Feathers and Thorne Series Books 1 - 3: The Complete Collection

Chapter Twenty-Four

Carter

I hate handcuffs when they’re not on Isabella.

They’re pinching my wrists behind my body, and my face is bruised and bleeding. I stare straight ahead at the blank wall just to satiate my fury, but it’s pointless. When I get out of this fucking police department, out of this interrogation room, I will burn this damn place to the ground.

My body shivers as the door opens, a cold breeze pouring in from the hallway into this little space. The hallway is still laced with Isabella’s perfume, and it accompanies the cooler air. I inhale her scent, needing to have her in my arms so I can breathe in her smell and hold her body. I want her all to myself.

The detective coming in is familiar, a man I had on the payroll at some point. He turned a blind eye to my corruption, but the rules have changed, and their boss is a prick who won’t be stopped when it comes to taking me down. Still, I recognize him as the one who took Isabella away.

I trust that he got her out of the precinct safely, but I can tell by his flat, pursed expression that that isn’t the case.

“Where is she?” I bite right off the bat. “Where is Isabella?”

“I told her I could get her out of here if I took her to the hospital. But for some reason, she panicked and ran from me, Carter,” he says, speaking low as if the cameras are still on. He glances up for a minute, and the red light on the dome of a camera flicks off. “There, we have the room for a few minutes to ourselves.”

“Where the fuck is she?”

He shakes his head at first, his eyes distant and glassy. “Lacey.”

I nearly jump out of my chair that I managed to kick back into place after my outburst earlier, but he pins me back to sit down, giving me a warning of a look that—if not for these fucking handcuffs on my wrists—I would wipe right off his face with my fist.

“Who? What Lacey took my dove?”

“No, she ran into one. I don’t know his name, just that he looked like Jacob.”

I swallow the fire that lurches up my throat. “Not a Lacey. It’s a fucking Donahue. Rich Donahue, to be exact.”

He waves me off, uncaring of the semantics. “She jumped out of my car, dammit. I tried getting her to the hospital, but she freaked out and bolted. I couldn’t take on any Laceys, so I left her with them. They seemed friendly enough with her.”

“You made her uncomfortable. This is your doing.”

“No, that’s not it. She’s spooked easily, okay? I didn’t have anything to do with that.”

I grit my teeth so hard that it hurts. “Get her back.”

“I can’t. You know I can’t, dammit. I did the best I could with her before she ran off. I don’t work for you anymore, Carter. None of us do. They hired a new damn fleet of officers, too. They’re young, and they want to please the mayor like he’s some damn general in war. They won’t sway to your money. And I can’t do it, either. I’m sorry, okay? I have to fall back in line.”

I snort back a chuckle that he doesn’t appreciate. “You’re going to fall in line, huh? I gave these crooked cops mountains of money to do one damn thing. Look the other fucking way. And here you are now, telling me that it can’t be done. You have to clean up the city. Well, start with Killian Hughes. He’s the one trying to frame me for murder.”

“Not murder. We’re going to assume it’s self-defense at this time, okay? He had an unregistered gun in his coat. It was obvious that he broke in and was going to harm you or Isabella… or both. But we can’t spin shit in your favor again, okay? We’re going to let you go and keep this information under wraps. It might be used in the future against you, Carter. I’m trying to be helpful here.”

At last, I relax with a slight edge of ease. “Fine. No arrest. I won’t slit your throats today, then.”

His eyes widen. He knows I would do it, too.

Everyone in this city knows what I’m capable of by now.

I took out an entire crooked family for trying to lay a hand on Isabella.

“Let me out of these damn cuffs. I have to go find out where my girl went. No thanks to you.”

“We’re letting the other three guys free as well. You’ll be last, so just give me a minute to get everything in order, okay?” He stands but pauses, looking at the camera overhead. “But first, the only way I was allowed to have the camera skip on tape is I told them I was going to rough you up a little bit.”

I grit my teeth. “I’ll rip your tongue out of your mouth if you try.”

“I’m sorry, man. I’m trying to help you. Just remember that.”

Before I can threaten him further, his closed fist meets my cheek, and blood flies from my bottom lip. I feel it dripping down my neck, savagely crimson and hot. I’m searing in anger and fury, but I have to hold back. The camera light comes back on while the detective shakes his hand in pain and rushes out of the room.

I keep calm long enough to feel the blood finally stop flowing down my chin. My lip should start swelling soon, but I couldn’t care less about any of it if I tried. Right now, I’m focused on one thing that keeps my mind occupied. I count the minutes until the officer enters the room to undo my cuffs.

I jerk myself free and hurry out of the building, not needing a damn escort. I have to sign for the shit they confiscated from me, and thankfully Lorenzo has my gun when I get outside. I reposition my watch on my wrist and look at him, Nicolas, and Tristan.

“Where is Isabella?” Tristan asks.

I don’t know why he has to ask about her, out of everyone here. “She ran off from the detective. She’s with the Donahue bunch. I need to get a hold of them.”

Tristan pulls out his wallet, still taped as property of the New York City Police Department. He hands me a crisp business card. “That’s his number. Give Rich a call. I bet he’s with her.”

“Why do you guess that exactly?”

He shrugs. “He knows her. It’s not like she’s met any other Donahues or Laceys since the fallout.”

I tend to my pulsing, bloody lip. “I don’t want to talk about them anymore. I’m fucking done with this Lacey shit. Once I get my dove back, I’m cutting ties with the Donahue prick, too.”

Lorenzo furrows his brows, edging into the conversation now. “Why? That docks property is what we need to operate, boss. It’s going to help shipments. We have property out there, but none of that size.”

“I know what we have.”

“Then why are you blowing this?” Nicolas bites, spitting his words out as he says them. “I’m so over this shit, Carter. You’re running this family business into the ground over trying to keep that woman as your sex toy. I’m over it.”

He throws his hands up and storms off.

I’m not done with him yet, not after that uncalled-for outburst.

Marching up behind him, I grab him by the collar and spin him around to face me. My blood is hot, hotter than hot, and I’m too damn furious to swallow the flames that lick the back of my tongue. I’m done trying to appease this cockroach of a cousin.

If he thinks I’m doing a shit job, then he can choke on my words once and for all and then promptly fuck off.

“I built the business, dammit. I am the reason we are here. The Blackthornes had money before me, sure, but never to this degree. If you want me to send you off like the others, then so be it, but you’ll be a rogue pony out there looking for a damn dime because if you turn your back on me, you’re turning your back on this empire.”

He swallows slightly, taken aback by the hostility I want him to feel.

I need him to feel.

“What is it, then? Are you loyal or not?”

He gives me a brief glance before looking to Tristan and Lorenze next. When no one bails him out, he finally drops his head in defeat. I let go of his shirt and nudge him back a step, catching my breath as I relish in my victory.

I’m not four steps away from him when he announces, “I’m out.”

I try not to react, but in some ways, it is a bitter admission. “Alright. Then you’re out.”

I hear Nicolas walk away, Tristan and Lorenzo exchanging similar looks. They watch me, waiting for me to follow and beg him to stay, but we all know that’s never going to happen. I’m done being pushed around in this family, and I won’t let some punk tell me how to run the empire I built.

And it’s a fucking empire all the same.

“I’m calling Rich. You two go get a damn car or call Ernesto.”

They disperse, and I catch my breath after that encounter. I didn’t think he’d actually quit, but I’ll never beg anyone to stay. They can leave as they wish. It’s not my problem anymore.

The phone rings twice before it picks up. “Hello?”

“It’s Carter.”

There’s a shuffling noise and what sounds like a door closing through the line. “Carter? You alright? Isabella is here. She’s safe, and she told me everything that happened.”

I bite my already bloodied tongue. She doesn’t need to be telling this prick anything, but I’ll punish her later for it. She learned last time that she’s mine, but maybe this is a lesson that needs to be retaught a few times until it’s drilled in.

“I’m coming to get her now. Where the fuck are you?”

He clears his throat slightly. “Tell me something first.”

“Where is she, Rich? I’ll burn this city down until I find her.”

“I’m not keeping her from you, dammit. I just have a question, Carter.”

Maybe it’s my furious stubbornness or the way I can’t live without her beside me, but I choke on my reply and spit a bit of blood onto the sidewalk. “What is your question?”

“Did Killian actually set you up?”

“It seems that way. Cops have turned on me. I can no longer expect the police department to turn a blind eye when it comes to me. They’ll be looking for a reason to book me that isn’t self-defense. Why?”

“Would they come after Isabella to do that? I mean, Jacob knew your weak spot. Now, everyone else does, too. Killian might not be a murderer, but he’s dangerous, Carter. He could get her in trouble for something of your doing, and she’d be thrown in jail.”

I am angrier than ever before. “You trying to tell me how to protect her?”

“No, never, Carter. I’m trying to help you.”

Ernesto’s SUV pulls up, and I’m thankful he must have been nearby, waiting for our release. I climb into the front seat, the other guys in the back, and he waits to hear an address for me to give.

I just don’t know where I’m going yet.

“I will protect her just fine.”

“Carter, those cops are still dirty. Killian might… I don’t know. I don’t want to say it. But it’s clear she needs help. You might consider having her stay in one of my safehouses.”

“She’s not staying with you. She’s coming home with me, dammit!”

He clears his throat. “We need to talk, Carter.”

“About what, exactly?”

“About me working with Killian Hughes.”

I practically crush my phone into my flexing palm. “Tell me where you are right now.”

The line goes silent, and I think of my next move if he decides to keep her away from me again.

I’m going to hurt Lilian, and I’ll go after mayor-dearest, and then I’ll save Rich Donahue for last.

Just so he knows I’m coming, there’s no running from me.