Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Iassisted in ridding this earth of a pig last night. Louie’s girlfriend is a runaway bride. Of course, I already knew that part. Her ex turned up looking for her, and when he found her, he made the mistake of leaving a bruise on her, and Louie would never let that slide.
I understand his motives. Me? I just went along for the ride.
Besides, killing cops is a fun little hobby of mine.
It wasn’t until I watched Louie shove a syringe into the asshole’s arm that I started having issues with the situation.
I was helping Carlo hold the fucker down, but all I could see was Laura on that bathroom floor…
It took everything in me not to fucking crack right then.
I held myself together though, because that’s what we do.
One lesson my father taught me that I’m thankful to him for.
No matter the situation, never let your feelings show.
I mastered that after I lost Laura. It was easy, because other than her loss, I didn’t feel a goddamn thing.
As soon as I parted ways with Louie, I ditched my men and came here.
It’s where I’ve been sitting all fucking night.
In front of the unmarked grave, knowing that Laura’s decomposing body is right below me.
No one knows what happened to her. I didn’t tell a single person.
My father assumed I killed her and I let him think that.
Until I knew he was about to take his last breath and I told him the truth. She killed herself.
Not that it matters. She might have pushed that needle into her arm, but she did it because of me. I never found out how she knew what I was supposed to do. I always suspected it was my father, but without solid proof, that’s all it is. A suspicion.
I don’t know why I come here. To punish myself?
Remind myself of my failures? Whatever the reason, it’s calming being here with her.
It took years for me to realize that whatever Laura and I had, it wasn’t love.
We were kids. Infatuation, sure. She was and still is the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. But she didn’t love me.
She killed herself to escape the reality of who she was dating.
She didn’t know who my father was when we first met, who I was destined to be.
I told her the truth about six months later.
She didn’t seem too fazed at first, but then she’d start to mention little things. About getting out, running away…
At the time, I didn’t think much on it. Now, I know she didn’t want me to be who I was born to be. Fuck, I didn’t want to become who I am today. But this is real life, and I wouldn’t change who I am for anyone.
I like that she’s dead. I mourned her at first, until realization hit me one day. She’s dead. No one else can ever have her. She was mine. She is mine and mine alone. Nobody knows she’s here but me. I don’t think anything else has ever been completely mine before, and I fucking like owning it. Her.
I get why my father fought so fucking hard to maintain his spot at the top of the food chain. The money, the power, it’s addictive. The more I have, the more I want. And I’m not about to let any motherfucker take it from me.
My palm wraps around the handle of my gun the moment I hear the crunching of leaves behind me.
“Jefe, I got you some food.” My second-in-command comes into view as he places a Styrofoam box in front of me and then a cup of coffee.
“Gracias.” I look down at the box. I’m not hungry. I do pick up the coffee cup, though. “How’d you find me?” I ask him.
“It’s my job to know where you are,” Paz says, sitting down beside me.
“Did you find anything else out about Charlotte?” I need to know who this woman is, considering my friend was all too willing to kill a cop for her. I need to know everything about her. I will not let my friend fall on a sword he doesn’t see coming.
“She’s clean, jefe,” Paz says. “A real-life southern woman.”
“Good. I’d hate to see what’d happen to this city if Louie got his heart stomped on,” I grunt.
“Your mother wants to see you…”
“Of course, she does,” I groan. The last thing I want to deal with right now is my mother. “She in town?”
“At the house.” Paz nods.
“I’ll deal with her later. I gotta see Lailani,” I tell him.
“Need me to come?” he asks, then adds, “What am I saying? It’s Lailani, of course you do.” He shakes his head.
“I’m not scared of her.” I laugh.
“You should be,” he mutters.
“Make sure everything is set up for the drop. We’re leaving here first thing tomorrow.”
Now that I know Charlotte is legit and not a threat, I don’t need to stay. I do need to check in on Lailani and make sure she’s still focused on her job, though.
As I stand, I wipe at the dirt on my slacks. “You did get a new jet, right?”
“Sure did, jefe. It’s a good one.” Paz smirks.
“Good. Blowing up in a ball of flames is not how we go down,” I tell him.
“No, we’ll go down in a gruesome war.” The psychopath smiles at the thought.
“I have no doubt,” I agree. Because in this life, that’s how everyone goes out. It’s how my father went out. Or at least, that’s what the world believes. The only two people who know the truth are me and the old man. And since one of us is dead, that secret will stay in the grave with him.
I send a message to Lailani as I walk towards the car.
Me:
I’m heading to your apartment. Meet me there.
Lailani:
Are you summoning me? Because you’re not the boss of me, E.
Me:
Who pays your wage?
Lailani:
I’ll meet you there, but just know you’re cock-blocking me.
Me:
Yeah? Whose cock?
I know it’s Sammie. He won’t tell anyone about them for some fucked-up reason, though.
Lailani:
Not yours.
A shudder runs through me. I love the girl but she’s more like a sister.
Me:
I’m going to need therapy if you put that image in my head again.
When I get to Lailani’s door, I let myself in. She’s not here. So I drop down on the sofa and wait for her to arrive.
“You look like…” I stop talking and grin when she lands me with a glare.
“Please, let yourself in,” she says, sarcasm dripping from her lips.
“Nice place.” I smirk as I look around the small living room.
“It’s a shithole, but it’s what a struggling college student can afford.” She shrugs. “Is there a reason for this visit, E?”
“Can’t a friend just check up on a friend?” I raise a brow at her.
Lailani’s lips twitch at the corners. “You don’t have friends.”
“Ouch.” My hand rubs over my heart. “This Charlotte woman checks out.”
“That could have been an email.” Lailani busies herself in her kitchen making coffee. For herself.
“I didn’t want a drink. It’s okay,” I tell her when she sits down across from me.
“Great, what do you want?” she asks.
“I really did just come to check that you were doing okay.” I lean forward, my forearms resting on my thighs. “You seem… happy?”
“Orgasms have a way of doing that to a girl.” She smirks.
My entire face screws up. “Don’t hurt him.”
“What if he hurts me?”
I laugh. “I’d say I’d kill him, but you’d beat me to it.” I stand and walk over to her. “Stay focused. I’m leaving town tomorrow.”
“I’m always focused,” she counters.
“Good chat,” I say with a wave of a hand and walk out of her apartment, making sure not to be seen by anyone. I don’t need my friends knowing that Lailani works for me. Not yet anyway.
My mind is playing tricks on me. I’ve finally lost it and now I’m fucking seeing things. Because standing just a few feet away from me is… Laura. My Laura. Which is insane because my Laura is dead. I’m seeing dead people.
She’s standing with Louie and Charlotte—judging by the pictures in the file I have on her. Louie’s back stiffens the moment he spots me.
I keep my eyes firmly fixed on Laura’s ghost, afraid she’s going to vanish if I look away.
But the closer I get, the more I realize it’s not her.
No, this woman might be Laura’s doppelg?nger but she’s not her.
What she is, is breathtakingly beautiful.
And there’s a look in her eyes that’s holding me captive.
She’s hiding something and I instantly want to know what it is.
“Louie, are you going to introduce me to your friends?” I ask, stopping a few feet short of his entourage.
“Emmanuel, this is Charlotte, my girlfriend. And this is Evie.” He makes a point of putting extra emphasis on the woman’s name. He knows as much as I do exactly who she looks like.
I look to his girl. “Well, Charlotte, it’s a pleasure to meet the woman who’s captured this old bastard’s heart.” And then my full attention turns to the gorgeous strawberry-blonde in front of me.
Evie. Her name rolls around on my tongue. I like it.
“Charlotte, take Evie over to the bar. I’ll meet you in there,” Louie says. I’m about to order them to stay. I’m not done looking at this girl when Charlotte’s thick southern accent has me glancing her way.
“Sure. It was nice to meet you.”
“You too.” I nod, before returning my gaze to Evie.
Louie spins around, blocking my view. “Don’t,” he growls.
“Don’t what?” I lift a single brow. No one—and I mean fucking no one—tells me what I can and can’t do.
“I know that look. I’ve seen it before. Evie isn’t her,” he says.
“Isn’t who?” I tilt my head to the side as I brace myself for what he’s about to say. Her name. My friends all know better by now.
“Laura.”
I feel my jaw twitch as I look Louie dead in the eye. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”
“Right, and I’m fucking Father Christmas. Don’t fuck with my girl’s friend, Emmanuel.” His words are meant to be a warning. But come off more as a challenge to me.
“I have no intention of fucking with her. Now, fucking her… that’s not off the table.” I smile at the thought before I make my way over to her.
Evie is like a fucking siren, calling me to my death. And yet, I can’t turn away.
I squeeze myself between her and Charlotte and pivot in the seat. “Sorry, mi alma, we didn’t get properly introduced. I’m Emmanuel.” I hold out a hand.
The moment her skin touches mine, I know without a shadow of a doubt—dead or alive—this woman will be mine.