His Score by B.L. Brooks
Carmen
My chest hurts,pounding as I ache sneaking my way out the back of the house.
After overhearing Cliff has no remorse in offing Mr. Kelly, I froze. I…I didn’t know what to think hearing him talk like that…
I knew the man I feel this strange attachment to kills people…or at least I think I knew.
But everything seems so real now.
Though in that moment, everything clicked in place. I love Cliff. Despite his career, even though I heard him exclude Greg and Mrs. Kelly from the hit, I still want him more than I want myself to leave.
I’m not leaving him. I know I should, but I can’t. Finding someone who cares about me…it’s something worth hanging on to.
And I’m not about to let some snappy mob boss order Cliff to take out a father worth giving a second chance to.
So, I have a plan. And I know, it’s probably the dumbest plan I’ve come up with—but it’s all I have.
Sneaking out and down the dark street after making sure Cliff’s snores took over the house, I don’t feel all that confident with what I’m doing tonight but I know it’s worth a shot.
I ordered an Uber a few minutes before tiptoeing down the stairs, which it looks to be waiting just a few feet away.
Everything going to plan…so far.
“Hi there,” I say, opening the back door of some silver Kia, slipping into the open back seat as my driver gives me a nod and smiles, quickly turning his eyes back up front.
Perfect.
As bitchy as this sounds, I prefer not to talk in these kind of situations. Silence works better, hands down.
The driver takes off, heading to the address I plugged in when ordering the ride. Plugging in the very address that happened to have been scribbled on the back of the note I found at the Kelly’s residence the day after Cliff dropped in, delivering his message.
I hadn’t realized the address was there until late last week. I almost said something but I’m happy I didn’t. Maybe if I do this on my own everything can work out for everyone…just maybe.
The plan is to tell Mrs. Kelly and Greg to get out of there, then tell Mr. Kelly to move in a separate direction. I have to somehow fix this and the longer I can postpone Cliff getting here, the more time I can buy to think of the next step.
I need to set Cliff free. Free from this life of chasing one order to another.
Reaching the residence of where I believe the Kelly family to be hiding out, I give my thanks to the driver, grateful to see I still have service out here for when I’ll need another ride to get back before Cliff wakes up.
Just as I step out of the car, the front door of the house comes swinging open.
“Carmen!” Greg’s excited voice shouts, making me smile as I walk up the short driveway and up the steps, meeting him on the porch as he rushes into me.
I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy to see the little tyke.
“Greg,” I say with cheer, giving him a gentle hug back. “Hey, buddy,” I laugh, then look up to find Mr. and Mrs. Kelly staring in shock at me from inside the house.
“Carmen?” Mr. Kelly questions, his eyes turning fearful as he looks around. “Wh-what are you…how did you find us?”
The panic in his voice is clear. I’m about to reassure him everything is fine just as a hand comes sliding around my waist from behind, a deep voice purring in my ear as I’m held in tight.
Cliff.
“The more pressing question, numbnuts, is why the fuck are you still in the state?” Cliff growls, causing Mr. Kelly to jerk his attention to up over my shoulder.
I flip myself around in Cliff’s hold, facing his dark eyes piercing mine as he keeps me pressed against him.
“You followed me?” I tremble out, equal parts of me thrilled on how sneaky Cliff just is, but annoying on the same hand because dammit, I was going to fix this…somehow.
“Baby girl, you think I don’t know you?” His jaw ticking in place as the Kelly’s scoff behind me. “You really think I can sleep without you?”
“I-I wasn’t leaving you. I promise, Cliff,” I stumble over my words as my heart aches by the thought of him thinking I was skipping out after hearing what I did.
“I didn’t think you were, baby girl,” he grumbles. Somehow, it feels like we’re in our own world right here on the porch. “I knew you were just trying to do what you thought was right. I know you love me, baby.”
And he’s right.
“I just wanted to talk to Mr. Kelly and try to make everything okay.” Which I very well intended on doing once I thought of a more viable plan than the one I have now.
I look down to Greg, finding him still standing outside with us.
“Would you do me a favor and go inside for just a quick second? I just need to talk to your mom and dad,” I tell the little boy, watching as the old Greg I know comes creeping out with an eye roll, not pleased with direction as usual.
But for once on the first try, the kid listens, heading inside as my eyes trace up to Mrs. Kelly, who’s grinning at me sheepishly.
“As you caught a glimpse of, I’ve been teaching him some manners. And with his father now present,” she hisses, glaring over at her husband, “things are beginning to improve.” She smiles, looking like a pleased mother.
Which I have to say, Greg does seem to have a little more fun in him.
“No offense, Carmen, but you’re putting us in danger with you being here. What do you need?”
“You’ve been in danger this whole fucking time,” Cliff steps in, snarling as I’ve never seem him this pissed. But in those angry eyes, I can see the desire they hold for me. The love he holds through the darkness.
He turns to me. “You love me, baby girl?” His mouth curving into a slim smile.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake. That’s not important right now!” Mrs. Kelly yells.
Cliff snaps his eyes up, glaring her to silence as I hear her heels start to click away.
“It’s all that’s important to me,” he tells me gently, his deep green eyes softening.
Smiling, I open up to the very man I should be running from—and sort of was for a second there—outing my inner thoughts.
“Of course I love you. You’re…mine,” I whisper, watching his eyes turn dark with a claim.
Halfway through his ranting earlier, I realized something that in the end, probably saved me from leaving.
Cliff’s been alone his whole life. Without his knowing, he’s been searching for a place to call home…somewhere to belong. And we both can see he belongs to me as I belong to him.
Now, if I can just stop him from going through with his orders…
“Baby girl,” he growls, pulling me tightly against his chest as he lowers his famished mouth, clearing my mind from anything other than him.
