Never by Blue Saffire
Chapter 39
Distant Cousin
Terry
“He’ll come for you, Ter. He promised,” I say to myself as I stare in the mirror.
Crystal clear blue-gold eyes stare back at me. My long dark hair is pulled up into a top knot, showing off my long neck. I swallow and watch my Adam’s apple bob. I get it.
I see what all the women and men see when they look at me. I know why Pier and I were able to survive off our looks. What I don’t get is what causes them all to abuse me.
I look away from the mirror, not able to look at myself much longer. I ruin everything in my life with this face. Pier, he’s different. His beauty brings him a respect I’ve never felt. Although we look so much alike.
I sink to the floor and turn to press my back to the vanity. I’m a prisoner in my own home. I start to sob.
“I don’t blame him if he doesn’t come for me,” I say into my palms as I cover my face.
I can’t believe the shit I said to Pierson all those years ago. I was so fucked up. I’ve been clean for a year and a half and doing all I can to change my life for the better.
Yet here I am in a screwed-up relationship all over again. Rossi has been married to his wife since he started with me. It’s the reason he wanted us to be a secret. I didn’t see all the red flags.
My phone rings, causing me to jump. It’s Pierson. I didn’t think he would call back so soon.
I rush to pick up the call. “Hello,” I say in almost a whisper, in case one of Rossi’s men is outside my bathroom door.
“I’m on my way. Get whatever you need together and be ready to move.”
“Okay,” I sniffle. “I’ll be ready.”
“Don’t hang up. One of my guys is trying to get a trace on your phone so I can come straight to you. This is going to be hard and fast, Ter. You need to be alert.”
“I’m alert. I’m ready. Please, just get me out of here.”
“Calm down, I’ve got you. We’ll get you out.”
I nod my head as if he can see me and bite down on my lip, realizing I do sound a bit frantic. I can’t take any more of this possessive torture. I’m a trophy in our circle, Rossi loves to show me off, but behind closed doors and out in the real world, he’s a different man.
“I’ll have to start over, again,” I murmur the thought out loud.
“And lose what you’ve built? Nah, let me handle this shit. We'll get you out and make sure you’re safe to live your life. You’ll be fine.” He pauses, and it sounds like he’s talking to someone else in the background. “We’re ready. I’m coming.”
The line cuts off and I suck in a breath. I stand and rush to the walk-in closet in my en suite. I grab a duffel bag and shove a few things in.
I don’t even care about the expensive clothes and makeup. I’m not getting my ass beat and being forced to suck cock in front of Rossi’s friends ever again. I’d die first.
I rush back through the bathroom and that’s when I hear it. An explosion that rocks the entire house. I spent a lot to make this place perfect, but today this entire bitch could burn down and I wouldn’t give a fuck.
Gutter
Getting Terry out isn’t going to be easy, but we’ll manage. Quick and with a whole lot of force. That’s the Squad way.
Diggs doesn’t seem to mind getting his hands dirty. In fact, I think it’s therapeutic for him. He gives me a grin and the signal.
“Move, move, move,” I say to my guys and wave them in as the explosion goes off.
Gunfire rings out from my crew. After Diggs scoped the place out, we knew we had to come in blazing. Terry is being guarded more heavily than The Golden Child.
This was the only way we were getting in and out. I don’t like any of this. I’m falling into an old habit of sticking my nose in where it doesn’t belong. I swear, I’ll kill Terry myself if this threatens the life I have now.
“Move, Move,” I call out as we move through the front doors of the house.
“Watch your six,” Whispers says into the comm.
I brought my best with me. King promised he’d handle Rossi if necessary. The fucker already owes us some flesh for a bad deal a few months back. I bet that’s why his ass isn’t around now.
He begged for more time. He probably needed more time to get money out of Terry and whoever else he could find. None of that matters now.
I look at the app on my phone to follow the tracker to Terry’s phone. The gunfight is still in heavy play. I rush up one side of the winding double staircase.
This place reminds me too much of the home we grew up in. I force the memories back. This isn’t the time for me to spaz out.
When I get to the top of the stairs, I head for the double doors up the hall. I pop one of the guys guarding the door and Wolf gets the other.
“Thanks, brother,” I say before planting my boot into the doors and busting them open.
Terry comes into view, looking as if he’s about to shit his pants until we lock gazes. Relief covers his face and fills his eyes, it’s almost palpable. He rushes forward with his duffel slung across his back. I sidestep him, and his face falls.
I’m not about to hug his ass and shit. We still have a whole lot of shit between us. I don’t have time to process any of it.
We didn’t have time for reunions. I grabbed him by the arm. We need to get out of here. Rossi has other men not that far away. We need to move before they are in motion and find us escaping.
“Let’s go,” I say tightly and turn back for the door.
I got what I came for. We can deal with the rest later. It’s been hours since I left Sal and I’m feeling uneasy.
We head back the way me and the boys came through. We have to scale a hill back up to where we left the cage and a few bikes. Terry trips a little to my frustration on the way up.
“I’m fine,” he mutters when I grab the back of his shirt to help him up.
I look down at the pointed toe boots on his feet and roll my eyes. They suit the tight jeans and button down he’s wearing. Classic Terry, I’m sure his jeans cost more than my entire outfit. Heck, probably as much as one of my tailor-made suits.
We arrive at the bikes and my mustang. I nod for Terry to toss his bag in the back and climb in. He rushes to the passenger side and does as instructed.
The bikes behind us come to life and all take off. The ride home should take a few hours, depending on traffic. This is going to be a long, tense ride.
We’re silent for a good thirty minutes. I’ve been checking the mirrors for company, but it seems this extraction has gone as planned. I breathe a sigh of relief and settle in my seat.
Something is still nagging at my gut, but I think we’re in the clear for now. Forward, I need to keep moving forward.
“Thank you,” Terry murmurs toward his hands in his lap.
I grunt, not in the mood to talk. The faster I get Terry to my room at the clubhouse, the better. Then I can go home and face what happened between me and Sal last night.
“How have you been?” he asks as we come to a stop at a light.
“Living.”
He releases a heavy breath and looks out of the window. The air is thick in here. My unwillingness to talk has caused an overwhelming silence. We are nearly home when a call comes in.
I glance to see it’s from my office. “You’re not going to like this,” Matrix says, when I answered the phone.
“What?” I grunt.
“Hoover and Spencer, we found them like an hour ago. We were following them, but they split up. There in your neck of the woods,” he replies.
My foot has the pedal to the metal before Matrix can get all his words out. When I cut the corner for a shortcut home, my brothers are right behind me. I don’t have time to tell them what’s going on. I need to call Vault and warn him.