Black
“Thank you, Lana.” Lana Davis was my personal assistant and while I didn’t trust a soul, she was the closest thing to a sister or confidant I had. She handled both sides of my life without question. Part of it had a lot to do with the fact that when she was ten, my father orchestrated her rescue from a shipping crate headed to the other side of the world. Lana felt she owed my family forever and for that, she was privy to more than most.
“You’re welcome. You really should eat better and this morning as I was making my salad, I figured it wouldn’t kill me to make a little extra for you.” She shrugged, and I knew it was due, in part, to the fact she was thinking about her own loneliness.
That was a common thing in our practice. I had no living family anymore, and when I had taken over my father’s business, I refused to bring anyone into it. My life, while filled with luxuries, was also dangerous.
A former assassin I had, Riordan Darcy, worked for me for over fifteen years. His family was a weakness for him and I often told him it would be what would make him crumble. Enemies prey on your soft spots. But Teddy owned Riordan’s heart, and what they had gone through just to have love made me jealous. I had never wanted anyone until I saw them together.
But I wasn’t Riordan. I wasn’t like any one of the people who worked under me. I was the leader and my destruction would ruin it all. They’d take out anyone I loved, and I couldn’t lose my heart… not again.
“I have another charity dinner before Christmas, the one for the orphanage. Why don’t you join me?”
Lana’s head shot up in surprise. “Really?” I had never invited her to them because I usually brought whomever I wanted to fuck. But Lana looked like she could really use this. Lana didn’t get the mean side of who I was. Many saw me and thought I was terrifying or mysterious. But when you have practically grown up with someone, it was hard to be big, bad Black with them.
“Absolutely. Use the company card to get a dress, shoes, do your hair, and all that glamorous stuff.” I finished my salad and pushed the empty plate to the side and wiped my mouth.
“Okay.” She smiled brightly. “Thank you, Terry.”
That was another thing. Whenever it was just Lana and me, she called me Terry. She had known me since I was fifteen, and grew up seeing me rise to the seat I was betrothed to. Seeing as she was ten at the time, she had always looked up to me and I didn’t want to let her down where I could.
“You’re welcome.”
My phone interrupted us and when I saw it was another former employee, I couldn’t help but smile. Lana grabbed our plates and left my office.
“What’s the matter, Mace, you realized Bill wasn’t worth it and you want me to help hide you?” I answered, smiling wider when he laughed.
“No. Bill is good. So very good.”
Mace was one of my best assassins. A couple of months ago, he had taken on a job for mob boss Christopher Manos and was teamed up with one of his guys, Bill. They had managed to complete their mission of destroying any trace of the Marks family and the president of crazy, Zagan Marks. Unfortunately, Mace didn’t get out unscathed. He had lost a finger, had a scar across his forehead, and wasn’t the same. It hurt to let him go after our history, but it was for the best. He was still in recovery, but he was doing it at Christopher’s mansion with Bill at his side.
“I don’t want to know about your activities. What can I do for you, Mace?”
“Word’s not out that I’m not tied to you anymore and I got a call from some guy saying he’s at the docks. There was a package that needed to be picked up, but your guy never showed.”
Fucking dammit, Quill. “Is he still there?”
“Yeah, he said he’d be there for another thirty minutes. You want me…?” I had to stop him there. This wasn’t his life anymore.
“No. I’ll handle it.” There was a long silence and I knew Mace was thinking I didn’t think him capable. “Mace,” I whispered. “Enjoy your life. We don’t all get to have one.” I didn’t wait for a response. I hung up.
“Lana?” I yelled, knowing she was right by my door.
“Yes?” She stood in the doorway, phone in hand.
“Make sure to disconnect Mace from all communication, and then get me Quill. I want his ass in my office in an hour. And tell Lee to get to the docks to get a package. He has twenty to get there.” She was already dialing before I had finished talking.
I hadn’t sent Quill on a lot of jobs, but he never fucked up. I was already thinking this was a bad idea hiring him on, but every time I was ready to just tell him to forget it, he’d look at me with those color-of-the-day eyes and I’d just let him have the win. Now? Not so much. Fucking up wasn’t something I tolerated.
Lana strolled into my office, reading something off her phone. “Lee is en route, Mace is disconnected, but… um.” She looked up and her expression wasn’t the confident one I was used to.
“What, is Quill on his way?”
“No.” She held up her hand, halting my tirade. “I tried his cell, there was no answer, so I called over to Quirks and Perks. A woman named Melissa said he didn’t work today and wouldn’t talk further about it. Then I called his other job…”
“What other job?” I assumed when Quill said he had other jobs, he was referring to the one he worked for me.
“He also works at Joker’s Sin part-time.”
What the fuck? Why did he work so many jobs? He was a single guy. What had him working at a gay nightclub, and what was he doing there?
“Fine. Is he there?”
She shook her head. “I… Well, I spoke to his boss, Atlas. Sir, Quill is in the hospital.”
I thought back to when I had seen Quill a few nights ago at Quirks and Perks. He had seemed fine. His normal, annoying self. He hadn’t looked sick or anything. Which meant something had happened to him.
“Why?” I could hear the growl in my own voice.
“He said he didn’t know, but I think it’s safe to assume he won’t make his deliveries for the next few days and he won’t be able to get here today.” There was a sadness in Lana’s expression, and I knew she was worried.
She liked Quill. Most everyone did. Whenever he came by to get paid or something, she told me he always brought her a dessert and a coffee without asking. He gave her make up tips and often times gossiped with her about what was happening in the celebrity world.
When she glanced out the window, I could tell she was ready to cry. Fucking shit.
“Have my driver bring the car around. I’ll go down to the hospital and find out what’s going on.” Just like that, Lana smiled, and I wondered when I had become such a sucker.
With my leather coat in hand, I left my office. Lana accompanied me all the way down, helping me rearrange my schedule since my whole day was now fucked up. I got in the car and instructed the driver to take me to Hart’s Hope Hospital.
It didn’t take all that long to get there, and when I did, I went directly to the information desk and asked for Quill Almeida’s room. It seemed anyone could just go up and see him, and I wasn’t thrilled with the hospital’s security.
I told my driver to stay in the lobby and took the elevator to the floor Quill was on.
My phone rang as I was walking down the corridor to his room. “What is it, Lee?”
“I got the package. Where’s it going?”
“Send it to…” I had just walked into Quill’s room and briefly forgot what I was going to say when my eyes landed on his battered body. It was like someone had hit me in the chest with a wrecking ball. “Lee, Lana has the address. Call her, then get your ass to Hart’s Hope.”
I disconnected and took a few steps closer to Quill. His expression was defiant, and he stared me down like he was daring me.
“What happened to you?” I asked, taking in his black and blue face, his arm wrapped in what seemed to be a cast, and… It was in that moment, I realized his eyes were devoid of contacts. “Your eyes, they’re green. Is that your real color?”
“First off, yes they are really green and second, I found out the hard way that a sword fight with a narwhal is a bad idea. Clearly, I need guidance in the world of adulting.”
“Games. I see.” I leaned over Quill, my face an inch from his. “I rearranged my whole day for this, so let’s play.”