Owned by the Dom: Part Two (The Owners) (5 page)

James placed his cup on the floor then stood up. He moved toward the safe wanting to know what secrets lay beneath the strong metal container. The picture against the wall stared up at him, mocking him. His father had never liked that artwork, but he’d been determined to keep it. Why?

Lifting the artwork in his hands, James turned it over to see a key taped to the top right hand corner.

“Secrets from within,” he said. The words were written underneath the key.

“What do you think it means?” Stephen asked, standing beside him.

James grabbed the key then placed the image on the floor. “I’ve no idea, but I want to know what my father knew and was afraid to tell me.” His father had shared everything with him. He placed the key into the lock, and the door sprang open revealing another metal box and several files. Frowning, James grabbed the small metal box that was in fact a small money safe. He handed the box to Stephen then pulled out the files.

James placed the files on top of the coffee table. Lucas and Sean had taken a seat on the sofa.

“What do you think this is?” Lucas asked.

“I’ve no idea. I’ve been through everything else he left me. I didn’t even know he
had a second safe.”

“How could you not have known?” The question came from Sean.

“I didn’t redesign this part of the house. I loved coming here and sitting with my father as he worked.” James flipped open the file. An image of Lloyd Black filled the page. Flicking through the file he caught the odd word relating Lloyd back to prostitution among other things. One name kept popping up. “Have any of you heard of a Henry Warren?”

He looked up to see confusion on the other men’s faces.

“We need to take this back to Possession,” Stephen said. He lifted the box then started closing the files.

“You’re going to trust two agents who are probably working for Daren?” James asked.

“Are you paranoid as well? They’re here to make sure Dane does his part of the deal. I don’t know about you, but I want this finished. I’m tired of looking over my shoulder. Between Dominic Green, Lloyd and Eugene Black, and now Daren Robinson, I’ve had enough. Ursula is soon to be my wife, and yet I can’t offer her the protection she deserves with these men threatening to take everything away from me,” Stephen said. “I’m pretty fucking desperate, and these men know what they’re talking about.”

James
stared at his longest friend before turning to see Sean and Lucas nodding in agreement. Both men had served their country in the forces. They had military training, knowledge, and the means of helping him.

“Do you trust these two agents?” he asked.

“I wouldn’t trust anyone else. They were after Dominic like I was, James. I wouldn’t let anything happen to your woman,” Lucas said.

Nodding, James followed the three men out of the house. He locked the door even though he wasn’t scared of anyone breaking in. The files were locked in his arms. He wasn’t letting them go. They were his lifeline to getting Prudence back. Time was fading fast
, and he didn’t know how much longer Prudence had left.

She would be in
England, and when he had everything he needed, he’d make the trade.

Stephen’s car pulled out of the driveway. After his own driver, Arthur, saw him home the night before, James ordered the man to stay away. Whatever mess he was in, he didn’t want anyone else getting hurt.

“What happened with Jermaine?” he asked. He’d abandoned his friends to go to Veronica.

“His body was taken to the local morgue. He’s being released to his family
, and then a date will be set for burial,” Lucas said.

“We were all taken away for questioning. Josiah and Hubert dealt with the cops and got us released. They promised to keep an eye on us as long as we give them the details of what’s happening,” Stephen said.

“I want money sent to Jermaine’s family. He didn’t deserve to die like that. His family will be provided for and his burial paid.” James stared out of the window. His reflection shocked him. There were several greys hairs mixed with his black. Running his fingers through it, he saw the wrinkles around his eyes. From the image staring back at him it looked like he’d aged overnight.

“I’ll sort something out with Jermaine,” Stephen said.

Turning away from his reflection, James stared over Sean’s shoulder. Possession came into view. The sunlight made everything look beautiful even though he knew the club would be empty. There was no press surrounding the grounds. Lucas pressed in the security code that opened the gates.

“No press?” James asked.

“They disappeared. I’m hoping to never see them again. They were irritating as fuck.” James chuckled. The sound seemed forced even to his ears. Staring up at the house where Possession was located filled James with deep regret. He’d been here when he should have been protecting Prudence.

Lucas and Sean left the car. Stephen remained. “I know this place is hard for you.”

“You’ve no idea. I was in that fucking place when I should have been helping her. She’s gone because of me.”

“And she’ll survive because of you. You need to come inside. All of us need to end this once and for all.”

Stephen opened the door taking the metal tin with him. James felt a lump in his throat as he climbed out. He didn’t know how he was going to survive standing in that place.

What about Ravage? That was where she was taken.

He cut off the thought.

You need to be strong
, James. She’ll be safe as long as you do as he commands.

The Dom inside him
rebelled against being told what to do. He was the one who made the rules. Men abided by what he told them to do. No one else told him what to do. Opening the door, he climbed out then followed his friends inside the house. Biting down on his lips, James did everything he could to contain the rage inside him.

They were all seated at the bar area.
Isabella and Rebecca looked terrified and yet firm.

He recognised the two agents who stood to greet him. Ignoring their hands he straddled a chair.

“I’m pleased you could join us,” Josiah said.

“I’m not here because I want to be.”

“No, you’re here because of Daren Robinson and this.” Josiah pulled out a small recorder and pressed a button. Daren’s voice came over the line followed by Prudence’s screams.

“Don’t hurt her. I’ll do anything just don’t hurt her.”
That was him speaking. The memory of his pleading was still raw in his mind. James didn’t say a word as he listened to everything spoken.

“Good. Now, I’ve simply made an exchange. Dane and Mary will bring you up to speed. I was going to take the money
, but I think Prue will get me what I want. He asked for Mary’s safe return. I prefer to make an exchange, and I knew the Feds would be following him. Prue is simply a means to an end.” 

“I will pay anything.”

“Your money is shit, James. I’ve got more than enough money to last me a life time. What I want is all the evidence.”

“What?”

“You have evidence that can be used. You will come to England, alone, and we’ll make the exchange. Prue for the file I’m looking for.”

“How do I call you? I want to make sure she is okay.”
Again, his pleading filled the air.

“Prue will be well looked after, James. I suggest you hurry. I’ll give you a month. If I don’t get my file in the next month, Prue goes up for auction
, and she’ll be lost.”

James turned to the men in the room. The tape recording was clearly of the conversation he
’d had with Daren.

“How do you have that?” he asked.

“You’ll be surprised what we do have on Daren Robinson as well as his boss. We’ve kept a very good eye on him, and you don’t want to know how we got this recording.”

Josiah placed the recorder back in his pocket. James saw red. Before he could stop his actions, he jumped over the table and wrapped his hands around the man’s throat. “If you’ve been watching that fucking bastard and the piece of shit he works for then why did you let Prudence be taken? She’s my woman. She’s a fucking innocent. Tell me, why?” His voice rose until he was shouting in the other man’s face.

His partner, Hubert, tackled him to the floor. James went willingly. His actions were unpredictable. He was starting to fear what he’d actually do to someone if left alone with them.

You need Prudence.

James knew what he needed, but he wasn’t getting her any time soon.

The two agents cleared their throat
s. James got off the floor holding his arms out in front of him. “Are you going to arrest me?” he asked, not caring about the answer.

“Will you fucking stop it,” Lucas said.

Kevin and Tate walked into the room at that moment.

The two agents sat down after James took his seat. His body shook with the need to do violence. He’d never been a man to viciously react. The only explanation he could come up with was not having Prudence in his life.

“We’re not going to bring the cops. We’ve got a whole unit working on this case. We don’t want to bring the undercover agents forward. Their cover is imperative to this investigation,” Hubert said. “We understand why you’re reacting like this. To be honest, we never anticipated Daren doing this. Henry Warren gave the order for Prudence before our men could update us. We’d never allow an innocent in the field and especially not who isn’t an agent.  They had us unprepared for that move.”

They all cleared their throats trying to cut through the tension. They were all in the room. Ursula joined Stephen as Tate and Kevin took their seats. The only people missing were Prudence, Cadeon
, and Violet. Their loss hit James straight in the chest.

“
We know what Daren wants and what his boss needs. Henry Warren has become sloppy. The man took over from his father over five years ago, and since then he’s been leaving us little breadcrumbs to follow. This latest problem will link him to Dominic Green and Lloyd Black and be the catalyst we need to take him down,” Josiah said. His voice sounded scratchy.

When Prudence was in his arms, James
could care about what he did to the man before him. Until then, he didn’t give a shit whom he hurt.

“Are you telling me, a fucking file is all it will take to put this fucker away?” Kevin asked.

Rebecca whimpered. James saw the pain on her face. There was a lot going on, a lot he didn’t understand.

The two agents exchanged glances.

“For fuck’s sake, tell them,” Lucas said.

“
Rebecca and Isabella have agreed to give their statements. Witness statements count for a lot. My contact has said Mary will also testify. She saw Henry Warren with her own eyes. Her witness testimony could be the key we need.”

James frowned then flicked open the file. “Henry Warren.” He repeated the name until he found it. “My father has his signature linking him with Lloyd Black. I don’t understand.”

The two agents stared at Lucas, who then nodded. What the fuck did Lucas know?

“Your mother and father were killed by Henry Warren. We have evidence linking a payment of execution. Your parents were killed by Daren Robinson and made to look like an accident.”

“This just keeps getting better and better.” James hung his head between his knees. He felt sick to his stomach. Prudence taken and his parents murdered. It was too much.

“Then here is the good news,” Lucas said. “That file you found in the safe, James. That’s the file Daren wants.”

He lifted his head staring at the other man. “How do you know?”

“Because your father was in contact with the Feds before he died. He saw what was happening at Possession and at Ravage. His evidence and words are what we’ve been working on. When he died the case went cold
, but everyone was still waiting for them to slip up. Henry’s father slipped up, and so has Henry. Together, we can get Prudence back and put an end to their shit for good.”

For the first time in the last forty-eight hours, James started to feel a little better.

Prue had gone from being locked in a room on a boat to being locked in a room in a gorgeous house. She’d seen the house in a passing glance before she was escorted to her room. The windows had bars across, and she felt more like a prisoner than she had on the boat. She couldn’t detect any sounds either. Prue never heard when someone was close by or waiting outside her door. The only person she’d seen was a woman in a plain white robe who delivered her meals.

She’d not seen Daren since she arrived at the house. He threatened to kill her if she caused too much of a fuss. The woman ignored her as she delivered her breakfast, lunch
, and dinner.

Boredom was her biggest problem. There was nothing for her to do
except stare through the bars trying to find some landmark or location of where they were.

She’d slept enough
to last for one lifetime. The days passed, and she didn’t know how long she’d stayed at the house.