Jobe: Alvarez Security Series (9 page)

“You don’t have to fix lunch. And Gabe left to go work on another job.”

Her gaze jumped back to his in surprise. “He’s gone?”

Jobe nodded as he filled his canteen with water again. “We’ve got several jobs going on today and one of the other men called in sick, so he left to work on that project.”

“Oh.” That single word sounded stupid, but it was all she could think of to say. Her mind racing, she finally just pushed the sandwich over toward him and began making another one for her. “You might as well eat something.”

Jobe watched her in silence for a few minutes, as he chewed the food gratefully.
At least she didn’t throw it at me.
He had managed to move about the house to keep maximum contact with her, trying to balance not crowding and yet making sure she knew he was around. He watched as she moved to the table and sat down, nodding at the chair across from her.

Taking the silent invitation, he sat and continued to eat. Deciding to start with a safe topic, he said, “I’m really impressed with what you’re doing here.”

He noticed that she gave a small, almost imperceptible nod.
Good.

“Thank you. I hope we’re doing something right. At least it seems as though we are.” She felt awkward but just could not seem to bring her gaze up to his.

“I’d say you’re definitely doing something right. You always had such passion to help others and it really shows.” As soon as the words were out of this mouth, he realized that he should not have made a reference to knowing her in the past. It was too soon, by the stiff expression on her face.
Fuck! Well hell, time to go for broke.

“Mackenna, I’d really like to talk to you sometime. There’s a lot I’d like to tell you and hope that you’ll at least give me a chance.”

She sat stiffly, staring down at her plate. The words of Little John ran through her head, but all she could think of at the moment was the pain. The searing pain that she never wanted to feel again.

“I…don’t think that’s a good idea, Jobe. It was…um, a long time ago that we were…um, friends and well, that’s where it should stay.” She stood up from her seat and took both plates to the sink. “You have a job to do here and I’ll say that I’m grateful. But as for anything else? Well…um, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

She faced the window over the sink, hoping he would just walk out of the kitchen and continue his work so that she could leave with her dignity intact.

Jobe had other ideas. He moved to stand behind her, his arms reaching around the counter on either side of her effectively caging her in. His body did not touch hers, but even after years he could feel her heat. The shampoo scent of her long hair was different than what he remembered but stirred him just as much.

He leaned forward so that his lips were close to her ear and whispered, “Mackenna, I get that what I did was unforgivable. But swear to God, I couldn’t seem to help what I was doing. I’ve spent the past years regretting that decision and by the time I tried to write to you again, you were gone. Then I told myself to leave you alone and let you have your life. But now that our paths have crossed again, I’m gonna take that chance to at least have you look me in the eye without hating me.”

He could feel her body stiffen, making sure to not lean back into him.

“I don’t hate you anymore,” she choked out. “But I sure as hell don’t like you.”

“Fair enough,” he admitted. “But I consider that a start.”

“No, it’s not a start for me. It’s still part of the ending.”

He touched his lips to the top of her head and pulled away walking toward the door. Looking back, he said, “I’m sorrier than you’ll ever know, Mackenna. But I’m not giving up on at least having the chance to talk to you.” With that, he turned and walked out of the door.

T
ito Montalvo sat
on the ratty couch in his apartment which also served as his office. Local leader of the Sixers, he usually had plenty of people around to do his bidding and today was no different. Jazzie and Waldo, his right-hand men, were lounging in front of the TV arguing over what to watch. His mind ran through the things that needed to be done by the end of the weekend, but visions of Gabrielle kept running through his thoughts.
Bitch. I offered her a chance to be my main pussy and she fuckin’ leaves.

He looked over to another gang member, a real up-and-coming go-getter. “Tank? Get over here.”

The large, Hispanic man lumbered over, eyes on the leader. “You need somethin’, boss?”

“You in the car the other day where Gabby’s hanging out?”

“Yeah. She’s in some house where some other girls live. Looks like some kind of school, with some white bitch running the place. Bitch came out with a bat the other day, but some big fuckers followed her so we left.”

“Keep an eye on Gabby. Don’t make no threats, but you report back to me what you see. And if that skinny ass white bitch thinks she’s gonna disrespect the Sixers, she’s got a real surprise comin’ her way.”

“Sure thing, boss. You want me to start now?” Tank asked.

“No, fucker. I want you to sit on your ass for a while first,” Tito growled sarcastically.

Duly chastised, Tank headed out of the apartment. Tito moved to the kitchen table and snapped his fingers. Jazzie and Waldo turned off the TV and joined him. Getting down to business, they began their meeting.

Tito had every intention of making the Sixers one of the biggest street gangs in Richland but knew the competition was stiff. Crips and Bloods were at war with each other, leaving some of the picking ripe for his group. The money coming in from drug sales was good, but Tito wanted a bigger slice of the pie. Even if that meant cutting into the piece from the national gangs. And that was dangerous. He wanted more…and had a plan on how to get it.

“I want our girls back on the streets running drugs. They need to put out to do it, fine. But the money’s in the drugs, not their pussies.”

Jazzie reported, “Gotta tell you, boss, that a few girls saw Gabby get out and they’re wondering what you’re gonna do about it.”

“I’m not gonna do shit right now. That bitch wants to work at McDonalds flipping burgers for fuckin’ minimum wage? Let her. You show these girls that they can make bank running my dope. And they want to score johns at the same time? Fine with me. Their pussy can bring in some more money.”

“We’re being watched, boss,” Waldo added. “I seen the cops hanging around our old meeting places.”

Tito glanced over, bored with the conversation. “I don’t give a fuck what the cops think they got or don’t got. They ain’t got me and if we keep working it like we have been, they ain’t gonna get me.”

He sat for a minute, his plans formulating in his mind. “Tank’s gonna get some info for me and when he does, I want you two to roll.”

Jazzie and Waldo both nodded, understanding what he meant.

“You want us to take anyone with us? Anyone need in?” Jazzie asked.

Tito thought for a moment and then grinned. “Yeah. Take that crazy ass, motherfucker Poco with you. He’s eager to get in. He lasted a beat in, so let’s give him a job to do with you two.”

The two associates grinned. “You got it, boss.”

Tito leaned back in his seat, pleased that everything was going according to his plans. Everything except Gabby.
But that bitch will soon see what happens to people that try to help her get away from him.

*

Mackenna pulled into
her driveway, noticing a strange black pick-up truck parked on the street in front of the house. It was not unusual since most of the neighbors parked a car on the street, but she wondered who it belonged to.

She juggled the grocery sacks on her arm as she turned the key in the doorknob and walked into the house.

“Mom? I’m hom—”

She stopped mid-sentence, staring dumbly at the scene in front of her. Penny sat in one of the chairs in the living room…with Jobe sitting on the sofa sipping a glass of iced tea. With mint. Mackenna blinked. Twice. Still not believing her eyes.
What the hel—

“Mackea, loo who ca ta see me?” her mother said proudly, smiling at having a visitor.

Mackenna, still too stunned to say anything, just stared. Her mother’s smile began to droop, so Mackenna quickly forced a smile on her face as she held her mother’s gaze, refusing to look at Jobe.

“I see, mom. Um…let me get the groceries put away while you…um…visit.” She hustled into the kitchen before her mother could see her frustration.
Why is he here? What is he up too? And why in the hell did she have to let him in?

Hands shaking with anger as she tossed the frozen items into the freezer, she then shoved the vegetables into the refrigerator. So filled with her own thoughts, she never heard anyone approach.

“Mackenna?” came Jobe’s voice from behind her.

“What?” she shouted as she raised up, hitting her head on the still open freezer door. “Auggghh!” she screamed as she fell to the floor holding her head, sure that blood would start running everywhere.

Jobe rushed forward, kneeling, and quickly assessing the knot on her head. “Oh doll, I’m sorry. Here let me see.”

She wanted to push his hands away from her and tell him not to call her ‘doll’, but the splitting pain in her head had her hoping she was not going to throw up on his shirt.

He slid down taking her in his arms, with one hand wrapped around her middle and the other grabbing the frozen peas that were on the floor and holding them to her head. He said nothing but rocked her for a moment, allowing the pain to slowly subside. He felt her body begin to relax into him, but did not know if it was because she was comfortable with him holding her or because the pain had her addled.
Probably the latter
, he assumed. In a few minutes he knew he was right when her body went stiff as she struggled to get out of his hold and try to stand.

Refusing to let her fall, he held onto her as she stood before reluctantly letting go. He saw the trail of a few tears before she quickly brushed them away.

Before either could speak, Penny walked into the kitchen, seeing the freezer door standing open, Mackenna with a pained expression on her face, and Jobe holding on to the pack of peas.

“Ya shudn leave tha freeza doo open,” her mother chastised, much to Mackenna’s chagrin.

“I was just closing it, mom,” she said, trying to keep the exasperation out of her voice. She glared at Jobe, but his handsome face never lost its smile.

“Ya stay fa dinna?” Penny asked as she shut the freezer door.

Jobe watched Mackenna’s eyes widen at her mom’s suggestion and he wanted nothing more than to do just that. But it was too soon.
One step at a time.

“Thank you, Mrs. Dunn, but I have to be getting back.” He walked over giving Penny a hug, allowing her the time to lift her right arm to hug him back.

“I’ll walk you out,” Mackenna said, a forced smile on her face. “Mom,” she yelled, “I’ll be right back and then fix dinner.”

He stepped to the side to allow Mackenna to exit the room first and tried to keep his eyes off of her ass as she walked ahead of him to the front door.
Oh yeah, she’s pissed.

Mackenna managed to wait until they were off of the stoop and walking toward his truck when she whirled around, poking him in the chest with her finger.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, coming here like this? Invading my privacy, not to mention invading my mom’s privacy?”

He glanced down at her small finger and lifted his hand to gently remove it from his chest and hold it in his hand. “Your parents meant something to me and I felt like shit when you told me your dad died,” he said.

She stepped back but did not pull her hand out of his grasp. “You’d have known about it if you’d never left, so I don’t care how that made you feel,” she accused.

“You’re right, I would have. And for that, I’m so sorry, doll. But I wanted to see your mom and let her know that I was sorry about her loss. Your parents had a marriage like mine did…strong and happy. And I couldn’t take away the fact that I didn’t know, but I could pay my respects.”

Still glaring, she sifted through his words searching…and finding truth. “You still shouldn’t have just dropped in. Mom’s…better, but…”

“I know, but she seemed fine with the visit. I know what you’re thinking. That I also didn’t know about her stroke,” he said, still gently rubbing her hand with his fingers.

“Were you able to…um…understand her speech?”

“Yeah, actually very well. I realized right away that she had had a stroke and she seemed self-conscious at first, but we began to talk.”

Mackenna’s eyes darted away, clouding with sadness.

“I kinda got the feeling that she was lonely,” he added. Her gaze jerked back to his, the sadness replaced with anger again.
Fuck, it’s like walking on a verbal landmine!

“I’m doing the best I can, Jobe. We moved to Richland so she’d be closer to the rehab center and I managed to rent this house that has everything on one floor. She really didn’t want to live in an apartment with no view of trees or flowers. I know the neighborhood is kind of crappy, but it was the only thing I could afford. She had a day nurse that was with her full time and has made so much progress that the day nurse only has to be here three mornings a week.”