by L. R. Wright
“Where the hell is she?” The man was becoming more and more frantic. “She was supposed to be here. That’s the only reason I agreed to come.”
Dro stalled, hoping the man would reveal more. “Well, it’s obvious someone told you wrong. Is that why you stayed around after everyone left? Trying to get to her? That’s not going to happen. Who are you working for?”
“Shut up! You don’t call the shots. I do. You did this to my brother, too. Alexa told him you were extremely controlling. She said you wouldn’t let her go without a fight. But my brother couldn’t see past what he wanted, and he wanted her. He wanted to save her from you, but you made her choose between her life and his. So, of course, she chose to save herself.”
Dro clenched his teeth together. It was taking every ounce of restraint he had not to shoot the stupid man where he stood. But he had to know more. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I have never had to make Alexa choose me. It was innate for her—like seeing, hearing, or smelling. There was no choice to make.”
“Obviously you don’t know your wife. My brother did. They made plans together. They were going to leave and take my family with them.”
Dro snorted. “If you believe that, then you need serious help.” He assessed Lei, who grunted occasionally, and figured his brother-in-law was as tired of this charade as he was. But if Dro could keep the frazzled man talking, he might get everything he needed from him.
The gunman tapped Lei’s temple with his pistol. “I don’t need any help—you do. My brother told me all about you. He said Alexa was suffering in silence and needed to get out. She was pre—”
The light dawned and Dro knew the rest, even though the idiot abruptly shut up. “She was pregnant and your brother, Paul, thought she was unhappy and wanted to leave me.”
Paul’s brother yanked the mask off his face. “You figured it out, huh?”
Dro sighed. Paul had been hired as an accountant with Martinez Security and worked for the company for three years until he was caught embezzling money.
Dro had been hesitant to let Alexa get involved in the case, but she wouldn’t be deterred. Pregnant with Ky at the time, she had used tears and fake fear to gather evidence against Paul. He had believed all of her lies—most men did—and didn’t realize her true intentions until it was too late.
That’s why Alexa was one of the best operatives in the business. She was an excellent actress, was extremely efficient, and completed most jobs without breaking a sweat. When they were children, Dro had told her she overestimated sex appeal. But he had underestimated her.
“So Paul told you she was in a prison of sorts?” Dro asked, rolling his neck. “And you believed him, of course, because he was your older brother and hero. But what he didn’t tell you was that Alexa didn’t give a damn about him. You know why he didn’t tell you that? He didn’t know that until he was staring down the barrel of her gun. Paul was so entranced with her legs and her butt that he didn’t see her weapon until it was too late.” He glanced over the idiot’s shoulder then smirked. “I see you’re about to make the same mistake.”
CHAPTER 9
November 4, 2011, Safe House
The click of a gun echoed in the corridor. Dro recognized the moment Paul’s brother realized someone was behind him. He froze but didn’t turn around. Instead, he wrapped his free hand around Lei’s throat.
“Drop your gun, Tommy, or I’ll blow you to hell,” Alexa commanded softly.
Dro couldn’t help but smirk at the sight of his wife. She was beautiful—top to bottom. Dressed in black pants that hugged her body like a second skin, a short, black leather jacket, and knee-high leather boots, she had her hair pulled back into a long ponytail.
“Did you hear what I said?” she repeated. “Drop it. I won’t tell you again.”
“I knew you would come,” the man breathed.
“Really? You knew that? Did you also know that when I came, I would kill you?”
Kendrick snorted.
“Shut up.” Tommy glared at Kendrick a moment before adding, “I have been waiting for you, Alexa.”
“Good. I’ve been waiting to kill you. Now. Let. Him. Go.”
“Paul said you were tough, but that you had a heart. You won’t shoot me. You’re just a trapped, scared woman.”
She tilted her head to the side. “Really?” Gunfire erupted, reverberating in the small space. Two quick bursts. Tommy released Lei and slid to the floor.
Lei touched a finger to his temple then glared at Alexa. “I guess it’s a good thing you still go to the range occasionally.”
She shrugged. “Sorry.”
Tommy screamed in pain as blood gushed from his kneecaps. Cursing, he rolled over on his back.
Alexa stood over him, her feet on either side of his body. She bent down, practically straddling him.
You know,” she said sweetly. “I hate men who think that just because I’m a woman, I’m scared. You made many mistakes in your attempt to avenge your brother’s death. First, you underestimated me because I’m female.” A right hook to his face snapped his neck to the right. “Then you held my brother at gun point.” The ball of her fist snapped the cartilage in his nose.
He screamed again, blood dripping from his nose and into his mouth.
She tipped his chin up with her gun. “Look at me.”
He slowly opened his eyes, whimpering in pain.
She ran a gloved finger down the arch of his nose and pushed down hard, causing him to scream again. “Then you walked into my house and ruined all my furniture—” She clocked him hard with the butt of her gun. “—smashed all the dishes.”
She stood and stomped on his groin, twisting her heel. His shrill screams bounced off the walls. “You believed that punk-ass brother of yours.” She lifted his head and slammed it on the wood floor. “And you frightened my children.”
Whipping out a knife from somewhere on her body, she pressed it against his neck. “But you know what’s funny? After doing all those things, you still cry like a little bitch. Poor baby. You’re upset because Paul died? Well, your brother was a grown-ass man who made some very bad decisions and became a thief. My children aren’t grown and you scared them when you and your asshole friends charged in here and terrorized us. I don’t like it when my children are scared.”
He flinched when the knife dug into the skin below his ear. “Looks like you made one too many mistakes. Do you have something to say for yourself? Huh? Are you ready to apologize for all the trouble you caused my family?”
Tommy coughed and blood seeped out of his mouth, but the fool remained silent.
Alexa backhanded him. “You don’t have anything to say?” She pressed her forearm against his throat causing him to gasp for air. “So, you’re okay with me slicing your throat from ear to ear?”
“B—bitch,” he hissed between grunts.
“Bitch, huh?” She snorted. “Is that all you got? Well, judging by the amount of blood you’ve lost, you don’t have long to live, anyway. And just to show you I’m not totally heartless, I’m going to give you the chance to die with some dignity. Tell me what you know and I’ll end your life quickly and efficiently. But if you choose to remain mute, I’ll put a few more holes in you then leave you here to die a slow painful death—after I let these fellas have a shot at breaking you. So which would you prefer?”
Tommy’s eyes drifted closed.
***
Alexa stood and pointed her gun at Tommy. As much as what she was doing turned her stomach, she knew her family’s safety depended on getting all information he had before it was too late. So she placed her foot on his chest and stabbed him with the four inch heel of her boot. “Look at this bloody mess. You even bleed sloppy. You know, Tommy, on second thought, I’ll let them handle it anyway because I don’t want to mess up my outfit.”
His eyes widened. “Wait—”
“Do you finally have something worthwhile to say?”
“She offered...” He coughed
, his voice raspy. “They offered me a hundred thousand dollars to do this. But I would’ve done it for free after what you did to my brother.”
“Can you make up your mind? One minute you’re demanding revenge and the next minute you’re trying to appeal to the scared woman hiding inside me. But I’m not surprised you’re confused. You thought Paul walked on water. But he was flawed and didn’t think things through. He acted on emotions. And you took after him. So. Who. Hired. You?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” he snickered.
“I imagine your sister, Margaret, and your mother, Pamela, will tell me what I want to know.”
The little bit of color left drained from Tommy’s face. “You wouldn’t.”
“Tommy, Tommy, Tommy—didn’t we have this discussion about you underestimating me? Ask yourself that question again and see what answer you come up with.”
“Leave my family alone,” he choked out.
“Too bad you won’t be here to protect them.” Alexa shuddered inside as she said it. She hated torture, but sometimes it was a necessary evil—the only thing some people understood.
“Don’t hurt them,” he sputtered, blood spurting out of his mouth. “Please. I’ll tell you what you want to know.”
She backed away as the others crowded around Tommy. “I don’t know her name, but she’s working with someone else,” he admitted. “She contacted me about six months ago, told me that she had a job with a little revenge for me as a side bonus.”
“Was that someone else a man?” Dro asked impatiently.
Tommy nodded. “I heard her on the phone with him one day. I could hear his voice over the receiver.”
“So, you’ve seen this woman?” Alexa asked.
Tommy coughed again. “Yes, she hired me in person, but she would never give me her name.”
Kendrick rolled his eyes. “And you were so blood thirsty for revenge you didn’t bother to check her out?”
Tommy scowled at him. “I didn’t care. I just wanted to see Alexa suffer. The woman’s got money, but she doesn’t have much power. The man is calling all the shots.”
Dro appeared ready to end the man’s misery himself. “Where are they located? Where did you meet her?”
“She met me in a coffee shop on the edge of town,” Tommy mumbled. “Misti’s coffee.”
“I know where that is,” Chase said. “Describe this woman.”
“I heard about all of you from Paul.” Tommy coughed again and cleared his throat. “He told me the Martinez clan was known for its viciousness and said you wouldn’t think twice about killing as a means to an end.”
Lei stepped on his chest. “You’re losing focus, Tommy. Describe her.”
Tommy gulped and coughed up more blood. “You won’t hurt my family?”
“No,” Alexa answered. “Sister and Mom will be okay if you just tell us what we want to know.”
Tommy sighed. “Light skinned, short hair, hour glass figure. She did tell all of us that when we caught you, we should tell you something.”
“What?” Alexa kicked him again.
“She told me to tell you that she—that ‘your day was coming, little girl.’”
“Melissa,” Dro snapped. He eyed Alexa as he asked, “And she never said who she was working with?”
Tommy shook his head. “No, but I get the feeling they’re intimate with each other, maybe her husband or something.”
***
January 15, 1998:
Dro sat with Alexa on his lap at the local bar one evening, his arms wrapped possessively around her.
“I’m glad you’re here, baby,” he said. “I needed to see you.”
They’d been seeing each other semi-privately for longer than he wanted to admit. It was common knowledge she was his girl, but they hadn’t made a complete commitment yet.
“I’m glad you can admit that to me,” she whispered, nipping his bottom lip.
“Hey, I’m nothing if not honest, especially with you.” He watched her mull over his words and figured they were quickly heading off a cliff—a point of no return. Surprisingly, he was okay with that. He always knew they were destined to be together, but he hadn’t realized he would be anticipating that destiny with anything other than resignation.
After the debacle during her high school homecoming party, he had suggested that they continue to see other people with one stipulation—when he was in town, she was with him. Period. She’d had a stipulation of her own—the same thing held when she was visiting him on campus.
Over the past couple of months, he’d come to rely on her for more than just sex. Although they’d been close before, he’d never expected her to become his best friend. But they’d now reached the point where he confided in her and trusted her explicitly. She was quickly becoming the most important person in his life.
“Where did you go?” she asked, running her fingers through his hair. “We should head back to your apartment.”
He sighed. No use in prolonging the inevitable. “Yeah, let’s get out of here.”
As she slid off his lap, he dropped a fifty dollar bill on the bar. She reached out, grasped his hand, and began pulling him out of the bar. When he heard a loud gasp and realized who had come up behind them, he groaned in frustration. This isn’t going to be good.
“Hi Dro,” Melissa said then pointed at Alexa. “Who is this?”
“I’m Alexa.” She held out her hand to shake Melissa’s. “Who are you?”
Melissa eyed her with an air of superiority, which Dro knew would infuriate Alexa. “I’m Melissa. And I believe I was talking to Dro.”
Alexa folded her arms over her breast. “You asked who I am, and I told you.”
Melissa sneered at her. “Listen, little girl, I don’t know who you think you are, but this is my turf. My family runs this town. And I’m talking to Dro, not you.”
Alexa glanced at Dro again out of the corner of her eye. “Dro? Can you get your little friend to leave before I do something I won’t regret?”
He jammed his hands into his pockets. “Melissa, what do you want?”
She smiled at him and placed her hand on his arm. “Who is she, Dro?”
“She just told you who she was.”
Melissa snickered and turned to Alexa. “I’m sorry, little girl, but Dro is my man.”
“Really?” Alexa turned to him. “Is that true?”
He prided himself on his ability to remain calm in any circumstance, but right now he couldn’t think of anything to say. Alexa was going to hurt the fool if he didn’t get her out of here. He motioned for Kendrick who was watching with amusement on his face. Ari and Lei joined them as well.
“Well, Dro?” Alexa repeated. “Are you her man?”
He frowned. “What do you think?”
She turned back to Melissa. “I don’t know who you are, but I’m thinking it’s time you know who I am.”
Melissa smirked. “I could care less who you are. It really doesn’t matter. I run this place and I’ve had enough of you. Go back to the playground and play with someone your own age. Dro has his hands full with a grown woman.”
Alexa laughed. “You’re a regular comedian. I’m not going to argue with you about Dro. The clear fact is he’s leaving with me. It really doesn’t matter who you think you are to him.” She elbowed him in the gut. “I suggest you tell this person to get the hell out of my face.”
Dro wrapped his arm around Alexa’s shoulders. “Melissa, I’m trying hard not to embarrass you in public, but you’re acting like an idiot right now. I’m not your man. I’ve never been your man. I don’t know why you insist on making our relationship more than it was.”
“What?” she screeched. “How can you say that after everything we’ve done?”
Dro pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. “This conversation is getting old. I haven’t seen you since Thanksgiving. What makes you think you were more than a one night stand?”
“Ouch,” Alexa murmured.
Alexa squeezed his arm. “You really don’t want a scene, do you, Melissa? If I were you, I’d just walk away.”
Melissa shook her finger in Alexa’s face. “Bitch, you don’t know shit about me. You better watch your back.”
Alexa sighed and dug her nails into Dro’s arm as Melissa ranted about her family and her town, shoving that damn finger in Alexa’s face.
Finally, Alexa removed her nails from his skin, grabbed Melissa’s finger, and snapped it back.
Damn. Dro winced as Melissa screamed in pain and dropped to her knees while Alexa held on to her finger
“I’m tired of you calling me names,” she said calmly. “My name is not little girl or bitch. My name is Alexa. And if you can’t remember that shit, I’ll tattoo it on your ass.”
***
November 4, 2011, the safe house:
Dro knew Tommy was barely clinging to consciousness at this point.
“Tommy,” Alexa said, her voice almost a whisper. “Do you know what you’re brother did to me?”
He didn’t answer.
“He tried to rape me when I wouldn’t give him what he wanted. And when I fought him back, he cut me in my stomach, even though I was pregnant with my daughter. He threatened to kill me and my unborn child and shoot himself if I didn’t choose him over Dro. There was never any choice. So, I pretended to agree. He already thought I was unhappy, so I told him that I would leave Dro. And when he let go of me slightly, I pulled my gun out and I shot him right between the eyes.”
Dro looked at Tommy when she finished her story. His eyes were closed, his breathing shallow. When Dro glanced at Alexa, her eyes looked dead.
