“Oh yeah?” I start whispering to myself, getting worked up all over again. “Well, how ‘bout you shut the fuck up. Since you’re getting your dick warm in old fucking pussy.” She’s not that old but she’s older than me so I’m running with it, and besides, I hate her.
“Lala?” Chase calls out from his door, freshly showered but again, with no shirt on, and now in relaxed basketball shorts hanging from his hips.
“Sorry,” I mutter, actually fighting the blush that wants to spread across my cheeks like a stupid school girl. “I’m just having… a discussion…”
Chase’s hand comes to his mouth and his eyes curve.
“Are you laughing at me? Because I will have you know…”
He burst out laughing and suddenly, I can’t help the smile that spreads on my face.
“Come spar, Lala. Be like old times, I’ll even let you kick my ass.”
I walk toward him, an eyebrow quirked. “Dude, I always kicked your ass.”
He always gave it to me, but whatever.
I follow him back into his room. “Shit, hang on. I need to change.” I sprint out of his apartment, throw my clothes off and jump up and down to get mine on, then ran back to his.
He whistles when I walk in. “Well, damn…”
I peek down at what I’m wearing, then roll my eyes. “It’s nothing you haven’t seen before.”
There’s a long pause so I stare up at him, only to find him watching me closely. “Yeah, but every time I see you is like the first time.”
“Okay,” I declare, running my hand over my bare belly. Yeah, so I’m wearing a sports bra and yoga pants. It’s nothing more than I wear to the gym. “Well, thank you…” I whisper honestly because I don’t know what else to say.
“Come on.” He gestures toward the back room, grabbing the remote from the kitchen counter. “Spar and music.”
I sigh. “Bliss, just like old times.”
Chapter 13
I wake the next morning to my muscles throbbing with pain. “Jesus fucking Christ!” Flinching, I toss the blanket off of my body. Chase still knew how to fucking work my bod into a sweat. We sparred like old times with music blasting in the background. Completely focused, and in the zone of our train. After that, I felt no more anger toward Frost. I felt refreshed, then after I came home and had a shower, I felt even better. The wine did not help my fitness levels though. I have to admit, train, and then wine. Not the other way around. Walking to the chest of draws, I pull out a pair of skinny jeans and a tight shirt. Skipping the shower because I had one late last night, I throw my clothes on, brush out my long hair, and a thought crosses my mind. I’m sick of being blonde. I feel like that part of me should be in the past, like everything else. I make a mental note to visit the grocery store later. Nothing wrong with a box dye. Putting on a quick swish of makeup, I spritz Chanel Chance on my skin and let my wavy locks fall down my back. Quickly pouring some black coffee into a thermos, I take an apple and pull open the front door, straight into Chase.
“I hate you right now,” I admit, closing my door and taking a loud crunch out of my apple.
He laughs, winking at me. He’s wearing jeans, sneakers, and a casual t-shirt. His hair is how I’ve come to assume it always is, just a huge mess on his head, and his smile this early in the morning gives me urges to punch him. Again.
He falls into step beside me as I head toward the elevators. “Any idea what she has planned for you today?”
I walk inside and press the L button for lobby. “No idea.”
“She will be putting you on a case. No doubt, the orphanage.”
“I don’t kill kids or old people. Or animals.”
Chase laughs, and my eyes found his through the reflection of the mirror. “You laugh but I’m not joking. Seriously. I hope she doesn’t ask me because I will say no.”
“She’s not asking you to kill the kids. The nuns of the orphanage, on the other hand. Well, that’s my guess.” The doors ding open, and before I can ask more questions, we’re opened out onto the lobby.
“Jesus fucking Christ.” It’s massive. The space itself is clean with glass dividers to section off small offices. The walls are again, glass.
“Ah, I see you two have reunited.” Ikea walks toward us in a perfectly tight pantsuit and blouse. Now that I know her age, she does sort of look early forties. But even I have to admit, she’s somewhat attractive. Frost saunters beside her, his eyes hard and his jaw tight. “Lovebirds again? I have to admit, it is my fault you two broke up in the first place. So! Follow me. Let’s get started.”
I took a sip of my coffee, trying not to make eye contact with Frost. Chase and I start following behind her.
“You know,” Chase whispers. “I think he’s going to kill me.”
I shake my head. “He can’t say a word. After all, he is fucking your mom, and also, he lacks normal human emotion. I highly doubt he gives a rat's ass about me.”
We’re still following behind them, bypassing many offices when Chase asks, “So what’s your guy’s story then?”
“Ah, well…” I lick my lips. Was I really about to tell Chase private information. “It’s not so much a story, more of a short novella. We’ve slept together a few times. That’s all.”
There’s a long-stretched pause and then a soft sigh. “Was there anyone after me?”
I know what he’s asking, and just as we walk into the same boardroom as yesterday with a long rectangle table centered in the middle and leather chairs scattered neatly around it. I shake my head, not looking at him. “No.”
I take a seat away from Frost and Ikea, as in on the other side of the table. Chase is still standing at the threshold of the entryway, glaring at me. Obviously, my answer knocked him on his ass.
“Ella, you don’t need to sit so far away. I don’t bite.” She flicks her eyelashes in the direction of Frost. “Well, only after dark.”
Another punch to the gut. God this sucks. I’m beginning to think this was a bad idea, but even as I think it, I know that’s not true. I have to do this, do my bit to contribute, because that’s the kind of family I have. It’s what we do for each other. We’re bad people, but we do good for one another, no matter what that may look like to other people. So I need to suck up whatever I’m feeling for Frost and exhale it out of my system. He’s sleeping with someone else anyway, I’m deluded.
Ikea glances to Chase. “Now what’s your problem? Sit. You and Ella will be working together a lot, which shouldn’t be hard considering your history.” I still haven’t looked at him, or Frost—who I can feel glaring at me with unanswered questions. I’m pissing a lot of people off today and it’s not even eight a.m. Chase finally waltzes into the room after standing at the threshold for a little too long for it not to look weird and pulls out a chair beside me. I continue to ignore him by glancing out the window, looking at all the surrounding buildings. I can sort of make out some of the offices from here. They seem like normal clerk jobs, you know, the kind that comes hand in hand with a normal life. Little do they know, they’re right beside a major outlaw company.
“Ella!” Frost growls, instantly stealing my attention. He narrows his eyes, but I keep mine flat. Do I fight for this, for him, or do I leave it? I continue to ask myself the same question, battling with it, going back and forth like a tennis ball being hit between two rackets, but what’s the point of fighting for someone who can never reciprocate feelings toward me like I can him. I know he’s working, and that’s why he’s in bed with Ikea, and I know that it was planned well before we even got together the second time, I also can’t deny the fact that it wouldn’t be fair to expect him to just drop everything. I’m a realist living in a messed up society where we don’t get what we want. I know that’s just not how the world turns. Especially the one I live in.
The fight will have to wait. Right now, I need to remain focused. The sooner the bitch is dead, the sooner I can get the fuck away from all of this bullshit. Frost included.
??
?Yes?” I ask innocently.
Ikea seems to inspect the two of us, and just as she’s about to open her mouth, her eyes slant in suspicion. Chase wraps his arm around my shoulders quickly, obviously sensing her newfound interest in Frost and I’s connection.
“Yeah, we’ve picked up where we left off. Easy to do when you loved each other so much.”
Oh crap.
I freeze, in shock. If we don’t do this, Ikea will start to raise suspicions about Frost and me, and that in itself could ruin everything. I am not going through all of this just to lose it over someone who I’m sure isn’t worth losing it over.
I lean into him, playing along, and if I’m being honest, sort of enjoying it. “Hope you don’t mind.”
Ikea waves her hand. “Not at all. For now, anyway.” She slides a manila folder toward Chase and me. “Your first hunt under me. You’ll work together, and Frost, you can go to keep an eye on the both of them. They’re known to get into trouble together.”
“Yeah, I didn’t sign up for no babysitting gig.” Frost leans back in his chair and takes out a smoke. He puts it into his mouth and inhales. Obviously, the PDA is not making him uncomfortable, not even in the slightest. He continues, “She can handle herself, apparently, so let her handle herself.” He looks at me and grins, as though nothing fucking bothers him. I retract my point. Obviously, this wouldn’t bother him, I wouldn’t bother him because for something to get to him, he would have to have emotion. Which he doesn’t.
I take the folder and flick it open. My eyes fall on—“Nancy Van Dyken, forty-three years old, nun of Replica Orphanage.” My eyes shoot to Ikea. “Any reason why you would be sending me out to do a hit on a place that is owned by The Army?”
Ikea stops, casts a glance to Frost, and then back to me. “Do I need to jog your memory? Have you forgotten the commandments, dear child?” I hadn’t. I remember the commandments loud and clear, but— “See here’s the thing. Those commandments,” I shook my head, unbothered. “Didn’t matter to me. Don’t matter, and I don’t comply, and also, Raze is in charge now. I doubt he will still have those commandments in place. No offense to your intelligence, or lack-thereof.”
“Feisty, and don’t worry, there’s no offense taken,” she quirks her eyebrow, flicking the rings on her fingers around. “Right now, I don’t trust you enough to disclose all information with you, so how about,” she stands from her chair and flattens her blouse, “you go ahead and do what you are here to do.” Then she leaves, just like that, walking through the opening glass doors.
Frost glares at the two of us. “Ella, leave it alone. If something needs to happen, you will know about it.”
I snort. “Oh, right, because I can trust you?” I stand from my chair. “Chase,” I keep my eyes glued on Frost, “I’ll see you tonight.”
Frost’s jaw clenching was the last thing I saw before storming out of the boardroom.
FROST
Tilting my head, I flick the ash off of my smoke before bringing it back to my mouth. “So, you and Ella?” I had a weak moment last night, and it surprised the shit outta me. Why the fuck did her being with this fucker rub me the wrong way. I’m taking it down to my being possessive. Never fucking been like this before, but then again, I never liked other kids touching my toys.
Chase clears his throat and leans forward. “Yeah, look, I don’t know what is going on with you two, and I don’t know how you feel about her, but I’ve been in love with that girl since I was a kid, so if you think I’m going down without a fight, you’re wrong.”
I chuckle. He’s got balls, I’ll give him that, only thing is, they’re in my hands. Standing from my chair, I put my smoke out on the table. “You’re right about one thing.” I head toward the exit, pausing right in front of him.
My eyes meet his. “You are going down.” Then I push out the doors and search for Ella. Where the fuck did she go and what the fuck is with her attitude. Gets my dick hard she’s throwing her weight around like I fucking cheated on her.
“Frost!” Ikea comes toward me, but my eyes don’t meet hers. I’m ready to snap her fucking neck right here just to shut her the fuck up. I need to talk with Raze, there’s no way I can tolerate this shit for longer than a week.
“What?” I snap, finally bringing my eyes to hers.
“Find Ella. She needs to do this operation tonight. Her and Chase, oh and, Frost!” she calls out, just as I’m about to step into the elevator. I turn to face her. “I’m the jealous type, so keep your eyes to yourself.” I grit my teeth and walk in, hitting level twelve. Pulling my phone out of my back pocket, I dial Raze.
“Frost, you got an update?”
“Yeah, the update is I ain’t doing this for six fucking months.”
“Why, what’s she planning?”
Fuck. Do I tell him about Ella and risk some next level shit kicking off, or should I handle it and let this play out. Yeah, I’d rather go with the latter. The elevator doors open, and I walk through, heading straight for Ella’s apartment. “Because I want to fucking kill her.”
He laughs. “Well, that’s good. That’ll make it that much sweeter. You want her head?”
I think on this. I don’t have a personal vendetta against this woman. Don’t really give a fuck, but something tells me by the time this is over, Ella will want dibs. I change the subject. “I’ll have this shit in full swing within a week.”
“What? She’s already caught feelings for you?” Raze asks, obviously in shock.
“Enough to tell me to keep my eyes to myself.”
Raze laughs. “All right, bro. Chat soon.”
“Wait!” I stop a beat away from Ella’s door. “There’s something else. Listen, I think she’s doing some shady dealings behind your back. She has—” I pause, realizing I almost let it slip that Ella is here “—me, and her son doing a hit on the head nun of Replica Orphanage.” There’s a long pause, seconds pass and I look down at my phone to make sure that it didn’t get disconnected. “Yo?”
“Yeah, I’m here.” He pauses and exhales. “Do it. If you don’t, she’ll ask questions. I have a feeling she’s between the sheets with someone else, and by her son, do you mean Chase?”
His name alone grinds my gears. “You know?”
“Know—what?”
Fuck. I can’t do this lying shit. “Nah, they just said somethin’ about Ella dating him back in high school and that he left, and she didn’t know and all that shit.”
“Yeah, I knew. Holla when you have something else.”
“Yeah, all right.” I hang up my phone, reeling over that. If he knew, what the fuck was he hiding when it came to those two that he couldn’t tell Ella. Fuck. I thought The Devils’ world was whack, this world takes the cake. I continue to Ella’s door and bang on it with the back of my clenched fist.
It swings open and Ella glares at me. She’s wearing grey spandex shorts, a bright pink sports bra with a grey Nike tick on it, and her –“You dyed your fucking hair?”
She widens the door and gestures for me to enter. I do, scowling at her.
“Don’t fucking look at me like that, and it’s not permanent. I just put it through now.” I run my eyes over her now dark brown hair. “What, you don’t like brunettes? What with your current woman, I wouldn’t think you had a preference?”
Yeah, because that’s fucking it.
She goes to close the door, but I swing around and slam it first. She jumps and then turns, her back pressed against the door. Her chest rises and falls but her eyes stay on mine. Inching forward, I come closer to her until both of my palms are on either side of her head, caging her in. “Let me be very fucking clear, and listen carefully, baby, because I ain’t gonna repeat myself, and I’m not a very patient man…” The tip of my nose touches hers and I hear the deep intake of breath. Good. I fucking get to her. “She is not my fucking woman. Do you know how many girls I’ve fucked in my lifetime, Ella?” I give her room to answer, but all she’s doing is watching my lips. I close my eyes. ?
??Keep looking at me like that and I’ll fuck you as hard as I hate you.” My hand comes to her neck and my thumb slides over her bottom lip. So perfect and plump. Is crazy a feeling? 'Cuz she has me on that road at one hundred miles per hour with no fucking headlights on. “Answer me.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t know.”
I smirk a little. Enough to piss her off. When her eyes darken, and a slight scowl comes across her face, it only makes it deepen. “A-fucking-lot. Wanna know how many of those same women I can point out on a fucking street?” I squeeze her throat a little, to make her hurry the fuck up with her answers.
She shakes her head again.
I lean down and run my lips over her ear. “One.”
Pushing off the door, I lift her off the ground by her thighs and her legs wrap around my waist. Grinding my hips into her, I bring my lips to hers and she opens, letting me in. Like she fucking has a choice. She moans against my lips and the vibration shoots straight down to my cock.
“Wait!” She pushes off my chest.
“Woman, if you don’t get on my dick right now, I’m gonna have to kill you then fuck you because I ca—” her finger comes up to my lips, hushing me. My eyes narrow and suck her finger into my mouth, twirling my tongue around, then biting down on it roughly.
“Ouch!” she scolds me, whacking my chest with the back of her hand. “Shut the fuck up. Coffee?”
“Coffee?” My face scrunches. The fuck is she on. Her eyes widen and it’s then that I realize what she’s doing. Fuck. Her room might be wired.
My eyes instantly begin flying around the apartment. That was a weak moment for both of us, but neither of us seems to be able to help it because any time we’re in the same vicinity, fucking flames are being thrown left right and center. One day, those flames are going to cause a fucking eruption of mass destruction. Silence. Then my phone vibrates in my pocket. I shoot a look back to her and see she has her phone in her hand. Opening her message.
No cameras. Just wires. I think.