Chapter 18

This is going to get messy.

***Andy***

 

“Are you sure you don’t want to see the one I brought with me?” Unique asks and puts her bags near the door.

We’re in the bedroom. Tarzan wanted us girls to get together so Ruby can do my hair while we can ‘discuss our annoying men’ as she puts it. And to be honest, this is what I need. Girl time. It’s a ‘who cares, let’s drop everything and just talk’ moment all women need every once in a while.

Besides…I really like having a friend do my hair. When my mom was killed, I was only ever around guys. Ricca and his three buddies, who were like extra brothers, all testosterone in the house and no one to talk girl stuff with. So, this moment right here? With the four of us in the same life as I am, our men work together…talk about a strong connection. Some women have a book club, we have a whole different kind of kick ass club. We workout together and share gory details about how best to end someone as if we’re discussing the best shade of lipstick.

It’s twisted but in a good way. And I know there are five of us in the room, but I’ve not been around Unique for that long. Karma did tell me that Unique’s father was one of the best hitmen that was ever alive. She hasn’t had an easy life either. On top of that Marlon seems to want her; she clearly has a thing for him and yet there’s this wall between them where mud gets thrown against every time they go near each other. It’s weird.

I think about Unique’s question but I’m sure. “Nah, because if I see it I know I’ll have a hard time picking between two gorgeous dresses and now I don’t have to choose because the one hanging in my closet is too freaking perfect already.”

“I wanna see. Maybe I’ll shrug out of this one and put it on,” Tarzan quips.

“Oh, shut up. You already look like a killer in that one.” Ruby waves her hand toward Tarzan who’s wearing a dark blue cocktail dress with golden heels underneath.

Tarzan raises her eyebrow. “Duh, I am a killer. But the dress is smokin’, I know.”

Tarzan shakes her head. “Well, Ruby, you look hot in that green dress with the nice ‘I’ll show you my thigh when I strut on over’ element in there, and that baby bump is looking smooth too. It really suits you. I bet Yegor is drooling with every step you take.” Ruby beams at Tarzan but Tarzan is sliding a hand over her waist. “I’m pulling off this tight, silky thing but shit…not for long because this belly is going to swell for months. Then it’s baby puke and working my ass off to get all that pregnancy weight off because all I do is eat. Ford is handfeeding me and that fucker enjoys watching me grow. I might need to kill him if he keeps this up because he’s seriously the one to blame for knocking me up.”

All our mouths are hanging open while we listen to Tarzan’s ramblings. She glances at us and shrugs. “What?”

“You’re pregnant?” Karma squeaks.

“Uhmmm, yeah?” Tarzan’s cheeks heat. “I should have said that instead of rambling out my frustrations, huh?”

“Well, duh.” Karma chuckles while she launches herself at Tarzan, hugging her while all of us head on over and join in.

“I can’t believe it. I’m so happy for you,” Ruby gushes.

My chest squeezes due to the look on Tarzan’s face. She’s been through so much and yet she’s finally found her place. Ford is treating her like a queen. Her face is practically glowing with happiness.

My mind wanders to Afon. How he’s picked me up when I was at my worst, never judging and yet with determination pushed me back up in a solid way where our connection grew into something bigger. To a point where I now think about what it would be like to have a future with kids of our own. I haven’t even had him inside my body yet and here I go letting my mind wonder because I can…he gives me everything. Allows me to dream, crave, hold out my hand and grab hold of everything within our reach.

“You’re going to be a stunning pregnant woman and an even more beautiful mommy. I’m sure. Congratulations,” I tell her and squeeze her tight.

“Yeah, well, you bet my fat thighs, ass, and belly that will all be growing like weeds. But I can’t wait. Just look at you two.” Karma and Ruby give each other a look before Tarzan continues. “I can’t believe our kids will all grow up together.”

“Hang on, I need to show you something. I’ve got a Pinterest board filled with ideas about a nursery.” Karma grabs her phone out of her purse and hands it to me.

She’s got a thing for skulls. “I could spend hours checking those pictures, clicking on it and then watch all those other related pictures. Pinterest is like a maze. Once you get sucked in, time becomes irrelevant.” I chuckle and hand the phone back. “You girls look and I’ll be right back. I’m gonna grab my dress from the other room and get dressed, then you can start to fuss with my hair, okay?”

All their eyes are locked on Karma’s phone when I open the sliding doors to the large room next to the bedroom. It’s actually one big room separated by sliding doors, Afon made it into a room just for me, well…for my clothes. It has a tiny desk and a tiny couch that’s more for Dozor to lie on because he’s always following me around. It has a large built-in closet with rustic wild west swinging doors. There’s no other way to explain it.

The corner of my mouth twitches. These last three weeks Afon’s been working on the house while pampering me back to my old self. The changes he made, like the room I’m standing in, shows I’m not just a piece of property for him…something he acquired by signing a contract. Everything he does for and to me shows how much he cares. I feel special, treasured, adored…loved.

It’s in his eyes. Although I’m not ready to voice those three words, it’s clear as the steady beating of my heart. I love that man. And based on his actions and tenderness the feelings are mutual. Maybe I do need to tell him, I wonder as my hands reach for the swinging doors of the built-in closet, but I’m thrown back when they burst open my way.

The wind is knocked out of me with a solid punch to my gut before I’m being spun around, feeling cold steel pressing against my temple. “Thought you could take it all from me, bitch? Think again.”

Marco.

Fuck. Shit. Dammit. And what the actual hell? Glancing around the room I see a tiny window that’s slightly open. How the hell did he pass security? Dammit, think. Weapons, what should I do? My mind throws around different options within a nanosecond that won’t end up with my brains exiting out of my skull since there’s a barrel of a gun pressing against the side of my head.

Common sense kicks in first. When you’re in this position…someone behind you, never lean back. Then you can easily be brought to the ground. I have to keep him against me, grab the wrist that’s holding the gun, and throw him to the ground while disarming him. Easy right? Nose, throat, knees, elbows, weak points, one single hit, smooth turns. Options, dilemmas, fractions of seconds where different scenarios play out, and yet all I have to do is breathe and let instinct kick in.

In one fluid motion I grab the hand holding the gun and point it away from me. I step aside and slam my arm down in the space created to hit his groin, hit back up to smack his nose, and twist his arm so he has no other option than to crash to the ground while I keep his arm at an unnatural angle. I throw the gun out of the room, hoping the girls will notice I’m having an issue in here.

My necklace swings from my movement and a smile spreads on my face. Afon’s gift. I take the pendant in my hand and a slight ache in my chest burns when I rip off the necklace. With my knee pressing down on Marco and his arm locked in a painful grip, he’s not going anywhere. Right now, I’m going to make damn sure he’s not leaving this room until he’s not breathing anymore. But I need time to make him suffer. That’s the reason why my sharp pocketknife slices through skin, making sure to cut straight through both his Achilles tendons. Yeah, he’s going nowhere. His scream fills the room when I notice the girls storming inside.

“Now why are you having fun all alone in here? No fair,” Tarzan sulks, enjoying the view in front of her.

A smile spreads my face fueled by adrenaline. “Because he’s mine to play with.”

“We can see that,” Karma says, leaning back against the wall.

“Want me to inform the guys…you know, let your man in on it too…or do you want to finish this yourself?” Tarzan questions, phone in hand.

I let go of Marco’s wrist and kick the fucker in the face. “Nope, I’m good. You ladies might need to step out of the room, because this is going to get messy.”

“Okay then,” Ruby quips. “Unique, show me what you have in your bag. I’d rather check out the clothes you brought instead of getting blood on the dress I’m wearing.” She looks over her shoulder at me when she stalks out of the room. “Have fun.”

I zone those girls out and let my gaze slide over Marco’s body, a plan already forming in my head. Oh, yeah…I’m going to have fun alright.