The Widow shakes his head. “Can’t do that, bro.”
Nic nods, giving into his friend easily and making me wonder about the depth and complexity of their friendship. “Do what you have to do,” Nic tells him, “But you know just as well as I do that she’s going to try and swoop in to save the day. She’s got a kid and a wedding to worry about. She doesn’t need to be getting mixed up in this world again. If she gets hurt, that’s on you.”
The guy drops his gaze as the others hover by the door. “Alright,” he finally says. “I won’t say shit, but if you hurt her,” he adds. “You’ll have me to deal with. We’re not about to start a war with the Wolves over this bullshit.”
Nic scoffs. “A war with the Wolves is coming whether you like it or not.” He throws his heavy gaze back at me. “As for her, she’ll be fine as long as she behaves.” I meet his eyes and as he watches me, I can’t help but feel that he’s being honest. He doesn’t want to hurt me, and while that should ease my fears, it doesn’t. I still have to get out of here and run as far and wide as I can.
All four of the guys send their heavy stares my way, and I swallow back fear. I’ve never experienced anything quite so intense, but one by one, they make their way out of the bunker until it’s just me and Nic standing in awkward silence.
We listen as the stolen car screeches out of the warehouse until it’s just us, finally alone. Nic seems to relax, and I watch as he moves across the trashed bunker, picking up random things and placing them back on shelves. “Are you just going to stand there or clean up this shit?”
I don’t respond, more than content to stand and watch.
He shrugs his shoulders. “Fine by me,” he says, walking back out the door and returning later with Chinese takeout containers. “Hungry?”
All I can do is stare as he drops the food on the counter and starts digging in.
What the fuck is this? He’s acting like we’re just chilling out, about to put on a movie and snuggle on the fucking couch. Is he insane? Actually, that’s a question I’m not sure I want answered.
“If you're not going to eat, you might as well go to bed. It’s getting late.”
“Bed?” I scoff. “Do you really think I’m stupid enough to fall asleep around you?”
“Suit yourself,” he says, grabbing the takeout container and dropping down onto the chair at the shitty little table.
With nothing else to do and nowhere to go, I walk right over to the opposite side of the bunker and drop down onto the old, dirty couch, thankful that he hasn’t chained me up or hurt me. Maybe he really did mean it; maybe he hasn’t dragged me here to kill me after all. Maybe there’s something much, much worse in my future.
CHAPTER 4
DOMINIC
Silence pulses through the cold bunker as I look up at the ceiling, not seeing a damn thing in the darkness, but it’s nothing new to me. I’ve done nothing but live in darkness for the past six and a half years. I’ll take this bunker over the bullshit I went through any day.
I crashed into bed the second my Chinese takeout had gone down. Something is just so soothing about being able to lie down without the threat of my cellmate suffocating me during the night, not that he could have. He was a pussy, even if he had ties to the Wolves. He fucking tried time and time again to take me out, but he never got far enough to cause any real damage. The fucker quickly learned not to touch me.
Good times.
My eyes begin to grow heavy. I can’t wait to get a good night’s sleep for the first time in six years. I could sleep for a fucking week straight and still need more. Don’t get me wrong, I fucking flourished in prison. Every fucker in there was at my beck and call while having the outside world terrified for my release, knowing that the second I got out, I was going to rise to the fucking top. Anything I wanted in there was mine. A joint? Done. A phone? Done. A fucking bitch to suck my cock? As easy as clicking my fucking fingers. Not even prison could stop the leader of the Black Widows. I even had guards falling at my feet and begging for favors; that’s part of the reason why escaping was even possible.
But being here—away from all that bullshit and with Roni in my sights—I can finally breathe again. It’s time to take my place as the rightful leader and show the world that the Black Widows are the most feared and lethal motherfuckers around. We’re going to rise to the top and put down all the other bastards who even try to touch us, and what’s more, I’m taking Roni along for the ride.