The graveled road widened just as the woods parted.
A wide clearing spread out now, about 4 or 5 acres or so.
She nearly lost her breath at the sight.
So, this was Lola’s little hideaway, except there was hardly anything miniscule about the multi-level garden home that stood dead center. Like the Chalet home, it offered an unblemished view of the mountainside. The clear glass pane windows offered some visibility into the home. From her vantage point, she could make out the living quarters, and Lola stood at the window, watching them. Soon, she saw Carmine join his mother’s side before ushering her away.
Sullen, silent, he drove on past.
She cast a surreptitious glance at him.
Dear heavens, she mulled, taking in his tight expression. If he didn’t release that pent-up negative energy, there’s no telling what would happen.
“Are you and your mother still not speaking?” she asked softly, turning in the sideways in the seat again. “She hasn’t been at the house since that night.” The guilt compounded her. “Is it because of me? If so, I’m sorry---”
“No, it’s not because of you.” He took his eyes from the road briefly and looked at her. Sighing hard, he turned his attention to the road. “When she has episodes like that, she pulls back. She doesn’t want me around. Usually, it takes several weeks before she responds to me again or comes over to the house. Out here, this place, it becomes her refuge---her getaway from the rest of the world and me.” He released a pained breath. “When she shuts me out, it hurts like hell. All I want to do is protect her. But, it’s important that I give her the space she needs.”
Her eyes softened. “Things have to be difficult for her, and I can’t imagine the things that she goes through. While I’m hardly a mental professional, it seems that she’s suffering from post traumatic stress. Is she ashamed because she has those episodes?
“She has a lot of self-guilt. Why she holds herself responsible for the things that have happened, I don’t understand.” His jaw clenched tighter. “If there’s anyone to blame, it’s me----”
She grasped his hand on the console. “No, it’s not your fault.” She stared at the side of his face. “While I don’t know the specifics of what happened to your mother, it’s clear to me how much you love her. That’s enough to prove that you’re faultless in the situation.”
“You don’t know how much I wish that were true.”
His hand tightened about hers.
Rather than pulling away, she held on.
Again, their silent connection was growing stronger, although she was reluctant to admit. Falling silent herself, clinging to him, she stared out the window.
Ten minutes later, they arrived at their destination.
A log cabin was nestled among the trees. Just to the right, about several hundred yards away, there were stables and a tack room. An attractive well-buffed man was near the stables, leading a black stallion around by the reins. At the sound of the Jeep’s approach, he stopped and looked in their direction.
She tensed in the seat.
Without a doubt, this was Mr. Astute himself…
Cassius…
“What’s wrong?” he asked, slamming the gear into park, and with reluctance released her hand. Then, a knowing look crossed his face as he watched her. “Listen, don’t worry about Cassius. He’s harmless.” He pushed the door lever down. “Come on. It’s about time that the two of you meet.”
Nodding, she climbed from the Jeep.
With ease, she fell into step beside him, and she didn’t dissuade his gentle touch as he placed a hand midway her back. Grateful for the sign of comfort, she edged closer to him.
While they drew closer, it seemed that Cassius’s eyes narrowed further, and his tension was easily noticeable. But, he offered a tight smile when they stopped before him. “And finally we meet. My bro’s lovely damsel in distress,” Cassius muttered quietly, eyeing her close, and extended his hand. “You must be Bella.”
She returned his brief handshake. “Well, it’s nice to finally meet you. Braden has told me so many things about you.”
“He has huh?” Cassius asked with a raised brow. “Good things, I hope.” The humor played in his dark eyes as he glanced at Braden. “The last thing I need is for this mofo to ruin my stellar reputation.”
“Stellar reputation?” he laughed and punched his friend’s shoulder playfully. “I don’t think so, bro. Don’t worry. I’ve only told her some good points and left out all the ugly.”
“He’s an asshole, isn’t he?” Cassius chuckled, finally relaxing, and patted the stallion’s backside. “You’ll learn that soon enough, Bella.”
Giggling, she relaxed herself. “Really? Thanks for the warning.”
They fell into light banter and journeyed towards the stables.
Smiling, listening with a half-ear, she went into her own thoughts.
Of course, she’d been wrong to be so apprehensive!
While Cassius’s size was certainly intimidating, she was picking up similar vibes from him. Like Braden, he was a man of secrets, but there was integrity about the man that was so real.
“That problem that I mentioned earlier?” Cassius murmured with a sudden quickness, one that immediately stole her attention. After pushing the stall door open, he led the stallion inside. Then, propping against the railing, he looked at Braden. “You want to drive out and take a look at it now? I’ll be more than happy to keep Bella company for a bit.” His intuitive stare fell on her. “That is if you don’t mind.”
Ok, here is was.
Mr. Astute’s first test…
Certainly, he was expecting a reaction out of her.
“Of course, I don’t mind,” she said with ease and turned towards Braden. While he regarded her innocently, she noticed his rising tension. “You go ahead and take care of whatever you need to take care of.”
“Alright.” He gave a brisk nod. “It shouldn’t take that long. Why don’t you go wait in the office over there while I talk with Cassius for a minute?”
“Yeah, there’s hot coffee brewing, a few magazines,” Cassius broke in quickly. “That’s as far as it goes with entertainment out here. But, you’re welcome to anything that I have. Mi casa es tu casa.”
Her nod was stiff. “Of course.”
She treaded towards the office with heavy feet. But, they were hardly heavier than her troubled thoughts. Even as the door closed behind her, and she sank down, there was no dismissing the foreboding feeling.
There was trouble.
Big trouble…
***
They waited until the office door closed.
Cassius threw him a fast glare. “Think you can message me sooner, next time? Do you know how hard I had to haul ass and get back here? Working the stables was the fastest excuse that I could come up with. Hell, Brilliance is in horse wonderland bliss today. This is the second time that I’ve walked her and scooped up horse shit,” Cassius hissed, throwing a cautious look towards the office. Barely restraining a curse, he kicked at the ground. “What the fuck are you doing, man? Bringing her here like this?” His scowl worsened. “Are you adding kidnapping to your list of crimes? The roads are no longer flooded and have been clear for weeks now. So there’s no excuse for her even being here.”
“Keep your voice down or she’ll hear you.” He looked in the direction of the door. “I’ve got this. Don’t worry your big head about it.”
“You mean to tell me that she doesn’t know, asshole?” Cassius asked with a thunderous expression. “Damn it, Titan. You’re obviously stuck in some warped of version of fantasy land. Are you that damn desperate to keep her here that you’d lie?”
The reality slapped him hard in the face. “Using the word ‘desperate’ is going a bit too far. Besides that, I haven’t lied. It’s just a careful case of omission.” A new anger glowed in him. “But, what if I do want her here? There’s no harm in that.”
“It’s a big problem when shit is going d
own, and right now, the shit stinks. You don’t even know the half of it. Why didn’t you leave her back at the house?” Cassius blew an exasperated breath. “You could’ve at least done that.”
“Trust me. I had little choice on the matter.” He bit back a curse. Then, bracing both hands against the railing, he stared at his friend point blank. “If I’d refused, it’d have only aroused her suspicions.” His voice dropped low. “And how many times do I have to tell you that she’s clean. She’s not out to get me.”
“When it comes to that woman, you’re blind.” Sighing hard, Cassius shook his head. “Look, she seems nice enough, and I didn’t pick up any bad vibes from her. With that being said, I still don’t trust her.”
“You don’t trust anybody, and considering things, you have no reason to. But, if there’s anyone you can have faith in, it’s me. So, please trust my judgment when it comes to Bella. She’s completely innocent in this and has no part.” He paused for a moment. “What’d you find?”
Cassius risked another glance towards the office and kept his voice at a low conspiratorial whisper. “We can’t talk about it here. Not as long as she’s this close. It’s too risky.”
“Alright, alright, alright. Fuck,” he whispered lowly and punched the railing. “Keep her occupied until I have time to check.” He pushed away from the stall before facing him again. “And no funny business. Don’t go in there making her uncomfortable and putting her on the defensive.”
“Can’t promise that I won’t play detective, bro---you should know that better than anyone. Maybe some time alone with her will convince me that she’s not a threat.” Cassius stared at him long and hard. “I think that we’re in for more than we’ve bargained for. There’s no way for me to prepare you for what’s out there. We’ll have to decide how to take care of the little situation later.”
The drive took about 15 minutes.
After killing the motor, he didn’t make any moves to get out.
He stared straight ahead at the dark cave.
Then, after a brief hesitation, he left the car.
Once reaching the cave’s entrance, he flicked on the flashlight before beginning the treacherous journey. Even his footsteps were hollow against the cave floor and echoed against the walls. The light bounced along the surroundings as he forged ahead. Suddenly, the path widened as he reached the cave midway. As the fresh light spilled inside overhead, he killed the flashlight. Stopping, planting both hands on his hips, he surveyed the surroundings.
The product was still intact.
Pure white cocaine…
Stacked on a pallet about 9 feet high and 8 feet wide…
Perfectly packed in clear plastic wrapping and readied for distribution…
At least it had been weeks ago until he’d intercepted another drug trade. Playing a modern day anti-hero certainly wasn’t easy, he frowned, especially when it entailed stealing drug shipments, staying ten steps ahead of the feds, and then eventually destroying the shit in these dark caves.
Hell, maybe he was helping somebody or saving at least one.
One thing was for sure, a missing shipment would send Vitali into a tizzy, he thought with a smug smile, pulling the knife from his pocket, and then, sliced a thin line through the packet. As the white powder filled his hand, he gave a fast sniff.
“The real shit---pure poison that has destroyed so many,” he said bitterly, rubbing it between his fingers. “But, I’m your poison because you’ll never see the light of day and hit the streets. We’re going to burn you to the ground. Guess that means more trouble and loss of millions for the southern mafia. May you all rot in a well-deserved hell.”
Frowning, he looked around.
But, what in the hell had Cassius so worked up?
Finally, after rounding the tower of cocaine, he stopped dead in his tracks and muttered in disbelief. “What the hell?”
Apparently, earlier when Cassius had arrived to began dismantling and destroying the product, he’d made the discovery. About midway the pallet, a huge hole was dug out and he saw the grisly sight.
Right there, dead smack in the middle…
A dead man…
Perfectly wrapped in plastic….
The vomit rose in his throat.
Even through the plastic, he could smell the stench.
From neck down, the man was completely naked.
Eyes wide and agape, the man had apparently been in shock.
The bright red blood soaked the thin material and was dried in places. To say that the sight was horrible was a drastic understatement.
Coughing, covering his mouth with his hand, he edged closer to the pallet. At once recognition spawned. Caesar Velasquez…the Colombian drug lord who’d turn on a dime and pit enemy against enemy during a drug trade…Obviously, this is what Vitali had meant weeks ago. He’d decided to use this drug deal as a death trap for Velasquez, and the criminal’s burial ground was literally now in his back yard.
“Fuck!” Blowing a fast breath, he stepped away from the pallet. The coolness within the cave failed to alleviate his red hot agitation. “Drugs and a dead man---what in the hell am I going to do now?”
***
Resisting the urge to squirm in the chair, she returned Cassius’s tight smile across the desk. A short while after Titan had left, they’d quickly run out of small talk, and the tension had become thicker than ‘thick’ in the tiny office. When Titan had mentioned that Cassius was intensely introspective, he’d been exact. Now, he didn’t bother hiding his apprehension about her.
“So, you’re just moving to Columbus, huh?” Cassius questioned, rearing back in the chair and sending it into a slow rocking motion. “Finding it interesting so far?”
She fingered the tiny thread on the chair. “It’s quite nice.”
“Hmmm…is that so?” His brows pinched in a frown above his dark eyes. “Titan tells me that you’re a dancer at Sinful Shades. You’ve been there how long?”
She kept a straight face. “About a few weeks this time around.”
“This time around?” A vivid curiosity played in his eyes. “So, you were a dancer there before?”
“Yes.”
“Interesting,” Cassius muttered, keeping his eyes carefully pinned on her face, and it seemed like he was looking for some hidden secret. “So, I suppose it’s safe to say that you know of Vitali, then?”
She shrugged. “Of course. Who doesn’t know him?”
“Guess the next question should be how well.”
For a moment, she said nothing. Then, tired of the game, she leaned forward in the chair. “Why don’t we just skip all the formalities and you just say what you really want to say,” she muttered tightlipped. “It’s more than obvious that you have a problem with me.”
“I’ve barely known you past ten minutes. What problem could I possibly have with you?” Cassius challenged and rose forward himself. “I mean, according to Titan, your sudden presence here is completely innocent. You’ve passed his litmus test with flying colors.”
“But, not yours?” she countered.
“Unfortunately, no. Why? My intuition hasn’t given me that very answer yet.” A cold wariness filled his eyes. “Listen to me good. Titan and Lola are family to me. At one point, I was a pissed out homeless hellion on the streets, bouncing from one foster home to the next. But, whenever I needed shelter or help, Lola took me in. Titan and I, we’re brothers despite the lack of blood ties.” Cassius paused for a second. “Let’s just say that we bonded way back when. Our experiences are similar when it comes to our old men. Because of it, we kind of had each other’s back.” Watching her closely, he stilled the chair’s rocking motion. “Lola’s like a mother to me, and she’s been through a helluva lot. Titan’s been her only lifeline for many reasons. Hell, not that it’s any of your business, but I know their story since I partially lived it.” His stare was intense. “Shit, you’ve witnessed one of Lola’s episodes, so it’s obvious that shit’s up. They’ve both been through
enough, and I won’t idly stand by when someone’s out to hurt them.”
Her voice was shaky. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Want the truth? I don’t trust you. More than that, I know how Vitali operates,” Cassius admitted, tensing across from her. “And keeping Lola eternally drenched in a world of dark hell is what he basically lives for. Sending you here, distracting Titan---it places everything at a point of vulnerability---that’s exactly what he wants.”
“So, you think that I’m running a game for Vitali, then?” she asked stiffly. “Well, you couldn’t be more wrong.”
No, she wasn’t Vitali’s mole, but rather the feds.
Swallowing hard again, she kept a straight face.
“Am I though? I mean, all of a sudden, you’re just here.” Cassius tapped a finger against the desk and then shook his head. “I’m not a believer of coincidence. Something just ain’t right.” Then, he reared forward in the seat. “Word of warning---I’ll be watching you. Hope you make all the right steps.”
The air in her throat was tight. “And if don’t?”
“Well, I suppose it’ll be up to me to prove what kind of phony you really are. Believe me. If there’s anything that Titan prides above anything, its truth and honesty. Once his trust is broken, he never forgives.”
At that point, they heard the sound of the approaching Jeep.
They both stood awkwardly, and she was even less composed.
In silence, they both left the office.
But, who was the most tense amongst them, she noted, taking in his sullen expression as he climbed from the Jeep. The tension radiated from him in waves as he approached them. “Sorry that it took so long,” he said stiffly and passed her a brief glance. “You ready?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“Alright, you go ahead and wait in the car. I have to talk to Cassius in private for moment.” His features tightened more. “It won’t take but a minute, and we’ll be on our way.”
She glanced between the both of them. “Alright.”
Rise of the Titan Page 19
