PAIGE
My body shook with anger as I stormed out of my uncle’s house leaving a path of destruction in my wake. I couldn’t believe my fucking family did it to me again. Kept me in the fucking dark—again. I mean after the last time they tried to do this to me, you would have thought they’d have learned their lesson. But no. They just went and did it again. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise I guess, considering they had Kyle Ducane in their hands and had kept Phee in the dark for weeks. But still after they saw how she reacted, you’d have thought they would have thought twice about doing the same to me.
“Argh,” I screamed in frustration at the steering wheel of my Escalade. I was furious, and needed blood. I had to leave before I became stabby with the people I loved the most. Yes they had hurt me more than anyone ever could but I knew where I could direct this inferno that was building inside me, and use it to try and get any information that could lead me to my real target—Alexander Ducane.
As I pulled my Escalade into the warehouse parking lot, I hesitated taking a glance at my phone. It had vibrated non stop as I drove. Shoving my SUV into park, I started to scroll through the messages on my home screen, careful not to open any of them. I didn’t want them to know I had seen or read any of them. Message after message sat there staring me in the face, a reminder of my family's betrayal.
Stryker: Paige, come on. You know we didn’t do this on purpose. I just wanted more information before coming to you. Just come back to the house.
Uncle C: Paige Care Lennox you get back to this house NOW. Lennox’s do not run off in the middle of discussion.
Pfft who the hell were they kidding. When it came to keeping people in the dark my family had form. I wasn’t buying their shit for all the money in the world. The only person I felt sorry for back at that house was Phoenix. She didn’t deserve any of my anger as she was as much in the dark as I was. Her message hit me hard.
Phee Phee: Hey Paige, I’m sorry you’ve been caught up in my mess. If it makes you feel any better, I ripped Stryker a new one. I know you need time to process but please promise me you won’t do anything stupid.
Her message gutted me. After all she had been through, she still put others first. I felt bad leaving her behind but I knew myself, and I knew I needed time to think, process and plan. She had come so far since I had met her, and I didn’t want my darkening mood to take away her light.
There were so many messages from my family and friends. On one hand it made me smile that there were people out there supporting me, but on the other hand I had to remember that some of those people were the cause of this mood I now found myself in. One message stood out from all the rest though. The bad boy biker that I had been shamelessly eyeing since we first met at the Southport Memorial.
Damon Zammit, had done nothing but occupy my every thought. His tall tattooed body, strong arms and crystal blue eyes that sparkled every time he shot you his signature shit eating grin, consumed every waking thought and devoured me in my dreams. The guy was sex on a stick and the chemistry that was slowly burning underneath the surface between the two of us had me itching to climb on board and go for a ride.
Damon: Phee told me what happened. Don’t do anything Stupid Paige. I mean it. Just go back to the house and hear them out. I understand you’re upset but acting like a child only proves their point. You’re better than that.
His message made me smile a little. Damon was always the voice of reason in most cases, but just not in this moment. My own need for vengeance was just too strong. Switching my phone off, I threw it into my handbag. I didn’t need any distraction right now, and I also didn’t want them to try and track me down. I made a mental note to buy a burner after I leave here.
Getting out I made the short walk from my car to the warehouse. The wind picking up a little as I entered the building, caused the glass door to slam against the wall, causing the poor desk clerk to jump out of her skin at the sound. Quickly hurtling out of her seat to greet me.
“Ms Paige,” she smiled, her high pitched voice grating on my nerves. She needed a makeover and fast. Someone should really tell her that the Kmart clearance rack was not an acceptable place to shop—for anything ever.
“Melody,” I nodded at her. Up close her appearance was even worse. This woman was the first thing people saw when they entered this building, granted it was a false facade for something dark and sinister but with what my family paid her, she should have been able to play the part properly. I made a mental note to make sure she saw a stylist. There was no nicer way to put it. She looked drab.
“Is the Ducane fucker still down in the pits?” Even as I asked the question I knew the answer already. Frankly I didn’t even know why I was asking it.
“Yes Ms,” she answered rather quickly as I walked past her. The cheap leather of her shoes, slapped against the polished concrete floor as she followed behind me. “Are you gonna be long?”
Stopping suddenly, I whipped around and stared at her. What the fuck was she up too? Looking at her, I raised an eyebrow as I expectantly waited for her to continue. I wasn’t about to give her details of why I wanted to see this psycho fuck, nor did I have too either. She worked for us, not the other way round.
“I… I… I was just about to go to lunch is all, and needed to lock up.” She stuttered her answer, making me silently laugh, as she fidgeted uncomfortably in front of me.
“You can go to lunch Melody,” I sighed as I dangled my keys in front of her face. “Just lock the door behind you, I can let myself out when I’m done. If there is any trouble, security will be there faster than a virgin scoring for the first time.”
Nodding at me, I watched as she grabbed her bag and left locking the door behind her. Shaking my head I turned back and continued to make my way down the dank hallway. The rage bubbling just under the surface, slowly simmered into a raging inferno, as my mind reminded me of why I was here. My family knew how it made me feel when they kept things from me—so why keep me in the dark about the identity of my attacker.
I needed answers, and when I finished with my plans, I would get them, but for now my need for revenge was greater. Alexander fucking Ducane needed to pay for what he did and put me through all those years ago, and for what his family put my best friend through. I just had to find him first. And I knew the one person that could give me insight to where the snake could be hiding—his son.
Pushing open the door, I entered the room this psycho fucker had called home for the last few months. The stench of body odor, stale piss and blood assaulted my senses, it brought tears to my eyes. Fuck me, my cousin and his friends had really done a number on him. If he hadn’t tried to hurt Phee, then I would almost feel sorry for him. Good thing everyone called me cold and heartless.
I learnt very early on that feelings and emotions get you into trouble, and for the most part, I was able to keep them under wraps, except for when I was kept in the dark. Then they came out like a raging volcano waiting to explode. There was nothing I hated more; when it concerned me, you’d best be honest and forthcoming. It wasn’t exactly a hard concept to fucking grasp, just keep me in the goddamn loop. They knew what it did to me, especially with how vocal I was when they were doing it to Phoenix, yet my dumbass cousin decided to do the same thing to me.
Shaking the thoughts from my head, I looked up at the camera in the corner of the room. I knew Cian was manning the security room today. Signaling him with my hand to kill the feed. I didn’t want anyone knowing I was here, and Cian owed me a few favors. This was me calling one in. I knew he’d do as I asked and he would go one further and delete all traces of me being here.
Quietly, I approached the shell of a man that was strapped to the metal chair in the middle of the room. His head slumped forward as he slept. It looked rather uncomfortable to me, but sucked to be him.
“Rise and shine asshole.” I barked out at him, as I kicked his chair roughly from behind, before coming to a stop in front of him.
Kyle Ducane jolted in his seat, his bloodied and bruised face turned from side to side, as he tried to get his bearings. A dazed and confused look gave way to a sick sinister grin as he focused on me.
“Did they decide to send you in for a conjugal visit?” The son of a bitch, had the hide to hit me up as his eyes raked me up and down.