78 Blacktop Obsession
"Romey Rome. What you up to?" Shayde asked, walking by him in the kitchen as he was rummaging in the fridge. She patted him on the back.
"Getting snacks for me, Brian and Tej. We about to watch a movie." He said, taking a bite off a sandwich as he pulled a few things out of the fridge.
"Here." Shayde handed him Kaidyn's car keys. She stood back, arms folded, waiting for his reaction.
"What?" He asked, looking confused.
"I need you to go tear it up. Go have fun." Shayde smiled. "I know you love destroying cars." She said with a wicked smile.
"Love it?! Hell, Homie, that used to be my job." He grinned as he chewed. "Are you sure about this?" Roman asked, looking unsure.
"Shut up and quit playing like you don't want to do this." Brian laughed, pushing him.
"So, hold up, Shay, so you tellin me I can go wreck this car and beat it up anyway I choose? And you and yo man won't hold it against me?" Roman asked, shocked.
"That's exactly what I am saying." She nodded.
"Why and who's car? He asked, suspiciously looking at the plain keyring.
"Kaidyn's." Shayde said, not batting an eye. She hated that she was having to do this but she knew Carter was not going to give up on locking it up and it could cause Kaidyn more distress if the car wasn't destroyed. She had to focus on the bigger picture.
"Nah, Man. I can't do that to Kaidyn. She loves that car." Roman shook his head, holding out the key to give back to her.
"I know she does. I understand how you are feeling. I get it." Shayde nodded.
"You are putting me in a tough spot." He said, not wanting to hurt his best friend.
"You can do it because we have to destroy it." Shayde said. "Don't worry, Dom's taking the blame for it." Shayde promised.
"Are you testing me? Is this a trick?" Roman asked suspiciously.
"Trust me, you will have nothing to worry about. She won't find out. Give me some credit, I know what I am doing." Shayde promised. She hadn't expected Roman to be so against it. He loved driving and being reckless in cars. It was his thing.
"You sure about this? Really sure? I just worry about Kaidyn." He shook his head, thinking it over.
"I guess I could let Brian do it." She mused.
"Awe, it's on." Roman said excitedly. "I gotta finish this first though." Roman said, taking a big bite of his sandwich.
"Rome, you and your food. Why you hesitating?" Brian asked, knowing Roman wanted to do this and had been itching to be back in Barstow just to play with wrecking cars.
"She ain't got no back up car, Homie. She's gonna be crushed. And if she finds out it's me, that's my ass." Roman whispered, looking over to see Shayde right behind him.
"Rome, you think I'd have you do something without a backup? You should know me better than that." Shayde said, her eyebrow raised. "Get it done, wreck it good so all those cuts, bruises, and any possible broken bones make sense to her." Shayde ordered.
"Yes, Ma'am." Roman said, stuffing the rest of his sandwich in his mouth. He rubbed his hands together excitedly as he got ready to go wreck the car.
"Carter and I are going to bed. If you guys need us, call me. You got this, boys?" Shayde asked, stopping at the door. She looked like she was hesitating to leave.
"Yeah we got it." Brian nodded. "You good, Shayde?" Brian asked, looking at her with concern.
"Huh?" She asked, lost in thought for a moment.
"You good? Everything okay?" Brian asked, his blue eyes meeting hers. Something told him in her eyes that she wasn't okay but he couldn't ask her outright.
"Yeah, everything's good." She nodded, turning to head to the room. "Have fun with the car." She called over her shoulder. She left, not wanting to give Brian anymore chances to ask anything.
"Come on, Rome. Let's go have some fun." Brian grinned, following Roman outside. "I'm pulling it out of the garage." Brian said with a grin.
"Man, she gave this job to me. Why you always trying to steal my thunder?" Roman asked, hitting Brian as they raced to the car.
"You get to wreck, let me pull it out." Brian said, putting him in a headlock.
"Nah, man. It's my moment." Roman said, as they started to wrestle.
"You still fight like shit, Ro." Brian laughed, they both fell on the sidewalk laughing.
"Somethings up in there. Something is off." Brian said quietly as they both sat and caught their breath.
"Yeah, I don't like how he talks down to her. I think they in trouble, Bruh." Roman said under his breath.
"I gotta agree with you. I don't trust him." Brian nodded, his voice in a low whisper, knowing there could be cameras or mics around. He knew he had been warned but he had to get it off his chest.
"I doubt this is Shay's idea at all." Roman shook his head as he played with the keys.
"Yeah, she wouldn't do this. It's gotta be him. I hope she's not in too deep over her head." Brian sighed. "We better get moving or he might be watching and wondering what we are doing." He advised.
"Go pull it out. Meet me at the end of the driveway." Roman said, tossing him the keys. Brian jumped up, grinning and ran to the car, jumping in like old times.
"Thanks, Man." Brian caught the keys and took off running.
"Just pull it out. I get to do the rest, Homie!" Roman warned him. Brian kept running, flipping him off, making Roman shake his head and laugh.
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"It's bedtime, let's go. Let everyone else worry about Kaidyn for tonight." Carter ordered, his arms folded as he waited for her impatiently to come up the stairs.
"I'm coming. It wouldn't hurt to learn some patience." Shayde said, not ready to deal with him or his attitude.
"Is that so?" He asked, following her with a grin. "Have you checked in on Kaidyn and Tej?" he asked as they walked to the door. He punched in the keycode to get into the room. He had made sure their room was secure, locked and soundproof when he had built the compound.
"They are fine. She's gonna be asleep for a while. The boys got her. It's time for some rest. I'm tired." She said as she stifled a yawn. She opened the door to rose petals on the floor and roses on the bed side table and a pretty red package on the bed. "What's this?" She turned around to look at him. She was trying to get a read on how he was feeling. She knew he was pretty upset about how things went and wondered if he was going to hold it against her tonight.
"I did this when I got home but then all hell broke loose and of course there was no time for us." He said, pulling her close, pushing her against the door and kissing her. He put his hand behind her head, caressing her hair and holding her head to kiss her passionately. She pulled away from him. "What's wrong now?" He asked, getting annoyed.
"I just hate how irritated you get when you talk about Kaidyn. This is a problem, Carter." Shayde said softly.
"Don't start with me, Shayde. I am just saying, I thought she was going to be better." Carter said, still leaning over her against the door frame, looking her in the eyes.
"I can't force her to get better. Don't you think I have tried over these past eight years? You act like she does this on purpose and she doesn't." Shayde sighed, tired and mentally drained. She was over trying to talk to him tonight, after hearing what he had told Hector, she knew she had to do damage control.
"Yes, I realize you want her better too. I had other plans for tonight and I just wish she hadn't ruined them. You can't blame me. I have waited so long for you, it is really not fair for me to have to keep waiting. That is why we have help." Carter leaned in and kissed her.
"But she is our child. I want to take care of her, Carter. I love her and she's my everything just like you are. She's a part of you and me together. I love being there for her and I am her mom, even though she may not understand this right now. It's okay." Shayde tried to explain.
"Yes, I know. I still just think we should tell her and let her work it out. Or we can get another doctor to try to work with her. There has to be a way to fix her." Carter suggested, holding Shayde's face and kissing in between words.
"Carter, she is not some broken doll that needs fixed." Shayde reminded him.
"That's not what I said, nor what I meant." Carter reminded her.
"It feels like that is what you meant. If she is a problem, I can take her and we can leave if you want." Shadye shook her head, looking away and rejecting his kiss.
"YOU WILL NOT LEAVE ME." He grabbed her face, almost a bit too hard, making Shayde wince a bit. He took a deep breath. "There is no need for talk like that, My Shayde. We will not leave each other again. We are meant to be together. We can work together to get her better. But she is going to have to allow me some time with my wife. We have all the help we could need." Carter said, shaking her face as he held it tightly in his grip.
"You're hurting me, Carter." Shayde informed him.
"Please, I don't want to have to get angry. But when you talk about leaving with her, it makes me a bit...mhhhm, angry." Carter explained. "I would never want to hurt you." He promised.
"I don't want to leave you. I was saying if you can't handle how she is, it is an option. I don't want you to feel like you are 'stuck' with her." Shayde explained. Carter looked at her as though he was doubting her. "You do know how much I love you and have missed you, right?" Shayde asked, relieved he let her face go. She kissed him and played with his hair for good measure. She felt him relax some as she stroked his hair.
"I know you love me. I am glad to hear you missed me because I have missed you too." Carter breathed in her smell as he held her close. He loved the scent of her perfume and her leather clothing mixed with her shampoo. He loved everything about her. He was mesmerized with her.
"Let's forget about tonight and celebrate the fact you are here and able to visit. I can't believe you set all this up for me. You are so sweet and thoughtful. I really appreciate it." Shayde smiled at him, kissing him.
"You want to open your present?" he asked, looking at her excitedly.
"You brought me a present?" She asked, pretending to be shocked and laughed. "Why would you do that?" She asked, batting her eyes at him flirtatiously.
"Mhmm. You've been working hard. I know you have had it rough. You sure you want this shiny red box? You may not like surprises." He teased her.
"Oh, Carter, you know I love it when you spoil me and I love your thoughtfulness." Shayde smiled at him.
"I am glad to hear this. I love to spoil you and I thought I would help you with your addiction." He nodded with a smile. Shayde opened the box excitedly, knowing that was the reaction he wanted. He watched her closely.
"What addiction? I don't have an addiction." Shayde grinned slyly as she opened the box quickly. She looked in the box and kissed him, wrapping her arms around him and holding him tight.
"You have a weapons room. You have a weapons addiction. And it is sexy as hell." Carter grinned.
"I love it. She's a beauty." Shadye opened the box, finding a new mini handgun with a silencer that was purple. She wished she could put it to use right now on him but she knew he was too smart and had too many fail safes to keep himself safe.
"I'm glad you like." He said, his voice deep as he stared at her intently.
"I love it." Shayde smiled. "Thank you." She kissed him again, putting it on the bedside table.
"I'm glad to finally get some us time." Carter sighed contentedly as he wrapped his arms around Shayde. "Hasn't been much of that it seems." He noted.
"I agree. Some us time is nice. I need to look in on them to make sure she's okay just real quick." Shayde said, picking up the remote.
"I am sure she is fine. As you said, those boys can handle her." Carter reminded her, using her own words against her.
"You're right. You're right." Shayde nodded. "Let me look at her car and see how Roman did. I am sure he aced it and it's fine but you know, curiosity." Shayde smiled with amusement as Carter got up to hang up jacket and get comfortable. She quickly flipped the television off.
"What? I wanted to see too." Carter climbed into the silk sheets, shirtless.
"I will show you on one condition." She smiled, shaking her head.
"What?" Carter asked, his mouth open as he smiled.
"I just want to say you can't be mad at what you see." Shayde smiled. "It was my doing and it's fine." She advised him.
"Now I want to see. What did that loudmouth do?" Carter asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Lets just say he took out the gate at the entryway." Shayde laughed. "You can't be mad at him because I told him to destroy it and he had to hit and smash something." Shayde laughed.
"That's not really a gate. The three main gates have people at them. That is just the entryway that looks like a gate. He's fine. We can fix it." Carter nodded.
"People?" Shayde asked, not having been out the exit way and having come in by boat.
"Yup, I have guards at all three gates. Many of them. We are supported by a lot of security here. My men have us covered." Carter grinned. Inside, Shayde's heart sank.
"Why so many? We don't need three gates with guards do we?" She asked, trying to keep her voice even.
"You were worried about protection, Sweetheart and from the FBI. That's what kept you on the run all these years. I made sure this place is solid. No one will get in or out of here without getting past my men and me knowing about it. You are safe here." He promised with a chuckle.
"I didn't realize we would be coming into a place cut off from everywhere." Shayde said, trying to word her words carefully.
"Is that a problem? The only ones leaving this place will be in a body bag." Carter promised.
"Not a problem. But how are we going to get things we need, what about when Kaidyn wants to go shopping or to a movie or if we want to go out to eat or have a date?" Shayde asked, her mind reeling.
"This compound has everything you need. If we don't have it, I can assure you we can get it. My cartel and my import and export runners can get it here. We have no worries." Carter smiled proudly, obviously happy with himself.
"Wow, it sounds like you have thought of everything." Shayde said, nodding.
"You would be surprised how much you can think of in eight long, lonely years." Carter assured her.
"What about family experiences and vacations? We are still going to do those though, right?" Shayde asked.
"Sweetheart, I don't really think Kaidyn is at that point we need to worry about that. We have a theatre room and we have plenty to do here. I have the blacktop you asked me to make for her to race, you have your gun range, your weapons room. You have a lot to do here. We will do as we need to. No worries. Are you concerned about this?" he asked, looking at her and studying her reaction.
"No, no. Not concerned, just a bit shocked. I am not sure how it will be to not go to the mall or bowling or you know, normal family things. I am sure we will adjust just fine." She assured him.
"Good girl, that was my thinking as well." Carter smiled, pulling her close to him. "I've missed you and no one can replace you, you know that right?" Carter asked, whispering in her ear. Shayde closed her eyes and faked a yawn.
"I've missed you too, Carter." Shayde said in a light voice as though she was falling asleep. Her mind was racing and she could not wait until she knew he was asleep so she could be 'alone' to collect her thoughts. It was now she realized coming back to him was one of the biggest mistakes she could have ever made. She knew she was in way too deep and over her head.
"You're lucky I am tired tonight, too. Otherwise I would use your being tired to my advantage." Carter laughed, stroking her hair.