EFFA
Raoul hauls me down the alley toward the car as I slam my fists into him while screaming at him to take me back so I can help Mercs.
“Stop yelling, you’re drawing attention to us, Effa. I need to get you in the car and to safety then, I promise, I will come back for Mercs. But you have to stop fighting me.”
“Like fuck! Take me back now,” I scream as he pulls to a stop.
Raoul groans. “Fuck! Fuck! Fucking hell!” He lets me down but still holds onto me, even though I want to run down the alley and back to Mercs. But then I see it and stop resisting, the car’s hood has been jimmied up, there’s wires and stuff hanging out everywhere. They have ransacked the car’s engine and made it totally useless. We’re not going anywhere, and I smile because Raoul has to let me go now.
But instead, he throws me into the back of the car as tears stream down my face. I kick and scream at him with all of my might, but he’s too strong as he shoves me in and slams the door shut, locking it with his security remote. I can’t do anything. That remote effectively has locked me in the car, and I can’t get out without him pressing that damn button. Obviously, the damage to the engine bay hasn’t affected the electrics of the car.
Raoul stands outside the door indecisive about what to do. Slamming my hands against the toughened glass frantically, my palms sting from the hits as I pant for air, but he won’t let me out. I reach for the handle and try pulling it back and forth, even though I know I can’t get out.
“I fucking hate you, Raoul,” I scream at the top of my lungs as I try to look around him, so I can see what’s happening down the alley. All I can see is shadows moving frantically, and someone on the ground as they hammer into him.
My stomach lurches into my throat, and I feel bile rising as I scream banging on the window again trying to gain Raoul’s attention, but he doesn’t budge, just stands at my window defensively typing something into his cell.
“Raoul, you motherfucker. I swear to Gaia if you don’t run down there and help him, I’m going to fire your ass,” I scream at the top of my lungs.
He shuffles his posture but stays on the spot. Unmoving. Guarding. I groan, frustrated as I cry a river of tears watching them assault Mercs.
He’s defenseless on the ground.
Am I angry at him? Fucking hell, yes.
But does he deserve to be beaten to death in an alleyway while I watch? Hell fucking, no.
“Do something. Anything,” I scream again as Raoul tenses his body, playing with his cell a little more. I have no fucking clue what this idiot is doing when my cell beeps. I want to ignore it, but I take the chance and look at the screen seeing it is from Raoul. I swipe it open and read what it says.
Raoul: Effa, as much as it is killing me to watch this, my duty is to protect you. I can’t leave your side. No matter what. And I know Mercs wouldn’t want me to. But I have sent word to the police, and I’m recording the assault on video. Please try to keep calm. We don’t want them turning their attention to you! The car’s wrecked. I have no way to get you out of here quickly. You need to stay in the car, the windows are bulletproof, the car itself is toughened, it’s the safest place for you right now while I figure out what to do.
Letting out a gasp of air, I look out to Raoul to see his cell is angled up and facing the attack subtly as if he’s recording it. I relax slightly knowing that we will have this all on film if we need it, but what if the damage is too bad. What if they kill Kaden in the meantime then this footage doesn’t do shit to help him.
Fat tears run down my cheeks as I stop my screaming and just watch as they lay bat after bat, punch after punch into him. With each hit, a piece of me breaks, and I feel like I’m watching my life crumble around me. Letting out a sob as they stop, all backing away from him as he cradles into himself, I peer out the window anxiously hoping like hell they don’t pull out a gun or something worse to finish the job.
My stomach is churning so ferociously I feel like I want to be sick as they turn and start heading down the alley toward us. Opening my eyes wide, my muscles tense as I look past them to Kaden seeing him reach up, but then fall back down, his head hitting the ground harshly and then he is out, like a light.
My hand rushes to my mouth, half to hide the gasp, half just in case my stomach unloads its contents. Raoul puts his cell in his pocket and moves back against the door protectively as if to hide me from their view. My breathing quickens, and I try to peek out from behind him as they all step up in front of Raoul, baseball bats at the ready, cracking their knuckles as they stand in a semi-circle in front of him.
Fuck!
I shudder wondering where this is going to go now.
Are they going to hurt Raoul?
Are they going to hurt me?
“I’ve informed the police of what’s happening here. They should arrive at any moment,” Raoul defends, his arms coming up in a defensive gesture.
“Now, now. We just want to talk. We have at least a few minutes before the police arrive and we need to leave. So, I suggest you get pretty out of the car, and we can all talk like civilized adults.”
Raoul shakes his head. “Not going to happen.”
Swallowing hard, my heart races in my chest. I look at the man I can see. There’s a baseball bat in his hand which is covered in blood, Kaden’s blood, and I gnaw on my bottom lip.
“You see… Raoul, was it? This can go one of three ways. We beat you and get the girl out ourselves. We torch the car and get her to come out on her own. Or you open the door like a good boy, and she steps out nicely, and we all have a civilized chat where no one gets hurt… other than Mercs of course… he’s in a world of pain right now. But that’s his fault. What’s it gonna be?”
I tap on the window, and Raoul turns back to look at me. “Let me out, Raoul,” I demand and he shakes his head adamantly.
“Tick tock,” Hex says slapping his wristwatch.
“Raoul, it’s okay. Let me out.”
“Effa, no!”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Hex calls out.
He grabs a weapon from the side of his pants and pulls the trigger, and a large flame bellows out of it—it’s like a miniature flame thrower. I open my eyes wide and start banging on the window as Raoul grimaces while Hex steps up to the car.
“Three, two—”
“Fuck!” Raoul yells and then tries to grab the flamethrower, but in the process manages to lose the remote of the car. One of the guys rushes forward and kicks it away from Raoul, while another sinks a fist in Raoul’s stomach causing him to buckle over in pain.
The guy hands the remote to Hex, and he pushes the button to unlock the car. Hex then turns up the flame, and it hits the side of the car, the paint bubbling on the surface. I decide, what’s the point, I might as well get out and see what he wants, so I put up my hands to signal that I’m surrendering and exit. Hex smiles and turns off the flame, hoisting it back into its holster, and he grins at me as Raoul steps to my side protectively while still holding his stomach.
“So, you’re the rock star girlfriend, right?” Hex asks.
I glance down the alley checking on Mercs, he’s still not moving. A shudder runs through me, and I look back to Hex standing tall and taking a deep breath. “I am. I have no idea what the hell kind of mess Kaden’s gotten himself into with you, but you can’t go around beating people to a bloody pulp because they owe you a measly sum of money,” I blurt out feeling my anger washing over me, taking over my fear.
Hex raises his brow and smiles, he actually smiles, as Raoul places his arm in front of me and makes me take a step back. Hex takes a step closer, but I don’t back down. I’m not going to let him scare me. I’m pissed, my man is laying defenseless, possibly dead right now in that alley because of this guy and I’ll be fucked if I’m going to let him get away with it.
“You’re a feisty one, aren’t you? I can see why Mercs has a boner for you. Hell, I think I’m getting one for you,” he mocks, and my lip turns up in disgust as I sneer at him.
“I’m surprised you can even get it up. You have to be what? Decayingly old?” I mock.
Raoul groans pushing me further back, but I stand strong and continue to stare Hex down.
He smiles and nods to his men making me tense up slightly, but they all lower their bats and fists as they take a step back. “You impress me, girl. You have lady balls. I’d like to have you on my team, but you already have a job, and you’re damn good at it. So, I know I won’t be able to bring you into the fold. But I do have another proposition for you.”
Furrowing my brows, I exhale glancing down to Mercs, who’s unmoving as I look back to Hex. “What, you Negan wannabe?”
He looks down as his baseball bat. “Mmm… maybe barbwire could be a good addition, and instead of Lucille, the baseball bat in the Walking Dead, I could call mine Effa.” He chuckles along with his group of lackeys thinking he’s so funny, but then his smile drops taking on a more sinister tone. “Okay, back to serious business. “It’s simple really. All I want from Mercs is his debt… with a little interest, of course. You understand. It’s business.”
Sighing, I lick my lips and fold my arms over my chest. “You want me to pay his debt, right?”
Hex shrugs. “You could? It’s up to you. I mean, I don’t know how he’s going to get the twenty thousand he originally owed me which has since doubled, plus the interest in a week. But if he doesn’t… well then, I told him I’d come after you and his baby sister. Shit! I am a reasonable man, though. I like you, Effa. Like I said I’d gladly take you to work with me, but I know you’d decline. So, I wouldn’t come after you, just his little sister… the darling little thing in Ligonier. She’s so fragile—”
“If you hurt her I swear to God—” Raoul lunges forward, and I grab hold of him yanking him back with all my strength. It catches him off guard as I push him against the car and stand in front of him while he pants heavily for breath through his nose.
“Raoul, stop! You’re gonna get yourself killed,” I yell at him and he looks to me, anger and hurt evident in his eyes. His tense posture softens a little as I turn back around and face Hex.
“Okay, so here’s how we play it. I give you 45K… you walk away, you forget Mercs, you forget Kiera, you forget me and you never, ever, come near any of us ever again. If you contact Mercs, if he’s still alive, then I will call the cops. Understand me?” I demand, and he grins wide and tilts his head cocking his brow.
“I said interest Effa. This is a gambling debt. We deal in big money here.”
“I gave you an extra five thousand…”
He nods. “Mmm… you did. But the price is eighty thousand, and we all walk away. Mercs’ debt is cleared, we never met, and everyone’s safe to play happy families.”
I smirk. “Seventy,” I retort.
He smiles wide, picking up his baseball bat and pointing it at me with a giant smile. “Shit, I like you! Urgh… if only you weren’t a famous rock star. Fine, Seventy. Fuck! I’ve never had to work so hard to bribe people for money before in my life. No wonder he loves you. I think I love you, too. Shame, if you ever want to get laid by an expert look me up, Effa. Give me a call.”
I shake my head and curl up my lip. “Sorry Hex, I think I just lost your number. I threw it out with last week’s dog shit.”
“Oh Jesus, fuck me, you’re sassy. I want to marry you.”
I laugh. “Oh shit! I think I just became a nun.”
A faint sound of sirens wailing makes us all turn as we look down the street. Hex chuckles placing his bat on his shoulder and nods his head to me. “I’ll be in touch for the transfer, Effa. Don’t leave town. I’d also suggest telling the cops it was a random gang attack if I were you… just to be on the safe side… wouldn’t want anything happening to Kiera now, would we?” Hex jabs as he turns and heads off down the road with his four lackeys in tow.
I turn to Raoul who lets out a long puff of air, and we both slump our shoulders as we watch them turn the corner. My stomach churns, and suddenly my feet move faster than I feel like I’m physically able to move. Raoul is behind me as we run down the alley toward Mercs. He’s not moving or moaning. There’s nothing coming from him, as I slide to the ground on my knees next to him and bend down to feel next to his mouth. My heart’s racing so fast I can hardly breathe myself, as I feel for any signs of air, while Raoul grabs at his wrist.
The minutest, tiniest wave of air hits my cheek, and I let out a long sigh as I look at Raoul, tears filling my eyes once again. “He’s breathing.”
Raoul nods and winces. “His pulse is weak. But it’s there.”
“Kaden… Kaden, babe? Can you hear me?” I murmur, my voice weak and cracking under the strain of the moment.
He doesn’t reply.
My heart lurches into my throat as the sirens become closer and then stop at the end of the alley. The unmistakable sound of running footsteps hitting the concrete echoes down the alley, as I glance up to see two policemen hurtling toward us. One is talking into the radio on his shoulder as they approach, and I look to Raoul who nods to me seeming to agree with my unspoken thoughts.
We need to protect Kiera.
Hex and his men can’t go after her.
She couldn’t possibly fend off these assholes.
I take a deep breath as the first officer reaches us and bends down wincing at the sight of Mercs. “Are you two okay?” he asks.
“We’re fine. But we need an ambulance for Kaden,” I demand taking his hand and holding it tight needing him to know I’m here for him, even if he can’t feel it.
“My partner is calling for one now. What happened? We had a radio call that you were being attacked by a gang?” he asks, leaning down over Mercs and assessing his injuries.
I nod and glance at Raoul. “It was five men. Three with baseball bats and two with knuckle dusters. I think they were just looking to beat someone up. They seemed pretty high. Kaden distracted them away from me, while Raoul ran off to get me out of the way. The only problem is Kaden took their brutality… it was horrible. When they heard the sirens they ran.”
He nods and takes a breath. “Did you get a look at any of them?” he asks, and I glance to Raoul.
He shakes his head. “No, they were all wearing balaclavas. Couldn’t make out anything other than their red puffy eyes,” Raoul adds bringing home the high aspect even more.
I nod and sniff looking down to Kaden, his nose bleeding and split open. His eyes black and puffy. I shake my head running my finger down the side of his cheek gently. I don’t want to cause him any more pain than he’s already in.
“Okay, we’ll need you to make a statement at the station. And Kaden too when he wakes up.”
I tense my shoulders. “Can we just get him to the hospital first, please?”
“Of course. It can wait. We’ve sent a patrol out to look for the assailants. We’ll do our best to find them.”
“Thank you,” I reply as I look down to Mercs.
He groans slightly, his eyes blinking a few times as he rolls on his side with a long drawn out moan. Mercs coughs, his groans becoming deeper, then suddenly he heaves aggressively, and I open my eyes wide when bright red blood expels from his mouth onto the ground splattering all over the cop’s shoes.
Holy shit!