“I love you, Shannon Kelly,” he says with a firm gaze his eyes broken.
“I love you, Dylan Kellerman,” I respond with a waver in my voice. We hold each other’s eyes a breath longer before he stands. He quickly pulls on jeans and a T-shirt, shoving the rest of his stuff in a duffle bag. He gives the guys each a chin lift before looking at me.
“Bye, Kiddo.”
“Bye, Kel.”
He’s gone
April 28, 2014
Shannon
I haven’t heard from Kel in five weeks. I’m worried. Struggling doesn’t begin to describe what he’s been since he left Christmas morning. We’ve only talked on the phone once since he left. Talking is too hard because Cassie is a fucking leech. She never leaves his side. The one time he called me he was in the bathroom with the shower running. We talked for four minutes before she started banging on the door insisting to be let in. So now Kel only texts. It’s difficult too but more manageable. Five weeks is scary. The longest he’s gone without texting before this was three days. I have no way to contact him without jeopardizing the safety of the baby. He buys a new phone every time he contacts me so it’s not like I even have a number to call him at. This is bad.
I walk out my front door to be greeted by Rodger’s warm smile.
“Morning Shannon,” he coos.
“Morning Rodger,” I coo back.
“Hey Shannon,” Thomas calls in his deep bass voice.
“Hey Thomas,” I say as I fold into the back seat of the S-Class.
Thomas (the security guard from my building that watched me the first day I was in danger back in October) is my bodyguard now. He doesn’t live with us, but he’s always with me if I’m not at home. I don’t mind it. I actually like it. I’ve had a constant shadow since I came home from the hospital, and it suits me just fine. I’ve been in therapy with a new doctor here in Kansas City. Dr. Wells is an older woman that reminds me of a grandma you don’t want to fuck with. She tells it like it is and that works well for me. I’m healing.
We ride in comfortable silence to One Kansas City Place. When we get to the building Thomas escorts me in an elevator and then to my office. Karl is waiting for me like always.
“Good morning, Shannon. Here are your messages. We’ve got a busy morning at the courthouse,” he informs me following me into my office. I head to my desk securing my gun in my safe and flop down into my Donghia chair. Thomas leaves my office closing the door behind him. He’s a silent giant.
“Still no word?” Karl asks taking a seat opposite my glass and mahogany desk from me. I shake my head. “There has to be a good reason, Shannon. He wouldn’t just drop off the map for no reason.”
“Doesn’t make it any easier,” I whisper. My door slams open and Kavy, Sully and Cally charge in. Thomas follows with a curious look on his face.
“Look at this,” Kavy orders shoving a phone at me.
They’re trafficking drugs –Kellerman
“That’s it? That’s all he said?” I ask hoping there’s more somewhere else.
“That’s not it, Kid,” Sully says softly. He hands me a piece of paper and cringes as I read the headline.
Fishing Magnate George Yates Announces Daughter’s Wedding
George Yates and his wife Camilla are pleased to announce the upcoming nuptials of their daughter Cassandra Yates to fiancé Dylan Kellerman. The forthcoming event will take place at the Yates’ family home on Mercer Island August 2nd. The happy couple is expecting their first child…
I drop the paper and slam my head onto my desk. This bitch is one for the record books. I pull my head up and look at the announcement again. There’s a picture of Cassie and Kel standing next to each other. There’s water behind them and the sun is shining on Kel’s golden hair. He’s grinning at the camera with a shimmer in his teal eyes. Cassie has an arm around Kel’s waist and his is resting around her shoulders. Her other hand is resting on the slightest baby bump with her head tipped up looking lovingly at Kel’s face. They look like the perfect couple. My stomach rolls.
“I need a drink,” I say to whoever will provide some booze. Kavy slides a glass of whiskey in front of me. I toss it back and relish in the burn. “What’s the text mean?”
“We don’t know. We’re assumin’ her family is usin’ their business to run drugs between countries. Finn’s lookin’ into it,” Sully informs me with a squeeze of my shoulder.
“He doesn’t love her, Shannon. This is just a means to an end. Keep sight of that,” Karl says softly. I nod and swallow back another shot of whiskey.
I run my hand over the necklace that Kel gave me for Christmas. It’s a large round intricate Celtic knot pendant covered in pavé diamonds with one large round diamond at the center. It’s my family swirling around me. I haven’t taken it off since Kavy fastened it around my neck in Kel’s absence.
There was a Celtic knot theme to my Christmas. The rest of my family all got versions of our clover tattoos. Aidan has ten clovers running down his spine (each of us represented), Ryan and Adam got tribal designs on their right calves the clover in the center, Finn got the same small clover on the inside of his left bicep that Cally has (Finn’s afraid of needles too), Hugh started a large half sleeve years ago and added the clover to cover his shoulder, and Collin put the clover in the center of his chest (similar to Kavy’s). The shocker was my parents. Maggie and Mary both got small clovers on the inside of their left wrists, Doc got the clover and a further Celtic design on his right shoulder, Pappy added the clover below a military tattoo he has on his upper right arm, and Pop got the exact same clover as mine on the underside of his forearm. Everyone in our family wears our clover now. We’re always together.
“I know he doesn’t love her. It still fuckin’ hurts,” I say sharply. Karl nods.
“Have Finn get in touch with me once he knows something. I’m gonna head to the courthouse,” I say in business mode letting everyone know I’m okay.
“You may wanna brush your teeth first. Hate for anyone to think you’ve become a lush,” Karl chides. I smile and head to the bathroom to freshen up. Thomas follows silently behind me waiting for me to finish my business. When I come out Thomas has that look on his face like he wants to say something but doesn’t want to all the same.
“You can always talk to me Thomas,” I encourage.
“What your man is doin’ is honorable. Not a lot of men would do that. Some of us are forgotten before we’re even here,” Thomas says softly as we move through the corridor to the elevators and a waiting Karl. Whoever forgot Thomas is a goddamn idiot. Thomas has become my friend. He’s a different kind of friend from the guys and Karl. He’s not involved in my every conversation or butting in constantly, he’s just there on the periphery for when I need him. He’s a welcome addition to my life.
“Whoever forgot about you is a damn fool,” I state pointedly. He laughs and his deep boom makes my chest reverberate. I smile. We reach Karl and step into the elevator.
“The Smith’s mediation got pushed back,” Karl informs me. He keeps updating me as we make our way out of the building and to an always waiting Rodger. I push thoughts of Kel to the back of my mind. I need to concentrate on work. No, I need to be distracted by work.
Kavanagh
Kid looked devastated when we showed her that damn wedding announcement. This Cassie bitch is one sick fuck. That text and link to the article is the first contact Kellerman has made in five weeks. I should be pissed at the dude, but I’m worried. I don’t know what his situation is or how he’s coping, my guess is shit is bad. Kellerman took a job with Cassie’s dad when he got back. He’s running operations for the Yates fleet. Cassie works for her father too in accounting so she’s able to keep close tabs on Kellerman at all times. She hasn’t drank or done anymore drugs since they returned to Seattle according to Kellerman. Cassie is nothing but a glowing first time mom now. It’s scary how easily this woman can turn the crazy off and on. It also means we don’t have shit on her to get the
baby. Unless Kellerman’s text is true.
Ring, ring
“Kavanagh,” I answer my Nexus curtly.
“Hey man,” Finn responds.
“Please tell me you found somethin’,” I plead.
“This is beyond our reach is what I found. If the Yates’ are traffickin’ drugs they’re proficient at it. We’re gonna need some help. We get the authorities involved this will become a DEA show. That’s not a bad thing except there’s a baby and a wedding date looming,” Finn says with a huff.
I spin my chair around and gaze out at the Kansas City skyline. My office is the exact mirror image of Kid’s (without all the girly touches). As I stare, a crazy idea comes to mind that just might work.
“I’m gonna have Kid call Cooper,” I tell Finn. He’s silent for a long while. Kid talks to Cooper a lot from what I can tell. She hasn’t seen him since we left Chicago right after New Year. I can tell talking to him gives her something we can’t…I hate it.
“It’s a good idea,” Finn admits. “That guy still rubs me the wrong way though.”
“Me too but we’ll deal if it means gettin’ Kellerman away from that crazy bitch. Kid needs him back.” Finn growls something about okay and then we hang up. I can deal with Cooper if it means getting Kellerman home. Kid is fighting so hard to keep everything together. She goes to therapy and talks about what happened to her. She didn’t talk about the Liam attack like she does the kidnapping. She genuinely seems to be healing. I know it’ll take months if not years for her to be herself again, but she’s not shrouded in blackness.
No trial dates have been set for Mancini or Gov. Grady. There’s a mountain of evidence that the State’s Attorney has to get through first. Gov. Grady is out on bail but Mancini and some of his cohorts are behind bars being held for other charges (drugs). Mancini was the real threat to Kid’s safety; Gov. Grady was just the purse strings. I don’t really give a shit what rolls they each played. I’ll just be happy when it’s all done and over with.
We hired Thomas before we even got back to Kansas City. Cooper assured us that he was trying to run down the threat that was made against Kid at Thanksgiving, but we weren’t willing to take any chances. Thomas is a brick wall of “don’t fuck with me” so I feel pretty confident she’s safe for now. None of us has let down our guard though. This clusterfuck from hell with Kellerman has not helped in any way.
The Kellerman thing is what’s weighing Kid down. I don’t think she’s gained a pound back since coming home. Her hip bones stick out, you can count each vertebra down her back, and her shoulders and collarbone are pressing sharply against the skin. She doesn’t look good. Kid always looks good but she doesn’t now. She barely eats, works out twice a day and sleeps clinging tightly to my chest every night.
I’m banging chicks at warp speed to get them out of the house so I can get to Kid quickly. She can’t sleep unless I’m there. I don’t make her wait long. I’m only fucking the bare minimum of three a week at this point. It’s a sacrifice that’s necessary. I had an overnight trip in March that I couldn’t get out of. Kid slept with Cal and O’Sullivan that night. She’s never alone anymore. Not even at night. Sometimes I sit in the bathroom while she takes a shower. Until we contain the death threat she’s constantly watched. She doesn’t fight it either. Thomas follows her to the bathroom here in the office and if he went in and stood by the stall Kid wouldn’t complain. She’s not scared, she’s smart. She knows there’s still danger lurking and this time she won’t be caught unsuspecting. She carries two guns and a knife at all times. If someone is stupid enough to come at her…it won’t end pretty for them. Kid doesn’t panic.
Kellerman
I found it! I’ve been living here for almost four months and couldn’t find a goddamn thing. Finally, yesterday I was going through some purchasing orders and fuel invoices, there it was. Extra stops are being made to and from Canada and between Mexico and California. The only thing I can find is extra fuel being purchased and strange bait and supply purchases. I’m not in my element with this shit so I’m hoping Kavanagh and the boys can get to the bottom of this and quick.
When I texted Kav this morning from the bathroom with the water running it was the first communication I’d had with them in five weeks. Cassie has surgically attached herself to my ass. I’m never alone. Half the time when I’m taking a piss she stands at the door and talks to me. It’s exhausting. The reason I wasn’t in touch for so long was because I got the distinct feeling I was being watched. I could never actually see anyone or find cameras, but I felt it. Cassie is a live wire of crazy so I have to be careful. If she catches me I have no doubt she’ll follow through on her threats or worse.
Our “engagement” was just announced in the Seattle Times, making my week just wonderful. People keep congratulating me and asking where we’re registered. I have no clue because I didn’t know we were engaged. I never asked and sure as shit didn’t buy that gargantuan ring Cassie’s wearing. The picture they ran with the article was taken at a work party three weeks ago. I am officially living in hell.
“Honey,” Cassie calls, it’s like nails on a chalkboard amplified. She strolls into my office for the fifteenth time this morning. I don’t look up at her or respond. “Daddy says they’d like us over for dinner this weekend.”
“’Kay,” I say blankly still not looking at her. I hate her, actual pure unadulterated hate. I didn’t know I was capable of feeling this way about someone I once cared about, but I do. I hate her.
“And the decorator called about the nursery again. She doesn’t seem to understand the difference between cerulean and cobalt. Can you believe that?” she says truly offended by the idea. I have no clue what she’s talking about. “Well I think I may need to hire a new decorator. Maybe a team instead of just one person. What do you think?”
“I don’t care, Cassie. Do what you want,” I murmur to my desk.
“Well you should care. He’s your son. Don’t you want him to have a nice nursery? He’ll spend a lot of time in there with the nanny. I don’t want all his baby junk cluttering up the house,” she points out. Dear God she can’t wait to get my son out of her and pass him off to the nearest hired hand.
“Whatever is best, Cassie,” I placate her. I just want her voice to stop and her presence to be gone. If I could rip my son from her body now I’d do it. She told me the other day she felt like her body was rejecting the baby. Like the baby was a foreign object that should be removed from her before it causes her harm. Mother of the year! I just have to hold on for eleven more weeks. I can do eleven more weeks if I get my son and Kid back. I don’t know what I’ll do if that doesn’t happen.
Shannon
“Cooper,” Nicky answers my call swiftly.
“Hey Nicky,” I coo.
“Hey Shanny. What’s up?” his warm voice massages my ear. We talk all the time, but I haven’t gotten used to how warm his voice is. He’s not my guys or Karl or Kel…it’s just different. He’s helped me so much to heal and struggle through the things that happened in that house. I love him and am happy he’s my friend.
“I need you,” I say softly.
“What’s wrong? Are you safe?” His voice is alert.
“I’m fine. Don’t freak out on me,” I chide. “It’s about Kel.”
“Is he okay?” his voice is calmer but there is still a hint of government operative.
“He’s as good as he can be. He thinks he found something.”
“That’s good. What is it?”
“He thinks the Yates’ are traffickin’ drugs,” I say emphatically.
“No shit? Well I’d say that’s somethin’. Sorry I haven’t been able to help out more. I’ve been swamped lately.”
“It’s not your job to figure this shit out, it’s ours. That said, I could use some help. From what Finn found they’re good at what they do and it’s not gonna be easy to pin this on them. On her.”
“You need someone to dig around unnoticed?”
“I
don’t know. The guys just asked me to call you and see if you could help out. Maybe come to Kansas City and see what we’ve got? I know you’re busy so if you can’t it’s fine. I’ll try to find another covert three letter acronym agent that’s known me my whole life,” I feign guilt giving.
“I’ll be on a plane soon. I can get to you by tomorrow evening. You know I’d do anything for you. If this gets you Kellerman back and his baby away from that crazy bitch, I’m in,” he spouts confidently.
“You don’t know how much that means to me. Thank you, Nicky,” I say softly.
“No need to thank me. Love you, Shanny,” he says tenderly.
“Love you, Nicky.”
Please let him be able to find something! I move out of my room and join the guys downstairs, Finn included. They’re all sitting in front of the TV on our massive sectional watching baseball. I flop down in my spot on the couch, Sully sweeping an arm around my shoulders tucking me tightly to his side.
“Nicky will be here tomorrow,” I announce. Sully stiffens and then relaxes before speaking.
“That’s good,” he lies.
“I know you guys don’t want him here in our house or anywhere near me. I understand that, but he’s the only person that can help us right now. I need Kel back. We’ve only got eleven weeks to get shit hammered out and that’s not a lot of time.”
“We’re fine, Kid,” Kavy assures me. “Just takes us back. We’ll be good tomorrow.” I nod and turn my body closer to Sully’s to absorb some of his heat. I’m freezing all the time.
“Cold?” Sully asks pulling me into his lap. I nod and snuggle in. “Need to get some weight on you, Kid. Your ass is diggin’ into my thighs like daggers.” I move to push off his lap and he tightens his arms around me, holding me captive. “Nope.” I settle in and watch the game.
Blackness Awaits Page 20
