DOUBLE EDGED A Harper's Book. (Book 10)

She Means Business

Bang.

Light's out.

Blackness.

Burning pain...... Then there was nothing....

Help. I need help I kept hearing my voice say but I don't think I was actually speaking out loud. I think it was my subconscious urging me to wake up and help myself. As the searing pain came back my eye's sprung open. Gripping my upper left shoulder I rolled over onto my knees. She shot me. She really shot me and I don't know how severely I'm injured.

Gritting my teeth through the pain and with a series of deep breaths and grunts, I managed to get to my feet. My first instinct was to scan the room to make sure I wasn't in any danger. All seemed clear so I trudged to the bathroom. Peeling off my blood soaked shirt, I accessed the bullet hole. It was a clear, clean shot and I was thankful that Frankie wasn't accustomed to guns. Had she'd been a true marksman I'd probably be dead. I'm fact, she came pretty damn close as it is. Had the bullet struck just a few more inches towards my chest that would've been it.

Turning the sink water on, I rinsed the wound off and washed the blood away. Snatching a towel from the silver rack mounted to the wall, I did a shit job of wrapping it around my bleeding wound. Making my way back to the living room, I swiped my phone up and called my men who were waiting patiently back at my jet. "Get here pronto. I've been shot but I'm okay. Do not inform the family just yet". I growled.

Thirty minutes later I was on my jet but ordered them not to leave. I always kept medical supplies on my jet considering the life I lived and most of my men knew the basics of first aid. Along with their help I was able to stitch myself up until I could see a doctor. After taking care of myself I begin to spit out commands. "I want this city covered. Leave no stone upturned. I want eye's at the airport, car rental places as well as check out every hotel. She's out there somewhere" .

Sitting back in my chair, my men scurried off to do as I asked. Taking a sip of my bourbon I welcomed the burn to my throat as the numbness eased my pain. My mind was still reeling over the fact that she actually shot me. Was she just in shock over all she had learned or was she truly serious about rebuilding what her parent's had tried to accomplish? From where I'm sitting it didn't look good and I was worried that I might have to face my biggest fear... Would my family take her out of worse yet, would I have to end her?

Of course I'm livid with her actions and can't wait to get my hands on her but at the same time I feel terrible at what she must be going through. However the situation may turn out one thing's for sure... No one would harm her while she's carrying my baby.

On a different note I was worried that she may try an attack on my family. Frankie definitely showed me a different side to her. Normally she's calm and not much for confrontations but the side she showed me earlier was anything but that. No, what I witnessed earlier was a scorned woman that just realized her power and strength. What I saw was a woman coming into her own and was done taking bullshit. What Frankie portrayed was pure queen abilities and that alone is enough to take her threats seriously. I've only witnessed one woman portray those abilities and that is my mother.

Sam is too kind. Tia and Alice rarely have the need to get dirt under their nails so they still harbor some softness. My sis Miri is a great queen but when was the last time that she actually pulled a driver or hunted someone? Then there is Mizery but she's in a class of her own. Mizery is a dangerous queen but still nothing compared to my mother.

My mother will place her neck in harm's way but always walks out alive. I've seen her harsh stare bring men to their knees begging for forgiveness. She isn't afraid to kill in the most vile ways, in fact she loves coming up with new ways to kill someone. But most importantly she keeps my Pape in check and isn't afraid to do so.

Frankie exhibited all of my mother's queenish traits earlier. The way her eye's were trained on me made me sweat. The way she tilted her lips in a devilish smile and gave off a sexy but crazy laugh. Yes, if Frankie continues to go forth with her plans she could be a deadly force to reckon with. I've heard the story a thousand time's, how a man by the name of Angelo forced my mother's hand and unleashed her inner monster that she never knew she had, therefore changing her forever. Was I that man to Frankie? Was I Frankie's Angelo? Will I be the man responsible for turning her into a hard, vicious queen? ..... My God, she's my mother incarnate.

True, I keep telling myself that Frankie is taking this too far. That she is falsely blaming me when I was only a child when this took place. But then I think back to when I assumed my parent's had been murdered. I wanted to bathe in their murderes blood. I wanted the entire family wiped away including the innocent. So yes, I do understand what Frankie is feeling, thinking. This might be the toughest battle I've ever faced. I love her but I'm going to have to kill her if she tries an attack on my family.

My phone buzzed jarring me from my thoughts. Looking down at the screen, I saw my Pape's name. "Yea". I answered suddenly feeling older than what I was.

" did it go over okay? " He asked.

I laughed in spite of myself. "Well if her shooting me is going okay then yea, it went well".

" She shot you? Are you okay? " my Pape asked concerned.

"It's okay thanks to her sloppy shooting skills. But we may have a bigger problem on our hands".

In a few minutes I had him filled in on Frankie's threats and I could Tell by his breathing pattern that he wasn't happy. "You understand what this means son?"

" yes but she hasn't made good on it yet. Let's wait it out a bit longer. I have men searching for her. Maybe she was speaking from anger, time will tell. However if it comes to that I will do the job but my child must not be harmed in any way ".

Before Pape could reply my phone beeped indicating that I had another call. Putting him on hold, I switched over. "King Harper ". I answered.

" I love a good firework show, don't you King? " Frankie sang into the phone.

"Frankie we should talk".

" I'm done talking Harper. In fact I'd rather count. Counting is so fun don't you think? "

"Stop this Frankie". I insisted.

" Ten".

"Come to your senses Frankie" . I demanded.

"Eight".

" Enough of this Frankie ". I roared.

" Six".

"You do realize that if you keep this up I will be forced to kill you?"

Her crazy laugh rang out. "Not if I kill you first lover. King is going to go boom boom... Four" .

It finally dawned on me why she was counting. The crazy bitch had slipped in and planted a bomb somewhere. Racing from my jet, I hurled myself down the steps and begin to run. All the while I could hear her wicked laughter over the phone.

Behind me the jet exploded and sent me flying through the air due to the pressure. It took a moment for me to shake the shock of the blast off. Standing up covered in soot and wearing tattered clothes, I looked back at what remained of my now burning jet.

A new queen just rose.