All This Time (15 page)

Chapter
Twenty-Seven

Talk
about feeling out of place.
Decks wasn’t
really
screwing with me when he said he would make room for me in his house. Needless
to say being neighbors with Blues says it all. His house is just as extravagant
as the other Kennedy home and makes Blues’ mansion look like a middle income
family dwelling. After parking my bike beside his truck, I hop off and we make
quick work of unloading everything.

“So
you’ll be in the room next to mine,” Decks says, glancing over his shoulder
with a bad boy smirk as we climb the steps carrying my boxes up to the third
level. I shake my head at his teasing.

“As
you can tell I don’t have much stuff so I don’t need anything outrageous,” I
say, following him through the doorway of what is now my room. I stall seeing
how large the space is and Blues bumps into me from behind.

“Sorry,
Angel,” Blues says in a low, smooth thundering tone too close to me, and after
feeling the base of his voice, dummy me makes the big mistake of glancing back
at him. A gazillion goose bumps rush along my skin and I shiver. He smiles
seductively, completely proud of the fact that he makes my nerves of steel all
gooey and stupid. He motions with his eyes for me to continue into the room and
I think a breathy moan slips passed my parted lips because his eyes quickly
drop to my mouth.

Ah
fuck,
and I was doing so well
.

Shaking
myself out of the inevitable Blues haze that I always seem to fall face first
into, I clear my thoughts and throat, stumble ahead and gush, “Damn, this is a
seriously ridiculous bedroom, Decks.”

“Just
the kind of room a girl could get used to, huh?” I chuckle inwardly thinking
that any girl would be blown away with the extravagance and audacity of this
room.

Instinctively,
I cross toward the open walk-in closet wondering how pathetic my small amount
of clothes will look hanging in there. “Uh, this is too much.” I turn around
and both guys are smiling at me. “What is it?”

“You’re
just so adorable,” Decks says strutting over and wrapping me in a hug. “It’s
all yours for as long as you want to stay here.”

“Thanks,”
I say, stealing a look at Blues who has his eyes locked onto mine. His eyebrows
pinch together tightly hearing Decks’ offer. My stomach flips seeing him
distressed. Pulling out of the awkward embrace, I ask Blues, “Hey, your place
is in this area, isn’t it?”

Nodding
his head, he smiles wickedly and points to his left before saying, “We’re
neighbors. I’ll be just next door if you need…some sugar.” A devilish glint
lights up his eyes at his double meaning and I shake my head at his
playfulness. Starting this very second, I’m purging all sugar from my diet.

“I’ll
keep that in mind.” I smirk before asking, “Now, where are we going?”

“The
new house,” Decks answers. “I found a sweet place that will act as a new stash
location.”

“Huh?”
I ask, faking confusion for his benefit. “I thought you were looking for a new
sale house.”

“I
got that last week. Set up Minder and Murph to work it. They brought in a
couple of newbies so it would be overkill to have all of us there. Besides
after Rad’s bust I needed to relocate a couple of our supplies.”

“Do
you think the cops were on to those places too?” I ask, shifting my eyes
between the two men, studying their reactions.

“No,”
Blues responds for him. “Cops are the least of our worries.”
Interesting.
How many do they have on their payroll?

“Right,”
Decks nods agreeably, “We have some pissed off customers who could wreak some
major havoc. So to keep everyone safe we shifted some stuff around.”

“Pissed
off, how?” I ask, chewing on my bottom lip nervously, hoping that they will
feel the need to divulge more to a worried girl than a tough chick.

“It’s
nothing for you to worry about, sweetness,” Decks says sliding his hand up my
arm. “The shipment was bought and paid for in advance, but seized before we
could deliver it. The receiving party isn’t too pleased that their shit was taken
and that they’re out
a whole
helluva lot money.”

“Seriously
Decks, she doesn’t need to know everything.” Blues growls angrily, walking over
to us, his body bowing down as he hovers over me. His sexy scent stirs through
the small space separating us provoking my willpower. “Angel, you really don’t
have to worry about anyone fucking with you.” His voice softens attempting to
reassure me that I am safe with him. “With me…and Decks around no one will get
close enough to even smell your perfume so it will be impossible for you to get
caught in the crossfire of retaliation.” Remaining calm, I nod my head slowly
while walking away from them to sit on the edge of the bed.

Hearing
this isn’t a surprise to me. Retaliation is common in this world. The shipment
the X’kapz lost in the bust was worth millions. Whoever the ripped off party is
will surely look for retribution. I’ve seen paybacks before and they’re ugly. I
actually worked a case a couple of years back that ended in an execution of an
entire gang in South Carolina. The dead guys all belonged to a newly formed
group running guns and because of their inexperience they made some stupid
mistakes that cost them dearly.

“Hey,”
Decks walks over and stands in front of me, “You can stay here instead if you
want to chill for a little while. I just thought it would be cool if you were
with me on opening day.” He shrugs, looking down at me.

“I’m
okay,” I assure him offering an encouraging smile. “I was really just thinking
about Rad. Do you think he’s safe in jail?”

Decks shrugs
one shoulder, appearing indifferent with the
mention of Russ’s name, so I glance over to Blues measuring his response.
Striding toward the doorway, his eyebrows are drawn in tightly and it
definitely seems that he’s showing concern…at least that’s what I think I’m
reading in his tense expression. Damn it’s difficult to tell from their
opposing reactions which one of them set up Russ. My gut leans toward Blues and
he does kind of look guilty, but with Decks acting like he doesn’t give a fuck
then maybe he did it and just doesn’t have any remorse.
Shit, I don’t know.

I
scrub my hand over my face. “I don’t even know why I’m thinking about his sorry
ass since he dumped me,” I offer smiling and looking between them.

“Cool,”
Decks says, pulling on my hand and tugging me off the bed. “Let’s go then. You
can unpack later.”

Leaving
my new, and hopefully short-term, bedroom, Decks tows me behind him with our
hands linked together. Blues is standing by the door as we pass and the heated
glare he’s giving me is confusing. Is he pissed that I’m tagging along? With
Decks completely unaware of our silent exchange, Blues sweeps a hand up and
touches my neck with the lightest stroke of his fingers against my flesh. Just
that one little touch beckons images of his hot fingers doing bad things to my
body and I begin to feel woozy.
What just happened
?

“Bathroom?”
I ask with a hoarse voice, tugging on Decks’
hand.

“Oh
yeah,” he chuckles. “Besides the one you have in your bedroom the only other
bathroom up here is in my room. Want to check it out?” He asks pointing toward
the closed door of his bedroom and then down the hallway. “The other room is my
gym.”

“Nah,
I was just wondering how many bathrooms are on this level,” I lie. I really
needed a moment to figure out why he felt the need to touch me and to compose
myself, but I sure as hell won’t be going into Decks’ bedroom if I can help it.
And what the hell is up with Blues today?

We
leave the house in Decks’ Escalade going north on interstate seventy-five. My
gut begins to churn with nausea as we continue on for another twenty minutes,
on a direct path toward my house. Luckily we exit a few miles south of Canton
and drive into the suburbs of Woodstock. Even though it’s about five miles from
Canton, it’s still too close for my comfort. I have to just hope that while
working in the area I don’t run into anyone I know. A niggling sensation begins
to alert me that more is going on here than I can see. Man, if they’ve made me
and I’m heading into a trap this will end badly for me.

Decks
pulls into the driveway of a cute little ranch style house surrounded by a golf
course. Shivers run through me as I think about the unsuspecting neighbors of
this quaint little neighborhood being dragged into this bullshit. No, this isn’t
the only storage house Decks has, he admitted to that earlier and I’m
realistic, but now I’m feeling leery with these people getting so damn close to
Kris.

“We’ll
have visitors soon,” Decks says to Blues as we enter the house.

“What
do you want me to do?” I ask Decks while pulling a bogus smile and standing up
straight, encouraging him to give me a job.

“You,
my little hotness, will stay with me,” he croons before walking down the
hallway with a heavy dose of self-assurance in his swagger, looking like a
peacock strutting his tail feathers.

Obediently,
I follow behind and discover inside the back room Decks already has an office
set up. Taking in the surroundings I notice this house is much larger and
completely different from the trap house. It’s clean with better furniture and
void of random junkies passed out all over the place. I sit down on the leather
love seat while Decks and Blues sidle up to the massive oak desk positioned on
the far wall.

They
begin to converse about shipments moving in and who will be the new
transporters. Apparently they have been debating on giving Murph a shot. I
giggle silently when they discuss him possibly being an undercover police
officer. It’s likely he could be, but I haven’t seen proof of it and wonder
what makes them lean toward him being untrustworthy. While discussing several
topics the front doorbell rings.
Decks excuses
himself
to answer it, saying he is expecting a new guy. Blues shifts around in his
seat, looking at me with an interesting burn in his eyes.

“Whatever
happens, promise me that you’ll just stay quiet,” he sighs pitifully, and that
one little sound does something to me. I don’t like the fluttering feeling I’m
getting in my chest because of it so I’m going to ignore it. “Angel, please
don’t visit here with him too often.” I simply nod.

Hearing
Decks talking with someone as he enters the room again, I’m suddenly happier
than I’ve ever been having him near me.
Looks like he’s going
to operate as a buffer between me and Blues.
I pull my eyes away from Blues
and turn to see who the guest is joining us.

“Blues,
I’d like you to meet Mark,” Decks says, pointing at the scrawny, tall guy with
suspicious eyes, twitching like a meth-head needing his next hit.

Correcting
Decks immediately, the guy shouts, “Call me Mad Hatter.”

Chapter
Twenty-Eight

“Who
is she?” Mad Hatter growls viciously, pointing at me while backing away from
the desk toward the door, trying to escape from the room. “What the fuck,
Decks?”

“Dude
you need to chill the hell out coming in my place of business acting all
stupid,” Decks growls angrily, “Angel is with me.”

Typically,
I keep my temper in check and never lose control unintentionally. I only shout
when I really want to prove a point. And I am never a trembling mess of
girly-girl. Right now though, I can’t explain exactly what’s happening, but
just seeing this evil son of a bitch this close to my private world scares the
living hell out of me. I’m finding it difficult to swallow and my pulse is a
raging base drum beat in my ears, muting out all sound. I flick my eyes to
Blues urgently begging him to do something; I don’t know what, but absolutely
anything would be great because I’m nervous as a motherfucker for real. He
rises from his seat, moving quickly toward me while Decks follows the retreating
paranoid lunatic out of the room.

“Hey
Doll,” Blues reaches a hand down, taking mine and lifting me from the love
seat. “Come here.”

A
warm embrace collects me, rubbing his hands up and down my back, soothing. His
methodic strokes ebb away my tremors to a mild shake. My face buries deeply
into his chest and I take slow calming breaths, wondering how the hell I’m
going to explain my freaked out reaction after seeing the one person who would
love to blow my cover.

“Sorry,”
I turn my head, pressing my cheek against his chest and lie, “That guy reminded
me of my ex. He…he was hooked on meth and it made him
crazy
.”

“Sure,”
he says over the top of my head, still holding me tightly and I pull away
slowly, looking up into his eyes.

“Thanks,”
I whisper before turning away and retreating back to my seat. My face is
tinting pink with shame.

“Is
there anything I can get you?” He sits down beside me, staring with concern
shining in his sapphire eyes.

“No,
really I’m okay. I haven’t slept well the past couple of nights,” I admit,
flushing a deep cabernet hue when I realize I just confessed that truth to the
object of my restless nights. “I think maybe I should get Decks to take me
home.”

“I’ll
take you home, Angel. Wait here.” Blues rises from the seat, leaving me alone
in the room.

After
a few minutes Blues returns with the keys to Decks’ truck. We pass by Mad
Hatter, glaring at me and I notice the crazy fucker is wearing orange and white
Halloween pajama pants covered with skulls and black cats along with a white
wife beater.
Jesus he is so weird
. Blues stays quiet the whole drive
over back to Decks’ house. I feel like I need to explain more, but I can’t tip
him off to my cover so I follow his lead and stay silent too.

Pulling
into the driveway, Blues spots my motorcycle. “That’s one hot little kitten you
have there.”

“You
think she’s hot?” I utter in a low hoarse sound that possibly came out as a
complete sentence. My voice is as pathetic as my self-control right now. He
bites his bottom lip and nods, still staring at my bike. “I do too.” Seeing his
appreciation for my new baby, I giggle softly and then lie, “I spent my first
paycheck from the TatHouse on her.” I blush daydreaming about him riding bitch,
wrapping his arms around my waist and holding me tightly.  
Dammit, Sam!

“Well,”
he sighs, “I’ll walk you to the door.”

“Not
necessary,” I assure him, seeing my opportunity to get away within reach. I
open the truck door and hop out. “I’ll see you later,” I offer the obligatory send-off,
and look back at him still sitting inside, gripping the hell out of the
steering wheel.

“Bye
Angel,” he says solemnly.

Before
reaching the door, I hear Blues’ voice. “Wait Angel,” he’s out of the truck and
walking over in a flash. He rakes a hand through his tangled hair on the side
of his head before looking straight at me. “I can’t let what we did happen
again,” he explains, eyebrows pinching together. “It’s just best if –”

“It’s
fine,” Nodding my head agreeably, I interrupt his excuse, and with a sweet
smile I add, “I don’t expect anything from you Blues, and I completely agree.”

“Damn,”
he mumbles. “Okay,” He stares at me and I don’t even blink knowing that this
suggestion is for the best. “Then have a good night, Angel.”

I
enter Decks’ house, not waiting for Blues to leave, and rush up to my room.
Needing to know Kris is still safe, I dig inside my bag searching for my
disposable phone and text her. Mad Hatter is too damn close to my real life and
I don’t like it one damn bit. Kris doesn’t answer so I leave her a message,
asking her to call or text me. About two hours later, Decks arrives home and I
jog downstairs to greet him.

“Hey,”
I say catching him off guard.

Decks chuckles walking over to the staircase.
“It’s so cool
having you waiting on me to get home, but I kind of forgot you were here.”

I
smile and say, “I’m sorry I freaked out earlier.”

“Don’t
worry about. Blues explained everything.” He pulls me into a hug, rubbing his
hand down my back. “I don’t blame you. Mark is weird as hell.”

I
sigh. “Are you sure you’re not angry with the way I behaved?”

“Of course.”
He pulls away and smiles that damn adorable
lopsided grin and asks, “Would you like to go get dinner?”

His
smile grows when I nod. “Give me about twenty minutes and I’ll be ready.”

“Dress
for something outrageous,” he says teasingly as I rush back up the stairs.

Almost
an hour later we are dining at an elite country club located in downtown
Buckhead. It caters to an exclusive society made up of moguls and their ditsy
housewives, who believe they are just as powerful as their affluent husbands
simply because they flash black AmEx cards and drive fancy cars, ridiculously
swaying their little part of the world.

“I
have to fly out to the east coast early in the morning for a meeting with a
potential…backer,” Decks says before putting a bite of steak in his mouth.

“Okay,”
I smile. “That sounds interesting.”

“It’s
better than interesting babe. It’s fucking rockin’ as hell.” He grins
salaciously. “This guy has connections and an organization that makes my
business look infantile. After this meeting I speculate that we’ll be a damn
superpower, completely untouchable baby.”

“Wow,”
I say excitedly, shocked that he is comfortable sharing this much information
with me and wonder if I can get him to admit more, but I must play it just
right. “I won’t ask about your business, but I would like to know more about
you.”

“How
about I show you more?” Wiggling his eyebrows, he grins wickedly and I shake my
head while pulling a fake smile at his crudeness. “I love it when you blush.”
He follows with a wink then shrugs his shoulders before digging into his food
and telling his story between bites.

“I
moved in with my uncle after my parents died in a plane crash when I was
fifteen. Lourdes was already in college. Their death rocked me. I got mixed up
with some guys who were bad news. They were heavy into drugs, but we were a
bunch of broke ass punks so we stole for every hit. It didn’t take long for us
to get busted and when I got thrown in juvie my uncle had one hell of a come
apart.” He pauses briefly to stare at me and then says, “Rad’s hearing is
coming up next week. He will be facing some hard time.”

Sipping
on my drink, I tilt my head slightly taken aback by his quick subject change
and say, “We weren’t together that long, Decks. It may sound harsh since I
wanted to stay with him through this shit, but I just can’t do it. My probation
officer had a fit when he found out. He has threatened to revoke my orders if I
don’t stay the hell away from Rad. I liked him well enough, but I’m not going
back to jail for some guy.” I shrug my shoulder and sip my wine again.

“Cool.
I don’t want you seeing him again,” he says smiling proudly.

“Why
is that?”

After
glancing down at his beer he lifts his eyes to mine and then says, “I want to
be with you Angel. I know you probably want more time, but I got this feeling
about us that I can’t dismiss.”

Fuck
.
I can’t be with Decks, not like he wants us to be. I don’t want him and even
for a job I refuse to compromise. “Decks,” I start, but he interrupts before I
can pull a half-ass excuse out of thin air.

“Angel,
I can wait on sex, but I want you to be mine. I don’t want any other guys
putting you in their sights. You are so damn cool and I like having you
around.” He stares at me another second before averting his eyes away and
repeating, “I want you.”

I’ve
never really wanted a relationship with a man. Fulfilling sexual needs is the
only reason I’ve ever had a guy around. Every time I hear a guy say he wants me
I cringe. It’s never about a want. It is always only about needs and I will
never need a man so badly that I’ll screw Decks.

“I
just can’t right now, Decks,” I admit pinning him with a determined stare.

“Okay,
that wasn’t no,” He smiles, “I’ll take it.”

“Decks,”
I tilt my head slightly and ask, “If I say no are you going to kick me out?”

“What?
No,” his eyebrows pinch down. “I may be a lot of things, but I’m not a piece of
shit babe. I’ll wait.”

“No,
absolutely not,” I shake my head adamantly. “That is not fair for either of us.
You shouldn’t wait on someone who isn’t emotionally available and I will feel
pressured into something I’m not ready for if you wait. So please, do us both a
favor and don’t.”

“Damn,”
Decks huffs, takes a large swig from his beer and then places the empty bottle
on the table. “You’re crushing my ego, but I’ll give you this, you are right.
Okay, I don’t want to pressure you so I’ll do my thing, but I promise not to
bring babes back home.” Something about this commitment feels weird. He backed
off way too easily for my liking.