Bane (4 page)

I didn’t say a word as I sat her down and the sun peeked over the horizon. Hell, I was nervous. Getting down on one knee, I said, “Take off the blind fold, baby.”

She did as I asked and looked at me, a hand going to her mouth.

“Jasmine, until you, I was lost. You saved me in ways you’ll never know. I love you with my whole heart. I thought I was lost forever until you found me. I brought you tour place the place where we first said
I love you
to each other when I was here the last time. It was through that last visit we conceived Faith. This is the same place where I want you to become part of my forever. Will you do me the honor of not only being the mother of our child, but my wife?”

This spot was special to us. On our last visit, she’d brought me here after we’d stayed up all night. It was the place she came to reflect on her life. No one knew about it.

Tears came down her cheek. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

I stood and opened the ring box. She wouldn’t be able to put it on with her gloves, but I wanted her to see it. “I bought this about nine months back, but wanted to wait until I was free.”

Inside the black velvet box, a large diamond stood on a silver band. The jewelry guy called it a princess something or other. I knew from the price tag it had to be good, so I bought it.

Jumping into my arms, Jasmine kissed me hard. I’d never tire of her taste. It was like strawberries. She sniffled. “You had this planned before I became pregnant.”

In between kisses, I tried to explain. “I planned on proposing all along. Being pregnant was an added bonus. Let’s get home and consummate this engagement.”

“I want nothing more. Bane, I never knew I could be this happy.”

“Me either, baby.”

I sat Jasmine down, looking at her face. Her glistening eyes could see into my soul. Because of her I was a better man. Even being able to see the bad and ugly, she still loved me. The darkness didn’t matter. Jasmine was my light.

THUD.

On instinct, I ducked at the sickening sound and brought Jasmine with me. It had to be a hunter, but my gut told me something was up. I always trusted my gut. If it wasn’t a hunter, a sniper was in the area. Were they looking for me? If so, what the fuck did they want with me? The first thing I needed to do was get us out of there.

If it was a sniper, I would hunt down the motherfucker and eliminate him. By the sound ricocheting through the area, he was a mile out, probably perched in a tree somewhere.

“Baby, I need to get us out of here.”

I never dreamed this could happen. I’d taken every precaution I could think of. Up here, we were supposed to be safe from any danger.

I pulled Jasmine, but nothing happened. Dead weight. Turning back, I had a sickening feeling I wasn’t willing to admit. Before my eyes, Jasmine slumped over as a red pool of blood spread from her head into the white snow.

Grabbing her shoulders, I brought her to me. “No! No! No! Baby, wake up!”

Jasmine laid before me. Lifeless. Dead.

Sobs erupted from me. “NOOOO!”

Everything worth living for was fading in that moment. I had to be there for my little girl as her movements faded. “Faith, I’m here! I’m here, Faith! Daddy is here!”

There was nothing I could do. Helpless. I prayed for a miracle as I begged, “Baby, don’t leave me! Please don’t leave me!”

In that moment, I lost all that I had. All that I was. Everything.

Visions of what could have been flashed before my eyes—putting a swing together, seeing Jasmine teach our daughter to read, eating as a family.

Cradling the love of my life’s body, I rocked her. Rocked my baby with my hand on her stomach. My baby. My daughter. My Faith.

“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Life without Jasmine was no life at all. I screamed and my voice echoed through the open area. “KILL ME, MOTHERFUCKER! KILL ME! KILL ME NOW!”

Nothing happened.

Gone.

It was all gone.

The blackness took hold of my soul.

I let it.

Fire burned within my veins.

I welcomed it.

They should have killed me.

Now, I would hunt them down.

Every. Last. One. Of. Them.

Present Day

I SAT UP, gasping for air, drenched in sweat. Different night. Same fucking dream—Jasmine’s eyes looking at me right before she and our baby were murdered. The dream always left me hollow. It was the worst day of my existence that I lived over and over again—never able to escape. I deserved to be haunted for what happened in Alaska. If only the killer shot me instead, life would be better. The love of my life and child would be alive.

The clock read four in the morning. Two hours of sleep. I’d take it. Throwing on some jogging shorts, I hit the treadmill in my spare room. The speed of the belt propelled me forward while I pushed myself to the limit, which never seemed enough to do me in.

After the nightmare, most times, I ran while trying to burn away the rage that still loomed beneath the surface. I gritted my teeth as I thought about all I’d lost. My hands were balled into fists while I remembered.

I pushed myself hard, wanting to be numb.

I’d never be rid of it—that was for certain. All I could do was stifle the inner turmoil. There was nowhere left for it to go. I’d killed every motherfucker that had a part in Jasmine’s death.

Every. Last. One. Of. Them.

To get my revenge, I’d enlisted with the Black Division under the condition I got to hunt down and kill those responsible. They welcomed me back with open arms, but with their own condition … that I took on six missions of their choice.

Yeah, I took the deal.

No matter the price, revenge was the only thing that mattered. I thought back to my last day when I left Black Division for good, after I’d killed the two people responsible for my loved ones’ deaths … Enrique Consuelo and Eric Thornhill.

Sarge, my superior, walked up to me. The large scar on his face was from a knife fight in Afghanistan. “Are you sure we can’t talk you in to staying?”

My six kills were completed, which was my deal in order to find the men responsible for Jasmine’s death. The sorry son-of-a-bitch, Enrique, suffered. The memory of his screams were the only thing that brought me satisfaction. In hindsight, I would have made the pain last longer.

“I appreciate the offer, but it’s time.”

Sarge knowingly nodded. He’d been there through all of this. “I’ll never forget all the help you and Hampton gave me in finding Enrique Consuelo.”

I clenched my fists. Jasmine’s death had been about revenge … for things I’d done. Eye for an eye. Except they took my entire reason for living, not my fucking eye. Enrique Consuelo was a Columbian drug lord. I’d killed his father, Rodrigo Consuelo—kill number sixty-two for me. Rodrigo liked to capture American girls and sell them on the black market for large amounts. The kill only made the world a better place.

Sarge slapped my back. “Anytime. I’m sorry for what you had to go through. I wish I’d known about Eric. Sorry son of a bitch. You’re welcome back anytime.”

Eric fucking Thornhill, an operative within Black Division, was the insider help to Enrique Consuelo in exchange for a hefty sum. The trail of deceit ended with Eric—I was sure of it. I’d tortured Enrique for days and he stayed consistent that Eric was the only one involved. After how I nearly brought Enrique to the brink of death time and time again … anyone would have broken if there had been more information.

I took a deep breath to calm myself and cracked my neck to the side. After going through all of Enrique’s files while he was unconscious from all the pain, I’d found out Enrique had been keeping tabs on me through my last year of service at the Black Division. Pictures of Jasmine and me. The information regarding the house I’d bought. Miscellaneous identities I’d had. A picture of us declaring our love in our special spot. All of Jasmine’s information. The intel he had astonished me. Enrique even had a copy of Jasmine’s doctor reports. Fucking bastard knew she was pregnant.

“That motherfucker deserved what he got. I need to catch my plane to Atlanta. Thanks, Sarge.”

Truth was I needed to escape before I lost it and fell to the craving to wreak more destruction on something … anything.

“We’re here anytime you need us.”

“Thanks, man.”

I grabbed my bag and headed to my car, knowing I’d never forgive myself for what I’d done—leading him straight to Jasmine and Faith without knowing he was even looking for me. Straight to my family. I deserved to have this nonexistent life after causing their deaths. Still, looking back, I knew I’d been careful. But I’d missed something somewhere. I’d retraced my steps and memories numerous times and there was nothing out of place.

What had I missed?

The guilt would never leave me. Never. I had been wrong about deserving any happiness. The sins of my past were too great. As my mother mentioned time and time again,
I am a bastard that didn’t deserve anything.
For two days I’d been completely happy and that was more than I deserved.

I pumped my legs harder as I increased the speed on the belt and I pushed myself to the limits in a punishing manner.

After Enrique and Eric were disposed of, I eliminated everyone related to the crime—no stone was left unturned, including the man who sold the sniper the gun.

True to my word, I left as soon as the six missions were done, which was almost a year exactly after Jasmine died. Oh, the Black Division tried to keep me—unsuccessfully. They threw all sorts of money my way, but I wanted nothing more to do with them. Death’s door sometimes seemed like the better option. But I couldn’t bring myself to end my life, and somehow I managed to always pull through. Not killing myself was the only piece of humanity I had left inside.

Sweat poured down my face as I worked on trying to calm myself from the dream.

The treadmill beeped as I upped the speed even more.

I’d kept my name, Bane Bradley. If there were any other motherfuckers left that wanted a fight, I wanted them to be able to find me. There was nothing left to lose in this world. The itch to let the animal inside me out was strong. I welcomed any bastard who wanted to rumble.

I hit the off button, jolting the belt to a stop.

“Fuck.” My body was exhausted.

Making my way to the kitchen, I grabbed a bottle of water and chugged it. I lived in a scarcely decorated apartment in an upscale building for privacy reasons. Went in line with my motto—have nothing you couldn’t walk away from in your life at any time.

Only a few people, all within Black Division, knew what happened to me in regards to Jasmine. I didn’t want the pity stares from anyone else. Life dealt me a shitty hand … that was a fucking fact. As far as everyone was concerned, except my superiors, I’d missed the life when I came back to join.

My phone rang. It was Hampton. “Bane.”

After the Black Division, I did odd intel jobs for him. He now owned Security Branch, but had been part of the covert operation.

“Hey, man. I figured you’d be up.” The gruff voice from my old mentor brought back memories. He was the only one from the Black Division I’d stayed in touch with who knew about Jasmine. The only other two who knew were Sarge and Alex, Sarge’s superior.

It was five in the morning now after my hour run. “Yeah, I’m up. Why are you up so early?”

“Client shit. Came into the office early. I wanted to talk to you about a case. You free today?”

I dragged a hand down my face. “Yeah, I’m free.”

“How about the office? Does ten work?”

“I’ll be there.”

“Thanks, man.”

I ended the phone call and finished chugging my water. Hampton hooked me up with one of my longest jobs with sports team owner billionaire, Damien Wales. The love of his life, Allison, was being threatened at the time I came on. Yeah, there was no way I would turn down helping a guy keep the woman he loved. He was a good man. I enjoyed working for him. The problem was I got too attached. Started caring. So, I quit a couple of years ago.