“Maybe so, but we respect your decision, either way it goes.”
“I have to help him ...”
“We’ll pull you back if it gets too dangerous, I promise you,” Ace says, squeezing my shoulder.
“Here’s hoping he’ll see me and we’ll run off into the sunset together. I can only dream, right?”
We all laugh.
But truthfully, this isn’t a laughing matter.
It’s life or death.
4
It’s a cool night, the wind tickles my face as I walk toward the large brick home a few yards away. It’s the only house for miles. I drove my car to the entrance and walked the rest of the way. The driveway is long and gravelly, and I can hear the ocean whipping against the shore just a few yards away. I imagine during the day this place is beautiful, secluded, and well hidden away for people like Mick.
I’m taking long, deep breaths to try and stop my heart from pounding. If I make one little mistake, this is over, not just for me but for Jagger too. Thinking about seeing Jagger again has been on my mind all day. I know how I’ll react. I don’t know what he’ll look like. What he’ll act like. I just don’t know how this is going to go. I’m scared. What if he’s angry? Or worse, what if he refuses to come with me?
Where does that leave me?
With trembling hands, I reach the front door and knock. God, what if Mick recognizes me? What if he knows who I am right from the word go and this is all for nothing? Maybe this was a bad idea, maybe I should have let Jenny or Ava do this. I have a son. What was I thinking? Just as I’m about to turn away, the door opens and I’m faced with a man I haven’t seen since the island. Mick.
Not a single thing has changed about him. His eyes, his face, his body. He’s still as scarily handsome as he was and still just as cold. I can see it in his eyes. He narrows his gaze a moment, and I’m sure he has found me out. Heart racing, I keep my calm. Instead of raising a gun to my head though, he nods and a grin spreads across his face. The terrifying thing about that grin is that he’s not looking at me like he wants to take me home, he’s looking at me like he wants to take me to the island.
Sick bastard.
“Well, you must be Elise?”
“Yes,” I say in a strong British accent. I can thank my school drama classes for acing this one. “I am. Are you Mick?”
“Yes, little lady. I am.”
“Good,” I say, waving a hand casually, “then can we get this over and done with? I have plans.”
He raises a brow. I don’t flinch. Don’t move my gaze from his. I cross my arms, tip my head to the side and stare at him expectantly.
“You’re betting for the fight on Saturday night? Am I correct?”
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“Ten thousand dollars.”
His eyes widen and he straightens.
“Is this some sort of joke?”
I straighten, too. “Why would it be a joke? Is this not what you do? I heard your guy is the best, are you telling me my money would be wasted?”
My voice doesn’t waver.
Mick rubs his chin, narrowing his eyes. Even though on the outside, I’m calm and collected, on the inside I’m screaming. When he leans his heavy frame against the wooden door, I panic that he’s going to say no and send me on my way with a bullet in my back.
“How do you know about my son?”
His son?
God, disgusting human. How dare he call Jagger his son? He’s not a father, he’ll never be a father, it’s a disgrace.
I pause, because we didn’t anticipate he’d ask so many questions after I presented my offer.
I think quickly, praying my answer works.
“Danny,” I shrug. “He told me it was worth my time.”
Mick grunts. “What’s a pretty lady like you running around with scum like him?”
I give him a cold smile. “I’m here for the same reasons you are. Money.”
“Fine.” Mick shrugs. “You want to give over your money, that’s up to you. I take the cash, when the fights are won, I deliver the proceeds to the winners. If the fight is lost, the proceeds remain with the club.”
Lying piece of shit.
The proceeds remain with the club no matter the outcome.
I shrug again. “Fine by me.”
“Very well, hand it over.”
I dig through my bag and hand over a bundle of cash. Mick counts it, and my nerves grow as he flips every bill, calculating it all in his head. When he’s satisfied, he stands straight and smiles, it’s that sick smile I remember so well.
“Very well, Elise, you’ll hear from me.”
“I’ll be watching the fight, so don’t you try to fuck me over.”