Page 16 of Killer (The Skulls #5)

Killer debated putting his cell phone on to charge up.

The phone was completely dead, and he’d forgotten to charge it up last night.

Deciding against it, he headed downstairs to find Kelsey standing at the stove cooking breakfast.

She wore a lovely blue summer dress only this time she’d left the cardigan in the wardrobe. It was a hot summer, and wearing any clothes was a chore.

Throwing the phone onto the table he went to make himself a coffee.

“Have they called?”

she asked, turning toward him. Last night had been one of the best nights of his life. He’d never had so much fun before. Kelsey was so responsive to his touch. Her adventurous side matched his own.

“No, I’m going to leave it today. I don’t want to be interrupted.”

He poured them both a coffee watching her flip some bacon in a frying pan. Killer never thought he’d love the domestic feel to his life. Kelsey made him want stuff he never thought he did.

“What are you thinking?”

she asked, pressing a finger to his frowning brows. Taking her hand, he kissed her palm before moving back to the table.

“Nothing much. I just enjoy being here with you. It’s fun.”

She nodded, serving up their breakfast.

“Is it wise to leave the phone dead? What if they want to get in touch with you?”

They’d both agreed to not have a landline in case someone recognized their voice. Whizz had been the one to warn him about sound recognition.

“Yeah, you’re right,”

he said, picking the phone up.

“I’ll eat this and then go and put it on charge.”

He pocketed the phone and smiled at her.

There was a healthy glow to her cheeks. Last night had brought them closer, if that was at all possible.

“You’re going to make me blush if you keep looking at me like that.”

“I can’t help it. You know what I’m thinking about?”

he asked, grabbing her hand.

“Do I want to know?”

He shook his head, smiling.

“Probably not.”

She laughed.

“I’ve never seen you like this before.”

Killer waited for her to elaborate.

“Fine, you’re always so quiet, and you never really talk or smile. I mean, it’s not a bad thing to see you smile, but I’ve never seen you so happy not even when we were dating.”

She bit her lip and looked down at her breakfast.

Squeezing her hand he tried to offer her comfort.

“I’ve never had a reason to be happy. I know the time we’ve spent together has been all over the place. We’ve never dated, Kels. My past, it’s pretty fucking dark.”

He stopped recalling all the order from the leader of The Lions. Gritting his teeth he forced the memories down, refusing to let himself be vulnerable.

“I promise myself the moment I got into The Skulls I’d never kill anyone unless I could guarantee they were guilty or if they hurt those I care about.”

They were silent, and he dropped the fork onto his plate, losing his appetite.

“We don’t need to discuss this, Killer. I’m so sorry. I meant by words how happy you are, and I hope it’s because of me as much as this set-up.”

Seeing her concern lightened his mood. He kept hold of her hand like a lifeline.

“I killed people, Kels. I killed men and women. Whores, criminal, and innocents.”

He turned to look off to the side. The remembered screams still haunted him if he allowed them in.

“That is my past, baby. It’s the past, and I’m not going to let it affect our future.”

“I know.”

She climbed off her chair and sat down on his lap.

“Your past is staying there.”

Kelsey cupped his face.

“I love you, Killer. Not the man you were.”

She kissed his lips.

He held onto her waist knowing he’d found heaven inside her.

“What did I ever do to deserve you?” he asked.

“You stuck around.”

She kissed his lips, chuckling.

“Go, charge your phone, and see what home has to say. I want to make this real in Fort Wills.”

She climbed off him, taking their food to the sink.

Leaving her alone, he walked upstairs to find the charger on the vanity table.

Inserting the cable into the phone, he plugged it into the wall and turned the blasted thing on.

He hated cell phones and had a tendency to break them. Why did companies have to keep bringing out a smaller device that was flimsier than the last?

Within seconds the phone rang. Glancing down he saw it was Tiny calling. Accepting the call, he pressed the device to his ear.

“What’s the matter?” he asked.

“Killer, fuck, why haven’t you been answering the fucking phone?”

Tate asked. Hearing Tiny’s daughter instead of the man unnerved him.

“What the hell are you doing with his phone?”

Looking toward the door, he frowned, listening for Kelsey’s humming. Whenever she washed dishes she hummed to herself.

“Tiny and the boys are on their way. The shit has hit the fan. Get Kelsey, and get out of there. It’s too dangerous. Michael Granito is not the problem. His enemies are after her to blackmail him.”

He dropped the phone, heading downstairs.

Grabbing the keys from the drawer beside the door, he called Kelsey’s name out.

She didn’t answer his call.

Grabbing the gun he kept in the drawer for safe keeping he called her name out again.

Frowning, he made his way down the corridor.

Taking the safety off the gun he rounded the corner, and it took every ounce of strength not to fall apart.

One man held Kelsey in his arms with a knife pressed to her neck.

A second man held her wrist out and was opening up her wound.

The third man had a gun pressed to her temple.

The fear in her eyes would stay with him forever. He’d left her for a few seconds, and three men he’d never seen held her against her will, threatening her.

“Who the fuck are you?”

he asked, shouting the words.

He held the gun up waiting for the right opportunity to kill them. If he fired at any of them the other would harm or kill her. Fuck, he couldn’t protect her.

“We’re none of your concern,”

the one with the knife said.

“The moment you touched my woman, you became my concern,”

he said, glaring between them.

“Your woman? This is Michael Granito’s woman, and we need her.”

Teeth gritted he looked Kelsey in the eye. Tears fell down her face cutting him to the core.

Come on, Killer. You can do this. They’re nothing.

“Michael has got no hold over her. Let her go and take your shit out on him.”

He needed to keep them in this house. Fucking small house and he didn’t have any of his brothers to help him.

“No, we know he’ll become more amenable with her help.”

“You’re wrong,”

Kelsey said, speaking up. She cried out as the guy holding the knife pressed it against her throat tighter.

“Did I give you permission to fucking speak?”

Blood dripped down from the blade.

“She means nothing to him. Why the fuck are you bothering with her?”

Killer asked, feeling helpless. He’d never been helpless in his life, and yet there was nothing he could do.

“Any man in our world who keeps their woman a secret is important,”

Knife guy said.

“She’ll be perfect for what we want, and then we’ll sell her.”

If they left the house then he was fucked. Finding Kelsey would be impossible if they tried to sell her. Men like them wouldn’t give a fuck about her. They would sell her to turn over a profit.

“No, you’re not leaving here.”

He was laughed at. His anger spiked at their mocking.

“You’re in no position to bargain with us.”

The knife guy nodded to the man at her wrist.

She screamed as the knife dragged over the wound that had been healing. Blood seeped out of the wound.

“Let her the fuck go!”

He yelled the words, forcing himself to hold back from what was happening.

Blood fell from her wrist to drop on the floor.

Turning his gun he tensed on the trigger. He didn’t fire, and only wished he could.

“You’re Killer, right? Why don’t you join us? We pay a lot of money, and the women are easy to come by. They’ll do everything to stop the pain.”

Kelsey whimpered.

Shaking his head, he gritted his teeth knowing he needed to make a choice. He either fired at one and risked the other two killing her, or he let them walk out, hoping no harm came to her. Both choices were fucking shit ones.

“I love you,”

she said, mouthing the words so no one could see but him.

No, he wasn’t saying goodbye, and her words felt like a goodbye. Shaking his head, he stared at the others. None of them left him a choice.

When he was about to let down his weapon he heard a shot ring out, and the man with the gun at her head fell down.

He didn’t give himself time to panic, only to react.

Firing his gun he dropped the other two men, and Kelsey collapsed in a heap. Noise filled the house as more men came around the front. He went down to the floor, turning and holding his gun up.

Thank fuck he didn’t fire as he was staring at Tiny, leader of The Skulls.

Throwing the gun away, he went to Kelsey’s side. Her wrist was bleeding, and he wrapped her wrist with a towel.

“I’ve got you, baby.”

She had a cut at her throat.

“What the hell is going on?”

he asked, turning back to Tiny. He paused seeing Michael standing beside him. “You?”

Reaching for his gun he had the other man trapped against the wall.

Within seconds two guns were trained on him, and his brothers had guns trained on the men.

“Are you going to kill me?”

Michael asked.

“Killer, man, let him go. We’ll tell you everything,”

Tiny said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“He’s responsible for hurting my woman.”

“No, he’s not. Please, we’ve got to get you out of here and deal with this mess.”

Tiny kept talking, but all Killer wanted to do was kill Michael.

“Killer, help me please,”

Kelsey said.

Her pain-filled voice got through to him.

Withdrawing, he glared at the other man, but he walked away. Kelsey needed him a lot more than this fucker needed to die.

Picking Kelsey up, he walked out of the house.

****

One day later

Kelsey sat in bed waiting for some visitors. Killer hadn’t taken his time to get her to the Fort Wills hospital. He had initially taken her to the hospital in Paradise Rocks. She didn’t like it, and after they’d bound up her hands, she’d asked for him to bring her back to Fort Wills. Breaking most of the speed laws, he’d been determined to get her here. He picked her up off the hospital bed and carried her out to the car. Without waiting for an explanation he drove the couple of hours to get back into their old town. He would do anything she asked. Sandy came to her to check over the damage Michael’s enemies created. No one had stopped them not even to take down her insurance details.

She tucked some hair behind her ear hoping she didn’t see the inside of a hospital any time soon after this latest turn. It was Sunday, and she wanted to be discharged today.

Tate knocked at the door, looking around the corner to smile at her.

“Hey,”

Kelsey said, climbing off the bed to embrace her friend.

“I was so fucking worried about you. God, when Killer came to the clubhouse looking ready to murder someone.”

Tate cupped her cheek, smiling.

“I’m so pleased you’re alive. When Michael came around we were all worried.”

Sitting down on the bed, Kelsey listened to Tate talk, catching up on everything they missed.

“How about you?”

Tate asked, picking up her bandaged arm.

“Is everything okay with you?”

“Are you asking me if I’m going to kill myself at the first opportunity?”

“I won’t be giving her the chance.”

Killer spoke up from the doorway. He stood, leaning against the frame.

“Hey, baby,” he said.

“Hey, yourself.”

Her heart pounded at the sight of him.

“I thought you’d forgotten about me.”

“Never forget about you.”

He stepped toward her, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles.

“I had some business to take care of.”

“Well I’m going to leave you to it. I know my dad and the others are already back, so I’m off to be nosy.”

Tate hugged her close before moving away.

“I’m glad you’re back, honey. I’ll book us a day at the beauty salon. We’ll be back to our old selves in no time.”

Laughing, Kelsey watched her friend leave before turning her attention back to Killer.

“You look all serious. Do I want to know what’s been going on without me there?”

she asked.

“I’ve been talking with Alex. I’ve got everything I need to get Michael Granito out of your life for good.”

Killer sighed, sitting down on the bed beside her.

“What’s the matter? You don’t look happy about that.”

She started to worry. Did he no longer want her after everything they’d been through?

He took hold of her hand, locking their fingers together.

“I don’t care about your parents. You never talk about them, and I know you’re not sad to not see them.”

She licked her lips feeling nervous. Her parents were part of the past. They’d never been in contact with them since she left.

“Michael, away from the trafficking, he’s rich, Kels.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I love you. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life than the way I feel about you.”

Killer cupped her cheek.

“But I can’t give you a rich life. I’ve got enough money to make us comfortable.”

Breathing out a sigh, she smiled.

“He can give you the fancy house, the jet-setting lifestyle. You can have it all.”

Pressing a finger to his lips, Kelsey shook her head. “Shut up.”

Thinking of her words carefully, she stared into his dark brown gaze.

“For the last eight years I could have lived that life. I work as a dental nurse. I live within my means in a small apartment. Killer, I don’t want what he’s offering. I’m not in love with him. I’ve never been in live with anyone but you.”

She kissed his lips, feeling them harden beneath her touch.

“If you don’t want me, then fine, but don’t push me away offering me more than what I want.”

Killer pushed her to the bed, slamming his lips down on hers.

“Good, because this was your last chance to go. You’re not leaving my side no matter what.”

Several minutes later the nurse walked in cursing them.

Any other time Kelsey would have been embarrassed by what was going on.

Having Killer by her side, she didn’t care.

Later that day she was released from the hospital with an appointment to see a physiatrist. Kelsey would talk to the woman even though she didn’t feel it was necessary.

Tate was waiting with Angel and Sophia outside of the hospital.

“What’s going on?”

she asked.

“I’ve got some club business to attend to, and then I’ll be coming back to your apartment. They’re going to get you settled. Lavish you with love and gossip.”

“Are you sure I can’t convince you to stay?”

Kelsey asked. She wanted to be alone with her man.

“No, business comes first, baby.”

He held her hand as they made their way to the waiting car.

“I’m leaving her in your good hands. Make sure she’s in one piece when I get her back.”

“Giant, we’re not going anywhere to hurt her.”

Tate winked at him.

Laughing, Kelsey climbed in the backseat while the others got into the car. The children were being looked after by Eva at the big house.

She watched him climb on the back of his bike as they drove away.

“Everything will be back to normal in no time,”

Sophia said, drawing her attention away from the window.

“One thing you’ve got to learn, honey, being an old lady you’ve got to get used to club business. Isn’t that right, girls?”

Tate asked.

They all hummed in agreement.

“You can either be part of it and get your man to share everything, or you can pretend it doesn’t exist.”

Tate kept talking, distracting her.

“Lash tells me what I need to know. I love him. The Skulls is his business,”

Angel said.

“I, on the other hand, demand to know everything from Murphy.”

“Same here. Nash is not keeping anything from me,”

Sophia said.

“He kind of has to. Tiny is still making him pee in cups,”

Tate pointed out.

“Yeah, and has he failed any tests? No, because I keep him part of my business.”

The girls talked between themselves, and Kelsey thought about Killer. She wondered what was more important than taking her home? Did she want to know about club business?

Rubbing her temples, she knew deep down, she didn’t care about any business as long as Killer was with her, in her arms for the rest of their lives.

****

Entering the clubhouse, Killer stared around at his fellow brothers. They were all waiting for him. Michael along with two of his guards sat on chairs in the center of the room. He knew since leaving Paradise Rocks that The Skulls had dealt with the mess of the dead bodies including the men doing the trafficking.

Alex held a file in his hands. Killer already knew what it contained. Details, pictures, reports linking Michael to the trafficking organization. This was only one area. They all knew trafficking went far beyond the rich businessman in front of him.

“Tate taking care of your woman?”

Murphy asked.

“Yeah, she’s on her way back to her apartment.”

Killer glanced toward Tiny, who simply looked back at him.

“He’s all yours.”

Grabbing a chair, he straddled it looking at Michael.

“Don’t talk. We know who you are. We also know how you started up and how the trafficking business fell into your hands.”

Killer wished he could hate the other man. Everything he learned about Michael, he knew the other man cared about Kelsey to a point, trying to keep her safe even as he put her in danger. Still, there was no love, and he’d used her to get what he wanted.

“We’ve got the proof of your involvement.”

Alex stepped forward, opening the file giving Michael time to see.

“You owe us. Right now you can get out of the trafficking business. Give us the details of the women taken and become an informant for the law.”

The Skulls didn’t want anything to do with the slave trade. Tiny had two daughters, not to mention all of the women in their lives. There was no way they’d ever support that kind of business.

“You also divorce Kelsey and stay the fuck out of her life.”

“If I don’t do either?”

Michael asked, after being given permission to talk.

“We’ve got everything we need to get rid of you. You either do as we ask, or you leave, but we’ll get our way.”

“You got the law on your hands?”

“My woman has,”

Tiny said, speaking up.

“Her father knows men who can land you right in shit. I think you’d make some big guy’s bitch in jail. Your ass will be really nice and open by the time they are done with you.”

The threat was clear.

Michael smiled.

“You don’t think I’ve got the same information on you? A lot of people have died because of you.”

Killer stood up, taking a step back.

“The difference between us is we’ve got men on the inside. The Skulls are far and wide. Some of our members are in prison, fuck-head,”

Zero said.

“You wouldn’t last five minutes whereas we’d have a very comfortable stay. Our only worries would be getting too comfortable.”

The other members laughed. Killer saw the humor even though he didn’t want to test it. Kelsey was his woman, and he didn’t want to leave her for a cell.

“Sir, I think you should consider it. They’re giving you an out.”

One of his guards started talking.

For several minutes silence fell on the room. Killer waited for his answer.

After some time passed, Michael finally nodded. Alex left the room starting to make arrangements. The divorce papers were already set up. Tate had given them to him earlier. Her lawyer friend had drawn them up.

Michael sighed, letting gout a breath.

“You better treat her with care.”

“She’ll want for nothing,”

Killer said. He handed the papers back to Tiny, promising to deal with them.

When everything was finished, he left the clubhouse and headed to her apartment. The girls left as he arrived, and he was alone with his woman.

“You’re a divorced woman, baby,”

he said, kissing her head.

“What?”

“Michael is going to be out of our lives. We’re free.”

She jumped on him, laughing and giggling.

Carrying her toward the bedroom, Killer kicked the door shut, happy to have his world back in one piece.