Thin Ice 3 - Armageddon (5 page)

“
If you don’t follow my directions to the letter, I will butcher you mother and give her back to you in pieces,” he told him coldly.

Dixon had every reason to believe Ian. He’d asked him years ago about his own parents. Ian had calmly told him about his father’s suicide upon finding out about his mother’s infidelity.
“I killed the bitch 6 months later,” Ian said calmly going on to give Dixon the gory details.

“
What do you want from me, Ice,” Dixon replied subdued and defeated. “Don’t hurt my mama,” he begged as Ian again replied that was directly up to him.

For the next thirty minutes, Ian gave Dixon detailed directions of everything he wanted done and how often he expected a report.

“
Don’t try and cross me either,” Ian warned as Dixon again sighed deeply and told him he understood.

“
How is KiKi,” he asked finally.

Seth was interested in his answer as well, paying close attention as the man spoke. Dixon told them about the loss of her child as well as KiKi herself being shot. The fact that she wasn’t in the game anymore and that she and Tariq were still very married.

“
Hmph,” Ian replied as his mind raced.

It broke his heart to hear of her loss and Kaitlyn herself being hurt. As far as her marriage to Tariq, Ian could care less. When he was finished, she would be a widow and the two of them would be together again like they should have been.

“
Where do they live now,” Ian asked.

Dixon supplied the address he was given earlier by Mook as Ian smiled slightly.

“
Good work,” he replied stepping away from the man.

“
Get yourself together and go to the gathering,” Ian barked. “This mess will be cleaned up, but please believe if you fuck up, it will be right back at your doorstep,” he finished as Dixon nodded again but said nothing.

Rising finally he began to dress trying his best to block out the sounds of Seth and Peyton as they gathered Shavonne’s body and walked out of the suite, Ian right behind them.

*****

“So what the fuck, KiKi,” Jaleesa pounced now that they were alone for a little while.

Tae was outside conversing with everyone else as the two ladies prepared more side dishes.

“
What are you talking about Tweety,” Kaitlyn threw back, giving away nothing.

“
First of all, you can stop bullshittin’,” Jaleesa returned, looking right into Kaitlyn’s face.

“
You know I know you, so again, what the fuck,” she asked tightly as Kaitlyn continued to watch her friend wordlessly.

“
What exactly are you asking me, Tweety,” she finally replied.

“
I’m asking you what the hell is going on in your mind,” Jaleesa told her, still searching her eyes for answers, but seeing only blankness.

“
What are you talking about,” Kaitlyn again hedged.

“
Because I told Tae I miss the life?” she asked. “Is that what this 3
^rd
degree is about?”

Sighing deeply Jaleesa tried again.

“
KiKi, I know you, stop tryna play me, just tell me what the hell is up,” she told her friend growing frustrated with her evasiveness.

Kaitlyn continued to regard the woman in front of her as her mind processed what she did and didn’t want to reveal. Jaleesa was her girl, her friend, the closest thing to a sister she had. But Jaleesa had changed. She was a mother now. She was Deuce’s wifey. Could she trust her to keep her secrets like she had once upon a time? “You’re going back aren’t you,” Jaleesa finally threw out as Kaitlyn sighed softly.

“
Yes,” she answered honestly, praying she wasn’t wrong about her friend keeping her secrets still.

“
How are you gonna pull that off without Tariq finding out,” Jaleesa whispered.

“
It’s not as hard as you think,” Kaitlyn told her calmly.

From that answer Jaleesa knew this was something her friend had been plotting for a long time and she’d already worked out every logistic of it.

“
I want in,” Jaleesa told her calmly.

It was Kaitlyn’s turn to look shocked. “Why,” she asked plainly.

Jaleesa sighed deeply herself, replaying her life as it was here lately.

“
So this muthafucka is hitting’ you again and you haven’t capped his ass,” Kaitlyn hissed, angry as hell.

Jaleesa smiled slightly seeing the old Kaitlyn re-emerge.

“
It’s not a priority right now,” Jaleesa returned as Kaitlyn gave her another look but didn’t press.

“I have contacts lined up already,” Kaitlyn told her as Jaleesa nodded her understanding.

“
Is that the real reason Tae is here,” Jaleesa asked as Kaitlyn smiled again.

Jaleesa had to give their friend credit. Tae hadn’t breathed a word and her demeanor had given away nothing.

“
So what’s the next move,” Jaleesa asked as Kaitlyn began telling her about the caper they were going to pull this weekend.

“
Tariq thinks I’m going on a girl’s trip with Tae, so of course with you coming along he won’t suspect anything differently,” Kaitlyn told her as Jaleesa nodded thoughtfully.

“
Where we goin’,” she asked as Kaitlyn looked deeply into her eyes again.

“
Louisiana,” she said simply as Jaleesa’s eyes narrowed and she frowned slightly.

“
If you wanna settle that score, do it later,” Kaitlyn told her, effectively reading her mind. “This trip ain’t’ the time,” she added as Jaleesa told her it was cool and they made a few more plans before changing the subject and smiling, took the salads outside and admonished everyone to begin eating.

3

Mook and Kim were arguing. They didn’t do it often, but when they did, it was always spectacular.

“
So you wanna fuck her or what,” Kim yelled as Mook looked at her and said nothing.

That pissed her off even more. It was bad enough he’d disrespected her at the party looking at Kaitlyn’s friend, Tae. Now he wouldn’t even engage her in an argument. “Why are you trippin’ over nothing,” Mook asked still trying to stay calm.

“
What the hell you mean, nothin’,” Kim replied getting angrier. “You were basically undressing her with your eyes,” she railed. “What kinda bullshit is that,” she threw out as Mook continued to remain quiet.

“
I should have known if she was friends with KiKi’s bitch ass, she would be a whore,” Kim angrily told him.

Mook finally spoke. “What is your beef with KiKi anyway,” he asked tightly. “The woman has never been anything but nice to you, yet you can’t stand her,” he pointed out. “Why the fuck is that,” Mook questioned giving her a look of his own this time.

“I just don’t like the bitch,” Kim threw back hotly.

“
Why,” Mook questioned again.

Sucking her teeth, Kim refused to answer, simply rolling her eyes at him.

“
Hmph,” Mook replied, picking up the Jose bottle and taking a drink from it.

“
Maybe you don’t like her because she’s with Top and you’re not, that it?” he threw out as Kim regarded him again.

“
What, you think I ain’t know you had a thing for Top,” Mook baited her. “Yeah, I was well aware of it, but shit,” he threw out shrugging slightly and taking another long drink from the tequila. “I thought I made you happy enough to be over that bullshit,” Mook told her eerily calm.

Kim knew he was livid now. He only got that calm when he was well past the point of furious. Flashbacks of the day he killed Freight came to mind as she finally opened her mouth to speak.

“
I’m not into Top like that,” she defended herself.

Mook laughed a sinister laugh and called her a liar to her face.

“
You think I missed the look in your eyes at the barbeque tonight,” he told her getting right up in her face.

“Nah, you tryna turn shit around so you can justify that bullshit you pulled with Miss Tae thang,” Kim told him, her anger returning, as did the fear.

She did still have feelings for Tariq, but she thought she was doing a good job at hiding them. Kim would never cheat on Mook, but for whatever reason, her heart just was not over Tariq.

“
I ain’t got to turn shit,” Mook told her hurling the tequila bottle against the wall where it shattered.

Kim jumped at the violent movement, never taking her eyes off him.

“
Yeah, I thought Tae was sexy as hell,” he spat looking directly into Kim’s eyes. “But I ain’t never fucked around on you, and I don’t plan on starting now,” he told her as she continued to breathe hard but say nothing.

“
My thing is,” Mook began again, still furious. “You need to figure out what you’re gonna do about your little infatuation with Top,” he told her as Kim opened her mouth to speak and he cut her off. “Cause I’m done playin’ second best, period,” Mook finished and grabbed his room key walking out of the door and slamming it behind him.

Kim again jumped at the gunshot sound of the door closing, sinking to the bed, her head in her hands as she struggled to figure out just what the hell was going on with their relationship and how she could stop whatever it was from destroying it.

*****

Ian fought the urge to get out of the car and walk to the front door, ring the bell and blow Tariq’s brains out when he opened it. Instead he sat in the car and continued to watch the house, catching brief glimpses of Kaitlyn as she moved about. The door opened about thirty minutes after he arrived and he watched the woman come outside as Kaitlyn walked her to the car. Ian smiled seeing her. She was still so beautiful and he loved her with his whole heart. Watching them and knowing Kaitlyn’s body language, Ian sensed something was going on. He also noted that once Tariq joined them outside, the women immediately changed the subject and stopped talking.
Interesting,
Ian thought, vowing to find out exactly what was going on in the event it proved useful to him.

“
You want us to snatch her,” Peyton asked eyeing the woman as she got into her car.

“
No, but let’s follow her so we know where she is,” Ian replied as Seth nodded slightly and started the car pulling out after giving Tae ample head start.

Seth thought about Kaitlyn as he drove. She was even more stunning in person, he mused, careful to keep his feelings and observations to himself. He had no doubt about Ian’s attachment to the woman, nor the depths of his depravity against anyone he thought posed a threat to him getting her back.
She may not want him back,
Seth thought and almost smiled, catching himself at the last moment.
So what happens when you finally meet her in the flesh,
Seth’s mind asked. He was more than a little attracted to the woman and the thought of not being able to at least communicate his desire angered him. Still, right now wasn’t the time to make waves. He was going to bide his time and wait. Ian would line up all the dominoes for him, and when the time was right, Seth planned to set the trap in motion.

“
Aaah, Tae,” Ian murmured after he saw the woman’s destination.

He hadn’t recognized her since she’d cut and colored her hair.

“
You know her,” Peyton asked.

“
Yes,” Ian answered simply as his mind clicked. “Keep an eye on her,” he told Seth as the man nodded his understanding, starting the car and heading back to the house they were staying at.

He would drop Ian off and he and Peyton would return and keep Tae under surveillance.

Peyton was smiling to himself as they drove. Hanging out with Ian had so far been quite the adventure. He liked this side of the business far better than the stolen equipment they moved in their own operation.
I wonder if he’ll let me come on with him,
Peyton thought. He sighed lightly thinking about Seth and what would become of him. His brother wasn’t smart enough to run the Louisiana operation by himself, but Peyton was tired of nickel and diming it. Ian had big paper rolling through his accounts and the couple of underground dens they’d visited since they came to Atlanta were hotspots with huge profit. Peyton smiled again thinking about the sexy woman he’d met while grabbing a bite to eat. Checking his phone, he was pleased to see he’d kept the number. He would call her the first chance he got to be alone. He definitely wanted to spend time with her and of course, inside her. Smiling again, he checked the number once more and looked out of the window again as they finally arrived at the house.

“
I’ll see you two in the morning,” Ian told them as they both bid him goodnight and pulled away from the curb, headed back to Tae’s house.

*****

“Tonight was fun,” Jaleesa remarked lightly as LaRon came into the bedroom from the shower.

“
Yeah, it was straight,” he remarked, heading to his side of the bed and sitting on it.

“
I was surprised to see Tae,” he threw out trying to figure out what the women were up too.

LaRon wasn’t stupid. There was something brewing and Tae was right in the middle of it. He knew she didn’t like him, and he barely tolerated her.
That’s cause you wanted to fuck her,
he mind accused as he pushed the thought away and returned his attention to Jaleesa.