Chapter 15
CHAPTER 15
W e Meet Again
Dean
Two months later …
“Thank you so much, Dean. I loved the first three books in the series. I’m looking forward to the next installment.”
“I hope I don’t disappoint.”
“Never, you haven’t written a word I haven’t loved. You have a fan for life in me.”
“Thank you, Tiffany. Make sure to take some swag, boo.”
She gives me the biggest smile and grabs a bookmark, pen, and poster. I return the smile and reach for my water before the next person steps up. I close my eyes and inhale. This feels normal.
Things have been quiet since I’ve been back. The meet with LaSalle was pushed back. Word on the street is that his people are having a little issue.
Names like Donati and Caprisi have been buzzing around, but I’m not ready to stick my nose in those people’s business. For now, I’m putting Danika back into her box and going back to my life as Dean Foxx. Although I am still keeping my distance from Kaye and Lakia for now.
I decided to do this small book signing as a distraction from all the shit I have going on. Gabby was fired, but her name and the publisher’s name are both in the lawsuit. Lauren was dropped from her contract as well.
Too bad the bitch didn’t pay attention to the fact that the work had to be her original work, or she would be dropped and would be financially responsible for any suit stating or proving otherwise.
See, I can handle shit in a sane manner. Nobody has died … yet. Ireland might have been good for me after all.
“Ach, that smile better mean yer thinking about me, love.”
I pop my eyes open to find none other than Ronan McGowan standing in front of me. I bite my lip as I stare up at him. His eyes look so much clearer and intense than I remember.
What are the chances I would run into him at a book signing in California? Why the hell is he here? Shit, how do I look?
“Ronan? What are you doing here?” I whisper.
“I’m looking after some things for my sister’s husband. My woman is in town signing books, so I thought I’d pop in and give her a snog.”
I can’t help the smile that comes to my face. God, this man is persistent. I clear my throat and lift a brow.
“Your woman? What’s a snog?”
“Aye, my woman,” he says as he reaches behind my neck and captures my lips in a deep, searing kiss. I have to grasp the table to keep myself from lifting out of my seat. He breaks the kiss and pulls away. “That, love, is a snog.”
“You’re going to make those rumors about me start up again,” I breathe and shake my head.
He gives me a questioning look. I brush it off. This is not the time or place to tell him that an author who was mad my first book became a bestseller ran around telling anyone who would listen that I fucked her husband while she watched.
We had been cool before that. She was my critique partner in the beginning. Her first two books didn’t really do much, but she refused to change covers and get a real editor. That wasn’t my fault or my problem.
The next thing I knew, she was besties with anyone who had my name in their mouth in a negative way. The same folks she talked shit about repeatedly. I never knew her husband and I wouldn’t fuck his funny-looking ass if they paid me to.
However, once the rumors started, everyone started to call me a ho and put out there that I fucked to get where I was. People will believe some shit that doesn’t make any damn sense just to have a reason to hate you.
“Excuse me, I believe I was next,” a guy comes up and says while holding my book.
I jerk my head back as I watch the dark look that comes over Ronan’s face. The guy looks between the two of us and takes a step back. I reach under the table for my bag.
Not that I don’t have male readers. I have met a few at this event today. One said he reads with his girlfriend. She couldn’t come out today because she had to work, so he was here to get them both signed copies. I thought that was cute.
I’m not alarmed by the fact this guy has come to my table. I have male readers, but I have rarely had a white male reader come to a signing. Something feels off.
Before I can pull my piece, the guy tosses my book down on the table and hurries off. A piece of paper falls out of the book onto the table. Ronan moves lightning fast to pick the paper up and read it.
Fury fills his expression. He balls the page up and shoves it into his back pocket. I look up at him with furrowed brows.
Turning his head, he gives a slight nod I would have missed if I weren’t watching him. I quickly glance to see who the gesture was for. I catch the back of a redhead rushing off through the crowd.
“What did that note say?”
“How much longer do you need to be here?”
“Ronan, what did the note say?” I bite out.
I don’t have time for games. I need to know if some shit could pop off. I don’t want to drag him in the middle of some of my shit.
“It’s nothing ya need to fuss about, love. When yer done here, we can go for dinner. I’ve missed ya.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose and release a heavy breath. How can I tell him that I need to watch my back because I’m in the middle of some shit with Albanian drug lords? This is why I don’t date.
“Here, this is the key to my room. I still have about an hour and a half left. I’ll meet you there and we’ll talk.”
My hotel and room number are on the key sleeve. It’s not far from here. If he leaves now, I can excuse myself to get Hudson to find that guy and brief him to keep an eye out, but also for him and the guys to keep their distance when Ronan is around.
Ronan takes the key, making sure to brush my fingers as he does so. That freaking pulse between my legs starts.
He leans in once more and pecks my lips. As if he’s not satisfied with that, he captures my lips in a deep kiss. I’m left breathless when he pulls away.
I keep my eyes on him as he turns and leaves. Damn, does anything not look good on that man? His blue jeans hug his tight ass as he strolls off. The white dress shirt he has on stretches nicely across his broad back.
“When do you plan to write about him? You can take my money now.”
I turn to the reader, fanning her face as she looks after Ronan. I plaster on a smile instead of telling her to keep her eyes to herself. What has this man done to me?
“Excuse me, can you give me one sec?”
“Sure, I’ll be right here. I’ve been dying to meet you.”
“Aw, just give me one second. We’ll take a pic too.”
She gasps and clutches her books to her chest as her eyes light up. She nods excitedly as I get up and signal for Hudson to come over. He moves quickly to my side.
“What’s up, boss? You need me to go kick the redhead’s ass?”
I scoff. “No, he’s fine. I know him. It’s the other guy. The one with the glasses and the sweatshirt. Find him and see if he’s a problem I need handled.
“Also, stay away from the redhead and out of sight when he’s around. Let the guys know he’s going to my suite. He’s not a threat, let him by.
“He doesn’t know me as DP and I don’t want him to find out until I’m ready. You get me?”
“I got you, boss. I’ll let the guys know. Stanley is here. I’ll go follow up on that dude.”
“Thanks.”
“No problem, boss.”
I breathe a sigh of relief. Hudson knows to play the background. He’s a sharpshooter, so he can give me a wide berth to live my life without him on top of me.
It doesn’t hurt that I was raised with my head on a swivel. I’ll drop a motherfucker before they get me. I glance around and release a breath.
The reader is still standing at my table, looking both nervous and excited. She’s reading the back cover of one of my older books.
“Thanks for being so patient.”
“You’re so welcome. I can’t believe I’ve never read this one. I thought I had read all of your books. This one sounds so good.”
“Here, I’ll sign that one to you. It’s on me.”
“Really? You don’t have to do that. I was about to purchase it.”
“Say less …”
“Mika. My name is Tamika, but my friends call me Mika. You’ve been a friend in my head since Don’t Rush A Player .
“That book was fire. I love how diverse your catalog is. I can get a dose of thug love or a fine educated Black man running shit.
“Although I meant what I said. I’d buy a book about your boyfriend as the muse. You’re one lucky sister.”
I finish signing her books and get up to take a picture with her. Even with my flats on, she’s way shorter than me. However, she excitedly goes to wrap her arm around my waist.
“Thank you so much for taking a picture with her. She wanted one before you offered, but was too scared to ask,” her friend says before snapping a few pictures with her friend’s phone.
“You guys enjoy the rest of the signing. There are some dope authors here.”
* * *
Ronan
“Hold him up,” I snarl at Lochlann as this piece of shit collapses to his knees.
From the moment I looked at him, I knew he didn’t belong anywhere near Dean. The tat on his neck and the back of his hand were my first clues. He didn’t expect to see me, that’s for sure.
The fucker nearly shit his pants. He’s lucky I haven’t blown his head off. Whoever sent him has a death wish and they set him up to die alongside them.
“Who sent you?” I bark out again.
“I told you. I don’t know anything. I was told to drop off the letter and get out of there.”
“You were told by who?” I bellow and punch him in his gut once again.
The rawny bastard can take a beating. I’ve been pounding on him in this run-down building since I caught up to him and Lochlann. His face is bloody, and his eye is beginning to swell shut.
I’m wearing his blood on my white shirt and knuckles. I want answers and I want them now. Who dares threaten my woman?
“I don’t know,” he groans.
“You take a letter to a woman to threaten her, and you don’t know anything about who sent you? Do I look like an eejit?”
Tired of this and not knowing much about this location Lochlann has brought us to, I reach into this fucks pocket and pull out his phone and wallet. I need to get the information I want and be gone. I have someplace I want to be.
I haven’t been able to get Dean off my mind. That kiss is never far from my thoughts. When I learned she was in Cali signing books, I had to see her.
I’m only in California for a wee bit. I’m checking in on some things for Black and Lock while Joe and the others are in New York with the Briggs and Mairetties. I learned about the appearance because I’ve been keeping tabs on anything Dean Foxx.
We have unfinished business. For now, I’m ignoring certain other details that have come to light with that note. I’ll process all that once this is taken care of.
“You don’t want to talk? Fine. Let’s see if you have people you care about. They can take a beating for you. Maybe then you’ll start to move your lips.”
He remains mute as if he couldn’t care less. We’ll see how long that bullshit holds up. I snort as I pull his ID from the wallet and toss it back at him. It hits him right in the face, causing me to chuckle to myself.
“You’re a long way from home,” I say and whistle as I read the address on his ID.
He says nothing, continuing to piss me off. I want to know who I plan to kill for threatening Dean. I’m going to have someone’s head.
“You want to know something, Tom Beuford?”
He shrugs his shoulders slightly. “You’re shit at picking friends. You see, I surround myself with people I can learn from. People who will teach me things. Things like why not to take on tasks without knowing the details about what I’m getting myself into.
“Or people who can teach me how to get into someone else’s phone without needing their passcode. Aye, I’ll have to tell my nephew that one still works for me.” I turn his phone to him and shake it in his face so he can see I’m in his device and have access to all his information.
This seems to light a fire under his ass. Panic fills his face, and he begins to fight against Lochlann’s hold. This either means the name I’m looking for is on this device, or he has someone he cares about on here whom he doesn’t want me to find.
“I just came in for the job. I owe a lot of money. I was told if I did this, my debts would be wiped clean. I had no idea she was connected to you, man. They said she was just some author. He said not to get too close to her and not to engage her without a crowd around or some shit.”
“He who? I’m not going to ask you again.”
“They’re holding my girl until I return, man. I know who you are. I know what you’ll do to me, but they’ll do so much worse to her if I talk.”
“Sounds like you’re both going to die either way. They’re not expecting you back. They probably already killed her, so you might as well talk,” I say dryly.
“Dalmat. He has her.”
“The Albanians? Bujar’s younger brother?”
“Yes, I owe Bujar the money. I used to work for his brother. They gave me a one-way ticket and promised I’d get Joanie back once they heard from the author and knew the job was done.”
“One-way ticket?” I scoff. “They knew she would kill you. It’s your lucky day. I’m going to do you a favor.”
“Man, I fucked up getting involved in all of this. You help me get back home and get my girl back and I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”
“Ach, ya misunderstood me. I’m not yer da, I’m not going to help ya out of your coke habit mistakes. I don’t plan to do shit for ya but take yer life mercifully. I’ve already shown ya too much courtesy, making sure ya understand my words.”
“But … but I could be of use to you. Please. Don’t do this.”
Lochlann hands me a gun with a silencer on it. I put it under Tom’s chin and pull the trigger.”
“What do ya want me to do with him?” Lochlann says as I stand with my chest heaving while looking down at this piece of shit.
Rage fills me. This is my fault. The Albanians are having trouble breathing because I have LaSalle down their necks.
Because Brax wants Kline’s head on a platter, I’ve set things in motion to get him that. All business for the Albanians has been brought to a halt until they cut ties with Kline. The note now makes sense.
“Send a few pieces back to where he came from. Ya know what to do with the rest.”
“Ya want me to call for one of the guys to come take ya back to the office?”
“No, I have somewhere to be.”