Page 5 of Pawn

“You little shit!” he yells, steadying his stance before he’s hauling me up from the collar of my bloodied white shirt. The metal of the cuffs pulls against my skin, digging into my wrists but I won’t grimace in his face. No, I make sure to put on that devilish smirk he’s trying so hard to imitate.

“Do it,” I dare. “I bet it’s time for another sucker punch you big fat pus—”

CRACK!

Blood splatters on his nose when his knuckles connect with my jaw. Blurry dots in my vision make the room fuzzy as that stinging shock rings through my face.

Fucker can’t even fight like a man.

And that makes me laugh, the pain fuelling my manic roar. He doesn’t seem to like it as he gives me another blow to the gut. Heaving over, air forces out of my mouth as he drops me to the floor.

“Damien!” Willow gasps.

“Shut the fuck up!” he yells, chubby finger pointed at her. “Or you’re next.”

“Don’t worry,” I cough through my sneer, eyes falling to the gun sticking out of his belt. “You’re ten times the man this fuck will ever be, Willow. And not nearly as ugly.” I meet his gaze, my eyes lowering to slits so I can watch every bit of him squirm when I ask, “How does it feel taking orders from a dainty French psychopath? If I wasn’t cuffed up, your ass would be history and you know it.”

“Like you’re about to be?” He works his jaw and I know I hit a nerve. Offended by taking orders from a woman? He’s weaker than he appears.

Clack, clack, clack!

As if she knows she’s the topic of conversation, Marion enters the basement on silver thin heels, shoes sparkling like a goddamn disco ball.

“No more!” she yells, snapping her fingers at Baldy. She moves her greying hair out of her face with the red nail on her pinky. “If we are going to do this the right way, we cannot give him any more marks.”

“Do what the right way?” I ask. “You’re not getting away with this criminal mastermind bullshit, Marion.”

“Oh?” She walks towards me, Baldy moving to the side as she clacks my way. “Try to stop me.”

Her haughty laugh rips through me enough to lunge for her. She doesn’t move, cuffs bringing me right back to the ground again.

“Let us go!” Willow cries.

“You know,” Marion saunters over to Willow, crouching to her level. Willow gives her a look like she stinks, her nose and mouth twisted. “I thought I took the wrong girl but my nephew is more stupid with women than his father.” She points to me, rings sparkling on her fingers as she looks over her shoulder. “I should have done this sooner.”

She’s right. I should’ve made sure she was out of town for good or locked away forever. Instead, I was too concerned with doing the “right thing” for Jo. Look where that brought me.

“And where did it bring you, Marion? Upping your criminal record from statutory rapist to full-blown kidnapper?”

“Then murder is not a problem.” She shrugs, brushing off her skinny black skirt.

Marion’s been threatening to get rid of me since she picked me up on the way back to Eden. By “picked me up,” I mean Baldy rammed the back of the car until my driver pulled over. He wouldn’t have let them in if they hadn’t threatened him at gunpoint.

“You can’t get rid of me,” I chuckle, showing no sign of fear. But with where I am now, I’m not sure if I believe that. That’s why I let those three words slip. Jo had to know. I don’t know what Marion planned, but that look in her eyes foreshadows no good. “I haven’t given you shit!” She’s asked for account numbers, passwords and combinations. My reward for not giving it up? More fists from Baldy but I’m built like a titanium truck. “It’s gonna take more than a few blows to get what you want.”

“Is that what you tell silly girls who chase you?” Marion smiles as if she has nothing to worry about. And that bothers me. What the fuck is she planning? The only calm, cool and calculating guy left in this town is me. A melody chimes from the pocket of her tailored white blazer. “Ah,” she says, pulling out her phone. “This is everything I need. Right here. Oui?”

Willow looks at me, tears streaming down her face. She’s sobbing like she’ll never see the light of day again but I won’t let that happen. I won’t let Marion hurt her. I won’t let Marion hurt Jo. I’ve done that enough.

Marion speaks French but I catch what she’s saying. The words leaving her mouth make my skin grow colder than the look in her eyes. It’s true. I’m fucked.

“Merci monsieur,” she smiles, tapping on her phone. “It seems I do not need family anymore.”

“What the fuck did you do!?” I demand to know, pulling harder on the cuffs, begging them to break. “King Financial is mine! Our legacy. Not yours!”

She smiles, crouching down to meet my gaze, a smirk on her red lips. “Not anymore my dear, dear neveu.” When her long, witchy fingers come to my cheek, I pull away but not far enough, my pale skin in her hold. “The documents I am getting say that I will be the new CEO of King Financial after your death.” Her palm comes to my cold cheek. “If it takes getting rid of you to get what I deserve then I have more funerals to plan.”

My aunt is going to fucking kill me.

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