8
JOHNNY
No one has ever avoided me so well in my entire life.
And honestly, I have to give her some credit.
I mean, we live in the same building, and go to the same college, yet she’s managed to evade me all damn day.
Still, I have no fucking clue what I’m going to say to her. But I’m hoping once I get in front of her, the words will come to me. They have to.
My phone buzzes in my pocket and I internally cringe at what it might possibly say. I slide it out and read the one-word text.
Unknown:Now.
I sigh and put it back in place. I grab my shit and leave, because when duty calls, you don’t mess around, not in my line of work.
I rush down the stairs and glance over at the girl’s door. I never saw her go inside, but I can’t imagine she’s anywhere else at this hour.
I make quick work of getting to the alley where Josey stands guard.
“Brace yourself, kid,” he tells me when I approach. “You musta pissed someone off.”
I’m not at all surprised. It seems I can’t do anything right these days.
“Do you know what it’s about?” I ask him.
Josey shakes his head, his expression softening. “They don’t tell me shit.”
I grip the handle and take a deep breath, preparing myself for what's to come.
Franklin looks up at me from his spot at the same table he’s always at. He slowly reaches up to take the thick cigar from his mouth.
I stand in silence as he discards the ashes in the tray sitting next to his crystal glass filled with brown liquid.
“You were late,” he finally says.
By one fucking minute, I think to myself. I don’t dare say it out loud. Franklin doesn’t give a shit about minor details like that. He only cares about punishment, and retribution for disappointing him.
I had thought the beating I took from the delivery thug was enough, but apparently, I was wrong.
“Do we need to renegotiate our terms, Johnny?” His words are laced with a threat.
“No,” I spit out immediately. I take a step forward. “What can I do?”
He cocks his head to the side and grins. “Obedient little thing, aren’t you?”
I hate the demeaning tone of his voice, but I’m clearly at an obvious disadvantage here, and the only thing Icando is whatever he asks of me.
Franklin nods toward the dude in the corner. “Another delivery. You have until top of the hour.”
I glance at my watch and fight the urge to panic. “That’s only like twenty minutes.”
Franklin takes another drag of his cigar. “You’re a resourceful kid. You’ll figure it out.”
I swallow down my nerves. “Where am I going?”
"The place off Fifth." He picks up his glass and holds it to his lips. "You'll receive payment upon completion."