Always Room for Cupcakes (14 page)

“Okay.”

“And be careful. If you run into Hector or the Coke Club again, I want to know about it. Watch your back and don’t put yourself into a situation you can’t get out of.”

“Okay,” I repeated, my heart warming at the fact that he was worried about me.

Shit, even with everything that had happened yesterday, it seemed I still trusted this guy, and worse, I was really falling for him.

I needed to have a girl’s night. Talk with my friends and sort my head out. See if they thought I was moving too fast.

“You good?” Cade asked, proving once again that he could read me like a book.

“Do you think, maybe, we’re going a little too fast?” I asked, lifting my mug of coffee to my lips, just to have something to do with my hands.

“Darlin’,” he began, and I flinched. “I’m thirty-eight years old. I’ve never been in a relationship with a woman. Shit, I’ve never cared enough about a woman to even take her out on a date, until you. Now, I figure, I’ve waited a long time and I know what I want. What I want is you … so, no, I don’t think it’s going too fast. I think it’s taking too damn long. I know where I’m at, I’m just waiting for you to catch up.”

I was still trying to let that penetrate when he continued.

“And, Lila, there’s times when a word’s just a word, and other times when it comes from the heart. Sometimes I call people darlin’ to charm them, or to get what I want, but when I say it to you, it’s from the heart. You asked me to stop, but I can’t promise that I will, because that’s who you are…
My darlin’
.”

My eyes widened and I gulped audibly, putting the cup down with shaky hands as I tried to wrap my head around everything he’d just laid out for me.

Holy shit
, things were moving even faster than I thought.

“Look, I gotta go let Rufus out, then get some shit done, so I’ll give you some time to think things through. You know how to get ahold of me when you’re ready.”

“Okay,” I said again, thinking I really needed to learn to expand my vocabulary when I was around this guy.

Cade stood and dropped a kiss on my forehead before taking his dishes to the sink, grabbing his things, and leaving my apartment. Through it all, I sat at my table, my hands still wrapped around my mug as I tried to process everything that had happened since Cade rode into my life.

The rest of the weekend went by quickly.

I spent some much-needed snuggle time with my kiddos, laying around watching superhero flicks and eating lots of junk food. And, happily, the awkwardness between Elin and me was gone. We’d moved on from
the incident
and were back in our comfortable mommy/son place.

I’d sent the photos to Moose, and gave him the message from Cade, and had blissfully heard nothing from him for three days. After the way he’d been acting lately, I was beginning to wonder whether working for him was such a good idea. I didn’t need anyone yelling at me, certainly not some crabby-ass shut-in, who used me to do all of his dirty work.

Then, Thursday morning, I’d received another text telling me that Hector and the cokehead were unloading merchandise and storing it at the storage place downtown, and that the last thing he needed from me were pictures of the drugs. Then the client would have all the evidence he needed to shut Hector’s operation down.

Eager to be done with Hector, the Coke Club, the client, and Moose, I shot him a text back saying I’d get the photos, and that we needed to talk.

That’s why I was currently skulking around dusty old storage units, rather than helping Amy May at the bakery.

“
I’m so done with this shit
,” I muttered as I stepped in a puddle. Of course, it had to be raining on the day I’d busted out my cute new ankle boots, which were now covered in mud.

I looked around the corner to the row where Moose told me they’d be, and saw Hector’s Camaro with the trunk open and no one around. Figuring they were inside the unit, and hoping there were still drugs in the trunk so I could get the picture and get the hell out of there, I ran from my hiding spot to the car, camera at the ready.

When I rounded the car and looked down, I was relieved to see there were piles of drugs still in the car. Large plastic bags full of pills, white substances and an off-white powder.

I quickly took a bunch of pictures, and was getting ready to rush back the way I’d come, when a voice behind me said, “You just keep showing up.”

I turned to see Hector standing precariously close, and was about to run when he grabbed my arm. Squeezing tightly, he shook me and asked, “Who the fuck are you? Who are you working for?”

My mind raced as I kept my arm with my camera behind my back and tried to wrestle my arm from his grip. It was no use; I could feel his fingers bruising my arm, his grip was so tight.

Instinctually, I took a step toward him, closing the distance as I brought my knee up hard and connected it with his junk.

“Fucking bitch!” he yelled as he bent to cradle himself, his fingers loosening enough for me to break free.

I didn’t look to see how he was or if anyone was chasing me. I ran flat out, as if the hounds of hell were at my feet. Jumping in my car and starting it before my door had even shut behind me, I took off, fishtailing out of the storage lot and speeding down the street, grateful that no one was behind me, but not willing to relax yet.

I drove straight to the police station and parked in their lot, figuring it was the safest place I could be, then shot a text to Cade, telling him everything that had just happened.

Next, I sent basically the same message to Moose, except I added that he was going to need to pay me extra due to the terror I’d just faced, and that I wasn’t sending him the pictures until he sent the money.

Finally, I texted Amy May and Bea, telling them that I needed a Ladies’ Night, STAT.

My phone started pinging as replies came in:

Done. Stop by and I’ll give you the cash and get the pictures. I need them yesterday… And, Lila, don’t get used to demanding shit.

I rolled my eyes at Moose’s reply, mentally telling him to
Go fuck himself
.

Then I opened Amy May’s:
Sounds great.
Followed by Bea’s reply:
Set it up tonight. I’ll be there.

Finally, I opened the one from Cade.

Shit’s escalating. I don’t like him putting his hands on you. Talk to your ex about taking the kids until this shit gets wrapped up. I want you at my cabin.

My initial reaction was irritation at Cade’s bossiness, then I realized the merit of his demands. If Hector somehow found out where I lived and something happened to my kids, I’d never forgive myself, so sending them to their dad’s was a good idea. Even if I hated the thought of being away from them, their safety came first. And the fact that Cade wanted me at his place so that he could protect me didn’t suck either…

I texted everyone back, then decided I’d better call
The Douche
and tell him what was going on, rather than trying to tell him everything in a text. Then I needed to get to Moose’s, get my money, and unload these photos. Finally, I needed to to have a drink with my girl’s and talk all of this shit out.

Damn, I needed a vacation!

I walked up to Moose’s decaying house in the
not so nice
section of Greenswood, planning to make this as quick as possible. I didn’t like to be at Moose’s any longer than necessary. It wasn’t that he wasn’t nice to me, usually, and an okay boss, it’s just that something about his place gave me the creeps.

I walked up the cracked cement steps and pounded on the ripped screen door. I heard “Come in,” shouted between a fit of coughing and wheezing.

Oh goodie
, I thought as I opened the door.
Sounds like Moose is all phlegmy again.

“What the hell?” I muttered as I walked into the entryway, down the hall, and through the kitchen. Moose’s house was never neat and tidy, but it wasn’t usually as bad as this.

Trash thrown literally on the floor, dirty dishes everywhere, and a smell I wasn’t quite sure I wanted to identify assailed me as I hurried toward his back porch, where I knew he’d be stationed.

“What’s going on, Moose?” I asked as I entered his makeshift office.

He turned to me and I stopped, shocked at the state he was in.

Big and tall, Moose was six foot two, three hundred pounds on a good day, but he looked like he’d gained weight since the last time I saw him. And his hair, which was balding on top, but usually kept trim on the back and sides, was long and stringy. Greasy from not being washed. His clothes were filthy, with food stains and sweat rings, and his face was ragged, as if he hadn’t slept in days.

“You got the pictures?” he asked, not even looking my way.

“Yeah, but, Moose, are you okay?” I asked, pulling the card out of my camera and placing it in his offered hand.

He popped it in his computer without answering, then let out a relieved sigh when the pictures showed on his screen.

“Finally,” he bit out softly. “Maybe now he’ll have what he needs and move forward. Get off my back.”

“Who?”

“Carlos Chavez, head of a Columbian drug cartel and older brother to Hector Chavez. He’s our client.”

I let that information whirl around in my head, then I grabbed Moose’s meaty arm and screeched, “
What
? You took a drug lord as a client? Are you
fucking crazy
?”

“He’s pissed that his little brother is sneaking around behind his back, trying to start up his own business here, on the side. Carlos doesn’t take kindly to being played, especially by his brother, so he hired me to find out exactly what Hector is doing in town.”

“And you didn’t think to let me in on this little tidbit of information before you gave me the job? Shit, Moose … I have kids.”

“Look, Lila, shit just got out of hand. I thought he’d be happy with the initial shots of the women Hector was targeting, but he always wanted more. He wanted to be sure of his brother’s betrayal before he sends his guys up here to take care of the situation.”

“Take care of the situation? What does that mean? And there are more of them coming here? What the hell are you thinking, Moose? You’ve gotta tell the cops.”

Moose shook his head, then pulled out a canvas bag and threw it at me.

“Too late for that, Lila, the job is done. Once I send these pictures over to Carlos, he’ll have the final piece he was looking for. He’ll get Hector and the drugs out of Greenswood, and things will get back to normal.”

I opened the bag and looked inside. There were piles of cash rubber banded together. I threw it back at Moose like it was on fire and said, “I can’t take that. It’s
drug
money, Moose. You may have lost your mind, but I haven’t. I can’t believe you’d put me in danger like this.”

Moose’s beady eyes hit mine and he assured me, “It’s fine, Lila. Carlos promised me he wouldn’t touch you. He’s grateful for the evidence you found. It’ll be fine,” he said again, and I began to wonder if he was drunk.

“No, Moose, it isn’t fine. Not until Hector and Carlos are out of town and out of our lives. I’m getting my kids to safety and hiding out until this all blows over. I think you should do the same.”

Not waiting for his response, I got out of there as fast as I could, shaking my head as I went over everything he’d just admitted to me.

What a
stupid fuck
!

The sad part was that I didn’t think I’d be able to work for him anymore, not after he pulled shit like that, and I really enjoyed my job. I’d have to figure out another way to make money, something that didn’t involve drug cartels and drug-dealing bimbos.

I called Bea as I drove away, telling her everything I’d just learned from Moose. She said she’d look into Hector and Carlos and put everyone at the station on alert.

“Are you sure you still want to go out tonight?” she asked.

“
Hell yeah
,” I replied, desperation clear in my voice. “Moose is sending the final photos to them now, and they’re all the way in Columbia. Nothing’s going to go down tonight, and tomorrow we’re all going to go off the grid for a while. I really need tonight with you and Amy May to blow off steam and have some girl talk.”