“You going to suck it up and come deal with the junkie?”
“I’ll be there, man. Give me an hour.”
I rise from the table and leave him there to recoup. I need another shower.
Steam rises up which helps with the congestion problems a night of snorting powder causes. Water rains down, and I stand with my face tilted upward in the line of fire with one hand braced on the tiled shower wall. My mind wanders to her. Again.
Dark hair. Legs—fucking amazing legs. Eyes that concentrated on me from across the room. An innocent smile that doesn’t match who I assume she is. A girl I don’t even have a name for. A girl who fucks for cash if she’s anything like the girl she came to the party with. A girl who, for whatever reason, I can’t seem to get my mind off. Scrubbing her from my thoughts, I turn off the water, done with my shower. My day needs to get going. I have a drug addict to deal with.
I type out a text to the guy we’re supposed to meet, telling him when and where. He’d better be on time and his haul better be good. This is his last chance to impress me. I won’t deal with shit that won’t make me money, no matter how much this guy needs his next fix.
Kai is waiting for me in the living room when I come downstairs, obviously showered and changed. His coloring has dramatically improved and he’s relaxed on the couch with his eyes closed. “You ready?”
His eyes open with my words, and without a reply, Kai follows me to the garage. We take my car since I don’t trust that Kai isn’t still fucked up from his night of doing who knows what. Maybe he’s smarter than he looks. It was my choices in getting my own dick wet that ended with me pulling a gun out in the middle of a party. Paying for something that comes so easily seems like a waste though.
We’re headed to a rest stop an exit up from our own. I don’t like to handle these types of things at Needle and Ink because I don’t want Teagan involved. The warehouse is off-limits to everyone besides Kai and me. We don’t need the lowlifes we deal with knowing exactly where we keep our inventory. So, random secluded meet ups are how we handle these types of transactions.
The first sign this deal isn’t worth my time is he’s late. It’s about ten minutes past our scheduled meet time, and I’m about to leave, indefinitely crossing him off our customer list. Then an old beater of a car pulls into the lot. I suspect it’s him. The second strike against him is that as the car pulls up alongside us, he’s not alone. A man I’ve never seen before is in the drivers seat. Our customers know bringing people we don’t know is a big fucking don’t. I’m contemplating pulling away, being done with the deal, but the familiar man gets out of the car before I make a move. The driver backs up and drives off. The junkie carries a worn brown box that he sets on the ground by our back tire, before rapping his fingers against the backseat window.
With a huff of frustration, I unclick the locks to the car. The junkie slides the box in first and then follows. He’s scratching his skin as if he has bugs, and I bite back the look of disgust. The scent of him is unpleasant. I’m certain it’ll stink up my car long after he’s gone.
“What do you have for us?”
He reaches in the box and pulls out a woman’s purse. Woman’s clothing isn’t my area of expertise, but I’ve been in this game long enough to know some brands are worth more than cars. Kai takes the bag from the guy and inspects it. The man in the backseat remains silent. The bag looks simple, but what the hell do I know?
Kai looks it over while pulling out his phone. The man in the backseat continuously scratches his skin. He won’t make eye contact and sweat pours off him, which makes me thankful for the leather seats. He’s either nervous or really on the verge of withdrawal. Only Kai’s side of the conversation as he speaks on the phone can be heard, assumedly with one of our connections who knows more about purses than either of us.
“Hey. Kai here.”
“Yeah. I got a bag I need to speak to you about.”
Kai searches the bag for whatever it is he’s looking for.
“Says Hermès.”
There is a pause, and then Kai turns to the man in the backseat to address him.
“This is a Birkin bag?”
The guy nods vigorously without a verbal response.
“That whole box is filled with purses of the same brand?”
Once again Kai receives a nod from the man, and then he turns back to his conversation.
“One is worth how much? Who the fuck would pay that?”
There is a long pause before Kai says anything else.
“Yeah. I see. So, how can I tell?”
Kai goes about scrutinizing the bag and responding, “Yes,” or, “No,” to prompts I can’t hear. The details I’m getting from the one-sided conversation are very vague, but my gut tells me there’s a high probability these bags aren’t real. The guy in the back looks way too nervous. Kai hangs up the phone and turns to face me.
“Turns out these types of bags are top notch in the realm of women’s purses. You can’t really get anything rarer, more coveted, or more expensive. They are worth tens of thousands of dollars. Problem is my connection was more than doubtful when I told him our friend here has a whole box full of them. The chances a common criminal could get that many of these particular designer bags is not good.”
My eyes are drawn to the purse I can’t fathom someone paying that much for as Kai gets to the point. “Sure enough, when I checked the labeling and stitching he suggested, which is very specific in the genuine bag, it didn’t match what my connection described. No way these bags are real. Plus, this bag is missing the stamp on the little piece of leather connecting the lock. Without that stamp, it’s a fake.” Kai pauses, and my blood boils. Both of us turn to face the man in the backseat as Kai gets to the real point. One I should have seen coming. “Meaning, it’s practically worthless.”
Our guy lunges for the door handle as I click it locked. No one pulls this shit on us and gets away with it. Especially on a day like today where getting out of the house took more effort than running a marathon. Not only will we not ever do business with him again, but he needs to be taught a lesson. I have the perfect thing in mind for our little junkie friend. It takes under a minute to have him handcuffed facedown in the back seat. I was never a Boy Scout, but I’m always prepared. The handcuffs I keep in the lock box under my seat come in handy today. We’re driving down the interstate in no time at all.
Five miles later, we’re on the outskirts of our property where the warehouse is. He doesn’t know that, and it’s perfect for my plan—secluded and surrounded by nothing but nature. Once the car is parked, I drag our friend out by the chain linking his arms behind his back. He hits the dirt with a thud and a groan. His sweating and twitching has amplified significantly in the time it took to make our trip. Kai stands him up while I scout the area to find a tree perfect for the punishment I have in mind. Following my lead, Kai drags our prisoner along with him.
I cuff him to the tree and the guy cries out in pain and fear. I’m certain he’s so far into his withdrawal that the fear in his voice is about needing to score. I’ve experimented, but I’ve never been an addict. I smoke weed socially and snort blow on rare occasions. As I’ve aged, the space of time between each indulgence grows longer and longer. I’m practically a saint compared to this man so desperate for a fix that he rolled the dice trying to fuck with us. The tracks on his arm and the color tone of his skin are dead giveaways he’s a heroin addict.
“I’ve never tried smack. Never even had an urge. I hear it turns people into dependent little bitches.” We watch the man struggle to unsuccessfully free himself from the tree.
“Not my thing either. I’ve never been stupid enough to stick a needle in my arm.” Kai shrugs his shoulders, as if it should be the most obvious thing in the world.
“Please, man. Let me go. You won’t hear from me again. I-I-I need to get out of here. You can keep the bags. Just let me go.” How gracious of the stuttering idiot. He’ll let me keep the worthless bags.
Thanks.
“Sorry, bud. No can do. You see, you tried to mess with my business. You thought you could pull a fast one on us. Nobody gets away with shit like that. I’ve heard withdrawal is really nasty business. You can’t control your bodily functions. You see shit. That poison leaving your system takes over your whole body. You’ll be experiencing that today.”
“What’re you saying? You can’t leave me cuffed like this. I can’t go through withdrawal. I can’t. I won’t. I’d rather you put a bullet in my skull. Please, don’t do this.” The man breaks down in full-blown, hysterical tears. I’ve never seen anything more fucking pathetic. He’s ready to hyperventilate at the thought of withdrawal.
“I can, and I will. You should have thought about that before bringing us that bullshit.”
I’d bet it’s hard for this junkie to retain anything I’m even telling him. He’s too fixated on the impending threat of withdrawal. He’ll understand once his punishment is over.
“A day or two tied to this tree while you experience some brutal detox will help me to feel a lot better about the situation. How about you? Don’t worry. We’ll come back. Bring you water like our little pet and then release you back into the wild once I feel like it. You really should have known better than to fuck with my business. You won’t make that mistake again. Guaranteed.”
The man loses it. He’s screaming and thrashing around as much as his restraints will allow. I’m positive the seclusion out here will prevent anyone from finding him. So he can scream all he wants. Soon enough, as the tremors take over his body, and he’s spewing vomit down himself, he won’t be able to scream anymore.
My stomach rumbles, and I think about food as we leave him behind. The greasy diner on 2nd Street is calling my name. I’ll call Teagan and have her meet us there.
I gain some satisfaction in the lesson he’s about to learn.
No one fucks with me, my family, or my business—no one.
Paisley
I had one blissful night without the nightmares, but then they returned with a vengeance. A dark room I really only remember from my dreams still lingers in the background of my thoughts. It always takes me a few hours after waking up to shake off the distant memories.
I’ve moved up in the realm of the food industry, leaving behind the greasy fast food place of my past. I work at Breakfast Over Easy, where the menu isn’t plastered onto the wall. I do catering jobs, too, but only every once in a while to bring in extra cash. People can be mean before their third refill of coffee, but today I’m thankful for the familiarity that comes with my job.
The other waitress didn’t show up today, and I’m working the dining room on my own. Even that isn’t upsetting me. I’m busy but I’ll go home with a good chunk of change in my pocket when it’s over, I just have to hustle. I look a mess from running around for the last three hours. I spilled food and liquids on myself at least four times, and my messy ponytail is barely intact anymore.
The morning rush is basically over when the front door opens and closes. I finish brewing the fresh coffee before heading over to inspect. A familiar large smile, filled with perfect teeth and dimples on both sides, catches my attention. From my vantage point, two guys sit with her, and they seem to take up all the space. The air in this tiny breakfast place thins. Their presence is remarkable, when in reality, they only occupy one table in the corner of the room. Knowing I can’t escape them, I put on my best charming waitress smile and head over to the table.
The familiar, exuberant girl is the first to notice me. Her eyes show surprise, but it is gone in an instant, and she graces me with a warm smile. The men have their faces trained toward their menus.
“Welcome to Breakfast Over Easy. Can I get you something to drink?”
Johnny must recognize my voice, because as he lifts his head, he wears what I’ve come to realize must be his signature playful smirk. His color is a little off today. No doubt from his wild night, but his smile can’t be dimmed. Mr. Dark and Brooding never lifts his head and, therefore, hasn’t yet discovered what his two breakfast companions have. I’m not complaining.
“It seems the stars have aligned in our favor. The Universe keeps pushing us together, Lunar.” The last of the three raises his head as my least favorite nickname is uttered. I shake my head at him and look to the girl in hopes that she’ll save me.
“Please excuse Kai, he was raised by wolves, and it seems he has a thing for full moons.” I’m not sure she knows she’s alluding to my embarrassment, but my face blushes with her words. “My name is Teagan. I’m sorry this guy ran you off last night. He sometimes makes me feel the same way.” There is something about this girl that radiates warmth and compassion. I relax, more comfortable by her mere introduction.
“I’m Paisley. It’s nice to officially meet you.”
I smile genuinely back at her encouraging face before Johnny speaks up.
“And as she said, I’m Kai.”
He’s a beefed up, pretty boy. His appearance is home to an array of oxymorons. He has a bit of a baby face, but you can see his eyes hold dark secrets. His smirk is playful, but I imagine he’s quite scary when he sneers. He looks as if he’s untouchable, yet there are visible scars marring much of his skin, excluding his fresh face.
“Hm. Kai. I guess that suits you better than Johnny.” I decide to return a smile as he’s stopped the teasing and dropped the nickname. Teagan and Kai look across the table at their friend, waiting for him to take a turn with an introduction. Gone is the trace of curiosity from his eyes I saw last night. They only hold a darkness I don’t understand. I haven’t directed even a word to him, but he seems to loathe me. The calmness Teagan brought with her to the conversation slips away as we all stare at the man.
As soon as he speaks, I wish he hadn’t. “Your pussy alone can’t pay your bills? What’s wrong with the merchandise that you also have to have a job at this place?”
My jaw drops. It hangs open in shock, like a cartoon character with my mouth unhinging and hitting the floor in a comical way, if only anything about this was comical. Both Kai and Teagan scold him by cursing what I assume must be his name, Burke. A thud under the table tells me one, or both, of them have kicked him for his outburst.
This guy is scary, but I grew up having to take care of myself. I’m not going to let some guy talk to me like I’m a walking, talking sex toy. “There is nothing wrong with my ‘merchandise’ except for the slight side effect of extreme dryness around douchebags, which I’m currently experiencing.” The accusation in my tone tells him he’s the douchebag I’m referring to. “My pussy isn’t for sale, not even to the highest bidder. Maybe you should check your facts before you spout off inaccuracies. You’re judging me for my sister, yet you’re sitting with a man who pays for her services. If I’m to be condemned for my association with her, then you fair no better.”
This guy has me hot under the collar and not in an excited way. I want to cause him bodily harm, and I just know he will never apologize. I hope he’ll leave so the building can air out all the anger and hostility currently brewing inside me.
“Coffee.” Okay, so I guess he isn’t leaving, and apparently he wants coffee. This guy has some nerve. I look back to the others for their orders. With embarrassment on their faces, they also order coffees. I retreat from them as quickly as possible. Once behind the kitchen doors, a string of expletives leave my mouth. I curse that man. I curse his hateful words. I also curse that my lady parts are anything but dry when around him.
I jump as I sense someone come up behind me. Spinning around, I take on a defensive stance, ready to strike whatever is waiting for me. Instead, I find compassionate eyes from Teagan. “I’m sorry I followed you. I’m sure I’m not supposed to be in here, but I wanted to apologize for my brother. I’m sorry he spoke that way to you. However, I can guarantee that, one day, you’ll get an apology from him. I know those two men better than anybody. Trust me.” Before I can answer or ask what the hell she’s talking about, she leav
es my space in the kitchen, gone as quickly as she came.
Returning back to the table with their coffees, I find Teagan and Kai are the only ones there. He never comes back, and Teagan and Kai eat quietly without their friend. I hear them mention something about his long walk home. My shift is almost over, and Teagan has left, but Kai still sits at the table sipping coffee. I walk by and hear him speak for the first time in a while. “You done soon?”
“Yeah.”
“Burke hitched it home. You need a ride? I have an appointment with Stassi today.” If he’s going to my house anyway, it seems stupid to say no. Especially when the alternative is an hour on the bus.
“Sure. Thanks.”
We are in the car, and Kai hums along to the stereo while my thoughts run wild with my interest over these two men. “Can I ask you something?”
“Go for it, but in full disclosure I can’t guarantee I’ll answer, or even answer truthfully.” At least he’s honest. I clear my throat to ask the question that’s been on my mind since he showed up at my door.
“Why does a guy like you need to pay for sex?” I fidget while I wait for his response, nervous of offending him more than anything else. Kai doesn’t seem uncomfortable with my question at all.
“I’ve paid for sex, but I’ve never had an arrangement like this. In the past, it’s come about through youthful experimentation or convenience. Before your sister, it had probably only happened a handful of times. But as the crowd around us gets bigger and bigger, dealing with women who I have no interest in furthering something with gets more and more difficult.” The look on his face tells me he’s remembering specific instances his sex life has bitten him in the ass before. “Stassi appeared in my life, and it made sense. She’s one of the hottest girls I’ve ever fucked, and besides payment, she doesn’t want anything else from me.”
“That brought up about a million other questions.” It’s pointless to attempt to fight the nervous smile on my face, so I don’t try.
Deceit in Bloom (The Love Unauthorized Series Book 1) Page 5
