“Where’s Jay?” Sitting forward, I drop ash into the solo cup Abel pushes toward me. “I didn’t hear from him since Saturday night.”
Abel shrugs. “He’s around. Chad said he checked in yesterday morning.”
“He been testing for you for long?”
His dark eyes bore into mine for a long beat. “You feeling brave? Because I didn’t bring you in here to question me.”
Lifting my hands, I blow out a plume of smoke. “My bad. Was just making conversation.”
“Quit it. You better remember your place, Bishop. You’re doing well around here, but there’s not a single soul in this club that’s irreplaceable.”
Knowing he knows about Jess, I back off and simply study my cigarette. I have plans to make and places to be.
Blonde’s to convince to move to a Caribbean island.
I’d even go with her. I’d choose a life of sanding back canoes and fucking my perfect blonde in a hut.
“You did good with Brochov.” Dragging me away from my island life, Abel holds his cigarette in one hand and a switchblade in the other.
Open.
Closed.
Open.
Closed.
“You did it perfectly. I thought you were throwing it too quick. I thought you were gonna fuck up.”
Scoffing, I ash my cigarette and sit back. “I wasn’t throwing shit. He was just that big. He was a monster.”
“No one questioned it,” he grins. “David versus Goliath, but this time, the big guy won. Doubled my money, sent a Russian home with his cut and got his daddy off my back because Flynn fucked his daughter. Now you’re here, happy and healthy and none the worse after a run in with a tree. Everyone wins.”
“Except the guys who bet on me.”
“Yes, well,” he laughs, “that was rather unfortunate, wasn’t it? But, not my problem. That’s the risk a gambler takes. I have daughters to put through school and a business to run, so I can’t go soft on punters just because they put their money on the wrong guy. There are no hard feelings, right? You work for me, I need to test your loyalty. You disobeyed a direct order last week. Lance was your brother in arms, you were told to stand down, but some ass walks through your alleyway and you think you can do as you please. I get it. She’s sexy and fresh as your virgin girl, but if I can’t trust you, then you’re no good to me. If you’re no good to me, then I dispose of you and get someone else in.”
“You have my loyalty, Abel.”
“Mm.” He crushes his cigarette in a fancy crystal ashtray. Lifting a brow, he points. “I fuckin’ hope so, because I’m trusting you with a big job. It’s a lot of money, and if you so much as stub your fucking toe between now and Saturday, I’ll let Chad fuck your corpse. Then your blonde’s, too.”
“I’ve got it under control.”I’m going to kill him. He just doesn’t know it yet.“Your girls okay? You said you can’t make this weekend;unexpected family obligations.They’re okay?”
“Oh, they’re fine.” He waves me off. “They’re still in school, but break’s coming up. They asked to go to Barbados.”
“It’ll be warmer there. Will you let them?”
“Of course,” he chuckles. “You’ve met my girls. I don’tletthem do anything. I just make it happen.”
I haven’t met his daughters at all, but I do know the spoiled little bitches are the very thing wrong with their generation.
“So Barbados for break, and we’ve got Thanksgiving before that,” he continues. “We have enough time to get this job done, packed away, and to make sure Turner isn’t sniffing around. Divvy up the delivery, package it up, get some to my girls before they go, and voila! I’ve got entrepreneurs in a brand-new locale. When it’s all done and the dust settles, I’ll transfer your bonus and everyone’ll be happy.”
“Your daughters often deal for you, Abel?”
From a fatherly smile to a dangerous glare, his eyes force me to lean back. I fold my arms over my chest and take comfort when the tips of my fingers brush the butt of my knife on my hip.
“My daughters don’tdeal, Bishop. Scumbags deal. Junkies deal. My girls are sharing samples with their friends. That’s not a crime.”