by Stacy-Deanne
Connie gripped the sides of her head, flinching.
Priti took rhythmic shots while the boys double-handed their firearms and blasted bullets with aggression.
“My god.” Dee gaped, surprised and impressed at the group’s effortless accuracy.
The youngsters shot up the animals, not only breaking them but erasing any evidence of their existence.
“Wo-hoo!” August raised his gun after they’d massacred the statues. “That was off the chain.”
The others laughed and fist-bumped each other while Connie and Dee hightailed it back to Dee’s car.
They got in and sunk into their seats, huffing and puffing.
“Jesus Christ,” Connie said. “Dee—”
“Did you see that shooting? I know cops who’ve been on the force for years that can’t shoot like that. Someone trained the hell out of them.”
“I could definitely see them shooting up the Kengs without batting an eye.” Connie licked her lips between panting. “We need evidence besides a notebook and a hunch though.”
“We’d better get it fast.” Dee’s breathing calmed. “Before the others in that notebook end up dead.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Interrupted by the phone while making his favorite “breakfast for dinner” dish that night, Winston dropped the pancake in the pan in mid flip. “Ah, shoot.” The golden brown side mixed in with the undone batter. “Hell.” He reached for his phone off the kitchen counter disappointed to see it wasn’t Dee’s number but an unknown caller.
Winston accepted the call as he flipped another pancake. “Detective Winston Lewis.”
“Hello, Detective,” Jonathan said.
“Uh-uh.” Winston groaned. “Fuck off—”
“Hold on. Don’t hang up on me yet. Just wanted to tell you to enjoy Deidra while you can. She’ll return to me soon.”
“You stay the fuck away from her.” Winston slammed the spatula into the pan. “This isn’t over, Jonathan. We’ll finish this. You and I.”
“How’s things going? You must be dancing on the moon with the joyous news.”
Winston clamped his teeth together. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
Jonathan snickered. “The little bundle of joy that’s on its way.”
Winston’s heart dropped in his stomach. “How the fuck did you know Dee was pregnant?”
“Don’t celebrate too hard though. You’re not the daddy.”
Winston’s hands trembled. “What?”
“Something wrong with your hearing, Detective? Deidra’s baby is mine.”
“You’re lying.” Winston gritted his teeth. “That would mean you had to have sex with Dee and that sure as hell didn’t happen. Dee would never cheat on me.”
“Deidra and I shared everything when she was here. She fell in love with me. She got cold feet, so she ran back to you and what was familiar and comfortable.” Jonathan smacked his lips. “But, only I can satisfy the thirst deep inside her. She was destined for much more than being on the arm of some broke, two-bit cop.”
“Nice try.” Winston faked a laugh. “Won’t work.”
“I didn’t sleep with Deidra?” Jonathan whispered. “How would I know about that mole? The one underneath the left cheek of her ass?”
A thick vein throbbed in Winston’s neck.
“I’ve had to have seen it, wouldn’t I?” Jonathan teased. “How would I if we didn’t make love?”
“You...” Winston panted. “Could’ve seen her naked.”
“What man could see Deidra naked and walk away? I had her, Winston. And, she loved every minute of it.”
“Fuck you!” Winston threw the phone across the kitchen as the pancakes burned but he didn’t give a damn. “You’re dead, Jonathan.” He yanked up his phone and stormed out the kitchen. “You’re fuckin’ dead!”
****
“Just talk to me.” Winston stood in Dee’s living room, rocking with his hands on his waist. “Is what Jonathan said the truth?”
She sat on the couch and tucked her leg underneath her, tears clinging to her eyelashes. “He drugged me and had sex with me.”
He dropped down beside her, his head hanging.
She sniffled, rocking. “I’m so ashamed.”
“That...” The words rolled around in Winston’s head but he still didn’t believe it. “Fuck justice!” He jumped up, waving his arm. “I’m taking care of him tonight.”
“No!” She stood. “Winston—”
“Enough, Dee.” He sucked spit from his lip. “We’ve done it your way and it hasn’t worked so we’re doing it mine now.”
She grabbed him into a hug. “Don’t do this.”
He breathed through his nostrils. “Let me go.”
“No—”
“I’m sick of this!” He pushed her arms from his waist. “The man does whatever he wants and never pays. How do you expect me to sit back and let him get away with what he did to you?”
“Because this isn’t about you.” She turned away, walking back to the couch. “When will you realize that?”
“You said you needed me to be there.” He walked around her and stopped in front of her. “Let me.”
“Don’t you think I want to pump a million bullets into Jonathan Wild’s skull but what would that do?”
He held his breath. “It would give us peace.”
Her eyes fell to the floor. “If you let anger make you take another person’s life he’s already won.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“I’m so sorry, Winston.” Dee pressed her damp cheeks into his wide shoulder, rolling her fingers through his silky curls. “Please forgive me.”
“You did nothing wrong.” He kissed her again. “You understand me?”
“If I hadn’t kept going over to Jonathan’s then—”
“Mm.” Winston pushed his fleshy lips on hers, his pleasurable kiss overtaking her anxiety. “You’re my lady, and I love you.” He held her face, forcing her eyes on him. “I don’t blame you for any of this.”
She put her arms around him, crawling her fingers up his muscular back. “Don’t let go of me. Not tonight. I need you now more than ever.” She kissed his cheek. “Please, don’t run away.”
“I’ll never abandon you.” He nibbled her neck sending shivers through Dee’s spine. “I want you.” He lifted her shirt, threw it on the floor and feasted his eyes upon her pink bra. “I’m sorry for fucking things up.” He got on one knee and unbuckled her jeans. “I’ll regret nothing like I regret how I’ve treated you.” He lowered her jeans midway her hips and licked her belly button with his sticky tongue.
“Oh.” Dee arched her back, pulling his head into the warmth of her body.
“I love you so much.” He smacked, his lips pinching the skin of her belly. “You’re so beautiful, Dee.” He slipped her jeans and panties to the floor, kissing her trembling legs.
She closed her eyes, her clit throbbing from an itch only he could scratch.
He rose, licking the sweat from between her breasts.
She pulled him into a steamy kiss, her vulva pulsing with raw, uncivilized passion. “I love you.” She turned his head left and right, sucking his tongue and lips while his hands circled her buttocks and landed on the curve of her back. “I love your smell.” She sniffed his sharp cologne.
In between kisses, they finished undressing each other, and Winston pulled Dee to the floor, her ass sinking into the beige carpet.
She stared into his hungry eyes, daydreaming of the perfect life they could have together if only Jonathan left them the hell alone.
Winston rubbed his smooth, rock-hard shaft between her inner thighs.
Dee moaned, serenity sailing through her body as if she’d broken from a cocoon.
He kissed her again, sending a jolt through her nipples.
“How can this be possible?” she whispered as his tongue explored her nipples. “How can being in your arms feel so good?” She widened her legs as he pushed himself inside her f
luid walls. “Ah.” She rocked, maneuvering her body so he’d hit that nerve that memorized her. “When we’re like this, I don’t care about anything else.” She grabbed his shoulders, feeling his goose bumps rise underneath her fingertips. “We’ll be all right.”
“You’re mine, Deidra.” He held her hands to the floor, plunging deeper inside her. “I’m not letting you go again.”
“Oh.” She balled her fingers against the carpet, the bud of her clit throbbing for more.
****
Dee lay with her leg wrapped around Winston, rubbing his sweaty nipple. “What did I do to deserve you?”
“Oh, no.” He lifted her head off his chest and kissed her. “You’re the prize, not me.”
She glanced at the ceiling while stroking her toe against his leg.
“I know what you’re thinking.” He pushed her hair from her face. “You’re scared the baby is Jonathan’s, but it’s not.”
She leaned up on her elbows. “We can’t be sure.”
“I’m sure.” He pinched her chin. “This baby is ours because it was created out of love not evil. That’s what Jonathan is. Pure evil.”
“How did things get so fucked up?”
He kissed her shoulder. “It’s okay.”
“I can’t lose you.” She gripped his arm. “I’d die if that happened.”
“I’m not leaving.” He touched her cheek. “You understand me? I’m not leaving you no matter what.”
She sniffled. “You can’t make that promise.”
“Oh, yes. I can.” He wiped her tears with his thumb. “I love you and we vowed to be together for the good and the bad. This damn sure isn’t so good but I’m not going anywhere.” He hugged her tight. “Even if it’s not my baby...” He swallowed. “I’ll love it because I love you.”
She kissed him, their lips sticking together after it ended. “You’re saying this now but—”
“I’ll say it forever. I’d rather have you with Jonathan’s child than to not have you at all.”
She laid her head on his chest as he rocked her. “God, help us if this is his baby.”
****
“How can we trust you?” August yelled at Priti on the Shims’ back patio the next evening. “When you’re running your mouth to the police?”
“Me?” Priti jumped off the hammock. “I’m not the one who went to the station with my mother and stayed there for who knows how long.”
August punched his palm. “I didn’t tell the cops shit.”
Priti put her hands on her miniscule waist. “I didn’t either.”
“Calm down.” Val got between them. “Turning on each other won’t help.”
“Val’s right.” Hyeon walked onto the deck with a tray of junk food.
Sung followed in behind chomping on a chocolate chip cookie.
“What did I tell you about fighting each other, hm?” Hyeon set the tray on the table. “Our bond is stronger than God.” He smiled, lifting a cookie. “Save your anger for those who deserve it.”
“How can you be so calm?” August approached Hyeon in black Adidas flip-flops. “I need to be sure we can all be trusted. Make sure no one’s going behind backs and making deals.”
“Chill, man.” Val hit August’s back. “We’re the K-Town Angels, remember? Besides, if we deserve anything it’s a medal for getting those creeps off the streets.”
“Yeah.” Priti grabbed a handful of cheese balls from the tray. “We eliminated the devils and there are more where they came from.”
“We pledged loyalty to this group.” Hyeon rubbed his hands together, eyebrows curving. “Me as your leader and you as spiritual siblings.”
They looked at each other.
“Remember.” Hyeon touched August’s arm. “You can only trust each other for the greater good. The justice system is a travesty.” He let August go, grimacing. “The world full of perverted sin. Now we can’t exterminate them all but we can get them out of this community.” He balled a fist. “We must remember what’s at stake. We do this for every little boy and girl who couldn’t fight back. Who were too scared to speak. Those who don’t have a voice.”
“He’s right.” Priti swallowed. “We all understand the pain of being abused and not being able to stop it. We’re doing this to help those like us. To show them someone cares about what they’ve been through. God put us on earth to rid it of sin and nothing is more sinful than a pedophile or a rapist who takes advantage of children.”
“They couldn’t die soon enough,” Val said. “We have to remember the pain we felt, August. When we all went through what other victims did. We do this for them.” He stuck out his fist.
Priti and Sung stuck theirs out too.
“This is your family,” Priti told August. “We’ll always have your back.”
August held his fist to theirs.
Hyeon smiled. “Our work has only just begun. We have more cleaning to do. Are you ready for your next victim?”
August’s mouth lifted in the corner. “Hell yeah.”
“Good.” Hyeon bobbed his head. “Remember, no matter how this turns out, we stick together. Our bond is gold.”
“Our bond is gold,” the group shouted with their fists in the air.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Broadville Port, Maryland
Dee watched in her side mirror as Rena crossed the road and hopped into the passenger’s seat of Dee’s car that night. “Dee.” She opened her arms to hug her but Dee moved away. “I...I missed you. I’m so sorry about everything that’s happened.”
Dee rubbed her thumb on the steering wheel. “If you mean that, help me get Jonathan.”
“How’s your baby?” Rena laid her hand on Dee’s stomach. “I’ve been praying it’s Winston’s child. Jonathan’s talking about it constantly. He’s even thought of baby names.”
“This isn’t his baby.” Dee pushed Rena’s hand away. “Winston and I are getting a DNA test before it’s born to prove it.”
Rena wiggled in the seat. “What if it’s Jonathan’s baby?”
“It’s not.” Dee turned on the interior light, catching the purple bruise on Rena’s chubby cheek. “Jesus. Did Jonathan do that?”
Rena touched her cheek.
“Did he hit you? That son of a bitch.”
“It’s fine.”
“This isn’t okay, Rena. He hit you?”
“I got out of line.” She straightened her red lips. “He was in a bad mood at dinner and I was getting on his nerves.”
“I don’t give a damn what you did. No man has the right to hit you. Jonathan doesn’t own you, Rena.”
“He does, Dee.” Her small, silver hoops dangled from her ears. “There’s no need talking about it. It’s not gonna change anything.”
“You’re not going back in there with that monster. You of all people know what he’s capable of.”
“That’s right.” Rena exhaled, her large bosom jiggling. “That’s why I’ll never leave. It’s less dangerous just staying and keeping my mouth shut.”
“Is this because of me? Is he taking things out on you because you helped me?”
“He no longer trusts me.” Rena pushed a blonde ringlet behind her ear. “He’s obsessed with you more than we could’ve guessed.”
Dee looked forward, heart pounding.
“All he does is think about you and how to get you back. He’s never gonna give up until you’re his.”
“Don’t go back in there. Come with me and you’ll have protection and—”
“A member of The Circle never leaves Jonathan without living to regret it.”
“At least you’d be living.” Dee stared at her. “Right now you’re a prisoner.”
“It’s my life.” Rena grabbed the door. “I gotta get back before someone realizes I’m gone.”
“I wanna get Jonathan on the rape and you’re the only person who’ll help me prove that.”
“He has immunity.”
“For the kidnapping, not everything else. Pl
ease, Rena.” Dee took her hand. “I need you.”
She swallowed. “I’ll think about it.”
“That’s not good enough.” Dee sat back. “Choose who you’re loyal to, Jonathan or me. It can’t be both.”
“I wish I could take back everything that happened.” A tear skated down her cheek. “It’s killing me I didn’t help you sooner.”
“Then help me now.” Dee sighed. “Before it’s too late.”
****
“Just a minute.” Lydia dashed to Dee’s front door and checked the peephole.
Someone stood on the porch with their face hidden behind a gorgeous bouquet of assorted flowers. “Special delivery for Dee Quarter,” the man spoke low.
Lydia opened the door. “Dee isn’t home right now but I’ll take those beauties.”
Jonathan lowered the flowers, his lips wearing a lecherous smile. “Hello, Lydia.”
She screamed and tried to slam the door but he slipped his foot in between it. “Get out of here.” She attempted to run, but he grabbed her and slapped his hand over her mouth. “Mm!”
“Sh.” He kicked the door closed. “Just listen.”
“Let me go,” she mumbled underneath his hand, which boasted a bitter aroma from the flowers.
“I just wanna talk to you, Lydia.” He tightened his arm around her waist. “Then I’ll go.”
She stomped on his foot and elbowed him.
“Ah!” He let her go, rubbing his gut. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Get out!” She pulled her phone from her pants pocket as she ran into the living room.
Jonathan raced into the room, leapt on her and got the phone. “Listen! I’m not gonna hurt you.”
“Get out of this house.” She backed up toward the couch, heart pounding and knees knocking. “Don’t you touch me.”
He rushed toward her. “Why are you afraid of me?”
“You kidnapped my sister!” She backed up until she bumped into the mantel. “Stay away from me.”
He stopped by the table, panting. “You’re the only who can help me.”
“What?”
“I need you to talk sense into Deidra. You’re the only one she’ll listen to.”
