Dirty Minds: The Lion and The Mouse (Book 4)

by Wright, Kenya

  Movement sounded behind me.

  Eden turned around. A soft gasp left her mouth.

  Jean-Pierre must be inside.

  My phone rang. Anticipation hit me. I answered the phone. “Yes?”

  My mouse’s sweet voice filled my ears. “We’re coming.”

  I kept my voice calm. “You’re with Maxwell?”

  “Yes.”

  “I love you, mysh.”

  “Be safe. Just give him Eden. Him and I have an agreement.” Her words came out fast. “If you just pass her on—”

  “And would he let us out here alive? I wouldn’t, if I was him.”

  “Jean-Pierre will. He has integrity. He’s nice.”

  “Nice?” I laughed. “Get here, mysh, then we can talk further.”

  “Trust me, Kaz.”

  “I will.” I swallowed down my fear. “Let’s hope you’re right. Come to me.”

  The connection ended.

  Damn it. And Jean-Pierre had dignity? We’ll see. I’ll use it to kill him with.

  I hung up and spied Pavel, and David stepping to Jean-Pierre.

  A heated exchange passed them. Pavel appeared to be blocking Jean-Pierre’s way to us, and he looked close to leaping over the seats to get to his woman.

  Do I look that deranged when without my mouse?

  I turned completely around and studied him. Someone had knocked him in his head. Several lumps sat above his right eye.

  Did you do that mouse? I hope so.

  I glared and raised my voice. “Tell the Butcher to come here.”

  Jean-Pierre didn’t wait for the command. He walked past David and Pavel. I groaned, as I caught Jean-Pierre’s cousin following along. The funny one.

  Rafael, right? At least he has clothes on today. He’ll die with some dignity.

  Rafael and Jean-Pierre stepped forward. I checked the bulge under their jackets. By the time he rounded the corner, Eden turned to me. She looked like she was about to jump out of the chair.

  When Jean-Pierre came to the front row, he walked over to my right, but his gaze remained on his love. Eden stirred again but didn’t jump up.

  Jean-Pierre glared at me, as if I was the one who had taken her.

  “I see things are getting interesting, Jean-Pierre.” I gave him a devilish grin. “Come sit next to me. Tell the funny one to stay there.”

  I held my phone out, just in case my mouse called again.

  Jean-Pierre took his time walking over. His pace slowed a bit before he passed her. Holding the sides of her seat, Eden watched him get to my right side and sit down.

  What’s your plan, Jean-Pierre? How will you take her from me?

  I turned to him. “Have you ever seen this film?”

  He didn’t turn to the screen, or check out the movie. “No.”

  “Interesting gang story. . .with a metaphor.”

  “Doesn’t matter.” Rage dotted his words. “You must not miss your mouse, like I miss my Eden.”

  I curved my mouth into a smile, but rage blazed in my eyes. “Mouse?”

  So, he knows who she is?

  My rage rose. I might have been willing to let him live today. Perhaps even for a week. But now. . .now I had to kill him. I checked his face and didn’t hide my anger. “Mouse.”

  Tension thickened in the air.

  I’m going to kill you, Jean-Pierre. Should I serve your cock to you too. What else could I do to break your soul.

  I directed my view back to the screen. “And is that my mouse behind you?”

  “It is.”

  “But it’s not.”

  “Go ahead and confirm.” Jean-Pierre rose. “I’m ready for this to end.”

  My men pointed their guns at him.

  I remained seated. “We don’t exchange yet.”

  His voice rose higher. “We exchange now!”

  David’s men kept their guns pointed.

  Maybe we should kill him now. My mouse is close. . .but then what about Louis, and Rafael behind us? We could get them, but how many more men are outside the theater and how many were surrounding the mall.

  I shook my head. “You’re lucky I’m letting you stay alive.”

  “Am I?” He inched closer, a little bit in front of me.

  Yeah. Get closer, Jean-Pierre.

  “Do you know why I haven’t shot you yet?” I looked up at him. “My mouse said you were nice.”

  Jean-Pierre had to know that I contacted her by now. “She was a good guest.”

  I grinned with pride. “But you couldn’t hold onto her?”

  He moved in closer. I watched his feet. The right one lifted a little. He would charge off that one.

  “Take another step, Jean-Pierre.” I scowled. “Take it. If you do, then I’ll snap your flute player’s neck, and whistle a tune for you.”

  “She plays the violin.”

  “She will play my men’s cocks, if I want her to.” I returned to watching the screen. “Be grateful that she has s been a good guest. But for you…your very limited life will forever change. There are things that must be done to deal with this. Several people must die.”

  My men lowered their guns.

  Let’s see how nice, Jean-Pierre is.

  I pointed to Rafael. “Maybe we can kill the funny one. I don’t like him anyway.”

  “Let’s discuss who dies later. We both need a night with our women. What are we waiting for?”

  “We’re waiting on my mouse. She said she escaped. The only question is…did you tell her to say that?”

  “I didn’t.”

  “How do I know she’s not trapped somewhere now? She says, she’ll be here soon.” I placed my hands in my lap. Edge coated my next words. “You better hope she arrives with not one fucking scratch on her hand!”

  “Can’t guarantee that. She’s not easy to hold on to.”

  I looked at him. “My mouse gave you a hard time?”

  Pride warmed the coldness in my heart. Jean-Pierre crossed his arms in front of his chest, and standing directly in front of me. He blocked my view of the movie.

  I frowned. “When they say the French are rude, I never understood until this trip.”

  “Not your best visit to Paris, Kazimir? Maybe next time the weather will be better.” He looked at Eden. “How are you?”

  She whispered, “I’m fine.”

  “Are you ready to come home?” he asked.

  “I am,” she whispered.

  I watched the couple with intrigue.

  You love her more than you love yourself. Then, she’ll die first. Perhaps, it would be better to kill her. I want you to hurt.

  An edge lay in Jean-Pierre’s voice. “And who did that to your face, reine?”

  She swallowed. “The Devil.”

  Reine? Did he call her queen? And what is he supposed to be. . .a king?

  I held in my humor.

  Jean-Pierre turned back to me. “Where’s the Devil now, Kazimir?”

  “I’m holding him.”

  “Why?”

  “Bargaining chip.”

  Jean-Pierre shook his head and went back to Eden. “Since you’ve been away, I’ve heard Strauss’s sonata in my ears. The first movement so romantic, yet the—”

  “Enough with the conversation,” I was tired of seeing both of them talk, and appear so lovey dovey. They wanted their happily-ever-after. They wouldn’t get it, until I got mine.

  Hurry, mouse. Hurry so we can kill them together.

  Jean-Pierre watched Eden. “The second movement seemed louder without you. Fast. Erratic. All over the place. Almost like feet to the ground. Running. Running really fast. Do you remember the notes?”

  What is this about the sonata? Jesus. I should just kill him now and deal with the consequences later.

  Jean-Pierre continued to annoy me. “Notes running. Running fast—”

  Before he could finish, Eden jumped out of the chair and ran off.

  Goddamn it. She’s not as weak, or slow as I thought.

&nbs
p; My men charged for her.

  Rafael shot them.

  More shots rang out as Eden ran to Rafael.

  But I didn’t care about that. Jean-Pierre would not have his happy ending today. He’d done too much, and by now the world would be watching.

  Jean-Pierre pulled out his gun.

  I rose and barreled into his side. He grunted. I latched onto his neck and choked him.

  Finally.

  With my hands tight around his neck, Jean-Pierre struggled to get his gun.

  Die. Die. Make it easier for yourself. If not, you’ll watch her die.

  We fell to the floor.

  More shots rang behind us.

  Eden screamed Jean-Pierre’s name.

  Good. She can watch you die too.

  But somehow, Jean-Pierre pulled out his gun as I choked him. He shot. A bullet grazed my side. Goddamn it. Pain burned my skin. I fell back.

  In a blur, he jumped to his feet and ran.

  Not today.

  I rose and raced after him. All of David’s men charged too.

  I hurried. Running over several of David’s dead men in the front row. It seemed Rafael wasn’t just funny; he was also a good shot.

  “Get the flute player!” I screamed.

  No. You don’t get a happy ending. Not today. You’ll pay for what you did.

  From my view, it was chaos, as we all chased Jean-Pierre and the others out of the theater. They couldn’t escape. I refused to spend these next days worried and looking over my shoulder, wondering if he would come back.

  I had no more time for days and weeks of war. Emily had our child. They needed to remain safe.

  “Kill them!” I roared as they made it out of the theater. The whole time the French shot and my men did too. Bullets zipped in the air.

  And in the middle of the chaos, I spotted Jean-Pierre. He still hadn’t made it to her.

  There you go.

  I was so close to him.

  And then Eden screamed ahead of us, “Jean-Pierre!”

  “I’ll be fine!” He jumped over a dead body. “Go without me!”

  Still, she screamed, “Jean-Pierre, the Lion’s right behind you.”

  I am.

  He ducked to the left.

  I leapt in front of him, barely missing. He slammed into my side, punched me in the jaw. Pain exploded. I gripped his neck. He slammed back into me.

  Rafael appeared behind him, raised his gun, and shot.

  Fuck.

  I jumped back and hit the floor.

  Jean-Pierre ran forward. Rafael kept his gun pointed at me. He had a good shot. Panic slammed me. I could die now.

  Both men ran off together.

  I exhaled.

  Jean-Pierre could run, if he wanted to. One of them would die. I had Russians outside the theater, and Russians by the van he had driven to the theater in .

  I’ll kill you later.

  David got to my side. One of them had shot him in his arm. “What do we do?”

  Pavel ran up to me. “We’ve got a problem.”

  Aggravated, I growled. “Besides what we already have?”

  “Maxwell and Emily couldn’t get in from the back. French police almost stopped and grabbed them. They’re coming around to the front.”

  Anxiety shifted my anger. “They’re running in Jean-Pierre’s direction?”

  “Yes. If he goes back out the way he came.”

  They can’t bump into each other. Jean-Pierre would have no reason to keep her alive.

  I rushed forward. “We have to make sure Jean-Pierre doesn’t go that way. Our best bet is to not let them leave the lobby, until I have Emily.”

  Where are you, mysh? I should have never sent Maxwell. I should have gone myself. Because I would have shot the cops.

  With Pavel and David at my side, I left the theater.

  Fighting had overtaken the lobby. The air smelled of buttery popcorn and blood. My men had not come to play. Ukraines battled in the space too. They shot at Jean-Pierre’s group, skimming off a few men one by one, but never killing the guys I wanted. The French had two women with them—Eden and the black woman who they intended to pass off as Emily.

  Who the hell is that?

  Shots blared. The women screamed. Popcorn flew everywhere. Arcade games rang among roars of chaos.

  David yanked me back into the theater. “Wait.”

  The door shut behind us.

  I gripped my gun. “What are you doing?”

  “Thankfully, it would l take time for them to get out of the theater.” David pointed to the exit. “Let’s get the vans with your special guns, drive them around the other way and make sure he’s blocked from your mouse.”

  “Let’s go.”

  We raced that way.

  I eyed him as he kept my pace. “Special guns?”

  “You asked for tanks. Remember? This was the best I could do.”

  Pavel yelled after us, “I’ll try to keep Jean-Pierre and his crew in the lobby.”

  “Good. Buy Emily time. They can’t bump into each other.”

  Third Act

  Chapter 13

  Kazimir

  David and I ran through the theater’s fire exit.

  Police guarded the spot. The same ones that had blocked Emily and Maxwell from coming inside.

  Fuck you.

  We shot them all. Bullets to the head. Easy targets.

  What was a cop uniform, when my mouse was involved? Nothing.

  Seconds later, dead cops littered the ground.

  “They’re over here.” David raced past bullet-ridden cop cars.

  I spotted them as we rounded the corner.

  Two huge vans were parked side by side with large guns welded on top of the roofs. Men stood on the van’s tops with helmet on their heads.

  “Yes.” I nodded. “This will do.”

  Men were already in the driver seats of the vans. As soon as David, and I came closer, the drivers started each vans engine . Other men slid the huge doors open.

  “Let’s go.” I ordered and climbed in.

  They drove, sped around the outside of the movie theater, and entered the section that Jean-Pierre had drove through earlier. Surprisingly, his men were not in that section. They were probably heading to save Jean-Pierre.

  He would no longer be able to use the van since my people had shot it up.

  I checked my phone.

  Where are you, mysh? Did Jean-Pierre spot you?

  My phone rang.

  “Yes?” I answered.

  Disappointment came, when Pavel’s voice hit the line. “Any sign of Emily?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Jean-Pierre is out of the lobby, but with half of his men.”

  “Good. And the women?”

  “They’re both alive.”

  “And the funny one?”

  “Him too.”

  “Call when you have something.” I hung up.

  We sped through the large mall, driving over filled bags sprawled on the floor. The mall had erupted into chaos. Shoppers jumped out of the way. Many had already been rushing to the exits, possibly hearing all the war going on in the movie theater. The place looked like a war zone. Shoes and sneakers were scattered among smoking guns in puddles of blood. Men from both sides aimed and shot. Teenagers ducked and screamed. Mothers dragged their kids, crying and running away. There was no mall security in sight.

  Shoppers raced all over the place, crashing into each other. More bags, and even large displays, crashed here and there. So many women ran back and forth. A mob of terrified people, speeding to the left and right.

  “Where are you, butcher?” I opened the passenger door as the van slowly drove through the chaos. Adrenaline pumped in my veins. I stood dangling out the passenger side, ready to kill someone. I held a gun in my hand, and revenge in my heart.

  David got behind the driver and glanced out the front window. “Where do you think he is?”

  I scanned the space. “Probably a perfume store,
or one that sells bras.”

  “He’s a wierdo.”

  “Exactly.” I hung further out the van, checking all directions. “We keep Jean-Pierre blocked in, until Emily arrives.”

  “Once she arrives?”

  Excitement bubbled inside of me. “Once my mouse comes, everyone can do whatever they want.”

  I won’t be paying attention.

  We drove toward the escalators. It was a fork in the rode. We could go right or left. I had no idea which way Emily was coming or where Jean-Pierre was going. The best bet would be to bother the shit out of him, until I got a phone call that she was safe.

  Crowds of men, women, and kids rushed back and forth, screaming as they spotted our vans.

  Someone shot in the air.

  I snapped my attention that way.

  David gritted his teeth. “He’s on the left.”

  The van moved toward the direction. My heart hammered. I didn’t like going in the direction Jean-Pierre may have shot from. The last thing I wanted to do was reunite with Emily full of bullets.

  I’ll be fine. She’ll be fine. She’ll be with me soon.

  I cocked my gun. “Hurry.”

  The driver honked his horn at the scared shoppers and sped up.

  I shook my head, as I took in more of the stores. A lot of makeup counters were in the center of this path. Tons of female clothing shops outlined the hallway. And then there were the perfume shops and lingerie stores.

  David laughed. “You weren’t kidding.”

  “I told you he was a wierdo.”

  What self-respecting man hid among bras?

  No more gun shots sounded .

  Besides people running, I hadn’t spotted him.

  Nothing? No. You’re hiding.

  Sweat trickled down the side of my face. The Butcher had proven to be a worthy villain. Tricky and able to deal with all the complications I threw his way.

  What do you have up your sleeve now? Do you know Emily is near?

  People screamed some more.

  The driver honked as we made it to the end of the path.

  David asked behind him, “You think we went down the wrong way?”

  “No way. The gun shot came from here.”

  “It could’ve been a distraction.”

  I nodded. “You’re right. Let’s head back to the escalators.”

  The tires screeched, as we swerved and did a U-turn . I was sure we left black streaks in the mall’s floor.