Enforcer: Book Four (Princes of Prophecy)

by Marie, L. Ann

  I call Lee and tell him I need Prospects to get a crib in my house with clothes and toys for her. He asks about food, I didn't think of it, so I'm glad he does. I tell him her favorites and he says he's got me covered. Fuck. I look at Drake again.

  Darren tells Jessie they're running through the feeds backward. With nothing out here there are no cameras. I don’t hold much hope for anything there. The detective leaves and the morgue van shows. We wait until he's loaded and walk the area again. There is nothing here, so we ride back to Security.

  As I'm walking into Ops Dakota stops me. “Jax did not disrespect you Sheila. He is upset that you would think it. What you have is good. Do not let a whore take it away with a lie.” He walks out the door.

  Jax wasn't lying? Oh fuck. I've been a bitch to him since the call. I put it aside. I can't fix it right now so I focus on what I can. The room is busy. Darren, Jessie and Prez are talking so I wait with Eliza watching the boards. One is running double time backwards. Prez looks over at us and we move toward them. I don't know how he gets our attention, it's like we just know he's ready to talk to us.

  “You going to be okay with Stella?”

  “Yeah Prez. She knows me and isn't any trouble. The Prospects are getting her set up at my house.”

  He nods. “I called Lee, but you got them moving. She stays in the daycare and we'll help where it's needed. Lily will get you set with anything you need. Let me know if this gets to be too much. When we know more I'll decide what we do with her from there. Yeah?”

  I don't want her in care, but I don't think he'd do that. I can't just let her go. “I know I'm still working through shit and you have no reason to think I can do this, but I don't want to let her go. She doesn't have anyone else. She knows me and everyone is always watching. I can keep her. If I fall then you can decide she's better off with someone else, but I'm asking for a shot here.”

  He smiles and I'm so fuckin’ relieved. “Dakota said you'd ask for it. Everything still stands. We'll give you help and you let me know if it's too much. You need to get your shit with Jax straight and stay with therapy. We'll cover the time you need.”

  Eliza squeezes my hand. I'm smiling. “I will Prez. I can do this.”

  He hugs me kissing my head. I'm shocked and blink back fuckin’ tears. “You got this Sheila. Go get your house straight, figure out your time and let Darren know. Call Lily if you need anything.”

  I throw him chin and walk to Josiah. “Can you tell me where Jax is?”

  He starts typing then smiles up at me. “The garage.”

  Eliza touches my shoulder. “Go get him Sheila. I'm excited for you.”

  I hug her and laugh at the surprise on her face. “Thanks Brother.”

  I'm fuckin’ nervous on the way to the garage. I treated him like shit. Now I have a kid and didn't even ask him, but I'm going to ask for another shot. I really am a fuckin’ mess. I back in and walk through the door. A whore is here? What the fuck? Jax bends with his arms up and she kisses his cheek. What the fuck? It dawns on me his arms are up. The whore goes into the bay and I watch her hug Tim. This must be his mother – she's not a whore; she's a stripper. That would explain the clothes. When I look back Jax is watching me.

  “I'm sorry. I treated you like shit.” He nods but doesn't say anything. “I never did this before and I fucked it up.” He nods again. Fuck. “Do I get another shot?”

  “It doesn't look like you want one – you're way the fuck over there and I'm not.”

  I start walking then stop. He watches me, but doesn't say anything. I need to tell him about Stella. “I may have added a trunk to my fuckin’ baggage. I think I should tell you before I get close.” If he's walking I don't want to be so close that I smell his musky scent, or feel the heat of his body, or see the disappointment so clear in his beautiful eyes. “Drake's body was found earlier today.” He nods. “I asked Prez to give me a shot at raising Stella. If I fuck up he'll decide what to do with her, but he's giving me a chance.”

  He smiles and I run. He catches me laughing. “Fuckin’ Sheila and shocking me. I'm glad; she knows you and you're good with her.”

  “I'm sorry I was such a bitch to you. I don't think I believed the whore, but who the fuck would wait for a hot mess like me?”

  “You don't think?” His eyebrows go up. Fuck.

  “No. I convinced myself no one gets a chance with their long time crush. It was all just a dream.”

  “Why do you believe me now?” His eyes are boring into mine like he’s trying to see inside my head.

  “Because you're Jax and Jax is a good man that doesn't go back on his word. I've known you for years, but I was hurt and not thinking about who you are.” He nods making me smile. “I didn't know there was a test.”

  He's got a serious look on his face. He puts me on the counter facing him. “I won't disrespect you. That means you don't disrespect me. You do bitch really well. That should never be pointed my way unless that's what I'm giving you. Yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  “About fuckin’ time baby girl.” He kisses me and I'm lost. Holy fuck.

  ***

  Jax

  My phone rings pulling me away from the sweetest fuckin’ kiss. “Yeah,” I growl.

  “I need some HS help Jax. Can you get cover and meet me at Security?”

  “Yeah Prez, I'll be right there.”

  I look at my girl and kiss her lips. I'm glad she's back, but she only had a couple more hours before I dragged her kicking and screaming back onto my lap. “I need to go. You all set with Stella?”

  She nods. I kiss her lips again. “We can finish this when I get back. Your mouth throws me for a fuckin’ loop. This is not the place to roll around that loop, Little Bit.”

  She laughs. “Little Bit is a shit name and I'll be at my house. I need to get my new kid.” Her smile falls.

  “It will be good. Dakota said so.” I kiss her head and open the safe by her legs pulling my spare and some ammo.

  “Dakota says entirely too fuckin’ much. I don't remember him talking so much.”

  I smile at that. I like what he has to say, so I'm good. When I'm done I lift her up and set her down on the floor. She pulls my shirt and I bend for her to kiss my cheek. “Be safe.”

  She walks away and I watch like a love struck schoolboy. Fuck. I'm in deep and I've done nothing but kiss her. Patches' list says this is where I should be but, fuck, the wrong parts of this are what's moving too fast.

  I let Trapper know I'm called away for Security and don't know when I'm back then Jared to get some help here. He has a couple of guys that like working here, but he's coming himself.

  When I walk into Security I'm surprised I can thumb into Ops. Prez works fast. It's busy and all the boards are filled with grids. They're looking for someone. I wait until Prez looks my way before I walk closer.

  “Thanks for coming. I know you have your own shit to deal with.”

  I nod. “It's dealt with and we’re good.”

  He smiles and I hold mine. He always knows. “What we have is Drake's body dumped in grid 48. Another from the kids' house is missing. The truck that dumped Drake was stolen and the driver had a full face mask. Build is 5' 10” and stocky. The missing kid is smaller. The RA puts him about 5' 6”. Two kids fit the build, but they're both accounted for.”

  “You're thinking it’s one of the kids?”

  “Yeah. Dakota isn't giving much away, but it feels right.” His gut feelings have proven solid, so I nod.

  “A detective from the PD is looking at homeless. He isn't listening to anything Jessie has to say and is playing it close. Jessie gets a bad feeling from him. I need someone we can trust to find whoever the fuck it is. Brantley has everything you'll need. I want it played like the rapist. He goes to holding with us.”

  “So I'm keeping away from PD.” For the rapist I was partnered with PD by Driscoll.

  “Yeah. The detective is their best, but he's not hearing the Brothers.”

  “Do
I have a partner?”

  He looks at me for a few seconds. “Taylor. You don't have a problem with him?”

  “Not at all.” He’s well trained and a good Brother to have your back.

  He throws me chin. I go to Brantley at the center console. “Brother, glad he put you on this. I got a laptop ready for you and your bike is hooked to my boards. I'm your control so just tell me what you need.”

  “Show me the drop then the kid that's missing.”

  He gets what I ask for up and I watch a truck run through an intersection with the driver wearing a mask. We go through other feeds so I can watch the kids that resemble the driver. I know right away they aren't right. The build is more muscular. Taylor stands beside me and I tell him what I'm thinking. He agrees and we watch Drake's movements. We don't see him leave the school. The feeds there alternate views. Techs are looking for him, but the entire campus isn't on our feeds and the college doesn't cover everything. He should have been at just the admin building, but he could have walked to the different buildings. We spend five minutes on Drake, but leave it to concentrate on the missing kid.

  I sit with Taylor and we go through what we have, what we know, and what we need for the kid that's missing. He should have been at the house earlier; he had a class at the Center that he didn't show for. No one can place him at the house last night. His check-in magnet was moved, but he wasn't seen. We decide to head to the house and I tell Brantley to send someone up to the college to see if Drake ever made the admin office. They have to be tied together.

  On the way I wonder how Stella is going to do without Drake.

  ***

  Sheila

  Jess helps me with baby proofing the house. Luckily there's not much to do. We don't keep chemicals because we all have cleaners and buy organic and I don't have furniture that can hurt Stella. Mostly we cover plugs and put a slide lock on the basement door. When she leaves I walk through looking at the little changes. There's a toy chest in the living room, she has a drawer in the kitchen and the Prospects replaced the furniture in one room for her.

  I call Tiny and tell him what happened. He doesn't say much, but he tells me I've grown into a good woman and to call if I need any help. I call Nancy next. She's surprised, but tells me I'll be fine. I kind of need that right now. She asks me about Jax and I tell her I apologized for being a bitch. She says it was right, he's a good man and I need to keep that in mind when trouble heads our way. Since I have nothing else to share I let her go and look for dinner. There's new shit in the fridge and I laugh when I see the directions on it. I can make mac and cheese for less than eight people. The Prospects don't know me, but we all learned to cook. It's just that I don't like to. I learned to cook for a big family, nothing comes out right when I try to make it for one or two. It's just easier to go out. Now I have a reason to learn. I smile. I have two reasons to learn. I daydream about Jax and how he always shows me that I'm a woman. No, that I'm his woman and that I matter to him. I need to get a grip.

  I change and go for my new girl. I hope she handles this okay. She's had a shitty life so far. She deserves better than she's had. Just when it was starting to look up for her, she's going to be hit with this.

  At the daycare she comes running with a big smile. I hope it stays. She signs 'S'. I kneel down and sign, 'yes' and she mimics me. I don't tell the front desk anything because I don't know any more than I did. We don't need everyone panicking needlessly. Prez, no doubt, has thought of this and he'll tell them when they need to know.

  At the house I show her the toy chest, her room and her clothes. She hugs me with tears in her eyes. I wonder if she knows. Someone brought a picture of Drake, but I'll leave it by her crib until she signs something or gets upset.

  In the kitchen I cut up an apple and put her bowl on a little table they left in the corner, then show her the drawer with things for her. She pulls paper and crayons and stands at the table coloring while I make mac and cheese. I pull out a ham steak and get it ready to cook. I think apple sauce will work well with this and have nothing to do until it's ready so I sit by her table and watch her color. After a couple of minutes, she hands me a crayon and gets a clean sheet of paper. She's a smart kid. She puts her hands by her ears and I laugh. I make her a Mickey Mouse and she claps. I use her hand to make Minnie, and when the bow is done she stomps her feet. Jason comes in and stomps his and she jumps then shows him the paper. He signs, 'good job Stella.' She signs, 'yes' making me laugh.

  When she's looking at what he's drawing he looks up at me. “I heard what happened. Jax is hunting the missing kid with Taylor, but it's been hours.”

  “Yeah.”

  “I'm proud of you for taking her She. You've got so much of your own shit happening, but you doing this means something. She doesn't need to be in care.” He doesn’t call me She so much anymore. When we were kids they all shortened Sheila to She. I’m a little surprised by it today.

  “Thanks. I can't let her go to care, she's too fuckin’ small to understand and she's deaf.”

  He smiles when she stomps her feet for the dog he made. He pulls her hand and puts it on his chest then makes a noise. “Show her noise, She. It's weird she doesn't make any.”

  I show her like he did then put her hand on her chest. She grunts and I clap. She stomps her feet again. She's cute. I leave Jason making sounds with her and get another ham steak out.

  When everything is done I wash her up laughing at her throwing water on her face and sit her in her chair to eat. I'm glad they thought of this one; it slides right up to the table like at a restaurant. She's stomping her feet. “I guess that's the 'YAY' reaction,” Jason says sitting on her other side.

  We eat, talking and laughing at her trying to feed herself. She's a damn mess. Alex comes in with Prince surprising us. He sits right down smiling for Stella. He signs, 'Hi' and gets it back making him laugh. “The Brothers help each other. I'm a good washer upper. I help Prez with the babies. I go there once a week now. He don't want me to leave the Compound tonight, so I can help you with your new girl Stella. She made a mess and I know how to give her a bath real careful.”

  Jason turns his head, but I smile at him, he's so damn cute. “I'm glad you're here then Alex. I need to give her a bath.”

  He nods with his whole upper body moving. “We should do that now. Then I can call my dads and Ally on time.”

  I laugh. “Alrighty then.”

  Jason tells me he'll clean the kitchen and we get Stella in the tub. He's right, he's good at baths. “She can play now.” I smile putting a couple of toys in with her. “Are you going to be her new mom now Sheila?” I didn't think of it like that, but he's right. I nod. “She needs a good mom. You won't give her away. Right?”

  I clear my throat. “No Alex, I won't.”

  He nods. Prince moves closer to him. “Mom and Dads didn't give us away. I moved 'cause I'm big now. Dads say I can go home when I need them, but I'm good now. I’m a man and I have Prince.”

  We get Stella out and ready for bed. She sits by Prince and Alex smiles at her. “Uncle Steve can make a dog for her so she's safe and gets help when she needs something.”

  I look at Jason. He nods smiling. He loves Alex. “That wouldn't be a bad idea.”

  “Can you set that up for me Alex?” Jax is going to love this. I didn't just take a kid, but now a dog. Jason laughs knowing just what's going through my head.

  “I can get him on that. I'm good at being a Goodwill Officer. He will ask what kind of dog. There are no more like Prince. It has to be different, but you can have small, medium or large. Uncle Steve will ask.”

  I look at Jason. “Large if you ever want to see Jax; he won't go for a small dog.” The ass is smiling.

  Alex says goodbye to Stella and tells us he'll call Uncle Steve first because he has extra time. As soon as the door closes Jason is laughing. “I love that fuckin’ kid. He is the best Goodwill Ambassador Prez could ever find. You think he's going to come give her a bath once a week?”

>   I laugh. “I wouldn't mind if he did. I can keep track of what he's doing that way.”

  He looks thoughtful and nods. “I should do that too.”

  “Pretty sure you’re too big to get a bath Brother.”

  He slaps my arm. “Fuckin’ woman. I mean help him give Prince a bath.”

  I shrug. “Ask him.”

  He nods walking out. I shake my head smiling. He's a good Brother too. I turn my favorites on and Stella stomps her feet. I wonder if Mitch can make something for her little tiny ears. I turn it louder and look for a song with a good beat. When I play it she touches the floor. She's feeling it. She stomps her feet and I dance holding her hands. She's so damn small I end up picking her up and we dance around the room.

  ***

  Jax

  What the hell? The music is so fuckin’ loud, I just walk in. I stop and watch. Stella has her hands waving in the air and she's bouncing against Sheila who has a hand in the air. I want to go up behind her and let that ass grind into me, but she'd probably shoot me. I move so she sees me and she laughs. I expect her to stop embarrassed, but she surprises me and puts a hand out. When Stella sees me she jumps excited and claps her hands. I dance with a smile on. Fuckin’ kid's got me dancing to see her smile. I spin Sheila and she leans back into me. I don't push it and spin her back around. She's laughing and holding Stella close. I lean in and kiss her then laugh when Stella's mouth hits her cheek right on the side of me. We dance to Lifehouse’s, Hanging by a Moment and I sing to her, loving that spark in her eyes. When it’s over I kiss her until Stella pushes my chest. I kiss her little cheek getting her clapping.

  “I made dinner. There's a ham steak in the fridge if you want to fry it up.” I nod and leave them to dance. I like this. I make my dinner, taking the rest of the mac and cheese, and decide I like this a lot. The radio goes off and a few minutes later Sheila's in the kitchen with me. “She in bed, Dale?”