When she looked up from servicing a customer, she smiled. I smiled back, and she headed to me. She mechanically reached for the Scotch, and I put my hand up to stop her. She looked surprised but didn’t say anything.
I smiled even more and said, “I see you’re making yourself right at home?”
She nodded.
“Yeah, this place is cool. Not as busy as Lou’s bar, but I think I can handle it.”
“AB told me you were on stage earlier?”
“Yeah…um…one of the guys asked if I would do a mic check and…well…one thing led to another.”
She looked around as if she was looking for someone. I knew what she was doing, but I didn’t help her out. She busied herself with making a drink for someone next to me.
Then she asked, being as subtle as she could, “Um…are you by yourself tonight?”
“No, I’m not.”
She tried not to seem disappointed. I didn’t want her to know that I was here watching her, so I lied to her.
I changed the subject and asked, “So, how have you been? How’s the new rehab job working out?”
Her face lit up with excitement.
“Everything is going great with my job. I love it. DeWitt taught me a lot, and I’m so thankful. Knowing what I do has helped me be a little more independent sooner than I or my boss expected. The only thing that is kind of weird is that this week, for some reason…and I know it will sound silly to you but I…um…felt like I was being followed. I think you have me paranoid or something because…”
I sat up. “What do you mean you think you were being followed?”
She shrugged.
“I don’t know. It just felt like someone was watching me.”
“Did you see anyone watching you that gave you the creeps or something?”
I knew it couldn’t have been Roland’s guys, because they are experts at their craft.
I tried not to show a lot of interest, but I wanted to know if there were more of Shaw’s men out there watching her. Maybe the cartel has made it into the states for her again.
“No,” she replied. “I mean …well…I told Cory that I think I saw one of my dad’s guys watching me but…”
I stood and came around the bar. “Allura, do you think you saw one of his guys, or do you know that you did. Think back, angel. It’s important.”
She shook her head and said softly, “I’m not sure, Mason. Why? What’s going on?”
I could see she was starting to panic, and that was the last thing I wanted. When people panic, they can make stupid decisions. They do things that make sense in their minds. But for the ones protecting them, it can be a nightmare. I was so close to her. I wanted to kiss her and hold her close to me and tell her that everything will be okay. But I didn’t. Instead, I smiled. I tilted her chin up so she could focus on my eyes. I tried to show calm and peace, hoping she would feed off of this. On the inside though, I was calculating my strike.
“Nothing’s going on, and you don’t have to worry or be afraid. I told you I would keep you safe, and I will. I just need you to trust me. Can you do that?”
She studied my eyes, as I knew she would, and nodded. I smiled.
“Good. I have to go. But if you think you see someone you recognize again, call me. Okay? I don’t care what time you call my cell.”
“Okay.”
I smiled again and left her behind the bar. I walked outside of the restaurant. But first I talked to AB to make sure he would walk her and Tiffany to their cars tonight. I then called Roland. I told him I saw two of the snitches too close to Maxine. He told me he would send a few of the guys there. First, they would stay in the restaurant and then they would follow the guys to wherever they end up. I know he was thinking the same as I was: Was the cartel inside the U.S. and possibly thinking about taking her again?
I let Roland handle what he needed to do to keep Max safe. I trusted him implicitly. That trust didn’t come lightly. We did a lot together when we served in the Navy. But what brought us closer was the mission we went on after the service, when we had to go hunt and kill whoever was responsible for the death of Alex. It took a very long time to accomplish, and we did some things that neither of us want to come out. But we made those responsible pay dearly, and we haven’t had any regrets.
Never Forget, Never Forgive.
I texted Max that night and also Saturday night. I just wanted to see if she was okay and to make sure she didn’t see anyone else following her. She texted back “no,” which made me feel a little better.
Come Sunday, I made my way to where Shaw and his crew were eating Sunday dinner. It was the middle of the summer evening as I walked inside the restaurant. I didn’t waste any time. I took out two of his men that were standing next to the restaurant and four of his men in the front room of the restaurant. When I walked into the back, his guys all drew on me.