Empty Secrets (Back Down Devil MC #5.5)(8)

A nurse showed up ten minutes early. Lena reviewed the day with her. Everything was normal. Well, as normal as could be for an elderly woman waiting to pass on. Annie had no real family and never would. Everything she had was tied to the family and they wanted her fortune.

Lena left the house and started to drive into Frelen. Her mind and heart raced on what to do and how to do it. Just pull out a knife and stab someone? It seemed insane. Hell, it was insane. Lena began to wonder if this activity in Frelen had something to do with the motorcycle club. Or maybe Victor was setting her up. Maybe Victor just knew… knew the knife was in her bag… knew her intentions…

By the time Lena arrived to the warehouse, she was scared shitless. She got out of her car and two men rushed from the building. They were big, in black suits, and they rushed right to Lena. They grabbed her by the arms and lifted her right off the ground. Lena wanted to scream but knew better. If she screamed, she would be shut up. Either something stuffed in her mouth, her mouth taped shut, or she’d get hit.

The two men carried her to the side of the building where she spotted Victor standing next to a black car. His back was towards Lena.

“Mr. Victor,” one of the men said.

When Victor turned around, there was blood on his hands. He was wiping the blood off with a towel. His face was evil looking. Lena noticed a couple spots of blood on his left cheek.

“Lena,” he said. “Look at you. Always floating for me.”

“I can walk on my own,” she said. “I don’t understand this.”

“Put her down,” Victor said.

The two men put her down. She shook away from their strong holds, and when her right hand touched her bag, she remembered what she had in there. That big knife from Annie’s kitchen. Her body instantly stiffened with fear. Victor with blood on him. Lena being taken from her car. Nothing would ever go smoothly for her in life. Ever.

“You look worried,” Victor said. “Feel like sharing something?”

“I had a long day,” Lena said. “A very long day. And I came here to meet you, like you told me to do, and now…”

“You know the f*cking life I live,” Victor bellowed. He moved at me. “You want to f*cking act like a bitch right now? Treat me like a f*cking criminal. For the work I put in for our life.”

“I’m sorry,” Lena said, going right for the easiest escape. Just apologize. Always apologize. Always take the fall. “I’m sorry. Here, let me…”

Lena reached forward with caution. Victor was a violent man by nature, but in the heat of the battle, he was even worse. She gingerly touched his hand and took the towel from him. She folded it up to a clean spot and lifted it to his cheek. She wiped the spot of blood off his cheek and smiled.

“Everything okay?” she asked.

“For now,” Victor said. “I’m planning. I needed you with me. I want to see something. To understand what I’m doing in this town.”

Lena nodded. She needed to just go with the flow of things.

The side door to the building opened and two more men came out. They had another man with them. He was completely lifeless, his feet dragging on the ground. The two men tossed the guy to the ground like he was a bag of trash.

“Owes me money,” Victor said. “Always pay up. Always.” He touched Lena’s cheek. “Never f*ck with me, right?”

“Right,” Lena said.

Victor looked over Lena’s shoulder. “Jakey, take Lena’s car. Get it the f*ck out of here. Out of town. We don’t need it anymore.”

“What?” Lena asked. “My car…”

“What’s wrong?” Victor asked. He grabbed Lena’s arm. “Something wrong?”

“No,” Lena said. “Not at all. Where is he taking my car?”

“When I want you to know, you’ll know,” Victor said.

Panic flooded Lena’s body.

I’m screwed. He knows everything. I’m going to die.

One of the big men took her keys and left. Lena now had no vehicle. She had no chance of escape right now. So even if she stabbed Victor, what the f*ck was she supposed to do?

Victor held her arm tight. “Let’s go for a walk. Let’s chat a bit about things. I want to know how Annie is feeling. And perhaps we should discuss speeding time up a little for her.”

“What?” Lena asked.

“You heard me,” Victor growled. “That old bitch needs to go. It’s costing too much to keep her around.”

“What are you going to do, kill her?”

Lena realized the error of her question a second before the back of Victor’s hand connected with her face. She spun around and fell forward, right into the next big guy. He kept her standing and shoved her away.

“Don’t f*cking touch her, Danny!” Victor yelled. “I’ll gut you, you f*ck.”

Lena touched her cheek and backed up. She kept moving and suddenly had the idea to just run. To f*cking run through the back alleys and streets of Frelen in the dark. Maybe one of the motorcycle club guys would find her. Help her.

Victor was charging toward her.

“Mr. Victor, we have a problem,” another man said. “We’re getting interception of police activity. Some kind of disturbance near by. We should exit.”