Power (Romantic Suspense) (12 page)

“You were if you think you won’t be in my bed, tonight.”

I shivered, feeling an odd mix of emotions. Hot lust twirled around cold fear. Although, bouncing on his cock in his big bed, I’d spotted in his bedroom, sounded like a great idea. He was a bad man. Too much for me. Too powerful and dangerous.

While dressing in his bedroom, I’d snooped around it. All of his clothes had been perfectly folded and organized. Everything neat and clutter-free as if someone had feng shui’ed every facet of the room.

I loved his cleanliness level. It ranked the highest sexual quality in him.

And he calls me OCD?

Stacks of mini notebooks sat on the desk in the corner of his room. I skimmed through some of them. They were filled with a bunch of lists. Tons of them. He must’ve written stuff down all day. There were so many, I bet he had lists for his lists.

On his night stand, there was only one picture in an immaculate frame. It was an image of an old woman and man holding coconut drinks with a Hawaiian lei draped around their necks. He’d admitted to them being his parents.

Other than that, there was no sign of a female in there. Not a forgotten pair of earrings or panties. Not a spot in any of the drawers. Not even a closet with a few feminine things. I bet he didn’t let woman get close to him. That fact was even worse than him being a thug. I couldn’t stand a cold lover who didn’t know how to cuddle and caress me just right.

Fuji had said that his female guests never even slept in the room with him after they were done. Disgusting. Not me. If a man hoped to stroke my sex, he would have to be ready for the long conversations while I nestled within his arms. And he would have to enjoy those talks as much as he relished the pussy.

No way.

Even if Noah wasn’t a thug, I would not get into his bed. The limo ride had been a mistake that I wouldn’t make again. I had to focus on getting out of this situation in one piece. I had to focus everything on keeping my legs closed.

We passed a brightly lit kitchen where a group of older women pulled out huge trays of food from the oven. Although some of their skin had my caramel tone, their hair told me they were probably not black. In this city, they must’ve been Puerto Rican or Dominican.

One of the older women glanced our way.

“No!” She rushed toward Noah. “Not here! Not here!”

Soon a fast line of Spanish spit out of her lips. Crusher stepped between them and blocked her from moving further.

“No, Crusher. Let me handle this.” Noah walked around Crusher and embraced the angry, old woman. She beat at his chest and shook her head, slinging more Spanish his way. Still, Noah embraced her and took the attack.

“No!” She yelled again, gave up hitting him, and hugged him back.

“I won’t, Mrs. Santiago,” he said. “I won’t.”

“Not here!”

He held her some more and patted her back. “I know. Not here. I came to give Junior his present and talk to Domingo really quick, and then, I will leave.”

“Talk?!” She spat on the ground and got out of his arms. “You don’t talk!”

Letting her go, he raised his hands. “Just talk. Nothing else.”

Tears spilled from her eyes.

“I swear, Mrs. Santiago.”

“Noah, you boys must stop this. I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s making my son crazy. Have you seen this place?” She gestured around to all the scriptures, even more were scribbled on the kitchen walls. “He’s lost it. He says that he’s reborn. Jesus returning.”

Although Noah still wore the hard mask, worry flowed in his eyes. “When did he start saying this?”

“Last month, when those little kids were shot. Something has made him lose it. He’s done something that he can’t forgive himself for. What? The kids?” She wagged her finger at Noah. “And he said he had nothing to do with it, but I know he’s lying. You boys have to stop it. Get Rasheed. Come to my house. We all sit down and pray and get this right.”

“Okay, Mrs. Santiago.” He grabbed my arm. “But for now, I should give this present to Junior.”

“Not here, Noah!” she yelled again. “No violence.”

“Not here.” He nodded.

Kids? Rasheed going crazy? And even though the men are afraid of Noah. She wasn’t. He looked like he would’ve let her punch and slam him all night, and not do anything. At least he has rules and limits to his power.

We continued on until we arrived at the back door. Outside tiny chandeliers swayed from trees and at the center of each one hung a large ruby cross. A big bounce house sat on the side of a pool. Kids jumped and screamed on the huge structure. Other children swam in the water, even though the evening had brought on a little chill.

White circular tables scattered across the yard. Crowds of people sat around in chairs, laughing and talking. More armed men bordered the fences. All of their gazes monitored us. And at the center of it all, two thrones stood—a big and small one. Gold leaves adorned the tops. Purple velvet cushions propped the bottoms of a man and boy. The man looked exactly like the one in the creepy crucifixion mural in the living room. The boy looked bored as hell.

Even creepier, the man wore a crown of thorns on his head, and his son did too. Along with matching priest outfits—black pants and shirts, including the white collar around their necks.

Wow. There’s a punch line in this somewhere. I’m just not sure if I have time for the joke’s set-up. And then who would believe that all of this really happened?

Turning to me, Noah sighed. “Would you like to stay with Crusher and Fuji while I give this present to him?”

I glanced at Crusher. Even outside. Even with all of these people, the guy freaked me out.

“No.” I stayed close to him. “If it’s okay, I would like to remain with you, as long as I’m not in the way.”

“Don’t worry about that, sweetheart.” He slipped his hand down to my bottom and squeezed. My pussy clenched in reaction. And then he whispered, “I’m starting to love it when you get in the way.”

I gulped.

We walked forward. Noah’s men remained with us—Crusher with his top hat and Fuji with the huge box.

The man with the crown of thorns rose from his chair and extended his arms. “Cain, my brother. I’m so happy that you’ve come. Someone bring chairs for Cain and his guest.”

Why is he calling Noah by another name?

Noah ignored the fact that he’d called him Cain. “I’m so glad to see you, Domingo. I’d been hoping to
catch
you sooner.”

Men rushed over with two chairs and a tiny table that they placed between us. Noah sat down and I followed, lowering into the chair next to him. More guys moved behind the thrones and focused all of their attention on us.

Noah turned to the poor boy with the ridiculous thorn crown. “Happy Birthday, Junior. I’ve got something for you.”

Fuji stepped up to the boy and tried to hand him the box.

“No.” Domingo raised his hand. “Junior will not take presents from you.”

Fuji backed up with the box and moved behind us.

“Bring wine!” Domingo clapped. “Bring bread! My brother, Cain, has come to see me.”

Several guests grabbed their pocket books and plates and scurried away. Others rushed off to get their kids out of the pool and bounce houses. As soon as the kids ran to their moms, the parents dashed out of there. None of the men moved, only the women and kids.

A curvy woman with long, curly hair speed-walked over to Domingo’s son. Without glancing Noah’s way, she grabbed the boy’s hand and rushed out of there with the rest.

“Bye, Junior.” Noah waved at the boy.

In between people running away for dear life, another man came over with a jug of red liquid and glasses for all of us. A huge loaf of bread sat on a silver platter with a sharp knife and tub of butter.

Domingo leaned toward us with no smile or humor on his face. “Why do you think they run, Cain?”

“The same reason why you ran earlier today.” Noah picked up the knife and studied it. “They’re scared.”

“No, brother,” Domingo said. “I’m never scared.”

Noah looked at me. “Are you hungry?”

I shook my head no, wishing I could run with everyone else. With most of the guests gone, Domingo and Noah’s men had stopped pretending to be normal. Everyone pulled out their pieces and pointed them at the other.

Everyone except the two men close to me.

Domingo directed his attention my way. “You are a beautiful woman. You look so familiar. Where are you from?”

I checked Noah’s reaction. He glared, but said nothing.

I cleared my throat. “I grew up in Briar Park.”

“That’s a rough area for someone so soft to live in,” Domingo said. “I know a lot of people from there. I don’t remember you hanging around.”

“My mom never let me play with the others. She thought they might be bad influences.”

“She was right.” Domingo rubbed his hands together. “But how do I know you? I’ve seen you recently.”

Noah interrupted our conversation. “Have you picked someone that’s going to take your place in the North, Domingo? Or do you want me to choose him after your death? I can do it either way.”

Domingo’s jaw twitched, but he didn’t take his attention from me. “Are you a Christian, Miss?”

“During Christmas time and some Easters,” I muttered.

Domingo winked at me. “And do you know the Old Testament well?”

Again Noah interrupted. “Spend tonight with your son. That’s what I wanted to tell you. I don’t think it would be right to have a boy’s birthday memory coincide with his father’s death. You’ll die, tomorrow.”

Domingo rose and spread his arms. Eight red laser dots covered his forehead. My body stiffened. Noah’s men must’ve been the ones that were targeting.

Domingo laughed. “Now Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘Let’s go out to the field.’”

Noah ignored the scripture lesson. “I’ll make sure that your kids get twenty percent of the North’s profits, until each one turns eighteen. Part of the money will go into savings accounts to hopefully help with college tuition. The other half will be given to their mothers at the end of each month. I want you to know that your family will be taken care of, after I kill you.”

Domingo adjusted the crown of thorns on his head, slanting the wooden thing to the side. “And while the brothers were in the field, Cain attacked Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is your brother Abel?’”

Domingo’s voice boomed in the yard. “Pissed, Cain replied, ‘I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?’”

Something buzzed. Noah dug his hands in his pockets, pulled out my phone, and checked it. As soon as his eyes hit the screen, he grasped his bottom lip with his teeth and didn’t let go for several seconds.

Domingo continued, “The Lord said, ‘What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.’”

Noah didn’t look up from my phone.

Curious, I leaned his way and caught the image on the screen. “Shit.”

My ex-boyfriend, Harrold, had sent a pic of me to my phone. I remembered the night I let him take it. Naked, I was bent over, my ass in the air and legs spread open. My sex displayed to the viewer—wet and dripping.

I had an appetite for sex, as long as I trusted the person. Clearly, I’d trusted the wrong one and too soon.

Why the hell would he send that pic to my phone? I know what my body looks like.

My phone buzzed again. I caught the text message.

Don’t Answer: Harrold:
You better call me or I’m going to post this all over the internet.

“Shit,” I mumbled again.

Grumbling, Noah texted something back, words I couldn’t see. Typing some more, he hid the phone from me. The phone buzzed again and again, but by the second time, Noah stuffed the device back in his pants and rose. “Goodbye, Domingo. I’ve said what I had to.”

What the hell did he type to Harrold?

“Now who’s running?” Domingo sneered.

“Running?” Noah formed his lips into a smile. “You wear a crown of thorns, but you’re no Jesus. You write holy words all over your home, when weeks ago you rained down bullets on a crowd of kids. You sit on your throne, praying that someone will call you
king
. But you’re just a sick man swimming in delusion.”

“And what are you, Cain, my brother?”

“I am power.” Noah picked up the knife from the edge of the table and walked directly over to Domingo. The Thorned King made no move, but his fingers shook and his eyes skittered around as if wondering if his men would save him.

“I am a power that you’ve always wanted to be.” Noah twirled the knife in his fingers and moved three feet in front of Domingo.

Fear ripped through my heart. I barely knew Noah, but I didn’t want him to die. And I’d come in with him—So I definitely hoped he wouldn’t get shot.

No. Get back over here.

“This is power.” Noah handed Domingo the knife. “You were the only one who never understood who ran things. Even now, your men won’t make a move against me. They understand that it doesn’t matter who runs the North or the South. It’s about the one man that’s running them all. Me.”