Thirteen
Holly
I walk downstairs into Steven’s office to find a few men in there. I wait quietly at the door to be welcomed in.
Bernard, Steven’s assistant, walks up to me like we’re old friends. He’s in his early sixties and looks harmless. He’s not. He’s got a predilection for young boys and Steven feeds his ‘needs.’
“Holly, my dear. It’s so good to see you again. We’ve missed you here at Prescott manor.” Bernard says, hugging me quickly and kissing my cheek.
I want so much to wipe his touch from my body. I refrain, knowing it will be in bad taste and embarrass Steven, who will then punish me for it later. He loves punishing me.
“Thank you.” Steven locks his gaze with mine and I continue. “It’s nice to be home.” Bernard grins, playing his part perfectly.
“How was your stay? Has your nana recovered from her treatment?”
I look to Steven, who looks at the other men in the room. Is this what he’s telling people? That I left to take care of my nana, who died when I was much younger.
“Yes. She’s much better now.” I lie.
“Come in darling.” He holds out his hand for me until I walk to his side and take it. “I was just telling Pastor Holmes and Mr. Acosta that we couldn’t wait another minute to be married.”
The pastor looks normal enough, probably doesn’t know who Steven really is. Mr. Acosta on the other hand, he looks like a slime ball. His slicked back hair, cheap suit, and gold tooth really complete his look.
“I… didn’t realize you wanted to do this today my love. I thought you might want to plan for something in the spring. As soon as it’s warmed up.” I smile up at him, wondering how I’m going to get out of this. I can’t fucking marry him.
His grip on my hand becomes tight, too tight. “I can’t wait another minute Holly. We should have been married months ago. Pastor Holmes, let’s begin with the vows.”
Pastor Holmes looks at me. “Is this what you want dear?”
No! I don’t want to marry this monster! I don’t want to spend another second with him touching me and sharing the same airspace as me. I want to be so far away from this man I’d rather die than marry him and live in this prison!
“Yes.” I don’t know how I say it with a straight face. Don’t know what to do other than go through with this.
“Come stand in front of me. Face one another and hold hands. We are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony. You are being joined together for all of eternity in the eyes of God and his disciples. Holly, repeat after me.”
I feel my soul begin to die with every word the pastor says.
“I Holly Bell, take Steven Prescott, to be my lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold, for richer and poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as we both shall live.” Both Pastor Holmes and Steven are waiting for me to say it and I know I have to even if it kills a part of who I am. I have to say these words, even though I don’t mean them. I’ll figure a way out of this later.
“I, Holly Bell, take Steven Prescott-” I’m interrupted by a commotion at the front of the house.
“Bernard, go figure out what is happening.” Bernard leaves the room, leaving the door wide open. What’s going on?
“Holly, our vows, sweetheart.” He grinds out.
“I, Holly Bell, take Steven Prescott to-” Before I can finish, Quinn, Jasper and Prince come storming into the office, guns out, ready to do business. Thank you, Jesus.
“Precious don’t finish that fucking sentence.” Quinn says, glaring at Steven.
I hear a gun cock and see Jasper pointing his pistol at Steven’s head. “Get your hands off our woman fuck head.” Steven drops my hands and Quinn pulls me to his side. Rock walks in with his arm wrapped around Bernard’s neck. “Please tell me this isn’t the man that took you Hell’s Bells. I know you could have taken him on your own.”
I laugh, God it’s good to have the guys back. “No. Johnny took me. He’s about, well, the size of you, actually. Less muscle though.”
When I hear things crashing to the floor I run out of the office knowing it can only be one person.
“Help!” Lana screams as Johnny tries to get her through the front door. She’s a tough little shit. She’s fighting back with everything inside her, kicking and screaming, pulling art from the walls. Her clothes are torn, and she has blood dripping down her chin. I can only imagine the sick shit Johnny has done to her.
“Fucking piece of shit!” Mumbles Prince beside me and his gun goes up, aiming at what’s in front of us.
“Lana, down!” I yell. She ducks as best as she can with Johnny holding onto her.
Prince doesn’t even flinch when he shoots Johnny in the middle of the forehead. Lana cries out as he falls to the ground on top of her. Prince runs over, flinging him off her. I can’t make out what he’s saying when he walks out of the house with her in his arms, but he’s looking down at her like he’s just found the answer to life. Fuck these guys move fast.
I walk back into the office and see Steven, Pastor Holmes, Bernard, and Mr. Acosta on the floor with their hands zip tied to their ankles. Where the hell do they get all the fucking zip ties?
“Doll, tell me you weren’t really going to marry this bastard.” Jasper drawls, hitting Steven in the head with the butt of his gun.
I shrug. What else was I supposed to do? “Thank goodness you got here in time, eh? How did you get here so fast by the way?”
“We’ll explain it all to you on the flight home Precious.”
“But what about them?” I point to the men on the floor.
Quinn wraps his arm around my waist while Jasper takes my hand. We leave the guys tied up in the office with Rock, closing the doors behind us.
We walk out and I’m not expecting to see a plane sitting on the side of Steven’s house. We walk to the plane and I’m not surprised to find Lana in Prince’s lap. Quinn, Jasper, and me sit a few rows back.
I sit between them and curl into Jasper’s side, while Quinn strokes my hair.
“What’s going to happen to those men?”
“Rock did what he needed to do Precious. There’s a team coming into clean up, make it look like a robbery gone wrong.” Quinn tells me.
“But the pastor, he-”
Jasper squeezes me to him. “Doll, that pastor was as dirty as the rest of those fuckers. They don’t deserve to be breathing.”
He’s right. I couldn’t have done what Rock did, but I’m happy they aren’t on the earth any longer, tormenting others.
A few minutes pass and Rock walks on the plane and closes the door. He sits down near the front and leans his head back, closing his eyes. “We ready to go? I need to see my Angel. Need to hold her tight. She’s growing me a son or daughter.”
“Chelsea’s pregnant?” He opens his eyes, smiles proudly and nods. He’s a quiet man, but fierce.
“I’m so happy for you two. I can’t wait to see her. I know she was looking forward to being pregnant at the same time as Em.”
The plane takes off and I close my eyes snuggling back into my men’s embrace. I’m safe in between the two most important people in my world.