56 Blacktop Obsession
"I wanna know how much she had to drink right now." Carter burst into the room and looked at the guys, startling them. His cheeks were flushed and the scowl on his face told them he was very angry. He had just talked with Kaidyn and was pissed off at how it had went.
"She was drinking a lot." Tej started to say but was interrupted by Carter.
"I need you to think about how much she had to drink. I really need to know." Carter said intently. "I want fucking numbers." He hit the table in anger.
"Homie, she was sipping and stealing drinks from us all. How we supposed to know?" Roman asked, not sure what it was that Carter wanted to hear. Carter looked at him, staring him down.
"Try your hardest and at least guess. Can you do that?" Carter asked, his eyes narrowed and his voice deep. Hector and Tej both put their heads in their hands, not sure if the outcome for Roman would be good.
"She drank more tonight than I have ever seen her drink. At least, I don't know, maybe 9 mixed drinks." Han guessed out loud.
"She had some of everything. We were keeping her distracted." Hector replied, trying to help the boys.
"I don't approve of her drinking, not at all." Carter said, obviously not happy. "But I don't have a choice in it. That's on Shayde. But I damn expect you to know what she drinks. I don't care what you do, but you better make sure you are counting. I need numbers." Carter paced for a second.
"You okay, Boss?" Hector asked, concerned. "You are acting a bit different." He noted.
"My little girl wasn't acting very nice on the phone. I haven't talked to her in years and she was acting like a damn brat. She better hope it was the alcohol." Carter said, lighting a cigar after cutting it.
"Here we go, Ro." Tej muttered under his breath, both him and Roman watching Brian's face. Roman sat up, watching Brian with a smile on his face. He rubbed his hands together in anticipation.
"I'm lost, Carter." Brian said, trying to understand. "We're talking about Kaidyn right?" He asked, running a hand through his hair.
"Yeah, I know you have read the files of the FBI and Customs. But they have it wrong. If you even think to tell them it's wrong, I will kill you and anyone that has ever spoken to you." Carter pointed at Brian, leaning down to stare him in the eyes.
"I don't want to die, Brian." Roman shook his head vehemently.
"So are you saying she's your daughter?" Brian asked, shaking his head, mouth open.
"That's exactly what I am saying. What, you don't see it?" Carter asked with a cheshire grin on his face at Brian's reaction.
"I thought she was your sister?" Brian said in confused awe.
"Yeah, so does the Feds and Customs. I wanted it that way. Less of a target." Carter explained.
"Where's her mom then?" Brian asked, still looking confused.
"Oh Brian, come on." Han shook his head, turning away, afraid to see what Carter was going to do to him.
"Are you serious right now? Are you fucking with me? Because if you are, you got balls." Carter said. "I will kill you right here, right now if you are." He growled.
"No, Carter. I am just trying to understand, that's all. I can't do my job if I don't have all the information I need." Brian put his hands in his pockets, feeling a bit nervous now. "Is Shay your sister or her babysitter?" Brian asked, making Carter reach over the table and grab Brian by the shirt collar and pulling him over the table.
"No, Brian, she's MY fucking wife." Carter said, in his face. He pulled back and gave a mean smirk.
"Whoa, whoa. Whoa. Carter, He's just confused." Hector said, stepping in between them. Roman stood up and Tej put a hand on his chest to hold him back and gave him a shake of his head.
"What? This makes no sense. Why'd you tell me to hit on her then and you'd pay me extra?" Brian asked, his eyes a bit wide and his breathing a bit faster.
"I was testing her." Carter shrugged. "I want to make it very clear that you are not to hit on her anymore now that she's in my home." Carter explained, looking at his watch.
"Wow, I did not see this coming." Brian admitted.
"She is my wife and this cannot be said around Kaidyn. If words slip out of your mouth and it sets Kaidyn back any, I will have a field day cutting out your tongue and making you eat it." He promised. "Do you guys understand?" He asked, sitting down after turning on the monitors to watch the girls. "That's for all of you." He nodded, looking at them all.
"Yes." Tej, Roman and Brian all said at the same time.
"So Shayde's her mom?" Brian asked, his mind reeling.
"Brian! Shut up, Homie!" Roman hit him.
"You got a problem with this? You seem to have a problem." Carter said, looking concerned.
"No, no problem. I just need a minute to process this." Brian nodded, staring at Carter in the eyes.
"Pretty simple. Somehow the Feds/Customs thought they were my sisters, I have no idea how it happened but it's less valuable for them for me to be their brother and makes them less of a target versus being my wife and daughter. Do you get it now why I didn't correct it?" Carter asked with a slight smile.
"Smart. I agree. They wouldn't hunt them as much that way. Makes sense." Brian agreed, slowly nodding his head.
"Good, and if Shayde hears you call her my sister, she has already said she will put a bullet in the next person's head. I can't be responsible for her temper. It's worse than mine." Carter said, taking a moment to stare them down.
"So let me get this straight, we can't mention you or your name to Kaidyn and we can't say the word sister around Shayde." Roman nodded, trying to make sure he was completely clear.
"Yeah, is that a problem?" Carter asked, his eyes narrowed.
"No, sir. I am just making sure I understand." Roman said, holding his hands up innocently.
"I need you to know that no one is leaving this property unless it's in a body bag. I am expecting you guys to protect my girls." Carter advised.
"We get it." Tej nodded.
"Good, can I trust you to keep our deal?" Carter asked, watching Hector and Han stand in front of the doors. "You will get paid weekly and anything you need Hector or Han will be able to get it here and ordered for you." Carter promised. "Brian, can I trust you to not go running to the cops? Because if you do, I promise you they won't have time to save you." Carter said as he stared Brian down.
"You don't have to worry about me. I have no ties to anyone anymore. I am wanted myself, I am pretty sure." Brian promised, looking him in the eyes.
"Just so you understand, customs, we are pretty sure it was customs, had swat break into our house when Kaidyn was ten, they shot her in the head and shot Shayde right in front of her. Kaidyn got a head injury and I almost lost them both thanks to Markum and Fuentes being crooked and trying to take our money." Carter explained.
"Wow, that is messed up. How could they do that?" Roman shook his head.
"Kaidyn has really bad flashbacks and she also thinks I am after her, thanks to people in juvie who told her I was a bad guy coming after them. So I can't be seen here or she may freak out. We are working on this but you guys had better not mention my name out of your mouths or you won't have teeth. That's why I can't see her and she can't know about me. She could be set back and we can't risk it." He sighed.
"Poor Kaidyn." Brian commented, acting like he didn't know all of this already from Han having told him.
"Hector and Han have been working with Shayde over the years with her and she's getting back to being better and herself. But it is taking a good amount of time. You guys are here to make sure they stay protected and to help give Shayde a break when needed. Kaidyn is very dependent on Shayde." Carter explained.
"Kaidyn still has a pretty hard time with her memory and things can set her back and she was starting to get better before Tran got to her." Hector said, shaking his head.
"Don't worry about Tran, I took care of him. He's no longer a threat." Carter boasted.
"Tran's dead?" Brian asked.
"Blowing your mind today, aren't I?" Carter grinned. "Yes, he is dead. I made sure to take care of him once he hurt Kaidyn." Carter lied. Brian knew he was lying but he kept his face straight.
"That's good he is no longer a problem because he has caused all sorts of problems for a lot of people." Brian nodded.
"It's been a long time since my girls have been away and all I want to do is make sure they are safe. Your job, above anything else, is to make sure Kaidyn and Shayde are safe. Mainly Kaidyn because Shayde will do what she needs to do but I need you to help Shayde and to make sure her temper doesn't get her in trouble." Carter said, folding his arms. "She's a bit….unhinged sometimes so make sure you don't piss her off." Carter warned.
"We wouldn't want to upset Shayde." Tej promised.
"Hmm. That's good. Because I can't keep her from losing her shit very well. I love her temper tantrums but they can be deadly. Just last night she killed 112 of my men outside, including my head of security. Now Brian gets to be head of security. Lucky guy, he is." Carter grinned.
"Yes, lucky me." Brian grinned. "I am shocked she hasn't killed me before today since you had me hitting on her. I am glad I survived. I think you wanted me to die, Carter." Brian admitted.
"Nah, if I wanted anyone dead it would be your loud mouth friend." Carter nodded, taking a drink of his champagne.
"WHAT?" Roman asked, looking up at Carter.
"I said IF. Just keep your mouth shut and you might be allright. I know you are Kaidyn's whatever you want to call it." Carter shrugged. "Tej, you will be helping Brian with security and the cameras and so you will need to make sure you are able to spend a lot of time with the monitoring and the equipment." Carter warned.
"That's my speciality." Tej nodded. "Am I looking for anything in particular?" Tej asked, trying to get a read on what Carter wanted.
"Any unusual people coming in. My wife wandering off the property. Any dead men laying around. Anything abnormal. Make sure we do not get hacked. Or infiltrated. The usual stuff you would do for a security job." Carter laughed.
"Yeah, I can do that." He nodded. "No problem." He promised.
"Good. I am paying you weekly and giving you room and board. Whatever Shay is paying you is not my concern but I will tell you that you owe her a boat and me a gate and a car." he grinned.
"Let me guess, you'll take it out of our pay." Roman said, rolling his eyes. He had heard this before.
"Yes, I will." Carter scowled. "Is that a problem?" He asked, getting a box and handing them all a phone out of there.
"No, it's fine." Roman replied, folding his arms. "Hell, you can pay me in food, Homie. I am straight." Roman rubbed his stomach.
"Don't be eating us out of house and home." Carter nodded to him. "Han does enough of that." He warned.
"Gee, thanks. I earn my keep." Han reminded him.
"Yes, you do." Carter said. "From now on you only use these phones if you call anyone outside of this house. I have cameras and mics everywhere so don't try to pull anything over me." He pointed to them, then to Roman. "And you, I'm watching you." He nodded looking at Roman.
"Why me, bruh?" Roman asked, offended.
"Because you like to steal. And I know Kaidyn likes hanging around you, so you better not slip up." He said, his eyebrow raised threateningly.
"I don't steal no mo." Roman shook his head.
"Uhhuh." Carter said, his eyes narrowed. "Moving on. I have guards watching the entrances and any exits here. There are three gates to get through and I promise you they are all heavily armed. This compound is surrounded outside of these gates. No one's getting through those gates. I have over 200 cameras and mics and tons of monitors I can watch from at any time. I have over 600 guards on this property, well, now less than that thanks to Shayde." Carter grumbled.
"Shayde killed that many last night? We didn't hear nothing. That's crazy, man!" Roman said.
"She went on a tirade last night. She does that sometimes. I warn all my hired help that she could be a problem and could end up being killed. Yes, my crazy assassin wife is deadly. So she will keep you on your toes." Carter smiled fondly.
"She's an assassin? Quit playing." Roman laughed, getting a kick under the table from Tej.
"I just want to give you boys fair warning, when it comes to my family, I will stop at nothing to keep them safe. Just know I won't let anyone fuck up my family again. Are we clear?" Carter asked, walking around and looking at them each in the face and getting a yes.
"We are crystal clear." Tej nodded, knowing now this was the real deal and things were about to get very serious.
"Boys, I will be watching anything and everything you do, if you so much as make a phone call or send a text on a phone that is not this one, I will know about it." Carter pointed at the phones he had given them on the table, making sure they understood.
"We get it." Brian promised.
"So we just stay here, party and chill and watch the girls and you will pay us?" Roman asked, making Carter's head snap back.
"Roman!" Tej rolled his eyes, exasperated at Roman's mouth.
"See. Loudmouth. Doesn't know when to shut it." Carter nodded at Tej. "It doesn't get any easier than that, Roman." Carter said, watching Shayde and Kaidyn on the monitor.
"I was just clarifying." Roman explained.
"I want my wife back and to get that, we need to get Kaidyn better. If anyone of you yahoos set her back, it will be your last fuck up." Carter warned. "Now, you boys can go as long as we have an understanding." He said. "Don't fuck my family over." He warned.
"We won't. You got our word." Brian assured him.
"Tej, and Han, I need you two to stay a second." He said, making Roman look at Tej. Roman was concerned for them and what Carter was going to do to them.
"This is what I warned you about, Tej." Roman muttered under his breath.
"Shut up, Roman. I can hear you." Carter said, pulling out a gun. "GO. Before I change my mind." he said, pointing to the door.
"Just saying, I warned him." Roman walked out the door, stopping to look at Hector who was waiting on the outside to close the door.
"See, you made it, Holmes." Hector laughed, giving Roman a high five.
"He gonna live in there by himself, man?" He asked Hector, making Brian stop walking.
"Carter's a bit not himself this morning. I honestly don't know." Hector shrugged. "He's got Han in there, so he's not alone." Hector shrugged. He could see Carter standing over Tej as he looked in.
"So, I see you have an interest in my little girl." Carter asked, his eyes narrowed.
"All due respect, she's not so little. I don't mean that bad, she is 18. I haven't made a move on her, we're just talking." Tej promised. Carter was quiet for a few minutes.
"I hear you are good for my girl." Carter nodded, reaching out to shake his hand. "Just know if you hurt her, I won't go easy on you whether Shayde likes you or not." Carter threatened, shaking his hand hard. His grip was meant to be intimidating, Tej understood.
"I won't, you have my word." Tej nodded, shaking his hand.
"And don't try to think you can outsmart the cameras because I promise you, you can't." Carter warned. "She better stay little if you get my drift." Carter warned.
"Yes, Sir. I get it. I respect that." Tej nodded and assured him.
"I'm not putting you on my payroll because Shayde doesn't think Kaidyn would take that well if she ever found out and so she'll pay you for driving her boats but not for watching her." Carter explained.
"I appreciate that because I wouldn't want to be paid for helping her. I'm not about that." Tej promised. "I hang around her because she's fun to be around." He added.
"Good, glad we have an understanding. Just fair warning, she is a handful." Carter smiled, watching her on the monitor.
"I think she's the perfect storm." Tej said. "I am letting her let me know when she's ready to make it official. I'll take good care of her." Tej assured him.
"Good deal, glad we got that out of the way." Carter nodded.
"If you need anything, I am happy to help." Tej promised.
"I can see why Shayde likes you." Carter looked at his watch. "Just please keep your friends in line too." He nodded as Tej walked out.
"Yeah, no prob. I do that on the regular." Tej said, waving as he walked out.
"You and me need to have a chat." Carter said, pointing at Han.
"What's up?" He asked, looking nonchalant, unwrapping a candy he had found in his pocket.
"We have a problem." Carter sighed.
"I'm sure we can try to fix it." Han nodded. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"She went through 112 guards in one fucking night." Carter ran a hand through his hair.
"Yeah, she was pretty pissed." Han nodded.
"You think?" Carter laughed. "That was not expected. I can't keep replacing guards like that on the regular. They don't just grow on fucking trees." Carter grumbled.
"They don't?" Han grinned, being funny.
"I see you get your sense of humor from Shayde." Carter mused out loud.
"We did grow up together and I am her right hand man. So yeah." Han nodded.
"Yes, yes, I know. That's why I need your help." Carter said.
"With what? Don't you have a plane to catch soon?" Han asked, trying to get him to the point.
"Controlling My Shayde." Carter replied. Han started laughing.
"You want me to control Shayde?" Han asked.
"Yes, you have been with her all these years." Carter said.
"Yeah, that's funny. That's more of a Shadow type of thing." Han admitted.
"Well, you have been keeping her under control the last eight years." Carter noted.
"No, not really, Carter. No one keeps Shayde under control. What has kept her under control is she has had Kaidyn around and she doesn't do that around Kaidyn. That is all that was. I can't take that credit, sorry." Han shrugged.
"Hmm." Carter said, lost in thought.
"I am just being honest with you. I am sure she will calm down once she gets settled in. Maybe." Han said, sounding hopeful. "She has had rages over the years." Han explained.
"Well, I can't keep losing guards and I need you to do the best you can do." Carter sighed.
"I can try to talk her down. But I can't promise." Han nodded. "What we really need is her cousin Shadow. He can control her." Han nodded.
"Yeah, I know this but Dante doesn't want to give up his contract very easily." Carter complained.
"Well, honestly, I have had to call him a few times. It hasn't been as easy as it seems, Carter." Han admitted.
"Great, that's not what I need to hear right now." Carter groaned.
"Shayde is Shayde, Carter." Han advised. "She is exactly what she was trained to be. You knew this when you married her. You love her anger and temper." Han reminded him.
"Yes, but I can't have her killing my guards. They are already terrified of her and its been ONE day." Carter shook his head.
"Well, hire better hide and go seekers." Han laughed. Carter grinned.
"Not funny, Han, not funny." He said, looking at his watch.
"Yeah, you know you want to laugh and you know it Carter, because you missed her." Han grinned.
"That I have. I can't wait until we get Kaidyn back to normal so I can be here more." Carter admitted.
"It will take some time but we are getting there." Han promised.