Gabe

I wake up in the dark, the smell of sweat and urine overwhelming.

Where in the fuck am I?

I roll my head around, my stomach queasy. I try to move, but my hands and feet are tied to a chair.

Shit, shit, shit!

I clench my fists and pull as hard as I can, but the rope bites into my skin. “Fuck!” I scream.

“What’s wrong, bro? Having trouble getting up?” Mason’s voice drips with sarcasm.

The room suddenly lights up, and I blink, my eyes adjusting.

Glancing around, my heart picks up speed at the sight. It’s a disgusting empty warehouse, various guns and ammo lying about. I see my aunt, uncle, and cousins tied up in the corner, my aunt sobbing, the rest of them passed out. Big boxes of who knows what are stacked around the area.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t Goody two-shoes himself.” My uncle snickers, coming up behind Mason with Damon in tow. These fucking clowns.

I grit my teeth, not giving in to his taunts. It’s not worth it. I look away, focusing on my aunt. She’s terrified, and my heart lurches.

“No comment, Goody Gabe?” The three of them snicker, and I roll my eyes.

“Don’t you fucking roll your eyes at me.” Uncle Lenny leans down over me, his eyes yellow, his skin pale and bumpy. He looks like fucking shit. “Tell me, what are you doing sneaking around on my property? Have you finally come to pay your debt? And, and, you helped yourself to killing Tom.” His eyes flash, his nasty breath filling my nose. He pushes back on the chair, and I go flying backward, my head hitting the floor hard.

Laughter fills the area as my uncle lifts me back up and slams me again. I taste blood.

“Stop! Just please stop!” my aunt cries.

Uncle Lenny throws her daggers but stands up straight as he glances between us. He rubs his chin as he walks back and forth in front of me. “This is how shit is going down. You kill someone close to me. I kill someone close to you. Your aunt dies.”

My aunt screams and I shake my head violently. “Wait, wait,” I snap.

My uncle turns to me, his lip curled in a snarl. “That’s the way shit goes down around here. Unless.” He pauses, scratching his chin. His nails look dirty and his face is worn. “You pay your debt. Then she won’t die.”

“I don’t fucking owe you anything!” I yell, my breaths coming in short spurts.

Without a chance to say more, a gun is fired, and my aunt slumps over. “No!” I cry, and my brothers laugh along with my uncle. I use all my might to get my hands out of the rope, but it’s no use, my arms beginning to bleed.

“You won’t ever get out.” My uncle sneers. He kicks the chair, and I go flying backward again, this time my head cracking against the chair and floor.

Everything goes dark.

* * *

My eyes blink open. My ears ring, my head dizzy and pounding.

I gag as the smells fill my nose, my body shaking, every part of me aching in pain.

I grit my teeth as the memories come back in bits and pieces.

This shit needs to end.

He lured me here, wanting me to pay this so called debt he thinks I owe him. I don’t owe that man shit. I can’t help my parents left all of their belongings and a family inheritance to me in their will. Did he really think my mom would leave him a piece?

My brothers didn’t get near the amount I did, but they don’t know that. Besides, their money was gone as soon as my uncle got his hands on it.

He wants mine, but he isn’t going to fucking get it. He doesn’t deserve a cent of it. His evil lifestyle has caused their deaths. Besides, it was never his money to have.

And now my aunt…my second mother is gone…

A wave of nausea comes over me, and I lean to the side, emptying my stomach. Some of it splashes on me, my body unable to twist to the side completely. I retch until my stomach is aching and dry heaves take over.

Silence surrounds me, and I wonder if my family is still over there, still unconscious. I glance around as I think of a plan. How am I going to get out of here?

I doze in and out of consciousness, the next few hours a blur. I’m dehydrated and starving, and I think I have a concussion. I have to fight to stay awake. Sleep is the last thing I need right now.

Alicia’s face pops into my mind, and I thrash around. Desperation fills me.

Think, Gabe, think!

All of my training fails me, my mind blank. I have no clue what to do or how to get out of here.

My uncle is going to pick us off one by one. A sick feeling fills my gut again.

Just let the darkness take you…it’s warm…and peaceful…oh, so peaceful.

I close my eyes and slip inside where pain can’t find me.

No one can.

* * *

I feel water drip on my skin, fingers digging under the rope. My eyes fly open, and I gasp, moans pouring from my mouth. “Get away from me! Get away!”

“Shhh, Gabe, shhh. It’s Matt.”

He quickly works on untying me.

“What’s going on?” I look around frantically, hoping to see my family.

“Your brothers and uncle took off. Ran out a backdoor and while the snipers fired shots, they missed them, only knocking over a few of his men. We’ve scoped this entire place and it’s empty.”

My heart drops into my stomach. “What about my family?”

Matt shakes his head. “Only the young girl left.”

I feel sick. My uncle and Andrew gone? Poor Ava having lost her entire family in one day.

I hang my head in defeat.

Matt lifts me up, letting me lean my weight on him. “We gotta get out of here, Gabe.”

Two agents lead the way, while two follow behind us.

We reach the door when a loud explosion sounds in our ears. We’re thrown to the ground from the impact, the area filling with smoke.

I scream, but no sound comes out. I can’t hear anything, the ringing in my ears loud and shrill.

Darkness welcomes me once again, and I slip under but only for a mere second. I’m lifted out of the smoke and dragged backward along the floor. My pants rip and tear, the hard concrete floor digging into my skin.

I’m thrown into a room, the door slamming shut behind me.

I back up into a corner and reach for my gun.

It’s gone.

Of course it is.

My pulse picks up, a cold sweat breaking out on my forehead.

A bright light fills the room, and I blink to clear my eyes, my hand shielding my head. When I look up, my uncle stands there, a look of triumph on his face.

He leans down, his face inches from mine.

I stretch my hand back and punch at full force, landing him square in the jaw. He tumbles backward but quickly scrambles to his feet.

He lifts me up by my shirt and slams me into the wall. My head rolls, and he slams me again.

“Fuck you, Gabe. You’ve made my life so much harder than it needed to be. And for that, you’re gonna pay. Then I’ll enjoy all of that money that should be mine and maybe I’ll even turn Ava to the dark side now that she has no one left.”

I hear cackling in the background and my blood runs cold.

He delivers a few more punches before letting me slide to the floor, blood trickling down my face.

“You really thought you and your friends could overtake me? I have security for days.”

“My backup will be here any second.”

My uncle stops pacing in front of me. “All of your backup is dead.”

“Actually, no, it’s not,” a loud voice yells behind me and shots are fired left and right as my uncle’s men are taken out.

FBI agents flood the room, surrounding me. Two are holding my uncle down, waiting for my instruction. I’ve made it clear to everyone I’ve wanted to handle my uncle.

Matt is back by my side, and he lifts me, placing a pistol in my hand. I look at him, and he nods.

I hobble over to my uncle with Matt’s help and stop inches from him.

“Look at me.” I push the gun against his head. “I said fucking look at me.”

His head still doesn’t lift.

“I knew you were a fucking coward. Now it’s my turn to make you pay.”

I fire the gun.

It’s finally over.

* * *

“I’m so scared,” Ava whispers and hugs me tight outside of the police station in downtown New York City. “I’m going into witness protection for a while. They want to make sure they’ve taken down all his men. Who knows how far his deals went. I feel like I’ll never be safe. I’m all alone now…” Her sobs take over, and I hug her close to me.

My own eyes fill with tears. “I’m so sorry it went down this way. When I get back to the city, I’ll be there for you. Whatever you need, Ava.”

She nods and hugs me tighter. “The images keep playing in my head. I wasn’t unconscious when he killed my father and brother, Gabe. I saw it all. All of it.” She chokes, her sobs growing louder.

My heart breaks for her. “Shhh, it’ll be okay.” I rub her back and try to bring her comfort. I don’t know if it’ll be okay, but I’ll do my damnedest to keep her safe.

My brothers are arrested, the drug ring broken up. Most of the men are dead and if not, they’ve been arrested too. It’ll take time to catch everyone who had a hand in it, but at least it’s in the works.

Ava pulls back, her cheeks stained with tears. She’s cried all day as we gave our statements to the police. Her friend pulls up to the curb and rushes over to her.

“Ava! I’m so sorry.”

They hug and cry, and I rub Ava’s arm one last time.

We say our goodbyes, her friend promising to help Ava into the protection program, both of them heading back into the police station.

Before going to the police station, I spent the morning at the hospital with Ava. I suffered a lot of bumps and bruises, including a couple of bruised ribs. No concussion, surprisingly. Now, I’m ready for a long shower and bed.

I was instructed to take it easy and get some rest. I doubt that’ll happen.

I lean my head back and watch the city go by. We’ve decided to have services for her family, and then a special service to honor my parents. I’ll be here for another couple of days at least, and I owe everyone an explanation.

Blake’s been frantically calling me, and I know I’m in for an earful. Joe said he’s trying to diffuse the situation but to hurry my ass up. They made major headway on the case, and they need me to make a big move.

My thoughts drift to Alicia, and I realize just how much I miss her. Each beat of my heart is painful, and I yearn to be near her.

I hope she’ll hear me out. I’m ready to tell her everything, to explain my life to her.

The darkness should stay away now, especially with her by my side.

I’m just afraid she’ll never forgive me.

* * *

This weekend has felt like an eternity. Between the funeral, the burial, the family functions, and my parents’ memorial, it’s been nonstop. Food, drinks, and mingling ensued, old family and friends catching up with each other, reminiscing and giving their condolences.

A horrific event brought us together, yet we smile through our tears and get through the days. I’m worried about Ava. She’s not doing well and barely made it through the services. Police escort follows her wherever she goes, and I can see the fear in her eyes, always looking behind her back.

It pains me to see her this way, to see the damage that’s been done. The light is gone from her eyes, and I don’t think it’ll ever be back.

I move through my own emotions, Alicia never far from my mind.

I wish she were here with me, on my arm, giving me her support.

I need her. So fucking much.

Staring at the ceiling of my bedroom, I scratch Luna’s belly.

I should call her. Hear her voice. Make her talk to me.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I slide it out, hoping it’s her, hoping she read my mind. Blake’s name flashes on the screen. I sigh.

I guess it’s better late than never to get this conversation over with.

“Blake, listen. I can explain—”

He cuts me off, his voice frantic. “Gabe. You have to get here now! There’s an emergency.”

I sit up in bed, his voice setting off alarms in my head. He never sounds that scared. “What is it? What happened?”

Blake pauses, and I swear I hear the seconds tick in my head like a bomb.

And then he drops it.

“Anne and Alicia have gone missing.”