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  Back down the rabbit’s hole, to find out where I’m spending my next six weeks.

  Chapter 3

  Axel Hazard

  The worst thing that sucked is to voluntarily work on Christmas day and then have to work a mandated early shift the next day. I was hungover, head was hurting, and I prayed today was the day, we didn’t have a fire. Not even a car accident. I felt like shit and probably looked like it too.

  Chief looked like he was in a better mood than yesterday. For some reason, he kept his eyes on the door like he was expecting someone. Toad had kept his distance from me, but it was still ten in the morning. He had a hard head and a big lip, but that hadn’t stopped him before.

  Frank and Joe were out today, which meant I needed to find someone else to help with the distribution of all the coats we received for the drive. It was our annual winter drive, that included cans, coats, dry goods and other items for the harsh winter we received. Our community was one of the poorest in all the United States, which was odd, since we were in New York. One walk around the block and anyone could see how bad it was. Schools were everywhere but poverty was rampant, and this bothered Chief but also our team. Therefore, we set to do something about it.

  “Yo, you on for coat distribution?” I asked Sub.

  He slowly turned and answered with a look that meant, was that really a question. I nodded to him in acknowledgement, then threw the tennis ball at Cheeto’s head.

  “You in?” I asked when he whipped his head around with a scowl that could bend metal.

  “Fuck, man.” He turned back around to keep playing his video game. “Yeah, shit.”

  A throat cleared, which meant Chief had an announcement.

  “Hey!” He yelled but between the music, video game and some of us on phones, everybody didn’t respond fast enough.

  Therefore, I took my wrack of balls and quickly hauled them at five different guys backs.

  “Chief got something to say,” I said before turning around to face him.

  I was sitting on the couch with my back toward the front door, but Rex and Rik were on the couch that was catty-corner to mine. When Rex looked up from his phone, his eyes grew big and then he kicked my foot off the table.

  “Fucker,” I snapped but saw him pointing, like there was a wonder in his eyes.

  “Hey,” Chief called again.

  My eyes hit him but only for a second. Right next to the man was the woman from Lenny’s last night. She was tall, her curly hair was out and this time it was not in a ponytail. She had on a tight skirt with a jacket to match, along with some sensible heels. They weren’t too high to be fuck me heels, but they weren’t flat like she was dressed for convenience. What got my attention was the look on her face. I’m sure it mirrored my own shock and horror since recognition was all over her face as her eyes seemed to turn into slits.

  “As you all know, we’ve had some tough times here and I need you to understand, I did this for the future of our house.” His eyes landed on me. “As I always tell you. This is a hard, damn job and if you need help, I need you to get it. Our house needed help, so I got some.”

  This time, Chief eyes landed on Toad who was in the corner probably planning his next move, which would get him decked.

  “This is Trecia Wilson,” Chief announced. “She is a mediator, and she’s going to be with us for the next six weeks. Treat her like family, let her do her job and she’ll let us do ours. Hazard, in my office.”

  Fuck me.

  A goddamn mediator.

  Rex was full out laughing by the time I got up from the couch and instead of throwing my signature ball at him, I dumped them all on his head. This did not deter his laughter at all, he just grew louder.

  “Ms. Wilson, this is my Team Leader, Axel Hazard.” Chief introduced us as soon as I entered through his threshold. “Hazard, this is Ms. Wilson, the mediator for you.”

  My eyes hit hers for the third time in twenty-four hours and fuck, it was the same as the first time. It almost felt like two magnets with the same strong magnetic pull. The force trying to keep the two apart and only by pure might would they connect. It was crazy. What was crazier was the turn of her upper lip as she looked at me with contempt.

  Yup, two sides of the same magnets.

  “Chief, I don’t think a mediator is necessary for the unit.” I walked towards the old man. “It’s like any team. We go through our shit and get over it.”

  His bushy, salt and pepper, eyebrows bunched together when he replied, “The mediator isn’t for the unit, it’s for you.”

  What in the actual hell?

  “What?” I spat.

  “You heard me,” he said as he took a seat. “I told you I need you to step up and I’m going to ensure you do. She’s for you and Oscar.”

  I almost asked who the hell was Oscar but then I remembered that was Toad’s government name. The man could not be serious. He actually hired a mediator to help me and Toad get along or mediate our issues. There was no issue. He was an asshole who needed to be transferred. Hook, line and sinker. What the fuck was the problem?

  “Chief, I told you I would handle it. There’s no need for a mediator.” I made my case again.

  Well, he wasn’t hearing me because he simply started telling me what she was going to do.

  “You’re going to tell her what the issues are. She’s going to give you problem-solving strategies and you’re going to implement them. She’ll go out with you in the field and help you solve the issues on the job too. And, you know what Hazard, you’re not going to give her any shit. You’re a goddamn leader in this house and you better damn sure act like it. I got high hopes for you and she’s going to ensure you reach them,” he said as he leaned on his elbows on the desk.

  “Uh,” the woman’s voice came out with a croak, as if she hadn’t spoken in a while. Then she cleared her throat. “What do you mean, I’m going out in the field?”

  “Right,” I quickly chimed in. “She’s not equipped for that type of shit.”

  “I beg your pardon,” she snapped at me.

  “Naw, not like that,” I took my time to let my eyes roam her curvy body. “I mean, you have no training.”

  Damn, the woman looked like she was about to jump out and smack the hell out of me. Maybe even punch me. This was a fierce one, that’s for sure. I was trying to help her out, and she nearly took off my balls.

  “You don’t have to ride in the truck, one of the boys will drive you or I will. It helps to understand the work, which can help with the mediations that needs to take place. Not just here but in the moment and within reason.” Chief clarified.

  “Chief,” I interrupted. “I told you I would handle it. You can trust me to handle it.”

  He leveled his eyes on me before he said, “I trust you, son. However, the future of this house depends on it. I won’t have this feud breaking us apart. Now, more than ever, we need each other’s back. I need you to trust me on this. You hear?”

  Fuck.

  He always did that, and he knew it got me every time. Called me son.

  Every time.

  “Fine,” I said. “When does she start?”

  “Now,” he answered.

  “Chief, Whitley, can I speak with you for a moment?” the woman asked and gave me the side eye. “Alone.”

  “Yeah, go ahead. She’ll be out soon.” He ushered me away and I swear it on everything, Rex was still laughing when I saw his ass again.

  This time, I threw a quarter at his big, bald head. The man swore he was Michael Jordan on the court, so we always teased him when he started shaving his head. He said, ‘it was thinning’, but we weren’t so sure. He loved Jordan to the point where he got into fights with guys who loved LeBron. It was an ongoing battle but Rex’s bald head, turned abruptly when he looked in the direction the quarter came from. When our eyes met, he burst out laughing again.

  Fuck.

  This shit was far from funny.

  A minute later, the woman whose fragra
nce met me before I could see her clear her throat and said, “Ready when you are.”

  “Right.” I nodded and moved forward, not turning to see if she followed. “I’ll introduce you to all the guys. This is a fast-paced environment. I hope you can keep up. Also, there are a bunch of men here, so you may want to tone down on the perfume.”

  I walked to the main hall and was about to take her around, when I heard her say, “I’m not wearing any perfume.”

  Fuck.

  Then it was just her and whatever soap she used. This was going to be a long six weeks.

  After introducing her to everyone, Rex quickly took her from me and started showing her around the kitchen, introducing her to Lionel, and the mess hall, where all the charitable donations were lying around unsorted. This is where I met them and resumed my duties. It wasn’t because I didn’t like how easy she seemed to be with Rex. There was nothing between the two, since my friend was a happily married man, who loved his wife and kids and wouldn’t do one thing to jeopardize his happy life. This is what he said on a weekly basis. He had joined a couple of years after me, but we quickly became friends since the man’s work ethic was similar to mine. Play hard, work harder. He was a real fighter for the department and this job meant something to him.

  “Thanks Rex,” I said but also making my presence known.

  “Sure.” He winked.

  “Ms. Wilson…” I started to ask her something, but she cut me off.

  “Who’s organizing this drive for the coats?” Ms. Wilson asked but her eyes were on Rex, who all of a sudden looked uncomfortable.

  “Me,” I said with both legs shoulder-length width apart and arms folded over my chest.

  “Good, have you asked Toad for assistance? This can be the first step toward getting to know him better,” she said with a smile as she turned sideways to let me see her profile.

  She was being coy with me.

  “No, I haven’t asked, and I won’t. We don’t need his help,” I answered.

  “Ah, I see.” She nodded and turned fully toward me. “So, you’re saying you don’t want to fix this thing between you and Toad and the Chief hired me for nothing. Even after you told him you were going to fix it? Is that right?”

  Nobody talked to me like that. Nobody in their right mind. Clearly, she wasn’t in hers, but I had something for her. My feet moved toward her, before I stared, up close and personal.

  “Toad is a cancer that needs to be eliminated from this house. Maybe you can find out what house he’s going to and mediate with that engine, then my issue will be solved,” I hissed at her.

  Ignoring the magnet that called to me but kept me at a distance, I jerked my head to Rex and continued, “Maybe you can explain it to her.”

  Oddly enough, the man, who always had my back, even when it came to Toad, shook his head and said, “Naw, man. Chief called her in here for a reason. We might not understand that shit, but it means something to him. You need to fix the shit. I can’t stand the slimy mother fucker, but I got a feeling, this one needs to be solved.” He leaned in to me and though the woman could still hear us, Rex said in a low voice. “Chief wouldn’t have brought her in here otherwise.”

  Goddammit.

  Traitor to the cause.

  He was right, but I was not ready to hear that and especially in front of the smirking mediator.

  “So, as I was saying,” the woman said as she took a step closer to me, with our toes nearly touching. “Have you invited Toad to be a part of this distribution that needs to happen today? I’m assuming you’ll need all the help you can get and the first step toward mediation is staying calm.”

  Her brown eyes assessed me for a bit and I could smell the peppermint on her breath. If that wasn’t perfume, then I was clearly in trouble because the sweet aroma that lingered around her was penetrating my nostrils causing my magnet to lose its fighting ground. Just a smidge.

  “Toad,” I barked. “Get in here.”

  “Calm,” she coaxed.

  I made a face at her and Rex could no longer hold in his laughter at our showdown.

  “Yeah?” I heard his annoying voice through our tension.

  “Would you care to help us with distributing the coats today?” I asked him with a measured pace while staring at the feisty woman who was inches from my face.

  “Yeah, sure.” I heard uncertainty in his voice.

  “Thank you. We’ll convene right after lunch.” I smiled but I’m sure it didn’t reach my eyes.

  It was a mockery of a smile but to show the ballsy lady I could be polite, or calm, as she says.

  Toad must have left because she said, “Good job. The next thing you and I will need to do is set up a time for just you and Toad to sit down and actually have a conversation. During this chat, you’ll need to listen to him. This is rule number two. Despite what you might feel toward the man, you must listen. Hear what he is saying. Share back what he is saying. I’ll coach you throughout the day to prepare for the first meeting of many over the next few weeks. That should happen tomorrow or whenever you have you’re on duty. I know you all have weird schedules.”

  Her head nodded like what she said was the law, then she turned back to Rex and said, “How about you show me the police station? I’d love to see how they operate as well.”

  Rex, the punk, nodded his head quickly and said, “Sure thing, let me grab my coat.”

  “I’ll meet you at the front.” She smiled and walked right past me.

  I almost tagged her by the elbow and pinned her to my side, since that’s where she was supposed to be but this time, the same magnetic force won out. I couldn’t even lift my hand, forget call her back.

  “You good?” Rex said when she was out of sight.

  “Fuck no.” I snapped back at him. “She’s your friend now?”

  “Urrr, hold on, playa.” Rex shook his head at me. “I told your ass last night, she was a hot piece. You waved me off and shook your head. Talking about some you don’t have time for relationships. Now you’re paired with her. That’s fucking rich. But don’t try to act like someone is keeping you from her. You’re nearly growling at the woman, like you were raised by wolves or some shit.” Rex was laughing. “I’m married and love my wife, but that woman right there is hot as hell. If you changed your mind, you better act quick for someone else steps in. You did just hear her ask to go to the police station, right?”

  Goddammit.

  I couldn’t stand when he was right and by God, he was right.

  Last night, I saw her looking like she didn’t want to be seen. It was Christmas day, and she was in Lenny’s by herself. Hell, I was no different, because if I didn’t volunteer to work, I would have been at Lenny’s too. But not picking up the food for the house, they cooked but eating my own holiday dinner alone.

  My last real relationship was nearly three years back when Justine and I were inseparable. Nobody could have told me, she wasn’t going to be my wife and bear my kids.

  Nobody.

  Until she cheated.

  Well, she did not physically cheat but emotionally. I think that’s what Oprah called it. She emotionally became attached to another guy on her job and fell in love. Apparently, I wasn’t giving her what she needed since I was always away, and Owen was the guy she called on. Granted, Owen was married and my non-technically cheating ex-girlfriend didn’t care one bit about her emotional deception toward me but this man. I quickly took that as a sign of I don’t need you in my goddamn life, two years or not.

  Fucking emotional cheating.

  It wasn’t that I didn’t think it was a thing but what the fuck?

  How do I tell people, I’m no longer with Samantha because she cheating on me emotionally? That shit hurt for a while but now I don’t even think about her or her emotional ass. I also didn’t think about any other woman since they were all emotional. If another woman told me since I was at my job all the time, she had to seek emotional comfort from some guy at her job, I was jumping off a damn bri
dge.

  A pat hit my back, breaking me out of the stupid memory, followed by Rex’s deep voice. “Yeah, you are feeling something, make your move quick man. Don’t have regrets.”

  Uh, she’s sexy and all, but she’s not interested in me. That permanent scowl, that seems to be only for me, is the tell-tell sign. So, what she smells like a fresh spring on a hot summer day. It doesn’t matter that she’s the most beautiful woman, I’ve seen in a long time. Those deep eyes seem to take me under with her and she has curves. Like the old Coca Cola bottle curves that I can wrap my huge hands around and she won’t break, sort of curves. Those boobs and that ass would just bounce for me.

  Fuck.

  My cock stirred as I thought about bending her over the railing or taking her up against the truck. She’d probably detach my balls if I even hinted toward wanting her. It didn’t matter because I wasn’t looking for a woman. I had enough emotional shit in my life. She’d just be a regret.

  “Can’t always help the things you regret,” I said before I walked away from my friend. “Some things must be.”

  I didn’t even mean it, but I did.

  Chapter 4

  Trecia Wilson

  What were the odds the two men who were at Lenny’s on Christmas Day were one and the same clients I had to work with the next day? Not only was that a crazy coincidence but the fact the very one that shook his head at me, to shrug me off, was the same one I had to work with DIRECTLY!

  What did I do God?

  I was a good girl, for the most part. I never hurt nobody on purpose that didn’t deserve it. I gave to charity, toward the end of the year for my write-off, but that was me utilizing the system you set in place. I went to church when my mom wanted me to. I was good. I thought we were good. But now, this.

  I felt betrayed. Just utterly betrayed by God on this one. This man was a Class-A jerk. I mean, the kind that didn’t need a mediator but a psychologist. He needed professional help to another degree, and I shared that with Chief Whitley. The only thing that old man said was, “You’ll be good for him.”

  Excuse me?