Tomahawk (15 page)

30 minutes later I was picking glass out of Tonya's hair, which she'd push me away every few seconds for me to stop, but I continued on.
Rice, looked like he just lived a hundred lifetimes, shook Ryan's hand and thanked him.
"Sir, it was nothing.  Your daughter and her boyfriend received an all-expense paid vacation to Las Vegas."  Sanders found the boyfriend under the guise of a friend of Rice's daughter with the trip. Told him it was a surprise and that she was supposed to be in Virginia with her friend, no one would even know that she was with him.
"How did you find them?"  Rice had asked.
"The kid couldn't contain his excitement. He put it on his social media account.  With the hashtag #whatsdoneherestayshere.  We knew it was Vegas, the men and women of this station called every hotel and airline and found your daughter.  She will be back at home in a few hours."
Rice thanked us again and left.
"I guess I will clean out the spare bedroom for you guys."  Ryan said.  "Since your house is no more and Tony has nowhere to stay."
"What did I hear?  A slumber party at Ryan's house, I'm in." Drew said rubbing his hands together.
Tonya looked up to me and nodded.
"I just want to get some rest. No partying for me."  I couldn't help but put my arm around Tonya's waist, she didn't pull away.  "If you want to stay somewhere else I'm sure that we can make arrangements for you."  I prayed.
"God knows I wanted to kill him."  Totally ignoring my question.  "Deep down you know that I wouldn’t have been able to do."
"You give so much life to other people, you aren't equipped to take it.  And that's what I love about you.  You give."
Pulling away from me. "And you take.  I'll stay at Ryan's for the night.  Then get things in motion to leave DC."  She didn't wait for me to protest or beg her to stay.  She limped away towards Ryan and Drew smiling that smile.
How in the Hell am I going to get her back?
 

Chapter 13

“I had a really good time, Marcus.”  Tonya put her hand over her mouth as she giggled.  It had been months since she laughed out loud or had been in the company of a man.  She wasn’t anxious like she thought she would be.  Marcus was a complete gentleman, opening doors, pulling out chairs.

He put his hand behind her headrest in the driveway of her home.  “I don’t think I’ve laughed that hard in forever.”  Marcus’ full lips pulled back into a full white smile.  His chestnut colored eyes, sparked from the light in the dashboard.  “I didn’t think that you would go out with me.”

Taken a back.  “Why would you think that?”

“When you started working at Decatur Elementary School, you were so quiet and shy.  I thought a woman like you wouldn’t want to be seen hanging out with someone as rowdy as me.”

“Rowdy, huh?  You teach fourth grade how rowdy can one man be?”  She couldn’t help but smile up at him; he kept his eyes on her drinking in every one of her features.  Marcus was tempted to ask about the small scar under her chin but decided against it. The tiny patch of puckered skin called to him from the day that he saw her, walking the halls of Decatur.  As best as she could she tried to hide, but beauty like hers was an attention grabber.

The cabin in the car began to cool, it was now or pretty much never in her mind.  She could see herself up all night talking to him.  They didn’t have to go to the next level; it was only the first date.  I’m reading too much into this, screw it.  “Did you want to come in?”

“It’s late and I don’t want to keep you from anything.”  He whispered. 

He doesn’t like me; she thought but kept a level face.  “Okay, maybe another time.”  She smiled and clawed for the door handle, running away from her embarrassment.  Damn, now he thinks I’m a whore or something.

Putting a gentle hand on her arm.  “Whoa, there cowgirl where you running off to?” Tonya mouth went dry.  “You know what?  I think I want to continue talking to you.  Only if you really want me to come in.”

“I think that would be nice, only if you really want to.”  Her voice squeaked.

“I do.”  She reached for the door, “Oh you better not touch that door handle.  I’ll be there in a second.”  Marcus pulled the keys out of the ignition of his BMW and strolled to her side of the car.  He opened the door, took her hand and smiled down at his lovely prize.

“If you move I’ll blow the back of your head off.”  Marcus felt the cool steal of the gun barrel at the base of his skull.  Instincts told him to turn, get a look at the guy.  “Did you hear me?  Move I will end you.”

Two other men came from out of the bushes, faces covered guns drawn.  One of the men grabbed Tonya, turned her around swiftly and padded her down.  The guy with the gun to the back of Marcus’s head barked.  “Do you know who she is?”  Marcus couldn’t speak.  “Do you hear me?  Do you know who she is?”

“No, I mean yes.”  He stammered.

“You are in the company of Tonya Irvine, the biggest drug Queen Pin of the Eastern Sea board.”

Marcus’ mouth and eyes grew wide.  “Queen Pin?”

“Yes, she fronts as a Kindergarten teacher by day and ruthless cartel leader at night.”  Marcus looked over to Tonya, her nose flared and her arms crossed.

One guy had his hand on her elbow.  “You should be very lucky, she would have charmed you with her feminine wilds and before you knew it would be in Latin America with an asshole full of China White.  Now would you like that?”

“No sir.”

“Last guy she was seen with was found gutted with his privates in his mouth.  Think he was working for the DEA or something. It was bad.”  The big guy had said.

The guy with the gun finished his pat down.  “No, Mr. Marcus Roberts what you need to do is go home and kiss your wife and kid and be thankful that you didn’t become a mule or dickless.”

“Wife?” Tonya shouted.

“Tonya, ahh.  Well.  Me and Sarah are separated.  What? Who in the hell are you talking to?  You are a King Pin or Queen pin or whatever.”

The big guy stood over Marcus.  “Be careful how you talk to the lady, you don’t know how far her reach is.”  Marcus gulped.

“Mr. Roberts, you should be going now.”  The guy with the gun had said nothing but a word; he pulled out of Tonya’s driveway so fast he had forgot to close the driver’s door all the way. 

Once Tonya no longer heard squealing tires. She turned her back to the three, “What the hell do you think you are doing?  If he takes you serious I could lose my job.”  She stormed off into her house the men followed.

“That guy was an asshole.”  Drew said pulling off his wool mask.  “He bout pisst himself when he saw the gun.”

Standing up on her tip toes, not even close to Drew’s height.  “Normal people are scared of guns, you three are not normal.” Kicking off her heels.

“If you are going to be with someone let us approve of him first.  He didn’t even try to defend you.  He just nodded like a dummy. Thought you had better taste in men, baby solider.”  Ryan wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Can you two give us a second?”  I said pulling off my mask, I watched as my men walked out.  Ryan taking the front door and Drew pacing the driveway.

“Why are you here?  Let me live my life Vic, please.”  She fell back on the couch; she didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry.

Pulling off the black leather gloves and holstering my weapon.  “Tonya, I would love to be the man that would come in here and tell you that I couldn’t live without you.  That breathing is harder when you are not around.  The night you left, I couldn’t see colors anymore just pale grays.  The world faded.  I need you.”

“That would be so beautiful if it were true.”

“We can start back slow, slow as you like.  I need you Tonya.”

“I like my job here in Baltimore.”

She's gorgeous.  She was letting her hair grow out and I loved how the short bob haircut framed her face.  After the Sanders incident I let her have her space.  It was going on two long months and I had to see her.  "You're just a substitute teacher now.  You can come back to DC."

Tonya frowned.  "You've been checking up on me?  Damn Vic!"

She so adorable when she's mad I thought.  "I won't let you get hurt, ever again.  If I have to come to Baltimore every night to make sure that you're safe I will."  I sat down next to her on the couch.  "I like your place."  She sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes.  "Screw it."  I got down on my hands and knees.  "I'm begging you.  Come back to me.  I'll do anything."   I put my head in her lap like I used to.

"There's nothing that I want from you.  Right now, all I want is for you to leave me the hell alone.  I can't do it again with you.  You've broken my heart."

"Give me a chance to fix it."

"It's broken beyond repair."

"You don't mean that.  I saw you grinning at the married dude.  He was willing to fix anything you had broken."  I would have snapped his neck if he even thought about touching her even if she wanted him to or not.

"You don't control me."  Tonya stood and I fell back on my behind.  "Go back to DC."

"I won't go unless you come with me."  I followed her to the kitchen; she began to wipe the stove.  I pulled the rag from her hands, her eyes narrowed and she put her hand on her hip.  "Do you want me to quit.  I'll settle down and get a regular 9-5 job.  Will that make you happy?  I'll give it all up.  If you want to stay here, I can find something close to you.  What do you want?  Tonya, I swear on my own life.  I will give you whatever you need, just tell me."

Pressing her back against the refrigerator.  Damn near biting a hole in her bottom lip.  "One day Vic we can be friends, but right now-"

The hole in my heart started to form into a sinkhole, swallowing everything in its path.  "Right now what?  We can go slow like I said.  Please."  Putting my hand out begging God in heaven that she would take it.  She just pushed back to the fridge.  My hands trembled in fear.  The hands that I have killed with, hands that have rubbed her soft back as she'd fall asleep in my arms.  I put my hand down to my side and made a fist.  Trying to keep a grip on something that had already slipped through my fingers.

I took the two steps toward her and kissed her on the forehead.  "Later this week I'll have Ryan or Drew come over and put a deadbolt on that door and put on window locks."  I turned and walked out of her house, praying for her safety.

I had no idea what time it was.  I just knew two things: it had been days since I last saw her and there was someone in my house.  Sliding my hand under the pillow I had a grip on my weapon, flicking my finger over the safety.
"Damn, you are good.  You did all that with your eyes closed.  Impressive." 
My eyes opened just to roll them.  Kinney stood in my room.  "Do you knock?"
"Matter of fact I did.  The rest of the team is down stairs we have a job."  After a few surgeries and lot of middle fingers to his doctors, Kinney was back in full swing.  "Get your ass up, let's go."  Slapping my bare leg that stuck out from under the covers.
There was no need for washing up or trying to get fancy.  I put on my Ohio State shirt on and a pair of sweats that have been my every day gear since I last saw her.
I jogged down the stairs, where Ryan and Drew rummaged through my refrigerator.  "Liking the new place.  It's just missing something."  Drew said with a mouth full of leftover meatloaf.  What was missing was Tonya.  "Maybe you should have more leftovers; a brother is starving over here."
"Where in the hell do you live?  You should probably eat before you come over."  Snatching the plates out of Drew and Ryan's hands.  "What is this about?"
Kinney winced as he sat down; we all acted like we didn't see it.  The skin grafts to his legs would have healed days earlier, if he wasn't in such a rush to get back to work.  "We have a guy.  Name is Samuel Dunn, arms dealer.  No one can get any hands on him.  They want your team to get him."
I heard every word that he was saying.  But the thrill of chasing a guy with more guns than Iraq didn't have its appeal like it once did.
"Hell, Moore are you listening to me?"  Kinney looked like he wanted to stand, but couldn't.
"Bro come on."
"Damn, I'm listening."  I rubbed my hand over my chin.  Hell, I had nearly grown a full beard.  The prickles stabbed at my fingers.  "Go ahead."
"It just doesn't feel right." Drew said.  "Before when we were briefed on a mark, Mel was here and I had no idea that you even existed."  Pointing to Kinney.  "The team just seems off, you know?"
We all felt it.  The aftershocks from Sanders had taken so much out of my men and me.  The loss had been devastating to all of us.  "I know how you all feel.  I have lost men and women over the years and it doesn't get better, honestly the pain will always be there.  It never goes away, it may be dull and you’re able to work through it, other days it’s debilitating."
"We work through it.  We make every mission count for Mel."  I said.
Cracking a smile.  "That's why I have taken the liberty of adding another member to your team."  Kinney leaning back taking pride in his proactive gesture.
Drew was the first to speak.  "No offense, but we find our own men.  What we have is a connection."  He said steady shaking his head.
"He's right. Bringing another person in to this team could make or break us."  Ryan added.  "I think it's too soon for additions."
My head was cloudy and I knew that my men were right; someone from the outside no matter how much experience they had doesn't produce a good team. "Kinney, I am the head of the team you should have conversed with me before making a huge decision like this."  Anger had been my emotion of choice of late; I was trying to put a cap on it.
"Moore, I am the head of the team.  Please don't ever think you run the show.  Now put that heart back where it belongs."
"What's that supposed to mean?"  I felt the cap begin to twist off.
"The girl you drove away is gone.  Get over it.  She's made you weak."  Kinney pressed his dress shirt down.  "Now could you please control yourself, she'll be here any minute now."  Glancing at his watch.
"What?"
"Hell another girl?"  Drew threw his hands in the air.
"There's no substitute for Mel and you know that."  Ryan pointed a long finger in Kinney's direction.  "Who do you think you are?"  He turned to me for help.  But it was the truth, Kinney held the cards.  All I could do was shake my head at my brother, who banged his hand on the table.
All four of our heads shot up to the door.  "Good she's here."  Kinney poking me in the ribs.  "Be nice."
"I'm sorry, not a very good impression for my first day."  Tonya unzipped her parka and put it on the back of the chair.
Kinney struggled to get up from his seat.  "You are looking at your newest teammate, Tonya Irvine."
She came around and stood at Kinney's side.  I had completely lost my voice.  "What are your qualifications?"  Ryan said face still deep in a frown.
"Well, I'm a teacher for 5 year olds.  So I know my colors and shapes pretty well.  I can count to 100 and I'm fully aware that you cannot eat glue."  Her face was serious.
"As a woman what do you think you can bring to the team?"  Drew leaned over the table.
She arched her eyebrow.  "I know that this table is crap, the decor in this kitchen is horrible.  And someone that I will not call out looks like they haven't bathed in a few days."  Looking at me.
"Well, she’s honest and perceptive.  That's what we need."  Kinney looked at me.  "Do you have any questions, team leader?"  Kinney smirked.
"You good with a computer?" I growled.
"Um...well I think, well I know that I can text message pretty well and I check my email and Facebook often."  She looked around to each of us.  "Does that count?”
"She's in."  Ryan said banging his hand on the table like a gavel.  "Team lead what do you think, you have the final say so."
"I don't want her on the team."  She blinked in surprise.  "I want her in my arms."
"That's our cue."  Kinney and the rest of my men went out the front door.
We walked towards each other meeting at the head of my table.  "I thought that you wanted to be friends, one day."
"I need more than that."  Putting her face into my chest.  "I need more of you."
"I love you."
"I love you too, Tomahawk."