Chapter Twenty
“I’m just about done here. You ready to go to the house?” Monika asked.
Rain stood up. “Yeah, I’m ready. But roll me by Romans first. I need to talk to Carter.” Might as well get it over with, she thought as she got her guns.
It wasn’t like she had made up her mind about whether she was going to have the baby or that she had anything to say to Carter. Rain was just tired of avoiding him.
“Let’s go,” Monika said, and Rain followed her out of the office. Earlier that day, Rain had picked up a new Lexus from Chance that he had customized to hold her arsenal. They had driven a few blocks away from the office when they passed a Volvo with two men in it.
“That’s them!” one of the Albanian occupants said.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. Go after them. But keep your distance. We just want to know where they’re going.”
“Okay,” the driver said and made a U-turn so they could follow Rain and Monika. The other man took out his phone and made a call.
“I have them,” he said and gave his location.
The two vehicles converged on Rain’s car as they drove, and they were both sure to keep their distance. When they arrived at Romans, Monika parked, and they got out and walked toward the pizzeria.
“Looks like they are going for pizza,” one said.
“No matter. Change of plans. We take them here. Now.”
All four men armed themselves and got out of their cars. Monika saw them first.
“We got company,” Monika said and took out her gun.
Rain looked across the street and saw the four armed men. “These muthafuckas done fucked around and came to the wrong spot.” She took out her gun and fired one shot in the air.
Seconds later, Carter, Geno, Chao Hassan, and half a dozen other armed men came rushing out of Romans, firing. As her men engaged the Albanians, Rain went inside Romans and went behind the counter. Monika shrugged her shoulders and followed Rain inside.
“Where’s the cook?” Rain looked around. “Never mind.” She got a bottle of grape Nehi from the cooler and held it up. “You want one?”
Monika laughed. “Sure, why not?” Rain handed her the bottle. “Thanks. I haven’t had one of these in years.”
“Want me to throw a slice in for you?”
Monika laughed. “Sure, why not make it two? With sausage and extra cheese. I haven’t eaten since breakfast.”
Outside Romans, the outgunned Albanians had taken cover. As they fired at Geno, he took cover and fired back at the shooters. He hit one of them with three shots, and he fell over, firing wildly. While two other gunmen continued firing, Carter returned their fire and forced them to better cover.
Chao fired and hit another with three shots to the chest. Carter ducked behind a car and then came up shooting. His shot grazed one’s head, and then Carter put two in his chest. The last man came out from his cover, shot back, and then tried to run. He was met by Geno, who killed him before he got very far.
When the shooting stopped, Carter and his men walked across the street.
“Make sure they’re all dead, and take them to the Parlor,” Carter said, putting away his gun and walking back inside Romans.
When Carter came inside, Monika was leaning on the counter while Rain checked the oven to see if their slices were ready. “Give them another minute,” she said and closed the oven.
“Albanians?” Monika asked Carter when he stood next to her.
“I didn’t ask, and they didn’t say, but I’m sure they were.”
“They must have followed us from the office, sunshine.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Rain said.
She still hadn’t made eye contact with Carter. Even though she had come there intending to talk to him, now she wasn’t feeling it. She looked at Carter. “Where are your to-go boxes?”
“Under the prep table,” he said and pointed as Geno and Chao came back inside Romans.
All three stood and watched as Rain put together two to-go boxes. Then she got the slices from the oven and boxed them up. She looked at Monika and put the boxes on the counter.
“You want another grape Nehi to ride with?”
“Sure, why not?” Monika said and grabbed the boxes as Rain grabbed two more bottles of grape Nehi.
“We out,” Rain said, coming from behind the counter. “Get the door for us, Geno.”
“What was that about?” Geno asked when Rain and Monika left Romans.
“I have no fuckin’ idea,” Carter said, and then he thought, fuck Rain. “Buy a round of drinks for everybody on the house, Chao.”