Silver Shield Security Box Set

by Dee Bridgnorth

  “Are you okay, babe?”

  She shook her head. “I should be asking you that. This is my job. I’m used to bullets flying overhead.”

  He shuddered at her words. “I know it’s your job, but it terrifies me.”

  “I won’t let anything happen to you,” she vowed.

  He was silent for several minutes then he asked, “But what about if something happens to you?”

  She had no response to that. She tried to put herself in his shoes and imagine how she would feel if he got hit by a bullet. The chill and intense agony that ripped through her stunned her. It was the first indication she had that she might be too late; she already cared a little too much about him.

  **

  Cruz glanced at the man bleeding on the floor of the abandoned warehouse. “How did this happen?”

  “There were folks there with guns, boss,” one of his men replied.

  Cruz’s eyes sharpened. “What are you saying, Luka?”

  “I’m telling you, boss. There were two men who fired at us. They dragged him into an SUV and got away.”

  Luka stared at the hard man standing before them. He was giving them the grill, looking at them like he wanted to finish off the job those two bastards in the SUV had started. At least, he hoped the man bought that story. They had all agreed not to tell him that it had been his precious Chicha who had opened fire. They could hardly believe it themselves. Who knew the woman could handle a nine like that? You thought you knew a person…

  “This was just a simple job. How could you idiots mess it up?”

  Cruz was pissed. So the bastard had people protecting him? He wondered briefly if Nico had gone to the police but immediately dismissed the thought. He did not want word getting out that the plans had been stolen from right under him. He could get all the protection he wanted, nobody was going to save him from the wrath of Cruz.

  “Has that bitch showed up yet?”

  The men exchanged glances and Luka, who seemed to be the designated spokesperson replied, “There was someone like her with the target.”

  Cruz curled his lips. “Someone like her…what the hell do you mean?”

  “Sh-she was with him,” Luka heard himself stutter. It wasn’t his fault. Cruz was a mean sonofabitch; he was too desperate, though he liked to front a lot. He would have left him ages ago if he had anywhere to go, but this was the streets. You needed to have a place to belong else you were fair game.

  A phone rang. Cruz dug his hand into his overcoat and pulled out the phone. Before he answered it, he looked at them. “Get him cleaned up,” he said, using his head to gesture at the half-conscious man. “I’m out.”

  Cruz answered the phone and placed it to his ears as he walked out of the old warehouse. “Yeah,” he said into the phone.

  “Did you get your man?” the voice asked.

  “No. He had bodyguards with him,” Cruz answered shortly.

  The person at the other end of the line swore and then, “Bodyguards! How is that possible?”

  “Hell, I have no idea. You’re the one who knows everything about the bastard.”

  “Yeah well, I need those plans before Friday.”

  “Then you’d better make sure the dough gets to me and I get the man before then.”

  “For fuck’s sake! Look, I delivered the man to you. It’s not my fault you couldn’t nail him.”

  “No deal,” Cruz said. He had gotten to his ride by this time. The door was pulled open for him by one of his men.

  “Still have that number I sent you?”

  Cruz frowned. “Yeah.”

  “Then it’s time to use it. He’s going to need those plans this Friday. He’ll be desperate enough to speak with you.”

  Cruz was quiet. His mind went through the possibilities. No more shooting in the dark, literally, he could have the bastard right on his turf. It was too good an opportunity to pass up.

  “Fine.”

  “My name stays out of this or we have no deal,” the other man said.

  Cruz shrugged. “Yeah, whatever, man.”

  He ended that call and signaled for his men to move. It was freezing out although the car was warm. He scrolled through his contacts and pulled out the number he’d never used. With a nasty smile on his face, he dialed. It was time.

  **

  Nico was sitting on an armchair listening to the others strategize. Tamika sat on the rug and leaned against his legs. Having here there, with her weight pressed against him, felt so good. He absently rubbed a fat strand from her dreads between his fingers. He loved the feel and texture of her hair. He lifted his eyes to catch Chicha watching him with a scowl on her face. Since he’d come in with Tamika, she’d been giving him the evil eye, which was just plain absurd. If anyone should be damning the other to hell, it should be him.

  He narrowed his eyes at her, letting her know he had not forgotten or forgiven all the trouble she’d caused him. She lifted her chin defiantly and Nico almost laughed. If he’d had any doubts at all that she and Tamika were twins, that singular action had put them to rest.

  “We need to find a way to get to the house and pick up the kid,” Emily was saying.

  “Is there anyone on the inside who could help us?” The question came from the big bear of a man whom he recognized as Drew. He had joined the crew from Florida less than an hour before Nico and Tamika got there and had been brought up to speed.

  “There might be someone,” Chicha said quietly.

  “We need someone you can trust, Chicha,” Rusty said.

  “Her name is Keisha.”

  Everyone froze and stared at Ryan.

  “Huh?” Drew looked at the man in surprise.

  Nico shared his surprise too. What was the deal? What did that have to do with what they were discussing? He noticed a shared look between Chicha and Ryan. Hmm, that was quite fast.

  “Actually, my given name is Takeisha and I prefer to be called Keisha,” she said solemnly.

  “How did you get the name Chicha?” The question came from Tamika.

  Chicha, now Keisha, looked at her and smiled, “Well, my mom told me that you could not pronounce Takeisha and shortened it to Keisha.”

  “Really? I gave you that name?” He could not see the expression on her face, but he heard the smile in Tamika’s voice.

  “Yeah, and I called you Mika.”

  Tamika nodded, “You know, that’s one nickname I think I can actually stomach,” she said with a laugh.

  The others turned to stare at her.

  “What?” Tamika asked in confusion.

  Nico recognized the expressions on their faces. It was probably the same one he’d worn the first time he heard her laugh. He was proved right when Drew spoke.

  “You laughed,” he said in wonder.

  “Yeah, well…” she said with a shrug. “So Keisha, who can we depend on to help us with your daughter?” she asked, shifting the focus off herself.

  “Cruz’s mom.”

  Was she for real? Nico shook his head at the absurdity. “Why would she sell out her son?” he could not help asking.

  “We need someone we can trust,” Emily stressed.

  Keisha sat up eagerly. “She likes a good time and having to babysit Mira must be cramping her style. She’s not that kind of grandma. Hell, she wasn’t that kind of mama.”

  Her words triggered a memory. Several times growing up, he’d brought both Cruz and his sister to his grandfather’s place so they could get a decent meal because their mom was out turning a trick. Maybe Chi—Keisha had a point.

  “If the money’s good enough, she would sell out her son. And the added bonus of ridding herself of Mira is something she won’t be able to pass up,” Keisha added.

  “Okay, so we just need to find the right amount to tempt her,” Emily said nodding.

  “Would ten thousand be enough?” Tamika asked quietly.

  Keisha gasped, “I don’t have that much money, girl. Where am I supposed to get ten grand from?”

>   “I have some savings,” Tamika said with a shrug.

  Keisha stared at her. “You would give up your savings for me?” she asked in shock.

  “Not for you, babe, for your Mira.”

  “Oh!” The other woman brought a hand to cover her mouth. Nico could see the tears shimmering in her eyes.

  “I can throw in half of that,” he said. Not like he particularly cared for the woman, she had caused him grief after all, but he’d be damned if he just let Tamika put down all her savings that way.

  “I can add twenty-five hundred.” Ryan said.

  By this time, Keisha was sobbing openly. “I can’t let you guys do this,” she said, her voice thick with tears.

  “You don’t have much of a choice,” Emily said gently. “Now the plan is to get in touch with Cruz’s mom and offer her the money in cash. We need her to bring Mira to us, we don’t want her caught in any gunfire.”

  They all nodded in agreement.

  “The next thing is how to get those plans.”

  Just then, Nico’s phone rang. He glanced at the screen, it was an unregistered number. Strange.

  Tamika twisted round to look at him, her eyebrow raised in a question.

  “I don’t know, it’s an unregistered number,” he said, gaining everyone’s attention.

  “You should answer the call.” Emily said.

  “No, hold on,” Rusty said. He walked over to Nico and took the phone from him. The ringing stopped immediately. He fiddled with some stuff, then handed the phone back. “If it rings again, you can answer.”

  “What did you do?” Nico wanted to know.

  “Just a little something to keep track of the call,” he said, walking back to his seat.

  The phone rang again. This time, Nico answered, “Hello?”

  “Nikolai Ortega. I’m sure I don’t need to introduce myself.”

  He would know that voice anywhere. “Cruz Fuentes.”

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Tamika went still when she heard the name. She turned so that she was resting on her knees and fully facing Nico. He caught her gaze and she mouthed, “Speaker.”

  He nodded and placed the call on speaker so everyone in the room could listen in on the conversation.

  “To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?” he asked.

  “Word on the street is you need something I have,” the man said.

  “Are you talking about my plans? The ones you sent your woman to steal for you?”

  “Yeah, those ones. Heard you been creeping around town with her. Seems she scammed you good.”

  “Nah, she’s too rachet for me. Seems right up your alley, na’mean?” he said, slipping into street slang.

  Tamika stared at him and shook her head reprovingly. She glanced at Keisha and saw her face was heated up with rage. Even if he was right, which he wasn’t, he had no call referring to Keisha as rachet. So she’d come on to him and slept with Alex as well, that didn’t mean she had loose morals. She just did what she had to do. Keisha was as far from rachet as anyone she’d met.

  “Still the same cocky bastard.” Cruz said. “Well, I ain’t got no beef with you. I’ve got your plans, but I figure you owe me.”

  “How the hell do you figure that?”

  “You are the reason Mia is dead, asshole!”

  “I see.”

  Tamika saw the way Nico’s hand clutched the phone. He was getting agitated. So she gently stroked his thigh and shook her head. He needed to calm down.

  He took a deep breath and let it out gently.

  “How much do you want, Cruz?”

  “Five million,” came the instant reply.

  “Get the fuck outta here!”

  Tamika gaped. Five million dollars. Was the man for real? It seemed he was because he sounded dead serious.

  “You need the plans before Friday, right?”

  Everyone in the room went on alert. Nico exchanged a glance with her. How had he known about Friday? Tamika was more convinced than ever that this entire thing with Cruz was more of an inside job. Somebody close to Nico was messing with him.

  “I can get you half of that,” Nico tried to negotiate.

  “Five million or no deal.”

  “Fine, send me your account details.”

  Cruz laughed outright. “You’re kidding me, right? It’s gotta be cash, son. And you bring it yourself.”

  “Time and place,” Nico said in a tight voice.

  “Why the rush? I’ll send you the details soon enough. Make sure you come with that bitch as well.” He laughed again. “Nice doing business with you, man.” With that, he ended the call.

  There was complete silence in the room.

  “You’ve got a mole in your office,” Drew said, breaking the silence.

  “I’ve asked for a check on every one of the executives,” Tamika said.

  “And I’m working on it,” Rusty interjected.

  “We need to figure out how to get the plans off him. Seems to me like this is just a trap,” Ryan said.

  Emily nodded. “My thoughts exactly.”

  “Nico can’t meet up with Cruz. He’s only going to kill him,” Keisha said. “Besides, he’ll never have the plans on him.”

  All eyes turned to her. “What do you mean?” Emily asked.

  “He’s going to double-cross him. Cruz has sworn to kill Nico.”

  “So where would he keep the plans?” Drew asked.

  “He has this safe he had installed a couple of years ago, back at the house. If there’s anywhere the plans would be, they’d be in that safe.”

  “How do we get in?” Emily asked.

  Keisha ran her fingers through her hair as she adjusted her sitting position, folding her legs beneath her.

  “You have to understand, it’s the hood. Cruz’s hood. There’s no way a bunch of strangers can walk in off the street and not attract attention. Cruz’s got his guys everywhere.”

  Tamika nodded. “As soon as any of us are spotted, he will be alerted.” She still remembered how it worked.

  “There has to be a way,” Rusty said.

  Keisha nodded. “There is a way. I could go get the plans.”

  There was a brief pause.

  “It’s too dangerous for you,” Tamika stated, hating the feeling in the pit of her stomach.

  “It’s safer for me. They know me in the hood. Plus, I can probably crack any safe.” That additional information had them raising their eyebrows. Keisha laughed, “What? How do you think I got the plans in the first place?”

  Tamika stood up and began to pace. She did not like the idea, but she could not see any way around it. “We need to coordinate this perfectly.”

  “Tamika will go with one of the guys to meet with Cruz,” Emily said.

  “Not happening,” Nico said speaking up for the first time since he got off the phone.

  “It’s too dangerous for you, Nico,” Tamika said.

  But he simply shook his head. “It’s no less dangerous for you, especially as you’re going in pretending to be her,” he said, waving a hand at Keisha. “Yet you’re planning on going.”

  “That’s different,” she protested.

  “Yeah, you’re the badass former military special operator, I get it. But I know Cruz and he knows me. Sending someone else is never going to fly.”

  “He’s right,” Emily said, taking control of the conversation. “They’re going to be expecting you to come with backup and would be watching out for that. So we need to decide how we’re going to get in without their seeing us.”

  “It’s going to be a problem if he plans the meeting during the day,” Drew said.

  “That depends on the location. Usually we inform the local police department about our activities within their jurisdiction, but this case is a little sensitive…”

  They talked some more and planned their strategy, but they were handicapped by the limited information. By the time they decided to call it a night, it was close to midnight. There was th
e suggestion that both Nico and Tamika spend the night at the safe house, but Nico declined saying he needed some time on his own.

  “We’ll send a team to clean up your office,” Emily said just before they left.

  “I’d appreciate that, thanks,” Nico said.

  Tamika noted that he looked and sounded weary. She felt sorry for him. His life was being turned upside down through no fault of his. How could he have known that the friendship he made as a child would come back and haunt him this way? No one could know that.

  Back at Nico’s penthouse apartment, Tamika said goodbye to Rusty and Pete, who had gone in to make sure everything checked out. After they were gone, she quickly stripped and got into the shower. The spray of hot water on her body felt so good that she leaned against the wall and sighed.

  Moments later, she heard the bathroom door open and the shower door slid open. She cracked an eye open and found Nico standing there.

  “Hey.”

  “Hi, is there room for one more?” he asked.

  “Always,” she said, meeting his gaze.

  He got in with her and standing behind her, wrapped his arms around her and rested his cheek on her head. They stood that way for several minutes as the water poured over them. She could feel the tension slowly seep out of his body as he relaxed.

  “Feeling better?” she asked.

  “Hmm…” he murmured. His hands slowly brushed over her abdomen and traveled up.

  Tamika gave a sharp intake of breath as her knees loosened and parted slightly. She closed her eyes and angled her head back, arching her upper body so that she was completely resting against him. His hands moved upward and lightly brushed against her aching tips.

  She parted her lips as desire swept over her. She felt his arousal pushing her from behind and let out a sigh. She had no idea what it was about this man, but each time he touched her she melted into a puddle of desire. But it was more than just lust. She knew he’d had a rough time that evening and she wanted to soothe him, make him feel better. She reached back and ran her hand over his head.