Montana Falls (Red Diamonds #5)

Chapter Three

I had never raced away from cops before, for real. Sure, I’d been caught driving ‘dangerously’ by more than a few over the years, but they’d never done more than flash their lights and then stop the second I sped off. They never bothered chasing me, and I was sure they’d just decided I wasn’t worth the effort. Not when I was – and I said this as a humble brag – a fucking great driver.

But the same could not be said for the English police, who were determined to get to me, despite how badly I was trying to get away.

Fuck me.

They were chasing us. Relentlessly. Quickly and with some modicum of skill. Sure, I could beat them. I swerved around bends, took corners way too sharp, and barely touched my brakes. Our speed was well above the limit as I weaved in between cars and at one point drove the wrong way down a street, pretending the other cars beeping at me were invisible.

I was beating the cops. I would always beat them. But it didn’t fill me with the same amount of joy as it had done for most of my life. No. I was worried. A little nervous.

Scared.

Last time I’d been in a car, without enough seats for everyone, hadn’t ended so well. My dad’s death. Kody almost dying. Sapphire’s kidnapping and torture. Me getting shot in the shoulder and having John fucking O’Malley put his gun to my head. All of it that went wrong that day. All the horrible, traumatic, bullshit things that stilled played on my mind like a fucked up movie each time I dared to go to sleep.

So yeah, I was scared. Just a bit. Even more so considering we’d been driving away for a handful of minutes, and it still didn’t look like the cops were giving up. If anything, more cars kept appearing, and in one precarious spot, I’d had to turn at the last second and cut across a patch of grass, to avoid driving over some tire spikes they’d put on the floor to catch me.

Through it all, I couldn’t take my eyes off the road for the most part. So it was a good thing that Sapphire sat on Logan’s lap in the passenger seat and had her hand on my thigh. If I hadn’t been so sure she was present and relatively safe, I doubted I would have been able to stop myself from glancing at her, desperate to make sure she wasn’t gone. My brain would have been locked onto her and all the horrible things that had happened the last time we’d been in a slightly familiar situation, and I would have probably fucked up and crashed like an idiot.

I could have ruined everything for us all, by either killing one of us, or getting us arrested, and that would have haunted me far more than the last time I felt responsible for messing things up.

The last time that my inability to act faster and spot the bad guys coming had caused so much pain for those I loved, and my dad’s death.

It helped my nerves a bit, too, that my brother kept up a rapid fire commentary on where to drive to and how to get there, as he alternated between searching his phone for information and a constant stream of double-checking that Sapphire was okay, even with the bruises on her neck. No doubt his anxiety was brought on by the fact that we had all seen how close she’d come to being killed by John, without a single one of us close enough to do something about it.

Don’t get me wrong, I was glad someone had saved her. But she was mine . Ours. We shouldn’t have needed anyone else to step in and protect her when she needed a little backup. We should have been right next to her, doing our fucking jobs.

The same way we were all close enough now to notice as she tensed up and I glanced her way.

“What’s wrong?” Logan asked first, his hands tightening on her waist as he pulled her closer and I forced my eyes to return to the road and the task at hand before I wrapped us all around a fucking pole.

Or more likely, crashed into another car on the ridiculously full and tiny streets that I could just about squeeze the car around.

English roads were horrifically tiny. I had no clue how they ever drove anywhere.

“I just had a bad thought about Shannon.” Sapphire sighed. “I wondered if she knew John was coming somehow because this whole thing feels… feels planned, I guess. As though things were already known to her and maybe John that we don’t understand?”

“You think she killed herself so he couldn’t murder her or something?” I looked in the mirror to see how close the nearest police car was, and saw as Kody leaned forward in his seat, hand reaching out for her like he needed to touch her too whilst he spoke. “Or that she knew he was coming already and wanted to avoid him?”

“Maybe both. And I would understand a little because he would not be kind when he killed her. It would have been weeks and painful.” Sapphire sighed again. “But she left her children to him? She just left them to be taken or hurt or whatever John came for? That is the thing that is… that is angering me if it was true, and confusing me, too. Seeing as she made so much effort to save the twins all those years ago.”

“I get it. It’s a shitty thing to do if it’s true, cica .” Kody’s hand appeared between the chairs, linking with Sapphire’s. “She should have been helping her kids, not leaving them for him. But we don’t know if she actually did that. Maybe there was something else going on.”

“My mama was tortured for me for hours on end.” Sapphire turned a little, her voice shaking just enough to make me want to pull over and hug her and then get frustrated that I couldn’t. “She died to save me and if I ever have children, I would do the same for them with happiness. So why did Shannon not do it? Why did she put a gun to her head and leave her babies behind? Was she a coward? Or was something worse waiting for her if she lived?”

There were a dozen different options, but it didn’t matter in the end. We wouldn’t be able to figure it out because Shannon was dead and nobody else could tell us what happened. Even Hades: she was either going to be too traumatized, or hadn’t seen enough to tell us a thing. Or maybe she had, but that still wouldn’t help.

None of us knew what was in Shannon’s head. None of us would ever know the truth.

“Maybe she didn’t know John was coming, and it was unrelated. Or maybe she thought he would go easier on the kids if she wasn’t there?” Logan murmured.

“Or maybe she took the easier way out and she didn’t give a shit about what happened afterwards,” Price chimed in. “We’re never going to know, and I don’t think it matters in the end. She’s dead and we have her children - we won’t let John get them.”

Technically, we didn’t have the children. We would deal with them later on, once I was sure we weren’t being followed by police or by Vice King dickheads, and Sapphire had figured out what was best to do and I listened to her again, rather than ordered her around.

Not that she minded. I knew full well she got off on me barking orders at her, and being a pushy dick, and even without that, I would still do it. It was my job to look after her and make sure she was safe.

“They need to be protected.” Sapphire said softly. “I dislike the idea of helping O’Malley blood, but they are not… not bad like their relatives. I think. So the Red Diamonds will offer them protection where we can until John is dealt with permanently.” She paused. “Or at least I will find a way to offer them protection. I will not bring my soldiers here, but I have a favor or two I can call in from someone closer than an ocean away.”

She pulled her borrowed phone out, texting away instantly as I butted into the conversation. Unable to stay out of it even if I was still focused on the road and the flashing lights that were getting further away with each minute that passed.

Like I said. I was a great fucking driver.

“We’re not dying for them.” I took a sharp bend, aiming for the small country road to the middle of nowhere location that Misha interjected to suggest. “I’ll happily help look after them whilst we’re here and do what you need us to do. But we are not risking our lives for John O’Malley’s fucking family members.”

My tone was a little harsh, but it was more to do with the current situation that the twins. I didn’t hold a grudge against them or wish them ill will.

“You would leave children to die if we had to?” My girl didn’t sound angry or disgusted with me, as I caught her eyes when she glanced up from the phone; it was just a question.

“To save you? To keep the people I love in this car safe?” I scoffed and pushed my foot down against the gas a little harder, wanting to make use of the current lack of sirens by me. “It’s not even a question. I’m not a fucking hero, princess. I’m here to keep you safe and I will let the rest of the world fall to ruin if it means you and my family are all okay.”

There were murmurs of agreement around the car from every man present, and I knew not a single one of us was lying. We would all choose the people in this car over anyone else. Even children, if it came down to it, as harsh as it may have sounded.

It was our family first, the rest of the world second, and none of us would change a thing.

“I shouldn’t like that.” Sapphire sighed, as she put her phone away and I turned onto a small dirt road surrounded by trees, that quickly became more wilderness than an actual road. “As the boss, I should care more about people and innocents than me and those I love. But I don’t.” Another sigh escaped her lips. “I like the fact you would always choose me, even if it sounds bad, because I would always choose you. All of you. So it is fine with me to look after the twins and the others, but I agree with not putting ourselves in extra danger for no reason.”

As fun as it would have been to continue our conversation, Misha ordered me to take a sharp left onto an almost empty field and pull over. With a handful of screeches and brakes, we skidded to a stop surrounded by overgrown bushes. A second later, once the dust from the tires had cleared, I could see we were in the middle of a burned out patch of mildly dead grass, dirt, and a gray sky.

Before I could ask a single question, an answer was given.

“We’re safe here. The police aren’t going to find us – I used an app to listen to their scanner and they’re going in the opposite direction now.” Misha slid a small pair of headphones off, and I glanced at his confident smile. It was only then that I allowed myself to finally relax and not keep picturing the worst outcome in my brain.

If Misha was calm, then I could be calm. He was smarter than me and he wouldn’t have said things were good if they weren’t.

He’d fixed stuff and found us a way out and we were okay.

“Where are we?” I glanced around the area as I killed the engine, my nose wrinkling with the instant stench of smoke from a recent fire.

“A place without lots of roads in and out and any form of CCTV.” He replied, as he ordered everyone out of the car. “We’re also six minutes from the nearest fire station, and only a mile away from a pub where we can order a cab back to the hotel. It’s a spot that’s frequently set on fire by idiot teenagers, so I figured it was a great place for us to have a fire ourselves.”

We all scrambled out of the vehicle, waiting for his next instructions whilst he tapped away on his phone some more and silently plotted away. With only the slightest of nerves left, I grabbed Sapphire’s hand, clasping it gently, what with the scratches on her palms. I needed to touch her to help stem the adrenaline in my bones, but I didn’t want to hurt her even more than she already was.

The cut on her face worried me a little, but it had stopped bleeding so it wouldn’t be too bad, I hoped. It didn’t stop me from breathing out a sigh of relief when Kody declared her fine as he grabbed her chin, tilted her head up and double checked that she wasn’t in serious danger.

It seemed we were all as nervous as the other, desperate to make sure things were not going worse like they had done before.

“It’s probably going to scar, cica .” He murmured, as he kissed her other cheek. “But it doesn’t look like you’re in danger of bleeding out and it definitely missed your eye. You were very, very, lucky. It was close.”

Too close for all of us not to shiver a little. Not just because she’d almost been shot in the head, but because she’d almost been killed again by John outside.

We needed to deal with him. Now . Before he went even further, and our luck ran out.

Sapphire smiled back at Kody, entirely unbothered. “I don’t mind scars. It is okay; mi sol has far more to be worried about than me.” She waved toward Logan and the red stain on his shirt.

He shrugged before winking at her. “I’m good too. I mean, it hurts really bad, but nothing a few kisses from you later on can’t fix, pretty girl.”

Before she could reply, Misha pushed his hand into Price’s jean pocket, and then chucked the lighter over to Logan.

“Set the car on fire. I’ll call the firefighters.” He ordered.

“Ooo, firemen?” Price smirked and flexed out his arms. “Is it too dumb to stick around and watch them work? Just long enough for them to take off their shirts from how hot and sweaty they get.”

“Probably. But it would be a good reason for getting arrested.” Sapphire grinned, as the pair of them high fived each other and she flinched from the sting of it.

My brother rolled his eyes as he snorted a laugh. “I don’t think the fire will spread and be a problem for them, but I don’t want to accidentally start a wildfire, so we have to ring 999. And no, unfortunately you cannot stick around and watch them work. I’m sure you can find a video online of some firefighters to watch that will give you the type of show you’re after. Or just buy a costume for home.”

With only the slightest of false complaints – and eager confirmation of wanting a fireman costume and a grand performance in it - from Price, we all waited for Logan to do as he was told. True to form, barely a minute later, the car was doused in petrol from the tank and aflame.

A little too well aflame if I wanted to keep my eyebrows.

With hasty steps, we all hurried to get to safety and move away, not wanting to get caught in the blaze that was rapidly engulfing the car, taking all traces of any evidence of us with it. There wasn’t even a doubt in my mind that we would be fine. Logan was far too talented at burning things than any sane person ought to have been.

“Now what, papi ?” Sapphire’s eyes were on the flames, looking far too enthralled with them as she spoke to my brother. “Can we go sort out the children and get to the hotel, or do you have more ideas? I’m leaving the rest of this plan up to you now when you are better with it than me and my head hurts.” She frowned. “Badly hurts. I think I have a migraine. Either stress or because I almost died twice.”

It surprised me she was willing to give up control and listen to someone else’s orders for a millisecond until I remembered that it was Misha taking over, not me. She had no objection to listening to him, and it was only for my benefit that she was a brat.

A beautiful brat with a sassy mouth and an ass I enjoyed biting. But a brat all the same.

Misha nodded. “We can do that. We just need to go to that nearby pub to order a cab and then you can do what you like. I think we should deal with the kids soon, but they are not my priority when you and Logan need medical care.”

We were all in agreement as he started our quick walk in the direction of the pub, not exactly running but fast enough that we would definitely avoid any emergency services heading our way.

“We should split up to make it easier.” Sapphire said after a few minutes of thought and nothing but the sounds of our footsteps and crunching of dry leaves. “Misha, you are best to do the camera things, yes? Like to find John, but more so to figure out what happened with Widow and Delilah. I need to know where they went to decide how fast they need a rescue or a hit squad.” She bit the edge of her thumb. “Then Kody and Price collect the children.”

Price bobbed his head and grabbed her hand, stopping her stress a bit and keeping her by his side. “I am the best with kids. You might as well start calling me daddy for real in preparation for the future NFL player I’ll be fucking into you.” He drawled. “As your soon to be husband, I get dibs on the first kid. Not yet though. I wanna give you a few years to rule your empire before you have to take a few months out to be in my bed all day.”

Even though he was joking, a petty part of me hoped that if the pair had a baby, it would come out scrawny and unable to catch a ball. It seemed like it would be amusing if it had better skills. Like me. Because driving was far better than football and I looked far more handsome than Price. It was no competition.

“It’s because you can’t drive shithead. Cica wants us to split up but we need to pair up with someone capable of handling a car, and you and Misha are not it.” Kody snickered as he playfully shoved Price. “There’s also no way anyone would trust you with a child. You’d throw it around like a football and then teach it how to swear and hit on people before it could even walk. Plus, you can’t call dibs on a baby. It’s Sapphire’s choice, not yours.”

Right on cue, Price opened his mouth to spew more nonsense. “And? Those are the best things to do with kids and it’s never too early to learn some game. How do you think I became the god I am? It was from years of hard work and dedication learning how to play people just right and have the dick of a-”

Sapphire raised her brows at him, and he instantly paused for a second.

“And none of it matters because there is nothing better than being in two long term committed relationships. Game is when you bag both loves of your life – a baddie billionaire with a violent streak and a pussy that tastes like sunshine who you get engaged to you. Then the genius guy of your dreams who is a ten out of ten and a far better man than you could ever be.” He clicked his fingers. “Which is also why I’m being trusted to collect the children. It’s a fiancé and master orgasm provider privilege for almost half the group.”

“It’s because I need to split up who drives for when you need to get home and if we need to go anywhere else,” Saph deadpanned, as she got on her toes to kiss his cheek, fighting back her smirk. “But it also is because you have a big dick and I will be too distracted to work anytime you are near me, papi . You can definitely think that too, if it makes you smile.”

He laughed as he scooped her up into his arms, holding her instead of letting her walk. “That’s right, gorgeous future wifey. And later on, when you’re not bleeding and we’re not stressed, I’ll allow you the honor of making full use of me as you please.” He turned his head, winking at my brother. “You too, sweetcheeks. Say the word and I’ll make you cum so hard you-”

“Shut the fuck up.” I groaned, fighting the urge to hit him in the gut. Repeatedly. “Please.”

“Don’t like hearing about my sexual talents?” Price wiggled his brows at me.

“Don’t like hearing about my little brother’s sex life, actually. It’s not usually something I want graphic details on.” Not when in my head he was still a kid with messy hair and the urge to play with figurines every damn night.

In typical fashion for my bratty girlfriend, Sapphire opened her mouth, doing her job of winding me up and turning me gray with a far too wicked smile.

“Misha has a very talented dick. But his mouth is even better. The things he does with his tongue?” She descended into a Spanish rant, and I was really glad my knowledge of her language was minimal because the way Misha was blushing told me I did not want to hear a word.

I was also really glad that the walk to the pub wasn’t too far, and my quick change of subject worked excellently.

“Princess, what do we need to do now? Get your head out of the gutter and back into the game. You said you wanted to split up?”

She nodded. “Price and Kody for the kids. Kody can drive home. Price is good for danger and he is friendly too.” She looked at my brother. “You can go with them and try to speak to Hades, or come to the hotel. Either works so long as you have internet.”

“I’ll go with them. Hades didn’t seem to mind talking to me before, so she may talk to me now.” His face twisted into a frown. “Plus, Shannon kind of made me promise to look out for her kids and I said yes. So I feel a little obliged to do it.”

I scowled a bit but kept my mouth shut, not wanting to point out that he owed the woman nothing when I knew what he was like. He would care about doing the right thing, and it wasn’t my place to worry about him and stop him if that’s what he truly wanted to do.

At least I wouldn’t do it out loud. I’d do it in my brain.

“That’s fine, papi , you do that and the rest of us can go back to the hotel to get stitched up and call my lawyers just in case the police somehow find us. Plus, I can see about getting some soldiers down here to help.” Sapphire frowned. “Do you think sending someone to get Henley is smart? And for Darius and Kellan, too? I don’t presume bad things about them all, but if Widow has done something, they are the ones who would know about it.”

I shook my head as the sounds of a fire engine rang in the air, floating along with the tiny pieces of ash as our fire presumably caused a wicked scene.

“Don’t let it stress you out right now. I think it’s more important to concentrate on who is nearby and what you know to be true. Like John being an evil cunt.” An evil cunt I couldn’t wait to watch die.

Violently.

“Plus, Retta is with Henley. She can keep an eye on things for us if we call and tell her what happened and maybe dig for more info. Unless you wanna just call the kid in a bit?” Kody added. “Linc’s right; we deal with John right now, and forget about everything else for a moment.”

I was always right, and it was nice to hear my best friend admit it out loud.

“You can always call Beau and ask him to deal with things back home.” Logan chimed in as we neared the edge of the grassy area, the sounds of cars and life coming back to us. “As your second, that is what he’s for. Plus, he’s a hell of a lot closer and can do things right away.”

“My second?” Saph repeated as she relaxed in Price’s hold, more than happy to be carried like the spoiled princess she pretended she wasn’t. “Huh. I guess you are right. He is my second and I can use him for stuff, too.”

“Dibs on third.” Kody said, only a second before Price.

Price scowled and muttered in Saph’s ear. “I want third. Let me be third and I’ll let you peg me one time if you’re into it. Or I can peg you. Though I guess it’s not pegging ‘cause I have a cock, but still.”

“Neither of you are third. You cannot dibs it.” She snorted as her cheeks flamed red. “You are all equal to me. You are my board of minions, and you each have talents that I lean on at different times.” With a wicked smirk my way, she carried on her bratty behavior. “Like say how when I need something to spice up my evening and I seek out Misha because he can make me scream with just-”

I did my best to zone out as she talked.

Then even harder as she carried on in the cab, insisting on embarrassing the shit out of the driver as she muttered filthy words in my ear and grabbed at my thigh, and then alternated with Logan. Her tirade never stopped with innuendo, filth, and plenty of things that were both a distraction from her stress and words designed to irritate me because she enjoyed it.

Words I would be making her regret the minute she was stitched up, and we were in the hotel and I didn’t have to pretend to be polite in front of strangers.