Smoke (The Dillinger Chronicles #3)

Chapter 1

“Shit!”

I groaned as I looked down at the mass of curls in my lap.

Peach was sucking my shit like the rent was due and the baby needed milk. Every time she came in for training, we ended up in a different kind of session. It was never long before she was on her knees, or I had her bent over my desk with that plump ass clapping against my thighs.

“Coat my throat, baby,” she said, spitting on my shit before swallowing it whole.

Baby girl didn’t have to tell me twice. The way she was sucking and stroking brought me to a satisfying release. The combo of those juicy lips and long fingernails was the perfect complement to the visual before me. I came in her mouth, and she swallowed every drop before pulling my dick out and licking her lips clean.

“Fuck, Peach. You going for extra credit or some shit?” I asked, reaching for a towel to clean myself up.

Peach giggled as she stood to her feet. “I had to get my money’s worth, love.” She stooped down and pecked my lips. “I gotta go, though. LJ is getting out of school early today, so I have to pick him up.”

“That’s cool. Same time next week?”

“We’ll be here,” she said, referring to her and my favorite parts of her.

She winked at me as she left my office. I slowly stood to my feet. She never failed to leave my legs feeling weak as hell. I always had to steady myself after she left because she tended to drain me every time. Heading into the bathroom conveniently located in my office, I cleaned myself up before heading back to the showroom floor. As soon as she saw me, my cousin Kaylynn, who doubled as one of my manager and trainer, shook her head at me.

I grinned. “What?”

“You’re gonna get enough of fucking the girl.”

“Eventually.”

“She looks like the type of bitch to kiss her kid in the mouth after sucking dick. That’s the only reason she comes here. Her weapons training should have been done months ago, Smoke.”

“You knocking the woman for being an overachiever?”

“I’m knocking her for being a thirsty ass ho.”

“You need to get some pussy, Kay. You’ve been real cranky lately.”

She waved me off. “I’m over these bitches out here. They don’t deserve my love.”

I had to laugh. Kaylynn could talk about me, but she was just like me. Every time I saw her with a woman, it was never the same one.

I playfully draped an arm around her shoulder. “Who broke your heart, stink?”

“Get the fuck off me,” she said, shoving me. “Nobody broke my heart. I’m just better off solo right now. I’m focused on me and my money. Fuck these hos. On my mama, I can’t stand them.”

I shook my head. “Aunt Denise would get in your ass for putting anything on her life. Especially that. You know you love the hos, and the hos love you.”

Denise was my father and Uncle Blake’s sister. Grams and Grandpa Dillinger had four kids, two of each. Pops had the six of us. Uncle Blake had three boys and two girls. Aunt April had three girls and a boy. Aunt Denise had four boys. In other words, it was a bunch of us muthafuckas.

Pops and Uncle Blake had just purchased a few more acres to expand the family compound. I wasn’t mad at that. I liked being in a space where it was nothing but family. We didn’t have to answer to anybody, and we could be as loud as we wanted to. Of course, I still had a loft in the city for nights when I didn’t feel like driving out to the country. It was also closer to my warehouse and lab.

Outside of the family and my gun shop, Smoke’s , I was the top weapons dealer on this side of the country. Whether it be guns, ammo, chemicals, or whatever, I knew my shit. My connects were from all over the place. My grandfather put a gun in my hand for the first time when I was seven years old, and it fascinated me. Every time I came over to my dad’s, Grandpa would take me into the woods behind the big house and teach me target practice.

That was where I got the nickname Smoke. I could get trigger happy, and I was a quick draw. He said I had a natural talent if he ever saw one. He was the one who nurtured my love of guns, but he also taught me safety. My training classes were a homage to him. He’d come in and taught a class or two when I first opened.

For four years now, I’d been running my shop and servicing a plethora of clients. I could get my hands on a little of everything, but guns were my specialty. Pops had dug in my ass on several occasions about going into his gun safe. I’d spend hours in there examining and learning every part of each pistol. My favorite thing was taking them apart and putting them back together.

I had this girlfriend named Roux back in my teenage years, but everybody called her Roulette. Her father was a kingpin and close friends with Uncle Blake before he got locked up for avenging the murders of his sons. Baby was crazy as a muthafucka, and Russian Roulette was her favorite form of gunplay. It was like she got a high off that shit. She and I used to have contests to see who could take apart and put a gun back together the fastest. Every time I beat her, she tried to shoot my ass.

I chuckled at the memory. I’d have to hit her up and check on her soon.

“Get back to work, Kay,” I said, playfully nudging her. “I don’t pay you to judge me.”

She waved me off as she headed to help a customer. The sound of the bell ringing above the entrance caused me to turn my head in that direction. In stepped a beautiful, caramel-complexioned sista with shoulder-length locs. She was dressed in pink scrubs that hugged her small curves. Shorty couldn’t have been more than five feet six compared to my six feet four.

Those brown eyes and plump, oiled lips drew me to her beautiful face. Damn, she was fine. So fine, I almost missed the pudge in her belly. When she saw me staring at her, she smiled softly and made her way over. Her eyes widened as people tended to do when they saw just how big of a man I was up close.

She swallowed hard and adjusted her face.

“Excuse me, can you help me?” she asked in a soft, sultry voice.

“What can I do for you?”

She extended her hand. “I’m Romi Mitchell. I’m… I’m uh, I’m looking to buy a gun.”

“I’m Smoke?—”

“Smoke?”

“I apologize. Devin. Smoke is a nickname.” I shook her hand. “I’m the owner.”

“Oh! Now that makes sense. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Likewise. You have any idea what you’re looking for?”

“I don’t. I don’t really know much about guns.”

“May I ask why you need one? Not trying to get in your business. I just wanna make sure I’m not helping you participate in a crime.”

She held up her hands and shook her head. “No, no. It’s for protection.” She was hesitant as she looked around for a moment before speaking. “Is there somewhere we can speak in private?”

“Uh… sure. Follow me.”

I led her off the showroom floor and down to my office, all while trying to remember if it was presentable after Peach left. Instead of going there, I opted to take her to one of the unoccupied conference rooms. Once inside, I closed the door and pulled out a chair for her.

“Thank you,” she said, easing down into it.

“How far along are you?”

Her hand immediately went to her stomach. “Oh… I’m nearing seven months.”

“Really? No offense, but you don’t look big at all.”

“I know.”

“Boy or girl?”

She smiled as she rubbed her belly. “A girl. Juri Angel Mitchell after two of my favorite book characters.”

I chuckled. “That sounds like something my nerdy little sister would do. Congratulations. Is this your first one?”

“No. I have an eight-year-old little girl named Korri.”

“Is she excited to be a big sister?”

“She is. She thinks she’s gonna have her own little doll baby.” Her smile dropped. “That’s kind of why I’m here. My ex… he’s been harassing me for months now. He’s had me followed. He’s had my place of business broken into and my house.”

“Excuse me for asking the obvious question, but why haven’t you gone to the police?”

“Don’t you think I would if I could? His… his father holds an important title to the city. Going to the police only makes things worse for me. I’ve seen that firsthand.”

“I can’t imagine it would be worse than shooting him,” I said flatly.

She scoffed. “I have children to protect, sir.”

“I get that?—”

“Are you a father?”

“No, I’m not?—”

“Then you wouldn’t understand. I made some mistakes, and I regret them, but I don’t regret my baby. She’s a blessing, even if her father is a tyrant.”

She was breathing hard, and her nostrils were flaring in anger.

“Calm down, mama,” I said, standing.

Going to the mini fridge in the corner, I grabbed a bottle of water and handed it to her. She was slow to take it but muttered, “Thank you.” I watched as she twisted the cap off and placed the bottle to her plump lips to drink. Once she capped the drink, I spoke again.

“Listen, I’m sorry if I offended you. I get having ties to people who have the law on their side. Shit ain’t always fair.”

“It’s not.”

“Why is he harassing you?”

She sighed. “He wanted to use my shop to have his… product delivered… if you know what I mean.” I nodded, and she continued. “When I refused, he said I would get on board or regret it. I guess this is me regretting it. He also doesn’t know that I’m pregnant, and I obviously can’t hide it for much longer.”

“Listen. I get you’re scared. But you really need to have documented cases as evidence in case shit takes a turn. I don’t care if he comes at you every single day. Report that nigga so if and when you have to shoot his ass, you have a solid case. I can’t imagine you wanna give birth behind bars.”

She shook her head as she wiped her tears. “I don’t. This whole thing has gotten out of hand. Korri is staying with my parents until it’s safe, and I miss her so much. And no, I’m not going to stay with them. I refuse to let him run me out of what’s mine. I just… I can’t even enjoy this pregnancy because I feel like I’m not gonna make it through it.”

At this point, she failed to keep the tears at bay. Reaching across the table, I grabbed a tissue and handed it to her. I hated to see women cry. In my line of business, I came across more battered and scared women than I’d like to. The fact that she was pregnant gave me a little soft spot.

“Here’s what I’m gonna do for you,” I said, leaning forward. “We’ll get you set up with a piece, and I’ll do your training for free.”

She shook her head. “I can’t let you do that. I have to pay you.”

“Think of it as a favor from a friend.”

She frowned. “Are you looking to cash in on this favor?”

“Nah. I don’t need anything from you, love. I have three sisters and a shitload of other women in my family that I would hope someone would do the same for if I couldn’t protect them. It’s all good. We can start Monday. I would say this weekend, but my brother is getting married on Saturday, so the place will be closed.”

“Are you sure about this?” she asked, standing.

I stood as well. “Baby, I don’t say things I don’t mean. My word is bond.”

She was hesitant for a moment before she did something I didn’t expect. She hugged me. Not a light, friendly hug. It was one of those hugs where I could tell she really needed it. I obliged her by wrapping my arms around her to hug her back. A sigh escaped her as she relaxed.

“You give good hugs, Devin,” she said softly.

I chuckled. “Thank you.”

She pulled away and peered up at me in a way that stirred something in my soul.

“No. Thank you .”

“It’s no problem. What time can you be here on Monday?”

“Is eleven fine? I have a doctor’s appointment at ten, and I took the rest of the day off.”

“Eleven is fine. I’ll put you down.”

“Okay.”

I walked her back to the storefront and to the door. We said our goodbyes, and I watched until she made it to her car. Shorty was beautiful. The whole time I spoke with her, I couldn’t help but admire her. It was too bad she had a fuck nigga on her ass. I should have gotten a name from her. I decided I’d pump her for more information on Monday. If curiosity got the best of me, I’d just have Jaeda pull her info.

Turning from the door, I bumped right into Kaylynn’s ass. She stood with her arms crossed and a smirk on her face.

“What, man?” I asked.

“Here you go.”

“Whatchu’ mean!”

“You found a new conquest.”

I kissed my teeth. “Nobody is thinking about that woman, Kay. She’s pregnant?—”

“She has a pussy. That’s all you need.”

“Take your ass back to work.”

Her laughter echoed as she walked away. I didn’t like that she thought a nigga didn’t have standards. I’d never take advantage of a vulnerable, pregnant woman… even if she was fine as hell.