Christmas with My Enemy (Feuding Hearts Christmas)

Chapter 10

ten

BEAST

I swerve the black Cadillac into the Metro Mirage’s parking lot and turn off the ignition. It's my first time here since the corpse incident, and I'm pleased to see business back in full swing.

I get out of the car and pull the hoodie over my head to keep the falling snow off my face. A chilly wind hit me in the face, making my jaws clench. My boots sink into the frosty ground as I take each step forward. I can't wait to get into the warmth of the club.

The doorknob is freezing cold, even with my thick gloves. I walk in and see dozens of customers at the slot machines and the tables. The bright lights, the relaxing music, and the semi-nude dancing girls give the room a magical feel. I pull back the hoodie and bounce toward my office.

"Hey, boss," Jack calls from behind a slot machine. Two dancers are twerking near him.

"Enjoying life, aren't ya?" I chuckle, settling in the next seat.

A wistful smile comes on his face before he waves to the girls to leave us. When we are alone, he leans in and whispers. "Kingz came here this morning."

"Oh, what did he want?"

"His daughter," Jack sighs. "He says he'll fuck shit up if we don't get her back."

I chuckle and run my hand along the side of the slot machine. There's never been a time I'm scared of Kingz. He's a scared little man who goes about hiding behind his crew. There's nothing formidable about him.

"You're not saying anything," Pop sounds alarmed. His dark brown eyes are clouded with worry.

I shake my head. "I've got nothing to say. Kingz can kiss my ass. I'll tell the boys to always be ready, if Kingz pulls up here, they should welcome him with bullets."

"I guess he deserves it for trying to set us," Jack says. He gets off the chair and returns with two martini glasses.

"Thank you," I take a sip and peer at the colorful screen of the machine. "Kingz is gonna get a real feel of my anger."

I lock in on Pop's eyes and see that he doesn't appear convinced about the showdown with Kingz.

"What's wrong with you? You look like you're not buying this. Let me know what's on your mind, son."

Jack takes another sip of the martini before he replies. "I'm concerned about the boys. What will they think when you, the boss, date the child of our biggest opp. It doesn't feel right. I don't know if that makes sense."

"Are you speaking for yourself or for the boys?"

"Both."

"I see."

"What's your plan?" He asks. That bleak look on his face pisses me off.

I drain the glass and push it away. There's no point beating around the bush. I understand his fear and need to clear the air right away.

"Get all the boys together into my office. Do it now."

"Right," Pop looks confused, but he gets straight to action while I move to the office.

The boys walk in, all dressed in flashy jackets and boots.

"Y'all saw Kingz when he came here, right?"

"Yeah," they chorus.

"The truth is I'm involved with his daughter. Started over a chat, turned into a real thing before I knew who she was."

"What if she's a spy?" one of the boys offers.

"Nah, I tested her already. She's as real as they come."

The room falls silent, except for the tiny strands of music from the other side of the door.

"I'm with her because of her soul, because of her personality. I can't let her go back to Kingz. He wants to force her to marry some dude. And that won't happen under my watch. Anyone got a problem with that?"

"We're behind you, boss. Riding with you all the way," another one of the boys says.

Choruses of yeah fill the room. I look at Pop and see him letting a breath. His frown morphs into a smile. That's more like it. I tell the boys to be ready to counter Kingz's attacks, and they all respond favorably. Then I tell them that's all. They hail me and walk out of the room.

"That's the thing about leadership. You've got to come clean, so the other guys can trust you. You don't want your crew to lose faith in you."

Pop jerks his head. "You're absolutely right on this one."

"Is there any other problem I need to know about?"

"I can't think of anything at the moment."

"Good, I'll head out now."

I pat Pop on the shoulder and leave the office. The mood in the club seems to have lifted. The magic in the air is heightened. The girls are dancing with vigor, the music is faster and nicer, and the lights are more colorful.

One of the girls sways over to me, and I dance with her for a minute before going my way. I didn't like the guilty feeling that came over me as the girl rubbed against me. Tati holds a special place in my heart, to such an extent that a little bit of fooling around makes my heart heavy.

"This player has turned to a good boy," I mutter as I get back outside. The cold is biting. I rub my gloved hands together and exhale a thick cloud of vapor.

As soon as I get into the car, I shoot a quick text to Tati.

Where do you want to spend the rest of today?

Her reply comesalmost immediately.

Beauti4U: I don’t know. Maybe see a movie. Don’t think we’ve ever seen a movie together.

DaBeast: That's cool. I know a nice cinema. Get dressed. I'll be home in a bit.

Beauti4U: Okay. Love you.

DaBeast: Love you too.

I dump the phone and start the engine. As I drive away from the club, I can't stop thinking about Tati and me. I don't know if it's because of our newfound love, the fact that we're locked together, or the magic of Christmas. Maybe a combination of all three. But this truly feels like the best time of my life.

My eyes dart to the Christmas lights outside a small house where two young men in Santa beanies laugh as they shovel snow. Christmas is in the air; love is in the air. I step on the gas and arrive at the cabin after an hour of driving.

I see a window open as I step out into the car. Tati is peering from behind the curtains.

I hurry up to the porch and open the door. After looking over my shoulder one more time, I get into the cabin. Can't let the opps sneak up on me. I lock the door and turn around in time to see Tati rushing toward me. She welcomes me with hugs and kisses.

"Damn, I missed you," she mutters, her lips tickling my face. It turns me on. I'm still trying to get used to coming home to meet a woman. The thing about hookups is that they have to leave way early the next morning. It's strictly business.

I run my hands down Tati's back and grab her butt. My penis jerks in response to a kiss she places on my neck. I caress her ass while nibbling her earlobe. Her breathing becomes ragged. She's getting turned on, just like me.

"We're gonna defer the Christmas movie thing," I mutter against her forehead.

"I agree." Her voice is husky. And I already imagine her moaning in response to my strokes.

I lift Tati up and take her all the way to the bedroom. We have an hour to do sweet things to each other on that bed before going out, and I'm sure we'll make every second count.