Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 112755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
They did not speak for several minutes as he throbbed deep inside of her. They lay together, hands linked, through Aaliyah’s, ‘Rock the Boat.’ There were no words to describe how this man made love, and no lyrics to portray how she felt about him in song, either. Perhaps in an old book, they’d be written as a poem, but hidden away forever and a day. Regardless, her heart knew what to say, even when her mouth resisted the truth.
I’m in trouble. I’m fallin’ in love…
Chapter Eleven
Legend took the check Axel gave him, cashed it, and placed the money inside the red satchel. Then, he headed to the small office in Lexington that he knew so well and asked for Ortiz. This time, a different man was there.
“¿Quién eres tú?” the man asked.
“No te respondo.” Legend specified he didn’t have to answer to him.
Removing his gun from its holster, he aimed it at Legend.
Legend didn’t flinch.
Just be cool. This son of a bitch obviously doesn’t know who he’s fucking with. I need this to go smoothly, so I’m going to back down. This time.
“¿Quién eres tú?” the man asked who he was again.
“Legend Vidal. Ortiz is expecting me.”
Keeping the gun aimed at him, the man looked him up and down, pulled a phone from his pocket, and asked Ortiz to verify the information. Moments later, Legend was led down the same hall he’d traveled twelve times over the course of two years. Ortiz greeted him, took the satchel, checked the money, and smiled.
“Noriega is new to the organization. I’ll make sure he doesn’t bother you again.”
“Good. He almost got one in the head.” Legend turned to walk away.
“Vidal.”
“Yeah?”
“If you wish to reconsider working for me, it would be good. No need to slave behind a stove. Clean up after dead bodies. You could consider your debt paid in full. I’ve wanted you as part of my organization for years, but you refuse me. I would have been a better father to you than your own. He did not have your guts.”
“Ortiz, I am honored that you’d consider me to be a part of your team, but I’m going on a new path in life.”
Ortiz smiled and rounded his desk, shaking the satchel in the air.
“Does not seem like it, son. This perhaps is an honorable mission, what you are doing here. But it’s still the same. I don’t know your reasons for this endeavor, but a bullet painted with all of the colors of the rainbow is still a bullet, my friend.”
“I am who I am, but I move differently now. Thanks again. I’ll have the last payment to you soon.”
And with that, Legend walked out the door.
Several weeks later…
Desiree sat next to her daughter in the Chinese restaurant decorated with flowing fountains, beautiful red and gold statues, and an indoor stone pond full of koi fish. Asian music played throughout the restaurant, setting the mood. She’d finally been able to arrange the meeting of a lifetime. Her boyfriend was getting acquainted with the most important person in her life: her one and only baby, Kaylee.
Legend sat across from them in a button-down white shirt, dark jeans that didn’t sag, and sneakers. Not his typical attire, but it seemed he wanted to impress her. Take it up a notch. She could tell he’d just trimmed his beard and had a fresh haircut, and she was quite enthralled when he showed up with two bouquets of roses in hand. A pink bouquet for Kaylee, and a red one for her. He then kissed her on the cheek, and shook Kaylee’s hand. They piled up in his truck, and off they went.
This was Kaylee’s favorite place to eat, a huge, quality Chinese buffet including crab legs and seafood—a place they didn’t visit as often as her daughter would have liked.
“What’s your favorite Chinese food, Kaylee?” Legend asked as they waited for their drinks.
“Go on, tell him. Stop actin’ shy. You know you ain’t shy!” Desiree teased her daughter, who sported a sheepish expression.
“I like a lot of ’em, actually. Um… Sweet ’n sour chicken is probably my favorite. The one they make here is good. I like the boiled eggs, too, ’cause they put some sort of seasoning on them. They’re on the salad bar next to the fruit.” She pointed across the way at it.
“I like sweet ’n sour chicken, too! I used to love it as a kid, especially. You must have grown-up tastebuds if you like boiled eggs.” They smiled at each other. “I used to like devilled eggs when I was a kid, and I still do. I’ll have to try the ones they make here. How ’bout the sesame chicken? You like that, too?”
She wrinkled her nose and shook her head.
“Not so much, huh? The seeds?”
“Yeah. I don’t like the seeds, and I don’t like the sauce, either.”