32. Cashlynn
CHAPTER 32
CASHLYNN
M y hands rubbed against the steering wheel as I sat in my car, across the street from the tattoo shop, waiting for my target to walk out. It was closing time and I was waiting for the piercer to walk out. I played it cool while in the room, but knowing she’d touched my husband’s dick didn’t sit right with me, even if I was the one who implemented it. Her smile was too big when she spoke to him too. She acted as if I wasn’t there, only making conversation with Nazai who seemed to take joy in my annoyance. I waited a couple of days to scope her out before I decided to make my move.
I tapped my finger on the steering wheel and twisted my lips to the side, feeling myself grow impatient. I checked the time; the shop had closed fifteen minutes ago.
Just when I felt my patience running out, the doors to the front of the shop opened. I sat up straighter. The piercer and a guy walked out. They spoke for a few seconds before she smiled and waved, heading down the street. I watched her get to her car and climb inside. After a few seconds, she pulled off with me behind her.
My phone vibrated and I peeked at the screen, seeing it was Nazai. I quickly grabbed it and silenced it before turning it off. He could track my movements; there was no need for us to talk right now.
The girl drove about twenty minutes before pulling up to a small, single level house. She parked in the driveway and turned the car off. The lights were off in the house and there wasn’t a garage to hide any other car. I parked across the street and turned my car off. The girl was oblivious to her surroundings. She stepped out of the car, smoking and looking down at her phone, tapping away on it.
Reaching over I grabbed my black hat and placed it on my head, sliding it down over my eyes. I grabbed my gun out of my bookbag that rested on the passenger seat and climbed out of the car.
Checking my left and right, I hurried across the street just as she reached her door. She took one last hit of the cigarette before tossing it in the flower bed next to her small stoop.
As soon as she opened the door and went to step inside, I ambushed her, shoving her, causing her to stumble forward and drop her phone.
“What the fuck!” she shouted.
“Shut up!” I shut the door behind me and looked around.
The house was quiet and smelled of lavender. My nose twitched.
The girl spun around and her eyes widened seeing me with my gun pointed at her.
“I don’t have any money!” She tossed her hands up.
I snickered. “I don’t want your damn money.”
She swallowed hard. “Then what do you want? I don’t have much.” Her voice was shaky as her eyes locked on the gun.
A crude grin formed on my face. “The other day, you touched something you shouldn’t have.” I lifted my hat slightly. She squinted for a second before widening her eyes.
“It’s you. Look, I was professional when I did the piercing!” she stammered. Her body shook and she stepped back.
“Doesn’t matter, you still touched something that was mine.” Her eyes bounced from me to the gun before turning and attempting to rush off.
I was quicker. Launching forward, I grabbed her by the hair and shoved her to the ground, causing her to cry out.
“Please, please. I was just doing my job!”
“Shut up!” I shoved her forward.
She quickly turned to face me, holding herself up on her forearms. Tears rushed down her face.
“Don’t do this. I promise I won’t go to the cops.”
“I know you won’t.” Again, I lifted my gun. “I hope you enjoyed touching my husband’s dick, because it’s the last one you’ll ever hold.” I pressed the trigger, sending a bullet through the center of her forehead. Her body crumpled with a small thump. A calm feeling filed through my veins. I pulled out my phone that I normally used for kills, since it was encrypted and couldn’t be tracked, and took a picture of the girl before turning to leave. I didn’t feel bad for taking the girl’s life. My feelings were invested in this marriage now and that was something I didn’t take lightly.
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The doorman nodded at me with a smile once I got to the penthouse lobby as I walked past him and headed for the elevator. Nazai didn’t know what I was up to while I was out but I was sure he wouldn’t be happy about me ignoring him.
Now I was stepping inside his room, wondering what I was walking into. Nazai was lying in bed. his eyes locked on the door.
“Oh look, it’s my missing wife,” he said, setting his phone to the side. “Why were you downtown?” I ran my eyes over him, taking in his ripped body. Even with the dressings from his shooting, I could never deny how handsome my husband was and just thinking about him with anyone else, or someone else touching him, made my stomach turn and my blood run hot.
Instead of answering him, I walked to the bed silently. I dug into my back pocket, pulling the phone out and clicking on it, then tossing it on his chest.
He stared at me confused then reached for the phone as I moved toward the bathroom, needing to shower my kill off me.
“This the piercer?” he asked.
Not facing him, I paused. “It is.”
“You killed her?”
“Doesn’t it look like it?”
Nazai chuckled. “Is there a reason why?”
This time I turned back and looked at him. Mirth filled his eyes with a crooked grin plastered on his face.
“Because she touched something that didn’t belong to her.”
He glanced at the phone again. “You know we went to her, right?”
“And she fulfilled her duties. Too bad it cost her life.” I glanced at the phone. “Let this be a lesson. Last time your neck was cut, this time a girl lost her life, next time I might have a bullet with someone else’s name on it.” My voice stayed calm and I locked my eyes on him, but my stomach roared with jealousy.
Nazai chuckled again. “No matter how threatening you try to be, your jealousy will always be sexy as fuck to me. Knowing you’d kill over me shouldn’t turn me on like it does. If I could right now, I’d have you climb on top and take me on a ride.” He licked his lips, eyeing me hungrily. My stomach exploded in excitement, goosebumps covered my arms, and between my legs throbbed with want. “Lesson heard loud and clear, wifey.”
“Good.” I cleared my throat, then spun around, rushing into the bathroom and shutting the door behind me. My heart raced, slamming against my ribcage. A tightness filled my chest when the reality of what was happening hit me. I inhaled a deep breath and swallowed hard.
I was falling for my husband.
____
“Don’t go in here reckless,” Nazai said, his eyes leveling on me then cutting them into slits.
“I don’t need you to tell me that,” I responded, matching his stare.
“Do you know how many people are inside the church?” Lucas asked from across the table.
We were at the family meeting house and it was time for us to infiltrate one of Neil’s safe spaces. Rumor had it he had been seen coming in and out of an abandoned church. It had been a week since Nazai had been shot and he finally made the call to go after Neil. I was becoming anxious, sitting around and waiting had never been my strong suit.
“Mommy would have our balls if she knew we were about to go shoot up a church,” Ezra noted with a chuckle.
“He uses it as a front anyway. It hasn’t been active in years,” Nazai said, then turned to face his youngest brother. “Emmet, pull up the floor plans.” It was unconventional, having to go shoot up a church, even if it wasn’t in use anymore.
We turned toward the screen as Emmet pulled up the floor plans. “My men have been keeping an eye on things. It looks like he keeps four guards there around the clock,” River chimed in. “Two in the front of the church. Two in the back. We estimated about four or five inside as well.”
Nazai began speaking again, but I tuned him out, studying the floor plans. The church wasn’t extra big and going in blind wasn’t exactly the best move, but we didn’t have a lot of options.
“Emmet, the parking garage across the street gives you full view to let shots off, right?” Nazai asked his brother.
“Yeah, I’ll have a clear view and will be able to keep an eye out.”
“Good. You take out the two front guards, then River, you go along the back and take the back ones out. Once that’s handled, we’ll go inside.”
“You’re still not a hundred percent. I’d much rather you sit this one out, but I know you won’t,” Lucas interrupted with a frown.
“You know me well, brother, and if anything happens, you’ll be right there to help.” Nazai grinned.
I spoke up. “I want the kill shot when we find Neil.” My nerves were running wild as if they had been electrocuted. My heart raced with anticipation. Once Neil was taken out, the Rhodes would officially be off the market and no longer an issue we had to worry about. Their operation had been shut down by Major so their funds weren’t coming in like they used to. Neil would have been smart to just leave town instead of sticking around for revenge.
Nazai turned and stared at me. I couldn’t read the look on his face, but he didn’t argue with me.
“In and out. We’ll only have a limited time before the cops come and that’s even with our contacts. Don’t bullshit around and make sure you stay on guard.”
Nazai eyed the table. Everyone looked like they were ready for business. This was the first official mission I would go on with everyone. I was used to working alone and handling things on my own so this would be new. As long as no one got in my way, I would play along.
____
Checking my gun, I made sure it was loaded and the safety was off as we waited for the signal to let us know it was good for us to go inside.
“Cashlynn,” Nazai called out. My eyes left the gun and went to him. I knew whatever he was about to say had to be serious because he never used my real name when addressing me.
“Be smart when we go in there.”
“You don’t have to tell me that. This isn’t my first kill.”
“But it’s your first time working with us. We don’t go into situations being reckless and we make sure to have each other’s backs. Don’t go in here with a solo mindset and keep your eyes open. River did his best scoping out the area but we don’t know exactly how many men could be inside of here.”
I could tell by the look in his eyes he was serious. He wasn’t saying this to piss me off, but more so to warn me or maybe because he cared. I tucked my lips in my mouth and gave him a stiff nod.
“Ezra, you too. Don’t be on any reckless shit,” he said.
“I got this, big bro.” Ezra waved him off. I stared at the back of his head from the back seat of the truck. He was calm and collected. It was hard to believe he was a high-powered lawyer in the daytime. Lucas was in the driver’s seat quietly staring at the church across from us diagonally. The sun was setting, the sky was a dark tint of orange, purple, and red. This street was on the lower end of the city. Most of the buildings were abandoned and had been taken over by gangs. Crime was high in this area and it was why the Rhodes operated successfully here.
I watched as one of the guys in front of the church fell in amazement. I remembered Nazai mentioning Emmet was a sniper but seeing it firsthand was different. Before the second guy could react, he was taken down too. I made sure my hat was on my head.
“Front cleared,” Emmet said into our earpieces. It wasn’t long before River’s voice sounded too. “Back cleared.”
“Let’s go.”
We filed out of the car and headed for the church. The street was clear of any unwanted eyes or attention.
“Ready?” Ezra said once we got to the door. We nodded and he grinned before sending his foot into the door, making it fly open.
“The fuck!” someone shouted, followed by a shot. The guy in one of the pews went down easily. We moved down the aisle. Quickly, I lifted my gun and aimed, pulling the trigger seeing movement coming from the side.
Shouting and movement could be heard from the left hallway.
Shots came from out of nowhere, bullets whizzed past us.
“Fuck, get down!” Lucas shouted.
Hurriedly, we continued, dropping down. Nazai lifted and sent a shot forward. A grunt sounded. The sounds of the guns going off echoed off the empty walls.
Ezra, not bothering to wait, rushed forward. “Ez!” Nazai called out but he ignored his brother. Not wanting to miss the fun, I followed him. Ezra shot the guy Nazai had already taken out one last time before moving down the hallway.
A shot rang out toward the end of the hall. “It’s me!” River said into the earpiece and soon rounded the corner coming into view. “It’s clear back there.”
“No sign of Neil?” Nazai asked, kicking open a door and pointing his gun.
“No.”
“I don’t think he’s here.,” Ezra said once we checked all the rooms. In the distance a few shots could be heard.
“Emmet, what’s it looking like out there?” Nazai asked into his earpiece.
“Still clear. No sign of Neil,” Emmet answered.
I gritted my teeth. The hide and seek was growing old. If he truly wanted to get revenge for his son, he should show face and handle things accordingly.
“We’re gonna check the basement.” Nazai nodded at River.
“I’m coming with you,” Ezra said.
“You two check the last three rooms down there. If I remember correctly, it’s an office, kitchen, and bathroom,” Nazai told me and Lucas. We looked at each other. I knew he wasn’t my biggest fan.
“Yeah a’right.”
We separated and they turned toward the basement door.
“I’m going to check the office,” Lucas said, moving right.
Nodding, I went to the half-open door and stood on the side of it. Holding my hand securely, I counted to three before pushing it open. It was a single bathroom, with only a sink and toilet.
“Damnit,” I groaned.
I wasn’t sure when the last time Neil was here, but it was clear it hadn’t been anytime lately.
“Office’s clear,” Lucas said.
“So that leaves the kitchen.”
Pushing out a deep breath, I readjusted my hat and followed Lucas. It looked like we had taken out everyone up here. There weren’t too many of Neil’s men, just like River had mentioned at the meeting.
I opened the door close to the opening of the kitchen, seeing it was an empty storage closet. The kitchen led into the dining room and it looked like neither had been touched in a while.
I turned to let Lucas know everything was clear in the kitchen when I noticed a guy creeping toward Lucas.
“Lucas, duck!” I shouted, lifting my gun.
His eyes widened and he did as I said. The guy looked surprised and tried to hurry to point his gun at me but I was too quick. My finger pressed the trigger and the bullet pierced his chest.
He went down instantly.
Lucas rushed the guy, sending two more shots into him.
“Fuck, where did he come from?”
I looked around. “Over there.”
We headed in that direction. “Thank you,” Lucas mentioned when we got to the open door.
I faced him and bobbed my head. “You’re welcome.”
No one else was inside the small room. It looked to be another storage room but was now empty.
“The cops finally got wind of the shootings. They’re on the way,” Emmet said. He had a scanner with him that was tracking police movement.
“That’s fine. The basement’s clear. Neil’s not here,” Nazai said into the headset. “We can head out.”
Annoyance filled me. “Damnit!” I stomped my foot. I didn’t know where his ass was hiding but I was over it.
“C’mon,” Lucas said, heading for the main doors that led back to the kitchen.
We left, making sure to still be on guard.
By the time we got to the main doors of the church, Nazai and them were getting there too. The distant sounds of sirens grew in the wind. We hurried across the street to where the two trucks were.
“Hurry up,” Emmet said, already back in the truck.
We filed inside and I snatched my hat off, tossing it to the ground. “This is bullshit!” I shouted.
“Now what?” Ezra asked when Lucas started the car.
“Now we wait. We’ve taken out his men here. He knows the place he once thought was safe is out. There’s a bounty on his head. He’s like a roach scrambling now. All we have to do is wait for him to show his face, then we take him out,” Nazai replied. “The other places he was known to operate out of were abandoned according to River.”
I didn’t like the plan but I knew there wasn’t much else we could do. This was the second time Neil’s men had been taken out and he’d avoided death. It was clear time was not on his side. Nazai was right; it was only a matter of time before he came into the light.