DAMON
“What the fuck happened the other night?” I could hear Madden talking on the phone. The last three days I’d done nothing but train. It was all I could do to keep the images of my Princess on her knees out of my head. “He’s been raging ever since the damn live feed.”
It took a full day before I’d been ready to talk to anyone after the crap show. Madden and Ax had really stepped up and taken charge. They’d had to sedate me in order to get me to calm down and in that time they’d found out a whole fuck load of information that we’d been able to use.
Jonah had been able to identify almost eighty percent of the other contestants and all of the other partners that Alexander Ducane had gathered on that night. While I’d have liked to have had some say in the planning that followed, Madden had really stepped up as my VP. Liaising with Stryker to have their resources work on taking out the financial backers.
I wasn’t quite sure exactly what they had told the Lennox’s about that night but from what little I’d been able to gather, they knew about the live feed and that Paige had featured prominently in it. Just that mere thought had me pounding into the bag harder.
Blaze had tried to reach out to me several times but I’d wanted nothing to do with that either. The fucker had betrayed us. Every single fucking word that came out of his mouth had been a lie as far as I was concerned, worst still he’d even persuaded me to convince Paige to follow his orders and lead. A lot of fucking good that had done me. I’d given her my word she’d get out safely if she complied and the exact opposite fucking happened. Sure she’d be getting out, and yeah eventually she’d be safe but I failed.
Tired and over waiting, I walked over to Madden and grabbed the phone. I knew exactly who was on the other end and when I finally had this lying sack of shit in my hands, I’d make him pay for every single thing my Princess endured.
“I thought we had a deal mother fucker,” I couldn’t help it. I had to hold on to the anger, it would be what I needed in twenty four hours from now. There were now four people we’d be extracting tomorrow night, but only one would be standing when the dust settled.
“You have every right to be angry Damon, but I assure you, I was just as blindsided as you would have been,” Blaze was trying to placate me. There could have been some truth in what he was saying, I knew from experience that the Ducanes were unpredictable but it just wasn’t sitting right with me. “Neither Paige nor I had a choice, if I didn’t play my part my cover would have been blown and you and I both know how that would have played out.”
The time left between that night and now, had done nothing to ease the guilt I’d been feeling, if anything, it fueled my own insecurities. I’d started to wonder if there was something more going on between my Princess and this prick. Whether too much time had passed in her absence. Was there some Stockholm Syndrome going one that I was unaware of?
“I had no control that night Damon, believe me if I could I’d have spared her the trauma, and when this is said and done I’ll use everything at my disposal to ensure she gets what she needs to heal and move on,” Blaze continued, but it was still difficult for me to take him on his word. “But that’s not why I called, we need to go over the plan for tomorrow and the opening night. Although the tournament starts in two days, all the contenders are expected to attend. She is expected to attend.”
“So you’re calling to what, make sure we don’t start a scene?” I said, I couldn’t believe this fucker, he had balls that much was true. “After the other night you still think I’d be willing to go along with it all?”
“Damon be reasonable here, it wasn’t just her safety at risk the other night, the whole case was at risk, we both did what we had to to get through an extremely difficult situation.” Blaze sounded exasperated, it was the first time I’d heard him like this, a small part of me hoped that my Princess had been less than amenable. “I’ve spoken to the rest of my team and we will be making our moves on the opening night, it won’t get past the first round, but I need your word that there won’t be any shit tomorrow.”
“What’s your plan for getting her out?” I asked, doubt still heavily laden. It wasn’t that I didn’t want her safe, I just couldn’t trust myself, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to face her without seeing the images of that night, even knowing she had no choice it wasn’t any easier to swallow.
“Tomorrow, there will be an opportunity for you or someone you trust to talk to her,” Blaze began to explain, and upon hearing this I knew it couldn’t be me, there would be no way I’d be able to do it, not without causing either of us more pain. “I’ll find you at some point and give you the plan for opening night. The night of the tournament, one of my team will extract her and have her ready for you to pick up. While you’re doing that the rest of my team will move in and for the take down. What I need from you is a list of all the fighters that you and the Lennox’s have entered, this way once we have everyone detained, we can pile your guys into separate vans and release them at a separate location.
We know they are only there to rescue Paige, and after the other night it’s been agreed that we won’t pursue them as a sign of good faith no matter what happens, you will all be right to move on without the threat of reprisal from the law.”
It was something that I hadn’t even bothered to consider until he mentioned it, but I was somewhat relieved to hear this not that I’d have been too concerned, I figured that Killian would have stepped in if we needed given the range of reach he seemed to have.
“What do I have to do tomorrow night Blaze?” I asked cautiously, I knew from past experience that it wouldn’t be as easy as that. There would be more to it.
“I need assurance that no matter what goes down tomorrow you will not cause a scene.” He said, I knew there would be more to it, but he didn’t elaborate, just left it at that warning and continued on. “The Ducanes know what you look like, they are well aware that you’ve entered Damon, they also know their mole has been compromised, so there is no question they will try to rile you tomorrow. I know they have something planned but I haven't been privy to it, but I will do my best to minimize the impact.”
“The fuck does that mean?” I questioned, I knew it had to be too good to be true, my mind raced with thoughts of what ifs and the like. I knew I wouldn’t have the capacity to handle seeing the same shit in person. Not only because of the guilt but also out of jealousy as unjustified as it sounded, I had to admit that it was also part of the reason I had such difficulty getting over the shit from the other night.
“Damon, you know nothing is as simple as it seems, I’m going to try and minimize the impacts but you cannot hold Paige’s actions against her when all this is said and done,” He warned, it sounded as though Blaze had begun to catch feelings for my Princess and that didn’t sit well with me. “You need to remember that she is only doing what she has to do to get out of this safely.”
“I’m not promising shit man,” I growled, I had already regretted telling her to do what she needed despite the fact I knew it was the best course of action in a fucked up situation. I hung up on him after that, I needed time to think and collect my thoughts. The next two days were gonna be pure hell and I needed to get my shit straight before I put everyone in jeopardy.