49 Blacktop Obsession
"Hey Brian, Can I talk to you?" Han asked, hanging back before heading in the house.
"Sure, what's up bro? Long time no see." Brian smiled, giving him a handshake and fist bump.
"I know it's a small world but seriously how did you end up here?" Han asked, shaking his head.
"It's a long story, Bro. You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Brian laughed, shaking his head. "Crazy long story, yeah." He laughed as he stared off, in thought.
"She hire you?" Han asked.
"No, man. Why would she do that?" Brian asked. "She hire you?" He asked, curious now.
"Who hired you?" Han asked, his mind reeling knowing that Shayde didn't hire them.
"Shayde's brother did. To make sure they are safe. But you can't tell anyone." Brian looked around, then said quietly under his breath.
"Her what? Brother?" Han asked, choking on his chip he had just tossed in his mouth.
"Yeah, Carter hired me to watch out for his sisters." Brian said, looking at Han's confused expression.
"Sisters, huh?" Han asked.
"What, he didn't hire you to help Kaidyn?" Brian asked.
"Did he say that? His sisters?" Han asked, folding his arms.
"Well, he said his girls but his file says sisters." Brian shrugged.
"Can I ask you a question?" Han asked, intrigued now.
"Yeah, of course." Brian nodded.
"You sure you know what you are getting into?" Han asked, shaking his head. "Because I am not sure you do." He added, shaking his head again. He was in amazement at Brian being so naive.
"Yeah, he said to protect his girls and he'd pay me an extra amount if I got anywhere with Shayde." Brian said, confused why Han was looking so doubtful. This made Han full out choke on his chip.
"Get anywhere with Shay?" Han asked, raising an amused eyebrow.
"Yeah, if I hit on her or get her to go out with me." Brian grinned.
"Seriously?" Han asked, still taken aback.
"I already got her to kiss me and took her out on a date." Brian confessed. Han was thankful he had hit his scrambler in this moment.
"She kissed you or you kissed her?" Han asked, completely amused now.
"Well, she kissed me but she was pretty delirious and pissed at Monica." Brian explained.
"Monica? Hahaha. Oh shit." Han laughed, shocked of this news.
"And I did get her to go on a date with me." Brian nodded. "Lining my pockets, cuz." He grinned.
"A date? Or was it Kaidyn getting rid of her so she could go race?" Han asked, eating a chip.
"That was rude." Brian replied.
"Kaidyn's pretty predictive like that." Han noted.
"Still counting it." Brian laughed. "We did get shot at." Brian mused, thinking back at the date.
"Oh, this is getting crazzzzy." Han laughed, slapping his leg in amusement.
"Still not sure who the target was." Brian admitted.
"Wow, and you used to be a detective. Wonder who was in town when this happened?" Han asked himself out loud, being sarcastic.
"What's the big deal?" Brian asked, not sure why Han was finding all this so funny.
"Not my story to tell, Bro." Han laughed, shaking his head.
"What story? What are you talking about?" Brian asked, his grin disappearing.
"Not the time, Brian. It's a small world, I can't believe you are here. Same with those other two." Han said, still shocked to see them.
"Can't believe you're her teacher that she was…" Brian stopped.
"That what? She was griping about? I'm not shocked." Han laughed.
"She made her teacher out to be very mean, strict, might be questionable. I was really gonna look into the situation for her." Brian laughed.
"You should be on my side. She's mean as hell." Han laughed.
"She's pretty relentless, I've noticed." Brian nodded.
"Just a word to you, on a serious note. Don't fuck these girls over. I don't want to see them get hurt." He said, serious now.
"Yeah, I get that." Brian said with a nod. "I won't. We're here to help." Brian assured him.
"Hope you are ready for a crazy ride, O'Connor. This is some deep shit. Once you are in, you can't get back out and if you fuck up, its your death." Han warned.
"So I've been told in a roundabout way." Brian sighed.
"Lets go get the grand tour." he patted him on the back.
"Where's Shayde?" Kaidyn asked, looking up at the stairs, swallowing. Her mouth felt dry. She played with her hair, not sure why she was feeling so scared all of a sudden. Those stairs were just as grand as the ones she had climbed at her old house in Florida, the house where it had all taken place but she couldn't quite place that memory to match that fear in her head. She hated stairs.
"You lost, I found you instead of you finding me." Hector popped out and grabbed Kaidyn with a grin, making her laugh.
"Haha funny." She said, looking at him. "You scared me." She shook her head.
"What do you think of the house?" he asked, knowing she was having some second thoughts.
"It's nice." Kaidyn faked a smile. She hated it, she hated how big it was and how dark and dreary it looked. Nothing was out of place and it all seemed so stiff and too perfect to her.
"Don't start lyin to me, Homegirl. I am not Han." he laughed, putting an arm around her. "Come on, let's go see your room." He said, helping her go up the stairs although hesitantly.
"Hector, you know I don't need a room. I prefer the living room." Kaidyn rolled her eyes, shaking her head. Ever since that night, she had slept in the living room only so she could keep an eye on the doors and everything around her. If she didn't sleep in the living room, it was with Shayde in her room.
"Well, we built this one really special. It's really safe. Han and I have a room on each side of your room and you got a room across from you and you get to assign rooms." Hector promised. "Han, let's show this girl her room." Hector nodded to Han, knowing he was gonna need help convincing her.
"Come on, let's go up the stairs." Han coaxed.
"I'm good here." She promised, still standing at the bottom, not moving.
"You get one side and I got the other?" He asked Han with a grin.
"Yup, let's go Princess Kadence, we'll carry you to your room." Han promised. Hector and Han each grabbed an arm under hers and lifted her up over the stairs, making her laugh. Han flipped on the light and Hector looked around, his mouth dropping. Kaidyn began to feel a bit dizzy as she looked around at the blue curtains and comforter.
"Han?" Hector asked, looking at the room that looked eerily similar to Kaidyn's old room with the vanity and desk and the color scheme. Han looked just as surprised. Kaidyn's face told them all they needed to know and that they needed to act fast.
"Look, there's a safe room in here. Stand in there and tell me if you can hear us or see if we can hear you." Han opened the door to the safe room in her closet and shut the door with her in it.
"What the fuck did he do?!" Hector asked, his eyes wide.
"This looks just like the old room minus the blood. Why would he do this? This is not what we ordered and I hadn't been up here yet to look." Han said, shaking his head in complete shock.
"Does he think this is funny? Shayde's gonna flip the fuck out." Hector said, looking around. "Han, it's getting worse. Oh shit." Hector ran a hand over his head, stressed.
"Oh my damn, why would he have these kind of clothes in here? She's not doing pageants and she will not be wearing these kind of clothes. Formal dresses? Is he serious?" Han asked, taking pictures to show Shayde.
"I'm worried he's trying to go back in the past, Han. We gotta get her outta here. You okay, man?" Hector asked, watching Han stare off for a moment.
"Just tough to think about that day. I found them both and it was ...anyways, we gotta get her downstairs." Han sighed.
"I'll have to order all kinds of shit now. Shayde is gonna lose her mind. This might be Over before it even starts." Hector mused.
"Let's get her distracted and while I cook dinner, you see what you can overnight." Han suggested.
"Why would he do this? I don't get it. Shayde would never let her clothes look like this and the gowns?" Hector asked, still so confused.
"He wants to go back in time and get back what he lost. Bet Shay's gonna burn it all." Han sighed. He heard Kaidyn knock on the door.
"Could you guys hear me?" She asked.
"No, we were trying to. Could you hear us?" Hector asked.
"No, but this doesn't feel safe, Hector." Kaidyn said quietly.
"Real talk, It's going to be okay." Hector started but stopped himself. "With us, you are safe. No one will let anything happen. My room's the first by the stairs and I will know if anyone so much as comes up those stairs, I got my own monitors in my room and we got cameras everywhere. Technology has changed." He promised, putting an arm around her. Sprinkles came up at the right time, rubbing on Kaidyn's feet.
"Sprinkles!" She bent down and scooped up her cat.
"That damn cat is a demon." Hector said, relieved the conversation was going away from the room.
"That cat? Oh we have long walks on the beach at night, he loves me." Han said with a grin, making Kaidyn roll her eyes.
"He's not even allowed outside." Kaidyn pushed Han, still holding her cat.
"Tell him that." Han retorted. "You mean, he's not supposed to be let outside? My bad." Han joked.
"Not funny. You know he doesn't go outside." Kaidyn shook her head as Han flicked her long blonde ponytail.
"Do I? I don't know. I have a really cool thing to show you for him." Han smiled, leaning on the wall as she looked around.
"I don't know. This house is huge…" Kaidyn's voice trailed off. Han and Hector looked at each other, exchanging worried glances.
"Come here, look at this." Han said, grabbing her hand and leading her to the balcony. "You can sit out here and listen to the ocean at night. It's even screened in so Sprinkles won't get out and can sit out here with you." He patted the swinging chair they had picked out just for her on the balcony, knowing she loved the ocean and water.
"It's a catio." Hector nodded. "You know, a patio for a cat." He explained with a grin.
"This chair can swing all the way around and Sprinkles likes to be held in and rocked." He admitted with a smile, making Kaidyn smile.
"It's very cool." Kaidyn nodded. "I love all the furniture out here." She admitted.
"We can sit out here and do homework listening to the beach." Han knocked on the table top of the table set they had found that was perfect for the space.
"What if someone sees us or could shoot us from here?" She asked, playing with her hair, twirling it nervously around her fingers.
"If anyone comes on this property we will know it miles before they get here. I promise. You are safe out here." Han looked her in the eyes.
"They couldn't reach us if they tried up here, Kaidyn." He said, looking her in the eyes. "You are very safe here." Hector agreed.
"I know I should be grateful you guys put so much thought into all of this and I am. I am sorry, I don't mean to sound ungrateful." She wiped at her eyes, not wanting Han to see her cry.
"Come here, Princess Kadence, it's okay." He pulled her into a long hug. "No one thinks you are ungrateful." he promised, watching the ocean waves roll in. He made a mental note to talk to Shayde about all the alarming things later.
"I don't know why I am so scared. I can't remember anything no matter how hard I try but I am just so scared." She said, starting to cry as she looked around.. "I can't shake the fear, Han." She said, her voice breaking. She began to sob.
"Shhh, it's okay." Han patted her back and hugged her. "Maybe it's your brain protecting you. Brains can be funny like that." Han said with a shrug.
"I don't want a science lesson." She sniffled, making him grin. "I appreciate what you guys have done, thank you." She said, pulling away from him and wiping her eyes.
"Kaidyn, it's okay to be scared and it's ok to be mad you can't remember but just try to not stress yourself with too much and just know the time will come when it needs to." Han promised.
"So you say, so the doctors say, so Shay says. But when? I am scared. I don't mean to be." Kaidyn looked down, as though she was ashamed.
"It's okay to be scared." Hector reminded her.
"Not if you don't know or understand what you are scared of. I hate that I forget things. It's frustrating." Kaidyn admitted.
"I know, Rapunzel. But you are making good progress every day. You work hard at it and it shows." Hector said, making Kaidyn sigh.
"I don't want to be here but I don't want to be a bother to Shayde and tell her I hate it here either." Kaidyn admitted.
"First of all, you will never be a bother to her. Secondly, let's give this a chance. You've not even been here an hour yet." Han said, his teacher voice coming out.
"I just don't know if I am gonna be able to stay in this room. I just can't." Kaidyn shivered, her throat getting tight.
"We will redecorate it the way you want once we talk to Shayde. They sent the wrong stuff is all. This is fixable.' Hector explained.
"In the meantime, just know you got me and Hector, Tej and Roman and that silly boy Brian in there to make sure you are safe. Nothing is gonna get past your crew." Han vowed.
"My crew. Haha. I like the sound of that." Kaidyn wiped her eyes, taking a deep breath.
"You have quite the crew, that's for sure." Hector nodded with a smile.
"Now, how about we go check what we can grill and explore the pool and go have some fun?" Han asked with a grin. He wanted to get her out of that room as fast as he could.
"I can't sleep in here. Maybe Shayde will let me sleep with her tonight." Kaidyn said, getting up to leave.
"No." Both Hector and Han said at the very same time, getting a startled look from Kaidyn.
"Why not?" She asked, looking at them suspiciously now.
"She's resting." Han shrugged.
"Resting or out on another job?" Kaidyn put her hands on her hips using air quotes for the word job. Hector and Han looked at each other, shocked to hear her say this.
"A job?" Hector asked, wondering if she knew what she was talking about.
"Yeah, I know what she does for a living. I'm smart, I know these things." Kaidyn rolled her eyes.
"What are you saying, Kaidyn?" Hector asked, intrigued by her statement.
"You know, jobs for Sparco." Kaidyn explained.
"Oh, Sparco. Yes, I get it now." Hector laughed, looking a bit relieved.
"Did you think I meant like she was out for the mafia, what the heck, Hector?" Kaidyn asked, looking exasperated.
"With you, Kaidyn, there's never any telling what you mean." Hector laughed.
"Well, if she were in the mafia, I'd know. Nothing gets past me." Kaidyn rolled her eyes.
"Yes, that's for sure. Nothing gets by you." Han nodded, thankful they were not having to make excuses for Shayde's disappearances.
"Are you being sarcastic?" Kaidyn asked.
"No, why would you think that?" Han asked.
"You know, you'd think Shayde would dress better and wear less when dealing with racers. All black and always covered up from head to toe probably doesn't help her sales." Kaidyn mused.
"It must work. She gets hella discounts for your stuff." Hector shrugged. He was glad the conversation was on this and that it was distracting her from the house.
"Yes, but more discounts would be better. Maybe I should give her a makeover. Or I could call Onyx to teach her how to dress sexy." Kaidyn thought out loud.
"I'm sure Shayde gets plenty of sales. She doesn't need to dress like Onyx to get sales." Han shook his head.
"But seriously, she dresses more like an assassin than she does a Sparco vendor." Kaidyn rolled her eyes.
"What would make you think she is in the mafia or an assassin?" Hector laughed.
"Do you ever see her wear anything not black? And you know she never wears Sparco colors or shirts. And her leather boots are awesome but they do scream killer boots, don't you think?" Kaidyn asked, being very serious.
"There isn't a dress code for Sparco." Hector informed her.
"Well, if there was, I know it doesn't include bullet proof vests." Kaidyn said simply.
"Why do you think she has bullet proof vests?" Han asked, afraid of the answer.
"I know what Kevlar is Han. She has so many in her closet plus I saw her ordering them when I was looking over her shoulder." Kaidyn shrugged.
"Well, racers have been known to pull out guns sometimes." Hector laughed, trying to have her thoughts go a different way.
"Oh, I know, I've seen a few try to pull out guns." Kaidyn replied nonchalantly. "Plus, I know she carries guns to protect me since that night. She doesn't tell me but I know." Kaidyn smiled.
"Is that why you crap talk at the races and don't care?" Hector asked, looking at Han with shock in his eyes.
"Not the whole reason but I know Shay always has my back so I don't see a problem with friendly banter to other racers." Kaidyn shrugged. Making both guys bust up in laughter.
"You and friendly banter, oh, that's straight hilarious Chica." Hector laughed harder at her idea of friendly banter. Kaidyn was known at the races as the biggest shit talker, now they understood why.
"I see you have had way too much time on your hands to think lately." Han nodded, earning a playful push from Kaidyn.
"I'm just saying she could have a secret life we know nothing about. She could be like undercover." Kaidyn mused.
"Undercover? Speaking of undercover, let's talk about those books that were in the back of your closet under all your clothes and stuff." Han raised an eyebrow.
"They got blew up, they don't exist anymore. Shucks." Kaidyn snapped her fingers.
"You saying blew instead of blown just proves you need English." Han chided her.
"I thought we were gonna grill and go downstairs. I suddenly got very hungry." Kaidyn said, only half lying to change the subject.