Chapter Sixteen

Stephen

As soon as I hung up the phone, Clint’s eyes met mine. He could tell something was up. I tried to signal him with my eyes to let it go for now. I needed to talk to him about it, but not here, not in front of our families.

Trinity - What's wrong, baby? Are you okay?

I quickly tried to come up with an excuse.

Stephen - I'm fine, baby. Just looks like I'll need to head into work tonight. Too many staff calling in sick. Might need to start looking for replacements next week.

Trinity - Babe, it's okay. I understand. We're lucky, remember? I can work from home a lot, and you don't have to go in that often anymore. It's all good.

Clint - Need a hand tonight, mate? We can get through it quicker and get everything sorted so you can get home.

Finally, he got the hint.

Stephen - Yes, please, mate. That would be great, if Mia doesn't mind.

Mia - Not at all. I might even come around and keep your wife company while you two sort things out.

Trinity - That would be lovely, babe. We can catch up once we get the kids down.

Stephen - Let's go grab some lunch then, so we can get these kids home for their afternoon nap.

We headed to a nearby cafe for lunch and then went home. We got in around twelve-thirty and got the twins settled for a nap. I was in the kitchen making coffee, trying to make sense of the phone call and wondering what the fuck was going on.

I couldn't wrap my head around it. When Chad was stealing from me, I was sure it was because he'd been busted by the cops. That's what Mike, or Daniel, or whatever the fuck his name was, had said. Clint and I even saw him passing off those bricks at the shed that day.

So I gave him the chance to get the fuck out of the country and start fresh in Spain, or let the cops take him. So why the fuck is he stealing again? It doesn't make sense. Philippe is a fair man, like me. We pay our staff well for their loyalty. There's no reason to steal. My mind is racing. I can't piece it all together. Too much has happened in the last few years.

What I couldn't understand was the comment Trin made to me that night when shit went down in the shed. Mike screaming that she ruined his operation. How? He could've sent the cops in at any time and arrested me.

So many times I had a shed full of gear. How could they not implicate me? It was my property. There's a missing link, and I need to talk to Clint to figure out what it is.

I was lost in my thoughts when I felt my wife come up behind me. She wrapped her arms around me and snuggled her head into my back. I brought my arms up, rubbing hers as I held her close.

Trinity - Penny for your thoughts, baby?

Stephen - Just a bit stressed right now, babe.

Trinity - I can tell. Want to talk about it? Maybe I can help.

Stephen - Would you mind? I don't know if you'll like all of it, but I don't want to keep it from you either.

Trinity - Come on, baby. You make the coffees, I'll go roll a blunt for you. And I'll even give you a back and neck massage while you fill me in.

Stephen - Fill me in or fill you up?

Trinity - Bad boy.

I winked at her as she walked outside to roll a blunt for me. I made our coffees and followed her out. Shankly, our pup, came bounding over to me.

Trinity - Baby, take off your shirt for me. I'll be over in a minute to give your back and neck a rub. You can have this while you tell me what's going on.

I sat down, took off my shirt, and leaned back, waiting for my wife to come over.

When she finally looked up and walked over to me, she smiled.

Trinity - I love that sight.

Stephen - What sight is that, baby?

Trinity - Your handsome self, knowing you're all mine.

I grabbed her hips and pulled her to me, burying my head in her stomach, kissing it softly, knowing our baby was in there. I held her tight as she ran her nails through my hair and softly rubbed my back and hips.

Trinity - Sit forward, baby.

She handed me the blunt she'd rolled and put my coffee next to me on the ground. She climbed into the seat behind me, wrapping her legs around my waist. I leaned back into her, stroking her legs as she started rubbing my neck and head. I lit the blunt and started telling her about the call from Philippe in Spain.

My wife is incredible. She doesn't interrupt or ask a million questions. She just listens and takes in everything I say, trying to understand so she can help me work through it at the end.

I told her about all the thoughts I was having, how I couldn't piece it together, why Chad felt the need to do this again, and why it didn't make sense if the cops were no longer on his trail.

When I finished, I rubbed my hands up her thighs and turned to face her.

Stephen - Thanks for listening, momma. I feel better just getting it off my chest.

Trinity - I know, baby. Maybe talk to Clint tonight while you guys are at work. He might have some suggestions or theories too.

Stephen - Yeah, I planned on it, babe.

Trinity - I can understand your confusion, baby. It doesn't make sense to me either. You got him out of the country to avoid jail, and he still gets paid well. So why the constant need to steal? You'd think he'd want to keep his nose clean now and not draw attention to himself.

Stephen - That's exactly what I was thinking, sweetheart.

We sat there for a while longer, my wife wrapped around me. I enjoyed the touch and intimacy of being able to bare my soul to her without any judgment, just love, caring, and understanding.

I don't know how long we sat there. I must have started to nod off because I felt so relaxed from the combination of the smoke and my wife's touch.

Trinity - Baby.

I felt her whisper in my ear, her breath tickling my lobe as she softly kissed my neck and collarbone. I sucked in a breath and nearly shivered.

Stephen - Mmm, sweetheart, you feel and smell heavenly right now.

Trinity - Did you fall asleep, baby?

Stephen - Mmm, I was so relaxed. That felt so good. You feel so good wrapped around me, my doll.

Her legs tighten around my waist, her arms pulling me closer into the couch. Her nails trace a path down my chest as she kisses and sucks on my ear.

My hand glides up her leg, the other finding its way to her hair, pulling her head into me. I turn my face to meet hers, drawing her lips into my mouth softly.

“Mmmmm,” I murmur, “I wish I’d found you sooner. Life would’ve been so much easier with you by my side.”

“Well, I’m here now, baby,” she replies, “and as I keep telling you, we’re in this together.”

We lay there, her body wrapped around mine, for a few more minutes before she speaks again.

“Baby, your phone pinged earlier. That’s why I woke you up.”

“Thanks, momma,” I say, picking up my phone to check it. It’s nearly three in the afternoon and Clint has messaged to say he’ll pick me up at five and drop Mia off. We’re going to check the clubs and I can talk to him more about Chad.

“It’s just Clint, babe,” I tell her. “He’s going to pick me up and drop Mia off around five. We should be back for dinner, about seven-thirty. Do you want us to pick something up on the way back or did you girls want to cook?”

“I don’t mind either way, babe. Whatever you feel like.”

“How about we pick something up so you and Mia just have to worry about getting the kids fed and sorted for bed.”

“Sounds good, baby. Speaking of kids, we should probably go check and see if they’ve woken up yet.”

We get up and I put my shirt back on, heading inside to check on the kids. As we enter their nursery, we see them both standing up, playing with each other over their cots. It looks like they’ve been up for a while. Livy looks over when she hears us coming in.

“Da da da da,” she says.

“Dada,” Nate echoes.

“Well damn it, why is everything ‘dada’ with these two?” Trinity laughs. “What am I, chopped liver?”

“What about ‘mom’?” I ask.

“Momma mom mom,” Olivia replies.

“That’s my girl,” Trinity says, picking her up.

We grab the kids and give them cuddles.

“Wanna bathe them now and get it out of the way so we don’t have to worry about it later?” Trinity suggests.

“Sounds good, baby.”

We carry them into the bathroom, get them washed, and put them into their rompers. I go into their lounge with them and we watch Bubble Guppies or some other show the kids love, each of them snuggled under my arm.

Trinity is in the kitchen getting some food ready for them both and some for Willie when he gets here when I hear the door go.

“Come in,” I call.

Mia, Clint, and Willie head into the lounge where I am with the twins.

“Hey bro,” Clint greets me.

“Hey Hun,” Mia adds.

The twins climb down off the couch and rush over to meet them as Clint, Mia, and Willie get down to give them a cuddle.

“Hey guys,” I reply.

“Hey Livy, how’s Uncle Clint’s baby girl?” Clint asks, giving her attention as Nate and Willie rush over to their toys. We leave the kids and pull the gate to and go through to the kitchen where Trinity is.

“Hey Hun,” Clint greets Trinity.

“Hi guys,” she replies.

“Babe, you don’t mind if Clint and I just head off now, do you? The sooner we get going, the sooner we can get back with dinner.”

“You guys go, we’ll be fine,” Mia assures us.

“Absolutely we will,” Trinity adds. “I nearly have dinner ready for the kids.”

Clint goes over and says goodbye to Mia and I go give my doll a kiss and tell her we’ll be back soon. We say bye to the kids and head out to Clint’s car.

We get down to Capulet and quickly check the staff and bars, making sure everything is running smoothly before heading through to the office. I pour Clint and I a scotch before we settle in and he pulls out a blunt.

“Ok, fill me in. What happened?” Clint asks.

“That was Philippe who called me earlier,” I tell him.

“Shit, been a while since we heard from him.”

“Exactly. And unfortunately, it wasn’t a social call.”

“Do I wanna know where this is going?”

“He’s having some problems over there now.”

“What kind of problems?”

“The same problems we had, with the same person.”

“Ok, start explaining.”

I pass him the lit blunt.

“One of Philippe’s guys noticed stock was starting to go missing from their warehouse about three months ago. He was adamant on initial count it was there, but the numbers didn’t add up after distribution. About six weeks ago he spoke to Philippe about it and they set up some surveillance.”

“What kind of surveillance?”

“The same I did. Where do you think I got the idea from?”

He passes me the blunt back.

“Ok, and how did that turn out?”

“Over a six-week period, they worked out Chad has stolen roughly five-hundred-thousand in product from them.”

“You’re fucking joking.”

“I wish I was, mate.”

“But it makes no sense! Why the fuck steal now, the heat is off him, the cops are no longer up his ass, what does he gain from this.”

“Well, that’s just the problem. No one can ask him.”

“What?? Of course they fucking ask him and give him the hiding he deserves.”

“They can’t. No one has seen him since Sunday. They can’t find him.”

I pass him the blunt back and he sits there gobsmacked for a minute.

“We missed something here, bro. There’s more to this story than just an undercover DEA agent.”

“That’s exactly what I said to Trinity this afternoon. I can’t piece it together. I’m missing something here.”

“I’m glad you told her straight up this time, mate.”

“Me too, mate. She deserved to know what’s worrying me. She’s my wife and mother of my kids.”

“Good man.”

“So, does Philippe have any feel around what it is?”

“Not that I could gauge. I think that’s why he was calling me. I’m thinking I need to take a little trip.”

“Yeah, where you thinking?”

“Well, it’s my anniversary next week so I’m thinking I might take Trinity away.”

“Yeah, got anywhere in mind?”

“Barcelona.”

He looks at me quizzically for a moment as he passes back the blunt.

“You thinking of going to see Philippe?”

“That’s exactly what I’m thinking, bro. I need answers and I think right now they lie over there.”

“I agree, mate. I personally don’t get it. What the hell is he thinking right now?”

“I guess we’ll soon find out. Do you think if I can convince Trinity to come, you could watch the twins for a few days for us?”

“Say no more, mate. You know we will.”

“Well, I guess it’s time to head home and see if my wife feels up to a little vacation.”