The only one left was the head honcho. The guy who’d orchestrated the whole thing, and a few loose ends, but them I had other plans for.
I knew he had to be running scared, because he had to know because of the lineup that he was next. But he didn’t know how or when. He sure as fuck knew why.
I wonder if he suspected that it was I on his ass? If that was the reason for the mayor and the commissioner trying to get me to hunt down the man that was taking out his partners in crime?
But I’d played everything perfectly. Once I knew what I was going to do, I’d played out every detail in my head. He might suspect but he couldn’t be sure. I’d seen to that.
While I’d been seething with vengeful anger, I’d let my superiors and my peers believe that I’d been broken. I even played it like I had no idea who was behind the massacre.
Only two people knew what I’d been working on, only one of them I trust. The operation was something I’d been working on to help clean up the streets, but once I got in deep enough to see which way the wind blows I’d started keeping shit close to the vest.
The men who’d been there before me had all to a man been caught in the web. Money had blinded them to common decency. I guess they had a good excuse, or at least they’d convinced themselves that they did.
It hadn’t been easy bringing down some of my own, but it had to be done. And they all had the same reasoning for their fuck-up. The criminals were living a life of luxury while they were putting their lives on the line day in and day out for peanuts.
They should’ve taken that shit up with payroll instead of selling their badges to the highest bidder.
Instead of cleaning up the city like they were supposed to, they’d ended up being little more than lackeys for the drug lords, making a bad situation so much worst.
The citizens knew all about the dirty cops that were on the take long before the brass did. So we’d lost the trust of the people we were sworn to protect.
Kids were seeing that shit and it was just another excuse to go astray. And it couldn’t have happened at a worse time. Just when they were needed most.
I took over the drug task force in the middle of the shit storm and the fallout from all that misery, and had to hit the ground running. The city was in chaos and no one knew who to trust or where to turn.
I had to start from scratch since anything my predecessors had was tainted, fruit from the poisoned tree. In the beginning I spent most of my time, me, and a handful of men I’d handpicked, sifting through the debris of what was left after the traitors had faced justice.
It was slow going having to start from the beginning, but within a few short months we were getting somewhere. So far though, all roads were leading to small timers.
Then an epidemic had hit the city. Multiple deaths in a short space of time, caused by tainted heroin laced with some kind of chemical that was killing people within minutes.
I’d started collecting information while my men worked the case, bringing in the dealers off the corner while I put the puzzle together at my desk.
When it looked like the shit wasn’t a one off and was deliberate, I’d started connecting the dots. It’s what I was good at, seeing the big picture. Taking little pieces of information that by itself wasn’t much, but once put together told the whole story.
Everything led back to Carlo Rossi. The man who’d taken over organized crime in the state after his father’s passing a few years ago.
When the old man ran things he steered clear of drugs. His thing was flesh and gambling, racketeering; old school crime still paid and paid well it seemed. But the son was a money- hungry son of a bitch and drugs, is a cash cow.
Add the fact that he was just as thirsty for blood as he was the green and you had a hell of a mix in one fucked up individual who didn’t care for anyone or anything. And had no qualms about mowing down whoever got in his way.
It wasn’t long after he took over that all hell broke loose in the city. There were the turf wars between him and the others who’d been holding down that market before he became involved.
Rossi was big time compared to the other scum that had been trafficking in the city so it was easy for him to take the lead. After the dust had settled and he’d muscled them out of business, leaving them a few scraps here and there to keep the peace, shit had got real.
Before him there was a definite problem, but nothing like what he’d unleashed on the streets. It was like the drug of choice got worse from day to day.
With that came a new kind of criminal element and a whole new brand of crime and destruction. We’d gone from a few robberies and other petty crimes perpetrated by humps looking for money to get their next fix, to crazed out of their minds motherfuckers taking out whole families; some of them eating the flesh of their victims.
People were afraid to walk the streets, businesses were suffering and the criminal element was taking over. That’s where I came in. I’d already built a reputation for getting things done, and fast.
That no nonsense rep is what had got me on Rossi’s radar. I went in hot with one thing on my mind. To take the streets back; but it wasn’t as easy as all that.
As fast as we got one thing off the street, there was a new more deadly strain right behind it. I didn’t want that shit around my kid, didn’t want him growing up in a place where that shit was the norm, so I went at it hard.
I’d shared some of what I was doing with Rawlins and Rogers. The two men I thought was best equipped to handle what I wanted done. They too had reputations on the job, and as their superior I’d chosen them to have my back and I theirs.
We’d worked it on our downtime and between cases. It helped that the city wasn’t given to much crime other than a domestic call or a traffic stop here and there. That was before the drugs took over and we were ass deep in crime.
We were making good leeway, plowing through the detritus, until somebody got greedy. I should’ve seen it coming but I didn’t. I was too focused on the end game and forgot to watch my six.
Something I wasn’t in the habit of doing, but coming on there to the end, Dee had been acting up and I was staying away more and more. Her shit had caused me to lose focus a little which was a shitty excuse but there you have it.
Even though I hadn’t been anywhere near Shelly, she had started becoming more demanding of my time. I never begrudged her that, but I had a job to do.
All those nights I was out working the streets, trying to make shit safe for my kid, she thought I was somewhere with Shelly. I’m not sure if she really believed that or if it was just an excuse to yank my chain because I wasn’t giving her what she wanted, namely me. But it had pushed me away rather than drawing me closer.
When I wasn’t tending to my son, I’d been putting my all into the job. Now that the average Joe saw that we were on their side and they were no longer afraid to talk to cops for fear of being sold out, things were moving.
And then the explosion came and threw me out of whack. I guess if they couldn’t kill me that was the next best thing. Not many could come back from a loss like that; not and be the same anyway.
Now I was back behind a desk because the powers that be thought I needed more time to get my shit together before I could be trusted back in the field.
The takedowns the last few weeks had been hard won because I’d made such a stink that the captain had no choice. I had no doubt he was even now trying to come up with ways to stick my ass behind this desk again because those humps were bitching and moaning about being handled too rough.
Forget the fact that they were selling poison to our kids, destroying lives and dreams at five dollars a pop, sometimes less. They were the victims. I give a fuck.
13
Nick
Once the light beyond the window shades in my office changed, I kept checking my watch, almost noon. I called in my lunch break and headed out.
I felt like I did when we were teenagers, when we walked the halls together between class. I g
ot the same rush, the same intense feeling in the pit of my gut.
It was only as she walked down the front steps of her office building that I gave any thought to what our being out in public together would mean.
This was a small town and everyone here pretty much knew each other. I bet it wouldn’t be five minutes before we ran into someone we knew or who had known us back when.
I didn’t much care come to think of it, and stepped out to open her door. My dick got hard just watching her walk to me as I took her in; but my eyes were hidden behind the dark lenses of my shades so she couldn’t give me shit for undressing her in public with my eyes.
“Hey Princess where would you like to go for lunch?” I took her handbag off her shoulder and helped her get seated before belting her in.
I stole a quick taste of her lips before closing the door and going around to the other side. “I’m starving, I only had coffee all day.” She gave me a look that said that it was my fault that she’d missed breakfast. I smirked at her before pulling out.
“Fine, we’ll have a big lunch.” Instead of steering clear of the places we were sure to run into someone I headed for the busiest spot I could think of.
“How about Mexican? If I remember correctly, that was always your favorite.”
“Still is.” She smiled fondly, probably remembering same as I, our many trips to feed her hunger for all things spicy. I took her hand and squeezed gently, just happy for this moment.
“Are you ready for this?” I indicated the people walking by outside.
She looked out the car window at the people going in and out of the restaurant.
This place was one of the more popular ones in town, so it was a good bet we were going to be seen.
“If you’re game, I am.” Her mouth said one thing but I know my baby, and she looked spooked. I squeezed her hand again before getting out and going around to her side to help her out.
The place was packed as usual for this time of day. I kept my hand in the small of her back as we walked to the door. We were barely inside before the first person hailed us.
“Hey fancy meeting you two here together.” Sandra Johnston was a very pregnant very nosy ex school friend whose eyes seemed glued to the hand I had on my girl’s back.
“Hi Sandra how’s it going?” I played it cool, like she and I walked into places together all the time. I could only imagine what was being said behind the many hands and menus that went up to cover mouths as I passed a slow gaze around the room.
“I’m coming along, and you. I haven’t seen you since…” She broke off and looked away embarrassedly. I guess it was going to be a while before people stopped being uncomfortable around me, or knowing how to talk to me about what had happened.
“Yeah, I’ve been busy. We’ll see you later they’re signaling us for our table.” No one was signaling shit but she bought it and said her goodbyes. Not before throwing my girl a wink behind my back.
I took her hand and walked through the restaurant to a table in the back, pretending not to notice all the whispers and stares.
“That bother you?” I indicated the roomful of people trying hard to pretend they weren’t focused on our table the fucking vultures, and she shook her head.
I didn’t forget that a lot of the people in this town had had a lot to say when we broke up. Granted they were kids like us back then, but I remember.
I also remember the assholes that had tried to go after her when the coast was clear. I’d have fucking killed her and them if she’d ever…
Damn it was like high school all over again. “You still like burritos I take it.” I took her hand in mine on the top of the table as we studied the menu.
“You mean, you’re actually going to let me order for myself?” Yeah that’s right, I always used to order for her. It had been so long since I’d done that I didn’t think she remembered.
It was one of those cute little things that other females found annoying, but she’d liked it. Said it made her feel special that I knew what she liked.
“No I got it.” I ordered the burritos supreme for both of us, and ice tea. “So, how has your day been?” I rubbed my thumb across her palm and looked into her eyes.
“I almost forgot how absolutely beautiful you are.” It’s true. She was and always will be the most beautiful woman in the world, and time hadn’t changed that.
“I’ve been cramped all morning. We’re working on a big merger right now and my bosses are driving me nuts.” She smiled as she said it so I knew it wasn’t a complaint.
“You love it.” I grinned at her, at the east with which we were having this very normal conversation.
“Yes, yes I do. It’s what I’ve always wanted, among other things.”
She gave me a pointed look that told me I wasn’t completely off the hook. But as long as I could be here like this with her I’ll take whatever she has to throw at me.
“Okay, okay, I’m guessing you didn’t say all you had to last night and this is not the place, so what say you and I tonight, after work, we hash it all out.”
“Sounds good. But you may not like what I have to say. I have a lot of pent up anger Nick.” She looked around as if making sure no one was within hearing distance before turning back to me.
“I know baby, and it’s okay we’ll get through it.” I had no doubts since there was no alternative. Before my future was a bit hazy. All I could see was the blood of my enemies and then maybe, having her back in my bed.
Now, after last night, there was no going back. I wanted it all, and was going to make damn sure I got it. She got my attention when she squeezed my hand and leaned in.
“I do have one burning question that I just have to ask though.” From the smirk on her face I knew it wasn’t too serious. “Okay, shoot.” She looked around again before turning back to me. “The tattoo, where and when did you get it?”
I wondered how long it would take her to bring that up. I didn’t answer straight away. It had been a while since I’d even thought of the ink on my chest, over my heart. It told a story all its own, one that had driven Dee nuts, because she didn’t need to be told what it meant.
“It’s you; I got it after I lost you. It was my own little constant reminder of what I’d lost. And the others you know.”
I didn’t have to explain the names I had inked on the inside of my upper arm. One had been there almost thirteen years, the other was much newer. Her name and my son’s.
She got a little sad when I told her. “Don’t look like that sweetbaby, it’s in the past; you’re here now.” She nodded her head but I could tell she was still a little choked up.
We hadn’t talked about my son, not that I didn’t want to, but I knew it was going to be a rough conversation. I know her well enough to know that she wouldn’t have blamed him in the least for what happened, but still he’d been part of my life, the life I’d had to shut her out of.
She nodded and we tabled it until later. I could almost feel the sting from the stares once I tuned back in.
The only one who approached our table was the waitress, but there was no doubt we were the topic on everyone’s lips as we enjoyed our lunch. If the way I kept looking at her wasn’t a dead giveaway that we were back together, then I’m sure the handholding and the proprietary hand I kept on her waist as we left sent the message loud and clear.
“I’ll pick you up end of shift and we’ll get your car.” This time, when I dropped her back at her office there was no secret to the kiss I gave her and it certainly wasn’t quick.
“Is that asshole Troy in there?” I looked up towards the windows the fronted the building, hoping the asshole was indeed up there watching.
“Cut it out Nick, Troy’s just a friend.” That’s what she thinks. “Was, he was a friend.” She rolled her eyes as she waved and walked away.
I never was too good about having other men around her and that didn’t seem to have changed either with time.
14
Shelly
“So, let me have it.” We’d just finished dinner, which I’d made in my new kitchen. I don’t think it had quite set in yet that this was real. That I was here with Nick Sheridan in the house we’d once dreamed of owning together.
I was already rearranging things in my head and throwing paint on the walls. It was typical Shelly and Nick. We’ve always been able to bounce back from whatever; until we weren’t.
Now here we are, and he was ready to talk. I’m not so sure that I am. We’d had a very pleasant evening so far, keeping things light as he watched me move around kitchen, while he made a salad. Who knows where this little tete a tete would lead.
He poured us both a glass of wine before reaching for my hand and leading me out onto the patio. Now that the time had come to lay it all out I found that I was nervous as hell.
I really didn’t want to rock the boat, didn’t want to lose the ease with which we were dealing with each other. Things had been going so well. We’d steered clear of any serious conversation over dinner, and I’d grown comfortable. Now I had to decide if I wanted to dredge all the old hurt up or let it die.
But if I did that, would it always be between us, will it haunt us for the rest of our lives? “I don’t know where to start. It’s been so long since I’ve let myself think about all that old business. I made myself move on, it was the only way I could cope.”
I took a sip of wine and tried to find the words. The anger no longer burned as bright as it once had, but I can’t honestly say that it was gone completely.
He didn’t push, for which I was grateful. There was more than thirteen years of issues on the table, and I was certain one night wasn’t going to erase it all.
“I can understand that.”
“I tried so very hard to hate you. There were days when I thought the memories would drive me insane. So I tried my best to erase them and you. You asked if there had been anyone else.”
Savage: A Second Chance at Love Page 10