Chapter 22
“You do know that Miranda is Chase fucking Adler’s sister, right?” Jayce asks.
I take a drag of my cigarette, then blow the steam out deliberately as I look around the dark, quiet alley.
“Yup,” I answer.
“And I hope you realize that both Chase and Miranda are our clients,” he added. “And that if Miranda is harmed, she won’t waste a second in reaching out to her brother – who, in turn, will reach out to Solo. Who, let me remind you, is someone you wanted to keep out of this situation.”
I give Jayce a bored look. “I’m not going to do anything to her,” I tell him. “Yet.”
“Ledge,” he says in warning, and his eyes harden as he glares disapprovingly at me.
A few cars pass by the alley, and their headlights temporarily illuminate the otherwise dull night.
“Have faith in Dorran, babe,” Alex assures him. “He’s never steered us wrong so far. Plus, we’re only here to do what we discussed earlier at the gym.”
And that is to give Miranda a clear warning, that’s all.
“I still think we should reconsider,” adds Varsha from next to me.
“Chase has kept us safe and away from prison for all these years. We’re kinda in his debt.
Breaching personal grounds and going for his family could put us in a seriously dicey position.
” She looks at me. “Is Cignette really worth risking our necks for?”
“You know I wouldn’t have asked any of you to be here if she wasn’t,” I tell her honestly. “And besides, we’ve more than paid the debt we owe him by killing whoever he’s wanted us to kill. It’s not like we’re pressed on his goodwill or somethin’.”
“But that’s the thing, Ledge – our rapport with him and Miranda is an ongoing thing,” says Jayce. “It’s not a one and done; it’s still going to exist after tonight.” He pauses and glances unsurely at me. “At least that’s what I’m hoping will be the case.”
I grit my teeth as I throw my cigarette on the ground, stomp on it, and turn to him.
“The fact that you’re not even trying to put an ounce of your trust in me right now, is baffling to me.
Because you of all people know that I wouldn’t be so stupid as to indirectly put Cignette in danger by causing too big of a problem with her mother. ”
He scoffs and raises his arms by his sides. “So it all just boils down to her, then, and not us or, I don’t know, our safety.”
“Of course it does,” I tell him. “I wouldn’t let anything happen to the three of you.”
“And what about you?” asks Varsha, then folds her arms across her chest.
I shrug. “I know y’all love me too much to let anything happen to me, so I’m not worried about myself,” I muse.
“I’m going to shove you in that dumpster over there and let you choke on trash-fumes just for being a disgustingly cocky bastard,” Alex says with a scowl.
Jayce chuckles, and Varsha simply rolls her eyes, although I do notice a smile at the edge of her mouth.
When we’d met at the gym earlier today, I’d told the three of them about what Miranda had done to Cignette, and why. And then, I’d also told them what I planned on doing tonight, and they’d agreed to back me up – of course they had – albeit being a little hesitant about it.
The thrum of an engine takes over the silence, and the alley floods with golden light as a car starts turning into it.
Me and the crew immediately take cover behind the massive brick wall that’s a bit further on the inside, and when I chance a glance at the alley, I see Miranda getting out of her silver Lexus with an air of arrogance that falls short only to the one her brother exudes.
Alex had learnt from one of the guards stationed at Miranda’s estate – who, in turn, had learnt from Steven, Miranda’s bodyguard – that she was going to have dinner at Mario’s
Place tonight. All by herself, might I add.
I’d kept tabs on Cignette via text messages throughout the day. No one but Mave had been with her for most of it, and when he’d left for the day, she’d called and asked me to come over.
It’d taken every bit of my restraint to stop myself from saying yes, because really, all I wanted to do was be close to her. But I couldn’t, not tonight.
I’d told Cignette that I had to stay at Finesse and work on a few cars, and despite her having caught my lie – because let’s face it, it wasn’t exactly a good excuse to begin with – she’d refrained from calling me out on it, and had instead promised to keep her bedroom door locked and turn in early for the night.
Even though Miranda is here – right in front of me – I’d rather Cignette not take her chances and let her guard down.
I’ve already gotten a glimpse of the things her mother is capable of, and with me indisposed tonight, I’ll have to worry about Cignette’s safety a little less, at least, knowing that she is secure in her room.
“She’s on the move,” Alex whispers, pulling me out of my thoughts.
I look ahead, and sure enough, Miranda says something to Steven – most probably asks him to wait in the car for her – before heading inside Mario’s
Place through its backdoor. It’s something her and quite a few elites do when they wanna avoid media and spectator eyes alike, so that they can relax and have an undisturbed meal.
Like fuck I’ll let that happen.
The backdoor closes, and silence resumes its symphony.
I purposefully press one of my boots against the ground and give my feet a couple of twists, resulting in gravel to crunch under it.
Steven, who is about to make his way back to Miranda’s car, stops at the sound and brings a hand close to the gun attached to the holster on his hip.
I smirk, and slither out of the shadows before coming face-to-face with the guy.
I don’t know him that well. We’ve met in passing during my meetings with the Adler siblings, but other than that, I don’t know shit about him.
Not that I care, really. If something doesn’t interest me, I usually don’t go ‘round sniffing in its direction.
“Dorran?” he asks. He’s surprised to see me, and rightfully so, but doesn’t take his hand off his gun.
Smart.
“Hey, man,” I say, like I’m here to take a drag with him or something. From my peripheral, I notice Jayce sneaking out from behind the wall and making his way to the other side of the alley.
Steven appears thoroughly confused as he continues to look at me. “Hey…?”
I chuckle and take a few steps toward him. “You know what happens to those who see things for what they are, and yet, decide to unsee them and go about their business like nothing even happened?”
His brows crease as he stares at me.
Cignette had told me how, despite seeing what Miranda had done to her, this bastard had refused to show even a speck of sympathy towards her. He’d bowed his head and ignored Cignette; left her alone. And, because I can’t get to Miranda – for now, at least – Steven will have to suffice.
He’s suspicious of me now. “What are you doing here, Dorran?” he asks, and I notice that his complexion has paled a little, and beads of perspiration are marring his forehead and temples.
“It’s too cold tonight for you to be sweating so much, man,” I tell him, then grin. “It feels as though you’ve seen the Reaper or something.”
He’s full-on shaking now, and it only serves my rising excitement.
“Look, I don’t know what you’re up to, but if–”
“You turned your back on her,” I say through gritted teeth, then get close to him. “You fucking left her alone.”
“What?” he shakes his head. “Who are you talking about?”
I gotta admit: watching a grown-ass dude, especially someone as tall and built as him, quivering the way he is right now, is amusing. Steven and I may share the same height, but he easily has a few extra pounds on me.
“Cignette,” I tell him, and his eyes widen. “You saw what her mother did to her, didn’t you? And you still did nothing for her.”
He gives me an incredulous look. “Why would I?” He scoffs. “Just to put myself at a possible risk of losing my life?” He has the audacity to laugh. “Fuck no. I barely know the chick. What if she deserved the beating she received? Have you even thought of that?”
I’m so fucking enraged by his words that I legit see red.
I grab his collar and align his face with mine.
“Trust me, asshole, she didn’t.” I shake him once, and he sucks in a trembling breath.
“But what’s about to happen to you will be very well deserved, I’ll tell you that.
” I look beyond his shoulder and nod, then shove him back before stepping away from him.
Steven makes to turn, but before he can so much as shift, silver flashes against the dark, and Jayce deftly wraps his curb chain – his weapon of choice – around Steven’s neck before pulling at the chain’s ends to choke the stupid fucker.
The chain is thick enough that it covers most of Steven’s throat, and cuts off his access to any kind of movement. When he tries to claw at it, Jayce simply tightens his grip, and Steven’s eyes bulge almost comically, while his face reddens.
He opens his mouth to draw a breath, but it’s futile. He then tries to shoulder Jayce in order to break his hold, but that effort is just as fruitless.
Once he’s got you where he wants you, no one, and I mean no
one, can escape Jayce. And I’m not just saying that from a bias point of view; I’m saying it because it’s a damn fact.
“It’s hard, isn’t it?” I tell Steven, who is still clawing at his neck and throat. “Scares you on the inside – knowing any given moment could be your last.”
He brings a leg up in order to kick me, but I laugh and easily sidestep it.
Varsha and Alex join us, and the latter grins at his husband before settling on the car’s hood.
I look at Jayce and point a thumb over my shoulder. “Bring him here,” I say to him, then walk over to the empty space next to the dumpsters.
Jayce unfurls his chain from around Steven’s neck and shoves him in my direction. The asshole gasps for air as he stumbles to stay afoot, and when he’s close enough to me, I grab the back of his neck, bend his upper body forward, and knee him in the nose.