Author's Note: Here is another side story about D. While technically a sequel to "CeCe's Lullaby," it is not entirely necessary to go back and read it to enjoy this story. Again, this story deals with some of the side characters of the long running series I have been writing, they will be playing a major role in future installments of both the main series and as possible spinoffs.
I have been blessed enough to have received some outstanding support on my stories thus far. As I expand into other genres within this website, I hope that readers from those other areas of the website follow me back to the jungle that is the Loving Wives category, and that exclusive readers of that particular genre broaden their reading horizons and discover amazing authors in other areas of the site.
Once again, thank you all for the support. Rate, comment, and follow me to get updates when I post stories. Hope you enjoy reading this one as much as I enjoyed writing it. Creating female characters, at least for me, posed a unique challenge. Hope I made it justice.
Much love,
aka_Mike
...
Every mile she drove brought her closer, the anticipation that she had learned to expect before each assignment was quickly invigorating her. It would still be a few hours before she would reach her targets, her drive was an ordinary one in many other ways. She kept her speed at the limit, smiling casually at fellow drivers. She even managed to pretend to be dancing carefree as she drove, wildly singing along to the voices on the radio. But the turmoil in her mind kept her on edge, her hand constantly feeling for the familiar black iron resting beside her breasts. Her own reputation woven with those two weapons, the skin and the iron. Both her vehicle and her body would soon need to be fueled, her eyes scanned the highway signs for any particular store that drew her attention. After selecting one, she casually exited and selected a pump. Her eyes scanned every vehicle, every driver, this too had become second nature to her. Satisfied with the setting, she pulled next to the pump and made her way inside the store.
...
Years before, this same woman sat just outside one of the local bars that her target was known to frequent. His habits were easily identified, as were his usual choices when it came to the women he tried to seduce. Even a broken clock is right twice a day, and CeCe found amusement in seeing the women he so cleverly tricked realize his con. He was a smooth talker, but he quickly would become demanding of the women that bit into his line of bullshit. But at least he managed one or two drinks from them before they would make their less than gracious exit. He had been in there for just over two hours, she knew he would be leaving soon. As if on cue, there he walked, more like stumbled, the man that had long terrorized her mother and her. A man that she had called father once upon a time. Now, he was merely a test of her loyalty to the Family, one she did not intend to fail.
She moved behind him quietly, keeping the jacket she was wearing close to her body. Her hair was neatly concealed inside a baseball cap, the large sunglasses further hiding not just her identity but her gender. Despite all these precautions, she honestly doubted that he would recognize her. The man had disobeyed an order from Angel, and because of it he had grown paranoid. Careful. At least as careful as a career drunk can be. It had taken him four streets before he glanced back to see her, but in his eyes the silhouette that was following him was one of a fellow drunk in search for one more drink. After eliminating her in his mind as a threat, the man continued his drunken steps, singing aloud to himself, greeting strangers as if they were his subjects. As they neared an alley, she reached into her pockets, the knife she had decided to use for this mission quietly greeted her.
The man dove into the alley, her mind registered something strange. Releasing her knife, she tucked her hands under her armpits, wrapping herself tightly. As she walked by the alley, she saw him standing there, ready for an ambush that would not come. She just kept her pace past the man, who confused by the situation decided that his instinct had been wrong. Once again, he resumed his voyage, his song carrying him in the same direction that it had done night after night. Some of those nights he had not walked this path alone, those few fleeting memories brought a smile to his face. Noisily, he fought the lock and key to the house until it eventually gave way. He closed the door behind him, ran his hands along the wall and guided himself to the refrigerator. His hand reached for the bottle that he had left there the previous night, but because of the bright light of the machine he had chosen to keep his eyes closed. When his fingertips felt the familiar sensation of cold glass, he sighed happily and closed the door.
"I guess somethings never change," the voice interrupted his drink. He froze, eyes opened wide. He recognized the voice but failed to place it to a face. "You're still far more concerned with your drink than with anything else going around you, father." His strength almost failed him as he lost grip of the bottle for a second. He swallowed loudly, the beads of sweat falling from his forehead were ice cold.
"I am not your father," he managed to reply after far longer than necessary. The bravado in his voice was trying to come out, she could see as his eyes tried to scan the room in the darkness. "I don't think that the whore that birthed you even knows who it might be." There was that grin, the same one she had seen time and time again, the one she had learned to hate.
"I am here alone," she replied, she knew he was trying to find someone else, perhaps Angel. While the terror in his eyes might have brought a smile to her face, it was not the terror she wanted him to feel. His eyes were adjusting to the darkness of the room; she could see how he was trying to piece together an escape plan. The fear had helped him sober up enough to attempt something foolish. He glanced to the doorway leading to the back door, right as he took his first step on what could be called a sprint, she kicked a chair out to intercept him. "You seem scared," she said as the man struggled to get back on his feet.
"Who else is here with you, CeCe? Did you bring your pimp with you?" The madness in his eyes betrayed his compounding fear, his fast breathing was becoming shallow. His eyes expanded involuntarily, she could see that biology was taking place. Fight or flight, she wondered, which one would he try to do next?
"Like I said," she stood from her chair and made her way to the wall. Her hand found the switch that brought life and light into the room, "I am here alone." The few years had not been kind to him, his skin had grown a strange pallor, an almost yellow hue. His hands shook, she did not think it was just from fear. The man before her was pitiful, no longer than monster that had haunted her mother's dreams. She moved back to the chair she had been sitting in when he had walked into the kitchen. With her hand, she gestured for him to stand up and take a seat across the table from her.
"What do you want?" The bravado was returning, now that he was certain that she was alone he could allow himself to feel as if he was in control. His tongue traced a path across his chapped lips, "did the whore send you to get a piece of what she was getting? Or were you just curious?" As he reached for the bottle that miraculously survived the fall, he did not see her gagging reaction at his comment. The sound of a metallic lighter made him pause, he had not forgotten that sound.
"You don't mind if I smoke here," she said, "do you?" He shook his head, relief masking what little of the fear that it could conceal. "Good. No, I'm not here for any of those reasons," she stood up and reached for the refrigerator. From the corner of her eye she saw him become startled by her sudden movements. Reaching inside, she pulled two bottles, expertly opening them and setting them on the table. With a well-practiced lock of her wrists she slid the bottle toward the man, the bottle slowed just before it collided with his hand. "Before I tell you why I am here," she returned to her seat, his eyes drawn to the curves of her body as her hips swayed back and forth with each carefully taken step. "Before that, I need to know some things from you. I expect you remember what happens when you lie, don't you?"
"What do you want to know?" The disgust more than clear as he spat those words. "Do you want to hear about how much your mother whored herself out?"
"No," she replied, "I hear it almost nightly. She seems to enjoy herself very much with a variety of gentlemen." He cringed at the comment, "not only do they tip her handsomely, but some of the more important clients bring her all types of gifts. The last one bought her a set of diamond earrings and..."
"Whore!" He screamed.