“FUCK!” I scream, my hands tangling in my hair. My eyes water, my chest heaving up and down. “I have to find her. I need to find her now!” I state hysterically at anyone who can hear.
“What the fuck, man?” Bobby looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. Staring at Lip, I swallow hard.
“She’s pregnant. Frank has her, and if I don’t meet his demands, he’ll kill her and the baby. I can’t let that happen.”
“I’m going to be an uncle?” Lip asks with a look of shock on his face.
“Yeah, and to a cop baby.” Bobby chuckles causing Lip to glower at him from over his shoulder.
“What was the job?” Bull questions, breaking the banter between Lip and Bobby.
I explain that the casino bosses are actually the Mafia, and have set Frank up in the perfect life. In return, he skims money off the top of the casino’s profits and gives it to them. I tell them how Frank has been trying to take my club over to turn on them, and take over everything. I inform them Frank is making a point to the bosses and myself by making me, and what is left of my men, steal the money and return it back to him.
“How much money are we talking here?” Bull asks, rubbing his chin after I give him and the Devils the rundown.
I shrug. “I’m not sure, couple million.”
Everyone’s eyes go wide. Bobby spitting beer all over Shadow.
“Thing is, I know even if I do this Frank is going to kill Jillian to make a point to me. He’s not going to take me fucking a cop, and running off with her, without any consequences.” He killed the last girl I had something going on with just for the hell of it, he’ll do it again without a second thought and I can’t let that happen.
Bull rubs the back of his head. “Give me and my boys a moment?”
I glance at Lip who gives me a reassuring nod.
“Make it quick, I really need to be going.” I’m not sure what the fuck I’m going to do, but sitting here isn’t an option.
Stepping outside, I put my hands on my hips and take a deep breath. A breath that doesn’t even feel like I’m breathing at all, because I’m not. Pregnant. She’s pregnant with my kid. My father used to tell me to pull out and I’d be fine. Cross would then tell me that’s how I was made, and not to listen to him. Guess Cross wasn’t just feeding me bullshit though, ‘cause now I’m a father.
Look at me, how can I be a damn dad. I can barely be the man Jillian deserves, let alone the role model a child deserves.
A piece of me wonders if Frank is toying with me, but another part wonders what if he’s not, what if Jillian is pregnant. Dragging my hands down my face I groan, before screaming into the night air. I fall to my knees, my rage and fury spilling from my vocals like poison begging to be released.
Eventually I run out of breath, and my roar subsides into a pitiful yell.
Chest panting, eyes watering I fall forward on my hands and look at the rocks. If he hurts her, I’ll kill him. I’ll kill everyone in my path. I’ll paint the streets of Vegas as red as the carpet lining the floors of Frank’s casino.
“Zeek, you alright, man?” Lip comes into view.
Pulling myself together, I stand, and wipe my hands on my jeans.
“Yeah.”
“Bull wants you.”
Nodding, and pushing the hair from my face, I follow Lip inside.
“So, you want your chick back?” Bull asks, and I can’t help but roll my eyes, the question redundant. “You give us that money, we’ll help you get your bitch back.” Bull takes a sip of his beer, eyes never leaving mine.
“So you want the money…in return for helping me save Jillian?” I ask, eyebrows raised.
“Yup. But you either get our help and give us all the money, or you don’t get us at all.” Nodding, I glance at Lip who is staring right back, arms crossed.
“I just want her,” I state immediately. I know I’m passing up a ton of money, but you can’t put a price on what I feel for Jillian.
“That means nothing for you and your club. You’re picking your woman over money,” Bobby clears it up, as if I didn’t understand Bull’s ultimatum.
“Yeah, I got that.” Running my hand back and forth over my sweating forehead I’m still confused as to why they’re wanting to help me. They don’t owe me anything. Hell, they should be delivering me to Frank themselves. “Why do you want to do this? You don’t understand what you’re getting yourselves into. If we fail, Frank could come after your club.”
Bull crosses his legs, and leans back against the bar. “What can I say? I like happily ever afters…and money.” They all laugh in unison.
“We could also use the money. This place is falling apart if you haven’t noticed.” Shadow points at the ceiling where I crashed through.
“If Frank doesn’t get his money, he’s going to kill her.” I inform them. Not sure how we’re going to get the money and Jillian.
“I think with your men and my men, we can get the money, get your woman, and kill that sleazy asshole Frank.”
My hand darts up on its own, pointing at him, my heart pounding against my chest murderously.
“Frank is mine!”
Bull’s lip curls at the corner.
“You got it.”
Jillian