Hide & Seek (28 page)

“
Do you really think I’m that big of a fuckin’ bitch,” she wailed, ashamed that he was so on target.

She wanted nothing more than to remove the child growing inside her from her womb; well; at least she was still trying to convince herself that’s what she wanted.

“
I know you’re not happy about it,” LaRon answered frankly, finally looking at her again.

Jaleesa sighed deeply trying to gather herself and stop the tears.

“
I’m scared Deuce, damn,” she told him sniffling slightly. “There, is that what you wanna hear,” she questioned as LaRon again sighed deeply never taking his eyes from her.

“
What are you scared of,” he asked doubting Jaleesa would tell him the truth.

“
Of you,” she said quietly. “Of you turning into a monster and hurting me again, beating another baby outta me,” Jaleesa replied breaking the gaze and turning her head away from him.

LaRon felt her hurt. He understood her hesitation. He’d made her life torture when they were together the first time. It’d only been a couple of months and here he was expecting her to forgive years of hurt overnight.

“
Tweety,” LaRon began gently.

Opening her eyes and turning her head, Jaleesa once again regarded him.

“
I’m not that man anymore,” he told her patiently. “I want this baby, I want you, I want another chance at us,” LaRon told her honestly. “I know it’s hard,” he began anew. “But again, Tweety, I’m beggin’ you baby, let it go,” he ended, kissing her softly on the lips and caressing her face gently.

Jaleesa continued to watch him wordlessly for the next few moments, her gaze making LaRon extremely uncomfortable, his fear deepening that she would never forgive him. Sighing deeply finally, she addressed him.

“
I’ll try,” Jaleesa told him softly, almost inaudibly.

Looking into her eyes, LaRon knew this time she was telling him the truth. Kissing her deeply, he freed her and allowed her free reign of her room. He still planned to keep her locked in her room. He wasn’t that trusting, not yet anyway. Exhausted from crying, Jaleesa quickly drifted off never feeling the soft kiss LaRon planted on her cheek or hearing the click of the deadbolt as he locked her inside.

*****

“
You know I’m not keen on you going with him,” Kim told Mook as he threw some things in a bag.

“
Baby, we gotta handle this shit, you know that,” he replied giving her a look.

Kim sighed deeply. While she understood, she was worried. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, Mook was important to her now. Her heart was attached and the thought of anything happening to him filled her with a deep sense of angst.

“
Be careful,” Kim told him resolutely, resigning herself to his leaving.

“
You know I’ma be cool, and Deuce will be there to have my back,” Mook told her as he hugged her and kissed her softly.

“
You need to be careful too,” he threw back giving her a look.

They’d heard that Freight was still in the city and rumblings that he’d invited friends.

“
Entirely too much bullshit going’ on right now,” Mook declared as Kim readily agreed.

“
You feeling’ better,” he asked catching her by surprise.

Kim hadn’t felt well the past couple days, but she tried to be as normal as possible.

“
I’m fine,” she replied quickly as Mook whistled slightly and left the subject alone.

“
I’m leaving you my .380,” he told her breaking her thought as Kim told him she had her own weapon.

“
Nah, I’m taking your .9mm and this .22,” Mook replied chuckling slightly as he held the small gun.

“
Why are you taking that one,” she asked giving him a quizzical look.

“
Cause it will catch a fool by surprise,” he told her and Kim nodded her understanding.

“
Just enough of a sting to fuck up their system, them you can finish ‘em off with the major piece,” Mook told her stripping his shirt and heading into the shower.

Kim heard the water running and breathed a sigh of relief. She needed to get to the doctor and see what the hell was going on with her. She had suspicions but it was an impossibility.
We used a condom and I’m on the pill,
Kim continued to ponder. Her mind quickly reminded her they hadn’t used a condom every time.

“
I’m still on the pill though, shit,” she mumbled.

Every symptom she had pointed to her being pregnant but Kim wasn’t trying to hear that, not to mention she figured Mook would flip.

“
Hey girl,” Mook called out breaking her thought again.

“
What,” Kim threw back.

“
Don’t what me,” he returned chuckling. “Bring that sexy ass in here, lemme get some,” he told her crudely.

Kim sucked her teeth as she smiled and headed into the bathroom, teasing him as she took her time getting undressed.

“
Don’t make me get outta this shower,” Mook threatened as Kim laughed harder.

“
Chill, your horny ass,” Kim threw back stepping into the shower as Mook grabbed her pulling her close.

“
Damned right I’m horny,” he told her, kissing her neck. “You fine as hell, I get a hard on thinking about you,” he admitted freely, caressing her breast.

Kim was on fire. She wanted him and she wanted him now. “Mm, well show me how horny I make you,” she murmured in his ear, sucking the lobe gently.

He pushed her against the shower wall, lifting one leg and wrapping it around his waist about to enter her when it all went wrong. The urge came from nowhere and before she could stop it, she was doubled over throwing up in the tub.

“
Damn baby, what’s wrong,” Mook asked concerned as he got out of the way.

Managing to get to the toilet, Kim finished emptying the contents of her stomach, wholly embarrassed. Mook left her alone, going into the kitchen and finding some ginger ale. Kim emerged moments later after cleaning up herself and the tub to find him waiting for her, holding the glass of soda.

“
Baby, are you sick,” Mook asked looking into her eyes, concerned.

“
Just a bug,” Kim told him, praying it was the truth.

“
You sure that’s all,” he asked giving her another look.

“
Yeah,” she replied.

“
Miss Kim,” Mook began again, holding her face in his hands, looking into her eyes. “You’re pregnant aren’t you,” he asked point blank.

Kim’s breath left her and she could only swallow hard, but say nothing. Smiling at her response, Mook kissed her lips.

“
It’s straight baby,” he told her nonchalantly. “If you are, you tell me what we’re doing, and I’m down,” he added, kissing her neck now.

“
OK,” Kim replied simply her mind still whirling.

Mook didn’t miss a beat or slow his pace as he proceeded to pick up where they left off, this time completing the act as Kim passionately cried out his name when he brought her to her peak for the fourth time.

*****

DeNoah was on a mission. His world had been devastated when he got the call from the hospital two days ago. Halle had gone into cardiac arrest. She was gone by the time he made it back.
Didn’t even get the chance to say goodbye,
he thought as the hurt descended again. He didn’t know anything about her family since she’d never talked about them, so there was little he could give the hospital that would help. He was headed to her house today. There were questions in DeNoah’s mind. Questions he wanted answers too. Her death just wasn’t sitting with him. He couldn’t help but feel there was much more to it than a clot breaking free and traveling to her brain like the doctors had explained. His gut told him someone had helped Halle to the other side and whoever it was had a bullet with their name on it from his.10mm.

Using the key she’d given him a week earlier, DeNoah made his way inside the apartment. He immediately sensed someone had been here. Looking around DeNoah observed various items moved; clothes flung on the floor, books out of place, as if someone were looking for something.
What the hell,
he thought making his way into the living room again after a quick once over of the entire apartment. Taking in the photographs once more, he found the one with Halle and the unidentified man, taken while she was pregnant.
I need to know who this muthafucka is,
DeNoah thought crossly. The man irritated him, even smiling in the picture as he held it. DeNoah sensed things weren’t as they seemed. Removing the photo from the frame he folded it and placed it in his pocket. DeNoah went back into the bedroom and sat on the bed. Following his mind he opened the nightstand drawer finding the papers rifled through. Still he removed them all and reached to the very back of the drawer, his hand clasping around the object he sought. Pulling the cellphone out, DeNoah turned it on and began scrolling through the numbers. To his surprise he found Spider’s old cell number.
Halle knew Spider,
he wondered as yet another unknown out of state number popped up. “Colton Palmer,” he murmured aloud before pushing the speak button. DeNoah hopped this was someone who could turn him on to Halle’s family so they could claim her body.

The phone rang six times and he was beginning to think it was going to voicemail when it suddenly connected.

“
Hello,” DeNoah threw out over the silence, since the other party hadn’t spoken.

“
Who is this,” Freight growled.

It had already freaked him out to see Halle’s name come up on his ID.

“
Listen man,” DeNoah began. “I’m not tryin’ cause no static, I’m a friend of Halle’s and I was tryna reach her family,” he told the party as they continued to remain mute.

“
Why you tryna find her people,” Freight fished.

“
Well, um, she’s been hurt,” DeNoah hedged, not wanting to fully disclose Halle’s death.

“
Hmph, well, she has a sister in St. Louis, I think,” Freight lied.

Halle had been disowned by her family years ago. He’d been her only support and sense of belonging. Them having a child together was supposed to be the start of her new family.

“
Do you mind giving me her name and number,” DeNoah tried.

“
I’ll give her your info and tell her to call you,” Freight replied his mind already working.

“
Yeah, that’s cool,” DeNoah threw back thinking nothing of it.

Giving his name, and his own cell number DeNoah disconnected and took one last look around the house before sighing deeply and leaving. He hoped that Halle’s sister would call soon.

*****

Freight was still frowning slightly when his friend Myles joined him at the table. They were having lunch at Mardi Gras still checking out the club and making plans to kill both Ian and Top.

“
Wassup with you man,” Myles asked.

He was one of Freight’s chief lieutenants. Tall and lanky, he wore a sleepy expression and used slow speech. He was however meticulous and deadly, which made him quite an asset in Freights estimation.

“
Think I found us an inside source,” he replied going on to enlighten his friend of DeNoah’s call.

Myles nodded slightly understanding where Freight was going with his thought pattern.

“
So what you wanna do,” he asked starting on the burger he’d ordered that now sat in front of them.

“
Call Angie,” Freight replied, starting on his own food. “Tell her to have her ass in place later.”

Myles again grunted his understanding as the two men continued to eat. Glancing around Mardi Gras once more, Freight smiled slightly and stopped eating. Myles again noticed the intrusion and turned around to see what held his friends attention.

23

Kim walked into Mardi Gras and found a table, sitting down and ordering a salad and some wings. Her appetite was still funny and she didn’t want a repeat of earlier this morning with Mook. Thinking about him she sighed gently, missing him already.
He’s only gonna be gone a few days girl, damn,
she chided herself, laughing at how silly she was being. Kim continued to case the club making mental notes so she could report back to Top. From what she’d been told things were about ready to wrap and if they made even the slightest mistake or miscalculation, it would cost them all their lives. Her mind immediately shifted back to the predicament she now found herself in.
How the fuck did I get pregnant on the pill,
Kim continued to ask herself. She also found Mook’s reaction equally confusing. He wasn’t angry. He just seemed to be totally aloof about the entire thing.
Does he want the baby, he want me to abort it, shit, what,
Kim continued to muse.

She glanced up as the waitress set her salad before her and saw Ice. He was as usual flanked by his security, Dixon, but there were also two other men with him today. Kim continued to watch taking in their demeanor and knew they were muscle as well.
Probably more shooters,
she thought fleetingly as the men disappeared beyond the bar area and she was sure into Ice’s private office. Kim decided to call Top after her meal and let him know what she’d found out. She was also hoping Ice would reappear and give her more to report that might offer a clue about what he was planning.
Wonder if he killed Role’s dumb ass yet,
Kim thought once more, picking through the salad as her stomach once again threatened revolt.
This damned sickness shit is for the birds,
she thought crossly. Deciding she should run offense, Kim rose and headed to the ladies room, reaching the door just as the salad did an about face and she once again found herself hugging the porcelain god.