Willow (14 page)

“
She said that you told her someday she’d look at this cover and wonder where the little girl had gone.” Edgar took her hand again and kissed it. “I hid it so we could fight and then have make-up sex.”

Mandy burst out laughing and realized that her daughter sounded just like her. Mandy leaned over and kissed him on the mouth quickly. Then looked at the photo again.

“
She’s in love, Edgar. I don’t think she knows it, but she is. She would never have given herself to someone if she wasn’t. She has too much respect for herself not to.”

Edgar leaned his head on her shoulder and sighed. “So, when are we leaving for Ohio? Tomorrow, or do you think we should wait for the weekend?”

Mandy smiled. He knew her so well. “Friday is good. I have that meeting with the board of directors at the shop at two. We can leave right after.”

~Chapter 14~

Shawn parked two blocks over from the site and got out his flashlight. He had to get in and get out before the fucking truck came to get the stuff or he was going to have to drive to the storage place and get it from there. If he had to do that, he was not going to be happy.

He’d fallen asleep just and had forgotten to set his alarm. He’d wanted to get the merchandise out before dark so that he could get this over with. Now here he was at five in the fucking morning, walking along a dark street doing it.

There were no lights on at the office for which he found himself both happy about it and pissed. That meant that the bitch wasn’t working and he could make as much noise as he wanted, but where the hell did she get off not being to work early? He wanted to cause some serious damage to that bitch and would before it was all over. He moved to the back of the lot to where the extra shit was stored. He was there for twenty minutes before he realized it was gone. Everything had been moved. Shawn even went to the front of the lot where they stored the big equipment and none of it was there either.

Shining his light around again, he realized that she had had it picked up just to fuck him over. Shawn walked to the office and pounded on the door. He wasn’t sure why, but he wanted the bitch right here to explain to him why she couldn’t follow a fucking schedule when she set it up. She was going to pay. As soon as he found her, he was going to make her pay. Heading to his car, his phone started ringing and without even looking, he knew who it was.

“
Do you have any fucking clue as to what time it is? Or do you even want to continue as you have in this world?” The voice cracked with anger.

“
I’m going to pick it up now. I had a…I’m coming, just wait.” Shawn took off at a run to his car. He was completely out of breath when he got there and had to lean on the car for a few minutes to calm his pounding heart. “I’m driving to where it is right now.”

“
No you’re not, fuck-tard. You’re leaning against your car trying not to have a fucking heart attack. Do you honestly think I’d not have you tailed?” The laughter moved over his body and produced sweat. “Get in that piece of shit you drive and go. I don’t have all fucking night.”

Shawn looked around as he opened his door. Terror was his new best friend and he didn’t even know his name. It took him three tries to get the keys in the ignition then another two times to get the key to turn. He kept the phone to his ear because frankly, he was afraid not to. He knew where the storage lot was, but got lost twice because he missed the street trying to figure out if the cars behind him were following him or not. By the time he pulled in the parking lot, he was soaking wet with sweat and he had the shakes bad. Pulling out his own stash…well, a little of the stash he was supposed to be delivering for the man on the phone, he took a heavy snort.

Instantly, he felt the rush. Throwing back his head, Shawn sat there waiting for his body to catch up to the rest of him. Suddenly feeling like he could conquer the world, he got out of his car and sauntered up to the fence surrounding the storage for JR Stone Construction. He turned around just before he touched the fence when blue and red lights reflected off the building next to him.

“
Wouldn’t do that, buddy. That fence is wired and it’ll knock you clean into next week if you touch it.”

Shawn looked back at the fence and noticed the “high voltage” and “danger” signs posted in front of it. Taking a hasty step back, he looked to see if The Voice was close enough to hear this and was sure he’d known about the fence too. Everybody was out to get him. Sliding his gun out of the back of his pants, Shawn leaned down to look at the cop and was startled to see one in the passenger seat and two more in the back seat.

What the fuck? Was there a shortage of patrol cars so they all had to come in one car? Carefully, he slid the gun behind him and up under his coat. He might be high, but he knew that he’d be able to shoot one of the cops, maybe even two. But there was no fucking way he could kill all four of them.

“
Thanks, officer. I was here to check out something for the boss lady. Seems she’s too lazy to get her ass outta the bed and come check it out by herself. She didn’t tell me there was electricity running through it. Maybe she wants me into next week.” Shawn laughed, as did the cops. “Yeah, good thing you came around when you did.”

“
We had a report of somebody walking around the back side of the fence. So to keep the peace, we decided to put some extra patrols out over the next few days.”

Fuck! Now he’d have to come back and watch for cops. That stupid bitch was going to pay and she was going to pay sooner rather than later. Nodding his good night to the cops, he moved back to his car the indirect way.

Shawn knew he was fucked if he couldn’t get the merchandise. He had fifty pounds of pure uncut coke stashed for The Voice and knew the man was not going to be waiting around forever. Three point five million was a lot of merchandise.

He didn’t answer his phone. He didn’t want to hear that he was going to die again. He’d have to make up some excuse to get to the storage yard tomorrow. Well, he supposed today now. Going back to the hotel seemed to him to be a really stupid move so he drove around until he found an out of the way cheap place and stayed there. It was the ugliest place he’d ever seen, but he felt safe.

~o0o~

Tuesday morning Willow was in the trailer at nine in the morning when Jared went to find her. He was ready to launch phase two of Willowgate and she’d been hiding in the office long enough. He pounded on the door and waited for her to come and unlock the door. When she shouted to come in, he was pissed again. Damned woman.

“
I thought I told you to lock the door when you were in here. Do you want just anyone to barge in here?”

“
Somebody already did. Don’t you have something to do? I’m kind of busy here.” her tone was clipped and he might have smiled if he wasn’t afraid she’d see him. “It was my understanding that the last of the walls needed to be primed before the painters could show up.”

Nor was she looking at him. Jared sat in the chair and looked at her. Her hands were a little shaky and she was fumbling with the papers on her desk. Finally, she looked at him and glared.

“
You look very lovely this morning. Can I kiss you?” Jared stood to do just that when she licked her lips. “And I was wondering if I could come over and cook for you again? You can’t believe how much fun I had.”

She didn’t move away from him when he turned her chair. Leaning down, he braced his hands on the arm rests on either side of her chair. Her breath was warm and he wanted to toss her over the desk and take her, but knew that he had to do this slowly. With a quick kiss on her mouth, he stood up and moved back to the other chair. She looked so confused he wanted to laugh.

“
Willow, you didn’t answer my question. Can I?” She was slow to respond, but he was learning he was a patient man. Leaning back in the chair, he knew that she would be his before this week was out. If not…well, Jared might not live past the week really. He’d never ached so much for a woman in his life.

“
Why?” he waited for her to say more.

“
Why what? You mean the kitchen? Well, it’s a cook’s dream and I love to cook. I have the biggest collection—”

“
No. Why are you doing this to me? I don’t understand you. You come in my house, make me crazy with need, then walk out as if we’d done nothing more than eat that curry stuff you cooked.”

“
Didn’t you like the curried chicken? I could make anything you’d like, you know. I thought about making us Philly cheese steak san—”

Her growl stopped him. Biting the inside of his cheek, he was sure he’d have a permanent place there to keep from laughing at her. It really wasn’t funny, he supposed, but he couldn’t help himself.

“
Did you find me lacking? I know that I didn’t know what I was doing, but I could learn, you know.” She turned away from him before she continued. “I guess that I should have taken lovers when I was in college, but it just didn’t seem right. Plus, I was…you know, it doesn’t matter. I’d rather you didn’t come over any more. But thanks all the same.”

The door opened before he had a chance to answer her. It was Talbor. Jared could very easily knock the man on his ass, but held back. He should have fired the bastard when he’d first come on site, but then he wouldn’t have gotten to meet Willow.

“
Well ain’t this just cozy? The boss lady and the new guy all closed up in the office together. Whatever will the owner think? Maybe I should just call him up and let him know you’re fucking someone on company time.”

Before Jared could react, Willow stood up and came toward the man. He was bigger than Willow, but Jared would bet any amount of money she could be meaner. But she could still get hurt because Jared knew that Talbor wouldn’t fight fair.

“
If you have something to say, then say it. I’m done with you coming in here making noise about calling the owner. Do it, I don’t give a flying fuck.” She picked up the bat next to the door and pointed it at him. “Either tell me what you want or get the fuck out of here.”

Red-faced, Talbor stood his ground. Jared was suddenly afraid for her. He could see the slight insanity in Talbor’s eyes and thought the man was high. But when he started to stand up and throw him out, Willow brought the bat down on his shoulder and let it lay there.

“
You fucking bitch, one of these days I’m going to find you without that bat then what are you going to do?” Talbor turned to Jared next. “And you, you suck-wad, you’re going to be next. This company is going to be mine and you won’t have a cozy little job any more. I came in here to ask you about the storage shit. Where the fuck is it? I was sent to get some of those pipes to replace the one that got bumped and they’re gone.”

“
Bumped? How the hell did one get bumped? Whatever. Everything is at the storage yard.” She pulled out her radio, but put it back. “Tell Conley to go over and get it. He has a key. You get that plaster work done on the main hallway?”

“
No. Can’t be everywhere at once. I’ll tell Conley, but I ain’t your fucking messenger boy. Next time, you do it.” he left without another word.

Jared didn’t move when she went back to the desk. This time, she was leaning against it and not moving. He stood up, walked up to her, and pulled her up from the desk. Then he took her into his arms, kissing the top of the head, and he lifted her chin up.

“
I’m coming over tonight and we’re going to have a great dinner. Then when we have the kitchen cleaned up, I’m going to make love with you. Then when we’re finished, I’m going to make love with you again and again.”

She looked up at him and smiled and Jared’s heart flipped over. “Jared, I’m not sure this is such a good—”

He’d meant for the kiss to be tender. He’d meant to just brush his lips over hers and then go back to work, but he’d denied himself for too long. He’d denied them both for too long. Before he knew it, he had her pressed against the filing cabinet and his hands filled with her ass. His phone ringing brought them both crashing back to earth.

“
I have to take this. Fuck, I want you.” he kissed her again and walked to the door. “I don’t think I can wait for dinner then clean up. I’m going to take you on the floor as soon as I get there then we can eat. Maybe.”

Jared stepped out of the office and into the bright sunlight as he answered the call. This was going to be the longest day of his life.

“
Hello, Dad, what’s going on?”

~Chapter 15~

Daniel Smyth, not his real name, nor was The Voice as Talbor called him, closed the file he’d been looking at and regarded the man across from him. His lawyer, Jack Spencer, had gone to a great deal of expense to get him this information and it had been well worth it. Daniel knew that Talbor called him The Voice and thought it was funny.

“
How much of my merchandise has he stolen that you know of? And is there any way to get it back?”

Jack pulled out another folder and flipped through it. “He’s managed to get about half of it, but the rest is still in the lot. I’m not sure how much longer you should let this idiot work for us. He’s going to get us in trouble.”

Daniel didn’t plan on Talbor working for them much longer, but he was going to get his dope back from him if it was…well, it was going to be the last thing he did. His death was going to be tragic.

“
Keep an eye on him.” Daniel looked down at the file again. “The woman he keeps blaming for his screw-ups, is she as involved as he said she is?” He pulled the picture of her taking drywall off a flatbed truck. She didn’t strike Daniel as anyone who would involve herself with trash like Talbor, but the world was a crazy place.