadenas. Rafael and Louis grew up together, were 1/6 CHAPTER 133 Lorenzo and Nestor his capo and reverted back to his real name Luis Villegas, although people still used Duncan.¡± ¡°So why did he flee Texas?¡± I asked curiously. ¡°Cadena, being the hothead that he was, killed someone from the Scottish Crime Syndicate, the group Cynthia McDowell¡¯s father led. Villegas, being loyal to Cadena, took the fall and fled with his Scottish wife, a woman named Laura. At that time, they were childless. The couple first moved to bama, using his adopted surname Duncan, but were easily found. They, then, traveled up north to North Dakota, changing their names. No one has seen or heard of Luis Villegas ever since. Such a pity being betrayed by your own family. The Angels. of Darkness turned their backs on him without even making an investigation of their own.¡± ¡°But if they turned their backs on him, why is he Pete¡¯s capo?¡± I asked. ¡°He¡¯s not, but the son is. There was an induction of a Nestor Villegas about nine or eight years ago after hepleted a task Do?a Ortiz sanctioned, De Luca exined. ¡°And what task was that?¡± Xavier asked. ¡°To kill Luis Villegas, his own father. It seems someone had alerted the FBI of his location. But before the FBI could arrest him, he was already buried.¡± ¡°And how did he die? Does your contact know?¡± I asked. Car ident, De Luca answered. ¡°And the wife of Luis?¡± I asked. I asked the same thing. My contact has no information on the wife,¡± De Luca replied must be dead as well.¡± Do you have a picture of Nestor Villegas?¡± Cristos asked. De Luca shook his head. ¡°How at that possible?¡± its possible when you have your induction at a secret venue with only a handful of people aunattendance. The only person who can actually point us to this Nestor Villegas is Pedro adeCadena himself. The only other person, Cynthia, unfortunately, is dead.¡± hit?avianvier eximed, shaking his head. nedd said ran to take a look at this person named Tomas Martin. Does he resemble Luis 2/6 11.50 Tue, Apr 2 MG. CHAPTER 133 Lorenzo and Nestor Villegas? I¡¯m thinking maybe he changed his name and took on another persona to make people think he¡¯s dead,¡± Cristos said, showing De Luca the image of Norma¡¯s ex-husband. ¡°We got a sixty percent match.¡± ¡°Although we all look alike in some way, no, that isn¡¯t him. Luis was light-skinned. ording to my contact, he dyed his hair dark just to fit in, because the Angels pride themselves with purity. Back then, Luis wouldn¡¯t have been inducted if it weren¡¯t for Rafael,¡± De Luca said. ¡°So, we¡¯re back to square one,¡± I said. ¡°Tomas must be a soldier then. Maybe, just maybe, he¡¯s one of the handful of people who knows Nestor Villegas.¡± ¡°No,¡± De Luca said. ¡°Only the high ranking members know who he is.¡± a ¡°Is he here in New Salem then?¡± Cristos asked. ¡°Because if he is, that narrows the search. It¡¯s probable you even went to school with him, Virtue.¡± ¡°Yes, he is here,¡± De Luca replied. ¡°He has never left ording to my contact. How he remains hidden is a mystery. ording to my contact, he was awarded money for killing Luis Villegas¡­ and let¡¯s not forget the profits he earns from their drug business.¡± ¡°He must have an offshore ount,¡± Xavier mumbled, utterly frustrated. ¡°We have another problem. I just overheard Norma say she heard Lisa tell Jack that Joy Taylor is back.¡± ¡°Pete must have heard about the contract and told Lisa,¡± Cristos pointed out. ¡°That¡¯s good right? He¡¯ll be looking for a scrawny, brown-haired, long nosed woman,¡± I said. ¡°That means¡­ no eyes on us.¡± Xavier smiled, waving his finger at me. ¡°I like how you think, Virtue. Let¡¯s give Pete what he wants then, shall we? And when we corner him, we¡¯ll ask him who this Nestor Villegas is.¡± Sheriff I was in my office waiting for Liam. Silly me. I assumed the brand new Jaguar parked up front was owned by the Martin¡¯s new attorney. I arrived at the station past eight in the morning and saw Randying out of his car, all fresh and showered 3/6 CHAPTER 133 Lorenzo and Nestor I scowled as I watched him fix his hair. While we were up all night, he was able to go home. and get some rest¡­ And he wondered why I didn¡¯t want to give him more money. I wondered what I needed to do to keep Randy at bay. My other men did more work and were satisfied with the extra pay while Randy was prissy and oftenined about all the heavy lifting. If he wanted more money, then he would have to do something worth my while. After parking my car at my usual spot, I raised each arm above my head and sniffed my armpits. Since I had to wait to take a shower, I decided I¡¯d change into a spare shirt I had in the office. I got out of my patrol car, walked towards Randy, who was busy admiring himself through his car window, and grabbed him by his shoulders. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about Riley?¡± I asked calmly. For a fraction of a second, I saw the surprise in his eyes, but he quicklyposed himself. ¡°Why won¡¯t you give me more money?¡± He asked, answering my question with his. ¡°You know why I won¡¯t give you more money. Instead of doing what I ask you to do, you as too many questions,¡± I growled at him. ¡°Now¡­ Bismarck Police is wondering why I never heard about Riley being in the hospital.¡± ¡°I¡¯d do more if you¡¯d pay me more, Sheriff,¡± he said, hoping I¡¯d finally agree to the request. ¡°I¡¯m not asking much.¡± I thought he would see it my way, but he made it all about the money. ¡°You don¡¯t get it, do you? You made a mess of things, now I want you to clean it up. For your trouble, I¡¯ll pay you a hundred grand. How does that sound?¡± His face immediately lit up with dor signs in his eyes. ¡°What do you need me to do exactly?¡± He asked, like an idiot. I grabbed him by the neck and pulled him towards me so I could whisper to him. ¡°If Riley wakes up, he¡¯ll talk and you know what will happen next. I don¡¯t mind spending the remainder of my life in jail, but what will Christine do while you sit rotting away in prison?¡± I asked quietly. 4/6 CHAPTER 133 Lorenzo and Nestor ¡°You don¡¯t think he¡¯ll open his mouth, do you?¡± He asked, sounding skeptical. ¡°You can¡¯t be this naive, Randy. You¡¯ll know he¡¯ll talk to save his own skin. If you had told me. when Detective Matthews called, then this problem would have been dealt with sooner. Now, we are faced with the dilemma of Riley waking up with the Bismarck PD right beside him. You put us in this situation.¡± I pointed at him, tapping my finger on his chest. ¡°I need you to silence him and when I say silence, I mean I want him dead,¡± I mumbled, looking at him. straight in the eyes. ¡°Make it two hundred fifty thousand and I¡¯ll do it,¡± Randy negotiated. My eyes narrowed as I fought the urge to shoot him where he stood. ¡°Fine,¡± I answered reluctantly, agreeing to what he wanted. ¡°That¡¯s not all, Sheriff. I want a hundred thousand as a down-payment and I want an extra five grand a month on top of what you¡¯re giving me now. For the next ten years,¡± he added. slyly before extending his hand for a handshake, Ten years? I wanted tough. After Christine gives birth, I¡¯m going to kill you. ¡°You got yourself a deal. But, Randy, I need to stress the importance of the matter. I want this taken care of by tomorrow,¡± I said while I shook his hand. ¡°B-but t-that isn¡¯t enough time-¡± He tried pulling his hand out of my grasp, but I tightened my hand around his until a tiny yelp came out from his mouth. ¡°Twenty-four hours is good enough as any for the money you¡¯re asking,¡± I said, cu off. ¡°Just do what I¡¯m asking you to do like a good little boy and I¡¯ll take care of the suddenly let go of his hand and he stumbled back, wincing in pain. ¡°Sheriff, may I ask someone from the station to assist me?¡± He asked. it ¡°No. You have to do this alone. More people, more noticeable,¡± I answered. ¡°Take the day off, so you cane up with a n. My suggestion, do it at night. I¡¯ll have someone swing by your house with that down-payment you want and once I get the call confirming Riley¡¯s death, you¡¯ll get the rest. Now go. Beat it.¡± I watched him drive off before I entered the station. ¡°Where¡¯s Jack?¡± I asked as I walked in. 5/6 CHAPTER 133 Lorenzo and Nestor He¡¯s in the interrogation room with the district attorney and the Martins, Sheriff, waiting tofor you,¡± a deputy answered. I entered my office to change into a fresh shirt and grab Ford¡¯s cacase file sitting on my desk. WWith the folder tucked under my arm, I walked to the interrogation room and peeked inside. That¡¯s when I saw him. Thomas Martin in the flesh! He was one person who lived a life of seseclusion.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Whenever he was in New Salem, he only went to the diner or, when needed, the Couch Mansion. I quickckly messaged Liam. It was is rarely nine in the morning and the problems kept piling up. I heard a lotack on my door and in came Liam, freshly showered and wearing a dark suit. He approrated to be in good spirits, considering his father just died. ¡°Let¡¯s do this. Si sheriff. gray Chapter Caromerests Elizabet: Jonson POST COMMENT I have no idea who lo is who anymore. So many people with so many names, I think I will have to do a spreadsheet will still keep reading though. Probably reread it¡­ Kerryn Day-Francis okay¡­ now I¡¯m thinking is is noah I VIEW ALL 3 COMMENTS: 45 6/6 Chapter 134 HAPTER 134 Final Favor Cl f u e McDowell as supposed to be celebrating the death of Theodore Cohen¡­ luding Liam¡¯s engagement to Virtue¡­. cause now it would make it even more painful for Liam once he loses her. I was suffering. My swollen face was being held together by a temporary external fixator ile one of my eyes had a bandage over it. I needed a straw to eat and drink and when I d to speak, I could barely move my jaw, making me sound as if I was eating my words. icked on my straw, finishing the whisky in my ss, hoping to numb the pain of my ches, the cuts and bruises on my face as well as my perforated anus and hopefully forget. wever, everything was just so raw, so recent, that even if I drank myself to a stupor, the mory of what had happened to me kept flooding my psyche like relentless torture. Vega¡¯s men immediately came out from their hiding ces and surrounded us. I reptitiously nced behind me and saw two of his brawniest men sneering down at me. h of them were wearing shiny knuckle rings, the brass metal seemingly winking sinisterly me at each flicker of the yellow-orange light of the candles. this is what you had nned all along, De Vega. Use Lorenzo to get me toe t n kill me,¡± I said, sobering a bit. ¡°You had me convinced that you are an honorable nted to take out my phone and call Lorenzo, but the two goons behind me made me tide otherwise. Vega drank the remaining tequ in his shot ss before he answered. ¡°How dare you about honor when you have none,¡± he scoffed. ¡°You take my niece, stick your filthy penis her then show your face, drink my tequ and eat my old mother¡¯s specialty¡­ as if you ze done no wrong. You are so unlike your father. He would have kissed my feet and begged for my forgiveness before he sat down and ate with me. Do you honestly think an logy will make up for viting my niece? My niece, you hijo de puta!¡± He rubbed his khead with his fingers, easing the tension he was feeling. ¡°It¡¯s a shame actually¡­ you w the fruit falling far from the tree.¡± ext blied our shot sses and gestured for me to drink. ¡°Despite what you think, I was told gedyanidrunk, so you wouldn¡¯t feel a thing. Now, Cadena, drink.¡± He grabbed his shot delindeclined on mine repeatedly until I picked it up, giving me no choice. I raised my APTER 134 Final Favorat ss to my lips and drank, my handshands slightly quivering. I was afraid. Afraid of what the ire had in store for me.r me. Vega drank slowly, gazing at me with with such malcontent. After he ced his ss on the le, he threw his napkin on top of his plus te, signaling the end of our soiree. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I e to cut our little get-together short, but, but I think it¡¯s time I follow through with Lorenzo¡¯s ructions before you insult me furtheratiter and I take my gun and shoot you in the head.¡± He pped his fingers, then pointed at me. Men, Men, you know what to do.¡± He stood from his seat buttoned his jacket, preparing to leave.leave. pay you. Whatever Lorenzo has promised ytse you. I¡¯ll double it!¡± I shouted, trying to stand, the two men behind me ced their hands un don my shoulders, preventing me from ing. ent from tipsy to sober in an instant. ti t. heart was racing, my breathing shallow. Beads of sweat hegat began to drip along the sides of face. The fear I was feeling was so overwhelming that dont dicouldn¡¯t fight¡­ I just sat in my ir, frozen like a statue. ently prayed he would ept my proposal and just let me gomis go. But the ominous ression on his face made my heart sink. ere is no amount of money you can offer to dissuade me. For youninominformatio just following orders. As I had said earlier, I am a man of my word, Wed De Vega ck bow tie. ¡°You see, I am not the person who killed your mothen feser Yes, I ad ited to kill you for what you had done to my favorite niece, but I made made tintoath ier and I would like to uphold that oath. However, before we part ways, husel have s ell you¡­¡± He squatted on his haunches, cing his mouth next to my lennon r assassination was made by a Joy Taylor to the amount of two million dors ns. Do iz herself has sanctioned it. Whoever this Joy Taylor is, Pedro, she ising toi vetor you aally such a pity that I won¡¯t be able to watch her mutte your fat body, but theat the idea r death brings a warmth to my heart.¡± oy Taylor?¡± I asked, stunned at hearing that name again. I turned my head to peer inter into eyes. ¡°You lie. Joy Taylor is dead.¡± His lips curved into a menacing smile, his eyes ves nkling with amusement. e beads of sweat dripping down your face say otherwise. Dios mio, Cadena! You look look olutely terrified, hijo.¡± He took the napkin I hadying on myp and began to wipe my m ehead, smirking as he dabbed the cloth to my skin. When I heard about the contract, I a, I C ins YOU 2/4 11:51 Tue, Apr 2 MGU CHAPTER 134 Final Favor wondered what could you have possibly done to this woman for her to pay Ortiz that much money for her to kill you. I did some digging and found a video of her brutal rape on the close, dark web.¡± He threw the napkin on the table and stood up. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve seen you up I¡¯vee to the conclusion you weren¡¯t one of her rapists, but I¡¯m guessing you were behind. everything. I mean, why would there be a video if it wasn¡¯t orchestrated in a way, right? But why? Why orchestrate something as horrible as that, huh, Cadena?¡± He waited for me to answer, but I kept my mouth shut hoping my silence would serve as a denial to the allegations. ¡°No answer? I¡¯ll answer for you then.¡± He stood back up and fixed his jacket. ¡°I did more digging and found the answer. Land. Your mother boughtnd from the Taylors after Joy was raped. You see, Cadena? It¡¯s not so hard to figure out who really killed your mother.¡± ¡°But the sni per rifle, it was one of yours,¡± I argued. ¡°I knew you would say that,¡± he said, taking a sheet of paper out from his inner jacket pocket. It was a docket. ¡°One of my shipments waspromised. A crate went missing as you can see herest-¡± He suddenly stopped, looking towards the elevator. I tried to turn around to take a look, but the two thugs behind me wouldn¡¯t let me. ¡°Nestor, so good to see you. You look quite dashing, De Vega greeted the neer. My capo? He¡¯s here? I waited for him to approach the table, but he didn¡¯t¡­ the as shole. Capo B astone De Vega, good evening,¡± Nestor said, his voiceing from beh received your message. Sorry, I¡¯mte. I had dinner with a few friends.¡± ¡°Understandable. I hope you don¡¯t mind waiting, We aren¡¯t finish yet,¡± De Vega sai ¡°Not at all. I have received my instructions from the Consigliere. I am to bring him ba New Salem with me. The private ne is on standby waiting to transport us.¡± ¡°NESTOR, HELP ME, YOU SON OFABI TC H! YOU WORK FOR ME!¡± I yelled. I heard his footsteps as he approached the table. I looked up at him and I was shocked to see him dressed in an Armani suit. ¡°Capo Ba stone Cadena,¡± he murmured calmly, ¡°I do work for you, however I have my instructions to return you to New Salem after you have been disfigured. As a final favor to your dead father, we will help you with your new disguise.¡± 3/4 11:51 Tue, Apr 2 MGU CHAPTER 134 Final Favor ¡°DISFIGURED?! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MINDS?!¡± ¡°No, Capo B astone,¡± Nestor replied, shaking his head. ¡°We have no say in this matter. The Consigliere, with, of course, the blessing of Do?a Ortiz, was the one who ordered this. So no one will recognize you.¡± ¡°You a sshole, you¡¯re the one who suggested this to him, didn¡¯t you?¡± I asked angrily. ¡°I mere ly nned gested it would be better if you were unrecognizable. He was the one who nned all this. Not me,¡± Nestor answered slyly ¡°Cadena, this would have all been avoided if you worked with us and not against us,¡± De Vega interjected. ¡°Your capos in each state of the WNCS have voiced out their concerns against you, especially your capo from South Dakota. Two of his men have gone missing. So for you to stay in New Salem, we need to give you a new face and a new identity¡­ Whilst I and my niece, Ariana, receive some justice. As soon as De Vega uttered the name of his niece, a female voice came from the darkness. ¡°T¨ªo, is he ready?¡± I reached for the bottle of Patr¨®n and drank. I was f ucked. Chapter Comments POST COMMENT NOW 4 4/4Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Chapter 135 CHAPTER 135 Phallus 580 Pete McDowell ¡°Tio, is he ready?¡± A familiar woman¡¯s voice asked. Out from the shadows, Ariana came out. with a long thick phallus-shaped steel rod in her small gloved hands. Because Cris and I had cut off her long thick locks, she was sporting a pixie cut with blonde highlights. She was wearing dark blue coveralls,tex gloves and ck boots while a pair of gogglesy on top of her head. I noticed the cut we made on her cheek had healed nicely, giving her a much edgier look. As she stared at me, a wicked smile yed on her red lips while her light brown eyes twi nkled with unmistakable delight and anticipation under her dark eyeshadow. She reminded me of an image of an evil witch sans the ck outfit. ¡°Yes, hija. But you heard Lorenzo. We need to dye his hair and we can only mess up his face¡­ so he won¡¯t be recognized when he goes back to New Salem, De Vega instructed. ¡°Nestor, my. niece, Ariana De Vega. Ariana, Capo Nestor Villegas.¡± Nestor bowed his head at her while she bowed hers in greeting. ¡®I wish every man in the organization had your good looks Capo Villegas, but them have to look like this sick f uck right here. T¨ªo, is it too much to ask if I g taste of what he did to me?¡± Ariana asked, walking up to me and forcefully grab my hair while inserting the phallus-shaped steel rod into my mouth. I gagged as rod pushed against the back of my throat. ¡°Do whatever you want, just don¡¯t kill him and don¡¯t break any of his limbs. He will b needing his arms and legs. It won¡¯t be fair to Joy Taylor, if we leave him¡­ useless,¡± De said. f ¡°Understood, Ariana said, hitting me on the head with the steel rod. I winced, but I wasn¡¯t afraid anymore. They weren¡¯t going to kill me. ¡°Ad¨ªos, Cadena. Sadly, this will be thest time I see you,¡± De Vega said, cing an arm around Nestor¡¯s shoulders to guide him out. ¡°Let¡¯s smoke some cigars and have a bit of cognac while you wait. I must say¡­ I¡¯m quite impressed. I can¡¯t believe Luis has such a handsome son.¡± ttle 1/5 Tue, Apr 2 CHAPTER 135 Phallus you. Are you still in touch with some offmy fither¡¯s friends in Houston?¡± Nestor asked as they walked to the elevator. ¡°Yes, I am,¡± De Vega answered. ¡°What do you need? Don¡¯t tell me you need a girlfriend?¡± I heard the both of themugh loudly as they walked into the elevator leaving me at the mercy of a woman I had vited. My heart was still beating rapidly in my chest, but I pushed my fears aside knowing I could withstand whatever they threw my way. ¡°You and I are going to have lots of fun together.Arinana whispered in my ear. My blood ran cold. It was the same line I had said to herivhen we took her. ¡°Take off all his clothes,y him on the floor and raise his deless above his head,¡± Ariana instructed the men while stroking the steel rod. Youll be s hitting uncontrobly for a week once I¡¯m done with you.¡± Wait, please I tried to beg, but Ariana ced a moist rag insiddemy mouth to silence me while the men ripped my tuxedo apart. When the steel rod pierced my as shole for the first time, I screamedd.ititwasilike the skin around my sphincter was being torn apart and it burned¡­ it burned soomuch. Shut him up, will you!¡± She instructed one the men with brass knuckless tricad date away from his fist, but he grabbed my hair to still my head and punched d ided led out from the excruciating pain, but the burning sensation from the steelrasinating my anus kept me conscious. eard hei har inughter as she inserted the steel rod inside me again and again, untilith ell of my shy sh it flooded my nostrils. ?? u are one icsick b astard!¡± I heard Ariana scream taking the steel rod out of my bu tthole aved a sigh of ofrelief, thinking she was done, but I was wrong. ¡°Hose this as shole downh nks!! my hought I was going into drown. They hosed me down with cold water using a fire hose zzle. The water went ent up my nose, into my eyes, ears and mouth. I was shivering when theyy ally shut off the waterater. ey chained my wrists togetiget her and hung me up on an iron rod. Ariana inserted the steel d¡¯into my anus, then sat dan downd watched me as the men took turns punching me like a inching bag. I don¡¯t know whe hat happened after cked out after the third punch. 2/5 CHAPTER 135 Phallus I mmed my fist angrily on the coffee table in front of me¡­ I was so angry at myself for forgetting my training and for allowing this to happen. I wish I could go back to my fifteen year-old self when I was at the top of my game. I leaned back on the tattered sofa, the sound of stic rustling with my movement. Ugh! I was wearing diapers because of that b itch! When I woke up after the savagery I experienced, I was surprised to find myself in a hospital room with a male nurse sitting beside my bed waiting for me to wake up. He told me I was in New Salem and the injuries to my face were extensive. Since I needed to pee, the male nurse assisted me to the bathroom and for the first time, I saw myself in the mirror. I couldn¡¯t recognize myself. My hair was now dyed an ash gray and my face¡­ my face¡­ It was so bad, I actually wanted to cry. I lifted my hospital gown and quickly removed the tape of the adult diapers I was wearing to check my penis. I heaved a huge sigh of relief discovering my penis was intact, however, my as shole was sore and I was sh itting all over myself. I silently vowed once I was through with Virtue Sullivan and Joy Taylor, I¡¯d finish what Cris and I had started with Ariana De Vega and deliver her to her uncle in a box. But before the women, I had to take care of a little problem happening at the Ol news of the meet happening on Friday at midnight was thest message I received Cris. Because of what happened to me in Chicago, I wasn¡¯t able to meet with him. All I got w his messages. Luckily, my phone including all of my belongings that I had brought with were there in the hospital room when I woke up I was replying to Cris when chaos erupted. The male nurse who was at my bedside when I awoke, barged into my room, took my carry-on and my phone telling me Theodore Cohen. was dead and that the Sheriff was probably already on his way. He told me to act catatonic since I was in the psychiatric ward. The previous upant of my room was a drug addict who they transferred to amodate me. While everyone was busy at the vigil, I was escorted out of the hospital through a secret. passageway and ushered into a car driven by one of the mercenaries I hired. He handed me my phone and told me we had a problem at Huff Hills. 3/5 11:51 Tue, Apr 2 MGU CHAPTER 135 Phallus: 5871 I messaged Cris that I was on my way to Bismarck, but he didn¡¯t reply. I called, but he didn¡¯t pick up. I suspected he was at the vigil and made a me ntal note to track him downter. After the mess at Huff Hills, I found Cris¡¯ car at Elk Cliff from a tracker I ced under the hood of his car¡­ a ce I knew no one would look. He was missing and there was no one else I knew who would take him except for one. I called Lisa and told her what I knew. I told her about Joy Taylor¡­ with the hope she could. give me information knowing once upon a time she and Joy were good friends. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. I stood up from the sofa, propping myself up with a cane, and gingerly walked towards the leader of the group of mercenaries I hired. They were expensive, but at least I had my army. ¡°Make sure your men are ready. Before midnight, I want your men in position at the Ol¡¯ Barn in New Salem,¡± I instructed. The leader nodded his head. My phone suddenly rang. It was Lorenzo. I had been trying to get in touch with him ever since I woke up in the hospital, but my calls went straight to voice mail. ¡°Pedro, how are you feeling? I believe all went well in Chicago?¡± He asked once I answered the phone. ¡°It hurts to even talk, Lorenzo,¡± I said, my rage bubbling up anew.¡± How could you even think of doing this to me?¡± *Pedro, you need to own up to the consequences of your actions. De Vega needed his revenge while you needed to go incognito. I just killed two birds in one stone. The injuries you sustained will give you a new face and will help get rid of your extra fat. I will be sending someone to train you as you recuperate. Nestor believes you have forgotten your training,¡± he exined. ¡°Nestor¡­ he¡¯s another one I¡¯m angry at,¡± I mumbled, waddling towards the makeshift minibar the men put up. I took the bottle of whisky and walked back to the sofa, wincing as I fell back on it with the half empty bottle in my hands. ¡°Your capo was just following orders and looking out for you,¡± Lorenzo pointed out in a calm. voice. ¡°He brought you home and had you fixed up at the hospital. There is no need to be angry at him. Honestly, you should be grateful. When you are fully healed, you can assume a new name and follow in the footsteps of Nestor, as an anonymous member of the Angels of Darkness. No one, not even Joy Taylor, will be able to find you. You, yourself, can stop her and once she¡¯s gone, you can continue to live to be an old man, right there in New Salem. I assure you, that pain you¡¯re feeling now is only temporary. You¡¯ll soon forget about this ant5 CHAPTER 135 Phallus thank me for making this happen.¡± ¡°Easy for you to say, you aren¡¯t the one drinking through a straw,¡± I argued like a child. ¡°It was the only way to get you a new face and give the vengeance De Vega wanted. He and his niece now both feel vindicated and they promise to never touch you again. Lighten up. There are worst things. And Pedro, please lie low. I know what has happened at Huff Hills. Do not, at under any circumstances, make this worse than it already is.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking- I wasn¡¯t able to finish my sentence. He had hung up on me. It was quite obvious none of them respected me. I was never going to forgive and forget. I would eventually get my revenge. While I was listening to the ns the mercenaries were discussing forter tonight, my phone suddenly rang again. I looked at the screen thinking it was Lorenzo. It was the hospital director of St. Elizabeth¡¯s. He was the one who patched me up at the request of my capo. ¡°There¡¯s someone here who wants to talk to you Chapter Comments 4 POST COMMENT NOW < SHARE 5/5 Chapter 136 CHAPTER 136 Conspiracy Liam I woke up alone, but hopeful. After reading the Sheriff¡¯s messages, I got out of bed, quickly. took a shower and got dressed. My father was dead, but I was engaged. A Cohen was gone, but soon, there would be a new addition bearing the Cohen name. I called Dan and told him it would be better if we moved the wedding up. I didn¡¯t want to continue to live alone. After I gave him instructions to organize a small engagement party after my father¡¯s funeral and a rush wedding, he went straight to business. ¡°Have you spoken to Jack?¡± Dan asked. ¡°Not yet. Why? What¡¯s up?¡± I asked curiously. ¡°He called me earlier this morning and said Cris has gone missing,¡± Dan answered. ¡°That I know. Lisa went looking for himst night. So she wasn¡¯t able to track him down?¡± I asked. ¡°Nope. She went to see Jack to file a missing person¡¯s report. She also told him she received a call from an anonymous person¡­ she said the person sounded like Pete.¡± I smiled. Finally, he¡¯s gotten in touch with someone. ¡°And what did this Pete-sounding anonymous person tell her?¡± ¡°He told her we will never find Cris and that there is a sanctioned hit. She doesn¡¯t know who the target is, but the person told her the contracting parties are Ortiz and Joy Taylor,¡± Dan said hurriedly, hoping if he blurted everything out, it would be easier on everyone. Iughed. Pete was now hiding behind the ghost of Joy Taylor. ¡°That coward is making up stories. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll call Ortiz to confirm,¡± I replied as I fixed my necktie in front of the mirror. ¡°Since he spoke with Lisa, I¡¯ll have her call him so we can triangte his location. That phone call proves he¡¯s here¡­ watching us. I suspect he already knows about our ns at the Ol¡¯ Barn.¡± 17/6 CHAPTER 136 Conspiracy trap. I had a strong feeling he would tell Pete. ¡°Anything else?¡± I asked. ¡°Nicole¡¯s in the hospital, Liam. Apparently she flew out of the windshield of her car,¡± Dan replied. ¡°What?!¡± This was a bit of information that I didn¡¯t know. ¡°Is she okay?¡± ¡°She¡¯s stable ording to Jack. I¡¯ll be picking her mother upter to check up on Nicole. Do think Pete had something to do with this?¡± you ¡°Maybe, but Pete doesn¡¯t have a beef with Nicole. My money¡¯s on Noah. I¡¯ll go speak with him after I¡¯m done making a deal to secure the pharmacy. The Martins will have no choice to hand it over.¡± It was one the businesses my father had always wanted and acquiring it will fulfill his wish. Plus, owning the pharmacy will increase my profits and give me leverage within the organization. ¡°By the way, Dan, make sure you double the money we usually our dealers and have them sign,¡± I reminded him. ¡°If they refuse, they will not receive a single penny.¡± Sive ¡°No problem, Liam,¡± Dan said. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure the ones who don¡¯t sign will be inside the barn waiting for you.¡± ¡°Good. We¡¯ll be able to kill two birds with one stone,¡± I said, my voice dripping with malice. ¡°Those loyal to Pete will be killed by Pete himself, and while he¡¯s busy killing his own men, I¡¯ll be behind him with a gun to his head. Call me if there are any problems.¡± After Dan, I called Virtue. I didn¡¯t want her to think I had forgotten about her. Luckily, she answered right away. ¡°Liam, good morning. I was about to call you. How are you?¡± She asked sweetly. Just hearing her voice made my day. ¡°Just hearing your sweet voice makes the day brighter,¡± I answered, smiling. ¡°I called to ask if you could have dinner with meter this evening, then apany me at my father¡¯s wake. I would like you to be by my side during the public viewing. You see, I¡¯ll be opening Cohen Mansion to the publicter, so the townsfolk can pay their respects and bid their farewells.¡± ¡°Of course, Liam. I really wanted to go to the vigilst night, but you told me it was safer not to. I¡¯ve been with Chip this whole time. He¡¯s been watching over me like a worried hen,¡± she said. ¡°What time will you be picking me up?¡± 2/6 CHAPTER 136 Conspiracy ¡°Around five-thirty. We¡¯ll have an early dinner,¡± I answered. I¡¯ll be ready by then. Chip and I will be going to Bismarck Airport in a bit to pick up my bestfriend.¡± ¡°Bestfriend?¡± I asked. ¡°I thought Chip was your bestfriend.¡± ¡°He¡¯s my bestfriend here in New Salem, silly,¡± she said, giggling. ¡°I¡¯m talking about my bestfriend from Nevada. Her name is Katarina, K iki for short. She¡¯ll be arriving to help me with the wedding including a small engagement party.¡± S tupid me. Of course Virtue had friends in Nevada. This would be great. With a girlfriend living with her, I wouldn¡¯t have to worry so much. ¡°No need to worry about the engagement party, my sweet. I have Dan organizing that as we speak. I¡¯ll have him call you if he runs into any problems. Anyway, why don¡¯t you bring K iki along for dinner so I can meet her?¡± I asked. ¡°That will be great! We¡¯ll see youter then, Liam,¡± she murmured. Her voice was making me go hard. ¡°Alright then. Bye, love.¡± After a couple of bites of toast and bacon and a couple of sips of my coffee, I had Henry drive me to the station. I wanted to speak to Jack before going to see the Sheriff, but he wasn¡¯t at his desk, so I went straight to the Sheriff. I knocked on his door and walked in. ¡°Sheriff, let¡¯s do this.¡± ¡°You seem to be in good spirits. Is there something I should know,¡± the Sheriff asked. ¡°Everything is going ording to our ns,¡± I said. ¡°You do know Cris is missing right?¡± He asked. I nodded my head. ¡°Okay. Well, I need you to sit down. We have another problem.¡± ¡°What is it this time?¡± I asked, taking a seat in one of the empty chairs in front of his desk. ¡°Bismarck Police has Riley in custody. He¡¯s currently unconscious at Bismarck Gen and the police are patiently waiting for him to wake up.¡± the Sheriff replied. ¡°A Detective Matthews3/6 CHAPTER 136 Conspiracy who got the call, didn¡¯t ry the message¡­ on purpose.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Randy the one who wants more money even though he doesn¡¯t do much?¡± I asked. The Sheriff called me about Randy. I was the one who told him to refuse. ¡°Yep. I made a deal with him. He kills Riley and I¡¯ll pay him two hundred fifty thousand,¡± the Sheriff said, winking at me. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to pay him, are you?¡± ¡°Not all of it, no¡­ but I am going to put him in a position where the Bismarck Police are going to kill him,¡± he answered bitterly. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten sick and tired of his games.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± I said, seeing it was all taken care of. ¡°So, let¡¯s go and get my pharmacy.¡± I was about to stand, but the Sheriff stopped me. ¡°There¡¯s more?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid so, but this isn¡¯t a problem. You can see it as a minor adjustment,¡± the Sheriff said. ¡°We found Nurse Administrator Lindsay Hartman¡¯s body in front of the hospital. It¡¯s being investigated as a suicide.¡± He swiped his phone and handed it to me. ¡°This letter was in her pocket. In the letter, she confesses to killing Theodore Cohen.¡± I grabbed the phone and read the suicide note. So it wasn¡¯t Ford. But Lindsay Hartman couldn¡¯t have acted alone. Someone must have paid her to do it. ¡°Did you check her bank records?¡± I asked Sheriff Combs. He nodded his head. ¡°And?¡± ¡°She received five hundred thousand dors from Norma Martin,¡± the Sheriff replied. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± I grimaced, handing the Sheriff his phone back. My father was only worth five hundred thousand? Poor Dad. ¡°No wonder Norma keeps saying her son is innocent.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°There¡¯s a possibility Norma paid Hartman more money, but we can¡¯t find her phone or her car, but my men have discovered that she has an offshore ount,¡± Sheriff Combs said. Of course, there¡¯s only one ce to hide money¡­ overseas. ¡°This means I can get Norma Martin on conspiracy to murder. If you still want to go after Ford, he has sexual harassmentints piled up against him. We can use theints to make sure he goes to jail. along with his mother. None of this has gone public yet, so we have a chance to make a deal.¡± ¡°Good. If Thomas Martin wants to negotiate to lighten both Norma and Ford¡¯s sentences, then I¡¯ll allow it. Anyway, Lindsay Hartman is already dead. Her conscience got to her before I did I said. ¡°Is there anything else you would like to discuss?¡± 4/6 CHAPTER 1360 ¡°That¡¯s it for now,¡± the Sheriff replied. ¡°Jack will be heading to Bismarckter to talk to Detective Matthews. Bismark PD found Cris¡¯ car parked at Elk Cliff.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s another suicide or maybe Pete pushed him off the cliff,¡± I blurted out. ¡°I never thought of that,¡± Sheriff Combs said. ¡°Cris plunging to his death from the top of Elk Cliff is a possibility. I¡¯ll see to it that the Bismarck Police investigates the matter. The sooner we find him, the sooner we can get answers.¡± He stood up and spritzed some cologne on himself. His hair was oily and his jaw was sporting a five o¡¯clock shadow. I bet he wasn¡¯t able to go home and take a shower. I stood up and followed him out of his office towards the interrogation room. He opened the door without knocking and ushered me inside. room. Everyone seated at the long rectangr table in the middle of the up except for Ford, who was handcuffed and looking quite miserable. I noticed a tall handsome young man with dark hair in a nice expensive suit with the Martins. He had a big smile on his face despite the worried expressions on both Thomas and Norma¡¯s faces. He kind of reminded me of Dom and Bo. Same hair and skin color. However, unlike Dom and Bo who dressed simply, this one screamed money. He was clean-sh aven with a lithe. muscr build underneath that suit he was wearing. Honestly, I¡¯d feel insecure standing beside this man, but I was a Cohen while he was a nobody in this town. As I approached, I caught a whiff of his expensive cologne. He extended his h it, marveling at the smooth skin of his palm. took ¡°Attorney Lincoln Murphy, Mayor Cohen,¡± he said as we shook hands. He had a good eye contact. He oozed confidence. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡± ¡°Likewise, Attorney Murphy. You¡¯re the one who bought the McDowell residence if I¡¯ mistaken. I saw the surprise and delight in his eyes. ¡°I forgot this is a small town. Everyone knows everyone,¡± he said, letting go of my hand. ¡°I make it my business to know everyone,¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you will be representing Norma Martin as well? Yes?¡± 5/6 CHAPTER 136 Conspiracy I thought I would get another surprised reaction, but he stared at me unfazed at the question, a small smile ying on his lips. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you saw everything on social media,¡± he said unexpectedly. ¡°I think it¡¯s time we all sat down and ced all our cards on the table.¡± I quickly took out my phone and saw Lindsay Hartman¡¯s suicide note with a hash tag asking for Ford¡¯s release. I scowled. I needed to call Lisa. She was supposed to be in charge of all of this. I nced at Sheriff Combs. His face was dark and expressionless. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s ce all our cards on the table,¡± he said grimly. Chapter Comments 4 POST COMMENT NOW SHARE Chapter 137 CHAPTER 137 Guttural P¨¦te McDowell ¡°There¡¯s someone here who wants to talk to you the hospital director said. ¡°He says it¡¯s really important.¡± Only a handful of people knew the hospital director was on my payroll and of course, Cris was one of them. I did send Cris a message informing him I was in the hospital before that male nurse took. my phone. Could this someone be Cris? I doubted it. He would have called me himself instead. Why go through all that trouble? Unless he was in trouble. I thought of what to say, but decided it was best if I kept my mouth shut. Better let this someone do all the talking. ¡°Mr. M, this person says he was hired by Cris Murdock,¡± the hospital director said breaking the awkward silence and this time I noticed the fear in his voice. ¡°He also wants me to tell you he was hired to deliver a package to you. A package with blonde hair and blue eyes.¡± My heart began to beat faster in anticipation. Cris hired someone to kidnap Virtue! I knew it. That as shole couldn¡¯t stop the voices in his head. He wanted Virtue Sullivan so bad, he was willing to be part of the heavy lifting. Because of Virtue, Cris began having trouble sustaining an erection with other girls. So we¡¯ve been abducting women who looked just like her. Same hair, same build, same blue eyes. Unfortunately, the girl my men abductedst Saturday night said something that pushed him off the edge. I tried to stop him, I did. But he just kept squeezing the tiny bit ch¡¯s neck until her eyes popped out. It wasn¡¯t the ending I was hoping for, but we cashed in on so much money from our viewers that night.. Come to think of it, there was a time Cris kidnapped a girl from Mandan and I clearly remember him saying he had some help. This could possibly be that same guy who helped him. 1/6 CHAPTER 137 Guttural It was safe to assume he freaked out when he heard the news of Thoedore Cohen¡¯s death and immediately sk ipped town, knowing Liam woulde knocking on his door looking for me. Cris was such a pu ssy. But he was a pu ssy with a n. I listened intently to the background noise and heard someone whispering. Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t sound like Cris. ¡°Mr. M, he understands your previous drop off point has beenpromised, so he is asking for another drop site. If you want him to deliver the package on your doorstep, just give him a location and he¡¯ll take care of the rest,¡± the hospital director exined. I was wrong thinking Joy Taylor abducted Cris. He probably ditched his car on Elk Cliff so Liam wouldn¡¯t be able to track him¡­ and I believe he was somewhere here in Bismarck. If only I could smile. Our operations will soon resume. The shed behind my cabin was already prepped for Virtue. Sure, Cris knows about the cabin, but he has only been there once. I doubt if he even remembers how to get there. My lips parted to utter a reply, but I paused. I had to be sure. I mean, why would Cris need to send his hired gun to see the hospital director? ¡°I need proof Cris Murdock hired him. Ask him how did Cris get in contact with him?¡± Cris wasn¡¯t adept in using theputer. All our equipment was professionally set up by a private contractor and if he ever needed help elsewhere he usually asked Lisa. S hit! I sent him to delete all our videos. G od, I¡¯m so st upid. He probably didn¡¯t even ¡°Through phone, Mr. M. The number Cris Murdock used to contact him is 374¨C However, for safety reasons, Mr. Murdock is no longer using that number,¡± the h ? director answered, enumerating the numbers of the burner phone Cris uses for ou e extracurricr activities. Liam, Jack, and Dan didn¡¯t know about Cris¡¯ other numbe there was a possibility Lisa did. I understood why Cris had to ditch his burner phone. And why go through the hospital director?¡± I asked. Mr. M, Cris Murdock believes no one else can be trusted. Good answer. ¡°DDrop the package off at a small gas station along the road leading to Red River¡­ midnight aftfter the Honey Bee Spring Formal celebration, I instructed. Once Virtue is in chains, I¡¯ll hhuve one of the mercenaries kill him. ¡°I want the package unspoiled and unharmed. Once 12/6 CHAPTER 137 Guttural see the package, I will reward you generously.¡± you ¡°I hear loud and clear,¡± a low guttural unfamiliar male voice said, sending a chill up my spine. ¡°I¡¯ll deliver VS at that location¡­ midnight. I¡¯ll be in touch.¡± He uttered the initials VS¡­ That confirms it. I heard the hospital director heave a huge sigh of relief. I suspected the mysterious man had gone. ¡°He had a gun to my back! Mr. M, you owe me twice now,¡± he mumbled angrily. ¡°And by the way, a package with blonde hair and blue eyes? Are you into ck market or gan selling too?¡± ¡°Doc, may I remind you, you¡¯re on a need to know basis and in this situation, you don¡¯t need to know. Before you hang up, I want these rods off of me by next week. I have a date with a breathtakingly beautiful woman and I don¡¯t want to scare her. I¡¯ll have someone pick you up. Once these rods are off, I¡¯ll pay you twice the amount that was promised.¡± I hung up feeling a bit better. After giving my private army final instructions to burn Huff Hills Mansion to the ground and find better living quarters, I excused myself and went to my makeshift room to lie down. I needed to rest so I could heal faster. After the Ol¡¯ Barn, I¡¯ll allow Liam to have his fun until the Honey Bee Spring celebration¡­ that¡¯s if he survives the Ol¡¯ Barn. But knowing Liam, he won¡¯t be there. But there was Jack and the Sheriff. They may not be Liam, but the two of them dead would be icing on the cake. I¡¯ll keep my distance and stay quiet until next week. I closed my eyes, imagining the terror in Virtue¡¯s eyes as I f ucked her perfect pu ssy. SHE WAS WORTH THE WAIT. Sam It wasn¡¯t easy tracking down the hospital director especially when the information given to you is common public information, but after sharing a cigarette with a janitor of the hospital, I discovered something not even Autumn knew. 316 12:17 Wed, Apr 3 Mo CHAPTER 137 Guttural parked beside a red Toyota in front of a room. I bought myself a cup of coffee and waited patiently in my car, knowing the doctor and hispanion would being out soon to go to work. As expected, the door opened and a pretty young brte wearing blue scrubs quickly exited the motel room and entered the red Toyota. She was all smiles and looked quite refreshed. About five minutes after she drove off, the door opened again. A gray haired man in a dark blue suit came out carrying a dark brown leather briefcase in one hand with his car key in the other, unlocking the car doors of his Lexus. Unexpectedly, he suddenly paused in front of his car like he had forgotten something and rushed back into the room. I saw my chance. I walked out of my car, climbed into the backseat of his car right behind seat. the driver¡¯s seat and quietly waited, positioning my gun at the middle of the driver¡¯s The dumb f uck was so distracted he didn¡¯t even notice me as he entered the car. He only saw me when he turned to ce his briefcase in the backseat. ¡°No sudden movements, Doc,¡± I whispered in his ear. ¡°I have a Walther PDP aimed at your back. Hands on the steering wheel so I can see them.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°W-what do you want?¡± He asked. ¡°I have money. I can give you ten grand, just¡­ just let me live.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your money, but I do need you to do something for me. I need you to get on your phone and call Pete McDowell, I instructed. ¡°P-Pete McDowell is on vacation. No one knows where he=¡± ¡°Doc, do you really want to die for Pete? Because if I can¡¯t get in touch with him th you, I¡¯ll just shoot you and find someone else who can help me. So, what is it gonna or call?¡± I asked, not giving him much of a choice. me.So, *F-fine, I¡¯ll call him. J-just let me get my phone. It¡¯s in my pocket,¡± the doctor said, pointin to his pants¡¯ pocket. ¡°Sure. Just reach in slowly and ce your phone in your dashboard holder. Put it on. speakerphone so I can hear what he has to say.¡± I whispered into the doctor¡¯s ear while he spoke to McDowell for me. Pete sounded funny. 4/6 CHAPTER 137 Guttural like he couldn¡¯t open his mouth to talk. I suspected he had some work done to his face. midnight ¡°Drop the package off at a small gas station along the road leading to Red River¡­. after the Honey Bee Spring Formal celebration. I want the package unspoiled and unharmed. Once I see the package, I will reward you generously,¡± he said. ¡°I hear you loud and clear,¡± I said in a sinister voice. ¡°I¡¯ll deliver VS at that location¡­. midnight. I¡¯ll be in touch.¡± I quickly exited the doctor¡¯s car, walked away and hid in an alley beside the motel. I didn¡¯t want the doctor to see my car and memorize my te number. I liked my car¡­ it had everything I needed tucked away in the backseat. After he drove out of the motel¡¯s parking lot towards the direction of New Salem, I entered my car and drove off in the opposite direction while dialing Beaufort. ¡°Pete has given me instructions to drop off Virtue Sullivan at a gas station along the ad leading to Red River at midnight after the Honey Bee Spring Formal,¡± I informed him. ¡°He actually believed Cris hired you,¡± Beaufort said chuckling. ¡°ording to Sebastian, he has a cabin in that area. I¡¯ll have Cristos give us a satellite image of the area so we can form a n. Good work, Sam.¡± ¡°What else do you need me to do?¡± I asked, hoping he had something more exciting for me than stalking Noah Jensen. After the vigil, I followed him to Hignd Oaks to the Hughes residence. ording to the tracker I have on his car, Noah was still there. Last night, when Beaufort called me to take care of Cris¡¯ car, I actually felt relieved stand sitting in my car all night, doing nothing. Honestly, I was envious of Link a Link got to shoot some olddy while he was at the hospital keeping an eye on N Max, well, he was having fun torturing someone for information. I couldn¡¯t question Beaufort though¡­ he thinks Noah is up to something. But from w seen, Noah just likes shuffling from one girlfriend to the next¡­ and boy, does he have b taste in women. ldn¡¯t ¡°Get some rest, Sam. Later tonight, I need you wide-eyed and perky. You¡¯ll be assisting me at the Ol¡¯ Barn. Just keep an eye on Noah through that tracker you have on his car and if you hear anything out of the ordinary, call me.¡± ¡°Sure thing, Beaufort,¡± I said, pleased I was going to see some action tonight. 5/6 ×Ö54%; 12:17 Wed, Apr 3 D CHAPTER 137 Guttural I decided to head to Mandan HQ to grab some grub. There was no way I could get some sleep knowing Beaufort was awake. Chapter Comments 3 POST COMMENT NOW Chapter 138 CHAPTER 138 Leak Joy 54% Cristos and I were on our way to go see Lisa. He needed to hack into her phone to get Pete¡¯s number and all other information which could prove vital to our ns. Earlier, Liam called to invite me to dinner and to tell me he was opening the Cohen Mansion to the townsfolk, giving us the opportunity to bug his ce up the wazoo. While I waited for Cristos to finish his work, I changed into a maroon pleated red skirt, a ck short sleeved mock neck fitted top and ck stiletto boots, opened the store and restocked the shelves. Dina, who came in right after I opened the store wearing oversized ck sunsses, took the initiative to interview the long line of applicants, who were eagerly gathered in front, acting like she was nursing a hangover. When I was done restocking, I went next door to Dom¡¯s to inform Stanley that Sebastian was sick and that he was in charge until Sebastian was better. Before he could ask to visit his boss, I told him Sebastian was in istion, confined to his room, as a precaution. Stanley quietly nodded his head then scurried off to inform the rest of the employees of Sebastian¡¯s absence. Xavier, De Luca and Lou went out to ce CCTV cameras as near to the Ol¡¯ Barn as they possibly could since most of thatnd was owned by Liam. Xavier, who nned to be in the vicinityter at midnight just in case he needed to intervene, was also scouting for possible hiding spots while he waited for news on Pete and the Martins. My phone suddenly pinged alerting me to the social media page of a tabloid media outlet town. Most of their posts were gossip, spections, and myths, yet, they were also the firs to post when something truly atrocious happened in New Salem, especially if a Cohen was involved. With all the campaign ads of Sarah Hughes in between their posts, it wasn¡¯t much of a surprise seeing all the ck propaganda they had against Liam. I took a look at their post and was taken aback at what I read. Apparently, Lindsay Hartman did have motive to kill Theodore Cohen. Aside from Lindsay Hartman¡¯s suicide note, the post included a backstory on Theodore Cohen as a suspect for the death of her fianc¨¦ approximately three decades ago. The story certainly portrayed Lindsay Hartman in a different light¡­ specifically as an unforgiving. victim of gruesome circumstances. 1/58 CHAPTER 138 Leak I decided to grab some coffee at Bo¡¯s before I went back to my shop. At Bo¡¯s Cafe, I noticed. Noah standing in line. He was wearing a ck track suit of a well known sports brand which wasn¡¯t his usual style, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you jogged in the morning,¡± I said behind him. He turned around with a startled look on his face. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you came to Bo¡¯s so early in the morning,¡± he replied. I rolled my eyes at him. ¡°It¡¯s past nine in the morning, Noah. Besides I work next door, remember?¡± I pointed out. He chuckled as he nodded his head. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s good that I bumped into you. I¡¯m still waiting for your office to send me the remainder of my bill.¡± ¡°I apologize, Virtue. It¡¯s been a really chaotic week,¡± he said, after he quickly ordered twottes. ¡°Someone¡¯s moved into the old McDowell Residence and I still have the funeral home to deal with. Plus, I have a list of renovations I need to oversee. Why don¡¯t youe by my officeter this afternoon and pick up your bill? ¡°I can¡¯t this afternoon. I have to pick up a friend at the airport,¡± I said after I finished ordering three cappinos. ¡°I¡¯ll just drop by tomorrow¡­ in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Three cappinos?¡± He asked, his eyebrows raised. He was so nosy¡­ ¡°One¡¯s for Chip and the other for my clerk. What about you? You ordered twottes.¡± ¡°One¡¯s for a friend,¡± he answered vaguely. ¡°So who¡¯s this friend you¡¯re going to pick up?¡± ¡°Just a girlfriend of mine. She¡¯s going to help me with the wedding,¡± I answered. His face suddenly became dark. It was obvious he was against the wedding. ¡°Speaking a girlfriend, have you heard Ni-¡± ¡°I still believe you¡¯re rushing into things with Liam, but that¡¯s just it¡­ it seems I¡¯m the one who thinks that way,¡± he said, sounding frustrated as he grabbed his disposable cup. coffee. ¡°You still have time to think things through, Virtue. Honestly, I think you¡¯re making huge mistake marrying Liam. I just¡­ I just want you to be happy and I know you won¡¯t be happy with him. See you, Virtue.¡± Before I could speak to defend myself, Noah quickly turned around and walked away. Well, his opinion didn¡¯t matter anyway. After receiving my order, I rushed towards Bo¡¯s storefront windows and saw Noah enter the passenger¡¯s side of a silver BMW 5-Series. I couldn¡¯t see who the driver was because the 2/5 12:17 Wed, Apr 3 M CHAPTER 138 Leak windshield was tinted, but I had a strong feeling it was Sarah Hughes. Nicole out, Sarah in. It was possible that Sarah, being the jealous girlfriend, could have hired the truck driver to hit Nicole¡¯s car. Yet, Xavier had said the driver was from Houston pointing to the Angels of Darkness. Was it really Pete behind Nicole¡¯s ident? I sighed. The question of who was behind Nicole¡¯s car ident was still left unanswered. I headed back to my office hoping Cristos was done. He was seated at my desk, looking at the screen of his phone and chuckling to himself. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± I asked Cristos, cing the cup of coffee in front of him. I took a peek at the screen of his phone and saw an image of Lindsay Hartman¡¯s note. ¡°Are you the one who leaked Hartman¡¯s suicide note?¡± He shrugged his shoulders nonchntly, but his lips were curved into a little wicked smile. ¡°Maybe,¡± he answered slyly. ¡°I might¡¯ve pressed the sent button on myptop identally. You can¡¯t me me¡­ I haven¡¯t had any sleep.¡± ¡°Link must be happy then,¡± I said, sitting down on my couch. ¡°The charges against Ford will be dropped and he and Tomas Mart¨ªn can be bestfriends.¡± ¡°Leading us to Pete¡¯s mysterious capo,¡± Cristos said, cing hisptop back in his bag. ¡°I was listening to Dan¡¯s conversation from earlier this morning and I heard someone called Lisa informing her about the contract Joy Taylor made with Ortiz. I heard Dan say, ¡°That lun atic is here watching us.¡± I suspect he was referring to Pete. I need to get that number, so I can triangte Pete¡¯s location. Before we head to Bismarck, let¡¯s go pay Lisa a visit.¡± ¡°No problem. We can act like you¡¯re going house hunting,¡± I suggested, astonished listening device in Dan¡¯s house. ¡°How were you able to bug Dan?¡± ¡°Hello¡­ I went to his house so we could go to the airport together, remember? I saw opportunity and I grabbed it,¡± he replied, zipping his bag up and standing up from my chair. ¡°You know what? I think I should buy a house in Hillcrest. I can watch without eve having to leave thefort of my home. And if I y my cards right, Dan will lead me straight to theirboratory. It¡¯s there somewhere, I just need to push Dan a little further fo him to show me.¡± ¡°By the way, I just got off the phone with Liam, I quickly mentioned before I could forget. ¡°He¡¯s holding his father¡¯s wake at the mansionter and opening it to the townsfolk. He wants me and K iki to have dinner with him before heading there.¡± 3/5 12:17 Wed, Apr 3 Mu CHAPTER 138 Leak 54%±¸ ¡°I¡¯ll have everyonee and ce bugginn all four corners of that house. Ever since the Chimes¡¯ fire, the bug in their study ha ssh seen much action. Now we have a chance to really bug the ce,¡± he said, winking at mee. Suddenly, both our phones pinged. I swipedddelheck what it was and saw the notification of the social media page of the tabloid media cutitec once again. I ignored it and decided to check itter. ¡°I thought the same,¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯ll have Kili rosana around like a fascinated little girl. I¡¯ll even have her go upstairs.¡± Cristos eyes widened as he swiped ¡°I¡¯ll make sure she has all the bugs she needs the through his phone. ¡°There are two groups of townsfold assembling in front of the Sheriff¡¯s station. One group thinks Ford is innocent while the other group thinks he¡¯s guilty. I better alert Link. He must be in the middle of negotiations. Lisan wants that pharmacy, but without much leverage, I doubt if Tomas Martin will cave. Well, ititsin this to give anyway.¡± Well, Liam actually doesn¡¯t need the pharmacy. He can open up one of his own.¡± That¡¯ll take time, Virtue, and more capital. The easiest way isita@gab control of the pharmacy in existence,¡± Cristos argued. ¡°You have to think ke m. Why go through all that trouble when you can just take it?¡± You¡¯re right,¡± I said, agreeing with him. ¡°If the Angels of Darkness think they can 1100 nopolize the business, they should think again. Knowing Liam, helpmobably take the bhannacy by brute force.¡± I¡¯m counting on that and I think Bo is too,¡± Cristos replied, ¡°so when Liandities willlththink it was Ortiz. Then, they will find themselves at the mercy of one Viite Cubennligst todet you know, I heard Dan talking to Liam. Liam wants the wedding to next week. He¡¯ll be applying for your marriage licenseter this afternoon. Itly o smile. Seems like everything is going on schedule. Bo will be happy to hear this. If you¡¯re clon let¡¯s go to Lissa office now. You know K iki doesn¡¯t like to wait.¡± I stood up from the couch but Cristos raised his hand to stop me from leaving. ¡°Hold on, I need tozall Bo, Cristos said as he ced his phone to his ear. ¡°Bo, the Sherifflisis nning to have chhot deputy named Randy killed by Bismarck Police and Liam is having a nn open houseter tonight. He paused and listened to Xavier. ¡°Okay. That sounds simple. I¡¯ll!! make that anonymous caillithen. He paused again. ¡°Sure, we¡¯ll call you once K iki is in the car.¡± 4/5 305 12:17 Wed, Apr 3 Mo CHAPTER 138 Leak ¡°Anonymous call?¡± I asked after he hung up. ¡°Bo wants me to alert Bismarck Police about an assassination,¡± he replied. ¡°If all goes well, Riley keeps breathing while Randy ends up in police custody. Either way, someone will talk.¡± As Cristos parked his car in front of Lisa¡¯s office, I felt a bit nervous¡­ guilty in a way. Here I am going to talk to her as if nothing was wrong when I just killed her husbandst night. Chapter Comments POST COMMENT NOW 4 Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Chapter 139 CHAPTER 139 K iki¡¯s Appearance ¡°Aw, this is so sweet of you, Virtue,¡± Lisa said after taking the red silk scarf out from the paper bag. ¡°This will go great with my designer purse. Thank you.¡± She ced the scarf and the paper bag in one of her desk drawers. ¡°I missed you at the opening yesterday,¡± I said, ¡°but I heard you were really busy. How¡¯s Cris, by the way? I heard he was at home¡­sick.¡± I needed to pretend to be the thoughtful friend or she would definitely suspect something was up if I didn¡¯t ask about him. ¡°Oh, Cris? He¡¯s actually doing much better. He¡¯s, uhm, still at home, though, recovering,¡± she mumbled absentmindedly while tidying up the papers on her desk, avoiding eye contact. ¡°Yeah¡­.. business has been doing well despite the chaos.¡± She pressed a key on herptop and closed it. ¡°But enough about me. So how can I help you? Do you already have ns to sell? I mean, after you and Liam get married, I assume you¡¯ll be moving into the Cohen Mansion, yes?¡± ¡°I guess I will be selling my house eventually, but I¡¯m not here to put my home on the market just yet,¡± I said, my brow furrowed. ¡°Why do you ask? Has someone been in about my house?¡± ¡°Actually, yes, there is someone asking about your house,¡± she answered to my surprise. ¡°And I think you know her. Her face is on every poster in town.¡± ¡°Sarah Hughes? The one running against Liam? S-She asked about my house?¡± I asked, acting shocked. Of course¡­ one of Noah¡¯s lovers wanted my house. I surmised she wanted to be closer to him. ¡°Doesn¡¯t she live in Hignd Oaks? Why would she want to buy my house when she lives in such a nice neighborhood?¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing she wants to finally leave the nest Lisa said. ¡°Both her bookstore an shop are doing well, I¡¯ve heard. Anyway, she called me up yesterday asking me to i once you put the house up for sale. She told me she is willing to pay whatever you w it.¡± ¡°She said that, huh? Whatever I want¡­ I¡¯ll take that into consideration when I make my decision,¡± I told her, ncing at Cristos who had moved forward, cing his small man pu on Lisa¡¯s desk. He was looking at his phone, tapping his foot impatiently. It was obvious he needed more time. ¡°By the way, have you heard about Nicole? Bo told me she figured into an identst night.¡± ¡°Yes, I did,¡± she said, her bright smile turning into a frown. ¡°Jack told me this morning. I¡¯m going to visit her at the hospitalter after work.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll probably visit her tomorrow when I¡¯m free. Will you be going to Theodore Cohen¡¯s wak Wed, Apr 3 CHAPTER ED 120 K Appearance 54% 1 my thumb. ¡°Chip, are you sick of sharing?¡± Lisa asked amused. ¡°I am,¡± he rolled his eyes, getting into character. ¡°It¡¯s hard taking care of two big babies.¡± Lisa giggled. ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you wait for Virtue¡¯s house to go on the market? After she weds, have any use for it,¡± she said, winking. ¡°I can forget Sarah Hughes ever called me ju you.¡± ¡°The Old Taylor House is a gorgeous house, I admit, but I want to be surrounded by y people¡­ closer to my age. Her neighborhood is for the old and sickly,¡± Cristos scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s the reason why I like it. It¡¯s quiet,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Too quiet,¡± Cristos said with a click of his tongue. ¡°And I want something new. Not haunted.¡± ¡°The Old Taylor House isn¡¯t haunted, Chip, Lisa said giggling while she opened her drawer. She took out a small pamphlet and slid it to Cristos. ¡°So I¡¯m guessing Hillcrest then. We have five newly constructed houses on the market. One of them is near the clubhouse along the3/6 Wed, Apr CHAPTER 139 Ki ki¡¯s Appearance lake, but because it is on theke, the asking price is higher.¡± ¡°Lisa, price isn¡¯t an issue, Cristos replied. ¡°I would prefer being on theke¡­ I heard the view is breathtaking. As for your house, Virtue, I think Bo might be interested.¡± ¡°Bo? I¡¯ll keep him in mind then,¡± I said, nodding my head. 54% ¡°So, when are you free for viewing, Chip?¡± Lisa asked, opening herptop. ¡°How aboutter this afternoon after I show Mr. Shepherd the house at the Taylor cul-de-sac.¡± She pointed to Chef who didn¡¯t even bother looking up from what he was reading. ¡°I can¡¯t today. Virtue and I are going to Bismarck. How about tomorrow?¡± Cristos asked. ¡°Oh? You¡¯re going to Bismarck? What for?¡± Lisa asked us. ¡°I¡¯m picking up a girlfriend of mine to help with the wedding,¡± I answered. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of being a JuneProperty of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. bride. What do you think?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll make a lovely June bride, Virtue, Lisa said, grinning at me. ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll reserve the house for you, Chip, and we can go see that house tomorrow.¡± ¡°Look at the time, Virtue. Your friend will be arriving soon, Cristos said unexpectedly, looking at his watch. ¡°We need to go. What time should Ie by tomorrow, Lisa?¡± ¡°How about two in the afternoon? There¡¯s a couple who will be viewing another house in Hillcrest with us.¡± ¡°Sure, two will be fine,¡± Cristos replied. ¡°Come on, Virtue, I still need to drop by the pub before we drive to Bismarck.¡± We stood up and said our goodbyes. Once we were inside Chip¡¯s car, he smiled at me. ¡°I got all her information including her offshore ount. I¡¯ll check if she has ever benefitted from Cris¡¯s extracurricr activitiester,¡± he said as he turned on the ignition. ¡°I got a message from Bo, by the way. It seems Pete has agreed to a time and a ce.¡± ¡°Oh yeah? Where and when?¡± I asked. ¡°A gasoline station near Red River. We need to deliver you at midnight after the Spring Honey Bee celebration.¡± ¡°One week from today.¡± I replied. ¡°That¡¯ll give us enough time to make ns.¡± 4/6 12:18 Wed, Apr 3 MO CHAPTER 139 K iki¡¯s Appearance ¡°We¡¯ll change cars on our way to Bismarck so we can take a quick look at the area,¡± Cristos. said as we drove to the pub. ¡°I just need to get my signal jammer and grab some CCTV cameras at the pub first.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s a good thing K iki ising,¡± I said. ¡°Why deliver just one girl when you can deliver two?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good suggestion,¡± Cristos said, nodding his head. ¡°Let¡¯s just hope Bo thinks so too. Were you able to ce the bug?¡± ¡°Of course. Right at the edge of her desk where she can¡¯t see it,¡± I answered, winking at him. After a quick stop at the pub, we drove to Mandan to change cars. From there, we drove to Bismarck Airport hoping K iki wasn¡¯t too pis sed at us for making her wait. ¡°Do you see her?¡± I asked Cristos as we searched for her. We were both outside, leaning against a silver Mercedes-Benz. ¡°Let me call her,¡± Cristos said, dialing his phone. ¡°Maybe she took a taxi-¡± ¡°Primo, I¡¯m here. Sorry, for the wait, but I had to make sure all of my gear wasplete. Drakos, that im becile, misced one of my luggages,¡± a husky female voice said. Cristos and I both turned our heads to the source of the voice and stood frozen to the spot. K iki¡¯s appearance left us¡­ speechless. Her natural dark hair was now a dark blonde. Her ck make-up and piercings were gone She was wearing a light tan trench coat dress and ck high-heeled sandals, a far cry from her usual gothic look. K iki¡¯s make-up was also light and natural, with a neutral shade of pink, a color she utterly disliked just like her brother. In my opinion, she looked absolutely stunning. The natural color of her eyeshadow made her light brown eyes pop out and the heels entuated her long legs¡­ although I always liked the goth look on her. Only a few people could pull that look off and she was one of them. ¡°Oh my Go d, Kik i,¡± Cristos said. ¡°You look just like-¡± ¡°Virtue? That¡¯s the point. We¡¯re supposed to be bestfriends, so I thought we should look alike,¡± she answered, handing him her luggage. Plus, this way, no one will suspect I¡¯m packing underneath my dress.¡± 5/6 12:18 Wed, Apr CHAPTER 139 K iki¡¯s Appearance ¡°You¡¯re beautiful, K iki,¡± I said, smiling at her. ¡°Now, I have a proper partner in crime.¡± Her lips curved in a wicked smile. ¡°Exactly. You and I are going to make the men of New Salem go down on their hands and knees and beg,¡± K iki said. ¡°Of all the scu m on this earth, it¡¯s the rapists I detest the most¡­ especially the rapist who profits from it.¡± Chapter Comments 4 POST COMMENT NOW < SHARE 6/6 Chapter 140 CHAPTER 139 K iki¡¯s Appearance Joy As we parked in front of Lisa¡¯s office, Cristos reminded me to keep Lisa distracted while he hacked into her phone and to ce a bug on her desk. And since he was also going to hack into herptop using a small gadget he bought off a friend enlisted in the military, I needed to keep Lisa upied so she wouldn¡¯t suspect. I did some breathing exercises to calm my nerves before exiting Cristos¡¯ Range Rover. I was going to look Lisa dead in the eyes and act as if had no clue something had happened to her husband. I needed to act cool. He Inside, we found Chef seated on one of the leather sofas, casually reading a newspaper. was wearing a white long sleeve shirt, a hideous multi-colored argyle vest, khaki cks, and brown loafers. Toplete his look, he had gold rimmed eyesses on and his gray hair was slicked back, neatly tied at the back of his head. I resisted the urge tough. His outfit was a stark contrast to his usual angry wrestler look. ng on her We ignored him and went straight to Lisa who was seated in front of her desk, typing laptop. ¡°Chip¡­ Virtue¡­ What brings you two here?¡± Lisa greeted us enthusiastically. She was wearing a ck high waist pencil cut midi skirt which entuated her small waist and a peach-colored silk blouse. Her hair was styled in a high bun showing off her high cheekbones. She undoubtedly looked cheerful¡­ as if a heavy burden had been lifted off her chest. The nervousness I had felt before entering her office quickly dissipated. I smiled brightly at her, cing a small pink paper bag on top of her desk. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± She gestured at the two chairs in front of her desk. ¡°I believe congrattions are in order. I heard about your engagement on social media, Virtue¡­ and of course,Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. the opening of your new store.¡± this ¡°Thank you, Lisa. By the way, is for you. A twilly scarf for your bag,¡± I said before sitting down in one of the two chairs while Cristos sat in the other. He waved at Lisa, then gestured to his phone, making it look like he was taking care of something important. Lisa smiled at him, nodding her head in understanding. 1/6 Wed, Apr The Joy of Revenge CHAPTER 140 Thirty-six Comints Liam F ucking New Salem Tribune. That ugly b itch Sarah Hughes was at it again and Lisa¡­ she was so preupied she didn¡¯t even pull it down. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s put all our cards on the table,¡± the Sheriff said to the Martin¡¯s at Lincoln Murphy was awfully handsome for an attorney and looked like he had money. No doubt the crooks he represented paid a pretty penny for his services. He was wearing a nicely tailored suit and smelled like expensive cologne, unlike the distict attorney, who was old and smelled like worn socks. The Sheriff extended his hand to the young attorney as he introduced himself. ¡°Lincoln Murphy, I¡¯m Nathan Combs, the sheriff of New Salem. Please, take a seat.¡± He gestured for all of us to sit down while he went through the folder he was carrying. ¡°There has been a development on the Theodore Cohen case that we would like to discuss.¡± I took a seat in between Jack and the district attorney, right across the table from the Martins. I nodded my head at Thomas Martin in greeting while he did the same. ¡°There¡¯s a development on the case aside from my aunt¡¯s note? Is this about Joy Taylor?¡± Norma Martin asked, a hopeful sound in her voice. I looked at her with an incredulous look on my face. She knows about the conversation Lisa had with Pete? ¡°What? No. What does Joy Taylor have to do with this?¡± The Sheriff asked. ¡°My client is under the impression a woman named Joy Taylor is, uhm, responsible for the recent murders in New Salem, Sheriff,¡± Lincoln Murphy exined with a puzzled expression on his face. Of course. He was new in town and didn¡¯t know anything about Joy Taylor. ¡°Norma, I don¡¯t know what prescription drug you¡¯re on, but the new development has nothing to do with Joy Taylor,¡± I stressed as Sheriff Combs took a seat beside Jack. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but who is this Joy Taylor and why would she want to murder people?¡± Lincoln Murphy asked. 1/6 12:18 Wed, Apr 3 CHAPTER 140 Thirty-six Comints. ¡°Joy Taylor was raped and brutally assaulted right here in New Salem almost ten years ago,¡± I answered. ¡°But I assure everyone, she has nothing to do with my father¡¯s death.¡± ¡°Alright, Lincoln Murphy said skeptically, his face scrunched up, looking utterly confused.¡± So let¡¯s get down to business then. What have you discovered, Sheriff Combs?¡± ¡°We recently found the body of Lindsay Hartman at the hospital parking lot. ording to the medical examiner, her cause of death is consistent with suicide.¡± Norma Martin gasped as soon as she heard the news. ¡°Aunt Lindsay is dead? The Tribune wasn¡¯t making that story up?¡± She squeaked. The Sheriff nodded his head. ¡°That¡¯s not possible. She was nning to sit on the beach and sip mojitos all day long.¡± Norma¡¯s eyes quickly filled with tears. ¡°It can¡¯t be possible.¡± She lowered her face, wiping her eyes with the handkerchief her ex-husband gave her. The Sheriff, knowing Norma and her aunt were close, gave her a moment topose herself before he continued. ¡°The medical examiner found a note in Lindsay Hartman¡¯s pocket. In the note, she confesses to murdering Theodore Cohen. What I want to know is what motive could she possibly have had that would drive her to kill Theodore?¡± The Sheriff asked. ¡°Have you read the article of The New Salem Tribune, Sheriff?¡± Lincoln Murphy asked. The Sheriff shook his head. ¡°To summarize everything, Lindsay Hartman believed Theodore Cohen killed her fianc¨¦ in cold blood¡­ and that, Sheriff, is motive. ording to the article, there was bad blood between Hartman¡¯s fianc¨¦ and the Cohens regarding a piece ofnd. Apparently, the Cohens were using a certain property without the knowledge of the owner, certain Joseph Summers. When Joseph Summers discovered this, a witness stated Joseph went to confront the Cohens, however he never came back alive.¡± He opened his briefcase and slid a photograph of a man with a bullet wound right between his eyes. ¡°My client, Norma Martin, attests to the fact that the day before Lindsay Hartman¡¯s fianc¨¦ was found dead, then Mayor Robert Cohen was able to acquire thend.¡± He paused and took a newspaper clipping from his briefcase, cing it beside the photograph. ¡°Sheriff, do you remember this man? It says here in this newspaper clipping you were still a young deputy at the time and that the bullets match a Ruger P90 Series. I saw a video of your father, Mayor Cohen, doing an interview with one of the news outlets here in North Dakota and he said his most beloved gun was a Ruger P90 series.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all spection, counsel,¡± the district attorney said, hoping to end Lincoln Murphy¡¯s narration of the past. 2/6 12:18 Wed, Apr 3 CHAPTER 140 Thirty-six Comints 54% I never knew my father killed someone. I never thought he could. He always had the Sheriff and his deputies do his dirty work. I remember the day my father found out what I did to Joy Taylor. I saw the disappointment in his eyes when he learned we left Joy breathing. No wonder¡­ he was a cold-blooded murderer in his youth. ¡®Spection, huh? The police never found the gun and Theodore Cohen didn¡¯t have one single witness to corroborate his alibi. But of course, the Sheriff here, being under the tutge of Robert Cohen, couldn¡¯t just bite the hand that fed him,¡± Lincoln Murphy said, chuckling. ¡°Norma Martin here says her aunt kept a diary of what happened thirty years ago. How about we go to Lindsay Hartman¡¯s house and find that diary. It¡¯ll probably shed more light on what really happened thirty years ago and how the Ol¡¯ Barn ended up in Cohen hands when thatnd used to be owned by a Joseph Summers.¡± He paused dramatically, then, unexpectedly, he raised his eyes and looked straight at me. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, Sheriff, I read a news article about the disappearance of a young Joan Summers. They must -be rted.¡± I scowled at him. He obviously did his research. He was probably one of the people who thought Cohens were scu m of the earth. Nah¡­ he was a defense attorney. He probably liked the fact I was s cu m of the earth. ¡°Counsel, let¡¯s stick to the facts, please. Besides, Theodore Cohen isn¡¯t the suspect here. Your clients are,¡± the Sheriff said, showing a document to Lincoln Murphy. ¡°Your client, Norma Martin, sent five hundred thousand dors to Lindsay Hartman the same day Theodore Cohen died. What I see is a conspiracy tomit murder.¡± ¡°What I see is a loan being repaid. These are text messages between my client and her aunt,¡± Lincoln Murphy said, showing the Sheriff a sheet of paper. ¡°Let¡¯s face it, neither Norma nor Ford had any motive to kill Theodore Cohen unlike Lindsay Hartman. You see, Sheriff Combs, revenge has no expiration date. Lindsay Hartman bided her time and when an opportunity finally presented itself, she took it. have records showing the former mayor never had himself admitted at St. Elizabeth Hospital, until recently, and he would always go to Bismarck to have himself checked by his doctor there. It seems he was avoiding St. Elizabeth¡¯s.¡± ¡°See?¡± Ford Martin eximed, standing up from his chair. ¡°I¡¯m not a murderer.¡± He lifted his cuffed wrists and gestured at Jack to remove them while his attorney tried to get him to sit back down. ¡°If you can kindly remove these handcuffs, I¡¯d appreciate it. I promise not to sue 3/6 12.18 Wed, Apr CHAPTER 140 Thirty-six Comints just as long as you release me from jail¡­ now.¡± When Jack didn¡¯t move, Ford shoved his handcuffs in Jack¡¯s face. ¡°Uncuff me!¡± ¡°Now hold on, Ford,¡± the Sheriff said. ¡°Sit your a ss back down. I¡¯m not finished yet.¡± He rummaged through the contents of the folder and slid several photographs in front of the Martins and their attorney. ¡°These were taken from your phone, Ford.¡± Then, he took a document from the folder. ¡°I also got this from the hospital CEO through the hospital¡¯s medical-legal officer who were both so willing to supply me with information. It says here you have thirty-sixints regarding sexual harassment which the hospital believes Lindsay Hartman disregarded because you and her were rted.¡± ¡°Non-consensual po rnography and sexual misconduct is a ss B misdemeanor which carries a sentence of up to one hundred eighty days jail time and a two thousand dor fine. But Ford, you will be facing thirty-six counts,¡± the district attorney said. ¡°That means a maximum of eighteen years in jail. If the judge is forgiving, he¡¯ll probably bring it down to 15 years. However, you will have to serve eighty- five percent of your sentence before you be eligible for parole. That¡¯s about thirteen years.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± Norma asked angrily. ¡°You can¡¯t get my son on murder charges, so you¡¯re going to use this? Sexual misconduct? Ford is a handsome, rich, bright young man. Any woman would be privileged to be with him. Those women are lying.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, gentlemen. I¡¯d like to apologize for my client¡¯s outburst,¡± Lincoln Murphy said apologetically, picking up the document with all thirty-sixints. ¡°It says here my client was ckmailing several of these women using the videos he took. That¡¯s a ss B Felony in the state, Ford¡­ The maximum sentence is ten years if proven guilty.¡± I thought Lincoln Murphy would cave and we could start negotiating terms, but he rummaged through his briefcase, taking out another sheet of paper and sliding it to the district attorney. ¡°This is a sworn statement from the hospital director given to me by the medical-legal officer. It says here all the women who filed aint against my client were withdrawn, including the women who said they were being ckmailed by Ford Martin. They stated the videos were taken with their consent and Ford never threatened to expose these videos,¡± he said, smugly. ¡°So, if there aren¡¯t any other charges, I need you to release my client.¡± I rubbed my forehead to help ease the anger I was feeling. I saw Thomas Martin grinning from ear to ear like he just won the jackpot. Not so fast, Thomas. If I can¡¯t get the pharmacy through peaceful, negotiations, I will just have to 4/6 12:18 Wed, Apr 3 M CHAPTER 140 Thirty-six Comints force you to give me what I want. I¡¯ll even kill you if I have to. Then, I¡¯d get the pharmacy and the diner, increasing my profits. All that money would be mine. ¡°May it be clear, Ford Martin, the hospital will not be retaining your services. Effective yesterday, your employment at St. Elizabeth¡¯s has been permanently terminated,¡± the district. attorney exined. ¡°Since this is still an ongoing investigation, you are not allowed to leave New Salem for the time being.¡± Ford and Norma both smiled brightly as Jack took Ford¡¯s cuffs off. I needed toe up with a new n and fast. The Sheriff coughed to grab our attention. but ¡°This isn¡¯t over. All I need is one¡­ just one female nurse toe forward. There is on she hasn¡¯t filed a formalint yet, but mark my words, she will be. So, Ford, if anything were to happen to her, you will be the first person I arrest. Attorney Murphy, I suggest you tell your client to keep his nose clean from now on.¡± Lincoln Murphy nodded his head and extended his hand for a handshake, but was interrupted. The door to the interrogation room opened and a deputy popped his head inside. ¡°Sheriff,e quick. There¡¯s an angry mob outside. They want Ford to hang for what he¡¯s done.¡± ¡°I think it would be best if you sell all your assets and leave town, Mr. and Ms. Martin,¡± the district attorney suddenly said in an angry voice. He was still seated, going through theints of the thirty- six women on the document the Sheriff had shown Ford and his attorney earlier. ¡°People here aren¡¯t so forgiving and that includes me. I didn¡¯t notice my daughter is on this list.¡± His statement gave me an idea. While the rest of them scurried out of the room to see what was going on outside, I quickly took a photo of the document. All I needed to do was leak this bit of information to the media. There must be more angry fathers, brothers, boyfriends or even husbands out there. I¡¯ll leave it up to them to chase the Martins out of New Salem. I left the interrogation room and headed straight to the men¡¯s room to make a phone call 5/6 12:18 Wed, Apr 3 Mud CHAPTER 140 Thirty-six Comints ¡°Sir?¡± Henry answered. 54% ¡°I¡¯m sending you a photo of a document,¡± I told him. ¡°I need you to leak the information out to the public.¡± ¡°Why, Sir? What¡¯s on it?¡± ¡°Names of thirty-six women who Ford Martin sexually abused. I need you to give the information to Greyson Hunter. Tell him I¡¯ll pay him double if he leaks the information now.¡± ¡°Right away, Sir.¡± Henry, my driver, was always reliable.. Chapter Comments Elizabeth Johnson Why did they go to all the trouble of framing Ford just to bail him out. I don¡¯t understand???!!! VIEW 1 COMMENT ? POST COMMENT 4 < SHARE Chapter 141 CHAPTER 141 Riot Liam ¡°And Henry¡­ I need you to ce a tracker on the ck Jaguar parked up front. I want to know where Thomas Martin lives, so I can go visit him when the need arises.¡± ¡°Yes, Mayor.¡± After giving instructions to Henry, I walked out of the Sheriff¡¯s station to find a sizeable crowd gathered around. I noticed the people at the very front were part of the media. If all goes well, I¡¯ll announce my invitation to my father¡¯s wake at Cohen Mansion. As I positioned myself behind the Martins and theirwyer, the Sheriff gave a brief statement, informing the public that Ford Martin was being released pending an investigation. ¡°Sheriff, is it true Lindsay Hartman killed Theodore Cohen?¡± A tall man asked after the Sheriff gave the public an update. He was a reporter under Greyson Hunter of The New Salem Star, one of New Salem¡¯s reputable news outlets. ¡°That¡¯s still under investigation. Right now, we only have what was written on her suicide note,¡± Sheriff Combs answered. ¡°So it¡¯s true Nurse Administrator Lindsay Hartmanmitted suicide?¡± A woman asked. She was a journalist for the North Dakota Herald Press which had a small branch here in New Salem. ¡°Upon our initial findings, yes,¡± the Sheriff answered. ¡°However, as I said, her death is still under investigation.¡± ¡°Sheriff, is it true Ford Martin has had severalints regarding sexual harassment? The tall man asked loudly. ¡°Why haven¡¯t these women stepped forward? Have the Martins paid them off to keep quiet?¡± Hunter¡¯s field reporter was working his magic. The crowd suddenly turned quiet and began to whisper among themselves. They were caught unaware of this small detail about Ford. 1/6 12:18 Wed, Apr 3 Mo CHAPTER 141 Riot buzzing sound like I was near a hive with a swarm of irate bees. I wanted to smile; it was evident that my n was working. But after noticing Lincoln Murphy¡¯s repeated nces, I fought the urge, donning my poker face instead. I knew the good attorney was trying to catch my reaction, however, there was no way he could outwit me. 54% ¡°Yes, it is true. Ford Martin has had severalints regarding sexual misconduct, however the women withdrew theirints without any interference from the Martins. As to why they never stepped forward, the women signed non-disclosure agreements aimed at keeping a peaceful work environment,¡± the Sheriff replied without batting an eysh. ¡°Ford Martin,¡± the tall man called out even louder this time, ¡°what do you do with the sex videos you record? Do you sell them or do you use them for ckmail? What about consent? Do these women willingly perform sexual favors or are they forced to do your bidding? If so, can¡¯t that be considered as rape, Sheriff?¡± Numerous audible gasps came from the women in the crowd. The people appeared shocked by the revtion. ¡°Rapist!¡± A woman suddenly yelled. ¡°Ford Martin is a rapist!¡± Angry howls erupted all around us¡­ Some people even raised their fists in the air in protest. ¡°We are still investigating the matter,¡± the Sheriff yelled, hoping to pacify the people. ¡°Th all for now. I need all of you to head on home because tonight the good mayor of this tow is opening the mansion-¡± All of a sudden, a stone flew in the air, hitting Ford on his arm. That stone was followed immediately by another which luckily missed Ford¡¯s head by several inches. Jack, with his arm shielding his face, quickly opened the station¡¯s front door and yelled for the other deputies toe out and help subdue the crowd. In the midst of the ensuing riot, I was left standing in front of the station while the Martins fled. ¡°Liam, you need to get inside, son, before you get hurt, Sheriff Combs instructed. He roughly pushed me inside the station and closed the door before addressing his men. ¡°Deputies, arrest these people.¡± 2/6 12:18 Wed, Apr 3 CHAPTER 141 Riot 54% Through the station¡¯s windows, I watched, amused. Everything that was happening was one big mess. All the deputies had their batons out, chasing after the townsfolk. While the bigger deputies. had people faced down on the ground, the other much smaller deputies were in the middle of a cat and mouse chase, dodging stones and other items the people could get their hands. on. I noticed Ford entering his father¡¯s brand new Jaguar. A stone flew right past him and hit the windshield instead. I let out a low whistle. That was going to cost a lot of money to get fixed. ¡°Your handiwork, I assume,¡± a familiar male voice said beside me. I was so engrossed in all the madness, I didn¡¯t notice Lincoln Murphy standing right beside me. ¡°Isn¡¯t it the job of the mayor to keep the peace?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, attorney,¡± I answered slyly. The corner of his lips. curved into a wicked smile. ¡°I know you know I¡¯ve made my money representing people who don¡¯t have any other interests other than themselves,¡± he quipped, ncing sideways at me. It was an obvious insult, but I didn¡¯t care. ¡°I¡¯m good at it, I always keep my mouth shut and I look the other way. That being said, is there something particr you¡¯re after? I heard you made a deal with Norma Martin¡­ something about a pharmacy. Is there something I can do to help facilitate this deal? So no one else gets hurt.¡± ¡°Again, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, Lincoln,¡± I mumbled, instead of answering his questions. I wasn¡¯t sure if I could trust him. He was smooth, too smooth. Men like him always had some ulterior motive. I mean, how could hee to me when he just represented someone who was against me? He chuckled as if I had told him a joke. ¡°You can call me Link, Mayor. I represented the Martins because they came to me for help. Actually, it was the Undersheriff who called me, asking me to help them. I rarely say no, especially when I may be theirst ticket out. As of the moment, I¡¯ve gained Tomas Martin¡¯s favor. I did what he asked me to do. I got his son. out. And favors are usually repaid, Mayor Cohen. It could be an option you¡¯re looking for¡­ unless this,¡± he gestured outside, ¡°is what you want. Elections are just around the e corner and your rival will use this against you. If you ever need my help, just give me a call or better yet, pay me a visit. As you said earlier, it¡¯s your duty to know New Salem¡¯s residents.¡± He nced outside and picked up his briefcase. ¡°I¡¯ll be staying a bit. Someone might need my help. By the way, my heartfelt condolences, Mayor. I know how hard it is to lose someone you love. 3/6 12:18 Wed, Apr 3 Mu CHAPTER 141 Riot Good day.¡± ½ð54%ÊÛ I watched him walk to the waiting area and sit down. Maybe he was going to take some cases. pro bono. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. But f uck! He was right. Sarah Hughes is going to love this. But I couldn¡¯t have known the people would call Ford a rapist and start throwing rocks. That wasn¡¯t my intention. Maybe call the Martin names and boycott the diner and the pharmacy, but to cause a riot? No. Yet, it did work in my favor. The Martins were now scared and soon they will think of leaving. I didn¡¯t need Link¡¯s help. I had a few tricks up my sleeve. All I needed to do was visit Thomas Martin in his sleep. As I walked to the door, I bumped into the Sheriff who had a nasty ga sh on his forehead. One of the stones must have hit him in the head. ¡°Liam, in my office, now,¡± he said calmly, but his rage was apparent in his eyes. I followed him to his office sheepishly, knowing I was going to get a mouthful. Once the door closed, he red at me and asked in a low voice, ¡°What in G od¡¯s name did you do?¡± ¡°I leaked the list of women to the press,¡± I answered. ¡°I got the idea from the district attorney and that b itch, Sarah Hughes.¡± ¡°The district attorney?! He isn¡¯t the type-¡± He stopped, realizing what I meant. ¡°Of course. You wanted to make people angry. Well, you got your wish. But you should have asked. Hunter to wait until the Martins had left the station.¡± ¡°Then, it would be too obvious I leaked the information,¡± I countered. ¡°This way, it appears someone else did it. I want that pharmacy, Sheriff, and if I can¡¯t get the Martins to cut a deal, then I¡¯ll have them chased out of New Salem with their tails between their legs.¡± The Sheriff sighed, knowing there wasn¡¯t much he could do. The damage was done. He quietly walked to his desk and grabbed a mirror to check on his forehead. ¡°Well, we now have an angry mob on our hands, thanks to you. The townsfolk are all riled up. I have a hunch they¡¯ll be headed over to Hignd Oaks next. I¡¯ll have some of my men secure the residents. in that neighborhood.¡± He took a wet tissue and began cleaning up his wound. ¡°When the homeowners association notices the angry mob camped out front, they¡¯ll ask Norma and Ford to leave. Those rich people hate scandals. Main reason why Pete left in such a hurry. H¨¦ 12:18 Wed, Apr 3 MO CHAPTER 141 Riot didn¡¯t want to deal with those righteous b astards.¡± 54% ¡°He¡¯s another problem I need to deal with. I¡¯ll pass by Lisa¡¯s office after I¡¯m done at Town Hall. I need to secure my marriage license and make sure I have a contract ready for Thomas Martin to sign. I¡¯ll see youter at the mansion. I was about to make my exit when the Sheriff called out my name. ¡°I¡¯ll have Jack take care of security for youter tonight. I¡¯m going to have this wound checked out, then head home to get some rest. I¡¯ll see you at the Ol¡¯ Barn at midnight.¡± I nodded my head before walking out of his office. The station was packed with people from the riot earlier. I felt a tinge of guilt, but it was a means to an end. As I walked out, I felt someone staring at me. I turned my head and sure enough, I found Link at Jack¡¯s desk, watching me leave. If I was a woman, he would¡¯ve definitely creeped me. out. Outside, I took a moment to breathe in the fresh air. That¡¯s when I saw the tall man behind the bushes, recording everything on his smartphone. It was Hunter¡¯s field reporter. ¡°Fred, right?¡± I asked as I walked up to him. ¡°Yes, Mayor,¡± he answered eagerly. ¡°I need you to release an announcement inviting everyone to Cohen Mansion for the wake of my father,¡± I said. ¡°I was going to announce it myself, but all hell broke lose.¡± ¡°Sure, Mayor. I¡¯ll do it for you. Sorry about that. It wasn¡¯t my intention to instigate,¡± Fred apologized. ¡°I know, Fred, but we have no control over other people¡¯s reactions,¡± I said, patting him on the shoulder. ¡°Make sure you indicate that the mansion will be open from seven to ten-thirty tonight. That will give the townsfolk enough time to bid my father goodbye.¡± He nodded his head. ¡°Thanks, Fred, and take care.¡± I gave him onest pat on the arm and headed to my car where Henry was waiting. ¡°Mayor, I¡¯ve done what you instructed,¡± he said, opening the door and ushering me inside. ¡°There¡¯s a tracker on the Jaguar.¡± ¡°Good job, Henry,¡± I replied, entering the backseat of the car. ¡°I need to go to town hall. There are some things I need to prepare.¡± 5/6 12:18 Wed, Apr 3 CHAPTER 141 Riot I needed to prepare a deed of sale before I met with the Martins again. Chapter Comments 3 POST COMMENT NOW < SHARE 6/6 12:18 Wed, Apr 3 Mu Chapter 142 CHAPTER 142 Terry¡¯s Snack and Gas Joy 54% It was almost five in the afternoon when Ki ki and I finally made it home. So now, we were in a rush to get ready for dinner. While I was away, Dina was in charge. She hired three new employees to help out at Virtue¡¯s. After giving each new hire a crash course in sales and merchandising, she took a long nap in my office knowing Xavier would need her to assist himter tonight. After we picked K iki up from the airport, we made a pit stop at the small furniture warehouse which was Cristos¡¯ base of operations before Mandan HQ became operational. There, we changed into camping outfits, making sure our faces were covered by hats and sunsses. Then, we h ooked a camper trailer onto a Chevrolet Silverado and drove off towards Red River. Since Red River was known for its camping grounds, we decided it was best if we blend in. Driving a luxury car would definitely alert Pete and his posse, so we needed a disguise. K iki was happy though. She preferred shorts to skirts. While we were driving along the road that led to Red River and its popr camping sites, we called Xavier to inform him K iki was with us, snacking while surveying our location through herputer in the backseat. One thing about K iki, she always had to have food with her. I honestly thought our conversation with Xavier would be short, but while we were away, there was a dramatic turn of events. ¡°Ford¡¯s out of jail, but he is now the target of some very angry people,¡± he informed us, ¡°They¡¯re actually calling him a rapist.¡± ¡°Well, he did harass those women at the hospital,¡± Cristos reasoned. ¡°How did that happen anyway? ¡°Some reporter asked if the sexual favors he received from the women who filed sexual harassment Link¡¯s job to keep his mouth shut,¡± Kik i said, popping her head in between us. ¡°You know what I think? I think Link has earned the Sheriff¡¯s respect, especially now that he¡¯s helping all those people. The Sheriff¡¯s probably already thinking of -hiring him if s hit hits the fan.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an interesting theory, but Ki ki, you don¡¯t know these people. They don¡¯t operate with a code like we do. For them, it¡¯s all about personal interests and their top priority is saving their own skin. If Link gets in their way, there is no doubt in my mind they won¡¯t hesitate to kill him,¡± Xavier exined. ¡°Anyway, Link is trying to worm his way into Liam¡¯s good graces, but Liam is one tough nut to c rack. It¡¯s safe to assume he¡¯s going to take the pharmacy by force. If the riot isn¡¯t proof enough, I don¡¯t know what is.¡± ¡°You sound worried. Wasn¡¯t that a part of the n?¡± I asked. ¡°Liam kills Tomas and takes th pharmacy, then I kill him, and everyone thinks it¡¯s Ortiz. Right?¡± ¡°I¡­ worried¡­ think¡­¡± We heard static in the background, then a beeping sound from the phone, indicating the call had ended. ¡°No cell service,¡± I said, looking up ahead. ¡°Check it out. There¡¯s the gasoline station. How is it possible that a gasoline station is in a dead zone?¡± ¡°That is puzzling, but camp sites usually have bad reception. That¡¯s how it provides serenity and tranquility to their campers. No bothersome calls and no angry emails. However, there is a solution to all this,¡± K iki said. ¡°Chip, why don¡¯t you gas up while Virtue here buys something at the convenience store. Remember¡­ use different names, don¡¯t look up, and keep your sunsses on. ¡°And what are you going to do?¡± Cristos asked. 2/6 12:18 Wed, Apr 3 CHAPTER 142 Terry¡¯s Snack and Gas ¡°I¡¯m going to set up my portable satellite VSAT system,¡± Ki ki answered. I nodded my head, impressed she had one with her. ¡°I brought it with me from California. Dina kind of mentioned there are dead spots all over this area. I¡¯ll get the satellite dish running while you guys distract whoever¡¯s maintaining that dump.¡± Dump was an understatement. It didn¡¯t quitepletely describe the gasoline station. It was a s hit hole. ording to the tall worn-out signage, the gasoline station was named Terry¡¯s Snack and Gas. There were two old dirty pumps underneath a teal colored canopy that looked like it was going to tip over. Beside the pumping station was a small convenience store whose doors and windows were coveredContent protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. with so much dirt and grime, it was difficult to see inside. There was a car shed off to the side, locked, its paint chipping off like the rest of the gas station. Junk cars were sc attered around the vicinity along with barrels of garbage. Thend the gasoline station was sitting on had no vegetation around it. It was just dry earth. There was a single tree several feet away, but it looked dead. Dust was swirling all around the area as the wind picked up, making the lone establishment appear as if it was a scene from a horror movie. Good thing we had the camper. I didn¡¯t want to know what the restrooms looked or smelled like. ¡°No wonder your luggages are heavy. Where are you going to set it up?¡± Cristos asked. ¡°In the truck bed,¡± K iki answered. ¡°I¡¯ll tie it up so it doesn¡¯t fall over. Don¡¯t worry you g ay head, Chip. I got some military training under my belt.¡± Before we entered the gas station, I put on some false teeth, drew a mole on m my cheek tucked a gun with a silencer in the rear waistband of my shorts, covering it with my windbreaker. Instead of names, let¡¯s just use our initials,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m V. Chip, you¡¯re C and K iki, you¡¯re K. ¡°Fine,¡± K iki replied. ¡°If possible, refrain from calling out to each other. Just f ucking shoot if anything goes south.¡± Cristos stopped the pickup truck at a pump. ¡°I see a man.¡± K iki said, squinting through the car windows. ¡°I think it¡¯s a man, but it could3/6. 12:18 Wed, Apr 3 MO. 54% CHAPTER 142 Terry¡¯s Snack and Gas be a woman. I think there¡¯s no one else inside. Hold on, I thought I saw Some movement.¡± She took out a pair of binocrs from her backpack for a closer look. ¡°Da mmit. The view inside is obstructed by all that dirt. Anyway, V, just scope the ce out while you shop. Look for CCTV cameras, check the walls and if you¡¯re brave enough, take a peek inside the restroom.¡± As if on cue, we all jumped out of the truck. Cristos went to pump gas, K iki went to the camper to get her VSAT system from her luggages while I went to the convenience store, not knowing what to expect. ¡°Good noon, youngdy,¡± an elderly man greeted me as I opened the door, reminding me of the horror movie The Hills Have Eyes. As I raised my eyes to greet the old man, I stopped at the doorway, shocked to see the ce was clean and cozy and set up like an old mom and pop grocery store. ¡°How can I help you, Miss?¡± The old man asked with a smile, showing me his false teeth. He was a small fellow, with silver hair, wrinkly leathery skin, ck rimmed eyesses, a white shirt and denim overalls. ¡°We got some hotdogs over there and my wife¡¯s gourmet sandwiches. It¡¯s lunch time, so I¡¯m guessing you and your friends are hungry.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. We are hungry,¡± I smiled, showing him my buck teeth. It was hard to talk with my teeth protruding out from my mouth, but it made me sound like a whole other person. ¡®Well, go ahead and grab whatever you want,¡± the old man said. ¡°There¡¯s soda, juice, water and chocte milk in the fridge. Help yourself. I took three hotdogs, three bags of chips, three sandwiches, water, juice and some soda, a the while keeping a close eye on the old man. He nced at my direction, every now and then with this weird smile on his lips. Something about him and this ce gave me the creeps. After cing the food in a basket, I roamed around, checking all the other merchandise. I tried opening the bathroom door, but it was locked, so I proceeded down the aisle which was stacked with toiletries. As I wandered through the store, I saw a bulletin board that had so many pictures of numerous young women of all shapes and sizes shopping inside this very store. All of them were wearing camping attire, and from what I noticed, all of them were unaware they were being photographed. 4/6 12:18 Wed, Apr 3 MO CHAPTER 142 Terry¡¯s Snack and Gas -54% At the edge of each photograph there was a date indicating when the picture was taken. The most recent was about a week ago while the oldest was about six years ago. As I looked closely, one of the women caught my eye. I grabbed the picture and rushed to the counter where the old man was waiting. I noticed his demeanor had changed¡­ from the friendly store owner to a sneering dirty old man. I lifted the basket onto the counter to put some space in between us while I ced a hand behind my back. ¡°We¡¯ve been traveling since this morning trying to get here, so we¡¯re really hungry,¡± I quickly exined, justifying the amount of food in the basket. ¡°My friend said the camping sites here are awesome this time of year.¡± ¡°They are,¡± the old man said, tallying the food items while cing them in a paper bag. ¡°You have beautiful blonde hair. Your hair color is hard to find. Even your friend over there. She has pretty blonde hair too.¡± His lips curved into a leering smile. ¡°That¡¯ll be twenty-five dors and eleven cents.¡± I reached into my pocket and gave him a fifty dor bill. ¡°We have a great hair colourist. Expensive actually,¡± I replied, grabbing the pa paper bag. I wanted to get the f uck out of here. ¡°Thank you for all your help. You have a good day, sir.¡± ¡°Wait, your change,¡± he called out to me. ¡°No, you keep it. As a tip,¡± I said, my hand reaching for the door handle. I tried to pull it open, but it was locked. I slowly turned around to see the old man chuckling gleefully behind the counter. ¡°I need to give you your change, youngdy,¡± the old man insisted. I walked back to the counter, wide-eyed, pretending to be scared. ¡°Your teeth may be a problem though, but we can tape your mouth shut. Don¡¯t worry about your friends. After they notice you¡¯re missing, they¡¯lle in looking for you.¡± His smile was gone, reced by a grim, forbidding, threatening look. This old man definitely worked for Pete which meant this was Angels of Darkness territory. I shuddered at the thought. Of course. 5/6 12:18 Wed, Apr 3 MO CHAPTER 142 Terry¡¯s Snack and Gas 54% up a CB radio from under the counter. ¡°Carmichael¡­ Dous¡­ I have another one for you.¡± The bathroom door suddenly opened and out came two men, carrying chains in their hands. This is why I hated camping out in the middle of nowhere. Chapter Comments 3 POST COMMENT NOW < SHAR Chapter 143 CHAPTER 143 Heart Shatter Joy I stared at myself in the mirror. I was wearing a ck and white floral spaghetti strap midi dress under a three quarter sleeve ck zer. I decided to straighten my hair, allowing it to cascade down my back.. I gazed at me reflection, the person staring back at me had a little evil grin ying on her lips, yet there was a sadness in the depth of her eyes. I was proud of myself. Earlier, I was stuck in a horrible situation where if I had been the same old Joy Taylor who left ten years ago, I would probably be at the mercy of the Angels of Darkness as of the moment. Today, I gained K iki¡¯s respect which made me proud. However, there was now a rift between me and Cristos which made me feel miserable. From the other end of Terry¡¯s Snack and Gas convenience store emerged two men with chains in their hands. They were dripping sweat and smelled like they needed to take a bath. The suffocating stench from their armpits was so overwhelming, I had to cover my nose. One of the men had dark hair, the color of midnight, while the other had bright auburn hair and looked like the younger of the two. I decided I¡¯d keep the redhead alive. I dropped the bag of food items on the floor, appearing to be a damsel in distress. I surreptitiously nced through the windows and noticed Cristos was getting antsy. I saw him say something to Ki ki before walking towards the store. ¡°Stay away,¡± I told the two men in a panicky voice. ¡°Or I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll scream.¡± The three menughed, amused at my apparent despair. ¡°Go right ahead and scream, Missy, but you¡¯re friends won¡¯t hear you,¡± the old man smirked. ¡°I got loud music ying on the outside. And forget about calling 911 because we own the police. So I suggest you be a good girl. If you don¡¯t put up a fight, I promise to put you in the clean cages.¡± 1/6 12:18 Wed, Apr 3 Mu CHAPTER 143 Heart Shatter 54% ¡°What are you going to do with me?¡± I asked in a quivering voice as I slowly positioned my hand at the rear of my shorts. I couldn¡¯t see the old man¡¯s hands. I had to make sure he wasn¡¯t holding a gun. I figured if I continued acting scared, he wouldn¡¯t see me as a threat and lower his guard. ¡°Lately, my boss has been asking for blondes. Last week, we thought we hit the jackpot since. we got us some youngdies who got holed up in here because of a storm. It was a pity when he only took the blondes and those with blue eyes,¡± he disclosed, disappointed things didn¡¯t go his way. ¡°But I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll pay a pretty penny for you.¡± I gasped in aghast at his statement. ¡°Yep, this here gas station¡¯s a trap. The women we sell to our boss, the men we grind and sell as hotdogs while the cars we chop up into parts. Now, let¡¯s take a look at those. eyes of yours. If they¡¯re blue, you just earned me a hundred grand.¡± He finally lifted his hands from underneath the counter¡­ one hand holding a syringe. ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt me, I cried out, backing away, my hand at the grip of my gun. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll¡­ double whatever he¡¯s promising you. Just let me go.¡± The old manughed. ¡°Sorry, Missy, but you don¡¯t look like you have two hundred thousand on you and I¡­ I have a business to run,¡± he uttered, disdainfully. ¡°Men, hold her down while. 1-¡± I didn¡¯t give him time to finish his sentence. I pulled out my gun and shot him in the eye. I quickly turned around and shot the dark-haired man in the chest. He copsed on top of the rack full of cookies, candies and other sweets. I aimed my gun at the lone man standing in the convenience store, his auburn h sweat¡­ daring him to move. He abruptly stopped, dropping the chain he was holding, and raised his hands above head. ¡°No sudden movements,¡± I warned, ¡°or you can kiss this world goodbye.¡± A sudden banging sounding from outside the door made him flinch. I aimed my gunt his companion lying on the floor and squeezed the trigger. ¡°Again¡­ no sudden movements,¡± I said through clenched teeth, aiming my gun at his head. ¡°The next bullet thates out from this gun will be going through your skull.¡± 2/6 12:18 Wed, Apr 3 Mu CHAPTER 143 Heart Shatter »á54%Á¿ I heard the unmistakable sound of a bullet hitting bulletproof ss as well as someone ramming against the door. The man in front of me, closed his eyes, frightened by the loud sounds. His sweat was dripping down the tip of his nose while his already fetid stench became even more pungent as fear swept through his body. ¡°How the f uck do you open that door? And what¡¯s your name?¡± I asked calmly. ¡°T-There¡¯s a-a button underneath the counter which automatically unlocks the door and m- my name is Dous,¡± he answered quickly. He had an ent. European. Irish? No. He was Scottish. ¡°Thank you, Dous,¡± I said before shooting him in the arm. He cried out and copsed onto the floor in pain. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m going to keep you alive. I still need you to answer a few questions.¡± I reached over the counter and felt for the button, unlocking the door. K iki and Cristos burst in, both with worried expressions on their faces. ¡°Oh my G od! I thought we lost you!¡± Cristos eximed in utter relief, giving me a kiss on the forehead. I saw the terror in his eyes which quickly turned into rage as soon as he saw Dous writhing in pain. ¡°What the f uck were they going to do to you?¡± Cristos asked, taking his gun out and aiming it at the poor b astard who was crying like a baby. Ki ki rushed over to Dous¡¯panion to check for a pulse. When she was satisfied he was dead, she went behind the counter. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°Dous and his friends abduct women who happen to stop by the gas station on their way. to the camping sites,¡± I said, showing him the photo I took from the bulletin bo she look familiar to you?¡± Cristos took the picture, peering at it closely then shook his head in disbelief whe realized it was one of the women from Huff Hills Mansion. He suddenly kicked the the stomach. ¡°F ucking sc umbag! I should kill you!¡± He kicked him again and again¡­ again. ¡°C, sorry to rain on your parade, but this old coot has a small weapons cache under here. I don¡¯t see any CCTV cameras, but he does have a CB radio and a smartphone,¡± K iki said, stopping Cristos from kicking the shi t out of Dous. She took both items and ced them. irin her backpack. ¡°What I want to know is where did those twoe from?¡± Ki ki asked. FFrom the restroom door,¡± I told her. Ki ki jumped over the counter and quickly barricaded the door with one of the wooden racks. 3/6 12:18 Wed, Apr CHAPTER 143 Heart Shatter ¡°Are there any more of you?¡± Cristos asked Dous. He shook his head. 54% ¡°The old man said his wife made the sandwiches,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t see a house in the area, so I suspect they live in the basement.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about you guys, but personally I don¡¯t want to find out if there are any more of them. Good thing you used a silencer, V. But the rack falling over should¡¯ve gotten the attention of anyone and everyone down below unless this kind of raucous is normal,¡± K iki rationalized. ¡°I say we burn the ce down. All we need to do is let the gas flow out of the pumps and into the store.¡± K iki and Xavier were indeed siblings. They both loved arson. ¡°No, please, don¡¯t. Don¡¯t burn this ce down,¡± Dous pleaded, alerting us. Of course. There were more of them downstairs. Ki ki took out some duct tape from her backpack and taped his mouth. Cristos yanked him off of the floor and pushed him outside. ¡°V, you better head back to the truck. I got this,¡± K iki said, grabbing a bottle of whisky, a lighter and a dirty rag from behind the counter. While Cristos handcuffed and chained a wounded Dous inside the camper trailer, I watched Ki ki douse Terry¡¯s Snack and Gas with gasoline. When she was done, Cristos and I climbed into the pickup truck, while K iki jumped he truck bed. Cristos turned the ignition and drove off back to Bismarck. In the rear view mirror, throw a molotov co cktail into the gasoline, setting everything on fire.. We were already a good distance away when we heard an explosion. K iki suddenly knock on the roof, signaling for us to stop. She jumped down and climbed into the backseat,ughing enthusiastically. ¡°G od da mn! Look at those fireworks!¡± She eximed, pping her hands like a delighted little girl. ¡°You know, when the Blood Disciples back home said you guys were having so much fun out here in the middle of nowhere, I thought they were joking. Man, was I f ucking wrong.¡± She leaned back on her seat and sighed. ¡°Virtue, I was bout you. I thought you were just using my brother to get your revenge, but f uck, this is even bigger than I coutef 12:18 Wed, Apr 3 M 54%2 CHAPTER 143 Heart Shatter have ever imagined. She patted me on the shoulder. ¡°You did good back there. And by the way, I am never leaving your side from now on¡­ just as long as I get to do more sh it like that!¡± ¡°K iki is right,¡± Cristos said, finally breaking the awkward silence between us. ¡°You did good, Virtue.¡± He was obviously ming himself for what had happened. I was about to console him and convince him none of us could have known the gasoline station was a trap when Cristos phone suddenly rang. I grimaced. It was Xavier. ¡°What the hell happened?! I¡¯ve been trying to contact you for the past hour, Xavier bellowed. ¡°Well, is someone going to tell me what happened?!¡± Calm down, will yah?¡± K iki said indignantly. ¡°The gas station, ording to the data I found, was strategically ced in a dead zone, okay? I tried to put up my VSAT as fast as I could, but we got tangled into a bit of a mess.¡± ¡°What kind of mess?¡± I heard the strain in Xavier¡¯s voice. ¡°Chip? Virtue? You guys okay?¡± ¡°Yes, we are Bo,¡± I answered. ¡°We¡¯re going to head back to Mandan HQ to deliver a package.¡± ¡°What happened this time?!¡± ¡°The gas station was set up as a trap to lure in campers. The people who manne convenience store abduct women. Virtue found a picture of one of the women y saved at Huff Hills. She was abducted there. They almost abducted Virtue, but sh them except for one. He¡¯s in the camper trailer, tied up and bleeding. Unfortunate to burn the ce down. There were more of them in the basement,¡± Cristos answer voiceced with guilt. I see you at Mandan HQ,¡± Xavier replied gruffly and hung up. When we arrived, a very worried and angry Xavier greeted us. Apparently, he was about to send out a search party for us when we couldn¡¯t be contacted. ¡°Cristos, this was why I wanted satellite images and information before engaging. You guys were only supposed to survey the area. What were you thinking?!¡± Xavier yelled at him. We were in an office room inside the warehouse. Xavier was pacing angrily in front of us while5/6 12:18 Wed, Apr 3 MO CHAPTER 143 Heart Shatter Cristos, K iki and I were seated on a sofa like children being scolded by their father. 54% ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­.. I wasn¡¯t thinking,¡± Cristos said quietly, feeling small. He bowed his head low, cing his hands on the top of his head, like he just wanted everything to stop. When he raised his head, there were tears in his eyes. ¡°While I was ramming myself against the door, I actually thought Joy was dead. It scared me so much I literally thought my heart was going to stop. He wiped the tears from his eyes. ¡°S hit just got real, Xavier. I don¡¯t know if I can go through something like that again.¡± ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t know if you can go through something like that again?¡± Xavier asked. ¡°I mean I can¡¯t do this anymore,¡± Cristos answered. ¡°I¡¯m heading back to California. You can use my men at your disposal, Xavier.¡± He took my hands in his. ¡°I hope you get your revenge, Joy, I really do. I love you so much, but I can¡¯t do this anymore.¡± I felt my heart shatter as he uttered those words. Chapter Comments Elizabeth Johnson that¡¯s a shock, how can he leave???? Liz Boten ? VIEW ALL 4 COMMENTS 4 SHARE POST COMMENT 6/6 Wed, Apr Chapter 144 CHAPTER 144 No Excuse Cristos 54% I was in Sebastian¡¯s room, still in my hideous camping disguise, waiting for Sebastian to wake up, so I could tell him I was going home. Xavier agreed to let me go under one condition¡­ I had to tell Sebastian my decision. Sebastian¡¯s room was a reflection of his personality. It was contemporary and efficient, but styled with boring minimalist pieces in monotonous tones of white, gray and ck. Sure, everything looked clean and neat in all its simplicity, however it gave off a rather dull impression. There was one small object though which contrasted with the simpleness of the room. On his smart nightstand was an old cigar box, its varnished wood gleaming under the soft glow of the yellow light coming from the matte ck dimmable tablemp situated right beside it. That box, I knew, was from Joy. Just like our home in Los Angeles, Sebastian¡¯s room had the same subtle Joy touch. There was one piece of vintage furniture that stood out in his monochromatic bedroom, a restored vintage ck leather chair located right beside hist window¡­ another gift from Joy. Joy and I, we had the same tastes when it came to furniture. We loved antiquing, spending hours and hours during the weekends flittering from one antique shop to another, purchasing unique items created during a certain period of time in history. We enjoyed incorporating each item into our sp acious contemporary home and adored how each carefully crafted piece brought character to our surroundings. Sebastian, of course, wasn¡¯t the only one who received gifts from Joy. I had a beautiful leather antique cufflink box in my office at the pub which I brought with me from Californi while Xavier had an antique pistol case in his office at Bo¡¯s; small trinkets that reminded us how well Joy knew us. Our Joy¡­ I couldn¡¯t believe I almost lost her. I didn¡¯t even think that worn down, fly infested gas station was a hotspot. From outside, it lookedpletely harmless, yet on the inside, it served as a trap and operated as a prison. How could I have been so naive? I¡¯ve been berating myself for being so careless since we left that disgusting ce. 1/5 CHAPTER 144 No Excuse When we left New Salem to pick up Ki ki at the airport, I didn¡¯t expect that a somewhat uneventful morning would turn into a tragedye noon. Outside, as I waited by the gas pumps, I kind of suspected something was wrong when the ice cream truck music began to y through the loudspeakers hanging on the canopy. It was so loud, I couldn¡¯t even hear myself think. Through the dirty windows of the convenience store, I manage to see Joy¡¯s silhouette walking through the aisles as she casually looked around and shopped. After a couple more minutes, I noticed her rushing to the counter to pay. She moved so fast, I expected she would being out as soon as she was done paying. ¡°K, hurry up. V is at the counter paying. Once she¡¯s out, we¡¯ll head down further south a bit, then make a u-turn back to Mandan. Knowing Bo, he¡¯s probably freaking out,¡± I yelled to K iki. ¡°We¡¯ll contact him as soon as we hit the road again, so he won¡¯t have to worry,¡± K iki yelled back. ¡°I¡¯m about done. Just give me another minute to tie this thing up and we can be on our merry way.¡± After several minutes had passed with no Joy, I began to fret. Ki ki was already done tying the VSAT system in ce on the truck bed while Joy was still inside the store. She should have been out by now. ¡°K, I think I should go and check on V,¡± I yelled, pointing at the convenience store. ¡°She isn¡¯t out yet?!¡± K iki asked surprised. She quickly let go of the piece of tarp she was covering the satellite dish with and jumped off the truck. That¡¯s when I saw the worrie in her eyes. The expression on her face was enough for me to walk on over to the convenience store. pushed on the wooden door with all my might, but the da mn thing was locked. I peered through the windows and saw two men pass by, walking towards the counter. Where in the hell did those twoe from?! The hairs behind my neck stood up and my heart began to beat rapidly in trouble. in my chest. Joy was ¡°What¡¯s going on? And why are you still outside?¡± Ki ki asked loudly as she peered through the ss windows. 2/5 12:19 Wed, Apr 3 M CHAPTER 144 No Excuse 54% ¡°V¡¯s in trouble and the door¡¯s locked,¡± I yelled, banging on the door and shaking it, hoping for some miracle. ¡°It¡¯s locked?!¡± K iki eximed, pulling out her gun. She aimed at the window furthest from where we were and shot at it. I expected the ss to break, but to my utter shock and dismay, it was bulletproof ss. ¡°This ce looks like it¡¯s falling apart, but their windows are made of bulletproof ss,¡± K iki eximed. ¡°This dump is a front. We need to get inside before it¡¯s toote. Is there a keyhole?¡± She looked down at the door. ¡°There¡¯s no keyhole, C. This thing is locked from the inside.¡± A cold sweat appeared on my forehead and my hands began to shake uncontrobly. I felt a sudden pain in my chest at exactly where my heart was, as if someone was squeezing the life out of me. I gasped for air; the grip-like constriction in my chest made it difficult for me to breathe. For a split second, I actually thought I was going to keel over from a heart attack. I closed my eyes and steadied my breathing. I needed to get a grip on myself. Joy needed me. I opened my eyes¡­ We were going to get inside that store¡­ by any means necessary. I took a step back and rammed my shoulder against the door, but it wouldn¡¯t budge. I took another step back, silently praying the lock would give when I rammed into it again. Ki ki positioned herself beside me to help and both of us mmed our shoulders onto door. We felt it move, but it didn¡¯t open.. ¡°Let¡¯s use the truck,¡± I yelled to K iki, who was massaging her shoulder. ¡°Come on. It¡¯s only way in.¡± K iki nodded her head and gave me a thumbs up sign. I turned to run to th truck when I heard K iki call out to me. ¡°Hold on, C,¡± Ki ki suddenly yelled. ¡°Do you hear that?¡± Inspite of the loud irritating ice cream truck music, we heard the unmistakable sound of the door unlocking. Oh thank G od! I immediately ced my hand on the grip of my gun tucked in the rear waistband of my shorts and gestured to Ki ki. She took her gun out and nced inside the store before crouching low. She gestured she 3/5 12:19 Wed, Apr 3 M CHAPTER 144 No Excuse had eyes on one bogey standing near the door¡­ right before she barged in. A wave of relief flowed through my body seeing Joy standing with a gun in her hand aimed. at the poor schmuck crying on the floor. She was okay! Actually, she was more than okay. She had killed two men without any help. A dead man was lying on top of a wooden rack, his blood staining the merchandise. And judging by the blood stter on the wall, another one was behind the counter. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. I wanted to cradle Joy in my arms and kiss her, but it wasn¡¯t the ce nor the time. Good thing K iki had her wits about her. She quickly barricaded the door from where the two thugs emerged from and quickly decided it was best if we set the whole ce on fire. I picked up the wounded man named Dous off the floor and led him outside to the camper trailer, realizing the filthy m otherf ucker had peed in his pants. He was terrified. If you want to live, be a good boy. You never know¡­ we might need you for something else,¡± I whispered in his ear, giving him hope so he would cooperate. Iin the camper trailer, I had to fight the urge to strangle him with my bare hands while I ckchained him to the sink in the bathroom. I toughed in disgust as I inhaled his horrid stench. His smell was so terrible, I had to make thhe conscious effort to breathe in through my mouth, while I binded his arms and legs. together, to prevent myself from puking. I doubted hisck of hygiene was because of theck of water. It was more likely it was because he and his friends seldomly left the basement. An old man behind the counter wasnt rutich of a threat to the campers who happened to drive through these pa kept out obtisight to lure them in. When i was sture Dous couldn¡¯t escape, I hit him in the head with the butt of m rendering himunnconscious for the trip to Mandan headquarters. This was all my tattlt! I had apse in judgement. I knew Pete wanted Joy delivered to the this gas as station¡­ that alone should have been enough for me to suspect that station was one of Petre¡¯s hotspots. ey At Mandan, I only had ddo.toke one look at Xavier¡¯s enraged face to know I really f u cked up. When he learned we had daatinned with one of the men who tried to kidnap Joy, he quickly pulled out his gun and entered the camper trailer to confront the s onofa bi tch. Both Joy and K iki had to restrain him ben killing the ba stard, convincing him that we still needed Dous for questioning. 4/5 12:19 Wed, Apr. CHAPTER 144 No Excuse ¡°What is that smell?¡± Xavier yelled, kicking Dous awake. Dous woke up screaming, the sound m uffled by the duct tape covering his mouth. ¡°You f u cking stink¡­ You worthless piece of sh it!¡± A red-faced Xavier lifted his gun above his head to hit Dous in the face, but stopped, knowing that hitting him was futile. Unexpectedly, Xavier raised his face towards the ceiling and bellowed out his rage and frustration through clenched teeth in front of a cowering Dous and a frightened Ki ki. It was very rare to see Xavier so furious, so it wasn¡¯t a surprise when K iki jumped back in rm. After he was done releasing some of his pent up anger, he spat at Dous before gesturing to Sam and Max to take him into a holding cell. You know what to do with him. And hose him down, will yah? He f ucking smells like s hit.¡± Xavier quickly exited the camper trailer with Ki ki close behind him. ¡°Xavier, brother. I need to tell you something¡­ Ki ki began. I raised my finger to silence K iki and shook my head at her, warning her not to say another word. This wasn¡¯t the time to make excuses. ¡°You three,e with me. And the rest of you, get back to work,¡± Xavier said, walking towards the offices at the end of the warehouse. With our heads hung low, we followed him quietly amidst the curious eyes of our fello Blood Disciples. There was no excuse. And I¡­ I never ever wanted to feel that helpless again. Chapter Comments 34 POST COMMENT NOW 5/5 12:19 We Chapter 145 CHAPTER 145 Disappointment Cristos Xavier led us through the warehouse to an empty office space that had a small sofa, a desk and an office chair inside. He motioned for us to take a seat on the sofa while he sat down on the edge of the desk with his arms crossed in front of his chest, ring at each one of us. ¡°I want to hear it¡­ all of it,¡± Xavier said. Joy and Ki ki opened their mouths and both spoke at once. I closed my eyes and rubbed my forehead, feigning a headache, as I listened to the two girls tell Xavier their version of what happened at the gas station. Xavier scratched his head then raised his hands to stop them. ¡°One at a time, you two,¡± Xavier shouted, then pointed at his sister. ¡°Ki ki, I want you to start. You said you needed to put up a VSAT system. You brought one with you?!¡± ¡°Yes, I did and I know what you¡¯re thinking¡­ Why in the world would I need to bring something like that, right? You see, dear brother, I haven¡¯t beenpletely honest with all of you,¡± K iki said in a small voice. Joy and I turned to face her, wondering what she hid from us. She sighed, scunching her face in shame. ¡°Last night, when I told Primo I was the one who cracked the code, I lied. I didn¡¯t necessarily break the code all on my own. I had help from Dina,¡± she admitted, cing a finger in between her teeth like a little girl caught with her hand in a cookie jar. Xa vier ran his hands through his hair, his frustration apparent. Then he shook his head while looking up at the ceiling, as if he was a s ki ng God, ¡®Why me?¡±. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, X, but I really wanted toe here and Dina needed a portable VSAT system. So I promised to bring h er one, if she told Primo I broke the code on my own.¡± This was just grast. I wo yed by two of my own. Not only was I careless, I was clueless as well. I made a m ental note to scold Dina for going behind my back. ¡°Cristos will decide your punishment, K iki, since you work for him,¡± Xavier said, looking at his sister sternly. ¡°If you worked under me, I¡¯d send you packing. I hope Cristos will take my suggestion into consideration.¡± Ki ki¡¯s worried half-smile instantly turned into frown. However, her eyes suddenly lit up. I grimaced, wondering what bright idea popped into her head. Ki ki, I knew, didn¡¯t want to go back home. Whatever was going through that clever brain of hers, it was likely she had thought of something that would make her indispensable to the,/5 12:19 Wed, Apr 3 M APTER CHAPTER 145 Disappointment group. She was both cun ning and scheming. And I wasn¡¯t wrong. ¡°Before you guys get any ideas and send me home, may I remind you Joy, a.k.a. Virtue, already told Liam she was on her way to pick me up. So it¡¯ll look really bad if I don¡¯t show up with her, yes?¡± She asked, a sly smile ying on her lips. Xavier red at his sister, clenching his jaw, obviously restraining himself from strangling her. But K iki had a point. She had to stay. This was my first time to see this side of K iki. She was a maniptive woman. No wonder Xavier didn¡¯t want her under him. She was a handful. Unfortunately, we had no choice. Xavier reluctantly nodded his head in agreement. Ki ki¡¯s lips. -curved into a big, bright smile until she saw my pursed lips and my narrowed eyes. Her happy expression faded, quickly reced by nervousness, ?? ¡°Where was I again? Oh yeah, back to my story, K iki said, coughing to hide her distress. ¡°Uhm, when we lost cell service, I decided to assemble the VSAT system so we can get in contact with you and so I can continue my satellite tracking. I know we were only supposed to survey the area, including the gasoline station, but I wasn¡¯t aware that dump was a front. X, if there¡¯s someone you should be mad at,Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. it¡¯s me. I was the one who told Primo to stop there. I was also the one who instructed Joy to enter the convenience store and scout the premises¡­ while I put up the satellite dish. If it¡¯s any constion, I checked before Joy entered the store. I only saw an elderly person inside. None of us suspected there were people living underneath the convenience store. ¡°Hold on a sec,¡± Xavier said. ¡°You didn¡¯t hoof it to the gasoline station?¡± Ki ki smiled sheepishly at her brother before hitting her forehead with her knuckle. ¡°I forgot, X,¡± K iki admitted. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been in the field. F uck! I should have done recon on foot.¡± ¡°And did you check the back?¡± Xavier asked her calmly. ¡°No, I was busy-¡± ¡°Enough! Your first day here and you¡¯re already a huge disappointment,¡± Xavier told his sister, cutting her off. ¡°Cape Bas tone Cristos Primo, did you happen to check the back? Did2/5 12:19 Wed, Apr 3 PTER 15 Dicas Disappointment even bothebother to check the entire perimeter? Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t do your homework.¡± vier, that was whys why we were driving through the area,¡± Joy reasoned. ¡°Ki ki was making a irding of satellite illite imagery as we drove. The satellite images we obtained prior to K iki¡¯s val were obscured.cured.¡± sorry¡­ Are you Cap Kupo B astone Cristos Primo?¡± Xavier asked, eyeing Joy with contempt, voice dangerously oval low. She shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s right, you aren¡¯t an Underboss. You¡¯re Idier. So why don¡¯t, vink you keep your mouth shut, soldier, and let the Underbosses do the ing. ?ier!¡± K iki eximed louetyloudly. She only used Xavier¡¯s name when she was trying to stress a it. ¡°Show some respect! loy killey killed two men and wounded one other all on her own!¡± yeah, she did? And who put repun her in that situation in the first ce? Hmmm?¡± he asked, ing straight at me. ¡°That¡¯s rights Cight, Cristos, you did¡­ by listening to my two bit sister. re the Underboss, the leader, thereforerefore you should get all the me,¡± Xavier pointed out, ding up from the desk. He began be parto pace back and forth in front of us. ¡°Remember what I this morning about you being as reckle recicless as Sebastian? This proves me right. You were supposed to pick up Ki ki ande bere back. But no, you had to go and make up your own s. And you know what irks me thenno most? You¡­ deciding to tell mest minute.¡± He w his arms up in the air, utterly frustrated rated. Cristos, this was why I wanted satellite ges and information before heading over there there. What were you thinking?!¡± Xavier yelled ie. sorry, I wasn¡¯t thinking,¡± I said quietly, feelingeeiing small. I bowed my head low, cing my is on the top of my head, wanting everything to into just go away. But the damage ady been done. ¡®s began to fill my eyes as I remembered how terrineditifed I was¡­ thinking Joy had ile I was ramming myself against the door, I actually tholly thought Joy was dead. It sca uch I literally thought my heart was going to stop quiclquickly wiped my tears, ar ras sed I was showing emotion. ¡°S hit just got real, Xavit Xhufiers don¡¯t know if I can go ugh something like that again.¡± lat d ed. you mean you don¡¯t know if you can go through something thing like that again?¡± Xavier lean I can¡¯t do this any more,¡± I answered, finally making the difficult dialt decision to leave. heading back to California. You can use my men at your disposal, XavierXavier I took Joy¡¯s ds in mine. ¡°I hope you get your revenge. Joy. I really do. I love you so much, much, but I can¡¯/5 12 19 Wed, Apr 3 CHAPTER 145 Disappointment do this anymore.¡± Joy raised her beautiful blue eyes and stared into mine, searching for the truth¡­ While I only saw disappointment in hers. ¡°It was just one minor setback, Cristos,¡± Joy reasoned, hoping I¡¯d see it her way. ¡°Mistakes happen. Look at me, Cristos¡­ I¡¯m fine. I did what you trained me to do. I didn¡¯t hesitate¡­ and my acting has be convincing.¡± Joy ced her hand on my cheek. ¡°Look how far we¡¯vee. Don¡¯t back out now. I still need you! ¡°But I just ca ist can¡¯t, Joy. I just can¡¯t bear the thought of you dying in my arms. Xavier¡¯s right. It was all my fault. I wascent. I forgot the first rule¡­ Stay vignt at all times,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, love, b-but I¡¯ve made up my mind. I¡¯m going back home. I can¡¯t make another stu pid mistake.¡± ¡°Xavier, help me,¡± Joy urged, hoping he could convince me otherwise. But Xavier just stood there, caught off-guard at my sudden decision. Ki ki had to stand up and punch him on the arm to get him to speak. ¡°A Blood Disciple never runs from a fight, Capo Ba stone,¡± Xavier reminded me when he finally spoke. ¡°And if mistakes have been made, we need to ept them, learn from them. It makes us better men. I may have been too harsh on you, but we can¡¯t afford another mistake.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not running from the fight. 1-I j-just can¡¯t¡­ I tried to exin, but I couldn¡¯t find the right words to tell Joy I was frightened at the prospect of her dying because of me. was and ¡°You are running¡­ period,¡± Joy said, taking her hands out of my grasp and standing up. She angry with me. ¡°Xavier, Ki ki and I need a ride back to New Salem after we¡¯ve had a snack. We have a dinner date with Liam at five-thirty and Liam is rarelyte.¡± And without even a nce, Joy gestured to K iki to follow her out of the room.. Joy opened the door, but suddenly stopped. Without even looking at me, she spoke. ¡°Cristos, when you get to California and you happen to see my parents, please tell them I¡¯m busy with work in New York and I miss them,¡± Joy said gruffly and walked out. ¡°Primo, am I allowed to stay?¡± K iki asked, hesitating to follow Joy. She knew she was in big trouble. 4/5 CHAPTER 145 Disappointment ¡°Shadow her,¡± I said. ¡°Wherever she goes, you go. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes, Primo,¡± K iki replied gleefully. She bowed and quickly left the room. I stood up extending my hand to Xavier. He took it and we shook hands. ¡°Good luck, Xavier. Give me a call if you need something from Los Angeles,¡± I said, pulling my hand from his grasp, but he wouldn¡¯t let go. ¡°I¡¯ll allow you to leave, but under one condition, he said. ¡°You need to tell Sebastian you¡¯re leaving. That shouldn¡¯te from me.¡± He released my hand and patted me on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re the second disappointment of the day. And it¡¯s not because of what happened at the gas station. You guys did good under the circumstances. I just wanted to scream at my sister.¡± ¡°How long have you been sitting there?¡± Sebastian suddenly asked me, interrupting my thoughts. I didn¡¯t even notice him move. He was seated upright, with a concerned expression. -on his face. ¡°Too long,¡± I answered. ¡°How long have I been asleep?¡± He asked. ¡°Twelve hours, give or take.¡± ¡°Well, you look like shit and I¡¯m hungry. Get me some grub and let¡¯s talk.¡± Chapter Comments 3 POST COMMENT NOW 5/5 Chapter 146 CHAPTER 146 Laughter Xavier 53% Because of Theodore Cohen¡¯s wake, businesses and establishments throughout New Salem closed early, Bo¡¯s included.. After closing up the grocery store and having a quick dinner, I jumped into the shower, grateful for the warm water cascading down my body, washing away the anxiety from this afternoon. I needed to rx before heading up to Cohen Mansion. I opted to wear dark pants and a white cored long-sleeved shirt underneath a dark gray knitted cardigan to conceal my firearm and to keep me warm. Cohen Mansion was situated. atop a hill and the air was much cooler there at night. Satisfied with my appearance, I picked up the two small silicone cases off my desk and ced one in each of the pockets of my pants. I inserted my earpiece, tucked my microphone under my cor, then I tested the button camera of my cardigan. I was nning to use the crowd as a distraction and see if I could find my way to Theodore Cohen¡¯s office. I needed information on the Angels of Darkness and judging by how meticulous Liam¡¯s father was when he was still alive, I knew he had records, maybe even locations or addresses. Maybe he even had an idea who this Nestor Villegas w was. ¡°Dina, are you getting the feed?¡± I asked through mymunication device. Dina was in th warehouse with Lou, getting ready to leave for the mansion. ¡°Yes, X, Dina answered. ¡°I will be cing CCTV cameras in the mansion, so you and Lou have more eyes. If you see anything out of the ordinary, holler, I instructed. Without waiting for an answer, I switched.s to get a hold of Sam.. ¡°Location?¡± I asked Sam. After I raised a red alert at headquarters, Sam stayed behind with Max to eliminate any threats. ¡°At New Salem, standing underneath Old Bertha he answered. Old Bertha was therge cottonwood tree fronting theplex along Main Street. ¡°Right now, I see Deputy Randall Evans driving by in scrubs toward the general direction of Bismarck.¡± Earlier, Cristos had 1/5 2:19 Wed, Apr 5 CHAPTER 146 Laughter himself. He believed Dina was way more convincing than him. ¡°Right on schedule. Any word on Sebastian?¡± I asked. ¡°Before I left, Emma was asking the cooks to make her some chicken soup. I assumed Domenico asked her for some food,¡± Sam replied. I nced at my watch, taking note of the time. If all ends well, I¡¯ll be seeing Sebastian at Cohen Mansion with Cristos in tow. What I expected Cristos to do was apologize and agree that when it came to certain situations, I would be in charge of strategy. What I didn¡¯t expect was for him to back out. To pacify our fathers, we made a blood pact and vowed that we would see this mission. through¡­ ¡¯til the very end. This is why I was speechless when Cristos announced he had decided to go home. He knew full well there would be a heavy price to pay if he abandoned us. Knowing our fathers, once he set foot in California, he would be shunned and stripped of his title. But I -guess, between the two evils, he was willing to face our fathers¡¯ punishment rather than see Joy die. Whatever happened at the gas station must have given him extreme stress. ¡°You just wanted to yell at your sister.¡± Cristos¡¯sugh was hollow. Clearly, he didn¡¯t find it funny. ¡°Is that supposed to make me feel better? Because frankly, it isn¡¯t.¡± He opened the door to the office, gesturing for me to exit first. ¡°All three of you came back unscathed and you even set the gas station on fire. You guys did all of that without calling for help. The way I see it, you did good. It¡¯s quite obvious the thre Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. of you make a good team,¡± I replied as we both walked out of the office. ¡°Unlike Sebastian. Of all the people he could have brought with him, he had to bring De Luca. He should have. called me to do recon with him or he could have at least told me he was heading to Huff Hills. Ugh! It really irks me when I¡¯m thest one to know about these things. ¡°Sorry, Xavier. We thought it would be an easy job. We weren¡¯t expecting to lose cell service,¡± he said, rolling his eyes, still mad at himself. ¡°So what happens now? We¡¯re suppose to deliver gas station K iki just blew up.¡± at the ¡°That is a problem,¡± I murmured. ¡°But this whole thing has got me thinking¡­ If there isn¡¯t service in the you think they contact Pete? Did you see anything there that area, how do remotely resembles a satellite dish? How far do you have to drive out to get cell service. anyway? mouth. I don¡¯t know what had gotten into me. The questions just came popping out of my 2/5 Wed, Apr CHAPTER 146 Laughter ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t see anything remotely resembling a satellite dish, not even an antenna, and the hills closest to the gas station are just too far away to even set up a dish. It¡¯s simpler to just drive out and get a signal which I estimate is about five miles away from the gas station. I did notice a motorcycle conveniently hidden against the wall of the car shed beside the convenience store. I suspect that¡¯s how they send their messages through smartphone,¡± Cristos stated as we walked through the maze of offices within the warehouse. ¡°Just to let you know, K iki has the smartphone of the old man at the counter and his CB radio.¡± The little minx¡­ she didn¡¯t even bother to tell me. ¡°Five miles isn¡¯t far, but it¡¯s far enough so people have difficulty calling for help,¡± I said, agreeing with his theory. ¡°It¡¯s weird though, they didn¡¯t target the both of you outside.¡± *I know and I¡¯m utterly grateful,¡± Cristos replied, ¡°Just have Sam or Max ask Dous why they didn¡¯t even seem to care we were outside.¡± ¡°I forgot about that a sshole. On second thought, I¡¯ll go and ask him. He¡¯s probably hosed down by now. Let me just grab a soda first. All that yelling has made my throat dry.¡± ¡°By the way, I hacked into Lisa¡¯s phone and herptop. One of the numbers on her call log is Pete¡¯s. I overheard Dan talking about it while he was on his phone,¡± Cristos said. That was music to my ears. ¡°That¡¯ll give us a chance to triangte his location. Let¡¯s call him now-¡± ¡°Xavier, I¡¯ll just send Dina and Lou the data. I¡¯m done for now,¡± Cristos mumbled pitifully. I nodded my head and decided it was best to leave him alone. Cristos and I quietly walked the rest of the way to the rundown building beside the warehouse. As we walked in, we saw Joy and K iki having a quick snack full of sweets. The adrenalin pumping into their bodies earlier must have hit them hard making both of them. very hungry. I saw Cristos pause, debating whether to talk to joy or not. But instead of walking to the kitchen, he heaved a sigh and with his head hung low, proceeded up the stairs to Sebastian¡¯s bedroom without another word. As he disappeared, I smiled. Cristos was taught a valuable lesson today just like Sebastian from the night before. Neither of us couldn take down an organization alone. We needed each other. And if Cristos only knew, his decision puts Sebastian in a bind which I had a feeling Sebastian will exin once he was awake. 3/5 12:19 Wed, Apr 3 MU CHAPTER 146 Laughter Unknown to 53% Cristos, Sebastian was called to meet with our fathers before he and I flew to Bismarck. I wasn¡¯t privy to the details of the meet, but when he met me at the tarmac, I saw the steely glint in his eyes and I instantly knew our operation carried grave consequences. If I couldn¡¯t sway Cristos from leaving, Sebastian most certainly could. I just had to console Joy until Cristos shows upter tonight. ¡°Why are you smiling?¡± K iki asked gruffly, finding it odd. ¡°Why can¡¯t you mind your own business, Ki ki?¡± I answered her question with one of mine. I eyed the te she was carrying, noticing it had a mouth-watering chocte and banana crepe. ¡°You know, Ki ki, you shouldn¡¯t get toofortable here. When Cristos is finally done having a crisis of faith, I will make sure the first thing he does is send you home.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you dislike having me here, X,¡± K iki scoffed, cing a forkful of crepe into her mouth. ¡°Because you aren¡¯t suppose to be here, K iki,¡± I muttered under my breath, noticing her blonde hair and her barely there make-up for the first time. She actually looked nicepared to all that ck gunk she usually had on her face. ¡°On second thought¡­ Since you look a little like Joy, I may have the perfect job for you. Grab me a Coke and I¡¯ll tell you all about it.¡± Her eyes widened with curiosity before scurrying back to the kitchen. When she came back. she was holding two cans and quickly handed me one. ¡°I got you what you wanted, now spit it out,¡± she said impatiently as she opened her can of soda. ¡°What¡¯s Joy doing?¡± I asked. I saw herughing as she scrolled through her phone. ¡°She¡¯s reading her messages,¡± K iki answered. ¡°Now are you gonna tell me or what?¡± ¡°Liam has a pal named Jack, so I want you to- ¡°Seduce him. Got it,¡± K iki said, cutting me off to my surprise. ¡°That was quick,¡± I said, stunned. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the reason why you wanted me toe as a girly-girl? To seduce someone? I¡¯m ready. But do you think I¡¯m his type?¡± 4/5 12:19 Wed, Apr CHAPTER 146 Laughter ¡°As much mumbled. as 1 I don¡¯t want to admit this, you¡¯re prettier than most of the women there,¡± I Àä53% ¡°I kind of guessed that when I heard you¡¯re cougar bait of New Salem,¡± she said,ughing loudly. I red at her before turning to the door. ¡°Make sure you guys are ready when I get back. I¡¯m going to go ask Dous a few questions,¡± I grumbled, quickly leaving the building, annoyed at herughter. ¡°X, you there? Where should I proceed next?¡± Sam asked, interrupting my thoughts. ¡°Cohen Mansion. Hitch a ride with Lou.¡± Chapter Comments 3 POST COMMENT NOW Chapter 147 CHAPTER 147 Dous Xavier It was almost seven-thirty. The girls were probably done with dinner and on their way to Cohen Mansion. After taking onest look at myself in the mirror, I exited my office and headed to my car. Lou¡¯s white van had already left for the mansion while most of my men were in another big room watching the feed from the CCTV cameras we set up at the Ol¡¯ Barn. ¡°X, I¡¯m on my way to Cohen Mansion,¡± I heard Link say through my earpiece. ¡°Hignd Oaks is quiet, but word on the street says people will be assembling here after the wake.¡± ¡°I¡¯m about to leave myself. You have your needed to see all angles of the house. camera on?¡± I asked as I entered my car. We ¡°Yes. Dina¡¯s already h ooked up to my feed,¡± he answered. ¡°Good. I¡¯ll just see you at the mansion then,¡± I replied, driving out of the warehouse. Recon work. It was tedious, but we couldn¡¯t afford to go in blind. The gas station incident was more than enough to make everyone realize the importance of homework. Questioning Dous earlier made me realize that Pete operated using an intricatework with small cells seemingly working alone, yet part of a muchrger operation. Pete was smart, but he was arrogant and egotistical. I was hoping his insolence would be the key to taking him down, but the ba stard was slick. My infuriating sister¡¯sughter followed me as I headed straight to the basement of the warehouse. Once inside, I immediatey saw Dous ¡®s dirty clothes thrown into a heap in one corner, as well as droplets of blood leading all the way to the bathroom.. While carefully avoiding the blood on the floor, I tiptoed to check the bathroom. There was dirt residue as well as leftover blood all over the wet floor and walls. The s on ofa bit ch was bleeding bad. 1/6 12:08 Thu, Apr 41 CHAPTER 147 Dous ¡°Beaufort, he¡¯s bleeding profusely,¡± Sam greeted me. ¡°I called the Doc and he¡¯s digging the bullet out from Dous ¡®s arm. I got Max grabbing a bag of blood from the clinic. Doc says he needs a blood transfusion.¡± ¡°Is he conscious?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes, but barely,¡± Sam said. ¡°I¡¯d usually let scu mbags like him bleed out, but needed answers. Hell, I want answers.¡± you said your I walked in and saw Dous lying on a sleeping bag as the Doc tended to him. Dous ¡®s skin was pale from blood loss and he was obviously in pain, shivering and wincing while the Doc operated on him. He was naked underneath the sleeping bag except for a gold ne around his neck. ¡°Doc, sorry to interrupt, but I need some answers,¡± I apologized. Doc nodded his head without looking at me, focused on the bullet lodged in Dous ¡®s arm. ¡°Dous, I want to know how you get messages out to your boss.¡± ¡°The old man drives out until he gets cell service,¡± he murmured in an ent. ¡°Does he ever try to contact you?¡± I asked. He nodded his head. ¡°He drove by the gas station and had a meeting with the old man in his car,¡± he answered. ¡°When was that?¡± I asked. ¡°About a couple of months ago. He needed younger women,¡± he said. ¡°How does he pick up the girls?¡± ¡°He sends a white van every Friday night at nine. Those friends of yours were supposed to be delivered tomorrow. I don¡¯t know what happened, but his order changed. He only wants blonde hair and blue eyes.¡± ¡°Do-you ever ride out and send messages?¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t allowed outside. If we try to exit the basement without the call from the old man or the old woman, they¡¯ll shoot us,¡± he answered, wincing in pain. Sam scoffed at his answer. Dous wasn¡¯t being honest. ¡°Old woman?¡± 2/6 12:08 Thu, Apr 4 d CHAPTER 147 Dous kidnap, then we eat. If not, we starve. I haven¡¯t eaten in two days,¡± he mumbled before passing out. So, Pete rarely contacted them, but they had a delivery scheduled for tomorrow. I¡¯ll send someone to tail the van. It might lead us to Pete. ¡°Patch him up and give him something to eat when he wakes up, I instructed the Doc. Sam quickly bent down and ced handcuffs on Dous, then took the ne off of his neck. ¡°Beaufort, I have a small request,¡± Sam said following me out. ¡°What is it, Sam? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve fallen in love with a stray?¡± I asked, turning around to face him. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing like that, although he does remind me a bit of myself when I was neen,¡± Sam answered, pulling out a garbage bag from the supplies on one of the shelves. ¡°You do remember my story right?¡± ¡°How can I forget? Don Domenico believes you are one of his best handpicked talents,¡± I said. Sam had a dark past and was fortunate enough to cross paths with Sebastian¡¯s father. After a bit of training, he enlisted and came back a tightly wound killer. ¡°Yeah, Don Domenico help me realize my full potential in a way. But my tours in Africa and the Middle East made me cold inside,¡± Sam said, walking to the heap of dirty clothes on the floor. ¡°There¡¯s something about Dous that doesn¡¯t add up and I want to keep him alive, maybe use him as bait.¡± He pulled the garbage bag open and began cing Dous ¡®s dirty clothes inside. ¡°In the trailer, I noticed the rage in his eyes when someone mentioned the gas station blew up. Now, all of a sudden he¡¯s telling us a different story. He¡¯s probably rted to the old man and woman. First of all, he doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s starving and second of all, his ne is made of gold. He took the ne out of his pocket and raised the pendant to the light. ¡°It has the markings of the Angels of Darkness.¡± I peered at the pendant and noticed a small diamond in the middle of the emblem. He was important somehow. ¡°Do you think he has a tracker on him?¡± I asked. He nodded his head. ¡°Yep, that¡¯s why I¡¯m using a blocker,¡± he answered, gesturing at the antenna of the GPS signal blocker hidden behind a container of bleach. ¡°I already have the men on the lookout.¡± ¡°Cristos said K iki took a smartphone behind the counter,¡± I mentioned. ¡°Do you think they can be tracking it?¡± 3/6 12:09 Thu, Apr CHAPTER 147 Dous ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Sam murmured, thinking. ¡°He knows too much for someone who¡¯s working against his will. And that statement about not being allowed out¡­ He has so much dirt on his shoes for someone who isn¡¯t allowed outside.¡± Sam picked up Do ugl as ¡®s sneakers from the floor and showed me the bottom of the shoes. It was true. There was so much dirt stuck in between the grooves of the outsole. I took a sip of my coke. F uck. If it wasn¡¯t one thing, it was another. Joy and my sister needed to head back to New Salem now. I wanted to kill him, but Sam may be right¡­ he could be of more use to us. ¡°Have that ne scanned, then tell everyone we¡¯re on red alert status. Close the gate and seal off the premises. Also, have someone head to theke to throw away those clothes. Lastly, tell Doc to give Dous a scan. If he has a tracker inside of him, take a scalpel and pluck it out.¡± ¡°What about Domenico and Primo?¡± Sam asked. ¡°I¡¯ll warn Cristos before we leave, so he knows what to expect, then I¡¯ll have Max take point.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay behind while you get the girls to safety, Sam said. ¡°I¡¯ll drive out as soon as I know there isn¡¯t a threat.¡± ¡°Thanks Sam,¡± I replied, patting him on the shoulder. ¡°By the way, any word on the driver who crashed into Nicole? Has he talked yet?¡± in ¡°The driver said he was called to fulfill a promise he made to his friend, Luis Villegas, behalf of his son, and as a gesture of good faith, he was paid a nice sum of money,¡± Sam said. ¡°We looked into the manifest of the airline he took. He came alone. He probably didn¡¯t want to split the dough with anyone else.¡± ¡°Did he meet with Luis¡¯s son?¡± I asked. ¡°No. He got the call from Capo Ba stone De Vega Everything he needed was waiting for him once he got off the ne. We tried calling the number De Vega used, but it¡¯s off. Must be a burner,¡± Sam replied. In other words, the driver was no longer valuable. ¡°Kill him and bury his body beside Cris¡¯s,¡± I instructed. ¡°We don¡¯t need him anymore.¡± ¡°You got it.¡± In New Salem, the details of Theodore Cohen¡¯s wake greeted us. After loading my my sister¡¯s 4/6 12:09 Thu, Apr 4 CHAPTER 147 Dous luggage drove of the trunk of Joy¡¯s Mercedes-Benz and giving themst minute intructions, they to the Old Taylor House to get ready for their dinner date with Liam. Surprisingly, I found Link shopping for groceries at Bo¡¯s. ¡°Bo, I¡¯ve been looking for you,¡± he said loudly. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re the go to man if ever I need something delivered. I was wondering if I can order some champagne. I¡¯m having a homewarming party within the week.¡± ¡°Whatever you need, Mr. Murphy,¡± I said. ¡°This way please.¡± I gestured for him to follow me to my office amid the curious stares. Once the door to my office closed, he voiced out his frustrations. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to get a hold of you since noon,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Where have you been?¡± He sat down on one of the chairs in front of my desk. In Mandan. I lost contact with Chip and Virtue and was about to send a search party them,¡± I answered. His demeanor changed abruptly. ¡°Dear, Lord. What happened? Are they okay?¡± for ¡°They got into some mess with some of McDowell¡¯s friends, but they¡¯re fine. So, what do you have for me?¡± I asked, hoping it wasn¡¯t another problem. ¡°Tomas Mart¨ªn is going to spend the night at Hignd Oaks. I wanted to know if I should intervene,¡± he said. ¡°I have a very strong feeling Liam is going to make him sign a deed of sale. He visited Lisa Murdock this afternoon and asked for the number of her real estate attorney. He also asked for the number of her mystery caller. I got the details from Chef. He was there when Liam paid her a visit.¡± ¡°Do you have an idea where Tomas Mart¨ªn lives? Link nodded his head. ¡°He lives along theke in Southeast, Mandan¡­ in one of the million dor homes on Lakeshore Drive. He actually wants Ford and Norma to move in with him temporarily, but Ford isn¡¯t allowed to leave New Salem just yet. I called the DA and asked him to reconsider, stating Ford¡¯s life is at risk, but the DA won¡¯t budge and ording to him, the judge won¡¯t either. The DA¡¯s furious at Ford for sexually harassing his daughter.¡± you ¡°Since have the information we need, you don¡¯t need to intervene. We want Liam to get hold of the pharmacy. Once it is under the Cohen name, Joy will inherit it once Liam dies,¡± I HTC non foin me and Samter at the Ol¡¯ Barn.¡± 5/6 12.09 Thu, Apr 4 Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. CHAPTER 147 Dous ¡°Nah. The townsfolk are angry at the Mart¨ªns. I¡¯ll be going straight home after Cohen Mansion to keep watch,¡± he said, standing up. ¡°Here,¡± I said, handing him a button camera and a silicon case. ¡°I think you know what you have to do.¡± He smiled. ¡°I sure do,¡± he replied, turning towards the door. ¡°Before I forget¡­ I got Nicole¡¯s mom to-sign for a transfer. The doctor you sent for is already preparing everything.¡± ¡°Good work,¡± I said. ¡°Nicole has valuable information. I want our doctors to bring her back good as new.¡± It was a steep climb to Cohen Mansion after passing the guard house. As I finally drove through the gates, I noticed there were many cars already parked on the grounds fronting the massive art deco mansion that stood proud on top of Prairie Hill. I parked my car beside a dark pickup truck and walked out, carrying with me a sympathy gift basket and some flowers. ¡°Hey, Bo! Nice to see you here,¡± a familiar voice said. I grimaced. It was Noah. Chapter Comments Katherine Payne so they are bringing her back for information and then going to kill her? VIEW 1 COMMENT 3 Chapter 148 CHAPTER 148 Chicken Soup S¨¦bastian I was in the car listening to Cristos narrate what had happened while I was asleep. I was impressed to learn Joy had killed three men. Not only did she kill two men at a gas station near Red River where she was supposed to be delivered to Pete McDowell, she had finally crossed out Cris Murdock off her list.. Nicole was in the hospital. There were many possible reasons as to why, but I was sure it was to shut her up. The rest, I believe, was irrelevant to me, although learning Norma¡¯s husband was Hispanic made it clear the rtionship she had with Cynthia wasn¡¯t just purely friendship. When I woke up earlier, the first thing I noticed was Cristos sitting beside my bed, mumbling to himself. One look at his eyes told me he was thinking the unthinkable. I asked him to get me some food before he told me what was on his mind. It¡¯s incredibly difficult to think on an empty stomach. He had just left to get me some food when Emma walked into my room. Guessing I was hungry, she ced a tray with a bowl of steaming chicken noodle soup in front of me. I pushed the bowl away, refusing to eat hospital food. ¡°What are you doing here, Caruso, and what the hell is this?¡± I asked bewildered while pointing at the bowl, scowling. After the Doc stitched me up, I was out like a light. And now that I was awake, I wanted answers. ¡°I took a day off from work, Domenico,¡± Emma answered while she took a look at my vitals, avoiding my eyes. ¡°And in case you wanted to know, the Nurse Administrator, uhm, she ambushed me in the parking lot¡­ at gunpoint.¡± ¡°Let me get this straight. Your boss, who¡¯s an olddy, held you, a trained Blood Disciple, at gunpoint?¡± I asked rhetorically. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make much sense when you say it¡­ in that way, but yes, that¡¯s basically what happened,¡± Emma answered sheepishly, still avoiding my eyes. She began to change my bandage. 1/6 CHAPTER 148 Chicken Soup ¡°And?¡± I asked, urging her to continue. ¡°And what?¡± She asked cleaning the skin around my wound. I saw the stitching was immacte. Doc did a good job. ¡°Emma, I¡¯m wounded and hungry, so stop with the games,¡± I grumbled, annoyed at her for ying dumb. ¡°What happened to your boss? Did you kill her? Is that the reason why you¡¯re here? To hide?¡± ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t kill her¡­ Link did¡­ while she was trying to negotiate a deal with me. He staged it to look like a suicide,¡± Emma answered as she dressed my wound. In short, she didn¡¯t do squat. ¡°Emma, your aversion to taking a person¡¯s life may be endearing to most, but in the organization, you have to be the one to pull the trigger. But, I have to say, you did good with Theodore Cohen. I have to give you credit for that. Anything else happen while I was unconscious?¡± ¡°A lot, actually, but I think it¡¯s better if you hear it from Primo,¡± Emma answered, fluffing my pillows. ¡°Where¡¯s Xavier?¡± ¡°Beaufort, Joy and K iki drove back to New Salem a while ago. Joy has a dinner date with Mayor Cohen, then they¡¯ll be going to Cohen Mansion for his father¡¯s wake. The mayor ha invited all of the townsfolk to Cohen Mansion, so they can pay theirst respects,¡± she spo in a monotone as if nothing concerned her. ¡°You just said the name K iki. Ki ki, as in K iki, Xavier¡¯s baby sister?¡± I asked puzzled. How did that happen? Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°One and the same,¡± Emma answered, trying to feed me a spoonful of chicken soup. I averted my face, avoiding the spoon. ¡°Forget it. I don¡¯t want to know how she got here,¡± I mumbled, trying to keep my lips tightly closed. She immediately gave up, dropping the spoon into the soup in frustration. ¡°What I want to know is why is Cristos here, if there¡¯s an open house happening there?¡± I asked, more confused. ¡°He should be there to bug the ce. Hell, I should be there.¡± I pushed the nkets off of me and swung my legs to the edge of the bed. ¡°I need to get dressed.¡± I stood. up, feeling a bit woozy, but just like my wound. It was nothing I couldn¡¯t handle ¡°Will my 2/6 CHAPTER 148 Chicken Soup stitches hold?¡± ¡°Yes, just no sudden movements and no heavy lifting,¡± Emma said. ¡°If you feel any pain, Doc left you painkillers.¡± She picked up a small stic bottle filled with white pills from the nightstand. ¡°Take one when needed. Just one.¡± I nced at her with an irate expression on my face and sn atched the bottle of pills from her. ¡°I got it, Emma. You know I dislike medicating when I¡¯m on a mission. I don¡¯t want to zone out in the middle of something important, I argued. She was about to open her mouth to exin, but the door to my room suddenly opened and in walked Cristos. Perfect timing. ¡°Sebastian, what are you doing out of bed?¡± Cristos asked, holding a te with a sandwich in one hand and a ss of orange juice in the other. ¡°Give me that,¡± I said, grabbing the sandwich. I took a big bite, purring at the delicious taste. of ham and cheddar cheese. I was so hungry, I gobbled the rest in record time. ¡°I¡¯m going to get dressed so we can head back to New Salem. I don¡¯t want to miss the chance to check out Cohen Mansion when Liam¡¯s opening his doors to the public.¡± I took the ss of juice and washed the sandwich down. ¡°By the way, why are you here, Cristos?¡± I took the te from him and handed both the ss and the te to Emma, then gestured for her to leave. She nodded her head and left us to discuss, whatever pressing matter Cristos was about to throw my way, in private. I waited for Cristos to speak, but he seemed tongue-tied for whatever reason. I decided it was better to just get dressed and ask himter in the car. I opened the closet and found a few of my personal belongings along with a nice dark gray suit hanging inside, fit for a wake. I took it out and hung it on the closet handle. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Cristos asked. ¡°Duh. To New Salem and you¡¯re going to drive me there,¡± I smirked. ¡°Why don¡¯t you get out of those hiking clothes and change? That look is awful on you.¡± I turned to head to the bathroom to wash up, but Cristos stopped me. ¡°Joy told Stanley you¡¯re sick with the flu and I, ah, I¡¯m not going back to New Salem, Sebastian. I¡¯m going home, back to California, for good.¡± I turned around to face him, noticing his defensive attitude. But that wasn¡¯t all I noticed. I saw the scared look in his 3/6 CHAPTER 148 Chicken Soup eyes. I instantly knew where his anxiety was stemming from. ¡°Did something happen to Joy? Is she okay?¡± I asked, suddenly worried. Then it dawned on me¡­ Emma just said she was on date. ¡°What am I talking about? She must be okay if she¡¯s on a dinner date with Liam. You almost got me, Cristos.¡± I chuckled and sighed. ¡°No time for pranks. Get dressed. I¡¯ll meet you downstairs in ten minutes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious, Sebastian. I¡¯m heading home. You can¡¯t stop me. I¡¯m taking the first flight out tonight.¡± I sighed. Something must have happened. Last night, all I remember was Xavier staying behind at Huff Hills to conduct his own recon while Cristos was with Joy in New Salem. ¡°Does Xavier know about this?¡± I asked him. He nodded, his head hung low in shame. ¡°And what did he say?¡± ¡°He told me he will allow it, but I needed to tell you first,¡± he answered. I nodded my head in - understanding. Xavier knew I had a private meeting with the bosses after we made the decision to push through with all of this. Xavier wasn¡¯t privy to any of the details of the meeting, but he had a good idea what was at stake. My deal with the bosses was the reason why we had all these resources at our disposal. Although our main objective was to provide justice for Joy, I also had another mission to take care of¡­ after Joy had exacted her revenge. I grabbed Cristos¡¯s shoulder with my good arm and pulled him towards me. He needed at reality check. ¡°No you¡¯re not, Cristos, unless you want to see me or Joy die,¡± I muttered through clenched teeth. ¡°We swore an oath to our fathers that we would see things through until the very end. We made a blood pact and vowed. If you go home now, not only will you be shamed and your father shunned, our fathers¡¯ men will storm in and kill, not only me, but-Joy too. Xavier, unfortunately, has orders from his father to stand down if he receives his father¡¯s ring by messenger. There will be no way of saving us.¡± He quickly lifted his eyes to gaze into mine, searching for the truth. ¡°Sebastian, how could you? How could you make this sort of deal without telling me?¡± Cristos asked, stunned at the realization that there was more at stake here. ¡°Our fathers feltpelled to do so, as insurance, since we were going to do this for a woman the three of us share, which, to them, is suicide. They actually believe we will make a mess of things here and as a consequence, elicitia retaliation from the Angels of Darkness 4/6 CHAPTER 148 Chicken Soup wanted to prove them wrong because I believe our brotherhood is as strong as our love for Joy,¡± I said, staring at him. ¡°Have I made a mistake thinking that, Cristos?¡± ¡°Sebastian, I¡¯m scared. I-¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m scared?! You don¡¯t think Xavier¡¯s scared?! We are terrified, but we are Blood Disciples. Blood Disciples never run from a fight. No matter the cost¡­ even if it means we might lose Joy in the process. Our fathers gave us a choice before we came here, stressing this mission was risky. Now, we have to honor the choice the three of us unanimously made or die trying.¡± I looked him straight in the eyes. You can¡¯t turn your back on her or us. Ever. Do you understand, Cristos?¡± He hesitated, but he nodded his head. ¡°I will tell you this, but do not breath a word to Xavier. He loves Joy too much, he might feel betrayed by our fathers.¡± I waited for him to nod his head before continuing. ¡°Joy was present at the meeting. She agreed to sacrifice her own life for our brotherhood, if it came down to that,¡± I said in a low voice. ¡°No, she didn¡¯t. You lie, Sebastian,¡± Cristos used me, shaking his head. ¡°She did, Cristos. She understands her ce in the organization. A good soldier puts those above him¡­ first,¡± I said, squeezing his shoulder for emphasis. ¡°If she is brave enough to stake her life for us¡­ even marry the b astard who raped her for us¡­ the least you can do, Cristos, is stay.¡± As I gazed into his eyes, I noticed a renewed fire kindling in their depths. He understood what needed to be done. ¡°You¡¯re right, Sebastian. I will stay,¡± he said with conviction. I grinned at him and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°There¡¯s my Blood Disciple brother. If you need to, tomorrow, you can take the day to unwind. But for now, get dressed. I need you to tell me what happened while I was out.¡± Cristos quickly turned to leave to get dressed, but before he exited my room, he asked, ¡°Do you ever think of losing Joy?¡± ¡°Every single day. This is why I will never turn my back on her.¡± Our car came to a sudden stop after passing through the gates of Cohen Mansion, interrupting my thoughts.. 5/6 CHAPTER 148 Chicken Soup A deputy, who was managing traffic, signaled at us to turn left. ¡°So many people actually came,¡± Cristos murmured, parking our car at the very end of the mansion¡¯s grounds. ¡°It¡¯ll be difficult for us to maneuver our way through the mansion. Too many eyes. ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± I said. ¡°But we can use the crowd to our advantage. All we have to do is split up. You got your earpiece on?¡± He was wearing a jeans shirt under a brown trench. coat paired with ck jeans and brown Chelsea boots. Somewhere in his outfit was his hidden mic. ¡°Yep,¡± he answered, grabbing the teddy bear and flowers from the backseat. ¡°A teddy bear?¡± I asked, ncing at the bottle of wine I brought with me. ¡°Are you going on a date or something?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t find a gift basket at HQ and this was the only thing I could stick a camera and a listening device on to. It¡¯ll have to do. Now, let¡¯s go. Bo says he needs some help and Link seems to be talking to someone about a deed of sale.¡± From the car, Cristos and I walked to the open doors of the mansion where several people were gathered talking among themselves. They nodded their heads in greeting as we made our way into the grand hallway. I was stunned to find the ce packed with people. Judging by the incredulous look on Cristos¡¯s face, I wasn¡¯t the only one. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s a party.¡± Chapter Comments 3 Chapter 149 CHAPTER 149 Talons Sebastian The mansion was a stark contrast to the rest of New Salem. It spoke of a rich history and of an extravagance that was definitely only reserved for the Cohen family name. The first floor of the mansion was packed. The hallway and the base of the stairs were crowded with people enthusiastically chatting away, all with a drink in their hands or a te of appetizers. No doubt, Liam was clearly making an effort to campaign as early as now. As I entered the mansion with Cristos by my side, I marveled at the huge crystal chandelier sparkling above our heads. It was obviously an antique and well-maintained. I estimated that in today¡¯s market, the stunning chandelier was worth a pretty penny. ¡°I think they¡¯re in the main living room,¡± Cristos said, nudging me with his elbow. ¡°Follow me¡­ this way.¡± I followed him through the throng of people, nodding my head in greeting while I surveyed the collection of art on the walls as well as the priceless trinkets disyed in their ss enclosures, impressed at all the finery the Cohens had amas sed throughout the years. It was sad though. The Cohens rarely entertained guests nor did they have true friends. All they had was money and close associates who they were willing to betray at any given moment. All they had was each other. Just thinking about it made me feel blessed knowing I had two brothers outside my immediate family and a woman who loved me. Anyway, when all of this was over, this mansion will be left to rot on top of Prairie Hill, unless someone donates it to the people of New Salem. I figured that would be Joy unless she ns to burn this ce to the ground. Theodore Cohen¡¯s coffin was situated against a wall inside the grand living room surrounded by numerous funeral wreaths from many friends offering their condolences. Facing the coffin, rows and rows of wooden chairs were neatly ced side by side each other, reaching the other end of the room. As expected, all of the seats were upied by townsfolk who were either sipping coffee from their cups or drinking whiskey from their crystal sses. Those without seats stood in groups, positioned near the walls or the windows. In the fa rthest corner, I saw Ki ki-flirting unabashedly with Jack. She was wearing a dark blue short sleeved dress with high heels to match, her pink lips curled into a seductive smile while her long blonde hair cascaded neatly down her back, swaying ever so slightly as she moved. 1/6 CHAPTER 149 Talons. I couldn¡¯t believe it. She looked a little like Joy. I guess it was the blonde hair and the dress. Ki ki rarely wore dresses and she was usually seen wearing ck¡­that included her make-up and essories. Ki ki and Jack were both casually leaning against the wall, facing one another, engrossed in conversation. Jack had this goofy grin on his face while he gazed into her eyes¡­ looking as if he was already in love. Go, K iki. ¡°Dom, aren¡¯t you suppose to be in bed?¡± A familiar female voice asked behind me. I turned around and found Joy holding two sses of red wine. I smiled affectionately at her. ¡°I¡¯m doing much better after having some much needed bed rest,¡± I said, taking a ss from her. ¡°I guess it was just a case of fatigue.¡± Her eyes narrowed slightly at my reply. I wiggled my eyebrows at her, hoping to get a smile and I did. She giggled and turned to Cristos. You actually made it. I thought you had somewhere else to go,¡± she said, her voiceced with venom. I coughed, trying to resist the urge tough. Joy was angry. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Virtue,¡± Chip said in a girly voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know what came over me. I guess it was just a bunch of hormones. You, of all people, would understand. It won¡¯t happen again.¡± ¡°Promise?¡± She asked icily, before taking a sip of her wine. ¡°Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye,¡± Cristos answered. Joy red at him for a moment, then her lips curved into a grin. ¡°Alright. I forgive you,¡± she quickly said, her eyes sparkling with happiness. Joy could never be mad at us for long. It was a curse. ¡°Is that teddy bear for me?¡± Joy suddenly asked, pointing at the stuffed toy tucked under Cristos¡¯s arm. This time, Iughed out loud. Bringing a teddy bear to a wake. That was original. Cristos took Virtue¡¯s arm and led her to a corner I followed, wondering why Cristos moved her away from the crowd. ¡°Ah, no. This is for Liam. I couldn¡¯t find any ce open for a sympathy basket,¡± Cristos quickly exined. ¡°But I do have something for you from Chicago that I forgot to give you.¡± He pulled out a Tiffany¡¯s blue box from his pocket and handed it to her. I pursed my lips. Cristos¡­ one. Sebastian¡­ zero 2/6 CHAPTER 149 Talons Slick. ¡°Oh my gosh! This is so sweet of you,¡± Joy gushed, opening the blue box and finding a diamond studded tinum tennis bracelet. ¡°Thank you.¡± She closed the box right away and ced it in her designer bag. ¡°I¡¯ll wear it some other time when no one else is-¡± ¡°There¡¯s my fianc¨¦,¡± Liam said loudly. He was standing behind me. ¡°What are you guys doing hiding over here?¡± ¡°We just wanted to get away from the crowd,¡± I answered, turning around, ¡°and this corner was free. I handed him the bottle of wine. ¡°I¡¯d like to extend my sincerest condolences, Liam.¡± I extended my good hand, and without hesitation, he took my hand and shook it warmly. ¡°Thank you, Dom, he replied, smiling. Liam was wearing a gray and ck argyle sweater and dark gray cks. I was expecting him to be in a suit, but of course, he was home. Behind him, to my utter surprise, was Link. ¡°Virtue said you were sick with the flu and that Chip wasn¡¯t going to make it tonight.¡± ¡°I just needed some sleep and Chip decidedst minute,¡± I replied, keeping a straight face. ¡°Anyway, before you interrupted us, we were talking about visiting Nicole at the hospital tomorrow. We heard she was involved in a terrible ident.¡± All of a sudden, Link coughed loudly, grabbing our attention. ¡°Nicole Davis is being transfered to another hospital tomorrow morning,¡± he said, ¡°one that has the proper facilities for her care.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Do all of you know Attorney Lincoln Murphy or do I have to make the necessary introductions?¡± Liam asked. All three of us nodded our heads. ¡°Of course, you know him. He¡¯s Bo¡¯s attorney. Ipletely forgot.¡± ¡°Attorney Murphy, what about Nicole¡¯s mom?¡± Joy asked. ¡°Will she be leaving with Nicole?¡± ¡°You may call me Link,¡± Lincoln said before answering. ¡°Yes, Ms. Davis will be leaving with Nicole. Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Davis will be well taken care of. There are doctors there who will monitor her as well. Currently, Nicole is in stable condition and the doctor has given a favorable prognosis.¡± ¡°She¡¯s actually gonnae out of it okay?¡± Asked a male voiceced with¡­ panic? No¡­ dread. 3/6 CHAPTER 149 Talons All of us moved our heads to find the source of the voice. It was Noah. I raised my eyes above his head and saw Xavier quickly making his way out of the living room. ¡°Guys, keep Liam upied,¡± I heard Xavier whisper through the earpiece. ¡°I¡¯m going to search this ce.¡± I surreptitiously nced at both Joy and Cristos and noticed by the slight nods of their heads that they had gotten the message too. ¡°What¡¯s up with you? Don¡¯t you want Nicole to get better?¡± Cristos asked, not amused. ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys supposed to be together?¡± Liam continued to stare at Noah, his eyebrows raised, wanting to hear Noah¡¯s¡­ excuse. ¡°Chip, we¡¯re just friends now. And of course, I want her to get better. I¡¯m just surprised because I heard from Bo that Nicole flew out the windshield. Usually, a person doesn¡¯te back a hundred percent from something as tragic as that,¡± he replied casually, but his attention wasn¡¯t on Cristos. I noticed his eyes move from the rock on Joy¡¯s finger to her face¡­ with a tenderness in their depths. Then, his eyes moved to look at Liam and I caught something¡­ He was jealous. Noah hadn¡¯t moved on yet, unlike Jack over there. Norma said Noah wasn¡¯t the timid, quiet man all of us thought he was. Maybe I could ask Link to get the information out of her. Her husband was an Angels of Darkness member after all. ¡°I forgot. You broke up with her in Chicago,¡± Chip scoffed. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m starving.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a buffet set up in the dining hall. Please, help yourselves, Liam said. ¡°Virtue, sweetheart, the reason why I came looking for you is because Link and I have to discuss business and I didn¡¯t want to leave you alone since,¡± Liam paused and nced at Jack and Ki ki, ¡°Jack and your bestfriend seem to be hitting it off. Anyway, your other bestfriend is here, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be left in goodpany. ¡°Sure, Liam. I¡¯ll be with Chip and Dom until you¡¯re done with business,¡± Joy said, kissing him on the cheek. 4/6 CHAPTER 149 Talons ¡°Liam, by the way, here,¡± Chip said, handing the teddy bear and flowers to Liam. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was all I could find at such short notice.¡± Liam chuckled. ¡°This is one of those rare moments I get a teddy bear. It¡¯s original just like you, Chip. Thank you. Just take care of my girl for me.¡± ¡°No problem, Liam. I¡¯ll watch over her like a hawk,¡± Cristos said mboyantly, with his hand. twirling in the air. ¡°Hey, can I tag along?¡± Noah asked, much to our surprise. While Cristos shook his head, Joy and I nodded ours. Cristos rolled his eyes, annoyed he was outnumbered. Personally, I never spent much time talking to Noah. Xavier, right off the bat, hated him. Cristos, after spending some time with him in Chicago, was convinced he was bad news. As for me, I wanted to know what was in that blonde head. of his that made the other two despise him so much. ¡°Noah, keep tabs on my girl, okay? I don¡¯t want anything to happen her,¡± Liam instructed. ¡°You got it, Li-¡± Noah wasn¡¯t able to finish his sentence. A husky female voice interrupted him. ¡°There you are, Noah. I had trouble finding you, Sarah Hughes greeted him, wrapping her arm around his, her long dark hair swaying as she moved. From the few times I¡¯ve seen her, she was always dressed in jeans and a shirt. Tonight, she was wearing a ck evening dress. Noah tried to wriggle his way out from her grasp, but Sarah held on to his arm, clinging like a leech. The evening dress looked expensive, however she didn¡¯t do it justice. She was so thin and her nose was so big, she actually looked like a hawk¡­ A hawk who had her talons around Noah. Good thing I wasn¡¯t him. ¡°Hughes,¡± Liam uttered, his voice dripping with disdain. ¡°You¡¯re thest person I expected toe. What are you doing here anyway?¡± I sighed. Here we go. 5/6 Well on the bright side, this little confrontation bought Xavier more time. The Joy of RevengeCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Chapter 150 CHAPTER 150 Laughingstock Joy ¡°Hughes, Liam muttered through clenched teeth. ¡°You¡¯re thest person I expected toe. What are you doing here anyway?¡± Perfect. I didn¡¯t need to stall Liam to buy Xavier more time. But Sarah Hughes at Cohen Mansion? Who would have thought? Sarah was wearing a ck long sleeved satin evening dress which fitted nicely on her willowy frame. Her long dark hair flowed freely down her back while her red lips were curled in a twisted smile. There was something off though¡­ She couldn¡¯t quite keep her bnce. ¡°She¡¯s drunk,¡± Cristos whispered in my ear. I nodded my head, my mouth silently forming an ¡°Oh¡±. Yet, even in her drunken state, she reminded me of a wicked witch, all in ck, about to cast. one of her evil spells. ¡°Noah, aren¡¯t you going to introduce me to your friends?¡± She asked, eyeing Link curiously. Link coughed ufortably, focusing his eyes on his shiny shoes, feigning indifference. You can ssh ¡°Sarah, you¡¯re drunk,¡± Noah mumbled. ¡°How about we go to the washroom, so you some cold water on your face to sober up?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she sneered, the expression on her face unnerving. ¡°I just want to meet your friends, that¡¯s all.¡± I have to admit, she wasn¡¯t the prettiest of girls, but that wasn¡¯t what made her unattractive. It was her unpleasant attitude. Just like Liam and Lisa, Sarah lived a pampered life, but unlike the two, Sarah was such a snob. That was probably the reason why she got along so well with Pete in the first ce. Those two had that inmon. Sarah stood her ground, swaying ever so slightly,pletely unperturbed, taking advantage. of the situation¡­ and judging by that smile on her lips, she was enjoying how much her presence made Liam squirm. 1/6 CHAPTER 150 Laughingstock blush on his cheeks that he was embarrassed to have her on his arm. I¡¯d empathize with him, if he wasn¡¯t such a do uche. Around us, the people had quieted down, eager to watch the two rivals slug it out. Liam didn¡¯t hide his shock nor his distaste learning that Sarah and Noah were apparently an item. His nose was scrunched up in disgust. ¡°Hughes, why are you here? I don¡¯t see your parents with you. At least your father had a working rtionship with mine,¡± Liam said calmly, although his eyes told a different story. ¡°Or are you here to pick Noah up? You two are dating now? Really, Noah? After Nicole?¡± Liam smirked while he ced a possessive hand on my waist and pulled me to his side. Noah didn¡¯t answer. He was looking at the ice in his ss, his whole face a scarlet shade of red. Sarah took one look at me and scoffed, like she was beingpared to a dumb blonde. ¡°Mayor Cohen, I believe you invited everyone in New Salem toe pay theirst respects father. In case you¡¯ve forgotten, I¡¯ve lived in New Salem all my life. We even went to school together. Right, Noah?¡± Sarah asked, smirking. to your Noah ignored her question and continued to stare absentmindedly at his now empty ss. I suspected he was thinking of a way to get himself out of this mess. Sarah waited for a response that never came. Realizing Noah wasn¡¯t going to intervene on her behalf, she rolled her eyes and pouted. Technically, she was a lone soldier traipsing into enemy territory and she could either fight ¡¯til the death, retreat or surrender. Judging by the wicked glint in her eyes, she was going to fight until the very end. you ¡°Anyway, Mayor, I saw a video of the riot from this morning and it was such a shock to see there doing absolutely nothing to stop the townsfolk from hurting our men in uniform,¡± she said smugly. You see, if I be mayor, I will make sure the people follow thew to a T. None of this nonsense of men raping and kidnapping women. But of course, knowing you, you are probably duty-bound to protect your own kind.¡± She giggled, obviously pleased with herself. Liam, you ¡°Watch your tongue, Hughes,¡± Liam muttered, his voice dangerously low. ¡°You¡¯re on my turf and I¡¯m still the mayor of this town. I can sue you for nder.¡± 2/6 CHAPTER 150 Laughingstock ¡°Sue me for nder? You must be joking,¡± she replied, smirking at him. ¡°Oh, I see now. You¡¯re afraid. What? The beautiful fianc¨¦ doesn¡¯t know?¡± Liam removed his arm around my waist and tapped Cristos on the arm, gesturing for him to lead me out of the room. Cristos quickly nodded his head and reached for me. ¡°Come, Virtue. I¡¯m starving. Let¡¯s leave them to discuss whatever this is¡­ privately.¡± Cristos ced a hand on the small of my back, leading me to the dining area, when Sarah called out my name. ¡°Ms. Sullivan, how does it feel being engaged to the mayor? Honestly, now. You¡¯ve only been. here what¡­ for two¡­ maybe three weeks. Is this sham of an engagement a ploy for Liam¡¯s reelection? It seems convenient don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°You seem to have made up your mind about our enganement. So why don¡¯t you tell me what you think,¡± I answered vaguely. I think you two aren¡¯t going to get married. After the election, both of you will announce the engagement is off and go your separate ways,¡± Sarah stated. ¡°A sham.¡± ¡°For your information, Ms. Hughes, Liam has already processed our marriage license and we¡¯ll be getting married next week, during the Spring Honey Bee celebration,¡± I announced. I heard gasps and excited squeals escape from many of the people in the room. ¡°A rich and powerful man marrying a beautiful woman who has no background whatsoever, just a store with her name,¡± she answered, insulting me. ¡°Mayor Cohen, from what I know of you, it isn¡¯t in your nature to do things so foolishly. I take that back. Foolish isn¡¯t the right word¡­ I would say it¡¯s stu pidity.¡± ¡°Stu pidity huh? I guess that¡¯s why you¡¯re still single. No one is st upid enough to fall for you,¡± I said scornfully. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯d invite you to our wedding, Ms. Hughes, but no one seems to like you. You are such-¡± ¡°A bit ch, Cristos said, finishing my sentence for me. I was actually going to say a misanthrope, but bi tch was a good enough word to describe her. Sarah quickly released Noah from her grasp and closed the gap between her and Cristos in an instant. Noah, relieved she had finally left his side, grabbed her hand to pull her away from us. ¡°Sarah, knock it off. Chip didn¡¯t mean what he said, right Chip? It¡¯s all a big-¡± 3/6 CHAPTER 150 Laughingstock Sarah swatted his hand away and pointed a finger at him, warning him to shut up. Noah raised his hands in surrender and backed off. ¡°And who are you to say something like that to me, Chip?¡± Sarah asked in a low voice, her eyes wide as saucers. ¡°You might regret ever saying that. I can ruin you in this town, fairy.¡± It gasped. She was so vile. ¡°With that little gossip page you have on social media? Be my guest. People will stille to the pub especially since I¡¯m so charming,¡± Cristos remarked mboyantly, ¡°and when they do, I am going to whisper in their ears and tell them not to vote for you.¡± He turned to head towards the dining hall, but abruptly stopped. ¡°By the way, Sarah, tell your minions to stop putting posters of your ugly face up on my pub or I¡¯ll sue for vandalism. My patrons find. your face disgusting to look at. And how do I know that? There¡¯s always puke on your posters. Ugh, gross.¡± Liam howled withughter and so did everyone else. Sarah¡¯s gloating expression from a moment ago had disappeared, her cheeks now a beet red from the humiliation. She red at Cristos, her hands shaking at her sides and for a second there, I thought she was going to p him for making her the currentughingstock of New Salem. I ced myself in between her and Cristos. If she pped me, Liam wille to my defense and throw her off his property. Noah, chuckling himself, ced an arm around her shoulders and pulled her away from us as the people continued tough. ¡°Sarah, don¡¯t do anything you might regret. You started this. Everyone was getting along until you came,¡± Noah warned her while maneuvering her towards the exit. ¡°Why don¡¯t we head on to the restroom so you can calm down and freshen up a bit? Come on, I¡¯ll show you to the restroom.¡± He leaned over to Sebastian and whispered something in his ear. Sebastian nodded his head, then patted Noah on the shoulder before Noah turned to assist a red-faced and very furious Sarah. ¡°Where are they going and why is everyoneughing?¡± Lisa asked, finally showing up. She began to giggle, then quicklyposed herself. Sorry, but theirughter is contagious.¡± I caught her surreptitiously ncing at Link who was chuckling behind Liam. Theughter was contagious. I myself had to stifle a giggle. ¡°We¡¯re allughing at Hughes¡­ just like back in high school,¡± Liam said sighing. He nced. at his watch. ¡°Link, I have some time left to discuss business. And Lisa, there¡¯s a buffet table in the dining hall. Drinks are at the bar.¡± Liam kissed me on the cheek before gesturing to 4/6 CHAPTER 150 Laughingstock Link to follow him. ¡°What was that all about?¡± Lisa asked bewildered, following Link with her eyes as Liam led him to his office. ¡°Sarah looks like she could kill someone.¡± ¡°My fault,¡± Cristos said, tugging on the sleeve of my zer. ¡°She came here to offend people, but she wasn¡¯t prepared to be offended herself. Can we please get some food, Virtue?! I¡¯m starving.¡± To our surprise, we found Xavier at the buffet table, helping himself to some roast beef and. some sandwiches. He looked happy to see us.. ¡°What did I miss? I heard peopleughing in the other room,¡± he said after swallowing a forkful of roast beef. ¡°You guys have got to try this. It¡¯s so tender, it practically melts in your mouth.¡± ¡°Oh yes, please,¡± Cristos said, handing out tes and utensils. ¡°I was wondering when you¡¯d get here,¡± Xavier said. ¡°What took you guys so long?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t find a sympathy basket,¡± Cristos answered, helping himself to slices of roast beef and some gravy. While we ate and drank, K iki finally showed up, wanting a refill of wine. ¡°I was looking all over for you, Virtue,¡± Ki ki said, taking a ss from the tray at the end of the buffet table. ¡°I thought you left me here. I was about to ask Jack to give me a ride home.¡± ¡°Everyone this is Ki ki. K iki this is everyone,¡± I said, introducing her. ¡°Hi everyone!¡± Ki ki eximed, smiling brightly. ¡°You didn¡¯t hear or see usughing a while ago? Sebastian asked. ¡°I was preupied,¡± K iki answered. ¡°Although I was wondering why everyone wasughing. Did someone tell a joke?¡± ¡°Oh thank goodness¡­ There¡¯s someone else who¡¯s as clueless as me. Hi, K iki. I¡¯m Lisa.¡± Lisa¡¯s eyes swept over Ki ki, looking at her from head to toe. ¡°My gosh! Do they make all of you this beautiful in Nevada?¡± ¡°My sentiments exactly,¡± Jack said, finally making his way through the crowd. ¡°Go d must have heard my prayer this morning, because I think I¡¯ve found the one.¡± He winked at Ki ki. 5/6 CHAPTER 150 Laughingstock ¡°As if you pray, Jack, Lisa said, giggling. ¡°Where¡¯s Dan by the way?¡± ¡°He¡¯s busy, so he just sent a funeral wreath.¡± ¡°And the Sheriff?¡± Lisa asked, grabbing a ss of wine from the tray. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡°He has some important business to take care of in Bismarck,¡± Jack answered. ¡°By the way, I need a word with you in private., Ki ki, I just need to talk to Lisa for a minute. We¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°Sure, Jack,¡± Ki ki replied, grinning from ear to ear. Both of them left, heading back toward the grand living g room. ¡°Jake, I need you to eavesdrop on Jack and Lisa for me,¡± Xavier instructed through hiss. ¡°Sheriff¡¯s at Bismarck. You don¡¯t think?¡± Sebastian asked Xavier. ¡°I do. Don¡¯t worry. I sent Max-¡± Xavier suddenly paused. ¡°Guys, Noah and Sarah Hughes are fighting outside.¡± Drama¡­ drama¡­ drama¡­ Chapter Comments POST COMMENT NOW 2 SHARE Chapter 151 CHAPTER 151 Cohen Files Xavier In the dining hall, I stood away from the others, listening to Dina. She was my eyes What I couldn¡¯t see nor hear, she would describe. and ears. ¡°X, I have a visual of Noah and Sarah Hughes arguing in the parking area. Seems like a crowd is beginning to gather around the both of them, Dina informed me. ¡°And I have thebination of the safe, although it looks like we won¡¯t be needing it. Liam has just taken all guys need to the files out from the safe and they¡¯re sitting right on top of his desk. All you do is have Liame out of his office, so Sam can take a look at those files. He¡¯s already inside, waiting.¡± ¡°Is the argument between Noah and Sarah¡­ bad?¡± I asked. ¡°Just a lot of screaming from Sarah mostly,¡± Dina answered. ¡°My main concern is that there¡¯s a crowd egging her on. I¡¯m just worried a brawl might happen. That expensive Armani shirt Noah¡¯s wearing and blood don¡¯t necessarily mix. And here I thought she was concerned for his welfare. Well, time to stop an argument escting to something more physical. ¡°Guys, Noah and Sarah Hughes are fighting outside,¡± I said, gesturing to the people around us who were making their way outside. I quickly leaned towards Sebastian to whisper in his ear. ¡°This is the distraction I need. All Liam has to do is leave his office, so Sam can take a look at his files. I just need someone to knock on his door.¡± Sebastian nodded, his eyes surveying the people rushing outside. Then, he suddenly called out to one of the townsfolk. He was an elderly man who loved telling stories wherever he was. ¡°Mr. Allen, what seems to be the problem?¡± ¡°There are people arguing outside, Dom,¡± he answered with a telling smile. ¡°You know how the people of this town are. Here, we love three things¡­ Gossip, scandals and our honey.¡± He waved his hand at us and chuckled as he walked towards the front of the mansion. At that very moment, Jack and Lisa came walking into the dining hall. I noticed there was a tinge of sadness in Lisa¡¯s eyes. I guess losing her husband wasn¡¯t that big of a deal to her. 1/5 CHAPTER 151 Cohen Files handle this,¡± Sebastian suggested. ¡°His house, his rules.¡± ¡°Do you guys know who are fighting?¡± Jack asked. Both of us shrugged our shoulders. Jack ran his fingers through his hair, annoyed. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell Liam so he can handle this. Thanks Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. I¡¯ll be back.¡± Jack quickly turned to get Liam. guys. Kit. ¡°Ooooh, I¡¯m going outside to watch,¡± Lisa eximed. ¡°Anyone wannae with?¡± Sebastian and I shook our heads. ¡°I¡¯m not done yet, Cristos answered, showing his half-empty te. ¡°And I¡¯ll only care if there¡¯s hair pulling involved.¡± Lisa rolled her eyes at Cristos. ¡°What about you, Virtue?¡± Lisa asked. Joy shook her head with an apologetic expression of her face. She showed Lisa her half-eaten cake. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you, Lisa,¡± K iki offered, linking her arm around Lisa¡¯s. ¡°I missed all the drama from awhile ago. I don¡¯t want to miss this too.¡± Bothdies walked out of the dining room, leaving the four of us behind. I raised my finger, awaiting confirmation from Dina, before all of us could do what we set out to do. ¡°X, Liam and Link are outside while Sam is inside the office. Outside CCTV camera feed is on loop, Dina said. I turned on my camera jammer, then I gave the signal.. Cristos immediately stood up and went towards the grand hall with Sebastian following closely behind him. Joy, on the other hand, quietly disappeared into the grand living room. while I stayed behind to bug the dining hall. I ced a tiny CCTV camera within the frame of a painting facing the dining table. Then, I slid my fingers behind the frame, looking for indentations where I can ce an audio listening device when I felt something very peculiar. I pulled it out and found a listening device. Holy s hit! Right away, I knew this wasn¡¯t one of ours. Although Leo and Benny were guards here, we decided it was best if they only ced trackers on the vehicles and eavesdropped on conversations, rather than cing spy equipment within the house. We didn¡¯t want anything to be traced to them knowing it would jeopardize their stay here. We had to be careful. The listening device didn¡¯t have much dust on it and it looked fairly new. It was very thin, about two, maybe three inches in length, and cylindrical in shape unlike our circr bugging devices. I scrutinized the tiny object, turning it around in my palm. I could tell this little device was state of the art, usually used byw enforcement. 2/5 CHAPTER 151 Cohen Files Was Theodore listening in on Liam when he conducted business inside the house? It was but weird. From what I knew of Theodore, he had eyes and ears in the whole of New Salem. But this house was his haven and it was set up like a fort¡­ No one wasn¡¯t allowed inside the premises without an invitation. The guards were screened prior to employment, their belongings checked and they were paid well for their loyalty. son was nting a bug in his own house wasn¡¯t needed, unless Theodore suspected his own s betraying him. But Liam was afraid of his father, so I highly doubted he would do anything to betray Theodore. It wasn¡¯t a Cohen who did this. It was someone else. But who? It was an unfortunate fact the Cohens had many enemies. My first thought went to Pete. He could have used Nicole or anyone else on his payroll. However, from the burner phone we got off of Cris, it was obvious Pete was getting his information from him. If this was Pete¡¯s bug, why would he need to ask Cris for info? He¡¯d know Liam¡¯s every move through this bad boy in the palm of my hand. I reced the listening device I found with one of my mine, quickly wrapped it inside a napkin, then ced it inside my sock. The textured fabric of my socks will absorb sound, mu ffling our voices. ¡°We have a problem,¡± I said throughs targeting mostly everyone. ¡°This ce is bugged. Check the paintings, underneath the tables and if you can, those disy cabs outside,¡± I said. Then, I switched to talk to Dina. ¡°There are bugs in the mansion.¡± ¡°Copy that,¡± Dina said. ¡°Sam brought a bug detector with him. I¡¯m currently searching for signals, so I can cut the feed.¡± ¡°Hurry,¡± I whispered, noticing there were shadows heading towards my direction. I heaved a sigh of relief when Cristos and Sebastian emerged from the corner. They quickly resumed their ces at the buffet table. I raised my eyebrows at them, questioning if they found anything, but they shook their heads. Joy came back smiling though, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief. She waved her small ck bag indicating she found something. Good girl. at to our 3/5 I ced a finger in front of my lips to warn her not to talk about anything relevant to our CHAPTER 151 Cohen Files ns. She nodded her head and began to talk about ns for her wedding. ¡°X, Sam is looking through the files,¡± Dina suddenly said. ¡°Nothing on a Nestor Villegas, but he found files on Cynthia McDowell, Tomas Mart¨ªn, Daniel Williams, Veronica and Lorenzo Ortiz, the Sheriff including Cris and Lisa Murdock. Oh, and there¡¯s something interesting you might want to know. The Cohens have a file on a certain Lucas Jensen.¡± I moved to another painting in the dining hall, running my fingers behind it, checking for bugs before I spoke. ¡°Jensen? How is he rted to Noah?¡± ¡°Lucas Jensen is Noah¡¯s father,¡± Dina answered. Apparently, this file was made about twenty- four years ago when the Jensen¡¯s first moved to New Salem. What¡¯s interesting is there are no other details or information about the Jensens prior to New Salem. There isn¡¯t even much in his file, but it does say he died of a car ident almost nine years ago.¡± That was it? ¡°So what¡¯s your point?¡± I asked. Noah never spoke about his father nor did anyone in town. It was like Lucas Jensen didn¡¯t exist. ¡°X, Lucas Jensen must have been really important to have a file made by one of the Cohens. Back then, Theodore¡¯s father was still mayor. Theodore only became mayor a year after,¡± Dina pointed out. Unfortunately, Theodore was dead. He probably knew why his father made that file, but dead men tell no tales. ¡°Good job,¡± I told Dina. ¡°Tell Sam to get out of the office now and I want you to locate where the feed on these bugs go to.. ¡°You never make it easy, X,¡± Dina said, sighing. ¡°But we¡¯re close to finding a location. Lou is working on it as we speak.¡± I walked back to Cristos and Sebastian, wanting to tell them what I had just found out, but this-wasn¡¯t the time nor ce. Half of the people hade back, resuming their activities before they were interrupted. Lisa and Ki ki were giggling as they walked back to the buffet table. The sorrow I saw in Lisa¡¯s eyes was now gone and she seemed to be enjoying herself with Ki ki. ¡°And? Who was arguing with who?¡± Sebastian asked curiously. 4/5 CHAPTER 151 Cohen Files ¡°Noah and Sarah. From what we witnessed, they¡¯ve broken up¡­officially,¡± Ki ki announced. while Lisa nodded her head as she sipped her wine. ¡°Sarah pped Noah in the face after Noah called it quits. Jack had to pull her away from him and remind her she was running for mayor. I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ll be seeing videos of it circting on social media by tomorrow.¡± My eyes narrowed, remembering what Sarah had said about Liam and Virtue¡¯s engagement. Her break-up with Noah¡­ it was convenient. It was so out of character for Sarah to be drunk and ruin everyone¡¯s night. She even targeted. Joy. Why would she do that? Unless Noah manipted her. Whatever Sarah used Liam and Virtue of was actually the reality of her rtionship with Noah. Their rtionship was most probably a ploy to destroy her chances of bing mayor. It was possible Noah and Liam were working together and Noah¡¯s mission was to distract Sarah. Noah Jensen¡­ I needed to find out more about his father. Chapter Comments 3 POST COMMENT NOW Chapter 152 CHAPTER 152 Guilt Joy I waved goodbye to Liam as we drove off. He wayed back at me with a longing in those gray eyes of his. Surprisingly, he was in rather good spirits, despite the scene caused by his rival, Sarah Hughes, and the mob camping right outside the entrance to Hignd Oaks. Cristos, Sebastian, K iki and I were in Sebastian¡¯s car, driving down Prairie Hill, on our way to the p pub with Xavier following right behind us. Although Sebastian wanted to go to the Ol¡¯ Barn, Xavier reminded him he was still recovering from his wound. He said it would be better if he manned the monitors at Cristos¡¯s office and kept an eye out for the Sheriff. Cristos put on some music while I wrapped a sweater over the listening device I pulled out from behind one of the paintings in the grand living room earlier. After cing it inside the center console, I heaved a sigh of relief. Finally, we could talk about something other than the ns to my wedding. At dinner, it was all Liam could talk about. He wanted a garden wedding right outside the mansion, just like his parents had, and he wanted our motif to be yellow, following the grand custom of the Spring Honey Bee Celebration. It was truly difficult. to keep the smile on my face when the whole conversation was centered on us tying the knot. Honestly, talking about the wedding made me want to shoot Liam in the heart. By ten o¡¯clock, all the people, except for us, had already left. Noah never made it back after the scuffle he had with Sarah. ording to the tracker, he went to Hignd Oaks, probably to drop Sarah off, then he went straight to the pub. I guess he was out to get drunk. Lisa, after her short discussion with Jack, came back anxious although she hid it well. From what we could hear of their conversation, Jack had gone to the Bismarck police department earlier in the day and had spoken to the detective in charge. He said they found Cris¡¯s car at Elk¡¯s Cliff with Cris¡¯s clothes in the back of the trunk. The police were currently looking through all of the CCTV footage in the area, but they suspected he was either abducted, in hiding or at the bottom of the cliff. Jack told Lisa to expect the worst, but he believed Cris was in hiding for reasons unknown. The slight worry in Lisa¡¯s expression changed once Liam and Link came out from the office after resuming their business meeting. She twirled her hair around her ear and smiled flirtatiously at Link. Lisa obviously liked him and didn¡¯t seem to care if people noticed. Link gave her a lopsided grin before taking his phone out from his pocket. I saw her pout 1/5 CHAPTER 152 Guilt when he began to scroll through his phone instead of talking to her. She obviously wanted some of his attention. n, on the other hand, yawned, feigning exhaustion. It was a signal for us to leave. Liam, ¡°Aw, you¡¯re tired,¡± I said, caressing his cheek with the back of my hand. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time for us to go home then. The funeral tomorrow is at eight in the morning, right?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, it is,¡± Liam replied. ¡°Virtue, honey, Henry is outside, ready to drive you and K iki home. I¡¯d do it myself, but it¡¯s been a really long day. There was the riot from this morning, then I had our marriage license processed, beforeing back here to set up the mansion for the wake.¡± He yawned again for effect. ¡°I¡¯mpletely exhausted.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll drive them home, Liam,¡± Jack quickly volunteered ncing at Ki ki. ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°I still need you here, Jack,¡± Liam said. ¡°I may be tired, but we still have something to discuss remember? Don¡¯t worry. Henry is more than equipped to take care of them. I assure you.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay, Liam. You might need Henry to drive you if you have an emergency to go to. I¡¯ll drive them home,¡± Cristos offered. ¡°Anyway, K iki said she wants to take a look at the pub to help me fix the ce up in time for the Spring Honey Bee celebration. Apparently, she¡¯s an interior designer and does some carpentry on the side. Since Nicole is in the hospital and Noah is busy doing other stuff, I¡¯m thinking of hiring K iki while she¡¯s here.¡± ¡°Oh wow! And here I thought our town had no one left to design people¡¯s homes,¡± Lian pertaining to Pete and Nicole who were the town¡¯s known interior designers. ¡°Maybe yo should consider moving here, K iki. You¡¯ll be a great addition to the town.¡± K iki blushed. ¡°I¡¯m considering it, actually,¡± Ki ki replied. ¡°My bestfriend does live here and there are prospects.¡± She gave Jack a warm smile. ¡°You never know.¡± Jack blushed to the roots of his hair. Liam, noticing Jack¡¯s red face, chuckled, patting Jack on the back. ¡°It¡¯s nice to know you¡¯re thinking about it. So, it¡¯s settled then, Liam said. ¡°Chip, you drive them home after the pub. Virtue, I¡¯ll pick you up in the morning for the funeral. After the funeral, we¡¯ll go to Bismarck to talk to a wedding nner. We only have one week to n everything.¡± I nodded my head in agreement before giving him a hug. As I ran my hands down his back, an image of me stabbing him repeatedly using my hairb shed before my eyes. Lucky for him, I left my favorite ded hair essory at home. Ugh¡­ I was actually going to marry this as shole, 2/5 CHAPTER 152 Guilt I looked up at the beautiful mansion in front of me and sighed. It was the only y reason pushing me to commit to this farce. ¡°I¡¯ve p got to go,¡± Link suddenly said. ¡°There seems to be a mob gathered in front of Hignd Oaks. I need to be there in case the situation esctes.¡± Liam groaned out loud while Jack ran his fingers through his hair. ¡°I¡¯ll alert the deputies on duty,¡± he mumbled, before taking Ki ki¡¯s hand. ¡°K iki, I promise, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, okay. And text me when you get home. Good night.¡± He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it, making K iki blush. Then, with a frustrated sigh, he turned towards the mansion, whipping his phone out from his pocket. ¡°Chip, you¡¯re right. I do need Henry,¡± Liam remarked, shaking his head. ¡°Link, before you go, remember what we discussed?¡± ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t worry, Mayor. I¡¯ll call you once they agree to negotiate terms,¡± Link answered, cing hisProperty of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. phone in his pocket. ¡°Good night, everyone.¡± I expected him to walk to his car, but he paused to speak to Lisa. ¡°By the way, Lisa, I still owe you. I haven¡¯t forgotten.¡± I wasn¡¯t the only one who noticed her cheeks had turned red. Sebastian, seeing it too, raised his eyebrows in surprise. ¡°Sure, Link,¡± Lisa said, giggling like a little school girl. ¡°Just give me a call or drop by my office.¡± Link nodded his head and quickly waved goodbye, before walking to his car. She followed him with her eyes, sighing wistfully, a dreamy expression on her beautiful face. She had a crush on him. Time to break her out of her trance before Liam notices. Technically, she was a married woman. ¡°How about you, Lisa? You want to join us at the pub?¡± I asked, nudging her with elbow. my ¡°Huh? Oh, pub¡­ Actually, I¡¯m turning a new leaf she answered hastily. ¡°I¡¯ll be heading home instead. I just need to use the bathroom first before I drive home. Chip, don¡¯t forget, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow afternoon after the funeral.¡± Lisa¡­ As I looked through the car window, it was Lisa¡¯s face I saw. 3/5 Thu, Apr CHAPTER 152 Guilt I couldn¡¯t shake the guilt I was feeling. Here I was, adressing her so casually, when in fact, her husband died by my hand. She needs closure¡­ ¡°Maybe we should give Lisa some closure,¡± I said out loud as Cristos continued downward towards the main road. I was seated in the back with Ki ki while Sebastian was seated up in front. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sebastian asked confused. on. It¡¯s ¡°nt some evidence to make the police believe Cris is dead, so she can move o obvious she likes Link,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Have you forgotten Sam made it appear Cris is having you delivered in a cage?¡± Cristos said, reminding me of our ns. ¡°If Pete finds out Cris is dead, our ns are f ucked.¡± Ugh! Ipletely forgot. ¡°Are you feeling sorry for Lisa, Virtue?¡± Kik i asked, surprised. I nodded my head. ¡°Because you killed her husband. But she and Nicole lured you into that gym, Virtue. You can¡¯t feel sorry f for her. She did this to you. Whatever has happened between her and Cris, I believe she deserves it.¡± K iki was right. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I said, ¡°and Ipletely forgot about Pete. I don¡¯t know¡­ I just thought she and Link could be, you know, more.than friends.¡± ¡°They can be,¡± Sebastian replied. ¡°Who says she needs to know Cris is dead for her to move on to someone else? I¡¯ll tell Xavier to instruct Link to make the moves on her. Chip, have you gone through the data from herptop?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Cristos admitted. ¡°But I doubt if she didn¡¯t know why Cris was earning so much money. Did you guys notice her brand new designer bag and shoes?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°Chanel bags aren¡¯t cheap, although she doese from a wealthy family.¡± ¡°Well, when she was talking to Jack, she said she¡¯ll be leaving for Chicago next week,¡± I said. ¡°Maybe we can have Link bump into her there.¡± 4/5 CHAPTER 152 Guilt ¡°Now that¡¯s a n,¡± Cristos said. ¡°I¡¯ll look for her itineraryter.¡± ¡°Guys, what about the gas station? Virtue was supposed to be delivered there,¡± K iki whined. ¡°That¡¯s easy, Sebastian said. ¡°We¡¯ll have Sam confirm before the drop. After the wedding, we¡¯ll ambush you on your way to the airport for your honeymoon.¡± ¡°How do you know we¡¯re going to leave New Salem for our honeymoon?¡± I asked bewildered. ¡°Because Chip, Bo and I are going to book you a honeymoon package as our wedding gift,¡± Sebastian answered. ¡°I told you, easy. When we reached the main road, a car turned, heading towards the mansion. As it drove by, we saw the Sheriff in the driver¡¯s seat. He looked angry. ¡°Max has Deputy Randy in custody. Sadly, Riley is dead. The Sheriff got to him first,¡± Xavier said through our earpieces. Oh boy. Chapter Comments 1 POST COMMENT NOW 5/5 12:10 Thu, Apt 4 d The Joy of Revenge Chapter 153 CHAPTER 153 Granny Panties 686 Liam I waved goodbye as Dom¡¯s car drove off with Virtue inside. If I didn¡¯t have more to do, I would have invited her to sleep here. I¡¯ll be seeing her tomorrow morning anyway. We can spend the whole day tomorrow after I bury my father. I decided to do away with the post-funeral reception to spend time with her. I could hear Jack behind me ordering the remaining deputies at the station to pacify the mob at Hignd Oaks until he and the Sheriff were done with more pressing matters. ording to Dan, there were about twenty or so of Pete¡¯s loyal drug dealers who rejected our offer. Tonight, those men and women were going to die. No loose ends. No more people under Pete. ALL WILL BE UNDER ME. Once I¡¯ve secured this town, I¡¯ll search for Pete and finish him off too¡­ That I swear. After a rxing dinner with Virtue and her friend, I didn¡¯t expect a scandal to happen at my father¡¯s wake. But Sarah was right. I did invite everyone living in New Salem. I just didn¡¯t anticipate hering here. Link and I were in the middle of discussing a negotiation with the Martins when Jack unexpectedly knocked on my office door. When he told me Noah and Sarah were having a row outside, I thought he was joking. I had assumed Sarah¡¯s earlier humiliation was enough. for her to leave. Was I wrong. Yes, I did ask Noah to woo Sarah for me, knowing she had a crush on him, to divert her focus from campaigning. She was starting to gain supporters from all the charity work she was doing and that worked against me. I needed to distract her. And so, I asked Noah for a favor. ¡°If I do this for you, I want to be an appointed town officer just like Dan, Liam,¡± Noah negotiated. Honestly, it surprised me. I never knew he wanted to work at town hall. ¡°The best I can do is appoint you as a town assessor,¡± I said. 1/6 12.10 Thu, Apr 49 CHAPTER 153 Granny Panties 68% ¡°Deal,¡± Noah agreed, quickly epting my offer. ¡°It so happens Sarah asked Pete to ask me if I could fix up her campaign headquarters and renovate her tiny home on her parents¡¯ property. I think I should give her a call then.¡± Sarah and I were rivals ever since we were kids. During high school, I ran against her for student body president. Fortunately, for her, she won, using the ¡°Liam raped Joy Taylor¡± card. I vowed I would never lose against her again. There is no love lost between us Cohens and the Hughes. The same holds true with the Taylors. My great-great grandfather died of a heart attack after he was used of raping and killing a young woman from the Taylor n. incident, the Cohen mantra became ¡°Death to all Taylors.¡± er that une At that very moment, the memory of a terrified young girl with chestnut brown hair and aquamarine eyes strapped to a bench press burned through my head. I rubbed my forehead, hoping to wipe the horrible image from my mind. ¡°Death to all Taylors!¡± I shouted at the young girl as I raped her, plunging my d ick inside her slippery p ussy. ¡°You hear me! Death¡­ to¡­ all¡­ Taylors!¡± I came inside her, pushing down on her thighs, squeezing her flesh while my fingernails dug into her skin. I rememberughing triumphantly as I pulled my limp di ck out of her and watched mye drip out from her swollen p ussy. I closed my eyes tightly, shuddering at the horrid memory. If Virtue ever found out about Joy Taylor and what I did to her, I knew she would call me a monster. At the hospital, barely alive, Joy underwent a sexual assault examination. Sarah¡¯s mom, New Salem¡¯s lead forensic pathologist, was assigned to conduct and deliver the sexual assault kit to the Sheriff for evidence, but it magically disappeared. As a result, Dr. Hughes was med for the kit¡¯s disappearance. ¡°I know your father had something to do with Joy¡¯s missing sexual assault kit,¡± Sarah whispered in my ear while we were standing in line for lunch at the school cafeteria. ¡°You¡¯re a rapist, Liam. You make me sick.¡± I decided to turn the tables on her. ¡°No, Hughes, I will not f uck you even if you pay me money,¡± I said loudly, so the whole student body would hear. ¡°I don¡¯t f uck men.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a pig, Liam,¡± Sarah muttered, her eyes shing with a cold fury in their depths. ¡°I don¡¯t ever want you to ever touch-¡± 2/6 12:10 Thu, Apr 4 dh CHAPTER 153 Granny Panties ¡°Stop lying, Hughes,¡± I scoffed. ¡°You just said you weren¡¯t wearing underwear underneath your hideous skirt.¡± I quickly lifted her id skirt to reveal a pair of pink granny panties. ¡°Geez, Hughes. Did you steal your grandma¡¯s underwear?¡± I eximed,ughing hysterically. Dan, Cris and Jack took one look at the gigantic pair of underwear and howled withughter. Upon seeing the huge pair of underpants, everyone at the cafeteria poked fun at her¡­ to her utter humiliation. As a consequence, I was called to the Principal¡¯s office and given detention, but it was worth it. ng our senior year, to Sarah¡¯s disdain, she was referred to as President Granny Panties. During Noah was f ucking President Granny Panties¡­ It was both extremely hrious and disgusting at the same time. all I gotta give Noah some credit though. He went way beyond the call of duty and f ucked President Granny Panties. I didn¡¯t know he had it in him. Well, as men say, ¡°In the dark, women feel the same.¡± Yet, Sarah was built more like a bony man. She was t-chested with no hips, not even a nice as s to hold on to. How he was able to stomach f ucking her was a wonder. Maybe Noah had to drink himself to a stupor before even touching her. Maybe he had a vivid imagination and pictured himself f ucking some hot girl. But of all the nights Noah and Sarah could pick to make a ruckus, it had to be tonight. Sarah was obviously drunk and Noah didn¡¯t have it in him to keep her in line. Right in front of everyone, he broke up with her. That was enough for her to explode. ¡°You and I are over, Sarah,¡± Noah said, his face red with fury. ¡°You are a jealous, stalking little bi tch. I know you hide behind that big tree on the Old Taylor property. I, for had enough of your antics. It¡¯s over. You hear me? Over!¡± one, have ¡°I¡¯m a jealous bi tch? Well, I wouldn¡¯t need to follow you around if you were faithful. You think I didn¡¯t know you were seeing Nicole on the side? You two-timing ba stard!¡± Sarah spat at him. The people around us didn¡¯t seem to want to stop the two. Some of them wereughing while others were biting their lips in anticipation, hoping they would disclose more about their rtionship. On the bright side, I will no longer be gued with questions regarding my rtionship with Nicole. It was irritating to constantly tell people Nicole and I were just friends. Nicole and my father¡­ Well, they were a different story, but no one needed to know that. 3/6 12:10 Thu, Apr 4 D TED 153 CHAPTER 153 Granny Panties As the dutiful mayor, I had to put a stop to this, although watching Sarah¡¯s downfall was extremely satisfying. ¡°Noah, I think it would be better if you two discussed this privately. You guys are causing a scene,¡± I pointed out, trying to diffuse the situation, but they ignored me. Well, I tried. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have to see Nicole if you knew how to suck di ck, Sarah. I mean, you aren¡¯t a virgin. I know you had sex with Pete McDowell in high school. I saw the both of you in the locker room,¡± Noah threw back at her. Gasps escaped from the lips of the townsfolk, me of them together made me included. I didn¡¯t know she had sex with Pete. Imagining the t feel sick. Sarah quickly raised her hand and struck him in the face. Before she could scratch him with her long polished fingernails, Jack intervened, grabbing a hold of Sarah by her waist. That¡¯s enough or I¡¯ll arrest the both of you for rm and scandal,¡± Jack yelled, as he struggled with Sarah. For a thin woman, she gave him quite the fight. By the time Jack was able to subdue her, he had a couple of scratches on his arms. She was like a feral cat, untamed and improper. ¡°I should lock you up for assaulting an officer, Sarah. You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m friends with your mother,¡± Jack told her after she had calmed down, cing her back on her feet. ¡°What is wrong with you, Sarah? You¡¯re a candidate for mayor. You shouldn¡¯t be doing sh it like this. is so¡­ unbing of a future public ser vant.¡± You tell her, Jack. I smirked noticing that some of the townsfolk were recording everything on their smartphones. Not even her social media managers could undo this. It was all on video. mayor. I was It was at that very moment I realized Sarah was out as the forerunner for assured another term¡­ all I had to do was keep the status quo. I¡¯ll have Lisa spread the video, so she¡¯d remain the crazy as s bi ch all throughout the campaign period. ¡°Liam, I¡¯m going to head on home too,¡± Lisa said, interrupting my thoughts. She had juste from the bathroom. ¡°Any ny word on Cris?¡± I asked. She shook her head 4/6 12:10 Thu, Apr 4 d CHAPTER 153 Granny Panties ¡°It¡¯s like he vanished into thin air,¡± Lisa answered. ¡°I¡¯m going through CCTV footages from ces he might have gone to. I can¡¯t seem to find anything. Jack told me Bismarck Police found his car on Elk Cliff. He doesn¡¯t even go there, Liam.¡± ¡°He¡¯s somewhere. He¡¯s definitely somewhere with Pete,¡± I said. ¡°The campaign period starts in a couple of weeks. If the election is really important to him, he¡¯ll pop up.¡± ¡°Y-you think so, Liam?¡± She asked. I was taken aback at the hesitation in her voice. ¡°You don¡¯t sound too happy,¡± I remarked. ¡°Liam, Cris and I, it¡¯s been years since we shared a bed, she admitted sorrowfully. ¡°Our happy marriage¡­ it¡¯s a sham. Sure, I have problems conceiving, but Cris¡­ he has deep rooted issues that I can¡¯t even fix. I love him, I do, but I don¡¯t know if I can continue being married to him for four more years.¡± She wiped a tear from her cheek. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m actually talking to you about this.¡± Cris was an as shole. I thought Lisa could talk some sense into him. Truth be told, she was good for him. Unfortunately, there was a man named Pete who kept Cris on a tight leash. ¡°Lisa, if you want to divorce him, then maybe you should. You deserve to be happy,¡± I heard myself saying. I couldn¡¯t believe I just said that. Maybe because I was happy. I was going to marry a wonderful woman soon. I guess I wanted people around me to be happy too¡­. especially my friends. ¡°You think so?¡± Lisa asked, shocked. ¡°Yes. You have Link¡¯s number right? Maybe he can point you to a good divorcewyer. The one in town really stinks,¡± I pointed out. And I meant that literally. She paused, staring at me like she was looking at a different person. Then, all of a sudden her expression changed. She smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll give Link a call then,¡± she said. ¡°Thanks, Liam. I really appreciate you being a friend.¡± She kissed me on the cheek. ¡°I need bridesmaids,¡± I suddenly said. ¡°You think you can wear a yellow dress for me?¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Of course!¡± Lisa answered excitedly, pping her hands. ¡°To be part of your wedding is an honor, Liam. Gosh, I can¡¯t wait!¡± She practically sk ipped to her car, giggling the whole way. drive out when another car entered through the gates. 5/6 12:10 Thu, Apr 4 CHAPTER 153 Granny Panties S hit! The Sheriff was here. ¡°Isn¡¯t the Sheriff suppose to meet us at the Ol¡¯ Barn?¡± Jack asked from behind me. ¡°Yep,¡± I answered. ¡°This means we have problems.¡± What now?! Chapter Comments Shelly Torz I¡¯m liking your story a lot, good work VIEW 1 COMMENT ? 2 SHARE 68% POST COMMENT Chapter 154 CHAPTER 154 Pleasantries Jack While the Sheriff parked his car, I took one look at his dark menacing face and it was enough to send a chill down my spine.. I¡¯ve seen him mad before, but this was the first time his eyes were dark with rage. Yet, in their depths, there was something else¡­ Anguish¡­ Misery¡­ Torment. Liam took a step forward, obviously wanting answers, but I blocked him with my arm. He looked at me, his brow furrowed, as if questioning why, so I answered him by slowly shaking my head and giving him a warning look. That look on the Sheriff¡¯s face¡­ I¡¯ve seen that look before¡­ in the eyes of desperate, hopeless men. In my experience, disheartened men usually ended up doing harrowing things. I didn¡¯t want anything to trigger the Sheriff into doing the unthinkable. I knew my conscience wouldn¡¯t be able to handle something like that. Liam impatiently pursed his lips and ced his hands on his hips, annoyed he had to hold back and give the Sheriff time to calm down. Eventually, he nodded his head, finally agreeing it was best if we allowed the Sheriff his space. Just like Liam, I wanted answers too, but seeing Sheriff Combs in that state, frightened me. Earlier in the day, as instructed by the Sheriff, I drove to the Bismarck Police Precinct to speak to Detective Matthews. I saw him patiently waiting for me at the information desk as I walked into the police station. He wasn¡¯t what I expected. I thought I¡¯d be meeting a young inexperienced rookie in a suit. However, the man who greeted me looked as if he was nearing retirement. He looked as old. as the Sheriff, bald except for the fluffy white hairs sticking out from the sides of his head. He had a sharp pointed nose, a brown haired moustache with several errant strands of gray hair, beady blue eyes and bushy brown eyebrows. He was wearing a simple brown suit paired with a dark shirt and red necktie while on his feet were a pair of scuffed up ck leather shoes. ¡°Undersheriff Emery,¡± he greeted me while extending his hand. ¡°I¡¯m Detective Matthews. I really appreciate youing to see me.¡± 1/6 12:10 Thu, Apr 4. CHAPTER 154 Pleasantries I grabbed his hand and shook it enthusiastically ¡°Hello, Detective Matthews. Nice to meet you. The off extends his apologies for not being able to meet with you. Aside from all the investigations our department is conducting, he was injured at a riot this morning and had to go to the hospital for stitches. He¡¯s been ordered bed rest by the doctor.¡± ¡°Sorry to hear that. Do tell the Sheriff I wish him a speedy recovery. Anyway, pleasantries aside, I¡¯m hoping you can help me with my investigation. Let¡¯s talk in my office,¡± he said, releasing my hand and gesturing for me to follow him. ¡°You drink coffee?¡± He asked, stopping at the small coffee station situated at a corner. ¡°Of course. Cream and two sugars,¡± I replied. He nodded his head. ¡°Donut?¡± ¡°Sure, why not,¡± I answered nonchntly. Using a napkin, he took a powdered donut from a he white box and handed it to me. After filling two disposable cups with brewed coffee, nudged his head towards a door with his name on the office doorlight. While I situated myselffortably in a wooden chair in front of his desk with my donut of and cup of coffee in my hands, he quickly sat in the chair behind his desk, cing his cup coffee on a coaster, and began shuffling through the papers in a file folder. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°You must be terribly busy. I heard about the death of the former mayor of New Salem. Is it true the nurse administrator of St. Elizabeth Hospital killed him while under the hospital¡¯s care?¡± Detective Matthews asked. He was apparently up to date with his current events. ¡°ording to her suicide letter, but it¡¯s still under investigation,¡± I answered, sipping my coffee. I felt myself rx as the bitter taste of the coffee swirled in my mouth. ¡°And the nurse who inadvertently killed Theodore Cohen? I heard he¡¯s no longer in your custody.¡± ¡°Well, he was able to hire himself a goodwyer I replied. ¡°I see. Seems you have your hands full, so I¡¯ll just get right to it. There were two incidents that have happened recently and both seem to be connected to New Salem. One was at the Silver Spoon Diner and the other at Huff Hills Mansion. I¡¯m afraid it has been one blood bath after the other,¡± he said, showing me pictures of both crime scenes. I noticed each photo contained images of people lying in a pool of their own blood. ¡°Both ces are owned by CMD Enterprises whose CEO and founder is a certain Cynthia McDowell, a resident of New Salem. ording to our intel, both crime scenes are believed to be rted to some drug war. When I spoke to Sheriff Combs, he said Cynthia McDowell passed away. Can you tell me 2/6 2.68 CHAPTER 154 Pleasantries how she died?¡± ¡°She was shot inside her own home with a sn iper rifle,¡± I answered. His eyes widened in rm. ¡°Based on our investigation, we suspect she and her son, Peter McDowell, may have double- crossed someone. After her death, Peter disappeared. ording to a close friend of his, McDowell is most probably out of the country. We¡¯ve been trying to locate him, but have been unsessful. We believe he might have changed his name and appearance. Truth be told, none of us had any idea the McDowells were tangled in this sort of stuff. You see, Peter McDowell kept to himself mostly and worked as an interior designer for a small contractor. His mother, on the other hand, did charity work and was even the head of a local church organization.¡± The detective nodded his head while he took down notes. ¡°And his mother, what was her upation in New Salem?¡± the detective asked. ¡°She was into real estate and had several businesses,¡± I answered. ¡°When I spoke with your sheriff, he mentioned a Ma Lawrence. There happens to be one lone survivor of the Silver Spoon massacre, a young man identified as Riley Harris, who is currently at Bismarck General Hospital. The EMTs who provided onsite emergency care told me he uttered the name Ma. Who is she and what is her rtionship with Riley Harris? ¡°Ma Lawrence is a suspected drug trafficker and Peter McDowell¡¯s lover while Riley Harris is one of Lawrence¡¯s closest associates. They were ssmates in high school. Anyway, after receiving an anonymous tip, we had assets in ce for a buy-bust operation at Ma Lawrence¡¯s residence, however she together with a small army were able to neutralize all assets. In their haste to flee from the authorities, they left weapons, drugs and money in Lawrence¡¯s home. If memory serves me correctly, all this happened at approximately the same time the Silver Spoon Massacre happened. ¡°And what about motive? Why kill Riley Harris?¡± The detective asked. ¡°Love triangle. Ma Lawrence and Riley Harris were very close. Peter McDowell must have set up a meeting with Riley here in Bismarck with the intention of killing him,¡± I said. The detective nodded his head while scribbling on the sheet of paper. I waited for him to ask me a question, but he just continued writing. Impatient, I coughed to grab his attention.. ¡°Detective, we¡¯vee to believe we have a mole in our department. And from what you told the Sheriff, we believe it might be Deputy Randall Evans. He purposely did not inform the Sheriff that Riley Harris is currently in the hospital. It begs us to believe Riley¡¯s life may be in danger.¡± 3/6 CHAPTER 154 Pleasantries ¡°I understand your concern. Riley Harris no doubt has valuable information and could serve as an asset when and if he wakes up,¡± Detective Matthews said with a smile. ¡°I have uniform personnel keeping a close watch. I assure you, we will protect him, despite the circumstances.¡± He suddenly pulled out another picture from his file folder and ced it in front of me. This time it was a photo of a small dark room with a filthy bed against a wall with chains hanging above the bed. ¡°This is a small room at the basement of Huff Hills Mansion. It appears to be a torture room. Does Peter McDowell have any prior records for rape or assault¡­ maybe kidnapping?¡± F uck. He knew. My hands began to sweat. ¡°No,¡± I answered curtly. ¡°What have you found, Detective?¡± ¡°Nothing conclusive, but after finding this room. I believe this isn¡¯t purely about drugs. We suspect human tra The door to Detective Matthews¡¯s office suddenly opened. I turned my head to find a younger man in a blue suit standing at the doorway. ¡°Matthews, I need a word with you¡­ in private, the man said. ¡°Excuse me, Undersheriff,¡± Detective Matthews said, walking out the door. Once the door closed, I leaned over, my ear to the door, to eavesdrop. ¡°We got an anonymous call, Matthews. The woman on the phone said there¡¯s a plot to kill Riley Harris sometime in the evening. How the f uck? A woman? Could it be Norma? Or Randy¡¯s wife? I leaned closer hoping to hear more. ¡°I¡¯ll have Harris moved to another room in the secluded area of the hospital,¡± I heard Detective Matthews say. ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°No. We have a report Huff Hills Mansion is currently burning to the ground.¡± Oh wow! Pete was covering his tracks? t ¡°Christ! The Crime Lab isn¡¯t even done processing everything. How bad is it? And how is this even possible? I instructed a team of uniforms to stand guard.¡± 4/6 12:10 Thu, Apr 4 dh CHAPTER 154 Pleasantries are having ¡°Gas leak and from what I heard, it¡¯s bad. Because of the wind, the firefighters trouble extinguishing the fire. Most of the residents living in the area have been evacuated and reports say, the trees surrounding the mansion are in mes.¡± I heard Detective Matthews utter a curse. I quickly scooched back to my original position, so I wouldn¡¯t get caught eavesdropping. That¡¯s when I noticed the open file folder on his desk¡­ so, I decided to take a peek. There re wasn¡¯t much in the first few pages of the file, but it was clear they were looking into the McDowells and all their close associates. Aside from the photographs and his notes, there wasn¡¯t anything else. I quickly fixed the file folder back to its original position and nced at the ceiling, noticing the CCTV camera. I smiled. Before walking into the station, I turned on my jamming device. I was here to snoop, not just answer questions. Honestly, I was clueless as to why there was a gunfight at Huff Hillsst night, but I suspected De Vega was involved. Then again, Lisa said De Vega swore he wasn¡¯t involved in any of this¡­ Maybe it was someone else¡­ Maybe it was Joy Taylor. I smirked. Pete was using Joy Taylor¡¯s ghost to distract us. If Pete got himself into a jam with De Vega, there must be someone else out there gunning for him. gone for The fire wasn¡¯t an ident. He must have set the mansion on fire to destroy evidence. Well, that ys to our advantage. Any evidence on the Joan Summers case would be good. The detective walked back into his office as I was finishing my donut. He didn¡¯t look too happy. e way. Cris Murdock¡¯s wife can collect ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Undersheriff, but we have to cut our meeting short,¡± he announced, closing the file folder. ¡°I¡¯ll call if I need more information. By her husband¡¯s car when she¡¯s free. But I have to warn you. It doesn¡¯t look too good. We happen to believe Cris Murdock¡¯s body may be at the bottom of the ravine. Rest assured, I have K-9 units searching for him.¡± After one final handshake, I quickly left the station and climbed into my truck. Before turning the corner at the exit, I threw the jamming device into the bushes, knowing they wouldn¡¯t find any fingerprints on it. I had silicon on my fingertips. 5/6 C 12:10 Thu, Apr 4 CHAPTER 154 Pleasantries I was a good distance away when I called the Sheriff to tell him what I had overheard. ¡°Good. They¡¯ll expect someone toe at Riley¡¯s old room. They won¡¯t see meing.¡± As I stared at the Sheriff, who was banging his palms against the steering wheel like a madman, my guess is they did see himing. Chapter Comments 2 POST COMMENT NOW SHARE Chapter 155 CHAPTER 155 Bob Sheriff I parked my car right in front of Jack and Liam. They stood rooted to the spot, obviously debating whether to approach me or not. From Bismarck, I was supposed to meet them at the Ol¡¯ Barn. But instead here I was, angry as hell. Go d da mmit! Why the f uck didn¡¯t I check the bathroom to make sure the coast was clear?! Why didn¡¯t I do my homework? Of all the screw ups I have done in my life, this was the worst. I banged on the steering wheel with the palms of my hands, releasing some of my pent up anger, but it wasn¡¯t enough. I wanted to break something, anything¡­ G od, I was so stu pid! STU PID! I thought my n was fool proof. After getting stitches, I called an old friend of mine who I had bailed out from a jam a long while back. I helped him change his name and appearance, then I got him a job at Bismarck General as an unsuspecting security guard. It¡¯s been twelve years since I saw himst, but he owed me a favor. ¡°Combs, I was wonderin¡¯ when you¡¯d call. I was shocked to find Ol¡¯ Mary¡¯s grandson admitted in the hospital under police custody. What¡¯s goin¡¯ on in New Salem anyway?¡± Bob asked. Bob was Theodore Cohen¡¯s favorite runner. Bob was a man of his word, neverined, and most importantly, he brought in lots of money. He was trusted by Theodore, so much so that he was allowed to sell inrge quantities. I used to envy Bob¡¯s rtionship with the Cohens. He was one of the selected few who could visit the mansion without having invitation. an Unfortunately, Bob made the mistake of supplying a huge amount of drugs to a new yer in the field. Apparently, the new yer was an undercover DEA agent. During what was supposed to be a routine deal, he found himself walking into a bust. But Bob was a shrewd man. He knew something was wrong. So he brought a group of men to back him up. And just like what we¡¯ve seen in the movies, they all ended up shooting at each other. Bob alone survived to tell the tale of that fateful day, although to the townsfolk of New Salem, he was deceased. ¡°Same old, same old,¡± I answered. ¡°Same old sh it.¡± 1/5 12:10 Thu, Apr 4 CHAPTER 155 Bob ¡°Nah, this ain¡¯t no drug bust,¡± he said, ¡°this is somethin¡¯ else. They got bodies piled up in the morgue, ¡®but they ain¡¯t got no drugs on them. I¡¯ve been doin¡¯ some snoopin¡¯ around and they think Ol¡¯ Mary¡¯s grandson is part of some human trafficking syndicate. There¡¯ve been reports of girls goin¡¯ missin¡¯ around Bismarck. You know, Combs, this kinda s hit wouldn¡¯t be happenin¡¯ if Cynthia was still boss.¡± Bob never liked Pete. To him, Pete was a little boy ying godfather. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve heard, but Cynthia¡¯s dead and we¡¯re making the necessary arrangements to get rid of Pete. Once Liam bes boss, there won¡¯t be anymore girls going missing,¡± I promised. has ¡°Well, they moved Riley to a corner room at the secluded area of the hospital, near the ICU. The police say they got some anonymous tip about an assassination,¡± Bob stated. ¡°That area eyes at all times, but theputer system that powers the security around the hospital minutes to is so sophisticated that it takes time for it to boot up. After reboot, it takes seven i be fully operational. That¡¯ll give you enough time to break Riley out of his hospital prison.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a rescue mission, Bob,¡± I mumbled through the phone. ¡°I need to make sure he doesn¡¯t make a peep.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Poor Ol¡¯ Mary ain¡¯t gonna see her grandson ever again. Well, that¡¯s karma,¡± Bob replied. ¡°I¡¯m guessin¡¯ seven minutes will be enough to shoot him in the head or inject him with some sort of poison. All we need to do now is think of way to distract the guards and nurses in that area. So what time should I expect you?¡± ¡°Around five in the afternoon. That¡¯ll give us enough time to finalize our ns. Get me so clothes to make me look like some doctor and a wig of some kind if you can find one,¡± I instructed him. ¡°No problem. I already have somethin¡¯ in mind. I¡¯ll message you where you can meet me. See you, Combs.¡± I arrived at the address he sent me at exactly five in the afternoon. It was the address of aundry shop in a remote part of the city. I walked in and asked to see a man named Charlie. The woman at the counter took one look at me and asked who I was. She looked to be in her forties, with long curly brown hair, a full face of make-up, wearing a red top with a deep v that showed ample cleavage and a tight denim miniskirt. She leaned forward, giving me a clear view of her breasts, as she waited for an answer. ¡°Tell him I¡¯m an old friend,¡± I answered. She smiled sesuctively and ushered me inside. ¡°He¡¯s waiting for you at his office. It¡¯s the blue door at the very end,¡± the woman said, 2/5 12:10 Thu, Apr 4 CHAPTER 155 Bob pointing me to the right direction. ¡°You can¡¯t miss it.¡± I followed her instructions and walked through the shop, looking for the blue door. After dodging clothing hanging on metal racks, I finally found what I was looking for, hidden behind a dry cleaning machine. I knocked on the door tentatively and patiently waited for an answer toe from inside. But instead of an answer, the door swung open, revealing Bob. He was much older now and fatter. He had a pot belly, a dark moustache and a beard, and thin salt and pepper hair. He was wearing a in white T-shirt and ck cks. He looked as if he was getting ready to go to work at the hospital. He smiled at me, his teeth stained from coffee and cigarettes. Because of his old age and his fullyAll rights ? N?velDrama.Org. grown moustache and beard, he didn¡¯t have to dye his hair, wear colored contacts or wear loose clothing to mask his true self. ¡°Wow, Combs, you look as old as me,¡± Bob remarked, ushering me inside. ¡°But it¡¯s really nice to see a familiar face. After bein¡¯ stuck in this hell hole, I sure miss the good old days.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had a business,¡± I said noticing the currency counters on a long table on the left side of his ratherrge office. On the right of his office was a long leather sofa with a coffee table in front of it, while at the end, near a red wall, was a vintage wooden desk made of sturdy dark mahogany. It was a beautiful desk, varnished and gleaming under the light. It made me want to change the old desk in my office. ¡°Moneyunderin¡¯ is actually quite profitable,¡± he said, chuckling, gesturing for me to sit in one of the leather chairs in front of the desk. ¡°I started several years back, so I could keep tabs on New Salem. And in case you didn¡¯t know, Daniel Williams is my number one client. Coffee or whiskey?¡± I ¡°Whiskey. I need something to numb the pain,¡± replied, pointing to my stitches. He poured me drink from a small bar beside his desk and ced the ss on the mahogany table in front of me. ¡°What happened to your head?¡± He asked. ¡°A riot,¡± I answered. ¡°Some people just don¡¯t have any respect forw enforcement.¡± Heughed, nodding his head. ¡°I know what you mean.¡± Heid a long sheet of paper on his desk, ttening the folds with his hands. I took a look and realized it was the blueprint of the hospital area Riley was transferred to. 3/5 12:10 Thu, Apr 4 S CHAPTER 155 Bob .68% ¡°Have you spoken to Bismarck police?¡± Bob asked. I nodded my head. ¡°What have they told you so far?¡± ¡°Riley¡¯s unconscious. The detective on the case told me they called a few days ago to inform me, but Randy, the pri ck that he is, didn¡¯t tell me. This would have been dealt with earlier if I had known about it sooner,¡± I said before sipping my drink. ¡°Matthews right?¡± He asked. I nodded my head. He shook his head. ¡°He lied to you. Riley¡¯s conscious. He just can¡¯t talk or use both his hands. But knowin¡¯ Matthews, he found a way tomunicate with Riley. On the bright side though, Matthews is a lone wolf. He likes to investigate on his own and won¡¯t tell anyone anythin¡¯ until he has enough evidence. I¡¯m sure whatever he already knows, no one else knows.¡± ¡°But he has files, Bob,¡± I pointed out. Bob nodded his head. ¡°Of course, he has files, Combs,¡± Bob said. ¡°But not at the station. Too many police on someone else¡¯s payroll. He has an office in his basement sh bunker.¡± I raised my eyebrows, surprised to hear bunker. ¡°Ah, yeah, he¡¯s one of them folks who believes doomsday is right around the corner. I got the blueprint of his home right here.¡± He opened a drawer and pulled out a folded piece of paper. ¡°But before we think of breakin¡¯ into the detective¡¯s home, let¡¯s go over how you¡¯re gonna enter and exit the hospital and what we¡¯re gonna do to the guards stationed in the hospital security monitorin¡¯ room.¡° ¡°Alright,¡± I said, standing up and looking at the blueprint. ¡°What do you propose?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a utility entrance at the west wing of the hospital. You¡¯ll wear a security guard uniform to enter. I swiped this ID off from one the guards whose s hit always goes missin¡±.¡± From the same drawer, he took out the ID card and tossed it towards me. ¡°There aren¡¯t any screen checks through that entrance, so you¡¯ll be fine. From there, proceed to this utility room, change into your doctor¡¯s disguise and wait for the signal.¡± ¡°What signal?¡± I asked. ¡°Once theputer system is down, the light of the utility elevator will turn green,¡± he answered. ¡°Take that elevator all the way up to the twelfth floor. He¡¯s in room 1203.¡± ¡°Will I need an ID to ess any other doors?¡± I asked. ¡°No. All doors needin¡¯ a card will automatically turn green when theputer is shut off or rebooted. The hospital director had that specifically engineered. He reasoned a doctor locked in a room or out of the hospital for seven minutes can risk a life.¡± 4/5 12:10 Thu, Apr 4 d CHAPTER 155 Bob ¡°What about the guards at the monitoring room? What¡¯s going to happen to them?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯m goin¡¯ to make them all fall asleep, Bob answered. ¡°Redford, the guard in charge of the night shift, comes by the cafeteria at eight-thirty every evenin¡¯ for coffee. Just a bit of rohypnol and in ten minutes, they¡¯ll all be fast asleep. Now, all we have to do is think of a distraction.¡± ¡°I think I have something in mind. What was Riley¡¯s room number before he was transferred to 1203?¡± I asked. ¡°Room 728 in the east wing at the Orthopedic ward. Why do you ask?¡± Bob asked confused. ¡°I got Randying in to fix his mistakes,¡± I answered, smirking. ¡°I remember him. He¡¯s Ernie¡¯s kid,¡± Bob nodded his head, knowing who Randy was. ¡°I always hated that kid. He was a snitch.¡± ¡°Well, now he¡¯s a greedy s onofabi tch who wants more money,¡± I scoffed. ¡°Knowing him, he¡¯ll shoot Riley in the head instead of using his imagination. When you see him, you can alert everyone on radio.¡± ¡°That¡¯ll make me look like some sort of hero,¡± Bob said, agreeing to the n. ¡°I¡¯ll give Randy a call and give him the intel he needs. He¡¯ll probably think I¡¯m helping hi Bob chuckled merrily. ¡°What do you know? I get to pay back a favor and get some revenge. Life is full of Bob said. surpri Chapter Comments POST COMMENT NOW 2 Chapter 156 CHAPTER 156 Baby Sheriff With a threatening scowl on my face, I climbed out of my car, taking a deep breath, seemingly unaware of the white medicalb coat falling to the ground. I was wearing a white long sleeved button down shirt, a maroon tie and gray cks, disguised as a well-paid. doctor. I was about to shut the door closed when I finally took notice of the white coat lying on the ground. I picked it up, squeezing the pristine white coat, as if holding it tightly within the palm of my hand would somehow alleviate the guilt that weighed heavily on my conscience. I angrily threw the coat onto the front seat of my car beside the surgical mask, surgical cap, wig, beard and sses before mming the door shut. I was so angry at myself that I couldn¡¯t even look at my reflection in the window. I was utterly disgusted at myself. I needed a moment to calm the f u ck down. I ced both hands on the roof of my car and took deep breaths, grateful that somehow the cold air was numbing my insides. Jack hesitantly took a step forward, most probably to offer me some sce, but I raised a finger, urging him to stop. He quickly raised his hands in the air and backed away, giving me the space I needed. I just wanted more time to¡­ dpress. Was that too much to ask? Somehow, Jack understood¡­ maybe because he knew me so well. He allowed me a moment to myself. Liam, on the other hand, didn¡¯t want to waste time. He took his phone from his pocket and quietly read his messages while waiting for things to simmer down. He quickly replied, his face devoid of emotion, but his eyes¡­ his eyes expressed a certain satisfaction¡­. He was simply enjoying the fact that tonight a Cohen would no longer need the organization. Randy was grateful for all the information I gave him. He said it made his work easier. After/6 12:10 Thu, Apr 4 d. CHAPTER 156 Baby 686 to Pete, Riley and Ma and vo! Case closed. Christine, Randy¡¯s wife, would probably be depressed for some time, but she was a young and beautiful woman. She¡¯d find someone else to be her life-long companion and a father to her baby. ¡°Did he buy it?¡± Bob asked in anticipation. ¡°He sure did,¡± I said, smiling. He scoffed in disbelief. ¡°Well, that was easy. Okay, so when you¡¯re done putting two in Riley, leave the same way. Hospital protocol in the midst of an active shooter is to hide or evacuate. The nurses will most probably leave their station and hide, so there won¡¯t be anyone in your way when you leave,¡± Bob pointed out. ¡°You won¡¯t need to change back into the guard uniform either. Most of the people, if not all, will be leaving through the front entrances anyway.¡± He unfolded the blueprint of the detective¡¯s house and ced it on top of the blueprint of the hospital. I quickly took a picture of it using my phone. ¡°Here¡¯s information on Matthews,¡± Bob said, handing me a sheet of paper he took from his desk drawer. I was impressed. He was very thorough. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinkin¡¯. Nope, I don¡¯t do this in my spare time. I fund a couple of private detectives to get me all the intel I need. I got a good thing goin¡¯ here: I don¡¯t want to have to leave any of it any time soon.¡± ¡°It says here he¡¯s never married,¡± I mumbled as I scanned through Matthews¡¯ information. sheet. Good. It meant his house would be empty ¡°Because he¡¯s married to his job,¡± Bob replied, rolling his eyes. ¡°Anyway, his house is a bo ten minutes away from the hospital. Within that time frame, the Bismarck SWAT will be conductin¡¯ a search from floor to floor for suspects. Matthews, just like SWAT, will be focu on finding whoever killed his witness, so he won¡¯t bother to check on his house. Even then, you need to be in and out quickly.¡± He pointed to the rear entrance of the house. ¡°I suggest enterin¡¯ through the back. The hatch to the basement is underneath the floor of the pantry in the kitchen.¡± *I have a question. How do we know Matthews will be at the hospital?¡± I asked. ¡°After that anonymous tip, he¡¯ll definitely be there. Matthews is the kind of guy who gets a high from an arrest,¡± Bob answered, shuddering in disgust. ¡°Oh, and another thing, he has not home security rm. That¡¯s how co cky he is.¡± ¡°Seems like you don¡¯t like him,¡± I said, noticing the dislike in his voice. ¡°What did he ever do to you?¡± ¡°I have a garage on the next block. You know¡­ the usual,¡± Bob said, implying the garage w 2/6 CHAPTER 156 Baby a venue for his usual criminal activities. ¡°He came snoopin¡¯ one day. Somethin¡¯ about a certain car part comin from our garage that matched the serial number of a stolen vehicle. My main man, Manny, well, he exined that my garage only fixes cars and that we get our from reputable dealers only. To send him on his way, Manny gave him a list of auto parts parts dealers we order from and told him he forgot which store we got the car ¡°I see. So tell me what really happened with that car part?¡± I asked, amused. part from.¡± ¡°Manny forgot to remove the serial number. Anyway, the garage ain¡¯t listed under my name. It¡¯s owned by Charlene, thedy you met earlier at the front of the store.¡± ¡°No wonder you asked me to look for Charlie,¡± I said, chuckling at my mistake. ¡°I thought you were Charlie.¡± ¡°Hell no,¡± Bob replied. ¡°Around here, I¡¯m known as John. John Doe.¡± Bob left for work before eight to make sure the creamer Redford used wasced with Rohypnol while I entered through the rear exit at approximately fifteen minutes to nine. checked my messages once I was in the utility room. It was a huge storage space with its own elevator. Matthews is at the hospital director¡¯s office located on the fifteenth floor. He¡¯s having Riley transferred to Sanford Medical Center asap. It was now or never. Everything was going ording to our ns until I was inside Room 1203. Riley was peacefully asleep on his bed, both arms and one leg in a cast while his mouth was wired from a broken jaw. I decided it was best to inject him with a lethal dose of pentobarbital and let him die peacefully in his sleep. I was done injecting him with the drug and pulling his life support monitor off its socket when the bathroom door suddenly opened behind me to reveal Detective Matthews hiding inside. ¡°Turn around slowly with your hands above your head where I can see them,¡± he instructed. I muttered a curse. Why didn¡¯t I check the bathroom earlier? How could I have been so careless? I looked down at the gun in my holster. I had screwed a silencer on, intending to use it on Riley. Unfortunately, I¡¯d have to use it on the detective instead. 3/6 12:10 Thu, Apr 4 d CHAPTER 156 Baby 68 ¡°I said, turn around with your hands above your head. Slowly now,¡± Detective Matthews instructed once again. ¡°I¡¯ve you don¡¯t look as young as it says on een waiting for you. I Randall Evans¡¯ file. Who are you?¡± I raised my hands and turned around slowly. ¡°Wait a minute. There¡¯s a cut on your forehead. You must be Sheriff-¡± I didn¡¯t hesitate. I grabbed my gun from its holster and shot him in the head. Smoke billowed out from both my gun and the gun shot wound on Detective Matthews¡¯ forehead. While he copsed on the floor, I quickly turned around and shot Riley in the head. It would be strange if Riley was found poisoned while Matthews died of a gunshot wound. I needed the story of an active shooter roaming around the hospital to stick. I ran out of room 1203, headed back into the utility room and took the elevator back down to the ground floor. Just as Bob said, no one was using the rear entrance to evacuate from the building. I casually walked out of the hospital, the guard uniform I had on earlier in a garbage bag, and quickly. headed out to the main road to the car Bob had lent me. ded I was a good distance away from the hospital when I parked the car on the side of the road to change my disguise. I took my surgical mask, cap and coat off and donned a gray-haired. wig, a beard and dark rimmed sses. When I was satisfied with my appearance, towards Detective Matthews¡¯ house. I parked about a block away and walked tow house with a small gasoline tank in a duffle bag. I needed to destroy any evidence that pointed to Liam, Jack, Dan or myself. Without Cohen, everything would sink. Without Jack, Dan or me, Liam will be a sitting duck. Only way to destroy the evidence was to start a fire in the basement and keep the hatch open, so the fire would burn everything to the ground. Luckily, entering the house was simple. All I needed was some tools to pick the lock of the back door. In the kitchen, I found the pantry, the false floor tile and the hatch which was padlocked. I took out a very small screwdriver, inserted it into the keyhole and began to wiggle and slide. until the padlock opened. Before setting the ce on fire, I looked through the papers on top of Detective Matthews 4/6 O 12:10 Thu, Apr 4 d CHAPTER 156 Baby desk, took hisptop, and rummaged through his files in his file cab. 681 I doused everything in gasoline. Once I was done, I lit a cigarette, threw it in the basement. and left the back door open so the fire could draw in more air. I made my way back to the car and drove towards theundry shop, but instead of parking the car near Bob¡¯s shop, I brought it to Charlene¡¯s garage to be stripped down. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. I was driving back to New Salem when Bob called. ¡°We have a problem,¡± he said. ¡°I know, but I had to. There was no other way.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± He asked bewildered. ¡°Matthews,¡± I answered, feeling guilty. ¡°Oh, yeah. Well, that¡¯s on your conscience not mine,¡± he said. ¡°I called to tell you Randy is missin¡¯. I did see him near room 728, promptin¡¯ me to alert the police, but when I went to follow him, he suddenly disappeared. I¡¯ve checked everywhere¡­ and he isn¡¯t in police custody either.¡± ¡°He¡¯s on the move, probably back to New Salem. I¡¯ll deal with him,¡± I told him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°I have to ask you¡­ did you actually hire someone to shoot people here at the hospit asked. ¡°No. Of course not,¡± I quickly replied. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Listen to the news, Bob answered. ¡°F ucked up thing is¡­ SWAT couldn¡¯t find a shooter. Well, Combs, we¡¯re even now. So long.¡± I turned on the radio to listen to the news. Luckily, I found a station that was reporting on the shooting incident at Bismarck Gen. So far, six casualties were reported, but ording to the news reporter, the police were still looking for victims and suspects. Six?! How did that happen? Liam. 111 L 5/6 12:10 Thu, Apr 4 d CHAPTER 156 Baby 68 ¡°We have an iing report about a fire which broke out at one of the homes at Prairiewood. Neighbors say the house belongs to a Detective Matthews of the Bismarck Police Department who he shares with his niece and her baby daughter. There are no reports confirming if the niece and grandniece were indeed home when the fire broke. Firefighters at the scene are currently containing the fire. This is a developing story.¡± Music suddenly filled the car¡­ Did I just kill a baby?! F uck! F uck! F uck! I continued listening to the radio station, praying for a miracle. There was no car in the driveway at Matthews¡¯ house nor did I even hear a baby cry. Maybe the niece and her daughter weren¡¯t home when I broke into the house and set it on fire. As I exited the highway to New Salem, the news reporter finally came back with more information. Breaking news¡­ One of the casualties at Bismarck General Hospital mass shooting is Detective Amos Matthews, the owner of the house at Prairiewood which is currently in mes. The police have found no suspects of the mass shooting which leads authorities to believe that this might have been an inside job,¡± the reporter said. ¡°As for Detective Matthews¡¯ family, ording to Mr. Lee, one of Detective Matthews¡¯ neighbors, he saw the neice with her baby enter the house at seven in the evening. With me, right now, is the Chief of the Bismarck Fire Department,¡± the reporter said. ¡°Chief, have you found the neice and her daughter?¡± ¡°Yes, we have,¡± was the Chief¡¯s curt reply. ¡°With deep regret, Miss Lte Matthews Richardson and her baby did not survive the fire.¡± I quickly stopped the car, parked it on the side and vomited my guts out.. I killed a baby. Chapter Comments Shzaqte POST COMMENT Of course with these 5 di ps hits nothing goes as nned, but wow that certainly took a sad unexpected turn. VIEW 1 COMMENT ? 2 Chapter 157 CHAPTER 157 Appearances Sheriff It was a good long while before I spoke. My face was starting to feel numb from the cold breeze that circled around us. ¡°You heard right, Jack. The Bismarck Police did get a tip from an anonymous caller. They moved Riley to a secluded part of the hospital,¡± said in a low hushed voice. ¡°Good thing I had someone who owed me a favor working at that hospital. He showed me how to get to Riley¡¯s room through the utility elevator, then he roofied the security guards who man the security monitors. We were able to shut down the system, knowing it takes a while for it it to reboot.¡± ¡°How did you get the police away from their post?¡± Jack asked. I had to lie. Jack couldn¡¯t know the extent of Bob¡¯s participation. All Jack knew was I went to Bismarck to assist Randy and get it done. He was actually surprised I had sent Randy instead of someone who was fit to do the job. ¡°I told Randy to call the nurse¡¯s station and tell them he saw a man with a gun gun near the room Riley originally upied. After the guards left, I unhooked the heart monitor and injected Riley with a lethal dose of pentobarbital. Everything was going ording to n when Detective Matthewses out of the bathroom. I didn¡¯t expect him to be there,¡± I tearfully murmured, remembering I had just killed an innocent baby. I didn¡¯t care about Matthews. He poked his nose where it didn¡¯t belong. I was crying be I had done something utterly tragic that made me as bad as Pete. Sure, we were all bad men, but there was a thin line between being bad and evil. Pete was evil. Cris, well, wherever he was, he was on that same path. I believed I still had some self- respect in me like all good men, but now, I didn¡¯t know who I was anymore. It was one of those rare asions where I felt so utterly hopeless. Thest time I felt this way was when Julia died. Liam ran his fingers through his hair. He didn¡¯t anticipate me killing the detective. ¡°Sheriff, tell me you didn¡¯t-¡± Jack couldn¡¯t finish his statement. He already knew what I was going to say next. ¡°I had to, Jack,¡± I growled. ¡°He saw my stitches and knew it was me. I just couldn¡¯t allow 1/7 CHAPTER 157 Appearances myself to get arrested. With me in custody, all this s hit we¡¯ve been doing, all of this will blow up on all our faces.¡± ¡°Regardless. You know how the police are when one of their own dies,¡± Liam said. ¡°They won¡¯t stop until they get whoever did this. They already know Riley¡¯s from New Salem. They¡¯ll want to pin this on someone from here, but you have nothing to worry about. It¡¯s already been fixed. Anyway, if they do come knocking on my office door- ¡°We¡¯ll just have to pin this on Pete and probably Randy, if theye,¡± I mumbled. ¡°So it was you Liam. When I heard the news that there were more casualties than the two I killed, I had a feeling that was you.¡± ¡°I had to do something,¡± Liam said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°You might be good at what you do, but with a whole police force after you, that¡¯s a problem. Let¡¯s just say I called in a favor. For now, they¡¯ve pinned the mass shooting to an ill-treated janitor who worked on the twelfth floor. He won¡¯t say anything. Dead men tell no tales.¡± Jack rubbed his forehead. He didn¡¯t like what he was hearing. ¡°Just in case, I¡¯ll nt some evidence at Riley¡¯s house making it look like Riley was stealing from Pete and that Ma and him were seeing each other, giving Pete motive to kill Riley. All I need you boys to do is corroborate my story if or when I¡¯m questioned by the police.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a small problem,¡± Jack said. ¡°I told Lisa and the others you were at Bismarck attending to something.¡± ¡°You what?!¡± I eximed. ¡°Jack, why can¡¯t you keep your mouth shut?!¡± Liam raised his hand, gesturing for me to calm down. ¡°Sheriff, it¡¯s fine. I doubt if Bismarck Police suspects you of killing one of their own, Liam said. ¡°Anyway, in case Bismarck Police does ask, we can tell them you were suffering from a headache due to your injury so you didn¡¯t go to Bismarck and instead came here to pay your respects to my father. Lisa saw you. Who else did you pass on your way up here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I passed a few other cars on my way here,¡± I answered. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Dan to tell police he came over to bring you some food, so he¡¯ll be your alibi. Everyone else was here, so I assume no one saw you actually go to Bismarck. I¡¯ll have Lisa erase all the CCTV footage. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle this. Did you leave any fingerprints?¡± ¡°No, I have silicon on,¡± I replied. 2/7 12:11 hu, Apr 4 Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. 68 CHAPTER 157 Appearances ¡°And what about Randy?¡± Jack asked. ¡°Where the hell is he anyway?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t get in touch with him. His phone¡¯s off,¡± I answered. ¡°He¡¯s probably on his way back here. He has Christine to think about.¡± ¡°He probably is,¡± Liam mumbled, his eyes narrowing momentarily, like he had just thought of something. ¡°I¡¯ll handle all this. I¡¯ll even take care of Riley. Sheriff, why don¡¯t you change-and grab something to eat and drink¡­ hmm? Rx. We still have Pete¡¯s men at the Ol¡¯ Barn to take care of.¡± I nodded my head. I did need a drink. ¡°Jack, I just need to talk to Henry. You go on and help the Sheriff,¡± Liam called out as he walked to his right-hand man. Liam I turned around, trying not to smile. Although it seemed it was just one problem after the other, everything seemed to be working to my advantage. I couldn¡¯t believe a mob of people actually showed up at Hignd Oaks. Their presence will make my ploy look even more realistic. As for the Sheriff, he made a grave mistake, but he will continue to be loyal to me after warding off suspicion from him. Still, the unexpected death of one of Bismarck¡¯s finest posed a small problem. I had to make sure there were no loose ends. Earlier in the day, unbeknownst to Sheriff and Jack, I had taken matters into my own hands. I covered our bases just in case Randy came back with his tail between his legs or worse, got caught. I had a number of Bismarck police officers on my payroll and I explicitly told them if they saw him to grab him, drive him off somewhere and keep him there until I needed a fall guy. While the Sheriff was having a tantrum earlier, I checked my phone for messages. There were a couple unread messages. Matthews and Harris are dead. Evans MIA. Five others shot. Suspect janitor, killed by police.¡± 3/7 12:11 Thu, Apr 4. CHAPTER 157 Appearances 68% Why couldn¡¯t I findpetent people like this as shole? Sure, he was expensive, but he was able to make it look like a mass shooting happened at the hospital. Good. I pulled out my phone and messaged the police officer telling him to destroy all evidence that may lead a co cky young detective into my territory. up He quickly messaged me back with a thumbs u andy was most prol cooling off before making his way here. I was sure he woulde back; he couldn¡¯t leave his pregnant wife. I don¡¯t know if Randy knew, but aside from being a substitute teacher at the local elementary school, Christine was one of Pete¡¯s drug smugglers. She did it part time, maybe once or twice a month, but the pay was enough. Because she portrayed herself as a devout Christian woman, she could cross state lines with a huge amount of crystal meth in the trunk of her car without harboring suspicion. She wore a gold cross around her neck and was always dressed prim and proper at all times. It didn¡¯t hurt she was married and pregnant. It added more to her credibility as a clean, G od- fearing, woman. I rolled my eyes at the thought. Sometimes, it was all about appearances. Unfortunately, she and her father rejected our offer. They wanted more than what I was. offering¡­ much more. We will take care of Christine¡¯s fatherter. He was easy. As for Christine, I had Dan call her up after Randy left, telling her we agreed to give her the money she requested. All she had to do was see him at the clubhouse. I¡¯ll just use her to get to Randy. I walked over to my car where Henry and several of my guards were waiting. ¡°The Evans house¡­ were you able to finish nting the evidence against Randall Evans?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes, Mayor Cohen. I ced the files on hisputer and nted the drugs and money in his safe,¡± Henry answered. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we have to do the same to Riley Harris,¡± I said, sighing. ¡°I like Grandma Mary. She always looks genuinely happy to see me whenever I see her. Make sure she isn¡¯t implicated in any of this.¡± Henry nodded his head. 4/7 68% CHAPTER 157 Appearances ¡°We could do it now. There¡¯s still some time,¡± Henry said. I nced at my watch. It was already eleven. ¡°No. We need to go to the Ol¡¯ Barn soon. After we¡¯re done, just ce a bag of dough in that shed Riley has in the back and stick a picture of Ma Lawrence somewhere. Make it look like they were lovers,¡± I instructed. ¡°I¡¯ll have Danny and Brett go. They know the ce,¡± Henry suggested. ¡°Alright. But make it quick and remember no fingerprints. I need the rest of you with me at the Ol¡¯ Barn. Are the men I hired in position in Hignd Oaks?¡± I asked. Henry shrugged his shoulders. Sh it! I forgot. They only spoke to me. I dialed the number hoping he¡¯d answer. ¡°MC, we¡¯re about to leave,¡± he said merrily. ¡°Good. Just make sure you and your crew are there by midnight. If all goes well, you¡¯ll get the rest of your payment ¡°Sure thing, MC. I hung up, praying they wouldn¡¯t f uck up. ¡°Henry, the mercenaries?¡± I asked. ¡°They¡¯re on foot, surveying the area. The Colonel said they¡¯ve spotted two trucks south from here. Whoever¡¯s on those trucks are making their way here as we speak,¡± he said. ¡°Tell the Colonel to kill them once they set foot on Cohennd. I don¡¯t want any intrusions at my little meeting tonight,¡± I instructed. ¡°We need to get things done quickly.¡± ¡°As you wish, Mayor, Henry said before dialing. Everything was in ce. All I had to do now was wait for midnight. I was heading back to the mansion to prepare myself when a silver SUV came speeding through the gates. ¡°Stop that car!¡± I heard the guards yell. Gunfire erupted. My guards were shooting at the SUV¡­ Which was headed straight for me. 5/7 Aptist o 12:11 Thu, Apr 4 CHAPTER 157 Appearances 68% Suddenly, my old BMW rammed into the side of the car, the impact so great, that the SUV rolled and tumbled towards the edge of the hill. Fortunately, the car stopped, upside down, several feet before hitting the brick fence that lined the edge of the estate. ¡°Get out of the car!¡± Jack yelled, walking down the front steps of the mansion, his gun pointed at the driver¡¯s side of the windshield. No movement. Jack quickly moved his hand an inch and shot at the headlight of the car. ¡°Get out of that f ucking car! The next shot will be your head.¡± I couldn¡¯t see through the windshield. It was tinted. Finally, the door opened and out came an older gentleman. It was Randy¡¯s father-inw aka Christine¡¯s dad. ¡°Where is my daughter, Cohen?!¡± He growled as he stumbled out of the car. I scoffed at him. He had some balls. I pulled my gun out from its holster, aiming at his head. The fearlessness he was experiencing was quickly reced with terror. ¡°Search him,¡± I said, gesturing to my guards. ¡°Lift his shirt. Pat down each leg, especial near the shoe. Give me his phone and empty his pockets.¡± ¡°I beg you. I¡¯ll sign. I¡¯ll give you whatever you want. Just don¡¯t kill my daughter and n grandchild. Please, I¡¯ll do anything,¡± Christine¡¯s father begged as my men checked him ¡°Liam, son, you have Christine? But she¡¯s pregnant,¡± the Sheriff reasoned. ¡°Son, let¡¯s not k an innocent life.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a monster. I won¡¯t touch the baby,¡± I said. ¡°But you, Tom, you almost killed me. I gave you a chance to sign, but you and your greedy little family want more money.¡± ¡°We take all the risks. We deliver the product to areas where we don¡¯t have any protection. Of course, we want more money,¡± he argued. ¡°And why ask me for it? Why didn¡¯t you ask Pete?¡± I asked him. ¡°Because¡­¡± I waited for him to continue his sentence, but nothing followed. 111 6/7 12:11 Thu, Apr 4 d CHAPTER 157 Appearances said. ¡°As for me, I was willing to double your fee. All you had to do was sign the non- disclosure agreement. Just keep your mouth shut and the money wille.¡± I lowered my gun when I noticed he was shaking. I wanted him to rx. ¡°There are risks I take, the Sheriff takes, Dan takes to keep this operation under wraps. But your son-inw thinks it¡¯s better if he sabotages our operation, so he can get more money. Have any of you ever thought if I go down, what happens to all of you? You think I¡¯m going to go down alone? While I rot in jail, I¡¯m going to have all my men hunt you down one by one until none of you are left. There won¡¯t be any need for money, because you¡¯ll be dead.¡± I raised my gun and shot him in between the eyes. One down. ¡°Drop him in the hole intended for my father and cover him with some dirt. We¡¯ll ce my father¡¯s casket on top of his body. And get this piece of junk out of here,¡± I ordered. ¡°Liam, where is Christine?¡± The Sheriff asked, his voiceced with concern. ¡°I¡¯m guessing Dan has her,¡± I said. ¡°And what about the baby?¡± Jack asked. I¡¯ll adopt the baby,¡± the Sheriff said, a sadness in his voice. Huh? My phone suddenly rang. I answered. ¡°The bogeys have entered your territory,¡± I heard the familiar voice of the Colonel. ¡°Kill them.¡± Chapter Comments POST COMMENT NOW 01 7/7 Chapter 158 CHAPTER 158 Slippery Slope Xavier I was atop one of the smaller hills adjacent to Prairie Hill, overlooking the Ol¡¯ Barn. After parting ways with Cristos, Sebastian, Ki ki and Joy, I drove to the border between New Salem and Arnold County to where I hid my gear and dirt bike before I lost contact with Joy and Cristos earlier today. I changed into a dark tactical suit and ck boots, strapped my backpack on tightly, took my sn iper rifle out of the hiddenpartment of my trunk, slung it over my shoulder, and drove off on my bike. Sam was already on the hill, prepping his gun, while Dina and Lou were in a white van hidden within the forest beside the road that led to the Ol¡¯Barn. ¡°Dina, what¡¯s the situation at the Ol¡¯ Barn?¡± I asked while driving up the hill to a group of dirt trees along the hillside where it teaued into a path. It wasn¡¯t much of a climb on bike, but on foot, I bet the slippery slope was a killer. ¡°I have eyes on three teams of mercs,¡± Dina replied. ¡°One team has hidden themselves within the trees and bushes surrounding the perimeter of thend owned by the Cohens continously monitoring another teaming from the south. The team positioned on Cohen,nd is wearing midnight blue tactical gear and is being led by the notorious Colonel while the other team, judging by the characteristic bird tattoo on their necks, is the ck Hawks led by a man named Brock.¡± ¡°The Colonel? I mean, the Colonel¡­ No way,¡± I gasped. Sam was a soldier under the Colonel¡¯s command during his days in the military. However, the Colonel went rogue, so did many of his men, after they were left to fend for themselves for almost twelve hours against an army of rebel militants in a small vige in Iraq. ording to Sam, it was the very first time he actually prayed to Go d for a miracle.. Go d heard Sam¡¯s prayer. A miracle came to them in the form of a truck loaded with weapons, grenades and ammunition. They were able to fight their way out of the vige to the nearest extraction point. To us, it¡¯s a story with a happy ending, but for the Colonel and his men, it¡¯s a story of the worst kind of betrayal. Well, I had to give Liam some credit. The Colonel was ex expensive. ¡°I knew one day we¡¯d see each other again,¡± Sam said through ours, the spite evident in 11:16 Fri, Apr 5 M CHAPTER 158 Slippery Slope his voice. The Colonel tried to recruit him, but Sam rejected his offer. He didn¡¯t believe terrorism was the way to fight the government who betrayed them. off my bike. ¡°Dina, where¡¯s the third team?¡± I asked, cracking the muscles in my neck as I got off my ¡°Third team?¡± She asked, puzzled. I sighed. ¡°Hello¡­ You mentioned there was a third team. Two on the ground while the third team is where?¡± ¡°Actually, the third team is part of one of the tworger teams.¡± I rolled my eyes at her statement. She always had to make things soplicated. ¡°It¡¯s a small group of sn ipers, currently making their way through the other side of the hill you and Sam are currently on, Dina said. I shook my head in disbelief. She should have started with that. ¡°They¡¯ve split up. One took the right side while the other went left.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it? Just two?¡± I asked, parking my bike behind a tree and covering it with branches and foliage as fast as I could. I squatted down, hiding behind some bushes.. ¡°Yep,¡± Dina answered. ¡°I have eves on one,¡± Sam mumbled. ¡°In midnight blu Team Colonel. tactical gear.¡± S hit. He was part of gun o ¡°X, the other one is rounding the hill, walking on the path that you¡¯re on. your left in 3-2-1, Dina counted down. I heard his footsteps before I saw him. Just like his friend, he was wearing a midnight blue. tactical suit. He had a CB radio strapped onto his belt and a sni per rifle slung over his shoulder. He looked young like he just came out of boot camp. He was clean-sh aven, his dark hair was high and tight and he was muscr. Well, I could pretend to be part of Team Colonel for a bit. I positioned myself near the path and waited for the right time to jump. When he passed, I swiftly came from behind and swung my arm across his neck, cing him in a rear naked chokehold. Then, with one forceful jerk, I broke his neck. After moving his corpse away from the edge of the path. I took his CB radio and oun then 3/7 11:16 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 158 Slippery Slope quickly positioned myself against a huge rock overlooking the Ol¡¯ Barn. ¡°Sam, update,¡± I said throughs. ¡°Neck sh¡± he replied smugly. ¡°Broken neck,¡± I said, as I set up my gun. ¡°Dina, I need to-¡± I stopped at the unmistakable sound of gunfire that echoed around me. Judging by the echoes, I suspected it came from Cohen Mansion. I took a look through my scope to check, but since I had the view of the back of Cohen Mansion, I couldn¡¯t see anything. ¡°Dina, where is the gunfireing from?¡± I asked. ¡°Cohen Mansion, X¡± Dina answered. ¡°CCTV shows footage of a car speeding into thepound. Sadly, the driver was executed.¡± ¡°Do you know the identity of the driver?¡± I asked. ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°But maybe you do. I¡¯m gonna bring up an erged image for you.¡± I took my phone out and synced it with Dina¡¯s feed. The image was unclear, although I recognized the well-trimmed moustache, the gold cross around the man¡¯s neck and the mole over his left eyebrow. It was Randy¡¯s father-inw, Tom Baker. Why did he just try to kill Liam with his car? Then it dawned on me¡­ Liam must have Randy¡¯s wife. I quickly messaged Cristos to look for her from CCTV footage throughout town. All of a sudden, gunfire erupted from down below. I quickly pocketed my phone and peered downward through my scope. It was nice to have a higher vantage point. I could see everything through the night vision capability of my sni per scope. The two t teams on the ground were waging war with one another. Although few, the Colonel and his team were well-trained while the other team in ck tactical gear, although many,cked the necessary skills. I nced at my watch and yawned. It was nearly midnight. ¡°Do we intervene?¡± Sam asked. 3/7 CHAPTER 158 Slippery Slope ¡°Not unless we are asked to,¡± I answered as I watched. ¡°Besides, I want to see how good this Colonel is.¡± Honestly, his reputation preceded him. He was a sharp shooter and skilled with the knife. He could practically shoot and throw at the same time. I was so busy admiring him that I didn¡¯t notice he was calling for his sni pers on the CB radio. ¡°Roger,¡± I answered eagerly. Well, I did say I¡¯d pretend. ¡°Sam, the Colonel is asking for our help,¡± I said. ¡°Copy,¡± Sam answered gruffly. Apparently, the wounds between Sam and the Colonel ran deep. Shooting at the ck Hawks felt like target practice. One by one, Sam and I took out ck Hawks until the Colonel yelled to cease fire. the ¡°Good work, boys,¡± the Colonel praised us. ¡°Keep an ove for more.¡± ¡°Copy that,¡± I whispered, disguising the sound of my voice. ¡°We have iing,¡± Sam said throughs. I peered through my scope and saw cars fast approaching. It was the townsfolk. ¡°Ten minutes to midnight,¡± I said, moving my scope to see what Colonel and his men were doing. This time, they positioned themselves around the barn, and hid behind the hay bales. ¡°X, Liam and his entourage are on their way,¡± Dina informed us. ¡°By the way, feeding from Hignd Oaks shows a group of masked men. It¡¯s strange though. The feed shows theming from the back and, X, all of them are armed.¡± I groaned. There was a mob of people outside the gates of Hignd Oaks. This spelled massacre. Da mmit, my men were twenty minutes away. ¡°Dina, alert Cristos and Sebastian and tell them they need to help the people at Hignd Oaks,¡± I told Dina. ¡°Cony that.¡± 4/7 CHAPTER 158 Slippery Slope ¡°Sam, I need you to head to Hignd Oaks. I can deal with this. Cristos and Sebastian may need an assist.¡± ¡°Liam is one slick so nofabi tch,¡± Sam said, sighing. ¡°Two in one night, at the same time G od, help us.¡± ¡°I know what you mean,¡± I said. ¡°Once I¡¯m done here, I¡¯ll make my way there. Keep me updated.¡± ¡°Copy that, X.¡± too. It wasn¡¯t long before several vehicles came into view, entering the wooden gates of thepound where the Ol¡¯ Barn stood. I continued to watch using my scope as more and more. vehicles came in, surprised that the people who arrived weren¡¯t people I had expected. After the arrival of the townsfolk, Theodore Cohen¡¯s silver BMW SUV finally drove into thepound followed by the Sheriff, Jack and several more vehicles behind them. I noticed movement alongside the vehicles. I peered through my scope and saw men in tactical uniform making their way to the barn by foot. Liam had thought of everything. All of a sudden, a light shed from the distance. I peered through my scope and saw a of men making their way towards the barn. One of them wasrge, bald, and muscr. He must be the one named Brock. group ¡°Time to rock and roll.¡± I positioned my finger and steadied my breathing. I had already estimated wind speed and established wind direction. I was good to go. Liam I told Henry to park my father¡¯s car near the barn. The car was bullet proof with a certified standard of protection. I nced at my watch. It was almost midnight. Before aviting the car I made a phone call 5/7 11:16 Fri, Ap CHAPTER 158 Slippery Slope ¡°Are you there yet?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes, we are, MC, the clown answered. He sounded high. C rap! ¡°Just create enough chaos as a distraction and get me that deed of sale,¡± I instructed. ¡°Will do, MC.¡± I stepped out of my father¡¯s car with a duffle bag in my hand, making it appear I had brought money with me. I adjusted my coat. I hated wearing bullet proof vests. It slowed me down, however in this situation, I needed one. I purposedly told Dan to tell Cris about tonight, knowing he would betray me and tell Pete. I wasn¡¯t wrong. He did tell him. Well, if he had a group of mercenaries, I did too, I won¡¯t allow him to win. ¡°Let¡¯s all get inside for the meeting,¡± I told the townsfolk who were standing outside, smoking. ¡°Tom ain¡¯t here yet, Mayor,¡± said Ol¡¯ Man Simon, ¡°I¡¯d prefer if we waited for him.¡± ¡°I spoke to Tom and Christine and they signed,¡± I lied. ¡°Maybe you and I cane to an agreement just like Tom and Christine.¡± ¡°Well, whatever you gave them must be good enough. Come on people. It¡¯s freezing. The sooner we get this done, the faster it is for me to get home,¡± the grumpy old man said, waddling into the barn. Without hesitation, the rest of the townsfolk followed him inside. My guards, then, followed, positioning themselves along the walls of the barn. I turned. around to give Jack instructions. ¡°Jack, you and the Sheriff stay out here. We¡¯ll handle this. Just have the coroner¡¯s van ready for transfer. Jack looked at me confused. ¡°Transfer? What do you mean- Enough of your twenty questions!CHAPTER 158 Slippery Slope I entered, walking all the way to the back where a table was set up. I ced the bag on the table and gestured for everyone to take a seat. I wanted them to befortable before I told them the bad news. ¡°You guys should have just signed. Instead, you signed your death certificate.¡± My guards quickly took out their weapons, aiming their guns at the people seated. ¡°You can¡¯t do this. Our families wille looking for us,¡± Ol¡¯ Man Simon said. ¡°I know,¡± I remarked, smiling. ¡°I already have that all figured out, too. Colonel, if you would kindly¡­¡± The Colonel and his men walked in and began shooting. One by one, the people fell to the floor like flies. Some tried to scurry away through the back door, however, escape was futile. We were almost done when gunfire suddenly erupted from outside. I scowled, ncing at my watch. I was alreadyte for another party. Chapter Comments 4 POST COMMENT NOW SHARE 7/7 11:16 Fri, Apr 5 The Joy of Revenge CHAPTER 159 Intervention Liam ¡°Liam, we havepany,¡± Jack yelled, looking for cover. ¡°Get down!¡± The Colonel and his team quickly positioned themselves and returned fire. While Jack and the Sheriff assisted the Colonel, I went to check if everyst one of Pete¡¯s loyal dealers were dead. However, I noticed a red light aimed at my chest, so I quickly took cover, diving behind one of the hay bales in the barn. I may be wearing a bullet proof vest, but it was painful to get shot at.. I was surprised to find Mr. Lewis, one of the townsfolk, hiding behind the huge hay bale, with his back towards me, covering his head. Like Ol¡¯ Man Simon, he smuggled drugs to the neighboring states, using his old age as his cover. When Dan told him the conditions of our deal, he ripped the NDA and threw it at Dan¡¯s face. ¡°If I need to stay quiet, you need to pay me more money. My ra is in the hospital being treated for cancer and our medical insurance won¡¯t cover all the costs. I want more money. I need more money.¡± Scowling, I pulled out my gun from its holster and aimed it at his back before squeezing the trigger. Mrs. Lewis was better off without you. As I reloaded my gun, I noticed the gunfire had died down. I looked around and saw one of the townsfolk trying to leave through the back. I chased after her. No one was leaving here alive. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. I quickly pushed the back door of the barn open and to my surprise, I found a tall,rge, muscr man shooting the woman in the back. He was bald, his oily head reflected the light from the barn, and clean-s haven with a nasty scar that ran down his left cheek. Unlike Colonel and his men who were wearing blue, he was wearing an all ck tactical suit, boots, and gloves, with two silver guns holstered to each of his thighs. He smiled at me, as he raised his weapon, aiming for my head. ¡°The ten million dor prize.¡± His voice was low and menacing, sending a chill down my 1/7 11:16 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 159 Intervention I raised my Wilson Combat Tactical gun at him. If I have to die, I¡¯m taking him with me. ¡°I can double that amount,¡± I negotiated. Heughed. ¡°Peter said you¡¯d negotiate and I¡¯ve already taken a look at your finances. You do have that kind of money, but it will leave you almost penniless,¡± he reasoned. He obviously did his homework. But the bank ount under my name wasn¡¯t the only ount I had. ¡°Really now? What about my bank ounts under my various aliases? Have you checked them too?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow, daring him to challenge me. ¡°Thergest methboratory in the country is here in my town. My town. Not Peter McDowell¡¯s. He is a traitorous snake and will kill you once he gets what he wants. If you agree to work for me, I can make it worth your while. Just ask the Colonel.¡± His eyes widened once I uttered Colonel. -Every private army in the world knew who the Colonel was. However, instead of agreeing, heughed at my offer. The b astard. ¡°Funny thing¡­ Peter says the same about you. Ill take my chances and go home ten million, dors richer,¡± he replied, grinning sinisterly at me, the shadows on his face making him look utterly terrifying. ¡°Then we both will just have to shoot each other.¡± But before either one of us could shoot, a bullet w hizzed by my head entering therge man¡¯s skull, his blood spraying over my face. He copsed with a thud in front of me, dust flying up from the ground. I hurriedly wiped my mouth, disgusted at the taste of blood and raw human flesh. I kneeled down to check on the man whose dead eyes looked up at the sky. The hole was remarkably big. Obviously long range. I quickly hid myself against the hay bales along the barn. The Colonel¡¯s s niper had a sick sense of humor. Eventually, the gunfire stopped. I picked myself off the ground, entered the barn through the back door and headed to the main entranco Thaen I found lock wincine in 2/7 6/7 Chapter 159 CHAPTER 159 Intervention Sheriff was assisting the coroner¡¯s van. ¡°Mayor Cohen, the area has been contained,¡± the Colonel said, appearing from the side of the barn. ¡°Thank k you,¡± I said. ¡°Sheriff grab all the car keys from the dead bodies and have Colonel and his men drive them to the impound area. Make sure to load up all the bodies in the barn into the van and have the driver head to Hignd Oaks. While you do that, have the deputies. and dump all the other bodies in the mass grave. When you¡¯re done, suit up in tactical gear await my instructions.¡± He silently nodded his head. ¡°By the way, Colonel, I¡¯d like you to life.¡± thank your s niper for me. He saved my He grabbed his radio and called out to his sn iper. ¡°Eagle, I need you to trek back to ground level.¡± We waited for a response, but we only got static. ¡°Eagle, do you confirm?¡± More static. He grabbed his binocrs and looked up at the small hill in front of us. ¡°We have a problem. I don¡¯t see my men up there.¡± Joy I was at the bar having a bit of fun with Noah when all of our phones pinged at the same time. It was an alert informing us of active shooters in the vicinity. All at once, the patron inside threw money on the tables and quickly left in such a hurry. ¡°Uhm, Virtue, Beth and I, we need to go home. Can you tell Chip for me, please?¡± Patrick, bartender, said, panicking. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll tell Chip,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Virtue. I¡¯ll just clean up tomorrow.¡± He took his apron off and grabbed-Beth, exiting the pub just as fast as the rest. ¡°Me too,¡± Noah said, finishing his beer and throwing money on the bar. ¡°Lock the doors and don¡¯t let anyone else inside after me. Take care, Virtue. And stay safe.¡± I quickly locked the door after Noah exited and gestured to Ki ki to follow me to the office. ¡°It¡¯s a little after midnight,¡± Ki ki said. ¡°This could be the mess happening at the Ol¡¯ Barn.¡± ¡°This feels wrong though,¡± I reasoned. ¡°No one is allowed to go to the Ol¡¯ Barn. And why would emergency services alert the people of something the Sheriff and Liam were in the 3/7 11:16 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 159 Intervention middle of? Come on. Sebastian and Cristos might know what¡¯s going on.¡± We fushed to Cristos¡¯ office to find them both in tactical gear. ¡°What the f uck?! You guys are going without me?¡± Ki ki eximed, closing the door behind her. ¡°What¡¯s going on anyway?¡± ¡°There is a group of seven men, disguised in animal Halloween masks, shooting at the mob camped outside Hignd Oaks,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°They¡¯ve killed all the deputies and guards and have entered the residential area. We need to stop this. This isn¡¯t right.¡± ¡°But you heard Bo,¡± I argued, remembering what happened to us yesterday, ¡°we aren¡¯t supposed to intervene.¡± ¡°My a ss. This isn¡¯t an intervention. This is a resque mission,¡± Kik i said, grabbing a suit hanging on the wall of Cristos¡¯ hidden armory. ¡°Dom is right, Virtue. We can¡¯t allow this to happen. These people are innocent.¡± She began to strip to her underwear. Both men turned their backs to give her privacy. ¡°We got the alert from Dina, Virtue,¡± Cristos said. ¡°Xavier was the one who sent the distress. signal. Sam is already on his way there to offer assistance.¡± ¡°Virtue, this is your size,¡± Ki ki said, throwing a suit at me. ¡°If you can save one life, that¡¯s plenty. Don¡¯t be afraid. You and I will be a team. I nodded my head and began to dress int the tactical suit. ¡°You guys areing with?¡± Sebastian asked. ¡°Of course, we¡¯reing with you. I can¡¯t allow you to have all the fun,¡± Ki ki said as she zipped up. ¡°Plus, you¡¯re injured and he¡¯s g ay.¡± She pointed to Cristos, stifling a giggle. ¡°You guys need us.¡± Cristos sighed. ¡°Fine.¡± He typed something on hisputer and up came the map to the subdivision on the huge monitor on his wall. ¡°We enter through the back near the coroner¡¯s house in front of the McDowell¡¯s. I will have Dina disengage any security system so we can move freely. No cars just bikes. Make sure you bring your harnesses and your night vision goggles because Dina will be cutting the power to that area. It will be pitch ck.¡± He pushed on a button and up came Dina on the screen. ¡°Dina I need all the CCTV footage you have of the shooters and when I say lights off, I want the power cut off in that grid. We are on our way to Hignd Oaks.¡± ¡°Copy Prima Dina said ¡°Thie I have of this mocked men includi as possible location:4/7 CHAPTER 159 Intervention Primo. They¡¯ve shot down most of the CCTV cameras, so I¡¯m waiting for Sam for intel.¡± Four against seven,¡± Ki ki mumbled, making sure the assault rifle she picked out of the armory was fully loaded. ¡°I like our odds.¡± ¡°Come on. We don¡¯t have much time,¡± Sebastian said, picking up his back pack. ¡°We have a lot of scared people we need to save.¡± Xavier It was mayhem down below. Liam¡¯s mercenaries positioned at the barn appeared to be surrounded, however they had reinforcements, nking, whom I assumed to be, Pete¡¯s hired guns. ¡°X, Link has activated his distress signal,¡± Dina suddenly said. I was right. Hignd Oaks was now a massacre site. ¡°The thugs have shot most of the CCTV¡¯s down, so Sam is my eyes for now.¡± The ultimate cover up. No wonder there was a coroner¡¯s van on standby near the barn. ¡°Tell Link to stand down unless his life is in danger,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t want his cover blown.¡± ¡°He is currently protecting the Mart¨ªn family at his home. He says he will not engage unle shot upon,¡± Dina confirmed. ¡°Primo, Domenico and the girls are at Hignd Oaks. They a going over the fence as we speak.¡± The girls? Go d forbid. ¡°Tell them I¡¯ll be on my way as soon as possible. I was having trouble finding Liam. His driver, Jack and the Sheriff were busy exchanging gunfire with the mercenaries closest to the main entrance of the barn. Unfortunately, the remaining townsfolk who tried to escape were gunned down in cold blood. There was nothing I can do to stop that. Liam wanted to take control of this town and he had to finish off every single one who was loyal to Pete. Honestly, I would be doing the same thing if I wanted to conquer a whole town. I searched for movement inside the barn, but couldn¡¯t see much until I saw Brock walk out +5/7 CHAPTER 159 Intervention the back and quickly shot at her without remorse. Suddenly, the back door opened again and out came Liam, stopping in his tracks, surprised to see Brock. He had a gun in his hand and aimed it at Brock who was smiling gleefully at him. I paused my breathing and waited for the wind, then I took the shot. I saw Brock¡¯s brain matter stter all over Liam¡¯s face. I aimed again at the mercenaries near Liam and shot at them, taking them down one by one until there was no one left. When the coast was clear, Liam quickly went back inside the barn, then emerged at the front. Jack was up against the barn door, wincing in pain while the Sheriff was assisting the coroner¡¯s van as the driver backed up at the entrance. Then, the Colonel appeared. I peered through my scope and saw Liam giving themst minute instructions. Suddenly, I heard the Colonel¡¯s voice on the radio. ¡°Eagle, I need you to trek back to groundAll rights ? N?velDrama.Org. level.¡± ? ¡°Dina, it¡¯s time for us to leave. Head over to Hignd Oaks. I want to know what¡¯s happening there and make sure Cristos, Sebastian and the girls are safe,¡± I instructed, grabbing my gun and dashing down the path to my dirt bike. As I was making my way down the hill, I noticed Liam¡¯s silver BMW. I quickly hid myself behind some trees. He was looking for me. Using my scope, I saw him with a pair of binocrs, surveying the hill. He was there for while until he gave up. They drove off, back towards the main road. ¡°X, you need to get off that hill,¡± Dina said. ¡°There are mercs hiking up the hill.¡± I do Liam a favor and this is the thanks I get for an intervention. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have a good hiding spot-¡± Out of nowhere, an explosion erupted. I climbed down the hill as fast as I could. ¡°X, Liam¡¯s car is headed back to the mansion and the mercenaries are fleeing the hill. Sam ced booby traps before leaving.¡± 6/7 Fri, Apr CHAPTER 159 Intervention I heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Link has just called Liam. The Martins want out of New Salem All this for a negotiation? Liam was on a killing spree. I had a bad feeling he was going to kill the Martins, Link included. ¡°Dina, how are Sebastian and Cristos entering Hignd Oaks?¡± Chapter Comments 2 POST COMMENT NOW Chapter 160 CHAPTER 160 Purge Link After discussing Liam Cohen¡¯s terms and conditions with Thomas Mart¨ªn at Norma¡¯s house, I went home. As I drove past the gates, I saw the people chanting, carrying cards or holding lit candles. The guards and the deputies stood idly by, allowing the people to voice out their sentiments. It was mostly women in the crowd, while the men, I suspected, were rtives of the various women sexually harassed by Ford. At home, I decided to stay up incase a riot erupted again. I didn¡¯t want anyone to spend the rest of the night in jail. I, for one, knew how it felt to be behind bars. It was the lowest part of my life. I was arrested once after my former girlfriend was found dead in her apartment. I had just gotten home after a tour of duty and since I had military training, I became the primary suspect of the police. Sam heard about it. We were acquaintances who happened to bump into each other from time to time during deployment. He sent Beaufort¡¯s best attorney to get me out. It was at that moment when I decided I wanted to be a defense attorney. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have money and I couldn¡¯t find an employer who wanted ex-militar to work for them. I went to Sam and asked him if he could help me find a job. He sent me t see Beaufort. For me, it was a blessing to be a member of the Blood Disciples. We have helped more people than the ones who call themselves the good guys. Case in point¡­ Liam and his circle of friends. I was happily enjoying a ss of bourbon when I heard gunshots. I stood up from my chair and peered through the windows. The gunshots sounded extremely close. It couldn¡¯t be the Mart¨ªns¡­ Norma¡¯s house was on the other side of Hignd Oaks. Images of the deputies shooting the women gathered at the gates suddenly shed through my mind. The gates were just a few blocks from this house. It¡¯s possible a riot was happening again. 1/8 11:17 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 160 Purge I was putting on my shoulder holster when Dina¡¯s voice sounded in my ear. I had forgotten to take off my earpiece. ¡°Link, there are several masked men who have entered Hignd Oaks. All are armed and are currently making their way to the mob. I¡¯ve alerted emergency services, however-¡± ¡°They y are at the Ol¡¯ Barn,¡± I said, cutting her off. I nced at my fancy wall clock and saw that it was midnight. I holstered my gun, grabbed my jacket and walked outside. If this was Liam¡¯s doing, I vowed I wouldn¡¯t leave New Salem until I saw him in body bag. Taking cover beneath the shadows of the beautiful oak trees that graced each property, I walked up to the gate. There I saw several men in animal masks. Judging by the clothing they were wearing, I suspected they were part of some skater punk gang. I noticed, despite being in muscle shirts, they were sweating profusely. I could tell by the damp cloth under their pits. They couldn¡¯t seem to stand still and were acting like crazed lu natics. I could only assume their erratic behavior was because they were high on drugs. I guess they were paid in crystal meth instead of cash. ¡°Put down your weapons,¡± a deputy said, pulling his gun out. ¡°Rx, po-po,¡± the one in the horse mask said. ¡°We just want to y a game of hide and go seek. Here are the mechanics. We¡¯re IT.¡± He pointed to himself. ¡°While you people are to hide. We¡¯ll give you twenty seconds. If we find you, we¡¯ll kill you.¡± Some people gasped while others chuckled in disbelief. Well, how could someone take them seriously when they had animal masks on? From where I was standing, I could only see four. A horse, a pig, a rat and a dog. Reminded me of theContent protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Lunar New Year. ¡°Dina, how many are they?¡± ¡°We count seven, but there might be more. They shot down the CCTV cameras, so I¡¯m going blind.¡± It was possible there were twelve of them based on the Chinese zodiac. I looked up at the trees debating whether I should climb or not so I could get a better view. My vantage point sucked. 2/8 CHAPTER 160 Purge ¡°We don¡¯t want to y your st upid game,¡± a man yelled. ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± Horseman said, raising his gun and aiming it at the man. The women around him cried out and moved away from him. ¡°I said, put your weapons down and step away from the crowd,¡± the deputy said once again. ¡°I¡¯m warning you. I will shoot!¡± ¡°F uck you, po-po!¡± The masked men began shooting at the guards and deputies. The crowd immediately dispersed, screaming, most of them entering the residential area. ¡°Twenty seconds starts now,¡± Horseman yelled beforeughing like a hyena. What was supposed to be a peaceful rally, had suddenly be bl oody. The people ran through the streets, scurrying for a ce to hide. I walked out into the open, waving my hands. ¡°Follow me. You can hide in my guesthouse. Hurry,¡± I yelled, running back towards my house. To my dismay, only a handful of people had followed me. Well, better that, than nothing. I was ushering them safely inside the guesthouse, when gunshots pierced the silence of the night. Time¡¯s up. Ready or not, here Ie! I was exiting my backyard to get more people when I saw the Mart¨ªns banging on my front door like their lives depended on it. ¡°Link, you have got to help us,¡± Norma cried out ¡°This isn¡¯t random. This is Liam trying to kill us. I think so too. ¡°Calm down,¡± I opened the door and ushered them inside. ¡°Stay here and hide. I need to help more people get to safety.¡± I switched off the lights in the living room. ¡°Pick a spot and whatever you do, keep quiet.¡± Once I was back outside, I whipped out my personal distress beacon and sent out a distress signal. The signal would activate any Blood Disciple within the area for a rescue 3/8 11:17 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 160 Purge The sound of gunfire continued amidst the screams of many frightened people and theughter of a bunch of animals. Honestly, this reminded me of the movie Purge. So many dead people and the perpetrators were so proud of their handiwork. Luckily, I was able to usher in more people into the guesthouse. More people, more lives saved. ¡°Everyone stay calm and don¡¯t make a sound,¡± I told the townsfolk. ¡°Keep the lights off, so they¡¯ll think no one is here. I¡¯ve alerted emergency services. Someone will be here soon.¡± ¡°T-they killed the deputies and the guards. I saw them do it,¡± a woman said tearfully ¡°You need to call the governor. We need SWAT.¡± I nodded my head and ced a hand on her shoulder. ¡°I understand. For now¡­ Just everyone¡­ please stay calm. I know you¡¯re scared, but we¡¯re going to survive this. I promise.¡± I went back inside through the back door to check on my very important guests. They were huddled together behind the kitchen counter. ¡°If Liam promises us safe passage, I¡¯ll give him what he wants. Never mind negotiating with my boss. My life is more important than her cut Tomas said as I entered. Another gunshot rang out, making me duck down. Even I was afraid. From his inner coat pocket, he took out the deed of sale I had given him earlier, signed it and handed the document to me. ¡°Here. I signed it. Just tell him to give us safe passage, please,¡± Tomas begged. ¡°I¡¯ll give him a call then. You guys stay here in the kitchen.¡± I grabbed my phone from the living room and dialed that so no fab itch. He answered. ¡°Are they willing to negotiate now?¡± I heard the amusement in his voice. It must be him. ¡°Mayor Cohen, yes. Mr. Mart¨ªn is willing to settle,¡± I said. Now call off your thugs! I wanted to scream at him, but I bit my tongue. I had to act as if I was clueless. ¡°That¡¯s good news. I¡¯ll be there as soon as possible. I just need to clean myself up.¡± He quickly hung up. 4/8 11:17 Fri, Apr CATER 160 Purge What the f uck did that mean? ¡°What did he say?¡± Norma asked. ¡°He¡¯s on his way here,¡± I answered, lying. I saw the relief on her face. However, the relief was only momentary. Gunfire erupted and it seemed to be getting closer. I quickly turned off the lights in the kitchen which made Norma scream. ¡°Keep quiet or we are all going to die, I warned Norma. She nodded her head and covered her mouth with her hands. I heard static from my earpiece; it was most probably Dina with an update. ¡°Link, we¡¯re here.¡± It was Domenico¡¯s voice. I heaved a huge sigh of relief. I pretended I was answering a call and moved to the living room area. ¡°I have a guesthouse full of frightened people and the Mart¨ªns are here.¡± I peeked through the opening of my curtains and saw several shadows. ¡°They should consider themselves lucky. There¡¯s a sh itload of dead bodies lying on the street,¡± he said, dryly. ¡°By the way, do you have night vision goggles? I suggest you grab them. Dina will be cutting off the power soon.¡± I grabbed my night vision goggles from the vintage cab in the foyer, including my silencer. ¡°Goggles check. Gun check,¡± I whispered, pocketing my silencer while I held on to my goggles. ¡°Good. There are people running down the street,¡± Domenico said. ¡°I need you to pull them. to safety while I get a location of the first target. He seems to be hiding behind those trees.¡± I went back to the kitchen where the Mart¨ªns were hiding. ¡°I need you to go upstairs,¡± I instructed the Mart¨ªns. ¡°Pick a room and lock it. Don¡¯t open it unless it¡¯s me.¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Norma asked, frightened. ¡°Help more people,¡± I answered. ¡°Please do as I say. Now.¡± Norma and Tomas scurried up the stairs while Ford stayed behind, cing a hand on my 5/8 CHAPTER 160 Purge ¡°Thank you. Now help your parents. They need to stay quiet.¡± He nodded his head and went up e stairs. I walked to the front door, opened it and saw four people running, asking for help. I waved at them,gesturing to them to run to me. They made a dash for it, however, a sudden gunshot rang out. One of the four, a man, copsed on the ground, causing the three, who were all women, to freeze from panic. I ran towards them, taking my gun out and praying I could bring them in safely. ¡°Dina, cut the power,¡± I heard Domenico say. And just like that, all the lights went out. I slipped on my goggles and made my way to the three women. ¡°Don¡¯t scream,¡± I whispered. ¡°I¡¯m Link. I live over there. I need you to follow me. arms and let me assist you.¡± I felt two hands grab me. I was missing one. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she whined. Grab my ¡°Yes, you can,¡± I said. ¡°Just hold on to me. I can see where we need to go.¡± I felt her shaking. fingers graze my arm, so I grabbed her hand and ced it securely under my arm. ¡°Follow me. Slowly and quietly.¡± They followed me across my yard without any problems. I quietly assisted them into my house, managing to get them to sit on my leather sofa in the living room. ¡°One is hiding behind the tree in your neighbor¡¯s yard while another one is using his phone to light his way here,¡± Domenico said. ¡°I suspect they know the Mart¨ªns are in your house.¡± Fantastic. ¡°Just keep quiet. I¡¯ll be back,¡± I told the three women before closing the door. ¡°This is Liam¡¯s doing, right?¡± I had to be sure. ¡°This is definitely Liam¡¯s doing,¡± Domenico replied. ¡°Expendable crazed addicts. I need you to. shoot at the one walking while I take down the one behind the tree. Call it out after the target has been neutralized so we know how many is left.¡± Crouching low, I ran to my driveway, hiding behind my car. After screwing on my silencer, I took a quick peek to locate the one walking towards us. I saw him and aimed my gun at his chest. 6/8 11:17 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 160 Purge I squeezed the trigger, hitting him in the heart. He went down with a thud. ¡°One down,¡± I counted off. Finally, these a ssholes were going down. At the sound of a smartphone hitting pavement, his friend, who was hiding behind my neighbor¡¯s oak tree, went out into the open. Sebastian, who was positioned at the house in front of mine, killed him using an assault rifle. I knew the sound of the assault rifle was going to alert his buddies, but since it was pitch. ck, I doubted if they could find their way here¡­ or anywhere. ¡°Two down,¡± Domenico counted off. ¡°There¡¯s another one headed towards your direction, D,¡± a familiar female voice said through coms. Joy? She¡¯s here? Respect. ¡°Got it, V, Domenico replied. ¡°Link, hold your position.¡± Suddenly, a loud gunshot,ing from a distance, erupted. I could have sworn I heard the wh izzing sound of a bullet pass by. ¡°Three down,¡± Sam said throughs. ¡°You guys counted seven, but there¡¯s three at th and two at the other side of the residential area. Holler if you need me, okay? Right now going to assist the girls.¡± ¡°Copy that,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°Where¡¯s X?¡± ¡°On his way. He got held up on the hill. By the way, Link, he needs you to prepare for extraction.¡± ¡°Roger,¡± I said, wondering why. I shrugged my shoulders¡­ there is always a reason why. I opened the door to my house and the three women screamed. I had forgotten about them. ¡°Hey, hey, hey. It¡¯s just me,¡± I said, ¡°No need to scream.¡± ¡°The SWAT is here, aren¡¯t they?¡± One of the women asked, a hopeful tone in her voice. She must have board the aeroule 7/8 11:17 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 160 Purge ¡°Yup,¡± I answered, hoping the affirmation would help soothe them. All three women let out sighs of relief. ¡°We¡¯re going to be alright then,¡± one said Chapter 161 CHAPTER 161 Hignd Oaks Massacre Joy From the pub, we drove to themercialplex to change our mode of transportation. Parked in Xavier¡¯s warehouse were several motorcycles. We each took one motorcycle and drove off towards Hignd Oaks with Cristos as our leader. We veered off the main road heading to the high-end residential area and drove on the grassy terrain, passing through sc attered trees and vegetation, until we approached the forest that hid part of the tall brick wall that formed the beautiful enclosure of Hignd Oaks. ¡°Dina, we¡¯re on site,¡± Cristos said as we parked our bikes under a tall cottonwood tree. The forest surrounding Hignd Oaks was surprisingly well-kept. There were hardly any dried leaves on the ground and the grass and bushes were trimmed. The people who lived here undoubtedly spent a lot of money keeping thendscape behind the wall maintained. Judging by the beautifully furnished roof decks and terraces, the scenery the forest had to offer was the allure of thismunity. is at ¡°ording to Sam, the masked men have divided themselves into groups. One group the gate, one at the far east, another at the center while thest group is right in your area, Dina said. ¡°Okay, so that means we have to split up,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°Girls, you stay here at the coroner¡¯s house, while C and I head for the center first. Then, C, you and I will split up. You take the far east and I, the gate.¡± ¡°Wait. Hold on a sec. You¡¯re injured, D,¡± Ki ki argued. ¡°You stay here while the three of us head out.¡± ¡°She¡¯s right, D,¡± Cristos said. ¡°You and Link secure this perimeter. The girls and I will clear the center first before splitting up.¡± Sebastian scowled, but he had no say in the matter. His stitches may not hold if he were to engage with any of the masked men. ¡°Fine,¡± he reluctantly agreed. ¡°You guys have your CCTV cameras with you?¡± ¡°Yep. Don¡¯t worry, Dina. You¡¯ll have eyes soon,¡± Cristos said. 1/8 11:17 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 161 Hignd Oaks Massacre ¡°Copy,¡± Dina¡¯said. ¡°Outdoor security systems are off. Primo, I have to warn you¡­ These perps knew where the CCTV cameras were and they also know the homes with outdoor security systems. And up to now, I don¡¯t know how they got inside. Clearly, they had help.¡± ¡°This is Liam¡¯s work,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°And what about Hughes?¡± Ki ki asked. ¡°She could have done this.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t her forte,¡± Cristos reasoned while gunshots rang out from inside themunity. ¡°We¡¯ll argue about thister. Right now, we need to save all those innocent people.¡± ¡°Dina, standby,¡± Sebastian said throughs. ¡°Wait for my signal to cut the power to this grid.¡± One by one, we went up the wall. After signaling for us to hold our positions, Sebastian went ahead and positioned himself behind a bunch of bushes surrounding a tree at the front of the coroner¡¯s yard. ¡°Link, we¡¯re here,¡± Sebastian said, informing Link. ¡°I have a guesthouse full of frightened people and the Mart¨ªns are here,¡± Link said, his anxiety straining his voice.. ¡°It¡¯s a small gang of seven and from what we can tell from their erratic behavior is that all seven of them are high. Do you have night vision goggles? Grab them. Dina will be cutting off the power soon,¡± Sebastian whispered. ¡°Goggles check. Gun check.¡± ¡°Good. There are people running down the street,¡± Sebastian said, peeking over the bushes. ¡°I need you to pull them to safety while I get a location of the first target. He seems to be hiding in the trees.¡± Link came out of his front door waving at the four people who were scurrying to find a hiding spot. All of a sudden from behind an oak tree located in Link¡¯s neighbor¡¯s yard, a man with a goat mask stepped out, shot at them thenughed. I head Sebastian¡¯s sharp intake of breath. ¡°Dina, cut the power,¡± Sebastian said. Cristos, K iki and I quickly slipped on our night vision googles over our heads, giving us a clear view. I saw Link guiding the people safely into his house while Sebastian screwed on a CCTV camera on the tree. 2/8 ¦¥¦° CHAPTER 161 Hignd Oaks Massacre ¡°Go,¡± Sebastian ordered us. ¡°Count down once you¡¯ve neutralized a target.¡± The three of us stood up from our hiding spots and walked quietly through the yard and onto the street. K iki signaled us and pointed to one of the masked men wearing a wolf mask making his way down the street towards Sebastian. ¡°Let D handle that,¡± Cristos whispered. We parted allowing Mr. Wolf free ess. ¡°Follow me. This way to the center.¡± We slowly walked through the eerie streets where bodiesy, sc attered on the cold, dark pavement. I could already see the headlines on tomorrow¡¯s news¡­ ¡°Many Shot Dead: Hignd Oaks Massacre¡±. From behind the bushes of a yard, a man with a pig¡¯s mask emerged, walking towards us. He was talking on his phone. ¡°McDowell residence,¡± he uttered, passing us. ¡°What the f uck is a deed of sale anyway? Alright. I got Wolf and Goat in that area. We¡¯ll kill them and search the house.¡± He picked up the pace and headed towards Sebastian. Sebastian was right. This was Liam¡¯s work.. As we walked further into the gatedmunity, we heard gunshots. ¡°One down,¡± said Link. ¡°Two down,¡± said Sebastian. ¡°There is another headed towards your direction, D,¡± I said. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Got it, V, Sebastian replied. ¡°Link, hold your position.¡± A sudden gunshot erupted, echoing from a distance, which caused the nearby people to scream and cry out. It was loud¡­rge caliber. ¡°Three down,¡± Sam said throughs. ¡°You guys counted seven, but there¡¯s three at the gate and two at the other side of the residential area. I¡¯m going to assist the girls.¡± ¡°Copy that,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°Where¡¯s X?¡± 3/8 11:17 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 161 Hignd Oaks Massacre extraction¡± ¡°You heard Sam,¡± Cristos said, pausing to screw on a CCTV camera on a nearby tree. ¡°Let¡¯s split up. Count down when you¡¯ve killed your target. We gave him a salute and veered off, making our way to the gates of Hignd Oaks. There were a bunch of people hiding in that area, afraid to move. It was pretty smart to guard the gate. No one in or out. There were dead bodies lying on the street, on the sidewalks, and thewns of the houses. It was s so sad to see how these rich people only thought of themselves. None of them opened their homes to save one life. None. I saw a woman walking on the road, clutching her arm. I was about to help her, but Ki ki grabbed me and shook her head. ¡°If she cries out, we¡¯re good as dead,¡± K iki whispered. ¡°The only way to help her and all these people is to kill these b astards. Come on.¡± I felt a pain in my heart as we passed the wounded woman, but K iki was right. If I tried to help her, she would definitely turn hysterical. A gunshot at the gates rang out, causing those hidden near it to cry out and scream. There were more people than I imagined. ording to Sam, there were three shooters guarding the gate. As we approached, we saw r the third shooter. We one with a rat mask and another with a horse mask on. We looked couldn¡¯t find him. He was hiding somewhere. We needed to ask Sam. ¡°Sam, third shooter¡¯s location?¡± K iki whispered. ¡°He¡¯s right above you,¡± Sam said. I looked up and there he was, seated on a thick branch of the huge oak tree, ying with his assault rifle. The mask he had on was a gori head. ¡°I¡¯ll shoot him down to grab the other two¡¯s attention. When they walk in, shoot them in the back.¡± *Copy,¡± I whispered. 4/8 11:17 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 161 Hignd Oaks Massacre the wall. Since we needed to wait, I ced a CCTV camera above my head. When I was done, I peeked around the brick wall and saw a pair of headlights approaching. We needed to kill these two before that car arrived. I took my gun out and screwed on a silencer. Each gunshot made these people cry out. I didn¡¯t want to add to their stress. ¡°Standby,¡± Sam said. I looked up and saw Mr. Gori-Head, aiming his gun at the window of the closest house. He was getting bored. A loud gunshot sounded, followed by the characteristic wh izzing sound of a bullet. The nearby people screamed, agitating Mr. Gori-head. He aimed his weapon, using the people¡¯s cries as his guage. However, the bullet pierced his chest before he could move or react. He fell from the with a loud thud causing the nearby people to scream. ¡°Four down,¡± Sam counted down. tree The raucous caused the two masked bandits to enter the residential area. They quickly made their way towards the cries and pleas, aiming their guns at their direction. Before they could shoot, Ki ki and I aimed our weapons at their backs, squeezing our triggers almost simultaneously. They fell to the ground like paper. ¡°Five down,¡± I counted down. ¡°Six down. Come on, V,¡± K iki whispered. ¡°Back to the coroner¡¯s house. We can¡¯t be seen.¡± She pointed at the headlights. ¡°Sam keep an eye out for more, including that car. That car may have reinforcements.¡± ¡°Roger.¡± Before following K iki, I took my goggles off and peered through my binocrs to take a look at the iing car. It had the characteristic BMW emblem. ¡°Liam¡¯s here,¡± I growled, pocketing my binocrs. I raised my gun, wanting to shoot, but I had to wait. ¡°Soon, V. You¡¯ll get that a sshole soon. But until then, may all of this weigh on his conscience¡­ heavily.¡± 5/8 11:17 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 161 Hignd Oaks Massacre Cristos ¡°Four down,¡± said Sam. ¡°Five down,¡± said Joy. ¡°Six down,¡± said K iki. Two left. There were bodies everywhere. This was just in cruel. Liam¡¯s n, I assumed, was to cover up the deaths at the Ol¡¯ Barn and the deaths of the Martins by creating a massacre. ¡°I have two in my sights,¡± I whispered. I had cautiously walked towards thest two shooters who looked as if they were wandering around. The moon was covered by the clouds, so there wasn¡¯t an ounce of light.. These idiots didn¡¯t even bring a shlight. ¡°Dude, I can¡¯t see s hit,¡± I heard the one with a bird¡¯s maskin. ¡°I¡¯m going to take my mask off.¡± ¡°You f ucking m oron. You want people to know who you are? We¡¯ll be castrated and left to b eaten by the vultures when people find out we did this,¡± the one with the dog mask said. ¡°How about we use our phones?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡± Bird said. ¡°Hold on. My phone is here somewhere. He struggled to find his phone. I was right behind them. I could smell the acidic scent of their sweat. I¡¯m guessing they could smell me too. ¡°You smell that?¡± Dog asked, sniffing. ¡°Smell what?¡± Bird answered with a question. He was still fishing out his phone from his pocket. What a loser. cologne Dog answered pulling out his phone from his pocket. 6/8 * 11:17 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 161 Hignd Oaks Massacre ¡°Boo!¡± I aimed my gun at the back of their heads and pulled the trigger. They both fell forward. ¡°Seven and eight down,¡± I said throughs. ¡°Heading back to the coroner¡¯s.¡± As I ran back, I noticed a car speeding towards this direction. We needed to leave. We were about to head up the wall when we saw someonee down. It was Xavier. ¡°Found you,¡± Xavier said. ¡°Why are you here?¡± I asked. ¡°All this s hit was Liam¡¯s idea. The killing isn¡¯t over. No one knows the shooters are dead. I suspect, Liam is going to make it look like he is negotiating with the criminals when in fact he¡¯ll be killing the Martins, Link included. We need to get Link to safety.¡± Xavier slipped on his goggles and walked casually towards the Old McDowell house. We followed him while the girls stayed behind. ¡°Link, make it appear you are talking on your phone. Liam ising to kill you. You need to leave.¡± ¡°What about the people in my guesthouse?¡± ¡°Liam won¡¯t touch them, but you¡­ you need to leave.¡± *I can¡¯t leave the Mart¨ªns here. If they die here, they¡¯ll pin it on me and I¡¯ll be part of the police most wanted.¡± Xavier scratched his head. Saving anyone from the Angels of Darkness was like saving a snake. *Fine,¡± Xavier reluctantly agreed. ¡°Girls, you go ahead. We can¡¯t allow your cover to be blown.¡± ¡°Copy.¡± ¡°Masks on and no speaking,¡± Xavier ordered us. Lou, I need a van to transport the Mart¨ªns. and make sure you have ck hoods to cover their heads. We¡¯ll meet you at the boundary to Arnold County.¡± 7/8 11:17 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 1 ¡°Copy that, X.¡± Hignd Oaks Massacre ¡°Link, open the door.¡± Xavier walked in and came out with the Martins. He took Tomas, pushed Ford to Sebastian while Link assisted Norma. ¡°A BMW has stopped at the gates,¡± Sam said. ¡°Get out!¡± As a demonstration, Xavier went up and over the wall. It was a struggle, but we were able to get the Martins over the fence. Once Link was on the other side of the wall, Sebastian followed. That¡¯s when I noticed a shlight heading towards our direction. I clicked on my harness and up I went. Liam was here. Chapter Comments Morgan I heard* VIEW 1 COMMENT > 2 < SHARE POST COMMENT 8/8 11:17 Fri, Apr 5 Chapter 162 CHAPTER 162 If They Only Knew Liam I couldn¡¯t get a hold of Demon. His phone just kept on ringing. I decided to call the Sheriff instead. ¡°Are you finished at the Ol¡¯ Barn? I asked. ¡°Yep. Everything is clean,¡± the Sheriff said. ¡°We¡¯re on our way to Hignd Oaks in our tactical suits.¡± ¡°Good. Go to the back of Hignd Oaks. At the hidden door, there should be a bunch of motorcycles and a gang of masked men. Kill them. Use silencers.¡± I looked behind me. There were several cars at a distance headed this way. ¡°Henry, drive faster. I need to get there before anyone else does.¡± I knew I shouldn¡¯t have cleaned myself up, but there was blood all over my mouth and face. As we sped down the road towards Hignd Oaks, I noticed it was pitch ck outside. There was no power, not even the streetlights along the road were on. How was it possible that the rest of the town had power while this high-end residential area had none? Just before we reached the gates of themunity, Henry abruptly stopped, causing me to hit the passenger seat in front of me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why did you stop?¡± I asked, rubbing my forehead. ¡°Mayor, there are bodies lying on the pavement, Henry answered. ¡°I can¡¯t drive on them, over them or around them. There¡¯s just too many of them.¡± What?! ¡°They were only supposed to kill the Martins. I gave distinct instructions to make it appear as if they were shooting at people. Sure, maybe wound some, but not kill. The people were supposed to be a cover up. What happened?!¡± I yelled. He winced at the sound of my loud voice, amplified within the confines of the car. ¡°Mayor Cohen, didn¡¯t I suggest you use your guards instead of employing a gang Bismarck? I also suggested not to give them drugs until the job was done. It would keep from 1/7 11:17 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 162 If They Only Knew imagined these people to be bunny rabbits or something,¡± Henry pointed out. I rubbed my forehead. This was my fault. I promised Demon anything if he and his crew did this for me. He, unfortunately, wanted a down- payment in the form of drugs. ¡°Henry, I needed people who were disposable if ever they were caught,¡± I remarked, ¡°and my guards would point directly to me as the mastermind. No one should know it was me.¡± I pointed out. ¡°Well, I need to get inside. The Martins aren¡¯t at their home which leads me to assume they¡¯re at the old McDowell residence. I need to pretend I¡¯m saving them, so I can kill them and pin it on this gang. These idiots haven¡¯t done the one thing I instructed them to do.¡± ¡°Mayor, I highly suggest not to. These addicts may still be inside, armed. They will kill you-¡± -Henry was unable to finish his sentence. He was interrupted by the loud screamsing from outside. People from inside the residential area poured out through the gates, pushing against each other. They ran wildly in every direction while screaming and yelling like crazed animals. The light from my car was their beacon of light. Perfect. They¡¯ll think I¡¯m their hero. ¡°Turn off the headlights once I¡¯ve gone through the gates,¡± I told Henry. ¡°I think the gang has left the vicinity or these people wouldn¡¯t be running out. I¡¯ll be in and out, before Jack and the rest of the people get here. And don¡¯t worry, I have my bulletproof vest on and I¡¯m armed.¡± Before I walked out of the car, I took a shlight from the glovepartment. Lucklily, the massive number of people scrambling out earlier hadpletely thinned down, there was no need to push my way through to enter the gatedmunity. If the Martins weren¡¯t at home, then it only meant they were at Link¡¯s house¡­ the Old McDowell residence. I figured they would go to him after the paranoia of believing they were the target set in. No problem. I knew my way there even in the dark. 2/7 CHAPTER 162 They Only Knew Once I was inside Hignd Oaks, Henry shut off the headlign: just as he was instructed. leaving the residential area inplete and utter darkness once more. I nced behind me and noticed the cars were now a short distance away. I turned my shlight on and can down the street, avoiding the bodies that were strewn all over the concrete road. Come tomorrow, he would be a nightmare for me, but I already had a n in mind. I just tested to throw some money at ¡­. Just in time too. The Spring Fortey Bee Celebration wouldmence in a couple of days. Money and parties would make this all go away. At the Old McDowell residence. I found the from door of the house open to my surprise. walked in my shlight on, vandering where they were. I went upstairs and found all the rooms empr. I tried the basement and found it empty as wel Where could they be? I was standing in the h o ren. looking through the window out into the satyard and notions the guesthouse. If they weren¡¯t there, then I¡¯d like it to Norma sihouse to the. Maybe Demon overlooked a hidden door or something I turned to exit through ste back door when I saw a piece of paper on the Anchen counter was a small note. Tomas has signed the text of sale. I will zul you to make arrangements. I crumpled the piece of paper and threw it in the sink. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Link had the deed of sale and the Martins were gone. Go d d ammn: The Mans were so f ucking lucity. pulled out my phone to locate them using the tracker in Tinmas car, but strange pinged at Norma¡¯s house They must have used Linic¡¯s car. F uck! I didn¡¯t have a tracker on it. 11:17 Fri, Apr 5 M EP 169 If Thou CHAPTER 162 If They Only Knew And this darkness all around me was not helping. I decided to call the power cooperative. Not having any light was f ucking irritating. ¡°I need the power back on at Hignd Oaks. There¡¯s a situation here and we need-¡± And like magic, the power came back on. Was someone f ucking with me? ¡°Thank power is back on,¡± I said and hung up. What the f uck was going on? Did Pete know about this? Was he behind all of this? It was impossible. I made these arrangements yesterday afternoon. Was he watching me? you. That Maybe his capo was following me. I¡¯ve been meaning to search through my father¡¯s files for his identity, but I keep forgetting. I will do that first thing once I get home. I walked out the kitchen, confused and anxious. As I passed the living room, three women screamed. They made me jump from fright. ¡°Oh my gosh! Mayor Cohen! We didn¡¯t know it was you. We thought it was one of the shooters,¡± the youngest said before bursting into tears. ¡°Oh thank Go d! This means we¡¯re saved.¡± ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s get you outside, so emergency services can help,¡± I said. ¡°Link told us to tell our rescuers there are people in the guesthouse,¡± the oldest of the three said. ¡°You know Link?¡± I asked surprised. ¡°Not really,¡± the oldest answered. ¡°He saved us from a shooter and told us to stay here, so he can help more people. We don¡¯t know what happened to him? Is he okay?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I came looking for him because he called on me for help. But first, let¡¯s check on those people at the guesthouse,¡± I said ushering them out the front door. Outside, I saw Link¡¯s car parked out front. If Thomas¡¯ car is still at Norma¡¯s and his car is here, how did they leave? Maybe they used Norma¡¯s car. I sighed. I didn¡¯t have a tracker on her car either. I¡¯ll have the/7 11:17 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 162 If They Only Knew With the three women clutching my jacket, we went to the back to help the people in the guesthouse. I tried the door k nob to see if it was locked. It wasn¡¯t. Screams erupted as I swung the door open. I switched on the lights and found the guesthouse packed with frightened people. When they saw me, they all let out a sigh of relief. ¡°We¡¯re saved!¡± They all cheered. I ced a finger on my mouth to shush them. If they only knew¡­ ¡°When we are all out, you can cheer. For now, I need everyone to stay quiet. Come on everyone. Follow me,¡± I instructed. They followed me quietly through the streets and out of the gates where emergency services and the media greeted them. Everyone broke out into an apuse as I brought the people out to safety. Jack who was standing beside a body of a fallen deputy, looked shocked to see me with so many people. ¡°Mayor, how does it feel to be a hero?¡± One of the press asked. I needed to make an ambiguous statement. ¡°If there is a hero, it is the people who go far and beyond the call of duty. This is a tragic event. Let us mourn for the people we have lost. Excuse me. There are pressing matters I have to attend to.¡± The deputies at the scene were cing yellow tape up, prohibiting the public from entering the area. I made my way to the people processing the crime scene and gave them instructions to give me a list of names of the deceased so I can provide benefits to the families. I walked to Jack who was still standing over the body of his deputy. He had his bulletproof vest on, waiting for his men who were busy putting on theirs. His face was dark, his jaw clenched, and his hands balled into fists. ¡°Liam, please tell me you had nothing to do with this,¡± Jack whispered, his voice eerily low. ¡°Jack, people can¡¯t just disappear. I needed a way to make everything look like a massacre without using the Killing Fields as a burial site, I reasoned. ¡°Plus, I also needed a way to kill the Martins without making it look like they were the intended targets. 5/7 11:17 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 162 If They Only Knew ¡°Good men lost their lives today,¡± Jack said, his hands balled up into fists. ¡°This didn¡¯t need to happen.¡± ¡°Well, the damage has been done. I don¡¯t need to remind you that you are as much a part of this as I am,¡± I murmured low. ¡°You make me sick,¡± Jack muttered angrily. ¡°After today, you are on your own. I don¡¯t want to be part of any of this anymore.¡± ¡°If you turn your back on me now, I¡¯ll make sure you never get appointed as Undersheriff u go down with again,¡± I threatened. ¡°And before you get any bright ideas, if I go down, you go me.¡± He stared at me like I was a lost cause. da warning. ¡°Liam, I¡¯ve done so much for you. But not like this,¡± Jack said, his tone held ¡°You¡¯re going to pay for the burials andpensate their families or we¡¯re through.¡± ¡°Done,¡± I replied. ¡°Jack, I¡¯m doing this for all our sakes. After tonight, this town is ours. No more treading on eggshells. We will be kings. I¡¯ll even make sure your debt is wiped clean. forever. You can start a new life with Kik i. Buy a nice house, raise a family. Trust me, Jack.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m going to be a king, I don¡¯t want anymore of this s hit. We are here to protect and serve,¡± Jack reminded me. ¡°Well, this is going to be a long night. I need to process the whol residential area, but before I can do that, I need to make sure this area is clear.¡± ¡°The Sheriff is on his way to contain the area. Make sure no one is alive.¡± Jack nodded his head and walked away. Jack headed towards the deputy coroner, leaving instructions to bag the deputy, then gestured for his deputies to follow him inside Hignd Oaks. I told those punks to cause mayhem without hurting people. If they had to shoot at the people, shoot them in the leg or arm¡­ To pretend they were on a killing spree. But this, this was an actual mass shooting. ¡°Mayor Cohen,¡± a woman said, tapping my shoulder. ¡°Thank you for saving my life. You¡¯re my hero.¡± 6/7 CHAPTER 142 Toey Only Ce I smiled sadly, nodding my head in appreciation. But I want a hero. I walked over to the ambulimeas to check on the people. To my surprise, I found Link sitting on a shorter, getting lunest checked by the EMTs. He lips curved into a lopsided smile, but his eyes held a coldness in its depth, 20 Unfortatuttely, he had my dead of sale I vowed to deal with distr Chapter Comments He los dora hires held a coldness in maire desthe SHAOR POST COMME 11:17 FM, Apr Chapter 163 CHAPTER 163 Suspects Jack After instructing emergency services to bag the deputy lying on the side of the road leading. to Hignd Oaks, I entered the residential area with all the deputies I had at my disposal. We needed to check its residents, evacuate if necessary, and take down the suspects. There was only one way in or out and that was through the gates. But ording to the victims, the suspects appeared from inside Hignd Oaks. It was a possibility they got in by climbing the wall. And if indeed they were already gone, they must have exited the same way. If this were me, I¡¯d leave at the first sight of shing lights. pe was their Judging from the carnage, the suspects knew they would be killed on sight. Escape only way of surviving. They must be gone. I pulled out my phone and called the station. ¡°I need checkpoints at all the entrances and exits in town. Suspects are wearing skater punk outfits and may be on drugs. Be advised. They are armed and dangerous.¡± The witness I interrogated when I arrived at the scene said the shooters were wearing animal Halloween masks. He said there were maybe six to ten of them, he wasn¡¯t sure. They all appeared from inside Hignd Oaks with guns in their hands. Judging by their outfits, he said they looked like skater punks, wearing muscle shirts, baggy paints and sneakers. ¡°They said they wanted to y ¡®Hide and Seek. They told us they would give us twenty seconds to hide and if they found us, they would kill us. We all thought it was a joke at first, but when they started shooting at the guards and the deputies, we all made a run for it. inside Hignd Oaks,¡± he said. ¡°We tried banging on the doors of the residents inside, but they wouldn¡¯t let us in.¡± ¡°Do you remember the masks they were wearing?¡± I asked. ¡°Let me see¡­ One had a gori mask on. Another had a werewolf mask on. Then, there was one with a nasty pig head mask, one with a crazy rat mask, a creepy goat mask, a horse mask, and a dog mask. I think there was one with a bird mask on, but I can¡¯t remember. All I remember is they had really animal masks on.¡± ¡°You¡¯re shivering and look all wet,¡± I said, noticing the water dripping from his clothes. 1/6 11:17 H, Apr CHAPTER 163 Suspects ¡°I hid in one of the pools. It was the only way I could hide without anyone giving my location away. The women just kept screaming. There was a group hidden in a toy house about several feet away from where I was. This one woman, who was with them, couldn¡¯t stop crying. The one wearing the werewolf mask found them and killed all of them. There was nothing I could do,¡± he said regretfully, his eyes downcast. ¡°If I had only brought my gun with me, I would have probably saved a life or two in there. But it was no use. They knew where to find us. Good thing the power went off It bought the others some time to find a good hiding spot.¡± ¡°The power went out?¡± I asked. When I arrived the power was on. I did notice the streetlights were out on my way here, but those things happen. ¡°Yeah, about a good fifteen minutes maybe twenty. I¡¯m not sure. Anyway, the ba stards had trouble finding their way in the dark,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t know if this is helpful, but they seemed utterly happy when they shot a person dead. It was like they were high or something.¡± ¡°And how did you know it was safe toe out?¡± I asked. ¡°I saw the lights from a car. Then, I saw the people hiding in the nearby tree climb down and make a run for it. I decided it was better if I ran out with them. For cover,¡± he stated, then his eyes widened in embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jack. I didn¡¯t mean it that way. It¡¯s just, you know, my survival instincts kicking in. I hope you won¡¯t take it the wrong way.¡± ¡°I understand. No need to be embarrassed. You¡¯ve been really helpful, Greg,¡± I said, ending the interrogation. ¡°I think you should change out of those wet clothes and get something warm to drink before you catch a cold.¡± When I saw Liame out through the gates that was the only time I noticed his ck BMW parked off on the side of the road. I had a sinking feeling he was the mastermind of this mess. And I was right. He hired a bunch of doped out gan gba ngers to cause mayhem. What I didn¡¯t understand was why they had to kill all these people? But Liam wasn¡¯t sure there would be a mob here¡­ only untilte in the evening. If that were the case, what were his original ns? To kill the residents? I doubted it. Kill Norma, Ford and Thomas? It was highly possible. ¡°Guns out,¡± I instructed the deputies as we passed through the gates. ¡°We are looking for 2/6 porns wearing animal Halloween masks.¡± 11:17 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 163 Suspects ¡°Jack, here¡¯s one,¡± a deputy named Frank said, pointing to a dead body in the middle of the entrance. ¡°And there¡¯s another.¡± He pointed to a dead body in front of me. This one was my wearing a crazy rat mask. I holstered my gun and took out a pair oftex gloves from pocket. ¡°I want you guys to knock on the doors of the houses and see to it the people inside our safe,¡± I instructed the others. I crouched down to check for a pulse. He was dead. There was a gaping wound in his back. ¡°This one was shot in the back,¡± I said. ¡°What about that one, Frank?¡± He bent down to take a look. ¡°Same. Hole in the back,¡± he answered. ¡°What mask is he wearing?¡± I asked. Frank turned his head and shifted his position to get a look without moving the dead body. ¡°Scary horse mask, Undersheriff,¡± he replied. ¡°Jack, here¡¯s another,¡± a deputy named William said. He was standing beneath a huge oak tree beside the road. This used to be a ce where old oak trees thrived. The contractor cut them down leaving a few for aesthetic reasons. I walked over and saw a big a ss hole where his heart was. Looked long range and big caliber. S niper? ¡°He¡¯s the one with the gori mask,¡± I said. ¡°We got three dead. Greg said he saw maybe six to ten of them. That means there are more we need to find.¡± I decided to go left and check near Norma Martin¡¯s house. They were Liam¡¯s intended target, so there must be a couple of perps lurking there Unlike the area near the gates, this ce was clean of carnage. My guess¡­ because it was further away from the gates. I saw Norma Martin¡¯s house and several vehicles parked in front of it. All the lights in her house were turned on, so I decided to take a look. ¡°You guys make sure there aren¡¯t any bodies at the end,¡± I instructed the deputies. ¡°I¡¯m going to check here. The mob was here because of the Martins. They could probably be the reason. why there were shooters here in the first ce. I rang the doorbell. No answer. I knocked. 3/6 11:17 Fri, Apr. CHAPTER 163 Suspects To my surprise, the door swung open. ¡°Norma! Ford! This is Undersheriff Jack Emery,¡± I yelled out. Nothing. I decided to walk in and check. The ce looked like it was searched. Everything was in disarray. I also noticed the pillows on the couch had bullet holes and the paintings on the walls were shed with knives. The kitchen was the same¡­ all a mess. Cabs and drawers were open, broken tes, sses and mugs on the floor. These as sholes were instructed to find something. It must have something to do with the pharmacy. I remembered Liam talking about a deed of sale with Link earlier. That must be it. I went upstairs and found the bedrooms all cluttered. The master bedroom was the worst. Norma¡¯s walk-in closet was all one big mess. I noticed Norma¡¯s jewelry box was empty and her safe was open. I moved the door to take a look and saw the safe was empty. Not only were these guys murderers, they were thieves as well. I heard someone calling me from outside. From the window of Norma¡¯s bedroom, I saw William waving at me toe down. They found something. I quickly went outside, hoping they caught one. ¡°Undersheriff, there are two bodies at the end. One with a dog mask and the other in a bird. mask. Bullet in the back of their heads. We found this near one of the bodies.¡± In his gloved hand was a smartphone. I took a stic bag from my pocket to secure the phone. It was evidence. ¡°That¡¯s five. If we¡¯re lucky we only need to look for one more, but I highly doubt there were only six of them,¡± I said. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the other end, near the old McDowell residence.¡± Now this end had a lot of dead bodies sc at tered on the pavement. The houses here had bushes and trees and their backyards had sheds or guesthouses. Plus, this area was closer to the gate. As we walked, I saw a door open at one of the houses and ady came out. It was Dr. Hughes. 4/6 11:18 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 163 Suspects I gestured to the deputies to continue their search while I spoke to the good doctor. ¡°Dr. Hughes, it¡¯s best if you go back inside where it¡¯s safe unless you feel it¡¯s better if you evacuate. We¡¯re still looking for several shooters, ¡°How could this have happened, Jack? This is a peaceful neighborhood.¡± She looked terrified. ¡°I saw them shooting at people. Men with masks. I called the station, but it took forever for you guys toe.¡± ¡°I understand, but we¡¯re here now.¡± ¡°I know I have to process the dead bodies, but I¡¯m so traumatized. Have my assistant bag everyone and I¡¯lle in first thing in the morning. Thank you, Undersheriff.¡± She turned and walked back to her house. I saw Sarah at the doorway, smiling smugly. I suspected she believed Liam was going to take the fall for this. I sighed. This was a nightmare. And it wasn¡¯t over yet. I found the deputies sc attered near the McDowell residence. They were crouching down at three dead bodies. I walked towards Frank who was examining the bullet hole on the dead man¡¯s chest. ¡°Jack, this one is wearing a pig mask. Just like the one with the gori mask on, he has arge gunshot wound to the chest,¡± Frank said, handing me a smartphone. Nice, another on ¡°I got that phone from the one over there wearing a wolf mask. He has one gunshot wound to the chest. Small caliber. Judging by the trajectory, I say it came from over there.¡± He pointed to Link¡¯s car. ¡°And that one near the tree?¡± I asked. ¡°Multiple gunshot wounds to the chest. Assault rifle from the looks of it. Goat mask. That makes it eight. However, from a message on that smartphone, these guys had a leader. Someone named Demon. He told them to check the old McDowell residence for a deed of sale. I have no idea what deed of sale he was referring to. Seems like the new defense attorney was their target.¡± I nced at the house and noticed the door was open. ¡°Anyone inside?¡± I asked. ¡°No. I spoke to some of the survivors and they said I ink hid them in his questhouse onca 15/6 11:18 Fri, Apr 5 & M CHAPTER 163 Suspects shooting started. That¡¯s where the good mayor found them.¡± Since Frank, William and Lewis were on our payroll, they knew to keep their mouth shut. ¡°If there¡¯s anyone else who¡¯s a part of this gang, I think they¡¯re gone by now, Jack. My guess, they¡¯re going to flee from this state,¡± Frank said. ¡°My hunch is the mayor killed them off. Sni per is proof of that.¡± ¡°Well, we could say it was us, that¡¯s why the power was cut and the Sheriff is missing. He¡¯s our sn iper,¡± I said, taking my phone out and dialing Liam. ¡°I need confirmation. How many were they?¡± ¡°Nine,¡± Liam answered. I remembered seeing someone on a motorcycle as I drove by, but it was too dark to get a good look. He must be the one named Demon. more a ¡°There¡¯s one he¡¯s alive,¡± I said. I heard him mutter a curse. ¡°Just tell the Sheriff what you know and toe on out. The press is waiting.¡± Chapter Comments Morgan the people inside are* safe POST COMMENT VIEW 1 COMMENT 1Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Chapter 164 CHAPTER 164 A Coordinated Effort Sheriff My men and I were stationed at the hidden door, just right outside Hignd Oaks, waiting. for Liam¡¯s call, so we could enter the residential area. I was tired, but an absentee Sheriff during a tragic time spelled murder for his career. Just as Liam said, there were motorcycles parked against the wall, but there was no sign of a gang. I had a feeling they were still inside Hignd Oaks causing mayhem, but it seemed. pretty quiet. Or maybe¡­ they hoofed it out of here. My phone suddenly vibrated. The call I have been waiting for. I took my phone out from pocket and to my dismay, I saw Jack¡¯s name on the screen. my ¡®Sheriff, eight out of the nine suspects are dead. I don¡¯t know who did this, but I suspect Liam had his hired guns kill these as sholes to shut them up,¡± Jack said. ¡°Unfortunately, their bodies are sc ttered all over the ce, so we need a usible story. Might as well tell the media it was you and the other deputies who took these b astards down while they were shooting at all these people. I mean, it works¡­ you and some of the men have done training with SWAT.¡± ¡°Yes, it does work,¡± I replied. ¡°As for the dead suspects, it is possible Liam¡¯s hired guns kille them off. I heard Liam tell the Colonel earlier to await orders after they brought all the cars to impound,¡± I said. ¡°You knew about this?¡± Jack asked, shocked. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t, but I kind of suspected after you showed me that alert. I actually found it strange Liam would want the dead bodies from the Ol¡¯ Barn transferred there. Anyways, we¡¯re here, positioned behind the wall. I need an alibi and being part of the team who took down a bunch of punks sounds better than Daning over to bring me chicken soup,¡± I said. ¡°I could say we had intel a group of hoodlums were making their way to New Salem. No one else needs to know the details. So tell me, what do you know so far?¡± ¡°Nine perps, eight dead. Two died by sn iper, long range,rge caliber, one shot in the chest. One by assault rifle, multiple gunshot wounds to the chest. The rest small caliber. Two in the back, two in the back of the head, and one in the chest. I have two phones. One phone with messages from a Demon looking for a deed of sale. He¡¯s currently on the run. I estimate 1/7 11:18 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 164 A Coordinated Effort seventeen dead, however with the bodies from the Ol¡¯ Barn, it brings up the casualties to thirty-five.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± I asked. ¡°Suspects appeared around midnight,ing from inside Hignd Oaks, asking the people to y hide and seek, that is, the suspects would give the crowd twenty seconds to hide and after the twenty seconds were up, the suspects woulde and kill anyone they found. They killed the guards and deputies first, making the people run inside the residential area for cover. Power went off around ten minutes after twelve andsted until twelve-thirty. Within those twenty-minutes, the suspects were killed.¡± ¡°We were about done at the Ol¡¯ Barn when the ruckus started at Hignd Oaks,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Convenient, don¡¯t you think? Anyway, I¡¯ll see you on the other side, Jack.¡± I moved the brick which concealed the security panel and punched in thebination. The hidden door slid open. ¡°It¡¯s time to y heroes, boys,¡± I said, walking into Hignd Oaks. ¡°Remember, I do the talking.¡± Earlier at the station, I called the men to my office. I told them to dress into their tactical suits before we headed to Hignd Oaks. ¡°What¡¯s up, Sheriff?¡± ¡°There are armed suspects at Hignd Oaks. We are going to kill them,¡± I stated nonchntly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, boys. We are going to be hailed as heroes.¡± ¡°Are we going to be paid extra, Sheriff?¡± One deputy asked. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°Sure boys. Just keep your mouths shut and let me do the talking. I¡¯ll tell the press it was a coordinated effort,¡± I assured them. I ced a map of Hignd Oaks on the table. ¡°We go through the back of Hignd Oaks and pretend we¡¯ve been doing clearing operations since the shooting started,¡± I exined. ¡°Sheriff, how are we going to go through the back of Hignd Oaks? That residentialmunity is surrounded by a tall wall,¡± one of the deputies asked. ¡°There¡¯s a door there,missioned by Theodore Cohen. It was purposely hidden for cases like these, not even the blueprint shows it. But I know it¡¯s there and when it¡¯s time I need to I¡¯m going to tell the now Sheriff of its avistance¡± I said ¡°We¡¯ll be using dirt bikes to 2/7 CHAPTER 164 A Coordinated Effort cut through town so we can get to the forest behind themunity. After we enter, we proceed to the main gates of Hignd Oaks looking like the b adas ses we are. So suit up, gentlemen!¡± It¡¯s a good thing I get to end this day with a smile. Xavier I was on the phone with Joy, seated in the middle of the van, trying my hardest to stay awake, as Lou drove to Mandan. We decided to spend the night there, since, ording to Dina, there were checkpoints being set up at all the entrances and exits within the town. In the back were the Mart¨ªns. Their heads were covered with ck hoods, their ears covered with ear plugs, and they were asleep. We drugged them at Arnold County. I couldn¡¯t deal with Norma¡­ she was a pain in the neck. While we waited for Sebastian and Cristos toe over the fence, I pulled Link to the side. ¡°You have the deed of sale?¡± I asked Link. He nodded his head and patted his coat pocket. ¡°Good. Use that as leverage against Liam.¡± I nced at the motorcycles. We only had three. S hit. ¡°Since we have to save these as sholes, we don¡¯t have space for you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll walk to the front and act like a victim. Liam won¡¯t be able to touch me with media around,¡± Link pointed out. ¡°Alright. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll ask Jake to move in with you. He can stay in your guesthouse¡­ you know, just as a precaution,¡± I said. ¡°Sure. After tonight, I think I do need someone with me. To even out the odds,¡± Link said, as we watched Cristos slide down with such finesse. With Cristos over the fence, it was time to leave The Mart¨ªns took one look at our motorcycles and shook their heads. I felt offended. My motorcycles were BMWs. ¡°It¡¯s the only way out of here,¡± Link exined. ¡°Look, it¡¯s either this or you go back inside. and deal with Liam.¡± ¡°Well, beggars can¡¯t be choosers. Anyway, who are they, Link?¡± Norma asked, staring at me curiously. With the night vision goggles, masks and head gear, she couldn¡¯t identify us. 3/7 11:18 Fri, Apr CHAPTER 164 A Coordinated Effort E ¡°Some of my pals from the military,¡± Link answered. ¡°I needed help and they were only twenty minutes away. By the way, is there a safe ce we can drop you off?¡± ¡°I have a ce in Fargo,¡± Tomas said. ¡°Can you lend us a carr or something?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Link said. ¡°Get on the motorcycle and well get you to that car.¡± ¡°No other way, huh?¡± Tomas asked rhetorically. He quickly climbed up, seating himself behind Sebastian while Ford sat behind Cristos, however Norma, she kept shaking her head disapprovingly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to move to Fargo,¡± Normained. ¡°I like it here in New Salem.¡± ¡°Norma, Liam is going to kill us,¡± Tomas said. ¡°We can¡¯t stay in New Salem. There¡¯s nothing. left for us to stay. Link, I¡¯ll leave it up to you to sell all our properties. I will issue a power of attorney. Just don¡¯t tell them where we are.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Link said. ¡°I¡¯m not going,¡± Norma said like a petnt child. ¡°All my jewelry, all my clothes are here.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get more clothes and more jewelry, I promise,¡± Link said. And with all his might, he lifted Norma and ced her behind me. ¡°What about you, Link?¡± Norma asked before we drove out. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Link assured her. ¡°Don¡¯t give my friends any trouble, okay? They¡¯re ris lives to save you. And oh, hold on tightly.¡± At the boundary of New Salem and Arnold County, Lou was waiting for us with a white Once she got off the motorcycle, sheined about her hair sticking up from the wi No wonder Tomas divorced her. Sheined about everything. Isecretly handed Cristos and Sebastian each a syringe. We positioned ourselves behind the Martins looking as if we were their guards. ¡°Please, get in,¡± Lou said, courteously. Norma eyed him warily. ¡°Where are you taking us?¡± Norma asked, as if we were nning to kidnap them. ¡°My boss has instructed me to drive you to Fargo,¡± Lou said. ¡°If you may¡­¡± 04/7 CHAPTER 164 A Coordinated Effort ¡°Who¡¯s this boss-¡± I stabbed her neck with a syringe and pushed the plunger. She was out like a light. I grabbed her waist to stop her from falling to the ground. Finally, silence. She asked too many questions and talked way too much. Beside me, Ford and Tomas copsed onto the ground, on top of each other. ¡°Smooth guys,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s because of this family, people are dead. I mean, why couldn¡¯t they just give Liam the dam n pharmacy in the first ce?¡± Cristos eximed, pulling out his gun. ¡°I should just shoot them in the head.¡± ¡°These guys have intel,¡± I reasoned. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s load them into the van.¡± I helped Lou carry the two men to the back seat cing them beside Norma while Sebastian ced ear plugs and hoods over their heads. We took off our goggles and boarded the van. Finally, some peace. ¡°Bo, you still awake?¡± Joy suddenly asked. ¡°Gosh, I must have dozed off,¡± I replied, yawning ¡°You need to get some rest. You¡¯ve been up almost forty-eight hours,¡± she scolded me. ¡°I going to take a shower and get some sleep. This day has been something else.¡± ¡°Alright. Get some sleep. We¡¯ll see you at the funeral tomorrow morning,¡± I said. ¡°Good night.¡± ¡°Good night, Bo.¡± I hung up, feeling at ease. This day may not have started out right, but it did end well. At Mandan, my men reced us as soon as we got off the van. ¡°Drive them to Fargo and drop them off at a motel. Leave this with them,¡± I instructed, handing them a bag of money. ¡°Then follow them when they wake. To make it easier for you, equip this bag with a tracker. Once you know where they¡¯re staying, if they have a car, ce a tracker on it.¡± ¡°Yes, Beaufort.¡± 5/7 CHAPTER 164 A Coordinated Effort ¡°I don¡¯t know about you guys, but I¡¯m going to bed. I¡¯ll see you guys in the mor-¡± ¡°Beaufort, we have a problem,¡± Max said, running towards me. ¡°I know you¡¯re tired, but this can¡¯t wait ¡¯til the morning.¡± You have got to be kidding me! ¡°What is it this time, Max?¡± I asked, yawning. ¡°Gosh, I¡¯m so sleepy.¡± ¡°Randy wants to save his wife,¡± Max said. US ¡°Christine? No one will touch her. She¡¯s pregnant and a devout Christian,¡± I argued. ¡°She¡¯s also one of Pete¡¯s drug smugglers. When Randy left, Christine got a call from Dan and he said Liam was agreeing to her terms. Randy and Christine thought it sounded kind of fishy, so instead of meeting with Dan, she went into hiding. She¡¯s at that motel along the highway near the Biker¡¯s lounge.¡± ¡°Uhm, that¡¯s hardly hiding,¡± I said. ¡°Unless she changed her car and won¡¯te out until I don¡¯t know like¡­ forever.¡± Sebastian hit me in the chest and gave me a warning look. ¡°If we save her, what is in it for us?¡± Sebastian asked. ¡°Information,¡± Max answered. ¡°What kind of information?¡± Cristos asked. ¡°He¡¯s willing to tell us the exact location of the drugboratory.¡± I woke up¡­ just li Finally, an answer to an old question. Where in the world was that drugboratory an couldn¡¯t we find it? ¡°Well, Sebastian? Cristos? Is that good enough for you?¡± Sebastian smiled. Drugs and smuggling was his arena. ¡°Let¡¯s go get her.¡± I sighed. Truly, there was no rest for the wicked. 6/7 11:18 Fri, Apr Chapter 165 CHAPTER 165 Demon m The guilt was killing me. This wasn¡¯t what I had in mind. But I needed to kill two birds with one stone. A massacre would hide the fact I killed almost twenty people at the barn while it would scare Thomas Martin into signing the pharmacy to me. All Demon and his gang had to do was kill them and get that deed of sale. Yeterday, I had Lisa send a message to the head of the civic group who fought for female rights to spearhead a gathering at Hignd Oaks in the name of justice. It wasn¡¯t long before I heard the whispers that people would be assembling right after my father¡¯s wake. When Link said there were people already at his residentialmunity, I pretended to be surprised. Despite the disapproval of Henry, I met with Demon at the gas station at the exit to Bismarck. Demon was a drug dealer of mine who dealt to the lowly addicts at the seedy part group of of the city. He got his name for wearing a st upid devil mask when he was with his thugs. ¡°I need you and your friends to cause a little mayhem at Hignd Oaks. In return, I will make it worth your while,¡± I said. ¡°Hignd Oaks? The sno tty neighborhood in your town?¡± He asked. ¡°Yes. There will be a crowd gathering there. I need you to make the people believe a massacre has happened. You know¡­ make-believe¡­ pretend.¡± ¡°Pretend? What do you mean pretend? You kill people or you don¡¯t. There¡¯s no such thing as pretend,¡± Demon argued. ¡°All you have to do is shoot at anything, but people. They¡¯ll think you¡¯re murdering a bunch of them when in fact it¡¯s all staged. Then, Ie in, throw some dead bodies in the area and we have a massacre. No one will have to know it¡¯s fake.¡± ¡°There¡¯ll be so many eyes. I mean, you can¡¯t fool a bunch of people by sc at tering car on the road. And how am I and my crew suppose to get in and out of that area? Once the po-po arrive, we¡¯re done for.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a hidden door concealed in the wall that fences the back of Hignd Oaks,¡± I said, 7/6 11:18 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 165 Demon friends will be needing motorcycles to get there. The door is in between tworge oak trees. right around this area.¡± I pointed a finger on the location of the door on the map. ¡°These numbers right here is thebination to the security panel hidden behind a loose brick.¡± ¡°Fire away¡­ But don¡¯t hurt people, huh, MC?¡± He asked. ¡°Yes. See you get it,¡± I said, pleased. ¡°When the people living there here the gunfire, they¡¯ll be scared. See, pretend.¡± I moved the map and pointed to Norma¡¯s house. ¡°While your crew scare off the people into hiding, I need you to enter this house and get me the deed of sale to a pharmacy. You can kill everyone inside this house.¡± ¡°Hold on. I thought we couldn¡¯t kill people,¡± he said. ¡°You can¡¯t except for these people living in this house. Once you get me what I want, leave.¡± ¡°I need a down-payment. A brick of crystal meth,¡± he negotiated. -I opened the center console and took out a brick. ¡°I need you guys to be there by midnight,¡± I said, holding the brick in front of him. He reached for it, but I moved the brick away from his hands. ¡°Do we have a deal?¡± ¡°Yes. Just give me the drugs.¡± I shook my head. ¡°How many of you should I expect?¡± I asked. ¡°Me and eight others. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re gonna pack some serious heat,¡± he assured me. handed him his brick. ¡°Tell your friends not to hurt anyone,¡± I said. He ced the brick in his satchel and took the map. ¡°No problem.¡± Actually, this was a problem. Demon wasn¡¯t answering any of my calls and I didn¡¯t know where he was. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. I was headed to Bismarckter in the day, anyway. I¡¯ll find that as shole and inject him with his favorite juice. To distract myself, I volunteered to serve hot chocte to help calm the people. I was done serving almost everyone a cup when the Sheriff and his men came out through the gates, all in tactical gear, with their weapons in tow like military men in an action movie 2/6 11:18 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 165 Demon The people gasped, then quickly broke into an apuse, cheering the gant men in uniform. The press came running towards them, with mics or cameras in their hands. ¡°Sheriff, have the shooters been contained?¡± A woman asked. ¡°Yes, the suspects have been neutralized,¡± the Sheriff answered, ¡°except for one, unfortunately. We have been going from yard to yard and from household to household, searching through the trees and bushes looking for the one suspect. Currently, there are checkpoints in every entrance and exit in town and I assure everyone, we will not rest until we find him. In this town, we don¡¯t take terrorism lightly.¡± The people cheered and apuded. I smiled. Everything was working out beautifull From the corner of my eye, I saw Link walk up to the crowd with a cup of hot chocte in his hands. He had a ga sh on his forehead from tripping after the power was cut. I walked up to him, sipping on my own cup of hot chocte. ¡°I should shake your hand, Link,¡± I said. ¡°You saved all those people.¡± ¡°All in a day¡¯s work,¡± he said. ¡°Since Hignd Oaks is shooter free, I better go back home. We¡¯ll talk businesster. See you, Mayor.¡± I scowled. There was nothing I could do as of the moment. The press was here. to wait untilter. Judging from what I know of Link, he¡¯s going to make sure I pay. Demon Twas aplete mo ron. I was chained up in what looked like an old basement, blood dripping from my arm. My wound was burning like a mo therf ucker, but all I could think of was shooting up. Earlier, I decided to go straight to the mansion to collect the rest of my payment even though MC told me he would pay me at the gas stationter in the day. But I couldn¡¯t wait. I needed to leave and I needed to leave now. 3/6 CHAPTER 165 Demon All my friends were dead and I knew their families were going to look for them. They definitely going to kill me when they find out they¡¯re all dead. were As I slowed down to turn onto the road that led to Cohen Mansion, I felt a sudden force go right through my right shoulder. I lost control of my motorcycle, toppling onto the hard concrete road. It felt hot¡­ so hot. I reached over and was shocked to feel something wet. I raised my fingers to the light and saw blood. The next thing I knew, there was someone standing over me. He hit me with the butt of his gun, rendering me unconscious. When I woke up, I found myself handcuffed and chained, in this empty basement. There were §±§à windows, just a single incandescent bulb, lighting the whole room. Suddenly, from above, I heard the basement door swing open. Then, I heard footsteps.ing down the stairs. I had no clue what this as shole wanted from me. I mean, I didn¡¯t have anything of value on me.. He was s somewhat tall, had a muscr build. He was wearing a id shirt, jeans and work boots. I couldn¡¯t see his face or his hair since he had a ski mask on. But I could see his eyes. He had chocte brown eyes. ¡°Good, you¡¯re awake,¡± he said. In one hand, he had a small, foldable chair and table other, he had a basket with certain provisions. I couldn¡¯t see much of what was insi basket, but there was a water bottle sticking out. He ced the basket on the floor, proceeded to set up his chair and table in front of me. After he was done, he ced basket on the table and sat down. ¡°This here¡¯s food, water, and some medical supplies,¡± he said. ¡°You be a good boy and tel what I need to know and I¡¯ll feed you, give you some water and tend to your wound. You me nothing and you get nothing. Understood?¡± I nodded my head. I was thirsty. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± He asked ¡°Demon,¡± I answered. ¡°You¡¯re real name¡­¡± 4/6 11:18 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 365 Daemon Lester, I answeredtede Lester Morris.¡± Good start,¡± the mam anisaid, pouring some water in a dispu cup. ¡°And what brings you to New Salem? Don¡¯t be scrscared now. I¡¯m not the police.¡± I, uh, I was asked to, but kill some people and steal something, I answered. He reached wer and gave me some wateaten was starting to feel better. Who asked you to kill some people and steal something, Lester?¡± He asked. Mayor Cohen, I answered. Helpoponed some more water in the disposable cup and had me ake a sip. Did he tell you and your friends to shoboct all those people?¡± He asked. No, he wanted us to scare them off and pd pretend we were hunting them down. I told him, here ain¡¯t no such thing as pretend. Hntunted massacre, so we gave him a massacre,¡± said. ¡®You know, those people were my friends, he heic taking my phone out from his pocket. ¡®MC? Does that mean Mayor Cohen?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I answered. ¡®And what is this deed of sale?¡± He asked. ¡®Something about a pharmacy,¡± I answered. I actually donon know what that is. On t inte, it says¡­ it¡¯s like some document.¡±. ¡°Who were you supposed to kill?¡± He asked. This time, he took ok out some bandages, a sc a syringe, a scissor and a pair of forceps from the basket. Ikhawahithis kind of s hit. I¡¯m fri with a vet. A family¡­ the Martins and theirwyer. Some guy named Linksaidaid. tossed the Martin house, but they weren¡¯t there and I couldn¡¯t find no deed of sale. leh?dadyrhy homey check out the McDowell residence, but I heard an assault rifle. That scared the shi tlut out of me. Then, that sn iper shot. Holy s hit!¡± ¡°How do you know Mayor Cohen?¡± He asked. Im his number one dealer in Bismarck,¡± I answered proudly. 5/05/6 11:18 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 165 Demon through. Then, I¡¯m gonna lock you in this basement until you get those drugs out of your system. Hopefully, by next week, you¡¯ll be well enough to provide the evidence to take down Liam Cohen.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t do that. Withdrawal is painful, man,¡± I begged. ¡°Yes, I can,¡± he said, smiling. ¡°You¡¯ll thank meter.¡± He injected me with something¡­ And I fell right to sleep. Chapter Comments POST COMMENT NOW 3 Chapter 166 BOOK 3: RETRIBUTION CHAPTER 166 Aftermath Liam Thursday after the Hignd Oaks Massacre ¡°Where is that as shole?¡± I asked one of my guards as soon as I exited my car. ¡°In the shed,¡± he answered curtly, gesturing to the simple, one-story structure at the far side of the mansion. I quickened my pace, eager to confront him after days of searching high and low for him. As I approached, I noticed the door of the shed was slightly open. I pushed on the door, opening it bit wider for me to see what was inside. The shed once served as a workce for carpenters who were now long gone. The Cohen ancestors loved to have furniture built from scratch especially when trees were cut down to amodate the creation of residential areas. Now, it was a makeshift prison. There, in the middle of the shed, handcuffed to a chair was Demon with his head drooping forward. As soon as he heard me walk in, he raised his head and took one look at me before spitting on the floor. E There was blood dripping from his nose, the red viscous liquid covering both his lips and his chin, while his right eye was swollen and bruised. I also noticed he had a nasty cut on his forehead. Apparently, while waiting for me to arrive, my guards decided to teach him a lesson. But that wasn¡¯t enough for all those poor souls he and his crew had killed. ¡°MC, is this how you treat your friends?¡± He asked smirking, showing me an iplete set of front teeth. This little punk had some balls. ¡°You aren¡¯t a friend,¡± I growled. ¡°Tell me, Demon, what part of pretend did you not understand?¡± ¡°I told you, there ain¡¯t no such thing as pretend. You wanted a massacre, we gave you a massacre,¡± he said, before spitting on the floor again. 1/6 11:18 Fri, Apr 5 M. BOOK 3: RETRIBUTION CHAPTER 166 Aftermath 76%1 ¡°No one was home. I tossed the ce and couldn¡¯t find no deed of sale. All I found were some papers and jewelry in the safe. It¡¯s all in the bag.¡± He moved his head, gesturing to the backpack sitting on an old workbench. ¡°I messaged you to check the McDowell residence. Were they there?¡± I asked. ¡°I asked my homey to check, but he didn¡¯t message me back. That¡¯s when I heard an assault rifle, then this really loud bang that came from the nearby hill. Dude, it f ucking scared the sh it out of me! I didn¡¯t know what to do, so I left. ¡°Who do you think could have been behind all that?¡± I asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe one of the people living there. But I thought about it¡­ You¡¯re the only one who has the army to kill us.¡± ¡°Well, well, look at you! Suddenly, you¡¯re so bright, I said, pping my hands, mocking him, hiding the fact that it wasn¡¯t me. ¡°I assume then, you know what¡¯s going to happen to you now. -Yes?¡± I quickly pulled out my gun and shot him right between the eyes. Goodbye, Demon. I woke up with a start, raising my head from my desk, realizing I had dozed off. I wiped the drool from my chin then raised my hands above my head to stretch my body, trying to focus. I noticed the sheets of papers and file folders strewn in front of me and sighed. I was at home. Ever sincest Friday, I¡¯ve had trouble sleeping. I must have fallen asleep while trying to find out who Pete¡¯s second inmand was. I looked at all the folders on my desk and grimaced. I wasn¡¯t even halfway through. I sighed. The thought of finding Demon and killing him was so ingrained deep within my subconscious that I actually dreamt of killing him. I grabbed my phone to check for the time and uttered a curse. On the screen were several notifications, including a missed call and a couple of messages from Virtue. I quickly scanned her most recent message informing me she and K iki were already on the ne back. to Bismarck from Chicago with her wedding gown in tow. S hit, I couldn¡¯t believe I missed her call. 2/6 11:18 Fri, Apr 5M- BOOK 3: RETRIBUTION CHAPTER 166 Aftermath Anyway, Bo and Chip would be picking them up from the airport. If there were people who could keep her safe, it was them. Knowing I wouldn¡¯t be able to go back to sleep, decided to take a shower, get dressed into. more comfortable clothing and have dinner in my office while I went through each sheet of paper in these folders. I suspected there must be something about Pete¡¯s capo in these files, but I just couldn¡¯t find anything. The warm water didn¡¯t do much to alleviate the stress I was feeling. Even though the week had gone by peacefully after the Hignd Oaks massacre, the guilt and the anxiety of it all ate at me every day. The Sheriff and his men were tagged as heroes, despite having done nothing. However, until now, we had no idea who had killed the eight masked men at Hignd Oaks. ¡°Liam, I have been meaning to ask you this¡­ Did you have the Colonel clean up your mess?¡± The Sheriff asked once he was done with the media. He found me standing alone beside an ambnce, overseeing the victims. ¡°No and to tell you the truth, I don¡¯t know what happened. I suspect their leader, Demon, killed them off, so he could walk away with the payment I promised him,¡± I answered. ¡°Well, he couldn¡¯t have killed them with both a sn iper rifle and an assault rifle at the same time¡­ that¡¯s for sure,¡± the Sheriff replied. My brow furrowed at his statement. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, confused. ¡°I mean, those a ssholes were killed by more than one man,¡± he answered. ¡°Two were killed by sn iper, one with an assault rifle, the rest by small caliber fire arms, mostly close range. He couldn¡¯t have done all of that himself. If it wasn¡¯t the Colonel, then who killed these idiots?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­ Could it have been Pete?¡± I asked. The Sheriff shook his head. ins were ¡°I don¡¯t think so. One, Pete doesn¡¯t care about these people. Two, all his hired killed at the Ol¡¯ Barn. Three, I¡¯m guessing he didn¡¯t know about this unless he has someone following you. Andstly, if he did know about this, he would have used this against you by now,¡± the Sheriff exined checking his phone. ? See? There isn¡¯t anything on social media pointing to you as the mastermind. I¡¯m thinking maybe these thugs were gunned down by the townsfolk themselves. But none of these folks can afford a s niper rifle and none of them know how to fire one. Hand gun, sure, but a sn iper rifle?¡± He shook his head to answer his own question. ¡°Anyway, no one hase forward to take credit, even though they¡¯re heroes.¡± 3/6 11:18 Fri, Apr 5 M. BOOK 3: RETRIBUTION CHAPTER 166 Aftermath ¡°They¡¯re probably afraid they¡¯ll be taken in for manughter instead of self-defense,¡± I reasoned. Sheriff Combs paused to think about it, then nodded his head in agreement. ¡°You¡¯re right about that. Anyway, where are the Martins?¡± He asked, looking at me straight in the eyes. ¡°Jack says they¡¯re missing.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we can use their absence to our advantage. Send out an APB stating the Martins are now wanted for the Hignd Oaks Massacre,¡± I instructed, ¡°on the pretense they press. hired a group of mercenaries, so they could escape. Tell Jack to announce it to the We¡¯ll nt some evidence in their house¡­ maybe weapons and a burner phone.¡± He nodded his head and took a step forward to find Jack, who was inside Hignd Oaks processing the crime scene. However, he stopped in mid-step. ¡°Liam, you may be on to something,¡± he said unexpectedly. ¡°Thomas is a member of the organization right? What if the Angels of Darkness got him out?¡± ¡°How could he have possibly known about this? I asked incredulously. ¡°No, it couldn¡¯t have been the Angels of Darkness. Link called me earlier at the exact time these idiots were shooting at people. He sounded scared,¡± I pointed out. ¡°Fine, Thomas probably didn¡¯t know about these thugs, but he could have called for help. Pete left his capo in charge while he was gone and Thomas must have asked him for a favor.¡± Sheriff Combs abruptly stopped as an unfamiliar female EMT walked by us. I was about to ask if he knew who she was, but he quickly continued voicing his spections once she wa gone. ¡°And you may be right thinking the Martins themselves hired someone to help them kill the escape. The only way for the Martins to get out of Hignd Oaks safely was to masked men and that takes time to n, being they were an unforeseen circumstance. Honestly, their deaths look synchronized, strategic and tactical. Someone with military training killed these guys. If it wasn¡¯t the Colonel, then it was most probably the organization,¡± the Sheriff exined. This is why I hired the Colonel. I wanted the organization out of New Salem. ¡°Well, ask Link,¡± I instructed. ¡°He must know something. The Martins were with him during the entire ordeal.¡± ¡°Actually, Link wasn¡¯t with them the entire time,¡± the Sheriff replied. ¡°Apparently, while he was outside helping people evade the shooters, he tripped, hit his head, and lost consciousness.¡± ¡°Well I already searched the McDowell ce. Even without electricity. I went through every ever¡Ì6 11:18 Fri, Apr 5 M BOOK 3: RETRIBUTION CHAPTER 166 Aftermath inch of that house. They weren¡¯t there,¡± I said. ¡°I even went to the basement.¡± have a ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± the Sheriff eximed, waving his finger in the air. ¡°The lights went out. Jack said power was out for twenty minutes. That¡¯s enough time to kill the thugs and get the Martins out of Hignd Oaks. All they had to do is go over the fence and that isn¡¯t hard if you harness. I¡¯m going to lead the investigation on the deaths of these thugs, just to get some rity. I¡¯ll tell Jack to send out that APB and make the Martins our primary suspects. Liam, we need to be prepared for a retaliation. This isn¡¯t over.¡± The next morning, with the ongoing manhunt for the Martins as the masterminds of the shooting, I was able to console the people and offer them somefort through the aftermath. After my father¡¯s funeral where only a handful of people were in attendance, I visited the bereaved families who lost a loved one at Hignd Oaks including those we killed at the Ol¡¯ Barn. I was grateful Virtue was there to help me. With the guilt eating away at me, she became my rock, my foundation. She provided me something no one else could give me¡­sce. At least I had someone who was there for me. I actually felt all alone. However, the loneliness was more palpable at night when there was no Virtue standing or sitting beside me. I would lie awake in my bed staring at a picture of her that I took with my and phone, longing for her, fervently wishing the picture woulde alive. It was her hugs. her kisses I wanted and needed¡­ to help ease the turmoil inside me. Link left town unexpectedly without telling anyone. I only found out when I called him. gone and Pete¡¯s Although I didn¡¯t really need that deed of sale, now that the Martins were g capo showed no interest of wanting ownership, it was best if it was in my safe, locked away with all the other important documents. ¡°Mayor Cohen, I was waiting for your call,¡± Link said, his voice light and cheerful. ¡°Unfortunately, I had to leave town on important business, but I¡¯ll be back right before your wedding. Don¡¯t worry, I have the deed of sale in a safe ce. I¡¯ll hand it to you when I get back. You can consider it as a wedding present. I heard him smirk before saying his goodbyes. He was a slick one¡­ thatwyer. Aside from my small problem with Link, I found myself faced with another dilemma. Christine never met with Dan. It was a shock to discover both Randy and his wife were missing. I always thought Randy was a doofus, however it seemed he had some tricks up his sleeve. Well I had more 5/6 11:18 Fri, Apr 5 BOOK 3: RETRIBUTION CHAPTER 166 Aftermath Since Christine was near her due date, we suspected they couldn¡¯t have traveled far. I decided to send my men at every hospital and birthing clinic within the nearby cities and towns to keep a watch for the Evans. I got out of the shower, toweled myself dry and looked at myself in the mirror. I needed to sh ave and get a hair cut. I didn¡¯t want to look unruly at my own wedding. Tomorrow was a big day. Chapter Comments 2 POST COM POST COMMENT NOW SHARE 6/6 11:18 Fri, Apr 5 ¨C Chapter 167 CHAPTER 167 Pete¡¯s Cause Pete McDowell It was half past two on a chilly Friday morning. I was outside in the cold, standing beside car, waiting near the hangar of a private airport right outside Bismarck. The jet was was supposed to arrive at two, but half an hourter, there was no sign of it in the sky above, not even a light. And I was getting impatient. Last Friday was a disaster. Brock and his team of ck Hawks never returned from the Ol Barn. ording to his partner codenamed Joker, who was watching the live feed of their assault, Brock almost had Liam, but a sn iper got to Brock first. my It was shocking to learn Liam had hired a group of mercenaries to aid him. I had thought I had outsmarted him with my group of hired thugs, thinking he only had the Sheriff, Jack and those dumb deputies to defend him. Again, I had underestimated Liam Cohen. They were known as the Blue Rogues, a team of highly trained ex-military operatives led by a ruthless man who called himself the Colonel. I didn¡¯t expect Liam had the money and the connections to hire them, nor did Brock or any of the ck Hawks, who were, unfortunately to some degree, inferior to the Blue Rogues. Unknown to the ck Hawks, the Colonel was the first person I contacted when I was. shopping for a private army. I promised him I would double his fee if he agreed to help me take back what was mine. However, through an encrypted email, he rejected my offer outright without even giving me a reason. Now I knew why¡­. After Brock¡¯s untimely death, Joker exercised self-restraint and decided against avenging his bestfriend. He said it would be suicide to attack and argued the Colonel would be expecting a retaliation anyway. He decided to keep a close watch over the Blue Rogues by hacking through the CCTV cameras in New Salem, vowing he would have his revenge when they least expected it. I doubted he would, knowing full well what the Colonel and his army were capable of. But who was I to stop a person from fulfilling his quest for retribution when I wanted the same for myself. I nced up in the sky and sawplete darkness. Not even the moon or the stars were out 11:18 Fri, Apr 5 M. CHAPTER 167 Pete¡¯s Cause to illuminate the dark sky. I wondered what was taking them so long to arrive. Joker¡¯s men said they left Texas right on schedule. Where were they? I kicked the pavement in frustration. Clearly, I was an underboss who the organization undermined. I knew I should have gone to Texas with my capo. I would have, if it weren¡¯t for the steel rods framing my face. I had asked the hospital director to remove the infernal contraption yesterday morning, however, he arrivedte in the afternoon, leaving me no choice, but to stay in Bismarck. The private jet, the Consigliere had sent, left with my capo on board right on schedule. ording to the spies sent by Joker, he was dressed in a nice expensive suit and was carrying a small attache case with him. It was obvious he had business to discuss with Do?a Ortiz, the very thought angering me. He was my second inmand, yet he was the one the Consigliere requested. It was clear as day¡­ They were undermining my authority! I had first nned to scold the hospital director when he arrived, however, he looked agitated as he walked into my room. After he ced his bag on the nightstand beside my bed, he politely asked one of my men for a double shot of whiskey to calm his nerves, before he began the removal of the external fixation rods. He downed the amber colored liquid in one gulp, pursing his lips as he ced the ss back on the tray. I noticed his hands were shaking, like he was scared s hit less. ¡°What the f uck happened to you, Doc?¡± I asked, more annoyed than concerned. Not only did I miss the ne ride to Texas, he had to see me while he was upset. *I had an unexpected visit by your, uhm, delivery man,¡± he answered as he took a seat on a stool beside my bed. He began to massage the palms of his trembling hands while he rolled his shoulders forward and backward, attempting to ease the tension he was feeling. ¡°And? What did he want?¡± I asked impatiently. Before he answered, he ced his right hand. over his chest and took a couple of deep breaths. ¡°He wanted me to give you this,¡± the hospital director said, fishing out a small white envelope from his breast pocket. I reached over, sn atched the envelope from his hand and heaved a sigh of relief, noticing it was sealed. I turned the envelope over to find it addressed to me, nothing else. I tore it open and found a small piece of paper with a number written on it. I flipped the small note to see if there was anything else on it. Nothing. 2/6 11:18 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 167 Pete¡¯s Cause ¡°Did he say anything to you after he gave you the envelope?¡± I asked. ¡°No. He was gone before I could react,¡± he answered. ¡°He cornered me as I was exiting my office. He was dressed like a janitor.¡± ¡°What did he look like?¡± I asked, urging him for a description. Thest time I asked about the delivery man, he said there was a murderous expression in the man¡¯s eyes which scared. him to death. It wasn¡¯t the description I was looking for, but it was enough for me to stop pursuing the subject. The hospital directors¡¯s eyes focused on the space beside me as he recalled the appearance of the man disguised as a janitor. I noticed the fear emerge in the depths of his brown eyes, as if the man was standing right in front of him. ¡°He was tall, muscr and tan. He had a ck beanie over his head and a medical mask covering his face, so all I could see were his eyes. He had dark angry eyes¡­ the same dark eyes of the man I sawst week¡­¡± His voice trailed off like a frightened child. At least, it was -the same man. ¡°Get a grip, Doc,¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯s not going to hurt you. If he wanted to hurt you, you¡¯d probably be dead already. Now take these rods off of me. I need to look like my underboss self before the Consigliere arrives. And don¡¯t worry. That man won¡¯t bother you ever again. He gave me his number.¡± ¡°Oh, thank G od!¡± He eximed, heaving a huge sigh of relief. Then he stood up, opene bag and began cing the tools needed to remove the rods. ¡°I expect you¡¯ll pay me ext now that I¡¯ve helped you outside our previous arrangement.¡± I rolled my eyes and scowl was always, always about the money. thing off of n ¡°Your money is in the drawer of the nightstand, I said angrily. ¡°Now get this th before I shoot you!¡± It took over an hour to remove the steel rods and the rest of my bandages. Luckily, my wounds and bruises had healed quickly although one of my eyes was still swollen and bruised. I decided to wear a ck eye patch over it to hide the swelling, inadvertently giving me a sa distic look.. After the hospital director left, I called in a hair stylist and had him dye all my facial hair a silver white to match my hair, making myself look much older than my years. I looked at myself in the mirror after the hair treatments were finished and I liked what I saw. I could hardly recognize myself. Toplete my new look. I decided to use a cane to 3/6 11:18 Fri, Apr 5 M CATER! Pete¡¯s Cause disguise myself as an elderly gentleman. Once I was dressed in an expensive navy blue suit, feeling like my old self again, I called the number printed on the piece of paper. As expected, the same creepy voice fromst week answered. ¡°I¡¯d like to confirm my delivery,¡± he said, his voice deep and raspy. I couldn¡¯t believe someone living on this earth actually sounded like Freddy Krueger. ¡°Midnight, after the New Salem Spring Honey Bee Celebration at the gas station along the road heading to Red River.¡± ¡°Correct,¡± I answered. ¡°There will be a white van parked in front of the gas station waiting for you. Tell Cris, I expect him to be there during the delivery. And remember, I want my package unharmed and unspoilt.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only a delivery man. You¡¯ll get her in whatever condition she¡¯s in. I¡¯m no nanny,¡± he replied, his tone angry. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll pass your message on to Cris. We¡¯ll see you midnight.¡± It thought he was going to hang up, but unfortunately, he spoke again. ¡°By the way, make sure -you have my payment with you. No payment, no girl.¡± ¡°How much was promised?¡± I asked, irritated. I suspected Cris had trouble getting to his stash which was in a rented storage unit in Mandan. But if I had knowledge of that, it was a huge possibility Lisa did too. ¡°Two hundred fifty,¡± he answered to my surprise ¡°That can¡¯t be right. I only pay as much as 100 grand for a girl,¡± I replied. ¡°But this isn¡¯t any ordinary girl, Pete. After tomorrow afternoon, she will be Mrs. Lia Cohen,¡± he said unexpectedly. ¡°What did you say?¡± I asked, thinking I heard wrong. Virtue and Liam were getting married¡­ tomorrow? ¡°You heard me,¡± he said. ¡°Two hundred fifty and not a penny less. See you¡­ Pete.¡± He suddenly hung up on me before I could ask him any more questions. I turned to Joker who was tracing the call. ¡°Well?¡± ¡°The call pinged at a tower here in downtown Bismarck,¡± he replied, pointing at a specific location on a map spread out on the table. ¡°I already sent a team to check it out.¡± 4/6 11:18 Fri, Apr 5 M CHAPTER 167 Pete¡¯s Cause However, instead of locating the delivery man, they found an empty, abandoned old building. ¡°Whoever your friend hired must be a lone transporter, a shadow,¡± Joker said. ¡°These guys are trained and have the necessary equipment to bounce their signal elsewhere. If he says he¡¯ll deliver, he will. Just make sure you have the money ready in cash.¡± ¡°I want him dead after he gives me what I want, I told Joker. Heughed. ¡°I¡¯ve already lost my bestfriend and a team of good men just because of what you want, Pete,¡± he said. ¡°And if you think I¡¯m going to have another team of men die just because of some girl, you¡¯re wrong. He delivers her to you, then he leaves. Right now, I¡¯m more concerned about the Colonel and the Mayor of New Salem. I know the Colonel, he doesn¡¯t kill innocent people. It¡¯s not part of his repertoire. From what I know of him, he¡¯s usually hired to kill as sholes like you or Liam Cohen. There¡¯s something going on here. Something we obviously don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I hired you to do a job and now you¡¯re telling me you don¡¯t want to follow my structions?¡± I asked vehemently, ignoring what he had just said about the Colonel. ¡°I should stop paying. you if this is the case.¡± ¡°Well, we can leave,¡± Joker said, collecting all his gear. ¡°Good luck on trying to take down Liam Cohen. You¡¯ll be needing it.¡± F uck. I still needed them to help me coerce the Consigliere to my cause¡­. I w dead. Liam ¡°Fine. Just make sure your men are at the airport before the Consigliere arriv the men in Texas reported back to you?¡± He nodded his head. ve ¡°They¡¯ve followed your capo to a mansion and are waiting for him to leave,¡± Joke ¡°They¡¯ll call us with more informationter.¡± My thoughts were interrupted by several lights flickering in the sky. Finally, they wer I took a small CB radio from my pocket. ¡°They¡¯re here,¡± I said. I waited for Ace, Joker¡¯s second inmand, to reply, but all I got w static. From a distance, a small private jetnded smoothly on the tarmac. I looked up at the sky to look for more nes possibly carrying an entourage. I smiled as the sky greeted me with pure darkness. 5/ 11:19 Fri, Apr 5 M. CHAPTER 167 Pete¡¯s Cause Afterst Friday became one enormous mess, Lorenzo decided to fly to North Dakota to fix everything. He sent for my capo to help him convince Do?a Ortiz, so he could get away for a while. The ne stopped at the hangar. I fixed my ck trench coat and waited for them to disembark. Lorenzo may be the Consigliere to the boss, but this was my territory. Here, I was the boss. POST COMMENT Chapter Comments Morgan no more updates? Anna Murray When are we going to get the rest of the book, I really want to know what is going to happen I just can¡¯t wait VIEW ALL 4 COMMENTS > 4Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Chapter 168 CHAPTER 168 The Consigliere Arrives Pete McDowell After the jet had made a full stop, the mshell-style door of the sleek private jet opened and the stairs wereid out. Two female flight attendants alighted, cautiously walking down the narrow steps in their high-heeled ck pumps towards the tarmac fronting the hangar. One was a blonde carrying an attache case while the other was a striking redhead who was carrying a ck leather briefcase. As soon as their feet touched the paved ground, they quickly positioned themselves on each side of the jet¡¯s staircase to wait for their passengers to disembark. After several moments, my capo emerged, dressed in a dark gray suit, his head held high, looking dashing as ever. He fixed his jacket and adjusted his maroon tie, then yed with the gold ring nestled on his pinky finger, apparently stalling, as if he was waiting for someone to announce his arrival. He momentarily raised his hand to his ear, took a deep breath and smiled before finally climbing down the steps of the aircraft. I grimaced as I watched both of the women¡¯s lips curl into provocative smiles. The blonde flight attendant quickly stepped forward to give him his bag, bowing her head ever so slightly while sliding the tip of her tongue over her lips. As he reached over to take the attache case from her, he leaned forward and bent his head, whispering something in her ear while his other hand rubbed her arm¡­ seductively. Before he could even raise his head from her ear, the flight attendant threw her head back and giggled excitedly, exposing her long neck to his lips, obviously expecting him to kiss her on that sensitive area near her pulse. However, he suddenly coughed and straightened himself, gesturing towards the jet with his head. They had to keep appearances for the Consigliere. The blonde woman sighed, then, tucked a lock of her dirty blonde hair behind her ear and gestured to him to call her. As a reply, he ced two fingers on his lips, sending her a subtle flying kiss. I rolled my eyes at their exchange. Typical. All he had to do was show some interest and the women would melt like putty. Sure, call me insecure, but I disliked being overlooked because he was just so¡­ pretty. It was always like that ever since we were in high school. No girl ever looked at me the way they did him¡­ like he was a piece of juicy steak they wanted to devour. When we were still in 1/6 Fri, Apr 5 CHAPTER 168 The Consigliere Arrives high school, he used to strut through the hallways of our school, looking like James Dean, walking past enamored girls, who were begging for him to look their way. No one else couldpete with his good looks, not even Liam, who had a handsome car thatpensated for hisck of aesthetics. Even if he could have his pick of anyone in school, he only spoke to a handful of girls. There was Nicole and Abigail, who were part of the popr kids, and Joy Taylor and Lisa. The only girl who didn¡¯t care too much for him was Lisa. She had the biggest crush on Cris, who was a popr football jo ck back then. Despite being so gawky as a teen, Lisa threw herself at him every chance she got. I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration as I remembered the sh it hole that was high school. Back in Texas, I was respected and adored because of who I was and the family I belonged to. Here in New Salem, I was bullied because of my heritage. If it weren¡¯t for my mother, I would have killed every single as shole in that godforsaken school. After my cano my capo¡¯s father died in a car crash, he was inducted into the organization as my right hand. Out of all the men in New Salem, it just had to be him¡­ Just because his father was my father¡¯s bestfriend. When he arrived at the doorstep of our house in Hignd Oaks wearing a suit, his ring and a smug smile on his face, I instantly knew. He had finally gotten what he wanted and I stuck with him whether I liked it or not. Well, he did help me solve a problem we had about a piece ofnd my mother wanted in turn provided me leverage against the Cohens and material to start a business that h earned me millions over the years. Because of his new position and the rtionship his father had with mine, I was forbidden to ever touch him or reveal his identity. Only a handful of people knew about my capo, although I suspected Norma Martin knew about him. My mother had a bad habit of being a loud mouth when she was drunk. Fortunately, he has been a big help to me. Whatever Liam and his father had nned, my mother and I were the first to know. He yed the idiot boy next door perfectly, making him well liked among the people. He was awfully good with his hands too. There was nothing he couldn¡¯t fix, allowing him ess into people¡¯s homes. And he could sweet talk himself into getting whatever he wanted without any obstacles in his way. 2/6 What infuriated me though was the respect Theodore Cohen gave him instead of me. It ward 11:19 Fri, Apr 5 M CHAPTER 168 The Consigliere Arrives obvious that racist pig never liked me. However, Noah Jensen knew his ce. I was the underboss and him, a mere capo. After Noah took the leather briefcase from the redhead, the one man I was waiting for finally emerged from the doorway of the jet. Lorenzo Ortiz was wearing a te gray suit under his ck trench coat. He had a streak of white in his midnight ck hair, the two colors intertwining into a handsome curl over his forehead. They walked towards me with smiles on their faces. Apparently, they had bonded on their trip here. I scowled, annoyed at their new found friendship. ¡°Pedro, it¡¯s good to see you are healing nicely,¡± Lorenzo greeted me, his hand extended. ¡°You look like a whole new man.¡± I took his hand in mine and shook it. ¡°I look like a battered old man, Consigliere,¡± I replied dryly. ¡°Thanks to you and De Vega. If I had onlyContent protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. known, I wouldn¡¯t have agreed to meet him. I trusted you, however you sent me into the trenches.¡± ¡°Pedro, if I hadn¡¯t, De Vega and his niece would still be moring for your head. I gave them their revenge and kept you alive,¡± Lorenzo reasoned. ¡°It may have been a painful experience, but you are an Angel of Darkness. Pain is nothingpared to death.¡± He ced a hand on my shoulder and squeezed it. ¡°And look at you now. You don¡¯t look like the Pedro I know. You look¡­ devilish.¡± He winked and gave me a warm simile. ¡°Anyway, have you prepared everything I asked?¡± ¡°Yes, Consigliere,¡± I said, nodding my head. ¡°Your mansion awaits.¡± ¡°Nestor, tell the flight attendants to load my bags,¡± Lorenzo instructed, walking to the limousine parked beside my Audi. The driver quickly opened the back door for him. ¡°Pedro, you drive ahead and we will follow you.¡± He nodded his head at Noah and entered the limousine. Finally, I was alone with Noah. ¡°What happened in Texas?¡± I asked, following Noah to the group of flight attendants who were busy unloading Lorenzo¡¯s luggage. ¡°Do?a Ortiz is pi ssed, Pete,¡± he answered. ¡°Tomas was supposed to hold on to the businesses until she could send someone to fix everything for her. Now, Liam has control of everything and he¡¯s backed up by a small private army. She doesn¡¯t want any bloodshed, but if Liam isn¡¯t going to agree to her terms, she¡¯s going to have her assassins deal with him.¡± He waved at the attendants and gestured to them to carry all the luggage into the limousine 3/6 11:19 Fri, Apr 5. CHAPTER 168 The Consigliere Arrives The flight attendants nodded their heads and began loading all of Lorenzo¡¯s luggage into the trunk of the limousine. For a person who was only going to stay for a couple of days, the Consigliere sure brought a lot.. ¡°The Consigliere will be meeting with Liam during the parade to tell him Cynthia¡¯s businesses aren¡¯t his for the taking. If Liam disagrees, Veronica¡¯s assassins are going to attack after the wedding. I heard he and Virtue will be flying off to New York and Hawaii for their honeymoon,¡± he exined, ¡°Not only will they kill Liam, they¡¯re going to kill Virtue too. This isn¡¯t her fight, Pete.¡± I nodded my head in agreement. Virtue dead wasn¡¯t good for me. Virtue was supposed to be my star. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Lorenzo and negotiate with him,¡± I quickly said, earning a dirty look from him. ¡°No, Pete,¡± he replied harshly. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. She is hands off. I¡¯ll figure all of this out. You just keep the Consiglierefortable while I hatch a n.¡± He ran his hand into his blonde hair, clearly frustrated. ¡°This wouldn¡¯t be happening if your mother trusted you to take care of the business rather than having it entrusted to a soldier. G od da mmit, Pete. You should havee to me!¡± ¡°Excuse me, but weren¡¯t you the one who wanted to distance himself from the business? Act like a mule rather than a drug lord? So people would think you were one of them?¡± I pointed out. He scowled and shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t get it do you? I needed people to trust me. Besides I thought you were goin inherit everything. Instead, your mother went to Do?a Ortiz so she could take control business and Ortiz appointed a soldier as interim. As an underboss, you are useless,¡± he annoyed. ¡°Well, the Consigliere and I are going to fix this. Come tomorrow, Liam will eit be dead or in jail. I have enough evidence to keep him locked up for a very long time. The everything will right itself.¡± He suddenly raised his eyes to look at me and in their depths. saw how much he loathed me. I stared back at him with the same loathing. The feeling was mutual. ¡°You know, Pete, you could have just released the evidence you have against Liam rather than sending your people to kill him. But of course, you never think. You just do what suits you.¡± He pointed to the the flight staff who were now walking back to the ne. ¡°They¡¯re done loading up the luggages. Come on. We¡¯ll follow you.¡± He nudged me with his elbow and followed me to my car. As we walked, I fought the urge to smile. I was going to lead them to their deaths. I expected him to open the door for me, but instead, he ced a hand on my shoulder and 4/6 CHAPTER 168 The Consigliere Arrives twirled me around to face him. Then, he shoved me forcefully against my car. With an elbow on my vicle and his arm against my throat, he pushed me even harder. against the car. I looked at his dark face, surprised at the threatening expression of his eyes. ¡°What the f uck are you doing. small ¡°Pete, you actually think we¡¯re idiots, don¡¯t you? You think I didn¡¯t know about your s army of men you hired to ambush us?¡± He growled, his face so close to mine, I could smell the unmistakable scent of whisky on his breath. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have stepped out of that ne. knowing you were nning to kill us. What you don¡¯t know is I have a small. of army my own.¡± He raised his head and called out. ¡°Colonel, you cane out now.¡± Colonel? A tall man came out from the side of the hangar. He was wearing a dark suit with a light. blue shirt and a blue tie underneath. He was tall and muscr, with a weathered face, obviously tanned from being outside. I noticed the sinister looking scar that went through his eyebrow and I knew it was him. Joker had told me about the Colonel¡¯s scar. He stopped beside Noah, his dark soulless eyes focusing on my face. He quickly noticed my anxiety and it made his lips curl into a mischievous grin. ¡°The boys took care of this a sshole¡¯s thugs,¡± he said, his voice low. ¡°Mr. McDowell, you sho consider it as a favor. They weren¡¯t worth the millions you agreed to pay them.¡± F uck! Noah suddenly let go of me and grabbed the back of my head, tugging on my hair. I winced in pain. I wasn¡¯t fully recovered from the beating I had a week ago. He reached into my coat and took out my gun. S hit. I was defenseless. you have ¡°If you value your life, you¡¯ll give me what I want,¡± Noah growled harshly. ¡°I know ns to kidnap Virtue. Once you deliver her to me and I be underboss, I¡¯ll let you leave North Dakota¡­ as payment for the favor your father gave mine.¡± He pulled on my hair, banging my head against the roof of my car. ¡°Do we have a deal, Pete?¡± I nodded my head. There was nothing I could do. My men were dead and I¡­ I was alone. He let go of my hair then opened the car door before gesturing to the Colonel. ¡°Make sure this h doos what he¡¯s supposed to ¡± 5/6 11:19 Fri, Apr 5 M CHAPTER 168 The Consigliere Arrives The Colone! took out his gun, screwed on a silencer and aimed it at me. ¡°Get in, McDowell,¡± the Colonel instructed. ¡°Drive or I¡¯ll Chapter Comments Elizabeth Johnson Great chapter, worth the wait. I knew Noah was bad!!! Morgan I knew it! VIEW ALL 9 COMMENTS > ͹ 3 < SHARE POST COMMENT 6/6 Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Ace Up My Sleeve Noah Pete turned to enter the car, but, stopped. I assumed Pete would do as he was told without any objections, but I was wrong. ¡°Wait a second,¡± Pete said, turning back to face me. ¡°You?¡± He pointed at me. ¡°You be underboss and I have to leave? Do you think I¡¯m an idiot? I won¡¯t agree to that. So, no, we don¡¯t have a d¨¦al.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re in any position to negotiate, Mr. McDowell,¡± the Colonel reminded him while he kept his gun aimed at Pete¡¯s heart. ¡°So why don¡¯t you do us all a favor and g¨¦t in the car.¡± Yet, Pete didn¡¯t move. He stood his ground and continued to stare at me, waiting for my response. I noticed that the anxiousness in his eyes from earlier was now reced with cold, unadulterated rage. I took a quick look at his gun and found the safety pointing on fire. I aimed it at his head, daring him to challenge me. ¡°If I were you Pete, I¡¯d listen to the Colonel. Get in the car and don¡¯t do anything st upid,¡± I warned him, the sides of my mouth curving into a malicious smile. ¡°You can¡¯t kill me, Noah, and you won¡¯t,¡± he scoffed, lifting his chin defiantly at me. ¡°In case you didn¡¯t know, I¡¯m a valuable asset to Lorenzo So much so, he negotiated with De Vega on my behalf.¡± He moved his lower jaw in a circr motion, slightly wincing from the pain the movement caused. ¡°Yes, it was painful, but it¡¯s water under the bridge now and I am free from any and all obligations tying me to Ariana De Vega.¡± To my surprise, Pete took a small step forward towards the gun in my hand. There was a proud smirk etched across his hideous face and a wicked glint in his eyes. This crazy so nofab itch was taunting me to shoot him. ¡°Okay, I admit, we can¡¯t kill you without a good enough reason, but we can incapacitate you,¡± I said, lowering my gun. I leaned towards the Colonel and pointed at Pete¡¯s lower extremities. ¡°Colonel, how about if you and I take the use of his legs? Or perhaps his feet? He could stay in bed while we-¡± ¡°Woah! Hold on!¡± Pete interjected loudly. ¡°Before the two of you get any ideas and shoot me 1/6 Chapter 169 Ace Up My Sleeve may I remind you, Noah, that there¡¯s still a small issue concerning a certain Virtue Sullivan.¡± ¡°What do you mean, Pete?¡± I asked, annoyed. ¡°If, for whatever reason, I don¡¯t show up to collect Virtue, I gave instructions to the delivery man to slit her throat,¡± he answered, a small smile tugging at the ends of his lips. ¡°Since she seems to be very important to you, I somehow sense that a lifeless Virtue won¡¯t be of any use to you. Am I right, Noah?¡± F uck! I ran my hand through my hair in frustration. Needless to say, I had to rethink my ns and come up with a new strategy. For sure, I needed to keep an eye on this vulture, clone his phone and listen in on all of his conversations. While I took a moment toe up with a n to keep tabs on him at all times, Pete suddenly snorted withughter, pleased at the apparent distress he was causing. As he continued to snort away, the Colonel and I looked on with disgust. The injuries he sustained from Ariana and her men made him sound like a pig with a bad cold. ¡°That¡¯s right, gentlemen. I have an ace up my sleeve,¡± Pete said, after heposed himself. ¡°So get this through your thick skull, Noah¡­ I am still your boss. You, Capo Villegas, you work for me¡­ whether you like it or not.¡± He crossed his arms in front of his chest, then shook his head, acting like a disappointed parent scolding a child. ¡°When this is all over, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯ll pay for your mistakes. Maybe a good spa nking will do the trick.¡± The Colonel chuckled, impressed that Pete still had the balls to threaten me when he was outnumbered two to one. I rolled my eyes at the Colonel, urging him not to encourage Pete any further. The Colonel coughed and quicklyposed himself. ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong, Pete,¡± I rebutted. ¡°The only reason why you¡¯re still breathing is because you¡¯re considered family to Do?a Ortiz. Sure, you may be important to the Consigliere, but not important enough for him to disobey a direct order. For your information, Do?a Ortiz instructed the Consigliere to step aside, if Joy Taylores to execute you.¡± His eyes widened at the mention of Joy¡¯s name. ¡°As for Virtue, I doubt the delivery man knows what you look like. All I have to do is use your phone, show up at the designated meeting ce and present myself as you. See? Easy.¡± ¡°He knows my voice. You won¡¯t be able to fool him-¡± ¡°Oh, yes I can. Delivery men are usually concerned with one thing and that is payment. Just as long as I show up with his money, the goods will be delivered to me, no questions asked,¡± I said, cutting him off and calling his bluff. 2/6 11:37 Sat, Apr 6 M. Chapter 169 Ace Up My Sleeve 76% I noticed Pete had began to sweat, a tell-tale sign that I had backed him into a corner. ¡°The way I see it, you have two choices. You can either agree to the deal I so graciously offered you earlier or die by Joy¡¯s hand? So, what¡¯s it gonna be, Pete?¡± I was surprised to see his expression change from anger to fear at the mention of Joy¡¯s name. He was scared of her. But why? She was technically nonexistent. Honestly, I, myself, couldn¡¯t believe Joy was back from the dead. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, she hase back to haunt us¡­ or rather, hunt us. It was an inconceivable thought hatched to mock us and scare us. Nevertheless, I couldn¡¯t shrug off the feeling that maybe Joy was indeed back for retribution. But the mere thought of Joy on a killing spree was a ludicrous idea. I guess the anxiety I was feeling showed on my face because Pete¡¯s mouth curved upward into a knowing grin. ¡°I can see you¡¯re worried as well. What¡¯s wrong, Noah? Are you scared your bestfriend might find out who orchestrated the whole thing?¡± He asked, his voice dripping with disdain.¡± I chuckled, hiding my difort. I wasn¡¯t going to allow Pete to get into my head. What I needed to do was up the ante. ¡°You know, Pete, when I spoke with Do?a Ortiz, I pointed out to her that there wouldn¡¯t be a need to step aside if Joy presented herself. All Joy really needs is a good vantage point to shoot. You, my dear underboss, won¡¯t even see hering.¡± The smug smile on his face quickly disappeared. ¡°You don¡¯t think she¡¯s the one who killed my mother, do you?¡± He asked, his eyes widening the possibility. Thanks for the idea, Pete. I¡¯ll use that premise. Actually, I highly doubted Joy was Cynthia¡¯s killer. She couldn¡¯t even kill a c ockro ach, let alone a human being. Earlier, in our meeting in Texas, I was caught off guard when Veronica Ortiz mentioned Joy Taylor. I asked her how she came to know that name, but instead of answering my question, Do?a Ortiz waved her hand dismissively at me, silently telling me that such things didn¡¯t concern me, She asked me if I knew Joy Taylor and I told her Joy was a sweet girl who couldn¡¯t hurt a fly. Although Do?a Ortiz sounded uncertain Joy woulde to exact her revenge, she told us to step aside if Iov would ever present herself. 3/6 11:37 Sat, Apr 6 M. Chapter 169 Ace Up My Sleeve I stared at P¨¦te¡¯s frightful eyes and decided it would be better if he feared a ghost named Joy Taylor. ¡°Joy¡¯s the only one with a big enough grudge, Pete,¡± I remarked. ¡°If she¡¯s back to take her revenge, she¡¯ll probably kill every single person involved in the conspiracy.¡± I nced at the Colonel and noticed he was listening intently, obviously interested in Joy. I had to move things along or I would be stuck trying to exin who Joy Taylor was and I didn¡¯t want to reminisce about a young girl with chestnut hair and aquamarine eyes. I grimaced at the memory of her bloodied face and torn gown, but I quicklyposed myself. Joy Taylor was my first¡­ The first person I had to screw over so I could take my rightful ce in the family. This wasn¡¯t the time for regrets, Noah. ¡°Colonel, why don¡¯t you make yourselffortable in the passenger¡¯s seat while I assist this tub ofrd into his seat?¡± I was going to teach Pete a lesson. The Colonel nodded in understanding, lowered his gun and walked to the other side of the car. I quickly raised the gun in my hand and hit Pete on the side of his head. He howled in pain and stumbled backwards against the car. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°You aren¡¯t in charge anymore, Pete. I am. This was sanctioned by Do?a Ortiz herself. So get your fat as s in the f ucking car or I¡¯ll break your jaw again,¡± I threatened him. ¡°I won¡¯t be good to you injured,¡± Pete replied harshly, wincing as he massaged his head. ¡°You¡¯re right. How about if I take this gun and shove it into your as shole? Ariana did say you purred like a kitten when she shoved that metal rod up your butt. Tell me, Pete, because curious minds want to know¡­ Did it feel good to be f ucked from behind?¡± I smirked, remembering how Ariana and her goons defiled Pete while her father and I watched from the Smart TV at the penthouse suite. He scowled at me and slowly raised his hands in the air in surrender. Finally. Pete has finally realized there is nothing more he can do, but follow. He gingerly entered the driver¡¯s side of the car, ced both feet inside and relunctantly reached over for the handle. 4/6 11:37 Sat, Apr 6 M. Chapter 169 Ace Up My Sleeve Before he could shut the door, I stopped him. ¡°What is it this time?¡± He asked, irritated. 70% ¡°I want to know where you¡¯re taking us, Pete.¡± I answered. ¡°If your men were supposed to kill us, I assume you lied about the mansion the Consigliere asked you to procure for him.¡± He red at me. ¡°For your information, I did what the Consigliere asked me to do. I was just expecting the mansion to be at my disposal once I got the both of you out of my way,¡± he scoffed, answering truthfully. I sighed and shook my head. He didn¡¯t even think of the repercussions of his actions. ¡°And after you had the both of us killed, how were you thinking of exining yourself to Do?a Ortiz?¡± I asked. Heughed. ¡°That¡¯s easy. You were ambushed by Liam Cohen,¡± he said slyly. Of course. ¡°Veronica would then send all her men to kill Liam and allowing me to take back what was mine in the first ce.¡± I pushed the muzzle of the gun against his temple. Pete was such an as shole. It took all of my self-restraint to keep myself from squeezing the trigger. I had to remind myself I still needed him. He and Cris nned to abduct Virtue. ording to the hospital director, Pete was having Virtue delivered to him, by a man Cris Murdock hired, at a gas station along the highway heading towards Red River. Cris Murdock was another problem. He suddenly disappeared without a trace. I had thought maybe he had left the country or was dead, lying in a ditch somewhere, but he was just here, in hiding, waiting for the perfect time to kidnap Virtue. F ucking rapists. ¡°New Salem is no longer yours, Pete. It¡¯s mine,¡± pointed out, shoving the gun against his head. He winced and pushed the gun away. After givingst minute instructions, I waited for the Colonel to put his seatbelt on before closing the car door. As they drove off, I checked my watch for the time. It would be sunrise soon, but I still had so much to deal with before we drove to New Salem. 5/6 11:37 Sat, Apr 6 M. Chapter 169 Ace Up My Sleeve And one of them was seated inside that limousine. POST COMMENT Chapter Comments Elizabeth Johnson Great to see you back dear author. Was worried the book would not be finished. Tara Castelli omg i cant wait for the rest. i actually thought the book waspleted already:( plz update soon VIEW ALL 5 COMMENTS > Chapter 170 CHAPTER 170 Exploit Noah Inside the limousine, I found Lorenzo leaningfortably against the dark leather seats of the vehicle, toying with a crystal ss filled with scotch. I noticed his nk stare and the circr movements of his hand and quickly assumed he was deep in thought. New He was probably thinking of ways to negotiate a deal with Liam. For the past ten years, Salem supplied all the crystal meth distributed throughout the Central States, earning over a hundred million dors annually. It was a business Do?a Veronica Ortiz wanted to keep, but because of Cynthia¡¯s untimely death, her control over New Salem¡¯s drugboratory and pharmacy was nowpromised. I watched Lorenzo take a sip of his drink. I eyed the amber liquid warily and debated whether I should warn him against ingesting anything from the minibar. Pete was the one whomissioned the limousine and it wasn¡¯t beneath him toce all its food and drinks with poison. As the limousine elerated towards the airport¡¯s gates, images of the Consigliere suddenly choking and gasping for air, his blood dripping down his face from the sides of his eyes, nostrils and mouth suddenly flooded my psyche. I pictured him begging me to help him, his eyes filled with confusion and fear. I imagined him grabbing my arms with his blood stained hands, his body convulsing horribly until he finally copsed at my feet. A shiver ran down my spine. It was a thrill imagining the old man sumbing to such a gruesome death. If only my imagination could be a reality. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. If Lorenzo were to die here and now, Veronica would be left with no choice, but to leave thefort of her Texan home, fly to North Dakota on her world-ss private jet, have her men bring Pete¡¯s tortured body to her, and kill him using the signature Ortiz M.O., leaving two positions vacant in the aftermath. I would never be Consigliere since that position was reserved for an Ortiz blood rtive. But because I was Pete¡¯s second inmand, I would surely be Capo Ba stone, the underboss of the West North Central States.. the very rank and title I¡¯ve been gunning for. If only Pete would die¡­ 1/5 11:37 Sat, Apr 6 M CHAPTER 170 Exploit I would then be known as Capo B astone Nestor Villegas. I let out an annoyed sigh as the name yed in my head. I detested my Spanish name. It just didn¡¯t suit me. But Capo Ba stone Noah Jensen, now that had a nice ring to it. The corner of my lips curved upward in a pleased smile as I imagined myself as underboss. My word would bew and I would have control over- ¡°Judging by that smile on your face, I trust you¡¯ve dealt with Pedro,¡± Lorenzo suddenly said, interrupting me from my thoughts. I looked out the window and noticed we had already exited the airport. I coughed to wipe the smile off my face, berating myself for allowing my thoughts to register on my face. ¡°Yes, I have, Consigliere,¡± I replied nonchntly. ¡°He is no longer a problem for us.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± He asked doubtfully. I nced at him, my brow furrowed. I¡¯m sure. He¡¯ll do everything we tell him to do in order to win back our trust,¡± I assured him. ¡°Consigliere, if I may speak freely?¡± I waited for him to nod his head before continuing. ¡°If you have your doubts about Pedro, all you have to do is ask Do?a Ortiz to give you a green light. Simply exin to her that it is in everyone¡¯s best interest if we, uhm, do away with Pedro. Without him in the- picture, we no longer have to deal with such tedious I crossed my fingers, hoping he would agree with me, however, to my utter dismay, he shook his head. ¡°It does not need toe to that, Nestor. Pedro, after all, is family,¡± he said before tak another sip of scotch. ¡°My concern, as of the moment, is his hostility towards me for se him to Chicago. After seeing the injuries he sustained, I do understand his thirst to aven himself, but as, I am a high ranking member of this organization, it is forbidden, However, ismon knowledge that just like his father, Pedrocks self-control, I fear he may act rashly and put a gun to my head.¡± ¡°I understand your concern, Consigliere. What do you need me to do?¡± ¡°I need you to lock him in his room from the outside¡­ when I sleep. For my protection,¡± Lorenzo instructed. ¡°Once I fix these problems here in North Dakota and all goes back to the way they once were, Pedro will forget I ever sent him to Chicago.¡± ¡°As you wish, Consigliere. If you want, I¡¯ll ask some of the Colonel¡¯s men to keep watch outside your room,¡± I suggested, looking out through the limousine¡¯s window We were 2/5 11:37 Sat, Apr 6 CHAPTER 170 Exploit speeding along the highway behind Pete¡¯s car. ¡°I would like that, Nestor,¡± he agreed, obviously pleased at my suggestion. He raised his ss to his lips and downed the contents of his ss, wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his jacket. ¡°Rest assured, after I have dealt with this Mayor Cohen, I will deal with Pedro myself.¡± I turned my head to look at him and was surprised to see him grinning so¡­ wickedly. ¡°You just said a moment ago you don¡¯t want to have him killed. So how are you going to deal with him?¡± I asked. He chuckled. ¡°Nestor, I¡¯m not going to kill him. I need him for business,¡± he replied, amused. ¡°You see, Pedro has a gift, a certain talent, and I n to exploit his so-called gift.¡± His words felt like a knife had pierced my heart. I had a sinking feeling Lorenzo was nning to reopen his sex trafficking den and Pete¡­ well, Pete was skilled in the art of abduction. Was this the reason why Pete and Cris were nning to abduct Virtue? I silently prayed for side. Lorenzo to copse and die on the spot, but G od wasn¡¯t on my ¡°What do you mean, Consigliere?¡± I asked, ying dumb, hoping he would be willing to borate and rify, but instead I was met with a stern nce. ¡°You are on a need to know basis, Capo Nestor,¡± he answered, cing an emphasis on the word capo. ¡°Whatever business I have with Pedro is between the both of us. Know your ce.¡± I quickly turned my head away and scowled. As usual, I was casted aside due to rank. Just like Pete, Lorenzo waved his title in my face, as a constant reminder that I was bene them. As a capo, I had no choice, but to obey. However, there was one thing the Consigliere didn¡¯t know. I n to take Pete¡¯s position. Pete was a stup id, petnt man-child and the organization, I believed, deserved someone better. I¡¯ve been patient. I have allowed Pete to y gangster in that little basement of his, knowing full well when his mother died, he would instantly lose the respect everyone gave him. I kept my distance and worked in the shadows allowing Pete to believe that I rarely meddled in his affairs. Contrary to his beliefs, I manipted each situation to my benefit. I was the one who sent Cris the invite to the club frequented by Ariana De Vega. I know th3(5 11:37 Sat, Apr 6 CHAPTER 170 Exploit wouldn¡¯t be able to resist and I was right in my assumptions. They abducted her, tortured her and raped her. In the organization, everyone in the family was off-limits, unless sanctioned by Do?a Ortiz, so Pete, the idiot that he was, found himself in a tight spot once he touched Ariana. De Vega¡¯s retaliation was expected and the manner by which Cynthia met her death did not disappoint. Yet, both De Vega and his niece denied ever killing Cynthia. All I could surmise was it had to be Liam, but I was wrong, it wasn¡¯t him either. I, then, suspected Theodore since I knew firsthand that he was one slick mo therf ucker. With Cynthia out of the way, he and Liam could inherit the empire. Theodore Cohen was a well respected associate of the organization and with the right amount of ir, it was quite possible for him to negotiate a deal with Veronica. However, Theodore died, leaving New Salem at the mercy of Liam Cohen. In just one week, Liam killed all of Pete¡¯s loyal drug runners at the Ol¡¯ Barn, orchestrated a massacre in the hopes of covering up the disappearance of the Martins, and with Pete out of New Salem, he negotiated for a bigger distribution price while increasing his profit percentage. It wasn¡¯t panning out the way we wanted and Do?a Ortiz wasn¡¯t too thrilled to discover her cut had be so much smaller than before. I ran my hand through my hair in frustration. Even with all the bugs I nted inside Cohen Mansion, I was clueless. It¡¯s either the Cohens had found my bugs or they knew someon listening and watching. I asked Sarah to cause a scene during Theodore¡¯s wake to test the efficiency of the liste devices I had ced around the first floor. I was able to receive a recording, but not muc after. All I got was static. Liam probably had a jammer. It was the only logical exnation. The listening devices I ha ced in every house in New Salem including theboratory were all working except for those in Cohen Mansion, Virtue¡¯s store, Dom¡¯s, Bo¡¯s, the Sheriff¡¯s station, the pub, and the stores on Main street. Initially, I wondered if Dom, Bo and Chip were working with Liam, but when Jack mentioned they had installed a jammer to block listening devices near the precinct, all my suspicions disappeared. I had offered to renovate Ol¡¯ Man Eugene¡¯s farmhouse in an effort to bug the ce, but Bo said they liked how rustic the ce was. Anyway they were neers and weren¡¯t my concern. All their business operations were 4/5 11:37 Sat, Apr 6 CHAPTER 170 Exploit legit and they never once caused a problem for me. Since I had bugged probably every household and almost every establishment in New Salem, I was privy to every secret, including Liam¡¯s secret meeting with the women who advocated for women¡¯s rights. I heard him advise the women that a rally against Ford would give them media mileage across the country. I found it strange for Liam to propose such a thing given his rtionship with the Martins as well as the organization itself, until I heard his conversation with that rat named Demon. Then it all made sense. Liam will be shocked to find the Colonel is on my side. The Colonel was a former ssmate and long time friend of my father¡¯s. During the summer, my father and I would go camping with the Colonel. The first summer I met the Colonel was the summer I found out who my father really was. Pete was unaware I had undergone training and he believed me to be useless with a gun or a knife. I allowed him to believe I was just a redneck hi ck only good with a hammer and saw. It was my purpose to overthrow him without him even suspecting. I felt the limousine slow down and heaved a sigh of relief. We were finally at the mansion Pete had procured for Lorenzo. I needed Lorenzo and Pete in their designated bedrooms, out of my way, so I could prepare. Come tomorrow, I will be Capo Ba stone Noah Jensen. Chapter Comments Tara Castelli POST COM I love this book so much. Do you think we can get a couple of chapters on updates instead of just 1. I rather wait a week for a couple to a few chapters. If possible pleas¡­ Tara Castelli it¡¯s says it was updated but I¡¯m not getting the next chapter VIEW ALL 2 COMMENTS > Chapter 171 CHAPTER 171 La Casa de Flores Noah The limousine suddenly turned, entering through an open pair of iron gates leading into a sprawling property at the foot of Huff Hills. ¡°Driver, lower the partition please,¡± I quickly instructed the chauffeur via inte. I adjusted the bulletproof vest I was wearing under my shirt and positioned my hand near my gun. I couldn¡¯t afford any surprises. Once the retractable partition separating ¡®the driver¡¯s side and the rear passenger area disappeared into its wallpartment, I had an unobstructed view of our surroundings. I kept an eye out for any sudden movements. Luckily, there were none. The private road leading to the mansion was lined with newly cut rectangr shaped bushes growing alongside various colored tulips, all of which, were in full bloom. An array of yellow garden lights lit our way towards the modern mansion whose bright lights were aglow. As the limousine came to a stop, I noticed the color changing fountain lights of a huge water fountain of a naked woman situated in the middle of the front yard. Clouds of steam hovered above the circr pool just below the feet of the marble sculpture, creating an illusion that the naked woman was floating. The well-maintainedwn had several sc attered trees, its branches lit with dai looked like fireflies twi nkling in the night sky. There were various flowers all a was the colorful tulips that caught my attention. They swayed with the breeze weing us with their small dance. The limousine door opened and I exited, catching the scent of morning dewced hint of honeysuckle. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet unfor smell of my childhood which reminded me of the times when Joy and I would lie ber the stars on a cool summer night. ts that ti t I opened my eyes and let out a low whistle. The estate Pete had managed to procure for Lorenzo was breathtaking. ¡°Wee to La Casa de Flores,¡± Pete announced, the Colonel standing beside him with hi gun aimed at Pete¡¯s side. ¡°It is the pride and joy of the Mexican Envoy to North Dakota. My mother sponsored many of his advocacies, so it wasn¡¯t difficult to ask him for a favor.¡± 11:37 Sat, Apr 6 M. CHAPTER 171 La Casa de Flores ¡°I¡¯m impressed, Pedro,¡± Lorenzo said, eyeing the brick walls and the tall windows of the two- story mansion. ¡°How many bedrooms?¡± ¡°Eight bedrooms on the second floor. A home theater, recreation area, office and arge room in the basement. Then, there¡¯s a heated pool at the back and beside it, a guest house,¡± Pete answered. ¡°Colonel, are your men on their way here?¡± I asked. Instead of a verbal answer, he pointed at, what appeared to be, headlights of vehicles at the gates of the estate. After a few moments, several ck SUVS came speeding onto the driveway, making a full stop beside the limousine. One by one, the Blue Rogues exited the cars, dressed in their midnight blue tactical suits while each carrying an assault rifle. ¡°Nestor, have your men bring my luggage inside the house,¡± the Consigliere instructed, walking towards the front entrance of the mansion. ¡°Oh, by the way, hijo, I would rest better with a woman in my bed.¡± I quickly grabbed my phone from my inner coat pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll call Madame Beatrix so she can send several girls for you, Consigliere,¡± I answered. Beatrix was a well-known and respected madame in Bismarck who discreetly catered to VIPs. ¡°Thank you, Nestor. You know my preference,¡± the Consigliere replied. ¡°And if you can, I want a young boy¡­ Someone who will scream while I so domize him.¡± ¡¤ I cringed, shocked he could be so casual in front of the Colonel and his men. Clearly, the Consigliere was a proud ped ophile. ¡°Ah, there¡¯s no need to call Beatrix,¡± Pete interjected as he opened the front door of th mansion and entered the grand foyer. ¡°Consigliere, I have what you need downstairs in basement.¡± The Consigliere laughed. ¡°You know me so well, Pedro,¡± Lorenzo said, waving his finger at him. ¡°These boys¡­ are the young?¡± ¡°Yes, one is twelve while the other, ten,¡± Pete answered to my utter disgust. ¡°They¡¯re virgins, Consigliere, just the way you like them.¡± ¡°The boys I want, Pedro, however I would prefer a willing young woman to share my bed,¡± Lorenzo said. ¡°Nestor, have your madame send me her best.¡± I nodded my head and quickly dialed. Pete gestured at us to follow him for a tour of the mansion ¡°Very well then Consigliere the7 CHAPTER 171 La Casa de Flores master suite is located on the west wing. Nestor follow me into the basement. I need some help getting the boys upstairs.¡± After I spoke to Madame Beatrix, the Colonel, two of his men, and I followed Pete down the stairs to the basement towards the end of the hallway where arge room housed Pete¡¯s relunctant guests. When Pete unlocked and opened the door, screams erupted. Inside were five young women and two young boys. Despite the fact they were being held against their will, they looked clean and healthy. Several mattressesy on the floor as well as a pile of foil wrappers of chips and cookies. At the very least, Pete was feeding them. ¡°Noah, how can you condone this?¡± The Colonel whispered as his men grabbed the two young boys. ¡°I don¡¯t like this s hit too, but they outrank me. Just y along for now. Come tomorrow, I¡¯ll have you put two in Pete¡¯s skull,¡± I whispered back. ¡°Fine, they can have their fun until sunrise,¡± the Colonel replied, ¡°then, I¡¯ll have my men release these captives before we make our way to New Salem.¡± I nodded my approval. While Lorenzo and Pete chose from among the young girls Madame Beatrix sent, I checked my messages. I found an email sent by one of the Colonel¡¯s men. Inside was a video showing Lisa lea storage unit carrying a duffle bag which I could only assume was filled with money. Attached to the email was a copy of Lisa¡¯s flight itinerary to Chicago. She arrived in Chica two days ago after she announced to the townsfolk during the opening ceremony of the Honey Bee Celebration that Bismarck Police had concluded her husband had died via suicide As of the moment, she was still in Chicago, but she was scheduled to fly back to Bismarckter in the morning so she could attend the Sullivan-Cohen nuptials in the afternoon. Her visiting her husband¡¯s storage unit prior to her departure could only mean one thing¡­ Cris was alive and well in Chicago. I scrolled through my inbox for more emails on Lisa, however, there was nothing else. After the Consigliere was finally shacked up in the Master Suite with his h arem and Pete w2? CHAPTER 171 La Casa de Flores in his room with a girl of his own, the Colonel and I entered the mansion¡¯s library to talk. ¡°What has Liam been up to?¡± I asked after I had seated myselffortably in an antique leather chair. ¡°He has been busy organizing his wedding and heading the festivities of the Honey Bee Celebration. He¡¯s also working closely with the Sheriff and the Undersheriff in the hopes of finding the Martins,¡± the Colonel answered. ¡°I put a tail on him and my scout said he overheard the good mayor ask the owner of a grocery store if he knew where he could find an Attorney Link Murphy.¡± Liam must have asked Bo for Link¡¯s whereabouts. ¡°Also, our spy cameras in the Cohen Mansion have caught him¡­ searching for some document.¡± I wonder what that could be. Change subject. ¡°By the way, Colonel, I received an email from that scout tailing Lisa,¡± I said. ¡°Any news from him?¡±/ Ryan called me yesterday and informed me she¡¯s looking for someone. A certain De Vega, he answered. ¡°She was seen going to several clubs. She left each one, alone, sober and disappointed.¡± He suddenly checked his watch. ¡°I better call him for a follow-up. He was supposed to touch base a while ago.¡± He whipped out his phone from his pants¡¯ pocket and dialed. ¤Ê Good. Once I know the location of Cris Murdock, I can finalize my ns. I leaned my head back against the chair and closed my eyes. My thoughts wandered of the one woman I ached for. Pete wasn¡¯t going to hand Virtue over to me nor was he going to step aside¡­ without a I had to n things thoroughly and I had to be two steps ahead at all times. Unfortunately, I would have to get my hands dirty. That¡¯s fine, just as long as it means New Salem and Virtue will be mine. ¡°We have a problem, Noah,¡± the Colonel said, interrupting my thoughts. I opened my eyes and noticed his brow was furrowed. ¡°The call went straight to voice mail.¡± Go d da mn it! I barged into Pete¡¯s room with the Colonel following close behind. Inside, Pete and his girl were on the bed naked, but he wasn¡¯t f ucking her. He was on top of her both of his hands 4/7 CHAPTER 171 La Casa de Flores around her neck. The as shole was strangling the poor girl. ¡°Pete, what the f uck!¡± I howled angrily as I pulled him off the young prostitute. ¡°Are you f ucking out of your mind?!¡± I didn¡¯t want to deal with a dead woman. I had too much on my te to even think of hiding a dead body. ¡°Get your hands off of me, you pr ick!¡± Pete yelled, swatting my hands away from his sweaty body. ¡°You have no right to interfere in my affairs!¡± ¡°Did you send men to spy on Lisa?¡± I asked, ncing at the girl as she gasped for air. The Colonel quickly covered her with a nket while gesturing to his men for a ss of water. ¡°Answer me!¡± I shoved Pete against the wall, careful not to touch his disgusting little penis. ¡°No,¡± he spat back. ¡°Why in the hell are you asking me that?¡± ¡°The man the Colonel sent to follow her has gone missing,¡± I answered harshly. ¡°Ever since I found out about this delivery man, I¡¯ve been trying to locate Cris. I had Lisa followed knowing she would lead me to him.¡± ¡°And you think I have something to do with your guy¡¯s disappearance?¡± Pete asked, amused. He chuckled, his pudgy belly ji ggling as heughed. ¡°You know, Noah, a person will go to grave lengths to stay hidden. I have a feeling Cris took care of him.¡± He pushed my hand off his shoulder and closed the small gap between us. He stood so close I could smell his stale breath. ¡°Now, if you don¡¯t mind, there¡¯s a girl in my bed that I want to f uck. Unless you want to watch.¡± He pulled the nket off of her and began to stroke her pu ssy. ¡°F uck, Pete, not strangle,¡± I warned him, my voice low with rage. ¡°If I find her dead in t morning, I¡¯m going to bury you with her.¡± I turned to address one of the Blue Rogues. ¡°R an eye on him.¡± Before storming out of Pete¡¯s bedroom, I nted a bug on his dresser. I saw that familiar arrogant glint in his eyes. He definitely knew something. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Colonel,¡± I said as we walked back to the library. His eyes narrowed angrily. ¡°This is on me, son,¡± he said, his tone cold. ¡°I¡¯ll find out whoever did this and I¡¯ll make sure the son ofab itch pays with his life.¡± Link 5/7 CHAPTER 171 La Casa de Flores Chicago It was a chilly night and I was tipsy, but not too tipsy to notice every touch, every seductive move, every flirtatious smile this beautiful woman was throwing at me. ** We were in a cab heading back to our hotel. I had identally bumped into her this morning at the lobby of the hotel, pretending to be in Chicago for business. I was on the phone with Beaufort when she stepped out of the elevator looking quite rxed in her casual floral spring dress. ¡°We have the man who has been following her in custody, Link,¡± Beaufort said. ¡°Proceed as nned.¡± ¡°Do I have to?¡± I whined. I didn¡¯t want to toy with a woman¡¯s feelings. Truth be told, I had to constantly remind myself that she was the one who lured Joy to the boy¡¯s gym that fateful night. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, Primo was able to hack into herputer. Shouldn¡¯t that information be enough?¡± ¡°She¡¯s in the process of b ypa ssing Dan for councilman, Link,¡± Beaufort argued, ¡°without any objections from Liam. She¡¯s important and I want to know why. Right now, Cristos is doing a background check on her parents. Her father managed a bank. It¡¯s possible the Angels of Darkness used him tounder their money. Anyway, if you¡¯re having second thoughts, I can, send De Luca instead. You know how he is with women.¡± I heard the warning in Beaufort¡¯s tone. I let out an exasperated sigh. I couldn¡¯t disappoint him. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. ¡°She just stepped out of the elevator. I gotta go. ¡°Sam will stay close just in case someone else is tailing her. I¡¯ll see you in New Salem tomorrow,¡± Beaufort said before hanging up. The cab stopped in front of our hotel. I hopped out to assist her, taking her hand in mine while my arm went around the small of her waist. As she stepped out onto the sidewalk, she tripped. I broke her fall, pushing her soft body against mine. I buried my nose in her hair, taking in the strawberry scent of her shampoo. ¡°I don¡¯t want the night to end yet, Link,¡± she murmured, staring up at me with her gorgeous brown eyes. ¡°My suite has an amazing view. How about onest drink?¡± I lowered my head brushing my line against hork for one long tantalizing moment Che 6/7 CHAPTER 171 La Casa de Flores suddenly parted her lips, a sign she wanted more. I kissed her gently, rather tentatively, allowing her to stop me, if she felt ufortable. But she didn¡¯t. Instead, I felt her body tremble and I heard a soft moan escape from her sweet lips. I raised my head to look into her eyes and I saw a woman who wanted me more than anything else in this world. I took a deep breath. I didn¡¯t want to hurt her, but I had a job to do. ¡°I¡¯d love to see the view from your suite over a bottle of champagne. I¡¯ll order room service, my sweet.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!