The Plug's Wife (20 page)

              “You can’t remember?” Summer quizzed, her face shrouded with confusion.  Billy cleared his throat. 

              “I’m sorry boss lady, but I can’t talk about it.  It fucks me up too bad.  Just know that the streets made me into who I am today.  The hoe that threw me away when I never asked to be here, the system, the streets, them foster families—they all shaped me into who I am today.  I’ll kill a motherfucker with my bare hands to protect what I love and care about.  I was down for JB because he saved me from death and I’m down for you because he was down for you.  I’ll follow you to the end of this earth as long as you keep it one hundred with me at all times,” Billy said, choking on his words.

Summer’s shoulders slumped.  She turned her face away and peered out of the window just as her house came into focus.  Billy pulled up and parked.

              “Home sweet home, boss lady.  You ready?” he asked her, his mood suddenly going bright.  “Come on inside.  I will lock up and let you and lil man have my place.  I’ll go crash with Marco or Mitch,” he said.  Summer’s heartbeat sped up.  She was suddenly trembling.  The fear of being alone clutched her in a smothering bear hug.  She inhaled, but still felt like she couldn’t breathe.  She needed another pill badly but she would wait until Billy was out of sight before she downed another.

              “Can you stay with me tonight?” she whispered, reaching out and touching Billy’s arm.  He recoiled like her hand was a hot branding iron.  Summer startled. 

              “I…I…” she stammered, shocked by his reaction to her touch. 
Did I offend him? 
She wondered if this was how unloved babies turned out—afraid of affection and human touch. 

              “Let’s go inside so I can make sure you two are safe for the night,” Billy said flatly, like nothing happened.  They both exited the car, too ashamed to look at one another.  Once inside, Billy did his job.  Although it was his loft, he went from room to room, burner in hand, making sure his boss was safe for the night. 

Summer flopped down on his tan, oversized Neubuck suede sofa, her right foot folded under her derriere.  Her mind raced ahead.  She knew she didn’t want to spend the night alone with her paranoia and a little boy that hated her keeping her company.  No matter how many sweeps Billy conducted, she did not want to be left alone. 

When Billy finished, he stood in front of her, sweat dripping from his forehead.  He refused to look at her straight on; instead, he roved his head from side to side like he was still looking for the boogieman to jump out of the curtains or kitchen pantry.

              “I’m done boss lady,” Billy panted out, his tone light.  She softened her face and stood up in front of him, her legs quaking and her heart jackhammering against her sternum. 
One last try.
Even she couldn’t understand her sudden desperation for companionship. 

              “Stay…” she whispered, getting so close to him he could feel the heat of vulnerability, fear, shame and lust coming off of her like steam from a sauna.  “Please,” she begged.  Summer grabbed his head and pulled him towards her, forcing her tongue between his slightly parted lips.  Something inside of Billy exploded like the best fireworks display on the Fourth of July.  He had been with plenty of women, but he had never allowed himself to feel anything for them.  In fact, he had written off love entirely.  Now he stood on the brink of something new and unfamiliar.

Summer was feeling something similar.  Her loins were on fire and her body quaked with a sense of urgency for fulfillment.  Right then, she felt like a scared little girl seeking comfort in the arms of a strong man.  She wasn’t just the boss lady anymore and he wasn’t her hired help.

Summer and Billy were both moving frantically now, each unaware of who was doing what…who was touching what.  Hands moved wildly like octopus arms under clothes and over skin.  The sound of zippers going down and lips smacking together filled the air.  Passion, lust, or violence was the only way Summer knew how to get what she wanted.  It was the only way she felt better in the face of hard times.  With each kiss, grope and flustered breath, Summer let the images of the past several years dissipate from her mind.  Summer had always trusted Billy.  And he obviously trusted her.  But still, she had to be sure. 

              The sounds he made were hungry, animalistic.  The veins in Billy’s neck were visible, throbbing ropes corded against his dark skin.

“Shhh.  The boy is right in the other room,” Summer gasped out.   She looked up into Billy’s face and guided him around her body like an experienced tour guide.  She moved his head towards her nipples.  She caressed the skin of his face while he moved his hot mouth over the mounds of her breasts.  Summer whispered instructions—how to suckle, how to touch gently, how to kiss her neck.  Billy, as loyal as always, followed her every command as if on auto-pilot.  Summer felt something ticking at her core that told her it was more than mere lust.  She even felt a little bit of guilt. 
Jesse’s not here anymore.  He can’t help you or protect you. 
Summer grabbed Billy’s face and moved his head so they could look each other in the eye. 

              “You don’t have to worry about not having a family.  I’ll always be your family,” Summer whispered.  Billy let out a gasp, a whimper like a wounded puppy.  He buried his face into the delicate skin of her neck and kissed it. 

Summer guided his manhood inside her.  “We are family,” she panted as she grinded her hips against him.  Billy’s eyes were squeezed together, but Summer was still able to feel the tiny tears leaking out of the sides.  Summer knew right then, that Billy would always be down for her.  She body and mind fucked him like a true professional. 

              Summer lay curled on her side with Billy’s body spooned around hers.  He was asleep, but Summer was wide awake.  She knew she’d made a mistake, sleeping with her worker, but it was a necessary evil of sorts. 

              Her cell phone ringing on Billy’s nightstand broke her train of thought. 

              “Yeah,” she grumbled into the phone.  “Bracken?  What’s going on?” Summer asked, moving into a sitting position.  Billy slept so hard, he didn’t even feel her leave the bed. 

              “What? What do you mean they are coming with an arrest warrant for me?” Summer huffed, her heart throttling up until it felt like it would come up out of her throat.  “Murder of Caralina Joplin?  Surveillance cameras? My hair and clothes, but not my face?”  Summer repeated dumbfounded.  Summer whirled around and looked at Billy sleeping peacefully.  She had never gone to the hospital after Caralina was transported there.  Instead, she sent Billy to find out Caralina’s status.  The last news she heard was that Caralina was still unconscious.  Summer instructed him to wait it out and see if Caralina survived.  If so, she planned to pay her ex-friend a visit. 
Had he set her up too?
 

“Bracken, I never went to that fuckin’ hospital.  I don’t care what they see on the video, but it wasn’t me.  I gotta go,” Summer gasped, sweat beads glistening on her forehead. Bracken was still talking, but she wasn’t listening.  She looked at the clock on Billy’s cable box and realized she needed to get off the phone before the police tracked her cell phone location from the towers in the area.

“Shit!” Summer rushed around frantically trying to get her clothes on.  Her hands trembled so badly she could hardly button her shirt correctly. 

              “Boss lady?  What’s going on?  Where you going in such a rush?” Billy asked, sitting up on the bed, his voice groggy with sleep.  Summer’s back was turned.  She bit down on her bottom lip and tried to control her flaring nostrils.  Summer reached for her handbag under the bed. 

“Boss lady, what’s up?” Billy asked, stepping into his discarded boxers. 

Summer turned around with a Glock leveled straight at Billy’s head. 

              “You fuckin’ traitor.  You’re just like the rest of them,” she gritted, angry hot tears threatening to fall from her eyes. 

              Billy raised his hands over his head.  “Whoa. Whoa, boss lady. You got me fucked up.  I ain’t never crossed you,” Billy stammered, his flaccid dick and wide eyes making him look pathetic in Summer’s eyes. 

              “You told me when you got to the hospital Caralina was already gone.  But I just got a call saying they have video of somebody that looks like me putting a fuckin’ pillow over her face and smothering her to death,” Summer gritted, her gun still pointed. 

Billy dropped his arms and his shoulders slumped in defeat.  He let out a long sigh. 

              “I sent Marco to take care of it.  I told Mitch and Marco about Caralina talking to the cops.  I had to go take care of the thing with Tanya, so Marco said he would sit post at Caralina’s bed until she woke up,” Billy explained.  Summer lowered her gun slightly. 

              “Boss lady, I would never betray you like that,” Billy assured.  Summer flopped down on the end of his bed. 

              “We have to leave town, Billy.  I have to get out of New York. I got Pedro Millenia, the cops, and an old debtor on my ass.  I’m sure Cardinale is not happy right now with me but I also have a sister and brother I need to save.  My life is fucked right now.  I have to take Jesse Jr. and we have to go,” Summer said, barely able to get enough air into her lungs to push the words out.  Billy slipped into sweats and a t-shirt and helped her into a standing position. 

              “Wherever you need to go and whatever you need to do, I’m here for you boss lady,” he said as softly as his deep baritone allowed.  Summer looked up at him and for the first time in her life, she felt like she was with a person she could trust and believe.  She kissed him deeply, allowing her feelings to carry her away. 

              A loud crash resounded through Billy’s loft as his front door splintered open.

“I won’t let them take you,” Billy whispered. 

              “Police! Warrant for Summer Banks!” the army of police shouted as they trampled through the loft. 

              “Fuck you!  She’s my boss!!” Billy growled, pulling his burner out and pointing it in the direction of the cops. 

              “No! Billy! No!” Summer shrieked but it was too late.  Gunshots erupted.  Summer hit the floor. 

“Stop, there’s a baby in the other room!” she screamed.  Billy’s bullet ridden body fell right in front of her.  “No!”

It seemed like the entire New York City Police Department trampled inside.  Summer was handcuffed and pulled up off the floor, but not before she saw Billy being wheeled out on an EMT stretcher. 

              “I was framed! It wasn’t me! I have an alibi!” Summer growled as she was being searched by a female officer.  “My lawyers are gonna have a field day with you motherfuckers,” she hissed as she was forced into a squad car.  As she settled uncomfortably into the back of the squad car, Summer looked out of the window to her left.  She furrowed her brow as she saw Mitch standing there holding Jesse Jr.  Summer locked eyes with him; Mitch smiled in return. 

              “Adios boss,” Mitch mouthed silently.  Summer rocked back and forth.

              “You’re a fuckin’ dead man!  You don’t know who I have behind me, you fuckin’ bastard!” Summer hollered, her face turning beet red.

Mitch wasn’t interested in what she had to say.  He now had everything that Jessie once had—a son, an empire, and his freedom. 

                           
See what happens in Part 2