“Why did you do it then, Jolie?” I ask.
“I never… we…”
She frowns.
She looks to the ocean.
“Don’t give that bullshit about some girl in third grade bothering you either,” I say. “That was real. That was about now.”
“What do you want with me?” Jolie asks. She slowly hugs herself. “What is it, Mac? Am I a conquest to you? Is that what this all is? You think I’m just some pampered, innocent girl that you can mess with? Show me your cars, your gun, and take me to some wild party… for what?”
I step next to Jolie and I look to the ocean.
I hear the sound of Violet’s voice, trying to be mean but she’s being playful.
From the corner of my eye I see her with Les and Clay.
That’s going to be a problem.
My eyes are stuck on Jolie. Like always.
“I know everything, sweetie,” I say. “It’s how I survive. I moved to the other side of BC and took it over. How? I found the guy who was running the place and I broke his leg. That’s how. Behind you at the skatepark, I can tell you everyone’s name, where they come from, what they need from me, why they need it, and how much they’re willing to pay for it. I can tell you that Hanky is a lowlife who needs help but it’s not my job to help him. He’s also loyal to what he gets from me. And then there’s Peg Leg Mikey. He’s just happy to be alive. He’s quiet, calm, able to assess things. And I’m bringing him in on things. Now to your right, there’s Van and Clay. I told you a little about those two. I can tell you a lot more. Same with Les. But Les is my best friend. He and Taz are like brothers to me. Les is pissed that I’m wasting time here with you, but he knows why I’m here. Now for Violet, I could crack her shell in two seconds.”
Jolie looks up at me. “Do it.”
I smirk. “She’s had a perfect little life. But that perfect little life is full of dirty and dark secrets. She says she wants to be on the edge and gets near it, but then runs when it gets too much. You as her friend makes her feel closer to that edge. Because you’ve never been near the edge. So your friendship with Violet is based on you two using each other. But in there you found common ground to be real friends. The amount of guys she’s told you she’s slept with? Cut that in half.” I put my mouth closer to Jolie’s ear. “And the number you’ve told people… double it.”
“Screw you, Mac,” she says. “What I do with my…” She shakes her head. “Why am I even here?”
“Because you like when I tell the truth. Even if you don’t want to hear it. And if you hitting Carly is the worst thing you’ve ever done… then that’s okay. I’m sure we can find a way to top that.”
Jolie blinks fast. “I cheated on a few tests. I ran a red light and got pulled over and said my grandmother was dying in the hospital. My grandmother died when I was a baby. I like being thought of as some kind of innocent person so nobody really looks at me. I think that’s maybe the worst.”
I brush my lips to her cheek. “Just don’t be fake near me.”
As I pull back, Jolie grabs my shirt.
She moves to her toes and kisses me.
I kiss her back.
Her right hand lets go of my shirt and she touches my face.
“I know it’s all true about you, Mac,” she whispers. She shuts her eyes. “And I can’t walk away from it even though I know I have to.”
I kiss her forehead. “I know, sweetie… I know.”
I take her to the rocks and walk her right to the ledge.
The drop isn’t quite as dramatic as it looks.
How do I know that?
One of Van’s guys tried to fuck around on a debt once.
Everyone called him Kuna. His real name was Ken.
I threw him off the rocks. Right in front of Van and Clay.
The plan had been to have him break a few bones.
Instead, he hit the water and swam to shore.
Taz, Les, Aric, and Raf were waiting and took care of things from there.
Anyway, I stand next to Jolie at first.
We hold hands.
Then I slowly slip away, giving her the ledge to herself.
There’s a part of me that wants to tell her everything. The whole story. Beginning to end. But if I do that, then she’ll be in the mix of things. She’ll have to talk to Mama Dae and it won’t be a loving conversation either. This entire thing is a business. An operation. An organization. Whatever you want to call it.
Jolie doesn’t fit into the plan and what we’re doing.
Yet she fits in my plan.
I inch toward her and my hands slide along her waist.
She gasps and grabs my hands.
Gently, I press my body to hers.
“Heart racing, sweetie?” I whisper.
Jolie takes a shaky breath. “Why don’t you find out, Mac?”
She turns her head and those beautiful brown eyes now have a little flare to them.
My right hand moves around to the front of her body. And under her shirt. I feel her body tense up.
She gets it. That desire and wild need to be touched. Yet knowing the hands that can give her pleasure are also hands that have had blood on them.
My fingertips graze her warm skin, moving over her left breast. Her bra has some kind of pattern to it. I grit my teeth hard. For as innocent as Jolie wants to act, I know damn well she takes the time to make sure her bra and panties match.
Why?
Because she’s got that fire in her.
My hand spreads wide over her chest and I feel her heart racing.
My left hand slides around her body, my fingers flirting with the top of her shorts.
And then I just hold her.
Tight against me.
Trust me, my mind is racing with the things I want to do to her.
But just holding her is perfectly fine right then.
“Should we jump together, sweetie?” I whisper. “Forget about everything and just…”
I take a small step and Jolie reaches back and grabs me.
She lets out a small scream.
I start to laugh.
Her arms then begin to wiggle and I break away from her.
Jolie hurries away from the edge, touching her forehead, gasping for a breath.
“Are you insane?” she asks.
“The only time I feel crazy is when I look at you,” I say.
She shakes her head. “What were you going to do just then? Have us jump? And then what?”
“I have no plan when it comes to you, sweetie. You’re just… always here.”
“Yeah, well maybe I should get going. I’m sure Violet wants to leave by now.”
“Do that,” I say. “I’ll see you later then.”
Jolie stares for a few seconds. “I don’t know what this is, Mac. I don’t know what I’m doing. And I don’t know if I want to know what the worst thing you’ve ever done is. Or what you’re doing right now.”
“But you can’t get enough of it,” I say. “I get it. You’re torn. You’ve officially crossed the edge you said you never would. And the fall isn’t happening. And you’re not hurt.”
“So what happens now then?” Jolie asks.
“You’re going to leave with Violet. I’m going to smoke a cigarette. And our lives will be opposite yet parallel until we see each other again. You’re going to answer my texts. We’re going to make plans again. And it’s going to be just us. And if you want any questions answered, I’ll answer them. Just remember if you cross too far you can’t go back.”
“Is that a threat, Mac? What is this then?”
I shrug my shoulders.
“And what am I to you.”
“You’re starting to feel like everything to me, sweetie.”
Jolie runs toward me.
She looks like she’s going to jump into my arms but doesn’t. She’s back on her toes, her hands touching my face.
I kiss her goodbye and I have to use every ounce of my strength and energy not to chase her
pretty ass down and kiss her again. Or carry her to my car and show her the backseat. Or… well… the possibilities are endless.
Jolie looks back twice.
I want to see her for a third time so I whistle at her.
She stops and looks back.
I take out a cigarette and light it.
Then I point up.
Jolie looks.
Then she looks at me.
I take a drag of my cigarette.
“The stars are out for you, sweetie,” I say as smoke dances from my mouth.
Jolie shakes her head and bites her lip.
My eyes follow her as she walks down to the beach.
Van and Clay have a fire burning on the beach, sitting with their crew.
Violet is in the mix, sitting next to Clay while Les stands behind her, looking around.
I smile.
Fucking love is the thing that’s going to ruin it for all of us.
17
“Ado,” I say.
He stands up and nods.
He gathers up the cash and puts it into a black bag.
When he leaves the room, all eyes go back to me.
“A little light, right?” Raf asks.
“Not much,” I say. “We’ll go harder tomorrow. There’s business out there no matter what.”
“Our old friend Teddy popped up today,” Aric says.
“Oh?” I ask.
“He’s a customer now,” Aric says.
“You better have fucking charged him double,” Taz says.
“Poor guy,” Raf says to Taz. “Your dick having a little heartache?”
“I’m sure there’s a medicine for that,” Les says.
“What did you charge him?” Taz asks.
“Not double,” Aric says.
“You fucking idiot,” Taz says as he punches the table.
“Taz, easy,” I say.
“No,” Taz says. “This isn’t about fucking Molly. This is about the message.”
Aric holds up three fingers.
“What is that?” Taz asks. “Three fingers? Is that how many fingers you let Teddy stick up your ass?”
“Is that what you let Molly do to you, Taz?” Raf asks.
Taz jumps up and tries to punch Raf.
I lung at Taz and pull him back.
“What the fuck, bro?” I ask.
“Three times,” Aric says. “So why don’t you untangle your unicorn panties, Taz. I charged Teddy three times what it should cost. And I told him that to his face.”
“Nice,” Les says. “And he bought it?”
“That’s right,” Aric says. “Why? Because he needed it. It’s economics, bro.”
“And people think we aren’t learning here,” Raf says.
Taz shakes me away and runs a hand through his hair. “Sorry about that.”
“No worries,” Aric says.
Taz looks at Raf.
Raf shrugs his shoulders. “No big deal.”
Taz and I sit back down.
“I told Teddy it’s a floating price,” Aric says. “Okay? You know how when you buy a plane ticket and the price changes based on how many seats are sold? That’s how this works.”
“That’s genius,” Les says.
“You’re welcome,” Aric says.
“Two other things here,” I say. “I think we should have Peg Leg Mikey running the skatepark for us.”
I pause.
Everyone looks at each other.
“I know the risks,” I say. “But he’s the most solid one there. And he can use Hanky for whatever he wants too. It’s a good situation. Think about it. He does a lot for us anyway. I’m not cutting him in on anything official. But we can have him run the skatepark. Give him some power. Throw him his supply for free.”
“I’m on board with it,” Les says. “For the record.”
“Second thing,” I say. “I have to send a message for Mama.”
“What kind of message?” Raf asks.
“There’s a debt,” I say. “And the money isn’t the issue. It’s the message.”
“Meaning?” Aric asks.
“I have to break into the house,” I say. “Just trash it a little. Make it known he’s being watched.”
“What do you need from us?” Taz asks.
“I want Taz and Les with me,” I say. “Aric and Raf will take the outside. We have to trash the cameras. Make sure we’re in the clear there. I don’t know what we’re up against. I doubt it’ll be anything. This is some rich asshole who thinks he doesn’t have to pay Mama.”
“Oh, that’s dangerous,” Taz says.
“And she doesn’t want him hurt?” Aric asks.
“No,” I say. “Fear is sometimes greater than pain.”
“Use fear to make them beg for pain,” Les asks.
I nod.
I stand up.
“Anything else?” I ask.
“When is this going down?” Taz asks.
“Tomorrow night.”
“What about tonight?” Raf asks.
“I have plans,” I say.
I walk away from the table knowing they’re all looking at me.
I don’t give a shit.
I walk into the room where Ado is handling the cash.
He’s standing there, staring at the floor.
“Ado,” I say.
He looks at me. “She’s getting worse by the day, Mac.”
I nod. “Inevitable ending, bro.”
“And I’m watching it happen.”
“What do you want to do then?” I ask. “Avoid her? Or be with her all the time? Or find the middle?”
Ado shakes his head. “I don’t know, Mac.”
“Look, bro, finish up here and find something for tonight,” I say. “Whether it’s something you swallow or something you lick. Right?”
Ado grins for a second. “Yeah. Right.”
“No Carly,” I say.
“She used me.”
“Of course she did. She told you she was using you.”
“She wanted to go after Jolie. I told her not to.”
“She wouldn’t know what to do if she tried that,” I say. “Now get the fuck out of this room.”
“Mind if I take a loan out?” Ado asks. “I don’t have any cash on me.”
I nod. “Don’t pay it back. I’ll cover your ass.”
“Thanks, Mac,” Ado says.
He leaves the room.
I shut the door and lock it.
The room used to be a freezer. It’s a giant metal room with a giant metal door. When it’s shut, it blends into the wall almost perfectly. We usually stack some shit in front of the door too just to keep it hidden.
Just in case.
I walk through the warehouse, my footsteps echoing, as I type a text to Jolie.
Ready to see me tonight, sweetie?
I kill the lights and leave the building.
Taz, Raf, and Aric are talking.
Les is waiting for me.
“Need me with you tonight?” he asks.
“You want to see Violet again, don’t you?” I ask.
Les shakes his head.
“Want me to get her number for you?”
“I already have it,” Les says.
“Sneaky.”
“No. I told her to give it to me.”
“You never ask do you?”
“Why ask? I’m a take charge kind of guy, Mac. I make sure that’s known from the first breath.”
I shake my head.
My phone vibrates.
It’s Jolie.
Why don’t you come over to my place?
I laugh.
“What’s so funny, Mac?” Les asks.
I look at Les. “Just me probably fucking things up.”
“How so?” Les asks.
“Falling in love.”
Jolie doesn’t live in a house.
For some reason that shocks the hell out of me.
It’s an apartment building.
Now d
on’t get me wrong, it’s a luxury apartment building. The rent is probably more than Henderson’s annual salary.
I text Jolie that I’m here.
That’s what she told me to do.
Which means she’s going to sneak me in.
She wants no record that I was ever there.
Maybe that should offend me. I’m not sure. I personally like it though. I’m the kind of guy you don’t forget.
I climb out of my car and tuck my gun into the back of my jeans.
No way I’m leaving that in the car.
Especially here.
I lock the car, light a cigarette, and lean against the car, waiting for Jolie.
The parking lot is like a fucking forest.
So many trees all around.
All so fake though.
Well, the trees are real, but the way they’re planted is fake.
Everything is in a certain spot for a certain reason.
I can only imagine who else lives in this building.
Doctors, lawyers, fancy ass business people.
Or maybe some rich guys use the place to fuck their mistresses.
Fuck, maybe that’s what I am for Jolie.
When she wants a taste of the wrong side of life, she can call me and have a lick.
I don’t mind. And I always return the favor.
When I need a taste of sweet innocence, I can lick her right back.
I laugh at myself… lick.
What a fucking word.
Almost as interesting as moist.
Except with Jolie, I’d make her sopping.
Soaked.
Dripping.
Oozing…
“Oozing,” I say, making smoke rings.
That one’s a little rough.
Jolie appears between two trees like some woman lost in the woods.
Great, another fantasy of Jolie… just what I fucking need.
She’s got the short shorts mastered. Tonight’s choice is black.
And those legs are just… they make me want to ooze.
She’s in a baggy sweatshirt.
She looks messy yet beautiful.
Three drags into my cigarette and I flick that fucker into the night and I’m locked on Jolie.
I walk toward her with a cloud of smoke behind me.
My hands go right for the bottom of the sweatshirt. My hands seek her skin.
When I touch her, she jumps.
She grabs my arms.
“What are we doing tonight, sweetie?” I ask.
Mess You Up (Brooks Crest Book 1) Page 15