WARNING: This chapter contains scenes of graphic violence and mutilation. If you prefer, you can skip to the next chapter without missing anything truly vital to the overall romance. [Micah][earlier that evening]I stand long enough to see her walk around the corner safely before sitting back down at the cafe and pulling out my phone. The first person I call is my company lawyer. I have her draft a contract for Mrs. Slate as my full-time assistant with salary and benefits. I also have her create a second contract for her babysitter, Ms. Lacey Dupree, offering her pay at twice the going rate for any childcare provider. I want to make sure that Charlotte has all the resources she needs to think and plan her next move. Even if she doesn’t take this job, it’s the least I can do to make up for the mess that Andy left for her. In some ways I am responsible. I never looked too deeply into his personal life. I also could have done something sooner, something that might have saved her marria
[Charlotte] The card that Rainy hands me is thick, sharp, and made of rich textured cardstock in a creamy ivory color. The letters MMK are embossed on the front, adding to the texture. On the back of the card is a handwritten note, inked in a fine calligraphic font. “Please consider this a signing bonus.” Walking to the door, I peek out the peephole. There is no one there. Releasing a breath I didn't realize I had been holding, I open the door and look around slowly. Still nobody and no sign of his signature SUV. Taking a cautious step forward I trip, barely keep myself from landing face-first on the red brick of Juni's front porch steps. Grateful for having the agility of a dancer, I regain my footing and look back at what caused the problem in the first place. Sitting on the porch is a long thin box wrapped in elegant silver metallic paper. I kneel, placing myself on the lower step as I lift the box into my lap. Tucked in behind a thick silk ribbon of deep black is a
[Reagan]*SNAP**SNAP SNAP**SNAP*Andy was right to have me watch this joint. There is something strange happening here at Roxy. All I need to do is wait, and his bitch wife will make a stupid ass mistake. *SNAP**SNAP SNAP**SNAP*I hate women like her. So pretty, so graceful, so devious and conniving. They use their looks to ensnare men, tricking them with false kindness just to take it away after they get exactly what they want. I can see right past that sweet little face of hers. Women like her feel they are entitled to a man's wealth because they spread their legs once, trapping those unsuspecting lovesick saps for the rest of their lives. I know women like her. They are so disgusting.Andy tells me that when they met, she was just some poor girl with a granny paying for her to learn all her slut moves at some fancy dance school. Figures. She ain't even the type of girl to go to a proper college. Even then she was using her body to get ahead. Andy seems like a smart enough guy.
[Charlotte]Juni says she wants me to “live a little.”The problem is, I'm not sure if I ever learned how. Andy made sure of that.So I decided I'd take her advice. Tonight I drove the fancy new car to Club Roxy and parked it around the corner. It isn’t exactly inconspicuous. It's practically begging to be stolen. I feel a little nervous leaving it out on the street here.Never mind that it is worth more than most middle-class families earn in a year unless this is his typical employee car. Nothing says “I screwed the boss,” like a shiny new BMW. I can just imagine what people would say about this if I were to drive it to MMK and park in the employee lot.But who knows, maybe I'm overreacting. Maybe he gives all his new employees expensive sports cars as signing bonuses.I know I’m going to need to give him an answer to his offer soon, but how do you say “While I would love to make Andy suffer, at least a little bit, I don't think I'm quite up to corporate espionage," while also sayi
It is taking a long time for her to make it out tonight. The show ended almost an hour ago.I’m standing in a shadow next to her car watching the street. My car is parked a few blocks away, hidden just in case she is looking to see if I am following her. I don't want to scare her, I just want to make sure she is safe. San Francisco at night can be extremely dangerous, especially along the edges of my turf. I've ruled this part of town for the last 15 years, but that doesn't mean there aren't opportunists willing to stir some stuff up just to see what will happen. I know she's been working here for a few months now and she's been fine this whole time. But she was alone then.Now she has me.She didn’t come out with the other girls. Silly things, waving their new money around like they aren't afraid of real life coming and taking their newfound fortune from their hands. They were headed to the bar around the block but I know I won't see Charlotte there. so I know she didn’t go out drin
[Charlotte] "MONSTER! Stay away!” He stands before me, his fist dripping with the blood of another. Wiping off his hands he reaches for me, and I scoot away. I don’t want him to touch me. I don’t want any of that blood near me. What if he hurts me? My mind begins to clear and I realize who my defender is. "Micah?" His voice is soothing as he bends down, kneeling on the ground. But I can’t see him, all I see is blood. So much blood. The world is red and black and white under the harsh light of the streetlamp. There are men on the ground, their bodies mangled lying in unnatural positions. I cannot tell if they are breathing. Pulling the edges of my sweater back around my nakedness, I see nothing but blood, splattered all over my front, my legs. Crying, I start to pull off my sweater and the now useless shirt comes off as well. My bra is still intact and thankfully clean. I pull my knees in to cover myself, shivering in the dark. “Monsters…all of them…monsters…” “Shhhh, Charlotte
[Charlotte] My body responds to his touch wantonly and I find I am the one who needs to push myself away before I do something I might regret. "If I'm going to work with you, Mr. McKaine, we need to keep this professional," I insist. He doesn't look as disappointed as I expected. He blinks, sits up straight, adjusts his blood-splattered shirt as best as he is able, and smiles. He looks a little too pleased with himself, like a cat with a full bowl of cream. "Thank you for agreeing to work with me, Mrs. Slate," his grin extends from ear to ear. "I'll have your contract brought to your office tonight. I look forward to our partnership an
[Charlotte] My knees buckle as they hit the edge of the bed. Micah stands over me, tall and imposing, my face at eye level with certain body parts that I am all too familiar with from that night two months back. I force myself to look up at his eyes. His gaze traps me, his hazel eyes now completely green with the power of his desire. “I am going to kiss you, Charlotte,” he explains as he leans down, his impressive imposing as he folds himself in half bringing his face level with my own. “Micah,” I sigh. “But…” “No,” he insists. “This might be the last time in a long time to come that I will have this chance. I do not intend to waste it. His lips press into mine as he presses me back onto the bed. “I’ve found you again, angel. I’m never letting you go.” [Three Weeks Later] “Earth to Charlotte,” Sebastian waves his hand enthusiastically in front of my face. “Where did you go, Charlie-girl, your eyes were all glazed over and you were drooling.” “I’m sorry, what?” I blink and mo
[Charlotte]I don't remember much after that moment when I first attacked McAllister. I was lost in the moment, avenging my fallen friend, making sure that he didn't get up ever again. And then I felt a sting on my back and a rush of heat. I fell to the ground and the rest faded into nothing. When I woke up in the hospital two days later and Juni was by my side, I thought I must be dead. But I wasn't. She isn't dead, and neither am I. An hour or so later, Micah arrives in the room smelling clean and looking tidy, his arms full of dozens of chrysanthemums in shades of gold and white. "A gift, from the Masumotos, " he explains as he sets them down next to my bed. Juni kisses me on the cheek and says she'll see me later as she leaves Micah and me alone. "The girls are fine," he says as he takes a seat, "And as you can see, so is Juni. Everyone is safe."I nod. It's all starting to feel like a bad dream. A nightmare I didn't think I'd wake from. "Was it ever Juni in that room?" I ask
[Micah][Earlier that evening]Stepping out of my car, I am flanked by my crew as together we walk straight into the dragon's den. Our enemy, McAllister, is going down tonight. We aren't alone as we approach the landing. It seems that McAllister called in all of the faction heads to attend his VIP event. Even the current head of the Skeleton Crew is here, Bones LeRoux bringing full Louisiana flair, from his checkered suit to his ivory-topped cane. Mobs bosses and gang leaders from across the country all gathered in one place. McAllister is planning something. Something big. Maybe this wasn't just about MMK Industries. Does McAllister have plans for a global expansion? "Nah," I say to myself, realizing the truth. "He's just trying to show off." Roger, standing next to me, nods in agreement. For a man who is outwardly plain and prefers to remain unnoticed, he does have a way of making himself showy when he needs to. As soon as we pass the threshold to his mansion, the drab exterior
[Charlotte]The flight over was grim. We are not going to Portland on holiday--it is a rescue mission. Micah and I stayed next to one another, but I couldn't cuddle in his arms the way I'd prefer. We both had to be generals of this little rag-tag army of ours. I have my girls, my Blue Diamonds, and he has his Angels and his soldiers, his troops on the ground. There would be time for snuggling later. If we all survive this. And if we don't, I guess we'll have to find each other in the next life. As soon as we land we'll be going our separate ways. He'll be taking his people to the Tattooed Walls. We'd be McAllister's guests in one of his hotels.Our time went by much too quickly. It felt like a blink Holding my hand, we disembarked together, Micah refusing to let go of me until he had no other choice. Waiting on the tarmac were two cars heading in different directions. If all goes well, we'll be back here tonight, on our way home.And if it doesn't...Using our intertwined hands as
[Micah]I do not like this plan of Charlotte's. It is too dangerous. She is putting too much at risk, even surrounded by her Blue Diamonds. As part of the plan she made with McAllister, she and her girls will be providing "entertainment" for him and a few choice guests. "A private, intimate party for only the very best customers." Just the thought of her in a room with his kind of people makes my heart race and my vision blur with fear and anger."I'm counting on you to make the most of the time we give you," Charlotte demands, holding my face between her hands as she looks me dead in the eyes. "My girls and I can take whatever he dishes out, don't you worry about us. He isn't going to expect that a bunch of strippers are also cold-blooded assassins. But we are only the distraction. We need you and your boys to get us out of there safe."I think she is underestimating him, which is why I need to make sure my part of the plan goes flawlessly. As soon as we touch down, I kiss my beau
[Charlotte]My blood is still boiling after seeing what that bastard did to his own daughter. It is ten times worse than any humiliation that I ever faced by Andy's hand, and it is her father pulling the strings. Did he make her watch Kenji suffer too? Was she in the room when her father's men cut off his ear? We're going to save Sasha and Kenji. And then we're going to burn it all down. But how do we slay this sick dragon? Micah wants to go in full guns blazing, the Masumoto clan at his back. Grandma Masumoto is down for this plan, angry that her favorite grandson has been captured and so thoroughly disrespected. She's already called the cousins in Yokohama. They'll be flying directly to Portland and arriving tomorrow morning. I have another, more subtle plan, one that I hope will distract McAllister enough for Micah to be successful in our little coup.Pitching my idea to him, he tenses. "I don't like this, Mon Ange. I don't want to put you in that demon's grasp." "You'll be ju
[Charlotte]"Can you sign for this?" A smiling young man approached the main desk. I was passing through and our receptionist, Claire, handed it to me. Sasha was out today, so I took the package. Weirdly, she didn't call in, but knowing Kenji's plans for her last night, I'm sure they're still busy "resting" in bed this morning. I can already imagine the wedding. She'll be such a beautiful bride. After thanking Claire, I see that it is made out to Mr. and Mrs. McKaine. Rubbing my finger across the postmark, I can't help but glow. We're really married. It's still so hard to believe, even though I wake up next to him every morning snuggled into his warmth after a night of endless lovemaking. You'd think learning I am pregnant with his twins would cool his ardor--mission accomplished! He's so virile he succeeded in knocking me up twice over. But no, if anything he's even more passionate, even more determined to show me his love every day. "You are so beautiful," he likes to tell me eac
[Sasha]My father has never been a gentle man. Nor has he ever shown compassion to anyone, not true compassion. Not even to his daughter. I grew up knowing that I am not blood-related, that he picked me from a selection of surrogates pregnant with children they didn't want. He didn't want to leave his physical legacy in the world. I was just something for him to control and mold. Love wasn't part of the deal.To be honest, I don't know if he's capable of such a complex emotion. Or any true emotions. He wears masks that people find believable to convince him that he is interested in them and that he cares about anything they have to say, but it is all an act. Just another part of his carefully curated self-image. Just like me--just another prop to make him more "likable" and "relatable." Most children turn to their parents when they need comfort. I never had that instinct, or more precisely, I was never allowed to develop that kind of attachment. The only people who were with me cons
[Charlotte]Humming to myself, I walk to the break room, take a slice of some "welcome home cake," that the office had presented to us this morning, and grab a nice cup of coffee. The cake tastes amazing. I've hardly been able to keep anything down lately and my body needs the calories. Apparently, this baby likes sugar because I am able to eat the entire piece without even the smallest touch of indigestion. Taking a sip of my coffee to cut the sweetness, I start to choke. Fighting back the urge to vomit, I force myself to keep it all down. Fine, no coffee. My girls gave me similar trouble. They didn't like any caffeinated beverages. I couldn't even drink a cup of green tea. "Babies suck," I look at my coffee sadly as I text Micah to let him know our appointment is in 45 minutes. "Meet me in the garage in 10 minutes," I text as a follow-up. Tossing my coffee, I groan. I could have used that jolt of energy.I don't even make it to the elevator before Micah has his hand around my wa
[Charlotte]Things are different when I come into the office the next day. My morning starts normally enough. Micah is already off for his day, gone in early to take care of some "urgent business," and I'm to come in a bit later after dropping off the girls at their new school. My new driver, Agnes, is the latest addition to the Blue Diamonds, and like Roger is to Micah, she will be my constant companion and driver. "Ma'am, we're here," she announces in a tight, southern drawl. "Are you ready, or do you need me to make another circuit?""I'm ready," I give her my sunniest smile even though on the inside my stomach is churning--although I'm not sure if it's about this or something else, something more important. Thankfully Sasha is already in my new office, typing a report when I enter. I know she's McAllister's daughter and I shouldn't trust her, but Kenji loves her, and that's good enough for me. I trust his judgment and his family's legendary ability to judge a person's inner cha