The Squad

For the first time in my life, since I became a man at least, I wanted to shed tears of regret. When Gideon wrapped his hand around my nape and pulled me in while looking into my eyes, I almost broke. “Talk to me. Your sister and nieces are going to be back any minute, and they can’t see you like this. Did someone say something to you? Who was it?”

He started to turn around as if ready to throw down and I grabbed him. “No, it’s not that, it’s just…” I ran my hand over my head and looked away. “I think I like her.”

“Who? The zapper? Of course, you do. That’s what it means to be hit by the thunderbolt and? She’s not feeling you? Give her time; she’s been through a lot, you know how that goes.”

I studied him to see if he was putting me on, but there was no hint of any of what I was feeling showing on his face. “Gideon, you know what I came from, you know what I’ve done. Someone like her, even with all she’s been through, maybe especially because of what she’s been through, she deserves better than me.”

“What did you just say?” Oh shit! I know that tone. I’ve heard it plenty, only never directed at me and always in my defense. “How many times must I tell you? You’re mine; whatever you did, you did because you had to. You’re one of the best men I know, and I’m proud to call you family. No one is allowed to talk shit about you, and that includes you. Now get your shit together and don’t piss me off.”

“It’s because of what you’ve been through that you just might be the perfect one for her. As to what happened with your dad, do you think that any one of these men here wouldn’t have done the same? Think again. Put those thoughts out of your head and if she’s yours, then claim my sister in law before someone else does.”

“What” Who?” Now I was the one looking around as if expecting some unnamed man to be waiting in the wings to grab my girl. “You see? You’ve already got the bug, no way you can turn away from that.” I wanted so much to believe his words. It’s not the first time he’s said them or something close. But it’s the first time someone else’s life was involved.

I wish I had his confidence, his absolute belief in me. I wish even more that I’d been better prepared for what she makes me feel. It doesn’t seem real that in the space of a few measly hours, she could’ve turned my well-laid plans on their head. Even now, she’s only been gone out of my sight for a few minutes, and already I was feeling that now-familiar itch between my shoulder blades.

It started last night when she slammed the door and locked it between us. The second I didn’t have eyes on her and couldn’t get to her, I got this damn itch. It took all my control not to break the door down to get to her, and even though I knew she was safe, that no one could get by me to reach her, it wasn’t the same as being next to her.

“I’ll think about what you said, but don’t tell Ash, not yet.”

“You’re an idiot if you think she’s not going to notice something straight off the bat. And from what I’ve heard in the last few hours since coming here, these women stay on top of shit. It won’t be long before they sniff that shit out.”

His words reminded me of what happened the night before when I went into the room where the women where hanging out and I was shook. “You gotta help me, bro. If Ash gets even a hint that I’m interested in Roxana, she’ll stick her nose in.” He clapped me on the shoulder and walked away towards the stairs. “You’re on your own, bro. I’m not getting in the middle of that quagmire. Good luck. Now go get your girl.”

ROXY

I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I’d been making my way back to the room that I’d been assigned to the night before. There was no bathroom in the weapon’s room, and I’d dry cleaned my teeth before leaving the room when I heard the men’s voices outside. I hadn’t had time to clean up and get myself together, and next thing I know, Catalina was dragging me off to meet her little friend.

I pushed my bag higher on my shoulder and was about to turn the corner when I heard their voices. It took me a second to realize that Jason and his brother were talking about me. What did he mean after what he’d done and what he’d been through? What had he done? And what’s more, what did the other man, his brother? Mean, about me being his girl? What the heck had that fool told them?