Placing my drink down in front of me I pull out a simple paper that has a photo of a man, a name, and his whereabouts.
“This from the Confederation of Assassins?” I ask, looking up at him.
He shakes his head, placing his hands in his pocket. “Was a personal request, from a reliable and safe source.”
I narrow my eyes. “Are you sure? I don’t usually do personal requests.”
“I know. Felix handed it to me.”
“Felix? He wants me to do his dirty work?”
“Nah, it’s not for him. He said it was a request from a trusted friend.”
I raise my eyebrows. “You trust this?”
“He’s a brother. We are to trust him, even if something feels off.”
I nod my head again, picking up my drink and downing the rest. “Be back soon.”
Pulling up to the bar where my new target is supposed to be, I shift on my seat. This is how I pay my way and it’s how I’ve managed to have a large chunk of cash under me. All the rest of the brothers have actual investments, not me, though, I’d rather do this. Ending someone’s life is much easier than running a business. Fuck that!
Sitting outside the bar, I wait for Justin Littleton to come out. I never know what these people do, that’s not how it goes. I just get the slip, do the deed, then I get paid. I’ve killed for free, this is child’s play. Lighting up a cigarette, I lean against my bike and wait. Once I see him walk out of the bar and get into his Mercedes, I start up my bike and follow closely behind him to the outskirts of Westbeach and into an industrial zone. I shut off my bike, take my helmet off and glance around at my surroundings. I’ve been here before, I’m sure of it, everything is all too familiar.
Sixteen Years Ago
“Where are we going, Pops?”
My dad had me riding passenger on a run he needed to do. My mom said that the club was clean, but I knew better. I may have been young, but I was not stupid.
“Shut up, Son. This doesn’t happen. Got it?”
I nodded my head, looking out the window at the passing trees. “Yeah, I got it.”
He pulled up to a warehouse and drove in. Looking around and into the large doors, which were open, there were cages everywhere inside. Fighting cages.
“Get out, Son. You have a fight,” he said pulling open his door.
“But why?” I asked, getting out of the car.
He knelt down to my level and I watched the pure evil in his eyes, that same darkness some said they saw in mine.
“This is about something else, Son. The club does not know about this and does not need to know about this. You go in there, fight, and then that’s it. Got it?”
Nodding my head, I followed behind him. My father’s accent was still strong, even though he’d lived in the US since he was a boy.
Walking in, I saw three other big men. One was smoking a cigar with gold teeth. He noticed me and bent down to my level.
“You must be Aidan. Roger here is going to take you to get ready, Son.”
Roger grabbed onto my hand and pulled me toward a room that was to the far right of the cages.
He pushed me in. “Be out in that cage,” he pointed to the center stage, “in five minutes.” Then slammed the door shut.
I ripped off my top and started doing pushups, single hand pushups, plyo pushups, diamond pushups, every single push up you could think of before I started swinging and practicing my jabs. I was not nervous, I never was. That was not out of cockiness, that was out of the certainty of knowing when my fist landed on someone, it could be deadly.
Five minutes passed and I made my way to the ring. I looked around and saw another MC, not the Sinful Souls, though. I was sure that they were our enemies. My dad would never be a traitor, though. He and Uncle Dave had been brothers since they were young boys, he wouldn’t do that to him. I stopped gazing and jumped into the ring. When I saw my opponent come in, my body automatically became alert. This man was in his twenties—at least. He was all muscle and standing at around six foot tall. I was big for my age, but this man was a fully-grown adult. I looked to my dad, and he nodded his head. Instantly, I fucking hated him. The ref came to the middle of the cage.
“You know the rules folks. There’s no tapping out, and the only way you leave this cage is in a body bag.”
He threw his hands down. “Fight.” He quickly made his escape outside of the cage.
A fucking deathmatch? That was what he was putting me into with a grown ass man? Even for him, that was an all-time low. I pulled my head up to the man just as his fist connected with my jaw, throwing me back against the cage. The pain that I felt on my jaw was excruciating. This was why I didn’t let people come close enough to hit me. But that was a blind shot, and I now knew that this man was a coward. Standing up just as he was walking over to me, he swung his right hook again and I automatically realized that he didn’t use his left hand as much as his right.
Blocking his swing with my right hand, I pounded his face with my left. I’m ambidextrous, my left hook was just as lethal as my right. He fell back onto his back and I jumped on him, pounding his face, putting force into each blow. Each time my fist connected with his face I felt a bone crunch. There was blood pouring out all over the place, all over my face and hands, so much that I could taste the metallic-like substance in my mouth. I saw the ref get into the cage, and in the heat of the moment, I grasped his head and twisted it with such force until I hear that snap sound and I knew he was dead. The crowd went deathly quiet. I got up breathing heavily with blood all over my skin. Looking over to my dad, who had excitement gleaming in his eyes, I just stared.
I pointed at him. “We are done, and this is done.”
Then I walked out of the cage hearing the commentator yell through the microphone, “That my dear friends, is Ade ‘The Executioner’ Nixon.” I continued walking back to the room. That was the first time I’d killed someone. It both excited and frightened me all at the same time. However, it only frightened me because I liked it. And that was how the Executioner was born.
Present Day
Walking into the familiar building, nothing has changed, there are still cages scattered around everywhere with the main cage right in the center. I glance at it, remembering my first kill at the tender age of thirteen. I guess to average people, it would sound appalling, but to me, it’s just another childhood memory. I carry on, following the footsteps of my target and when I reach the door he just walked through, I stop, listening in to what’s being said.
“Justin, do you have our fighter?” I hear the familiar voice say. That familiar voice was the same man that had the gold teeth and cigar, that I remember from all those years ago.
“I do. He’s being imported in from the UK. Fucking big bastard too.”
I hear a cigarette lighter spark. “How old?”
Justin pulls out a chair. “Twelve, maybe a bit younger, but imagine the pot on his head if he wins. It would be like Aidan Nixon all over again.”
I hear the familiar voice laugh. “That was a once in a lifetime event, the biggest pay day of my life.”
Kicking the door open they move across the room with raised guns, only I have both my fully automatics already drawn on them.
I laugh a guttural laugh. “You know, it’s sweet, that little conversation I just stumbled in on.”
Gold teeth drops his weapon. “Aidan?”
I laugh again. “It’s Ade. Take a seat and carry on with your story, I was rather enjoying myself.” I smile at them both.
Justin laughs. “Who the fu—”
Bang.
I shoot him, right in the head. Which results in his blood splattering all over the place, the old gold tooth fool included.
“What’s your name? I never did catch it,” I say, leaning back in my seat, propping my knee onto my other leg.
He sits uneasily on his chair. “Bruce, Son. Why don’t you drop the weapon so we can talk? Justin was my main line of business, and you just shot him. No
w I’m very angry. You won’t like me when I’m angry.”
I chuckle. “Now…” I sit forward with a cocky smile on my face, “the fact that I’m sitting here with my weapon drawn on you, and you’re sitting there with nothing, tells me that I don’t give a fuck whether you’re angry or not.”
He narrows his eyes. “What is it you want, Son. Revenge? Is that why you just killed my right-hand man?”
I smile. “That’s not why I killed him. I killed him under orders, but I’ll kill you for free.”
Now he laughs, clipping his cigar and rolling it around his mouth. “You won’t get away with it, Son. If anything happens to me, I have people just as powerful ready to fill my shoes and take down anybody that’s taken me down. Now tell me, do you want that sort of heat on your shoulders?” he asks, spitting out a bit of tobacco from his mouth before continuing, “Also, do know this. For that little outburst which resulted in you shooting my man here,” he points to the bloody mess on the ground, “I’m going to hunt you down myself. So either way, Son, you won’t win this.”
I stand up and walk around to his table where he’s sitting. “You think I care? I don’t fucking care at fucking all. I have nothing to lose. So, you tell me…” I bend down, bringing my lips to his ear before whispering, “What can scare a man who has nothing to lose?” I draw my gun up, watching his eyes set into understanding at my quick movements, and fire a whole round into him.
Once I’m done, I’m once again dripping with blood. I take the cigar from his lifeless fingers and put it into my mouth, puffing on it. Making my way to the back, I find a shitload of gasoline containers. Taking hold of them, I start pouring the gasoline all over the place, starting from the center cage. I walk out, stand at the doorway and look into that cage for the last time ever before I flick the cigar into the middle and watch the whole warehouse burn down in flames.
I’m walking in a hotel room that I decided to get instead of staying with Vicky when my phone rings. I notice it’s Vicky, so I answer.
“Hey Vick, I’m so sorry.”
She laughs. “Don’t be sorry, girl. Are you okay?”
I huff out and drop to the bed. “I think so. I can’t believe I insulted his partner, Vick. Fuck! I called her a whore.”
Vicky pauses briefly then laughs down the phone. “Kalie, relax. That was his whore. He’s just being typical Ade. He was kidding.”
I shoot up of the bed. “Pardon? He was kidding? I am going to kill him. Seriously.”
Vicky giggles. “Come back to the clubhouse. He’s not here right now anyway. We can have a drink and bounce some ideas around for the hen’s party on Friday.”
“Okay, I’ll be there soon.”
Hanging up my phone I grab my keys. I’m so going to give him a piece of my mind when I see him. I don’t care how monstrous he is.
Pulling up to the gate, Travis lets me in this time with a small smile. I get out and smile back.
“Thanks, for letting me in without the scary stare downs.”
He laughs. “Yeah, no problem, Kalie. Come, I can take you in.”
I walk up to him, and we make our way to the bar.
“So, you’re new?” I ask.
He nods his head. “Yeah, I guess you could say that.”
“How old are you? Don’t they have age restrictions on who can patch in?”
“I’m old enough, sweetheart. Come on.”
He takes hold of my hand and pulls me in through the door. At first, I think nothing of the hand-holding gesture. I thought it was a nice thing to do. However, that was before I saw Ade storming across the floor making his way to us. Quickly, I pull my hand out of Travis’ grasp. I don’t know why I did that, probably has something to do with the death stare Ade is currently giving Travis. Also, I don’t really want to see a homicide today, or any day.
“Hey, sorry about—”
He cuts off my apologies. “Go and sit at the bar with Vicky, Kalie.”
My eyes widen, he still hasn’t looked down at me. His eyes are too busy glued onto poor Travis.
“Ade, leave him alone. He was just helping me in,” I say standing in front of Travis.
I feel Travis’ hands go around my shoulders, and a growl comes from Ade’s mouth.
“Go sit down, darling. It’s cool,” Travis says as he winks at me.
Making my way to the bar, I give Ade the stink eye on the way. I pull out a seat and Vicky’s laughing.
“Well, I’ll be damned.”
I look to her. “What the fuck is his problem? Does he live in a cave too?” I ask.
I hear Zane laugh from the other side of Blake. “Good. It’s about time he got a taste of his own medicine.”
Vicky orders me a drink quickly while I watch Travis make his way back to the pool table and Ade make his way over to us. He bends down and kisses me on the head.
“Hey, now what were you saying?” he asks casually. Like he doesn’t need to explain what just happened.
He looks down at the man that’s next to me. “Move.”
The man moves, grabbing his beer before Ade sits down on his seat.
I laugh. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I say taking a drink of my drink.
“What? What did I do?” he asks innocently with a smirk.
I raise my eyebrows and smile. “Well, I thought for a start, that you would not even remember me. Actually, I was sort of counting on it.”
His eyebrows cross. “What do you mean ‘you were counting on it?’” His eyes narrow, giving me his panty-wetting evils.
I smile, blushing at his stare. I would drop my panties in a heartbeat if he ever looked at me like that again. “Um, never mind.” I pull my lip into my mouth and look ahead of me.
His eyebrows raise and the corner of his lip pulls up. “I still make you uncomfortable?” he asks with a glorious smirk running along his lips.
I cough. “Um…”
Vicky leans in to shoot him daggers. “Leave her alone, Ade. Go work your magic on someone else please, or have you slept with all the girls here?”
Putting my drink back to my lips, I’m not going to lie, that disturbs me. I’m not on a high horse, but I know that Ade was different for me. I also know it probably has something to do with the fact that not only did he take my virginity, but he’s the sexiest man I’ve ever seen, and I have seen a lot of sexy men. The way he worked me over that night has me orgasming in my sleep and waking with wet panties, on more than one occasion.
Ade looks around the bar and smirks. “Yeah, I think I have.”
I look to Vicky before yelling, “Shots! I need shots. Right now.” I point to the bench.
Vicky laughs and bends over the bar to grab the vodka from under the bench.
Blake grunts and slaps her ass. “Babe, sit the fuck down. You’re giving everyone a show.”
“It’s on my side anyway,” I state as I lean over the bar to reach underneath. “There,” I say, sitting the bottle on the bench.
I look at Ade to see him biting down on his lower lip with his face scrunched up, covering a smile.
“Damn. Shit!” he mumbles while adjusting himself.
I stare at him shocked while bringing the bottle to my lips and taking a long pull before pouring shots.
This is going to be a long two weeks.
Slamming my fourth shot onto the bench and ready for another, Vicky says, “So, I hear you’ve been spending a lot of time with Dom?”
I laugh, pouring more vodka. “Yeah, I guess I have.”
She looks at me eyebrows raised. “Any reason why?”
I shake my head. “No, we’re still very much friends. We did have a moment the other night, but I’ll tell you about that when Ade isn’t killing me with his stare,” I say looking pointedly at him.
He narrows his eyes then throws his arms up. “I didn’t say anything.”
I laugh, taking another drink. “You smell like cologne, mixed with gasoline.”
He looks at me and then looks back at Zane. ?
??Spilled some gas on me when I filled up. I changed, but it must still be there.”
Shrugging my shoulders, I continue my reckless drinking while Vicky and I make plans for this weekend. Every now and then, I feel Ade’s leg brush up against mine and my body stiffens. Every time I stiffen, I hear a cocky chuckle come out of his mouth. Asshole.
Right now, I’m well and truly drunk. Unlike my sex life, I’ve been drunk many other times since spring break. I’d rather spend nights drinking wine by myself in my undies while eating pizza than hitting the clubs.
“Let’s dance,” I say to Vicky, pulling her up onto the dance floor.
“Not on the pole, Kalie! I mean it,” I hear Ade shout out from his seat, and I roll my eyes at him.
“No, do go on the pole, Kalie. I’ll sit down there and watch you do your thang,” Zane responds, smirking at Ade.
I have no idea what they are on about.
Vicky laughs. “Oh, don’t worry, Ade. What this girl does on the dance floor, will have strippers jealous.” He narrows his eyes in interest.
She makes her way to the sound system and mumbles. “I’ll make her.” Then she comes over to me with a killer smile on her lips. The next thing I hear is The Weekend ‘Or Nah’ blasting through the speakers. She sits on a seat and points to herself.
“Do me, come on. You know you want to.”
I smirk, looking to Ade, and then shrug. Dancing is something I love to do. Sometimes I have to rub up on famous men for their video clips, so I’m pretty sure I can do my best friend. Slowly I dance and adjust myself to the beat, giving Vicky a lap dance to the dirty lyrics of the song. It’s somewhat empowering to know that you can bring a man to his knees just by shaking your ass around him. Following the baseline behind the song, I drop myself low and push my ass into Vicky’s lap. I don’t even get halfway through the song before I see Ade stand from his seat with a smile and make his way to me.
He pulls me into him. “Really? Do you really think it’s smart to shake that fine ass all over the place? Here?” he asks with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.