Chapter 7
7
J obe pulled himself out of the pool as he finished his late night swim, working his body to exhaustion in an attempt to ease his mind. Just as he reached for his towel, his cell phone buzzed. It seemed an odd time for Gabe to be calling.
“Yeah?” he answered.
“Get over to Mackenna’s. There’s been a drive-by shooting. She and her mom are okay. Tony’s sending Terrance and Vinny to check on the center and the rest of us are meeting at her house. He’s coordinating with Matt and Shane.”
“Goddamnit,” he growled. Grabbing his gym bag, he jerked off his trunks and pulled on his boxers and jeans after quickly toweling off. Throwing on his t-shirt, he then slid his feet into his boots. Snagging his keys and wallet off of the bench, he headed out to his vehicle.
* * *
Within a few minutes of getting off of the phone with Gabe, the police had entered the house immediately finding Mackenna and her mom. Penny was unharmed but shaken, while Mackenna’s knees and hands were bleeding from the broken glass she had crawled through.
An ambulance arrived about the same time that the house began to fill with others. Mackenna was taken to the kitchen so that the EMTs could work on her cuts. One of the policemen walked in to inform her that the detectives from the Drug Task Force would be in to see her as soon as she was patched up. Nodding, she had just looked down at her legs when two men came into the kitchen accompanying her mother. Assisting her mother into a chair, they introduced themselves.
“Ms. Dunn, I’m Detective Matt Dixon and this is my partner Detective Shane Douglass. We’re with the Richmond Police Department’s Gang Task Force. Your mother has already answered some ques—”
“Please don’t tire her out. I can answer your questions for you, Detective,” Mackenna quickly interrupted. She noticed his warm eyes and could tell that he understood this was difficult on her mom.
Mackenna explained her work with the New Beginnings Center and admitted that she had called the police several times when she felt that there was a possible threat. Before they could continue their interview, she heard a commotion at the front door.
“It’s okay, Officer. Alvarez Security is allowed in,” she heard someone say.
“Where the hell is she?” came a familiar voice, now raised in anger. Before she could respond, Detective Douglass yelled, “Back here.”
Within a moment, her small kitchen was made smaller. Jobe came sprinting into the room, followed by Tony, Gabe, and Jennifer. While she looked on incredulously, the two detectives greeted the Alvarez men as old friends.
Jobe’s eyes landed on hers immediately and he did a quick body scan. The EMTs were still working on her cut hands and legs, but they appeared to be mostly bandaged. His gaze took in her baby-blue sleeping shorts and matching camisole underneath the blanket she clutched. Her face was pale and eyes were wide with shock.
He slid his gaze over to Penny, noting a similar expression on her face. Walking over to her, he squatted down so that he could be at face level.
“Mrs. Dunn? We’re going to take care of everything now,” he said softly, noticing that her face relaxed slightly. He introduced the others and then, giving her shoulder a squeeze, he stood and nodded at Jennifer, who moved to sit next to Penny.
Jobe stalked over to the table where Mackenna was perched. His gaze dropped to her legs and hands as the EMT finished her bandaging.
“I picked out the glass and got them clean. I’d advise seeing your doctor to get an antibiotic just in case of infection. You up on your tetanus inoculation?” the EMT asked.
Mackenna’s eyes never left Jobe’s as she nodded her answer. As the EMT moved away, Jobe stepped into his place, moving closer than he would have allowed anyone else to stand.
“Ms. Dunn?” Detective Dixon interrupted. “I’ve just talked to Tony and Gabe here and have an idea of what’s going on at the center.”
She gasped, looking over at him. “Is there a problem? Did something happen there?” she asked, trying to hop down from the table. Finding her way blocked by Jobe, she glared at him. “Let me up,” she ordered.
“Not fucking likely, doll,” came his response. “No way are you going charging over there after what just happened.”
“No, no. It’s fine,” Matt said. “I just mean that you’ve had some suspicious cars drive-by over there, although without any violence.”
“That is if you discount Ms. Dunn’s penchant for chasing gang members with a baseball bat,” Tony added.
That statement brought another round of questions from Matt and Shane, and much to Mackenna’s embarrassment, a great deal of chastising.
“I get it! I know it was stupid, but I was just so angry that I reacted. Which is really crazy because I never let myself get that angry.” She glanced over at her mother and the realization of what could have happened swept over her. Pushing against Jobe again he stepped back so that she could move, gathering her mom in her arms. In a moment, she felt her mom’s right hand soothing her back. As the adrenaline wore off, her cuts began to hurt, and she tried valiantly to not cry in front of the group of men.
“Who di thi?” her mom asked, looking up at the men in her kitchen.
Mackenna noticed the glances between the others before Shane answered. “Ma’am, there was a painted sign on your front walk. Sixers.”
Penny appeared confused as she heard Mackenna’s sharp intake of breath.
“Gabby’s gang,” Mackenna said. Turning to look at her mom, she said, “I’m sorry. My work has brought this to our door.”
“Ms. Dunn, we’re going to need the information you have on all of the girls that you serve at your center. We need to know which gangs they’re from and anything else you can provide. But we can get that tomorrow,” Matt explained.
Shane spoke up, “You can’t stay here tonight. The police will be processing the crime scene for a while and it’s not safe.”
“We’ve got them,” Tony said. “They’re under Alvarez Security protection as well as yours.”
Shane and Matt nodded appreciatively. Looking back down at Penny, Shane said, “Then ma’am, you couldn’t be in better hands.”
Tony and Jobe shared a look, silently communicating who was taking charge. Tony nodded and turned to Gabe. “Call Vinny. We’ll meet at the agency first thing in the morning. Jobe can bring Mackenna in later.”
Jennifer gave Penny a hug before walking over to her Gabe. She looked up, whispering, “Can they come home with us?”
Gabe gave his wife a gentle squeeze as he whispered back, “Jobe’s got it. Why don’t you take Penny to put some things in a suitcase? Check to see if she has any meds she needs.”
Jennifer smiled at Mackenna as she hugged her and then walked down the short hall with Penny.
Numb from the evening’s events, Mackenna just stared wordlessly as she watched her friend leave the kitchen with her mom.
“Mackenna?” Jobe stepped in her line of vision bringing her attention to him. “Can you walk? Did you cut the bottom of your feet?” He watched her slowly shake her head and he pulled her up from her seat. “Come on, show me your room. We need to pack some things for you since you can’t stay here tonight.”
She moved silently to the bedroom just down the hall from the kitchen and walked inside. Her eyes took in the room. Was it only an hour ago I was here?
Jobe walked to her closet and pulled down a small suitcase. He knew she could come back for her belongings but wanted to make sure to get what she needed for a day or so. He grabbed a pair of jeans and a few tops from hangers and placed them in the suitcase. Seeing her still numbly standing in the middle of the small room, he walked over, putting his hands on her shoulders.
“Mackenna, why don’t you go to the bathroom and get whatever you and your mom need from there. I’ll grab a few more things here to last you a day or two.” He watched her nod, shock still evident on her face as she walked across the hall to the bathroom.
Wanting to be out of the house as soon as possible, he turned to her dresser and opened a few drawers. He grabbed a few pairs of socks and in the next drawer found some panties and bras. Trying not to think of her in only those items, he shoved them in the suitcase as well. Kneeling to the bottom drawer, he found a few sweaters and pushed them to the side.
His fingers touched a thick sheaf of papers and he glanced down to see what it was. Letters. A bundle of letters. His heart began to pound as he slid them forward. Letters from an APO box return address. My letters. My fucking letters. Jesus Christ, she kept my letters.
Hearing her steps in the hall coming from the bathroom, he shoved the letters to the back of the drawer and pushed a sweater in front of them. Standing quickly, he was just putting the last of her things in the suitcase when she came in, arms full of toiletries.
Making their way out of the house, Gabe and Tony assisted Penny while Jennifer moved back to check on Mackenna. They got them settled in Jobe’s pickup and all pulled out about the same time.
* * *
Twenty minutes later, they parked in an underground garage. Mackenna, who had been focusing on her mother, glanced around in surprise.
“Do Gabe and Jennifer live here?” she asked.
“Gabe used to, but they now have a house.”
“So who lives here?”
“I do. Well, Vinny and his fiancé live here also, but we’re heading to my place.” He hopped out of the truck and walked to the passenger side where he assisted Penny from the vehicle.
“Why are we here at your place?” Mackenna asked sharply, the numbness wearing off, being replaced by anger.
Jobe speared her with his gaze. “I’ve got a spare room. This building is secure. If you won’t think of yourself, think of your mom.”
“That’s a low blow,” she seethed quietly.
Penny walked over to Jobe, putting her hand on his arm. “Than ya.” She looked at her daughter, who moved over and took her arm.
“I’m sorry, mom. Let’s go,” she said, as Jobe grabbed their two suitcases and headed toward the elevator.
* * *
Tito looked down at the girl he was banging, then jerked his eyes away again quickly. Fuck, she was ugly. Looking away meant he could keep pounding her pussy. She had survived her own beat-in and now was going through the next phase. Fucking me and then fucking about a dozen other members before I’ll let her in for good. Her face was still puffy from the beat-in and her split lip still raw. He lowered his eyes to her enormous breasts, bouncing in time to his thrusts. Huge, dark nipples ending in points as large as thimbles beckoned. Leaning down he pulled one into his mouth, biting down hard enough to have her scream out. Grinning, he kept pumping until with one last thrust, he emptied himself into her.
Pulling out of her, he nodded to the other men in the room. Laughing, he said, “I got the tight shit—who’s next for the sloppy?”
The men knew their order. The same order as their rank in the gang. This was the only way to get her membership and if they had to hold her down, she could forfeit all she had done up to this point. So she kept her mouth shut and Jazzie pounded to the raucous laughter of the others.
As soon as he was finished, Waldo stepped up. Jazzie followed Tito out to the other room and they sat until Waldo joined them, zipping his pants up as he walked over.
Jazzie grinned up at him, asking, “Anything left?”
“Hell, my dick’s so big, even you plugging her holes didn’t make a difference. Now she knows how a real piece in her ass feels.”
Tito nodded for Waldo to sit down, indicating that their ribbing was over. Spearing the two with a hard gaze, he asked, “It done?”
“Yeah, man. We got it good. She’ll know she’s been made.”
“Poco?”
“He was shittin’ to get out there. Let him mark her walk and he took some shots too.”
“Good. Gonna wait a couple of days and then make contact with Gabby. That bitch’ll come around once she’s seen what I can do.”
The conversation was interrupted by a scream from the next room. The three smiled at each other.
“Think she’ll make it?” Jazzie asked.
“Don’t give a shit. If she does, she’s in.” He looked over at Poco standing guard in the corner. Jerking his head to the other room, he said, “Hear you did good last night. Go get yourself some.”
Poco grinned. With a nod of respect to Tito, he headed to the other room. Time to reap the rewards of being in.
Tito stared at Tank, still in the corner on guard. “You did good,” he acknowledged. “You keep that up and I’ve a place for you that’s more than just standing guard.”
Tank smiled, his handsome face nodding at the acceptance. Then he walked outside, keeping his eyes open for any signs of a breach in their meeting place. Intelligent eyes searching, always on the lookout.
* * *
Jobe moved around the kitchen, trying to quietly fix breakfast. He looked up when he saw Penny standing at the counter, her belted robe around her thin frame.
“Good morning,” he greeted. “Did you sleep okay?”
Her lopsided smile answered his question and she looked beyond him to the stove before saying, “Ya bur-in ta bacon.”
“Shit!” he exclaimed, taking the bacon out of the frying pan and laying it on paper towels.
“Tha okay. She li it crisp,” Penny laughed.
“Yeah, well, I guess this will be a little extra crispy,” he said ruefully, pouring them both a cup of coffee.
“Than ya fo eve-thin,” Penny said, sitting at the table with her coffee in front of her. She stared at the young man that had stolen and then broken her daughter’s heart.
Jobe held her gaze, hoping that he met with her approval. Not for what he had done five years earlier, but for what he hoped to repair now.
“It will take time ya know?” Penny admitted to him.
Jobe sat down at the table across from her and nodded. “I want to talk to her Mrs. Dunn. I want to try to explain to her what it took several years of counseling for me to understand. But I need you to understand also,” he said, his eyes imploring hers. “I don’t expect us to get back to where we were. I just want to be in her life again because she was the best thing to happen to me outside the Forces. I’ll take just having her forgive me.”
“She ma su-pris ya. I don thin she eva stop lovin ya.”
He peered deeply into her eyes, seeing only truth and comfort there. Smiling, he admitted, “That’d be more than I deserve. But if it’s true…I’ll take it!”
They settled comfortably eating breakfast, each lost in their own thoughts. He thought back to last night when they arrived. After giving the two women a quick tour, he set their bags into the guest room. His friends had turned their second bedrooms into offices, but Jobe left his as a bedroom since he often had a sister or Army friend dropping by.
Mackenna and he had silently worked side by side as they dressed the bed with new sheets. He saw the strain around her eyes and said, “I know you’re not happy about this, but I’m the only one who has a spare bedroom right now. Your mom needs rest, so I’ll let you get her settled in.”
She had actually looked at him in gratitude which zinged right to his heart.
“Anything you need?” he asked, stepping closer. He noticed her licking her lips as her gaze moved from his eyes down to his chest and then back up. All he wanted to do was take those lips, suck on them until she was warm and wild. Blinking to clear his mind, he held her gaze.
“Hmmm?” she asked, her forehead crinkled in thought.
“Is there anything I can get you to make you or your mom more comfortable?” he repeated.
An adorable blush crept up her face, as she jerked to attention. “No. Um, no thank you.”
With that he had left the room, given Penny a quick hug and walked into his bedroom, closing the door. And proceeded to lay awake all night. Thoughts of what they were, what they could have been, and what he wished they could be swirling around in his mind.
* * *
Mackenna lay in bed, her mind on overload. When she first woke up, she could not remember where she was. Then it all came rushing back and her heart pounded in fear. Gunshots, glass, her mom, the police. And Jobe. Sighing, she gazed around the neat room and wondered how on earth she had gotten into this situation. We could have gone to a motel. But that’s not secure. We could have gone with Jennifer and slept on their sofa. But that’s not fair to their growing family. We could have…oh, hell, this was the only real choice.
Sitting up in bed, she saw her belongings neatly stacked in the corner with her laptop bag on top. Remembering what she had been looking up last night before the craziness exploded all around, she let her thoughts wander back to Jobe. Loss of control issues. Workaholic. Pulling away from loved ones. As much as her mind wanted to continue to hate him, she realized that something traumatic happened to the man she loved.
Too much time had passed to ever go back to what they were, but she could not help but wonder if perhaps he would share part of his past with her. Just so I can put it all to rest, once and for all. Only then, I might be able to move forward.
Getting out of bed, she threw on the robe that was laying on the floor and walked down the hall. The sight that greeted her was as bizarre as the entire past twenty-four hours and, yet, seemed oddly right.
Jobe and Penny were sitting, chatting over breakfast as though they had been doing so for years. Both looked up as she watched them, their smiles real and unforced.
“Goo mo-nin,” Penny greeted as Mackenna walked over to kiss her mom.
Jobe rose from his seat and headed to the stove. He was filling up her plate as she moved next to him. “You don’t have to get this,” she said, softly. “I can do it.”
“I know you can, but I’d like to,” he replied, smiling at her.
“You’ve done so much already,” she protested, taking the filled plate from his hands. As their fingers touched, her breath quickened.
“I’ve done very little for what all I need to make up for,” he said.
“Is that what this is?” she asked. “Guilt?”
He snorted as he poured her coffee. “I’m filled with guilt, doll. But no, this is doing what I want to do just because I want to help take care of you and your mom.”
Not knowing if he was referring to last night’s events or something else, she remained quiet. Taking the coffee in one hand she walked over to the table, sat next to her mom and dug in greedily to her breakfast.
Jobe reminded her that she was going to be going with him to Alvarez Security to meet with Tony and the detectives.
He caught her concerned glance at her mother and quickly said, “I’ve made arrangements for Penny for today. She’ll be well looked after.”
Penny seemed to be happy with whatever plans had been made, so Mackenna did not dispute Jobe taking charge. At least for the moment.