Rhodes “Ghost” Devereaux
Somewhere in Jamaica
My eyes shot open, and I stared over at the alarm clock next to the bed.
It was four forty-five. Though I’d retired, my body still managed to wake up early every morning as if I had somewhere to go.
Most mornings, I didn’t really mind it. I’d go out and watch the sun rise.
It was just something peaceful about seeing that sun come up with the water from the ocean crashing against my feet.
Ever since I walked away from my lifestyle, it’d been peaceful.
There weren’t any gunshots, dead bodies, or fights that I had to deal with.
The people around here were polite for the most part.
No one knew who I was. No one needed any favors out of me.
I didn’t have to be Ghost . . . I was just Rhodes.
The females threw themselves at me every time I turned around. They were some of the most beautiful women I’d ever seen. I didn’t have to worry about them pressuring me to date or anything. I wasn’t focused on love at the moment. Just a bachelor enjoying himself.
This thick chick I picked up from the bar the night before stirred in my sheets. I tossed the covers back and got out. My feet padded against the floor as I made my way to the bathroom to pee before I stepped out onto the beach.
Retiring to Jamaica was the best decision I could’ve ever made.
I had little to no family, so I didn’t have to let anyone know where I was going.
My pops was serving a bid in prison, and Ma was back home running her bakery.
When I first came up with the idea to move away, I asked her to come along with me, but she wouldn’t.
Ma was about the only thing that I missed from back home.
Every chance I got, I checked on her, and Savion kept an eye out on her for me as well.
I exited the bathroom and grabbed my briefs from the floor and then pulled them up. Slipping my feet into my slippers, I left out the back door. My house sat right out here on the beach. It was the best investment that I’d ever made.
The sun was peeking over the clear blue water as I kicked my shoes off and stepped out into the sand. The beach was completely empty. The only sound I heard was the waves crashing against the sand. I stopped and allowed the water to connect with my feet.
“You getting sloppy,” I spoke. “I heard you three minutes ago.”
Savion stopped alongside me.
“Who died?” I didn’t even bother to remove my eyes from the sunrise. If Savion was paying me a personal visit, shit was either fucked up or somebody died.
“Nobody.”
“Yet,” left my lips.
His silence told me all that I needed to know. I turned and looked at him and then asked, “What you need?”
I’d been working for Savion for the last ten years.
Anything he needed, I did without hesitations.
Savion’s the only mufucka that’s ever looked out for me in the way he had.
When I first started in that business, I was fresh off the porch, trying to be a corner boy.
That lil money wasn’t enough for me. I needed more.
That was when I started running with some of the other guys from the neighborhood.
They thought it was smart to rob this dude, who turned out to be Savion.
I watched him lay every single one of them down, not even caring they were young.
In his mind, if they were bold enough to rob, they were old enough to die.
He spared me. I didn’t know why at first, but I guess he saw the hunger in my eyes.
He took me under his wing. Helped me make some real bread, and I’d been loyal to him ever since.
I worked my way up in Blackveil and became his right hand.
I protected that man with my life. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be able to retire at just twenty-eight.
Savion held a file in his hand. “You’re the only one I trust with this.”
Luxe Saint-Mercier.
I sucked in the stale air as I stepped off the jet inside the hangar. Montgomery, Alabama. Never did I think I’d be back at this place so soon.
As soon as my feet touched the ground, there was a black Tahoe parked, waiting for me.
“Mr. Devereaux,” the driver said when he opened the door.
I hopped into the back seat, and he shut the door behind me.
The driver drove me straight to Luxe’s house.
I was informed that she was supposed to be packing to go stay at the safe house.
I wasn’t sure how this job was going to go, but I did let Savion know that once it was done, I was getting back on a plane and getting the hell out of here.
It was just something about Montgomery that left a bad taste in my mouth.
Maybe it was the fact that I’d been living here my entire life and most of the people that I grew up with didn’t even have much going for themselves.
Too many people died on a daily from senseless crimes.
They were so hateful that if they felt like someone was doing good, they’d kill you over jealousy.
Exactly why I always kept that fire on me. Wasn’t nobody gon’ catch me slipping.
The driver pulled up to Luxe’s house. There was already a security detail parked out front. I climbed out the truck and grabbed my duffel. Stopping at the other truck, I tapped on the window, and he let it down.
“You can go now,” I told him.
He stared at me briefly before nodding and starting the truck.
I liked to work alone. In fact, I worked better alone. It kept me on my toes, and I was ready for anything in any given moment.
The truck pulled off, and I headed up to the front door.
I turned the knob to see that she was sitting in the house with the fucking door unlocked as if someone wasn’t already out to kill her crazy ass.
I didn’t know much about Luxe aside from the things that Savion had placed in her file.
She was deaf, loved to work in her garden, a music lover, and extremely hardheaded.
When I saw the hardheaded part, I just knew we were gon’ have some problems. I liked for my client to listen to me so that everything could run smoothly.
Entering the house, I shut the door and locked it behind me. After searching the first floor and not finding anything, I headed upstairs to see exactly where Luxe’s ass was. I’d crossed her path a couple of times before, around Savion, but I didn’t really pay her too much attention.
I entered what I assumed was the main bedroom. It was teal and gold. The bed had to be at least two California Kings put together with how huge the shit was. Her lil ass didn’t need all that damn bed.
Steam came from the bathroom doorway. She might have been in the shower.
I wanted to let her know that I was here so that she wouldn’t get scared once she saw me.
The last thing I wanted was to get shot because she was terrified.
All of that went out the window when I felt something sharp placed at my throat, and the scent of vanilla tickled my nostrils.
My throat scraped the knife when I swallowed.
“It’s Ghost,” I made known before she sent me back to my maker. This lil mufucka done out ghosted me.
“What are you doing here?” she asked when she dropped her hand.
Luxe stepped around me, wearing only a fluffy white towel. Her body glistened with moisture. Luxe’s curly hair was pulled up into a ball on top of her head. A few pieces laid on the nape of her neck.
“Savion sent me.”
She waved me off. “I told him that I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Too bad, ’cause I ain’t going anywhere.”
Stopping in her tracks, she faced me, and her bushy brow arched to her hairline. “You really want to tempt me?” she asked as she twirled the knife between her fingers as if she was about to step out on the field with a marching band or some shit.
“Careful before you hurt yourself.”
“Man, please. The only person that’ll be getting hurt in here is you,” she said and tiptoed back into the bathroom.
I heard the water turn off. A few seconds later, Luxe came out of the bathroom and grabbed her bottle of lotion off the dresser.
“You gon’ stand there and watch me get dressed?”
Luxe was beautiful. She had this tawny complexion without a blemish in sight. Being on the slender side, she still had enough ass to cup.
Quickly, I shook the thoughts from my mind. I’m not even supposed to be looking at her like that. I was here for a job, not to fuck, but if she stood around me much longer like that, I was gon’ be on demon time.
“Fine.” The towel dropped from Luxe, and my eyes immediately went to her huge chocolate areolas. This girl just didn’t give one fuck.
I spun on my heels, giving her the privacy she needed to get dressed. “I’ll be downstairs, waiting for you.”
I didn’t even anticipate her response. I exited the room and headed for the living room.