by Ana Balen
"You didn't really think Nico was behind all of it, did you?"
I decided to go back to being silent. It was a good call since Irene kept talking, and she hated it when someone interrupted her.
"You did? Oh, you poor, simple girl,” faking pity. “Don’t you find it strange that, two weeks after Kiki crawled back into your life, Nico stepped in it, too?”
I looked to Kiki and then back at Irene when she kept talking.
“You see, Kiki here, owed me huge. That little habit of hers was expensive. And she didn’t feel like selling her pussy to pay it off. I have to admit; she’s a fast one. She overheard a conversation that she shouldn’t have, in which we discussed a lack of storage for our products,” she said the word products like she was talking about shampoo and not drugs and human slaves. “I was losing my patience with her, when suddenly she found a perfect solution. She had a cousin that she grew up with, and that had a soft spot for her. Took her whenever she surfaced long enough to take a breath and get some energy, before she went right back down to me, to party.”
She started pacing before me. As ever, she looked like she just stepped out of a magazine.
Not a hair out of place on her Raven black head, crème suit, silky white blouse, and nude pumps.
“I was skeptical, but she took me here, and it was perfect, secluded, no cameras, no nosy police, and big enough to store what we needed. We cleaned Kiki up, that took some doing, and sent her to you. And you, Skylar,” Irene stopped to smile a cold smile at me. “Did just as she said you would. Hook, line, and sinker. We got you just where we wanted you. And then it was time to send in Nico to win you over. It’s unfortunate that Kiki’s pussy lost all allure once he laid eyes on you. It would save all of us a lot of trouble.”
She eyed me.
"You look like hell."
She turned to Kiki," Was that really necessary?" she indicated to me with her head.
I didn't know what was necessary and why she was questioning it. I didn't understand. I thought Nico was behind everything.
"She kept begging to let her go, and I lost my patience," Kiki shrugged.
"Oh, well. At least now she learned," Irene smiled a smile full of malice.
"What do you want from me?"
"You, my dear," Irene came to me, took a strand of my hair between her fingers, then made a face as she touched garbage and dropped it. "You owe me a debt. And before I leave, I'm here to collect."
I stared at her, lost for words. I didn’t have any idea what I owed her, but I knew it wouldn’t end well.
“You see,” Irene started talking again. “I had to kill my son because of you.”
I felt the blood drain from my face.
“I arranged for him to get out of the country, but he insisted he take you with him. I know it’s unbelievable, but he really did love you. I can’t tell you how many times I had to push him to discipline you. But, Mom, she didn’t deserve that. But, Mom, I love her. But, Mom, if I hit her, she’ll start hating me eventually.” Irene laughed without merit. “On and on, he went about how special you were, how beautiful, how talented. Even after you left him at the altar, I had to make sure he had my man with him to teach you a lesson. I knew that Vinny guy was good for nothing. And look, he turned out to be a cop.”
She turned and held a gun in her hand.
“So, you see, you are at fault I had to put two bullets in his head. You did that. And now you have to pay.”
She looked to a smiling Kiki. She was enjoying this.
“Well,” Irene snapped. “Cut her loose. I want her running when I shoot her. I feel like playing.”
Kiki came at me, bent, and started working the handcuffs.
“Why are you doing this?” I could barely talk.
“You took everything from me.” she released my hands and brought me up by gripping my shoulders. Before she threw me to the floor, she muttered, her eyes crazy. “You took Jacob from me.”
Max
I was done with this staking out shit. We needed to get in. I needed to take Skylar out to safety. I pushed through the barrier when I heard they confirmed that she was in there and ran right at Stone’s upturned palm that hit the center of my chest.
“Out of my way,” I reached up and pushed his hand away.
“We don’t know how many are in there, holding her,” he turned his head, listen to what Brody whispered, and tilted his chin up.
“Actually, we do know who’s in there.
“Her cousin,” I said something I already knew.
Why were we just standing around losing time, while Skylar was in there?
“And Barone’s mother,” Brody said.
“What?”
“She’s the one who’s behind it all.” the guys talked. “We took out three guys within minutes of arriving.”
I didn’t know how they managed to make them talk, but I was sure it included the visit to the hospital later.
“Fucking hell,” I muttered.
And then a shot fired inside the warehouse.
Skylar
I was on all fours. The bullet hit me in the arm, the burn unbearable. God, Max was going to lose his mind. This was his worst fear, and now it was becoming a reality.
“Now, now, Skylar, you can do better than that,” Irene chided somewhere from behind me.
She was enjoying this.
She wanted to prolong it as much as she could.
I didn’t feel the same. If she wanted to kill me, she will have to do it on my terms. I was not going to run anymore. I was strong. I had people now. I had a family. I was in control of my life. I had a say how I would live that day. Slowly, I hauled my aching body up. I turned. My aching feet carried me across the room until I stood in front of her. I didn’t get too close, but close enough, I could see her eyes.
Irene cackled, “Can you believe her? She thinks she can intimidate me by staring at me.”
Kiki’s eyes were wide, but she laughed on cue.
“Do it,” I whispered. “If you want to do it, do it. But do it while looking at my face.”
I don’t know where all that bravado came from. I just knew I was tired of being pushed around and told what and how to do.
Irene stopped laughing and said, “As you wish.”
She raised the gun, I closed my eyes, and I thought of Max. I jumped when a shot was fired.
Max
“Good hit, kid,” I said to Brody while I ran by him.
That was a fucking great hit. We opened the door, entered, and the kid took a shot.
I kneeled by her and saw blood. I pressed the wound on her arm with one hand and hauled her body to mine with the other.
“Bean?” I called.
“Am I dead?” she asked in a small voice.
“No, baby.”
“Max?” she called.
“Right here, honey,” I whispered.
“My last thought was one of you,” she admitted.
God, she was killing me.
“Open your eyes, baby,” I urged.
She shook her head.
“Baby, open your eyes and look at me.”
She did, and silent tears started sliding down her cheeks.
“I thought I lost you,” her lips wobbled.
“Never, I vowed.”
Take me home,” she pleaded.
I brought her up to her feet. As we walked by a dead Irene and Kiki who was being read her rights, I turned her head into my chest, I didn’t want her to see any of it. This was now done for her. She was free.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
I kissed the top of her head.
After we were done in the E.R., I put a sleepy Skylar in my truck, got behind the wheel, and turned the key. Then, I took my woman home.
Epilogue
Max
Three months later
"I told you those two were hooking up," Joe said.
"Actually, you thought we already did when you said it," I corrected him.
"Fine. But I expect the invitation to the wedding."
Skylar shifted beside me, and I gave Joe a look to shut him up.
It didn't work.
He spread his arms wide, turned around in a circle, and declared, "Let it be known, I called it first."
"He's just teasing, baby," I whispered into Skylar's ear, hoping to make her more at ease.
She was nervous as hell when I said I invited the team to a barbecue. After the shooting, I got her the hell out of there, so she didn’t have a chance to meet them. After, they gave us space. But it was all over now. They wanted to meet her. She asked a million questions of what each of them liked, what was their preferred drink choice, snacks, and whatnot. She wanted their seal of approval. I would be lying if I said it felt good. Her knowing how much they meant to me. But she shouldn't have worried. She had it the moment I said her name in the squad room.
"Skylar, honey?" I called.
When she still remained leaned to the side, her eyes looking at something.
"Leave me be, boy. I'm old, not an invalid," someone was giving Broad hell.
Hearing that, Skylar stood straight, looked up at me, whispered, “Valeria's here.”
Then she shared a look with Melanie. I watched as she bit her lips, her shoulders jumped up and down. Skylar closed her eyes, and both her and Melanie squealed and ran in place before they were off like a couple of schoolgirls running for their idol. I've never seen Skylar so carefree, and so happy. Joe whistled, coming to stand by my side and watched as the pair danced around a smiling old, petite gray hair lady. The same lady who clapped to the beat only three of them could hear.
"You do know that woman's Barone's grandmother?” Liv asked as she came to stand by my other side.
"Yup," I took a swing of my beer.
"The same woman who got and served a nickel for helping women exercising their rights to choose what they will do with their bodies in the sixties? "
"Yup," I lowered my beer while still watching them. Valeria was pulling Skylar's head down and peppering her forehead with kisses.
"You're not going to tell her that, are you?"
"Nope," Skylar had the woman's arm wrapped around her elbow and was leading her to our huddle, stopping to introduce her to people and indicating the back deck in between.
"Good," Liv said.
***
"Can we take Valeria to the next game?"
It was the first football game of the season, and we had field passes.
"I don't know if you remember it, baby since you had a tough day, but I had to blackmail Rory into giving me those passes."
"I remember."
"So, you understand that they're not that easy to come by."
"I'm sure we can figure something out."
“We?"
"Yes, we."
"And what do you have in mind we should do to get them.?"
"We could promise you wouldn't go and harass her new client if she gave them to you."
"That's a good idea, Bean. The only problem is, I don't know who her client is."
"Maybe you don't, but I do."
Fuck.
I loved that woman.
And in six months, she would be my wife.
Skylar
“We could have been there,” I watch my husband whine at the enormous TV.
Our son and daughter listened vividly as he explained why it would be so great, and why a chance like that would never happen again. And I smiled. For the last ten years, I did that daily. I also laughed daily.
I fucked my husband. I married him. I gave him babies. And he gave all that back to me.
I shook my head, shared a look with Rory, took my phone out, and did what I didn’t do in a long time, something that Max encouraged me to do since he knew I found comfort in. I typed.
Hey Jacob, it’s me. I didn’t write in a while, but that’s because… I’m deliriously happy. I still think of you. I told Max all about you. Don’t worry. He knows my heart and body belongs only to him, so he’s not jealous. Much. Please tell my parents I love them. And tell Max’s Dad, we love him too. We miss you all. I also have a secret. I’m pregnant, and I didn't tell my husband yet. Oh, wait… I just did. I love you, Max!
I looked up and met my husband's eyes. He was holding his phone in his hand. His eyes were gentle on me.
He came to me, put his lips on mine.
“I love you, Bean,” he grinned against my lips before announcing. “We’re having a baby.”
After that, I watched from the safety of the deck as Jason threw his final ball in his professional career. And I talked baby stuff with Rory and Melanie. I was with my family.
The End
The next one is Chace
Acknowledgments
Here we are again, the worst part of writing a book.
I hope I don’t forget anyone, but if I do… Thank you!
First up, Sue John… Woman, you’re unbelievable! The way you came through for me and read this book as I typed it up (sometimes even had to wait ‘till I was done with the chapter) is incredible. To say thank you is a devastating understatement, but it’s all I have. So, thank you.
Sean Hurdle… Now, what do I say to you??? You came through when I would totally understand if you flatly refused to help me. I cannot say how sorry I am for punishing you almost more than I did myself. I would also love to say it will never happen again. But you know me, I know me… At some point, it’s going to happen. I have only words to offer, and the strongest one that expresses what I feel is Thank you (when we both know it’s not even close enough=). But Thank you!
Zulfa Cupido, woman, you leave me in awe every single day. The way you take care of me, have patience with me, keep reminding me of stuff for the fiftieth time because you know I forgot… You should be given sainthood for that. Not to mention, your firm belief in me… It leaves me breathless. I hope I give just a little bit of it back. Thank you.
Lynn, Becks, Maria… Thank you for everything you do, for cheering me on and for finding new readers for my books. You girls are amazing! Thank you.
To my husband and son, you’re once again sleeping behind me as I write this. I’ve said it all in other books. I love you. Thank you!
And to each and every reader that gives my books a chance… From the bottom of my heart, thank you!
Ana Balen was born in Zagreb, Croatia, where she still lives with her husband, their son (read boss!), and the son’s pet rabbit named Shhh! (or some other gibberish that’s the favorite of their son for the day.) that recently got a roommate, Jack Russel Terrier, named Nemo.
She spends her days driving her husband up the wall (when he can’t get her ass up from the bed in the mornings), reading and daydreaming, or following orders from a three-year-old. In the hectic life she leads (and loves every second of it), she never thought about writing. But then, one day, a name popped in her head, then, the snippets of things, and she sat down and started typing. Next thing, she wrote a book. And now, she’s trying to write another one
Also, by Ana Balen
Jason (Ryan Family Book One)
https://www.amazon.com/Jason-Ryan-family-Book-1-ebook/dp/B085XM2XG5/
Good Intentions Volume One
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QK3Z73R/
Good Intentions Volume Two
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZQKLRMV/
Good Intentions Volume Three
https://www.amazon.com/Good-Intentions-Three-Ana-Balen-ebook/dp/B083VW1Q64/
Good Intentions Trilogy Box Set
https://www.amazon.com/Good-Intentions-Trilogy-Box-Set-ebook/dp/B084V8R6GH/
Wishing For A Star
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DGM7TQ5/
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