Page 28 of One (The Towns Syndicate #2)

King

O ne week went by, and every lead we had, went cold. I walked around Christmas Town before they opened, the weather was picturesque. It was the week of Christmas, and the town had been getting busier and busier each day.

Boogie and I had completed two more deals without Ally. Arthur was growing suspicious of us, and at this point, Ally had stopped speaking, or even looking at us. I rubbed my chest at the constant ache that was there, and I started to wonder if this was the stupidest idea I'd ever allowed to happen.

After those first two days, we had no leads, we went down to speak to her and that didn’t go well. Boogie left with a black eye, and I left with a knife in my shoulder. A very stupid part of me thought two days would let her calm down, but I should have known better.

I checked on all the concession stands, and with a few of the workers, making sure everyone was ok before the rush of people came in.

I had changed a few things that Ally had been doing, making things a bit more efficient and found a better Santa, since the last man quit.

The old man needed the work, and he didn’t give off creeper vibes.

Christmas Town filled quickly with happy families and children, excited to see Santa. I grabbed a hot chocolate as I waited for a few new people to arrive, and a shipment of drugs from a new supplier that Ally had found with the approval of the Mayor, and new party favors.

I was nervous dealing without Ally, but Boogie was coming in later and Arthur was helping us with the deal.

It was the last big thing before Christmas, one of the biggest sales that went overseas sold to a man named Saint.

It was the only time we could get away with it, and our European buyer only bought premium items.

Once I was tired of the cold, I walked back inside to get ready for the shipment. I sat in Ally’s office looking at a few logs, wishing her office still smelled like her.

“I think Ally needs to be here for this shipment,” Arthur said, coming into the office.

He had been getting pushier and pushier the last few days. He was getting on my nerves. Boogie was starting to believe something was going on with him since all of our leads were fizzling out to nothing.

“She won’t be here, and we will be fine,” I said, dismissing him.

“Should I be worried?” he asked. “She should be here, why the hell isn't she here? I haven’t even been able to speak to her.”

I looked up at him. “The attack hit her very hard.

Doc said her head injury is worse than we thought.

We can barely get this place filled with men to protect her and Boogie can't even get a hold of the triplets yet. So, she’s not coming home until she is ready and I can ensure she won't be attacked again.”

He stood up, leaning over the table.

“Can you ensure her fucking safety?” I growled.

“You and Boogie?—”

“Can you ensure her fucking safety?!” I snapped.

“No, but you… you?—”

“She’s not ready to come home, and when she is, you will be the first to fucking know,” I said grabbing him by the shirt. “Next time you question our authority, I will fucking gut you, got it?”

He sneered at me before he schooled his expression. I studied him, wondering if Boogie was right and we were looking in the wrong place.

“I will speak to Boogie about seeing if she can make it tonight,” I said, letting him go as I cultivated a plan.

“Ok, as long as she’s feeling better,” he said, taking a deep breath.

“I’ll let you know,” I said, sitting down.

He left the room quickly and I pulled out my phone seeing a text I wasn't expecting in a group chat with Boogie and me.

Roman: I think I found Lance.

Boogie: Where?

Roman: In Denver, he has a sister and I’m pretty sure he’s there.

Me: Keep me updated and don’t kill him or his sister.

Roman: I should have him by tonight.

Me: Text us when it's done.

Roman: Got it.

I opened my chat with Boogie.

Me: Arthur is very suspicious. I think we need to do something about it tonight.

Boogie: I agree. After the drop off, we need answers.

Boogie: I thought we’d have answers by now.

Me: We are missing something, and it has to be with Arthur.

Boogie: I can’t take seeing Ally like this anymore.

Thank fucking god.

Me: I can’t either. The longer she’s in there, the more she might never forgive us.

Boogie: I’m finishing up here and I’ll heading over. We can discuss what we want to do and figure out what to do with Arthur.

Me: Hurry up.

I set my phone down and felt a little better than I had in days.

Running two towns and having to keep Ally locked up, I felt myself dying a little every day.

We weren’t any closer to finding out who was hunting her.

Now at least we had a plan, and my gut told me it was right.

I got through paperwork as I waited for Boogie and decided he needed a hot meal when he arrived.

The kitchen was always well stocked and soup sounded good. I made quick work of making albondigas. It was one of Boogie's favorites and I wanted to take some back to Ally. She said she missed her mother’s cooking and maybe this might soften her up.

It wasn’t long until I heard the rumble of Boogie’s motorcycle. I texted him to meet me in the kitchen and to let the guys know I made enough food for everyone. Everything was set out and Boogie still hadn’t come down.

I wouldn’t have been surprised if he was going over a few things with Arthur or—shit, he probably was taking matters into his own hands. Covering all the food and making sure all the burners were off, I raced outside, hoping Boogie wasn’t irrational again.

The snow had stopped falling and as I stepped towards the garage, I got a bad feeling.

I looked around, feeling eyes on me, but I was alone.

Pulling out my phone, I dialed Boogie and there was no answer.

Either Boogie was an idiot or Arthur realized we were on to him.

I dialed Mars when the click of a gun made me freeze.

“Yoo,” Mars said as the person behind me took my phone.

“Hey Mars, King asked me to give you a ring because oh never mind, there he is,” Arthur said as I tried to turn around. “Yeah, he was wondering about Boogie. Tell Ally I miss her, and I hope she comes back soon.”

Arthur's face grew dark.

“I’ll be expecting them tomorrow then,” he growled, hanging up the phone.

I took in his distraction and attempt to gain the upper hand when I felt another gun on me.

“She just had to spread her fucking legs open for you, didn't she?” Arthur snarled, pistol whipping me.

I growled, turning around ready to hit him when two guys held me, and Arthur hit me in the stomach and then in the face.

“That’s what you call hitting?” I laughed when he hit me again.

The two guys holding me were looking at me like I had lost it, and that's exactly what I wanted, them distracted.

I pulled my arm loose, grabbed one of my knives and stabbed the guy on my right in the throat before doing the same to his friend.

Arthur tried to shoot me, but I threw my knife at him, barely missing him as he ran away.

My ribs protested as I picked up the two guns, checking the magazines before following Arthur. I had to be smart about this, he was going to use Boogie against me, but I was hoping maybe Boogie was giving them hell and had killed a few of the men already. Were all these men employed by Arthur?

Fuck, and Ally’s been sleeping here with him this entire time, maybe it was a good thing the Triplets got so close to Ally.

Shit.

I should have called Mars before I made my way up here, but I couldn’t leave Boogie alone. My stomach soured, hoping nothing had happened to him, while I went around the garage listening and watching a few men with guns walking patrol.

Boogie was nowhere in sight, but I knew he was here, it was like I could feel him. The garage wasn’t big and when I scoped it out once, I had chosen my getaway car and found my entry point. There was a door they didn’t bother guarding like the idiots they were, and when I entered my heart dropped.

He was tied to a chair, beaten so badly his face was almost unrecognizable.

His blond hair was covered in blood as his head hung down and my wrath was barely contained.

I silently closed the door, grabbing the first guy I saw, stabbing him and letting him down gently.

And then quickly decided on my next course of action.

I popped off four shots quickly as four men fell to the floor.

I shot at two more men who fell to the ground and saw a few more men run out, shooting them in the legs.

Arthur yelled something over the gunshots as I made my way back to Boogie.

I took another man down as I unleashed numerous bullets while I untied my man.

“Baby,” I shook him slightly, hoping to wake him up. “Baby, wake up.”

“You’ve got nowhere to go, King!” Arthur yelled.

“Boog.” I shot more rounds as I tried to pick up his body, but he was at least thirty pounds heavier. “Please wake up.”

I set my gun down, lifted him up and threw him over my shoulder.

My ribs protested as I took his weight, but I pushed through as a few shots were fired at us.

I grabbed the other gun, firing blindly as I walked backwards towards the door I entered through.

The cool air hit my back, I shut the door quickly, walking as fast as I could to the car that I had already opened for us.

With every step, Boogie felt heavier. The car was no more than ten steps away when I felt the first shot hit my shoulder and then the second one hit my thigh.

I fell on the shoulder that Boogie wasn't on, hearing him grunt as we fell.

Pain radiated through my body as I heard footsteps come closer to us.

“We failed her,” Boogie whispered as my eyes felt heavy.

I knew I didn’t deserve it, but all I wanted was one more minute to tell Ally how sorry I was, and all I had wanted was to keep her safe, but I had somehow failed.