Page 19 of Property of Madman

He nods, and I wait. About five minutes later, the girl leaves, heading toward a golf cart. She’s driving away within ten minutes of John arriving, having never seen my face, nor John’s pasty ass going at it with a hooker in the hot tub. I don’t know if the chick is truly a hooker, but she was looking pretty rough when they made it up the stairs.

I motion for Death to follow me as we stealthily approach the hot tub where John and his woman are engaged in their debauchery. The sound of splashing water and their drunken laughter echoes through the night air. We move closer, our footsteps muffled by the expensive fake wood decking under our feet. The moon casts an eerie glow on the scene before us.

As we reach the edge of the deck, I raise my hand signaling Death to ready himself. With a swift and silent movement, we pounce on them from behind. In one quick motion, I grab John by his thinning hair, yanking his head back, while Death wraps a strong arm around the woman’s neck, cutting off her shocked screams.

There’s a brief moment of struggle, but it’s futile against our combined attack as well as our experience in shitty situations. John’s pulse is racing beneath my fingers, his eyes wide with terror as he realizes his imminent fate. I’m not here for a chat, but to end this problem once and for all. I hate that this piece of shit had any part of Audrey, let alone got to spend part of his life with her. She deserves so much better, she always has. I should’ve killed him a long time ago and set her free.

The woman claws at Death’s arm, but he holds firm, his expression cold and unflinching. John’s mouth opens, but no sound comes out as I swiftly draw my blade from my side holster and slit it across his throat. I could use my gun, a quick shot to his brain, but it’d be too noisy and we’re trying to get in and out without stirring up any unwanted attention.

John’s body convulses, warm blood spilling over my hands, dirtying my soul more so than it already was before. The liquid crimson drips into the hot tub, turning the water a dark, eerie red. I should feel something killing him, right? Remorse, guilt, something? But, I don’t. I feel nothing. Maybe a little glee if I’m honest with myself, which is a scary thing to come to terms with.

Beside me, Death tightens his grip on the woman, her face now a mask of sheer panic. He gives a sharp twist, and a sickeningcrack echoes through the night as her neck snaps. Her body goes limp, and he lets her slide silently into the water, a grim finality to their messy evening.

We stand there for a moment, caught in the trance only killing will give you, with the only sound around us being the gentle bubbling of the hot tub jets, now ripe and sullied with the metallic scent of blood.

With a sigh, I glance at Death, and he nods, understanding my silent command. We need to clean all this shit up and make everything look like an accident. A robbery gone wrong could work too, anything that won’t lead back to Audrey and her children. Deah breaks me from my thoughts, saying, “You go pack up, little miss. Make it seem like she was never here, just John, and I’ll take care of this mess.”

He doesn’t have to mention it twice. I’m more than happy to skip getting blood on me and having to figure out what to do with the bodies. “You staging or cleaning up?”

He grunts, pulling the woman from the tub and laying her on the deck. “Gonna make this one disappear, so they’re only worrying about one body.”

“Good idea. I saw a shed on that side of the yard, probably a shovel in there.”

He stomps off and with a heavy exhale, I grab John’s keys from the deck, and turn for the house. It’s time I took my daughter home.

Where she’s always belonged.

Chapter 12

AUDREY

“I’ve got her, and we’re on our way home.”

I can’t stop replaying his words in my mind over and over on a loop. When he asked me to let him take care of things for me, I nearly turned him down. Told him no, I’d handle it myself, as I’ve always done in life. Yes, I was one of those sweet, quiet women who married an older man who was well off. My family made sure of it, I was in those same circles after all, since my parents have always had money filling their pockets.

No one ever thought I’d use my resources and create my own wealth. No one expected me to be good at my job. Or to become wealthier than all of them put together.

Of course not… I’m a woman, after all, and it seems as if we’re always underestimated.

I haven’t let another undervalue me since. Unfortunately, John couldn’t handle it, and my success sent our marriage spiraling after years of trying to appease him however I could. Thank God I was smart enough and fought back when it came to my companies. I can’t imagine where I’d be right now if I hadn’t found my backbone and finally started standing up for myself and for what I want to be able to give my children in the future.

I’ve been skeptical since Gavin left. It was foolish, since he’s upheld his word to me in every instance since first meeting him,but still. I’m a bit jaded when it comes to the opposite sex. This man, however, seems determined to show me I can depend on him when I need to, and it has me all in my feelings. I’m not sure how to react to him or the newly admitted emotions bubbling up inside me. It’s been too long since I allowed myself to feel vulnerable in this type of way. Now here I am, grappling with the idea of falling for a man who has entered my life like a whirlwind, yet at the same time has been here in the background, steady, all along.

I can’t shake the worry that has constantly been eating at me about Hazel. When will I see her again? How is she coping with all of this? I know Gavin will take care of her to the best of his ability, but my instincts still rage within, as I want to hold her close and assure her that everything will be alright.

“I’m headed to the airstrip to pick up Prez,” Brass interrupts sometime later while I’m busy being lost in my head. I’m sitting by the pool, soaking in the hot day, feeling as if the overly cloudy sky fits my overall mood. The kids are nowhere to be seen. The guys have kept them busy, and unaware of the turmoil I’ve been sick over. I don’t think Gavin asked them to help; they just stepped in and automatically offered when I needed them, without having the courage to realize I ever needed it in the first place.

“Oh, thank God,” my fists finally unclench, seemingly for the first time today, from all the stress. A sigh of relief leaves me, and I ask, “Can I come with you? He has Hazel.” Normally, I wouldn’t be asking anyone anything. I’d demand whatever I want, but they’ve all shown me unmeasured respect, and I needto remember to do the same. This is not my world down here; it’s theirs, and I’m fortunate they’ve included my family in it.

“Of course, Miss Audrey. You won’t catch me telling you no about shit unless it comes directly from Prez.” He offers a compassionate smile, and I reach out, squeezing his shoulder in affection as I run past him to put on my shoes from inside the house. I wanted to hug him, but with the line of business they’re in, I’m sure they don’t enjoy being touched in their off time. Not that I can blame them, I know I wouldn’t want it either. By keeping my hands to myself, I show him a little more of that respect I’ve been going for.

He assures me the kids are safe and well looked after, that he’ll give the ‘brothers’ a heads up we’re picking up Prez. His words, not mine, so I follow him, hopping up into a lifted olive colored Ford Platinum Super Duty they have parked next to the huge barn full of motorcycles. Pretty smart as parking in the Texas sunshine would probably burn their butts off if they tried to ride right away.

I’ve been to the airstrip several times, having flown in for my sessions, but as the truck eats up the pavement, I swear every mile seems to take forever. There’s a country tune playing lowly on the radio, background music as my leg bounces, the energy and impatience in me radiating through the rest of my body.

Words spill from my lips as a million things run through my mind, making me frazzled, “H-have you heard anything bad? They didn’t run into any trouble, I hope? He’d never tell me, and normally I’d never ask, but with Hazel involved… I hope you all know I will use whatever means at my disposal to help. If there’san issue, well, people can be bought, and it’s one thing I have to offer.”

Brass smirks, but it’s not unkind. The man practically has the patience of a Saint dealing with me while Gavin’s been indisposed. He tips his Stetson at a guy driving a truck as we fly past, his hands steady as they take us around the next curve in the road; the sides are heavily lined with trees. In normal circumstances, I’d find the drive peaceful, even a little beautiful, but there’s nothing normal about what’s happening. “My brother isn’t going to let you tarnish your name, even if something were to come up. However, just the fact you offer shows what kind of lady you are.”

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