Shattered Dreams (The Believe Series Book 1) (11 page)

Shannon

F
ucking asshole
, I think to myself. Well a hot, sex god asshole, but still an asshole nonetheless. An asshole that can make my heart flutter, my temperature sore, and my panties wet all at the same time.
Jareth
, just his name has my knees going weak.

When I stormed out, I went to the one place he won’t think to look, Rodeway Inn. The very room where he made sweet love to me all night and touched my soul.

I flop down on the bed, a single tear escaping, and sigh. I learned the hard way to be tough, to be strong, and to
never
depend on anyone for anything.

“Thanks a lot daddy,” I say bitterly to the empty room. Because of him, I’ve lived a very lonely life, plagued by one nightmare after another, while secretly wishing for the one true, loving, and warm man to come in and make me believe again.

Placing my hand protectively over my stomach, I pray that I am a better parent, more loving and giving. One, that when needed, can also be a friend. I want my child to know that no matter whom they are, what they’ve done, or where they go in life, I will always be there and will always love them.

Rolling to my side, there is a faint knock at the door. I frown. No one knows where I am. “Who is it?” I call out.

“Agent Stobb, ma’am, from the FBI,” says the voice from the other side of the door, “Agent Stein sent me.”

Anger bubbles inside of me. First he leaves me in a cold hotel room, then he knocks me up, he sends Alicia to her death, lies to me, and he has the fucking nerve to send someone to babysit me.

I get up from the bed and stalk to the door. I jerking it open my hand on my hip. “You tell that fucking asshole to go fuck himself,” then I slam the door in his face. Immediately I feel bad. It’s not his fault that Jareth is such an ass. I turn back and open the door to see he’s still standing there with a smile on his face.

Before I can open my mouth to apologize he says, “You are a refreshing sight. No one else will stand up to him like you do. He needs it, he needs you. You bring out the best in him. Be patient with him, ok?”

I nod dumbly as I close the door. Ok, so apparently everyone thinks I bring out the best in Jareth, as well as everyone seems to have a great deal of respect for him.
Maybe, just maybe I have him all wrong
, I think.

Darkness

W
hy does my head hurt so fucking bad?
I wonder as I roll over on my side. I groan, noticing that my bed feels odd and that smell, what is that smell?

I start to slowly open my eyes and see that it’s dark, darker than my room usually gets. Something’s wrong, I just can’t put my finger on it. Maybe if I lay here long enough I can clear my mind enough to think. I turn to my back noticing even more places where I hurt and then it all comes back to me and I sit up with a start. Griping my head in my hands I strain to see in the darkness. The smell is making my stomach twist and turn and I’m feeling the vomit starting to rise up.

Leaning over the edge of what I can only assume is a bed, I lose my stomach contents. Sitting up and wiping my mouth on the back of my arm, I hear a wickedly wild cackle. “Hello?” I call out, “Anyone there?”

“Hush,” I hear the whisper of another female voice, “Or they’ll hear you. Don’t want them to know you’re awake.”

“Where am I?” I ask quieter this time.

“A warehouse somewhere on Canal Street,” she answers in the same low voice.

Closing my eyes and rubbing my sore ribs, I move to sit fully on the bed and cross my legs. “Why am I here?” I question. “Who brought me?”

I hear shuffling and then more silence. “You’ve been sold to pay a debt,” she answers, “Much like the rest of us.”

Us,
I think.
Where in the hell am I?
“Sold?” I ask, “I don’t understand.”

There’s a scraping sound coming from somewhere off in the darkness and I freeze. “Shh…,” the voice says, “Someone’s coming.”

I scurry back as far on to the bed as I can, unsure of what may happen. Then the lights come on and I jump, closing my eyes against the pain behind them. I start to slowly open my eyes. I know the second that I do, the pain in my head is going to increase tenfold, but I need to see where I am. I open my eyes. Yes, the pain is there but it’s what I see that really has me going out of my mind.

I’m surrounded by cell after cell. Each cell has one to two people inside, ranging from men, women, and even children. I can now hear the faint cries from the smaller ones. Along with the occupants are dirty cots with what looks like bodily fluids on it. Outside the cells is a chair. It sits in the center of the room with restraining straps for the head and wrists. At the base of it, it has stirrups, much like the ones you would find in a doctor’s office.

On the opposite side of the room sits a single bed. From this distance, I can vaguely see more restraints and blood. I gasp and cover my mouth, looking between the cells, chair, and bed. I’m in the middle of a sex trafficking ring.

Oh god
, I think.
Gage and Jareth, where are you?

“So, you are awake?” I hear that same Italian voice from the call say. I scan the room and see him just out of view in a darkened corner. “They said you were starting to stir.”

He moves further into the room out of the darkness. I see he’s not wearing his signature black suit, but rather grey dress slacks and a white linen button up shirt.

He smiles and tilts his head. “What’s wrong, Amare?” he asks, “Confused on where you are and why you’re here?” He motions towards the corner from which he came and two rather large men step through.

They walk towards a cell that houses two small children. The oldest can’t be any older than ten years. They pull her out and take her, kicking and screaming, to the chair in the center of the room.

Facciolo smirks at me. “Allow me to show rather than tell you,” he says and nods to the men.

I turn away as the vomit threatens to emerge once more. I can’t bear to watch and there’s no way I can help her.

I hear a snap and then Facciolo say, “You will fucking watch.”

My cell door squeaks open and I jump up, rushing to a corner. “No,” I scream as Facciolo’s goons advance, grabbing me and hurling me headlong through the cell door. My body slams to the floor with such force that my head bounces off the concrete floor. I feel myself wanting to give way to the nothingness. However, the goons have another idea. They heave my almost lifeless body from the floor and I can feel the blood flowing from my head. Through my hazy vision, I can see it staining the floor.

Hanging limp in their arms, I feel fingers beneath my chin, lifting my face upward. Standing there sneering, is Facciolo. “Now that I have your attention,” he hisses, “You will watch.”

Mustering what strength I have left, I spit in his face. “Fuck you,” I cry offering my own smile.

He wipes the spit off, the smile vanishing from his face. He leans back and swings, backhanding me across the face, “Cazzo cagna!”

I know just enough Italian to know he just called me a fucking bitch. Through my dizzying state I laugh. “You won’t win,” I slur, not knowing if what I’m saying to him is true. “They will find me, and when they do, you will die.” I feel crazed, like something has a hold of me and I start to thrash about, my chest heaving. The goons have to fight to keep a hold of me. “Do you hear me?” I scream, “You will fucking die. All of you!”

He ignores my crazed state and motions for the goons to position me for a front seat view. He walks around the chair where the sobbing girl is bound and motions once more and another man walks in. “As I said, Alicia, I would rather show you than tell you,” he repeats, “Then my Amare, it shall be your turn.”

The new man walks towards the girl dressed as a doctor. “No, Facciolo,” I scream, twisting in the arms that hold me. “Please, no. Take me. Leave the child alone.”

He nods to the doctor as I hear uproar from the others behind me. “You will see Alicia,” he starts, “What happens when you cross me.”

I surrender to mine and this child’s fate, knowing that as much as I want to help her, I can’t. I am sickened with the knowledge that I know what is about to happen to her.

“Proceed Doctor,” Facciolo says. The doctor nods and begins his exam, positioning himself between her legs. The girl turns to look at me with a tear stained face. I can see in her eyes that she knows it is useless to fight.

“Damaged goods,” Facciolo explains as the doctor starts the internal exam, “is worthless to me. In order to turn a nice profit, the goods must be pure. If they are not…” He trails off as the doctor looks up and shakes his head, “they are dead.” He finishes and nods to one of the goons.

One goon releases me as the other takes his place. He stalks towards the girl, revealing a gun.

Oh my god, he’s going to shoot her!
I scream in my head. I feel renewed tears spilling down my face, mixing with the blood as the girl starts to scream.

Facciolo laughs at the girls attempt to escape. “This my dear,” he says between laughs, “Is my favorite part.” Just then, the goon lifts the gun, a smirk on his ugly face, and pulls the trigger. A single shot rings out, and then everything goes dark and quiet, as if everything is finally right in the world.

Shots Fired

“
A
gent Stein,” an agent that is manning the communications area calls out, “We have the location of Ms. Winters. Gunfire was heard coming from a building two blocks away.”

“Holy shit,” Jareth shouts out, “Pull the men in and send them to observe the property. Once you have visual and you know how many men they have in place let me know, and whatever you do, you cannot be seen. If she is still alive, then seeing one of you will sign her death warrant, understand?”

The agent nods. “Yes, sir,” he responds and starts to issue orders over the radio.

I felt myself becoming agitated as I start to pace. “Why the delay Jareth?” I ask. “We know she’s there. That gunshot could have been for her. We need to get her out now.”

“Gage,” I faintly hear Jareth call me. I am too wound up to react. Alicia’s only two blocks away and we’re still just standing here. “Gage!” he shouts this time and I stop. “Gage, if we rush in and she’s still alive, we could get her killed. Is that what you want? Do you want to live the rest of your life knowing that
you
killed her?”

I feel myself start to calm down, but just a bit. I still want to kill someone. “Fuck,” I say running a hand through my hair, “You’re right.”

“Now,” he starts, “Once we have visual, I will make a call. Once I do that, we will have a fucking army here. Then we go in. Not a second sooner. Do you understand?”

I nod, looking away from him. He may be right, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to do what he tells me. Once I know he’s not paying attention, I will slip out. I may not be a fancy FBI agent, but I do know how to do my job.

“Good,” he says eyeing me, “And for once in your life, really do what you’re told. I don’t need to scrape you up off the street.”

I smirk and tilt my head. “When have I ever not done what I was told?” I condescendingly ask.

He rolls his eyes at me and turns away. Ya, he has me pegged as well as I have him. It’s just a matter of who will win, and in this case, I will.

An hour later, Jareth is preoccupied with a call. I slowly and quietly push my bike out a side door. Once I’m a ways down the street, I jump on, kicking the bike to life and race down the street.

I allow my detective instincts to kick in. I’m scanning every building and alley looking for Jareth’s team. When I find them, I will be one step closer to finding Alicia.

I spot movement up ahead and I kill the engine. Coasting the bike on to a side street, I jump off. Reaching into my leather jacket, I pull out my gun and check to make sure I have a couple more clips just in case.

Slipping my jacket off, I lay it across the seat of my bike and make my way towards the building, darting in and out of the shadows now that the sun is setting.

Staying low, I move stealth like and slip behind a car. Hearing voices I know their far enough away that I can risk a quick look. Peering over the hood, I see five of Facciolo’s men standing by the door. Knowing that any loud sounds will draw attention, I reach into my back pocket, pull out my silencer, and attach it to my gun. I need to be as invisible as possible.

Ducking back down, I wait to see if I hear them move away from the door. This is my only way in, and if they don’t leave soon, I will be left with no choice but to put a bullet in each of their heads.

Checking the chamber of my gun, I hear a new voice, a voice I recognize, Rick. My blood boils as rage fills me. The man responsible, my brother, is standing only a few feet away from me. The savage urge to aim and fire takes hold. It claims me, a need so great, that I feel it in my blood that if I don’t advance now it will be too late.

I start to make a move and their voices grow louder. “The boss wants you to guard this door,” one of them says.

“Fuck that,” Rick hisses, “I want to watch.”

“You’ll do what you’re fucking told, Hinder,” another growls, “Or I’ll put a bullet in that ugly head of yours.”

“Fuck you, Boris,” Rick screams, “Just fucking go. I’m tired of seeing your face.”

I hear the men laugh and the door open then close. I chance a look and see that Rick is alone with his back to me. Stepping out from behind the car, I slowly stalk towards him, my gun raised and ready. “Hello big brother,” I sneer.

Rick spins around, shock and confusion on his face. “Gage?” he questions as if he can’t believe I’m standing right in front of him.

“What does big brother have himself into now?” I ask already knowing the answer.

He holds his hands up in front of him and backs away. “Gage, it’s not what you think,” he says, his voice breaking. “Just let me explain.”

“I think we’re way past that, don’t you,” I ask, taking a step closer. “I always knew it would end this way. I had just hoped I was wrong.”

He frowns. “Ends, Gage?” he questions, “What do you mean, end?”

I ignore his question. “You took something of mine and I want her back,” I say.

He shakes his head. “I don’t…”

I stop him with a shake of my head. “You know exactly what I’m talking about,” I say, watching him start to slowly slip a hand around to his back. “I wouldn’t if I were you, Rick.”

He smirks. “You always thought you were so much fucking better than me,” he says and laughs, “Mom and dad was always saying,
‘why can’t you be more like Gage? Gage is so perfect.’
Well you know what? I finally win Gage. I finally fucking win.”

Just then, he whips his arm back around and we fire. His shot hits me in the shoulder as mine lands right between his eyes and he drops to the ground.

Something passes through me and I think,
I just killed my brother.
My eyes mist, but I shake my head, now is not the time. There will be time for grieving later. Right now, I need to get to Alicia, and I know someone had to of heard Rick’s gun.

Ignoring the blood pouring from my shoulder and the pain, I ease quietly through the door, and I can hear screaming. The sound, bouncing off the walls, is deafening. I know now that I’m in the clear; with the cries, there’s no way they heard anything.

Waiting until my eyes adjust to the darkness, and I train my ears to know where the screams are coming from, and I spot a door in the far back with light coming from it. Gun at the ready, I slowly make my way towards it. Placing my ear against it, I listen to try and gauge what is happening inside.

“Be still,” I hear Facciolo yell, “Be still or I’ll have Boris put a bullet though that fucking head of yours.”

“Facciolo, leave her alone,” Alicia screams. “Get the fuck off of me!” My heart seizes, my stomach twists, and my rage is renewed.

Wrenching the door open I storm in. “Facciolo,” I scream taking out the first goon I see with one shot.

“Det. Hinder,” he sneers, “It is so nice to see you. Have you met Alicia yet?” he steps to the side and I see her. She is strapped to a chair, blood coving her from head to toe. He chuckles, “So sorry, you already have; my mistake.”

I see several men advancing and I point my gun directly at Facciolo’s head. “Tell them to stand down or I’ll blow your fucking head off,” I command.

“Gage,” Alicia screams.

“I’m here baby,” I say, “Just be still and I’ll get you out of here.”

Facciolo laughs, but his laughter dries up quickly when men begin to storm into the room.

“FBI,” I hear, “Everybody on the ground now.”

“We’ve got your back, Gage,” I hear Jareth say as he starts to fire.

You fucking asshole
, I think.
You had this planned all along.

“Get Alicia,” he says, “While we hold them off.”

I hoister my gun and rush towards her.
What a fucking genius
, I think,
what a god damn genius.