Once I get them all in, Jackson runs the cart back inside the bakery and locks it up. I hop into the driver’s seat, and he takes the passenger instead of sitting in the back with Penny. “You can sit back there if you want,” I tell him.
“No, I don’t want you to feel like a chauffeur.”
“Please. Just get in the back where you want to be.” He gives me a sheepish smile as if I’m supposed to be bothered that he wants to sit next to his beautiful, pregnant wife. Once he climbs in beside her and closes the door, I take off out of town, being careful to avoid a lot of bumps. Being around all these women with big baby bellies has taught me that everyone either has to pee often, or that bumps in the road suck for their bladders.
We’re only an hour from their place, so we make small talk and I do all I can to avoid conversation about Jules. I don’t want to know if she’s got a boyfriend because I might run the motherfucker over or put a bullet in his head. We pull up to a large estate and through the gated entrance to a long driveway with about twenty cars lined up along the side.
“I’ll drop you off at the front and then park.”
“They hired a valet for today,” Penny says.
“Okay. Luckily, the guns and knives hidden in the vehicle have a special lock to open the secret compartment.”
“Yep,” Jackson says, nodding while opening his door. We don’t like strangers alone in our vehicles because we always carry a hidden arsenal.
I get out first, heart pounding, hands shaking, ready to see Jules. Jackson steps out of the back and then lends a hand to his wife. I would, but I know he likes to show how much of a gentleman he is to his wife.
“Blade, can you grab the cupcakes?” Penny asks as she adjusts her dress. She is supplying three dozen cupcakes for the party. I take two tray containers and close the trunk. Walking behind them, I wait for the door to open while scoping out the area for trouble. I’m so busy looking for trouble that I don’t notice they already went inside. I reach the top of the grand entrance when I feel someone behind me.
"Hey there, bud. They just let any riff-raff in?" I turn and see a punk-ass man looking up at me. He’s just under five ten with a swimmer’s build, wearing a baby-blue polo shirt and a pair of khaki shorts.
I’m tempted to kick him down the stairs, but instead, I glare at the little bitch. "Excuse the fuck out of me, but who the hell do you think you're talking to?"
He smirks nervously. "I'm just teasing, bud. It's my girl's birthday party." Okay, if I was annoyed with this pompous ass before, I’m livid now.
"Jules is your girl?" I question, wanting to really kick his ass now.
"Yep. Do you need a hand?" he asks, as if I need help.
"Get lost, kid,” I snarl. He has no idea how close I am to snapping his neck with my bare hands. The thought of this fucker touching my Jules sends me into a fit of rage that he’s not prepared for.
"Kid?" I turn and see Jules with her mouth open. God, she looks incredible, standing there in a pale blue dress that hugs her breasts and flairs at her waist. She looks like a nineteen-fifties pinup with her hair in pinned-up curls. I want to run my fingers through them as I fuck her on the nearest surface. As I clear my throat to speak, the pencil dick moves right past me.
"Jules, babe. I'm here,” Fuckface says.
"What are you doing here, Brandon?" Her stance isn’t inviting and from her words, I’m guessing he’s full of shit about them being a couple. If he were her boyfriend, she’d want him at her party, but from the expression on her face, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Good—he really needs to get lost.
“Your sister invited me. I even brought you a present.” He gives her a bag from Tiffany’s, and I want to bust his head open even more.
“Well, come on in, then.” She gives him a fake smile that I can read in an instant, but he doesn’t see it. “Are you coming in, Blade?”
“It’s Anthony, Precious.” She blushes before her expression hardens.
“Anthony, come in. I’m sure that Penny’s about to hunt you down,” she huffs, spinning on her heel, leaving her boyfriend and me outside. I smirk at the little fuck because she’s not as indifferent to me as I thought she was. The little punk follows her but stops and turns to me.
“She’s mine,” he says.
I laugh in his face and say, “The fuck she is. She didn’t even invite your bitch ass.” I pause, getting closer so he can read me loud and clear, and then I whisper for just his ears, “Go try to be hard with someone else, because I’ll rip your heart out and feed it to you.” I walk past him and into the house as he stands outside with the color draining from his face.
As soon as I step into the foyer, Penny meets me with her hands on her hips. Her eyes widen when she sees the little bitch Brandon behind me.
“Please bring those over here, Blade.” She leads me to a large display table full of snacks and treats. I set them on the table and then let her do her magic. Stepping away, I look for Jules. She’s busy speaking to Mr. Banks, but as I approach, she’s pulled from him by an older woman who I presume is her mother or another relative.
“Ah, Blade. I’m so glad you could come. I’ve been interested in acquiring some new instruments,” Denver Banks says.
“Anything in particular?”
“I liked that piece you had on you the last time we met. It looks like a great tool to use.” In his suit, you’d never guess that this man’s a killer, but I know him well and he’s extremely efficient and quick.
“Thanks. It really is. Visit my shop and I can get you a piece. I have several in different grip widths. Seeing as your hands are similar to mine, I believe I have one right up your alley.” It’s a sweet piece that will do maximum damage with minimal effort and a great grip so there’s no sliding.
“Perfect. How’s Monday night?”
“That works for me.” It’s only two days from now.
“What’s that little shit doing here?” I follow his gaze straight to my woman and Brandon. I let out a slight snarl.
“You know him?” I ask, wanting the details.
“Yes. He’s Jules’s ex-boyfriend. I was glad when she told me that she dumped him. I’d love to get rid of him, but he’s the son of State Representative Elton Morrison.” The feeling’s mutual.
“When did she dump him?” I can’t hide the jealousy tearing at my heart when I’m the one who didn’t chase after her.
“I don’t remember exactly when they broke up, but she told me the night of the incident at the bakery. He’s a weak frat boy that needs his head bashed in.” We both keep our eyes away from them as we let out our vehement mutual hatred for him. To anyone, it would look like we were having a normal discussion about the weather. I like Mr. Banks. You’d never know that he’d been a killer for the government unless you were under his knife, and then you couldn’t say a word.
“Ah, there you two are,” Mrs. Banks says. He pulls her to his side and kisses her softly. “Oh, no. Whose head are you ready to rip off?”
“Morrison.”
“Oh, yes. Rose told me that she invited Brandon,” she explains, pointing to a woman who’s about Jules age. I guess that’s Jules’s sister, who I’ve heard little to nothing about and already don’t like.