Thin Ice 4 - Resurrections (22 page)

*****

         
The tears were still streaming down Gabrielle’s face as Seth finally put her down. “Why didn’t you contact me, tell me you were alive,” she asked once she was able to find her voice.

“
I was recovering for quite a while,” Seth lied. “I came to get you though,” he told her growing slightly anxious. “I’m going to take you home and take care of you again,” he told her as Gabrielle frowned slightly.

“
Seth, I have a life here, a boyfriend, I’m in school,” she replied innocently.

“
You can go to school there,” Seth threw back, intentionally not addressing the boyfriend comment.

“
Seth, I’m glad you’re alive, and I love you, but,” Gabrielle began before he cut her off.

“
It’s not open for discussion,” Seth told her firmly. “You’re leaving with me right now,” he told her acidly.

Gabrielle’s eyes filled again as she looked to C-Rod and the other man, whom she hadn’t been introduced. Neither made a move to help her.

          “
They work for me Gabrielle,” Seth told her, answering the unasked question.

“
Please Seth, don’t,” she tried as he reached out for her.

“
No,” Gabrielle began to scream.

Seth covered her mouth with one of his massive hands, lifting her fireman carry with the other. Gabrielle began kicking, twisting and turning her body causing him to lose his grip for a moment.

“
Let me go,” She screamed again, pushing Seth as hard as she could. C-Rod moved closer helping him coral her and Victor removed the sedative from his pocket, readying the syringe.

Gabrielle’s eyes grew big as she saw the needle and guessed what they were going to do.

“
No, Seth, no,” she screamed once more before the light pellet like sound got everyone’s attention.

C-Rod’s eyes grew big before his body went limp and he fell to the cold, glossy, marbled floor, his blood beginning to pool from the gunshot to his head.

         
Both Victor and Seth spun, looking right into Kim’s venomous face as she held the .380, silencer attached, and stared at them both.

“
Back the fuck up,” she hissed, reaching out for Gabrielle.

“
Oh my god,” she began to cry seeing C-Rod on the floor, dead.

“
Not now,” Kim said evenly addressing her.

Gabrielle followed Kim’s lead as she backed toward the stairwell, the smaller woman behind her. Seth was giving her a deadly look, his hand itching to go for the .9mm he carried. Gabrielle opened the door and they backed into the opening just as hospital security rounded the corner, guns drawn ordering the two men in front of them to freeze and raise their hands. Kim quickly pushed the door closed turning and regarding Gabrielle.

“
You good,” she asked as the woman nodded slightly. “Let’s get the hell out of here,” she said simply as they both bounded down the stairs and out of the stairwell onto the ground floor, walking quickly but casually out of the front doors and to the car.

Kim wasted no time whipping out of the parking deck, calling Mook and telling him what had gone down.

“
Come straight to the safe house, south side,” he told her calmly.

Kim told him they’d be there as she hit the interstate and pushed the car to 80mph.

23

         
Lauren and Ian were alone. The two men working with him, Creeper and Pirate, she’d found out, were gone back to Florida for a couple of days. Ian had sent Jalen with them, with instructions to show him more of how the hustle went. They were relaxing and enjoying a leisurely lunch he’d had catered at the house when they began to talk. “Did you write the letter,” Ian asked, giving Kaitlyn a look.

“
No,” Lauren replied simply.

“
Why not baby,” he asked again. “No use in prolonging the man’s pain,” he added as she sighed, sipping her sweet tea.

“
Ian, I’m not sure I’m even staying with you,” Lauren returning calmly.

She was intentionally pressing his buttons. She wanted to see how genuine these declarations of love were that he continually spouted. Ian sighed deeply and sat back in his chair, quietly observing her.

          “
Why would you want to go back to him,” Ian threw out. “He’s done nothing but lie to you,” he added cryptically.

Lauren frowned slightly.

“
Lied about what,” she asked taking the bait. “And how the hell would you know,” she added tersely.

Ian smiled slightly, deliberately finishing his steak before answering her query.

“
Did you know your father was dead,” he asked as Lauren’s eyes narrowed.

“
What do you know about my father,” she returned angrily.

Ian sighed softly, pushing the chair back and rising.

“
Come on,” he told her as he pulled her chair out too.

Rising Lauren followed him to the den and sat on the burgundy Victorian sofa with him.

“
I know all about Carlo, KiKi,” he replied calmly. “I know about the streets he ran, the deranged executions he meted out, the arrest, the trial, his incarceration,” Ian told her. “His abusing you,” he added softly as Lauren frowned deeply.

“
How do you know he’s dead,” she asked pushing past his statement.

“
I hired someone to find out where he was,” Ian replied simply.

         
Lauren continued to think about the things Ian had told her, remaining quiet a bit longer.

“
But you said Tariq’s been lying to me,” she threw out, deliberately using the man’s name knowing it pissed Ian off. “How and about what,” she asked, her look alerting him she wanted answers, immediately.

“
He knew where Carlo was,” Ian told her. “He knew he died five days after your aunt, Hope,” he added as Lauren again frowned angrily.

“
He didn’t ever tell you though did he,” Ian baited her.

She was irritated yes, but she understood his rationale. Tariq, from the time she’d come to know him, was very sensitive and loving.
He probably figured Kaitlyn would go over the edge,
Lauren surmised.

“
Then there’s the inheritance your father left you,” Ian began again.

Lauren’s head snapped up as he regarded him again.

“
Stop playing with me Ian and spit the shit out,” Lauren growled.

Ian smiled slightly again before resuming his story.

“
Your father contacted your aunt, she gave Tariq the info before she died, and he contacted your father’s attorney after his death,” he patiently explained as Lauren fought to maintain control of her anger. “Carlo left you well over 800 million dollars,” Ian told her as Lauren’s mouth dropped.

“
You’re lying,” she hissed angrily.

“
I’ve never lied to you,” he said calmly as Lauren again weighed his words.

Why woudn’t he tell her about the money,
she thought.
Then he would have to tell her about Carlo, duh,
her mind answered.

          “
So now you want me to leave him and hook up with you again, hmm,” Lauren asked returning her attention to Ian again.

“
Yes,” he said simply.

“
Why,” she asked plainly.

Ian sighed again deeply. He told her how much he loved her, how his every thought was of her. “I just want to make you happy baby,” Ian told her sweetly. “To love you and care for you,” he went on. “There isn’t anyone on this earth who knows you better than I do.”

Lauren grunted slightly. “So why did we break up then,” she threw out putting him on the spot.

“
Because he took you from me,” Ian told her, going on to explain Tariq abducting her and them reconnecting. “He told you I was dead,” Ian spoke again. “He had me committed to an insane asylum,” he told her as Lauren fought the urge to laugh.

Fuck, I didn’t think Tariq could be that ruthless, shit, good for him,
she thought behind her calm exterior.

“
I thought about getting out everyday baby, getting back to you,” Ian told her, praying she was hearing his heart. “You and my love for you are what kept me going everyday of that horrible existence baby,” he finished as Lauren continued to regard him.

          “
Hmph, okay, so,” Lauren began. “You know all the shit about my past,” she told him as Ian paid rapt attention. “You know that my father was a killer, and not just any killer, but one of the most ruthless and vicious killers in the game at that time,” Lauren told him. “You even know my father fucked me, literally,” she spat venomously. “Yet you still love me, and want to be with me,” she quizzed.

Ian smiled a little once again before regarding her.

“
You and I are cut from the same dark cloth,” he told her. “Who would I be to look down on you, or try and pass judgment, when I’m no better,” he added as Lauren again frowned slightly.

“
So you’re just cool with lying next to a fucked up incest chick, who may harbor homicidal tendencies,” Lauren threw out. “Aren’t you just noble as fuckin’ hell,” she added laughing bitterly.

Ian allowed her to calm herself before looking her right in the eye and speaking.

“
I’ve had no problem with laying beside, loving, and making love to, a woman pretending to be someone she isn’t, Lauren,” Ian said calmly.

*****

         
Kim arrived at the safe house in fifteen minutes, normally a thirty minute drive. Parking, she and Gabrielle got out heading into the house. The door opened before Kim could touch the knob.

“
What the hell happened,” Mook asked as soon as the two women were inside.

Jaron was immediately over to Gabrielle checking her over. She was still in shock, quiet and uncommunicative.

“
You straight,” Mook asked, looking in Kim’s eyes.

“
Yeah baby, I’m good,” she replied.

“
Cool, gimme the piece,” Mook instructed as she handed him the gun she’d used.

Tariq walked into the room moments later, cell at his ear. Kim took him in, seeing the fatigue in his face.
What the hell is unfolding in this damned city,
she thought as two other men she’d never seen walked into the living area.

          “
Gabrielle,” Jaron tried as she finally turned her attention to him. “Honey, who was it,” he asked, needing an answer.

“
Seth,” she said simply as Jaron frowned slightly. “Baby, he’s dead,” he tried as she shook her head vigourosly.

“
It was him,” Gabrielle insisted.

Jaron turned to Kim and she shrugged slightly. She’d never met whoever Seth was, so she had no clue.

“
I mean whoever it was, they were someone she knew well,” Kim answered.

“
Describe him,” Jaron told her as Kim complied. “I’ll be damned,” he murmured as Tariq heard.

“
So it’s him,” he asked, as Jaron nodded yes. “Well shit, does anybody stay dead anymore,” he mumbled as Kim again frowned slightly, confused.

“
How did you two get out,” Tariq asked her.

Kim explained the security guards showing up at the right time.

“
They of course thought the two of them had killed the guy on the floor,” Kim told him as Tariq nodded and told her good job.

          “
It might be a good time to send them out for a while,” Ramell threw out looking Tariq in the eye.

Kim knew what that meant. She didn’t want to leave Mook though.

“
Yeah, I think so,” Mook immediately replied.

Kim knew whatever they were hiding was bad and about to get worse.

“
I’ma make a call,” he told them as they grunted their understanding.

Pulling Kim aside Mook told her she would go to Jacksonville with Sean.

“
You’ll take Gabrielle with you,” he added as Kim told him okay.

“
What’s going on Mook,” she finally asked, her nerves on edge.

“
I can’t explain right now baby, you just gotta trust your man,” he told her calmly.

Kim sighed deeply wanting to probe more, but held her questions.

“
Just be all right, do you hear me,” she told him as the tears came and she blinked them away.

Mook hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek. “I’m gonna be fine, Miss Kim,” he replied as she nodded and moved away, allowing him to return to the living room and her to dry the errant tears that had managed to fall.

*****

         
So who the hell is this guy,
Tyashia thought, taking in the man trying hard to blend but failing miserably. He had undercover written all over him. She made a concerted effort to find Trail and advise him to be extra careful with everyone they served tonight. Tyashia surmised he was here trying to see if they served underaged drinkers. There had been several clubs in the area busted for the offense in the last few days. She’d heard on the news about a task force that had been formed specifically for this purpose. She saw him stop Raoul, one of the kitchen workers and discreetly show him a photo. Tyashia saw the man shake his head and continue his walk to the kitchen.
This is getting better and better,
she continued to muse and watch. The man sat and nursed the one coke he’d purchased for the next hour, eyes darting around the various areas of the club. Whoever he was looking for obviously hadn’t materialized. Tyashia watched as he finally rose and made his way out of the club.