Page 113 of Duty and Desire

No one else’s.

Ever again.

But he was starting now.

“Now go to sleep, sweetheart,” he said, all soft.

I loved it when he let himself call me “baby.” It didn’t happen often, in fact, not since our Come to Jesus.

That was my first “sweetheart.”

I’d never forget it.

Not ever.

I settled back into bed, pulling the covers over me.

I didn’t watch but I did hear soft noises from the cushions as he settled back to the couch.

It took a while before I said into the dark, “I hope it’s one of the guys from tonight.”

“Me too, baby. Now please, go to sleep.”

It was the please that got me.

I closed my eyes.

And with Mo watching over me, keeping me safe, I drifted off.

And slept like a baby.

CHAPTER 8

PIECE OF CAKE

Mo

The next night, standing backstage, eyes scanning the crowd during Lottie’s last set, Mo tried to control his thoughts that were on the fact none of the guys they’d tagged last night was their guy.

And his thoughts were on that because they were also on the most recent letter they got.

The ugliest.

The most troubling.

The one that was delivered to Smithie Monday and included the news that the guy knew all about Mo, and that Mo was going to be cleansed himself, this being executed, as in made dead for “consorting with the soiled.”

The letter that also shared the members of Hawk’s crew who were supposed to be doing drive-bys and randomly keeping an eye on Lottie’s house while he was inside keeping an eye on Lottie, as well as Mo when he was out with Lottie, had missed this guy somewhere along the line.

The letter that had Mo so tweaked, he was close to having to admit that to Hawk, this being right before he shared he was taking Lottie to Bali.

All these thoughts clashed with all his thoughts about Lottie, and all his responses—mentally, emotionally and physically—that were making it nearly impossible to do his job.

The way she stepped in with Carla being the most recent. Not only getting her to go to the emergency room, getting her mom to look after the woman’s children, and also her chat with all the girls that night, after learning Carla was out for at least five days, probably more like ten.

They were taking a collection.

Carla was on paid leave.