“I promised to get her out!” she cried into my shirt and balled her hands into fists. “I swore I’d keep her safe but they fucking killed her!”
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered into her hair as I stroked it. “What can I do for you?”
Her sobs quieted and she pulled away from my shoulder. Those beautiful blue eyes were filled with pain, loss, but also determination. She looked at me and I saw a fire. A thirst that was unquenchable except for one thing.
“Kill him,” she whispered. “If you love me at all, you’ll kill him.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
SOLOMON
By the time Liam arrived at Harry’s, I already downed a few shots to numb the anger I felt over the past twenty-four hours.
Of course, I wanted to kill the man who killed my woman’s friend, the man who caused her months of torture and pain. And of course I loved her, so I would do it happily.
But I had to be smart about it. That’s why I reached out to the only cop I would call my friend.
Liam and I went on a rescue mission together a few years back when his wife got kidnapped. It solidified our bond over the years and also strengthened both of our careers. We both took some hits but he nearly lost his life to save hers. He became a town hero and no rival crew ever fucked with me since then.
Not until now.
Liam made a presence when he entered the bar, even though he was off duty. Our heights and builds were similar, although I had more tattoos. His sharp eyes swept back and forth across as he made his way across the room. Always vigilant, always aware. That sense of awareness was what made him a good cop.
“Solomon,” he greeted me as we clasped arms and gave each other bro hugs with the other arms.
“Thanks for coming, man,” I muttered, unsure how to express my gratitude. He was going above and beyond his normal duties to help me.
“Sure, what’s up? You look like a fucking wreck,” he observed. “Whiskey, please,” he asked a waitress who was passing by.
“Tell me what you know about Antigua,” I said. “The Green King of the North, they call him.”
“Not much,” he said apologetically. “My dad’s had a pending investigation on him for years but his ship is water tight. We don’t even want to risk sending undercover officers because of the torture stories.”
“You know anything about that girl on the news last night?” I asked.
“Yeah, a little. I got a buddy on the force in Yountville. Gruesome shit. Rape isn’t even the worst of it according to the coroner. They can’t even share the details on TV.” Liam raised an eyebrow. “You saying that was his work?”
I nodded. “My girl escaped from him. She knew her.”
“Fuck, man. I’m sorry.” Liam looked at me intently. “You know, she’s probably the best one to give you information if you’re gonna retaliate.”
“I can’t ask her for that, man,” I sighed. “She’s been through so much, and now she’s grieving and devastated. I wish I could just make it all go away for her.”
“I know what you mean,” Liam nodded sympathetically. “I felt the same way after what Hazel went through. But women are stronger than we give them credit for.”
“Cheers to that.”
We clinked our glasses together and drank deeply.
“You might be surprised,” Liam continued once he drained his whiskey glass. “Letting her help you take him down might give her the closure she needs.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said, remembering the bloodlust in Natalie’s eyes when she told me to kill him. She’d probably love to pull the trigger herself. “Well if not information, I need to ask something else of you.”
“Name it, buddy.”
“I’m gonna need some of that sneaky cop technology. And some manpower for back up.”
Liam lifted an eyebrow once again. “You got a plan?”
“I think so,” I said. “But I can’t do it alone.”
“You know I’m there for you,” he answered, leaning forward and lowering his voice. “But I gotta know what you’re gonna do, Sol.”
In a hushed whisper, I leaned across the table and told him my plan.
***
Liam and I parted ways two hours later. Dusk was settling over Cloverville and swallowing up the daylight.
Every cell in my body wanted to go home. To that warm, cozy house and hear Ari shriek, “Daddy’s home!” as I came through the front door.
To see Natalie's huge blue eyes drink me in and taste her sweet kiss like I needed it to breathe.
But I couldn't go home to my little family yet. There was still work to be done.
I drove to our inspection point behind the convenience store off the freeway. The same place I first found Natalie which felt like so long ago.
I was meeting Eddie and Ivan, my driver and my underboss respectively. They were the last two pieces of the puzzle. If they could look past their old school gangster values, there was a chance this plan might work and we could all come out of this alive.
I was early as usual so I got out of the car and leaned against the door. I lit a cigarette as I waited, inhaling until the tip of the cancer stick burned a like a miniature orange sun.
Headlights approached me within a few minutes and my two men approached me with hard expressions on their faces. They knew I was about to ask a lot of them.
"Fellas," I greeted, clasping arms with each of them.
"What's with the super secret meeting, boss?" Ivan cut right to the chase.
"It's time we retaliate against Antigua," I said with an exhale of smoke. "Not only for breaking our pact but now he's murdering innocent women."
"The girl found in Yountville?" Eddie asked.
I nodded and he let out a long string of curse words in Spanish as he fumbled for his own cigarettes. Even among dirty criminals like us, there was honor. We took lives when necessary, and sometimes that involved women. But never innocent women. We already knew Antigua had no honor.
"You're sure we're prepared for something like this?" Ivan asked skeptically.
"With help, yes," I replied. "This is the part you boys aren't gonna like. We're getting help from the cops."
"Fuck no!"
Eddie and Ivan shot that down in unison.
"This goes against everything we stand for, boss," Ivan spat. "Even if they do help, how do we know the blues aren't gonna turn right around and arrest us?"
"Because I'm telling you they're not," I said firmly. "I'm telling you to trust my word as you have for years."
Eddie and Ivan exchanged looks. In all my years as their leader, I had never let them down and they knew it. They chose me to lead this crew because no one had the leadership skills to do it. They were just a rag-tag bunch of dealers with no organization or unity. Not only did I unite us, I made us the wealthiest, stealthiest criminals in this valley.
"Eddie," I said. "You're gonna go back to Antigua's like you're making a routine pickup. I've already arranged it but they're gonna grill you on why we haven't kept to schedule. I'm gonna tell you exactly what to say and do. Got it?"
Eddie nodded solemnly. I knew he'd follow me. He was that loyal and assuming my plan worked, he’d be rewarded greatly for his loyalty.
"Ivan," I said, turning to my ever-skeptical underboss. He followed me closely too but always asked questions. He learned how to see all sides of a situation and make wise decisions based on the information laid out before him.
“If anything happens to me,” I said, my chest tightening just a little. “You’re taking my place. You’re ready.”
He stared at me thoughtfully for a few moments before nodding slowly in agreement.
“I’ll make sure your family is taken care of,” he replied, ever a man of duty.
“Good man,” I answered with gratitude.
“Now that that’s settled,” I said as I flicked my cigarette to the ground and crushed it beneath my shoe. “Here’s what’s going to happen, boys.”
CHA
PTER TWENTY-THREE
NATALIE
Sol didn't come home until after midnight.
He had been sullen early in the day, deep in thought and I knew he was seriously planning his strike on Antigua.
Ari wanted to stay up waiting for him and I let her think she could, but the little cutie was passed out cold by ten.
Leah's death felt like it numbed me, but I put on a warm, smiling face for Ari. It wasn't fair to put the burden of my loss on her.
Sol seemed a bit distant to me that day but I figured planning the death of my former owner and the murderer of my friend didn't put him in the most affectionate mood.
I wasn't even sure if I wanted affection or comfort anyway. All I wanted was to have Leah back, alive and free. If I couldn't have that, I'd have the music of Antigua's last breaths in my ear if it was the last thing I did.
When Sol finally did come quietly through the doorway, I had been sitting on the couch trying to distract my somber mind with a lighthearted romance novel.
Seeing his face after such a long, tiring day of wearing my happy face gave me immense relief. Like I could finally take my mask off and be myself again.
I stood to greet him and he came over to me immediately, wrapping me in a loving, protective embrace that felt like home.
"How are you, beautiful?" he asked me with a tender stroke of my cheek.
"I don't know," I admitted. "Okay, I guess. Just numb."
His eyes lit up with sympathy and care. He felt my pain and he was really there for me.
"I've been setting a plan in motion," he said. "We'll get justice for your friend, I promise. And for you."
"Thank you," I said sincerely.
Two words couldn't even begin to express my gratitude for him. Not only for carrying out justice for me and Leah, but saving my life in the beginning. For showing me how to feel again. For loving me. For simply being the ruthless, protective man that he was.
"Ari's asleep?" he asked.
"Mm-hm." I wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders and pressed a kiss to his mouth. I wanted to feel now. I didn't want to be numb anymore. "We should get to bed, too."
"Can't, babe." He gently pulled away and looked at me intensely. "We're moving on Antigua tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?!" I couldn't believe my ears.
He nodded. "Pack a bag with yours and Ari’s stuff. Netta is coming too. You all have to stay in a safe house until this blows over."
"What? Why?"
My chest ached with panic. A safe house? This all suddenly felt too real, too much.
Sol put his forehead to mine and held me with a tight grip. He spoke in a low, serious voice.
"If anything happens to me, they'll come after you and Ari next. I have to make sure they won't find you."
My blood felt like it froze in my veins. Despite all my time in Antigua's possession, I never felt fear like this.
I didn't fear for my own life, but what my life would be if I lost Solomon.
Before I could say anything, he kissed me again and reluctantly let his arms drop from being wrapped around me.
"I'm going to Netta's to get her moving. Pack some clothes and toys for Ari, then get her up in ten minutes tops."
I nodded but quickly grabbed his arm as he started for the door. I wanted to plead with him but didn't know what to say. To not risk his life for this? To promise to come back to me and Ari? The reality of those situations weighed on us like bricks in our pockets. I couldn't ask him to make promises he couldn't keep.
Instead I just said, "I love you."
One corner of his lips lifted in a smartass, signature smirk and he planted a final quick kiss on my lips.
"It's too early to say goodbye, babe," he said, looking as calm as any other day. "I'll be back in ten minutes, I promise. Be ready to go."
I raced upstairs and stuffed a duffel bag with all the clothes I owned. In a small, hidden zipper compartment I hid the cash Sol first gave me when he dropped me off at the shelter. I tried to give it back earlier but he insisted it was a gift.
When I gathered my things, I quietly opened Ari's bedroom door and flipped on the light switch.
She groaned, squeezing her eyes shut and rubbing them.
"Hey sweetie. You gotta get up," I whispered, sitting next to her on the bed and rubbing her shoulder as I wracked my brain trying to figure out what to tell her.
"What time is it?" she mumbled.
"Late," I said. "Your daddy's taking us on an adventure."
"Hmm?"
"It's like we're going camping, or a vacation," I said. "Netta's coming too. But we have to go right now."
"But I'm sleepy."
"I know, honey. You can sleep in the car."
I began opening her dresser drawers to pull out her clothes and stuff them in the duffel bag. After that, I began pulling toys and books from her shelves. Who knew how long we'd be staying in that house.
When the duffel bag was stuffed to the brim, I carried it down the stairs and left it by the door. Ari was not getting out of bed and appeared to have fallen back asleep. Without bothering to change her out of her Barbie footie pajamas, I peeled her limp body up from the mattress and carried her downstairs to wait for Sol.
He was just pulling up the driveway with a sleepy and disgruntled looking Netta in the passenger seat.
"Always a sleeping beauty," he said, kissing Ari's cheek that wasn't squished against my shoulder. She was out like a light with her mouth partially open and drooling slightly.
"Let's get in and go," Sol ordered, picking up the duffel and tossing it in the trunk.
Ari stirred slightly as I buckled her in, although still mostly asleep.
"Daddy, are we going camping?" she mumbled.
"Almost, baby!" he said with forced enthusiasm. "We're going on a trip! It'll be kind of like camping."
He drove for what felt like hours. I must have dozed off at some point because the next thing I knew, we pulled up to a small house surrounded by hills and countryside.
The house looked like it had been plucked up from an older suburban neighborhood by a giant hand and then plopped down in the middle of nowhere.
It was a small cottage style house, painted yellow and with a wooden garage door that had to be pulled up by hand. Tall grass and brush came right up to the sides and front porch, showing how little time was spent here. There was no driveway to speak of. Sol just pulled up in front of the wooden garage door, flattening the knee-high grass in his way.
Without a word, he shut the car off and got out. Netta did the same without any hesitation as if she'd done this before.
I carefully unbuckled Ari's seatbelt and secured her against my hip as I pushed my own door open. She was still dead asleep on my shoulder.
I envied her as I followed Sol and Netta up to the front door. Ari had no idea of the danger her father was about to face, what I had faced before meeting her. I wished I could capture and bottle that innocence to use in situations like this. If I could, I would be going on a camping trip with the people I loved most, and nothing more.
Inside the house were three small, minimally furnished bedrooms, a living room with an old TV set and DVDs, and a small galley kitchen. A clock on the wall read 3:23 am.
Netta claimed one of the bedrooms and promptly went inside with her bag and shut the door. I was curious to hear her thoughts about this whole situation in the morning.
I laid Ari down on the bed in the smallest bedroom without a peep from her, while Sol put the duffel bag in the remaining bedroom.
"There's plenty of food stocked up," he said, standing in the bedroom doorway while I sat on the mattress. "If anything happens, my underboss, Ivan will get in contact with you before long."
I could only look at him with longing, taking him all in and trying to photograph him in my mind. Should I expect this to be the last conversation I had with him, the man I loved?
"How long until we expect to hear anything from you?" I asked.
His expressi
on looked pained. He didn't want to be optimistic. He couldn't take that risk.
"If everything goes well," he said. "We should be done by the end of the day tomorrow. I'll call you on the landline here." His smirk returned as if forgetting the seriousness of the situation. "Before I kill him, I'll let you say whatever you want to him."
"When do you have to leave?"
I hated how he stood so far away from me. I needed his touch if I was going to seal his memory into my mind.
"Soon," he said apologetically. "We're heading out and starting early."
"Can you stay for just a little while?" I asked in a small voice as I reached a hand out to him.
"Of course, my love."
He came forward and I felt the sparks fly when his fingers touched mine. When he sat next to me, I clutched to him desperately. My touches were frantic and needy. I couldn't bear the thought of losing him, not after losing Leah.
By contrast, his touch was strong, calm and reassuring. His large hands rubbed in soothing circles across my entire back, holding me with a firm, sincere pressure against his chest.
“You’ll be taken care of, no matter what happens,” he said just above a whisper into my ear. “I know you’ll be fine and you’ll take care of Ari. You’re the strongest, bravest person I know.”
“Stop saying things like that,” I hissed as my hands dug into his shoulders. “You’ll come back to us. I know you will. You will kill him and this nightmare will end.”
“I really hope you’re right, my love.”
I hoped so too with all my heart.
Was it brave or cowardly to hold onto that hope? To reject any other possibility except for my man coming back home to me alive? I didn't care.
With a firm grip on the back of his neck, I pulled his lips to mine. His mouth crashed down on mine with all the fierceness and intensity of an ocean wave. As his kisses and tight holds possessed me, my body felt swept under a powerful current and I never wanted to return to the surface.
"Natalie, I need something from you," Sol whispered against my lips like a confession.
Down and Dirty: A Single Dad Bad Boy Romance (Small Town Bad Boys Book 3) Page 11
