Chapter 26
Esme’s head was pounding from a hard knock Andy had given her earlier.
When they'd first arrived her and Prettyboy had been promptly separated, something that had her freaking out and pleading with Andy- he’d only laughed as he dragged Prettyboy away from her, his green eyes conveying his love for her.
She hadn't had much time to study her surroundings but if the metal shelving and damp smell of mold were any indication, she was in some old warehouse that they probably used for shipments. It was dark for the most part and nobody answered her cries no matter how loudly she screamed.
She’d been alone for what felt like hours before some burly man with only half of his teeth had dragged her into the center of the warehouse and tied her to a chair.
She kicked and fought against his hold, even lost a shoe in the process, but he didn't let up. No, he’d slammed her into the seat so hard she bit her bottom lip and tasted blood.
Andy was in the room with her, his dark eyes watching her every move.
“What is this about?,” She finally asked.
He was smoking a cigarette as he neared her, his dark hair falling down around his shoulders.
“You were Wilder’s old lady.”
Esme nodded.
“Now you’re Prettyboy’s old lady?”
Again, she nodded.
He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.
“Axel’s a stubborn bastard, but you already know that. Seems the only way I could get him to see me was if I told him I had you,” Andy said.
Esme’s eyes widened and Andy laughed.
“Yeah, I bet he's got a real hard on for you, huh? Who wouldn’t though, you’re fuckin’ delicious,” Andy said.
Esme kicked at him when he trailed his fingers along the inside of her thigh. His fingers gripped her flesh tightly, hard enough to bruise.
“Don’t tempt me, little girl. Fightin’ only makes me want it more,” He hissed.
“Fuck you!”
Andy grinned, his cigarette poised in the air above her head.
“I wouldn't mind it, but maybe I’ll make your old man watch?”
Esme’s eyes widened as Prettyboy was dragged into the room bound and gagged, his eyebrow bloody and his face covered in a thin sheen of sweat. His hair was still tied up, but there were loose strands stuck to his cheeks as he fought against the man tying him to a chair directly across from her.
“Let him go! I’ll give you whatever you want, just let him go!,” Esme cried desperately.
Andy clicked his teeth together as he shook his head.
“No can do, sweet cheeks. You two are a package deal, I’m afraid. Tasha told me I’d find you two together. At first I was only after Axel’s club, but if I can take Ox’s too- then I guess I will,” Andy said easily.
Tasha?
The fucking whore from the clubhouse?
“Tasha…?”
“You remember her, don’t you? Icy blonde with the sweetest ass this side of Tennessee?”
Esme could only nod through her shock, but her eyes were glued to Prettyboy who was sitting silently, glaring at Andy.
“Well, when Ox threw her out of the clubhouse on your behalf, she found us. Her and I hit it off, see? She’s my old lady.”
Esme choked out a laugh, but she couldn't help herself.
“You made a whore your old lady?,” She asked incredulously.
Andy backhanded her before she could get a response but she took that as a definite yes when blood oozed from between her teeth.
She didn't cry out, but Prettyboy did fight against his restraints.
She shook her head at him because she didn't want him drawing attention to himself.
“Watch your fuckin’ mouth, Esmeralda Quinn. I have another surprise for you.”
The sound of another chair being dragged towards the center of the room caught her attention, and then she gasped.
No.
“Don’t you do a fuckin’ thing they say,” Axel demanded angrily as he too was bound to a chair.
It took two men to tie him down, and he still fought hard. He fought hard until Andy pulled his gun out and aimed it at Esme.
She was getting really tired of seeing the fucking barrel of his gun aimed between her eyes, but she didn't say a word.
“Why drag them into this? You know Ox will kill all of you for doing this,” Axel said, his breathing labored.
“Ox and his club don't concern me. This is the only way I could get your attention, Axel. You refused to do business with us, and now you’ll have to pay the consequences.”
“This is not how shit gets done, asshole. You know that, I know that.”
“Maybe its time for a change, then?”
Axel looked at Esme and opened his mouth to speak, but Andy snapped his fingers and someone they all hated came into view…Tasha.
And, she was smiling.
That smug bitch. She’ll be the first one to go-
“Well, well! Look what we have here,” She snapped as she yanked on Prettyboy’s hair.
“Get your hands off of him!”
Esme’s demanding voice echoed throughout the warehouse.
“Don’t get your panties in a twist, bitch. I don’t want him.”
“See, we had no idea that Esme meant so much to you, Axel. Tasha came to me and told me she overheard you telling her that you love her. So I thought, why not use her as a pawn to get you where I want you?”
Axel snarled under his breath.
“You’re not gettin’ shit from me, and when the rest of my club gets here, I’m gonna paint this warehouse with your blood,” Axel promised.
Andy shrugged, as if he hadn't a care in the world.
“Maybe you will, maybe you won’t. But, maybe they won’t get here in time for all of you to make it out of here alive,” Andy quipped.
Esme’s eyes found Prettyboy watching her, and she yearned to tell him it was okay.
That she loved him.
She mouthed the words in fact, hoping he understood.
All of them were abruptly distracted by the bright red rod in Andy’s hand as he neared Esme with it.
“I’ll give you to the count of three to agree to my terms, Axel. After that, your lady love is going to feel the end of my cattle prod.”
Axel’s amber eyes met hers.
“One.”
Esme shook her head, told Axel no-
“Two.”
“Don’t agree! Don’t give in, Axel, I can take it-”
“Fine, I’ll do it. I’ll do what you want!”
Andy grinned manically.
“Figures. Shoulda known the downfall of the great Axel would be none other than pussy. Too bad she didn't let you get a taste. Or did she?”
Esme grimaced when Andy came towards her with the cattle prod.
She meant what she’d said- she could take it. She had to. She had to be strong.
“You said you wouldn't hurt her!”
“No, I said I’d give you until the count of three to agree to my terms. You agreed. It’s past the count of three.”
Andy didn't hesitate to press the prod against the bare skin of her side, and it hurt.
Keep it together, stay strong, think like Rayna-
Andy kept the prod against her skin until she gave in and screamed, screamed loud enough to make Tasha laugh and Prettyboy yell against the cloth stuffed in his mouth. It stung like a motherfucker, ached, made her want to hurt Andy.
As soon as he pulled it away she almost wept with relief. Until he pressed it against the very thigh he’d touched with his dirty hands only a few minutes ago.
She screamed again, this time without remorse, because it hurt like hell!
Axel was cursing at the man holding him down, and he swore that Andy would see his end. But, Esme was doubtful.
As she closed her eyes and let her head fall back against the chair she was in, Andy chuckled.
She wasn't sure any of them would see the outside world again.
It was obvious that Andy didn't just want Axel’s cooperation. He was out for revenge, but Esme didn't know why.
“Why are you doing this?,” She cried.
Tasha came into view and she lifted Esme’s head up by the roots of her hair.
“Because he wants to! Because the only way to make a point with you fuckers is to be brutal.”
What does that have to do with me?!
"I didn't even do anything!"
"Oh, please! You came into town and suddenly every man was ready to do your bidding, including Frankenstein over here!"
"What the fuck do you have against him? Huh? Sounds to me like you're jealous," Esme argued.
"Once upon a time he was one sexy piece, but now? Now he looks like ground beef, and I deserve better than that! I ain't jealous of shit, but I deserved better than you gettin' me thrown out on my ass! I had a good thing going!"
Esme started to laugh again, mostly because she had no idea what the hell she was supposed to say to that.
“What the fuck is so funny?,” Tasha demanded.
“You’re a whore, baby. We aren’t your family, and our clubhouse wasn’t your home!,” Esme said as she laughed through her tears.
Tasha reared back and smacked Esme right in the mouth.
“You better watch that tongue, or I’ll let my old man cut it out.”
“Didn’t Rayna threaten the same thing? I bet if she ever sees you again after this, she’ll do it herself. She don’t need her old man to handle her business!”
Tasha opened her mouth to argue with her, but Andy stopped her with an open-mouthed kiss.
“Go relax in the office. We’re about to get to the good stuff,” Andy ordered.
She sent Esme a glare as she sauntered towards the office, her blonde hair swaying against the back of her black dress.
“Remove his gag,” Andy ordered.
The same man that dragged her into the warehouse ripped the gag out of Prettyboy’s mouth.
“Let her go! She doesn’t know anything about our business,” Prettyboy snarled.
“Sorry, no can do.”
Prettyboy yanked against his restraints, some of his dark hair falling into his eyes.
“This is fuckin’ ridiculous. Let us go, Andy. You don't want to take this step. You know my club and Ox’s will come down on you like the wrath of God,” Axel said through gritted teeth.
“Maybe they will, maybe they won’t.”
Even though Andy acted like he didn't care, Esme could see that Axel’s words were getting to him. She could see his facade breaking slowly.
“This isn’t going to end well,” Esme said.
She was still breathing hard, trying to fight through the pain zinging through her body like a bolt of lightning. Andy shrugged again.
“You should have taken us up on our offer, Axel. Now I’m going to kill you and take your territory. Once your men get here, they’ll get the option to either join my ranks or die like their previous leader.”
Axel choked on a laugh.
“They’ll kill you first! They’d never join you.”
“We’ll see, won’t we? But, not before one of you bites the dust.”
Andy was holding his gun out in front of him and Esme was trying to keep her eyes open so she could see exactly what was happening, but no one expected for Andy to slice through her bindings with a bowie knife.
She flinched away from his touch, trying to escape the blade of his knife, but he caught her by the hair at the nape of her neck.
“I’ve got a better idea! Come here, sweetheart!"
As he wrestled her out of her chair she tried with all of her might to escape his harsh hold, but he was too strong.
"Men!"
Andy motioned for the three men standing in the room to move back. They all raised their guns at the same time.
“I’m going to give you this gun, Esme and you’re going to make a choice of your own.”
Esme had no idea what he meant, but she didn't have much time to guess. He lifted her hand and put the gun in her palm. She looked at the weapon, tightened her grip on it.
“Don’t get any ideas. You have two choices. Kill Axel or kill your old man.”
What?
No!
“What?! That’s crazy! Why would I do that?,” Esme cried.
Andy waved a hand and suddenly two of the men aiming their weapons at Axel and Prettyboy stepped forward.
“Because if you don’t do it, I’ll kill both of them and slaughter the rest of their crews before I take over both of their territories,” Andy said.
Yet, Esme had to believe that he couldn't actually do that. There was no way Ox or Axel would let that happen. The rest of their crews were probably doing the best they could to figure out where they were.
They had to know they were missing by now, they’d been gone for hours.
Esme heard the the other guns in the room being cocked and her shaking hands lifted the gun resting in her sweaty palm slightly.
“This is fuckin’ insane, Andy! You have to know you just signed your own death warrant!”
Axel’s angry tone met her ears, but she could see that even he questioned what was happening.
“You shut me and my club out like we were trash, Axel. All we wanted was an alliance.”
“You know exactly why I won’t ever sign off on an alliance with you!,” Axel roared.
Andy glanced at Esme.
“But, does she know?”
Axel’s eyes widened and he shook his head.
“No. Leave her out of this! Damn it, put the gun down, Esme.”
Prettyboy’s gaze caught hers and he nodded.
Slowly, she lowered the gun, but she was still racking her brain to figure out how in the hell she could shoot three men before one of them shot her.
Think, Esme.
Think!
“You didn’t tell anyone the truth about Christopher Wilder, did you?”
Esme’s eyes narrowed and she rested her finger on the trigger of the weapon in her hand when Axel’s pleading eyes met hers.
“What’s he talkin’ about?,” Prettyboy asked.
“Nothing!”
“Tell his old lady the truth Axel! Tell her what really happened to her old man the night of his accident,” Andy sneered.
Esme felt the whole world tip on its axis as his words settled in her ears.
“What-what does he mean?,” She asked.
Axel’s jaw ticked as he glared at Andy behind her.
“Esme, listen to me please! You don’t want to hear this!”
“Tell me what he’s talking about.”
Axel sighed before he dipped his head and looked at the ground.
His cut was splattered with blood and his long hair was plastered against his bloody face, but she knew he’d been through worse.
Prettyboy was so close to her now she could practically hear him breathing, and even though she wanted to shoot the fucker behind her and free him, she held still.
Something in her gut told her to wait.
“Chris was a traitor. Tango caught him working behind our backs with these fuckers,” Axel said.
Traitor.
Traitor…
The word rolled around inside of her head like a loose marble, and Esme was positive her chest was about to collapse in on itself from the weight of the truth.
Christopher was a good man.
He loved her.
“What really happened to him?”
“Don’t make him say it, beautiful. You know what he’s saying,” Prettyboy ground out.
“Don’t tell me what to do!,” She cried.
The gun in her hand felt heavy and the overwhelming sense of impending doom was ready to swallow her whole, but she had to hear it from him.
“Did you kill him?”
Axel was full of anguish when he looked up at her.
“Yes.”