“Good, you’re smiling. I’d hate to leave with you still crying. You have the house to yourself. Don’t answer the door for anyone, not even your brother. I should be back in a couple of hours. If anything should happen—if anyone were to come into the house, there is a 9 millimeter in my nightstand. Do not hesitate to use it. Do you still remember how to shoot it?”
“Yes, you taught me well.” Royce used to take me to the shooting range with him all of the time. I always thought it was just for fun, but I guess now I know it was for protection. I’m still shaken by my dream, but I feel okay enough for Royce to leave me on my own.
After Royce has left I take the gun from his nightstand, checking to make sure the safety is on I secure it in the waistband of my yoga pants using the elastic of my panties to hold it in place. I’ve never been scared of being here alone before, but the dream has me on high alert. I find myself jumping every time the house makes a sound. I about nearly crawl out of my skin when the power for the central air kicks on with a loud thump and creak.
There isn’t much to keep my mind busy, the house is fairly clean. Royce has a housekeeper who comes by regularly. Wherever Tiffany is, I hope that she is being treated decently. The thought of her being tortured in my place makes my head swim.
I wish I could call Kline, but I know he needs to be focused on doing his part. He doesn’t need me calling, freaking him out with my pissing and moaning over things we can’t control. I worry about him though. He never fights this closely together. His body needs to heal from the beating it took a few days ago. And what is he thinking, a rematch against The Punisher. The man nearly took him out. I don’t understand him taking all the money and putting it at risk. Surely if we tapped out all of our resources we could pay Charlie’s debt.
I would sell everything I have to, if it meant we could all walk away, even Charlie’s no good rotten ass. I need to try and get my mind off things for a bit. All I am doing is talking myself into circles and getting absolutely nowhere. I’m in a sinking canoe up shit creek without a paddle. I can’t bring myself to think about Parker or what part he might be playing all of this.
Aimlessly I flip through the television channels unable to concentrate on any program. All the faces on the screen blur together and sound as if they might as well be speaking Russian. I throw myself back against the pillows on Royce’s bed and inhale his scent. I miss him already. I glance at the clock. Great I have only been on my own for a few hours. Pathetic, that’s what I am. How will I ever make it on my own if I have to leave here without those I love?
My belly grumbles reminding me that I need to feed myself, even if the thought of food makes me nauseated. I feel a little braver this time and leave the gun on Royce’s dresser. I walk back downstairs to see if I can rummage up anything to cook a meal out of. If I can find something to focus my energy on time will go faster.
My hunt starts in the freezer. It has all the typical things one would expect to find in a home inhabited by all males…meat, frozen pizza, and more meat. There are plenty of steaks, if I c
an find something in the pantry along the lines of potatoes and bread I can whip up something decent. The pantry is just about as barren in choices as the freezer, but I do find some potatoes and a can of corn. It will have to do.
I busy myself defrosting the meat and peeling the potatoes. One of the guys has left an Ipod on the kitchen counter and I am able to get lost in the music for a while. Whoever this belongs to has excellent taste. The tracks range from the Stone Temple Pilots to the rapper Too Short. I personally have an eclectic taste in music so this play list suits me perfectly.
I’m lost in my task at hand getting out the butter and milk to whip my potatoes with when I am grabbed around the waist making me drop my ingredients on the floor, and letting out a terrified shriek.
“You really should be better prepared for an intruder.” Royce bites me a little too hard on the shell of my ear, but a part of me is turned on by his roughness.
“You are lucky I didn’t have your gun on me. I could have killed you just now for sneaking up on me like that had I not left it upstairs.”
“Not a chance sweet pea, but if it makes you feel better I’ll play along. What smells so good? It’s not often I come home to a fine ass woman cooking me a meal. I take that back I have never come home to this before.” He bends down and starts picking up the items I lost moments ago. “Need some help?”
“No I have it under control as long as you don’t sneak up on me again.”
“Alright.” He places his hands in front of him in surrender. “I’m going to grab a shower then, try not to kill anyone while I’m upstairs. Brad and Jake should be coming home at any moment.”
“I didn’t prepare enough for them.”
“Don’t worry, them fuckers can fend for themselves.”
“Who are you calling a fucker?” Brad walks into the kitchen nearly giving me a heart attack.
“Jesus! What is it with you guys not making your presence known?” They both laugh at me. I flip them the bird and finish mashing the potatoes.
Royce
My girl looks so good standing my kitchen. I hope that this is all over soon. I met with my lawyer today and told him everything about Parker and Brandi. Tomorrow I am meeting with the detectives that handled Elizabeth’s case. There isn’t anything they can do right now until they have proof. They have always known that Parker was responsible for Elizabeth’s accident, but there was never enough evidence to bring up charges against him. He has done a great job at keeping his record clean.
Publicly it looks like he has cut ties with his mob family, but I know better. Parker lives for the life, and when you’re in the mob you can’t just walk away. The only reason I’m still alive is because Parker knows it would look bad on him if he killed me after the shit with my car from before. I made sure he knew that I talked to the police, but I have been looking over my shoulder ever since the day Elizabeth died. But if I know Parker he won’t stop until he has Brandi. I won’t make the same mistake twice. This time I’ll be ready for him. This time I will get the girl, and Parker will get what he deserves. I love Brandi and she will be my wife when she is ready. This shit with Charlie reeks of Parker. The upcoming title fight is my last one. When this is over I want Brandi to marry me.
Chapter 8
“I would have kidnapped you a lot sooner had I known you were such a good cook. A man could get used to being fed like this every night.”
“That’s not even funny.”
“What’s for dessert? I could go for some Brandi pie.” Royce grabs me around the waist and hoists me over his shoulder packing me up the stairs like a caveman.
“Hey,” I squeak, smacking at his rear. “I need to clean up.”
“The dishes can wait. My craving for you can’t. I plan to take my time and enjoy every morsel of my desert.” He playfully licks the side of my face and I smack at him. “Oh, sweet pea don’t play hard to get. You know you like it when I lick you.”