Shattered Dreams (The Believe Series Book 1) Read online

  I reach up and place my hand over the one he still has on my face. “That’s why I called,” I say. “I wanted to see if we could start over and maybe see if we can make a go of it.”

  He furrows his brow. “I would like nothing more,” he admits, “But I must ask, what about Gage?”

  I move away, walk towards the couch and motion for him to follow. This is turning out to be harder than I thought. Sitting down, I finally answer, “Gage isn’t in the picture. He was a poor replacement for you.” I see his eyes light up and I think I have him. “When you showed up, all the feelings I had pushed to the back came roaring out. It was something I knew I couldn’t fight even though I tried.”

  He smirks and leans in close to my ear. Again, I have to fight the need to jerk away. Placing a hand on my upper thigh he whispers, “You don’t know how happy that makes me to hear.” The he takes my hand and places it directly on his cock. Bile fills my throat. “Can you feel what you do to me?”

  I’m repulsed by his actions, but I have to play the part. So I grip his cock, stroking him through his pants. I have to fight the laughter building inside of me when I notice his cock is smaller than Gage’s. So much so, that’s it’s not even on the same planet. I almost loose it in my grasp.

  He begins to nibble along my jaw line and when he gets to my lips he pauses and says, “You don’t know how long I’ve dreamed of doing this.” Then his lips are on mine and his hand is between my legs. I stiffen for a second, but it was long enough for Rick to realize something isn’t right.

  Pulling back, I see the anger on his face, and he hisses, “You fucking bitch.” Then his fist connects with my face sending me backwards on the couch. “I should have known you were playing me. Why would you do this to me? Haven’t I been good to you?”

  The look of anger is replaced by confusion, which makes two of us. “Good to me?” I question, touching where he had hit me and I can taste the blood. “When have you ever been good to me?”

  He tilts his head, still looking confused. “Have the last two months meant nothing to you?” he asks ignoring my question. The crazy look in his eyes and the way he’s not making any sense leads me to believe he has finally lost his mind.

  When I don’t answer, I see the anger return to his face. Stalking towards me, he grabs my throat. I try fighting him, but he is so much stronger than I am. Where is Jareth? I silently wonder. He promised to protect me and the baby.

  “I’m going to teach you a lesson,” he says lifting me from the couch by my throat and throws me across the room.

  I scream, shielding my stomach. “Rick, no,” I cry just as I hit the wall and slide to the floor.

  He’s now standing over me that crazed look still in his eyes. “You think you can get away with fucking me over,” he asks, “I don’t fucking think so bitch.”

  Rolling into a fetal position to better protect my baby, I plead, trying one last time to play my part, “Rick, please. You don’t want to do this. I didn’t play you. I couldn’t do that to someone I love.”

  He laughs. “Love,” he questions, “You don’t know the meaning of the fucking word.” Then he leans down next to my ear to whisper, “Do you know what happens to people who lie to me?”

  I shake my head. “Rick, please,” I cry.

  “They pay,” he says standing, “With their life.”

  I knew it was coming before he actually moved. I just never thought it would hurt this bad. He’s kicking me, his foot landing where ever it lands. A few times he makes contact with my stomach and I howl in pain and fear. Then his fists are on me. The pain is so much more than I can bear and darkness takes me.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The Search

  Present Day

  “Gage, wait,” I hear Jareth behind me. I had gone to my apartment to get my bike. If there’s anyone I can trust to save Alicia, it’s me.

  I turn to look at him as I put my helmet on. “What the fuck do you want,” I say angrily, “Haven’t you done enough already?”

  “We have a fucking lead on where Alicia is,” he responds sounding as angry as I am. “If you’ll just listen, I’m trying to make this right.”

  I step closer towards him, about to blow my top. “Make it right?” I hissed, “How in the hell can you make this right? Alicia’s out there somewhere, scared and possible hurt if not fucking dead.” I cross my arms over my chest and lean back to study him, “So tell me Mr. FBI Agent, how the fuck do you make something like that right? Please, enlighten me.”

  “God damn it, Gage,” he yells running a hand through his hair, “Spare me the theatrics. You’re not the only one with something at stake here.”

  “What in the hell do you have to fucking lose?” I demand to know.

  “For one, a sister,” he says and then lowers his voice, “Shannon’s also missing. After she ran out, my men lost track of her too.”

  “Fuck,” I say.

  “Tell me about it,” he says, “Everything I fucking touch I screw up.”

  Seeing how messed up he is over all of this and the fact that his girl and baby are out there somewhere have my anger slowly ebbing away.

  I shake my head. I may regret this later, but up until now I’ve trusted Jareth. “Ok, you said you had a lead,” I say grabbing his attention and he nods. “Fine, tell me what we need to do.”

  Relief crosses his face and he nods. “Not here,” he says lowering his voice. “Follow us, but keep your eyes open. Any sign of trouble, you get the fuck out of there.”

  “No, fucking way,” I say slipping a leg over my bike and starting it. “Lead the way.”

  He snorts and shakes his head. “Will you ever do what you’re told?” he asks.

  “Nope,” I answer. “Are we going or what?”

  He shakes his head as he walks back to the car waiting for him. Is he fucking crazy? I think to myself. The love of my life is out there. I’m not backing down for anything.

  Following them through town, I am surprised we’re not followed. Turning onto Canal Street, where a lot of abandoned warehouses sit, I see them pull into an abandoned buildings’ parking lot and pull around back. I follow and we proceed through the back entrance inside the building. Getting off my bike and removing my helmet, I watch them sliding the bay doors close then the lights are turned on.

  This place is like Fort Knox, I think, looking around. On one side is what looks like a communications center. Directly across from it are boards set up with maps of the city and a few surrounding cities. Behind me and off to the right, is a wall full of monitors. Walking closer, I see that a few are of Alicia’s apartment building. Others are of Shannon’s apartment, Le Insidia, and Facciolo’s place of residence.

  “Gage, over here,” Jareth calls to me. I turn and see him near the boards, waving me over, and I start that way.

  “What are we looking at?” I ask as I stop in front of him.

  Pointing at the maps he says, “The red pins are all the places Facciolo owns, even the ones that were purchased under his kids name. The blue pins show Alicia and Shannon’s apartments and the last place they were seen.”

  “And the white ones,” I ask nodding towards them. There has to be hundreds. “What are they?”

  “All the places local police have found the bodies of people that have associated with Facciolo,” he answers.

  “Ok, so why are we in this part of town?” I ask. “Facciolo is known for working the other district of warehouses.”

  “Yes, known,” he says, “What most don’t know is that he using a lot of the empty buildings around this area for his less than legal operations.”

  I frown. “Facciolo is well known in the drug ring,” I say, “Not to mention murders that we can’t seem to pin on him. What else is he into?”

  “Human trafficking,” he answers, “He is well known in other countries as being able to pick gems; men, women, and even children. He knows who will sell and who won’t.”

  “Shit, it’s worse than I thought,” I groa
n, looking at Jareth and his eyes are floating. I glare at him, “What else aren’t you telling me, Jareth?”

  He sighs, “Facciolo has been known to dispose of women who are tainted,” he explains.

  “Shit, Shannon,” I say. “God, I’m sorry Jareth.”

  He shakes his head. “She’s not our only worry,” he says in a low voice. I tilt my head and frown. “Come on, Gage. I know you’re smarter than this. Think man.”

  I feel my body begin to shake. Fear, desperation, and so many other emotions are surging through me. I start to pace, running my hands through my hair. “No, no,” I chant, “No, it can’t be. Are you telling me Alicia’s pregnant?”

  He nods. “I’m sorry, Gage,” he says.

  “You’re sorry,” I spit out turning to rush him when I feel arms circle me. “Get the fuck off me!” The agents had anticipated my move, knowing that once I found out I would see red. Well, they were fucking right; red, blue, and all the other fucking colors.

  Jareth raises his hands in defense. “I’m trying to make this right,” he says, “Please help me instead of trying to kill me.”

  “Then find me somebody to fucking kill,” I cry, feeling my body go slack. I shake my head, “Jareth, I can’t take any more surprises. What can we do to bring them back?”

  He motions for the agents to release me and they move away, yet staying close enough in case they are needed again.

  “The only option we have,” he starts, “Is to give them what they really want. This mission will be off the books and could end both of our careers as well as the men standing in this room. Nonetheless, they have all agreed to back us.”

  “Ok, what do they want?” I ask, ready to give it to them. “I’ll do whatever it takes to get her back.”

  “They want Rick dead,” he says, “As well as you, and they want you to be the one to pull the trigger.”

  I feel myself pale. I always knew things would end with me putting a bullet in Rick’s head, but me too?

  I shake my head. “How do you know this is what they want?” I ask.

  “We have an untraceable tap on all the phones,” he says, “Landlines and cells. It’s the newest thing in technology.” He sighs, “You know how I said we had a lead on where she is?” I nod. “She’s here, in this area, we just don’t know which building.”

  “So close I could touch her,” I whisper, my heart breaking, “But I can’t get to her.”

  I feel Jareth’s hand on my shoulder and I turn to look at him. “We will get to her in time,” he says, “I promise.”

  I nod, stand straighter, and square my shoulders. “Ok, what do I need to do?” I ask, ready to take on the fucking world for my Alicia.

  He sighs, looking sad and tired. “Gage, you do understand,” he starts, pausing to get his words together, “You understand that it’s not just you killing Rick that they want? They want both of you dead.”

  “They can fucking shit in one hand and want in the other,” I say angrily, “They may get what they want with Rick, but I have no intention of dying today or any time soon.”

  He chuckles, shaking his head. “You really are one hard headed man,” he breaths, “You know that right?”

  Before I can respond, a man calls across the room to us, “Sirs, we have eyes back on Ms. Taylor.”

  Jareth closes his eyes and says a little prayer as relief washes over his features. He opens his eyes and turns to the guy. “Where is she?” he asks, his voice shaky.

  The guy glances at the computer screen then back to Jareth. “The Rodeway Inn,” he says, “Room ten.”

  “The same room,” he whispers, his eyes locking on mine, “She went to the room we shared.” Then he looks back to the other man, “Is she ok?”

  The man nods. “Other than crying,” he says, “She appears to be unharmed.”

  I smile, knowing that Jareth was worried for nothing. “Looks like you haven’t really lost her,” I say, “Now can we get my girl?”

  He turns back, looking at me but not really seeing me. He blinks and shakes his head. “Yes,” he stutters, “Yes, let’s get to work.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Shannon

  Fucking 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.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Darkness

  Why 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. “S
hh…,” 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.