Hummingbird

by Nathan L. Flamank

  The gasoline fumes caught; blue and yellow flames shooting across the floor, spreading out like a flaming wave.

  Jack walked to his car, got in and drove away, in his rear-view mirror he saw the first flames spewing from the blown out windows and he knew, out here in the middle of nowhere, that it would take a fire crew at least twenty minutes to get out here and by then he would be miles away.

  *****

  Selena was going through her wardrobe picking out clothing that she thought would be to Jack’s liking and as she put a pair of thigh boots (never worn) in to one of the two open suitcases on the bed the full realisation of what Jack had said hit her and she slumped down on to the corner of the bed.

  ‘I’m no prostitute.’

  Selena found her cigarettes and lit one; she was a little relieved to see that her hands had finally quit their shaking. She sucked on the cigarette drawing deeply before exhaling the used nicotine up towards the ceiling.

  ‘Ha,’ she said bitterly. ‘It’s either one cock for a month or fuck knows how many cocks for the rest of my life, Jesus Selena you’re a fucking idiot.’

  Her phone started to trill and fear enveloped her and she ran, still naked, back in to the kitchen and snagged the handset from the wall.

  ‘Yes?’ Please don’t be Jack, don’t let it be him backing out.

  ‘Hey Selena, it’s only me, returning your call.’

  Selena breathed a huge sigh of relief and took a steadying drag on her cigarette; she flicked ash from the end of the cigarette in to the kitchen sink.

  ‘Hi Matilda, thanks for getting back to me, I’ve had a family emergency and I need to leave town for a while, I was hoping you’d be able to run the store while I’m gone.’

  ‘Oh Selena, I hope it’s nothing bad?’

  If only you knew.

  ‘No, just an elderly sick relative but there’s no one else that can go.’

  ‘How long?’

  ‘A month.’

  ‘That’s great, I mean, not great about your relative, but I could really use the money, I’m totally up for that.’

  Selena let out another sigh of relief and she spent the next ten minutes going through things with Matilda, Selena had no doubts that Matilda would be able to cope, she’d been with Selena since the store’s grand opening. After clarifying everything with Matilda Selena stubbed the cigarette out in the sink and walked back through to the bedroom.

  Selena spent another hour picking through her clothes and by the time she was finished she felt that she’d packed appropriately and she smiled at the garment hanging from the back of the door, if Jack wanted sexy tonight she’d give him sexy but he hadn’t told her what not to wear and she was looking forward to the look on his face when he finally saw her wearing what she had picked out.

  ‘Fuck him’ Selena said.

  Selena zipped the cases shut and hefted them out to the hallway, she cast a glance down the stairs and realised that she still needed to clear the mess up in the store.

  ‘That fucking Fat Man.’

  Selena’s insides twisted up as she recalled the look on the Fat Man’s face when he’d told her to get her tits out and she felt tears spring in to her eyes.

  ‘Don’t think about it Selena, just keep busy.’

  Selena headed back to her bedroom and pulled on a pair of jeans, she found a clean sweater and slipped it over her head and shoulders; she’d tidy up down in the store and then go for a shower, she needed to shave her legs and to visit a few stores nearby; there was still plenty to do before Jack was expecting her.

  *****

  ‘Take a seat Jackie-Boy.’

  Jack closed the study’s heavy door behind him and walked across the room to one of two leather armchairs positioned in front of the ornate mahogany desk; the desk had once belonged to the State Governor but when the Governor couldn’t pay his gambling debt the Fat Man had taken the desk as part payment, he’d also had the Governor’s young wife “spit-roasted” by two of his foot soldiers; the two Hispanics had fucked that young woman to within an inch of her life, the Fat Man had made the Governor watch the whole seven hour ordeal, and it came as no surprise to anyone, least of all Jack when the Governor never missed another marker from that day on.

  Jack sat down in a chair that cost more than his own car and tossed the large canvass bag that he had been carrying on to the Fat Man’s desk.

  The Fat Man picked the bag up and dropped it on to the expensive Persian carpet alongside his desk. The Fat Man sighed and it was only then that Jack realised that the boss had somebody beneath the desk giving him head.

  ‘I can come back boss.’

  ‘Nonsense, Kenny’s doing fine just where he is, I swear to god you’ve never had a blow-job until you get one from a man that owes you his life, they suck like their lives depend on it, which in Kenny’s case is the truth, isn’t that right Kenny you weasel little fuck?’

  From beneath the expansive desk Jack heard the man moaning through the mouthful of cock that he was busy sucking on.

  Jack could see that the boss was almost there, the sweat was pouring down the Fat Man’s face, pooling on his thick upper lip and Jack looked out through the study’s window at the opulent gardens.

  The Fat Man grunted.

  ‘Make sure you swallow every drop you weasel.’

  Jack watched one of the Fat Man’s Rottweilers trotting by, there were half a dozen of them around the corpulent grounds, each trained to kill on sight; they were silent when they attacked, the Fat Man had had their vocal chords cut as puppies and Jack had witnessed the dogs on the attack in the past and it was a scary sight to behold; they’d take a 250lb man apart in under eight seconds. The dog disappeared from view and Jack returned his gaze to the Fat Man.

  The Fat Man was wiping his face with a silk scarf.

  ‘Don’t you move Kenny, I’ll need a piss shortly and I can’t be bothered with going to the toilet, and if you know what’s good for you and your tramp of a wife you’ll swallow what comes out the end of my cock.’

  Jack could hear Kenny’s weeping but he felt no sympathy for the stranger beneath the desk, Jack figured that Kenny had whatever was happening to him coming, he’d been doing this job long enough to know that everyone that turned to the Fat Man for help was pretty much a scumbag and the rare few, like Selena that weren’t necessarily bad people, tended to avoid Kenny’s predicament; the only reason that Kenny was about to become the boss’ piss-pot was because he’d failed to repay the Fat Man what he was owed.

  ‘You look tired Jackie.’

  The Fat Man’s comment snapped Jack out of his thoughts and he nodded his head and rubbed at the bridge of his nose.

  ‘It’s been a long day boss, and I haven’t had a holiday since the year before last, I’m close to burn-out.’

  Jack was one of the very few people that could talk to the boss in this way, the Fat Man respected Jack and he asked if Jack wanted a drink.

  ‘Bourbon wouldn’t go amiss.’

  The Fat Man laughed. ‘Get me a Knob Creek whilst you’re up, no ice.’

  Jack got up and walked over to the small bar and fixed them both a drink, he carried the glasses back to the desk and slid the boss’s drink across the vast width of the desk. He sat back down and sipped his bourbon.

  The Fat Man told Kenny to take his cock in his mouth and then he sighed with pleasure as he began to piss.

  Jack could hear Kenny struggling to keep up with the boss’ flow and he couldn’t help it and he started to laugh and soon he lost all control and the Fat Man chuckled and began to laugh himself.

  ‘Don’t spill a fuckin’ drop Kenny or I’ll have my dogs fuck your wife.’

  Jack wiped tears from his eyes and waited for Kenny to finish up. Finally the boss was done relieving himself and he told Kenny to get the fuck out from beneath the desk.

  Jack watched Kenny crawl from beneath the desk and it was only when the man got to his feet that Jack recognised Kenny as a pro-basketball player; the guy was
known from coast to coast and Jack closed his eyes and took a heavy gulp of bourbon. Jack heard the Fat Man tell the sportsman to get the fuck out.

  ‘But don’t leave the property; I’ll be needing a shit soon.’

  Jack breathed slowly and tried not to think about what the Fat Man would make Kenny do later on. Jack heard the door open and shut and then he opened his eyes and looked across at the Fat Man; he’d never seen a more repugnant looking specimen of a human being but Jack was there to do a job, a job that he was well paid for and he cast from his mind his own thoughts and waited for the boss to talk.

  ‘Take a week off Jackie.’

  Jack sipped his bourbon and rubbed one palm across his face, he could feel two days worth of stubble and he sighed, he was playing it cool, Jack knew his boss well and he didn’t want to come right out and ask for time off, by staying quiet he had got what he had wanted.

  ‘You look like shit Jackie-Boy, take the week, bang the delectable Selena Boyd, I take it you’ve told her that you now own her?’

  Jack finished his drink and the Fat Man nodded his head and Jack stood up, he took the boss’ glass and refilled them both, he gave the Fat Man his drink before taking his seat again.

  ‘I’ve informed her of the predicament she’s in.’

  Jack knew that the boss had no idea about Jack’s history with Selena, he had always been very careful in keeping Selena and his work separate.

  ‘So, take a week. Hell, take two, Nicky can handle everything in your absence, you’ve told me often enough how capable and ready he is, so this’ll be a way of killing two birds with one stone.’

  ‘You’re sure boss?’ Jack asked, with just the right level of doubt in his voice.

  The Fat Man nodded his head and Jack watched the ripples coursing through the boss’ obese body.

  ‘Yeah I’m sure Jackie, you’re my guy, and it does me no good if you’re so exhausted that you make a slip up.’

  ‘Boss, that would never happen,’ Jack replied bluntly.

  The Fat Man chuckled and raised his hands placating Jack.

  ‘Whoa son, I didn’t mean anything by it, I just need you firing on all cylinders; take a break and we’ll see if Nicky is ready.’

  ‘Okay boss, yeah, I could probably do with the time to recharge.’

  ‘Well good, it’s decided then.’ The Fat Man opened a desk drawer and tossed a bundle of banknotes across the desk; Jack caught it and looked at the red band securing the money.

  ‘Twenty grand? It’s too much boss.’

  ‘Nonsense, its pocket change, consider it a bonus for handling my safety all these years so professionally.’

  ‘It’s been an honour boss.’

  The Fat Man chuckled.

  ‘Aw quit it Jackie-Boy or you’ll have me in tears.’ The Fat Man downed his drink and stood up. ‘Now get the fuck outta here.’

  Jack threw his head back and downed the remainder of his bourbon. Jack stood up and slipped the bundle of cash in to the inside left pocket of his jacket. He walked around the desk and stepped in to the Fat Man’s open arms, he allowed the boss to slap his back a couple of times and suffered through the boss’ stench without objection; the Fat Man was so colossal that he always smelt of body odour no matter how often he bathed.

  The Fat Man clamped Jack by the shoulders.

  ‘I love you like a son Jackie-Boy, like a goddamn son.’

  Jack could see the old man meant it and he felt a momentary pang of guilt at his own thoughts.

  ‘I love ya too boss.’

  ‘Good, now get the fuck out of here, and on your way out tell that useless fuck Kenny to get his ass back in here, I need a shit and he’s about to discover a whole new meaning to the phrase “eat shit”, the son of a bitch is a useless fuck but I’ll keep him around for a while, he might be shit at throwing games but he can sure as fuck suck cock.’

  The Fat Man sat back down and shooed Jack out of the room.

  *****

  Jack looked at his reflection in the restroom mirror, he turned on the faucets and washed his hands before cupping his hands beneath the icy cold running water and he lowered his face towards the sink and splashed his face several times with the chilling water. He wiped the water from his stubbled cheeks and then glanced at his reflection once more.

  Jack rubbed his eyes.

  ‘You sure you wanna go through with this Jack?’ he asked his reflection.

  Jack’s reflection offered up a nod and said: ‘We’ve come this far, me may as well see it through to the end.’

  ‘She’s going to be a pain in the ass,’ Jack stated and his doppelganger smiled.

  ‘What woman isn’t?’

  Jack switched off the faucet and pulled a couple of towels from the wall mounted dispenser and dried his face, as he exited the restroom he cast one final glance back at the mirror: his reflection nodded his head, ‘I got your back.’

  *****

  The receptionist at “King and Laymon: attorneys at law” buzzed Jack through and he followed the richly carpeted hallway to the door at the far end; his lawyer, neither a King nor a Laymon stood up quickly from behind her desk and offered a hand across the expensive black minimalist desk.

  ‘Jack.’

  ‘Kerry,’ Jack replied as he sat down without being asked.

  Kerry, an attractive woman in her early thirties brushed invisible lint from her expensive cashmere suit and sat back down.

  ‘You have the document I requested?’

  ‘Yes, I have to say Jack it’s the weirdest contract I’ve ever had to draw up.’

  ‘Uh-huh, but it’s all legal; if need be it would hold up in a court of law?’

  Kerry tucked a strand of her long chestnut hair back behind one elfin ear and smiled at Jack; they’d almost dated once but despite her attraction to him she found him too intense and if a quarter of the stories about him that she had heard were even half truth he was one scary ass dude to date. But still, look at him, that is all man honey, Kerry’s inner voice said and she felt a stirring in her loins, she closed her thighs and bit the inside of her bottom lip.

  ‘You anticipate ending up in court Jack?’ Kerry asked with a playful smile turning up the corners of her mouth.

  Jack laughed and again Kerry felt a tingle.

  Goddamnit, why couldn’t he be a cop or a fireman, why’s he have to be a leg-breaker? She asked herself.

  ‘No, no courts, I just want to be clear before I leave here that the document is solid.’

  ‘The Attorney General herself could examine that document and wouldn’t be able to find fault with it.’ Kerry picked up a thin A4 sized manila envelope and passed it across the desk, Jack took it and for a brief moment their fingers touched and Kerry felt that magnetism that she had always felt whenever she came in to contact with the Fat Man’s number one enforcer.

  Jack sat back and the moment was over and Kerry sat back in her seat, she hoped that she didn’t appear as flushed as she actually felt.

  ‘So,’ Jack said and he waved the envelope in front of his face, ‘I get her signature on this and its legally binding?’

  ‘Uh-huh, she signs that and she’s yours.’

  ‘Good.’

  Jack stood up, he reached in to his back pocket and peeled off a wad of banknotes, he tossed them down on to the desk and turned for the door, he stopped at the door and glanced back at Kerry.

  ‘This is just between you and me, you better not have any notes or copies or I’ll be back.’

  Kerry laughed. ‘Attorney client privilege.’

  ‘This is the only time I tell you Kerry, this is just between you and me, if you have notes or copies destroy them, you don’t talk about this to anyone and I mean anyone, you do, and well, our next meeting will not be so cordial.’

  ‘That’s the only copy Jack, there are no notes, no one will know.’

  ‘Good.’ Jack opened the door and exited the office, the door closed behind him and Kerry let out a deep sigh.

  ‘Damn it he
’s one scary fucking guy,’ Kerry parted her legs and slipped her right hand beneath her skirt, within moments her fingers were inside her knickers and she closed her eyes as she began to tease her clitoris.

  ‘Scary but fucking sexy.’ Kerry pushed two fingers up inside her soaking wet slit and cried out as she imagined what it would feel like to fuck a real man rather than the asshat that she was currently dating. Kerry concentrated on the colour of Jack’s eyes and her orgasm hit and it was stronger than any she had had with the asshat.

  *****

  Jack parked at the kerb and exited the car, he left the engine running, no one would dream of stealing it, not in this city, everyone knew who it belonged to. Jack crossed the sidewalk and worked his way along a row of payphones, the first three were broken but the fourth was in operation and Jack deposited a handful of change and made his call; the phone was answered on the fifth ring.

  ‘It’s me, I’ll be coming to the house in the early hours of tomorrow morning, have the fridge stocked, and the house and grounds ready for me, I’ll be staying for a month and I’ll be bringing a house guest.’

  Jack listened to the voice on the other end of the line for several minutes.

  ‘That’s fine, that’s fine, thank you, I really appreciate it, okay, take care and say hi to the kids for me, bye.’

  He hung up and walked back to the car; he got in and drove away.

  *****

  Selena had been waiting in front of her store for fifteen minutes before she saw the car slowly cruising towards her in the darkness. At exactly one o’clock in the morning.

  ‘Trust Jack to be dead on time,’ she said to the empty sidewalk.

  The headlights bathed her in their whiteness and she turned to face the on-coming lights, she allowed her long coat to fall open so that Jack would see what she was wearing before he even got out of the car.

  ‘This’ll fuck him up,’ Selena said quietly allowing a bitter smile to play across her stunningly beautiful face and she watched as the five year old Toyota pulled up to the kerb in front of her.