Chapter 2. Who She Is

Ash’s POV

I drop to my butt and slide forward at the first man, kicking him in the groin. He goes down, and I immediately snap him up as the second bullet hits him in the chest.

That’s the problem with using a human as a bullet shield. They become heavy when hit.

I’m practically dragging him as I lunge forward. I lift my gun and aim for the other man’s face and fire. Once he falls down like a log of wood, I let go of the second man, who’s like dead weight, watching as he spasms, once, twice, then stops moving.

Satisfied, I walk away from him and toward the girl, who recoils in fear as I approach. I follow the line of her eyes, realizing she’s staring at the gun still in my hand. “You’re scared of this?”

She nods, and I put the safety on and put it back in the waistband of my jeans. Her hopeful eyes latch onto mine, and she smiles tremulously. “Thank you.”

“Uh-huh!” I nod, then pick up the gag from the ground and push it right back into her mouth. Her eyes go big and round right before I foist her onto my shoulders. She’s lightweight and barely weighs anything.

I feel her struggling, but I don’t break my stride as I begin walking away from the harbor. I get to my car and tap the boot. Walter, my driver, hops out immediately. He doesn’t break his stride, nor does he look surprised when he sees me carrying a girl, who’s bound hand and foot, across my shoulder. He’s paid to keep quiet, plus he knows if he squeals, he’s a goner.

He opens the boot, and I dump the girl unceremoniously inside. Her eyes can’t get any larger as she stares up at me. Fear shines like a beacon in her big blue eyes. That’s right, little girl, you should be very scared of me.

“Enjoy the ride, kid.” I wink at her and tap the bonnet, watching as it slides close.

Once I get into the car, I press a button, and the divider slides down. “Walter, take me to Stardust.”

“Right away, sir,” he replies immediately.

I sink back into the leather seat and close my eyes. It feels like sand is trapped inside them.

You’re just tired, you son of a bitch.

I hear a thud come from the boot and smile grimly. As Walter drives, the thuds increase, coupled with muffled sounds. I close my eyes, needing something to distract me. Once I open them again, my eyes fall on the red wine still idling inside the ice bucket.

Wasting no time, I open it and take a glass. By the time we pull up in front of my club, I’m nicely buzzed. My chest swells when I take in Stardust’s lit-up sign on the two-story building. An investment that has turned out quite nicely. The car doesn’t slow down but passes a long line of people waiting to enter the club. Walter drives into an underground car park set aside for only me. I open the door and come down at the same time as he does.

“Bring out the girl and follow me.”

He says nothing, only nods.

I walk to my private lift and press the button, and it slides open immediately. Walter steps inside with the still-struggling girl, and I ignore them both. I’m feeling the beginning of a headache. All I want is some shut-eye, but I need to take care of business first. Unwarranted business. My eyes slide to the girl once more. She’s deathly still now. So still, she looks deceptively dead with her hands hanging limply off Walter’s shoulder.

The doors slide open, and I vault out. I step into my office, which is situated directly opposite the lift, and beckon on Walter to come in. He does so and has the sense to close the door behind him. My office is closed off from prying eyes, but one can never be too careful.

“Put her in there.” I point to the wardrobe in the corner.

He says nothing except to do my bidding. Once she’s been situated nicely inside and the doors are closed, he leaves. As soon as he does, I yank the wardrobe open and watch as the girl scuttles away. It’s a big wardrobe, so it amuses me when she retreats to the very back that is swathed in shadows. I switch the light on inside and lean against it.

“If I remove the gag now, are you going to scream?”

Her eyes shoot fire at me, although they’re rounded to almost saucers. If they go any bigger, they’d probably burst into fragments at this rate. She shakes her head, and that’s enough for me. I reach out, and she recoils, but there’s nowhere else for her to go. Her back is against the wall. Tentatively, I reach out and remove the gag from her mouth, watching as she coughs and spurts before getting right down to it in a hoarse voice.

“What do you want from me?”

I fold my legs at my ankles and cock a brow. “That depends on you. What were you doing tied and gagged by the seashore?”

“I told you I was-”

“Kidnapped, yes, but what I don’t understand is how?” I shrug. “Not unless you were moving amongst the wrong crowd.” I don’t feel pity for her, I feel disgust.

Hell, yes, I’m a crime lord and have committed murders, but some girls like this one I’m looking at seek the good things in life and end up in terrible situations. Sometimes, they end up dead as a result of their greed. Judging from her silence, I’m right about my assertion.

“You can judge me from here till tomorrow, but that doesn’t change the facts. Now, are you going to untie me, or are you going to keep looking at me in disgust?” Her voice is stronger. She juts her chin as she stares defiantly up at me.

Wordlessly, I untie her. She winces as the ropes fall off her wrist and legs. I can see the angry welts on her skin from where the ropes ate into them. She climbs out of my wardrobe and goes to stand at the large window. I know what she sees – a clear view of the club from all angles and everyone inside it. I hear her sharp intake of breath right before she turns to me.

“You own all this?”

“Yes, I do.”

She turns away and moves to my desk, her fingers skimming the surface and its contents. I turn my back but still watch her from the corner of my eyes. It’s a trick I always use to see how the other person reacts when they think I’m not looking. Her eyes remain on my back, but one of her hands is doing something else. Her right hand palms my wallet and wristwatch, and she quickly tucks them inside her back jeans pocket.

Ah! A thief.

I watch as she straightens and juts her chin.

“Can I leave now?”

“You were never a prisoner.” I shrug, still feigning indifference.

I let her leave, but as soon as she closes the door, I call one of the bouncers and tell him to intercept her. While they’re gone, I busy myself with my laptop. The door opens a minute later, and one of the bouncers comes in, holding her. She’s struggling a lot, but as soon as she sees my face, she stops and goes deathly still.

She knows I know, and she fears what I would do to her. I nod to the bouncer, and he leaves. 

“Tanya Jackson, a petty thief, runaway, and delinquent. Turned eighteen last month.”

Her mouth falls open. “How did you-”

“You’re not the only one with light fingers.” I lift her ID card in the air and look at her pointedly. “Question I’ve been asking myself is, what am I going to do with you now?”

It starts out with her bottom lip. It begins to tremble, and then her hands follow. They’re shaking so badly, I almost feel pity for her. Almost.

“I… I-I’ll do anything. Just please don’t report me to the police.” She shakes her head as a look of fear creeps into her eyes. “I don’t want to go back to juvie.”

Bingo!

“Anything?” I ask, removing my legs from my desk and standing up. She nods but doesn’t speak. The fear in her eyes has turned to pure terror.

“I want you to work for me. That will take you off the streets and…” I shrug. “Put daily food on your table.” The gears in my head have begun to turn, and a plan is forming.

I don’t miss the relief in her eyes as she exhales. Crap!

Did she think I wanted her to give me a blow job or even – I shake my head, the thought leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. She’s only a kid for crying out loud! I like my women older and more experienced in that department.

I press a button on my intercom, but I see the initial terror returning to her eyes. “Relax, I’m just calling my manager. I won’t hurt you, I promise.”

She nods and closes her eyes.

“Leonard, please come to my office immediately.” A few seconds later and a knock sounds at the door.

“Sir, you called me.” My manager appears before me, smartly dressed in a black suit.

It’s one of the reasons I like him. My former manager dressed like a bum and got high on my supplies as well. Looks like I lucked out with this one.

I instruct him to take Tanya to the kitchen, where she’ll start from the basics. I don’t miss the unmistakable disappointment in her eyes as I say so.

Patience, kid, I’m not ready to let on yet what I really have in mind for you.

Leonard inclines his head to Tanya for her to follow him, but she doesn’t budge. The brat needs some coercion. I put on a bored look as I study my fingernails.

“It’s either that or jail.”

After a short beat, she replies. “Alright… I’ll take it.” Her voice is tight with repressed anger.

She’s about to follow him when I speak up. “You’re forgetting something, kid.” I open my palm and flap my hand. “Give them to me or no deal.”

She does nothing for a few seconds, and then her shoulders droop. She reaches inside the legs of her pants and pulls out my wallet. I sigh and turn to Leonard. “Call the police.”

“Alright, alright, hold your horses.” She reaches inside the other leg of her pants once again and brings out my wristwatch. “Here it is, boss.”

I smirk. “You’d do well to remember that.”