Fighting for Flight (17 page)

“Thanks.”

Stepping through the elevator doors, I find myself
in another lobby. This one is smaller, but no less extravagant. At
the opposite end is an enormous double door that probably cost more
than my car. As I walk towards it, I notice the etched glass doors
depict a holy war with angels and demons swirling in a vicious
battle. The visual puts a looming dread in the air.

Bodyguard guy knocks twice on the thick glass,
making me jump.
Calm down, Raven.
I’m freaking myself out.
The door opens, and a petite blond girl wearing a skintight tank
top dress and no shoes lets us in. I try to greet her, but her gaze
is locked on her feet. I’m taken to an office where I’m told to sit
and that Mr. Morretti will be with me shortly.

A large desk looms in the back of the room, only one
chair in front of it.
Guess that’s for me.
I sit and stare
out the floor-to-ceiling window behind the desk. I bet the view
from here at night is one of the best in the city.

Minutes pass and my knee bounces. The heel of my
foot pounds a fast, rhythmic beat into the floor. It seems like
I’ve been waiting an eternity. My nails are chewed to the quick
before I hear the door open behind me. The air gets heavy and the
room seems smaller. I don’t have to turn around to know that
Dominick is walking in behind me.

I haven’t seen him in five years, and even then, it
was only for the minutes it took for him to drop off a package to
my mom. I expected him to look older, but he’s exactly the same.
His blond hair and familiar aquamarine eyes are set off by his dark
tan. A radiant smile lights his face, a charming façade that
manipulates without effort.

“Raven, darling, you look exquisite,” he says like a
proper gentleman.

Warning signals blare in my head, but I brush them
off as nerves. “Thank you.”

He walks around his desk and sits in his chair
opposite me. “You met Vince?” He nods toward the man over my
shoulder.

I turn and see bodyguard guy standing in front of
the closed doors, blocking any escape. My pulse races.

I should have listened to Jonah. Unease advances
into fear. But why? He may not know me, but that doesn’t change the
fact that he’s my biological father. I’m safe. Then why do I feel
like running?

I need to get to the point so that I can get the
heck out of here as soon as possible. “You wanted to see me?”

“Yes.” He clears his throat. “I have a job offer for
you.”

“I have a job, but thank you.” I stand to leave.

“Sit!” he barks, making me feel like a misbehaving
dog.

Oh God, this is bad.

“I have a job offer for you, Raven. And you can’t
say no.” His previous soft tone is now forceful.

“I don’t understand.”

Everything I know about Dominick is corrupt. What
could he possibly want with me?

“You know, Raven, when I first started in this
business, I was around your age. I was young, rich, and drunk with
power.” He rolls a gold pen between his fingers. “I got bored
easily. I knew from the moment I saw your mother she was something
special. Everything about her screamed sex: the way she moved, the
way she spoke. I’d never met anyone like her. It’s as if she were
made for the singular purpose of pleasing men. I had to have her.”
Depravity shines in his eyes.

Saliva rushes into my mouth and panic grips my
insides.

“I had to have her, Raven, for two reasons. First,
to capitalize on her God-given gifts for profit.” He spears me with
a glare. “And second . . . to
breed
.” The last word he
stretches out as a snake would if it could talk.

Breed? Like a dog?
I know then I’m looking
into the eyes of the devil himself.

“So that’s what I did. I used your mother to create
another like her. The next generation, if you will, to meet the
growing demands of my business.”

I don’t want to hear anymore. Tears pool in my eyes
as I realize what kind of job he’s offering me.

“You want me to be a hooker for you.” This can’t be
happening. He wants to sell my body for sex? My own da—no, I can’t
bring myself to
think
of him as that.

“Hooker is such an ugly word,” he tsks. “I prefer
escort. But, yes, that’s what you were created for. That’s why I
made you. It’s time you fulfill your purpose.”

“No! I won’t do it. You can’t make me do it!”

Tears trail down my face, and I’m pissed he sees me
weak.

“I
can
make you do it and I will. I’ll give
you a couple weeks, say, until your twenty-first birthday. That
should give you enough time to tie up any loose ends. Then you’ll
be moved into one of my apartments,” he declares with a wave of his
hand like a king on his throne of immorality.

“Fuck you!” I’m scared out of my mind and a little
bit crazy, because as the fierce curse flies from my mouth, I can’t
help but think Blake would be proud.

“Hmm, you’re feisty. You must get that from me. Your
mother never argued, never fought, and never said a word really.”
He thoughtfully rubs his chin. “Let me put it to you this way. You
will do as you’re told, or I will slowly pick off every single
person you love.”

No, no, no, no!

“You’re a monster.”

An evil smile curls his lips. “I’ll start with that
sweet little friend of yours, Eve.” My hands and feet tingle and
then go numb.

“Then, I’ll work my way to Guy and your mother.”

Numbness moves up my arms and legs to my
abdomen.

“And last, but not least,” his voice carries a
sing-song tone, “I’ll end with that Neanderthal you’ve been living
with, Jonah.”

The final blow.

Heart, mind, and soul. Numb.

I’m no longer crying as my body and mind assimilate
information. His words spin in my head over and over like a
tilt-a-whirl: breed, hooker, everyone I love.

The predicament hits me like a hurricane. In danger
of passing out, I grip the arms of my chair.
This isn’t
happening.
I lean forward and put my head between my knees,
hoping to gather my bearings.

“This is Las Vegas, darling. You know how easy it
would be to make someone disappear? Bury them in a dirt hole out in
the desert? Although, I won’t make it quick, I’ll have my fun with
them first.”

“Stop, please. Just please . . . stop.” I rock back
and forth, my hands fisted in my hair. I hear a low keening sound,
and realize it’s coming from my mouth. I pinch my eyes closed
tight, praying to wake up from this nightmare.

And here I thought he might want to know me. That
maybe he missed the daughter he never knew.
How could I be so
stupid?

“Why now? Why not when I turned eighteen?” My voice
is pleading and desperate for answers.

“In my business, it’s important the girls are of
legal drinking age. This helps to avoid unwanted attention from the
local authorities. But more importantly, I needed leverage. You’re
quite the loner, darling: never had a boyfriend, very few friends.
I had Guy and Eve, but they weren’t enough. Once you starting
practically living with the Slade boy, it was time.” He straightens
his cuffs and twists their links. His gaze swings to mine. “Do you
love him?”

I roll my lips into my mouth, refusing to answer
him.

“Ah, yes. And it seems you’re still a virgin as
well.”

From behind me, Vince muffles his laugh.
Mortification and anger mix, igniting my face in a furious blush.
I’m appalled that he could speak so freely with his own flesh and
blood.

“Don’t look so shocked. Sex is my business. I can
tell by your blush you still retain your innocence. That will work
well for me and my business.”

Bile burns my throat. I wish I had eaten so I could
vomit all over Dominick’s pretentious Oriental rug. I hate him for
what he’s proposing and for what he did to my mom. I want to pounce
on him and fight like a maniac. Adrenaline fills my body as I
contemplate the risks involved with taking him on here in his
office.

Is today a good day to die?

He leans forward, resting both elbows on his desk.
His eyes bore into mine, making me recoil.

“Raven, if you fight me, I’ll shoot so much heroin
in your arm, you won’t know what day it is. I’ll keep you so
addicted you’ll be begging for it. You’ll live out your days on a
street corner, sucking off frat boys for twenty bucks a pop. You
come peacefully and be a good girl, you’ll have a life very similar
to that of your mother. I suppose I could make it even better,
seeing as you are my daughter.”

“I’m not your daughter!”

He looks down his nose, studying me like a piece of
art he’s considering buying. “No, I suppose you’re not. More like
the product of a perfectly executed experiment.”

“I would rather die a slow, painful death than work
for you.” My hands are wrapped so tightly around the arms of the
chair that my palms burn.

“Well,” he sits back, checking out what I assume to
be freshly manicured nails, “that, too, can be arranged,” he hisses
with contempt.

A defeated whimper bursts from my lips. The horrific
sound confirms my lack of options. I don’t have an out.

“So you agree? The day after your twenty-first
birthday, I’ll send for you.”

“I thought . . .” My whispered words aren’t meant to
be heard.

“You thought what, darling?”

I look up from my lap and stare at the man who’s
just ripped my heart out and stomped on it for sport. “I hate
you.”

A slow smile stretches across his face. “Very well.
I’ve always been a sucker for a challenge.”

I have no memory of how I got back in my car. I
don’t remember walking, but I don’t believe I was carried. All I
know is I’m sitting in the valet driveway, stone still, staring
straight ahead, wondering where to go and what to do.

And just like that, right when my life starts
looking beautiful, it disappears like a mirage in the desert.

~*~

Jonah

“Aw fuck, not again!” Blake throws his arms into the
air, and stomps to the bench.

Two o’clock. No missed calls.
Shit.

Something’s not right.

I’ve checked my phone every thirty minutes for the
last three hours, and still no word from Raven. I agreed to let her
go meet with Dominick alone this morning, even when everything in
me was screaming it was a big mistake.

“I’m done for the day,” I call out to whoever’s
listening, not bothering to look up from checking for text
messages.

“Good. You haven’t really been here anyway. You got
that fuckin’ phone stuck up your ass when we’re supposed to be
training.”

Usually I would jump all over Blake and his
attitude. Not now.

I lean against the octagon chain link and try her
cell. Straight to voicemail. My team files out and toward the
locker room, each one grumbling.

Owen lingers, his eyes on me. “Yo, Jonah. You all
right, man?”

“Huh?” I look up from my phone into the concerned
eyes of Owen then back and hit send. “Oh, yeah. Fine.”

“What’s going on? You’re preoccupied. Everything
okay with Raven?”

Just hearing her name makes me break out in a
panic-induced sweat.

“Um . . . I don’t know. She met with her dad today,
and they don’t really get along. I haven’t heard from her. I’m
worried.”

“Oh, that’s it? I’m sure she’s fine, probably just
got to talking and reminiscing about old times. I mean how bad can
he be that—”

“It’s Dominick Morretti.”

Owen’s easy demeanor disappears as his dark skin
drains of color. We lock eyes. Yeah, now he gets it. Everyone knows
Dominick Morretti would walk over the dead bodies of his own
children to get to a dollar.

“Let’s go.” Owen’s storms from the octagon.

“Wait! Where are we going?”

He doesn’t slow his pace. “We’re gonna find her. I
say we check her place first.”

“I’ll grab my keys.”

***

We pull up to Guy’s Garage and I see Raven’s car in
the lot.
Thank you, God.
I pop my head into the garage and
ask Guy if he’s seen her. He tells me she showed up a few hours ago
but went straight to her place saying she wasn’t feeling well.

My feet move like they’re on fire to the alley. I
jump up the stairs, taking three at a time. My fist pounds on the
door as adrenaline courses through my veins. I need to see that my
girl is okay.

“Raven, baby, you there? It’s me. Open up.”

Nothing.

I knock again.

“Open up, Raven!”

Nothing.

Panic surges and the buzz at the base of my neck
shoots to my brain, clouding rational thinking.

“Raven! Open the fucking door!”

I’m about to flip the switch and rip this piece of
shit door down with my bare hands, when a firm hand on my shoulder
directs me to step aside. Owen is there and he takes my place.

“Princess, it’s Owen. You don’t open up this door,
I’m gonna kick it down. We need to get to you.”

Nothing.

Shit!
I’m in full freak-out mode. I know Owen
feels it rolling off me in waves by the way his eyes dart from my
fisted hands to my clenched jaw. I roll my head around on my neck,
preparing to bust open the door. Owen takes one step back.

Boom!

Splintering wood flies all around us, the result of
Owen’s front kick. He steps in and pushes aside the flimsy door
that hangs lopsided from its hinges. I push past him and into the
studio.

I stop short upon entering and hold my breath. In
the middle of her bed, curled up in the fetal position, is Raven.
I’d think she was sleeping if not for her soft guttural moans.

Seeing her so broken sobers the raging beast in my
head. I go to her and climb in behind her, my front to her back.
Wrapping my arms around her tiny body, I bury my face in her
hair.

“Baby. Shh, it’s okay. I’m here now.”