you an exhilarating rush that you feel all over. It’s hard to explain, but it’s addictive. There’s something in the air that’s relaxing and makes the pride swell in your chest for the Lonestar state. I couldn’t imagine ever living somewhere else. This place has always been home and will continue to be until I take my last breath.
I pull into the hotel’s parking lot and park on the opposite side of where her room should be located, in the pitch black. I don’t want any of her suits popping their head in the window at the sound of my pipes and see us coming. I stick to the shadows, as I do often. They say scary things wait for you in the shadows, but in my case, I am the motherfucking monster.
“Oh, spooky, Prez, hm?” Cindy hums, an underlying Jersey accent making its presence known. I doubt any of the brothers have caught it before, but it’s my job to notice the little things. Sometimes the most important things are the ones people believe aren’t significant.
“You better watch that tone darlin’, or people will catch on that you’re not a true Southerner.” I take in the worried gaze she casts me as the streetlamp picks up our presence. “Your secret’s safe with me, but I’m bettin’ you’re escaping something out there.”
“Thanks, Prez,” she whispers, her gaze falling to the sidewalk. She doesn’t speak on it any further, but she’s like an open book. She’s got her own ghosts, but I’m not trying to dig into those right now.
“Shake it off, honey. You’ve got a job to do, and I need your head in the game.”
Cindy flashes a smile. It’s more for her sake than mine, though; I don’t need a lift. She retorts, “You got it.”
“If we’re quiet, the night clerk won’t hear us. She’s usually in the back watching videos on her phone from what Alice has told me.”
“She sneak out of here a lot?”
“No, she swims.” I don’t know why I go as far as sharing that detail about Alice. Lord knows it’s not the sweetbutt’s business, by any means. Maybe I’m trying to be nice after calling her out a moment ago. Whatever the case, no one should get used to it. I’m a bastard through and through—always have been, always will be. “We’ll ride the elevator up to the third floor. You’ll go down the hall first, and I’ll wait five minutes to give you a chance to distract her security. Now, remember, I need you to get him or them to have their back to me so I can get by and to the room.”
“You think this Alice woman is something special, huh?”
“Don’t go reaching, Cindy; this is business. You want to earn the brothers’ favor, right?”
She nods adamantly as the electric doors swish apart. I grab her bicep and yank her with me as we quickly duck inside and past the check-in desk. The elevators are off to the side with a wall as a barrier, so I tug her to the door before peeking my head around the corner to check the front. The clerk never looks to see who came in, so we’re in the clear.
“We’re good. Now the second part of the plan,” I say and hit the up button on the pair of elevators. The one on the right chimes immediately, having been sitting on the ground floor and lets us inside. I press the illuminated three and we ride up the few levels until the door automatically opens again. “Showtime, darlin’,” I hiss and give the gash a shove in the appropriate direction.
She disappears around the corner, and I hold my breath to listen. I can hear voices, though they’re not loud enough for me to make out the words. I tug my cell out of my breast pocket in my cut and type out a text to Alice.
Count to eighty and open the door to your room a crack.
Why? She questions and I huff to myself.
Just do it, got a surprise for you.
She responds with a smile emoji, and I tuck my phone away. I start walking to the end of the hall, counting to myself. I make it there by number twenty-six and I listen for Cindy and the security team. I hear her make a gagging sound and chance peeking around the corner. She’s got him in the far corner. Looks like she’s on her knees with him hiding her. His back’s to me just