Chapter 1: Scarlet

1

SCARLET

I clutched Kenny close, his small body a slight comfort amidst the tense situation.

We were still alive, so that was something.

Julian sat cuffed in the backseat next to me, his eyes burning holes into the men up front.

"So, you Russos think this is a great idea?" Julian mused, and I stroked Kenny in an attempt to keep him calm. I didn't need him panicking and for one of these guys to do something to him. It wasn't until they'd gotten me into the vehicle that they'd thought better about not cuffing me, and had cuffed my hands before me so I could still hold onto Kenny, which I was grateful for.

"I think you should shut your mouth, Julian. If you know what's good for you," the passenger muttered, and I glanced at the driver. Tattooed hands held the steering wheel tight, and I wondered just who these Russos were. A rival family? That made the most sense in this situation.

"You know my brothers will gut you like fish for this. I take it my driver is dead?" Julian sniffed as he shifted in his seat. Having his hands cuffed behind him wouldn't be comfortable like this.

The passenger guy whipped his head around, nostrils flaring. "You're in no position to make threats, pretty boy. You should be more worried about what we're going to do to you." He pointed his handgun into the backseat, and I stiffened at the threat.

"Sounds like you're threatening me with a good time," Julian shot back cockily, unfazed by the weapon. Fucking insane.

"Enough," the driver barked as he glanced at us in the rear-view mirror. "We should've gagged you."

"Yeah, would've been smart. Tell me, how's Angelo planning for things to go here? Use me as a bartering chip? Strike a deal? Kill me and string me up to scare my family?"

"You talk a lot for a man with a gun on him," the passenger said, jerking his gun upwards as if to make it more obvious he was threatening Julian.

"Certainly isn't the first time," Julian stated. "You compensating for something with that gun? Should've gotten a bigger one."

At least he was keeping all the attention off of me, I'd take that.

"Stringing you up would be good, you guys have done that shit to us. You strung up Mark a few months back, remember? And the warehouse that just burned down, we know that was you, you pathetic fuck," Mr. Compensating spat.

"Mark, right, yeah, no, I can't claim that one. Cristian likes to do all that ripping from limbs stuff and stringing them up, you should know that. The warehouse, though, yeah, that was me. You really should stay in your lane, makes everything run much smoother."

I just stared at Julian like he was a damn alien. Why was he provoking them? What was his end game here? Have them pull over and try to fight them with his hands cuffed? Was I supposed to fight them? How? With what? I could throw Kenny into the front seat and hope he'd go nuts in a flurry of claws and screeching, but I had no clue if he'd actually react that way.

"Shut your mouth or I'll stitch it shut for ya," Mr. Compensating snarled, and Julian's jaw twitched, but he fell silent.

Even he knew when to not keep pressing. I doubted Cristian would've been the same.

"Who's the bitch?" he added after a moment, his focus shifting to me.

Damn, here I was thinking I'd gone unnoticed for a few moments.

"Current toy, you can toss her if you like," Julian said with a shrug, and my heart dropped.

Mr. Compensating narrowed his eyes, trailing them over me and settling on Kenny in my arms.

"Nah, you shielded her. She's not just some broad," he muttered after a moment, his mouth curling into a horrid smirk. "Looks like she'd be some fun."

I swallowed hard, holding Kenny tighter. Of course Julian didn't really give a shit about me, but still, it hurt that he'd so willingly cast me aside.

Then again, perhaps it was his way of trying to get me out of harm's way by saying I was nothing important. Mr. Compensating was right. Julian had protected me, which was still playing on my mind .

Kenny meowed, pawing at my arms, and I stroked his head soothingly. "It's okay."

"Should throw that thing out the window though," Mr. Compensating muttered before turning back around. "Fucking hate cats."

"We wait for the boss," the driver stated firmly, and Mr. Compensating just grunted.

I slid my gaze to Julian, his jaw now clenched as he glared daggers at the man. If looks could kill, that guy would be a smoldering corpse right about now. I could practically see the violent thoughts racing through his mind for even considering harming Kenny.

He wasn't alone there. If they tried to tug him from my arms, I'd show them just how unpleasant I could be. I was likely going to die at the end of this, the least I could do was save my furry little friend who'd comforted me through this shit-show.

The car took a sharp turn and I gripped the door handle, my heart refusing to steady.

Perhaps I could play innocent here, a frail little victim. It wouldn't be a stretch. They were holding me hostage and using me, but something told me this rival family wouldn't give two fucks about that. They'd hope I was a pawn on their board, a piece to be traded, currency among their world of shadows. And if not, they'd get rid of me. Being let go after hearing anything incriminating was unlikely, even I knew that.

I nuzzled Kenny, grateful that he'd settled now. His tail curled as he allowed me to hold him tight, my only anchor in this mess. If I died to save him, it would be an honorable death in my opinion. Naomi would understand, hopefully. She loved animals too, they were better than people.

"I say we slice him up. Boss never said we had to bring him back unharmed, just alive," Mr. Compensating said after a few moments.

I swallowed as I looked at Julian, but he didn't flinch as he stared ahead silently, rigid in the seat across from me. Was he afraid of what they could do to him? I was scared, but I knew panicking was going to get me nowhere except an earlier grave.

"We can mess him up a little when we get there," the driver finally said with a heavy sigh. "Now, put some music on."

Mr. Compensating smirked, glancing at me in a way that made a sickness swim in my guts before he turned up the volume on the stereo, blasting some current hit.

I closed my eyes, focusing on Kenny's small body in my arms, on the softness of his fur, on his warmth. At least I wasn't alone.

We pulled over on the outskirts of the city, and I fought the urge to scream as they pulled me out of the car and yanked a bag over my head. I clung onto Kenny, afraid they'd try to take him, but, by some goddamn miracle, he was left with me as I was shoved back into the car. I heard a thud and Julian swearing before the door slammed shut by my ear, and my heart lurched to my throat, the shakes making themselves known. I nuzzled Kenny, gripping his leash and body like it was the only thing holding me together, and he didn't fight me. Were they just bagging Julian's head as well? Or were they doing something far more sinister? It sounded like they'd whacked him over the head when they'd pulled him from the car, and I swallowed as I tried to settle my nerves.

I relaxed ever so slightly when Julian groaned as he was shoved back into the car, the vehicle shifting under the weight as everyone piled back in.

A part of me wanted to reach out for him, to find even the most twisted comfort in his presence with me, but I fought the urge. I held onto Kenny instead, taking some solace in Julian's presence as he cursed softly again across from me. The bag over my head was stuffy, but at least I could breath.

I flinched as I felt something touch my foot, but relaxed when I realized it was likely Julian's shoe. Was he checking to make sure I was still here?

"It's okay," I whispered to Kenny, more-so to ease Julian's mind if that was indeed his reason for reaching out like that.

The car lurched into motion, and the music continued once more.

Minutes dragged by for what seemed like forever before the car stopped for a second time and I bit my lip, wishing the tightness in my chest would ease just a little.

The music cut off, plunging me into a tense silence as the front two men exited the car and slammed the doors.

"Stay quiet, pyro. They're not interested in you. Everything will be fine," Julian hissed, making me frown against the darkness of the bag over my head.

I wanted to ask him what the hell we were supposed to do, but then the back doors opened and I was yanked out.

Why had he told me everything was going to be fine? Why was he reassuring me? Again with the weird hint of care that made no sense.

I held Kenny tight, praying he didn't make a sound and cause Mr. Compensating to hurt him. It was a miracle they were allowing me to hang onto him as it was.

"Take her to the cell. Now." I recognized the voice as our driver, and I was handed off to another man who just grunted his response before shoving me along. My breaths came out in soft rasps, but I fought the urge to tremble in this situation, the darkness suffocating me as I tried to walk in a straight line.

Was Julian coming with me? They hadn't said anything about him. What were they going to do to him?

I ground my teeth together, willing myself to remain as calm as possible in this fucked-up situation.

Everything will be fine.

Yeah, and pigs were going to fucking fly.