Life is filled with unexpected turns and winding paths. Each person who enters your life, offers a glimpse into a new part of the world with new lessons to experience. Some are not always good, but from each one we have the opportunity to learn and to grow. Mikayla’s kidnapping taught us how to accept and redirect pain, to understand how strong we are internally, even when we’ve been broken. Her return is now going to teach me how to push past who I am, into who I need to be. For her, for them. To re-learn that not every unhappy face means sadness, or every silence means pain.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Colt
The plane sets down in Miami, the heat sweltering as sweat sticks to every surface of my skin. It’s humid, hot, and I feel like I’m trying to breathe through a fucking pool noodle that’s still underwater.
How does anyone enjoy this environment? Fuck, and they call me a psychopath.
After double—and triple—checking that my hotel is equipped with sufficient air conditioning, I head down to the attached bar for a drink with my lieutenant, Jack.
I’ve had my men watching my little Temptress for a couple of days, but it’s time for me to lay my own eyes on her. As it turns out, according to the scouts, free Addison seems to have turned into something of a homebody. Keeping herselfwithin the walls of that house, surrounded by others. Four in particular. The men that live there are now always in her presence, and have started to be a nuisance. I need to get her alone, away from her new fucking body guards.
Taking up a couple of spots along the bar, Jack orders our usual scotch and we dive into a session of ideas and planning. Minutes turn into half an hour, which turns into two hours and still, we’ve gotten nowhere. Neither of us seems to be able to produce a useful idea on how to get Addison out of the house and on her own.
We’re just about to call it a night, when a shrill shriek comes from behind us. Stomping into the bar from the door that leads to the street, is a bleach blonde on some sort of warpath. Her voice is high, shooting up a couple more octaves as she gets inside, as her angry eyes lock on the man behind the bar and she plants herself to my left.
“Sex on the beach. Chop, chop,” she orders, waving her hand to get the man moving. As the drink is placed in front of her, she takes out the tiny umbrella, seductively licks off the stick, and proceeds to stab it into the back of the bartender's hand.Interesting.
Curses and threats are mumbled from her mouth as she downs the liquid. Staring at the empty glass like it personally offended her, she slams it back against the counter, screaming for the bartender to make her another. She’s off on a tangent, and I have little patience for spoiled brats. Sliding off the stool, I go to grab my wallet when something she says catches my ear.
“Stupid men and their stupid whores. Who the fuck does she think she is swinging in out of nowhere and cozying up to my RyRy. Laying a claim by moving into their house. He won’t even see me anymore, what kind of fucking name is Mikayla anyway? A whores name that’s what.”
Mikayla huh…
I look at Jack, who has the same questioning gaze as I do, before turning to introduce myself. “Well, hello there, beautiful. The name’s Colt. I don’t mean to have eavesdropped, but I think we may be able to assist each other. You wouldn’t be talking about Mikayla Arnet, would ya? Black hair, real chip on her shoulder.” I smile, offering her my hand.
Her gaze glares down at my outstretched arm, before slowly drawing her eyes up to my face. The alcohol she’s downed has already taken effect, her cheeks flushing with warmth and she’s swaying slightly with inhibition.
Seems blondie here is a lightweight.
“Yeah, that’s her. What’s she to you?” she slurs, hiccuping as punctuation.
Revoking my hand, and straightening the creases in my suit jacket, I offer her a clipped response. “Let’s just say, she and I have some…unfinishedbusiness.”
Narrowing my eyes at her with a smile that’s anything but friendly in nature, she continues to size me up. I don’t know if she’s just that fucking drunk already or completely dense, but I won’t be offering this twice.
Blondie finally seems to catch on, deciding that whatever she thinks my reasoning is, it will work in her favor. Swiveling on the stool, she hops to her feet, catching herself on the edge of the counter when the floor comes apparently faster than she thought it would.
“Colt, was it?” she purrs, licking her lips and holding out her manicured hand for me to take.
“It was,” I answer, grabbing her hand and planting a kiss on the top of it. “And what might be your name, Darlin’?”
“You can call me Kelsie,” she hiccups and grins.
This just might work out nicely.
Our first reconnaissance mission was a complete bust. Between Jack and I, we managed to sneak Kelsie into the house that Addison has been staying at, but she came out empty-fucking-handed.
“What do you mean you didn’t get anything?!” I growl into the car speakers.
“What do you fucking think I mean? I. Did. Not. Get. Anything. There was nothing to get. It’s like she doesn’t actually fucking live there. A few scattered notes and a handful of clothes was all that was there. The rest of the room was fucking bare. Plus,yousaid the coast would be clear! So, tell me why I ended up with a gun pointed at my head yesterday by that psycho whore!”she screeches and I can hear the shake of fear in her tone.
So, my little Temptress is still playing her games then. Keeping to herself, not throwing down any roots that could hold her in one place for too long. And I see all my training is still active in that pretty little head of hers. Which means catching her off guard is going to be harder than I anticipated.
“Fuck!” I grunt, slamming my hand against the steering wheel. My patience is wearing thin, and if something doesn’t give soon, I might instead just go in, weapons up. The car engine revs when I slam my foot down on the gas, pushing it harder and faster as I weave through the traffic of the Miami suburbs.
“I do have one thing that could be useful.”This bitch is getting on my nerves. All that bullshit, and she didn’t think to mention this earlier.
