Chapter 8
EIGHT
Liora
Days later
I wished I could’ve stayed in bed with Iso this morning, but Adela called me at the crack of dawn asking if I could come through so she could talk to me about something.
As much as I wanted to stay in bed, in that man’s arms, I told her I’d be her way within an hour and was up moving around seconds later.
Today was the first day in almost a week that I had off.
Ever since Forman popped her ass up at the shop, I had been on go.
I knew I wanted to come back, but I guess I hadn’t thought about how much I’d given when I was there.
It was never a thought because when I was working I never formed attachments and my family was never this close to me.
Now they were minutes away, and not only them, but him.
It had only been a week since I stepped back in, and though I could tell he wanted to ask me questions, and worry, he kept it at bay.
Coming to his home at the end of the night felt like some sort of reward.
Shoot, being under him felt surreal, because somehow we had crafted this routine I was starting to need.
I prided myself in not needing a soul, being able to move my own pace and tone, but then here he was.
The dead man who didn’t stay dead, somehow becoming the very thing I didn’t know I needed.
“Earth to Liora.” Adela’s voice interrupted my thoughts.
“Nothing, what’s up?” I was so lost in my thoughts that I hadn’t even realized she was back. When we first entered her office, we started to talk but were quickly interrupted by one of her employees knocking on the door and needing her help.
“What the hell has gotten into you?”
I grinned, sitting back in the chair. “If I told you, I don’t think you’d believe me. So please carry on with what you were about to tell me.”
“I need you to become my business partner.”
“Nope,” I responded as fast as she said it.
She held up her hand for me to let her speak. “I’m sick, Liora.”
My mouth went dry and I felt my heartbeat in my ears. Her words caught me by complete surprise as I sat up, looking her over for something to indicate the words that had just come out of her lips.
“How sick?”
She swallowed hard. “Brain cancer.”
“Damn, Adela, I’m so sor—” I started, but she threw her hands up to stop me.
“Nope, the last thing I want is you feeling bad or being sorry. What I want is you to not give me lip when I tell you that you are the only person I trust to be part of this. Blood couldn’t make us closer.”
There was a lot I wanted to say at the moment, but I just agreed, deciding not to push her. “Fine.”
She laughed. “God, I had to use the cancer card to get you to agree.”
I shook my head. “Too soon, Dela.”
“Not for me.” She was still giggling.
I just stared at her, feeling like I wanted to hug her and I wasn’t even a hugger. Not until him.
“Stop looking at me like you’re sad, Liora.
Don’t be. I’m fine. But what I will say is I want you to take a good look at my life and see where I am.
I don’t have many regrets, but in the end, I didn’t choose me.
I chose service and now look at me. It’s just me.
Of course I know I have you, but that’s different.
Learn from my mistakes. Do what you’re doing as long as you feel it, but in the end, choose yourself and not serving a country that’ll use you up until you’re no longer useful. ”
I nodded, understanding what she was saying more than she’d ever know.
We talked for a long time after, then I had to check on Lauryn because she had definitely sent me a threatening text the other night.
I was sure it was partially because I’d left work and went straight to Iso’s shower instead of dropping by her dinner.
Though I wasn’t in the field, I was still data assessing and dealing with people constantly.
It was all exhausting because I wasn’t asking for permission.
I had jumped headfirst into spearheading operations and running ops from an agency popup shop in a warehouse on the cusp of Westvale and Bluffwood.
Long story short, when I left that place, I was in no headspace to talk to my sisters.
However, even though I felt this way, I needed to communicate at least once or twice a week.
After I left the range, I went straight to the strip mall my father owned.
I backed into a park right next to his Cadillac and just sat there for a moment.
Adela had really laid some heavy shit on me and I didn’t know how to feel about it.
That woman was the epitome of strength. So the idea of her being sick bothered me because people like her didn’t die.
Yes they did. My mother died and she was the strongest woman I’d known.
Then the things she’d eluded to about regrets and being alone, that got to me.
Though I had siblings and my father, I was technically a mirror of her.
A lone wolf was what I had been my whole life, something I never saw a problem with until now.
My phone ringing throughout my car and vibrating in my lap snapped me from my thoughts.
I blinked a few times then focused on the center console.
It was Iso, lowkey the one person I wanted to talk to but didn’t want to seem all clingy.
That reminded me. I also needed to run the analysis he had asked for.
“Hello.”
“If you tell me you’re on the way here with a gyro, fries, and the pussy between your legs, I swear I’d be ’bout ready to do a set of backflips.”
“Not a set of backflips.” I laughed at the randomness of his statement.
“Hell yeah. A whole set in the rain.”
Through laughter, I shook my head. “You’re acting deprived.”
“Nah, you got your ass up outta here at five something today. The fuck you think I should be. You good?”
“I’m fine. Are you? You’ve probably inhaled too many fumes from that raggedy ass car.”
It was his turn to laugh. “Diamond ain’t raggedy, baby, she just needs a tune up.”
“Yeah, whatever. I’m stopping to see my family, then I’ll head your way. I’ll have the analysis and gyro.”
“Bet, you’re missing something though.”
Confusion swept my features as if he could see me. “What?”
“Pussy, I need that.”
I laughed. “Get off my phone. I should be headed your way in a few.”
Once Iso and I hung up, I exited the car.
He needed pussy and I was in a hurry to get it to him.
My first stop was the pawn shop to check in with my father and run the analysis.
It would be quick seeing as how I knew the back doors into the systems. Then I’d go to Lauryn and hear her mouth for however long she needed to go on.
When I entered, my father was helping someone at the counter while Benny, his longtime friend and employee, was talking to a lady at the other end. I spoke to them both and went straight to the back. My first stop was the mini fridge for a bottle of water, then I went to the computer.
By the time my father entered the back, I was already in the software, initiating the search. From the look on his face, I just knew he was gonna have something smart to say.
“Ain’t seen you in days and you blowing in here trespassing to the back room like you work here.” He peered over his glasses.
I chuckled. “Well, I haven’t seen a pink slip yet. I mean… unless you have something to say to me, old man.”
“Nah. I’m just glad you still here. What you running?”
“Financial report fo—”
“Iso. Figured when he stopped calling me he had somebody. Too bad I put that in motion and didn’t realize.”
I laughed hard as fuck at his statement because it was true, but I wasn’t about to tell him that. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but yeah, the report is for him.”
“What else is for him?”
“You got something you wanna ask me, Pops?” I tilted my head to the side, looking him over.
“Nope but you’ll tell me when you’re ready.”
I nodded and continued to run the report, going with my first mind and extending the dates from the beginning of the year till the last deposit date on both the name he gave me and the businesses connected to that name.
It wasn’t until the barbershop came up that I knew who he had me looking up and I immediately shook my head.
“Look, I know I don’t tell you what to do, and you can handle things for yourself, but do an old man a favor and be careful. You and your sisters are all I have in this world.”
I nodded. “I’m good, I promise.”
“Good.”
He and I made a little more small talk before I got what I needed and headed next door to the flower shop.
From the moment I entered the shop I felt her eyes. She was pissed.
“Where the hell have you been?” Lauryn asked, stuffing a rose into the glass vase in front of her on the counter.
“Little bit of everywhere. Working, laying up, and repeat. How are you?” I asked sarcastically.
“I’m fine and I can tell you’re fine. Too freaking bad I have to chew you out about the incognito act.” Her left brow raised and showcased her irritation.
“I’m working, Lauryn, what do you expect me to do?”
“Pick up your phone and tell me that. Shoot me a text, so when the two worrywarts start worrying I’m not also worried because I know you’re incognito aka working.”
I laughed, understanding where she was coming from. “You’re right.”
“I’m what?” She dropped the shears in her hand onto the counter. Her eyes were on me immediately, shocked.
“You’re right. I need to communicate better and I’ll work on that.”
Her jaw hung open as she stared at me in disbelief.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, Lauryn, I’m fine. Now is that all or are we discussing somet—”
“Yes, we’re discussing the man who’s dropping off enough dick to make you agreeable. And before you tell me there is no such thing, I will definitely wait because your attitude has been adjusted, honey.”
I laughed. “I think my attitude is all the same.”