November
"I know where he's hiding."
The five words that seem to stop time. Five simple words that cause both mine and J's hearts to skip a beat.
We give each other a look that says a thousand words in a thousand ways. The pen that was in my hand is now on the floor, forgotten and discarded.
"Where?" James practically forces the words from the back of his throat, reading my mind.
"It's a place not far from the city but on the outskirts. A truck stop hotel. I've tracked the records and his name has been signed in at the hotel since last month. The hotel's name is 'Norchester Truck Hotel'. Before that, it was a hotel across from the 'Club Havana' called 'Haven Resort Casino'." He flips through documents and reads the highlighted portions.
So that's how he knows about Astoria. He saw me leaving with her after her shift.
He's a fucking snake and he'll do any and every fucking thing to get what he wants. As long as he's happy no one else matters. And now he wants to ruin our lives just for the fucking fun of it.
I let out a long sigh. Before I could even think of a response to everything he just said he opens his mouth to say more.
"It seems that he doesn't stay in one place for long. I haven't figured out if he's planning to relocate soon and I don't know if he has a team with him." I shake my head at his last words.
"No, he's a fucking idiot. He likes his space, he wouldn't want anyone with him." I run my hand through my hair frustratingly. All of this because he's an egotistical asshole who thinks the world is supposed to bow at his feet just because the people who work for him are pussies who can't stand up for themselves.
"Yea, but I'm almost positive he has them on standby," James says as he leans against the wall behind him, tilting his head up at the ceiling.
"If he's bouncing around, then he must expect us to be looking for him. I say we fuck him over before he can do it to us." I say as I stand up, pushing my chair back. I turn to the door to leave but before I can swing the door open, James grabs my arm.
"Do you really think we should just ambush a mafia boss?" he whisper yells knowing Astoria is sleeping in the room right above us.
I shake my head and grit my teeth. "No, I think we should ambush our father." his titles and ranks don't mean shit to me. He'll always be a pathetic excuse of a father to me.
"Think about this man. You go there and then what, die in an instant? You don't know what you're doing, little brother." but that's where he's wrong.
"I'm no longer a helpless little boy. And your wrong, I have thought about this, for 20 long years. Day in, and day out. I'm not waiting any longer." I try to leave again but his grip tightens.
"Let us build a plan first, at least. It's already 8 pm. Let's make a plan, get some rest, and then we'll go. Okay?" hesitantly I nod.
He pats me on the back before sitting on the couch at the side of the office. "Well? Let's make this plan."
•••
About 2 hours later, Marshall is gone and everyone is asleep.
Everyone except me.
I pick up a gun and check the clip to make sure it's full before stuffing it in my waistband.
I open the garage door and hop in the only car we have here and start the engine. We have a motorcycle out back for emergencies. I went the extra mile and emptied the gas tank to make sure J doesn't try to follow me.
I know what I'm doing is risky, but I have to do something. For me, for me and James's past, and for my family, for Astoria.
James did a lot for me when we were still in captivity. He took a lot of beatings for me, took over the blame, and gave me his food when I was still hungry. I have to do this, if I don't then, all the pain he went through was for nothing.
Keith won't stop until we're begging him for mercy or under his control again. And I will never, let someone control me again.
I drive down the long, single road, no idea what I'm going to do or how. The plan we made required both of us so it wouldn't apply here.
I just know that when I get there, bullets will fly, whether their mine or his.
My mind begins to shift to the woman in my bed. The woman who is broken, just like me. We're broken together. If I'm not there with her, she'll be broken alone. Her face rests in the front of my mind, shaking her head at my actions.
It's okay, amore mio, I'll be home soon.
•••
I pull up to the somewhat fancy truck stop about an hour later. I look up at the tall hotel behind the gas station and stores. I take a deep breath before getting out of the car.
I'm scared like hell but hey, "Fake it till you make it." I whisper to myself. Before I walk away an old man sitting on the curb speaks up.
"You scared you gonna lose to gambling too? Don't worry son, I gotta extra pillow." he slurs and I shake away the thoughts in my head.
"If only I was here to gamble, old man." I sigh and walk away toward the entrance of the building. I walk in and a bell dings at my presence, alerting the receptionist.
A woman walks out from a room behind the counter and powers on her computer as I walk up to her.
"Hello sir, how may I help you?" her accent sounds southern as she talks.
I lean on the counter and think of what to say. "Hi, I, uh, I need to know the room number of someone staying here." she shakes her head at the request and smacks her gum.
"No, sir, I can't legally do that. Anything else?" she spins in her chair while looking at her black nail polish.
Think, think, think.
"He's uh, he's my dad. Keith Landon?" Me and James took our mother's last name. Thank the fucking heavens or I would've gotten it changed the second I could.
The woman lets out an overdramatic, irritated sigh. She stands from her chair and puts both hands on the counter. "I'm sorry, sir, but I can't reveal another customer's information. Now is there anything that I can help you with?" the tone in her voice is stressing me out.
I throw my head back, already regretting doing this alone. James would've dealt with her if he were with me.
Then the light bulb in my head shines a bright light.
Wait a minute, I'm a billionaire.
I reach into my pocket and grab my wallet pulling out 5 crisp hundred dollar bills. I slap them on the counter and the sight makes her freeze.
She looks up at me mischievously, like one of those Pixar villains. "Double it and I'll tell you everything you want to know and more."
Without thinking, I do what she says and she smirks. She lifts the bills up toward the light before stuffing them in her bra.
"So?" I ask, silently hoping she didn't play me. I really don't want to have to knock on every single door to find his. She clicks on the keyboard of her computer for minutes that feel like hours.
"Oh come on does it really take this long to-"
"Um, i'd zip it if I were you, I'm the one doing something illegal for you." I roll my eyes and tap my fingers on the marble counter. The soft hotel music is making this seem like I'm not about to murder someone.
"Ah, okay so Keith Landon, room 492, 7th floor, he just ordered room service 10 minutes ago so id say he's still up." She explains while reading off of the bright computer screen.
I take note of everything she says and tap my hands on the counter. "Thank you, what was your name again?"
"Naya, Naya Keon." she answers in her rich southern accent.
"Well thank you Naya." I turn to leave and find the elevators but her voice stops me. "Hey, rich guy?" I half turn around and see a look she hasn't given me in the 20 minutes we've known each other.
"You know where to find me if you ever need help with a murder again, partner." I gape at her.
"How did-" she cuts my question off.
"Oh come on, you've got bloodthirsty revenge written all over your face." she chuckles, and as if her laugh is contagious, I begin to laugh too.
"Can I trust you to keep quiet?" I joke and she holds out her hand. I shake my head and walk away.
I press the floor I want to go to and the doors shut. I mentally prepare myself for what's to come. I'll officially become a criminal. I wonder what my mother would think of me if she were still here.
Hell, life would be different if she were.
The bell dings signaling I made it to the 7th floor and I walk out counting the numbers of the doors until I reach the one with bastard written all over it.
I knock on the door and lift my gun, readying myself for the worst. I wait until the lock switches and the door swings open. I'm taken aback when I see a half-naked woman who looks younger than me, open the door.
I check the number on the wall again. It's the right room but who is this chick?
"C-Can I help y-you?" she stutters, frightened with the gun in her face. I don't let my guard down. I know he's here. He claims to have loved my mother but sleeps around with younger women?
"Where is he?" I ask, my voice gruff and deep as I look her dead in the eyes.
"Wh-"
"The fucking man your slutting yourself out for." I yell in her face and the door swings open even more to reveal Keith on the other side with a handgun in his hand, pointed straight at me.
Before I can do anything, he shoots. I groan and limp back on the wall behind me. "Fuck," I whisper to myself but quickly straighten myself and shoot wherever.
The bullets end up hitting the whore in the doorway and she falls to the floor, instantly surrounded by a puddle of blood.
Keith looks at me with a strained look. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" he yells.
"It's not like she meant anything to you." I roll my eyes, trying my absolute hardest not to let my voice crack. I can't show him how much pain I'm in. I can't show him weakness.
"She was my fucking wife." my heart drops at his words. Tears fall from his eyes and anger fills me.
"You remarried? After every fucking thing you did to us because of mom's death, you go off and re-fucking-marry?" I fight the tears that threaten to fall. Not for him, or me, but for Mom. She deserved so much more than this asswipe.
I cock my gun ready to empty the entire clip into his head. But before I can he shoots, time seems to slow down, I see the bullet coming straight for me. I see my life flash before my eyes, my childhood, me finally running away with James, building up my company, finding myself, meeting Astoria.
Falling in love with Astoria. I never got to tell her how I felt, I never got to tell her I love her. That she's made my life beyond worth living. That she showed me what my mother would've wanted me to feel. She showed me who I was destined to be. She showed me how to live and not just survive.
I love her with all of my heart.
And before I can blink, I feel the bullet ripping through my skin, right where the love of my life was keeping my heart alive. My body turns cold and I fall to the floor.
The last thing I hear is a female voice and a woman shaking my shoulders. My eyes blur and I see Astoria sitting over me. Before everything goes black.
"Astoria."
-well I warned y'all. I told you to prepare yourselves. I was crying a river while writing this chapter. :(