by A. L Long
Lugging her pink suitcase and small bag up the flight of stairs was no easy task. I wasn’t sure what she had inside, but I knew that whatever it was exceeded the forty-pound weight limit set by the airline. She must have paid an extra fifty bucks just to get this thing home. The higher I got up the steps, the louder the screaming and yelling got. I wasn’t sure where it was coming from, but it was definitely between a man and a woman. There were faint cries coming from a child in the background as well. How anyone would be able to live with that yelling going on was beyond me.
Getting to her apartment, I began knocking on the door. With no answer on the other side, my only option was to take her suitcase with me to my place. Pulling out a business card from my wallet, I slipped it under her door and hoped that she was smart enough to give me a call. I didn’t have anything to write with, and asking the man and woman who were yelling at each other from who knows where wasn’t an option I wanted to exercise.
~****~
With thirty dollars less in my wallet, I was finally in the comfort of my own home. Placing Nikki’s suitcase against the wall along with her bag, I wheeled mine to my bedroom. I was ready to relax and unwind. There was no way I was going to tackle unpacking until I had a brew. Heading to the kitchen, I opened the fridge to see that it was bare. I don’t mean in the sense that there wasn’t any food. There wasn’t one bottle of beer inside. “Just fucking wonderful,” I spat as I slammed the fridge door.
“If I would have known you would be back so soon, I would have restocked it for you,” a voice said in the darkness.
Flipping the switch on in the kitchen, I saw the frame of a man staring out the window. Even though I couldn’t see his face, I knew exactly who it was.
“What are you doing here, and how the fuck did you get inside my condo?” I asked, loathing the man I knew so well.
“You should know me better than that, Sylvester. I have many talents, as you know.”
“What do you want, Gus?” I barked.
“Can’t a father want to see how his son is doing without wanting anything?” my father asked.
“You lost that right the day you chose to work for Angelo Conti,” I hissed.
I watched my father walk toward me and into the light. Even though I hadn’t seen him in fifteen years, he hadn’t changed very much. He was still the muscular man I knew as a child. The only difference was that his once-dark hair was now showing his age. The hair at his temples was gray and his face was lined with years of watching his back and worrying whether or not he was going to live another day.
Pulling his money clip from his front pocket, he pulled out a hundred-dollar bill and placed it on the dark granite counter. “Here, buy some real beer. That shit you had tasted like water.”
Without so much as a thank you, he walked to the door and left. I couldn’t believe that after all this time, he had the nerve to show his face. What baffled me the most was how the hell he managed to find me. After my mom died, I cut all ties with him. She was the only person that meant anything to me. I thought for sure he was never going to show his face again. I couldn’t even bring myself to ask him for his consent to let me join the military at seventeen. Forging his signature on the consent form was the best thing I ever did.
CHAPTER THREE
Nikki
When the plane landed at JFK, I wasn’t sure what happened to me. My chest got so tight that I couldn’t breathe. The only thing I wanted to do was to get off that damn plane. I didn’t care that I was being rude by forcing my way to the front of the plane. I was on the verge of hyperventilating, and it was only after I got to the women’s bathroom that I realized that I didn’t grab my bag from the overhead bin. I knew I couldn’t go back on the plane to retrieve it.
Finally able to think straight, I headed out and towards baggage claim. With any luck, my luggage would be waiting for me when I got there. As I was walking in that direction, I kept an eye out for Sly. The last thing I needed was being given the third degree about why I was acting like a psychotic woman.
Reaching the baggage claim area with no sign of Sly, I began looking for my suitcase. It wasn’t that hard to find. There weren’t too many travelers who had or would even want a pink suitcase. I didn’t choose the color because I liked it, I chose it because no one in their right mind would ever purchase a pink luggage set.
After twenty minutes of searching, I came to a couple of conclusions. Either someone stole my suitcase or Sly picked it up and took it with him. Doing the only thing that I could, I reported my luggage as being stolen. Describing the suitcase, TSA finally agreed to look at the camera footage in the baggage claim area. They said I couldn’t review the footage with them. Something about privacy and all that, but they did tell me that if someone did pick up my case they would let me know.
Letting them know my flight number and where my luggage was supposed to be, I sat down on one of seats outside the security office. Watching the people walk back and forth in front of me, I sat anxiously waiting for any news on my suitcase. About an hour later, one of the TSA guys called me into the office. He said they might have found who took the pink suitcase and wanted me to verify if I knew the man or not. As soon as I saw Sly on the footage, I took in a breath of relief and let the security officer know that I knew the guy, and it must have been a lack of communication on my part. After thanking them, I hopped into a cab and headed to my apartment.
The TSA officer didn’t seem very happy about my admitting I knew Sly. I think he was hoping to see some action or something. As I was riding in the cab, I kept thinking about what Sly must have thought about me and my hysterical behavior. He probably thought that I was a certified nut case the way I flew off the plane. I knew it was only going to be a matter of time before we would be seeing each other again. I needed to come up with some story that he would believe.
I cringed the minute the driver pulled up to my apartment building. Living where I did wasn’t the ideal area, but it was the only place I could afford. As I walked up to the building, I noticed some additional artwork on the north wall of the apartment building next to mine. I really needed to find a better place to live. Even with the five locks on my door and the bars on the windows, it still felt like I wasn’t safe.
Opening the door to my building, like clockwork the yelling flooded the halls. It was always the same couple. I often wondered why the hell they even stayed together. Unless it was one of those love/ hate relationships.
Trying to tune out the noise, I got to my apartment and began unlocking the door. When I opened the door, there was a card with a logo and writing staring up at me. Bending over, I picked it up from the floor and read that it was from Jagged Edge Security, and Sylvester ‘Sly’ Capelli was embossed on the front with his contact information. Setting my things down, I pulled my cell from my back pocket and dialed the number on the card.
Not giving him the opportunity to say anything, I asked, straight out, “Where do you live so I can get my suitcase? You had no right to take it.”
“What, no ‘sorry I left, thanks for getting my suitcase?’” Sly paused, waiting for some kind of reply.
“Don’t mess with me, Sly, I am not in the mood. I just spent over an hour at the airport wondering where the hell my suitcase was,” I cursed, my patience running thinner by the minute.
“Maybe if you wouldn’t have left like a madwoman, I wouldn’t have had to take your luggage with me. I didn’t know where the hell you went. When you didn’t show up, I did the gentlemanly thing and grabbed it for you.”
“Well, you shouldn’t have. Now, where do you live so I can get it?” I said, even more perturbed.
Finally able to get his address after fifteen minutes of arguing, I called a cab and headed out the door. One thing I knew for sure, Sly would be paying for my cab fare, there and back. After all, it was his fault I had to retrieve it from him. I could have asked him to bring it, but the last thing I needed was for him to begin quizzing me about what happened at the airport. At
least by going there, I could get my luggage and leave.
~****~
The minute I got out of the cab and looked up at the glass building, I thought maybe I was at the wrong place. I knew that Jagged Edge Security was the best security company in New York City, but I had no idea that it paid so well. Looking at the address I wrote down, it was definitely the correct address. Paying the driver, I closed the door to the cab and headed inside. As I walked inside, a security guard approached me.
“Can I help you, miss?” he asked with a smile.
“Uh, yeah. I’m here to see Sly Capelli,” I answered. I wasn’t even sure if the guard knew who I was talking about.
“Yeah, Sly said he was expecting someone, but he didn’t say it would be a beautiful woman,” the guard answered with a smile. “Go ahead, he is on the twentieth floor, number 2015.”
I gave the guard a little smile and walked over to the elevator. As I waited for it to come down, I turned back to the guard to find that he was smiling even bigger with his arms crossed at his chest. Turning my body to face the elevator, so only I could hear, I said, “Pervert.” One thing I hated about men twice my age, they always seemed to be hornier than hell.
The elevator skyrocketed upward so fast I didn’t even feel it move. Before I knew it, I was on the twentieth floor. Heading in the right direction, I looked at the numbers on the doors until I reached 2015. Knocking lightly, I waited for Sly to answer.
When the door finally opened, I couldn’t believe what stood before me. A muscular man, with more muscles than I had ever seen on a man, wearing only a towel around his waist. My month must have dropped a mile. I couldn’t get over how absolutely gorgeous he was. All 6’4” of him.
Not knowing what to say, I tried to act unaffected. “Work out much?” I asked as I pushed my way inside the door.
“Come on in,” I heard him say sarcastically as I heard him close the door.
“So, I’ll just grab my luggage and go,” I said sternly.
“Not so fast, darlin’” he began. “Before I give it to you, I think you owe me an explanation.”
“I don’t owe you anything, Sly. Now if you don’t mind, I’d like my suitcase.”
His slow movements towards me told me that he wasn’t going to give up. He was bound and determined to get the answer he needed. When he got within inches of where I was standing, I lost it completely. The manly scent of musk and something spicy had me wet between my legs. Not only did he look good enough to eat, he also smelled it. All my senses were on arousal overload. It took everything I had not to jump his bones at that very moment.
Trying to back away from him, my efforts were stopped the minute I backed into a wooden support beam. Sly placed his hand against the beam right above my head. Turning my head, I spotted my pink suitcase propped up against the wall with my carry-on bag sitting on top. Given my height, compared to his, it took no effort for me to duck under his arm.
Looking over my shoulder, I ranted behind me, “Catch you later.”
The minute I opened the door, I knew there was no way he would be going after me. He should have chosen his attire more wisely. My escape was a lot easier than I thought. I thought for sure he was going to try and charm me with his alpha-male wit. As gorgeous as he was and with how my heart pounded at the sight of him, I knew the best thing for me to do was stay clear of him. I had a funny feeling that if I got any closer to him, it would be really dangerous. Not only because of the things he could do to my deprived body, but also because the truth about myself was not something I wanted to share.
CHAPTER FOUR
Sly
“Damn,” I said to myself as I adjusted the towel around my waist that I almost lost completely while trying to go after the biggest pain in my ass. Never had a woman given me the biggest hard-on I’ve ever had, just by looking at her gorgeous face. Never had a woman been more confusing than Nikki.
I knew it was too late to catch her, but that didn’t mean that I couldn’t do a little investigation of my own. Walking to my room. I dropped the towel and put on a pair of jeans, commando style, and a dark t-shirt. Grabbing my keys, I headed out to do a little stakeout of my own. Just because she left didn’t mean I couldn’t watch what she was going to do next.
Putting my Rubicon in reverse, I backed out of my parking spot and headed out of the covered parking garage. Thumping the steering wheel with my thumb to the music playing on the radio, I thought about all the things that didn’t make sense with this woman. Even when we were in Kierabali, she didn’t act like someone who was nervous about some of the things we asked her to do. It seemed like it was just another ride around the block for her.
Heading into Brooklyn, I took I-278 to Atlantic Avenue, then left on Belmont. I still couldn’t understand why anyone would want to live in this area of Brooklyn. Stopping at the end of the block where her apartment building was located, I put my Jeep into park and waited for any movement. Knowing where her apartment was located, I quickly spotted the lights on, along with the bars on her windows that I noticed earlier.
Making myself as comfortable as I could, I sat back and watched. When I was just about ready to give up, I saw someone come out of the building. Even though the person was wearing a hoodie, I could tell that it was Nikki walking away from the apartment building and heading west. Keeping my distance, I slowly began driving, creeping along, while watching her every move as she continued to walk at a fast pace. I almost thought that she might have made me, but when she went inside an old brick building. I knew I was safe.
Placing the Jeep in park and turning off the engine, I got out and walked across the street to the old building that she entered. I had no idea what this place was, but as soon as I opened the door, it was clear to see that it was some sort of boxing club. The smell of leather and sweat was everywhere. There were also three boxing rings with several punching bags surrounding the perimeter. A couple of guys in the one ring were fighting with no gloves on their hands. The only thing protecting them was the white adhesive tape wrapped around their hands and in between their fingers.
With my eyes pealed, I watched Nikki head to the back of the building, where I assumed the locker rooms were. The majority of the people inside the building were men, so it made me wonder where she would be going.
Keeping a low profile behind a steel beam, I waited for her to appear. Watching the men spar, I realized how good some of them really were. Some of them would make great additions to the security company. Looking around the room, I noticed that there were a few women off in the corner working the speed bags. It was really quite a sight watching them test their quickness.
While I stayed out of sight, Nikki finally entered the large boxing area. She had changed her clothes and was now wearing tight black spandex shorts along with a teal-colored sports bra. This woman was fit. I couldn’t keep my eyes off her gorgeous body. Seeing her, it was the first time I had seen so much of her skin. I had a pretty good idea, just by the way she wore her clothing, that she had a gorgeous body under all that material, but this was way beyond that.
Lusting over this woman, I watched her walk over to a black man who was in the far corner of the gym. When she held out her hands, he began wrapping them, first with heavy gauze and then with white adhesive tape. The way he was wrapping the tape around her hand and in between her fingers, I knew he must have done this a time or two.
Stepping back a couple of paces behind the beam, I couldn’t let Nikki see me as she began making her way to the boxing ring closest to where I was standing. As she climbed through the ropes, I watched her make a few air punches to loosen her shoulders. I wasn’t sure who she would be fighting, but it had to be one of the girls warming up in the corner of the gym. The only problem with that theory was that they weren’t moving. It was only after a man who stood at least six inches taller than her entered the ring that I realized who she was up against. There was no fucking way this guy was going to fight her. I wanted to get her away from him. I knew that given
his height and weight, he had a big advantage over her.
With my fist clenched, ready to fight this guy myself, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Nikki was actually holding her own. For every punch he threw, she ducked, then gave him a punch of her own. If I hadn’t seen it for myself, I would never believe that she would be able to take this guy on. She was so quick on her feet that he didn’t know what her next move would be, or if it was going to be her fists making a connection with his body or her foot. It was unreal. I had never seen a woman fight this way before. She was better than most of the guys here.
The more I watched her the more I was amazed by her fighting ability. It made me think that she could probably kick my ass. “Nah, not quite,” I thought to myself.
After seeing enough, I headed back to the entrance door and decided it was better to just wait until she finished her workout. As I walked to my car, I kept wondering why a beautiful girl like Nikki would be spending her afternoons in a boxing gym. More than anything, it concerned me how good she was at it. Fighting the way she did wasn’t something that she learned overnight. She definitely had been doing this for some time. I needed to find out how long and why.