“She and the center are on the radar of the police as well,” Matt assured. “Hourly passes with marked patrol cars.”
The room was deadly silent for a moment, all eyes on Jobe. Using all the training he could muster, he controlled his breathing, his mind beginning to clear of the consuming rage he felt. Then, uncharacteristically, he confessed, “Fucked up years ago. Been breathing but not living for a long time. I just got her back and I’ll be goddamned if I lose her to some shithead punk.”
Tony walked the three steps that it took to get to Jobe, standing right in his space. The two were almost the same height, so eye contact was easy to obtain…easy to hold. “We all fucked up years ago, one way or the other. Mine was knowing you needed help to stay in the field but not pushing you harder to take care of home. That’s on me. That’s on all of us that were there.”
Jobe jerked back at Tony’s words, shaking his head. “No, sir. That was squarely one me. My decision. My fuck up.”
“Not in my book. Brothers don’t let brothers fall without taking care of everything—and that included the girl back home. If you’d broken up with her for the right reasons, we would have been good in standing down. But we all knew it wasn’t right and not one of us took it upon ourselves to help that situation. We just took care of you in the field. And that, Jobe…is on us.”
Jobe was silent as his gaze moved from Tony’s to Gabe’s to Vinny’s, seeing the same guilt in each one. No words came past the lump in his throat…so he stood tall giving them a head nod in acknowledgment.
Tony continued, “We didn’t take care of Mackenna then, but we sure as hell will now. I promise you—promise—we will see her safe. But we plan, we work together, and we keep our heads in the mission.”
Blinking hard, Jobe nodded. This time was different. This time, he was not afraid of losing control. This time, he agreed that his brothers had control as well. This time Mackenna would be protected…her heart as well as everything else.
Sitting back down to the table, the group began to plan.
*
Another gathering sat at a table, finding little comfort with the news being shared, but comfort in each other. Mackenna, at the New Beginning’s dining table, was surrounded by Rose, Carla, Jenita, Gabby, Little John, and the other women staying at the center. She had just told them about Teresa and sat as they processed the information. After the tears, now came the fears.
Gabby sat stoically for a moment before asking, “Do we know who did this?”
Mackenna felt all the eyes looking at her as she sucked her lips in, trying to think of what to say. Slowly letting out the breath she was holding, she said honestly, “I was told by the police that they suspect her former gang, the River Street Kings to be involved. But…” she said, turning to Gabby, “they also suspect the Sixers.”
Gabby sucked in a quick breath. “They’re sending a message to me, aren’t they? He is, I’m sure of it.”
“We don’t know what they’re doing or what the message is.”
One of the newer girls, face pale, said, “I don’t want to go back, but…”
Mackenna pierced her with a hard stare. “Tina, don’t think about going back. Don’t you see, if you go back now, you could easily have it worse for having left.”
“Oh, great. So I’m dead if I stay and dead if I go back,” the girl retorted angrily.
“No, that’s not what I mean. You don’t have to stay here, but you don’t want to go back to that life.”
“What other options are there?” Jenita asked gently.
“I talked to my supervisor after this happened. If I can work up a new grant proposal and get help with fundraising, we are thinking of moving the center.”
“Moving?” Rose asked.
“Look, we got this building because the city was taking it over and it needed little work to make it fit our needs. Plus, we thought that being close into the downtown area would be good. But maybe not. If we were out somewhere…we would be away from the local gangs.”
The group was quiet for a moment, so Mackenna plowed ahead. “We’ve got police protection and the security in place from Alvarez Security. Now, we’re safe here, so for those of you still in our educational program, you’re good. We just need to change the rules a bit for when you go out. For those of you who are already working and looking to graduate from this program within the next couple of weeks, I’ve been told that Alvarez security will get you to and from your jobs.”
“Do you think it’ll be enough?” one of the women asked.
Mackenna thought back to the conversation she and Jobe had the previous night where he pledged his protection…of her heart as well as the center. Looking at the women sitting at the table, she replied honestly, “Yeah, I think it will.”
“Then that’s good enough for me,” Carla said, gaining nods from the other women.
“Okay then,” Mackenna said with the first smile on her face in days. “Rose, you’re back in the classroom. Carla, those of you learning culinary skills, I’ve got someone to take you to the restaurant together at ten, so be ready. The rest of you should be with Rose.” Turning to Gabby, she said, “I know you’ve got an appointment at the health department and I’ve got a nice man from Alvarez named Doug that will be taking you so be ready by nine-thirty.” Looking around as she stood, she said, “By the way, this afternoon I’m picking up a new girl. I got a call from a school counselor and she has a girl that needs out badly. She survived her beat in but wants out. Seems like she may need some extra help and so I’m picking her up. Then I’ll start finding us a new home.”
Several hours later, Mackenna returned with Paulina, a small woman whose face was still yellow with bruises. The girls circled around welcoming her and worked to get her settled in. Paulina’s eyes darted around nervously as Mackenna went over the rules of New Beginnings with her.
“Do you think that you’ll have a problem with any of these?” Mackenna asked.
“No, ma’am,” Paulina replied softly.
Leaning forward, she patted Paulina’s leg and said, “I know you’ve been through a lot. I’ll be working with you as far as counseling goes and you can tell me whatever you want to. Miss Rose will get you in the computer room tomorrow to start your classes. And the other girls will be here to help you settle in.”
The young woman nodded as she looked at Mackenna with a small smile. “I can do this,” Paulina promised.
Mackenna hesitated for a moment before continuing, “Paulina, most of the women here have been through what you’ve been through. We don’t talk about what gangs they’re from usually because the whole idea is to put that life behind them. But you should know that the police are watching us carefully. I know you are from a gang that has made threats against us.”
Paulina’s eyes grew wide. “They can’t get to us?” she asked, fear in her voice.
“No, no. Don’t worry. We have security cameras around, bars on the windows, and an excellent night watchman who’s a former soldier. The police drive by several times a day and we’re escorted. In fact, I’m going this afternoon to look for a new place for us to move to so that we can be even farther away.”
Paulina let out a sigh of relief. “I…I can’t go back to what I left,” she said. “I can’t do…that again.”
Smiling her assurances, Mackenna stood. “And you don’t have to go back to that. I’ll make sure of it.” With that, she headed out to scout for a new location.
Chapter 16
Jobe walked into the apartment, the smell of dinner cooking immediately hitting him. It dawned on him what he had been missing where he lived. Home. It had been a place to crash. A place to eat. A place to sleep. But now with the woman he loved here with him…it was home.
An idea had been forming in his head, but he was uncertain how Mackenna would take it. Is it too soon? Is it something that she wants? He had mentioned it to Penny when he dropped by his parent’s house.
Rounding the breakfast bar, he stopped as he s
aw Mackenna in the kitchen with her mother as they both worked around each other seamlessly preparing dinner. Mackenna’s reddish-gold mane was pulled on top of her head with some curls escaping and falling down her shoulders. Her gorgeous ass was shimmying in yoga pants as the music from her phone played. Penny was laughing at something her daughter had said as they worked side by side. Smiling, he felt the uncertainty of the day slide away, leaving a warm place deep inside. One he wanted to keep alive. And safe.
“Sweetie!” Mackenna called as she turned and saw him standing there. He was leaning against the bar, one tree-trunk leg crossed in front of the other. His thick arms mirrored his legs, as they were casually crossed over his chest, pulling his black polo tightly across his body. His dark hair, just long enough for her to run her fingers through when they were—whoa, time to shut down those thoughts.
She peered up at his smiling face, seeing his twinkling eyes. Damn, he knows exactly what I was thinking.
And he did, having to adjust himself when Penny turned back to the stove. Narrowing his gaze at Mackenna, his expression promised retribution for giving him a hard-on in front of her mother.
Giggling, she pranced over to him, rising on her toes to press a kiss on his lips. “Hey, sweetie,” she repeated.
Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her tightly against his chest in welcome. “Hey yourself, doll.”
“We thought we’d eat early and then take you up on your offer to let mom try out your pool if that’s okay,” she said.
“Absolutely,” he enthused. “I think that’ll do you a lot of good, Mrs. Dunn,” he said, winking at her over the top of Mackenna’s head. He knew Penny was perfectly happy with his parents, but he wondered if she was amenable to the idea that he had mentioned.
Mackenna noticed that he was introspective during dinner but was afraid to ask him why. She so wanted to stay with him but did not know how to bring it up. Her mom had to take priority and they could not continue to rely on the Delaro’s kind offer, nor could she possibly ask Jobe if he wanted them to stay.
The meal finished, the three of them headed to the pool where Jobe assisted Penny into the water and worked with her in using her weaker limbs. Mackenna swam laps for a few minutes and then moved over to where they were. She watched the expression on her mother’s face as Penny floated with weightless ease in the water. It was so nice seeing her mom enjoying herself again.
The trio made their way back upstairs where they quickly changed into dry clothes. Walking out into the living room, Jobe said, with what he hoped was enough casualness to not be obvious, “You know, Mrs. Dunn, if you lived in this building, you could have the pool, hot tub, and sauna whenever you wanted.”
Mackenna shot him a strange look, wondering where that comment had come from. Does he want mom here? Does that mean he wants me here too? I don’t want mom to think I don’t wish to live with her.
“They have the elevators so there are no stairs to deal with. And on the second floor they have smaller, one bedroom condos that are affordable.”
“Jobe,” Mackenna admonished. “Mom needs to live with me. I admit that our landlord is afraid for us to come back, but I was going to start looking for a new place.”
Penny chuckled as the two walked over to her. Reaching up with her good hand to cup her daughter’s cheek, she said, “I can see tha wheels tu-ning in ya mind. It okay if you wan ta be with Jobe.”
“Mom, I never minded sharing a house with you,” Mackenna proclaimed.
“I know. Bu thi way, I can be close bu have ma own place too.”
“You’re considering living here?” Mackenna asked with a smile.
“Maybe. I don wan to be in ya way,” she said with a wink.
Jobe rushed to say, “Mrs. Dunn, like Mackenna, I don’t want you living somewhere else. I’d like you to live here. If you wanted to stay with me that’d be fine.”
Penny saw the uncertainty written on both of their faces and shook her head. She took Mackenna’s hand in hers and walked her over to Jobe. She struggled to take his hand in her left one, but he made it easier by placing his hand on hers. Smiling, she brought their hands together. Looking at them both, she said, “Tha time is o-va for not say-in wha is on ya mind. Ya par-ens are pick-in me up, so I nee to get downstairs.” With that, she kissed them goodbye and left the apartment.
Mackenna glanced down at her hand, still holding his, and said, “I think we’ve been dismissed.”
Jobe chuckled and pulled her along before tugging her into his lap as he sat on the sofa.
“Penny’s right. The time is over for us to keep things inside, even if we’re afraid,” he said, holding her gaze. “Mackenna, I know everything has happened fast…or so it seems. But the honest to God truth is that I never stopped loving you for the past five years. And I have fucking loved having you in my house.”
He watched her carefully, but so far nothing that he had said seemed to have her running for the hills. So far, so good.
“I ran by to talk to Penny, the day after she went to stay with my parents, to let her know that we had a great place in this building that was affordable. We got to talking and she admitted that she loved being with you, but wished that she had her own place too.”
Mackenna nodded, knowing it was the right thing to do for her mom. She reached up and cupped his jaw in her hand, feeling the stubble underneath her fingertips. “You’re so amazing, Jobe. You saw something that I hadn’t even seen…her need to feel more independent.”
“Oh doll, you don’t need to thank me. If I hadn’t been in such a fucked-up state of mind, I’d have been here all along when you needed me.”
She sighed, thinking of the past.
“Babe, if that sigh is any indication, I’m still fucking things up.”
She lifted her eyebrow, confusion written on her face. “I…I’m not sure I understand.”
Jobe pulled her over so that she was straddling his lap, one hand on her waist and the other cupping her cheek. “Mackenna, for the past week, we’ve lived in my apartment as a couple. But I knew that it wasn’t home to you. Hell, it wasn’t much of a home for me. Just a place to hang. But I want you to move in with me. Bring your stuff so that we can put it all together. Make it our home.”
His words slid through her, moving into barren places, long empty and cold. A slow smile curved the corners of her mouth, as the full meaning of what he was saying penetrated her mind.
“You want to be here with me?” she said, almost afraid that he would immediately retract his sentiments.
Chuckling, he leaned forward and placed a kiss on her lips. Chaste. Soft. “Yeah, Baby doll. I’m back in your life and I’m not about to give that up. You and me, with your mom close by…that’s home.”
“So instead of a weekend getaway, how about we get your friends to help us move? That would be the perfect thing to take my mind off of work—making a home here.”
He smiled as he pulled her back in for a kiss. This one deeper. Wetter. Hotter. And then he showed her just how much having a home together meant. All night long.
*
That weekend found the Alvarez crew loading furniture and moving while the women all pitched in to help unpack. Most of Mackenna and Penny’s furniture was moved to Penny’s new second-floor condo. She had signed the paperwork with the condo management and since the apartment was empty, she was granted an immediate move in.
Her furniture fit perfectly and Penny’s pleasure showed on her face. Knowing her mom was just two floors down gave Mackenna peace of mind, while knowing that her mom had gained a little of her independence back was priceless.
BJ’s wife, Suzanne, along with Lily worked in Penny’s new place, unpacking the kitchen items and getting them into the drawers and cabinets as directed. Jennifer, Annalissa, and Sherrie took care of clothes and linens. Mackenna ran between the two apartments, making sure that things were going well for her mom and chatting with her friends, before seeing that the items the men brought over for her new h
ome were going to fit.
Jobe could tell she was fretting and finally stopped her in mid-run, with his hands on her shoulders. “Babe, slow down. This weekend was supposed to be non-stressful for you and you’re about to run yourself ragged.”
“It’s all good, Jobe, I promise. This is good stress and I just want to make sure mom’s taken care of.”
Jobe held her stare for a moment. “Seriously? She’s got four other women down there helping. My mom, Miriam, and Rebecca are bringing dinner for the entire gang. I think your mom is fine.”
She puffed some of her reddish-gold curls out of her face and said, “Well, what about here? I don’t want them dumping all my things in here and making you crazy. I mean it may not mesh with your stuff.”
Standing up straight, he lifted an eyebrow. “Mesh with my stuff? Look around, babe. Does it look like I have a style to you? Hell, bring whatever and we’ll make it work. If we don’t like something, we can dump it and buy new shit.”
By the end of the afternoon, Penny’s new apartment was completely set up with her furniture, cable, and the internet. Her books were in shelves, her kitchen was in order, and her clothes were in the closets. Mackenna gazed at her mom’s beaming face with its lopsided grin and her heart melted. Walking over, she hugged her tightly saying, “Mom, I want you to be happy.”
“Oh, bab gir. I am so hap-py,” she said, obviously proud of her improving speech.
Jobe walked over to envelop both women, kissing Penny’s cheek before kissing the top of Mackenna’s head. “Mrs. Dunn, I think you’re going to enjoy living here. And remember, we’re just two floors up.”
His phone vibrated and after glancing at the text, he announced to the large group, “My mom’s here with the food so let’s get up to our place.”
The friends moved out of Penny’s condo to go upstairs, quickly settling into his apartment. Mackenna looked up into his eyes and smiled.
“What’s that smile for?”
“You called this our place, not just your place.”
Jobe: Alvarez Security Series Page 16