Scarlet Springs (Ari Levinson) AU - 18+

20

Ari

She's gone.

I come back from getting the supplies to find the office open, files with a note from Sammy, and hers open on my desk. With a separate note.

Liar. I hope Davy's new reward he gives you will hurt more than you hurt me.

Shit.

Sammy came here and saw her for sure. I don't have time to worry about her file now, I have to find her before the bastard turns up with Davy, and I know that he will.

I search high and low over the motel and in town and around for any sign of Margot. All her stuff is gone, so I know that if Sammy had taken her, he wouldn't have waited for her to pack, let alone write a damn note.

She must have heard the conversation. She knows what I am.

Once I'm back at the motel, I dial Sammy number. "So...I met Stacey, today" he doesn't answer with so much as a hello. Just gets straight to the point.

"You don't know her situation".

"Since when the fuck have we ever cared about the situation of the people we bring in? She's no different! It suddenly made sense that you were fucking her when I saw her in your office. Boy did she look scared".

"Because she knew who you were and knew you'd tell Davy where she was!"

"We'll you'd best tell your strip teasing girlfriend to pack her shit and wait for us to come pick her up. Davy's pissed, but grateful you kept her there. Who knows? We may even get extra commission from him for this".

I see red. "Her name is Margot, and she's just as human as you and I - tell Davy to come, but he's wasting his time. She's not here. She's gone".

"You're lying, just like you have to me for all these months about her. It's over Ari. He's coming to get her and the. You can take your pussy drunk ass and waste away in that shitty motel until you finally realise that this is what we do. We do it for the money, not for a quick fuck".

"She was anything but a 'quick fuck', I loved her!" I now come out with it. I still do, whether she hates me or not.

Sammy just sighs. "We'll see you soon Ari, Davy's just pulled up outside. I'll do you a favour in telling you it'll just be us. He doesn't want any fuss or any blood from his men to clean up".

The line goes dead and I rip the phone from the wall and throw it across the office. The mixture of anger, betrayal and grief all hitting me like a damn freight train. Over and over. From though, comes realisation and determination,

This is going to end. If not for me then for Margot. At least I'll know she'll be safe from being hunted , even if it means that I go down with this bastard as well.

**

I make sure that everything is in order for the preparation of Davy and Sammy's arrival. Even though I've been told it's just the two of them, I don't trust them enough not to at least have back up waiting from a distance.

All I know is that one of us isn't leaving here alive.

I'm sat in the office when finally I hear the sound of a car pull up outside

They're here...

I get up and walk out of the office into the parking lot, seeing Sammy and a well dressed man who is clearly Davy Marquez get out of a Ferrari. Of course he has one of those.

"So...you're the guy who's been keeping my girlfriend under lock and key..." Davy now speaks as he looks me up and down. "Sammy said she's here".

"Not anymore, did he tell you that?" I smirk. "She did the sensible thing and ran again. You can turn this place upside down looking for her, but she's not here".

Davy stares hard at me before suddenly turning back to Sammy - a shot firing. Sammy falls to the ground, crying in pain and clutching the leg that's now bleeding from the wound as Davy turns back to me. "You really wanna see me put a bullet in every limb your friend has?"

"Well if you don't, then I will for sure". I shrug it off. "Kill him for all I care, it's not getting Margot back".

"That bitch knows too much, she needs to be silenced". Davy fumes as he now points the gun to me. "You're lucky to even still be standing right now!"

My eyes narrow. "So are you..."

It's ridiculous I know, but I lunge for him, both of us rolling around in the dirt as I wrestle the gun from him. He throws just as many punches as I do, the gun firing and the pain searing through my arm.

A cheap shot, but one that won't stop me from punching him down before I manage to get the gun from him.

Another shot fills the air...

Davy lies there lifeless and I now turn to Sammy who has taken refuge behind the Ferrari, still in pain. My arm is bleeding, my nose is too. I probably have a black eye as well as another bruise forming on my cheekbone, but the bastard is dead.

"We're done here". Is all I say as Sammy looks at me, probably thinking I'll shoot him too. "The partnership is over. You can see yourself home and clean up this mess".

"Ari...please..." he says, pained. "I'm sorry about the stri..."

"Her name is Margot!" I all but rage at him. "And you've just fucked up everything that I could have had! But you know what? I'm glad she's run, because it means that she's finally safe from that bastard killing her! If Davy's men wanna come find me then you can deliver that message".

Sammy pants through the pain. "They've seen everything...they're watching...they won't do shit though, not now he's dead. They'll run".

"Then they can take him with them, and you - now I need to get my arm looked at. I want you, him and the damn car gone by the time I'm back..." I take my keys and lock the office. They can burn this place to the ground if they want. I'm beyond caring anymore.

Getting into my truck, I make for the medical centre in town, getting the bullet dug outta me and then spinning some shit to the cops about a bounty gone wrong, which is kinda true I guess. Either way they went to check it out and found nothing - Davy's men obviously cleaning up and taking Sammy with them. They put out an alert to departments from state to state. Davy is no longer in control with his corruption so now they can bring in who they need to.

I return back to the now eerily quiet motel and look around.

Margot is out there somewhere, but I know that after all that's happened, how I lied to her -  I'll never see her again.