| |
Jonathan let out a hefty laugh. “Good one.”
“I’m not asking, I’m telling.” Shauna patted her purse against her thigh. “If you don’t agree, then I will tell the police what you did to Dee.”
“Go ahead.” He stopped smiling. “I already got immunity.”
She rose her finger, long red nail pointing to the sky. “You got immunity for the kidnapping but not for everything else you’ve done.”
“You threatening me?” He rose from the bench. “I suggest you remember who you’re talking to.”
“Unlike these minions I’m not afraid of you because I got the upper hand. I’ll tell the police everything you’ve done. I don’t mean just concerning Dee either.”
“You double-crossing, backstabbing bitch.” He stomped toward her. “After all I’ve done for you—”
“Done for me?” she shouted. “You mean throwing me out on the street like a mutt? Like I didn’t matter?”
“You poisoned Deidra. What did you expect me to do?”
“This isn’t about your precious, Dee.” She stuck out her hip. “It’s about all my years of loyalty to The Circle and how I’m not letting you kick me out of what I deserve.”
“You deserve nothing.” He breathed in her face. “You’re not blackmailing me.”
“I know everything about you such as; abusing the women, illegally making and distributing medicine underground, cheating on taxes and locking women in the shed without food and water for weeks when they don’t behave...take your pick.”
“When you joined The Circle, you vowed that you’d never tell what goes on in it.”
“Well, you promised to always be there for me and you threw me out like a rag doll so all bets are off. Why do you expect loyalty when you don’t give it?”
He tightened his fists, jaws clenching. “I’m not letting you play this game.”
“Oh, Jonathan.” She patted his cheek. “You don’t have a choice. I’m coming back as Head Mistress but with special perks.”
He rubbed the side of his neck. “Free room and board aren’t enough perks for you?”
“I want to come and go as I please and do whatever I want.” She counted on her fingers. “I don’t follow your orders anymore. You and the minions will treat me with the upmost respect, and they are to respect me the same way they do you. I want just as much power over The Circle as you have.”
“Being in the outside world’s made you crazy.”
“No, I’ve come to my senses since being away from this place. I’ve learned that the only person I should be loyal to is myself.”
“I don’t believe this.”
“Believe it, Jonathan.” Shauna smirked, her raven eyebrow lifting. “I’m in control now.” She turned around, whipping her head in his face.
“Is that right?” He grabbed her by the hair and tossed her face first into the grass.
She grunted, raising on her hands.
He leapt on her back before she could move. “You’re in control, Shauna?” He spoke into her head, the citrus smell of her hair making him harder. “Really?” He held her arms with one hand while stroking her ass. “I don’t think so.”
“What are you doing?” she murmured, gyrating underneath him. “Get off me, Jonathan.”
He removed her pants and satin thong. “I’m in control, Shauna.” He rubbed his crotch against her squishy buttocks. “I always will be.”
“No.” She struggled to free her hands. “No, Jonathan!”
He forced her wrists in the grass and pulled down his pants and jockey shorts. “You missed this, didn’t you?” Spit dribbled from his mouth.
“Jonathan,” she squealed. “Please—”
“Ah.” He forced himself inside her, releasing that ravenous ache he got whenever he thought of Dee. “Yes.” He grabbed the front of her neck, bending her head back as he pumped her.
“Ow!” She stopped scuffling; her resisting turning into the acceptance that he physically outmatched her. “Jonathan.” She moved with him as if she didn’t want him to stop.
“Yes.” She swerved her ass like a snake, giving him full access to her throbbing clit.
“Shit.” He slipped deeper inside her, wishing she were Dee with each thrust. “Ooh.”
“Fuck me, Jonathan.” She dug her fingers into the grass, her reddish ass jiggling from his rhythm. “Don’t stop.”
****
“Grayson?” Dee came through the hall of the station as Grayson walked from the other direction. “What are you doing here?”
“I brought Connie some flowers.”
“I see.” She pretended to look through the folder she’d gotten from the file room. “I don’t remember you bringing me flowers at work.”
He scoffed. “I brought you flowers many times.”
“Whatever.” She walked past, and he grabbed her. “Excuse me?”
“We need to talk.”
“I don’t see why.”
“I do.” He ushered her into the stairwell and closed the door. “What’s your problem?”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Why are you sticking your nose in my relationship with Connie?”
She laughed. “Don’t make me gag. Please. I couldn’t care less.”
He blocked her as she went to the door. “Doesn’t look that way.”
“Please. You’re with Connie to stay in my life.”
He guffawed.
“It’s the truth. Out of all the women in Baltimore, you had to date Connie? Why?”
“Because I like her.” His smile held a pompous flair. “Because she’s beautiful, sexy and damn good in bed.”
Dee groaned.
“Are you jealous? Because I thought you were over me and had this so-called great romance with Winston. Yet, you’re all in my business.”
“I don’t want you to hurt her.”
“Sure that’s the only reason?”
“Don’t play me, Grayson.” She waved the folder between them. “If I’d take your ass back you’d dump Connie in a second.”
“Nope.” He shook his head. “I’m over you, Dee. I know it, Connie knows it and you’d better accept it.”
“You always said you’d never disregard my feelings then you do this. Grayson, there is a line you don’t cross. You have no business dating my friend and my partner.”
“Connie isn’t your property. We like each other and we’re not gonna stop being together for you or anyone.”
She parted her quivering lips. “Are you saying you’re in love with her?”
“You kept saying you wanted me out of your life. I’m trying to give you your wish.”
“Answer me. Are you in love with her?”
He lifted his head. “Yes.”
She examined his grave expression. “That fast?”
He stepped toward the door and turned back around, facing her. “I’ll always care about you but my love life is no longer your business. Okay?”
He left her there feeling stupider than ever.
****
“Shit.” Dee stopped at the doorway of the lounge a few minutes later when she saw Winston eating lunch.
She went to the vending machine and pressed the button for a granola bar.
Winston approached and she bumped into him as she turned. “Excuse me,” she said with puckered lips.
“Excuse me.” He put change into the machine and one of those nasty, greasy burritos he liked so much, popped out of it.
“Ugh.” Dee sat at the table. “How can you eat those disgusting things?”
“It’s not your business what I eat.” He stood by her table, opening the smelly tortilla. “Hm.” He bit into it and grease and cheese slid onto his lips.
Dee slammed her eyes shut, feeling another round of nausea.
“How can you eat granola bars all the time? Like eating wood.”
“I had it out with Grayson so I’m not in the mood for your crap too.”
He mumbled on his way back to his table.
“Dee?” Detective Quintero scampered inside the lounge, his slacks twisting between his chunky thighs. “I got assigned to a murder case and it might be connected to the Keng murders so wanted to let you know.”
“What’s going on?”
“Last night, a man was shot to death in Little Korea. We got the call this morning.” The light-skinned Spaniard touched his forehead. “The murder was the same style as the Kengs’. This man was at home and ambushed but this time no forced entry.”
“Interesting.” Dee bit into her bar, nodding. “But, what does this have to do with my case?”
He bent over the table, the red undertones in his brown hair glowing under the lights. “The man was a Jehovah’s Witness and a member of the Kengs’ church.”
“What was his name?”
“Tommy Kim.”
Dee froze. “We just spoke to him to see if he knew anything about the Kengs’ murder.”
Quintero leaned up, putting his hands in his pockets. “Well, now he’s dead.”