Quill
I stood frozen for a good two minutes. Even after I heard the elevator chime indicating Black had left, I remained stock-still. It wasn’t until a knock on the door that I focused.
“I’m sorry to bother you,” Nathan said. “I made some coffee if you’d like any.”
The pity Nathan was showing me told the tale that he not only heard Black’s and my argument, but he felt bad for me. Poor Quill getting squashed again. I was an idiot to think this would work, but Black didn’t give me a chance to even explain why I should go with him. Of course, I went a little insane queen on him there, so that could be why.
“Can you get a message to Black for me?” I asked Nathan as I followed him to the kitchen for that coffee.
“Sir, I really don’t want to get in the middle of everything with you two. I’m his employee and that would be overstepping and… Mr. Black is quite intimidating.” He pulled two mugs down and poured as he spoke.
“Aren’t you like a mean assassin or something?”
He chuckled and handed me a black coffee. Naturally, he didn’t know how I took it.
“No. I work in tech for Mr. Black. I help his assassins with their missions, but I’ve never actually shot someone or anything.”
Black left me with someone who literally couldn’t defend me and he thought me going with him was dangerous?
“I see.” I fixed my coffee how I wanted it and sat on the stool. “Well, the message I’d like to get to him isn’t personal. It’s important though.”
Nathan furrowed his brow, making his bottom lip jut out a little. He was a cutie, that was for sure. “Okay.”
“If the man in the apartment is my brother or one of my brother’s friends, he won’t get anywhere with him. My going was a sure way to get him to react.”
“Assuming it’s your brother, and I don’t believe the person I saw matched the person by the cars, Black has ways of making people talk.” His knowing smile irritated me. He knew, no, he saw that dark side of Black. One he didn’t want me to see.
“Is there video on Black? On any of them while they question this guy?”
Nathan shook his head. “Black doesn’t leave paper trails.” He slid his mug to the side, and regarded me with as serious a face as I’d seen. “You need to realize something important, Quill, um, sir.”
“Quill’s fine, I rather prefer it, actually.”
He gave me a half smile before composing himself. “All the people who work for Black were trained by Black. All of them. Even though some came with a skill set, he cultivated it. He made it have a twist that became their signature. Anything any of them have done, he has either done it first or does it better.”
In the back of my mind, I knew Black was violent, but it was like he did his time so his days of getting his hands dirty were over. I didn’t look at Black and see blood on his hands. I saw a man trying to balance the world.
Nathan was just taking a sip of his coffee when his phone chimed. “Yeah,” he greeted to the caller. “Hello?” He shook his head. “Is this you, Steve? Stop fucking with me.”
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Nathan was smiling like it was a joke, but it was hard to explain how I knew my brother was here.
“I’m hanging up. I have no time for your games.”
“Nathan,” It was all I got out before I heard the ding of the elevator.
“Stay here.” Nathan took out his gun, one he had never fired before.
“No, Nathan, you’ve never used that. Stay with me. When they come in, if it’s someone bad, we’ll have a better chance.”
He waved me off. “I’ve fired it, just never killed anyone. Do as I say, Quill.”
I was getting really tired of people telling me what to do. I knew things. I knew my brother. He liked to play with his food before he ate it.
Nathan wasn’t going to listen to me, so I had to protect myself. If I got killed, Black would murder me.
Fucking open floor plans. I only had a minute to figure out where to hide. There was a linen hamper by the pantry closet. I knew it only had a table cloth in it because I‘d tossed it in there before dinner. As quickly and quietly as I could, I slipped inside, thanking everything I was small. That was a first.
I crouched down and adjusted the table cloth over myself hoping if anyone lifted the lid, they’d see the linen and assume it was just laundry.
I hadn’t seen my brother in a while. Even on the video Black showed me, I saw he had bulked up more. Just what I needed… a bigger challenge.
It was way too quiet. Please, dear God, just be another of Black’s men doing rounds or something.
The sound of a shot going off made me jump and I willed my body not to shake. Fuck, I hoped Nathan got him. There was no love lost between my brother and me, and I knew if he got his hands on me, I’d be screwed.
A thud, then a moan. Shit. I tried to reach my cellphone in my pocket. I didn’t know if Black had his phone on him or if he’d answer it if he saw my name come across the screen, but I had to try. It rang and rang. When it went to voice mail, I whispered.
“Black, someone’s here. I’m hiding in the hamper by the pantry. I heard a shot. I don’t know if Nathan is alive or if I’m about to be taken. I think you’re headed toward an ambush or the whole thing was a decoy to get to me here. I don’t want to tell you I told you so, but I so am. If you don’t find me, or even if you do, promise me to never blame yourself. I’m not Sunshine and none of this is your fault.”
I hung up and took a deep breath. I listened, but it was silent. I wanted to peek out and see, but fear kept me frozen.
“Quillion Almeida!” The sound of my brother’s voice cemented the fact that Nathan was dead and I was in deep shit. “I know you’re here and you know I’ll find you.”
My body shook, the terror of Dylan getting his hands on me sent phantom pains through my body. I knew what he was capable of and I also knew he was madder than he’d ever been at me.
“I don’t need or want your fucking money, Quill. I got paid to make you disappear.” His laugh was laced with vengeance. “You went and pissed off the wrong people this time, little brother.”
If we wondered if the Sterlings had hired him, he just confirmed it in so many words.
“I don’t have all the time in the world, so why don’t you make it easier on yourself by coming out now. I promise not to hurt you too badly if you just come out.”
I could hear him rustling about, opening cabinets, doors, and such. His voice got softer and louder, indicating he was moving around the house.
“Where the fuck are you!” he shouted, the anger I knew all too well coming through loud and clear.
He stood right beside the hamper and the sound of the cabinet beside me slamming shut made me flinch.
“Maybe Black took him with him?” Another voice I didn’t recognize said.
“Why’d he do that? He already had that shitty doppelganger hanging out at his apartment.”
The unrecognizable voice spoke again. “Don’t you think it’s a little odd he left Quill here protected by one inept guy inside? Quill’s the reason we’re all doing any of this, that and the money, it just don’t sit right with me.”
“No one asked you,” my brother said. “Black isn’t as smart as he likes people to believe he is. I know my brother is here and I will fucking find him.”