Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Decker
I knew Krew was wrong about the cops. Someone would call the Chicago PD, and once they discovered Kane’s body, they would have every patrol car canvasing the area for persons of interest.
Since Krew refused my direct demand to leave, my only choice was to point the gun at his head.
The anger and shock on his face had cut me to the marrow, but it was for his own damn good.
He went to juvey for his piece of shit brother; I still cared too much for Krew to see him embroiled in this fucking mess.
I watched Krew disappear into the dark shadows of the alley. My soul screamed for him to come back. Instead, I bit my tongue until the outline of his perfect form vanished from my sight. Then I fled on foot toward the vehicle I stole yesterday and parked in a dark alley a block away from here.
A nondescript minivan, with dull red paint and heavy rust on the bumpers—the vehicle was old, but it ran. For added insurance, I had switched the plates with those from a different minivan with a similar appearance.
After I’d put on my gloves and placed my gun case in the back seat, I slid in and drove the speed limit all the way to Waukegan.
The suburb was far enough away that the Chicago PD wouldn’t track me—which was unlikely anyway, since this wasn’t my first hit and I knew not to leave any evidence behind.
I drove to the edge of a park in a residential neighborhood and pulled over by a row of dense shrubbery.
I scanned the area, making sure no one was around.
Once I knew the park was clear, I grabbed my gun case and ditched the vehicle.
Then I hoofed it several blocks, tossed the gloves in someone’s garbage can and continued on until I arrived to where I’d parked my truck.
Finally in the driver’s seat, I sat there in the dark for a moment as the adrenalin settled in my blood stream.
Craving nicotine, I retrieved an open pack of cigarettes from the glove box, pulled one out and lit the tip.
I sucked in a deep drag and released both the smoke and the energy bouncing throughout my body.
With an exhale, I started the engine and took a roundabout route, driving through several town to make sure I wasn’t being followed, before heading to a motel several towns away.
Once in the room, I dropped my duffle on the bed and fished out my old personal cellphone—the one I’ve had since high school, and its charger.
Despite using burner phones, I’ve paid to keep my old number active, and carried the phone around like a sad sack, because it had old messages from Krew and Regina.
It was duct taped and the screen had a spiderweb of cracks, though it still worked. Although, I rarely charge it. I should have replaced it years ago, but then I would have lost the old voice messages from Krew and Regina.
No sooner had I plugged in the old phone into the charger, my burner cell vibrated in my pocket with a text. I pulled it out and stared down at the message, smiling.
Unknown: Money deposited.
It was followed by an email notification from one of my accounts alerted me that two hundred and fifty grand had been deposited. Elation raced through me at seeing those numbers. I loved payday, especially when I rid the earth of scumbags like Kane Maxwell.
This payday had come at a steep cost, though. The price had been putting fear on Krew’s face.
I never imagined I’d point a gun at my best friend—along with all the bullshit lies—I hated myself for it.
Every word was probably festering in my boy’s brain.
He would, no doubt, be replaying everything I had said over and over until he couldn’t ponder on it any more.
But it was necessary, even if it created distrust between us.
However, I couldn’t worry about what Krew thought of me. Our friendship had been dust from the second my old man used his connections to have me thrown into the military.
Franklin Moss had promised me that one day I’d serve our country, and I’d given him his wish the moment I slid into the back seat of that goddamn car Teke had stolen.
Still feeling on edge, I decided to shower. I needed to rid my body of the filth of the job.
I stepped inside the stall and let the hot water wash away all the present bullshit and the past memories that were clogging my brain. Some refused to leave, and I got lost in those memories, my mind replaying those last perfect days before everything in my life went to hell.
* * *
“So how does it feel to be an adult?” Regina’s beautiful smile lit up the entire lunch room.
“No different from yesterday,” I admitted, shoving fries into my mouth.
“But you can stay out late ? —”
“I could do that even before I turned eighteen.” I winked at her, then took a bite of my burger.
“I know.” She scrunched up her nose, then chuckled. “But now you won’t get in trouble with the cops or with your father.”
“What are you two talking about?” Krew sat down next to her and scooched close. For the briefest of seconds, my jealousy bubbled up, until I truly looked at my two best friends, and all the possessiveness evaporated.
“I asked Deck how he felt about turning eighteen today.”
Krew smiled as he practically echoed my answer. “No different than yesterday.”
“Yup, that’s what he said,” Regina laughed, as she covered her beautiful full lips with her hand. Her tinkling laughter did something to my insides, but I quickly tamped down my yearning, because I needed to be good for her. For all of us.
“It’s true,” I added with a shrug.
Without a thought as to who was around us, Krew used his thumb to wipe ketchup from the corner of my lips before popping his finger into his mouth. He then leaned in; his face close to Regina’s and whispered, “Are we still on for tonight?”
“All set,” she whispered back with a mischievous grin.
“What are you two up to?” I swung a glare from Regina to Krew. “I’m not going to like this, am I?”
Regina lifted her stubborn chin and pointed a finger at me. “Decker Joseph Moss, you will and are going to like it. Do you hear me?” Determination was fixed in her light brown eyes.
I quickly raised my hands in surrender. “Fine. I’ll like it. Now tell me what am I going to like?” I had a feeling what Regina had planned. I hoped it was like the intimate party she organized for Krew’s birthday last year. But I wasn’t going to spoil her fun by demanding answers.
“Nope,” Krew and Regina said in unison.
“You’ve done too much already. Three days in a row?”
Regina reached out her hand and clasped mine. “Because you are worth it.”
“You are,” Krew echoed as he placed a hand on top of ours.
“Whatever,” I mumbled and refocused on my food. “You know I hate surprises.”
“You’ll like this one.” Krew winked with a mouthful of fries. His eyes conveyed the same sentiment Regina held in hers. Pure excitement.
* * *
A blast of frigid water shocked me back into reality. After shutting the shower off, I got out, stepped onto the mat and wrapped a thin towel around my waist.
I stood there, eyes closed, water dripping from my hair onto my chest, remembering the kisses I had received later that day—innocent ones from Regina and not-so-innocent, hungry kisses from Krew.
That was the last birthday I celebrated with my best friends.
Nothing in my life had compared to those moments of bliss.
Then the image of her at the underground fight slipped into my mind. She was still so beautiful—more so now, if I was being honest. Her hair was no longer blonde, or long. It leaned toward darker brown, with a hint of red under the industrial lights that hung high in the building.
She had also filled out, and just thinking about that brought my dick to life.
Imagining what was under her slinky, black dress had my dick at full mast. There was no chance of the thin cotton towel around my waist being able to hold down my rigid shaft. I dropped it, spread my legs slightly apart, and ran my palm along my length.
Then Krew—my best friend—my ex-lover, swirled into my thoughts and I swallowed the lust that man always brought out in me. Even to this day.
He was still insanely gorgeous, with an ass— Fuck .
I wrapped my fingers around my girth, squeezed and a moan escaped past my lips.
Between the real, heady sensation of my hand around my cock and the memory of the night I took Krew’s virginity—how he let me claim him as mine, this was going to be quick.
But I didn’t want to be a two-pump chump, I squeezed my dick at the base, held it tight, and then repeatedly thrust my hips, gliding the shaft through my fisted hand.
I groaned out in pleasure as I drove myself higher.
As predicted, it didn’t take long for me to spill my seed.
With a low grunt, I came quick and hard.
The euphoria lasted about five seconds until I caught my reflection in the mirror and— “Jesus Christ.” I scrubbed my clean hand over my face.
What the hell was I doing? I couldn’t afford to think about the past. Or what could have been.
I wasn’t that Decker anymore. He died long ago with the first bullet I shot that had killed someone.
My shoulders slumped with the realization that I wasn’t good for anyone, especially for Regina or Krew.
And the evil things I’d done—no way I could bring that baggage into their lives.
I didn’t want to linger on my festering emotions, so I washed my hands, wiped my dick, and cleaned up the jizz on the floor.
I stepped out of the bathroom and stilled when I recognized the sound. My old cell phone was pinging.
A slow smile crept across my face as I stepped closer to the bed. I glanced down at the screen as eagerness tore through my gut. Only one person would be blowing up my phone with text messages.
“Son of a bitch,” I chuckled.
I unlocked the phone. The texts were all from the same number.
I shook my head as a smile split wide across my face. He couldn’t listen to save his life—not back then, and apparently not now. My eyes began to sting, knowing that we might have been apart all this time, but he still remembered my old number.
Krew: It’s me… Krew.
Krew: I know you told me not to follow you, but you never said I couldn’t call. I chanced it and tried your old number, and it worked. Well… I hope this is you. Call me.
I chuckled. “Christ. He hasn’t changed.” Elation thrummed through me. “Krew.” His name fell from my lips like a wish.
Krew: Damn it, Deck. Call me. Text me. I don’t give a fuck how you do it. I’m pacing my ass off worrying about you. CALL ME!!
I wasn’t going to answer, but as I pictured him marching back and forth, frantically talking to himself, ready to do something stupid, I changed my mind.
Me: I’m good .
It was all I was willing to give him. Then I shut off the phone, dropped it onto the bed, and let my mind wander to the past again.
The day I’d had with Regina and Krew in our private spot at the Honey Pot.
Then that night, when I had been with Krew, and how we had explored with our mouths, our bodies, and our dicks.
There was only one way to cure the lust churning in my groin again. I grabbed a lube packet from my wallet, and slicked up my cock.
I stroked myself until there was nothing left in my balls. My body was physically satisfied. But my heart? My soul? They still wanted Krew and Regina.
I’d reconciled to the idea that the wish I had made long ago, that Regina, Krew and I would live together in bliss somewhere outside the narrow-minded town of Elida, was just that, a wish that would never come true.
But maybe… Maybe my luck was changing.