by D. A. Young
“She’s magnificent!” Magnus said with awe. “Your mum’s a real MILF, eh?”
Suddenly, he was squeaking like a mouse as Holt lifted him into the air with one hand, choking the life out of him. “If you ever feel inclined to say somethin’ that stupid and disrespectful about Ms. Vivienne again, I suggest you think about me and what I can do, not just with one hand, but my ax as well. Am I clear?”
“Bacarat…crystal…clear,” he gasped as Holt suddenly released him and he hit the tile floor with a painful thud, gasping for air.
“I believe you had too much to drink at dinner, Magnus,” Kat informed him distastefully. “I think it would be best if you went to your room and slept it off.”
“Erm-yes, that seems like a good idea,” he said feebly as he left. “My apologies.”
Holt indicated to the guard by the front door that he should follow along and watch Magnus. Kat was impressed that the burly Russian did so without question.
Holt grabbed her hand in his, and Kat felt fissions of pleasure at his touch. “Come take a ride with me.”
He didn’t wait for her to answer as he steered them towards the front door.
Once inside his truck, they didn’t speak but let Sam Hunt do all the talking as his deep voice crooned “Speakers”.
I softly kiss your neck and slowly whisper
You breathe in 'cause it feels cold where my lips were
T-shirt for a pillow, music up real low, creeping through the window
I can feel the bass line in the bed liner, and your heart on mine,
Tryin' to jump up out of your chest.
Baby, you're now on fire, girl you're on fire
Out in the dark, wrapped up in the stars
So right, girl I'm so high
“So what happens now?” Kat asked listlessly. She knew the men were involved in something heavy if Magnus was a necessity and it had to do with her mother. There was a “don’t ask, but even if you do we’re not saying” policy in effect. They were treating her like a child again and she hated it.
“Now we do what we do best.” Holt’s cryptic answer irked her to no end. What did that even mean? Nothing else was said for the moment and they just enjoyed the music.
You and me, wild and free
Way out in the woods nobody for miles
Love in the back of the truck with the tailgate down
Just us and the speakers on
Love in the back of the truck with the tailgate down
Just us and the speakers on
“Where are we going?” Kat finally asked looking at him in the shadows.
“You’ll see,” was Holt’s ambiguous reply as he continued to drive, and soon they were parked by the lake. Kat hopped out as Holt pulled a blanket from the bed of his truck and a small picnic basket and cooler, along with two large sitting pillows. She watched as he laid the blanket in the bed of the truck and set the basket and cooler to the side. Then he lifted Kat up and set her inside where she sat down with her legs tucked underneath her as he sat down across from her.
Holt watched Katerina, still in disbelief that he was finally able to get her alone. He’d tried for weeks and had decided if he wasn’t able to accomplish it tonight, that he would kidnap her. “You wanna tell me what’s got you tryin’ to run from me?”
Kat stared up at the sky as she contemplated her answer. “I don’t know you, and that makes me very nervous. I know how I’ve felt about you forever, but that you also lead a double life.”
Holt tensed at her words, wishing like hell he could deny them. “I’m the same man that I always was, Kat.”
“No, you’re not! I saw you in Sweden,” she confessed. “You were suited up and lookin’ so fine that I was like…anyways, you did not look, move, or act like my Holton. I could smell the money oozing off you from across the street and through my car window!”
“Kiss me, Kat,” Holt urged as he grabbed her hand and tugged her towards him as she crawled between his legs. “Kiss me, darlin’, and then tell me how different I now am.”
Kat stroked his beard, staring into his eyes as she lowered her lips to meet his firm, warm mouth. His tongue licked her chin, and she covered his lips with hers. Holt held her close to him as he stroked the nape of her neck, and she climbed into his lap, seeking more of the taste she craved. Holt breathed new life into her, fanning the flames of her banking desire as she settled atop his manhood. Her fingers yanked on his ponytail, willing him to submit to her demanding kiss, and he did so, allowing her to explore his mouth to her heart’s content as he fought the urge to pull her under him and take her.
Kat released his lips, crying out softly when Holt rubbed his beard against her cleavage, licking the revealed swells of her aching breasts as her V-neck blouse shifted. She tugged his hair free of the leather tie and grabbed handfuls of it as his tongue trailed up the column of her throat and he gently sucked her accelerated pulse. Heaven help her, it felt soooo good, and she ground down harder on his manhood, desperately wishing the layers of their clothes would disappear.
“I’m still the same man that’s crazy about you, darlin’,” he promised roughly as he cupped her ass and caressed it, making her pulse skitter. “Only YOU have the power to drive me this crazy, Kat.”
She traced his ear with her tongue, enjoying the growl rumbling through his big body and bit his lobe as he surged upwards. “But I need more, Holton.”
Holt released her bum to grasp her face in his so she could see how serious he was. “Then marry me, Katerina.”
“Wha-What did you say?” Kat asked with confusion. “I must be hearing things because it sounded like you said-”
“To marry me? That’s exactly what I said, darlin’,” Holt said as he drew her face down for a tender kiss. “And that’s exactly what I meant.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Jimmy Torrance was in a good mood as he walked to his room. Rich Lady had made good on her promise of four hundred dollars for the work he’d done, and he couldn’t wait to get to the racetrack to spend it. Maybe he’d splurge and throw in a hooker or two. Yeah, that’s what he’d do.
When he’d first approached the lady, asking for change, he had no idea how big the “change” would be. She’d taken him to Applebee’s and allowed him to gorge himself on whatever he wanted, even insisting that he get some items to go. Then she’d checked him into a motel that was in his mind, high living and a huge step up from being homeless. But the room was only good until the job was carried out.
At thirty-five, he’d lost everything— his business and his wife and kids due to his gambling problem. Carol, his ex, divorced him and took the kids across the country to ensure he wouldn’t taint them. Fucking cunt. That drove him to drink on top of all his other issues. Rich Lady told him he could have everything back if he played his cards right. All he had to do was help her teach some people a few lessons.
It wasn’t a hard thing for Jimmy to do because he’d always felt people with money looked down on him, except for Rich lady. No, Rich Lady respected him. She’d even bought him a cell phone and a beat-up car that looked like shit but would keep him warm during the winter. All he had to do was help her with a minor problem with her husband and his mistress. So every day, he watched the pair leave the swanky condos and depart in separate vehicles. He’d already broken the man’s car window and slashed his tire. Tomorrow, he planned on setting whichever car he drove on fire.
“Jimmy, I trust you to use your good judgment in getting rid of HER.”
Yeah, she made him feel like someone again by giving him a responsibility that she’d entrusted to no one else. And when he saw the uppity-looking black bitch standing on the sidewalk looking like she owned the whole block, he knew this was the opportunity he’d been waiting for. How dare the slut steal Rich Lady’s husband?! He would get her back for the pain she caused his boss. He’d made his move, but the bitch was uninjured.
Disappointed, he confessed his failure to Rich Lady, but she quickly as
sured him that there would be other opportunities to complete his mission, and she believed he could do it. That made Jimmy feel good. No one had ever looked at him with the confidence Rich Lady did. Yeah, his luck was about to change he could feel it, he thought with a grin as he inserted his key into the lock. And it did as soon as he closed the door and the heavy, metal link chain circled his neck painfully.
***
Jimmy tried to scream as the liquid burn of the alcohol being poured on him stung his cuts and scrapes, but the chain around his neck proved to be an effective gag, as it tightened and his voice became a garbled, pain-filled grunt. He lifted his hands to weakly pry at the chain, but he faltered, crying out softly as he was reminded that four of his fingers were broken when the man ground the heel of his dress shoe on them as he tried to crawl away. His face and abdomen throbbed from being punched repeatedly with the linked metal, and the pain was so unbearable that he’d passed out.
“Come on, Jimmy Boy. I need you to focus now.” The man’s southern accent was coaxing and deceptively friendly as he tossed the bottle of Jack Daniel’s aside. In fact, Jimmy liked to think they could have been friends at one time. That the man was someone that would have come to the auto repair shop and shot the shit with him as he worked on his Jaguar or Mustang classic— if Jimmy hadn’t made the mistake of fucking with him and putting his hands on his woman.
He tried to focus on the man’s face as he stood over him holding the chain, but it was blurry due to his rapidly swelling eyes. Jimmy flinched as the man shoved his face closer and he was able to see the rage etched into every line of it. He tried to speak, but his words were so slurred that he had to spit bloodied saliva out along with a tooth. “Weave lone! Ave done ‘nough?!”
For his efforts, he received a sharp kick to his ribs, and the excruciatingly jarring pain was enough to make Jimmy throw up. The chain tightened once again, only allowing a thin stream to trickle out at a time. And he had no choice but to swallow it, almost choking on his own vomit as he fought for air. He started to cry, wishing the torture would end, but the man was unsympathetic. “I haven’t done nearly enough, you sonofabitch! And I’m just getting started. My woman could have died along with our baby! Now, tell me who put you up to it! I want a name!”
“Know no name! Know no name!” Jimmy tried to curl up and protect himself, but his ribs were on fire as he prayed for mercy from the kicks to his legs and shoulders. Please God, get this fucking monster off of me!!!
“Are you tellin’ me you don’t know the name, or you’re just not gonna give it?” the man asked calmly, not even out of breath from the beat down he was distributing. Jimmy cried and cried as the chain dug into his skin and his airway was constricted as he tried once more to speak.
“Spanic lay! Lack air! Short!” he gurgled, motioning to his chin for length and the beating stopped. He closed his eyes in agonized relief for the reprieve.
“Is this the lady?” the man asked tersely, shoving a cell phone in his face. Jimmy opened his eyes and nodded frantically at the picture of the Rich BITCH who’d set him up. He now wished he’d never set eyes on her.
“Yesss! Tha ‘er!” he sighed with relief, too weak to offer any more assistance to save himself. Unfortunately, it was short-lived as the man made another call, and the words he calmly spoke filled Jimmy with resigned dread. He’d watched enough action thrillers to know what they meant
“I need a clean-up crew. NOW!” The man gave the motel’s address and room number before hanging up. He turned back to Jimmy with a pleasant smile that didn’t thaw the ice in his eyes as he pulled a plastic bag from his pocket and placed it over Jimmy’s head. “This is for attempting to end my life because that’s what you would have done if she’d died.”
***
“Hey, Mom! What are you doing here???” Sidra exclaimed happily as she walked into Dominick’s living room and saw her mother, wearing an apron and holding a spatula, talking to her brother. They were all going to ride together to see Nero at his office this afternoon, but first, she was going to show him all of the music files she’d coded before Casey’s rampage.
“Well, what the hell does it look like I’m doing, Sidra Jane?” her mother sassed as she gave her daughter a hug and kiss on the cheek. “I’m making Nicky some breakfast! Want some sausage and eggs? There’s plenty. I’m feeding the guards as well.”
Sidra turned to a happy Dominick with a raised eyebrow. “Nicky? Since when do you make Nicky breakfast?”
Dominick turned flaming red with embarrassment at her sarcasm as Lena waved her hand dismissively at her daughter. “Chile, please! As soon as I got your message I hightailed it down here, and Ian was kind enough to grant me access. He’s in the kitchen making coffee. After everything Nicky has been through, I couldn’t leave the poor baby alone. He was in severe need of mothering! Especially after the heathen you hooked up with beat him up.” Lena gave Dominick an adoring smile before turning back to glare at her daughter. Her eyes looked her daughter up and down before she screeched indignantly, “SIDRA JANE BARTON, WHAT THE HELL IS THAT ON YOUR FINGER?!”
Her voice brought Ian running, and the second surprise of the day, Lucky, right on his heels! Sidra bypassed Ian and threw herself into Lucky’s arms where he crushed her to him with a bear hug. “LUCKY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!”
“Very nice to see you, Sidra?” Ian remarked dryly from behind her.
“DO NOT IGNORE ME, YOUNG LADY,” Lena warned tapping her shoulder.
“It’s a fat-ass ring!” Dominick exclaimed.
“Hey, kid! You’re looking good as always,” Lucky said, sidestepping her question.
Sidra gave him a suspicious look as she turned to Ian and hugged him as well. “My bad, Gandalf. How are you?”
“I’m doing very well, brat. Has Lena gotten around to telling you that she’s my newest client?” Ian asked smoothly, winking at Sidra to let her know he was trying to divert her mother’s attention. “We’re working on creating a new image for her. One that allows her to marry Lucky, her secret boyfriend of the last century, without getting stoned by her devoted anti-male female following.”
“WHAT?!” Sidra shrieked, swiveling to Lucky and punching him hard in the arm. “You and my mother?!”
Now, it was Lucky and Lena’s turn to be embarrassed as Sidra glared at them disapprovingly. She pointed her finger at her mother. “So, Ms. Man Hater, what do you have to say for yourself??? And yes, it’s an engagement ring. Casey asked me to marry him, and I said yes.”
Dominick came forward and gave Sidra a hug. “Congratulations, Sidra. I know he’ll do right by you. Hopefully, in time, things will be all good between him and me.”
“Thanks, Dom! I know Casey would like that as well,” Sidra said sweetly as she linked arms with him and turned back to address Lucky and Lena. “I’m waiting…”
Lucky nudged Lena. “This one’s all you. I wanted to come clean years ago and get married.”
“You’re not helping, Lucky!” Lena groused with a pout.
“How about we give them some time alone?” Ian suggested, taking the spatula from Lena’s death grip. “You’ll be fine, Tiger. Sit down with your cub while we finish breakfast.”
The men left, and Sidra motioned for her mother to have a seat on the sofa as she sat on the loveseat across from her. Awkward silence ensued as Sidra stared at her mother with accusing eyes. “What the hell is going on here, Lena? You’ve got women all around the world talking shit about their men, ready to go to war for you, and you’ve had a man the entire time??? You’ve made a mockery of your own relationship! And what about Casey?” Sidra mimicked her mother’s voice perfectly. “Baby, don’t marry him! You deserve better! Men ain’t shit!”
“Just because I was wrong about one thing doesn’t mean I am about the other! Look what Casey did to Dominick! If he’s capable of violence like that, then he certainly doesn’t need to be around my baby!” Lena said self-righteously.
“Mom, if someone hadn’t interfered at
Avery’s wedding, I would have done worse to Nina for trying to lie on my man, so you can miss me with that shit, alright?” Sidra returned seriously. “Let’s not forget who threw tantrums loud enough for the entire block to hear every single time Nero left. You embarrassed and humiliated me to no end growing up. Did you even know the neighborhood kids called me “Care Package” because of the way you used to set me out on the stoop? To argue and plead for a man to love us? Don’t forget the lectures that you gave me about trying to be more appealing so he’d stay, as if just being myself wasn’t enough?! Or how about the way I had to distract the family and show out, making my cousin dislike me whenever we arrived so you could pull yourself together just to function? Do you remember any of these things?!”
Ashamed at her daughter’s words, Lena looked down at her hands clasped tightly in her lap. “I understand it was hard for you-”
“Hard for me?! You made it damn near impossible for me to love, let alone, like you!” Sidra cried angrily. “My man has never made me feel that way! I’ve never had to act like a fucking show pony for him to love me or doubt that I was enough! And yet you sit up here and try to disrespect him at every turn. Our shit’s not perfect, but it’s ours! Not yours. Ours. I’m going to marry him and have his babies. I hope you can find a way to be a part of our happiness, but I certainly will not hold my breath waiting.”
Sidra stood up and walked over to her mother who was quietly wiping away her tears. She leaned down and kissed her mother’s forehead. “Please think about what I’ve said. I’m going to see if they need any help in the kitchen. We’ve got a big day ahead of us. When dealing with Nero, you can’t come unprepared.”
