Slice (The Elledge Family #1) (24 page)

“We aren't going anywhere.” I yelled. “I want to know what it is that you have tucked deep inside that is just not good enough for me to know.”

“There is nothing here, Cypress!” Lucas’ eyes were wild.

“Alright, well then just get out! If you can't trust me enough to tell me what is tearing, you apart, then you don't need to be with me. I open up every day and tell you every detail about me. You can't even give me a half ass effort to understanding what you have going on. So get the fuck out!”

“Oh, I’ll be happy to.” He tossed his hands up at me in defeat and made his way to the front door. “If you decide to stop being a pain in my ass. Give me a call.”

“Goodbye,” I held the door open. “And when you decide that there is something more that want to tell me… you can come back.”

Lucas

I had no idea what the hell had just happened. Women were difficult creatures and I was not mentally equipped to figure out whatever the puzzle was just yet. I wanted some peace. I need some privacy and needed a kill. Someone local… someone easy. I sat in my car and banged my fist against the steering wheel in frustration. Cypress had seen a raw, unadulterated version of me that night. It wasn’t supposed to slip out and I didn’t want it to be seen.

I peered at my loft and then to the agents who sat in the unmarked black sedan less than a block away. I just wanted one damned night alone. Completely free to kill whoever the fuck I wanted to. I clenched my fist and freed my shoulders. I could lose them, but they would have a tail out on my car in minutes, or I could go out through the building and got it.

I hopped out of the vehicle. They were there as usual being a complete nuisance in my life. I looked at them and through up a friendly hand. I could leave America. I could visit my Nadine and Callum. A pure Irishman and cousin who knew how to have a good time in the only way that I did. I nodded my head. Just a few nights with on the streets of Dublin and he would enjoy the hunt just as much as me. There would be no Cypress, no fucking McMillan and no issues. I could be back to normal.

“What are you doing out here?”

I rolled my eyes at Mark. “It just so happens that I live here, Mark.”

“Well, I'm happy you are back. There is an issue I have on my hands and you can’t kill him or throw him out of any windows. I just need you to remain calm and listen to whatever the fuck he has to say.”

“Who the fuck is it Mark?”

“Asher.” Mark crossed his arms as if he already knew my reaction.

“Why the hell is he a problem?”

“He actually is studying you and from what I see, now the Feds are too. He is a good guy. I have done a background check and I’ve had him under my thumb for the past few months. I looked into him and his father. His father was studying you and your dad. And he took over and decided to study you. He is in my apartment waiting for us with everything he has on you. The only thing he wants from you is to talk one on one politely. And then he will help us get the agent off of your back.”

“Absolutely not, he is supposed to be banned from the place. And what the fuck do you mean had him under your thumb? He fucking fondled my girlfriend.”

“He doesn't want Cypress. He has his own girlfriend that he just so happens to be in love with. I just want you to go up there with a clear mind and promise you will not kill him.”

“I won't.” I snapped. Why was he studying me? And more importantly, why was he studying my family period.

“Good, because the agents over there would be mighty excited to cuff your ass.” We made it upstairs rather quickly. I could feel my heart as it ripped out of my chest, I hated him.

Mark's apartment was white. Everything from the chairs, the tables and appliances. He wanted everything white. The only nonwhite items were the splashes of black arms and legs and an occasional stainless steel garnish.  Asher sat in the white chair surrounded by pictures with my face and knives and items that had never left my apartment. I stared at the table. “You bloody bastard.” I mumbled.

“Yeah, great way to start. Sit down.” Mark snapped.

I followed his demand and stared at Asher. “You make it a habit of sneaking into my home and rummaging through things?”

“Is this what you call polite?” Asher turned to Mark.

“I’m afraid that it’s as polite as he gets.”

“Well, I’m here to help you Lucas.” Asher opened his notebook.

“Why?”

“Because I don't like to help the feds. They are the reason that my father can't come home and I'd rather not help them.”

“Your daddy issues have nothing to do with the fact you broke into my home and rummaged through my shit. Then you took pictures. Do you roll around on my sheets too?”

“Look, Lucas he wants to help. Shut up and listen to him for a moment. It could help you.” Mark sat down on the couch across from me and sipped on his water. “Go ahead.”

“I have been studying you and your actions for five years… maybe more.” He sifted through the array of files on the desk. “I know what you are Luke.”

“Are you working with them? Is this the reason that the FBI has taken it upon themselves to follow me wherever the fuck I go? You giving them shit?”

“What? Are you deaf? I just said that I wanted to help you. I really thought that you were smarter than this.”

“You are a bold little fuck I see.” I teetered on the edge of you my seat and cracked my knuckles. “Are you working with the feds? Have you checked him for a wire?”

Mark laughed. “Yes, you are a complete ass.” Mark laughed at me and then leaned forward placing his elbows on his legs. “Can you take just a few minutes and calm your rage and listen to him? Honestly, I would have not brought him here if I didn’t think he could help you. Will you listen to him?”

“No.” I snapped.

“Don’t make this hard.” Mark threatened.

“Oh, what are you going to do to me Mark?”

“Don’t little brother.” I knew he was strong; without my knife he would overpower me. I only lifted weights occasionally. The gym had a room with his name on it. “Go ahead Asher.”

He sat uncomfortably as he watched us too. “I believe that you are a psychopath. As a matter of a fact I know you are and no it does not excuse your behavior. But it explains so much about you that you might not understand.”

“Excuse me?”

“I didn't stutter and I don't like repeating myself. You are a psychopath. You have no emotions for anyone else but yourself and maybe Cypress sometimes. It's why you kill. You do it because it doesn’t hurt you to kill. You could give less than a fuck about someone else’s life.”

I felt uneasy. Everything he had stated was true. I stared at him. “Continue.”

“You are a cold heart manipulative person and you do anything to make you feel better. They have spotted you and they know your behavior patterns. The checklist fits you like an autobiography. It's why this agent is so head strung on catching you. You are dangerous.”

“Tell me something I don’t know Asher.”

“I can help you.”

“How can you help me Asher?”

“I can teach you to control it. And no you won't be able to defeat it all the time. But you can at least control yourself while they are hunting you like a savage animal.”

“Well, how sweet of you, you stalk me and then you would like to help me. How about you give me some time to think about it?” I watched as Mark grimaced and laughed.

“You should just take his help. It’s really nothing to debate about, you have become reckless. I don’t know what it is and I don’t care either. I want you to do it. I want you to be open enough to let him help you.”

“You can't tell me what to do.”

“You sound like a fucking little kid Lucas!”

Asher cleared his throat. “You two stop bickering for one moment.” He hands me the pictures. “I have a question about some pictures I found in your apartment.”

“What pictures Asher?” My lips bared against clenched teeth. Rage seeped into my eyes. There was nothing worse in my book than rummaging through someone things. It was rude and evasive. I flipped through the pictures.

“These children, I found them on accident actually.”

“Accident my ass,” I mumbled.

“Your mom only had one child, right?”

“She had me and those children were the ones she kept in the orphanage with my Nan in England. Now if you would please stay out of my shit. I would hate to see you dead.”

“Alright, look… just be nice.”

“I'm trying as hard as I can.” I gritted my teeth. “I’m actually gonna head up to my place. You take a picture of my sheets too freak.”

“Okay, I'm leaving. I could have stayed home and gave all this shit to the feds. I didn't have to come here tonight. I have a girlfriend that wants me to leave everything alone, but I wanted to help. I don't have to.”

“We know and we appreciate it. We can meet again soon. I want to know everything that they know so that we can know what they want.”

“I'll meet with you.”

“Good,” I snapped. I walked towards the white elevator door and turned around. “Appreciate your help.”

“Yeah, fuck off.” Asher said.

“Get your pet Mark.”

“What's your problem?”

“My problem? You shoved your hand up my girlfriend’s skirt, you broke into my house. You are always inconveniently around.”

“The only reason I even tried to test her was to get her away from you. I was scared that if she ever pissed you off, she would ever victim.”

“I would never hurt her. She doesn't need you to protect her. I am the only protection that she needs Asher, remember that huh?”

“Who else is going to protect her from you Lucas? You can't even control yourself! You jump the gun too quickly. You think she loves you… do you think that she will love the real you? You know the version if you that drained Summer and her boyfriend open like cattle?”

“What did you say?”

“Oh now you’re interested?” He chuckled. “Yeah, I watched you drain her and her boy toy open like cattle. Their blood poured out into the floor and you sat there and watched. You fucking smiled. You have no control. You could kill her and it would not even phase you.”

“I’m controlling it right now!” The growl escaped as shoulder shook nonstop.

“Both of you shut your damn mouths. Lucas, calm down.” Mark snapped, he turned to Asher. “You didn't tell me you witnessed a murder.”

“I did.” Asher's face was red. “I should have run to the police, but instead I found myself staring at the damned blood until I was sick. I stayed away from you afterward. I tried my best, but I had to let Cypress know to leave.”

“You watched me a kill a person and you didn’t turn me. You’re sick too.”

“Fuck you, Luke.”

“We have some shit to sort out here. Okay, we can't do it if we don't work together. I want to know about the children in the photos. Why would she only keep two pictures and she worked there for most of her life? Why would you fucking, watch and not say anything and how could you allow a tail?”

“I didn't see him.”

“You see, he helped you find a weakness. And now we have to make sure it never happens again by Asher teaching you how to control yourself.”

“I would never hurt Cypress.”

“I can tell.”

“Good, so you don't ever need to defend her again. I have it all taken care of. And I’ll take the pictures to Ireland with me. I am going to visit my Nadine and an old friend in Ireland next week.”

“You didn't tell me that.”

“I didn't know you were my mum Mark.”

“Are you going alone?”

“Yeah, Cypress and I have decided to break until I can tell her what I have hidden inside.”

“What do you mean?” Mark asked.

“She thinks that I am hiding something.”

Asher nodded his head as if he knew already and it made me want to break his neck. “Tell her you are an addict. It's not a lie.”

“Absolutely not,” I paused.

“You use drugs a lot. Tell her you are addicted and you can't control yourself. It's the only way that she will ease off of you and accept you for your flaws. Women can take flawed, better than mass murderer.”

“Serial killer,” I corrected.

“Whatever,” he mumbled.

“Do what he suggested and make sure you tell her about leaving town. We are taking a trip too.”

“Who is we?” Asher asked.

“Us, we are going to further investigate some matters and make Lucas comfortable with you.”

“If I step foot out of this country with him… I’m dead.”

Smart kid, I chuckled. “I won't kill you.”

“No, he won't. He can control himself and Asher is going to make sure that you do. He is going to be there with you every step and he is gonna give you lessons.”

“Bloody hell, no.”

“Will you be optimistic just this once.”

“Yeah, make him stay home so he can graduate and live a full life.” I walked to the doors of the elevator. “Please.”