“Gadget, how long does it take the US Coast Guard to get from shore to the Sinclair rig off the coast of Louisiana?” Sutton asked.
“About forty-five minutes, give or take,” Gadget answered as she looked at the radar on her computer screen. “I’ve hacked their communication center. I’ll know exactly when and where they are when they get dispatched. I’ll be able to send in the anonymous tip about the drop as well.”
“What happens after this? After the drug bust?” Honor asked.
“The company’s assets are frozen while the feds investigate. They’ll probably bring charges against August and West Sinclair, and the stock will be worth next to nothing. We’ll buy it at its lowest and be owners of an oil company. That’s real wealth, ladies. We’ll be unstoppable,” Sutton said.
The lust in her voice came from the thought of the power she was about to steal. She enjoyed West. She might even be falling for him. If any man were good enough for Sutton, it was him; but unfortunately, she didn’t want to share a kingdom. She wanted to run her own. She wanted to wear his crown. Fuck a queen. Sutton wanted to be king.
Nevertheless, her gut nagged at her. The bond they were building didn’t allow her to go into the play guilt free, but she ignored all her reservations.
“What makes you think another company won’t try to buy Sinclair Enterprises before we get to it?”
“They will,” Gadget said. “I’ve gathered dirt on the top three competitors. One built his money on the backs of Jews in Nazi Germany, the second has ties to Russian mobsters, and the third has no assets to leverage to acquire a new company right now. We’re in the clear. It’ll come right to us.”
“And what about Sire?” Ashton asked.
“What about that nigga?” Sutton asked, face frowning, because she didn’t give a fuck what happened to him as long as she got what she wanted.
“He’ll go to prison. For the rest of his life. He doesn’t owe us a debt. Seems a little fucked up,” Ashton said.
“He’s collateral damage,” Sutton responded.
“Honor and I will attend the welcome home celebration for Beamer. Gadget, you need to be somewhere near the pier. There is a restaurant there. You can sit at the bar so you can pick up the feed from the coast guard,” Sutton instructed.
“And what about me?” Ashton asked.
“Stay out the way, Ash. I know you want to come off the bench, but you can’t. It’s not over yet, but it will be after tonight,” Sutton said. “August can’t see you. When he’s in custody, you can move freely; until then, play the back.”
“What if this is a mistake?” Honor asked. She had spent a little time with August. Her loyalty was with her sister, that would never change, but August didn’t seem like he was beyond redemption. She couldn’t imagine him doing the things that had been done to Ashton.
“It isn’t,” Sutton said. “The Sinclair family has done a lot worse, I’m sure. Don’t feel sorry for them.”
Only Honor did feel sorry for them. Sutton could see it in her eyes and deep down behind her walls, she felt the same. She felt for Beamer and she felt for what she was destroying with West, but it had to be done. Revenge was supposed to be sweet, but somehow this time it was bitter.
Devil in a blue dress. Sutton LaCroix stood in front of the full-length mirror admiring her reflection as she placed chandelier diamond earrings in her ears. Her stomach was hollow. She wondered how she had become this person. Her moves had never been this underhanded. She had conned her way through a lot of situations, blackmailed bad people for good reasons, but this one … this one plan to destroy the name of an entire family felt greasier than them all. Sutton slipped into her Louboutin heels and grabbed her clutch as she headed for the door. West had given her a choice to make. If she showed up, it would give every indication that she wanted to be with him. If she followed her heart, that much would be true, but her head was navigating this ship. Sutton wasn’t young anymore. She couldn’t get sucked up in whimsical love affairs. She had to keep her feet on the ground and her eyes on the prize. She had to finish this. She wouldn’t show up at all if she didn’t want a front-row seat to the devastation that was awaiting the Sinclairs.
Before she did any of that, though, she had to meet with Sire to ensure the deal went off without a hitch. If he didn’t bring the right amount of product, it wouldn’t be a large enough bust to make a federal case stick.
“Honor, are you ready?” Sutton called out as she headed to the living room.
“Yeah! Almost done!” Honor shouted back.
She stepped out of the room and Sutton gasped.
“Oh, bitch, I need to change. You didn’t come to play, did you?” she complimented.
Honor snickered, shaking her head. “Sutty, I know it’s too late to pull back, but the little brother, Beamer…”
Sutton smiled at the mention of him. “I know, Honor. I’ve already made arrangements for his care. The mother has a sister. A contact at DCS will make sure she receives custody if it comes to that.”
Honor nodded.
“Let’s get this over with,” Sutton said.
They stepped outside and Sutton was stunned to find Leslie standing near West’s black SUV. Sutton was speechless and stopped walking mid-step.
“Hi, Leslie. I didn’t call for you,” she said.
“I was given very specific instructions for you today,” he replied. He reached inside the back seat of the car and pulled out a small gift-wrapped box.
“Mr. Sinclair hopes to see you tonight,” Leslie said, handing the gift to her.
Sutton scoffed and opened the present.
A beautiful solid gold Rolex sat inside. A sixty-thousand-dollar Rolex to be exact. A handwritten note lay inside the box.
Hoping to take up a bit of your time, Sutton LaCroix. Leslie will lead you to the next gift. I’ll see you tonight.
Faithfully Yours, West
“Sutton, what is going on between you and West?” Honor asked.
Sutton closed the box and wiped the lone tear that had escaped her eyes.
“Sutty?” Honor asked.
“I’ll wait for you in the car,” Leslie said. Sutton nodded, emotional as she turned to Honor.
“I think I fell in love with him,” Sutton admitted. She had never said it aloud. It was wrong. It couldn’t happen. Still, her heart told her it was true.
“Oh Sutty,” Honor whispered. Sutton fell into her sister’s embrace and gathered her composure.
“You know the rules. You made the rules, Sutton,” Honor reminded.
“I know. I know what I have to do,” Sutton reassured, quickly gathering herself because being vulnerable wasn’t something she allowed herself to be. She was the strong sister, the leader, the one with all the answers. Her baby sister had been wronged, had been hurt, and Sutton was responsible for fixing it. Love didn’t matter. West couldn’t matter.
“I can’t do this right now, the gifts and everything, but please go for me. Go with Leslie and go along with whatever it is that West has planned. Tonight, I’ll meet you at the party. I have to catch up with Sire beforehand. I promise I’ll meet you there.”
Honor nodded. “Okay, but are you okay? Sutton, how long has this been going on?”
“Since the Draft party. I slept with him that night, Honor. I had no idea who he was and now I care. I hate that I care,” Sutton admitted.
“We should leave, Sutton. Just take a job somewhere else. In LA. Pick someone new and start over. This one doesn’t feel right,” Honor said, trying to convince Sutton.
“It’s too late for that. We already have resources invested. Let’s just do what we’re supposed to do so I can move on. Can you take care of this part for me? I can’t be romanced by him today. It’ll cloud my judgement. Whatever this is that he has planned for me, I can’t; but if I don’t accept it, it’ll be an issue. I need him unsuspecting tonight. You can call me at the last stop and I’ll meet you. Then we can go to the party together and watch this entire company burn to the ground.”
Honor nodded and Sutton opened the car door.
“Be careful, Sutty,” Honor whispered. Sutton pressed her forehead to Honor’s. “I love you, sissy.”
“I love you too,” Sutton said. Honor ducked inside the SUV and as the driver pulled away, Sutton couldn’t help but feel like something was going to go horribly wrong.
West stepped out of his AMG S-Class. He was uncharacteristically relaxed. Nike Sweat and a slim-fit white T-shirt hugged his athletic build. The LeBrons on his feet were a far cry from the Italian designers he normally opted for. He would slip back into the suit and tie later after he left the hood. He called Sire, who answered on the first ring.
“I’m out back,” West said.
West made his way up the driveway and headed for the back door.
The young goon who answered the door stood in the threshold. A gatekeeper. He lacked patience today, however. No warning. No brakes. West came off his hip. A .45 to the middle. One pull of the trigger. The man dropped. Another finger curl sent a bullet through his head. West stepped over the body as he entered the kitchen where Sire sat.
“Hope you calling the cleanup crew through for that mess you just made,” Sire said. He was unaffected by the body lying on the floor. Murder was a part of his everyday life as he sat back at the kitchen table. Tens of thousands of bills cluttered the table before Sire. They were wrapped in plastic shrink-wrap.
“Next time you lead these little niggas to my side of town, make sure you let ’em know you leading ’em to they graves,” West said. He hated to get his hands dirty. He had removed himself from the ins and outs of the Fifth Ward when he was a college prospect. Any little scandal would have ruined his chances of going to the NFL, but he hadn’t lost touch with the streets. He was Sire’s silent partner on the drugs side too. He had gotten him started. Silent around these parts was misinterpreted for weak. So, West came loud.
“Fuck you think you were doing showing up to the press conference like that? You donated a half a million dollars in drug money. You associated that shit with my name. Have you lost your fucking mind?” West asked.
“I run this city. I go where I want to go, ain’t no limits,” Sire said.
“I love you like a brother, my nigga, so I’m going to shoot straight with you. Get out your feelings before I end all this street shit. The lines are drawn for a reason. You where you chose to be and I’m walking my path. I gave you an out. You chose to keep your toes in the sand. I can’t play in it. I got too much at stake. It’s love when it’s personal. We’re men. We chose our sides. An expired friendship don’t make you my enemy, but treachery will, no doubt. You don’t want it to go that way,” West said.
“It can go whatever way you want it,” Sire said.
West scoffed and nodded as he turned around, stepping over the body he had left behind as he walked out of the front door. He had seen it happen many times. Survivors of the hood became enemies of it. West hoped time would repair this misunderstanding, but what he couldn’t repair he would erase, if he must.
August sat behind his desk swirling the aged whiskey in the tumbler he held in his hands. Four pills sat in front of him. He picked them up, putting them in his mouth and chasing them down with the bitter liquor. He had lost so much. His parents. CEO to his family’s company. He had a part in Sinclair Enterprises, but the crown had passed him like he didn’t even matter. His father had chosen West and it was a sting that never dulled. His parents’ murders haunted him daily. The million dollars he had given the private investigator to conduct an investigation separate from the one West was pursuing had finally paid off. He stared at the white man in front of him. Boss Sparks. He was one of the most skilled hit men on the black market.
He looked at the picture in front of him.
“You’re sure about this?” August asked.
“Sutton LaCroix hired the divers. Sutton LaCroix now works with West. You do the math. West is behind the murders of your parents. I don’t believe he meant to hurt the kid. He didn’t know Brandon would be on board that night. My guess is he wanted your parents out of the way so that he could acquire power of the company,” Boss said.
August looked at the pictures of West and Sutton together. He was sick. West had been a brother to him. Blood meant nothing in comparison to their bond. He didn’t understand this, couldn’t quite come to grips with this type of deceit.
“My parents were good to him. They loved him like their own,” August said, voice trembling, heart tearing, rage simmering. August’s eyes burned and his vision clouded. This unexpected treachery tore him apart. He had never felt anything that hurt this bad. Not even the death of his parents. Learning that West had been the mastermind behind this took the strength out of him.
“I need it finished. Kill him.”
“I don’t offer half services, Mr. Sinclair. I take my job very seriously. The arrangements to eliminate the threat were arranged before I ever stepped foot inside this room. It’ll be done by end of day,” Boss replied.
August nodded and stood somberly to his feet. “Final payment has been delivered to your Swiss account.”
Boss nodded and August closed the door as he exited. His chin quivered and one sob escaped him before he reined in his emotions. The ringing of his phone was a welcome distraction. He pulled it out to see Honor calling him. He wondered if she knew, if she was directly involved with the dealings between West and Sutton. He wasn’t sure. He didn’t think she could be. Not the beautiful, kind girl who had appeared in Beamer’s hospital room after the blast. He prayed she had nothing to do with it because he liked her. He wanted to know her, but he would extend the job if he found out she had any hand in this.
August swept the contents of his desk to the floor and then leaned over the desk, placing flat palms to the top of the wood as he bowed his head and gritted his teeth. He had just lost a brother and it was agonizing.
“Bitch, whatever the fuck you have done to this man, you did it well because I’m staring at a truck full of gifts. Sutton, this is super sweet! His driver is taking me all over the city to pick up gifts for you with personal messages. He loves you, Sutton. Are you sure about this?” Honor whispered the last part as she glanced up at the closed partition.
She then stared at Sutton’s face through FaceTime and she could tell that her sister was conflicted.
“I’m sure,” Sutton said. “I’ll see you tonight.”
Sutton ended the call abruptly and Honor didn’t press the issue. She knew when her sister was in her feelings. Honor didn’t blame her.
The partition lowered and the driver looked in the rearview mirror.
“Ms. LaCroix, we have two more stops before we have to pick up Mr. Sinclair,” he announced.
“August?” Honor asked.
“No, young Beamer. I was instructed to bring Sutton and Beamer together. Since you have taken her place, I just wanted to inform you of our stops.”
Honor nodded. “Thank you.”
The partition rose and Honor reached for the champagne bottle that sat cooling in the ice bucket. She poured a glass as the city streets passed her by. It was a shame what was about to occur. She had a feeling Sutton was about to flush an epic love down the drain, but Honor loved her beyond measure because Sutton was doing it in the name of family. She was defending their sisterhood and Honor couldn’t do anything but respect it. They had been taught at an early age that it was family over all else, but this sacrifice felt unfair. Her phone rang and her chest tightened as August’s name popped up on her screen. She couldn’t even bring herself to answer. Yes, he had done wrong, but Honor just couldn’t see him raping anyone. The damage that had been done to Ashton was so terrible and malicious. She just couldn’t marry the two thoughts together. It felt like they were reacting to half of the story. The entire situation felt wrong.
The one-story house was busy with action as Ashton pulled up curbside. She couldn’t believe she was even there. She climbed out of the car and catcalls erupted as the fellas on the block took notice. Her eyes were hidden behind huge designer sunglasses, covering the remnants of bruises. Those bruises were footprints that led to the tragic night that was to come.
Ashton swung her hips and ass effortlessly as she took the steps up to the porch. She knocked on the metal-framed door. When it opened, Sire stood in front of her. In a black hoodie and black jeans, he was ready for tonight’s drop. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of her because they both knew she had no business being there.
She didn’t even know why she was there. She didn’t know him. He was a pawn on Sutton’s chessboard, but she had a feeling he had a board of his own and on that board, he was a king. She recognized a boss when she saw one. She wanted revenge but not at the expense of him. The only people she wanted punished were the ones who were responsible. She had no idea that she was looking the devil in the eyes.
“What you doing here?” Sire asked.
“Taking a risk that I shouldn’t be taking,” she whispered. “Can I come in?”
“I’m about to head out; got that thing, you know?”
“Yeah,” she said, nodding as she turned to scan the block behind her. “I just need a minute. See something happened to me a while back, something bad.”
Sire’s back stiffened and his brow dipped. He didn’t know where she was going with this.
“I just want to not think about it for a while. I need something just to help me sleep,” she said. The no sleeping part was true, but Ashton would never run to pills for the remedy. It was an easy way to access his trap house, however.
“You want to cop something,” he said.
She nodded and he pushed open the door farther.
“You do this on the regular?” Sire asked, feeling her out.
“No, but it feels necessary right now. I don’t want to keep playing back these thoughts in my head. I’m walking around having nightmares while I’m awake. I just need…”
“To sleep,” he finished for her. “A’ight. I’ll help you out.”
“I’m not asking for favors. I’ll buy like everybody else,” she said, pulling a roll of hundred-dollar bills from her Chanel crossbody bag.
“Don’t nobody want ya small bankroll, shawty,” Sire said. “I see you shining, though.”
She shook her head.
“Let me get you right. You want a drink a’sum’n?” he asked.
“That would be cool,” she said.
Sire disappeared to the back of the house and Ashton blew out a sharp breath. Sutton would kill her if she knew what Ashton was up to.
He returned with two short tumbler glasses, a bottle of Hennessey, and two small capsules. He placed the pills in her hands.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Just a little something for sleep. Nothing major. You came here. You must trust a nigga,” Sire said.
She closed her palm. “I don’t really want to take this with Henny straight,” she said.
“I ain’t got no girlie shit,” he said.
“You got apple juice or something?” she asked.
“It’s some Juicy Juice in there somewhere,” Sire said.
Ashton snickered. “Juicy Juice? You have kids?” she asked. “In your trap house?”
“Nah, man, my niece be here sometimes,” Sire said, giving up a lazy half smile. “She be here more now since my brother got killed a couple weeks back. We all doing our part so CPS don’t take her. She be with my mama most of the time, but I have her sometimes, though.”
Ashton already knew about his brother. She was responsible for Ris killing him. She had called Ris to town.
“I’m sorry about your brother,” Ashton said.
“It’s all good,” Sire said.
“You gon get me the juice or what?” Ashton asked.
“I ain’t no waiter, gorgeous, you better get that shit yourself,” Sire said, sitting and nodding toward the hallway. “That way,” he said.
Ashton made her way to the kitchen and poured two glasses of apple juice. She then split both capsules and emptied them into one glass and then mixed the drink up with her finger. She carried both drinks back to the living room and then grabbed the bottle of Hennessey.
“I’m going to put you on something new. Apple juice and Hen is smooth as fuck,” she said, adding Hennessey to both glasses and handing one to him.
Sire looked at it skeptically and Ashton frowned. “It’s just a drink,” she said, taking it from him and taking a sip. She handed it back to him and Sire took a sip as well.
“My wettest dream, huh?” Sire asked.
Ashton blushed, rolling her eyes as she smiled. “Hennything can happen,” she said.
Sire lifted her glass and he leaned forward to tap his against it. He swallowed down the drink in one gulp.
It took Ashton three gulps and accompanying grimaces to get her drink down. She climbed into his lap and wrapped her arms around the back of his head.
“I’ma fuck the shit out you, shawty, you better get out a nigga lap,” he said bluntly.
Ashton kissed Sire. She needed to buy time, to give the sleeping pills time to kick in. He didn’t seem like the type to waste time with a play on the floor, but she had never met a nigga who wouldn’t get off track for pussy. He squeezed her ass and groaned as he sucked her entire tongue into his mouth. It was the sloppiest kiss she had ever received and somehow the best. She prayed he fell asleep before she wrote a check her ass couldn’t cash.
“Aye,” he said, pulling back to look at her. He gripped her face roughly with one hand, pushing in her cheeks as he looked at her. “I want to finish this, but I got bi’ness. Get your pretty ass out.”
Ashton stood and adjusted her clothes. “Your loss, country boy,” she said.
He stood and Ashton didn’t move as he towered over her, wrapping her waist with one arm and staring down the bridge of his nose at her.
“I’ma holler at you, though,” he said. She noticed the slur of his words and she placed a hand to his cheek.
“Do me a favor and don’t,” she replied. She walked toward the door and the step he took after her was off balance. He staggered.
“Oh bitch, I’ma kill you,” he mumbled as he staggered once more.
“No, you’ll thank me,” Ashton said. She walked out with a clean conscience because she knew that Sire wouldn’t make it to the drop.
Luna checked her Rolex as she sat in the coffee shop on the pier. She didn’t like when things were off schedule. Things went awry when they weren’t done on time and as she sat with the earpiece antenna in her ear, she knew something was wrong. She had tapped the US Coast Guard’s frequency easily enough, but there was no activity. The drop was supposed to take place at 6:00 P.M. She had sent in the anonymous tip at 6:00 on the dot. A team had been dispatched to Sinclair Enterprises’ Louisiana rig, but nothing had occurred. It had been forty-five minutes and the radio had been dead silent since.
Why haven’t they called it in yet? Luna wondered.
When the static of an operator erupted in her ear, Luna perked up.
“Dispatch, we’re at the Sinclair oil rig and there’s nothing illegal going on here. The rig is clean,” the voice said.
What the fuck?
Luna picked up her phone and sent Sutton a text.
Luna
Something’s wrong. Boat is clean. No bust.
She quickly disconnected from the Coast Guard’s communication network and packed up her bag. She had a six-hour drive ahead of her to get back to Houston. Whatever had gone wrong, it wasn’t on her. She had done her part. She needed to link with her sisters to find out what the next move would be.
“Honor!” Beamer shouted as he ran out of the big house and into her arms. His nurse smiled a greeting at her too. Honor looked up at the huge Texas estate. It was massive, truly a big house, and she understood the nickname now. She couldn’t believe her eyes as she gawked at its grandeur. Manicured lawns rolled perfectly for acres on end, fountains splashed, and three stories of luxury sat in front of her. It was like a castle.
“You must be Sutton. Beamer here has been so excited to see you all day,” the woman said.
“No, I’m her sister, Honor. Nice to meet you,” she greeted, shaking the nurse’s hand. “Any special instructions for him? I know he’s still healing. We’re headed right to the party so his brothers will be there. I’m sure they know everything.”
“Those brothers are the reason some of these burns aren’t healing correctly. He really does need a woman’s touch,” the nurse stated. She passed a small bag full of medication. “His care instructions are inside. There is also a steroid cream, antibiotic cream, and something for pain inside. Fresh bandages too.”
“I’ll make sure I read everything and follow the instructions perfectly,” Honor promised. She turned to Beamer. “You ready to go?”
Beamer nodded and Honor corralled him into the SUV. They pulled away from the estate.
“Welcome home, Beamer! I’m so happy you’re out of the hospital. There are so many people who can’t wait to see you!” Honor said, gushing over the resilience of this young boy. He was so special and she just wanted to make sure he had a good time. She knew his days had been hard lately and more hard days were to come as he figured out how to navigate through life without his parents. Today, however, should be fun.
“Is it a big party?” Beamer asked.
“Why do you think we’re all dressed up? Of course it is!”
The smile that spread on his face warmed her. The driver headed toward the venue and Honor hooked her phone up to the vehicle’s Bluetooth, turning on her favorite playlist.
Michael Jackson crooned through the speakers.
“Come on, Beamer,” she said, smiling and snapping her fingers, dancing in her seat. “We’ve got to start the celebration now.”
Beamer smiled and joined in as he moved his head and shoulders to the beat.
Keep on with the force, don’t stop
Don’t stop ’til you get enough
It felt amazing to see him so joyous. He deserved it. Beamer was a good kid, but life was about to get even harder. She had a hand to play in that, so this was the least she could do.
“Can you open the sunroof?” Beamer asked.
“Of course!” she said. “Nothing like dancing out the sunroof.” She hit the button and they stood on the seats, sticking their heads out the sunroof as they pulled to a red light. They could see the venue up ahead and Beamer shouted, “There is West! West, over here!”
He waved his arms as the music blasted and Honor laughed.
“August!” Beamer shouted, seeing him from across the block. They lowered to their seats and the light turned green; but before Leslie could put his foot to the gas, a black car pulled up beside them. The windows seemed to roll down in slow motion. When Honor saw the barrels of the semiautomatic rifles, her heart stalled.
“Get down!”
She threw her body over Beamer as gunshots rang out.
RAT TAT TAT TAT TAT TAT TAT
Bullets pierced the vehicle, over fifty rounds. Leslie lost control of the SUV and it went rolling into the intersection until a car from oncoming traffic T-boned it.
Honor felt her body as it was pulled from the back of the car.
“Call 911!”
It was August’s voice. She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t do anything and as the voices around her began to fade, she wished she could take it all back. She wished they had thought this thing out more because the cost was high. Revenge would be theirs, but it would cost them her life.
“What do you mean they didn’t find anything?” Sutton asked. “I spoke to Sire. He was on his way to the rig.”
“Well, something changed because the coast guard searched the boat and came up empty-handed,” Luna said.
“Damn it!” Sutton shouted as she hit her steering wheel. “I’m on the way to Beamer’s welcome home dinner. I can’t miss it, especially if I still need to be on the inside. This didn’t work, but I’m going to find a way to bring their shit to the ground. Meet me afterward, you and the girls, at Ashton’s.”
Sutton hung up the phone and took her eyes off the road for a millisecond as she put it on the charger. When she looked back up, red taillights stared her in the face as an all-white Maserati cut her off. She slammed on the brakes, abruptly stopping her speed.
“What the hell?” she shouted. When another car veered into her lane from the right, she turned the wheel hard, too hard, sending her car skidding off into a ditch. Her head hit the steering wheel as the vehicle made impact.
She reached for her forehead and blood greeted her. She was so dazed she couldn’t think straight. Her door was snatched open suddenly and she was jerked from the car. Before she could even protest, her mouth and nose were covered. Then a black pillowcase was thrown over her head and her hands were zip-tied behind her. Fear erupted in her body but all she could do was give into the darkness as she felt herself being tossed like a rag doll into the back of a trunk. The last thing she heard was the screech of tires before her eyes closed.
“I know you’re afraid. I’ve been where you are. It’s dark. You can barely breathe under there. Your heart is racing. You’re panicking. The zip ties on your wrists and ankles are cutting into your skin. I always wondered what it felt like to be him. See, my weapon of choice is normally a gun, sometimes a knife or a razor blade when I’m in a position where I can’t carry. But to beat someone to death? To use your hands to beat the life out of someone? That’s a different type of kill. That takes a different kind of malice. You might want to start praying. It helps. The Lord’s Prayer should suffice.”
“Just tell me what you want!” Sutton shouted. She tried not to panic, tried to remain in control, but she was terrified.
When she came to, she was bound to a chair. She had no idea how long she had been out or where she was. Even worse, she had no idea who had taken her.
“You see the problem is you’re too smart. I’ve done my research on you and your sisters. You find these men and you put down a corporate trap. I respect that part. It’s genius, actually, but you fucked up. You crossed over into the streets, but you have no muscle to back you up.”
Someone snatched the pillowcase from Sutton’s head and Sutton stared into the face of a woman she had never seen before. She was beautiful, a little hardened by life it seemed, with eyes as dark as night and a tattoo of cursive letters on the side of her neck. A name. Carter.
Confusion flooded her. “Who are you?” Sutton asked.
“Ashton knows who I am. Why don’t we call her so she can make a proper introduction?”
The woman produced Sutton’s phone from her back pocket and then held it up to Sutton’s face so facial recognition could unlock it.
She FaceTimed Ashton and kept the camera turned toward Sutton.
“Sutty?”
“Ashton, whatever she wants, don’t do it. Just leave. Get the girls and leave town!” Sutton shouted.
“I swear to fucking God if you hurt my sister—” Ashton’s threat fell short when the woman turned the camera toward her face.
“Oh my God! No, no. No! Please, I’ll do anything,” Ashton whispered as tears prickled her eyes.
“If that were the case, you would have done everything I asked you to do and we wouldn’t even be here. Your actions led to this moment. Your betrayal.”
“Ashton, leave town!” Sutton shouted. She let her head fall back and stared at the ceiling before closing her eyes.
The woman tossed the phone aside and picked up the long security chain that lay at her feet.
“If you’re going to kill me, at least tell me who you are,” Sutton said through clenched teeth.
“The connect you tried to set up tonight … the one who supplies Sire? He’s my son. He’s all I’ve got left to prove that I loved the greatest man that’s ever walked this earth. You crossed a Murder Mama, Sutton LaCroix. The penalty for that is always death.”
TO BE CONTINUED IN MONEY DEVILS 2