“Kidnapping you was not part of the plan, but I needed his attention.”

The door creeks back open and Melody strolls in with a tray full of breakfast food.

“Now, just so we're clear Jovi Carter, I am well aware of who you are and more importantly who your father is. I have no plans to keep you here longer than necessary and no plans to kill you.”

That's a relief.

“That is unless of course I have to.” With a vindictive smile he leans forward. “That would be just such a shame.”

This man is fucking crazy.

“Nothing to worry about I'm sure. Merrick only came to me to get out of this to be with you, so I can guarantee he will do everything in his power to get you back. In the meantime, you're going to spend a lot of time napping, so I hope you find the bed comfortable.”

Melody places the tray in my lap and whispers, “Have the orange juice. I know you're thirsty.”

Very cautiously I lift the glass and ask the man, “Who are you?”

With a smile that could send shivers down even the most notorious criminals' spine, he announces, “I'm The Devil. And this, Jovi, is my hell. Welcome.”

Merrick

How do you measure time? I mean really measure it. Do you measure it by the work week? The next time you get paid? Do you measure it by doctor appointments and grocery trips? The school calendar or holidays? Do you measure it in trips to the gas station or canceled dates with your boyfriend? Maybe you measure it in smiles captured and memories missed. In moments you felt fucking alive...that's what I do. And right now, time has ceased to exist. God, I need Jovi.

“That's a terrible fucking idea,” Drew argues with Madden at the bar while Knoxie stands in the kitchen across from them nibbling on a burger.

She went and got Madden's favorite as soon as it opened this morning, but he hasn't had a bite. I haven't either. I have a feeling it's for similar reasons.

“Then you fucking think of something!” Madden yells tossing his hands in the air.

From the kitchen table, across from Destin, I chime in, “Maybe we should tell the Commissioner. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if he found out. Maybe-”

“This isn't some shitty B-class action movie where they're gonna turn you into a snitch and let you drive away into the sunset, Merrick. This is real life. This is the point where if he finds out who are you it's jail. Then the pen. And most likely your body found in the yard, the same way dad's was.” Madden's cold description sinks me into my seat.

The air in the room stiffens so tight I'm not sure I want to breathe. Shutting my eyes closed I hit the back of my head against the wall, Jovi's heart-broken face haunting me instantly.

If she didn't hate me before there's no fucking way she doesn't now. How the hell am I supposed to live with that look of pure hatred for the rest of my life? It wasn't hatred? Then what was that? It damn sure wasn't sadness. I've seen that. That was the look they wore at Ben's funeral. The look I saw was something so much worse, I feel like I should be looking for a line in Romeo and Juliet.

Suddenly it hits me. “Shit! We gotta get Hayli!”

Triple D responds in unison, “What?”

“Hayli!” I shout jumping to my feet. “We gotta get her before The Devil does. He kidnapped Jovi, but what's to stop him from using Hayli to prove a point that he's fucking serious.”

“Damn,” Daniel mutters and stands. “Baby bro's got a point.”

“Trying to prevent a mess rather than create one. Refreshing,” Drew sighs sarcastically.

I ignore his comment and state, “Let's go get her.”

“No.” Madden points a finger at me. “You fucking stay.”

“What-”

“I don't want you fucking leaving this house unless you absolutely have to. There's nothing stopping The Devil from picking you up-”

“He doesn't want me! He just wants his package!”

“He wants it all!” Madden stands abruptly. “How fucking hard is that for you to get? He doesn't just want his package! He wants your head on a stick for fucking him over! He wants his package! He wants the rest of us in a position to do his errands and bitch work until we die! We've already got a debt I'm stuck paying! Do not for one minute think The Devil isn't all about making it so much fucking worse!”

I whisper, “What's the debt?”

Madden sighs, “It's not important.”

“Clearly it is,” I argue, anger surging inside me.  “If it wasn't for your fucking debt the rest of us wouldn't haven't been stuck in this goddamn lifestyle! So tell me, Madden! What the fuck was the debt!”

Knox tries to invade, “This conversation-”

“You wanna know?” Madden steps closer to me. “You really wanna fucking know?”

She tries again, “Madden-”

“Dad only worked for The Devil in the beginning to get us all to a place where we were okay. Where he could fucking feed and clothe us without worrying if this would be the day he was gonna get let go of by some dick head boss. He got us to a point where we didn't have to fucking slum it and then being young, and stupid, and a fuck up, I made a huge mistake that I should be in jail for. Instead, he called The Devil for a fucking favor. The last job he did for him, which wasn't the last of what he had agreed to is what got dad is prison. Those unfinished jobs got rolled over to me. Me! That debt fell in my lap! It became my responsibility to fucking do it in order to keep all of us alive! And I don't mean in this cushy lifestyle, I mean keeping him from killing us! It's my fault we're in this position now! It's my fault dad's dead! I tried to keep all of you out of this! I tried to keep all of you from having to be a part of this but fuck...The Devil is always three steps ahead, Merrick. So listen to me for once asshole. Sit. Down. Let Triple D get Hayli.”

Instead of doing what he says, I walk out of the room leaving him to do what he always does. Make all the fucking choices.

I don't doubt my brother. I don't doubt that what he wants is just to keep my alive, but I hate this feeling of uselessness. I am utterly useless. I should be the one coming up with ways to rescue the love of my life, not just sitting here twiddling my fucking thumbs.

About an hour later my bedroom cracks open and Knoxie's face appears around the door. “Still stewing?”

“Is Madden?”

“He left,” she replies.

“Where?”

“Not sure,” she answers dropping down beside me on the edge of my bed. “He's barely speaking to me.”

“Sorry,” I instantly apologize. “I didn't mean to...fuck up whatever-”

“You didn't,” Knox states pulling her legs to her chest. “It is what it is.” With a shrug she mutters, “I just hate when he shuts me out like this.”

“Of all people, you would think you would be the one he let in.”

“You would think,” she mumbles. “I was the first one who knew he had to start to work for The Devil. I was also the first one by his side to help.”

Fuck. I didn't know that.

After a long pause I ask, “Do you know what it is Madden did back then? What he did to make dad call in that favor?”

“No,” Knox sighs deeply. “But I remember the night. Usually when times get a little uncomfortable, not typically this bad, we reflect on it. Most of the time I grab him a burger from Bab's Burgers, a large onion ring, and we sit in the garage and relive the moment.”

Seriously...is she talking about Madden? Cold as fuck. Distant as shit. Hard as a fucking rock, Madden?

“That night, he crawled into my bedroom through the window. He was terrible at sneaking in. Always tripped over something. That night it was a pair of my heels. He came in and slipped into my bed. He held me so tightly I couldn't breathe. His arms were caging me in right under my ribs. It fucking hurt, but he was trembling. Totally shaken up from whatever had happened,so I just let him stay that way. He never spoke about what actually went down. He just laid there until the sun rose. Hell, he never spoke about coming to me that night to anyone else. I hadn't either until this moment. But that's the closest the two of us have ever been. Probably the closest the two of us ever will be.”