Confession of a King

Day three into my so-called “staycation” and I was finding myself going slightly stir crazy. I had already cleaned my entire apartment from the ceiling to the floor… including dusting it! Who the hell dusts these days? I hadn’t left the comfort of my home for the last three days, so today would be the day. I needed to run a couple of errands… grocery shopping… pick up tampons… I really needed a hair cut… that kind of stuff.

I turned off the Lifetime movie that was playing on the television in my living room and stood up, stretching from my position on the couch. It’s like I couldn’t get enough of the murderers at my job; I had to come home and watch crazy movies about psychologically unstable wives murdering their husbands and/or sugar daddies. I walked into my bathroom and stripped down, turning the shower on and waiting for it to warm up. Right before I stepped in there was a knock at my door. I folded my fluffy, red towel around myself and walked over to the front door of my apartment, looking out my peephole and seeing no one. There was, however, a package in front of my door, in the exact location for me to see it from my current location. I unlocked the door and peeked my head out, looking around to make sure no one would see me in my towel-clad state, and quickly grabbed the package. I locked the door behind myself and set the package down on the table.

There was no shipping label on it, just a plain brown package. It didn’t have a sender, and it didn’t have my name. Upon further investigation, the package wasn’t even taped. It was as if someone had just thrown it together and dropped it off at my door. I took a deep breath and unfolded the cardboard, opening it up.

As soon as the first flap came open, a small, black head popped out of the opening, making me jump back with a silent scream. The little cat looked at me confused, and I opened up the rest of the box and held the kitten up, examining it. It was tiny, all black with bright green eyes. A collar was on it’s neck with a tag reading Shadow.

“Hello, little Shadow. I guess we’re going to have to go get you some food and a litterbox today, huh?” I kissed the top of the cat’s head and placed it on the couch. “Stay here I will be right back.”

As if the name was picked specifically for it’s personality, the little cat jumped off of the couch and followed me into the bathroom. It snuggled up on my bath rug while I showered quickly. It then followed me into my room and made itself comfortable while I got myself together. I quickly half-dried my hair, and pulled it up into a messy bun, then pulled on a pair of leggings, hoodie and slipped flip flops on my feet. I grabbed my sunglasses, wallet and phone off my bedside table. Then tucked the small cat under my arm and exited my apartment.

On the short walk to my car, a pair of green eyes linked with mine. As soon as we made eye contact, the dark-tinted windows of the matte black BMW rolled up. “Vengeance…” I mumbled to myself, “Wait a fucking minute… Shadow… Shadows… God damnit, Ivy.”

I got in my car and cut the engine on, the small cat sitting on my lap. I pulled my phone out and searched for Matt’s cellphone number. After two rings he picked up.

”Shadows,” his voice spoke lowly into the phone.

“What’s with the kitten?” I said while looking down at the small cat who’s was basking in the sunlight coming through my windshield.

“A kitten for my kitten,” he quietly chuckled into the phone.

“Has anyone ever told you that for some big, bad gang leader you are a serious hopeless romantic cornball, Matt?” I rolled my eyes.

“How’s your staycation?” He tried making small talk.

“I didn’t call you to talk,” I said quickly. Realizing that calling him was probably a mistake.

“I know. You called me to ask about the kitten. You took the bait and now I have your number. You didn’t have to call me. You knew it came from me.”

“I have to go,” I huffed. “I need to go get food for myself and my new friend.”

“You mean my son.”

“You didn’t not just call the cat your son,” I laughed out loud, making him laugh along with me. “I’ll see you Monday.”

“I miss you,” he said quietly. “Can I at least get a photo of you with it?”

“Goodbye, Matt.” I hung up the phone.

I looked down at the content kitten and gave it a scratch behind its ears, then pulled out of my apartment complex and headed in the direction to the closest pet store. I saw Vengeance’s BMW following me a few cars back. As annoying as it was, I knew I was going to have to get used to it because I didn’t have a choice. Once I got to the pet store, I tucked the small cat under my arm again and headed inside. I picked out a couple of black bowls for him, whatever the best kitten food I could find was that I could afford, and a litterbox with litter that didn’t smell like cat litter. A hundred dollars later, I was leaving the pet store and realizing that there was no way in hell I was going grocery shopping today. Pizza for dinner it is!

When I pulled back into my parking spot, Vengeance’s car reappeared in the same spot it was previously in the day. I grabbed Shadow out of my car and walked over to the matte-black BMW, knocking on the tinted window. Vengeance rolled it down and looked at me, slightly confused.

“Help me carry my stuff into my apartment and I’ll treat you to pizza? Might as well put you to work if you’re just going to follow me around all day,” I said with a slight laugh.

The window rolled up and I stepped away from the car. Vengeance got out and closed the door behind him. He followed me over to my car and grabbed the litter and litterbox while I managed to balance the cat food on my hip, bag of bowls in one hand, and Shadow tucked in my armpit. I unlocked the door to my apartment and let him in behind me, then locked it back up.

“Nice place,” Vengeance said while looking around. “Where do you want this stuff?”

I placed Shadow on the couch and pointed to the corner of my kitchen next to the sliding glass door to my balcony, “You can put it over in this corner.” He nodded and moved the litterbox over, filling it up with litter. I put food in one of the bowls and water in the other, placing it in the adjacent corner. “So, find anything interesting watching me all day?”

“Do you want me to be honest?” He asked and I nodded, “You’re probably one of the most boring cases Shadows has had me take over.”

“Cases?” I raised an eyebrow.

His phone started to ring and he pulled it out of his pocket, placing it up to his ear, “What do you need, Gates?” He paused and looked at me, “I’m with Shadows girl. Yes, she got the kitten. She invited me in actually. No, I’m having dinner here. Don’t tell him… wait she’ll probably tell him… I’ll text him. Did Christ close that deal?”

I looked at him with my arms crossed over my chest. It was obvious that they all talked in their code names for the gang… but really… what the hell were these names?

“She’s looking at me like I’m mad. I’ll deal with Shadows. See you later,” Vengeance hung up the phone. “So, about that pizza…”

“What the fuck kind of names are Gates and Christ,” I laughed then slapped a hand over my mouth when I noticed his unamused look. “Sorry if I offended you. Are you fine with cheese pizza? I don’t like toppings.”

He nodded and I ordered the pizza as he looked around my apartment. He picked up items and studied them throughout my living room. When I got off the phone he turned and looked at me, “Do you think Shadows will get out next year?”

I shrugged, “I’m not supposed to talk to you about this stuff, but I honestly don’t know. His past interactions with Maria did not do him any justice, and one of the head prison guards is trying to turn my boss against me regarding him… So I truly don’t know. It’s hard to say.”

“You have some hold on him,” Vengeance looked over at the sleeping kitten on my couch then looked back at me. “Shadows doesn’t go out of his way for just anyone. He had me send him pictures of every kitten within the closest three counties until he found the perfect one for you.”

“That’s great and all, but the more that is brought to my attention the more it sounds like a scam to try to get me to write him up a better report to get his big ass out of the slammer,” I responded and hopped up onto my kitchen counter.

Vengeance chuckled, “I’m not telling you this to try to help him get out. I haven’t seen my alpha this smitten in ages. I think he’d rather stay in prison if it means he gets to see you.”

“I’m done talking about this,” I stated and folded my arms across my chest. “There’s nothing between us.”

“I know you called him when you got the kitten. It clicked when you saw me out there. You knew I dropped it off from him. You knew you fell for the bait and trapped yourself on purpose. You wanted a reason to talk to him just as much as he wanted one to talk to you,” he rolled his eyes. “You can talk a big talk, Ivy, but I can see through it and so can he. That’s why you fucked him.”

“He told you?” I shrieked.

Vengeance chuckled again and got up, “He didn’t have to. It’s written all over your face.” He opened my door and stepped out, before he closed it behind him he looked me in the eyes, “You’re playing with fire, Ms. Miada. Don’t get burned.”

Notes