Hide & Seek by K. R. Bankston Read Free Book Online Page A

items around in the house and Ryan gave him his space. He knew that most if not all of Ice’s anger was directed at his helplessness to get to Kaitlyn.
    “ I am going to kill this muthafucka and everybody associated with his ass,” Ian ranted.
    He was livid. He sat down hard on the chair in his den as Ryan handed him a drink. Ian closed his eyes and thought back on last night. They’d been so damned close. He remembered Dixon calling out to him that they had a collect call from KiKi. Ian raced to the phone calling her name again and again. “Ice,” Kaitlyn whispered into the receiver. He could hear the fear in her voice. “Baby, where are you,” he threw back. “I’m on Cascade,” she told him. “Where baby,” he asked anxiously signaling Ryan who arrived, handing him the .10mm and waiting apprehensively to hear where they were going. “In front of the Ice cream shop, Family World,” Kaitlyn replied before it all went wrong.
    Ian could still hear her screaming and all the grunting from the men trying to take her again. He called her name a few more times still hearing her scream before tossing it to Dixon, he and Ryan running out the door headed to the plaza. It was close and they got there in less than ten minutes, but it was too late. All Ian found when he arrived was the payphone receiver still swinging in the air. Nosing around he found one of her earrings, but that was it. KiKi was no where to be found. Ian was terrified they would hurt her badly now that she’d managed to escape. Please keep my baby safe, he thought as the fear and hurt descended again.
    “ You want me to handle the deal in Louisiana,” Ryan asked carefully.
    He knew his brother was extremely volatile right now.
    “ Yeah,” he replied simply.
    Ian knew business had to go on, but he couldn’t go anywhere right now. He had to be near and available if the snatch crew called or KiKi somehow managed to get away again.
    “ Cool, I’ll be back in a couple days,” Ryan replied as Ian again shrugged slightly his understanding and his brother left him alone.
    *****
    Jaleesa was looking at the note again. This one had been delivered this morning. It gave instructions about KiKi and getting her back. Damn, why couldn’t Ice have gotten to her, Jaleesa thought as she sighed deeply. The note told her if she even breathed a word to Ice or Ryan they would kill KiKi. I thought they wanted money, she continued to query completely confused by the turn of events. Still, Jaleesa had every intention of being in place like the note dictated. You should tell Ryan at least, her mind threw at her as Jaleesa dismissed it and strengthened her resolve. If she could save KiKi’s life she was going to do it. Checking her drawer as she removed her jeans, Jaleesa pulled out the .380 Ryan had given her last month. She wasn’t going in empty handed. No telling’ what these fools may be up too, she thought as her mind chastised her it was even more reason to tell Ryan.
    The keys in the lock disturbed her thoughts as Jaleesa hurriedly put the note and gun back into her drawer under her clothing and headed into the living room just as Ryan entered the apartment.
    “ Hey girl,” he greeted her smiling, hugging her softly and kissing her.
    “ Hey,” she replied stroking his face gently.
    “ I gotta make a run,” he told her calmly, grabbing some juice from the fridge.
    Jaleesa frowned slightly. “Where are you going,” she asked as Ryan finished the juice and dropped the glass in the sink.
    “ Louisiana,” he said simply as Jaleesa returned her understanding.
    “ How’s Ice,” she asked giving him a look.
    Ryan sighed deeply and told her he was as well as could be expected.
    “ He’s definitely on a short fuse,” Ryan told her as Jaleesa nodded her understanding.
    “ I know the shit fucked with him,” Ryan added as Jaleesa again sighed softly but said nothing as she sat down beside him.
    “ Man, I sure hope this bullshit is over soon and KiKi is