Dark Passion (The Dark Brother Series Book One) (19 page)

“I’m serious! I don’t know. I got back this morning and they were all gone!”

His eyes meet my Father’s and they nod towards each other.

“Very well, Kane, make sure she’s tied good. We need to get down to the Warf and end Jagger. Have you got the information?”

My Father hands him the papers and Manchez smiles. “Well done my boy.”

“You’re all sick!” I cry, kicking my legs out, “Sick monsters!”

Manchez grins and actually has the nerve to look proud of that fact. “Well, I think that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever called me, Willow.”

“He’s smarter than you, he is!”

Manchez laughs now. “He’s all love stricken. He thinks we have you; he’ll be putty in our hands. He’s going to show up at that Warf and we are going to shoot him before he’s even out of the car. Easy.”

I close my eyes and swallow. I have to get out of here. I have to warn Jagger.

“Deal with her, Kane, and then meet me in the den. We leave in half an hour. We need to make sure we’re prepared, he will arrive at two pm.”

When Manchez leaves, I stare at my Father.

“Daddy please, don’t hurt him. I love him.”

For the first time, my Father’s face softens a touch.

“I have to do this Willow, I’m sorry.”

“You’ve been in love before; please don’t take that from me.”

“It all ends eventually, all of it.”

“Daddy, please, I’m your daughter.”

His eyes are pained as he fiddles with the ropes on the chair, when he’s secured me; he removes the handcuffs and steps back and meets my gaze.

“I know I never did anything for you Willow, for that I’m sorry. I hope one day I can make it up to you.”

“Dad!” I cry as he leaves the room.

I hang my head and cry, my back aches and my wrists burn from the ropes. I sit limply until I hear the cars pulling out of the driveway. I know there’s a man guarding my door. I struggle in the binds, pulling and yanking. I notice they’re a little looser than normal. My Father did them quite tight
to begin with so why are they lose now? I keep pulling and yanking until my wrists are bleeding, but the binds are coming loose.

Another hour of pulling and I manage to free myself. Part of me wonders if my Father tied those ropes weakly on purpose or if he just missed a knot. I stare around the room, it’s empty and there’s nothing I can use as a weapon. Except the chair…I flip it over and quickly kick one of the heavy wooden legs, breaking it off. The door opens just as I pick it up, and a man steps through. His eyes widen when he sees that I’m free.

I swing before he can raise his gun, connecting with his head and sending him stumbling backwards. I hit him again and again until he lies unconsciously on the floor. I pick up his gun and tuck it into my pants, and then I sneak off down the long halls of the house. I tread quietly, in case there are more people hanging around. When I reach the kitchen, I peer in and realize it’s empty. I race forward, digging around for some car keys.

When I find a set, I rush towards the front door. That’s when I hear a voice. I spin around and see a man standing in the hall, glaring at me. I fumble quickly for my gun, oh God, can I do this? Can I shoot someone? He picks up a knife from the bench as he storms towards me. Looks like I don’t get a choice. I raise the gun and I shoot, hitting him in the chest. He makes a gurgled sound and falls backwards, and I turn and run, not looking back.

I find the car easily enough, and I get in. I don’t have a phone, but I have to warn Jagger. I look down at the time, it’s twelve thirty. I have to get to him before he gets to the Warf. I turn the car on and press the gas, speeding towards the end of the road. I flog the engine in the car the entire way home, when I pull up at my apartment, I leap out.

I run inside, but Jenny and Ava aren’t here. Oh God, what if so
mething has happened to them? I need to get hold of Jagger; I don’t know how I’ll do that. There might be only one other person who knows a way to contact him. His sister. I rush forward and find a phone book, frantically searching for Maggie’s practice. I finally see it, and I dial the number.

“Doctor Maggie’s office, Amelia speaking?”

“Yes, hello, I was wondering if I could speak to Maggie please.”

“Doctor Maggie doesn’t take phone calls, I’m sorry. May I take a message?”

“No, please, it’s urgent. Tell her it’s about her Brother.”

“Just a moment, I’ll see what I can do.”

She puts me on hold and I anxiously tap my fingers against the counter while I wait. About five minutes later, the phone comes off hold.

“Hello?”

It’s Maggie.

“Maggie, it’s Willow.”

“Oh Willow, how are you?”

“We have a problem? I need to get hold of Jagger and I can’t find him.”

“Have you tried his phone?”

“He left it here, he’s in serious danger, he’ll die if I don’t get hold of him.”

“Have you called the police?” she cries, sounding worried.

“I can’t do that, it’s too dangerous.”

“Willow, what’s going on?”

I quickly tell her the truth, from start to finish. She’s silent a long moment.

“I knew it was off, the whole situation.”

“It doesn’t matter
now; do you have his number at home?”

“Yes, I’ll get it.”

She puts the phone down and comes back a moment later and reads me a number.

“Thank you Maggie,”

“Please, let me know when you know anything.”

“I promise.”

I hang up and quickly dial the number she gave me. Come on Jagger, please be there.

“Hello?”

It’s not Jagger, it’s Bull.

“Bull! It’s Willow, we have a problem.”

“Willow? How did you get a phone, are you ok?”

“I’m not with Manchez.”

“What?”

“He didn’t take me…well…he did but…Jagger is being set up. You have to stop him from going to that Warf.”

“He’s already gone!”

“No! Shit! Where is it?”

He prattles off the address. “I’ll get Rusty and we’ll go too. He has Angel and Ace with him.”

“They’re going to shoot him the minute he shows Bull.”

“Shit, I’m on my way. Jenny and Ava are here, they’re safe!”

“
Ok, good, I’m going now.”

I hang up quickly and rush towards my room. I pull on some joggers and jeans, then I tuck the gun into my pants and I rush out. I get into my car, leaving the other one on the driveway. I wonder if that guard woke up and warned Manchez of my whereabouts.
God, I hope I get there before Manchez does. Please God, don’t let Jagger get hurt.

CHAPTER
18

I drive the back way, and end up down the bottom of the Warf. I slide out of my car and pull my gun out. I tiptoe down to a line of trees and crouch behind them. I peer out and see a lineup of black cars down at the Warf entrance. It’s Manchez. I crawl closer, and I hear the sounds of more cars coming in. Jagger?

I’m just about to make a run for a line of shipping containers, when a hand goes around my mouth from behind. I kick and struggle, but I can’t get out of the vice like grip. A voice fills my ears, and I shudder. It’s Manchez. “Thought you could outsmart me? Stupid girl.”

He crushes my mouth with his hand and drags me towards the group of cars. My Father meets my gaze and his eyes widen. I kick and squirm, but a fist drives into my ribs, and then I’m on the ground, screaming in pain. A foot hits my side and I roll, gripping my ribs and whimpering.

“Manchez, you said you wouldn’t hurt her!” My Father yells, dropping to his knees.

“She fuckin’ betrayed me! Now get up Kane, or I’ll blow your fuckin’ brains out.”

My Father stands, his eyes meet mine and he looks sorry. Hot tears slide down my cheeks and I struggle to keep calm and not give Manchez any further reason to hurt me. When I hear a car coming into the lot
, my tears start again. Jagger. When I see his car come into view, I become desperate for a way to stop Manchez hurting him. Manchez raises his gun with a sick grin on his face.

“Enjoy this Willow, he’s about to be splattered all over his own car.”

“I copied the information!” I cry. “He has it!”

Manchez
lowers the gun and spins around, gripping me by the hair and pulling me closer to his face. “What did you say?”

“I copied it! The rest of Jagger’s gang has a copy at his house.”

He spins me around and wraps an arm around my throat and presses the gun to my temple. Jagger gets out of the car with Ace and Angel. His eyes fall on me, and he looks beside himself.

“Ah Jagger, just in time to see the show,”

“Let her go Manchez, I’m what you want.”

“She just broke the news to me.”

“What?”

Jagger’s eyes fall on me, and I close mine.

“She said you have a copy of the information, now why would you play those kinds of games with me?”

“I don’t know what you’re fuckin’ talking about.”

Manchez laughs and the air around us is thick and still.

“Now, you know I’m smarter than that.”

“Obviously not, because I have nothin’,”

“Jagger, why do you insist on pissing me off? Now I’m going to have to hurt her.”

“DON’T!” Jagger roars, stepping forward.

Manchez tightens his arm around my throat and I struggle to breathe.

“One more step Jagger, and she’s dead.”

“I don’t have your fuckin’ information!”

“She said she copied it!”

“Well I don’t have it!”

Manchez squeezes again, and I feel my eyes beginning to haze over.

“Stop Manchez, this wasn’t part of the deal!” My Father snarls.

“Back down Kane, or you’ll die too!”

Just as my vision goes blurry, I hear the sound of a gun being fired. Suddenly I’m on the floor and Manchez is beside me, half his face blown off. I retch and struggle to breathe as gun shots ring out all around me. I cover my eyes, desperate to escape from this hell zone.
I just wait to feel the sting of a bullet imbedding into my body but it never comes. Guns and gurgled sounds play out for what seems like forever, and then suddenly everything is silent.

“Jagger?”

I hear Angel’s voice, and I lift my head. I see Jagger on the floor, his stomach bleeding. I get to my knees and drag myself over, dropping down beside him.

“Jagger!”

His eyes are closed and there’s so much blood.

“Oh God, Jagger!” I scream.

Angel checks his pulse. “He’s still alive; we have to get him to a hospital, now.”

“Jagger,” I croak, shaking him. “Please wake up, please baby, wake up.”

“Willow we have to go, the cops will be here any minute.”

I turn and stare at the dead bodies lying around on the floor. Then I see my Father,
he’s lying about two meters away, right near Manchez’s dead body. I force myself to my knees again and crawl over. He’s bleeding from the mouth and his body is jerking. I lift his head into my hands and my tears drop onto his face.

“Daddy, oh God, please!”

“Willow,” he croaks. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s
ok; you’re going to be ok.”

“I thought…you’d get away when I left those ropes loose. I gave you nothing in your life, but I wanted to give you that freedom. I wanted to give you something…
I wanted you to be safe. I shot Manchez, but I don’t regret it. I did it for you, I never did anything for you but I wanted you to have something…”

His voice his hoarse and he’s gurgling. Hot tears slide down my cheeks.

“Daddy, please…you’ll be ok.”

“Willow, we have to leave.”
Ace shouts.

“I can’t leave him!” I scream.

My Father reaches up weakly. “I’m proud of you; I hope…I hope that you can forgive me.”

“I do,” I whimper. “I forgive you.”

“I love you Willow, I always did,” he croaks, his voice barely above a whisper.

He strokes my cheek and then his head drops back and he stops breathing. My screams echo across the water as Ace lifts me into his arms and carries me to the car.

“We can’t leave him here,” I scream.

“He’s gone Willow, we have to leave.”

“Please!”

“I’m sorry.”

He slides me in the back
seat and they lies Jagger down beside me. I stroke his face, my tears drip over his pale cheeks.

“Please, don’t you leave me too. Jagger, please.”

CHAPTER
19

Jagger is whisked away as soon as we get into emergency. I’m taken to a room and put into a bed. I have four broken ribs, and they want to run some scans to make sure I haven’t punctured anything. I lay in the bed, numb and staring out the window. I think of my Father, and how he sacrificed everything for me in the end. He left those ropes loose, and he shot Manchez. Risking his own life, he saved mine.