FEAR

50

•VERENA•

"Verena, are you alright?"

My inner thoughts: Fuck no asshole I'm not alright. My man? Was he my man? One of my men, ugh no gross. My guard, my guard that I have taken a liking to is trapped bleeding alone in some disgusting ass torture chamber or something.

"I'm fine we have to get him."

"What?!"

"I want to get him."

"You hired us to get Rowan this is not in our deal."

"I will let Rowan go if I get Simon back I don't care about Rowan if Simon ends up dead." I don't know what I'm saying Of course, I wanted revenge more than my mind and spirit can process but I don't think I'll be okay if anything happens to him. I won't survive another death. "Please." My voice cracked, and was I about to cry. I can't look past revenge and the sheer need for vengeance if I can get Simon.

"Okay, we need to contact Price."

Before he could try his radio again, the office phone started to ring. He snatched the phone up before I could. "What." He said. "Fuck you." He passed the phone to me, and the screen changed to Rowan's ugly fat head. His head was shaped like a soccer ball and he was built like a pregnant woman. He smiled, his gold teeth showing and a phone in his ear.

"Someone told me this men of yours are more like your little playthings."

"What do you want?" I dragged, I could even hide my apprehension. It was all over me, if there was a dog around they would smell it. I know he could hear it and Honragi could see it. I let out a deep shaky breath.

"So you would negotiate for this scum." I watched him punch Simon. I held my whine. It didn't even look like Simon felt it, his head snapped right back as if it was nothing.

"Yes, I will negotiate just let him go."

"I want 50%, of all your new earnings from taking over. I want just you before but you're just a whore." Crazy stupid fucking bastard. I tapped my finger on the table, it was starting to hurt. "Verena." He sings.

"You slimy lazy piece of shit-" I worked for everything I got and in the end, Simon, Keegan, and Darian were the reason why I expanded.

"Watched the screen bitch." He pulled out a knife and placed it under Simon's neck. A guard pulled off his mask and instead of fear or anger, he was smiling, this crazy man was smiling. My amusement quickly plummeted when Rowan spoke again. "You're a fucking whore. For some European men, and one American I thought they were just rumors."

Simon pulled harshly on his chains, I could hear the rattle of them through the phone.

"50% you asswipe. I want him alive or I'll drop you." I slammed the phone down before heading back down the stairs.

"50 fucking percent. You would give billions for Simon Riley." Horangi said not moving from his desk.

"No," I said. I know this was a trap but if it came down to it I'd give it all up, shoes, make-up, money, and clothes for any of them. Money is a social concept, all I ever wanted was to take care of Mateo along the way I got addicted to it. The power and now he isn't here anymore but if I had to give everything up for just one of them I would in a heartbeat not for me or my gain but because I don't deserve them and they deserve to live.

I grabbed Horangi's forearm. "You don't have to stay, I'll pay you. You can leave."

"Darian told me to put you first, whatever trapped you're about to walk into I'm following."