Breaking Bad: 14 Tales of Lawless Love

by Koko Brown

  She would skip the pleasantries. Like Lenny, this man worked for Crush Crandall. She peered down. At least he didn’t come to her with gloves on his large hands.

  “Why aren’t you looking at me?” He scanned the area again, a customary move for someone up to something.

  “I remember you. I don’t need to stare.” Truth be told, if she had looked at him, she would again become that impulsive eighteen-year-old who did anything to get his attention. “What I need to know is who sent you here and how did you know I would be here at this time? I didn’t take the private jet back home.” She glanced at a woman standing next to her who perked up when Victoria mentioned the jet.

  Victoria needed to keep her cool. She still had control.

  “I’m here to pick you up.” Russell stood close to her, too close.

  Victoria felt the heat coming from his muscled body. She remembered, years ago, he used to wear this overpowering cologne that complemented his macho demeanor. Now he smelled clean, but still manly, like a lighter, musky scent. To her surprise, she took a deep breath to draw in his essence.

  The blaring carousel siren sounded in the airport. The noise and the proximity of Russell made Victoria jump. She cursed under her breath before she addressed Russell again.

  “You’re looking—” Russell hesitated before finishing his thought.

  She could have sworn she caught him swallowing hard first. Victoria bit the inside of her cheek to keep from reacting to him.

  “You look like you could use some rest.”

  Victoria exhaled and watched the bags being spit out onto the moving black scales. She didn’t expect Russell to comment on her appearance like that. What did she expect?

  “You look a bit tired, too.” She kept her stare on each bag. “I guess working for Crush takes a lot out of you.”

  “Twelve years away is a long time. We’ve all grown up a bit.” Russell cleared his throat.

  Victoria couldn’t agree with him more.

  “And I’m not here for Crush.” Russell looked pensive for a moment after his eye twitched before he amended his statement. “I’m not working a job.”

  She spotted one of her smaller suitcases with an LV logo stamped all over it. As she reached for it, Russell stopped her and snagged the bag first.

  “How many more bags like these do you have?” He set it down next to her.

  Not wanting his help, she grabbed the handle and pulled it next to her. “I’ll ask you this one more time. If I don’t get a straight answer, I’m going to scream that you’re trying to rob me.”

  That threat made Russell take several steps back. “What’s wrong with you? I’m only trying to help you here.”

  She grabbed another bag before glaring at him. “I didn’t tell anyone when I was flying in. Seeing you here must mean something.”

  Russell muttered a curse. “All it means is that I want to drive you. That’s it.”

  “Drive me where? Where do you think I would want to go?”

  “Home.”

  Part of his statement did ring true.

  Then Russell continued. “Home to Crush’s place.”

  The admission had the blood rushing from her head. “Why would I go there?”

  He blinked. “Why wouldn’t you want to go there? Aren’t you still living at home?”

  “I’ve been on my own for a long, long time.” Victoria snickered. “Why should I trust you? Even though you say you’re not working for Crush, you’re here for him. He’s not the most honorable man out there.” Victoria shook her head. “You need to get away from me.”

  “I’m afraid I can’t do that.” Russell glanced over at the conveyor belt filled with bags and grabbed a third suitcase. He peered at the luggage tag before setting it down in between the two of them.

  The cold shiver returned, overtaking her body. “And what is it worth to my father to deliver me to him? I know you didn’t gain psychic abilities in prison. You had to have known where I would be from him. So tell me. And you had better tell me the truth.”

  Russell didn’t answer. He rubbed the back of his neck and appeared uncomfortable at the query.

  “Ten thousand?” She kept her stare on his eyes.

  Mistake. At her close range, the dullness she had spotted before disappeared. He had her mesmerized with his hypnotic gaze. The man didn’t know his own strength.

  When he didn’t answer, she continued. “Fifty thousand?”

  “It doesn’t matter.” His lips curled on the side again like when he first spotted her. “What matters is that you come with me to—”

  She cut him off. “Half a mil?”

  Russell scanned the area around him again. Victoria guessed that he, too, had gotten used to watching his own back.

  “It’s more than that, isn’t it?” Victoria attempted to corral her three bags on her own. “Unbelievable.” She stared at Russell. “You don’t get it, do you?” She wheeled the pieces to the front door.

  “You have no idea what I know.” Russell stood in front of her, blocking her path before she could make it outside.

  She peered around him to the loading area until her gaze settled on a spotless white Rolls Royce. She looked up at Russell. “Is that what you came here in?”

  Russell glanced behind him briefly before addressing her. “No. I walked here.”

  Victoria felt her eyes go wide. “Walked? How did you think you were going to—”

  “I didn’t want Crush tracking us, finding me.”

  Victoria gripped her purse, ready to leave her belongings and run from Russell and this situation.

  Russell continued. “I suspected that Crush would have had his cars tracked.”

  Even though Russell had shared the same feelings that Victoria had as soon as she exited the plane, she still didn’t feel calmed. Right now she felt surrounded without any options.

  Russell stared out to the front of the airport. “Jelly,” he muttered.

  She looked out the door again and saw what Russell had noticed. Her string-bean cousin sauntered around the Rolls before leaning against the passenger side door. Victoria exhaled.

  Jaleel, as he liked to be called now, had been like the little brother she never had. Even though he now worked for her father, she knew he would have her back.

  Russell snatched her two wheeled bags from her and walked forward away from the front doors, which forced her to stumble backward.

  She wanted to scream. Instead between gritted teeth, she hissed, “What the hell are you doing?”

  “You think your cousin is here to look out for you? You’re smarter than that.” With his shoulder, he nudged Victoria so that she could turn around and walk forward with him. Russell settled on the other side of an indoor water feature. “Crush must have asked your cousin to come get you.”

  “Yet you’re here.” Victoria tried grabbing her bags from him again. “What makes you the better of the two evils?”

  “I’m here because of something Crush had said when I walked away from him. He said no matter what, he was going to get you.” Russell looked at her from her eyes down to her feet and back up again. “He wants you for some reason.”

  Victoria caught his quick scan of her body before looking her in her eyes. The way he took notice of her made her stomach quiver.

  She had to push away those silly schoolgirl feelings for a man she had a crush on as a teenager and remember the fact that she now stood with an ex-con. A felon. She had a life-or-death moment right now.

  “Jaleel wouldn’t hurt me.” She started to head to the front doors again. “Would he?” She hated questioning every aspect of her life, including her family ties.

  “He wouldn’t.” Again, Russell blocked her path. “But why is he here when I’m here to get you? If you get in that car, you’re not going to like what will happen.”

  The seriousness of his words hit Victoria.

  “I don’t believe you. What’s the difference between you taking me to Crush or Jaleel?” Victoria moved
in closer to Russell. His overwhelming, masculine scent had her wanting to dive her face into the side of his neck to inhale his powerful smell.

  “What’s the difference?” He cocked his head. “Then and now, Crush never told me plans beyond what he wanted me to do. You think the same holds for his family?”

  She darted her eyes to observe her full surroundings. If she needed help, would she get it? Too bad she didn’t have a glass in her hand. It had helped her out with Lenny. As she stared at Russell with his square jaw, she wondered if she could even hurt him. She might have to persuade him to be kind to her in other ways.

  Russell leaned in close and lowered his voice. “I’m on your side. Remember the guy you knew years ago. I haven’t changed.” His eye twitched again before his mouth pulled to the side.

  “We all change.” Victoria ran her fingers through her hair. “Shit.” She paced in her spot. “I’ve got to get out of here.”

  “I can help. Wait here.” Russell stopped a security guard and pointed to Jaleel and the Rolls.

  Victoria couldn’t hear what he had said, but the guard hustled outside and confronted Jaleel.

  “I’m going.” Victoria started to leave but Russell held her hand.

  “Wait.” He kept his stare on the activity in front of the airport.

  Although she wanted to assert herself and shrug out of Russell’s tight grip, she liked feeling secure for once in her life. She stared at his meaty hand grasping hers. Ever so slowly, she relaxed her fingers and started to intertwine them with his.

  As soon as more security swarmed around Jaleel, Russell released Victoria and grabbed her bags again. “Okay, let’s go.”

  “Stop.” Victoria had to get her bearings. “Everything is happening way too fast. You haven’t convinced me why I should trust you.”

  Russell glared at her. “Back in the day when I had Jelly’s current job, I did stuff for Crush that would make you sick. What makes you think Jelly is any different from me?”

  “And why do you think you’re any different from the way you were years ago?”

  “I’m the one with a record. One infraction and I’m back inside. I don’t want that.” Russell shook his head.

  A tense silence hung between them.

  “We don’t have that much time for you to get comfortable with all of this. I need to take you with me.” Russell stared into her eyes as though trying to get her to believe him.

  Damn it. Victoria hated this ambiguous feeling. She wanted allies, but didn’t know if she could trust this ghost from her past. A little voice in her head screamed the argument Russell had posed. What if Jaleel had been there to take her to Crush? And what if Russell really wanted to hurt her?

  At least with Russell, she wouldn’t feel bad if she had to hurt him…or worse. She could claim that he kidnapped her and she had to fight for her freedom. That story would hold true more than if Jaleel double-crossed her and took her to Crush.

  “Don’t make me regret this.” She hoisted her purse onto her shoulder. “I don’t do well with liars.”

  “I’ll remember that.” He commandeered her luggage again and headed to a set of doors furthest away from Jaleel.

  Once outside, Victoria felt exposed instead of free. She had to take control. This slight hiccup wouldn’t shake her. She waved to a cab, and it pulled up to her.

  “Why does Crush want to see you so badly?” Russell helped load the luggage into the trunk.

  “I think he’s tying up loose ends.” Victoria stood between the opened back door and Russell. She waited until the driver got back in the car before she finished her statement. “The man killed my mother, his wife.”

  Victoria watched Russell’s demeanor change. His hands clenched into fists like he wanted to fight someone. Good. She needed an ally. Who would have thought the man who took a hit for her father would be her chance to make it? Things happen for a reason.

  “He took your mother. He took my…” Russell shook his head.

  Victoria went to the other side of the taxi to get into the backseat. Russell got into the backseat with her.

  “I’m going with you to wherever you go. I’ll look out for you until...” He trailed off without completing his thought.

  Victoria didn’t expect this turn of events. She wanted to skate home unscathed. Now she had a stowaway, a fine one at that. Whose side would he fight for, though? Hers? Crush’s? Now she understood the saying about keeping friends close and enemies closer. Perhaps he knew more about her dad that could help her.

  FOUR

  Not good. Not good. Not fucking good.

  Russell thought this would be an easy job. Even after telling Crush off when he’d asked Russell to pick up Victoria, he considered his options, especially after the few locations he had submitted an application to gave him the standard line of “Don’t call us; we’ll call you.” He knew what that meant.

  The lure of five million dollars proved to be too much to give up. He should have known, though, that Crush would fuck him on this deal. Sending Jelly to get Victoria had to mean Crush wanted to cut Russell out of getting paid.

  Russell should have stayed out of this business. He needed to stay away from the people who helped put him in prison. He included Victoria in the list of people to avoid. In a blink of an eye, because of Victoria Crandall, he had abandoned his plan to harm her…for now. He needed to figure out what made Victoria so important to Crush. It couldn’t be fatherly devotion.

  Crush had mentioned something about Victoria staying out of the public eye through Monday. A weekend in the house, especially that fine-ass house Crush had, wouldn’t be a bad way to live. Since Victoria claimed she hadn’t lived in the house for years, it added another layer to Russell’s suspicions.

  Russell shouldn’t have cared. Crush had fucked Russell over on his deal years ago. What made Russell think that turning Victoria over to him would get him his payday? Even if he saw the bank account with the five million dollars, it didn’t give him assurance that this would be a cut-and-dry job.

  Tipping airport security that Jelly had planned on setting off bombs had given them time to escape. After that, Russell didn’t know what to do. The airport would tow away the Rolls if they detained Jelly or, worse yet, the car could get stolen. Either way, Crush would know soon that Victoria wouldn’t be going home. Would he know, though, that Russell had helped her? He hoped Jelly didn’t see him getting into the taxi with Victoria.

  Why the hell had Russell stuck his neck out for Victoria? She no longer had that star-struck look in her eyes when she stared at him…if she looked at him at all.

  She probably saw him now like the rest of the world viewed him, as an ex-con. A reject. Damaged. He pulled his shirt sleeve cuffs down to cover his tats. He hated the way the old lady at the bank had looked at him. He didn’t need Victoria showing him contempt, too.

  After getting dropped off at a small used-car dealership, Victoria paid cash for a 1990 Toyota Tercel. Russell took over the driving duties and headed north per Victoria’s request.

  “To where?” he had asked her. “Are we going to your house?”

  “Drive. Just drive.” She pointed to the road and let him go.

  Where they would eventually end up, he had no idea. Victoria kept things pretty close to her vest. A good spot to be.

  Time had been very kind to her. Back in the day, Russell remembered Victoria being tall and lanky. Now she looked like a woman with curves. Tits that would fill his hand, a slender waist, and a juicy ass.

  As a plucky sixteen and seventeen year old, she kept her hair in a relaxed style with big waves that cascaded down to her shoulders. Even back then, she looked like a movie star.

  Now she carried a polished appearance that almost reminded him of her mother. She kept her hair in a conservative style, parted on the side and straight down. She now wore simple makeup, if she wore any at all. Her pink lips looked juicy, but also appeared like she wore nothing on them. Long, natural-looking eyelashes covered her dark
brown eyes. Russell kind of liked seeing Victoria in a straight-laced skirt and matching jacket. She looked like she meant business.

  The first time he spotted her in the airport, he had to pick his jaw up off the floor. Her heels made her legs look even longer. Then, standing with her at baggage claim, he caught her scent that smelled like the side of the perfume counter where the bottles remained behind locked glass. Unobtainable, like Victoria.

  Fuck it. This family screwed him, messed up his relationship with his own family. He would do the same to them. Maybe Belle would have lived long enough to have seen Russell get out of prison had Crush done what he had promised.

  This diversion to his plan might work in his favor. Instead of kidnapping her ass and hiding her until Crush upped his promised payment, he could get Victoria to trust him enough to where he could convince her to go back home. Since she let him drive, he could take her sweet ass right up to the front door. So far, every decision made had been her idea. The con would work.

  Russell shifted in his seat. He needed to get his mind off her body and the great way she smelled. Look but don’t touch. Smell but couldn’t afford to purchase. Keep it moving.

  As though reading his thoughts and defying his unspoken request, Victoria unbuttoned her jacket and tossed it in the backseat. Underneath hid a white tank top with skinny straps.

  Shit, is she even wearing a bra?

  “Bad thing about these old cars.” She cranked down the window. “A/C is busted.”

  “Yeah, this is way better than cruising in the Rolls.” The wind whipped by Russell’s face.

  He actually did like that. Any experience he could have outside of confinement felt freeing. He liked the wind going by his face, and smelling a different type of air.

  “So why did you buy this old car?” Russell hated to be left in the dark about anything. Plus he needed to lift some of the heaviness permeating the car.

  Victoria fanned her face with her hands. “New cars have too many computers on them and can be easily tracked and controlled.” She tucked her hair behind her ears and leaned her head back, exposing her long neck.

  Christ, he wanted to lick up the column of it and hear her moan. “And I thought I was overly cautious. You actually think Crush would go that far to get to you?”