Chapter 21 Specter
Specter
My phone buzzing on the nightstand shatters the early morning peace. I’m already awake, just staring at the stunning man in my bed, but I’d rather the real world didn’t interrupt just yet. That doesn’t change the fact that it’s happening though.
Rolling over, I reach out and grab my phone, swiping the screen to unlock it.
Crestvale House: Meeting in ten in the dining room.
I rub my eyes, sitting up. Fuck. Something must be up for Shadow to call a meeting this early. I slide out of bed and shuffle to the bathroom to piss and brush my teeth, still slightly irritated. I wanted to wake up next to Cashmere and make sure he’s not freaking out like he did last time.
After throwing on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt, I quietly return to the bed, gazing down at him.
“I’m awake,” he says softly.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
“You didn’t.” He opens his eyes as he brushes his hair off his face. “Where are you going?”
“Shadow called a house meeting. I’m sure it won’t be long. Go back to sleep.”
Cashmere nods as I bend down and kiss his forehead. As I back up, he grips my T-shirt to hold me in place. I tense, wondering if he’s going to shut down again.
“Could I be an absolute brat and ask you to bring back coffee for me?”
The tension in my shoulders relaxes. “You’re my brat and I’m happy to spoil you. Cream and sugar?”
“Until you can’t taste the coffee anymore.”
Unable to hold back, I kiss the tip of his nose, then his plush mouth. “You got it.”
I leave my room feeling lighter than I have in ages. Maybe ever. I don’t know how Cashmere does that to me, but I’m not gonna fight it.
When I enter the dining room, Whisper, Nimble, and Wraith are already there.
Carnage, Shadow, Ghost, and Phantom show up seconds later.
My eyes gravitate to our leader, and I study his face, looking for signs of stress, but he’s hard to read.
He always has been. The only time he looks remotely happy and expressive is when Bellamy is around.
I take a seat next to Wraith and lean forward, resting my elbows on the table.
Shadow inhales deeply, then slowly exhales, twisting his neck back and forth. “Last night, Specter inadvertently exposed a cancer growing in this community.”
My brow crinkles as Shadow’s gaze moves to me.
“He found his target at a known drug house, but what we didn’t know then is that there’s a huge drug ring that has been slowly eating up territory.”
“Why the fuck do we care?” Carnage asks.
Shadow’s jaw ticks. “If you’d let me get to that.”
Carnage holds his hands up and bows his head in apology.
“We have a friend, someone we’ve worked with before, who has a vested interest in making sure the leader of this drug ring is taken out.
Law enforcement calls him Houdini because he escapes every charge and sentence he’s ever gotten through insane methods.
They thought he’d moved west, but it turns out he’s been here for months, rebuilding. ”
“They found out because of the body I left?” I ask.
Specter nods. “Yeah, but that’s a good thing. They didn’t know and they weren’t looking.”
I nod. “Okay. What’s the plan? What about the kids?”
“The kids have been taken care of. There were three girls in the house. For now, I’m gonna put Whisper on surveillance, but this one will be a team effort. We need to take out the whole crew. Be ready.”
Shadow talks about some other business, but Cashmere’s stalker keeps needling my brain. He’s been too quiet. You don’t make an aggressive attack like that and then just give up. No fucking way.
“Can I ask a question?”
Everyone turns to me and Shadow nods, gesturing for me to continue.
“Cashmere is here because he was attacked by a stalker.” I frown. “But we’re pretty sure it wasn’t just some rando with no boundaries. It felt personal to him.”
Carnage cracks his knuckles. “What do you know about him?”
“Nothing yet. I’m concerned because he’s disappeared, but he was willing to hurt Cashmere. He tried to kidnap him. Guys like that don’t just fade away, but he hasn’t made a move since.”
“Do you think you might’ve scared him off?” Ghost asks. “I wouldn’t fuck with you.”
“Maybe, but I can’t be with Cashmere twenty-four seven. I guess I’m asking for ideas on how to find him.”
“There’s only one way, and you know what it is,” Shadow says.
My jaw clenches. “Too dangerous. I don’t want to use Cashmere as bait.”
“You’d bait him into the guppy pond where a bunch of sharks are waiting, man,” Wraith says, clapping my shoulder. “He wouldn’t stand a chance.”
“What are you really asking?” Shadow knows me way too well.
“I guess for some time to go off script. There’s no one paying for this hit, but it’s gotta happen.”
Shadow nods and we all wait in silence. To my knowledge, none of us have ever asked for permission to take someone out that wasn’t funded by a client.
“I know this is personal, but it’s gotta be handled professionally. Don’t get sloppy just because emotions are involved.”
“I wouldn’t.”
“You’ve got a week. I’ll clear the schedule to give you time to focus, with the caveat that if Whisper needs backup, you’re there.”
“A hundred percent.” I nod to Whisper, then Shadow. “Thank you.”
“We’ve got your back too,” Shadow continues. “If you need us, just ask.”
A rare surge of emotion makes my eyes prickle. “Thanks, boss.”
After the meeting breaks up, I head to the kitchen to make coffee for Cashmere with Wraith in tow.
“I’m here to help, bror.”
“Thanks, man.” I overload the coffee with cream and sugar, stirring it while I sort my thoughts. “Luring him out at Segreto is too dangerous.”
Wraith nods. “Too many eyes.”
“If he’s been watching somehow, he knows Cashmere is well protected here.”
“Yep.”
I turn my gaze to my friend’s face. “That means Cashmere’s apartment.”
“And the appearance that he’s alone.”
“Fuck. You’re right.”
“Take the coffee. We’ll put our heads together later.”
“Thanks.”
I return to my room, and when I enter, Cashmere is still huddled under the blankets.
“Oh my god, I can smell it.” He stirs, sitting up and stretching his arms over his head. “Gimme.”
Smiling, I carry the coffee over and hand it to him.
He smiles before taking a sip. “Ooh, it’s perfect.”
That makes me happy. I sink down onto the bed by his feet. “Sleep well?”
“Like a dream.” He looks slightly sheepish for a second. “Good sex and a good bed makes a huge difference.”
“It does.”
He studies my face so intently that I find myself wishing I could hide from his gaze.
“What happened at the meeting? Is something wrong?”
“No. Just an assignment that may need more than one of us.”
“About?”
“You don’t want to know.”
“I asked you that last night and got the same response. Why would I ask if I didn’t want to know?”
“Making conversation? Forgetting what my job entails?” I shrug. “I don’t know.”
“How about being interested in your life and what you’re doing?”
“It’s better if I don’t tell you stuff. Then you’re not culpable in any way.”
“Why would I be culpable? Who would even know?” He sips his coffee as a deep crease appears on his brow. “You don’t trust me. You think I might tell someone.”
“No, that’s not it.” I squeeze his foot under the blankets. “That’s not it at all. I do trust you.”
“Then you think I’m a fragile doll who can’t handle it?”
His questions leave me a little flustered. “I, um…” I shake my head. “I’ve just never talked about it. Never had anyone to talk to about it except the guys.”
His expression relaxes. “Sorry. I’m bossy sometimes.”
“I like it.” I chew my bottom lip for a second, contemplating what to tell him. Shadow always says to use our judgment when it comes to who knows what in our lives, and I do trust Cashmere. “I rescued a girl last night from what I’m pretty sure was a sex trafficking ring.”
“Oh god. Is she okay?”
“Yeah. I took her to a shelter that deals with that kind of thing. She’s, um… fuck.” I blow out a breath. “She’s fourteen.”
“Jesus. That’s disgusting.”
“Yeah. It really bothers me when kids get hurt. She was lured to a party and drugged. That’s how it happens a lot.”
“I know. I got lucky avoiding it when I was on the streets.”
I snap my gaze up. “What?”
He sips his coffee like he didn’t just drop a major bomb on me. “I was homeless for a few years after I took off from my so-called family.”
“You left that part out before.”
“Wasn’t relevant.”
Yeah, it fucking is.
“I saw a lot of kids get swept under by drugs, picked up by creeps, then never come back. Some kids turned tricks to get some money to survive, but I couldn’t.
I kind of wanted to.” He laughs darkly. “It looked easy, but me and my boyfriend said we’d do everything else before we resorted to that.
We promised each other to not do drugs, no matter how bad reality was. ”
“You loved him?”
Cashmere shrugs. “I suppose as much as a kid can. He took care of me, and he was real good about finding food for us. Decent food. He knew the schedules of restaurants and grocery stores, knew when they’d be throwing away food.”
Jesus. I know all too well this reality, but I’m shocked that such a beautiful creature does.
“I turned eighteen and got a job stripping. It was good money, but…” His breathing turns shallow for a moment before he takes a sip of his coffee and his shoulders drop a bit.
“I hated the way the men looked at me. The way they talked to me. I was nothing in their eyes, just another piece of ass, and it ate me up.”
He sets the coffee mug down.
“I was gonna be a ballet dancer.” His voice breaks on the last word and he clears his throat.
“I started when I was only three years old, but when my parents died, there were no more ballet classes. I grew up believing I’d go to Paris, London, or Moscow, but I would’ve been happy with anything as long as I got to dance. ”
I nod, keeping my expression calm, but I’m being torn apart inside.