Chapter 12
ASH
They all turn wide eyes at me, including Rip, so I shrug, affecting an air of indifference. "What? It wasn't my fault she was easy."
"You savage mother fucker!" It happens within the blink of an eye. Rip vaults up and tries to knock me out, but I throw the contents of my glass in his face. As he yelps, I punch him in the gut and he doubles up. As I hold onto him, he mumbles in a pain-filled voice only I can hear. "You really are a motherfucker."
"And you're playing along," I whisper back as I pat his back. Out loud, I say. "Now you be a good boy and remember no pussy is worth coming in between two men."
I pat his shoulder once more and watch as he hobbles off, mumbling obscenities.
"Well, damn, I missed out on all that fun," Capo says. He's the only one who I never had a history with. I hired him a few years back but he's proved his loyalty to me time and time again.
I shrug and pour some more gin and tonic into my glass. "So, the Asian drug syndicate?"
"The Chinese?" Lobos asks.
I shrug once again. "Don't care, frankly. Japanese, Pakistanis, or Chinese, they all look the same to me. So far their drugs prove to be high quality. Get all the intel and let me know." We can't afford to take low-grade drugs from any supplier. It would be bad for business.
"On it!" Lobos hops up and disappears from the sitting room, Moro fast on his heels.
"Night eyes, you and Koldis get me more info on those guys you saw lounging around the mines yesterday. Something tells me they're looking for trouble and we're gonna give it to them. Make sure to inform the other guys there as well to be on the alert."
"Sure thing!" They chorus as they leave the sitting room.
"What about me?" Capo asks, looking disappointed. "I want in on the fun as well."
I cock my head. "You and Rip need to stay in the house and get some rest." I indicate to the bandage on his arm. "You've already had too much fun in the past two weeks." One of my warehouses was attacked while he, Rip, and some other guys were on duty. They killed the ten guys who attacked, but Capo took one in the arm. Now he has to let it heal.
I hear his grumbling as he walks out and I shake my head and walk upstairs to my room. I switch on the tv but mute it. After taking a shower and changing into my pajamas, I decide to step into my office and watch the camera video feed on my desktop. It showcases the different areas of the house as well as all my warehouses. I had them all linked to keeping abreast of day-to-day happenings.
Everything seems to be okay at the warehouses so I switch to the video feed for the house. I see the two guards at their duty post, and then I do a sweep with my eyes of the perimeter. Everything looks okay here as well and I'm about to call it a night when a shadow detaches itself from the surrounding trees in front of the gate.
What the. . .?
As the person walks to the gate, I realize who it is and a smile splits my lips. "About damn time!"
I walk back to my bedroom which is just across the hall from my office and wait. Soon enough, the intercom on my bedside table flashes red and I press it.
"Boss, there's a woman here to see you. She says it's urgent."
I tell them to let her into the sitting room as I take my time to leisurely walk downstairs. She's standing in the foyer looking uncomfortable when I get down, so I invite her inside and offer her a drink.
She shakes her head and looks me straight in the eyes. "I'm not here for a cursory visit."
"No? What, then, are you here for, Alicia?"
She grimaces like she wasn't expecting me to call her by her name.
"I. . ." Her tongue darts out and flicks her bottom lip. She's nervous. Good. I watch her squirm for a few seconds before she eventually finds her voice. "I'm here to make a deal with you."
I raise a brow. Frankly speaking, I'm surprised. "Look around you, do you think you're in any position to make deals with me?"
She does look around and her eyes widen as if realizing she made a mistake by coming here. I see her repress a shudder as she juts out her chin. False bravado. "I want to tell you to use Harry's cargo to transport your merchandise-"
"In exchange for what?"
"I'll come to you myself, and -"
"And, what, Alicia? Say it. You can't chicken out now, surely." When I move close to her I don't know, but I'm close enough to see the goose pimples all over her skin and the slight tremble in her body.
"And then you can do whatever it is you want to. . . to me."
A thrill passes through me on hearing her words.
"But, first. . ." She raises a trembling finger. "First, you must please bring some goods tomorrow."
I guessed as much.
I knew her boss would put pressure on her to get to me, and now her back is against the wall. I also know she's just saying the words to get me to use Harry's cargo and she doesn't have any intention of honoring her side of the deal.
Unfortunately for her, I know just how to collect bad debts.
"Deal!" I bring out my hand waiting for her to shake it. Instead, she recoils and looks at it like it's a snake. Smart woman. Unfortunately, I can't have that. "Well don't just stand there, let's shake on it."
Relief pours into her eyes and she darts out a hand. As it gets close, I snake out my other hand and pull her close to me. Her scent surrounds me. Coconut and another fragrance I can't put my finger on. I sniff her neck, realizing it's coming from her hair. "You smell so good," I whisper into her ear.
"Please. . .we had a. . . a deal." She's trembling so badly now. I don't know if it's out of fear or the fact that she actually wants me.
I think it's both.
I move back immediately and splay out my hands. "I'm an honorable man. You have my word."
She nods and without another word, whips around and walks out.