by Erin Trejo
“Tala?” I say her name but I already know that she’s gone. She ran and who could blame her? I would have run as far and as fast as I could too. I grab my pants and slip them on before walking into the hallway. My body is vibrating with rage as head down the stairs.
“Brady!” I call out to him as I step into living room and grab a bottle of bourbon. I watch the amber liquid as it falls into my glass.
“What’s going on?” Brady asks stepping up next to the bar with me. I cock my head to the side and give him a glare. “You had to sleep with her, didn’t you?” I ignore his words and swallow down the bourbon before refilling my glass.
“She ran out when I was in the bathroom. What the fuck have I done, Brady?” I ask more for my own self-loathing.
“What you’ve known you shouldn’t do all along. She works for you, Cole. Now what are you going to do?” Brady asks. I sigh before leaning my hip against the bar and crossing my arms over my chest.
“She wanted it, Brady. Let’s not overthink it. It was merely sex,” I say waving him off.
“Merely sex. Come on, Cole. You have her in all this illegal shit and you fuck her? What the hell has gotten into you?” I watch as he walks away from me too. I don’t blame him. He’s right. I let my feelings get in the way of business. I let my cock do the thinking. Taking the glass of bourbon, I throw it at the wall, watching it shatter into a million pieces. I run my hand through my hair before heading back to my room. I need to rethink this. I need to rethink what I’ve done and if I can keep Tala in check now that I’ve taken a piece of her.
As I sit on the edge of my bed, resting my head in my hands, I can still smell her. Her fucking scent lingers in the room. It’s the scent of Tala and hot sex mixing with my emotions and I don’t know how to handle it. I swallow hard as I think this over. Tala isn’t dumb enough to walk away from me as far as work goes. Maybe she needs a reminder. A reminder that I’m in charge around here. Just because I fucked her doesn’t mean I won’t follow through on my threats against her. She doesn’t know that one deep dark secret that could destroy us all if I told her. She doesn’t know that this isn’t just about me wanting her. Not even Brady knows that secret. I let out a frustrated growl as I tug at my hair. Pulling until the pain in my scalp stops me. How did I end up on the receiving end of this shit?
Chapter 13
Tala
Visions of last night have danced around in my mind all damn morning. I hate that I let myself get so far gone with Cole. I hate that my body responded to every touch of his hands.
“You don’t hate me though do you Patty?” Taking comfort in her soft her fur as she purrs and snuggles into my lap, I sigh. I run my fingers over her head when my phone rings. Reaching across the couch, I grab it and answer.
“Hello?”
“Tala. Kumusta ka?” How are you? my mother’s sweet voice comes over the line. It’s been awhile since I’ve spoken to her.
“Ako ay mabuti. Kumusta ka?” I’m well. How are you? I respond.
“May mga bagay na dapat nating talakayin, Tala.” There are things we must discuss, Tala. Just hearing the words leave her mouth sent a shiver down my spine.
“What is it? What’s going on?” I ask quickly leaving her native language and getting straight to the point.
“I can’t discuss it over the phone. In a few months, I have arranged a trip back to see you. I need you to be careful, Tala. There are so many things that you don’t know about and I’m afraid for you.” Her words ring like a bad omen. What the hell is she talking about?
“Why a few months, ina? Why wait if you seem so afraid?” I ask. She sighs into the phone. Something is wrong but what?
“Ang aking anak na babae. I wish I could come sooner but I need to deal with things here first. Just know that I’m coming, yes? Mahal kita.” The line goes dead just after she tells me she loves me. I set the phone on the couch next to me, confusion wracking my brain.
“Mahal kita, ina.” I love you, mother. Shaking my head, I wonder if I should call my father? My mother was never allowed to know many things about my father’s illegal businesses but maybe she found out more? I can’t wrap my head around that strange conversation and I don’t have time to sit and dwell on it either. A knock at the door sends Patty leaping out of my lap and rushing the door like she was an attack dog. I can’t help but giggle at her. I shove off the couch and head to the door. Pulling it open, I’m greeted with a smile and the bluest eyes that you can imagine.
“You’re early, Mr. Frost,” I say as I take Jamie in. He’s dressed in a very nice dress shirt and jeans. I’ve learned over the weeks that where Cole is suit and tie, Jamie is more casual and comfortable. That doesn’t make him any less gorgeous. He’s nearly the spitting image of Cole with only subtle differences. Where Cole is hard and superior, Jamie is relaxed and at ease.
“What would it say about me if I was late for our date? I’m a man of integrity here,” He says with a smile on his face. I slowly begin to smile with him.
“Can I ask you something before we even leave this house,” I wait for his answer but I also need to know something. My job may be in jeopardy after what I did last night but that doesn’t mean I can let this go either.
“Of course. You can ask me anything, Tala.” The way he casually stands in my doorway as if he has no worries in the world, worries me.
“Your brother. He seems to know my every move and with whom I make those moves. Is this going to be an issue?” Jamie smirks before stepping closer. The smell of his cologne slams into me. Jamie is masculine but doesn’t hold a card to Cole.
“You have no reason to worry over that today. I’ve taken extra precautions and have people of my own,” He says with a wink. I nod my head and turn to move back inside to collect my purse and phone. I hear the door click into place behind me. I pay no attention to Jamie as I grab my things but when I turn around and see him starring at the same family pictures that Cole did, it bothers me. Why? I don’t know for sure but it does.
“You looked happy,” he says still holding the picture in his hand. I walk toward him slowly, coming to stop next to him, looking down at the picture.
“Looks can be deceiving,” I say as I glare at the picture.
“Was your childhood not a happy one?” He cocks his head to the side to look at me. His eyes burn straight through me. It’s almost as though he can see every truth and every lie that sits inside of me.
“For the most part. When you grow up in a world of lies, you never know what parts are real. The façade that you see in front of your eyes could all be nothing.” I shrug, “It’s hard to tell which one of the happy times are truly happy.” Jamie sets the picture back on the shelf before turning to face me fully. His hands slide into his pockets as he takes me in.
“What parts made you happy? What is the happiest memory that you have of your childhood?” he asks. My heart stammers in my chest. No one has ever asked me that question before. I tilt my head to the side and try to get a read on the man in front of me. His eyes are softer than Cole’s. His whole demeaner is softer, easier.
“When I was six my parents took me to Navy Pier. We had the best time. We browsed the shops and ate hot dogs. We sat and watched the fireworks. It wasn’t anything spectacular or extravagant. It was just us, as a family. We were all together, just enjoying being together. That’s not something that happened often and when it did, I wanted to hold onto those moments in time. Unlike the rest of my life, those were real. Those were the times I knew my father loved me,” A sob that I wasn’t expecting escapes me. A single tear slips down my cheek. Jamie moves closer, bringing his hand to my cheek. His thumb gently brushes the tear away.
“What do you think now, Tala? Do you think your father doesn’t love you?” His question is one that’s hard to answer. My throat feels like it’s closing off. The need to suck in a lungful of air hits me hard.
“There are many things in my life that I’m very unsure of these days, Mr. Frost. A mother’s love is
unconditional but a father’s?” I shake my head slowly before I speak again. “You never know a father’s true intent. I’ve learned over the years that things he said to me weren’t always the truth. He hid many things from my mother and me. Things that can’t be changed now. So, to answer your question. I don’t know if he loves me.”
I’ve never been one to cry. I’ve never been one to get overly emotional but standing in this room with Jamie, I let it all out. Tears pour from eyes like fountains as a reality I hadn’t wanted to face takes shape. Why am I letting myself feel these things? I’ve kept them locked away and hidden for so long. Why now? Why with him? The safety that I feel with Jamie is a mirage in itself. He’s after Cole and if he takes Cole down I will fall with him. That reality isn’t lost on me. I know this as a fact and yet I’m letting myself crumble. Jamie moves closer, wrapping his arms around me as I cry.
“I like to believe that every father loves their son but I know I’m wrong,” Jamie whispers into my hair.
“How do you know that?” I ask through the tears. Jamie runs his hand up and down my back, soothing me the best way he can.
“My father wasn’t the best of men. He raised us to be ruthless. When he died, Cole went with what he’d learned. I took what I’d learned and went another direction. People that were close to our father told me I was a disgrace to the family name. When I decided to become an agent, they disowned me. The more I saw of what Cole did, the more I wanted to fix it. There was something inside of me that just knew it had to change,” He says in the most honesty I’ve heard. I pull back and look up at Jamie. That’s when I see it in his eyes. How completely different he and Cole are. They may look alike but their hearts are on different pages.
“Thank you, Jamie.”
Chapter 14
Cole
I walk around with my hands clasped behind my back. Its days like these that I know I’m where I’m supposed to be in life.
“I want to know why you thought it was a good idea to go behind my back, Jorge,” I say once again. Unclasping my hands, I move to unbutton my cuffs, rolling my sleeves up to my elbows as I wait for an answer.
“You know why! Your brother put mine away for life, Cole! You know that shit wasn’t going to just end there!” His words do nothing for me. As much as I want to slit Jamie’s throat, he’s my brother. He’s my blood and no matter how much I may hate him, I can’t ignore that fact.
“I don’t give a shit what he did to your family, Jorge. This is my world!” I throw my hands out to the sides to make my point as he watches me. “You don’t go after anyone in my world without me giving the okay. You and this group of pussy’s have not been following the rules. I let it slide when you slit his tires. I let it slide when you tried to blow up his car but when I found out that you and these men of yours were planning to assassinate him, well it pissed me off. Do you know why it pissed me off, Jorge?” I stop in front of him, just daring him to answer me. I want him to open his filthy fucking mouth and tell me before I kill him.
“You’re going soft, Cole! Fuck him! Fuck Jamie! He’s been trying to bring you down for years! Why the fuck do you care if I take him out first?” Jorge roars. I pull my fist back, slamming it into his cheek with a sickening crack. I throw punch after punch until the darkness around the edges of my vision slowly come back into the light.
“You know why I care? Unlike you, I have some semblance of respect for my blood, Jorge. That is why I care. We may be on opposite ends but we have a mutual understanding that not many would get. You don’t own his life. I do!” Throwing a few more punches, I watch as his head lolls to the side before I turn to his men.
“In this world we have leaders and we have followers. I am the fucking leader. When you stepped foot into Chicago, you became mine. You made the simple mistake of thinking a man like Jorge was a leader! You have now learned that there is no other higher than me. Consider this my warning to you. I am God. I am the King. I am your worst fucking nightmare come true,” I say as I hold my hand out to Brady. He walks over, passing me the file that I’d asked him to round up. Flipping it open, I run through the names on the top.
“Daniel Gusman. Thirty years old. One son aged ten. Married to Taylor Gusman.” I look up at the motherfucker that thought it would be a great idea to work against me before looking back down at the folder. “Alejandro Martinez. Twenty-two years old. Has a girlfriend named Cecilly Romans. Lives with his mother and father. Alejandro is allergic to peanuts. Need I go further?” I look between the other two men that sit tied to chairs in the warehouse.
“My point is this, men. I know you. I know who you are and where you live. I know where your family lives. I know everything there is to know about you. I. Own. You.” The whines that come from Jorge annoy me. I glance at his broken face over my shoulder before sliding my gun out of the back of my pants. I turn on my heel, aim and shoot. Jorge’s head explodes before I turn back to the others.
“Are we going to have a problem with any of you?” I ask politely. They shake their heads quickly. Typically, I would have killed them all and walked away. That’s what I usually do but today is different. All I want to do is get home and shower, change and await my visit from Tala. We’ve had our meetings and things over the span of the last few months since I’ve fucked her but after the day she ran away from me, I haven’t pursued her further. I let her take her time and gave her some space but today is Sunday and I expect her to show up on time for our meeting just like she has every other Sunday. As much as I’d like to sink my cock into her over and over again, I know that I need to keep myself controlled. I signal to Brady to release the others before I lean against the wall and cross my ankles. Brady motions to the others to move and take care of the mess I’ve made. When he walks over to me, I know that he has something to say.
“Say it, Brady. You’ve never held back before,” I grunt.
“Jamie is becoming an issue. You know it as well as I do. You have been cleaning up more of his messes than your own lately, Cole. Your brother has made his own enemies,” He says crossing his arms over his chest. I know that all too well.
“Jorge undermined my authority. Jamie’s hit was not authorized by me in my goddamn city! What should I have done?” I ask him feeling myself on edge. I don’t want to be pushed today. I don’t want to snap but Brady has a way of pushing my boundaries and bringing Jamie up is one of them.
“Look at yourself, Cole! We have the Columbians asking to meet with you about a deal for coke and all you can think about is Jamie. Let the motherfuckers handle him. That’s one less problem we have. You run this city with an iron fist but Jamie is weakening you.” Before I can overthink it, I slam my fist into his jaw. I watch the blood leak from his lip out of the corner of his mouth. I move quickly, wrapping my hand around his throat before slamming him against the wall.
“You have been at my side since we were young, Brady. You have been there as I brought this empire up from the ashes and yet you question me now?” I growl in his face. His eyes redden but Brady is a lot like me in ways. He won’t back down. He won’t give in and that’s something I like about him.
“You know why. I have a bad feeling about having Tala Gregoria in the middle of this shit especially with Jamie around,” he rasps trying to catch his breath. I release his throat, watching as his hand comes up to rub the spot I just held. “I get why you want her on board, Cole, I do. I just don’t like what comes with it. Jamie isn’t going to give up and now that he knows she’s on your team he will go after her full force. How the hell can you be so sure that she won’t buckle under his pressure?” His concern is legitimate. I understand where he’s coming from but he doesn’t know the entire reasoning behind having Tala on my team and he won’t until the time is right.
“There are things that you don’t know about, Brady. Things that will come to light later on but for now, I have to keep things the way they are and pray for the best. Tala has no reason to run to Jamie when she is in just as deep with these things
. The fact that I’m going to make her move into the house should put some of your unease to rest,” I tell him. Brady eyes me wondering what the hell I’m not telling him. I want to. I want him to know what the fuck is being held over my head but I can’t involve him in this anymore than I already have. I hold the people close to me that tightly for a reason. I’m not a completely heartless man. I do love my family.
Chapter 15
Tala
