by Samantha Bee
“Have you guys seen Kade?” I ask. I like these three, I hadn’t gotten to know them overly well because they mainly just work here. They are higher up employees in this vein of Luca’s business but not inner circle. They don’t know a good ninety percent of what Luca is involved in.
Ian smiles and nods towards the locker rooms, “He was over there, last time I saw him.” At the same time Ty hollers, “K, your girl is here!”
I scoff as I make my way towards him, “Not his girl.”
“Keep telling yourself that, sweetheart,” Ty teases. I roll my eyes but don’t bother to respond. They’ve seen Kade and I training together a few times and now that I’ve started showing up at the fights for the first time, everyone is making their own assumptions. No skin off my back.
I spot Kade sitting in the corner just outside the locker room on the bench with his head in a book, “Stranger, the fuck are you doing?”
He barely looks up at me as he gives me a finger and says, “Research,” with absolutely no inflection. What the fuck?
I notice the guys following behind me as I look over and trade confused looks with the three of them. What could Kade possibly be researching? By the looks of the gym, I can tell you it's not how to train our fighters. They look like a bunch of lazy shits right now.
I grab the book out of his hands and look at the cover, “Jetta, Pack of Misfits by Raven Kennedy,” I read aloud. I’m only more confused as I hand the book back to him, “How is this research?”
He smirks up at me as he grabs it, “I find the storyline pertains to my life.” If that’s not a cryptic as fuck answer, I don’t know what is.
I look over my shoulder at the guys and see them as perplexed as I am, “I think he’s calling us misfits,” I point out to them.
Holden chuckles, “Scar? We kind of are misfits.” Ian cackles but Ty and I trade offended looks.
“Well, that’s,” I start but hesitate before nodding. “Okay, yeah. That’s pretty fair. Read on, big guy.” I look around the gym, their fighters are seriously just laying about. “Who the fuck is in charge of training this shit show?”
All three of the guys throw pointed looks at Kade. He sighs dramatically, “I was just getting to the good part, you assholes.”
“How the fuck do any of you win fights with this sloppy attitude?” I ask, exasperated with the lot of them.
All four men look absolutely affronted that I could dare criticize their training techniques, but this shit is sad. There is no way this can be a regular thing. Luca has a team of about thirty fighters, they are known to be brutal, ruthless, and highly skilled. There is no sign of those fighters here tonight.
I gesture towards the room at large before pointing at Kade, “This is pathetic,” he hangs his head and doesn’t bother to argue because he knows damn well that I am right. “You have to make a run with me for Luca,” I tell him before turning my attention back to the other three, “But we will be back tomorrow and I’m running the training.”
Kade moans and the three others trade bemused looks. Poor, poor idiots. They’ve never trained with me before. I typically only train those that are working on my team, but this is just too fucking depressing not to fix. They are wasting a state of the art gym on lazing about. Not anymore.
I lead Kade out of the gym and straight to the Jeep Luca provided. I toss him the keys so I can do some recon while we drive. He walks beside and slings his arm over my shoulder, I roll my eyes before pushing him away from me. I might suck his dick on occasion but that doesn’t mean we need to fucking cuddle.
It’s not even that I don’t like touch. I just prefer my fuck buddies to have boundaries. Kade is already a lot to deal with because he’s so involved in mine and Luca’s business. Even more so now that Luca had us reconnect. He’s basically my partner in crime now, both literally and figuratively. He goes on most of my jobs with me and also is the person who is the most down for my more asinine adventures.
I’ve enjoyed him being back in my life and he doesn’t really dwell on the no strings attached aspect of our situation. He never seems to get jealous when I go off with other guys but still. I don’t need lines to start blurring or him to start expecting more than I’m willing to give. I’ll have to cut him off and that could be awkward with the work situation.
As soon as we are sitting in the car, he turns towards me, “What’s the job today?”
I pull out the file Luca gave me and start rummaging through it, “It should be a pretty straight forward clean up. A dealer going rogue on Rachel.”
Kade nods as he starts the car, “Pretty straight forward. Any other issues?”
I hum as I read more through the file, “Seems like your pretty standard lowlife. Beats on his girlfriend, no known kids though.” I stop to give him directions of where we are headed.
We are going to the middle-class side of town for this job. Hopefully, it really will be a quick in and out. I can’t imagine this guy putting up much of a fight. I’m surprised by the neighborhood he lives in. I expected him to live in the slums, but this neighborhood is fairly decent.
Kade nods, “No guilt for cleaning this up then.”
I throw him a bemused expression, “I don’t think I’ve ever felt guilt over any of my kills.” Probably equal parts because I’m a bit unhinged and I really only kill shitty people. It really should be considered community service, recycling maybe?
He looks at me and gives me a small smile, but it holds a degree of sadness, “Then you’re lucky, Ladybug.”
I freeze for a moment not knowing what to say. Part of me wants to ask who he regrets killing but this conversation is a hell of a lot heavier than I like to entertain. I go to my good old reliable back up plan, when in doubt deflect with humor or less than subtle subject changes.
“Hey, can I ask you a question?” He tenses, probably assuming it’ll be about who he’s killed. But eventually he just sighs and nods.
“Do you remember our first conversation before you knew who I was?”
He looks puzzled but nods as he turns off the freeway, “I asked for a light.”
“Yeah, you had a subtle English accent,” I accuse.
I see the smirk slowly spread across his stupid handsome face. “What’s the question?”
“Umm, what the fuck?” I ask. I don’t think Kade has ever even been overseas let alone often enough to have a natural accent.
He chuckles, “It’s a manufactured tell.” I roll the phrase through my head for a moment while I contemplate what he means. I understand it well enough, but he must feel the need to explain anyways. “I constructed a solid background that wouldn’t lead back to you or Luca, including being originally from the UK. I slip into the fake accent to fake high emotion or stress in situations that are convenient for me.”
“Yeah, I know what a manufactured tell is. I’m trying to figure out why you used it on me.”
He grins, “Bitches love accents.”
I smack his arm but can’t help the laugh that escapes, “You rat bastard! You were trying to pick me up with your fake accent!”
“Did you like it, baby? Disappointed it wasn’t real?” I scoff at him. “Don’t worry, Ladybug. I can tell you how sweet your little cunt tastes in four languages if you really want me too.”
“Rat. Fucking. Bastard.” I repeat but my smile gives me away and we both know it. I can give credit where credit is due. A subtle accent is an impressive way to manipulate others into thinking he’s more stressed, more emotional, or even more drunk than he is. Clever bastard.
As we get close to our destination, I pull out two earpieces from my glove box and hand one to Kade, “You can listen from out here and act as backup.”
He looks at me sardonically but says nothing in argument. I huff, his look says it all. Stubborn ass has been insisting on never letting me go on these runs by myself. It’s like he doesn't understand I’ve spent years doing exactly this without his help.
“It’s an easy job. In and out.”
“Great, I can get back to my research.” I roll my eyes. Sometimes dealing with him is like dealing with a toddler, you gotta pick and choose your battles.
I sigh, “Fine, but just be quiet.” He scoffs like I’m being the unreasonable one. I feel like I’ve been generous with Kade when it comes to our new routine. I’ve never spent so much time around anybody else in the last eight years, including Luca.
We drive around the neighborhood a few times so I can get a feel for the area before parking a few blocks away from the house our target resides in. According to the tracker we have, he should be at home. I made sure his live-in girlfriend was clocked in at work and her shift won’t end for several more hours. Not that I’ll need that much time.
I take my shirt off, leaving me in only my sports bra. I reach into the back seat and grab a dark gray zip up to pull on over it. There’s still a chill in the air even though it’s starting to warm up as we head into Spring, so the hoodie won’t stand out. Kade is already dressed in his workout gear so we should easily be able to pass for runners.
I reach into my bag and pull out the bundle of small wire and a pair of gloves that easily slip into my pocket. I already have my favorite knives strapped in their usual places.
I nod to Kade before getting out of the car. We start jogging in the opposite direction of the way we need to go knowing it’ll be easy to cut back through these streets. We set a steady pace and start up a conversation about the last show I performed at Steel Roses. To anyone observing, we just look like a couple laughing and working out together. Easily forgettable. Not that I’ll admit it to him but having him with me makes me look less suspicious, not that anyone looks at the 5’3 female as suspicious in the first place.
We start to cut through the back streets to approach the house from the rear, keeping up our steady pace. As we run, I keep an eye out on the neighbors. Looking for anyone who may be more observant to the happenings in the neighborhood that could place us as not from here.
This area shouldn’t have too many people at home at this time. These homes are safe and well-built but slightly run down. Two working parent households living paycheck to paycheck and just trying to get by. Nicer than an abusive drug dealer deserves but not quiet enough that there should be many people playing neighborhood watch.
I don’t see anyone paying us more attention than they should be. There’s barely even any sign of activity right now. We jog up to the backdoor without seeing anyone. I open the door and sigh when I find it unlocked. No challenge.
I feel Kade’s body silently shaking with suppressed laughter at my disappointment. It’s just you would think a drug dealer would be at least a little more prepared. Especially when he’s fucking over one of the biggest names in the West coast drug industry.
Alas, another man dying for underestimating the grudge of a powerful woman. You shouldn’t fuck with Rachel. She’s quite a bitch.
We slip quietly into the kitchen with no issues. I can hear the television playing in the other room and start to head that way as I pull the gloves out of my pocket and onto my hands before carefully wrapping the wire around each hand, leaving about a foot between my hands.
I make my way through the small dining room and get my first glimpse of the target sitting with his back to me on the couch, facing the television. This is going to be way easier than even I thought.
It goes entirely too smoothly as I slip behind him and slip the wire around his neck without him noticing until it’s too late. The garrote tightens around his neck, cutting off his air supply. He splutters as he chokes, and the wire begins to imbed in his flesh as I tighten it. It takes only minutes before the life fades from his body and his struggles die out. I snort to myself at that thought, didn’t mean to be quite so literal.
“Interesting method,” Kade points out. He usually sees me do things a little bit bloodier. Rachel didn’t care about sending a message with this guy, she just wanted him gone. Considering the neighborhood, this seemed the best way to easily maintain cover with little cleanup.
I shrug, “Not as messy, still satisfying.”
He laughs as he throws his arm over my shoulder as we walk out the front door. I quickly slip out from under his arm as we pick up the same slow pace as we jog the long way back to the car.
The buzz of the kill is vibrating under my skin. The adrenaline of holding his life in my hands and feeling every pulse of his heart rate like a morbid countdown, rushing through my veins. I try to shake myself off as we get back to the jeep.
Kade is quick to pick up the violent energy swirling through me as the high of the kill still pounds through me. “Are we fucking, fighting, or adrenaline chasing?”
I let out a husky chuckle. Working with Kade has provided a lot of benefits. He understands the chaos my body goes through after a run like this in a way I’ve never allowed anyone else too. Luca stays too far from any runs as the face of the empire to really see the effects up close.
Kade understands because he has the same whirlwind of a comedown after doing something like this. He’s been quick at realizing that I need another high to replace this one to help me come down without crashing.
“I think we are fucking, Stranger,” I drawl out, loving how his body shivers in anticipation. “But we gotta ditch the car first and pick up my Range Rover from the club.”
“Tu deseo es mi orden.” I roll my eyes at his cocky ass tone. That’s sexier than it should be, still not admitting it to him.
Chapter Four
Present Day
I lay in bed as I watch Kade pull his jeans up his tanned, toned legs and lick my lips, blatantly checking him out. Kade is hot, all my guys are but Kade knows he is. Not in an obnoxiously arrogant way but in a pretty sexy confident type of way. Usually. When he inevitably pisses me off, he’s an unbearably arrogant asshole. Right now though, I’m feeling pretty generous, an easy thing to do after being woken up with an orgasm or two.
I used to never let any of the guys I got involved with spend the night. A fact Kade is well aware of since he was the first guy I ever let stay overnight. In my defense it had been more morning than night the first time he came home with me. We were drunk, newly tatted, and heavily sated, it was too much effort to remember let alone enforce any type of rules.
I can be fairly stubborn, I know that about myself, but I can admit when I’m wrong. Well maybe not admit it out loud but I can at least admit it to myself.
Letting my guys spend the night is surprisingly nice. I crave human interaction even though it's just surface level. Humans are social creatures, it's in our nature to want to be loved, to be touched, to be held.
I can live without the love as long as I feel the closeness of another warm body. I actually prefer to live without the love. I don't want it, I certainly don’t need it, but waking up to a warm body worshipping mine? Well let’s just agree that there are far worse things in the world.
Still, I don’t tend to encourage these sleepovers very often. I like to keep some distance between the men I get involved with and myself. There is something vulnerable about falling asleep in someone’s arms and vulnerability is not something I do well. I’m not equipped to handle too much closeness or affection. I like my space and I really like the walls I’ve put up around myself to keep anyone from getting under my skin.
I watch as Kade looks at me studying him and smirks as if he knows I was just thinking about him being right. I stretch my arms up over my head and let the sheet fall exposing my bare breasts and smile to myself as Kade’s smirk falls off of his face and is replaced with a hungry look in his eyes.
“No fair,” he growls as he launches himself at me and starts nibbling on the sensitive part of my neck.
I burst out laughing, “I thought you had to leave, Stranger?” I tilt my head to give him better access.
“Hmm,” he hums, “I guess I could be late. No one could blame me with such sweet temptation in front of me.”
“Oh,” I gasp as he bites down hard
. “You always say the prettiest things.”
“You make it too easy,” Kade is one smooth talker, but fuck if he doesn’t follow up his words with actions. He plays my body like it's his own personal instrument. My body always craves more from him even after being wrapped up in each for the last twelve hours and having had so many orgasms, I've lost count. “I think we could be quick, don’t,” the sound of my doorbell interrupts me.
I pull away from Kade and he sees my confusion. I don’t get a lot of visitors. I have no family, hardly any friends outside of work. No one who just stops by to check in or see how I’m doing.
“Well fuck,” I sigh, disappointed that my fun will have to come to an end. Kade's face mirrors my own regret. Probably for the best though. I don’t need him being late to work on my conscience.
I scoff to myself, as if I’ve ever actually worried about something like that. I don’t need Luca on my ass about it though.
I start to crawl out from under him and out of bed searching around for some clothes to throw on. The doorbell rings again.
“Fuck me. I heard you,” I look over at Kade who is fully dressed already. “Mind getting that? It’s probably a pissed off neighbor or something.”
He walks out of the room and I hear him opening the door as I throw on a large band shirt and some workout shorts. Just as I’m about to walk out of my room to see who is at my door this early, I hear Kade call out, “Wow, Scar. You have some hot neighbors.”
What the fuck is he talking about? I live in a condo and mostly have elderly neighbors and a few young families. I don’t think he’s calling Mrs. Baker hot. She’s close to hitting her nineties.
I stumble out of my room and walk into what can only be described as an awkward situation. A lesser woman probably would have flinched and wanted to hide back in her room.
While my guys all know that there are others, they’ve never come face to face like two of them are doing right now.