Still thicker than water (14 page)

Ree calmly put out his blunt on the trunk of the car that he was leaning on and reached into his pocket for the silencer. He slowly pulled it out and began to screw it on as Bernie stuttered over his words.

“
Oh this?” Ree said calmly. “Hold up, I’ll tell you.”

He finished screwing on the silencer as Bernie’s body began to rattle with fear. His eyes were wide and focused on the gun the whole time. He now had a sudden feeling that he should have ran when he had the chance to. Would he still be able to make it?

“
Don’t,” Ree simply stated, standing up straight in front of Bernie.

“
Wha-what?” Bernie asked nervously, feeling the tears well in his eyes.

“
Don’t try to run yo, you’ll make it worse. When I find you, when I catch you, I’ll torture you…I’ll make it slow, and very painful.”

Bernie began to breathe heavily and shake his head no. He looked around the empty parking deck as Ree just stared at him seriously. Then, as if everything was alright, Ree put his arm around Bernie’s shoulder and began guiding him back toward his car. Bernie felt as if his legs were jelly as he tried to walk and think at the same time.

“
Don’t worry Bernie,” Ree said, comforting him while lightly patting him on the back. “I’m gonna make this quick.”

Bernie figured maybe he should plead as he felt the warm piss running down his leg.

“
Mr.…. Mr. Knights…please…I don’t know what I did. I…I have a family…a wife…please…”

They reached the back of Bernie’s car which was facing the cement wall, so no one could really see them. Ree tilted his head to the side and listened to Bernie plead his case but it fell on deaf ears. Ree’s heart was cold to the man who had crossed him.

“
Please Mr. Knights…I am a good man…with a family…”

Ree nodded understandingly.

“
That’s part of it…the other part of you Bernie, is a snake.”

Ree opened the trunk and motioned with the gun for Bernie to climb in.

“
Get in…come on, get the fuck in... I’m hungry.”

Bernie cried profusely, as the tears fell from his eyes.

“
Please,” he whimpered, but Ree smacked him hard with the butt of the gun, becoming frustrated.

“
Stop trying to buy time mothafucka!” Ree barked.

Bernie held his head in pain and sobbed like a baby, climbing into the trunk. He looked at Ree with pleading eyes and Ree pointed the gun at his forehead.

“
God no…please,” he tried to beg again.

“
Don’t worry about the family...you got life insurance, right?”

Bernie’s reply never made it from his lips as the two bullets ripped through his skull, blowing his brain matter all over the back of the SUV.

Ree looked into the wide eyes of his victim and felt a surge of vengeance. A thrill, an excitement, something he hadn’t felt in a long time.

He wondered if killing was apart of his nature, because no one should feel the electricity he felt at that moment. His father, a reformed and old school gangster, would be sour about the way he handled the situation.

He objected to a man of Ree’s caliber getting his hands dirty, especially with his new legit lifestyle he was supposed to be living. But Ree felt that someone stealing from him was a personal matter, and should be handled…personally.

He closed the trunk and began to make his way to the elevators and into the restaurant, with no remorse for the transgression he had just committed.

He approached the table where his father and the two business associates were already seated with their drinks.

“
Good evening, gentlemen,” Ree greeted with a smile, taking his seat as if nothing had just happened.

“
Good evening, Mr. Knights.”

“
Glad you could join us, Mr. Knights.”

His father looked up from his menu.

“
Good evening, son. Have you heard from Bernie?”

Ree picked up a menu and the steak caught his attention, as he motioned for the waitress.

“
Um, yea… He won’t be able to make it.”

The next day

Tatum walked nervously towards the elevator, triple checking her appearance in the hallway mirror. Although she had changed her outfit four times, trying to decide between the ‘not trying too hard’ shorts and tank top look, the ‘I’m sophisticated’ linen dress look, and the ‘flirty and ready for the beach’ denim skirt and sandal look, she ended up opting for the ‘don’t you wish you still had this’ yellow miniature sundress look, that accentuated her long legs and her curves and sat her cleavage up as if on a platter.
Perfect.

Her hair was straightened and hung long down her back, and she was wearing Ree’s favorite scent for her, Escada. She rode the elevator, not believing that in a few moments she would be face to face with him, alone.

As she stepped off, she was reassured that she looked stunning by the admiring stares from the male, and some female, guests and staff. She smirked and headed to Eden, which was one of the three hotel restaurants. She was meeting Ree there for lunch.

When Tatum got to the entrance, she took a deep breath before pulling open the heavy, wooden, double doors, and heading inside of the dim and quaint establishment.

There were quite a few people in there when she looked around, but as she nervously neared the hostess, she felt someone come up behind her and rest their hand gently on the small of her back, causing her to turn around.

“
You look…wow.” That was all Ree could say. Tatum smiled up at him and he looked at her for a few moments, completely blinded and blown away by her beauty. “This way,” he added, guiding her through the restaurant.

They walked through what seemed like the entire restaurant before coming to a stop at a small and isolated section near a bunch of large windows. He pulled out her chair and she sat, and as he took his seat across from her, Tatum’s heart ached.

She watched the way he maneuvered, his debonair style, the way he sat tall, looking her in the eyes, the way he took control of things. He made her feel like a woman – desired, secure, protected.

“
So, how are you enjoying your stay so far?” He asked, taking her hands into his. She felt a sensation run through her.

“
Good…it’s well,” Tatum answered, not sure of what else to say.

He looked at her for a few seconds before continuing.

“
And how long are you here for?”

Tatum studied his sexy lips as he spoke to her, almost to the point of where she barely heard what he had said.

“
Oh, um…we leave tomorrow.”

“
Tomorrow?” Ree repeated, a bit disappointed, and she nodded, as the waitress came over and took their drink orders. When she was gone, the conversation picked up where it left off.

“
So, when were you gonna come and find me…or was that not apart of the plan?” Ree asked her this with a charming smile, but Tatum avoided answering it with a question of her own.

“
So, who’s the chick?” It came out more direct than she had expected.

Ree chuckled, but Tatum’s face had attitude written all over it.

“
She’s just some...chick,” he said, mocking her. Tatum wanted to scream.

“
And how did you meet her, when did you meet her?”

Ree sighed, not thrilled that the conversation seemed to be about Trinity, but he knew he owed her an explanation. Tatum was the only woman that could get away with questioning him like that.

“
Um, she works here. I probably met her about a year ago, more or less.”

The fact that Tatum and Ree’s romance had only taken place over a few months and this chick had a whole year of him, infuriated Tatum.

“
So what was she working first…the job, or you?” Tatum looked at him with a raised eyebrow and Ree was amused at her wit. She was so beautiful, yet so fiery. He had missed that.

“
Now we gonna get some shit straight,” he said firmly, but with slight humor. “She don’t work me…that’s not even possible, so get that out ya head.”

He licked his lips and eyed Tatum.

“
But that’s not important…you know what is?”

“
What?” She shot back.

But he didn’t say anything, he just pointed at her, causing a smile to grow on her face.

“
How’s the girls?” He asked sincerely. Ree had grown close to Tatum’s nieces in the time that she and him had been together.

The question caused Tatum to reflect on the letter she received.

“
They’re doing well. They broke me for Christmas… but I got them everything they wanted, so they were happy. Chanel has a boyfriend now.”

Ree shook his head, not thrilled with the news, he felt like a protective uncle or something. Tatum sighed and continued.

“
Their mother gets visits with them now, she came back from the dead…and now she’s
suing
me for custody.” The news stunned Ree as she proceeded, wearily.

“
Apart of me wants to just let them go and have a life with their mother, because I know how important that can be…but I’m so scared…Scared that she may relapse… and then in a way, I guess I’m…”

“
Scared of being alone,” he finished for her.

Ree knew, like she knew, that Tatum used the girls as a crutch. She loved them, but she used the obligation she had to them and to other things, to prevent her from her own happiness, like when she chose not to come with him.

She changed the subject.

“
Do you speak to Chauncey?”

Ree shook his head no, not wanting to touch on anything pertaining to his old business. He prayed she didn’t bring up her brother. But she didn’t.

“
Yeah, he’s supposed to be coming home soon, that’s what Sasha says. I know Aubrey will be happy… oh my god, Ree, you should see her, she’s so adorable.” He chuckled, imagining a little Sasha mini-diva.

Tatum smiled and took a sip of her water, she knew she was talking a lot out of her nervousness, but Ree put her at ease at how attentive and interested he was in her and what she was saying.

The waitress came and took their orders, and they talked some more about the girls, and about his father and the hotel, and Tatum and her trying to write a book, and by the time the food came, it was like two years ago, the conversation between them flowing with ease.

“
So, are you happy here?” Tatum asked him, as she picked at her almost empty plate. She was feeling stuffed.

Ree put his fork down and wiped his mouth with his napkin. That was the first time anyone had asked him that, and that’s what he loved about Tatum.

“
It’s alright…I’m content.” He leaned back and stared at her seriously. “I could be better.” She wondered if he meant with her being there, but apart of her already knew the answer.

“
I feel you…sometimes I feel the same way.”

Ree nodded, and as the waitress brought the check, a feeling of perplexity moved throughout him. A feeling of
now what?

Even as he paid, and as they made their way out of the restaurant, neither was sure of where they stood, or where they went from here.

Ree knew she still had business in the states, things she had to handle. Tatum knew that contrary to what he said, before she had shown up, Ree had a girlfriend. However they both also knew that they didn’t want this to be the last time they saw each other.

As they reached the lobby, Ree stopped and took Tatum’s hands into his.

“
This can’t be the last time I see you, Tatum.”

Tatum bit her bottom lip.

“
I know…I wish I didn’t have to leave tomorrow… but I do. I have a court hearing.” She looked at him achingly. “I wish we had more time,” she added, breathlessly.

Ree shrugged.

“
Well, come back after.”

Tatum sighed and chuckled. The answer shocked her, but Ree was serious. She wanted to ask him if he would still be with Trinity. She wanted to ask him what she would be coming back to.

“
That’s a possibility.” Tatum smiled and continued to hold his hands, as the clerks at the desk and the regular guests wondered who this girl was that Mr. Knights was interacting so intimately with.

Ree still appreciated, yet scorned her stubbornness.

“
At least meet me for breakfast or something before you leave tomorrow, so I can convince you,” he requested, with a smile. Tatum agreed, but didn’t want to tell him that she needed no convincing. She had a lot on her plate, mixed emotions and all, but she knew she would be back, if that’s what he wanted.