“I fuck chicks in the ass just to avoid this shit,” Cross throws at him and Alfeo shakes his head. I swear I’ve been kidnapped by idiots.
“Get her dressed and back in the chair, by then it’ll show the results.” Frank’s eyes sweep to mine, taking my breath away. “And her future.”
***
MY HEART IS BEATING, my eyes searching Frank’s face for any indication of what the test may say.
“It’s been three minutes.” Cross points at his watch, his body sprawled out on the sofa.
“Two lines means she’s pregnant,” Alfeo informs.
Frank strides toward the counter, his legs stubby and small as he glides to the counter. Picking up the test his eyes furrow. My eyes ping pong between his eyes and mouth, praying he’ll fucking end my misery and spill what the hell the results are. I hope they’re negative, I don’t want to find out I’m pregnant like this. I don’t even want to be pregnant. I can barely wrap my head around the idea that Zeek killed my father. Bringing a child into the situation gives the matter of Zeek being a murderer a whole new meaning.
“I don’t see anything.”
My body sags with relief.
“Wait…” My head lifts confused.
Frank holds the test under the light, Cross looks over his shoulder at the results.
“There’s two faint lines.” Cross points at it.
Frank lowers the test and beams me with a look that makes my soul shrivel up and die in my chest.
“Looks like someone has a little outlaw on the way.” Frank smiles that Joker smile, and the wind is sucked right from my lungs.
“I’m pr-pregnant.” My voice reedy in disbelief. Looking down I look at my abdomen, the idea of carrying a child doesn’t seem real. “Pregnant,” I whisper, little butterflies of an unknown feeling fill my stomach.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Zeek
“YEAH, THANKS, MAN.” Bull hangs his phone up, and shakes his head at me. “Sorry, man, nothing.”
Standing up I throw my beer. “Fuck!” It’s been a day, a fucking day since they took her. I feel like I’m failing her, that I should have found her by now.
“Chill, man, the bike was just pulled out. You can head to Vegas now.”
The burner phone Paw gave me rings.
“Hello?”
“Zeek…” Frank greets. My heart stops, everything around me going deaf.
“How’d you get this number?”
“Ah, you continue to underestimate me, Zeeky boy.”
“Where is she?” I push through gritted teeth.
“Zeek, I just wanted to be the first one to congratulate you.” Frank’s voice chuckles from the other end of the phone. My jaw tenses, my hand flexing around the phone.
“Cut the shit, you tell me where she is or—” The phone pings.
“Check that.”
“I swear to God if you touch—”
“Check the fucking message, Zeek!” he hollers into the phone, his humor gone.
Scratching the back of my neck I pull the phone from my ear and open up a text message feeling nauseous it’s going to contain something gruesome. It’s a picture but I can’t make it out. The picture comes to full resolution showing two pink lines in a small circular window.
It’s a pregnancy test.
A positive one.
“Congratulations, Zeek,” I hear through the speaker of the burner phone.
My world crashes. Everything echoes, my vision blurring. My stomach clenches so tight I feel like I might throw up. This can’t be real.
Putting the phone back to my ear, sweat drips from my forehead.
“You better—”
“I don’t think you’re in the position to make demands at this point. This is how it’s going to go, you fucking traitor. Your betrayal does not go without consequence and you know that, in fact, I am completely at a loss to where your loyalties lie, Zeek. Maybe I should have had you taken out with your father, cut the betrayal of bloodlines when I had the chance.”
“Fuck you. I’m not a traitor.”
“No? Well, I guess we’ll find out. The bosses have been taking more than their normal cut from the casino and when I suggested my cut on my end be raised, they refused. It’s time they…and you…realize I am taking over. Tomorrow night a black sedan will be leaving Sin Casino with duffle bags of money to be delivered to the Mafia. You are to interfere and take that money, bringing it back to me.”
“And if I don’t?”
“You’ll never look at a wire hanger the same again, and your bitch will lie with the last one you were fucking when you decided to question my ruling. We got a deal or not?”
Clenching my eyes shut, my face spreads with an angry warmth. I’m done dealing with Frank. I’m going to fucking rip him limb from limb the next time I see him.
“Fine,” I seethe into the phone.
“Oh, and there’s one more thing. You are to get with the program, Zeek, your club works for me. No more fighting the inevitable here.” The line goes dead, and my fingers curl around the phone to the point I nearly break it.