by Tiya Rayne
“Emory, no,” I yell. “Go back to your room, it’s okay.” I lie. There is no way in hell this is okay.
“Munchkin, listen to your mom.”
She hesitates for a second, but then backs up the stairs and disappears. I exhale in relief once she is out of view.
The gunman continues to back us up, he’s heading for the back door. Grams’ gun is trained on him and she’s following.
“If you think to take her out of this house, you better think again. I’m not the enemy you want.”
The man continues to walk us to the back door, the closer we get to it, the more I fight. I’m not leaving this house with him. It would result in nothing good.
Finally remembering all those self-defense classes, I drop my weight, causing him to lose his hold. He wasn’t expecting it or the elbow I shove into his gut. He makes an umph sound before back handing me in the face.
I crumble to the floor, giving Grams a clean shot. She fires and he returns one. Both are too quick for their own good.
The intruder runs out the back, nearly taking our little screen door with him. Grams rushes to the door and fires another shot at the fence he leaps over. She slams the door shut and places the chain lock on it. I climb to my feet to look her over.
“Are you all right?”
She knocks my hands down and reaches for my sore lip. “That pussy’s aim was as bad as a cockeyed pigeon. He couldn’t hit the side of a damn barn. Look, at your face,” she fumes.
“It’s fine, Grams. I need to go check on Emory. Call the cops,” I say, rushing out of the kitchen. I take the stairs two at a time.
By the time I reach her room, I’m out of breath. Pushing open the door, I find Emory on her bed, her knees tucked to her chest and her rabbit clutched in her hands. She lifts her head when I enter. Springing up, she rushes to me, and wraps her arms around my waist. I clutch her to me soothing her as best I can.
“It’s all right, baby. I’m okay and Grams is okay.”
I pull back, grabbing her hands to make her release me. I kneel down to get at eye level with her. Her wide light brown eyes sparkle with her tears.
“Your face,” she tugs her hands away and signs.
“I know. It looks bad, but it barely hurts. I’ll take a sore lip over what could’ve happened.”
She gently touches my lip and my throbbing cheek. “I’m sorry.” She signs.
“Baby, it’s not your fault. You did what we asked you to do.”
“Is he dead?”
I cringe at the hopefulness on her face. “No. He got away.”
“But he’s bleeding.” The sound of Grams’ voice causes us to look up at the doorway. Emory rushes to her great-grandma and hugs her tight. “Looks like I took a piece of him. There’s a few drops of blood on the bullet lodged in the screen door.”
“Did you call the cops?”
“Sure did. They’ll be here shortly.”
“Good,” I say as I stand.
“This proves my point. You need a man in this house.”
“Oh, don’t start that shit.” I close my eyes and place a hand on my forehead and one on my hip.
“Girl, who are you talking to like that?”
Stress and tonight’s event apparently has me frazzled.
“Sorry, but I don’t understand how finding a man would have saved me tonight.”
“First off, it’s not shit. It’s facts. What would have happened if I wasn’t here?”
“I don’t know,” I answer gruffly. “I didn’t exactly plan to be held at gunpoint.”
“Well, you should plan out all scenarios so you will be better prepared for them. I’ve been telling you this for months now, you need someone that’s going to protect you when I’m gone.”
“Can we not do this right now?” My fucking face and lip feel like they have a separate heartbeat. I’m really not in the mindset to have this argument.
Grams shakes her head at me, her lips pursed tightly into a grimace. “I did you no justice taking you out of the lifestyle. I wanted better for you, I guess I’ll pay for that decision for the rest of my life.”
“What are you talking about?” What lifestyle? She has never mentioned any lifestyle or taking me out of anything before. Hell, she wouldn’t let me quit soccer, even though I cried every practice because I hated it so much.
“Come on, Munchkin. Let me get you some hot cocoa while we wait for the cops.”
Emory grabs her rabbit off the bed and follows Grams out. I’m standing in the middle of my daughter’s bedroom, feeling like my world is spinning off its axis.
Chapter 24
Deacon Gramble
Lucien
* * *
Seven thousand, five hundred and twenty-eight, that’s how many small holes are in the ceiling tile. I know, I’ve recounted twice.
I’ve been locked in this fucking room for three days. Thankfully, I was able to send a message to Malia to reschedule our date before they picked me up. We have three days after a job is done to turn in any requested proof. The same thing goes for bringing in Hawk. However, six hours after we left Hawk and Brooklyn at the mansion, we got picked up by the Church and hauled here.
I smile to myself as I imagine my brother is far away from here by now. I did my job making sure they went undetected. One of us will get a happy ever after.
The clicking of the door signifies I’ll get to talk to someone. I haven’t seen anyone since the first night when I told them our made-up story about Hawk slipping away.
A Cardinal walks in, his black suit with the red handkerchief sticking out of his pocket is the only sign of his ranking. I lean back in my chair. After the Pope, the Cardinals have the second highest power in the organization. If a Cardinal is here, shit is about to get real.
“Who do I have the pleasure of speaking to today?” The elder man asks, taking a seat in the chair in front of me. He clasps his long fingers together, down on the table before him.
“Deacon Lucien Gramble.”
A slow smile lifts his thin lips. “Aww, Luciano. I’ve heard great things about you.”
I mentally cringe at the use of my full name, but don’t show any outward display of my annoyance. Which is exactly what he wants.
Silence sits between us for a pregnant minute. Cardinal sizes me up, trying to make me uncomfortable. He must not know who my handler is. Priest taught us well.
“Can you tell me again how a blind man who has been out of service for five years was able to slip away from you, your brother, Deacon Milo Beckett and Priest Nathaniel Otella?”
The insinuation in his tone and the lack of respect for my brother has me tapping my finger on top of the table.
“I think it was because we all thought like you do. That a man who has been trained for twenty years, and has succeeded in countless jobs while being blind, somehow now can’t do his fucking job.”
The lines around his lips tense and his eyes narrow slightly. I’m the wrong one for these games, motherfucker.
“Be that as it may, you and your companions let him slip away.”
“We didn’t let him do anything. You saw the video.”
The one I doctored up.
“Yes, the video,” he says, leaving the sentence open ended. He wants me to say more about it, but I won’t.
The pregnant silence is back.
“Have you completed your job yet?” he says after I don’t fall for his bullshit.
This time I lift my brow. What the fuck does he care about me completing a job? The Church doesn’t monitor the completion of jobs. There are no timeframes.
“Have I turned in my menu?” I counter.
He tightens his lips again. “Yet you assisted a rogue agent in a shootout.”
“Was he a rogue agent at the time? I had no idea.” I shrug nonchalantly. They have no proof I checked that message.
“You don’t wear ignorance well, Luciano. You should save that for your brother.”
I stop tapping my finger on t
he table. It’s the only outward appearance to show his words have hit their mark. A chill runs up my spine, causing me to shiver. I close my eyes and count to ten before opening them again.
“Be careful, Cardinal. I’d hate for Seth to find out what you said.”
His face pales slightly and his eyes narrow. “Is that a threat, Deacon?”
They kill me, using my title as if it’s supposed to put me in my place. By the time agents get to the Cardinal position they have been out of the field for years. Their blood-stained hands are damn near dried.
The higher they go, the more they use their pull and status to keep them on top and the less they train. One on one, this fucking fossil is no match for me, let alone my brother. However, I know to challenge him would be to challenge the Church.
I shrug. “My words were a statement, the threat was perceived.”
Again, the room is left in silence. “As punishment for your part in aiding rogue agent Kilian Walker, I’m suspending all your services from the Church for three months.”
“Okay, I get a paid vacation? Damn, how awful.”
He isn’t amused by my joke. “No vacation, your menu is still active. However, you won’t be able to use any of our services to help you.”
What the fuck? How the hell am I supposed to catch a man like Takar Rasheed without the Church’s help? I need their database and the connections.
Cardinal stands, tugging on his suit. “Have a good day, Deacon Luciano.”
He turns and exits the room. The moment he leaves another Deacon comes in to escort me out. I get to my feet.
“You will need to turn in all firearms and Church assigned equipment by midnight tonight,” the Deacon informs.
I head out of the building with him on my tail. I spot Ari at the front desk. She opens her mouth to say something, but I give a slight shake of my head. I don’t need them targeting her, thinking she has connections to me.
The Deacon escorts me right to the door and watches as I exit. The moment I step out, I spot Priest and Many.
“Where is Seth?” Priest asks as soon as I approach. We walk as a group toward the white van we borrowed for the other night.
“He bailed not long after you dropped the cop off.”
Priest nods. “They’re going to want him to answer some questions.”
Priest climbs into the driver’s side and I get in the passenger seat while Many sits in the back.
“Good luck to them with catching up to him.” We all laugh, knowing damn well Seth is hard to get ahold of when he doesn’t want to be found.
“They suspend you?” Priest asks.
“Yeah, you?”
Priest’s gaze flickers over to me momentarily. They wouldn’t dare suspend him. They aren’t sure how much power he truly has. He has a lot. “But they suspended Many and Zel.”
“We do not like being suspended,” Many says in his deep voice. “They took our staffs.”
“I know, kid,” Priest says, starting the engine.
“What about Beast? They mentioned when he’s getting out yet?”
Priest’s jaw tightens and his knuckles whiten around the steering wheel. “They’re going to delay it until after the investigation.”
“What? How long is that going to take?”
“At least another few weeks.”
“Brother Beast is not going to like that,” Many’s nasally voice adds.
“Which is why they are doing it. They want him to get pissed at me.”
This game they’ve been playing with Beast lately is getting outrageous. Hell, we were never for this whole five-year lock down period, but Priest got out voted. I still think something strange happened with that verdict.
“We need to talk to him.”
Priest shakes his head. “They won’t let us go near him.”
I run my fingers through my hair, pushing it off my forehead. “So, what are we supposed to do?”
“Lay low until this shit blows over. Are you sure Hawk and Painter are cloaked?” He glances over at me.
“They won’t be able to find them no matter how hard they search. They are completely off the grid.”
“Good, keep it that way. I need you two to stay out of trouble for now. They will be looking for anything to condemn you with now that Hawk is rogue.”
It’s hard hearing that my brother is an enemy of the Church and now I’m supposed to bring him in to practically die. I never thought the day would come when one of us would be in this predicament. At least he doesn’t have an extermination price on his head. They only want him brought in, if it was an extermination, it would be kill first, ask questions last. That would not be good.
“I’m going by the hospital to visit Zel. You guys coming?” Priest asks.
I shake my head before answering. “I’ll go by later. I got business to handle.”
“Church business?”
“No.” I keep my head turned straight so he can’t read my eyes.
“Don’t make me kick your ass, Twin.”
I chuckle at Priest’s threat. “No need to worry.”
The van is silent for a minute. Priest knows something is up, but he won’t press it. I’m guessing he assumes it’s about my menu. He’s not entirely wrong.
“What about you, Many? You going with me?” Priest asks.
“We will go with you to see, Brother Zel, but then we have to leave. We have a date tonight.”
Priest slams on the breaks, throwing me forward. When I right myself, we both turn to the backseat to see a very pleased Many.
“With Ari?” I ask.
“Yes. We read we should dress presentable for a date. We would like to go home and prepare our appearance,” he replies with his nasally voice.
“Oh fuck,” Priest groans.
I nudge Priest in the shoulder.
“Congratulations, Many.” I’m proud of my brother. I never thought I’d see the day he would be going on a date. Other than Beast, Many has the most issues with socializing. I guess, Hawk has everybody wanting something different.
“Talking to you boys is like talking to a bag of marbles,” Priest grumbles, turning back to the road. “You know what, enjoy it while it lasts, but for the love of God use a damn condom. The world doesn’t need you two populating.”
I glance back at Many and we both laugh. Having Priest fuss at us brings back childhood memories. I guess you could say Priest is like our dad, even though he is only eleven years older than us.
He was practically still a child himself when he took us under his wing. Thinking about that makes me wonder what type of father I would be. I shake my head, dismissing the farfetched idea. The Church would never let that happen.
Chapter 25
She Missed Me
Lucien
* * *
After a quick shower and a change of clothes, I head to the one place I’ve wanted to be for the last three days. The bell over the door of the little bookstore chimes. I spot Malia at the register as soon as I walk in. Her face lights up when she sees me.
I march over to her as if a magnet is pulling me. She comes around and meets me halfway.
Her hair is down today, the long strands hanging to her chest. Her shirt hangs off one shoulder, showcasing the peanut brown colored skin. She looks absolutely gorgeous.
When she gets to me, she stands awkwardly in front of me. We aren’t at the stage in our relationship where it would be presentable for me to do as I would like—grab her and clutch her to me so I can feel her in my arms. Instead, we stand facing each other with big smiles.
“I feel like it’s been forever since I last saw you.” Her smile dips a little, letting me know she missed me.
“I know,” I reply. “I’m sorry about that.”
“Don’t apologize. You’ve been working.”
I can’t resist any further, I have to touch her. I don’t give a shit about protocols and timelines. I wrap my hand around her wrist and pull her into me.
She comes willing
ly. Then she buries her face in my chest and wraps her arms around my waist. I hold her tight in my arms, feeling so at peace I could float away.
We stay in this embrace for far too short a time before she leans back. I gaze down at her face and hot rage courses through me so violently my body physically shudders.
“What…” I have to stop and start again. “What happened to your face?” On her left cheek is a bruise and her lip has signs of a healing cut. Her makeup does a good job of hiding it, but I’ve had enough bruises in my life, I can spot one out a mile away.
She tries to place distance between us, but I don’t let her go. The feel of her in my arms is the only thing keeping me from losing my mind right now.
“It’s not that bad,” she tries to dismiss it. “We had a break in a few nights ago. We’re all safe, but he left a souvenir with me.” She points to her face.
“Did you see the person who broke in?”
“No. My Grandmother scared him off.”
I don’t like this. Something about this isn’t adding up. She’s had two attacks within days of each other, that’s more action than I’ve had and I’m going up against a madman.
After the first night I met Malia, I did an extensive background check on her. She’s never made an enemy and other than a solid bank account, no one would have any motive to hurt her.
“What did the police say?” I ask.
“They have no leads. They asked if I knew of anyone who would be after me. I don’t.”
“You mind if I take a look at the house, I do this type of stuff for a living. Maybe I can see something the cops missed.”
She hesitates for only a second, stepping out of my hold. “Let me check with Tiana and see if she can handle the store for a little while.”
I nod and watch her walk away. I can’t even focus on the way her jeans hug her ass. I pull out my phone and quickly type a message for Seth.
We need to keep an eye on Malia’s place. If you’re around, I need you to take the night shift.
I click off of the app on my phone and slide it back into my pocket. Malia comes back with an easy smile and her purse and keys in her hand.
