Page 53 of Creole Kingpin
A myriad of emotions roll off Moses in waves, until I swear I can feel every single thing he’s feeling. Frustration, heartache, devastation, determination ...
The man’s just as close to the edge right now as I am. He’s ready to lay it all out on the line, and it fucking terrifies me.
I take a few moments to knit the edges of my pride and self-possession together, and then meet his burning green eyes.
“Well, I’m glad you know exactly why you’re here. But you don’t get to tell me how I should feel about it. You’re gonna have to give me some goddamned space and time. I will not be manipulated. Not by you. Not by Mount. Not by anyone. You hear me?”
I hate the vulnerability that’s crept into my voice, even as I battle to keep it steady. The fortress around my heart is crumbling, and I have to fucking retreat before he gets inside.
“Mama—”
The pain in his voice pulverizes another chunk of my protective wall. My traitorous eyes burn, threatening to cry.No. No. No.I’m not going to do this here. Not now. I refuse.
“Leave me alone, Moses. Just leave me the hell alone!”
I turn and run for home like the coward I am, because I’d rather avoid every bit of this than relive the devastation I felt the day I realized he was never coming back for me.
Thirty-Two
Moses
Well, hell. That didn’t go as planned. Not even a fucking little bit.
Magnolia disappears around the corner like the hounds of hell are on her heels. The strongest woman I’ve ever met, and she’s fucking runningfrom me.
I scrub my hand over my face and mouth, feeling the scratch of stubble there. ChristJesus. I fucked this up so goddamned bad, I don’t even know how we got here.
The spooked look on Magnolia’s face was one I’ve witnessed before. I saw what the call with Keira did to her. It was as if the rug had been pulled out from beneath her feet. Her nature and former profession have made Magnolia an incredibly private woman. This morning, she was getting railroaded from all sides.
I thought, like a fucking asshole, I could use it to my advantage. To get through to her. To make her understand just how fucking serious I am about why I’m here.
Instead, I fucked it all up beyond recognition. I should have known better.
I lean against the building and drop my head back against the plaster. Pushing off a moment later with a sigh, I crack my neck to the left, then right.
Magnolia isn’t like any other woman. She won’t fall to pieces. But in this state she’s fragile—like TNT.Handle with fucking care, or she’ll detonate and blow your plans to smithereens.
Lesson learned. Time for a new plan anyway.
I pull out my phone and call Jules. He picks up on the second ring. “Yeah, boss?”
“Take the SUV and keep tabs on Magnolia. She’s headed home now. Follow her wherever she goes and don’t let her out of your sight. Keep her safe.”
“Okay ...” he says slowly. “Obviously, I’m happy to take care of this for you, but ... wasn’t the plan for you to hang with her all day?”
I kick at a stone on the broken concrete as I march forward. It’s not too bad of a walk back to our place, but I’ve got plenty to think about on the way. “Plans changed.”
“Is that a good thing?”
Jules keeps fishing for information, so I decide to just tell him what the fuck he wants to know.
“I fucked up. Miscalculated. I gotta give her some space.”
There’s a beat of silence, and I can practically hear what Jules isn’t saying.How the fuck did you, the man who always knows how to get people to do what you want, fuck up so badly with something this important?
“Okay. I’ll get the SUV and watch her. It’ll work out, boss. There’s more than one way to catch a rabbit. You just have to keep trying until you find one that works. Get yourself another way and try again.”
Jules is right. Hell, Mags is right. I’m just not willing to lose her twice. Once was hell enough.
