Enforcer: A Prequel Novella to the New Mafia Trilogy (7 page)

There was an awkward pause and Miranda hesitated like she
wanted to say something else, but instead said, “Well goodnight, Grant.”

The upstairs hall light blinked off and I heard Miranda
moving around making noise above me. A few minutes later all was quiet. After
double checking to make sure the front and back doors were secure, I went into
the downstairs bathroom where I took a piss and found a travel size tube of
toothpaste in the medicine cabinet. Using my forefinger, I brushed my teeth.
Once back in the living room, I stripped down to my boxer briefs, setting my
Glock on the coffee table so it was within reach. I left the hall light on, but
turned off the floor lamp in the living room before crawling underneath the
covers. I inhaled deeply, enjoying the scent of Miranda’s detergent and fabric
softener; it was definitely more feminine than what I used to.  As I lay in the
semi-darkness I knew sleep wouldn’t come. Emotions warred within me: anger
towards Marco because I knew he did something to piss someone off and rage over
the idea that someone was fucking with my girl. My girl? Fuck, where did that
come from?
I tossed and turned, not that I was uncomfortable, but being
in Miranda’s home and surrounded by her scent was turning me on something
fierce.

I gave up on the idea of sleep and instead listened to the
sounds of Miranda’s neighborhood and familiarized myself with the noises in her
house; the creaks as it settled and of water running through the pipes when her
neighbor flushed the toilet. At one point I must have dozed off, but quickly
awakened when I heard movement on the stairs. Sunlight streamed through the
gauzy drapes and I blinked; my eyes scratchy from lack of sleep. When I
reopened my eyes, Miranda was standing in the arched entrance to the living
room. She looked smoking hot in pale pink pajama pants and a white tank top.
Her dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail and her face was scrubbed free of
make-up. After taking in her appearance, I noticed she was staring, but not at
my face. Following her gaze, I realized that I had kicked the covers off in my
sleep and was laying there with morning wood pitching a tent in my underwear on
full display. “Shit!” I quickly sat up, grabbing the blanket and bunching it
over my lap.

          “Um.” I looked up at the sound of Miranda’s voice
just as she licked her lips, which didn’t help the situation down below. She
was flushed and had a hard time meeting my eyes. “I’m going to go make coffee.”
With one last glance at my crotch she spun around and left.

I relaxed against the sofa with a groan before getting up
and quickly walking down the hall to the bathroom. The image of Miranda licking
her lips was fresh in my mind as I rubbed one out, imagining those lips wrapped
around my dick. Knowing a thin wall separated the bathroom from the kitchen, I
bit down on my bottom lip to contain the grunts when I came. After washing up,
I went back to the living room and pulled on my jeans, securing my Glock in the
small of back holster. Miranda had already seen the goods, so kept my shirt
off.

She was setting two mugs out on the counter of a small island
when I walked into the kitchen. She paused and gaped at my bare chest before
turning to grab the coffee pot. I smirked at her reaction and sat down on one
of the two bar stools in front of the island.

          “How do you like your coffee?” she asked, placing
a container of fat free half and half on the counter along with a plastic
container of sugar.

          “Black.”

She slid a mug of coffee across the counter to me. I watched
as she made hers light and sweet. Wrapping both hands around her cup, she
leaned against other counter that ran along the back wall. A potted plant hung
in the window above the sink over her head.

          “I need to talk to your dad. Do you want to be
there when I do?” I asked her.

          “Yeah I do and he should be here any minute.”

          “You already called him?” My stomach tightened at
the idea Marco had to hear about last night from his daughter first. It should
have been me to make the report.

As if on cue, there was a commotion at the front of the
house as the door opened. I spun around on the stool and looked down the
hallway to see Marco stepping into the house followed by his brothers, Rico and
Al and I was surprised to see Dominic in tow.

Marco marched down the hall towards the kitchen, floorboards
creaking underneath his weight. Dominic was the last in line, but he towered
over his dad and uncles by at least four inches. Marco’s dark eyes moved from
my bare chest to Miranda and back again, an eyebrow raised in question.

          “Aren’t you two looking cozy?” he growled and his
eyes glittered with malice.

          “Dad, stop it. I told you Grant stayed over as
protection. He slept on the sofa.”

          “Just want to make sure my girl isn’t being taken
advantage of,” he replied not taking his eyes off of me.

          “I can take care of myself.”

          “Right. Why am I here again?” he finally turned
his attention to Miranda.

She didn’t shrink under his pointed stare. Instead she stood
up straighter. “Why don’t you tell me? Who did you piss off this time?”

          “I’ll talk to Grant about who I think is
responsible. This is business you don’t need to worry about.”

          “Don’t dismiss me, Dad. I’m not mom and this
business does involve me. It was my car that got vandalized.”

Father and daughter were facing off in the kitchen and I was
impressed by Miranda. She was holding her own against Marco.

          “I have my ideas about who did this and that’s all
you need to know.”

Miranda opened her mouth to say something else, but he held
his hand up as if threatening to slap her. I found myself subconsciously moving
in between, shielding her from a potential blow.

Miranda placed her hands on my bare back and tried to shove
me out of the way, but I didn’t budge. She might was well have been an ant
trying to move a boulder. Marco was her father and my boss, but all of my
protective instincts were kicking in.

          “Remember who you work for, Grant,” Marco warned.

          “Jesus Christ, can we all just calm the fuck
down?” Uncle Al interjected, stepping further into the room. “’Rand, go take a
walk and cool off. Give us ten, maybe fifteen minutes so we can have our
meeting.” He jerked his head in the direction of the hallway and Miranda glared
at everyone before stomping out of the room. She slipped on a hoodie and
sneakers that were by the front door and left the house, slamming the door
behind her.

          “Hey Marco, I wonder where she gets her temper?”
Rico said with a smirk.

          “Shut up,” Marco replied with a slap to his
younger brother’s head.

I moved over to stand next to Dominic, who was silently
observing from the side of the kitchen near the door that led out to a small
patio.

          “Yo, you tapping Miranda?” he asked in a low
voice.

          “No.”

          “Smart move.” Dominic straightened up when Marco
hollered at him to pay attention and called both of us over to the island. We
all huddled around the small Formica surface.

          “Grant, why the fuck didn’t you call last night to
tell me about Miranda’s car?” Marco asked, slamming his meaty hand down on the
counter for emphasis.

          “Because it was after three in the morning and I
had it handled. Miranda was tired so I decided to bring her home. That’s why I
stayed on the couch – to make sure whoever messed with her car didn’t try
anything here.” I intentionally left out the part about driving to Marco’s
house and the fact that Miranda didn’t want to stay there.  I wasn’t opening up
that can of worms.  “You told Miranda you wanted me to watch out for her…which
is what I did.”

          “You didn’t call the cops?”

          “No, I figured you’d want to keep this internal.”

          “You did good, Grant. Thanks for looking after my
niece,” Rico said as he clapped me on my back. “Marco, are you thinkin’ this
has something to do with the Kings?”

          “No, they’re falling apart. But, one of our
dealers heard on the street yesterday that Crimson is being targeted. For what,
I don’t know, but intend to find out. Grant, tell your crew at the club to keep
their ears open and I’m going to have our friends with the PD do the same.”
Marco had his hands in many pockets, including those of Philadelphia’s finest.

          “Done.”

          “Alright, let’s go take a look at Rand’s car,” Al
said and started for the front door. I went to follow, but Marco put a hand on
my chest, gesturing for me to stay until we were the only ones left in the house.

          “Grant, I see the way you look at Miranda, I’m not
a fucking idiot.” Marco pulled out his .38 from inside of his jacket and
pointed the gun at my crotch. My stomach muscles tightened in response.  “Don’t
you even think about touching her, I want you to protect her, not fuck her. Also,
don’t you ever try to block her from me like you just did. Understood?”

          “Understood.”

          “Good.”  Marco moved, and I exhaled when my balls were
no longer a potential target. He was suddenly smiling and jovial as if nothing
had happened. When I first started working for Marco, I tried to keep up with
his ever changing moods, but after time found it nearly impossible. It was best
to always be on alert and prepared for anything. “You stay here and keep an eye
on Miranda while I go check her car out with the boys. Wait for my call.”  Moments
later he was gone and I was left alone in the kitchen. Miranda wasn’t back yet
so I poured another cup of coffee and sat down at the counter to wait. My phone
started ringing in the living room and I answered it right before the call went
to voicemail.

          “Hey Nat, what’s up?”

          “We’re almost to the city, are you still able to
help me move in?”

Shit, I forgot my sister was moving into the dorms. “Uh
yeah, I can meet you over there.” I started pacing the living room as I tried
to figure out how I was going to manage this. The click of the front door
opening and closing broke through my thoughts. “Hey Nat, call me when get to
the dorm, okay?”

          “Sure. See ya soon!” she said in a sing-songy
voice that made me smile.

          “Who’s Nat?” Miranda asked, setting her keys down
on the coffee table. She grabbed the blanket off the couch and started folding
it.

          “My little sister and I completely forgot she’s
moving into the dorms today.”

          “Oh, where’s she going to school?” She set the
folded blanket down on top of the pillow and gathered up the sheets in her
arms.

          “She’s going to be a freshman at University of the
Arts. I can clean up after myself,” I said.

          “Don’t worry about it,” she called over her
shoulder and walked down the hallway towards the kitchen so I followed her. She
opened a door next to the bathroom which revealed a small laundry room with a
stackable washer and dryer. Placing the sheets in the washer, she added
detergent and turned it on.  “So where’s my dad?” She asked, closing the door,
muffling the churning of the washing machine.

I told her how they left to look at her car and how Marco
had heard someone wanted to take Crimson down. “Great and let me guess, my dad
left you here to babysit me.” She crossed her arms and scowled.

          “Not that I mind watching you,” I teased making
her smile as she shook her head. “I’m in a bind though because I promised Nat
that I’d help her move in.”

          “Nope, don’t say another word.” Miranda placed her
hand on my arm. “Give me five minutes to change. You can drop me off at Crimson
then go be with your family while I get to be a pain in the ass to mine.”

Less than an hour later I was parking near Natalie’s dorm. I
found her and my mom walking toward the building’s front door with their arms
full of boxes. I quickly grabbed the box from my mom.

          “I didn’t think you were going to make it?” she
said.

          “Yeah, sorry about that. What floor?” We
approached the elevators and joined the crowd in the lobby.

          “Fourth floor. Chelsea and I are roommates. Isn’t
that sweet?” Natalie said. She shifted the box she was holding and leaned back
against the wall. She had her hair pulled up in a messy bun and sweat glistened
on her forehead. While it was back to school season, it was still hotter than
fuck out and with the building doors propped open, the air conditioning
couldn’t keep up.

          “Where is Chelsea?”

          “Upstairs. She’s already organizing everything.
You know how she is.”

I laughed and nodded. My sister’s best friend was a little
on the anal side and Natalie was chaos to her control. “You two living together
ought to be interesting.”

Sure enough when we got to Nat’s dorm room, Chelsea already
had her bed made and posters hung on the wall. Natalie’s side of the room was
barren in contrast with boxes and two suitcases tossed on the bare mattress.

          “Hi Grant!” Chelsea greeted me when I walked in. I
shook hands with her parents.

Seconds later Chelsea’s oldest brother, Sean, joined us. His
ginger blond hair was shorter than I remembered, revealing more of his freckled
face.

          “Hey Sean, what’s going on?” We had been in the
same class in high school, but were never close like our sisters. Sean played
soccer while I played football and when I did shot put for track in the spring,
he played baseball.

          “Not much, man. Once we get Chels moved in, I’m
heading back to Penn State. How about you, are you still at Drexel?”

          “Nah, I’m working and that’s keeping me busy.”