CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

"Patti, I thought we had something special, honey. It hurts me that you wouldn't come back with me when I asked. I only did it because I was concerned for you and those people taking advantage of you. I don't like to be separated from you."

Mike smiled to himself at his stellar performance. He'd become a professional actor over the years. Portraying the grieving widower or divorcee. He knew how to make a woman completely melt and comply. He was a pro.

"I know," she said shyly. "It was strange. Just really weird. I wanted to speak to those women, and there was something else making me stay there. I can't explain it. Forgive me?"

"I may need some time. It felt like a personal betrayal, honey. I just don't know how we build a future with that kind of behavior," he pouted in the big lounge chair. She set a box on his lap, wrapped in sleek black paper with a gold ribbon around it.

"This might help," she smiled, kissing him sweetly. She rubbed a hand between his thighs and he moaned.

Patti was ten years older than him, but she was a damn fine-looking woman. She'd had multiple surgeries to keep her looking that way, but he didn't care. She was a good fuck, and unlike many women her age, she liked sucking as well. The fact that she was rich and willing only made everything all the sweeter.

"Patti, you don't have to buy me gifts, honey."

He smiled at her, knowing what was in the box. He had a dozen of them locked in a spare room along with other items. She continued to rub between his thighs, feeling him harden beneath her hand.

"Just open it," she said, kissing him.

He opened the box to reveal a Rolex Yacht-Master. Fifty-grand worth of timepiece sitting in his lap.

"Oh, honey. It's so beautiful. Thank you!" he said exuberantly.

She unzipped his trousers and kept rubbing, reaching in to pull out his hard cock. She straddled his seat, sliding herself down along his length, and began to rock.

She had great tits, fully store-bought, but it didn't matter. It got him hot enough to unload inside her. One of the many great things about fucking these old broads was that they couldn't get pregnant.

He'd made that mistake a few times in his youth while working at a juvenile detention center. Bitch teenagers shaking their ass and tits in his face, trying to get favors from him. He gave them some favors. His dick. If they tried to complain, he shut them up. Permanently.

Finding The Shield was a turning point for him. Initially, he just thought it was a brotherhood of retired Atlanta cops. Then he realized it was much more.

"We're asked to put our lives on the line every fucking day, and does anyone say thank you? Does anyone ever appreciate what we do?"

"No!" came the loud cries of the group.

"That's why we're going to get our own thanks. We're going to make our own retirement. The piss-poor benefits we have now aren't enough to retire the way we want. I'm going to tell you all right now it's best if you're single or divorced. You don't need a fucking woman screwing shit up for us."

That was twenty years ago.

"Are you feeling it?" she panted. He looked at her and nodded, lost in his thoughts.

Twenty years of hauling in little amounts of money, petty objects that could be sold, and things that didn't add up to much until their leader died and a new man stepped in.

Charlie Gates was a man with a mission. He wasn't going to die poor.

Having gone through a terrible ordeal with his own parents and nursing homes, he figured out a way to play the game. He didn't set out to kill old people. Not really. He set out to give them a decent place to live. They were just going to pay for it through their teeth. False or not.

"Mike, I'm cumming!" yelled Patti.

"That's it, baby," he grinned. He bit down hard on her nipple, and she yelped, knowing not to scream or he'd be angry. He loved leaving marks on her body. That meant she would remember, and she'd come back for more. Every fucking time.

As their panting slowed and their heart rates returned to normal, she stood and reached out a hand.

"Shall we head to the bedroom?" she asked.

"Oh, babe. Not tonight. You've worn me out. Besides, I need to go talk to Al. He's still torn up over Maureen."

"I know, it's so awful," said Patti. "Maureen was such a lovely woman. Kind, generous, always thinking of others. She'd only recently changed her will, leaving everything to the children's hospital in Kansas City. It's going to make such a huge difference for them. An entire new wing will be dedicated."

Mike froze, barely able to breathe. No. No, that couldn't be true. Al would have known that and kept working her, not killed her. He turned slowly, staring at Patti.

"She did what?"

"She changed her will right before they left on the cruise. She said she was worried that something might happen on the ship, and she wanted all her money to go to the children's hospital in Kansas City where her son died."

"All of it."

"Yes. All of it. Why? What does it matter? She and Al weren't married. It was her money, and she had plenty."

"Everyone here has plenty, Patti," he snapped, suddenly needing to get to Al.

"I'm aware, Mike. But Maureen had millions, possibly even billions. She and her husband were both highly successful."

"Yes. He owned some businesses. I get it." She actually laughed at him.

"Mike, you're so adorable. They were owners and CEOs of one of the most advanced robotic manufacturing companies in the world." She kissed his cheek and left him sitting in his chair with a sticky dick and a new Rolex. Neither of which he wanted.

"Fuck!"

As quickly as he could rinse off and change, he was running to the small condo that belonged to Al. Not even bothering to knock, he stormed into the place and was shocked to see Al just sitting in a chair watching television.

"Hey. What's up?" he said, looking at Mike.

"What's up? Al, do you have any idea what the fuck has happened?"

"Yeah," he grinned. "Maureen is dead, and I'll have millions."

"No. She changed her will before you left. She filed a new will, Al. Patti told me, and I was able to find a copy online. She left every damn penny to the children's hospital. All of it."

Al just stared at his friend, unsure of what to do. He'd made a promise to the brotherhood that he'd be leaving millions to them. He stood and went to the lockbox in his bedroom. Pulling out the copy of the will, he realized it had been dated a year ago.

"I thought this was the one," he whispered.

"She changed it the day before you left. It's filed. There's nothing we can do. You're going to have to find another mark," said Mike. "You know the rules."

"Yeah, I know the fucking rules. How was I supposed to know that she'd change her damn will? Shit!"

"Look, there are plenty of women here that are looking for something. Now, you're the poor grieving boyfriend who's lost his mate. They'll be clamoring to get to you."

"I'll figure something out. How are things with you and Patti? Is she ready to commit to something?"

"Well, I just got fucked and got a new Rolex," he smirked. "I haven't asked her to commit to anything. I want to play this one carefully. What are you going to say to Charlie?"

"I'll tell him the fucking truth. It's not like we can predict what these women will do. I'll find another one. And when I do, I'll nail her down as soon as possible."