Blame it on the shame Part 2

Chapter 45 (Lou-Lou)

 

"The deal's off," I say into the phone before hanging up.

I know I'm supposed to leave but I can't. I also can't go through with Ford's plan.

Because the more I think about it...the more it occurs to me that the only person Ford could be trying to pin DeLuca's murder on is Ricardo.

He did say the fall guy was a murderer—and most importantly...someone who would have more motive to kill him than I

do.

I can only think of one person who fits that description to a T—Ricardo.

But if I'm out...Ford can't go through with his plan today after all.

Which means Ricardo won't be able to kill DeLuca today, either.

But I'll still be able to.

I have every intention of telling Ricardo about Ford. But first, I want to tell Emilio...since he's the one who set this whole thing up in the first place in order to protect the both of us.

At least, I hope he did.

I pick up my phone but the sound of a knock on my door halts me.

My heart stutters in my chest. Maybe it's Ricardo. Hopefully, he'll take back this nonsense about wanting me to leave.

When I answer the door...it's definitely not who I expect to see right now.

Alyssa Ta

I have no idea what she wants, but I suppose there's no harm in letting her in and talking to her for a few minutes.

"Come on in."

She walks inside and I close the door behind her.

That's when I feel a metal object digging into my head. You've got to be kidding me.

"You crazy bitch!" I scream. "I thought we were friends now? What the fuck are you doing?"

"We are," she says. "This is nothing personal, Lou-Lou. I just need a hostage."

I barely have time to process what she's saying because she pulls my hair and positions me in front of her. "However, feel free to think of this as payback for being such a bitch to me."

"You fucking—" The gun digging into my head silences me before she says, "Scream and I'll kill you. Trust me, you don't want to fuck with me right now."

I take a deep breath and try to calm down. After all, it's not smart to argue with the mentally unstable. "Can you at least tell me why you're doing this?"

"Jackson's in trouble with a certain mob boss."

No fucking way. "Bruno," I say, hoping like hell that I'm right.

Because if I am...that means his murder can be pi

I wouldn't even feel bad about it, either...given the bitch is currently holding a fucking gun to my head.

"Ah, I see you're on a first-name basis with the asshole. Good to know, that might come in handy." She shoves me in front of her. "Now open the door and start walking down the hall to Ricardo's. If you run...I swear I'll kill him."

Yeah, definitely not feeling bad about pi

I almost want to laugh because she really has no idea who Ricardo is...or who I am. Oddly enough, I can't think of two better hostages to use against DeLuca than the two of us.

I knock on Ricardo's door but he doesn't answer. Behind me, Alyssa says, "Shit, he's in the shower."

"I have a key," I offer. "It's in my back pocket."

"I'm not falling for that."

"Then you can get it," I insist.

She digs the gun into my temple and fishes my keys out of my back pocket before handing them to me. "You attack me with those and I'll shoot."

"I know," I say. Please, bitch. I don't need keys to hurt you. I have two guns hidden in the waistband of my jeans.

We walk into Ricardo's apartment and head down the hallway until we reach the bathroom.

Which is pretty fucking convenient if you ask me. Because I'm pretty sure Ricardo's going to shit himself when he see's that Jackson's girlfriend is holding me hostage.

She nudges me to open the door and the look on Ricardo's face when he see's my current predicament is exactly what I expected it to be.

On the bright side, if this psychopath does end up killing me right now...at least I had one last look at his gorgeous naked body.

He reaches for a towel and quickly wraps it around his waist before stepping out of the shower.

I don't miss the subtle look he gives me as he does it...the look that says, 'You're armed, why the hell didn't you shoot her.'

"How did you find out?" he says in Alyssa's direction and I'm truly baffled.

"I didn't tell this bitch shit, Ricky," I yell. I told Tyrone the truth, but it was only so he wouldn't hate Ricardo. I have no idea how Alyssa found out who he is...because it sure as fuck wasn't me who told her.

"No talking, " Alyssa says before she whacks my head with the gun and looks at Ricardo. "You have his eyes. I'll never forget his eyes. They haunt me in my dreams."

Why would Ricardo's eyes haunt Alyssa? I thought she wanted to go after DeLuca because Jackson's in some kind of trouble with him.

He closes his eyes. "I'm not like my father, Alyssa."

"Doesn't matter. Your father took the most important person in my life from me and he's about to do it again. I want him to feel what it's like to lose the most important thing to him."

What the hell is going on?

He sucks in a breath and glances at me. I can feel his stare permeating every part of me. "Yeah. I get that, Alyssa."

His expression quickly changes to nervousness, although I don't buy it for a second. Ricardo keeps tabs on Jackson and Tyrone. He has to know where Jackson is. For some reason I don't understand...he's playing Alyssa. "Wait, what do you mean he's about to do it again? Where the fuck is Jackson right now?"

"He's working with an FBI agent," Alyssa answers. "An FBI agent that's going to set him up for the murder of your father. I have to get to him before that happens."

Oh, God. Turns out I was wrong. Ford wasn't setting Ricardo up after all...he was setting Jackson up to take the fall. But why?

"Shit. Can't you just call him and warn him?" I interject.

"He's not picking up his phone."

"Fuck. No. Oh, my god. Shit," I sputter, my breathing becoming erratic now.

We have to find a way to warn him. Jackson has no idea what he's dealing with. Not only is Ford pla

She yanks my hair. "As touched as I am about your sentiments regarding my boyfriend's current circumstance, can you kindly shut up so we can get on with the program."

I shake my head and look at Ricardo. "I swear, I didn't mean to. I didn't know it was Jackson. Oh, my god."

I feel a second metal object against my head before Alyssa grits out, "You better start making sense, Lou-Lou...or your brains are go

I look at the ground and grimace. I had every intention of telling Ricardo about Ford...I just didn't expect to do it while two guns were being pointed at my head by Alyssa Ta

"You talked to the fucking Feds?" Ricardo screams at the same time Alyssa screams, "Was his name Ford?"

"H-how did you know?" This makes absolutely no sense. Not only does she have some kind of personal problem with DeLuca...but she knows Ford?