Page 1 of Abra's Acquisition
CHAPTER ONE: ABRA
I watch the tiny Spitfire stomp around the abandoned garage, demanding Hex call the police to arrest the three men responsible for kidnapping her and the two other women we found trapped in this hellhole. Hex won’t give in, but he admires her sass. I prefer my women to be sweet and docile, but I must admit there is something about the woman that appeals to me. She’s gorgeous with her dark chocolate skin tone and bronze-colored hair. Her green eyes flash when Hex tells her no. I realize after a while that she looks familiar, but I can’t place where I’ve seen her before. Her name is Rey Montague, but I can’t remember ever meeting anyone with that name. Yet, I know her from somewhere. It’s going to drive me crazy.
A strangled shout from Jack draws Hex and the woman into the reception area, leaving me with the three assholes. I don’t know what they find, but it isn’t good. Because Hex comes charging back into the room to pummel the men I’m guarding. Since he’s focused on destroying their junk, I can guess their sins. The devastation on the Spitfire’s face confirms my suspicions.
I still haven’t placed where I know Rey from before she takes off with Olivia. They’re taking the women we rescued to the hospital because both women look ready to give birth at any second. I forget about Rey and focus on our next step: taking down the twodoctors who betrayed everything they stood for by kidnapping women, pimping them out, and then selling their babies.
We locate the former restaurant that the two doctors converted into their illegal baby-making farm. It sits on the river, which explains how the body of one of their victims was found floating downstream. We work as a unit to take down the guards quickly. The two doctors offer us minimal challenge after that.
While I would have preferred to take the fuckers back to the Farm and show them what it felt like to be raped by using a hot poker, Hex decided to let the cops handle them. I got it. They had the information the cops needed—the precise location of the babies they sold.
When Rey and her police detective brother arrived, I finally figured it out. Standing in the dim light, I realized where I’d seen Rey before. She had been a guest of the man whose house I broke into. Several nights ago, I had been on a quest. That may sound corny, but that’s what I called my excursions. I’m a Master Thief. My excursions often took place in the homes and businesses of those who had no idea I was there. They involved breaking into fortresses and stealing prized artifacts.
Growing up as the only child of a man whose sole source of income was picking pockets, one can’t help but quickly pick up the skill. My earliest memories include me distracting the mark by asking for help or pretending to be in distress. As the mark focused on me, my dad would nimbly relieve them of their pocketbooks or wallets. Misdirection was the key, and I excelled at it. It wasn’t long before my dad had me working independently. But as my touch lightened, his grew heavier until one day he picked the wrong pocket. That pocket belonged to a member of the Cartel who left my dad to bleed out in an alley. So, at sixteen, I found myself alone on the streets.
Being big for my age helped me stay one step ahead of child services. Having to answer only to myself allowed me to branch out. Rather than settling for a few hundred dollars a day, I sought ways to boost my earnings. That’s when I discovered that sleight of hand and misdirection are also helpful in swiping expensive items that I could pawn for thousands of dollars. Later, I found that they were also effective in encouraging people to willingly part with their money, enticing them to pay a hefty fee to sit in an audience and be amazed as I magically made my assistant disappear in a cloud of smoke. I became Lucifer’s Heir, the most sought-after illusionist in the magical city of New Orleans.
As my success grew, you would think I would no longer need to steal. That wasn’t the case. My increasing wealth simply let me become choosier about what I stole. In addition, rather than pawn the items for money, I got to keep them. Most of the time, my larcenies were for selfish reasons; however, occasionally, I would do a favor for a friend. That’s what I was doing the night I first laid eyes on Rey Montague.
My friend, Cicero, and yes, that is his real name. His parents were academics with a taste for ancient Rome. Cicero and I grew up together on the streets. His parents were often so caught up in their research that they’d forget they had a son. He had a warm place to sleep and plenty to eat, but the loneliness drove him into the busy streets of New Orleans. I owed Cicero a debt I could never repay. He often let me crash at his home under his parents’ noses. But that’s not why I owed him. Cicero once saved my life by taking a knife meant for me. So, I was happy to do him a favor. If I’d known then the trouble it would cause, I’d have devised a different plan.
Cicero contacted me when we were all in Ireland, helping Dixie deal with Sigil. While Dixie was one of their top assassins, he had faked the assassination of Hex’s brother, Vladimir. We backed up Dixie when they recalled him. However, he didn’t need it. It turns out Sigil didn’t want to punish Dixie for screwing up a job; they wanted to discuss giving him more targets now that the Demon Dawgs could provide him better cover for those jobs.
I had planned on fulfilling Cicero’s request the night we returned, but some assholes tried to kidnap Lake’s woman, Olivia. So, I postponed the attempt until the following night. Getting into Blake Erickson's office was easy enough. It wasn’t my first time here. Blake was a wealthy real estate developer. He’s the man Hex used to purchase the plantation, which he converted into our clubhouse. We also bought the locations for Zip’s tattoo shop, the bar, and the auto shop. So, I’d been in this office with members of my club. I’ve also been here without them. I purchased the warehouse where I store my collection from Blake. I’ve also taken a few items from his collection. I knew the layout and that Blake was too lazy and cheap to upgrade his security, so getting in was easy.
I know from experience that Blake prefers his artifacts on display in his office. He’s just asking for someone like me to come in and steal them. I had hoped to find the office empty, but Blake was not only at home, but he was entertaining a stunning woman.
“Ms. Montague, I appreciate you meeting with me,” Blake says as she directs her toward a visitor’s chair.
“Of course. I’m sorry that it had to be so late, but I have back-to-back meetings, and I know this is important to you,” Ms. Montague replies as she places her briefcase on her lap before opening it. She pulls out a thick file folder. “I contactedthe Parish Sheriff’s office and received confirmation that the property you want to purchase will be going to auction. It appears the owner died intestate. Since the property is of historical significance, the Sheriff is working closely with the Vieux Carré Commission. All participants in the auction must submit their plans for the property to the VCC. The auction won’t take place until the VCC has had the opportunity to inspect the property.”
“I have already had my architect draw up the plans,” Erickson says. “Let me show you what he’s done,” Blake says as he rolls out a document.
I keep to the shadows as they discuss their plans. The soft light from Erickson’s desk doesn’t reach me, but it reflects off the item I'm here to steal. Priceless artifacts fill several display cases throughout the room. The item I seek is nondescript compared to the rest, but Cicero assures me that it has excellent value to the actual owner. The fact that Erickson stole it makes me happy to be the one to take it back from him.
My attention snaps back to the couple when Blake stands to stretch out his back. “We should take a break. I’ll have my housekeeper bring us some refreshments.”
I move as soon as he leaves the room. With her back to me, she doesn’t notice when I grab the item. Once I safely tuck the item away, I exit the building and blend into the busy bustle of New Orleans.
After delivering the item to Cicero, I had forgotten all about Erickson and his lawyer, so I was surprised to see her again in such an unusual situation. I’m thinking about her while we sit in the hospital lobby. Lake and Olivia are upstairs visiting Lake’s father, who has just woken up after being stabbed in the back.A commotion draws our attention to the elevator in time to see Lake and Olivia come rushing out.
“Abra, Olivia got a call from someone using Rey’s phone. He gave her a message. He said he was looking for Lucifer’s Heir. He has your accomplice, and she’ll pay the price if you don’t return what you stole,” Lake says. “What did you steal?”
CHAPTER TWO: REY
Going home to my apartment after a long day of work has always been one of my favorite things. The cool tones of silver, blue, and aquamarine calm me, while the view of the city and Lake Panchartrain through the floor-to-ceiling windows gives me refuge from the craziness of the world outside. Today, the view and the soothing colors have their work cut out for them.
After dropping my briefcase on my desk, I move into my bedroom and strip. What I really want to do is soak in a hot bath and drink a big glass of wine. However, the tiny and unexpected life growing inside of me negates my ability to do either. Instead, I strip and head for the shower.
The hot water feels good as it washes away the remains of the day. My mind is in overdrive. Wrestling my brain into order, I relive the day in chronological order.
My morning started in the doctor’s office, where I discovered I was pregnant. Talk about a shock. I knew I’d been feeling queasy. As a creature of habit who rarely deviates from my regular diet, I couldn’t understand why my stomach would suddenly be acting out of sorts. I couldn’t blame it on stress, because I usually thrive on stress. When I finally accepted that something wasn’t right, I went to my doctor. She gave me the shock of my life by telling me I was six weeks pregnant. Howthe hell did that happen? Okay, I know how it happened. But, seriously, how did it happen? I was always careful with birth control. I took the pill religiously and insisted my partner use a condom.
Thoughts of the sperm donor have me scowling. The father of my baby has to be my ex. He’s the only man I’ve had sex with in months. Just when I thought I was finally done with that asshole, this happens. I’m going to have to tell him someday. Shaking my head, I purposely put thoughts of the future aside. I’ll deal with him later, once I figure out what I’m going to do about the pregnancy. My first thought was to get an abortion. Having a baby on my own doesn't align with my goals. I know that sounds callous, but it is the brutal truth. I’m not ready to have a baby. That’s what my mind screams at me, but my heart whispers something different. Part of me is prepared to welcome this unexpected gift into my life. It’s why I made a detour to the nearest hospital so I could take a tour of the obstetrics department. Watching the nurses swaddle and cuddle the babies had my arms aching to hold my own child. Who knew that my impromptu visit would put my unborn child and me at risk?
After leaving the hospital, my car broke down only a few blocks away. I’m frustrated because I just had maintenance done on it. Pulling out my phone, I plan on calling my brother, Max, for assistance, but then a van pulls over in front of me. Clutching the phone, I relax when I see two doctors exit the vehicle. I let my guard down, which turned out to be a mistake.
The next thing I know, I’m trapped in a mechanic’s pit with two extremely pregnant women. Both look ready to give birth at any second. I try to protect them, but I don’t know what I’m protecting them from. The sound of two men speaking drifts into our cell, but I can’t make out what they’re saying. I have no doubt they are the same two men who grabbed me. Who are they and what do they want? After what felt like hours, but waslikely much less than that, we were free. The group of bikers who rescued us was just as surprising as the men who initially grabbed us. They looked like men we should fear, but the women they brought with them assured us that they were the good guys.
