Shooter
T h e d r i v e t o the private airstrip was quiet, but the tension in the car was thick. Parker was still playing her little game, trying to make me sweat in that damn dress. She knew exactly what she was doing.
From the moment she stepped out of the bedroom, she’d had my full attention and my dick hard. She knew it too. But I wasn’t about to let her think she was winning. I had patience. I could play the long game.
When we pulled up to the jet, she stilled for half a second before showing her surprise. I caught it, though—the way her lips parted slightly, the way her fingers twitched on her lap like she wanted to grab her phone and take a picture but held back. Parker had been expecting a car ride, maybe a blacked-out SUV. Not this.
“Get out,”
I said smoothly, stepping out first before rounding the car to open her door.
She slid out, her legs crossing so perfectly in those high heels that I had to suppress a smirk. As soon as she was steady on her feet, she placed a hand on her hip and looked up at me with that defiant gleam in her eyes.
“So we’re taking a jet?”
she asked, tilting her head slightly. “Just to get to a damn meeting?”
I chuckled, reaching for the small of her back as I guided her toward the stairs leading up. “I don’t do business like regular niggas, Parker.”
She scoffed, but let me lead her. “Or maybe you just like showing off.”
“You say that like you ain’t impressed,”
I countered, my voice dropping just enough to make her shift slightly in those heels. She rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. That was as close to an admission as I was gonna get.
I let her step onto the jet first, watching her ass in that green dress as she walked ahead of me. The cabin was sleek, modern—black leather seats, a fully stocked bar, dim lights setting the mood just right. I caught her taking it all in before she turned and flopped down onto one of the plush seats, crossing her legs.
I took the seat across from her, spreading my legs and leaning back, watching her as I loosened my tie slightly. She looked too damn good, and she knew it. But she wasn’t the only one who knew how to play this game.
A flight attendant came over, offering drinks, but Parker shook her head. I, on the other hand, asked for a glass of whiskey. “You sure you don’t want anything?”
I asked her, swirling the dark liquor in my glass as I studied her.
She licked her lips slightly before replying. “I don’t need to be drinking before a business dinner.”
I smirked. “Since when are you the responsible one?”
She leaned back, stretching her arms over the back of the seat. “Since I realized I gotta keep my head on straight around you.”
I let out a low chuckle, shaking my head. “Good girl.”
The jet engines roared to life, and as we ascended, I could see Parker gripping the armrest slightly before catching herself and relaxing. She wasn’t scared, just a little thrown off by the sensation of taking off. It was subtle, but I caught it.
“You ever flown private before?”
I asked, watching her closely.
She arched a brow. “You know who my father is,”
I smirked at her response, taking a slow sip of my drink. Parker exhaled, shifting slightly. “I think you like thinking you can impress me with all this money shit.”
I tilted my head, setting my glass down. “Nah. You come from money. If I wanted to impress you, I’d be doin' somethin' else entirely.”
Her lips parted slightly, but she quickly recovered, sitting up straighter. “Like what?”
I let the silence stretch between us, letting her feel my gaze on her, the weight of my attention. She swallowed, and I knew I had her. “You still thinkin' about last night, huh?”
I asked, my voice lower now.
She tensed for half a second before scoffing. “No.”
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “Lyin’ ain’t a good look on you.”
Her jaw clenched. “I don’t think about things that don’t matter.”
I grinned, slow and knowing. “So if I kissed you right now, you wouldn’t feel a thing?”
Her lips parted, but no sound came out. She blinked rapidly, like she was trying to think of a comeback but coming up empty. I chuckled. “Thought so.”
She sucked her teeth, grabbing a bottle of water from the small fridge near her seat. “I don’t know what you think you’re doing, , but you’re not—”
“Not what?”
I cut her off, still watching her like a hawk.
She let out an exasperated breath. “Not getting in my head.”
I just smiled. “Baby, I been there.”
She shot me a glare before twisting the cap off her water and taking a sip, trying to act like my words hadn’t gotten to her. But I knew better.
We rode in silence for a while, the tension thick in the air. Every now and then, she’d shift, cross her legs, and adjust the way her dress fell over her thighs. And every damn time, I clocked it. She was feeling this just as much as I was. She just didn’t wanna admit it.
I let her sit in it, let her mind wander, let her frustration simmer while I finished my drink. I wasn’t gonna rush it. She wanted to play hard to get? Fine. But I was gonna keep her right on the edge, wanting more, until she broke first.
After about an hour, the pilot’s voice crackled over the speakers, announcing our descent. Parker exhaled, checking her reflection in her phone camera. “So, who exactly are we meeting?”
I leaned back, watching her. “A supplier. Big player. He moves heavy weight in both drugs and artillery. We make a deal tonight, and my crew is set for the next couple years.”
The jet touched down smoothly on a private strip, and as the doors opened, I stood and straightened my tie. Parker watched me, something unreadable in her gaze. I held out a hand. “You comin' or what?”
She hesitated for half a second before sliding her fingers into mine. I grinned. “Good girl.”
She pulled her hand away instantly, scowling. “Don’t push it.”
I just chuckled, leading her off the jet. The night was just getting started.
The ride to the supplier’s estate was smooth, quiet, and wrapped in a thick layer of tension that was becoming a familiar thing between me and Parker. The limo’s interior was all black leather and dark-tinted windows, with a chilled bottle of champagne in a silver ice bucket. Parker hadn’t said much since we stepped off the jet. She kept her legs crossed, fingers idly toying with the gold diamond bracelet on her wrist. She was lost in thought, but I knew her well enough by now to know what was going through her head.
She was still thinking about that jet ride and about the words I’d said that got under her skin. Good. I let her sit with it, just watching her as the limo cut through the winding road up the hill toward the estate. I knew the moment she saw the house because she straightened up, those pretty brown eyes widening just a little.
The supplier wasn’t just rich. He was old rich. His estate sat high on the hill like a king’s castle, overlooking the city lights below. It was the type of place you only got if you had power, connections, and a lifetime of making the right kind of enemies. The long driveway was lined with towering palm trees, leading up to a mansion that looked like something out of a damn movie—Mediterranean-style architecture, massive double doors, and warm golden lighting spilling from tall windows.
The limo slowed to a stop at the circular driveway. As soon as we stepped out, two heavily armed guards were waiting at the entrance. Both were big, dressed in all black, their gazes sharp as they took us in.
“Sir, we’ll need to check you for weapons,”
one of them said, voice clipped and professional.
I didn’t move. My grip on Parker’s lower back tightened slightly as I leveled the guard with a slow, easy smirk. “That’s not happenin’.”
The two men exchanged a glance. One of them shifted slightly, already prepared to escalate the situation.
Before anything could pop off, the mansion doors swung open, and the man of the hour stepped out. The supplier, Vincenzo Ricci, was a man who’d built an empire long before I ever came into this game. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed in an all-black suit, his salt-and-pepper hair slicked back. He had two stunning women draped on his arms—one blonde, one brunette, both of them dressed in expensive silk dresses with diamonds shining at their throats.
“Ah, Sebastian,”
Vincenzo greeted, his deep voice carrying over the tension-filled air. “I see my men are being a little overzealous.”
The guards instantly stepped back, lowering their hands. He smirked, eyeing me with something like amusement. “Come in and bring your lovely wife.” Parker stiffened beside me for half a second at the word wife, but she didn’t correct him.
Inside, the mansion was even more impressive. High ceilings, grand chandeliers, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a marble courtyard with a fountain in the center. Expensive art lined the walls, and the scent of something rich and seasoned filled the air.
Dinner was already set in the massive dining hall. A long table covered in fine china and gold-rimmed glasses. Vincenzo motioned for us to sit, taking his own seat at the head of the table while the two women on his arm took the seats beside him.
Parker sat beside me, her posture poised and elegant, playing her role perfectly. I let my hand rest on her thigh under the table, feeling the way she tensed before forcing herself to relax. Wait staff moved swiftly, pouring wine and serving dishes that looked like something straight out of a five-star restaurant. I wasn’t here to eat, though. I was here to talk business.
“You’re a bold man,”
Vincenzo started, swirling his wine in his glass. “Your brother, Silas… he wasn’t half as confident as you.”
I smirked. “My brother was a businessman above anything else. I’m a different breed.”
Vincenzo nodded approvingly. “That, I can see.”
He took a sip of his wine before setting the glass down. “So, tell me, Sebastian, what is it exactly that you want from me?”
I leaned back in my chair, keeping my expression unreadable. “Partnership. You got the product, I got the infrastructure to move it. Drugs, artillery, high-grade shit. You let me push it through my channels, and I promise you, your profits will triple.”
Vincenzo studied me for a long moment. “And why should I trust you? You’re young. This game eats men alive.”
I let out a low chuckle. “Because I ain’t afraid to get my hands dirty. And because I always deliver.”
The tension at the table thickened, but I didn’t waver. I met Vincenzo's gaze head-on, letting him see exactly who he was dealing with. After a long pause, Vincenzo grinned. “I like you.”
Parker shifted beside me, and when I glanced at her, I could see it—she was impressed. She didn’t say it, but her body language gave it away. The way she sat a little straighter, the way her eyes flicked between me and Vincenzo, like she was seeing me in a new light.
Dinner continued with casual conversation. Vincenzo's women laughed at his jokes, the wine kept flowing, and by the time dessert was served, the deal was practically sealed.
After dinner, we moved to the grand living room, where business talk resumed. Money was discussed. Numbers were thrown out. Terms were negotiated. And through it all, I made sure Vincenzo understood exactly who he was dealing with—I wasn’t some desperate man looking for a handout. I was a boss, and I moved like one.
By the end of the night, Vincenzo leaned back in his chair with a satisfied smirk. “I’ll have my men handle the rest. We’re all good.”
I nodded, knowing I’d won. On the way out, as we walked toward the limo, I leaned down, my lips brushing Parker’s ear. “You played your part well tonight,”
I murmured. “Think you deserve a treat.”
I felt her body react—just a slight shiver, the way she sucked in a tiny breath. But then, just as quickly, she rolled her eyes. “Whatever, .”
I chuckled, knowing damn well she felt every word. She could front all she wanted, but we both knew the truth. I was getting under her skin and she liked it.