Desired Too

by Lessly, S. K.

  “Whoa, dad. What are you doing?”

  My dad looked at me, puzzled. “What do you mean?”

  I moved back from him and looked at him a bit sideways. I couldn’t help it; things didn’t seem too kosher right at the moment.

  “Why are you pushing Ira on me?” I asked.

  To my father’s credit, he seemed to recover quickly. “I’m not trying to push anyone on you. I was just making an observation.”

  I stood and laughed snidely. “You’re making an observation about something you know nothing about.”

  “Raquel-”

  “No, dad, I don’t know what you’ve been told or what you know, but let me educate you on first why I was forced to leave California. Then, I will tell you what happened today, and what’s been happening since I’ve been home. After that, then you can voice your opinions on how you think I should live my life.”

  I told him everything. I gave him the short version, but I laid everything out for him. I told him about the PI business. I told him about Ira, what he got me into, how he screwed me. I told him what’s been happening the last few weeks and what Angel just told me. I never got a chance to tell him about what happened earlier because he rose from the couch in sort of a haze and walked out of the room.

  I didn’t stop him. I just watched him, figuring he needed a minute to digest everything. I think he had some impression about Ira that I’d just flushed down the tubes for him. Ira had never met my father and brother. It wasn’t for lack of trying. However, the many times my father and brother came to visit me, Ira was out of town or working a case. I never thought anything of it. Yet, when I thought about it now, after everything that I had just learned, I figured maybe Ira was absent for a reason.

  I started to sit down and wait for my father to come back, but I suddenly heard a loud commotion and glass breaking coming from deep in the house. I ran toward the sound and found my father on top of Ira, punching the shit out of him, and my brother trying to pull my dad off him.

  When my brother saw me, he frowned. “What the fuck did you do?!” he yelled at me.

  I couldn’t move. I was stunned. My father was always the diplomatic kind of guy. He was never violent, so seeing him full of rage, trying to beat the life out of Ira had me on pause.

  I finally snapped out of my shock and went to try to get my father off Ira while thinking, Angel would love this scene.

  “Dad, stop! Please!”

  My brother and I finally got my dad off Ira, but it wasn’t due to our strength. The moment our father conveniently backed away from Ira, I saw the gun in Ira’s hand pointed right in the face of my father.

  “Well, it seems you’ve told your family all about me, huh, Roxy?” Ira spat, looking at my father and brother. He then spat blood and phlegm on our floor next to my brother’s foot.

  When his eyes fell on me, the shock was evident.

  My gun was pointing directly at his face.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Drake

  The fear in Georgia’s eyes was palpable, but I couldn’t think about that now. She hung up my phone after Eddie told us about Angel just as I stood.

  Angel’s missing? That’s bullshit!

  “Do you think-” she started to say, but I shook my head.

  “Don’t you dare think that.” I put the baby down on the bed and moved toward Georgia. “You know I don’t trust Eddie. I don’t believe shit that comes out of his mouth. I don’t believe that Angel is really missing.”

  I knew she didn’t understand any of this and it was evident, the doubt was written all over her. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to explain it either. I started unbuttoning my shirt as I walked toward my closet.

  She said behind me, “Why would Eddie say that if it wasn’t true?”

  I grabbed a black, long sleeve t-shirt and threw it on over my wife beater. Then I bent down and grabbed my black Timberlands.

  As I walked back out of the closet, I said to her, “Because, baby, he’s a bitch, and he’s desperate.”

  “Do you think Eddie has Angel?”

  “No, but if Eddie does, I’ll find him.”

  Georgia picked up the baby and sat on the bed. She watched me take my slacks off and throw on a dark pair of blue jeans and my boots. It was time for Eddie and me to settle whatever it was between us. I was ready for it. If Angel or my uncle wasn’t, then tough shit.

  Georgia was scared; I could see it. This was the first time that she actually saw me “go to work.” I also wasn’t blind to the fact that she understood the severity of this situation. She didn’t have a clue the extent of how bad things were, but she had a feeling shit was going to hell in a handbasket.

  I put on my double-sided shoulder holster and grabbed my Berettas from the safe. As I turned to leave, Georgia stood.

  When tears started to fill her eyes, I caressed her face with my knuckles, then bent down to kiss her.

  “Baby, don’t worry. I’ll be okay. Angel will be okay.”

  “You promise?”

  I sighed deeply, and she moved her and the baby closer to me. “Drake, I know what you must do. Please don’t downplay this. If you’re right about Eddie, then you will have to deal with him. Just please be smart about it. We need you.”

  I nodded. “I know.”

  She shook her head emphatically. “No, you don’t understand. I’m pregnant.”

  Shit!

  I stepped back slightly, shocked as shit. Georgia, however, didn’t miss a beat, and she continued to fuck up my world. “I just found out. That’s why I’ve been so emotional as of late.” She moved closer to me. “So, you see, it’s not just me and Junior that need you. Please don’t make me do this on my own.”

  I took the baby from her arms and laid him back on the center of the bed. I then took my woman into my arms and kissed her the way she needed, tongue down her fucking throat.

  She’s having my baby again. Fuck!

  When I pulled back from her, she allowed her tears to freely fall. “I can’t live without you, Drake. Please just be careful, be smart, for our sakes, baby, please.”

  “You know I will,” I assured her. “I don’t know how else to be. Don’t worry. When this shit is over, I’ll be home.”

  “You and Angel?”

  I nodded. “Yes, baby, guaranteed.”

  I brought her beautiful lips to mine and as she grabbed my ears, I started to back her up against the wall. I needed my fix of her. I needed to feel her, just in case this would be the last time. I wasn’t oblivious to what could happen. Shit could get entirely out of control, to the point that I could lose big time. I didn’t want her last memory of me to be sadness. I’d rather leave her wanting me, desiring me, remembering my taste and touch.

  We pulled back from each other just as our doorbell chimed.

  I frowned, wondering who the fuck it was since it was close to one in the morning.

  I pulled out my guns, telling Georgia, “Stay up here.” Then I headed downstairs.

  Someone started knocking by the time I made it to my kitchen.

  “What!” I called to the door.

  “Lincoln, it’s me. Open up.”

  I frowned recognizing the voice instantly.

  Why in the fuck is she here?

  “Why would I do a thing like that?” I replied.

  “Because I have to tell you something.”

  “Yeah, what could you possibly tell me that I would give a shit about?”

  She paused a beat, then said, “The shootout at Angel’s for starters.”

  What?

  I didn’t move. I wasn’t sure if this was a trick for me to open the door. The fact that I hadn’t heard anything about a shootout had me second-guessing her validity.

  “Are you going to open the door?”

  “You still haven’t given me a reason to, especially since the last time I saw you, you had a gun pointed at me.”

  “Oh, do you mean the one you promptly took from me, disassembled and threw at me?�
�

  “Who is that?” I heard behind me.

  I turned to find Georgia coming towards me. She had put on my, or shall I say her, Eagles t-shirt and sweats.

  “Didn’t I tell you to stay upstairs?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Who is that?”

  I sighed deeply. “My sister.”

  Georgia’s eyes bulged out from her face. “Your what?” she asked, then moved toward the door.

  “No, Georgia don’t open the fucking-”

  I moved to intercept her, but I didn’t make it. By the time I got to her and the door, she had it open and ushered my sister inside my apartment.

  I stopped short and just looked at her, contemplating on raising both guns in my hands. They were down by my sides, but as my sister eyed me, she knew she was on shaky ground. I knew the sight of the guns in my hands made her nervous. I was known to be unstable. I didn’t give a shit what she felt; I wasn’t putting them away. She’d just have to get over it.

  Julia Lincoln stood slightly shorter than Georgia with black hair that she wore in a messy ponytail on the top of her head. She had brown eyes that typically showed disapproval when they watched me. However, this time they didn’t. Her eyes were casted down slightly, as if she was showing me humility. I snorted at that thought. If she was there for something other than to bust my balls about some shit she didn’t approve of, this was definitely a trap.

  I walked past my traitor wife and up to my sister. “What the fuck are you doing here, Julia?”

  Julia stepped back a little, keeping space between us. Good thinking.

  She didn’t respond to me, but rather looked behind me. I felt Georgia move next to me.

  “Drake, don’t be rude,” Georgia told me. “Obviously she’s here for a reason.”

  “Uh huh, I wouldn’t be so trustworthy. Remember what happened to you the last time you trusted one of my siblings?”

  Julia seemed to snap out of her trance and rolled her eyes. “Don’t compare me to Daniel.”

  “You haven’t given me a reason not to,” I rebutted.

  Julia’s eyes moved from me to Georgia. “Hi, you must be Georgia, Lincoln’s girlfriend. I’m his sister, Julia.”

  Georgia looked at me curtly before she moved closer to my sister. “It’s nice to finally meet you. I’m Georgia, but I’m not his girlfriend.”

  Julia smiled slightly. “Oh.”

  “I’m actually his wife.”

  Julia’s eyes widened, as I knew they would. I didn’t tell my family about getting married. They knew about Georgia being pregnant, but that was about it. I didn’t tell them anything further because, as you know, we weren’t on very good terms, which brought me back to the reason my sister was there.

  Julia, still eyeing Georgia and my son, moved a little closer. I kept my hands tight on the grip of my guns, just in case. Georgia turned my son around so that Julia could see his face, and the way my sister’s face transformed had me stunned. I’d never seen her look at anyone the way she was looking at Georgia and Junior. She was… Damn, she was actually pleasant.

  “Oh my goodness, he is beautiful.”

  “Handsome,” I corrected. They ignored me, of course.

  Georgia smiled. “Thank you. Do you want to hold him?”

  “Can I?”

  Georgia nodded. “Of course,” she looked hard at me as she added, “After all, he is your nephew.”

  I snorted again, and as Julia took my son in her arms, I put my guns away.

  “Look, say what you have to say, Julia. I don’t have time to deal with this shit.”

  Julia turned to me with my son in her hands. “Eddie is starting a coup tonight. He leaked that Angel roughed up Ducci’s daughter. Ducci has waged war against Angel.”

  “That’s bullshit. I know for a fact Angel hasn’t been around that girl.”

  Julia shrugged. “I’m just telling you what I found out. Earlier today, Ducci sent some of his guys to Angel’s apartment. They shot up the place, but Angel and his girlfriend were unharmed.”

  Georgia’s breath caught in her throat. This was the first I’d heard about this bit of news, so I had no comfort to give to her.

  Hugo had called me earlier telling me that Daniel was after me again. Daniel had arrested Angel earlier today, trying to pin bogus drugs and terrorist charges on him. Not once did he mention anything about any shootout, and I hadn’t heard from him since. I also hadn’t heard from Junior. I know for a fact he would have called me the second shit went down. I’d told him to, but yet again I hadn’t received any calls.

  I had a feeling something wasn’t right here. For one thing, how did anyone know which apartment to hit? If anyone were watching the place, Angel would’ve known and been prepared. Shit, I hated being out of the loop, and the longer I stayed at my place trying to decipher what my sister wanted, the longer it would take for me to get to Angel.

  I walked closer to my sister. “What does Daniel have on me? Why’s he coming after me?”

  I ignored the shocked look on my sister’s face and took my son from her hands. I handed him back to Georgia and squared up in front of Julia.

  Julia sighed and shook her head. “Agusto is missing.”

  “Who?”

  “You know, the agent that he had working in Cabo?” Then she nodded her head toward Georgia. “The one that tried to rope up Georgia in order to get that family they wanted?”

  As recognition settled, I asked, “Okay, what does that have to do with me? I haven’t seen him.”

  “Well, you’re the one that told Daniel, in front of three witnesses, you were going to go after him. You said he had no business using Georgia the way that he tried to. So when he disappeared, you were the natural suspect.”

  “Okay, why not come ask me or arrest me, take me downtown and ask if I had anything to do with the man’s disappearance?”

  Julia paused a beat, seemingly battling with herself on what she should tell me. My sister and I never talked business. We rarely spoke at all. She always treated me as if I didn’t belong in her perfect family or perfect life. She never agreed with my decision to join the CIA. As with the rest of my family, she thought I was a traitor. Her being at my place right now just didn’t feel right, though. I didn’t like it because I didn’t trust my family.

  “Julia, cut the bullshit. You and I have never spoken to each other as long as we have these last few minutes. I need to go. So decide what you need to tell me and say the shit. I have things I need to be doing and-”

  “He’s out of control!” she blurted, then closed her eyes.

  I waited.

  When she opened them, she moved closer to me. “Daniel is mixed up with Eddie. He’s been acting strange lately. He’s on Angel’s ass, trying his best to pin shit on him, not so much on you, and I found that to be odd. I know he hates you, so any reason he can find to take you down, he will use it. So I asked him about it and he told me he was using Eddie to get to Agusto. Eddie told him he knew where Agusto was and that you had him. He told him the man was alive now, but no telling if you would kill him or not. Eddie promised Daniel that if he helped him, he would help Daniel find Agusto and help put you away for his kidnapping.”

  Georgia looked at me; it wasn’t with questions, but with slight alarm.

  “I tried to remind him how Eddie screwed him over before, but he’s not listening. Look, Lincoln, Agusto is a good agent and a good man. I know whatever he was trying to do, he wouldn’t have let anything happen to Georgia in Cabo. I don’t agree with his methods, nor Daniel’s, but I believe Agusto would have made the right call. If you know anything about where he is or-”

  “Julia, I haven’t thought about your man in a very long time. I’ve been focusing on shit that matters to me. I have three clubs I just opened up, a newborn and a wife. The last thing I think about at night is the FBI.”

  I went to the closet off my front door and grabbed a jacket. “Look, I’ll think about where Eddie would stash your agent and call you with some i
deas. Hopefully, you’ll find him and he’s alive, but I won’t be too optimistic.”

  “Drake!” Georgia scolded, and I looked at her, then at my sister, who seemed to diminish within herself slightly.

  You know I don’t do sensitivity, but I did manage to say. “I’ll do what I can, Julia. I’ll give you my word. Right now, though, I have to go.”

  I opened my door wide and looked at my sister. No way was I leaving her there with my prized possessions.

  Julia, taking the hint, nodded imperceptibly and moved toward me. When she was close, she asked, as she looked back at Georgia, “Does mom know?”

  I didn’t reply.

  When Georgia came to the door, I kissed her again, telling her, “Stay here and lock all of the doors.”

  She shook her head. “I want to go to Pops.”

  I nodded, knowingly. “Okay, I’ll call ahead.” I leaned in and kissed her. “I love you, baby.”

  “I love you too.”

  I kissed my son’s head and followed my sister out of my apartment.

  Raquel

  “What the hell are you doing here, Ira?” I asked him, keeping the gun steady in my hands.

  Ira, doing the same as me, shrugged slightly, “Meeting the family, Roxy. Putting my play in as the doting boyfriend, that’s all. I was hoping they would talk some sense into you, but I guess that’s a moot point now.”

  “Put the gun down, Roxy.”

  “Not a chance, Ira.”

  I kept my eyes on him, watching for a hint that this situation was going south, wondering if I would hear the bullet or feel it first before I was gone. I knew he was capable of trying to kill me without hesitation. I just hoped that I could pull the trigger first.

  “You know I’m a good shot,” Ira advised me.

  “So am I,” I countered.

  “For God’s sake, Raquel. Put the damn gun down,” Victor quipped.

  “Shut up, Vic. I know what I’m doing.”

  “Listen, baby,” Ira drawled. “You are clearly way over your head here. Why don’t we call it a truce and put our guns down together?”