“Don’t kill him,” Cameron stated. “Bullet hole is not suicide.”
Dane lay in a ball, holding his gut, trying to breathe. “Bring the
other. He wants her too.”
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He saw feet moving around, smelt something like gas and
tried to get back up on his feet. That plan came crashing to a stop
with a hard kick in the face. He fell back hard on the floor,
darkness dragging him down. The last thing he heard was two
simple words.
“Burn it.”
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Chapter Eleven
“Darius, I’m heading over to his place right now,” Devon said
into his phone as he drove as fast as he could towards Dane’s
place. “No, he hasn’t answered the phone. I understand that, but
what the hell do you want me to do about it. If I can get in touch
with him, then I can’t let him know—”
“Oh my God!” Kera gasped right next to him.
Devon almost dropped the phone. He saw the fire and just
about shit his pants. It was a blaze. Simple as that.
“Darius, call Blaine and get the hell over here!” Devon shouted
in the phone. “Dane’s house is on fire.” He hung up, floored the
car and prayed like hell Dane was still alive.
Kera was out of the car before he had it completely stopped.
She ran towards the fire, giving him another fright. “Kera! Damnit,
wait.”
He went after her.
“Dane!” she yelled.
There was nothing left of the house. The whole thing on fire,
reds, oranges, blue flames engulfed every space, every room. He
caught hold of her before she could get too close for his comfort.
“Hold up,” he told her. “I don’t need you to get hurt also.”
“He can’t be in here,” she huffed, thanks to the running.
“Devon, Dane can’t be in there.”
Devon held onto her arms, holding her back, looking around.
He was also thinking the same thing. Dane couldn’t be in there.
He had to be out, because if he was inside—well he didn’t want to
think along that line.
And then he glimpsed what he was looking for. “He isn’t.”
Dashing to her side, Devon ran to the right and slid to the
ground right next to Dane’s body. “Dane!” As gently as he could
he rolled Dane over.
He was out cold, side of his face bloody and bruised. But he
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was alive.
“Oh, my God,” Kera gasped, kneeling down next to Dane also.
“What happened?”
“Stay with him, I’m going to get the car.”
“Car? Devon he needs a hospital!”
“Stay with him,” he ordered, stood up and ran to the car.
Inside he called Darius back. “We have a major problem. Where’s
Blaine?” he asked the second Darius answered the phone.
“Hasn’t gotten back yet. What’s wrong?”
Devon took a deep breath started the car and put it in gear.
He turned the steering wheel and drove right up into Dane’s yard
towards him. “Someone just burned Dane’s house.”
“What?!”
“Looks like Cameron’s kind of work if you ask me.” He pulled
up as close as he could and stopped. Kera was still on the
ground, Dane’s head cradled in her lap. “He’s hurt and I don’t
want to take him to a hospital.”
“Are you out of your mind?” Darius was shouting now. “If he’s
hurt and his place is on fire you need to call the damn police and
get him to the hospital.”
“Do you really think Dane is going to want to hang out in a
hospital?”
“Where’s Samara?”
The question had Devon stopping for a second and looking
out. He got back out of the car and just stood next to it. “Good
question. You don’t think she’s in the house do you?”
“If your fucked up cousin is involved in this shit, then no. He
takes girls, not kills them, remember?” Devon nodded, rubbed the
back of his neck and tried to get himself under control. “Okay,
bring Dane here to my place. I’ll call someone I know personally to
look at him and I’ll call Blaine. Devon, we need to move fast here.
That shing-dig starts tonight.”
“Okay, I’ll be there in about twenty,” Devon hung up and went
over to Dane. “We’re taking him to Darius’s place.”
“What?” Kera gasped. “Are the two of your out of your damn
minds? He needs a doctor.”
“And Darius is taking care of it.” With a groan, he picked up
Dane’s limp form and walked over to the car. “Open the back
door.”
Kera rushed to the door opened it and quickly went around
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the other side where she put Dane’s head once more in her lap.
“You guys are crazy.”
“You just now figured that out?”
Devon slammed the door closed, got back into the driver’s
seat and pealed out. He took the back roads towards Darius’s
home, and was thankful he did. It wasn’t long before he heard the
sound of sirens off in the distance coming closer.
Darius Alistair’s home was just about as large as Blaine’s. The
grounds were green, trees in full bloom and lined up along the
long driveway. He didn’t have a stable, but did have a guest
house, pool house and one big ass pool with a slide that reached
up to one of the windows on the second floor.
Darius was waiting for them at the drive. He waved his hands
in the air until Devon stopped right in front of him. As usual, Darius
was dressed in ratty looking jeans, tight white t-shirt and shit
kicker boots.
“The doc I have coming is going to meet you in the guest
house,” Darius said, poking his head into the window. He looked
at Kera then Dane. “I got another call after you. The party’s back
on and I have a personal invite just for having the name of
Alistair.” He looked back at Devon. “Was told something young
might interest me.”
“Shit,” Devon sighed.
“What’s that mean?” Kera asked.
“It means that Samara’s sister is up for sale,” Darius
answered. “Come on.” He hit the door and stood back up. “Get
Dane into the house and park the car in back of it. We don’t need
eyes watching us.”
Devon nodded and turned the car towards the guest house. It
was a slight struggle to get Dane out of the back seat, but he
managed it. He had him in the bed when Darius walked in with a
man he didn’t know or had seen around town.
“Devon, my personal man and family Doctor. Ron Burton,”
Darius said.
Ron Burton was an old man, but he also had a look in his
eyes like he knew what the hell he was doing. His thin silver hair
was slicked back, the brown sweater hung from his bony
shoulders, and the black bag in his hand reminded Devon of
something he saw from the Mr. Rogers show.
“I’ll tell you right now, boy, this one needs a hospital.” Burton
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wiggled his finger at Dane. “There’s the smell of smoke on his
clothes. He might need more oxygen than what I have with me.”
“With what we’ve got going on right now, a hospital isn’t going
to hold him down,” Darius said, putting his arm around the old
man’s shoulders. “So please, do your magic and let’s keep this
between us. Okay?”
The old man shrugged his shoulders. “You pay the bills.”
Burton moved to the side of the bed, Kera stayed on the other
side, and Devon nodded to Darius to follow him out into the small
living room.
Guest house was more like a small apartment. It had a living
room, full of furniture, kitchen fully stocked, one bedroom and one
bathroom.
They both sat down in the chairs and faced each other.
“What’d Blaine say?”
“He’s going to look for Cameron. I’m going to the party alone,”
Darius stated, meeting Devon in the eye. “And I’ll buy her and
bring her back.”
“Just like that,” Dane crossed his arms over his chest,
watching Darius closely. There was something off with his friend,
something he couldn’t put his finger on.
“Got a picture of her?” Darius asked.
“No.”
“Well, that’s going to make things a bit hard, but I’ll make do.”
Darius slapped him on the shoulder and smiled. “Don’t worry so
damn much. I’ll get her and have her home before Dane wakes
up. And if he does before I get back, just let him know that I’m
taking care of the sister. Blaine’s going to see if he can find out
where the hell Samara is.”
“What if this doesn’t go as planned, Darius? You could put out
a lot of money here for nothing.”
“Then Dane can call it a wedding present. I’ve got to go.”
Devon watched him walk away. Once out of sight, he turned
and went back into the guest house where Dane was resting.
“He’s going to wake up with one nasty headache,” Burton
said. “Might even have a slight concussion. Aside from that, he’ll
live.”
“Thanks, Doc,” Devon sighed.
Burton nodded. “Once whatever it is that’s going down is
finished, I want to see this boy in my office. You let Darius know
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that please.”
“Will do.”
Kera came out of the bedroom just as the doctor left. “I don’t
like this, Devon.”
“I know you don’t.”
“It’s dangerous,” she hissed. “You need to get the cops
involved in this.”
“Kera, they haven’t been able to crack the smuggling that’s
been going on around here in over a year. Do you really think
they’re going to be able to help us find Samara or her sister?”
“Cameron is dangerous.”
“I know that. Believe me, I know he’s dangerous and I know
it’s important to catch him. But it’s also important for us to all stick
together. Dane’s going to need everyone’s help here.”
“Well, I still don’t like it!” she snapped, turned and went back
into the bedroom.
“And you won’t let me forget it either,” Devon sighed, following
her.
* * * *
“Mr. Alistair.” Darius walked up to the man waiting for him at
the top of the steps that lead inside an old Victorian house. He
shook the hand. “You look just like your father.”
“So I’ve been told,” Darius remarked. “I have to say I’m a bit
surprised about your invitation. Last I had heard our name had
been taken off the list.”
The man that greeted him only smiled over his shoulder at
Darius. He didn’t stop walking but led Darius deeper into the
house to a closed door. It opened and they went down a set of
stairs.
The whole lower floor of the house turned into a large
showroom. The kind of showroom one would find in a sleazy,
cheep, porn show. Darius was taken to a closed, sound proof
room where wine chilled in some ice; a large oversize chair faced
a thick glass window with red drapes blocking whatever view
happened to be on the other side. The room even had a bid
button for Darius to pace his bid on whatever girl he wanted.
“We have a nice selection tonight,” the man said as he
handed a pamphlet to Darius, who took his seat. “Five fresh ones
all ranging in ages.”
“Which are?” Darius tried to act uninterested as he flipped
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through the pages of the girls. All appeared a bit drugged when
the photos were taken.
“Oldest is just twenty and our youngest on the last page only
sixteen.”
Darius flipped to the last page and lost his breath. The girl he
saw was indeed still a child, but one that would turn out to be
something of a vision once all grown up.
Thick black hair, dark eyes with long lashes. He couldn’t make
out the body since the photo was of her face only, but that face of
hers would haunt him. Darius knew that without a doubt. Her full
lips, heart shape face, creamy skin—yep, for sure she was going
to haunt him.
“Pretty girl,” he stated. “How much?”
“Price on her should reach the millions. We have other clients
“And how much to skip all the bullshit?” Darius stood back up,
facing the man who led him down here. “What’s the price to have
her right now?”
“Mr. Alistair I’m not in the position to do that.” The laugh that
came forth sounded nervous.
“Three million.” Darius saw him sweat now. One bead slipped
down the side of his face and his eyes seemed to light up.
“Mr. Alistair. That really wouldn’t be fair to the other bidders.”
“Why don’t you go check it with your boss? I’m sure he’ll
consider my offer.”
The man nodded, turned and walked out. Darius looked at the
photo again. Without a doubt he knew that this was his Makayla.
His? Where the hell did that thought come from? Standing in this
room, staring at her photo, Darius knew without a doubt that she
would be his in time.
It felt like over an hour before the gentleman who brought him
down here came back. Darius was pacing the floor, waiting for
some kind of answer so he could form the next plan of action on
getting Makayla out of here.
“Five million.”
Darius smiled slowly. He couldn’t help himself, or believe that
it would be that easy to get Makayla off the auction block. “I’m
going to assume a check is acceptable.”
“But of course. Follow me please.”
* * * *
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lair
Dane woke up slowly. His head throbbed in pain and limbs felt
like they weighed a ton. He winced when he tried to open his
eyes, the brightness in the room causing his head to pound even
harder. Even his mouth had a funny taste in it.
“Samara,” he rasped the name out, his throat feeling like it
might close on him any moment.
“Here, drink some water,” said a soft female voice, and a cup
touched his lips.
Dane sipped, almost moaning at the pleasure from the cold
water touching his dry sandpaper throat. “Samara.”
“She’s not here, Dane.”
That soft statement gave him the strength to open his eyes.
Kera sat next to him, the cup of water in her hand and concern
filled her eyes. Glancing around the room he knew right off that he
wasn’t in his bed or home.
“He burned it, didn’t he?” he asked. She nodded.
“Motherfucker.”
“Darius went to get Makayla,” Kera said. “And Blaine is on his
way here. Devon’s in the other room on the phone with him I
think.”
“Where am I?”
“Darius’s guest house. Want some more water?”
He nodded and she helped him drink, then to sit up in the bed,
“Thanks.” His head felt like a band was going off inside.
“Hey, you’re awake!” Devon stuck his head in, a cell phone up
to his ear. “Yeah, Blaine, he’s awake. Okay I’ll see you when you
get here.” He put the phone in his pocket, crossed his arms over
his chest and stared at Dane. “How you feel?”
“Like shit.”
“Look it too.”
Dane smiled for a second. “Cameron took them both.”
“Not surprised.”
The sound of a car pulling up had Dane tensing.
“I bet that’s Blaine,” Kera said, handing the cup to Devon. “I’ll
go get him.”
Once the door closed behind Kera, Dane looked Devon right
in the eye. “I’m going to kill him, Devon. I know he’s your cousin,
but I’m going to kill him for this.”
“Not if I beat you to it.”
The door opened and Blaine walked in. The dark scowl across
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his face had Dane’s stomach dropping.
“You up for an ass kicking?” Blaine asked Dane.
Not since they were kids and Blaine’s father knocked him
down once did Dane ever see his friend look so dangerous. But