Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Gemini
She took it better than I thought she would that she’d have an armed escort to and from work.
We’re still working out the details of what we’ll do while she’s inside behind secured doors during her work hours, and hopefully, after we talk to Midas and Hercules today, we’ll have a better idea of how to accomplish that goal.
“Eat up, Midas and Hercules are due to arrive in the next thirty minutes,” I remind the guys.
“We need to hit the store before they get here. Sutton, can you hustle?” Orion asks.
“I’m about stuffed anyway, give me a few minutes to grab my purse and shoes,” she replies, plucking her plate off the table and taking it into the kitchen where she rinses and washes it. She walks up behind me and asks, “Is there anything else you need us to grab while we’re up town?”
“No, I already hit the store a couple of days ago, so other than the supplies for the barbecue, we’re stocked up,” I answer. She gives me a blinding smile before rushing up the stairs. I turn my attention to Orion and order, “Watch her with your life.”
“Already planned on it, Gem. Do you need some Midol and tampons while we’re at the store? I think you’re bleeding emotions all over the damn place.”
“Orion!” Pisces snaps. “You’re gonna push him too far one of these days.”
My cousin runs out of the room, laughter following in his wake.
It’s not but a few seconds after that that Sutton comes down the staircase, searching for her ride.
“He’s outside waiting for you,” I grumble.
She sends me a curious look before blowing me a kiss and running out after him.
“Guys, I’m telling you right here and right now, that I’m going to take him outside and remind him why I was the one elected to be in charge. ”
“I’ll make the popcorn,” Mercury says.
“I’ll be in charge of the beer,” Pisces teases. “First, we need to find out why he’s pushing your buttons. He never does anything without a reason.”
“Stop making excuses for him, Pisces,” I suggest. “He needs to learn to use his big boy words if he’s going through something instead taunting me and pissing me off.”
“That’s the way he lets us know he needs help,” Pisces mumbles as the front door swings open and Riptide, Rio, Gopher, and LoneStar come ambling in. “Glad y’all could make it.”
“We’re not late,” Riptide states, walking over and pulling out one of the chairs and taking a seat.
“No, but you just saved my bacon, so you’re late because you didn’t get here in time to stop me from inserting my foot into my mouth,” Pisces jokes. LoneStar snorts, probably because he’s been in my cousin’s shoes a time or two if the stories that’ve been shared with me are accurate.
“Did y’all get the equipment and check Sutton’s place out?” I ask.
“Actually, we did, and we have a few things we wanna talk about while she’s gone,” Rio replies. Nodding at LoneStar, I see the brother has a frown on his face and brace for whatever he’s going to impart.
“Went through her house and it was breached by him. No clue when, of course, but we found listening devices in her bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and living room. We didn’t find any cameras,” LoneStar says.
“Booker told us how to disable it after he did some of his techie voodoo and was able to track where the signal went. He has infiltrated it and downloaded what he found so he could backtrack and figure out when it was installed.”
“Fuck, he’s good,” I state, impressed. “Not that I understand half of that shit, but it’s bound to come in handy as we figure out what his end game is.”
“Booker said he thinks this isn’t that fucker’s first rodeo. The system is top of the line and was not detectable to the naked eye, which is why we didn’t see it when we were there the other day,” LoneStar adds.
“That’s worrisome,” Mercury muses. “If he’s able to do that it makes me wonder what else we may have missed. While Sutton is at work Monday, I think I’m gonna go back to her place and go back over everything.”
“I like that idea,” I remark. “While you’re at it, maybe we should set some booby traps.”
“I’ll hit the sports store and see if I can find any bear traps to hide beneath the fallen leaves. That’ll catch me somebody to play with if they come onto her property,” Mercury informs us.
A knock on the door has us all growing silent as I stand up and walk over, opening it. Midas and Hercules are there and greet me. “Y’all ride in together?”
“We did,” Midas confirms. “I had a broken board on one of the lanes that he came by and fixed for me so I can open them all. Saturday nights are one of my busiest.”
“Who’s gonna run it for you while you’re here?” I ask as I lead them to the table.
“I have a part time manager that comes in when I need them. She’s my sister’s stepkid and she’s trying to earn money for college,” Midas answers. “Why’d you need us here earlier than the guys?”
“Need some intel,” I tell him. “What do you know about Allen Jeffries?”
“Other than he’s a piece of shit that was born with a silver spoon in his mouth? Not much,” Midas responds. “He’s an entitled shithead.”
“Entitled how?” I probe.
“Any time he’s gotten into even a hint of trouble, it suddenly disappears.
And I’m not talking about typical bullshit, like jaywalking or speeding.
He’s had assault charges brought against him by more than one woman, yet they never make it to trial.
A hefty payout comes their way and suddenly, they’ve moved.
I have a friend who has seen pictures of what was done to one of the victims and he’s a twisted fuck on top of it,” Hercules replies.
I see Midas nod and know we’re facing something we never had before.
Thankfully, we’re not alone, we’ve got the backing of the Kings and as Big Daddy pointed out, nobody fucks with the Kings.
If someone tries, we fuck them back even worse.
While I know there are chapters that dabble in things we won’t, knowing that we have a brotherhood behind us who isn’t afraid to get their hands dirty is comforting on a lot of levels.
“Do you know of anyone who could get us closer to him without arousing suspicion?” I question. “Because he’s obviously got a hard-on for Sutton, and that doesn’t work for me.”
“My nephews might know someone, but I can’t confirm that. I know they all went to school with the shithead though,” Midas states, a disgusted look on his face. “He was evil back then too. But again, so is his father. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree in that family.”
“Is the grandfather like that too?” Mercury broaches the question, looking at me out of his peripheral vision.
“I think he is but he manages to hide it better than his son and grandkid,” Hercules supplies.
“My aunt used to date the fucker, he’s ten years older than her but treated her like she was his kid instead of his lover.
She didn’t stick around long once they broke up, for reasons she’s never shared with my dad or grandparents. ”
“So we can presume that he’s just as evil and vile as his offspring,” Rio concludes, a thoughtful look crossing his face. “Which begs the question, which one of the Jeffries crew would be easier to infiltrate?”
I think about his question and realize all three of the assholes likely think they’re untouchable.
“We know that the grandkid is obsessed with Sutton, and he obviously thinks his shit doesn’t stink.
If the grandfather is as bad as y’all have indicated, he has the years of experience that will have him spotting any attempts to get in with him.
Maybe the father?” I muse, thinking out loud.
I’m man enough to admit that right now, I’m in way over my head with this whole situation. Having other heads involved and talking it out means that nothing’s off the table as far as I’m concerned.
“We’re missing something and it’s driving me nuts,” Mercury states.
“There are so many little things that don’t quite add up if you think about it.
The cameras that are tied into the old man’s he has along his property, the shit we found at Sutton’s, the fact that there’s a brand new blind on her land.
I think if we can figure that out, we’re going to see that whatever’s going on is far worse than we can even imagine. ”
“First and foremost, you need to protect your woman,” Rio says. At my look, he shrugs. “It’s not official yet, obviously, but you know she’s gonna end up being your old lady, Gemini.”
Fuck that. She’s going to be my wife, the mother of my children, my endgame.
She just has no clue. Since she’s going through all of this shit, I’m taking it easy on her even though my instincts say to go in full throttle.
Smirking, I say, “That and more. So, any ideas before we get this party started?”
Because the smell of brisket has been driving me nuts. We all have the ability to grill, but Mercury has perfected the art of infusing the meat just right and it literally falls apart. It’s so fucking good that I’ll eat it cold without any problem whatsoever.
Before long, the party is hopping as the rest of the guys, Orion, and Sutton show up.
Everybody pitches in and gets the table set.
It’s buffet style because we’re nobody’s server.
The first men introduced to me are Midas’s three nephews and if my first impression is anything to go by, they’re going to make great brothers.
All three have a military background, which Midas had told us about, but as a unit, they decided not to re-enlist.
I notice that they’re serious when needed, but they also know how to let loose and joke around with Orion.
As I watch him banter with them, I notice the difference between the smiles he’s been giving us and the ones he’s using with them.
Dammit. Pisces is right, something is going on with him, only I don’t have time to get to the bottom of that.
I hope it holds until I have some time to dissect it.
Glancing around the yard, I notice Hercules’ men as they spread out.
A couple are following Sutton around, but not in a disrespectful way.
Any time they see her try to lift something, they jump in and take it from her which has her biting her teeth and causing me to smirk.
I get it. She’s used to doing things for herself, but a real man will step up to the plate and do all of the heavy lifting.
Yeah, I think these guys are going to be a good fit for us and the Kings as a whole.