by Peyton Banks
“This Scott won’t stop. You can’t keep running.”
“I know.”
“Your family likes it here in Chicago. Let me help you keep them here.”
“It’s not as simple as that. Even if Scott leaves us alone, I have to find a good job…”
“You’re hired.”
“What?”
“You’re hired.”
“Hired to do what?”
“Whatever you want.”
“What? That’s not how life works.”
“What do you want to do?”
“I…”
“What’s your dream job?”
“Well, before Scott became a constant problem, I used to want to own a plus size boutique.”
“Perfect. We’ll open you up a boutique.”
“Con…”
“And you can live here.”
“No. My family and I need our own space.”
“For what?”
“To be ourselves.”
“Okay. The house next door is empty. I’ll buy it for you.”
“Con, you’re doing it again.”
“Doing what?”
“Making decisions for me.”
Con sighed. “Can I please buy you the house next door and buy you a boutique?”
Cristal laughed. Most women would be ecstatic to have a prince charming swoop in and fix all her problems all while asking her to allow him to fulfil her wildest dreams. Criss was flattered. She wanted to accept Con’s help.
But at what cost? Would she lose herself in trying to be with him? Would he end up taking over her life? That’s what Scott did to her sister’s life. Criss couldn’t let that happen to her.
“Con…”
“Please don’t say no.”
“This is the same thing Scott did for my sister.”
“Do not compare me to him.”
“I’m not. I’m just saying, at first, he seemed perfect. He brought her whatever she wanted. He helped her pay for my granny’s medicine. But slowly, over time, his true colors shined through. The house he brought for them soon became her prison. I don’t want that to happen to me.”
“I would never do that to you. The house, the business, it would all be in your name. I’d just pay the bills.”
Criss shook her head. “I can’t accept that. I will accept the help with Scott. But once he’s out of our lives, my family and I will return to our house. A house I can afford.”
“Can I at least buy that house for you?”
“No, Con!”
“Damn it, Criss. What can I do then? Because I’m feeling hella useless.”
“There is one thing you can do.”
“Tell me. I’ll do it.”
“You can show me your bedroom.”
“That’s it? I want to do something useful. I want to… wait, you want to see my bedroom?”
Criss nodded. “I also want to see you naked.”
She burst out laughing when Con strode over and scooped her up like she weighed nothing. “Don’t drop me,” she yelled as he carried her up the stairs.
“I’d never drop you. I plan to hold on to you tightly.”
“Promise?”
“I promise, baby.”
8
Three weeks later
Shy rolled her eyes at Cristal.
“Uh, what did I tell you about them eyes?” Criss told her. “Roll’em at me again and I will knock them out your head.”
“You’re cheating,” Shy whined.
“How?”
“You can’t put a draw two on a draw four.”
“Lies. I don’t know how you and your little friends play, but this is the right way.”
“Con, tell her she can’t do that?”
Shy and Criss looked to Con.
“Hey, this is my first time playing this game. I don’t know the rules,” Con informed them. “All I know is, I hate that skip you card.”
“I’ll give you my skip you card, if you side with me,” Shy told Con.
“Hey,” Criss yelled. “Now that’s cheating. And bribery. And…”
“Deal,” Con said.”
“I quit,” Criss yelled. “You two do this in every game.”
“We do not,” Con defended him and her niece.
“Oh, really? In Monopoly, you two give each other money.”
“We have too,” Shy told her. “You be buying up all the properties.”
“And when we play video games, Con you help her get through the hard levels.”
“That’s because you’re so competitive, you never let her win. Ruthless auntie.”
“That’s right,” Shy told her. “You’re a ruthless auntie.”
“Oh, I’m ruthless?”
Shy and Con nodded.
“Okay, then. Well, guess what, it’s time for bed.”
“Nooo,” Shy pouted.
“It’s only eight,” Con told her.
“Bedtime.” Criss threw her cards down on the table and stood up. “Granny’s already in the room, Shy. Go join her.”
“No fair.”
“I’m ruthless, remember?”
“We take it back. Right, Con?”
“Right. You’re the best aunt in the world.”
“That’s right,” Shy joined in. “You’re the most beautiful, the most nicest…”
“The cutest,” Con chimed in. “The most forgiving…”
“Whatever.” Criss kissed Shy on the head. “Go to your room. You can watch T.V. for an hour then go to sleep. And don’t have the television too loud. I don’t want you to wake up granny.”
Pouting, Shy stood up. “Yes, ma’am. Goodnight, auntie.”
“Goodnight, love.”
“Goodnight, Con.”
“Sweet dreams, Shy.”
Criss watched Shy stomp up the stairs.
“Meanie,” Con told her.
Criss looked over her shoulder. “You’re spoiling her.”
“How?”
“You just are. It’s a good thing we’re moving out tomorrow. Soon, she’d be team Con for life.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Whatever.”
Con grabbed her hand and pulled her down into his lap. “You sure you want to move out?”
Did she? Not really? But she wasn’t the type of female to not have her own things. Con had already brought her a new car. And he’d taken care of her Scott problem.
“I need my own space,” she told him. “You’ve already done so much for me. You got rid of Scott. Now my niece no longer has to worry about him.”
“Scott was easy to handle. Once my P.I found unflattering pictures of Scott’s parents with their maid, his family had no choice but to back off or risk having their threesome exposed to the world.”
“I can’t believe his parents are into that? They always seemed so uptight. I’m just glad they made him sign over all rights to me. Shy is now free of him and his family.”
“And now you no longer have to move around. You can stay here, with me.”
“If you stay here.”
“Where else would I go?”
“You said you can only stay at the club if Boris is never found. I mean, I hope you find him. But, once he’s saved, you’ll have to go wherever the Soldiers send you.”
“I only have a year left. Not even a whole year. Once I’m done with them, I’ll live wherever you live.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.”
“You better.”
“What time is your meeting with Scar, tonight?”
“Ten.”
“Why so late?”
“His plane doesn’t land until then.”
“Did he give you a hint as to what he wanted to discuss?”
“He didn’t. He said he couldn’t talk about it on the phone. But he says he knows what happened to Boris.”
“He knows?”
Con nodded.
“I hope he’s okay. Delilah misses him so much.”
Con kissed Criss on the forehead. “Thank you for befriending her. She needs a friend.”
“No problem. I like her. And Shy likes playing with Azariah. Thank you for allowing them to have a sleepover here last weekend.”
“Worse idea ever.”
“It was not.”
“They were loud. They painted my fingernails pink.”
Criss burst out laughing. “You were so good with them.”
“Yet, they were a menace to me. They even threatened to throw me out of my own home if I didn’t sit still while they combed my hair.”
“You looked good with your hair braided back.”
“I’m traumatized I tell you.”
“Yury is the one who should be traumatized. He had to drive them all over the city to find the perfect ice cream.”
“He loved it. He didn’t complain once.”
“He was adorable with them also. Azariah is a great kid. I hope her father is okay.”
Con hugged her tightly. “Me too. Delilah told me that’s all Azariah wants for Christmas.”
“Poor baby.”
“I know. Speaking of Christmas, Shy told me what she wanted for Christmas.”
“Oh my gosh. What extravagant gift did she ask for?”
“A baby.”
“A doll?”
“No.”
“What?”
“She says she doesn’t like being the only child. She wants a baby in the house.”
“Good luck finding her one of those. What did you tell her?”
“I told her I had to ask you first.”
“Good. My answer is hell to the no.”
“You’d make a great mom.”
“I’d make an awesome mom. Not right now, though. But… that doesn’t mean I’m against practicing.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yep. In fact, I think we should practice a little now, while you wait for your meeting with Scar to start.”
“That sounds like a good idea. Let’s go out to the guest house, so we don’t disturb the family.”
“I love the way you think, Mr. Novinkoff.”
“Thank you, Ms. Dawson.”
Cristal giggled when Con stood up with her wrapped in his arms and carried her from the house. He made her scream his name at least three times before he left for his meeting. Once he left, Criss returned to the main house and the room she shared with him.
She lay in their bed, thinking about him. They’d only been together a few weeks and already her family adored him. Her granny told her on a daily basis that she better not let this one go.
To Shy, Con was just like the Prince Charming in the fairy tales she read. To Criss, Con was so much more than that. It was like he was made for her. He didn’t judge her because of her past.
Even though he was domineering, he respected her decisions and her space. Sometimes it took a little convincing for him to give in. But, he usually did. Usually. She’d yet to admit her true feelings to him.
She was afraid. Plus, it was too soon. She still couldn’t believe she felt this deeply for him already. She didn’t trust her feelings. In the past, she’d always been the one to say I love you first.
In the end, she’d always been the one to be hurt. Not this time. This time she would guard her feelings until Con confessed his. This time, she’d protect her heart. A heart, that was quickly falling in love with Con.
Criss turned over onto her side and closed her eyes. She’d just take a quick nap. She wanted to hear about Boris when Con returned. Right before she fell asleep, she said a quick prayer for Delilah and Azariah.
Whatever the outcome, she prayed they’d have the strength to face it.
“Don’t shoot him, Con,” Vlad yelled.
Con had the gun trained on his target. He wanted to put a bullet in the man’s head.
“Con,” Scar spoke up. “It’s not my place to tell you how to handle this. But, I think you should turn him over to the Soldiers and let them deal with this.”
“Why the fuck would I do that?” Con asked, eyes still on his target.
“Because he’s not worth the trouble you’ll be in if you kill him here.”
“It’s worth it.”
“Boss,” Yury stepped beside him. “You have less than a year left. Don’t mess this up. Think about Cristal and Shy.”
Cristal, Shy, granny and Lina. They needed him. They depended on him. But he really wanted to put a bullet in this motherfucker’s head right now.
“Think about Delilah and Azariah,” Vlad told him.
“Tell this motherfucker that,” Con yelled. He pressed the gun against his target’s head. “This bitch didn’t think about them when he ran away from his fucking family, did he?”
His target, Boris, his former friend, had the nerve to start crying.
“I’m sorry, Con,” Boris cried.
“Shut the fuck up. You’re only sorry because your weak ass got caught. How the fuck could you turn your back on your wife and kid?”
“Debt. I had to run in order to protect them. The collectors were threatening to kill me and my family.”
“How does running save your family from the collectors?”
“I wanted everyone to think I was dead. If the collectors thought I was dead, they wouldn’t come after my wife and my child.”
“If that was true, why didn’t you come to the Soldiers?” Vlad asked.
“I didn’t want to burden…”
“Bullshit,” Con interrupted him. “Just admit that you left your family and you left the organization. Admit it.”
“I didn’t,” Boris cried.
“Admit it. Scar told me he found you in a fucking motel in Mexico with a prostitute. A man who is sad about leaving a child behind wouldn’t have been in a motel with a prostitute. And you had enough money on you to cover your debts. Just admit that you wanted out. And in order to get out, you ran, leaving your family behind.”
“I’m sorry,” Boris cried.
“That’s right, you are sorry. You’re a sorry piece of shit who does not deserve Delilah and Azariah.”
“I knew they’d be okay,” Boris told him. “I knew you’d take care of them.”
“You’re right. I will. I’ll make sure they want for nothing. I’ll treat them as I’ve always treated them, like family. As for you, you are no longer my family. You are no longer my friend. You are no longer a Soldier.”
“I’m sorry, Con. I never wanted you to find out I’d ran. I never…”
“Shut the fuck up.”
“Con,” Vlad stepped up next to him. “Put the gun down. The leader needs to handle this.”
Con was so angry, his hand shook.
“Boss,” Yury said. “You completed your mission. You found out what happened to Boris. You’re done. But, the club still needs you. The leader will still need you to run the business. Which means, you can spend your last year here, in Chicago, with your family.”
My family. Criss, Shy, granny and Lina. Oh, and Delilah and Azariah. He had a lot of people depending on him. He had to be smart. He couldn’t fuck up. No mistakes. Con lowered his weapon.
“Get this motherfucker out of my sight.”
Ramirez and Louis forced Boris to his feet.
“What will you tell my family?” Boris asked.
“I’ll tell them the truth,” Con glared at him. “I’ll tell them you’re dead. Because soon, you will be. The price of running from this life is death. Goodbye Boris. Take him away.”
Con watched as Boris struggled to get free.
“Please Con. We’ve been friends for so long. Please. Vlad… Vlad… please.”
Vlad faced Con. “I’m glad you didn’t kill him.”
“The leader will. Either way, he dies. That’s all that matters.”
“Even so, thanks.”
Con nodded.
“I’ll make sure he arrives to the leader. Be safe, Con.”
“You too.” Con watched Vlad leave the room.
“I’l
l bring the car around,” Yury told him.
“Alright.”
Now, with only him and Scar left in the room, Con faced Scar. “Thank you for finding out the truth.”
Clad in a dark hoodie and dark jeans, Scar nodded. Con wanted to ask the man how he got that scar on his face. It wasn’t his business so he kept the question to himself.
“I’ve sent you half the money. Not that the job’s done, I’ll send you the rest.”
Scar shook his head. “I’ll take my payment in a different way?”
“What do you want?”
“I’m on a case. My target has been hard to tracked down. In one of the pictures I have of her, I noticed she has a tattoo on the back of her neck. I saw the same tattoo on one of the bartenders at your club.”
Con tensed. “What bartender?”
“Her name is Lina.”
Con would hate to kill Scar right here, right now. “You’re to stay away from Lina.”
“Lina isn’t my target. I just can’t find out what that tattoo represents.”
“Is this case of yours a kill case?”
“No. The client is the target’s father. He wants her home. He fears for her safety. I’ll waive the rest of the payment, if you just tell me what that tattoo means. It looks like a pocket watch with blood dripping from the hands on the clock.”
Conn nodded. “That’s exactly what it is. It’s the mark of The Timeless.”
“The Timeless?”
“That’s all I can tell you. Just know, when you hurt one of them, you hurt all of them. And they are ruthless.”
“This Lina, she’s ruthless too?”
“This Lina is none of your business. Since I haven’t been much help, I’ll wire you the rest of your money.”
“No need. You gave me a lead. That’s helpful. Since we’re done here, I’ll leave.”
“Scar, wait.”
“What’s up?”
“The Timeless are not a group you want to fuck with.”
“I just want to reunite a daughter with her father.”
“Be careful. These women are feared by many men.”
“The Timeless are all women?”
“Don’t let their sex make you think they’re weak.”
“Oh, I won’t. Some of the strongest motherfuckers I know are women.”
“Just know, whatever happens, keep Lina out of it. You don’t know her. You’ve never seen her.”