Fallen Empire (Dirty Empire)

That must be Vlad.

“No… no… I told ya, I ain’t a fucking concierge—”

Vlad yells into the phone, his words unintelligible but severe.

Bane’s lips purse. “Yeah, fine.” He ends the call, all his bluster gone. To Vic, he mutters, “Guess we’ll get back to you once you’ve had a minute to recharge. Wouldn’t want you expiring too soon.” He releases the chain holding Vic up, allowing enough slack that the wounded man slumps in his seat, the spiked collar loosening.

“Time for you to go back to your room. For now, at least.” Strolling over to me, he unfastens the chain from a hook.

I drop to the floor in a heap, unable to keep myself up.

Bane leaves me to lie there a moment, reveling in the feel of cool dirt against my cheek, before he nudges me with his boot. “Come on. Get up.”

“I can’t.” There’s no strength left in my body.

“For fuck’s sakes.” He hauls me up and over his shoulder with surprising ease. I don’t even consider attempting to struggle as he carries me back to the trailer, to my room, where he tosses me onto the mattress.

The light bulb has been replaced, this one duller than the last, and he’s nailed a sheet of plywood to the door, to cover the hole he put through it to get out.

“If you want to talk to your darlin’ boyfriend, sit your ass up,” he grumbles, disappearing for a moment only to return with a phone and a scrap of paper. He reads off the number and starts hitting keys.

He’s calling Gabriel. I’ll bet that’s what Vlad was demanding. I struggle to drag my limp body into a sitting position, leaning against the wall for support, as Bane dials.

“You get a minute, and no funny business or I promise ya, it’ll be the last time you ever talk to her,” he says by way of greeting and then he’s thrusting the phone into my face.

I swallow. “Gabriel?”

His deep, raspy sigh fills my ear and it’s like a balm to my aching muscles. I close my eyes a moment and try to block out my current situation, try to pretend we’re tangled within his silky sheets next to each other. “I’m going out of my mind here, Mercy. You have no idea. God, please tell me you’re okay? Tell me he hasn’t hurt you?”

It’s basically the same questions he asked last time, in that same desperate angry tone. He’s afraid for me. Probably because he knows what Bane is capable of. Maybe because he’s hired him to hurt people like this before, too.

No, I can’t think like that. I can’t let Bane and Vic get into my head. If I do, I won’t survive this.

What would Gabriel do if he knew Bane strung me up like a side of beef and left me hanging for hours? That I was seconds from being electrocuted with a cattle prod when his father called? “I’m okay.” I’m not dead, I remind myself.

“Is he standing right there?”

I peel my lids open to find the wiry psychopath hovering over me, checking his watch. I don’t know what he’s so worried about. I can’t tell Gabriel a single thing that will help locate us. “Yes.”

“Can he hear me through the phone?”

“I don’t think so.” I hesitate. “I met your cousin. Vic.”

“Yeah, I knew Bane had them. What about my uncle?”

I steal another wary glance at Bane. He doesn’t seem concerned that I’m divulging that bit of info. “Dead. So is your other cousin. And your aunt.”

A few beats of silence answer me and then, “Don’t worry, my dad wants you alive. You’re no good to him dead.”

“Bane said there’s a long way to go between alive and dead.” I look up and the asshole winks at me.

Gabriel curses. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I swear, I’m doing everything I can to keep my father happy while I look for you.”

What does that even mean? What kinds of crimes does Vlad have him committing? “Don’t do something you can’t undo on my account, Gabriel.”

“I’ll do whatever I have to. Anything and everything, do you hear me? No one else matters to me but you.” Sincerity bleeds through his voice.

But will he ever find me, is the question. According to his cousin, it won’t be in time, whatever that means. With Bane looming, I can’t say much. “My father—”

“He’s safe. I won’t let my father get to him.”

I was going to say that my father will be expecting to see me today. “What do you mean? Why would Vlad go after him? He’s got me.” My father has nothing to do with Gabriel. A fresh wave of dread rolls through my body. After all that I’ve done to keep him safe from Fleet in Fulcort, now he might have a bigger target on his back and again, it’s because of me. “Gabriel, if something happens to him—”