Just because I want to get out there and live a life I’ve never had, doesn’t mean Romeo is going to forget about me, does it? Because this feels like goodbye sex. I can’t explain how I know, I just do.RomeoMy phone dings multiple times, waking me from my sleep. Pulling my arm out from under Luna’s naked body, I grab the phone and squint as the screen lights up.
It’s Dad.
Same place. At dusk.
I text Kieran and Gideon the same thing and drop the phone back onto the nightstand and curl into Luna. The clock is ticking, and I don’t want to think about it. Kissing the back of Luna’s neck, the sweet smell of her skin, I wrap my hand around her flat stomach and circle her soft clit with my thumb. She stirs awake and I pull her on top of me, wanting one more taste before the job comes and this is over.17RomeoSitting at the kitchen table after breakfast, I dig out all my ammo and prepare for today. Luna sits beside me, watching me quietly. There’s a tension in the air, one I’m surprised she’s aware of. When Kieran and I would do a job, we would remain silent as we prepared, as if we were silently praying and focusing. Luna doesn’t say a word while she watches. It’s as if she was born for this way of life. She respects the dark energy surrounding us, preparing us for the hunt.
Before we know it, it’s time to meet the devil.
Luna dresses in a black shirt and jeans, wearing the new shoes I got her. In the elevator, we both watch the numbers lighting up each floor we pass. Inside the lobby, we cut to the door that leads to the garage and get into my Navigator. Pulling the black matte gun from my holster, I hand it to her.
“You sure you want to do this?” I ask her, making sure she doesn’t want to back out.
She hits me with those green eyes and takes the gun from my palm.
“I’m sure.”
Heading away from town and toward Brooklyn. I drive us down a recognizable seedy street, I remember it from last time, away from more lights and people, and down the same dark rabbit hole.
My Navigator rocks back and forth as we turn off the road and onto gravel, darkness crawling all around us and eating any light the street lamps may offer. Driving under the bridge with spray-painted symbols all over it, I hear Luna inhale. She recognizes this place. I notice Kieran and Gideon’s car parked just ahead, and then there’s the van and the car that carries the man in charge of the whole trafficking ring. I never did catch his name before. I pull up right behind the van, allowing my lights to shine through the back window. Parking, I give Luna one last look before getting out, this could be the last time one of us sees the other. She leans over and kisses me on the mouth, and I relish her soft lips against mine. This might be the last time we are together. Pulling back, we both get out. Walking away from my car and getting closer to the others, Kieran and Gideon’s headlights shine enough light for me to see the boss get out of his car. He’s wearing a long tan coat, with a scarf around his neck, the men behind him in dark slacks and white button-ups, just like last time.
He smiles, clasping his hands as if he was praying.
“I see you liked my girl.” He smiles, looking at Luna like she’s a prized pig.
Raising my gun, I point it right at him. That’s all it takes for me to want to kill him. His girl? She was never his!
“Enough with the small talk, where is your ring?” I grit through clenched teeth, and two sounds of gunfire go off, Kieran and Gideon shooting the bodyguards in cold blood.
The boss screams, frantically holding his hands up like a fucking pussy.
“You no kill Joba, I’ll do whatever you want.” He weeps, his native tongue so thick it’s annoying.
Luna takes the opportunity to go to the van, a perplexed look on her face as she opens the doors. I can hear the women cry and startle from here.
“Go!” she shouts. The women sit there, shocked. She reaches in and drags one out. “I said fucking go. This is your chance!” she repeats, and the women start wailing and jumping out of the van. They scurry into the night like little ants.
My gun still aimed at Joba, I shove it into his head harder.
“Get into the van,” I gnash, a beast I try to keep locked up is coming out to play tonight. I can feel myself losing control.
“Wait, let’s think about this,” Joba says, trying to bargain with me. My eyes narrow in on him, and I step up into his space, glaring down at him.