We have no idea what we are walking into. For all I know, this could be a trap that leads to a shitty situation for us and for Fallon. But at this point, I’ve lost all sense of reason. I need my girl back, and right now this is the only way I know how to do that.
We slowly make our way to the edge of the house, keeping close to the ugly brick that lines the building. I duck below a window that peeks through to the kitchen and creep closer to the front door.
I huddle up behind the frame and reach over to beat on Jax’s door. It doesn’t take long before the light turns on and I hear the click of the lock and the sound of the doorknob turning. The door opens. When Jax doesn’t find the person pounding on his door, he steps onto the porch and looks around. I see him tense as he steps out from under the light and peers around the corner. Cason and I back away slowly to stay cloaked in the darkness. Finally, Jax calls out. “Yo, stop fucking around. Who’s there?”
He pushes the door all the way open, and just as he’s about to step back inside, I see my opening. I prepare to move quickly. “Now,” I hiss.
I pick him up by the waist, half-carrying, half-shoving him back into his house. Cason follows me inside and shuts the door. I listen for the click of the deadbolt.
“What the fu—” Jax says before I slam him face-first into the nearest wall.
Cason wraps him up in a hold so I can back off and question this fool.
“Get the hell off of me,” Jax growls. He bucks his body trying to get free. Cason holds him down but not without consequence. Pain flashes across Cason’s face but he doesn’t let go. I need to make this quick.
“I can’t do that,” Cason says through gritted teeth as he puts all his weight into holding Jax down.
I can’t waste time on bullshit, so I get straight to the point. “Where is he, Jax?”
“What the fuck? Where is who?” Jax says.
“You know who, you prick. Marcus! Where is Marcus?” I say in-between clenched teeth. My patience can barely handle this game, the back-and-forth, cat-and-mouse bullshit this fucker is giving me right now.
“Are you fucking with me right now?” he asks.
“Does it look like we’re fucking with you? Answer the question.” Cason slams him into the wall once, then twice. Just a little extra to get our point across.
“Okay, okay, okay! Fuck. Stop!”
Cason loosens up a tiny bit but still has Jax wrapped up against the wall in a tight hold. I’m impressed that he’s been able to hold him off this long with his injuries.
“I don’t know where the fucker is,” Cason prepares to slam him again, and he leans to his side to brace himself for the pain.
“Wait! Man, chill. I don’t know where he is, but I know he has five grand worth of product on him and hasn’t paid up yet.”
Cason locks eyes with me over his shoulder. “What do you mean?” I ask cautiously.
“I mean cousin-dearest fucking jacked me. He didn’t show up for the trade and isn’t answering his phone. He’s got my money.”
“He’s your cousin?” Cason asks at the same time I ask, “When was the trade?”
“Last night,” Jax says, “and yeah, he’s blood. My dad’s sister’s kid.”
I meet Cason’s eyes again. I glance back to Jax. I check for any sign he might be lying. Jax is easy to read; he doesn’t mask his face nearly as well as he should. I hate to admit it, but I believe him. He doesn’t know shit about Fallon. If he did, he would have slipped by now.
Fuck, this shit just got even more twisted. But I actually think this fucker is telling the truth.
“Let him go,” I say to Cason.
Cason gives me a double take. “Wait, what?”
“Let him go,” I say again.
“Dude, we just jumped him in his own house,” Cason says. “We can’t just let him go.”
“Let him go, Cason,” I say, but this time I’m stern as I meet Cason’s eyes. “Trust me, brother.”
Cason stares at me for a second, evaluating my sanity. I can see it. He thinks I’ve lost it. And while that is very possible, I still believe Jax. I also have a plan and will need to use Jax.
“I hope you know what the fuck you’re doing.” Cason says as he lets go of Jax and backs up. Jax straightens up and faces us but doesn’t make a move on us. He’s outnumbered.
“Who the fuck jumped you?” Jax asks as soon as his eyes lay on Cason.
“Where was the trade?” I ask, avoiding the question. Jax doesn’t need to know what happened to Cason or the extent of his injuries, or he just might try something.
Jax chuckles. “The Depot.”
“You were making a trade on our fucking turf?” Cason snorts, “Shit, that’s kind of genius.”
“I know y’all pay off the cops to keep that place the way it is. Makes it the perfect place for a trade.”
“Stay on track,” I snap. “Where else could Marcus go? Where’s your aunt?”
“Nah, man. No idea. I don’t know him that well. He only comes around when my dad calls him. My aunt lives a few hours from here.”
I watch him closely. I see no ticks, no tells, no indication he’s a lying waste of space.
“Wait, is this about your girl? I heard she left you high and dry at that party. Is that why that fucker took my money? Over your girl?” Jax growls. “She’s starting to become a problem, Jesse.”
I don’t answer him or acknowledge the threat in his tone. I look to Cason. “Let’s go.”
“Hey! Hold up. If you find him, I want my money. You hear me?” Jax yells at us as Cason and I file out of his front door and head down the sidewalk and around the corner
