I was almost too late.
I kept tabs on all of his bank accounts, domestic and overseas, personnel within his underground sector, and any and all chatter regarding munitions. If he scratched his ass in the crack, I wanted to know about it. We watched and waited. For two days, Ferdi tracked the hit team’s movement, west into Tennessee, then they double-backed south east and moved north through Georgia. They covered their tracks meticulously, switching between different modes of transportation and assumed names. These guys were pros. Wasn’t until they hit Remington that I knew something was wrong. This tiny fucking hick-ass town had very few players with a personal connection to O’Brien, me being one of them. It seemed likely that they were coming to eliminate the only opposition to his fights.
I’d fucked up.
Otelia must’ve thought that I’d forgotten about her, that I’d gotten my fill of her sweet pussy and ghosted. I’d been so preoccupied with everything going on, it’d been hard to step away for even a second. I went to Nipsy’s to warn her about a possible threat and to watch her back for the next few days until we could lock it down. The place had new security installed, a guard posted, and was pretty far away from the city. Apples to oranges, she was safer maintaining her regular routine than being anywhere near me since I was the assumed target. I heard her screams as I pulled into the parking lot, saw the flash of light coming from a van parked behind a row of trees. In that moment, I realized she was the mark they were after. The high-powered sniper rifle was yards away. How they’d fucking missed was an act of God or the devil himself.
She should be dead.
I chanced a peek at Otelia as she sat stiffly, folded into herself, clutching her cell, listening to that schoolboy message on repeat. I fought against the need to snatch the phone out of her hand and toss it out the window. His sugar-sweet voice was getting on my nerves. Annoying little dead fuck occupied her thoughts and attention when it should’ve been on the live man sitting next to her. I’d give her that if it made her feel safe, but no way in hell would I be outflanked by a spirit.
Otelia had talked me into letting her go after the fish incident, but not this time. The silence that settled over us in the car was deafening, and even though I was driving, I wanted to pull her into my lap and feel her pressed against me. I wanted to be whom she reached for instead of that fucking cell phone message when she needed solace. I wanted her to cry for me the way she did for him years after my death. Most of all, I wanted her to see me as being enough without the fancy title of Boss.
Headlights at the entrance of the hotel interrupted my dissolute thoughts. The bright shine illuminated the interior of my Aston Martin, temporarily blinding my view. Otelia sat up straighter in her seat. Fear contorted her beautiful face into a grimace. I slammed on the breaks before plowing into the blockade, weapon already in hand. I grabbed the second gun and checked the magazine, ensuring I had a full clip. The blinding light dimmed a fraction, giving us a clear view of what or who stood in our way. Otelia inhaled sharply as she recognized what was sure to be a fucking shit show. This little standoff was bound to happen sooner or later.
“Stay here. I’ll take care of this,” I ordered.
“Please, Darragh. Don’t do anything—”
“Shh.” I shut her up with a bruising kiss. “Relax. Just going to have a chat with my old friends. Stay inside the car. Whatever happens, don’t come out.”
I stepped out and faced the group of men surrounded by a monster truck, a BMW, a red sports car, and a blacked-out Harley Davidson. I approached the well-armed bunch cautiously, guns at the ready, unintimidated by their show of force.
“Well, well, well.” I smirked in each of their faces. “If it isn’t… Buck’s boys. What brings you to my neck of the woods? Slumming?”
Marcus Mecken stepped forward, assuming the role of spokesperson. “Came for Odie, fuckhead. We know you have her, we know she’s alive, and we know you better give her up smooth before we ask a second time.”
The butts of his nine millimeters peeked from under the leather vest he wore. I had a bow and arrow trained at my chest, and a shotgun aimed at my balls. Four against one. The odds were steep against me, but I wouldn’t play bitch for him, or anyone else for that matter. I turned to see Otelia watching the action with bated breath through the windshield. I needed to get her out of here, and fast.
“Afraid that won’t be possible, boys. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other pressing matters that require my attention.”
“What you GOT, motherfucker, is a whole lotta smoke if you don’t march your ass back to that car and release my woman’s best friend in the next ten seconds,” Mecken sneered.
“I don’t like your tone, soldier. It almost sounded like you were giving me an order. Surely, that wasn’t the case? You and I both know I would never take orders from a lightweight jarhead motherfucker like you.”
“Too much talk, brother,” the asshole with the shotgun snapped.
“Last chance, douchebag.” Mecken smirked, eyes turning feral with anticipation. “Release Odie and walk the fuck away like a good little pussy. Decide.”
My calm resolve snapped in two like a brittle tree branch. With murder in mind, I moved. Rumbles and growls of heated men could be heard over the rapid clicks of cold steel as we advanced rounds into the chambers of our weapons. I lifted my arms and spread them wide enough to take out two of the four targets before I’d undoubtedly be taken down by one of the others. I wasn’t afraid to sleep with danger; it was an everyday occurrence in this life. Dying for a woman? Well, that was a new one.
“STOP! Please, don’t do this.” I heard footsteps then felt a soft touch to my shoulder. Otelia.
“I told you to stay in the fucking car, woman,” I snapped, keeping my eyes focused on Mecken.
Otelia stepped right into the middle of the fray, preventing either of us from shooting for fear of hitting her in the process. I would call it brave if it wasn’t so goddamn stupid and reckless. I looked forward to tanning her little ass when this was over.
“Please, Marcus, lower your weapons so we can talk this out,” she pleaded.
Mecken and his boys immediately acquiesced.
I did not.
“Mac…please,” she begged, blue eyes big as saucers. “Just let me talk to them, smooth things over. I don’t want anyone getting hurt because of me.”
Did I trust these motherfuckers? Hell no.
Was I willing to get Otelia hurt by acting rashly? Not tonight.
Not ever.
I inhaled a steadying breath and lowered the weapons to my side. If they expected me to put them away, they were sadly mistaken. I jerked my head in her direction, legs locked and planted wide. She could never understand the full cost of knuckling under to these clowns. If it were anyone else doing the asking, I would’ve shot that shit down with the quickness.
Only for you, Otelia.
“What are you guys doing here, Marcus,” she addressed the smug prick.
“Saw what went down at Nipsy’s, came as fast as we could. How you holding up?”
“Oh, right…that was scary.” She laughed nervously. “How did you...” Otelia peeked over her shoulder in my direction. Yeah, kitty cat. She knew the answer to her question before it left her pretty lips. Mecken was only looking out for his woman; she worked there too and was his sole focus, not Otelia. He might have kept tabs, but it wasn’t with her in mind. I wanted to shoot that fucker all over again for making her feel inconsequential.