Page 19 of KingPin
The woman is skinny and tall with long hair that is red like Lucian’s. She’s wearing sweats also, but she lacks the appeal that Lucian has.
It was then I realized I recognize her from the hotel.
“I’m Mason,” I stand up to shake her hand.
She looks at it before putting her hand in mine. Her hand is tiny compared to mine and doesn’t hold the amount of control that Lucian’s does.
“I’m Katie. We met a couple of weeks ago. I take it, you’re getting groomed to be the next shot caller?”
We’re standing awkwardly in the middle of the living room with Lucian still seated. I can see her face change from relaxed to annoyed really quickly. What the hell? I thought we were finally getting somewhere.
“Yeah, looks like it.”
Katie pats me on the arm and leans in closely to me. I can smell the fresh shower smell on her. Her hair is still slightly damp. “Good luck!”
Lucian pops up from the couch and steps in between us. This is one of the only times she has been this close to me. I can smell her natural scent off of her and it makes me want to bury my face in her neck.
“That’s enough. Mason, go downstairs and Ralf will help you out,” she dismisses me.
Chapter Fifteen
Lucian
Katie’s baiting me right now. I know exactly what she’s doing and it has got to end.
That little touch and lean in… Yeah, I’m not happy about it.
The minute Mason walks out of the apartment she whirls on me. “Did I see a little jealousy coming from you?” Katie coos at me.
“You’re about to see my fist,” I blurt.
“For someone who doesn’t care about him, you’re getting pretty feisty.”
I roll my eyes and walk into the kitchen. I’m bored and hungry. I have never sat around this much since I went out to the streets and I can’t stand it. I’m going to get fat and lazy if I keep sitting around here doing nothing.
“For real, Luca. What’s up with that?”
I throw my hands up in the air and groan. “I don’t know! I don’t know anything about anything anymore. I know my trusted lieutenant put a hit out on me and is probably going to take out my gang now that I’m dead.”
“Your gang will be fine. What you need to start doing is worrying about yourself. You’re allowed to have someone.”
“Katie, how can I be with someone when I can’t even be touched? Yeah, I liked watching him fuck Trina, but eventually he will want to be with me. And then what?”
Katie walks over to the kitchen to put her arm around me. “You’re not broken. You can be touched. It will just take a while for you to be comfortable. What you need to do is realize this man is risking his life for you. Don’t you think you should give him something for that?”
The snarky side wants to come out and mention how he’s getting paid for this. He’s getting rewarded pretty good for doing the work.
“Or maybe you should ask yourself how you are going to feel when he leaves and doesn’t talk to you again. Because what I saw is sparks!”
“Aren’t I the one who’s supposed to be helping you right now?” I blurt eager to change the subject.
“Nah. I’m going to be leaving as soon as Raul is taken out. I gotta get back to the streets.”
“How many girls have you saved now?” I ask and lean my hip against the countertop.
Katie’s new mission in life is to save street girls from getting jumped into the gang life by being gang-banged. Yeah, that’s a thing. She tried to save me from it, but she was too late. She still thinks she saved me a little bit from getting raped.
Nope. She didn’t.
