Christian Jennings had few friends in his offbeat line of work. After all, it’s not easy to make friends with those you’ve been hired to kill.
Gino Crown he considered more brother, than a friend. Christian yearned to have the opportunity to speak with Gino and tell him all the things resting on his heart one final time. Unfortunately the chance died years ago on a cold winter’s night by the waterfront.
That is, until the day a dead man walked into his home and shattered his world.
Warm tropical breezes, hot sand crunching under foot and half naked women and men everywhere the eye ventured to look. Christian chuckled quietly as he took in the sights while resting on the pools shaded deck. He was here on sunny Hamoa Beach in Maui, Hawaii. The place was wonderful with the cliffs that surrounded the sea and the lush green vegetation everywhere. He planned to do a little snorkeling and diving later. The waitress arrived with his drink interrupting his musings. He thanked her as she smiled graciously leaving him alone once more. The two girls walked into his line of sight and Christian watched them intently. They were soon joined by another sibling and their parents. Christian sipped his drink and continued to watch as they all headed for the ocean, which was a short walk from the hotel.
He watched as the father roughhoused with the little boy and the mother laughed. The girls were walking a far enough distance ahead not to be immediately connected to the parents. Christian smiled again recalling the thought pattern of youth. Stretching, he relaxed again as he began to organize the rest of his day in his mind. After a few moments more he rose and headed for the cliffs where his diving and snorkeling party was waiting. Christian stopped by his room first, wanting to grab an extra towel and change into different swim shorts.
His phone rang taking him by surprise. “Yes?” Christian answered calmly.
“Is everything suitable?” the voice asked on the other end.
“Yes the accommodations are fine,” Christian replied.
“Will it be handled by Friday?” the voice asked again.
Once more Christian answered in the affirmative.
“Good,” the voice replied. “Call me when it’s finished.”
“Of course,” Christian exhaled as he disconnected.
He took a few more deep breaths and tried to relax again. He hated when they called and checked up on him. I’ve been doing this shit flawlessly for ten fucking years, Christian thought as he grabbed his towel and turned toward his room door. Always got some damned amateurs thinking they know better, he finished his thought and dismissed the call headed for his destination.
Movement caught his attention as he passed the small hallway behind the laundry room. Curious, Christian paused and listened. He smiled once he recognized the sounds, peeking around the corner to find the young man and young woman having sex. He recognized the girl and immediately frowned, his suspicions about her confirmed. Slut, he thought internally frowning somewhat as the young man looked up to find Christian watching. He smiled and threw him a leer filled nod. Christian smiled back and left them alone, chuckling all the way to the cliffs, thinking how absolutely stupid the girl was.
Chapter 1
Christian Jennings, thirty two years old, no children, never married. He was raised in a two parent household by strict Baptist parents in the heart of the Bible belt, West Virginia. His father, Christian Sr., was a no nonsense man whom the younger Christian was sure never indulged a day of fun in his life. His mother, Marguerite was the polar opposite. She possessed a sunny and cheerful disposition and loved playing with Christian as a child. His mother was a beautiful woman, fair complexioned with jet black wavy hair. She carried a beautiful smile, the only imperfection being a barely crooked eye tooth. Christian took after his father, being darker complexioned than his mother, but not as dark as his father who could blend in with night if he closed his eyes.
Growing up a woman’s role for her husband was thoroughly engrained into Christian’s mind. His mother did everything for his father, who in turn did nothing except complain about the things she did. Christian also hated that his father hit his mother. Marguerite would never fight back. She told Christian time and again that his father was only teaching her the right way so she would be a good wife and mother. Christian wasn’t too sure he believed any of what she was telling him, but she obviously did. Years continued to pass and Christian reached manhood. Completely jaded by his upbringing, he found it hard if not impossible to have any meaningful relationships. All the women he met were nothing like his mother. They were all mouthy, bossy and disobedient. He tried beating a few of them, but that only landed him in front of a judge.
The fog didn’t clear for Christian until a fateful Thanksgiving night right before his twenty-second birthday. He arrived home to find his parents in a heated argument. For the first time he could ever recall his mother was standing up for herself. For her courage she was rewarded with an open hand slap that landed her on the floor at his father’s feet.
“You will obey me!” Christian Sr. bellowed as his wife found her way back to her feet.
Finally managing to regain her footing, Marguerite straightened her back and looked him directly in the eye once more.
“I will not stay with you one more day,” she told him calmly and coldly.
Christian Sr. lost it. He hit her again and again as she offered no resistance.
Christian finally snapped out of his trance and ran to his mother’s aid.
“Stop!” he yelled at his father pushing the man away.
Turning his back, he tried to help his mother up. His father charged him, his rage full blown that both his wife and his son were disobeying him. Everything happened quickly as the younger Christian turned rapidly and caught his father hard in the midsection dropping the man to his knees. Christian hit him once more in the same spot, hurriedly grabbing his mother and sitting her in a chair. His father was still on the floor gasping for air. As he tried to stand, he clutched his heart and fell over once more. Christian grabbed the phone deciding he needed to dial 911 and get his father help.
Marguerite calmly told him to put the phone down. He looked at his mother as she watched his father dying at her feet. Her face was completely void of emotion as if she were watching a bug that she sprayed with insecticide.
“Mama, he’ll die if we don’t get help,” Christian tried to reason.
Marguerite looked up into his eyes then and spoke once more.
“Let his mistress and his bastard save him,” she said plainly, returning her attention to the man on the floor.
Christian was stunned. He knew his mama was hurt, but his father was dying, for real.
“Mama, we gotta call,” he told her once more as she shrugged.
He dialed the number and asked them to send an ambulance. His father never made it out of the house.
Christian thought about that night for months after they buried his father. He had it all wrong, Christian thought to himself. It wasn’t enough to teach women how to obey and be good wives and lovers, you needed to be good to them too so they would want to learn and want to obey. His mother never remarried and of course Christian saw to her every need. He made excellent money. As far as she and anyone else knew, he was a successful marketing executive. It paid well enough, but the hundreds of thousands of dollars he shipped to his private and offshore accounts didn’t come from a weekly paycheck.
Christian was a skilled killer and he was well paid because of it. When his childhood friend Gino Crown first approached him, he was skeptical. How many black serial killers did anyone know of? Gino chortled and explained the difference. Serial killers, he told Christian, do the deed for free because they get off on killing people. Contract killers, do it for profit. No personal attachment, strictly business. After his first hit, the stacks of hundred dollar bills made a believer out of him. His specialty was family kills. Christian held no qualms about killing women or children. Dead was dead as far as he was concerned. His other pet project was of course teaching the young girls he met how to be real women and please their men. He enjoyed his share over the years. Usually taking them from the family of the people he killed. For those that submitted and learned the lesson, he let them go after a year or so. He didn’t fear retribution or them going to the police. They never knew he was the man responsible for their loss and he never felt the need to enlighten them. For those hard-headed, stubborn, defiant ones that didn’t learn, he killed them.
Chapter 2
Chellie was getting irritated. She continued waiting for her younger sister Lisa well into the last twenty minutes. That lil hot ass girl needs to come on, she thought crossly as she sucked her teeth in disgust thinking about what Lisa was undoubtedly doing. She was trying as hard as she could to try and calm her sister down, but so far it wasn’t working. Her parents seemed to think Chellie was some sort of miracle worker when it came to Lisa. Truth of the matter, Lisa was wild and she was going to do just what she wanted to do.
“Hi,” Christian said softly as he stood near Chellie’s bar stool.
Startled somewhat by the man’s sudden appearance, Chellie jumped.
Gathering herself quickly she returned his greeting.
“Anyone sitting here?” he asked again, still watching her intently.
“No,” Chellie smiled, as he smiled back and sat down.
“Whiskey, ice,” Christian told the bartender as he nodded and made his drink.
“Are you old enough to be at the bar?” Christian teased.
Chellie giggled aloud before answering.
“I’m old enough,” she replied amiably.
“My name is Christian,” he told her holding out his hand.
Chellie took his hand and shook it.
“I’m Chellie,” she returned.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Christian told her. “Here on vacation?”
Chellie told him that her whole family was here.
“My dad has been saving for this trip for forever,” she told him sighing lightly.
Christian smiled a touch. “Are you enjoying the trip?”
“Yes, and I hate that it has to end,” she replied wistfully.
Just as he was about to speak, they were rudely interrupted.
“Hey girl, come on let’s go,” Lisa greeted Chellie stepping directly between her and Christian.
Chellie was immediately embarrassed.
“Lisa, you’re being rude,” she told her younger sister giving her a look.
Lisa sucked her teeth, rolling her eyes, before turning to face Christian with her best fake smile.
“Sorry about that,” she replied as Christian held his emotions in check.
Turning once more to her sister, Lisa spoke again.
“Come on, I’m starved,” she told Chellie grabbing her hand.
Chellie shook her hand from her sister’s grip and addressed Christian once again.
“I’m sorry, I do have to leave now though,” she told him as he smiled at her.
“It’s fine Chellie,” he replied. “Maybe we’ll get a chance to talk again later.”
Chellie smiled fully at him. “I certainly hope so.”
Lisa once again began complaining and sighing deeply Chellie left Christian sitting at the bar as the two girls found a table across the room.
*****
Christian continued to regard Chellie. She was a beautiful woman, cinnamon brown complexion, deep auburn ringlets framing her face. Her hair was shoulder length, although he was sure it would be longer if it were straight. Her eyes were hazel, which he found were their true color as he looked into them while they talked. She seemed to have taken more features from her mother than either her younger sister, or brother. Her mother was mulatto with fiery red hair and a flawless figure for a woman in her mid-forties who gave birth to three children.
Chellie also possessed her mother’s flawless figure Christian thought as he took in the round firmness of her breasts in the halter dress she was wearing. She also possessed gorgeous legs, beautiful thighs with a butt that wouldn’t quit. I bet she feels wonderful, he mused thinking ahead to them making love. Christian knew she was interested and he was already working on phase two of his plan. Little bitch of a sister could be a problem, he thought as he shot the girl an evil look. Christian hated them at this age; just turning eighteen and getting that first taste of adult freedom. They were all insufferable. No fucking clue, he thought again then smiled as he manifested a perfectly malevolent idea. Rising, Christian left the bar headed to his room, needing to make a few phone calls.
*****
“That was so rude Lisa, damn,” Chellie told her angrily.
Lisa simply laughed.
“Girl chill,” she told her.
“He’s too old for you anyway,” Lisa threw back frowning. “Shit, he has to be every bit of what thirty-five, thirty-six?”
Chellie breathed deeply.
“I don’t think he’s that old Lisa,” she replied simply.
Truthfully Chellie didn’t care how old he was. Christian was sexy as hell. He was built from head to toe. She was 5’9” and he towered over her, so Chellie guessed he was somewhere in the 6’4” or 6’5” range. Sexy deep brown eyes, beautiful teeth, huge chest and arms, sexy butt and calves. She surmised him to be carrying plenty where it counted to make her happy too, Chellie thought lustfully.
“Hello?” Lisa was talking as Chellie reeled her thoughts in.
“I thought you and Marc was still getting down,” she threw out. “What happened? Sex wasn’t good,” she asked and went into a fit of laughter.
Chellie giggled with her for a few moments before answering. “Girl it was ok,” she replied sighing. “I just didn’t wanna keep going through the motions, so I called it off,” she told her sister who nodded her understanding.
“So you’re horny?” Lisa asked again trying to rationalize why Chellie would be talking to someone as old as Christian.
“Well, yeah I guess, but –,” she tried before Lisa cut her off.
“Girl you don’t hafta get with that old ass busta, we’re going to the hotel luau and find you a man,” Lisa began, before bursting into laughter again.
Chellie exhaled again knowing she was stuck. She was growing really tired of the babysitting gig, but as usual, she would suck it up and say nothing. The waiter arrived with their food moments later.
“Can I get you ladies anything else?”
“What’s your name,” Lisa piped up.
“Paolu,” he replied as he smiled and cast another look at Chellie.
Lisa immediately picked up on his interest and ran with it.
“I’m Lisa, and this is my older sister Chellie,” she told him amiably.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you Lisa,” he replied before turning his attention to Chellie.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you too Chellie,” he said softly never taking his eyes from her as she blushed a tad.
“You going to the luau this evening,” Lisa threw out again looking Paolu over once more.
He was a sexy man, thick like Chellie liked them.
Lisa definitely wanted to take her sisters mind off of Christian. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but there was something about him that just didn’t sit right with her.
“I don’t really know,” Paolu replied.
“Well, you should,” Lisa continued as Chellie remained quiet and continued to eat her lunch.
“Chellie will be there,” she replied slyly.
Her sister shot her a look that almost made Lisa burst into laughter.
“Really,” Paolu inquired turning his attention to the older sibling once more.
“Would you like me to come,” he asked as he held her gaze once more.
Chellie was completely undone by the predicament Lisa once again melded her into.
“Sure, that would be nice,” she replied as amiably as she could.
Frankly Chellie could care less if he came or not. She wasn’t attracted to him at all past general curiosity. Unlike her sister, Chellie only messed with one man at a time. Paolu smiled cheerfully and told them he would see them tonight as he and Lisa talked a little more deciding on a meeting place. He also promised to bring his younger brother Nui, who was nineteen.
“You need to loosen up for real Chellie,” Lisa admonished after Paolu left their table.
Chellie gave her a sister a long hard stare and returned to her meal. Lisa laughed. She knew Chellie was pissed, but she wouldn’t trip. She never did.
“You might actually have a good time girl, and you need to get some sex in the worst way,” Lisa continued as she finished her meal. “Then maybe you wouldn’t be so damned grouchy,” she added and lapsed into a fit of laughter all over again.
Chellie sucked her teeth and rose to leave.
“Chellie, seriously,” Lisa started as Chellie stopped momentarily and gave her undivided attention again.
“There’s something shady about old boy,” she told her sister earnestly. “I don’t want you to get hurt, okay?”
Chellie took another breath, letting it go before answering.
“Lisa, just like you tell me all the time,” she began looking her sister directly in the eye. “I appreciate you tryna look out, but I’m a grown woman,” she went on. “Let me make my choice, and I’ll be the one who has to deal with the consequences,” she finished and turned once more leaving her sister sitting at the table alone.
Lisa wasn’t hearing Chellie at all where Christian was concerned. That muthafucka is bad ass news, and I’ma make sure I stay on block patrol, she vowed as she ordered desert and began flirting with the cute busboy who was clearing the table next to theirs. After a few moments of conversation, the rendezvous was set and Lisa rose to go pick up another box of condoms. Hawaii is the shit, she thought chuckling silently as she met the busboy in the same room behind the laundry and he served her up another hot steamy helping of sex on a platter.