If you were mine, you would do as I said… happily. Ty wasn’t sure where that came from. Instead of overthinking it, he closed Jess inside the cab and watched as he rode off. He turned back in the direction they’d came. He hoped the guys he’d put on their asses were still lingering around. Now that Jess was safe and Ty was no longer his temporary protector, he’d have no qualms finishing the job.
Ty was almost to the end of the street when he felt the rumble of that powerful Mustang well before he saw it creep up to the stoplight. People crossing at the crosswalk swiveled their heads to get a better view of the impressive machine and maybe a glimpse of the driver. They couldn’t see him but Ty knew a hard face and strong physique pushed that whip. The man in that vehicle was a force… Ty could feel it. He remained calm on the outside, regardless of the fact that the nervous flutter in his stomach had been replaced with swarming wasps. Ty didn’t come to a dead halt, but he did dip into a restaurant with a few other patrons, like he was a part of their party. As soon as he was inside he looked for any other exits. He was positive there was one in the kitchen that led to the back door, but that would draw too much attention. He wasn’t running, he wasn’t a coward, but he had to learn his new enemy first. A wise man always did his recon. And if it came to a confrontation, then he had to get the stranger on his turf. On his block.
He stood next to the hostess station until it was his turn, then politely asked her for a table for one. She nodded and showed him to a booth in the back. It wasn’t the one he’d had his eye on. “Excuse me, ma’am. Is that one there available?”
“Of course.” She led him to the table next to the side exit door. “There’s more light over here, yes.”
“Absolutely.” Ty gave her a disarming smile as she placed a single page menu in front of him.
The skylights over his head provided ample lighting, but all the windows were on the other side of the restaurant. He kept one eye on the door while he listened. Listened for the sounds of a V8 engine. After a couple of minutes, he heard nothing. He wasn’t fooled. Ty’s stomach grumbled when the scents of steak and potatoes hit his nose, but it wasn’t time to relax and eat. Too many men had got the business that way. Chilling when it was still time to work.
“Afternoon. How can I help you?” The server approached his table with a wide grin and lots of pep, as if his job was the best in the world.
“Just water please.” Ty asked, pretending to still study the menu.
When the waiter left, Ty’s phone buzzed on his hip. It was probably Cheddar wondering why the package still hadn’t been dropped at Black Rock’s place. Ty frowned at the unknown number and the cryptic message.
Unknown: Stop running from me Jenkins.
Ty almost dropped the phone. It was no doubt the man in black. He wasn’t just following Ty for no reason and he wasn’t a basic thug after something that wasn’t his. Men on Ty’s block were hungry and they suspected Ty was eating good. They wanted what was on his plate. And, if they did want what was his then they had to be man enough to take it from him. Ty didn’t answer the text, instead he got up from the table and exited through the side door. The man was gone, leaving Ty to contemplate what was happening. He was pretty good at piecing things together, but he constantly came up short with this situation. What does this man want?
As soon as he was back in Mechanicsville, Ty felt an immense relief. This was his neighborhood and he knew every street inside and out. If the man in black encountered him here, he’d be met with difficulty. Ty hurried and made his delivery to Sharain. This time, he didn’t go into the private office with her. He dropped her package onto the counter in her shop, gave her a respectable nod that she didn’t return, and left. Moving down Pryor Street, Ty crossed to the side his apartment building was on and walked the last few blocks to Black Rock’s place.
Ty knocked twice on the heavy wood door. A man the size of Andre the Giant answered with an annoyed, “What you here for?”
“Oh. That’s Cheddar’s man. Let him in, Tiny,” Someone said from inside.
Tiny? For real? Ty waited until the man backed up before he stepped over the threshold. He could see the butt of the guy’s revolver just under his protruding gut. “Dropping this off.” Ty said. The big man pointed farther down the dark corridor. It looked as if someone hadn’t paid the electricity bill. Ty’s eyes adjusted quickly as he took in all that he could. He walked by an opening where men sat around in a large den, doing nothing. The chairs and multiple tables were set up just like at a dive bar. Neon signs hung from the ceiling, boasting various brands of liquor, and the television mounted on the wall had a hole in the center of the shattered glass as if someone had thrown a beer bottle at it. A few guys glanced in his direction, but only one stared.