Motown Showdown (7 page)

This felt wrong.

The location, the intel… Pilgrim insisting it had to be done immediately. The bastard was greedy for this, hit but why? These jobs weren’t personal, we didn’t do personal.

For the first time, I hesitated. I watched my mark, gathered my own information. I even asked Pilgrim to send me what he had, which oddly enough, was nothing. He lied to me, telling me the contract was made verbally. We didn’t do verbal.

In the end? I didn’t do it.

Thank fuck, I didn’t do it.

The mark was an eighteen-year-old kid and the son of a hitter. Because I refuse to use the network Camo created, Pilgrim used my ignorance against me and almost succeeded. Had I breached the code, I would have been dead within twenty-four hours. Not true, had Camo found me, I’d be dead within the hour.

After fielding hours’ worth of questions about Camo, I was frustrated when I didn’t know all the answers. Dammit, I should know the answers and I probably would, had I bothered to ask. The woman made it a point to know shit about me. Hell, she knew more about my jobs than I did. Kandace kept looking at me like she got how badly I wanted Camo. If anyone would recognize the look, it was her because it was the same one she reserved for Rome.

She assured me the shoulder wound was minor and that her stomach wound albeit, a fucking gunshot graze, wasn’t as deep as it could have been either. Basically, she was lucky and for the next week would be operating at fifty percent while she healed.

I didn’t like her being down
.

When they finally went to bed, I grabbed my laptop sitting down on the floor next to her. Jesus, even from here she smelled good. She didn’t smell innocent because she wasn’t. She smelled real and until this very second, I’d argue there was a smell for that. While I booted up, I turned to look at her, I mean really look at her. Dark brown hair, olive skin with a smattering of freckles along her nose and cheeks and she even had a small mole above her lip. Tiny ears, small hands, a long clean neck and a delicate chin. She was a small woman, almost freakishly small. Moving a strand of hair from her cheek, I roll it between my fingers. Soft, thick and clean.

She was the killer you didn’t see coming, the reason I’m alive and my greatest weakness.

Mine
.

Shifting her slight weight, I watch her wince and wanted to kill the motherfucker responsible for this. Was Pilgrim acting alone? Did teams form? How long until the next attack? I needed more information, and I knew there had to be chatter on the wire. Only when I logged in, my screen started to fill with some animated bullshit with minions. Taken over with a virus then.
Pilgrim you piece of shit.
So yeah, this shit was real.

Shutting the top and tossing it across the floor, I lean back against the couch and seconds later her tiny arm was resting on my big shoulder. “We’re at war,” she says quietly.

“Yeah,” I reply.

“It’s us against them now, Gadget.”

“Gage,” I tell her quietly. “Call me Gage.”

“Don’t call me Pepper,” she orders. “I don’t know her anymore.”

“Fine.”

“Gage?” she asks running her finger down my neck and fuck did that feel nice. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“And you think I’d let something happen to you?”

“No,” she says quickly reading my anger. “I don’t but, I’m just saying that---”

Turning to face her, I was still startled by her beauty once again. Like deer in the God damn headlights startled, it was too fucking much. “I can watch my own back,” I tell her. “And I can watch yours too. You’ve been playing games with me for a long time, beauty, I don’t like it.”

“You don’t have to,” she says keeping eye contact. “The fact is, I’m going to do what I do whether you like it or not. Your days of being a lone wolf are over; we’re a team now. Together we will make a statement. We’ll restore things, and we’ll get this mark off your back while we do it. When this is over anyone who thinks to break protocol will know the consequences or they’ll die with the lesson.”

“Why now?” I ask her. “All these years you watched me from a distance never letting me see you. Playing games with me so I wouldn’t know what you looked like, why?”

“It wasn’t our time yet.”

“Oh bullshit,” I argue. “We’ve wanted each other for years; you got someone else, is that it?”

Running her fingers over my eyes and down to trace my lips she whispers, “I’ve waited a long time for you, Gage.”

“Answer me,” I order her but then I see her eyes start to shut again.

“Long time,” she mumbles then passes right back out. Shit.

Logging in, I head to the message board then over to stats.

To any of the players, this was a simple site to use. For the one who created it, simple worked. The wire was designed to have back doors, small creaks where I could look in on you while you slept. Like your mommy making sure you were tucked in safe at night.

But should you try and lie to your mommy and say… sneak out of bed or steal cookies from the jar, I possessed the means to track you. As usual, Pilgrim refused to stay in bed. The man sure liked his cookies. He also liked trying to recruit my players. Business is business, and I didn’t mind his attempts until he brought hitting Gadget into play.

No one fucks with Gadget.

This time when I tucked Pilgrim into bed, I would suffocate him with a pillow.

Gadget would be so grateful for saving him he would reward me by letting me sit on his face, forever.

He was pinning me down. Using his weight to remind me I was helpless. He was calculated with his seduction, practiced. Grinding between my legs his course body hair scraped my skin until it was red. Sliding his cock between my lips, up and over, up and over. Never inside even though I beg for him to come inside. Minutes were spent nipping me, leaving marks, signs of possession. I wanted to leave my own but wasn’t allowed. That was the way of it; he owned me, but I owned nothing. Frustrated, I buck to get away but get rewarded with a moan from him instead.

Now he was bossy; I liked him bossy. Yelling at me that I wasn’t to come yet didn’t stop it from happening. I had waited forever for it, for him. And when it caught me off guard, so did the one that followed it. It was bizarre that I was coming like this, and he hadn’t even fucked me yet, probably never would. Those jet black eyes, that short black hair and that dark brown skin. He had a beautiful nose, full thick lips, one crooked front tooth and rough hands.

I liked rough hands, his hands.

Why was he dressed now? I hated that he wore clothes. He should walk around naked so I can worship his chest, his shoulders, and his ass. I was naked which was fine, I looked great naked, but it’s no fun being naked alone. Moaning out my frustration, he shushes me with his finger, so I suck into my mouth and bite down.

He likes that.

He likes everything I’m doing to him, but he’s still not fucking me.

A lifetime I’ve waited for him. Well okay fine, like six years but whatever. It feels like a lifetime! Ouch! What the fuck? Okay, this hurts, why does this hurt? Ouch!

Gasping in pain one second followed by a pinch in my arm the next, I struggle to open my eyes and when I do I’ve got the trio staring at me like I’ve sprouted wings, or you know, had multiple orgasms while they watched.

“Coffee,” I groan to hide my red face. “I like mine with Kahlua, please.”

“One coffee coming up,” says Kandace leaving the room quickly.

“How are you feeling?” he asks looking me over.

“Peachy,” I tell him trying to sit up. “I need the restroom, so I’m just going to do that.”
Please don’t run down my legs
…

“I’ll take you,” he says moving my sheet away. Ho! I wasn’t expecting that and there it was! Me in my sports bra with damp underwear, awkward. “You shouldn’t hide your tits,” he says helping me up.

“I’m not hiding them,” I pant through the pain and the aftershocks of two good O’s. “I’m keeping them out of the way.”

“Good to know,” he says helping me walk. “You got it?” he asks opening the door looking all too eager to help a girl out.

“Yeah I got it,” I tell him closing the door behind me. I didn’t even bother looking in the mirror when I was done. I flushed, washed my hands and knocked on the door. Getting me to the recliner this time (which was a step up from the couch), I settle in and wait for Kandace to come in with my coffee.

“Thanks,” I tell her when she hands it to me.

“No Kahlua,” she says smiling. “But we can call the antibiotic I’m about to give you Kahlua if it helps.”

Poking me in the arm, I flinch then feel it starting to flow through me. Medicine always intrigued me, but I was more into bullets than Band-Aids. I liked medicine because it worked, easy, simple. Knowing we don’t have much time because I was still sleepy from whatever she gave me earlier, I get down to it. “Gage, I need my phone, please.” Handing it to me, I call Bobo and put it on speaker. “You safe?” he asks answering.

“I am,” I assure him. “Took a couple scrapes but I’m breathing. I’ve got you live, Bobo. Gadget is here along with his sister and her man. Let’s talk numbers.”

“A couple of scrapes? My ass, you’re probably in a body cast,” he says knowing I never admit to being hurt. “Here’s what we have, six confirmed hitters each left the wire, pussies. Pilgrim left the wire because he’s a supreme pussy. As for the rest, they want to know where you stand.”

“Body cast,” I snort. “Good one. Kandace here is a world-class doctor, superficial wounds, and the shooter was not identified but, I have an idea. As for the rest, I’m not concerned about which direction the flock worries I’ll take. Not a free thinker in the bunch, it’s depressing. I feel like I birthed idiots.”

“Are you compromised?”

“Negative,” I tell him hoping we weren’t. “At least not immediately.”

“Gadget, what do you think?” Bobo asks addressing him directly. “Are you two compromised?”

“We weren’t followed, sir,” he says. “But we also won’t stay here any longer than necessary. As soon as Camo is cleared for travel, we’ll move out.”

“How long is that?” he asks.

“I’m right here,” I point out. “And I’m totally fine, hardly sore and was about to go for a run.”

“You don’t run,” Bobo says calling me out.

“It’s never too late to start,” I offer happily.

“Based on the depth of the stomach wound I’d say at least a week, sir,” this from Kandace, who may have just turned against me. “I’ve been administering Norco for the pain plus an antibiotic. She has stitches which I’d like to personally keep an eye on. She is also having bouts of dizziness, and I assure you she is too sore to run.”

“Traitor,” I mumble.

“You picked a hell of a time to get clipped. We both know Gadget doesn’t have a week,” he reminds me. “Hell, if it wasn’t for you, he’d dead
right now
.”
See, Gadget I told you so
…

Saving this from escalating, I intervene. “Bobo, he gets it. We all get it. I feel it prudent to point out that until yesterday, he was unaware. Pilgrim told him I was the target, and obviously he didn’t take the shot so let’s focus on that.”

“I feel it prudent to point out that for six God damn years he was too stubborn to listen
to
you. My girl puts her ass on the line and for what?” he yells. “My movie’s about to start.” Then he was gone.

“So that’s my grandpa Bobo, really he’s a sweetheart. He also loves porn.” I smile to the group then lay it out. “Good news, kids,” I say looking at the happy couple. “Momma Camo is giving you an all-expenses paid to a trip to anywhere but here. Pack your shit.”

“You want us to leave?” Kandace asks biting her lip.

“Unless you wanna stick around and die, yeah.”

“What if I have a solution,” says Rome sitting next to me. “Take the place next door,” he suggests. “It was my grandma’s before she passed. It’s empty, you two take it that way we’re close if we’re needed.” Looking over at Gage I decided to leave it up to him. Truthfully I didn’t like the thought of leaving them unprotected and I knew he wouldn’t either.

“We stay,” he says looking at me.

“We stay,” I agree easily.

“We have to work,” Rome says taking a seat and really he was a large yummy man. Clearly in love with Kandace and who could blame him? She was a knockout. I also know she’s a black belt, and if she hadn’t been a doll before, that would have sealed the deal.

“Caution is your new best friend,” Gage explains. “Stick to your routine but watch your backs and stay together as much as possible. I don’t believe any of these idiots would take it so far as to fuck with my family. But to be safe, you still got your piece I got you for your birthday?”

“Yes,” she says looking over at Rome with a guilty face. “It’s in the closet.”

“You got a gun?” he asks. “For your birthday?”

“Yes,” she says. “Well
we
have a gun, 40 caliber actually. I named her Dolly.”

“You know how to use one?” Gage asks Rome, who looks confused.

“Never fired one but she can teach me,” he nods to Kandace, who looks happy to do it.

“Let’s get them settled next door,” says Kandace signaling Rome to help. Leaving us alone again Gage was about to speak when my phone rang. It doesn’t ring often but when it does, I answer. Checking the screen, I see its Digger and take it. Honestly, I can’t believe it took his dumb ass this long.